Wooden hutch space allowance influences male Holstein calf health, performance, daily lying time, and respiratory immunity.

PubMed

Calvo-Lorenzo, M S; Hulbert, L E; Fowler, A L; Louie, A; Gershwin, L J; Pinkerton, K E; Ballou, M A; Klasing, K C; Mitloehner, F M

2016-06-01

Dairy calves in the western United States are commonly raised individually in wooden hutches with a space allowance of 1.23m(2)/calf. Recent legislative initiatives in California and across the United States were passed regarding concern over space allowance for farm animals. The objective of this study was to determine if rearing male Holstein calves in wooden hutches modified to increase space allowance would influence measures of performance, lying time per day, health, and respiratory immunocompetence. At 4d of age, 60 calves were randomly assigned to 1 of 3housing treatments: (1) conventional housing (CONV; 1.23m(2)/calf), (2) 1.5 × CONV (MOD; 1.85m(2)/calf), or (3) 3 × CONV (MAX; 3.71m(2)/calf). Intakes of milk and solid feed were recorded daily and body weight was measured at 0, 3, 6, 10, and 12 wk of age. For the first 3 wk of the trial, calves were scored daily for fecal consistency, hydration, and hide cleanliness. In addition, calves were scored for respiratory health (i.e., nasal and eye discharge, ear position) until 7 wk of age. The total lying duration per day was recorded using data loggers at 3, 6, and 10 wk of age. Eight clinically healthy calves from each treatment were sensitized with subcutaneous ovalbumin (OVA) and then challenged with aerosolized OVA to assess calf respiratory immunity at 11 wk of age. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected 4d after the OVA challenge and analyzed for leukocyte differentials and OVA-specific IgG, IgG1, IgA, and IgE. Calf average daily gain and body weight were positively associated with space allowance at approximately 3 wk before weaning and throughout postweaning, respectively. A greater space allowance decreased lying time after 46d. Space allowance did not influence fecal consistency, but there was a tendency for MAX calves to take 1d longer to recover from loose feces than MOD calves. The MAX calves had the fewest (%) observations with feces on their body compared with CONV or MOD. At 3 wk of age, peripheral eosinophil concentrations decreased with increased space allowance. However, observations (%) of eye discharge increased with greater space allowance. Among calves challenged with OVA, MOD calves had the least BALF OVA-IgE, and the percent of BALF eosinophils decreased with increased space allowance. Increased space allowance for calves raised in wooden hutches may improve some measures of calf performance, health, and respiratory immunocompetence. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an activity monitor for the objective measurement of free-living physical activity in children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Tang, Kit Tzu; Richardson, Alison M; Maxwell, Douglas; Spence, William D; Stansfield, Benedict W

2013-12-01

To explore the use of an activity monitor (AM) to objectively characterize free-living physical activity (F-LPA) in children with mobility impairment resulting from cerebral palsy (CP). First, a validation study compared outcomes from the AM with video evidence. Second, multiday F-LPA was characterized. Relationships between laboratory measures and F-LPA were explored. The evaluation study was conducted in a laboratory environment. F-LPA monitoring was conducted in the participants' free-living environment. Convenience sample of ambulatory children (N=15; 11 boys, 4 girls) aged 5 to 17 years with CP undergoing gait analysis. Not applicable. Accuracy of the AM for sitting/lying time, upright time, stepping time, and strides taken. Daily volumes of F-LPA of children with CP. AM outcomes in comparison with video-based analysis were (mean ± SD) 97.4%±2.7%, 101.1%±1.5%, 99.5%±6.6%, 105.6%±15.8%, and 103.8%±10.1% for sitting/lying time, upright time, standing time, stepping time, and stride count, respectively. Participants' daily F-LPA demonstrated considerable variation: mean standing time ± SD, 2.33±.96h/d; mean stepping time ± SD, 1.68±.86h/d; mean steps per day ± SD, 8477±4528; and mean sit-to-stand transitions per day ± SD, 76±49. Laboratory-measured cadence and mobility level were related to F-LPA, but not directly. The AM demonstrated excellent ability to determine sitting/lying and upright times in children with CP. Stepping time and stride count had lower levels of agreement with video-based analysis but were comparable to findings in previous studies. Crouch gait and toe walking had an adverse effect on outcomes. The F-LPA data provided additional information on children's performance not related to laboratory measures, demonstrating the added value of using this objective measurement technique. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a Smartphone-based Human Activity Recognition System in a Daily Living Environment.

PubMed

Lemaire, Edward D; Tundo, Marco D; Baddour, Natalie

2015-12-11

An evaluation method that includes continuous activities in a daily-living environment was developed for Wearable Mobility Monitoring Systems (WMMS) that attempt to recognize user activities. Participants performed a pre-determined set of daily living actions within a continuous test circuit that included mobility activities (walking, standing, sitting, lying, ascending/descending stairs), daily living tasks (combing hair, brushing teeth, preparing food, eating, washing dishes), and subtle environment changes (opening doors, using an elevator, walking on inclines, traversing staircase landings, walking outdoors). To evaluate WMMS performance on this circuit, fifteen able-bodied participants completed the tasks while wearing a smartphone at their right front pelvis. The WMMS application used smartphone accelerometer and gyroscope signals to classify activity states. A gold standard comparison data set was created by video-recording each trial and manually logging activity onset times. Gold standard and WMMS data were analyzed offline. Three classification sets were calculated for each circuit: (i) mobility or immobility, ii) sit, stand, lie, or walking, and (iii) sit, stand, lie, walking, climbing stairs, or small standing movement. Sensitivities, specificities, and F-Scores for activity categorization and changes-of-state were calculated. The mobile versus immobile classification set had a sensitivity of 86.30% ± 7.2% and specificity of 98.96% ± 0.6%, while the second prediction set had a sensitivity of 88.35% ± 7.80% and specificity of 98.51% ± 0.62%. For the third classification set, sensitivity was 84.92% ± 6.38% and specificity was 98.17 ± 0.62. F1 scores for the first, second and third classification sets were 86.17 ± 6.3, 80.19 ± 6.36, and 78.42 ± 5.96, respectively. This demonstrates that WMMS performance depends on the evaluation protocol in addition to the algorithms. The demonstrated protocol can be used and tailored for evaluating human activity recognition systems in rehabilitation medicine where mobility monitoring may be beneficial in clinical decision-making.

A hybrid approach EMD-HW for short-term forecasting of daily stock market time series data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awajan, Ahmad Mohd; Ismail, Mohd Tahir

2017-08-01

Recently, forecasting time series has attracted considerable attention in the field of analyzing financial time series data, specifically within the stock market index. Moreover, stock market forecasting is a challenging area of financial time-series forecasting. In this study, a hybrid methodology between Empirical Mode Decomposition with the Holt-Winter method (EMD-HW) is used to improve forecasting performances in financial time series. The strength of this EMD-HW lies in its ability to forecast non-stationary and non-linear time series without a need to use any transformation method. Moreover, EMD-HW has a relatively high accuracy and offers a new forecasting method in time series. The daily stock market time series data of 11 countries is applied to show the forecasting performance of the proposed EMD-HW. Based on the three forecast accuracy measures, the results indicate that EMD-HW forecasting performance is superior to traditional Holt-Winter forecasting method.

Measurements of Daily Energy Intake and Total Energy Expenditure in People with Dementia in Care Homes: The Use of Wearable Technology.

PubMed

Murphy, J; Holmes, J; Brooks, C

2017-01-01

To estimate daily total energy expenditure (TEE) using a physical activity monitor, combined with dietary assessment of energy intake to assess the relationship between daily energy expenditure and patterns of activity with energy intake in people with dementia living in care homes. A cross-sectional study in care homes in the UK. Twenty residents with confirmed dementia diagnosis were recruited from two care homes that specialised in dementia care. A physical activity monitor (SensewearTM Armband, Body Media, Pittsburgh, PA) was employed to objectively determine total energy expenditure, sleep duration and physical activity. The armband was placed around the left upper triceps for up to 7 days. Energy intake was determined by weighing all food and drink items over 4 days (3 weekdays and 1 weekend day) including measurements of food wastage. The mean age was 78.7 (SD ± 11.8) years, Body Mass Index (BMI) 23.0 (SD ± 4.2) kg/m2; 50% were women. Energy intake (mean 7.4; SD ± 2.6) MJ/d) was correlated with TEE (mean 7.6; SD ± 1.8 MJ/d; r=0.49, p<0.05). Duration of sleeping ranged from 0.4-12.5 (mean 6.1) hrs/d and time spent lying down was 1.3-16.0 (8.3) hrs/d. On average residents spent 17.9 (6.3-23.4) hrs/d undertaking sedentary activity. TEE was correlated with BMI (r=0.52, p<0.05) and body weight (r=0.81, p<0.001) but inversely related to sleep duration (r=-0.59, p<0.01) and time lying down (r=-0.62, p<0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that after taking BMI, sleep duration and time spent lying down into account, TEE was no longer correlated with energy intake. The results show the extent to which body mass, variable activity and sleep patterns may be contributing to TEE and together with reduced energy intake, energy requirements were not satisfied. Thus wearable technology has the potential to offer real-time monitoring to provide appropriate nutrition management that is more person-centred to prevent weight loss in dementia.

Effects of space allowance on the behavior and physiology of cattle temporarily managed on rubber mats.

PubMed

Schütz, Karin E; Huddart, Frances J; Sutherland, Mhairi A; Stewart, Mairi; Cox, Neil R

2015-09-01

Dairy cattle managed in some pasture-based systems, such as in New Zealand, are predominantly kept outdoors all year around but are taken off pasture for periods, especially in wet weather to avoid soil damage. The use of rubber matting for such stand-off practices is becoming more common to improve animal welfare, and our objective was to investigate the effects of different space allowances on cow behavior and physiology when managed temporarily on rubber mats during a weather-induced stand-off period. Thirty pregnant, nonlactating Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were divided into 6 groups of 5 and exposed to 6 treatments following a Williams designed 6×6 Latin square. The treatments consisted of 6 space allowances on a 24-mm rubber surface during a simulated weather-induced stand-off period: 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, 7.5, 9.0, and 10.5 m(2)/cow. The stand-off period consisted of 18 h in the treatment pens followed by 6 h at pasture to allow for their daily feed intake (no feed was available during stand-off, following normal farm practice), for 3 consecutive days, with 6 d of recovery on pasture between treatments. When cows had more space available during the stand-off period, they spent more time lying on the rubber mats and less time lying on pasture during their daily 6-h feed break. Mean lying times (24 h, pasture and rubber mats combined) for the different space allowances were for 3.0 m(2)=7.5 h, 4.5 m(2)=10.2 h, 6.0 m(2)=11.9 h, 7.5 m(2)=12.4 h, and 10.5 m(2)=13.8 h. At 6.0 m(2) of space allowance per cow, the animals spent similar times lying per 24 h as when the cows were on recovery on pasture in between treatments (11.9 and 11.2 h, respectively). Aggressive interactions and nonaggressive lying disturbances were more frequent at lower space allowances (aggressive interactions decreased by 35% from 3.0 to 4.5 m(2)/cow, with a slower decline thereafter). Cows were dirtier after the stand-off period, particularly at lower space allowances. All cows had higher gait scores after the stand-off period; however, this change was unaffected by space allowance and very minor. Stride length, plasma cortisol, and body weight were all unaffected by the stand-off period and space allowance. The results suggest that to reduce aggressive behavior and maintain adequate lying times, dairy cattle managed temporarily on rubber matting for up to 18 h per day, without feed, should have a space allowance of at least 4.5 to 6.0 m(2) per cow. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical Activity in Hemodialysis Patients Measured by Triaxial Accelerometer

PubMed Central

Gomes, Edimar Pedrosa; Reboredo, Maycon Moura; Carvalho, Erich Vidal; Teixeira, Daniel Rodrigues; Carvalho, Laís Fernanda Caldi d'Ornellas; Filho, Gilberto Francisco Ferreira; de Oliveira, Julio César Abreu; Sanders-Pinheiro, Helady; Chebli, Júlio Maria Fonseca; de Paula, Rogério Baumgratz; Pinheiro, Bruno do Valle

2015-01-01

Different factors can contribute to a sedentary lifestyle among hemodialysis (HD) patients, including the period they spend on dialysis. The aim of this study was to evaluate characteristics of physical activities in daily life in this population by using an accurate triaxial accelerometer and to correlate these characteristics with physiological variables. Nineteen HD patients were evaluated using the DynaPort accelerometer and compared to nineteen control individuals, regarding the time spent in different activities and positions of daily life and the number of steps taken. HD patients were more sedentary than control individuals, spending less time walking or standing and spending more time lying down. The sedentary behavior was more pronounced on dialysis days. According to the number of steps taken per day, 47.4% of hemodialysis patients were classified as sedentary against 10.5% in control group. Hemoglobin level, lower extremity muscle strength, and physical functioning of SF-36 questionnaire correlated significantly with the walking time and active time. Looking accurately at the patterns of activity in daily life, HDs patients are more sedentary, especially on dialysis days. These patients should be motivated to enhance the physical activity. PMID:26090432

Daily patterns of synchrony in lying and feeding of cows: Quasi-natural state and (anti-) synchrony factors.

PubMed

Flury, Rebekka; Gygax, Lorenz

2016-12-01

Synchrony is thought to provide fitness advantages to group-living animals, but little is known how animals maintain synchrony. We investigated intensity of synchrony factors (milking, feed-provision) in cattle herds. Intensity decreased from dairy cows milked in a parlour to cows milked by a robot to suckler cows raising calves. On 30 farms, 10 of each type, we recorded synchrony in lying and feeding. Peaks in lying synchronously were visible in the early morning, around noon, and late at night. These peaks decreased from the suckler cows to the cows milked in a parlour and to the cows milked by a robot. Complementary peaks were found for synchronous feeding. The asynchronous milking times with the milking robot decreased synchrony. Unexpectedly, the suckler cows with the weakest synchrony factors also showed a high level of synchrony. These results indicate that internal motivations for synchrony may be present in addition to external synchrony factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Short-Term Effects of Lying, Sitting and Standing on Energy Expenditure in Women

PubMed Central

POPP, COLLIN J.; BRIDGES, WILLIAM C.; JESCH, ELLIOT D.

2018-01-01

The deleterious health effects of too much sitting have been associated with an increased risk for overweight and obesity. Replacing sitting with standing is the proposed intervention to increase daily energy expenditure (EE). The purpose of this study was to determine the short-term effects of lying, sitting, and standing postures on EE, and determine the magnitude of the effect each posture has on EE using indirect calorimetry (IC). Twenty-eight healthy females performed three separate positions (lying, sitting, standing) in random order. Inspired and expired gases were collected for 45-minutes (15 minutes for each position) using breath-by-breath indirect calorimetry. Oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) were measured to estimate EE. Statistical analyses used repeat measures ANOVA to analyze all variables and post hoc t-tests. Based on the ANOVA the individual, time period and order term did not result in a statistically significant difference. Lying EE and sitting EE were not different from each other (P = 0.56). However, standing EE (kcal/min) was 9.0 % greater than lying EE (kcal/min) (P = 0.003), and 7.1% greater than sitting EE (kcal/min) (P = 0.02). The energetic cost of standing was higher compared to lying and sitting. While this is statistically significant, the magnitude of the effect of standing when compared to sitting was small (Cohen’s d = 0.31). Short-term standing does not offer an energetic advantage when compared to sitting.

Effects of bedding with recycled sand on lying behaviors, udder hygiene, and preference of lactating Holstein dairy cows.

PubMed

Kull, J A; Ingle, H D; Black, R A; Eberhart, N L; Krawczel, P D

2017-09-01

Effects of bedding with recycled sand and season on lying behaviors, hygiene, and preferences of late-lactation Holstein cows were studied. It was hypothesized that recycled sand will decrease lying time and increase hygiene scores due to increased moisture content and organic matter, and thus a preference for the control sand will be evident. Cows (n = 64) were divided into 4 groups (n = 8 per group) per season. In summer (August to September), cows were balanced by days in milk (268.1 ± 11.9 d) and parity (2.0 ± 0.2). In winter (January to February), mean DIM was 265.5 ± 34.1 d. Cows were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments using a crossover design with each treatment lasting 7 d (no-choice phase): bedding with recycled sand (RS; n = 32) or control (CO; clean sand; n = 32). Stocking density was maintained at 100%. The choice phase allowed cows to have access to either treatment with stocking density at 50%. Accelerometers recorded daily lying time, number of lying bouts per day, lying bout duration (min/bout), and total steps per day. Teat swabs, milk, sand samples, and udder hygiene scores were collected on d 0, 3, and 7 of each experimental week. Samples were cultured for streptococci, staphylococci, and gram-negative bacteria. Video data were used to assess bedding preferences. All data were analyzed using the MIXED and GLIMMIX procedures of SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Lying time was not affected by treatment, but cows did take more steps during winter. Bacterial counts were elevated for cows on recycled sand. A preference was observed for clean sand during the summer, but no preference was observed for sand during the winter. Regardless of bedding, the most commonly observed behavior was lying in the stalls, which suggested either bedding might be suitable. Caution should be used with this interpretation of preference, as sand was recycled only once. This limited reclamation was still sufficient to potentially alter the composition of sand, driving the observed preference. If these changes in composition continue, then the strength of the preference may also change. However, considering all variables within the current study, recycled sand is a viable bedding source to use for dairy cows. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of bedding quality on lying behavior of dairy cows.

PubMed

Fregonesi, J A; Veira, D M; von Keyserlingk, M A G; Weary, D M

2007-12-01

Cows prefer to spend more time lying down in free stalls with more bedding, but no research to date has addressed the effects of bedding quality. Bedding in stalls often becomes wet either from exposure to the elements or from feces and urine. The aim of this study was to test the effect of wet bedding on stall preference and use. Four groups of 6 nonlactating Holstein cows were housed in free stalls bedded daily with approximately 0.1 m of fresh sawdust. Following a 5-d adaptation period, each group of cows was tested sequentially with access to stalls with either dry or wet sawdust bedding (86.4 +/- 2.1 vs. 26.5 +/- 2.1% dry matter), each for 2 d. These no-choice phases were followed by a 2-d free-choice phase during which cows had simultaneous access to stalls containing either wet or dry bedding. Stall usage was assessed by using 24-h video recordings scanned at 10-min intervals, and responses were analyzed by using a mixed model, with group (n = 4) as the observational unit. The minimum and maximum environmental temperatures during the experiment were 3.4 +/- 2.2 and 6.8 +/- 2.5 degrees C, respectively. When cows had access only to stalls with wet bedding, they spent 8.8 +/- 0.8 h/d lying down, which increased to 13.8 +/- 0.8 h/d when stalls with dry bedding were provided. Cows spent more time standing with their front 2 hooves in the stall when provided with wet vs. dry bedding (92 +/- 10 vs. 32 +/- 10 min/d). During the free-choice phase, all cows spent more time lying down in the dry stalls, spending 12.5 +/- 0.3 h/d in the dry stalls vs. 0.9 +/- 0.3 h/ d in stalls with wet bedding. In conclusion, dairy cows show a clear preference for a dry lying surface, and they spend much more time standing outside the stall when only wet bedding is available.

Impact of feedback on physical activity levels of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during pulmonary rehabilitation: A feasibility study.

PubMed

Cruz, Joana; Brooks, Dina; Marques, Alda

2014-11-01

This study aimed at investigating whether providing feedback on physical activity (PA) levels to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is feasible and enhances daily PA during pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Patients with COPD participated in a 12-week PR program. Daily PA was measured using activity monitors on weeks 1, 7, and 12, and feedback was given in the following weeks on the number of steps, time spent in sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous intensity activities, and time spent standing, sitting, and lying. Compliance with PA monitoring was collected. Two focus groups were conducted to obtain patients' perspectives on the use of activity monitors and on the feedback given. Differences in PA data were also assessed. Sixteen patients (65.63 ± 10.57 years; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 70.31 ± 22.74% predicted) completed the study. From those, only eleven participants used the activity monitors during all monitoring days. Participants identified several problems regarding the use of activity monitors and monitoring duration. Daily steps (p = 0.026) and standing time (p = 0.030) were improved from week 1 to week 7; however, the former declined from week 7 to week 12. Findings suggest that using feedback to improve PA during PR is feasible and results in improved daily steps and standing time on week 7. The subsequent decline suggests that additional strategies may be needed to stimulate/maintain PA improvements. Further research with more robust designs is needed to investigate the impact of feedback on patients' daily PA. © The Author(s) 2014.

Daily sea level prediction at Chiayi coast, Taiwan using extreme learning machine and relevance vector machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imani, Moslem; Kao, Huan-Chin; Lan, Wen-Hau; Kuo, Chung-Yen

2018-02-01

The analysis and the prediction of sea level fluctuations are core requirements of marine meteorology and operational oceanography. Estimates of sea level with hours-to-days warning times are especially important for low-lying regions and coastal zone management. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the applicability and capability of extreme learning machine (ELM) and relevance vector machine (RVM) models for predicting sea level variations and compare their performances with powerful machine learning methods, namely, support vector machine (SVM) and radial basis function (RBF) models. The input dataset from the period of January 2004 to May 2011 used in the study was obtained from the Dongshi tide gauge station in Chiayi, Taiwan. Results showed that the ELM and RVM models outperformed the other methods. The performance of the RVM approach was superior in predicting the daily sea level time series given the minimum root mean square error of 34.73 mm and the maximum determination coefficient of 0.93 (R2) during the testing periods. Furthermore, the obtained results were in close agreement with the original tide-gauge data, which indicates that RVM approach is a promising alternative method for time series prediction and could be successfully used for daily sea level forecasts.

[A brief introduction to life energy cultivation strategies in traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Maa, Suh-Hwa

2010-04-01

The knowledge embraced within the broad field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) represents an important part of our common human heritage, as it incorporates time-tested and viable health promotion approaches applicable to everyone, regardless of ethnicity and geographic location. TCM emphasizes the importance of increased self-consciousness, which, once achieved, becomes regular aspect of daily life. Cultivating life energies in order to prevent and treat disease lies at the heart of TCM. This paper provides a brief introduction to TCM life energy cultivation strategies for nurse reference.

Modeling daily soil salinity dynamics in response to agricultural and environmental changes in coastal Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Payo, Andrés.; Lázár, Attila N.; Clarke, Derek; Nicholls, Robert J.; Bricheno, Lucy; Mashfiqus, Salehin; Haque, Anisul

2017-05-01

Understanding the dynamics of salt movement in the soil is a prerequisite for devising appropriate management strategies for land productivity of coastal regions, especially low-lying delta regions, which support many millions of farmers around the world. At present, there are no numerical models able to resolve soil salinity at regional scale and at daily time steps. In this research, we develop a novel holistic approach to simulate soil salinization comprising an emulator-based soil salt and water balance calculated at daily time steps. The method is demonstrated for the agriculture areas of coastal Bangladesh (˜20,000 km2). This shows that we can reproduce the dynamics of soil salinity under multiple land uses, including rice crops, combined shrimp and rice farming, as well as non-rice crops. The model also reproduced well the observed spatial soil salinity for the year 2009. Using this approach, we have projected the soil salinity for three different climate ensembles, including relative sea-level rise for the year 2050. Projected soil salinity changes are significantly smaller than other reported projections. The results suggest that inter-season weather variability is a key driver of salinization of agriculture soils at coastal Bangladesh.

Sex and personality traits influence the difference between time taken to tell the truth or lie.

PubMed

Farrow, Tom F D; Reilly, Rebecca; Rahman, Towhida A; Herford, Amy E; Woodruff, Peter W R; Spence, Sean A

2003-10-01

A necessary component of lying is the withholding of a truthful response. Hence, lying may be conceptualised as involving the inhibition of an initial, automatic response (the truth) while an alternative response (the lie) is generated. We investigated response times to visually and auditorially presented questions probing recent episodic memory, when subjects answered questions truthfully or with lies. We also investigated whether the absolute response times or difference between time taken to tell the truth or lie was affected by participants' sex or correlated with personality scores on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Scale. 61 subjects answered the same 36 questions five times. The first time involved answering all questions truthfully, which allowed post hoc analysis of whether subjects had been consistent in their lying and truth-telling on the following four occasions. These latter four occasions involved answering all questions (one each with 'truth' or 'lie') for both types of presentation. Regardless of type of presentation or subjects' sex, subjects took approximately 200 msec. longer to lie than to tell the truth in response to each question (p<.001). There were significant correlations between truthful response times to auditorially presented questions and Eysenck 'Neuroticism' scores. There was also a significant correlation for women between mean individual lie-minus-truth time to auditorially presented questions and Eysenck 'Lie' scores. These preliminary data suggest that response time is systematically longer when telling a lie and that personality variables may play a part in this process.

Gross motor function is an important predictor of daily physical activity in young people with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Bania, Theofani A; Taylor, Nicholas F; Baker, Richard J; Graham, H Kerr; Karimi, Leila; Dodd, Karen J

2014-12-01

The aim of the study was to describe daily physical activity levels of adolescents and young adults with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and to identify factors that help predict these levels. Daily physical activity was measured using an accelerometer-based activity monitor in 45 young people with bilateral spastic CP (23 males, 22 females; mean age 18y 6mo [SD 2y 5mo] range 16y 1mo-20y 11mo); classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level II or III and with contractures of <20° at hip and knee. Predictor variables included demographic characteristics (age, sex, weight) and physical characteristics (gross motor function, lower limb muscle strength, 6min walk distance). Data were analyzed using the information-theoretic approach, using the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and linear regression. Daily activity levels were low compared with published norms. Gross Motor Function Measure Dimension-E (GMFM-E; walking, running, and jumping) was the only common predictor variable in models that best predicted energy expenditure, number of steps, and time spent sitting/lying. GMFM Dimension-D (standing) and bilateral reverse leg press strength contributed to the models that predicted daily physical activity. Adolescents and young adults with bilateral spastic CP and mild to moderate walking disabilities have low levels of daily activity. The GMFM-E was an important predictor of daily physical activity. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

A Case Study of Behaviour and Performance of Confined or Pastured Cows During the Dry Period

PubMed Central

Black, Randi A.; Krawczel, Peter D.

2016-01-01

Simple Summary Pasture and freestall systems offer benefits and consequences during lactation but have not been investigated during the dry period. The effect of pasture or confined systems during the dry period on behaviour and milk quality was investigated. Freestall housing resulted in more resting behaviour and less locomotor activity during the dry period compared to pastured cows. At calving, freestall housed cows performed fewer lying bouts and less locomotor activity compared to pastured cows. Pasture resulted in less aggression around feeding but high respiration rates during peak heat times. Pasture during the dry period altered lying behavior, reduced feed bunk aggression and increased heat stress behaviors. Abstract The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of the dry cow management system (pasture or confined) on: (1) lying behaviour and activity; (2) feeding and heat stress behaviours; (3) intramammary infections, postpartum. Non-lactating Holstein cows were assigned to either deep-bedded, sand freestalls (n = 14) or pasture (n = 14) using rolling enrollment. At dry-off, cows were equipped with an accelerometer to determine daily lying time (h/d), lying bouts (bouts/d), steps (steps/d) and divided into periods: far-off (60 to 15 d prepartum), close-up (14 to 1 d prepartum), calving (calving date) and postpartum (1 to 14 d postpartum). Respiration rates were recorded once weekly from dry off to calving from 1300 to 1500 h. Feeding displacements were defined as one cow successfully displacing another from the feed bunk and were recorded once per week during the 2 h period, immediately after feeding at 800 h. Pastured cows were fed a commercial dry cow pellet during far-off and total mixed ration during close-up, with free access to hay and grazing. Freestall housed cows were fed a total mixed ration at far-off and close-up. Cows housed in freestalls were moved to a maternity pen with a mattress at commencement of labour. Pastured cows calved in pasture. After calving, all cows were commingled in a pen identical to the freestall housing treatment. Cows housed in freestalls laid down for longer during far-off and close-up periods, had fewer lying bouts during the calving period and took fewer steps throughout the study period when compared to pastured cows. Freestall housed cows experienced more displacements after feeding than did pastured cows. Respiration rates increased with an increasing temperature humidity index, more in pastured cows than in freestall housed cows. Pastured cows altered their lying behaviour and activity, suggesting a shift in time budget priorities between pastured and confined dry cows. Pastured cows also experienced less aggression around feeding but may be more susceptible to heat stress. PMID:27420102

A Case Study of Behaviour and Performance of Confined or Pastured Cows During the Dry Period.

PubMed

Black, Randi A; Krawczel, Peter D

2016-07-13

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of the dry cow management system (pasture or confined) on: (1) lying behaviour and activity; (2) feeding and heat stress behaviours; (3) intramammary infections, postpartum. Non-lactating Holstein cows were assigned to either deep-bedded, sand freestalls ( n = 14) or pasture ( n = 14) using rolling enrollment. At dry-off, cows were equipped with an accelerometer to determine daily lying time (h/d), lying bouts (bouts/d), steps (steps/d) and divided into periods: far-off (60 to 15 d prepartum), close-up (14 to 1 d prepartum), calving (calving date) and postpartum (1 to 14 d postpartum). Respiration rates were recorded once weekly from dry off to calving from 1300 to 1500 h. Feeding displacements were defined as one cow successfully displacing another from the feed bunk and were recorded once per week during the 2 h period, immediately after feeding at 800 h. Pastured cows were fed a commercial dry cow pellet during far-off and total mixed ration during close-up, with free access to hay and grazing. Freestall housed cows were fed a total mixed ration at far-off and close-up. Cows housed in freestalls were moved to a maternity pen with a mattress at commencement of labour. Pastured cows calved in pasture. After calving, all cows were commingled in a pen identical to the freestall housing treatment. Cows housed in freestalls laid down for longer during far-off and close-up periods, had fewer lying bouts during the calving period and took fewer steps throughout the study period when compared to pastured cows. Freestall housed cows experienced more displacements after feeding than did pastured cows. Respiration rates increased with an increasing temperature humidity index, more in pastured cows than in freestall housed cows. Pastured cows altered their lying behaviour and activity, suggesting a shift in time budget priorities between pastured and confined dry cows. Pastured cows also experienced less aggression around feeding but may be more susceptible to heat stress.

Psychological vulnerability to daily stressors in old age: Results of short-term longitudinal studies.

PubMed

Schilling, Oliver Karl; Diehl, Manfred

2015-08-01

A growing numbers of intensive longitudinal studies examine the short-term variability of behavior in response to daily stressors. Collectively, these studies address the vulnerability for stress-related emotional burden as assessed in terms of the intraindividual association between daily stressors and negative affect (NA). This article provides a brief overview of the relevant research on so-called affective reactivity to daily stressors and focuses on findings on development of age-related stressor reactivity across the adult lifespan. Two theoretical propositions have been put forward. Firstly, it has been postulated that aging should be associated with increased affective reactivity, i.e. it has been assumed that the vulnerability in terms of physiological stress reactivity increases across the adult life span and, thus, a higher stress-induced emotional reactivity should result with increasing age. Secondly, it has been argued that due to the continued development of emotional self-regulation skills, there should be an age-related decrease in stress reactivity and, hence, an increased resilience. Findings on age differences in NA reactivity to daily stressors, however, have been inconsistent. A possible explanation for the inconsistent findings may lie in the fact that the postulated dynamics of increased vulnerability or resilience imply different time-related reactions to stressors. In particular, the activation and effectiveness of emotional self-regulation strategies increase with increasing time intervals from the stressors. This leads to the conclusion that with increasing age the resilience for longer periods of stress and accumulated stress should increase. Results from our own research support this hypothesis, where older adults reacted to multiple stressors in a more adaptive way than younger adults.

Music and Combat Motivation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

and hence, motivating them more strongly to continue. Thoughts of protecting their home, lives and local ideals were subconsciously aroused by the...perspective. There was a clear bias , but they aimed not to broadcast lies. The BBC broadcast in 45 languages with 107 news transmissions daily

cHRV Uncovering Daily Stress Dynamics Using Bio-Signal from Consumer Wearables.

PubMed

Hao, Tian; Chang, Henry; Ball, Marion; Lin, Kun; Zhu, Xinxin

2017-01-01

Knowing the dynamics of one's daily stress is essential to effective stress management in the context of smart and connected health. However, there lacks a practical and unobtrusive means to obtain real-time and longitudinal stress information. In this paper, we attempt to derive a convenient HRV-based (heart rate variability) biomarker named cHRV, which can be used to reliably reflect stress dynamics. cHRV's key advantage lies in its low maintenance and high practicality. It can be efficiently calculated only using data from photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors, the mainstream heart rate sensor embedded in most of the consumer wearables like Apple Watch. Benefiting from the proliferation of wearables, cHRV is ideal for day-to-day stress monitoring. To evaluate its feasibility and performance, we have conducted 14 in-lab controlled experiments. The result shows that the proposed cHRV has strong correlation with the stress dynamics (r > 0.95), therefore exhibits great potential for continuous stress assessment.

Contribution of dust storms to PM10 levels in an urban arid environment.

PubMed

Krasnov, Helena; Katra, Itzhak; Koutrakis, Petros; Friger, Michael D

2014-01-01

Quantitative information on the contribution of dust storms to atmospheric PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < or = 10 microm) levels is still lacking, especially in urban environments with close proximity to dust sources. The main objective of this study was to quantify the contribution of dust storms to PM10 concentrations in a desert urban center, the city of Beer-Sheva, Negev, Israel, during the period of 2001-2012. Toward this end, a background value based on the "dust-free" season was used as a threshold value to identify potentially "dust days." Subsequently, the net contribution of dust storms to PM10 was assessed. During the study period, daily PM10 concentrations ranged from 6 to over 2000 microg/m3. In each year, over 10% of the daily concentrations exceeded the calculated threshold (BVt) of 71 microg/m3. An average daily net contribution of dust to PM10 of 122 microg/m3 was calculated for the entire study period based on this background value. Furthermore, a dust storm intensity parameter (Ai) was used to analyze several storms with very high PM10 contributions (hourly averages of 1000-5197 microg/m3). This analysis revealed that the strongest storms occurred mainly in the last 3 yr of the study. Finally, these findings indicate that this arid urban environment experiences high PM10 levels whose origin lies in both local and regional dust events. The findings indicate that over time, the urban arid environment experiences high PM10 levels whose origin lies in local and regional dust events. It was noticed that the strongest storms have occurred mainly in the last 3 yr. It is believed that environmental changes such as global warming and desertification may lead to an increased air pollution and risk exposure to human health.

On the accuracy of ERS-1 orbit predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, Rolf; Li, H.; Massmann, Franz-Heinrich; Raimondo, J. C.; Rajasenan, C.; Reigber, C.

1993-01-01

Since the launch of ERS-1, the D-PAF (German Processing and Archiving Facility) provides regularly orbit predictions for the worldwide SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging) tracking network. The weekly distributed orbital elements are so called tuned IRV's and tuned SAO-elements. The tuning procedure, designed to improve the accuracy of the recovery of the orbit at the stations, is discussed based on numerical results. This shows that tuning of elements is essential for ERS-1 with the currently applied tracking procedures. The orbital elements are updated by daily distributed time bias functions. The generation of the time bias function is explained. Problems and numerical results are presented. The time bias function increases the prediction accuracy considerably. Finally, the quality assessment of ERS-1 orbit predictions is described. The accuracy is compiled for about 250 days since launch. The average accuracy lies in the range of 50-100 ms and has considerably improved.

Mobile Clinical Decision Support Systems in Our Hands - Great Potential but also a Concern.

PubMed

Masic, Izet; Begic, Edin

2016-01-01

Due to the powerful computer resources as well as the availability of today's mobile devices, a special field of mobile systems for clinical decision support in medicine has been developed. The benefits of these applications (systems) are: availability of necessary hardware (mobile phones, tablets and phablets are widespread, and can be purchased at a relatively affordable price), availability of mobile applications (free or for a "small" amount of money) and also mobile applications are tailored for easy use and save time of clinicians in their daily work. In these systems lies a huge potential, and certainly a great economic benefit, so this issue must be approached multidisciplinary.

Learning to Lie: Effects of Practice on the Cognitive Cost of Lying

PubMed Central

Van Bockstaele, B.; Verschuere, B.; Moens, T.; Suchotzki, Kristina; Debey, Evelyne; Spruyt, Adriaan

2012-01-01

Cognitive theories on deception posit that lying requires more cognitive resources than telling the truth. In line with this idea, it has been demonstrated that deceptive responses are typically associated with increased response times and higher error rates compared to truthful responses. Although the cognitive cost of lying has been assumed to be resistant to practice, it has recently been shown that people who are trained to lie can reduce this cost. In the present study (n = 42), we further explored the effects of practice on one’s ability to lie by manipulating the proportions of lie and truth-trials in a Sheffield lie test across three phases: Baseline (50% lie, 50% truth), Training (frequent-lie group: 75% lie, 25% truth; control group: 50% lie, 50% truth; and frequent-truth group: 25% lie, 75% truth), and Test (50% lie, 50% truth). The results showed that lying became easier while participants were trained to lie more often and that lying became more difficult while participants were trained to tell the truth more often. Furthermore, these effects did carry over to the test phase, but only for the specific items that were used for the training manipulation. Hence, our study confirms that relatively little practice is enough to alter the cognitive cost of lying, although this effect does not persist over time for non-practiced items. PMID:23226137

Effects of sand and straw bedding on the lying behavior, cleanliness, and hoof and hock injuries of dairy cows.

PubMed

Norring, M; Manninen, E; de Passillé, A M; Rushen, J; Munksgaard, L; Saloniemi, H

2008-02-01

This experiment compared the effects of sand and straw bedding in free stalls on resting time, cleanliness, hock injuries, and hoof health of dairy cows and tested whether cow preferences for a bedding material depended on the familiarity with the material. A total of 52 dairy cows were kept either on straw bedded concrete stalls or sand stalls for at least 21 wk. The lying behavior was observed, and hock lesions, hoof health, and cleanliness of the cows and stalls were measured. A 5-d preference test between sand and straw stalls was conducted at the end of the experiment. The total daily duration of lying was longer for cows on straw bedding than on sand bedding (straw 749 +/- 16 vs. sand 678 +/- 19 min). During the preference test, cows that had been kept on straw bedding preferred lying in straw stalls [straw 218.7 (133.4 to 239.7) vs. sand 9.0 min (2.8 to 44.8)]; however, cows that had been kept on sand showed no preference [straw 101.3 (51.7 to 205.9) vs. sand 94.3 min (54.1 to 156.1, median and interquartile range)]. Although there were no differences in the dirtiness of stalls, the cows using straw stalls were dirtier than cows using sand stalls [straw 6.04 (5.39 to 6.28) vs. sand 4.19 (3.62 to 5.16)]. At the end of experiment the severity of hock lesions was lower for cows on sand than for cows on straw [sand 0.5 (0.0 to 1.0) vs. straw 1.0 (1.0 to 2.0)]. The improvement in overall hoof health over the observation period was greater for cows kept on sand compared with cows kept on straw [sand -2.00 (-3.75 to -0.25) vs. straw 0.00 (-2.00 to 2.00)]. Straw bedding increased the time that cows spend lying, and cows preferred straw stalls to sand stalls. However, previous experience with sand reduces avoidance of sand stalls. Sand stalls were advantageous for cow cleanliness and health; hock lesions and claw diseases healed more quickly for cows using sand stalls compared with straw.

Impacts of sampling design and estimation methods on nutrient leaching of intensively monitored forest plots in the Netherlands.

PubMed

de Vries, W; Wieggers, H J J; Brus, D J

2010-08-05

Element fluxes through forest ecosystems are generally based on measurements of concentrations in soil solution at regular time intervals at plot locations sampled in a regular grid. Here we present spatially averaged annual element leaching fluxes in three Dutch forest monitoring plots using a new sampling strategy in which both sampling locations and sampling times are selected by probability sampling. Locations were selected by stratified random sampling with compact geographical blocks of equal surface area as strata. In each sampling round, six composite soil solution samples were collected, consisting of five aliquots, one per stratum. The plot-mean concentration was estimated by linear regression, so that the bias due to one or more strata being not represented in the composite samples is eliminated. The sampling times were selected in such a way that the cumulative precipitation surplus of the time interval between two consecutive sampling times was constant, using an estimated precipitation surplus averaged over the past 30 years. The spatially averaged annual leaching flux was estimated by using the modeled daily water flux as an ancillary variable. An important advantage of the new method is that the uncertainty in the estimated annual leaching fluxes due to spatial and temporal variation and resulting sampling errors can be quantified. Results of this new method were compared with the reference approach in which daily leaching fluxes were calculated by multiplying daily interpolated element concentrations with daily water fluxes and then aggregated to a year. Results show that the annual fluxes calculated with the reference method for the period 2003-2005, including all plots, elements and depths, lies only in 53% of the cases within the range of the average +/-2 times the standard error of the new method. Despite the differences in results, both methods indicate comparable N retention and strong Al mobilization in all plots, with Al leaching being nearly equal to the leaching of SO(4) and NO(3) with fluxes expressed in mol(c) ha(-1) yr(-1). This illustrates that Al release, which is the clearest signal of soil acidification, is mainly due to the external input of SO(4) and NO(3).

Single-trial lie detection using a combined fNIRS-polygraph system

PubMed Central

Bhutta, M. Raheel; Hong, Melissa J.; Kim, Yun-Hee; Hong, Keum-Shik

2015-01-01

Deception is a human behavior that many people experience in daily life. It involves complex neuronal activities in addition to several physiological changes in the body. A polygraph, which can measure some of the physiological responses from the body, has been widely employed in lie-detection. Many researchers, however, believe that lie detection can become more precise if the neuronal changes that occur in the process of deception can be isolated and measured. In this study, we combine both measures (i.e., physiological and neuronal changes) for enhanced lie-detection. Specifically, to investigate the deception-related hemodynamic response, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is applied at the prefrontal cortex besides a commercially available polygraph system. A mock crime scenario with a single-trial stimulus is set up as a deception protocol. The acquired data are classified into “true” and “lie” classes based on the fNIRS-based hemoglobin-concentration changes and polygraph-based physiological signal changes. Linear discriminant analysis is utilized as a classifier. The results indicate that the combined fNIRS-polygraph system delivers much higher classification accuracy than that of a singular system. This study demonstrates a plausible solution toward single-trial lie-detection by combining fNIRS and the polygraph. PMID:26082733

Misreporting of Product Adherence in the MTN-003/VOICE Trial for HIV Prevention in Africa: Participants’ Explanations for Dishonesty

PubMed Central

Mensch, B.; Musara, P.; Hartmann, M.; Woeber, K.; Etima, J.; van der Straten, A.

2016-01-01

Consistent over-reporting of product use limits researchers’ ability to accurately measure adherence and estimate product efficacy in HIV prevention trials. While lying is a universal characteristic of the human condition, growing evidence of a stark discrepancy between self-reported product use and biologic or pharmacokinetic evidence demands examination of the reasons research participants frequently misrepresent product use in order to mitigate this challenge in future research. This study (VOICE-D) was an ancillary post-trial study of the vaginal and oral interventions to control the epidemic (VOICE) phase IIb trial (MTN 003). It was conducted in three African countries to elicit candid accounts from former VOICE trial participants about why actual product use was lower than reported. In total 171 participants were enrolled between December 2012 and March 2014 in South Africa (n = 47), Uganda (n = 59) and Zimbabwe (n = 65). Data suggested that participants understood the importance of daily product use and honest reporting, yet acknowledged that research participants typically lie. Participants cited multiple reasons for misreporting adherence, including human nature, self-presentation with study staff, fear of repercussions (study termination resulting in loss of benefits and experience of HIV-related stigma), a permissive environment in which it was easy to get away with misreporting, and avoiding inconvenient additional counseling. Some participants also reported mistrust of the staff and reciprocal dishonesty about the study products. Many suggested real-time blood-monitoring during trials would encourage greater fidelity to product use and honesty in reporting. Participants at all sites understood the importance of daily product use and honesty, while also acknowledging widespread misreporting of product use. Narratives of dishonesty may suggest a wider social context of hiding products from partners and distrust about research, influenced by rumors circulating in clinic waiting-rooms and surrounding communities. Prevailing power hierarchies between staff and participants may exacerbate misreporting. Participants recognized and suggested that objective, real-time feedback is needed to encourage honest reporting. PMID:27858268

Rapid Detection of Small Movements with GNSS Doppler Observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohensinn, Roland; Geiger, Alain

2017-04-01

High-alpine terrain reacts very sensitively to varying environmental conditions. As an example, increasing temperatures cause thawing of permafrost areas. This, in turn causes an increasing threat by natural hazards like debris flow (e.g. rock glaciers) or rockfalls. The Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry is contributing to alpine mass-movement monitoring systems in different project areas in the Swiss Alps. A main focus lies on providing geodetic mass-movement information derived from GNSS static solutions on a daily and a sub-daily basis, obtained with low-cost and autonomous GNSS stations. Another focus is set on rapidly providing reliable geodetic information in real-time i.e. for an integration in early warning systems. One way to achieve this is the estimation of accurate station velocities from observations of range rates, which can be obtained as Doppler observables from time derivatives of carrier phase measurements. The key for this method lies in a precise modeling of prominent effects contributing to the observed range rates, which are satellite velocity, atmospheric delay rates and relativistic effects. A suitable observation model is then devised, which accounts for these predictions. The observation model, combined with a simple kinematic movement model forms the basis for the parameter estimation. Based on the estimated station velocities, movements are then detected using a statistical test. To improve the reliablity of the estimated parameters, another spotlight is set on an on-line quality control procedure. We will present the basic algorithms as well as results from first tests which were carried out with a low-cost GPS L1 phase receiver. With a u-blox module and a sampling rate of 5 Hz, accuracies on the mm/s level can be obtained and velocities down to 1 cm/s can be detected. Reliable and accurate station velocities and movement information can be provided within seconds.

Comprehension of Metaphor and Metonymy in Children with Williams Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annaz, Dagmara; Van Herwegen, Jo; Thomas, Michael; Fishman, Roza; Karmiloff-Smith, Annette; Rundblad, Gabriella

2009-01-01

Background: Figurative language, such as metaphor and metonymy, is very common in daily language use. Its underlying cognitive processes are sometimes viewed as lying at the interface of language and thought. Williams syndrome, which is a rare genetic developmental disorder, provides an opportunity to study this interface because individuals with…

Occupational health nursing in hungary.

PubMed

Hirdi, Henriett Éva; Hong, OiSaeng

2014-10-01

This article is the first about occupational health nursing in Hungary. The authors describe the Hungarian health care and occupational health care systems, including nursing education and professional organizations for occupational health nurses. The Fundamental Law of Hungary guarantees the right of every employee to healthy and safe working conditions, daily and weekly rest times and annual paid leave, and physical and mental health. Hungary promotes the exercise of these rights by managing industrial safety and health care, providing access to healthy food, supporting sports and regular physical exercise, and ensuring environmental protection. According to the law, the responsibility for regulation of the occupational health service lies with the Ministry of Human Resources. Safety regulations are under the aegis of the Ministry of National Economy. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Sub-Nyquist Sampling and Moire-Like Waveform Distortions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Glenn L.

2000-01-01

Investigations of aliasing effects in digital waveform sampling have revealed the existence of a mathematical field and a pseudo-alias domain lying to the left of a "Nyquist line" in a plane defining the boundary between two domains of sampling. To the right of the line lies the classic alias domain. For signals band-limited below the Nyquist limit, displayed output may show a false modulation envelope. The effect occurs whenever the sample rate and the signal frequency are related by ratios of mutually prime integers. Belying the principal of a 10:1 sampling ratio being "good enough", this distortion easily occurs in graphed one-dimensional waveforms and two-dimensional images and occurs daily on television.

Short communication: Flooring preferences of dairy cows at calving.

PubMed

Campler, M; Munksgaard, L; Jensen, M B; Weary, D M; von Keyserlingk, M A G

2014-02-01

The present study investigated the flooring preference during the 30 h before parturition in Holstein dairy cows housed individually in a maternity pen. Seventeen multiparous cows were moved, on average, 2 d before expected calving date into an individual maternity pen with 3 different flooring surfaces: 10 cm of sand, pebble-top rubber mats, or concrete flooring, each covered with 15 cm of straw. Calving location, lying time, and total time and number of lying bouts on each of the floor types were recorded during 2 periods: precalving (24 to 29 h before calving) and at calving (0 to 5h before calving). Ten cows calved on sand, 6 on concrete, and 1 on the rubber mat. Lying bouts increased during the hours closest to calving, regardless of flooring. The number of lying bouts did not differ between flooring types precalving but cows had more lying bouts on sand and concrete compared with rubber at calving. Cows spent more time lying down on sand and concrete compared with rubber precalving, but lying times did not differ between treatments at calving. Cows that calved on sand spent more time lying on sand at calving compared with the other 2 flooring types. Cows that calved on concrete did not show a flooring preference at calving. These results indicate that rubber mats are the least preferred by dairy cows in the maternity pens, even when covered with a deep layer of straw. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DN1(p) circadian neurons coordinate acute light and PDF inputs to produce robust daily behavior in Drosophila.

PubMed

Zhang, Luoying; Chung, Brian Y; Lear, Bridget C; Kilman, Valerie L; Liu, Yixiao; Mahesh, Guruswamy; Meissner, Rose-Anne; Hardin, Paul E; Allada, Ravi

2010-04-13

Daily behaviors in animals are determined by the interplay between internal timing signals from circadian clocks and environmental stimuli such as light. How these signals are integrated to produce timely and adaptive behavior is unclear. The fruit fly Drosophila exhibits clock-driven activity increases that anticipate dawn and dusk and free-running rhythms under constant conditions. Flies also respond to the onset of light and dark with acute increases in activity. Mutants of a novel ion channel, narrow abdomen (na), lack a robust increase in activity in response to light and show reduced anticipatory behavior and free-running rhythms, providing a genetic link between photic responses and circadian clock function. We used tissue-specific rescue of na to demonstrate a role for approximately 16-20 circadian pacemaker neurons, a subset of the posterior dorsal neurons 1 (DN1(p)s), in mediating the acute response to the onset of light as well as morning anticipatory behavior. Circadian pacemaker neurons expressing the neuropeptide PIGMENT-DISPERSING FACTOR (PDF) are especially important for morning anticipation and free-running rhythms and send projections to the DN1(p)s. We also demonstrate that DN1(p)Pdfr expression is sufficient to rescue, at least partially, Pdfr morning anticipation defects as well as defects in free-running rhythms, including those in DN1 molecular clocks. Additionally, these DN1 clocks in wild-type flies are more strongly reset to timing changes in PDF clocks than other pacemaker neurons, suggesting that they are direct targets. Taking these results together, we demonstrate that the DN1(p)s lie at the nexus of PDF and photic signaling to produce appropriate daily behavior.

Home Literacy Environment and Its Influence on Singaporean Children's Chinese Oral and Written Language Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Li; Tan, Chee Lay

2016-01-01

In a bilingual environment such as Singaporean Chinese community, the challenge of maintaining Chinese language and sustaining Chinese culture lies in promoting the daily use of Chinese language in oral and written forms among children. Ample evidence showed the effect of the home language and literacy environment (HLE), on children's language and…

Long-Term Monitoring of Physical Behavior Reveals Different Cardiac Responses to Physical Activity among Subjects with and without Chronic Neck Pain.

PubMed

Hallman, David M; Mathiassen, Svend Erik; Lyskov, Eugene

2015-01-01

We determined the extent to which heart rate variability (HRV) responses to daily physical activity differ between subjects with and without chronic neck pain. Twenty-nine subjects (13 women) with chronic neck pain and 27 age- and gender-matched healthy controls participated. Physical activity (accelerometry), HRV (heart rate monitor), and spatial location (Global Positioning System (GPS)) were recorded for 74 hours. GPS data were combined with a diary to identify periods of work and of leisure at home and elsewhere. Time- and frequency-domain HRV indices were calculated and stratified by period and activity type (lying/sitting, standing, or walking). ANCOVAs with multiple adjustments were used to disclose possible group differences in HRV. The pain group showed a reduced HRV response to physical activity compared with controls (p = .001), according to the sympathetic-baroreceptor HRV index (LF/HF, ratio between low- and high-frequency power), even after adjustment for leisure time physical activity, work stress, sleep quality, mental health, and aerobic capacity (p = .02). The parasympathetic response to physical activity did not differ between groups. Relying on long-term monitoring of physical behavior and heart rate variability, we found an aberrant sympathetic-baroreceptor response to daily physical activity among subjects with chronic neck pain.

From little white lies to filthy liars: the evolution of honesty and deception in young children.

PubMed

Talwar, Victoria; Crossman, Angela

2011-01-01

Though it is frequently condemned, lie-telling is a common and frequent activity in interpersonal interactions, with apparent social risks and benefits. The current review examines the development of deception among children. It is argued that early lying is normative, reflecting children's emerging cognitive and social development. Children lie to preserve self-interests as well as for the benefit of others. With age, children learn about the social norms that promote honesty while encouraging occasional prosocial lie-telling. Yet, lying can become a problem behavior with frequent or inappropriate use over time. Chronic lie-telling of any sort risks social consequences, such as the loss of credibility and damage to relationships. By middle childhood, chronic reliance on lying may be related to poor development of conscience, weak self-regulatory control, and antisocial behavior, and it could be indicative of maladjustment and put the individual in conflict with the environment. The goal of the current chapter is to capture the complexity of lying and build a preliminary understanding of how children's social experiences with their environments, their own dispositions, and their developing cognitive maturity interact, over time, to predict their lying behavior and, for some, their chronic and problem lying. Implications for fostering honesty in young children are discussed.

Factors associated with daily walking of dogs.

PubMed

Westgarth, Carri; Christian, Hayley E; Christley, Robert M

2015-05-19

Regular physical activity is beneficial to the health of both people and animals. The role of regular exercise undertaken together, such as dog walking, is a public health interest of mutual benefit. Exploration of barriers and incentives to regular dog walking by owners is now required so that effective interventions to promote it can be designed. This study explored a well-characterised cross-sectional dataset of 276 dogs and owners from Cheshire, UK, for evidence of factors associated with the dog being walked once or more per day. Factors independently associated with daily walking included: number of dogs owned (multiple (vs. single) dogs negatively associated); size (medium and possibly large dogs (vs. small) positively associated); and number of people in the household (more people negatively associated). Furthermore, a number of factors related to the dog-owner relationship and the dog's behaviour were associated with daily walking, including: having acquired the dog for a hobby (positively associated); dog lying on furniture (positively associated); dog lying on laps (negatively associated); growling at household members (negatively associated); and playing chase games with the dog (negatively associated). These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the strength and nature of the human-dog relationship incentivises dog walking, and that behavioural and demographic factors may affect dog walking via this mechanism. Future studies need to investigate how dog demographic and behavioural factors, plus owner behavioural factors and perceptions of the dog, influence the dog-human relationship in respect to the perceived support and motivation a dog can provide for walking.

Daily rhythms of behavioral and hormonal patterns in male dromedary camels housed in boxes

PubMed Central

Aubè, Lydiane; Fatnassi, Meriem; Monaco, Davide; Khorchani, Touhami; Lacalandra, Giovanni Michele; Hammadi, Mohamed

2017-01-01

Background Daily rhythmicity has been observed for a number of hormonal and behavioral variables in mammals. It can be entrained by several external factors, such as light-dark cycle and scheduled feeding. In dromedary camels, daily rhythmicity has been documented only for melatonin secretion and body temperature. In this study, the daily rhythmicity of behavioral repertoire, cortisol and testosterone levels was investigated in captive male camels. Methods Six clinically healthy male dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) were used. The animals were housed in single boxes for 24 h daily and fed twice a day. Over a period of 48 h, behavioral observations were made and blood samples taken every two hours. The data were analyzed using diurnality index, conisor analysis and PROC mixed procedure. Results The diurnality index for rumination and lying down was close to 0 (respectively, 0.09 and 0.19), while the indices for stereotypy, standing, feeding and walking were close to 1 (respectively, 0.74, 0.84, 0.92 and 0.85). Cosinor analysis revealed daily rhythmicity for all behaviors and for cortisol levels (acrophase at 12:57) but not for testosterone. Rumination and lying down (inactive behaviors) reached a peak during the scotophase, whereas feeding, walking and stereotypy (active behaviors) reached a peak during the photophase around midday. Cortisol level and expression of stereotypies peaked before and after food distribution and were negatively correlated (r =  − 0.287, P = 0.005). Testosterone levels and expression of sexual behaviors were stimulated by the visual and olfactory contacts with the females and were positively correlated (r = 0.164, P = 0.040). Testosterone was also negatively correlated with cortisol (r =  − 0.297; P = 0.003). Discussion These preliminary results provided new knowledge about the daily rhythm of behaviors in camels housed in boxes, suggesting that camels exhibit diurnal behavior pattern in the maintenance conditions outlined in the study. Daily rhythmicity seemed to be entrained not only by the light-dark cycle but also by scheduled feeding. The rise in stereotypy after food distribution could be due to the persistence of feeding motivation and frustration after the ingestion of food. Therefore, feeding practices should be improved to satisfy the foraging and feeding motivation of these camels. Behavioral and hormonal daily patterns in camels should be taken in consideration to adapt the management system, giving the animals more freedom during the light period and a diet richer in fiber, so as to improve reproductive performance, health and welfare. PMID:28367365

Cow comfort in tie-stalls: increased depth of shavings or straw bedding increases lying time.

PubMed

Tucker, C B; Weary, D M; von Keyserlingk, M A G; Beauchemin, K A

2009-06-01

Over half of US dairy operations use tie-stalls, but these farming systems have received relatively little research attention in terms of stall design and management. The current study tested the effects of the amount of 2 bedding materials, straw and shavings, on dairy cattle lying behavior. The effects of 4 levels of shavings, 3, 9, 15, and 24 kg/stall (experiment 1, n = 12), and high and low levels of straw in 2 separate experiments: 1, 3, 5, and 7 kg/stall (experiment 2, n = 12) and 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 kg/stall (experiment 3, n = 12) were assessed. Treatments were compared using a crossover design with lactating cows housed in tie-stalls fitted with mattresses. Treatments were applied for 1 wk. Total lying time, number of lying bouts, and the length of each lying bout was recorded with data loggers. In experiment 1, cows spent 3 min more lying down for each additional kilogram of shavings (11.0, 11.7, 11.6, and 12.1 +/- 0.24 h/d for 3, 9, 15, and 24 kg/stall shavings, respectively). In experiment 2, cows increased lying time by 12 min for every additional kilogram of straw (11.2, 12.0, 11.8, and 12.4 +/- 0.24 h/d for 1, 3, 5, and 7 kg/stall of straw, respectively). There were no differences in lying behavior among the lower levels of straw tested in experiment 3 (11.7 +/- 0.32 h/d). These results indicated that additional bedding above a scant amount improves cow comfort, as measured by lying time, likely because a well-bedded surface is more compressible.

Tracking urban human activity from mobile phone calling patterns

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Asim; Bhattacharya, Kunal; Dunbar, Robin I. M.; Kaski, Kimmo

2017-01-01

Timings of human activities are marked by circadian clocks which in turn are entrained to different environmental signals. In an urban environment the presence of artificial lighting and various social cues tend to disrupt the natural entrainment with the sunlight. However, it is not completely understood to what extent this is the case. Here we exploit the large-scale data analysis techniques to study the mobile phone calling activity of people in large cities to infer the dynamics of urban daily rhythms. From the calling patterns of about 1,000,000 users spread over different cities but lying inside the same time-zone, we show that the onset and termination of the calling activity synchronizes with the east-west progression of the sun. We also find that the onset and termination of the calling activity of users follows a yearly dynamics, varying across seasons, and that its timings are entrained to solar midnight. Furthermore, we show that the average mid-sleep time of people living in urban areas depends on the age and gender of each cohort as a result of biological and social factors. PMID:29161270

Tracking urban human activity from mobile phone calling patterns.

PubMed

Monsivais, Daniel; Ghosh, Asim; Bhattacharya, Kunal; Dunbar, Robin I M; Kaski, Kimmo

2017-11-01

Timings of human activities are marked by circadian clocks which in turn are entrained to different environmental signals. In an urban environment the presence of artificial lighting and various social cues tend to disrupt the natural entrainment with the sunlight. However, it is not completely understood to what extent this is the case. Here we exploit the large-scale data analysis techniques to study the mobile phone calling activity of people in large cities to infer the dynamics of urban daily rhythms. From the calling patterns of about 1,000,000 users spread over different cities but lying inside the same time-zone, we show that the onset and termination of the calling activity synchronizes with the east-west progression of the sun. We also find that the onset and termination of the calling activity of users follows a yearly dynamics, varying across seasons, and that its timings are entrained to solar midnight. Furthermore, we show that the average mid-sleep time of people living in urban areas depends on the age and gender of each cohort as a result of biological and social factors.

Time budgets of lactating dairy cattle in commercial freestall herds.

PubMed

Gomez, A; Cook, N B

2010-12-01

The aim of this study was to examine the time budgets of 205 lactating dairy cows housed in 16 freestall barns in Wisconsin and to determine the relationships between components of the time budget and herd- and cow-level fixed effects using mixed models. Using continuous video surveillance, time lying in the stall, time standing in the stall, time standing in the alleys (including drinking), time feeding, and time milking (time out of the pen for milking and transit) during a 24-h period were measured for each cow. In addition, the number of lying bouts and the mean duration of each lying bout per 24-h period were determined. Time milking varied between cows from 0.5 to 6.0 h/d, with a mean ± standard deviation of 2.7 ± 1.1h/d. Time milking was influenced significantly by pen stocking density, and time milking negatively affected time feeding, time lying, and time in the alley, but not time standing in the stall. Locomotion score, either directly or through an interaction with stall base type (a rubber crumb-filled mattress, MAT, or sand bedding, SAND), influenced pen activity. Lame cows spent less time feeding, less time in the alleys, and more time standing in the stalls in MAT herds, but not in SAND herds. The effect of lameness on lying time is complex and dependent on the time available for rest and differences in resting behavior observed between cows in MAT and SAND herds. In MAT herds, rest was characterized by a larger number of lying bouts of shorter duration than in SAND herds (mean = 14.4; confidence interval, CI: 12.4 to 16.5 vs. mean = 10.2; CI: 8.2 to 12.2 bouts per d, and mean = 1.0; CI: 0.9 to 1.1 vs. mean = 1.3, CI: 1.2 to 1.4h bout duration for MAT and SAND herds, respectively). Lameness was associated with an increase in time standing in the stall and a reduction in the mean (CI) number of lying bouts per day from 13.2 (CI: 12.3 to 14.1) bouts/d for nonlame cows to 10.9 (CI: 9.30 to 12.8) bouts/d for moderately lame cows, and an overall reduction in lying time in MAT herds compared with SAND herds (11.5; CI: 10.0 to 13.0 vs. 12.7; CI: 11.0 to 14.3h/d, respectively). These results show that time out of the pen milking, stall base type, and lameness significantly affect time budgets of cows housed in freestall facilities. Copyright © 2010 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of space allowance and flooring on the behavior of pregnant ewes.

PubMed

Vik, S G; Øyrehagen, O; Bøe, K E

2017-05-01

Space allowance recommendations for pregnant ewes vary considerably. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of space allowance and floor type on activity, lying position, displacements, and aggressive interactions in pregnant ewes. A 3 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted with space allowance (0.75, 1.50, and 2.25 m/ewe) and type of flooring (straw bedding and expanded metal flooring) as the main factors. A total of 48 pregnant ewes were randomly assigned to 6 groups with 8 ewes in each group. All groups were exposed to each treatment for 7 d. The ewes were video recorded for 24 h at the end of each treatment period and general activity, lying position in the pen, and social lying position were scored every 15 min. Displacements and aggressive interactions were scored continuously from 1030 to 1430 h. Mean lying time ( < 0.0001) and time spent lying simultaneously ( < 0.0001) increased whereas time spent eating ( < 0.001) and standing ( < 0.001) decreased when space allowance increased from 0.75 to 1.50 m/ewe. Further increasing the space allowance to 2.25 m/ewe, however, had no effect on these parameters. Sitting was observed only in the 0.75 m/ewe treatment. Type of flooring had no significant effect on general activity. Ewes in the straw bedding treatment spent more time lying in the middle of the pen than ewes on expanded metal ( < 0.0001), but space allowance had no significant effect on this parameter. The proportion of time spent lying against side walls increased ( < 0.0001) whereas the proportion of time spent lying against the back wall decreased ( < 0.0001) when the space allowance was increased. In general, the distance between the ewes when lying significantly increased when space allowance increased from 0.75 to 1.50 m/ewe. Total number of displacements when lying ( < 0.0001) and aggressive interactions when active ( < 0.001) decreased when space allowance increased from 0.75 to 1.50 m/ewe and further slightly decreased, although the decrease was significant only for displacements when lying, when space allowance increased to 2.25 m/ewe. Low-ranked ewes were not exposed to more aggressive behavior than high-ranked ewes. In conclusion, increasing space allowance from 0.75 to 1.50 m/ewe had positive effects on activity and behavior in pregnant ewes, but further increasing space allowance to 2.25 m/ewe had limited effects, as did type of flooring. Hence, recommended space allowance for pregnant ewes should not be lower than 1.50 m/ewe.

Prepartum Lying Behavior of Holstein Dairy Cows Housed on Pasture through Parturition

PubMed Central

Rice, Christa A.; Eberhart, Nicole L.; Krawczel, Peter D.

2017-01-01

Simple Summary Dairy cows experience meaningful biological changes during gestation that impact cow comfort and alter behavior, particularly during late gestation and leading up to calving. The housing environment can also have a positive or negative effect on cow comfort. Pasture access allows cows the freedom of movement and an ability to express natural grazing and resting behaviors. After observing cows housed on pasture during the late gestation and calving periods, this study found that lying behaviors only differed on the day of calving and the day prior to calving. Additionally, the proportion of time spent lying per hour decreased in the hour prior to calving compared to 6 h prior to parturition. The altered lying behaviors and activity observed in the hours before calving may indicate a decrease in cow comfort experienced by the cow during parturition. However, discomfort is typical of parturition. These data suggest that cows were able to express natural behaviors associated with calving and pasture when provided an adequate environment for cows during the prepartum period. Abstract Utilizing pasture-based systems may increase cow comfort during late gestation and calving as it lacks the constraints of confinement housing. The objective of this study was to quantify lying behavior and activity of Holstein dairy cows housed on pasture during the 6 d before calving. Sixteen Holstein dairy cows were moved to pasture 3 weeks before their projected calving date. Data loggers were attached 14 d prior to projected calving date. Behavior was evaluated 6 d before calving for all cows (n = 16) and 6 h prior to calving for a subset of cows (n = 6) with known calving times. Data loggers recorded at 1-min intervals to determine lying time (h/d and %/h), lying bouts (n/d and n/h), lying bout duration (min/bout), and steps (n/d and n/h). A repeated measures analysis of variance with contrasts was performed to determine if lying behaviors and activity differed between baseline and day or hour of interest. Lying time was greater 6 d prior to calving compared to the day of and before calving. Cows had longer lying bouts 6 d prior to calving compared to day of calving. Cows spent less time lying in the hour before calving compared to 6 h prior to parturition. The lack of change in behavior and activity during the 7 d prior to calving may indicate that pasture provided an adequate environment for cows during the prepartum period but did not impact cow welfare in the hours leading up to calving. PMID:28420107

Physical activity levels in locally advanced rectal cancer patients following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and an exercise training programme before surgery: a pilot study.

PubMed

Loughney, Lisa; West, Malcolm A; Dimitrov, Borislav D; Kemp, Graham J; Grocott, Michael Pw; Jack, Sandy

2017-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to measure changes in physical activity level (PAL) variables, as well as sleep duration and efficiency in people with locally advanced rectal cancer (1) before and after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and (2) after participating in a pre-operative 6-week in-hospital exercise training programme, following neoadjuvant CRT prior to major surgery, compared to a usual care control group. We prospectively studied 39 consecutive participants (27 males). All participants completed standardised neoadjuvant CRT: 23 undertook a 6-week in-hospital exercise training programme following neoadjuvant CRT. These were compared to 16 contemporaneous non-randomised participants (usual care control group). All participants underwent a continuous 72-h period of PA monitoring by SenseWear biaxial accelerometer at baseline, immediately following neoadjuvant CRT (week 0), and at week 6 (following the exercise training programme). Of 39 recruited participants, 23 out of 23 (exercise) and 10 out of 16 (usual care control) completed the study. In all participants ( n  = 33), there was a significant reduction from baseline (pre-CRT) to week 0 (post-CRT) in daily step count: median (IQR) 4966 (4435) vs. 3044 (3265); p  < 0.0001, active energy expenditure (EE) (kcal): 264 (471) vs. 154 (164); p  = 0.003, and metabolic equivalent (MET) (1.3 (0.6) vs. 1.2 (0.3); p  = 0.010). There was a significant improvement in sleep efficiency (%) between week 0 and week 6 in the exercise group compared to the usual care control group (80 (13) vs. 78 (15) compared to (69 ((24) vs. 76 (20); p  = 0.022), as well as in sleep duration and lying down time ( p  < 0.05) while those in active EE (kcal) (152 (154) vs. 434 (658) compared to (244 (198) vs. 392 (701) or in MET (1.3 (0.4) vs. 1.5 (0.5) compared to (1.1 (0.2) vs. 1.5 (0.5) were also of importance but did not reach statistical significance ( p  > 0.05). An apparent improvement in daily step count and overall PAL in the exercise group was not statistically significant. PAL variables, daily step count, EE and MET significantly reduced following neoadjuvant CRT in all participants. A 6-week pre-operative in-hospital exercise training programme improved sleep efficiency, sleep duration and lying down time when compared to participants receiving usual care. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01325909.

Misreporting of Product Adherence in the MTN-003/VOICE Trial for HIV Prevention in Africa: Participants' Explanations for Dishonesty.

PubMed

Montgomery, Elizabeth T; Mensch, B; Musara, P; Hartmann, M; Woeber, K; Etima, J; van der Straten, A

2017-02-01

Consistent over-reporting of product use limits researchers' ability to accurately measure adherence and estimate product efficacy in HIV prevention trials. While lying is a universal characteristic of the human condition, growing evidence of a stark discrepancy between self-reported product use and biologic or pharmacokinetic evidence demands examination of the reasons research participants frequently misrepresent product use in order to mitigate this challenge in future research. This study (VOICE-D) was an ancillary post-trial study of the vaginal and oral interventions to control the epidemic (VOICE) phase IIb trial (MTN 003). It was conducted in three African countries to elicit candid accounts from former VOICE trial participants about why actual product use was lower than reported. In total 171 participants were enrolled between December 2012 and March 2014 in South Africa (n = 47), Uganda (n = 59) and Zimbabwe (n = 65). Data suggested that participants understood the importance of daily product use and honest reporting, yet acknowledged that research participants typically lie. Participants cited multiple reasons for misreporting adherence, including human nature, self-presentation with study staff, fear of repercussions (study termination resulting in loss of benefits and experience of HIV-related stigma), a permissive environment in which it was easy to get away with misreporting, and avoiding inconvenient additional counseling. Some participants also reported mistrust of the staff and reciprocal dishonesty about the study products. Many suggested real-time blood-monitoring during trials would encourage greater fidelity to product use and honesty in reporting. Participants at all sites understood the importance of daily product use and honesty, while also acknowledging widespread misreporting of product use. Narratives of dishonesty may suggest a wider social context of hiding products from partners and distrust about research, influenced by rumors circulating in clinic waiting-rooms and surrounding communities. Prevailing power hierarchies between staff and participants may exacerbate misreporting. Participants recognized and suggested that objective, real-time feedback is needed to encourage honest reporting.

Effect of free stall surface on daily activity patterns in dairy cows with relevance to lameness prevalence.

PubMed

Cook, N B; Bennett, T B; Nordlund, K V

2004-09-01

Differences in behavior of nonlame cows, slightly lame cows, and moderately lame cows in 6 free stall barns with sand bedding (SAND) vs. 6 free stall barns with rubber-crumb geotextile mattress surfaces (MAT) were documented in Wisconsin dairy herds. All lactating cows in the 12 herds were observed and given a locomotion score based on a 4-point scale: 1 = nonlame, 2 = slightly lame, 3 = moderately lame, and 4 = severely lame. Herd least square means +/-SE for prevalence of clinical lameness (locomotion scores = 3 and 4) were 11.1 vs. 24.0 +/- 1.7% for herds using SAND vs. MAT surfaces, respectively. Subsets of 10 cows per herd with locomotion scores of 1 to 3 were observed via video cameras for 24-h periods. Cows in MAT herds spent more time standing in free stalls per day than cows in SAND herds. Differences in standing times were 0.73 h/d for cows that were not lame, 2.32 h/d for cows that were slightly lame, and 4.31 h/d for cows that were moderately lame in MAT herds compared with equivalent cows in SAND herds. In MAT herds, the increase in time spent standing in the stall in moderately lame cows was associated with a significant reduction in stall use sessions per day, which impacted daily lying time. Although cause and effect are not clear, these findings have implications for housing, comfort, and care of cows in dairy herds with different types of free stall surfaces.

Lie symmetry analysis, conservation laws and exact solutions of the time-fractional generalized Hirota-Satsuma coupled KdV system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saberi, Elaheh; Reza Hejazi, S.

2018-02-01

In the present paper, Lie point symmetries of the time-fractional generalized Hirota-Satsuma coupled KdV (HS-cKdV) system based on the Riemann-Liouville derivative are obtained. Using the derived Lie point symmetries, we obtain similarity reductions and conservation laws of the considered system. Finally, some analytic solutions are furnished by means of the invariant subspace method in the Caputo sense.

The Evolution of an Imagery Data System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alarcon, C.; De Cesare, C.; Huang, T.; Roberts, J. T.; Rodriguez, J.; Cechini, M. F.; Boller, R. A.; Baynes, K.

2016-12-01

NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) has provided visualization of NASA's Earth Science data archives since 2011. The scope of GIBS has expanded over time to include community requested features such as granules, vectors, and profile imagery support. Behind the GIBS system lies the data management and automation package, The Imagery Exchange (TIE). As new features are added to GIBS, TIE must keep up with the capabilities that are required to automate the generation of our products while maintaining a robust generation pipeline. This presentation will focus on the challenges and solutions to expanding the TIE subsystem into a more evolved framework that can support the ever- growing needs of GIBS. This includes the efforts into redesigning the workflow to support sub-daily (e.g. granules) imagery while increasing the overall efficiency of the entire generation lifecycle.

Bedding on geotextile mattresses: how much is needed to improve cow comfort?

PubMed

Tucker, C B; Weary, D M

2004-09-01

The objective of our study was to evaluate how the amount of sawdust bedding on mattresses affects dairy cattle behavior and preferences. Eleven nonlactating, multiparous cows were housed individually in pens with access to 3 free stalls. Each stall was fitted with a geotextile mattress covered with either 0, 1, or 7.5 kg of kiln-dried sawdust. The experiment began with 7 d of acclimatization to all 3 stalls. Cows were then allowed access to only 1 of the 3 stalls at a time, each for 3 d (restriction phase). At the end of this restriction phase, cows were allowed free access to all 3 stalls for 3 d (free-choice phase). Time spent lying and the number of lying bouts increased significantly with the amount of bedding, from 12.3 +/- 0.53 h lying and 8.5 +/- 0.62 bouts per 24 h on bare mattresses to 13.8 +/- 0.53 h lying and 10.0 +/- 0.62 bouts per 24 h on mattresses with 7.5 kg of sawdust. In addition, the animals spent less time standing with only the front hooves in the stalls when more sawdust was present. When allowed free access to all 3 options, all 11 animals spent a majority of their time lying and standing in the 7.5-kg option. In conclusion, cows preferred mattresses bedded with 7.5 kg of sawdust, on which they spent more time lying down and less time standing with only the front hooves in stalls. These results indicate that more sawdust bedding improves cow comfort in stalls with geotextile mattresses.

The use of an alternate side lying positioning strategy during inhalation therapy does not prolong nebulisation time in adults with Cystic Fibrosis: a randomised crossover trial.

PubMed

Dentice, Ruth L; Elkins, Mark R; Dwyer, Genevieve M; Bye, Peter T P

2018-01-08

Inhalation of nebulised medications is performed in upright sitting to maximise lung volumes. The pattern of deposition is poor for inhaled medications in people with Cystic Fibrosis. The pattern tends to be non-uniform and typically the upper lobes receive a reduced dose compared to the rest of the lung. One strategy that has been proposed as having the potential to improve homogeneity of deposition is to adopt an alternate side lying position for the inhalation procedure. This study sought to determine whether, among adults with Cystic Fibrosis, there is any disadvantage to delivery time of nebulised medications with a strategy of alternate side lying, compared to upright sitting. A randomised crossover trial with concealed allocation, intention-to-treat analysis and blinded assessors was undertaken. The participants were 24 adults with stable Cystic Fibrosis. They inhaled 4 mL of normal saline via an LC Star™ nebuliser twice within 24 h. In random order, participants sat upright throughout nebulisation, or alternated between left and right side lying at each minute during the nebulisation period. The nebuliser was stopped and weighed each minute until the residual volume was reached. The primary outcome was the time required for 3.5 mL to be delivered. The secondary outcomes were: respiratory rate; ratio of the volume delivered on right and left sides; and calculation of how long the periods in side lying can be extended without causing greater than 20% discrepancy in dose delivered in the two positions. The delivery time did not significantly differ between sitting and side lying (mean difference 0.58 min, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.40 to 0.24). There was no significant correlation between delivery time, lung function or subject height (all R 2  < 0.4). Increasing side lying duration from 1 to 2 min did not significantly impact the dose delivered on each side. Turning each 3 min however, significantly worsened the disparity (mean ratio 1.32, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.40). Side lying during inhalation therapy does not prolong nebulisation time. 2-min periods should provide an equal dose in the two side lying positions. Prospectively registered on 4 July 2011; ACTRN12611000672954 .

Automatic detection of respiration rate from ambulatory single-lead ECG.

PubMed

Boyle, Justin; Bidargaddi, Niranjan; Sarela, Antti; Karunanithi, Mohan

2009-11-01

Ambulatory electrocardiography is increasingly being used in clinical practice to detect abnormal electrical behavior of the heart during ordinary daily activities. The utility of this monitoring can be improved by deriving respiration, which previously has been based on overnight apnea studies where patients are stationary, or the use of multilead ECG systems for stress testing. We compared six respiratory measures derived from a single-lead portable ECG monitor with simultaneously measured respiration air flow obtained from an ambulatory nasal cannula respiratory monitor. Ten controlled 1-h recordings were performed covering activities of daily living (lying, sitting, standing, walking, jogging, running, and stair climbing) and six overnight studies. The best method was an average of a 0.2-0.8 Hz bandpass filter and RR technique based on lengthening and shortening of the RR interval. Mean error rates with the reference gold standard were +/-4 breaths per minute (bpm) (all activities), +/-2 bpm (lying and sitting), and +/-1 breath per minute (overnight studies). Statistically similar results were obtained using heart rate information alone (RR technique) compared to the best technique derived from the full ECG waveform that simplifies data collection procedures. The study shows that respiration can be derived under dynamic activities from a single-lead ECG without significant differences from traditional methods.

Everybody Else Is Doing It: Exploring Social Transmission of Lying Behavior

PubMed Central

Mann, Heather; Garcia-Rada, Ximena; Houser, Daniel; Ariely, Dan

2014-01-01

Lying is a common occurrence in social interactions, but what predicts whether an individual will tell a lie? While previous studies have focused on personality factors, here we asked whether lying tendencies might be transmitted through social networks. Using an international sample of 1,687 socially connected pairs, we investigated whether lying tendencies were related in socially connected individuals, and tested two moderators of observed relationships. Participants recruited through a massive open online course reported how likely they would be to engage in specific lies; a friend or relative responded to the same scenarios independently. We classified lies according to their beneficiary (antisocial vs. prosocial lies), and their directness (lies of commission vs. omission), resulting in four unique lying categories. Regression analyses showed that antisocial commission, antisocial omission, and prosocial commission lying tendencies were all uniquely related in connected pairs, even when the analyses were limited to pairs that were not biologically related. For antisocial lies of commission, these relationships were strongest, and were moderated by amount of time spent together. Randomly paired individuals from the same countries were also related in their antisocial commission lying tendencies, signifying country-level norms. Our results indicate that a person's lying tendencies can be predicted by the lying tendencies of his or her friends and family members. PMID:25333483

IDEEA activity monitor: validity of activity recognition for lying, reclining, sitting and standing.

PubMed

Jiang, Yuyu; Larson, Janet L

2013-03-01

Recent evidence demonstrates the independent negative effects of sedentary behavior on health, but there are few objective measures of sedentary behavior. Most instruments measure physical activity and are not validated as measures of sedentary behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of the IDEEA system's measures of sedentary and low-intensity physical activities: lying, reclining, sitting and standing. Thirty subjects, 14 men and 16 women, aged 23 to 77 years, body mass index (BMI) between 18 to 34 kg/m(2), participated in the study. IDEEA measures were compared to direct observation for 27 activities: 10 lying in bed, 3 lying on a sofa, 1 reclining in a lawn chair, 10 sitting and 3 standing. Two measures are reported, the percentage of activities accurately identified and the percentage of monitored time that was accurately labeled by the IDEEA system for all subjects. A total of 91.6% of all observed activities were accurately identified and 92.4% of the total monitored time was accurately labeled. The IDEEA system did not accurately differentiate between lying and reclining so the two activities were combined for calculating accuracy. Using this approach the IDEEA system accurately identified 96% of sitting activities for a total of 97% of the monitored sitting time, 99% and 99% for standing, 87% and 88% for lying in bed, 87% and 88% for lying on the sofa, and 83% and 83% for reclining on a lawn chair. We conclude that the IDEEA system accurately recognizes sitting and standing positions, but it is less accurate in identifying lying and reclining positions. We recommend combining the lying and reclining activities to improve accuracy. The IDEEA system enables researchers to monitor lying, reclining, sitting and standing with a reasonable level of accuracy and has the potential to advance the science of sedentary behaviors and low-intensity physical activities.

Influences of Mating Group Composition on the Behavioral Time-Budget of Male and Female Alpine Ibex (Capra ibex) during the Rut

PubMed Central

Tettamanti, Federico; Viblanc, Vincent A.

2014-01-01

During the rut, polygynous ungulates gather in mixed groups of individuals of different sex and age. Group social composition, which may vary on a daily basis, is likely to have strong influences on individual’s time-budget, with emerging properties at the group-level. To date, few studies have considered the influence of group composition on male and female behavioral time budget in mating groups. Focusing on a wild population of Alpine ibex, we investigated the influence of group composition (adult sex ratio, the proportion of dominant to subordinate males, and group size) on three behavioral axes obtained by Principal Components Analysis, describing male and female group time-budget. For both sexes, the first behavioral axis discerned a trade-off between grazing and standing/vigilance behavior. In females, group vigilance behavior increased with increasingly male-biased sex ratio, whereas in males, the effect of adult sex ratio on standing/vigilance behavior depended on the relative proportion of dominant males in the mating group. The second axis characterized courtship and male-male agonistic behavior in males, and moving and male-directed agonistic behavior in females. Mating group composition did not substantially influence this axis in males. However, moving and male-directed agonistic behavior increased at highly biased sex ratios (quadratic effect) in females. Finally, the third axis highlighted a trade-off between moving and lying behavior in males, and distinguished moving and female-female agonistic behavior from lying behavior in females. For males, those behaviors were influenced by a complex interaction between group size and adult sex ratio, whereas in females, moving and female-female agonistic behaviors increased in a quadratic fashion at highly biased sex ratios, and also increased with increasing group size. Our results reveal complex behavioral trade-offs depending on group composition in the Alpine ibex, and emphasize the importance of social factors in influencing behavioral time-budgets of wild ungulates during the rut. PMID:24416453

Biographical disruption, adjustment and reconstruction of everyday occupations and work participation after mild traumatic brain injury. A focus group study.

PubMed

Sveen, Unni; Søberg, Helene Lundgaard; Østensjø, Sigrid

2016-11-01

To explore traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a biographical disruption and to study the reconstruction of everyday occupations and work participation among individuals with mild TBI. Seven focus groups were conducted with 12 women and 8 men (22-60 years) who had sustained mild TBI and participated in a return-to-work program. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Four interrelated themes emerged: disruption of occupational capacity and balance; changes in self-perceptions; experience of time; and occupational adjustment and reconstruction. The meaning of the impairments lies in their impact on the individual's everyday occupations. The abandonment of meaningful daily occupations and the feeling of not recognizing oneself were experienced as threats to the sense of self. Successful integration of the past, present and future was paramount to continuing life activities. The unpredictability of the future seemed to permeate the entire process of adjustment and reconstruction of daily life. Our findings show that the concept of time is important in understanding and supporting the reconstruction of daily life after TBI. The fundamental work of rehabilitation is to ameliorate the disruptions caused by the injury, restoring a sense of personal narrative and supporting the ability to move forward with life. Implications for Rehabilitation Individuals with a protracted recovery after a mild traumatic brain injury must reconstruct a new way of being and acting in the world to achieve biographical continuity. The perceived anxiety regarding changes in self and occupational identity, as well as loss of control over the future, can be attenuated through informational sessions during the hospital stay and at follow-up visits. The significant personal costs of returning to full-time employment too early indicate the need for early and ongoing vocational support in achieving a successful return to work.

Validation of the Hexoskin wearable vest during lying, sitting, standing, and walking activities.

PubMed

Villar, Rodrigo; Beltrame, Thomas; Hughson, Richard L

2015-10-01

We tested the validity of the Hexoskin wearable vest to monitor heart rate (HR), breathing rate (BR), tidal volume (VT), minute ventilation, and hip motion intensity (HMI) in comparison with laboratory standard devices during lying, sitting, standing, and walking. Twenty healthy young volunteers participated in this study. First, participants walked 6 min on a treadmill at speeds of 1, 3, and 4.5 km/h followed by increasing treadmill grades until 80% of their predicted maximal heart rate. Second, lying, sitting, and standing tasks were performed (5 min each) followed by 6 min of treadmill walking at 80% of their ventilatory threshold. Analysis of each individual's mean values under each resting or exercise condition by the 2 measurement systems revealed low coefficient of variation and high intraclass correlation values for HR, BR, and HMI. The Bland-Altman results from HR, BR, and HMI indicated no deviation of the mean value from zero and relatively small variability about the mean. VT and minute ventilation were provided in arbitrary units by the Hexoskin device; however, relative magnitude of change from Hexoskin closely tracked the laboratory standard method. Hexoskin presented low variability, good agreement, and consistency. The Hexoskin wearable vest was a valid and consistent tool to monitor activities typical of daily living such as different body positions (lying, sitting, and standing) and various walking speeds.

Lie Symmetry Analysis and Explicit Solutions of the Time Fractional Fifth-Order KdV Equation

PubMed Central

Wang, Gang wei; Xu, Tian zhou; Feng, Tao

2014-01-01

In this paper, using the Lie group analysis method, we study the invariance properties of the time fractional fifth-order KdV equation. A systematic research to derive Lie point symmetries to time fractional fifth-order KdV equation is performed. In the sense of point symmetry, all of the vector fields and the symmetry reductions of the fractional fifth-order KdV equation are obtained. At last, by virtue of the sub-equation method, some exact solutions to the fractional fifth-order KdV equation are provided. PMID:24523885

Lie symmetries and conservation laws for the time fractional Derrida-Lebowitz-Speer-Spohn equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rui, Wenjuan; Zhang, Xiangzhi

2016-05-01

This paper investigates the invariance properties of the time fractional Derrida-Lebowitz-Speer-Spohn (FDLSS) equation with Riemann-Liouville derivative. By using the Lie group analysis method of fractional differential equations, we derive Lie symmetries for the FDLSS equation. In a particular case of scaling transformations, we transform the FDLSS equation into a nonlinear ordinary fractional differential equation. Conservation laws for this equation are obtained with the aid of the new conservation theorem and the fractional generalization of the Noether operators.

Differences in the daily activity of patients with diabetic foot ulcers compared to controls in their free-living environments.

PubMed

Sheahan, Helen; Canning, Kimberley; Refausse, Nishka; Kinnear, Ewan M; Jorgensen, Greg; Walsh, James R; Lazzarini, Peter A

2017-12-01

The aims of our study were to investigate multiple daily activity outcomes in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) compared to diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and diabetes (DM) controls in their free-living environments. We examined daily activity outcomes of 30 patients with DFU, 23 DPN and 20 DM. All patients wore a validated multi-sensor device for > 5 days (>22 hours per day) to measure their daily activity outcomes: steps, energy expenditure (kJ), average metabolic equivalent tasks (METs), physical activity (>3·0 METs) duration and energy expenditure, lying duration, sleep duration and sleep quality. We found that DFU patients recorded fewer median (interquartile ranges, IQR) daily steps [2154 (1621-4324)] than DPN [3660 (2742-7705)] and DM [5102 (4011-7408)] controls (P < 0·05). In contrast, DFU patients recorded more mean ± SD daily energy expenditure (kJ) (13 006 ± 3559) than DPN (11 085 ± 1876) and DM (11 491 ± 1559) controls (P < 0·05). We found no other differences in daily activity outcomes (P > 0·1). We conclude that DFU patients typically take fewer steps but expend more energy during their normal daily activity than DPN and DM controls. We hypothesise that the increased energy expenditure for DFU patients may be due to wound healing or an inefficient gait strategy. Further investigations into this energy imbalance in DFU patients may improve healing in future. © 2017 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data evaluation for use in monitoring vegetation. Volume 1: Channels 1 and 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horvath, N. C.; Gray, T. I.; Mccrary, D. G. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite system (NOAA-6 satellite) were analyzed to study their nonmeteorological uses. A file of charts, graphs, and tables was created form the products generated. It was found that the most useful data lie between pixel numbers 400 and 2000 on a given scan line. The analysis of the generated products indicates that the Gray-McCrary Index can discern vegetation and associated daily and seasonal changes. The solar zenith-angle correction used in previous studies was found to be a useful adjustment to the index. The METSAT system seems best suited for providing large-area analyses of surface features on a daily basis.

A comparison of accuracy of fall detection algorithms (threshold-based vs. machine learning) using waist-mounted tri-axial accelerometer signals from a comprehensive set of falls and non-fall trials.

PubMed

Aziz, Omar; Musngi, Magnus; Park, Edward J; Mori, Greg; Robinovitch, Stephen N

2017-01-01

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related morbidity and mortality among older adults. Over 90 % of hip and wrist fractures and 60 % of traumatic brain injuries in older adults are due to falls. Another serious consequence of falls among older adults is the 'long lie' experienced by individuals who are unable to get up and remain on the ground for an extended period of time after a fall. Considerable research has been conducted over the past decade on the design of wearable sensor systems that can automatically detect falls and send an alert to care providers to reduce the frequency and severity of long lies. While most systems described to date incorporate threshold-based algorithms, machine learning algorithms may offer increased accuracy in detecting falls. In the current study, we compared the accuracy of these two approaches in detecting falls by conducting a comprehensive set of falling experiments with 10 young participants. Participants wore waist-mounted tri-axial accelerometers and simulated the most common causes of falls observed in older adults, along with near-falls and activities of daily living. The overall performance of five machine learning algorithms was greater than the performance of five threshold-based algorithms described in the literature, with support vector machines providing the highest combination of sensitivity and specificity.

Physical activity monitoring in patients with peripheral arterial disease: validation of an activity monitor.

PubMed

Fokkenrood, H J P; Verhofstad, N; van den Houten, M M L; Lauret, G J; Wittens, C; Scheltinga, M R M; Teijink, J A W

2014-08-01

The daily life physical activity (PA) of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) may be severely hampered by intermittent claudication (IC). From a therapeutic, as well as research, point of view, it may be more relevant to determine improvement in PA as an outcome measure in IC. The aim of this study was to validate daily activities using a novel type of tri-axial accelerometer (Dynaport MoveMonitor) in patients with IC. Patients with IC were studied during a hospital visit. Standard activities (locomotion, lying, sitting, standing, shuffling, number of steps and "not worn" detection) were video recorded and compared with activities scored by the MoveMonitor. Inter-rater reliability (expressed in intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC]), sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values (PPV) were calculated for each activity. Twenty-eight hours of video observation were analysed (n = 21). Our video annotation method (the gold standard method) appeared to be accurate for most postures (ICC > 0.97), except for shuffling (ICC = 0.38). The MoveMonitor showed a high sensitivity (>86%), specificity (>91%), and PPV (>88%) for locomotion, lying, sitting, and "not worn" detection. Moderate accuracy was found for standing (46%), while shuffling appeared to be undetectable (18%). A strong correlation was found between video recordings and the MoveMonitor with regard to the calculation of the "number of steps" (ICC = 0.90). The MoveMonitor provides accurate information on a diverse set of postures, daily activities, and number of steps in IC patients. However, the detection of low amplitude movements, such as shuffling and "sitting to standing" transfers, is a matter of concern. This tool is useful in assessing the role of PA as a novel, clinically relevant outcome parameter in IC. Copyright © 2014 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Daily variations in the thermoregulatory behaviors of naked neck broilers in an equatorial semi-arid environment.

PubMed

de Queiroz, João Paulo Araújo Fernandes; de Souza, João Batista Freire; de Lima, Hiagos Felipe Ferreira; de Oliveira Costa, Monik Kelly; de Macedo Costa, Leonardo Lelis; de Arruda, Alex Martins Varela

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the daily variations in the thermoregulatory behavior of 4- to 6-week-old naked neck broilers (Label Rouge) in an equatorial semi-arid environment. A total of 220 birds were monitored for 5 days starting at 0600 hours and ending at 1800 hours. The period of observation was divided into classes of hours (C H). The observed behaviors were as follows: feed and water intake, wing-spreading, sitting or lying, and beak-opening. A total of 14,300 behavioral data values were registered. In C H 2 (0900 hours to 1100 hours) and 3 (1200 hours to 1500 hours), the greatest average body surface temperature was recorded (34.67 ± 0.25 °C and 35.12 ± 0.22 °C, respectively). The C H had an effect on the exhibition of all behaviors with the exception of the water intake behavior. Feed intake was more frequent in C H 1 (0600 hours to 0800 hours) and 4 (1600 hours to 1800 hours). In C H 2 and 3, the highest frequency of sitting or lying behavior was observed. Beak-opening and wing-spreading behaviors occurred more frequently in C H 3 where the body surface temperature (35.12 ± 0.22 °C), radiant heat load (519.38 ± 2.22 W m(-2)), and enthalpy (82.74 ± 0.36 kJ kg(-1) of dry air) reached maximum recorded averages. Thus, it can be concluded that naked neck broilers adjust their behavior in response to daily variations in the thermal environment. Wing-spreading and beak-opening behaviors are important adaptive responses to the thermal challenges posed by the equatorial semi-arid environment.

Validity of a Self-Report Recall Tool for Estimating Sedentary Behavior in Adults.

PubMed

Gomersall, Sjaan R; Pavey, Toby G; Clark, Bronwyn K; Jasman, Adib; Brown, Wendy J

2015-11-01

Sedentary behavior is continuing to emerge as an important target for health promotion. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of a self-report use of time recall tool, the Multimedia Activity Recall for Children and Adults (MARCA) in estimating time spent sitting/lying, compared with a device-based measure. Fifty-eight participants (48% female, [mean ± standard deviation] 28 ± 7.4 years of age, 23.9 ± 3.05 kg/m(2)) wore an activPAL device for 24-h and the following day completed the MARCA. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were used to analyze convergent validity of the adult MARCA compared with activPAL estimates of total sitting/lying time. Agreement was examined using Bland-Altman plots. According to activPAL estimates, participants spent 10.4 hr/day [standard deviation (SD) = 2.06] sitting or lying down while awake. The correlation between MARCA and activPAL estimates of total sit/lie time was r = .77 (95% confidence interval = 0.64-0.86; P < .001). Bland-Altman analyses revealed a mean bias of +0.59 hr/day with moderately wide limits of agreement (-2.35 hr to +3.53 hr/day). This study found a moderate to strong agreement between the adult MARCA and the activPAL, suggesting that the MARCA is an appropriate tool for the measurement of time spent sitting or lying down in an adult population.

Physio-Environmental Sensing and Live Modeling

PubMed Central

Diaz, Vanessa; Gaggioli, Andrea; Liò, Pietro; Mazzà, Claudia; Merelli, Emanuela; Meskers, Carel G.M; Pappalardo, Francesco; von Ammon, Rainer

2013-01-01

In daily life, humans are constantly interacting with their environment. Evidence is emerging that this interaction is a very important modulator of health and well-being, even more so in our rapidly ageing society. Information and communication technology lies at the heart of the human health care revolution. It cannot remain acceptable to use out of date data analysis and predictive algorithms when superior alternatives exist. Communication network speed, high penetration of home broadband, availability of various mobile network options, together with the available detailed biological data for individuals, are producing promising advances in computerized systems that will turn information on human-environment interactions into actual knowledge with the potential to help make medical and lifestyle decisions. We introduced and discussed a key scenario in which hardware and software technologies capable of simultaneously sensing physiological and environmental signals process health care data in real-time to issue alarms, warnings, or simple recommendations to the patient or carers. PMID:23612245

[Power and everyday life in a lunatic asylum environment - a case example from Glasgow at the beginning of the 20th century].

PubMed

Gründler, Jens

In this article the focus of analysis lies on power relations in everyday life in one of Glasgow's Pauper Lunatic Asylums at the turn of the twentieth century. Taking a sample of patient case files I examine the daily processes of negotiation between inmates and their relatives, physicians, attendants and nurses as well as the poor law administration. Some cases especially exemplify the complex relationships between the actors. They show which opportunities and boundaries existed for "power brokering" for the more powerless. At the same time these cases illustrate the formal and practical limits of enforcement by doctors and nursing staff. Without turning a blind eve to hierarchies and power imbalances the analysis shows that even in settings like "total institutions" power remains volatile. Even there the more powerful actors have to actualize, seize and prevail on a regular basis.

Personalization algorithm for real-time activity recognition using PDA, wireless motion bands, and binary decision tree.

PubMed

Pärkkä, Juha; Cluitmans, Luc; Ermes, Miikka

2010-09-01

Inactive and sedentary lifestyle is a major problem in many industrialized countries today. Automatic recognition of type of physical activity can be used to show the user the distribution of his daily activities and to motivate him into more active lifestyle. In this study, an automatic activity-recognition system consisting of wireless motion bands and a PDA is evaluated. The system classifies raw sensor data into activity types online. It uses a decision tree classifier, which has low computational cost and low battery consumption. The classifier parameters can be personalized online by performing a short bout of an activity and by telling the system which activity is being performed. Data were collected with seven volunteers during five everyday activities: lying, sitting/standing, walking, running, and cycling. The online system can detect these activities with overall 86.6% accuracy and with 94.0% accuracy after classifier personalization.

[Effect of a change in posture on the diurnal variations of fructosamine concentration in diabetic patients].

PubMed

Willms, B; Schumann, E

1990-01-01

Daily profiles of blood glucose, HbA1c, total protein and fructosamine were measured in 10 diabetic patients and the factor fructosamine x 7/g total protein was calculated. Measurements were done at 4 a.m. to be sure that the patients were sleeping for some time, during the day and the following evening at 11 p.m., when the patients were lying again, so that the influence of orthostasis, the difference between bed rest and walking could be demonstrated. The blood glucose profile was typical whereas the HbA1c concentration was very stable and constant. Total protein and fructosamine increased significantly by orthostasis; the correction of fructosamine by total protein diminished the differences, but did not completely eliminate the effect of orthostasis. However, fructosamine should be corrected by the total protein concentration in order to increase the diagnostic value of the parameter.

A Method for Capturing and Reconciling Stakeholder Intentions Based on the Formal Concept Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoyama, Mikio

Information systems are ubiquitous in our daily life. Thus, information systems need to work appropriately anywhere at any time for everybody. Conventional information systems engineering tends to engineer systems from the viewpoint of systems functionality. However, the diversity of the usage context requires fundamental change compared to our current thinking on information systems; from the functionality the systems provide to the goals the systems should achieve. The intentional approach embraces the goals and related aspects of the information systems. This chapter presents a method for capturing, structuring and reconciling diverse goals of multiple stakeholders. The heart of the method lies in the hierarchical structuring of goals by goal lattice based on the formal concept analysis, a semantic extension of the lattice theory. We illustrate the effectiveness of the presented method through application to the self-checkout systems for large-scale supermarkets.

Shift work-related problems in 16-h night shift nurses (1): Development of an automated data processing system for questionnaires, heart rate, physical activity and posture.

PubMed

Fukuda, H; Takahashi, M; Miki, K; Haratani, T; Kurabayashi, L; Hisanaga, N; Arito, H; Takahashi, H; Egoshi, M; Sakurai, M

1999-04-01

To assess the shift work-related problems associated with a 16-h night shift in a two-shift system, we took the following important factors into consideration; the interaction between circadian rhythms and the longer night shift, the type of morningness and eveningness experienced, the subjective sleep feeling, the subjects' daily behavior, the effectiveness of taking a nap during the long night shift, and finally the effectiveness of using several different kinds of measuring devices. Included among the measuring devices used were a standard questionnaire, repetitive self-assessment of subjective symptoms and daily behavior at short intervals, and a continuous recording of such objective indices as physical activity and heart rate. A potential problem lies in the fact that field studies that use such measures tend to produce a mass of data, and are thus faced with the accompanying technical problem of analyzing such a large amount of data (time, effort and cost). To solve the data analysis problem, we developed an automated data processing system. Through the use of an image scanner with a paper feeder, standard paper, an optical character recognition function and common application software, we were able to analyze a mass of data continuously and automatically within a short time. Our system should prove useful for field studies that produce a large amount of data collected with several different kinds of measuring devices.

Temperature and body weight affect fouling of pig pens.

PubMed

Aarnink, A J A; Schrama, J W; Heetkamp, M J W; Stefanowska, J; Huynh, T T T

2006-08-01

Fouling of the solid lying area in pig housing is undesirable for reasons of animal welfare, animal health, environmental pollution, and labor costs. In this study the influence of temperature on the excreting and lying behavior of growing-finishing pigs of different BW (25, 45, 65, 85, or 105 kg) was studied. Ten groups of 5 pigs were placed in partially slatted pens (60% solid concrete, 40% metal-slatted) in climate respiration chambers. After an adaptation period, temperatures were raised daily for 9 d. Results showed that above certain inflection temperatures (IT; mean 22.6 degrees C, SE = 0.78) the number of excretions (relative to the total number of excretions) on the solid floor increased with temperature (mean increase 9.7%/ degrees C, SE = 1.41). Below the IT, the number of excretions on the solid floor was low and not influenced by temperature (mean 13.2%, SE = 3.5). On average, the IT for excretion on the solid floor decreased with increasing BW, from approximately 25 degrees C at 25 kg to 20 degrees C at 100 kg of BW (P < 0.05). Increasing temperature also affected the pattern and postural lying. The temperature at which a maximum number of pigs lay on the slatted floor (i.e., the IT for lying) decreased from approximately 27 degrees C at 25 kg to 23 degrees C at 100 kg of BW (P < 0.001). At increasing temperatures, pigs lay more on their sides and less against other pigs (P < 0.001). Temperature affects lying and excreting behavior of growing-finishing pigs in partially slatted pens. Above certain IT, pen fouling increases linearly with temperature. Inflection temperatures decrease at increasing BW.

Daily Activity and Nest Occupation Patterns of Fox Squirrels (Sciurus niger) throughout the Year.

PubMed

Wassmer, Thomas; Refinetti, Roberto

2016-01-01

The authors investigated the general activity and nest occupation patterns of fox squirrels in a natural setting using temperature-sensitive data loggers that measure activity as changes in the microenvironment of the animal. Data were obtained from 25 distinct preparations, upon 14 unique squirrels, totaling 1385 recording days. The animals were clearly diurnal, with a predominantly unimodal activity pattern, although individual squirrels occasionally exhibited bimodal patterns, particularly in the spring and summer. Even during the short days of winter (9 hours of light), the squirrels typically left the nest after dawn and returned before dusk, spending only about 7 hours out of the nest each day. Although the duration of the daily active phase did not change with the seasons, the squirrels exited the nest earlier in the day when the days became longer in the summer and exited the nest later in the day when the days became shorter in the winter, thus tracking dawn along the seasons. During the few hours spent outside the nest each day, fox squirrels seemed to spend most of the time sitting or lying. These findings suggest that fox squirrels may have adopted a slow life history strategy that involves long periods of rest on trees and short periods of ground activity each day.

China QIUSHI SEEKING TRUTH no 4, 16 August 1988

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-26

excessive rise of commodity prices, and the crux of the price problem lies in the prices food . The current imbal- ance in the market’s supply of and...income of the urban and rural residents has increased and their demand for food consumption has increased extremely rapidly. According to statistics...from 1979 to 1986, of the consumption outlay in the urban and rural residents’ daily life, that for food commodities increased by 200 percent

1. RW Meyer Sugar Mill: 18761889. Threeroll sugar mill: oneton ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. RW Meyer Sugar Mill: 1876-1889. Three-roll sugar mill: one-ton daily processing capacity. Manufactured by Edwin Maw, Liverpool, England, ca. 1855-1870. View: Historical view, 1934, from T.T. Waterman collection, Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association. Large rectangular piece lying in front of the mill is the top of the mill frame appearing in its proper place in 1928 views. - R. W. Meyer Sugar Mill, State Route 47, Kualapuu, Maui County, HI

One-by-One or All-at-Once? Self-Reporting Policies and Dishonesty

PubMed Central

Rilke, Rainer M.; Schurr, Amos; Barkan, Rachel; Shalvi, Shaul

2016-01-01

Organizational monitoring relies frequently on self-reports (e.g., work hours, progress reports, travel expenses). A “one-by-one” policy requires employees to submit a series of reports (e.g., daily or itemized reports). An “all-at-once” policy requires an overall report (e.g., an annual or an overview report). Both policies use people's self-reports to determine their pay, and both allow people to inflate their reports to get higher incentives, that is, to cheat. Objectively, people can cheat to the same extent under both reporting policies. However, the two policies differ in that the segmented one-by-one policy signals closer monitoring than the all-at-once policy. We suggest here that lie aversion may have a paradoxical effect on closer monitoring and lead people to cheat more. Specifically, reporting a series of segmented units of performance (allowing small lies) should lead to more cheating than a one-shot report of overall performance (that require one larger lie). Two surveys indicated that while people perceive the all-at-once policy as more trusting, they still expected people would be equally likely to cheat in both policies. An experiment tested the effects of the two reporting policies on cheating. The findings showed that contrary to the participants' intuition, but in line with research on lie aversion, the one-by-one policy resulted in more cheating than the all-at-once policy. Implications for future research and organization policy are discussed. PMID:26924997

[Electromechanical registration of the resting behavior of fattening pigs].

PubMed

Heuser, H; Plonait, H

1977-10-05

The resting behaviour of four weanling pigs has been continuously recorded by an electromechanical apparatus for 8 weeks. The duration of different postures: standing, ventral recumbency, lateral recumbency and frequency of standing periods were recorded as influenced by different environmental factors. 1. Floor with and without bedding at 21 degrees C. 2. Floor without bedding at 27 degrees C environmental temperature. 3. Feeding once daily versus twice. Duration of recumbency periods was increases at 21 degrees C if bedding was provided. This also improved daily gain. At elevated environmental temperatures the animals preferred the lying posture on concrete floor. Feeding twice increased the duration of recumbency. The same was the case as the animals grew older. Disturbance by caretaking activities in neighbouring dens increased the duration of standing.

Short communication: Effect of cross ventilation with or without evaporative pads on core body temperature and resting time of lactating cows.

PubMed

Smith, J F; Bradford, B J; Harner, J P; Potts, J C; Allen, J D; Overton, M W; Ortiz, X A; Collier, R J

2016-02-01

A trial was performed to assess the effect of evaporative pads on core body temperature (CBT) and lying behavior of lactating Holstein cows housed in cross-ventilated freestall facilities in a humid environment. This trial was undertaken in 2 barns equipped with (EP) or without (NP) evaporative pads. Each facility had 4 pens, 1 baffle/pen, and a nominal width of 122 m. Stocking density was higher (123.4 vs. 113.1%) and freestalls were slightly shorter (2.3 vs. 2.4 m) and narrower (1.16 vs. 1.21 m) in EP compared with NP barns. In each pen, lying behavior of 20 cows was monitored using electronic data loggers that recorded at 1-min intervals. A subset (n=14) of these cows within each pen were also fitted with temperature loggers attached to blank controlled intravaginal drug release devices to determine CBT every 5 min. Ambient conditions were collected every 15 min. Individual cow lying duration and lying bouts were assessed for each cow, as well as time spent standing and CBT within the following categories: CBT <38.6°C, and CBT >38.6, >38.9, >39.2, >39.4, and >39.7°C. These variables were analyzed using pen as the experimental unit, with cow and day as additional random effects. The average maximum ambient conditions over the 9 d were 25°C and 78.74% relative humidity. No differences were observed in lying duration and number of lying bouts over the 9-d period, with overall means of 696±31 min/d and 12.6±0.5 bouts/d. The EP cows spent 170 min/d longer with a CBT <38.6°C and 107 min/d less with CBT >39.2°C than did NP cows. Cooling with evaporative pads tended to increase time spent lying with a CBT >8.6°C and lying bouts/d for EP cows versus NP cows. Results from this trial show that even under mild heat stress, evaporative cooling in cross-ventilated facilities can decrease CBT and tended to increase lying time. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of alternative deep bedding options on dairy cow preference, lying behavior, cleanliness, and teat end contamination.

PubMed

Wolfe, T; Vasseur, E; DeVries, T J; Bergeron, R

2018-01-01

Cows spend more time lying down when stalls are soft and dry, and bedding plays a key role in the comfort of the lying surface. The first objective of this study (experiment 1) was to compare cow preference for 2 types of alternative deep-bedding materials, switchgrass and switchgrass-lime, using wheat straw on a rubber mat as a control. Nine Holstein lactating cows were submitted in trios to a 3-choice preference test over 14 d (2 d of adaptation, 3 d of restriction to each stall, and 3 d of free access to all 3 stalls). Cows were housed individually in pens containing 3 stalls with different lying surfaces: (1) rubber mat with chopped wheat straw (WS); (2) deep-bedded switchgrass (SG); and (3) deep-bedded switchgrass, water, and lime mixture (SGL). The second objective (experiment 2) was to test, in freestall housing, the effects of these 3 types of bedding on lying behavior, cow cleanliness, and teat end bacterial contamination. Bedding treatments were compared in a 3 × 3 Latin square design using 24 cows split into groups of 8, with bedding materials being switched every 4 wk. Lying behavior was measured with data loggers in both studies. During experiment 1, cows chose to spend more time lying and had more frequent lying bouts on SG (9.4 h/d; 8.2 bouts/d) than on SGL (1.0 h/d; 0.9 bouts/d). They also spent more time standing and stood more frequently in stalls with SG (2.0 h/d; 10.1 bouts/d) than in those with SGL (0.6 h/d; 2.6 bouts/d), and stood longer in stalls with SG than with WS (0.6 h/d). In experiment 2, the total lying time, frequency of lying bouts, and mean lying bout duration were, on average, 9.7 ± 1.03 h/d, 8.2 ± 0.93 bouts/d, and 1.2 ± 0.06 h/bout, respectively, and did not differ between treatments. No treatment effects were found for cow cleanliness scores. Bedding dry matter was highest for SG (74.1%), lowest for SGL (63.5%), and intermediate for WS (68.6%) [standard error of the mean (SEM) = 1.57%]. This may explain the higher teat end count of coliforms for cows on SGL (0.92 log 10 cfu/g) compared with WS (0.13 log 10 cfu/g) (SEM = 0.144 log 10 cfu/g). In conclusion, cows preferred the deep-bedded switchgrass surface over the other 2 surfaces, and deep-bedded switchgrass appears to be a suitable bedding alternative for dairy cows. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lie algebraic approach to the time-dependent quantum general harmonic oscillator and the bi-dimensional charged particle in time-dependent electromagnetic fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ibarra-Sierra, V.G.; Sandoval-Santana, J.C.; Cardoso, J.L.

We discuss the one-dimensional, time-dependent general quadratic Hamiltonian and the bi-dimensional charged particle in time-dependent electromagnetic fields through the Lie algebraic approach. Such method consists in finding a set of generators that form a closed Lie algebra in terms of which it is possible to express a quantum Hamiltonian and therefore the evolution operator. The evolution operator is then the starting point to obtain the propagator as well as the explicit form of the Heisenberg picture position and momentum operators. First, the set of generators forming a closed Lie algebra is identified for the general quadratic Hamiltonian. This algebra ismore » later extended to study the Hamiltonian of a charged particle in electromagnetic fields exploiting the similarities between the terms of these two Hamiltonians. These results are applied to the solution of five different examples: the linear potential which is used to introduce the Lie algebraic method, a radio frequency ion trap, a Kanai–Caldirola-like forced harmonic oscillator, a charged particle in a time dependent magnetic field, and a charged particle in constant magnetic field and oscillating electric field. In particular we present exact analytical expressions that are fitting for the study of a rotating quadrupole field ion trap and magneto-transport in two-dimensional semiconductor heterostructures illuminated by microwave radiation. In these examples we show that this powerful method is suitable to treat quadratic Hamiltonians with time dependent coefficients quite efficiently yielding closed analytical expressions for the propagator and the Heisenberg picture position and momentum operators. -- Highlights: •We deal with the general quadratic Hamiltonian and a particle in electromagnetic fields. •The evolution operator is worked out through the Lie algebraic approach. •We also obtain the propagator and Heisenberg picture position and momentum operators. •Analytical expressions for a rotating quadrupole field ion trap are presented. •Exact solutions for magneto-transport in variable electromagnetic fields are shown.« less

A description of pseudo-bosons in terms of nilpotent Lie algebras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagarello, Fabio; Russo, Francesco G.

2018-02-01

We show how the one-mode pseudo-bosonic ladder operators provide concrete examples of nilpotent Lie algebras of dimension five. It is the first time that an algebraic-geometric structure of this kind is observed in the context of pseudo-bosonic operators. Indeed we do not find the well known Heisenberg algebras, which are involved in several quantum dynamical systems, but different Lie algebras which may be decomposed into the sum of two abelian Lie algebras in a prescribed way. We introduce the notion of semidirect sum (of Lie algebras) for this scope and find that it describes very well the behavior of pseudo-bosonic operators in many quantum models.

Correlation functions from a unified variational principle: Trial Lie groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balian, R.; Vénéroni, M.

2015-11-01

Time-dependent expectation values and correlation functions for many-body quantum systems are evaluated by means of a unified variational principle. It optimizes a generating functional depending on sources associated with the observables of interest. It is built by imposing through Lagrange multipliers constraints that account for the initial state (at equilibrium or off equilibrium) and for the backward Heisenberg evolution of the observables. The trial objects are respectively akin to a density operator and to an operator involving the observables of interest and the sources. We work out here the case where trial spaces constitute Lie groups. This choice reduces the original degrees of freedom to those of the underlying Lie algebra, consisting of simple observables; the resulting objects are labeled by the indices of a basis of this algebra. Explicit results are obtained by expanding in powers of the sources. Zeroth and first orders provide thermodynamic quantities and expectation values in the form of mean-field approximations, with dynamical equations having a classical Lie-Poisson structure. At second order, the variational expression for two-time correlation functions separates-as does its exact counterpart-the approximate dynamics of the observables from the approximate correlations in the initial state. Two building blocks are involved: (i) a commutation matrix which stems from the structure constants of the Lie algebra; and (ii) the second-derivative matrix of a free-energy function. The diagonalization of both matrices, required for practical calculations, is worked out, in a way analogous to the standard RPA. The ensuing structure of the variational formulae is the same as for a system of non-interacting bosons (or of harmonic oscillators) plus, at non-zero temperature, classical Gaussian variables. This property is explained by mapping the original Lie algebra onto a simpler Lie algebra. The results, valid for any trial Lie group, fulfill consistency properties and encompass several special cases: linear responses, static and time-dependent fluctuations, zero- and high-temperature limits, static and dynamic stability of small deviations.

Trends in the breeding population and driving factors of Adélie penguin in the Ross Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, H.; Li, X.; Cheng, X.

2017-12-01

Ross Sea regions have been characterized by high penguin-chick-rearing habitat suitability in the recent past. Many studies have been done to study the Adélie penguins in the Ross Sea. However, the data they used both had advantages and drawbacks. Besides, little quantitative analysis were carried out to study the impact factors on the penguin population change. In this study, penguin population data from MAPPPD (Mapping application for penguin populations and projected dynamics) and IBA (Important bird areas in Antarctica) were integrated and analyzed to study the distribution and trends in the breeding population of Adélie penguin over time in the Ross Sea. In addition, linear fitting method for spatial data in time series were used to study the driving factors such as 2m-temperature, sea ice cover and chlorophyll-a concentration which can quantify phytoplankton blooms. Results indicated that there were 45 Adélie penguin colonies in the Ross Sea. Cape Adare and Cape Crozier were two biggest colonies on which current Adélie penguin abundance were 428516 and 280787 breeding pairs, respectively. Among these colonies, penguin population on 28 colonies increased, on 5 colonies decreased and on 5 colonies remained no change over time, and there were also 5 new colonies and one colony which were extinct. It was found that Adélie penguin population in most of colonies in the Ross Sea increased, which meant that Adélie penguins in the Ross Sea were "climate change winners". The main reasons for the increase in Adélie penguin population in the Ross Sea might be the rise in 2m-temperature and the increase in sea ice cover and phytoplankton. Higher temperatures have resulted in glacial retreat and snow melting, which leads to an increase in available habitat for penguins. The increased sea ice and phytoplankton might positively affect the abundance of Antarctic krill that was the major prey item for Adélie penguins in Antarctic.

The French short term radiopropagation predictions in the decameter band

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lassudrie-Duchesne, P.; Bourdila, A. M.; Sizun, H.

1979-01-01

Weekly and daily predictions of the ionospheric characteristics relevant to radio propagation are considered. A description of the techniques involved is given as well as examples showing how the prediction messages are prepared. The short term predictions are confined to restricted geographical areas and are relevant to radio circuits whose terminators are both located inside the same zone. They can be used with a reasonable approximation for circuits less than 3000 km of length whose reflection point lies within a given zone.

Analyzing Lie symmetry and constructing conservation laws for time-fractional Benny-Lin equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashidi, Saeede; Hejazi, S. Reza

This paper investigates the invariance properties of the time fractional Benny-Lin equation with Riemann-Liouville and Caputo derivatives. This equation can be reduced to the Kawahara equation, fifth-order Kdv equation, the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation and Navier-Stokes equation. By using the Lie group analysis method of fractional differential equations (FDEs), we derive Lie symmetries for the Benny-Lin equation. Conservation laws for this equation are obtained with the aid of the concept of nonlinear self-adjointness and the fractional generalization of the Noether’s operators. Furthermore, by means of the invariant subspace method, exact solutions of the equation are also constructed.

Effects of three types of free-stall surfaces on preferences and stall usage by dairy cows.

PubMed

Tucker, C B; Weary, D M; Fraser, D

2003-02-01

One important criterion in choosing appropriate housing systems for dairy cattle is that the freestall provides a comfortable surface for the cow. This paper describes two experiments testing the effects of commonly used lying surfaces on stall preference and stall usage by Holstein cows. In both experiments, 12 cows were housed individually in separate pens. Each pen contained three free stalls with a different surface: deep-bedded sawdust, deep-bedded sand, and a geotextile mattress covered with 2 to 3 cm of sawdust. The animals were restricted to each surface in turn, in a random order for either 2 (Experiment 1) or 3 d (Experiment 2). Both before and after this restriction phase, the animals were allowed access to all three surfaces, and preference was determined, based on lying times. Of the 12 cows used in Experiment 1, 10 preferred sawdust before and nine after the restriction phase. During the restriction phase, average lying times and number of lying events during the restriction phase were significantly lower for the sand-bedded stalls (P < or = 0.05), and standing times were higher on mattresses (P < or = 0.05), compared with sawdust. Although these cows had some experience with all three surfaces during the experiment, they had been housed in sawdust-bedded stalls during their previous lactation. Cows used in Experiment 2 had spent their previous lactation in sand bedded stalls. In this experiment, about half the cows preferred sand and half sawdust, after the restriction phase. During the restriction phase of experiment, lying times and number of lying events were lower, and standing times were higher when the animals were restricted to the mattresses compared to either sand or sawdust (P < or = 0.05). These results indicate that (1) free stall surface can affect both stall preferences and stall usage, and (2) mattresses are less preferred.

Measurement of milk intake in suckling llamas (Lama glama) using deuterium oxide dilution.

PubMed

Riek, A; Gerken, M; Moors, E

2007-02-01

The objective of the study was to estimate daily milk intake in llama crias and relate nutrient intakes at peak lactation to growth data. Milk intake in 11 suckling llamas was estimated from water kinetics using deuterium oxide (D2O) at d 17, 66, and 128 postpartum. Daily milk intakes averaged 2.6, 2.3, and 2.0 kg at 17, 66, and 128 d postpartum, respectively. Milk intake decreased with age when expressed as daily amount, percentage of body weight (BW), or per kilogram of metabolic size, but the influence of age was eliminated when expressed per gram of daily gain. Because llamas only have one young per parturition, milk intake was equivalent to the daily milk output of the dam, which ranged from 27.6 to 96.9 g/kg of maternal BW(0.75). Compared with different ruminant species, milk production in llamas appears to lie between wild and domestic ruminants used for meat production. Nutrients (dry matter, fat, protein, and lactose) and energy intakes from the milk calculated by combining milk intake and milk composition data decreased with age when expressed as daily amount or per 100 g of BW, but when expressed per gram of daily gain, no clear trend was observed. Maintenance requirement for suckling llamas at peak lactation (17 d postpartum) was 312 kJ of ME/kg of BW(0.83). Combined with milk composition data, the present milk intake estimations at different stages of the lactation can be used to establish recommendations for nutrient and energy requirements of suckling llamas.

Living near the port area is associated with physical inactivity and sedentary behavior.

PubMed

Sperandio, Evandro Fornias; Arantes, Rodolfo Leite; Chao, Tsai Ping; Romiti, Marcello; Gagliardi, Antônio Ricardo de Toledo; Dourado, Victor Zuniga

2017-01-01

The impact of the port of Santos, Brazil, on the population's health is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the association between living near the port area and physical inactivity and sedentary behavior. Cross-sectional study developed at a university laboratory and a diagnostic clinic. 553 healthy adults were selected and their level of physical activity in daily life was assessed using accelerometers. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were performed using physical inactivity and sedentary behavior as the outcomes and living near the port area as the main risk factor, with adjustments for the main confounders. Among all the participants, 15% were resident near the port area. They took 699 steps/day and presented, weekly, 2.4% more sedentary physical activity, 2.0% less time in standing position and 0.9% more time lying down than residents of other regions. Additionally, living near the port area increased the risk of physical inactivity by 2.50 times and the risk of higher amounts of sedentary behavior (≥ 10 hours/day) by 1.32 times. Living near the port of Santos is associated with physical inactivity and higher sedentary behavior among adults, regardless of confounders. The reasons for this association should be investigated in longitudinal studies.

Calculating distributed glacier mass balance for the Swiss Alps from RCM output: Development and testing of downscaling and validation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machguth, H.; Paul, F.; Kotlarski, S.; Hoelzle, M.

2009-04-01

Climate model output has been applied in several studies on glacier mass balance calculation. Hereby, computation of mass balance has mostly been performed at the native resolution of the climate model output or data from individual cells were selected and statistically downscaled. Little attention has been given to the issue of downscaling entire fields of climate model output to a resolution fine enough to compute glacier mass balance in rugged high-mountain terrain. In this study we explore the use of gridded output from a regional climate model (RCM) to drive a distributed mass balance model for the perimeter of the Swiss Alps and the time frame 1979-2003. Our focus lies on the development and testing of downscaling and validation methods. The mass balance model runs at daily steps and 100 m spatial resolution while the RCM REMO provides daily grids (approx. 18 km resolution) of dynamically downscaled re-analysis data. Interpolation techniques and sub-grid parametrizations are combined to bridge the gap in spatial resolution and to obtain daily input fields of air temperature, global radiation and precipitation. The meteorological input fields are compared to measurements at 14 high-elevation weather stations. Computed mass balances are compared to various sets of direct measurements, including stake readings and mass balances for entire glaciers. The validation procedure is performed separately for annual, winter and summer balances. Time series of mass balances for entire glaciers obtained from the model run agree well with observed time series. On the one hand, summer melt measured at stakes on several glaciers is well reproduced by the model, on the other hand, observed accumulation is either over- or underestimated. It is shown that these shifts are systematic and correlated to regional biases in the meteorological input fields. We conclude that the gap in spatial resolution is not a large drawback, while biases in RCM output are a major limitation to model performance. The development and testing of methods to reduce regionally variable biases in entire fields of RCM output should be a focus of pursuing studies.

Effect of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, carprofen, on weaned sheep following non-surgical mulesing by intradermal injection of cetrimide.

PubMed

Colditz, I G; Lloyd, J B; Paull, D R; Lee, C; Giraudo, A; Pizzato, C; Fisher, A D

2009-01-01

To assess in weaned lambs the palliative effects of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, carprofen, following intradermal injection of cetrimide to induce non-surgical mulesing. We allocated 40 weaned lambs (20-22 weeks old) to four groups of 10 animals: (1) control, 2) conventional surgical mules, (3) intradermal treatment and (4) intradermal treatment + carprofen. Non-surgical mulesing was induced by intradermal injection of 4% (w/w) cetrimide + 3% (w/w) polyvinylpyrrolidone in water. In group 4, carprofen (4 mg/kg, SC) was administered 1 h before intradermal treatment. Five weaners, including an animal from each treatment, were run in each pen. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, cortisol, beta-endorphin and haptoglobin levels and rectal temperature were monitored at least daily for the first 7 days after treatment, then weekly until day 28. Body weight was measured weekly and behaviour was measured every 15 min for 12 h on the day of treatment, then on days 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 21 and 28 following treatment. The intradermal treatment resulted in high fever and elevated blood cortisol by 12 h. Rectal temperatures were significantly elevated until 5 days after treatment, cortisol was elevated until 3 days after treatment, haptoglobin for at least 7 days after treatment and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio until 4 days after treatment. Average daily gain was depressed in the week following treatment. Abnormal behaviours (hunched standing, stiff walking, pawing, lateral lying and lying intention) were increased on the day of treatment and for 6 days post treatment. Carprofen reduced the time spent in abnormal behaviours by approximately two-thirds but did not ameliorate the physiological responses to the intradermal treatment. In weaner sheep, carprofen ameliorated the behavioural responses, but was unable to provide relief from the intense and sustained physiological responses to non-surgical mulesing by intradermal injection of cetrimide. Systemic side-effects may be unavoidable with formulations based on quaternary ammonium compounds that are designed to reduce the risk of fly strike in sheep by remodelling breech tissue through induction of tissue necrosis.

Comparison of the Efficiency of the LIE and MM/GBSA Methods to Calculate Ligand-Binding Energies.

PubMed

Genheden, Samuel; Ryde, Ulf

2011-11-08

We have evaluated the efficiency of two popular end-point methods to calculate ligand-binding free energies, LIE (linear interaction energy) and MM/GBSA (molecular mechanics with generalized Born surface-area solvation), i.e. the computational effort needed to obtain estimates of a similar precision. As a test case, we use the binding of seven biotin analogues to avidin. The energy terms used by MM/GBSA and LIE exhibit a similar correlation time (∼5 ps), and the equilibration time seems also to be similar, although it varies much between the various ligands. The results show that the LIE method is more effective than MM/GBSA, by a factor of 2-7 for a truncated spherical system with a radius of 26 Å and by a factor of 1.0-2.4 for the full avidin tetramer (radius 47 Å). The reason for this is the cost for the MM/GBSA entropy calculations, which more than compensates for the extra simulation of the free ligand in LIE. On the other hand, LIE requires that the protein is neutralized, whereas MM/GBSA has no such requirements. Our results indicate that both the truncation and neutralization of the proteins may slow the convergence and emphasize small differences in the calculations, e.g., differences between the four subunits in avidin. Moreover, LIE cannot take advantage of the fact that avidin is a tetramer. For this test case, LIE gives poor results with the standard parametrization, but after optimizing the scaling factor of the van der Waals terms, reasonable binding affinities can be obtained, although MM/GBSA still gives a significantly better predictive index and correlation to the experimental affinities.

Adults' past-day recall of sedentary time: reliability, validity, and responsiveness.

PubMed

Clark, Bronwyn K; Winkler, Elisabeth; Healy, Genevieve N; Gardiner, Paul G; Dunstan, David W; Owen, Neville; Reeves, Marina M

2013-06-01

Past-day recall rather than recall of past week or a usual/typical day may improve the validity of self-reported sedentary time measures. This study examined the test-retest reliability, criterion validity, and responsiveness of the seven-item questionnaire, Past-day Adults' Sedentary Time (PAST). Participants (breast cancer survivors, n = 90, age = 33-75 yr, body mass index = 25-40 kg·m) in a 6-month randomized controlled trial of a lifestyle-based weight loss intervention completed the interviewer-administered PAST questionnaire about time spent sitting/lying on the previous day for work, transport, television viewing, nonwork computer use, reading, hobbies, and other purposes (summed for total sedentary time). The instrument was administered at baseline, 7 d later for test-retest reliability (n = 86), and at follow-up. ActivPAL3-assessed sit/lie time in bouts of ≥5 min during waking hours on the recall day was used as the validity criterion measure at both baseline (n = 72) and follow-up (n = 68). Analyses included intraclass correlation coefficients, Pearson's correlations (r), and Bland-Altman plots and responsiveness index. The PAST had fair to good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.32-0.64). At baseline, the correlation between PAST and activPAL sit/lie time was r = 0.57 (95% CI = 0.39-0.71). The mean difference between PAST at baseline and retest was -25 min (5.2%), 95% limits of agreement = -5.9 to 5.0 h, and the activPAL sit/lie time was -9 min (1.8%), 95% limits of agreement = -4.9 to 4.6 h. The PAST showed small but significant responsiveness (-0.44, 95% CI = -0.92 to -0.04); responsiveness of activPAL sit/lie time was not significant. The PAST questionnaire provided an easy-to-administer measure of sedentary time in this sample. Validity and reliability findings compare favorably with other sedentary time questionnaires. Past-day recall of sedentary time shows promise for use in future health behavior, epidemiological, and population surveillance studies.

Preferences of lame cows for type of surface and level of social contact in hospital pens.

PubMed

Jensen, M B; Herskin, M S; Thomsen, P T; Forkman, B; Houe, H

2015-07-01

To investigate preferences of lame cows for flooring and level of social contact, 37 lame, lactating dairy cows (diagnosed with sole ulcer or white line disease) were housed individually for 6 d in experimental hospital pens, where they could choose between 2 equally sized areas (6m × 4.5m) with either deep-bedded sand or a rubber surface. On both surfaces, cows could choose between 2 equally sized areas either near or away from heifers in a neighboring group pen. Cows spent more time lying on the deep-bedded sand than on the rubber surface (870 vs. 71min/d), whereas they spent less time upright (standing or walking) on the sand than on the rubber surface (180 vs. 319min/d). In addition, cows spent less time self-grooming on the sand than on the rubber surface (2.2 vs. 4.7% of time spent upright). With regard to level of social contact, cows spent more time near the neighboring heifers than away from them; this was true both while lying (565 vs. 374min/d) and upright (276 vs. 223min/d). Self-grooming was seen significantly more near neighboring heifers than away from them (4.8 vs. 3.3% of time spent upright). When lying, cows more often positioned themselves in areas of the pen where they could maintain visual contact with neighboring heifers. Lame cows with sole ulcers or white line disease preferred deep-bedded sand for lying, and preferred to perform self-grooming while on the rubber surface. Similarly, they preferred to lie and to perform self-grooming while positioned near animals in a neighboring pen. These results suggest that provision of a deep-bedded lying area in hospital pens is important to the welfare of lame cows. We found no evidence of isolation-seeking behavior in animals with these diagnoses (and no systemic symptoms) while they were kept in individual hospital pens. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resolution of a Low-Lying Placenta and Placenta Previa Diagnosed at the Midtrimester Anatomy Scan.

PubMed

Durst, Jennifer K; Tuuli, Methodius G; Temming, Lorene A; Hamilton, Owen; Dicke, Jeffrey M

2018-02-05

To identify the incidence and resolution rates of a low-lying placenta or placenta previa and to assess the optimal time to perform follow-up ultrasonography (US) to assess for resolution. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of women with a diagnosis of a low-lying placenta or placenta previa at routine anatomic screening. Follow-up US examinations were reviewed to estimate the proportion of women who had resolution. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve was generated to estimate the median time to resolution. The distance of the placental edge from the internal cervical os was used to categorize the placenta as previa or low-lying (0.1-10 or ≥ 10-20 mm). A time-to-event analysis was used to estimate predictive factors and the time to resolution by distance from the os. A total of 1663 (8.7%) women had a diagnosis of a low-lying placenta or placenta previa. The cumulative resolution for women who completed 1 or more additional US examinations was 91.9% (95% confidence interval, 90.2%-93.3%). The median time to resolution was 10 (interquartile range [IQR], 7-13) weeks. The distance from the internal cervical os was known for 658 (51.0%) women. The probability of resolution was inversely proportional to the distance from the internal os: 99.5% (≥10-20 mm), 95.4% (0.1-10 mm), and 72.3% (placenta previa; P < .001). The median times to resolution were 9 (IQR, 7-12) weeks for 10 to 20 mm, 10 (IQR, 7-13) weeks for 0.1 to 10 mm, and 12 (IQR, 9-15) weeks for placenta previa (P = .0003, log rank test). A low-lying placenta or placenta previa diagnosed at the midtrimester anatomy survey resolves in most patients. Resolution is near universal in patients with an initial distance from the internal os of 10 mm or greater. © 2018 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Testing of a long-term fall detection system incorporated into a custom vest for the elderly.

PubMed

Bourke, Alan K; van de Ven, Pepijn W J; Chaya, Amy E; OLaighin, Gearóid M; Nelson, John

2008-01-01

A fall detection system and algorithm, incorporated into a custom designed garment has been developed. The developed fall detection system uses a tri-axial accelerometer to detect impacts and monitor posture. This sensor is attached to a custom designed vest, designed to be worn by the elderly person under clothing. The fall detection algorithm was developed and incorporates both impact and posture detection capability. The vest and fall algorithm was tested by two teams of 5 elderly subjects who wore the sensor system in turn for 2 week each and were monitored for 8 hours a day. The system previously achieved sensitivity of >90% and a specificity of >99%, using young healthy subjects performing falls and normal activities of daily living (ADL). In this study, over 833 hours of monitoring was performed over the course of the four weeks from the elderly subjects, during normal daily activity. In this time no actual falls were recorded, however the system registered a total of the 42 fall-alerts however only 9 were received at the care taker site. A fall detection system incorporated into a custom designed garment has been developed which will help reduce the incidence of the long-lie, when falls occur in the elderly population. However further development is required to reduce the number of false-positives and improve the transmission of messages.

Measurement of Daily Activity in Restrictive Type Anorexia Nervosa

PubMed Central

Harris, Ann M.; McAlpine, Donald E.; Shirbhate, Rashmi; Manohar, Chinmay U.; Levine, James A.

2009-01-01

Objective The assessment of daily activity in patients with restrictive type anorexia nervosa is limited by an absence of accurate and precise technology. We wanted to test a daily activity detecting device named, the Physical Activity Monitoring System (PAMS). Method Women participants with restrictive type anorexia nervosa (n = 8, 36 ± 11 years, 17 ± 2 kg/m2) and healthy women participants (n = 8, 30 ± 11 years, 27 ± 7 kg/m2) were asked to lie, sit and stand motionless, and walk at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 mph whilst wearing PAMS. Results For all restrictive type anorexia nervosa and healthy participants, body posture was correctly detected for all measurements (300/300). There was excellent correlation of an individual’s body acceleration with walking velocity and walking energy expenditure (r2> 0.99). Conclusions The PAMS technology could serve as a tool for lending insight into the pathophysiology of restrictive type anorexia nervosa; and potentially measuring compliance with activity recommendations for medical professionals treating individuals with restrictive type anorexia nervosa. PMID:18004719

A daily, 1 km resolution data set of downscaled Greenland ice sheet surface mass balance (1958-2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noël, Brice; van de Berg, Willem Jan; Machguth, Horst; Lhermitte, Stef; Howat, Ian; Fettweis, Xavier; van den Broeke, Michiel R.

2016-10-01

This study presents a data set of daily, 1 km resolution Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) surface mass balance (SMB) covering the period 1958-2015. Applying corrections for elevation, bare ice albedo and accumulation bias, the high-resolution product is statistically downscaled from the native daily output of the polar regional climate model RACMO2.3 at 11 km. The data set includes all individual SMB components projected to a down-sampled version of the Greenland Ice Mapping Project (GIMP) digital elevation model and ice mask. The 1 km mask better resolves narrow ablation zones, valley glaciers, fjords and disconnected ice caps. Relative to the 11 km product, the more detailed representation of isolated glaciated areas leads to increased precipitation over the southeastern GrIS. In addition, the downscaled product shows a significant increase in runoff owing to better resolved low-lying marginal glaciated regions. The combined corrections for elevation and bare ice albedo markedly improve model agreement with a newly compiled data set of ablation measurements.

A new daily observational record from Grytviken, South Georgia: exploring 20th century extremes in the South Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Z.; Turney, C. S.; Allan, R.; Colwell, S.; Kelly, G.; Lister, D.; Jones, P. D.; Beswick, M.; Alexander, L. V.; Lippmann, T.; Herold, N.; Jones, R. T.

2017-12-01

Although recent work has highlighted a host of significant late 20th century environmental changes across the mid to high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, the sparse nature of observational records limits our ability to place these changes in the context of long-term (multi-decadal and centennial) variability. As a result, investigating the impact of anthropogenic forcing on climate modes of variability and ecosystems is particularly challenging. Sub-Antarctic islands are particularly important in this regard, straddling major ocean and atmospheric boundaries and offering the potential to develop highly resolved records of change. In 1905, a whaling and meteorological station was established at Grytviken on Sub-Antarctic South Georgia in the South Atlantic (54°S) providing near-continuous observations through to present day. Although South Georgia lies in a strategic location for understanding Southern Ocean atmosphere-ocean dynamics, only a monthly resolved dataset has until now been available. Here we report a near continuous daily observational record from Grytviken for temperature and precipitation, which we compare to different datasets (including Twentieth Century Reanalysis; 20CR version 2c). A warming trend over the 20th century is observed in mean daily temperature at Grytviken with an average rate of temperature rise of 0.14°C per decade over the period 1907-2016 (p<0.0001). We find a significant trend towards increasingly warmer daytime extremes commencing from the mid-20th century accompanied by warmer night-time temperatures. Analysis of these data, and reanalysis products, suggest a realignment of synoptic conditions across the mid to high-latitudes, with a link between increasing temperature trends and atmospheric circulation dominated by stronger westerly airflow, resulting in significant foehn-related warming.

Lie symmetry analysis, exact solutions and conservation laws for the time fractional Caudrey-Dodd-Gibbon-Sawada-Kotera equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baleanu, Dumitru; Inc, Mustafa; Yusuf, Abdullahi; Aliyu, Aliyu Isa

2018-06-01

In this work, we investigate the Lie symmetry analysis, exact solutions and conservation laws (Cls) to the time fractional Caudrey-Dodd-Gibbon-Sawada-Kotera (CDGDK) equation with Riemann-Liouville (RL) derivative. The time fractional CDGDK is reduced to nonlinear ordinary differential equation (ODE) of fractional order. New exact traveling wave solutions for the time fractional CDGDK are obtained by fractional sub-equation method. In the reduced equation, the derivative is in Erdelyi-Kober (EK) sense. Ibragimov's nonlocal conservation method is applied to construct Cls for time fractional CDGDK.

Synthetic rubber surface as an alternative to concrete to improve welfare and performance of finishing beef cattle reared on fully slatted flooring.

PubMed

Brscic, M; Ricci, R; Prevedello, P; Lonardi, C; De Nardi, R; Contiero, B; Gottardo, F; Cozzi, G

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was to compare a fully slatted concrete floor (concrete slatted (CS)) with the same floor on which synthetic rubber slats were placed on the concrete slats (rubber slatted (RS)) as housing solution for finishing beef cattle. The present study involved five commercial beef cattle farms in which the floor of at least three pens was kept as fully slatted, and in an equal number of pens a rubber cover was placed on the floor, tightly matching the gap profile of the concrete slats to allow the drainage of manure. A total of 326 finishing beef bulls were used (153 on CS and 173 on RS), and regardless of the floor treatment animals were housed in groups of 6 to 12 bulls/pen with a space allowance of 3.1 ± 0.2 m2/bull. Bulls had similar initial live weights (422.3 kg on CS and 425.0 kg on RS), but bulls on RS were heavier at the end of the finishing period with a higher average daily gain than bulls kept on CS (1.53 v. 1.46 kg/day; P<0.05). The proportion of bulls treated for locomotor problems was lower in RS pens compared with CS. Rubber covering prevented the occurrence of bursitis, but it increased the odds for hoof overgrowth at end of the finishing period. Hoof overgrowth detected in vivo in bulls on RS was confirmed at the slaughterhouse by the longer dorsal wall and diagonal lengths of the hoof as well as by a more acute toe angle. Compared with bulls on CS, bulls on RS showed less inactivity and resting time, increased social interactions, decreased abnormal lying down and unsuccessful attempts to lie down, as well as shortened the time for lying down. Bulls in RS pens were dirtier compared with those in CS pens, likely due to the draining gaps being reduced to 11.6 ± 1.2% of the total pen surface compared with the 16.9 ± 1.7% in CS pens. This study gave further evidence about the positive effects of the RS floor on growth performance and welfare of finishing beef cattle, although compromising cleanliness and hoof overgrowth.

31. RW Meyer Sugar Mill: 18761889. Threeroll sugar mill: oneton ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

31. RW Meyer Sugar Mill: 1876-1889. Three-roll sugar mill: one-ton daily processing capacity. Manufactured by Edwin Maw, Liverpool, England, ca. 1855-1870. View: View down at the mill from top of the mill's circular masonry enclosure. Mill animals circling above the mill, on top of the enclosure, dragged booms radiating from the drive shaft to power the mill. The drive-shaft is no longer in its upright positon but is lying next to the mill in the foreground. - R. W. Meyer Sugar Mill, State Route 47, Kualapuu, Maui County, HI

Lying to patients with dementia: Attitudes versus behaviours in nurses.

PubMed

Cantone, Daniela; Attena, Francesco; Cerrone, Sabrina; Fabozzi, Antonio; Rossiello, Riccardo; Spagnoli, Laura; Pelullo, Concetta Paola

2017-01-01

Using lies, in dementia care, reveals a common practice far beyond the diagnosis and prognosis, extending to the entire care process. In this article, we report results about the attitude and the behaviour of nurses towards the use of lies to patients with dementia. An epidemiological cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2016 and February 2017 in 12 elderly residential facilities and in the geriatric, psychiatric and neurological wards of six specialised hospitals of Italy's Campania Region. In all, 106 nurses compiled an attitude questionnaire (A) where the main question was 'Do you think it is ethically acceptable to use lies to patients with dementia?', instead 106 nurses compiled a behaviour questionnaire (B), where the main question was 'Have you ever used lies to patients with dementia?' Ethical considerations: Using lies in dementia care, although topic ethically still controversial, reveals a common practice far beyond the diagnosis and prognosis, extending to the entire care process. Only a small percentage of the interviewed nurses stated that they never used lies/that it is never acceptable to use lies (behaviour 10.4% and attitude 12.3%; p = 0.66). The situation in which nurses were more oriented to use lies was 'to prevent or reduce aggressive behaviors'. Indeed, only the 6.7% in the attitude group and 3.8% in the behaviour group were against using lies. On the contrary, the case in which the nurses were less oriented to use lies was 'to avoid wasting time giving explanations', in this situation were against using lies the 51.0% of the behaviour group and the 44.6% of the attitude group. Our results, according to other studies, support the hypothesis of a low propensity of nurses to ethical reflection about use of lies. In our country, the implementation of guidelines about a correct use of lie in the relationship between health operators and patients would be desirable.

The Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR): A Method for the Naturalistic Observation of Daily Social Behavior

PubMed Central

Mehl, Matthias R.

2016-01-01

This article reviews the Electronically Activated Recorder or EAR as an ambulatory ecological momentary assessment tool for the real-world observation of daily behavior. Technically, the EAR is an audio recorder that intermittently records snippets of ambient sounds while participants go about their lives. Conceptually, it is a naturalistic observation method that yields an acoustic log of a person’s day as it unfolds. The power of the EAR lies in unobtrusively collecting authentic real-life observational data. In preserving a high degree of naturalism at the level of the raw recordings, it resembles ethnographic methods; through its sampling and coding, it enables larger empirical studies. The article provides an overview of the EAR method, reviews its validity, utility, and limitations, and discusses it in the context of current developments in ambulatory assessment, specifically the emerging field of mobile sensing. PMID:28529411

The Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR): A Method for the Naturalistic Observation of Daily Social Behavior.

PubMed

Mehl, Matthias R

2017-04-01

This article reviews the Electronically Activated Recorder or EAR as an ambulatory ecological momentary assessment tool for the real-world observation of daily behavior. Technically, the EAR is an audio recorder that intermittently records snippets of ambient sounds while participants go about their lives. Conceptually, it is a naturalistic observation method that yields an acoustic log of a person's day as it unfolds. The power of the EAR lies in unobtrusively collecting authentic real-life observational data. In preserving a high degree of naturalism at the level of the raw recordings, it resembles ethnographic methods; through its sampling and coding, it enables larger empirical studies. The article provides an overview of the EAR method, reviews its validity, utility, and limitations, and discusses it in the context of current developments in ambulatory assessment, specifically the emerging field of mobile sensing.

A microcomputer-based daily living activity recording system.

PubMed

Matsuoka, Shingo; Yonezawa, Yoshiharu; Maki, Hiromichi; Ogawa, Hidekuni; Hahn, Allen W; Thayer, Julian F; Caldwell, W Morton

2003-01-01

A new daily living activity recording system has been developed for monitoring health conditions and living patterns, such as respiration, posture, activity/rest ratios and general activity level. The system employs a piezoelectric sensor, a dual axis accelerometer, two low-power active filters, a low-power 8-bit single chip microcomputer and a 128 MB compact flash memory. The piezoelectric sensor, whose electrical polarization voltage is produced by mechanical strain, detects body movements. Its high-frequency output components reflect body movements produced by walking and running activities, while the low frequency components are mainly respiratory. The dual axis accelerometer detects, from body X and Y tilt angles, whether the patient is standing, sitting or lying down (prone, supine, left side or right side). The detected respiratory, behavior and posture signals are stored by the compact flash memory. After recording, these data are downloaded to a desktop computer and analyzed.

Micro-controller based fall detector to assist recovering patients or senior citizens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Páez, Francisco; Asplund, Lars

2010-09-01

Senior citizens and patients recovering from surgery or using strong medications with severe side effects tend to fall unexpectedly. The consequences of such an uncontrolled fall could be worse than the original malady, especially when there is no communication with the care-takers. We describe a fall-detector device capable of distinguishing falls from normal daily activities. Based on three-axis accelerometer and advanced data processing, the microcontroller emits an alarm requesting help in the case of a physical fall. We design and construct the fall-detector prototype for either inside or outside use. In order to determine the device performance, fifty instances of each fall event have been evaluated; all of them detected as fall event. In the case of daily activities, the only movement that produces an alarm is the transition from standing up to lying in 5% of the occurrences.

Air pollution and daily mortality in Erfurt, east Germany, 1980-1989.

PubMed Central

Spix, C; Heinrich, J; Dockery, D; Schwartz, J; Völksch, G; Schwinkowski, K; Cöllen, C; Wichmann, H E

1993-01-01

In Erfurt, Germany, unfavorable geography and emissions from coal burning lead to very high ambient pollution (up to about 4000 micrograms/m3 SO2 in 1980-89). To assess possible health effects of these exposures, total daily mortality was obtained for this same period. A multivariate model was fitted, including corrections for long-term fluctuations, influenza epidemics, and meterology, before analyzing the effect of pollution. The best fit for pollution was obtained for log (SO2 daily mean) with a lag of 2 days. Daily mortality increased by 10% for an increase in SO2 from 23 to 929 micrograms/m3 (5% quantile to 95% quantile). A harvesting effect (fewer people die on a given day if more deaths occurred in the last 15 days) may modify this by +/- 2%. The effect for particulates (SP, 1988-89 only) was stronger than the effect of SO2. Log SP (daily mean) increasing from 15 micrograms/m3 to 331 micrograms/m3 (5% quantile to 95% quantile) was associated with a 22% increase in mortality. Depending on harvesting, the observable effect may lie between 14% and 27%. There is no indication of a threshold or synergism. The effects of air pollution are smaller than the effects of influenza epidemics and are of the same size as meterologic effects. The results for the lower end of the dose range are in agreement with linear models fitted in studies of moderate air pollution and episode studies. Images Figure 1. Figure 2. PMID:8137781

Air pollution and daily mortality in Erfurt, east Germany, 1980-1989.

PubMed

Spix, C; Heinrich, J; Dockery, D; Schwartz, J; Völksch, G; Schwinkowski, K; Cöllen, C; Wichmann, H E

1993-11-01

In Erfurt, Germany, unfavorable geography and emissions from coal burning lead to very high ambient pollution (up to about 4000 micrograms/m3 SO2 in 1980-89). To assess possible health effects of these exposures, total daily mortality was obtained for this same period. A multivariate model was fitted, including corrections for long-term fluctuations, influenza epidemics, and meterology, before analyzing the effect of pollution. The best fit for pollution was obtained for log (SO2 daily mean) with a lag of 2 days. Daily mortality increased by 10% for an increase in SO2 from 23 to 929 micrograms/m3 (5% quantile to 95% quantile). A harvesting effect (fewer people die on a given day if more deaths occurred in the last 15 days) may modify this by +/- 2%. The effect for particulates (SP, 1988-89 only) was stronger than the effect of SO2. Log SP (daily mean) increasing from 15 micrograms/m3 to 331 micrograms/m3 (5% quantile to 95% quantile) was associated with a 22% increase in mortality. Depending on harvesting, the observable effect may lie between 14% and 27%. There is no indication of a threshold or synergism. The effects of air pollution are smaller than the effects of influenza epidemics and are of the same size as meterologic effects. The results for the lower end of the dose range are in agreement with linear models fitted in studies of moderate air pollution and episode studies.

Historical Techniques of Lie Detection

PubMed Central

Vicianova, Martina

2015-01-01

Since time immemorial, lying has been a part of everyday life. For this reason, it has become a subject of interest in several disciplines, including psychology. The purpose of this article is to provide a general overview of the literature and thinking to date about the evolution of lie detection techniques. The first part explores ancient methods recorded circa 1000 B.C. (e.g., God’s judgment in Europe). The second part describes technical methods based on sciences such as phrenology, polygraph and graphology. This is followed by an outline of more modern-day approaches such as FACS (Facial Action Coding System), functional MRI, and Brain Fingerprinting. Finally, after the familiarization with the historical development of techniques for lie detection, we discuss the scope for new initiatives not only in the area of designing new methods, but also for the research into lie detection itself, such as its motives and regulatory issues related to deception. PMID:27247675

Effect of core body temperature, time of day, and climate conditions on behavioral patterns of lactating dairy cows experiencing mild to moderate heat stress.

PubMed

Allen, J D; Hall, L W; Collier, R J; Smith, J F

2015-01-01

Cattle show several responses to heat load, including spending more time standing. Little is known about what benefit this may provide for the animals. Data from 3 separate cooling management trials were analyzed to investigate the relationship between behavioral patterns in lactating dairy cows experiencing mild to moderate heat stress and their body temperature. Cows (n=157) were each fitted with a leg data logger that measured position and an intravaginal data logger that measures core body temperature (CBT). Ambient conditions were also collected. All data were standardized to 5-min intervals, and information was divided into several categories: when standing and lying bouts were initiated and the continuance of each bout (7,963 lying and 6,276 standing bouts). In one location, cows were continuously subjected to heat-stress levels according to temperature-humidity index (THI) range (THI≥72). The THI range for the other 2 locations was below and above a heat-stress threshold of 72 THI. Overall and regardless of period of day, cows stood up at greater CBT compared with continuing to stand or switching to a lying position. In contrast, cows lay down at lower CBT compared with continuing to lie or switching to a standing position, and lying bouts lasted longer when cows had lower CBT. Standing bouts also lasted longer when cattle had greater CBT, and they were less likely to lie down (less than 50% of lying bouts initiated) when their body temperature was over 38.8°C. Also, cow standing behavior was affected once THI reached 68. Increasing CBT decreased lying duration and increased standing duration. A CBT of 38.93°C marked a 50% likelihood a cow would be standing. This is the first physiological evidence that standing may help cool cows and provides insight into a communally observed behavioral response to heat. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Short communication: effects of frequency of feed delivery and bunk space on the feeding behavior of limit-fed dairy heifers.

PubMed

Greter, A M; Westerveld, R S; Duffield, T F; McBride, B W; Widowski, T M; Devries, T J

2013-03-01

The objective of this experiment was to determine the interaction between feed bunk space and frequency of feed provision on the feeding behavior patterns and growth of growing dairy heifers fed a limited amount. Sixteen Holstein dairy heifers (183.4 ± 9.1 d of age, mean ± standard deviation) were divided into 4 groups of 4. The groups were exposed to each of 4 treatments, using a 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, over 21-d periods (14-d adaptation period, 7-d data collection periods). The treatments were arranged in 2 feed delivery frequencies (once per day at 1200 h: 1 ×/d, and twice per day at 1200 and 1400 h: 2 ×/d) and 2 levels of feed bunk space (adequate feed bunk space: 0.40 m/heifer, and reduced feed bunk space: 0.29 m/heifer). Pen dry matter intake (DMI) was recorded daily, average daily gain (ADG) was recorded weekly, and variability in ADG was calculated from the standard deviation of ADG. Feeding, unrewarded behavior (time at feed bunk without feed present), and competitive behavior were recorded using time-lapse video. Feeding and unrewarded behavior were measured for the last 7 d of each period, whereas competitive behavior was recorded on d 16, 18, and 20 of each period. Lying time was recorded for the last 7 d of each period. A tendency for interaction between feed bunk space and frequency of feed delivery on the feed efficiency of limit-fed dairy heifers was noted. Heifers provided restricted bunk space were reported as being less efficient when fed 2 ×/d; however, no other interactions were found. Although DMI and variability in ADG were similar between treatments, ADG was higher (1.0 vs. 0.9 kg/d) when heifers were provided with 0.40 m of feed bunk space and tended to be higher when fed 1 ×/d compared with that of heifers given restricted bunk space or fed 2 ×/d. Heifers fed 1 ×/d spent more time feeding throughout the day (70.5 vs. 58.9 min/d) than heifers fed 2 ×/d. Heifers fed at a restricted bunk space or fed 1 ×/d were approximately 25% more variable in feeding time than heifers fed 2 ×/d or with adequate bunk space. Heifers spent a similar amount of time in unrewarded visits to the feed bunk (28.9 min/d). Although feed bunk space did not affect competition (3.6 displacements/d), heifers fed 1 ×/d were displaced twice as frequently than heifers fed 2 ×/d. Regardless of treatment, heifers spent a similar amount of time lying down and standing without eating. Overall, providing sufficient feed bunk space to allow all limit-fed heifers to feed simultaneously improves feed efficiency and ADG and reduces variability in feeding time. Additionally, although delivering feed 1 ×/d resulted in increased competition, it also enabled heifers to gain adequate weight and spend more time feeding each day. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Air Photo Analysis, Photo Interpretation Logic, and Feature Extraction,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

and at times predict their composi- tion and texture. Such events as deposition, sedimentation , and volcanism constantly add new materials to the...established by depositing sediments in low areas, by large lava flows, by exposure of flat-lying intrusive masses, and * by grinding or eroding an irregular...lying area of sediments can be called a plain only so long. There comes a time when the forces of erosion have so ex- tended and deepened the valleys

The effects of employment status and daily stressors on time spent on daily household chores in middle-aged and older adults.

PubMed

Wong, Jen D; Almeida, David M

2013-02-01

This study examines how employment status (worker vs. retiree) and life course influences (age, gender, and marital status) are associated with time spent on daily household chores. Second, this study assesses whether the associations between daily stressors and time spent on daily household chores differ as a function of employment status and life course influences. Men and women aged 55-74 from the National Study of Daily Experiences (N = 268; 133 workers and 135 retirees), a part of the National Survey of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), completed telephone interviews regarding their daily experiences across 8 consecutive evenings. Working women spent more than double the amount of time on daily household chores than working men. Unmarried retirees spent the most time on daily household chores in comparison to their counterparts. There was a trend toward significance for the association between home stressors from the previous day and time spent on daily household chores as a function of employment and marital status. These findings highlight the importance of gender and marital status in the associations between employment status and time spent on daily household chores and the role that daily stressors, in particular home stressful events, have on daily household chore participation.

The effect of Brazilian Propolis on leg health in broilers reared under heat stress

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Exposing broiler chickens to heat stress increases leg abnormalities and Gait Score, also it reduced the time of Latency to Lie Test. This experiment was conducted to examine the effect of dietary supplemention with green Brazilian propolis on Latency to Lie Test for leg strength and leg abnormaliti...

Prospective testing of Coulomb short-term earthquake forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, D. D.; Kagan, Y. Y.; Schorlemmer, D.; Zechar, J. D.; Wang, Q.; Wong, K.

2009-12-01

Earthquake induced Coulomb stresses, whether static or dynamic, suddenly change the probability of future earthquakes. Models to estimate stress and the resulting seismicity changes could help to illuminate earthquake physics and guide appropriate precautionary response. But do these models have improved forecasting power compared to empirical statistical models? The best answer lies in prospective testing in which a fully specified model, with no subsequent parameter adjustments, is evaluated against future earthquakes. The Center of Study of Earthquake Predictability (CSEP) facilitates such prospective testing of earthquake forecasts, including several short term forecasts. Formulating Coulomb stress models for formal testing involves several practical problems, mostly shared with other short-term models. First, earthquake probabilities must be calculated after each “perpetrator” earthquake but before the triggered earthquakes, or “victims”. The time interval between a perpetrator and its victims may be very short, as characterized by the Omori law for aftershocks. CSEP evaluates short term models daily, and allows daily updates of the models. However, lots can happen in a day. An alternative is to test and update models on the occurrence of each earthquake over a certain magnitude. To make such updates rapidly enough and to qualify as prospective, earthquake focal mechanisms, slip distributions, stress patterns, and earthquake probabilities would have to be made by computer without human intervention. This scheme would be more appropriate for evaluating scientific ideas, but it may be less useful for practical applications than daily updates. Second, triggered earthquakes are imperfectly recorded following larger events because their seismic waves are buried in the coda of the earlier event. To solve this problem, testing methods need to allow for “censoring” of early aftershock data, and a quantitative model for detection threshold as a function of distance, time, and magnitude is needed. Third, earthquake catalogs contain errors in location and magnitude that may be corrected in later editions. One solution is to test models in “pseudo-prospective” mode (after catalog revision but without model adjustment). Again, appropriate for science but not for response. Hopefully, demonstrations of modeling success will stimulate improvements in earthquake detection.

[High altitude related health problems in travel medicine].

PubMed

Neumayr, Andreas

2013-06-01

Giving travel advice to travellers visiting high-altitude destinations around the globe is daily routine in travel clinics. However, with the classical focus on vaccinations, traveller's diarrhoea, mosquito protection and malaria prophylaxis, altitude-related health problems are often neglected at counselling. The importance to communicate these problems when giving travel advice is impressively reflected by the high prevalence of altitude-related health problems among tourists visiting high-lying tourist destinations. This article aims at providing an overview of core aspects of acclimatization to altitude and prevention of altitude-related health problems and to exemplarily address practice-oriented problem destinations.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Balian, R., E-mail: roger.balian@cea.fr; Vénéroni, M.

Time-dependent expectation values and correlation functions for many-body quantum systems are evaluated by means of a unified variational principle. It optimizes a generating functional depending on sources associated with the observables of interest. It is built by imposing through Lagrange multipliers constraints that account for the initial state (at equilibrium or off equilibrium) and for the backward Heisenberg evolution of the observables. The trial objects are respectively akin to a density operator and to an operator involving the observables of interest and the sources. We work out here the case where trial spaces constitute Lie groups. This choice reduces themore » original degrees of freedom to those of the underlying Lie algebra, consisting of simple observables; the resulting objects are labeled by the indices of a basis of this algebra. Explicit results are obtained by expanding in powers of the sources. Zeroth and first orders provide thermodynamic quantities and expectation values in the form of mean-field approximations, with dynamical equations having a classical Lie–Poisson structure. At second order, the variational expression for two-time correlation functions separates–as does its exact counterpart–the approximate dynamics of the observables from the approximate correlations in the initial state. Two building blocks are involved: (i) a commutation matrix which stems from the structure constants of the Lie algebra; and (ii) the second-derivative matrix of a free-energy function. The diagonalization of both matrices, required for practical calculations, is worked out, in a way analogous to the standard RPA. The ensuing structure of the variational formulae is the same as for a system of non-interacting bosons (or of harmonic oscillators) plus, at non-zero temperature, classical Gaussian variables. This property is explained by mapping the original Lie algebra onto a simpler Lie algebra. The results, valid for any trial Lie group, fulfill consistency properties and encompass several special cases: linear responses, static and time-dependent fluctuations, zero- and high-temperature limits, static and dynamic stability of small deviations.« less

Changes in feeding, social, and lying behaviors in dairy cows with metritis following treatment with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug as adjunctive treatment to an antimicrobial.

PubMed

Lomb, J; Neave, H W; Weary, D M; LeBlanc, S J; Huzzey, J M; von Keyserlingk, M A G

2018-05-01

Dairy cows with metritis display sickness behaviors, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) have the potential to reduce these responses. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in feeding, social, and lying behaviors in dairy cows with metritis that had been treated with the NSAID meloxicam. After parturition, cows were housed in a dynamic, mixed-parity group of 20 animals with access to 12 electronic feed bins, 2 electronic water bins, and 24 lying stalls in a freestall pen. Every third day after parturition, vaginal discharge was evaluated to diagnose metritis based on the presence of foul smell and characteristic visual appearance. When diagnosed with metritis, animals (n = 87) were randomly allocated to receive either a single dose of meloxicam (0.5 mg/kg of body weight subcutaneously) or a placebo solution. All metritic animals received an antimicrobial (ceftiofur) for 5 d. We measured feeding and social behaviors at the feed bunk, as well as lying behaviors, and assessed within-cow changes from the day before to the day of (d 0) NSAID treatment, and from the day before to d 1 to 5 after treatment. Generally, behaviors changed around the day of diagnosis of metritis. Compared with the placebo group, cows that received meloxicam had a greater increase in the number of visits to the feeder, but tended to show less of an increase in dry matter intake and feeding time. These differences did not persist beyond 24 h after NSAID treatment. We observed no differences in changes in number of meals and feeding rate on d 0, but from d 1 to 5 cows treated with meloxicam had a lesser decrease in the number of meals and tended to have a greater decrease in feeding rate than did placebo-treated cows. In multiparous cows on d 0 and from d 1 to 5, meloxicam treatment was associated with decreased lying times. In primiparous cows, lying time changes were similar between treatments on d 0, but lying times increased more on d 1 to 5 for meloxicam than for placebo cows. Overall, cows changed the number of lying bouts on d 0, and this increase tended to be smaller for the meloxicam cows. There were no treatment differences in changes of social behavior. In summary, we observed inconsistent and generally small effects of a single dose of meloxicam in addition to antimicrobial therapy on the behavior of cows with metritis. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adélie penguins and temperature changes in Antarctica: a long-term view.

PubMed

Millar, Craig D; Subramanian, Sankar; Heupink, Tim H; Swaminathan, Siva; Baroni, Carlo; Lambert, David M

2012-06-01

During the summer months, Adélie penguins represent the dominant biomass of terrestrial Antarctica. Literally millions of individuals nest in ice-free areas around the coast of the continent. Hence, these modern populations of Adélie penguins have often been championed as an ideal biological indicator of ecological and environmental changes that we currently face. In addition, Adélie penguins show an extraordinary record of sub-fossil remains, dating back to the late Pleistocene. At this time, temperatures were much lower than now. Hence, this species offers unique long-term information, at both the genomic and ecological levels, about how a species has responded to climate change over more than 40 000 years. © 2012 ISZS, Blackwell Publishing and IOZ/CAS.

Burden of orofacial pain in a socially deprived and culturally diverse area of the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Joury, Easter; Bernabe, Eduardo; Gallagher, Jennifer E; Marcenes, Wagner

2018-07-01

Little is known about the burden and impact of orofacial pain in deprived areas, and whether it mediates the relationship between socioeconomic position and impacts on daily life. We analysed data from a representative sample of 2168 adults, aged 16 to 65 years, from the East London Oral Health Inequality study. Participants completed a validated questionnaire on demographics, socioeconomic position (area deprivation), orofacial pain (by anatomical site) in the past month, and impacts related to oral conditions on daily life. Negative binomial regression models with robust variance estimator were fitted. The prevalence of orofacial pain was high (30.2%). The most common subset of orofacial pain was intraoral pain (27.5%). The prevalence of pain related to temporomandibular disorders was 6.8%. The most common subsets of intraoral pain were tooth (20.4%) and gingival (11.4%) pain. Orofacial pain, its subsets (intraoral and temporomandibular disorder-related pain), and intraoral pain subsets (tooth and gingival pain) consistently showed associations with all dimensions of impacts on daily life that were highly statistically significant: functional limitation, psychological discomfort, disabilities, and handicap. Socioeconomic inequalities were present in orofacial pain and some dimensions of impacts on daily life. Orofacial pain did not mediate the relationship between area deprivation and impacts on daily life. Our study demonstrated a substantial burden and impact of orofacial pain in a socially deprived and culturally diverse area of the United Kingdom. To address this burden, interventions that lie within the remit of health services are needed to improve access to dental care for adults with orofacial pain.

Isolating the Λ(1405) in lattice QCD.

PubMed

Menadue, Benjamin J; Kamleh, Waseem; Leinweber, Derek B; Mahbub, M Selim

2012-03-16

The odd-parity ground state of the Λ baryon lies surprisingly low in mass. At 1405 MeV, it lies lower than the odd-parity ground-state nucleon, even though it has a valence strange quark. Using the PACS-CS (2+1)-flavor full-QCD ensembles, we employ a variational analysis using source and sink smearing to isolate this elusive state. For the first time we reproduce the correct level ordering with respect to nearby scattering thresholds. With a partially quenched strange quark to produce the appropriate kaon mass, we find a low-lying, odd-parity mass trend consistent with the experimental value.

Validation of thigh-based accelerometer estimates of postural allocation in 5-12 year-olds.

PubMed

van Loo, Christiana M T; Okely, Anthony D; Batterham, Marijka J; Hinkley, Trina; Ekelund, Ulf; Brage, Søren; Reilly, John J; Jones, Rachel A; Janssen, Xanne; Cliff, Dylan P

2017-03-01

To validate activPAL3™ (AP3) for classifying postural allocation, estimating time spent in postures and examining the number of breaks in sedentary behaviour (SB) in 5-12 year-olds. Laboratory-based validation study. Fifty-seven children completed 15 sedentary, light- and moderate-to-vigorous intensity activities. Direct observation (DO) was used as the criterion measure. The accuracy of AP3 was examined using a confusion matrix, equivalence testing, Bland-Altman procedures and a paired t-test for 5-8y and 9-12y. Sensitivity of AP3 was 86.8%, 82.5% and 85.3% for sitting/lying, standing, and stepping, respectively, in 5-8y and 95.3%, 81.5% and 85.1%, respectively, in 9-12y. Time estimates of AP3 were equivalent to DO for sitting/lying in 9-12y and stepping in all ages, but not for sitting/lying in 5-12y and standing in all ages. Underestimation of sitting/lying time was smaller in 9-12y (1.4%, limits of agreement [LoA]: -13.8 to 11.1%) compared to 5-8y (12.6%, LoA: -39.8 to 14.7%). Underestimation for stepping time was small (5-8y: 6.5%, LoA: -18.3 to 5.3%; 9-12y: 7.6%, LoA: -16.8 to 1.6%). Considerable overestimation was found for standing (5-8y: 36.8%, LoA: -16.3 to 89.8%; 9-12y: 19.3%, LoA: -1.6 to 36.9%). SB breaks were significantly overestimated (5-8y: 53.2%, 9-12y: 28.3%, p<0.001). AP3 showed acceptable accuracy for classifying postures, however estimates of time spent standing were consistently overestimated and individual error was considerable. Estimates of sitting/lying were more accurate for 9-12y. Stepping time was accurately estimated for all ages. SB breaks were significantly overestimated, although the absolute difference was larger in 5-8y. Surveillance applications of AP3 would be acceptable, however, individual level applications might be less accurate. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scorpius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

(the Scorpion; abbrev. Sco., gen. Scorpii; area 497 sq. deg.) A southern zodiacal constellation which lies between Ophiuchus and Ara, and culminates at midnight in early June. Its origin dates back to Sumerian times, when it was called Girtab, `the stinger', but today it is associated with the scorpion that, in Greek mythology, killed Orion the hunter—and the two constellations lie on opposite sid...

Spatial and intertemporal arbitrage in the California natural gas transportation and storage network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uria Martinez, Rocio

Intertemporal and spatial price differentials should provide the necessary signals to allocate a commodity efficiently inside a network. This dissertation investigates the extent to which decisions in the California natural gas transportation and storage system are taken with an eye on arbitrage opportunities. Daily data about flows into and out of storage facilities in California over 2002-2006 and daily spreads on the NYMEX futures market are used to investigate whether the injection profile is consistent with the "supply-of-storage" curve first observed by Working for wheat. Spatial price differentials between California and producing regions fluctuate throughout the year, even though spot prices at trading hubs across North America are highly correlated. In an analysis of "residual supply", gas volumes directed to California are examined for the influence of those fluctuations in locational differentials. Daily storage decisions in California do seem to be influenced by a daily price signal that combines the intertemporal spread and the locational basis between California and the Henry Hub, in addition to strong seasonal and weekly cycles. The timing and magnitude of the response differs across storage facilities depending on the regulatory requirements they face and the type of customers they serve. In contrast, deviations in spatial price differentials from the levels dictated by relative seasonality in California versus competing regions do not trigger significant reallocations of flows into California. Available data for estimation of both the supply-of-storage and residual-supply curves aggregate the behavior of many individuals whose motivations and attentiveness to prices vary. The resulting inventory and flow profiles differ from those that a social planner would choose to minimize operating costs throughout the network. Such optimal allocation is deduced from a quadratic programming model, calibrated to 2004-2005, that acknowledges relative seasonality in demand, trade-offs between transportation and storage costs, infrastructure configuration and regulatory requirements. A comparison of the simulated equilibrium with observed behavior identifies where the arbitrage opportunities lie. Moreover, scenario analysis of such as a LNG terminal or additional storage capacity in California reveals the considerable indirect network effects brought about by changes at any node or arc.

The motor cost of telling lies: electrocortical signatures and personality foundations of spontaneous deception.

PubMed

Panasiti, Maria Serena; Pavone, Enea F; Mancini, Alessandra; Merla, Arcangelo; Grisoni, Luigi; Aglioti, Salvatore M

2014-01-01

Although universal, lying is generally considered immoral behavior. Most neuroscience studies on lying sanction or instruct deceptive behaviors and thus might fail to acknowledge the significance of lie-related moral conflicts. By combining electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings with a novel paradigm in which participants decided freely whether to deceive another person, we have generated indices of the cognitive (reaction times and stimulus-locked event-related components) and moral (readiness potential and its correlations with deception-related personality traits) cost of spontaneous deception. Our data fail to support the consensus that deception is cognitively more demanding than truth telling, suggesting that spontaneous deception, as opposed to lying out of requirement, might not mandate additional cognitive workload. Interestingly, lying was associated with decreased motor readiness, an event-related potential (ERP) component that is linked to motor preparation of self-determined actions and modulated when we face moral dilemmas. Notably, this reduction was less extensive in manipulative participants and greater in those who cared highly about their impression management. Our study expands on previous findings on deception by associating a cortical marker of reduced preparation to act with individual differences in moral cognition.

Physical Activity Levels During Acute Inpatient Admission After Hip Fracture are Very Low.

PubMed

Davenport, Sarah J; Arnold, Meaghan; Hua, Carol; Schenck, Amie; Batten, Sarah; Taylor, Nicholas F

2015-09-01

Hip fractures are very common in older adults and result in serious health consequences. Early mobilization post-surgical intervention for hip fractures is very important. The purpose of this study was to determine physical activity levels during an acute inpatient admission of patients after surgery for hip fracture. The observational study was completed on an orthopaedic ward in an acute general hospital. Twenty patients (18 women, mean age ± standard deviation, 79.1 ± 9.3 years) post-surgical intervention for a hip fracture were included. Physical activity levels were measured using an accelerometer to record the percentage of time spent in lying/sitting, standing and walking, number of steps taken and average energy expenditure. Physical activity levels were extremely low, with participants spending an average of 99% of the day either lying or sitting and a little more than 1% of the day either standing or walking (16 min). Participants took an average of 35.7 ± 80.4 steps per day. Patients received more physiotherapy intervention on weekdays compared with weekends. There was no significant difference in activity levels between weekdays to weekends. No measures of physical activity were associated with length of stay. A mild to moderate association (r = 0.26-0.41) was observed between the measures of physical activity and the amount of physiotherapy received during the weekdays. Physical activity levels during an acute inpatient admission surgery for hip fracture are very low. Patients may have difficulty completing basic activities of daily living post-discharge into the community. Physical activity should be optimized as early in the rehabilitation process as able. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Validity of questions about activities of daily living to screen for dependency in older adults

PubMed Central

Rebouças, Monica; Coelho-Filho, João Macedo; Veras, Renato Peixoto; Lima-Costa, Maria Fernanda; Ramos, Luiz Roberto

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To determine the criterion validity of the activities of daily living present in functionality questionnaires in older adults for population surveys and to identify which activities are valid to quantify the real daily need for help of this population. METHODS This is a population sample of older adults stratified by levels of functionality, according to self-perception of dependency in the activities of daily living. Self-perception was compared with the gold standard – direct observation of these activities in the household of older adults by a trained professional, blinded to the answers in the questionnaire. At the visit, it was decided if the older adult needed help to perform any of the activities of daily living for the research. The sensitivity of each activity of daily living was greater when the self-assessment that there was no need for help coincided with the assessment of the professional. Specificity indicates coincidence regarding the need for help in the activities of daily living – coefficients of sensitivity and specificity above 70% were considered as indicative of good validity. RESULTS Self-assessments showed better sensitivity than specificity – older adults and observers agreed more on daily independency than on dependency. All activities showed sensitivity above 70%. Some activities had low (go shopping: 55%) or very low specificity (brush the hair: 33%). The best specificities were to take a shower and dress up (95.8% for both), among the personal ones, and to use transportation and perform banking transactions (78% for both), among the instrumental ones. CONCLUSIONS Activities of daily living can be valid indicators of functional dependence. The best coefficients of validity were generally obtained for personal activities. Some activities with good sensitivities and specificities – walk 100 meters, take a shower, and lie down in and get out of the bed – can be used to classify older adults into low, average, and high need for help depending on the affected activities and, therefore, can help in the planning of health services aimed at them. PMID:28876414

A statistical analysis of the daily streamflow hydrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavvas, M. L.; Delleur, J. W.

1984-03-01

In this study a periodic statistical analysis of daily streamflow data in Indiana, U.S.A., was performed to gain some new insight into the stochastic structure which describes the daily streamflow process. This analysis was performed by the periodic mean and covariance functions of the daily streamflows, by the time and peak discharge -dependent recession limb of the daily streamflow hydrograph, by the time and discharge exceedance level (DEL) -dependent probability distribution of the hydrograph peak interarrival time, and by the time-dependent probability distribution of the time to peak discharge. Some new statistical estimators were developed and used in this study. In general features, this study has shown that: (a) the persistence properties of daily flows depend on the storage state of the basin at the specified time origin of the flow process; (b) the daily streamflow process is time irreversible; (c) the probability distribution of the daily hydrograph peak interarrival time depends both on the occurrence time of the peak from which the inter-arrival time originates and on the discharge exceedance level; and (d) if the daily streamflow process is modeled as the release from a linear watershed storage, this release should depend on the state of the storage and on the time of the release as the persistence properties and the recession limb decay rates were observed to change with the state of the watershed storage and time. Therefore, a time-varying reservoir system needs to be considered if the daily streamflow process is to be modeled as the release from a linear watershed storage.

Giant lipoma of the back affecting quality of life

PubMed Central

Guler, Olcay; Mutlu, Serhat; Mahirogulları, Mahir

2015-01-01

Lipomas are benign tumours composed of adipose tissue. They may be localized in almost all body parts and may be in a giant form. Some of these giant lipomas may transform malignity and cause problems in daily living and detoriate quality of life. Mass localization also restrict body functions. In the present study, a 72-year-old man who presented with a mass enlarged in a time period of two years and because of this could not lie in the supine position, sit in an erect position and dress easily, go outside because of his physical appearance. With surgical treatment a 38 × 22 × 21 cm mass weighing 3575 g was successfully resected. Postoperative early phase complications did not occur. During 48 months of postoperative period, any recurrence was not detected and the patient was free of all his complaints. Cosmetic and functional results of the surgery and patient satisfaction were excellent. After surgery patient's quality of life was improved and restriction of body function was disappeared. PMID:26468370

The effects of shade on performance, carcass classes and behaviour of heat-stressed feedlot cattle at the finisher phase.

PubMed

Blaine, K L; Nsahlai, Ignatius Verla

2011-03-01

The study aimed to determine the impact of shade on the performance, carcass class and behaviour using 146 crossbred steers and bulls during the finishing phase on a commercial feedlot in February. Treatments were (1) shade and (2) no shade. Average daily gain (ADG), DMI, and feed efficiency were measured, and hot carcass weight (HCW) and grades were collected at slaughter. The proportion of animals within a pen engaged in various behavioural activities (standing, lying, feeding and panting) was recorded. Five randomly selected individual animals per treatment were monitored every 2 min between 0700 and 1600 hours to determine the time spent on each of the above activities. Shade improved the final body weight (P < 0.0001), ADG (P = 0.079), and HCW by 8.33 kg (P < 0.05). Shade increased (P < 0.05) the feeding activity but decreased (P < 0.05) panting behaviour. Shade conferred an economic benefit of R2.03 head(-1)week(-1), and thus would reduce heat stress and increase the feedlot profitability.

Factors affecting stall use for different freestall bases.

PubMed

Wagner-Storch, A M; Palmer, R W; Kammel, D W

2003-06-01

The objective of this study was to compare stall use (stall occupancy and cow position) by barn side for factors affecting stall use. A closed circuit television system recorded stall use four times per day for a 9-mo period starting May 9, 2001. Six factors were analyzed: stall base, distance to water, stall location within stall base section, stall location within barn, inside barn temperature, and length of time cows were exposed to stall bases. Two barn sides with different stocking densities were analyzed: low (66%), with cows milked by robotic milker; and high (100%), with cows milked 2X in parlor. Six stall base types were tested: two mattresses, a waterbed, a rubber mat, concrete, and sand (high side only). The base types were grouped 3 to 7 stalls/section and randomly placed in each row. Cows spent more time in mattress-based stalls, but the highest percentage lying was in sand-based stalls. The following significant stall occupancy percentages were found: sand had the highest percentage of cows lying on the high stocking density side (69%), followed by mattress type 1 (65%) > mattress type 2 (57%) > waterbed (45%) > rubber mat (33%) > concrete (23%). Mattress type 1 had the highest percentage stalls occupied (88%), followed by mattress type 2 (84%) > sand (79%) > soft rubber mat (65%) > waterbed (62%) > concrete (39%). On the low stocking rate side, mattress type 1 had the highest percentage cows lying (45%) and occupied (59.6%), followed by mattress type 2 > waterbed > soft rubber mat > concrete. Cow lying and stalls occupied percentages were highest for stalls 1) not at the end of a section, and 2) on the outside row, and varied by base type for time cows exposed to stalls and inside barn temperature. Lying and occupied percentages were different for different mattress types. The percentage of stalls with cows standing was higher for mat and mattress-based stalls. Results show mattress type 1 and sand to be superior and rubber mats and concrete inferior stall bases.

Methods and on-farm devices to predict calving time in cattle.

PubMed

Saint-Dizier, Marie; Chastant-Maillard, Sylvie

2015-09-01

In livestock farming, accurate prediction of calving time is a key factor for profitability and animal welfare. The most accurate and sensitive methods to date for prediction of calving within 24 h are the measurement of pelvic ligament relaxation and assays for circulating progesterone and oestradiol-17β. Conversely, the absence of calving within the next 12-24 h can be accurately predicted by the measurement of incremental daily decrease in vaginal temperature and by the combination of pelvic ligament relaxation and teat filling estimates. Continuous monitoring systems can detect behavioural changes occurring on the actual day of calving, some of them being accentuated in the last few hours before delivery; standing/lying transitions, tail raising, feeding time, and dry matter and water intakes differ between cows with dystocia and those with eutocia. Use of these behavioural changes has the potential to improve the management of calving. Currently, four types of devices for calving detection are on the market: inclinometers and accelerometers detecting tail raising and overactivity, abdominal belts monitoring uterine contractions, vaginal probes detecting a decrease in vaginal temperature and expulsion of the allantochorion, and devices placed in the vagina or on the vulvar lips that detect calf expulsion. The performance of these devices under field conditions and their capacity to predict dystocia require further investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uncertainty relation for non-Hamiltonian quantum systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tarasov, Vasily E.

2013-01-15

General forms of uncertainty relations for quantum observables of non-Hamiltonian quantum systems are considered. Special cases of uncertainty relations are discussed. The uncertainty relations for non-Hamiltonian quantum systems are considered in the Schroedinger-Robertson form since it allows us to take into account Lie-Jordan algebra of quantum observables. In uncertainty relations, the time dependence of quantum observables and the properties of this dependence are discussed. We take into account that a time evolution of observables of a non-Hamiltonian quantum system is not an endomorphism with respect to Lie, Jordan, and associative multiplications.

Lie Symmetry Analysis and Conservation Laws of a Generalized Time Fractional Foam Drainage Equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Li; Tian, Shou-Fu; Zhao, Zhen-Tao; Song, Xiao-Qiu

2016-07-01

In this paper, a generalized time fractional nonlinear foam drainage equation is investigated by means of the Lie group analysis method. Based on the Riemann—Liouville derivative, the Lie point symmetries and symmetry reductions of the equation are derived, respectively. Furthermore, conservation laws with two kinds of independent variables of the equation are performed by making use of the nonlinear self-adjointness method. Supported by the National Training Programs of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Undergraduates under Grant No. 201410290039, the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under Grant Nos. 2015QNA53 and 2015XKQY14, the Fundamental Research Funds for Postdoctoral at the Key Laboratory of Gas and Fire Control for Coal Mines, the General Financial Grant from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under Grant No. 2015M570498, and Natural Sciences Foundation of China under Grant No. 11301527

Effects of short-term repeated exposure to different flooring surfaces on the behavior and physiology of dairy cattle.

PubMed

Schütz, K E; Cox, N R

2014-05-01

Dairy cattle managed in some pasture-based systems such as in New Zealand are predominantly kept outdoors all year around, but are often taken off pasture for periods of time in wet weather to avoid soil damage. It is common to keep cattle on concrete surfaces during such "stand-off" practices and we investigated whether the addition of rubber matting onto concrete areas improves the welfare of dairy cattle. Sixteen groups of 5 cows (4 groups/treatment, 5 cows/group) were allocated to 1 of 4 treatments (concrete, 12-mm-thick rubber mat, 24-mm-thick rubber mat, or deep-bedded wood chips) and kept on these surfaces for 18 h/24h for 4 consecutive days (6h on pasture/24h). Each 4-d stand-off period was repeated 4 times (with 7 d of recovery between periods) to study the accumulated effects of repeated stand-off. Lying behavior was recorded continuously during the experiment. Gait score, stride length, hygiene score, live weight, and blood samples for cortisol analysis were recorded immediately before and after each stand-off period. Cows on wood chips spent the most time lying, and cows on concrete spent the least time lying compared with those on other surfaces [wood chips: 10.8h, 24-mm rubber mat: 7.3h, 12-mm rubber mat: 6.0 h, and concrete: 2.8h/18 h, standard error of the difference (SED): 0.71 h]. Cows on concrete spent more time lying during the 6h on pasture, likely compensating for the reduced lying during the stand-off period. Similarly, cows on concrete spent more time lying on pasture between stand-off periods (concrete: 12.1h, 12-mm rubber mat: 11.1h, 24-mm rubber mat: 11.2h, and wood chips: 10.7h/24h, SED: 0.28 h). Cows on concrete had higher gait score and shorter stride length after the 4-d stand-off period compared with cows on the other surface types, suggesting a change in gait pattern caused by discomfort. Cows on rubber mats were almost 3 times dirtier than cows on concrete or wood chips. Cortisol and live weight decreased for all treatment groups during the stand-off period. We observed no major effect of the repeated stand-off exposure. In summary, adding rubber matting onto concrete surfaces for stand-off purposes is beneficial for animal welfare. A well-managed wood chip surface offered the best welfare for dairy cows removed from pasture, and the findings of this study confirm that a concrete surface decreases the welfare of cows removed from pasture. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The implications of Ramadan fasting for human health and well-being.

PubMed

Alkandari, Jasem Ramadan; Maughan, Ronald J; Roky, Rachida; Aziz, Abdul Rashid; Karli, Umid

2012-01-01

Islamic Ramadan is a 29-30 day fast in which food, fluids, medications, drugs and smoking are prohibited during the daylight hours which can be extended between 13 and 18 h · day(-1) depending on the geographical location and season. The majority of health-specific findings related to Ramadan fasting are mixed. The likely causes for these heterogeneous findings lie in the amount of daily time of fasting, number of subjects who smoke, take oral medications, and/or receive intravenous fluids, in the type of food and eating habits and in changes in lifestyle. During Ramadan fasting, glucose homeostasis is maintained by meals taken during night time before dawn and by liver glycogen stores. Changes in serum lipids are variable and depend on the quality and quantity of food intake, physical activity and exercise, and changes in body weight. Compliant, well-controlled type II diabetics may observe Ramadan fasting, but fasting is not recommended for type I, noncompliant, poorly controlled and pregnant diabetics. There are no adverse effects of Ramadan fasting on respiratory and cardiovascular systems, haematologic profile, endocrine, and neuropsychiatric functions. Although Ramadan fasting is safe for all healthy individuals, those with various diseases should consult their physicians and follow medical and scientific recommendations.

Validation of triaxial accelerometers to measure the lying behaviour of adult domestic horses.

PubMed

DuBois, C; Zakrajsek, E; Haley, D B; Merkies, K

2015-01-01

Examining the characteristics of an animal's lying behaviour, such as frequency and duration of lying bouts, has become increasingly relevant for animal welfare research. Triaxial accelerometers have the advantage of being able to continuously monitor an animal's standing and lying behaviour without relying on live observations or video recordings. Multiple models of accelerometers have been validated for use in monitoring dairy cattle; however, no units have been validated for use in equines. This study tested Onset Pendant G data loggers attached to the hind limb of each of two mature Standardbred horses for a period of 5 days. Data loggers were set to record their position every 20 s. Horses were monitored via live observations during the day and by video recordings during the night to compare activity against accelerometer data. All lying events occurred overnight (three to five lying bouts per horse per night). Data collected from the loggers was converted and edited using a macro program to calculate the number of bouts and the length of time each animal spent lying down by hour and by day. A paired t-test showed no significant difference between the video observations and the output from the data loggers (P=0.301). The data loggers did not distinguish standing hipshot from standing square. Predictability, sensitivity, and specificity were all >99%. This study has validated the use of Onset Pendant G data loggers to determine the frequency and duration of standing and lying bouts in adult horses when set to sample and register readings at 20 s intervals.

Real Time Correction of Aircraft Flight Fonfiguration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schipper, John F. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

Method and system for monitoring and analyzing, in real time, variation with time of an aircraft flight parameter. A time-dependent recovery band, defined by first and second recovery band boundaries that are spaced apart at at least one time point, is constructed for a selected flight parameter and for a selected time recovery time interval length .DELTA.t(FP;rec). A flight parameter, having a value FP(t=t.sub.p) at a time t=t.sub.p, is likely to be able to recover to a reference flight parameter value FP(t';ref), lying in a band of reference flight parameter values FP(t';ref;CB), within a time interval given by t.sub.p.ltoreq.t'.ltoreq.t.sub.p.DELTA.t(FP;rec), if (or only if) the flight parameter value lies between the first and second recovery band boundary traces.

Measurement of time processing ability and daily time management in children with disabilities.

PubMed

Janeslätt, Gunnel; Granlund, Mats; Kottorp, Anders

2009-01-01

Improvement is needed in methods for planning and evaluating interventions designed to facilitate daily time management for children with intellectual disability, Asperger syndrome, or other developmental disorders. The aim of this study was to empirically investigate the hypothesized relation between children's time processing ability (TPA), daily time management, and self-rated autonomy. Such a relationship between daily time management and TPA may support the idea that TPA is important for daily time management and that children with difficulties in TPA might benefit from intervention aimed at improving daily time management. Participants were children aged 6 to 11 years with dysfunctions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, or physical or intellectual disabilities (N = 118). TPA was measured with the instrument KaTid. All data were transformed to interval measures using applications of Rasch models and then further analysed with correlation and regression analysis. The results demonstrate a moderate significant relation between the parents' ratings of daily time management and TPA of the children, and between the self-rating of autonomy and TPA. There was also a significant relation between self-ratings of autonomy and the parents' rating of the children's daily time management. Parents' ratings of their children's daily time management explain 25% of the variation in TPA, age of the children explains 22%, while the child's self-rating of autonomy can explain 9% of the variation in TPA. The three variables together explain 38% of the variation in TPA. The results indicate the viability of the instrument for assessing TPA also in children with disabilities and that the ability measured by KaTid is relevant for daily time management. TPA seems to be a factor for children's daily time management that needs to be taken into consideration when planning and evaluating interventions designed to facilitate everyday functioning for children with cognitive impairments. The findings add to the increasing knowledge base about children with time processing difficulties and contribute to better methods aimed at improving these children's daily time management. Further research is needed to examine if there are differences in TPA related to specific diagnosis or other child characteristics.

Sex-Based Differences in Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) Chick Growth Rates and Diet.

PubMed

Jennings, Scott; Varsani, Arvind; Dugger, Katie M; Ballard, Grant; Ainley, David G

2016-01-01

Sexually size-dimorphic species must show some difference between the sexes in growth rate and/or length of growing period. Such differences in growth parameters can cause the sexes to be impacted by environmental variability in different ways, and understanding these differences allows a better understanding of patterns in productivity between individuals and populations. We investigated differences in growth rate and diet between male and female Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chicks during two breeding seasons at Cape Crozier, Ross Island, Antarctica. Adélie Penguins are a slightly dimorphic species, with adult males averaging larger than adult females in mass (~11%) as well as bill (~8%) and flipper length (~3%). We measured mass and length of flipper, bill, tibiotarsus, and foot at 5-day intervals for 45 male and 40 female individually-marked chicks. Chick sex was molecularly determined from feathers. We used linear mixed effects models to estimate daily growth rate as a function of chick sex, while controlling for hatching order, brood size, year, and potential variation in breeding quality between pairs of parents. Accounting for season and hatching order, male chicks gained mass an average of 15.6 g d(-1) faster than females. Similarly, growth in bill length was faster for males, and the calculated bill size difference at fledging was similar to that observed in adults. There was no evidence for sex-based differences in growth of other morphological features. Adélie diet at Ross Island is composed almost entirely of two species--one krill (Euphausia crystallorophias) and one fish (Pleuragramma antarctica), with fish having a higher caloric value. Using isotopic analyses of feather samples, we also determined that male chicks were fed a higher proportion of fish than female chicks. The related differences in provisioning and growth rates of male and female offspring provides a greater understanding of the ways in which ecological factors may impact the two sexes differently.

Modeling water mass formation in the Mertz Glacier Polynya and Adélie Depression, East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsland, S. J.; Bindoff, N. L.; Williams, G. D.; Budd, W. F.

2004-11-01

High rates of sea ice growth and brine rejection in the Mertz Glacier Polynya drive the production of dense continental shelf waters in the Adélie Depression. We consider the rate of outflow of waters having sufficient density to sink into the neighboring abyssal ocean and form Adélie Land Bottom Water (ALBW). Along with Weddell and Ross Sea Bottom Waters, the ALBW is an important source of Antarctic Bottom Water. The relevant processes are modeled using a variant of the Max Planck Institute Ocean Model (MPIOM) under daily NCEP-NCAR reanalysis forcing for the period 1991-2000. The orthogonal curvilinear horizontal grid allows for the construction of a global domain with high resolution in our region of interest. The modeled Mertz Glacier Polynya is realistic in location and extent, exhibiting low ice thickness (<0.4 m) and low ice fraction (<50%). The net surface ocean to atmosphere heat flux exceeds 200 W m2 and is dominated by sensible heat exchange. In wintertime (May through September inclusive), 7.5 m of sea ice forms over the Adélie Depression at a rate of 4.9 cm d-1: this results in annual average volumetric production of 99 km3 of sea ice. The associated brine release drives dense shelf water formation. The off-shelf flow of dense water exhibits strong interannual variability in response to variability in both atmospheric forcing and ocean preconditioning. Averaged over the period 1991-2000 the off shelf flow of dense water is 0.15 Sv: for a period of strong outflow (1993-1997), this increases to 0.24 Sv. Most of the outflow occurs during July through October, at a rate of 0.40 (0.63) Sv over the period 1991-2000 (1993-1997). The peak mean monthly outflow can exceed 1 Sv.

Sex-Based Differences in Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) Chick Growth Rates and Diet

PubMed Central

Jennings, Scott; Varsani, Arvind; Dugger, Katie M.; Ballard, Grant; Ainley, David G.

2016-01-01

Sexually size-dimorphic species must show some difference between the sexes in growth rate and/or length of growing period. Such differences in growth parameters can cause the sexes to be impacted by environmental variability in different ways, and understanding these differences allows a better understanding of patterns in productivity between individuals and populations. We investigated differences in growth rate and diet between male and female Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chicks during two breeding seasons at Cape Crozier, Ross Island, Antarctica. Adélie Penguins are a slightly dimorphic species, with adult males averaging larger than adult females in mass (~11%) as well as bill (~8%) and flipper length (~3%). We measured mass and length of flipper, bill, tibiotarsus, and foot at 5-day intervals for 45 male and 40 female individually-marked chicks. Chick sex was molecularly determined from feathers. We used linear mixed effects models to estimate daily growth rate as a function of chick sex, while controlling for hatching order, brood size, year, and potential variation in breeding quality between pairs of parents. Accounting for season and hatching order, male chicks gained mass an average of 15.6 g d-1 faster than females. Similarly, growth in bill length was faster for males, and the calculated bill size difference at fledging was similar to that observed in adults. There was no evidence for sex-based differences in growth of other morphological features. Adélie diet at Ross Island is composed almost entirely of two species—one krill (Euphausia crystallorophias) and one fish (Pleuragramma antarctica), with fish having a higher caloric value. Using isotopic analyses of feather samples, we also determined that male chicks were fed a higher proportion of fish than female chicks. The related differences in provisioning and growth rates of male and female offspring provides a greater understanding of the ways in which ecological factors may impact the two sexes differently. PMID:26934698

The Effects of Employment Status and Daily Stressors on Time Spent on Daily Household Chores in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Jen D.; Almeida, David M.

2013-01-01

Purpose of the study: This study examines how employment status (worker vs. retiree) and life course influences (age, gender, and marital status) are associated with time spent on daily household chores. Second, this study assesses whether the associations between daily stressors and time spent on daily household chores differ as a function of…

Effect of softer flooring in tie stalls on resting behavior and leg injuries of lactating cows.

PubMed

Rushen, J; Haley, D; de Passillé, A M

2007-08-01

To test the advantages of softer flooring in tie stalls, we compared the behavior and injuries of dairy cows housed in tie stalls with either soft rubber mats (n = 12) or concrete flooring (n = 12), both lightly covered with straw. Data were collected for 112 d beginning at 14 DIM (+/-4 d). Cows' general activity was observed continuously for 24 h every 28 d. Behavior was also scored by a scan sampling technique every 14 d such that each cow was observed for a period of 3 min every 12 min. We scored the occurrence of leg lesions and other injuries every 7 d throughout the study. Cows on rubber mats had shorter bouts of lying but the frequency of bouts was higher, leading them to tend to spend more time lying compared with cows housed on concrete. Cows on concrete spent more time standing idle, but there was no difference in the time spent eating. There was no effect of stall flooring on the number of minor abrasions to the legs and body. There was a significantly higher incidence of swelling of the carpus joints for cows housed on concrete. Cows housed on soft rubber flooring appeared to be less hesitant to change posture from lying to standing (and vice versa), and as a result changed posture more frequently and spent more time lying than cows on concrete flooring. The decreased incidence of swelling of the carpus joint for cows on soft rubber mats may have important long-term effects in preventing a variety of leg problems.

Role of environmental cleanliness and decontamination in care homes.

PubMed

Cousins, Gary

2016-01-06

While it is widely accepted that the environment has an important role in transmission of healthcare-associated infections, there has been a paucity of empirical investigation in this area to date, and the majority of published literature relates to acute settings. People living in care homes come into contact with a communally used environment and communally used equipment daily. Equipment may include hoists, hoist slings, clinical monitoring equipment, commodes and shower chairs. In care homes, primary responsibility for decontamination lies with the healthcare team, most of whom are not nurses. The challenge for nurses working in care homes is their accountability for the provision of safe and effective care.

34. RW Meyer Sugar Mill: 18761889. Threeroll sugar mill, oneton ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

34. RW Meyer Sugar Mill: 1876-1889. Three-roll sugar mill, one-ton daily processing capacity. Manufactured by Edwin Maw, Liverpool, England, ca. 1855-1870. View: Side view of mill. Vertical drive shaft lying on ground in foreground. When drive-shaft was in upright position its bevel gear was meshed with the bevel gear of the top roll, transmitting the animals'circular motion around the drive shaft to the horizontal rolls. The foundation is of portland cement. The heavy timber mill bed, between the mill and the portland cement foundation has rolled away. - R. W. Meyer Sugar Mill, State Route 47, Kualapuu, Maui County, HI

Development of radar-based system for monitoring of frail home-dwelling persons: A healthcare perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudmann, Tobba T.; Børsheim, Ingebjørg T.; Øvsthus, Knut; Ciamulski, Tomasz; Miękina, Andrzej; Wagner, Jakub; Mazurek, Paweł; Jacobsen, Frode F.

2016-11-01

This interdisciplinary project aims to develop and assess the functional potential of radar technology in the care services. The project mainly has an exploratory character where the technological and functional potential of impulse-radar sensor are tested out in monitoring of elderly and disabled people living in their own home. Designing a non-invasive system for monitoring of movements of frail persons living at home is the main goal, with the intent of assessing health and functional status through monitoring of activities of daily life (ADL) and detecting potentially dangerous situations, not the least related to a long lie following falls.

33. RW Meyer Sugar Mill: 18761889. Threeroll sugar mill, oneton ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

33. RW Meyer Sugar Mill: 1876-1889. Three-roll sugar mill, one-ton daily processing capacity. Manufactured by Edwin Maw, Liverpool, England, ca. 1855-1870. View: From above the mill showing the three 15' x 22' horizontal rolls, mill frame or cheeks, portland cement foundation, and lower part of vertical drive shaft lying next mill in foreground. The loose metal piece resting on top of the mill frame matched the indented portion of the upper frame to form a bracket and bearing for the drive shaft when it was in its proper upright position. - R. W. Meyer Sugar Mill, State Route 47, Kualapuu, Maui County, HI

Effects of Behavioural Strategy on the Exploitative Competition Dynamics.

PubMed

Nguyen-Ngoc, Doanh; Nguyen-Phuong, Thuy

2016-12-01

We investigate a system of two species exploiting a common resource. We consider both abiotic (i.e. with a constant resource supply rate) and biotic (i.e. with resource reproduction and self-limitation) resources. We are interested in the asymmetric competition where a given consumer is the locally superior resource exploiter (LSE) and the other is the locally inferior resource exploiter (LIE). They also interact directly via interference competition in the sense that LIE individuals can use two opposite strategies to compete with LSE individuals: we assume, in the first case, that LIE uses an avoiding strategy, i.e. LIE individuals go to a non-competition patch to avoids competition with LSE individuals, and in the second one, LIE uses an aggressive strategy, i.e. being very aggressive so that LSE individuals have to go to a non-competition patch. We further assume that there is no resource in the non-competition patch so that individuals have to come back to the competition patch for their maintenance, and the migration process acts on a fast time scale in comparison with demography and competition processes. The models show that being aggressive is efficient for LIE's survival and even provoke global extinction of the LSE and this result does not depend on the nature of resource.

Fake News, Conspiracy Theories, and Lies: An Information Laundering Model for Homeland Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-03-01

THEORIES, AND LIES: AN INFORMATION LAUNDERING MODEL FOR HOMELAND SECURITY by Samantha M. Korta March 2018 Co-Advisors: Rodrigo Nieto...for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing...data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information . Send comments regarding this burden

The Biological Implausibility of the Nature-Nurture Dichotomy and What It Means for the Study of Infancy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewkowicz, David J.

2011-01-01

Since the time of the Greeks, philosophers and scientists have wondered about the origins of structure and function. Plato proposed that the origins of structure and function lie in the organism's nature whereas Aristotle proposed that they lie in its nurture. This nature-nurture dichotomy and the emphasis on the origins question has had a…

Daily computer usage correlated with undergraduate students' musculoskeletal symptoms.

PubMed

Chang, Che-Hsu Joe; Amick, Benjamin C; Menendez, Cammie Chaumont; Katz, Jeffrey N; Johnson, Peter W; Robertson, Michelle; Dennerlein, Jack Tigh

2007-06-01

A pilot prospective study was performed to examine the relationships between daily computer usage time and musculoskeletal symptoms on undergraduate students. For three separate 1-week study periods distributed over a semester, 27 students reported body part-specific musculoskeletal symptoms three to five times daily. Daily computer usage time for the 24-hr period preceding each symptom report was calculated from computer input device activities measured directly by software loaded on each participant's primary computer. General Estimating Equation models tested the relationships between daily computer usage and symptom reporting. Daily computer usage longer than 3 hr was significantly associated with an odds ratio 1.50 (1.01-2.25) of reporting symptoms. Odds of reporting symptoms also increased with quartiles of daily exposure. These data suggest a potential dose-response relationship between daily computer usage time and musculoskeletal symptoms.

Proliferation of East Antarctic Adélie penguins in response to historical deglaciation.

PubMed

Younger, Jane; Emmerson, Louise; Southwell, Colin; Lelliott, Patrick; Miller, Karen

2015-11-18

Major, long-term environmental changes are projected in the Southern Ocean and these are likely to have impacts for marine predators such as the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae). Decadal monitoring studies have provided insight into the short-term environmental sensitivities of Adélie penguin populations, particularly to sea ice changes. However, given the long-term nature of projected climate change, it is also prudent to consider the responses of populations to environmental change over longer time scales. We investigated the population trajectory of Adélie penguins during the last glacial-interglacial transition to determine how the species was affected by climate warming over millennia. We focussed our study on East Antarctica, which is home to 30 % of the global population of Adélie penguins. Using mitochondrial DNA from extant colonies, we reconstructed the population trend of Adélie penguins in East Antarctica over the past 22,000 years using an extended Bayesian skyline plot method. To determine the relationship of East Antarctic Adélie penguins with populations elsewhere in Antarctica we constructed a phylogeny using mitochondrial DNA sequences. We found that the Adélie penguin population expanded 135-fold from approximately 14,000 years ago. The population growth was coincident with deglaciation in East Antarctica and, therefore, an increase in ice-free ground suitable for Adélie penguin nesting. Our phylogenetic analysis indicated that East Antarctic Adélie penguins share a common ancestor with Adélie penguins from the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Arc, with an estimated age of 29,000 years ago, in the midst of the last glacial period. This finding suggests that extant colonies in East Antarctica, the Scotia Arc and the Antarctic Peninsula were founded from a single glacial refuge. While changes in sea ice conditions are a critical driver of Adélie penguin population success over decadal and yearly timescales, deglaciation appears to have been the key driver of population change over millennia. This suggests that environmental drivers of population trends over thousands of years may differ to drivers over years or decades, highlighting the need to consider millennial-scale trends alongside contemporary data for the forecasting of species' abundance and distribution changes under future climate change scenarios.

Method Of Charging Maintenance-Free Nickel Metal Hydride Storage Cells

DOEpatents

Berlureau, Thierry; Liska, Jean-Louis

1999-11-16

A method of charging an industrial maintenance-free Ni-MH storage cell, the method comprising in combination a first stage at a constant current I.sub.1 lying in the range I.sub.c /10 to I.sub.c /2, and a second stage at a constant current I.sub.2 lying in the range I.sub.c /50 to I.sub.c /10, the changeover from the first stage to the second stage taking place when the time derivative of the temperature reaches a threshold value which varies as a function of the temperature at the time of the changeover.

Relaxation and turbulence effects on sonic boom signatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierce, Allan D.; Sparrow, Victor W.

1992-01-01

The rudimentary theory of sonic booms predicts that the pressure signatures received at the ground begin with an abrupt shock, such that the overpressure is nearly abrupt. This discontinuity actually has some structure, and a finite time is required for the waveform to reach its peak value. This portion of the waveform is here termed the rise phase, and it is with this portion that this presentation is primarily concerned. Any time characterizing the duration of the rise phase is loosely called the 'rise time.' Various definitions are used in the literature for this rise time. In the present discussion the rise time can be taken as the time for the waveform to rise from 10 percent of its peak value to 90 percent of its peak value. The available data on sonic booms that appears in the open literature suggests that typical values of shock over-pressure lie in the range of 30 Pa to 200 Pa, typical values of shock duration lie in the range of 150 ms to 250 ms, and typical values of the rise time lie in the range of 1 ms to 5 ms. The understanding of the rise phase of sonic booms is important because the perceived loudness of a shock depends primarily on the structure of the rise phase. A longer rise time typically implies a less loud shock. A primary question is just what physical mechanisms are most important for the determination of the detailed structure of the rise phase.

Total and domain-specific sitting time among employees in desk-based work settings in Australia.

PubMed

Bennie, Jason A; Pedisic, Zeljko; Timperio, Anna; Crawford, David; Dunstan, David; Bauman, Adrian; van Uffelen, Jannique; Salmon, Jo

2015-06-01

To describe the total and domain-specific daily sitting time among a sample of Australian office-based employees. In April 2010, paper-based surveys were provided to desk-based employees (n=801) in Victoria, Australia. Total daily and domain-specific (work, leisure-time and transport-related) sitting time (minutes/day) were assessed by validated questionnaires. Differences in sitting time were examined across socio-demographic (age, sex, occupational status) and lifestyle characteristics (physical activity levels, body mass index [BMI]) using multiple linear regression analyses. The median (95% confidence interval [CI]) of total daily sitting time was 540 (531-557) minutes/day. Insufficiently active adults (median=578 minutes/day, [95%CI: 564-602]), younger adults aged 18-29 years (median=561 minutes/day, [95%CI: 540-577]) reported the highest total daily sitting times. Occupational sitting time accounted for almost 60% of total daily sitting time. In multivariate analyses, total daily sitting time was negatively associated with age (unstandardised regression coefficient [B]=-1.58, p<0.001) and overall physical activity (minutes/week) (B=-0.03, p<0.001) and positively associated with BMI (B=1.53, p=0.038). Desk-based employees reported that more than half of their total daily sitting time was accrued in the work setting. Given the high contribution of occupational sitting to total daily sitting time among desk-based employees, interventions should focus on the work setting. © 2014 Public Health Association of Australia.

Knowing when to trust others: An ERP study of decision making after receiving information from unknown people

PubMed Central

McCubbins, Mathew D.; Coulson, Seana

2009-01-01

To address the neurocognitive mechanisms that underlie choices made after receiving information from an anonymous individual, reaction times (Experiment 1) and event-related brain potentials (Experiment 2) were recorded as participants played three variants of the coin toss game. In this game, participants guess the outcomes of unseen coin tosses after a person in another room (dubbed 'the reporter’) observes the coin toss outcomes and then sends reports (which may or may not be truthful) to participants about whether the coins landed on heads or tails. Participants knew that the reporter's interests were aligned with their own (common interests), opposed to their own (conflicting interests) or opposed to their own, but that the reporter was penalized every time he or she sent a false report about the coin toss outcome (penalty for lying). In the common interests and penalty for lying conditions, participants followed the reporter's reports over 90% of the time, in contrast to <59% of the time in the conflicting interests condition. Reaction time results indicated that participants took similar amounts of time to respond in the common interests and penalty for lying conditions and that they were reliably faster than in the conflicting interests condition. Event-related potentials timelocked to the reporter's reports revealed a larger P2, P3 and late positive complex response in the common interests condition than in the other two, suggesting that participants’ brains processed the reporter's reports differently in the common interests condition relative to the other two conditions. Results suggest that even when people behave as if they trust information, they consider communicative efforts of individuals whose interests are aligned with their own to be slightly more informative than those of individuals who are made trustworthy by an institution, such as a penalty for lying. PMID:19015085

Efficacy and safety of amoxycillin/clavulanate (Augmentin) twice daily versus three times daily in the treatment of acute otitis media in children. The Augmentin 454 Study Group.

PubMed

Damrikarnlert, L; Jauregui, A C; Kzadri, M

2000-02-01

This multicenter, randomized, single-blind study compared the efficacy and safety of a new, twice-daily formulation of amoxycillin/clavulanate (Augmenting) with the standard three-times-daily formulation. Children with a clinical diagnosis of acute otitis media, aged between 2 months and 12 years, received either amoxycillin/clavulanate 45/6.4 mg/kg/day twice-daily (b.d.) (range 38.3/5.5-76.2/10.9 mg/kg/day) or amoxycillin/clavulanate 40/10 mg/kg/day three-times-daily (t.d.s.) (range 25/6.25-56/14 mg/kg/day) for 7 or 10 days. Patients were evaluated during therapy (Days 3-5), at the end of therapy (Days 7-12) and at follow-up (Days 38-42). At the end of therapy, for the intent-to-treat and per-protocol populations, respectively, clinical success (cure) was achieved by approximately 94% of patients in both treatment groups. A successful bacteriological response at the end of therapy (Visit 3) was documented in 7/9 patients (77.8%) in the twice-daily group and in 11/13 patients (84.6%) in the three-times-daily group. At follow-up (Visit 4), 93.3% of patients in the twice-daily group and 87.9% in the three-times-daily group continued to have a clinically successful response. Both treatment regimens were well tolerated, with most adverse events being of a mild-moderate and transient nature. The most common treatment-related adverse event was diarrhea, occurring in 7.2% of patients in the twice-daily group and in 10.7% of the three-times-daily group. In total, 173 patients (82.8%) in the twice-daily group and 151 patients (73.3%) in the three-times-daily group were compliant with medication. In conclusion, this study confirms that b.d. amoxycillin/clavulanate is an effective treatment for pediatric acute otitis media and demonstrates that the b.d. and t.d.s. formulations of amoxycillin/clavulanate produce equivalent efficacy. Furthermore, there was a trend towards a higher level of compliance and a lower incidence of drug-related adverse events in the twice-daily compared with the three-times-daily treatment group.

Preferences of dairy cows for three stall surface materials with small amounts of bedding.

PubMed

Norring, M; Manninen, E; de Passillé, A M; Rushen, J; Saloniemi, H

2010-01-01

Farmers' concerns about the economy, cost of labor, and hygiene have resulted in reduced use of organic bedding in stalls for dairy cows; however, the reduced use of organic bedding possibly impairs cow comfort. The effects of different stall surface materials were evaluated in an unheated building in which only a small amount of bedding was used. The lying time and preferences of 18 cows using 3 stall surface materials (concrete, soft rubber mat, and sand) were compared. All materials were lightly bedded with a small amount of straw, and the amount of straw added to each stall was measured. The cows only had access to stalls of one surface type while their lying time was observed. Lying times were longest on the rubber mats compared with other surfaces (rubber mat 768; concrete 727; sand 707+/-16 min/d). In a preference test, cows had access to 2 of the 3 types of stalls for 10 d and their stall preference was measured. Cows preferred stalls with rubber mats to stalls with a concrete floor (median 73 vs. 18 from a total of 160 observations per day; interquartile range was 27 and 12, respectively), but showed no preference for sand stalls compared with stalls with a concrete floor or with rubber mats. More straw was needed on sand stalls compared with concrete or mat (638+/-13 g/d on sand, 468+/-10 g/d on concrete, and 464+/-8 g/d on rubber mats). Lying times on bedded mats indicated that mats were comfortable for the cows. If availability or cost of bedding material requires limiting the amount of bedding used, rubber mats may help maintain cow comfort. Copyright 2010 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monitoring indices of cow comfort in free-stall-housed dairy herds.

PubMed

Cook, N B; Bennett, T B; Nordlund, K V

2005-11-01

Indices of cow comfort are used widely by consultants in the dairy industry, with a general understanding that they are representative of lying behavior. This study examines the influence of stall base type (sand or a geotextile mattress filled with rubber crumbs) and time of measurement on 4 indices of comfort collected at hourly intervals in 12 herds, aligned by morning and afternoon milking. Stall base type significantly influenced all indices of comfort. For example, the least squares mean (SE) cow comfort index (proportion of cows touching a stall that are lying down) was 0.76 (0.015) in herds with mattresses compared with 0.86 (0.015) in herds with sand stalls. Significant hourly variation was also identified suggesting that timing of measurement is important. None of the indices of cow comfort derived from the high-yielding group pen was associated with the mean 24-h lying time of 10 sentinel cows whose time budgets were known in each herd. However, the cow comfort index was associated with the herd mean 24-h stall standing time, with the strongest relationships occurring 2 h before the morning and afternoon milking, when stall base type did not significantly influence the association. When measured at these times, we recommend use of the stall standing index (proportion of cows touching a stall that are standing), with values greater than 0.20 being associated with abnormally long herd mean stall standing times greater than 2 h/d.

Birth of the GUP and its effect on the entropy of the universe in Lie-N-algebra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sepehri, Alireza; Pradhan, Anirudh; Pincak, Richard; Rahaman, Farook; Beesham, A.; Ghaffary, Tooraj

In this paper, the origin of the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) in an M-dimensional theory with Lie-N-algebra is considered. This theory which we name Generalized Lie-N-Algebra (GLNA)-theory can be reduced to M-theory with M = 11 and N = 3. In this theory, at the beginning, two energies with positive and negative signs are created from nothing and produce two types of branes with opposite quantum numbers and different numbers of timing dimensions. Coincidence with the birth of these branes, various derivatives of bosonic fields emerge in the action of the system which produce the r GUP for bosons. These branes interact with each other, compact and various derivatives of spinor fields appear in the action of the system which leads to the creation of the GUP for fermions. The previous predicted entropy of branes in the GUP is corrected as due to the emergence of higher orders of derivatives and different number of timing dimensions.

Modelling of Sub-daily Hydrological Processes Using Daily Time-Step Models: A Distribution Function Approach to Temporal Scaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandel, D. D.; Western, A. W.; Grayson, R. B.

2004-12-01

Mismatches in scale between the fundamental processes, the model and supporting data are a major limitation in hydrologic modelling. Surface runoff generation via infiltration excess and the process of soil erosion are fundamentally short time-scale phenomena and their average behaviour is mostly determined by the short time-scale peak intensities of rainfall. Ideally, these processes should be simulated using time-steps of the order of minutes to appropriately resolve the effect of rainfall intensity variations. However, sub-daily data support is often inadequate and the processes are usually simulated by calibrating daily (or even coarser) time-step models. Generally process descriptions are not modified but rather effective parameter values are used to account for the effect of temporal lumping, assuming that the effect of the scale mismatch can be counterbalanced by tuning the parameter values at the model time-step of interest. Often this results in parameter values that are difficult to interpret physically. A similar approach is often taken spatially. This is problematic as these processes generally operate or interact non-linearly. This indicates a need for better techniques to simulate sub-daily processes using daily time-step models while still using widely available daily information. A new method applicable to many rainfall-runoff-erosion models is presented. The method is based on temporal scaling using statistical distributions of rainfall intensity to represent sub-daily intensity variations in a daily time-step model. This allows the effect of short time-scale nonlinear processes to be captured while modelling at a daily time-step, which is often attractive due to the wide availability of daily forcing data. The approach relies on characterising the rainfall intensity variation within a day using a cumulative distribution function (cdf). This cdf is then modified by various linear and nonlinear processes typically represented in hydrological and erosion models. The statistical description of sub-daily variability is thus propagated through the model, allowing the effects of variability to be captured in the simulations. This results in cdfs of various fluxes, the integration of which over a day gives respective daily totals. Using 42-plot-years of surface runoff and soil erosion data from field studies in different environments from Australia and Nepal, simulation results from this cdf approach are compared with the sub-hourly (2-minute for Nepal and 6-minute for Australia) and daily models having similar process descriptions. Significant improvements in the simulation of surface runoff and erosion are achieved, compared with a daily model that uses average daily rainfall intensities. The cdf model compares well with a sub-hourly time-step model. This suggests that the approach captures the important effects of sub-daily variability while utilizing commonly available daily information. It is also found that the model parameters are more robustly defined using the cdf approach compared with the effective values obtained at the daily scale. This suggests that the cdf approach may offer improved model transferability spatially (to other areas) and temporally (to other periods).

Solar flares associated coronal mass ejection accompanied with DH type II radio burst in relation with interplanetary magnetic field, geomagnetic storms and cosmic ray intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, Harish; Bhatt, Beena

2018-04-01

In this paper, we have selected 114 flare-CME events accompanied with Deca-hectometric (DH) type II radio burst chosen from 1996 to 2008 (i.e., solar cycle 23). Statistical analyses are performed to examine the relationship of flare-CME events accompanied with DH type II radio burst with Interplanetary Magnetic field (IMF), Geomagnetic storms (GSs) and Cosmic Ray Intensity (CRI). The collected sample events are divided into two groups. In the first group, we considered 43 events which lie under the CME span and the second group consists of 71 events which are outside the CME span. Our analysis indicates that flare-CME accompanied with DH type II radio burst is inconsistent with CSHKP flare-CME model. We apply the Chree analysis by the superposed epoch method to both set of data to find the geo-effectiveness. We observed different fluctuations in IMF for arising and decay phase of solar cycle in both the cases. Maximum decrease in Dst during arising and decay phase of solar cycle is different for both the cases. It is noted that when flare lie outside the CME span CRI shows comparatively more variation than the flare lie under the CME span. Furthermore, we found that flare lying under the CME span is more geo effective than the flare outside of CME span. We noticed that the time leg between IMF Peak value and GSs, IMF and CRI is on average one day for both the cases. Also, the time leg between CRI and GSs is on average 0 to 1 day for both the cases. In case flare lie under the CME span we observed high correlation (0.64) between CRI and Dst whereas when flare lie outside the CME span a weak correlation (0.47) exists. Thus, flare position with respect to CME span play a key role for geo-effectiveness of CME.

Community walking speed, sedentary or lying down time, and mortality in peripheral artery disease

PubMed Central

McDermott, Mary M; Guralnik, Jack M; Ferrucci, Luigi; Tian, Lu; Kibbe, Melina R; Greenland, Philip; Green, David; Liu, Kiang; Zhao, Lihui; Wilkins, John T; Huffman, Mark D; Shah, Sanjiv J; Liao, Yihua; Gao, Ying; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M; Criqui, Michael H

2017-01-01

We studied whether slower community walking speed and whether greater time spent lying down or sleeping were associated with higher mortality in people with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). Participants with an ankle–brachial index (ABI) < 0.90 were identified from Chicago medical centers. At baseline, participants reported their usual walking speed outside their home and the number of hours they spent lying down or sleeping per day. Cause of death was adjudicated using death certificates and medical record review. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, race, comorbidities, ABI, and other confounders. Of 1314 PAD participants, 189 (14.4%) died, including 63 cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths. Mean follow-up was 34.9 months ± 18.1. Relative to average or normal pace (2–3 miles/hour), slower walking speed was associated with greater CVD mortality: no walking at all: hazard ratio (HR) = 4.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.46–11.89; casual strolling (0–2 miles/hour): HR = 2.24, 95% CI = 1.16–4.32; brisk or striding (>3 miles/hour): HR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.07–4.30. These associations were not significant after additional adjustment for the six-minute walk. Relative to sleeping or lying down for 8–9 hours, fewer or greater hours sleeping or lying down were associated with higher CVD mortality: 4–7 hours: HR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.06–4.05; 10–11 hours: HR = 4.07, 95% CI = 1.86–8.89; ⩾12 hours: HR = 3.75, 95% CI = 1.47–9.62. These associations were maintained after adjustment for the six-minute walk. In conclusion, slower walking speed outside the home and less than 8 hours or more than 9 hours lying down per day are potentially modifiable behaviors associated with increased CVD mortality in patients with PAD. PMID:26873873

Daily time management and influence of environmental factors on use of electronic planning devices in adults with mental disability.

PubMed

Janeslätt, Gunnel; Lindstedt, Helena; Adolfsson, Päivi

2015-01-01

To describe daily time management in adults with and without mental disability and to examine differences in the level of their daily time management; to describe the possessions and use of electronic planning devices (EPDs) in activities and how environmental factors influence the use of EPDs in adults with mental disability. In a descriptive and cross-sectional design, 32 participants using EPDs and a matched comparison group of 32 healthy adults was recruited. Time-Self rating scale measuring daily time management was adapted for adults. A study specific questionnaire was applied to collect data on five ICF environmental factors. Rasch modelling, descriptive and non-parametric statistics were applied. Time-S has acceptable psychometric properties for use on adults with mental disability. People with mental disability and low level of daily time management who use advanced EPDs are more influenced by environmental factors. The study group perceived that encouragement and support from professionals as well as services influence their use of EPDs. Time-S can safely be used for people with mental disability. EPDs do not fully compensate the needs of the target-group. Prescribers need to give considerations to this and therefore they should be provided with more knowledge about this matter. Implications for Rehabilitation The Time-S can be applied for measuring daily time management in adults. Adults with mental disability provided with EPDs are not fully compensated in daily time management. Professional support and encouragement as well as backing from the services are important factors for the use of EPDs. Because the smart phones are not prescribed as assistive technology, the need for help from professionals to facilitate daily life is stressed. Therefore, the professionals should be provided with more knowledge about the use of EPDs.

Exploring time- and frequency- dependent functional connectivity and brain networks during deception with single-trial event-related potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Jun-Feng; Yang, Yong; Huang, Wen-Tao; Lin, Pan; Ge, Sheng; Zheng, Hong-Mei; Gu, Ling-Yun; Zhou, Hui; Li, Chen-Hong; Rao, Ni-Ni

2016-11-01

To better characterize the cognitive processes and mechanisms that are associated with deception, wavelet coherence was employed to evaluate functional connectivity between different brain regions. Two groups of subjects were evaluated for this purpose: 32 participants were required to either tell the truth or to lie when facing certain stimuli, and their electroencephalogram signals on 12 electrodes were recorded. The experimental results revealed that deceptive responses elicited greater connectivity strength than truthful responses, particularly in the θ band on specific electrode pairs primarily involving connections between the prefrontal/frontal and central regions and between the prefrontal/frontal and left parietal regions. These results indicate that these brain regions play an important role in executing lying responses. Additionally, three time- and frequency-dependent functional connectivity networks were proposed to thoroughly reflect the functional coupling of brain regions that occurs during lying. Furthermore, the wavelet coherence values for the connections shown in the networks were extracted as features for support vector machine training. High classification accuracy suggested that the proposed network effectively characterized differences in functional connectivity between the two groups of subjects over a specific time-frequency area and hence could be a sensitive measurement for identifying deception.

Paradox in AI - AI 2.0: The Way to Machine Consciousness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palensky, Peter; Bruckner, Dietmar; Tmej, Anna; Deutsch, Tobias

Artificial Intelligence, the big promise of the last millennium, has apparently made its way into our daily lives. Cell phones with speech control, evolutionary computing in data mining or power grids, optimized via neural network, show its applicability in industrial environments. The original expectation of true intelligence and thinking machines lies still ahead of us. Researchers are, however, optimistic as never before. This paper tries to compare the views, challenges and approaches of several disciplines: engineering, psychology, neuroscience, philosophy. It gives a short introduction to Psychoanalysis, discusses the term consciousness, social implications of intelligent machines, related theories, and expectations and shall serve as a starting point for first attempts of combining these diverse thoughts.

[Association between the canine monoamine oxidase B (MAOB) gene polymorphisms and behavior of puppies in open-field test].

PubMed

Li, Xiao-Hui; Xu, Han-Kun; Mao, Da-Gan; Ma, Da-Jun; Chen, Peng; Yang, Li-Guo

2006-11-01

Excitability, activity and exploration behavior of puppies in a novel open-field were tested in a total of 204 two-month-old German shepherd dog, labrador retriever or English springer spaniel puppies. The polymorphisms of monoamine oxidase B gene (MAOB) were detected by PCR-RFLP. Statistics analysis indicated that genotype and allele frequencies of the polymorphisms were significantly different among three breeds (P < 0.01). With GLM analysis of SAS software, association analysis was conducted between MAOB gene polymorphisms and locomotion and vocalization behavior parameters in the open-field test. The results showed that MAOB gene polymorphisms had a significant effect on walking time, squares crossed, lying time, the times of standing up against walls(P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) and were associated with the times of posture change (P=0.064). Walking time and squares crossed were higher in TT genotype puppies than those in TC and CC puppies (P < 0.05) and the times of posture change and standing up against walls were also higher than those in CC (P < 0.05). In addition, lying time in CC genotype puppies were higher than that in TT (P < 0.05). MAOB had a positive effect on walking time, lying time, squares crossed, the times of posture change, the times of standing up against walls in the three dog breeds that was highly statistically significant (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Our results imply that MAOB gene significantly affects the excitability, activity and exploration behavior of puppies in open-field test and TT genotype has favorable effects in these behavior traits.

Long-term flow forecasts based on climate and hydrologic modeling: Uruguay River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucci, Carlos Eduardo Morelli; Clarke, Robin Thomas; Collischonn, Walter; da Silva Dias, Pedro Leite; de Oliveira, Gilvan Sampaio

2003-07-01

This paper describes a procedure for predicting seasonal flow in the Rio Uruguay drainage basin (area 75,000 km2, lying in Brazilian territory), using sequences of future daily rainfall given by the global climate model (GCM) of the Brazilian agency for climate prediction (Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Clima, or CPTEC). Sequences of future daily rainfall given by this model were used as input to a rainfall-runoff model appropriate for large drainage basins. Forecasts of flow in the Rio Uruguay were made for the period 1995-2001 of the full record, which began in 1940. Analysis showed that GCM forecasts underestimated rainfall over almost all the basin, particularly in winter, although interannual variability in regional rainfall was reproduced relatively well. A statistical procedure was used to correct for the underestimation of rainfall. When the corrected rainfall sequences were transformed to flow by the hydrologic model, forecasts of flow in the Rio Uruguay basin were better than forecasts based on historic mean or median flows by 37% for monthly flows and by 54% for 3-monthly flows.

Split Orthogonal Group: A Guiding Principle for Sign-Problem-Free Fermionic Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lei; Liu, Ye-Hua; Iazzi, Mauro; Troyer, Matthias; Harcos, Gergely

2015-12-01

We present a guiding principle for designing fermionic Hamiltonians and quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods that are free from the infamous sign problem by exploiting the Lie groups and Lie algebras that appear naturally in the Monte Carlo weight of fermionic QMC simulations. Specifically, rigorous mathematical constraints on the determinants involving matrices that lie in the split orthogonal group provide a guideline for sign-free simulations of fermionic models on bipartite lattices. This guiding principle not only unifies the recent solutions of the sign problem based on the continuous-time quantum Monte Carlo methods and the Majorana representation, but also suggests new efficient algorithms to simulate physical systems that were previously prohibitive because of the sign problem.

Estimating Evapotranspiration Demands of Different Land Cover Using Diurnal Signals in Dry Season Stream Discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhalla, R. S.; K, K.; Srinivas, V.; Krishnaswamy, J.; Chappell, N. A.; Jones, T.

2015-12-01

We use a paired catchment approach to compare the dry season flows between natural grasslands and introduced plantations of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) in the Nilgiri South range forest which lies in the southern parts of the Western Ghat mountain range in Sothern India, a global biodiversity hot-spot. Discharges were measured using a portable flume and a weir fitted with capacitance probes logging water levels every five minutes in two adjacent catchments. Sensor artefacts in the data were filtered out before analysis. Diurnal variations in dry season flows from March 1st to April 15th, 2014 were used to estimate the daily ET based on Boronina et al. 2005 (Hyd. Proc. 19, 20, pp. 4055-4068.) using the equation 1. : E T daily = ∑ i=1 24 ( Q max - Q i ) Δ t , where E T daily is the daily loss of water from the catchment through ET, Q max is the daily maximum flow rate in the river, Q i is the average flow rate for every hour of the day and Δ t is one hour. Our results show that land use conversion from grasslands to wattle has increased ET by 40.97mm which is to the order of 60% during the period of the study (table 1). This has immediate relevance for dry season flows in the region. Nilgiris provide 40% of the total hydro-power generation for the state of Tamil Nadu and these streams sustain biodiversity and are tributaries of the Cauvery river, the largest the state. They also highlight the potential consequences of programmes such as the National Mission for Greening India which explicitly targets conversions of 10m ha of degraded forests, scrub and grasslands to tree cover and forest. Grassland Wattle Difference 1st Qu. 1.14 1.36 -1.33 Median 1.94 2.04 0.28 Mean 2.06 2.97 0.91 3rd Qu. 2.66 3.51 2.43 Sum 92.63 133.60 40.97 Table 1: Summary statistics for daily dry season ET for catchment under grassland, wattle and the daily differences between the two in mm per day.

Improving activity recognition using a wearable barometric pressure sensor in mobility-impaired stroke patients.

PubMed

Massé, Fabien; Gonzenbach, Roman R; Arami, Arash; Paraschiv-Ionescu, Anisoara; Luft, Andreas R; Aminian, Kamiar

2015-08-25

Stroke survivors often suffer from mobility deficits. Current clinical evaluation methods, including questionnaires and motor function tests, cannot provide an objective measure of the patients' mobility in daily life. Physical activity performance in daily-life can be assessed using unobtrusive monitoring, for example with a single sensor module fixed on the trunk. Existing approaches based on inertial sensors have limited performance, particularly in detecting transitions between different activities and postures, due to the inherent inter-patient variability of kinematic patterns. To overcome these limitations, one possibility is to use additional information from a barometric pressure (BP) sensor. Our study aims at integrating BP and inertial sensor data into an activity classifier in order to improve the activity (sitting, standing, walking, lying) recognition and the corresponding body elevation (during climbing stairs or when taking an elevator). Taking into account the trunk elevation changes during postural transitions (sit-to-stand, stand-to-sit), we devised an event-driven activity classifier based on fuzzy-logic. Data were acquired from 12 stroke patients with impaired mobility, using a trunk-worn inertial and BP sensor. Events, including walking and lying periods and potential postural transitions, were first extracted. These events were then fed into a double-stage hierarchical Fuzzy Inference System (H-FIS). The first stage processed the events to infer activities and the second stage improved activity recognition by applying behavioral constraints. Finally, the body elevation was estimated using a pattern-enhancing algorithm applied on BP. The patients were videotaped for reference. The performance of the algorithm was estimated using the Correct Classification Rate (CCR) and F-score. The BP-based classification approach was benchmarked against a previously-published fuzzy-logic classifier (FIS-IMU) and a conventional epoch-based classifier (EPOCH). The algorithm performance for posture/activity detection, in terms of CCR was 90.4 %, with 3.3 % and 5.6 % improvements against FIS-IMU and EPOCH, respectively. The proposed classifier essentially benefits from a better recognition of standing activity (70.3 % versus 61.5 % [FIS-IMU] and 42.5 % [EPOCH]) with 98.2 % CCR for body elevation estimation. The monitoring and recognition of daily activities in mobility-impaired stoke patients can be significantly improved using a trunk-fixed sensor that integrates BP, inertial sensors, and an event-based activity classifier.

Short-term seaward fish migration in the Messolonghi Etoliko lagoons (Western Greek coast) in relation to climatic variables and the lunar cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katselis, George; Koukou, Katerina; Dimitriou, Evagelos; Koutsikopoulos, Constantin

2007-07-01

In the present study we analysed the daily seaward migratory behaviour of four dominant euryhaline fish species (Mugilidae: Liza saliens, Liza aurata, Mugil cephalus and Sparidae: Sparus aurata) in the Messolonghi Etoliko lagoon system (Western Greek coast) based on the daily landings' time series of barrier traps and assessed the relationship between their migratory behaviour and various climatic variables (air temperature and atmospheric pressure) and the lunar cycle. A 2-year time series of daily fish landings (1993 and 1994), a long time series of daily air temperature and daily temperature range (1991 1998) as well as a 4-year time series of the daily atmospheric pressure (1994 1997) and daily pressure range were used. Harmonic models (HM) consisting of annual and lunar cycle harmonic components explained most (R2 > 0.80) of the mean daily species landings and temperature variations, while a rather low part of the variation (0.18 < R2 < 0.27) was explained for pressure, daily pressure range and daily temperature range. In all the time series sets the amplitude of the annual component was highest. The model values of all species revealed two important migration periods (summer and winter) corresponding to the spawning and refuge migrations. The lunar cycle effect on species' daily migration rates and the short-term fluctuation of daily migration rates were rather low. However, the short-term fluctuation of some species' daily migration rates during winter was greater than during summer. In all species, the main migration was the spawning migration. The model lunar components of the species landings showed a monthly oscillation synchronous to the full moon (S. aurata and M. cephalus) or a semi-monthly oscillation synchronous to the new and full moon (L. aurata and L. saliens). Bispectral analysis of the model values and the model residuals' time series revealed that the species daily migration were correlated (coherencies > 0.6) to the daily fluctuations of the climatic variables at seasonal, mid and short-term scales.

Memory-Based Deception Detection: Extending the Cognitive Signature of Lying From Instructed to Self-Initiated Cheating.

PubMed

Geven, Linda M; Ben-Shakhar, Gershon; Kindt, Merel; Verschuere, Bruno

2018-06-15

From a cognitive perspective, lying can be regarded as a complex cognitive process requiring the interplay of several executive functions. Meta-analytic research on 114 studies encompassing 3,307 participants (Suchotzki, Verschuere, Van Bockstaele, Ben-Shakhar, & Crombez, ) suggests that computerized paradigms can reliably assess the cognitive burden of lying, with large reaction time differences between lying and truth telling. These studies, however, lack a key ingredient of real-life deception, namely self-initiated behavior. Research participants have typically been instructed to commit a mock crime and conceal critical information, whereas in real life, people freely choose whether or not to engage in antisocial behavior. In this study, participants (n = 433) engaged in a trivia quiz and were provided with a monetary incentive for high accuracy performance. Participants were randomly allocated to either a condition where they were instructed to cheat on the quiz (mimicking the typical laboratory set-up) or to a condition in which they were provided with the opportunity to cheat, yet without explicit instructions to do so. Assessments of their response times in a subsequent Concealed Information Test (CIT) revealed that both instructed cheaters (n = 107) and self-initiated cheaters (n = 142) showed the expected RT-slowing for concealed information. The data indicate that the cognitive signature of lying is not restricted to explicitly instructed cheating, but it can also be observed for self-initiated cheating. These findings are highly encouraging from an ecological validity perspective. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Topics in Cognitive Science published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Cognitive Science Society. Inc.

Effect of different forage sources on performance and feeding behavior of Holstein calves.

PubMed

Castells, Ll; Bach, A; Araujo, G; Montoro, C; Terré, M

2012-01-01

One hundred seventy-nine Holstein male calves [44.7 kg of body weight (BW) and 8.3 d of age] participated in a series of 3 experiments to evaluate the effect of different forage sources on performance, apparent digestibility, and feeding behavior. Animals in each study were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 different dietary treatments: control (CON) calves were fed starter feed without any forage provision (this treatment was repeated in each of the 3 experiments), and the 2 other treatments consisted of the same starter feed plus a forage source: chopped alfalfa (AH) or rye-grass hay (RH) in the first study; chopped oat hay (OH) or chopped barley straw (BS) in the second study; corn silage (CS) or triticale silage (TS) in the third study. All calves were offered 2L of milk replacer (MR) at 12.5% dry matter (DM) twice daily via a bottle until 50 d of age, and 2L of MR at 12.5% DM during the week before weaning (57 d of age). The study finished when calves were 71 d old. Starter feed, MR, and forage intakes were recorded daily and BW weekly. Calves were individually housed and bedded with wood shavings. Compared with CON, animals receiving OH, TS, and BS consumed more starter feed (0.88 vs. 1.14, 1.17, 1.06 kg/d, respectively) and had greater average daily gain (0.72 vs. 0.93, 0.88, 0.88 kg/d, respectively). Animals in treatments RH, BS, CS, and TS consumed less forage (51 g/d) than AH (120 g/d) and OH (101 g/d) calves. Apparent organic matter, DM, and neutral detergent fiber digestibilities did not differ among treatments (81.5, 81.1, and 54.4%, respectively). Apparent crude protein digestibility was greater in RH, CS, and AH treatments than in CON (80.5 vs. 76.4%, respectively). Compared with CON calves, animals in the AH treatment spent less time eating starter feed and lying, animals in AH and RH treatments spent more time ruminating, with odds ratios (OR) of 5.24 and 5.40, respectively. The AH and RH calves devoted less time to performing nonnutritive oral behaviors (OR: 0.38 and 0.34, respectively), and TS calves tended to devote less time to perform nonnutritive oral behaviors (OR: 0.21) 1h after being offered MR and solid feed. In conclusion, free-choice provision of a forage source to young calves improves feed intake and performance without impairing digestibilities of DM, organic matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber, and, depending on forage source, reduces nonnutritive oral behaviors and stimulates rumination. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prognostics and Health Monitoring: Application to Electric Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kulkarni, Chetan S.

2017-01-01

As more and more autonomous electric vehicles emerge in our daily operation progressively, a very critical challenge lies in accurate prediction of remaining useful life of the systemssubsystems, specifically the electrical powertrain. In case of electric aircrafts, computing remaining flying time is safety-critical, since an aircraft that runs out of power (battery charge) while in the air will eventually lose control leading to catastrophe. In order to tackle and solve the prediction problem, it is essential to have awareness of the current state and health of the system, especially since it is necessary to perform condition-based predictions. To be able to predict the future state of the system, it is also required to possess knowledge of the current and future operations of the vehicle.Our research approach is to develop a system level health monitoring safety indicator either to the pilotautopilot for the electric vehicles which runs estimation and prediction algorithms to estimate remaining useful life of the vehicle e.g. determine state-of-charge in batteries. Given models of the current and future system behavior, a general approach of model-based prognostics can be employed as a solution to the prediction problem and further for decision making.

[Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and image fusion for procedures of liver interventions].

PubMed

Jung, E M; Clevert, D A

2018-06-01

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is becoming increasingly important for the detection and characterization of malignant liver lesions and allows percutaneous treatment when surgery is not possible. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound image fusion with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) opens up further options for the targeted investigation of a modified tumor treatment. Ultrasound image fusion offers the potential for real-time imaging and can be combined with other cross-sectional imaging techniques as well as CEUS. With the implementation of ultrasound contrast agents and image fusion, ultrasound has been improved in the detection and characterization of liver lesions in comparison to other cross-sectional imaging techniques. In addition, this method can also be used for intervention procedures. The success rate of fusion-guided biopsies or CEUS-guided tumor ablation lies between 80 and 100% in the literature. Ultrasound-guided image fusion using CT or MRI data, in combination with CEUS, can facilitate diagnosis and therapy follow-up after liver interventions. In addition to the primary applications of image fusion in the diagnosis and treatment of liver lesions, further useful indications can be integrated into daily work. These include, for example, intraoperative and vascular applications as well applications in other organ systems.

Chemistry Perfumes Your Daily Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortineau, Anne-Dominique

2004-01-01

The use of perfumes can be tracked back to many early civilizations. Historically, perfumes were composed exclusively of natural ingredients, mainly essential oils, and were reserved for the wealthiest people. The use of synthetic ingredients marked the beginning of modern perfumery at the end of the 19th century. Nowadays, perfumes are available to everyone and are present in a wide range of consumer goods. The methods used to extract perfume ingredients from their natural sources have changed over time as technology has advanced. Depending on the material, expression, distillation, and solvent extraction are the main techniques used to extract the odorant components from a natural source. Synthetic organic chemistry has provided perfumers with novel ingredients that are cheaper and more stable than many natural materials over the years. Today, more than 3000 fragrance ingredients are estimated to be available to perfumers to create a harmonious composition of head (for example, citrusy), heart (for example, fruity floral) and base notes (for example, musky). Future developments and uses of perfume are endless and as Ernest Beaux, the perfumer who created Chanel N85, once said, "In perfumery the future lies primarily in the hands of the chemists." Featured on the Cover See Featured Molecules .

Motor rehabilitation in stroke and traumatic brain injury: stimulating and intense.

PubMed

Breceda, Erika Y; Dromerick, Alexander W

2013-12-01

The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the latest neurorehabilitation literature for motor recovery in stroke and traumatic brain injury to assist clinical decision making and assessing future research directions. The emerging approach to motor restoration is now multimodal. It engages the traditional multidisciplinary rehabilitation team, but incorporates highly structured activity-based therapies, pharmacology, brain stimulation and robotics. Clinical trial data support selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and amantadine to assist motor recovery poststroke and traumatic brain injury, respectively. Similarly, there is continued support for intensity as a key factor in activity-based therapies, across skilled and nonskilled interventions. Aerobic training appears to have multiple benefits; increasing the capacity to meet the demands of hemiparetic gait improves endurance for activities of daily living while promoting cognition and mood. At this time, the primary benefit of robotic therapy lies in the delivery of highly intense and repetitive motor practice. Both transcranial direct current and magnetic stimulation therapies are in early stages, but have promise in motor and language restoration. Advancements in neurorehabilitation have shifted treatment away from nonspecific activity regimens and amphetamines. As the body of knowledge grows, evidence-based practice using interventions targeted at specific subgroups becomes progressively more feasible.

Comparison of the performance of the activPAL Professional physical activity logger to a discrete accelerometer-based activity monitor.

PubMed

Godfrey, A; Culhane, K M; Lyons, G M

2007-10-01

The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of the 'activPAL Professional' physical activity logger by comparing its output to that of a proven discrete accelerometer-based activity monitor during extended measurements on healthy subjects while performing activities of daily living (ADL). Ten healthy adults, with unrestricted mobility, wore both the activPAL and the discrete dual accelerometer (Analog Devices ADXL202)-based activity monitor that recorded in synchronization with each other. The accelerometer derived data were then compared to that generated by the activPAL and a complete statistical and error analysis was performed using a Matlab program. This program determined trunk and thigh inclination angles to distinguish between sitting/lying, standing and stepping for the discrete accelerometer device and amount of time spent on each activity. Analysis was performed on a second-by-second basis and then categorized at 15s intervals in direct comparison with the activPAL generated data. Of the total time monitored (approximately 60 h) the detection accuracies for static and dynamic activities were approximately 98%. In a population of healthy adults, the data obtained from the activPAL Professional physical activity logger for both static and dynamic activities showed a close match to a proven discrete accelerometer data with an offset of approximately 2% between the two systems.

Early to Rise? The Effect of Daily Start Times on Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Finley

2012-01-01

Local school districts often stagger daily start times for their schools in order to reduce busing costs. This paper uses data on all middle school students in Wake County, NC from 1999 to 2006 to identify the causal effect of daily start times on academic performance. Using variation in start times within schools over time, the effect is a two…

Valomaciclovir versus valacyclovir for the treatment of acute herpes zoster in immunocompetent adults: a randomized, double-blind, active-controlled trial.

PubMed

Tyring, Stephen K; Plunkett, Stephanie; Scribner, Anita R; Broker, Robert E; Herrod, John N; Handke, Lane T; Wise, John M; Martin, Paul A

2012-08-01

Herpes zoster is a common infectious disease that can result in significant acute and chronic morbidity. The safety and efficacy of once-daily oral valomaciclovir (EPB-348) was evaluated for non-inferiority to 3-times daily valacyclovir, an approved therapy. In this study, 373 immunocompetent adults with onset of a herpes zoster rash within the preceding 72 hr were randomly assigned to receive one of four treatments for 7 days: (1) EPB-348 1,000 mg once-daily; (2) EPB-348 2,000 mg once-daily; (3) EPB-348 3,000 mg once-daily; or (4) valacyclovir 1,000 mg 3-times daily. A 20% margin was the reference for non-inferiority assessment. For the primary efficacy measure of time to complete crusting of the zoster rash by Day 28, non-inferiority criteria were met for once-daily EPB-348 2,000 mg and once-daily EPB-348 3,000 mg compared to 3-times daily valacyclovir. Additionally, EPB-348 3,000 mg significantly shortened the time to complete rash crusting by Day 28 compared to valacyclovir. For secondary efficacy measures, non-inferiority was achieved for the EPB-348 1,000 and 2,000 mg groups compared to the valacyclovir group for time to rash resolution by Day 28. No EPB-348 group was non-inferior to valacyclovir for time to cessation of new lesion formation or time to cessation of pain by Day 120, though no significant differences occurred between treatment groups. Nausea, headache, and vomiting were the most common adverse events. Based on these results, additional studies are warranted to define further EPB-348's potential as an effective and safe therapy for acute herpes zoster. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Non-linear absorption pharmacokinetics of amoxicillin: consequences for dosing regimens and clinical breakpoints.

PubMed

de Velde, Femke; de Winter, Brenda C M; Koch, Birgit C P; van Gelder, Teun; Mouton, Johan W

2016-10-01

To describe the population pharmacokinetics of oral amoxicillin and to compare the PTA of current dosing regimens. Two groups, each with 14 healthy male volunteers, received oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid tablets on two separate days 1 week apart. One group received 875/125 mg twice daily and 500/125 mg three times daily and the other group 500/125 mg twice daily and 250/125 mg three times daily. A total of 1428 amoxicillin blood samples were collected before and after administration. We analysed the concentration-time profiles using a non-compartmental pharmacokinetic method (PKSolver) and a population pharmacokinetic method (NONMEM). The PTA was computed using Monte Carlo simulations for several dosing regimens. AUC0-24 and Cmax increased non-linearly with dose. The final model included the following components: Savic's transit compartment model, Michaelis-Menten absorption, two distribution compartments and first-order elimination. The mean central volume of distribution was 27.7 L and mean clearance was 21.3 L/h. We included variability for the central volume of distribution (34.4%), clearance (25.8%), transit compartment model parameters and Michaelis-Menten absorption parameters. For 40% fT>MIC and >97.5% PTA, the breakpoints were 0.125 mg/L (500 mg twice daily), 0.25 mg/L (250 mg three times daily and 875 mg twice daily), 0.5 mg/L (500 mg three times daily) and 1 mg/L (750, 875 or 1000 mg three times daily and 500 mg four times daily). The amoxicillin absorption rate appears to be saturable. The PTAs of high-dose as well as twice-daily regimens are less favourable than regimens with lower doses and higher frequency. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Misting and fan cooling of the rest area in a dairy barn.

PubMed

Calegari, Ferdinando; Calamari, Luigi; Frazzi, Ermes

2012-03-01

This summer study aimed to evaluate the effect on dairy cows, kept in a free stall barn equipped with fans and sprinklers in the feeding area, of the delivery rate of misters in a cooling system in rest areas with different bedding materials. Thirty cows were divided into two homogenous groups according to milk yield and kept in two pens: one had beds with sand (SAMM) while the other had straw (STLM). Each pen was equipped with 2 fans (Ø 70 cm, 0.50 kW) and 2 misters (delivery rate of 11.2 and 22.5 L/h in STLM and SAMM, respectively) in the rest area. Microclimatic parameters, rectal temperature (RT), breathing rate (BR), milk yield, and some milk traits were recorded. Behavioural routines of the cows (standing and lying) were also continuously recorded during the hotter days. During the trial, two mild-moderate heat waves were observed. During these hotter periods, the daily maximum temperature recorded in the rest areas was 28.9 in SAMM and 31.2 in STLM, and the daily maximum THI was 78.2 in SAMM and 81.5 in STLM. In these periods, the cows in SAMM compared with those in STLM showed lower BR (P < 0.05) and greater rest time (10.2 and 7.8 h/day in SAMM and STLM, respectively). The RT did not differ (38.89 ± 0.29 and 38.88 ± 0.33°C in STLM and SAMM r,espectively). In conclusion, our research suggests that the cooling system using fans plus misters with mild wetting in rest areas with sand as bedding materials reduces heat stress and improves cow comfort.

Misting and fan cooling of the rest area in a dairy barn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calegari, Ferdinando; Calamari, Luigi; Frazzi, Ermes

2012-03-01

This summer study aimed to evaluate the effect on dairy cows, kept in a free stall barn equipped with fans and sprinklers in the feeding area, of the delivery rate of misters in a cooling system in rest areas with different bedding materials. Thirty cows were divided into two homogenous groups according to milk yield and kept in two pens: one had beds with sand (SAMM) while the other had straw (STLM). Each pen was equipped with 2 fans (Ø 70 cm, 0.50 kW) and 2 misters (delivery rate of 11.2 and 22.5 L/h in STLM and SAMM, respectively) in the rest area. Microclimatic parameters, rectal temperature (RT), breathing rate (BR), milk yield, and some milk traits were recorded. Behavioural routines of the cows (standing and lying) were also continuously recorded during the hotter days. During the trial, two mild-moderate heat waves were observed. During these hotter periods, the daily maximum temperature recorded in the rest areas was 28.9 in SAMM and 31.2 in STLM, and the daily maximum THI was 78.2 in SAMM and 81.5 in STLM. In these periods, the cows in SAMM compared with those in STLM showed lower BR ( P < 0.05) and greater rest time (10.2 and 7.8 h/day in SAMM and STLM, respectively). The RT did not differ (38.89 ± 0.29 and 38.88 ± 0.33°C in STLM and SAMM r,espectively). In conclusion, our research suggests that the cooling system using fans plus misters with mild wetting in rest areas with sand as bedding materials reduces heat stress and improves cow comfort.

Examining Mars at Many Levels (Artist Concept)

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-03-23

This artist's concept represents the "Follow the Water" theme of NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission. The orbiter's science instruments monitor the present water cycle in the Mars atmosphere and the associated deposition and sublimation of water ice on the surface, while probing the subsurface to see how deep the water-ice reservoir detected by Mars Odyssey extends. At the same time, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will search for surface features and minerals (such as carbonates and sulfates) that record the extended presence of liquid water on the surface earlier in the planet's history. The instruments involved are the Shallow Subsurface Radar, the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars, the Mars Color Imager, the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, the Context Camera and the Mars Climate Sounder. To the far left, the radar antenna beams down and "sees" into the first few hundred feet (up to 1 kilometer) of Mars' crust. Just to the right of that, the next beam highlights the data received from the imaging spectrometer, which identifies minerals on the surface. The next beam represents the high-resolution camera, which can "zoom in" on local targets, providing the highest-resolution orbital images yet of features such as craters and gullies and rocks. The beam that shines almost horizontally is that of the Mars Climate Sounder. This instrument is critical to analyzing the current climate of Mars since it observes the temperature, humidity, and dust content of the martian atmosphere, and their seasonal and year-to-year variations. Meanwhile, the Mars Color Imager observes ice clouds, dust clouds and hazes, and the ozone distribution, producing daily global maps in multiple colors to monitor daily weather and seasonal changes. The electromagnetic spectrum is represented on the top right and individual instruments are placed where their capability lies. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA07241

78 FR 40958 - Amendment of Restricted Areas R-2504A & R-2504B; Camp Roberts, CA, and Restricted Area R-2530...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-09

...-2504B currently reads ``0600 to 2400 PST, daily'' and the time of designation for R-2530 currently reads...-2400 local time, daily, during both standard time and daylight saving time periods and for R-2530 is... time of designation is amended to read ``0600 to 2400 local time, daily'' for R-2504A and R-2504B and...

Prediction of parturition in Holstein dairy cattle using electronic data loggers.

PubMed

Titler, M; Maquivar, M G; Bas, S; Rajala-Schultz, P J; Gordon, E; McCullough, K; Federico, P; Schuenemann, G M

2015-08-01

The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of parturition on behavioral activity [steps, standing time, lying time, lying bouts (LB), and duration of LB] 4 d before calving using electronic data loggers. Animals (n=132) from 3 herds were housed in similar freestall barns using a prepartum pen 21 d before the expected calving date and were moved into a contiguous individual maternity pen for parturition. Electronic data loggers were placed on a hind leg of prepartum heifers (heifers, n=33) and cows (cows, n=99) at 7±3 d before the expected calving date and removed at 14±3 d in milk. Calving ease (scale 1-4), parity, calving date and time, and stillbirth (born dead or died within 24h) were recorded. The number of steps (no./d), standing time (min/d), lying time (min/d), number of LB (no./d), and duration of LB (min/b) were recorded. Data were analyzed using MIXED procedures of SAS, adjusting for the herd effect. Only cows experiencing unassisted births (calving ease=1) were included in the study. An activity index was developed to predict calving time. Heifers and cows with unassisted births had significantly higher number of steps and longer standing time, decreased lying time, and more LB of shorter duration 24h before calving compared with d -4, -3, and -2. Additionally, the number of LB increased as both heifers and cows approached labor starting on d -2 and peaked at the day of calving. The time since the activity index increased over 50% to parturition did not differ between heifers and cows, and the activity index revealed the shift in activity on average 6h 14min (range from 2h to 14h 15min) before calf birth. This study provided evidence that heifers and cows approaching parturition showed a similar, but distinct, behavioral pattern that can be observed on average 6h before calf birth. The potential benefits of electronic data loggers as predictors of parturition along with proactive management practices should improve the overall survival and welfare of both the dam and calf. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional neural networks of honesty and dishonesty in children: Evidence from graph theory analysis.

PubMed

Ding, Xiao Pan; Wu, Si Jia; Liu, Jiangang; Fu, Genyue; Lee, Kang

2017-09-21

The present study examined how different brain regions interact with each other during spontaneous honest vs. dishonest communication. More specifically, we took a complex network approach based on the graph-theory to analyze neural response data when children are spontaneously engaged in honest or dishonest acts. Fifty-nine right-handed children between 7 and 12 years of age participated in the study. They lied or told the truth out of their own volition. We found that lying decreased both the global and local efficiencies of children's functional neural network. This finding, for the first time, suggests that lying disrupts the efficiency of children's cortical network functioning. Further, it suggests that the graph theory based network analysis is a viable approach to study the neural development of deception.

Quadratic time dependent Hamiltonians and separation of variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anzaldo-Meneses, A.

2017-06-01

Time dependent quantum problems defined by quadratic Hamiltonians are solved using canonical transformations. The Green's function is obtained and a comparison with the classical Hamilton-Jacobi method leads to important geometrical insights like exterior differential systems, Monge cones and time dependent Gaussian metrics. The Wei-Norman approach is applied using unitary transformations defined in terms of generators of the associated Lie groups, here the semi-direct product of the Heisenberg group and the symplectic group. A new explicit relation for the unitary transformations is given in terms of a finite product of elementary transformations. The sequential application of adequate sets of unitary transformations leads naturally to a new separation of variables method for time dependent Hamiltonians, which is shown to be related to the Inönü-Wigner contraction of Lie groups. The new method allows also a better understanding of interacting particles or coupled modes and opens an alternative way to analyze topological phases in driven systems.

Optimal selection of MULTI-model downscaled ensembles for interannual and seasonal climate prediction in the eastern seaboard of Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bejranonda, W.; Koch, M.

2010-12-01

Because of the imminent threat of the water resources of the eastern seaboard of Thailand, a climate impact study has been carried out there. To that avail, a hydrological watershed model is being used to simulate the future water availability in the wake of possible climate change in the region. The hydrological model is forced by predictions from global climate models (GCMs) that are to be downscaled in an appropriate manner. The challenge at that stage of the climate impact analysis lies then the in the choice of the best GCM and the (statistical) downscaling method. In this study the selection of coarse grid resolution output of the GCMs, transferring information to the fine grid of local climate-hydrology is achieved by cross-correlation and multiple linear regression using meteorological data in the eastern seaboard of Thailand observed between 1970-1999. The grids of 20 atmosphere/ocean global climate models (AOGCM), covering latitude 12.5-15.0 N and longitude 100.0-102.5 E were examined using the Climate-Change Scenario Generator (SCENGEN). With that tool the model efficiency of the prediction of daily precipitation and mean temperature was calculated by comparing the 1980-1999 ECMWF reanalysis predictions with the observed data during that time period. The root means square errors of the predictions were considered and ranked to select the top 5 models, namely, BCCR-BCM2.0, GISS-ER, ECHO-G, ECHAM5/MPI-OM and PCM. The daily time-series of 338 predictors in 9 runs of the 5 selected models were gathered from the CMIP3 multi-model database. Monthly time-serial cross-correlations between the climate predictors and the meteorological measurements from 25 rainfall, 4 minimum and maximum temperature, 4 humidity and 2 solar radiation stations in the study area were then computed and ranked. Using the ranked predictors, a multiple-linear regression model (downscaling transfer model) to forecast the local climate was set up. To improve the prediction power of this GCM downscaling approach, the regression equations were considered as a dynamic regression model that can alter the predictor by seasonal variation. The possible seasonal effect was examined for the 1974-1999 period which was equally divided into a calibration and verification sub-period. The calibrated model using the whole observed time-series was compared with the models separated into 2 seasons; dry and wet, 3 seasons; winter, summer and rainy, and 4 seasons; dry, pre-monsoon, first monsoon and second monsoon. The verification power of the various model variants was measured considering Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of the corresponding model fit. The results show that the 4-seasons-variation prediction works best. The highest efficiency for the prediction of rainfall is achieved for the dry season, Oct-Mar, whereas the smallest efficiency is obtained in the monsoon seasons. The overall number of predictor giving top efficiency lies between 3 and 20 in the regression models. In the next, still ongoing stage of the climate impact study the predictions from this new, seasonally optimized downscaling transfer model are being used in the simulations of the future hydrological water budget in that region of Thailand.

Electrodermal Activity Based Wearable Device for Drowsy Drivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malathi, D.; Dorathi Jayaseeli, JD; Madhuri, S.; Senthilkumar, K.

2018-04-01

Road safety and road accident mortality rate are a serious concern for the government. With rise in fatal road accidents, who’s leading cause is the driver being drowsy behind the wheel, measures to alleviate this problem becomes the prime task. To meet the purpose, methods adopted must be of minimum discomfort for the driver, easy to install, provide good detection accuracy and timely alert to circumvent a probable accident. A good candidate to meet these specifications is EDA. As it detects the level of sweat which directly corresponds to the mental state of the person, using EDA for the purposes of driver safety forms a good option. The novelty of this project lies in making use of EDA as a measure to detect if a person is drowsy or not. Much of the challenge lies in building a device equipped with the necessary sensors and processing the data on real-time. The novelty of this work lies in development of an embedded device interfaced with sensors and actuators to detect and alert a driver when found drowsy using sweat as a parameter.

Impact of Different Body Positions on Bioelectrical Activity of the Pelvic Floor Muscles in Nulliparous Continent Women

PubMed Central

Chmielewska, Daria; Stania, Magdalena; Sobota, Grzegorz; Kwaśna, Krystyna; Błaszczak, Edward; Taradaj, Jakub; Juras, Grzegorz

2015-01-01

We examined pelvic floor muscles (PFM) activity (%MVC) in twenty nulliparous women by body position during exercise as well as the activation of abdominal muscles and the gluteus maximus during voluntary contractions of the PFMs. Pelvic floor muscle activity was recorded using a vaginal probe during five experimental trials. Activation of transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, and gluteus maximus during voluntary PFM contractions was also assessed. Significant differences in mean normalized amplitudes of baseline PFM activity were revealed between standing and lying (P < 0.00024) and lying and ball-sitting positions (P < 0.0053). Average peak, average time before peak, and average time after peak did not differ significantly during the voluntary contractions of the PFMs. Baseline PFM activity seemed to depend on the body position and was the highest in standing. Pelvic floor muscles activity during voluntary contractions did not differ by position in continent women. Statistically significant differences between the supine lying and sitting positions were only observed during a sustained 60-second contraction of the PFMs. PMID:25793212

Solar Position Model for use in DIORAMA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Werley, Kenneth Alan

2016-03-01

The DIORAMA code requires the solar position relative to earth in order to compute GPS satellite orientation. The present document describes two functions that compute the unit vector from either the center of the Earth to the Sun or from any observer’s position to the Sun at some specified time. Another function determines if a satellite lies within the Earth’s shadow umbra. Similarly, functions determine the position of the moon and whether a satellite lies within the Moon’s shadow umbra.

Existence of a new emitting singlet state of proflavine: femtosecond dynamics of the excited state processes and quantum chemical studies in different solvents.

PubMed

Kumar, Karuppannan Senthil; Selvaraju, Chellappan; Malar, Ezekiel Joy Padma; Natarajan, Paramasivam

2012-01-12

Proflavine (3,6-diaminoacridine) shows fluorescence emission with lifetime, 4.6 ± 0.2 ns, in all the solvents irrespective of the solvent polarity. To understand this unusual photophysical property, investigations were carried out using steady state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in the pico- and femtosecond time domain. Molecular geometries in the ground and low-lying excited states of proflavine were examined by complete structural optimization using ab initio quantum chemical computations at HF/6-311++G** and CIS/6-311++G** levels. Time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations were performed to study the excitation energies in the low-lying excited states. The steady state absorption and emission spectral details of proflavine are found to be influenced by solvents. The femtosecond fluorescence decay of the proflavine in all the solvents follows triexponential function with two ultrafast decay components (τ(1) and τ(2)) in addition to the nanosecond component. The ultrafast decay component, τ(1), is attributed to the solvation dynamics of the particular solvent used. The second ultrafast decay component, τ(2), is found to vary from 50 to 215 ps depending upon the solvent. The amplitudes of the ultrafast decay components vary with the wavelength and show time dependent spectral shift in the emission maximum. The observation is interpreted that the time dependent spectral shift is not only due to solvation dynamics but also due to the existence of more than one emitting state of proflavine in the solvent used. Time resolved area normalized emission spectral (TRANES) analysis shows an isoemissive point, indicating the presence of two emitting states in homogeneous solution. Detailed femtosecond fluorescence decay analysis allows us to isolate the two independent emitting components of the close lying singlet states. The CIS and TDDFT calculations also support the existence of the close lying emitting states. The near constant lifetime observed for proflavine in different solvents is suggested to be due to the similar dipole moments of the ground and the evolved emitting singlet state of the dye from the Franck-Condon excited state.

Short-term increases in stocking density affect the lying and social behavior, but not the productivity, of lactating Holstein dairy cows.

PubMed

Krawczel, P D; Klaiber, L B; Butzler, R E; Klaiber, L M; Dann, H M; Mooney, C S; Grant, R J

2012-08-01

Reduced access to resources because of increased stocking density may have a detrimental effect on the behavior of the lactating dairy cow. The objective of this study was to determine the short-term responses in behavior, productivity, fecal cortisol metabolites, and udder and leg hygiene of lactating Holstein dairy cows housed at stocking densities of 100 (1 cow per freestall and headlock), 113, 131, and 142%. Multiparous cows (n=92) and primiparous cows (n=44) were assigned to 1 of 4 pens (34 cows per pen) in a 4-row freestall barn. Pens were balanced for parity, milk production, and days in milk. Stocking densities were imposed for 14 d using a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Time spent feeding and time spent ruminating were quantified by 24 h of direct observation of focal cows (n=12 per pen) beginning at 0800 h on d 11 of each period. Data loggers recorded lying behavior (time and bouts) from the same focal cows per pen at 1-min intervals during the final 5 d of each period. Fecal cortisol metabolites were quantified from samples collected on d 13 and 14 of each period from the same focal cows. Displacements from the feed barrier were recorded on a pen basis after 9 milkings over the last 4 d of each period. Productivity was assessed on a pen basis from milk yield (recorded from d 10 to 14 of each period) and milk components (quantified from composite samples collected on d 12 of each period). Milk composition was further analyzed for milk fatty acid profiles, which were determined from a subset (n=6 per pen) of the focal cows. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS, with the pen (n=4 per treatment, except displacements where n=3 per treatment) as the experimental unit. Feeding and ruminating (h/d) did not differ among treatments. Lying time was reduced at stocking densities of 131 and 142%, relative to 100 or 113%. Lying bouts were not affected by treatment. Stocking densities of 131 and 142% reduced the percentage of time cows spent ruminating within a freestall relative to 100%. Displacements from the feed bunk increased linearly across treatments. Fecal cortisol metabolites, udder hygiene score, milk yields, milk composition, and milk fatty acids did not differ among treatments. Decreased lying time and increased aggression at the feed bunk suggest that an alteration of the time budgets of lactating dairy cows may occur at higher stocking densities, but it is unclear at what point these changes might have further biological consequences. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Holocene glacier and deep water dynamics, Adélie Land region, East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denis, Delphine; Crosta, Xavier; Schmidt, Sabine; Carson, Damien S.; Ganeshram, Raja S.; Renssen, Hans; Bout-Roumazeilles, Viviane; Zaragosi, Sebastien; Martin, Bernard; Cremer, Michel; Giraudeau, Jacques

2009-06-01

This study presents a high-resolution multi-proxy investigation of sediment core MD03-2601 and documents major glacier oscillations and deep water activity during the Holocene in the Adélie Land region, East Antarctica. A comparison with surface ocean conditions reveals synchronous changes of glaciers, sea ice and deep water formation at Milankovitch and sub-Milankovitch time scales. We report (1) a deglaciation of the Adélie Land continental shelf from 11 to 8.5 cal ka BP, which occurred in two phases of effective glacier grounding-line retreat at 10.6 and 9 cal ka BP, associated with active deep water formation; (2) a rapid glacier and sea ice readvance centred around 7.7 cal ka BP; and (3) five rapid expansions of the glacier-sea ice systems, during the Mid to Late Holocene, associated to a long-term increase of deep water formation. At Milankovich time scales, we show that the precessionnal component of insolation at high and low latitudes explains the major trend of the glacier-sea ice-ocean system throughout the Holocene, in the Adélie Land region. In addition, the orbitally-forced seasonality seems to control the coastal deep water formation via the sea ice-ocean coupling, which could lead to opposite patterns between north and south high latitudes during the Mid to Late Holocene. At sub-Milankovitch time scales, there are eight events of glacier-sea ice retreat and expansion that occurred during atmospheric cooling events over East Antarctica. Comparisons of our results with other peri-Antarctic records and model simulations from high southern latitudes may suggest that our interpretation on glacier-sea ice-ocean interactions and their Holocene evolutions reflect a more global Antarctic Holocene pattern.

Duration and frequency of every day activities in total hip patients.

PubMed

Morlock, M; Schneider, E; Bluhm, A; Vollmer, M; Bergmann, G; Müller, V; Honl, M

2001-07-01

Little knowledge about frequency and duration of daily activities in patients after total hip arthroplasty is available. Such information is required for the definition of realistic load collectives for pre-clinical testing of prostheses. It could also be helpful for the quantitative evaluation of surgery outcome with different prosthesis types. The purpose of this study was to develop and apply a system for the determination of frequency and duration of patient activities in their habitual environment and to compare the results to a clinical outcome score (Harris hip score).A portable activity monitoring system (weight 1.6 kg including batteries) was designed using a Palm top computer, 2 inclination sensors for the thigh and calf and one goniometer positioned at the knee joint. An algorithm was developed to identify frequency and duration of the activities lying, sitting, standing, walking and stair climbing from the signals of the 3 sensors. 42 patients participated in the study and were equipped with the system in the morning at their home. Datasets of 31 patients (age 62.5+/-11.5 y) covered more than 6h (9.8 +/- 1.6 h) and were included in the analysis. Prosthesis specific data as well as the Harris hip score were collected. The most frequent patient activity was sitting (44.3% of the time), followed by standing (24.5%), walking (10.2%), lying (5.8%) and stair climbing (0.4%). The median number of steps/stairs was 6048/164. The number of step cycles representing one year in vivo use should, consequently, be increased to 1.1 million. The Harris hip score (91.4 +/- 9.8) correlated significantly with the number of stairs (r(2) = 0.26, p = 0.003) and showed a positive tendency with the number of steps per day. No differences in activity levels between prosthesis specific factors were found.

Efficacy of oral meloxicam suspension for prevention of pain and inflammation following band and surgical castration in calves.

PubMed

Olson, M E; Ralston, Brenda; Burwash, Les; Matheson-Bird, Heather; Allan, Nick D

2016-06-13

Castration is one of the most common procedures performed on beef and dairy cattle. The objective of the study was to determine the efficacy of meloxicam oral suspension in reducing pain and inflammation in calves following band or surgical castration. Two identical trials with the exception of the method of castration (Band Castration Study 1 and Surgical Castration Study 2) were conducted. Sixty (60) healthy Holstein calves 4 to 5 months of age (138-202 Kg) were used. Animals received either Meloxicam Oral Suspension at a dose of 1 mg/kg BW (n = 15 Study 1 and 15 Study 2) or Saline (n = 15 Study 1 and 15 Study 2) 2 h before castration. Physiological (Heart Rate, Plasma Cortisol and Plasma Substance P) and Behavioral (Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Accelerometers and tail Pedometers) evaluations were conducted before (day -1) and after Castration (Day 0, 1, 2, 3). Inflammation was evaluated daily by providing an individual animal score (Study1) or with a measurement of scrotal thickness (Study 2). Heart rates were significantly greater in control animals following band and surgical castration. Plasma cortisol and substance P were significantly reduced in animals receiving Meloxicam Oral Suspension. Control animals had significantly greater VAS scores. Accelerometers showed that meloxicam treated animals had a significantly greater motion index and number of steps as well as less % time lying and number of lying bouts. The scrotal inflammation (based on scrotal swelling) was significantly decreased in the meloxicam treated animals compared to the control animals on day 1, day 2 and 3. Meloxicam Oral Suspension was able to significantly reduce the display of painful behaviors and physiological responses to pain in band castrated and surgical castrated calves for up to 72 h following a single oral treatment of 1 mg/kg body weight. Meloxicam Oral Suspension was able to significantly reduce scrotal inflammation in band castrated and surgical castrated calves.

Lie group model neuromorphic geometric engine for real-time terrain reconstruction from stereoscopic aerial photos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsao, Thomas R.; Tsao, Doris

1997-04-01

In the 1980's, neurobiologist suggested a simple mechanism in primate visual cortex for maintaining a stable and invariant representation of a moving object. The receptive field of visual neurons has real-time transforms in response to motion, to maintain a stable representation. When the visual stimulus is changed due to motion, the geometric transform of the stimulus triggers a dual transform of the receptive field. This dual transform in the receptive fields compensates geometric variation in the stimulus. This process can be modelled using a Lie group method. The massive array of affine parameter sensing circuits will function as a smart sensor tightly coupled to the passive imaging sensor (retina). Neural geometric engine is a neuromorphic computing device simulating our Lie group model of spatial perception of primate's primal visual cortex. We have developed the computer simulation and experimented on realistic and synthetic image data, and performed a preliminary research of using analog VLSI technology for implementation of the neural geometric engine. We have benchmark tested on DMA's terrain data with their result and have built an analog integrated circuit to verify the computational structure of the engine. When fully implemented on ANALOG VLSI chip, we will be able to accurately reconstruct a 3D terrain surface in real-time from stereoscopic imagery.

Relationships among temperament, behavior, and growth during performance testing of bulls.

PubMed

Lockwood, S A; Kattesh, H G; Krawczel, P D; Kirkpatrick, F D; Saxton, A M; Rhinehart, J D; Wilkerson, J B

2015-12-01

Excitable cattle are dangerous to personnel and have reduced individual performance. The aim of this study was to 1) identify objective criteria for evaluating bull temperament and 2) examine relationships among temperament, behavior, and performance of bulls during an 84-d performance test. Angus bulls ( = 60) were reared in 6 pens based on BW and age. Pen scores (PS; 1 = docile and 5 = very aggressive) were assigned on d -1, 27, 55, and 83. Exit velocity (EV), BW, time to exit the chute, and order through the chute were recorded on d 0, 28, 56, and 84. The ADG was calculated for the 84-d test period, and ultrasound data and frame score calculations were recorded on d 84. Dataloggers measured steps taken, lying time, number of lying bouts, and lying bout duration of bulls ( = 27; 3 pens) from d 3 to 28 and d 59 to 84. Bulls with a d -1 PS of 1 or 2 were categorized as calm (PScalm; = 40), whereas bulls with a PS of 3 or 4 were categorized as excitable (PSexcitable; = 20). Bulls were separated into 2 groups based on the bottom 20 EV (EVcalm) and top 20 EV (EVexcitable) on d 0. Mixed model ANOVA (SAS 9.3) was used to compare groups for the two temperament assessment methods, behavior, and growth performance. Mean EV decreased ( < 0.05) by d 84. Total lying time from d 3 to 28 was greater ( < 0.05) for PScalm bulls when compared with PSexcitable bulls. However, total lying time from d 59 to 84 was greater ( < 0.05) for EVexcitable bulls when compared with EVcalm bulls. Regardless of initial contemporary group assignment, all bulls exited the chute slower ( < 0.001) on d 84 than on d 0. The PSexcitable bulls had greater ( < 0.01) frame scores and greater ADG than PScalm bulls. The PSexcitable bulls had more ( < 0.01) backfat than PScalm bulls. However, ribeye area was smaller ( < 0.01) in EVexcitable bulls than EVcalm bulls. Based on these results, bulls appeared to have habituated over the testing period. Additionally, the potential lack of innate temperament variation may have attributed to the little difference seen among the behavioral and performance data. Therefore, temperament should be reassessed within a novel environment with new handlers to differentiate between the bull's true temperament and its ability to habituate.

Wavelet based automated postural event detection and activity classification with single imu - biomed 2013.

PubMed

Lockhart, Thurmon E; Soangra, Rahul; Zhang, Jian; Wu, Xuefan

2013-01-01

Mobility characteristics associated with activity of daily living such as sitting down, lying down, rising up, and walking are considered to be important in maintaining functional independence and healthy life style especially for the growing elderly population. Characteristics of postural transitions such as sit-to-stand are widely used by clinicians as a physical indicator of health, and walking is used as an important mobility assessment tool. Many tools have been developed to assist in the assessment of functional levels and to detect a person’s activities during daily life. These include questionnaires, observation, diaries, kinetic and kinematic systems, and validated functional tests. These measures are costly and time consuming, rely on subjective patient recall and may not accurately reflect functional ability in the patient’s home. In order to provide a low-cost, objective assessment of functional ability, inertial measurement unit (IMU) using MEMS technology has been employed to ascertain ADLs. These measures facilitate long-term monitoring of activity of daily living using wearable sensors. IMU system are desirable in monitoring human postures since they respond to both frequency and the intensity of movements and measure both dc (gravitational acceleration vector) and ac (acceleration due to body movement) components at a low cost. This has enabled the development of a small, lightweight, portable system that can be worn by a free-living subject without motion impediment – TEMPO (Technology Enabled Medical Precision Observation). Using this IMU system, we acquired indirect measures of biomechanical variables that can be used as an assessment of individual mobility characteristics with accuracy and recognition rates that are comparable to the modern motion capture systems. In this study, five subjects performed various ADLs and mobility measures such as posture transitions and gait characteristics were obtained. We developed postural event detection and classification algorithm using denoised signals from single wireless IMU placed at sternum. The algorithm was further validated and verified with motion capture system in laboratory environment. Wavelet denoising highlighted postural events and transition durations that further provided clinical information on postural control and motor coordination. The presented method can be applied in real life ambulatory monitoring approaches for assessing condition of elderly.

Wavelet based automated postural event detection and activity classification with single IMU (TEMPO)

PubMed Central

Lockhart, Thurmon E.; Soangra, Rahul; Zhang, Jian; Wu, Xuefang

2013-01-01

Mobility characteristics associated with activity of daily living such as sitting down, lying down, rising up, and walking are considered to be important in maintaining functional independence and healthy life style especially for the growing elderly population. Characteristics of postural transitions such as sit-to-stand are widely used by clinicians as a physical indicator of health, and walking is used as an important mobility assessment tool. Many tools have been developed to assist in the assessment of functional levels and to detect a person’s activities during daily life. These include questionnaires, observation, diaries, kinetic and kinematic systems, and validated functional tests. These measures are costly and time consuming, rely on subjective patient recall and may not accurately reflect functional ability in the patient’s home. In order to provide a low-cost, objective assessment of functional ability, inertial measurement unit (IMU) using MEMS technology has been employed to ascertain ADLs. These measures facilitate long-term monitoring of activity of daily living using wearable sensors. IMU system are desirable in monitoring human postures since they respond to both frequency and the intensity of movements and measure both dc (gravitational acceleration vector) and ac (acceleration due to body movement) components at a low cost. This has enabled the development of a small, lightweight, portable system that can be worn by a free-living subject without motion impediment - TEMPO. Using the TEMPO system, we acquired indirect measures of biomechanical variables that can be used as an assessment of individual mobility characteristics with accuracy and recognition rates that are comparable to the modern motion capture systems. In this study, five subjects performed various ADLs and mobility measures such as posture transitions and gait characteristics were obtained. We developed postural event detection and classification algorithm using denoised signals from single wireless inertial measurement unit (TEMPO) placed at sternum. The algorithm was further validated and verified with motion capture system in laboratory environment. Wavelet denoising highlighted postural events and transition durations that further provided clinical information on postural control and motor coordination. The presented method can be applied in real life ambulatory monitoring approaches for assessing condition of elderly. PMID:23686204

Optimal timing of antenatal corticosteroids in women with bleeding placenta previa or low-lying placenta.

PubMed

Alsayegh, Eman; Barrett, Jon; Melamed, Nir

2018-01-11

Administrating a single course of antenatal corticosteroids to women at risk of preterm birth between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation has been shown to decrease neonatal morbidity and mortality. There is evidence that the optimal timing for the administration of antenatal corticosteroids is within 1-7 days before birth as the effect of antenatal corticosteroids has been shown to decline 7 days after administration. Therefore, given that antenatal corticosteroids are the single most effective intervention in cases of preterm birth, efforts should be made to optimize the timing of administration of antenatal corticosteroids. To test the hypothesis that the timing of antenatal corticosteroids in women with vaginal bleeding due to placenta previa or low-lying placenta can be optimized by identifying women at low risk of imminent delivery. This was a retrospective cohort study of all women admitted to a tertiary referral center at 24-34 weeks' gestation with vaginal bleeding due to placenta previa or low-lying placenta between 2003 and 2014. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors that are independently associated with delivery within 14 days from admission. A total of 202 women who met the inclusion criteria were admitted with vaginal bleeding in the presence of placenta previa or low-lying placenta during the study period, of whom 31 (15.3%) and 44 (21.8%) gave birth within 7 and 14 days from admission, respectively. The following factors were independently associated with delivery within 14 days from admission: complete placenta previa (odds (OR) 3.57, 95%CI 1.57-9.03), severe bleeding at presentation (OR 17.14, 95%CI 2.92-100.70), uterine contractions at presentation (OR 6.02, 95%CI 1.91-19.00), and cervical length <25 mm at presentation (OR 6.33, 95%CI 1.37-29.11). A predictive test based on the presence of ≥1 of these risk factors was associated with a sensitivity of 90.9% and a negative predictive value of 94.6% for delivery within 14 days of presentation. In women presenting with vaginal bleeding due to placenta previa or low-lying placenta, it seems possible to identify a subgroup of women in whom the likelihood of delivery within 14 days is low. This information may allow for selective (rather than routine) administration of antenatal corticosteroids in this scenario, and may thereby contribute to the optimization of the timing of administration of antenatal corticosteroids.

Effect of repaglinide, administered two or three times daily for 3 months, on glycaemic control in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Kamiyama, Hiroshi; Aoki, Kazutaka; Nakajima, Shigeru; Shinoda, Kazuaki; Kamiko, Kazunari; Taguri, Masataka; Terauchi, Yasuo

2014-10-01

To compare the efficacy, safety and compliance of repaglinide, administered either two or three times daily, regarding glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Japanese adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, who had been treated without sulphonylureas or glinides for >3 months, were randomly assigned to two groups to receive either 0.25 mg repaglinide, oral, twice daily (group A) or 0.25 mg repaglinide, oral, three times daily (group B). Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), glycoalbumin (GA) and 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) levels were measured at 0, 1, 2 and 3 months after treatment commenced. Out of 43 patients who enrolled (group A, n = 22; group B, n = 21), 33 patients completed the trial (group A, n = 16; group B, n = 17). No significant between-group differences in HbA1c, GA, or 1,5-AG levels were seen at 1-3 months. No severe hypoglycaemic episodes or other adverse events were observed. Minimal-dose repaglinide administered twice daily was similar in efficacy and safety to three-times-daily administration, in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Administration of repaglinide twice daily could be an alternative regimen for patients who cannot take repaglinide three times daily. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

[Outdoor activity and myopia among 681 primary students in urban and rural regions of Beijing].

PubMed

Guo, Yin; Liu, Lijuan; Xu, Liang; Lü, Yanyun; Tang, Ping; Feng, Yi

2014-01-21

To explore the association between outdoor activity and myopia among 681 primary students from Beijing. School-based, cross-sectional investigation. Eye examination includes the visual acuity test, auto-refractor, slit lamp, ocular biometry and non-mydriatic fundus camera. Questionnaire includes regular items, near work, outdoor activity and social-economic status. The mean time spent outdoors was 1.6 ± 0.8 hours daily. Time spent on outdoor sports and outdoor leisure were 0.7 ± 0.1 hours daily, 1.0 ± 0.8 hours daily, respectively. Mean time of outdoor activity in urban was 1.1 ± 0.4 hours daily, compared with 2.2 ± 0.8 hours daily in rural (P = 0.000). In grade-1, total time spent outdoors is significantly different between myopia and non-myopia (1.4 ± 0.6 vs 1.8 ± 0.8 hours daily, P = 0.000), similar to outdoor leisure (0.8 ± 0.6 vs 1.1 ± 0.9 hours daily, P = 0.000). The same trend was also found in grade-4. The mean time spent outdoors was 1.6 ± 0.8 hours daily. Myopia spent a lower outdoor activity compared with non-myopia. More outdoor activity, e.g., in schools, may potentially be helpful to reduce the high prevalence of myopia in the young generation.

Daily minority stress and affect among gay and bisexual men: A 30-day diary study.

PubMed

Eldahan, Adam I; Pachankis, John E; Jonathon Rendina, H; Ventuneac, Ana; Grov, Christian; Parsons, Jeffrey T

2016-01-15

This study examined the time-variant association between daily minority stress and daily affect among gay and bisexual men. Tests of time-lagged associations allow for a stronger causal examination of minority stress-affect associations compared with static assessments. Multilevel modeling allows for comparison of associations between minority stress and daily affect when minority stress is modeled as a between-person factor and a within-person time-fluctuating state. 371 gay and bisexual men in New York City completed a 30-day daily diary, recording daily experiences of minority stress and positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), and anxious affect (AA). Multilevel analyses examined associations between minority stress and affect in both same-day and time-lagged analyses, with minority stress assessed as both a between-person factor and a within-person state. Daily minority stress, modeled as both a between-person and within-person construct, significantly predicted lower PA and higher NA and AA. Daily minority stress also predicted lower subsequent-day PA and higher subsequent-day NA and AA. Self-report assessments and the unique sample may limit generalizability of this study. The time-variant association between sexual minority stress and affect found here substantiates the basic tenet of minority stress theory with a fine-grained analysis of gay and bisexual men's daily experience. Time-lagged effects suggest a potentially causal pathway between minority stress as a social determinant of mood and anxiety disorder symptoms among gay and bisexual men. When modeled as both a between-person factor and within-person state, minority stress demonstrated expected patterns with affect. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Daily Minority Stress and Affect among Gay and Bisexual Men: A 30-day Diary Study

PubMed Central

Eldahan, Adam I.; Pachankis, John E.; Rendina, H. Jonathon; Ventuneac, Ana; Grov, Christian; Parsons, Jeffrey T.

2015-01-01

Background This study examined the time-variant association between daily minority stress and daily affect among gay and bisexual men. Tests of time-lagged associations allow for a stronger causal examination of minority stress-affect associations compared with static assessments. Multilevel modeling allows for comparison of associations between minority stress and daily affect when minority stress is modeled as a between-person factor and a within-person time-fluctuating state. Methods 371 gay and bisexual men in New York City completed a 30-day daily diary, recording daily experiences of minority stress and positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), and anxious affect (AA). Multilevel analyses examined associations between minority stress and affect in both same-day and time-lagged analyses, with minority stress assessed as both a between-person factor and a within-person state. Results Daily minority stress, modeled as both a between-person and within-person construct, significantly predicted lower PA and higher NA and AA. Daily minority stress also predicted lower subsequent-day PA and higher subsequent-day NA and AA. Limitations Self-report assessments and the unique sample may limit generalizability of this study. Conclusions The time-variant association between sexual minority stress and affect found here substantiates the basic tenet of minority stress theory with a fine-grained analysis of gay and bisexual men’s daily experience. Time-lagged effects suggest a potentially causal pathway between minority stress as a social determinant of mood and anxiety disorder symptoms among gay and bisexual men. When modeled as both a between-person factor and within-person state, minority stress demonstrated expected patterns with affect. PMID:26625095

Depression Among Non-Daily Smokers Compared to Daily Smokers and Never-Smokers in the United States: An Emerging Problem.

PubMed

Weinberger, Andrea H; Gbedemah, Misato; Wall, Melanie M; Hasin, Deborah S; Zvolensky, Michael J; Chaiton, Michael; Goodwin, Renee D

2017-09-01

Depression is strongly associated with daily smoking. Yet, little is known about the association between depression and non-daily smoking. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of past-year depression and changes in past-year depression over time among non-daily smokers, compared to daily smokers and never-smokers, overall and stratified by age, gender, income, nicotine dependence, and cigarettes per day. Data were drawn from the National Household Survey on Drug Use (NSDUH), an annual cross-sectional study of persons aged 12 and over (total study population N = 496 805). The prevalence of past-year depression was examined annually among non-daily smokers, daily smokers, and never-smokers from 2005 to 2013 using linear trend analyses. Past-year depression was common among 10.10% of non-daily smokers, common among 10.78% of daily smokers, and 5.51% of never-smokers in 2013. The prevalence of depression increased from 2005 to 2013 among non-daily smokers (9.06% vs. 10.10%; p = .034) while there was no significant change in depression over time among daily smokers. Increases in depression among non-daily smokers occurred for both men and women and appear most pronounced youth, those smoking fewer cigarettes, and those without nicotine dependence. The prevalence of depression among non-daily smokers was equivalent to daily smokers and nearly twice that among nonsmokers. Depression appears to be increasing over time in non-daily smokers especially among youth, those who smoke less, and those without nicotine dependence. More work on the mental health of non-daily smokers is needed as this is an increasing and understudied group. This is the first study to investigate changes in the prevalence of depression among non-daily smokers compared to daily smokers and never-smokers over the past decade in a nationally representative sample of the United States. The results suggest an increase in depression among non-daily smokers over time that did not similarly occur for daily smokers. Further, there were several subgroups of non-daily smokers among whom depression has increased more rapidly. This study suggests the need for more information about the relationship between depression and non-daily smoking including the impact of depression on quit attempts and outcomes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Usage of Sit-Stand Workstations and Associations Between Work and Nonwork Sitting Time: An Observational Study.

PubMed

Mazzotta, Michael A; Ferrar, Katia; Fraysse, Francois; Lewis, Lucy K; McEvoy, Maureen

2018-05-01

No studies have objectively measured habitual usage of sit-stand workstations. Eighteen full-time office workers participated (47.9 ± 9.2 years, 61% female). Sitting time was objectively measured (activPAL, 24 h/7 days), and time at desk, desk position, and perceptions of desk use were self-reported. Participants sat for 39% of their daily workstation time, and changed workstation position twice daily. The most common reasons for standing included back pain (44%) and tiredness (22%). The majority of participants received no workstation occupational health (72%) or educational (61%) information. Workstation standing time had a significant moderate correlation with total daily standing time (P = 0.02). Office workers with sit-stand workstations rarely change desk position, and there is no relationship between the time spent sitting at the workstation, and total daily sitting time. Education about the workstations was limited.

Lie symmetry analysis, explicit solutions and conservation laws for the space-time fractional nonlinear evolution equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inc, Mustafa; Yusuf, Abdullahi; Aliyu, Aliyu Isa; Baleanu, Dumitru

2018-04-01

This paper studies the symmetry analysis, explicit solutions, convergence analysis, and conservation laws (Cls) for two different space-time fractional nonlinear evolution equations with Riemann-Liouville (RL) derivative. The governing equations are reduced to nonlinear ordinary differential equation (ODE) of fractional order using their Lie point symmetries. In the reduced equations, the derivative is in Erdelyi-Kober (EK) sense, power series technique is applied to derive an explicit solutions for the reduced fractional ODEs. The convergence of the obtained power series solutions is also presented. Moreover, the new conservation theorem and the generalization of the Noether operators are developed to construct the nonlocal Cls for the equations . Some interesting figures for the obtained explicit solutions are presented.

Toward a humanistic model in health communication.

PubMed

Werder, Olaf

2017-03-01

Since the key to effective health communication lies in its ability to communicate well, some of its core problems are those that relate to the sharing of meaning between communicators. In elaborating on these problems, this paper offers two key propositions: one, health communication has to pass through the filter of a particular world view that creates a discrepancy between expected and actual message reception and response. Two, the assumption of a rational human actor made implicitly by most health psychological models is a contestable issue, as many times message recipients do not follow a cognitive judgment process. The phenomenon of resisting health messages by reasonable people asks the question whether we ought to rethink our adherence to a particular vision of human health as many times the adverse reaction to behaviour modification occurs as the result of a particular dialogical or discursive situation. At the same time, most motivational decisions in people's daily routines are automatic and use a concept known as self-identity to give stability to their behaviour patterns. Finally, health communication as part of organised government practices adheres to predominant value perspectives within health promotion practice that affect the manner in which health issues become problematised. This paper proposes a humanistic model that aims to pay attention to the intricacies of human communication by addressing all of the above problems in turn. It interprets the sharing of meaning element in human communication and addresses the question of how the idea of health is created through discourse. As such, it offers a complementary and constructive paradigm and set of approaches to understand health, its meanings and communication.

24h seismocardiogram monitoring in ambulant subjects.

PubMed

Di Rienzo, M; Meriggi, P; Vaini, E; Castiglioni, P; Rizzo, F

2012-01-01

Sternal seismocardiogram (SCG) is the assessment of microvibrations produced by the beating heart as detected by an accelerometer positioned on the sternum. This signal reflects mechanical events of the heart contraction, including the opening and closure of mitral and aortic valves and maximal blood flow acceleration. Traditionally, SCG has been detected in a laboratory setting with the subject lying at rest in supine position. Aims of this study were 1) to investigate the feasibility of a SCG monitoring over the 24 hours in ambulant subjects, and 2) to calculate number and time distribution of the SCG estimates obtainable over the 24 hours. In 5 healthy subjects ECG, respiration, body accelerations and sternal SCG were recorded for 24 hours in a workday by a smart garment recently developed in our laboratory, the MagIC-SCG system. Each recording was split into a series of contiguous 5-s data segments and SCG was estimated in each segment where the magnitude of the acceleration vector was < 4 milli-g (this condition indicates that the subject was not moving).All the 24-h recordings were found of good quality and could be entirely analyzed. A large number of SCG estimates could be obtained over the 24 hours. In particular, more than 100 estimates per hour were available during the day; at night this rate was three times higher.Thus our study indicates that not only the 24h SCG monitoring in daily life is feasible but also that possible changes over time in SCG and its derived parameters may be tracked with an extreme temporal detail.

Repeated ruminal acidosis challenges in lactating dairy cows at high and low risk for developing acidosis: feeding, ruminating, and lying behavior.

PubMed

DeVries, T J; Beauchemin, K A; Dohme, F; Schwartzkopf-Genswein, K S

2009-10-01

An experiment was conducted to determine whether the susceptibility to ruminal acidosis, as defined through differences in days in milk (DIM), milk production level, and ration composition, influences cow feeding, ruminating, and lying behavior and whether these behaviors change during an acute bout of ruminal acidosis. Eight ruminally cannulated cows were assigned to 1 of 2 acidosis risk levels: low risk (LR, mid-lactation cows fed a 60:40 forage:concentrate ratio diet) or high risk (HR, early lactation cows fed a 45:55 forage:concentrate diet). As a result, diets were intentionally confounded with DIM and milk production to represent 2 different acidosis risk scenarios. Cows were exposed to an acidosis challenge in each of three 14-d periods. Each period consisted of 3 baseline days, a feed restriction day (restricting total mixed ration to 50% of ad libitum intake), an acidosis challenge day (1 h meal of 4 kg of ground barley/wheat before allocating the total mixed ration), and a recovery phase. Feeding, rumination, and standing/lying behavior were recorded for 2 baseline days, on the challenge day, and 1 and 4 d after the challenge day for each cow. Across the study, there were no differences in measures of standing, lying, or feeding behavior between the 2 groups of cows. The HR cows did, on average, spend less time ruminating (491 vs. 555 min/d) than the LR cows, resulting in a lesser percentage of observed cows ruminating across the day (44.6 vs. 48.1%). The acidosis challenge resulted in changes in behavior in all cows. Compared with the baseline, feeding time increased on the first day after the challenge (395 vs. 310 min/d), whereas lying time decreased (565 vs. 634 min/d). Rumination time decreased the first day following the challenge (436 min/d) relative to the baseline (533 min/d), but increased the following day (572 min/d). Fewer cows were observed to be ruminating at a given time on the first day following the challenge as compared with the baseline period. Despite this, on a herd level, numerous observations of the proportion of cows ruminating at any one time would need to be taken to accurately detect an acute bout of acidosis using changes in rumination behavior. Overall, these results suggest that risk of acidosis may have little overall effect on general behavior, with the exception of rumination. Furthermore, an acute bout of acidosis alters behavioral patterns of lactating dairy cows, particularly rumination behavior, and identification of these changes in behavior through repeated measurements may assist in the detection of an acidosis event within a herd.

Comparison of sum-of-hourly and daily time step standardized ASCE Penman-Monteith reference evapotranspiration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djaman, Koffi; Irmak, Suat; Sall, Mamadou; Sow, Abdoulaye; Kabenge, Isa

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to quantify differences associated with using 24-h time step reference evapotranspiration (ETo), as compared with the sum of hourly ETo computations with the standardized ASCE Penman-Monteith (ASCE-PM) model for semi-arid dry conditions at Fanaye and Ndiaye (Senegal) and semiarid humid conditions at Sapu (The Gambia) and Kankan (Guinea). The results showed that there was good agreement between the sum of hourly ETo and daily time step ETo at all four locations. The daily time step overestimated the daily ETo relative to the sum of hourly ETo by 1.3 to 8% for the whole study periods. However, there is location and monthly dependence of the magnitude of ETo values and the ratio of the ETo values estimated by both methods. Sum of hourly ETo tends to give higher ETo during winter time at Fanaye and Sapu, while the daily ETo was higher from March to November at the same weather stations. At Ndiaye and Kankan, daily time step estimates of ETo were high during the year. The simple linear regression slopes between the sum of 24-h ETo and the daily time step ETo at all weather stations varied from 1.02 to 1.08 with high coefficient of determination (R 2 ≥ 0.87). Application of the hourly ETo estimation method might help on accurate ETo estimation to meet irrigation requirement under precision agriculture.

The Effect of Telling Lies on Belief in the Truth

PubMed Central

Polage, Danielle

2017-01-01

The current study looks at the effect of telling lies, in contrast to simply planning lies, on participants’ belief in the truth. Participants planned and told a lie, planned to tell a lie but didn’t tell it, told an unplanned lie, or neither planned nor told a lie (control) about events that did not actually happen to them. Participants attempted to convince researchers that all of the stories told were true. Results show that telling a lie plays a more important role in inflating belief scores than simply preparing the script of a lie. Cognitive dissonance may lead to motivated forgetting of information that does not align with the lie. This research suggests that telling lies may lead to confusion as to the veracity of the lie leading to inflated belief scores. PMID:29358979

Frequency of Acute Kidney Injury Caused by Tazobactam/Piperacillin in Patients with Pneumonia and Chronic Kidney Disease: A Retrospective Observational Study.

PubMed

Morimoto, Takeyori; Nagashima, Hiroki; Morimoto, Yasuko; Tokuyama, Shogo

2017-01-01

 Tazobactam/piperacillin (TAZ/PIPC) is a combination antibiotic frequently used to treat pneumonia. It has recently been reported that TAZ/PIPC worsens renal function in patients with existing renal impairment. Creatinine clearance is generally between 10 and 40 mL/min in Japanese patients, so TAZ/PIPC is given at a dose of 2.25 g three times daily or 4.5 g twice daily. If pneumonia is severe or intractable, the dose frequency may be increased to 2.25 g four times daily and 4.5 g three times daily. We examined the effect of these different dosing regimens on renal function. We studied a cohort of 57 patients with impaired renal function hospitalized with pneumonia and treated with TAZ/PIPC between January 2015 and November 2016. Patients were classified into four groups according to TAZ/PIPC dose: 2.25 g three times daily (Group A); 2.25 g four times daily (B); 4.5 g twice daily (C) and 4.5 g three times daily (D). We examined the frequency of acute kidney injury (AKI) and treatment effectiveness. In Groups A, B, C and D, AKI occurred in 5.6%, 0.0%, 25.0% and 38.5% of patient. In groups C and D, hydration and dose reduction were required to address early signs of impending AKI. Our findings suggest that the higher TAZ/PIPC dose of 4.5 g was responsible for the decline in renal function, even if the dose frequency was reduced.

3D lens-free time-lapse microscopy for 3D cell culture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berdeu, Anthony; Momey, Fabien; Laperrousaz, Bastien; Bordy, Thomas; Gidrol, Xavier; Dinten, Jean-Marc; Picollet-D'hahan, Nathalie; Allier, Cédric

2017-07-01

We propose a new imaging platform based on lens-free time-lapse microscopy for 3D cell culture and its dedicated algorithm lying on a fully 3D regularized inverse problem approach. First 3D+t results are presented

Are Recommended Daily Allowances for Vitamin C Adequate?

PubMed Central

Pauling, Linus

1974-01-01

The Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) for adults has now been set at 45 mg day-1 by the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board. This intake suffices to prevent scurvy in most people. It is, however, much less than the optimum intake, the intake that leads to the best of health. A larger intake decreases the incidence and severity of the common cold and other diseases. Ascorbic acid has antiviral and antibacterial activity and is required for phagocytic activity of leukocytes. Several arguments indicate that for different human beings the optimum intake lies between 250 mg day-1 and a much higher value, 5000 mg day-1 or more. It is proposed that the present Recommended Dietary Allowance of 45 mg day-1 of vitamin C for adults be renamed the Minimum Dietary Allowance, defined as the amount needed to prevent scurvy, and that, after consideration of the evidence about intake and the best of health, there be formulated another category of values, the Recommended Daily Intake, with the suggested range of 250 mg day-1 to 4000 mg day-1 of ascorbic acid for an adult. PMID:4612519

Analysis of precision in chemical oscillators: implications for circadian clocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

d'Eysmond, Thomas; De Simone, Alessandro; Naef, Felix

2013-10-01

Biochemical reaction networks often exhibit spontaneous self-sustained oscillations. An example is the circadian oscillator that lies at the heart of daily rhythms in behavior and physiology in most organisms including humans. While the period of these oscillators evolved so that it resonates with the 24 h daily environmental cycles, the precision of the oscillator (quantified via the Q factor) is another relevant property of these cell-autonomous oscillators. Since this quantity can be measured in individual cells, it is of interest to better understand how this property behaves across mathematical models of these oscillators. Current theoretical schemes for computing the Q factors show limitations for both high-dimensional models and in the vicinity of Hopf bifurcations. Here, we derive low-noise approximations that lead to numerically stable schemes also in high-dimensional models. In addition, we generalize normal form reductions that are appropriate near Hopf bifurcations. Applying our approximations to two models of circadian clocks, we show that while the low-noise regime is faithfully recapitulated, increasing the level of noise leads to species-dependent precision. We emphasize that subcomponents of the oscillator gradually decouple from the core oscillator as noise increases, which allows us to identify the subnetworks responsible for robust rhythms.

Effect of lie labelling on children's evaluation of selfish, polite, and altruistic lies.

PubMed

Cheung, Him; Chan, Yawen; Tsui, Wan Chi Gigi

2016-09-01

This study investigates how 5- and 6-year-olds' evaluations of selfish, polite, and altruistic lies change as a result of whether these false statements are explicitly labelled as lies. We are also interested in how interpretive theory of mind may correlate with such evaluations with and without a lie label. Our results showed that labelling lowered children's evaluations for the polite and altruistic lies, but not for the selfish lies. Interpretive theory of mind correlated positively with the evaluation difference between the polite and altruistic lies and that between the selfish and altruistic lies in the label, but not in the non-label condition. Correlation between the selfish and altruistic lies and that between the polite and altruistic lies were stronger with than without labelling, after controlling for age, and verbal and non-verbal intelligence. We conclude that lie labelling biases children towards more negative evaluations for non-selfish lies and makes them see lies of different motives as more similar. If a lie label is applied, whether lies of different motives are still evaluated differently depends on interpretive theory of mind, which reflects the child's ability to represent and allow different interpretations of an ambiguous reality. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Intraindividual change and variability in daily stress processes: Findings from two measurement-burst diary studies

PubMed Central

Sliwinski, Martin J.; Almeida, David M.; Smyth, Joshua; Stawski, Robert S.

2010-01-01

There is little longitudinal information on aging-related changes in emotional responses to negative events. The present manuscript examined intraindividual change and variability in the within-person coupling of daily stress and negative affect (NA) using data from two-measurement burst daily diary studies. Three main findings emerged. First, average reactivity to daily stress increased longitudinally, and this increase was evident across most the adult lifespan. Second, individual differences in emotional reactivity to daily stress exhibited long-term temporal stability, but this stability was greatest in midlife and decreased in old age. And third, reactivity to daily stress varied reliably within-persons (across-time), with individual exhibiting higher levels of reactivity during times when reporting high levels of global subject stress in previous month. Taken together, the present results emphasize the importance of modeling dynamic psychosocial and aging processes that operate across different time scales for understanding age-related changes in daily stress processes. PMID:20025399

76 FR 13683 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Fixed Income Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-14

... To Move the Time at Which It Runs Its Daily Morning Pass March 8, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1... Backed Securities Division (``MBSD'') intends to move the time at which it runs its daily morning pass... notify participants that MBSD intends to move the time at which it runs its daily morning pass from 10:30...

Is there a relationship between foetal position and both preferred lying posture after birth and pattern of subsequent postural deformity in non-ambulant people with cerebral palsy?

PubMed

Porter, D; Michael, S; Kirkwood, C

2010-09-01

A pattern of postural deformity was observed in a previous study that included an association between direction of spinal curvature and direction of windsweeping with more windswept deformities occurring to the right and lateral spinal curvatures occurring convex to the left. The direction of this pattern was found to be associated with preferred lying posture in early life. The aim of this study was to test the association between foetal position and both the preferred lying posture after birth, and the direction of subsequent postural deformity in non-ambulant children with cerebral palsy (CP). A retrospective cohort study was carried out involving 60 participants at level five on the gross motor function classification for CP. Foetal position during the last month of pregnancy was taken from antenatal records and parents were interviewed to identify preferred lying posture in the first year of life. At the time of the physical assessment ages ranged from 1 year and 1 month to 19 years with a median age of 13 years and 1 month. Foetal presentation was found to be associated with the preferred lying posture with participants carried in a left occipito-anterior/lateral position more likely to adopt a supine head right lying posture, and vice versa. An association was also observed between the foetal position and asymmetrical postural deformity occurring later in life with participants carried in a left occipito-anterior/lateral presentation more likely to have a convex left spinal curve, a lower left pelvic obliquity, and a windswept hip pattern to the right. Clinicians should be aware of the association between foetal presentation, asymmetrical lying posture, and the direction of subsequent postural deformity for severely disabled children. A hypothesis is described that might help to explain these findings.

Increased medication compliance of liver transplant patients switched from a twice-daily to a once-daily tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive regimen.

PubMed

Eberlin, M; Otto, G; Krämer, I

2013-01-01

Compliance with immunosuppressive therapy plays a major role in the long-term success of liver transplantation. Thus, the development of strategies to promote compliance of liver transplant patients and its evaluation over time are of particular interest. The main objective of this study was to compare medication compliance rates among liver transplant patients over time after transplantation where switched from a twice- to once-daily tacrolimus-based regimen. Sixty-five liver transplant patients being administered tacrolimus-based therapy were classified into three subgroups with regard to time posttransplantation. Medication compliance with tacrolimus-based therapy was measured using an electronic medication event monitoring system over a 12-month period: for 6 months tacrolimus was administered twice-daily and for 6 months, once-daily. Dosing, taking, and timing compliance as well as drug holidays were compared intra-individually between twice- and once-daily intake and among the three subgroups. In addition, patient compliance and quality of life were evaluated using questionnaires. A per protocol analysis of electronically obtained data showed 63 patients to be eligible. The resulting dosing, taking, and timing compliance rates of the patients were higher during the once-daily dosing period. No significant differences in compliance rates with tacrolimus therapy were observed among three subgroups independent of the dosing regimen. More patients failed the correct timing of the evening compared to the morning dose. Missing doses occurred particularly during weekends. Compliance variables measured by questionnaires (Morisky score, self-report, Medication Experience Scale for Immunosuppressants (MESI) score) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score were similar in the two dosing periods. The short-form health survey (SF-36) score was higher with once-daily intake. The high measured compliance rates did not vary significantly dependent upon the time after transplantation. Nevertheless, compliance rates were greater using once-daily tacrolimus dosing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of post-meal and one-time daily exercise in patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized crossover study.

PubMed

Pahra, Daizy; Sharma, Nitasha; Ghai, Sandhya; Hajela, Abhishek; Bhansali, Shobhit; Bhansali, Anil

2017-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of short-timed post-meal and one-time daily exercise on glycemic control in patients with T2DM. Sixty-four T2DM patients were randomised into crossover design. Group A (n = 32) underwent post-meal exercise (moderate-intensity brisk walking covering 1500-1600 steps for 15 min, starting 15 min after each meal) from d1 to d60 followed by one-time daily exercise (45 min pre-breakfast brisk walking at stretch covering 4500-4800 steps) from d61 to d120, while it was vice versa for the group B (n = 32). The five-point blood glucose profile was performed on d1, d30, d60, d90 and d120, and HbA1c on d1, d60 and d120. Fitness wrist band was used for step-counting to ensure the intensity of exercise and compliance to exercise protocol. Group A patients showed a significant improvement in five point blood glucose profile and HbA1c after performing post-meal exercise (p < 0.001), which was mitigated after switchover to one-time daily exercise (p < 0.001). While, group B patients showed improvement in glucose profile and HbA1c (p < 0.001) after performing post-meal exercise, as compared to one-time daily exercise. Further, on pooled analysis (post-meal versus one-time daily exercise group) the beneficial effect of post-meal exercise on glucose profile and HbA1c was consistent as compared to one time daily exercise and the significance persisted on comparison between the two groups. No hypoglycemic events were noted between the groups during the study period. Post-meal exercise is more effective than routine one-time daily exercise for glycemic control in T2DM patients.

The contributing role of physical education in youth's daily physical activity and sedentary behavior.

PubMed

Chen, Senlin; Kim, Youngwon; Gao, Zan

2014-02-04

School physical education (PE) is considered as an effective channel for youth to accumulate moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and reduce sedentary time. The purpose of this study was to determine the contributing role of PE in daily MVPA and sedentary time among youth. The study recruited 67 sixth grade children (29 boys; Mean age = 11.75) from two suburban schools at a U.S. Midwest state, 48 of whom contributed ≥10 hours of physical activity (PA) data per day were included for analysis. An objective monitoring tool (i.e., Sensewear armband monitor) was used to capture the participants' MVPA and sedentary time for 7-14 days. Pearson product-moment correlation analysis (r), multi-level regression analyses, and analysis of variance were conducted for data analysis. MVPA and sedentary time in PE showed significant positive associations with daily MVPA and sedentary time, respectively (r = 0.35, p < 0.01; r = 0.55, p < 0.01). Regression analyses revealed that one minute increase in MVPA and sedentary behavior in PE was associated with 2.04 minutes and 5.30 minutes increases in daily MVPA and sedentary behavior, respectively, after controlling for sex and BMI. The participants demonstrated a significantly higher level of MVPA (p = .05) but similar sedentary time (p = 0.61) on PE days than on non-PE days. Boys had significantly more daily MVPA (p < .01) and less sedentary time (p < .01) than girls; while higher BMI was associated with more sedentary time (p < .01). PE displayed a positive contribution to increasing daily MVPA and decreasing daily sedentary time among youth. Active participation in PE classes increases the chance to be more active and less sedentary beyond PE among youth.

One-day offset in daily hydrologic modeling: An exploration of the issue in automatic model calibration

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The literature of daily hydrologic modelling illustrates that daily simulation models are incapable of accurately representing hydrograph timing due to relationships between precipitation and watershed hydrologic response. For watersheds with a time of concentration less than 24 hrs and a late day p...

Bioequivalence and Safety of Twice-Daily Sustained-Release Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) Compared With 3- and 4-Times-Daily Paracetamol: A Repeat-Dose, Crossover Pharmacokinetic Study in Healthy Volunteers.

PubMed

Liu, Dongzhou J; Collaku, Agron

2018-01-01

Twice-daily sustained-release (SR) paracetamol (acetaminophen) offers convenient administration to chronic users. This study investigated at steady state (during the last 24 hours of a 3-day dosing period) the pharmacokinetics, bioequivalence, and safety of twice-daily SR paracetamol compared with extended-release (ER) and immediate-release (IR) paracetamol. In this open-label, randomized, multidose, 3-way crossover study, 28 healthy subjects received paracetamol SR (2 × 1000 mg twice daily), ER (2 × 665 mg 3 times daily), and IR (2 × 500 mg 4 times daily). At steady state, twice-daily SR paracetamol was bioequivalent to ER and IR paracetamol. The 90% confidence intervals for the ratios of geometric means were within the acceptance interval for SR/ER paracetamol (AUC 0-t , 0.973-1.033; AUC 0-24 , 0.974-1.034; AUC 0-∞ , 0.948-1.011; C max , 1.082-1.212; C av , 1.011-1.106) and SR/IR paracetamol (AUC 0-t , 0.969-1.029; AUC 0-24 , 0.968-1.027; AUC 0-∞ , 0.963-1.026; C max , 0.902-1.010; C av , 1.004-1.098). Given twice daily, the SR formulation demonstrated SR properties as expected. Mean time at or above a 4 μg/mL plasma concentration of paracetamol from 2 daily doses of the SR formulation was significantly longer than that from 4 daily doses of IR paracetamol. SR formulation also had a greater T max , a longer half-life, and lower C min compared with ER and IR paracetamol. All formulations were well tolerated. © 2017, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Effect of air temperature and humidity on ingestive behaviour of sheep

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paranhos da Costa, Mateus J. R.; da Silva, Roberto Gomes; de Souza, Roberto Carlos

1992-12-01

Thirty-two Polwarth ewes, of ages up to 1 year, were observed in a climatic chamber (24 to 45° C) for eight periods of 5 h each. The observations were made through a window in the chamber wall. All animals were observed four times, then shorn and observed four times again. The animals were given weighed quantities of water and feed consisting of commercial concentrate plus Rhodes grass ( Chloris gayana) hay. The water and feed remaining after 5 h of observation were weighed. The following traits were analysed: time eating hay (TEH), time eating concentrate (TEC), time drinking water (TDW), weight of hay eaten (WHE), weight of concentrate eaten (WCE), volume of ingested water (VIW), ruminating time standing up (RTS), ruminating time lying down (RTL), idling time standing up (ITS), and idling time lying down (ITL). Shearing had a significant effect for all traits except ITS. Shearing resulted in higher values for all traits except for ITS and ITL. Ingestion of hay (TEH and WHE) decreased with increased air temperature and humidity, while the ingestion of concentrate (TEC) and WHE) and water (TDW and VIW) increased. Rumination decreased with increased air temperature and humidity, and was higher in shorn than in unshorn sheep.

The relationship of maternal employment to early adolescent daily experience with and without parents.

PubMed

Richards, M H; Duckett, E

1994-02-01

This study examines how maternal work may shape pre- and young adolescents' daily life experience. According to the procedures of the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), 295 10-13-year-old children carried electronic pagers for 1 week and completed self-report forms in response to random signals sent every other hour. Their daily experience did not differ by maternal employment status, with the following exceptions: full-time maternal employment was associated with more time doing homework with mothers and less time in general leisure, while part-time employment was associated with more time doing sports with parents. Relative to those with nonemployed mothers, youth with part-time employed mothers reported more positive daily moods and higher self-esteem, while youth reported time with full-time employed mothers to be the friendliest. While children with employed mothers spent no less time with family, parents, friends, in class or alone, they spent more time alone with fathers.

Is there a relationship between preferred posture and positioning in early life and the direction of subsequent asymmetrical postural deformity in non ambulant people with cerebral palsy?

PubMed

Porter, David; Michael, Shona; Kirkwood, Craig

2008-09-01

It has been suggested that asymmetrical positioning of an infant with reduced mobility may lead to postural deformity becoming established over time. However, evidence to support or question this line of thinking is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective cohort study was to test the association between asymmetrical positioning in the first 12 months of life and the subsequent direction of postural deformity in non-ambulant people with cerebral palsy. The direction of scoliosis, pelvic obliquity and windswept hip pattern and also the side of unilateral hip subluxation/dislocation were determined for 246 young people ranging in age from 1 year and 2 months to 19 years (median age 10 years and 3 months). Parents/carers of the participants were interviewed to establish holding and feeding positions and preferred lying posture adopted in early life. Univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out. The study provided evidence of an association between asymmetrical lying posture adopted in the first year of life and the direction of the subsequent pattern of postural deformity. If the child's head had been rotated to the right during supine lying, it was more likely that the scoliosis would be convex to the left, pelvic obliquity would be lower on the left, windswept hip pattern would be to the right and hip subluxation/dislocation would occur on the left. The likelihood of the deformities occurring in the same direction was also increased if consistent side lying on the right had been preferred. Clinicians should be aware of positioning for children with severe disabilities particularly those who prefer supine lying with their head rotated to the side and those who prefer consistent side lying.

Diurnal characteristics of ecosystem respiration of alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: implications for carbon budget estimation.

PubMed

Qin, Yu; Yi, Shuhua

2013-01-01

Accurately estimating daily mean ecosystem respiration rate (Re) is important for understanding how ecosystem carbon budgets will respond to climate change. Usually, daily mean Re is represented by measurement using static chamber on alpine meadow ecosystems from 9:00 to 11:00 h a.m. local time directly. In the present study, however, we found that the calculated daily mean Re from 9:00 to 11:00 h a.m. local time was significantly higher than that from 0:00 to 23:30 h local time in an alpine meadow site, which might be caused by special climate condition on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Our results indicated that the calculated daily mean Re from 9:00 to 11:00 h a.m. local time cannot be used to represent daily mean Re directly.

Effects of the fungicide imazalil on the fathead minnow ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Since its introduction in 1983, imazalil has been used primarily as a fungicide on crops post-harvest. Its effectiveness lies in the ability to inhibit the fungal cytochrome P450 (cyp), lanosterol 14 á-demethylase. However, like other azole fungicides, imazalil can inhibit a range of cyp enzymes, including one or more involved in steroid biosynthesis in vertebrates. Previous in vitro assays showed that imazalil can cause aromatase inhibition and reduce 17â-estradiol (E2) production by H295R cells. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of imazalil in a 21 d Fish Short-Term Reproduction Assay (FSTRA) with fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to evaluate whether the chemical would elicit effects consistent with an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) linking inhibition of aromatase to reduced fecundity. Fish were sampled at two time points (10, 21 d) and several endpoints (including key events [KE]s) associated with the AOP were measured. Fecundity also was determined daily. These data, combined with results of two previous exposures of 24 h and 60 h, produce a full time-course of effects. Ex vivo ovarian E2 production in females exposed to imazalil was significantly lower (p<0.05) than controls after 24 h at concentrations of 100, 500, and 1580 µg/L and remained significantly lower at 60 h, 10 d, and 21 d in fish exposed to 200 µg/L. Plasma E2 concentrations from females exposed for 24 h were significantly lower at imazalil concentrations of 80 and 250 µg/

Evaluation and implementation of chemotherapy regimen validation in an electronic health record.

PubMed

Diaz, Amber H; Bubalo, Joseph S

2014-12-01

Computerized provider order entry of chemotherapy regimens is quickly becoming the standard for prescribing chemotherapy in both inpatient and ambulatory settings. One of the difficulties with implementation of chemotherapy regimen computerized provider order entry lies in verifying the accuracy and completeness of all regimens built in the system library. Our goal was to develop, implement, and evaluate a process for validating chemotherapy regimens in an electronic health record. We describe our experience developing and implementing a process for validating chemotherapy regimens in the setting of a standard, commercially available computerized provider order entry system. The pilot project focused on validating chemotherapy regimens in the adult inpatient oncology setting and adult ambulatory hematologic malignancy setting. A chemotherapy regimen validation process was defined as a result of the pilot project. Over a 27-week pilot period, 32 chemotherapy regimens were validated using the process we developed. Results of the study suggest that by validating chemotherapy regimens, the amount of time spent by pharmacists in daily chemotherapy review was decreased. In addition, the number of pharmacist modifications required to make regimens complete and accurate were decreased. Both physician and pharmacy disciplines showed improved satisfaction and confidence levels with chemotherapy regimens after implementation of the validation system. Chemotherapy regimen validation required a considerable amount of planning and time but resulted in increased pharmacist efficiency and improved provider confidence and satisfaction. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Infant Positioning, Baby Gear Use, and Cranial Asymmetry.

PubMed

Zachry, Anne H; Nolan, Vikki G; Hand, Sarah B; Klemm, Susan A

2017-12-01

Objectives This study aimed to identify predictors of cranial asymmetry. We hypothesize that among infants diagnosed with cranial asymmetry in the sampled region, there is an association between exposure to more time in baby gear and less awake time in prone and side-lying than in infants who do not present with this condition. Methods The study employed a cross sectional survey of caregivers of typically developing infants and infants diagnosed with cranial asymmetry. Results A mutivariable model reveals that caregivers of children who are diagnosed with cranial asymmetry report their children spending significantly less time in prone play than those children without a diagnosis of cranial asymmetry. Side-lying and time spent in baby gear did not attain statistical significance. Conclusions for Practice Occupational therapists, physical therapists, pediatricians, nurses and other health care professionals must provide parents with early education about the importance of varying positions and prone play in infancy and address fears and concerns that may serve as barriers to providing prone playtime.

Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of adenosine and adenosine monophosphate photodeactivation dynamics in water microjets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Holly L.; Erickson, Blake A.; Neumark, Daniel M.

2018-05-01

The excited state relaxation dynamics of adenosine and adenosine monophosphate were studied at multiple excitation energies using femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy in a liquid water microjet. At pump energies of 4.69-4.97 eV, the lowest ππ* excited state, S1, was accessed and its decay dynamics were probed via ionization at 6.20 eV. By reversing the role of the pump and probe lasers, a higher-lying ππ* state was excited at 6.20 eV and its time-evolving photoelectron spectrum was monitored at probe energies of 4.69-4.97 eV. The S1 ππ* excited state was found to decay with a lifetime ranging from ˜210 to 250 fs in adenosine and ˜220 to 250 fs in adenosine monophosphate. This lifetime drops with increasing pump photon energy. Signal from the higher-lying ππ* excited state decayed on a time scale of ˜320 fs and was measureable only in adenosine monophosphate.

Geology of the Terre Adélie Craton (135 – 146˚ E)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ménot, R.P.; Duclaux, G.; Peucat, J.J.; Rolland, Y.; Guillot, S.; Fanning, M.; Bascou, J.; Gapais, D.; Pêcher, A.

2007-01-01

More than 15 years of field and laboratory investigations on samples from Terre Adélie to the western part of George Vth Land (135 to 146°E) during the GEOLETA program allow a reassessment of the Terre Adélie Craton (TAC) geology. The TAC represents the largest exposed fragment of the East Antarctic Shield preserved from both Grenville and Ross tectono-metamorphic events. Therefore it corresponds to a well-preserved continental segment that developed from the Neoarchean to the Paleoproterozoic. Together with the Gawler Craton in South Australia, the TAC is considered as part of the Mawson continent, i.e. a striking piece of the Rodinia Supercontinent. However, this craton represents one of the less studied parts of the East Antarctic Shield. The three maps presented here clearly point out the extent of two distinct domains within the Terre Adélie Craton and suggest that the TAC was built up through a polyphased evolution during the Neoarchean-Siderian (c.a. 2.5Ga) and the Statherian (c.a. 1.7Ga) periods. These data support a complete re-assessment of the TAC geology and represent a valuable base for the understanding of global geodynamics changes during Paleoproterozoic times.

Automated decoding of facial expressions reveals marked differences in children when telling antisocial versus prosocial lies.

PubMed

Zanette, Sarah; Gao, Xiaoqing; Brunet, Megan; Bartlett, Marian Stewart; Lee, Kang

2016-10-01

The current study used computer vision technology to examine the nonverbal facial expressions of children (6-11years old) telling antisocial and prosocial lies. Children in the antisocial lying group completed a temptation resistance paradigm where they were asked not to peek at a gift being wrapped for them. All children peeked at the gift and subsequently lied about their behavior. Children in the prosocial lying group were given an undesirable gift and asked if they liked it. All children lied about liking the gift. Nonverbal behavior was analyzed using the Computer Expression Recognition Toolbox (CERT), which employs the Facial Action Coding System (FACS), to automatically code children's facial expressions while lying. Using CERT, children's facial expressions during antisocial and prosocial lying were accurately and reliably differentiated significantly above chance-level accuracy. The basic expressions of emotion that distinguished antisocial lies from prosocial lies were joy and contempt. Children expressed joy more in prosocial lying than in antisocial lying. Girls showed more joy and less contempt compared with boys when they told prosocial lies. Boys showed more contempt when they told prosocial lies than when they told antisocial lies. The key action units (AUs) that differentiate children's antisocial and prosocial lies are blink/eye closure, lip pucker, and lip raise on the right side. Together, these findings indicate that children's facial expressions differ while telling antisocial versus prosocial lies. The reliability of CERT in detecting such differences in facial expression suggests the viability of using computer vision technology in deception research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Feeling old today? Daily health, stressors, and affect explain day-to-day variability in subjective age.

PubMed

Kotter-Grühn, Dana; Neupert, Shevaun D; Stephan, Yannick

2015-01-01

Subjective age is an important correlate of health, well-being, and longevity. So far, little is known about short-term variability in subjective age and the circumstances under which individuals feel younger/older in daily life. This study examined whether (a) older adults' felt age fluctuates on a day-to-day basis, (b) daily changes in health, stressors, and affect explain fluctuations in felt age, and (c) the daily associations between felt age and health, stressors, or affect are time-ordered. Using an eight-day daily diary approach, N = 43 adults (60-96 years, M = 74.65, SD = 8.19) filled out daily questionnaires assessing subjective age, health, daily stressors, and affect. Data were analysed using multilevel modelling. Subjective age, health, daily stressors, affect. Intra-individual variability in felt age was not explained by time but by short-term variability in other variables. Specifically, on days when participants experienced more than average health problems, stress, or negative affect they felt older than on days with average health, stress, or negative affect. No time-ordered effects were found. Bad health, many stressors, and negative affective experiences constitute circumstances under which older adults feel older than they typically do. Thus, daily measures of subjective age could be markers of health and well-being.

The Tail Exponent for Stock Returns in Bursa Malaysia for 2003-2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusli, N. H.; Gopir, G.; Usang, M. D.

2010-07-01

A developed discipline of econophysics that has been introduced is exhibiting the application of mathematical tools that are usually applied to the physical models for the study of financial models. In this study, an analysis of the time series behavior of several blue chip and penny stock companies in Main Market of Bursa Malaysia has been performed. Generally, the basic quantity being used is the relative price changes or is called the stock price returns, contains daily-sampled data from the beginning of 2003 until the end of 2008, containing 1555 trading days recorded. The aim of this paper is to investigate the tail exponent in tails of the distribution for blue chip stocks and penny stocks financial returns in six years period. By using a standard regression method, it is found that the distribution performed double scaling on the log-log plot of the cumulative probability of the normalized returns. Thus we calculate α for a small scale return as well as large scale return. Based on the result obtained, it is found that the power-law behavior for the probability density functions of the stock price absolute returns P(z)˜z-α with values lying inside and outside the Lévy stable regime with values α>2. All the results were discussed in detail.

a Movable Charging Unit for Green Mobility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ElBanhawy, E. Y.; Nassar, K.

2013-05-01

Battery swapping of electric vehicles (EVs) matter appears to be the swiftest and most convenient to users. The existence of swapping stations increases the feasibility of distributed energy storage via the electric grid. However, it is a cost-prohibitive way of charging. Early adaptors' preferences of /perceptions about EV system in general, has its inflectional effects on potential users hence the market penetration level. Yet, the charging matter of electric batteries worries the users and puts more pressure on them with the more rigorous planning-ahead they have to make prior to any trip. This paper presents a distinctive way of charging. It aims at making the overall charging process at ease. From a closer look into the literature, most of EVs' populations depend on domestic charge. Domestic charging gives them more confidence and increases the usability factor of the EV system. Nevertheless, they still need to count on the publically available charging points to reach their destination(s). And when it comes to multifamily residences, it becomes a thorny problem as these apartments do not have a room for charging outlets. Having said the irritating charging time needed to fatten the batteries over the day and the minimal average mileage drove daily, hypothetically, home delivery charging (Movable Charging Unit-MCU) would be a stupendous solution. The paper discusses the integration of shortest path algorithm problem with the information about EV users within a metropolitan area, developing an optimal route for a charging unit. This MCU delivers charging till homes whether by swapping batteries or by fast charging facility. Information about users is to be provided by the service provider of the neighbourhood, which includes charging patterns (timing, power capacity). This problem lies under the shortest path algorithms problem. It provides optimal route of charging that in return shall add more reliability and usability values and alleviate the charging/ limited range / daily planning anxieties. The model is in a very preliminary stage of development, future work is needed to elaborate on the model and developing a complete feasibility study.

Application of a groundwater flow model for real-time well field management - lessons learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marti, B.; Kaiser, H.-P.; Kuhlmann, U.; Hendricks Franssen, H.-J.; Kinzelbach, W.

2012-04-01

The Hardhof well field, which lies in the city of Zurich, Switzerland, provides roughly 15 % of the towns drinking water demand from the Limmat valley aquifer. Groundwater and river filtrate are withdrawn in four large horizontal wells, each with a capacity of up to 48'000 m3 per day. The well field is threatened by potential pollution from leachate of a nearby land fill, possible accidents on the adjacent rail and road lines, and by diffuse pollution from former industrial sites and sewers located upstream of the well field. A line of recharge wells and basins forms a hydraulic barrier against the potentially contaminated water and increases the capacity of the well field. Currently, a genetic algorithm coupled to a 3-dimensional groundwater flow model is applied at the well field to determine optimal infiltration rates on a daily basis. This real-time control is based on particle backtracking in a quasi-stationary flow field. It estimates the origin of the water in the four horizontal wells and calculates the amount of potentially contaminated water in each well. Running the model iteratively and refining the parameters of the genetic algorithm at the end of each step yields the recommended daily infiltration rates. The current model accurately predicts the change of piezometric head due to changes in the river stage. However, during periods of large abstraction rates, the model underestimates the piezometric heads in the Hardhof area. In addition, the infiltration rates suggested by the control do not always agree with the experience of the Zurich water works (e.g. during periods with large abstraction rates) and hence the actually applied infiltration rates are sometimes chosen differently from the calculated ones. This work analyzes the performance of the model and the control during the year 2011. The computed heads of the on-line model are compared to the measured piezometric heads in over 80 measurement locations in the model area. Furthermore, differences between the computed management decisions and the actual management decisions are analyzed and suggestions for an improved management are made.

Snowpack Regimes of the Western United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trujillo, E.; Molotch, N. P.

2011-12-01

Snow accumulation and melt patterns play a significant role in the water, energy, carbon and nutrient cycles in the montane environments of the Western United States. Recent studies have illustrated that changes in the snow/rainfall apportionments, and snow accumulation and melt patterns may occur as a consequence of changes in climate in the region. In order to understand how these changes may affect the snow regimes of the region, the current characteristics of the snow accumulation and melt patterns must be identified. Here, we characterize the snow water equivalent (SWE) curve formed by the daily SWE values at over seven hundred snow pillow stations in the Western U.S., focusing on several metrics of the yearly SWE curves and the cross relationships between the different metrics. The metrics include the initial snow accumulation and meltout dates, the peak accumulation and date of peak, the time from initial accumulation to peak, the time from peak to meltout, the accumulation and melt slopes, and the daily rates of accumulation and melt. Three distinct regimes emerge from these results: a maritime, an intermediate (intercontinental), and a continental regime. The maritime regime is characterized by higher maximum snow accumulations reaching 300 cm and shorter accumulation periods of less than 220 days, while on the other hand; the continental regime is characterized by lower maximum accumulations below 200 cm and longer accumulation periods reaching over 260 days. The intercontinental regime lies in between. Several other differences are identified between the metrics of the SWE curve in these regimes. The regions that show the characteristics of the maritime regime include the Cascade Mountains, the Klamath Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The intercontinental regime includes the Northern and Central basins and ranges, the Idaho Batholith, the Northern Rockies and the Blue Mountains. Lastly, the Continental regime includes the Middle and Southern Rockies, and the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains. The consequences of the differences between these snow regimes are discussed in the framework of the implications of possible changes in accumulation and melt patterns as a consequence of changes in climate.

Tobacco smoking trajectory and associated ethnic differences among adolescent smokers seeking cessation treatment.

PubMed

Robinson, Miqun L; Berlin, Ivan; Moolchan, Eric T

2004-09-01

To examine smoking trajectories in a clinical sample of adolescent smokers seeking cessation treatment, including: (a) smoking onset (initial, daily) and time intervals from initial to daily smoking and from daily smoking to treatment request, (b) associations between current level of tobacco dependence and smoking history, and (c) differences in smoking trajectory between African-American and non-African-American youth. Four hundred and thirty-two adolescent smokers (aged 13-17 years, 61.8% female, 32% African-American) responding to various media advertisement completed a telephone interview as part of pre-eligibility screening for a smoking cessation trial. Smoking trajectory data included age at onset of initial and daily smoking, intervals between those time points, and cigarettes smoked per day (CPD). Tobacco dependence was assessed using the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Data were analyzed using regression models and multiple analyses of covariance. Initial smoking occurred at a mean age of less than 12 years and daily smoking at age 13 years. Earlier onset of daily smoking was associated with higher FTND scores and longer duration from daily smoking to treatment request. For the entire sample, the time interval from initial to daily smoking was 1.14 years. When the sample was divided into early (before age 14 years) and later (at or after age 14 years) initiators, early initiators showed a slower progression from initial to daily smoking compared with late initiators (16 months vs. 6 months). Compared with non-African-American teen smokers, African-American youth reported a 1-year delay in onset of both initial and daily smoking. Early age of daily smoking and short time interval from initial to daily smoking highlight a brief window of opportunity to prevent the development of tobacco addiction and its consequences. Ethnic differences in smoking trajectory uncovered in this report call for ethnically tailored interventions to reduce youth smoking.

Types of Family Caregiving and Daily Experiences in Midlife and Late Adulthood: The Moderating Influences of Marital Status and Age.

PubMed

Wong, Jen D; Shobo, Yetunde

2017-07-01

Guided by the life-course perspective, this study contributes to the family caregiving, aging, and disability literature by examining the daily experiences of three types of family caregivers in midlife and late adulthood. A sample of 162 caregivers from the National Survey of Midlife in the United States study completed interviews, questionnaires, and a Daily Diary Study. Multilevel models showed the patterns of daily time use did not differ by caregiver types. Caregivers of sons/daughters with developmental disabilities (DD) experienced more daily stressors than caregivers of parents with health conditions (HC) and caregivers of spouses with HC. Unmarried caregivers of sons/daughters with DD reported spending more time on daily leisure activities and exhibited greater daily stressor exposure than other family caregivers. Age did not moderate the associations between caregiver types and daily experiences. Findings highlight the important consideration of the caregivers' characteristics to better determine the quality of their daily experiences in midlife and late adulthood.

On the intersection of irreducible components of the space of finite-dimensional Lie algebras

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gorbatsevich, Vladimir V

2012-07-31

The irreducible components of the space of n-dimensional Lie algebras are investigated. The properties of Lie algebras belonging to the intersection of all the irreducible components of this kind are studied (these Lie algebras are said to be basic or founding Lie algebras). It is proved that all Lie algebras of this kind are nilpotent and each of these Lie algebras has an Abelian ideal of codimension one. Specific examples of founding Lie algebras of arbitrary dimension are described and, to describe the Lie algebras in general, we state a conjecture. The concept of spectrum of a Lie algebra ismore » considered and some of the most elementary properties of the spectrum are studied. Bibliography: 6 titles.« less

Effect of space allowance and floor type on performance, welfare and physiological measurements of finishing beef heifers.

PubMed

Keane, M P; McGee, M; O'Riordan, E G; Kelly, A K; Earley, B

2017-12-01

Accommodating cattle indoors during the winter is widely practiced throughout Europe. There is currently no legislation surrounding the space allowance and floor type that should be provided to cattle during this time, however, concerns have been raised regarding the type of housing systems currently in use. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of space allowance and floor type on performance and welfare of finishing beef heifers. Continental crossbred heifers (n=240: mean initial live; weight, 504 (SD 35.8) kg) were blocked by breed, weight and age and randomly assigned to one of four treatments; (i) 3.0 m2, (ii) 4.5 m2 and (iii) 6.0 m2 space allowance per animal on a fully slatted concrete floor and (iv) 6.0 m2 space allowance per animal on a straw-bedded floor, for 105 days. Heifers were offered a total mixed ration ad libitum. Dry matter intake was recorded on a pen basis and refusals were weighed back twice weekly. Heifers were weighed, dirt scored and blood sampled every 3 weeks. Whole blood was analysed for complete cell counts and serum samples were assayed for metabolite concentrations. Behaviour was recorded continuously using IR cameras from days 70 to 87. Heifers' hooves were inspected for lesions at the start of the study and again after slaughter. Post-slaughter, carcass weight, conformation and fat scores and hide weight were recorded. Heifers housed at 4.5 m2 had a greater average daily live weight gain (ADG) than those on both of the other concrete slat treatments; however, space allowance had no effect on carcass weight. Heifers accommodated on straw had a greater ADG (0.15 kg) (P<0.05), hide weight (P<0.01) better feed conversion ratio (P<0.05) and had greater dirt scores (P<0.05) at slaughter than heifers accommodated on concrete slats at 6.0 m2. The number of heifers lying at any one time was greater (P<0.001) on straw than on concrete slats. Space allowance and floor type had no effect on the number of hoof lesions gained or on any of the haematological or metabolic variables measured. It was concluded that increasing space allowance above 3.0 m2/animal on concrete slats was of no benefit to animal performance but it did improve animal cleanliness. Housing heifers on straw instead of concrete slats improved ADG and increased lying time; however carcass weight was not affected.

Improving the iterative Linear Interaction Energy approach using automated recognition of configurational transitions.

PubMed

Vosmeer, C Ruben; Kooi, Derk P; Capoferri, Luigi; Terpstra, Margreet M; Vermeulen, Nico P E; Geerke, Daan P

2016-01-01

Recently an iterative method was proposed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of ligand-protein binding affinity prediction through linear interaction energy (LIE) theory. For ligand binding to flexible Cytochrome P450s (CYPs), this method was shown to decrease the root-mean-square error and standard deviation of error prediction by combining interaction energies of simulations starting from different conformations. Thereby, different parts of protein-ligand conformational space are sampled in parallel simulations. The iterative LIE framework relies on the assumption that separate simulations explore different local parts of phase space, and do not show transitions to other parts of configurational space that are already covered in parallel simulations. In this work, a method is proposed to (automatically) detect such transitions during the simulations that are performed to construct LIE models and to predict binding affinities. Using noise-canceling techniques and splines to fit time series of the raw data for the interaction energies, transitions during simulation between different parts of phase space are identified. Boolean selection criteria are then applied to determine which parts of the interaction energy trajectories are to be used as input for the LIE calculations. Here we show that this filtering approach benefits the predictive quality of our previous CYP 2D6-aryloxypropanolamine LIE model. In addition, an analysis is performed of the gain in computational efficiency that can be obtained from monitoring simulations using the proposed filtering method and by prematurely terminating simulations accordingly.

Exploring Time-Lapse Photography as a Means for Qualitative Data Collection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Persohn, Lindsay

2015-01-01

Collecting information via time-lapse photography is nothing new. Scientists and artists have been using this kind of data since the late 1800s. However, my research and experiments with time-lapse have shown that great potential may lie in its application to educational and social scientific research methods. This article is part history, part…

From simplicial Lie algebras and hypercrossed complexes to differential graded Lie algebras via 1-jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurčo, Branislav

2012-12-01

Let g be a simplicial Lie algebra with Moore complex Ng of length k. Let G be the simplicial Lie group integrating g, such that each Gn is simply connected. We use the 1-jet of the classifying space W¯ G to construct, starting from g, a Lie k-algebra L. The so constructed Lie k-algebra L is actually a differential graded Lie algebra. The differential and the brackets are explicitly described in terms (of a part) of the corresponding k-hypercrossed complex structure of Ng. The result can be seen as a geometric interpretation of Quillen's (purely algebraic) construction of the adjunction between simplicial Lie algebras and dg-Lie algebras.

Does leisure time moderate or mediate the effect of daily stress on positive affect? An examination using eight-day diary data

PubMed Central

Qian, Xinyi Lisa; Yarnal, Careen M.; Almeida, David M.

2013-01-01

This study tested the applicability of moderation and mediation models to leisure time as a stress coping resource. Analyzing eight-day diary data (N=2,022), we examined the within-person process of using leisure time to cope with daily stressors. We found that relatively high daily stress frequency, while reducing positive affect, prompted an individual to allocate more time to leisure than usual, which then increased positive affect, thus partially remedying the damage by high daily stress frequency. This within-person process, however, is significantly stronger among those with less leisure time on average than leisure-rich individuals. The findings support a partial counteractive mediation model, demonstrate between-person difference in the within-person coping process, and reveal the importance of positive affect as a coping outcome. PMID:25221350

Does leisure time moderate or mediate the effect of daily stress on positive affect? An examination using eight-day diary data.

PubMed

Qian, Xinyi Lisa; Yarnal, Careen M; Almeida, David M

2014-01-01

This study tested the applicability of moderation and mediation models to leisure time as a stress coping resource. Analyzing eight-day diary data (N=2,022), we examined the within -person process of using leisure time to cope with daily stressors. We found that relatively high daily stress frequency, while reducing positive affect, prompted an individual to allocate more time to leisure than usual, which then increased positive affect, thus partially remedying the damage by high daily stress frequency. This within-person process, however, is significantly stronger among those with less leisure time on average than leisure-rich individuals. The findings support a partial counteractive mediation model, demonstrate between-person difference in the within-person coping process, and reveal the importance of positive affect as a coping outcome.

A Daily Analysis of Physical Activity and Satisfaction with Life in Emerging Adults

PubMed Central

Maher, Jaclyn P.; Doerksen, Shawna E.; Elavsky, Steriani; Hyde, Amanda L.; Pincus, Aaron L.; Ram, Nilam; Conroy, David E.

2014-01-01

Objective Subjective well-being has well-established positive health consequences. During emerging adulthood, from ages 18 to 25 years, people’s global evaluations of their well-being (i.e., satisfaction with life [SWL]) appear to worsen more than any other time in the adult lifespan, indicating that this population would benefit from strategies to enhance SWL. In these studies, we investigated top-down (i.e., time-invariant, trait-like) and bottom-up (i.e., time-varying, state-like) influences of physical activity (PA) on daily SWL. Methods Two daily diary studies lasting 8 days (N = 190) and 14 days (N = 63) were conducted with samples of emerging adults enrolled in college to evaluate relations between daily PA and SWL while controlling for established and plausible top-down and bottom-up influences on SWL. Results In both studies, multilevel models indicated that people reported greater SWL on days when they were more active (a within-person, bottom-up effect). Top-down effects of PA were not significant in either study. These findings were robust when we controlled for competing top-down influences (e.g., sex, personality traits, self-esteem, body mass index, mental health symptoms, fatigue) and bottom-up influences (e.g., daily self-esteem, daily mental health symptoms, daily fatigue). Conclusions We concluded that SWL was impacted by people’s daily PA rather than their trait level of PA over time. These findings extend evidence that PA is a health behavior with important consequences for daily well-being and should be considered when developing national policies to enhance SWL. PMID:23088171

Lie algebra of conformal Killing-Yano forms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ertem, Ümit

2016-06-01

We provide a generalization of the Lie algebra of conformal Killing vector fields to conformal Killing-Yano forms. A new Lie bracket for conformal Killing-Yano forms that corresponds to slightly modified Schouten-Nijenhuis bracket of differential forms is proposed. We show that conformal Killing-Yano forms satisfy a graded Lie algebra in constant curvature manifolds. It is also proven that normal conformal Killing-Yano forms in Einstein manifolds also satisfy a graded Lie algebra. The constructed graded Lie algebras reduce to the graded Lie algebra of Killing-Yano forms and the Lie algebras of conformal Killing and Killing vector fields in special cases.

Weak Lie symmetry and extended Lie algebra

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goenner, Hubert

2013-04-15

The concept of weak Lie motion (weak Lie symmetry) is introduced. Applications given exhibit a reduction of the usual symmetry, e.g., in the case of the rotation group. In this context, a particular generalization of Lie algebras is found ('extended Lie algebras') which turns out to be an involutive distribution or a simple example for a tangent Lie algebroid. Riemannian and Lorentz metrics can be introduced on such an algebroid through an extended Cartan-Killing form. Transformation groups from non-relativistic mechanics and quantum mechanics lead to such tangent Lie algebroids and to Lorentz geometries constructed on them (1-dimensional gravitational fields).

The Lie of Online Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zielinski, Dave

2000-01-01

Managers look at online training as an activity that should be done "off time" whereas employees still think of it as something to be done during working hours. No valid study has shown that online delivery reduces learning time. A better understanding of learning needs must be considered before requiring online training. (JOW)

Sex-based differences in Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chick growth rates.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jennings, Scott; Varsani, Arvind; Dugger, Catherine; Ballard, Grant; Ainley, David G.

2016-01-01

Sexually size-dimorphic species must show some difference between the sexes in growth rate and/or length of growing period. Such differences in growth parameters can cause the sexes to be impacted by environmental variability in different ways, and understanding these differences allows a better understanding of patterns in productivity between individuals and populations. We investigated differences in growth rate and diet between male and female Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chicks during two breeding seasons at Cape Crozier, Ross Island, Antarctica. Adélie Penguins are a slightly dimorphic species, with adult males averaging larger than adult females in mass (~11%) as well as bill (~8%) and flipper length (~3%). We measured mass and length of flipper, bill, tibiotarsus, and foot at 5-day intervals for 45 male and 40 female individually-marked chicks. Chick sex was molecularly determined from feathers. We used linear mixed effects models to estimate daily growth rate as a function of chick sex, while controlling for hatching order, brood size, year, and potential variation in breeding quality between pairs of parents. Accounting for season and hatching order, male chicks gained mass an average of 15.6 g d-1 faster than females. Similarly, growth in bill length was faster for males, and the calculated bill size difference at fledging was similar to that observed in adults. There was no evidence for sex-based differences in growth of other morphological features. Adélie diet at Ross Island is composed almost entirely of two species—one krill (Euphausia crystallorophias) and one fish (Pleuragramma antarctica), with fish having a higher caloric value. Using isotopic analyses of feather samples, we also determined that male chicks were fed a higher proportion of fish than female chicks. The related differences in provisioning and growth rates of male and female offspring provides a greater understanding of the ways in which ecological factors may impact the two sexes differently.

Psychosocial and Biological Markers of Daily Lives of Midlife Parents of Children with Disabilities*

PubMed Central

Seltzer, Marsha Mailick; Almeida, David M.; Greenberg, Jan S.; Savla, Jyoti; Stawski, Robert S.; Hong, Jinkuk; Taylor, Julie Lounds

2009-01-01

Using daily telephone interviews, 82 midlife parents (mean age = 57.4) of children with disabilities (mean age = 29.9) were compared with a closely matched sample of unaffected parents (n = 82) to elucidate the daily experience of nonnormative parenting. In addition, salivary cortisol samples were obtained to examine whether parents of children with disabilities had dysregulated diurnal rhythms and the extent to which the amount of time spent with children was associated with divergent patterns of cortisol expression. We found that parents of children with disabilities had similar patterns of daily time use and similar likelihood of positive daily events as the comparison group, but they had elevated levels of stress, negative affect, and physical symptoms, all reported on a daily basis. In addition, their diurnal rhythm of cortisol expression differed significantly from the comparison group, a pattern that was strongest for parents of children with disabilities on days when they spent more time with their children. PMID:19413131

Atiyah classes and dg-Lie algebroids for matched pairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batakidis, Panagiotis; Voglaire, Yannick

2018-01-01

For every Lie pair (L , A) of algebroids we construct a dg-manifold structure on the Z-graded manifold M = L [ 1 ] ⊕ L / A such that the inclusion ι : A [ 1 ] → M and the projection p : M → L [ 1 ] are morphisms of dg-manifolds. The vertical tangent bundle Tp M then inherits a structure of dg-Lie algebroid over M. When the Lie pair comes from a matched pair of Lie algebroids, we show that the inclusion ι induces a quasi-isomorphism that sends the Atiyah class of this dg-Lie algebroid to the Atiyah class of the Lie pair. We also show how (Atiyah classes of) Lie pairs and dg-Lie algebroids give rise to (Atiyah classes of) dDG-algebras.

Unsupervised daily routine and activity discovery in smart homes.

PubMed

Jie Yin; Qing Zhang; Karunanithi, Mohan

2015-08-01

The ability to accurately recognize daily activities of residents is a core premise of smart homes to assist with remote health monitoring. Most of the existing methods rely on a supervised model trained from a preselected and manually labeled set of activities, which are often time-consuming and costly to obtain in practice. In contrast, this paper presents an unsupervised method for discovering daily routines and activities for smart home residents. Our proposed method first uses a Markov chain to model a resident's locomotion patterns at different times of day and discover clusters of daily routines at the macro level. For each routine cluster, it then drills down to further discover room-level activities at the micro level. The automatic identification of daily routines and activities is useful for understanding indicators of functional decline of elderly people and suggesting timely interventions.

A comparison of climatological observing windows and their impact on detecting daily temperature extrema

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Žaknić-Ćatović, Ana; Gough, William A.

2018-04-01

Climatological observing window (COW) is defined as a time frame over which continuous or extreme air temperature measurements are collected. A 24-h time interval, ending at 00UTC or shifted to end at 06UTC, has been associated with difficulties in characterizing daily temperature extrema. A fixed 24-h COW used to obtain the temperature minima leads to potential misidentification due to fragmentation of "nighttime" into two subsequent nighttime periods due to the time discretization interval. The correct identification of air temperature extrema is achievable using a COW that identifies daily minimum over a single nighttime period and maximum over a single daytime period, as determined by sunrise and sunset. Due to a common absence of hourly air temperature observations, the accuracy of the mean temperature estimation is dependent on the accuracy of determination of diurnal air temperature extrema. Qualitative and quantitative criteria were used to examine the impact of the COW on detecting daily air temperature extrema. The timing of the 24-h observing window occasionally affects the determination of daily extrema through a mischaracterization of the diurnal minima and by extension can lead to errors in determining daily mean temperature. Hourly air temperature data for the time period from year 1987 to 2014, obtained from Toronto Buttonville Municipal Airport weather station, were used in analysis of COW impacts on detection of daily temperature extrema and calculation of annual temperature averages based on such extrema.

Filiform Lie algebras of order 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Navarro, R. M., E-mail: rnavarro@unex.es

2014-04-15

The aim of this work is to generalize a very important type of Lie algebras and superalgebras, i.e., filiform Lie (super)algebras, into the theory of Lie algebras of order F. Thus, the concept of filiform Lie algebras of order F is obtained. In particular, for F = 3 it has been proved that by using infinitesimal deformations of the associated model elementary Lie algebra it can be obtained families of filiform elementary lie algebras of order 3, analogously as that occurs into the theory of Lie algebras [M. Vergne, “Cohomologie des algèbres de Lie nilpotentes. Application à l’étude de lamore » variété des algèbres de Lie nilpotentes,” Bull. Soc. Math. France 98, 81–116 (1970)]. Also we give the dimension, using an adaptation of the sl(2,C)-module Method, and a basis of such infinitesimal deformations in some generic cases.« less

Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA)

MedlinePlus

... coronary arteries, may also be administered as a tablet or spray underneath your tongue. While lying on ... the scanner at one time such as with MRI. If an intravenous contrast material is used, you ...

Simulating Daily and Sub-daily Water Flow in Large, Semi-arid Watershed Using SWAT: A Case Study of Nueces River Basin, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassam, S.; Ren, J.

2015-12-01

Runoff generated during heavy rainfall imposes quick, but often intense, changes in the flow of streams, which increase the chance of flash floods in the vicinity of the streams. Understanding the temporal response of streams to heavy rainfall requires a hydrological model that considers meteorological, hydrological, and geological components of the streams and their watersheds. SWAT is a physically-based, semi-distributed model that is capable of simulating water flow within watersheds with both long-term, i.e. annually and monthly, and short-term (daily and sub-daily) time scales. However, the capability of SWAT in sub-daily water flow modeling within large watersheds has not been studied much, compare to long-term and daily time scales. In this study we are investigating the water flow in a large, semi-arid watershed, Nueces River Basin (NRB) with the drainage area of 16950 mi2 located in South Texas, with daily and sub-daily time scales. The objectives of this study are: (1) simulating the response of streams to heavy, and often quick, rainfall, (2) evaluating SWAT performance in sub-daily modeling of water flow within a large watershed, and (3) examining means for model performance improvement during model calibration and verification based on results of sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. The results of this study can provide important information for water resources planning during flood seasons.

Classification of real Lie superalgebras based on a simple Lie algebra, giving rise to interesting examples involving {mathfrak {su}}(2,2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzzo, H.; Hernández, I.; Sánchez-Valenzuela, O. A.

2014-09-01

Finite dimensional semisimple real Lie superalgebras are described via finite dimensional semisimple complex Lie superalgebras. As an application of these results, finite dimensional real Lie superalgebras mathfrak {m}=mathfrak {m}_0 oplus mathfrak {m}_1 for which mathfrak {m}_0 is a simple Lie algebra are classified up to isomorphism.

Physical Education Increases Daily Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Reduces Sedentary Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mooses, Kerli; Pihu, Maret; Riso, Eva-Maria; Hannus, Aave; Kaasik, Priit; Kull, Merike

2017-01-01

Background: Physical activity (PA) is important to mental and physical health. Physical education (PE) lessons have the potential to increase daily moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) and reduce sedentary time (SED). We measured MVPA and SED in primary school PE, determined the contribution of PE to daily MVPA and SED, and compared PA on days with and…

Affective reactivity to daily stressors and long-term risk of reporting a chronic physical health condition

PubMed Central

Piazza, Jennifer R.; Charles, Susan T.; Sliwinski, Martin J.; Mogle, Jacqueline; Almeida, David M.

2013-01-01

Background Daily stressors, such as an argument with a spouse or an impending deadline, are associated with short-term changes in physical health symptoms. Whether these minor hassles have long-term physical health ramifications, however, is largely unknown. Purpose The current study examined whether exposure and reactivity to daily stressors is associated with long-term risk of reporting a chronic physical health condition. Methods Participants (N = 435) from the National Study of Daily Experiences completed a series of daily diary interviews between 1995 and 1996 and again 10 years later. Results Greater affective (i.e., emotional) reactivity to daily stressors at Time 1 was associated with an increased risk of reporting a chronic physical health condition at Time 2. Conclusion Results indicate that how people respond to the daily stressors in their lives is predictive of future chronic health conditions. PMID:23080393

Weather impacts on leisure activities in Halifax, Nova Scotia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinney, Jamie E. L.; Millward, Hugh

2011-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of daily atmospheric weather conditions on daily leisure activity engagement, with a focus on physically active leisure. The methods capitalize on time diary data that were collected in Halifax, Nova Scotia to calculate objective measures of leisure activity engagement. Daily meteorological data from Environment Canada and daily sunrise and sunset times from the National Research Council of Canada are used to develop objective measures of the natural atmospheric environment. The time diary data were merged with the meteorological data in order to quantify the statistical association between daily weather conditions and the type, participation rate, frequency, and duration of leisure activity engagement. The results indicate that inclement and uncomfortable weather conditions, especially relating to thermal comfort and mechanical comfort, pose barriers to physically active leisure engagement, while promoting sedentary and home-based leisure activities. Overall, daily weather conditions exhibit modest, but significant, effects on leisure activity engagement; the strongest associations being for outdoor active sports and outdoor active leisure time budgets. In conclusion, weather conditions influence the type, participation rate, frequency, and duration of leisure activity engagement, which is an important consideration for health-promotion programming.

Routine assistance to parents: effects on daily mood and other stressors.

PubMed

Savla, Jyoti; Almeida, David M; Davey, Adam; Zarit, Steven H

2008-05-01

The present study examined the association of providing assistance to older parents amid everyday circumstances and short-term psychological consequences for adult children providing assistance. We explored this association using 824 daily diary interviews of 119 adult children providing assistance in the National Study of Daily Experiences by using a left-censored random effects tobit regression model that accounted for the clustered data and floor effects in reported psychological distress. Psychological distress was higher on days adult children provided assistance to their parent (b = 0.88, p <.05) even after we controlled for situational variables such as time spent on daily paid work, time spent on leisure activities, and assistance provided to individuals other than parents. Demographic and psychosocial variables such as having resident children (b = 2.14, p <.01), less education (b = -0.54, p <.05), and neuroticism (b = 2.08, p <.05), also predicted daily psychological distress. Even after we controlled for within-person (daily situational variables) and between-person factors (background characteristics), the act of providing assistance itself had immediate associations with daily mood for helpers, particularly for those with fewer resources and greater demands on time. Feasibility and success of programs that provide respite and relief services to older adults and their children should be assessed in light of daily living.

Daily Physical Activity in Total Hip Arthroplasty Patients Undergoing Different Surgical Approaches: A Cohort Study.

PubMed

Engdal, Monika; Foss, Olav A; Taraldsen, Kristin; Husby, Vigdis S; Winther, Siri B

2017-07-01

Muscle weakness due to trauma from the surgical approach is anticipated to affect the ability of the patient to undertake daily physical activity early after total hip arthroplasty (THA). The objective of this study was to compare daily physical activity on days 1 to 4 after discharge, in patients following THA performed by 1 of 3 surgical approaches. A cohort study included 60 hip osteoarthritis patients, scheduled for THA, allocated to direct lateral approach, posterior approach, or anterior approach. Daily physical activity was measured by an accelerometer, with upright time per 24 hours as primary outcome and walking time, number of steps, and number of upright events per 24 hours as secondary outcomes. There were no statistically significant group differences in any of the measures of daily physical activity (P > 0.290) or between days of follow-up (P > 0.155). Overall, the median participant had 3.50 hours (interquartile range, 2.85-4.81 hours) of upright time, and participants showed wide variation in all outcomes of daily physical activity. There were no differences in daily physical activity between THA patients undergoing different surgical approaches. The surgical approach may not be a limiting factor for daily physical activity early after surgery in a fast-track treatment course.

Lying and Truth-Telling in Children: From Concept to Action

PubMed Central

Xu, Fen; Bao, Xuehua; Fu, Genyue; Talwar, Victoria; Lee, Kang

2010-01-01

While there has been extensive research on children's moral knowledge about lying and truth-telling and their actual lie- or truth-telling behaviors, research to examine the relationship between the 2 is extremely rare. This study examined one hundred and twenty 7-, 9-, and 11-year-olds' moral understanding of lies and their actual lying behaviors in a politeness situation. Results revealed that as age increased, children increasingly evaluated others' lying in politeness situations less negatively and were more inclined to tell lies in such situations themselves. Contrary to previous findings, children's socio-moral knowledge about lying was significantly related to their actual behaviors particularly when children's rationales underlying their moral judgments were consistent with their motives for actual lie- or truth-telling in the politeness situation. PMID:20438462

Using water to cool cattle: behavioral and physiological changes associated with voluntary use of cow showers.

PubMed

Legrand, A; Schütz, K E; Tucker, C B

2011-07-01

Water is commonly used to cool cattle in summer either at milking or over the feed bunk, but little research has examined how dairy cows voluntarily use water separate from these locations. The objectives were to describe how and when dairy cattle voluntarily used an overhead water source separate from other resources, such as feed, and how use of this water affected behavioral and physiological indicators of heat stress. Half of the 24 nonlactating cattle tested had access to a "cow shower" composed of 2 shower heads activated by a pressure-sensitive floor. All animals were individually housed to prevent competition for access to the shower. Over 5 d in summer (air temperature=25.3±3.3°C, mean ± standard deviation), cattle spent 3.0±2.1 h/24h in the shower, but considerable variability existed between animals (individual daily values ranged from 0.0 to 8.2 h/24h). A portion of this variation can be explained by weather; shower use increased by 0.3h for every 1°C increase in ambient temperature. Cows preferentially used the shower during the daytime, with 89±12% of the time spent in the shower between 1000 and 1900 h. Respiration rate and skin temperature did not differ between treatments [53 vs. 61 breaths/min and 35.0 vs. 35.4°C in shower and control cows, respectively; standard error of the difference (SED)=5.6 breaths/min and 0.49°C]. In contrast, body temperature of cows provided with a shower was 0.2°C lower than control cows in the evening (i.e., 1800 to 2100h; SED=0.11°C). Cows with access to a shower spent half as much time near the water trough than control animals, and this pattern became more pronounced as the temperature-humidity index increased. In addition, cattle showed other behavioral changes to increasing heat load; they spent less time lying when heat load index increased, but the time spent lying, feeding, and standing without feeding did not differ between treatments. Cows had higher respiration rate, skin temperature, and body temperature as heat load index increased, regardless of treatment. These data suggest that cattle, when given the opportunity, will make considerable use of a shower to reduce heat load, but that individuals are highly variable in their use of this resource. The variability between cows indicates that the behavioral response to water is likely an important, but poorly understood, consideration in the design of sprinkler systems used for summer cooling. Copyright © 2011 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

30 CFR 702.14 - Requirements for exemption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... (2) Coal is produced from a geological stratum lying above or immediately below the deepest stratum... time of use or transfer and shall be considered rather than revenue. (b) Persons seeking or that have...

Inexact trajectory planning and inverse problems in the Hamilton–Pontryagin framework

PubMed Central

Burnett, Christopher L.; Holm, Darryl D.; Meier, David M.

2013-01-01

We study a trajectory-planning problem whose solution path evolves by means of a Lie group action and passes near a designated set of target positions at particular times. This is a higher-order variational problem in optimal control, motivated by potential applications in computational anatomy and quantum control. Reduction by symmetry in such problems naturally summons methods from Lie group theory and Riemannian geometry. A geometrically illuminating form of the Euler–Lagrange equations is obtained from a higher-order Hamilton–Pontryagin variational formulation. In this context, the previously known node equations are recovered with a new interpretation as Legendre–Ostrogradsky momenta possessing certain conservation properties. Three example applications are discussed as well as a numerical integration scheme that follows naturally from the Hamilton–Pontryagin principle and preserves the geometric properties of the continuous-time solution. PMID:24353467

The role of executive functions and theory of mind in children's prosocial lie-telling.

PubMed

Williams, Shanna; Moore, Kelsey; Crossman, Angela M; Talwar, Victoria

2016-01-01

Children's prosocial lying was examined in relation to executive functioning skills and theory of mind development. Prosocial lying was observed using a disappointing gift paradigm. Of the 79 children (ages 6-12 years) who completed the disappointing gift paradigm, 47 (59.5%) told a prosocial lie to a research assistant about liking their prize. In addition, of those children who told prosocial lies, 25 (53.2%) maintained semantic leakage control during follow-up questioning, thereby demonstrating advanced lie-telling skills. When executive functioning was examined, children who told prosocial lies were found to have significantly higher performance on measures of working memory and inhibitory control. In addition, children who lied and maintained semantic leakage control also displayed more advanced theory of mind understanding. Although children's age was not a predictor of lie-telling behavior (i.e., truthful vs. lie-teller), age was a significant predictor of semantic leakage control, with older children being more likely to maintain their lies during follow-up questioning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Time to pay attention: attentional performance time-stamped prefrontal cholinergic activation, diurnality and performance

PubMed Central

Paolone, Giovanna; Lee, Theresa M.; Sarter, Martin

2012-01-01

Although the impairments in cognitive performance that result from shifting or disrupting daily rhythms have been demonstrated, the neuronal mechanisms that optimize fixed time daily performance are poorly understood. We previously demonstrated that daily practice of a sustained attention task (SAT) evokes a diurnal activity pattern in rats. Here we report that SAT practice at a fixed time produced practice time-stamped increases in prefrontal cholinergic neurotransmission that persisted after SAT practice was terminated and in a different environment. SAT time-stamped cholinergic activation occurred irrespective of whether the SAT was practiced during the light or dark phase or in constant light conditions. In contrast, prior daily practice of an operant schedule of reinforcement, albeit generating more rewards and lever presses per session than the SAT, neither activated the cholinergic system nor affected the animals' nocturnal activity pattern. Likewise, food-restricted animals exhibited strong food anticipatory activity (FAA) and attenuated activity during the dark period but FAA was not associated with increases in prefrontal cholinergic activity. Removal of cholinergic neurons impaired SAT performance and facilitated the reemergence of nocturnality. Shifting SAT practice away from a fixed time resulted in significantly lower performance. In conclusion, these experiments demonstrated that fixed time, daily practice of a task assessing attention generates a precisely practice time-stamped activation of the cortical cholinergic input system. Time-stamped cholinergic activation benefits fixed time performance and, if practiced during the light phase, contributes to a diurnal activity pattern. PMID:22933795

Time to pay attention: attentional performance time-stamped prefrontal cholinergic activation, diurnality, and performance.

PubMed

Paolone, Giovanna; Lee, Theresa M; Sarter, Martin

2012-08-29

Although the impairments in cognitive performance that result from shifting or disrupting daily rhythms have been demonstrated, the neuronal mechanisms that optimize fixed-time daily performance are poorly understood. We previously demonstrated that daily practice of a sustained attention task (SAT) evokes a diurnal activity pattern in rats. Here, we report that SAT practice at a fixed time produced practice time-stamped increases in prefrontal cholinergic neurotransmission that persisted after SAT practice was terminated and in a different environment. SAT time-stamped cholinergic activation occurred regardless of whether the SAT was practiced during the light or dark phase or in constant-light conditions. In contrast, prior daily practice of an operant schedule of reinforcement, albeit generating more rewards and lever presses per session than the SAT, neither activated the cholinergic system nor affected the animals' nocturnal activity pattern. Likewise, food-restricted animals exhibited strong food anticipatory activity (FAA) and attenuated activity during the dark phase but FAA was not associated with increases in prefrontal cholinergic activity. Removal of cholinergic neurons impaired SAT performance and facilitated the reemergence of nocturnality. Shifting SAT practice away from a fixed time resulted in significantly lower performance. In conclusion, these experiments demonstrated that fixed-time, daily practice of a task assessing attention generates a precisely practice time-stamped activation of the cortical cholinergic input system. Time-stamped cholinergic activation benefits fixed-time performance and, if practiced during the light phase, contributes to a diurnal activity pattern.

Changes in dive profiles as an indicator of feeding success in king and Adélie penguins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bost, C. A.; Handrich, Y.; Butler, P. J.; Fahlman, A.; Halsey, L. G.; Woakes, A. J.; Ropert-Coudert, Y.

2007-02-01

Determining when and how deep avian divers feed remains a challenge despite technical advances. Systems that record oesophageal temperature are able to determine rate of prey ingestion with a high level of accuracy but technical problems still remain to be solved. Here we examine the validity of using changes in depth profiles to infer feeding activity in free-ranging penguins, as more accessible proxies of their feeding success. We used oesophageal temperature loggers with fast temperature sensors, deployed in tandem with time-depth recorders, on king and Adélie penguins. In the king penguin, a high correspondence was found between the number of ingestions recorded per dive and the number of wiggles during the bottom and the ascent part of the dives. In the Adélie penguins, which feed on smaller prey, the number of large temperature drops was linearly related to the number of undulations per dive. The analysis of change in depth profiles from high-resolution time-depth recorders can provide key information to enhance the study of feeding rate and foraging success of these predators. Such potential is especially relevant in the context of using Southern marine top predators to study change in availability of marine resources.

Power estimation using simulations for air pollution time-series studies

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Estimation of power to assess associations of interest can be challenging for time-series studies of the acute health effects of air pollution because there are two dimensions of sample size (time-series length and daily outcome counts), and because these studies often use generalized linear models to control for complex patterns of covariation between pollutants and time trends, meteorology and possibly other pollutants. In general, statistical software packages for power estimation rely on simplifying assumptions that may not adequately capture this complexity. Here we examine the impact of various factors affecting power using simulations, with comparison of power estimates obtained from simulations with those obtained using statistical software. Methods Power was estimated for various analyses within a time-series study of air pollution and emergency department visits using simulations for specified scenarios. Mean daily emergency department visit counts, model parameter value estimates and daily values for air pollution and meteorological variables from actual data (8/1/98 to 7/31/99 in Atlanta) were used to generate simulated daily outcome counts with specified temporal associations with air pollutants and randomly generated error based on a Poisson distribution. Power was estimated by conducting analyses of the association between simulated daily outcome counts and air pollution in 2000 data sets for each scenario. Power estimates from simulations and statistical software (G*Power and PASS) were compared. Results In the simulation results, increasing time-series length and average daily outcome counts both increased power to a similar extent. Our results also illustrate the low power that can result from using outcomes with low daily counts or short time series, and the reduction in power that can accompany use of multipollutant models. Power estimates obtained using standard statistical software were very similar to those from the simulations when properly implemented; implementation, however, was not straightforward. Conclusions These analyses demonstrate the similar impact on power of increasing time-series length versus increasing daily outcome counts, which has not previously been reported. Implementation of power software for these studies is discussed and guidance is provided. PMID:22995599

Power estimation using simulations for air pollution time-series studies.

PubMed

Winquist, Andrea; Klein, Mitchel; Tolbert, Paige; Sarnat, Stefanie Ebelt

2012-09-20

Estimation of power to assess associations of interest can be challenging for time-series studies of the acute health effects of air pollution because there are two dimensions of sample size (time-series length and daily outcome counts), and because these studies often use generalized linear models to control for complex patterns of covariation between pollutants and time trends, meteorology and possibly other pollutants. In general, statistical software packages for power estimation rely on simplifying assumptions that may not adequately capture this complexity. Here we examine the impact of various factors affecting power using simulations, with comparison of power estimates obtained from simulations with those obtained using statistical software. Power was estimated for various analyses within a time-series study of air pollution and emergency department visits using simulations for specified scenarios. Mean daily emergency department visit counts, model parameter value estimates and daily values for air pollution and meteorological variables from actual data (8/1/98 to 7/31/99 in Atlanta) were used to generate simulated daily outcome counts with specified temporal associations with air pollutants and randomly generated error based on a Poisson distribution. Power was estimated by conducting analyses of the association between simulated daily outcome counts and air pollution in 2000 data sets for each scenario. Power estimates from simulations and statistical software (G*Power and PASS) were compared. In the simulation results, increasing time-series length and average daily outcome counts both increased power to a similar extent. Our results also illustrate the low power that can result from using outcomes with low daily counts or short time series, and the reduction in power that can accompany use of multipollutant models. Power estimates obtained using standard statistical software were very similar to those from the simulations when properly implemented; implementation, however, was not straightforward. These analyses demonstrate the similar impact on power of increasing time-series length versus increasing daily outcome counts, which has not previously been reported. Implementation of power software for these studies is discussed and guidance is provided.

Anthropogenic disruption of the night sky darkness in urban and rural areas.

PubMed

Bará, Salvador

2016-10-01

The growing emissions of artificial light to the atmosphere are producing, among other effects, a significant increase of the night sky brightness (NSB) above its expected natural values. A permanent sensor network has been deployed in Galicia (northwest of Iberian peninsula) to monitor the anthropogenic disruption of the night sky darkness in a countrywide area. The network is composed of 14 detectors integrated in automated weather stations of MeteoGalicia, the Galician public meteorological agency. Zenithal NSB readings are taken every minute and the results are openly available in real time for researchers, interested stakeholders and the public at large through a dedicated website. The measurements allow one to assess the extent of the loss of the natural night in urban, periurban, transition and dark rural sites, as well as its daily and monthly time courses. Two metrics are introduced here to characterize the disruption of the night darkness across the year: the significant magnitude ( m 1/3 ) and the moonlight modulation factor ( γ ). The significant magnitude shows that in clear and moonless nights the zenithal night sky in the analysed urban settings is typically 14-23 times brighter than expected from a nominal natural dark sky. This factor lies in the range 7-8 in periurban sites, 1.6-2.5 in transition regions and 0.8-1.6 in rural and mountain dark sky places. The presence of clouds in urban areas strongly enhances the amount of scattered light, easily reaching amplification factors in excess of 25, in comparison with the light scattered in the same places under clear sky conditions. The periodic NSB modulation due to the Moon, still clearly visible in transition and rural places, is barely notable at periurban locations and is practically lost at urban sites.

A multilevel examination of gender differences in the association between features of the school environment and physical activity among a sample of grades 9 to 12 students in Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Creating school environments that support student physical activity (PA) is a key recommendation of policy-makers to increase youth PA. Given males are more active than females at all ages, it has been suggested that investigating gender differences in the features of the environment that associate with PA may help to inform gender-focused PA interventions and reduce the gender disparity in PA. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore gender differences in the association between factors of the school environment and students' time spent in PA. Methods Among a sample of 10781 female and 10973 male students in grades 9 to 12 from 76 secondary schools in Ontario, Canada, student- and school-level survey PA data were collected and supplemented with GIS-derived measures of the built environment within 1-km buffers of the 76 schools. Results Findings from the present study revealed significant differences in the time male and female students spent in PA as well as in some of the school- and student-level factors associated with PA. Results of the gender-specific multilevel analyses indicate schools should consider providing an alternate room for PA, especially for providing flexibility activities directed at female students. Schools should also consider offering daily physical education programming to male students in senior grades and providing PA promotion initiatives targeting obese male students. Conclusions Although most variation in male and female students' time spent in PA lies between students within schools, there is sufficient between-school variation to be of interest to practitioners and policy-makers. More research investigating gender differentials in environment factors associated with youth PA are warranted. PMID:22272717

A multilevel examination of gender differences in the association between features of the school environment and physical activity among a sample of grades 9 to 12 students in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Hobin, Erin P; Leatherdale, Scott T; Manske, Steve; Dubin, Joel A; Elliott, Susan; Veugelers, Paul

2012-01-24

Creating school environments that support student physical activity (PA) is a key recommendation of policy-makers to increase youth PA. Given males are more active than females at all ages, it has been suggested that investigating gender differences in the features of the environment that associate with PA may help to inform gender-focused PA interventions and reduce the gender disparity in PA. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore gender differences in the association between factors of the school environment and students' time spent in PA. Among a sample of 10781 female and 10973 male students in grades 9 to 12 from 76 secondary schools in Ontario, Canada, student- and school-level survey PA data were collected and supplemented with GIS-derived measures of the built environment within 1-km buffers of the 76 schools. Findings from the present study revealed significant differences in the time male and female students spent in PA as well as in some of the school- and student-level factors associated with PA. Results of the gender-specific multilevel analyses indicate schools should consider providing an alternate room for PA, especially for providing flexibility activities directed at female students. Schools should also consider offering daily physical education programming to male students in senior grades and providing PA promotion initiatives targeting obese male students. Although most variation in male and female students' time spent in PA lies between students within schools, there is sufficient between-school variation to be of interest to practitioners and policy-makers. More research investigating gender differentials in environment factors associated with youth PA are warranted.

Anthropogenic disruption of the night sky darkness in urban and rural areas

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The growing emissions of artificial light to the atmosphere are producing, among other effects, a significant increase of the night sky brightness (NSB) above its expected natural values. A permanent sensor network has been deployed in Galicia (northwest of Iberian peninsula) to monitor the anthropogenic disruption of the night sky darkness in a countrywide area. The network is composed of 14 detectors integrated in automated weather stations of MeteoGalicia, the Galician public meteorological agency. Zenithal NSB readings are taken every minute and the results are openly available in real time for researchers, interested stakeholders and the public at large through a dedicated website. The measurements allow one to assess the extent of the loss of the natural night in urban, periurban, transition and dark rural sites, as well as its daily and monthly time courses. Two metrics are introduced here to characterize the disruption of the night darkness across the year: the significant magnitude (m1/3) and the moonlight modulation factor (γ). The significant magnitude shows that in clear and moonless nights the zenithal night sky in the analysed urban settings is typically 14–23 times brighter than expected from a nominal natural dark sky. This factor lies in the range 7–8 in periurban sites, 1.6–2.5 in transition regions and 0.8–1.6 in rural and mountain dark sky places. The presence of clouds in urban areas strongly enhances the amount of scattered light, easily reaching amplification factors in excess of 25, in comparison with the light scattered in the same places under clear sky conditions. The periodic NSB modulation due to the Moon, still clearly visible in transition and rural places, is barely notable at periurban locations and is practically lost at urban sites. PMID:27853572

Coping, productive time use, and negative mood among adults with severe mental illness: a daily diary study.

PubMed

Yanos, Philip T; West, Michelle L; Smith, Stephen M

2010-12-01

Most studies on coping among persons with severe mental illness have relied on retrospective self-report methods; a limitation of this methodology is susceptibility to recall bias. The purpose of the present investigation was to expand the current understanding of the impact of coping among persons with severe mental illness by examining coping strategies, mood, and social functioning (operationalized as productive time use) using a daily process design. Twenty-seven adults diagnosed with severe mental illness completed baseline clinical interviews and up to 20 days of nightly telephone interviews addressing coping and daily life. A total of 198 coping efforts were reported for 387 days. Mixed-effects regression analyses examined the association between type of daily coping strategy (problem-centered, neutral, or avoidant) and both daily proportion of time participants spent in productive activity and daily negative mood, controlling for demographic and clinical variables. The results indicated that productive time use was significantly lower on days when avoidant strategies were used, in contrast with days when problem-centered strategies and neutral strategies were used. There was no significant main effect of coping on negative mood, although there was a trend in the expected direction. Findings support the hypothesis that the types of coping strategies adults with severe mental illness use are related to better social functioning on a daily level. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The truth about lying: inhibition of the anterior prefrontal cortex improves deceptive behavior.

PubMed

Karim, Ahmed A; Schneider, Markus; Lotze, Martin; Veit, Ralf; Sauseng, Paul; Braun, Christoph; Birbaumer, Niels

2010-01-01

Recent neuroimaging studies have indicated a predominant role of the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) in deception and moral cognition, yet the functional contribution of the aPFC to deceptive behavior remains unknown. We hypothesized that modulating the excitability of the aPFC by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could reveal its functional contribution in generating deceitful responses. Forty-four healthy volunteers participated in a thief role-play in which they were supposed to steal money and then to attend an interrogation with the Guilty Knowledge Test. During the interrogation, participants received cathodal, anodal, or sham tDCS. Remarkably, inhibition of the aPFC by cathodal tDCS did not lead to an impairment of deceptive behavior but rather to a significant improvement. This effect manifested in faster reaction times in telling lies, but not in telling the truth, a decrease in sympathetic skin-conductance response and feelings of guilt while deceiving the interrogator and a significantly higher lying quotient reflecting skillful lying. Increasing the excitability of the aPFC by anodal tDCS did not affect deceptive behavior, confirming the specificity of the stimulation polarity. These findings give causal support to recent correlative data obtained by functional magnetic resonance imaging studies indicating a pivotal role of the aPFC in deception.

Division Algebras, Supersymmetry and Higher Gauge Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huerta, John Gmerek

2011-12-01

Starting from the four normed division algebras---the real numbers, complex numbers, quaternions and octonions, with dimensions k = 1, 2, 4 and 8, respectively---a systematic procedure gives a 3-cocycle on the Poincare Lie superalgebra in dimensions k + 2 = 3, 4, 6 and 10. A related procedure gives a 4-cocycle on the Poincare Lie superalgebra in dimensions k+3 = 4, 5, 7 and 11. The existence of these cocycles follow from certain spinor identities that hold only in these dimensions, and which are closely related to the existence of superstring and super-Yang--Mills theory in dimensions k + 2, and super-2-brane theory in dimensions k + 3. In general, an (n+1)-cocycle on a Lie superalgebra yields a 'Lie n-superalgebra': that is, roughly speaking, an n-term chain complex equipped with a bracket satisfying the axioms of a Lie superalgebra up to chain homotopy. We thus obtain Lie 2-superalgebras extending the Poincare superalgebra in dimensions 3, 4, 6, and 10, and Lie 3-superalgebras extending the Poincare superalgebra in dimensions 4, 5, 7 and 11. As shown in Sati, Schreiber and Stasheff's work on generalized connections valued in Lie n-superalgebras, Lie 2-superalgebra connections describe the parallel transport of strings, while Lie 3-superalgebra connections describe the parallel transport of 2-branes. Moreover, in the octonionic case, these connections concisely summarize the fields appearing in 10- and 11-dimensional supergravity. Generically, integrating a Lie n-superalgebra to a Lie n-supergroup yields a 'Lie n-supergroup' that is hugely infinite-dimensional. However, when the Lie n-superalgebra is obtained from an (n + 1)-cocycle on a nilpotent Lie superalgebra, there is a geometric procedure to integrate the cocycle to one on the corresponding nilpotent Lie supergroup. In general, a smooth (n+1)-cocycle on a supergroup yields a 'Lie n-supergroup': that is, a weak n-group internal to supermanifolds. Using our geometric procedure to integrate the 3-cocycle in dimensions 3, 4, 6 and 10, we obtain a Lie 2-supergroup extending the Poincare supergroup in those dimensions, and similarly integrating the 4-cocycle in dimensions 4, 5, 7 and 11, we obtain a Lie 3-supergroup extending the Poincare supergroup in those dimensions.

The influence of FMRI lie detection evidence on juror decision-making.

PubMed

McCabe, David P; Castel, Alan D; Rhodes, Matthew G

2011-01-01

In the current study, we report on an experiment examining whether functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) lie detection evidence would influence potential jurors' assessment of guilt in a criminal trial. Potential jurors (N = 330) read a vignette summarizing a trial, with some versions of the vignette including lie detection evidence indicating that the defendant was lying about having committed the crime. Lie detector evidence was based on evidence from the polygraph, fMRI (functional brain imaging), or thermal facial imaging. Results showed that fMRI lie detection evidence led to more guilty verdicts than lie detection evidence based on polygraph evidence, thermal facial imaging, or a control condition that did not include lie detection evidence. However, when the validity of the fMRI lie detection evidence was called into question on cross-examination, guilty verdicts were reduced to the level of the control condition. These results provide important information about the influence of lie detection evidence in legal settings. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Category Induction via Distributional Analysis: Evidence from a Serial Reaction Time Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Ruskin H.; Aslin, Richard N.

2010-01-01

Category formation lies at the heart of a number of higher-order behaviors, including language. We assessed the ability of human adults to learn, from distributional information alone, categories embedded in a sequence of input stimuli using a serial reaction time task. Artificial grammars generated corpora of input strings containing a…

Renal Scintigraphy

MedlinePlus

... in your hand or arm. When it is time for the imaging to begin, the gamma camera will take a series of images. The camera may rotate around you or it may stay in one position and you will be asked to change positions in ... to remain still for brief periods of time. You may be asked to sit or lie ...

Humans as Lie Detectors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DePaulo, Bella; And Others

1980-01-01

Discusses several studies of whether and how well humans can detect lies. Examines the accuracy of such persons as well as the process of how they actually detect lies, how they think they detect lies, and whether the actual and perceived processes of lie detection correspond to one another. (JMF)

What Fraction of Medicaid Enrollees Have Private Insurance Coverage at the Time of Enrollment? Estimates from Administrative Data

PubMed Central

DeLeire, Thomas; Friedsam, Donna; Leininger, Lindsey; Meier, Sarah; Voskuil, Kristen

2014-01-01

We use administrative data from Wisconsin to determine the fraction of new Medicaid enrollees who have private health insurance at the time of enrollment in the program. Through the linkage of several administrative data sources not previously used for research, we are able to observe coverage status directly for a large fraction of enrollees and indirectly for the remainder. We provide strict bounds for the percentages in each status and find that the percentage of new enrollees with private insurance coverage at the time of enrollment lies between 16 percent and 29 percent, and the percentage that dropped private coverage in favor of public insurance lies between 4 percent and 18 percent. Our point estimates indicate that, among all new enrollees, 21 percent had private health insurance at the time of enrollment and that 10 percent dropped this coverage. Our results show substantially lower rates than previous studies of crowd-out following public health insurance expansions and significant rates of dual coverage, whereby new enrollees into public insurance retain their previously held private insurance coverage. PMID:25316718

Expectations of younger patients concerning activities after knee arthroplasty: are we asking the right questions?

PubMed

Witjes, Suzanne; van Geenen, Rutger C I; Koenraadt, Koen L M; van der Hart, Cor P; Blankevoort, Leendert; Kerkhoffs, Gino M M J; Kuijer, P Paul F M

2017-02-01

Indications for total and unicondylar knee arthroplasty (KA) have expanded to younger patients, in which Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) often show ceiling effects. This might be due to higher expectations. Our aims were to explore expectations of younger patients concerning activities in daily life, work and leisure time after KA and to assess to what extent PROMs meet and evaluate these activities of importance. Focus groups were performed among osteoarthritis (OA) patients <65 years awaiting KA, in which they indicated what activities they expected to perform better in daily life, work and leisure time after KA. Additionally, 28 activities of daily life, 17 of work and 27 of leisure time were depicted from seven PROMS, which were rated on importance, frequency and bother. A total score, representing motivation for surgery, was also calculated. Data saturation was reached after six focus groups including 37 patients. Younger OA patients expect to perform better on 16 activities after KA, including high-impact leisure time activities. From the PROMs, daily life and work activities were rated high in both importance and motivation for surgery, but for leisure time activities importance varied highly between patients. All seven PROMs score activities of importance, but no single PROM incorporates all activities rated important. Younger patients expect to perform better on many activities of daily life, work and leisure time after KA, and often at demanding levels. To measure outcomes of younger patients, we suggest using PROMs that include work and leisure time activities besides daily life activities, in which preferably scored activities can be individualized.

Acute Prosocial Effects of Oxytocin and Vasopressin When Given Alone or in Combination with 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine in Rats: Involvement of the V1A Receptor

PubMed Central

Ramos, Linnet; Hicks, Callum; Kevin, Richard; Caminer, Alex; Narlawar, Rajeshwar; Kassiou, Michael; McGregor, Iain S

2013-01-01

The neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are recognized for their modulation of social processes in humans when delivered peripherally. However, there is surprisingly little evidence for acute social effects of peripherally administered OT or AVP in animal models. On the other hand, the party drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘Ecstasy') has powerful prosocial effects in rats that appear to occur through stimulation of central OT release. Here, we directly compared the social effects of peripherally administered OT and AVP with those of MDMA, and examined a possible role for the vasopressin 1A receptor (V1AR) in the observed prosocial effects. Adult male Long-Evans rats were tested in a social interaction paradigm after OT (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (IP)), AVP (0.001, 0.0025, 0.005, 0.01, and 0.1 mg/kg, IP), and MDMA (2.5, 5 mg/kg, IP), or combined low doses of OT and MDMA, or AVP and MDMA. The effects of pretreatment with the non-peptide OT receptor antagonist compound 25 (C25; 5 mg/kg, IP) and the V1AR antagonist SR49059 (1 mg/kg, IP) were also examined. OT (0.5 mg/kg), AVP (0.01 mg/kg), and MDMA (5 mg/kg) potently increased ‘adjacent lying', where rats meeting for the first time lie passively next to each other. C25 did not inhibit adjacent lying induced by OT, whereas SR49059 inhibited adjacent lying induced by MDMA (5 mg/kg), OT (0.5 mg/kg), and AVP (0.01 mg/kg). Interestingly, when ineffective doses of OT and MDMA, or AVP and MDMA, were combined, a robust increase in adjacent lying was observed. These results show for the first time acute prosocial effects of peripherally injected OT and AVP in laboratory rats, and suggest a commonality of action of OT, AVP, and MDMA in stimulating social behavior that involves V1ARs. PMID:23676791

Distribution law of the Dirac eigenmodes in QCD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catillo, Marco; Glozman, Leonid Ya.

2018-04-01

The near-zero modes of the Dirac operator are connected to spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry in QCD (SBCS) via the Banks-Casher relation. At the same time, the distribution of the near-zero modes is well described by the Random Matrix Theory (RMT) with the Gaussian Unitary Ensemble (GUE). Then, it has become a standard lore that a randomness, as observed through distributions of the near-zero modes of the Dirac operator, is a consequence of SBCS. The higher-lying modes of the Dirac operator are not affected by SBCS and are sensitive to confinement physics and related SU(2)CS and SU(2NF) symmetries. We study the distribution of the near-zero and higher-lying eigenmodes of the overlap Dirac operator within NF = 2 dynamical simulations. We find that both the distributions of the near-zero and higher-lying modes are perfectly described by GUE of RMT. This means that randomness, while consistent with SBCS, is not a consequence of SBCS and is linked to the confining chromo-electric field.

Solar Resource Assessment for Sri Lanka and Maldives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Renne, D.; George, R.; Marion, B.

2003-08-01

The countries of Sri Lanka and the Maldives lie within the equatorial belt, a region where substantial solar energy resources exist throughout much of the year in adequate quantities for many applications, including solar water heating, solar electricity, and desalination. The extent of solar resources in Sri Lanka has been estimated in the past based on a study of the daily total direct sunshine hours recorded at a number of weather and agricultural stations throughout the country. These data have been applied to the well-known Angstrom relationship in order to obtain an estimate of the distribution of monthly average dailymore » total solar resources at these stations. This study is an effort in improve on these estimates in two ways: (1) to apply a gridded cloud cover database at a 40-km resolution to produce updated monthly average daily total estimates of all solar resources (global horizontal, DNI, and diffuse) for the country, and (2) to input hourly or three-hourly cloud cover observations made at nine weather stations in Sri Lanka and two in the Maldives into a solar model that produces estimates of hourly solar radiation values of the direct normal, global, and diffuse resource covering the length of the observational period. Details and results of these studies are summarized in this report.« less

Daily rainfall forecasting for one year in a single run using Singular Spectrum Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unnikrishnan, Poornima; Jothiprakash, V.

2018-06-01

Effective modelling and prediction of smaller time step rainfall is reported to be very difficult owing to its highly erratic nature. Accurate forecast of daily rainfall for longer duration (multi time step) may be exceptionally helpful in the efficient planning and management of water resources systems. Identification of inherent patterns in a rainfall time series is also important for an effective water resources planning and management system. In the present study, Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) is utilized to forecast the daily rainfall time series pertaining to Koyna watershed in Maharashtra, India, for 365 days after extracting various components of the rainfall time series such as trend, periodic component, noise and cyclic component. In order to forecast the time series for longer time step (365 days-one window length), the signal and noise components of the time series are forecasted separately and then added together. The results of the study show that the method of SSA could extract the various components of the time series effectively and could also forecast the daily rainfall time series for longer duration such as one year in a single run with reasonable accuracy.

An introduction to Lie group integrators – basics, new developments and applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Celledoni, Elena, E-mail: elenac@math.ntnu.no; Marthinsen, Håkon, E-mail: hakonm@math.ntnu.no; Owren, Brynjulf, E-mail: bryn@math.ntnu.no

2014-01-15

We give a short and elementary introduction to Lie group methods. A selection of applications of Lie group integrators are discussed. Finally, a family of symplectic integrators on cotangent bundles of Lie groups is presented and the notion of discrete gradient methods is generalised to Lie groups.

Preschoolers' Understanding of Lies and Innocent and Negligent Mistakes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegal, Michael; Peterson, Candida C.

1998-01-01

Examined preschoolers' ability to distinguish innocent and negligent mistakes from lies. Found that, when asked to identify a mistake or lie about a food's contact with contaminants and identify a bystander's reaction, children distinguished mistakes from lies; they could also discriminate between lies and both negligent mistakes that generate…

Internally connected graphs and the Kashiwara-Vergne Lie algebra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felder, Matteo

2018-06-01

It is conjectured that the Kashiwara-Vergne Lie algebra \\widehat{krv}_2 is isomorphic to the direct sum of the Grothendieck-Teichmüller Lie algebra grt_1 and a one-dimensional Lie algebra. In this paper, we use the graph complex of internally connected graphs to define a nested sequence of Lie subalgebras of \\widehat{krv}_2 whose intersection is grt_1, thus giving a way to interpolate between these two Lie algebras.

Lying because we care: Compassion increases prosocial lying.

PubMed

Lupoli, Matthew J; Jampol, Lily; Oveis, Christopher

2017-07-01

Prosocial lies, or lies intended to benefit others, are ubiquitous behaviors that have important social and economic consequences. Though emotions play a central role in many forms of prosocial behavior, no work has investigated how emotions influence behavior when one has the opportunity to tell a prosocial lie-a situation that presents a conflict between two prosocial ethics: lying to prevent harm to another, and honesty, which might also provide benefits to the target of the lie. Here, we examine whether the emotion of compassion influences prosocial lying, and find that compassion causally increases and positively predicts prosocial lying. In Studies 1 and 2, participants evaluated a poorly written essay and provided feedback to the essay writer. Experimentally induced compassion felt toward the essay writer (Study 1) and individual differences in trait compassion (Study 2) were positively associated with inflated feedback to the essay writer. In both of these studies, the relationship between compassion and prosocial lying was partially mediated by an enhanced importance placed on preventing emotional harm. In Study 3, we found moderation such that experimentally induced compassion increased lies that resulted in financial gains for a charity, but not lies that produced financial gains for the self. This research illuminates the emotional underpinnings of the common yet morally complex behavior of prosocial lying, and builds on work highlighting the potentially harmful effects of compassion-an emotion typically seen as socially beneficial. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Daily Temperature and Precipitation Data for 223 Former-USSR Stations (NDP-040)

DOE Data Explorer

Razuvaev, V. N. [Russian Research Institute of Hydrometeorological Information-World Data Centre; Apasova, E. B. [Russian Research Institute of Hydrometeorological Information-World Data Centre; Martuganov, R. A. [Russian Research Institute of Hydrometeorological Information-World Data Centre

1990-01-01

The stations in this dataset are considered by RIHMI to comprise one of the best networks suitable for temperature and precipitation monitoring over the the former-USSR. Factors involved in choosing these 223 stations included length or record, amount of missing data, and achieving reasonably good geographic coverage. There are indeed many more stations with daily data over this part of the world, and hundreds more station records are available through NOAA's Global Historical Climatology Network - Daily (GHCND) database. The 223 stations comprising this database are included in GHCND, but different data processing, updating, and quality assurance methods/checks mean that the agreement between records will vary depending on the station. The relative quality and accuracy of the common station records in the two databases also cannot be easily assessed. As of this writing, most of the common stations contained in the GHCND have more recent records, but not necessarily records starting as early as the records available here. This database contains four variables: daily mean, minimum, and maximum temperature, and daily total precipitation (liquid equivalent). Temperature were taken three times a day from 1881-1935, four times a day from 1936-65, and eight times a day since 1966. Daily mean temperature is defined as the average of all observations for each calendar day. Daily maximum/minimum temperatures are derived from maximum/minimum thermometer measurements. See the measurement description file for further details. Daily precipitation totals are also available (to the nearest tenth of a millimeter) for each station. Throughout the record, daily precipitation is defined as the total amount of precipitation recorded during a 24-h period, snowfall being converted to a liquid total by melting the snow in the gauge. From 1936 on, rain gauges were checked several times each day; the cumulative total of all observations during a calendar day was presumably used as the daily total. Again, see the measurement description file for further details.

The scheduling of tracking times for interplanetary spacecraft on the Deep Space Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webb, W. A.

1978-01-01

The Deep Space Network (DSN) is a network of tracking stations, located throughout the globe, used to track spacecraft for NASA's interplanetary missions. This paper describes a computer program, DSNTRAK, which provides an optimum daily tracking schedule for the DSN given the view periods at each station for a mission set of n spacecraft, where n is between 2 and 6. The objective function is specified in terms of relative total daily tracking time requirements between the n spacecraft. Linear programming is used to maximize the total daily tracking time and determine an optimal daily tracking schedule consistent with DSN station capabilities. DSNTRAK is used as part of a procedure to provide DSN load forecasting information for proposed future NASA mission sets.

Spatial variation of deterministic chaos in mean daily temperature and rainfall over Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuwape, I. A.; Ogunjo, S. T.; Oluyamo, S. S.; Rabiu, A. B.

2017-10-01

Daily rainfall and temperature data from 47 locations across Nigeria for the 36-year period 1979-2014 were treated to time series analysis technique to investigate some nonlinear trends in rainfall and temperature data. Some quantifiers such as Lyapunov exponents, correlation dimension, and entropy were obtained for the various locations. Positive Lyapunov exponents were obtained for the time series of mean daily rainfall for all locations in the southern part of Nigeria while negative Lyapunov exponents were obtained for all locations in the Northern part of Nigeria. The mean daily temperature had positive Lyapunov exponent values (0.35-1.6) for all the locations. Attempts were made in reconstructing the phase space of time series of rainfall and temperature.

The subcatchment- and catchment-scale hydrology of a boreal headwater peatland complex with sporadic permafrost.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonnentag, O.; Helbig, M.; Connon, R.; Hould Gosselin, G.; Ryu, Y.; Karoline, W.; Hanisch, J.; Moore, T. R.; Quinton, W. L.

2017-12-01

The permafrost region of the Northern Hemisphere has been experiencing twice the rate of climate warming compared to the rest of the Earth, resulting in the degradation of the cryosphere. A large portion of the high-latitude boreal forests of northwestern Canada grows on low-lying organic-rich lands with relative warm and thin isolated, sporadic and discontinuous permafrost. Along this southern limit of permafrost, increasingly warmer temperatures have caused widespread permafrost thaw leading to land cover changes at unprecedented rates. A prominent change includes wetland expansion at the expense of Picea mariana (black spruce)-dominated forest due to ground surface subsidence caused by the thawing of ice-rich permafrost leading to collapsing peat plateaus. Recent conceptual advances have provided important new insights into high-latitude boreal forest hydrology. However, refined quantitative understanding of the mechanisms behind water storage and movement at subcatchment and catchment scales is needed from a water resources management perspective. Here we combine multi-year daily runoff measurements with spatially explicit estimates of evapotranspiration, modelled with the Breathing Earth System Simulator, to characterize the monthly growing season catchment scale ( 150 km2) hydrological response of a boreal headwater peatland complex with sporadic permafrost in the southern Northwest Territories. The corresponding water budget components at subcatchment scale ( 0.1 km2) were obtained from concurrent cutthroat flume runoff and eddy covariance evapotranspiration measurements. The highly significant linear relationships for runoff (r2=0.64) and evapotranspiration (r2=0.75) between subcatchment and catchment scales suggest that the mineral upland-dominated downstream portion of the catchment acts hydrologically similar to the headwater portion dominated by boreal peatland complexes. Breakpoint analysis in combination with moving window statistics on multi-year time-series of daily total and liquid precipitation, and snow water equivalent suggest a recent (post-2010) transition to a more rainfall-controlled runoff regime.

Population Size and Decadal Trends of Three Penguin Species Nesting at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands.

PubMed

Dunn, Michael J; Jackson, Jennifer A; Adlard, Stacey; Lynnes, Amanda S; Briggs, Dirk R; Fox, Derren; Waluda, Claire M

2016-01-01

We report long-term changes in population size of three species of sympatrically breeding pygoscelid penguins: Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae), chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica) and gentoo (Pygoscelis papua ellsworthii) over a 38 year period at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, based on annual counts from selected colonies and decadal all-island systematic counts of occupied nests. Comparing total numbers of breeding pairs over the whole island from 1978/79 to 2015/16 revealed varying fortunes: gentoo penguin pairs increased by 255%, (3.5% per annum), chinstrap penguins declined by 68% (-3.6% per annum) and Adélie penguins declined by 42% (-1.5% per annum). The chinstrap population has declined steadily over the last four decades. In contrast, Adélie and gentoo penguins have experienced phases of population increase and decline. Annual surveys of selected chinstrap and Adélie colonies produced similar trends from those revealed by island-wide surveys, allowing total island population trends to be inferred relatively well. However, while the annual colony counts of chinstrap and Adélie penguins showed a trend consistent in direction with the results from all-island surveys, the magnitude of estimated population change was markedly different between colony wide and all island counts. Annual population patterns suggest that pair numbers in the study areas partly reflect immigration and emigration of nesting birds between different parts of the island. Breeding success for all three species remained broadly stable over time in the annually monitored colonies. Breeding success rates in gentoo and chinstrap penguins were strongly correlated, despite the differing trends in population size. This study shows the importance of effective, standardised monitoring to accurately determine long-term population trajectories. Our results indicate significant declines in the Adélie and chinstrap penguin populations at Signy Island over the last five decades, and a gradual increase in gentoo breeding pairs.

Population Size and Decadal Trends of Three Penguin Species Nesting at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands

PubMed Central

Dunn, Michael J.; Jackson, Jennifer A.; Adlard, Stacey; Lynnes, Amanda S.; Briggs, Dirk R.; Fox, Derren; Waluda, Claire M.

2016-01-01

We report long-term changes in population size of three species of sympatrically breeding pygoscelid penguins: Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae), chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica) and gentoo (Pygoscelis papua ellsworthii) over a 38 year period at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, based on annual counts from selected colonies and decadal all-island systematic counts of occupied nests. Comparing total numbers of breeding pairs over the whole island from 1978/79 to 2015/16 revealed varying fortunes: gentoo penguin pairs increased by 255%, (3.5% per annum), chinstrap penguins declined by 68% (-3.6% per annum) and Adélie penguins declined by 42% (-1.5% per annum). The chinstrap population has declined steadily over the last four decades. In contrast, Adélie and gentoo penguins have experienced phases of population increase and decline. Annual surveys of selected chinstrap and Adélie colonies produced similar trends from those revealed by island-wide surveys, allowing total island population trends to be inferred relatively well. However, while the annual colony counts of chinstrap and Adélie penguins showed a trend consistent in direction with the results from all-island surveys, the magnitude of estimated population change was markedly different between colony wide and all island counts. Annual population patterns suggest that pair numbers in the study areas partly reflect immigration and emigration of nesting birds between different parts of the island. Breeding success for all three species remained broadly stable over time in the annually monitored colonies. Breeding success rates in gentoo and chinstrap penguins were strongly correlated, despite the differing trends in population size. This study shows the importance of effective, standardised monitoring to accurately determine long-term population trajectories. Our results indicate significant declines in the Adélie and chinstrap penguin populations at Signy Island over the last five decades, and a gradual increase in gentoo breeding pairs. PMID:27783668

Assessment of identity during adolescence using daily diary methods: Measurement invariance across time and sex.

PubMed

Becht, Andrik I; Branje, Susan J T; Vollebergh, Wilma A M; Maciejewski, Dominique F; van Lier, Pol A C; Koot, Hans M; Denissen, Jaap J A; Meeus, Wim H J

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess measurement invariance of adolescents' daily reports on identity across time and sex. Adolescents (N = 497; mean age = 13.32 years at Time 1, 56.7% boys) from the general population reported on their identity commitments, exploration in depth and reconsideration on a daily basis for 3 weeks within 1 year across 5 years. We used the single-item version of the Utrecht Management of Identity Commitments Scale (UMICS; Klimstra et al., 2010), a broad measure of identity-formation processes covering both interpersonal and educational identity domains. This study tested configural, metric, scalar, and strict measurement invariance across days within weeks, across sex, across weeks within years, and across years. Results indicated that daily diary reports show strict measurement invariance across days, across weeks within years, across years, and across boys and girls. These results support the use of daily diary methods to assess identity at various time intervals ranging from days to years and across sex. Results are discussed with regard to future implications to study identity processes, both on smaller and larger time intervals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Human physiology in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vernikos, J.

1996-01-01

The universality of gravity (1 g) in our daily lives makes it difficult to appreciate its importance in morphology and physiology. Bone and muscle support systems were created, cellular pumps developed, neurons organised and receptors and transducers of gravitational force to biologically relevant signals evolved under 1g gravity. Spaceflight provides the only microgravity environment where systematic experimentation can expand our basic understanding of gravitational physiology and perhaps provide new insights into normal physiology and disease processes. These include the surprising extent of our body's dependence on perceptual information, and understanding the effect and importance of forces generated within the body's weightbearing structures such as muscle and bones. Beyond this exciting prospect is the importance of this work towards opening the solar system for human exploration. Although both appear promising, we are only just beginning to taste what lies ahead.

2D projection-based software application for mobile C-arms optimises wire placement in the proximal femur - An experimental study.

PubMed

Swartman, B; Frere, D; Wei, W; Schnetzke, M; Beisemann, N; Keil, H; Franke, J; Grützner, P A; Vetter, S Y

2017-10-01

A new software application can be used without fixed reference markers or a registration process in wire placement. The aim was to compare placement of Kirschner wires (K-wires) into the proximal femur with the software application versus the conventional method without guiding. As study hypothesis, we assumed less placement attempts, shorter procedure time and shorter fluoroscopy time using the software. The same precision inside a proximal femur bone model using the software application was premised. The software detects a K-wire within the 2D fluoroscopic image. By evaluating its direction and tip location, it superimposes a trajectory on the image, visualizing the intended direction of the K-wire. The K-wire was positioned in 20 artificial bones with the use of software by one surgeon; 20 bones served as conventional controls. A brass thumb tack was placed into the femoral head and its tip targeted with the wire. Number of placement attempts, duration of the procedure, duration of fluoroscopy time and distance to the target in a postoperative 3D scan were recorded. Compared with the conventional method, use of the application showed fewer attempts for optimal wire placement (p=0.026), shorter duration of surgery (p=0.004), shorter fluoroscopy time (p=0.024) and higher precision (p=0.018). Final wire position was achieved in the first attempt in 17 out of 20 cases with the software and in 9 out of 20 cases with the conventional method. The study hypothesis was confirmed. The new application optimised the process of K-wire placement in the proximal femur in an artificial bone model while also improving precision. Benefits lie especially in the reduction of placement attempts and reduction of fluoroscopy time under the aspect of radiation protection. The software runs on a conventional image intensifier and can therefore be easily integrated into the daily surgical routine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy transfer between a nanosystem and its host fluid: A multiscale factorization approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sereda, Yuriy V.; Espinosa-Duran, John M.; Ortoleva, Peter J.

2014-02-01

Energy transfer between a macromolecule or supramolecular assembly and a host medium is considered from the perspective of Newton's equations and Lie-Trotter factorization. The development starts by demonstrating that the energy of the molecule evolves slowly relative to the time scale of atomic collisions-vibrations. The energy is envisioned to be a coarse-grained variable that coevolves with the rapidly fluctuating atomistic degrees of freedom. Lie-Trotter factorization is shown to be a natural framework for expressing this coevolution. A mathematical formalism and workflow for efficient multiscale simulation of energy transfer is presented. Lactoferrin and human papilloma virus capsid-like structure are used for validation.

Don't Have No Time: Daily Rhythms and the Organization of Time for Low-Income Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy, Kevin M.; Tubbs, Carolyn Y.; Burton, Linda M.

2004-01-01

Using ethnographic data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study, we examined time obligations and resource coordination of low-income mothers. Longitudinal data from 75 African American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White families residing in Chicago, including information on daily routines, perceptions of time, and access to…

Patterns of daily exposure to TSP and CO in the Garhwal Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saksena, S.; Prasad, R.; Pal, R. C.; Joshi, V.

Daily integrated exposure to TSP and CO was assessed by personal and stationary sampling of air in six microenvironments. Time-budget surveys were conducted to determine how much time four population groups (adult women, children, adult men and youths) spend in these microenvironments. Burning of biofuels in traditional unvented cookstoves is the most important anthropogenic source of pollutants in the study area—a rural and hilly region in the Garhwal Himalaya. Concentrations of pollutants measured at the time of cooking were found to be very high but comparable to those measured in the Indian plains (5.6 mg m -3 and 21 ppm for TSP and CO, respectively). The daily exposure of adult women to TSP and CO was estimated to be 37 mg h m -3 and 110 ppm h, respectively. Daily exposure, within each of the four population groups, was found to be very uniform across individuals for both the pollutants. Patterns of concentrations and daily exposure, as influenced by the time of the day, season and altitude are discussed.

Deceptive Intentions: Can Cues to Deception Be Measured before a Lie Is Even Stated?

PubMed Central

Ströfer, Sabine; Noordzij, Matthijs L.; Ufkes, Elze G.; Giebels, Ellen

2015-01-01

Can deceitful intentions be discriminated from truthful ones? Previous work consistently demonstrated that deceiving others is accompanied by nervousness/stress and cognitive load. Both are related to increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity. We hypothesized that SNS activity already rises during intentions to lie and, consequently, cues to deception can be detected before stating an actual lie. In two experiments, controlling for prospective memory, we monitored SNS activity during lying, truth telling, and truth telling with the aim of lying at a later instance. Electrodermal activity (EDA) was used as an indicator of SNS. EDA was highest during lying, and compared to the truth condition, EDA was also raised during the intention to deceive. Moreover, the switch from truth telling toward lying in the intention condition evoked higher EDA than switching toward non-deception related tasks in the lie or truth condition. These results provide first empirical evidence that increased SNS activity related to deception can be monitored before a lie is stated. This implies that cues to deception are already present during the mere intention to lie. PMID:26018573

A better understanding of long-range temporal dependence of traffic flow time series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Shuo; Wang, Xingmin; Sun, Haowei; Zhang, Yi; Li, Li

2018-02-01

Long-range temporal dependence is an important research perspective for modelling of traffic flow time series. Various methods have been proposed to depict the long-range temporal dependence, including autocorrelation function analysis, spectral analysis and fractal analysis. However, few researches have studied the daily temporal dependence (i.e. the similarity between different daily traffic flow time series), which can help us better understand the long-range temporal dependence, such as the origin of crossover phenomenon. Moreover, considering both types of dependence contributes to establishing more accurate model and depicting the properties of traffic flow time series. In this paper, we study the properties of daily temporal dependence by simple average method and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based method. Meanwhile, we also study the long-range temporal dependence by Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) and Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (MFDFA). The results show that both the daily and long-range temporal dependence exert considerable influence on the traffic flow series. The DFA results reveal that the daily temporal dependence creates crossover phenomenon when estimating the Hurst exponent which depicts the long-range temporal dependence. Furthermore, through the comparison of the DFA test, PCA-based method turns out to be a better method to extract the daily temporal dependence especially when the difference between days is significant.

Comparing an annual and daily time-step model for predicting field-scale phosphorus loss

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Numerous models exist for describing phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural fields. The complexity of these models varies considerably ranging from simple empirically-based annual time-step models to more complex process-based daily time step models. While better accuracy is often assumed with more...

Effect of moving dairy cows at different stages of labor on behavior during parturition.

PubMed

Proudfoot, K L; Jensen, M B; Heegaard, P M H; von Keyserlingk, M A G

2013-03-01

Cows are often moved from a group to an individual maternity pen just before calving. However, it is unclear whether moving cows during labor may alter their behavior or affect the progress of labor. The aim of this study was to determine if moving cows to a maternity pen at different stages of labor would influence calving behavior or the length of the second stage of labor. Seventy-nine multiparous Holstein dairy cows were moved from 1 of 2 group pens to 1 of 10 maternity pens adjacent to each group pen either 3 d before expected calving date or when one or more behavioral or physical signs of labor were observed. These signs were noted, and were used to retrospectively categorize cows into 1 of 3 movement categories: (1) moved before labor, (2) moved during early stage I labor (signs of suddenly tense and enlarged udder, raised tail or relaxed pelvic ligaments; could also be immediately prelabor), or (3) moved during late stage I labor (signs of viscous, bloody mucus or abdominal contractions; could also be transitioning to stage II labor). Calves were weighed within 12h of birth and remained with their dam for 3 d. The length of the second stage of labor (the time between first abdominal contractions to the delivery the calf) and the total time of abdominal contractions, lying time, and number of position changes from standing to lying made by the cow in the hour before calving were recorded. A single blood sample was taken from the jugular vein of cows 3 to 27 h after calving to determine content of haptoglobin, a marker of systemic inflammation. The effect of movement category on length of the second stage of labor and behavioral variables was tested with ANOVA; category was a fixed effect and calf body weight (BW) and cow parity were covariates. The relationship between haptoglobin and the length of the second stage of labor was tested in a model with time of sampling relative to calving as a covariate. Cows moved during late stage I had the longest labor, but did not have longer contractions compared with cows in the other categories. These same cows spent half as much time lying in the 1h before calving compared with cows in the other categories, but did not differ in the number of position changes from standing to lying. We did not have the power to test the effect of movement category on haptoglobin, but cows with longer stage II labor had higher haptoglobin postcalving. Moving cows to a maternity pen during the late part of the first stage of labor caused a delay in the second stage of labor, and this was likely driven by altered lying behavior. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A STUDY ON TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION IN CONSIDERATION OF DAILY WORK-LIFE CYCLE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitaoka, Daiki; Hara, Hidetaka; Oeda, Yoshinao; Sumi, Tomonori

As advanced freight service is demanded, the time related requirements fo r freight transportation becomes more and more significant. This study, focusing on temporal distribution of freight transportation responding to the travel time, developed a shipment departure time decision model for each item, aiming at quantitatively grasping social requirement in the time domain. The model takes account of the daily work cycle of both work cy cles of shippers and carriers along with the travel time. The proposed model has a similar structure as that derived from the previous studies taking account of the daily living cycle of individuals. This model properly reproduced temporal distribution of shipment departure time that changes depending on the length of necessary lead time for each item.

Reduction by invariants and projection of linear representations of Lie algebras applied to the construction of nonlinear realizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campoamor-Stursberg, R.

2018-03-01

A procedure for the construction of nonlinear realizations of Lie algebras in the context of Vessiot-Guldberg-Lie algebras of first-order systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is proposed. The method is based on the reduction of invariants and projection of lowest-dimensional (irreducible) representations of Lie algebras. Applications to the description of parameterized first-order systems of ODEs related by contraction of Lie algebras are given. In particular, the kinematical Lie algebras in (2 + 1)- and (3 + 1)-dimensions are realized simultaneously as Vessiot-Guldberg-Lie algebras of parameterized nonlinear systems in R3 and R4, respectively.

Intraindividual Coupling of Daily Stressors and Cognitive Interference in Old Age

PubMed Central

Mogle, Jacqueline; Sliwinski, Martin J.

2011-01-01

Objectives. The current study examined emotional and cognitive reactions to daily stress. We examined the psychometric properties of a short cognitive interference measure and how cognitive interference was associated with measures of daily stress and negative affect (NA) between persons and within persons over time. Methods. A sample of 87 older adults (Mage = 83, range = 70–97, 28% male) completed measures of daily stress, cognitive interference, and NA on 6 days within a 14-day period. Results. The measure yielded a single-factor solution with good reliability both between and within persons. At the between-person level, NA accounted for the effects of daily stress on individual differences in cognitive interference. At the within-person level, NA and daily stress were unique predictors of cognitive interference. Furthermore, the within-person effect of daily stress on cognitive interference decreased significantly with age. Discussion. These results support theoretical work regarding associations among stress, NA, and cognitive interference, both across persons and within persons over time. PMID:21743045

Measurement and evaluation of transit travel time reliability

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

Transportation system customers need consistency in their daily travel times to enable them to plan their daily : activities, whether that is a commuter on their way to work, a company setting up delivery schedules for justintime : manufacturin...

Military mental health: the role of daily hassles while deployed.

PubMed

Heron, Elizabeth A; Bryan, Craig J; Dougherty, Craig A; Chapman, William G

2013-12-01

This study sought to identify factors contributing to symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in recently deployed combat veterans. A sample of 168 active duty military personnel completed measures of combat exposure, deployment-related daily hassles, depression symptoms, and PTSD symptoms at six time points across their deployment: predeployment and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postdeployment. Mixed-effects linear modeling with repeated measures was used to identify factors associated with depression and PTSD severity over time. Postdeployment depression severity did not change over time, but PTSD severity decreased slightly over time after returning home. Postdeployment depression severity was predicted by past (but not recent) combat exposure, daily hassles, and concurrent PTSD symptoms. Postdeployment PTSD severity was predicted by past and recent combat exposure, concurrent depression symptoms, and male sex. Depression severity mediated the relationship between daily hassles and postdeployment PTSD severity.

Rich structure in the correlation matrix spectra in non-equilibrium steady states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswas, Soham; Leyvraz, Francois; Monroy Castillero, Paulino; Seligman, Thomas H.

2017-01-01

It has been shown that, if a model displays long-range (power-law) spatial correlations, its equal-time correlation matrix will also have a power law tail in the distribution of its high-lying eigenvalues. The purpose of this paper is to show that the converse is generally incorrect: a power-law tail in the high-lying eigenvalues of the correlation matrix may exist even in the absence of equal-time power law correlations in the initial model. We may therefore view the study of the eigenvalue distribution of the correlation matrix as a more powerful tool than the study of spatial Correlations, one which may in fact uncover structure, that would otherwise not be apparent. Specifically, we show that in the Totally Asymmetric Simple Exclusion Process, whereas there are no clearly visible correlations in the steady state, the eigenvalues of its correlation matrix exhibit a rich structure which we describe in detail.

Scaling Relations and Self-Similarity of 3-Dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Equations.

PubMed

Ercan, Ali; Kavvas, M Levent

2017-07-25

Scaling conditions to achieve self-similar solutions of 3-Dimensional (3D) Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Equations, as an initial and boundary value problem, are obtained by utilizing Lie Group of Point Scaling Transformations. By means of an open-source Navier-Stokes solver and the derived self-similarity conditions, we demonstrated self-similarity within the time variation of flow dynamics for a rigid-lid cavity problem under both up-scaled and down-scaled domains. The strength of the proposed approach lies in its ability to consider the underlying flow dynamics through not only from the governing equations under consideration but also from the initial and boundary conditions, hence allowing to obtain perfect self-similarity in different time and space scales. The proposed methodology can be a valuable tool in obtaining self-similar flow dynamics under preferred level of detail, which can be represented by initial and boundary value problems under specific assumptions.

The Biological Implausibility of the Nature-Nurture Dichotomy & What It Means for the Study of Infancy.

PubMed

Lewkowicz, David J

2011-01-01

Since the time of the Greeks, philosophers and scientists have wondered about the origins of structure and function. Plato proposed that the origins of structure and function lie in the organism's nature whereas Aristotle proposed that they lie in its nurture. This nature/nurture dichotomy and the emphasis on the origins question has had a powerful effect on our thinking about development right into modern times. Despite this, empirical findings from various branches of developmental science have made a compelling case that the nature/nurture dichotomy is biologically implausible and, thus, that a search for developmental origins must be replaced by research into developmental processes. This change in focus recognizes that development is an immensely complex, dynamic, embedded, interdependent, and probabilistic process and, therefore, renders simplistic questions such as whether a particular behavioral capacity is innate or acquired scientifically uninteresting.

The Biological Implausibility of the Nature-Nurture Dichotomy & What It Means for the Study of Infancy

PubMed Central

Lewkowicz, David J.

2011-01-01

Since the time of the Greeks, philosophers and scientists have wondered about the origins of structure and function. Plato proposed that the origins of structure and function lie in the organism's nature whereas Aristotle proposed that they lie in its nurture. This nature/nurture dichotomy and the emphasis on the origins question has had a powerful effect on our thinking about development right into modern times. Despite this, empirical findings from various branches of developmental science have made a compelling case that the nature/nurture dichotomy is biologically implausible and, thus, that a search for developmental origins must be replaced by research into developmental processes. This change in focus recognizes that development is an immensely complex, dynamic, embedded, interdependent, and probabilistic process and, therefore, renders simplistic questions such as whether a particular behavioral capacity is innate or acquired scientifically uninteresting. PMID:21709807

Time-dependent interaction between a two-level atom and a su(1,1) Lie algebra quantum system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdalla, M. Sebaweh; Khalil, E. M.; Obada, A.-S. F.

2017-06-01

The problem of the interaction between a two-level atom and a two-mode field in the parametric amplifier-type is considered. A similar problem appears in an ion trapped in a two-dimensional trap. The problem is transformed into an interaction governed by su(1,1) Lie algebraic operators with phase and coupling parameter depending on time. Under an integrability condition, that relates phase and coupling, a solution to the wavefunction is obtained using the Schrödinger equation. The effects of the functional dependence of the coupling and the initial state of the two-level atom on atomic inversion, the degree of entanglement, the fidelity and the Glauber second-order correlation function are investigated. It is shown that the acceleration term plays an important role in controlling the function behavior of the considered quantities.

Rich structure in the correlation matrix spectra in non-equilibrium steady states.

PubMed

Biswas, Soham; Leyvraz, Francois; Monroy Castillero, Paulino; Seligman, Thomas H

2017-01-17

It has been shown that, if a model displays long-range (power-law) spatial correlations, its equal-time correlation matrix will also have a power law tail in the distribution of its high-lying eigenvalues. The purpose of this paper is to show that the converse is generally incorrect: a power-law tail in the high-lying eigenvalues of the correlation matrix may exist even in the absence of equal-time power law correlations in the initial model. We may therefore view the study of the eigenvalue distribution of the correlation matrix as a more powerful tool than the study of spatial Correlations, one which may in fact uncover structure, that would otherwise not be apparent. Specifically, we show that in the Totally Asymmetric Simple Exclusion Process, whereas there are no clearly visible correlations in the steady state, the eigenvalues of its correlation matrix exhibit a rich structure which we describe in detail.

Acoustic Metadata Management and Transparent Access to Networked Oceanographic Data Sets

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

the deployment that was analyzed. It contains a Start and End time that must lie within the timespan over which the instrument was deployed. A list...encounter – Detections record acoustic encounters. The start time denotes when the animals were first detected acoustically and the end time...systematically. Children of Detection include elements such as the Start and End times of the call, bin, or encounter, a species identifier from the

Gadè deceptions and lies told by the ill: The Caribbean sociocultural construction of truth in patient-healer encounters.

PubMed

Massé, Raymond

2002-08-01

A constructivist approach in medical anthropology suggests that the boundary between lies and truth in sickness narratives is thin. Based on fieldwork in the French (Martinique) and English (Saint-Lucia) Carribbean with gadé and quimboiseurs (local folk healers), this paper addresses the gap between naïve romanticism and radical cynicism in the anthropological analysis of patient-healer encounters. Is the sick person lying when she accuses evil spirits for her behaviour or sickness? Is the quimboiseur who is building a meaningful explanation or diagnosis simply a liar taking advantage of his client's credulity? The challenge for anthropology is not to determine whether or not a person is lying when attributing their ill fortune to witchcraft. Instead, in this paper, the author approaches lying as a language-game played by both patients and folk healers. Concepts of lying as games, tactical lies, pragmatic creativity, and constructive lies are introduced here as a perspective for a reconsideration of lying as a pertinent research object.

Differential Geometry and Lie Groups for Physicists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fecko, Marián.

2006-10-01

Introduction; 1. The concept of a manifold; 2. Vector and tensor fields; 3. Mappings of tensors induced by mappings of manifolds; 4. Lie derivative; 5. Exterior algebra; 6. Differential calculus of forms; 7. Integral calculus of forms; 8. Particular cases and applications of Stoke's Theorem; 9. Poincaré Lemma and cohomologies; 10. Lie Groups - basic facts; 11. Differential geometry of Lie Groups; 12. Representations of Lie Groups and Lie Algebras; 13. Actions of Lie Groups and Lie Algebras on manifolds; 14. Hamiltonian mechanics and symplectic manifolds; 15. Parallel transport and linear connection on M; 16. Field theory and the language of forms; 17. Differential geometry on TM and T*M; 18. Hamiltonian and Lagrangian equations; 19. Linear connection and the frame bundle; 20. Connection on a principal G-bundle; 21. Gauge theories and connections; 22. Spinor fields and Dirac operator; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.

Differential Geometry and Lie Groups for Physicists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fecko, Marián.

2011-03-01

Introduction; 1. The concept of a manifold; 2. Vector and tensor fields; 3. Mappings of tensors induced by mappings of manifolds; 4. Lie derivative; 5. Exterior algebra; 6. Differential calculus of forms; 7. Integral calculus of forms; 8. Particular cases and applications of Stoke's Theorem; 9. Poincaré Lemma and cohomologies; 10. Lie Groups - basic facts; 11. Differential geometry of Lie Groups; 12. Representations of Lie Groups and Lie Algebras; 13. Actions of Lie Groups and Lie Algebras on manifolds; 14. Hamiltonian mechanics and symplectic manifolds; 15. Parallel transport and linear connection on M; 16. Field theory and the language of forms; 17. Differential geometry on TM and T*M; 18. Hamiltonian and Lagrangian equations; 19. Linear connection and the frame bundle; 20. Connection on a principal G-bundle; 21. Gauge theories and connections; 22. Spinor fields and Dirac operator; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.

The Daily Lives of Adolescents with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Discretionary Time Use and Activity Partners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orsmond, Gael I.; Kuo, Hsin-Yu

2011-01-01

This study explores the daily lives, particularly discretionary time, of adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We describe the activities and activity partners of adolescents, the factors associated with their discretionary time use, and the impact of time use on their autism symptoms. Mothers of 103 adolescents with an ASD completed…

Affine.m—Mathematica package for computations in representation theory of finite-dimensional and affine Lie algebras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazarov, Anton

2012-11-01

In this paper we present Affine.m-a program for computations in representation theory of finite-dimensional and affine Lie algebras and describe implemented algorithms. The algorithms are based on the properties of weights and Weyl symmetry. Computation of weight multiplicities in irreducible and Verma modules, branching of representations and tensor product decomposition are the most important problems for us. These problems have numerous applications in physics and we provide some examples of these applications. The program is implemented in the popular computer algebra system Mathematica and works with finite-dimensional and affine Lie algebras. Catalogue identifier: AENA_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AENB_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 24 844 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 1 045 908 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Mathematica. Computer: i386-i686, x86_64. Operating system: Linux, Windows, Mac OS, Solaris. RAM: 5-500 Mb Classification: 4.2, 5. Nature of problem: Representation theory of finite-dimensional Lie algebras has many applications in different branches of physics, including elementary particle physics, molecular physics, nuclear physics. Representations of affine Lie algebras appear in string theories and two-dimensional conformal field theory used for the description of critical phenomena in two-dimensional systems. Also Lie symmetries play a major role in a study of quantum integrable systems. Solution method: We work with weights and roots of finite-dimensional and affine Lie algebras and use Weyl symmetry extensively. Central problems which are the computations of weight multiplicities, branching and fusion coefficients are solved using one general recurrent algorithm based on generalization of Weyl character formula. We also offer alternative implementation based on the Freudenthal multiplicity formula which can be faster in some cases. Restrictions: Computational complexity grows fast with the rank of an algebra, so computations for algebras of ranks greater than 8 are not practical. Unusual features: We offer the possibility of using a traditional mathematical notation for the objects in representation theory of Lie algebras in computations if Affine.m is used in the Mathematica notebook interface. Running time: From seconds to days depending on the rank of the algebra and the complexity of the representation.

Effective precipitation duration for runoff peaks based on catchment modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sikorska, A. E.; Viviroli, D.; Seibert, J.

2018-01-01

Despite precipitation intensities may greatly vary during one flood event, detailed information about these intensities may not be required to accurately simulate floods with a hydrological model which rather reacts to cumulative precipitation sums. This raises two questions: to which extent is it important to preserve sub-daily precipitation intensities and how long does it effectively rain from the hydrological point of view? Both questions might seem straightforward to answer with a direct analysis of past precipitation events but require some arbitrary choices regarding the length of a precipitation event. To avoid these arbitrary decisions, here we present an alternative approach to characterize the effective length of precipitation event which is based on runoff simulations with respect to large floods. More precisely, we quantify the fraction of a day over which the daily precipitation has to be distributed to faithfully reproduce the large annual and seasonal floods which were generated by the hourly precipitation rate time series. New precipitation time series were generated by first aggregating the hourly observed data into daily totals and then evenly distributing them over sub-daily periods (n hours). These simulated time series were used as input to a hydrological bucket-type model and the resulting runoff flood peaks were compared to those obtained when using the original precipitation time series. We define then the effective daily precipitation duration as the number of hours n, for which the largest peaks are simulated best. For nine mesoscale Swiss catchments this effective daily precipitation duration was about half a day, which indicates that detailed information on precipitation intensities is not necessarily required to accurately estimate peaks of the largest annual and seasonal floods. These findings support the use of simple disaggregation approaches to make usage of past daily precipitation observations or daily precipitation simulations (e.g. from climate models) for hydrological modeling at an hourly time step.

Daily antecedents and consequences of nightly sleep.

PubMed

Lee, Soomi; Crain, Tori L; McHale, Susan M; Almeida, David M; Buxton, Orfeu M

2017-08-01

Sleep can serve as both cause and consequence of individuals' everyday experiences. We built upon prior studies of the correlates of sleep, which have relied primarily on cross-sectional data, to examine the antecedents and consequences of sleep using a daily diary design. Specifically, we assessed the temporal sequence between nightly sleep and daily psychosocial stressors. Parents employed in a US information technology company (n = 102) completed eight consecutive daily diaries at both baseline and 1 year later. In telephone interviews each evening, participants reported on the previous night's sleep hours, sleep quality and sleep latency. They also reported daily work-to-family conflict and time inadequacy (i.e. perceptions of not having enough time) for their child and for themselves to engage in exercise. Multi-level models testing lagged and non-lagged effects simultaneously revealed that sleep hours and sleep quality were associated with next-day consequences of work-to-family conflict and time inadequacy, whereas psychosocial stressors as antecedents did not predict sleep hours or quality that night. For sleep latency, the opposite temporal order emerged: on days with more work-to-family conflict or time inadequacy for child and self than usual, participants reported longer sleep latencies than usual. An exception to this otherwise consistent pattern was that time inadequacy for child also preceded shorter sleep hours and poorer sleep quality that night. The results highlight the utility of a daily diary design for capturing the temporal sequences linking sleep and psychosocial stressors. © 2016 European Sleep Research Society.

A pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic comparison of immediate-release metoprolol and extended-release metoprolol CR/XL in patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction: a randomized, open-label study.

PubMed

Karlson, Björn W; Dellborg, Mikael; Gullestad, Lars; Aberg, Jan; Sugg, Jennifer; Herlitz, Johan

2014-01-01

Previous metoprolol studies in myocardial infarction patients were performed with immediate-release (IR) metoprolol. This study aims to evaluate if extended-release metoprolol CR/XL once daily gives a similar β-blockade over 24 h compared to multiple dosing of metoprolol IR. After 2 days of routine metoprolol treatment, 27 patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction were randomized to open-label treatment with metoprolol IR (50 mg four times daily or 100 mg twice daily) or metoprolol CR/XL 200 mg once daily for 3 days. Metoprolol CR/XL 200 mg once daily gave more pronounced suppression of peak heart rate, with lower peak and less variation in peak to trough plasma levels. There were no differences in AUC between the CR/XL and IR formulations, although the trough plasma metoprolol levels were comparable for metoprolol CR/XL 200 mg once daily and metoprolol IR 50 mg four times daily, but lower for metoprolol IR 100 mg twice daily. Both treatments were well tolerated. Metoprolol CR/XL 200 mg once daily showed lower peak and less variation in peak to trough plasma levels compared to multiple dosing of metoprolol IR with the same AUC. This was accompanied by a more uniform β-blockade over time, which was reflected by heart rate, and a more pronounced suppression of peak heart rate with similar tolerability. This suggests metoprolol CR/XL may be used as an alternative to metoprolol IR in patients with myocardial infarction. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Young children can tell strategic lies after committing a transgression.

PubMed

Fu, Genyue; Evans, Angela D; Xu, Fen; Lee, Kang

2012-09-01

This study investigated whether young children make strategic decisions about whether to lie to conceal a transgression based on the lie recipient's knowledge. In Experiment 1, 168 3- to 5-year-olds were asked not to peek at the toy in the experimenter's absence, and the majority of children peeked. Children were questioned about their transgression in either the presence or absence of an eyewitness of their transgression. Whereas 4- and 5-year-olds were able to adjust their decisions of whether to lie based on the presence or absence of the eyewitness, 3-year-olds did not. Experiments 2 and 3 manipulated whether the lie recipient appeared to have learned information about children's peeking from an eyewitness or was merely bluffing. Results revealed that when the lie recipient appeared to be genuinely knowledgeable about their transgression, even 3-year-olds were significantly less likely to lie compared with when the lie recipient appeared to be bluffing. Thus, preschool children are able to make strategic decisions about whether to lie or tell the truth based on whether the lie recipient is genuinely knowledgeable about the true state of affairs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Whipple's disease associated with opportunistic infections].

PubMed

Meier-Willersen, H J; Maiwald, M; von Herbay, A

1993-06-11

A 36-year-old man, with a history of recurrent respiratory infection, dermatomycosis, arthralgia and abnormal stools for 12 years, developed a febrile illness (up to 40 degrees C). A Serratia marcescens septicaemia responded to antibiotics. Four months later cervical and abdominal lymph-adenopathies were noticed. Cervical lymph node biopsy revealed lymphadenitis with epithelioid cell nests. Duodenoscopy with biopsy demonstrated Whipple's disease associated with lambliasis. Electron-microscopy showed rod-shaped bacteria typical of Whipple's disease, and Giardia lamblia. Using the polymerase chain reaction, Whipple-specific DNA fragments of 284 base pairs from the genome of the Whipple bacterium (Tropheryma whippelii) were demonstrated. Antibiotic treatment with Ampicillin (2 g three times daily) and ceftriaxone (2 g once daily) i.v. for 21 days, followed by oral ofloxacin (200 mg daily) and co-trimoxazole (three times daily 800 mg sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg trimethoprim), brought about remission of Whipple's disease. Long-term antibiotic treatment was continued with co-trimoxazole. Lambliasis recurred after 3 and 5 months, despite treatment with metronidazole, 250 mg three times daily for 7 days.

Assessment of the timing of daily peak streamflow during melt season in a snow dominated watershed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Previous studies have shown that gauge-observed daily streamflow peak times (DPT) during spring snowmelt can exhibit distinct temporal shifts through the season. These shifts have been attributed to three processes that affect the timing of snowmelt arrival: 1) melt flux translation through the snow...

Effects of seasonal and climate variations on calves' thermal comfort and behaviour.

PubMed

Tripon, Iulian; Cziszter, Ludovic Toma; Bura, Marian; Sossidou, Evangelia N

2014-09-01

The aim of this study was to measure the effect of season and climate variations on thermal comfort and behaviour of 6-month-old dairy calves housed in a semi-opened shelter to develop animal-based indicators for assessing animal thermal comfort. The ultimate purpose was to further exploit the use of those indicators to prevent thermal stress by providing appropriate care to the animals. Measurements were taken for winter and summer seasons. Results showed that season significantly influenced (P ≤ 0.01) the lying down behaviour of calves by reducing the time spent lying, from 679.9 min in winter to 554.1 min in summer. Moreover, season had a significant influence (P ≤ 0.01) on feeding behaviour. In detail, the total length of feeding periods was shorter in winter, 442.1 min in comparison to 543.5 min in summer. Time spent drinking increased significantly (P ≤ 0.001), from 11.9 min in winter to 26.9 min in summer. Furthermore, season had a significant influence (P ≤ 0.001) on self grooming behaviour which was 5.5 times longer in duration in winter than in summer (1,336 s vs 244 s). It was concluded that calves' thermal comfort is affected by seasonal and climate variations and that this can be assessed by measuring behaviour with animal-based indicators, such as lying down, resting, standing up, feeding, rumination, drinking and self grooming. The indicators developed may be a useful tool to prevent animal thermal stress by providing appropriate housing and handling to calves under seasonal and climate challenge.

An empirical test of the decision to lie component of the Activation-Decision-Construction-Action Theory (ADCAT).

PubMed

Masip, Jaume; Blandón-Gitlin, Iris; de la Riva, Clara; Herrero, Carmen

2016-09-01

Meta-analyses reveal that behavioral differences between liars and truth tellers are small. To facilitate lie detection, researchers are currently developing interviewing approaches to increase these differences. Some of these approaches assume that lying is cognitively more difficult than truth telling; however, they are not based on specific cognitive theories of lie production, which are rare. Here we examined one existing theory, Walczyk et al.'s (2014) Activation-Decision-Construction-Action Theory (ADCAT). We tested the Decision component. According to ADCAT, people decide whether to lie or tell the truth as if they were using a specific mathematical formula to calculate the motivation to lie from (a) the probability of a number of outcomes derived from lying vs. telling the truth, and (b) the costs/benefits associated with each outcome. In this study, participants read several hypothetical scenarios and indicated whether they would lie or tell the truth in each scenario (Questionnaire 1). Next, they answered several questions about the consequences of lying vs. telling the truth in each scenario, and rated the probability and valence of each consequence (Questionnaire 2). Significant associations were found between the participants' dichotomous decision to lie/tell the truth in Questionnaire 1 and their motivation to lie scores calculated from the Questionnaire 2 data. However, interestingly, whereas the expected consequences of truth telling were associated with the decision to lie vs. tell the truth, the expected consequences of lying were not. Suggestions are made to refine ADCAT, which can be a useful theoretical framework to guide deception research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fish Consumption, Sleep, Daily Functioning, and Heart Rate Variability

PubMed Central

Hansen, Anita L.; Dahl, Lisbeth; Olson, Gina; Thornton, David; Graff, Ingvild E.; Frøyland, Livar; Thayer, Julian F.; Pallesen, Staale

2014-01-01

Study Objectives: This study investigated the effects of fatty fish on sleep, daily functioning and biomarkers such as heart rate variability (HRV), vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) in red blood cells. Moreover the relationship among sleep, daily functioning, HRV, vitamin D status, and levels of EPA+DHA was investigated. Methods: Ninety-five male forensic patients from a secure forensic inpatient facility in the USA were randomly assigned into a Fish or a Control group. The Fish group received Atlantic salmon three times per week from September to February, and the Control group was provided an alternative meal (e.g., chicken, pork, beef), but with the same nutritional value as their habitual diet, three times per week during the same period. Sleep (sleep latency, sleep efficiency, actual sleep time, and actual wake time), self-perceived sleep quality and daily functioning, as well as vitamin D status, EPA+DHA, and HRV, were assessed pre- and post-intervention period. Results: There was a significant increase in sleep latency from pre- to post-test in the Control group. The Fish group reported better daily functioning than the Control group during post-test. Fish consumption throughout the wintertime had also an effect on resting HRV and EPA+DHA, but not on vitamin D status. However, at post-test, the vitamin D status in the Fish group was still closer to the level regarded as optimal compared to the Control group. Vitamin D status correlated negatively with actual wake time and positively with sleep efficiency during pre-test, as well as positively with daily functioning and sleep quality during post-test. Finally, HRV correlated negatively with sleep latency and positively with daily functioning. Conclusions: Fish consumption seemed to have a positive impact on sleep in general and also on daily functioning, which may be related to vitamin D status and HRV. Citation: Hansen AL, Dahl L, Olson G, Thornton D, Graff IE, Frøyland L, Thayer JF, Pallesen S. Fish consumption, sleep, daily functioning, and heart rate variability. J Clin Sleep Med 2014;10(5):567-575. PMID:24812543

Evaluation of outputs from a 'Sustainable Nutrient Management Decision Support System' (SNM-DSS) compared to farmer opinion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerebel, A.; Cassidy, R.; Jordan, P.; Holden, N. M.

2012-04-01

Eutrophication of both fresh and coastal water bodies is one of the greatest threats to water quality in Europe and other developed countries. Sources of pollution are multiple but agriculture is known to be a large contributor, due to farm nutrient management such as land spreading of fertilisers and their subsequent loss via overland flow to surface waters. The stringent targets set for compliance with the Water Framework Directive by 2015 have led to action by the Irish regulatory authorities to reduce risk and prevent further deterioration of water status. One step was to prohibit the spreading of fertilisers over the winter period, with closed periods in 3 zones based on annual rainfall statistics. While this calendar approach is supported by scientific evidence, its justification has been debated by the farming community. A consequence of the regulation has been the concentration of hazard on dates directly preceding and following the closed period when soils can be heavily loaded with organic slurries and manures. An alternative lies in a Sustainable Nutrient Management Decision Support System (SNM-DSS), which has been developed to predict optimum conditions for fertiliser application depending on real-time observations of soil and weather conditions. The Hybrid Soil Moisture Deficit (HSMD) model forms the basis of this system and is essential for defining the thresholds for optimum management. The model outputs were tested against field water content data (θ) and evaluated by comparison with farmer opinion over a 3-year period. Daily Soil Moisture Deficit (SMD) was calculated from weather data collected on 5 sites and θ was estimated using time domain Reflectometry probes on 10 fields (2 × 5 sites). The question "Can slurry be spread today?" was also answered on a daily basis by 6 farmers located at the instrumented sites and the responses were related to calculated SMD values. A significant relationship between SMD and θ for all test sites showed that the HSMD model acceptably captured temporal variations in θ, suggesting that it should be able to predict when risk of nutrient transport by gravity moveable water is high. It was also found that the decision whether to spread the nutrients was determined by soil moisture conditions relative to field capacity. According to farmer opinion, slurry should not be spread when the soil is at or wetter than field capacity but conditions would be suitable when drier. The HSMD model showed great potential and could therefore be used as a core component in a decision support tool for daily farm management practices such as slurry spreading. Although the SNM-DSS has been designed to work at the farm scale, such tools should be able to devise sustainable nutrient management plans for agricultural catchments.

When elephants fall asleep: A literature review on elephant rest with case studies on elephant falling bouts, and practical solutions for zoo elephants.

PubMed

Schiffmann, Christian; Hoby, Stefan; Wenker, Christian; Hård, Therese; Scholz, Robert; Clauss, Marcus; Hatt, Jean-Michel

2018-05-01

Little attention has been paid to the resting and sleeping behavior of zoo elephants so far. An important concern is when elephants avoid lying down, due to degenerative joint and foot disease, social structure, or stressful environmental changes. Inability or unwillingness to lie down for resting is an important welfare issue, as it may impair sleep. We emphasize the importance of satisfying rest in elephants by reviewing the literature on resting behavior in elephants (Loxodonta africana and Elephas maximus) as well as the documentation of four cases from European zoos and our own direct observations in a zoo group of four female African elephants during 12 entire days. The common denominator in the case reports is the occurrence of a falling bout out of a standing position subsequently to a cessation of lying rest for different periods of time. Although well-known in horses as "episodic collapse" or "excessive drowsiness," this syndrome has not been described in elephants before. To enable its detection, we recommend nocturnal video monitoring for elephant-keeping institutions. The literature evaluation as well as own observational data suggest an inverse relationship between lying rest and standing rest. Preventative measures consist of enclosure modifications that facilitate lying rest (e.g., sand hills) or standing rest in a leaning position as a substitute. Anecdotal observations suggest that the provision of appropriate horizontal environmental structures may encourage safe, sleep-conducive standing rest. We provide drawings on how to install such structures. Effects of providing such structures should be evaluated in the future. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Preparing Solar Cells for Soldering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hagerty, J. J.

1983-01-01

Solder paste and contact ribbon dispensed in synchronism. Solder-paste dispenser operates on one cell at a time. Ribbon fed up ramps and into positioned while solder paste is applied. When ramps are moved out of way, ribbon lies down onto cell.

Influence of social factors on the relation between lie-telling and children's cognitive abilities.

PubMed

Talwar, Victoria; Lavoie, Jennifer; Gomez-Garibello, Carlos; Crossman, Angela M

2017-07-01

Lie-telling may be part of a normative developmental process for children. However, little is known about the complex interaction of social and cognitive factors related to this developmental behavior. The current study examined parenting style, maternal exposure to stressors, and children's cognitive abilities in relation to children's antisocial lie-telling behavior in an experimental setting. Children (3-6years, N=157) participated in a modified temptation resistance paradigm to elicit spontaneous lies. Results indicate that high authoritative parenting and high inhibitory control interact to predict a lower propensity to lie, but those who did lie had better semantic leakage control. This suggests that although children's lie-telling may be normative during early development, the relation to children's cognitive abilities can be moderated by responsive parenting behaviors that discourage lying. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Examining the validity of the ActivPAL monitor in measuring posture and ambulatory movement in children.

PubMed

Aminian, Saeideh; Hinckson, Erica A

2012-10-02

Decreasing sedentary activities that involve prolonged sitting may be an important strategy to reduce obesity and other physical and psychosocial health problems in children. The first step to understanding the effect of sedentary activities on children's health is to objectively assess these activities with a valid measurement tool. To examine the validity of the ActivPAL monitor in measuring sitting/lying, standing, and walking time, transition counts and step counts in children in a laboratory setting. Twenty five healthy elementary school children (age 9.9 ± 0.3 years; BMI 18.2 ± 1.9; mean ± SD) were randomly recruited across the Auckland region, New Zealand. Children were fitted with ActivPAL monitors and observed during simulated free-living activities involving sitting/lying, standing and walking, followed by treadmill and over-ground activities at various speeds (slow, normal, fast) against video observation (criterion measure). The ActivPAL sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit transition counts and steps were also compared with video data. The accuracy of step counts measured by the ActivPAL was also compared against the New Lifestyles NL-2000 and the Yamax Digi-Walker SW-200 pedometers. We observed a perfect correlation between the ActivPAL monitor in time spent sitting/lying, standing, and walking in simulated free-living activities with direct observation. Correlations between the ActivPAL and video observation in total numbers of sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit transitions were high (r = 0.99 ± 0.01). Unlike pedometers, the ActivPAL did not misclassify fidgeting as steps taken. Strong correlations (r = 0.88-1.00) between ActivPAL step counts and video observation in both treadmill and over-ground slow and normal walking were also observed. During treadmill and over-ground fast walking and running, the correlations were low (r = 0.21-0.46). The ActivPAL monitor is a valid measurement tool for assessing time spent sitting/lying, standing, and walking, sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit transition counts and step counts in slow and normal walking. The device did not measure accurately steps taken during treadmill and over-ground fast walking and running in children.

The role of daily physical activity and nutritional status on bone turnover in cystic fibrosis: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Tejero, Sergio; Cejudo, Pilar; Quintana-Gallego, E; Sañudo, Borja; Oliva-Pascual-Vaca, A

2016-03-18

Nutritional status and daily physical activity (PA) may be an excellent tool for the maintenance of bone health in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). To evaluate the relationship between nutritional status, daily physical activity and bone turnover in cystic fibrosis patients. A cross-sectional study of adolescent and adult patients diagnosed with clinically stable cystic fibrosis was conducted. Total body, femoral neck, and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) were determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and bone metabolism markers ALP, P1NP, PICP, and ß-CrossLaps. PA monitoring was assessed for 5 consecutive days using a portable device. Exercise capacity was also determined. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and vitamin K were also determined in all participants. Fifty patients (median age: 24.4 years; range: 16-46) were included. BMI had positive correlation with all BMD parameters, with Spearman's coefficients ranging from 0.31 to 0.47. Total hip bone mineral density and femoral neck BMD had positive correlation with the daily time spent on moderate PA (>4.8 metabolic equivalent-minutes/day; r=0.74, p<0.001 and r=0.72 p<0.001 respectively), daily time spent on vigorous PA (>7.2 metabolic equivalent-minutes/day; r=0.45 p<0.001), body mass index (r=0.44, p=0.001), and muscle mass in limbs (r=0.41, p=0.004). Levels of carboxy-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen were positively associated with the daily time spent on moderate (r=0.33 p=0.023) and vigorous PA (r=0.53, p<0.001). BMI and the daily time spent on moderate PA were found to be correlated with femoral neck BMD in CF patients. The association between daily PA and biochemical markers of bone formation suggests that the level of daily PA may be linked to bone health in this patient group. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Stroke patients' functions in personal activities of daily living in relation to sleep and socio-demographic and clinical variables in the acute phase after first-time stroke and at six months of follow-up.

PubMed

Bakken, Linda N; Kim, Hesook S; Finset, Arnstein; Lerdal, Anners

2012-07-01

To explore first-time stroke patients' degree of independence in activities of daily life in relation to sleep and other essential variables that might influence activities of daily life. Sleep has received little attention in rehabilitation of activities of daily life in stroke patients. This is a longitudinal survey and observational study design from the acute phase to six months poststroke. First-time stroke patients (n = 90) were recruited from two hospitals in eastern Norway in 2007 and 2008. Data were collected by survey interview, medical records and wrist actigraphy in the first two weeks at the hospital and at six months of follow-up. Actigraph measures patient activity and estimates sleep during the day and night. Linear regression showed that high dependence in personal activities of daily living was directly related to low estimated sleep time at night and higher estimated sleep during the day in the acute phase, controlling for socio-demographic and clinical variables. Furthermore, high estimated numbers of awakenings in the acute phase were related to lower activities of daily life functioning at six months of follow-up after controlling for socio-demographic and clinical variables. Stronger pain and a lower physical functioning showed direct relationships with lower independency level of in activities of daily life both in the acute phase and after six months. Sleep patterns in the acute phase may influence the patients' activities of daily life functioning up to six months poststroke. Furthermore, pain in the acute phase may influence the level of activities of daily life functioning in stroke patients. Nurses should pay attention to stroke patients' sleep quality and pain in the rehabilitation period after a stroke. Facilitating good sleep conditions and screening for pain should be an integral part of the rehabilitation programme. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Quiet-time electron increases, a measure of conditions in the outer solar system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisk, L. A.; Vanhollebeke, M.

1972-01-01

One possible explanation for quiet-time electron increases, increases in the intensity of 3-12 MeV interplanetary electrons that have been reported by McDonald, Cline and Simnett, is discussed. It is argued that the electrons in quiet-time increases are galactic in origin, but that the observed increases are not the result of any variation in the modulation of these particles in the inner solar system. It is suggested instead that quiet-time increases may occur when more electrons than normal penetrate a modulating region that lies far beyond the orbit of earth. The number of electrons penetrating this region may increase when field lines that have experienced an unusually large random walk in the photosphere are carried by the solar wind out to the region. As evidence for this increased random walk, it is shown that five solar rotations before most of the quiet-time increases there is an extended period when the amplitude of the diurnal anisotropy, as is measured by the Deep River neutron monitor, is relatively low. Five rotations delay time implies that the proposed modulating region lies at approximately 30 AU from the Sun, assuming that the average solar wind speed is constant over this distance at approximately 400 km/sec.

Sibutramine promotes amygdala activity under fasting conditions in obese women.

PubMed

Oltmanns, Kerstin M; Heldmann, Marcus; Daul, Susanne; Klose, Silke; Rotte, Michael; Schäfer, Michael; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Münte, Thomas F; Lehnert, Hendrik

2012-06-01

Sibutramine, a centrally-acting selective monoamine reuptake inhibitor, has been used as an appetite suppressant drug in obesity. To gain insight into the central nervous actions of sibutramine, brain responses to pictures of food items after sibutramine vs placebo application were assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in obese women. In a randomized double-blind crossover design, 10 healthy obese women (BMI 31.8-39.9 kg/m(2)) received 15 mg/d of sibutramine vs placebo for 14 d. Obese participants, and a group of 10 age-matched normal weight controls, viewed pictures of food items and control objects in hungry and satiated states while lying in the MR scanner. The paradigm followed a block design. In obese participants, fMRI measurements were conducted prior and after two weeks of daily sibutramine or placebo administration, whereas control participants were scanned only at one point in time. Upon food item presentation, obese participants showed increased brain activity in areas related to emotional and reward processing, perceptual processing, and cognitive control as compared to normal weight controls. Sibutramine exerted a divergent satiety-dependent effect on amygdala activity in obese participants, increasing activity in the hungry state while decreasing it under conditions of satiation. Our results demonstrate a modulatory influence of sibutramine on amygdala activity in obese women which may underlie the appetite suppressant effects of the drug.

Simultaneous multiple view high resolution surface geometry acquisition using structured light and mirrors.

PubMed

Basevi, Hector R A; Guggenheim, James A; Dehghani, Hamid; Styles, Iain B

2013-03-25

Knowledge of the surface geometry of an imaging subject is important in many applications. This information can be obtained via a number of different techniques, including time of flight imaging, photogrammetry, and fringe projection profilometry. Existing systems may have restrictions on instrument geometry, require expensive optics, or require moving parts in order to image the full surface of the subject. An inexpensive generalised fringe projection profilometry system is proposed that can account for arbitrarily placed components and use mirrors to expand the field of view. It simultaneously acquires multiple views of an imaging subject, producing a cloud of points that lie on its surface, which can then be processed to form a three dimensional model. A prototype of this system was integrated into an existing Diffuse Optical Tomography and Bioluminescence Tomography small animal imaging system and used to image objects including a mouse-shaped plastic phantom, a mouse cadaver, and a coin. A surface mesh generated from surface capture data of the mouse-shaped plastic phantom was compared with ideal surface points provided by the phantom manufacturer, and 50% of points were found to lie within 0.1mm of the surface mesh, 82% of points were found to lie within 0.2mm of the surface mesh, and 96% of points were found to lie within 0.4mm of the surface mesh.

The genetic basis of novel water utilisation and drinking behaviour traits and their relationship with biological performance in turkeys.

PubMed

Rusakovica, Julija; Kremer, Valentin D; Plötz, Thomas; Rohlf, Paige; Kyriazakis, Ilias

2017-09-29

There is increasing interest in the definition, measurement and use of traits associated with water use and drinking behaviour, mainly because water is a finite resource and its intake is an important part of animal health and well-being. Analysis of such traits has received little attention, due in part to the lack of appropriate technology to measure drinking behaviour. We exploited novel equipment to collect water intake data in two lines of turkey (A: 27,415 and B: 12,956 birds). The equipment allowed continuous recording of individual visits to the water station in a group environment. Our aim was to identify drinking behaviour traits of biological relevance, to estimate their genetic parameters and their genetic relationships with performance traits, and to identify drinking behaviour strategies among individuals. Visits to the drinkers were clustered into bouts, i.e. time intervals spent in drinking-related activity. Based on this, biologically relevant traits were defined: (1) number of visits per bout, (2) water intake per bout, (3) drinking time per bout, (4) drinking rate, (5) daily bout frequency, (6) daily bout duration, (7) daily drinking time and (8) daily water intake. Heritability estimates for most drinking behaviour traits were moderate to high and the most highly heritable traits were drinking rate (0.49 and 0.50) and daily drinking time (0.35 and 0.46 in lines A and B, respectively). Genetic correlations between drinking behaviour and performance traits were low except for moderate correlations between daily water intake and weight gain (0.46 and 0.47 in lines A and B, respectively). High estimates of breeding values for weight gain were found across the whole range of estimated breeding values for daily water intake, daily drinking time and water intake per bout. We show for the first time that drinking behaviour traits are moderately to highly heritable. Low genetic and phenotypic correlations with performance traits suggest that current breeding goals have not and will not affect normal water drinking behaviour. Birds express a wide range of different drinking behaviour strategies, which can be suitable to a wide range of environments and production systems.

Rasagiline as an adjunct to levodopa in patients with Parkinson's disease and motor fluctuations (LARGO, Lasting effect in Adjunct therapy with Rasagiline Given Once daily, study): a randomised, double-blind, parallel-group trial.

PubMed

Rascol, O; Brooks, D J; Melamed, E; Oertel, W; Poewe, W; Stocchi, F; Tolosa, E

Rasagiline mesylate is a novel drug for Parkinson's disease with selective, irreversible monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor activity, and is effective as monotherapy in early disease. This study investigated rasagiline efficacy and safety in levodopa-treated patients with Parkinson's disease and motor fluctuations. In an 18-week, double-blind, multicentre (74 hospitals and academic centres in Israel, Argentina, and Europe) trial, 687 outpatients were randomly assigned to oral rasagiline (231 individuals; 1 mg once daily), entacapone (227; 200 mg with every levodopa dose), or placebo (229). Primary outcome was change in total daily off-time (intention-to-treat population). Other measures included the clinical global improvement (CGI) score and unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) scores. Analysis was by intention to treat. 88 (13%) patients who were assigned treatment did not complete the study (23 rasagiline, 30 entacapone, 35 placebo), mainly because of withdrawal of consent (n=34) and adverse events (n=34). Both rasagiline and entacapone reduced mean daily off-time (-1.18 h rasagiline and -1.2 h entacapone vs placebo -0.4 h; p=0.0001, p<0.0001, respectively) and increased daily on-time without troublesome dyskinesia (0.85 h vs placebo 0.03 h; p=0.0005 for both). We recorded significant mean improvements in CGI scores (-0.86 rasagiline and -0.72 entacapone vs -0.37 placebo; p<0.0001, p=0.0002, respectively). Changes in UPDRS scores also significantly improved for activities of daily living during off-time (-1.71 and -1.38 vs placebo; p<0.0001, p=0.0006, respectively) and motor function during on-time (-2.94 and -2.73 vs placebo; both p<0.0001). Frequency of adverse events was similar for all treatments. Once-daily rasagiline reduces mean daily off-time and improves symptoms of Parkinson's disease in levodopa-treated patients with motor fluctuations, an effect similar to that of entacapone.

Dairy cow preference for different types of outdoor access.

PubMed

Smid, Anne-Marieke C; Weary, Daniel M; Costa, Joao H C; von Keyserlingk, Marina A G

2018-02-01

Dairy cows display a partial preference for being outside, but little is known about what aspects of the outdoor environment are important to cows. The primary aim of this study was to test the preference of lactating dairy cattle for pasture versus an outdoor sand pack during the night. A secondary aim was to determine whether feeding and perching behavior changed when cows were provided outdoor access. A third objective was to investigate how the lying behavior of cows changed when given access to different outdoor areas. Ninety-six lactating pregnant cows were assigned to 8 groups of 12 animals each. After a baseline phase of 2 d in which cows were kept inside the freestall barn, cows were habituated to the outdoor areas by providing them access to each of the 2 options for 24 h. Cows were then given access, in random order by group, to either the pasture (pasture phase) or the sand pack (sand phase). As we tested the 2 outdoor options using space allowances consistent with what would be practical on commercial dairy farms, the space provided on pasture was larger (21,000 m 2 ) than that provided on the sand pack (144 m 2 ). Cows were tested at night (for 2 nights in each condition), from 2000 h until morning milking at approximately 0800 h, as preference to be outdoors is strongest at this time. During the next 3 nights cows were given access to both outside options simultaneously (choice phase). Feeding and perching behaviors were recorded when cows were indoors during the day and night periods. Lying behavior was automatically recorded by HOBO data loggers (Onset, Bourne, MA). Cows spent more time outside in the pasture phase (90.0 ± 5.9%) compared with the sand phase (44.4 ± 6.3%). When provided simultaneous access to both options, cows spent more time on pasture than on the sand pack (90.5 ± 2.6% vs. 0.8 ± 0.5%, respectively). Time spent feeding indoors during the day did not change regardless of what type of outdoor access was provided, but there was a decline in perching during the day when cows were provided access to either outdoor option at night. Lying time in the pasture phase was lower than in the baseline or sand phase. During the nighttime, lying time outside was not different between the sand (55.4 ± 7.9%) and pasture (52.0 ± 7.4%) phases. In summary, cows spent a considerable amount of time outside during the night when given the opportunity and showed a preference for a large pasture versus a small sand pack as an outdoor area. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Young Children's Self-Benefiting Lies and Their Relation to Executive Functioning and Theory of Mind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fu, Genyue; Sai, Liyang; Yuan, Fang; Lee, Kang

2018-01-01

It is well established that children lie in different social contexts for various purposes from the age of 2 years. Surprisingly, little is known about whether very young children will spontaneously lie for personal gain, how self-benefiting lies emerge, and what cognitive factors affect the emergence of self-benefiting lies. To bridge this gap in…

Time series ARIMA models for daily price of palm oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariff, Noratiqah Mohd; Zamhawari, Nor Hashimah; Bakar, Mohd Aftar Abu

2015-02-01

Palm oil is deemed as one of the most important commodity that forms the economic backbone of Malaysia. Modeling and forecasting the daily price of palm oil is of great interest for Malaysia's economic growth. In this study, time series ARIMA models are used to fit the daily price of palm oil. The Akaike Infromation Criterion (AIC), Akaike Infromation Criterion with a correction for finite sample sizes (AICc) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) are used to compare between different ARIMA models being considered. It is found that ARIMA(1,2,1) model is suitable for daily price of crude palm oil in Malaysia for the year 2010 to 2012.

Temporal downscaling of decadal sediment load estimates to a daily interval for use in hindcast simulations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ganju, N.K.; Knowles, N.; Schoellhamer, D.H.

2008-01-01

In this study we used hydrologic proxies to develop a daily sediment load time-series, which agrees with decadal sediment load estimates, when integrated. Hindcast simulations of bathymetric change in estuaries require daily sediment loads from major tributary rivers, to capture the episodic delivery of sediment during multi-day freshwater flow pulses. Two independent decadal sediment load estimates are available for the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta, California prior to 1959, but they must be downscaled to a daily interval for use in hindcast models. Daily flow and sediment load data to the Delta are available after 1930 and 1959, respectively, but bathymetric change simulations for San Francisco Bay prior to this require a method to generate daily sediment load estimates into the Delta. We used two historical proxies, monthly rainfall and unimpaired flow magnitudes, to generate monthly unimpaired flows to the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta for the 1851-1929 period. This step generated the shape of the monthly hydrograph. These historical monthly flows were compared to unimpaired monthly flows from the modern era (1967-1987), and a least-squares metric selected a modern water year analogue for each historical water year. The daily hydrograph for the modern analogue was then assigned to the historical year and scaled to match the flow volume estimated by dendrochronology methods, providing the correct total flow for the year. We applied a sediment rating curve to this time-series of daily flows, to generate daily sediment loads for 1851-1958. The rating curve was calibrated with the two independent decadal sediment load estimates, over two distinct periods. This novel technique retained the timing and magnitude of freshwater flows and sediment loads, without damping variability or net sediment loads to San Francisco Bay. The time-series represents the hydraulic mining period with sustained periods of increased sediment loads, and a dramatic decrease after 1910, corresponding to a reduction in available mining debris. The analogue selection procedure also permits exploration of the morphological hydrograph concept, where a limited set of hydrographs is used to simulate the same bathymetric change as the actual set of hydrographs. The final daily sediment load time-series and morphological hydrograph concept will be applied as landward boundary conditions for hindcasting simulations of bathymetric change in San Francisco Bay.

Daily Life Physical Activity Modulates the Effects of an Exercise Program on Lower-Extremity Physical Function in Japanese Older Adults.

PubMed

Jindo, Takashi; Kitano, Naruki; Tsunoda, Kenji; Kusuda, Mikiko; Hotta, Kazushi; Okura, Tomohiro

Decreasing daily life physical activity (PA) outside an exercise program might hinder the benefit of that program on lower-extremity physical function (LEPF) in older adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate how daily life PA modulates the effects of an exercise program on LEPF. The participants were 46 community-dwelling older adults (mean age, 70.1 ± 3.5 years) in Kasama City, a rural area in Japan. All participated in a fall-prevention program called square-stepping exercise once a week for 11 weeks. We evaluated their daily life PA outside the exercise program with pedometers and calculated the average daily step counts during the early and late periods of the program. We divided participants into 2 groups on the basis of whether or not they decreased PA by more than 1000 steps per day between the early and late periods. To ascertain the LEPF benefits induced by participating in the exercise program, we measured 5 physical performance tests before and after the intervention: 1-leg stand, 5-time sit-to-stand, Timed Up and Go (TUG), habitual walking speed, and choice-stepping reaction time (CSRT). We used a 2-way analysis of variance to confirm the interaction between the 2 groups and the time effect before and after the intervention. During the exercise program, 8 participants decreased their daily life PA (early period, 6971 ± 2771; late period, 5175 ± 2132) and 38 participants maintained PA (early period, 6326 ± 2477; late period, 6628 ± 2636). Both groups significantly improved their performance in TUG and CSRT at the posttest compared with the baseline. A significant group-by-time interaction on the walking speed (P = .038) was observed: participants who maintained PA improved their performance more than those who decreased their PA. Square-stepping exercise requires and strengthens dynamic balance and agility, which contributed to the improved time effects that occurred in TUG and CSRT. On the contrary, because PA is positively associated with walking speed, maintaining daily life PA outside an exercise program may have a stronger influence on walking speed. To enhance the effectiveness of an exercise program for young-old adults, researchers and instructors should try to maintain the participant's daily life PA outside the program. Regardless of decreasing or maintaining daily life PA, the square-stepping exercise program could improve aspects of LEPF that require complex physical performance. However, a greater effect can be expected when participants maintain their daily life PA outside the exercise program.

Infrequent and Frequent Nondaily Smokers and Daily Smokers: Their Characteristics and Other Tobacco Use Patterns.

PubMed

Wang, Yingning; Sung, Hai-Yen; Yao, Tingting; Lightwood, James; Max, Wendy

2018-05-03

The proportion of smokers who do not smoke daily has increased over time, but nondaily smokers are a heterogeneous group. We compare characteristics and other tobacco product use of infrequent nondaily, frequent nondaily, and daily US adult smokers. We analyzed data from the 1998, 2000, 2005, and 2010 National Health Interview Surveys. Current smokers were categorized as daily, infrequent nondaily (smoked 1-12 days in the past 30 days), and frequent nondaily (smoked 13-29 days in the past 30 days) smokers. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the correlates of infrequent nondaily, frequent nondaily, and daily smoking. Among current smokers, 8.3% were infrequent nondaily, 8.1% were frequent nondaily, and 83.6% were daily smokers. The prevalence of infrequent versus daily smoking increased over time, with a smaller increase among non-Hispanic Blacks than non-Hispanic Whites. The adjusted odds of both infrequent and frequent smoking versus daily smoking differed by age, race/ethnicity, education, poverty status, marital status, region, quit attempts in the past 12 months, and binge drinking. Snuff users (vs. non-snuff users) were 2.4 times as likely to be infrequent than daily smokers. There were also differences in race/ethnicity, education, marital status, region, quit attempts, and snuff use between infrequent versus frequent smokers. Infrequent smokers differ from both frequent and daily smokers in socio-demographics, quit attempts, and snuff use. The heterogeneity of nondaily smokers should be considered in developing targeted tobacco control and smoking cessation programs. Infrequent and frequent nondaily smokers were found to differ from daily smokers in age, race/ethnicity, education, poverty status, marital status, region, and quit attempts and they were different from each other in race/ethnicity, education, marital status, region, and quit attempts. Binge drinkers were more likely to be infrequent smokers and frequent smokers versus daily smokers. Current snuff users were found to have increased odds of infrequent smoking versus daily smoking and versus frequent smoking. These results highlight the importance of acknowledging the differences among nondaily smokers in smoking frequency in developing targeted tobacco control and smoking cessation programs.

Time series evapotranspiration maps at a regional scale: A methodology, evaluation, and their use in water resources management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gowda, P. H.

2016-12-01

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important process in ecosystems' water budget and closely linked to its productivity. Therefore, regional scale daily time series ET maps developed at high and medium resolutions have large utility in studying the carbon-energy-water nexus and managing water resources. There are efforts to develop such datasets on a regional to global scale but often faced with the limitations of spatial-temporal resolution tradeoffs in satellite remote sensing technology. In this study, we developed frameworks for generating high and medium resolution daily ET maps from Landsat and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data, respectively. For developing high resolution (30-m) daily time series ET maps with Landsat TM data, the series version of Two Source Energy Balance (TSEB) model was used to compute sensible and latent heat fluxes of soil and canopy separately. Landsat 5 (2000-2011) and Landsat 8 (2013-2014) imageries for row 28/35 and 27/36 covering central Oklahoma was used. MODIS data (2001-2014) covering Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle was used to develop medium resolution (250-m), time series daily ET maps with SEBS (Surface Energy Balance System) model. An extensive network of weather stations managed by Texas High Plains ET Network and Oklahoma Mesonet was used to generate spatially interpolated inputs of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, pressure, and reference ET. A linear interpolation sub-model was used to estimate the daily ET between the image acquisition days. Accuracy assessment of daily ET maps were done against eddy covariance data from two grassland sites at El Reno, OK. Statistical results indicated good performance by modeling frameworks developed for deriving time series ET maps. Results indicated that the proposed ET mapping framework is suitable for deriving daily time series ET maps at regional scale with Landsat and MODIS data.

Evaluation of short-term mortality attributable to particulate matter pollution in Spain.

PubMed

Ortiz, Cristina; Linares, Cristina; Carmona, Rocio; Díaz, Julio

2017-05-01

According to the WHO, 3 million deaths are attributable to air pollution due to particulate matter (PM) world-wide. However, there are no specific updated studies which calculate short-term PM-related cause specific mortality in Spain. The objective is to quantify the relative risks (RRs) and attributable risks (ARs) of daily mortality associated with PM 10 concentrations, registered in Spanish provinces and to calculate the number of PM-related deaths. We calculated daily mortality due to natural (ICD-10: A00 R99), circulatory (ICD-10: I00 I99) and respiratory causes (ICD-10: J00 J99) for each province across the period 2000-2009. Mean daily concentrations of PM 10 , NO 2 and O 3 was used. For the estimate of RRs and ARs, we used generalised linear models with a Poisson link. A meta-analysis was used to estimate RRs and ARs in the provinces with statically significant results. The overall RRs obtained for these provinces, corresponding to increases of 10 μ g/m 3 in PM 10 concentrations were 1.009 (95% CI: 1.006 1011) for natural, 1.026 (95% CI: 1.019 1033) for respiratory, and 1.009 (95% CI: 1.006 1012) for circulatory-cause mortality. This amounted to an annual overall total of 2683 deaths (95% CI: 852 4354) due to natural, 651 (95% CI: 359 1026) due to respiratory, and 556 (95% CI: 116 1012) due to circulatory causes, with 90% of this mortality lying below the WHO guideline values. This study provides an updated estimate of the effect had by this type of pollutant on causes of mortality, and constitutes an important basis for reinforcing public health measures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beliefs about Lying and Spreading of Dishonesty: Undetected Lies and Their Constructive and Destructive Social Dynamics in Dice Experiments

PubMed Central

Rauhut, Heiko

2013-01-01

Field experiments have shown that observing other people littering, stealing or lying can trigger own misconduct, leading to a decay of social order. However, a large extent of norm violations goes undetected. Hence, the direction of the dynamics crucially depends on actors’ beliefs regarding undetected transgressions. Because undetected transgressions are hardly measureable in the field, a laboratory experiment was developed, where the complete prevalence of norm violations, subjective beliefs about them, and their behavioral dynamics is measurable. In the experiment, subjects could lie about their monetary payoffs, estimate the extent of liars in their group and make subsequent lies contingent on information about other people’s lies. Results show that informed people who underestimate others’ lying increase own lying more than twice and those who overestimate, decrease it by more than half compared to people without information about others’ lies. This substantial interaction puts previous results into perspective, showing that information about others’ transgressions can trigger dynamics in both directions: the spreading of normative decay and restoring of norm adherence. PMID:24236007

Academic Performance Differences among Ethnic Groups: Do the Daily Use and Management of Time Offer Explanations?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meeuwisse, Marieke; Born, Marise Ph.; Severiens, Sabine E.

2013-01-01

This explorative study describes time use and time management behaviour of ethnic minority and ethnic majority students as possible explanations for the poorer study results of ethnic minority students compared to those of majority students. We used a diary approach in a small sample to examine students' daily time use in both a lecture week…

[Analysis of risk factors for dry eye syndrome in visual display terminal workers].

PubMed

Zhu, Yong; Yu, Wen-lan; Xu, Ming; Han, Lei; Cao, Wen-dong; Zhang, Hong-bing; Zhang, Heng-dong

2013-08-01

To analyze the risk factors for dry eye syndrome in visual display terminal (VDT) workers and to provide a scientific basis for protecting the eye health of VDT workers. Questionnaire survey, Schirmer I test, tear break-up time test, and workshop microenvironment evaluation were performed in 185 VDT workers. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk factors for dry eye syndrome in VDT workers after adjustment for confounding factors. In the logistic regression model, the regression coefficients of daily mean time of exposure to screen, daily mean time of watching TV, parallel screen-eye angle, upward screen-eye angle, eye-screen distance of less than 20 cm, irregular breaks during screen-exposed work, age, and female gender on the results of Schirmer I test were 0.153, 0.548, 0.400, 0.796, 0.234, 0.516, 0.559, and -0.685, respectively; the regression coefficients of daily mean time of exposure to screen, parallel screen-eye angle, upward screen-eye angle, age, working years, and female gender on tear break-up time were 0.021, 0.625, 2.652, 0.749, 0.403, and 1.481, respectively. Daily mean time of exposure to screen, daily mean time of watching TV, parallel screen-eye angle, upward screen-eye angle, eye-screen distance of less than 20 cm, irregular breaks during screen-exposed work, age, and working years are risk factors for dry eye syndrome in VDT workers.

Operational flood control of a low-lying delta system using large time step Model Predictive Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Xin; van Overloop, Peter-Jules; Negenborn, Rudy R.; van de Giesen, Nick

2015-01-01

The safety of low-lying deltas is threatened not only by riverine flooding but by storm-induced coastal flooding as well. For the purpose of flood control, these deltas are mostly protected in a man-made environment, where dikes, dams and other adjustable infrastructures, such as gates, barriers and pumps are widely constructed. Instead of always reinforcing and heightening these structures, it is worth considering making the most of the existing infrastructure to reduce the damage and manage the delta in an operational and overall way. In this study, an advanced real-time control approach, Model Predictive Control, is proposed to operate these structures in the Dutch delta system (the Rhine-Meuse delta). The application covers non-linearity in the dynamic behavior of the water system and the structures. To deal with the non-linearity, a linearization scheme is applied which directly uses the gate height instead of the structure flow as the control variable. Given the fact that MPC needs to compute control actions in real-time, we address issues regarding computational time. A new large time step scheme is proposed in order to save computation time, in which different control variables can have different control time steps. Simulation experiments demonstrate that Model Predictive Control with the large time step setting is able to control a delta system better and much more efficiently than the conventional operational schemes.

Method and Apparatus for Monitoring of Daily Activity in Terms of Ground Reaction Forces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whalen, Robert T. (Inventor); Breit, Gregory A. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A device to record and analyze habitual daily activity in terms of the history of gait-related musculoskeletal loading is disclosed. The device consists of a pressure-sensing insole placed into the shoe or embedded in a shoe sole, which detects contact of the foot with the ground. The sensor is coupled to a portable battery-powered digital data logger clipped to the shoe or worn around the ankle or waist. During the course of normal daily activity, the system maintains a record of time-of-occurrence of all non-spurious foot-down and lift-off events. Off line, these data are filtered and converted to a history of foot-ground contact times, from which measures of cumulative musculoskeletal loading, average walking- and running-specific gait speed, total time spent walking and running, total number of walking steps and running steps, and total gait-related energy expenditure are estimated from empirical regressions of various gait parameters to the contact time reciprocal. Data are available as cumulative values or as daily averages by menu selection. The data provided by this device are useful for assessment of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health and risk factors associated with habitual patterns of daily activity.

Moving toward more perfect unions: daily and long-term consequences of approach and avoidance goals in romantic relationships.

PubMed

Impett, Emily A; Gordon, Amie M; Kogan, Aleksandr; Oveis, Christopher; Gable, Shelly L; Keltner, Dacher

2010-12-01

In 2 daily experience studies and a laboratory study, the authors test predictions from approach-avoidance motivational theory to understand how dating couples can maintain feelings of relationship satisfaction in their daily lives and over the course of time. Approach goals were associated with increased relationship satisfaction on a daily basis and over time, particularly when both partners were high in approach goals. Avoidance goals were associated with decreases in relationship satisfaction over time, and people were particularly dissatisfied when they were involved with a partner with high avoidance goals. People high in approach goals and their partners were rated as relatively more satisfied and responsive to a partner's needs by outside observers in the lab, whereas people with high avoidance goals and their partners were rated as less satisfied and responsive. Positive emotions mediated the link between approach goals and daily satisfaction in both studies, and responsiveness to the partner's needs was an additional behavioral mechanism in Study 2. Implications of these findings for approach-avoidance motivational theory and for the maintenance of satisfying relationships over time are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

The history of in-flight exercise in the US manned space program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Thomas P.

1989-01-01

A historical perspective on in-flight exercise in the U.S. manned space program is given. We have learned a great deal in the 25 years since the inception of Project Mercury. But, as we look forward to a Space Station and long-duration space flight, we must recognize the challenge that lies ahead. The importance of maintenance of the crewmember's physical condition during long stays in weightlessness is a prime concern that should not be minimized. The challenge lies in the design and development of exercise equipment and protocols that will prevent or minimize the deleterious sequelae of long-duration space flight while maximizing valuable on-orbit crew time.

A numerical study of the thermal stability of low-lying coronal loops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klimchuk, J. A.; Antiochos, S. K.; Mariska, J. T.

1986-01-01

The nonlinear evolution of loops that are subjected to a variety of small but finite perturbations was studied. Only the low-lying loops are considered. The analysis was performed numerically using a one-dimensional hydrodynamical model developed at the Naval Research Laboratory. The computer codes solve the time-dependent equations for mass, momentum, and energy transport. The primary interest is the active region filaments, hence a geometry appropriate to those structures was considered. The static solutions were subjected to a moderate sized perturbation and allowed to evolve. The results suggest that both hot and cool loops of the geometry considered are thermally stable against amplitude perturbations of all kinds.

Use of a Daily Report Card in an Intervention Package Involving Home-School Communication to Reduce Disruptive Behavior in Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeBel, Teresa J.; Chafouleas, Sandra M.; Britner, Preston A.; Simonsen, Brandi

2013-01-01

The effectiveness of a daily report card in an intervention package involving home-school communication to decrease disruptive behavior in preschoolers was investigated. A sample of four preschool-aged children in two classrooms served as participants. Teachers rated behavior three times daily for each participant using a daily report card.…

A daily Azores-Iceland North Atlantic Oscillation index back to 1850.

PubMed

Cropper, Thomas; Hanna, Edward; Valente, Maria Antónia; Jónsson, Trausti

2015-07-01

We present the construction of a continuous, daily (09:00 UTC), station-based (Azores-Iceland) North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) Index back to 1871 which is extended back to 1850 with additional daily mean data. The constructed index more than doubles the length of previously existing, widely available, daily NAO time series. The index is created using entirely observational sea-level pressure (SLP) data from Iceland and 73.5% of observational SLP data from the Azores - the remainder being filled in via reanalysis (Twentieth Century Reanalysis Project and European Mean Sea Level Pressure) SLP data. Icelandic data are taken from the Southwest Iceland pressure series. We construct and document a new Ponta Delgada SLP time series based on recently digitized and newly available data that extend back to 1872. The Ponta Delgada time series is created by splicing together several fractured records (from Ponta Delgada, Lajes, and Santa Maria) and filling in the major gaps (pre-1872, 1888-1905, and 1940-1941) and occasional days (145) with reanalysis data. Further homogeneity corrections are applied to the Azores record, and the daily (09:00 UTC) NAO index is then calculated. The resulting index, with its extended temporal length and daily resolution, is the first reconstruction of daily NAO back into the 19th Century and therefore is useful for researchers across multiple disciplines.

Should non-disclosures be considered as morally equivalent to lies within the doctor–patient relationship?

PubMed Central

Cox, Caitriona L; Fritz, Zoe

2016-01-01

In modern practice, doctors who outright lie to their patients are often condemned, yet those who employ non-lying deceptions tend to be judged less critically. Some areas of non-disclosure have recently been challenged: not telling patients about resuscitation decisions; inadequately informing patients about risks of alternative procedures and withholding information about medical errors. Despite this, there remain many areas of clinical practice where non-disclosures of information are accepted, where lies about such information would not be. Using illustrative hypothetical situations, all based on common clinical practice, we explore the extent to which we should consider other deceptive practices in medicine to be morally equivalent to lying. We suggest that there is no significant moral difference between lying to a patient and intentionally withholding relevant information: non-disclosures could be subjected to Bok's ‘Test of Publicity’ to assess permissibility in the same way that lies are. The moral equivalence of lying and relevant non-disclosure is particularly compelling when the agent's motivations, and the consequences of the actions (from the patient's perspectives), are the same. We conclude that it is arbitrary to claim that there is anything inherently worse about lying to a patient to mislead them than intentionally deceiving them using other methods, such as euphemism or non-disclosure. We should question our intuition that non-lying deceptive practices in clinical practice are more permissible and should thus subject non-disclosures to the same scrutiny we afford to lies. PMID:27451425

Editorial cognition, neurology, psychiatry: golden triangle or bermuda triangle?

PubMed

Baddeley, A D

1996-08-01

Cognitive neuropsychiatry occupies the comparatively neglected research region that lies between neurology, psychiatry, and cognitive psychology. Reasons for this neglect are discussed, together with arguments as to why it may be timely to focus on this intellectual no man's land.

Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development. 2010/11-2012/13 Service Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, 2010

2010-01-01

British Columbia is facing challenging economic times. Indeed, the province is managing the effects of an economic recession that has been truly global in nature. In times like these, it becomes even more important to draw on the core strengths of the province and clearly recognize that the opportunities for everyone's future lie in the innovative…

Short daily exposure to hand-arm vibrations in Swedish car mechanics.

PubMed

Barregård, Lars

2003-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine the daily exposure times to hand-arm vibrations in Swedish car mechanics, to test a method for estimating the exposure time without observing the workers for whole days, and to use the results for predicting the prevalence of vibration-induced white fingers (VWF) by the ISO 5349-model. Six garages were surveyed. In each garage, 5-10 car mechanics were observed in random order every 30 seconds throughout working days. The daily exposure time for each mechanic was estimated from the fraction of the observations that the mechanic was exposed. A total of 51 mechanics were observed, most of them on two different working days, yielding estimates for 95 days. The median effective exposure time was 10 minutes per day (95% confidence interval 5-15 minutes, arithmetic mean 14 minutes, maximum 80 minutes), and most of the exposure time was attributable to fastening and loosening nuts. The within-worker and between-worker variability was high (total sigma2 0.99, geometric standard deviation of 2.7). Using the observed exposure time and data on vibration levels of the main tools in Swedish car mechanics (average weighted acceleration level of 3.5 m/s2), the model in ISO-standard 5349 would predict that only three percent of the car mechanics will suffer from VWF after 20 years of exposure. In contrast, a recent survey of VWF showed the prevalence to be 25 percent. The precision of the observation method was estimated and was found to be good for the group daily mean. On the individual level the precision was only acceptable if the daily exposure time was > or = 40 minutes. In conclusion, the daily exposure time was short and the vibration level was limited. Nevertheless, hand-arm vibrations cause VWF in a significant number of car mechanics. The method of observing workers intermittently seemed to work well.

Climate Information Responding to User Needs (CIRUN)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busalacchi, A. J.

2009-05-01

For the past several decades many different US agencies have been involved in collecting Earth observations, e.g., NASA, NOAA, DoD, USGS, USDA. More recently, the US has led the international effort to design a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). Yet, there has been little substantive progress at the synthesis and integration of the various research and operational, space-based and in situ, observations. Similarly, access to such a range of observations across the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface remains fragmented. With respect to prediction of the Earth System, the US has not developed a comprehensive strategy. For climate, the US (e.g., NOAA, NASA, DoE) has taken a two-track strategy. At the more immediate time scale, coupled ocean-atmosphere models of the physical climate system have built upon the tradition of daily numerical weather prediction in order to extend the forecast window to seasonal to interannual times scales. At the century time scale, the nascent development of Earth System models, combining components of the physical climate system with biogeochemical cycles, are being used to provide future climate change projections in response to anticipated greenhouse gas forcings. Between these to two approaches to prediction lies a key deficiency of interest to decision makers, especially as it pertains to adaptation, i.e., deterministic prediction of the Earth System at time scales from days to decades with spatial scales from global to regional. One of many obstacles to be overcome is the design of present day observation and prediction products based on user needs. To date, most of such products have evolved from the technology and research "push" rather than the user or stakeholder "pull". In the future as planning proceeds for a national climate service, emphasis must be given to a more coordinated approach in which stakeholders' needs help design future Earth System observational and prediction products, and similarly, such products need to be tailored to provide decision support.

Exploring the Ability to Deceive in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Kelley, Elizabeth A.; Evans, Angela D.; Lee, Kang

2012-01-01

The present study explored the relations among lie-telling ability, false belief understanding, and verbal mental age. We found that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), like typically developing children, can and do tell antisocial lies (to conceal a transgression) and white lies (in politeness settings). However, children with ASD were less able than typically developing children to cover up their initial lie; that is, children with ASD had difficulty exercising semantic leakage control—the ability to maintain consistency between their initial lie and subsequent statements. Furthermore, unlike in typically developing children, lie-telling ability in children with ASD was not found to be related to their false belief understanding. Future research should examine the underlying processes by which children with ASD tell lies. PMID:20556501

Application of time-reversal guided waves to field bridge testing for baseline-free damage diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S. B.; Sohn, H.

2006-03-01

There is ongoing research at Carnegie Mellon University to develop a "baseline-free" nondestructive evaluation technique. The uniqueness of this baseline-free diagnosis lies in that certain types of damage can be identified without direct comparison of test signals with previously stored baseline signals. By relaxing dependency on the past baseline data, false positive indications of damage, which might take place due to varying operational and environmental conditions of in-service structures, can be minimized. This baseline-free diagnosis technique is developed based on the concept of a time reversal process (TRP). According to the TRP, an input signal at an original excitation location can be reconstructed if a response signal obtained from another point is emitted back to the original point after being reversed in a time domain. Damage diagnosis lies in the premise that the time reversibility breaks down when a certain type of defect such as nonlinear damage exists along the wave propagation path. Then, the defect can be sensed by examining a reconstructed signal after the TRP. In this paper, the feasibility of the proposed NDT technique is investigated using actual test data obtained from the Buffalo Creek Bridge in Pennsylvania.

Proof of concept: performance testing in models.

PubMed

Craig, W A

2004-04-01

Pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) principles that predict antimicrobial efficacy can be used to set targets for antimicrobial design and optimisation. Although current formulations of amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanate have retained their efficacy against many, but not all, penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae, additional coverage is required to address the growing problem of drug-resistant strains. Accordingly, two new oral formulations of amoxicillin/clavulanate, a paediatric formulation at 90/6.4 mg/kg/day and a pharmacokinetically enhanced formulation at 2000/125 mg twice daily for adults, were designed using PK/PD principles. These principles indicate that for amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanate, a time above MIC of 35-40% of the dosing interval is predictive of high bacterial efficacy. In line with PK/PD predictions, simulation of human pharmacokinetics in in-vitro kinetic models and in a rat model of pneumonia, amoxicillin/clavulanate 2000/125 mg twice daily was highly effective against S. pneumoniae strains with amoxicillin MICs of 4 or 8 mg/L. Against strains with amoxicillin MICs of 4 mg/L, amoxicillin/clavulanate 2000/125 mg twice daily was significantly more effective than the conventional 875/125 mg twice daily formulation, azithromycin and levofloxacin, even though all levofloxacin MICs were < or = 1 mg/L. Following infection with S. pneumoniae strains with amoxicillin MICs of 8 mg/L, the amoxicillin/clavulanate 2000/125 mg twice daily formulation was more effective than the conventional amoxicillin/clavulanate formulations of 875/125 mg twice daily and three times daily and 1000/125 mg three times daily, and had similar or better efficacy than azithromycin and levofloxacin, depending on the strain. These data indicate the potential benefit of therapy with amoxicillin/clavulanate 2000/125 mg twice daily compared with conventional formulations and other marketed antimicrobials in the treatment of respiratory tract infection.

A cut-off of daily sedentary time and all-cause mortality in adults: a meta-regression analysis involving more than 1 million participants.

PubMed

Ku, Po-Wen; Steptoe, Andrew; Liao, Yung; Hsueh, Ming-Chun; Chen, Li-Jung

2018-05-25

The appropriate limit to the amount of daily sedentary time (ST) required to minimize mortality is uncertain. This meta-analysis aimed to quantify the dose-response association between daily ST and all-cause mortality and to explore the cut-off point above which health is impaired in adults aged 18-64 years old. We also examined whether there are differences between studies using self-report ST and those with device-based ST. Prospective cohort studies providing effect estimates of daily ST (exposure) on all-cause mortality (outcome) were identified via MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases until January 2018. Dose-response relationships between daily ST and all-cause mortality were examined using random-effects meta-regression models. Based on the pooled data for more than 1 million participants from 19 studies, the results showed a log-linear dose-response association between daily ST and all-cause mortality. Overall, more time spent in sedentary behaviors is associated with increased mortality risks. However, the method of measuring ST moderated the association between daily ST and mortality risk (p < 0.05). The cut-off of daily ST in studies with self-report ST was 7 h/day in comparison with 9 h/day for those with device-based ST. Higher amounts of daily ST are log-linearly associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality in adults. On the basis of a limited number of studies using device-based measures, the findings suggest that it may be appropriate to encourage adults to engage in less sedentary behaviors, with fewer than 9 h a day being relevant for all-cause mortality.

waterData--An R package for retrieval, analysis, and anomaly calculation of daily hydrologic time series data, version 1.0

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryberg, Karen R.; Vecchia, Aldo V.

2012-01-01

Hydrologic time series data and associated anomalies (multiple components of the original time series representing variability at longer-term and shorter-term time scales) are useful for modeling trends in hydrologic variables, such as streamflow, and for modeling water-quality constituents. An R package, called waterData, has been developed for importing daily hydrologic time series data from U.S. Geological Survey streamgages into the R programming environment. In addition to streamflow, data retrieval may include gage height and continuous physical property data, such as specific conductance, pH, water temperature, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen. The package allows for importing daily hydrologic data into R, plotting the data, fixing common data problems, summarizing the data, and the calculation and graphical presentation of anomalies.

How community action, science and common sense can work together to develop an alternative way to combat desertification.

PubMed

Bethune, Shirley; Schachtschneider, Klaudia

2004-12-01

The Spitzkoppe Community Campsite in western Namibia lies in an area with very limited water resources. Water scarcity places a constraint on community income generation and development opportunities. The existing water resources are overexploited and to ensure future water security, the community must take sustainable water management into consideration in their daily lives and business ventures, including tourism. This has been successfully achieved at the Spitzkoppe Community Campsite through a combination of high community motivation, organisation and action, the involvement of researchers and trainers in water resource management and support from developers. The most appropriate water management solutions were found through ongoing practical testing of different strategies and technologies over two years. This paper presents a case study of a community-based tourist camp at Spitzkoppe and traces the community's progress towards developing an alternative way to combat desertification and a potentially lucrative tourist business.

Mountain evaporation profiles on the island of Hawai'i

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bean, Christine; Juvik, James O.; Nullet, Dennis

1994-04-01

Evaporation was measured along three altitudinal transects on Mauna Loa, on the island of Hawai'i. Stations lie between 70 and 3400 m a.s.l. and included environments ranging from tropical rainforest with 6 m year -1 annual rainfall to barren, subalpine lava fields in a dry environment above a persistent, subsidence temperature inversion. Average daily evaporation decreased with elevation between sea-level and about 1200 m, and then increased with elevation above that level. Evaporation minima ranged from 1.9 to 2.2 mm day -1. The maximum evaporation rate, 6.1 mm day -1, was at the highest site, Mauna Loa Observatory at 3400 m. Analysis of pan-evaporation data collected at 3400 m showed that standard formulae based on other meteorological variables provided good approximations of measured evaporation. Transect data were also compared with similar measurements from mountains on other Hawaiian islands.

Hom Gel'fand-Dorfman bialgebras and Hom-Lie conformal algebras

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yuan, Lamei, E-mail: lmyuan@hit.edu.cn

2014-04-15

The aim of this paper is to introduce the notions of Hom Gel'fand-Dorfman bialgebra and Hom-Lie conformal algebra. In this paper, we give four constructions of Hom Gel'fand-Dorfman bialgebras. Also, we provide a general construction of Hom-Lie conformal algebras from Hom-Lie algebras. Finally, we prove that a Hom Gel'fand-Dorfman bialgebra is equivalent to a Hom-Lie conformal algebra of degree 2.

Dynamic regression modeling of daily nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in a large agricultural watershed.

PubMed

Feng, Zhujing; Schilling, Keith E; Chan, Kung-Sik

2013-06-01

Nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in rivers represent challenges for water supplies that use surface water sources. Nitrate concentrations are often modeled using time-series approaches, but previous efforts have typically relied on monthly time steps. In this study, we developed a dynamic regression model of daily nitrate concentrations in the Raccoon River, Iowa, that incorporated contemporaneous and lags of precipitation and discharge occurring at several locations around the basin. Results suggested that 95 % of the variation in daily nitrate concentrations measured at the outlet of a large agricultural watershed can be explained by time-series patterns of precipitation and discharge occurring in the basin. Discharge was found to be a more important regression variable than precipitation in our model but both regression parameters were strongly correlated with nitrate concentrations. The time-series model was consistent with known patterns of nitrate behavior in the watershed, successfully identifying contemporaneous dilution mechanisms from higher relief and urban areas of the basin while incorporating the delayed contribution of nitrate from tile-drained regions in a lagged response. The first difference of the model errors were modeled as an AR(16) process and suggest that daily nitrate concentration changes remain temporally correlated for more than 2 weeks although temporal correlation was stronger in the first few days before tapering off. Consequently, daily nitrate concentrations are non-stationary, i.e. of strong memory. Using time-series models to reliably forecast daily nitrate concentrations in a river based on patterns of precipitation and discharge occurring in its basin may be of great interest to water suppliers.

Laboratory Study of Airborne Fallout Particles and Their Time Distribution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, H. A., Jr.; And Others

1979-01-01

Samples of filtered airborne particulate, collected daily for the first month after the September 18, 1977 Chinese nuclear detonation, showed fourteen fission products. Fluctuations in the daily fallout activity levels suggested a global fallout orbit time of approximately twenty days. (Author/BB)

Daily Medicine Record for Your Child

MedlinePlus

... Age: ____ 2 years old___ Weight: ___ 30 pounds ___ Daily Medicine Record Child’s name: ___________________ Today’s date: _________________ Age: ____________ Weight: ________________ (pounds) Time Problem ...

Hybrid Topological Lie-Hamiltonian Learning in Evolving Energy Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivancevic, Vladimir G.; Reid, Darryn J.

2015-11-01

In this Chapter, a novel bidirectional algorithm for hybrid (discrete + continuous-time) Lie-Hamiltonian evolution in adaptive energy landscape-manifold is designed and its topological representation is proposed. The algorithm is developed within a geometrically and topologically extended framework of Hopfield's neural nets and Haken's synergetics (it is currently designed in Mathematica, although with small changes it could be implemented in Symbolic C++ or any other computer algebra system). The adaptive energy manifold is determined by the Hamiltonian multivariate cost function H, based on the user-defined vehicle-fleet configuration matrix W, which represents the pseudo-Riemannian metric tensor of the energy manifold. Search for the global minimum of H is performed using random signal differential Hebbian adaptation. This stochastic gradient evolution is driven (or, pulled-down) by `gravitational forces' defined by the 2nd Lie derivatives of H. Topological changes of the fleet matrix W are observed during the evolution and its topological invariant is established. The evolution stops when the W-topology breaks down into several connectivity-components, followed by topology-breaking instability sequence (i.e., a series of phase transitions).

Nanosecond lifetime measurements of Iπ=9/2- intrinsic excited states and low-lying B(E1) strengths in 183Re using combined HPGe-LaBr3 coincidence spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurgi, L. A.; Regan, P. H.; Daniel, T.; Podolyák, Zs.; Bruce, A. M.; Mason, P. J. R.; Mǎrginean, N.; Mǎrginean, R.; Werner, V.; Alharbi, T.; Alkhomashi, N.; Bajoga, A. D.; Britton, R.; Cǎta-Danil, I.; Carroll, R. J.; Deleanu, D.; Bucurescu, D.; Florea, N.; Gheorghe, I.; Ghita, D. G.; Glodariu, T.; Lice, R.; Mihai, C.; Mulholland, K. F.; Negret, A.; Olacel, A.; Roberts, O. J.; Sava, T.; Söderström, P.-A.; Stroe, L.; Suvaila, R.; Toma, S.; Wilson, E.; Wood, R. T.

2017-08-01

This paper presents precision measurements of electromagnetic decay probabilities associated with electric dipole transitions in the prolate-deformed nucleus 183Re. The nucleus of interest was formed using the fusion evaporation reaction 180Hf(7Li,4n)183Re at a beam energy of 30 MeV at the tandem accelerator at the HH-IFIN Institute, Bucharest Romania. Coincident decay gamma rays from near-yrast cascades were detected using the combined HPGe-LaBr3 detector array ROSPHERE. The time differences between cascade gamma rays were measured using the LaBr3 detectors to determine the half-lives of the two lowest lying spin-parity 9/2- states at excitation energies of 496 and 617 keV to be 5.65(5) and 2.08(3) ns respectively. The deduced E1 transition rates from these two states are discussed in terms of the K-hindrance between the low-lying structures in this prolate-deformed nucleus.

Decoupling the effects of primary production and residence time variation on nitrogen retention in a tidally-influenced spring run

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hensley, R. T.; Cohen, M. J.; Korhnak, L. V.

2013-12-01

Models of nitrogen (N) retention in river networks suggest biogeochemical as well as hydraulic properties exert considerable control on reach scale nutrient retention rates. Freshwater tidally influenced rivers provide a model system for decoupling metabolic vs. hydraulic controls on retention. The clear diurnal N retention signal in response to assimilatory uptake observed in other rivers becomes convoluted as the solar day moves in and out of phase with the semi-diurnal (~12.5 hr) tidal cycle. We used an upstream-downstream mass balance approach to estimate N retention at 15 minute intervals over an entire lunar month in Manatee Springs, a tidally varying, spring-fed stream in North Florida. Retention rates varied markedly with tidal forcing. Contrary to our expectations, higher retention rates and shorter uptake lengths were observed at low tide, corresponding to the shortest residence times, which varied between 22 and 71 minutes in this 350m reach. By profiling a continuously injected conservative tracer under both high and low tide conditions, we determined this was not the result of variation in lateral inflow (e.g., dilution from denitrified hyporheic porewater at lower channel stage). This increased retention at shorter residence times (and hence higher velocity) may be the result of greater turbulent mixing, which drives river water into the benthic reactive zone where the principal retention pathway, denitrification, occurs. After controlling for residence time effects, the residual retention signal exhibited a strong diel pattern. This assimilatory N retention was highly correlated with daily primary production (using the diel oxygen method), and estimated ecosystem molar C:N ratios (8.55×0.83:1) were comparable to observed tissue stoichiometry of the dominant autotrophs (9:1). N retention (blue) and residence time (red) calculated at 15 minute intervals. Note the inverse correlation; highest retention rates occur at the shortest residence times. N retention versus residence time separated into daytime (yellow) and nighttime (blue) data points. Note the daytime data points generally lie above the nighttime regression as a result of higher daytime retention due to assimilatory uptake.

On Maximal Subalgebras and the Hypercentre of Lie Algebras.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honda, Masanobu

1997-01-01

Derives two sufficient conditions for a finitely generated Lie algebra to have the nilpotent hypercenter. Presents a relatively large class of generalized soluble Lie algebras. Proves that if a finitely generated Lie algebra has a nilpotent maximal subalgebra, the Fitting radical is nilpotent. (DDR)

Can beneficial ends justify lying? Neural responses to the passive reception of lies and truth-telling with beneficial and harmful monetary outcomes

PubMed Central

Weber, Bernd

2016-01-01

Can beneficial ends justify morally questionable means? To investigate how monetary outcomes influence the neural responses to lying, we used a modified, cheap talk sender–receiver game in which participants were the direct recipients of lies and truthful statements resulting in either beneficial or harmful monetary outcomes. Both truth-telling (vs lying) as well as beneficial (vs harmful) outcomes elicited higher activity in the nucleus accumbens. Lying (vs truth-telling) elicited higher activity in the supplementary motor area, right inferior frontal gyrus, superior temporal sulcus and left anterior insula. Moreover, the significant interaction effect was found in the left amygdala, which showed that the monetary outcomes modulated the neural activity in the left amygdala only when truth-telling rather than lying. Our study identified a neural network associated with the reception of lies and truth, including the regions linked to the reward process, recognition and emotional experiences of being treated (dis)honestly. PMID:26454816

Lie-Hamilton systems on the plane: Properties, classification and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballesteros, A.; Blasco, A.; Herranz, F. J.; de Lucas, J.; Sardón, C.

2015-04-01

We study Lie-Hamilton systems on the plane, i.e. systems of first-order differential equations describing the integral curves of a t-dependent vector field taking values in a finite-dimensional real Lie algebra of planar Hamiltonian vector fields with respect to a Poisson structure. We start with the local classification of finite-dimensional real Lie algebras of vector fields on the plane obtained in González-López, Kamran, and Olver (1992) [23] and we interpret their results as a local classification of Lie systems. By determining which of these real Lie algebras consist of Hamiltonian vector fields relative to a Poisson structure, we provide the complete local classification of Lie-Hamilton systems on the plane. We present and study through our results new Lie-Hamilton systems of interest which are used to investigate relevant non-autonomous differential equations, e.g. we get explicit local diffeomorphisms between such systems. We also analyse biomathematical models, the Milne-Pinney equations, second-order Kummer-Schwarz equations, complex Riccati equations and Buchdahl equations.

Particle-like structure of coaxial Lie algebras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinogradov, A. M.

2018-01-01

This paper is a natural continuation of Vinogradov [J. Math. Phys. 58, 071703 (2017)] where we proved that any Lie algebra over an algebraically closed field or over R can be assembled in a number of steps from two elementary constituents, called dyons and triadons. Here we consider the problems of the construction and classification of those Lie algebras which can be assembled in one step from base dyons and triadons, called coaxial Lie algebras. The base dyons and triadons are Lie algebra structures that have only one non-trivial structure constant in a given basis, while coaxial Lie algebras are linear combinations of pairwise compatible base dyons and triadons. We describe the maximal families of pairwise compatible base dyons and triadons called clusters, and, as a consequence, we give a complete description of the coaxial Lie algebras. The remarkable fact is that dyons and triadons in clusters are self-organised in structural groups which are surrounded by casings and linked by connectives. We discuss generalisations and applications to the theory of deformations of Lie algebras.

Lies that feel honest: Dissociating between incentive and deviance processing when evaluating dishonesty.

PubMed

Lelieveld, Gert-Jan; Shalvi, Shaul; Crone, Eveline A

2016-05-01

This study investigated neural responses to evaluations of lies made by others. Participants learned about other individuals who were instructed to privately roll a die twice and report the outcome of the first roll to determine their pay (with higher rolls leading to higher pay). Participants evaluated three types of outcomes: honest reports, justifiable lies (reporting the second outcome instead of the first), or unjustifiable lies (reporting a different outcome than both die rolls). Evaluating lies relative to honest reports was associated with increased activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insula and lateral prefrontal cortex. Moreover, justifiable lies were associated with even stronger activity in the dorsal ACC and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to unjustifiable lies. These activities were more pronounced for justifiable lies where the deviance from the real outcome was larger. Together, these findings have implications for understanding how humans judge misconduct behavior of others. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The freckle plot (daily turnaround time chart): a technique for timely and effective quality improvement of test turnaround times.

PubMed

Pellar, T G; Ward, P J; Tuckerman, J F; Henderson, A R

1993-06-01

Test turnaround times are often monitored on a monthly basis. However, such an interval usually means that not all causes for delay in test reporting can be unequivocally identified for institution of remedial action. We have devised a daily chart--the freckle plot--that graphically displays the test turnaround times by laboratory receipt time. Different symbols are used to designate specimens reported within the test's turnaround time limit, those within 10 min beyond that limit, and those well outside the limit. These categories are adjustable to suit different limits of stringency. Freckle plots are produced on a daily basis and can be used to track down causes for test delays. Using the 1-h turnaround time "stat" potassium test as a model, we found 16 causes for test delay, of which 9 were potentially remediable. By applying these remedies, we were able to increase test compliance, in the day shift, from 91.5% (95% confidence interval 88.8%-93.7%) to 97.6% (95% confidence interval 96.4-98.55%), which is significant at P < 10(-7). This daily plot is a useful quality assurance tool, supplementing the more conventional tests used to ensure laboratory quality improvement.

Why are they late? Timing abilities and executive control among students with learning disabilities.

PubMed

Grinblat, Nufar; Rosenblum, Sara

2016-12-01

While a deficient ability to perform daily tasks on time has been reported among students with learning disabilities (LD), the underlying mechanism behind their 'being late' is still unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the organization in time, time estimation abilities, actual performance time pertaining to specific daily activities, as well as the executive functions of students with LD in comparison to those of controls, and to assess the relationships between these domains among each group. The participants were 27 students with LD, aged 20-30, and 32 gender and age-matched controls who completed the Time Organization and Participation Scale (TOPS) and the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult version (BRIEF-A). In addition, their ability to estimate the time needed to complete the task of preparing a cup of coffee as well as their actual performance time were evaluated. The results indicated that in comparison to controls, students with LD showed significantly inferior organization in time (TOPS) and executive function abilities (BRIEF-A). Furthermore, their time estimation abilities were significantly inferior and they required significantly more time to prepare a cup of coffee. Regression analysis identified the variables that predicted organization in time and task performance time among each group. The significance of the results for both theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. What this paper adds? This study examines the underlying mechanism of the phenomena of being late among students with LD. Following a recent call for using ecologically valid assessments, the functional daily ability of students with LD to prepare a cup of coffee and to organize time were investigated. Furthermore, their time estimation and executive control abilities were examined as a possible underlying mechanism for their lateness. Although previous studies have indicated executive control deficits among students with LD, to our knowledge, this is the first analysis of the relationships between their executive control and time estimation deficits and their influence upon their daily function and organization in time abilities. Our findings demonstrate that students with LD need more time in order to execute simple daily activities, such as preparing a cup of coffee. Deficient working memory, retrospective time estimation ability and inhibition predicted their performance time and organization in time abilities. Therefore, this paper sheds light on the mechanism behind daily performance in time among students with LD and emphasizes the need for future development of focused intervention programs to meet their unique needs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On-eye optical quality of daily disposable contact lenses for different wearing times.

PubMed

Montés-Micó, Robert; Belda-Salmerón, Lurdes; Ferrer-Blasco, Teresa; Albarrán-Diego, César; García-Lázaro, Santiago

2013-09-01

To quantify the optical quality of various daily disposable contact lenses in vivo and to ascertain its variation in terms of wearing time by means of objective non-invasive determination of wavefront patterns. The crx1 adaptive-optics system was used to measure the wavefront aberrations in 15 myopic eyes before and at 2-h intervals after contact lens fitting, over a 12-h wearing period. Seven types of contact lenses having different material, water content and lens design were evaluated in this study: Dailies Total1, Dailies AquaComfort Plus, Proclear 1 Day, 1-Day Acuvue TruEye, 1-Day Acuvue moist, SofLens daily disposable and Clariti 1-Day. The aberration data were analysed by fitting Zernike polynomials up to the 5th-order for 3 and 5-mm pupils. The optical quality under each condition and at each point in time was described by means of the Root-Mean-Square (RMS) value of wavefront aberration, Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), Point Spread Function and cut-off spatial frequency. A RMS increase was observed after contact lens fitting as well as over time, both for a 3-mm and a 5-mm pupil. Each type of lens induced a different amount of wavefront aberrations, which vary over time also in a different manner. Dailies Total1 showed the lowest RMS values both at baseline and at the end of the day. In addition, Dailies Total1 provided the best MTF out of all the contact lenses that were assessed. These observations were reflected in higher cut-off spatial frequencies and visual resolution both at baseline and after 12 h of wearing time. Aberrometry makes it possible to analyse accurately and in vivo the optical quality of contact lenses and to assess how lenses having different characteristics - such as material or water content - behave for different wearing times. These variations across contact lenses may result in differences in visual performance. © 2013 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2013 The College of Optometrists.

Effect of variability in lighting and temperature environments for mature gilts housed in gestation crates on measures of reproduction and animal well-being.

PubMed

Canaday, D C; Salak-Johnson, J L; Visconti, A M; Wang, X; Bhalerao, K; Knox, R V

2013-03-01

The effects of room temperature and light intensity before breeding and into early gestation were evaluated on the reproductive performance and well-being of gilts housed individually in crates. In eight replicates, estrus was synchronized in mature gilts (n = 198) and after last feeding of Matrix were randomly assigned to a room temperature of 15°C (COLD), 21°C (NEUTRAL), or 30°C (HOT) and a light intensity of 11 (DIM) or 433 (BRIGHT) lx. Estrous detection was performed daily and gilts inseminated twice. Blood samples were collected before and after breeding for determination of immune measures and cortisol concentrations. Gilt ADFI, BW, and body temperature were measured. On d 30 postbreeding, gilts were slaughtered to recover reproductive tracts to evaluate pregnancy and litter characteristics. There were no temperature × light intensity interactions for any response variable. Reproductive measures of follicle development, expression of estrus, ovulation rate, pregnancy rate (83.2%), litter size (14.3 ± 0.5), and fetal measures were not affected by temperature or lighting (P > 0.10). Gilts in COLD (37.6°C) had a lower (P < 0.05) rectal temperature than those in NEUTRAL (38.2°C) and HOT (38.6 ± 0.04°C). Both BW gain and final BW were greater (P < 0.0001) for gilts kept in HOT than those in NEUTRAL or COLD environments. Cortisol was greater (P < 0.01) for gilts kept in COLD compared with those kept in the HOT room. Gilts housed in the HOT environment made more postural changes (P < 0.05) than did those kept in either COLD or NEUTRAL temperatures. Gilts kept in the HOT temperature spent more total time lying and more time lying ventrally compared with those gilts housed in the NEUTRAL or COLD rooms. Total white blood cells and the percentage of neutrophils as well as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were all influenced (P < 0.05) by temperature but there was no effect (P > 0.10) of light or interaction with temperature on other immune cells or measures. These results indicate that temperatures in the range of 15 to 30°C or light intensity at 11 to 433 lx do not impact reproduction during the follicular phase and into early gestation for mature gilts housed in gestation crates. However, room temperature does impact physiological, behavioral, and immune responses of mature gilts and should be considered as a potential factor that may influence gilt well-being during the first 30 d postbreeding.

High environmental temperature around farrowing induced heat stress in crated sows.

PubMed

Muns, R; Malmkvist, J; Larsen, M L V; Sørensen, D; Pedersen, L J

2016-01-01

The aim of the experiment was to study the impact of high ambient temperature (25°C) around farrowing on crated sows unable to perform thermoregulatory behavior. Twenty sows were housed in 2 farrowing rooms in conventional farrowing crates. In 1 room (CONTROL) temperature was kept at 20°C. In the other room (HEAT) temperature was initially kept at 20°C and gradually raised until it reached 25°C from d 112 to 115 of gestation. Then the temperature was gradually lowered to 20°C. Sows were continuously video recorded for behavior recording. Sows' respiration rates were recorded from d 3 before farrowing to d 5 after farrowing. Sows' rectal temperatures were recorded from d 1 before farrowing to d 8 after farrowing, and sows' udder surface temperatures were recorded from the day of farrowing to d 3 after farrowing. All measures were recorded daily. Sows' BW were recorded at d 108 of gestation and at weaning. Sows' back fat was recorded on farrowing day, when room temperature was set again at 20°C, and at weaning. Piglets were weighed at d 1, 14, and 21. The HEAT sows spent a higher proportion of time lying in the lateral position than CONTROL sows, both during the 16 h before farrowing and the 24 h after the start of farrowing ( < 0.05), but with no difference in the amount of time spent lying down between groups ( > 0.10). The HEAT sows had higher rectal temperature on d 1 after farrowing ( < 0.05) and had udder surface temperature 0.9°C higher than that of CONTROL sows during the recording period ( < 0.05). The HEAT sows also tended to have longer farrowing duration ( < 0.10). Respiration rate was higher in HEAT sows on d 1 before farrowing and on the day of farrowing. On d 7, 8, and 9, CONTROL sows had higher feed intake ( < 0.05), and piglets from CONTROL sows were heavier at d 21 after farrowing ( < 0.05). High ambient temperature around farrowing altered sows' postural behavior. Sows reacted to the thermal challenge with higher respiration rate around farrowing, but both their rectal and udder temperatures were elevated, indicating that they were not able to compensate for the higher ambient temperature. High ambient temperature negatively influenced sows' feed intake, with negative impact on piglets' weaning weight. High temperatures around farrowing (25°C) compromise crated sows' welfare, with a potential negative impact on offspring performance.

Polygraph lie detection on real events in a laboratory setting.

PubMed

Bradley, M T; Cullen, M C

1993-06-01

This laboratory study dealt with real-life intense emotional events. Subjects generated embarrassing stories from their experience, then submitted to polygraph testing and, by lying, denied their stories and, by telling the truth, denied a randomly assigned story. Money was given as an incentive to be judged innocent on each story. An interrogator, blind to the stories, used Control Question Tests and found subjects more deceptive when lying than when truthful. Stories interacted with order such that lying on the second story was more easily detected than lying on the first. Embarrassing stories provide an alternative to the use of mock crimes to study lie detection in the laboratory.

Time-fractional Cahn-Allen and time-fractional Klein-Gordon equations: Lie symmetry analysis, explicit solutions and convergence analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inc, Mustafa; Yusuf, Abdullahi; Isa Aliyu, Aliyu; Baleanu, Dumitru

2018-03-01

This research analyzes the symmetry analysis, explicit solutions and convergence analysis to the time fractional Cahn-Allen (CA) and time-fractional Klein-Gordon (KG) equations with Riemann-Liouville (RL) derivative. The time fractional CA and time fractional KG are reduced to respective nonlinear ordinary differential equation of fractional order. We solve the reduced fractional ODEs using an explicit power series method. The convergence analysis for the obtained explicit solutions are investigated. Some figures for the obtained explicit solutions are also presented.

Food reward without a timing component does not alter the timing of activity under positive energy balance.

PubMed

van der Vinne, V; Akkerman, J; Lanting, G D; Riede, S J; Hut, R A

2015-09-24

Circadian clocks drive daily rhythms in physiology and behavior which allow organisms to anticipate predictable daily changes in the environment. In most mammals, circadian rhythms result in nocturnal activity patterns although plasticity of the circadian system allows activity patterns to shift to different times of day. Such plasticity is seen when food access is restricted to a few hours during the resting (light) phase resulting in food anticipatory activity (FAA) in the hours preceding food availability. The mechanisms underlying FAA are unknown but data suggest the involvement of the reward system and homeostatic regulation of metabolism. We previously demonstrated the isolated effect of metabolism by inducing diurnality in response to energetic challenges. Here the importance of reward timing in inducing daytime activity is assessed. The daily activity distribution of mice earning palatable chocolate at their preferred time by working in a running wheel was compared with that of mice receiving a timed palatable meal at noon. Mice working for chocolate (WFC) without being energetically challenged increased their total daily activity but this did not result in a shift to diurnality. Providing a chocolate meal at noon each day increased daytime activity, identifying food timing as a factor capable of altering the daily distribution of activity and rest. These results show that timing of food reward and energetic challenges are both independently sufficient to induce diurnality in nocturnal mammals. FAA observed following timed food restriction is likely the result of an additive effect of distinct regulatory pathways activated by energetic challenges and food reward. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On special Lie algebras having a faithful module with Krull dimension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pikhtilkova, O. A.; Pikhtilkov, S. A.

2017-02-01

For special Lie algebras we prove an analogue of Markov's theorem on {PI}-algebras having a faithful module with Krull dimension: the solubility of the prime radical. We give an example of a semiprime Lie algebra that has a faithful module with Krull dimension but cannot be represented as a subdirect product of finitely many prime Lie algebras. We prove a criterion for a semiprime Lie algebra to be representable as such a subdirect product.

Isometric elbow extensors strength in supine- and prone-lying positions.

PubMed

Abdelzaher, Ibrahim E; Ababneh, Anas F; Alzyoud, Jehad M

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare isometric strength of elbow extensors measured in supine- and prone-lying positions at elbow flexion angles of 45 and 90 degrees. Twenty-two male subjects under single-blind procedures participated in the study. Each subject participated in both supine-lying and prone-lying measuring protocols. Calibrated cable tensiometer was used to measure isometric strength of the right elbow extensors and a biofeedback electromyography was used to assure no substitution movements from shoulder girdle muscles. The mean values of isometric strength of elbow extensors measured from supine-lying position at elbow flexion angles of 45 and 90 degrees were 11.1  ±  4.2 kg and 13.1  ±  4.6 kg, while those measured from prone-lying position were 9.9  ±  3.6 kg and 12  ±  4.2 kg, respectively. There is statistical significant difference between the isometric strength of elbow extensors measured from supine-lying position at elbow flexion angles of 45 and 90 degrees compared to that measured from prone-lying position (p  <  0.05). The results suggest that in manual muscle testing starting position can affect the isometric strength of elbow extensors since supine-lying starting position is better than prone-lying starting position.

Effects of sawdust bedding dry matter on lying behavior of dairy cows: a dose-dependent response.

PubMed

Reich, L J; Weary, D M; Veira, D M; von Keyserlingk, M A G

2010-04-01

The objective was to determine the effect of sawdust bedding dry matter on the lying behavior of Holstein cows. Dry matter (DM) was varied systematically over 5 treatment levels to test how cows respond to damp bedding. This experiment was repeated during summer and winter to test if the effects of damp bedding varied with season. The 5 bedding treatments averaged (+/-SD) 89.8+/-3.7, 74.2+/-6.4, 62.2+/-6.3, 43.9+/-4.0, and 34.7+/-3.8% DM. Over the course of the trial, minimum and maximum temperatures in the barn were 2.6+/-2.0 and 6.8+/-2.2 degrees C in the winter and 13.3+/-2.5 and 22.6+/-4.1 degrees C in the summer. In both seasons, 5 groups of 3 nonlactating cows were housed in free stalls bedded with sawdust. Following a 5-d acclimation period on dry bedding, groups were exposed to the 5 bedding treatments in a 5 x 5 Latin square. Each treatment lasted 4 d, followed by 1 d when the cows were provided with dry bedding. Stall usage was assessed by 24-h video scanned at 5-min intervals. Responses were analyzed within group (n=5) as the observational unit. Bedding DM affected lying time, averaging 10.4+/-0.4 h/d on the wettest treatment and increasing to 11.5+/-0.4 h/d on the driest bedding. Lying time varied with season, averaging 12.1+/-0.4 h/d across treatments during the winter and 9.9+/-0.6 h/d during the summer, but season and bedding DM did not interact. These results indicate that access to dry bedding is important for dairy cows. Copyright (c) 2010 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Meta-Analysis of Experiments Linking Incubation Conditions with Subsequent Leg Weakness in Broiler Chickens

PubMed Central

Groves, Peter J.; Muir, Wendy I.

2014-01-01

A series of incubation and broiler growth studies were conducted using one strain of broiler chicken (fast feathering dam line) observing incubation effects on femoral bone ash % at hatch and the ability of the bird to remain standing at 6 weeks of age (Latency-To-Lie). Egg shell temperatures during incubation were consistently recorded. Parsimonious models were developed across eight studies using stepwise multiple linear regression of egg shell temperatures over 3-day periods and both bone ash at hatch and Latency-To-Lie. A model for bone ash at hatch explained 70% of the variation in this factor and revealed an association with lower egg shell temperatures during days 4–6 and 13–15 and higher egg shell temperatures during days 16–18 of incubation. Bone ash at hatch and subsequent Latency-To-Lie were positively correlated (r = 0.57, P<0.05). A model described 66% of the variation Latency-To-Lie showing significant association of the interaction of femoral ash at hatch and lower average egg shell temperatures over the first 15 days of incubation. Lower egg shell temperature in the early to mid incubation process (days 1–15) and higher egg shell temperatures at a later stage (days 16–18) will both tend to delay the hatch time of incubating eggs. Incubation profiles that resulted in later hatching chicks produced birds which could remain standing for a longer time at 6 weeks of age. This supports a contention that the effects of incubation observed in many studies may in fact relate more to earlier hatching and longer sojourn of the hatched chick in the final stage incubator. The implication of these outcomes are that the optimum egg shell temperature during incubation for broiler leg strength development may be lower than that regarded as ideal (37.8°C) for maximum hatchability and chick growth. PMID:25054636

A meta-analysis of experiments linking incubation conditions with subsequent leg weakness in broiler chickens.

PubMed

Groves, Peter J; Muir, Wendy I

2014-01-01

A series of incubation and broiler growth studies were conducted using one strain of broiler chicken (fast feathering dam line) observing incubation effects on femoral bone ash % at hatch and the ability of the bird to remain standing at 6 weeks of age (Latency-To-Lie). Egg shell temperatures during incubation were consistently recorded. Parsimonious models were developed across eight studies using stepwise multiple linear regression of egg shell temperatures over 3-day periods and both bone ash at hatch and Latency-To-Lie. A model for bone ash at hatch explained 70% of the variation in this factor and revealed an association with lower egg shell temperatures during days 4-6 and 13-15 and higher egg shell temperatures during days 16-18 of incubation. Bone ash at hatch and subsequent Latency-To-Lie were positively correlated (r = 0.57, P<0.05). A model described 66% of the variation Latency-To-Lie showing significant association of the interaction of femoral ash at hatch and lower average egg shell temperatures over the first 15 days of incubation. Lower egg shell temperature in the early to mid incubation process (days 1-15) and higher egg shell temperatures at a later stage (days 16-18) will both tend to delay the hatch time of incubating eggs. Incubation profiles that resulted in later hatching chicks produced birds which could remain standing for a longer time at 6 weeks of age. This supports a contention that the effects of incubation observed in many studies may in fact relate more to earlier hatching and longer sojourn of the hatched chick in the final stage incubator. The implication of these outcomes are that the optimum egg shell temperature during incubation for broiler leg strength development may be lower than that regarded as ideal (37.8°C) for maximum hatchability and chick growth.

Trends in the Breeding Population of Adélie Penguins in the Ross Sea, 1981–2012: A Coincidence of Climate and Resource Extraction Effects

PubMed Central

Lyver, Phil O’B.; Barron, Mandy; Barton, Kerry J.; Ainley, David G.; Pollard, Annie; Gordon, Shulamit; McNeill, Stephen; Ballard, Grant; Wilson, Peter R.

2014-01-01

Measurements of the size of Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colonies of the southern Ross Sea are among the longest biologic time series in the Antarctic. We present an assessment of recent annual variation and trends in abundance and growth rates of these colonies, adding to the published record not updated for more than two decades. High angle oblique aerial photographic surveys of colonies were acquired and penguins counted for the breeding seasons 1981–2012. In the last four years the numbers of Adélie penguins in the Ross and Beaufort Island colonies (southern Ross Sea metapopulation) reached their highest levels since aerial counts began in 1981. Results indicated that 855,625 pairs of Adélie penguins established breeding territories in the western Ross Sea, with just over a quarter (28%) of those in the southern portion, constituting a semi-isolated metapopulation (three colonies on Ross Island, one on nearby Beaufort Island). The southern population had a negative per capita growth rate of −0.019 during 1981–2000, followed by a positive per capita growth rate of 0.067 for 2001–2012. Colony growth rates for this metapopulation showed striking synchrony through time, indicating that large-scale factors influenced their annual growth. In contrast to the increased colony sizes in the southern population, the patterns of change among colonies of the northern Ross Sea were difficult to characterize. Trends were similar to southern colonies until the mid-1990s, after which the signal was lost owing to significantly reduced frequency of surveys. Both climate factors and recovery of whale populations likely played roles in the trends among southern colonies until 2000, after which depletion of another trophic competitor, the Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni), may explain the sharp increasing trend evident since then. PMID:24621601

Continuum analogues of contragredient Lie algebras (Lie algebras with a Cartan operator and nonlinear dynamical systems)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saveliev, M. V.; Vershik, A. M.

1989-12-01

We present an axiomatic formulation of a new class of infinitedimensional Lie algebras-the generalizations of Z-graded Lie algebras with, generally speaking, an infinite-dimensional Cartan subalgebra and a contiguous set of roots. We call such algebras “continuum Lie algebras.” The simple Lie algebras of constant growth are encapsulated in our formulation. We pay particular attention to the case when the local algebra is parametrized by a commutative algebra while the Cartan operator (the generalization of the Cartan matrix) is a linear operator. Special examples of these algebras are the Kac-Moody algebras, algebras of Poisson brackets, algebras of vector fields on a manifold, current algebras, and algebras with differential or integro-differential cartan operator. The nonlinear dynamical systems associated with the continuum contragredient Lie algebras are also considered.

Daily time series evapotranspiration maps for Oklahoma and Texas panhandle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important process in ecosystems’ water budget and closely linked to its productivity. Therefore, regional scale daily time series ET maps developed at high and medium resolutions have large utility in studying the carbon-energy-water nexus and managing water resources. ...

Real-time spatio-temporal coherence estimation for autonomous mode identification and invariance tracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Han G. (Inventor); Zak, Michail (Inventor); James, Mark L. (Inventor); Mackey, Ryan M. E. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A general method of anomaly detection from time-correlated sensor data is disclosed. Multiple time-correlated signals are received. Their cross-signal behavior is compared against a fixed library of invariants. The library is constructed during a training process, which is itself data-driven using the same time-correlated signals. The method is applicable to a broad class of problems and is designed to respond to any departure from normal operation, including faults or events that lie outside the training envelope.

Daily Concordance between Parent and Adolescent Sleep Habits

PubMed Central

Fuligni, Andrew J.; Tsai, Kim M.; Krull, Jennifer L.; Gonzales, Nancy A.

2014-01-01

Purpose To assess the daily concordance between parent and adolescent daily sleep habits, how that concordance compares to other predictors of sleep, and whether the degree of concordance varies across families. Methods A total of 421 adolescents (Mage = 15.03 years) and their primary caregivers (Mage = 41.93 years) reported their sleep, bed, and wake times on a daily basis for a two-week period. Approximately 80% of the sample repeated the same protocol one year later. Results Multi-level modeling indicated a significant concordance between parent and adolescent sleep, bed, and wake times on a daily basis. Concordance existed independent of other predictors of sleep such as day of the week and adolescent study time. Larger families and those with higher levels of parent-adolescent support exhibited greater concordance. Conclusions Adolescent sleep is connected to the sleep habits of their parents, above and beyond commonly-known structural and experiential factors that can shape teenage sleep. Efforts to improve teenage sleep should pay greater attention to the sleep patterns of parents and potentially other family members. PMID:25620309

Daily concordance between parent and adolescent sleep habits.

PubMed

Fuligni, Andrew J; Tsai, Kim M; Krull, Jennifer L; Gonzales, Nancy A

2015-02-01

To assess the daily concordance between parent and adolescent daily sleep habits, how that concordance compares to other predictors of sleep, and whether the degree of concordance varies across families. A total of 421 adolescents (Mage = 15.03 years) and their primary caregivers (Mage = 41.93 years) reported their sleep, bed, and wake times on a daily basis for a 2-week period. Approximately 80% of the sample repeated the same protocol 1 year later. Multilevel modeling indicated a significant concordance between parent and adolescent sleep, bed, and wake times on a daily basis. Concordance existed independent of other predictors of sleep such as day of the week and adolescent study time. Larger families and those with higher levels of parent-adolescent support exhibited greater concordance. Adolescent sleep is connected to the sleep habits of their parents, above and beyond commonly known structural and experiential factors that can shape teenage sleep. Efforts to improve teenage sleep should pay greater attention to the sleep patterns of parents and potentially other family members. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimation of different data compositions for early-season crop type classification.

PubMed

Hao, Pengyu; Wu, Mingquan; Niu, Zheng; Wang, Li; Zhan, Yulin

2018-01-01

Timely and accurate crop type distribution maps are an important inputs for crop yield estimation and production forecasting as multi-temporal images can observe phenological differences among crops. Therefore, time series remote sensing data are essential for crop type mapping, and image composition has commonly been used to improve the quality of the image time series. However, the optimal composition period is unclear as long composition periods (such as compositions lasting half a year) are less informative and short composition periods lead to information redundancy and missing pixels. In this study, we initially acquired daily 30 m Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series by fusing MODIS, Landsat, Gaofen and Huanjing (HJ) NDVI, and then composited the NDVI time series using four strategies (daily, 8-day, 16-day, and 32-day). We used Random Forest to identify crop types and evaluated the classification performances of the NDVI time series generated from four composition strategies in two studies regions from Xinjiang, China. Results indicated that crop classification performance improved as crop separabilities and classification accuracies increased, and classification uncertainties dropped in the green-up stage of the crops. When using daily NDVI time series, overall accuracies saturated at 113-day and 116-day in Bole and Luntai, and the saturated overall accuracies (OAs) were 86.13% and 91.89%, respectively. Cotton could be identified 40∼60 days and 35∼45 days earlier than the harvest in Bole and Luntai when using daily, 8-day and 16-day composition NDVI time series since both producer's accuracies (PAs) and user's accuracies (UAs) were higher than 85%. Among the four compositions, the daily NDVI time series generated the highest classification accuracies. Although the 8-day, 16-day and 32-day compositions had similar saturated overall accuracies (around 85% in Bole and 83% in Luntai), the 8-day and 16-day compositions achieved these accuracies around 155-day in Bole and 133-day in Luntai, which were earlier than the 32-day composition (170-day in both Bole and Luntai). Therefore, when the daily NDVI time series cannot be acquired, the 16-day composition is recommended in this study.

Estimation of different data compositions for early-season crop type classification

PubMed Central

Wu, Mingquan; Wang, Li; Zhan, Yulin

2018-01-01

Timely and accurate crop type distribution maps are an important inputs for crop yield estimation and production forecasting as multi-temporal images can observe phenological differences among crops. Therefore, time series remote sensing data are essential for crop type mapping, and image composition has commonly been used to improve the quality of the image time series. However, the optimal composition period is unclear as long composition periods (such as compositions lasting half a year) are less informative and short composition periods lead to information redundancy and missing pixels. In this study, we initially acquired daily 30 m Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series by fusing MODIS, Landsat, Gaofen and Huanjing (HJ) NDVI, and then composited the NDVI time series using four strategies (daily, 8-day, 16-day, and 32-day). We used Random Forest to identify crop types and evaluated the classification performances of the NDVI time series generated from four composition strategies in two studies regions from Xinjiang, China. Results indicated that crop classification performance improved as crop separabilities and classification accuracies increased, and classification uncertainties dropped in the green-up stage of the crops. When using daily NDVI time series, overall accuracies saturated at 113-day and 116-day in Bole and Luntai, and the saturated overall accuracies (OAs) were 86.13% and 91.89%, respectively. Cotton could be identified 40∼60 days and 35∼45 days earlier than the harvest in Bole and Luntai when using daily, 8-day and 16-day composition NDVI time series since both producer’s accuracies (PAs) and user’s accuracies (UAs) were higher than 85%. Among the four compositions, the daily NDVI time series generated the highest classification accuracies. Although the 8-day, 16-day and 32-day compositions had similar saturated overall accuracies (around 85% in Bole and 83% in Luntai), the 8-day and 16-day compositions achieved these accuracies around 155-day in Bole and 133-day in Luntai, which were earlier than the 32-day composition (170-day in both Bole and Luntai). Therefore, when the daily NDVI time series cannot be acquired, the 16-day composition is recommended in this study. PMID:29868265

NmF2 and hmF2 measurements at 95° E and 127° E around the EIA northern crest during 2010-2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalita, Bitap Raj; Bhuyan, Pradip Kumar; Yoshikawa, Akimasa

2015-11-01

The characteristics of the F2 layer parameters NmF2 and hmF2 over Dibrugarh (27.5° N, 95° E, 17° N geomagnetic, 43° dip) measured by a Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosonde (CADI) for the period of August 2010 to July 2014 are reported for the first time from this low mid-latitude station lying within the daytime peak of the longitudinal wave number 4 structure of equatorial anomaly (EIA) around the northern edge of anomaly crest. Equinoctial asymmetry is clearly observed at all solar activity levels whereas the midday winter anomaly is observed only during high solar activity years and disappears during the temporary dip in solar activity in 2013 but forenoon winter anomaly can be observed even at moderate solar activity. The NmF2/hmF2 variations over Dibrugarh are compared with that of Okinawa (26.5° N, 127° E, 17° N geomagnetic), and the eastward propagation speed of the wave number 4 longitudinal structure from 95° E to 127° E is estimated. The speed is found to be close to the theoretical speed of the wave number 4 (WN4) structure. The correlation of daily NmF2 over Dibrugarh and Okinawa with solar activity exhibits diurnal and seasonal variations. The highest correlation in daytime is observed during the forenoon hours in equinox. The correlation of daily NmF2 (linear or non-linear) with solar activity exhibits diurnal variation. A tendency for amplification with solar activity is observed in the forenoon and late evening period of March equinox and the postsunset period of December solstice. NmF2 saturation effect is observed only in the midday period of equinox. Non-linear variation of neutral composition at higher altitudes and variation of recombination rates with solar activity via temperature dependence may be related to the non-linear trend. The noon time maximum NmF2 over Dibrugarh exhibits better correlation with equatorial electrojet (EEJ) than with solar activity and, therefore, new low-latitude NmF2 index is proposed taking both solar activity and EEJ strength into account.

Automatic recognition of lactating sow behaviors through depth image processing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Manual observation and classification of animal behaviors is laborious, time-consuming, and of limited ability to process large amount of data. A computer vision-based system was developed that automatically recognizes sow behaviors (lying, sitting, standing, kneeling, feeding, drinking, and shiftin...

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

MedlinePlus

... minutes prior to the test. When it is time for the imaging to begin, you will lie down on a moveable examination table with your head tipped backward and neck extended. The gamma camera will then take a series of images, capturing images of the thyroid gland ...

Continuous time transfer using GPS carrier phase.

PubMed

Dach, Rolf; Schildknecht, Thomas; Springer, Tim; Dudle, Gregor; Prost, Leon

2002-11-01

The Astronomical Institute of the University of Berne is hosting one of the Analysis Centers (AC) of the International GPS Service (IGS). A network of a few GPS stations in Europe and North America is routinely analyzed for time transfer purposes, using the carrier phase observations. This work is done in the framework of a joint project with the Swiss Federal Office of Metrology and Accreditation (METAS). The daily solutions are computed independently. The resulting time transfer series show jumps of up to 1 ns at the day boundaries. A method to concatenate the daily time transfer solutions to a continuous series was developed. A continuous time series is available for a time span of more than 4 mo. The results were compared with the time transfer results from other techniques such as two-way satellite time and frequency transfer. This concatenation improves the results obtained in a daily computing scheme because a continuous time series better reflects the characteristics of continuously working clocks.

Estimates of natural streamflow at two streamgages on the Esopus Creek, New York, water years 1932 to 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Douglas A.; Gazoorian, Christopher L.

2015-01-01

Natural discharge at the Mount Marion streamgage was estimated by summing the natural discharge estimated for the Coldbrook streamgage and the discharge estimated for the intervening basin area through application of the New York Streamflow Estimation Tool, recently developed for estimating unaltered streamflow at ungaged locations in the State. Estimates of natural daily discharge at the Mount Marion streamgage were about three times greater than gaged daily discharge throughout the moderate- to low-flow range from October 1, 1970, to September 30, 2012, the period of record for full water years at this streamgage. The relative difference between the two discharge time series declined as flow increased beyond the moderate range, but gaged daily discharge was still 25 to 43 percent less than estimated natural daily discharge for the high-flow metrics calculated in this analysis, and the mean relative difference was 43 percent for the annual 1-day maximum discharge. Overall, these estimates of natural discharge reflect the absence of effects of the Shandaken Tunnel and Ashokan Reservoir on flows in the Esopus Creek over broad time frames. However, caution is warranted if one is attempting to apply the natural estimates at short time scales because the regression prediction intervals indicate that uncertainty at a daily time step ranges from about 40 to 80 percent.

Emergence of Lying in Very Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Angela D.; Lee, Kang

2013-01-01

Lying is a pervasive human behavior. Evidence to date suggests that from the age of 42 months onward, children become increasingly capable of telling lies in various social situations. However, there is limited experimental evidence regarding whether very young children will tell lies spontaneously. The present study investigated the emergence of…

Some applications of Lie groups in astrodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, A. A.

1983-01-01

Differential equations that arise in astrodynamics are examined from the standpoint of Lie group theory. A summary of the Lie method is given for first degree differential equations. The Kepler problem in Hamiltonian form is treated by this method. Extension of the Lie method to optimal trajectories is outlined.

Predictors of Children's Prosocial Lie-Telling: Motivation, Socialization Variables, and Moral Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popliger, Mina; Talwar, Victoria; Crossman, Angela

2011-01-01

Children tell prosocial lies for self- and other-oriented reasons. However, it is unclear how motivational and socialization factors affect their lying. Furthermore, it is unclear whether children's moral understanding and evaluations of prosocial lie scenarios (including perceptions of vignette characters' feelings) predict their actual prosocial…

Process air quality data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, C. M.; Hogge, J. E.

1978-01-01

Air quality sampling was conducted. Data for air quality parameters, recorded on written forms, punched cards or magnetic tape, are available for 1972 through 1975. Computer software was developed to (1) calculate several daily statistical measures of location, (2) plot time histories of data or the calculated daily statistics, (3) calculate simple correlation coefficients, and (4) plot scatter diagrams. Computer software was developed for processing air quality data to include time series analysis and goodness of fit tests. Computer software was developed to (1) calculate a larger number of daily statistical measures of location, and a number of daily monthly and yearly measures of location, dispersion, skewness and kurtosis, (2) decompose the extended time series model and (3) perform some goodness of fit tests. The computer program is described, documented and illustrated by examples. Recommendations are made for continuation of the development of research on processing air quality data.

Effects of castration on eating pattern and physical activity of Holstein bulls fed high-concentrate rations under commercial conditions.

PubMed

Devant, M; Marti, S; Bach, A

2012-12-01

A total of 132 animals (initial BW = 220 ± 22 kg and age = 166 ± 0.4 d) were used to study the effect of castration on eating behavior and physical activity. Animals were randomly allocated to 6 pens with 2 pens for each of the 3 treatment groups: 44 intact bulls, 44 steers castrated (3 mo of age) before the study began, and 44 bulls castrated (CAS) at 8 mo of age (at d 69 of the study). The study finished when animals reached 292 d of age. Each pen held 22 animals, and had 1 computerized concentrate feeder (GEA WestfaliaSurge, Germany), 1 feed trough for straw, and 1 water source. Concentrate and straw were offered ad libitum. Animals were weighed every 14 d and eating pattern at which animals consumed concentrate was averaged for each 14-d period. A pedometer was placed on the left hind leg of 86 animals randomly distributed among treatments to estimate physical activity from d -5 to 10 relative to surgical castration (d 65 to 79 of study). The statistical model included initial BW as a covariate, treatment, period, and the interaction between treatment and time (14-d), as fixed effects, and pen and animal as random effects. For physical activity data, day was the repeated measure. The CAS animals exhibited reduced ADG and concentrate DMI (P < 0.001) during the first 2 wk after castration than bulls or steers. Eating behavior throughout the study differed among treatments. Meal size (1.3 ± 0.05 kg) and meal duration (12.4 ± 0.47 min) were greater (P < 0.001) in bulls during the 2 wk after castration than in steers (1.0 ± 0.05 kg and 9.7 ± 0.46 min, respectively) and CAS animals (0.8 ± 0.05 kg and 7.8 ± 0.47 min, respectively). In contrast, bulls visited the feeders less frequently (5.3 ± 0.34/d) during these 2 wk than did steers (6.7 ± 0.34/d) and CAS animals (7.7 ± 0.34/d). In addition, daily intake, meal size, and eating rate increased (P < 0.001) with time. Lying time in CAS animals was reduced (P < 0.001) for the 5 d after castration compared with bulls and steers. Bulls were more active (steps/h) than steers, and activity of recently castrated animals decreased (P < 0.001) for at least 10 d after castration. Although 2 wk after castration differences in eating pattern across treatments were observed, the long-term effects of castration and gender (bull vs. steer) on eating behavior were difficult to interpret. Castration effects on total feed intake and lying time are temporary, whereas castration has a lasting reduction on physical activity.

Depositing α-mangostin nanoparticles to sebaceous gland area for acne treatment.

PubMed

Pan-In, Porntip; Wongsomboon, Atthakorn; Kokpol, Chayada; Chaichanawongsaroj, Nuntaree; Wanichwecharungruang, Supason

2015-12-01

Although entrapment of nanoparticles of appropriate sizes at hair follicles has been clarified, there is no report on specific clinical application of this finding. Since sebaceous gland is associated with hair follicle, we hypothesize that effective acne vulgaris treatment/prevention can be achieved by depositing anti-acne agent in nanoparticle form at the hair follicles. Challenge of this strategy, however, lies at the finding of effective anti-acne particles with minimal skin irritation. Here using cellulose-based nanoparticles as nano-reservoir and α-mangostin (an active component isolated from the edible Garcinia mangostana Linn. fruit) as anti-acne agent, we prepare nanoparticles highly loaded with α-mangostin. Ability of the obtained particles to sustained release α-mangostin into synthetic sebum is demonstrated. The obtained mangostin particles are verified for their insignificant skin irritation through the two-week, twice-daily open application test in 20 healthy human volunteers. Excellent entrapment and sustainment of the mangostin nanoparticles at the hair follicles are elucidated in six human volunteers by detecting the presence of α-mangostin at the roots of hairs pulled from the treated skin area. The 4-week-randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, split-face study in 10 acne patients indicates significant improvement in acne vulgaris condition on the side twice daily applied with mangostin nanoparticles. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Pharmacological Society. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lessons from Hurricane Sandy: a community response in Brooklyn, New York.

PubMed

Schmeltz, Michael T; González, Sonia K; Fuentes, Liza; Kwan, Amy; Ortega-Williams, Anna; Cowan, Lisa Pilar

2013-10-01

The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have increased in recent decades; one example is Hurricane Sandy. If the frequency and severity continue or increase, adaptation and mitigation efforts are needed to protect vulnerable populations and improve daily life under changed weather conditions. This field report examines the devastation due to Hurricane Sandy experienced in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, a neighborhood consisting of geographically isolated low-lying commercial and residential units, with a concentration of low-income housing, and disproportionate rates of poverty and poor health outcomes largely experienced by Black and Latino residents. Multiple sources of data were reviewed, including street canvasses, governmental reports, community flyers, and meeting transcripts, as well as firsthand observations by a local nonprofit Red Hook Initiative (RHI) and community members, and social media accounts of the effects of Sandy and the response to daily needs. These data are considered within existing theory, evidence, and practice on protecting public health during extreme weather events. Firsthand observations show that a community-based organization in Red Hook, RHI, was at the center of the response to disaster relief, despite the lack of staff training in response to events such as Hurricane Sandy. Review of these data underscores that adaptation and response to climate change and likely resultant extreme weather is a dynamic process requiring an official coordinated governmental response along with on-the-ground volunteer community responders.

Cacao bean husk: an applicable bedding material in dairy free-stall barns.

PubMed

Yajima, Akira; Owada, Hisashi; Kobayashi, Suguru; Komatsu, Natsumi; Takehara, Kazuaki; Ito, Maria; Matsuda, Kazuhide; Sato, Kan; Itabashi, Hisao; Sugimura, Satoshi; Kanda, Shuhei

2017-07-01

The objectives of the study were to assess the effect of cacao bean husk as bedding material in free-stall barn on the behavior, productivity, and udder health of dairy cattle, and on the ammonia concentrations in the barn. Four different stall surfaces (no bedding, cacao bean husk, sawdust, and chopped wheat straw) were each continuously tested for a period of 1 week to determine their effects on nine lactating Holstein cows housed in the free-stall barn with rubber matting. The lying time and the milk yield were measured between d 4 and d 7. Blood samples for plasma cortisol concentration and teat swabs for bacterial counts were obtained prior to morning milking on d 7. The time-averaged gas-phase ammonia concentrations in the barn were measured between d 2 and d 7. The cows spent approximately 2 h more per day lying in the stalls when bedding was available than without bedding. The milk yield increased in the experimental periods when cows had access to bedding materials as compared to the period without bedding. The lying time was positively correlated with the milk yield. Bacterial counts on the teat ends recorded for cows housed on cacao bean husk were significantly lower than those recorded for cows housed without bedding. Ammonia concentration under cacao bean husk bedding decreased by 6%, 15%, and 21% as compared to no bedding, sawdust, and chopped wheat straw, respectively. The cortisol concentration was lowest in the period when cacao bean husk bedding was used. We observed a positive correlation between the ammonia concentrations in the barn and the plasma cortisol concentrations. Cacao bean husk is a potential alternative of conventional bedding material, such as sawdust or chopped wheat straw, with beneficial effects on udder health and ammonia concentrations in the barns.

Scaling and scale invariance of conservation laws in Reynolds transport theorem framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haltas, Ismail; Ulusoy, Suleyman

2015-07-01

Scale invariance is the case where the solution of a physical process at a specified time-space scale can be linearly related to the solution of the processes at another time-space scale. Recent studies investigated the scale invariance conditions of hydrodynamic processes by applying the one-parameter Lie scaling transformations to the governing equations of the processes. Scale invariance of a physical process is usually achieved under certain conditions on the scaling ratios of the variables and parameters involved in the process. The foundational axioms of hydrodynamics are the conservation laws, namely, conservation of mass, conservation of linear momentum, and conservation of energy from continuum mechanics. They are formulated using the Reynolds transport theorem. Conventionally, Reynolds transport theorem formulates the conservation equations in integral form. Yet, differential form of the conservation equations can also be derived for an infinitesimal control volume. In the formulation of the governing equation of a process, one or more than one of the conservation laws and, some times, a constitutive relation are combined together. Differential forms of the conservation equations are used in the governing partial differential equation of the processes. Therefore, differential conservation equations constitute the fundamentals of the governing equations of the hydrodynamic processes. Applying the one-parameter Lie scaling transformation to the conservation laws in the Reynolds transport theorem framework instead of applying to the governing partial differential equations may lead to more fundamental conclusions on the scaling and scale invariance of the hydrodynamic processes. This study will investigate the scaling behavior and scale invariance conditions of the hydrodynamic processes by applying the one-parameter Lie scaling transformation to the conservation laws in the Reynolds transport theorem framework.

Four-factor justice and daily job satisfaction: a multilevel investigation.

PubMed

Loi, Raymond; Yang, Jixia; Diefendorff, James M

2009-05-01

This study examined the differential effects of 4 types of organizational justice on daily job satisfaction at between- and within-individual levels. Specifically, the authors predicted that interpersonal justice and informational justice would exhibit meaningful daily variations and would have direct impacts on individuals' job satisfaction on a daily basis. They further theorized that distributive justice and procedural justice at a between-person level would moderate the within-person relationships. The authors used hierarchical linear modeling to test their hypotheses with a sample of 231 full-time employees in Hong Kong over the course of 25 working days. The results showed that both daily interpersonal and informational justice were positively related to daily job satisfaction. As hypothesized, between-individual distributive justice moderated the relationship between daily interpersonal justice and daily job satisfaction, and between-individual procedural justice moderated the relationship between daily informational justice and daily job satisfaction. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

The Time-Varying Influences of Peer and Family Support on Adolescent Daily Positive and Negative Affect

PubMed Central

Weinstein, Sally M.; Mermelstein, Robin J.; Hedeker, Donald; Hankin, Benjamin L.; Flay, Brian R.

2008-01-01

The time-varying influences of peer and family support on adolescent daily mood were explored among youth transitioning from middle school to high school (8th to 9th grade, N = 268) as compared to youth transitioning from 10th to 11th grade (N = 240). Real-time measures of daily positive and negative affect (ecological momentary assessments) were collected via palmtop computers at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Participants rated 12 mood adjectives in response to 5 to 7 random prompts per day for 7 consecutive days. Perceived peer and family support were assessed via self-report. Mixed-effects regression analyses revealed significant grade by time by peer support interactions for positive and negative mood, with the younger cohort showing greater increases in the relation between peer support and affect over time than the older cohort. Family support did not interact with cohort or time. PMID:16836479

Reducing dosing frequency of carbidopa/levodopa: double-blind crossover study comparing twice-daily bilayer formulation of carbidopa/levodopa (IPX054) versus 4 daily doses of standard carbidopa/levodopa in stable Parkinson disease patients.

PubMed

Hinson, Vanessa K; Goetz, Christopher G; Leurgans, Sue; Fan, Wenqing; Nguyen, Tiffany; Hsu, Ann

2009-01-01

We compared IPX054, a bilayer tablet of immediate- and extended-release carbidopa/levodopa (CD/LD) given twice daily to standard CD/LD given 4 times daily in patients with stable Parkinson disease (PD). Twelve PD patients with no or mild fluctuations on CD/LD 25/100 mg 4 times daily were randomized to a double-blind crossover comparison with IPX054 (50/200 mg) twice daily. At the end of each 2-week treatment, patients were video recorded while performing a modified Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor examination and Rush Dyskinesia Rating Scale at 30-minute intervals over 8.5 hours. The primary outcome measure was the number of videotape epochs rated as "ON" without troublesome dyskinesia by a blinded observer (Wilcoxon signed rank tests). The 9 men and 3 women had a mean age of 69 years and mean PD duration of 6 years. IPX054 and CD/LD showed no significant differences in the primary outcome measure (mean number of video epochs rated as ON without troublesome dyskinesia; P = 0.14). The mean time to ON was improved with IPX054 (P = 0.014), and the mean modified Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores slightly favored IPX054 (14.4 vs 16.9; P = 0.052). Mean Rush Dyskinesia Rating Scale scores were not significantly different between IPX054 and CD/LD (0.45 vs 0.69; P = 0.25). No patient developed troublesome dyskinesias. In stable PD patients, no difference was detected between twice-daily treatment with IPX054 and CD/LD given 4 times daily. In this group, substitution with IPX054 reduced dosing frequency while maintaining CD/LD efficacy. In clinical practice, this ease of administration may offer improved treatment compliance.

MULTIVARIATE STATISTICAL MODELS FOR EFFECTS OF PM AND COPOLLUTANTS IN A DAILY TIME SERIES EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

Most analyses of daily time series epidemiology data relate mortality or morbidity counts to PM and other air pollutants by means of single-outcome regression models using multiple predictors, without taking into account the complex statistical structure of the predictor variable...

The Amana Colonies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lilja, Marilyn

Designed for use in Iowa elementary schools, this unit introduces students to Iowa's Amana Colonies. Four lessons cover the history and cultural heritage of the colonies, daily life in historical times, daily life in modern times, and the colonies as a corporate museum. Throughout the lessons, emphasis is placed on the values and organization of…

Temporal Relations in Daily-Reported Maternal Mood and Disruptive Child Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elgar, Frank J.; Waschbusch, Daniel A.; McGrath, Patrick J.; Stewart, Sherry H.; Curtis, Lori J.

2004-01-01

Examined temporal relations between maternal mood and disruptive child behaviour using daily assessments of 30 mother-child dyads carried out over 8 consecutive weeks (623 pooled observations). Pooled time-series analyses showed synchronous fluctuation in child behaviour and maternal distress. Time-lagged models showed temporal relations between…

A Comparison between the Effect of Free Time and Daily Report Cards on the Academic Behavior of Junior High School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, R. C.; McLaughlin, T. F.

1981-01-01

When the effectiveness of free time and daily report card systems on assignment completion and accuracy of four junior high school special education students were compared, results indicated that both procedures improved students' performance. (Author)

Multi-site Stochastic Simulation of Daily Streamflow with Markov Chain and KNN Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathai, J.; Mujumdar, P.

2017-12-01

A key focus of this study is to develop a method which is physically consistent with the hydrologic processes that can capture short-term characteristics of daily hydrograph as well as the correlation of streamflow in temporal and spatial domains. In complex water resource systems, flow fluctuations at small time intervals require that discretisation be done at small time scales such as daily scales. Also, simultaneous generation of synthetic flows at different sites in the same basin are required. We propose a method to equip water managers with a streamflow generator within a stochastic streamflow simulation framework. The motivation for the proposed method is to generate sequences that extend beyond the variability represented in the historical record of streamflow time series. The method has two steps: In step 1, daily flow is generated independently at each station by a two-state Markov chain, with rising limb increments randomly sampled from a Gamma distribution and the falling limb modelled as exponential recession and in step 2, the streamflow generated in step 1 is input to a nonparametric K-nearest neighbor (KNN) time series bootstrap resampler. The KNN model, being data driven, does not require assumptions on the dependence structure of the time series. A major limitation of KNN based streamflow generators is that they do not produce new values, but merely reshuffle the historical data to generate realistic streamflow sequences. However, daily flow generated using the Markov chain approach is capable of generating a rich variety of streamflow sequences. Furthermore, the rising and falling limbs of daily hydrograph represent different physical processes, and hence they need to be modelled individually. Thus, our method combines the strengths of the two approaches. We show the utility of the method and improvement over the traditional KNN by simulating daily streamflow sequences at 7 locations in the Godavari River basin in India.

Routine Assistance to Parents: Effects on Daily Mood and Other Stressors

PubMed Central

Savla, Jyoti; Almeida, David M.; Davey, Adam; Zarit, Steven H.

2012-01-01

Objectives The present study examines the association of providing assistance to older parents amidst everyday circumstances and short-term psychological consequences for adult children providing assistance. Methods We explore this association using 824 daily diary interviews of 119 adult children providing assistance in the National Study of Daily Experiences by using a left-censored random effects tobit regression model that accounts for the clustered data and floor effects in reported psychological distress. Results Psychological distress was higher on days adult children provided assistance to their parent (b=0.88, p<0.05) even after controlling for situational variables such as time spent on daily paid work, leisure activities and assistance provided to individuals other than parents. Demographic and psychosocial variables such as having resident children (b=2.14, p<0.01), education (b=−0.54, p<0.05) and neuroticism (b=2.08, p<0.05) also predicted daily psychological distress. Discussion Even after controlling for within-person (daily situational variables) and between-person factors (background characteristics), the act of providing assistance itself has immediate associations with daily mood for helpers, particularly for those with fewer resources and greater demands on time. Feasibility and success of programs that provide respite and relief services to older adults and their children should be assessed in light of daily living. PMID:18559690

Is leisure time availability associated with more or less severe daily stressors? An examination using eight-day diary data

PubMed Central

Qian, Xinyi Lisa; Yarnal, Careen M.; Almeida, David M.

2014-01-01

The stress suppressing model proposes that sufficient resources reduce stress. The stress exposure model suggests that certain factors expose individuals to more stress. The current study tested these two models by assessing the within-person lagging effect of leisure time on perceived severity of daily stressors. Analyzing eight-day diary data (N=2,022), we found that having more leisure time than usual on a day reduced perceived severity of daily stressors the next day and that the decrease in severity became larger with further increase in leisure time. Additionally, the effect is much stronger among busy individuals who usually had little leisure time. The findings demonstrated an accelerated suppressing effect that differed between-person, and the lagging effect affords stronger implication for causality than correlational analysis. PMID:24563564

Technical note: Mining data from on-farm electronic equipment to identify the time dairy cows spend away from the pen.

PubMed

Thompson, A J; Weary, D M; von Keyserlingk, M A G

2017-05-01

The electronic equipment used on farms can be creatively co-opted to collect data for which it was not originally designed. In the current study, we describe 2 novel algorithms that harvest data from electronic feeding equipment and data loggers used to record standing and lying behavior, to estimate the time that dairy cows spend away from their pen to be milked. Our 2 objectives were to (1) measure the ability of the first algorithm to estimate the time cows spend away from the pen as a group and (2) determine the capability of a second algorithm to estimate the time it takes for individual cows to return to their pen after being milked. To achieve these objectives, we conducted 2 separate experiments: first, to estimate group time away, the feeding behavior of 1 pen of 20 Holstein cows was monitored electronically for 1 mo; second, to measure individual latency to return to the pen, feeding and lying behavior of 12 healthy Holstein cows was monitored electronically from parturition to 21 d in milk. For both experiments, we monitored the time each individual cow exited the pen before each milking and when she returned to the pen after milking using video recordings. Estimates generated by our algorithms were then compared with the times captured from the video recordings. Our first algorithm provided reliable pen-based estimates for the minimum time cows spent away from the pen to be milked in the morning [coefficient of determination (R 2 ) = 0.92] and afternoon (R 2 = 0.96). The second algorithm was able to estimate of the time it took for individual cows to return to the pen after being milked in the morning (R 2 = 0.98), but less so in the afternoon (R 2 = 0.67). This study illustrates how data from electronic systems used to assess feeding and lying behavior can be mined to estimate novel measures. New work is now required to improve the estimates of our algorithm for individuals, for example by adding data from other electronic monitoring systems on the farm. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An evaluation of the impact of flooring types on exposures to fine and coarse particles within the residential micro-environment using CONTAM.

PubMed

Bramwell, Lisa; Qian, Jing; Howard-Reed, Cynthia; Mondal, Sumona; Ferro, Andrea R

2016-01-01

Typical resuspension activities within the home, such as walking, have been estimated to contribute up to 25% of personal exposures to PM10. Chamber studies have shown that for moderate walking intensities, flooring type can impact the rate at which particles are re-entrained into the air. For this study, the impact of residential flooring type on incremental average daily (24 h) time-averaged exposure was investigated. Distributions of incremental time-averaged daily exposures to fine and coarse PM while walking within the residential micro-environment were predicted using CONTAM, the multizone airflow and contaminant transport program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Knowledge of when and where a person was walking was determined by randomly selecting 490 daily diaries from the EPA's consolidated human activity database (CHAD). On the basis of the results of this study, residential flooring type can significantly impact incremental time-averaged daily exposures to coarse and fine particles (α=0.05, P<0.05, N=490, Kruskal-Wallis test) with high-density cut pile carpeting resulting in the highest exposures. From this study, resuspension from walking within the residential micro-environment contributed 6-72% of time-averaged daily exposures to PM10.

The ability to detect deceit generalizes across different types of high-stake lies.

PubMed

Frank, M G; Ekman, P

1997-06-01

The authors investigated whether accuracy in identifying deception from demeanor in high-stake lies is specific to those lies or generalizes to other high-stake lies. In Experiment 1, 48 observers judged whether 2 different groups of men were telling lies about a mock theft (crime scenario) or about their opinion (opinion scenario). The authors found that observers' accuracy in judging deception in the crime scenario was positively correlated with their accuracy in judging deception in the opinion scenario. Experiment 2 replicated the results of Experiment 1, as well as P. Ekman and M. O'Sullivan's (1991) finding of a positive correlation between the ability to detect deceit and the ability to identify micromomentary facial expressions of emotion. These results show that the ability to detect high-stake lies generalizes across high-stake situations and is most likely due to the presence of emotional clues that betray deception in high-stake lies.

Good Liars Are Neither ‘Dark’ Nor Self-Deceptive

PubMed Central

Wright, Gordon R. T.; Berry, Christopher J.; Catmur, Caroline; Bird, Geoffrey

2015-01-01

Deception is a central component of the personality 'Dark Triad' (Machiavellianism, Psychopathy and Narcissism). However, whether individuals exhibiting high scores on Dark Triad measures have a heightened deceptive ability has received little experimental attention. The present study tested whether the ability to lie effectively, and to detect lies told by others, was related to Dark Triad, Lie Acceptability, or Self-Deceptive measures of personality using an interactive group-based deception task. At a group level, lie detection accuracy was correlated with the ability to deceive others—replicating previous work. No evidence was found to suggest that Dark Triad traits confer any advantage either to deceive others, or to detect deception in others. Participants who considered lying to be more acceptable were more skilled at lying, while self-deceptive individuals were generally less credible and less confident when lying. Results are interpreted within a framework in which repeated practice results in enhanced deceptive ability. PMID:26083765

Daily Fluctuations in Everyday Cognition: Is It Meaningful?

PubMed

Gamaldo, Alyssa A; Allaire, Jason C

2016-08-01

This study examined whether there are daily fluctuations in everyday cognition that are consistent with daily fluctuations often observed in traditional measures of basic cognitive abilities. Two hundred six independently living older adults (age range = 60-91 years) were asked to complete a computerized cognitive battery over eight occasions within a 2- to 3-week period. Using multilevel model, significant within-person variability was observed across the Daily Everyday Cognition Assessment (DECA; 46%), with 54% between-person variability. At each occasion, better performance on the DECA was significantly associated with better performance on simple reaction time ( p < .01) and memory (Auditory Verbal Learning Task, p < .01) even after accounting for time, age, education, and performance on other cognitive measures. These findings demonstrate that within-person performance fluctuations can be observed for everyday cognition tasks, and these fluctuations are consistent with daily changes in basic cognitive abilities. © The Author(s) 2015.

Unravelling daily human mobility motifs

PubMed Central

Schneider, Christian M.; Belik, Vitaly; Couronné, Thomas; Smoreda, Zbigniew; González, Marta C.

2013-01-01

Human mobility is differentiated by time scales. While the mechanism for long time scales has been studied, the underlying mechanism on the daily scale is still unrevealed. Here, we uncover the mechanism responsible for the daily mobility patterns by analysing the temporal and spatial trajectories of thousands of persons as individual networks. Using the concept of motifs from network theory, we find only 17 unique networks are present in daily mobility and they follow simple rules. These networks, called here motifs, are sufficient to capture up to 90 per cent of the population in surveys and mobile phone datasets for different countries. Each individual exhibits a characteristic motif, which seems to be stable over several months. Consequently, daily human mobility can be reproduced by an analytically tractable framework for Markov chains by modelling periods of high-frequency trips followed by periods of lower activity as the key ingredient. PMID:23658117

Metadata Creation Tool Content Template For Data Stewards

EPA Science Inventory

A space-time Bayesian fusion model (McMillan, Holland, Morara, and Feng, 2009) is used to provide daily, gridded predictive PM_2.5 (daily average) and O₃ (daily 8-hr maximum) surfaces for 2001-2005. The fusion model uses both air quality monitoring data from ...

When Opportunity Knocks: Integrating Language Arts and the Daily Calendar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biddle, Melissa

2007-01-01

With daily classroom schedules jammed with many concepts and skills to cover, integrating subjects whenever possible offers some relief. Primary classrooms can use their daily calendar time to integrate language arts and math. This teaching approach includes the use of word walls, interactive writing, journaling, and other effective teaching…

Children's Daily Routines during Kindergarten Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wildenger, Leah K.; McIntyre, Laura Lee; Fiese, Barbara H.; Eckert, Tanya L.

2008-01-01

Routines are an important feature of family life and functioning in families with young children. Common daily routines such as dinnertime, bedtime, and waking activities are powerful organizers of family behavior and may be instrumental to children and families during times of transition, such as elementary school entry. Daily routines were…

Evaluating simulations of daily discharge from large watersheds using autoregression and an index of flashiness

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Watershed models are calibrated to simulate stream discharge as accurately as possible. Modelers will often calculate model validation statistics on aggregate (often monthly) time periods, rather than the daily step at which models typically operate. This is because daily hydrologic data exhibit lar...

Purposes and Effects of Lying.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hample, Dale

Three exploratory studies were aimed at describing the purposes of lies and the consequences of lying. Data were collected through a partly open-ended questionnaire, a content analysis of several tape-recorded interviews, and a large-scale survey. The results showed that two of every three lies were told for selfish reasons, while three of every…

29 CFR 801.5 - Effect on other laws or agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... bargaining agreement, that prohibits lie detector tests or is more restrictive with respect to the use of lie detector tests. (b)(1) This provision applies to all aspects of the use of lie detector tests, including... enact subsequent legislation restricting the use of lie detectors with respect to public employees. (d...

29 CFR 801.5 - Effect on other laws or agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... bargaining agreement, that prohibits lie detector tests or is more restrictive with respect to the use of lie detector tests. (b)(1) This provision applies to all aspects of the use of lie detector tests, including... enact subsequent legislation restricting the use of lie detectors with respect to public employees. (d...

29 CFR 801.5 - Effect on other laws or agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... bargaining agreement, that prohibits lie detector tests or is more restrictive with respect to the use of lie detector tests. (b)(1) This provision applies to all aspects of the use of lie detector tests, including... enact subsequent legislation restricting the use of lie detectors with respect to public employees. (d...

29 CFR 801.5 - Effect on other laws or agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... bargaining agreement, that prohibits lie detector tests or is more restrictive with respect to the use of lie detector tests. (b)(1) This provision applies to all aspects of the use of lie detector tests, including... enact subsequent legislation restricting the use of lie detectors with respect to public employees. (d...

29 CFR 801.5 - Effect on other laws or agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... bargaining agreement, that prohibits lie detector tests or is more restrictive with respect to the use of lie detector tests. (b)(1) This provision applies to all aspects of the use of lie detector tests, including... enact subsequent legislation restricting the use of lie detectors with respect to public employees. (d...

Parenting by Lying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heyman, Gail D.; Luu, Diem H.; Lee, Kang

2009-01-01

The present set of studies identifies the phenomenon of "parenting by lying", in which parents lie to their children as a means of influencing their emotional states and behaviour. In Study 1, undergraduates (n = 127) reported that their parents had lied to them while maintaining a concurrent emphasis on the importance of honesty. In Study 2 (n =…

Can beneficial ends justify lying? Neural responses to the passive reception of lies and truth-telling with beneficial and harmful monetary outcomes.

PubMed

Yin, Lijun; Weber, Bernd

2016-03-01

Can beneficial ends justify morally questionable means? To investigate how monetary outcomes influence the neural responses to lying, we used a modified, cheap talk sender-receiver game in which participants were the direct recipients of lies and truthful statements resulting in either beneficial or harmful monetary outcomes. Both truth-telling (vs lying) as well as beneficial (vs harmful) outcomes elicited higher activity in the nucleus accumbens. Lying (vs truth-telling) elicited higher activity in the supplementary motor area, right inferior frontal gyrus, superior temporal sulcus and left anterior insula. Moreover, the significant interaction effect was found in the left amygdala, which showed that the monetary outcomes modulated the neural activity in the left amygdala only when truth-telling rather than lying. Our study identified a neural network associated with the reception of lies and truth, including the regions linked to the reward process, recognition and emotional experiences of being treated (dis)honestly. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cross-cultural differences in children's choices, categorizations, and evaluations of truths and lies.

PubMed

Fu, Genyue; Xu, Fen; Cameron, Catherine Ann; Leyman, Gail; Lee, Kang

2007-03-01

This study examined cross-cultural differences and similarities in children's moral understanding of individual- or collective-oriented lies and truths. Seven-, 9-, and 11-year-old Canadian and Chinese children were read stories about story characters facing moral dilemmas about whether to lie or tell the truth to help a group but harm an individual or vice versa. Participants chose to lie or to tell the truth as if they were the character (Experiments 1 and 2) and categorized and evaluated the story characters' truthful and untruthful statements (Experiments 3 and 4). Most children in both cultures labeled lies as lies and truths as truths. The major cultural differences lay in choices and moral evaluations. Chinese children chose lying to help a collective but harm an individual, and they rated it less negatively than lying with opposite consequences. Chinese children rated truth telling to help an individual but harm a group less positively than the alternative. Canadian children did the opposite. These findings suggest that cross-cultural differences in emphasis on groups versus individuals affect children's choices and moral judgments about truth and deception.

A pilot study on the improvement of the lying area of finishing pigs by a soft lying mat.

PubMed

Savary, Pascal; Gygax, Lorenz; Jungbluth, Thomas; Wechsler, Beat; Hauser, Rudolf

2011-01-01

In this pilot study, we tested whether a soft mat (foam covered with a heat-sealed thermoplastic) reduces alterations and injuries at the skin and the leg joints.The soft mat in the lying area of partly slatted pens was compared to a lying area consisting of either bare or slightly littered (100 g straw per pig and day) concrete flooring. In this study we focused on skin lesions on the legs of finishing pigs as indicators of impaired welfare. Pigs were kept in 19 groups of 8-10 individuals and were examined for skin lesions around the carpal and tarsal joints either at a weight of <35 kg, or at close to 100 kg. The likelihood of hairless patches and wounds at the tarsal joints was significantly lower in pens with the soft lying mat than in pens with a bare concrete floor. Pens with a littered concrete floor did not differ compared to pens with a bare concrete floor. The soft lying mat thus improved floor quality in the lying area in terms of preventing skin lesions compared to bare and slightly littered concrete flooring. Such soft lying mats have thus the potential to improve lying comfort and welfare of finishing pigs.

Low-lying electric-dipole strengths of Ca, Ni, and Sn isotopes imprinted on total reaction cross sections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horiuchi, W.; Hatakeyama, S.; Ebata, S.; Suzuki, Y.

2017-08-01

Low-lying electric-dipole (E 1 ) strength of a neutron-rich nucleus contains information on neutron-skin thickness, deformation, and shell evolution. We discuss the possibility of making use of total reaction cross sections on 40Ca, 120Sn, and 208Pb targets to probe the E 1 strength of neutron-rich Ca, Ni, and Sn isotopes. They exhibit large enhancement of the E 1 strength at neutron number N >28 , 50, and 82, respectively, due to a change of the single-particle orbits near the Fermi surface participating in the transitions. The density distributions and the electric-multipole strength functions of those isotopes are calculated by the Hartree-Fock+BCS and the canonical-basis-time-dependent-Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov methods, respectively, using three kinds of Skyrme-type effective interaction. The nuclear and Coulomb breakup processes are respectively described with the Glauber model and the equivalent photon method in which the effect of finite-charge distribution is taken into account. The three Skyrme interactions give different results for the total reaction cross sections because of different Coulomb breakup contributions. The contribution of the low-lying E 1 strength is amplified when the low-incident energy is chosen. With an appropriate choice of the incident energy and target nucleus, the total reaction cross section can be complementary to the Coulomb excitation for analyzing the low-lying E 1 strength of unstable nuclei.

Time-lapse imagery of Adélie penguins reveals differential winter strategies and breeding site occupation

PubMed Central

Southwell, Colin; Emmerson, Louise; Lunn, Daniel

2018-01-01

Polar seabirds adopt different over-wintering strategies to survive and build condition during the critical winter period. Penguin species either reside at the colony during the winter months or migrate long distances. Tracking studies and survey methods have revealed differences in winter migration routes among penguin species and colonies, dependent on both biotic and abiotic factors present. However, scan sampling methods are rarely used to reveal non-breeding behaviors during winter and little is known about presence at the colony site over this period. Here we show that Adélie penguins on the Yalour Islands in the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) are present year-round at the colony and undergo a mid-winter peak in abundance during winter. We found a negative relationship between daylight hours and penguin abundance when either open water or compact ice conditions were present, suggesting that penguins return to the breeding colony when visibility is lowest for at-sea foraging and when either extreme low or high levels of sea ice exist offshore. In contrast, Adélie penguins breeding in East Antarctica were not observed at the colonies during winter, suggesting that Adélie penguins undergo differential winter strategies in the marginal ice zone on the WAP compared to those in East Antarctica. These results demonstrate that cameras can successfully monitor wildlife year-round in areas that are largely inaccessible during winter. PMID:29561876

Super-Lie n-algebra extensions, higher WZW models and super-p-branes with tensor multiplet fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorenza, Domenico; Sati, Hisham; Schreiber, Urs

2015-12-01

We formalize higher-dimensional and higher gauge WZW-type sigma-model local prequantum field theory, and discuss its rationalized/perturbative description in (super-)Lie n-algebra homotopy theory (the true home of the "FDA"-language used in the supergravity literature). We show generally how the intersection laws for such higher WZW-type σ-model branes (open brane ending on background brane) are encoded precisely in (super-)L∞-extension theory and how the resulting "extended (super-)space-times" formalize spacetimes containing σ-model brane condensates. As an application we prove in Lie n-algebra homotopy theory that the complete super-p-brane spectrum of superstring/M-theory is realized this way, including the pure σ-model branes (the "old brane scan") but also the branes with tensor multiplet worldvolume fields, notably the D-branes and the M5-brane. For instance the degree-0 piece of the higher symmetry algebra of 11-dimensional (11D) spacetime with an M2-brane condensate turns out to be the "M-theory super-Lie algebra". We also observe that in this formulation there is a simple formal proof of the fact that type IIA spacetime with a D0-brane condensate is the 11D sugra/M-theory spacetime, and of (prequantum) S-duality for type IIB string theory. Finally we give the non-perturbative description of all this by higher WZW-type σ-models on higher super-orbispaces with higher WZW terms in stacky differential cohomology.

Should non-disclosures be considered as morally equivalent to lies within the doctor-patient relationship?

PubMed

Cox, Caitriona L; Fritz, Zoe

2016-10-01

In modern practice, doctors who outright lie to their patients are often condemned, yet those who employ non-lying deceptions tend to be judged less critically. Some areas of non-disclosure have recently been challenged: not telling patients about resuscitation decisions; inadequately informing patients about risks of alternative procedures and withholding information about medical errors. Despite this, there remain many areas of clinical practice where non-disclosures of information are accepted, where lies about such information would not be. Using illustrative hypothetical situations, all based on common clinical practice, we explore the extent to which we should consider other deceptive practices in medicine to be morally equivalent to lying. We suggest that there is no significant moral difference between lying to a patient and intentionally withholding relevant information: non-disclosures could be subjected to Bok's 'Test of Publicity' to assess permissibility in the same way that lies are. The moral equivalence of lying and relevant non-disclosure is particularly compelling when the agent's motivations, and the consequences of the actions (from the patient's perspectives), are the same. We conclude that it is arbitrary to claim that there is anything inherently worse about lying to a patient to mislead them than intentionally deceiving them using other methods, such as euphemism or non-disclosure. We should question our intuition that non-lying deceptive practices in clinical practice are more permissible and should thus subject non-disclosures to the same scrutiny we afford to lies. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Technical note: Instantaneous sampling intervals validated from continuous video observation for behavioral recording of feedlot lambs.

PubMed

Pullin, A N; Pairis-Garcia, M D; Campbell, B J; Campler, M R; Proudfoot, K L

2017-11-01

When considering methodologies for collecting behavioral data, continuous sampling provides the most complete and accurate data set whereas instantaneous sampling can provide similar results and also increase the efficiency of data collection. However, instantaneous time intervals require validation to ensure accurate estimation of the data. Therefore, the objective of this study was to validate scan sampling intervals for lambs housed in a feedlot environment. Feeding, lying, standing, drinking, locomotion, and oral manipulation were measured on 18 crossbred lambs housed in an indoor feedlot facility for 14 h (0600-2000 h). Data from continuous sampling were compared with data from instantaneous scan sampling intervals of 5, 10, 15, and 20 min using a linear regression analysis. Three criteria determined if a time interval accurately estimated behaviors: 1) ≥ 0.90, 2) slope not statistically different from 1 ( > 0.05), and 3) intercept not statistically different from 0 ( > 0.05). Estimations for lying behavior were accurate up to 20-min intervals, whereas feeding and standing behaviors were accurate only at 5-min intervals (i.e., met all 3 regression criteria). Drinking, locomotion, and oral manipulation demonstrated poor associations () for all tested intervals. The results from this study suggest that a 5-min instantaneous sampling interval will accurately estimate lying, feeding, and standing behaviors for lambs housed in a feedlot, whereas continuous sampling is recommended for the remaining behaviors. This methodology will contribute toward the efficiency, accuracy, and transparency of future behavioral data collection in lamb behavior research.

Ten Ideas Worth Stealing from New Zealand.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarchow, Elaine

1992-01-01

New Zealand educators have some ideas worth stealing, including morning tea-time, the lie-flat manifold duplicate book for recording classroom observation comments, school uniforms, collegial planning and grading of college assignments, good meeting etiquette, a whole-child orientation, portable primary architecture, group employment interviews…

Is There a Clock in This Sabbatical?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frederickson, Kathy

2003-01-01

Considers how a community-college professor's long-awaited sabbatical not only stimulates new thinking about projects and goals but also offers a foray into that forest of self that lies behind the trees. Discusses the author's experience with the time she spent on her sabbatical. (SG)

BIM based virtual environment for fire emergency evacuation.

PubMed

Wang, Bin; Li, Haijiang; Rezgui, Yacine; Bradley, Alex; Ong, Hoang N

2014-01-01

Recent building emergency management research has highlighted the need for the effective utilization of dynamically changing building information. BIM (building information modelling) can play a significant role in this process due to its comprehensive and standardized data format and integrated process. This paper introduces a BIM based virtual environment supported by virtual reality (VR) and a serious game engine to address several key issues for building emergency management, for example, timely two-way information updating and better emergency awareness training. The focus of this paper lies on how to utilize BIM as a comprehensive building information provider to work with virtual reality technologies to build an adaptable immersive serious game environment to provide real-time fire evacuation guidance. The innovation lies on the seamless integration between BIM and a serious game based virtual reality (VR) environment aiming at practical problem solving by leveraging state-of-the-art computing technologies. The system has been tested for its robustness and functionality against the development requirements, and the results showed promising potential to support more effective emergency management.

Relationships Among Nightly Sleep Quality, Daily Stress, and Daily Affect

PubMed Central

Bergeman, Cindy S.; Whitehead, Brenda R.; Braun, Marcia E.; Payne, Jessic D.

2017-01-01

Abstract Objectives. We explored the prospective, microlevel relationship between nightly sleep quality (SQ) and the subsequent day’s stress on positive (PA) and negative affect (NA) as well as the moderating relationships between nightly SQ, subsequent stress, and subsequent PA on NA. We investigated whether age moderated these relationships. Method. We collected 56 days of sleep, stress, and affect data using daily diary questionnaires (N = 552). We used multilevel modeling to assess relationships at the between- and within-person levels. Results. Daily increases in SQ and decreases in stress interacted to predict higher daily PA and lower daily NA. Better SQ in older adults enhanced the benefits of PA on the stress–NA relationship more during times of low stress, whereas better sleep in younger adults enhanced the benefits of PA more during times of high stress. Between-person effects were stronger predictors of well-being outcomes than within-person variability. Discussion. The combination of good SQ and higher PA buffered the impact of stress on NA. The moderating impact of age suggests that sleep and stress play different roles across adulthood. Targeting intervention and prevention strategies to improve SQ and enhance PA could disrupt the detrimental relationship between daily stress and NA. PMID:26307483

Gravitational lensing by a massive black hole at the Galactic center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wardle, Mark; Yusef-Zadeh, Farhad

1992-01-01

The manifestations of gravitational lensing by a massive black hole at the Galactic center, with particular attention given to lensing of stars in the stellar cluster that lie behind Sgr A*, and of Sgr A east, a nonthermal extended radio source which is known with certainty to lie behind the Galactic center. Lensing of the stellar cluster produces a deficit of stellar images within 10 mas of the center, and a surplus between 30 and 300 mas. The results suggest that the proper motion of the stars will produce brightness variations of stellar images on a time scale of a few years or less. Both images of such a source should be visible, and will rise and fall in luminosity together.

PyEphem: Astronomical Ephemeris for Python

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhodes, Brandon Craig

2011-12-01

PyEphem provides scientific-grade astronomical computations for the Python programming language. Given a date and location on the Earth’s surface, it can compute the positions of the Sun and Moon, of the planets and their moons, and of any asteroids, comets, or earth satellites whose orbital elements the user can provide. Additional functions are provided to compute the angular separation between two objects in the sky, to determine the constellation in which an object lies, and to find the times at which an object rises, transits, and sets on a particular day. The numerical routines that lie behind PyEphem are those from the wonderful XEphem astronomy application, whose author, Elwood Downey, generously gave permission for us to use them as the basis for PyEphem.

Mass shift of charmonium states in p bar A collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, György; Balassa, Gábor; Kovács, Péter; Zétényi, Miklós; Lee, Su Houng

2018-05-01

The masses of the low lying charmonium states, namely, the J / Ψ, Ψ (3686), and Ψ (3770) are shifted downwards due to the second order Stark effect. In p bar +Au collisions at 6-10 GeV we study their in-medium propagation. The time evolution of the spectral functions of these charmonium states is studied with a Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (BUU) type transport model. We show that their in-medium mass shift can be observed in the dilepton spectrum. Therefore, by observing the dileptonic decay channel of these low lying charmonium states, especially for Ψ (3686), we can gain information about the magnitude of the gluon condensate in nuclear matter. This measurement could be performed at the upcoming PANDA experiment at FAIR.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berkelbach, Timothy C., E-mail: tcb2112@columbia.edu; Reichman, David R., E-mail: drr2103@columbia.edu; Hybertsen, Mark S., E-mail: mhyberts@bnl.gov

We extend our previous work on singlet exciton fission in isolated dimers to the case of crystalline materials, focusing on pentacene as a canonical and concrete example. We discuss the proper interpretation of the character of low-lying excited states of relevance to singlet fission. In particular, we consider a variety of metrics for measuring charge-transfer character, conclusively demonstrating significant charge-transfer character in the low-lying excited states. The impact of this electronic structure on the subsequent singlet fission dynamics is assessed by performing real-time master-equation calculations involving hundreds of quantum states. We make direct comparisons with experimental absorption spectra and singletmore » fission rates, finding good quantitative agreement in both cases, and we discuss the mechanistic distinctions that exist between small isolated aggregates and bulk systems.« less

Identifying high frequency signals in the daily swath mascon solutions from GRACE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Save, H.

2016-12-01

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission has provided us with unique information about the total water column in the Earth system over the past 14 years. The GRACE project provides a monthly mean time-variable gravity solution. There has been significant progress in the community over the years to develop shorter time-window gravity solutions. The daily swath mascon solutions, which are under development at the Center for Space Research (CSR), are computed using daily GRACE observation data. This paper discusses the development and the progress of this product. This paper summarizes the analysis of these solutions with special emphasis on identifying the higher frequency natural processes observed by GRACE using these daily swath mascon solutions.