Assuring radiation protection : 7th annual National Conference on Radiation Control, April 27-May 2, 1975 /

Mode of access: Internet.

Report of the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control : hearing before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, Ninety-eighth Congress, second session, on the effect of the report of the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control, on Titles V and X of S. 1739, the Water Resources Development Act of 1983, February 22, 1984.

Mode of access: Internet.

Pain differs from non-painful attention-demanding or stressful tasks in its effect on postural control patterns of trunk muscles

Pain changes postural activation of the trunk muscles. The cause of these changes is not known but one possibility relates to the information processing requirements and the stressful nature of pain. This study investigated this possibility by evaluating electromyographic activity (EMG) of the deep and superficial trunk muscles associated with voluntary rapid arm movement. Data were collected from control trials, trials during low back pain (LBP) elicited by injection of hypertonic saline into the back muscles, trials during a non-painful attention-demanding task, and during the same task that was also stressful. Pain did not change the reaction time (RT) of the movement, had variable effects on RT of the superficial trunk muscles, but consistently increased RT of the deepest abdominal muscle. The effect of the attention-demanding task was opposite: increased RT of the movement and the superficial trunk muscles but no effect on RT of the deep trunk muscles. Thus, activation of the deep trunk muscles occurred earlier relative to the movement. When the attention-demanding task was made stressful, the RT of the movement and superficial trunk muscles was unchanged but the RT of the deep trunk muscles was increased. Thus, the temporal relationship between deep trunk muscle activation and arm movement was restored. This means that although postural activation of the deep trunk muscles is not affected when central nervous system resources are limited, it is delayed when the individual is also under stress. However, a non-painful attention-demanding task does not replicate the effect of pain on postural control of the trunk muscles even when the task is stressful.

Effect of β-adrenoceptor antagonists on autonomic control of ciliary smooth muscle

Purpose: Pharmacological intervention with peripheral sympathetic transmission at ciliary smooth muscle neuro-receptor junctions has been used against a background of controlled parasympathetic activity to investigate the characteristics of autonomic control of ocular accommodation. Methods: A continuously recording infrared optometer was used to measure accommodation on a group of five visually normal emmetropic subjects under open- and closed-loop conditions. A double-blind protocol between saline, timolol and betaxolol was used to differentiate between the localised action on ciliary smooth muscle and effects induced by changes in stimulus conditions. Data were collected before and 45 min following the instillation of saline, timolol or betaxolol. Open-loop post-task decay was investigated following 3 min sustained near fixation of a stimulus placed 3 D above the subject's pre-task tonic accommodation level. Closed-loop dynamic responses were recorded for each treatment condition while subjects viewed sinusoidally (0.05-0.6 Hz) or stepwise vergence-modulated targets over a 2 D range (2-4 D). Results: Open-loop data demonstrate a rapid post-task regression to pre-task tonic accommodation levels for saline and betaxolol control conditions. A slow positive post-task shift was induced by timolol indicating that sympathetic inhibition contributes to accommodative adaptation during sustained near vision. Closed-loop accommodation responses to temporally modulated sinusoidal stimuli showed characteristic features for both saline and betaxolol control conditions. Timolol induced a reduced gain for low- and mid-temporal frequencies (< 0.3 Hz) but did not affect the response at higher temporal frequencies. Response times to stepwise stimuli increased following the instillation of timolol for the near-to-far fixation condition compared with the controls and was related to the period of sustained prior fixation. Conclusions: Modulation of accommodation under open- and closed-loop conditions by a non-selective β-blocker is consistent with the temporal and inhibitory features of sympathetic innervation to ciliary smooth muscle. Although parasympathetic innervation predominates there is evidence to support a role for sympathetic innervation in the control of ocular accommodation. © 2002 The College of Optometrists.

On waveform analysis, the adaptive task technique, and the effect of vibration on manual control skill

A re-examination of fundamental concepts and a formal structuring of the waveform analysis problem is presented in Part I. eg. the nature of frequency is examined and a novel alternative to the classical methods of detection proposed and implemented which has the advantage of speed and independence from amplitude. Waveform analysis provides the link between Parts I and II. Part II is devoted to Human Factors and the Adaptive Task Technique. The Historical, Technical and Intellectual development of the technique is traced in a review which examines the evidence of its advantages relative to non-adaptive fixed task methods of training, skill assessment and man-machine optimisation. A second review examines research evidence on the effect of vibration on manual control ability. Findings are presented in terms of percentage increment or decrement in performance relative to performance without vibration in the range 0-0.6Rms'g'. Primary task performance was found to vary by as much as 90% between tasks at the same Rms'g'. Differences in task difficulty accounted for this difference. Within tasks vibration-added-difficulty accounted for the effects of vibration intensity. Secondary tasks were found to be largely insensitive to vibration except secondaries which involved fine manual adjustment of minor controls. Three experiments are reported next in which an adaptive technique was used to measure the % task difficulty added by vertical random and sinusoidal vibration to a 'Critical Compensatory Tracking task. At vibration intensities between 0 - 0.09 Rms 'g' it was found that random vibration added (24.5 x Rms'g')/7.4 x 100% to the difficulty of the control task. An equivalence relationship between Random and Sinusoidal vibration effects was established based upon added task difficulty. Waveform Analyses which were applied to the experimental data served to validate Phase Plane analysis and uncovered the development of a control and possibly a vibration isolation strategy. The submission ends with an appraisal of subjects mentioned in the thesis title.

Language independent on-off voice over IP source model with lognormal transitions

The recent explosive growth of voice over IP (VoIP) solutions calls for accurate modelling of VoIP traffic. This study presents measurements of ON and OFF periods of VoIP activity from a significantly large database of VoIP call recordings consisting of native speakers speaking in some of the world's most widely spoken languages. The impact of the languages and the varying dynamics of caller interaction on the ON and OFF period statistics are assessed. It is observed that speaker interactions dominate over language dependence which makes monologue-based data unreliable for traffic modelling. The authors derive a semi-Markov model which accurately reproduces the statistics of composite dialogue measurements. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2013.

On-off and multistate intermittencies in cascaded random distributed feedback fibre laser

A range of physical and engineering systems exhibit an irregular complex dynamics featuring alternation of quiet and burst time intervals called the intermittency. The intermittent dynamics most popular in laser science is the on-off intermittency [1]. The on-off intermittency can be understood as a conversion of the noise in a system close to an instability threshold into effective time-dependent fluctuations which result in the alternation of stable and unstable periods. The on-off intermittency has been recently demonstrated in semiconductor, Erbium doped and Raman lasers [2-5]. Recently demonstrated random distributed feedback (random DFB) fiber laser has an irregular dynamics near the generation threshold [6,7]. Here we show the intermittency in the cascaded random DFB fiber laser. We study intensity fluctuations in a random DFB fiber laser based on nitrogen doped fiber. The laser generates first and second Stokes components 1120 nm and 1180 nm respectively under an appropriate pumping. We study the intermittency in the radiation of the second Stokes wave. The typical time trace near the generation threshold of the second Stokes wave (Pth) is shown at Fig. 1a. From the number of long enough time-traces we calculate statistical distribution between major spikes in time dynamics, Fig. 1b. To eliminate contribution of high frequency components of spikes we use a low pass filter along with the reference value of the output power. Experimental data is fitted by power law, ~(P-Pth)y, where is a mean time between pikes. There are two different intermittency regimes. Just above Pth, the mean time is approximated by the -3/2 power law. The -3/2 power law is typical to the on-off intermittency with hopping between two states (first and second Stokes waves in our case) [7]. At higher power, the mean time is approximated by -4 power law, that indicates a change in intermittency type to multistate. Multistable dynamics is observed in erbium-doped fiber lasers [8]. The origin of multiples states in our system could be probably connected with polarization hopping or other reasons and should be further investigated. We have presented a first experimental statistical characterisation of the on-off and multistate intermittencies that occur in the generation of the second Stokes wave in nitrogen doped random DFB fiber laser. References [1] H. Fujisaka and T. Yamada, “A New Intermittency in Coupled Dynamical Systems,” Prog. Theor. Phys. 74, 918 (1985). [2] S. Osborne, A. Amann, D. Bitauld, and S. O’Brien, “On-off intermittency in an optically injected semiconductor laser,” Phys. Rev. E 85, 056204 (2012). [3] S. Sergeyev, K. O'Mahoney, S. Popov, and A. T. Friberg, “Coherence and anticoherence resonance in high-concentration erbium-doped fiber laser,” Opt. Lett. 35, 3736 (2010). [4] A.E. El-Taher, S.V. Sergeyev, E.G. Turitsyna, P. Harper, and S. K. Turitsyn, “Intermittent Self-Pulsing in a Fiber Raman Laser”, In proc. Conf. Nonlin. Photon., paper ID 1367139, Colorado Springs, USA, 2012 [5] S.K. Turitsyn, S.A. Babin, A.E. El-Taher, P. Harper, D.V. Churkin, S.I. Kablukov, J.D. Ania-Castañón, V. Karalekas, and E.V. Podivilov, “Random distributed feedback fibre laser”, Nat. Photon..4, 231 (2010). [6] I. D. Vatnik, D. V. Churkin, S. A. Babin, and S. K. Turitsyn, "Cascaded random distributed feedback Raman fiber laser operating at 1.2 μm," Opt. Express 19, 18486 (2011). [7] W. Feller, An introduction to probability theory and its applications, Vol. 1, 3rd ed. (Wiley, New-York, 1968). [8] G. Huerta-Cuellar, A.N. Pisarchik, and Y.O. Barmenkov, “Experimental characterization of hopping dynamics in a multistable fiber laser,” Phys. Rev. E 78, 035202(R) (2008).

InternationaL cross-sectIonAl and longItudinal assessment on aSthma cONtrol in European adult patients : the LIAISON study protocol

The study is funded by Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., Parma, Italy

Effect of different doses of post-emergence-applied iodosulfuron on weed control and grain yield of malt barley (Hordeum distichum L.), under Mediterranean conditions

A study was carried out over a two year period (2009/2010 and 2012/2013) on an experimental farm in the Alentejo region (Beja), in southern Portugal where rainfed malt barley (Hordeum distichum L.) is sown at the end of autumn or beginning of winter (November– December). The aim of this experiment was to study the efficiency of the herbicide iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium to control post-emergence broadleaved weeds in this cereal crop. The malt barley crop was established using no-till farming. This technology provides the necessary machine bearing capacity of the soil to assure the post-emergence application of herbicides at two diferente weed development stages. The herbicide iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium was applied at three doses (5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 g a. i. · ha–1) and at two different broadleaved weed development stages (3 to 4 and 6 to 7 pairs of leaves), that also corresponded to two diferente crop development stages (beginning of tillering and complete tillering). The results indicated that early herbicide application timing provided a significantly higher efficiency for all the applied herbicide doses, but this better weed control was not reflected in a higher crop grain yield. The lack of a higher crop grain yield was probably due to a crop phytotoxicity of the herbicide, when used at an early application timing.

Aplicação de dispositivos analógicos reconfiguráveis

Mestrado em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

Optimization of energy consumption in wastewater pumping

Pumppauksessa arvioidaan olevan niin teknisesti kuin taloudellisestikin huomattavia mahdollisuuksia säästää energiaa. Maailmanlaajuisesti pumppaus kuluttaa lähes 22 % sähkö-moottorien energiantarpeesta. Tietyillä teollisuudenaloilla jopa yli 50 % moottorien käyttämästä sähköenergiasta voi kulua pumppaukseen. Jäteveden pumppauksessa pumppujen toiminta perustuu tyypillisesti on-off käyntiin, jolloin pumpun ollessa päällä se käy täydellä teholla. Monissa tapauksissa pumput ovat myös ylimitoitettuja. Yhdessä nämä seikat johtavat kasvaneeseen energian kulutukseen. Työn teoriaosassa esitellään perusteet jätevesihuollosta ja jäteveden käsittelystä sekä pumppaussysteemin pääkomponentit: pumppu, putkisto, moottori ja taajuusmuuttaja. Työn empiirisessä osassa esitellään työn aikana kehitetty laskuri, jonka avulla voidaan arvioida energiansäästöpotentiaalia jäteveden pumppaussysteemeissä. Laskurilla on mandollista laskea energiansäästöpotentiaali käytettäessä pumpun tuoton ohjaustapana pyörimisnopeuden säätöä taajuusmuuttajalla on-off säädön sijasta. Laskuri ilmoittaa optimaalisimmanpumpun pyörimisnopeuden sekä ominaisenergiankulutuksen. Perustuen laskuriin, kolme kunnallista jätevedenpumppaamoa tutkittiin. Myös laboratorio-testitsuoritettiin laskurin simuloimiseksi sekä energiansäästöpotentiaalin arvioimiseksi. Tutkimukset osoittavat, että jätevedenpumppauksessa on huomattavia mandollisuuksia säästää energiaa pumpun pyörimisnopeutta pienentämällä. Geodeettisen nostokorkeuden ollessa pieni, voidaan energiaa säästää jopa 50 % ja pitkällä aikavälillä säästö voi olla merkittävä. Tulokset vahvistavat myös tarpeen jätevedenpumppaussysteemien toiminnan optimoimiseksi.

Elbesparing med pelletkaminer och solvärme i direktelvärmda småhus

The aim of this study was to investigate how electricallyheated houses can be converted to using wood pellet and solarheating. There are a large number of wood pellet stoves on themarket. Many stoves have a water jacket, which gives anopportunity to distribute the heat to domestic hot water and aradiator heating system. Three typical Swedish houses with electric resistanceheating have been studied. Fourteen different system conceptsusing wood pellet stoves and solar heating systems have beenevaluated. The systems and the houses have been simulated indetail using TRNSYS. The houses have been divided in up to 10different zones and heat transfer by air circulation throughdoorways and open doors have been simulated. The pellet stoveswere simulated using a recently developed TRNSYS component,which models the start- and stop phases, emissions and thedynamic behaviour of the stoves. The model also calculates theCO-emissions. Simulations were made with one stove without awater jacket and two stoves with different fractions of thegenerated heat distributed in the water circuit. Simulations show that the electricity savings using a pelletstove are greatly affected by the house plan, the systemchoice, if the internal doors are open or closed and thedesired level of comfort. Installing a stove with awater-jacket connected to a radiator system and a hot waterstorage has the advantage that heat can be transferred todomestic hot water and be distributed to other rooms. Suchsystems lead to greater electricity savings, especially inhouses having a traditional layout. It was found that not allrooms needed radiators and that it was more effective in mostcases t use a stove with a higher fraction of the heatdistributed by the water circuit. The economic investigation shows that installing a woodpellet stove without a water jacket gives the lowest totalenergy- and capital costs in the house with an open plan (fortoday's energy prices and the simulated comfort criteria). Inthe houses with a traditional layout a pellet stove givesslightly higher costs than the reference house having onlyelectrical resistance heating due to the fact that less heatingcan be replaced. The concepts including stoves with a waterjacket all give higher costs than the reference system, but theconcept closest to be economical is a system with a bufferstore, a stove with a high fraction of the heat distributed bythe water circuit, a new water radiator heating system and asolar collector. Losses from stoves can be divided into: flue gas lossesincluding leakage air flow when the stove is not in operation;losses during start and stop phases; and losses due to a highair factor. An increased efficiency of the stoves is importantboth from a private economical point of view, but also from theperspective that there can be a lack of bio fuel in the nearfuture also in Sweden. From this point of view it is alsoimportant to utilize as much solar heat as possible. Theutilization of solar heat is low in the simulated systems,depending on the lack of space for a large buffer store. The simulations have shown that the annual efficiency ismuch lower that the nominal efficiency at full power. Thesimulations have also shown that changing the control principlefor the stove can improve efficiency and reduce theCO-emissions. Today's most common control principle for stovesis the on/off control, which results in many starts and stopsand thereby high CO-emissions. A more advanced control varyingthe heating rate from maximum to minimum to keep a constantroom temperature reduces the number of starts and stops andthereby the emissions. Also the efficiency can be higher withsuch a control, and the room temperature will be kept at a moreconstant temperature providing a higher comfort.