An Improved Hybrid Model for the Generic Hoist Scheduling Problem

Peer-reviewed

A two-dimensional doppler-radiometer for earth observation

Compared to synthetic aperture radars (SARs), the angular resolution of microwave radiometers is quite poor. Traditionally, it has been limited by the physical size of the antenna. However, the angular resolution can be improved by means of aperture synthesis interferometric techniques. A narrow beam is synthesized during the image formation processing of the cross-correlations measured at zero-lag between pairs of signals collected by an array of antennas. The angular resolution is then determined by the maximum antenna spacing normalized to the wavelength (baseline). The next step in improving the angular resolution is the Doppler-Radiometer, somehow related to the super-synthesis radiometers and the Radiometer-SAR. This paper presents the concept of a three-antenna Doppler-Radiometer for 2D imaging. The performance of this instrument is evaluated in terms of angular/spatial resolution and radiometric sensitivity, and an L-band illustrative example is presented.

Identification of Research Portfolio for the Development of Filtration Equipment

This piece of work which is Identification of Research Portfolio for Development of Filtration Equipment aims at presenting a novel approach to identify promising research topics in the field of design and development of filtration equipment and processes. The projected approach consists of identifying technological problems often encountered in filtration processes. The sources of information for the problem retrieval were patent documents and scientific papers that discussed filtration equipments and processes. The problem identification method adopted in this work focussed on the semantic nature of a sentence in order to generate series of subject-action-object structures. This was achieved with software called Knowledgist. List of problems often encountered in filtration processes that have been mentioned in patent documents and scientific papers were generated. These problems were carefully studied and categorized. Suggestions were made on the various classes of these problems that need further investigation in order to propose a research portfolio. The uses and importance of other methods of information retrieval were also highlighted in this work.

Materiaalitietokanta prosessilaitetoimituksen laitevalintojen tukena

In this master's thesis, material characteristics which includes material database will be developed, through which will be managed process device deliveries device selections. The analysed bulk materials exact values serve as basic data when choosing glass- and dried product industry raw material equipment solutions. In this study, the material database function structure will be divided into classified bulk materials characteristics and process device guidelines and planning which they are based on. In order to achieve the best possible advantage in use of the material database, the raw material handling with the process equipment has to be controlled with the help of database bulk material information. With the help of material database, the personnel of the company will find the needed material and device information to implement the processes. The structure of the database enables adding of information, and hence the database will be always kept updated. The material database uses free PhpOpenDatabase software programme, which adapts itself flexibly with the software and requirements of the company. The material frame and considered features of the material database were determined by the requirements of the company's device technology. National and international classifications were used as help. The collected material information was analysed and the correspondence between internal study results and found classifications were determined. As presented before, on the grounds of chosen and specified material features, also the controllability of device selecting and solutions was improved with device-specific screening and planning guidelines. As material frame of the material database was chosen ANSI/CEMA Standard 550. Its almost 1000 bulk materials form an extensive database frame. Over 600 of these raw materials have been determined according to classification. However, the most important ones are the materials of glass- and dried material plants, which consist of the last part of material frame. The analysis will be sustained and material information will be completed primarily of material part with test run in one's own material laboratory.

Baerveldt implant in refractory glaucoma: long-term results and factors influencing outcome.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcome of patients who received a Baerveldt implant for refractory glaucoma and to identify factors which may influence the outcome. METHODS: Retrospective study including 51 eyes of 51 patients with medically uncontrolled glaucoma who underwent Baerveldt implant surgery between June 1994 and December 1998. Criteria for success were intraocular pressure (IOP) < or = 21 mmHg and > 6 mmHg, necessity of further antiglaucoma medications, absence of additional glaucoma surgery and no loss of light perception. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up of 37.6 (SD: +/-18.8) months, the mean intraocular pressure decreased from 34.8 (+/-12.5) mmHg to 14.0 (+/-4.3) mmHg at month 60. Qualified success rate, achieved when IOP was below 21 mmHg and higher than 6 mmHg with medications was 25/48 (52%), complete success rate (same IOP limits without medication) was 14/48 (29%). Seven eyes had major complications or lost light perception. Postoperative visual acuity improved or remained within one Snellen line of the preoperative visual acuity in 35 patients (73%). Factors associated with a better prognosis were a preoperative visual acuity better than 20/400 and etiology of glaucoma. CONCLUSION: The Baerveldt implant is effective in lowering intraocular pressure in most patients with refractory glaucoma. Long-term results are promising with satisfactory IOP control.

Characteristics of a good customer reference for a process equipment supplier

Työn tavoitteena oli tutkia hyvän asiakasreferenssin ominaisuuksia suodatinvalmistaja Laroxin myynnin ja huollon sekä yrityksen asiakkaiden näkökulmasta. Larox voi käyttää saatua tietoa referenssien tehokkaampaan valintaan ja hyödyntämiseen. Kaksi internet-kyselyä toteutettiin, välineenä Webropol. Alustava kysely sunnattiin Laroxin myynnille ja huollolle. Kysely koostui viidestä kategoriasta asiakasreferenssejä, joiden tärkeyttä arvioitiin, sekä vapaista vastauksista. Tunnistettuja hyvän asiakasreferenssin ominaisuuksia ovat hyvä suhde referenssiasiakkaaseen, positiiviset jarehelliset suosittelut asiakkaalta, referenssilaitteen hyvä toimintakyky ja asiakas joka ymmärtää huollon tärkeyden. Pääkysely suunnattiin Laroxin asiakkaille. Tilastollisilla analyyseilla tutkittiin koetun riskin mallinmuuttujien välisiä yhteyksiä. Analyysit eivät paljastaneet merkittäviä riippuvuuksia asiakasreferenssin ominaisuuksien tärkeydessä eritaustaisten vastaajien tai tilannetekijöiden välillä, mutta asiakasreferenssin ominaisuuksien faktorit tukevat mallia. Referenssilaitteiden toimintakyky vaikuttaa tärkeimmältä ja huollon tärkeys on myös merkittävä.

Container Handling Equipment Monitoring System, case: Steveco Oy

Container Handling Equipment Monitoring System (CHEMS) is a system developed by Savcor One Oy. CHEMS measures important information for container ports performance and produces performance indicators. The aim of this thesis was to clarify performance measurement contents to Savcor and to develop, as an example, performance measures to Steveco Oy's container operations. The theoretical part of the thesis clarifies performance measurement and which of its components are important to container port. Performance measurement and measures are presented from the operational level's point of view, in which CHEMS is planned to aim. The theory of development process of performance measures is introduced at the end of the theoretical part. To make sure that performance measures are efficiently used, Steveco Oy's performance measures are developed in cooperation with the users. The measurement in operational level is continuous and the results must be reacted asquickly as possible. CHEMS is very suitable to continuous measurement and to produce real time-measures of container operations which are hard to get any otherway.

Urgences vitales au cabinet médical: implications pour la formation et l'equipement du médecin de premier recours [Life-threatening emergencies at the office: implications for medical education and equipment of the primary care physician].

Every medical practitioner is confronted on a daily basis with emergencies. Among these, life-threatening emergencies can have disastrous consequences in term of morbidity and mortality; 22 cardiac arrests and 10 deaths were reported among the 1,650 Swiss practices during a 5 year period. The occurrence of life-threatening emergencies at the office necessitates, according to the type and place of the practice, the skills of the practitioner and the organization of his practice, the implementation of procedures, equipments (for example room equipped with a defibrillator, respiratory nebulizer, splints, emergency drugs) and specific continuous education programs that should be encouraged and made available to the whole medical corporation.

FITOTOXICIDADE DE FUNGICIDAS, ACARICIDAS E INSETICIDAS, SOBRE O MAMOEIRO (Carica papaya L.) CULTIVAR SUNRISE SOLO IMPROVED LINE 72/12 EM CONDIÇÕES DE CAMPO

A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo estudar os efeitos fitotóxicos de fungicidas, acaricidas e inseticidas e algumas associações entre eles, em plantas de mamoeiros (Carica papaya L.) cv. Sunrise Solo Improved Line 72/12, em condições de campo, no município de São Mateus -- ES, pertencente à maior região produtora do Estado. O experimento foi arranjado em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com 4 repetições e 03 plantas úteis por parcela. Foram utilizados os seguintes produtos, com as respectivas doses, para cada 100 L de água: chlorothalonil (Daconil PM-200g); mancozeb (Dithane PM -- 200g); oxicloreto de cobre (Reconil -- 400g); thiabendazole (Tecto 450 -- 100ml); dicofol + tetradifon (Carbax -- 200ml); triazophós (Hostathion 400 BR -- 150ml); óxido de fenbutatina (Torque 500 SC -- 60ml); e abamectin (Vertimec 18 CE -- 50ml): Analisou-se a fitotoxicidade dos produtos testados, em relação à altura da planta, nº de folhas, número de flores e frutos ; diâmetro do caule e queimaduras ou injúrias foliares. As datas das avaliações foram: 01 dia antes das pulverizações, 15 dias e 30 dias após as mesmas. Os fungicidas Daconil BR, Reconil e Tecto 450; o fungicida acaricida Dithane PM; os acaricidas Carbax e Torque 500 SC; e o inseticida-acaricida Vertimec 18 CE, aplicados isoladamente, não afetaram o crescimento e a produção das plantas, nem causaram injúrias nas folhas das mesmas. A associação de fungicidas e fungicida-acaricida, com os acaricidas, ou inseticida-acaricida, não mostrou nenhum efeito fitotóxico sobre os parâmetros de crescimento avaliados, nem causaram queimaduras ou injúrias foliares.

Assessing catchment-scale erosion and yields of suspended solids from improved temperate grassland.

This paper quantifies the yields of suspended solids (SS) from a headwater catchment managed as improved temperate grassland, providing the first direct, catchment-scale evidence of the rates of erosion from this land-use in the UK and assessing the threat posed to aquatic ecosystems. High-resolution monitoring of catchment hydrology and the concentrations of SS and volatile organic matter (VOM) were carried out in the first-order channel of the Den Brook headwater catchment in Devon (UK) during the 2006-2007 hydrological season. The widely used 'rating curve' (discharge-concentration) approach was employed to estimate yields of SS, but as demonstrated by previous researchers, this study showed that discharge is a poor predictor of SS concentrations and therefore any yields estimated from this technique are likely to be highly uncertain. Nevertheless, for the purpose of providing estimates of yields that are comparable to previous studies on other land uses/sources, this technique was adopted albeit in an uncertainty-based framework. The findings suggest that contrary to the common perception, grasslands can be erosive landscapes with SS yields from this catchment estimated to be between 0.54 and 1.21 t ha(-1) y(-1). In terms of on-site erosion problems, this rate of erosion does not significantly exceed the commonly used 'tolerable' threshold in the UK ( approximately 1 t ha(-1) y(-1)). In terms of off-site erosion problems, it is argued here that the conventional expression of SS yield as a bulk annual figure has little relevance to the water quality and ecological status of surface waters and therefore an alternative technique (the concentration-frequency curve) is developed within this paper for the specific purpose of assessing the ecological threat posed by the delivery of SS into surface waters. This technique illustrates that concentrations of SS recorded at the catchment outlet frequently exceed the water quality guidelines, such as those of the EU Freshwater Fisheries Directive (78/659/EC), and pose a serious threat to aquatic organisms. It is suggested that failure to recognise improved temperate grasslands as a potential source of particulate material could result in the non-compliance of surface waters to water quality guidelines, deterioration of ecological status and failure of water quality remediation measures.

Yrityksen arvonmääritys - jälkilaskelmatarkastelu - Amer - Suunto Oy tapauksesta

Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan yrityskauppaan ja arvonmääritykseen liittyviä taustatekijöitä ostajan näkökulmasta sekä varsinaisen arvonmäärityksen työkaluja. Tutkielman teoriaosuuden päätavoitteena on arvonmäärityksen taustojen ja yleisimpien arvonmääritysmallien selventäminen teoriatasolla ja antaa pohjaa tutkielman empiriaosuuden arvonmääritystyökalujen valinnalle ja käytölle. Tutkimuksen empiriaosuus on tapaustutkimus, jossa luodaan ex post - katsaus urheilu ja vapaa-aika toimialalla toimivan ostetun yrityksen arvoon ja siihen vaikuttaviin tekijöihin. Empiriaosuudessa ensisijaisena tavoitteena on määrittää valitulla arvonmääritystyökalulla julkisten tilinpäätöstietojen pohjalta ostetulle yritykselle arvo. Empiriaosuudessa valitun diskontattuihin vapaisiin kassavirtoihin perustuvan Navita Yritysmalli -työkalun avulla määritetään ostetulle yritykselle arvo. Laskelmien perusteella voidaan todeta, että Suunto Oy on ollut kannattava investointi nykyiselle emoyhtiölleen, vaikka Suunto Oy ei ole yltänytkään aivan kaikkiin emoyhtiön asettamiin tavoitteisiin. Kaupan myötä on syntynyt myös positiivista synergiaa, esimerkiksi Suunnon pääoma on saatu kiertämään nopeammin ja kannattavuus on kasvanut. Suunnon kauppa oli askel kohti Amerin tavoitetta olla maailman johtava urheiluvälinevalmistaja.

Teores de nutrientes do mamoeiro 'Improved Sunrise Solo 72/12' sob diferentes lâminas de irrigação, no Norte Fluminense

Entre os fatores que limitam a produtividade do mamoeiro, destacam-se a disponibilidade de água e nutrientes minerais. Assim, o ajuste de uma lâmina de irrigação adequada para a cultura exige também o monitoramento do estado nutricional das plantas. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a resposta das diferentes lâminas de irrigação (0; 40; 80; 120; 160; 200 e 240% da ETo) sobre os teores de nutrientes nas folhas do mamoeiro 'Improved Sunrise Solo 72/12'. As avaliações dos teores de nutrientes no mamoeiro foram realizadas em junho de 1999, retirando-se amostras de duas plantas de cada tratamento, das quais foram analisados, separadamente, o limbo e o pecíolo foliar. Os resultados indicam que os teores de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, B, Na, Fe e Cu, no limbo, e os teores de N, P, Ca, Mg, S, B, Na e Fe, no pecíolo, variaram significativamente com a lâmina de água aplicada. A concentração desses nutrientes em função das lâminas de irrigação foi explicada, na maioria dos casos, por regressões lineares, decrescentes para N, K e Fe, e crescente para os demais nutrientes. A variação significativa dos teores de nutrientes, em função da irrigação, mostra a necessidade de estudos que permitam o ajuste da adubação à lâmina de irrigação empregada.

Statin treatment is associated with improved prognosis in patients with AF-related stroke.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The most recent ACC/AHA guidelines recommend high-intensity statin therapy in ischemic stroke patients of presumably atherosclerotic origin. On the contrary, there is no specific recommendation for the use of statin in patients with non-atherosclerotic stroke, e.g. strokes related to atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated whether statin treatment in patients with AF-related stroke is associated with improved survival and reduced risk for stroke recurrence and future cardiovascular events. METHODS: All consecutive patients registered in the Athens Stroke Registry with AF-related stroke and no history of coronary artery disease nor clinically manifest peripheral artery disease were included in the analysis and categorized in two groups depending on whether statin was prescribed at discharge. The primary outcome was overall mortality; the secondary outcomes were stroke recurrence and a composite cardiovascular endpoint comprising of recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm rupture or sudden cardiac death during the 5-year follow-up. RESULTS: Among 1602 stroke patients, 404 (25.2%) with AF-related stroke were included in the analysis, of whom 102 (25.2%) were discharged on statin. On multivariate Cox-proportional-hazards model, statin treatment was independently associated with a lower mortality (hazard-ratio (HR): 0.49, 95%CI:0.26-0.92) and lower risk for the composite cardiovascular endpoint during the median 22months follow-up (HR: 0.44, 95%CI:0.22-0.88), but not with stroke recurrence (HR: 0.47, 95%CI:0.22-1.01, p: 0.053). CONCLUSIONS: In this long-term registry of patients with AF-related stroke, statin treatment was associated with improved survival and reduced risk for future cardiovascular events.

Fitotoxicidade de fungicidas, acaricidas e inseticidas sobre o mamoeiro (Carica papaya L.) cultivar sunrise solo improved line 72/12

Estudaram-se os efeitos fitotóxicos de fungicidas, acaricidas e inseticidas e algumas associações entre eles, em plantas de mamoeiros (Carica papaya L.) cv. Sunrise Solo Improved Line 72/12, em condições de verão, no município de São Mateus - ES, localizado na região produtora do Estado. O experimento foi arranjado em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com 4 repetições e 03 plantas úteis por parcela experimental. Foram utilizados os seguintes produtos, com as respectivas doses, para cada 100 l de água: abamectin (Vertimec 18 CE - 50 ml); dicofol + tetradiphon (Carbax - 200 ml), fenbutatin oxide (Torque 500 SC - 60 ml); mancozeb (Dithane PM - 200g); oxicloreto de cobre (Reconil - 400g) e thiabendazole (Tecto 450 - 100ml). Analisou-se a fitotoxicidade dos produtos em relação à altura da planta, nº de folhas, número de flores e frutos ; diâmetro do caule e queimaduras ou injúrias foliares. As medições e contagens foram feitas um dia antes das pulverizações, 15 e 30 dias após. Constatou-se que o Vertimec 18 CE, associado ao Reconil ou ao Tecto 450, ocasionou leves injúrias foliares, detectadas aos 15 dias após as pulverizações, que se tornaram praticamente imperceptíveis, aos 30 dias após as pulverizações; e que Dithane PM, Reconil, Tecto 450, Carbax, Torque 500 SC, Dithane PM + Carbax, Dithane PM + Torque 500 SC, Dithane PM + Vertimec 18 CE, Reconil + Carbax, Reconil + Torque 500 SC, Tecto 450 + Carbax e, Tecto 450 + + Torque 500 SC não interferiram nos parâmetros de desenvolvimento e de produção estudados, bem como não causaram injúrias ou queimaduras nas folhas dos mamoeiros.

CleanEx: a database of heterogeneous gene expression data based on a consistent gene nomenclature and linked to an improved annotation system

Résumé: L'automatisation du séquençage et de l'annotation des génomes, ainsi que l'application à large échelle de méthodes de mesure de l'expression génique, génèrent une quantité phénoménale de données pour des organismes modèles tels que l'homme ou la souris. Dans ce déluge de données, il devient très difficile d'obtenir des informations spécifiques à un organisme ou à un gène, et une telle recherche aboutit fréquemment à des réponses fragmentées, voir incomplètes. La création d'une base de données capable de gérer et d'intégrer aussi bien les données génomiques que les données transcriptomiques peut grandement améliorer la vitesse de recherche ainsi que la qualité des résultats obtenus, en permettant une comparaison directe de mesures d'expression des gènes provenant d'expériences réalisées grâce à des techniques différentes. L'objectif principal de ce projet, appelé CleanEx, est de fournir un accès direct aux données d'expression publiques par le biais de noms de gènes officiels, et de représenter des données d'expression produites selon des protocoles différents de manière à faciliter une analyse générale et une comparaison entre plusieurs jeux de données. Une mise à jour cohérente et régulière de la nomenclature des gènes est assurée en associant chaque expérience d'expression de gène à un identificateur permanent de la séquence-cible, donnant une description physique de la population d'ARN visée par l'expérience. Ces identificateurs sont ensuite associés à intervalles réguliers aux catalogues, en constante évolution, des gènes d'organismes modèles. Cette procédure automatique de traçage se fonde en partie sur des ressources externes d'information génomique, telles que UniGene et RefSeq. La partie centrale de CleanEx consiste en un index de gènes établi de manière hebdomadaire et qui contient les liens à toutes les données publiques d'expression déjà incorporées au système. En outre, la base de données des séquences-cible fournit un lien sur le gène correspondant ainsi qu'un contrôle de qualité de ce lien pour différents types de ressources expérimentales, telles que des clones ou des sondes Affymetrix. Le système de recherche en ligne de CleanEx offre un accès aux entrées individuelles ainsi qu'à des outils d'analyse croisée de jeux de donnnées. Ces outils se sont avérés très efficaces dans le cadre de la comparaison de l'expression de gènes, ainsi que, dans une certaine mesure, dans la détection d'une variation de cette expression liée au phénomène d'épissage alternatif. Les fichiers et les outils de CleanEx sont accessibles en ligne (http://www.cleanex.isb-sib.ch/). Abstract: The automatic genome sequencing and annotation, as well as the large-scale gene expression measurements methods, generate a massive amount of data for model organisms. Searching for genespecific or organism-specific information througout all the different databases has become a very difficult task, and often results in fragmented and unrelated answers. The generation of a database which will federate and integrate genomic and transcriptomic data together will greatly improve the search speed as well as the quality of the results by allowing a direct comparison of expression results obtained by different techniques. The main goal of this project, called the CleanEx database, is thus to provide access to public gene expression data via unique gene names and to represent heterogeneous expression data produced by different technologies in a way that facilitates joint analysis and crossdataset comparisons. A consistent and uptodate gene nomenclature is achieved by associating each single gene expression experiment with a permanent target identifier consisting of a physical description of the targeted RNA population or the hybridization reagent used. These targets are then mapped at regular intervals to the growing and evolving catalogues of genes from model organisms, such as human and mouse. The completely automatic mapping procedure relies partly on external genome information resources such as UniGene and RefSeq. The central part of CleanEx is a weekly built gene index containing crossreferences to all public expression data already incorporated into the system. In addition, the expression target database of CleanEx provides gene mapping and quality control information for various types of experimental resources, such as cDNA clones or Affymetrix probe sets. The Affymetrix mapping files are accessible as text files, for further use in external applications, and as individual entries, via the webbased interfaces . The CleanEx webbased query interfaces offer access to individual entries via text string searches or quantitative expression criteria, as well as crossdataset analysis tools, and crosschip gene comparison. These tools have proven to be very efficient in expression data comparison and even, to a certain extent, in detection of differentially expressed splice variants. The CleanEx flat files and tools are available online at: http://www.cleanex.isbsib. ch/.