The IBM-PC in electron microscopy

Author(s):  
James F. Mancuso

IBM PC compatible computers are widely used in microscopy for applications ranging from control to image acquisition and analysis. The choice of IBM-PC based systems over competing computer platforms can be based on technical merit alone or on a number of factors relating to economics, availability of peripherals, management dictum, or simple personal preference.IBM-PC got a strong “head start” by first dominating clerical, document processing and financial applications. The use of these computers spilled into the laboratory where the DOS based IBM-PC replaced mini-computers. Compared to minicomputer, the PC provided a more for cost-effective platform for applications in numerical analysis, engineering and design, instrument control, image acquisition and image processing. In addition, the sitewide use of a common PC platform could reduce the cost of training and support services relative to cases where many different computer platforms were used. This could be especially true for the microscopists who must use computers in both the laboratory and the office.

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. e021256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Estela Capelas Barbosa ◽  
Talitha Irene Verhoef ◽  
Steve Morris ◽  
Francesca Solmi ◽  
Medina Johnson ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the implementation of the Identification and Referral to Improve Safety (IRIS) programme using up-to-date real-world information on costs and effectiveness from routine clinical practice. A Markov model was constructed to estimate mean costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of IRIS versus usual care per woman registered at a general practice from a societal and health service perspective with a 10-year time horizon.Design and settingCost–utility analysis in UK general practices, including data from six sites which have been running IRIS for at least 2 years across England.ParticipantsBased on the Markov model, which uses health states to represent possible outcomes of the intervention, we stipulated a hypothetical cohort of 10 000 women aged 16 years or older.InterventionsThe IRIS trial was a randomised controlled trial that tested the effectiveness of a primary care training and support intervention to improve the response to women experiencing domestic violence and abuse, and found it to be cost-effective. As a result, the IRIS programme has been implemented across the UK, generating data on costs and effectiveness outside a trial context.ResultsThe IRIS programme saved £14 per woman aged 16 years or older registered in general practice (95% uncertainty interval −£151 to £37) and produced QALY gains of 0.001 per woman (95% uncertainty interval −0.005 to 0.006). The incremental net monetary benefit was positive both from a societal and National Health Service perspective (£42 and £22, respectively) and the IRIS programme was cost-effective in 61% of simulations using real-life data when the cost-effectiveness threshold was £20 000 per QALY gained as advised by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.ConclusionThe IRIS programme is likely to be cost-effective and cost-saving from a societal perspective in the UK and cost-effective from a health service perspective, although there is considerable uncertainty surrounding these results, reflected in the large uncertainty intervals.


2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney Pinna ◽  
Beverley F. Ronalds ◽  
Mark A. Andrich

Assessments of structural reliability under storm overload have been performed on various monopod configurations located on Australia’s North West Shelf (NWS). The results have shown that these monopods have lower reliabilities than typical platforms in other petroleum provinces, due to a number of factors. In itself, this may not be a concern, as it may be argued that minimum facilities platforms have relatively low consequences of failure. Reasons for this could center around these monopods being satellites with small production throughput, having short service lives, being not-normally-manned, and having environmental protection features which minimize the possibility of a hydrocarbon spill resulting from a structural failure. A suitable target probability of failure for monopod platforms may be computed using a cost-benefit approach, where the total platform cost, including the cost of failure, is minimized. This analysis is developed for four distinct monopod configurations involving single pile, pile cluster and outrigger foundations in water depths ranging between 9-52m LAT. The relationship between platform CAPEX and probability of failure is derived from first principles for cases of appurtenances located within and external to the main caisson.


2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swapan Saha ◽  
Colin Greville ◽  
Trevor Mullins

In the construction industry, the determination of the number of inspections/tests to be performed for a repetitive task is an important issue. The quality of a completed task depends on a number of factors including the cost of inspection, the cost of failure, the average proportion defective (error rate) and the inspection rate. To achieve a higher quality level, 100% inspection can be performed, however, this is unlikely to be cost effective. To determine the optimum inspection rate, this paper suggests a probabilistic approach incorporating the acceptance-sampling plan and minimum cost method. The limitation of various sampling plans including the attribute proportional sampling plan and the double sampling plan are outlined. An example is presented in this paper to demonstrate the calculation of the optimum number of inspections/tests per lot.


Author(s):  
John Mansfield

Advances in camera technology and digital instrument control have meant that in modern microscopy, the image that was, in the past, typically recorded on a piece of film is now recorded directly into a computer. The transfer of the analog image seen in the microscope to the digitized picture in the computer does not mean, however, that the problems associated with recording images, analyzing them, and preparing them for publication, have all miraculously been solved. The steps involved in the recording an image to film remain largely intact in the digital world. The image is recorded, prepared for measurement in some way, analyzed, and then prepared for presentation.Digital image acquisition schemes are largely the realm of the microscope manufacturers, however, there are also a multitude of “homemade” acquisition systems in microscope laboratories around the world. It is not the mission of this tutorial to deal with the various acquisition systems, but rather to introduce the novice user to rudimentary image processing and measurement.


Phlebologie ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 36 (06) ◽  
pp. 309-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Schulz ◽  
M. Jünger ◽  
M. Hahn

Summary Objective: The goal of the study was to assess the effectiveness and patient tolerability of single-session, sonographically guided, transcatheter foam sclerotherapy and to evaluate its economic impact. Patients, methods: We treated 20 patients with a total of 22 varicoses of the great saphenous vein (GSV) in Hach stage III-IV, clinical stage C2-C5 and a mean GSV diameter of 9 mm (range: 7 to 13 mm). We used 10 ml 3% Aethoxysklerol®. Additional varicoses of the auxiliary veins of the GSV were sclerosed immediately afterwards. Results: The occlusion rate in the treated GSVs was 100% one week after therapy as demonstrated with duplex sonography. The cost of the procedure was 207.91 E including follow-up visit, with an average loss of working time of 0.6 days. After one year one patient showed clinical signs of recurrent varicosis in the GSV; duplex sonography showed reflux in the region of the saphenofemoral junction in a total of seven patients (32% of the treated GSVs). Conclusion: Transcatheter foam sclerotherapy of the GSV is a cost-effective, safe method of treating varicoses of GSV and broadens the spectrum of therapeutic options. Relapses can be re-treated inexpensively with sclerotherapy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 260-266
Author(s):  
Haru Purnomo Ipung ◽  
Amin Soetomo

This research proposed a model to assist the design of the associated data architecture and data analytic to support talent forecast in the current accelerating changes in economy, industry and business change due to the accelerating pace of technological change. The emerging and re-emerging economy model were available, such as Industrial revolution 4.0, platform economy, sharing economy and token economy. Those were driven by new business model and technology innovation. An increase capability of technology to automate more jobs will cause a shift in talent pool and workforce. New business model emerge as the availabilityand the cost effective emerging technology, and as a result of emerging or re-emerging economic models. Both, new business model and technology innovation, create new jobs and works that have not been existed decades ago. The future workers will be faced by jobs that may not exist today. A dynamics model of inter-correlation of economy, industry, business model and talent forecast were proposed. A collection of literature review were conducted to initially validate the model.


The choice of cost-effective method of anticorrosive protection of steel structures is an urgent and time consuming task, considering the significant number of protection ways, differing from each other in the complex of technological, physical, chemical and economic characteristics. To reduce the complexity of solving this problem, the author proposes a computational tool that can be considered as a subsystem of computer-aided design and used at the stage of variant and detailed design of steel structures. As a criterion of the effectiveness of the anti-corrosion protection method, the cost of the protective coating during the service life is accepted. The analysis of existing methods of steel protection against corrosion is performed, the possibility of their use for the protection of the most common steel structures is established, as well as the estimated period of effective operation of the coating. The developed computational tool makes it possible to choose the best method of protection of steel structures against corrosion, taking into account the operating conditions of the protected structure and the possibility of using a protective coating.


Author(s):  
W. C. Solomon ◽  
M. T. Lilly ◽  
J. I. Sodiki

The development and evaluation of brake pads using groundnut shell (GS) particles as substitute material for asbestos were carried out in this study. This was with a view to harnessing the properties of GS, which is largely deposited as waste, and in replacing asbestos which is carcinogenic in nature despite its good tribological and mechanical properties. Two sets of composite material were developed using varying particle sizes of GS as filler material, with phenolic resin as binder with percentage compositions of 45% and 50% respectively. Results obtained indicate that the compressive strength and density increase as the sieve size of the filler material decreases, while water and oil absorption rates increase with an increase in sieve size of GS particle. This study also indicates that the cost of producing brake pad can be reduced by 19.14 percent if GS is use as filler material in producing brake pad. The results when compared with those of asbestos and industrial waste showed that GS particle can be used as an effective replacement for asbestos in producing automobile brake pad. Unlike asbestos, GS-based brake pads are environmental friendly, biodegradable and cost effective.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (4) ◽  
pp. 7-22
Author(s):  
Georges Bridel ◽  
Zdobyslaw Goraj ◽  
Lukasz Kiszkowiak ◽  
Jean-Georges Brévot ◽  
Jean-Pierre Devaux ◽  
...  

Abstract Advanced jet training still relies on old concepts and solutions that are no longer efficient when considering the current and forthcoming changes in air combat. The cost of those old solutions to develop and maintain combat pilot skills are important, adding even more constraints to the training limitations. The requirement of having a trainer aircraft able to perform also light combat aircraft operational mission is adding unnecessary complexity and cost without any real operational advantages to air combat mission training. Thanks to emerging technologies, the JANUS project will study the feasibility of a brand-new concept of agile manoeuvrable training aircraft and an integrated training system, able to provide a live, virtual and constructive environment. The JANUS concept is based on a lightweight, low-cost, high energy aircraft associated to a ground based Integrated Training System providing simulated and emulated signals, simulated and real opponents, combined with real-time feedback on pilot’s physiological characteristics: traditionally embedded sensors are replaced with emulated signals, simulated opponents are proposed to the pilot, enabling out of sight engagement. JANUS is also providing new cost effective and more realistic solutions for “Red air aircraft” missions, organised in so-called “Aggressor Squadrons”.


2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G Koch

Current estimates of obesity costs ignore the impact of future weight loss and gain, and may either over or underestimate economic consequences of weight loss. In light of this, I construct static and dynamic measures of medical costs associated with body mass index (BMI), to be balanced against the cost of one-time interventions. This study finds that ignoring the implications of weight loss and gain over time overstates the medical-cost savings of such interventions by an order of magnitude. When the relationship between spending and age is allowed to vary, weight-loss attempts appear to be cost-effective starting and ending with middle age. Some interventions recently proven to decrease weight may also be cost-effective.


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