Large area noise evaluation

A software tool (DRONE) has been developed to evaluate road traffic noise in a large area with the consideration of network dynamic traffic flow and the buildings. For more precise estimation of noise in urban network where vehicles are mainly in stop and go running conditions, vehicle sound power level (for acceleration/deceleration cruising and ideal vehicle) is incorporated in DRONE. The calculation performance of DRONE is increased by evaluating the noise in two steps of first estimating the unit noise database and then integrating it with traffic simulation. Details of the process from traffic simulation to contour maps are discussed in the paper and the implementation of DRONE on Tsukuba city is presented

Repair of calvarial defects with customized tissue-engineered bone grafts - I. Evaluation of osteogenesis in a three-dimensional culture system

Bone generation by autogenous cell transplantation in combination with a biodegradable scaffold is one of the most promising techniques being developed in craniofacial surgery. The objective of this combined in vitro and in vivo study was to evaluate the morphology and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal progenitor cells and calvarial osteoblasts in a two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) culture environment (Part I of this study) and their potential in combination with a biodegradable scaffold to reconstruct critical-size calvarial defects in an autologous animal model [Part II of this study; see Schantz, J.T., et al. Tissue Eng. 2003;9(Suppl. 1):S-127-S-139; this issue]. New Zealand White rabbits were used to isolate osteoblasts from calvarial bone chips and bone marrow stromal cells from iliac crest bone marrow aspirates. Multilineage differentiation potential was evaluated in a 2-D culture setting. After amplification, the cells were seeded within a fibrin matrix into a 3-D polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold system. The constructs were cultured for up to 3 weeks in vitro and assayed for cell attachment and proliferation using phase-contrast light, confocal laser, and scanning electron microscopy and the MTS cell metabolic assay. Osteogenic differentiation was analyzed by determining the expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin. The bone marrow-derived progenitor cells demonstrated the potential to be induced to the osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic pathways. In a 3-D environment, cell-seeded PCL scaffolds evaluated by confocal laser microscopy revealed continuous cell proliferation and homogeneous cell distribution within the PCL scaffolds. On osteogenic induction mesenchymal progenitor cells (12 U/L) produce significantly higher (p < 0.05) ALP activity than do osteoblasts (2 U/L); however, no significant differences were found in osteocalcin expression. In conclusion, this study showed that the combination of a mechanically stable synthetic framework (PCL scaffolds) and a biomimetic hydrogel (fibrin glue) provides a potential matrix for bone tissue-engineering applications. Comparison of osteogenic differentiation between the two mesenchymal cell sources revealed a similar pattern.

Performance evaluation of an adaptive travel time prediction model

This paper presents a travel time prediction model and evaluates its performance and transferability. Advanced Travelers Information Systems (ATIS) are gaining more and more importance, increasing the need for accurate, timely and useful information to the travelers. Travel time information quantifies the traffic condition in an easy to understand way for the users. The proposed travel time prediction model is based on an efficient use of nearest neighbor search. The model is calibrated for optimal performance using Genetic Algorithms. Results indicate better performance by using the proposed model than the presently used naïve model.

Initial psychometric evaluation of the Wayfinding Effectiveness Scale

This study evaluates three versions of the Wayfinding Effectiveness Scale (WES), developed to differentiate problems of wayfinding and wandering behavior of community-residing elders with dementia (EWD), in 266 dyads (EWD and caregiver) recruited from Alzheimer's Association chapters. Factor analyses yield a five-factor solution (explained variance = 62.6%): complex wayfinding goals, analytic strategies, global strategies, simple wayfinding goals, and being stimulus bound. Overall, internal consistencies are high: WES (.94-.95), and subscales are stable across all versions. Testretest reliability is acceptable for the overall WES and two subscales (complex and simple wayfinding goals) for the care recipient current behavior version. Construct validity is supported by the pattern of correlations among subscales and analyses of variance (ANOVAs) showing significant differences among the care recipient (current vs. prior behavior) and caregiver versions overall and for all subscales. Results support the WES as a valid and reliable measure of wayfinding effectiveness in persons with dementia.

Evaluation of fruit and vegetable intakes of Australian adults: the nutrition survey 1995

Objective: To evaluate the fruit and vegetable intakes of Australian adults aged 19-64 years. Methods: Intake data were collected as part of the National Nutrition Survey 1995 representing all Australian States and Territories, including city, metropolitan, rural and remote areas. Dietary intake of 8,891 19-to-64 year-olds was assessed using a structured 24-hour recall. Intake frequency was assessed as the proportion of participants consuming fruit and vegetables on the day prior to interview and variety was assessed as the number of subgroups of fruit and vegetables consumed. Intake levels were compared with the recommendations of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE). Results: Sixty-two per cent of participants consumed some fruit and 89% consumed some vegetables on the day surveyed. Males were less likely to consume fruit and younger adults less likely to consume fruit and vegetables compared with females and older adults respectively. Variety was primarily low (1 subcategory) for fruit and medium (3-4 subcategories) for vegetables. Thirty-two per cent of adults consumed the minimum two serves of fruit and 30% consumed the minimum five serves of vegetables as recommended by the AGHE. Eleven per cent of adults met the minimum recommendations for both fruit and vegetables. Conclusion: A large proportion of adults have fruit and vegetable intakes below the AGHE minimum recommendations. Implications: A nationally integrated, longterm campaign to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, supported by policy changes to address structural barriers to consumption, is vital to improve fruit and vegetable consumption among adults

Implementation and evaluation of a new model of nursing practice in radiation oncology

Patients undergoing radiation therapy for cancer face a series of challenges that require support from a multidisciplinary team which includes radiation oncology nurses. However, the specific contribution of nursing, and the models of care that best support the delivery of nursing interventions in the radiotherapy setting, is not well described. In this case study, the Interaction Model of Client Health Behaviour and the associated principles of person-centred care were incorporated into a new model of care that was implemented in one radiation oncology setting in Brisbane, Australia. The new model of care was operationalised through a Primary Nursing/Collaborative Practice framework. To evaluate the impact of the new model for patients and health professionals, multiple sources of data were collected from patients and clinical staff prior to, during, and 18 months following introduction of the practice redesign. One cohort of patients and clinical staff completed surveys incorporating measures of key outcomes immediately prior to implementation of the model, while a second cohort of patients and clinical staff completed these same surveys 18 months following introduction of the model. In-depth interviews were also conducted with nursing, medical and allied health staff throughout the implementation phase to obtain a more comprehensive account of the processes and outcomes associated with implementing such a model. From the patients’ perspectives, this study demonstrated that, although adverse effects of radiotherapy continue to affect patient well-being, patients continue to be satisfied with nursing care in this specialty, and that they generally reported high levels of functioning despite undergoing a curative course of radiotherapy. From the health professionals’ perspective, there was evidence of attitudinal change by nursing staff within the radiotherapy department which reflected a greater understanding and appreciation of a more person-centred approach to care. Importantly, this case study has also confirmed that a range of factors need to be considered when redesigning nursing practice in the radiotherapy setting, as the challenges associated with changing traditional practices, ensuring multidisciplinary approaches to care, and resourcing a new model were experienced. The findings from this study suggest that the move from a relatively functional approach to a person-centred approach in the radiotherapy setting has contributed to some improvements in the provision of individualised and coordinated patient care. However, this study has also highlighted that primary nursing may be limited in its approach as a framework for patient care unless it is supported by a whole team approach, an appropriate supportive governance model, and sufficient resourcing. Introducing such a model thus requires effective education, preparation and ongoing support for the whole team. The challenges of providing care in the context of complex interdisciplinary relationships have been highlighted by this study. Aspects of this study may assist in planning further nursing interventions for patients undergoing radiotherapy for cancer, and continue to enhance the contribution of the radiation oncology nurse to improved patient outcomes.

Evaluation of risk factors leading to cost overrun in delivery of highway construction projects

Accurate owner budget estimates are critical to the initial decision-to-build process for highway construction projects. However, transportation projects have historically experienced significant construction cost overruns from the time the decision to build has been taken by the owner. This paper addresses the problem of why highway projects overrun their predicted costs. It identifies the owner risk variables that contribute to significant cost overrun and then uses factor analysis, expert elicitation, and the nominal group technique to establish groups of importance ranked owner risks. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis is also used to investigate any correlation of the percentage of cost overrun with risks, together with attributes such as highway project type, indexed cost, geographics location, and project delivery method. The research results indicate a correlation between the reciprocal of project budgets size and percentage cost overrun. This can be useful for owners in determining more realistic decision-to-build highway budget estimates by taking into account the economies of scale associated with larger projects.

Soil carbon saturation : evaluation and corroboration by long-term incubations

Although current assessments of agricultural management practices on soil organic C (SOC) dynamics are usually conducted without any explicit consideration of limits to soil C storage, it has been hypothesized that the SOC pool has an upper, or saturation limit with respect to C input levels at steady state. Agricultural management practices that increase C input levels over time produce a new equilibrium soil C content. However, multiple C input level treatments that produce no increase in SOC stocks at equilibrium show that soils have become saturated with respect to C inputs. SOC storage of added C input is a function of how far a soil is from saturation level (saturation deficit) as well as C input level. We tested experimentally if C saturation deficit and varying C input levels influenced soil C stabilization of added C-13 in soils varying in SOC content and physiochemical characteristics. We incubated for 2.5 years soil samples from seven agricultural sites that were closer to (i.e., A-horizon) or further from (i.e., C-horizon) their C saturation limit. At the initiation of the incubations, samples received low or high C input levels of 13 C-labeled wheat straw. We also tested the effect of Ca addition and residue quality on a subset of these soils. We hypothesized that the proportion of C stabilized would be greater in samples with larger C Saturation deficits (i.e., the C- versus A-horizon samples) and that the relative stabilization efficiency (i.e., Delta SCC/Delta C input) would decrease as C input level increased. We found that C saturation deficit influenced the stabilization of added residue at six out of the seven sites and C addition level affected the stabilization of added residue in four sites, corroborating both hypotheses. Increasing Ca availability or decreasing residue quality had no effect on the stabilization of added residue. The amount of new C stabilized was significantly related to C saturation deficit, supporting the hypothesis that C saturation influenced C stabilization at all our sites. Our results suggest that soils with low C contents and degraded lands may have the greatest potential and efficiency to store added C because they are further from their saturation level. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil carbon saturation : concept, evidence and evaluation

Current estimates of soil C storage potential are based on models or factors that assume linearity between C input levels and C stocks at steady-state, implying that SOC stocks could increase without limit as C input levels increase. However, some soils show little or no increase in steady-state SOC stock with increasing C input levels suggesting that SOC can become saturated with respect to C input. We used long-term field experiment data to assess alternative hypotheses of soil carbon storage by three simple models: a linear model (no saturation), a one-pool whole-soil C saturation model, and a two-pool mixed model with C saturation of a single C pool, but not the whole soil. The one-pool C saturation model best fit the combined data from 14 sites, four individual sites were best-fit with the linear model, and no sites were best fit by the mixed model. These results indicate that existing agricultural field experiments generally have too small a range in C input levels to show saturation behavior, and verify the accepted linear relationship between soil C and C input used to model SOM dynamics. However, all sites combined and the site with the widest range in C input levels were best fit with the C-saturation model. Nevertheless, the same site produced distinct effective stabilization capacity curves rather than an absolute C saturation level. We conclude that the saturation of soil C does occur and therefore the greatest efficiency in soil C sequestration will be in soils further from C saturation.

In vivo evaluation of an ultra-thin polycaprolactone film as a wound dressing

The use of ultra-thin films as dressings for cutaneous wounds could prove advantageous in terms of better conformity to wound topography and improved vapour transmission. For this purpose, ultra-thin poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) films of 5-15 microm thickness were fabricated via a biaxial stretching technique. To evaluate their in vivo biocompatibility and feasibility as an external wound dressing, PCL films were applied over full and partial-thickness wounds in rat and pig models. Different groups of PCL films were used: untreated, NaOH-treated, untreated with fibrin, NaOH-treated with perforations, and NaOH-treated with fibrin and S-nitrosoglutathione. Wounds with no external dressings were used as controls. Wound contraction rate, histology and biomechanical analyses were carried out. Wounds re-epithelialized completely at a comparable rate. Formation of a neo-dermal layer and re-epithelialization were observed in all the wounds. A lower level of fibrosis was observed when PCL films were used, compared to the control wounds. Ultimate tensile strength of the regenerated tissue in rats reached 50-60% of that in native rat skin. Results indicated that biaxially-stretched PCL films did not induce inflammatory reactions when used in vivo as a wound dressing and supported the normal wound healing process in full and partial-thickness wounds.

Evaluation of a hybrid scaffold/cell construct in repair of high-load-bearing osteochondral defects in rabbits

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and potential of a hybrid scaffold system in large- and high-load-bearing osteochondral defects repair. The implants were made of medical-grade PCL (mPCL) for the bone compartment whereas fibrin glue was used for the cartilage part. Both matrices were seeded with allogenic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells (BMSC) and implanted in the defect (4 mm diameter×5 mm depth) on medial femoral condyle of adult New Zealand White rabbits. Empty scaffolds were used at the control side. Cell survival was tracked via fluorescent labeling. The regeneration process was evaluated by several techniques at 3 and 6 months post-implantation. Mature trabecular bone regularly formed in the mPCL scaffold at both 3 and 6 months post-operation. Micro-Computed Tomography showed progression of mineralization from the host–tissue interface towards the inner region of the grafts. At 3 months time point, the specimens showed good cartilage repair. In contrast, the majority of 6 months specimens revealed poor remodeling and fissured integration with host cartilage while other samples could maintain good cartilage appearance. In vivo viability of the transplanted cells was demonstrated for the duration of 5 weeks. The results demonstrated that mPCL scaffold is a potential matrix for osteochondral bone regeneration and that fibrin glue does not inherit the physical properties to allow for cartilage regeneration in a large and high-load-bearing defect site. Keywords: Osteochondral tissue engineering; Scaffold; Bone marrow-derived precursor cells; Fibrin glue

The QUT-NOISE-TIMIT corpus for the evaluation of voice activity detection algorithms

The QUT-NOISE-TIMIT corpus consists of 600 hours of noisy speech sequences designed to enable a thorough evaluation of voice activity detection (VAD) algorithms across a wide variety of common background noise scenarios. In order to construct the final mixed-speech database, a collection of over 10 hours of background noise was conducted across 10 unique locations covering 5 common noise scenarios, to create the QUT-NOISE corpus. This background noise corpus was then mixed with speech events chosen from the TIMIT clean speech corpus over a wide variety of noise lengths, signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and active speech proportions to form the mixed-speech QUT-NOISE-TIMIT corpus. The evaluation of five baseline VAD systems on the QUT-NOISE-TIMIT corpus is conducted to validate the data and show that the variety of noise available will allow for better evaluation of VAD systems than existing approaches in the literature.

Construction, application and validation of selection evaluation model (SEM) for intelligent HVAC control system

Design teams are confronted with the quandary of choosing apposite building control systems to suit the needs of particular intelligent building projects, due to the availability of innumerable ‘intelligent’ building products and a dearth of inclusive evaluation tools. This paper is organised to develop a model for facilitating the selection evaluation for intelligent HVAC control systems for commercial intelligent buildings. To achieve these objectives, systematic research activities have been conducted to first develop, test and refine the general conceptual model using consecutive surveys; then, to convert the developed conceptual framework into a practical model; and, finally, to evaluate the effectiveness of the model by means of expert validation. The results of the surveys are that ‘total energy use’ is perceived as the top selection criterion, followed by the‘system reliability and stability’, ‘operating and maintenance costs’, and ‘control of indoor humidity and temperature’. This research not only presents a systematic and structured approach to evaluate candidate intelligent HVAC control system against the critical selection criteria (CSC), but it also suggests a benchmark for the selection of one control system candidate against another.