bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Storm Tracking via Tree Structure Representation of Radar Data
Authors: Hou Jinyi , Wang Ping 
Published: January 2017

AbstractAn algorithm for automatic storm identification, tracking, and nowcasting using tree structure representation of radar reflectivity images is proposed. The algorithm aims to track and nowcast different kinds of storm objects (stratiform regions, convective storms, and storm cells) simultaneously and to preserve their spatial relationships in the tracking and nowcasting processes. The algorithm applies a region tree structure to represent intensity regions and their spatial relationships in radar reflectivity images. Storm objects are identified by clustering regions within the region tree structure. Storm tracking is accomplished using an iterative region tree matching algorithm. Storm nowcasting applies the tree structure to the nowcasting of the internal structures of storm objects. Using eight cases with different storm types, a comparative evaluation with the enhanced Thunderstorm Identification, Tracking, Analysis, and Nowcasting (ETITAN) method and the Storm Cell Identification and Tracking (SCIT) method has shown that the proposed tree-based storm-tracking algorithm achieves better performance in storm tracking and nowcasting. The critical success index (CSI) value of storm association is 78.16% for the tree-based method, as compared with 74.88% for SCIT and 74.71% for ETITAN. The CSI value of an 18-min nowcast is 29.02% for the tree-based method, as compared with 24.98% for SCIT and 24.44% for ETITAN. The evaluation also shows that the tree-based method is able to nowcast the internal structure of storms and therefore produces small mean absolute errors (MAE).
A systematic review of clinician-rated instruments to assess adults’ levels of functioning in specialised public sector mental health services
Authors: Burgess Philip M , Harris Meredith G , Coombs Tim , Pirkis Jane E 
Published: January 2017

Background: Functioning is one of the key domains emphasised in the routine assessment of outcomes that has been occurring in specialised public sector mental health services across Australia since 2002, via the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection. For adult consumers (aged 18–64), the 16-item Life Skills Profile (LSP-16) has been the instrument of choice to measure functioning. However, review of the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection protocol has highlighted some limitations to the current approach to measuring functioning. A systematic review was conducted to identify, against a set of pre-determined criteria, the most suitable existing clinician-rated instruments for the routine measurement of functioning for adult consumers. Method: We used two existing reviews of functioning measures as our starting point and conducted a search of MEDLINE and PsycINFO to identify articles relating to additional clinician-rated instruments. We evaluated identified instruments using a hierarchical, criterion-based approach. The criteria were as follows: (1) is brief (<50 items) and simple to score, (2) is not made redundant by more recent instruments, (3) relevant version has been scientifically scrutinised, (4) considers functioning in a contemporary way and (5) demonstrates sound psychometric properties. Results: We identified 20 relevant instruments, 5 of which met our criteria: the LSP-16, the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales, the Illness Management and Recovery Scale–Clinician Version, the Multnomah Community Ability Scale and the Personal and Social Performance Scale. Conclusion: Further work is required to determine which, if any, of these instruments satisfy further criteria relating to their appropriateness for assessing functioning within relevant service contexts, acceptability to clinicians and consumers, and feasibility in routine practice. This should involve seeking stakeholders’ opinions (e.g. about the specific domains of functioning covered by each instrument and the language used in individual items) and testing completion rates in busy service settings.
Industrial Sector Growth Accounting of Some Indian States and Union Territories
Authors: Ahmed Shahid , K. Mathur Somesh , Joseph Toms 
Published: January 2017

We work out technical efficiency levels of the Indian States and Union Territories using Data Envelopment Analysis from 1980-81 to 1997-98. We decompose net value added per worker growth into components attributable to technological changes (shifts in the overall production frontier), technological catch up (movement towards or away from the frontier) and capital accumulation (movement along the frontier). The overall production frontier is constructed using data envelopment analysis, requiring no specification of functional form for the technology nor any assumption about market structure or the absence of market imperfections. We analyze the evolution of cross states net value added distribution for the 22 Indian states and union territories from 1980-81 to 1997-98 using Kernel densities. The efficiency factor accounted for 5.07 per cent only, technological change accounted for 11.66 per cent while the contribution of capital deepening is relatively higher at 17.82 per cent while the point to point productivity change is of 11.66 per cent. The overall averages provide evidence of productivity improvements of 173.29 over 1980-81 (base) to 1997-98 (current year) period. The efficiency factor accounted for -10.63 per cent only, technological change accounted for 173.20 while the contribution of capital deepening is 42.52 per cent to account for 173.20 per cent overall productivity change (not point to point). The results seems to suggest that there are other factors suggested in the literature like barriers to exit, a maze of rules and regulations, government import policies, high concentration, among others, rather than the ones that are included below for the growth accounting exercise which can totally account for point to point and overall productivity changes from 1980-81 to 1997-98. Also, we do find that the efficiency levels for the Indian states have gone down from what it was in 1980s to what it were in 1997-98. However, the smaller states have outperformed the larger states in terms of their efficiency levels. Also, states which had relatively lower efficiency levels and net value added per worker in 1980-81 is the ones which have grown faster than other states. We see tendency of catching up among the Indian states in terms of net value added per worker.
A Digital Signal Processing Laboratory Based on the TMS320C25
Authors: Sangwine S. J. 
Published: January 2017

A digital signal processing laboratory based on the TMS320C25 Students on a B. Eng. degree course at the University of Reading take a 20 hour lecture course on DSP and 15 hours of laboratory work using an audio-band DSP system designed around the Texas TMS320C25 DSP chip. The course and DSP system are described and experiences and conclusions are drawn.
Invariant and Occluded Object Recognition Based on Graph Matching
Authors: Peng Mengkang , Gupta Narendra K. 
Published: January 2017

Invariant and occluded object recognition based on graph matching The paper describes an algorithm for object recognition using neural network. The objects may be occluded and may have any changes in position, orientation and scale. The paper aims to generate project ideas for the final year students at the university and also to provide a basis for further research.
An Elementary Approach in Teaching Brewster's Angle
Authors: Sihvola Ari 
Published: January 2017

An elementary approach in teaching Brewster angle Brewster angle is an important concept in learning optics and electromagnetic wave propagation phenomena. It conveys the emphasis on polarisation of the fields. An intuitive way is presented to derive Brewster angle by connecting impedances and reflection coefficients. The radical polarisation differences emerge clearly from this approach.
Calculation of Additional Losses Caused by Feeding an Induction Motor from a Non-Sinusoidal Supply
Authors: Eldhemy S. A. , Mohamed A. A. , Shokralla S. S. 
Published: January 2017

Calculation of additional losses caused by feeding an induction motor from a non-sinusoidal supply The authors present an equivalent circuit for induction motors fed from a non-sinusoidal supply, The equivalent circuit presented takes into consideration the effect of stray fields. The validity of the theoretical results is checked by test results. The paper presents numerical methods to compute the different loss elements.
A Training Laboratory About Bifurcations and Chaos in Electrical Power Systems
Authors: Lobry Jacques , Trecat Jacques 
Published: January 2017

A training laboratory about bifurcations and chaos in electrical power systems An introductory laboratory about bifurcations and chaos in electrical power systems is proposed to students in final year of electrical engineering. They learn the basic principles of the related new theories on stability and realise simple circuits that exhibit puzzling effects like ferroresonance, subharmonics and chaos.
Recursive Constrained Algorithms for Short Circuit and Earth Fault Protection of Generator-Transformer Unit
Authors: Basha A. M. , Jayachandran J. 
Published: January 2017

Recursive constrained algorithms for short circuit and earth fault protection of generator/transformer unit Recursive constrained protective relaying algorithms are developed for extracting 50 Hz and 150 Hz components of voltage and current signals of the generator-transformer unit. These frequency components are used for detecting internal short circuit and earth fault conditions of the combined unit. The proposed algorithms were satisfactorily tested for various simulated conditions of the system.
On the Prediction of Failure at a Fiber/Matrix Interface in a Composite Subjected to a Transverse Tensile Load
Authors: Folias E. S. 
Published: January 2017

This paper deals with the 3-D stress field of a cylindrical fiber which is embedded into a resin matrix. The composite is then subjected to a uniform tensile load so. The strain energy release rate is computed and the criterion is used to predict debonding initiation at the fiber/matrix interface. The analysis shows that this failure is most likely to occur at the free surface, i.e. the region where the fiber intersects a free surface, for example a hole, an edge, or a crack. Moreover, it will occur at approximately (1/10) the load value required for the same failure to commence at the center of the fiber length. The results are also extended to include a doubly periodic array of fibers which are embedded into a matrix. Based on 3-D considerations, the stiffness matrix is shown to increase as the volume fraction of the fibers increases. Similarly, the stress sr, in the matrix is shown to decrease as the volume fraction of the fibers increases.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration at Post-Mortem in 175 Fatal Cases of Alcohol Intoxication
Authors: Heatley M K , Crane J 
Published: January 2017

The mean blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in 175 fatal cases of acute alcohol intoxication was found to be 355 mg/100 ml. This figure is less than that quoted in many standard textbooks on forensic medicine. The BAC in fatal cases of acute alcohol intoxication complicated by aspiration was lower than in those cases where there was no evidence of aspiration at autopsy. In those individuals with a previous history of alcohol abuse the BAC causing death was found to be significantly higher than in those without a history of prolonged heavy alcohol consumption suggesting that a degree of tolerance to the effects of alcohol may be induced.
Pathological Aspects of Ricin Toxicity in Mammalian Lymph Node and Spleen
Authors: Leek M D , Griffiths G D , Green M A 
Published: January 2017

In an earlier study (Griffiths et al., 1987) we demonstrated that two toxic plant proteins, ricin and abrin, bring about apoptotic rather than necrotic cell death in mammalian lymphoid tissues and intestine. Here we expand upon the previous study, and report further observations relating purely to ricin and its pathology in lymph node and spleen. Rats were injected with ricin and killed at time intervals, tissue being excised and examined by light or electron microscopy. As well as previously reported apoptotic changes in the lymph node, we observed sinusoidal haemorrhage accompanied by erythrophagocytosis and loss of normal structure. With the aid of lymphocyte typing, we noticed a complete relocation of T and B lymphocyte populations, with destruction of B cells. Follicular centres of the spleen exhibited similar pathology to that seen in lymph nodes, along with loss of lymphocytes in areas adjacent to the central artery of the peri-arteriolar lymphoid sheath (PALS).
Firearm Homicide and Firearm Suicide: Opposite but Equal
Authors: Branas Charles C. , Richmond Therese S. , Schwab C. William 
Published: January 2017

Objective. Homicide and suicide are intentional acts of violence that disproportionately involve firearms. Much more effort has been devoted to the ecological study of homicide; methods that have been developed to better understand and subsequently prevent homicide may be applicable to suicide. The purpose of the present study was to compare the occurrence of firearm homicide and firearm suicide using routine activity theory as a framework for analysis. Methods. Detailed mortality data pertaining to decedents, their neighborhoods, and use of firearms were collected from 1994 to 1998 for the counties containing and surrounding three small to medium-sized U.S. cities. Data from a total of 468 neighborhoods that collectively experienced 1,025 intentional deaths from firearms (396 firearm homicides and 629 firearm suicides) were analyzed. Results. Firearm homicide was consistently associated with out-of-home, nighttime activity in neighborhoods where many people were likely to be coming and going. In an opposite-but-equal fashion, firearm suicide was consistently associated with in-home, daytime activity in out-of-the-way neighborhoods. Conclusions. Firearm homicide and firearm suicide were found to be consistently associated with markers of routine activity in all three cities, albeit in an opposite-but-equal manner. Because firearm suicides very often occur as lonely events in lonely neighborhoods, they may go under-noticed relative to firearm homicides. More awareness and additional public health studies of firearm suicide, in tandem with firearm homicide, should be pursued to better identify individuals and neighborhoods that are at greatest risk of experiencing each event.
Development of Guidelines on Nonoccupational HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis for the State of Rhode Island
Authors: Merchant Roland C. , Mayer Kenneth H. , Browning Carol A. 
Published: January 2017

The Brown University AIDS Program and the Rhode Island Department of Health joined with health care practitioners, researchers, and representatives of community-based health, social service, and advocacy organizations to create comprehensive guidelines on nonoccupational HIV postexposure prophylaxis for the state of Rhode Island. These guidelines offer health care practitioners detailed advice on the evaluation and management of blood or body fluid exposures outside the health care setting, e.g., through sexual assault, consensual sex, injecting-drug use, or needlestick injuries. In these circumstances, HIV postexposure prophylaxis serves those for whom primary prevention measures have failed or were impractical or impossible. The guidelines represent the end product of coordination among private and public, academic and nonacademic, clinician and layperson groups committed to decreasing the incidence of HIV infections in the state of Rhode Island. The guidelines serve as both a resource for health care practitioners and a means of educating them on this method of HIV prevention.
An Innovative Blood Lead Screening Program for Indian Children
Authors: Howell Embry M. , Russette Loretta 
Published: January 2017

There is little information on the lead levels of Indian children nationally. In the late 1990s, members of the Chippewa and Cree tribes living on the Rocky Boy Reservation near Box Elder, Montana, were concerned about environmental pollution and how it might be affecting the health of their children. With financial assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency, the tribes designed and implemented an innovative lead screening program for young children. Because most children on the reservation participated in WIC and Head Start, those programs were used to indentify and screen close to 100% of young children on the reservation. The average blood lead level for children ages 1–5 on the Rocky Boy reservation was 2.4μg/dL, which is not significantly different from that of children of the same age nationally. The project showed that Indian families will participate readily in screening programs that may improve their children's health.
Impact of Health Insurance Status on Vaccination Coverage in Children 19–35 Months Old, United States, 1993–1996
Authors: Zhao Zhen , Mokdad Ali H. , Barker Lawrence 
Published: January 2017

Objectives. To show how health insurance (privately and publicly insured, insured and uninsured) relates to vaccination coverage in children 19–35 months old, and how this can be used to better target public health interventions. Methods. The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) gathers information on the health and health care of the U.S. non-institutionalized population through household interviews. The authors combined immunization and health insurance supplements from the 1993 through 1996 NHIS, and classified children 19–35 months old by their immunization and insurance status. Results were compared using both bivariate and multivariate analyses, and the backwards stepwise selection method was used to build multivariate logistic regression models. Results. Uninsured children tended to have lower vaccination coverage than those who had insurance, either private or public. Among those with insurance, publicly insured children had lower vaccination coverage than privately insured children. Backwards stepwise regression retained insurance status, metropolitan statistical area, and education of responsible adult family member as major predictors of immunization. Factors considered but not retained in the final model included child race/ethnicity, family poverty index, and region of country. Conclusions. Insurance status was a critical predictor of vaccination coverage for children ages 19–35 months. After controlling for confounders, the uninsured were about 24% less likely to receive all recommended shots than the insured and, among the insured, those with public insurance were about 24% less likely to receive all recommended vaccines than those with private insurance.
Occurrence of Low Birthweight and Preterm Delivery among California Infants before and after Compulsory Food Fortification with Folic Acid
Authors: Shaw Gary M. , Carmichael Suzan L. , Nelson Verne , Selvin Steve , Schaffer Donna M. 
Published: January 2017

Objectives. Studies suggest that folic acid intake influences the occurrence of low birthweight and preterm delivery. Since 1998, there has been compulsory fortification of flour and other grains with folic acid in the U.S. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequencies of low birthweight and preterm delivery after mandatory folic acid fortification among approximately six million California births. Methods. The authors investigated prevalences of low birthweight and preterm delivery before and after compulsory fortification among 5,916,630 singleton California live births that occurred from January 1990 through December 2000. Results. The unadjusted prevalences of very low birthweight, low birthweight, and preterm delivery did not substantially vary across birth years. That is, substantial decreased prevalences during the fortification period relative to the period preceding it were not observed. However, analyses that simultaneously adjusted for maternal age, parity, race/ethnicity, education, year of birth, and fortification period revealed the following relative risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI): RR=0.91, CI 0.88, 0.94 for very low birthweight, RR=0.94; 95% CI 0.93, 0.96 for low birthweight, and RR=0.96; 95% CI 0.94, 0.97 for preterm delivery. Conclusion. Findings indicate small reductions in prevalences of these outcomes associated with the timing of fortification of the U.S. food supply.
Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates and Trends in the United States and Canada
Authors: McDavid Kathleen , Lee Judy , Fulton John P. , Tonita Jon , Thompson Trevor D. 
Published: January 2017

Objective. The purpose of this study was to compare prostate cancer incidence and mortality trends between the United States and Canada over a period of approximately 30 years. Methods. Prostate cancer incident cases were chosen from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program to estimate rates for the United States white males and from the Canadian Cancer Registry for Canadian men. National vital statistics data were used for prostate cancer mortality rates for both countries, and age-adjusted and age-specific incidence and mortality rates were calculated. Joinpoint analysis was used to identify significant changes in trends over time. Results. Canada and the U.S. experienced 3.0% and 2.5% growth in age-adjusted incidence from 1969–90 and 1973–85, respectively. U.S. rates accelerated in the mid- to late 1980s. Similar patterns occurred in Canada with a one-year lag. Annual age-adjusted mortality rates in Canada were increasing 1.4% per year from 1977–93 then fell 2.7% per year from 1993–99. In the U.S., annual age-adjusted mortality rates for white males increased 0.7% from 1969–1987 and 3.0% from 1987–91, then decreased 1.2% and 4.5% during the 1991–94 and 1994–99 periods, respectively. Conclusions. Recent incidence patterns observed between the U.S. and Canada suggest a strong relationship to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test use. Clinical trials are required to determine any effects of PSA test use on prostate cancer and overall mortality.
Does Literacy Mediate the Relationship between Education and Health Outcomes? A Study of a Low-Income Population with Diabetes
Authors: Schillinger Dean , Barton Lauren R. , Karter Andrew J. , Wang Frances , Adler Nancy 
Published: January 2017

Objectives. We sought to determine whether literacy mediates the relationship between education and glycemic control among diabetes patients. Methods. We measured educational attainment, literacy using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (s-TOFHLA), and glycemic control (HbA1c) in 395 diabetes patients at a U.S. public hospital. We performed path analysis to compare two competing models to explain glycemic control. The direct effects model estimated how education was related to HbA1c; the mediational model estimated the strength of the direct relationship when the additional pathway from education to literacy to HbA1c was added. Results. Both the model with a direct effect of education on HbA1c and the model with literacy as a mediator were supported by good fit to observed data. The mediational model, however, was a significant improvement, with the additional path from literacy to HbA1c reducing the discrepancy from observed data ( p<0.01). After including this path, the direct relationship between education and HbA1c fell to a non-significant threshold. Conclusions. In a low-income population with diabetes, literacy mediated the relationship between education and glycemic control. This finding has important implications for both education and health policy.