Different Types Of Instruments Research Articles

Comprehensive Instrumentation for Real Time Monitoring of Flux Boundary Conditions in Slope

Rainfall-induced slope failures occur in response to climatic changes in many parts of the world. Climatic changes result in dynamic flux boundary conditions across slope surface, such as infiltration and evaporation. In addition, trees, shrubs and grasses generate another dynamic process of transpiration across slope surface. As a result, stability of a slope as quantified by factor of safety is not constant over time, but varies in accordance with variation in flux boundary conditions.Effects of flux boundary conditions on slopes can be assessed using real-time monitoring. In this paper, different types of instruments for real time monitoring of flux boundary conditions are illustrated to study the effect of rainfall and evaporation on pore-water pressure and water content in slope. Several geotechnical instruments such as piezometer, tensiometer, time-domain reflectometry and devices for measuring changes in local climate such as rainfall gauge and weather station can be installed within the slope area. The data from these instruments were captured automatically using a data acquisition system and the data were transported to a secured website in real time. Finite element seepage analyses were carried out to investigate the effect of rainwater infiltration and evaporation on pore-water pressure distribution of a residual soil slope at Telok Blangah, Singapore. The numerical analysis results showed a good agreement with those obtained from field measurements if the evaporation was applied in the analyses. This indicated that rainfall and evaporation play important roles in pore-water pressure changes within the residual soil. Seepage analyses were also conducted using different coefficients of saturated permeability and soil-water characteristic curves of the soil. The results showed that good quality laboratory test results are required to closely simulate pore- water pressure distributions within the soil layers.

Recognition of Initiative in an Infantry Company’s Battle Exercise to Support Tactical Overall Analysis

The scientific goal of this paper is to demonstrate, from the viewpoint of tactical overall analysis, how different quantitative (e.g. distribution analysis) and qualita- tive research (e.g. text analysis) methods could be used to support the traditional ways (tactical maps and event catalogues) of analyzing tactical phenomena ― in this case the initiative in a battle ― and how different types of instruments could be utilized and developed (e.g. NASA-TLX) for analyzing subjective human factors during the battle ― in this case especially the feeling of having initiative. In this paper, as an example, numerical values are calculated to determine whether there is a correlation between the casualty ratio and initiative. The results are verified based on battle space situation pictures. In addition, the analyses of distributions describing the variation of the feeling of one’s own force and of the adversary of having the initiative are used to support the results showing which fighting side has the initiative.

On evaluating success in complex policy mixes: the case of renewable energy support schemes

The aim of this paper is to propose the main elements of a theoretical and methodological framework for the assessment of the success of complex policy mixes, to highlight the conflicts between individual instruments and other elements within those mixes and to propose policy recommendations in order to mitigate them. Some criteria are defined, and different levels of analysis are considered. The challenges in evaluating policy packages are illustrated with the case of the coexistence between renewable energy support and emissions trading schemes. It is shown that policy mixes inherently lead to interactions between the different instruments, either in the form of conflicts or synergies. Conflicts are horizontal (i.e., between different types of instruments) and/or vertical (i.e., between different administrative levels). It is suggested that mitigating those conflicts could require administrative coordination. Relevant coordination could take place between different administrative levels and relate to different instruments or different design elements within similar instruments. However, given the trade-offs between different criteria, the role of coordination is necessarily limited.

Sonic, ultrasonic and manual instruments in the control of periodontal disease: an in vitro evaluation

The purpose of this study was evaluating the damage caused by root planning through different types of instrumentation. To perform it, 30 artificial teeth were selected from Prodens trademark, and their roots were divided in longitudinal sense and later included partly in blocks type IV plaster. Next they were submitted to three different types of root instrumentation: manual, sonic and ultrasonic. In each group 15 strokes apex coronary was carried out. After the analysis of root structures, they were evaluated through a stereoscope with 8x magnification; the images were scanned and the damage caused to the dentin surface was measured in total area with software “Image J”. The measures noted were statistical analyzed trough the tests ANOVA/Tukey, comparing the different types of instrumentation. After instrumentation, statistical difference was found (p <0.001) among the three groups. A lower wear of the root structure was obtained with manual instrument with an average of 0.62mm2, followed by the sonic tool wear of 1.07mm2, but a greater wear was found with the ultrasonic instrument: 1.56mm2. In this study was possible conclude that the instrumentation with sonic and ultrasonic methods may provoke more damage in the root estructures.

An ion source with an ejecting U-shaped electrode

The design of an ion source is described, in which any replacement of diaphragms of electron and ion optics can be performed and, as a result, new technical characteristics of the source can be obtained. The extended capabilities of the ion source are substantial for revealing the causes of such a phenomenon as a spread in measurements of lifetimes of negative ions, which are performed using instruments of different types. The use of an ejecting U-shaped electrode in the source allowed the intensity of recorded signals to be increased by a factor of at least 2.

The Airway Paradigm: What Really Changed?

In their recent study on airway assessment, Langeron et al.1 described the results of their computer-scored examination as “paradigm changing.” Although I believe they are correct in producing a paradigm change in the airway examination, I believe that the change actually arises from their methods rather than their results, and that the change is more significant than they suspected.A key piece of methodology in this study, as in every study on airway examinations since Mallampati’s 1985 article,2 was the definition of a “difficult intubation.” One definition chosen by Langeron et al. was the use of either a gum bougie or a video laryngoscope following an unsuccessful attempt using a direct laryngoscope. Because this definition figured in about three quarters of the intubations counted as difficult, it had a considerable impact on their results and conclusions. However, the authors did not fully explore why the decision to use familiar and readily available instruments should define an intubation as difficult.One reason may be that a direct look followed by use of an alternative instrument indicates an inadequate view of the larynx at direct laryngoscopy. This follows Mallampati’s precedent of using an inadequate direct laryngeal view as the indicator of a difficult intubation. That precedent was set in 1985, however, and well before the common use of either the indirect laryngoscope or the gum bougie. At that time, no commonly used instrument could improve an inadequate direct view at laryngoscopy. Today, though, the video laryngoscope and the gum bougie are both familiar and readily available to most practitioners, and the limitations of direct laryngoscopy have lost much of their significance. As a result, the adaptation of newer technology has effectively overridden Mallampati’s definition for difficult intubation.This is the crux of an important contradiction between the goal and the method of this study. It uses instruments not available in 1985 to define a difficult intubation, but then those same instruments provide a path to successful intubation. This means the study results come from a methodology that tries to preserve the limits of 1985 laryngoscopy, when that same methodology actually demonstrates the increasing irrelevance of those limits.At first, this seems to challenge the value of Langeron et al.’s study. However, that comes from seeing it as an extension of the Mallampati’s examination model. In a different light, the study results are seen to derive largely from the individual clinician’s judgment as to whether an intubation should be done using traditional or newer instruments. This is a significant change from results based on a graded laryngeal view that defines difficulty, although there is a significant overlap in the airways that each method takes note of. The change means that the airway examination no longer looks for an anatomical limit for just one type of instrument, but rather it seeks a way to distinguish which airways are better managed by one type of instrument or another.This should be seen as the true paradigm shift of this study. By incorporating the observation that different types of instruments now contribute to successful intubations, the authors have moved the airway examination away from its original task of predicting failure. Instead, their examination differentiates airways according to their suitability for different types of instruments. By doing this, it reorients the examination to the improvement of overall laryngoscopy success rates. Furthermore, the results indicate that their airway examination may perform this task better than the older one predicted failure.I believe it is fair to say that this study brings the predictive airway examination from the 20th century into the 21st, accounting for current technology in both the prediction and the performance of laryngoscopy. I also believe that newer technologies, such as computerized face recognition, will continue this evolution. They will continue to form the airway exam into a evaluation tool that guides us toward specfic patient-appropriate intubating instruments.

Use of optical and acoustic instruments to study the turbid plumes generated by three different types of dredges during dredging activities inside and outside of a port

The turbid plumes generated by different types of dredges have specific behaviours and diffusion patterns. The dredging of the Oil Port of Genoa Multedo (Italy) with three different dredges (grab, backhoe and trailing suction hopper) enabled us to study: the physical and hydrodynamic characteristics of the water column of the port and the area just outside it; the characteristics of the turbid plumes; and the different responses of our optical and acoustic instruments. In the dredging operations, a vessel equipped with a vertical acoustic Doppler current profiler and a conductivity–temperature–depth probe with a turbidimeter followed the different dredges during their daily operations. Using the acoustic backscatter and turbidity data acquired during the dredging phase, we investigated the turbidity variations caused by the dredging operations to study the evolution of the plume generated by the three different dredges. The grab plume was present only on the bottom up to a distance of 50 m from the grab, while at greater distances the turbidity fell to background values. The backhoe plume was present close to the bottom at a distance of 50 m from the dredging and, in the entire water column, at distances of 50–400 and 100 m inside and outside of the port, respectively. The trailing suction hopper dredge plume extended from the surface through the entire water column at distances from the dredging of 400 and 100 m inside and outside of the port, respectively. The highest values were found close to the bottom at distances from the dredging at 50 and 30 m inside and outside of the port, respectively. The choice of a combined monitoring system is a good practical solution for studying the differences between the turbid plumes created by the three dredging tools (grab, backhoe and trailing suction hopper dredge) under different hydrodynamic conditions. Furthermore, two different types of instrument should give complementary information on different aspects of sediment resuspension during a dredging operation.

A Variational Assimilation System for Nearshore Wave Modeling

AbstractA variational data assimilation system is developed for the stationary, homogeneous portion of the wave model Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN). The system is based on a numerical adjoint constructed for the discrete forward SWAN code; its performance is compared to that of an earlier system based on a discretized analytical adjoint (Walker; Veeramony et al.). This paper describes the development and validation of individual numerical adjoint subroutines, followed by the testing and evaluation of the assimilation system as a whole with an idealized twin experiment and with data from Duck, North Carolina. In the twin experiment, the present system performs on par with that of Walker. Estimates of wave spectra and spectral statistics also compare well to measured spectral data at Duck, North Carolina. The error in these estimates is partly due to the exclusion of nonlinear source and sink terms from the adjoint and partly due to different spectral processing techniques used for different types of instruments.

Three Instruments — One Result

AbstractMeasuring the propagation parameters of a laser beam is an important method of understanding the quality of the laser beam and predicting its performance for various laser applications. For this reason, it is one of the major specifications required by laser users and reported by laser manufacturers. There are three different types of instruments commercially available, and in this article we will explain the differences between them and the reasons for there being these different approaches to making this measurement. For purposes of illustration we will discuss the Spiricon M2‐200S, the Photon NanoModeScan, and the Photon M2‐1780.

The choice of innovation policy instruments

The purpose of this article is to discuss the different types of instruments of innovation policy, to examine how governments and public agencies in different countries and different times have used these instruments differently, to explore the political nature of instrument choice and design (and associated issues), and to elaborate a set of criteria for the selection and design of the instruments in relation to the formulation of innovation policy. The article argues that innovation policy instruments must be designed and combined into mixes in ways that address the problems of the innovation system. These mixes are often called “policy mix”. The problem-oriented nature of the design of instrument mixes is what makes innovation policy instruments ‘systemic’.

Neuropathic pain and use of PainDETECT in patients with fibromyalgia: a cohort study

BackroundFibromyalgia has a plethorae of symptoms, which can be confusing and even misleading. Accurate evaluation is necessary when patients with fibromyalgia are treated. Different types of instruments are available for the clinicians to supplement evaluation. Our objective was to study the applicability of the PainDETECT instrument to screen neuropathic pain in patients with fibromyalgia.Methods158 patients with primary fibromyalgia underwent a neurological examination including bedside sensory testing. They also fulfilled four questionnaires: PainDETECT, Beck depression inventory IA (BDI IA), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and a self-made questionnaire regarding present pain and pain relieving methods of the patients. The results of the clinical evaluation and questionnaires were then compared.ResultsClinically verified neuropathic pain was diagnosed in 53/158 [34% (95% Cl: 26 to 41)] patients. The ROC curve achieved a maximum Youden´s index at score of 17 when sensitivity was 0.79 (95% Cl: 0.66 to 0.89) and specificity 0.53 (95% Cl: 0.43 to 0.63). The PainDETECT total score (OR: 1.14 95% Cl: 1.06 to 1.22), FM as the worst current pain (OR: 0.31; 95% 0.16 to 0.62), body mass index (BMI) (OR: 1.05; 95% Cl: 1.00 to 1.11) and the intensity of current pain (OR: 1.20; 95% Cl: 1.01 to 1.41) were significantly associated with the presence of neuropathic pain in univariate analyses.ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of thorough clinical examination. The Neuropathic pain screening tool PainDETECT is not as useful in patients with fibromyalgia as in patients with uncompromised central pain control.

Metabolite Structure Analysis by High-Resolution MS: Supporting Drug-Development Studies

Effective characterization of drug metabolites in complex biological matrices is facilitated by mass spectrometers with high resolving power, mass accuracy and sensitivity. This review begins with an overview of high-resolution MS terminology and the different types of instrumentation that are currently available. Metabolite structure analysis offers unique challenges and, therefore, the different types of approaches used to solve problems are highlighted through specific examples. Overall, this review describes the value that high-resolution MS brings to drug-metabolism studies.

Mixed Music Analysis with Extended Specmurt

This paper introduces a mixed music analysis method using extended specmurt analysis. Conventional specmurt can only analyze a multi-pitch music signal from a single instrument and cannot analyze a mixed music signal that has several different types of instruments being played at the same time. To analyze a mixed music signal, extended specmurt is proposed. We regard the observed spectrum extracted from the mixed music as the summation of the observed spectra corresponding to each instrument. The mixed music has as many unknown fundamental frequency distributions as the number of instruments since the observed spectrum of a single instrument can be expressed as a convolution of the common harmonic structure and the fundamental frequency distribution. The relation among the observed spectrum, the common harmonic structure and the fundamental frequency distribution is transformed into a matrix representation in order to obtain the unknown fundamental frequency distributions. The equation is called extended specmurt, and the matrix of unknown components can be obtained by using a pseudo inverse matrix. The experimental result shows the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Standardization of Data Transfer Format for Scanning Probe Microscopy

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is the most versatile surface chemical analysis method both in the measurement functions and the operational environments. Recent activities and future outlook for SPM standardization through the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is briefly reviewed. Following the highly prioritized item of standardization, SPM terminology, the data transfer format shall be standardized in order to enable the access to and processing of SPM data collected by different types of instruments. The present status of the development of open software for import of original data, conversion to standard format, comparison and processing are discussed.

The role of environmental taxation in environmental policy

In recent years the issue of sustainable development and environmental protection have become a central issue, because of the increasing pollution. Environmental policy applies different types of instruments in order to realize the goals of environmental protection and sustainable development. Although the scale of these instruments are wide, but as the experiences show the economic instruments are the most effective ones considering all of the adverse consequences. Environmental taxes have got more and more significance between the economic instruments. Their significance can be showed by their revenues. In the European Union's regulation the supranational harmonisation of these instruments is inevitable, which is well represented by the regulation of energy taxation. Lots of barriers and counterarguments can be brought up against environmental taxes but a better instrument in the field of environmental regulation has not been invented yet.

Estimation of aerosol particle number distribution with Kalman Filtering – Part 2: Simultaneous use of DMPS, APS and nephelometer measurements

Abstract. Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is used to estimate particle size distributions from observations. The focus here is on the practical application of EKF to simultaneously merge information from different types of experimental instruments. Every 10 min, the prior state estimate is updated with size-segregating measurements from Differential Mobility Particle Sizer (DMPS) and Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS) as well as integrating measurements from a nephelometer. Error covariances are approximate in our EKF implementation. The observation operator assumes a constant particle density and refractive index. The state estimates are compared to particle size distributions that are a composite of DMPS and APS measurements. The impact of each instrument on the size distribution estimate is studied. Kalman Filtering of DMPS and APS yielded a temporally consistent state estimate. This state estimate is continuous over the overlapping size range of DMPS and APS. Inclusion of the integrating measurements further reduces the effect of measurement noise. Even with the present approximations, EKF is shown to be a very promising method to estimate particle size distribution with observations from different types of instruments.

Análise radiográfica comparativa da cifose juncional entre instrumentação híbrida, ganchos e parafusos na escoliose idiopática do adolescente

OBJETIVO: Avaliação radiográfica das cifoses juncionais proximal e distal em pacientes submetidos a artrodese e diferentes tipos de instrumentação posterior no tratamento cirúrgico da escoliose idiopática do adolescente (EIA). MÉTODO: Foi realizado estudo retrospectivo com avaliação radiográfica de 34 pacientes submetidos à artrodese da coluna vertebral com instrumentação posterior, sendo 10 com ganchos (Grupo I), 13 com ganchos e parafusos (Grupo II) e 11 com parafusos (Grupo III), entre junho de 1997 e dezembro de 2009. Foi avaliada a ocorrência de cifose juncional proximal (CJP) e cifose juncional distal (CJD) à artrodese, no pré-operatório, no pós-operatório imediato e no final do seguimento, pós-operatório tardio, que foi de, no mínimo, 12 meses. RESULTADOS: Os pacientes do grupo I apresentaram cifose torácica de menor valor no pré-operatório, porém a lordose lombar permaneceu inalterada ao longo da evolução. Os pacientes do grupo II e grupo III apresentaram aumento do valor aferido da lordose lombar no pós-operatório. Não houve diferença significativa para a ocorrência de cifose juncional proximal entre os três grupos estudados. Com relação à cifose juncional distal, houve aumento estatisticamente significativo do valor entre pré é pós-operatório, para os grupos II e III. CONCLUSÃO: A avaliação radiográfica das cifoses juncionais proximal e distal em pacientes submetidos à artrodese e diferentes tipos de instrumentação no tratamento cirúrgico da EIA revelou a presença de cifoses juncionais proximais pré-operatórias, que não evoluíram para a deformidade juncional pós-operatória, além de ausência completa da anormalidade juncional distal.

Wildlife law and policy

Wildlife law and policy

The Low‐Latitude Ionosphere Sensor Network: Initial results

The Low‐Latitude Ionospheric Sensor Network (LISN) is a distributed observatory designed to nowcast the state and dynamics of the low‐latitude ionosphere and to develop forecasts of the electric fields, densities, and equatorial spread F over the South American continent. The LISN observatory consists of three different types of instruments: GPS receivers, fluxgate magnetometers, and vertical incidence pulsed ionospheric radar (VIPIR) ionosondes. This report provides a succinct summary of recent observations obtained using the LISN GPS receivers and complemented with measurements from other instruments and GPS receivers that operate in South America. More specifically, the following are shown here: (1) observations of total electron content (TEC) enhancements that occur near local midnight, (2) maps of TEC perturbations associated with the passage of traveling ionospheric disturbances over South America, and (3) statistics of TEC depletions for 2 years of low solar activity. Near‐midnight TEC enhancements consist of sudden increases in TEC that occur after sunset at low latitudes on 30% of the days. These TEC enhancements last for several hours and can have amplitudes between 1 and 50 TEC units. On 11–12 March 2011 the largest TEC enhancement was observed in South America at times when the Jicamarca incoherent scatter radar operated and observed peak densities above 106 el/cc at 300 km altitude. It is suggested that a combination of zonal electric fields and meridional neutral winds are able to redistribute the plasma along the field lines and create regions of enhanced TEC. Maps of TEC perturbations associated with the passage of gravity waves (GWs) over South America have been used to measure the phase velocity and direction of propagation of GWs. The large number of GPS receivers over South America has allowed us to record bubble events for every day during 2008 and 2009. It was found that the number of TEC depletion detections varies with a periodicity of 28 days. It is mentioned how these new observations and the installation of the last four VIPIR ionosondes will lead to new discoveries in the near future.

Introducing Some Psychometric Tests for Researching on Cognitive Processes of the Translators/Translation Students

The recent interest in Cognitive Translation Studies have entailed a growing number of empirical study in translation process research designs (Jaaskelainen, 2000; Hansen, 2003; Munoz, 2008; Baqi & Mobaraki, 2011). Among other methodological issues, subject profiling has become a key factor if we are to control an experiment. Individual differences can act as independent variables, manipulated by researchers in order to gauge their effect, or extraneous variables not directly related to the purpose of the study, which need to be controlled. In Both cases, it is advisable to quantify them. There are different types of instruments for Psychological Evaluation and Description e.g. test measuring, most used in psychological constructs in Translation Studies; together with some factors to bear in mind when selecting the appropriate test for a given study design. Finally, according to the standards of Educational and Psychological Testing, some recommendations for bettering test administration are given.