Economic measurement in public welfare economics : practical experiences on the regional level in Germany

Resumen: ¿Cuál es el precio justo para la asistencia social? Este artículo muestra que la medición económica efectuada en mercados basados en el valor de los servicios prestados podría responder esta pregunta. La medición económica puede hacer lo mismo en distintos campos del trabajo social aplicando diferentes métodos, tales como ofertas públicas o negociaciones calificadas. Después de dar un breve panorama teórico, se presentan y analizan en detalle dos proyectos alemanes. El artículo muestra cómo la introducción de mecanismos de negociación en la asistencia social expresados en términos de resultados pueden traer efectos positivos para las finanzas públicas, así como también para el bien común.

Reconstructing The Vertical Distribution Of The Aeolian Saltation Mass Flux Based On The Probability Distribution Of Lift-Off Velocity

The probability distribution of lift-off velocity of the saltating grains is a bridge to linking microscopic and macroscopic research of aeolian sand transport. The lift-off parameters of saltating grains (i.e., the horizontal and vertical lift-off velocities, resultant lift-off velocity, and lift-off angle) in a wind tunnel are measured by using a Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer (PDPA). The experimental results show that the probability distribution of horizontal lift-off velocity of saltating particles on a bed surface is a normal function, and that of vertical lift-off velocity is an exponential function. The probability distribution of resultant lift-off velocity of saltating grains can be expressed as a log-normal function, and that of lift-off angle complies with an exponential function. A numerical model for the vertical distribution of aeolian mass flux based on the probability distribution of lift-off velocity is established. The simulation gives a sand mass flux distribution which is consistent with the field data of Namikas (Namikas, S.L., 2003. Field measurement and numerical modelling of acolian mass flux distributions on a sandy beach, Sedimentology 50, 303-326). Therefore, these findings are helpful to further understand the probability characteristics of lift-off grains in aeolian sand transport. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of influence of multiple scattering effect in light-scattering-based applications

The extinction cross sections of a system containing two particles are calculated by the T-matrix method, and the results are compared with those of two single particles with single-scattering approximation. The necessity of the correction of the refractive indices of water and polystyrene for different incident wavelengths is particularly addressed in the calculation. By this means, the volume fractions allowed for certain accuracy requirements of single-scattering approximation in the light scattering experiment can be evaluated. The volume fractions calculated with corrected refractive indices are compared with those obtained with fixed refractive indices which have been rather commonly used, showing that fixed refractive indices may cause significant error in evaluating multiple scattering effect. The results also give a simple criterion for selecting the incident wavelength and particle size to avoid the 'blind zone' in the turbidity measurement, where the turbidity change is insensitive to aggregation of two particles.

Hardware development and ground-based studies for drop shaft experiment on oscillatory convection in half floating-zone

Coordinated measurement of temperature, velocity and free surface oscillation were obtained by using the drop shaft facility for microgravity experiments of half floating zone convection. The ground-based studies gave transition from steady to oscillatory convection for multi-quantities measurement.

Real-Time Measurement on Deformation Fields of Hole-Excavated Samples under Impact Tension

In this paper, the real-time deformation fields are observed in two different kinds of hole-excavated dog-bone samples loaded by an SHTB, including single hole sample and dual holes sample with the aperture size of 0.8mm. The testing system consists of a high-speed camera, a He-Ne laser, a frame grabber and a synchronization device with the controlling accuracy of I microsecond. Both the single hole expanding process and the interaction of the two holes are recorded with the time interval of 10 mu s. The observed images on the sample surface are analyzed by newly developed software based on digital correlation theory and a modified image processing method. The 2-D displacement fields in plane are obtained with a resolution of 50 mu m and an accuracy of 0.5 mu m. Experimental results obtained in this paper are proofed, by compared with FEM numerical simulations.

Measurement of Electron Density Profile Behind Strong Shock Waves with a Langmuir Probe

At the shock velocity range of 7~9km/s, the variations of electron density behind strong normal shock waves are measured in a low-density shock tube by using the Langmuir electrostatic probe technique. The electron temperature, calculated based on Park’s three-temperature model, is used in interpreting the probe current data. The peak electron densities determined in the present experiment are shown to be in a good agreement with those predicted by Lin’s calculation. The experimentally obtained ratios of the characteristic ionization distance to the mean free path of freestream ahead of the shock wave are found to be in a good agreement with the existing experiments and Park’s calculation.

Influence of Training Set Selection in Artificial Neural Network-Based Propagation Path Loss Predictions

This paper analyzes the use of artificial neural networks (ANNs) for predicting the received power/path loss in both outdoor and indoor links. The approach followed has been a combined use of ANNs and ray-tracing, the latter allowing the identification and parameterization of the so-called dominant path. A complete description of the process for creating and training an ANN-based model is presented with special emphasis on the training process. More specifically, we will be discussing various techniques to arrive at valid predictions focusing on an optimum selection of the training set. A quantitative analysis based on results from two narrowband measurement campaigns, one outdoors and the other indoors, is also presented.

Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design: final synthesis report

This report provides a final synthesis of findings, deliverables and outcomes from the JISC Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design Programme (the 'Design Programme'), based on the final reports from projects. The report also includes quotes and commentary from ‘Report to JISC: Senior Management Project Interviews’ produced by Professor Peter Chatterton.

An observer-based vaccination control law for an SEIR epidemic model based on feedback linearization techniques for nonlinear systems

This paper presents a vaccination strategy for fighting against the propagation of epidemic diseases. The disease propagation is described by an SEIR (susceptible plus infected plus infectious plus removed populations) epidemic model. The model takes into account the total population amounts as a refrain for the illness transmission since its increase makes the contacts among susceptible and infected more difficult. The vaccination strategy is based on a continuous-time nonlinear control law synthesised via an exact feedback input-output linearization approach. An observer is incorporated into the control scheme to provide online estimates for the susceptible and infected populations in the case when their values are not available from online measurement but they are necessary to implement the control law. The vaccination control is generated based on the information provided by the observer. The control objective is to asymptotically eradicate the infection from the population so that the removed-by-immunity population asymptotically tracks the whole one without precise knowledge of the partial populations. The model positivity, the eradication of the infection under feedback vaccination laws and the stability properties as well as the asymptotic convergence of the estimation errors to zero as time tends to infinity are investigated.

In situ measurement of dissolved inorganic carbon speciation in natural waters, pH, pC02, TA, & TC02, Honolulu, Hawaii, February 16-18, 2005: workshop proceedings

The Alliance for Coastal Technology (ACT) convened a workshop on the in situ measurement of dissolved inorganic carbon species in natural waters in Honolulu, Hawaii, on February 16, 17, and 18, 2005. The workshop was designed to summarize existing technologies for measuring the abundance and speciation of dissolved inorganic carbon and to make strategic recommendations for future development and application of these technologies to coastal research and management. The workshop was not focused on any specific technology, however, most of the attention of the workshop was on in situ pC02 sensors given their recent development and use on moorings for the measurement of global carbon fluxes. In addition, the problems and limitations arising from the long-term deployment of systems designed for the measurement of pH, total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and total alkalinity (TA) were discussed. Participants included researchers involved in carbon biogeochemistry, industry representatives, and coastal resource managers. The primary questions asked during the workshop were: I. What are the major impediments to transform presently used shipboard pC02 measurement systems for use on cost-eficient moorings? 2. What are the major technical hurdles for the in situ measurement of TA and DIC? 3. What specific information do we need to coordinate efforts for proof of concept' testing of existing and new technologies, inter-calibration of those technologies, better software development, and more precise knowledge quantzjjing the geochemistry of dissolved inoeanic carbon species in order to develop an observing system for dissolved inorganic carbon? Based on the discussion resulting from these three questions, the following statements were made: Statement No. 1 Cost-effective, self-contained technologies for making long-term, accurate measurements of the partial pressure of C02 gas in water already exist and at present are ready for deployment on moorings in coastal observing systems. Statement No. 2 Cost-effective, self-contained systems for the measurement of pH, TA, and DIC are still needed to both fully define the carbonate chemistry of coastal waters and the fluxes of carbon between major biogeochemical compartments (e.g., air-sea, shelf-slope, water column-sediment, etc.). (pdf contains 23 pages)

Design of a Sensor Based on Plastic Optical Fibre (POF) to Measure Fluid Flow and Turbidity

Although many optical fibre applications are based on their capacity to transmit optical signals with low losses, it can also be desirable for the optical fibre to be strongly affected by a certain physical parameter in the environment. In this way, it can be used as a sensor for this parameter. There are many strong arguments for the use of POFs as sensors. In addition to being easy to handle and low cost, they demonstrate advantages common to all multimode optical fibres. These specifically include flexibility, small size, good electromagnetic compatibility behaviour, and in general, the possibility of measuring any phenomenon without physically interacting with it. In this paper, a sensor based on POF is designed and analysed with the aim of measuring the volume and turbidity of a low viscosity fluid, in this case water, as it passes through a pipe. A comparative study with a commercial sensor is provided to validate the proven flow measurement. Likewise, turbidity is measured using different colour dyes. Finally, this paper will present the most significant results and conclusions from all the tests which are carried out.

Measurement of velocity profiles in a rectangular microchannel with aspect ratio α = 0.35

In this work, we measured 14 horizontal velocity profiles along the vertical direction of a rectangular microchannel with aspect ratio alpha = h/w = 0.35 (h is the height of the channel and w is the width of the channel) using microPIV at Re = 1.8 and 3.6. The experimental velocity profiles are compared with the full 3D theoretical solution, and also with a Poiseuille parabolic profile. It is shown that the experimental velocity profiles in the horizontal and vertical planes are in agreement with the theoretical profiles, except for the planes close to the wall. The discrepancies between the experimental data and 3D theoretical results in the center vertical plane are less than 3.6%. But the deviations between experimental data and Poiseuille's results approaches 5%. It indicates that 2D Poiseuille profile is no longer a perfect theoretical approximation since a = 0.35. The experiments also reveal that, very near the hydrophilic wall (z = 0.5-1 mu m), the measured velocities are significantly larger than the theoretical velocity based on the no-slip assumption. A proper discussion on some physical effects influencing the near wall velocity measurement is given.

MEASUREMENT OF SOLID SLURRY FLOW VIA CORRELATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FLOW METER, ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE TOMOGRAPHY AND MECHANISTIC MODELLING

The study presented here was carried out to obtain the actual solids flow rate by the combination of electrical resistance tomography and electromagnetic flow meter. A new in-situ measurement method based on measurements of the Electromagnetic Flow Meters (EFM) and Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) to study the flow rates of individual phases in a vertical flow was proposed. The study was based on laboratory experiments that were carried out with a 50 mm vertical flow rig for a number of sand concentrations and different mixture velocities. A range of sand slurries with median particle size from 212 mu m to 355 mu m was tested. The solid concentration by volume covered was 5% and 15%, and the corresponding density of 5% was 1078 kg/m(3) and of 15% was 1238 kg/m(3). The flow velocity was between 1.5 m/s and 3.0 m/s. A total of 6 experimental tests were conducted. The equivalent liquid model was adopted to validate in-situ volumetric solids fraction and calculate the slip velocity. The results show that the ERT technique can be used in conjunction with an electromagnetic flow meter as a way of measurement of slurry flow rate in a vertical pipe flow. However it should be emphasized that the EFM results must be treated with reservation when the flow pattern at the EFM mounting position is a non-homogenous flow. The flow rate obtained by the EFM should be corrected considering the slip velocity and the flow pattern.

Noninterferometric measurement of lead zirconate titanate inverse piezoelectric extension

A noncontacting and noninterferometric depth discrimination technique, which is based on differential confocal microscopy, was used to measure the inverse piezoelectric extension of a piezoelectric ceramic lead zirconate titanate actuator. The response characteristics of the actuator with respect to the applied voltage, including displacement, linearity, and hysteresis, were obtained with nanometer measurement accuracy. Errors of the measurement have been analyzed. (C) 2001 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Measurement of the direct CP asymmetry in b-->s+gamma via sum of exclusive B Meson decays using the BABAR detector

We perform a measurement of direct CP violation in b to s+gamma Acp, and the measurement of a difference between Acp for neutral B and charged B mesons, Delta A_{X_s\gamma}, using 429 inverse femtobarn of data recorded at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector. B mesons are reconstructed from 16 exclusive final states. Particle identification is done using an algorithm based on Error Correcting Output Code with an exhaustive matrix. Background rejection and best candidate selection are done using two decision tree-based classifiers. We found $\acp = 1.73%+-1.93%+-1.02% and Delta A_X_sgamma = 4.97%+-3.90%+-1.45% where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic respectively. Based on the measured value of Delta A_X_sgamma, we determine a 90% confidence interval for Im C_8g/C_7gamma, where C_7gamma and C_8g are Wilson coefficients for New Physics amplitudes, at -1.64 < Im C_8g/C_7gamma < 6.52.