Derivation of Spatially Distributed Thermal Comfort Levels in Jordan as Investigated From Remote Sensing, GIS Tools and Computational Methods

Thermal comfort is usually calculated using discrete point measurements. This procedure is not suitable to study thermal comfort for inhabited areas with rugged terrains where climate gradient is high. The wide availability of remote sensing data and GIS tools have revolutionized data management, processing and visualization. The present paper implemented digital elevation data, GIS tools and a computational algorithm to generate spatially continuous maps of climatological elements which were employed to derive thermal comfort levels across Jordan. Results show detailed information of the spatial distribution of the degree of thermal comfort in winter and summer across the country which cannot be resolved using discrete point measurements. It is shown that the mountainous areas in the country, where most urban centers are situated, experience “slightly warm” to “warm” indoor apparent temperatures in summer. The Jordan Valley and the desert experience high indoor apparent temperatures in summer. Cold conditions prevail over most parts of the country, with the heating degree days ranging from 2100 in the southern mountains to values close to zero near the Dead Sea area. The presented procedure demonstrated that the very low levels of ambient vapor pressure is an important atmospheric forcing contributing to the widespread cold conditions prevailing over the desert areas in winter. The efficiency of direct evaporative cooling systems to achieve thermal comfort in the various parts of the country is investigated. The procedure presented can be used over regional scales with different levels of spatial resolutions for a wide range of climatological studies.

Establishing Task-Relevant MVC Protocols for Modelling Sustained Isometric Force Variability: A Manual Control Study

The present study examined how prevalent methods for determining maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) impact the experimentally derived functions of graded force-force variability. Thirty-two young healthy subjects performed continuous isometric force tracking (20 s trials) at 10 target percentages (5–95% MVC) normalized to a conventional discrete-point (n = 16), or sustained (n = 16) MVC calculation. Distinct rates and magnitudes of change were observed for absolute variability (standard deviation (SD), root mean squared error (RMSE)), tracking error (RMSE, constant error (CE)), and complexity (detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA)) (all p < 0.05) of graded force fluctuations between the MVC groups. Differential performance strategies were observed beyond ~65% MVC, with the discrete-point group minimizing their SD at force values below that of the criterion target (higher CE/RMSE). Moreover, the sustained group’s capacity to minimize SD/RMSE/CE corresponded to a more complex structure in their force fluctuations. These findings reveal that the time component of MVC estimation has a direct influence on the corrective strategies supporting near-maximal manual force control. While discrete MVC protocols predominate in the study of manual strength/endurance/precision, a 1:1 MVC-task mapping appears more to be ecologically valid if visuo-motor precision outcomes are of central importance.

A Robust Fast Bridging Algorithm for Laser Cutting

Bridging the different parts together is considered a simple but effective strategy to reduce the number of piercing operations during laser cutting. However, fast bridging is never an easy task. In this paper, we present a near-linear bridging algorithm for the input parts with the shortest total bridge length. At first, the input part contours are discretized into a point cloud, then the point cloud is triangulated with the Delaunay standard. The shortest line segments between any two adjacent parts are found in the triangles connecting the two parts. These segments are finally extended into bridges. To solve the problem of the damages to the contour characteristics caused by the bridges, some restrictions are set on the screening of the discrete point cloud and the Delaunay triangles. This algorithm not only ensures the minimum total distance of all bridges, but also avoids the problem of generating bridge loops. Computational experiments show that the proposed bridging algorithm is much faster than that in existing commercial software. The feasibility and superiority of the algorithm are verified by actual lasering cutting experiments.

A FRAMEWORK TO MANAGE UNCERTAINTY IN THE COMPUTATION OF WASTE COLLECTION ROUTES AFTER A FLOOD

In this paper, we describe a framework to find a good quality waste collection tour after a flood, without having to solve a complicated optimization problem from scratch in limited time. We model the computation of a waste collection tour as a capacitated routing problem, on the vertices or on the edges of a graph, with uncertain waste quantities and uncertain road availability. Multiple models have been conceived to manage uncertainty in routing problems, and we build on the ideas of discretizing the uncertain parameters and computing master solutions that can be adapted to propose an original method to compute efficient solutions. We first introduce our model for the progressive removal of the uncertainty, then outline our method to compute solutions: our method first considers a low-dimensional set of random variables that govern the behaviour of the problem parameters, discretizes these variables and computes a solution for each discrete point before the flood, and then uses these solutions as a basis to build operational solutions when there are enough information about the parameters of the routing problem. We then give computational tools to implement this method. We give a framework to compute the basis of solutions in an efficient way, by computing all the solutions simultaneously and sharing information (that can lead to good quality solutions) between the different problems based on how close their parameters are, and we also describe how real solutions can be derived from this basis. Our main contributions are our model for the progressive removal of uncertainty, our multi-step method to compute efficient solutions, and our intrusive framework to compute solutions on the discrete grid of parameters.

Grid Partition Variable Step Alpha Shapes Algorithm

On the basis of Alpha Shapes boundary extraction algorithm for discrete point set, a grid partition variable step Alpha Shapes algorithm is proposed to deal with the shortcomings of the original Alpha Shapes algorithm in the processing of nonuniform distributed point set and multiconcave point set. Firstly, the grid partition and row-column index table are established for the point set, and the point set of boundary grid partition is quickly extracted. Then, the average distance of the k -nearest neighbors of the point is calculated as the value of α . For the point set of boundary grid partition extracted in the previous step, Alpha Shapes algorithm is used to quickly construct the point set boundary. The proposed algorithm is verified by experiments of simulated point set and measured point set, and it has high execution efficiency. Compared with similar algorithms, the larger the number of point sets is, the more obvious the execution efficiency is.

Development of an Oncology Acute Care Risk Prediction Model

PURPOSE Acute care utilization (ACU), including emergency department (ED) visits or hospital admissions, is common in patients with cancer and may be preventable. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently implemented OP-35, a measure in the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program focused on ED visits and inpatient admissions for 10 potentially preventable conditions that arise within 30 days of chemotherapy. This new measure exemplifies a growing focus on preventing unnecessary ACU. However, identifying patients at high risk of ACU remains a challenge. We developed a real-time clinical prediction model using a discrete point allocation system to assess risk for ACU in patients with active cancer. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with active cancer from a large urban academic medical center. The primary outcome, ACU, was evaluated using a multivariate logistic regression model with backward variable selection. We used estimates from the multivariate logistic model to construct a risk index using a discrete point allocation system. RESULTS Eight thousand two hundred forty-six patients were included in the analysis. ED utilization in the last 90 days, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure or renal failure, and low hemoglobin and low neutrophil count significantly increased risk for ACU. The model produced an overall C-statistic of 0.726. Patients defined as high risk (achieving a score of 2 or higher on the risk index) represented 10% of total patients and 46% of ACU. CONCLUSION We developed an oncology acute care risk prediction model using a risk index–based scoring system, the REDUCE (Reducing ED Utilization in the Cancer Experience) score. Further efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of our model in predicting ACU are ongoing.

An Approach to Comparing Multidimensional Geometric Objects

The paper proposes an approach to the comparison of multidimensional geometric objects, which is used to assess the variational geometric models of multifactor processes and phenomena obtained using the geometric theory of multidimensional interpolation. The proposed approach consists of two stages, the first of which consists in the discretization of multidimensional geometric objects in the form of a set of discretely given points, and the second is in comparing the obtained discrete point sets using a criterion that is essentially similar to the coefficient of determination. In this case, one of the discrete point sets is taken as a reference for comparison with another point set. For a correct comparison of multidimensional geometric models in the form of point equations, which are reduced to a system of parametric equations, it is necessary to perform interconnection of parameters. A computational experiment was carried out on the example of comparing geometric models of the physical and mechanical properties of fine-grained concrete. It showed the possibility of using the proposed approach for comparing multidimensional geometric objects and the reliability of the results obtained in comparison with scientific visualization methods. On the same example, it was found that for an accurate comparison of the investigated geometric models of the physical and mechanical properties of fine-grained concrete, it is enough to discretize 100 points. A further increase in the set of discrete points of the compared geometric objects has no significant effect on the criterion for assessing their similarity.