On the development of a soccer player performance rating system for the English premier league

The EA Sports Player Performance Index is a rating system for soccer players used in the top two tiers of soccer in England—the Premier League and the Championship. Its development was a collaboration among professional soccer leagues, a news media association, and academia. In this paper, we describe the index and its construction. The novelty of the index lies in its attempts to rate all players using a single score, regardless of their playing specialty, based on player contributions to winning performances. As one might expect, players from leading teams lead the index, although surprises happen

Sensor Path Planning for Emitter Localization

The localization of a radio frequency (RF) emitter is relevant in many military and civilian applications. The recent decade has seen a rapid progress in the development of small and mobile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which offer a way to perform emitter localization autonomously. The path a UAV travels influences the localization significantly, making path planning an important part of a mobile emitter localization system. The topic of this thesis is path planning for a UAV that uses bearing measurements to localize a stationary emitter. Using a directional antenna, the direction towards the target can be determined by the UAV rotating around its own vertical axis. During this rotation the UAV is required to remain at the same position, which induces a trade-off between movement and measurement that influences the optimal trajectories. This thesis derives a novel path planning algorithm for localizing an emitter with a UAV. It improves the current state of the art by providing a localization with defined accuracy in a shorter amount of time compared to other algorithms in simulations. The algorithm uses the policy rollout principle to perform a nonmyopic planning and to incorporate the uncertainty of the estimation process into its decision. The concept of an action selection algorithm for policy rollout is introduced, which allows the use of existing optimization algorithms to effectively search the action space. Multiple action selection algorithms are compared to optimize the speed of the path planning algorithm. Similarly, to reduce computational demand, an adaptive grid-based localizer has been developed. To evaluate the algorithm an experimental system has been built and the algorithm was tested on this system. Based on initial experiments, the path planning algorithm has been modified, including a minimal distance to the emitter and an outlier detection step. The resulting algorithm shows promising results in experimental flights

GENDB : a second generation genome annotation system

Meyer F. GENDB : a second generation genome annotation system. Bielefeld (Germany): Bielefeld University; 2001.The advent of new high throughput technologies opens the road towards a new era of genome analysis. Data from high throughput sequencers, chip based RNA expression analysis and proteome analysis systems create the need for software systems to support new kinds of analysis and data. At the same time the focus of molecular research shifted from the analysis of single genes to the analysis of whole genomes, multiple high throughput sources of data are routinely used. Yet there is a shortage of software systems that help store, integrate and analyse the wealth of information now available. We describe the development of a new genome annotation system (GENDB) based on a relational database system and object oriented technology that helps with the analysis of this data. GENDB significantly reduces the storage and compute overhead of existing systems, while offering more flexibility. The ability to integrate new kinds of data and new methods of analysis is one of the primary design targets for GENDB. The GENDB system has been succesfully used in a number of genome projects

Internal investigations under German Law

Folker Bittmann is a chief prosecutor and has served as head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Dessau-Roßlau, Germany since 2005. Prior to his current position, he worked as a lawyer in Heidelberg, a prosecutor in Darmstadt and Frankfurt, and a chief prosecutor in Halle/Saale. He is the editor and author of a handbook on criminal insolvency law, as well as an author of various articles on property law, white-collar crime, and criminal procedure law. Additionally, he is an advisor to an association on white-collar crime (Wirtschaftsstrafrechtliche Vereinigung e.V.) and is a member of the practice group of the Center for Criminal Compliance at the University of Gießen

Untersuchung der Lithosphärenstruktur Antarktikas mittels geophysikalisch–petrologischer Modellierung

In this thesis, satellite gravity data are combined with seismic findings to invert for the Moho depth of Antarctica. The results suggest a significantly lower density contrast between crust and mantle underneath East Antarctica compared to West Antarctica. Accounting for that, combined geophysical-petrological modelling of the lithosphere in 2-D is conducted along a well studied profile to test different Moho depth scenarios. However, even though multiple geophysical observables are considered in an integrated manner, neither of the competing scenarios can be validated or refuted with this approach. This demonstrates the need for comprehensive modelling in 3-D. By utilizing satellite gravity gradient data in a thermodynamically self-consistent framework, this dissertation establishes a 3-D model of the Antarctic lithosphere and sublithospheric upper mantle. A new Moho depth map of the continent is derived that is in good agreement with independent seismic estimates. It also exhibits detailed variations for so far scarcely explored areas. Total lithospheric thickness values of the presented model confirm the marked contrast between West Antarctica (<100 km) and East Antarctica (up to 260 km). The inferred deep thermal field is used to estimate 3-D viscosities of the mantle for GIA modelling. Coupled with present-day uplift rates from GPS, the relatively low viscosity values suggest a bulk dry upper mantle rheology. Finally, the crustal part of the 3-D density model is tested against recent airborne gravimetric data. The short-wave-length residual signal is inverted for near-surface density variations within the crust with the aim to refine the continental lithospheric model on a regional scale. These two applications demonstrate the potential of the presented model for further regional and continental-scale studies of Antarctica.In dieser Dissertation werden Satellitenschweredaten zusammen mit seismischen Befunden dazu verwendet, Inversionsrechnungen zur antarktischen Mohotiefe durchzuführen. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf einen signifikant geringeren Dichteunterschied zwischen Kruste und Mantel unterhalb der Ostantarktis gegenüber der Westantarktis hin. Darauf aufbauend werden zwei konträre Szenarien zur Mohotiefe mithilfe integrierter, geophysikalisch-petrologischer 2D-Modellierverfahren entlang eines relativ gut untersuchten Profils analysiert. Trotz der gekoppelten Einbeziehung mehrerer geophysikalischer Größen konnte auf diesem Wege jedoch kein eindeutiges Ergebnis erzielt werden. Stattdessen sind umfangreiche, dreidimensionale Modellierungen erforderlich. Unter Verwendung von Schweregradientendaten aus Satellitenmessungen wird in der vorliegenden Arbeit ein 3D-Modell der antarktischen Lithosphäre und des sublithosphärischen Mantels erstellt, das in sich thermodynamisch konsistent ist. Eine neue Tiefenkarte der Moho-Diskontinuität wird vorgelegt, die mit unabhängig gewonnenen seismischen Ergebnissen im Einklang steht und zahlreiche Details in bislang kaum erforschten Gebieten der Ostantarktis aufweist. Die modellierte Tiefe der Lithosphärenbasis bestätigt frühere Studien hinsichtlich des starken Kontrasts zwischen Westantarktika (<100 km) und Ostantarktika (bis zu 260 km). Aus dem modellierten Temperaturfeld werden Mantelviskositäten abgeleitet, die ihrerseits Eingang in ein GIA-Modell finden. Der Vergleich mit GPS-Messungen gegenwärtiger Landhebungsraten lässt auf relativ niedrige Viskositätswerte schließen, die der Rheologie trockenen Mantelmaterials entsprechen. Abschließend wird der Krustenbereich des Dichtemodells mit aerogravimetrischen Messdaten abgeglichen. Aus dem kurzwelligen Signalanteil werden Dichtevariationen innerhalb der Oberkruste invertiert, um das Lithosphärenmodell auf regionaler Skala nachbessern zu können. Anhand dieser Beispiele sollen die Möglichkeiten des vorgelegten Modells als Basis für weitere Studien zum antarktischen Kontinent aufgezeigt werden

Fuel Consumption Reduction By Use Of Hybrid Drive Systems

Vehicles with hybrid drive systems are characterized by their driving dynamics, their energy efficiency and their environment-friendliness especially. Dependent on the electrical power and the drive train structure these hybrid drives are grouped into different classes. Designations such as micro-hybrid, mild- hybrid, full-hybrid, serial-hybrid, serial/parallel-hybrid or power-split-hybrid reflect the large variance of these different drive train possibilities. In hybrid drive systems electronically controlled converters take an important role. With such a converter also the energy exchange between electrical power system and electrical machine is regulated. The reduction of the vehicle fuel consumption here is of special interest. Today's hybrid vehicles use for the control mainly information from the present driving conditions, taking into account the actual electrical power system-charge as well as the power demand of the driver. With such a control already considerable fuel reductions are reached. But additionally superimposed control and information systems promise substantial potential for more fuel reduction. With these systems an outstanding energy-saving and anticipatory way of driving could be realized. The aim is to find the best operating point in each case for the combustion engine and to adapt the charge state of the electrical power system to the respective driving situation

ASSESSING THE USE OF REMOTELY SENSED MEASUREMENTS FOR CHARACTERIZING RANGELAND CONDITION

There are over 233 million hectares (ha) of nonfederal grazing lands in the United States. Conventional field observation and sampling techniques are insufficient methods to monitor such large areas frequently enough to confidently quantify the biophysical state and assess rangeland condition over large geographic areas. In an attempt to enhance rangeland resource managers' abilities to monitor and assess these factors, remote sensing scientists and land resource managers have worked together to determine whether remotely sensed measurements can improve the ability to measure rangeland response to land management practices. The relationship between spectral reflectance patterns and plant species composition was investigated on six south-central Kansas ranches. Airborne multispectral color infrared images for 2002 through 2004 were collected at multiple times in the growing season over the study area. Concurrent with the image acquisition periods, ground cover estimates of plant species composition and biomass by growth form were collected. Correlation analysis was used to examine relationships among spectral and biophysical field measurements. Results indicate that heavily grazed sites exhibited the highest spectral vegetation index values. This was attributed to increases in low forage quality broadleaf forbs such as annual ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.). Although higher vegetation index values have a positive correlation with overall above ground primary productivity, species composition may be the best indicator of healthy rangeland condition. A Weediness Index, which was found to be correlated with range condition, was also strongly linked to spectral reflectance patterns recorded in the airborne imagery

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND USE OF THE INTERNET AS A NEWS CHANNEL Levi OBIJIOFOR, Ph.D.

New technologies, in particular the Internet, have transformed journalistic practices in many ways around the world. While a number of studies have investigated how established journalists are dealing with and using new technologies in a number of countries, very little attention has been paid to how student journalists view and use the Internet as a source of news. This study examined the ways in which second and third-year journalism and arts students at the University of Queensland (Australia) get their news, how they use the Internet as a news channel, as well as their perceptions and use of other new technologies. The authors draw on the theoretical frameworks of uses and gratifications, as well as the media richness theory to explore the primary reasons why students use and perceive the Internet as a news channel.KEYWORDS: Internet, New technologies, News, News source, University students, Australi