Software Tools For Processing Research Articles

Trabecular microstructure and surface changes in the greater tuberosity in rotator cuff tears.

When planning surgery in patients with rotator cuff tear, strength of bone at the tendon insertion and trabecular bone structure in the greater tuberosity are usually taken into consideration. We investigated radiographic changes in bone structure of the greater tuberosity in rotator cuff tears. Twenty-two human cadaveric shoulders from subjects ranging from 55 to 75 years of age were obtained. The integrity of the rotator cuff was examined by sonography to determine if it is intact without any tear, or torn partially or completely. The humeral head was sectioned in 3 mm thick coronal slab sections and microradiographed. After digitization of the microradiographs and imaging processing with in-house semi-automated image processing software tools developed using software interfaces on a Sun workstation, the trabecular histomorphometrical structural parameters and connectivity in the greater tuberosity were quantified. The degenerative changes on the surface of the greater tuberosity were interpreted blindly by 2 independent readers. Among the 22 shoulder specimens, the rotator cuff was found intact in 10 shoulders, partially in 7 and fully torn in 5. Statistically significant loss in apparent trabecular bone volume fraction, number of trabecular nodes, and number of trabecular branches, and a statistically significant increase in apparent trabecular separation and number of trabecular free ends were found in the greater tuberosity of the shoulders with tears. The loss was greater in association with full tear than in partial tear. Thickening of the cortical margin of the enthesis, irregularity of its surface, and calcification beyond the tidemark were observed in 2 (20%) shoulders with intact rotator cuff, in 6 (86%) shoulders with partial tear, and in 5 (100%) shoulders with full tear. Rotator cuff tears are associated with degenerative changes on the bone surface and with disuse osteopenia of the greater tuberosity. Aging, degenerative enthesopathy of the supraspinatus tendon, and rotator cuff tears appear closely related.

Reanalysis and evaluation of the seismic capacity of the CANDU 700 MW NPP CERNAVODA

The dynamic response of structures of the CANDU 700 MW NPP due to seismic loadings was conventionally analyzed in the time domain using modal substructure procedures. The frequency-independent parameters were tuned to the main frequencies of the soil-structure system. This is a common procedure widely used in the preliminary design of power plant structures and provides conservative results. However, parallel to the rapid progress being made in upgrading the capability of data processing systems, methods and software tools have become available which work in the frequency domain using complex (soil-structure) mathematical models or models in which the soil is represented by frequency-dependent impedances. In order to demonstrate the reserves existing in the design of the CANDU 700 reactor building, frequency-domain calculations were additionally prepared. The analyses were based on appropriate mathematical 3D-models of the coupled vibrating structures of the reactor building and as the soil represented by frequency-dependent impedances. The results obtained by using the time and frequency domain methods were compared and the safety margins of the CANDU design discussed.

Guest editors' introduction: special issues on architecture-independent languages and software tools for parallel processing

Guest editors' introduction: special issues on architecture-independent languages and software tools for parallel processing

Guest editors' introduction: special issues on architecture-independent languages and software tools for parallel processing

Guest editors' introduction: special issues on architecture-independent languages and software tools for parallel processing

Catalog Maintenance of Low-Earth-Orbit Satellites: Principles of the Algorithm

In Russia, themain source of informationon orbital and ballisticcharacteristics ofmanufacturedEarth satellites is thecatalogof these objectsmaintainedby theSpaceSurveillanceSystem.Maintenanceof this catalogis performed in real time by a complex automatic system, which includes a network of sensors and software tools for processing acquired data in automatic and interactive modes. The general structure and characteristics of this system for low-Earth-orbit satellites were Ž rst reported in February 1992 in Moscow at the conference on space debris and were published in 1993 [Khutorovsky, Z. N., “Satellite Catalog Maintenance,” Space Studies, Vol. 31, No. 4, 1993, pp. 104–114 (translated from Russian)]. In continuation of that publication, the issues of the design of the system of software tools for automatic catalog maintenance are considered. Statistical decision theory is the basis for the synthesis of this system (complex algorithm). Analysis of the informational efŽ ciency of this algorithm under real conditions is performed. It is demonstrated that the algorithm comprises two major components: primary determination of orbits and tracking. These are two continuousprocesses permanently interacting with each other. The character of this interaction is determined by the time–spatial pattern describing situations when the special “informativity” condition for the measurements is disturbed. A very general outline of these processes, following from the theory, is deŽ ned. Then the implemented algorithms for primary orbit determination and tracking are described. The methods of statistical decision theory under conditions of various types of a priori uncertainty are used in the synthesis of these procedures.

Using artificial intelligence planning to automate science image data analysis

In recent times, improvements in imaging technology have made available an incredible array of information in image format. While powerful and sophisticated image processing software tools are available to prepare and analyze the data, these tools are complex and cumbersome, requiring significant expertise to properly operate. Thus, in order to extract (e.g., mine or analyze) useful information from the data, a user (in our case a scientist) often must possess both significant science and image processing expertise. This article describes the use of artificial intelligence (AI) planning techniques to represent scientific, image processing and software tool knowledge to automate knowledge discovery and data mining (e.g., science data analysis) of large image databases. In particular, we describe two fielded systems. The Multimission VICAR Planner (MVP) which has been deployed for since 1995 and is currently supporting science product generation for the Galileo mission. MVP has reduced time to fill certain classes of requests from 4 h to 15 min. The Automated SAR Image Processing system (ASIP) was deployed at the Department of Geology at Arizona State University in 1997 to support aeolian science analysis of synthetic aperture radar images. ASIP reduces the number of manual inputs in science product generation by ten-fold.

Dynamic analysis of VVER type nuclear power plants using different procedures for consideration of soil-structure interaction effects

The dynamic response of structures due to seismic loadings is conventionally analyzed in the time domain using substructure methods (decoupled system models). This procedure uses frequency-independent impedances to represent capabilities of the soil underneath the structure. The soil parameters are tuned to the fundamental frequencies of the soil-structure system. This is a common procedure widely used in the preliminary design of power plant structures which provides conservative results. However, parallel to the rapid progress being made in upgrading the capability of data processing systems, methods and software tools have become available which work also in the frequency domain using complex models (for the soil and the structure) or models in which the soil is represented by frequency-dependent impedances. This procedure (coupled system models) also allows realistic treatment of kinematic interaction effects and especially consideration of the embedment parameters of the building structure. The main goal of the study presented here was to demonstrate the effects of different procedures for consideration of soil-structure interaction on the dynamic response of the structures mentioned above. The analyses were based on appropriate mathematical models of the coupled vibrating structures (reactor building, turbine hall, intermediate building structures of a VVER 440/213 as well as the main building of the VVER 1000) and the layered soil. On the basis of this study, it can be concluded that substructure methods using frequency-independent impedances (equivalent dashpots) and cut-off of modal damping usually provide conservative results. Coupled system models which allow the soil-structure interaction effects to be realistically represented (by coupled models of the soil and the structure or by frequency-dependent impedances) provide more accurate results. The advantage of the analysis using coupled system models will be demonstrated and discussed, based on results obtained for the VVER 440/213 PAKS and VVER 1000 Kozloduy.

Universal Student Computer Access — Requiring Engineering Students to Own Computers

AbstractIn 1992 only four engineering programs required student ownership of computers. Today that number is 14. However, a recent survey of United States engineering deans indicates in the next three years over 100 engineering programs may require student computer ownership in some form. Most faculty and administrators recognize that student computer ownership is simply the next step in the continuum of calculational power in engineering curricula having evolved from simple pencil and paper, then to slide rule, hand held calculators, and now computers. Everyone agrees that those who hire our graduates expect them to be fully comfortable and competent with the enhanced computational capabilities, modeling, simulation, word processing, spread sheeting, and other hardware and software tools available. However, the more exciting reason for ownership, and one that holds the greatest promise of drastically changing the teaching/learning enterprise, is that proper application of information technologies will permit us to change how students learn and to improve how faculty and student time is utilized.

Marine geographic information system for the exclusive economic zone

This article investigates the feasibility of creating an efficient marine geographic information system (CIS) model for various types of marine data (bathymetry, gravity, magnetic) collected by numerous national and international institutions over the past several decades in the Hawaiian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEL). The system has been developed with the objective of providing tools to perform tasks such as processing, integrating, archiving, managing, and analyzing different spatial marine data and displaying and generating thematic maps. The techniques involved in building the GIS, spatial marine data processing, data integration, 3D data structures, and animation, are also discussed. For the development of our marine GIS, various hardware systems, including PCs. workstations, plotters, scanners, and printers, as well as softwares such as Geologic Information Visualization (GIV). ARC/INFO Version 7 and its various modules, and image processing software tools such as Imagetool, XV, and Corel Draw were used. The data used for this project include bathymetric, gravity, and magnetic data collected in the part of the EEZ around the island of Kaho'olawe. This GIS model can be used as a prototype to develop a global marine GIS which will help in managing the oceans.

Desktop Map Design: Some Odysseys of Form and Flow

Making maps on today's desktop platforms can be something of an odyssey that often obliges the designer to traverse minefields of nonintegrated software. This article details the workflows for nine maps produced with desktop computer software. Each workflow falls across a row; each row references a captioned map that was a tangible outcome of the author's implementation of desktop cartography using image processing and other software tools. A need for early articulation of appropriate verbal goals to guide the power and charm of map design software is discussed.

Technical management of a microcomputer-assisted learning project

The need for instructional designers, writers and computer programmers is well known in CAL projects. Perhaps less familiar is the need to balance technological capabilities with requirements of the learning project and, above all, to be certain that candidate delivery technologies are selected because they can best accomplish the instructional tasks at hand, and not simply for their flash and gimmickry. Experience at producing a large (50 mini-diskettes of material to be delivered at each of 100 dispersed locations) training project indicates the requirement for, and de facto existence of, a Technical Management function. The person charged with this responsibility is guided by a Chief Principle: TECHNICAL DECISIONS MUST SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS. Among other tasks, the Technical Manager must: (1) choose software because of its ability to carry out the instructional design; (2) provide counterforce to non-technical decision-makers who are inclined to select the latest technology merely because it is available; (3) ensure that technical and non-technical members of the staff communicate freely and accurately; and (4) support the creative staff with appropriate software tools for project scheduling, word processing, budgeting and other indispensable tasks.