Integrated Advisory Services

Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Towards a Formal Framework for Mobile, Service-Oriented Sensor-Actuator Networks

Service-oriented sensor-actuator networks (SOSANETs) are deployed in health-critical applications like patient monitoring and have to fulfill strong safety requirements. However, a framework for the rigorous formal modeling and analysis of SOSANETs does not exist. In particular, there is currently no support for the verification of correct network behavior after node failure or loss/addition of communication links. To overcome this problem, we propose a formal framework for SOSANETs. The main idea is to base our framework on the \pi-calculus, a formally defined, compositional and well-established formalism. We choose KLAIM, an existing formal language based on the \pi-calculus as the foundation for our framework. With that, we are able to formally model SOSANETs with possible topology changes and network failures. This provides the basis for our future work on prediction, analysis and verification of the network behavior of these systems. Furthermore, we illustrate the real-life applicability of this approach by modeling and extending a use case scenario from the medical domain.Comment: In Proceedings FESCA 2013, arXiv:1302.478

Integrated nutrient management, soil fertility, and sustainable agriculture: current issues and future challenges

The challenge for agriculture over the coming decades will be to meet the world's increasing demand for food in a sustainable way. Declining soil fertility and mismanagement of plant nutrients have made this task more difficult. In this brief, Peter Gruhn, Francesco Goletti, and Montague Yudelman point out that as long as agriculture remains a soil-based industry, major increases in productivity are unlikely to be attained without ensuring that plants have an adequate and balanced supply of nutrients. They call for an Integrated Nutrient Management approach to the management of plant nutrients for maintaining and enhancing soil, where both natural and man-made sources of plant nutrients are used. The key components of this approach are described; the roles and responsibilities of various actors, including farmers and institutions, are delineated; and recommendations for improving the management of plant nutrients and soil fertility are presented.Plant nutrients., Soil fertility., Crops Nutrition., Sustainable agriculture.,

Valuing capabilities in later life

This research report examines, from the perspective of the Brotherhood’s aged service users, what they value in life, what enables them to live fulfilled and meaningful lives, and what Brotherhood aged services can contribute to this. With its accent on freedoms, opportunities and human rights, the capability approach provides a conceptual framework in which to consider a new model of aged services in which will enhance older adults’ human rights and capabilities, especially for those who have been disadvantaged, and ensure that their views continue to inform and shape ageing policies, services and models of practice. The central concern of the capability approach, first articulated by Amartya Sen (1979) and developed by Martha Nussbaum within a social justice and human rights framework, is the opportunities people have for being and doing what, for them, constitutes a good life. Taking this as the starting point, this research represents the first part of a larger study which will examine what users of Brotherhood aged services value in life, what capabilities they aspire to, how current services enhance capabilities and how the capability approach might be integrated into service provision. Image: Report Cove

Integrated nutrient management, soil fertility, and sustainable agriculture

The challenge for agriculture over the coming decades will be to meet the world's increasing demand for food in a sustainable way. Declining soil fertility and mismanagement of plant nutrients have made this task more difficult. In this brief, Peter Gruhn, Francesco Goletti, and Montague Yudelman point out that as long as agriculture remains a soil-based industry, major increases in productivity are unlikely to be attained without ensuring that plants have an adequate and balanced supply of nutrients. They call for an Integrated Nutrient Management approach to the management of plant nutrients for maintaining and enhancing soil, where both natural and man-made sources of plant nutrients are used. The key components of this approach are described; the roles and responsibilities of various actors, including farmers and institutions, are delineated; and recommendations for improving the management of plant nutrients and soil fertility are presented.Plant nutrients. ,Soil fertility. ,Agriculture Research Economic aspects ,Agriculture Research Evaluation ,Sustainable agriculture. ,

Adjustment of wheat production to market reform in Egypt

In response to slow growth in the agricultural sector and as part of a general shift towards a more market-oriented economy, the Government of Egypt started liberalizing the agricultural sector in 1987. Controls over wheat production and marketing were eliminated and wheat producer prices were brought closer to international levels. As a result, there has been remarkable increases in wheat crop area and yields, causing wheat production to triple from 1986 to 1998. This study analyzes the results of a survey of 800 Egyptian wheat farmers in order to address three issues that are of interest to agricultural reform policy in Egypt. First, what are the patterns in wheat production and marketing that have emerged following the economic reforms? Second, why is the government unable to purchase more than a small portion of national wheat production? Third, how does wheat supply and input demand respond to wheat and input prices? The survey indicates that Egyptian wheat production is based on small-scale farms, yet these farms are highly commercialized and the use of inputs such as labor, fertilizer and irrigation, is intensive. The government has problems reaching its wheat procurement target because most of the wheat produced is consumed in the rural areas and farmers prefer to sell to traders because of better prices and location. Econometric analysis of the survey data suggests that wheat farmers respond significantly to crop and input prices. The estimated own-price supply elasticity is 0.3, implying that the use of price policy alone to pursue wheat self-sufficiency would be costly and ill-advised.Small farmers. ,Wheat Yields Egypt. ,Econometrics. ,Agricultural policy Egypt. ,

Musiklernen. Der Aufbau musikalischer Repräsentationen

Die Kardinalfrage, mit der sich dieser Text und das darin beschriebene Forschungsprojekt befassen, lautet [...]: Wie baut sich im menschlichen Bewußtsein Wissen auf, das nicht aus leeren Begriffen besteht, sondern auf verinnerlichten Erfahrungen mit den Phänomenen (Wagenschein) und auf wirklichem Verständnis der Grundstrukturen der Sachen beruht. Um aber Aussagen darüber machen zu können, müssen wir zunächst klären, wie Wissen und Erkennen mental repräsentiert werden, wie es zum Aufbau kognitiver Strukturen kommt, die Voraussetzung für Verstehen sind. (DIPF/Orig.

B cell activation and affinity discrimination by receptor segregation?

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Changes in IEC 61511 2nd Edition

PresentationThe ISA (International Society of Automation) 84 standard (“Application of Safety Instrumented Systems for the Process Industries”) was first released in 1996. During the time of the development of ISA 84, the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) was working on the 61511 standard (“Functional Safety: Safety Instrumented Systems for the Process Industry Sector”). IEC 61511 was first released in 2003. ISA adopted the 61511 standard, with one additional clause, as ISA 84-2004. The IEC released a second edition of 61511 in 2016, followed shortly thereafter with a corrigendum (list of corrections) and an amendment that were finalized in 2017. The ISA 84 committee voted to accept the revised standard without modifications, and released it in mid-2018 as ISA 61511-2018. This presentation will summarize the changes in the new standard