Is intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) a safe procedure: What do we learn first trimester data in ICSI pregnancies ?

info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Description of a procedure to identify strategies: The case of the tiles problem

In this paper we present a procedure to describe strategies in problems which can be solved using inductive reasoning. This procedure is based on some aspects of the analysis of the specific subject matter, concretely on the elements, the representation systems and the transformations involved. We show an example of how we used this procedure for the tiles problem. Finally we present some results and conclusions.

Decision models - an analytical framework for the Watertime Project

This paper suggests a possible framework for the encapsulation of the decision making process for the Waterime project. The final outcome maybe a computerised model, but the process advocated is not prescriptive, and involves the production of a "paper model" as mediating representation between the knowledge acquired and any computerised system. This paper model may suffice in terms of the project's goals.

A modelling approach for coupling numerical analytical techniques applied in microsystems

In this paper, a method for the integration of several numerical analytical techniques that are used in microsystems design and failure analysis is presented. The analytical techniques are categorized into four groups in the discussion, namely the high-fidelity analytical tools, i.e. finite element (FE) method, the fast analytical tools referring to reduced order modeling (ROM); the optimization tools, and probability based analytical tools. The characteristics of these four tools are investigated. The interactions between the four tools are discussed and a methodology for the coupling of these four tools is offered. This methodology consists of three stages, namely reduced order modeling, deterministic optimization and probabilistic optimization. Using this methodology, a case study for optimization of a solder joint is conducted. It is shown that these analysis techniques have mutual relationship of interaction and complementation. Synthetic application of these techniques can fully utilize the advantages of these techniques and satisfy various design requirements. The case study shows that the coupling method of different tools provided by this paper is effective and efficient and it is highly relevant in the design and reliability analysis of microsystems

Financing the development of poor communities in the Northern Cape of South Africa - an analytical framework for the study of livestock banks

This paper is part of a major project about the Northern Cape Land Reform and Advocacy (NCLRA) programme being implemented by FARM-Africa* in South Africa. The NCLRA programme had initiated a financial mechanism to help poor communities to get access to finance and training in order to enable them to make better use of their newly-acquired land. One prominent aspect of the programme is the implementation of Livestock Banks, or the use of animals as financial products. The paper provides an analytical framework with which to evaluate the effectiveness of Livestock Banks in the poor communities of the Northern Cape in South Africa. It focuses on the design, implementation and future of Livestock Banks. The paper argues that Livestock Banks need to be reformed and enhanced if they are to continue to play a key role in the goal of creating financial and economic value in Africa, particularly when the primary objective is simultaneously to help reduce poverty. [Note]*FARM-Africa (Food & Agricultural Research Management) is a registered UK charity organisation and a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales no. 01926828.

Modelling of a dosator: an analytical approach based on measured powder flow properties

[No abstract is available for this article.]

Statistical Procedure For Estimating Grey Seal Pup Production From A Single Census

The variable start and duration of the Grey seal breeding season makes the estimation of total pup production from a single census very difficult. Classifying the count into morphological age classes enables the form and timing of the birth rate curve and estimates of pup mortality rates to be elucidated. A simulation technique is described which enables the duration of each morphological stage to be determined from a series of such classified counts taken over one season. A further statistical technique uses these estimates to calculate the mean timing and duration of the breeding season from a single classified count taken from similar populations in subsequent years. This information allows total pup production to be calculated for any appropriate breeding colony. Some guidance is given as to the optimal timing of that single census which would yield the best estimate of production, although the precise date is not critical to the success of the technique. Results from single census estimates obtained in this way are compared with known production data from more detailed surveys for a number of different colonies.

A new procedure to optimize the selection of groups in a classification tree

Agglomerative cluster analyses encompass many techniques, which have been widely used in various fields of science. In biology, and specifically ecology, datasets are generally highly variable and may contain outliers, which increase the difficulty to identify the number of clusters. Here we present a new criterion to determine statistically the optimal level of partition in a classification tree. The criterion robustness is tested against perturbated data (outliers) using an observation or variable with values randomly generated. The technique, called Random Simulation Test (RST), is tested on (1) the well-known Iris dataset [Fisher, R.A., 1936. The use of multiple measurements in taxonomic problems. Ann. Eugenic. 7, 179–188], (2) simulated data with predetermined numbers of clusters following Milligan and Cooper [Milligan, G.W., Cooper, M.C., 1985. An examination of procedures for determining the number of clusters in a data set. Psychometrika 50, 159–179] and finally (3) is applied on real copepod communities data previously analyzed in Beaugrand et al. [Beaugrand, G., Ibanez, F., Lindley, J.A., Reid, P.C., 2002. Diversity of calanoid copepods in the North Atlantic and adjacent seas: species associations and biogeography. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 232, 179–195]. The technique is compared to several standard techniques. RST performed generally better than existing algorithms on simulated data and proved to be especially efficient with highly variable datasets.

Analytical phytoplankton carbon measurements spanning diverse ecosystems

The measurement of phytoplankton carbon (Cphyto) in the field has been a long-sought but elusive goal in oceanography. Proxy measurements of Cphyto have been employed in the past, but are subject to many confounding influences that undermine their accuracy. Here we report the first directly measured Cphyto values from the open ocean. The Cphyto samples were collected from a diversity of environments, ranging from Pacific and Atlantic oligotrophic gyres to equatorial upwelling systems to temperate spring conditions. When compared to earlier proxies, direct measurements of Cphyto exhibit the strongest relationship with particulate backscattering coefficients (bbp) (R2=0.69). Chlorophyll concentration and total particulate organic carbon (POC) concentration accounted for ~20% less variability in Cphyto than bbp. Ratios of Cphyto to Chl a span an order of magnitude moving across and within distinct ecosystems. Similarly, Cphyto:POC ratios were variable with the lowest values coming from productive temperate waters and the highest from oligotrophic gyres. A strong relationship between Cphyto and bbp is particularly significant because bbp is a property retrievable from satellite ocean color measurements. Our results, therefore, are highly encouraging for the global monitoring of phytoplankton biomass from space. The continued application of our Cphyto measurement approach will enable validation of satellite retrievals and contribute to an improved understanding of environmental controls on phytoplankton biomass and physiology.