A robust optimisation model and cutting planes for the planning of energy-efficient wireless networks

In this paper, we present an optimisation model for the energy-efficient planning of future wireless networks. By applying robust optimisation, we extend this model to a robust formulation which considers demand uncertainties. The computability of the resulting model is moderate. Hence, we apply three different cutting plane approaches for an improvement. Furthermore, an extensive case study is performed to examine the price of robustness, to compare the robust solution to conventional planning, and to explore the performance of the cutting planes.     

Pneumatic actuator control: Solution based on adaptive twisting and experimentation

An adaptive version of the twisting algorithm is proposed, which actually presents a new second-order sliding-mode algorithm. Due to the dynamic adaptation of the gains the controller design does not require complete information on the bounds of uncertainties and perturbations. It automatically decreases the gains and respectively also the dangerous oscillations due to a too large discontinuous-control magnitude. Thus, both the performance and the accuracy of the closed-loop system are improved. In order to show the feasibility of the approach, the methodology is successfully applied to control the position of a pneumatic actuator in an experimental setup.     

Fire and smoke observed from the Earth Observing System MODIS instrument--products,validation, and operational use

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor, launched on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Terra satellite at the end of 1999, was designed with 36 spectral channels for a wide array of land, ocean, and atmospheric investigations. MODIS has a unique ability to observe fires, smoke, and burn scars globally. Its main fire detection channels saturate at high brightness temperatures: 500 K at 4 µm and 400 K at 11 µm, which can only be attained in rare circumstances at the 1 km fire detection spatial resolution. Thus, unlike other polar orbiting satellite sensors with similar thermal and spatial resolutions, but much lower saturation temperatures (e.g. Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and Along Track Scanning Radiometer), MODIS can distinguish between low intensity ground surface fires and high intensity crown forest fires. Smoke column concentration over land is for the first time being derived from the MODIS solar channels, extending from 0.41 µm to 2.1 µm. The smoke product has been provisionally validated both globally and regionally over southern Africa and central and south America. Burn scars are observed from MODIS even in the presence of smoke, using the 1.2 to 2.1 µm channels. MODIS burned area information is used to estimate pyrogenic emissions. A wide range of these fire and related products and validation are demonstrated for the wild fires that occurred in northwestern USA in Summer 2000. The MODIS rapid response system and direct broadcast capability is being developed to enable users to obtain and generate data in near real-time. It is expected that health and land management organizations will use these systems for monitoring the occurrence of fires and the dispersion of smoke within two to six hours after data acquisition.     

Investigation of Aerosol Penetration Through Individual Protective Equipment in Elevated Wind Conditions

A methodology to characterize particle penetration characteristics of individual protective equipment (IPE) under elevated wind conditions was developed. Performance of a complete IPE system can be determined from the knowledge of the performance characteristics of the IPE subsystems, or components. Here, particle penetration characteristics of a cylindrical-shaped component, consisting of an outer fabric sleeve enclosing an inner appendage, were studied as a function of particle size and ambient wind conditions. A component particle penetration model was developed by combining a potential flow model to calculate flow through and around a component with a filtration model. The filtration model combines classical filtration theory with simple bench-top experiments to determine net particle penetration. The component model predictions of particle penetration through a cylindrical component suggest that its filtration performance is strongly dependent on particle size and ambient wind velocities. To test model predictions, wind-tunnel experiments were conducted over an ambient wind velocity range of 10–80 mph (5–40 m s^?1) and particle diameter range of 10 nm to 2 μm. The experimental results validated model predictions of particle penetration through a cylindrical component. The component model can be extended to model the integrated IPE system considering it to be composed of a combination of cylindrical components.

Copyright 2013 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Future directions in pediatric and clinical child psychology.

Examined future directions in pediatric and clinical child psychology, utilizing a "Delphi" survey of 80 experts. Experts were asked to identify future trends in research, training, and clinical service. Findings suggest considerable overlap for the two subspecialties. Differences were predominantly related to the characteristics of the settings within which the professionals practiced. Implications with regard to research, training, and clinical service are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Phase-induced intensity noise in optical interferometers excited bysemiconductor lasers with non-Lorentzian lineshapes

Previously obtained results for the covariance, power spectrum, and variance of the phase-induced intensity noise (PIIN) at the output of optical systems with multiple paths are modified to include the effect of non-Lorentzian source lineshapes. In the coherent limit (delay≪source coherence time), the source relaxation oscillations significantly change the spectral shape of the PIIN at the output of such multiple-path architectures     

Accounting for Individual Effort in Cooperative Learning Teams

An “autorating” (peer rating) system designed to account for individual performance in team projects was used in two sophomore‐level chemical engineering courses in which the students did their homework in cooperative learning teams. Team members confidentially rated how well they and each of their teammates fulfilled their responsibilities, the ratings were converted to individual weighting factors, and individual project grades were computed as the product of the team project grade and the weighting factor. Correlations were computed between ratings and grades, self‐ratings and ratings from teammates, and ratings received and given by men and women and by ethnic minorities and non‐minorities. Incidences of “hitchhikers” (students whose performance was considered less than satisfactory by their teammates), “tutors” (students who received top ratings from all of their teammates), dysfunctional teams, and teams agreeing on a common rating were also determined. The results suggest that the autorating system works exceptionally well as a rule, and the benefits it provides more than compensate for the relatively infrequent problems that may occur in its use.     

A conservation law based approximate analysis for a class of simultaneous resource possession problems

In this paper we analyze a single server queueing model in which there are two types of jobs, one of which must wait in an external queue until a token is available, and only then may join the service queue. The interarrival times and service requirements for both types of jobs are assumed to be independent and exponentially distributed.

We derive the stability condition for such a model where the service queue discipline is either FCFS (First-Come-First-Serve) or PS (Processor-Sharing). We then propose analytic approximations for the mean waiting times for both types of jobs, relying heavily on the M/G/1 conservation law. Numerical results show that our approximations are very accurate (within a few percent of the simulated results) even when the system is heavily loaded. The approximations are also shown to be asymptotically exact as the number of tokens N → ∞.     

Satisfaction with social support during crisis: Intimacy and self-esteem as critical determinants.

Satisfaction with social support was studied longitudinally in 113 17–40 yr old Israeli women following the outcome of both normal and medically complicated pregnancies (delivery by cesarean section, delivery of an infant weighing under 2 kg, or spontaneous abortion before the 3rd trimester). Ss were interviewed concerning the size of their social networks, the number of friends and family members in their networks, perceived intimacy with spouse, and perceived intimacy with at least 1 friend and 1 family member. Included in the interviews were measures of self-esteem, intimacy, social network structure, and satisfaction with support. Findings show that greater intimacy with spouse and with friends was related to greater satisfaction with support received during the crisis period. Intimate ties contributed to satisfaction with support independent of self-esteem, social network parameters, and type of pregnancy outcome. Social network parameters and pregnancy outcome were not related to satisfaction with support. Among Ss low in self-esteem, greater intimacy with family was related to lower satisfaction with support if the Ss lacked intimate ties with spouse or a friend. Clinical and social psychological theories regarding reaction to aid are discussed. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Forgetting all else: On the antecedents and consequences of goal shielding.

Six studies explore the role of goal shielding in self-regulation by examining how activation of focal goals to which the individual is committed inhibits the accessibility of alternative goals. Consistent evidence was found for such goal shielding, and a number of its moderators were identified: Individuals' level of commitment to the focal goal, their degree of anxiety and depression, their need for cognitive closure, and differences in their goal-related tenacity. Moreover, inhibition of alternative goals was found to be more pronounced when they serve the same overarching purpose as the focal goal, but lessened when the alternative goals facilitate focal goal attainment. Finally, goal shielding was shown to have beneficial consequences for goal pursuit and attainment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)