211,081 research outputs found
An Architecture for Grey Literature in a R&D Context
No full textThe importance of Grey Literature is becoming increasingly recognised. For many organisations it encapsulates the knowledge and know-how and thus is a vital business asset. It has similar importance in quality of life aspects-healthcare, environment and culture. Grey Literature in a R&D environment represents the cutting edge of this knowledge and so its management is of utmost importance. Partly based on involvement in defining the datamodels for R&D information interchange across Europe, the author here defines a content metadata datamodel for Grey literature which is more expressive and has more flexibility than any previous proposal and which integrates seamlessly with the CERIF2000 definition which will soon replace the CERIF1991 European Union Recommendation to Member States on Exchange of R&D Information. The content metadata datamodel offers significant advantages over Dublin Core yet can generate Dublin Core if required.Includes : Conference preprint, Pratt student commentaryXAInternationa
Grey in the R&D Process
No full textThe rate of acquisition of data, its structuring into information and its interpretation as knowledge is increasing rapidly. There are more active researchers now than ever and the output of white publications per researcher is increasing. The output of grey publications is orders of magnitude greater. Past techniques of experts (librarians) cataloguing manually with metadata each publication do not scale. The problem is to find ways to manage this resource. The hypothesis is in 4 parts: (a) that the R&D process itself provides some context for managing the information; (b) that linking the records of the process to the publications provides this context; (c) that questions of curation and provenance are addressed automatically in such an environment; (d) that such an environment integrates grey and white literature and other R&D outputs such as software, data, products and patents. At UiB the emphasis of the work has been on assessment of the research output - especially publications - linked in context with records of the researchers, their organisational units, and related CRIS (Current Research Information System) information (the FRIDA system which is mostly CERIF-compatible). At CCLRC the emphasis of the work has been on the production of an open access repository of publication outputs from the organisation (ePubs), linked to the CERIFcompatible CDR (Corporate Data Repository) CRIS and thus to other research outputs with associated metadata. The recording of the data provides the context including the workflow of the R&D process, history and provenance. Grey documents produced as early ideas are captured in a temporal and organisational context, just as well as white publications, via the linked repository. CERIF allows, in a multidimensional framework, deduction or induction of relationships between documents, for example between a grey internal report and a white published paper - and with other research outputs. Furthermore, relationships between documents can be expressed explicitly: references and / or citations can be recorded. In this way a rich context for understanding the R&D output is provided, including versions, history and provenance. Recording facts once in a structured R&D process environment and then re-using them in many ways reduces - by automated provision assistance - the need for user input of metadata to describe research outputs (especially grey literature) and thus addresses the scalability problem.Includes: Conference preprint, Powerpoint presentation, Abstract and Biographical notesXAInternationa
Grey-box model identification via evolutionary computing
No full textThis paper presents an evolutionary grey-box model identification methodology that makes the best use of a priori knowledge on
a clear-box model with a global structural representation of the physical system under study, whilst incorporating accurate blackbox
models for immeasurable and local nonlinearities of a practical system. The evolutionary technique is applied to building
dominant structural identification with local parametric tuning without the need of a differentiable performance index in the
presence of noisy data. It is shown that the evolutionary technique provides an excellent fitting performance and is capable of
accommodating multiple objectives such as to examine the relationships between model complexity and fitting accuracy during the
model building process. Validation results show that the proposed method offers robust, uncluttered and accurate models for two
practical systems. It is expected that this type of grey-box models will accommodate many practical engineering systems for a better
modelling accuracy
Disinfection of grey water
No full textThe reuse of grey water, for applications such as toilet flushing and irrigation,
represents a potential sustainable solution to water shortages experienced by regions
worldwide. Although reused grey water is not intended for potable use, the potential for
transmission of waterborne pathogens by aerosol inhalation, topical contact, or indirect
ingestion is a key concern for grey water reuse. This thesis explores the pathogen
content of grey water and investigates pathogen removal through treatment and
disinfection processes. The impacts of organic and particulate material in grey water on
the efficacy of disinfection processes are investigated in depth.
Grey water can potentially harbour a range of pathogenic microorganisms, with
opportunistic bacterial pathogens in grey water indicating a particular risk of grey water
reuse for the vulnerable members of society. The disinfection of grey water is therefore
critical prior to reuse. Particulate material in grey water limits the efficacy of
disinfection by chlorine, ultraviolet light, and origanum essential oil, by shielding
microorganisms from the applied disinfectant. Microbial resistance to the disinfectants
was linked to the particle size distribution of the grey water, with increasing particle
size offering greater protection to associated microorganisms. Additional organic
material was shown to reduce the applied disinfectant but no impact on microorganism
resistance to disinfection was observed when a constant disinfectant dose was
maintained. Treatment of grey water, targeting the removal of large particulate material,
improves the efficacy of grey water disinfection, allowing compliance with stringent
microbiological standards for urban water reuse
Nan Grey
No full textCigarette card featuring a left side profile of Nan Grey, with information relating to her films of the late 1930s on the reverse
Characterization and treatment of grey water : option for (re)use
No full textAddressing the issues of water shortage and appropriate sanitation in Jordan, domestic grey water treatment receives growing interest. Grey water comprises the domestic wastewater flows excluding waters associated with the toilet. The topics of concern for grey water are its characteristics, treatment and potentials for use after treatment. The target of this thesis is to develop a concept for treating grey water on-site for agricultural usage, thus sustaining a recycling process of grey water in Jordan. A review was made regarding the currently available grey water treatment technologies. In addition, grey water was quantitatively and qualitatively characterized, and then grey water reuse requirements including treatment, were analyzed. Biodegradability and biodegradation rates of the grey water were investigated for selecting appropriate design and operation criteria of the treatment technology to be developed. A low-tech semi-technical scale treatment system was tested to treat grey water discharges from a dormitory at the Jordan University campus. The treatment system was evaluated on obtained removal efficiencies and conformity of the effluent to the guidelines for the use of reclaimed water for irrigation in Jordan. Finally, the objectives, approaches and the results of each chapter are summarized, and then both the results and the potential of applying decentralised sanitation and reuse (DeSaR) concepts in Jordan are discussed. Results show that storage and treatment are prerequisites for any type of grey water use. Grey water is aerobically and anaerobically biodegradable but the conversion rates are low. The core of the treatment concept consists of an integrated storage and anaerobic treatment unit, fed with a natural influent flow pattern, in a down-flow mode, up to a one day operational cycle, i.e. a variable HRT ≤ 24 hours. The second step consists of an aerobic post-treatment, mechanically aerated in a down-flow mode and a one day operational cycle, i.e. 24 hours HRT. Both units need insulation in the winter period. The final effluent, stable in winter and summer, meets the Jordanian standard, except for the pathogens, for usage in restricted irrigation. The achievable treatment efficiency for the CODtot is 44% in the anaerobic unit and 70% in the combined anaerobic-aerobic, unlike the high anaerobic and aerobic biodegradability in batch experiments, viz. 70 and 86%, respectively. The highest removal efficiency achieved was for the CODss fraction, viz. 71% in the anaerobic and 85% in the combined system. Therefore, it is expected that the CODtot removal efficiency of the system can be improved, by enhancing the CODcol and CODdis, removal, i.e. applying filtration and/or adding chemicals such as adsorbents, coagulants and/or flocculants to the treatment units. <br/
Assessing grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) diet in western Scotland
No full textGrey seal diet was last comprehensively studied in western Scotland in 1985. Since then, the grey seal population has increased by approximately 30% and relative abundance of fish stocks in the area has changed markedly. The aim of this study was to provide a current assessment of diet to inform policy issues related to the impact of the still increasing grey seal population on commercial fish populations. During 2002, nine sampling trips totalling 56 days were completed around western Scotland, resulting in the collection of 1,589 grey seal scats. Forty-nine prey species were recorded in these samples revealing that grey seals on the west coast of Scotland remain highly catholic in their diet. Seasonal and regional variation in diet composition was assessed and the annual consumption of commercial fish species estimated. Proportions, by weight, of prey species indicated that gadoids were the main prey. Sandeels were also an important component of the diet. Comparisons between 1985 and 2002 revealed many similarities in diet composition but declines in the importance of sandeels, ling and megrim were balanced by increases in haddock, lemon sole, pelagic species and several benthic species. Changes in the size of fish stocks partially explain some of these changes. One exception is cod, which, despite very low abundance in 2002, formed a significant part of grey seal diet in western Scotland. Results from this study highlight the need for better methods for assessing absolute stock abundances for ‘critical’ fish species west of Scotland. Reducing the uncertainty over estimates of grey seal population size would also improve consumption estimates. The results from this study will be important to conservation and fisheries managers in Scotland
The pathology and occurrence of pathogens in Scottish grey seals (Halichoerus grypus).
No full textNeonatal mortality in grey seals on the Isle of May breeding colony and in a rehabilitation centre were investigated by detailed systematic post-mortem examinations (n=59), on-site bacteriology and advanced molecular diagnostic techniques for specific pathogens. Causes of death on the breeding colony included starvation (30%), omphalitis-peritonitis (26%), septicaemia (22%), stillbirth (10%) and trauma (4%) and in the rehabilitation centre starvation (44%) and septicaemia (22%). Detailed key gross and histopathological findings and pathogens are described and include the first report of Listeria monocytogenes in any marine mammal.
Phocid herpes virus 1 nucleic acids were detected in nasal swabs of 58% live, free-ranging grey seal pups (n=90) and 28% yearlings (n=19), suggesting recrudescence in the latter. Previously undetected in Scotland, phocid herpes virus 2 nucleic acids were identified only in yearlings (15%); sealpox was detected in a single live stranded grey seal pup and phocine distemper virus was not detected.
Given their unique characteristics and potential for acting as sentinels of coastal marine health several pathogens of putative anthropogenic origin were investigated: Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in 6% dead free-ranging grey seal pups (n=50) but N. caninum was not found. Salmonella (20%) and Campylobacter (50%) were isolated from rectal swabs of live and dead grey seal pups and Campylobacter was significantly associated with moderate to severe colitis implying pathogenicity. These findings imply a land-sea-land transfer of T. gondii and early exposure of pups to this parasite. Extensive genetic fingerprinting suggested an exchange of Salmonella between grey seal, cattle and human populations and that the Campylobacter isolates may share the same origin as human clinical isolates.
This work provides a solid base line study of diseases present in grey seal pups and demonstrates that they are useful indicators of coastal marine microbial contamination
An Analysis of Current Grey Literature Document Typology
No full textThis analysis is based on the classification of the international systems GreyNet, (the Grey Literature Network Service), OpenSIGLE, (the System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe), and the Registry of Open Access Repositories (ROAR), as well as focusing on national schemata in the Czech Republic, namely ASEP (Register of Publication Activity of the AS CR), NRGL (National Repository of Grey Literature), and RIV (Information Register of R & D Results). During the analysis of the lists of document types, we have discovered that these typologies contain, besides “real” document types (reports, theses, etc.) other aspects, such as events (arrangement, organization), types of events (conferences, speeches), producers (universities, institutes), processes (translations, output), content (political documents, legal texts), location (domestic, foreign), and format (e-texts, numeric data)
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