Reified Input/Output logic - a position paper

in Proceedings of Workshop on Artificial Intelligence for Justice (AI4J), collocated at the 22nd European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI 2016) (2016)

Exploring therapeutic viability of a non-dopaminergic target for Parkinson’s disease

in Movement Disorders (2016), 31(2), 630

Using modern technology to support museum activities. Case study: Estonians Deported to Siberia: Soviet Red Terror 1940-1960

in Proceedings of ICOM, Milano 2016 (2016)

Doctor-patient communication about nutrition on related secondary preventive behaviours, especially for hypertension

in Hypertension (2016)

Inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables and salt intake are two major factors that can play a role in increased to secondary prevention behaviours. Doctor-patient relationship intervenes on the ... [more ▼]

Inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables and salt intake are two major factors that can play a role in increased to secondary prevention behaviours. Doctor-patient relationship intervenes on the adherence of these advices. For hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, overweight and obesity, our study’s aim was to analyse the associations between the quality of the doctor-patient communication, evaluated in 2013, and patients’ adherence to their general practitioner (GP)’s nutritional advices, between 2008 and 2013. Methods Performed by the National Institute of Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology in Luxembourg, 4391 patients were contacted. Five years after a coronary angiography, 1289 completed a self-rating questionnaire assessing the GP’Com-5 items scale (Cronbach 0.87). The variables were analysed with a multiple logistic regression model. Results Patients declared that 57.9% reduced or stopped their consumption of salt intake, whereas 65% increased their consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Around 37% of the patients reported having made changes following the advice of their doctor. An increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables was linked with the quality of doctor-patient communication when patients were hypertension (odd ratio (OR) = 1.084, IC 95%, [1.017-1.157]), overweight (1.081 [1.013-1.155]), obesity (OR = 1.130 [1.056-1.209]), hypercholesterolemia (OR = 1.102 [1.033–1.175]) and diabetes (OR = 1.103 [1.029-1.181]). The decreased of salt intake consumption was associated with the quality of physician-patient communication when the patient was hypertension (OR = 1.102 [1.034 – 1.176]). Conclusion Doctor-patient communication is a relevant determinant in obtaining a favourable behavioural outcome, especially on nutrition. The rehabilitation program must promote more exchange and telephone assistance to develop a mutual engagement. [less ▲]

Cognitive inequalities in later life: Cross-country differences in the education-cognition gradient

in Gerontologist (2016), 56(S3), 428-429

Push out test of novel deep steel decking-failure modes and influence of transversal loading

in Association for Steel-Concrete Composite Structures (2015, December 03)

This paper presents the results of push-out test specimens on shear connectors for composite beams, which are placed centrally in the ribs of novel formed deep steel decking. These deck shapes have not ... [more ▼]

This paper presents the results of push-out test specimens on shear connectors for composite beams, which are placed centrally in the ribs of novel formed deep steel decking. These deck shapes have not been well considered in the development and the calibration studies of EN 1994-1-1. The presented tests have been designed to investigate the additional failure modes and the corresponding load-slip behaviour, with special consideration of the newly occurring failure modes in the rib. In addition, the vertical loading of the slab has been considered in the push-out tests by a transverse load, acting with the help of a supplementary hydraulic jack. The differences between a concentric and eccentric transverse loading and a constant and variable transverse loading was investigated in the test series. [less ▲]

Phase-error correction by single-phase phase-locked loops based on transfer delay

in Journal of Electrical & Electronic Systems (2015, November 04)

Comparative studies of different single-phase phase-locked loops (PLL) algorithms have been made. They show that the PLL based on sample delay (dPLL), presents the lowest computational load and is as ... [more ▼]

Comparative studies of different single-phase phase-locked loops (PLL) algorithms have been made. They show that the PLL based on sample delay (dPLL), presents the lowest computational load and is as robust as the three-phase synchronous reference frame PLL dqPLL by input signal amplitude and phase variations. Its weakness appears when the input signal frequency differs from its rated frequency: It depicts a steady error on the calculated signal phase-angle. After a brief review of the dqPLL which constitutes debase structure of the dPLL, the following work will present three methods that improve the phase detection accuracy of dPLL. It is shown that the modifications brought in the original structure do not influence the robustness and stability of the algorithm but reduce the phase angle offset error by input signal frequency variation. This is corroborated by tests including not only the fundamental input voltage disturbance like amplitude, phase and frequency variation but also harmonic voltage distortion. [less ▲]

Some remarks on the influence of temperature-variations, non-linearities, repeatability and ageing on modal-analysis for structural health monitoring of real bridges

in MATEC Web of Conferences (2015, October 19), 24(Article No. 05006),

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) intends to identify damage by changes of characteristics as for instance the modal parameters. The eigenfrequencies, mode-shapes and damping-values are either directly ... [more ▼]

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) intends to identify damage by changes of characteristics as for instance the modal parameters. The eigenfrequencies, mode-shapes and damping-values are either directly used as damage indicators or the changes of derived parameters are analysed, such as e.g. flexibilities or updated finite element models. One common way is a ontinuous monitoring under environmental excitation forces, such as wind or traffic, i.e. the so-called output-only modal analysis. Alternatively, a forced measured external excitation in distinct time-intervals may be used for input-output modal analysis. Both methods are limited by the precision or the repeatability under real-life conditions at site. The paper will summarize everal field tests of artificially step by step damaged bridges prior to their final demolishment and it will show the changes of eigenfrequencies due to induced artificial damage. Additionally, some results of a monitoring campaign of a healthy bridge in Luxembourg are presented. Reinforced concrete shows non-linear behaviour in the sense that modal parameters depend on the excitation force amplitude, i.e. higher forces lead often to lower eigenfrequencies than smaller forces. Furthermore, the temperature of real bridges is neither constant in space nor in time, while for instance the stiffness of asphalt is strongly dependant on it. Finally, ageing as uch can also change a bridge’s stiffness and its modal parameters, e.g. because creep and hrinkage of concrete or ageing of elastomeric bearing pads influence their modulus of elasticity. These effects cannot be considered as damage, though they influence the measurement of modal parameters and hinder damage detection. [less ▲]

User Required? On the Value of User Research in the Digital Humanities

in Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings (2015, August 26), (116), 63-74

Although computational tools play an increasingly important role in the humanities, adoption of tools by scholars does not always reach its potential. One approach to this problem is user research to ... [more ▼]

Although computational tools play an increasingly important role in the humanities, adoption of tools by scholars does not always reach its potential. One approach to this problem is user research to uncover the needs of the users. However, it is uncertain whether such user requirements can be generalized to a wider group of humanities scholars, and whether users are able to explicate their requirements for methodological innovation. We ask what the role of user research is in the Digital Humanities by discussing gathered user requirements for two projects. We categorized the requirements as within- or out-of-scope of the projects’ goals, and found a tension between the specificity of humanities’ research methods, and generalizability for a broader applicable tool. With the out-of-scope requirements we are able to map the wider research workflow, showing DH tools will most likely take a spot in the wider workflow, and that it is infeasible to create a tool for the entire workflow that is generic enough for a larger user group. However, the within-scope requirements led to features that were sufficiently generic for the tool to be adopted, also for unintended purposes. These insights show user research has a clear benefit for DH projects. [less ▲]

Testbed for a LiFi system integrated in streetlights

in European Conference on Networks and Communications (EuCNC) (2015, July)

Evaluation of basic motor competencies in primary school children: Development of a test instrument

in Revista Espanola de Educación Física y Deporte (2015, July), 410 (Supl.)(3), 486

Mining Patterns of Unsatisfiable Constraints to Detect Infeasible Paths

in Automation of Software Test (AST 2015) (2015, May)

Detection of infeasible paths is required in many areas including test coverage analysis, test case generation, security vulnerability analysis, etc. Existing approaches typically use static analysis ... [more ▼]

Detection of infeasible paths is required in many areas including test coverage analysis, test case generation, security vulnerability analysis, etc. Existing approaches typically use static analysis coupled with symbolic evaluation, heuristics, or path-pattern analysis. This paper is related to these approaches but with a different objective. It is to analyze code of real systems to build patterns of unsatisfiable constraints in infeasible paths. The resulting patterns can be used to detect infeasible paths without the use of constraint solver and evaluation of function calls involved, thus improving scalability. The patterns can be built gradually. Evaluation of the proposed approach shows promising results. [less ▲]

Die aktuellen Familienkonzepte der Europäischen Kommission und ihre Umsetzung in der Volkszählung 2011 – Ein Erfahrungsbericht aus Luxemburg

in DGD-Online-Publikation (2015, March 13), (01/2015), 114-121

In der luxemburgischen Volkszählung 2001 wurde die Haushaltszusammensetzung erhoben, indem abgefragt wurde, in welcher Beziehung jedes Haushaltsmitglied zur Referenzperson steht. Diese Frage ist leicht zu ... [more ▼]

In der luxemburgischen Volkszählung 2001 wurde die Haushaltszusammensetzung erhoben, indem abgefragt wurde, in welcher Beziehung jedes Haushaltsmitglied zur Referenzperson steht. Diese Frage ist leicht zu beantworten und die Methode wird bis heute in zahlreichen Umfragen genutzt. Das Hauptproblem dieser Methode besteht darin, dass nicht erhoben wird, in welcher Beziehung die Nichtreferenzpersonen untereinander stehen. Damit ist die Information über die Haushaltszusammensetzung davon abhängig, wer den Fragebogen ausfüllt: Über ein und denselben Haushalt können unterschiedliche Angaben vorliegen, je nachdem ob die Mutter, der Großvater oder eine sonstige Person den Fragebogen ausfüllt. Diese Methode ist für die familiensoziologische Forschung wenig ergiebig und sie reicht nicht aus, um die Vorgaben der EU für die Volkszählungen 2011 zu erfüllen. Daher wurden zum einen Antwortkategorien ergänzt und zum anderen wurden die Beziehungen von jedem Haushaltsmitglied zu jedem anderen erhoben. Bei der ersten Umsetzung im Jahr 2011 bedeutet dies einen höheren Aufwand für die Aufbereitung der Daten vor der Eingabe sowie für die Einteilung gemäß der EU-Klassifikation. Allerdings ist mit dieser Methode ein deutlich höherer Informationsgehalt verbunden. Des Weiteren ist davon auszugehen, dass der Aufwand für erneute Anwendung im Jahr 2021 deutlich geringer ausfällt, sofern mehr Personen den Fragebogen der Volkszählung online ausfüllen und die EU-Klassifikation beibehalten wird. Inhaltlich eignet sich die EU-Klassifikation sehr gut, um familiensoziologische Fragen zu beantworten. Exemplarisch wird dies anhand unterschiedlichen private Übergänge von der Jugend zum Erwachsenenalter sowie der Übergänge vom mittleren zum höheren Erwachsenenalter der luxemburgischen und portugiesischen Bevölkerung Luxemburgs gezeigt. [less ▲]

Adaptive methods for multiscale fracture

in International Journal of Engineering Science (2015, January 01)

Adaptive methods for multiscale fracture In this work, we discuss two classes of methods to reduce the complexity of (multi scale) fracture simulations. In a first part, we discuss algebraic model ... [more ▼]

Adaptive methods for multiscale fracture In this work, we discuss two classes of methods to reduce the complexity of (multi scale) fracture simulations. In a first part, we discuss algebraic model reduction. We show that algebraic model reduction such as the proper orthogonal decomposition cannot be used directly because of the lack of corelation introduced by the damage or cracks. We demonstrate the use of proper orthogonal decompositions by subdomains as a candidate to reduce computational expenses in non-linear fracture simulations whilst controlling the error level. We then consider algebraic model reduction, namely the proper orthogonal decomposition(POD) to drastically reduce the computational time associated with computing the response of representative volume elements (RVEs) used in homogenization, e.g. by the FE2 method. The snapshots are obtained by solving the RVE boundary value problem for various loading paths. To speed-up the computations, system approximation through the discrete empirical interpolation (DEIM) is used and allows the evaluation of the internal forces for only a small subset of the elements making the RVE structure. In a second part, we propose an adaptive hybrid multiscale method for modelling fracture in a heterogeneous material that is composed of orthotropic grains with cohesive interfaces between the grains. Instead of a direct solver, FE2 method [1] based on homogenisation is employed in order to compute the effective behaviour of the heterogeneous microscopic material on the coarser scale. At this scale the modelling error due to the homogenisation is still low [3]. The coarse scale is discretized with unstructured triangular finite elements, and adaptive mesh refinement is used to control the discretizsation error. While the mesh refinement keeps the discretisation error with in a certain range, the modelling error increases due to the fact that by refining the coarse elements, the scale separation assumption which is a key issue for homogenisation may no longer be fulfilled [4]. Whereas the modelling error is inversely proportional to the size of the coarse elements, a critical element size can be found that corresponds to the critical value of the modelling error. A critical zone emerges when the size of a coarse element reaches the critical size, or if the underlying representative volume element of the microstructure loses stability due to localisation (lack of scale separation). Thereafter, a zoom-in process is triggered that replaces the corresponding coarse elements of the critical zone with high resolution microscale mesh to which it glues the coarse scale mesh through a strong coupling technique using Lagrange multipliers [5]. The high resolution region can gradually be extended to include the newly emerging critical zones. A local arc-length technique is adopted to trace the highly non-linear curve of the global load-displacement by controlling the opening of microscopic cohesive cracks in the fully resolved regions. The proposed adaptive multiscale method allows us to introduce progressive discrete micro cracks at the macroscale. The unstructured mesh enables us to model problems with non-regular shapes, and the arc-length method, defined over multiple scales, allows the regularisation of softening problems that are treated in quasi-statics. We exercise this method on the simulation of polycrystalline fracture, where each grain is considered orthotropic and compare results to direct numerical simulation. [less ▲]

Towards a full support of obligations in XACML

in Lecture Notes in Computer Science (2015), 8924

Policy-based systems rely on the separation of concerns, by implementing independently a software system and its associated security policy. XACML (eXtensible Access Control Markup Language) proposes a ... [more ▼]

Policy-based systems rely on the separation of concerns, by implementing independently a software system and its associated security policy. XACML (eXtensible Access Control Markup Language) proposes a conceptual architecture and a policy language to reflect this ideal design of policy-based systems.However, while rights are well-captured by authorizations, duties, also called obligations, are not well managed by XACML architecture. The current version of XACML lacks (1) well-defined syntax to express obligations and (2) an unified model to handle decision making w.r.t. obligation states and the history of obligations fulfillment/ violation. In this work, we propose an extension of XACML reference model that integrates obligation states in the decision making process.We have extended XACML language and architecture for a better obligations support and have shown how obligations are managed in our proposed extended XACML architecture: OB-XACML. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. [less ▲]

How can we promote cognitive reserve during the life course? Social, behavioral, contextual factors

in Gerontologist (2015), 55(Suppl 2), 210

Safe and Automated Assembly Process using Vision assisted Robot Manipulator

in Procedia CIRP (2015)

Many manufacturing industries especially small and medium size (SMEs) industries are reluctant to automatize their production using robots. This is due to the fact that mostly industrial robots are not ... [more ▼]

Many manufacturing industries especially small and medium size (SMEs) industries are reluctant to automatize their production using robots. This is due to the fact that mostly industrial robots are not properly equipped to recognize their surrounding and take intelligent decisions regarding path planning especially for low volume, flexible production with versatile production lines. The proposed idea is that a robot manipulator performing assembly or disassembly tasks should be able to predict potential collisions even with unknown obstacles and must be able to prevent i.e. react automatically for safe detour around obstacle. Currently, industrial robots have tactile sensing abilities, which detect collisions after a real contact but the existing proposals for its avoidance are either computationally expensive, need prior information about the obstacles or not very well adapted to the safety standards. Therefore, this paper introduces a ToF sensor based information collection and intelligent decision methodology in order to localize the un-known, un-programmed obstacles and propose a safe peg-in-hole automated assembly process. In the case of collisions, the proposed method will provide various solutions and decides for the best solution according to the scenario on-hand. The proposed solution is quick and robust and currently applied for static environment, whereas dynamic obstacles will be treated in future. [less ▲]

Formal Specification, Verification, and Implementation of Fault-Tolerant Systems using EventML

in EASST (2015)

Relative breathless: Comparison with others can affect feelings of breathlessness.

in Biological Psychology (2015), 104

Prediction of Photovoltaic Cu(In,Ga)Se2 p-n Device Performance by forward Bias Electrochemical Analysis of Only the p-Type Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Films

in Electrochemical Society Transactions (2015), 66(6), 19-25

This work is an attempt to rate the quality of Mo/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 films intended for fabrication of photovoltaic devices. The procedure is based on the simple current-voltage electrochemical analysis of the ... [more ▼]

This work is an attempt to rate the quality of Mo/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 films intended for fabrication of photovoltaic devices. The procedure is based on the simple current-voltage electrochemical analysis of the bilayer in a Eu2+/3+-containing electrolyte solution. Two series of bilayer samples were tested electrochemically, while sister samples were completed into Mo/Cu(In,Ga)Se2/CdS/i-ZnO/Al:ZnO/Ni-Al solid state devices and their current-voltage characteristics measured in the dark. A correlation was found between the reverse saturation current density of the solid state devices and an analogous parameter extracted from the electrochemical response in forward bias. While Eu2+ was found to be metastable in water posing restrictions to the application, reproducible measurements were achieved with a methanol-based solution. The intrinsic simplicity of the proposed methodology makes it particularly suitable for the implementation of a low-cost diagnostic tool. [less ▲]

A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial of primary care-based facilitated access to an alcohol reduction website (EFAR-FVG): preliminary results

in Addiction Science and Clinical Practice (2015), 10(Suppl 2), 29

Background The effectiveness of brief interventions for risky drinkers by GPs is well documented.[1] However, implementation levels remain low. Facilitated access to an alcohol reduction website offers an ... [more ▼]

Background The effectiveness of brief interventions for risky drinkers by GPs is well documented.[1] However, implementation levels remain low. Facilitated access to an alcohol reduction website offers an alternative to standard face-to-face intervention, but it is unclear whether it is as effective.[2] This study evaluates whether online brief intervention, through GP facilitated access to an alcohol reduction website for risky drinkers, is not inferior to the face-to-face brief intervention conducted by GPs. Material and methods In a northern Italy region participating GPs actively encouraged all patients age 18 attending their practice, to access an online screening website based on AUDIT-C.[3] Those screening positive underwent a baseline assessment with the AUDIT-10[4] and EQ-5D[5] questionnaires and subsequently, were randomly assigned to receive either online counselling on the alcohol reduction website (intervention) or face-to-face intervention based on the brief motivational interview[6] by their GP (control). Follow-up took place at 3 and 12 months and the outcome was calculated on the basis of the proportion of risky drinkers in each group according to the AUDIT-10. Results More than 50% (n= 3974) of the patients who received facilitated access logged-on to the website and completed the AUDIT-C. Just under 20% (n = 718) screened positive and 94% (n= 674) of them completed the baseline questionnaires and were randomized. Of the 310 patients randomized to the experimental Internet intervention, 90% (n = 278) logged-on to the site. Of the 364 patients of the control group, 72% (263) were seen by their GP. A follow-up rate of 94% was achieved at 3 months. Conclusions The offer of GP facilitated access to an alcohol reduction website appears to be an effective way of identifying risky drinkers and enabling them to receive brief intervention. [less ▲]

Do graphical cues effectively inform users? A socio-technical security study in accessing wifi networks.

in Lecture Notes in Computer Science (2015), 9190

We study whether the padlock and the signal strength bars, two visual cues shown in network managers, convey their intended messages. Since users often choose insecure networks when they should not ... [more ▼]

We study whether the padlock and the signal strength bars, two visual cues shown in network managers, convey their intended messages. Since users often choose insecure networks when they should not, finding the answer is not obvious; in our study we clarify whether the problem lies in uninformative and ambiguous cues or in the user who, despite understanding the cues, chooses otherwise. This paper describes experiments and comments the results that bring evidence to our study. [less ▲]

Anticipation of brain shift in Deep Brain Stimulation automatic planning

in IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (2015)

Deep Brain Stimulation is a neurosurgery procedure consisting in implanting an electrode in a deep structure of the brain. This intervention requires a preoperative planning phase, with a millimetric ... [more ▼]

Deep Brain Stimulation is a neurosurgery procedure consisting in implanting an electrode in a deep structure of the brain. This intervention requires a preoperative planning phase, with a millimetric accuracy, in which surgeons decide the best placement of the electrode depending on a set of surgical rules. However, brain tissues may deform during the surgery because of the brain shift phenomenon, leading the electrode to mistake the target, or moreover to damage a vital anatomical structure. In this paper, we present a patient-specific automatic planning approach for DBS procedures which accounts for brain deformation. Our approach couples an optimization algorithm with FEM based brain shift simulation. The system was tested successfully on a patient-specific 3D model, and was compared to a planning without considering brain shift. The obtained results point out the importance of performing planning in dynamic conditions. [less ▲]

Motivations to care and health motivations: A qualitative study exploring the experience of family caregivers

in European Health Psychologist (2015)

Background. The COM-B system adapted to family caregivers analyses health capability through capabilities, opportunities, and motivations. Focusing on motivations, this study investigated the motivations ... [more ▼]

Background. The COM-B system adapted to family caregivers analyses health capability through capabilities, opportunities, and motivations. Focusing on motivations, this study investigated the motivations to be a family caregiver and the motivations to maintain one’s own health. Methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 caregivers of stroke victims (France: n=8; Luxembourg: n=6; 50% male; age 63.6±10.1) about how they preserve their health and their resources to attain optimal health. Verbatims about their motivations to care for their relative and their motivation to maintain their own health were open-coded. Items were built and validated by consensus with an expert group. Findings. Motivations to care for a relative included the sense of duty, fear of guilt or deception, perceived need and feelings like love. The motivations to maintain personal health were intrinsic (self-; family-oriented), related to caregiving, and extrinsic (induced by relatives and material needs) and encompass amotivation. Discussion. It is relevant to integrate feelings, anticipated regret, moral norms and health value to the COM-B system adapted to family caregivers. Identifying their contribution to health capability will help orient psycho-educational interventions implementation. [less ▲]

Students’ Well-being: Impacts of studying out-EU and perceived autonomy on the Psychological Quality of Life

in European Health Psychologist (2015), special

Introduction: With an increasing number of university students in preparation of their entrance in the labor market, the wellbeing of the postgraduates became a priority for many universities. Despite ... [more ▼]

Introduction: With an increasing number of university students in preparation of their entrance in the labor market, the wellbeing of the postgraduates became a priority for many universities. Despite numerous studies on this topic, respective relationships of wellbeing and other psychosocial factors still remain unclear. Aims: (1) to assess Psychological Quality of Life of postgraduates who study in Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (GDL), EU and non – EU countries; (2) to analyze its associations with their socio-economic,health and employability related cofactors. Method: All masters’ students registered at the Centre for Documentation and Information on Higher Education (CEDIES) database in GDL were contacted by mail to participate at an online questionnaire (in English or French) measuring: 1. Psychological Whoqol-bref (6 items) (dependent variable) 2. Wellbeing attributes: Quality of Life Autonomy, Health Satisfaction, and Penn state worry questionnaire (Worries). 3. Employability attributes: Search for Work Self Efficacy scale (SWSES), Career Goals setting. 4. Perceived financial situation and socio-demographic characteristics. Respondents who did not mention the country of their studies were excluded from the analysis. Bivariate tests and correlations were performed for association analyses between the variables. Only significant relationships (p<0.05) were used in the multiple linear model. Results: 490 participants were volunteers from which 13.5% study in Luxembourg, 77.8% in an EU country and 8.7% in a non EU country. Majority were women, with exception for those studying in non-EU countries who were mainly men. Participants studying in GDL were older than those studying abroad. Natives of Luxembourg were prevalent with higher percentages among those who study in a non EU-country. Those studying in non-EU showed significantly (p<0.05) higher Psychological Quality of Life (M=76.8; SD=12.8) than those in GDL (M=74.5;SD=12.6) respectively in EU (M=71.4; SD=15.3). While participants differ in their QoL-Autonomy score there isn’t any significant difference in their career goals setting, Search for work self efficacy, Health satisfaction, Worries and Perceived financial situation across the country of study.Conclusion: Better psychological quality of life mobilized the capability of students to study abroad, which is related to better wellbeing attributes. However this relationship remains true only for students studying in Non-EU countries. Implementing workshops to increase individual self-efficacy towards a future employment may improve and/or maintain wellbeing of academics and limit so, respective social inequalities. [less ▲]

compte rendu "Colloque international Transferts, transgressions, transformations : évolution de la ville américaine"

in Transatlantica (2015)

Systematic assessment of local & global signal control policies: A methodological perspective

in Proceedings of 2015 International Conference on Models and Technologies for Intelligent Transportation Systems, MT-ITS 2015 (2015)

Traffic control performance on networks depends on the flow response to the policy adopted, which in turn contributes to determine the optimal signal settings. This paper focuses on the relationship ... [more ▼]

Traffic control performance on networks depends on the flow response to the policy adopted, which in turn contributes to determine the optimal signal settings. This paper focuses on the relationship between local and network wide traffic control policies within the combined traffic control and assignment problem. Through a full exploration of the solution space, an in depth cross comparison is performed between the well-known local policies P0 and Equisaturation, versus the global policies Maximum Throughput and Minimum Delay, to verify how the two local policies approximate the optimal settings for signalized intersections. Realistic traffic dynamics, such as congestion, multiple controllers and spillback are considered, to empirically determine the conditions under which the local policies are able to approximate global performances. After presenting the different local and global control policies, experiments are performed on simple toy networks. The complexity of the underlying network and, therefore, of the problems' boundary conditions is then increased, allowing us to showcase how the different metrics perform in different situations. Finally, conclusions on the results are drawn. © 2015 BME. [less ▲]

Full scale BWR containment loca response test at the INKA test facility

in International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, Proceedings, ICONE (2015), 2015-January

KERENA is an innovative boiling water reactor concept with passive safety systems (Generation III+) of AREVA. The reactor is an evolutionary design of operating BWRs (Generation II). In order to verify ... [more ▼]

KERENA is an innovative boiling water reactor concept with passive safety systems (Generation III+) of AREVA. The reactor is an evolutionary design of operating BWRs (Generation II). In order to verify the functionality and performance of the KERENA safety concept required for the transient and accident management, the test facility "Integral Teststand Karlstein" (INKA) was built at Karlstein (Germany). It is a mock-up of the KERENA boiling water reactor containment, with integrated pressure suppression system. The complete chain of passive safety components is available. The passive components and the levels are represented in full scale. The volume scaling of the containment compartments is approximately 1:24. The reactor pressure vessel (RPV) is simulated via the steam accumulator of the Karlstein Large Valve Test Facility. This vessel provides an energy storage capacity of approximately 1/6 of the KERENA RPV and is supplied by a Benson boiler with a thermal power of 22 MW. With respect to the available power supply, the containment- and system-sizing of the facility is by far the largest one of its kind worldwide. From 2009 to 2012, several single component tests were conducted (Emergency Condenser, Containment Cooling Condenser, Core Flooding System etc.). On March 21st, 2013, the worldwide first large-scale only passively managed integral accident test of a boiling water reactor was simulated at INKA. The integral test measured the combined response of the KERENA passive safety systems to the postulated initiating event was the "Main Steam Line Break" (MSLB) inside the Containment with decay heat simulation. The results of the performed integral test (MSLB) showed that the passive safety systems alone are capable to bring the plant to stable conditions meeting all required safety targets with sufficient margins. Therefore the test verified the function of those components and the interplay between them as response to an anticipated accident scenario. The test provided evidence that the INKA is worldwide the first large scale test facility to perform integral verification tests of passive safety concepts under plant-like scaling and thermodynamic conditions. Hence, the test facility also shows that it is capable to perform containment response tests for existing Generation II BWRs (with active safety systems) and advanced (passive) reactor designs besides KERENA. These test results can be used to strengthen existing containment codes with regard to heat transfer, natural circulation, gas- and temperature stratification and others. Copyright © 2015 by JSME. [less ▲]

L’influence des représentations du « public populaire » sur la conception d’une exposition d’archéologie

in Questions de Communication (2015)

Lors du montage d’une exposition, un des éléments importants du projet est le choix du public auquel les professionnels des musées souhaitent s’adresser. De quelle(s) manière(s) l’objectif de toucher le « ... [more ▼]

Lors du montage d’une exposition, un des éléments importants du projet est le choix du public auquel les professionnels des musées souhaitent s’adresser. De quelle(s) manière(s) l’objectif de toucher le « public populaire » ou le « grand public » joue-t-il sur les procédures de concep-tion et de réalisation d’une exposition ? Pour répondre à cette question, nous analyserons le cas d’une exposition temporaire d’archéologie à travers le discours de ses concepteurs et son étude sémiotique. Si les représentations spontanées que les différents corps professionnels (scienti-fiques, médiateurs, scénographes) ont de ce « grand public » sont assez proches, elles divergent quand il s’agit d’écrire les textes ou de concevoir des dispositifs de médiation. La notion s’avère peu précise et en définitive peu opérante. Elle conduit les participants à avoir tendance à produire leurs propres stratégies muséographiques, au risque d’incohérences et d’un certain manque de lisibilité. [less ▲]

Generalized direct predistortion with adaptive crest factor reduction control

in Proceedings of ICASSP, IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing (2015), 2015-August

Efficient power amplification is inherently a non linear operation that introduces unwanted interference in the amplified signal. Strong inter-symbol interference is generated when the amplifier non ... [more ▼]

Efficient power amplification is inherently a non linear operation that introduces unwanted interference in the amplified signal. Strong inter-symbol interference is generated when the amplifier non linearity is combined with channel memory effects. Further, signals with very high peak to average power ratio, typical of multiple carrier systems, are even more sensitive to the non linearities resulting in severe distortion effects. Signal pre-clipping (crest factor reduction) and predistortion are conventional countermeasure techniques to reduce the generated non linear distortion and improve power and spectral efficiency. In this work, novel optimization methods for predistortion and pre-clipping are analytically derived for a general non-linear communication channel with memory. A combined architecture in which crest factor reduction is followed by signal predistortion is proposed and the parameters are estimated resorting to iterative algorithms based on least squares method. Performance evaluation of the estimation techniques shows the effectiveness of the derived algorithms and significant gain compared to previously known methods. © 2015 IEEE. [less ▲]

Transitively Consistent and Unbiased Multi-Image Registration Using Numerically Stable Transformation Synchronisation

in MIDAS Journal (2015)

Abstract. Transitive consistency of pairwise transformations is a desir- able property of groupwise image registration procedures. The transfor- mation synchronisation method [4] is able to retrieve ... [more ▼]

Abstract. Transitive consistency of pairwise transformations is a desir- able property of groupwise image registration procedures. The transfor- mation synchronisation method [4] is able to retrieve transitively con- sistent pairwise transformations from pairwise transformations that are initially not transitively consistent. In the present paper, we present a numerically stable implementation of the transformation synchronisa- tion method for a ne transformations, which can deal with very large translations, such as those occurring in medical images where the coor- dinate origins may be far away from each other. By using this method in conjunction with any pairwise (a ne) image registration algorithm, a transitively consistent and unbiased groupwise image registration can be achieved. Experiments involving the average template generation from 3D brain images demonstrate that the method is more robust with re- spect to outliers and achieves higher registration accuracy compared to reference-based registration. [less ▲]

Willibrord et son action. Une historiographie entre ancrage local et perspectives nationales et internationales (début 19e-début 21e siècle)

in Hemecht : Zeitschrift für Luxemburger Geschichte = Revue d'Histoire Luxembourgeoise (2014, December), 66(3/4), 317-336

This is an historiographical study of Willibrord, abbot of Echternach and bishop of Utrecht, focussing on the local, luxembourgian context at Echternach, set within a broader national and international ... [more ▼]

This is an historiographical study of Willibrord, abbot of Echternach and bishop of Utrecht, focussing on the local, luxembourgian context at Echternach, set within a broader national and international scholarly context, from the beginning of the 19th century and the beginning of the 21st century. [less ▲]

Human-Robot Collaboration: Twofold strategy algorithm to avoid collisions using ToF sensor

in Applied Mechanics and Materials Journal (2014, December)

The importance of Human Robot Interaction to complement human skills in a manufacturing environment with industrial robots increases the concerns over safety of human and the robot. It is necessary to ... [more ▼]

The importance of Human Robot Interaction to complement human skills in a manufacturing environment with industrial robots increases the concerns over safety of human and the robot. It is necessary to identify collision risks and avoid them otherwise production stops may cost a huge amount to the industry. A robot working at manufacturing facility should be able to predict potential collisions and must be able to prevent i.e. react automatically for safe detour around obstacle/human. Currently, industrial robots are able to detect collisions after a real contact but the existing proposals for avoiding collisions are either computationally expensive or not very well adapted to human safety. The objective of this paper is to provide intelligence to the industrial robot to predict collision risks and react automatically without stopping the production in a static environment. The proposed approach using Time of Flight (TOF) camera, provides decision regarding trajectory correction and improvement by shifting robot to a secure position. The application presented in this paper is for safe KUKA robot trajectory generation in peg-in-hole assembly process in the laboratory context. [less ▲]

Safe and Automated Tool-Path Generation for Multi-Axis Production Machines

in Transactions of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2014, November 14), 2B(Advanced Manufacturing), 0202034-7

Multi-axis machines are growing rapidly their precision and complexity with the increasing importance of machine intelligence, automation, optimization and safety. It is necessary to identify collision ... [more ▼]

Multi-axis machines are growing rapidly their precision and complexity with the increasing importance of machine intelligence, automation, optimization and safety. It is necessary to identify collision risks and avoid them in manufacturing otherwise production stops may cost a huge amount to the manufacturing company. This study has focused on safe trajectory generation for CNC machines especially focusing on high risked non-functional trajectories. These machines should be able to see any unwilling situation (i.e. collisions) in their vicinity and must be able to detect and react automatically in real-time for safe tool movements. Currently CAM software and some multi-axis machines are able to detect collisions but they do not have any solution to avoid such collisions automatically. The main objective is to make multi-axis machine vision system effective enough that it can see all its activities regarding collisions and can react or command automatically online as well as off-line for real and virtual productions. In presence of obstacles during manufacturing, the proposed approach will provide decisions regarding trajectory correction and improvement automatically. The proposed vision concept is able to take into account the evolution of the scene i.e. the aspects of changes to the obstacle like shape, size or presence during production. The application presented in this paper is for 2D traversal safe online trajectories generation in virtual simulated dynamic environment, which will be adapted to the real-time real machining scenarios at shop-floor by integrating it with STEP-NC technology in future. [less ▲]

Dynamische Kinetik der anaeroben Fermentation von fettigen Küchenabfällen mittels verschiedener Abfallvorbehandlungen für die Biogasproduktion

in Chemie Ingenieur Technik (2014, August 28), 86(9), 1390

Comparison of ODE-based models for reactive oxygen species regulation system

in Proceedings of ICCSA 2014 (2014, June)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play important role in the functioning of any cell and especially in the lifecycle of mitochondria. Since the action of ROS can be both positive and negative then the ... [more ▼]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play important role in the functioning of any cell and especially in the lifecycle of mitochondria. Since the action of ROS can be both positive and negative then the remarkable role can be played by ROS regulation system. We constructed three different ODE based kinetic models of different complexity for the ROS management system and shown the difference in the dynamics of these systems under different conditions. Using results of numerical simulation we showed that extraction of some subsystems can make the model more unstable. We also introduced the objective function for comparison of the models with structure of different complexity [less ▲]

Robust Primary User Identification using Compressive Sensing for Cognitive Radios

in IEEE Int. Conf. on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing (ICASSP) (2014, May)

Principe d’intégration et pouvoir des Etats membres

in Revue des Affaires Européennes [= RAE] = Law & European Affairs (2014, April)

La fonction permissive du principe d'intégration permet de justifier le critère d'établissement de lien personnel en l'absence de lien économique ou malgré l'existence du lien économique. La fonction ... [more ▼]

La fonction permissive du principe d'intégration permet de justifier le critère d'établissement de lien personnel en l'absence de lien économique ou malgré l'existence du lien économique. La fonction limitative du principe d'intégration encadre la justification d'une mesure discriminatoire et couvre le rapport horizontal entre deux Etats membres en cas de dualité de rattachement. [less ▲]

Preparation and study of 2-D semiconductors with Dirac type bands due to the honeycomb nanogeometry

in Proceedings of SPIE (2014, March 07), 8981

The interest in 2-dimensional systems with a honeycomb lattice and related Dirac-­type electronic bands has exceeded the prototype graphene [1]. Currently, 2-­dimensional atomic [2,3] and nanoscale [4-­8 ... [more ▼]

The interest in 2-dimensional systems with a honeycomb lattice and related Dirac-­type electronic bands has exceeded the prototype graphene [1]. Currently, 2-­dimensional atomic [2,3] and nanoscale [4-­8] systems are extensively investigated in the search for materials with novel electronic properties that can be tailored by geometry. The immediate question that arises is how to fabricate 2-­D semiconductors that have a honeycomb nanogeometry, and as a consequence of that, display a Dirac-­type band structure? Here, we show that atomically coherent honeycomb superlattices of rocksalt (PbSe, PbTe) and zincblende (CdSe, CdTe) semiconductors can be obtained by nanocrystal self-­assembly and facet-­to-­facet atomic bonding, and subsequent cation exchange. We present a extended structural analysis of atomically coherent 2-­D honeycomb structures that were recently obtained with self-assembly and facet-­to-­facet bonding [9]. We show that this process may in principle lead to three different types of honeycomb structures, one with a graphene type-­, and two others with a silicene-­type structure. Using TEM, electron diffraction, STM and GISAXS it is convincingly shown that the structures are from the silicene-­type. In the second part of this work, we describe the electronic structure of graphene-­type and silicene type honeycomb semiconductors. We present the results of advanced electronic structure calculations using the sp3d5s* atomistic tight-­binding method10. For simplicity, we focus on semiconductors with a simple and single conduction band for the native bulk semiconductor. When the 3-­D geometry is changed into 2-­D honeycomb, a conduction band structure transformation to two types of Dirac cones, one for S-­ and one for P-­orbitals, is observed. The width of the bands depends on the honeycomb period and the coupling between the nanocrystals. Furthermore, there is a dispersionless P-­orbital band, which also forms a landmark of the honeycomb structure. The effects of considerable intrinsic spin-­orbit coupling are briefly considered. For heavy-­element compounds such as CdTe, strong intrinsic spin-­‐orbit coupling opens a non-­trivial gap at the P-orbital Dirac point, leading to a quantum Spin Hall effect [10-­12]. Our work shows that well known semiconductor crystals, known for centuries, can lead to systems with entirely new electronic properties, by the simple action of nanogeometry. It can be foreseen that such structures will play a key role in future opto-­electronic applications, provided that they can be fabricated in a straightforward way. [less ▲]

MOBAQ-LUX8 – Elaboration of competence-oriented test items for 8year-old luxembourgish students

in Journal of the International Federation of Physical Education (2014, February), 83

Security@Runtime: A flexible MDE approach to enforce fine-grained security policies

in Lecture Notes in Computer Science (2014), 8364 LNCS

In this paper, we present a policy-based approach for automating the integration of security mechanisms into Java-based business applications. In particular, we introduce an expressive Domain Specific ... [more ▼]

In this paper, we present a policy-based approach for automating the integration of security mechanisms into Java-based business applications. In particular, we introduce an expressive Domain Specific modeling Language (Dsl), called Security@Runtime, for the specification of security configurations of targeted systems. The Security@Runtime Dsl supports the expression of authorization, obligation and reaction policies, covering many of the security requirements of modern applications. Security requirements specified in security configurations are enforced using an application-independent Policy Enforcement Point Pep)-Policy Decision Point (Pdp) architecture, which enables the runtime update of security requirements. Our work is evaluated using two systems and its advantages and limitations are discussed. © 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland. [less ▲]

Isogeometric finite element analysis using polynomial splines over hierarchical T-meshes

in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (2014), 10(1),

Isogeometric finite element analysis has become a powerful alternative to standard finite elements due to their flexibility in handling complex geometries. One major drawback of NURBS based isogeometric ... [more ▼]

Isogeometric finite element analysis has become a powerful alternative to standard finite elements due to their flexibility in handling complex geometries. One major drawback of NURBS based isogeometric finite elements is their less effectiveness of local refinement. In this study, we present an alternative to NURBS based isogeometric finite elements that allow for local refinement. The idea is based on polynomial splines and exploits the flexibility of T-meshes for local refinement. The shape functions satisfy important properties such as non-negativity, local support and partition of unity. We will demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method by two numerical examples. [less ▲]

""Au début, il n'y a rien" : L'origine du roman chez Queneau et Perec"

in Cahiers Raymond Queneau (2014), 4

An ASPIC-based legal argumentation framework for deontic reasoning

in Computational Models of Argument (2014)

In the last years, argumentation theory has been exploited to reason about norms, argue about enforced obligations and permissions, and establish the validity of norms seen as argumentative claims. In ... [more ▼]

In the last years, argumentation theory has been exploited to reason about norms, argue about enforced obligations and permissions, and establish the validity of norms seen as argumentative claims. In this paper, we start from the dynamic legal argumentation framework recently proposed by Prakken and Sartor, and we extend their ASPIC-based system by introducing deontic modalities, to include also normative concepts like factual and deontic detachment, and normative dynamics. Properties of the original and proposed legal argumentation system are presented and discussed, and related to deontic logic and logics of normative systems. [less ▲]

The frequency of acute medication intake relates to its perceived effectiveness in chronic headache patients

in Journal of Headache and Pain (2014), 15(1),

Dining Cryptographers with 0.924 Verifiable Collision Resolution

in Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Skłodowska. Sectio AI, Informatica (2014), 14(1), 49-59

The dining cryptographers protocol implements a multiple access channel in which senders and recipients are anonymous. A problem is that a malicious participant can disrupt communication by deliberately ... [more ▼]

The dining cryptographers protocol implements a multiple access channel in which senders and recipients are anonymous. A problem is that a malicious participant can disrupt communication by deliberately creating collisions. We propose a computationally secure dining cryptographers protocol with collision resolution that achieves a maximum stable throughput of 0.924 messages per round and which allows to easily detect disruptors. [less ▲]

Local solutions of the generalized Dhombres functional equation in a neighbourhood of infinity

in ESAIM: Proceedings and Surveys (2014), 46

On complex analytic 1|3-dimensional supermanifolds associated with CP^1

in Proceedings of the XXXII Workshop on Geometric Methods in Physics (2014)

Social Interaction Based Audience Segregation for Online Social Networks.

in Proceedings of the European Conference on Social Intelligence (2014)

Online social networking is the latest craze that has captured the attention of masses, people use these sites to communicate with their friends and family. These sites o er attractive means of social ... [more ▼]

Online social networking is the latest craze that has captured the attention of masses, people use these sites to communicate with their friends and family. These sites o er attractive means of social interac- tions and communications, but also raise privacy concerns. This paper examines user's abilities to control access to their personal information posted in online social networks. Online social networks lack common mechanism used by individuals in their real life to manage their privacy. The lack of such mechanism signi cantly a ects the level of user control over their self presentation in online social networks. In this paper, we present social interaction based audience segregation model for online so- cial networks. This model mimics real life interaction patterns and makes online social networks more privacy friendly. Our model uses type, fre- quency, and initiation factor of social interactions to calculate friendship strength. The main contribution of the model is that it considers set of all possible interactions among friends and assigns a numerical weight to each type of interaction in order to increase or decrease its contribu- tion in calculation of friendship strength based on its importance in the development of relationship ties. [less ▲]

Coverage-based Test Cases Selection for XACML Policies

in IEEE International Conference on Software Testing Verification and Validation Workshops (2014)

XACML is the de facto standard for implementing access control policies. Testing the correctness of policies is a critical task. The test of XACML policies involves running requests and checking manually ... [more ▼]

XACML is the de facto standard for implementing access control policies. Testing the correctness of policies is a critical task. The test of XACML policies involves running requests and checking manually the correct response. It is therefore important to reduce the manual test effort by automatically selecting the most important requests to be tested. This paper introduces the XACML smart coverage selection approach, based on a proposed XACML policy coverage criterion. The approach is evaluated using mutation analysis and is compared on the one side with a not-reduced test suite, on the other with random and greedy optimal test selection approaches. We performed the evaluation on a set of six real world policies. The results show that our selection approach can reach good mutation scores, while significantly reducing the number of tests to be run. [less ▲]