199,005 research outputs found
Analytical models to determine room requirements in outpatient clinics
Outpatient clinics traditionally organize processes such that the doctor remains in a consultation room while patients visit for consultation, we call this the Patient-to-Doctor policy (PtD-policy). A different approach is the Doctor-to-Patient policy (DtP-policy), whereby the doctor travels between multiple consultation rooms, in which patients prepare for their consultation. In the latter approach, the doctor saves time by consulting fully prepared patients. We use a queueing theoretic and a discrete-event simulation approach to provide generic models that enable performance evaluations of the two policies for different parameter settings. These models can be used by managers of outpatient clinics to compare the two policies and choose a particular policy when redesigning the patient process.We use the models to analytically show that the DtP-policy is superior to the PtD-policy under the condition that the doctorâs travel time between rooms is lower than the patientâs preparation time. In addition, to calculate the required number of consultation rooms in the DtP-policy, we provide an expression for the fraction of consultations that are in immediate succession; or, in other words, the fraction of time the next patient is prepared and ready, immediately after a doctor finishes a consultation. We apply our methods for a range of distributions and parameters and to a case study in a medium-sized general hospital that inspired this research
Structural analysis consultation using artificial intelligence
The primary goal of consultation is definition of the best strategy to deal with a structural engineering analysis objective. The knowledge base to meet the need is designed to identify the type of numerical analysis, the needed modeling detail, and specific analysis data required. Decisions are constructed on the basis of the data in the knowledge base - material behavior, relations between geometry and structural behavior, measures of the importance of time and temperature changes - and user supplied specifics characteristics of the spectrum of analysis types, the relation between accuracy and model detail on the structure, its mechanical loadings, and its temperature states. Existing software demonstrated the feasibility of the approach, encompassing the 36 analysis classes spanning nonlinear, temperature affected, incremental analyses which track the behavior of structural systems
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Proceedings ICPW'07: 2nd International Conference on the Pragmatic Web, 22-23 Oct. 2007, Tilburg: NL
Proceedings ICPW'07: 2nd International Conference on the Pragmatic Web, 22-23 Oct. 2007, Tilburg: N
How much of Federalism in the European Union
The European Union (EU) is not de jure a federation, but after 50 years of institutional evolution it possesses attributes of a federal state. One can conclude that EU is âsomething betweenâ federation and intergovernmental organization. If we measure âsomething betweenâ by interval [0, 1], where 0 means fully intergovernmental organization and 1 means de facto federation, the questions are: What is the location of recent EU on this interval? What tendency of development of this location can be observed in time? In this paper we propose such a measure based on game-theoretical model of European Union decision making system.Co-decision procedure, committee system, consultation procedure, European Union decision making, federation, intergovernmental organization, qualified majority, power indices, simple voting committee
The VEX-93 environment as a hybrid tool for developing knowledge systems with different problem solving techniques
The paper describes VEX-93 as a hybrid environment for developing
knowledge-based and problem solver systems. It integrates methods and
techniques from artificial intelligence, image and signal processing and
data analysis, which can be mixed. Two hierarchical levels of reasoning
contains an intelligent toolbox with one upper strategic inference engine
and four lower ones containing specific reasoning models: truth-functional
(rule-based), probabilistic (causal networks), fuzzy (rule-based) and
case-based (frames). There are image/signal processing-analysis capabilities
in the form of programming languages with more than one hundred primitive
functions.
User-made programs are embeddable within knowledge basis, allowing the
combination of perception and reasoning. The data analyzer toolbox contains
a collection of numerical classification, pattern recognition and ordination
methods, with neural network tools and a data base query language at
inference engines's disposal.
VEX-93 is an open system able to communicate with external computer programs
relevant to a particular application. Metaknowledge can be used for
elaborate conclusions, and man-machine interaction includes, besides windows
and graphical interfaces, acceptance of voice commands and production of
speech output.
The system was conceived for real-world applications in general domains, but
an example of a concrete medical diagnostic support system at present under
completion as a cuban-spanish project is mentioned.
Present version of VEX-93 is a huge system composed by about one and half
millions of lines of C code and runs in microcomputers under Windows 3.1.Postprint (published version
An Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council Criteria
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has established a program whereby a fishery may be certified as being sustainable. The sustainability of a fishery is defined by MSC criteria which are embodied in three Principles: relating to the status of the stock, the ecosystem of which the stock is a member and the fishery management system. Since many of these MSC criteria are comparable for global tuna stocks, the MSC scoring system was used to evaluate nineteen stocks of tropical and temperate tunas throughout the world and to evaluate the management systems of the Regional Fishery Management Organizations (RFMO) associated with these stocks
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