A hospital integrated framework for multimodality image basemanagement

The trend in healthcare information technology is increasingly digital and multimedia oriented. The next generation of health care information systems will consist of a vast network of heterogeneous, autonomous, and distributed imaging scanners, databases, information systems, knowledge intensive applications, and large quantities of multimedia medical data. A key challenge facing system researchers and builders is to provide a new organizational framework that can integrate this varied collection of resources into what appears to be a uniform and logical conglomeration of data and knowledge store in order to increase the availability of global or previously nonaccessible information and to address demanding new information processing requirements for diverse image-assisted medical applications. The purpose of this paper is to present the authors' research toward the development of a hospital integrated framework of multimodality image base management (MIBM) for digital radiology of the future. This evolutionary framework consists of three hierarchical components: a hospital-integrated picture archiving and communication system (HI-PACS), a medical image database system (MIDS), and a set of image-based medical applications that relies on the support of MIDS and PACS. In this paper, the authors describe the system architecture, guiding principles, and design specifications of HI-PACS and MIDS and illustrate their functions and capabilities with three implemented applications, namely, patient folder workflow, distributed object management, and multimodality imaging studies. In addition, the authors conclude their findings with a summary of challenges and research directions     

A framework for an integrated unified modeling language

The unified modeling language (UML) is one of the most commonly used modeling languages in the software industry. It simplifies the complex process of design by providing a set of graphical notations, which helps express the objectoriented analysis and design of software projects. Although UML is applicable to different types of systems, domains, methods, and processes, it cannot express certain problem domain needs. Therefore, many extensions to UML have been proposed. In this paper, we propose a framework for integrating the UML extensions and then use the framework to propose an integrated unified modeling language-graphical (iUML-g) form. iUML-g integrates the existing UML extensions into one integrated form. This includes an integrated diagram for UML class, sequence, and use case diagrams. The proposed approach is evaluated using a case study. The proposed iUML-g is capable of modeling systems that use different domains.     

A framework for integrated catchment assessment in northern Thailand

Experience in northern Thailand suggests that rapid commercialisation of upland catchments can have significant, and often unpredictable, social, economic and biophysical impacts. The purpose of this paper is to describe a multi-disciplinary methodology that is being used to assess water resource management in northern Thailand. The methodology identifies and integrates contributions from biophysical, economic and socio-cultural disciplines in the development of a scenario-modeling Decision Support System (DSS). The key modeling “unit” in the DSS is the “Resources Management Unit” (RMU). The RMU situates the socially and economically constituted agricultural household (the main decision maker) in its biophysical environment. This paper describes the application of the methodology to a case study of water allocation between upstream and downstream villages in the small subcatchment of Mae Uam in northern Thailand. It concludes with an indication of the potential for the methodology to be applied in other catchments.     

三维多元地学数据一体化显示框架设计

随着三维地质信息系统发展与应用的深入,对地学数据的可视化需求更加迫切。采用面向对象的思想设计并实现了一个可扩展的多元地学数据一体化显示框架。该框架主要划分为模型层、场景层和渲染层,使得数据与绘制流程分离。围绕此框架详细阐述了绘制管线、绘制过程的设计和多层次地学场景组织,满足地质多领域、多专题数据的统一显示与分析需要。基于此框架在OpenGL环境下开发了北京市三维城市地质信息管理与服务系统。     

Agent-based framework for integrated facility engineering

An agent-based framework for the development of integrated facility engineering environments in support of collaborative design is introduced. This framework aims at integrating design software by allowing better software interoperability. Within their framework, design agents represent various existing design and planning systems that communicate their design information and knowledge partially and incrementally using the Agent Communication Language (ACL). ACL is a formal language proposed as a communication standard for disparate software. It is based on a logic-based language called Knowledge Interchange Format (KIF) and a message protocol called Knowledge Query Manipulation Language (KQML). Design agents are linked and their communication of design information is coordinated via system programs called facilitators in a federation architecture. The federation architecture specifies the way design agents and facilitators communicate in an integrated software environment. In concert with pursuing fundamental research concepts, we have been developing an integrated design software environment that spans different phases of the facility life cycle. This environment serves to demonstrate the primary aspects of this research methodology. In this paper, we first discuss the integration problem and review related research projects. We then present the major aspects of agent-based software engineering methodology and its application to integrated facility engineering. A highlight of the current integrated design environment development is given to illustrate the advantages of this approach. Finally, we summarize and discuss some of the important research issues in light of previous research.     

A closed-loop assessment framework for integrated product and process development implementations

An assessment framework for identifying and measuring the impacts of Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) implementations is presented. This framework considers the four major areas of commercial enterprise; the external environment, business strategy, IPPD, and implementation, which together form a closed-loop relationship. The holistic nature of the assessment framework make it a useful educational tool for understanding the influence of activities undertaken to re-engineer the various business processes and how this impacts the customer.     

A probabilistic integrated object recognition and tracking framework

This paper describes a probabilistic integrated object recognition and tracking framework called PIORT, together with two specific methods derived from it, which are evaluated experimentally in several test video sequences. The first step in the proposed framework is a static recognition module that provides class probabilities for each pixel of the image from a set of local features. These probabilities are updated dynamically and supplied to a tracking decision module capable of handling full and partial occlusions. The two specific methods presented use RGB color features and differ in the classifier implemented: one is a Bayesian method based on maximum likelihood and the other one is based on a neural network. The experimental results obtained have shown that, on one hand, the neural net based approach performs similarly and sometimes better than the Bayesian approach when they are integrated within the tracking framework. And on the other hand, our PIORT methods have achieved better results when compared to other published tracking methods in video sequences taken with a moving camera and including full and partial occlusions of the tracked object.     

An integrated framework for card-based production control systems

Although card-based control systems, such as Kanban and CONWIP, for production processes have been successfully employed, the design discipline does not seem to be clear yet. Therefore, the superiority of one control over the other is controversial. This paper proposes a novel design discipline for card-based control of production processes, by developing the theory of token transaction systems. The theory shows how the three indices represented in Little??s law are decided by the structure of a production process with control cards and deployment of work-in-process (WIP). That is, the relation of WIP, cycle time and throughput on specific sub-network of a production process is clarified. We show how Little??s law should be used in the design of card-based production control systems. As an application of the theory, we resolve complicated result of comparison between Kanban and CONWIP. In doing so, this theory does not restrict the target of analysis to serial production lines, but any shaped processes can be analyzed.     

An integrated modelling framework for regulated river systems

Management of regulated water systems has become increasingly complex due to rapid socio-economic growth and environmental changes in river basins over recent decades. This paper introduces the Source Integrated Modelling System (IMS), and describes the individual modelling components and how they are integrated within it. It also describes the methods employed for tracking and assessment of uncertainties, as well as presenting outcomes of two case study applications.Traditionally, the mathematical tools for water resources planning and management were generally designed for sectoral applications with, for example, groundwater being modelled separately from surface water. With the increasing complexity of water resources management in the 21st century those tools are becoming outmoded. Water management organisations are increasingly looking for new generation tools that allow integration across domains to assist their decision making processes for short-term operations and long-term planning; not only to meet current needs, but those of the future as well.In response to the need for an integrated tool in the water industry in Australia, the eWater Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) has developed a new generation software package called the Source IMS. The Source IMS is an integrated modelling environment containing algorithms and approaches that allow defensible predictions of water flow and constituents from catchment sources to river outlets at the sea. It is designed and developed to provide a transparent, robust and repeatable approach to underpin a wide range of water planning and management purposes. It can be used to develop water sharing plans and underpin daily river operations, as well as be used for assessments on water quantity and quality due to changes in: i) land-use and climate; ii) demands (irrigation, urban, ecological); iii) infrastructure, such as weirs and reservoirs; iv) management rules that might be associated with these; and v) the impacts of all of the above on various ecological indices. The Source IMS integrates the existing knowledge and modelling capabilities used by different state and federal water agencies across Australia and has additional functionality required for the river system models that will underpin the next round of water sharing plans in the country. It is built in a flexible modelling environment to allow stakeholders to incorporate new scientific knowledge and modelling methods as they evolve, and is designed as a generic tool suitable for use across different jurisdictions. Due to its structure, the platform can be extended/customised for use in other countries and basins, particularly where there are boundary issues.     

面向制造业产业链的集成体系框架研究

针对面向制造业产业链协同的实际需要,在分析了企业群产业链之间合作特点的基础上,构建了产业链协同模型、企业群集成管理模型,提出了面向产业链的集成服务平台框架.该框架实现了在企业群模式下各业务系统的松耦合集成,通过在支持多核网状式企业群协作的售后服务管理系统的开发和实施中的应用,验证了所提供平台模型的可行性和有效性.     

PatSearch: an integrated framework for patentability retrieval

Patent retrieval primarily focuses on searching relevant legal documents with respect to a given query. Depending on the purposes of specific retrieval tasks, processes of patent retrieval may differ significantly. Given a patent application, it is challenging to determine its patentability, i.e., to decide whether a similar invention has been published. Therefore, it is more important to retrieve all possible relevant documents rather than only a small subset of patents from the top ranked results. However, patents are often lengthy and rich in technical terms. It is thus often requiring enormous human efforts to compare a given patent application with retrieved results. To this end, we propose an integrated framework, PatSearch, which automatically transforms the patent application into a reasonable and effective search query. The proposed framework first extracts representative yet distinguishable terms from a given application to generate an initial search query and then expands the query by combining content proximity with topic relevance. Further, a list of relevant patent documents will be retrieved based on the generated queries to provide enough information to assist patent analysts in making the patentability decision. Finally, a comparative summary is generated to assist patent analysts in quickly reviewing retrieved results related to the patent application. Extensive quantitative analysis and case studies on real-world patent documents demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed approach.     

Systems framework for regional-scale integrated modelling and assessment

Computer-based methods of integrated modelling and assessment provide an important means for reviewing policy choices in natural resource management (NRM). Research in support of NRM needs to address a wide range of issues involved, from point-scale biophysical, to business-scale human, to regional-scale planning issues. Research covering the full scope of such issues is by default multi-disciplinary and integrative and therefore analytically, methodologically and operationally challenging. The recently initiated Ord–Bonaparte Program is an example of a research and development program attempting to achieve both levels of integration in an applied NRM context. One key requirement for the success of the program lies in developing a systems framework that: (i) enables the integration of the various disciplinary research activities; and (ii) facilitates the implementation of research outputs by making integrated science relevant to decision-makers and translating new knowledge into outcomes for sustainable regional development. This paper proposes an approaches for such a systems framework.     

A multi-scale urban integrated assessment framework for climate change studies: A flooding application

In order to assess the potential future impacts of climate change on urban areas, tools to assist decision-makers to understand future patterns of risk are required. This paper presents a modelling framework to allow the downscaling of national- and regional-scale population and employment projections to local scale land-use changes, providing scenarios of future socio-economic change. A coupled spatial interaction population model and cellular automata land development model produces future urbanisation maps based on planning policy scenarios. The framework is demonstrated on Greater London, UK, with a set of future population and land-use scenarios being tested against flood risk under climate change. The framework is developed in Python using open-source databases and is designed to be transferable to other cities worldwide.     

A cognitive map framework to support integrated environmental assessment

In this work we present the rational and design of a methodology to support Integrated Environmental Assessment using the DPSIR (Driving Forces–Pressures–State–Impact–Response) causal-effect framework and non-monotonic Fuzzy Cognitive Maps. The methodology is based on key pillars in environmental management, namely connecting the socioeconomic and the natural environment dimensions into a policy oriented context; integration of stakeholders with inter-sectorial synergies and tradeoffs; handling of ambiguities and uncertainties intrinsic to environmental modeling and representation of complex non-linear cause-effect relationships in the form of Fuzzy Inference Systems, capable of adapting dynamically the influence between indicators. The methodology has the potential to support the development of informed policies and improves reliability through transparent, traceable and reproducible results. The illustrative example assesses the impact of air pollution abatement policies according to expert perceptions using proactive scenarios; the results revealed that, despite some positive changes, air protection activities are missing an overall strategic vision.     

A high-resolution AUV navigation framework with integrated communication and tracking for under-ice deployments

We developed an environmentally adaptive under-ice navigation framework that was deployed in the Arctic Beaufort Sea during the United States Navy Ice Exercise in March 2020 (ICEX20). This navigation framework contained two subsystems developed from the ground up: (1) an on-board hydrodynamic model-aided navigation (HydroMAN) engine, and (2) an environmentally and acoustically adaptive integrated communication and navigation network (ICNN) that provided acoustic navigation aiding to the former. The HydroMAN synthesized measurements from an inertial navigation system (INS), ice-tracking Doppler velocity log (DVL), ICNN and pressure sensor into its self-calibrating vehicle flight dynamic model to compute the navigation solution. The ICNN system, which consisted of four ice buoys outfitted with acoustic modems, trilaterated the vehicle position using the one-way-travel-times (OWTT) of acoustic datagrams transmitted by the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and received by the ice buoy network. The ICNN digested salinity and temperature information to provide model-assisted real-time OWTT range conversion to deliver accurate acoustic navigation updates to the HydroMAN. To decouple the contributions from the HydroMAN and ICNN subsystems towards a stable navigation solution, this article evaluates them separately: (1) HydroMAN was compared against DVL bottom-track aided INS during pre-ICEX20 engineering trials where both systems provided similar accuracy; (2) ICNN was evaluated by conducting a static experiment in the Arctic where the ICNN navigation updates were compared against GPS with ICNN error within low tens of meters. The joint HydroMAN-ICNN framework was tested during ICEX20, which provided a nondiverging high-resolution navigation solution—with the majority of error below 15 m—that facilitated a successful AUV recovery through a small ice hole after an 11 km untethered run in the upper and mid-water column.     

An integrated framework for group decision support systems design

Proposed approaches for the development of Group Decision Support Systems (gdss) address behavioral and technical aspects of these systems. However, these approaches generally address only one of these aspects at a time. This paper reviews these approaches and suggests a framework for developing gdss based on an integrated perspective. This proposed framework is comprehensive and integrative as it combines the behavioral characteristics of group decision making with the technical specifications that drive gdss. Software design and future research issues are discussed.