Comparability Of Techniques Research Articles

NETCARBENCH: A BENCHMARK FOR TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS USED IN THE DESIGN OF AUTOMOTIVE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

This paper presents NETCARBENCH, a benchmark devoted to improve the assessment, the understanding and the comparability of techniques and tools used in the design of in-vehicle communication networks. This benchmark is motivated by the increasing use of algorithms intended to optimize the resource utilization in the design and configuration of automotive communication systems. For instance, typical objectives are the minimization of the network bandwidth usage and the reduction of the worst case response times of the frames. The main contribution of NETCARBENCH is to allow a finegrained user-defined parameterization of the generated message sets by means of XML-configuration files that specify the characteristics of the message sets and the variability thereof. Experiments suggest that the outcomes of NETCARBENCH are satisfactory in terms of their closeness to the input specifications. NETCARBENCH and its user manual are freely available under the GNU General Public License.

Measurements comparison of oxygenated volatile organic compounds at a rural site during the 1995 SOS Nashville Intensive

Simultaneous measurements of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) by four independent research groups at the Youth Incorporated (YI) site during the 1995 Southern Oxidants Study Nashville Intensive, between July 4 and 30, 1995, provided a unique opportunity to compare results from different techniques. 2,4‐Dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) coated C18 (C18AtmAA) and Si‐Gel (Si‐GelMTE) cartridges were compared with each other and with two sorbent‐based preconcentration gas chromatographic (GC) techniques coupled with mass spectrometric (MS) detection (GC/MSUM and GC/MSPU) or flame ionization detection GC/FIDUM· The experiment consisted of both a laboratory (part A) and an ambient air comparison (part B). In part A of the study, standard mixtures of OVOCs were diluted in a flowing gas stream of humidified, purified air, both with and without addition of O3, and distributed to participant's instrumentation. Concentrations were compared with the expected values based on known cylinder concentrations and dilution factors. In part B of the study, the instruments sampled ambient air from a common glass manifold. Species intercompared were formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, and propanal. The C18AtmAA data were typically higher than the Si‐GelMTE data for the four intercompared compounds, and possible explanations are given. Agreement between the cartridge systems and the GC/MS, GC/FID systems for comeasured compounds was poorer than expected but improved towards the end of the experiment. The GC/MS systems tracked each other well for acetone, but there were differences in the absolute concentration values. These results show that improvements in the accuracy and comparability of techniques should be of high priority.

Measurement of field-independence-dependence in children: a methodological note.

Three techniques for assessment of field-independence-dependence were found feasible and appropriate for use with primary grade children in a school setting. Ss were readily able to understand directions and to manage the apparatus. They appeared interested and highly motivated to perform well. Findings must be interpreted cautiously, however. Small size of samples, especially in the test-retest reliability analyses, makes generalizability limited. Importantly, too, strength of relationship between the three measures varied; r between the two rod-and-frame techniques was statistically significant, but only the Nickel apparatus related significantly to the Children's Embedded-figures Test. Questions must be raised as to the comparability of techniques in assessment of field-independence-dependence, at least for primary grade children. Finally, these Ss were from middle socioeconomic backgrounds and were pupils in a stable and achievement-oriented school. Feasibility of using the techniques with children from markedly different social and economic backgrounds is uncertain.