Once abundant in the Texas and Louisiana coastal prairie, currently the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri, APC) is close to extinction. Efforts to increase the size of the remaining populations at the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge (APCNWR) and the Galveston Bay Prairie Preserve (GBPP) with releases of captive-reared individuals are part of the APC captive- breeding initiative. However, after a decade of yearly releases, the populations are not reaching viable sizes. I analyzed post-release survival data of individuals released at the APCNWR from 1996 to 2005. Results suggest that age at release or date of release had little influence on survival of captive-breed APC. At two weeks post-release, survival estimates (SE) were 0.76 (0.03) for females and 0.82 (0.04) for males. Approximately 50% of the females and 33% of the males died within the first 60 days post-release. Survivorship during the breeding season showed that male survival (0.36) was higher than female survival (0.23). Survivorship from the median release date to beginning of the breeding season was 52% for males and 39% for females. Mean female survival was 155 days, while median survival was 94 days. For males, mean survival was 135 days and the median was 81 days. Results from a stochastic simulation model, which was developed based on the survival analysis of APC on the APCNWR, confirmed that releasing individuals closer to the beginning of the breeding season and sex ratio at release had little effect on population growth. Regardless of the number of individuals released annually, population sizes immediately prior to the release dates were only 11–12% of the population sizes immediately after the release dates. At current mortality rates, simulated APC populations could not sustain themselves even if reproductive parameters were increased to the maximum rates reported for APC, or to the maximum rates reported for the closely related Greater prairie chicken. Based on these results, the APC may face extinction within the next decade unless conservation efforts succeed on increasing reproductive success and greatly reducing mortality rates.

The volume of cargo and passenger traffic of airlines is increasing in Kaohsiung International Airport in the recent years. Due to the rise of environmental consciousness, the aviation noise pollution will lead to public disputes. The transportation bureaus have granted subsidies and compensation on noise prevention in areas around the airport, the subjects are aviation noise prevention zones announced by local governments. Therefore, the classification of aviation noise prevention zone determines the receipt of subsidies and compensation, thus, is concerned by the residents lived in the airport neighboring areas. This study focused on Kaohsiung International Airport, and used the aviation movement data of 2005 as the standard for noise integration model simulation, to understand the variation of the aviation noise in day time and night time under different synarios , as well as the effects on the scope of noise prevention zones. Take Project 1 ( annulling curfew) as an example, the INM simulation of day time and night time aviation noise under various synarios showed that the aviation noise prevention zone of the first scale expanded 10.18 km² as compared to the year of 2005, 4.57 km² for the second scale,and 1.99 km² for the third scale. The estimated Ldn in the target year of 2121 were as follows: the noise volume for susceptible objects of east 27 runway increased 4.7¡ã5.3dB(A), objects near the west side 09 runway increased 3.1dB(A), and objects near the south and north sides increased 3.3~4.8dB(A). In general, the affected area of Project 1 (annulling curfew) ranks the largest, Project 2 (maintaining curfew) the second, and Project 3 (not lengthening the runway) the smallest. As for the affected scale of the aviation noise, KueLing Elementary School and KaoFung Junior College ranked the highest, ZhongZho Elementary School the second, diesel station the lowest. Yet, the actual aviation noise should refer to the results of the noise monitoring station.

Η προσομοίωση της συμπίεσης του μαστού κατά την διάρκεια της μαστογραφίας πραγματοποιείται σήμερα με την μέθοδο των πεπερασμένων στοιχείων (FEM), η οποία επιβάλει την χρήση ενός μικρού αριθμού κόμβων, λόγω της μεγάλης υπολογιστικής ισχύς που απαιτεί, οδηγώντας σε χαμηλή ανάλυση της εικόνας του συμπιεσμένου μαστού. Επιπρόσθετα, η ανάγκη για την δημιουργία ενός πλέγματος του υπο συμπίεση όγκου, αποτελεί μία πολύπλοκη και μονότονη διαδικασία που δεν έχει αυτοματοποιηθεί πλήρως μέχρι σήμερα. Στη εργασία αυτή έχει αναπτυχθεί μια νέα μέθοδος για την προσομοίωση της συμπίεσης κατά την διάρκεια της μαστογραφίας, η οποία μπορεί να συμπιέσει ένα εικονικό ομοίωμα μαστού (Breast Phantom) υψηλής ανάλυσης με οποιαδήποτε γεωμετρική δομή και σύνθεση. Κύριος στόχος δεν αποτέλεσε η ακριβής μοντελοποίηση της δομής και συμπεριφοράς των ανθρώπινων ιστών, αλλά η απόκτηση ρεαλιστικών αποτελεσμάτων συμπίεσης μαστού με στόχο μια ακριβέστερη προσομοίωση μαστογραφίας. Η μέθοδος που αναπτύχθηκε βασίζεται σε ένα μοντέλο γραμμικών ελατηρίων και χρησιμοποιεί μια επαναληπτική τυχαία διαδικασία για την επίτευξη της ισορροπίας όλων των διακεκριμένων σημείων του όγκου(κόμβων). Τα στοιχεία του μοντέλου απαρτίζονται από 27 κόμβους, έχοντας 1 κόμβο ως κεντρικό και 26 ως γείτονες. Επιπλέον τα γειτονικά στοιχεία μοιράζονται κοινούς κόμβους και συνεπώς αλληλεπικαλύπτονται. Το πολύ σπουδαίο ζήτημα της διατήρησης του όγκου, επιλύθηκε με την χρήση ελατηρίων μεταβλητού μήκους ισορροπίας τα οποία ανάλογα με την εφαρμοσμένη συμπίεση σε κάθε στοιχείο συστέλλονται ή διαστέλλονται με στόχο την διατήρηση του όγκου κάθε στοιχείου. Τέλος δεν απαιτείται η δημιουργία ενός πλέγματος στον χώρο διότι το μοντέλο βασίζεται στα διακεκριμένα σημεία του breast phantom (voxel-based). Η εφαρμογή αυτής της μεθόδου έκανε εφικτό τον υπολογισμό των νέων θέσεων ισορροπίας 500.000 κόμβων ενός Breast Phantom που δέχθηκε 50% συμπίεση και περιείχε λιπώδη ιστό, δομές αδένων και ανωμαλίες (ασβεστώματα), με μέση απόκλιση μικρότερη από 0.1 χιλιοστά. Η αντιστρεψιμότητα του αλγόριθμου καθώς και η ακρίβεια του εκτιμητή απόκλισης επιβεβαιώθηκαν με την βοήθεια μια «αντίστροφης προσομοίωσης» κατά την διάρκεια της οποίας ένας συμπιεσμένος μαστός αποσυμπιέστηκε πλήρως για να επιστρέψει στην αρχική ασυμπίεστη μορφή του. Η διαδικασία τόσο για την συμπίεση όσο και για την αποσυμπίεση διήρκεσε περίπου 12 ώρες η κάθε μία, σε ένα σύστημα WinXp PC 2.4 GHz. Ο κώδικας του αλγόριθμου είναι γραμμένος σε γλώσσα Java. Τα αποτελέσματα αποδεικνύουν ότι είναι εφικτό να προσομοιωθεί η συμπίεση ενός Breast phantom ανάλυσης 512x512x512 ,απεριόριστου αριθμού ιστών και γεωμετρικών δομών, που μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί σε υψηλής ανάλυσης προσομοίωση μαστογραφίας. / Breast compression during Mammography is currently being simulated using FEM analysis, which due to its computational greed, forces the use of a relatively small number of nodes leading to a low resolution image of the compressed breast. Moreover the mesh generation of the volume under compression is a tedious and complex task which demands user interaction. In the current work a novel method for simulating compression during mammography which uses a high resolution 3D Breast Phantom with any geometrical structure and contents has been developed. This work was not focused on producing a precise model of the structure and behavior of human tissues, but on achieving realistic results of breast compression during mammography, and therefore contributing to a more accurate mammography simulation. This method is based on a linear spring model and uses a repetitive random process to reach the equilibrium position for all the discrete points in the volume (nodes). The elements of the model consist of 27 nodes each, 1 center node and 26 neighbor nodes. Moreover neighbor elements share common nodes, and therefore overlap each other. The very critical issue of volume preservation was resolved by the introduction of variable equilibrium length springs which, depending on the compression applied on each element, expand or contract in order for the volume of each element to be preserved. Finally, user interaction is minimized by dismissing the tedious and time consuming need for a mesh generation and using a fully automated voxel based model instead. Applying this method it was made possible to compute the new position of each of the 500.000 nodes of a Breast Phantom subjected to 50% compression, which was composed of fatty tissue, gland and various abnormalities, with an average deviation less than 0.1 mm. The reversibility of the algorithm as well as the validity of the deviation estimator were verified by the means of a “reverse simulation” during which the compressed breast phantom was perfectly decompressed to its initial uncompressed state. The entire process both for compression and decompression took approximately 12 hours each on a WinXp PC 2.4 GHz. The source code is written in Java language. The results show that it is possible to obtain a 512x512x512 compressed 3D Breast Phantom with unlimited number of different tissues and structures which can be used in high resolution mammography simulation.

This thesis investigates the causes of the long wait-time for patients in Emergency department (ED) of Victoria General Hospital, and suggests changes for improvements. Two prominent simulation techniques have been used to replicate the ED in a simulation model. These are Discrete-event simulation (DES) and Agent-based modeling (ABM). While DES provides the basic modeling framework ABM has been used to incorporate human behaviour in the ED. The patient flow in the ED has been divided into 3 phases: input, throughput, and output. Model results show that there could be multiple interventions to reduce time taken to be seen by the doctor for the first time (also called WTBS) either in the output phase or in the input phase. The model is able to predict that a reduction in the output phase would cause reduction in the WTBS but it is not equipped to suggest how this reduction can be achieved. To reduce WTBS by making interventions in the input phase this research proposes a strategy called fast-track treatment (FTT). This strategy helps the model to dynamically re-allocate resources if needed to alleviate high WTBS. Results show that FTT can reduce WTBS times by up-to 40%.

This thesis investigates the causes of the long wait-time for patients in Emergency department (ED) of Victoria General Hospital, and suggests changes for improvements. Two prominent simulation techniques have been used to replicate the ED in a simulation model. These are Discrete-event simulation (DES) and Agent-based modeling (ABM). While DES provides the basic modeling framework ABM has been used to incorporate human behaviour in the ED. The patient flow in the ED has been divided into 3 phases: input, throughput, and output. Model results show that there could be multiple interventions to reduce time taken to be seen by the doctor for the first time (also called WTBS) either in the output phase or in the input phase. The model is able to predict that a reduction in the output phase would cause reduction in the WTBS but it is not equipped to suggest how this reduction can be achieved. To reduce WTBS by making interventions in the input phase this research proposes a strategy called fast-track treatment (FTT). This strategy helps the model to dynamically re-allocate resources if needed to alleviate high WTBS. Results show that FTT can reduce WTBS times by up-to 40%.

Submitted by Johnny Rodrigues (johnnyrodrigues@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-03-09T21:45:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ADRIANA BARBOSA DA COSTA - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGEQ 2016..pdf: 2381705 bytes, checksum: 9ae8c9d691a6fa4d5aa82e113e910d76 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-09T21:45:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ADRIANA BARBOSA DA COSTA - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGEQ 2016..pdf: 2381705 bytes, checksum: 9ae8c9d691a6fa4d5aa82e113e910d76 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-14 / Um constante estudo para o tratamento de águas residuais e descarte de efluentes é necessário a fim de lidar com normas cada vez mais rígidas nesse âmbito. As estações de tratamento de águas residuais podem ser consideradas sistemas altamente não-lineares, devido a existência de perturbações, bem como a interação de um número considerável de variáveis do processo. Neste contexto, o estudo, otimização e controle dessas plantas são essenciais para o bom funcionamento do processo em atenção às exigências. Vários métodos de otimização são propostos na literatura, e suas implementações em aplicações de engenharia podem ser significativamente melhoradas pelo uso de metamodelos representando o modelo rigoroso do processo a partir de dados computacionais. O presente trabalho trata do desenvolvimento de metamodelos, pela aplicação do modelo Kriging, para um processo de tratamento de águas residuais. Para tal, são realizadas as etapas de amostragem de pontos, por meio do Latin Hypercube Sampling, estimação dos parâmetros e validação. A metodologia proposta baseiase na geração de dados computacionais por meio do modelo rigoroso para o Benchmark Simulation Model N°2, implementado no Simulink®, e na otimização do processo utilizando os metamodelos Kriging. Estes modelos obtidos através de dados de processo rigoroso mostram uma alta precisão e minimização do esforço computacional para o processo de otimização. A Programação Quadrática Seqüencial e o Algoritmo Genético são utilizados para a tarefa de otimização, bem como a geração do modelo de Otimização em Tempo Real. Os resultados obtidos no modelo de referência demonstram a potencialidade da metodologia proposta para minimizar o custo do processo enquanto obedecem as restrições do efluente para as águas residuais tratadas. / A continuous study for improving the treatment of wastewater and the effluent disposal is necessary in order to deal with increasingly stringent environmental laws in this field. Wastewater treatment plants can be considered as highly non-linear systems, due to the existing disturbances as well as the interaction of a considerable number of process variables. In such a context, the study, optimization and control of these plants are essential for the proper operation of the process with respect to requirements. Several optimization methods are proposed in the literature and, their implementation for engineering applications can be significantly improved by the use of metamodels representing the rigorous model of the process starting from computational data. The present work deals with the development of metamodels, such as the Kriging model, a wastewater treatment process. To this end, the steps of data sampling, through Latin Hypercube Sampling, parameter estimation and validation are performed. The proposed methodology is based on the generation of computational data through the rigorous model of the Benchmark Simulation Model No. 2, implemented in Simulink®, and the optimization of the process using of the Kriging metamodels. These models obtained through the rigorous process data show a high accuracy and the computational effort of the optimization methods. The Sequential Quadratic Programming and Genetic Algorithm are used for the optimization task, as well as the generation of the Real Time Optimization model. The achieved results on benchmark model demonstrate the potentiality of the proposed methodology, to minimize the process cost while obeying the effluent restrictions of the treated wastewater.

Oxaliplatin is an anticancer drug widely used in cancer chemotherapy. This thesis evaluates whether a specific dose-banding scheme for oxaliplatin could replace the individual dosing method that is currently used in the oxaliplatin administration. Dose-banding was introduced into UK clinical practice in 2001, as it reduces delays in patients receiving their treatment and, through quality control and end-product testing, safeguards the infusion quality and patient safety. A range of studies were included in this thesis: an extended stability study on oxaliplatin infusions using a sequential temperature cycling design; studies on oxalate, a potential degradation product and metabolite of oxaliplatin which has been linked to oxaliplatin neurotoxicity and the development of an ex vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) simulation model to compare the effect of different oxaliplatin dosing methods on its therapeutic outcomes. The shelf-life of oxaliplatin infusions over a concentration range of 0.2 mg/mL – 0.7 mg/mL is extended to 84 days when stored at 2 – 8℃ plus a further 7 days after being left at room temperature (25℃) for 24 hours. This ensures the unused oxaliplatin infusions are safe to be re-issued to patients, which could reduce drug wastage. The oxalate study suggests that the dose-limiting neurotoxicity of oxaliplatin is unlikely to be directly related to the oxalate produced from oxaliplatin degradation in infusions or from the non-enzymic transformation of oxaliplatin in vivo because the oxalate levels from these routes are minor compared to the endogenous level. The safety and efficacy of dose-banding schemes was demonstrated by comparing the simulated PK characteristics gained from the ex vivo model. Dose-banding with the +10% maximum deviation was selected as the most promising dosing scheme for oxaliplatin. Finally, recommendations are made concerning the introduction of oxaliplatin dose-banding scheme into clinical practice, and on the benefits of harmonised dose-banding schemes.

abstract: The formation of dendrites in materials is usually seen as a failure-inducing defect in devices. Naturally, most research views dendrites as a problem needing a solution while focusing on process control techniques and post-mortem analysis of various stress patterns with the ultimate goal of total suppression of the structures. However, programmable metallization cell (PMC) technology embraces dendrite formation in chalcogenide glasses by utilizing the nascent conductive filaments as its core operative element. Furthermore, exciting More-than-Moore capabilities in the realms of device watermarking and hardware encryption schema are made possible by the random nature of dendritic branch growth. While dendritic structures have been observed and are well-documented in solid state materials, there is still no satisfactory theoretical model that can provide insight and a better understanding of how dendrites form. Ultimately, what is desired is the capability to predict the final structure of the conductive filament in a PMC device so that exciting new applications can be developed with PMC technology. This thesis details the results of an effort to create a first-principles MATLAB simulation model that uses configurable physical parameters to generate images of dendritic structures. Generated images are compared against real-world samples. While growth has a significant random component, there are several reliable characteristics that form under similar parameter sets that can be monitored such as the relative length of major dendrite arms, common branching angles, and overall growth directionality. The first simulation model that was constructed takes a Newtonian perspective of the problem and is implemented using the Euler numerical method. This model has several shortcomings stemming majorly from the simplistic treatment of the problem, but is highly performant. The model is then revised to use the Verlet numerical method, which increases the simulation accuracy, but still does not fully resolve the issues with the theoretical background. The final simulation model returns to the Euler method, but is a stochastic model based on Mott-Gurney’s ion hopping theory applied to solids. The results from this model are seen to match real samples the closest of all simulations. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Electrical Engineering 2016

Ein im Hinblick auf geringen Berechnungsaufwand entwickeltes, physikalisch-numerisches Simulationsmodell für Reinigungsvorgänge durch diffusives Auflösen oder kohäsives Trennen kleiner Verschmutzungsteilchen wird vorgestellt und validiert. Die Strömungs- berechnung auf Grundlage der Reynolds-gemittelten Navier Stokes Gleichungen (RANS) und die Berechnung des Verschmutzungstransports mittels eines instationären RANS- Ansatzes erfolgen entkoppelt. Das Verschmutzungsverhalten ist als transiente Dirichlet-Randbedingung modelliert, deren Parameter aus Laborexperimenten in einer ebenen Kanalströmung bestimmt werden. Die Validierung erfolgt für die Konfiguration eines senkrecht auftreffenden, kohärenten Flüssigkeitsstrahls für den Düsendurchmesser 1,69 mm und Drücke in der Düse zwischen 1,5 und 5 bar, d.h. Reynolds-Zahlen zwischen 17700 und 55600. Gemessen an der im Vergleich zu den Parametrierungsexperimenten um mehrere Größenordnungen höheren Wandschubspannung, der Einfachheit des Modells und der Komplexität des Testfalls wird eine sehr gute Übereinstimmung der simulierten Reinigungszeiten mit den Messwerten erreicht. Die angestrebte Skalierbarkeit sowie die Übertragbarkeit des Modells auf andere Strömungskonfigurationen sind somit gegeben.

In these days one of the global problem seems to be continuous population growth. The most quickly rising population can be found predictably in the poorest developing countries of the world, which also have trouble with meeting basic demands of its inhabitants. That is why it is necessary to closely watch population trend, because it noticeably influences many social-economic issues like sufficiency of work opportunity, access to the education, housing etc.. This diploma thesis focuses on monitoring of population development of Slovak republic till 2025. The aim of thesis is creation of simulative model in program SIMPROCESS 4.3.1, which will offer transparent results of population development forecast. These model results in program SIMPROCESS 4.3.1 are compared with official population development forecast in Slovakia till 2025 published by Statistical Office of Slovak republic in 2007. The thesis is focused in detail on monitoring of demographical indicators like birth rate, mortality rate and migration.