The use of implicit evidence for relevance feedback in web retrieval

In this paper we report on the application of two contrasting types of relevance feedback for web retrieval. We compare two systems; one using explicit relevance feedback (where searchers explicitly have to mark documents relevant) and one using implicit relevance feedback (where the system endeavours to estimate relevance by mining the searcher's interaction). The feedback is used to update the display according to the user's interaction. Our research focuses on the degree to which implicit evidence of document relevance can be substituted for explicit evidence. We examine the two variations in terms of both user opinion and search effectiveness

Improvements of fuel failure detection in boiling water reactors using helium measurements

To certify a continuous and safe operation of a boiling water reactor, careful surveillance of fuel integrity is of high importance. The detection of fuel failures can be performed by off-line gamma spectroscopy of off-gas samples and/or by on-line nuclide specific monitoring of gamma emitting noble gases. To establish the location of a leaking fuel rod, power suppression testing can be used. The accuracy of power suppression testing is dependent on the information of the delay time and the spreading of the released fission gases through the systems before reaching the sampling point. This paper presents a method to improve the accuracy of power suppression testing by determining the delay time and gas spreading profile. To estimate the delay time and examine the spreading of the gas in case of a fuel failure, helium was injected in the feed water system at Forsmark 3 nuclear power plant. The measurements were performed by using a helium detector system based on a mass spectrometer installed in the off-gas system. The helium detection system and the results of the experiment are presented in this paper

Improvements of fuel failure detection in boiling water reactors using helium measurements

To certify a continuous and safe operation of a boiling water reactor, careful surveillance of fuel integrity is of high importance. The detection of fuel failures can be performed by off-line gamma spectroscopy of off-gas samples and/or by on-line nuclide specific monitoring of gamma emitting noble gases. To establish the location of a leaking fuel rod, power suppression testing can be used. The accuracy of power suppression testing is dependent on the information of the delay time and the spreading of the released fission gases through the systems before reaching the sampling point. This paper presents a method to improve the accuracy of power suppression testing by determining the delay time and gas spreading profile. To estimate the delay time and examine the spreading of the gas in case of a fuel failure, helium was injected in the feed water system at Forsmark 3 nuclear power plant. The measurements were performed by using a helium detector system based on a mass spectrometer installed in the off-gas system. The helium detection system and the results of the experiment are presented in this paper

Qualification of helium measurement system for detection of fuel failures in a BWR

There are several methods for surveillance of fuel integrity during the operation of a boiling water reactor (BWR). The detection of fuel failures is usually performed by analysis of grab samples of off-gas and coolant activities, where a measured increased level of ionizing radiation serves as an indication of new failure or degradation of an already existing one. At some nuclear power plants the detection of fuel failures is performed by on-line nuclide specific measurements of the released fission gases in the off-gas system. However, it can be difficult to distinguish primary fuel failures from degradation of already existing failures. In this paper, a helium measuring system installed in connection to a nuclide specific measuring system to support detection of fuel failures and separate primary fuel failures from secondary ones is presented. Helium measurements provide valuable additional information to measurements of the gamma emitting fission gases for detection of primary fuel failures, since helium is used as a fill gas in the fuel rods during fabrication. The ability to detect fuel failures using helium measurements was studied by injection of helium into the feed water systems at the Forsmark nuclear power plant (NPP) in Sweden and at the nuclear power plant Leibstadt (M(L) in Switzerland. In addition, the influence of an off-gas delay line on the helium measurements was examined at KM. by injecting helium into the off-gas system. By using different injection rates, several types of fuel failures with different helium release rates were simulated. From these measurements, it was confirmed that the helium released by a failed fuel can be detected. It was also shown that the helium measurements for the detection of fuel failures should be performed at a sampling point located before any delay system. Hence, these studies showed that helium measurements can be useful to support detection of fuel failures. However, not all fuel failures which occurred at Forsmark NPP during the test period were detected; neither with the helium measurement system nor with the system for the measuring the gamma emitting noble fission gases. Possible reasons for that are discussed in the paper. The experiences with helium measurements for detection of fuel failures are still limited since the helium detector has only been in operation for two years at Forsmark NPP and for four years at Leibstadt nuclear power plants. Further studies are therefore needed to optimize these systems. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Postprandial Plasma Glucose Response and Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity in Patients With Diabetic Gastroparesis

BACKGROUND: Gastroparesis is a well-known diabetic complication. The pathogenesis is not fully understood. However, it is important to early diagnose these patients. METHOD: This study evaluated the plasma glucose response after a test meal, and gastrointestinal (GI) symptom severity in patients with clinical suspicion of diabetic gastroparesis, and assessed its usefulness to predict gastroparesis. In all, 83 subjects with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (DM) type 1 and 2 were included; 53 subjects had gastroparesis and 30 had normal gastric emptying determined by gastric scintigraphy. GI symptom severity during the preceding 2 weeks was evaluated with a validated questionnaire. The test meal consisted of 100 g meat, 40 g pasta, 150 g carrot, and 5 g oil. The subjects ingested the meal under fasting conditions, and plasma glucose was followed during 180 minutes. RESULTS: Patients with gastroparesis demonstrated a blunted plasma glucose response after a test meal versus patients with normal gastric emptying (P < .005), reflected by lower maximum increase in plasma glucose response and incremental area under the curve of the plasma glucose, but a similar time to the maximum plasma glucose level. All GI symptoms were more severe in patients with gastroparesis. GI symptom severity had the best discriminative value to identify patients with gastroparesis with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.83 (optimal cutoff: sensitivity 87%, specificity 80%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with diabetic gastroparesis have a blunted postprandial plasma glucose response. Combining this information with the presence of GI symptoms can help clinicians identify diabetic patients with gastroparesis

Real-time collaboration of virtual laboratories through the Internet

Web-based learning environments are becoming increasingly popular in higher education. One of the most important web-learning resources is the virtual laboratory (VL), which gives students an easy way for training and learning through the Internet. Moreover, on-line collaborative communication represents a practical method to transmit the knowledge and experience from the teacher to students overcoming physical distance and isolation. Considering these facts, the authors of this document have developed a new dynamic collaborative e-learning system which combines the main advantages of virtual laboratories and collaborative learning practices. In this system, the virtual laboratories are based on Java applets which have embedded simulations developed in Easy Java Simulations (EJS), an open-source tool for teachers who do not need complex programming skills. The collaborative e-learning is based on a real-time synchronized communication among these Java applets. Therefore, this original approach provides a new tool which integrates virtual laboratories inside a synchronous collaborative e-learning framework. This paper describes the main features of this system and its successful application in a distance education environment among different universities from Spain.Supported by the "Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia” of the Spanish Government through FPI Grants Program and Research Project DPI2005-06222