WorldWideScience

Sample records for vet proposed techniques

  1. 78 FR 31999 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Iran Democracy Program Grants Vetting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 8337] 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Iran Democracy Program Grants Vetting ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and submission to OMB of proposed collection of information. SUMMARY: The Department of State has submitted the information...

  2. 78 FR 15798 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Iran Democracy Program Grants Vetting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 8218] 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Iran Democracy Program Grants Vetting ACTION: Notice of request for public comment. SUMMARY: The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the information collection described...

  3. Specialized Binary Analysis for Vetting Android APPS Using GUI Logic

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-04-01

    user expectation of what the app is doing. These techniques enable security analysts to quickly vet any given Android app even if the source code is...Malware Detection for Android applications, Binary Analysis 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT SAR 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a...of what the app is doing. These techniques enable security analysts to quickly vet any given Android app even if the source code is unavailable. These

  4. A validation of Hemo_Vet, a portable hemoglobinometer, in dogs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Carolina Pereira

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Determinations of hemoglobin (Hb levels and packed cell volumes (PCV can be performed by various methods, including rapid testing using a portable hemoglobinometer. As a simple method that requires small blood samples and provides results in seconds, the utilization of portable hemoglobinometers has become increasingly widespread. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Hemo_ Vet, a portable hemoglobinometer, in Hb measurements and PCV determinations in dogs. A total of 100 blood samples were used to compare the Hb and PCV values provided by the Hemo_Vet with those obtained using an automatic hematology analyzer (BC2800VET and the microhematocrit technique. The Bland-Altman method was used for data analysis. Bland-Altman analysis revealed a high level of agreement between the Hb values obtained from the BC2800VET and those obtained using the Hemo_ Vet. The bias was close to zero (0.17, and although it was statistically significant (p = 0.0003, it unlikely would result in any clinically significant effects. The differences in the PCV values generated using the hemoglobinometer and the BC2800VET technique and those generated using the hemoglobinometer and microhematocrit technique exhibited a bias of 7.80 and 2.80, respectively, indicating a high degree of variability between these methods. In addition, the hemoglobinometer was not able to determine PCV values below 18% and above 59%. The precision, standard deviation and coefficients of variation for the device all showed low variation. These results indicate that the hemoglobinometer exhibits good precision and fulfills its primary purpose, which is to measure Hb levels. However, this device was less effective in determining PCV values, where it exhibited high level of variation in both methods of comparison. These results revealed the need to change the conversion factor for estimations of PCV values from 2.94 to 3.54 for dogs

  5. Developing VET Applied Research: Steps towards Enhancing VET's Role in the Innovation System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beddie, Francesca M.; Simon, Linda

    2017-01-01

    The VET sector is under pressure from the exponential increase in university places. This, on top of cutbacks to government funding over the last decade and a lack of clarity about VET's role now that it is squeezed between universities and schools, has led to a precarious position for the VET sector and the need to consider changes to traditional…

  6. The VET System and Industrial SMEs: The Role of Employees with VET Qualifications in Innovation Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunet Icart, Ignasi; Rodríguez-Soler, Joan

    2017-01-01

    Reforms of the vocational education and training (VET) system in Spain are committed to a closer relationship between the VET system and companies' needs. One of these needs is for a greater contribution of the VET system to innovation in companies, especially SMEs, which have limited resources to innovate. This contribution could materialise…

  7. International Education Policy: Its Influence on the Conception of VET and the VET System in Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deissinger, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    Inquiries into vocational education and training (VET) systems are normally characterised by looking at institutions and steering mechanisms. That aside, however, it is culture which underlies both the practice and the theory as well as the policy of VET in various countries. Specific problems arise when it comes to harmonising VET systems through…

  8. Pedagogical practices in VET

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Louw, Arnt Vestergaard

    2013-01-01

    This article deals with pedagogical practices on the basic carpentry VET programme in Denmark. On the basis of an anthropologically inspired study among carpentry students at two VET schools, the prime objective of analysis is to understand the various pedagogical practices from the students...

  9. VET Applied Research: Driving VET's Role in the Innovation System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beddie, Francesca M.; Simon, Linda

    2017-01-01

    Innovation has become an increasingly important concept for Australian businesses in enabling them to continue to compete in an international market, but where does vocational education and training (VET) sit in this? To date, VET has been largely overlooked by the National Innovation and Science Agenda as a potential contributor in this field.…

  10. Renewing VET Provision: Understanding Feedback Mechanisms between Initial VET and the Labour Market. Research Paper No 37

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, 2013

    2013-01-01

    A strong VET system is increasingly seen as essential to overcoming the current economic crisis in Europe. VET is seen as a powerful tool to assist in balancing labour market inefficiencies, increasing youth employment possibilities, and reducing skills mismatch. Its inherent flexibility and closeness to the labour market place VET in a good…

  11. Pedagogical quality of VET teachers and management in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gottlieb, Susanne

    2016-01-01

    This article is written from the viewpoint of a provider VET teacher education, research, and This article is written from the viewpoint of a provider VET teacher education, research, and This article is written from the viewpoint of a provider VET teacher education, research, and This article...... is written from the viewpoint of a provider VET teacher education, research, and This article is written from the viewpoint of a provider VET teacher education, research, and This article is written from the viewpoint of a provider VET teacher education, research, and This article is written from...... the viewpoint of a provider VET teacher education, research, and This article is written from the viewpoint of a provider VET teacher education, research, and This article is written from the viewpoint of a provider VET teacher education, research, and This article is written from the viewpoint of a provider...

  12. Competence-based VET as seen by Dutch researchers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wesselink, R.; Biemans, H.J.A.; Mulder, M.; Elsen, van den E.

    2007-01-01

    The concept of competence is increasingly the basis for (re)designing VET. In competence-based VET academic disciplines are no longer starting points for curriculum development. Competence needed for working in practice, however, is. Competence-based learning is a dominant trend in VET in several

  13. VET in practice - and in politics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Koudahl, Peter

    2016-01-01

    This draft paper addresses the issue of building the bridges between VET politics, practice and research and contributes to the ambition of making evidence based policy making possible. The examples derive from the Danish context but the principle of understanding and analyzing VET politics...... countries functions in practice most attempts political intervention has little or no effect. In other words the basic principles on which VET is founded are more or less resistant to outside interventions (Koudahl 2006). One example is the discussion on how to provide a sufficient number of company based...

  14. Quality Assurance of Vet Delivery to Quality Professionals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liviu Moldovan

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the paper is to presents some results of the project entitled “Transfer of innovative training solutions for VET of quality professionals” (acronym TIT-us financed by European Commission. It addresses to the need of designing new VET courses for training in quality management qualifications. Our approach for quality design of VET courses is to add the methodological step to the classic PDCA Deming cycle. We have shown that each activity in VET is a quality approach which consists of a number of decisions made within the five steps: plan, do, check, act and a certain methodology. The findings are demonstrated for each step, in actions the VET provider has to follow for an effective methodological process.

  15. The Social Stratification of the German VET System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Protsch, Paula; Solga, Heike

    2016-01-01

    Germany is widely known for its vocational education and training (VET) system and its dual apprenticeship system in particular. What is often overlooked, however, is the vertical stratification within the German VET system. This is the focus of this study. Our analysis shows that the VET system, like the German school system, is highly…

  16. What can be learned from the Nordic VET-systems?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Christian Helms

    school, no common model of upper secondary vocational education (VET) exist. Though these countries share the ideals of social inclusion and equal educational opportunities for all, they include two opposite models of VET. Sweden has realised the unified Gymnasium for all, comprising academic...... and vocational programmes that offer all students eligibility for higher education. Denmark has maintained a selective upper secondary school education and a VET-system based on the apprenticeship model. Finland and Norway represent mixed systems that combine elements from these system. By comparing VET...... and for the training companies. However, the Nordic VET-systems offer examples of reforms and innovations that try to overcome these trade-offs. One type of reforms include initiatives to improve the linkages from VET to the labour market. Of special interest are the new intermediary institutions between education...

  17. LBNL report of the vetting review of the GRETINA project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinson, K.E.; Bercovitz, J.H.; Bieser, F.S.; Jared, R.C.; Karpenko, V.P.; Klein, S.R.; Lesko, K.T.; Rasson, J.E.; Ritter, H.G.; Tull, C.E.; Wells, R.; Wieman, H.H.

    2004-01-01

    GRETINA is a gamma-ray detector array capable of reconstructing the energy and spatial positions of gamma-ray interactions within the germanium crystals. It will be used to study the structure and stability of nuclei under various conditions. The new capabilities provided by gamma-ray tracking will give large gains in sensitivity for a large number of experiments, particularly those aimed at nuclei far from beta stability. A proposal for GRETINA was submitted to DOE in June 2003. It presented the scientific case, the readiness of technical development, the design, the suggested management organizations, and a proposed cost and schedule. The GRETINA proposal received its CD0 approval in August 2003. The CD-1 review will be held on December 3 and 4, 2003, and will be handled by the DOE-N. This report presents the charge to the GRETINA vetting review committee, and the findings, comments and recommendations of this committee. The purpose of this project vetting review was to assure that the GRETINA project is on track to provide DOE and the nuclear physics community with the agreed upon deliverables within the agreed upon budget and schedule. The vetting review committee was asked to cover both technical and management aspects of the GRETINA Project. Reviewers offer expert knowledge in relevant areas and provide recommendations and findings to the project's management team. Upon successful completion, the Laboratory's Integrated Project Management Office (IPMO) will recommend signoff of the project to the Laboratory Directorate. The GRETINA vetting review committee was asked to consider all relevant aspects of the project's management, project execution plan (PEP), technical approach and status, cost estimate, resources, schedule and risk and, in doing so, to advise as to whether the GRETINA Project was likely to successfully provide the agreed upon deliverables within the agreed upon budget and schedule. The review committee was asked to identify any project areas

  18. Challenges for Nordic VET-systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Christian Helms

    2015-01-01

    , this challenge is not new. It has been on the agenda since the late 1960s following the crisis for apprenticeship and the growing demand for equal access to all levels of education. What is new, however, is that the challenge has intensified and the solutions developed since the 1970s don’t appear tenable today......The systems of vocational education and training (VET) in the Nordic Countries all face a similar challenge: to offer double qualifications. The Nordic VET-systems are expected to give access not only to skilled employment, but also to higher education. As an increasing share of young people....... This situation calls for new solutions to tackle the challenge of double qualifications. The question, which I will examine in this chapter, is how the Nordic VET-systems have handled this challenge in different ways and what these systems can learn from Switzerland, which is often highlighted as a model...

  19. Explaining the VET Applied Research Developmental Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Linda; Beddie, Francesca M.

    2017-01-01

    This document explains the VET Applied Research Developmental Framework, created as part of a project that explored how the vocational education and training (VET) sector could broaden its engagement in Australia's research and development (R&D) and innovation systems. Achieving this engagement will rely significantly on building the…

  20. Walk like a vet, think like an owner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-11-26

    Owners consulting the internet before venturing into a veterinary practice is a real issue in today's technological age, but how often do vets step into the owner's shoes and try to understand why they do so? On the farm, what are the motivations of the farmer, and are these being listened to by the vet? These were just some of the questions raised in a session at the BVA Congress during the London Vet Show last week. Georgina Mills reports. British Veterinary Association.

  1. The current state of the challenges for VET in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Christian Helms

    The aim of this report is to analyse the way the Danish VET system has been coping with four challenges in the last decades. First the report describes key features of the institutional architecture of the current Danish VET-system. In the next two sections priority is given to the challenges....... The report examines how the VET systems connects with the labour market and explores the patterns of transition of the students from VET to the labour market and describes indications of their mobility and employability. In the following section the report focusses on the second challenge for vocational...... the suc-cess of subsequent reforms of VET in improving the connections between VET and higher educa-tion, latest with the reform in 2013. The next challenge to be examined is that of social inclusion. This is mainly a question of raising the retention of students in the vocational programmes, where...

  2. VET workers’ problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments: European approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raija Hämäläinen

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The European workplace is challenging VET adults’ problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TREs. So far, no international large-scale assessment data has been available for VET. The PIAAC data comprise the most comprehensive source of information on adults’ skills to date. The present study (N=50 369 focuses on gaining insight into the problem-solving skills in TREs of adults with a VET background. When examining the similarities and differences in VET adults’ problem-solving skills in TREs across 11 European countries, two main trends can be observed. First, our results show that only a minority of VET adults perform at a high level. Second, there seems to be substantial variation between countries with respect to the proportion of VET adults that can be identified as “at-risk” or “weak” performers. For the future, our findings indicate the variations that can be used as a starting point to identify beneficial VET approaches.

  3. Information Collection on the Situation of VET Teachers and Trainers in Candidate Countries

    OpenAIRE

    Foundation VET reform in Estonia / Estonian National Observatory

    2002-01-01

    Currently there are two main categories of teachers in VET schools – VET teachers and teachers of general education subjects. The former status of two different kinds of VET teachers – the professional subject teacher, and the training master has been replaced by one VET teacher category by the Regulation No 18 of the Minister of Culture and Education the Statute of a VET Teacher/Trainer of 26 May 1995.VET teachers have to carry out workshop training and teach professional subj...

  4. Partners Vetting System (PVS)

    Data.gov (United States)

    US Agency for International Development — PVS 2.0 is a database that supports vetting of NGOs and individuals to ensure that USAID-funded assistance does not inadvertently provide support to entities or...

  5. VET workers problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments: European approach

    OpenAIRE

    Hämäläinen, Raija

    2014-01-01

    The European workplace is challenging VET adults problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TREs). So far, no international large-scale assessment data has been available for VET. The PIAAC data comprise the most comprehensive source of information on adults skills to date. The present study (N=50 369) focuses on gaining insight into the problem-solving skills in TREs of adults with a VET background. When examining the similarities and differences in VET adults problem-solving sk...

  6. VET workers’ problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments: European approach

    OpenAIRE

    Hämäläinen, Raija; Cincinnato, Sebastiano; Malin, Antero; De Wever, Bram

    2014-01-01

    The European workplace is challenging VET adults’ problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TREs). So far, no international large-scale assessment data has been available for VET. The PIAAC data comprise the most comprehensive source of information on adults’ skills to date. The present study (N=50 369) focuses on gaining insight into the problem-solving skills in TREs of adults with a VET background. When examining the similarities and differences in VET adults’ problem-solving...

  7. Education - employment partnership for VET in the fashion sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ursache, M.; Avădanei, M. L.; Ionesi, D. S.; Loghin, E.

    2017-10-01

    The paper presents the objectives, the innovative aspects, the planned outputs and the current results of the project entitled “Education - Employment Partnership for VET in the fashion sector”. The project is co-financed by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ Programme, Key Action 2 - Strategic Partnerships in the Field of Education, Training, Youth and Sport. The project aims mainly the at developing a European teaching and training Toolkit for supporting the implementation of Work-Based Learning (WBL) in all stages of vocational education and training (VET) in the fashion sector. Moreover, the project will support the implementation of quality assurance mechanisms for WBL in VET in the fashion sector with a specific focus on feedback loops between iVET and cVET systems. The project consortium is composed by nine partners from four countries (Romania, Bulgaria, Italy and Netherlands) representing two iVET providers, a university a Chamber of Commerce, a Federation of SMEs connected with fashion industries, one research institution, one company in clothing and fashion sector, two consulting companies with experience in education and training policies. The actual research results presented in the paper are based on the survey oriented to the training needs and the impact and benefits of WBL implementation. The data were collected from educational organizations. Also, examples of good practices showing the different challenges and benefits of WBL implementation, were identified.

  8. Automatic Vetting for Malice in Android Platforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-05-01

    Android Apps from Play Store Infected with Brain Test Malware. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/google- removes -13- android -apps-play-store-infected- brain-test...AUTOMATIC VETTING FOR MALICE IN ANDROID PLATFORMS IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY MAY 2016 FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT APPROVED...COVERED (From - To) DEC 2013 - DEC 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Automatic Vetting for Malice in Android Platforms 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA8750-14-2

  9. Online Support for VET Clients: Expectations and Experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choy, Sarojni; McNickle, Cathy; Clayton, Berwyn

    Since little research existed about services for online learners in Australia, a national study was conducted to explore the expectations and experiences of online learners in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. Online learners enrolled with various Registered Training Organizations (RTOs) from the VET sector were contacted for…

  10. Continuing Professional Development for a Diverse VET Practitioner Workforce. Occasional Paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tyler, Mark; Dymock, Darryl

    2017-01-01

    This occasional paper provides a stocktake of recent developments in continuing professional development for VET practitioners. It explores issues such as industry currency, the debate around a professional association for VET and the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment as the minimum qualification for VET practitioners. Through synthesising…

  11. VET Manager Identities: Culture, Philosophy and Professional Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foley, Annette

    2011-01-01

    Using a post-structural approach this article investigates the working lives of frontline managers in VET and how they negotiate change in their day to day practices and decision making. The article is organised around accounts made by managers from different types of Vocational Education and Training (VET) organisations, namely: Technical and…

  12. VET Teachers in Europe: Policies, Practices and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misra, Pradeep Kumar

    2011-01-01

    The objective of making vocational education and training (VET) globally competitive and attractive by the European Union has put vocational teachers in the spotlight. As a result, the VET teacher profession in Europe is facing many challenges and demands expressed constantly by the general public, representatives from the world of work, public…

  13. Solar Training Network and Solar Ready Vets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dalstrom, Tenley Ann

    2016-09-14

    In 2016, the White House announced the Solar Ready Vets program, funded under DOE's SunShot initiative would be administered by The Solar Foundation to connect transitioning military personnel to solar training and employment as they separate from service. This presentation is geared to informing and recruiting employer partners for the Solar Ready Vets program, and the Solar Training Network. It describes the programs, and the benefits to employers that choose to connect to the programs.

  14. Humans Need Not Apply: Robotization of Kepler Planet Candidate Vetting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coughlin, Jeffrey; Mullally, Fergal; Thompson, Susan E.; Kepler Team

    2015-01-01

    Until now, the vast majority of Kepler planet candidate vetting has been performed by a dedicated team of humans. While human expertise has been invaluable in understanding the nuances of Kepler data, human vetting is very time-consuming and can be inconsistent. Over 20,000 threshold crossing events have been produced by the latest pipeline run on all 17 quarters of Kepler mission data, and many more artificial planet transits have been injected to estimate completeness. Given these large numbers, human vetting is no longer feasible on a reasonable time-scale, and would be difficult to characterize. We have created automated vetting programs known as "robovetters" that are specifically designed to mimic the decision-making process employed by the humans. They analyze both the light curve and pixel-level data in order to produce specific reasons for identifying false positives. We present benchmark tests on the Q1-Q16 Kepler planet catalog, which was vetted by humans, and present preliminary robovetter results based on a recent transit-search of the newly reprocessed Q1-Q17 data set.

  15. The Coherence of Vocational Education and Training in Norway and Spain: National Traditions and the Reshaping of VET Governance in Hybrid VET Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souto-Otero, Manuel; Ure, Odd Bjorn

    2012-01-01

    Coherence of national education and training systems is increasingly tabled in European policy debates. Leaning on literature about the emergence and consolidation of national education systems, this article explores the rationale for VET reforms in Norway and Spain by scrutinising attempts to strengthen the coherence of their VET systems.…

  16. Centroid vetting of transiting planet candidates from the Next Generation Transit Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Günther, Maximilian N.; Queloz, Didier; Gillen, Edward; McCormac, James; Bayliss, Daniel; Bouchy, Francois; Walker, Simon. R.; West, Richard G.; Eigmüller, Philipp; Smith, Alexis M. S.; Armstrong, David J.; Burleigh, Matthew; Casewell, Sarah L.; Chaushev, Alexander P.; Goad, Michael R.; Grange, Andrew; Jackman, James; Jenkins, James S.; Louden, Tom; Moyano, Maximiliano; Pollacco, Don; Poppenhaeger, Katja; Rauer, Heike; Raynard, Liam; Thompson, Andrew P. G.; Udry, Stéphane; Watson, Christopher A.; Wheatley, Peter J.

    2017-11-01

    The Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS), operating in Paranal since 2016, is a wide-field survey to detect Neptunes and super-Earths transiting bright stars, which are suitable for precise radial velocity follow-up and characterization. Thereby, its sub-mmag photometric precision and ability to identify false positives are crucial. Particularly, variable background objects blended in the photometric aperture frequently mimic Neptune-sized transits and are costly in follow-up time. These objects can best be identified with the centroiding technique: if the photometric flux is lost off-centre during an eclipse, the flux centroid shifts towards the centre of the target star. Although this method has successfully been employed by the Kepler mission, it has previously not been implemented from the ground. We present a fully automated centroid vetting algorithm developed for NGTS, enabled by our high-precision autoguiding. Our method allows detecting centroid shifts with an average precision of 0.75 milli-pixel (mpix), and down to 0.25 mpix for specific targets, for a pixel size of 4.97 arcsec. The algorithm is now part of the NGTS candidate vetting pipeline and automatically employed for all detected signals. Further, we develop a joint Bayesian fitting model for all photometric and centroid data, allowing to disentangle which object (target or background) is causing the signal, and what its astrophysical parameters are. We demonstrate our method on two NGTS objects of interest. These achievements make NGTS the first ground-based wide-field transit survey ever to successfully apply the centroiding technique for automated candidate vetting, enabling the production of a robust candidate list before follow-up.

  17. What is the future of work based learning in VET?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Christian Helms

    not to pursue an academic career. Countries with strong apprenticeship systems tend to have less youth unemployment and a smoother transition to the labour market than others. Furthermore, from a learning perspective, the outcomes of work-based training and informal learning are enhanced when they are combined...... that question the future role and organisation of work-based training in VET. The purpose of this paper is to examine these challenges based on a review of research on European VET systems and analyses of the Danish dual system of VET. In the end of the paper, some innovative solutions to these challenges...

  18. Partner Vetting System - Gaza & West Bank

    Data.gov (United States)

    US Agency for International Development — The PVS WB system supports the vetting of NGOs, their employees, and individuals who apply for USAID contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other funding...

  19. 76 FR 50715 - Briefing on Partner Vetting System Pilot Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-16

    ... Development Briefing on Partner Vetting System Pilot Program AGENCY: U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency... briefing on the Partner Vetting System (PVS) pilot program. The objective of the briefing is to provide information about the PVS pilot program. Members of the public may attend in person or join via teleconference...

  20. The role of VET Colleges in stimulating teachers’ engagement in team learning

    OpenAIRE

    Bouwmans, Machiel

    2018-01-01

    The necessity of VET teachers’ engagement in team learning Secondary vocational education and training, here abbreviated as VET, has a central position in the Dutch education system. It is the second largest education sector and qualifies large numbers of students for many professions. To ensure the smooth transition of students to the labour market, VET colleges have implemented competence-based education (CBE) programmes, which are designed to develop relevant professional competencies. VE...

  1. Governance in English VET: On the Functioning of a Fractured "System"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keep, Ewart

    2015-01-01

    This article explores the governance structures that cover vocational education and training (VET) in England. The English VET system is highly fragmented, complex and unstable, and has tended to oscillate between centralised command and control, and attempts at marketisation. Its governance arrangements reflect this situation. The various…

  2. A Preliminary Analysis of the Outcomes of Students Assisted by VET FEE-HELP: Summary

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), 2015

    2015-01-01

    This summary highlights the key findings from the report "A preliminary analysis of the outcomes of students assisted by VET FEE-HELP". VET FEE-HELP is an income-contingent loan scheme that assists eligible students undertaking certain vocational education training (VET) courses with an approved provider by paying for all or part of…

  3. Virtual Voices with Real-Life Consequences: Teaching Students about Cyber-Vetting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanasono, Lisa Kiyomi

    2013-01-01

    Despite its pervasiveness, many students do not realize how online communication can impact their careers and relationships. Cyber-vetting occurs when people use online search engines, social networking sites, and other Internet tools to uncover information about others. Because cyber-vetting is a relatively new concept, most communication…

  4. VET and the creative epistemology of the hand

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tanggaard, Lene

    , and to collaborate across the value chains in our organisations. This developing situation should attract the attention of those involved in VET. This keynote presentation will link crafts, vocational education and training and creativity which have a lot in common. In this, the pragmatist idea of an epistemology...... with practical action. We should count something as knowledge only if it enables us to make a fruitful difference to human experience. This links with an understanding of creative actions as those actions that make an impact in and on the world. A practical implication of this would be that VET must teach its...

  5. VET Workers' Problem-Solving Skills in Technology-Rich Environments: European Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hämäläinen, Raija; Cincinnato, Sebastiano; Malin, Antero; De Wever, Bram

    2014-01-01

    The European workplace is challenging VET adults' problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TREs). So far, no international large-scale assessment data has been available for VET. The PIAAC data comprise the most comprehensive source of information on adults' skills to date. The present study (N = 50 369) focuses on gaining insight…

  6. Data Linkage in VET Research: Opportunities, Challenges and Principles. Discussion Paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborne, Kristen; Fowler, Craig; Circelli, Michelle

    2018-01-01

    This discussion paper explores the possibilities and risks that data linkage presents for the vocational education and training (VET) sector. Along with a broad overview of the nature of data linkage, it highlights possible applications for data linkage in the VET sector and examines the key challenges associated with its use. A number of case…

  7. 77 FR 14707 - Vet Center Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-13

    ... assessment, individual counseling, group counseling, marital and family counseling for military-related... includes but is not limited to: psychosocial assessment, individual counseling, group counseling, marital... counseling currently provided in VA's Vet Centers to certain veterans of the Armed Forces and members of...

  8. From VET School to the Labour Market in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Expected versus Actual Wages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brankovic, Nina; Oruc, Nermin

    2016-01-01

    This article analyses the differences between expected and actual wages of VET students and graduates. It uses a survey of VET students enrolled in schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and data about employed VET graduates from the Labour Force Survey. The model of determinants of wages, expected or actual, estimated separately on each dataset,…

  9. The role of VET Colleges in stimulating teachers’ engagement in team learning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bouwmans, Machiel

    2018-01-01

    The necessity of VET teachers’ engagement in team learning

    Secondary vocational education and training, here abbreviated as VET, has a central position in the Dutch education system. It is the second largest education sector and qualifies large numbers of students for

  10. Supporting teachers and trainers for successful reforms and quality of VET

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kruse, Katrine; Gottlieb, Susanne; Andersen, Ole Dibbern

    This article presents how teachers and trainers in the Danish vocational education and training (VET) system are prepared for their work as professionals in an educational system undergoing rapid changes.......This article presents how teachers and trainers in the Danish vocational education and training (VET) system are prepared for their work as professionals in an educational system undergoing rapid changes....

  11. The Impact of Disadvantage on VET Completion and Employment Gaps. Research Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    McVicar, Duncan; Tabasso, Domenico

    2016-01-01

    Increasing educational attainment is generally tied to better employment outcomes. The vocational education and training (VET) sector is often used as an entry point into post-compulsory education for individuals who have experienced disadvantage in their lives. But does increasing participation in VET by disadvantaged individuals necessarily lead…

  12. VetCompass Australia: A National Big Data Collection System for Veterinary Science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGreevy, Paul; Thomson, Peter; Dhand, Navneet K; Raubenheimer, David; Masters, Sophie; Mansfield, Caroline S; Baldwin, Timothy; Soares Magalhaes, Ricardo J; Rand, Jacquie; Hill, Peter; Peaston, Anne; Gilkerson, James; Combs, Martin; Raidal, Shane; Irwin, Peter; Irons, Peter; Squires, Richard; Brodbelt, David; Hammond, Jeremy

    2017-09-26

    VetCompass Australia is veterinary medical records-based research coordinated with the global VetCompass endeavor to maximize its quality and effectiveness for Australian companion animals (cats, dogs, and horses). Bringing together all seven Australian veterinary schools, it is the first nationwide surveillance system collating clinical records on companion-animal diseases and treatments. VetCompass data service collects and aggregates real-time, clinical records for researchers to interrogate, delivering sustainable and cost-effective access to data from hundreds of veterinary practitioners nationwide. Analysis of these clinical records will reveal geographical and temporal trends in the prevalence of inherited and acquired diseases, identify frequently prescribed treatments, revolutionize clinical auditing, help the veterinary profession to rank research priorities, and assure evidence-based companion-animal curricula in veterinary schools. VetCompass Australia will progress in three phases: (1) roll-out of the VetCompass platform to harvest Australian veterinary clinical record data; (2) development and enrichment of the coding (data-presentation) platform; and (3) creation of a world-first, real-time surveillance interface with natural language processing (NLP) technology. The first of these three phases is described in the current article. Advances in the collection and sharing of records from numerous practices will enable veterinary professionals to deliver a vastly improved level of care for companion animals that will improve their quality of life.

  13. VetCompass Australia: A National Big Data Collection System for Veterinary Science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul McGreevy

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available VetCompass Australia is veterinary medical records-based research coordinated with the global VetCompass endeavor to maximize its quality and effectiveness for Australian companion animals (cats, dogs, and horses. Bringing together all seven Australian veterinary schools, it is the first nationwide surveillance system collating clinical records on companion-animal diseases and treatments. VetCompass data service collects and aggregates real-time, clinical records for researchers to interrogate, delivering sustainable and cost-effective access to data from hundreds of veterinary practitioners nationwide. Analysis of these clinical records will reveal geographical and temporal trends in the prevalence of inherited and acquired diseases, identify frequently prescribed treatments, revolutionize clinical auditing, help the veterinary profession to rank research priorities, and assure evidence-based companion-animal curricula in veterinary schools. VetCompass Australia will progress in three phases: (1 roll-out of the VetCompass platform to harvest Australian veterinary clinical record data; (2 development and enrichment of the coding (data-presentation platform; and (3 creation of a world-first, real-time surveillance interface with natural language processing (NLP technology. The first of these three phases is described in the current article. Advances in the collection and sharing of records from numerous practices will enable veterinary professionals to deliver a vastly improved level of care for companion animals that will improve their quality of life.

  14. Efficacy study of Styplon Vet Bolus as supportive therapy in management of hemorrhagic conditions of ruminants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B R Ravikumar

    Full Text Available On-field trial was conducted in dairy animals to evaluate efficacy of Styplon Vet Bolus (M/s Himalaya Drug Company, Banglore, India as supportive therapy in management of hemorrhagic conditions (Hematuria, hemoagalectia, bleeding wounds, uterine bleeding and epistaxis of ruminants. Styplon Vet 1-2 boli twice daily was administered to cows and buffaloes, and ½ bolus twice daily for sheep till they recover clinically. The results indicated that Styplon Vet Bolus is a safe and effective styptic in ruminants. [Vet World 2009; 2(12.000: 470-471

  15. VetCompass Australia: A National Big Data Collection System for Veterinary Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGreevy, Paul; Thomson, Peter; Dhand, Navneet K.; Raubenheimer, David; Masters, Sophie; Mansfield, Caroline S.; Baldwin, Timothy; Soares Magalhaes, Ricardo J.; Rand, Jacquie; Hill, Peter; Gilkerson, James; Combs, Martin; Raidal, Shane; Irwin, Peter; Irons, Peter; Squires, Richard; Brodbelt, David; Hammond, Jeremy

    2017-01-01

    Simple Summary The VetCompass Australia program collects real-time clinical records from veterinary practices and aggregates them for researchers to interrogate. It delivers Australian researchers sustainable and cost-effective access to authoritative data from hundreds of veterinary practitioners, across Australia and opens up major international collaborative opportunities with related projects in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Abstract VetCompass Australia is veterinary medical records-based research coordinated with the global VetCompass endeavor to maximize its quality and effectiveness for Australian companion animals (cats, dogs, and horses). Bringing together all seven Australian veterinary schools, it is the first nationwide surveillance system collating clinical records on companion-animal diseases and treatments. VetCompass data service collects and aggregates real-time, clinical records for researchers to interrogate, delivering sustainable and cost-effective access to data from hundreds of veterinary practitioners nationwide. Analysis of these clinical records will reveal geographical and temporal trends in the prevalence of inherited and acquired diseases, identify frequently prescribed treatments, revolutionize clinical auditing, help the veterinary profession to rank research priorities, and assure evidence-based companion-animal curricula in veterinary schools. VetCompass Australia will progress in three phases: (1) roll-out of the VetCompass platform to harvest Australian veterinary clinical record data; (2) development and enrichment of the coding (data-presentation) platform; and (3) creation of a world-first, real-time surveillance interface with natural language processing (NLP) technology. The first of these three phases is described in the current article. Advances in the collection and sharing of records from numerous practices will enable veterinary professionals to deliver a vastly improved level of care for companion animals that will

  16. Comparison of avian biochemical test results with Abaxis VetScan and Hitachi 911 analyzers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenacre, Cheryl B; Flatland, Bente; Souza, Marcy J; Fry, Michael M

    2008-12-01

    To compare results of clinical biochemical analysis using an Abaxis VetScan bench-top analyzer with reagents specifically marketed for avian use and a Hitachi 911 analyzer, plasma (both methods) and whole blood (VetScan method) samples from 20 clinically healthy Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis) were analyzed. Correlation between methods was very high (r = 0.9-1.0) for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), calcium, glucose, and uric acid; high (r = 0.7-0.89) for creatine kinase (CK), phosphorus, potassium, and total protein; moderate (r = 0.5-0.69) for globulin; and low (r = 0.3-0.49) for albumin and sodium. VetScan analyzer results for globulin, sodium, and uric acid had a constant negative bias (values below those from the Hitachi method). Based on difference plot analysis, results for AST, calcium, CK, and glucose are comparable. Because 16 of 20 values fell below the lower detection limit of the VetScan analyzer, bile acid data were excluded from analysis. By using a relatively small sample size (0.1 ml whole blood or plasma), the VetScan analyzer offers rapid in-house results, compact size, and ease of operation. For 4 of the most clinically relevant biochemical analytes used in avian medicine (AST, calcium, CK, glucose), it offers reliable values. For an additional 4 analytes (phosphorous, potassium, total protein, uric acid), establishing analyzer-specific reference intervals is recommended. Neither the VetScan nor the Hitachi method is recommended to assess albumin and globulin concentrations.

  17. Naïveté in novel ecological interactions: lessons from theory and experimental evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carthey, Alexandra J R; Banks, Peter B

    2014-11-01

    The invasion of alien species into areas beyond their native ranges is having profound effects on ecosystems around the world. In particular, novel alien predators are causing rapid extinctions or declines in many native prey species, and these impacts are generally attributed to ecological naïveté or the failure to recognise a novel enemy and respond appropriately due to a lack of experience. Despite a large body of research concerning the recognition of alien predation risk by native prey, the literature lacks an extensive review of naïveté theory that specifically asks how naïveté between novel pairings of alien predators and native prey disrupts our classical understanding of predator-prey ecological theory. Here we critically review both classic and current theory relating to predator-prey interactions between both predators and prey with shared evolutionary histories, and those that are ecologically 'mismatched' through the outcomes of biological invasions. The review is structured around the multiple levels of naïveté framework of Banks & Dickman (2007), and concepts and examples are discussed as they relate to each stage in the process from failure to recognise a novel predator (Level 1 naïveté), through to appropriate (Level 2) and effective (Level 3) antipredator responses. We discuss the relative contributions of recognition, cue types and the implied risk of cues used by novel alien and familiar native predators, to the probability that prey will recognise a novel predator. We then cover the antipredator response types available to prey and the factors that predict whether these responses will be appropriate or effective against novel alien and familiar native predators. In general, the level of naïveté of native prey can be predicted by the degree of novelty (in terms of appearance, behaviour or habitat use) of the alien predator compared to native predators with which prey are experienced. Appearance in this sense includes cue types

  18. A Preliminary Analysis of the Outcomes of Students Assisted by VET FEE-HELP

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), 2015

    2015-01-01

    VET FEE-HELP is an income-contingent loan scheme that assists eligible students undertaking certain vocational education and training (VET) courses (diploma, advanced diploma, graduate certificate and graduate diploma) with an approved provider by paying for all or part of their tuition costs. The tuition costs are paid directly to the provider.…

  19. Agenda-Setting for VET Policy in the Western Balkans: Employability versus Social Inclusion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartlett, Will; Pagliarello, Marina Cino

    2016-01-01

    For the last decade, the Western Balkan countries have sought to modernise their vocational education and training (VET) systems, adapting them to the needs of their emerging market economies. Within the framework of the EU accession process, the policy agenda for VET policies has been strongly influenced by a range of international and domestic…

  20. The Contribution of VET Student Placement to Innovation in Host Organisations. NCVER Research Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodge, Steven; Smith, Raymond; Field, Jenny; Flynn, Matthew

    2017-01-01

    With innovation seen as critical to Australia's economy, it is worthwhile to ask about the contribution of the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system to innovation. Previous research has highlighted a number of ways VET can contribute to innovation, including through knowledge diffusion, skills development and networks, and…

  1. Vocational education and training (VET) as a career path for young people

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kersh, Natasha; Juul, Ida

    This paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the issues of perceptions and motivations of young people towards Vocational Education and Training (VET) in England and Denmark. It specifically focuses on factors that facilitate their either positive or negative attitudes. Complex....... The situation in most European countries is being characterised by a lack of parity of esteem, which relates to the perceptions of VET systems as the second-best choice, compared to academic routes. Enhancing the status and profile of the VET system is therefore a concern that has received much recognition...... in literature and policy papers on both national and European levels. This research paper draws on the findings from the ‘Experiencing Inequalities’ project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) carried out under the auspices of the ESRC Research Centre: Learning and Life Chances...

  2. Dropout in VET – institutional selection and social exclusion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Christian Helms

    Dropout – institutional selection and social exclusion For the last ten years dropout of vocational education has increased strongly in Denmark. The questions addressed in this paper are why and how dropout in VET takes place. The objective is to provide more detailed and qualified knowledge...... of the complex processes of dropping out. The present study is part of a large national research project on retention in VET. The paper aims to understand dropout as a result of the interplay of students’ agentic actions and social interactions and the opportunities for participation afforded by the colleges...... area, sub-cultural style, etc. It is shown how the students, through the interplay of institutional selection and social in- and exclusion, pass through different trajectories of participation in the programmes....

  3. Transfer of information from personal health records: a survey of veterans using My HealtheVet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turvey, Carolyn L; Zulman, Donna M; Nazi, Kim M; Wakefield, Bonnie J; Woods, Susan S; Hogan, Timothy P; Weaver, Frances M; McInnes, Keith

    2012-03-01

    Personal health records provide patients with ownership of their health information and allow them to share information with multiple healthcare providers. However, the usefulness of these records relies on patients understanding and using their records appropriately. My HealtheVet is a Web-based patient portal containing a personal health record administered by the Veterans Health Administration. The goal of this study was to explore veterans' interest and use of My HealtheVet to transfer and share information as well as to identify opportunities to increase veteran use of the My HealtheVet functions. Two waves of data were collected in 2010 through an American Customer Satisfaction Index Web-based survey. A random sample of veterans using My HealtheVet was invited to participate in the survey conducted on the My HealtheVet portal through a Web-based pop-up browser window. Wave One results (n=25,898) found that 41% of veterans reported printing information, 21% reported saving information electronically, and only 4% ever sent information from My HealtheVet to another person. In Wave Two (n=18,471), 30% reported self-entering medication information, with 18% sharing this information with their Veterans Affairs (VA) provider and 9.6% sharing with their non-VA provider. Although veterans are transferring important medical information from their personal health records, increased education and awareness are needed to increase use. Personal health records have the potential to improve continuity of care. However, more research is needed on both the barriers to adoption as well as the actual impact on patient health outcomes and well-being.

  4. Does Scored VET in Schools Help or Hinder Access to Higher Education in Victoria?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polidano, Cain; Tabasso, Domenico; Zhang, Rong

    2014-01-01

    Despite comprising only a small fraction of all vocational education and training (VET) in Schools enrolments, programs that count towards both national VET qualifications and university entry potentially fill an important role in the upper-secondary school curriculum. The aim of this study is to take a first step in gaining an understanding of…

  5. Renaissance or a Backward Step? Disparities and Tensions in Two New Swedish Pathways in VET

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berglund, Ingrid; Loeb, Ingrid Henning

    2013-01-01

    This article builds on results from studies of two new pathways in Swedish upper secondary VET. A major reform was launched in 2011 and the restructuring was presented by the Minister of Education as a "renaissance for VET education". The conclusion of the Upper Secondary Commission is that "students shall be more specialised within…

  6. Vocabulary of Emotions Test (VET: A Cross-cultural Validation in Portuguese and Croatian Contexts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Costa

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses the adaptation and cross-cultural validation of the Vocabulary of Emotions Test (VET in the Portuguese and Croatian contexts, an Emotional Intelligence ability measure with 35 items, which assesses individual's ability to understand emotion. Based on Mayer and Salovey's (1997 theoretical framework of emotional intelligence, VET was originally developed in Croatian academic settings by Takšić, Harambašić and Velemir (2003. This study involved 1119 secondary school students, 682 Portuguese and 437 Croatian, attending different grades and courses. Overall, in both Croatian (original version and Portuguese (adapted version contexts, VET evidenced good psychometric properties particularly concerning sensibility, difficulty item analysis and reliability, although slightly better indicators were found in the Croatian original version. Moreover, cultural and gender differences were found, benefiting Portuguese students and girls.

  7. Improvement of educational quality in VET: Who is next?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Venne, L. van de; Honingh, M.E.; Genugten, M.L. van; Bruijn, E. de; Billett, S.; Onstenk, J.

    2017-01-01

    Educational quality is a recurrent theme in the Dutch Vocational and Educational Training (VET) sector. Given the major transformations in school governance and the increased autonomy of schools and school boards, it is important to address whether schools and school boards are able to improve

  8. Moral Learning for the Workplace: A Role for VET

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, Ian

    2012-01-01

    The paper explores ways that vocational education and training (VET) might become involved in the development of moral "know-how", ready for workplace practice. The primary concern here is the transformation of earlier-learnt ethical principles to their applied moral behaviour, essential for appropriate practice within workplace…

  9. Home and abroad: vets' role in dealing with rabies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera, Manuela

    2014-11-29

    Manuela Herrera reports on a session at the BVA Congress which discussed the contributions that vets can make to tackling rabies, and how the profession can be at the forefront of a One Health approach to saving the lives of animals and people. British Veterinary Association.

  10. Regulating and Quality-Assuring VET: International Developments. Research Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misko, Josie

    2015-01-01

    The opening-up of the market for education and training, including vocational education and training (VET), has increased the importance of regulation and quality assurance mechanisms in ensuring the integrity of qualifications. This report investigates approaches to the regulation and quality assurance of vocational education and training in a…

  11. Differentiated teaching at VET

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreasen, Karen Egedal; Duch, Henriette

    from backgrounds with no tradition for education. Despite historical changes, the education as vocational college teacher also struggles with the interplay between theory and practice in the program and great diversity among vocational college teachers. Based on empirical data from focus group......A new education program, Diploma of Vocational Pedagogy, has recently been implemented in Denmark to upskill vocational college teachers and improve didactics at VET colleges in general. Among many challenges, vocational college teachers have to adapt their pedagogy to a large number of students...... interviews with students from the Diploma of Vocational Pedagogy program and concepts developed by Bernstein and Bourdieu, the article analyzes how these aspects might affect the development of new vocational didactics. We know that it is not easy to change the culture of educational institutions...

  12. En Route towards European Clinical Breakpoints for Veterinary Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing: A Position Paper Explaining the VetCAST Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toutain, Pierre-Louis; Bousquet-Mélou, Alain; Damborg, Peter; Ferran, Aude A.; Mevius, Dik; Pelligand, Ludovic; Veldman, Kees T.; Lees, Peter

    2017-01-01

    VetCAST is the EUCAST sub-committee for Veterinary Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. Its remit is to define clinical breakpoints (CBPs) for antimicrobial drugs (AMDs) used in veterinary medicine in Europe. This position paper outlines the procedures and reviews scientific options to solve challenges for the determination of specific CBPs for animal species, drug substances and disease conditions. VetCAST will adopt EUCAST approaches: the initial step will be data assessment; then procedures for decisions on the CBP; and finally the release of recommendations for CBP implementation. The principal challenges anticipated by VetCAST are those associated with the differing modalities of AMD administration, including mass medication, specific long-acting product formulations or local administration. Specific challenges comprise mastitis treatment in dairy cattle, the range of species and within species breed considerations and several other variable factors not relevant to human medicine. Each CBP will be based on consideration of: (i) an epidemiological cut-off value (ECOFF) – the highest MIC that defines the upper end of the wild-type MIC distribution; (ii) a PK/PD breakpoint obtained from pre-clinical pharmacokinetic data [this PK/PD break-point is the highest possible MIC for which a given percentage of animals in the target population achieves a critical value for the selected PK/PD index (fAUC/MIC or fT > MIC)] and (iii) when possible, a clinical cut-off, that is the relationship between MIC and clinical cure. For the latter, VetCAST acknowledges the paucity of such data in veterinary medicine. When a CBP cannot be established, VetCAST will recommend use of ECOFF as surrogate. For decision steps, VetCAST will follow EUCAST procedures involving transparency, consensus and independence. VetCAST will ensure freely available dissemination of information, concerning standards, guidelines, ECOFF, PK/PD breakpoints, CBPs and other relevant information for AST

  13. En Route towards European Clinical Breakpoints for Veterinary Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing: A Position Paper Explaining the VetCAST Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toutain, Pierre-Louis; Bousquet-Mélou, Alain; Damborg, Peter; Ferran, Aude A; Mevius, Dik; Pelligand, Ludovic; Veldman, Kees T; Lees, Peter

    2017-01-01

    VetCAST is the EUCAST sub-committee for Veterinary Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. Its remit is to define clinical breakpoints (CBPs) for antimicrobial drugs (AMDs) used in veterinary medicine in Europe. This position paper outlines the procedures and reviews scientific options to solve challenges for the determination of specific CBPs for animal species, drug substances and disease conditions. VetCAST will adopt EUCAST approaches: the initial step will be data assessment; then procedures for decisions on the CBP; and finally the release of recommendations for CBP implementation. The principal challenges anticipated by VetCAST are those associated with the differing modalities of AMD administration, including mass medication, specific long-acting product formulations or local administration. Specific challenges comprise mastitis treatment in dairy cattle, the range of species and within species breed considerations and several other variable factors not relevant to human medicine. Each CBP will be based on consideration of: (i) an epidemiological cut-off value (ECOFF) - the highest MIC that defines the upper end of the wild-type MIC distribution; (ii) a PK/PD breakpoint obtained from pre-clinical pharmacokinetic data [this PK/PD break-point is the highest possible MIC for which a given percentage of animals in the target population achieves a critical value for the selected PK/PD index ( f AUC/MIC or f T > MIC)] and (iii) when possible, a clinical cut-off, that is the relationship between MIC and clinical cure. For the latter, VetCAST acknowledges the paucity of such data in veterinary medicine. When a CBP cannot be established, VetCAST will recommend use of ECOFF as surrogate. For decision steps, VetCAST will follow EUCAST procedures involving transparency, consensus and independence. VetCAST will ensure freely available dissemination of information, concerning standards, guidelines, ECOFF, PK/PD breakpoints, CBPs and other relevant information for AST

  14. En Route towards European Clinical Breakpoints for Veterinary Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing: A Position Paper Explaining the VetCAST Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pierre-Louis Toutain

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available VetCAST is the EUCAST sub-committee for Veterinary Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. Its remit is to define clinical breakpoints (CBPs for antimicrobial drugs (AMDs used in veterinary medicine in Europe. This position paper outlines the procedures and reviews scientific options to solve challenges for the determination of specific CBPs for animal species, drug substances and disease conditions. VetCAST will adopt EUCAST approaches: the initial step will be data assessment; then procedures for decisions on the CBP; and finally the release of recommendations for CBP implementation. The principal challenges anticipated by VetCAST are those associated with the differing modalities of AMD administration, including mass medication, specific long-acting product formulations or local administration. Specific challenges comprise mastitis treatment in dairy cattle, the range of species and within species breed considerations and several other variable factors not relevant to human medicine. Each CBP will be based on consideration of: (i an epidemiological cut-off value (ECOFF – the highest MIC that defines the upper end of the wild-type MIC distribution; (ii a PK/PD breakpoint obtained from pre-clinical pharmacokinetic data [this PK/PD break-point is the highest possible MIC for which a given percentage of animals in the target population achieves a critical value for the selected PK/PD index (fAUC/MIC or fT > MIC] and (iii when possible, a clinical cut-off, that is the relationship between MIC and clinical cure. For the latter, VetCAST acknowledges the paucity of such data in veterinary medicine. When a CBP cannot be established, VetCAST will recommend use of ECOFF as surrogate. For decision steps, VetCAST will follow EUCAST procedures involving transparency, consensus and independence. VetCAST will ensure freely available dissemination of information, concerning standards, guidelines, ECOFF, PK/PD breakpoints, CBPs and other relevant information

  15. Europeanization in VET Policy as a Process of Reshaping the Educational Space

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krista Loogma

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The EU represents a transforming educational space, where national and supranational boundaries in educational governance are becoming blurred. The EU has become an  important actor in educational governance and an important arena for policy learning and transfer. This paper explores how the process of reshaping the educational space manifests itself in the process of the Europeanization of VET policy in the case of Estonia. In Estonia, this process was followed by the growth of executive VET institutions and has developed from rather uncritical initial policy transfer to more active learning from the EU, although conformism can still be seen in cases of the introduction of standardizing policy tools.

  16. Vets prevail online intervention reduces PTSD and depression in veterans with mild-to-moderate symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hobfoll, Stevan E; Blais, Rebecca K; Stevens, Natalie R; Walt, Lisa; Gengler, Richard

    2016-01-01

    Despite heightened rates of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among in Iraq/Afghanistan veterans, the majority of distressed veterans will not receive mental health care. Overcoming barriers to mental health services requires innovative approaches to broaden the reach of evidence-based treatment. The current study examined the efficacy and acceptability of an innovative and dynamic online cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention for PTSD and depression called Vets Prevail. A randomized clinical trial conducted between 2011 and 2013 assessed changes in PTSD and depression in veterans with mild-to-moderate distress. Veterans randomized to Vets Prevail (n = 209) were aged 34.2 ± 7.6 years, mostly male (81.3%), and nonminority (73.7%). Veterans randomized to adjustment as usual (n = 94) were aged 34.7 ± 8.9, mostly male (81.9%), and White (67.0%). Veterans completed the PTSD Checklist-Military Version and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (10-item version) postintervention and at 12-week follow-up. Veterans in the Vets Prevail condition reported significantly greater reductions in PTSD, t(250) = 3.24, p = .001 (Mreduction = 5.51, SD = 9.63), and depression, t(252) = 4.37, p = .001 (Mreduction = 2.31, SD = 5.34), at 12-week follow-up compared with veterans in the adjustment as usual condition (PTSD Mreduction = 1.00, SD = 7.32; depression Mreduction = 0.48, SD = 4.95), with moderate effect sizes for PTSD (Cohen's d = 0.42) and depression (Cohen's d = 0.56). Exploratory analysis shows that Vets Prevail may be effective regardless of combat trauma exposure, gender, and ethnic minority status. Vets Prevail circumvents many barriers to care and effectively addresses the dire mental health needs of veterans. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  17. Quantifying Stakeholder Values of VET Provision in the Netherlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Sluis, Margriet E.; Reezigt, Gerry J.; Borghans, Lex

    2014-01-01

    It is well-known that the quality of vocational education and training (VET) depends on how well a given programme aligns with the values and interests of its stakeholders, but it is less well-known what these values and interests are and to what extent they are shared across different groups of stakeholders. We use vignettes to quantify the…

  18. Monitoring VET Systems of Major EU Competitor Countries - The Cases of China, India, Russia and Korea

    OpenAIRE

    Ruth, Klaus

    2009-01-01

    The study on VET systems of major EU competitor countries is based on the objective of the (revised) Lisbon agenda to become the most competitive region of the world based on a knowledge driven production and social cohesion. Building on experts opinion and literature research this study aims at monitoring VET policies in China, India, Russia and Korea. The study analyses five themes which are assumed to be of outstanding importance for understanding the current performance and the developing...

  19. 38 CFR 74.2 - What are the eligibility requirements a concern must meet for VetBiz VIP Verification Program?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... loans or other Federally assisted financing, is eligible for VetBiz VIP Verification. (e) U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Protest Decisions. Any firm registered in the VetBiz VIP database that is found to be ineligible due to an SBA protest decision or other negative finding will be immediately...

  20. A taxonomy for teaching transfer skills in the Danish VET system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aarkrog, Vibe

    2011-01-01

    The educational system is grounded in the belief that you can teach people in one setting — the school — in order that they will be able to perform in other settings outside school. The vital process of applying knowledge and skills acquired in an educational situation to working life is known......’; in other words, their ability to apply knowledge and skills to a broad range of situations. To adapt to frequent changes in the labour market, students need to develop general competences that will enable them to move to other jobs and other companies. Therefore the pedagogy of VET should provide...... to the transfer process solely within the specialised vocational and education and training (VET) stream in Denmark. The existence of many identical elements in both training and transfer situations is known as ‘near transfer’, and is most readily achieved when training is conducted within company premises...

  1. Student performance and satisfaction in continuous learning pathways in Dutch VET

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Biemans, H.J.A.

    2012-01-01

    An important trend in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system in the Netherlands is the design of continuous learning pathways enclosing more than one school type level. These continuous learning pathways are characterized by different design formats. In this study, the relations between

  2. AVETMISS: The Standard for VET Financial Data. Release 1.7. Updated

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), 2009

    2009-01-01

    The Standard for Vocational Education and Training (VET) financial data offers a nationally consistent standard for the collection, reporting and analysis of the public vocational education and training system information throughout Australia. It forms part of the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical…

  3. Missing Things and Methodological Swerves: Unsettling the It-Ness of VET

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shore, Sue; Butler, Elaine

    2012-01-01

    This paper argues for approaches to research methodologies that interrupt the machinic metaphors and relationships for living circulating in so much VET research. Using the schematic of "cyborg as a figuration" and Wilson's (2009) four epistemological interventions (witnessing, situating, diffracting, acquiring) the authors practice a form of…

  4. E-Assessment: Challenges to the Legitimacy of VET Practitioners and Auditors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callan, Victor J.; Johnston, Margaret A.; Clayton, Berwyn; Poulsen, Alison L.

    2016-01-01

    This research examines what practitioners in vocational education and training (VET) organisations and external auditors judge to be the key issues in the current and future use of e-assessment. Applying the framework of legitimacy theory, the study examined the tensions around the use and growth of e-assessment in training organisations, and…

  5. Hidden expectations within the Danish VET system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjort-Madsen, Peder

    Researching the pressing retention and dropout problems of the Danish VET system (app. 20 pct. of a year group never achieve an upper secondary education) this paper takes its point of departure in the hypothesis that low performing students are kept in a marginal position (at the risk of dropping....../education isn’t a negotiable path for them. The theoretical approach of this paper draws on inspiration from Paul Willis (Learning to labour, 1979) and Donald Broady (Den dolda läroplanen, 1981). The goal is to revitalize and develop the work of Willis and Broady in the context of the current retention and drop...

  6. Hidden expectations within the Danish VET system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjort-Madsen, Peder

    2015-01-01

    Researching the pressing retention and dropout problems of the Danish VET system (app. 20 pct. of a year group never achieve an upper secondary education) this paper takes its point of departure in the hypothesis that low performing students are kept in a marginal position (at the risk of dropping....../education isn’t a negotiable path for them. The theoretical approach of this paper draws on inspiration from Paul Willis (Learning to labour, 1979) and Donald Broady (Den dolda läroplanen, 1981). The goal is to revitalize and develop the work of Willis and Broady in the context of the current retention and drop...

  7. Development and Evaluation of vetPAL, a Student-Led, Peer-Assisted Learning Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bates, Lucy S W; Warman, Sheena; Pither, Zoe; Baillie, Sarah

    Based on an idea from a final-year student, Bristol Veterinary School introduced vetPAL, a student-led, peer-assisted learning program. The program involved fifth-year (final-year) students acting as tutors and leading sessions for fourth-year students (tutees) in clinical skills and revision (review) topics. The initiative aimed to supplement student learning while also providing tutors with opportunities to further develop a range of skills. All tutors received training and the program was evaluated using questionnaires collected from tutees and tutors after each session. Tutees' self-rated confidence increased significantly in clinical skills and for revision topics. Advantages of being taught by students rather than staff included the informal atmosphere, the tutees' willingness to ask questions, and the relatability of the tutors. The small group size and the style of learning in the revision sessions (i.e., group work, discussions, and interactivity) were additional positive aspects identified by both tutees and tutors. Benefits for tutors included developing their communication and teaching skills. The training sessions were considered key in helping tutors feel prepared to lead sessions, although the most difficult aspects were the lack of teaching experience and time management. Following the successful pilot of vetPAL, plans are in place to make the program permanent and sustainable, while incorporating necessary changes based on the evaluation and the student leader's experiences running the program. A vetPAL handbook has been created to facilitate organization of the program for future years.

  8. Agreement of manual cell counts and automated counts of the scil Vet abc Plus(+) hematology analyzer for analysis of equine synovial fluid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van de Water, Eline; Oosterlinck, Maarten; Duchateau, Luc; Pille, Frederik

    2016-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether the scil Vet abc Plus(+) (SCIL Animal Care Company, Altorf, France), an impedance hematology analyzer, can accurately quantify and differentiate nucleated blood cells (NBCs) in equine synovial fluid. Synovial fluid samples (n=242) in different stages of experimentally induced inflammation were analyzed with and without hyaluronidase pretreatment and compared to manual hemocytometer counts and smear reviews. No significant effect of hyaluronidase pretreatment was observed. Total nucleated cell counts of the scil Vet abc Plus(+) were significantly higher compared to the manual method (P=0.02), yet the difference was small and clinically irrelevant (ratio manual/automated count equal to 0.97 with 95% CI [0.95, 1.00]). Differential cell counts of the scil Vet abc Plus(+) were not accurate. In conclusion, the scil Vet abc Plus(+) hematology analyzer is highly accurate for quantification, but not accurate for differentiation of NBCs in equine synovial fluid. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Governance Dynamics and the Application of the Multilevel Governance Approach in Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the European Neighbourhood Countries: The Case of the ENPI South Region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galvin Arribas, J. Manuel

    2016-01-01

    This article analyses moves towards good multilevel governance approaches in Vocational Education and Training (VET) as an effective way to improve VET policy making in transition and developing countries, focusing on the Southern Neighbourhood of the EU (ENPI South). The centralised approaches in public administration and to VET governance still…

  10. Approaches for Sustaining and Building Management and Leadership Capability in VET Providers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callan, Victor; Mitchell, John; Clayton, Berwyn; Smith, Larry

    2007-01-01

    This study examines the existing and potential strategies for sustaining and building greater levels of management and leadership capability in training organisations. The research report is one of the products of a nationally based research consortium: Supporting vocational education and training (VET) providers in building capability for the…

  11. Monitoring VET Systems of Major EU Competitor Countries - The Cases of Australia, Canada, U.S.A. and Japan

    OpenAIRE

    Ruth, Klaus

    2009-01-01

    The study on VET systems of major EU competitor countries is based on the objective of the (revised) Lisbon agenda to become the most competitive region of the world based on a knowledge driven production and social cohesion. Building on experts opinion and literature research this study aims at monitoring VET policies in Australia, Canada, the U.S. and Japan. The study analyses five themes which are assumed to be of outstanding importance for understanding the current performance and the dev...

  12. Vocational teachers taking the lead: VET teachers and the career services for teachers reform in Sweden

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Alvunger

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available In 2013 the Swedish government launched a reform on career services for teachers that introduced first-teachers as a new category of teachers. Since this reform still is in the process of being rolled out, we know fairly little of its impact, especially concerning VET teachers that are appointed first-teachers. This paper explores and analyses two cases of VET first-teachers with focus on the implications on educational leadership practices in their work with school improvement where 'distributed leadership' is used as a lens for understanding the characteristic features of leader-ship practices. The results show that the VET first-teachers consider themselves to represent an important educational leadership being process leaders for creating a culture built on mutual trust, turning the focus of school improvement from a 'top-down' perspective to change 'from below'. They become 'brokers' and a link between school management and their colleagues, even if there are some difficulties. Moreover they visualise different practices and foster a new awareness - concerning e.g. assessment and the relationship between school and work-place - that seem to influence collegial discourse.

  13. The "Duality" of VET in Austria: Institutional Competition between School and Apprenticeship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lassnigg, Lorenz

    2011-01-01

    This article analyses the structure and development of Austrian apprenticeship in the context of the country's wider vocational education and training (VET) system. In doing so, it draws on official data and survey results as well as the available, related literature on historical institutionalism. It begins with an analysis of the basic structure…

  14. Optimization and evaluation of Flexicult® Vet for detection, identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial uropathogens in small animal veterinary practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guardabassi, Luca; Hedberg, Sandra; Jessen, Lisbeth Rem; Damborg, Peter

    2015-10-26

    Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common reason for antimicrobial prescription in dogs and cats. The objective of this study was to optimize and evaluate a culture-based point-of-care test for detection, identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial uro-pathogens in veterinary practice. Seventy-two urine samples from dogs and cats with suspected UTI presenting to seven veterinary facilities were used by clinical staff and an investigator to estimate sensitivity and specificity of Flexicult Vet A compared to laboratory reference standards for culture and susceptibility testing. Subsequently, the test was modified by inclusion of an oxacillin-containing compartment for detection of methicillin-resistant staphylococci. The performance of the modified product (Flexicult Vet B) for susceptibility testing was evaluated in vitro using a collection of 110 clinical isolates. Bacteriuria was reported by the laboratory in 25 (35 %) samples from the field study. The sensitivity and specificity of Flexicult Vet A for detection of bacteriuria were 83 and 100 %, respectively. Bacterial species were correctly identified in 53 and 100 % of the positive samples by clinical staff and the investigator, respectively. The susceptibility results were interpreted correctly by clinical staff for 70 % of the 94 drug-strain combinations. Higher percentages of correct interpretation were observed when the results were interpreted by the investigator in both the field (76 %) and the in vitro study (94 %). The most frequent errors were false resistance to β-lactams (ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate and cephalotin) in Escherichia coli for Flexicult Vet A, and false amoxicillin-clavulanate resistance in E. coli and false ampicillin susceptibility in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius for Flexicult Vet B. The latter error can be prevented by categorizing staphylococcal strains growing in the oxacillin compartment as resistant to all β-lactams. Despite the

  15. Contrasting Prospects: The Institutionalisation of VET for Retail and Office Work in Norway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reegård, Kaja

    2017-01-01

    This article calls attention to the difficulty of institutionalising vocational education and training (VET) in the service sector in Norway, despite the growing importance of this sector for national economic performance. Drawing on interviews with apprentices, employers, stakeholders, representatives of trade unions and employer organisations,…

  16. Baseline Establishment Using Virtual Environment Traumatic Brain Injury Screen (VETS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-06-01

    attempting to determine the presence of a mTBI. The use of VETS has potential to be a feasible test in a austere de - ployed environment. This thesis aims...Observe for 5-10 seconds: - Does the service member stumble or shift feet? 8. Balance Tandem Romberg Test NEUROLOGICAL EXAM RESULTS All Normal...individuals participated in two sessions, separated by a week, where they were tested under six conditions for three trials each. Balance data were recorded by

  17. Formulating a VET roadmap for the waste and recycling sector: A case study from Queensland, Australia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davis, G., E-mail: gudavis@cytanet.com.cy [Dr Georgina Davis, ABN 12 744 598 837, Banksia Beach, Brisbane, QLD 4507 (Australia)

    2012-10-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Existing qualifications do not meet the needs of the sector in Queensland. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Businesses may not be best positioned to identify training needs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Companies are developing training internally to meet their own specific needs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Smaller companies lack the resources to develop internal training are disadvantaged. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer There is industry support for an entry-level, minimum industry qualification. - Abstract: Vocational Education and Training (VET) is an essential tool for providing waste management and recycling workers with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to beneficially influence their own employment and career development; and to also ensure productivity and safe working conditions within the organisations in which they are employed. Current training opportunities within Queensland for the sector are limited and not widely communicated or marketed; with other States, particularly Victoria and New South Wales, realising higher numbers of VET enrollments for waste management courses. This paper presents current VET opportunities and trends for the Queensland waste management sector. Results from a facilitated workshop to identify workforce requirements and future training needs organised by the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of Queensland (WCRAQ) are also presented and discussion follows on the future training needs of the industry within Queensland.

  18. Formulating a VET roadmap for the waste and recycling sector: A case study from Queensland, Australia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davis, G.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Existing qualifications do not meet the needs of the sector in Queensland. ► Businesses may not be best positioned to identify training needs. ► Companies are developing training internally to meet their own specific needs. ► Smaller companies lack the resources to develop internal training are disadvantaged. ► There is industry support for an entry-level, minimum industry qualification. - Abstract: Vocational Education and Training (VET) is an essential tool for providing waste management and recycling workers with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to beneficially influence their own employment and career development; and to also ensure productivity and safe working conditions within the organisations in which they are employed. Current training opportunities within Queensland for the sector are limited and not widely communicated or marketed; with other States, particularly Victoria and New South Wales, realising higher numbers of VET enrollments for waste management courses. This paper presents current VET opportunities and trends for the Queensland waste management sector. Results from a facilitated workshop to identify workforce requirements and future training needs organised by the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of Queensland (WCRAQ) are also presented and discussion follows on the future training needs of the industry within Queensland.

  19. Educational Leadership in Australian Private VET Organisations: How Is It Understood and Enacted?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simons, Michele; Harris, Roger

    2014-01-01

    Ongoing reform in vocational education and training (VET) has placed significant pressure on leaders in private training organisations in terms of striking an 'appropriate' balance between educational and business imperatives. This paper draws on data from 34 interviews with leaders from 16 private registered training organisations in Australia to…

  20. VET Retention in Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities. Good Practice Guide

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), 2017

    2017-01-01

    This good practice guide is based on the research project "Enhancing training advantage for remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners" by John Guenther et al. on behalf of Ninti One Limited. The project examines five unique and successful vocational education and training (VET) programs in remote areas and identifies how…

  1. VET in Schools: The Adoption of National Training Packages in a Secondary School Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon, Kathryn; Pelliccione, Lina

    2003-01-01

    Vocational education and training (VET) teachers in Australian secondary schools (n=11) identified the following influences on adoption of National Training Packages: ways in which teachers construct meaning for innovations, organizational culture, infrastructure, leadership, and policy. More time, training, and a coordinator helped embed and…

  2. Student performance and satisfaction in continuous learning pathways in Dutch VET

    OpenAIRE

    Biemans, H.J.A.

    2012-01-01

    An important trend in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system in the Netherlands is the design of continuous learning pathways enclosing more than one school type level. These continuous learning pathways are characterized by different design formats. In this study, the relations between these design formats and student performance and satisfaction were examined. Five coordinators and 161 students of five so-called Green Lycea (GL) in the life sciences domain, in which the elements...

  3. Implementing Human Resources Management (HRM) within Dutch VET schools: Examining the fostering and hindering factors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Runhaar, P.R.; Sanders, K.

    2013-01-01

    Vocational Education and Training (VET) Institutions face serious challenges, like the implementation of competence-based education and upcoming teacher shortages, which urge them to implement Human Resources Management policy and practices (HRM). The implementation of HRM, however, often stagnates.

  4. Beauty Therapy, Vet Teaching and Bio-Power: A Tale of Two Training Packages

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKenzie, Mary; Harreveld, Roberta; Blayney, William

    2018-01-01

    This paper explores the teaching of beauty therapy in the Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. It uses the theoretical concept of bio-power to examine how the body is compliant with intimate treatments in the name of beauty. Bio-power makes visible the anatomical and biological transformation and re-formation of the human…

  5. Proposing a Wiki-Based Technique for Collaborative Essay Writing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mabel Ortiz Navarrete

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims at proposing a technique for students learning English as a foreign language when they collaboratively write an argumentative essay in a wiki environment. A wiki environment and collaborative work play an important role within the academic writing task. Nevertheless, an appropriate and systematic work assignment is required in order to make use of both. In this paper the proposed technique when writing a collaborative essay mainly attempts to provide the most effective way to enhance equal participation among group members by taking as a base computer mediated collaboration. Within this context, the students’ role is clearly defined and individual and collaborative tasks are explained.

  6. SOFT POWER: TRAINING OF VET TEACHERS AND TRAINERS (RESULTS OF THE RUSSIAN-GERMAN COOPERATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Yu. Esenina

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Nowadays, in Russia the system of interaction between educational institutions and enterprises-employers in training of specialists is being built again after more than a twenty-year period of dissociation. Sharing experiences with other countries on networking and strengthening of education relations with production is very useful for establishing this process. The aim of the publication is to present the results of the Russian-German cooperation in the field of preparation of the qualified pedagogical staff for the system of vocational education as one of the key conditions for ensuring the proper quality of vocational education. Methodology and research methods. The methods involve the methodology of comparative research; methods of collecting empirical information; conceptual and terminological analysis, interpretation, modeling, and problem method. Results. The approaches to preparation of pedagogical staff of the VET system in Germany and Russia are revealed and compared. Specifics of the German model are shown: existence of several skill levels of teachers of vocational education, distribution of zones of their responsibility, variability of providers of additional education, its market nature and minimum participation in its regulation of the state. Features of the modern Russian theory and training experience of instructors of vocational training are described. Despite the existing distinctions of systems of professional education of two countries, the similarity of the Russian and German methods of vocational education is observed. The conclusion is drawn on a community of requirements imposed in Germany and Russia to category of the workers who are carrying out staff training for manufacturing sectors. It is confirmed by the German experts on the basis of the analysis of the standard «Teacher of Vocational Education, Professional Education and Additional Professional Education». Also, the standard was checked and

  7. Is naïveté forever? Alien predator and aggressor recognition by two endemic island reptiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gérard, A; Jourdan, H; Cugnière, C; Millon, A; Vidal, E

    2014-11-01

    The disproportionate impacts of invasive predators are often attributed to the naïveté (i.e., inefficient or non-existing anti-predator behavior) of island native species having evolved without such predators. Naïveté has long been regarded as a fixed characteristic, but a few recent studies indicate a capacity for behavioral adaptation in native species in contact with alien predators. Here, we tested whether two reptiles endemic to New Caledonia, a skink, Caledoniscincus austrocaledonicus, and a gecko, Bavayia septuiclavis, recognized and responded to the odor of six introduced species (two rodents, the feral cat, and three species of ants). We used an experimental design in which reptiles had a choice of retreat sites with or without the odor of predators or aggressors. Skinks avoided two or three of the predators, whereas geckos avoided at most one. These results suggest that diurnal skinks are more responsive than nocturnal geckos to the odor of introduced predators. Neither skinks nor geckos avoided the three species of ants. Thus, the odors of alien predators are shown to influence retreat site selection by two native island reptiles. Moreover, the study suggests that this loss of naïveté varies among native species, probably as a consequence of the intensity of the threat and of time since introduction. These findings argue for re-thinking the behavioral flexibility of ectothermic reptiles in terms of their responses to biological invasion.

  8. Emerging Partnership Practices in VET Provision in the Senior Years of Schooling in Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klatt, Gosia; Angelico, Teresa; Polesel, John

    2018-01-01

    School partnerships support the effective provision of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the senior years of secondary schooling, to a varying degree, in most OECD nations. However, the nature and quality of these partnerships vary considerably from school to school and, indeed, from nation to nation (see Murray and Polesel, "Eur J…

  9. Gender Policies Meet VET Practices--The Case of Health and Social Care in Norway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Høst, Håkon; Seland, Idunn; Skålholt, Asgeir

    2015-01-01

    Could the labour market gender balance be improved by introducing new types of apprenticeship-trained workers? This article investigates what happened in the wake of the Norwegian VET programme for health and social care, a new approach introduced via the 1994 educational reform. By upgrading this traditionally female-dominated area of education,…

  10. Implementing Human Resources Management (HRM) within Dutch VET Institutions: Examining the Fostering and Hindering Factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Runhaar, Piety; Sanders, Karin

    2013-01-01

    Vocational Education and Training (VET) Institutions face serious challenges, like the implementation of competence-based education and upcoming teacher shortages, which urge them to implement Human Resources Management policy and practices (HRM). The implementation of HRM, however, often stagnates. This paper describes a qualitative study--in…

  11. 48 CFR 15.404-1 - Proposal analysis techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Proposal analysis techniques. 15.404-1 Section 15.404-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION... assistance of other experts to ensure that an appropriate analysis is performed. (6) Recommendations or...

  12. Work, Life and VET Participation amongst Lower-Paid Workers. NCVER Monograph Series 05/2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pocock, Barbara; Skinner, Natalie; McMahon, Catherine; Pritchard, Suzanne

    2011-01-01

    This monograph is the culmination of a three-year research program undertaken by the University of South Australia's Centre for Work+Life. It considers the barriers, support and benefit of vocational education and training (VET) for workers in the low-paid occupations (that is, those earning around $17 per hour). The research considered a wide…

  13. Śvetāmbara Jain Canonical Commentators Writing in Sanskrit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Royce WILES

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Jain commentaries in Sanskrit are vital for an understanding of the old Jain religious texts in Prakrit, the commentaries date from the 8th to 13th century. The major commentators are well-known in name but as yet there has not been any sustained research on their works. This article attempts to provide an initial reference point by listing (for the first time all known published editions of Jain commentaries in Sanskrit on the Śvetāmbara canon by Śīlaṅka (9th century, Abhayadeva (10th century and Malayagiri (10th –11th century.

  14. The Role of VET in Workforce Development: A Story of Conflicting Expectations. Research Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bretherton, Tanya

    2011-01-01

    This is the final report from a three-year program of research investigating the role of vocational education and training (VET) in workforce development. The research focuses on meat processing and child care, both of which are characterised by low-skill entry points to the labour market. The author pulls together the key themes emerging from the…

  15. Why Returning to VET? Results of a Qualitative Comparative Study about English and German Car Mechatronics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gericke, Erika

    2017-01-01

    Educational choices, especially the influence of class on these choices have been a subject of lively international debate. However, thus far, there has been little international and comparative research with respect to vocational and education training (VET) decision making from a subject-oriented perspective. This paper considers…

  16. The Conceptual Model of Future Teachers Training to Dual Education in VET (Vocational Education & Training)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zholdasbekova, Saule; Nurzhanbayeva, Zhanat; Karatayev, Galymzhan; Akhmet, Laura Smatullaevna; Anarmetov, Bahitzhan

    2016-01-01

    In the article the author presents the theoretical understanding of research problems of training of the future teachers-organizers of the dual training system in vocational education & training (VET) in the conditions of the credit technology of education. The author's vision of way to solve the problem is discussed in the description of the…

  17. Rapid detection of serum antibody by dual-path platform VetTB assay in white-tailed deer infected with Mycobacterium bovis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyashchenko, Konstantin P; Greenwald, Rena; Esfandiari, Javan; O'Brien, Daniel J; Schmitt, Stephen M; Palmer, Mitchell V; Waters, W Ray

    2013-06-01

    Bovine tuberculosis (TB) in cervids remains a significant problem affecting farmed herds and wild populations. Traditional skin testing has serious limitations in certain species, whereas emerging serological assays showed promising diagnostic performance. The recently developed immunochromatographic dual-path platform (DPP) VetTB assay has two antigen bands, T1 (MPB83 protein) and T2 (CFP10/ESAT-6 fusion protein), for antibody detection. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of this test by using serum samples collected from groups of white-tailed deer experimentally inoculated with Mycobacterium bovis, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis, or M. bovis BCG Pasteur. In addition, we used serum samples from farmed white-tailed deer in herds with no history of TB, as well as from free-ranging white-tailed deer culled during field surveillance studies performed in Michigan known to have bovine TB in the wild deer population. The DPP VetTB assay detected antibody responses in 58.1% of experimentally infected animals within 8 to 16 weeks postinoculation and in 71.9% of naturally infected deer, resulting in an estimated test sensitivity of 65.1% and a specificity of 97.8%. The higher seroreactivity found in deer with naturally acquired M. bovis infection was associated with an increased frequency of antibody responses to the ESAT-6 and CFP10 proteins, resulting in a greater contribution of these antigens, in addition to MPB83, to the detection of seropositive animals, compared with experimental M. bovis infection. Deer experimentally inoculated with either M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis or M. bovis BCG Pasteur did not produce cross-reactive antibodies that could be detected by the DPP VetTB assay. The present findings demonstrate the relatively high diagnostic accuracy of the DPP VetTB test for white-tailed deer, especially in the detection of naturally infected animals.

  18. Have VET Reforms Resulted in Improvements in Quality? Illustrations from the Alcohol and Other Drugs Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roche, Ann; Kostadinov, Victoria; White, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Australian vocational education and training (VET) has undergone major reforms since the 1990s, including the introduction of competency based training (CBT) and the "streamlining" of qualifications. This paper examines the impact of these reforms, using the alcohol and other drugs sector as a case illustration. A survey of alcohol and…

  19. Cooperative VET in Training Networks: Analysing the Free-Rider Problem in a Sociology-of-Conventions Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leemann, Regula Julia; Imdorf, Christian

    2015-01-01

    In training networks, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises pool their resources to train apprentices within the framework of the dual VET system, while an intermediary organisation is tasked with managing operations. Over the course of their apprenticeship, the apprentices switch from one training company to another on a (half-) yearly…

  20. QUALITY ASSURANCE COURSES IN VET (VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR TOURISM ORGANISED BY THE CENTRE FOR TOURISM TRAINING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SILVIA IRIMIEA

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Quality Assurance Courses in VET (Vocational Education and Training for Tourism Organised by the Centre for Tourism Training. The article seeks to give utterance to the findings of the pilot course on quality assurance designed and organised by the Centre for Tourism Training (CTT as part of the AQUA.TS European Lifelong Learning project. The CTT has become involved in research and exchange of experience in the field of quality assurance driven by the educational policy-related background set out by the European documents and tools, including EQARF, EQAVET, the principles of lifelong learning and adult education. The main theoretic background to the present paper was assured by the European Commission documents regarding quality assurance in VET, while the experience and good practices acquired by the CTT have profoundly marked its quality assurance–oriented policy. Against this background, The Centre for Tourism Training (CTT of the Faculty of Geography, University Babes-Bolyai, Romania, delivered a pilot training course on Quality Assurance in VET during 16 March and 10 April 2015. The training consisted of a theoretical knowledge-building module (16.03. 2015 – 27.03. 2015 and a practical module (30.03.2015 -10.04.2015, the latter focused on the use of the AQUA.TS TOOLKIT, an IT device aimed at the self-evaluation of the quality of performance of trainers and training providers, whose efficiency was tested during the organised training program.

  1. The Role of an Academic Development Unit in Supporting Institutional VET Learning and Teaching Change Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fotinatos, Nina

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to examine the role and impact of a central academic development unit (ADU) within an institutional strategic and operational change management project. The primary goal of this project was to improve vocational education and training (VET) learning and teaching practice in an Australian dual-sector regional university.…

  2. Cooperative VET in Training Networks: Analysing the Free-Rider Problem in a Sociology-of-Conventions Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Regula Julia Leemann

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In training networks, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises pool their resources to train apprentices within the framework of the dual VET system, while an intermediary organisation is tasked with managing operations. Over the course of their apprenticeship, the apprentices switch from one training company to another on a (half- yearly basis. Drawing on a case study of four training networks in Switzerland and the theoretical framework of the sociology of conventions, this paper aims to understand the reasons for the slow dissemination and reluctant adoption of this promising form of organising VET in Switzerland. The results of the study show that the system of moving from one company to another creages a variety of free-rider constellations in the distribution of the collectively generated corporative benefits. This explains why companies are reluctant to participate in this model. For the network to be sustainable, the intermediary organisation has to address discontent arising from free-rider problems while taking into account that the solutions found are always tentative and will often result in new free-rider problems.

  3. Impact of the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine's Boiler Vet Camp on participants' knowledge of veterinary medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weisman, James L; Amass, Sandra F; Warren, Joshua D

    2011-04-01

    To assess whether Boiler Vet Camp, a 7-day residential summer camp for students entering eighth or ninth grade in the fall, would increase participants' understanding of career options in the veterinary profession, increase understanding of the science of veterinary medicine, or increase the number of students stating that they intended to apply to the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. Survey. 48 individuals attending the 2009 Boiler Vet Camp. Information on participant demographics was obtained from camp applications. A questionnaire was administered on the first and sixth days of camp, and results were analyzed to identify changes in responses over time. More campers correctly answered questions designed to evaluate knowledge of the veterinary profession and 10 of 12 questions designed to evaluate specific knowledge of the science of veterinary medicine on day 6, compared with day 1. Remarkable differences were not observed among gender or race-ethnicity groups for these questions. There was no significant difference between percentages of campers who stated that they would apply to Purdue before and after camp. Significantly more Caucasian campers stated they would apply to Purdue on both day 1 and day 6, compared with campers from under-represented minority groups. Results indicated that the Boiler Vet Camp accomplished 2 of its 3 planned objectives, suggesting that such camps can be successfully used to increase knowledge of the veterinary profession among middle school students. Reasons for the low percentage of participants from underrepresented minorities who indicated they would apply to the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine require further exploration.

  4. Automatic vetting of planet candidates from ground based surveys: Machine learning with NGTS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armstrong, David J.; Günther, Maximilian N.; McCormac, James; Smith, Alexis M. S.; Bayliss, Daniel; Bouchy, François; Burleigh, Matthew R.; Casewell, Sarah; Eigmüller, Philipp; Gillen, Edward; Goad, Michael R.; Hodgkin, Simon T.; Jenkins, James S.; Louden, Tom; Metrailler, Lionel; Pollacco, Don; Poppenhaeger, Katja; Queloz, Didier; Raynard, Liam; Rauer, Heike; Udry, Stéphane; Walker, Simon R.; Watson, Christopher A.; West, Richard G.; Wheatley, Peter J.

    2018-05-01

    State of the art exoplanet transit surveys are producing ever increasing quantities of data. To make the best use of this resource, in detecting interesting planetary systems or in determining accurate planetary population statistics, requires new automated methods. Here we describe a machine learning algorithm that forms an integral part of the pipeline for the NGTS transit survey, demonstrating the efficacy of machine learning in selecting planetary candidates from multi-night ground based survey data. Our method uses a combination of random forests and self-organising-maps to rank planetary candidates, achieving an AUC score of 97.6% in ranking 12368 injected planets against 27496 false positives in the NGTS data. We build on past examples by using injected transit signals to form a training set, a necessary development for applying similar methods to upcoming surveys. We also make the autovet code used to implement the algorithm publicly accessible. autovet is designed to perform machine learned vetting of planetary candidates, and can utilise a variety of methods. The apparent robustness of machine learning techniques, whether on space-based or the qualitatively different ground-based data, highlights their importance to future surveys such as TESS and PLATO and the need to better understand their advantages and pitfalls in an exoplanetary context.

  5. Reforming vocational didactics by implementing a new VET teacher education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Duch, Henriette; Andreasen, Karen Egedal

    2015-01-01

    from backgrounds with no tradition for education. Despite historical changes, the education as vocational college teacher also struggles with the interplay between theory and practice in the program and great diversity among vocational college teachers. Based on empirical data from focus group......A new education program, Diploma of Vocational Pedagogy, has recently been implemented in Denmark to upskill vocational college teachers and improve didactics at VET colleges in general. Among many challenges, vocational college teachers have to adapt their pedagogy to a large number of students...... interviews with students from the Diploma of Vocational Pedagogy program and concepts developed by Bernstein and Bourdieu, the article analyzes how these aspects might affect the development of new vocational didactics. We know that it is not easy to change the culture of educational institutions...

  6. Optimization and evaluation of Flexicult(®) Vet for detection, identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial uropathogens in small animal veterinary practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guardabassi, Luca; Hedberg, Sandra; Jessen, Lisbeth Rem

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common reason for antimicrobial prescription in dogs and cats. The objective of this study was to optimize and evaluate a culture-based point-of-care test for detection, identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial uro......-pathogens in veterinary practice. METHODS: Seventy-two urine samples from dogs and cats with suspected UTI presenting to seven veterinary facilities were used by clinical staff and an investigator to estimate sensitivity and specificity of Flexicult Vet A compared to laboratory reference standards for culture...... B (commercial name Flexicult(®) Vet) is a time- and cost-effective point-of-care test to guide antimicrobial choice and facilitate implementation of antimicrobial use guidelines for treatment of UTIs in small animals, provided that clinical staff is adequately trained to interpret the results...

  7. Vetting requests for body computed tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harrison, R.L.; Housden, B.; Hay, C.; Dixon, A.K.

    2000-01-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the process and outcome of hospitalised patients (inpatients) for whom whole-body CT was requested but not performed. For 6 months the reasons why CT was not performed were recorded, together with relevant discussions with clinicians. Subsequent referrals for alternative investigations were noted. The eventual outcome of the patients was monitored via the patients' records. Eighty-three (8 %) of 1001 inpatient requests were identified for which body CT was not performed after an electronically generated request. Fifty-five requests were not accepted by the radiology department during the vetting process for a variety of reasons (often more than one): criteria used for rejection often overlapped and included referrals outside national guidelines (n = 20), better alternative investigations (n = 29), time constraints (n = 19), over-zealous requests (n = 17) and clinicians' erroneous interpretation of preceding imaging investigations (n = 9). Sixteen CT exams were cancelled by a clinician. An additional 12 exams were not performed for miscellaneous non-medical reasons. In no case could a patient's death be ascribed to CT not being performed. Most (981 of 1001, 98 %) CT requests comply with current guidelines, disproving a perception that many radiological referrals are inappropriate. In our health care system radiologists have to turn down some appropriate CT referrals due to a lack of CT capacity. Although lack of CT contributed to delay in diagnosis, no patient died as a direct result of not having CT. (orig.)

  8. Is switching from brand name to generic formulations of phenobarbital associated with loss of antiepileptic efficacy?: a pharmacokinetic study with two oral formulations (Luminal® vet, Phenoleptil®) in dogs

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background In human medicine, adverse outcomes associated with switching between bioequivalent brand name and generic antiepileptic drug products is a subject of concern among clinicians. In veterinary medicine, epilepsy in dogs is usually treated with phenobarbital, either with the standard brand name formulation Luminal® or the veterinary products Luminal® vet and the generic formulation Phenoleptil®. Luminal® and Luminal® vet are identical 100 mg tablet formulations, while Phenoleptil® is available in the form of 12.5 and 50 mg tablets. Following approval of Phenoleptil® for treatment of canine epilepsy, it was repeatedly reported by clinicians and dog owners that switching from Luminal® (human tablets) to Phenoleptil® in epileptic dogs, which were controlled by treatment with Luminal®, induced recurrence of seizures. In the present study, we compared bioavailability of phenobarbital after single dose administration of Luminal® vet vs. Phenoleptil® with a crossover design in 8 healthy Beagle dogs. Both drugs were administered at a dose of 100 mg/dog, resulting in 8 mg/kg phenobarbital on average. Results Peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) following Luminal® vet vs. Phenoleptil® were about the same in most dogs (10.9 ± 0.92 vs. 10.5 ± 0.77 μg/ml), and only one dog showed noticeable lower concentrations after Phenoleptil® vs. Luminal® vet. Elimination half-life was about 50 h (50.3 ± 3.1 vs. 52.9 ± 2.8 h) without differences between the formulations. The relative bioavailability of the two products (Phenoleptil® vs. Luminal® vet.) was 0.98 ± 0.031, indicating that both formulations resulted in about the same bioavailability. Conclusions Overall, the two formulations did not differ significantly with respect to pharmacokinetic parameters when mean group parameters were compared. Thus, the reasons for the anecdotal reports, if true, that switching from the brand to the generic formulation of phenobarbital may lead to

  9. Is switching from brand name to generic formulations of phenobarbital associated with loss of antiepileptic efficacy?: a pharmacokinetic study with two oral formulations (Luminal(®) vet, Phenoleptil(®)) in dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bankstahl, Marion; Bankstahl, Jens P; Löscher, Wolfgang

    2013-10-09

    In human medicine, adverse outcomes associated with switching between bioequivalent brand name and generic antiepileptic drug products is a subject of concern among clinicians. In veterinary medicine, epilepsy in dogs is usually treated with phenobarbital, either with the standard brand name formulation Luminal(®) or the veterinary products Luminal(®) vet and the generic formulation Phenoleptil(®). Luminal(®) and Luminal(®) vet are identical 100 mg tablet formulations, while Phenoleptil(®) is available in the form of 12.5 and 50 mg tablets. Following approval of Phenoleptil(®) for treatment of canine epilepsy, it was repeatedly reported by clinicians and dog owners that switching from Luminal(®) (human tablets) to Phenoleptil(®) in epileptic dogs, which were controlled by treatment with Luminal(®), induced recurrence of seizures. In the present study, we compared bioavailability of phenobarbital after single dose administration of Luminal(®) vet vs. Phenoleptil(®) with a crossover design in 8 healthy Beagle dogs. Both drugs were administered at a dose of 100 mg/dog, resulting in 8 mg/kg phenobarbital on average. Peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) following Luminal(®) vet vs. Phenoleptil(®) were about the same in most dogs (10.9 ± 0.92 vs. 10.5 ± 0.77 μg/ml), and only one dog showed noticeable lower concentrations after Phenoleptil(®) vs. Luminal(®) vet. Elimination half-life was about 50 h (50.3 ± 3.1 vs. 52.9 ± 2.8 h) without differences between the formulations. The relative bioavailability of the two products (Phenoleptil(®) vs. Luminal(®) vet.) was 0.98 ± 0.031, indicating that both formulations resulted in about the same bioavailability. Overall, the two formulations did not differ significantly with respect to pharmacokinetic parameters when mean group parameters were compared. Thus, the reasons for the anecdotal reports, if true, that switching from the brand to the generic formulation of phenobarbital may lead to recurrence of

  10. Human Rights and the Environmental Protection: The Naïveté in Environmental Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Made Adhitya Anggriawan Wisadha

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available There are growing trends in the human rights to substantially extend the values to protect the environment or moreover to welcome the ideas of the rights to environment, not to mention the rights of environment. The purpose is to inclusively embrace the environmental problems wherein the humanity challenges posited on, but this agenda may leave a room of doubt how far the human rights body can address the environmental destruction as it needs the interplay of culture and environmental ethics to promoting such concepts. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the justification of how human rights in the environmental protection in the contemporary discourse are bringing to light, as many current cases attempt to linkage the environmental approach to the human rights instrument, such as the rights to life, healthy environment, and intergenerational equity. To analyse further, the theoretical framework in this paper will be explicated by environmental culture paradigm which illustrates the egalitarian concept between human and environment to elicit the clear thoughts of how human rights is naïve to protect the environment. This article will firstly depict the human rights and the environmental protection discourse and then, explore the naïveté narratives of environmental culture about the ecological crisis roots that are fundamentally anthropogenic, as to reflect the ground realities how this nexus will play out. Finally, this paper found the moral justification per se relies on the effort of elaborating the human prudence in their relationship with nature, albeit bringing the naïveté.

  11. A Social Justice Alternative for Framing Post-Compulsory Education: A Human Development Perspective of VET in Times of Economic Dominance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez-Fogues, Aurora

    2016-01-01

    The article provides an alternative theoretical framework for evaluating contemporary issues facing education, specifically vocational education and training (VET) in Europe. In order to accomplish this, it draws on the theoretical insights of the capability approach in the work of Amartya Sen; the concept of vulnerability as intrinsic to every…

  12. An efficient interpolation technique for jump proposals in reversible-jump Markov chain Monte Carlo calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farr, W. M.; Mandel, I.; Stevens, D.

    2015-01-01

    Selection among alternative theoretical models given an observed dataset is an important challenge in many areas of physics and astronomy. Reversible-jump Markov chain Monte Carlo (RJMCMC) is an extremely powerful technique for performing Bayesian model selection, but it suffers from a fundamental difficulty and it requires jumps between model parameter spaces, but cannot efficiently explore both parameter spaces at once. Thus, a naive jump between parameter spaces is unlikely to be accepted in the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm and convergence is correspondingly slow. Here, we demonstrate an interpolation technique that uses samples from single-model MCMCs to propose intermodel jumps from an approximation to the single-model posterior of the target parameter space. The interpolation technique, based on a kD-tree data structure, is adaptive and efficient in modest dimensionality. We show that our technique leads to improved convergence over naive jumps in an RJMCMC, and compare it to other proposals in the literature to improve the convergence of RJMCMCs. We also demonstrate the use of the same interpolation technique as a way to construct efficient ‘global’ proposal distributions for single-model MCMCs without prior knowledge of the structure of the posterior distribution, and discuss improvements that permit the method to be used in higher dimensional spaces efficiently. PMID:26543580

  13. Proposal of a congestion control technique in LAN networks using an econometric model ARIMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joaquín F Sánchez

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Hasty software development can produce immediate implementations with source code unnecessarily complex and hardly readable. These small kinds of software decay generate a technical debt that could be big enough to seriously affect future maintenance activities. This work presents an analysis technique for identifying architectural technical debt related to non-uniformity of naming patterns; the technique is based on term frequency over package hierarchies. The proposal has been evaluated on projects of two popular organizations, Apache and Eclipse. The results have shown that most of the projects have frequent occurrences of the proposed naming patterns, and using a graph model and aggregated data could enable the elaboration of simple queries for debt identification. The technique has features that favor its applicability on emergent architectures and agile software development.

  14. Interaction between research and diagnosis and surveillance of avian influenza within the Caribbean animal health network (CaribVET).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefrançois, T; Hendrikx, P; Vachiéry, N; Ehrhardt, N; Millien, M; Gomez, L; Gouyet, L; Gerbier, G; Gongora, V; Shaw, J; Trotman, M

    2010-04-01

    The Caribbean region is considered to be at risk for avian influenza (AI) because of predominance of the backyard poultry system, important commercial poultry production, migratory birds and disparities in the surveillance systems. The Caribbean animal health network (CaribVET) has developed tools to implement AI surveillance in the region: (i) a regionally harmonized surveillance protocol, (ii) specific web pages for AI surveillance on http://www.caribvet.net, and (iii) a diagnostic network for the Caribbean including AI virus molecular diagnostic capability in Guadeloupe and technology transfer. Altogether 303 samples from four Caribbean countries were tested between June 2006 and March 2009 by real time PCR either for importation purposes or following clinical suspicion. Following AI H5N2 outbreaks in the Dominican Republic in 2007, a questionnaire was developed to collect data for risk analysis of AI spread in the region through fighting cocks. The infection pathway of Martinique commercial poultry sector by AI through introduction of infected cocks was designed and recommendations were provided to the Caribbean veterinary services to improve fighting cock movement controls and biosecurity measures. Altogether, these CaribVET activities contribute to strengthen surveillance of AI in the Caribbean region and may allow the development of research studies on AI risk analysis.

  15. Proposed satellite position determination systems and techniques for Geostationary Synthetic Aperture Radar

    OpenAIRE

    Martin Fuster, Roger; Fernández Usón, Marc; Casado Blanco, David; Broquetas Ibars, Antoni

    2016-01-01

    This paper proposes two different calibration techniques for Geostationary Synthetic Aperture Radar (GEOSAR) missions requiring a high precision positioning, based on Active Radar Calibrators and Ground Based Interferometry. The research is enclosed in the preparation studies of a future GEOSAR mission providing continuous monitoring at continental scale. Peer Reviewed

  16. Bering Sea Inner Front zooplankton data sets collected with CalVet net on four cruises from 6/3/1997 - 9/1/1998 (NODC Accession 0000103)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Zooplankton and other data were collected using CalVet net in Bering sea from ALPHA HELIX. Data were collected from 01 June 1997 to 01 September 1998 by University...

  17. QUALITY ASSURANCE COURSES IN VET (VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING) FOR TOURISM ORGANISED BY THE CENTRE FOR TOURISM TRAINING

    OpenAIRE

    SILVIA IRIMIEA; ADRIANA ŞERBAN

    2015-01-01

    Quality Assurance Courses in VET (Vocational Education and Training) for Tourism Organised by the Centre for Tourism Training. The article seeks to give utterance to the findings of the pilot course on quality assurance designed and organised by the Centre for Tourism Training (CTT) as part of the AQUA.TS European Lifelong Learning project. The CTT has become involved in research and exchange of experience in the field of quality assurance driven by the educational policy-related background s...

  18. Reforming Vocational Didactics by Implementing a New VET Teacher Education in Denmark: Tensions and Challenges Reflected in Interviews with Vocational College Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duch, Henriette; Andreasen, Karen E.

    2015-01-01

    A new education program, Diploma of Vocational Pedagogy, has recently been implemented in Denmark to upskill vocational college teachers and improve didactics at VET colleges in general. Among many challenges, vocational college teachers have to adapt their pedagogy to a large number of students from backgrounds with no tradition for education.…

  19. A proposed framework on hybrid feature selection techniques for handling high dimensional educational data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahiri, Amirah Mohamed; Husain, Wahidah; Rashid, Nur'Aini Abd

    2017-10-01

    Huge amounts of data in educational datasets may cause the problem in producing quality data. Recently, data mining approach are increasingly used by educational data mining researchers for analyzing the data patterns. However, many research studies have concentrated on selecting suitable learning algorithms instead of performing feature selection process. As a result, these data has problem with computational complexity and spend longer computational time for classification. The main objective of this research is to provide an overview of feature selection techniques that have been used to analyze the most significant features. Then, this research will propose a framework to improve the quality of students' dataset. The proposed framework uses filter and wrapper based technique to support prediction process in future study.

  20. Veterans' voices: use of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Survey to identify My HealtheVet personal health record users' characteristics, needs, and preferences

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Background Consumer research reveals considerable interest in the use of Personal Health Records (PHRs), yet adoption remains relatively low. Both adopters and nonadopters represent important perspectives from which to understand this paradox. Objective This study focuses on direct feedback from adopters obtained using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey on the My HealtheVet PHR portal (http://www.myhealth.va.gov) of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The results represent a source of direct feedback with which to better understand veterans' needs and preferences. Methods The ACSI Survey was implemented in October 2007 to measure satisfaction and elicit information about characteristics and preferences of My HealtheVet PHR adopters. The data represent a continuous random sample of site visitors who have navigated at least four pages on the site. A total of 100 617 surveys were completed (17.2%). Results Satisfaction with My HealtheVet is high (8.3/10.0), and users are highly likely to return to the site (8.6/10.0) and recommend the site to other veterans (9.1/10.0). The majority of system adopters are male (91%), between the ages of 51 and 70 (68%), and served in the Vietnam War (60%). Most veterans currently visit the site to utilize pharmacy-related features. Conclusion VHA has used the ACSI to monitor satisfaction, and to better understand the characteristics, needs, and preferences of early adopters. The data provide an important source of direct feedback to inform program development. Future research will include monitoring the impact of enhancements and new features on satisfaction, and conducting additional research with nonadopters to identify barriers to adoption and use. PMID:20190065

  1. Veterans' voices: use of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Survey to identify My HealtheVet personal health record users' characteristics, needs, and preferences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nazi, Kim M

    2010-01-01

    Consumer research reveals considerable interest in the use of Personal Health Records (PHRs), yet adoption remains relatively low. Both adopters and nonadopters represent important perspectives from which to understand this paradox. This study focuses on direct feedback from adopters obtained using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey on the My HealtheVet PHR portal (http://www.myhealth.va.gov) of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The results represent a source of direct feedback with which to better understand veterans' needs and preferences. The ACSI Survey was implemented in October 2007 to measure satisfaction and elicit information about characteristics and preferences of My HealtheVet PHR adopters. The data represent a continuous random sample of site visitors who have navigated at least four pages on the site. A total of 100 617 surveys were completed (17.2%). Satisfaction with My HealtheVet is high (8.3/10.0), and users are highly likely to return to the site (8.6/10.0) and recommend the site to other veterans (9.1/10.0). The majority of system adopters are male (91%), between the ages of 51 and 70 (68%), and served in the Vietnam War (60%). Most veterans currently visit the site to utilize pharmacy-related features. VHA has used the ACSI to monitor satisfaction, and to better understand the characteristics, needs, and preferences of early adopters. The data provide an important source of direct feedback to inform program development. Future research will include monitoring the impact of enhancements and new features on satisfaction, and conducting additional research with nonadopters to identify barriers to adoption and use.

  2. Proposal for Ultrasonic Technique for evaluation elastic constants in UO2 pellets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lopes, Alessandra Susanne Viana Ragone; Baroni, Douglas Brandao; Bittencourt, Marcelo de Siqueira Queiroz; Souza, Mauro Carlos Lopes

    2015-01-01

    Pellets of uranium dioxide are used as fuel in nuclear power reactors, in which are exposed to high thermal gradients. This high energy will initiate fusion in the central part of the pellet. The expansion of the uranium dioxide pellets, resulting from fission products, can cause fissures or cracks, therefore, the study of their behavior is important. This work aims to develop and propose an ultrasonic technique to evaluate the elastic constants of UO 2 pellets. However, because of the difficulties in handling nuclear material, we proposed an initial study of alumina specimens. Alumina pellets are also ceramic material and their porosity and dimensions are in the similar range of dioxide uranium pellets. They also are used as thermal insulation in the fuel rods, operating under the same conditions. They were fabricated and used in two different sets of 10 alumina pellets with densities of 92% and 96%. The developed ultrasonic technique evaluates the traveling time of ultrasonic waves, longitudinal and transverse, and correlates the observed time and the elastic constants of the materials. Equations relating the speed of the ultrasonic wave to the elastic modulus, shear modulus and Poisson's ratio have led to these elastic constants, with graphics of correlation that showed excellent agreement with the literature available for Alumina. In view of the results and the ease of implementation of this technique, we believe that it may easily be used for dioxide uranium pellets, justifying further studies for that application. (author)

  3. Proposal for a new Thomson scattering technique for large fusion devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salzmann, H.; Hirsch, K.

    1982-11-01

    The application of 180 0 scattering using ultrashort laser pulses is proposed. Spatial resolution along the laser beam is achieved by high-speed detection allowing time-of-flight measurements. This LIDAR technique uses a minimum number of window ports, reduces drastically the number of optical components in the vicinity of the discharge vessel and makes remote control unnecessary. As an example the performance of such a system is discussed on the basis of available laser and detection technology for the JET geometry. (orig.)

  4. The O3-Vet project: integration of a standard nomenclature of clinical terms in a veterinary electronic medical record for veterinary hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaninelli, M; Campagnoli, A; Reyes, M; Rojas, V

    2012-11-01

    In order to improve the hospital information system of the Chilean University Hospital, the Veterinary Medicine School of Universidad de Chile made a research cooperation with Università San Raffaele Roma to develop and test a new release of the O3-Vet software application. O3-Vet was selected by the Chilean University mainly for two reasons: (1) it uses human medicine standardized technologies such as "Health Level 7" (HL7) and "Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise" (IHE), which allow a good level of data sharing and hospital management; (2) it is open source, which means it can be adapted to specific hospital needs. In the new release, a subset of diagnostic terms was added from the "Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms" (SNOMED CT), selected by the "American Animal Hospital Association" (AAHA) to standardize the filing of clinical data and its retrieval. Results from a limited survey of veterinarians of the University (n=9) show that the new release improved the management of the Chilean University Hospital and the ability to retrieve useful clinical data. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Patient experiences with full electronic access to health records and clinical notes through the My HealtheVet Personal Health Record Pilot: qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, Susan S; Schwartz, Erin; Tuepker, Anais; Press, Nancy A; Nazi, Kim M; Turvey, Carolyn L; Nichol, W Paul

    2013-03-27

    Full sharing of the electronic health record with patients has been identified as an important opportunity to engage patients in their health and health care. The My HealtheVet Pilot, the initial personal health record of the US Department of Veterans Affairs, allowed patients and their delegates to view and download content in their electronic health record, including clinical notes, laboratory tests, and imaging reports. A qualitative study with purposeful sampling sought to examine patients' views and experiences with reading their health records, including their clinical notes, online. Five focus group sessions were conducted with patients and family members who enrolled in the My HealtheVet Pilot at the Portland Veterans Administration Medical Center, Oregon. A total of 30 patients enrolled in the My HealtheVet Pilot, and 6 family members who had accessed and viewed their electronic health records participated in the sessions. Four themes characterized patient experiences with reading the full complement of their health information. Patients felt that seeing their records positively affected communication with providers and the health system, enhanced knowledge of their health and improved self-care, and allowed for greater participation in the quality of their care such as follow-up of abnormal test results or decision-making on when to seek care. While some patients felt that seeing previously undisclosed information, derogatory language, or inconsistencies in their notes caused challenges, they overwhelmingly felt that having more, rather than less, of their health record information provided benefits. Patients and their delegates had predominantly positive experiences with health record transparency and the open sharing of notes and test results. Viewing their records appears to empower patients and enhance their contributions to care, calling into question common provider concerns about the effect of full record access on patient well-being. While shared

  6. A proposed security technique based on watermarking and encryption for digital imaging and communications in medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed M. Abd-Eldayem

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays; modern Hospital Data Management Systems (HDMSs are applied in a computer network; in addition medicinal equipments produce medical images in a digital form. HDMS must store and exchange these images in a secured environment to provide image integrity and patient privacy. The reversible watermarking techniques can be used to provide the integrity and the privacy. In this paper, a security technique based on watermarking and encryption is proposed to be used for Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM. It provides patient authentication, information confidentiality and integrity based on reversible watermark. To achieve integrity service at the sender side; a hash value based on encrypted MD5 is determined from the image. And to satisfy the reversible feature; R–S-Vector is determined from the image and is compressed based on a Huffman compression algorithm. After that to provide confidentiality and authentication services: the compressed R–S-Vector, the hash value and patient ID are concatenated to form a watermark then this watermark is encrypted using AES encryption technique, finally the watermark is embedded inside the medical image. Experimental results prove that the proposed technique can provide patient authentication services, image integrity service and information confidentiality service with excellent efficiency. Concluded results for all tested DICOM medical images and natural images show the following: BER equals 0, both of SNR and PSNR are consistent and have large values, and MSE has low value; the average values of SNR, PSNR and MSE are 52 dB, 57 dB and 0.12 respectively. Therefore, watermarked images have high imperceptibility, invisibility and transparency. In addition, the watermark extracted from the image at the receiver side is identical to the watermark embedded into the image in the sender side; as a result, the proposed technique is totally reversible, and the embedded watermark does not

  7. Convolutional neural networks for transient candidate vetting in large-scale surveys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gieseke, Fabian; Bloemen, Steven; van den Bogaard, Cas; Heskes, Tom; Kindler, Jonas; Scalzo, Richard A.; Ribeiro, Valério A. R. M.; van Roestel, Jan; Groot, Paul J.; Yuan, Fang; Möller, Anais; Tucker, Brad E.

    2017-12-01

    Current synoptic sky surveys monitor large areas of the sky to find variable and transient astronomical sources. As the number of detections per night at a single telescope easily exceeds several thousand, current detection pipelines make intensive use of machine learning algorithms to classify the detected objects and to filter out the most interesting candidates. A number of upcoming surveys will produce up to three orders of magnitude more data, which renders high-precision classification systems essential to reduce the manual and, hence, expensive vetting by human experts. We present an approach based on convolutional neural networks to discriminate between true astrophysical sources and artefacts in reference-subtracted optical images. We show that relatively simple networks are already competitive with state-of-the-art systems and that their quality can further be improved via slightly deeper networks and additional pre-processing steps - eventually yielding models outperforming state-of-the-art systems. In particular, our best model correctly classifies about 97.3 per cent of all 'real' and 99.7 per cent of all 'bogus' instances on a test set containing 1942 'bogus' and 227 'real' instances in total. Furthermore, the networks considered in this work can also successfully classify these objects at hand without relying on difference images, which might pave the way for future detection pipelines not containing image subtraction steps at all.

  8. Reliability of diagnostic imaging techniques in suspected acute appendicitis: proposed diagnostic protocol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cura del, J. L.; Oleaga, L.; Grande, D.; Vela, A. C.; Ibanez, A. M.

    2001-01-01

    To study the utility of ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) in case of suspected appendicitis. To determine the diagnostic yield in terms of different clinical contexts and patient characteristics. to assess the costs and benefits of introducing these techniques and propose a protocol for their use. Negative appendectomies, complications and length of hospital stay in a group of 152 patients with suspected appendicitis who underwent ultrasound and CT were compared with those of 180 patients who underwent appendectomy during the same time period, but had not been selected for the first group: these patients costs for each group were calculated. In the first group, the diagnostic value of the clinical signs was also evaluated. The reliability of the clinical signs was limited, while the results with ultrasound and CT were excellent. The incidence of negative appendectomy was 9.6% in the study group and 12.2% in the control group. Moreover, there were fewer complications and a shorter hospital stay in the first group. Among men, however, the rate of negative appendectomy was lower in the control group. The cost of using ultrasound and CT in the management of appendicitis was only slightly higher than that of the control group. Although ultrasound and CT are not necessary in cases in which the probability of appendicitis is low or in men presenting clear clinical evidence, the use of these techniques is indicated in the remaining cases in which appendicitis is suspected. In children, ultrasound is the technique of choice. In all other patients, if negative results are obtained with one of the two techniques, the other should be performed. (Author) 49 refs

  9. A Proposal for Research and Development of an Explosive Drilling Technique for Geothermal Wells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1975-10-01

    In order to make large scale use of the geothermal energy available it will be necessary to drill many thousands of holes deep into the earth. The objective of the proposed research is to greatly decrease drilling time and cost. Studies made of a new explosive drilling technique indicate that savings in time of from 70 to 80 percent. The research plan is to utilize explosive in the form of multiple-faced shaped charge capsules. [DJE-2005

  10. Proposal of requirements for performance in Brazil for systems of external individual monitoring for neutrons applying the TLD-albedo technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martins, Marcelo M.; Mauricio, Claudia L.P.; Pereira, Walsan W.; Fonseca, Evaldo S. da; Silva, Ademir X.

    2009-01-01

    This work presents a criteria and conditions proposal for the regulations in Brazil of individual monitoring systems for neutrons applying the albedo technique with thermoluminescent detectors. Tests are proposed for the characterization performance of the system based on the Regulation ISO 21909 and on the experience of the authors

  11. Proposed applications with implementation techniques of the upcoming renewable energy resource, The Tesla Turbine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, M Usman Saeed; Maqsood, M Irfan; Ali, Ehsan; Jamal, Shah; Javed, M

    2013-01-01

    Recent research has shown that tesla turbine can be one of the future efficient sources of renewable energy. Modern techniques used for designing of tesla turbine have given optimum results regarding efficiency and applications. In this paper we have suggested fully coordinated applications of tesla turbine in different fields particularly in power generation at both low level and high level generation. In Energy deficient countries the tesla turbine has wide range of applications and it can play an important role in energy management system. Our proposed applications includes, - the use of tesla turbine as renewable energy resource; - using tesla turbine in distributed generation system; - use of tesla turbine at home for power generation; - use of tesla turbine in irrigation channels; - using tesla turbine in hybrid electric vehicles; All applications are explained with the help of flow charts and block diagrams and their implementation techniques are also explained in details. The results of physical experiments and simulations are also included for some applications.

  12. Three Proposed Compendia for Genesis Solar Wind Samples: Science Results, Collector Materials Characterization and Cleaning Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allton, J. H.; Calaway, M. J.; Nyquist, L. E.; Jurewicz, A. J. G.; Burnett, D. S.

    2018-01-01

    Final Paper and not the abstract is attached. Introduction: Planetary material and cosmochemistry research using Genesis solar wind samples (including the development and implementation of cleaning and analytical techniques) has matured sufficiently that compilations on several topics, if made publically accessible, would be beneficial for researchers and reviewers. We propose here three compendia based on content, organization and source of documents (e.g. published peer-reviewed, published, internal memos, archives). For planning purposes, suggestions are solicited from potential users of Genesis solar wind samples for the type of science content and/or organizational style that would be most useful to them. These compendia are proposed as living documents, periodically updated. Similar to the existing compendia described below, the curation compendia are like library or archival finding aids, they are guides to published or archival documents and should not be cited as primary sources.

  13. 48 CFR 815.404-1 - Proposal analysis techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION Contract Pricing 815.404-1 Proposal analysis... necessary for initial and revised pricing of all negotiated prime contracts, including subcontract pricing...

  14. Populism and Anti-Establishment Politics in Kosovo: A Case Study of Lëvizja Vetëvendosje

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bilge Yabanci

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Few studies have systematically examined the rising political and social unrest in the Balkans. This paper investigates the local dynamics and consequences of widespread anti-establishment discontent in Kosovo through the analytical framework of populism. By focusing on the case of Lëvizja Vetëvendosje (LVV, the paper sets out to consider two related questions: the unique populist style of the LVV and the complex reasons behind its electoral breakthrough and continuing support among various groups. Based on a qualitative documentary analysis of the party programme, manifesto, party publications, speeches of the leadership and interviews, the paper finds that the LVV successfully melds a populist political style, leftist/social democratic agenda and contentious politics as a means to disperse its message. The second part of the article offers three arguments to explain its appeal: structural factors (electoral availability and party system, societal dynamics (political and economic dissatisfaction and the agency of the LVV (internal organisation, cohesion and leadership. The article contributes to the thriving literature on populism through a novel empirical scope, and to the literature on Southeast Europe through a focus on local agency, voter preferences and party system.

  15. Influence du temps de conservation du sang sur l'hémogramme réalisé avec le Vet-ABC chez le chien et le chat

    OpenAIRE

    Caillard, Agnès

    2002-01-01

    L'utilisation du Vet abc, automate d'hématologie de type «coulter » a permis d'étudier les modifications engendrées par la conservation du sang pendant 24 heures à température ambiante, sur les paramètres et constituants de l'hémogramme du chien et du chat. L'évaluation de l'effet de la conservation du sang sur l'IDR et sur les courbes de distribution cellulaire, constitue l'originalité de ce travail. Les évolutions les plus notables ont été les suivantes : - un VGM qui augmente en moyenne de...

  16. The New Era of Virtual Reality Locomotion: A Systematic Literature Review of Techniques and a Proposed Typology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Costas Boletsis

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The latest technical and interaction advancements that took place in the Virtual Reality (VR field have marked a new era, not only for VR, but also for VR locomotion. Although the latest advancements in VR locomotion have raised the interest of both researchers and users in analyzing and experiencing current VR locomotion techniques, the field of research on VR locomotion, in its new era, is still uncharted. In this work, VR locomotion is explored through a systematic literature review investigating empirical studies of VR locomotion techniques from 2014–2017. The review analyzes the VR locomotion techniques that have been studied, their interaction-related characteristics and the research topics that were addressed in these studies. Thirty-six articles were identified as relevant to the literature review, and the analysis of the articles resulted in 73 instances of 11 VR locomotion techniques, such as real-walking, walking-in-place, point and teleport, joystick-based locomotion, and more. Results showed that since the VR revival, the focus of VR locomotion research has been on VR technology and various technological aspects, overshadowing the investigation of user experience. From an interaction perspective, the majority of the utilized and studied VR locomotion techniques were found to be based on physical interaction, exploiting physical motion cues for navigation in VR environments. A significant contribution of the literature review lies in the proposed typology for VR locomotion, introducing four distinct VR locomotion types: motion-based, room scale-based, controller-based and teleportation-based locomotion.

  17. 76 FR 65317 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: DS-4184, Risk Management and Analysis (RAM)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-20

    ..., Risk Management and Analysis (RAM) ACTION: Notice of request for public comments. SUMMARY: The... of 1995. Title of Information Collection: Risk Analysis and Management. OMB Control Number: None.... Methodology: The State Department, is implementing a Risk Analysis and Management Program to vet potential...

  18. Osteotome-Mediated Sinus Lift without Grafting Material: A Review of Literature and a Technique Proposal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taschieri, Silvio; Corbella, Stefano; Saita, Massimo; Tsesis, Igor; Del Fabbro, Massimo

    2012-01-01

    Implant rehabilitation of the edentulous posterior maxilla may be a challenging procedure in the presence of insufficient bone volume for implant placement. Maxillary sinus augmentation with or without using grafting materials aims to provide adequate bone volume. The aim of the present study was to systematically review the existing literature on transalveolar maxillary sinus augmentation without grafting materials and to propose and describe an osteotome-mediated approach in postextraction sites in combination with platelet derivative. The systematic review showed that high implant survival rate (more than 96% after 5 years) can be achieved even without grafting the site, with a low rate of complications. Available alveolar bone height before surgery was not correlated to survival rate. In the described case report, three implants were placed in posterior maxilla after extraction of two teeth. An osteotome-mediated sinus lifting technique was performed with the use of platelet derivative (PRGF); a synthetic bone substitute was used to fill the gaps between implant and socket walls. No complications occurred, and implants were successfully in site after 1 year from prosthetic loading. The presented technique might represent a viable alternative for the treatment of edentulous posterior maxilla with atrophy of the alveolar bone though it needs to be validated by studies with a large sample size. PMID:22792108

  19. Osteotome-Mediated Sinus Lift without Grafting Material: A Review of Literature and a Technique Proposal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvio Taschieri

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Implant rehabilitation of the edentulous posterior maxilla may be a challenging procedure in the presence of insufficient bone volume for implant placement. Maxillary sinus augmentation with or without using grafting materials aims to provide adequate bone volume. The aim of the present study was to systematically review the existing literature on transalveolar maxillary sinus augmentation without grafting materials and to propose and describe an osteotome-mediated approach in postextraction sites in combination with platelet derivative. The systematic review showed that high implant survival rate (more than 96% after 5 years can be achieved even without grafting the site, with a low rate of complications. Available alveolar bone height before surgery was not correlated to survival rate. In the described case report, three implants were placed in posterior maxilla after extraction of two teeth. An osteotome-mediated sinus lifting technique was performed with the use of platelet derivative (PRGF; a synthetic bone substitute was used to fill the gaps between implant and socket walls. No complications occurred, and implants were successfully in site after 1 year from prosthetic loading. The presented technique might represent a viable alternative for the treatment of edentulous posterior maxilla with atrophy of the alveolar bone though it needs to be validated by studies with a large sample size.

  20. Numerical investigations of the WASA pellet target operation and proposal of a new technique for the PANDA pellet target

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Varentsov, Victor L.

    2011-01-01

    The conventional nozzle vibration technique of the hydrogen micro-droplet generation that is supposed to be used for internal pellet target production for the future PANDA experiment at the international FAIR facility in Darmstadtfor is described. The operation of this technique has been investigated by means of detailed computer simulations. Results of calculations for the geometry and operation conditions of the WASA pellet generator are presented and discussed. We have found that for every given pellet size, there is a set of operation parameters where the efficiency of the WASA hydrogen pellet target operation is considerably increased. Moreover, the results of presented computer simulations clearly show that the future PANDA pellet target setup can be realized with the use of much smaller (and cheaper) vacuum pumps than those used at present in the WASA hydrogen pellet target. To qualitatively improve the PANDA hydrogen pellet target performance we have proposed the use of a novel flow focusing method of Ganan-Calvo and Barreto (1997,1999) combined with the use of conventional vacuum injection capillary. Possibilities of this approach for the PANDA pellet target production have been also explored by means of computer simulations. The results of these simulations show that the use of this new approach looks very promising and in particular, there is no need here to use of expensive ultra-pure hydrogen to prevent nozzle clogging or freezing up due to impurities and it will allow simple, fast, smooth and a wide range of change of pellet sizes in accordance with requirements of different experiments at the PANDA detector. In this article we also propose and describe the idea of a new technique to break up a liquid microjet into microdroplets using a process of liquid jet evaporation under pulsed laser beam irradiation. This technique should be experimentally checked before it may be used in the design of the future PANDA pellet target setup.

  1. Numerical investigations of the WASA pellet target operation and proposal of a new technique for the PANDA pellet target

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Varentsov, Victor L., E-mail: v.varentsov@gsi.de [Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics, B. Cheremushkinskaya 25, 117218 Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2011-08-01

    The conventional nozzle vibration technique of the hydrogen micro-droplet generation that is supposed to be used for internal pellet target production for the future PANDA experiment at the international FAIR facility in Darmstadtfor is described. The operation of this technique has been investigated by means of detailed computer simulations. Results of calculations for the geometry and operation conditions of the WASA pellet generator are presented and discussed. We have found that for every given pellet size, there is a set of operation parameters where the efficiency of the WASA hydrogen pellet target operation is considerably increased. Moreover, the results of presented computer simulations clearly show that the future PANDA pellet target setup can be realized with the use of much smaller (and cheaper) vacuum pumps than those used at present in the WASA hydrogen pellet target. To qualitatively improve the PANDA hydrogen pellet target performance we have proposed the use of a novel flow focusing method of Ganan-Calvo and Barreto (1997,1999) combined with the use of conventional vacuum injection capillary. Possibilities of this approach for the PANDA pellet target production have been also explored by means of computer simulations. The results of these simulations show that the use of this new approach looks very promising and in particular, there is no need here to use of expensive ultra-pure hydrogen to prevent nozzle clogging or freezing up due to impurities and it will allow simple, fast, smooth and a wide range of change of pellet sizes in accordance with requirements of different experiments at the PANDA detector. In this article we also propose and describe the idea of a new technique to break up a liquid microjet into microdroplets using a process of liquid jet evaporation under pulsed laser beam irradiation. This technique should be experimentally checked before it may be used in the design of the future PANDA pellet target setup.

  2. Proposal of new bonding technique 'Instantaneous Liquid Phase (ILP) Bonding'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yue-Chang; Nakagawa, Hiroji; Matsuda, Fukuhisa.

    1987-01-01

    A new bonding technique named ''Instantaneous Liquid Phase (ILP) bonding'' suitable mainly for welding dissimilar materials was proposed by which instantaneous melting of one or two of the faying surfaces is utilized. The processes of ILP bonding are mainly consisted of three stages, namely the first stage forming thin liquid layer by rapid heating, the second stage joining both specimens by thin liquid layer, and the third stage cooling the specimens rapidly to avoid the formation of brittle layer. The welding temperatures of the specimens to be welded in ILP bonding are generally differentiated from each other. ILP bonding was applied for a variety of combinations of dissimilar materials of aluminum, aluminum alloys, titanium, titanium alloy, carbon steel, austenitic stainless steel, copper and tungsten, and for similar materials of stainless steel and nickel-base alloy. There were no microvoids in these welding joints, and the formation of brittle layer at the bonding interface was suppressed. The welded joints of Al + Ti, Cu + carbon steel and Cu + austenitic stainless steel showed the fracture in base metal having lower tensile strength. Further, the welded joints of Al + carbon steel, Al alloy + Ti, Al alloy + carbon steel or + austenitic stainless steel, Ti + carbon steel or + austenitic stainless steel showed better tensile properties in the comparison with diffusion welding. Furthermore, ILP bonding was available for welding same materials susceptible to hot cracking. Because of the existence of liquid layer, the welding pressure required was extremely low, and preparation of faying surface by simple tooling or polishing by no.80 emery paper was enough. The change in specimen length before and after welding was relatively little, only depending on the thickness of liquid layer. The welding time was very short, and thus high welding efficiency was obtained. (author)

  3. Advanced sensing techniques for cognitive radio

    CERN Document Server

    Zhao, Guodong; Li, Shaoqian

    2017-01-01

    This SpringerBrief investigates advanced sensing techniques to detect and estimate the primary receiver for cognitive radio systems. Along with a comprehensive overview of existing spectrum sensing techniques, this brief focuses on the design of new signal processing techniques, including the region-based sensing, jamming-based probing, and relay-based probing. The proposed sensing techniques aim to detect the nearby primary receiver and estimate the cross-channel gain between the cognitive transmitter and primary receiver. The performance of the proposed algorithms is evaluated by simulations in terms of several performance parameters, including detection probability, interference probability, and estimation error. The results show that the proposed sensing techniques can effectively sense the primary receiver and improve the cognitive transmission throughput. Researchers and postgraduate students in electrical engineering will find this an exceptional resource.

  4. Techniques for Wireless Applications

    KAUST Repository

    Gaaloul, Fakhreddine

    2012-05-01

    Switching techniques have been first proposed as a spacial diversity techniques. These techniques have been shown to reduce considerably the processing load while letting multi-antenna systems achieve a specific target performance. In this thesis, we take a different look at the switching schemes by implementing them for different other wireless applications. More specifically, this thesis consists of three main parts, where the first part considers a multiuser environment and an adaptive scheduling algorithm based on the switching with post-selection scheme for statistically independent but non-identically distributed channel conditions. The performance of this switched based scheduler is investigated and a multitude of performance metrics are presented. In a second part, we propose and analyze the performance of three switched-based algorithms for interference reduction in the downlink of over-loaded femtocells. For instance, performance metrics are derived in closed-form and these metrics are used to compare these three proposed schemes. Finally in a third part, a switch based opportunistic channel access scheme is proposed for a cognitive radio system and its performance is analyzed in terms of two new proposed metrics namely the average cognitive radio access and the waiting time duration.

  5. Frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets (B-lines) using a regionally based lung ultrasound examination named vet BLUE (veterinary bedside lung ultrasound exam) in dogs with radiographically normal lung findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lisciandro, Gregory R; Fosgate, Geoffrey T; Fulton, Robert M

    2014-01-01

    Lung ultrasound is superior to lung auscultation and supine chest radiography for many respiratory conditions in human patients. Ultrasound diagnoses are based on easily learned patterns of sonographic findings and artifacts in standardized images. By applying the wet lung (ultrasound lung rockets or B-lines, representing interstitial edema) versus dry lung (A-lines with a glide sign) concept many respiratory conditions can be diagnosed or excluded. The ultrasound probe can be used as a visual stethoscope for the evaluation of human lungs because dry artifacts (A-lines with a glide sign) predominate over wet artifacts (ultrasound lung rockets or B-lines). However, the frequency and number of wet lung ultrasound artifacts in dogs with radiographically normal lungs is unknown. Thus, the primary objective was to determine the baseline frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets in dogs without clinical signs of respiratory disease and with radiographically normal lung findings using an 8-view novel regionally based lung ultrasound examination called Vet BLUE. Frequency of ultrasound lung rockets were statistically compared based on signalment, body condition score, investigator, and reasons for radiography. Ten left-sided heart failure dogs were similarly enrolled. Overall frequency of ultrasound lung rockets was 11% (95% confidence interval, 6-19%) in dogs without respiratory disease versus 100% (95% confidence interval, 74-100%) in those with left-sided heart failure. The low frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets observed in dogs without respiratory disease and with radiographically normal lungs suggests that Vet BLUE will be clinically useful for the identification of canine respiratory conditions. © 2014 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

  6. Error Control Techniques for Efficient Multicast Streaming in UMTS Networks: Proposals andPerformance Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michele Rossi

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we introduce techniques for efficient multicast video streaming in UMTS networks where a video content has to be conveyed to multiple users in the same cell. Efficient multicast data delivery in UMTS is still an open issue. In particular, suitable solutions have to be found to cope with wireless channel errors, while maintaining both an acceptable channel utilization and a controlled delivery delay over the wireless link between the serving base station and the mobile terminals. Here, we first highlight that standard solutions such as unequal error protection (UEP of the video flow are ineffective in the UMTS systems due to its inherent large feedback delay at the link layer (Radio Link Control, RLC. Subsequently, we propose a local approach to solve errors directly at the UMTS link layer while keeping a reasonably high channel efficiency and saving, as much as possible, system resources. The solution that we propose in this paper is based on the usage of the common channel to serve all the interested users in a cell. In this way, we can save resources with respect to the case where multiple dedicated channels are allocated for every user. In addition to that, we present a hybrid ARQ (HARQ proactive protocol that, at the cost of some redundancy (added to the link layer flow, is able to consistently improve the channel efficiency with respect to the plain ARQ case, by therefore making the use of a single common channel for multicast data delivery feasible. In the last part of the paper we give some hints for future research, by envisioning the usage of the aforementioned error control protocols with suitably encoded video streams.

  7. Parachute technique for partial penectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando Korkes

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: Penile carcinoma is a rare but mutilating malignancy. In this context, partial penectomy is the most commonly applied approach for best oncological results. We herein propose a simple modification of the classic technique of partial penectomy, for better cosmetic and functional results. TECHNIQUE: If partial penectomy is indicated, the present technique can bring additional benefits. Different from classical technique, the urethra is spatulated only ventrally. An inverted "V" skin flap with 0.5 cm of extension is sectioned ventrally. The suture is performed with vicryl 4-0 in a "parachute" fashion, beginning from the ventral portion of the urethra and the "V" flap, followed by the "V" flap angles and than by the dorsal portion of the penis. After completion of the suture, a Foley catheter and light dressing are placed for 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Several complex reconstructive techniques have been previously proposed, but normally require specific surgical abilities, adequate patient selection and staged procedures. We believe that these reconstructive techniques are very useful in some specific subsets of patients. However, the technique herein proposed is a simple alternative that can be applied to all men after a partial penectomy, and takes the same amount of time as that in the classic technique. In conclusion, the "parachute" technique for penile reconstruction after partial amputation not only improves the appearance of the penis, but also maintains an adequate function.

  8. Mean-Variance-Validation Technique for Sequential Kriging Metamodels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Tae Hee; Kim, Ho Sung

    2010-01-01

    The rigorous validation of the accuracy of metamodels is an important topic in research on metamodel techniques. Although a leave-k-out cross-validation technique involves a considerably high computational cost, it cannot be used to measure the fidelity of metamodels. Recently, the mean 0 validation technique has been proposed to quantitatively determine the accuracy of metamodels. However, the use of mean 0 validation criterion may lead to premature termination of a sampling process even if the kriging model is inaccurate. In this study, we propose a new validation technique based on the mean and variance of the response evaluated when sequential sampling method, such as maximum entropy sampling, is used. The proposed validation technique is more efficient and accurate than the leave-k-out cross-validation technique, because instead of performing numerical integration, the kriging model is explicitly integrated to accurately evaluate the mean and variance of the response evaluated. The error in the proposed validation technique resembles a root mean squared error, thus it can be used to determine a stop criterion for sequential sampling of metamodels

  9. A Proposed Conceptual Model of Military Medical Readiness

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Van Hall, Brian M

    2007-01-01

    .... The basis for the proposed conceptual model builds on common and accepted latent variable and theoretical modeling techniques proposed by healthcare scholars, organizational theorists, mathematical...

  10. Badminton: Course Proposal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeo, David G.

    A proposal is presented for a Community College of Philadelphia Life Sciences and Allied Health Services course in Badminton. Following a standard cover form, a statement of purpose explains that the course is designed to introduce students to the techniques, knowledge, and strategies of badminton. Next, course goals and a course outline are…

  11. Proposed Reliability/Cost Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delionback, L. M.

    1982-01-01

    New technique estimates cost of improvement in reliability for complex system. Model format/approach is dependent upon use of subsystem cost-estimating relationships (CER's) in devising cost-effective policy. Proposed methodology should have application in broad range of engineering management decisions.

  12. Closing the gap: accelerating the translational process in nanomedicine by proposing standardized characterization techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khorasani, Ali A; Weaver, James L; Salvador-Morales, Carolina

    2014-01-01

    On the cusp of widespread permeation of nanomedicine, academia, industry, and government have invested substantial financial resources in developing new ways to better treat diseases. Materials have unique physical and chemical properties at the nanoscale compared with their bulk or small-molecule analogs. These unique properties have been greatly advantageous in providing innovative solutions for medical treatments at the bench level. However, nanomedicine research has not yet fully permeated the clinical setting because of several limitations. Among these limitations are the lack of universal standards for characterizing nanomaterials and the limited knowledge that we possess regarding the interactions between nanomaterials and biological entities such as proteins. In this review, we report on recent developments in the characterization of nanomaterials as well as the newest information about the interactions between nanomaterials and proteins in the human body. We propose a standard set of techniques for universal characterization of nanomaterials. We also address relevant regulatory issues involved in the translational process for the development of drug molecules and drug delivery systems. Adherence and refinement of a universal standard in nanomaterial characterization as well as the acquisition of a deeper understanding of nanomaterials and proteins will likely accelerate the use of nanomedicine in common practice to a great extent.

  13. Position Cross-Checking on ECDIS in View of International Regulations Requirements and OCIMF Recommendations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wojciech Legiec

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available In this paper author suggest methods for position cross-checking on modern bridge equipped with ECDIS. Terrestrial navigation techniques in relation to newly implemented technology are adopted to fulfil international requirements and recommendations. Author proposes voyage recording procedures conforming to IMO requirements ready to be used as navigational procedures in Safety Management System. Vessel Inspection Questionnaire of Ship Inspection Report Programme is used to systematize the needs. Differences in approach between paper charts and ECDIS navigation are exposed and clarified serving as a guide for ships liable to undergo vetting inspection. Author shows both, advantages and weak points of various ECDIS features using as an example ECDIS manufactured by Japan Radio Company.

  14. A simplified technique for shakedown load determination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdalla, H.F.; Younan, M.Y.A.; Megahed, M.M.

    2005-01-01

    In this paper a simple technique is presented to determine the limit shakedown load of a structure or a component using the finite element method. Through the proposed technique, the limit shakedown load is determined without performing time consuming cyclic loading simulations or iterative elastic techniques. Instead, it is determined by performing only two analyses namely, an elastic analysis and an elastic-plastic analysis. By extracting the results of the two analyses, the limit shakedown load of the structure is determined through the calculation of the residual stresses. The technique is applied and verified using two bench mark shakedown problems namely: the two-bar structure subjected to constant axial force and cyclic thermal loading, and the Bree cylinder subjected to constant internal pressure and cyclic high heat fluxes across its wall. The results of the proposed technique showed very good correlation with the, analytically determined, Bree diagrams of both structures. Moreover, the outcomes of the proposed technique showed very good results in comparison to full cyclic loading elasto-plastic finite element simulations of both structures. (authors)

  15. Utilization and acceptance of virtual patients in veterinary basic sciences - the vetVIP-project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleinsorgen, Christin; Kankofer, Marta; Gradzki, Zbigniew; Mandoki, Mira; Bartha, Tibor; von Köckritz-Blickwede, Maren; Naim, Hassan Y; Beyerbach, Martin; Tipold, Andrea; Ehlers, Jan P

    2017-01-01

    Context: In medical and veterinary medical education the use of problem-based and cased-based learning has steadily increased over time. At veterinary faculties, this development has mainly been evident in the clinical phase of the veterinary education. Therefore, a consortium of teachers of biochemistry and physiology together with technical and didactical experts launched the EU-funded project "vetVIP", to create and implement veterinary virtual patients and problems for basic science instruction. In this study the implementation and utilization of virtual patients occurred at the veterinary faculties in Budapest, Hannover and Lublin. Methods: This report describes the investigation of the utilization and acceptance of students studying veterinary basic sciences using optional online learning material concurrently to regular biochemistry and physiology didactic instruction. The reaction of students towards this offer of clinical case-based learning in basic sciences was analysed using quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected automatically within the chosen software-system CASUS as user-log-files. Responses regarding the quality of the virtual patients were obtained using an online questionnaire. Furthermore, subjective evaluation by authors was performed using a focus group discussion and an online questionnaire. Results: Implementation as well as usage and acceptance varied between the three participating locations. High approval was documented in Hannover and Lublin based upon the high proportion of voluntary students (>70%) using optional virtual patients. However, in Budapest the participation rate was below 1%. Due to utilization, students seem to prefer virtual patients and problems created in their native language and developed at their own university. In addition, the statement that assessment drives learning was supported by the observation that peak utilization was just prior to summative examinations. Conclusion: Veterinary

  16. Process-based project proposal risk management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alok Kumar

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available We all are aware of the organizational omnipresence. Projects within the organizations are ubiquitous too. Projects achieve their goals successfully if they are planned, scheduled, controlled and implemented well. The project lifecycle of initiating, planning, scheduling, controlling and implementing are very well-planned by project managers and the organizations. Successful projects have well-developed risk management plans to deal with situations impacting projects. Like any other organisation, a university does try to access funds for different purposes too. For such organisations, running a project is not the issue, rather getting a project proposal approved to fund a project is the key. Project proposal processing is done by the nodal office in every organisation. Usually, these nodal offices help in administration and submission of a project proposal for accessing funds. Seldom are these nodal project offices within the organizations facilitate a project proposal approval by proactively reaching out to the project managers. And as project managers prepare project proposals, little or no attention is made to prepare a project proposal risk plan so as to maximise project acquisition. Risk plans are submitted while preparing proposals but these risk plans cater to a requirement to address actual projects upon approval. Hence, a risk management plan for project proposal is either missing or very little effort is made to treat the risks inherent in project acquisition. This paper is an integral attempt to highlight the importance of risk treatment for project proposal stage as an extremely important step to preparing the risk management plan made for projects corresponding to their lifecycle phases. Several tools and techniques have been proposed in the paper to help and guide either the project owner (proposer or the main organisational unit responsible for project management. Development of tools and techniques to further enhance project

  17. The Special Case of Disadvantaged Young People in Germany: How Stakeholder Interests Hinder Reform Proposals in Favour of a Training Guarantee

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granato, Mona; Krekel, Elisabeth M.; Ulrich, Joachim Gerd

    2015-01-01

    Every year, tens of thousands of young people in Germany fail to find access to dual vocational education and training (VET), because they cannot find a company to hire them as apprentices. This particularly affects persons with poor school leaving qualifications, socially deprived persons or people with a migrant background. In order to improve…

  18. Automation of scanning technique by gamma radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aamira, Yahya

    2011-01-01

    The gamma scan technique is a nuclear test allowing the analysis of the internal mechanical properties of distillation columns used in petrochemical industries. Such technique is performed manually. So we propose in this work to automate the gamma scan procedure test by using a PLC. In addition, supervision and data acquisition interfaces are proposed.

  19. Alternative Constraint Handling Technique for Four-Bar Linkage Path Generation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sleesongsom, S.; Bureerat, S.

    2018-03-01

    This paper proposes an extension of a new concept for path generation from our previous work by adding a new constraint handling technique. The propose technique was initially designed for problems without prescribed timing by avoiding the timing constraint, while remain constraints are solving with a new constraint handling technique. The technique is one kind of penalty technique. The comparative study is optimisation of path generation problems are solved using self-adaptive population size teaching-learning based optimization (SAP-TLBO) and original TLBO. In this study, two traditional path generation test problem are used to test the proposed technique. The results show that the new technique can be applied with the path generation problem without prescribed timing and gives better results than the previous technique. Furthermore, SAP-TLBO outperforms the original one.

  20. Reconstructing Vocational Education and Training for the 21st Century

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Terry Hyland

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The unfavorable comparisons between English and European vocational education and training (VET systems made in the Wolf Report—and indeed in many national reviews of VET in Britain since the Royal Commission on Technical Education reported in 1884—point toward the low status of vocational pursuits in the United Kingdom compared with that in Continental Europe and elsewhere. In the light of these cultural differences, it is unlikely that structural, funding, or curriculum reforms alone will succeed in enhancing VET provision without corresponding changes in the value foundation of vocational studies. The reconstruction of VET requires a re-orientation of its foundational values if the reforms proposed by Wolf and others are to have any chance of lasting success. By the same token—although European and other national systems have their own peculiar problems—the global policy agenda concerned only with cognitive outcomes expressed as behaviorist skills and competences is, arguably, unlikely to meet the key challenges. A reconstructed model of VET needs to foreground the values, craft, and aesthetic features of vocationalism if the perennial problems are to be dealt with adequately. A reconstruction plan is suggested below, informed and inspired by the concept of “mindfulness”—non-judgmental, present-moment attention, and awareness—drawn from Buddhist contemplative traditions. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs in areas such as psychology, psychotherapy, medical science, and education have grown exponentially over the last decade or so, and interesting work is now emerging in relation to the value of mindfulness in workplace training.

  1. A Survey and Proposed Framework on the Soft Biometrics Technique for Human Identification in Intelligent Video Surveillance System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min-Gu Kim

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Biometrics verification can be efficiently used for intrusion detection and intruder identification in video surveillance systems. Biometrics techniques can be largely divided into traditional and the so-called soft biometrics. Whereas traditional biometrics deals with physical characteristics such as face features, eye iris, and fingerprints, soft biometrics is concerned with such information as gender, national origin, and height. Traditional biometrics is versatile and highly accurate. But it is very difficult to get traditional biometric data from a distance and without personal cooperation. Soft biometrics, although featuring less accuracy, can be used much more freely though. Recently, many researchers have been made on human identification using soft biometrics data collected from a distance. In this paper, we use both traditional and soft biometrics for human identification and propose a framework for solving such problems as lighting, occlusion, and shadowing.

  2. A Survey and Proposed Framework on the Soft Biometrics Technique for Human Identification in Intelligent Video Surveillance System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min-Gu; Moon, Hae-Min; Chung, Yongwha; Pan, Sung Bum

    2012-01-01

    Biometrics verification can be efficiently used for intrusion detection and intruder identification in video surveillance systems. Biometrics techniques can be largely divided into traditional and the so-called soft biometrics. Whereas traditional biometrics deals with physical characteristics such as face features, eye iris, and fingerprints, soft biometrics is concerned with such information as gender, national origin, and height. Traditional biometrics is versatile and highly accurate. But it is very difficult to get traditional biometric data from a distance and without personal cooperation. Soft biometrics, although featuring less accuracy, can be used much more freely though. Recently, many researchers have been made on human identification using soft biometrics data collected from a distance. In this paper, we use both traditional and soft biometrics for human identification and propose a framework for solving such problems as lighting, occlusion, and shadowing. PMID:22919273

  3. A survey and proposed framework on the soft biometrics technique for human identification in intelligent video surveillance system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min-Gu; Moon, Hae-Min; Chung, Yongwha; Pan, Sung Bum

    2012-01-01

    Biometrics verification can be efficiently used for intrusion detection and intruder identification in video surveillance systems. Biometrics techniques can be largely divided into traditional and the so-called soft biometrics. Whereas traditional biometrics deals with physical characteristics such as face features, eye iris, and fingerprints, soft biometrics is concerned with such information as gender, national origin, and height. Traditional biometrics is versatile and highly accurate. But it is very difficult to get traditional biometric data from a distance and without personal cooperation. Soft biometrics, although featuring less accuracy, can be used much more freely though. Recently, many researchers have been made on human identification using soft biometrics data collected from a distance. In this paper, we use both traditional and soft biometrics for human identification and propose a framework for solving such problems as lighting, occlusion, and shadowing.

  4. Variation in the production and quality of bana grass over the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    , 1965. Effect of hybridization on the chemical composition and nutritive value of Napier grass. (Pennisetum purpureum). Indian J. Vet. Sci. 35, 301. TILLEY, T.M.A. & TERRY, R.A., 1%3. A two-stage technique for the in vitro digestion of forage ...

  5. A novel technique for active vibration control, based on optimal

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    In the last few decades, researchers have proposed many control techniques to suppress unwanted vibrations in a structure. In this work, a novel and simple technique is proposed for the active vibration control. In this technique, an optimal tracking control is employed to suppress vibrations in a structure by simultaneously ...

  6. Measuring potential predictors of burnout and engagement among young veterinary professionals; construction of a customised questionnaire (the Vet-DRQ).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mastenbroek, N J J M; Demerouti, E; van Beukelen, P; Muijtjens, A M M; Scherpbier, A J J A; Jaarsma, A D C

    2014-02-15

    The Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R model) was used as the theoretical basis of a tailormade questionnaire to measure the psychosocial work environment and personal resources of recently graduated veterinary professionals. According to the JD-R model, two broad categories of work characteristics that determine employee wellbeing can be distinguished: job demands and job resources. Recently, the JD-R model has been expanded by integrating personal resource measures into the model. Three semistructured group interviews with veterinarians active in different work domains were conducted to identify relevant job demands, job resources and personal resources. These demands and resources were organised in themes (constructs). For measurement purposes, a set of questions ('a priori scale') was selected from the literature for each theme. The full set of a priori scales was included in a questionnaire that was administered to 1760 veterinary professionals. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were conducted to arrive at the final set of validated scales (final scales). 860 veterinarians (73 per cent females) participated. The final set of scales consisted of seven job demands scales (32 items), nine job resources scales (41 items), and six personal resources scales (26 items) which were considered to represent the most relevant potential predictors of work-related wellbeing in this occupational group. The procedure resulted in a tailormade questionnaire: the Veterinary Job Demands and Resources Questionnaire (Vet-DRQ). The use of valid theory and validated scales enhances opportunities for comparative national and international research.

  7. Proposing a Wiki-Based Technique for Collaborative Essay Writing (Propuesta de un modelo pedagógico para la escritura colaborativa de ensayos en un entorno virtual wiki)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz Navarrete, Mabel; Ferreira Cabrera, Anita

    2014-01-01

    This paper aims at proposing a technique for students learning English as a foreign language when they collaboratively write an argumentative essay in a wiki environment. A wiki environment and collaborative work play an important role within the academic writing task. Nevertheless, an appropriate and systematic work assignment is required in…

  8. Power demand operation - environment and potential. Proposals for main project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wathne, M.

    1995-01-01

    This report discusses proposals for a main project on environmental and other problems arising when hydroelectric power stations supply energy at gigawatt levels. The project aims in particular to identify environmental problems where too little is known today for proper planning of this type of operation. The proposals emphasize the consequences which cannot be adequately analysed in terms of current techniques. These techniques presuppose steady state conditions. One proposal concerns market terms for power sales. Other proposals deal with hydrological data and uncertainty, capacity of watercourses, ice and temperature, aquatic eco-systems, erosion, supersaturation of water with air, flooding and dam breaks, impact on climate, inflow of fresh water in fjords and impact on algae. 33 refs., 4 tabs

  9. Modified Single Photo-diode (MSPD) Detection Technique for SAC-OCDMA System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdulqader, Sarah G.; Fadhil, Hilal A.; Aljunid, S. A.

    2015-03-01

    In this paper, a new detection technique called modified single photo-diode (MSPD) detection for SAC-OCDMA system is proposed. The proposed system based on the single photo-diode (SPD) detection technique. The new detection technique is proposed to overcome the limitation of phase-induced intensity noise (PIIN) in SPD detection technique. However, the proposed detection is based on an optical hard limiter (OHL) followed by a SPD and a low-pass filter (LPF) in order to suppress the phase intensity noise (PIIN) at the receiver side. The results show that the MSPD detection based on OHL has a good performance even when the transmission distance is long, which is different from the case of SPD detection technique. Therefore, the MSPD detection technique is shown to be effective to improve the bit error rate (BER<10-9) and to suppress the noise in the practical optical fiber network.

  10. Utilization and acceptance of virtual patients in veterinary basic sciences – the vetVIP-project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kleinsorgen, Christin

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Context: In medical and veterinary medical education the use of problem-based and cased-based learning has steadily increased over time. At veterinary faculties, this development has mainly been evident in the clinical phase of the veterinary education. Therefore, a consortium of teachers of biochemistry and physiology together with technical and didactical experts launched the EU-funded project “vetVIP”, to create and implement veterinary virtual patients and problems for basic science instruction. In this study the implementation and utilization of virtual patients occurred at the veterinary faculties in Budapest, Hannover and Lublin.Methods: This report describes the investigation of the utilization and acceptance of students studying veterinary basic sciences using optional online learning material concurrently to regular biochemistry and physiology didactic instruction. The reaction of students towards this offer of clinical case-based learning in basic sciences was analysed using quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected automatically within the chosen software-system CASUS as user-log-files. Responses regarding the quality of the virtual patients were obtained using an online questionnaire. Furthermore, subjective evaluation by authors was performed using a focus group discussion and an online questionnaire.Results: Implementation as well as usage and acceptance varied between the three participating locations. High approval was documented in Hannover and Lublin based upon the high proportion of voluntary students (>70% using optional virtual patients. However, in Budapest the participation rate was below 1%. Due to utilization, students seem to prefer virtual patients and problems created in their native language and developed at their own university. In addition, the statement that assessment drives learning was supported by the observation that peak utilization was just prior to summative examinations

  11. Till nytta eller onytta: Argument rörande allmänna ämnen i ungas yrkesutbildning i efterkrigstidens Sverige

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristina Ledman

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The present article focuses on the role of general subjects in the curriculum for vocational education and training (VET in Swedish upper secondary schools after the Second World War. It shows that a steady increase in general VET subjects as a result of Social Democratic legislation in 1968 and 1991 was interrupted by a Liberal-Conservative government bill introduced in 2009, which led to a reduction. The rhetoric of these reforms is analyzed with the intent of increasing insight into the perceived educational benefits of general subjects in VET. The study employs the analytical lens of Gert Biesta and his proposed major functions of education: qualification, socialization, and sub­jectification. The results serve to illuminate the present-day educational po­licy debate, showing that the place of general subjects in the curriculum has been motivated by the important role they play in educating youth in demo­cracy, teaching them to function effectively in an increasingly international­ized and multicultural society and economy, for their lifelong learning and for the continued economic growth of the Swedish society. With the enactment of the government bill of 2009, however, the qualifying function of general subjects in VET was devaluated. The new curriculum that followed prioritized strictly vocational skills and the transition of graduates directly into the labour market.

  12. Object-Oriented Wavelet-Layered Digital Watermarking Technique

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LIU Xiao-yun; YU Jue-bang; LI Ming-yu

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, an object-oriented digital watermarking technique is proposed in the wavelet domain for still images. According to the difference of recognition degree of the human eye to the different region of the image, the image is divided into the interested region and uninterested region of human eye vision in this scheme. Using the relativity of position and the difference to ocular sensitivity of the multiresolution wavelet among each subband, the image is processed with layered watermarking append technique. Experimental results show that the proposed technique successfully survives image processing operations, additive noise and JPEG compression.

  13. How to write reports and proposals

    CERN Document Server

    Forsyth, Patrick

    2016-01-01

    How to Write Reports and Proposals is essential reading for achieving effective writing techniques. Getting a message across on paper and presenting a proposal in a clear and persuasive form are vital skills for anyone in business. How to Write Reports and Proposals provides practical advice on how to impress, convince and persuade your colleagues or clients. It will help you: improve your writing skills; think constructively before writing; create a good report; produce persuasive proposals; use clear and distinctive language; present numbers, graphs and charts effectively. Full of checklists, exercises and real life examples, this new edition also contains content on how to write succinctly and with impact across different mediums. How to Write Reports and Proposals will help you to put over a good case with style.

  14. A methodology for enhancing implementation science proposals: comparison of face-to-face versus virtual workshops.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marriott, Brigid R; Rodriguez, Allison L; Landes, Sara J; Lewis, Cara C; Comtois, Katherine A

    2016-05-06

    With the current funding climate and need for advancements in implementation science, there is a growing demand for grantsmanship workshops to increase the quality and rigor of proposals. A group-based implementation science-focused grantsmanship workshop, the Implementation Development Workshop (IDW), is one methodology to address this need. This manuscript provides an overview of the IDW structure, format, and findings regarding its utility. The IDW methodology allows researchers to vet projects in the proposal stage in a structured format with a facilitator and two types of expert participants: presenters and attendees. The presenter uses a one-page handout and verbal presentation to present their proposal and questions. The facilitator elicits feedback from attendees using a format designed to maximize the number of unique points made. After each IDW, participants completed an anonymous survey assessing perceptions of the IDW. Presenters completed a funding survey measuring grant submission and funding success. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a subset of participants who participated in both delivery formats. Mixed method analyses were performed to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of the IDW and compare the delivery formats. Of those who participated in an IDW (N = 72), 40 participated in face-to-face only, 16 in virtual only, and 16 in both formats. Thirty-eight (face-to-face n = 12, 35 % response rate; virtual n = 26, 66.7 % response rate) responded to the surveys and seven (15.3 % response rate), who had attended both formats, completed an interview. Of 36 total presenters, 17 (face-to-face n = 12, 42.9 % response rate; virtual n = 5, 62.9 % response rate) responded to the funding survey. Mixed method analyses indicated that the IDW was effective for collaboration and growth, effective for enhancing success in obtaining grants, and acceptable. A third (35.3 %) of presenters ultimately received funding for their proposal, and more than

  15. Facade Proposals for Urban Augmented Reality

    OpenAIRE

    Fond , Antoine; Berger , Marie-Odile; Simon , Gilles

    2017-01-01

    International audience; We introduce a novel object proposals method specific to building facades. We define new image cues that measure typical facadecharacteristics such as semantic, symmetry and repetitions. They are combined to generate a few facade candidates in urban environments fast. We show that our method outperforms state-of-the-art object proposals techniques for this task on the 1000 images of the Zurich Building Database. We demonstrate the interest of this procedure for augment...

  16. Retrospective evaluation of the prevalence, risk factors, management, outcome, and necropsy findings of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome in dogs and cats: 29 cases (2011-2013).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balakrishnan, Anusha; Drobatz, Kenneth J; Silverstein, Deborah C

    2017-11-01

    To determine the prevalence and risk factors for veterinary acute lung injury (VetALI) and veterinary acute respiratory distress syndrome (VetARDS), assess mechanical ventilation settings and patient outcomes, and to evaluate the relationship of clinical diagnoses with necropsy findings. Retrospective study. University teaching hospital. Twenty-four dogs and 5 cats with a clinical diagnosis of VetALI or VetARDS. Control population includes 24 dogs and 5 cats with a clinical diagnosis of respiratory disease other than VetALI or VetARDS. None. VetALI and VetARDS were diagnosed in 3.2% of dogs and 1.3% of cats presenting to the ICU. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome was the most common inciting condition (16/24 dogs, 2/5 cats), followed by vomiting and subsequent aspiration of gastric contents (9/24 dogs), sepsis (5/24 dogs, 3/5 cats), multiple transfusions (4/24 dogs), trauma (3/24 dogs), and adverse drug reactions (1/24 dogs, 1/5 cats).  None of these conditions were found to be significantly associated with a risk of development of VetALI or VetARDS when compared to controls. Twelve dogs (50%) and 4 cats (80%) underwent mechanical ventilation for a median duration of 18 hours in dogs (range: 6-174 h) and 15.5 hours in cats (range: 6-91 h). Overall, 3/29 patients survived to discharge including 2/24 dogs and 1/5 cats. Necropsy results were available for 8/22 dogs and 3/4 cats. A total of 6/8 dogs (75%) dogs and 3/3 (100%) cats met the histopathologic criteria for diagnosis of VetALI or VetARDS. VetALI and VetARDS can cause life-threatening respiratory distress in dogs and cats necessitating mechanical ventilation in 50% of dogs and 80% of cats in this study. These diseases are associated with a poor clinical outcome and a high rate of humane euthanasia. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2017.

  17. Evaluation of the Acridine Orange Fluorescence Technique and the Indirect Fluorescent Antibody as Diagnostic Tests for Tropical Theileriosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmoud

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available This study was carried out to evaluate the use of acridine orange fluorescence technique on blood slides as a rapid diagnostic test for tropical theileriosis in comparison with the Giemsa-stained thin blood film technique. Also the indirect fluorescent antibody test has been employed for the serodiagnosis of tropical theileriosis. The study was carried out on 62 young and 48 adult Friesian cattle suffering from clinical tropical theileriosis in Qassim Region, Central Saudi Arabia, during the period from August 2006 to July 2008. For control, blood samples were also obtained from 25 young and 25 adult, clinically healthy, Friesian cattle, selected at random from different dairy farms in Qassim Region. Thin blood films were fixed with methanol and stained with Giemsa and acridine orange and were examined by two independent microbiologists. There was 100% correlation in the interpretation of slides stained with Giemsa and acridine orange both with respect to positivity and negativity, between the two microbiologists. It is concluded that if facilities are available acridine orange is a valuable alternative for screening tropical theileriosis. The method may also have potential value in the diagnosis of Theileria parva, which causes East Coast fever, and also other Theileria species. Results of the present study also showed that IFA test was not found sufficiently sensitive and specific as has been reported earlier. [Vet. World 2011; 4(8.000: 341-344

  18. Power system dynamic state estimation using prediction based evolutionary technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Basetti, Vedik; Chandel, Ashwani K.; Chandel, Rajeevan

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, a new robust LWS (least winsorized square) estimator is proposed for dynamic state estimation of a power system. One of the main advantages of this estimator is that it has an inbuilt bad data rejection property and is less sensitive to bad data measurements. In the proposed approach, Brown's double exponential smoothing technique has been utilised for its reliable performance at the prediction step. The state estimation problem is solved as an optimisation problem using a new jDE-self adaptive differential evolution with prediction based population re-initialisation technique at the filtering step. This new stochastic search technique has been embedded with different state scenarios using the predicted state. The effectiveness of the proposed LWS technique is validated under different conditions, namely normal operation, bad data, sudden load change, and loss of transmission line conditions on three different IEEE test bus systems. The performance of the proposed approach is compared with the conventional extended Kalman filter. On the basis of various performance indices, the results thus obtained show that the proposed technique increases the accuracy and robustness of power system dynamic state estimation performance. - Highlights: • To estimate the states of the power system under dynamic environment. • The performance of the EKF method is degraded during anomaly conditions. • The proposed method remains robust towards anomalies. • The proposed method provides precise state estimates even in the presence of anomalies. • The results show that prediction accuracy is enhanced by using the proposed model.

  19. Development of Energy Management System Based on Internet of Things Technique

    OpenAIRE

    Wen-Jye Shyr; Chia-Ming Lin and Hung-Yun Feng

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop an energy management system for university campuses based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technique. The proposed IoT technique based on WebAccess is used via network browser Internet Explore and applies TCP/IP protocol. The case study of IoT for lighting energy usage management system was proposed. Structure of proposed IoT technique included perception layer, equipment layer, control layer, application layer and network layer.

  20. Seafood Wars: Reviving a Tired Sustainability Education Program with Pop Culture Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peart, L. W.

    2016-02-01

    Texas State Aquarium revived its sustainable seafood education program by embedding expert speakers into the pop culture chef competition. Chefs are nominated by diners and vetted by Aquarium staff. Seafood selections are made in consultation with fishery experts and sustainability partners including Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries. Through these efforts, the Seafood Wars audience has expanded from the over-40 set to college and graduate students, families, and adults of all ages. Surveyed participants at these sell-out events are 100% as, or more likely to purchase and consume featured sustainable selections.

  1. A True Open-Loop Synchronization Technique

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Golestan, Saeed; Vidal, Ana; Yepes, Alejandro G.

    2016-01-01

    Synchronization techniques can be broadly classified into two major categories: Closed-loop and open-loop methods. The open-loop synchronization (OLS) techniques, contrary to the closed-loop ones, are unconditionally stable and benefit from a fast dynamic response. Their performance, however, tends...... is to develop a true OLS (and therefore, unconditionally stable) technique without any need for the calculation of sine and cosine functions. The effectiveness of the proposed synchronization technique is confirmed through the simulation and experimental results....

  2. 5862 Volume 12 No. 2 April 2012 NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTH ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Hewgin

    2012-04-02

    Apr 2, 2012 ... Poor nutrition and health can affect children's education. ... The health of school children in Uganda, however, is not well documented. Malaria ... Agriculture remains the main economic activity with 93% of the households .... Science and Technology after the proposal was vetted and approved by Makerere.

  3. Mitigation of the voltage fluctuations using an efficient disturbance extraction technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Elnady, Amr; Salama, M.M.A. [University of Waterloo, Electrical and Computer Engineering, 200 University Ave. West, Waterloo, Ont. (Canada N2L3G1)

    2007-03-15

    This paper introduces an efficient technique for extracting the disturbance signal of the voltage flicker. The proposed technique depends on the supervised state estimation that is controlled by the Widrow-Hoff delta rule. The extracted disturbance signal is employed for mitigating the cyclic voltage flicker by using series and parallel mitigating devices. The speed and accuracy of the proposed technique are verified by simulation results with EMTDC/PSCAD. In addition, experimental results are presented to prove the validity of the proposed algorithm. (author)

  4. New hybrid technique for impulsive noise suppression in OFDM systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirza, A.; Zeb, A.; Sheikh, S.A.

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, a new hybrid technique employing RS (Reed Solomon) coding and adaptive filter for impulsive noise suppression in OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) systems is presented. Adaptive filter creates a more accurate estimate of the original OFDM signal after impulsive noise cancellation. The residual impulsive noise is further mitigated by RS decoder in the second stage of proposed technique. Three members of adaptive filters family i.e. NLMS (Normalized Least Mean Square) algorithm, RLS (Recursive Least Square) algorithm and Bhagyashri algorithm are tested with RS decoder in the proposed hybrid technique. Furthermore, the results in terms of steady state MSE (Mean Square Error) reduction, BER (Bit Error Rate) improvement and SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) enhancement confirm the effectiveness of the proposed dual faceted technique when compared with the recently reported techniques in literature. (author)

  5. A rapid compression technique for 4-D functional MRI images using data rearrangement and modified binary array techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uma Vetri Selvi, G; Nadarajan, R

    2015-12-01

    Compression techniques are vital for efficient storage and fast transfer of medical image data. The existing compression techniques take significant amount of time for performing encoding and decoding and hence the purpose of compression is not fully satisfied. In this paper a rapid 4-D lossy compression method constructed using data rearrangement, wavelet-based contourlet transformation and a modified binary array technique has been proposed for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) images. In the proposed method, the image slices of fMRI data are rearranged so that the redundant slices form a sequence. The image sequence is then divided into slices and transformed using wavelet-based contourlet transform (WBCT). In WBCT, the high frequency sub-band obtained from wavelet transform is further decomposed into multiple directional sub-bands by directional filter bank to obtain more directional information. The relationship between the coefficients has been changed in WBCT as it has more directions. The differences in parent–child relationships are handled by a repositioning algorithm. The repositioned coefficients are then subjected to quantization. The quantized coefficients are further compressed by modified binary array technique where the most frequently occurring value of a sequence is coded only once. The proposed method has been experimented with fMRI images the results indicated that the processing time of the proposed method is less compared to existing wavelet-based set partitioning in hierarchical trees and set partitioning embedded block coder (SPECK) compression schemes [1]. The proposed method could also yield a better compression performance compared to wavelet-based SPECK coder. The objective results showed that the proposed method could gain good compression ratio in maintaining a peak signal noise ratio value of above 70 for all the experimented sequences. The SSIM value is equal to 1 and the value of CC is greater than 0.9 for all

  6. Quality Attribute Techniques Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiam, Yin Kia; Zhu, Liming; Staples, Mark

    The quality of software is achieved during its development. Development teams use various techniques to investigate, evaluate and control potential quality problems in their systems. These “Quality Attribute Techniques” target specific product qualities such as safety or security. This paper proposes a framework to capture important characteristics of these techniques. The framework is intended to support process tailoring, by facilitating the selection of techniques for inclusion into process models that target specific product qualities. We use risk management as a theory to accommodate techniques for many product qualities and lifecycle phases. Safety techniques have motivated the framework, and safety and performance techniques have been used to evaluate the framework. The evaluation demonstrates the ability of quality risk management to cover the development lifecycle and to accommodate two different product qualities. We identify advantages and limitations of the framework, and discuss future research on the framework.

  7. Evaluation of rebound tonometry in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delgado, Cherlene; Mans, Christoph; McLellan, Gillian J; Bentley, Ellison; Sladky, Kurt K; Miller, Paul E

    2014-07-01

    To evaluate feasibility and accuracy of intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement by rebound tonometry in adult red-eared slider turtles and determine the effects of manual and chemical restraint on IOP. Seventeen adult red-eared slider turtles. Intraocular pressure was measured with TonoLab® and TonoVet® tonometers in conscious, unrestrained turtles. To evaluate the effects of manual restraint, turtles were restrained by digital pressure on the rostral head or proximal neck. The effect of two chemical restraint protocols (dexmedetomidine, ketamine, midazolam [DKM] and dexmedetomidine, ketamine [DK] subcutaneously) on IOP was evaluated. Triplicate TonoLab® and TonoVet® readings were compared with direct manometry in three ex vivo turtle eyes. TonoLab® correlated better with manometry at IOPs < 45 mmHg than TonoVet® (linear regression slopes of 0.89 and 0.30, respectively). Mean (±SD) IOP in unrestrained conscious turtles was significantly lower (P < 0.01) with TonoLab® (10.02 ± 0.66 mmHg) than with TonoVet® (11.32 ± 1.57 mmHg). Manual neck restraint caused a significant increase in IOP (+6.31 ± 5.59 mmHg), while manual rostral head restraint did not. Both chemical restraint protocols significantly reduced IOP (DKM: −1.0 ± 0.76 mmHg; DK: −1.79 ± 1.17) compared with measurements in conscious unrestrained turtles. Chemical and manual neck restraint affected IOP. Rostral head restraint had no significant effect on IOP and is, therefore, recommended as the appropriate restraint technique in red-eared slider turtles. TonoLab® measurements estimated actual IOP more accurately, within physiologic range, than measurements obtained using the TonoVet®. © 2013 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

  8. A Novel Feature Extraction Technique Using Binarization of Bit Planes for Content Based Image Classification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sudeep Thepade

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A number of techniques have been proposed earlier for feature extraction using image binarization. Efficiency of the techniques was dependent on proper threshold selection for the binarization method. In this paper, a new feature extraction technique using image binarization has been proposed. The technique has binarized the significant bit planes of an image by selecting local thresholds. The proposed algorithm has been tested on a public dataset and has been compared with existing widely used techniques using binarization for extraction of features. It has been inferred that the proposed method has outclassed all the existing techniques and has shown consistent classification performance.

  9. Proposal for a holistic research approach to studying the implementation of IT

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wit, Camilla Kølsen de

    The paper is a proposal to how we can study the work process of implementing IT in radical organizational innovation projects through the use of the Critical Incident Technique (CIT).......The paper is a proposal to how we can study the work process of implementing IT in radical organizational innovation projects through the use of the Critical Incident Technique (CIT)....

  10. An enhanced Hilbert–Huang transform technique for bearing condition monitoring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osman, Shazali; Wang, Wilson

    2013-01-01

    A new technique, enhanced Hilbert–Huang transform (eHHT), is proposed in this work for fault detection in rolling element bearings. It includes two processes: firstly, the collected vibration signal is denoised to highlight defect-related impulses; and secondly the denoised signal is further processed by the use of the proposed eHHT technique to identify the defect features for bearing fault detection. Signal denoising is carried out by the use of the minimum entropy deconvolution filter to reduce impedance effect of the transmission path of the measured signal. In the proposed eHHT, a novel strategy is proposed to enhance feature extraction based on the analysis of correlation and mutual information. The effectiveness of the proposed eHHT technique in feature extraction and analysis is verified by a series of experimental tests corresponding to different bearing conditions. Its robustness is examined by using data sets from a different resource. (paper)

  11. Vocational education and training in the Nordic countries:

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Christian Helms

    2018-01-01

    countries and the historical development of each of the four VET systems. This is followed by an examination of the role of VET in relation to the Nordic model of education and the Nordic labour market model. Finally, the position of VET in the Nordic transition systems is considered.......The chapter examines the systems of vocational education and training (VET) in four Nordic countries, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark. First, it identifies the common political challenges for VET, which the following chapters of the book examine. Next, it outlines shared qualities of the Nordic...

  12. The Financing of Vocational Education and Training in France. Financing Portrait. CEDEFOP Panorama.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michelet, Valerie

    This report examines the financing of the two components of France's vocational education and training (VET) system. They are initial vocational training (IVT), which includes upper secondary and short forms of higher education, and continuing vocational training (CVT), which aims to help workers adapt to changes in working techniques and…

  13. Adaptive algebraic reconstruction technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Wenkai; Yin Fangfang

    2004-01-01

    Algebraic reconstruction techniques (ART) are iterative procedures for reconstructing objects from their projections. It is proven that ART can be computationally efficient by carefully arranging the order in which the collected data are accessed during the reconstruction procedure and adaptively adjusting the relaxation parameters. In this paper, an adaptive algebraic reconstruction technique (AART), which adopts the same projection access scheme in multilevel scheme algebraic reconstruction technique (MLS-ART), is proposed. By introducing adaptive adjustment of the relaxation parameters during the reconstruction procedure, one-iteration AART can produce reconstructions with better quality, in comparison with one-iteration MLS-ART. Furthermore, AART outperforms MLS-ART with improved computational efficiency

  14. Tokamak impurity-control techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmidt, J.A.

    1980-01-01

    A brief review is given of the impurity-control functions in tokamaks, their relative merits and disadvantages and some prominent edge-interaction-control techniques, and there is a discussion of a new proposal, the particle scraper, and its potential advantages. (author)

  15. Using Getting To Outcomes to facilitate the use of an evidence-based practice in VA homeless programs: a cluster-randomized trial of an implementation support strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chinman, Matthew; McCarthy, Sharon; Hannah, Gordon; Byrne, Thomas Hugh; Smelson, David A

    2017-03-09

    Incorporating evidence-based integrated treatment for dual disorders into typical care settings has been challenging, especially among those serving Veterans who are homeless. This paper presents an evaluation of an effort to incorporate an evidence-based, dual disorder treatment called Maintaining Independence and Sobriety Through Systems Integration, Outreach, and Networking-Veterans Edition (MISSION-Vet) into case management teams serving Veterans who are homeless, using an implementation strategy called Getting To Outcomes (GTO). This Hybrid Type III, cluster-randomized controlled trial assessed the impact of GTO over and above MISSION-Vet Implementation as Usual (IU). Both conditions received standard MISSION-Vet training and manuals. The GTO group received an implementation manual, training, technical assistance, and data feedback. The study occurred in teams at three large VA Medical Centers over 2 years. Within each team, existing sub-teams (case managers and Veterans they serve) were the clusters randomly assigned. The trial assessed MISSION-Vet services delivered and collected via administrative data and implementation barriers and facilitators, via semi-structured interview. No case managers in the IU group initiated MISSION-Vet while 68% in the GTO group did. Seven percent of Veterans with case managers in the GTO group received at least one MISSION-Vet session. Most case managers appreciated the MISSION-Vet materials and felt the GTO planning meetings supported using MISSION-Vet. Case manager interviews also showed that MISSION-Vet could be confusing; there was little involvement from leadership after their initial agreement to participate; the data feedback system had a number of difficulties; and case managers did not have the resources to implement all aspects of MISSION-Vet. This project shows that GTO-like support can help launch new practices but that multiple implementation facilitators are needed for successful execution of a complex evidence

  16. A Novel Technique to Detect Code for SAC-OCDMA System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bharti, Manisha; Kumar, Manoj; Sharma, Ajay K.

    2018-04-01

    The main task of optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) system is the detection of code used by a user in presence of multiple access interference (MAI). In this paper, new method of detection known as XOR subtraction detection for spectral amplitude coding OCDMA (SAC-OCDMA) based on double weight codes has been proposed and presented. As MAI is the main source of performance deterioration in OCDMA system, therefore, SAC technique is used in this paper to eliminate the effect of MAI up to a large extent. A comparative analysis is then made between the proposed scheme and other conventional detection schemes used like complimentary subtraction detection, AND subtraction detection and NAND subtraction detection. The system performance is characterized by Q-factor, BER and received optical power (ROP) with respect to input laser power and fiber length. The theoretical and simulation investigations reveal that the proposed detection technique provides better quality factor, security and received power in comparison to other conventional techniques. The wide opening of eye in case of proposed technique also proves its robustness.

  17. Dimmable electronic ballasts by variable power density modulation technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borekci, Selim; Kesler, Selami

    2014-11-01

    Dimming can be accomplished commonly by switching frequency and pulse density modulation techniques and a variable inductor. In this study, a variable power density modulation (VPDM) control technique is proposed for dimming applications. A fluorescent lamp is operated in several states to meet the desired lamp power in a modulation period. The proposed technique has the same advantages of magnetic dimming topologies have. In addition, a unique and flexible control technique can be achieved. A prototype dimmable electronic ballast is built and experiments related to it have been conducted. As a result, a 36WT8 fluorescent lamp can be driven for a desired lamp power from several alternatives without modulating the switching frequency.

  18. Přijímání do armády jako proces přidělování identity? Výslechy a prověřování německých zajatců českého původu / Admission to the army as a process of assigning identity? Interrogation and vetting of German prisoners of Czechoslovak origin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiří Neminář

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This study considers the acceptance of former Wehrmacht soldiers as a multi-layered process, at the end of which stands the crediting of national identity. Having studied the military interrogation guidelines and records, the author explores the self-interpretation of prisoners, military requirements, and vetting of the candidates by Czechoslovak officers.

  19. A Secure Test Technique for Pipelined Advanced Encryption Standard

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Youhua; Togawa, Nozomu; Yanagisawa, Masao; Ohtsuki, Tatsuo

    In this paper, we presented a Design-for-Secure-Test (DFST) technique for pipelined AES to guarantee both the security and the test quality during testing. Unlike previous works, the proposed method can keep all the secrets inside and provide high test quality and fault diagnosis ability as well. Furthermore, the proposed DFST technique can significantly reduce test application time, test data volume, and test generation effort as additional benefits.

  20. Motion Capture Technique Applied Research in Sports Technique Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhiwu LIU

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The motion capture technology system definition is described in the paper, and its components are researched, the key parameters are obtained from motion technique, the quantitative analysis are made on technical movements, the method of motion capture technology is proposed in sport technical diagnosis. That motion capture step includes calibration system, to attached landmarks to the tester; to capture trajectory, and to analyze the collected data.

  1. On a New Technique for Discovering Variable Stars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mironov A. V.

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available A technique for discovering variable stars based on the calculation of the correlation coefficients is proposed. Applications of the technique are shown on the results of numerical experiments and on the Hipparcos photometric data.

  2. Analog fault diagnosis by inverse problem technique

    KAUST Repository

    Ahmed, Rania F.

    2011-12-01

    A novel algorithm for detecting soft faults in linear analog circuits based on the inverse problem concept is proposed. The proposed approach utilizes optimization techniques with the aid of sensitivity analysis. The main contribution of this work is to apply the inverse problem technique to estimate the actual parameter values of the tested circuit and so, to detect and diagnose single fault in analog circuits. The validation of the algorithm is illustrated through applying it to Sallen-Key second order band pass filter and the results show that the detecting percentage efficiency was 100% and also, the maximum error percentage of estimating the parameter values is 0.7%. This technique can be applied to any other linear circuit and it also can be extended to be applied to non-linear circuits. © 2011 IEEE.

  3. Poisson and negative binomial item count techniques for surveys with sensitive question.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Guo-Liang; Tang, Man-Lai; Wu, Qin; Liu, Yin

    2017-04-01

    Although the item count technique is useful in surveys with sensitive questions, privacy of those respondents who possess the sensitive characteristic of interest may not be well protected due to a defect in its original design. In this article, we propose two new survey designs (namely the Poisson item count technique and negative binomial item count technique) which replace several independent Bernoulli random variables required by the original item count technique with a single Poisson or negative binomial random variable, respectively. The proposed models not only provide closed form variance estimate and confidence interval within [0, 1] for the sensitive proportion, but also simplify the survey design of the original item count technique. Most importantly, the new designs do not leak respondents' privacy. Empirical results show that the proposed techniques perform satisfactorily in the sense that it yields accurate parameter estimate and confidence interval.

  4. Alveolar Ridge Split Technique Using Piezosurgery with Specially Designed Tips

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandro Moro

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The treatment of patients with atrophic ridge who need prosthetic rehabilitation is a common problem in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Among the various techniques introduced for the expansion of alveolar ridges with a horizontal bone deficit is the alveolar ridge split technique. The aim of this article is to give a description of some new tips that have been specifically designed for the treatment of atrophic ridges with transversal bone deficit. A two-step piezosurgical split technique is also described, based on specific osteotomies of the vestibular cortex and the use of a mandibular ramus graft as interpositional graft. A total of 15 patients were treated with the proposed new tips by our department. All the expanded areas were successful in providing an adequate width and height to insert implants according to the prosthetic plan and the proposed tips allowed obtaining the most from the alveolar ridge split technique and piezosurgery. These tips have made alveolar ridge split technique simple, safe, and effective for the treatment of horizontal and vertical bone defects. Furthermore the proposed piezosurgical split technique allows obtaining horizontal and vertical bone augmentation.

  5. Alveolar Ridge Split Technique Using Piezosurgery with Specially Designed Tips.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moro, Alessandro; Gasparini, Giulio; Foresta, Enrico; Saponaro, Gianmarco; Falchi, Marco; Cardarelli, Lorenzo; De Angelis, Paolo; Forcione, Mario; Garagiola, Umberto; D'Amato, Giuseppe; Pelo, Sandro

    2017-01-01

    The treatment of patients with atrophic ridge who need prosthetic rehabilitation is a common problem in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Among the various techniques introduced for the expansion of alveolar ridges with a horizontal bone deficit is the alveolar ridge split technique. The aim of this article is to give a description of some new tips that have been specifically designed for the treatment of atrophic ridges with transversal bone deficit. A two-step piezosurgical split technique is also described, based on specific osteotomies of the vestibular cortex and the use of a mandibular ramus graft as interpositional graft. A total of 15 patients were treated with the proposed new tips by our department. All the expanded areas were successful in providing an adequate width and height to insert implants according to the prosthetic plan and the proposed tips allowed obtaining the most from the alveolar ridge split technique and piezosurgery. These tips have made alveolar ridge split technique simple, safe, and effective for the treatment of horizontal and vertical bone defects. Furthermore the proposed piezosurgical split technique allows obtaining horizontal and vertical bone augmentation.

  6. Selection of productivity improvement techniques via mathematical modeling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahassan M. Khater

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new mathematical model to select an optimal combination of productivity improvement techniques. The proposed model of this paper considers four-stage cycle productivity and the productivity is assumed to be a linear function of fifty four improvement techniques. The proposed model of this paper is implemented for a real-world case study of manufacturing plant. The resulted problem is formulated as a mixed integer programming which can be solved for optimality using traditional methods. The preliminary results of the implementation of the proposed model of this paper indicate that the productivity can be improved through a change on equipments and it can be easily applied for both manufacturing and service industries.

  7. 78 FR 72065 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-02

    ... Education Activity announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the... through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. DATES... provide the following information in its application. First, the LEA must provide the special education...

  8. PTSD: National Center for PTSD

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Travel Nurses Get Job Help Vets in the Workplace VA for Vets Performance Based Interviewing Clinical Trainees ( ... My Health e Vet eBenefits Life Insurance Online Applications VA Forms State and Local Resources Strat Plan ...

  9. Physical simulations using centrifuge techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sutherland, H.J.

    1981-01-01

    Centrifuge techniques offer a technique for doing physical simulations of the long-term mechanical response of deep ocean sediment to the emplacement of waste canisters and to the temperature gradients generated by them. Preliminary investigations of the scaling laws for pertinent phenomena indicate that the time scaling will be consistent among them and equal to the scaling factor squared. This result implies that this technique will permit accelerated-life-testing of proposed configurations; i.e, long-term studies may be done in relatively short times. Presently, existing centrifuges are being modified to permit scale model testing. This testing will start next year

  10. Multipath Detection Using Boolean Satisfiability Techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fadi A. Aloul

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available A new technique for multipath detection in wideband mobile radio systems is presented. The proposed scheme is based on an intelligent search algorithm using Boolean Satisfiability (SAT techniques to search through the uncertainty region of the multipath delays. The SAT-based scheme utilizes the known structure of the transmitted wideband signal, for example, pseudo-random (PN code, to effectively search through the entire space by eliminating subspaces that do not contain a possible solution. The paper presents a framework for modeling the multipath detection problem as a SAT application. It also provides simulation results that demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in detecting the multipath components in frequency-selective Rayleigh fading channels.

  11. Spectral amplitude coding OCDMA using and subtraction technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasoon, Feras N; Aljunid, S A; Samad, M D A; Abdullah, Mohamad Khazani; Shaari, Sahbudin

    2008-03-20

    An optical decoding technique is proposed for a spectral-amplitude-coding-optical code division multiple access, namely, the AND subtraction technique. The theory is being elaborated and experimental results have been done by comparing a double-weight code against the existing code, Hadamard. We have proved that the and subtraction technique gives better bit error rate performance than the conventional complementary subtraction technique against the received power level.

  12. An energy kurtosis demodulation technique for signal denoising and bearing fault detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Wilson; Lee, Hewen

    2013-01-01

    Rolling element bearings are commonly used in rotary machinery. Reliable bearing fault detection techniques are very useful in industries for predictive maintenance operations. Bearing fault detection still remains a very challenging task especially when defects occur on rotating bearing components because the fault-related features are non-stationary in nature. In this work, an energy kurtosis demodulation (EKD) technique is proposed for bearing fault detection especially for non-stationary signature analysis. The proposed EKD technique firstly denoises the signal by using a maximum kurtosis deconvolution filter to counteract the effect of signal transmission path so as to highlight defect-associated impulses. Next, the denoised signal is modulated over several frequency bands; a novel signature integration strategy is proposed to enhance feature characteristics. The effectiveness of the proposed EKD fault detection technique is verified by a series of experimental tests corresponding to different bearing conditions. (paper)

  13. Sound Power Estimation by Laser Doppler Vibration Measurement Techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.M. Revel

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to propose simple and quick methods for the determination of the sound power emitted by a vibrating surface, by using non-contact vibration measurement techniques. In order to calculate the acoustic power by vibration data processing, two different approaches are presented. The first is based on the method proposed in the Standard ISO/TR 7849, while the second is based on the superposition theorem. A laser-Doppler scanning vibrometer has been employed for vibration measurements. Laser techniques open up new possibilities in this field because of their high spatial resolution and their non-intrusivity. The technique has been applied here to estimate the acoustic power emitted by a loudspeaker diaphragm. Results have been compared with those from a commercial Boundary Element Method (BEM software and experimentally validated by acoustic intensity measurements. Predicted and experimental results seem to be in agreement (differences lower than 1 dB thus showing that the proposed techniques can be employed as rapid solutions for many practical and industrial applications. Uncertainty sources are addressed and their effect is discussed.

  14. Recommendations on successful quarantine of pure exotic sheep breed at Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute in Bangladesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md. Giasuddin

    2018-03-01

    Conclusion: Quarantine is mandatory for entering any new animal in a new area that gives the outline of different new diseases. It also acts as radar of exotic disease in a country. So, this quarantine technique serves the purpose for livestock owners effectively. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2018; 5(1.000: 67-72

  15. Proposal to negotiate a collaboration agreement related to the application of novel cavity fabrication techniques and Nb/Cu sputter coating technology in the field of superconducting RF for the Future Circular Collider (FCC) study

    CERN Document Server

    2015-01-01

    Proposal to negotiate a collaboration agreement related to the application of novel cavity fabrication techniques and Nb/Cu sputter coating technology in the field of superconducting RF for the Future Circular Collider (FCC) study

  16. "Techniques d'expression,""approche communicative," meme combat? ("Expressive Techniques,""Communicative Approach," Same Struggle?)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vives, Robert

    1983-01-01

    Based on a literature review and analysis of teaching methods and objectives, it is proposed that the emphasis on communicative competence ascendant in French foreign language instruction is closely related to, and borrows from, expressive techniques taught in French native language instruction in the 1960s. (MSE)

  17. Optical supervised filtering technique based on Hopfield neural network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bal, Abdullah

    2004-11-01

    Hopfield neural network is commonly preferred for optimization problems. In image segmentation, conventional Hopfield neural networks (HNN) are formulated as a cost-function-minimization problem to perform gray level thresholding on the image histogram or the pixels' gray levels arranged in a one-dimensional array [R. Sammouda, N. Niki, H. Nishitani, Pattern Rec. 30 (1997) 921-927; K.S. Cheng, J.S. Lin, C.W. Mao, IEEE Trans. Med. Imag. 15 (1996) 560-567; C. Chang, P. Chung, Image and Vision comp. 19 (2001) 669-678]. In this paper, a new high speed supervised filtering technique is proposed for image feature extraction and enhancement problems by modifying the conventional HNN. The essential improvement in this technique is to use 2D convolution operation instead of weight-matrix multiplication. Thereby, neural network based a new filtering technique has been obtained that is required just 3 × 3 sized filter mask matrix instead of large size weight coefficient matrix. Optical implementation of the proposed filtering technique is executed easily using the joint transform correlator. The requirement of non-negative data for optical implementation is provided by bias technique to convert the bipolar data to non-negative data. Simulation results of the proposed optical supervised filtering technique are reported for various feature extraction problems such as edge detection, corner detection, horizontal and vertical line extraction, and fingerprint enhancement.

  18. Merchandising Techniques and Libraries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Sylvie A.

    1981-01-01

    Proposes that libraries employ modern booksellers' merchandising techniques to improve circulation of library materials. Using displays in various ways, the methods and reasons for weeding out books, replacing worn book jackets, and selecting new books are discussed. Suggestions for learning how to market and 11 references are provided. (RBF)

  19. Business-oriented prioritization: A novel graphical technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pascual, R.; Del Castillo, G.; Louit, D.; Knights, P.

    2009-01-01

    Traditionally, Pareto analysis has been used to select the most critical components and failure modes of a system. A clear disadvantage of this technique is that it requires preselecting a single criterion to establish priorities. More recently, a graphical log-scatter diagram technique has been proposed. It considers three key performance indicators simultaneously: reliability (MTBF), maintainability (MTTR), and unavailability (D). This technique considers only times and does not include economical effects explicitly. This article extends both techniques to explicitly consider both direct and indirect costs to prioritize from the point of view of an asset manager or from a maintenance decision-maker, as required. Due to the economic-based approach of this article, cost discounting is also considered inside financial costs such as-but not limited to-reliability-related investments. Also, the results are displayed on simple and accessible graphs which make them particularly useful for conveying results to non-technical managers. The methodology is illustrated by analyzing a shovel from the copper mine industry, and it clearly shows how the proposed technique facilitates business oriented decisions and how they should change under different market conditions.

  20. Business-oriented prioritization: A novel graphical technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pascual, R. [Centro de Mineria, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Av. Vicuna Mackenna 4860, Santiago (Chile)], E-mail: rpascual@ing.puc.cl; Del Castillo, G. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 2777, Santiago (Chile); Louit, D. [Komatsu Chile, Av. Americo Vespucio 0631, Quilicura, Santiago (Chile); Centro de Mineria, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Av. Vicuna Mackenna 4860, Santiago (Chile); Knights, P. [Division of Mining Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, 4072 (Australia)

    2009-08-15

    Traditionally, Pareto analysis has been used to select the most critical components and failure modes of a system. A clear disadvantage of this technique is that it requires preselecting a single criterion to establish priorities. More recently, a graphical log-scatter diagram technique has been proposed. It considers three key performance indicators simultaneously: reliability (MTBF), maintainability (MTTR), and unavailability (D). This technique considers only times and does not include economical effects explicitly. This article extends both techniques to explicitly consider both direct and indirect costs to prioritize from the point of view of an asset manager or from a maintenance decision-maker, as required. Due to the economic-based approach of this article, cost discounting is also considered inside financial costs such as-but not limited to-reliability-related investments. Also, the results are displayed on simple and accessible graphs which make them particularly useful for conveying results to non-technical managers. The methodology is illustrated by analyzing a shovel from the copper mine industry, and it clearly shows how the proposed technique facilitates business oriented decisions and how they should change under different market conditions.

  1. An extended k-means technique for clustering moving objects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omnia Ossama

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available k-means algorithm is one of the basic clustering techniques that is used in many data mining applications. In this paper we present a novel pattern based clustering algorithm that extends the k-means algorithm for clustering moving object trajectory data. The proposed algorithm uses a key feature of moving object trajectories namely, its direction as a heuristic to determine the different number of clusters for the k-means algorithm. In addition, we use the silhouette coefficient as a measure for the quality of our proposed approach. Finally, we present experimental results on both real and synthetic data that show the performance and accuracy of our proposed technique.

  2. 78 FR 51171 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-20

    ... collection techniques or other forms of information technology. DATES: Consideration will be given to all... submissions available for public viewing on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received... proposal and associated collection instruments, please write to the Defense Logistics Agency, Security and...

  3. 75 FR 60435 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-30

    ..., including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. DATES... 3502(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Chief of Naval Education and Training announces a proposed extension of a previously approved public information collection and seeks public...

  4. 77 FR 8843 - Proposed Collection; Comment request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-15

    ... collection techniques or other forms of information technology. DATES: Consideration will be given to all... 3502(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Chief of Naval Education and Training announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof...

  5. Antimicrobial susceptibility monitoring of respiratory tract pathogens isolated from diseased cattle and pigs across Europe: the VetPath study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jong, Anno; Thomas, Valérie; Simjee, Shabbir; Moyaert, Hilde; El Garch, Farid; Maher, Kirsty; Morrissey, Ian; Butty, Pascal; Klein, Ulrich; Marion, Hervé; Rigaut, Delphine; Vallé, Michel

    2014-08-06

    VetPath is an ongoing pan-European antibiotic susceptibility monitoring programme collecting pathogens from diseased antimicrobial non-treated cattle, pigs and poultry. In the current study, 1001 isolates from cattle and pig respiratory tract infections were tested for their antimicrobial susceptibilities. Non-replicate lung samples or nasopharyngeal/nasal swabs were collected from animals with acute clinical signs in 11 countries during 2002-2006. Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia haemolytica from cattle and P. multocida, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Streptococcus suis from pigs were isolated by standard methods. S. suis was also isolated from meningitis cases. MICs of 16 antibiotics were assessed centrally by broth microdilution following CLSI recommendations. Results were interpreted using CLSI breakpoints where available. P. multocida (231) and M. haemolytica (138) isolates were all susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ceftiofur, enrofloxacin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Resistance to florfenicol and spectinomycin was 0.4% and 3.5% in P. multocida, respectively, and absent in M. haemolytica isolates. Tetracycline resistance was 5.7% and 14.6% for P. multocida and M. haemolytica. In pigs, 230 P. multocida, 220 A. pleuropneumoniae and 182 S. suis isolates were recovered. Resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ceftiofur, enrofloxacin, florfenicol, tiamulin and tilmicosin was absent or <1%. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistance was 3-6% and tetracycline resistance varied from 14.7% in A. pleuropneumoniae to 81.8% in S. suis. In conclusion, low resistance to antibiotics with defined clinical breakpoints, except for tetracycline, was observed among the major respiratory tract pathogens recovered from cattle and pigs. Since for approximately half of the antibiotics in this panel no CLSI-defined breakpoints were available, setting of the missing veterinary breakpoints is important. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Weed identification using an automated active shape matching (AASM) technique

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    C. Swain, Kishore; Nørremark, Michael; Jørgensen, Rasmus Nyholm

    2011-01-01

    Weed identification and control is a challenge for intercultural operations in agriculture. As an alternative to chemical pest control, a smart weed identification technique followed by mechanical weed control system could be developed. The proposed smart identification technique works on the con......Weed identification and control is a challenge for intercultural operations in agriculture. As an alternative to chemical pest control, a smart weed identification technique followed by mechanical weed control system could be developed. The proposed smart identification technique works...... on the concept of ‘active shape modelling’ to identify weed and crop plants based on their morphology. The automated active shape matching system (AASM) technique consisted of, i) a Pixelink camera ii) an LTI (Lehrstuhlfuer technische informatik) image processing library, iii) a laptop pc with the Linux OS. A 2...

  7. A proposed HTTP service based IDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed M. Abd-Eldayem

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The tremendous growth of the web-based applications has increased information security vulnerabilities over the Internet. Security administrators use Intrusion-Detection System (IDS to monitor network traffic and host activities to detect attacks against hosts and network resources. In this paper IDS based on Naïve Bayes classifier is analyzed. The main objective is to enhance IDS performance through preparing the training data set allowing to detect malicious connections that exploit the http service. Results of application are demonstrated and discussed. In the training phase of the proposed IDS, at first a feature selection technique based on Naïve Bayes classifier is used, this technique identifies the most important HTTP traffic features that can be used to detect HTTP attacks. In the testing and running phases proposed IDS classifies the network traffic based on the requested service, then based on the selected features Naïve Bayes classifier is used to analyze the HTTP service based traffic and identifies the HTTP normal connections and attacks. The performance of the IDS is measured through experiments using NSL-KDD data set. The results show that the detection rate of the IDS is about 99%, the false-positive rate is about 1%, and the false-negative rate is about 0.25%; therefore, proposed IDS holds the highest detection rate and the lowest false alarm compared with other leading IDS. In addition, the proposed IDS based on Naïve Bayes is used to classify network connections as a normal or attack. And it holds a high detection rate and a low false alarm.

  8. Developing a hybrid dictionary-based bio-entity recognition technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    Background Bio-entity extraction is a pivotal component for information extraction from biomedical literature. The dictionary-based bio-entity extraction is the first generation of Named Entity Recognition (NER) techniques. Methods This paper presents a hybrid dictionary-based bio-entity extraction technique. The approach expands the bio-entity dictionary by combining different data sources and improves the recall rate through the shortest path edit distance algorithm. In addition, the proposed technique adopts text mining techniques in the merging stage of similar entities such as Part of Speech (POS) expansion, stemming, and the exploitation of the contextual cues to further improve the performance. Results The experimental results show that the proposed technique achieves the best or at least equivalent performance among compared techniques, GENIA, MESH, UMLS, and combinations of these three resources in F-measure. Conclusions The results imply that the performance of dictionary-based extraction techniques is largely influenced by information resources used to build the dictionary. In addition, the edit distance algorithm shows steady performance with three different dictionaries in precision whereas the context-only technique achieves a high-end performance with three difference dictionaries in recall. PMID:26043907

  9. Developing a hybrid dictionary-based bio-entity recognition technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Min; Yu, Hwanjo; Han, Wook-Shin

    2015-01-01

    Bio-entity extraction is a pivotal component for information extraction from biomedical literature. The dictionary-based bio-entity extraction is the first generation of Named Entity Recognition (NER) techniques. This paper presents a hybrid dictionary-based bio-entity extraction technique. The approach expands the bio-entity dictionary by combining different data sources and improves the recall rate through the shortest path edit distance algorithm. In addition, the proposed technique adopts text mining techniques in the merging stage of similar entities such as Part of Speech (POS) expansion, stemming, and the exploitation of the contextual cues to further improve the performance. The experimental results show that the proposed technique achieves the best or at least equivalent performance among compared techniques, GENIA, MESH, UMLS, and combinations of these three resources in F-measure. The results imply that the performance of dictionary-based extraction techniques is largely influenced by information resources used to build the dictionary. In addition, the edit distance algorithm shows steady performance with three different dictionaries in precision whereas the context-only technique achieves a high-end performance with three difference dictionaries in recall.

  10. DCT-based cyber defense techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amsalem, Yaron; Puzanov, Anton; Bedinerman, Anton; Kutcher, Maxim; Hadar, Ofer

    2015-09-01

    With the increasing popularity of video streaming services and multimedia sharing via social networks, there is a need to protect the multimedia from malicious use. An attacker may use steganography and watermarking techniques to embed malicious content, in order to attack the end user. Most of the attack algorithms are robust to basic image processing techniques such as filtering, compression, noise addition, etc. Hence, in this article two novel, real-time, defense techniques are proposed: Smart threshold and anomaly correction. Both techniques operate at the DCT domain, and are applicable for JPEG images and H.264 I-Frames. The defense performance was evaluated against a highly robust attack, and the perceptual quality degradation was measured by the well-known PSNR and SSIM quality assessment metrics. A set of defense techniques is suggested for improving the defense efficiency. For the most aggressive attack configuration, the combination of all the defense techniques results in 80% protection against cyber-attacks with PSNR of 25.74 db.

  11. Machine learning techniques for gait biometric recognition using the ground reaction force

    CERN Document Server

    Mason, James Eric; Woungang, Isaac

    2016-01-01

    This book focuses on how machine learning techniques can be used to analyze and make use of one particular category of behavioral biometrics known as the gait biometric. A comprehensive Ground Reaction Force (GRF)-based Gait Biometrics Recognition framework is proposed and validated by experiments. In addition, an in-depth analysis of existing recognition techniques that are best suited for performing footstep GRF-based person recognition is also proposed, as well as a comparison of feature extractors, normalizers, and classifiers configurations that were never directly compared with one another in any previous GRF recognition research. Finally, a detailed theoretical overview of many existing machine learning techniques is presented, leading to a proposal of two novel data processing techniques developed specifically for the purpose of gait biometric recognition using GRF. This book · introduces novel machine-learning-based temporal normalization techniques · bridges research gaps concerning the effect of ...

  12. Post-placement temperature reduction techniques

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Wei; Nannarelli, Alberto

    2010-01-01

    With technology scaled to deep submicron era, temperature and temperature gradient have emerged as important design criteria. We propose two post-placement techniques to reduce peak temperature by intelligently allocating whitespace in the hotspots. Both methods are fully compliant with commercial...

  13. A Proposed Evaluation Technique for Computer Science Studies in Primary and Secondary Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abraham OCHOCHE

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Education in Nigeria is an instrument for effecting the development of its citizens in particular, and the nation in general. Operators of education at the primary and secondary levels need to constantly engage in such a process that systematically and objectively determine the relevance, effectiveness and impact of activities at these levels in the light of the stated objectives. The teaching process is not complete without one form of evaluation or the order, as it helps the teacher and other stakeholders in determining the effectiveness of their teaching-learning process. The paper proposes a revolutionary approach to the evaluation of students at both primary and secondary schools. The procedure being proposed takes on more the characteristics of a survey designed to assess not just the achievements of students, the course and the programme, but also the effectiveness of the teachers who form a major part of the whole education machinery.

  14. Correction of failure in antenna array using matrix pencil technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, SU; Rahim, MKA

    2017-01-01

    In this paper a non-iterative technique is developed for the correction of faulty antenna array based on matrix pencil technique (MPT). The failure of a sensor in antenna array can damage the radiation power pattern in terms of sidelobes level and nulls. In the developed technique, the radiation pattern of the array is sampled to form discrete power pattern information set. Then this information set can be arranged in the form of Hankel matrix (HM) and execute the singular value decomposition (SVD). By removing nonprincipal values, we obtain an optimum lower rank estimation of HM. This lower rank matrix corresponds to the corrected pattern. Then the proposed technique is employed to recover the weight excitation and position allocations from the estimated matrix. Numerical simulations confirm the efficiency of the proposed technique, which is compared with the available techniques in terms of sidelobes level and nulls. (paper)

  15. VET again

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Duch, Henriette; Andreasen, Karen Egedal

    2017-01-01

    In 2010, a mandatory teacher training course was introduced for new vocational college teachers in Denmark. Since then, all vocational teachers have to complete the same course, regardless of practical work experience and educational background. After completion, they apply the knowledge to a very...

  16. A Novel Analytical Technique for Optimal Allocation of Capacitors in Radial Distribution Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarfaraz Nawaz

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a novel analytical technique is proposed to determine the optimal size and location of shunt capacitor units in radial distribution systems. An objective function is formulated to reduce real power loss, to improve the voltage profile and to increase annual cost savings. A new constant, the Loss Sensitivity Constant (LSC, is proposed here. The value of LSC decides the location and size of candidate buses. The technique is demonstrated on an IEEE-33 bus system at different load levels and the 130-bus distribution system of Jamawa Ramgarh village, Jaipur city. The obtained results are compared with the latest optimization techniques to show the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed technique.

  17. Novel secret key generation techniques using memristor devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abunahla, Heba; Shehada, Dina; Yeun, Chan Yeob; Mohammad, Baker; Jaoude, Maguy Abi

    2016-02-01

    This paper proposes novel secret key generation techniques using memristor devices. The approach depends on using the initial profile of a memristor as a master key. In addition, session keys are generated using the master key and other specified parameters. In contrast to existing memristor-based security approaches, the proposed development is cost effective and power efficient since the operation can be achieved with a single device rather than a crossbar structure. An algorithm is suggested and demonstrated using physics based Matlab model. It is shown that the generated keys can have dynamic size which provides perfect security. Moreover, the proposed encryption and decryption technique using the memristor based generated keys outperforms Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in terms of processing time. This paper is enriched by providing characterization results of a fabricated microscale Al/TiO2/Al memristor prototype in order to prove the concept of the proposed approach and study the impacts of process variations. The work proposed in this paper is a milestone towards System On Chip (SOC) memristor based security.

  18. Fundamental study on repairing technique for cracked or damaged parts of structures by cold gas dynamic spray technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, Kazuhiro; Amao, Satoshi; Ichikawa, Yuji; Shoji, Tetsuo

    2008-01-01

    This study proposes an innovative technique for repairing of cracked or damaged parts of structures, such as nuclear or thermal power plants, by means of cold gas dynamic spray (CS) technique. In the case of generation of cracks etc. in the structure, the cracks can be repaired by welding. However, the welding spends considerable time on repair, and also needs special skills. The CS technique is known as a new technique not only for coatings but also for thick depositions. It has many advantages, i.e. dense deposition, high deposition rate and low oxidation. Therefore, it has a possibility to apply the CS technique instead of welding to repair the cracks etc. In this study, the cold gas dynamic spray technique as a new repairing technique for some structures is introduced. (author)

  19. 75 FR 60758 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Proposed...'s ``Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction State Profiles.'' These publications will be..., Technology, and Operations. [FR Doc. 2010-24505 Filed 9-30-10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4162-20-P ...

  20. Process techniques of charge transfer time reduction for high speed CMOS image sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao Zhongxiang; Li Quanliang; Han Ye; Qin Qi; Feng Peng; Liu Liyuan; Wu Nanjian

    2014-01-01

    This paper proposes pixel process techniques to reduce the charge transfer time in high speed CMOS image sensors. These techniques increase the lateral conductivity of the photo-generated carriers in a pinned photodiode (PPD) and the voltage difference between the PPD and the floating diffusion (FD) node by controlling and optimizing the N doping concentration in the PPD and the threshold voltage of the reset transistor, respectively. The techniques shorten the charge transfer time from the PPD diode to the FD node effectively. The proposed process techniques do not need extra masks and do not cause harm to the fill factor. A sub array of 32 × 64 pixels was designed and implemented in the 0.18 μm CIS process with five implantation conditions splitting the N region in the PPD. The simulation and measured results demonstrate that the charge transfer time can be decreased by using the proposed techniques. Comparing the charge transfer time of the pixel with the different implantation conditions of the N region, the charge transfer time of 0.32 μs is achieved and 31% of image lag was reduced by using the proposed process techniques. (semiconductor devices)

  1. Learning from vocational education and training in the Nordic countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Christian Helms

    2018-01-01

    VET-systems of Norway and Finland demonstrate how strengths and weaknesses can be balanced in relation to common challenges. The chapter concludes that the policy architecture for VET comprises of a set of interrelated trade-offs that must be recognised to develop VET for the future. Lastly...

  2. A Simplified Analytical Technique for High Frequency Characterization of Resonant Tunneling Diode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DESSOUKI, A. A. S.

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available his paper proposes a simplified analytical technique for high frequency characterization of the resonant tunneling diode (RTD. An equivalent circuit of the RTD that consists of a parallel combination of conductance, G (V, f, and capacitance, C (V, f is formulated. The proposed approach uses the measured DC current versus voltage characteristic of the RTD to extract the equivalent circuit elements parameters in the entire bias range. Using the proposed analytical technique, the frequency response - including the high frequency range - of many characteristic aspects of the RTD is investigated. Also, the maximum oscillation frequency of the RTD is calculated. The results obtained have been compared with those concluded and reported in the literature. The reported results in literature were obtained through simulation of the RTD at high frequency using either a computationally complicated quantum simulator or through difficult RF measurements. A similar pattern of results and highly concordant conclusion are obtained. The proposed analytical technique is simple, correct, and appropriate to investigate the behavior of the RTD at high frequency. In addition, the proposed technique can be easily incorporated into SPICE program to simulate circuits containing RTD.

  3. Backstepping Based Formation Control of Quadrotors with the State Transformation Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keun Uk Lee

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a backstepping-based formation control of quadrotors with the state transformation technique is proposed. First, the dynamics of a quadrotor is derived by using the Newton–Euler formulation. Next, a backstepping-based formation control for quadrotors using a state transformation technique is presented. In the position control, which is the basis of formation control, it is possible to derive the reference attitude angles employing a state transformation technique without the small angle assumption or the simplified dynamics usually used. Stability analysis based on the Lyapunov theorem shows that the proposed formation controller can provide a quadrotor formation error system that is asymptotically stabilized. Finally, we verify the performance of the proposed formation control method through comparison simulations.

  4. Fractal Image Compression Based on High Entropy Values Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Douaa Younis Abbaas

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available There are many attempts tried to improve the encoding stage of FIC because it consumed time. These attempts worked by reducing size of the search pool for pair range-domain matching but most of them led to get a bad quality, or a lower compression ratio of reconstructed image. This paper aims to present a method to improve performance of the full search algorithm by combining FIC (lossy compression and another lossless technique (in this case entropy coding is used. The entropy technique will reduce size of the domain pool (i. e., number of domain blocks based on the entropy value of each range block and domain block and then comparing the results of full search algorithm and proposed algorithm based on entropy technique to see each of which give best results (such as reduced the encoding time with acceptable values in both compression quali-ty parameters which are C. R (Compression Ratio and PSNR (Image Quality. The experimental results of the proposed algorithm proven that using the proposed entropy technique reduces the encoding time while keeping compression rates and reconstruction image quality good as soon as possible.

  5. Passive Super-Low Frequency electromagnetic prospecting technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Nan; Zhao, Shanshan; Hui, Jian; Qin, Qiming

    2017-03-01

    The Super-Low Frequency (SLF) electromagnetic prospecting technique, adopted as a non-imaging remote sensing tool for depth sounding, is systematically proposed for subsurface geological survey. In this paper, we propose and theoretically illustrate natural source magnetic amplitudes as SLF responses for the first step. In order to directly calculate multi-dimensional theoretical SLF responses, modeling algorithms were developed and evaluated using the finite difference method. The theoretical results of three-dimensional (3-D) models show that the average normalized SLF magnetic amplitude responses were numerically stable and appropriate for practical interpretation. To explore the depth resolution, three-layer models were configured. The modeling results prove that the SLF technique is more sensitive to conductive objective layers than high resistive ones, with the SLF responses of conductive objective layers obviously showing uprising amplitudes in the low frequency range. Afterwards, we proposed an improved Frequency-Depth transformation based on Bostick inversion to realize the depth sounding by empirically adjusting two parameters. The SLF technique has already been successfully applied in geothermal exploration and coalbed methane (CBM) reservoir interpretation, which demonstrates that the proposed methodology is effective in revealing low resistive distributions. Furthermore, it siginificantly contributes to reservoir identification with electromagnetic radiation anomaly extraction. Meanwhile, the SLF interpretation results are in accordance with dynamic production status of CBM reservoirs, which means it could provide an economical, convenient and promising method for exploring and monitoring subsurface geo-objects.

  6. Typologies in Comparative Vocational Education: Existing Models and a New Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilz, Matthias

    2016-01-01

    The ways in which vocational education and training (VET) systems are structured vary significantly from country to country, both because different countries have different objectives for their VET systems and because VET is differently embedded within the education and labour market systems of any individual country. International research in…

  7. The Best Practices for Professional Development of Vocational Educators in Teaching Competencies among APEC Economies: A Case Study of Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mustapha, Ramlee B.

    Research has documented that vocational education and training (VET) is critical to Malaysia's industrial development. Rapid technological changes and increased global competition have exacerbated the challenges associated with delivery of quality VET in Malaysia. The barriers to improving VET in Malaysia and ways of overcoming those barriers,…

  8. Video Multiple Watermarking Technique Based on Image Interlacing Using DWT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed M. Ibrahim

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Digital watermarking is one of the important techniques to secure digital media files in the domains of data authentication and copyright protection. In the nonblind watermarking systems, the need of the original host file in the watermark recovery operation makes an overhead over the system resources, doubles memory capacity, and doubles communications bandwidth. In this paper, a robust video multiple watermarking technique is proposed to solve this problem. This technique is based on image interlacing. In this technique, three-level discrete wavelet transform (DWT is used as a watermark embedding/extracting domain, Arnold transform is used as a watermark encryption/decryption method, and different types of media (gray image, color image, and video are used as watermarks. The robustness of this technique is tested by applying different types of attacks such as: geometric, noising, format-compression, and image-processing attacks. The simulation results show the effectiveness and good performance of the proposed technique in saving system resources, memory capacity, and communications bandwidth.

  9. Video multiple watermarking technique based on image interlacing using DWT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Mohamed M; Abdel Kader, Neamat S; Zorkany, M

    2014-01-01

    Digital watermarking is one of the important techniques to secure digital media files in the domains of data authentication and copyright protection. In the nonblind watermarking systems, the need of the original host file in the watermark recovery operation makes an overhead over the system resources, doubles memory capacity, and doubles communications bandwidth. In this paper, a robust video multiple watermarking technique is proposed to solve this problem. This technique is based on image interlacing. In this technique, three-level discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is used as a watermark embedding/extracting domain, Arnold transform is used as a watermark encryption/decryption method, and different types of media (gray image, color image, and video) are used as watermarks. The robustness of this technique is tested by applying different types of attacks such as: geometric, noising, format-compression, and image-processing attacks. The simulation results show the effectiveness and good performance of the proposed technique in saving system resources, memory capacity, and communications bandwidth.

  10. School and workplace as learning environments in VET

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Christian Helms

    as limitations for learning, and thus frame the opportunities for learning. The second, the socio-cultural learning environment is constituted by the social and cultural relations and communities in the workplace and in school. I distinguish between three different types of social relations in the workplace......The aim of this paper is to present an analytical model to study school and workplace as different learning environments and discuss some findings from the application of the model on a case study. First the paper tries to answer the question: what is a learning environment? In most other studies...... schools and workplaces are not only considered to be different learning environment, but are also analysed using different approaches. In this paper I will propose a common model to analyse and compare the two learning environments, drawing on sociology of work (Kern & Schumann 1984; Braverman 1976...

  11. A Proposal for Desert House Design in Egypt Using Passive Ground Cooling Techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Medhat Dorra

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available An area less than 5.5% of Egyptian territory is where most of Egypt‘s population lives in. A narrow strip of land forms the Nile Valley and Delta sector.The National Project for Desert Hinterlands is one of the urban projects targeting rehabilitation of the poor in alternative villages in the near desert to stop urban sprawl over agricultural land and decrease the congestion in the old habitats. Low cost energy efficient houses are the aim of the architect in similar projects taking in consideration the high electricity consumption of Egypt’s residential sector. Based on a literature review, this paper presents a proposal for designing desert dwellings   that accommodates the hot dry climate by incorporating passive elements and using stabilized earth blocks as a local building material. Furthermore, simulation is used to test alternative proposals. The results show that an underground constructed house with a sunken courtyard incorporating an Earth to Air Heat Exchanger System (EAHE can reduce between 42-72% of energy consumption used to achieve thermal comfort compared to contemporary desert housing projects.

  12. Auto-correlation based intelligent technique for complex waveform presentation and measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rana, K P S; Singh, R; Sayann, K S

    2009-01-01

    Waveform acquisition and presentation forms the heart of many measurement systems. Particularly, data acquisition and presentation of repeating complex signals like sine sweep and frequency-modulated signals introduces the challenge of waveform time period estimation and live waveform presentation. This paper presents an intelligent technique, for waveform period estimation of both the complex and simple waveforms, based on the normalized auto-correlation method. The proposed technique is demonstrated using LabVIEW based intensive simulations on several simple and complex waveforms. Implementation of the technique is successfully demonstrated using LabVIEW based virtual instrumentation. Sine sweep vibration waveforms are successfully presented and measured for electrodynamic shaker system generated vibrations. The proposed method is also suitable for digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) triggering, for complex signals acquisition and presentation. This intelligence can be embodied into the DSO, making it an intelligent measurement system, catering wide varieties of the waveforms. The proposed technique, simulation results, robustness study and implementation results are presented in this paper.

  13. Benefits of Vocational Education and Training in Europe for People, Organisations and Countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russo, Giovanni; Bainbridge, Steve; Dunkel, Torsten

    2013-01-01

    People, organisations and governments invest in vocational education and training (VET) because of its positive outcomes, such as higher wages, improved productivity and economic growth. But VET also brings non-economic benefits, such as lower absenteeism and less crime. Research on VET's benefits has focused on specific relationships, such its…

  14. Culture Matters. Community Report. Reporting on a Research Project To Explore Factors Affecting the Outcomes of Vocational Education and Training for Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander People.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buchanan, Matthew; Egg, Mez

    The factors leading to positive outcomes in vocational education and training (VET) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were examined through person-to-person and telephone interviews with indigenous Australian students and VET providers. The interviews focused on the following: the range of VET provision and the extent of its…

  15. Multicarrier Modulation Techniques for 5G Communications

    OpenAIRE

    QIANYU JIN

    2018-01-01

    This thesis focuses on multicarrier modulation techniques for 5G wireless communications. We study different properties of current multicarrier modulation techniques and propose methodologies to improve them in order to meet the demands of 5G wireless, e.g., low out-of-band radiation, low latency, relaxed synchronization, and stable performance against phase noise with low complexity over a wireless channel.

  16. A Blind High-Capacity Wavelet-Based Steganography Technique for Hiding Images into other Images

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HAMAD, S.

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The flourishing field of Steganography is providing effective techniques to hide data into different types of digital media. In this paper, a novel technique is proposed to hide large amounts of image data into true colored images. The proposed method employs wavelet transforms to decompose images in a way similar to the Human Visual System (HVS for more secure and effective data hiding. The designed model can blindly extract the embedded message without the need to refer to the original cover image. Experimental results showed that the proposed method outperformed all of the existing techniques not only imperceptibility but also in terms of capacity. In fact, the proposed technique showed an outstanding performance on hiding a secret image whose size equals 100% of the cover image while maintaining excellent visual quality of the resultant stego-images.

  17. Proposal of requirements for performance in Brazil for systems of external individual monitoring for neutrons applying the TLD-albedo technique; Proposta de requisitos de desempenho no Brasil para sistemas de monitoracao individual externa para neutrons empregando a tecnica TLD-albedo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martins, Marcelo M.; Mauricio, Claudia L.P.; Pereira, Walsan W.; Fonseca, Evaldo S. da, E-mail: marcelo@ird.gov.b, E-mail: claudia@ird.gov.b, E-mail: walsan@ird.gov.b, E-mail: evaldo@ird.gov.b [Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Silva, Ademir X., E-mail: ademir@con.ufrj.b [Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-Graduacao de Engenharia (COPPE/UFRJ), RJ (Brazil).

    2009-07-01

    This work presents a criteria and conditions proposal for the regulations in Brazil of individual monitoring systems for neutrons applying the albedo technique with thermoluminescent detectors. Tests are proposed for the characterization performance of the system based on the Regulation ISO 21909 and on the experience of the authors

  18. A preclustering-based ensemble learning technique for acute appendicitis diagnoses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yen-Hsien; Hu, Paul Jen-Hwa; Cheng, Tsang-Hsiang; Huang, Te-Chia; Chuang, Wei-Yao

    2013-06-01

    Acute appendicitis is a common medical condition, whose effective, timely diagnosis can be difficult. A missed diagnosis not only puts the patient in danger but also requires additional resources for corrective treatments. An acute appendicitis diagnosis constitutes a classification problem, for which a further fundamental challenge pertains to the skewed outcome class distribution of instances in the training sample. A preclustering-based ensemble learning (PEL) technique aims to address the associated imbalanced sample learning problems and thereby support the timely, accurate diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The proposed PEL technique employs undersampling to reduce the number of majority-class instances in a training sample, uses preclustering to group similar majority-class instances into multiple groups, and selects from each group representative instances to create more balanced samples. The PEL technique thereby reduces potential information loss from random undersampling. It also takes advantage of ensemble learning to improve performance. We empirically evaluate this proposed technique with 574 clinical cases obtained from a comprehensive tertiary hospital in southern Taiwan, using several prevalent techniques and a salient scoring system as benchmarks. The comparative results show that PEL is more effective and less biased than any benchmarks. The proposed PEL technique seems more sensitive to identifying positive acute appendicitis than the commonly used Alvarado scoring system and exhibits higher specificity in identifying negative acute appendicitis. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity values of PEL appear higher than those of the investigated benchmarks that follow the resampling approach. Our analysis suggests PEL benefits from the more representative majority-class instances in the training sample. According to our overall evaluation results, PEL records the best overall performance, and its area under the curve measure reaches 0.619. The

  19. Exploring machine-learning-based control plane intrusion detection techniques in software defined optical networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Huibin; Wang, Yuqiao; Chen, Haoran; Zhao, Yongli; Zhang, Jie

    2017-12-01

    In software defined optical networks (SDON), the centralized control plane may encounter numerous intrusion threatens which compromise the security level of provisioned services. In this paper, the issue of control plane security is studied and two machine-learning-based control plane intrusion detection techniques are proposed for SDON with properly selected features such as bandwidth, route length, etc. We validate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed techniques by simulations. Results show an accuracy of 83% for intrusion detection can be achieved with the proposed machine-learning-based control plane intrusion detection techniques.

  20. PEAK-TO-AVERAGE POWER RATIO REDUCTION USING CODING AND HYBRID TECHNIQUES FOR OFDM SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bahubali K. Shiragapur

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In this article, the research work investigated is based on an error correction coding techniques are used to reduce the undesirable Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR quantity. The Golay Code (24, 12, Reed-Muller code (16, 11, Hamming code (7, 4 and Hybrid technique (Combination of Signal Scrambling and Signal Distortion proposed by us are used as proposed coding techniques, the simulation results shows that performance of Hybrid technique, reduces PAPR significantly as compared to Conventional and Modified Selective mapping techniques. The simulation results are validated through statistical properties, for proposed technique’s autocorrelation value is maximum shows reduction in PAPR. The symbol preference is the key idea to reduce PAPR based on Hamming distance. The simulation results are discussed in detail, in this article.

  1. Paradoxes in Danish Vocational Education and Training

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Louw, Arnt Vestergaard; Katznelson, Noemi

    2015-01-01

    All vocational education and training schools in Denmark are required to launch retention initiatives and report yearly on their efforts to increase retention and the completion rate of their students. This article argues that the structural conditions and incentive structure around VET produces...... teaching practices in VET that create unmotivated, weak students and unintentional push-out effects. Further, it is suggested that the marketization of education has a profound effect on the practice in VET such that good education has come to be more associated with retaining all students in the VET...

  2. Evaluation of EMG processing techniques using Information Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farfán, Fernando D; Politti, Julio C; Felice, Carmelo J

    2010-11-12

    Electromyographic signals can be used in biomedical engineering and/or rehabilitation field, as potential sources of control for prosthetics and orthotics. In such applications, digital processing techniques are necessary to follow efficient and effectively the changes in the physiological characteristics produced by a muscular contraction. In this paper, two methods based on information theory are proposed to evaluate the processing techniques. These methods determine the amount of information that a processing technique is able to extract from EMG signals. The processing techniques evaluated with these methods were: absolute mean value (AMV), RMS values, variance values (VAR) and difference absolute mean value (DAMV). EMG signals from the middle deltoid during abduction and adduction movement of the arm in the scapular plane was registered, for static and dynamic contractions. The optimal window length (segmentation), abduction and adduction movements and inter-electrode distance were also analyzed. Using the optimal segmentation (200 ms and 300 ms in static and dynamic contractions, respectively) the best processing techniques were: RMS, AMV and VAR in static contractions, and only the RMS in dynamic contractions. Using the RMS of EMG signal, variations in the amount of information between the abduction and adduction movements were observed. Although the evaluation methods proposed here were applied to standard processing techniques, these methods can also be considered as alternatives tools to evaluate new processing techniques in different areas of electrophysiology.

  3. PEAK-TO-AVERAGE POWER RATIO REDUCTION USING CODING AND HYBRID TECHNIQUES FOR OFDM SYSTEM

    OpenAIRE

    Bahubali K. Shiragapur; Uday Wali

    2016-01-01

    In this article, the research work investigated is based on an error correction coding techniques are used to reduce the undesirable Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR) quantity. The Golay Code (24, 12), Reed-Muller code (16, 11), Hamming code (7, 4) and Hybrid technique (Combination of Signal Scrambling and Signal Distortion) proposed by us are used as proposed coding techniques, the simulation results shows that performance of Hybrid technique, reduces PAPR significantly as compared to Conve...

  4. Algorithmic approach to diagram techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ponticopoulos, L.

    1980-10-01

    An algorithmic approach to diagram techniques of elementary particles is proposed. The definition and axiomatics of the theory of algorithms are presented, followed by the list of instructions of an algorithm formalizing the construction of graphs and the assignment of mathematical objects to them. (T.A.)

  5. Proposal for agar disk diffusion interpretive criteria for susceptibility testing of bovine mastitis pathogens using cefoperazone 30μg disks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feßler, Andrea T; Kaspar, Heike; Lindeman, Cynthia J; Peters, Thomas; Watts, Jeffrey L; Schwarz, Stefan

    2017-02-01

    Cefoperazone is a third generation cephalosporin which is commonly used for bovine mastitis therapy. Bacterial pathogens involved in bovine mastitis are frequently tested for their susceptibility to cefoperazone. So far, the cefoperazone susceptibility testing using 30μg disks has been hampered by the lack of quality control (QC) ranges as well as the lack of interpretive criteria. In 2014, QC ranges for 30 μg cefoperazone disks have been established for Staphylococcus aureus ATCC ® 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC ® 25922. As a next step, interpretive criteria for the susceptibility testing of bovine mastitis pathogens should be developed. For this, 637 bovine mastitis pathogens (including 112 S. aureus, 121 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), 103 E. coli, 101 Streptococcus agalactiae, 100 Streptococcus dysgalactiae and 100 Streptococcus uberis) were investigated by agar disk diffusion according to the document Vet01-A4 of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) using 30μg cefoperazone disks and the results were compared to the corresponding MIC values as determined by broth microdilution also according to the aforementioned CLSI document. Based on the results obtained and taking into account the achievable milk concentration of cefoperazone after regular dosing, the following interpretive criteria were proposed as a guidance for mastitis diagnostic laboratories: for staphylococci and E. coli ≥23mm (susceptible), 18-22mm (intermediate) and ≤17mm (resistant) and for streptococci ≥18mm (susceptible), and ≤17mm (non-susceptible). These proposed interpretive criteria shall contribute to a harmonization of cefoperazone susceptibility testing of bovine mastitis pathogens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Novel secret key generation techniques using memristor devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heba Abunahla

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposes novel secret key generation techniques using memristor devices. The approach depends on using the initial profile of a memristor as a master key. In addition, session keys are generated using the master key and other specified parameters. In contrast to existing memristor-based security approaches, the proposed development is cost effective and power efficient since the operation can be achieved with a single device rather than a crossbar structure. An algorithm is suggested and demonstrated using physics based Matlab model. It is shown that the generated keys can have dynamic size which provides perfect security. Moreover, the proposed encryption and decryption technique using the memristor based generated keys outperforms Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES in terms of processing time. This paper is enriched by providing characterization results of a fabricated microscale Al/TiO2/Al memristor prototype in order to prove the concept of the proposed approach and study the impacts of process variations. The work proposed in this paper is a milestone towards System On Chip (SOC memristor based security.

  7. Application of Linear Quadratic Gaussian and Coefficient Diagram Techniques to Distributed Load Frequency Control of Power Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tarek Hassan Mohamed

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper presented both the linear quadratic Gaussian technique (LQG and the coefficient diagram method (CDM as load frequency controllers in a multi-area power system to deal with the problem of variations in system parameters and load demand change. The full states of the system including the area frequency deviation have been estimated using the Kalman filter technique. The efficiency of the proposed control method has been checked using a digital simulation. Simulation results indicated that, with the proposed CDM + LQG technique, the system is robust in the face of parameter uncertainties and load disturbances. A comparison between the proposed technique and other schemes is carried out, confirming the superiority of the proposed CDM + LQG technique.

  8. High-speed technique based on a parallel projection correlation procedure for digital image correlation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaripov, D. I.; Renfu, Li

    2018-05-01

    The implementation of high-efficiency digital image correlation methods based on a zero-normalized cross-correlation (ZNCC) procedure for high-speed, time-resolved measurements using a high-resolution digital camera is associated with big data processing and is often time consuming. In order to speed-up ZNCC computation, a high-speed technique based on a parallel projection correlation procedure is proposed. The proposed technique involves the use of interrogation window projections instead of its two-dimensional field of luminous intensity. This simplification allows acceleration of ZNCC computation up to 28.8 times compared to ZNCC calculated directly, depending on the size of interrogation window and region of interest. The results of three synthetic test cases, such as a one-dimensional uniform flow, a linear shear flow and a turbulent boundary-layer flow, are discussed in terms of accuracy. In the latter case, the proposed technique is implemented together with an iterative window-deformation technique. On the basis of the results of the present work, the proposed technique is recommended to be used for initial velocity field calculation, with further correction using more accurate techniques.

  9. The Effective Ransomware Prevention Technique Using Process Monitoring on Android Platform

    OpenAIRE

    Song, Sanggeun; Kim, Bongjoon; Lee, Sangjun

    2016-01-01

    Due to recent indiscriminate attacks of ransomware, damage cases including encryption of users’ important files are constantly increasing. The existing vaccine systems are vulnerable to attacks of new pattern ransomware because they can only detect the ransomware of existing patterns. More effective technique is required to prevent modified ransomware. In this paper, an effective method is proposed to prevent the attacks of modified ransomware on Android platform. The proposed technique speci...

  10. Simple lock-in detection technique utilizing multiple harmonics for digital PGC demodulators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Fajie; Huang, Tingting; Jiang, Jiajia; Fu, Xiao; Ma, Ling

    2017-06-01

    A simple lock-in detection technique especially suited for digital phase-generated carrier (PGC) demodulators is proposed in this paper. It mixes the interference signal with rectangular waves whose Fourier expansions contain multiple odd or multiple even harmonics of the carrier to recover the quadrature components needed for interference phase demodulation. In this way, the use of a multiplier is avoided and the efficiency of the algorithm is improved. Noise performance with regard to light intensity variation and circuit noise is analyzed theoretically for both the proposed technique and the traditional lock-in technique, and results show that the former provides a better signal-to-noise ratio than the latter with proper modulation depth and average interference phase. Detailed simulations were conducted and the theoretical analysis was verified. A fiber-optic Michelson interferometer was constructed and the feasibility of the proposed technique is demonstrated.

  11. Refugees and Access to Vocational Education and Training across Europe: A Case of Protection of White Privilege?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chadderton, Charlotte; Edmonds, Casey

    2015-01-01

    This small-scale, highly original study connects themes which are rarely explored in relation to each other, particularly in a European context: vocational education and training (VET), refugees and race equality in order to explore how VET policies impact on racial equality, and the ways racial structures in Europe impact on VET. It begins to…

  12. A Novel Contrast Enhancement Technique on Palm Bone Images

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yung-Tsang Chang

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Contrast enhancement plays a fundamental role in image processing. Many histogram-based techniques are widely used for contrast enhancement of given images, due to their simple function and effectiveness. However, the conventional histogram equalization (HE methods result in excessive contrast enhancement, which causes natural looking and satisfactory results for a variety of low contrast images. To solve such problems, a novel multi-histogram equalization technique is proposed to enhance the contrast of the palm bone X-ray radiographs in this paper. For images, the mean-variance analysis method is employed to partition the histogram of the original grey scale image into multiple sub-histograms. These histograms are independently equalized. By using this mean-variance partition method, a proposed multi-histogram equalization technique is employed to achieve the contrast enhancement of the palm bone X-ray radiographs. Experimental results show that the multi-histogram equalization technique achieves a lower average absolute mean brightness error (AMBE value. The multi-histogram equalization technique simultaneously preserved the mean brightness and enhanced the local contrast of the original image.

  13. Physics issues of a proposed program, SPIRIT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ji, Hantao; Yamada, Masaaki

    2000-01-01

    Physics issues of the proposed program, SPIRIT (Self-organized Plasma with Induction, Reconnection, and Induction Techniques) are discussed. The main purpose of this program is to explore the physics of global stability and sustainment of compact toroids, including FRC (field reversed configuration) as well as low-aspect-ratio RFP (reversed field pinch), spheromak and spherical torus. (author)

  14. METAHEURISTICS EVALUATION: A PROPOSAL FOR A MULTICRITERIA METHODOLOGY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valdir Agustinho de Melo

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT In this work we propose a multicriteria evaluation scheme for heuristic algorithms based on the classic Condorcet ranking technique. Weights are associated to the ranking of an algorithm among a set being object of comparison. We used five criteria and a function on the set of natural numbers to create a ranking. The discussed comparison involves three well-known problems of combinatorial optimization - Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP, Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP and Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP. The tested instances came from public libraries. Each algorithm was used with essentially the same structure, the same local search was applied and the initial solutions were similarly built. It is important to note that the work does not make proposals involving algorithms: the results for the three problems are shown only to illustrate the operation of the evaluation technique. Four metaheuristics - GRASP, Tabu Search, ILS and VNS - are therefore only used for the comparisons.

  15. An Overview on Base Real-Time Hard Shadow Techniques in Virtual Environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohd Shahrizal Sunar

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Shadows are elegant to create a realistic scene in virtual environments variety type of shadow techniques encourage us to prepare an overview on all base shadow techniques. Non real-time and real-time techniques are big subdivision of shadow generation. In non real-time techniques ray tracing, ray casting and radiosity are well known and are described deeply. Radiosity is implemented to create very realistic shadow on non real-time scene. Although traditional radiosity algorithm is difficult to implement, we have proposed a simple one. The proposed pseudo code is easier to understand and implement. Ray tracing is used to prevent of collision of movement objects. Projection shadow, shadow volume and shadow mapping are used to create real-time shadow in virtual environments. We have used projection shadow for some objects are static and have shadow on flat surface. Shadow volume is used to create accurate shadow with sharp outline. Shadow mapping that is the base of most recently techniques is reconstructed. The reconstruct algorithm gives some new idea to propose another algorithm based on shadow mapping.

  16. Biometric feature embedding using robust steganography technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashid, Rasber D.; Sellahewa, Harin; Jassim, Sabah A.

    2013-05-01

    This paper is concerned with robust steganographic techniques to hide and communicate biometric data in mobile media objects like images, over open networks. More specifically, the aim is to embed binarised features extracted using discrete wavelet transforms and local binary patterns of face images as a secret message in an image. The need for such techniques can arise in law enforcement, forensics, counter terrorism, internet/mobile banking and border control. What differentiates this problem from normal information hiding techniques is the added requirement that there should be minimal effect on face recognition accuracy. We propose an LSB-Witness embedding technique in which the secret message is already present in the LSB plane but instead of changing the cover image LSB values, the second LSB plane will be changed to stand as a witness/informer to the receiver during message recovery. Although this approach may affect the stego quality, it is eliminating the weakness of traditional LSB schemes that is exploited by steganalysis techniques for LSB, such as PoV and RS steganalysis, to detect the existence of secrete message. Experimental results show that the proposed method is robust against PoV and RS attacks compared to other variants of LSB. We also discussed variants of this approach and determine capacity requirements for embedding face biometric feature vectors while maintain accuracy of face recognition.

  17. A proposal to study a tracking/preshower detector for the LHC

    CERN Document Server

    Munday, D J; Anghinolfi, Francis; Bonino, R; Campbell, M; Fassò, A; Gildemeister, O; Heijne, Erik H M; Jarron, Pierre; Mapelli, Livio P; Pentney, J M; Poppleton, Alan; Stevenson, Graham Roger; Gössling, C; Pollmann, D; Sondermann, V; Tsesmelis, E; Clark, A G; Kienzle-Focacci, M N; Martin, M; Rosselet, L; Fretwurst, E; Lindström, G; Reich, V; Bardos, R A; Gorfine, G W; Taylor, G; Tovey, Stuart N; Stapnes, Steinar; Weidberg, A R; Lubrano, P; Pepé, M; Grayer, Geoffrey H; Sharp, P; Bakich, A M; Peak, L S; CERN. Geneva. Detector Research and Development Committee

    1990-01-01

    We describe a program of studies aimed at determining whether the track stub/preshower technique of electron identification can be used at the highest operating luminosities of the proposed LHC collider. The proposal covers detector and electronics developments required for the construction of a track-stub and preshower detector preceding the electromagnetic calorimeter of an LHC experiment.

  18. Replacement of the in vivo neutralisation test for efficacy demonstration of tetanus vaccines ad us. vet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosskopf, Ute; Noeske, Kerstin; Werner, Esther

    2005-01-01

    The bacterium Clostridium (C.) tetani is an ubiquitous pathogen. This anaerobic, gram-positive bacterium can form spores and can be found in the whole environment. It enters the body via injuries of the skin and wounds where it releases the neurotoxin "tetanospasmin" (= tetanus toxin). The animals most susceptible to tetanus infection are horses and sheep. Only active immunisation by tetanus vaccine provides effective protection against tetanus intoxication. The marketing authorisation requirements stipulate that efficacy of tetanus vaccines ad us. vet. must be demonstrated in all target animal species via determination of neutralising tetanus serum antitoxin concentrations. The standard method used for this purpose is still the toxin neutralisation test (TNT), as it quantifies the tetanus toxin-neutralising effect of tetanus serum antibodies in vivo. In this test, tetanus toxin is added to dilutions of serum from vaccinated horse and sheep. The serum dilutions are then administered to mice or guinea pigs, which are observed for toxic symptoms. Against the background of animal protection, the goal of one project of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (Bundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung (Federal Ministry for Education and Research), 0312636) was to establish an alternative to the toxin neutralisation test, enabling the testing of efficacy of tetanus vaccines with serological in vitro methods. For this purpose, a so-called double antigen ELISA (DAE) was established which enables the testing of sera of different species in one assay. In addition, the sera were tested in an indirect ELISA for horses and sheep separately. Altogether, ten groups of horses and eight groups of sheep were immunised with ten animals per group each. The tetanus vaccines comprised almost all products authorised for the German market at the start of the project. 564 horse sera and 257 sheep sera were tested using the two ELISA methods. Some sera were also tested in vivo. The kinetics of

  19. Evaluation of Techniques for Reducing In-Use Automotive Fuel Consumption

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-04-01

    This report presents an assessment of proposed techniques for reducing fuel consumption in the in-use light duty road vehicle fleet. Three general classes of techniques are treated: (1) modification of vehicles, (2) modification of traffic flow, and ...

  20. Operation optimization of distributed generation using artificial intelligent techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmoud H. Elkazaz

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Future smart grids will require an observable, controllable and flexible network architecture for reliable and efficient energy delivery. The use of artificial intelligence and advanced communication technologies is essential in building a fully automated system. This paper introduces a new technique for online optimal operation of distributed generation (DG resources, i.e. a hybrid fuel cell (FC and photovoltaic (PV system for residential applications. The proposed technique aims to minimize the total daily operating cost of a group of residential homes by managing the operation of embedded DG units remotely from a control centre. The target is formed as an objective function that is solved using genetic algorithm (GA optimization technique. The optimal settings of the DG units obtained from the optimization process are sent to each DG unit through a fully automated system. The results show that the proposed technique succeeded in defining the optimal operating points of the DGs that affect directly the total operating cost of the entire system.

  1. Selecting a Sustainable Disinfection Technique for Wastewater Reuse Projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge Curiel-Esparza

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents an application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP by integrating a Delphi process for selecting the best sustainable disinfection technique for wastewater reuse projects. The proposed methodology provides project managers a tool to evaluate problems with multiple criteria and multiple alternatives which involve non-commeasurable decision criteria, with expert opinions playing a major role in the selection of these treatment technologies. Five disinfection techniques for wastewater reuse have been evaluated for each of the nine criteria weighted according to the opinions of consulted experts. Finally, the VIKOR method has been applied to determine a compromise solution, and to establish the stability of the results. Therefore, the expert system proposed to select the optimal disinfection alternative is a hybrid method combining the AHP with the Delphi method and the VIKOR technique, which is shown to be appropriate in realistic scenarios where multiple stakeholders are involved in the selection of a sustainable disinfection technique for wastewater reuse projects.

  2. Proposal for Analysis of the Safeguarded Nuclear Materials 235U and 239Pu by Delayed Neutrons Technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Mongy, S.A.

    2000-01-01

    This paper introduces, describes and initiates a very sensitive and rapid non-destructive technique to be used for analysis of the safeguarded nuclear materials 235 U and 239 Pu. The technique is based on fission of the nuclear material by neutrons and then measuring the delayed neutrons produced from the neutron rich fission products. By this technique, fissile isotope content ( 235 U) can be determined in the presence of the other fissile (e.g. 239 Pu) or fertile isotopes (e.g. 238 U) in fresh and spent fuel. The time consumed for analysis of bulk materials by this technique is only 4 minutes. The method is also used for analysis of uranium in rock, sediment, soil, meteorites, lunar, biological, urine, archaeological, zircon sand and seawater samples. The method enables uranium in a sample to be measured without respect to its oxidation state, organic and inorganic elements

  3. New techniques for particle accelerators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sessler, A.M.

    1990-06-01

    A review is presented of the new techniques which have been proposed for use in particle accelerators. Attention is focused upon those areas where significant progress has been made in the last two years--in particular, upon two-beam accelerators, wakefield accelerators, and plasma focusers. 26 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

  4. Gestalt Therapy and Feminist Therapy: A Proposed Integration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enns, Carolyn Zerbe

    1987-01-01

    Offers a proposal for integrating the Gestalt goals of self-responsibility with a feminist perspective that places value on the web of relationships in women's lives and focuses attention on the environmental constraints and socialization that affect women's choices. Discusses Gestalt techniques for enhancing women's growth and examines…

  5. Experimental verifications of a structural damage identification technique using reduced order finite-element model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Rui; Zhou, Li; Yang, Jann N.

    2010-04-01

    An objective of the structural health monitoring system is to identify the state of the structure and to detect the damage when it occurs. Analysis techniques for the damage identification of structures, based on vibration data measured from sensors, have received considerable attention. Recently, a new damage tracking technique, referred to as the adaptive quadratic sum-square error (AQSSE) technique, has been proposed, and simulation studies demonstrated that the AQSSE technique is quite effective in identifying structural damages. In this paper, the adaptive quadratic sumsquare error (AQSSE) along with the reduced-order finite-element method is proposed to identify the damages of complex structures. Experimental tests were conducted to verify the capability of the proposed damage detection approach. A series of experimental tests were performed using a scaled cantilever beam subject to the white noise and sinusoidal excitations. The capability of the proposed reduced-order finite-element based adaptive quadratic sum-square error (AQSSE) method in detecting the structural damage is demonstrated by the experimental results.

  6. Evaluation of EMG processing techniques using Information Theory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felice Carmelo J

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Electromyographic signals can be used in biomedical engineering and/or rehabilitation field, as potential sources of control for prosthetics and orthotics. In such applications, digital processing techniques are necessary to follow efficient and effectively the changes in the physiological characteristics produced by a muscular contraction. In this paper, two methods based on information theory are proposed to evaluate the processing techniques. Methods These methods determine the amount of information that a processing technique is able to extract from EMG signals. The processing techniques evaluated with these methods were: absolute mean value (AMV, RMS values, variance values (VAR and difference absolute mean value (DAMV. EMG signals from the middle deltoid during abduction and adduction movement of the arm in the scapular plane was registered, for static and dynamic contractions. The optimal window length (segmentation, abduction and adduction movements and inter-electrode distance were also analyzed. Results Using the optimal segmentation (200 ms and 300 ms in static and dynamic contractions, respectively the best processing techniques were: RMS, AMV and VAR in static contractions, and only the RMS in dynamic contractions. Using the RMS of EMG signal, variations in the amount of information between the abduction and adduction movements were observed. Conclusions Although the evaluation methods proposed here were applied to standard processing techniques, these methods can also be considered as alternatives tools to evaluate new processing techniques in different areas of electrophysiology.

  7. Blind I/Q imbalance compensation technique for direct-conversion digital radio transceivers

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    De Witt, JJ

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available . Digital signal processing techniques have widely been proposed to compensate for these mixer imperfections. Of these techniques, the class of blind compensation techniques seems very attractive since no test signals are required. This paper presents a...

  8. Low Power LDPC Code Decoder Architecture Based on Intermediate Message Compression Technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, Kazunori; Togawa, Nozomu; Ikenaga, Takeshi; Goto, Satoshi

    Reducing the power dissipation for LDPC code decoder is a major challenging task to apply it to the practical digital communication systems. In this paper, we propose a low power LDPC code decoder architecture based on an intermediate message-compression technique which features as follows: (i) An intermediate message compression technique enables the decoder to reduce the required memory capacity and write power dissipation. (ii) A clock gated shift register based intermediate message memory architecture enables the decoder to decompress the compressed messages in a single clock cycle while reducing the read power dissipation. The combination of the above two techniques enables the decoder to reduce the power dissipation while keeping the decoding throughput. The simulation results show that the proposed architecture improves the power efficiency up to 52% and 18% compared to that of the decoder based on the overlapped schedule and the rapid convergence schedule without the proposed techniques respectively.

  9. A new technique for infrared scintillation measurements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chiossi, F., E-mail: federico.chiossi@studenti.unipd.it [Dip. di Fisica e Astronomia and INFN, University of Padua, Via F. Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Brylew, K. [Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziadzka 5, 87-100 Torun (Poland); Borghesani, A.F. [CNISM Unit and Dip. di Fisica e Astronomia, University of Padua, Via F. Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Braggio, C.; Carugno, G. [Dip. di Fisica e Astronomia and INFN, University of Padua, Via F. Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy); Drozdowski, W. [Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziadzka 5, 87-100 Torun (Poland); Guarise, M. [Dip. di Fisica e Astronomia and INFN, University of Padua, Via F. Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy)

    2017-05-21

    We propose a new technique to measure the infrared scintillation light yield of rare earth doped crystals by comparing it to near UV–visible scintillation of a calibrated Pr:(Lu{sub 0.75}Y{sub 0.25}){sub 3}Al{sub 5}O{sub 12} sample. As an example, we apply this technique to provide the light yield in visible and infrared range up to 1700 nm of this crystal.

  10. A new technique for infrared scintillation measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiossi, F.; Brylew, K.; Borghesani, A.F.; Braggio, C.; Carugno, G.; Drozdowski, W.; Guarise, M.

    2017-01-01

    We propose a new technique to measure the infrared scintillation light yield of rare earth doped crystals by comparing it to near UV–visible scintillation of a calibrated Pr:(Lu_0_._7_5Y_0_._2_5)_3Al_5O_1_2 sample. As an example, we apply this technique to provide the light yield in visible and infrared range up to 1700 nm of this crystal.

  11. An efficient similarity measure technique for medical image registration

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    In this paper, an efficient similarity measure technique is proposed for medical image registration. The proposed approach is based on the Gerschgorin circles theorem. In this approach, image registration is carried out by considering Gerschgorin bounds of a covariance matrix of two compared images with normalized ...

  12. Potentiation of antimalarial activity of arteether in combination with Vetiver root extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhawan, Sangeeta; Gunjan, Sarika; Pal, Anirban; Tripathi, Renu

    2016-05-01

    In malaria, development of resistance towards artemisinin derivatives has urged the need for new drugs or new drug combinations to tackle the drug resistant malaria. We studied the fresh root extract of Vetiver zizanioides (Linn.) Nash (VET) with a CDRI-CIMAP antimalarial α/β arteether (ART) together for their antimalarial potential. Our results showed additive to synergistic antimalarial activity of VET and ART with sum fractional inhibitory concentrations Σ FICs 1.02 ± 0.24 and 1.12 ± 0.32 for chloroquine sensitive (CQS) and chloroquine resistant (CQR) strain of Plasmodium falciparum (William H. Welch), respectively. Further, these combinations were explored against multidrug resistant rodent malaria parasite i.e. P. yoelii nigeriensis. Analysis of in vivo interaction of ART and VET showed that 10 mg/kg x 5 days of ART with 1000 mg/kg of VET x 5 days cured 100% mice infected with MDR parasite, while the same dose of ART could produce only up to 30% cure and VET fraction was not curative at all. Synergism/additiveness, found between VET and ART is reported for the first time. The curative dose of ART in the combination was reduced to its one fourth, and thus limits the side effects, if any. Although antimalarial potential of ART was enhanced by VET, action mechanism of later needs to be elucidated in detail.

  13. Efficient Photovoltaic System Maximum Power Point Tracking Using a New Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Partial shading is an unavoidable condition which significantly reduces the efficiency and stability of a photovoltaic (PV system. When partial shading occurs the system has multiple-peak output power characteristics. In order to track the global maximum power point (GMPP within an appropriate period a reliable technique is required. Conventional techniques such as hill climbing and perturbation and observation (P&O are inadequate in tracking the GMPP subject to this condition resulting in a dramatic reduction in the efficiency of the PV system. Recent artificial intelligence methods have been proposed, however they have a higher computational cost, slower processing time and increased oscillations which results in further instability at the output of the PV system. This paper proposes a fast and efficient technique based on Radial Movement Optimization (RMO for detecting the GMPP under partial shading conditions. The paper begins with a brief description of the behavior of PV systems under partial shading conditions followed by the introduction of the new RMO-based technique for GMPP tracking. Finally, results are presented to demonstration the performance of the proposed technique under different partial shading conditions. The results are compared with those of the PSO method, one of the most widely used methods in the literature. Four factors, namely convergence speed, efficiency (power loss reduction, stability (oscillation reduction and computational cost, are considered in the comparison with the PSO technique.

  14. The "Unfinished Sentences" Technique in Studying Loneliness Phenomenon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zh V Puzanova

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the unfinished sentences technique as a soft, qualitative way to collect and analyze sociological data. The article represents an attempt to describe the main features of qualitative approach to designing, conducting and analyzing the semi-structured data of sociological research based on the unfinished sentences technique and aimed at studying the problem of loneliness. The article also proposes a scheme to apply typological analysis principles to the data obtained through the unfinished sentences technique.

  15. Emerging technology and techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gopi Naveen Chander

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A technique of fabricating feldspathic porcelain pressable ingots was proposed. A 5 ml disposable syringe was used to condense the powder slurry. The condensed porcelain was sintered at 900΀C to produce porcelain ingots. The fabricated porcelain ingots were used in pressable ceramic machines. The technological advantages of pressable system improve the properties, and the fabricated ingot enhances the application of feldspathic porcelain.

  16. Modeling Enrollment in and Completion of Vocational Education: The role of cognitive and non-cognitive skills by program type

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stratton, Leslie S.; Gupta, Nabanita Datta; Reimer, David

    We examine the role of cognitive and non-cognitive skills on enrollment in and completion of three types of vocational training (VET): education/health, technical, and business. Using two nine-year panels of Danish youths, estimation proceeds separately by gender, controlling for selection......, inversely related to completion for technical VET and non-cognitive skills are important only for business VET....

  17. 77 FR 33745 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-07

    ... Information Collection Activity; Comment Request Proposed Projects Title: Native Employment Works (NEW) Program Plan Guidance and Report Requirements. OMB No.: 0970-0174. Description The Native Employment Works... collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and...

  18. Parallel halftoning technique using dot diffusion optimization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molina-Garcia, Javier; Ponomaryov, Volodymyr I.; Reyes-Reyes, Rogelio; Cruz-Ramos, Clara

    2017-05-01

    In this paper, a novel approach for halftone images is proposed and implemented for images that are obtained by the Dot Diffusion (DD) method. Designed technique is based on an optimization of the so-called class matrix used in DD algorithm and it consists of generation new versions of class matrix, which has no baron and near-baron in order to minimize inconsistencies during the distribution of the error. Proposed class matrix has different properties and each is designed for two different applications: applications where the inverse-halftoning is necessary, and applications where this method is not required. The proposed method has been implemented in GPU (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti), multicore processors (AMD FX(tm)-6300 Six-Core Processor and in Intel core i5-4200U), using CUDA and OpenCV over a PC with linux. Experimental results have shown that novel framework generates a good quality of the halftone images and the inverse halftone images obtained. The simulation results using parallel architectures have demonstrated the efficiency of the novel technique when it is implemented in real-time processing.

  19. Early tumour detection: a transillumination, time-resolved technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Behin-Ain, S.; Van Doorn, T.; Patterson, J.

    2000-01-01

    Full text: Research into transillumination techniques for the detection of tumours in soft tissue has been ongoing for over 70 years. The resolution and contrast, however, remain severely limited by scatter. Single photon detection techniques, with ideally infinite extinction coefficients, have been proposed to accumulate sub-hertz photon transmitted frequencies in the early part of a transmitted pulse. Computer based simulations have been undertaken to examine the theoretical performance requirements of the detector and the resultant image qualities that may be expected with this imaging technique. This paper reports on the computational techniques required for implementing these simulations in an efficient manner. Controlled Monte Carlo (CMC) and Convolution of Layers (CL) techniques were employed to constrain the photon to those having more chance of detection and hence enhance the detection statistics. Extrapolation techniques are proposed to reconstruct the early part of the temporal profile. Computational methods were implemented to evaluate Path Integrals, which are otherwise overly complex to evaluate. CMC and CL reduce the computational time by more than 10 orders of magnitude by only tracking those photons more likely to reach the detector. In the case of an optically thick medium with high scattering coefficient, extrapolation techniques are used to reconstruct the early part of temporal profile. Analytical solutions were found to be too involved for the simplest geometries. However the CL and implementation of computational techniques make Path integrals a useful analytical tool to compliment full Monte Carlo techniques. Results have shown that these methods collectively enable detection of small inhomogeneites within soft tissues. Reduced computation times and full reconstruction of the temporal profile of transmitted photons through optically thick medium enable fast simulations of single photon detectors to be achieved with the above described

  20. Case study: Proposed application of project management techniques for construction of nuclear power plant in Malaysia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Syahirah Abdul Rahman; Phongsakorn Prak Tom; Wan Abd Hadi Wan Abu Bakar; Shaharum Ramli

    2010-01-01

    This study discusses the techniques of project management for the construction of nuclear power plants that can be used in Malaysia. Nuclear power reactors are expected to apply is the categories of Gen III + reactor where it is safer and more modern than the first generation of reactors built in the 1970s. The objective of this study is that the construction of this reactor to be completed by the stipulated time and not exceed the cost estimates. In addition, project management is also able to meet all the specifications and achieve the quality standard. In this study, the techniques used in project management to ensure the success of construction projects of nuclear power plants are a Gantt Chart, CPM/ PERT and Microsoft Project. From the study, found that these techniques can assist in facilitating the management of the project for the construction of nuclear power plants to ensure that the estimated time and cost can be managed more effectively as well as quality of care. (author)

  1. Second-Order Harmonic Reduction Technique for Photovoltaic Power Conditioning Systems Using a Proportional-Resonant Controller

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hae-Gwang Jeong

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposes a second-order harmonic reduction technique using a proportional-resonant (PR controller for a photovoltaic (PV power conditioning system (PCS. In a grid-connected single-phase system, inverters create a second-order harmonic at twice the fundamental frequency. A ripple component unsettles the operating points of the PV array and deteriorates the operation of the maximum power point tracking (MPPT technique. The second-order harmonic component in PV PCS is analyzed using an equivalent circuit of the DC/DC converter and the DC/AC inverter. A new feed-forward compensation technique using a PR controller for ripple reduction is proposed. The proposed algorithm is advantageous in that additional devices are not required and complex calculations are unnecessary. Therefore, this method is cost-effective and simple to implement. The proposed feed-forward compensation technique is verified by simulation and experimental results.

  2. Proposal of Wireless Traffic Control Schemes for Wireless LANs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiraguri, Takefumi; Ichikawa, Takeo; Iizuka, Masataka; Kubota, Shuji

    This paper proposes two traffic control schemes to support the communication quality of multimedia streaming services such as VoIP and audio/video over IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN systems. The main features of the proposed scheme are bandwidth control for each flow of the multimedia streaming service and load balancing between access points (APs) of the wireless LAN by using information of data link, network and transport layers. The proposed schemes are implemented on a Linux machine which is called the wireless traffic controller (WTC). The WTC connects a high capacity backbone network and an access network to which the APs are attached. We evaluated the performance of the proposed WTC and confirmed that the communication quality of the multimedia streaming would be greatly improved by using this technique.

  3. An IQ mismatch calibration and compensation technique for wideband wireless transceivers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng Jin; Zhou Liguo; Yao Heng; Yuan Fang; Shi Yin; Fang Zhi

    2014-01-01

    An IQ mismatch calibration and compensation technique based on the digital baseband for wideband wireless communication transmitters is proposed. The digital baseband transmits the signal used for IQ mismatch calibration. The signal passes through the RF transmitter path, the calibration loop (which is composed of a square power detector and a band-pass filter in the RF transceiver) and the variable gain amplifier of the receiver. The digital baseband samples the signal for IQ mismatch estimation and compensates for it. Compared with the self-calibration technique in the RF chip, the proposed technique saves area and power consumption for the wireless local area network solution. This technique has been successfully used for the 802.11n system and satisfies the requirement of the standard by achieving over 50 dB image suppression. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

  4. Bit Plane Coding based Steganography Technique for JPEG2000 Images and Videos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geeta Kasana

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a Bit Plane Coding (BPC based steganography technique for JPEG2000 images and Motion JPEG2000 video is proposed. Embedding in this technique is performed in the lowest significant bit planes of the wavelet coefficients of a cover image. In JPEG2000 standard, the number of bit planes of wavelet coefficients to be used in encoding is dependent on the compression rate and are used in Tier-2 process of JPEG2000. In the proposed technique, Tier-1 and Tier-2 processes of JPEG2000 and Motion JPEG2000 are executed twice on the encoder side to collect the information about the lowest bit planes of all code blocks of a cover image, which is utilized in embedding and transmitted to the decoder. After embedding secret data, Optimal Pixel Adjustment Process (OPAP is applied on stego images to enhance its visual quality. Experimental results show that proposed technique provides large embedding capacity and better visual quality of stego images than existing steganography techniques for JPEG2000 compressed images and videos. Extracted secret image is similar to the original secret image.

  5. Blended Learning in the Vocational Education and Training System in Tanzania: Understanding Vocational Educators’ Perceptions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haruni J. Machumu

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available In a constructivist world of teaching and learning, opportunities to acquire and develop the knowledge and practical skills necessary to design, establish, and deploy blended learning in vocational education and training (VET programs delivery is a labour-market-driven. The paper examines VET educator’s pleas about the need for the design, adoption and deployment of blended learning in VET programs delivery in Tanzania. A single case study design with an in-depth interview and focus group discussion was conducted with 15 VET educators in three VET colleges in both Morogoro and Dar es Salaam regions. Snowball and purposive sampling were used to obtain sample respondents. For the data analysis, content analysis was employed to condense data obtained from interviews and focus group discussion. It was found that continuous professional development, institutional arrangements, and support should be provided online to facilitate the design, adoption and use of blended learning in VET. We recommend that locally designed blended learning should be relevant to the environment of both students and teachers. In reality, the interplay between blended learning, imparting knowledge and practical skills remain the key focus of future research.

  6. Two novel techniques for increasing energy efficiency of photovoltaic-battery systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fathabadi, Hassan

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Two novel techniques for increasing the energy efficiency of PV-battery systems. • Practically, 27% increase in the energy efficiency of PV-battery systems. • Novel proposed DC/PWM inverter for substituting conventional primary DC/DC converters. • Presenting theoretical, simulation & experimental results to verify the above claims. - Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV)-battery power source consists of a PV panel, a primary DC/DC converter, and a battery or a batteries bank. It is generally used to provide electric energy for local consumers such as buildings. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) schemes cannot be applied to it because the PV panel output current is only determined by the state of charge (SOC) of the battery. In this study, two novel techniques are proposed to increase the energy efficiency of PV-battery power sources. Replacing the primary DC/DC converter with a novel proposed DC/PWM inverter, and decomposing the PV panel into a set of parallel homogenous configured PV modules are the two proposed techniques. It is shown that the implementation of each technique effectively increases the energy efficiency of PV-battery power sources. The two techniques are combined to each other to implement a new PV-battery power source. It is proved that the energy efficiency of the new version is significantly more than conventional version. Simulated results performed in MATLAB/Proteus 6 verify an increase of 29% in the energy efficiency. Four PV-battery power sources have been built, and comparative experimental results are presented that verify an increase of 27% in the energy efficiency.

  7. Antimicrobial susceptibility monitoring of mastitis pathogens isolated from acute cases of clinical mastitis in dairy cows across Europe: VetPath results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Valérie; de Jong, Anno; Moyaert, Hilde; Simjee, Shabbir; El Garch, Farid; Morrissey, Ian; Marion, Hervé; Vallé, Michel

    2015-07-01

    VetPath is an ongoing pan-European antimicrobial susceptibility monitoring programme collecting pathogens from diseased cattle, pigs and poultry not recently treated with antibiotics. Non-replicate milk samples were collected from cows with acute clinical mastitis in eight countries. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus uberis were isolated by standardised methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined in a central laboratory by CLSI broth microdilution methodology; results were interpreted using clinical breakpoints where available. Among E. coli (n=280), resistance to tetracycline (14.3%) and cefapirin (11.1%) were most common. Resistance to other β-lactam antibiotics was absent (ceftiofur) or very low (cefalexin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid). The MIC90 of enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin was 0.03 and 0.06μg/mL, respectively, with 0.7% of strains displaying a deviating high MIC. Staphylococcus aureus (n=250) were susceptible to most antibiotics tested, although 36.0% were resistant to penicillin G. For other β-lactam antibiotics where a CLSI breakpoint was available, no resistance was detected. Tetracycline resistance was low (5.2%). Streptococcus uberis (n=282) were susceptible to all β-lactam antibiotics, although 29.8% were intermediately susceptible to penicillin G; 18.8% of strains were resistant to erythromycin and 28.7% to tetracycline. This European study shows that bacteria associated with acute clinical mastitis are susceptible to most antibiotics with the exception of penicillin G against S. aureus, and erythromycin and tetracycline against S. uberis. The results of this study should serve as a reference baseline. This work also highlights the urgent need to set additional clinical breakpoints for antibiotics frequently used to treat mastitis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

  8. Monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility of respiratory tract pathogens isolated from diseased cattle and pigs across Europe, 2009-2012: VetPath results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Garch, Farid; de Jong, Anno; Simjee, Shabbir; Moyaert, Hilde; Klein, Ulrich; Ludwig, Carolin; Marion, Hervé; Haag-Diergarten, Silke; Richard-Mazet, Alexandra; Thomas, Valérie; Siegwart, Ed

    2016-10-15

    VetPath is an ongoing pan-European antibiotic susceptibility monitoring programme that collects pathogens from diseased cattle, pigs and poultry. In the current study, 996 isolates from cattle and pig respiratory tract infections were tested for their antimicrobial susceptibilities. Non-replicate lung samples or nasopharyngeal/nasal swabs were collected from animals with acute clinical signs in 10 countries during 2009-2012. Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica and Histophilus somni from cattle and P. multocida, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Haemophilus parasuis, Bordetella bronchiseptica and Streptococcus suis from pigs were isolated by standard methods. S. suis was also isolated from meningitis cases. MIC values of 16 or 17 antibiotics were assessed centrally by broth microdilution following CLSI standards. Results were interpreted using CLSI breakpoints where available. Cattle isolates were generally highly susceptible to most antibiotics, except to tetracycline (3.0-12.0% resistance). Low levels of resistance (0-4.0%) were observed for the macrolide antibiotics. Resistance to spectinomycin varied from 0 to 6.0%. In pig isolates similar observations were made. Resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ceftiofur, enrofloxacin, florfenicol, tulathromycin, tiamulin and tilmicosin was absent or <2%. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistance varied from 1.9 to 5.3%, but tetracycline resistance varied from 20.4% in P. multocida to 88.1% in S. suis. For most antibiotics and pathogens the percentage resistance remained unchanged or only increased numerically as compared to that of the period 2002-2006. In conclusion, absence or low resistance to antibiotics with defined clinical breakpoints, except for tetracycline, was observed among the major respiratory tract pathogens recovered from livestock. Comparison of all antibiotics and organisms was hampered since for almost half of the antibiotics no CLSI-defined breakpoints were available. Copyright © 2016

  9. A Standalone PV System with a Hybrid P&O MPPT Optimization Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Hota

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper a maximum power point tracking (MPPT design for a photovoltaic (PV system using a hybrid optimization technique is proposed. For maximum power transfer, maximum harvestable power from a PV cell in a dynamically changing surrounding should be known. The proposed technique is compared with the conventional Perturb and Observe (P&O technique. A comparative analysis of power-voltage and current-voltage characteristics of a PV cell with and without the MPPT module when connected to the grid was performed in SIMULINK, to demonstrate the increment in the efficiency of the PV module after using the MPPT module.

  10. Improved Sectional Image Analysis Technique for Evaluating Fiber Orientations in Fiber-Reinforced Cement-Based Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Bang Yeon; Kang, Su-Tae; Yun, Hae-Bum; Kim, Yun Yong

    2016-01-12

    The distribution of fiber orientation is an important factor in determining the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced concrete. This study proposes a new image analysis technique for improving the evaluation accuracy of fiber orientation distribution in the sectional image of fiber-reinforced concrete. A series of tests on the accuracy of fiber detection and the estimation performance of fiber orientation was performed on artificial fiber images to assess the validity of the proposed technique. The validation test results showed that the proposed technique estimates the distribution of fiber orientation more accurately than the direct measurement of fiber orientation by image analysis.

  11. 75 FR 34440 - National Assessment Governing Board: Proposed Information Collection

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-17

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Assessment Governing Board: Proposed Information Collection AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board, Department of Education. ACTION: Agency Information... through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (5...

  12. Evaluation Technique of Chloride Penetration Using Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and Neural Network Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yun-Yong Kim

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Diffusion coefficient from chloride migration test is currently used; however this cannot provide a conventional solution like total chloride contents since it depicts only ion migration velocity in electrical field. This paper proposes a simple analysis technique for chloride behavior using apparent diffusion coefficient from neural network algorithm with time-dependent diffusion phenomena. For this work, thirty mix proportions of high performance concrete are prepared and their diffusion coefficients are obtained after long term-NaCl submerged test. Considering time-dependent diffusion coefficient based on Fick’s 2nd Law and NNA (neural network algorithm, analysis technique for chloride penetration is proposed. The applicability of the proposed technique is verified through the results from accelerated test, long term submerged test, and field investigation results.

  13. Demonstration of laser processing technique combined with water jet technique for retrieval of fuel debris at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanari, Toshihide; Takebe, Toshihiko; Yamada, Tomonori; Daido, Hiroyuki; Ishizuka, Ippei; Ohmori, Shinya; Kurosawa, Koichi; Sasaki, Go; Nakada, Masahiro; Sakai, Hideaki

    2017-01-01

    In decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, a retrieval process of fuel debris in the Primary Containment Vessel by a remote operation is one of the key issues. In this process, prevention of spreading radioactive materials is one of the important considerations. Furthermore, an applicable technique to the process requires keeping of reasonable processing-efficiency. We propose to use the combined technique including a laser light and a water jet as a retrieval technique of the fuel debris. The laser processing technique combined with a repetitive pulsed water jet could perform an efficient retrieval processing. Our experimental result encourages us to promote further development of the technique towards a real application at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. (author)

  14. Enhanced Obfuscation Technique for Data Confidentiality in Public Cloud Storage

    OpenAIRE

    Oli S. Arul; Arockiam L.

    2016-01-01

    With an advent of cloud computing, data storage has become a boon in information technology. At the same time, data storage in remote places have become important issues. Lot of techniques are available to ensure protection of data confidentiality. These techniques do not completely serve the purpose in protecting data. The Obfuscation techniques come to rescue for protecting data from malicious attacks. This paper proposes an obfuscation technique to encrypt the desired data type on the clou...

  15. Continuation of the Ecological Risk Assessment of Explosive Residues in Rodents, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish and Invertebrates: An Integrated Laboratory and Field Investigation Related to Live-Fire Ranges in the Department of Defense

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-08-01

    as new herbivorous laboratory animals: Reproduction, bacterial flora and fermentation in the digestive tracts, and nutritional physiology. Vet. Res...Strain: Outbred Age: embryo/Larvae/Adults Source: All of Xenopus used in this proposal were bred from captive stocks currently maintained in our...PAHs may stimulate the induction of hepatic monooxygenase activity in birds , although PAHs are rapidly metabolized, and the bulk load is excreted from

  16. Situation and development of uranium open-pit mining techniques in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Kaiwen.

    1986-01-01

    The situation of uranium open-pit mining techniques in China is described. The main experiences in production and management are introduced. Meanwhile the suggestions about the further development of uranium open-pit mining techniques are also proposed

  17. 76 FR 2348 - National Assessment Governing Board: Proposed Information Collection

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-13

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Assessment Governing Board: Proposed Information Collection AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board, Education. ACTION: Agency Information Collection Activities... collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (5) estimates of capital or start-up...

  18. Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Literature Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiCarlo, Kristen; Cooper, Lori

    2014-01-01

    Effective classroom assessment techniques are directly linked to course objectives and proposed outcomes. Results within formative and summative assessments have been studied in the online learning environment as educators seek to meet objectives with respect to student success in the non-traditional setting. Online classroom assessment techniques…

  19. Feathering effect detection and artifact agglomeration index-based video deinterlacing technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martins, André Luis; Rodrigues, Evandro Luis Linhari; de Paiva, Maria Stela Veludo

    2018-03-01

    Several video deinterlacing techniques have been developed, and each one presents a better performance in certain conditions. Occasionally, even the most modern deinterlacing techniques create frames with worse quality than primitive deinterlacing processes. This paper validates that the final image quality can be improved by combining different types of deinterlacing techniques. The proposed strategy is able to select between two types of deinterlaced frames and, if necessary, make the local correction of the defects. This decision is based on an artifact agglomeration index obtained from a feathering effect detection map. Starting from a deinterlaced frame produced by the "interfield average" method, the defective areas are identified, and, if deemed appropriate, these areas are replaced by pixels generated through the "edge-based line average" method. Test results have proven that the proposed technique is able to produce video frames with higher quality than applying a single deinterlacing technique through getting what is good from intra- and interfield methods.

  20. Surface modification technique of structural ceramics: ion implantation-assisted multi-arc ion plating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng Zhijian; Miao Hezhuo; Si Wenjie; Qi Longhao; Li Wenzhi

    2003-01-01

    Through reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of the existed surface modification techniques, a new technique, ion implantation-assisted multi-arc ion plating, was proposed. Using the proposed technique, the surfaces of silicon nitride ceramics were modified by Ti ion implantation, and then three kinds of ternary coatings, (Ti,Al)N, (Ti,Zr)N and (Ti,Cr)N, were deposited on the as-implanted ceramics. The coatings prepared by this technique are of high-hardness and well adhesive to the ceramic substrates. The maximal hardness measured by nanoindentation tests is more than 40 GPa. The maximal critical load by nanoscratch tests is more than 60 mN. The cutting tools prepared by this technique with the presented coatings are of excellent performance in industrial applications. The technique may be promising for the surface modification of structural ceramics. (orig.)

  1. Surface registration technique for close-range mapping applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habib, Ayman F.; Cheng, Rita W. T.

    2006-08-01

    Close-range mapping applications such as cultural heritage restoration, virtual reality modeling for the entertainment industry, and anatomical feature recognition for medical activities require 3D data that is usually acquired by high resolution close-range laser scanners. Since these datasets are typically captured from different viewpoints and/or at different times, accurate registration is a crucial procedure for 3D modeling of mapped objects. Several registration techniques are available that work directly with the raw laser points or with extracted features from the point cloud. Some examples include the commonly known Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm and a recently proposed technique based on matching spin-images. This research focuses on developing a surface matching algorithm that is based on the Modified Iterated Hough Transform (MIHT) and ICP to register 3D data. The proposed algorithm works directly with the raw 3D laser points and does not assume point-to-point correspondence between two laser scans. The algorithm can simultaneously establish correspondence between two surfaces and estimates the transformation parameters relating them. Experiment with two partially overlapping laser scans of a small object is performed with the proposed algorithm and shows successful registration. A high quality of fit between the two scans is achieved and improvement is found when compared to the results obtained using the spin-image technique. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed algorithm for registering 3D laser scanning data in close-range mapping applications to help with the generation of complete 3D models.

  2. High Tc superconductors using solution techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barboux, P.; Valente, I.; Henry, M.; Morineau, R.; Tarascon, J.M.; Khan, S.; Shokoohi, F.; Bagley, B.G.

    1989-01-01

    The authors have investigated different solution techniques to synthesize the Cu-based superconductors in the thick film form. Thick films of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 have been produced using controlled precipitation techniques. Bi-based and Tl-based materials have been deposited by spraying of ionic solutions. The numerous difficulties encountered during each process are analyzed in order to propose new synthesis procedures such as a new method, based on the precipitation of hydroxides only, which is described as a prospective for lowering the synthesis temperature and shortening the reaction time

  3. Modified Dual Three-Pulse Modulation technique for single-phase inverter topology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sree Harsha, N. R.; Anitha, G. S.; Sreedevi, A.

    2016-01-01

    In a recent paper, a new modulation technique called Dual Three Pulse Modulation (DTPM) was proposed to improve the efficiency of the power converters of the Electric/Hybrid/Fuel-cell vehicles. It was simulated in PSIM 9.0.4 and uses analog multiplexers to generate the modulating signals for the DC/DC converter and inverter. The circuit used is complex and many other simulation softwares do not support the analog multiplexers as well. Also, the DTPM technique produces modulating signals for the converter, which are essentially needed to produce the modulating signals for the inverter. Hence, it cannot be used efficiently to switch the valves of a stand-alone inverter. We propose a new method to generate the modulating signals to switch MOSFETs of a single phase Dual-Three pulse Modulation based stand-alone inverter. The circuits proposed are simulated in Multisim 12.0. We also show an alternate way to switch a DC/DC converter in a way depicted by DTPM technique both in simulation (MATLAB/Simulink) and hardware. The circuitry is relatively simple and can be used for the further investigations of DTPM technique.

  4. No-Drain Single Incision Liposuction Pull-Through Technique for Gynecomastia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalil, Ashraf A; Ibrahim, Amr; Afifi, Ahmed M

    2017-04-01

    Several different methods have been proposed for treatment of gynecomastia, depending on the amount of breast enlargement and skin redundancy. The liposuction pull-through technique has been proposed as an efficacious treatment for many gynecomastia cases. This work aims to study the outcome of this technique when applied as an outpatient procedure, without the use of drains and through a single incision. Fifty-two patients with bilateral gynecomastia without significant skin excess were included in this study. The liposuction pull-through technique was performed through a single incision just above the inframammary fold and without the use of drains. Patients were followed up for 6 months. The proposed technique was able to treat the gynecomastia in all patients, with a revision rate of 1.9% to remove residual glandular tissues. There were no seromas, hematomas, nipple distortion, permanent affection of nipple sensation or wound healing problems. The liposuction pull-through technique is an effective treatment for gynecomastia without significant skin redundancy. It combines the benefits of the direct excision of glandular tissues, with the minimally invasive nature of liposuction. Performing the procedure through a single incision without the use of drains and without general anesthesia is a safe alternative. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors http://www.springer.com/00266 .

  5. Fast and improved examplar-based inpainting techniques for natural images

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ma, L.; Do, Q.L.; With, de P.H.N.

    2012-01-01

    Image inpainting is an image completion technique that has a wide range of applications such as image restoration, object removal and occlusion lling in view synthesis. In this paper, two novel techniques are proposed to enhance the performance of Criminisi's algorithm, which inpaints images with an

  6. Efficient techniques for wave-based sound propagation in interactive applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehra, Ravish

    Sound propagation techniques model the effect of the environment on sound waves and predict their behavior from point of emission at the source to the final point of arrival at the listener. Sound is a pressure wave produced by mechanical vibration of a surface that propagates through a medium such as air or water, and the problem of sound propagation can be formulated mathematically as a second-order partial differential equation called the wave equation. Accurate techniques based on solving the wave equation, also called the wave-based techniques, are too expensive computationally and memory-wise. Therefore, these techniques face many challenges in terms of their applicability in interactive applications including sound propagation in large environments, time-varying source and listener directivity, and high simulation cost for mid-frequencies. In this dissertation, we propose a set of efficient wave-based sound propagation techniques that solve these three challenges and enable the use of wave-based sound propagation in interactive applications. Firstly, we propose a novel equivalent source technique for interactive wave-based sound propagation in large scenes spanning hundreds of meters. It is based on the equivalent source theory used for solving radiation and scattering problems in acoustics and electromagnetics. Instead of using a volumetric or surface-based approach, this technique takes an object-centric approach to sound propagation. The proposed equivalent source technique generates realistic acoustic effects and takes orders of magnitude less runtime memory compared to prior wave-based techniques. Secondly, we present an efficient framework for handling time-varying source and listener directivity for interactive wave-based sound propagation. The source directivity is represented as a linear combination of elementary spherical harmonic sources. This spherical harmonic-based representation of source directivity can support analytical, data

  7. An intelligent content discovery technique for health portal content management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Silva, Daswin; Burstein, Frada

    2014-04-23

    Continuous content management of health information portals is a feature vital for its sustainability and widespread acceptance. Knowledge and experience of a domain expert is essential for content management in the health domain. The rate of generation of online health resources is exponential and thereby manual examination for relevance to a specific topic and audience is a formidable challenge for domain experts. Intelligent content discovery for effective content management is a less researched topic. An existing expert-endorsed content repository can provide the necessary leverage to automatically identify relevant resources and evaluate qualitative metrics. This paper reports on the design research towards an intelligent technique for automated content discovery and ranking for health information portals. The proposed technique aims to improve efficiency of the current mostly manual process of portal content management by utilising an existing expert-endorsed content repository as a supporting base and a benchmark to evaluate the suitability of new content A model for content management was established based on a field study of potential users. The proposed technique is integral to this content management model and executes in several phases (ie, query construction, content search, text analytics and fuzzy multi-criteria ranking). The construction of multi-dimensional search queries with input from Wordnet, the use of multi-word and single-word terms as representative semantics for text analytics and the use of fuzzy multi-criteria ranking for subjective evaluation of quality metrics are original contributions reported in this paper. The feasibility of the proposed technique was examined with experiments conducted on an actual health information portal, the BCKOnline portal. Both intermediary and final results generated by the technique are presented in the paper and these help to establish benefits of the technique and its contribution towards effective

  8. Brain tumor segmentation based on a hybrid clustering technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eman Abdel-Maksoud

    2015-03-01

    This paper presents an efficient image segmentation approach using K-means clustering technique integrated with Fuzzy C-means algorithm. It is followed by thresholding and level set segmentation stages to provide an accurate brain tumor detection. The proposed technique can get benefits of the K-means clustering for image segmentation in the aspects of minimal computation time. In addition, it can get advantages of the Fuzzy C-means in the aspects of accuracy. The performance of the proposed image segmentation approach was evaluated by comparing it with some state of the art segmentation algorithms in case of accuracy, processing time, and performance. The accuracy was evaluated by comparing the results with the ground truth of each processed image. The experimental results clarify the effectiveness of our proposed approach to deal with a higher number of segmentation problems via improving the segmentation quality and accuracy in minimal execution time.

  9. An anonymization technique using intersected decision trees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sam Fletcher

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Data mining plays an important role in analyzing the massive amount of data collected in today’s world. However, due to the public’s rising awareness of privacy and lack of trust in organizations, suitable Privacy Preserving Data Mining (PPDM techniques have become vital. A PPDM technique provides individual privacy while allowing useful data mining. We present a novel noise addition technique called Forest Framework, two novel data quality evaluation techniques called EDUDS and EDUSC, and a security evaluation technique called SERS. Forest Framework builds a decision forest from a dataset and preserves all the patterns (logic rules of the forest while adding noise to the dataset. We compare Forest Framework to its predecessor, Framework, and another established technique, GADP. Our comparison is done using our three evaluation criteria, as well as Prediction Accuracy. Our experimental results demonstrate the success of our proposed extensions to Framework and the usefulness of our evaluation criteria.

  10. Reliability assessment of restructured power systems using reliability network equivalent and pseudo-sequential simulation techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding, Yi; Wang, Peng; Goel, Lalit; Billinton, Roy; Karki, Rajesh

    2007-01-01

    This paper presents a technique to evaluate reliability of a restructured power system with a bilateral market. The proposed technique is based on the combination of the reliability network equivalent and pseudo-sequential simulation approaches. The reliability network equivalent techniques have been implemented in the Monte Carlo simulation procedure to reduce the computational burden of the analysis. Pseudo-sequential simulation has been used to increase the computational efficiency of the non-sequential simulation method and to model the chronological aspects of market trading and system operation. Multi-state Markov models for generation and transmission systems are proposed and implemented in the simulation. A new load shedding scheme is proposed during generation inadequacy and network congestion to minimize the load curtailment. The IEEE reliability test system (RTS) is used to illustrate the technique. (author)

  11. Technique for smoothing free-flight oscillation data.

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Beyers, ME

    1975-01-01

    Full Text Available A technique based on superposition of tricyclic solutions has been proposed for smoothing free-flight angular motion. When incorporated into a conventional tricyclic data reduction program, the method is convenient to use and does not require a...

  12. Integrating data mining technique and AHP in market analysis to propose new product development in real estate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yunita; Galinium, M.; Lukas

    2017-01-01

    New product development in real estate industry is a challenging process since it is related to long term concept and high cost. A newly proposed product development should meet customer need and their preferences which appropriate with customer buying power and company value. This research use data mining for profiling customer transaction and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method for product selection in new product development. This research utilizes Weka as data mining open source software to profiling data customers. The analysis correlated product preferences and profiling demography such as city, age, gender and occupation. Demography profiles gives description buying power and product preferences. The products proposed are based on customer profiles and rank of the product by AHP method. The product with the highest score will be proposed as new product development. Case studies of this research are real estate projects in Serang, Makassar, and Balikpapan. Makassar and Balikpapan are the project that already gained success and Serang is new project which new products development will be proposed to launch. Based on profiling and product preference of customer in Balikpapan, Makassar, and prospectus of Serang markets, new products development that will be proposed are house type of 120/200 m2 with price around Rp1.300.000.000 and house type of 71/120 m2 with price around Rp800.000.000. The markets of Serang and Balikpapan have similarities in profiles as urban city so the new products development will adopt the succeed story of Balikpapan project.

  13. A Welcome Proposal to Amend the GMO Legislation of the EU.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eriksson, Dennis; Harwood, Wendy; Hofvander, Per; Jones, Huw; Rogowsky, Peter; Stöger, Eva; Visser, Richard G F

    2018-05-25

    Is the European Union (EU) regulatory framework for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) adequate for emerging techniques, such as genome editing? This has been discussed extensively for more than 10 years. A recent proposal from The Netherlands offers a way to break the deadlock. Here, we discuss how the proposal would affect examples from public plant research. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. CHEBYSHEV ACCELERATION TECHNIQUE FOR SOLVING FUZZY LINEAR SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.H. Nasseri

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, Chebyshev acceleration technique is used to solve the fuzzy linear system (FLS. This method is discussed in details and followed by summary of some other acceleration techniques. Moreover, we show that in some situations that the methods such as Jacobi, Gauss-Sidel, SOR and conjugate gradient is divergent, our proposed method is applicable and the acquired results are illustrated by some numerical examples.

  15. CHEBYSHEV ACCELERATION TECHNIQUE FOR SOLVING FUZZY LINEAR SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.H. Nasseri

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, Chebyshev acceleration technique is used to solve the fuzzy linear system (FLS. This method is discussed in details and followed by summary of some other acceleration techniques. Moreover, we show that in some situations that the methods such as Jacobi, Gauss-Sidel, SOR and conjugate gradient is divergent, our proposed method is applicable and the acquired results are illustrated by some numerical examples.

  16. Distributed Synchronization Technique for OFDMA-Based Wireless Mesh Networks Using a Bio-Inspired Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mi Jeong Kim

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a distributed synchronization technique based on a bio-inspired algorithm is proposed for an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA-based wireless mesh network (WMN with a time difference of arrival. The proposed time- and frequency-synchronization technique uses only the signals received from the neighbor nodes, by considering the effect of the propagation delay between the nodes. It achieves a fast synchronization with a relatively low computational complexity because it is operated in a distributed manner, not requiring any feedback channel for the compensation of the propagation delays. In addition, a self-organization scheme that can be effectively used to construct 1-hop neighbor nodes is proposed for an OFDMA-based WMN with a large number of nodes. The performance of the proposed technique is evaluated with regard to the convergence property and synchronization success probability using a computer simulation.

  17. Distributed Synchronization Technique for OFDMA-Based Wireless Mesh Networks Using a Bio-Inspired Algorithm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Mi Jeong; Maeng, Sung Joon; Cho, Yong Soo

    2015-07-28

    In this paper, a distributed synchronization technique based on a bio-inspired algorithm is proposed for an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based wireless mesh network (WMN) with a time difference of arrival. The proposed time- and frequency-synchronization technique uses only the signals received from the neighbor nodes, by considering the effect of the propagation delay between the nodes. It achieves a fast synchronization with a relatively low computational complexity because it is operated in a distributed manner, not requiring any feedback channel for the compensation of the propagation delays. In addition, a self-organization scheme that can be effectively used to construct 1-hop neighbor nodes is proposed for an OFDMA-based WMN with a large number of nodes. The performance of the proposed technique is evaluated with regard to the convergence property and synchronization success probability using a computer simulation.

  18. Evaluation of effectiveness of cement removal from implant-retained crowns using a proposed circular crisscross flossing technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Cimara Fortes; Shafter, Mohamed Amer; Jain, Vinay; Wicks, Russel Anthony; Linder, Erno; Ledo, Carlos Alberto da Silva

    2018-02-13

    Extruded cement during dental implant crown cementation may cause peri-implant diseases if not removed adequately. Evaluate the efficiency of removal of cement after cementation of implant crowns using an experimental "circular crisscross flossing technique (CCCFT) flossing technique, compared to the conventional "C" shape flossing technique (CSFT). Twenty-four patients rendered 29 experimental and 29 control crowns. Prefabricated abutments were secured to the implant with the margins at least 1 mm subgingivally. The abutments were scanned using CADCAM technology and Emax crowns were fabricated in duplicates. Each crown was cemented separately and excess cement was removed using the CSFT and the CCFT techniques. After completion of cementation was completed, the screw access holes were accessed and the crown was unscrewed along with the abutment. The samples were disinfected using 70% ethanol for 10 minutes. Crowns were divided into 4 parts using a marker in order to facilitate measurement data collection. Vertical and horizontal measurements were made for extruded cement for each control and experimental groups by means of a digital microscope. One-hundred and seventeen measurements were made for each group. Mann-Whitney test was applied to verify statistical significance between the groups. The CCFT showed a highly statistically significant result (104.8 ± 13.66, pcrowns cementation when compared with the CSFT.

  19. EVE: Explainable Vector Based Embedding Technique Using Wikipedia

    OpenAIRE

    Qureshi, M. Atif; Greene, Derek

    2017-01-01

    We present an unsupervised explainable word embedding technique, called EVE, which is built upon the structure of Wikipedia. The proposed model defines the dimensions of a semantic vector representing a word using human-readable labels, thereby it readily interpretable. Specifically, each vector is constructed using the Wikipedia category graph structure together with the Wikipedia article link structure. To test the effectiveness of the proposed word embedding model, we consider its usefulne...

  20. Proposal for inclusion of the risk based inspection technique in Regulatory Standard NR 13; Proposta de inclusao da tecnica de inspecao baseada em risco na Norma Regulamentadora NR 13

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Esteves, Vinicius Teixeira; Lima, Marco Aurelio Oliveira [Det Norske Veritas Ltda. (DNV), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2012-07-01

    In Brazil, the Regulatory Standard n. 13 (NR 13) establishes requirements for the inspection of boilers and pressure vessels which has main objective of preventing accidents with these types of equipment. Additionally, it has the Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) technique as an effective way to manage the mechanical integrity of various types of static mechanical equipment by through an inspection planning based on the risk factor. In this study, it is being proposed to include the RBI technique, in the NR 13, for the planning and definition of periods for the safety inspection of boilers and pressure vessels in order to promote an increase in the operational safety in process industries in Brazil. In this study it was carried out a critical analysis of NR 13 and RBI, and beyond that a bibliographic research of various international documents that relate the operational safety of pressurized equipment with the inspection activity, and the acceptability of RBI by governments, agencies and organizations around the world. It is considered that the inclusion and formal acceptance of RBI technique in the NR 13 must be accompanied by a rigorous control to avoid the 'trivialization' of its use and ensure the implementation rational, efficient and reliable. Finally, it was developed and suggested basic elements and minimum requirements to be inserted in the NR 13, to be attended, in order mandatory, by the companies that choose the implementation and use of the RBI technique as a tool for the planning of safety inspection of boilers and pressure vessels. It is concluded that the formal acceptance of the RBI technique in the NR 13 could aggregate much value to this standard, with regard to the prevention of accidents involving boilers or pressure vessels, and provide a technological jump to the companies that make use of RBI technique in Brazil. (author)

  1. APC-PC Combined Scheme in Gilbert Two State Model: Proposal and Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulo, Yaka; Saring, Yang; Bhunia, Chandan Tilak

    2017-04-01

    In an automatic repeat request (ARQ) scheme, a packet is retransmitted if it gets corrupted due to transmission errors caused by the channel. However, an erroneous packet may contain both erroneous bits and correct bits and hence it may still contain useful information. The receiver may be able to combine this information from multiple erroneous copies to recover the correct packet. Packet combining (PC) is a simple and elegant scheme of error correction in transmitted packet, in which two received copies are XORed to obtain the bit location of erroneous bits. Thereafter, the packet is corrected by bit inversion of bit located as erroneous. Aggressive packet combining (APC) is a logic extension of PC primarily designed for wireless communication with objective of correcting error with low latency. PC offers higher throughput than APC, but PC does not correct double bit errors if occur in same bit location of erroneous copies of the packet. A hybrid technique is proposed to utilize the advantages of both APC and PC while attempting to remove the limitation of both. In the proposed technique, applications of APC-PC on Gilbert two state model has been studied. The simulation results show that the proposed technique offers better throughput than the conventional APC and lesser packet error rate than PC scheme.

  2. Heterodyne technique for measuring the amplitude and phase transfer functions of an optical modulator

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Romstad, Francis Pascal; Birkedal, Dan; Mørk, Jesper

    2002-01-01

    In this letter, we propose a technique based on heterodyne detection for accurately and simultaneously measuring the amplitude and phase transfer functions of an optical modulator. The technique is used to characterize an InGaAsp multiple quantum-well electroabsorption modulator. From the measure...... the measurements we derive the small-signal alpha-parameter and the time-dependent chirp for different operation conditions.......In this letter, we propose a technique based on heterodyne detection for accurately and simultaneously measuring the amplitude and phase transfer functions of an optical modulator. The technique is used to characterize an InGaAsp multiple quantum-well electroabsorption modulator. From...

  3. Gecondenseerde melk en melkpoeder : jaaroverzicht 1981

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Werdmuller, G.A.; Sledsens, A.; Oortwijn, H.; Ruig, de W.G.; Labrijn, J.

    1982-01-01

    Vergelijkend onderzoek tussen Controlestation voor Melkprodukten en RIKILT betreffende vocht, vet, suiker en melkzuur in gecondenseerde melk en vocht, vet, onoplosbaarheidscijfer, zuurheidsgraad en melkzuur in volle melkpoeder.

  4. Methodological proposal for the definition of improvement strategies in logistics of SME

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeimy Liseth Becerra

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available A methodological proposal for defining strategies of improvement in logistics of SMEs is presented as a means to fulfill a specific objective of the project Methodological design on storage logistics, acquisition, ownership of information systems and communication for Colombian SMEs, baker subsector, which currently runs the research group SEPRO, of Universidad Nacional of Colombia and supported by Colciencias. The project corresponds to the completion of the last stage of the base project, and aims to implement the corresponding target, raised in the research project that has been developing the research group SEPRO. To do this, it was made a review of the methodology used during the execution of the basic project, as well as the state of the art of techniques used in similar research for the evaluation and definition of breeding strategies in SMEs logistics. Revised techniques were compared and a proposed methodology was configured, which consists of the techniques that represented the greatest advantages for the research development.

  5. Collisional-radiative switching - A powerful technique for converging non-LTE calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hummer, D. G.; Voels, S. A.

    1988-01-01

    A very simple technique has been developed to converge statistical equilibrium and model atmospheric calculations in extreme non-LTE conditions when the usual iterative methods fail to converge from an LTE starting model. The proposed technique is based on a smooth transition from a collision-dominated LTE situation to the desired non-LTE conditions in which radiation dominates, at least in the most important transitions. The proposed approach was used to successfully compute stellar models with He abundances of 0.20, 0.30, and 0.50; Teff = 30,000 K, and log g = 2.9.

  6. Deep learning ensemble with asymptotic techniques for oscillometric blood pressure estimation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Soojeong; Chang, Joon-Hyuk

    2017-11-01

    This paper proposes a deep learning based ensemble regression estimator with asymptotic techniques, and offers a method that can decrease uncertainty for oscillometric blood pressure (BP) measurements using the bootstrap and Monte-Carlo approach. While the former is used to estimate SBP and DBP, the latter attempts to determine confidence intervals (CIs) for SBP and DBP based on oscillometric BP measurements. This work originally employs deep belief networks (DBN)-deep neural networks (DNN) to effectively estimate BPs based on oscillometric measurements. However, there are some inherent problems with these methods. First, it is not easy to determine the best DBN-DNN estimator, and worthy information might be omitted when selecting one DBN-DNN estimator and discarding the others. Additionally, our input feature vectors, obtained from only five measurements per subject, represent a very small sample size; this is a critical weakness when using the DBN-DNN technique and can cause overfitting or underfitting, depending on the structure of the algorithm. To address these problems, an ensemble with an asymptotic approach (based on combining the bootstrap with the DBN-DNN technique) is utilized to generate the pseudo features needed to estimate the SBP and DBP. In the first stage, the bootstrap-aggregation technique is used to create ensemble parameters. Afterward, the AdaBoost approach is employed for the second-stage SBP and DBP estimation. We then use the bootstrap and Monte-Carlo techniques in order to determine the CIs based on the target BP estimated using the DBN-DNN ensemble regression estimator with the asymptotic technique in the third stage. The proposed method can mitigate the estimation uncertainty such as large the standard deviation of error (SDE) on comparing the proposed DBN-DNN ensemble regression estimator with the DBN-DNN single regression estimator, we identify that the SDEs of the SBP and DBP are reduced by 0.58 and 0.57  mmHg, respectively. These

  7. Interference Mitigation Technique for Coexistence of Pulse-Based UWB and OFDM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ohno Kohei

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Ultra-wideband (UWB is a useful radio technique for sharing frequency bands between radio systems. It uses very short pulses to spread spectrum. However, there is a potential for interference between systems using the same frequency bands at close range. In some regulatory systems, interference detection and avoidance (DAA techniques are required to prevent interference with existing radio systems. In this paper, the effect of interference on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM signals from pulse-based UWB is discussed, and an interference mitigation technique is proposed. This technique focuses on the pulse repetition cycle of UWB. The pulse repetition interval is set the same or half the period of the OFDM symbol excluding the guard interval to mitigate interference. These proposals are also made for direct sequence (DS-UWB. Bit error rate (BER performance is illustrated through both simulation and theoretical approximations.

  8. A Novel (DDCC-SFG-Based Systematic Design Technique of Active Filters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Fakhfakh

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposes a novel idea for the synthesis of active filters that is based on the use of signal-flow graph (SFG stamps of differential difference current conveyors (DDCCs. On the basis of an RLC passive network or a filter symbolic transfer function, an equivalent SFG is constructed. DDCCs’ SFGs are identified inside the constructed ‘active’ graph, and thus the equivalent circuit can be easily synthesized. We show that the DDCC and its ‘derivatives’, i.e. differential voltage current conveyors and the conventional current conveyors, are the main basic building blocks in such design. The practicability of the proposed technique is showcased via three application examples. Spice simulations are given to show the viability of the proposed technique.

  9. Subsurface Scattering-Based Object Rendering Techniques for Real-Time Smartphone Games

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Won-Sun Lee

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Subsurface scattering that simulates the path of a light through the material in a scene is one of the advanced rendering techniques in the field of computer graphics society. Since it takes a number of long operations, it cannot be easily implemented in real-time smartphone games. In this paper, we propose a subsurface scattering-based object rendering technique that is optimized for smartphone games. We employ our subsurface scattering method that is utilized for a real-time smartphone game. And an example game is designed to validate how the proposed method can be operated seamlessly in real time. Finally, we show the comparison results between bidirectional reflectance distribution function, bidirectional scattering distribution function, and our proposed subsurface scattering method on a smartphone game.

  10. TECHNIQUE OF OPTIMAL AUDIT PLANNING FOR INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. N. Shago

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Complication of information security management systems leads to the necessity of improving the scientific and methodological apparatus for these systems auditing. Planning is an important and determining part of information security management systems auditing. Efficiency of audit will be defined by the relation of the reached quality indicators to the spent resources. Thus, there is an important and urgent task of developing methods and techniques for optimization of the audit planning, making it possible to increase its effectiveness. The proposed technique gives the possibility to implement optimal distribution for planning time and material resources on audit stages on the basis of dynamics model for the ISMS quality. Special feature of the proposed approach is the usage of a priori data as well as a posteriori data for the initial audit planning, and also the plan adjustment after each audit event. This gives the possibility to optimize the usage of audit resources in accordance with the selected criteria. Application examples of the technique are given while planning audit information security management system of the organization. The result of computational experiment based on the proposed technique showed that the time (cost audit costs can be reduced by 10-15% and, consequently, quality assessments obtained through audit resources allocation can be improved with respect to well-known methods of audit planning.

  11. HIGHLY-ACCURATE MODEL ORDER REDUCTION TECHNIQUE ON A DISCRETE DOMAIN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. D. Ribeiro

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available AbstractIn this work, we present a highly-accurate technique of model order reduction applied to staged processes. The proposed method reduces the dimension of the original system based on null values of moment-weighted sums of heat and mass balance residuals on real stages. To compute these sums of weighted residuals, a discrete form of Gauss-Lobatto quadrature was developed, allowing a high degree of accuracy in these calculations. The locations where the residuals are cancelled vary with time and operating conditions, characterizing a desirable adaptive nature of this technique. Balances related to upstream and downstream devices (such as condenser, reboiler, and feed tray of a distillation column are considered as boundary conditions of the corresponding difference-differential equations system. The chosen number of moments is the dimension of the reduced model being much lower than the dimension of the complete model and does not depend on the size of the original model. Scaling of the discrete independent variable related with the stages was crucial for the computational implementation of the proposed method, avoiding accumulation of round-off errors present even in low-degree polynomial approximations in the original discrete variable. Dynamical simulations of distillation columns were carried out to check the performance of the proposed model order reduction technique. The obtained results show the superiority of the proposed procedure in comparison with the orthogonal collocation method.

  12. A proposal to manage multi-task dialogs in conversational interfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David GRIOL

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The emergence of smart devices and recent advances in spoken language technology are currently extending the use of conversational interfaces and spoken interaction to perform many tasks. The dialog management task of a conversational interface consists of selecting the next system response considering the user's actions, the dialog history, and the results of accessing the data repositories. In this paper we describe a dialog management technique adapted to multi-task conversational systems. In our proposal, specialized dialog models are used to deal with each specific subtask of dialog objective for which the dialog system has been designed. The practical application of the proposed technique to develop a dialog system acting as a customer support service shows that the use of these specialized dialog models increases the quality and number of successful interactions with the system in comparison with developing a single dialog model.

  13. Intelligent techniques in signal processing for multimedia security

    CERN Document Server

    Santhi, V

    2017-01-01

    This book proposes new algorithms to ensure secured communications and prevent unauthorized data exchange in secured multimedia systems. Focusing on numerous applications’ algorithms and scenarios, it offers an in-depth analysis of data hiding technologies including watermarking, cryptography, encryption, copy control, and authentication. The authors present a framework for visual data hiding technologies that resolves emerging problems of modern multimedia applications in several contexts including the medical, healthcare, education, and wireless communication networking domains. Further, it introduces several intelligent security techniques with real-time implementation. As part of its comprehensive coverage, the book discusses contemporary multimedia authentication and fingerprinting techniques, while also proposing personal authentication/recognition systems based on hand images, surveillance system security using gait recognition, face recognition under restricted constraints such as dry/wet face condi...

  14. Radiation technique to determine early peopling of Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, Shigueo; Ayta, Walter E.F.; Callata, Henry J.C.; Farias, Thiago M.B.; Gennari, Roseli F.; Etchevarne, Carlos A.

    2009-01-01

    Peopling American Continent and in particular of Brazil has been subject of research for a long time. With the results of dating of several pertinent materials many theories have been proposed. In Brazil, there is a National Park (Serra da Capivara Park) which is worldwide known due to thousands of wall paintings, most of them in rockshelters. N. Guidon, head of the Serra da Capivara National Park, found charcoal pellets in several archaeological sites and they were dated by radiocarbon technique. Ages ranging from 6 to 48 ka have been found. In one of the shelter a thin white covering was found that was proved to be calcite. This calcite was dated by Thermoluminescence and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance techniques and ages of 35 to 36 ka were obtained. In 2007, thin calcite covering wall paintings found in Iraquara County, Bahia state, has been dated. Ages of 50 ka have been obtained. The proposal of this work is that the early settlers crossed Atlantic Ocean from westernmost point of African Continent to easternmost point in Brazil more than 50000 years ago. The theory here proposed is possible once the distance between these two points is less than 3000 km distance far shorter than from Siberia to South America as proposed by other researchers.(author)

  15. Do media play a role in promoting vocational education and training? The case of MasterChef

    OpenAIRE

    Di Pietro, G.

    2018-01-01

    It is often suggested that vocational education and training (VET) could be key to cut youth unemployment. VET programmes may provide young people with specific professional qualifications that enable them to successfully compete in the labour market. However, despite the great emphasis placed by governments and other institutions on these programmes, VET appears to be far from reaching its full potential in many countries. One barrier preventing students from pursuing this type of education ...

  16. Robustness Area Technique Developing Guidelines for Power System Restoration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Murinelli Pesoti

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposes a novel energy based technique called the Robustness Area (RA technique that measures power system robustness levels, as a helper for planning Power System Restorations (PSRs. The motivation is on account of the latest blackouts in Brazil, where the local Independent System Operator (ISO encountered difficulties related to circuit disconnections during the restoration. The technique identifies vulnerable and robust buses, pointing out system areas that should be firstly reinforced during PSR, in order to enhance system stability. A Brazilian power system restoration area is used to compare the guidelines adopted by the ISO with a more suitable new plan indicated by the RA tool. Active power and reactive power load margin and standing phase angle show the method efficiency as a result of a well balanced system configuration, enhancing the restoration performance. Time domain simulations for loop closures and severe events also show the positive impact that the proposed tool brings to PSRs.

  17. Experimental program for development and evaluation of nondestructive assay techniques for plutonium holdup

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brumbach, S.B.

    1977-05-01

    An outline is presented for an experimental program to develop and evaluate nondestructive assay techniques applicable to holdup measurement in plutonium-containing fuel fabrication facilities. The current state-of-the-art in holdup measurements is reviewed. Various aspects of the fuel fabrication process and the fabrication facility are considered for their potential impact on holdup measurements. The measurement techniques considered are those using gamma-ray counting, neutron counting, and temperature measurement. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique are discussed. Potential difficulties in applying the techniques to holdup measurement are identified. Experiments are proposed to determine the effects of such problems as variation in sample thickness, in sample distribution, and in background radiation. These experiments are also directed toward identification of techniques most appropriate to various applications. Also proposed are experiments to quantify the uncertainties expected for each measurement

  18. An inductorless wideband LNA with a new noise canceling technique

    OpenAIRE

    MOGHADAM, POURIA PAZHOUHESH; ABRISHAMIFAR, ADIB

    2017-01-01

    An inductorless wideband low-noise amplifier (LNA) employing a new noise canceling technique for multistandard applications is presented. The main amplifier has a cascode common gate structure, which provides good input impedance matching and isolation. The proposed noise canceling technique not only improves the noise figure and power gain but also embeds a g$_{m}$-boosting technique in itself, which reduces the power consumption of the main amplifier. Using current-steering and ...

  19. A leakage-free resonance sparse decomposition technique for bearing fault detection in gearboxes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osman, Shazali; Wang, Wilson

    2018-03-01

    Most of rotating machinery deficiencies are related to defects in rolling element bearings. Reliable bearing fault detection still remains a challenging task, especially for bearings in gearboxes as bearing-defect-related features are nonstationary and modulated by gear mesh vibration. A new leakage-free resonance sparse decomposition (LRSD) technique is proposed in this paper for early bearing fault detection of gearboxes. In the proposed LRSD technique, a leakage-free filter is suggested to remove strong gear mesh and shaft running signatures. A kurtosis and cosine distance measure is suggested to select appropriate redundancy r and quality factor Q. The signal residual is processed by signal sparse decomposition for highpass and lowpass resonance analysis to extract representative features for bearing fault detection. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is verified by a succession of experimental tests corresponding to different gearbox and bearing conditions.

  20. Evaluation of rebound tonometry in non-human primates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elsmo, Elizabeth J; Kiland, Julie A; Kaufman, Paul L; McLellan, Gillian J

    2011-04-01

    To determine the accuracy and reproducibility of intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements obtained with the TonoVet® rebound tonometer in cynomolgus macaques and to determine the effects of corneal thickness on measurements obtained by the TonoVet®. The anterior chambers of both eyes of anesthetized monkeys were cannulated with branched 23-G needles; one branch was connected to a vertically adjustable reservoir and the other to a pressure transducer. IOP was increased by 5 mmHg increments and then decreased by 10 mmHg decrements. IOP was measured using the TonoVet® at each increment and decrement by 2 independent observers and at every other increment and every decrement by a single observer using 'minified' Goldmann applanation tonometry. Central corneal thickness was measured with a PachPen(TM) ultrasonic pachymeter. TonoVet® readings correlated well with manometric IOP (slope = 0.972, r(2) coefficient = 0.955). No significant differences were observed when comparing eyes or operators; however there was a non-significant trend for TonoVet® readings taken in right eyes to be closer to manometric IOP than those taken in left eyes. The TonoVet® had a non-significant tendency to underestimate manometric IOP. TonoVet® readings obtained during the decremental phase of the experiment were significantly closer (p tonometer is a reliable and accurate tool for the measurement of IOP in cynomolgus macaques. This tonometer has several advantages, including portability, ease of use, and brief contact with the corneal surface making topical anesthetics unnecessary. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The Effective Ransomware Prevention Technique Using Process Monitoring on Android Platform

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanggeun Song

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to recent indiscriminate attacks of ransomware, damage cases including encryption of users’ important files are constantly increasing. The existing vaccine systems are vulnerable to attacks of new pattern ransomware because they can only detect the ransomware of existing patterns. More effective technique is required to prevent modified ransomware. In this paper, an effective method is proposed to prevent the attacks of modified ransomware on Android platform. The proposed technique specifies and intensively monitors processes and specific file directories using statistical methods based on Processor usage, Memory usage, and I/O rates so that the process with abnormal behaviors can be detected. If the process running a suspicious ransomware is detected, the proposed system will stop the process and take steps to confirm the deletion of programs associated with the process from users. The information of suspected and exceptional processes confirmed by users is stored in a database. The proposed technique can detect ransomware even if you do not save its patterns. Its speed of detection is very fast because it can be implemented in Android source code instead of mobile application. In addition, it can effectively determine modified patterns of ransomware and provide protection with minimum damage.

  2. ProteinAC: a frequency domain technique for analyzing protein dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozkurt Varolgunes, Yasemin; Demir, Alper

    2018-03-01

    It is widely believed that the interactions of proteins with ligands and other proteins are determined by their dynamic characteristics as opposed to only static, time-invariant processes. We propose a novel computational technique, called ProteinAC (PAC), that can be used to analyze small scale functional protein motions as well as interactions with ligands directly in the frequency domain. PAC was inspired by a frequency domain analysis technique that is widely used in electronic circuit design, and can be applied to both coarse-grained and all-atom models. It can be considered as a generalization of previously proposed static perturbation-response methods, where the frequency of the perturbation becomes the key. We discuss the precise relationship of PAC to static perturbation-response schemes. We show that the frequency of the perturbation may be an important factor in protein dynamics. Perturbations at different frequencies may result in completely different response behavior while magnitude and direction are kept constant. Furthermore, we introduce several novel frequency dependent metrics that can be computed via PAC in order to characterize response behavior. We present results for the ferric binding protein that demonstrate the potential utility of the proposed techniques.

  3. PTSD: National Center for PTSD

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Health Care Jobs (VA Careers) Travel Nurses Get Job Help Vets in the Workplace VA for Vets Performance Based Interviewing Clinical Trainees (Academic Affiliations) Employees & Contractors ...

  4. A Technique for Estimating Intensity of Emotional Expressions and Speaking Styles in Speech Based on Multiple-Regression HSMM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nose, Takashi; Kobayashi, Takao

    In this paper, we propose a technique for estimating the degree or intensity of emotional expressions and speaking styles appearing in speech. The key idea is based on a style control technique for speech synthesis using a multiple regression hidden semi-Markov model (MRHSMM), and the proposed technique can be viewed as the inverse of the style control. In the proposed technique, the acoustic features of spectrum, power, fundamental frequency, and duration are simultaneously modeled using the MRHSMM. We derive an algorithm for estimating explanatory variables of the MRHSMM, each of which represents the degree or intensity of emotional expressions and speaking styles appearing in acoustic features of speech, based on a maximum likelihood criterion. We show experimental results to demonstrate the ability of the proposed technique using two types of speech data, simulated emotional speech and spontaneous speech with different speaking styles. It is found that the estimated values have correlation with human perception.

  5. A vertical-energy-thresholding procedure for data reduction with multiple complex curves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Uk; Jeong, Myong K; Lu, Jye-Chyi

    2006-10-01

    Due to the development of sensing and computer technology, measurements of many process variables are available in current manufacturing processes. It is very challenging, however, to process a large amount of information in a limited time in order to make decisions about the health of the processes and products. This paper develops a "preprocessing" procedure for multiple sets of complicated functional data in order to reduce the data size for supporting timely decision analyses. The data type studied has been used for fault detection, root-cause analysis, and quality improvement in such engineering applications as automobile and semiconductor manufacturing and nanomachining processes. The proposed vertical-energy-thresholding (VET) procedure balances the reconstruction error against data-reduction efficiency so that it is effective in capturing key patterns in the multiple data signals. The selected wavelet coefficients are treated as the "reduced-size" data in subsequent analyses for decision making. This enhances the ability of the existing statistical and machine-learning procedures to handle high-dimensional functional data. A few real-life examples demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed procedure compared to several ad hoc techniques extended from single-curve-based data modeling and denoising procedures.

  6. Lower-Order Compensation Chain Threshold-Reduction Technique for Multi-Stage Voltage Multipliers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dell' Anna, Francesco; Dong, Tao; Li, Ping; Wen, Yumei; Azadmehr, Mehdi; Casu, Mario; Berg, Yngvar

    2018-04-17

    This paper presents a novel threshold-compensation technique for multi-stage voltage multipliers employed in low power applications such as passive and autonomous wireless sensing nodes (WSNs) powered by energy harvesters. The proposed threshold-reduction technique enables a topological design methodology which, through an optimum control of the trade-off among transistor conductivity and leakage losses, is aimed at maximizing the voltage conversion efficiency (VCE) for a given ac input signal and physical chip area occupation. The conducted simulations positively assert the validity of the proposed design methodology, emphasizing the exploitable design space yielded by the transistor connection scheme in the voltage multiplier chain. An experimental validation and comparison of threshold-compensation techniques was performed, adopting 2N5247 N-channel junction field effect transistors (JFETs) for the realization of the voltage multiplier prototypes. The attained measurements clearly support the effectiveness of the proposed threshold-reduction approach, which can significantly reduce the chip area occupation for a given target output performance and ac input signal.

  7. Constrained Optimization Based on Hybrid Evolutionary Algorithm and Adaptive Constraint-Handling Technique

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Yong; Cai, Zixing; Zhou, Yuren

    2009-01-01

    A novel approach to deal with numerical and engineering constrained optimization problems, which incorporates a hybrid evolutionary algorithm and an adaptive constraint-handling technique, is presented in this paper. The hybrid evolutionary algorithm simultaneously uses simplex crossover and two...... mutation operators to generate the offspring population. Additionally, the adaptive constraint-handling technique consists of three main situations. In detail, at each situation, one constraint-handling mechanism is designed based on current population state. Experiments on 13 benchmark test functions...... and four well-known constrained design problems verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method. The experimental results show that integrating the hybrid evolutionary algorithm with the adaptive constraint-handling technique is beneficial, and the proposed method achieves competitive...

  8. 78 FR 18988 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-28

    ... techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden. Information Collection Request Title: The Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) Program: Physician's... Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In compliance...

  9. Methodology for using root locus technique for mobile robots path planning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mario Ricardo Arbulú Saavedra

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper shows the analysis and the implementation methodology of the technique of dynamic systems roots location used in free-obstacle path planning for mobile robots. First of all, the analysis and morphologic behavior identification of the paths depending on roots location in complex plane are performed, where paths type and their attraction and repulsion features in the presence of other roots similarly to the obtained with artificial potential fields are identified. An implementation methodology for this technique of mobile robots path planning is proposed, starting from three different methods of roots location for obstacles in the scene. Those techniques change depending on the obstacle key points selected for roots, such as borders, crossing points with original path, center and vertices. Finally, a behavior analysis of general technique and the effectiveness of each tried method is performed, doing 20 tests for each one, obtaining a value of 65% for the selected method. Modifications and possible improvements to this methodology are also proposed.

  10. A cluster randomized Hybrid Type III trial testing an implementation support strategy to facilitate the use of an evidence-based practice in VA homeless programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smelson, David A; Chinman, Matthew; McCarthy, Sharon; Hannah, Gordon; Sawh, Leon; Glickman, Mark

    2015-05-28

    The Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program is one of the largest initiatives to end Veteran homelessness. However, mental health and substance use disorders continue to reduce client stability and impede program success. HUD-VASH programs do not consistently employ evidence-based practices that address co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. This paper presents a study protocol to evaluate the implementation of an evidence-based, co-occurring disorder treatment called Maintaining Independence and Sobriety Through Systems Integration, Outreach, and Networking-Veterans Edition (MISSION-Vet) in HUD-VASH using an implementation strategy called Getting To Outcomes (GTO). In three large VA Medical Centers, this Hybrid Type III trial will randomize case managers and their clients by HUD-VASH sub-teams to receive either MISSION-Vet Implementation as Usual (IU-standard training and access to the MISSION-Vet treatment manuals) or MISSION-Vet implementation augmented by GTO. In addition to testing GTO, effectiveness of the treatment (MISSION-Vet) will be assessed using existing Veteran-level data from the HUD-VASH data monitoring system. This project will compare GTO and IU case managers and their clients on the following variables: (1) fidelity to the MISSION-Vet intervention; (2) proportion of time the Veteran is housed; (3) mental health, substance use, and functional outcomes among Veterans; and (4) factors key to the successful deployment of a new treatment as specified by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) model. This project is an important step for developing an implementation strategy to increase adoption of evidence-based practice use in VA homeless programs, and to further examine efficacy of MISSION-Vet in HUD-VASH. This project has important implications for program managers, policy makers, and researchers within the homelessness field. VA Central IRB approval

  11. Fast damage imaging using the time-reversal technique in the frequency–wavenumber domain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, R; Huang, G L; Yuan, F G

    2013-01-01

    The time-reversal technique has been successfully used in structural health monitoring (SHM) for quantitative imaging of damage. However, the technique is very time-consuming when it is implemented in the time domain. In this paper, we study the technique in the frequency–wavenumber (f–k) domain for fast real-time imaging of multiple damage sites in plates using scattered flexural plate waves. Based on Mindlin plate theory, the time reversibility of dispersive flexural waves in an isotropic plate is theoretically investigated in the f–k domain. A fast damage imaging technique is developed by using the cross-correlation between the back-propagated scattered wavefield and the incident wavefield in the frequency domain. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the proposed technique cannot only localize multiple damage sites but also potentially identify their sizes. Moreover, the time-reversal technique in the f–k domain is about two orders of magnitude faster than the method in the time domain. Finally, experimental testing of an on-line SHM system with a sparse piezoelectric sensor array is conducted for fast multiple damage identification using the proposed technique. (paper)

  12. J Vet Med

    OpenAIRE

    Lewis, SR; Ellison, SP; Dascanio, JJ; Lindsay, DS; Gogal, RM; Werre, SR; Surendran, N; Breen, ME; Heid, BM; Andrews, FM; Buechner-Maxwell, VA; Witonsky, SG

    2014-01-01

    Sarcocystis neurona is the most common cause of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM), affecting 0.5-1% horses in the United States during their lifetimes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the equine immune responses in an experimentally induced Sarcocystis neurona infection model. Neurologic parameters were recorded prior to and throughout the 70-day study by blinded investigators. Recombinant SnSAG1 ELISA for serum and CSF were used to confirm and track disease progression. Al...

  13. Contralateral breast doses measured by film dosimetry: tangential techniques and an optimized IMRT technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saur, S; Frengen, J; Fjellsboe, L M B; Lindmo, T

    2009-01-01

    The contralateral breast (CLB) doses for three tangential techniques were characterized by using a female thorax phantom and GafChromic EBT film. Dose calculations by the pencil beam and collapsed cone algorithms were included for comparison. The film dosimetry reveals a highly inhomogeneous dose distribution within the CLB, and skin doses due to the medial fields that are several times higher than the interior dose. These phenomena are not correctly reproduced by the calculation algorithms. All tangential techniques were found to give a mean CLB dose of approximately 0.5 Gy. All wedged fields resulted in higher CLB doses than the corresponding open fields, and the lateral open fields resulted in higher CLB doses than the medial open fields. More than a twofold increase in the mean CLB dose from the medial open field was observed for a 90 deg. change of the collimator orientation. Replacing the physical wedge with a virtual wedge reduced the mean dose to the CLB by 35% and 16% for the medial and lateral fields, respectively. Lead shielding reduced the skin dose for a tangential technique by approximately 50%, but the mean CLB dose was only reduced by approximately 11%. Finally, a technique based on open medial fields in combination with several IMRT fields is proposed as a technique for minimizing the CLB dose. With and without lead shielding, the mean CLB dose using this technique was found to be 0.20 and 0.27 Gy, respectively.

  14. Modulinis mokymas profesinio rengimo sistemoje : samprata ir principai

    OpenAIRE

    Navikienė, Živilė

    2008-01-01

    Many documents reflect the concern how to make VET system not only more attractive but also more available. Modular training is considered to be among the prerequisites for more flexible VET system. Modular training provides opportunities to students and teachers for creativity development as well as promotes independent continuous self-improvement. VET modularisation can help persons not only to acquire lacking competencies but also return to education system and at the same time to become m...

  15. PTSD: National Center for PTSD

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Help Vets in the Workplace VA for Vets Performance Based Interviewing Clinical Trainees (Academic Affiliations) Employees & Contractors Talent Management System (TMS) VA Learning University (VALU) SimLearn Libraries ( ...

  16. Resizing Technique-Based Hybrid Genetic Algorithm for Optimal Drift Design of Multistory Steel Frame Buildings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyo Seon Park

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Since genetic algorithm-based optimization methods are computationally expensive for practical use in the field of structural optimization, a resizing technique-based hybrid genetic algorithm for the drift design of multistory steel frame buildings is proposed to increase the convergence speed of genetic algorithms. To reduce the number of structural analyses required for the convergence, a genetic algorithm is combined with a resizing technique that is an efficient optimal technique to control the drift of buildings without the repetitive structural analysis. The resizing technique-based hybrid genetic algorithm proposed in this paper is applied to the minimum weight design of three steel frame buildings. To evaluate the performance of the algorithm, optimum weights, computational times, and generation numbers from the proposed algorithm are compared with those from a genetic algorithm. Based on the comparisons, it is concluded that the hybrid genetic algorithm shows clear improvements in convergence properties.

  17. Electricity market price spike analysis by a hybrid data model and feature selection technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amjady, Nima; Keynia, Farshid

    2010-01-01

    In a competitive electricity market, energy price forecasting is an important activity for both suppliers and consumers. For this reason, many techniques have been proposed to predict electricity market prices in the recent years. However, electricity price is a complex volatile signal owning many spikes. Most of electricity price forecast techniques focus on the normal price prediction, while price spike forecast is a different and more complex prediction process. Price spike forecasting has two main aspects: prediction of price spike occurrence and value. In this paper, a novel technique for price spike occurrence prediction is presented composed of a new hybrid data model, a novel feature selection technique and an efficient forecast engine. The hybrid data model includes both wavelet and time domain variables as well as calendar indicators, comprising a large candidate input set. The set is refined by the proposed feature selection technique evaluating both relevancy and redundancy of the candidate inputs. The forecast engine is a probabilistic neural network, which are fed by the selected candidate inputs of the feature selection technique and predict price spike occurrence. The efficiency of the whole proposed method for price spike occurrence forecasting is evaluated by means of real data from the Queensland and PJM electricity markets. (author)

  18. Methodological proposal for studying suicide as a complex phenomenon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minayo Maria Cecília de Souza

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The authors present a methodological proposal for studying suicide and suicide attempts from a combined socio-anthropological, epidemiological, and psychosocial perspective. This interdisciplinary and complex research model simultaneously examined individual, socioeconomic, historical/cultural, and population data as few studies have succeeded to date. Considering that the present study was conducted in a specific social reality, the authors created a methodological approach to comprehend the effects of a crisis in an industrial restructuring process in a mining company town in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, that was associated with unusually high suicide rates. Since it referred to a small geographic area (with only 100,000 inhabitants, the research is considered an ideal case study. The authors created different strategies to trace the local epidemiological profile, adapted a psychosocial autopsy technique to elucidate suicide cases and a psychosocial harm assessment technique to comprehend suicide attempts, and conducted a local analysis of the socio-cultural context. The methods proposed here (with advantages and limitations proved productive for elucidating the study hypothesis.

  19. Enhanced Obfuscation Technique for Data Confidentiality in Public Cloud Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oli S. Arul

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available With an advent of cloud computing, data storage has become a boon in information technology. At the same time, data storage in remote places have become important issues. Lot of techniques are available to ensure protection of data confidentiality. These techniques do not completely serve the purpose in protecting data. The Obfuscation techniques come to rescue for protecting data from malicious attacks. This paper proposes an obfuscation technique to encrypt the desired data type on the cloud providing more protection from unknown hackers. The experimental results show that the time taken for obfuscation is low and the confidentiality percentage is high when compared with existing techniques.

  20. A Proposal for a Flexible Trend Specification in DSGE Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Slanicay Martin

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper I propose a flexible trend specification for estimating DSGE models on log differences. I demonstrate this flexible trend specification on a New Keynesian DSGE model of two economies, which I consequently estimate on data from the Czech economy and the euro area, using Bayesian techniques. The advantage of the trend specification proposed is that the trend component and the cyclical component are modelled jointly in a single model. The proposed trend specification is flexible in the sense that smoothness of the trend can be easily modified by different calibration of some of the trend parameters. The results suggest that this method is capable of finding a very reasonable trend in the data. Moreover, comparison of forecast performance reveals that the proposed specification offers more reliable forecasts than the original variant of the model.

  1. Negotiating behavioural change: therapists' proposal turns in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekberg, Katie; Lecouteur, Amanda

    2012-01-01

    Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an internationally recognised method for treating depression. However, many of the techniques involved in CBT are accomplished within the therapy interaction in diverse ways, and with varying consequences for the trajectory of therapy session. This paper uses conversation analysis to examine some standard ways in which therapists propose suggestions for behavioural change to clients attending CBT sessions for depression in Australia. Therapists' proposal turns displayed their subordinate epistemic authority over the matter at hand, and emphasised a high degree of optionality on behalf of the client in accepting their suggestions. This practice was routinely accomplished via three standard proposal turns: (1) hedged recommendations; (2) interrogatives; and (3) information-giving. These proposal turns will be examined in relation to the negotiation of behavioural change, and the implications for CBT interactions between therapist and client will be discussed.

  2. Unsupervised color image segmentation using a lattice algebra clustering technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urcid, Gonzalo; Ritter, Gerhard X.

    2011-08-01

    In this paper we introduce a lattice algebra clustering technique for segmenting digital images in the Red-Green- Blue (RGB) color space. The proposed technique is a two step procedure. Given an input color image, the first step determines the finite set of its extreme pixel vectors within the color cube by means of the scaled min-W and max-M lattice auto-associative memory matrices, including the minimum and maximum vector bounds. In the second step, maximal rectangular boxes enclosing each extreme color pixel are found using the Chebychev distance between color pixels; afterwards, clustering is performed by assigning each image pixel to its corresponding maximal box. The two steps in our proposed method are completely unsupervised or autonomous. Illustrative examples are provided to demonstrate the color segmentation results including a brief numerical comparison with two other non-maximal variations of the same clustering technique.

  3. A no-gold-standard technique for objective assessment of quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jha, Abhinav K; Caffo, Brian; Frey, Eric C

    2016-04-07

    The objective optimization and evaluation of nuclear-medicine quantitative imaging methods using patient data is highly desirable but often hindered by the lack of a gold standard. Previously, a regression-without-truth (RWT) approach has been proposed for evaluating quantitative imaging methods in the absence of a gold standard, but this approach implicitly assumes that bounds on the distribution of true values are known. Several quantitative imaging methods in nuclear-medicine imaging measure parameters where these bounds are not known, such as the activity concentration in an organ or the volume of a tumor. We extended upon the RWT approach to develop a no-gold-standard (NGS) technique for objectively evaluating such quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods with patient data in the absence of any ground truth. Using the parameters estimated with the NGS technique, a figure of merit, the noise-to-slope ratio (NSR), can be computed, which can rank the methods on the basis of precision. An issue with NGS evaluation techniques is the requirement of a large number of patient studies. To reduce this requirement, the proposed method explored the use of multiple quantitative measurements from the same patient, such as the activity concentration values from different organs in the same patient. The proposed technique was evaluated using rigorous numerical experiments and using data from realistic simulation studies. The numerical experiments demonstrated that the NSR was estimated accurately using the proposed NGS technique when the bounds on the distribution of true values were not precisely known, thus serving as a very reliable metric for ranking the methods on the basis of precision. In the realistic simulation study, the NGS technique was used to rank reconstruction methods for quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) based on their performance on the task of estimating the mean activity concentration within a known volume of interest

  4. A no-gold-standard technique for objective assessment of quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jha, Abhinav K; Frey, Eric C; Caffo, Brian

    2016-01-01

    The objective optimization and evaluation of nuclear-medicine quantitative imaging methods using patient data is highly desirable but often hindered by the lack of a gold standard. Previously, a regression-without-truth (RWT) approach has been proposed for evaluating quantitative imaging methods in the absence of a gold standard, but this approach implicitly assumes that bounds on the distribution of true values are known. Several quantitative imaging methods in nuclear-medicine imaging measure parameters where these bounds are not known, such as the activity concentration in an organ or the volume of a tumor. We extended upon the RWT approach to develop a no-gold-standard (NGS) technique for objectively evaluating such quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods with patient data in the absence of any ground truth. Using the parameters estimated with the NGS technique, a figure of merit, the noise-to-slope ratio (NSR), can be computed, which can rank the methods on the basis of precision. An issue with NGS evaluation techniques is the requirement of a large number of patient studies. To reduce this requirement, the proposed method explored the use of multiple quantitative measurements from the same patient, such as the activity concentration values from different organs in the same patient. The proposed technique was evaluated using rigorous numerical experiments and using data from realistic simulation studies. The numerical experiments demonstrated that the NSR was estimated accurately using the proposed NGS technique when the bounds on the distribution of true values were not precisely known, thus serving as a very reliable metric for ranking the methods on the basis of precision. In the realistic simulation study, the NGS technique was used to rank reconstruction methods for quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) based on their performance on the task of estimating the mean activity concentration within a known volume of interest

  5. Symbol synchronization and sampling frequency synchronization techniques in real-time DDO-OFDM systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ming; He, Jing; Cao, Zizheng; Tang, Jin; Chen, Lin; Wu, Xian

    2014-09-01

    In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a symbol synchronization and sampling frequency synchronization techniques in real-time direct-detection optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DDO-OFDM) system, over 100-km standard single mode fiber (SSMF) using a cost-effective directly modulated distributed feedback (DFB) laser. The experiment results show that the proposed symbol synchronization based on training sequence (TS) has a low complexity and high accuracy even at a sampling frequency offset (SFO) of 5000-ppm. Meanwhile, the proposed pilot-assisted sampling frequency synchronization between digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is capable of estimating SFOs with an accuracy of technique can also compensate SFO effects within a small residual SFO caused by deviation of SFO estimation and low-precision or unstable clock source. The two synchronization techniques are suitable for high-speed DDO-OFDM transmission systems.

  6. Dropout Prediction in E-Learning Courses through the Combination of Machine Learning Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lykourentzou, Ioanna; Giannoukos, Ioannis; Nikolopoulos, Vassilis; Mpardis, George; Loumos, Vassili

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, a dropout prediction method for e-learning courses, based on three popular machine learning techniques and detailed student data, is proposed. The machine learning techniques used are feed-forward neural networks, support vector machines and probabilistic ensemble simplified fuzzy ARTMAP. Since a single technique may fail to…

  7. 77 FR 28607 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-15

    ... of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Proposed Project... Administration (HRSA) Faculty Loan Repayment Program, degree-trained health professionals from disadvantaged... notice. Dated: May 9, 2012. Reva Harris, Acting Director, Division of Policy and Information Coordination...

  8. Adaptive Strategies in the Russian Vocational Education and Training System: Institutional Barriers and Rent-Seeking Behavior

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vyacheslav V.Volchik

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The process of institutional change is going very rapidly in the Russian vocational education and training (VET system. If implemented reforms are inconsistent with present working rules and institutions in the field, it causes inefficiencies of the VET system and may result in institutional traps. The actors involved in the VET system are working in an increasingly demanding environment. They have to adapt their behaviors to complicated and constantly changing rules. Seeking to meet the requirements of students and employers, who operate under resource constraints, educational organizations undertake curriculum reductions to minimize costs. These measures usually result in low education outcomes and poor quality of education. In an attempt to identify adaptive behavioral patterns of actors involved in the educational process, we have conducted and analyzed 50 in-depth interviews with lecturers, managers and students within the educational organizations of Rostov region that offer VET programs. Our research aims to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of adaptation among academic staff members and VET students using the concepts of institutional economics and qualitative research methods.

  9. A secure cyclic steganographic technique for color images using randomization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muhammad, K.; Ahmad, J.; Rehman, N.U.

    2014-01-01

    Information Security is a major concern in today's modern era. Almost all the communicating bodies want the security, confidentiality and integrity of their personal data. But this security goal cannot be achieved easily when we are using an open network like internet. Steganography provides one of the best solutions to this problem. This paper represents a new Cyclic Steganographic Technique (CST) based on Least Significant Bit (LSB) for true color (RGB) images. The proposed method hides the secret data in the LSBs of cover image pixels in a randomized cyclic manner. The proposed technique is evaluated using both subjective and objective analysis using histograms changeability, Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Mean Square Error (MSE). Experimentally it is found that the proposed method gives promising results in terms of security, imperceptibility and robustness as compared to some existent methods and vindicates this new algorithm. (author)

  10. Testing aspects of advanced coherent electron cooling technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Litvinenko, V.; Jing, Y.; Pinayev, I.; Wang, G.; Samulyak, R.; Ratner, D.

    2015-05-03

    An advanced version of the Coherent-electron Cooling (CeC) based on the micro-bunching instability was proposed. This approach promises significant increase in the bandwidth of the CeC system and, therefore, significant shortening of cooling time in high-energy hadron colliders. In this paper we present our plans of simulating and testing the key aspects of this proposed technique using the set-up of the coherent-electron-cooling proof-of-principle experiment at BNL.

  11. A Novel Technique to Enhance Demand Responsiveness

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Farashbashi-Astaneh, Seyed-Mostafa; Bhattarai, Bishnu Prasad; Bak-Jensen, Birgitte

    2015-01-01

    In this study, a new pricing approach is proposed to increase demand responsiveness. The proposed approach considers two well-known demand side management techniques, namely peak shaving and valley filling. This is done by incentivising consumers by magnifying price difference between peak and off......-peak hours. The usefulness of the suggested method is then investigated by its combination with an electric vehicle optimal scheduling methodology which captures both economic valuation and grid technical constraints. This case is chosen in this study to address network congestion issues, namely under...

  12. THD Minimization from H-Bridge Cascaded Multilevel Inverter Using Particle Swarm Optimization Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MUDASIR AHMED MEMON

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization based technique is proposed to derive optimized switching angles that minimizes the THD (Total Harmonic Distortion and reduces the effect of selected low order non-triple harmonics from the output of the multilevel inverter. Conventional harmonic elimination techniques have plenty of limitations, and other heuristic techniques also not provide the satisfactory results. In this paper, single phase symmetrical cascaded H-Bridge 11-Level multilevel inverter is considered, and proposed algorithm is utilized to obtain the optimized switching angles that reduced the effect of 5th, 7th, 11th and 13th non-triplen harmonics from the output voltage of the multilevel inverter. A simulation result indicates that this technique outperforms other methods in terms of minimizing THD and provides high-quality output voltage waveform.

  13. THD minimization from h-bridge cascaded multilevel inverter using particle swarm optimization technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Memon, M.A.; Memon, S.; Khan, S.

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization) based technique is proposed to derive optimized switching angles that minimizes the THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) and reduces the effect of selected low order non-triple harmonics from the output of the multilevel inverter. Conventional harmonic elimination techniques have plenty of limitations, and other heuristic techniques also not provide the satisfactory results. In this paper, single phase symmetrical cascaded H-Bridge 11-Level multilevel inverter is considered, and proposed algorithm is utilized to obtain the optimized switching angles that reduced the effect of 5th, 7th, 11th and 13th non-triplen harmonics from the output voltage of the multilevel inverter. A simulation result indicates that this technique outperforms other methods in terms of minimizing THD and provides high-quality output voltage waveform. (author)

  14. 78 FR 58681 - Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination Obligations of Contractors and Subcontractors Regarding...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-24

    ...\\ OMB Control Number 1293-0005, Federal Contractor Veterans' Employment Report, VETS-100/VETS-100A, http... the context of telecommuting, work arrangements that do not include a physical office setting, and the...

  15. Stokes-Mueller matrix polarimetry technique for circular dichroism/birefringence sensing with scattering effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phan, Quoc-Hung; Lo, Yu-Lung

    2017-04-01

    A surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-enhanced method is proposed for measuring the circular dichroism (CD), circular birefringence (CB), and degree of polarization (DOP) of turbid media using a Stokes–Mueller matrix polarimetry technique. The validity of the analytical model is confirmed by means of numerical simulations. The simulation results show that the proposed detection method enables the CD and CB properties to be measured with a resolution of 10 ? 4 refractive index unit (RIU) and 10 ? 5 ?? RIU , respectively, for refractive indices in the range of 1.3 to 1.4. The practical feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated by detecting the CB/CD/DOP properties of glucose–chlorophyllin compound samples containing polystyrene microspheres. It is shown that the extracted CB value decreases linearly with the glucose concentration, while the extracted CD value increases linearly with the chlorophyllin concentration. However, the DOP is insensitive to both the glucose concentration and the chlorophyllin concentration. Consequently, the potential of the proposed SPR-enhanced Stokes–Mueller matrix polarimetry method for high-resolution CB/CD/DOP detection is confirmed. Notably, in contrast to conventional SPR techniques designed to detect relative refractive index changes, the SPR technique proposed in the present study allows absolute measurements of the optical properties (CB/CD/DOP) to be obtained.

  16. A histogram-based technique for rapid vector extraction from PIV photographs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphreys, William M., Jr.

    1991-01-01

    A new analysis technique, performed totally in the image plane, is proposed which rapidly extracts all available vectors from individual interrogation regions on PIV photographs. The technique avoids the need for using Fourier transforms with the associated computational burden. The data acquisition and analysis procedure is described, and results of a preliminary simulation study to evaluate the accuracy of the technique are presented. Recently obtained PIV photographs are analyzed.

  17. Maximum Bandwidth Enhancement of Current Mirror using Series-Resistor and Dynamic Body Bias Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Niranjan

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper introduces a new approach for enhancing the bandwidth of a low voltage CMOS current mirror. The proposed approach is based on utilizing body effect in a MOS transistor by connecting its gate and bulk terminals together for signal input. This results in boosting the effective transconductance of MOS transistor along with reduction of the threshold voltage. The proposed approach does not affect the DC gain of the current mirror. We demonstrate that the proposed approach features compatibility with widely used series-resistor technique for enhancing the current mirror bandwidth and both techniques have been employed simultaneously for maximum bandwidth enhancement. An important consequence of using both techniques simultaneously is the reduction of the series-resistor value for achieving the same bandwidth. This reduction in value is very attractive because a smaller resistor results in smaller chip area and less noise. PSpice simulation results using 180 nm CMOS technology from TSMC are included to prove the unique results. The proposed current mirror operates at 1Volt consuming only 102 µW and maximum bandwidth extension ratio of 1.85 has been obtained using the proposed approach. Simulation results are in good agreement with analytical predictions.

  18. Applications of Graph Spectral Techniques to Water Distribution Network Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Armando di Nardo

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Cities depend on multiple heterogeneous, interconnected infrastructures to provide safe water to consumers. Given this complexity, efficient numerical techniques are needed to support optimal control and management of a water distribution network (WDN. This paper introduces a holistic analysis framework to support water utilities on the decision making process for an efficient supply management. The proposal is based on graph spectral techniques that take advantage of eigenvalues and eigenvectors properties of matrices that are associated with graphs. Instances of these matrices are the adjacency matrix and the Laplacian, among others. The interest for this application is to work on a graph that specifically represents a WDN. This is a complex network that is made by nodes corresponding to water sources and consumption points and links corresponding to pipes and valves. The aim is to face new challenges on urban water supply, ranging from computing approximations for network performance assessment to setting device positioning for efficient and automatic WDN division into district metered areas. It is consequently created a novel tool-set of graph spectral techniques adapted to improve main water management tasks and to simplify the identification of water losses through the definition of an optimal network partitioning. Two WDNs are used to analyze the proposed methodology. Firstly, the well-known network of C-Town is investigated for benchmarking of the proposed graph spectral framework. This allows for comparing the obtained results with others coming from previously proposed approaches in literature. The second case-study corresponds to an operational network. It shows the usefulness and optimality of the proposal to effectively manage a WDN.

  19. Multiple Access Techniques for Next Generation Wireless: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shree Krishna Sharma

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The advances in multiple access techniques has been one of the key drivers in moving from one cellular generation to another. Starting from the first generation, several multiple access techniques have been explored in different generations and various emerging multiplexing/multiple access techniques are being investigated for the next generation of cellular networks. In this context, this paper first provides a detailed review on the existing Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA related works. Subsequently, it highlights the main features and the drawbacks of various existing and emerging multiplexing/multiple access techniques. Finally, we propose a novel concept of clustered orthogonal signature division multiple access for the next generation of cellular networks. The proposed concept envisions to employ joint antenna coding in order to enhance the orthogonality of SDMA beams with the objective of enhancing the spectral efficiency of future cellular networks.

  20. GPU-accelerated few-view CT reconstruction using the OSC and TV techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matenine, Dmitri [Montreal Univ., QC (Canada). Dept. de Physique; Hissoiny, Sami [Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, QC (Canada). Dept. de Genie Informatique et Genie Logiciel; Despres, Philippe [Centre Hospitalier Univ. de Quebec, QC (Canada). Dept. de Radio-Oncologie

    2011-07-01

    The present work proposes a promising iterative reconstruction technique designed specifically for X-ray transmission computed tomography (CT). The main objective is to reduce diagnostic radiation dose through the reduction of the number of CT projections, while preserving image quality. The second objective is to provide a fast implementation compatible with clinical activities. The proposed tomographic reconstruction technique is a combination of the Ordered Subsets Convex (OSC) algorithm and the Total Variation minimization (TV) regularization technique. The results in terms of image quality and computational speed are discussed. Using this technique, it was possible to obtain reconstructed slices of relatively good quality with as few as 100 projections, leading to potential dose reduction factors of up to an order of magnitude depending on the application. The algorithm was implemented on a Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) and yielded reconstruction times of approximately 185 ms per slice. (orig.)

  1. PTSD: National Center for PTSD

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Job Help & Training Find a Job with VA Health Care Jobs (VA Careers) Travel Nurses Get Job Help Vets in the Workplace VA for Vets Performance Based Interviewing Clinical Trainees ( ...

  2. A proposal for performing software safety hazard analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lawrence, J.D.; Gallagher, J.M.

    1997-01-01

    Techniques for analyzing the safety and reliability of analog-based electronic protection systems that serve to mitigate hazards in process control systems have been developed over many years, and are reasonably understood. An example is the protection system in a nuclear power plant. The extension of these techniques to systems which include digital computers is not well developed, and there is little consensus among software engineering experts and safety experts on how to analyze such systems. One possible technique is to extend hazard analysis to include digital computer-based systems. Software is frequently overlooked during system hazard analyses, but this is unacceptable when the software is in control of a potentially hazardous operation. In such cases, hazard analysis should be extended to fully cover the software. A method for performing software hazard analysis is proposed in this paper. The method concentrates on finding hazards during the early stages of the software life cycle, using an extension of HAZOP

  3. Face-based recognition techniques: proposals for the metrological characterization of global and feature-based approaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betta, G.; Capriglione, D.; Crenna, F.; Rossi, G. B.; Gasparetto, M.; Zappa, E.; Liguori, C.; Paolillo, A.

    2011-12-01

    Security systems based on face recognition through video surveillance systems deserve great interest. Their use is important in several areas including airport security, identification of individuals and access control to critical areas. These systems are based either on the measurement of details of a human face or on a global approach whereby faces are considered as a whole. The recognition is then performed by comparing the measured parameters with reference values stored in a database. The result of this comparison is not deterministic because measurement results are affected by uncertainty due to random variations and/or to systematic effects. In these circumstances the recognition of a face is subject to the risk of a faulty decision. Therefore, a proper metrological characterization is needed to improve the performance of such systems. Suitable methods are proposed for a quantitative metrological characterization of face measurement systems, on which recognition procedures are based. The proposed methods are applied to three different algorithms based either on linear discrimination, on eigenface analysis, or on feature detection.

  4. Face-based recognition techniques: proposals for the metrological characterization of global and feature-based approaches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Betta, G; Capriglione, D; Crenna, F; Rossi, G B; Gasparetto, M; Zappa, E; Liguori, C; Paolillo, A

    2011-01-01

    Security systems based on face recognition through video surveillance systems deserve great interest. Their use is important in several areas including airport security, identification of individuals and access control to critical areas. These systems are based either on the measurement of details of a human face or on a global approach whereby faces are considered as a whole. The recognition is then performed by comparing the measured parameters with reference values stored in a database. The result of this comparison is not deterministic because measurement results are affected by uncertainty due to random variations and/or to systematic effects. In these circumstances the recognition of a face is subject to the risk of a faulty decision. Therefore, a proper metrological characterization is needed to improve the performance of such systems. Suitable methods are proposed for a quantitative metrological characterization of face measurement systems, on which recognition procedures are based. The proposed methods are applied to three different algorithms based either on linear discrimination, on eigenface analysis, or on feature detection

  5. A SUMMARY COMPARISON OF DESIGN EVALUATION TECHNIQUES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spielman, Zachary; Hill, Rachael

    2017-06-01

    The United States’ fleet of Nuclear Reactors is considering modernizing their control rooms and instrumentation as an effort to avoid component obsolescence, keep up with competing industries, and cater to a new work force among others. Multiple technologies have potential to improve the control room. In attempts to evaluate the available options researchers employ a variety of measures to ensure the best candidate is used in a modernizing effort. The NRC is in charge of ensuring any new design has been thoroughly vetted before approving a license. Laid out in NUREG-0711 “Human Factors Engineering Program Review Model” is the review criteria for design validation. As there are a variety of measures currently used to evaluate candidate technologies, this paper seeks to identify weaknesses in the common measures used to design and validate technology in control room modernization efforts. Identifying where measurements are not meeting the criteria will help the control room modernization research platform identify where measurement development needs to occur. This will help ensure that current performance measurements are producing as reliable results as possible to select the right technology to integrate into nuclear operating control rooms.

  6. MODIFIED TECHNIQUE OF TOTAL LARYNGECTOMY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Predrag Spirić

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Surgical technique of total laryngectomy is well presented in many surgical textbooks. Essentially, it has remained the same since Gluck an Soerensen in 1922 described all its details. Generally, it stresses the U shape skin incision with releasing laryngeal structures and removing larynx from up to down. Further, pharyngeal reconstruction is performed with different kinds of sutures in two or more layers and is finished with skin suture and suction drainage. One of worst complications following this surgery is pharyngocutaneous fistula (PF. Modifications proposed in this this article suggests vertical skin incision with larynx removal from below upwards. In pharyngeal reconstruction we used the running locked suture in submucosal plan with „tobacco sac“ at the end on the tongue base instead of traditional T shaped suture. Suction drains were not used.The aim of study was to present the modified surgical technique of total laryingectomy and its impact on hospital stay duration and pharyngocutanous fistula formation. In this randomized study we analyzed 49 patients operated with modified surgical technique compared to 49 patient operated with traditional surgical technique of total laryngectomy. The modified technique of total laryngectomy was presented. Using modified technique we managed to decrease the PF percentage from previous 20,41% to acceptable 8,16% (p=0,0334. Also, the average hospital stay was shortened from 14,96 to 10,63 days (t =-2.9850; p=0.0358.The modified technique of total laryngectomy is safe, short and efficient surgical intervention which decreases the number of pharyngocutaneos fistulas and shortens the hospital stay.

  7. Incidence of gasrointestinal helminthiasis in captive deers at Nagpur

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. T. Borghare

    Full Text Available Out of 60 Samples of deer from Maharajbag Zoo, Nagpur, 30 were positive for eggs and larvae of helminthic parasites. The encountered parasitic species were Haemonchus spp., Dicrocoelium spp., Paramphistomum spp., Oesophagostomum spp. and Bunostomum spp. etc. Direct smear method together with sedimentation technique were used for the purpose. [Vet World 2009; 2(9.000: 337-338

  8. Segmentation Technique for Image Indexing and Retrieval on Discrete Cosines Domain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suhendro Yusuf Irianto

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper uses region growing segmentation technique to segment the Discrete Cosines (DC  image. The problem of content Based image retrieval (CBIR is the luck of accuracy in matching between image query and image in the database as it matches object and background in the same time.   This the reason previous CBIR techniques inaccurate and time consuming. The CBIR   based on the segmented region proposed in this work  separates object from background as CBIR need only match the object not the background.  By using region growing technique on DC image, it reduces the number of image       regions.    The proposed of recursive region growing is not new technique but its application on DC images to build    indexing keys is quite new and not yet presented by many     authors. The experimental results show  that the proposed methods on   segmented images present good precision which are higher than 0.60 on all classes . It can be concluded that  region growing segmented based CBIR more efficient    compare to DC images  in term of their precision 0.59 and 0.75, respectively. Moreover,  DC based CBIR  can save time and simplify algorithm compare to DCT images.

  9. PTSD: National Center for PTSD

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Vets in the Workplace VA for Vets Performance Based Interviewing Clinical Trainees (Academic Affiliations) Employees & Contractors Talent Management System (TMS) VA Learning University (VALU) SimLearn Libraries (VALNET) VA Software Documentation ...

  10. Realities of Private VET Practice through VET Teachers' Lenses: Learning Contexts for International Students in Private VET in Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasura, Rinos

    2014-01-01

    Since the introduction of the competitive vocational education and training market model in the Australia in the 1990s, the growth and participation of international students and private providers has led to sustained debates about training standards in commercial-for-profit, private registered training organisations. Much of this debate has been…

  11. Challenges, in terms of continuous professional development (CPD), VET teachers, VET schools and VET authorities are facing in 2015

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knudsen, Hans Jørgen

    2015-01-01

    The Agency has over the years developed bilateral cooperation with a number of institutions such as the National Institute for Vocational Education and Training (CPI), Slovenia; Metropolitan University College. Denmark, Omnia, Finland, etc.......The Agency has over the years developed bilateral cooperation with a number of institutions such as the National Institute for Vocational Education and Training (CPI), Slovenia; Metropolitan University College. Denmark, Omnia, Finland, etc....

  12. A new simple technique for improving the random properties of chaos-based cryptosystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Bosque, M.; Pérez-Resa, A.; Sánchez-Azqueta, C.; Celma, S.

    2018-03-01

    A new technique for improving the security of chaos-based stream ciphers has been proposed and tested experimentally. This technique manages to improve the randomness properties of the generated keystream by preventing the system to fall into short period cycles due to digitation. In order to test this technique, a stream cipher based on a Skew Tent Map algorithm has been implemented on a Virtex 7 FPGA. The randomness of the keystream generated by this system has been compared to the randomness of the keystream generated by the same system with the proposed randomness-enhancement technique. By subjecting both keystreams to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) tests, we have proved that our method can considerably improve the randomness of the generated keystreams. In order to incorporate our randomness-enhancement technique, only 41 extra slices have been needed, proving that, apart from effective, this method is also efficient in terms of area and hardware resources.

  13. Young peoples’ access to working life in three Nordic countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Christian Helms

    2018-01-01

    While working life in the Nordic countries generally has a high quality, the question examined in this chapter is how accessible working life is for young people. The chapter examines how upper secondary vocational education (VET) is connected to working life and how it supports young peoples......’ transitions to the labour market in Norway, Denmark and Sweden. The examination includes a conceptual discussion of the links between education and working life in comparative research on VET and transition systems. It explores how the VET systems match the educational demand of young people with the skills...... requirements in working life. In addition, it examines young peoples’ transitions to working life in two selected industries, health care and construction. Also, three new, innovative institutions to mediate between VET and working life are investigat-ed....

  14. 78 FR 73211 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-05

    ... Education Grants. The survey will allow the NRC to collect information that is not otherwise available from... minimized, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2013-0256] Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed...

  15. Innovative Concrete Repairing Technique Using Post Tensioning Steel Straps

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma Chau-Khun

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, innovative technique using low-cost recycled steel straps confinement to repair load-induced damaged high-strength concrete (HSC columns were studied. This paper explains the effects of repairing technique using post tensioning steel straps. A series of experimental test was carried out to investigate the stress-strain relationships of such concrete. A total of 6 HSC columns were compressed 50% of their ultimate strength, then repaired by using steel straps. The proposed repairing technique significantly improved the performance of damaged concrete columns, in both strength and ductility. It was evidenced from this study that the steel strapping confining technique is effective in repairing of damaged HSC columns but ensured reasonable operating costs.

  16. Adaptive techniques for diagnostics of vibrating structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skormin, V.A.; Sankar, S.

    1983-01-01

    An adaptive diagnostic procedure for vibrating structures based on correspondence between current estimates of stiffness matrix and structure status is proposed. Procedure employs adaptive mathematical description of the vibrating structure in frequency domain, statistical techniques for detection and location of changes of structure properties, 'recognition' and prediction of defects. (orig.)

  17. Metal Artifacts Reduction of Pedicle Screws on Spine Computed Tomography Images Using Variable Thresholding Technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaewlek, T.; Koolpiruck, D.; Thongvigitmanee, S.; Mongkolsuk, M.; Chiewvit, P.; Thammakittiphan, S.

    2012-01-01

    Metal artifacts are one of significant problems in computed tomography (CT). The streak lines and air gaps arise from metal implants of orthopedic patients, such as prosthesis, dental bucket, and pedicle screws that cause incorrect diagnosis and local treatment planning. A common technique to suppressed artifacts is by adjusting windows, but those artifacts still remain on the images. To improve the detail of spine CT images, the variable thresholding technique is proposed in this paper. Three medical cases of spine CT images categorized by the severity of artifacts (screws head, one full screw, and two full screws) were investigated. Metal regions were segmented by k-mean clustering, then transformed into a sinogram domain. The metal sinogram was identified by the variable thresholding method, and then replaced the new estimated values by linear interpolation. The modified sinogram was reconstructed by the filtered back- projection algorithm, and added the metal region back to the modified reconstructed image in order to reproduce the final image. The image quality of the proposed technique, the automatic thresholding (Kalender) technique, and window adjustment technique was compared in term of noise and signal to noise ratio (SNR). The propose method can reduce metal artifacts between pedicle screws. After processing by our proposed technique, noise in the modified images is reduced (screws head 121.15 to73.83, one full screw 160.88 to 94.04, and two full screws 199.73 to 110.05 from the initial image) and SNR is increased (screws head 0.87 to 1.88, one full screw 1.54 to 2.82, and two full screws 0.32 to 0.41 from the initial image). The variable thresholding technique can identify the suitable boundary for restoring the missing data. The efficiency of the metal artifacts reduction is indicated on the case of partial and full pedicle screws. Our technique can improve the detail of spine CT images better than automatic thresholding (Kalender) technique, and

  18. Ecological Risk Assessment of Perchlorate in Avian Species, Rodents, Amphibians and Fish

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-08-01

    nutritional physiology. Vet. Res. Commun. 8:77–91. Lee S-Y, Brodman BW. 2004. Biodegradation of 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX). Journal of...laevis (African clawed frog) Strain: Outbred Age: embryo/Larvae/Adults Source: All of Xenopus used in this proposal were bred from captive stocks...Laboratory studies have shown that PAHs may stimulate the induction of hepatic monooxygenase activity in birds , although PAHs are rapidly metabolized, and

  19. Application of source biasing technique for energy efficient DECODER circuit design: memory array application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Neha; Parihar, Priyanka; Neema, Vaibhav

    2018-04-01

    Researchers have proposed many circuit techniques to reduce leakage power dissipation in memory cells. If we want to reduce the overall power in the memory system, we have to work on the input circuitry of memory architecture i.e. row and column decoder. In this research work, low leakage power with a high speed row and column decoder for memory array application is designed and four new techniques are proposed. In this work, the comparison of cluster DECODER, body bias DECODER, source bias DECODER, and source coupling DECODER are designed and analyzed for memory array application. Simulation is performed for the comparative analysis of different DECODER design parameters at 180 nm GPDK technology file using the CADENCE tool. Simulation results show that the proposed source bias DECODER circuit technique decreases the leakage current by 99.92% and static energy by 99.92% at a supply voltage of 1.2 V. The proposed circuit also improves dynamic power dissipation by 5.69%, dynamic PDP/EDP 65.03% and delay 57.25% at 1.2 V supply voltage.

  20. Measurement of epithermal neutrons by a coherent demodulation technique

    CERN Document Server

    Horiuchi, N; Takahashi, H; Kobayashi, H; Harasawa, S

    2000-01-01

    Epithermal neutrons have been measured using a neutron dosimeter via a coherent demodulation technique. This dosimeter consists of CsI(Tl)-photodiode scintillation detectors, four of which are coupled to neutron-gamma converting foils of various sizes. Neutron-gamma converting foils of In, Au and Co materials were used, each of which has a large capture cross section which peaks in the epithermal neutron energy region. The type of foil was selected according to the material properties that best correspond to the energy of the epithermal neutrons to be measured. In addition, the proposed technique was applied using Au-foils in order to measure the Cd ratio. The validity of the proposed technique was examined using an sup 2 sup 4 sup 1 Am-Be source placed in a testing stack of polyethylene blocks, and the results were compared with the theoretical values calculated by the Monte Carlo calculation. Finally, the dosimeter was applied for measuring epithermal neutrons and the Cd ratio in an experimental beam-tube o...

  1. A Novel Kernel-Based Regularization Technique for PET Image Reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdelwahhab Boudjelal

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Positron emission tomography (PET is an imaging technique that generates 3D detail of physiological processes at the cellular level. The technique requires a radioactive tracer, which decays and releases a positron that collides with an electron; consequently, annihilation photons are emitted, which can be measured. The purpose of PET is to use the measurement of photons to reconstruct the distribution of radioisotopes in the body. Currently, PET is undergoing a revamp, with advancements in data measurement instruments and the computing methods used to create the images. These computer methods are required to solve the inverse problem of “image reconstruction from projection”. This paper proposes a novel kernel-based regularization technique for maximum-likelihood expectation-maximization ( κ -MLEM to reconstruct the image. Compared to standard MLEM, the proposed algorithm is more robust and is more effective in removing background noise, whilst preserving the edges; this suppresses image artifacts, such as out-of-focus slice blur.

  2. Development of Measurement Techniques For Strengthening Nuclear Safeguards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Badawy, I.

    2007-01-01

    The strategy of nuclear safeguards is based on the accounting and control of nuclear materials, nuclear technologies and activities in a State in order to attain its ''Legal'' goals of the application of atomic energy. The present paper investigates the development in the measurement techniques used in the verification and control of NMs for the purpose of strengthening safeguards. Its focus is to review the recent nuclear measurement techniques used for the identification and verification of nuclear materials.The different levels of verification and the accuracy of these techniques are discussed. The implementation of stregthened safeguards; and nuclear materials verification and control in the world are mentioned. Also, the recently proposed measures to enhance the ability to detect undeclared nuclear materials, nuclear activities and facilities that would need advanced measurement techniques are indicated.

  3. Lower-Order Compensation Chain Threshold-Reduction Technique for Multi-Stage Voltage Multipliers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesco Dell’ Anna

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a novel threshold-compensation technique for multi-stage voltage multipliers employed in low power applications such as passive and autonomous wireless sensing nodes (WSNs powered by energy harvesters. The proposed threshold-reduction technique enables a topological design methodology which, through an optimum control of the trade-off among transistor conductivity and leakage losses, is aimed at maximizing the voltage conversion efficiency (VCE for a given ac input signal and physical chip area occupation. The conducted simulations positively assert the validity of the proposed design methodology, emphasizing the exploitable design space yielded by the transistor connection scheme in the voltage multiplier chain. An experimental validation and comparison of threshold-compensation techniques was performed, adopting 2N5247 N-channel junction field effect transistors (JFETs for the realization of the voltage multiplier prototypes. The attained measurements clearly support the effectiveness of the proposed threshold-reduction approach, which can significantly reduce the chip area occupation for a given target output performance and ac input signal.

  4. 76 FR 46835 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; HUD Loan Sales Bidder...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-03

    ... Proposed Information Collection to OMB; HUD Loan Sales Bidder Qualification Statement AGENCY: Office of the... respond; including through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of... following information: Title of Proposal: HUD Loan Sales Bidder Qualification Statement. OMB Approval Number...

  5. A correlation-based pulse detection technique for gamma-ray/neutron detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faisal, Muhammad; Schiffer, Randolph T.; Flaska, Marek; Pozzi, Sara A.; Wentzloff, David D.

    2011-01-01

    We present a correlation-based detection technique that significantly improves the probability of detection for low energy pulses. We propose performing a normalized cross-correlation of the incoming pulse data to a predefined pulse template, and using a threshold correlation value to trigger the detection of a pulse. This technique improves the detector sensitivity by amplifying the signal component of incoming pulse data and rejecting noise. Simulation results for various different templates are presented. Finally, the performance of the correlation-based detection technique is compared to the current state-of-the-art techniques.

  6. Power decoupling techniques for single-phase power electronics systems — An overview

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tang, Yi; Blaabjerg, Frede

    2015-01-01

    . In this paper, recently proposed state-of-the-art power decoupling techniques for ripple power reduction in these systems are presented and classified into different groups for performance comparison. The pros and cons of these techniques are discussed and identified, and the conclusions drawn will be useful...

  7. 77 FR 2302 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Antimicrobial...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-17

    ...] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Antimicrobial Animal Drug... distribution reports for antimicrobials in food producing animals. DATES: Submit either electronic or written... techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of information technology. Antimicrobial Animal Drug...

  8. 75 FR 56546 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-16

    ... of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Proposed Project: Nurse... total number of enrollees, graduates, and graduates employed as nurse faculty by, (1) Age and Gender, (2... become qualified nursing faculty. Following graduation from the NFLP lending school, loan recipients may...

  9. 75 FR 35819 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-23

    ... through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Proposed..., nurses, primary care physicians, medical students, and social workers) and non-traditional (e.g., clergy..., skill and attitude gains/changes as a result of training attendance. The multi-site data collection...

  10. Clock-Frequency Switching Technique for Energy Saving of Microcontroller Unit (MCU-Based Sensor Node

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pumin Duangmanee

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In this paper; a technique is proposed for reducing the energy consumption of microcontroller-based sensor nodes by switching the operating clock between low and high frequencies. The proposed concept is motivated by the fact that if the application codes of the microcontroller unit (MCU consist of no-wait state instruction sets, it consumes less energy when it operates with a higher frequency. When the application code of the MCU consists of wait instruction sets; e.g., a wait acknowledge signal, it switches to low clock frequency. The experimental results confirm that the proposed technique can reduce the MCU energy consumption up to 66.9%.

  11. An Optimization Mechanism Intended for Static Power Reduction Using Dual-thTechnique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodolfo P. Santos

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Power consumption reduction is a challenge nowadays. Techniques for dynamic and static power minimization have been proposed, but most of them are very time consuming. This work proposes an algorithm for reducing static power, which can be perfectly inserted in the conventional design flow for integrated systems considering an open source environment (open access infrastructure. The proposed approach, based on a Dual-Threshold technique, replaces part of the cells of the circuit by cells with a higher threshold voltage without resulting in timing violations in the circuit. The decision to replace a cell is based on timing estimates of the circuit modeling with the cell replacement, before it is actually replaced. The fact that only some cells are replaced every iteration results in a reduction of the runtime of the algorithm. Additionally, results showed a reduction in static power up to 39.28%, when applying the proposed approach in the ISCAS85 benchmark circuits.

  12. Compensation techniques for operational amplifier bias current

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, M.S.

    1981-01-01

    Two techniques are proposed for the compensation of the input current on operational amplifiers that can be used on inverting and non-inverting configurations. A qualitative analysis of temperature drift problems is made, and as a practical application, the construction of a voltage follower for high impedance measurements is presented. (Author) [pt

  13. Flexible time domain averaging technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Ming; Lin, Jing; Lei, Yaguo; Wang, Xiufeng

    2013-09-01

    Time domain averaging(TDA) is essentially a comb filter, it cannot extract the specified harmonics which may be caused by some faults, such as gear eccentric. Meanwhile, TDA always suffers from period cutting error(PCE) to different extent. Several improved TDA methods have been proposed, however they cannot completely eliminate the waveform reconstruction error caused by PCE. In order to overcome the shortcomings of conventional methods, a flexible time domain averaging(FTDA) technique is established, which adapts to the analyzed signal through adjusting each harmonic of the comb filter. In this technique, the explicit form of FTDA is first constructed by frequency domain sampling. Subsequently, chirp Z-transform(CZT) is employed in the algorithm of FTDA, which can improve the calculating efficiency significantly. Since the signal is reconstructed in the continuous time domain, there is no PCE in the FTDA. To validate the effectiveness of FTDA in the signal de-noising, interpolation and harmonic reconstruction, a simulated multi-components periodic signal that corrupted by noise is processed by FTDA. The simulation results show that the FTDA is capable of recovering the periodic components from the background noise effectively. Moreover, it can improve the signal-to-noise ratio by 7.9 dB compared with conventional ones. Experiments are also carried out on gearbox test rigs with chipped tooth and eccentricity gear, respectively. It is shown that the FTDA can identify the direction and severity of the eccentricity gear, and further enhances the amplitudes of impulses by 35%. The proposed technique not only solves the problem of PCE, but also provides a useful tool for the fault symptom extraction of rotating machinery.

  14. An optimization planning technique for Suez Canal Network in Egypt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abou El-Ela, A.A.; El-Zeftawy, A.A.; Allam, S.M.; Atta, Gasir M. [Electrical Engineering Dept., Faculty of Eng., Shebin El-Kom (Egypt)

    2010-02-15

    This paper introduces a proposed optimization technique POT for predicting the peak load demand and planning of transmission line systems. Many of traditional methods have been presented for long-term load forecasting of electrical power systems. But, the results of these methods are approximated. Therefore, the artificial neural network (ANN) technique for long-term peak load forecasting is modified and discussed as a modern technique in long-term load forecasting. The modified technique is applied on the Egyptian electrical network dependent on its historical data to predict the electrical peak load demand forecasting up to year 2017. This technique is compared with extrapolation of trend curves as a traditional method. The POT is applied also to obtain the optimal planning of transmission lines for the 220 kV of Suez Canal Network (SCN) using the ANN technique. The minimization of the transmission network costs are considered as an objective function, while the transmission lines (TL) planning constraints are satisfied. Zafarana site on the Red Sea coast is considered as an optimal site for installing big wind farm (WF) units in Egypt. So, the POT is applied to plan both the peak load and the electrical transmission of SCN with and without considering WF to develop the impact of WF units on the electrical transmission system of Egypt, considering the reliability constraints which were taken as a separate model in the previous techniques. The application on SCN shows the capability and the efficiently of the proposed techniques to obtain the predicting peak load demand and the optimal planning of transmission lines of SCN up to year 2017. (author)

  15. Does technique matter; a pilot study exploring weighting techniques for a multi-criteria decision support framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Til, Janine; Groothuis-Oudshoorn, Catharina; Lieferink, Marijke; Dolan, James; Goetghebeur, Mireille

    2014-01-01

    There is an increased interest in the use of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to support regulatory and reimbursement decision making. The EVIDEM framework was developed to provide pragmatic multi-criteria decision support in health care, to estimate the value of healthcare interventions, and to aid in priority-setting. The objectives of this study were to test 1) the influence of different weighting techniques on the overall outcome of an MCDA exercise, 2) the discriminative power in weighting different criteria of such techniques, and 3) whether different techniques result in similar weights in weighting the criteria set proposed by the EVIDEM framework. A sample of 60 Dutch and Canadian students participated in the study. Each student used an online survey to provide weights for 14 criteria with two different techniques: a five-point rating scale and one of the following techniques selected randomly: ranking, point allocation, pairwise comparison and best worst scaling. The results of this study indicate that there is no effect of differences in weights on value estimates at the group level. On an individual level, considerable differences in criteria weights and rank order occur as a result of the weight elicitation method used, and the ability of different techniques to discriminate in criteria importance. Of the five techniques tested, the pair-wise comparison of criteria has the highest ability to discriminate in weights when fourteen criteria are compared. When weights are intended to support group decisions, the choice of elicitation technique has negligible impact on criteria weights and the overall value of an innovation. However, when weights are used to support individual decisions, the choice of elicitation technique influences outcome and studies that use dissimilar techniques cannot be easily compared. Weight elicitation through pairwise comparison of criteria is preferred when taking into account its superior ability to discriminate between

  16. First Order Dominance Techniques and Multidimensional Poverty Indices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Permanyer, Iñaki; Hussain, M. Azhar

    2017-01-01

    In this empirically driven paper we compare the performance of two techniques in the literature of poverty measurement with ordinal data: multidimensional poverty indices and first order dominance techniques (FOD). Combining multiple scenario simulated data with observed data from 48 Demographic...... between those country comparisons that are sensitive to alternative specifications of basic measurement assumptions and those which are not. To the extent that the FOD approach is able to uncover the socio-economic gradient that exists between countries, it can be proposed as a viable complement...

  17. PTSD: National Center for PTSD

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... FAQs Ask a Question Toll Free Numbers Locator Hospitals and Clinics Vet Centers Regional Benefits Offices Regional ... TEE) Tournament Wheelchair Games Winter Sports Clinic Locations Hospitals & Clinics Vet Centers Regional Benefits Offices Regional Loan ...

  18. improvement of digital image watermarking techniques based on FPGA implementation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    EL-Hadedy, M.E

    2006-01-01

    digital watermarking provides the ownership of a piece of digital data by marking the considered data invisibly or visibly. this can be used to protect several types of multimedia objects such as audio, text, image and video. this thesis demonstrates the different types of watermarking techniques such as (discrete cosine transform (DCT) and discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and their characteristics. then, it classifies these techniques declaring their advantages and disadvantages. an improved technique with distinguished features, such as peak signal to noise ratio ( PSNR) and similarity ratio (SR) has been introduced. the modified technique has been compared with the other techniques by measuring heir robustness against differ attacks. finally, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) based implementation and comparison, for the proposed watermarking technique have been presented and discussed

  19. Identification of various luminescence centers in CuI films by cathodoluminescence technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sirimanne, Prasad M.; Soga, Tetsuo; Jimbo, Takashi

    2003-01-01

    CuI films are prepared by different techniques at room temperature. An expansion of band gap energy was observed for the thin films prepared by pulse laser deposition technique. Various luminescence centers are identified in CuI films and different mechanisms are proposed for cathodoluminescence at different centers

  20. Survey as a group interactive teaching technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana GOREA

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Smooth running of the educational process and the results depend a great deal on the methods used. The methodology of teaching offers a great variety of teaching techniques that the teacher can make use of in the teaching/learning process. Such techniques as brainstorming, the cube, KLW, case study, Venn diagram, and many other are familiar to the teachers and they use them effectively in the classroom. The present article proposes a technique called ‘survey’, which has been successfully used by the author as a student-centered speaking activity in foreign language classes. It has certain advantages especially if used in large groups. It can be adapted for any other discipline in the case when the teacher wishes to offer the students space for cooperative activity and creativity.

  1. Data compression techniques and the ACR-NEMA digital interface communications standard

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zielonka, J.S.; Blume, H.; Hill, D.; Horil, S.C.; Lodwick, G.S.; Moore, J.; Murphy, L.L.; Wake, R.; Wallace, G.

    1987-01-01

    Data compression offers the possibility of achieving high, effective information transfer rates between devices and of efficient utilization of digital storge devices in meeting department-wide archiving needs. Accordingly, the ARC-NEMA Digital Imaging and Communications Standards Committee established a Working Group to develop a means to incorporate the optimal use of a wide variety of current compression techniques while remaining compatible with the standard. This proposed method allows the use of public domain techniques, predetermined methods between devices already aware of the selected algorithm, and the ability for the originating device to specify algorithms and parameters prior to transmitting compressed data. Because of the latter capability, the technique has the potential for supporting many compression algorithms not yet developed or in common use. Both lossless and lossy methods can be implemented. In addition to description of the overall structure of this proposal, several examples using current compression algorithms are given

  2. A study on quantification of unavailability of DPPS with fault tolerant techniques considering fault tolerant techniques' characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, B. G.; Kang, H. G.; Kim, H. E.; Seung, P. H.; Kang, H. G.; Lee, S. J.

    2012-01-01

    With the improvement of digital technologies, digital I and C systems have included more various fault tolerant techniques than conventional analog I and C systems have, in order to increase fault detection and to help the system safely perform the required functions in spite of the presence of faults. So, in the reliability evaluation of digital systems, the fault tolerant techniques (FTTs) and their fault coverage must be considered. To consider the effects of FTTs in a digital system, there have been several studies on the reliability of digital model. Therefore, this research based on literature survey attempts to develop a model to evaluate the plant reliability of the digital plant protection system (DPPS) with fault tolerant techniques considering detection and process characteristics and human errors. Sensitivity analysis is performed to ascertain important variables from the fault management coverage and unavailability based on the proposed model

  3. Safety prediction technique for nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henry, C.D. III; Anderson, R.T.

    1985-01-01

    This paper presents a safety prediction technique (SPT) developed by Reliability Technology Associates (RTA) for nuclear power plants. It is based on a technique applied by RTA to assess the flight safety of US Air Force aircraft. The purpose of SPT is to provide a computerized technique for objective measurement of the effect on nuclear plant safety of component failure or procedural, software, or human error. A quantification is determined, called criticality, which is proportional to the probability that a given component or procedural-human action will cause the plant to operate in a hazardous mode. A hazardous mode is characterized by the fact that there has been a failure/error and the plant, its operating crew, and the public are exposed to danger. Whether the event results in an accident, an incident, or merely the exposure to danger is dependent on the skill and reaction of the operating crew as well as external influences. There are three major uses of SPT: (a) to predict unsafe situations so that corrective action can be taken before accidents occur, (b) to quantify the impact of equipment malfunction or procedural, software, or human error on safety and thereby establish priorities for proposed modifications, and (c) to provide a means of evaluating proposed changes for their impact on safety prior to implementation and to provide a method of tracking implemented changes

  4. Coherent Pound-Drever-Hall technique for high resolution fiber optic strain sensor at very low light power

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Mengxin; Liu, Qingwen; Chen, Jiageng; He, Zuyuan

    2017-04-01

    Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) technique has been widely adopted for ultrahigh resolution fiber-optic sensors, but its performance degenerates seriously as the light power drops. To solve this problem, we developed a coherent PDH technique for weak optical signal detection, with which the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of demodulated PDH signal is dramatically improved. In the demonstrational experiments, a high resolution fiber-optic sensor using the proposed technique is realized, and n"-order strain resolution at a low light power down to -43 dBm is achieved, which is about 15 dB lower compared with classical PDH technique. The proposed coherent PDH technique has great potentials in longer distance and larger scale sensor networks.

  5. Reducing BER of spectral-amplitude coding optical code-division multiple-access systems by single photodiode detection technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Khafaji, H. M. R.; Aljunid, S. A.; Amphawan, A.; Fadhil, H. A.; Safar, A. M.

    2013-03-01

    In this paper, we present a single photodiode detection (SPD) technique for spectral-amplitude coding optical code-division multiple-access (SAC-OCDMA) systems. The proposed technique eliminates both phase-induced intensity noise (PIIN) and multiple-access interference (MAI) in the optical domain. Analytical results show that for 35 simultaneous users transmitting at data rate of 622 Mbps, the bit-error rate (BER) = 1.4x10^-28 for SPD technique is much better compared to 9.3x10^-6 and 9.6x10^-3 for the modified-AND as well as the AND detection techniques, respectively. Moreover, we verified the improved performance afforded by the proposed technique using data transmission simulations.

  6. PTSD: National Center for PTSD

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Polytrauma Rehabilitation Spinal Cord Injury Telehealth Womens Health Issues Wellness Programs MyHealtheVet Nutrition Quitting Smoking Vaccines & Immunizations Flu Vaccination Prevention / Wellness Public Health Weight Management (MOVE!) Locations Hospitals & Clinics Vet Centers Veterans Canteen ...

  7. PTSD: National Center for PTSD

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    Full Text Available ... Information A-Z Health Topic Finder My Health e Vet Prescriptions Refills Schedule a VA Appointment Crisis ... Benefits Apply for Health Care Prescriptions My Health e Vet eBenefits Life Insurance Online Applications VA Forms ...

  8. A proposed community reaction-wall facility at the JRC Ispra

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jones, P M; Donea, J [Commission of the European Communities, Joint Research Centre - Ispra Establishment Applied Mechanics Division, Ispra (Italy)

    1988-07-01

    The paper describes a large-size structural laboratory based on a reaction-wall facility proposed for the JRC Ispra establishment. It is foreseen that this will be used for large and full-scale testing of a wide variety of structures and components in the fields of civil/structural, mechanical, and geotechnical engineering. After briefly reviewing the background market research done to establish the needs for a large central facility in the Community, the main advantages and limitations of reaction-wall testing in comparison with other experimental techniques are summarized. The main characteristics of the proposed facility are then given followed by the identified fields of research in which significant tests can be performed. Finally, the proposed method of implementing an integral programme of work within the European Community member states is presented. (author)

  9. A proposed community reaction-wall facility at the JRC Ispra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, P.M.; Donea, J.

    1988-01-01

    The paper describes a large-size structural laboratory based on a reaction-wall facility proposed for the JRC Ispra establishment. It is foreseen that this will be used for large and full-scale testing of a wide variety of structures and components in the fields of civil/structural, mechanical, and geotechnical engineering. After briefly reviewing the background market research done to establish the needs for a large central facility in the Community, the main advantages and limitations of reaction-wall testing in comparison with other experimental techniques are summarized. The main characteristics of the proposed facility are then given followed by the identified fields of research in which significant tests can be performed. Finally, the proposed method of implementing an integral programme of work within the European Community member states is presented. (author)

  10. Combining Acceleration Techniques for Low-Dose X-Ray Cone Beam Computed Tomography Image Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Hsuan-Ming; Hsiao, Ing-Tsung

    2017-01-01

    Over the past decade, image quality in low-dose computed tomography has been greatly improved by various compressive sensing- (CS-) based reconstruction methods. However, these methods have some disadvantages including high computational cost and slow convergence rate. Many different speed-up techniques for CS-based reconstruction algorithms have been developed. The purpose of this paper is to propose a fast reconstruction framework that combines a CS-based reconstruction algorithm with several speed-up techniques. First, total difference minimization (TDM) was implemented using the soft-threshold filtering (STF). Second, we combined TDM-STF with the ordered subsets transmission (OSTR) algorithm for accelerating the convergence. To further speed up the convergence of the proposed method, we applied the power factor and the fast iterative shrinkage thresholding algorithm to OSTR and TDM-STF, respectively. Results obtained from simulation and phantom studies showed that many speed-up techniques could be combined to greatly improve the convergence speed of a CS-based reconstruction algorithm. More importantly, the increased computation time (≤10%) was minor as compared to the acceleration provided by the proposed method. In this paper, we have presented a CS-based reconstruction framework that combines several acceleration techniques. Both simulation and phantom studies provide evidence that the proposed method has the potential to satisfy the requirement of fast image reconstruction in practical CT.

  11. 75 FR 74067 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-30

    ... technology and the potential for expanding and/or adapting mobile phone messaging to additional health topics... to examine the characteristics of women who utilize the text4baby mobile phone-based program, assess... of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Proposed Project Title...

  12. 77 FR 17078 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-23

    ... of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Proposed Project..., train, and employ patient navigators who have direct knowledge of the communities they serve in order to... reports, and focus group discussion guides is to provide data to inform and support the Report to Congress...

  13. 78 FR 78374 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-26

    ... through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Proposed... physicians, medical students, and social workers) and non-traditional (e.g., clergy, and alternative health... gains/changes as a result of training attendance. The multi-site data collection design uses a two...

  14. On a Numerical and Graphical Technique for Evaluating some Models Involving Rational Expectations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Søren; Swensen, Anders Rygh

    Campbell and Shiller (1987) proposed a graphical technique for the present value model which consists of plotting the spread and theoretical spread as calculated from the cointegrated vector autoregressive model. We extend these techniques to a number of rational expectation models and give...

  15. On a numerical and graphical technique for evaluating some models involving rational expectations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Søren; Swensen, Anders Rygh

    Campbell and Shiller (1987) proposed a graphical technique for the present value model which consists of plotting the spread and theoretical spread as calculated from the cointegrated vector autoregressive model. We extend these techniques to a number of rational expectation models and give...

  16. Apprentice or Student? The Structures of Construction Industry Vocational Education and Training in Denmark and Sweden and their Possible Consequences for Safety Learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grytnes, Regine; Grill, Martin; Pousette, Anders

    2018-01-01

    There is a notable difference in occupational injury rates in the two Scandinavian countries, Sweden and Denmark, with the latter having a 40% higher rate of fatal occupational injuries in the construction industry. This study explored differences in the vocational education and training (VET......) systems between Sweden and Denmark that may be important for students’ safety learning and practice during VET. In both countries, students participate in full-time education, and the curriculum includes school-based as well as company- based training. However, during company- based training Swedish...... for their safety practices and also for the teachers’ position to influence safety learning and practices during company-based training. An analysis of interview and survey data focusing on how VET students enact safety ‘knowings’ across learning sites, suggest how different forms of connectivity models in VET...

  17. The Common Technique for Analyzing the Financial Results Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pasternak Maria M.

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The article is aimed at generalizing the theoretical approaches to the structure and elements of the technique for analysis of the Financial results report (Cumulative income report and providing suggestions for its improvement. The current methods have been analyzed, relevance of the application of a common technique for such analysis has been substantiated. A common technique for analyzing the Financial results report has been proposed, which includes definition of the objectives and tasks of analysis, subjects and objects of analysis, sources of its information. Stages of such an analysis were allocated and described. The findings of the article can be used to theoretically substantiate and to practically develop a technique for analyzing the Financial results report in the branches of Ukrainian economy.

  18. Magnetic moment investigation by frequency mixing techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teliban, I; Thede, C; Chemnitz, S; Bechtold, C; Quadakkers, W J; Schütze, M; Quandt, E

    2009-11-01

    Gas turbines and other large industrial equipment are subjected to high-temperature oxidation and corrosion. Research and development of efficient protective coatings is the main task in the field. Also, knowledge about the depletion state of the coating during the operation time is important. To date, practical nondestructive methods for the measurement of the depletion state do not exist. By integrating magnetic phases into the coating, the condition of the coating can be determined by measuring its magnetic properties. In this paper, a new technique using frequency mixing is proposed to investigate the thickness of the coatings based on their magnetic properties. A sensor system is designed and tested on specific magnetic coatings. New approaches are proposed to overcome the dependency of the measurement on the distance between coil and sample that all noncontact techniques face. The novelty is a low cost sensor with high sensibility and selectivity which can provide very high signal-to-noise ratios. Prospects and limitations are discussed for future use of the sensor in industrial applications.

  19. [Comparison of techniques for coliform bacteria extraction from sediment of Xochimilco Lake, Mexico].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández-Rendón, Carlos L; Barrera-Escorcia, Guadalupe

    2013-01-01

    The need to separate bacteria from sediment in order to appropriately count them has led to test the efficacy of different techniques. In this research, traditional techniques such as manual shaking, homogenization, ultrasonication, and surfactant are compared. Moreover, the possibility of using a set of enzymes (pancreatine) and an antibiotic (ampicillin) for sediment coliform extraction is proposed. Samples were obtained from Xochimilco Lake in Mexico City. The most probable number of coliform bacteria was determined after applying the appropriate separation procedure. Most of the techniques tested led to numbers similar to those of the control (manual shaking). Only with the use of ampicillin, a greater total coliform concentration was observed (Mann-Whitney, z = 2.09; p = 0.03). It is possible to propose the use of ampicillin as a technique for total coliform extraction; however, it is necessary to consider sensitivity of bacteria to the antibiotic.

  20. An Efficient Digital Pulse Shape Discrimination Technique for Scintillation Detectors Based on FPGA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamel, M.S.

    2014-01-01

    Different techniques for pulse discrimination (PSD) of the scintillation pulses have been developed. The PSD of scintillation pulese can been used in several applications as Positron Emission Topography (PET) system. Each technique analyzes the resulting pulses from the absorption of radiation in the scintillation pulses were filtered and digitized then it is captured using DAQ, and it sent to the host computer for processing. The spatial resolution of images that generated in PET system can be improved by applying the proposed PSD. In this thesis various digital PSD techniques are proposed to discriminate the scintillation pulses. These techniques are based on discrete sine transform (DST). discrete cosine transform (DCT). Discrete hartley transform (DHT), Discrete Goertzel transform (DGT),and principal component analysis (PCA). Then the output coefficients of the discrete transforms are classified using one of the following classifiers T-test,tuned, or support vector machine (SVM).

  1. Using a Voltage Domain Programmable Technique for Low-Power Management Cell-Based Design

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-Hwa Cheng

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available The Multi-voltage technique is an effective way to reduce power consumption. In the proposed cell-based voltage domain programmable (VDP technique, the high and low voltages applied to logic gates are programmable. The flexible voltage domain reassignment allows the chip performance and power consumption to be dynamically adjusted. In the proposed technique, the power switches possess the feature of flexible programming after chip manufacturing. This VDP method does not use an external voltage regulator to regulate the supply voltage level from outside of the chip but can be easily integrated within the design. This novel technique is proven by use of a video decoder test chip, which shows 55% and 61% power reductions compared to conventional single-Vdd and low-voltage designs, respectively. This power-aware performance adjusting mechanism shows great power reduction with a good power-performance management mechanism.

  2. A proposed descriptive methodology for environmental geologic (envirogeologic) site characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwarz, D.L.; Snyder, W.S.

    1994-01-01

    We propose a descriptive methodology for use in environmental geologic (envirogeologic) site characterization. The method uses traditional sedimentologic descriptions augmented by environmental data needs, and facies analysis. Most other environmental methodologies for soil and sediment characterization use soil engineering and engineering geology techniques that classify by texture and engineering properties. This technique is inadequate for envirogeologic characterization of sediments. In part, this inadequacy is due to differences in the grain-size between the Unified soil Classification and the Udden-Wentworth scales. Use of the soil grain-size classification could easily cause confusion when attempting to relate descriptions based on this classification to our basic understanding of sedimentary depositional systems. The proposed envirogeologic method uses descriptive parameters to characterize a sediment sample, suggests specific tests on samples for adequate characterization, and provides a guidelines for subsurface facies analysis, based on data retrieved from shallow boreholes, that will allow better predictive models to be developed. This methodology should allow for both a more complete site assessment, and provide sufficient data for selection of the appropriate remediation technology, including bioremediation. 50 refs

  3. Metallographic techniques for evaluation of Thermal Barrier Coatings produced by Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelly, Matthew; Singh, Jogender; Todd, Judith; Copley, Steven; Wolfe, Douglas

    2008-01-01

    Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC) produced by Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition (EB-PVD) are primarily applied to critical hot section turbine components. EB-PVD TBC for turbine applications exhibit a complicated structure of porous ceramic columns separated by voids that offers mechanical compliance. Currently there are no standard evaluation methods for evaluating EB-PVD TBC structure quantitatively. This paper proposes a metallographic method for preparing samples and evaluating techniques to quantitatively measure structure. TBC samples were produced and evaluated with the proposed metallographic technique and digital image analysis for columnar grain size and relative intercolumnar porosity. Incorporation of the proposed evaluation technique will increase knowledge of the relation between processing parameters and material properties by incorporating a structural link. Application of this evaluation method will directly benefit areas of quality control, microstructural model development, and reduced development time for process scaling

  4. Improved BER based on intensity noise alleviation using developed detection technique for incoherent SAC-OCDMA systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Khafaji, Hamza M. R.; Aljunid, S. A.; Fadhil, Hilal A.

    2012-06-01

    The major drawback of incoherent spectral-amplitude coding optical code-division multiple-access (SAC-OCDMA) systems is their inherent intensity noise originating due to the incoherency of the broadband light sources. In this paper, we propose a developed detection technique named the modified-AND subtraction detection for incoherent SAC-OCDMA systems. This detection technique is based upon decreasing the received signal strength during the decoding process by dividing the spectrum of the utilized code sequence. The proposed technique is capable of mitigating the intensity noise effect, as well as suppressing the multiple-access interference impact. Based on modified quadratic congruence (MQC) code, the analytical results reveal that the modified-AND detection offer best bit-error rate (BER) performance and enables MQC code to support higher transmission rate up to 1.25 Gb/s compared to conventional AND detection. Furthermore, we ascertained that the proposed technique enhances the system performance using a simulation experiment.

  5. Uranium Detection - Technique Validation Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Colletti, Lisa Michelle [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Chemistry Division; Garduno, Katherine [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Chemistry Division; Lujan, Elmer J. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Chemistry Division; Mechler-Hickson, Alexandra Marie [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Chemistry Division; Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); May, Iain [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Chemistry Division; Reilly, Sean Douglas [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Chemistry Division

    2016-04-14

    As a LANL activity for DOE/NNSA in support of SHINE Medical Technologies™ ‘Accelerator Technology’ we have been investigating the application of UV-vis spectroscopy for uranium analysis in solution. While the technique has been developed specifically for sulfate solutions, the proposed SHINE target solutions, it can be adapted to a range of different solution matrixes. The FY15 work scope incorporated technical development that would improve accuracy, specificity, linearity & range, precision & ruggedness, and comparative analysis. Significant progress was achieved throughout FY 15 addressing these technical challenges, as is summarized in this report. In addition, comparative analysis of unknown samples using the Davies-Gray titration technique highlighted the importance of controlling temperature during analysis (impacting both technique accuracy and linearity/range). To fully understand the impact of temperature, additional experimentation and data analyses were performed during FY16. The results from this FY15/FY16 work were presented in a detailed presentation, LA-UR-16-21310, and an update of this presentation is included with this short report summarizing the key findings. The technique is based on analysis of the most intense U(VI) absorbance band in the visible region of the uranium spectra in 1 M H2SO4, at λmax = 419.5 nm.

  6. Hybridized centroid technique for 3D Molodensky-Badekas ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In view of this, the present study developed and tested two new hybrid centroid techniques known as the harmonic-quadratic mean and arithmetic-quadratic mean centroids. The proposed hybrid approaches were compared with the geometric mean, harmonic mean, median, quadratic mean and arithmetic mean. In addition ...

  7. Proposal of Evolutionary Simplex Method for Global Optimization Problem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, Yoshiaki

    To make an agile decision in a rational manner, role of optimization engineering has been notified increasingly under diversified customer demand. With this point of view, in this paper, we have proposed a new evolutionary method serving as an optimization technique in the paradigm of optimization engineering. The developed method has prospects to solve globally various complicated problem appearing in real world applications. It is evolved from the conventional method known as Nelder and Mead’s Simplex method by virtue of idea borrowed from recent meta-heuristic method such as PSO. Mentioning an algorithm to handle linear inequality constraints effectively, we have validated effectiveness of the proposed method through comparison with other methods using several benchmark problems.

  8. South Bellmore Veterinary Group Review: How to choose a good local veterinarian for your pets

    OpenAIRE

    Debrah

    2018-01-01

    You need time and patience in looking for the right veterinarian for your pets even if it’s just within your area or city. You also need to consider the current situation of your pets in choosing a good vet. A few types of research have seen many pet owners turn to using a holistic approach. Similar on how South Bellmore Veterinary Group views the process of choosing a vet, you should as well look for a trustworthy vet as if you’re finding the right family doctor for yourself. It would be...

  9. Connecting vocational education with work based learning in the Nordic Countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Christian Helms; Tønder, Anna Hagen

    This paper examines how the different systems of vocational education and training (VET-systems) in four Nordic countries connect to the labour market and how they provide access to employment and work-based learning for the students. The VET-system at upper secondary level includes youth as well...... they have developed. Next, the role of employment protection is examined and some recent initiatives to connect upper secondary VET closer to the labour market are presented. A special interest is taken in attempts to revive and strengthen apprenticeship programmes. The conclusion summarises the strengths...

  10. PTSD: National Center for PTSD

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Aging Veterans Volunteers Women Veterans Careers, Job Help & Training Find a Job with VA Health Care Jobs (VA Careers) Travel Nurses Get Job Help Vets in the Workplace VA for Vets Performance Based Interviewing Clinical Trainees ( ...

  11. PTSD: National Center for PTSD

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... TEE) Tournament Wheelchair Games Winter Sports Clinic Locations Hospitals & Clinics Vet Centers Regional Benefits Offices Regional Loan Centers ... Prevention / Wellness Public Health Weight Management (MOVE!) Locations Hospitals & Clinics Vet Centers Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) Research Research ...

  12. Novel anti-jamming technique for OCDMA network through FWM in SOA based wavelength converter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jyoti, Vishav; Kaler, R. S.

    2013-06-01

    In this paper, we propose a novel anti-jamming technique for optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) network through four wave mixing (FWM) in semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) based wavelength converter. OCDMA signal can be easily jammed with high power jamming signal. It is shown that wavelength conversion through four wave mixing in SOA has improved capability of jamming resistance. It is observed that jammer has no effect on OCDMA network even at high jamming powers by using the proposed technique.

  13. 77 FR 20401 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-04

    ... Technology (SART), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and RESOLVE: the National Infertility... collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice. Proposed Project Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Program Reporting System...

  14. 77 FR 33457 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection Renewal; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-06

    ... regarding external auditing and reports about changes in auditors. The information collected is used to... techniques or other forms of information technology. All comments will become a matter of public record... FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed...

  15. The low-frequency sound power measuring technique for an underwater source in a non-anechoic tank

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yi-Ming; Tang, Rui; Li, Qi; Shang, Da-Jing

    2018-03-01

    In order to determine the radiated sound power of an underwater source below the Schroeder cut-off frequency in a non-anechoic tank, a low-frequency extension measuring technique is proposed. This technique is based on a unique relationship between the transmission characteristics of the enclosed field and those of the free field, which can be obtained as a correction term based on previous measurements of a known simple source. The radiated sound power of an unknown underwater source in the free field can thereby be obtained accurately from measurements in a non-anechoic tank. To verify the validity of the proposed technique, a mathematical model of the enclosed field is established using normal-mode theory, and the relationship between the transmission characteristics of the enclosed and free fields is obtained. The radiated sound power of an underwater transducer source is tested in a glass tank using the proposed low-frequency extension measuring technique. Compared with the free field, the radiated sound power level of the narrowband spectrum deviation is found to be less than 3 dB, and the 1/3 octave spectrum deviation is found to be less than 1 dB. The proposed testing technique can be used not only to extend the low-frequency applications of non-anechoic tanks, but also for measurement of radiated sound power from complicated sources in non-anechoic tanks.

  16. An RSS based location estimation technique for cognitive relay networks

    KAUST Repository

    Qaraqe, Khalid A.

    2010-11-01

    In this paper, a received signal strength (RSS) based location estimation method is proposed for a cooperative wireless relay network where the relay is a cognitive radio. We propose a method for the considered cognitive relay network to determine the location of the source using the direct and the relayed signal at the destination. We derive the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) expressions separately for x and y coordinates of the location estimate. We analyze the effects of cognitive behaviour of the relay on the performance of the proposed method. We also discuss and quantify the reliability of the location estimate using the proposed technique if the source is not stationary. The overall performance of the proposed method is presented through simulations. ©2010 IEEE.

  17. Segmental Refinement: A Multigrid Technique for Data Locality

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adams, Mark [Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States). Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics Dept.; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2014-10-27

    We investigate a technique - segmental refinement (SR) - proposed by Brandt in the 1970s as a low memory multigrid method. The technique is attractive for modern computer architectures because it provides high data locality, minimizes network communication, is amenable to loop fusion, and is naturally highly parallel and asynchronous. The network communication minimization property was recognized by Brandt and Diskin in 1994; we continue this work by developing a segmental refinement method for a finite volume discretization of the 3D Laplacian on massively parallel computers. An understanding of the asymptotic complexities, required to maintain textbook multigrid efficiency, are explored experimentally with a simple SR method. A two-level memory model is developed to compare the asymptotic communication complexity of a proposed SR method with traditional parallel multigrid. Performance and scalability are evaluated with a Cray XC30 with up to 64K cores. We achieve modest improvement in scalability from traditional parallel multigrid with a simple SR implementation.

  18. Adaptive differential correspondence imaging based on sorting technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heng Wu

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available We develop an adaptive differential correspondence imaging (CI method using a sorting technique. Different from the conventional CI schemes, the bucket detector signals (BDS are first processed by a differential technique, and then sorted in a descending (or ascending order. Subsequently, according to the front and last several frames of the sorted BDS, the positive and negative subsets (PNS are created by selecting the relative frames from the reference detector signals. Finally, the object image is recovered from the PNS. Besides, an adaptive method based on two-step iteration is designed to select the optimum number of frames. To verify the proposed method, a single-detector computational ghost imaging (GI setup is constructed. We experimentally and numerically compare the performance of the proposed method with different GI algorithms. The results show that our method can improve the reconstruction quality and reduce the computation cost by using fewer measurement data.

  19. E-Learning System Using Segmentation-Based MR Technique for Learning Circuit Construction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takemura, Atsushi

    2016-01-01

    This paper proposes a novel e-Learning system using the mixed reality (MR) technique for technical experiments involving the construction of electronic circuits. The proposed system comprises experimenters' mobile computers and a remote analysis system. When constructing circuits, each learner uses a mobile computer to transmit image data from the…

  20. Weak value amplification via second-order correlated technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cui Ting; Huang Jing-Zheng; Zeng Gui-Hua; Liu Xiang

    2016-01-01

    We propose a new framework combining weak measurement and second-order correlated technique. The theoretical analysis shows that weak value amplification (WVA) experiment can also be implemented by a second-order correlated system. We then build two-dimensional second-order correlated function patterns for achieving higher amplification factor and discuss the signal-to-noise ratio influence. Several advantages can be obtained by our proposal. For instance, detectors with high resolution are not necessary. Moreover, detectors with low saturation intensity are available in WVA setup. Finally, type-one technical noise can be effectively suppressed. (paper)