Reaction-diffusion lattice gas: Theory and computer results

We report on the study of nonequilibrium ordering in the reaction-diffusion lattice gas. It is a kinetic model that relaxes towards steady states under the simultaneous competition of a thermally activated creation-annihilation $(reaction$) process at temperature T, and a diffusion process driven by a heat bath at temperature T?T. The phase diagram as one varies T and T, the system dimension d, the relative priori probabilities for the two processes, and their dynamical rates is investigated. We compare mean-field theory, new Monte Carlo data, and known exact results for some limiting cases. In particular, no evidence of Landau critical behavior is found numerically when d=2 for Metropolis rates but Onsager critical points and a variety of first-order phase transitions.

The Case for Linking World Law Data

The present paper advocates for the creation of a federated, hybrid database in the cloud, integrating law data from all available public sources in one single open access system - adding, in the process, relevant meta-data to the indexed documents, including the identification of social and semantic entities and the relationships between them, using linked open data techniques and standards such as RDF. Examples of potential benefits and applications of this approach are also provided, including, among others, experiences from of our previous research, in which data integration, graph databases and social and semantic networks analysis were used to identify power relations, litigation dynamics and cross-references patterns both intra and inter-institutionally, covering most of the World international economic courts.

Net Neutrality and other challenges for the future of the Internet. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Internet, Law & Politics. Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, 11-12 July, 2011

Peer-reviewed

Comparison of human and computer-based selective cleaning

Abstract

SiMR: A simulator for learning computer architecture

This paper presents SiMR, a simulator of the Rudimentary Machine designed to be used in a first course of computer architecture of Software Engineering and Computer Engineering programmes. The Rudimentary Machine contains all the basic elements in a RISC computer, and SiMR allows editing, assembling and executing programmes for this processor. SiMR is used at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya as one of the most important resources in the Virtual Computing Architecture and Organisation Laboratory, since students work at home with the simulator and reports containing their work are automatically generated to be evaluated by lecturers. The results obtained from a survey show that most of the students consider SiMR as a highly necessary or even an indispensable resource to learn the basic concepts about computer architecture.

Asymptotic equivalence between the unconditional maximum likelihood and the square-law nonlinearity symbol timing estimation

This paper provides a systematic approach to theproblem of nondata aided symbol-timing estimation for linearmodulations. The study is performed under the unconditionalmaximum likelihood framework where the carrier-frequencyerror is included as a nuisance parameter in the mathematicalderivation. The second-order moments of the received signal arefound to be the sufficient statistics for the problem at hand and theyallow the provision of a robust performance in the presence of acarrier-frequency error uncertainty. We particularly focus on theexploitation of the cyclostationary property of linear modulations.This enables us to derive simple and closed-form symbol-timingestimators which are found to be based on the well-known squaretiming recovery method by Oerder and Meyr. Finally, we generalizethe OM method to the case of linear modulations withoffset formats. In this case, the square-law nonlinearity is foundto provide not only the symbol-timing but also the carrier-phaseerror.

Computer-assisted two-dimensional preoperative planning for total hip arthroplasty: clinical evaluation.

The purpose of this study is to clinically validate a new two-dimensional preoperative planning software for cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA). Manual and two-dimensional computer-assisted planning were compared by an independent observer for each of the 30 patients with osteoarthritis who underwent THA. This study showed that there were no statistical differences between the results of both preoperative plans in terms of stem size and neck length (<1 size) and hip rotation center position (<5 mm). Two-dimensional computer-assisted preoperative planning provided successful results comparable to those using the manual procedure, thereby allowing the surgeon to simulate various stem designs easily.

Uuden riskien arviointityökalun käyttöönotto metsäteollisuusyrityksessä

Vuonna 2003 uudistunut työturvallisuuslaki lisäsi yritysten vastuuta oman työympäristön riskien tunnistamisessa. Laki velvoittaa yritykset tunnistamaan, selvittämään ja arvioimaan työstä ja työolosuhteista johtuvat vaara- ja haittatekijät. Perinteisesti yritykset ovat suorittaneet riskien arviointia erilaisten tarkistuslistojen avulla, mutta nykyään tietotekniikan käytön lisääntyminen on tuonut tietotekniikan myös yhdeksi riskienhallinnan työvälineeksi. Tämän työn tavoitteena oli tutkia If Vahinkovakuutusyhtiön uuden riskien arviointiohjelman käyttöönottoa metsäteollisuuden yrityksessä, ja selvittää sen vaikutuksia turvallisuustoimenpiteiden hallintaan ja vastaavuutta sille ennakkoon asetettuihin käytettävyysvaatimuksiin. Riskien arviointiohjelmaa tutkittiin pilottikohteessa Stora Enson Anjalankoskentehtailla. Tietoa kerättiin mm. käyttäjäkoulutustilaisuuksien palautekyselyillä, haastattelemalla arvioijia ja osallistumalla riskien arviointikierroksille. Tutkimuksessa seurattiin mm. ohjelman avulla syntyneiden toimenpide-ehdotuksien määrää ja laatua, ja sitä kuinka hyvin ohjelmalle suunniteltu sisältö sopii käyttöön. Tämän tutkimuksen perusteella havaittiin, että riskien arviointiin tarkoitettu tietokoneohjelma voidaan suunnitella helppokäyttöiseksi ja toimivaksi. Myös ohjelman sisältö, joka oli tarkoitettu kattamaan työturvallisuuden eri osa-alueet, havaittiin tarkoitukseen sopivaksi. Riskien arvioinnin ongelmallisin alue, eli turvallisuustoimenpiteiden suunnittelu ja seuranta, havaittiin haasteelliseksi toteutettavaksi ohjelman avulla. Yritysten erilaisiin riskien arviointikäytäntöihinsopivan raportointijärjestelmän ja toimenpideseurannan kehittäminen tulee olemaan tulevaisuudessakin tärkeä osa-alue riskien arviointiohjelmien kehittämisessä.

Injury pattern of the Flash-Ball, a less-lethal weapon used for law enforcement: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Less-lethal weapons are used in law enforcement to neutralize combative individuals and to disperse riot crowds. Local police recently used such an impact weapon, the Flash-Ball, in two different situations. This gun fires large rubber bullets with kinetic energies around 200 J. Although it is designed to avoid skin penetration, impacts at such energies may still create major trauma with associated severe injuries to internal organs. This is a report of 2 patients shot with the Flash-Ball who required medical attention. One could be discharged quickly, but the other required hospitalization for heart and lung contusion. Both patients required advanced investigations including computed tomography (CT) scan. The medical literature on injuries induced by less-lethal impact weapons is reviewed. Impacts from the Flash-Ball can cause significant injury to internal organs, even without penetration. Investigations as for other high-energy blunt traumas are called for in these cases.

Computer-aided volume measurement of posttraumatic orbits reconstructed with AO titanium mesh plates: accuracy and reliability

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate the accuracy and reliability of "freehand" posttraumatic orbital wall reconstruction with AO (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Osteosynthese) titanium mesh plates by using computer-aided volumetric measurement of the bony orbits. METHODS: Bony orbital volume was measured in 12 patients from coronal CT scan slices using OsiriX Medical Image software. After defining the volumetric limits of the orbit, the segmentation of the bony orbital region of interest of each single slice was performed. At the end of the segmentation process, all regions of interest were grouped and the volume was computed. The same procedure was performed on both orbits, and thereafter the volume of the contralateral uninjured orbit was used as a control for comparison. RESULTS: In all patients, the volume data of the reconstructed orbit fitted that of the contralateral uninjured orbit with accuracy to within 1.85 cm3 (7%). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study has demonstrated that posttraumatic orbital wall reconstruction using "freehand" bending and placement of AO titanium mesh plates results in a high success rate in re-establishing preoperative bony volume, which closely approximates that of the contralateral uninjured orbit.