Data driven and practice-based evidence : design and development of efficient and effective clinical decision support system

Decision-making is such an integral aspect in health care routine that the ability to make the right decisions at crucial moments can lead to patient health improvements. Evidence-based practice, the paradigm used to make those informed decisions, relies on the use of current best evidence from systematic research such as randomized controlled trials. Limitations of the outcomes from randomized controlled trials (RCT), such as “quantity” and “quality” of evidence generated, has lowered healthcare professionals’ confidence in using EBP. An alternate paradigm of Practice-Based Evidence has evolved with the key being evidence drawn from practice settings. Through the use of health information technology, electronic health records (EHR) capture relevant clinical practice “evidence”. A data-driven approach is proposed to capitalize on the benefits of EHR. The issues of data privacy, security and integrity are diminished by an information accountability concept. Data warehouse architecture completes the data-driven approach by integrating health data from multi-source systems, unique within the healthcare environment.

Real-time traffic state estimation in urban corridors from heterogeneous data

In recent years, rapid advances in information technology have led to various data collection systems which are enriching the sources of empirical data for use in transport systems. Currently, traffic data are collected through various sensors including loop detectors, probe vehicles, cell-phones, Bluetooth, video cameras, remote sensing and public transport smart cards. It has been argued that combining the complementary information from multiple sources will generally result in better accuracy, increased robustness and reduced ambiguity. Despite the fact that there have been substantial advances in data assimilation techniques to reconstruct and predict the traffic state from multiple data sources, such methods are generally data-driven and do not fully utilize the power of traffic models. Furthermore, the existing methods are still limited to freeway networks and are not yet applicable in the urban context due to the enhanced complexity of the flow behavior. The main traffic phenomena on urban links are generally caused by the boundary conditions at intersections, un-signalized or signalized, at which the switching of the traffic lights and the turning maneuvers of the road users lead to shock-wave phenomena that propagate upstream of the intersections. This paper develops a new model-based methodology to build up a real-time traffic prediction model for arterial corridors using data from multiple sources, particularly from loop detectors and partial observations from Bluetooth and GPS devices.

Estimation of local forest attributes, utilizing two-phase sampling and auxiliary data

This thesis examines the feasibility of a forest inventory method based on two-phase sampling in estimating forest attributes at the stand or substand levels for forest management purposes. The method is based on multi-source forest inventory combining auxiliary data consisting of remote sensing imagery or other geographic information and field measurements. Auxiliary data are utilized as first-phase data for covering all inventory units. Various methods were examined for improving the accuracy of the forest estimates. Pre-processing of auxiliary data in the form of correcting the spectral properties of aerial imagery was examined (I), as was the selection of aerial image features for estimating forest attributes (II). Various spatial units were compared for extracting image features in a remote sensing aided forest inventory utilizing very high resolution imagery (III). A number of data sources were combined and different weighting procedures were tested in estimating forest attributes (IV, V). Correction of the spectral properties of aerial images proved to be a straightforward and advantageous method for improving the correlation between the image features and the measured forest attributes. Testing different image features that can be extracted from aerial photographs (and other very high resolution images) showed that the images contain a wealth of relevant information that can be extracted only by utilizing the spatial organization of the image pixel values. Furthermore, careful selection of image features for the inventory task generally gives better results than inputting all extractable features to the estimation procedure. When the spatial units for extracting very high resolution image features were examined, an approach based on image segmentation generally showed advantages compared with a traditional sample plot-based approach. Combining several data sources resulted in more accurate estimates than any of the individual data sources alone. The best combined estimate can be derived by weighting the estimates produced by the individual data sources by the inverse values of their mean square errors. Despite the fact that the plot-level estimation accuracy in two-phase sampling inventory can be improved in many ways, the accuracy of forest estimates based mainly on single-view satellite and aerial imagery is a relatively poor basis for making stand-level management decisions.

Ambidextrous leadership and team innovation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report the first empirical test of the recently proposed ambidexterity theory of leadership for innovation (Rosing et al., 2011). This theory proposes that the interaction between two complementary leadership behaviors – opening and closing – predicts team innovation, such that team innovation is highest when both opening and closing leadership behaviors are high. Design/methodology/approach Multi-source survey data came from 33 team leaders of architectural and interior design firms and 90 of their employees. Findings Results supported the interaction hypothesis, even after controlling for leaders’ transformational leadership behavior and general team success. Research limitations/implications The relatively small sample size and the cross-sectional design are potential limitations of the study. The findings provide initial support for the central hypothesis of the ambidexterity theory of leadership for innovation. Practical implications The results suggest that organizations could train team leaders’ ambidextrous leadership behaviors to increase team innovation. Social implications Identifying ways to facilitate organizational innovation is important, as it contributes to employment and company growth as well as individual and societal well-being. Originality/value This multi-source study contributes to the literatures on leadership and innovation in organizations by showing that ambidextrous leadership behaviors predict team innovation above and beyond transformational leadership behavior.

Wisdom and narcissism as predictors of transformational leadership

- Purpose Although leadership and organizational scholars have suggested that the virtue of wisdom may promote outstanding leadership behavior, this proposition has rarely been empirically tested. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between transformational leadership, narcissism, and five dimensions of wisdom as conceptualized by the well-established Berlin wisdom paradigm. General mental ability and emotional intelligence were considered relevant control variables. - Design/methodology/approach Interview, test, and questionnaire data were obtained from 77 employees of a high school and from two or three colleagues of each employee. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression analyses. - Findings After controlling for general mental ability and emotional intelligence, narcissism and the wisdom dimension relativism of values and life priorities were negatively related to transformational leadership, and the wisdom dimension recognition and management of uncertainty was positively related to transformational leadership. The other three wisdom dimensions, rich factual knowledge about life, rich procedural knowledge about life, and lifespan contextualism, were not significantly related to transformational leadership. - Research limitations/implications Limitations to be addressed in future studies include the cross-sectional design and the relatively small and specialized sample. - Practical implications Tentative implications for leadership training and development are outlined. - Originality/value This multi-method and multi-source study represents the first empirical investigation that examines links between well-established wisdom and leadership constructs in the work context.

Spatial Data Mining and Modeling for visualisation of Rapid Urbanisation

Rapid urbanisation in India has posed serious challenges to the decision makers in regional planning involving plethora of issues including provision of basic amenities (like electricity, water, sanitation, transport, etc.). Urban planning entails an understanding of landscape and urban dynamics with causal factors. Identifying, delineating and mapping landscapes on temporal scale provide an opportunity to monitor the changes, which is important for natural resource management and sustainable planning activities. Multi-source, multi-sensor, multi-temporal, multi-frequency or multi-polarization remote sensing data with efficient classification algorithms and pattern recognition techniques aid in capturing these dynamics. This paper analyses the landscape dynamics of Greater Bangalore by: (i) characterisation of direct impervious surface, (ii) computation of forest fragmentation indices and (iii) modeling to quantify and categorise urban changes. Linear unmixing is used for solving the mixed pixel problem of coarse resolution super spectral MODIS data for impervious surface characterisation. Fragmentation indices were used to classify forests – interior, perforated, edge, transitional, patch and undetermined. Based on this, urban growth model was developed to determine the type of urban growth – Infill, Expansion and Outlying growth. This helped in visualising urban growth poles and consequence of earlier policy decisions that can help in evolving strategies for effective land use policies.

共蒸法制备非均匀膜的速率控制分析

渐变折射率薄膜，又称为非均匀膜。利用德鲁德理论分析了混合介质膜的介电常量与各个膜料的介电常量之间的关系，介绍了共蒸法制备非均匀膜的制备机理。对混合膜的沉积速率为两种膜料的沉积速率之和的情况，分别从两种膜料的单分子体积是否相等和总的沉积速率是否为常数两个方面，探讨了双源共蒸法制备的非均匀膜的折射率分布规律与膜料的沉积速率之间的关系，并给出了几种常见的折射率分布如线性变化、正弦变化、指数变化和双曲变化规律的膜料沉积速率表达式。最后以混合介质膜的总沉积速率为常数、折射率按照线性变化为例进行了说明。

N-gram posterior probability confidence measures for statistical machine translation: An empirical study

We report an empirical study of n-gram posterior probability confidence measures for statistical machine translation (SMT). We first describe an efficient and practical algorithm for rapidly computing n-gram posterior probabilities from large translation word lattices. These probabilities are shown to be a good predictor of whether or not the n-gram is found in human reference translations, motivating their use as a confidence measure for SMT. Comprehensive n-gram precision and word coverage measurements are presented for a variety of different language pairs, domains and conditions. We analyze the effect on reference precision of using single or multiple references, and compare the precision of posteriors computed from k-best lists to those computed over the full evidence space of the lattice. We also demonstrate improved confidence by combining multiple lattices in a multi-source translation framework. © 2012 The Author(s).

Land-cover classification of China: integrated analysis of AVHRR imagery and geophysical data

Over last two decades, numerous studies have used remotely sensed data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensors to map land use and land cover at large spatial scales, but achieved only limited success. In this paper, we employed an approach that combines both AVHRR images and geophysical datasets (e.g. climate, elevation). Three geophysical datasets are used in this study: annual mean temperature, annual precipitation, and elevation. We first divide China into nine bio-climatic regions, using the long-term mean climate data. For each of nine regions, the three geophysical data layers are stacked together with AVHRR data and AVHRR-derived vegetation index (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) data, and the resultant multi-source datasets were then analysed to generate land-cover maps for individual regions, using supervised classification algorithms. The nine land-cover maps for individual regions were assembled together for China. The existing land-cover dataset derived from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images was used to assess the accuracy of the classification that is based on AVHRR and geophysical data. Accuracy of individual regions varies from 73% to 89%, with an overall accuracy of 81% for China. The results showed that the methodology used in this study is, in general, feasible for large-scale land-cover mapping in China.

基于窗口精细结构描述的岩体质量评价及力学参数综合优选

This thesis bases on horizontal research project “The research about the fine structure and mechanical parameters of abutment jointed rock mass of high arch dam on Jinping Ⅰ Hydropower Station, Yalong River” and “The research about the fine structure and mechanical parameters of the columnar basalt rock mass on Baihetan Hydropower Station, Jinsha River”. A rounded system about the fine structure description and rock mass classification is established. This research mainly contains six aspects as follow: (1) Methods about fine structure description of the window rock mass; (2) The window rock mass classification about the fine structure; (3) Model test study of intermittent joints; (4) Window rock mass strength theory; (5) Numerical experimentations about window rock mass; (6) The multi-source fusion of mechanical parameters based on Bayes principle. Variation of intact rock strength and joint conditions with the weathering and relaxation degree is studied through the description of window rock mass. And four principal parameters: intact rock point load strength, integration degree of window rock mass, joint conditions, and groundwater condition is selected to assess the window rock mass. Window rock mass is classified into three types using the results of window rock mass fine structure description combined with joints develop model. Scores about intact rock strength, integrality condition, divisional plane condition and groundwater conditions are given based on window rock mass fine structure description. Then quality evaluation about two different types of rock mass: general joint structure and columnar jointing structure are carried out to use this window rock mass classification system. Application results show that the window rock mass classification system is effective and applicable. Aimed at structural features of window structure of “the rock mass damaged by recessive fracture”, model tests and numerical models are designed about intermittent joints. By conducting model tests we get shear strength under different normal stress in integrated samples, through samples and intermittent joints samples. Also, the changing trends of shear strength in various connectivity rates are analyzed. We numerically simulate the entire process of direct shear tests by using PFC2D. In order to tally the stress-strain curve of numerical simulation with experimental tests about both integrated samples and through samples, we adjust mechanical factors between particles. Through adopting the same particle geometric parameter, the numerical sample of intermittent joints in different connective condition is re-built. At the same time, we endow the rock bridges and joints in testing samples with the fixed particle contacting parameters, and conduct a series of direct shear tests. Then the destructive process and mechanical parameters in both micro-prospective and macro-prospective are obtained. By synthesizing the results of numerical and sample tests and analyzing the evolutionary changes of stress and strain on intermittent joints plane, we conclude that the centralization of compressive stress on rock bridges increase the shear strength of it. We discuss the destructive mechanics of intermittent joints rock under direct shear condition, meanwhile, divide the whole shear process into five phases, which are elasticity phase, fracture initiation phase, peak value phase, after-peak phase and residual phase. In development of strength theory, the shear strength mechanisms of joint and rock bridge are analyzed respectively. In order to apply the deducted formulation conveniently in the real projects, a relationship between these formulations and Mohr-Coulomb hypothesis is built up. Some sets of numerical simulation methods, i.e. the distinct element method (UDEC) based on in-situ geology mapping are developed and introduced. The working methods about determining mechanical parameters of intact rock and joints in numerical model are studied. The operation process and analysis results are demonstrated detailed from the research on parameters of rock mass based on numerical test in the Jinping Ⅰ Hydropower Station and Baihetan Hydropower Station. By comparison，the advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Results about numerical simulation study show that we can get the shear strength mechanical parameters by changing the load conditions. The multi-source rock mass mechanical parameters can be fused by the Bayes theory, which are test value, empirical value and theoretical value. Then the value range and its confidence probability of different rock mass grade are induced and these data supports the reliability design.

积分偏移的计算几何与并行实现

The Second Round of Oil & Gas Exploration needs more precision imaging method, velocity vs. depth model and geometry description on Complicated Geological Mass. Prestack time migration on inhomogeneous media was the technical basic of velocity analysis, prestack time migration on Rugged surface, angle gather and multi-domain noise suppression. In order to realize this technique, several critical technical problems need to be solved, such as parallel computation, velocity algorithm on ununiform grid and visualization. The key problem is organic combination theories of migration and computational geometry. Based on technical problems of 3-D prestack time migration existing in inhomogeneous media and requirements from nonuniform grid, parallel process and visualization, the thesis was studied systematically on three aspects: Infrastructure of velocity varies laterally Green function traveltime computation on ununiform grid, parallel computational of kirchhoff integral migration and 3D visualization, by combining integral migration theory and Computational Geometry. The results will provide powerful technical support to the implement of prestack time migration and convenient compute infrastructure of wave number domain simulation in inhomogeneous media. The main results were obtained as follows: 1. Symbol of one way wave Lie algebra integral, phase and green function traveltime expressions were analyzed, and simple 2-D expression of Lie algebra integral symbol phase and green function traveltime in time domain were given in inhomogeneous media by using pseudo-differential operators’ exponential map and Lie group algorithm preserving geometry structure. Infrastructure calculation of five parts, including derivative, commutating operator, Lie algebra root tree, exponential map root tree and traveltime coefficients , was brought forward when calculating asymmetry traveltime equation containing lateral differential in 3-D by this method. 2. By studying the infrastructure calculation of asymmetry traveltime in 3-D based on lateral velocity differential and combining computational geometry, a method to build velocity library and interpolate on velocity library using triangulate was obtained, which fit traveltime calculate requirements of parallel time migration and velocity estimate. 3. Combining velocity library triangulate and computational geometry, a structure which was convenient to calculate differential in horizontal, commutating operator and integral in vertical was built. Furthermore, recursive algorithm, for calculating architecture on lie algebra integral and exponential map root tree (Magnus in Math), was build and asymmetry traveltime based on lateral differential algorithm was also realized. 4. Based on graph theory and computational geometry, a minimum cycle method to decompose area into polygon blocks, which can be used as topological representation of migration result was proposed, which provided a practical method to block representation and research to migration interpretation results. 5. Based on MPI library, a process of bringing parallel migration algorithm at arbitrary sequence traces into practical was realized by using asymmetry traveltime based on lateral differential calculation and Kirchhoff integral method. 6. Visualization of geological data and seismic data were studied by the tools of OpenGL and Open Inventor, based on computational geometry theory, and a 3D visualize system on seismic imaging data was designed.

粘弹性介质中的地震波传播与波形反演研究

The real earth is far away from an ideal elastic ball. The movement of structures or fluid and scattering of thin-layer would inevitably affect seismic wave propagation, which is demonstrated mainly as energy nongeometrical attenuation. Today, most of theoretical researches and applications take the assumption that all media studied are fully elastic. Ignoring the viscoelastic property would, in some circumstances, lead to amplitude and phase distortion, which will indirectly affect extraction of traveltime and waveform we use in imaging and inversion. In order to investigate the response of seismic wave propagation and improve the imaging and inversion quality in complex media, we need not only consider into attenuation of the real media but also implement it by means of efficient numerical methods and imaging techniques. As for numerical modeling, most widely used methods, such as finite difference, finite element and pseudospectral algorithms, have difficulty in dealing with problem of simultaneously improving accuracy and efficiency in computation. To partially overcome this difficulty, this paper devises a matrix differentiator method and an optimal convolutional differentiator method based on staggered-grid Fourier pseudospectral differentiation, and a staggered-grid optimal Shannon singular kernel convolutional differentiator by function distribution theory, which then are used to study seismic wave propagation in viscoelastic media. Results through comparisons and accuracy analysis demonstrate that optimal convolutional differentiator methods can solve well the incompatibility between accuracy and efficiency, and are almost twice more accurate than the same-length finite difference. They can efficiently reduce dispersion and provide high-precision waveform data. On the basis of frequency-domain wavefield modeling, we discuss how to directly solve linear equations and point out that when compared to the time-domain methods, frequency-domain methods would be more convenient to handle the multi-source problem and be much easier to incorporate medium attenuation. We also prove the equivalence of the time- and frequency-domain methods by using numerical tests when assumptions with non-relaxation modulus and quality factor are made, and analyze the reason that causes waveform difference. In frequency-domain waveform inversion, experiments have been conducted with transmission, crosshole and reflection data. By using the relation between media scales and characteristic frequencies, we analyze the capacity of the frequency-domain sequential inversion method in anti-noising and dealing with non-uniqueness of nonlinear optimization. In crosshole experiments, we find the main sources of inversion error and figure out how incorrect quality factor would affect inverted results. When dealing with surface reflection data, several frequencies have been chosen with optimal frequency selection strategy, with which we use to carry out sequential and simultaneous inversions to verify how important low frequency data are to the inverted results and the functionality of simultaneous inversion in anti-noising. Finally, I come with some conclusions about the whole work I have done in this dissertation and discuss detailly the existing and would-be problems in it. I also point out the possible directions and theories we should go and deepen, which, to some extent, would provide a helpful reference to researchers who are interested in seismic wave propagation and imaging in complex media.

复杂断块群四维应力场模型及油藏预测

This paper is belonging to Chinese Petrochemical Corporation's key project. Although it is difficult and great workload, it has important theoretical and practical value. Its targets is to establish 4 dimension stress fields of complex fault block groups, and then to predict the forming mechanism and distribution rule of petroleum pools, by applying the most advanced theories, methods and technology and the most sophisticated software in highly explored zones. By means of multi-discipline theories, methods, technologies and multi-source information, using computer with maximum efforts, investigating the strata framework, structure framework, petroleum pool forming mechanism and forming mode of complex fault block groups, several results have been achieved as following: The fastigiated mode of Xianhe complex fault block groups was established, pointed out the control function of pool accumulate in Xianhe complex fault block groups Xianhe fastigiated complex fault block groups are the results of combining stress of extending, slipping and reversing, which formed in early Shahejie stage, changed and perplexed during Dongying stage and that control the forming and destruction of petroleum pools. By measuring the earth stress and rock mechanics parameters in the research region, the model of 4 dimension stress field and potential fields of migrating fluids was established from ES3 stage to current, with their space distribution and time evolve and petroleum accumulate. The fault-sealing model in Xianhe complex fault block groups was established, which reveal the sealing mechanism of petroleum about control-fault, made for petroleum pool prediction in complex fault block. The petroleum pool forming mode and mechanism in complex fault block was established. Petroleum distribution were predicted in three stress inverse zones, and remaining oil were point out in the high points of 2 micro-structures and the region with strong fault-sealing capabilities. (6). A set of theories, technology and methods of complex fault block petroleum pool have been developed, bring on an improvement of the development geology theory in continental fault depression lake basin, good economic benefits have been obtained by applying on both east and west areas of our country.

Strategic Human Resource Management of Volunteers and the Link to Hospital Patient Satisfaction

This article uses strategic human resource management theory to consider the ways in which volunteers can potentially enhance hospital patient satisfaction. Results of a structural equation modeling analysis of multi-source data on 107 U.S. hospitals show positive associations between hospital strategy, volunteer management practices, volunteer workforce attributes, and patient satisfaction. Although no causality can be assumed, the results shed light on the volunteer–patient satisfaction relationship and have important implications for hospital leaders, volunteer administrators, and future research.

Job Demands and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Roles of Organizational Commitment and Social Interaction

Drawing from the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and research on social exchange relationships, this study investigates the impact of three job demands (work overload, interpersonal conflict, and dissatisfaction with the organization’s current situation) on employees’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), the hitherto unexplored mediating role of organizational commitment in the link between job demands and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), as well as how this mediating effect might be moderated by social interaction. Using a multi-source, two-wave research design, surveys were administered to 707 employees and their supervisors in a Mexican-based organization. The hypotheses were tested with hierarchical regression analysis. The results indicate a direct negative relationship between interpersonal conflict and OCB, and a mediating effect of organizational commitment for interpersonal conflict and dissatisfaction with the organization’s current situation. Further, social interaction moderates the mediating effect of organizational commitment for each of the three job demands such that the mediating effect is weaker at higher levels of social interaction. The study suggests that organizations aiming to instill OCB among their employees should match the immediate work context surrounding their task execution with an internal environment that promotes informal relationship building.