Perspectives in visual imaging for marine biology and ecology: from acquisition to understanding

Durden J, Schoening T, Althaus F, et al. Perspectives in Visual Imaging for Marine Biology and Ecology: From Acquisition to Understanding. In: Hughes RN, Hughes DJ, Smith IP, Dale AC, eds. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review. 54. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2016: 1-72

Influence of mechanical and geometrical properties of embedded long-gauge strain sensors on the accuracy of strain measurement

In many civil and geotechnical applications it is of interest to monitor the strain deep inside the structure; consequently, it is necessary to embed the sensors into the structure's material. Construction and geotechnical materials, such as concrete and soil, can be affected by local defects, e.g. cracks, air pockets and inclusions. To monitor these materials at a structural level it is necessary to use long-gauge sensors. As the sensor has to be embedded in the host material, its presence causes perturbation of the strain field and influences the accuracy of the strain measurement. The aim of this research was to identify the critical parameters that influence the accuracy of the strain measurement, to study how these parameters affect the accuracy, and to give recommendations for sensor users. The study was based on finite element analysis and all involved materials were assumed to have the MöhrCoulomb elastic, perfectly plastic behavior. A suitability of the numerical model for the analysis was verified using the experimental results of two cases reported in the literature and one on-site application. The study revealed that the most important parameters that influence the accuracy of the strain measurement are the goodness of interaction (strain transfer) between the host material and the anchor pieces of the sensor, the ratio between equivalent Young's modulus of the sensor and the Young's modulus of the host material, the radius of the anchor piece and the gauge length. The numerical model and parametric study are presented in detail along with practical recommendations. © 2012 IOP Publishing Ltd.The authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Education, with support received under the National Program for Mobility of Researchers (O.M. EDU/1456/2010, ref. PR2010-0293) which enabled the joint work that made this study possible. The Streicker Bridge project was realized with help of Turner Construction Co., HNTB, AG Construction Corp., Vollers Excavating & Constr., SMARTEC SA, Micron Optics, Princeton Facilities, and staff and students of CEE department of Princeton University.Calderón García, PA.; Glisic, B. (2012). Influence of mechanical and geometrical properties of embedded long-gauge strain sensors on the accuracy of strain measurement. Measurement Science and Technology. (23):1-15. https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-0233/23/6/065604S11523Glišić, B., & Inaudi, D. (2007). Fibre Optic Methods for Structural Health Monitoring. doi:10.1002/9780470517819Ansari, F. (2007). Practical Implementation of Optical Fiber Sensors in Civil Structural Health Monitoring. Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 18(8), 879-889. doi:10.1177/1045389x06075760Li, H.-N., Zhou, G.-D., Ren, L., & Li, D.-S. (2009). Strain Transfer Coefficient Analyses for Embedded Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors in Different Host Materials. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 135(12), 1343-1353. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9399(2009)135:12(1343)Torres, B., Payá-Zaforteza, I., Calderón, P. A., & Adam, J. M. (2011). Analysis of the strain transfer in a new FBG sensor for Structural Health Monitoring. Engineering Structures, 33(2), 539-548. doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2010.11.012Kesavan, K., Ravisankar, K., Parivallal, S., Sreeshylam, P., & Sridhar, S. (2010). Experimental studies on fiber optic sensors embedded in concrete. Measurement, 43(2), 157-163. doi:10.1016/j.measurement.2009.08.010Azenha, M., Faria, R., & Ferreira, D. (2009). Identification of early-age concrete temperatures and strains: Monitoring and numerical simulation. Cement and Concrete Composites, 31(6), 369-378. doi:10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2009.03.004Glisic, B. (2011). Influence of the gauge length on the accuracy of long-gauge sensors employed in monitoring of prismatic beams. Measurement Science and Technology, 22(3), 035206. doi:10.1088/0957-0233/22/3/035206Leng, J. S., Winter, D., Barnes, R. A., Mays, G. C., & Fernando, G. F. (2006). Structural health monitoring of concrete cylinders using protected fibre optic sensors. Smart Materials and Structures, 15(2), 302-308. doi:10.1088/0964-1726/15/2/009Calderón, P. A., Adam, J. M., Ivorra, S., Pallarés, F. J., & Giménez, E. (2009). Design strength of axially loaded RC columns strengthened by steel caging. Materials & Design, 30(10), 4069-4080. doi:10.1016/j.matdes.2009.05.014Adam, J. M., Ivorra, S., Pallarés, F. J., Giménez, E., & Calderón, P. A. (2009). Axially loaded RC columns strengthened by steel caging. Finite element modelling. Construction and Building Materials, 23(6), 2265-2276. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2008.11.014Adam, J. M., Ivorra, S., Pallares, F. J., Jiménez, E., & Calderón, P. A. (2008). Column–joint assembly in RC columns strengthened by steel caging. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Structures and Buildings, 161(6), 337-348. doi:10.1680/stbu.2008.161.6.337Adam, J. M., Ivorra, S., Pallares, F. J., Giménez, E., & Calderón, P. A. (2009). Axially loaded RC columns strengthened by steel cages. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Structures and Buildings, 162(3), 199-208. doi:10.1680/stbu.2009.162.3.199Johansson, M., & Gylltoft, K. (2001). Structural behavior of slender circular steel-concrete composite columns under various means of load application. Steel and Composite Structures, 1(4), 393-410. doi:10.12989/scs.2001.1.4.393Johansson, M., & Gylltoft, K. (2002). Mechanical Behavior of Circular Steel–Concrete Composite Stub Columns. Journal of Structural Engineering, 128(8), 1073-1081. doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9445(2002)128:8(1073

Termination of the leprosy isolation policy in the US and Japan : Science, policy changes, and the garbage can model

BACKGROUND: In both the US and Japan, the patient isolation policy for leprosy /Hansen's disease (HD) was preserved along with the isolation facilities, long after it had been proven to be scientifically unnecessary. This delayed policy termination caused a deprivation of civil liberties of the involuntarily confined patients, the fostering of social stigmas attached to the disease, and an inefficient use of health resources. This article seeks to elucidate the political process which hindered timely policy changes congruent with scientific advances. METHODS: Examination of historical materials, supplemented by personal interviews. The role that science played in the process of policy making was scrutinized with particular reference to the Garbage Can model. RESULTS: From the vantage of history, science remained instrumental in all period in the sense that it was not the primary objective for which policy change was discussed or intended, nor was it the principal driving force for policy change. When the argument arose, scientific arguments were employed to justify the patient isolation policy. However, in the early post-WWII period, issues were foregrounded and agendas were set as the inadvertent result of administrative reforms. Subsequently, scientific developments were more or less ignored due to concern about adverse policy outcomes. Finally, in the 1980s and 1990s, scientific arguments were used instrumentally to argue against isolation and for the termination of residential care. CONCLUSION: Contrary to public expectations, health policy is not always rational and scientifically justified. In the process of policy making, the role of science can be limited and instrumental. Policy change may require the opening of policy windows, as a result of convergence of the problem, policy, and political streams, by effective exercise of leadership. Scientists and policymakers should be attentive enough to the political context of policies

The role of nominating committees and director reputation in shaping the labor market for directors: an empirical assessment

Research Question/Issue: Do the presence and independence of nominating committees within boards of directors affect the extent of rewards and sanctions provided by the labor market to directors with a reputation for being active in monitoring management? Research Findings/Insights: Results drawn from a longitudinal sample of directors sitting on the board of 200 public French firms suggest that the stronger a director's reputation for being active in increasing control over management, the larger the number of his/her subsequent appointments to (1) boards with a nominating committee, (2) to boards with a nominating committee which excludes the CEO and (3) to boards with a nominating committee dominated by non-executive directors. In contrast, we found that a director's reputation of being active in increasing control over management does not impact the number of his/her subsequent appointments (1) to boards without a nominating committee, (2) to boards with a nominating committee which includes the CEO and (3) to boards with a nominating committee dominated by executive directors. Theoretical/Academic Implications: This study shows that the outcome of the power struggle between the CEO and incumbent directors during the candidate selection process determines the profile of directors who will ultimately obtain the board appointment. On the one hand, independent nominating committees are likely to reduce the influence of CEOs over the process of a director's appointment, and therefore are likely to increase the recruitment of directors with reputations for being active in exercising control over managers. On the other hand, nonexistence of nominating committees or presence of weak nominating committees under the influence of the CEO decouple directors' reputations for being active in controlling management from the likelihood of obtaining new appointments. Practitioner/Policy Implications: This study offers insights to policy makers interested in increasing the efficiency of the labor market for directors. More specifically, it highlights the conditions under which directors with a reputation of being active in increasing control over management are likely to be rewarded by the labor market for directors. These conditions include (1) the creation of a nominating committee; (2) exclusion of the CEO from this committee and (3) domination of this committee by outside directors

Uncertainties in the Anti-neutrino Production at Nuclear Reactors

Anti-neutrino emission rates from nuclear reactors are determined from thermal power measurements and fission rate calculations. The uncertainties in these quantities for commercial power plants and their impact on the calculated interaction rates in electron anti-neutrino detectors is examined. We discuss reactor-to-reactor correlations between the leading uncertainties and their relevance to reactor anti-neutrino experiments.Comment: Submitted to Phys Rev