The effects of proximal withdrawal states on job attitudes, job searching, intent to leave, and employee turnover.

PubMed

Li, Junchao Jason; Lee, Thomas W; Mitchell, Terence R; Hom, Peter W; Griffeth, Rodger W

2016-10-01

We present the first major test of proximal withdrawal states theory (PWST; Hom, Mitchell, Lee, & Griffeth, 2012). In addition, we develop and test new ideas to demonstrate how PWST improves our understanding and prediction of employee turnover. Across 2 studies, we corroborate that reluctant stayers (those who want to leave but have to stay) are similar to enthusiastic leavers (those who want to leave and can leave) in affective commitment, job satisfaction, and job embeddedness, and that reluctant leavers (those who want to stay but have to leave) are similar to enthusiastic stayers (those who want to stay and can stay) on these dimensions. We find that job satisfaction and job embeddedness more strongly influence the intent to leave and job search behavior for enthusiastic stayers and leavers than for reluctant stayers and leavers. More important, we show that for those experiencing low control over their preference for leaving or staying (i.e., reluctant stayers and leavers), traditional variables such as job satisfaction, job embeddedness, and intent to leave are poor predictors of their turnover behavior. We further demonstrate that focusing on enthusiastic stayers and leavers can significantly enhance the accuracy of job satisfaction, job embeddedness, and intent to leave for predicting actual employee turnover. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Helping Students Who Struggle with Math and Science: A Collaborative Approach for Elementary and Middle Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Dennis; Hamm, Mary

2008-01-01

This book builds on the social nature of learning to provide useful suggestions for reaching reluctant learners. It is based on the assumption that instruction that focuses on students' interests and builds on collaborative and differentiated learning will allow students to move from believing they "can't do mathematics or science" to a feeling of…

Microminiature high-resolution linear displacement sensor for peak strain detection in smart structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arms, Steven W.; Guzik, David C.; Townsend, Christopher P.

1998-07-01

Critical civil and military structures require 'smart' sensors in order to report their strain histories; this can help to insure safe operation after exposure to potentially damaging loads. A passive resetable peak strain detector was developed by modifying the mechanics of a differential variable reluctance transducer. The peak strain detector was attached to an aluminum test beam along with a bonded resistance strain gauge and a standard DVRT. Strain measurements were recorded during cyclic beam deflections. DVRT output was compared to the bonded resistance strain gauge output, yielding correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9989 to 0.9998 for al teste, including re-attachment of the DVRT to the specimen. Peak bending strains were obtained by the modified peak detect DVRT to the specimen. Peak bending strains were obtained by the modified peak detect DVRT and this was compared to the peak bending strains as measured by the bonded strain gauge. The peak detect DVRT demonstrated an accuracy of approximately +/- 5 percent over a peak range of 2000 to 2800 microstrain.

Mobile Devices and the Teacher Perceived Barriers Impacting Effective Integration in the K-5 Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nixon, Tina S.

2013-01-01

This qualitative, phenomenological study explored the teacher perceived barriers of using mobile devices in the K-5 classroom. Research confirms teachers face various types of variables and become reluctant to use technology within their curriculum driven lessons. This study sought to understand what teachers perceive as barriers, and how the…

The insula modulates arousal-induced reluctance to try novel tastes through adrenergic transmission in the rat

PubMed Central

Rojas, Sebastián; Diaz-Galarce, Raúl; Jerez-Baraona, Juan Manuel; Quintana-Donoso, Daisy; Moraga-Amaro, Rodrigo; Stehberg, Jimmy

2015-01-01

Reluctance to try novel tastes (neophobia) can be exacerbated in arousing situations, such as when children are under social stress or in rodents, when the new taste is presented in a high arousal context (HA) compared to a low arousal context (LA). The present study aimed at determining whether adrenergic transmission at the Insula regulates the reluctance to try novel tastes induced by arousing contexts. To this end, a combination of systemic and intra-insular manipulations of adrenergic activity was performed before the novel taste (saccharin 0.1%) was presented either in LA or HA contexts in rats. Our results show that systemic adrenergic activity modulates reluctance to try novel tastes. Moreover, intra-insular microinjections of propranolol or norepinephrine (NE) were found to modulate the effects of arousing contexts on reluctance to try novel tastes. Finally, intra-insular propranolol blocked epinephrine-induced increased reluctance, while intra-insular NE blocked oral propranolol-induced decreases in reluctance and increased the reluctance to try novel tastes presented in low arousing contexts. In conclusion, our results suggest that the insula is a critical site for regulating the effects of arousal in the reluctance to try novel tastes via the adrenergic system. PMID:26175672

Single bus star connected reluctance drive and method

DOEpatents

Fahimi, Babak; Shamsi, Pourya

2016-05-10

A system and methods for operating a switched reluctance machine includes a controller, an inverter connected to the controller and to the switched reluctance machine, a hysteresis control connected to the controller and to the inverter, a set of sensors connected to the switched reluctance machine and to the controller, the switched reluctance machine further including a set of phases the controller further comprising a processor and a memory connected to the processor, wherein the processor programmed to execute a control process and a generation process.

Variable reluctance displacement transducer temperature compensated to 650$sup 0$F

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

None

In pressurized water reactor tests, compact instruments for accurate measurement of small displacements in a 650$sup 0$F environment are often required. In the case of blowdown tests such as the Loss of Fluid Test (LOFT) or Semiscale computer code development tests, not only is the initial environment water at 650$sup 0$F and 2200 psi but it undergoes a severe transient due to depressurization. Since the LOFT and Semiscale tests are run just for the purpose of obtaining data during the depressurization, instruments used to obtain the data must not give false outputs induced by the change in environment. A LOFTmore » rho v$sup 2$ probe and a Semiscale drag disk are described. Each utilizes a variable reluctance transducer (VRT) for indication of the drag-disk location and a torsion bar for drag-disk restoring force. The VRT, in addition to being thermally gain and null offset stable, is fabricated from materials known to be resistant to large nuclear radiation levels and has successfully passed a fast neutron radiation test of 2.7 x 10$sup 17$ nvt without failure. (auth)« less

Cancer patients' reluctance to discuss psychological distress with their physicians was not associated with underrecognition of depression by physicians: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Okuyama, Toru; Endo, Chiharu; Seto, Takashi; Kato, Masashi; Seki, Nobuhiko; Akechi, Tatsuo; Furukawa, Toshiaki A; Eguchi, Kenji; Hosaka, Takashi

2009-06-01

To investigate the association between cancer patients' reluctance for emotional disclosure to their physician and underrecognition of depression by physicians. Randomly selected ambulatory patients with lung cancer were evaluated by the Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale (HADS), and those with scores over the validated cutoff value for adjustment disorder or major depressive disorder were included in this analysis. The data set included the responses to the 13-item questionnaire to assess four possible concerns of patients in relation to emotional disclosure to the treating physician ("no perceived need to disclose emotions," "fear of the negative impact of emotional disclosure," "negative attitude toward emotional disclosure," "hesitation to disturb the physician with emotional disclosure"). The attending physicians rated the severity of depression in each patient using 3-point Likert scales (0 [absent] to 2 [clinical]). Depression was considered to be underrecognized when the patients had a HADS score above the cutoff value, but in whom the depression rating by the attending physician was 0. The HADS score was over the cutoff value in the 60 patients. The mean age was 65.1 +/- 10.0, and 82% had advanced cancer (Stage IIIb or IV or recurrence). Depression was underrecognized in 44 (73%) patients. None of the four factors related to reluctance for emotional disclosure was associated with the underrecognition of depression by the physicians. None of the demographic or cancer-related variables were associated with depression underrecognition by physicians. The results did not support the assumption that patients' reluctance for emotional disclosure is associated with the underrecognition of depression by physicians.

Effect of perceived benefits on reluctance to trade.

PubMed

Lin, Hung-Ming; Kao, Danny T; Chuang, Shih-Chieh

2007-06-01

People often tend to be reluctant to trade an owned object for an alternative object. This concept of reluctance to trade is generally called "endowment effect". Loss aversion, which denotes that losses are weighted more heavily than gains, has been applied to interpret the endowment effect. Specifically, no "reluctance to trade" will occur when no loss is involved. In this research, 172 (90 women, 82 men; M age=21 yr., SD= 1.2) and 152 (82 women, 70 men; M age=21 yr., SD= 1.8) undergraduates voluntarily participated in two experiments, respectively. Results of both experiments indicated that participants were willing to trade an owned object for an alternative object when both objects were of the same benefit type and were reluctant to trade when objects were different. Clearly, an exchange was perceived as lower loss when the owned object and the alternative object were of the same benefit type, leading to no reluctance to trade.

Improving the Response of a Wheel Speed Sensor by Using a RLS Lattice Algorithm

PubMed Central

Hernandez, Wilmar

2006-01-01

Among the complete family of sensors for automotive safety, consumer and industrial application, speed sensors stand out as one of the most important. Actually, speed sensors have the diversity to be used in a broad range of applications. In today's automotive industry, such sensors are used in the antilock braking system, the traction control system and the electronic stability program. Also, typical applications are cam and crank shaft position/speed and wheel and turbo shaft speed measurement. In addition, they are used to control a variety of functions, including fuel injection, ignition timing in engines, and so on. However, some types of speed sensors cannot respond to very low speeds for different reasons. What is more, the main reason why such sensors are not good at detecting very low speeds is that they are more susceptible to noise when the speed of the target is low. In short, they suffer from noise and generally only work at medium to high speeds. This is one of the drawbacks of the inductive (magnetic reluctance) speed sensors and is the case under study. Furthermore, there are other speed sensors like the differential Hall Effect sensors that are relatively immune to interference and noise, but they cannot detect static fields. This limits their operations to speeds which give a switching frequency greater than a minimum operating frequency. In short, this research is focused on improving the performance of a variable reluctance speed sensor placed in a car under performance tests by using a recursive least-squares (RLS) lattice algorithm. Such an algorithm is situated in an adaptive noise canceller and carries out an optimal estimation of the relevant signal coming from the sensor, which is buried in a broad-band noise background where we have little knowledge of the noise characteristics. The experimental results are satisfactory and show a significant improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio at the system output.

Operational Stress and Correlates of Mental Health Among Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay Military Personnel.

PubMed

Webb-Murphy, Jennifer A; De La Rosa, Gabriel M; Schmitz, Kimberly J; Vishnyak, Elizabeth J; Raducha, Stephanie C; Roesch, Scott C; Johnston, Scott L

2015-12-01

Military personnel deployed to Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay (JTF-GTMO) faced numerous occupational stressors. As part of a program evaluation, personnel working at JTF-GTMO completed several validated self-report measures. Personnel were at the beginning, middle, or end of their deployment phase. This study presents data regarding symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol abuse, depression, and resilience among 498 U.S. military personnel deployed to JTF-GTMO in 2009. We also investigated individual and organizational correlates of mental health among these personnel. Findings indicated that tenure at JTF-GTMO was positively related to adverse mental health outcomes. Regression models including these variables had R2 values ranging from .02 to .11. Occupation at JTF-GTMO also related to mental health such that guards reported poorer mental health than medical staff. Reluctance to seek out mental health care was also related to mental health outcomes. Those who reported being most reluctant to seek out care tended to report poorer mental health than those who were more willing to seek out care. Results suggested that the JTF-GTMO deployment was associated with significant psychological stress, and that both job-related and attitude-related variables were important to understanding mental health symptoms in this sample. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Iowa Gambling Task Performance in Parkinson Disease Patients with Impulse Control Disorders.

PubMed

Biars, Julia W; Johnson, Nicole L; Nespeca, Michelle; Busch, Robyn M; Kubu, Cynthia S; Floden, Darlene P

2018-04-27

A subgroup of patients with Parkinson disease (PD) develops impulse control disorders (ICD) associated with their dopamine replacement therapy. Patients and their families may be reluctant to report ICD symptoms or unaware these symptoms are related to PD medication, which can make detecting an ICD difficult for clinicians. Ideally, a behavioral measure that is sensitive to ICD could be employed to ensure that patients with these behaviors are identified and treated. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a standardized decision-making task, has proven sensitive in other populations with impulse control problems. We hypothesized that the IGT would differentiate between PD patients with and without ICD. We compared IGT performance and disease variables in 24 PD patients with ICD and 24 PD patients without ICD. Patient groups were matched in terms of age, sex, and duration of PD. There were no significant differences in IGT scores between PD groups. IGT performance declined with increasing age, but the majority of patients performed within normal limits based on published age- and education-corrected normative data. The IGT did not distinguish between PD patients with and without ICD. Increasing age negatively impacted performance in both groups. Other studies have found that IGT performance may decline in normal aging. Our results suggest that the IGT lacks the sensitivity and specificity needed to differentiate between age-related deficits and disruption in frontal-subcortical circuits underlying ICD associated with PD medications. Therefore, the IGT is not an appropriate behavioral measure for ICD in PD patients.

Responses to clinical uncertainty in Australian general practice trainees: a cross-sectional analysis.

PubMed

Cooke, Georga; Tapley, Amanda; Holliday, Elizabeth; Morgan, Simon; Henderson, Kim; Ball, Jean; van Driel, Mieke; Spike, Neil; Kerr, Rohan; Magin, Parker

2017-12-01

Tolerance for ambiguity is essential for optimal learning and professional competence. General practice trainees must be, or must learn to be, adept at managing clinical uncertainty. However, few studies have examined associations of intolerance of uncertainty in this group. The aim of this study was to establish levels of tolerance of uncertainty in Australian general practice trainees and associations of uncertainty with demographic, educational and training practice factors. A cross-sectional analysis was performed on the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training (ReCEnT) project, an ongoing multi-site cohort study. Scores on three of the four independent subscales of the Physicians' Reaction to Uncertainty (PRU) instrument were analysed as outcome variables in linear regression models with trainee and practice factors as independent variables. A total of 594 trainees contributed data on a total of 1209 occasions. Trainees in earlier training terms had higher scores for 'Anxiety due to uncertainty', 'Concern about bad outcomes' and 'Reluctance to disclose diagnosis/treatment uncertainty to patients'. Beyond this, findings suggest two distinct sets of associations regarding reaction to uncertainty. Firstly, affective aspects of uncertainty (the 'Anxiety' and 'Concern' subscales) were associated with female gender, less experience in hospital prior to commencing general practice training, and graduation overseas. Secondly, a maladaptive response to uncertainty (the 'Reluctance to disclose' subscale) was associated with urban practice, health qualifications prior to studying medicine, practice in an area of higher socio-economic status, and being Australian-trained. This study has established levels of three measures of trainees' responses to uncertainty and associations with these responses. The current findings suggest differing 'phenotypes' of trainees with high 'affective' responses to uncertainty and those reluctant to disclose uncertainty to patients. More research is needed to examine the relationship between clinical uncertainty and clinical outcomes, temporal changes in tolerance for uncertainty, and strategies that might assist physicians in developing adaptive responses to clinical uncertainty. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Research on Electromagnetic Force Distribution and Vibration Performance of A Novel 10/4 Switched Reluctance Motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Ziyu; Wang, Xinyu; Cao, Cheng; Liu, Meng; Wang, Kangxi

2017-06-01

Radial electromagnetic force is one of the main reasons causing the vibration and noise of the switched reluctance motor. Based on this, the novel structure of 10/4 pole switched reluctance motor is proposed, which increases the air gap flux and electromagnetic torque by increasing the number of stator poles. In addition, the excitation current of the stator winding is reduced by early turn-off angle. Through the finite element modelling analysis, the results show the superiority of the new type of switched reluctance motor. In the end, the vibration characteristics of the conventional motor and the new motor are compared and analysed, and the effect of the structure of this new type of switched reluctance motor is verified.

Social-cognitive determinants of help-seeking for mental health problems among prison inmates.

PubMed

Skogstad, Philip; Deane, Frank P; Spicer, John

2006-01-01

Prisoners experience high rates of mental health problems and suicidal behaviours. Failure to seek help may exacerbate these problems and limit opportunities to participate in offending-related programmes. To assess whether prisoners'; intentions to seek help for a personal-emotional problem, including suicidal feelings, can be predicted using variables from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). These TPB variables were supplemented by measures of emotional distress, prior contact with a psychologist and demographic variables. Male inmates from six New Zealand prisons were asked to participate, with approximately 50% (n = 527) of those who initially expressed an interest in the study completing the self-report questionnaire. Most participants completed the questionnaire in small-group meetings in the prison units and returned them to the researchers immediately after completion.Results On average, participants reported higher levels of current emotional distress than comparison student samples. TPB variables predicted help-seeking intentions for suicidality and personal-emotional problems. Those with prior contact with prison psychologists had lower intentions to seek help for suicidal feelings than prisoners without such contact. Older prisoners, those with more years of education, and those who had previous contact with a psychologist outside prison tended to have higher intentions to seek psychological help. Social-cognitive factors predicted intentions to seek help among New Zealand prisoners but prison-specific issues, such as relative reluctance to seek help when suicidal and reluctance to seek help from prison psychologists, were also identified. Implications for practice Prisoners'; access to services could be improved, for example, through directly working on attitudinal barriers. Strategies to ensure access to specialized forensic mental health in-reach services could also be an alternative or additional route to ensure that this disadvantaged group seeks appropriate help.

"Reluctant Participants" in Role Play Simulations: Stage Fright or Bewilderment?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Danny

1985-01-01

Discusses factors contributing to participant reluctance in role playing--isolation of role play from the curriculum; lack of interest because of perceived irrelevance to social psychological themes; and acting anxiety. A two-step design which involves gradual role play introduction and observation by reluctant participants is suggested as a…

Variable reluctance displacement transducer temperature compensated to 650$sup 0$F

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

Piper, T.C.; Colson, J.B.

650 deg F. Piper, T. C.; Colson, J. B. (Aerojet Nuclear Co., Idaho Falls, Idaho (USA)). Nov 1973. Contract AT(10-1)-1375. ' 16p. Dep. NTlS 00. A variable reluctnce transducer (VRT) with plus or minus 0.100- inch stroke to operate to 550 deg F is described. Specific design effort was taken to optimize the desiga to have minimum change in the VRT's null and sensitivity with rapid thermal and pressure transients. Null and sensitivity stabilities of plus or minus 0.5% and 1.8% of full scale, respectively, were obtained. Appentice; 'ineate the various effects considered in optimizing the design. (auth)

An Analysis of Noise Reduction in Variable Reluctance Motors Using Pulse Position Randomization

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-05-01

finally turned. Kamakshi Srinivasan consistently took the time to answer my endless stream of questions. Karen Walrath provided the data acquisition...equipment. Many other people in the lab helped me along the way: Mary Tolikas, Deron Jackson, Jeff Chapman, Brian Eidson ... the list includes most people...in the lab, because people always seemed to have time to help. Most of all I thank my parents, Bill and Jane Smoot, for their love, support and

An advanced robust method for speed control of switched reluctance motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chao; Ming, Zhengfeng; Su, Zhanping; Cai, Zhuang

2018-05-01

This paper presents an advanced robust controller for the speed system of a switched reluctance motor (SRM) in the presence of nonlinearities, speed ripple, and external disturbances. It proposes that the adaptive fuzzy control is applied to regulate the motor speed in the outer loop, and the detector is used to obtain rotor detection in the inner loop. The new fuzzy logic tuning rules are achieved from the experience of the operator and the knowledge of the specialist. The fuzzy parameters are automatically adjusted online according to the error and its change of speed in the transient period. The designed detector can obtain the rotor's position accurately in each phase module. Furthermore, a series of contrastive simulations are completed between the proposed controller and proportion integration differentiation controller including low speed, medium speed, and high speed. Simulations show that the proposed robust controller enables the system reduced by at least 3% in overshoot, 6% in rise time, and 20% in setting time, respectively, and especially under external disturbances. Moreover, an actual SRM control system is constructed at 220 V 370 W. The experiment results further prove that the proposed robust controller has excellent dynamic performance and strong robustness.

2500 Years of European Climate Variability and Human Susceptibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Büntgen, Ulf; Tegel, Willy; Nicolussi, Kurt; McCormick, Michael; Frank, David; Trouet, Valerie; Kaplan, Jed O.; Herzig, Franz; Heussner, Karl-Uwe; Wanner, Heinz; Luterbacher, Jürg; Esper, Jan

2011-02-01

Climate variations influenced the agricultural productivity, health risk, and conflict level of preindustrial societies. Discrimination between environmental and anthropogenic impacts on past civilizations, however, remains difficult because of the paucity of high-resolution paleoclimatic evidence. We present tree ring-based reconstructions of central European summer precipitation and temperature variability over the past 2500 years. Recent warming is unprecedented, but modern hydroclimatic variations may have at times been exceeded in magnitude and duration. Wet and warm summers occurred during periods of Roman and medieval prosperity. Increased climate variability from ~250 to 600 C.E. coincided with the demise of the western Roman Empire and the turmoil of the Migration Period. Such historical data may provide a basis for counteracting the recent political and fiscal reluctance to mitigate projected climate change.

Writing in Context: Reluctant Writers and Their Writing at Home and at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Paul

2013-01-01

This study investigated the engagement with writing of reluctant writers in the contexts of home and school. A structured and semi-structured survey method was used to capture responses from 106 reluctant writers in 9 primary schools (age range 6--9 year olds) in the UK. Findings show that although these students were deemed to be reluctant…

Farm Owners' Reluctance to Embrace Family Succession and the Implications for Extension: The Case of Family Farms in New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuthall, P. L.; Old, K. M.

2017-01-01

Purpose: Despite the benefits of early planning for business succession, and plan implementation, many owners/managers fail to act expeditiously. Factors such as a reluctance to accept ageing, a concern over the risks involved and inappropriate objectives may be causative. This research moves towards explaining this reluctance and, consequently,…

Assessing professional behaviour: Overcoming teachers' reluctance to fail students.

PubMed

Mak-van der Vossen, Marianne; Peerdeman, Saskia; van Mook, Walther; Croiset, Gerda; Kusurkar, Rashmi

2014-06-17

Developing professional behaviour is an important goal of medical education in which teachers play a significant part. Many teachers can be reluctant to fail students demonstrating unprofessional behaviour. We hypothesize that supporting teachers in teaching and assessing professional behaviour and involving them in remediation will reduce this reluctance. In 2010, VUmc School of Medical Sciences Amsterdam introduced an educational theme on professional behaviour for the bachelor's and master's programmes in medicine with a special emphasis on supporting teachers in teaching and assessing professional behaviour and involving them in the remediation process. Information was extracted from the student database on the number of unprofessional behaviour judgments awarded over 2008-2010 (before the intervention), and 2010-2013 (after introducing the intervention), which was compared. To find out if teachers' reluctance to fail had decreased, qualitative feedback from the teachers was gathered and analysed. Since the implementation of the educational theme, the number of unprofessional behaviour judgments has risen. The teachers are positive about the implemented system of teaching and assessing professional behaviour, and feel less reluctant to award an unsatisfactory professional behaviour judgment. Supporting teachers in teaching and assessing professional behaviour and involving them in students' remediation appears to reduce their reluctance to fail students demonstrating unprofessional behaviour.

Motor Experts Care about Consistency and Are Reluctant to Change Motor Outcome.

PubMed

Kast, Volker; Leukel, Christian

2016-01-01

Thousands of hours of physical practice substantially change the way movements are performed. The mechanisms underlying altered behavior in highly-trained individuals are so far little understood. We studied experts (handballers) and untrained individuals (novices) in visuomotor adaptation of free throws, where subjects had to adapt their throwing direction to a visual displacement induced by prismatic glasses. Before visual displacement, experts expressed lower variability of motor errors than novices. Experts adapted and de-adapted slower, and also forgot the adaptation slower than novices. The variability during baseline was correlated with the learning rate during adaptation. Subjects adapted faster when variability was higher. Our results indicate that experts produced higher consistency of motor outcome. They were still susceptible to the sensory feedback informing about motor error, but made smaller adjustments than novices. The findings of our study relate to previous investigations emphasizing the importance of action exploration, expressed in terms of outcome variability, to facilitate learning.

The Danish Perspective on Baltic Security.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-01

policy. This socialist wing mirrors a general reluctance in the population against engaging in a centralized federal European union. This reluctance...minister Andrei Kozyrev in 1993 that an effective presence in Kaliningrad is essential, and he characterized the area as the cornerstone of Russian...government and was able to heavily influence Denmark’s NATO policy. The socialist wing mirrors a general reluctance of the Danish populace to

State observer for synchronous motors

DOEpatents

Lang, Jeffrey H.

1994-03-22

A state observer driven by measurements of phase voltages and currents for estimating the angular orientation of a rotor of a synchronous motor such as a variable reluctance motor (VRM). Phase voltages and currents are detected and serve as inputs to a state observer. The state observer includes a mathematical model of the electromechanical operation of the synchronous motor. The characteristics of the state observer are selected so that the observer estimates converge to the actual rotor angular orientation and velocity, winding phase flux linkages or currents.

A Low Power Cryogenic Shutter Mechanism for use in Infrared Images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwinger, D. Scott; Hakun, Claef F.

2000-01-01

This paper discusses the requirements, design, operation, and testing of the shutter mechanism for the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC). The shutter moves a mirror panel into or out of the incoming light path transitioning IRAC between data acquisition and calibration modes. The mechanism features a torsion flexure suspension system, two low-power rotary actuators, a balanced shaft, and a variable reluctance position sensor. Each of these items is discussed along with problems encountered during development and the implemented solutions.

Permanent magnet machine and method with reluctance poles and non-identical PM poles for high density operation

DOEpatents

Hsu, John S.

2010-05-18

A method and apparatus in which a stator (11) and a rotor (12) define a primary air gap (20) for receiving AC flux and at least one source (23, 40), and preferably two sources (23, 24, 40) of DC excitation are positioned for inducing DC flux at opposite ends of the rotor (12). Portions of PM material (17, 17a) are provided as boundaries separating PM rotor pole portions from each other and from reluctance poles. The PM poles (18) and the reluctance poles (19) can be formed with poles of one polarity having enlarged flux paths in relation to flux paths for pole portions of an opposite polarity, the enlarged flux paths communicating with a core of the rotor (12) so as to increase reluctance torque produced by the electric machine. Reluctance torque is increased by providing asymmetrical pole faces. The DC excitation can also use asymmetric poles and asymmetric excitation sources. Several embodiments are disclosed with additional variations.

Barbados Insulin Matters (BIM) study: Perceptions on insulin initiation by primary care doctors in the Caribbean island of Barbados.

PubMed

Taylor, Charles Grafton; Taylor, Gordon; Atherley, Anique; Hambleton, Ian; Unwin, Nigel; Adams, Oswald Peter

2017-04-01

With regards to insulin initiation in Barbados we explored primary care doctor (PCD) perception, healthcare system factors and predictors of PCD reluctance to initiate insulin. PCDs completed a questionnaire based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and a reluctance to initiate insulin scale. Using linear regression, we explored the association between TPB domains and the reluctance to initiate insulin scale. Of 161 PCDs, 70% responded (75 private and 37 public sector). The majority felt initiating insulin was uncomplicated (68%) and there was benefit if used before complications developed (68%), but would not use it until absolutely necessary (58%). More private than public sector PCDs (p<0.05) thought that the healthcare system allowed enough flexibility of time for education (68 vs 38%) and initiating insulin was easy (63 vs 35%), but less thought system changes would help initiating insulin (42 vs 70%). Reasons for reluctance to initiate insulin included patient nonadherence (83%) and reluctance (63%). Only the attitudes and belief domain of the TPB was associated with the reluctance to initiate insulin scale (p<0.001). Interventions focusing on PCD attitudes and beliefs and restructuring services inclusive of the use of diabetes specialist nurses are required. Copyright © 2016 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors that affect older Japanese people's reluctance to use home help care and adult day care services.

PubMed

Tsukada, Noriko; Saito, Yasuhiko

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors related to the reluctance of older Japanese people to utilize home help services and day services. Home help services consist of three different types of services (i.e., assisting in bathing and toileting, doing household choirs, such as cooking and laundry, and counseling) and are provided by visiting home helpers at the homes of older people. Day services are services (e.g., providing bathing and meals, monitoring the health status of older people, and counseling) that are provided at day service centers in the community to improve the physical and psychological functioning of older people and to help the burden of caregiving of family members. The data used in the study came from the first wave of the Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging, conducted in November 1999 (and again in March 2000 for those people who had been unable to respond to the initial survey). Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a national probability sample of 6,700 people aged 65 and older. Logistic regression analyses were used to analyze factors that were thought to be related to older people's reluctance to use services. Approximately, one half of the respondents indicated reluctance to use home help services, and one quarter of the respondents showed reluctance to use day services. Respondents who were female and who lived in urban areas showed a higher probability of feeling reluctant about using both home-help and day services. Also, respondents who had had caregiving experience using these two types of services showed a lower probability of feeling reluctant about using the services. Furthermore, respondents who were older and had income showed a higher probability of feeling reluctant about using day services, whereas those who had had caregiving experience and who participated in social activities showed a lower probability of feeling reluctant about using day services. According to the 1999 survey, there were still many older Japanese people who felt reluctant about using either type of care service. But it is expected that the quality of services under Kaigo Hoken (the mandatory public long-term care social insurance system) will improve further and that older people's attitudes toward service utilization will change for the better. In the meantime, professional service providers will have to be sensitive to older people's perceptions about service utilization if they would like to continue to contribute to the improvement process of Kaigo Hoken as a positive force.

The influence of stem length and fixation on initial femoral component stability in revision total knee replacement

PubMed Central

Conlisk, N.; Gray, H.; Pankaj, P.; Howie, C. R.

2012-01-01

Objectives Orthopaedic surgeons use stems in revision knee surgery to obtain stability when metaphyseal bone is missing. No consensus exists regarding stem size or method of fixation. This in vitro study investigated the influence of stem length and method of fixation on the pattern and level of relative motion at the bone–implant interface at a range of functional flexion angles. Methods A custom test rig using differential variable reluctance transducers (DVRTs) was developed to record all translational and rotational motions at the bone–implant interface. Composite femurs were used. These were secured to permit variation in flexion angle from 0° to 90°. Cyclic loads were applied through a tibial component based on three peaks corresponding to 0°, 10° and 20° flexion from a normal walking cycle. Three different femoral components were investigated in this study for cementless and cemented interface conditions. Results Relative motions were found to increase with flexion angle. Stemmed implants reduced relative motions in comparison to stemless implants for uncemented constructs. Relative motions for cemented implants were reduced to one-third of their equivalent uncemented constructs. Conclusions Stems are not necessary for cemented implants when the metaphyseal bone is intact. Short cemented femoral stems confer as much stability as long uncemented stems. PMID:23610659

Mismatches between 'scientific' and 'non-scientific' ways of knowing and their contributions to public understanding of science.

PubMed

Mikulak, Anna

2011-06-01

As differentiation within scientific disciplines increases, so does differentiation between the sciences and other ways of knowing. This distancing between 'scientific' and 'non-scientific' cultures reflects differences in what are considered valid and reliable approaches to acquiring knowledge and has played a major role in recent science-oriented controversies. Scientists' reluctance to actively engage in science communication, coupled with journalists' reliance on the norms of balance, conflict, and human interest in covering scientific issues, have combined to exacerbate public mistrust of science on issues like the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. The failure of effective communications between scientists and non-scientists has hindered the progress of both effective science and effective policy. In order to better bridge the gap between the 'scientific' and 'non-scientific' cultures, renewed efforts must be made to encourage substantive public engagement, with the ultimate goal of facilitating an open, democratic policy-making process.

Analysis and design of asymmetrical reluctance machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harianto, Cahya A.

Over the past few decades the induction machine has been chosen for many applications due to its structural simplicity and low manufacturing cost. However, modest torque density and control challenges have motivated researchers to find alternative machines. The permanent magnet synchronous machine has been viewed as one of the alternatives because it features higher torque density for a given loss than the induction machine. However, the assembly and permanent magnet material cost, along with safety under fault conditions, have been concerns for this class of machine. An alternative machine type, namely the asymmetrical reluctance machine, is proposed in this work. Since the proposed machine is of the reluctance machine type, it possesses desirable feature, such as near absence of rotor losses, low assembly cost, low no-load rotational losses, modest torque ripple, and rather benign fault conditions. Through theoretical analysis performed herein, it is shown that this machine has a higher torque density for a given loss than typical reluctance machines, although not as high as the permanent magnet machines. Thus, the asymmetrical reluctance machine is a viable and advantageous machine alternative where the use of permanent magnet machines are undesirable.

Different roles of the medial and lateral hamstrings in unloading the anterior cruciate ligament.

PubMed

Guelich, David R; Xu, Dali; Koh, Jason L; Nuber, Gordon W; Zhang, Li-Qun

2016-01-01

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are closely associated with excessive loading and motion about the off axes of the knee, i.e. tibial rotation and knee varus/valgus. However, it is not clear about the 3-D mechanical actions of the lateral and medial hamstring muscles and their differences in loading the ACL. The purpose of this study was to investigate the change in anterior cruciate ligament strain induced by loading the lateral and medial hamstrings individually. Seven cadaveric knees were investigated using a custom testing apparatus allowing for six degree-of-freedom tibiofemoral motion induced by individual muscle loading. With major muscles crossing the knee loaded moderately, the medial and lateral hamstrings were loaded independently to 200N along their lines of actions at 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° of knee flexion. The induced strain of the anterior cruciate ligament was measured using a differential variable reluctance transducer. Tibiofemoral kinematics was monitored using a six degrees-of-freedom knee goniometer. Loading the lateral hamstrings induced significantly more anterior cruciate ligament strain reduction (mean 0.764 [SD 0.63] %) than loading the medial hamstrings (mean 0.007 [0.2] %), (P=0.001 and effect size=0.837) across the knee flexion angles. The lateral and medial hamstrings have significantly different effects on anterior cruciate ligament loadings. More effective rehabilitation and training strategies may be developed to strengthen the lateral and medial hamstrings selectively and differentially to reduce anterior cruciate ligament injury and improve post-injury rehabilitation. The lateral and medial hamstrings can potentially be strengthened selectively and differentially as a more focused rehabilitation approach to reduce ACL injury and improve post-injury rehabilitation. Different ACL reconstruction procedures with some of them involving the medial hamstrings can be compared to each other for their effect on ACL loading. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Elevated levels of circulating thyroid hormone do not cause the medical sequelae of hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Kelly, Tammas; Denmark, Lawrence; Lieberman, Daniel Z

2016-11-03

Clinicians have been reluctant to use high dose thyroid (HDT) to treat affective disorders because high circulating levels of thyroid hormone have traditionally been equated with hyperthyroidism, and understood as the cause of the medical sequelae of hyperthyroidism, such as osteoporosis and cardiac abnormalities. This conclusion is not supported by (HDT) research. A literature review of research related to the morbidity and mortality of HDT treatment was performed. There exists a large body of research involving the use of HDT treatment to prevent the recurrence of differentiated thyroid cancer and to treat affective disorders. A review of this literature finds a lack of support for HDT as a cause of osteoporosis, nor is there support for an increase in morbidity or mortality associated with HDT. This finding contrasts with the well-established morbidity and mortality associated with Graves' disease, thyroiditis, and other endogenous forms of hyperthyroidism. The lack of evidence that exogenous HDT causes osteoporosis, cardiac abnormalities or increases mortality compared with the significant morbidity and mortality of hyperthyroidism requires an alternative cause for the medical sequelae of hyperthyroidism. One possibility is an autoimmune mechanism. High circulating levels of thyroid hormone is not the cause of the sequela of hyperthyroidism. The reluctance to using high dose thyroid is unwarranted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variability in intake and dehydration in young men during a simulated desert walk.

PubMed

Szlyk, P C; Sils, I V; Francesconi, R P; Hubbard, R W; Matthew, W T

1989-05-01

Voluntary dehydration was examined in young unacclimatized men walking under simulated desert conditions. Thirty-three subjects (20-33 years) walked on a treadmill (4.82 km.h-1, 5% grade) for 30 min.h-1 for 6 h in a hot environment (40 degrees C db/26 degrees C wb, 4.02 km.h-1 windspeed). Cool (15 degrees C) water was provided ad libitum in canteens. Because thirst is stimulated and drinking should occur at about 2% body weight loss as body water, we used this criterion to identify two groups of individuals. Individuals who maintained body weight (BW) loss at less than 2% (0.44-1.88%) were defined as avid drinkers (D, n = 20) and those who exceeded the 2% BW loss (2.07-3.51%) despite the continual availability of cool (15 degrees C) water were called reluctant drinkers (RD, n = 13). RD consumed 31% less water (2.05 +/- 0.14 L) than D (2.98 +/- 0.12 L), and this resulted in a significantly greater BW loss in RD (2.65 +/- 0.11%) than D (1.16 +/- 0.11%). However, the only statistically significant differences in plasma indices of dehydration were the higher final plasma Na+ and protein levels in RD. Rectal temperature was higher in the RD, whereas final heart rates were unaffected. In the current study, about 40% of the young adult male subjects were reluctant to drink, and thus voluntarily dehydrated even when given cool water ad libitum during intermittent exercise in the heat. The reduced intake of these reluctant drinkers may be critical in predisposing them to increased risk of dehydration and heat injury.

Energy Transformation Topic: Correlation between Pre-Classroom Reading Activity and Students’ Curiosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muttaqiin, A.; Sopandi, W.

2017-09-01

This research aimed to analyze the correlation between pre-classroom reading activity and students’ curiosity to science. 31 participants were selected randomly from one of the junior high schools in Cimahi. Spearman’s correlation was chosen since the data from two variables were not normally distributed. The result shows that there was a weak correlation between reading before learning and students’ curiosity in the classroom and it was not significant. Several factors influence this result, one of them was students’ reluctant in daily reading to science content.

Predictors of patient reluctance to wake early in the morning for bowel preparation for colonoscopy: a precolonoscopy survey in city-wide practice.

PubMed

Shafer, L A; Walker, J R; Waldman, C; Michaud, V; Yang, C; Bernstein, C N; Hathout, L; Park, J; Sisler, J; Wittmeier, K; Restall, G; Singh, H

2018-06-01

 Many endoscopists do not use split-dose bowel preparation (SDBP) for morning colonoscopies. Despite SDBP being recommended practice, they believe patients will not agree to take early morning bowel preparation (BP). We assessed patients' opinions about waking early for BP.  A self-administered survey was distributed between 08/2015 and 06/2016 to patients in Winnipeg, Canada when they attended an outpatient colonoscopy. Logistic regression was performed to determine predictors of reluctance to use early morning BP.  Of the 1336 respondents (52 % female, median age 57 years), 33 % had used SDBP for their current colonoscopy. Of the 1336, 49 % were willing, 24 % neutral, and 27 % reluctant to do early morning BP. Predictors of reluctant versus willing were number of prior colonoscopies (OR 1.20; 95 %CI: 1.07 - 1.35), female gender (OR 1.65; 95 %CI: 1.19 - 2.29), unclear BP information (OR 1.86; 95 %CI: 1.21 - 2.85), high BP anxiety (OR 2.02; 95 %CI: 1.35 - 3.02), purpose of current colonoscopy being bowel symptoms (OR 1.40; 95 %CI: 1.00 - 1.97), use of 4 L of polyethylene glycol laxative (OR 1.45; 95 %CI: 1.02 - 2.06), not having SDBP (OR 1.96; 95 %CI: 1.31 - 2.93), and not having finished the laxative for the current colonoscopy (OR 1.66; 95 %CI: 1.01 - 2.73). Most of the same predictors were identified when reluctance was compared to willing or neutral, and in ordinal logistic regression.  Almost three-quarters of patients do not express reluctance to get up early for BP. Among those who are reluctant, improving BP information, allaying BP-related anxiety, and use of low volume BP may increase acceptance of SDBP.

Is clinician refusal to treat an emerging problem in injury compensation systems?

PubMed Central

Brijnath, Bianca; Mazza, Danielle; Kosny, Agnieszka; Bunzli, Samantha; Singh, Nabita; Ruseckaite, Rasa; Collie, Alex

2016-01-01

Objective The reasons that doctors may refuse or be reluctant to treat have not been widely explored in the medical literature. To understand the ethical implications of reluctance to treat there is a need to recognise the constraints of doctors working in complex systems and to consider how these constraints may influence reluctance. The aim of this paper is to illustrate these constraints using the case of compensable injury in the Australian context. Design Between September and December 2012, a qualitative investigation involving face-to-face semistructured interviews examined the knowledge, attitudes and practices of general practitioners (GPs) facilitating return to work in people with compensable injuries. Setting Compensable injury management in general practice in Melbourne, Australia. Participants 25 GPs who were treating, or had treated a patient with compensable injury. Results The practice of clinicians refusing treatment was described by all participants. While most GPs reported refusal to treat among their colleagues in primary and specialist care, many participants also described their own reluctance to treat people with compensable injuries. Reasons offered included time and financial burdens, in addition to the clinical complexities involved in compensable injury management. Conclusions In the case of compensable injury management, reluctance and refusal to treat is likely to have a domino effect by increasing the time and financial burden of clinically complex patients on the remaining clinicians. This may present a significant challenge to an effective, sustainable compensation system. Urgent research is needed to understand the extent and implications of reluctance and refusal to treat and to identify strategies to engage clinicians in treating people with compensable injuries. PMID:26792215

Helping Reluctant Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormick, Montana K.; Segal, Pamela H.

2016-01-01

University educators work with preservice teachers who often feel overwhelmed when facing high school science classrooms full of reluctant readers. These struggling students often have various special-education modifications or are English language learners (ELLs) with different degrees of language proficiency. Teachers report that these students…

Minimization of torque ripple in ferrite-assisted synchronous reluctance motors by using asymmetric stator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Meimei; Liu, Guohai; Zhao, Wenxiang; Aamir, Nazir

2018-05-01

Torque ripple is one of the important issues for ferrite assisted synchronous reluctance motors (FASRMs). In this paper, an asymmetrical stator is proposed for the FASRM to reduce its torque ripple. In the proposed FASRM, an asymmetrical stator is designed by appropriately choosing the angle of the slot-opening shift. Meanwhile, its analytical torque expressions are derived. The results show that the proposed FASRM has an effective reduction in the cogging torque, reluctance torque ripple and total torque ripple. Moreover, it is easy to implement while the average torque is not sacrificed.

Identification of multi-modal plasma responses to applied magnetic perturbations using the plasma reluctance

DOE PAGES

Logan, Nikolas C.; Paz-Soldan, Carlos; Park, Jong-Kyu; ...

2016-05-03

Using the plasma reluctance, the Ideal Perturbed Equilibrium Code is able to efficiently identify the structure of multi-modal magnetic plasma response measurements and the corresponding impact on plasma performance in the DIII-D tokamak. Recent experiments demonstrated that multiple kink modes of comparable amplitudes can be driven by applied nonaxisymmetric fields with toroidal mode number n = 2. This multi-modal response is in good agreement with ideal magnetohydrodynamic models, but detailed decompositions presented here show that the mode structures are not fully described by either the least stable modes or the resonant plasma response. This paper identifies the measured response fieldsmore » as the first eigenmodes of the plasma reluctance, enabling clear diagnosis of the plasma modes and their impact on performance from external sensors. The reluctance shows, for example, how very stable modes compose a significant portion of the multi-modal plasma response field and that these stable modes drive significant resonant current. Finally, this work is an overview of the first experimental applications using the reluctance to interpret the measured response and relate it to multifaceted physics, aimed towards providing the foundation of understanding needed to optimize nonaxisymmetric fields for independent control of stability and transport.« less

Biomechanical Evaluation of All-Polyethylene Pegged Bony Ingrowth Glenoid Fixation Techniques on Implant Micromotion.

PubMed

Wiater, Brett P; Moravek, James E; Kurdziel, Michael D; Baker, Kevin C; Wiater, J Michael

2016-01-01

Newer glenoid components that allow for hybrid cement fixation via traditional cementation of peripheral pegs and bony ingrowth into an interference-fit central peg introduce the possibility of long-term biological fixation. However, little biomechanical work has been done on the initial stability of these components and the various fixation options. We conducted a study in which all-polyethylene glenoid components with a centrally fluted peg were implanted in polyurethane blocks with interference-fit, hybrid cement, and fully cemented fixation (5 per fixation group). Biomechanical evaluation of glenoid loosening, according to ASTM Standard F-2028-12, subjected the glenoids to 50,000 cycles of rim loading, and glenoid component motion was recorded with 2 differential variable reluctance transducers fixed to each glenoid prosthesis. Fully cemented fixation exhibited significantly less mean distraction in comparison with interference-fit fixation (P < .001) and hybrid cement fixation (P < .001). Hybrid cement fixation exhibited significantly less distraction (P < .001), more compression (P < .001), and no significant difference in glenoid translation (P = .793) in comparison with interference-fit fixation. Fully cemented fixation exhibited the most resistance to glenoid motion in comparison with hybrid cement fixation and interference-fit fixation. However, hybrid cement fixation and interference-fit fixation exhibited equivocal motion. Given these results, cementation of peripheral pegs may confer no additional initial stability over that provided by uncemented interference-fit fixation.

Are veterans different? Understanding veterans' help-seeking behaviour for alcohol problems.

PubMed

Kiernan, Matthew D; Osbourne, Alison; McGill, Gill; Jane Greaves, Peta; Wilson, Gemma; Hill, Mick

2018-05-31

Alcohol misuse in the United Kingdom's veteran community is not an isolated phenomenon. Internationally, alcohol and wider substance misuse would appear to be an historic and current global issue within veteran communities. Although research has been undertaken both in the United Kingdom and the United States into why veterans are reluctant to seek help for mental health problems, little is understood as to why veterans encounter difficulties in engaging with treatment for alcohol misuse. The aim of this study was to understand why veterans in the United Kingdom are either reluctant or have difficulty in accessing help for alcohol problems. An applied social policy research methodology was used, employing in-depth semi-structured interviews with 19 UK veterans in the North East of England, who had a history of alcohol misuse. The findings showed that participants appeared to excuse or normalise their excessive alcohol consumption, which led to a delay in meaningful engagement in substance misuse services, resulting in complex and complicated presentations to health and social care services. The findings of this study clearly suggest that veterans who misuse alcohol have a range of distinctive and unique difficulties that subtly differentiate them from the wider civilian substance misuse population, and that the use of peer-support models would appear to mitigate against them disengaging from alcohol treatment services. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of the Variable Reluctance Transducer/Carrier Amplifier Method of Measuring Low Pneumatic Pressures in Aerodynamic and Propulsion Testing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

in ZT position, adjust Rx and VT to give the following conditions simul taneously: a) Vc to be specifiied value * RMS Volts. b) VRX Vz. 3. Record: RX...conditions simultaneously: a) V to be specified value as before.c b) VRX Vc. 2. Record: Rx = Q_ ; VT = ; VR =Vc (Volts). C. CALCULATE VOLTAGE AND...2 _V2 cos 8 = cos (180-,) = VRX V2 . VT 2VRX* V Z =R (cos + isino) = Rz + JWTLZ (OHMS) VT x10 (MILLIAMPERES) E(Rx+Rz)2 + LZ2 󈧏 2 • =TLz COIL "Q

Automotive sensors: past, present and future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prosser, S. J.

2007-07-01

This paper will provide a review of past, present and future automotive sensors. Today's vehicles have become highly complex sophisticated electronic control systems and the majority of innovations have been solely achieved through electronics and the use of advanced sensors. A range of technologies have been used over the past twenty years including silicon microengineering, thick film, capacitive, variable reluctance, optical and radar. The automotive sensor market continues to grow with respect to vehicle production level in recognition of the transition to electronically controlled electrically actuated systems. The environment for these sensors continues to be increasingly challenging with respect to robustness, reliability, quality and cost.

Advanced Cloud Forecasting for Solar Energy’s Impact on Grid Modernization

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

Werth, D.; Nichols, R.

Solar energy production is subject to variability in the solar resource – clouds and aerosols will reduce the available solar irradiance and inhibit power production. The fact that solar irradiance can vary by large amounts at small timescales and in an unpredictable way means that power utilities are reluctant to assign to their solar plants a large portion of future energy demand – the needed power might be unavailable, forcing the utility to make costly adjustments to its daily portfolio. The availability and predictability of solar radiation therefore represent important research topics for increasing the power produced by renewable sources.

POLLUTION PREVENTION TECHNOLOGY DIFFUSION INITIATIVE (TDI)

EPA Science Inventory

Although pollution prevention (P2) technologies save money and help prevent the release of toxic and hazardous wastes into the environment, many companies are reluctant to install new equipment or change the current processes. Some of the reluctance is initiated by lack of time a...

Is clinician refusal to treat an emerging problem in injury compensation systems?

PubMed

Brijnath, Bianca; Mazza, Danielle; Kosny, Agnieszka; Bunzli, Samantha; Singh, Nabita; Ruseckaite, Rasa; Collie, Alex

2016-01-20

The reasons that doctors may refuse or be reluctant to treat have not been widely explored in the medical literature. To understand the ethical implications of reluctance to treat there is a need to recognise the constraints of doctors working in complex systems and to consider how these constraints may influence reluctance. The aim of this paper is to illustrate these constraints using the case of compensable injury in the Australian context. Between September and December 2012, a qualitative investigation involving face-to-face semistructured interviews examined the knowledge, attitudes and practices of general practitioners (GPs) facilitating return to work in people with compensable injuries. Compensable injury management in general practice in Melbourne, Australia. 25 GPs who were treating, or had treated a patient with compensable injury. The practice of clinicians refusing treatment was described by all participants. While most GPs reported refusal to treat among their colleagues in primary and specialist care, many participants also described their own reluctance to treat people with compensable injuries. Reasons offered included time and financial burdens, in addition to the clinical complexities involved in compensable injury management. In the case of compensable injury management, reluctance and refusal to treat is likely to have a domino effect by increasing the time and financial burden of clinically complex patients on the remaining clinicians. This may present a significant challenge to an effective, sustainable compensation system. Urgent research is needed to understand the extent and implications of reluctance and refusal to treat and to identify strategies to engage clinicians in treating people with compensable injuries. 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/

For Reluctant Readers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fidell, Jeannette A.; Horn, Valerie

The eleven lesson plans outlined in this booklet are designed to stimulate and challenge both underachievers and reluctant readers by helping them learn to read "The New York Times." The lesson plans include the following: exercises in vocabulary enrichment; exercises for developing dictionary skills; topics for oral reports; topics for…

Predictors of patient reluctance to wake early in the morning for bowel preparation for colonoscopy: a precolonoscopy survey in city-wide practice

PubMed Central

Shafer, L. A.; Walker, J. R.; Waldman, C.; Michaud, V.; Yang, C.; Bernstein, C. N.; Hathout, L.; Park, J.; Sisler, J.; Wittmeier, K.; Restall, G.; Singh, H.

2018-01-01

Introduction  Many endoscopists do not use split-dose bowel preparation (SDBP) for morning colonoscopies. Despite SDBP being recommended practice, they believe patients will not agree to take early morning bowel preparation (BP). We assessed patients’ opinions about waking early for BP. Methods  A self-administered survey was distributed between 08/2015 and 06/2016 to patients in Winnipeg, Canada when they attended an outpatient colonoscopy. Logistic regression was performed to determine predictors of reluctance to use early morning BP. Results  Of the 1336 respondents (52 % female, median age 57 years), 33 % had used SDBP for their current colonoscopy. Of the 1336, 49 % were willing, 24 % neutral, and 27 % reluctant to do early morning BP. Predictors of reluctant versus willing were number of prior colonoscopies (OR 1.20; 95 %CI: 1.07 – 1.35), female gender (OR 1.65; 95 %CI: 1.19 – 2.29), unclear BP information (OR 1.86; 95 %CI: 1.21 – 2.85), high BP anxiety (OR 2.02; 95 %CI: 1.35 – 3.02), purpose of current colonoscopy being bowel symptoms (OR 1.40; 95 %CI: 1.00 – 1.97), use of 4 L of polyethylene glycol laxative (OR 1.45; 95 %CI: 1.02 – 2.06), not having SDBP (OR 1.96; 95 %CI: 1.31 – 2.93), and not having finished the laxative for the current colonoscopy (OR 1.66; 95 %CI: 1.01 – 2.73). Most of the same predictors were identified when reluctance was compared to willing or neutral, and in ordinal logistic regression. Conclusions  Almost three-quarters of patients do not express reluctance to get up early for BP. Among those who are reluctant, improving BP information, allaying BP-related anxiety, and use of low volume BP may increase acceptance of SDBP. PMID:29854940

Personal Computer Based Controller For Switched Reluctance Motor Drives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mang, X.; Krishnan, R.; Adkar, S.; Chandramouli, G.

1987-10-01

Th9, switched reluctance motor (SRM) has recently gained considerable attention in the variable speed drive market. Two important factors that have contributed to this are, the simplicity of construction and the possibility of developing low cost con-trollers with minimum number of switching devices in the drive circuits. This is mainly due to the state-of-art of the present digital circuits technology and the low cost of switching devices. The control of this motor drive is under research. Optimized performance of the SRM motor drive is very dependent on the integration of the controller, converter and the motor. This research on system integration involves considerable changes in the control algorithms and their implementation. A Personal computer (PC) based controller is very appropriate for this purpose. Accordingly, the present paper is concerned with the design of a PC based controller for a SRM. The PC allows for real-time microprocessor control with the possibility of on-line system parameter modifications. Software reconfiguration of this controller is easier than a hardware based controller. User friendliness is a natural consequence of such a system. Considering the low cost of PCs, this controller will offer an excellent cost-effective means of studying the control strategies for the SRM drive intop greater detail than in the past.

Using Nooks to Hook Reluctant Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dierking, Rebecca

2015-01-01

This article presents the findings of a two-year qualitative study of electronic reading device use with high school sophomores, most of whom self-identified as reluctant or struggling readers. Electronic readers were used primarily in one weekly fifty-minute class period, during silent sustained reading, wherein students chose freely their texts.…

Teenagers Talking about Reading and Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snowball, Clare

2008-01-01

Past research has shown teenagers to be reluctant to read and less likely to visit libraries than younger children. These conclusions are debated and further investigation is needed. Difficulties abound in researching teenagers' opinions. Teenagers can be reluctant to participate in activities and peer support is often very important in…

Encouraging Reluctant Writers in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Barbara

Certain settings and activities can be initiated in the classroom to encourage reluctant writers to write. The classroom environment should be structured so that writing efforts produce positive reinforcement. Sharing ideas with peers or the teacher prior to writing will enable students to feel that their ideas are worthwhile. Children can be…

Good Advice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dryden, Lisa S.

2005-01-01

Letter writing in a "Dear Abby" format can encourage your reluctant writers to dig deeper into books by dispensing advice to troubled characters When this author's triplet daughters were in the fifth grade and wrote the advice column for their school newspaper, she discovered giving advice can motivate reluctant writers. This realization prompted …

Prediction of Radial Vibration in Switched Reluctance Machines

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

Lin, CJ; Fahimi, B

2013-12-01

Origins of vibration in switched reluctance machines (SRMs) are investigated. Accordingly, an input-output model based on the mechanical impulse response of the SRMis developed. The proposed model is derived using an experimental approach. Using the proposed approach, vibration of the stator frame is captured and experimentally verified.

Mineral Oil-induced Sclerosing Lipogranuloma of the Penis

PubMed Central

Bjurlin, Marc A.; Carlsen, Jens; Grevious, Mark; Jordan, Michael D.; Taylor, Aisha; Divakaruni, Naveen

2010-01-01

Sclerosing lipogranuloma of the penis results from injection of high viscosity fluid for the purpose of penile augmentation and may have devastating cosmetic and sexual function consequences. Although rare, sclerosing lipogranuloma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of subcutaneous induration or nodules of the male genitalia as it may mimic carcinoma and poses a diagnostic challenge in patients reluctant to admit to injection therapy. Surgical excision with penile reconstruction is the mainstay of treatment. The authors present a case of a 35-year-old Myanmarese man with a sclerosing lipogranuloma of the penis due to injection of mineral oil successfully managed with penile biopsy and excision with split-thickness skin graft phalloplasty and provide a review of the current literature. PMID:20877525

Lifecycle Analysis of Different Motors from the Standpoint of Environmental Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlova, S.; Rassõlkin, A.; Kallaste, A.; Vaimann, T.; Belahcen, A.

2016-12-01

Comparative analysis is performed for different motors from the standpoint of damage inflicted by them during their lifecycle. Three types of motors have been considered: the synchronous reluctance motor, the permanent magnet assisted synchronous reluctance motor and the induction motor. The assessment of lifecycle has been made in terms of its four stages: manufacturing, distribution, use and end of life. The results show that the production costs of synchronous reluctance motor are lower compared to that of permanent magnet assisted motors, but due to their low efficiency they exert the greatest environmental impact. The main conclusion is that the assessment made at the early designing stage for the related environmental impact enables its reduction.

The Story of Sam: Advancing Proficiency in Reluctant Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dann, Tammy

2014-01-01

In this article, Tammy Dann, describes the issues presented by a reluctant learner in a foreign language class and the strategies required to see effective change. The student described in the article struggled to learn or had difficulty paying attention in the Spanish language class. One strategy used was "LinguaFolio Jr." for students…

Are Drivers' Manuals Right for Reluctant Readers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stahl, Norman A.; And Others

Readability formulas were applied to the drivers' manuals of each of the 50 United States and Puerto Rico to determine whether the manuals were appropriate materials for motivating reluctant or low achieving adolescent readers. Four 100-word samples were chosen from each manual, according to four themes common to each manual and of particular…

More Rip-Roaring Reads for Reluctant Teen Readers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ammon, Bette D.; Sherman, Gale W.

This publication describes 40 fiction and nonfiction titles for grades 5 through 12 that will get the attention of even the most reluctant readers. Books range from humor and romance to adventure, mystery, and the supernatural. The titles were chosen based on the following criteria: recent publication date; relatively short length; appealing…

Online Statistics Labs in MSW Research Methods Courses: Reducing Reluctance toward Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, William; Choi, Eunhee; Friedline, Terri

2013-01-01

This article presents results from an evaluation of an online statistics lab as part of a foundations research methods course for master's-level social work students. The article discusses factors that contribute to an environment in social work that fosters attitudes of reluctance toward learning and teaching statistics in research methods…

Effective Approaches to Motivate and Engage Reluctant Boys in Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senn, Nicole

2012-01-01

The purpose of this article was to investigate the reasons why elementary-aged boys often lack motivation in literacy and to provide teachers with useful approaches to engage reluctant boys in reading and writing. Following a comprehensive search of multiple university data base search engines, the author critically evaluated 21 peer-reviewed…

Giving Voice to Reluctant Learners: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pringle, Mark T.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory study is to hear from reluctant learners about their perceptions of their experiences in middle school and the meanings they make from these. This study will give voice to students, a stakeholder group that has been traditionally silent in the literature on K-12 learning and achievement. Capturing the perceptions…

Exploring Preservice Teacher Perspectives on Video Games as Learning Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ray, Beverly B.; Powell, Angiline; Jacobsen, Brenda

2014-01-01

Despite their popularity with learners, many K-12 teachers are reluctant to use video games as learning tools. Addressing issues surrounding this reluctance is important since the educational use of video games is supported by learning theory and an emerging research base. Specifically, this study adopts exploratory research as a means to examine…

Control system of mutually coupled switched reluctance motor drive of mining machines in generator mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, A. S.; Kalanchin, I. Yu; Pugacheva, E. E.

2017-09-01

One of the first electric motors, based on the use of electromagnets, was a reluctance motor in the XIX century. Due to the complexities in the implementation of control system the development of switched reluctance electric machines was repeatedly initiated only in 1960 thanks to the development of computers and power electronic devices. The main feature of these machines is the capacity to work both in engine mode and in generator mode. Thanks to a simple and reliable design in which there is no winding of the rotor, commutator, permanent magnets, a reactive gate-inductor electric drive operating in the engine mode is actively being introduced into various areas such as car industry, production of household appliances, wind power engineering, as well as responsible production processes in the oil and mining industries. However, the existing shortcomings of switched reluctance electric machines, such as nonlinear pulsations of electromagnetic moment, the presence of three or four phase supply system and sensor of rotor position prevent wide distribution of this kind of electric machines.

Mental Health and Sociocultural Determinants in an Asian Indian Community

PubMed Central

Roberts, Lisa R.; Mann, Semran K.; Montgomery, Susanne B.

2015-01-01

In a US population of adult male and female Sikh immigrant participants (N = 350), we explored sociocultural factors related to depression, giving participants a choice between English or Punjabi surveys. Language preference pointed to a subgroup with higher levels of depression and lower satisfaction with life. Underreporting of depression suggests a general reluctance to discuss depression. While multiple sociocultural variables were associated with depression bivariably, multivariate analysis identified negative religious coping and anxiety as unique predictors of depression. Community interventions should tap into the protective close-knit social fabric of this community as an opportunity to change the stigma of mental health. PMID:26605953

Mental Health and Sociocultural Determinants in an Asian Indian Community.

PubMed

Roberts, Lisa R; Mann, Semran K; Montgomery, Susanne B

2016-01-01

In a US population of adult male and female Sikh immigrant participants (N = 350), we explored sociocultural factors related to depression, giving participants a choice between English or Punjabi surveys. Language preference pointed to a subgroup with higher levels of depression and lower satisfaction with life. Underreporting of depression suggests a general reluctance to discuss depression. While multiple sociocultural variables were associated with depression bivariably, multivariate analysis identified negative religious coping and anxiety as unique predictors of depression. Community interventions should tap into the protective close-knit social fabric of this community as an opportunity to change the stigma of mental health.

Optical switch using Risley prisms

DOEpatents

Sweatt, William C.; Christenson, Todd R.

2003-04-15

An optical switch using Risley prisms and rotary microactuators to independently rotate the wedge prisms of each Risley prism pair is disclosed. The optical switch comprises an array of input Risley prism pairs that selectively redirect light beams from a plurality of input ports to an array of output Risley prism pairs that similarly direct the light beams to a plurality of output ports. Each wedge prism of each Risley prism pair can be independently rotated by a variable-reluctance stepping rotary microactuator that is fabricated by a multi-layer LIGA process. Each wedge prism can be formed integral to the annular rotor of the rotary microactuator by a DXRL process.

Optical Switch Using Risley Prisms

DOEpatents

Sweatt, William C.; Christenson, Todd R.

2005-02-22

An optical switch using Risley prisms and rotary microactuators to independently rotate the wedge prisms of each Risley prism pair is disclosed. The optical switch comprises an array of input Risley prism pairs that selectively redirect light beams from a plurality of input ports to an array of output Risley prism pairs that similarly direct the light beams to a plurality of output ports. Each wedge prism of each Risley prism pair can be independently rotated by a variable-reluctance stepping rotary microactuator that is fabricated by a multi-layer LIGA process. Each wedge prism can be formed integral to the annular rotor of the rotary microactuator by a DXRL process.

The Book Resisters: Ways of Approaching Reluctant Teenage Readers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackey, Margaret; Johnston, Ingrid

1996-01-01

Explores reasons why teenage students who know how to read choose not to do so, and emphasizes the importance of reading as an enjoyable and valuable pastime. Discusses aspects of reading that reluctant readers may not know and lists 25 titles that may appeal to such students. Provides teachers and librarians with suggestions for helping reluctant…

Engaging Reluctant Readers in a French Immersion Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capina, Amanda Borton; Bryan, Gregory

2017-01-01

Reading engagement is like a puzzle consisting of many pieces to emplace for successful engagement to occur. The author, a French Immersion teacher/researcher, found that many of her grade one reluctant readers--those students who could read but chose not to--approached reading with some pieces of the puzzle. They had strategies and knowledge but…

From Reluctant Teacher to Empowered Teacher-Researcher: One Teacher's Journey toward Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esposito, Jennifer; Smith, Shayla

2006-01-01

The focus of this paper will be one of the authors' transformation from reluctant teacher-researcher to empowered teacher-researcher. The authors will describe Shayla's journey through action research because it was this journey from circumspection to empowerment that strengthened her in ways that she had not foreseen or anticipated. It allowed…

Disrupting Communities of Practice? How "Reluctant" Practitioners View Early Years Workforce Reform in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payler, Jane K.; Locke, Rachel

2013-01-01

This article reports on the views of early years practitioners in England from settings that were identified as "reluctant to engage" with one of the government's key policies, the introduction of Early Years Professional Status (EYPS), to drive forwards workforce reform. Focus groups, interviews and a survey were undertaken in 2009 with…

Retaining Reluctant Learners in ABE through the Student Intake Period.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park. Inst. for the Study of Adult Literacy.

A project sought to determine if reluctant learners, about 30 percent of the adult basic education (ABE) population, can be retained in ABE classes through accommodations in the program structure and more effective teacher/counselor intervention. The project was based on earlier research findings that most ABE learners who drop out do so in the…

The Integrated Curriculum: Books for Reluctant Readers, Grades 2-5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredericks, Anthony D.

Demonstrating that reading can and should be part of every curricular area, this book provides a wide selection of activities developed for 39 books selected on the basis of their interest level and application to the needs of reluctant readers in grades 2 through 5. The first part of the book presents guidelines for motivating students and…

The Reasons for the Reluctance of Princess Alia University College Students' from Practicing Sports Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odat, Jebril

2015-01-01

This study aimed at investigating the reasons lying behind the reluctance of participation in sport activities among Alia Princess College female students, using descriptive approach. The population of the study consisted of (2000) female students, whereas the sample was of (200) students. They were randomly selected and a questionnaire of 31…

Teaching Differentials in Thermodynamics Using Spatial Visualization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Chih-Yueh; Hou, Ching-Han

2012-01-01

The greatest difficulty that is encountered by students in thermodynamics classes is to find relationships between variables and to solve a total differential equation that relates one thermodynamic state variable to two mutually independent state variables. Rules of differentiation, including the total differential and the cyclic rule, are…

Design of a 0-50 mbar pressure measurement channel compatible with the LHC tunnel radiation environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casas, Juan; Jelen, Dorota; Trikoupis, Nikolaos

2017-02-01

The monitoring of cryogenic facilities often require the measurement of pressure in the sub 5’000 Pa range that are used for flow metering applications, for saturated superfluid helium, etc. The pressure measurement is based on the minute displacement of a sensing diaphragm often through contactless techniques by using capacitive or inductive methods. The LHC radiation environment forbid the use of standard commercial sensors because of the embedded electronics that are affected both by radiation induced drift and transient Single Event Effects (SEE). Passive pressure sensors from two manufacturers were investigated and a CERN designed radiation-tolerant electronics has been developed for measuring variable-reluctance sensors. During the last maintenance stop of the LHC accelerator, four absolute pressure sensors were installed in some of the low pressure bayonet heat exchangers and four differential pressure sensors on the venturi flowmeters that monitor the cooling flow of the 20.5 kA current leads of the ATLAS end-cap superconducting toroids. The pressure sensors operating range is about 1000 to 5000 Pa and the targeted uncertainty is +/- 50 Pa which would permit to measure the equivalent saturation temperature at 1.8 K within better than 0.01 K. This paper describes the radiation hard measuring head that is based on an inductive bridge, its associated radiation-tolerant electronics that is installed under the LHC superconducting magnets or the ATLAS detector cavern; and the first operational experience.

The influence of foot position on stretching of the plantar fascia.

PubMed

Flanigan, Ryan M; Nawoczenski, Deborah A; Chen, Linlin; Wu, Hulin; DiGiovanni, Benedict F

2007-07-01

A recent study found nonweightbearing stretching exercises specific to the plantar fascia to be superior to the standard program of weightbearing Achilles tendon-stretching exercises in patients with chronic plantar fasciitis. The present study used a cadaver model to demonstrate the influence of foot and ankle position on stretching of the plantar fascia. Twelve fresh-frozen lower-leg specimens were tested in 15 different configurations representing various combinations of ankle and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint dorsiflexion, midtarsal transverse plane abduction and adduction, and forefoot varus and valgus. Measurements were recorded by a differential variable reluctance transducer (DVRT) implanted into the medial band of the plantar fascia, and primary measurement was a percent deformation of the plantar fascia (stretch) with respect to a reference position (90 degrees ankle dorsiflexion, 0 degrees midtarsal and forefoot orientation, and 0 degrees MTP dorsiflexion). Ankle and MTP joint dorsiflexion produced a significant increase (14.91%) in stretch compared to the position of either ankle dorsiflexion alone (9.31% increase, p < 0.001) or MTP dorsiflexion alone (7.33% increase, p < 0.01). There was no significant increase in stretch with positions of abduction or varus (2.49%, p = 0.27 and 0.55%, p = 0.79). This study provides a mechanical explanation for enhanced outcomes in recent clinical trials using plantar fascia tissue-specific stretching exercises and lends support to the use of ankle and MTP joint dorsiflexion when employing stretching protocols for nonoperative treatment in patients with chronic proximal plantar fasciitis.

Price differentiation and transparency in the global pharmaceutical marketplace.

PubMed

Ridley, David B

2005-01-01

Pharmaceutical manufacturers have increased the availability of their products and sometimes increased their own financial returns by charging lower prices outside of the US and by discounting to lower-income patients in the US. Examples include discounted HIV-AIDS drugs in developing countries and pharmaceutical manufacturers' discount cards in the US. Representatives of some international organisations argue that the price reductions are insufficient to make the medications widely available to lower-income patients. The WHO advocates both differential pricing and price transparency. While its efforts are well meaning, this paper identifies six concerns about its methods of comparing the price of a given molecule across manufacturers and across countries. More significantly, the WHO efforts to increase transparency are likely to lead to less price differentiation and less access to innovative pharmaceuticals. An important reason why manufacturers are reluctant to charge lower prices in lower-income countries is that they fear that such low prices will undermine the prices they charge to higher-income consumers. International organisations should not facilitate transparency but should dissuade governments from making price comparisons and basing their prices on those of lower-income countries. Furthermore, they should endeavour to keep low-priced and free drugs in the hands of the low-income consumers for which they were intended.

Laminated grid and web magnetic cores

DOEpatents

Sefko, John; Pavlik, Norman M.

1984-01-01

A laminated magnetic core characterized by an electromagnetic core having core legs which comprise elongated apertures and edge notches disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the legs, such as high reluctance cores with linear magnetization characteristics for high voltage shunt reactors. In one embodiment the apertures include compact bodies of microlaminations for more flexibility and control in adjusting permeability and/or core reluctance.

Reel Teaching = Real Learning: Motivating Reluctant Students through Film Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smilanich, Brad; Lafreniere, Nicole

2010-01-01

The authors provide a rationale for the critical study of film texts in the English language arts. For struggling or reluctant students, film offers an accessibility that the printed text may not. Students who are intimidated by, or impeded from, accessing print text are able to discuss film with acuity and insight. The study of visual texts can…

High/Low Handbook: Best Books and Web Sites for Reluctant Teen Readers. 4th Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LiBretto, Ellen V.; Barr, Catherine

This handbook is a practical guide to the selection of high-interest, low-reading-level books and Web sites that will inspire a love of reading in teenagers who fall within the category of reluctant readers. It is especially useful for professionals in school and public libraries charged with building collections of suitable titles for these…

Giving Reluctant Students a Voice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redekopp, Reynold; Bourbonniere, Elizabeth

2009-01-01

All teachers know them--the students who sit in the back of the room and never make a peep. If prodded, they may reluctantly offer a comment or opinion, but they are so obviously uncomfortable about participating that a teacher may wonder if it is even worth trying to engage them. Are they unprepared or just shy? Do they lack ideas or merely need…

Apparatus for efficient sidewall containment of molten metal with horizontal alternating magnetic fields utilizing low reluctance rims

DOEpatents

Praeg, Walter F.

1999-01-01

A method and apparatus for casting sheets of metal from molten metal. The apparatus includes a containment structure having an open side, a horizontal alternating magnetic field generating structure and rollers including low reluctance rim structures. The magnetic field and the rollers help contain the molten metal from leaking out of the containment structure.

The Cultural Aspects of Communication Reluctance in the EFL Classroom: The Case of Vietnamese Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dat, Bao

2001-01-01

Offers cultural explanations of communication reluctance in the English-as-a-Foreign-Language classroom in Vietnam. Investigates what actually happens in the mind of the students when they first join a course, and explores how the lack of verbal performance in the language classroom reflects what they deem appropriate in their own culture.…

"You Play on Them. They're Active." Enhancing the Mathematics Learning of Reluctant Teenage Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calder, Nigel; Campbell, Anthony

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a research project that examined the beliefs and attitudes of reluctant 16 to 18-year-old learners when using apps in their numeracy and literacy programmes. In particular, it considers the students' change of attitude towards numeracy learning. The data were consistent that the use of apps in the numeracy programme was…

Knowledge Sharing and Dialogue among Information Technology Workers: A Case Study Using a Public Works Department

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Priscilla

2013-01-01

The problem addressed in this study is the willingness or reluctance of information technology (IT) knowledge workers and managers to share knowledge. The purpose of the study was to examine the willingness or unwillingness of technical personnel in IT to share technical knowledge and the issues surrounding their reluctance, if any. The study…

Reflecting on Ways to Help the Reluctant Artist Communicate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Dana Frantz

2011-01-01

In this article, the author shares how she changed the way she engaged with Alex, a student who was reluctant to do art projects. While reflecting on Alex's objections to doing art projects, she noticed one concern in particular that arose again and again: he wanted to play. Alex experienced the shift into art-making as a break from playing with…

Electromagnetic Radial Forces in a Hybrid Eight-Stator-Pole, Six-Rotor-Pole Bearingless Switched-Reluctance Motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Carlos R.; Siebert, Mark W.; Ho, Eric J.

2007-01-01

Analysis and experimental measurement of the electromagnet force loads on the hybrid rotor in a novel bearingless switched-reluctance motor (BSRM) have been performed. A BSRM has the combined characteristics of a switched-reluctance motor and a magnetic bearing. The BSRM has an eight-pole stator and a six-pole hybrid rotor, which is composed of circular and scalloped lamination segments. The hybrid rotor is levitated using only one set of stator poles. A second set of stator poles imparts torque to the scalloped portion of the rotor, which is driven in a traditional switched reluctance manner by a processor. Analysis was done for nonrotating rotor poles that were oriented to achieve maximum and minimum radial force loads on the rotor. The objective is to assess whether simple one-dimensional magnetic circuit analysis is sufficient for preliminary evaluation of this machine, which may exhibit strong three-dimensional electromagnetic field behavior. Two magnetic circuit geometries, approximating the complex topology of the magnetic fields in and around the hybrid rotor, were employed in formulating the electromagnetic radial force equations. Reasonable agreement between the experimental results and the theoretical predictions was obtained with typical magnetic bearing derating factors applied to the predictions.

Assessing mobile food vendors (a.k.a. street food vendors)--methods, challenges, and lessons learned for future food-environment research.

PubMed

Lucan, S C; Varona, M; Maroko, A R; Bumol, J; Torrens, L; Wylie-Rosett, J

2013-08-01

Mobile food vendors (also known as street food vendors) may be important sources of food, particularly in minority and low-income communities. Unfortunately, there are no good data sources on where, when, or what vendors sell. The lack of a published assessment method may contribute to the relative exclusion of mobile food vendors from existing food-environment research. A goal of this study was to develop, pilot, and refine a method to assess mobile food vendors. Cross-sectional assessment of mobile food vendors through direct observations and brief interviews. Using printed maps, investigators canvassed all streets in Bronx County, NY (excluding highways but including entrance and exit ramps) in 2010, looking for mobile food vendors. For each vendor identified, researchers recorded a unique identifier, the vendor's location, and direct observations. Investigators also recorded vendors answers to where, when, and what they sold. Of 372 identified vendors, 38% did not answer brief-interview questions (19% were 'in transit', 15% refused; others were absent from their carts/trucks/stands or with customers). About 7% of vendors who ultimately answered questions were reluctant to engage with researchers. Some vendors expressed concerns about regulatory authority; only 34% of vendors had visible permits or licenses and many vendors had improvised illegitimate-appearing set-ups. The majority of vendors (75% of those responding) felt most comfortable speaking Spanish; 5% preferred other non-English languages. Nearly a third of vendors changed selling locations (streets, neighbourhoods, boroughs) day-to-day or even within a given day. There was considerable variability in times (hours, days, months) in which vendors reported doing business; for 86% of vendors, weather was a deciding factor. Mobile food vendors have a variable and fluid presence in an urban environment. Variability in hours and locations, having most comfort with languages other than English, and reluctance to interact with individuals gathering data are principal challenges to assessment. Strategies to address assessment challenges that emerged form this project may help make mobile-vendor assessments more routine in food-environment research. Copyright © 2013 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing mobile food vendors (a.k.a. street food vendors)—methods, challenges, and lessons learned for future food-environment research

PubMed Central

Lucan, Sean C.; Varona, Monica; Maroko, Andrew R.; Bumol, Joel; Torrens, Luis; Wylie-Rosett, Judith

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES Mobile food vendors (also known as street food vendors) may be important sources of food, particularly in minority and low-income communities. Unfortunately, there are no good data sources on where, when, or what vendors sell. The lack of a published assessment method may contribute to the relative exclusion of mobile food vendors from existing food-environment research. A goal of this study was to develop, pilot, and troubleshoot a method to assess mobile food vendors. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional assessment of mobile food vendors through direct observations and brief interviews. METHODS Using printed maps, investigators canvassed all streets in Bronx County, NY (excluding highways but including entrance and exit ramps) in 2010, looking for mobile food vendors. For each vendor identified, researchers recorded a unique identifier, the vendor’s location, and direct observations. Investigators also recorded vendors answers to where, when, and what they sold. RESULTS Of 372 identified vendors, 38% did not answer brief-interview questions (19% were “in transit”, 15% refused; others were absent from their carts/trucks/stands or with customers). About 7% of vendors who ultimately answered questions were reluctant to engage with researchers. Some vendors expressed concerns about regulatory authority; only 34% of vendors had visible permits or licenses and many vendors had improvised illegitimate-appearing set-ups. The majority of vendors (75% of those responding) felt most comfortable speaking Spanish; 5% preferred other non-English languages. Nearly a third of vendors changed selling locations (streets, neighborhoods, boroughs) day-to-day or even within a given day. There was considerable variability in times (hours, days, months) in which vendors reported doing business; for 86% of vendors, weather was a deciding factor. CONCLUSIONS Mobile food vendors have a variable and fluid presence in an urban environment. Variability in hours and locations, having most comfort with languages other than English, and reluctance to interact with individuals gathering data are principal challenges to assessment. Strategies to address assessment challenges that emerged form this project may help make mobile-vendor assessments more routine in food-environment research. PMID:23891280

System and method for cancelling the effects of stray magnetic fields from the output of a variable reluctance sensor

DOEpatents

Chen, Chingchi; Degner, Michael W.

2002-11-19

A sensor system for sensing a rotation of a sensing wheel is disclosed. The sensor system has a sensing coil in juxtaposition with the sensing wheel. Moreover, the sensing coil has a sensing coil output signal indicative of the rotational speed of the sensing wheel. Further, a cancellation coil is located remotely from the sensing coil and connected in series therewith. Additionally, the cancellation coil has a cancellation coil output signal indicative of an environmental disturbance which is effecting the sensing coil output signal. The cancellation coil output signal operates to cancel the effects of the environmental disturbance on the sensing coil output signal.

Sexually transmitted diseases in modern China: a historical survey.

PubMed Central

Dikötter, F

1993-01-01

This paper points to the congruence between political and social variables and the epidemiology of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in modern China. STDs became a major health problem after the fall of the empire in 1911 and were only reluctantly addressed by a weak nationalist government during the 1930s. During the 1950s and 60s, the communist regime brought STDs under control, but problems have reappeared since reforms were implemented during the 1980s. Cultural values and social attitudes have also structured medical responses to venereal disease. From the reform movements between the two World Wars to the more recent communist health campaigns, medical theory has often been confused with moral prescription. PMID:8244349

My Bluford High Boys: How a Book Club for Reluctant Readers Proved the Naysayers Wrong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevenson, Sara

2009-01-01

As a middle school librarian in Austin, Texas, the author has been running weekly book clubs for years, which covered many genres that appeal to a wide cross section of kids. When approached by a group of Latino boys from low-income families, the author was inspired to run a Bluford High book club for reluctant readers. The author shares how she…

Evolution of male and female choice in polyandrous systems.

PubMed

Puurtinen, Mikael; Fromhage, Lutz

2017-03-29

We study the evolution of male and female mating strategies and mate choice for female fecundity and male fertilization ability in a system where both sexes can mate with multiple partners, and where there is variation in individual quality (i.e. in the availability of resources individuals can allocate to matings, mate choice and production of gametes). We find that when the cost of mating differs between sexes, the sex with higher cost of mating is reluctant to accept matings and is often also choosy, while the other sex accepts all matings. With equal mating costs, the evolution of mating strategies depends on the strength of female sperm limitation, so that when sperm limitation is strong, males are often reluctant and choosy, whereas females tend to accept available matings. Male reluctance evolves because a male's benefit per mating diminishes rapidly as he mates too often, hence losing out in the process of sperm competition as he spends much of his resources on mating costs rather than ejaculate production. When sperm limitation is weaker, females become more reluctant and males are more eager to mate. The model thus suggests that reversed sex roles are plausible outcomes of polyandry and limited sperm production. Implications for empirical studies of mate choice are discussed. © 2017 The Author(s).

The reluctance to seek treatment for neurotic disorders.

PubMed

Meltzer, H; Bebbington, P; Brugha, T; Farrell, M; Jenkins, R; Lewis, G

2003-01-01

In previous papers from the National Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity in Great Britain, we have demonstrated that people with neurotic disorders rarely present their symptoms to primary care physicians and when they do, are quite likely not to be given treatment. In this paper, we examined survey respondents' reports of specific instances of reluctance to seek help in relation to sociodemographic, socio-economic and clinical attributes of our subjects. All people in the National Household Survey assessed as having a neurotic disorder were asked if at any time in the previous year they had avoided seeking appropriate treatment. Clinical measures included diagnosis, symptom severity, and deficits in carrying out tasks of daily living. Of nearly 1400 respondents, a quarter said they had not been to see a doctor at some time in the past year when they or their family felt they should have. The major determinant of this reluctance was symptom severity: more severe cases were more likely to report an episode of reluctance. Reasons included those related to ignorance of neurotic disorders and the effectiveness of treatment and to stigma. The attitudes detected in our subjects with neurotic disorder help to explain why people do not always seek effective help for their mental disorders, and are indicators of a worrying public education gap that will be hard to bridge.

Electromagnetic Forces in a Hybrid Magnetic-Bearing Switched-Reluctance Motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Carlos R.; Siebert, Mark W.; Ho, Eric J.

2008-01-01

Analysis and experimental measurement of the electromagnetic force loads on the hybrid rotor in a novel hybrid magnetic-bearing switched-reluctance motor (MBSRM) have been performed. A MBSRM has the combined characteristics of a switched-reluctance motor and a magnetic bearing. The MBSRM discussed in this report has an eight-pole stator and a six-pole hybrid rotor, which is composed of circular and scalloped lamination segments. The hybrid rotor is levitated using only one set of four stator poles, while a second set of four stator poles imparts torque to the scalloped portion of the rotor, which is driven in a traditional switched reluctance manner by a processor. Static torque and radial force analysis were done for rotor poles that were oriented to achieve maximum and minimum radial force loads on the rotor. The objective is to assess whether simple one-dimensional magnetic circuit analysis is sufficient for preliminary evaluation of this machine, which may exhibit strong three-dimensional electromagnetic field behavior. Two magnetic circuit geometries, approximating the complex topology of the magnetic fields in and around the hybrid rotor, were employed in formulating the electromagnetic radial force equations. Reasonable agreement between the experimental and the theoretical radial force loads predictions was obtained with typical magnetic bearing derating factors applied to the predictions.

Efficient Power Network Analysis with Modeling of Inductive Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Shan; Yu, Wenjian; Hong, Xianlong; Cheng, Chung-Kuan

In this paper, an efficient method is proposed to accurately analyze large-scale power/ground (P/G) networks, where inductive parasitics are modeled with the partial reluctance. The method is based on frequency-domain circuit analysis and the technique of vector fitting [14], and obtains the time-domain voltage response at given P/G nodes. The frequency-domain circuit equation including partial reluctances is derived, and then solved with the GMRES algorithm with rescaling, preconditioning and recycling techniques. With the merit of sparsified reluctance matrix and iterative solving techniques for the frequency-domain circuit equations, the proposed method is able to handle large-scale P/G networks with complete inductive modeling. Numerical results show that the proposed method is orders of magnitude faster than HSPICE, several times faster than INDUCTWISE [4], and capable of handling the inductive P/G structures with more than 100, 000 wire segments.

Superconducting magnet and fabrication method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israelsson, Ulf E. (Inventor); Strayer, Donald M. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A method of trapping a field in a block of superconductor material, includes providing (i) a block of material defining a bore, (ii) a high permeability core within the bore that defines a low reluctance path through the bore, (iii) a high permeability external structure on the exterior of the block of material that defines a low reluctance path between opposite ends of the core, and (iv) an electromagnet configured to apply a magnetic field around the high permeability core. The method proceeds by energizing the electromagnet to produce an applied magnetic field around the high permeability core, cooling the block of material sufficiently to render the block of material superconducting, de-energizing the electromagnet to result in a trapped magnetic field, and at least partially removing the low reluctance path defined by the core and the external structure in order to increase the magnetic flux density of the trapped magnetic field.

Electromagnetic variable degrees of freedom actuator systems and methods

DOEpatents

Montesanti, Richard C [Pleasanton, CA; Trumper, David L [Plaistow, NH; Kirtley, Jr., James L.

2009-02-17

The present invention provides a variable reluctance actuator system and method that can be adapted for simultaneous rotation and translation of a moving element by applying a normal-direction magnetic flux on the moving element. In a beneficial example arrangement, the moving element includes a swing arm that carries a cutting tool at a set radius from an axis of rotation so as to produce a rotary fast tool servo that provides a tool motion in a direction substantially parallel to the surface-normal of a workpiece at the point of contact between the cutting tool and workpiece. An actuator rotates a swing arm such that a cutting tool moves toward and away from a mounted rotating workpiece in a controlled manner in order to machine the workpiece. Position sensors provide rotation and displacement information for a swing arm to a control system. A control system commands and coordinates motion of the fast tool servo with the motion of a spindle, rotating table, cross-feed slide, and in feed slide of a precision lathe.

The influence of gender-specific loading patterns of the stop-jump task on anterior cruciate ligament strain.

PubMed

Weinhold, Paul S; Stewart, Jason-Dennis N; Liu, Hsin-Yi; Lin, Cheng-Feng; Garrett, William E; Yu, Bing

2007-08-01

Studies have shown that women are at higher risk of sustaining noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in specific sports. Recent gait studies of athletic tasks have documented that gender differences in knee movement, muscle activation, and external loading patterns exist. The objective of this study was to determine in a knee cadaver model if application of female-specific loading and movement patterns characterised in vivo for a stop-jump task cause higher ACL strains than male patterns. Gender-specific loading patterns of the landing phase of the vertical stop-jump task were applied to seven cadaver knees using published kinetic/kinematic results for recreational athletes. Loads applied consecutively included: tibial compression, quadriceps, hamstrings, external posterior tibial shear, and tibial torque. Knee flexion was fixed based on the kinematic data. Strain of the ACL was monitored by means of a differential variable reluctance transducer installed on the anterior-medial bundle of the ACL. The ACL strain was significantly increased (P<0.05) for the female loading pattern relative to the male loading pattern after the posterior tibial shear force was applied, and showed a similar trend (P=0.1) to be increased after the final tibial torque was applied. This study suggests that female motor control strategies used during the stop-jump task may place higher strains on the ACL than male strategies, thus putting females at greater risk of ACL injury. We believe these results suggest the potential effectiveness of using training programs to modify motor control strategies and thus modify the risk of injury.

ATFL elongation after Brostrom procedure: a biomechanical investigation.

PubMed

Kirk, Kevin L; Campbell, John T; Guyton, Gregory P; Parks, Brent G; Schon, Lew C

2008-11-01

Elongation of ligaments during early mobilization after reconstruction may be associated with decreased stability. We evaluated elongation of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) before and after lateral ligament reconstruction within a physiologic range of motion with protected and unprotected, isolated dorsiflexion/plantarflexion range of motion. Six fresh frozen cadaver legs were used with the ATFL meticulously dissected. A differential variable reluctance transducer (DVRT) was spaced to span the course of the ATFL using consistent placement points based on previous reports. Elongation was measured in a load frame with protected motion of 30 degrees plantarflexion and 10 degrees dorsiflexion for the intact and sectioned ATFL and for the repaired specimen with and without protected motion. The proximal DVRT anchor point was detached for sectioning and repair of the ATFL and replaced at the same position. Testing was 1000 cycles at 1 Hz for the repaired protected specimen and 10 cycles at 1 Hz for all other stages. Initial elongation in the unprotected, repaired group was significantly higher than initial elongation in the intact (p < 0.01), sectioned (p = 0.02), and repaired, protected (p < 0.01) groups. Final elongation in the unprotected repaired group was also higher than final elongation in all other groups (p < 0.01 for all comparisons). The use of protected range of motion of the ankle after lateral ankle ligament reconstruction was not associated with elongation of the ATFL. The ATFL elongated significantly by comparison without protected dorsiflexion/plantarflexion. The study provides biomechanical support for the safety of early protected dorsiflexion/plantarflexion range of motion after Broström reconstruction.

Withholding differential risk information on legal consumer nicotine/tobacco products: The public health ethics of health information quarantines.

PubMed

Kozlowski, Lynn T; Sweanor, David

2016-06-01

The United States provides an example of a country with (a) legal tobacco/nicotine products (e.g., snus, other smokeless tobacco, cigarettes) differing greatly in risks to health and (b) respected health information websites that continue to omit or provide incorrect differential risk information. Concern for the principles of individual rights, health literacy, and personal autonomy (making decisions for oneself), which are key principles of public health ethics, has been countered by utilitarian arguments for the use of misleading or limited information to protect public health overall. We argue that omitting key health relevant information for current or prospective consumers represents a kind of quarantine of health-relevant information. As with disease quarantines, the coercive effects of quarantining information on differential risks need to be justified, not merely by fears of net negative public health effects, but by convincing evidence that such measures are actually warranted, that public health overall is in imminent danger and that the danger is sufficient to override principles of individual autonomy. Omitting such health-relevant information for consumers of such products effectively blindfolds them and impairs their making informed personal choices. Moral psychological issues that treat all tobacco/nicotine products similarly may also be influencing the reluctance to inform on differential risks. In countries where tobacco/nicotine products are legally sold and also differ greatly in disease risks compared to cigarettes (e.g., smokeless tobacco and vape), science-based, comprehensible, and actionable health information (consistent with health literacy principles) on differential risks should be available and only reconsidered if it is established that this information is causing losses to population health overall. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Green biotechnology and European competitiveness.

PubMed

Enriquez, J

2001-04-01

Europe has led many aspects of gene research and yet it has been unable to translate these discoveries into a globally dominant industrial sector. There are valid societal, political and financial reasons for its reluctance to deploy agricultural biotechnology but this reluctance might have unintended consequences. It will be hard to de-commoditize agriculture and improve farmer's lives. Research in medical biotechnology and the global environment might suffer. Europe could damage its overall economy and its global competitive standing.

Why are Dutch rheumatologists reluctant to use the COBRA treatment strategy in early rheumatoid arthritis?

PubMed Central

van Tuyl, Lilian H D; Plass, Anne Marie C; Lems, Willem F; Voskuyl, Alexandre E; Dijkmans, Ben A C; Boers, Maarten

2007-01-01

Background The Combinatietherapie Bij Reumatoide Artritis (COBRA) trial has proved that combination therapy with prednisolone, methotrexate and sulphasalazine is superior to sulphasalazine monotherapy in suppressing disease activity and radiological progression of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition, 5 years of follow‐up proved that COBRA therapy results in sustained reduction of the rate of radiological progression. Despite this evidence, Dutch rheumatologists seem reluctant to prescribe COBRA therapy. Objective To explore the reasons for the reluctance in Dutch rheumatologists to prescribe COBRA therapy. Methods A short structured questionnaire based on social–psychological theories of behaviour was sent to all Dutch rheumatologists (n = 230). Results The response rate was 50%. COBRA therapy was perceived as both effective and safe, but complex to administer. Furthermore, rheumatologists expressed their concern about the large number of pills that had to be taken, the side effects of high‐dose prednisolone and the low dose of methotrexate. Although the average attitude towards the COBRA therapy was slightly positive (above the neutral point), the majority of responding rheumatologists had a negative intention (below the neutral point) to prescribe COBRA therapy in the near future. Conclusion The reluctance of Dutch rheumatologists to prescribe effective COBRA therapy may be due to perceptions of complexity of the treatment schedule and negative patient‐related consequences of the therapy. PMID:17392349

Willingness to disclose child maltreatment: CSA vs other forms of child abuse in relation to gender.

PubMed

Lev-Wiesel, Rachel; First, Maya

2018-05-01

The aim of the study was to examine the role of gender in willingness to disclose childhood sexual abuse (CSA) compared to other forms of abuse (physical, emotional and neglect) in young adolescents. Willingness was examined through two terms: reluctance- the level of unwillingness or disinclination to disclose, and urge-the need to share in order to get rid of unbearable feelings. The sample consisted of 3,156 boys (n = 1,544) and girls (n = 1,612) between the ages of 11-16 who reported having been abused at least once during their life. Participants were divided into three groups: experiencing other than CSA, sexual abuse with no physical contact, and sexual abuse with physical contact. Regarding measures, a self-report questionnaire incorporating the following instruments was administered: Demographics, the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ), and the Disclosure of Trauma Questionnaire (DTQ). Study results indicated that CSA victims were more reluctant to disclose than victims of other than CSA forms of abuse. The more severe the CSA (physical contact) the lower was the willingness to disclose. Boys were more reluctant than girls to disclose sexual abuse whether or not it involved physical contact. Reluctance to disclose was positively associated with emotional reactions to disclosure while urge to talk was negatively correlated with emotional reactions to disclosure. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering Third Edition Paperback Set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, Ken F.; Hobson, Mike P.; Bence, Stephen J.

2006-06-01

Prefaces; 1. Preliminary algebra; 2. Preliminary calculus; 3. Complex numbers and hyperbolic functions; 4. Series and limits; 5. Partial differentiation; 6. Multiple integrals; 7. Vector algebra; 8. Matrices and vector spaces; 9. Normal modes; 10. Vector calculus; 11. Line, surface and volume integrals; 12. Fourier series; 13. Integral transforms; 14. First-order ordinary differential equations; 15. Higher-order ordinary differential equations; 16. Series solutions of ordinary differential equations; 17. Eigenfunction methods for differential equations; 18. Special functions; 19. Quantum operators; 20. Partial differential equations: general and particular; 21. Partial differential equations: separation of variables; 22. Calculus of variations; 23. Integral equations; 24. Complex variables; 25. Application of complex variables; 26. Tensors; 27. Numerical methods; 28. Group theory; 29. Representation theory; 30. Probability; 31. Statistics; Index.

Medical Licensure Questions and Physician Reluctance to Seek Care for Mental Health Conditions.

PubMed

Dyrbye, Liselotte N; West, Colin P; Sinsky, Christine A; Goeders, Lindsey E; Satele, Daniel V; Shanafelt, Tait D

2017-10-01

To determine whether state medical licensure application questions (MLAQs) about mental health are related to physicians' reluctance to seek help for a mental health condition because of concerns about repercussions to their medical licensure. In 2016, we collected initial and renewal medical licensure application forms from 50 states and the District of Columbia. We coded MLAQs related to physicians' mental health as "consistent" if they inquired only about current impairment from a mental health condition or did not ask about mental health conditions. We obtained data on care-seeking attitudes for a mental health problem from a nationally representative convenience sample of 5829 physicians who completed a survey between August 28, 2014, and October 6, 2014. Analyses explored relationships between state of employment, MLAQs, and physicians' reluctance to seek formal medical care for treatment of a mental health condition because of concerns about repercussions to their medical licensure. We obtained initial licensure applications from 51 of 51 (100%) and renewal applications from 48 of 51 (94.1%) medical licensing boards. Only one-third of states currently have MLAQs about mental health on their initial and renewal application forms that are considered consistent. Nearly 40% of physicians (2325 of 5829) reported that they would be reluctant to seek formal medical care for treatment of a mental health condition because of concerns about repercussions to their medical licensure. Physicians working in a state in which neither the initial nor the renewal application was consistent were more likely to be reluctant to seek help (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07-1.37; P=.002 vs both applications consistent). Our findings support that MLAQs regarding mental health conditions present a barrier to physicians seeking help. Copyright © 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A variable-mode stator consequent pole memory machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hui; Lyu, Shukang; Lin, Heyun; Zhu, Z. Q.

2018-05-01

In this paper, a variable-mode concept is proposed for the speed range extension of a stator-consequent-pole memory machine (SCPMM). An integrated permanent magnet (PM) and electrically excited control scheme is utilized to simplify the flux-weakening control instead of relatively complicated continuous PM magnetization control. Due to the nature of memory machine, the magnetization state of low coercive force (LCF) magnets can be easily changed by applying either a positive or negative current pulse. Therefore, the number of PM poles may be changed to satisfy the specific performance requirement under different speed ranges, i.e. the machine with all PM poles can offer high torque output while that with half PM poles provides wide constant power range. In addition, the SCPMM with non-magnetized PMs can be considered as a dual-three phase electrically excited reluctance machine, which can be fed by an open-winding based dual inverters that provide direct current (DC) bias excitation to further extend the speed range. The effectiveness of the proposed variable-mode operation for extending its operating region and improving the system reliability is verified by both finite element analysis (FEA) and experiments.

The effects of promising to tell the truth, the putative confession, and recall and recognition questions on maltreated and non-maltreated children's disclosure of a minor transgression.

PubMed

Quas, Jodi A; Stolzenberg, Stacia N; Lyon, Thomas D

2018-02-01

This study examined the utility of two interview instructions designed to overcome children's reluctance to disclose transgressions: eliciting a promise from children to tell the truth and the putative confession (telling children that a suspect "told me everything that happened and wants you to tell the truth"). The key questions were whether the instructions increased disclosure in response to recall questions and in response to recognition questions that were less or more explicit about transgressions and whether instructions were differentially effective with age. A total sample of 217 4- to 9-year-old maltreated and comparable non-maltreated children and a stranger played with a set of toys. For half of the children within each group, two of the toys appeared to break while they were playing. The stranger admonished secrecy. Shortly thereafter, children were questioned about what happened in one of three interview conditions. Some children were asked to promise to tell the truth. Others were given the putative confession, and still others received no interview instructions. When coupled with recall questions, the promise was effective at increasing disclosures only among older children, whereas the putative confession was effective regardless of age. Across interview instruction conditions, recognition questions that did not suggest wrongdoing elicited few additional transgression disclosures, whereas recognition questions that explicitly mentioned wrongdoing elicited some true reports but also some false alarms. No differences in disclosure emerged between maltreated and non-maltreated children. Results highlight the potential benefits and limitations of different interviewing approaches when questioning reluctant children. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Student Solution Manual for Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering Third Edition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, K. F.; Hobson, M. P.

2006-03-01

Preface; 1. Preliminary algebra; 2. Preliminary calculus; 3. Complex numbers and hyperbolic functions; 4. Series and limits; 5. Partial differentiation; 6. Multiple integrals; 7. Vector algebra; 8. Matrices and vector spaces; 9. Normal modes; 10. Vector calculus; 11. Line, surface and volume integrals; 12. Fourier series; 13. Integral transforms; 14. First-order ordinary differential equations; 15. Higher-order ordinary differential equations; 16. Series solutions of ordinary differential equations; 17. Eigenfunction methods for differential equations; 18. Special functions; 19. Quantum operators; 20. Partial differential equations: general and particular; 21. Partial differential equations: separation of variables; 22. Calculus of variations; 23. Integral equations; 24. Complex variables; 25. Application of complex variables; 26. Tensors; 27. Numerical methods; 28. Group theory; 29. Representation theory; 30. Probability; 31. Statistics.

Unmet demand for training among mature age Australians: Prevalence, differentials and perceived causes.

PubMed

Adair, Tim; Lourey, Emma; Taylor, Philip

2016-03-01

To explore the prevalence of unmet demand for training by mature age Australians and to identify the main barriers to accessing training. A total of 3007 Australians aged 45-74 years were surveyed using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing. The sample frame was randomly selected and stratified based on the capital city and the rest of the state, and data were weighted to be nationally representative. Over one-third (37%) of respondents who had worked in the past five years reported wanting to attend some form of training but were unable to; these were most likely women and those aged 45-54 year. Commonly cited reasons for not being able to attend training included not being able to fit it in with work commitments, affordability and employer reluctance. Reduction of these barriers to workplace training can improve mature age people's ability to remain engaged in the workforce. © 2015 AJA Inc.

Hidden profiles and concealed information: strategic information sharing and use in group decision making.

PubMed

Toma, Claudia; Butera, Fabrizio

2009-06-01

Two experiments investigated the differential impact of cooperation and competition on strategic information sharing and use in a three-person group decision-making task. Information was distributed in order to create a hidden profile so that disconfirmation of group members' initial preferences was required to solve the task. Experiment 1 revealed that competition, compared to cooperation, led group members to withhold unshared information, a difference that was not significant for shared information. In competition, compared to cooperation, group members were also more reluctant to disconfirm their initial preferences. Decision quality was lower in competition than in cooperation, this effect being mediated by disconfirmation use and not by information sharing. Experiment 2 replicated these findings and revealed the role of mistrust in predicting strategic information sharing and use in competition. These results support a motivated information processing approach of group decision making.

Willingness to Share Research Data Is Related to the Strength of the Evidence and the Quality of Reporting of Statistical Results

PubMed Central

Wicherts, Jelte M.; Bakker, Marjan; Molenaar, Dylan

2011-01-01

Background The widespread reluctance to share published research data is often hypothesized to be due to the authors' fear that reanalysis may expose errors in their work or may produce conclusions that contradict their own. However, these hypotheses have not previously been studied systematically. Methods and Findings We related the reluctance to share research data for reanalysis to 1148 statistically significant results reported in 49 papers published in two major psychology journals. We found the reluctance to share data to be associated with weaker evidence (against the null hypothesis of no effect) and a higher prevalence of apparent errors in the reporting of statistical results. The unwillingness to share data was particularly clear when reporting errors had a bearing on statistical significance. Conclusions Our findings on the basis of psychological papers suggest that statistical results are particularly hard to verify when reanalysis is more likely to lead to contrasting conclusions. This highlights the importance of establishing mandatory data archiving policies. PMID:22073203

Volcanology and mineral deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lipman, P.W.

1990-01-01

In contrast, old volcanic regions, which host many of the world's major hydrothermal-vein, porphyry, and massive-sulfide ore deposits, have been studied mainly by economic geologists, regional stratigraphers, and structural geologists who have limited familiarity with the complexities of volcanic processes. Such "dead" volcanoes, ranging in age from a few million million years (tertiary) to a few billion years (Precambrian), are commonly incompletely and discontinuously preserved due to rapid erosion of originally high-standing volcanic edifices. They can be difficult to date reliably, especially in terms of the time scales of individual volcanic events, and are variably hydrothermally altered-impeding high-resolution petrologic and geochemical studies. Many volcanologists, geochemists, and geophysicists who work on active volcanoes accordingly have been reluctant to become involved in studies of such less tractable rocks. 

Development of High Temperature Electro-Magnetic Actuators (HTEMA) for Aircraft Propulsion Systems (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

an 18 inch gap diameter has roughly a 2 foot outer diameter                                                              2 “ Brushless  Permanent...require PMs include wound rotor DC (brush and brushless ), Variable or Switched reluctance (VR or SR) machines and squirrel cage induction motors...Trades have identified Brushless DC PM and SR machines are of primary interest. Both motors can use sensorless commutation methods. A VR resolver can

Heterogeneous-nucleation and glass-formation studies of 56Ga2O3-44CaO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ethridge, Edwin C.; Curreri, Peter A.; Pline, David

1987-01-01

Glass formation and heterogeneous crystallization are described for the reluctant-glass-forming 56Ga2O3-44CaO eutectic composition. The times and temperatures for nucleation at various cooling rates and experimental conditions were measured and empirical continuous-cooling-crystallization boundaries were constructed for various heterogeneous nucleation processes. A definition for an empirical critical cooling rate to form a glass from reluctant borderline glass formers is proposed, i.e., the cooling rate that results in glass formation in 95 percent of the quenching experiments.

A miniature Hopkinson experiment device based on multistage reluctance coil electromagnetic launch.

PubMed

Huang, Wenkai; Huan, Shi; Xiao, Ying

2017-09-01

A set of seven-stage reluctance miniaturized Hopkinson bar electromagnetic launcher has been developed in this paper. With the characteristics of high precision, small size, and little noise pollution, the device complies with the requirements of miniaturized Hopkinson bar for high strain rate. The launcher is a seven-stage accelerating device up to 65.5 m/s. A high performance microcontroller is used to control accurately the discharge of capacitor sets, by means of which the outlet velocity of the projectile can be controlled within a certain velocity range.

A miniature Hopkinson experiment device based on multistage reluctance coil electromagnetic launch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wenkai; Huan, Shi; Xiao, Ying

2017-09-01

A set of seven-stage reluctance miniaturized Hopkinson bar electromagnetic launcher has been developed in this paper. With the characteristics of high precision, small size, and little noise pollution, the device complies with the requirements of miniaturized Hopkinson bar for high strain rate. The launcher is a seven-stage accelerating device up to 65.5 m/s. A high performance microcontroller is used to control accurately the discharge of capacitor sets, by means of which the outlet velocity of the projectile can be controlled within a certain velocity range.

Position Estimation for Switched Reluctance Motor Based on the Single Threshold Angle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lei; Li, Pang; Yu, Yue

2017-05-01

This paper presents a position estimate model of switched reluctance motor based on the single threshold angle. In view of the relationship of between the inductance and rotor position, the position is estimated by comparing the real-time dynamic flux linkage with the threshold angle position flux linkage (7.5° threshold angle, 12/8SRM). The sensorless model is built by Maltab/Simulink, the simulation are implemented under the steady state and transient state different condition, and verified its validity and feasibility of the method..

Effects of Behavioral History on Resistance to Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doughty, Adam H.; Cirino, Sergio; Mayfield, Kristin H.; da Silva, Stephanie P.; Okouchi, Hiroto; Lattal, Kennon A.

2005-01-01

Two experiments examined whether differential resistance to change would occur under identical variable-interval schedules as a function of a differential behavioral history. In Experiment 1, each of 3 pigeons first pecked at different rates under a multiple variable-ratio differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedule. In a subsequent condition,…

Early Weightbearing After Operatively Treated Ankle Fractures: A Biomechanical Analysis.

PubMed

Tan, Eric W; Sirisreetreerux, Norachart; Paez, Adrian G; Parks, Brent G; Schon, Lew C; Hasenboehler, Erik A

2016-06-01

No consensus exists regarding the timing of weightbearing after surgical fixation of unstable traumatic ankle fractures. We evaluated fracture displacement and timing of displacement with simulated early weightbearing in a cadaveric model. Twenty-four fresh-frozen lower extremities were assigned to Group 1, bimalleolar ankle fracture (n=6); Group 2, trimalleolar ankle fracture with unfixed small posterior malleolar fracture (n=9); or Group 3, trimalleolar ankle fracture with fixed large posterior malleolar fracture (n=9) and tested with axial compressive load at 3 Hz from 0 to 1000 N for 250 000 cycles to simulate 5 weeks of full weightbearing. Displacement was measured by differential variable reluctance transducer. The average motion at all fracture sites in all groups was significantly less than 1 mm (P < .05). Group 1 displacement of the lateral and medial malleolus fracture was 0.1±0.1 mm and 0.4±0.4 mm, respectively. Group 2 displacement of the lateral, medial, and posterior malleolar fracture was 0.6±0.4 mm, 0.5±0.4 mm, and 0.5±0.6 mm, respectively. Group 3 displacement of the lateral, medial, and posterior malleolar fracture was 0.1±0.1 mm, 0.5±0.7 mm, and 0.5±0.4 mm, respectively. The majority of displacement (64.0% to 92.3%) occurred in the first 50 000 cycles. There was no correlation between fracture displacement and bone mineral density. No significant fracture displacement, no hardware failure, and no new fractures occurred in a cadaveric model of early weightbearing in unstable ankle fracture after open reduction and internal fixation. This study supports further investigation of early weightbearing postoperative protocols after fixation of unstable ankle fractures. © The Author(s) 2016.

Evaluating plantar fascia strain in hyperpronating cadaveric feet following an extra-osseous talotarsal stabilization procedure.

PubMed

Graham, Michael E; Jawrani, Nikhil T; Goel, Vijay K

2011-01-01

Abnormal talotarsal joint mechanics leading to hyperpronation is implicated as one of the most common causes of plantar fasciopathy. In patients with hyperpronating feet, the plantar fascia experiences excessive tensile forces during static and dynamic weight-bearing activities because of excessive medial longitudinal arch depression. For the purposes of this study, we hypothesized that plantar fascia strain in hyperpronating cadaveric feet would decrease after intervention with an extra-osseous talotarsal stabilization (EOTTS) device. A miniature differential variable reluctance transducer was used to quantify the plantar fascia strain in 6 fresh-frozen cadaver foot specimens exhibiting flexible instability of the talotarsal joint complex (i.e., hyperpronation). The strain was measured as the foot was moved from its neutral to maximally pronated position, before and after intervention using the HyProCure(®) EOTTS device. The mean plantar fascia elongation was 0.83 ± 0.27 mm (strain 3.62% ± 1.17%) and 0.56 ± 0.2 mm (strain 2.42% ± 0.88%) before and after intervention, respectively (N = 18, variation reported is ± 1 SD). The average plantar fascia strain decreased by 33%, and the difference was statistically significant with p < .001. From this cadaveric experiment, the reduction in plantar fascia strain suggests that an EOTTS device might be effective in stabilizing the pathologic talotarsal joint complex and the medial longitudinal arch and in eliminating hyperpronation. An EOTTS procedure might offer a possible treatment option for plantar fasciopathy in cases in which the underlying etiology is abnormal talotarsal biomechanics. Copyright © 2011 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Web-based collaboration in individual care planning challenges the user and the provider roles – toward a power transition in caring relationships

PubMed Central

Bjerkan, Jorunn; Vatne, Solfrid; Hollingen, Anne

2014-01-01

Background and objective The Individual Care Plan (ICP) was introduced in Norway to meet new statutory requirements for user participation in health care planning, incorporating multidisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration. A web-based solution (electronic ICP [e-ICP]) was used to support the planning and documentation. The aim of this study was to investigate how web-based collaboration challenged user and professional roles. Methods Data were obtained from 15 semistructured interviews with users and eight with care professionals, and from two focus-group interviews with eight care professionals in total. The data were analyzed using systematic text condensation in a stepwise analysis model. Results Users and care professionals took either a proactive or a reluctant role in e-ICP collaboration. Where both user and care professionals were proactive, the pairing helped to ensure that the planning worked well; so did pairings of proactive care professionals and reluctant users. Proactive users paired with reluctant care professionals also made care planning work, thanks to the availability of information and the users’ own capacity or willingness to conduct the planning. Where both parties were reluctant, no planning activities occurred. Conclusion Use of the e-ICP challenged the user–professional relationship. In some cases, a power transition took place in the care process, which led to patient empowerment. This knowledge might be used to develop a new understanding of how role function can be challenged when users and care professionals have equal access to health care documentation and planning tools. PMID:25525367

Mathematics for Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stone, Michael; Goldbart, Paul

2009-07-01

Preface; 1. Calculus of variations; 2. Function spaces; 3. Linear ordinary differential equations; 4. Linear differential operators; 5. Green functions; 6. Partial differential equations; 7. The mathematics of real waves; 8. Special functions; 9. Integral equations; 10. Vectors and tensors; 11. Differential calculus on manifolds; 12. Integration on manifolds; 13. An introduction to differential topology; 14. Group and group representations; 15. Lie groups; 16. The geometry of fibre bundles; 17. Complex analysis I; 18. Applications of complex variables; 19. Special functions and complex variables; Appendixes; Reference; Index.

Oscillation of a class of fractional differential equations with damping term.

PubMed

Qin, Huizeng; Zheng, Bin

2013-01-01

We investigate the oscillation of a class of fractional differential equations with damping term. Based on a certain variable transformation, the fractional differential equations are converted into another differential equations of integer order with respect to the new variable. Then, using Riccati transformation, inequality, and integration average technique, some new oscillatory criteria for the equations are established. As for applications, oscillation for two certain fractional differential equations with damping term is investigated by the use of the presented results.

A genome-wide methylation study on obesity: differential variability and differential methylation.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaojing; Su, Shaoyong; Barnes, Vernon A; De Miguel, Carmen; Pollock, Jennifer; Ownby, Dennis; Shi, Hidong; Zhu, Haidong; Snieder, Harold; Wang, Xiaoling

2013-05-01

Besides differential methylation, DNA methylation variation has recently been proposed and demonstrated to be a potential contributing factor to cancer risk. Here we aim to examine whether differential variability in methylation is also an important feature of obesity, a typical non-malignant common complex disease. We analyzed genome-wide methylation profiles of over 470,000 CpGs in peripheral blood samples from 48 obese and 48 lean African-American youth aged 14-20 y old. A substantial number of differentially variable CpG sites (DVCs), using statistics based on variances, as well as a substantial number of differentially methylated CpG sites (DMCs), using statistics based on means, were identified. Similar to the findings in cancers, DVCs generally exhibited an outlier structure and were more variable in cases than in controls. By randomly splitting the current sample into a discovery and validation set, we observed that both the DVCs and DMCs identified from the first set could independently predict obesity status in the second set. Furthermore, both the genes harboring DMCs and the genes harboring DVCs showed significant enrichment of genes identified by genome-wide association studies on obesity and related diseases, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers, supporting their roles in the etiology and pathogenesis of obesity. We generalized the recent finding on methylation variability in cancer research to obesity and demonstrated that differential variability is also an important feature of obesity-related methylation changes. Future studies on the epigenetics of obesity will benefit from both statistics based on means and statistics based on variances.

Decomposing race and gender differences in underweight and obesity in South Africa.

PubMed

Averett, Susan L; Stacey, Nicholas; Wang, Yang

2014-12-01

Using data from the National Income Dynamics Study, we document differentials in both underweight and obesity across race and gender in post-Apartheid South Africa. Using a nonlinear decomposition method, we decompose these differences across gender within race and then across race within gender. Less than one third of the differences in obesity and underweight across gender are explained by differences in covariates. In contrast, at least 70% of the obesity differences across race are explained by differences in covariates. Behavioral variables such as smoking and exercise explain the largest part of the bodyweight differentials across gender. For bodyweight differentials across race within gender, however, socioeconomic status and background variables have the largest explanatory power for obesity differentials, while background variables play the key role in explaining the underweight differentials. These results indicate that eradicating obesity and underweight differentials will require targeting policies to specific groups. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

77 FR 39444 - Airworthiness Directives; Agusta S.p.A. Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-03

... engine rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT) control box assemblies to determine if the control... defines the unsafe condition as a rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT) locking pin, which could...

Dynamic characteristics of a variable-mass flexible missile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meirovitch, L.; Bankovskis, J.

1970-01-01

The general motion of a variable mass flexible missile with internal flow and aerodynamic forces is considered. The resulting formulation comprises six ordinary differential equations for rigid body motion and three partial differential equations for elastic motion. The simultaneous differential equations are nonlinear and possess time-dependent coefficients. The differential equations are solved by a semi-analytical method leading to a set of purely ordinary differential equations which are then solved numerically. A computer program was developed for the numerical solution and results are presented for a given set of initial conditions.

Relationships between vegetation and terrain variables in southeastern Arizona. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mouat, D. A. (Principal Investigator)

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Relationships were established between eight terrain variables and plant species and 31 vegetation types. Certain plant species are better than others for differentiating or discriminating groups of specified terrain variables. Certain terrain variables are better than others for differentiating or discriminating groups of vegetation types. Stepwise discriminant analysis was shown to be a useful tool in plant ecological studies.

Reluctance to Accept Alcohol Treatment by Alcoholic Liver Disease Transplant Patients: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Heyes, Cathy M.; Schofield, Toni; Gribble, Robert; Day, Carolyn A.; Haber, Paul S.

2016-01-01

Background Liver transplantation (LT) is the optimum treatment for patients with end-stage alcoholic liver disease (ALD). However, despite a recognized risk of relapse to harmful drinking, ALD transplant patients are reluctant to use speciality alcohol treatment to support their abstinence, even when offered within the LT context. This study aimed to understand and identify factors contributing to alcohol treatment reluctance by ALD patients undergoing transplantation. Methods We conducted an in-depth qualitative study of ALD transplant patients. Minimally structured face-to-face interviews explored participants' alcohol-related experiences and their reasons for not using alcohol treatment during the course of their transplantation. Thematic analysis was used to analyze and interpret interview data to understand treatment reluctance based on participants' experiences. Results Five major themes were identified among 3 subgroups of patients (pretransplant and posttransplant abstainers and posttransplant relapsers): (i) the “contract” of mandatory abstinence, (ii) the “gap in the program” involving the lack of candour between patient and staff about alcohol-related matters and the lack of addiction services, (iii) a preference by participants to self-manage their alcohol use disorder, (iv) social support as a facilitator of abstinence and the risk of relapse when social support is diminished, and (v) the fear of stigmatization. Each of these factors were dynamically interrelated and differed slightly for each subgroup. Conclusions The LT services may benefit from the inclusion of integrated specialist addiction services in their model of care. Such an approach may enhance the acceptability of alcohol treatment and reduce the risk of relapse among ALD transplant participants, especially for those whose social supports have diminished. PMID:27795986

75 FR 50863 - Airworthiness Directives; Agusta S.p.A. Model A119 and AW119 MKII Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-18

... box) and inspecting each rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT) control gear locking pin... missing, or improperly fitted, engine rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT) control gear locking...

Variable Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior (VDRO): Its Effectiveness as a Modification Procedure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reuter, Katherine E.; LeBlanc, Judith M.

Two groups of five preschool children were trained to press a key for marbles for four sessions of variable ratio reinforcement (VR6). Subsequently, response decrement for the groups was compared during conditions of fixed and variable differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO and VDRO). Fixed DRO was more effective for decreasing response…

Genetic variability and differentiation among populations of the Azorean endemic gymnosperm Juniperus brevifolia: baseline information for a conservation and restoration perspective.

PubMed

Silva, Luís; Elias, Rui B; Moura, Mónica; Meimberg, Harald; Dias, Eduardo

2011-12-01

The Azorean endemic gymnosperm Juniperus brevifolia (Seub.) Antoine is a top priority species for conservation in Macaronesia, based on its ecological significance in natural plant communities. To evaluate genetic variability and differentiation among J. brevifolia populations from the Azorean archipelago, we studied 15 ISSR and 15 RAPD markers in 178 individuals from 18 populations. The average number of polymorphic bands per population was 65 for both ISSR and RAPD. The majority of genetic variability was found within populations and among populations within islands, and this partitioning of variability was confirmed by AMOVA. The large majority of population pairwise F(ST) values were above 0.3 and below 0.6. The degree of population genetic differentiation in J. brevifolia was relatively high compared with other species, including Juniperus spp. The genetic differentiation among populations suggests that provenance should be considered when formulating augmentation or reintroduction strategies.

A new two-phase homopolar switched reluctance motor for electric vehicle applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Mi-Ching; Huang, Chien-Chin; Huang, Zheng-Yi

2003-12-01

This paper presents a novel 2-phase homopolar switched reluctance motor (SRM), whose design successfully avoids dead-zone problems that afflict low cost 1- and/or 2-phase SRMs. Unlike conventional radial-winding-radial-gap motors, the proposed SRM has an interior stator that is of the pancake type with axial winding. Such a design allows for a high slot-fill factor and is suitable for implementation as a flat pancake-shaped stator. An efficient, compact prototype was produced with TMS320F240 DSP driving control unit. Experimental results indicate that the present SRM design has the potential to be used for electric bicycles and scooters.

Social Contingencies and College Quit and Win Contest: A Qualitative Inquiry

PubMed Central

Thomas, J.L.; Bengtson, J.E.; Ghidei, W.; Schreier, M.; Wang, Q.; Luo, X.; Lust, K.; Ahluwalia, J.S.

2015-01-01

Objectives To investigate the social contingencies associated with participation in a college Quit and Win contest to promote smoking cessation. Methods Six focus groups (N = 27)were conducted with college students who participated in a Quit and Win research trial. Results Themes included: 1) participants reluctant to disclose quit decision; 2) perception of little support in their quit attempt, and 3) the social environment as a trigger for relapse. Conclusion Although Quit and Win contests appear to motivate an initial quit attempt, the reluctance of smokers to disclose their quit attempt limits the potential positive impact of social support when utilizing this public service campaign. PMID:25564836

Neuroticism and negative affect influence the reluctance to engage in destructive obedience in the Milgram paradigm.

PubMed

Zeigler-Hill, Virgil; Southard, Ashton C; Archer, Lindsey M; Donohoe, Patrick L

2013-01-01

The present study employed a variation of Milgram's (1963, 1965, 1974) obedience paradigm that required undergraduate participants (N = 33) to administer noise blasts rather than electric shocks. We found that the individuals who were the most reluctant to obey the commands of the experimenter to continue with the procedure were those with low levels of neuroticism who reported the highest levels of negative affect during the session. This suggests that our procedure may offer a relatively benign means for examining the mechanisms underlying destructive obedience as well as individual differences in the willingness to obey authority.

Measurement method for determining the magnetic hysteresis effects of reluctance actuators by evaluation of the force and flux variation.

PubMed

Vrijsen, N H; Jansen, J W; Compter, J C; Lomonova, E A

2013-07-01

A measurement method is presented which identifies the magnetic hysteresis effects present in the force of linear reluctance actuators. The measurement method is applied to determine the magnetic hysteresis in the force of an E-core reluctance actuator, with and without pre-biasing permanent magnet. The force measurements are conducted with a piezoelectric load cell (Kistler type 9272). This high-bandwidth force measurement instrument is identified in the frequency domain using a voice-coil actuator that has negligible magnetic hysteresis and eddy currents. Specifically, the phase delay between the current and force of the voice-coil actuator is used for the calibration of the measurement instrument. This phase delay is also obtained by evaluation of the measured force and flux variation in the E-core actuator, both with and without permanent magnet on the middle tooth. The measured magnetic flux variation is used to distinguish the phase delay due to magnetic hysteresis from the measured phase delay between the current and the force of the E-core actuator. Finally, an open loop steady-state ac model is presented that predicts the magnetic hysteresis effects in the force of the E-core actuator.

Simulink(Trademark) Controller for a Reluctance Motor With a Four-Pole Rotor and 36-Tooth Stator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Carlos R.; Provenza, Andrew J.

2017-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center has developed a Simulink(Trademark) controller logic for driving a room temperature, 36-teeth stator, four-pole rotor reluctance motor. The Simulink logic was extracted from an existing C++ motor controller that was previously employed to achieve a rotor speed of 3000 rpm. The Simulink controller has additional logic refinements that were not available in past C++ controller, such as the per rev logic component and its frequency filter. The filter provides a more accurate reading of the rotor input signals. The controller is versatile, and with slight modifications, can be used to drive other reluctance motor types incorporating dissimilar stator rotor pole combinations. The original C++ controller was designed with the goal (after appropriate modification) of controlling a future superconducting motor. This superconducting motor will be employed as a test bed for developing other superconducting aviation propulsion motors envisioned for future turbo-electric aircrafts. The Simulink results presented in this paper were generated from simulated rotor inputs. However, in an actual application, these simulated inputs are to be replaced by actual proximity probe signals emanating from D-Space hardware inputs.

Studying the Hurdles of Insulin Prescription (SHIP©): development, scoring and initial validation of a new self-administered questionnaire

PubMed Central

Martinez, Luc; Consoli, Silla M; Monnier, Louis; Simon, Dominique; Wong, Olivier; Yomtov, Bernard; Guéron, Béatrice; Benmedjahed, Khadra; Guillemin, Isabelle; Arnould, Benoit

2007-01-01

Background Although insulin therapy is well-accepted by symptomatic diabetic patients, it is still often delayed in less severe patients, in whom injectable insulin remains under-used. A better understanding of patients' perception of insulin would eventually help physicians to adopt the most appropriate dialogue when having to motivate patients to initiate or to intensify insulin injection. Methods The 'Studying the Hurdles of Insulin Prescription' (SHIP) questionnaire was developed based on a list of concepts derived from three diabetic patients' focus groups, and was included into two cross-sectional studies with similar design: SHIP Oral study and SHIP Premix study. Diabetic patients treated with oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHA; n = 1,494) and patients already treated with insulin (n = 1,150) completed the questionnaire at baseline, 6- and 12 months. Psychometric properties were assessed: 1) structure analysis by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation, 2) internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha), and 3) concurrent validity (Spearman correlation coefficients with the Fear of Self-Injecting (FSI) score of the Diabetes Fear of Injecting and Self-testing Questionnaire. Reluctance/motivation towards insulin was assessed. Scores' ability to predict patients' insulin injection reluctance/motivation and initiation/intensification was evaluated with the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve (AUC). Results PCA analysis confirmed the structure of the 14 items grouped into 3 dimensions: 'acceptance and motivation', 'fear and constraints', and 'restraints and barriers' towards insulin injection. Internal consistency reliability was excellent (Cronbach's alpha > 0.70); concurrent validity was good. The three scores were significantly predictive of patients' reluctance/motivation towards insulin injection initiation, as they were of patients' actual switch, except for the 'restraints and barriers' dimension. 'Acceptance and motivation' and 'fears and constraints' dimensions were also significantly predictive of patients' reluctance/motivation towards insulin intensification. By the end of the 12-month study, 179 of the initially OHA-treated patients had started insulin injections; 186 of the patients already treated with insulin had increased their injections. Conclusion The SHIP questionnaire provides reliable and valid assessment of diabetic patients' attitude towards insulin and injections. The predictive power of scores for patients' reluctance/motivation and actual treatment decisions demonstrates encouraging potential for further application in clinical practice. PMID:17727695

Elective Mutism: A Case Study of a Disorder of Childhood

PubMed Central

Louden, Delroy M.

1987-01-01

This paper reviews a number of treatment strategies utilized in the treatment of a 6-year-old boy with a history of multiple parental separations. When the patient presented to the child psychiatric clinic, he had a history of not speaking in the preceding four months, following the arrival of a stepmother in the household and a move to a new house in a new locality. Developmental and psychometric assessments are presented and their utility in early diagnosis and later prognosis are discussed. Reluctant speech is differentiated from, and compared with, elective mutism. The management of elective mutism is often complicated by these children not speaking to anyone in certain environments, and very frequently the persons with whom they do speak are not available for participation in treatment programs. Consequently, if a child does not speak to anyone who can participate in the early mapping of treatment modalities, the use of treatment strategies such as stimulus fading is impossible. Suggestions for future management to overcome this difficulty are presented and discussed. PMID:3316671

Barriers to administering intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for acute ischemic stroke in the emergency department: A cross-sectional survey of stroke centers.

PubMed

Hargis, Mitch; Shah, Jharna N; Mazabob, Janine; Rao, Chethan Venkatasubba; Suarez, Jose I; Bershad, Eric M

2015-08-01

The logistics involved in administration of IV tPA for acute ischemic stroke patients are complex, and may contribute to variability in door-to-needle times between different hospitals. We sought to identify practice patterns in stroke centers related to IV tPA use. We hypothesized that there would be significant variability in logistics related to ancillary staff (i.e. nursing, pharmacists) processes in the emergency room setting. A 21 question survey was distributed to attendees of the AHA/ASA Southwest Affiliate Stroke Coordinators Conference to evaluate potential barriers and delays with regards to thrombolysis for acute strokes patients in the Emergency Department setting. Answers were anonymous and aggregated to examine trends in responses. Responses were obtained from 37 of 67 (55%) stroke centers, which were located mainly in the Southwest United States. Logistical processes differed between facilities. Nursing and pharmacy carried stroke pagers in only 19% of the centers, and pharmacy responded to stroke alerts only one-third of centers. Insertion of Foley catheters and nasogastric tubes prior to tPA was routine in some of the sites. Other barriers to IV tPA administration included physician reluctance and inadequate communication between health care providers. Practices regarding logistics for giving IV tPA may be variable amongst different stroke centers. Given this potential variability, prospective evaluation to confirm these preliminary findings is warranted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solving Ordinary Differential Equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krogh, F. T.

1987-01-01

Initial-value ordinary differential equation solution via variable order Adams method (SIVA/DIVA) package is collection of subroutines for solution of nonstiff ordinary differential equations. There are versions for single-precision and double-precision arithmetic. Requires fewer evaluations of derivatives than other variable-order Adams predictor/ corrector methods. Option for direct integration of second-order equations makes integration of trajectory problems significantly more efficient. Written in FORTRAN 77.

Item Response Theory with Covariates (IRT-C): Assessing Item Recovery and Differential Item Functioning for the Three-Parameter Logistic Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tay, Louis; Huang, Qiming; Vermunt, Jeroen K.

2016-01-01

In large-scale testing, the use of multigroup approaches is limited for assessing differential item functioning (DIF) across multiple variables as DIF is examined for each variable separately. In contrast, the item response theory with covariate (IRT-C) procedure can be used to examine DIF across multiple variables (covariates) simultaneously. To…

Single-Cell-Based Analysis Highlights a Surge in Cell-to-Cell Molecular Variability Preceding Irreversible Commitment in a Differentiation Process

PubMed Central

Boullu, Loïs; Morin, Valérie; Vallin, Elodie; Guillemin, Anissa; Papili Gao, Nan; Cosette, Jérémie; Arnaud, Ophélie; Kupiec, Jean-Jacques; Espinasse, Thibault

2016-01-01

In some recent studies, a view emerged that stochastic dynamics governing the switching of cells from one differentiation state to another could be characterized by a peak in gene expression variability at the point of fate commitment. We have tested this hypothesis at the single-cell level by analyzing primary chicken erythroid progenitors through their differentiation process and measuring the expression of selected genes at six sequential time-points after induction of differentiation. In contrast to population-based expression data, single-cell gene expression data revealed a high cell-to-cell variability, which was masked by averaging. We were able to show that the correlation network was a very dynamical entity and that a subgroup of genes tend to follow the predictions from the dynamical network biomarker (DNB) theory. In addition, we also identified a small group of functionally related genes encoding proteins involved in sterol synthesis that could act as the initial drivers of the differentiation. In order to assess quantitatively the cell-to-cell variability in gene expression and its evolution in time, we used Shannon entropy as a measure of the heterogeneity. Entropy values showed a significant increase in the first 8 h of the differentiation process, reaching a peak between 8 and 24 h, before decreasing to significantly lower values. Moreover, we observed that the previous point of maximum entropy precedes two paramount key points: an irreversible commitment to differentiation between 24 and 48 h followed by a significant increase in cell size variability at 48 h. In conclusion, when analyzed at the single cell level, the differentiation process looks very different from its classical population average view. New observables (like entropy) can be computed, the behavior of which is fully compatible with the idea that differentiation is not a “simple” program that all cells execute identically but results from the dynamical behavior of the underlying molecular network. PMID:28027290

Single-Cell-Based Analysis Highlights a Surge in Cell-to-Cell Molecular Variability Preceding Irreversible Commitment in a Differentiation Process.

PubMed

Richard, Angélique; Boullu, Loïs; Herbach, Ulysse; Bonnafoux, Arnaud; Morin, Valérie; Vallin, Elodie; Guillemin, Anissa; Papili Gao, Nan; Gunawan, Rudiyanto; Cosette, Jérémie; Arnaud, Ophélie; Kupiec, Jean-Jacques; Espinasse, Thibault; Gonin-Giraud, Sandrine; Gandrillon, Olivier

2016-12-01

In some recent studies, a view emerged that stochastic dynamics governing the switching of cells from one differentiation state to another could be characterized by a peak in gene expression variability at the point of fate commitment. We have tested this hypothesis at the single-cell level by analyzing primary chicken erythroid progenitors through their differentiation process and measuring the expression of selected genes at six sequential time-points after induction of differentiation. In contrast to population-based expression data, single-cell gene expression data revealed a high cell-to-cell variability, which was masked by averaging. We were able to show that the correlation network was a very dynamical entity and that a subgroup of genes tend to follow the predictions from the dynamical network biomarker (DNB) theory. In addition, we also identified a small group of functionally related genes encoding proteins involved in sterol synthesis that could act as the initial drivers of the differentiation. In order to assess quantitatively the cell-to-cell variability in gene expression and its evolution in time, we used Shannon entropy as a measure of the heterogeneity. Entropy values showed a significant increase in the first 8 h of the differentiation process, reaching a peak between 8 and 24 h, before decreasing to significantly lower values. Moreover, we observed that the previous point of maximum entropy precedes two paramount key points: an irreversible commitment to differentiation between 24 and 48 h followed by a significant increase in cell size variability at 48 h. In conclusion, when analyzed at the single cell level, the differentiation process looks very different from its classical population average view. New observables (like entropy) can be computed, the behavior of which is fully compatible with the idea that differentiation is not a "simple" program that all cells execute identically but results from the dynamical behavior of the underlying molecular network.

Precision Magnetic Bearing Six Degree of Freedom Stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, M. E.; Trumper, David L.

1996-01-01

Magnetic bearings are capable of applying force and torque to a suspended object without rigidly constraining any degrees of freedom. Additionally, the resolution of magnetic bearings is limited only by sensors and control, and not by the finish of a bearing surface. For these reasons, magnetic bearings appear to be ideal for precision wafer positioning in lithography systems. To demonstrate this capability a linear magnetic bearing has been constructed which uses variable reluctance actuators to control the motion of a 14.5 kg suspended platen in five degrees of freedom. A Lorentz type linear motor of our own design and construction is used to provide motion and position control in the sixth degree of freedom. The stage performance results verify that the positioning requirements of photolithography can be met with a system of this type. This paper describes the design, control, and performance of the linear magnetic bearing.

Coupling Conceptual and Quantitative Problems to Develop Expertise in Introductory Physics Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Chandralekha

2008-10-01

We discuss the effect of administering conceptual and quantitative isomorphic problem pairs (CQIPP) back to back vs. asking students to solve only one of the problems in the CQIPP in introductory physics courses. Students who answered both questions in a CQIPP often performed better on the conceptual questions than those who answered the corresponding conceptual questions only. Although students often took advantage of the quantitative counterpart to answer a conceptual question of a CQIPP correctly, when only given the conceptual question, students seldom tried to convert it into a quantitative question, solve it and then reason about the solution conceptually. Even in individual interviews, when students who were only given conceptual questions had difficulty and the interviewer explicitly encouraged them to convert the conceptual question into the corresponding quantitative problem by choosing appropriate variables, a majority of students were reluctant and preferred to guess the answer to the conceptual question based upon their gut feeling.

Hazard perception and the economic impact of internment on residential land values

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

Merz, J.F.

1983-04-01

The potential for large scale natural and man-made hazards exists in the form of hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, dams, accidents involving poisonous, explosive or radioactive materials, and severe pollution or waste disposal mishaps. Regions prone to natural hazards and areas located proximally to technological hazards may be subject to economic losses from low probability-high consequence events. Economic costs may be incurred in: evacuation and relocation of inhabitants; personal, industrial, agricultural, and tax revenue losses; decontamination; property damage or loss of value; and temporary or prolonged internment of land. The value of land in an area subjected to a low probability-highmore » consequence event may decrease, reflecting, a fortiori, a reluctance to continue living in the area or to repopulate a region which had required internment. The future value of such land may be described as a function of location, time, interdiction period (if applicable), and variables reflecting the magnitude of the perceived hazard. This paper presents a study of these variables and proposes a model for land value estimation. As an example, the application of the model to the Love Canal area in Niagara Falls, New York is presented.« less

Operant Variability: A Conceptual Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barba, Lourenco de Souza

2012-01-01

Some researchers claim that variability is an operant dimension of behavior. The present paper reviews the concept of operant behavior and emphasizes that differentiation is the behavioral process that demonstrates an operant relation. Differentiation is conceived as change in the overlap between two probability distributions: the distribution of…

Extending the Constant Coefficient Solution Technique to Variable Coefficient Ordinary Differential Equations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohammed, Ahmed; Zeleke, Aklilu

2015-01-01

We introduce a class of second-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with variable coefficients whose closed-form solutions can be obtained by the same method used to solve ODEs with constant coefficients. General solutions for the homogeneous case are discussed.

Tips and techniques for engaging and managing the reluctant, resistant or hostile young person.

PubMed

McCutcheon, Louise K; Chanen, Andrew M; Fraser, Richard J; Drew, Lorelle; Brewer, Warrick

2007-10-01

Creating a collaborative doctor-patient relationship is the bedrock upon which effective treatments are delivered. The interaction between normal developmental changes and psychopathology can present particular challenges to clinicians attempting to assess and treat young people. Assuming an attitude in which young people are seen to be doing their best, rather than being deliberately difficult or manipulative, can help clinicians avoid a controlling or punitive relationship and can facilitate collaborative problem solving. Stigma, denial and avoidance, ambivalence, hopelessness and coercion are potential threats to engagement and must be addressed specifically. Challenging patients, such as the reluctant, resistant, aggressive, self-harming or intoxicated patient require specific management strategies that can be learned.

Uncertainty and the difficulty of thinking through disjunctions.

PubMed

Shafir, E

1994-01-01

This paper considers the relationship between decision under uncertainty and thinking through disjunctions. Decision situations that lead to violations of Savage's sure-thing principle are examined, and a variety of simple reasoning problems that often generate confusion and error are reviewed. The common difficulty is attributed to people's reluctance to think through disjunctions. Instead of hypothetically traveling through the branches of a decision tree, it is suggested, people suspend judgement and remain at the node. This interpretation is applied to instances of decision making, information search, deductive and inductive reasoning, probabilistic judgement, games, puzzles and paradoxes. Some implications of the reluctance to think through disjunctions, as well as potential corrective procedures, are discussed.

Extensive Reading Program Which Changes Reluctant Engineering Students into Autonomous Learners of English

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishizawa, Hitoshi; Yoshioka, Takayoshi; Itoh, Kazuaki

This article introduces extensive reading (ER) as an approach to improve fundamental communication skills in English of reluctant EFL learners : average Japanese engineering students. It is distinct from concurrent translation approach from a perspective that the learners use English instead of Japanese to grasp the meaning of what they read and enjoy reading. In the ER program at Toyota National College of Technology, many students developed more positive attitude toward English, increased their reading speed, and achieved higher TOEIC scores, which was compared to those of the students before this ER program was introduced. Comparison between three groups of the students showed strong correlation between their TOEIC scores and the reading amount.

Reliability of Pressure Ulcer Rates: How Precisely Can We Differentiate Among Hospital Units, and Does the Standard Signal‐Noise Reliability Measure Reflect This Precision?

PubMed Central

Cramer, Emily

2016-01-01

Abstract Hospital performance reports often include rankings of unit pressure ulcer rates. Differentiating among units on the basis of quality requires reliable measurement. Our objectives were to describe and apply methods for assessing reliability of hospital‐acquired pressure ulcer rates and evaluate a standard signal‐noise reliability measure as an indicator of precision of differentiation among units. Quarterly pressure ulcer data from 8,199 critical care, step‐down, medical, surgical, and medical‐surgical nursing units from 1,299 US hospitals were analyzed. Using beta‐binomial models, we estimated between‐unit variability (signal) and within‐unit variability (noise) in annual unit pressure ulcer rates. Signal‐noise reliability was computed as the ratio of between‐unit variability to the total of between‐ and within‐unit variability. To assess precision of differentiation among units based on ranked pressure ulcer rates, we simulated data to estimate the probabilities of a unit's observed pressure ulcer rate rank in a given sample falling within five and ten percentiles of its true rank, and the probabilities of units with ulcer rates in the highest quartile and highest decile being identified as such. We assessed the signal‐noise measure as an indicator of differentiation precision by computing its correlations with these probabilities. Pressure ulcer rates based on a single year of quarterly or weekly prevalence surveys were too susceptible to noise to allow for precise differentiation among units, and signal‐noise reliability was a poor indicator of precision of differentiation. To ensure precise differentiation on the basis of true differences, alternative methods of assessing reliability should be applied to measures purported to differentiate among providers or units based on quality. © 2016 The Authors. Research in Nursing & Health published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:27223598

Population genetic analysis and bioclimatic modeling in Agave striata in the Chihuahuan Desert indicate higher genetic variation and lower differentiation in drier and more variable environments.

PubMed

Trejo, Laura; Alvarado-Cárdenas, Leonardo O; Scheinvar, Enrique; Eguiarte, Luis E

2016-06-01

Is there an association between bioclimatic variables and genetic variation within species? This question can be approached by a detailed analysis of population genetics parameters along environmental gradients in recently originated species (so genetic drift does not further obscure the patterns). The genus Agave, with more than 200 recent species encompassing a diversity of morphologies and distributional patterns, is an adequate system for such analyses. We studied Agave striata, a widely distributed species from the Chihuahuan Desert, with a distinctive iteroparous reproductive ecology and two recognized subspecies with clear morphological differences. We used population genetic analyses along with bioclimatic studies to understand the effect of environment on the genetic variation and differentiation of this species. We analyzed six populations of the subspecies A. striata subsp. striata, with a southern distribution, and six populations of A. striata subsp. falcata, with a northern distribution, using 48 ISSR loci and a total of 541 individuals (averaging 45 individuals per population). We assessed correlations between population genetics parameters (the levels of genetic variation and differentiation) and the bioclimatic variables of each population. We modeled each subspecies distribution and used linear correlations and multifactorial analysis of variance. Genetic variation (measured as expected heterozygosity) increased at higher latitudes. Higher levels of genetic variation in populations were associated with a higher variation in environmental temperature and lower precipitation. Stronger population differentiation was associated with wetter and more variable precipitation in the southern distribution of the species. The two subspecies have genetic differences, which coincide with their climatic differences and potential distributions. Differences in genetic variation among populations and the genetic differentiation between A. striata subsp. striata and A. striata subsp. falcata is correlated with differences in environmental climatic variables along their distribution. We found two distinct gene pools that suggest active differentiation and perhaps incipient speciation. The detected association between genetic variation and environment variables indicates that climatic variables are playing an important role in the differentiation of A. striata. © 2016 Botanical Society of America.

Program for solution of ordinary differential equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sloate, H.

1973-01-01

A program for the solution of linear and nonlinear first order ordinary differential equations is described and user instructions are included. The program contains a new integration algorithm for the solution of initial value problems which is particularly efficient for the solution of differential equations with a wide range of eigenvalues. The program in its present form handles up to ten state variables, but expansion to handle up to fifty state variables is being investigated.

A numerical solution for a variable-order reaction-diffusion model by using fractional derivatives with non-local and non-singular kernel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coronel-Escamilla, A.; Gómez-Aguilar, J. F.; Torres, L.; Escobar-Jiménez, R. F.

2018-02-01

A reaction-diffusion system can be represented by the Gray-Scott model. The reaction-diffusion dynamic is described by a pair of time and space dependent Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). In this paper, a generalization of the Gray-Scott model by using variable-order fractional differential equations is proposed. The variable-orders were set as smooth functions bounded in (0 , 1 ] and, specifically, the Liouville-Caputo and the Atangana-Baleanu-Caputo fractional derivatives were used to express the time differentiation. In order to find a numerical solution of the proposed model, the finite difference method together with the Adams method were applied. The simulations results showed the chaotic behavior of the proposed model when different variable-orders are applied.

REGULATION OF GEOGRAPHIC VARIABILITY IN HAPLOID:DIPLOD RATIOS OF BIPHASIC SEAWEED LIFE CYCLES(1).

PubMed

da Silva Vieira, Vasco Manuel Nobre de Carvalho; Santos, Rui Orlando Pimenta

2012-08-01

The relative abundance of haploid and diploid individuals (H:D) in isomorphic marine algal biphasic cycles varies spatially, but only if vital rates of haploid and diploid phases vary differently with environmental conditions (i.e. conditional differentiation between phases). Vital rates of isomorphic phases in particular environments may be determined by subtle morphological or physiological differences. Herein, we test numerically how geographic variability in H:D is regulated by conditional differentiation between isomorphic life phases and the type of life strategy of populations (i.e. life cycles dominated by reproduction, survival or growth). Simulation conditions were selected using available data on H:D spatial variability in seaweeds. Conditional differentiation between ploidy phases had a small effect on the H:D variability for species with life strategies that invest either in fertility or in growth. Conversely, species with life strategies that invest mainly in survival, exhibited high variability in H:D through a conditional differentiation in stasis (the probability of staying in the same size class), breakage (the probability of changing to a smaller size class) or growth (the probability of changing to a bigger size class). These results were consistent with observed geographic variability in H:D of natural marine algae populations. © 2012 Phycological Society of America.

'It's caveman stuff, but that is to a certain extent how guys still operate': men's accounts of masculinity and help seeking.

PubMed

O'Brien, Rosaleen; Hunt, Kate; Hart, Graham

2005-08-01

It is often assumed that men are reluctant to seek medical care. However, despite growing interest in masculinity and men's health, few studies have focussed on men's experiences of consultation in relation to their constructions of masculinity. Those that have are largely based on men with diseases of the male body (testicular and prostate cancer) or those which have been stereotyped as male (coronary heart disease). This paper presents discussions and experiences of help seeking and its relation to, and implications for, the practice of masculinity amongst a diversity of men in Scotland, as articulated in focus group discussions. The discussions did indeed suggest a widespread endorsement of a 'hegemonic' view that men 'should' be reluctant to seek help, particularly amongst younger men. However, they also included instances which questioned or went against this apparent reluctance to seek help. These were themselves linked with masculinity: help seeking was more quickly embraced when it was perceived as a means to preserve or restore another, more valued, enactment of masculinity (e.g. working as a fire-fighter, or maintaining sexual performance or function). Few other studies have emphasised how men negotiate deviations from the hegemonic view of help-seeking.

Dynamic characteristics of a two-stage variable-mass flexible missile with internal flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meirovitch, L.; Bankovskis, J.

1972-01-01

A general formulation of the dynamical problems associated with powered flight of a two stage flexible, variable-mass missile with internal flow, discrete masses, and aerodynamic forces is presented. The formulation comprises six ordinary differential equations for the rigid body motion, 3n ordinary differential equations for the n discrete masses and three partial differential equations with the appropriate boundary conditions for the elastic motion. This set of equations is modified to represent a single stage flexible, variable-mass missile with internal flow and aerodynamic forces. The rigid-body motion consists then of three translations and three rotations, whereas the elastic motion is defined by one longitudinal and two flexural displacements, the latter about two orthogonal transverse axes. The differential equations are nonlinear and, in addition, they possess time-dependent coefficients due to the mass variation.

Precise automatic differential stellar photometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Andrew T.; Genet, Russell M.; Boyd, Louis J.; Borucki, William J.; Lockwood, G. Wesley

1991-01-01

The factors limiting the precision of differential stellar photometry are reviewed. Errors due to variable atmospheric extinction can be reduced to below 0.001 mag at good sites by utilizing the speed of robotic telescopes. Existing photometric systems produce aliasing errors, which are several millimagnitudes in general but may be reduced to about a millimagnitude in special circumstances. Conventional differential photometry neglects several other important effects, which are discussed in detail. If all of these are properly handled, it appears possible to do differential photometry of variable stars with an overall precision of 0.001 mag with ground based robotic telescopes.

Spatial stochastic modelling of the Hes1 gene regulatory network: intrinsic noise can explain heterogeneity in embryonic stem cell differentiation.

PubMed

Sturrock, Marc; Hellander, Andreas; Matzavinos, Anastasios; Chaplain, Mark A J

2013-03-06

Individual mouse embryonic stem cells have been found to exhibit highly variable differentiation responses under the same environmental conditions. The noisy cyclic expression of Hes1 and its downstream genes are known to be responsible for this, but the mechanism underlying this variability in expression is not well understood. In this paper, we show that the observed experimental data and diverse differentiation responses can be explained by a spatial stochastic model of the Hes1 gene regulatory network. We also propose experiments to control the precise differentiation response using drug treatment.

3C.07: ARE THE PHYSICIANS RELUCTANT TO PRACTICE TELEMEDICINE IN HYPERTENSION?

PubMed

Sublet, M Lopez; Courand, P Y; Bally, S; Krummel, T; Dimitrov, Y; Brucker, M; Coz, S Regnier-Le; Dourmap-Collas, C; Mourad, J J; Steichen, O; Ott, J; Barone-Rochette, G; Bogetto-Graham, L; Rossignol, P; Barber-Chamoux, N; Le Jeune, S; Vautrin, E; Agnoletti, D; Baguet, S; Sosner, P

2015-06-01

The high number of patients with uncontrolled hypertension is still a public health pattern. The e-health contains all electronic health services used in order to improve communication between all the different actors. In arterial hypertension, few data exists on the possibilities: 1/ for patients to easily e-transfer their results of home blood pressure measurement (HBPM); 2/ for practitioners to receive and assess these HBPM results. Furthermore, physician's reluctance is often reported as a constraint for telemedicine development. Thus, we aimed to collect data on technical equipment of physicians, and on their expectations about this new way of relationship. 57 physicians, hypertension specialists (36 ± 8 years old, 56% men, mostly (88%) hospital practitioners) completed a self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of technical equipment is summarized in Table 1. 77.1% of physicians thought that telemedicine could improve the control of hypertension, 29.8% thought they could provide less frequent consultations to their patients and 24.5 % that HBPM information would contribute to the fight against inertia. 83.2% of physicians would agree that HBPM data be transferred to a non- medical staff, a nurse in most cases (59.5%). Finally, while 89.5% of physicians declared they support the development of telemedicine in their daily practice, 100% of them found 3 kinds of "limits" to this exchange method. The main obstacles were: budget (49%), lack of legal frame (43%), medical reluctance (42%), difficulties in accessing or in mastering informatics tool (38.5%), confidentiality (28%), absence of direct benefit (21%), patient reluctance (21%).(Figure is included in full-text article.) : The equipment of physicians in home or mobile devices appears no longer an obstacle for the development of a program dedicated to telemedicine. The majority of medical practitioners working in specialized hypertension department agreed with Internet e-transfer of HBPM data, including paramedics. However, all physicians highlighted various obstacles to its expansion: technical support, lack of legal frame, and financial limits.

Generalized Mantel-Haenszel Methods for Differential Item Functioning Detection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fidalgo, Angel M.; Madeira, Jaqueline M.

2008-01-01

Mantel-Haenszel methods comprise a highly flexible methodology for assessing the degree of association between two categorical variables, whether they are nominal or ordinal, while controlling for other variables. The versatility of Mantel-Haenszel analytical approaches has made them very popular in the assessment of the differential functioning…

Differential V-Q Ability: Twenty Years Later

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, S. Viterbo

1975-01-01

The initial portion of this paper addresses itself to some of the methodological concerns associated with Verbal-Quantitative (V-Q) research. The second section focuses on studies using differential V-Q ability as an independent variable. The final section focuses on reasearch using V-Q ability measures as dependent variables. (Author/BJG)

Analysis of Vibration and Acoustic Noise in Permanent Magnet Motors.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Sangmoon

The drive motor is a frequent source of vibration and acoustic noise in many precision spindle motors. One of the electromagnetic sources of vibration in permanent magnet motors is the torque ripple, consisting of the reluctance torque and electromagnetic torque fluctuation. This type of vibration is becoming more serious with the advent of new high-grade magnets with increased flux density. Acoustic noise of electromagnetic origin is difficult to predict and its exact mechanism is unclear. The mechanism of noise generation should be revealed to design a quieter motor which is the modern customer's demand. For motor operation at low speeds and loads, torque ripple due to the reluctance torque is often a source of vibration and control difficulty. The reluctance torque in a motor was calculated from the flux density by a finite element method and the Maxwell stress method. Effects of design parameters, such as stator slot width, permanent slot width, airgap length and magnetization direction, were investigated. Magnet pole shaping, by gradually decreasing the magnet thickness toward edges, yields a sinusoidal shape of the reluctance torque with reduced harmonics, thus reducing the vibration. This dissertation also presents two motor design techniques: stator tooth notching and rotor pole skewing with magnet pole shaping, and the effect of each method on the output torque. The analysis shows that the reluctance torque can be nearly eliminated by the suggested designs, with minimal sacrifice of the output torque. In permanent magnet DC motors, the most popular design type is the trapezoidal back electro-motive force (BEMF), for switched DC controllers. It is demonstrated that the output torque profile of one phase energized is qualitatively equivalent to the BEMF profile for motors with reduced reluctance torque. It implies that design of BEMF profile is possible by magnetic modeling of a motor, without expensive and time-consuming experiments for different designs. The effect of various design parameters on the output torque and torque ripple are discussed. Design parameters include winding patterns, magnetization direction, magnet arc length, number of segments in poles and magnet pole shaping. New designs of trapezoidal BEMF motors are proposed to reduce the electromagnetic torque ripple. Magnet stepping and magnet edge shaping with reduced arc length, significantly reduce torque ripple, with minimal sacrifice of the maximum output torque. Acoustic noise of electromagnetic origin is investigated using a magnetic frame which emulates a DC motor. The driving electromagnetic force is calculated using finite element analysis and the resulting vibration and acoustic noise is measured. Acoustic noise of purely electromagnetic origin was also tested with a DC brushless motor to confirm the results of the magnetic frame. The mechanism of noise generation in a DC motor is a quasi-static response of a stator not only at the fundamental frequency but also at higher harmonic frequencies of alternating switched DC, which is a current characteristic of a DC motor. Noise generation is significantly aggravated when some of those harmonics are close to the resonant frequencies of the stator. Therefore, acoustic noise is highly dependent upon the excitation current shape, as higher harmonics may match with resonant frequencies of the stator.

The convergence of the order sequence and the solution function sequence on fractional partial differential equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusyaman, E.; Parmikanti, K.; Chaerani, D.; Asefan; Irianingsih, I.

2018-03-01

One of the application of fractional ordinary differential equation is related to the viscoelasticity, i.e., a correlation between the viscosity of fluids and the elasticity of solids. If the solution function develops into function with two or more variables, then its differential equation must be changed into fractional partial differential equation. As the preliminary study for two variables viscoelasticity problem, this paper discusses about convergence analysis of function sequence which is the solution of the homogenous fractional partial differential equation. The method used to solve the problem is Homotopy Analysis Method. The results show that if given two real number sequences (αn) and (βn) which converge to α and β respectively, then the solution function sequences of fractional partial differential equation with order (αn, βn) will also converge to the solution function of fractional partial differential equation with order (α, β).

The reluctance to burden others as a value in end-of-life decision making: a source of inaccuracy in substituted judgment.

PubMed

Winter, Laraine; Parks, Susan M

2012-03-01

Most patients are decisionally incapacitated at the end of life, leaving final treatment decisions to proxies, whose substituted judgment is often inaccurate. We investigated the reluctance to burden others (RBO), a commonly cited patient value, as a possible source of proxy inaccuracy. In a sample of 202 elders and their proxies, elders responded to three burden-related questions and the Life-prolonging Treatment Preferences Questionnaire. Proxies used substituted judgment to respond to the same questions. Although RBO predicted treatment preferences for both elders and proxies, elders rated RBO significantly more important than did proxies. In addition, larger elder-proxy differences in RBO were associated with more inaccurate substituted judgment.

An inductance Fourier decomposition-based current-hysteresis control strategy for switched reluctance motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Wei; Qi, Ji; Jia, Meng

2017-05-01

Switched reluctance machines (SRMs) have attracted extensive attentions due to the inherent advantages, including simple and robust structure, low cost, excellent fault-tolerance and wide speed range, etc. However, one of the bottlenecks limiting the SRMs for further applications is its unfavorable torque ripple, and consequently noise and vibration due to the unique doubly-salient structure and pulse-current-based power supply method. In this paper, an inductance Fourier decomposition-based current-hysteresis-control (IFD-CHC) strategy is proposed to reduce torque ripple of SRMs. After obtaining a nonlinear inductance-current-position model based Fourier decomposition, reference currents can be calculated by reference torque and the derived inductance model. Both the simulations and experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.

Sita's Trousseau: restorative justice, domestic violence, and South Asian culture.

PubMed

Goel, Rashmi

2005-05-01

This article focuses on the particular cultural factors that affect South Asian women who are abused and immigrant South Asian women who are abused, in particular, in the restorative justice process. By exploring cultural practices and the icon of Sita, the mythological heroine of the Ramayana, this article demonstrates how the South Asian ideals of womanhood and wifehood help to create a mind-set whereby South Asian women are reluctant to advocate for themselves and are reluctant to leave. Such a condition is contrary to the conditions and abilities assumed by the restorative justice movement for dispute resolution, inside or outside of domestic violence. It is concluded that restorative justice options are ill-suited to application among immigrant South Asian communities for domestic violence cases.

Error Variability and the Differentiation between Apraxia of Speech and Aphasia with Phonemic Paraphasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haley, Katarina L.; Jacks, Adam; Cunningham, Kevin T.

2013-01-01

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical utility of error variability for differentiating between apraxia of speech (AOS) and aphasia with phonemic paraphasia. Method: Participants were 32 individuals with aphasia after left cerebral injury. Diagnostic groups were formed on the basis of operationalized measures of recognized…

Use of heart rate variability differentiates between physical and psychological states

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The major goal of animal welfare scientists is to determine when animals are experiencing a state of good welfare or poor welfare. The goal of this research was to determine if measures of heart rate variability can be used to differentiate whether animals are experiencing differing states of physi...

On the continuous differentiability of inter-spike intervals of synaptically connected cortical spiking neurons in a neuronal network.

PubMed

Kumar, Gautam; Kothare, Mayuresh V

2013-12-01

We derive conditions for continuous differentiability of inter-spike intervals (ISIs) of spiking neurons with respect to parameters (decision variables) of an external stimulating input current that drives a recurrent network of synaptically connected neurons. The dynamical behavior of individual neurons is represented by a class of discontinuous single-neuron models. We report here that ISIs of neurons in the network are continuously differentiable with respect to decision variables if (1) a continuously differentiable trajectory of the membrane potential exists between consecutive action potentials with respect to time and decision variables and (2) the partial derivative of the membrane potential of spiking neurons with respect to time is not equal to the partial derivative of their firing threshold with respect to time at the time of action potentials. Our theoretical results are supported by showing fulfillment of these conditions for a class of known bidimensional spiking neuron models.

Differentiating among singular and comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder and social phobia symptomology.

PubMed

Rudy, Brittany M; May, Anna C; Whiting, Sara E; Davis, Thompson E; Jenkins, Whitney S; Reuther, Erin T

2014-01-01

Social phobia is a frequent co-occurring diagnosis with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); however, co-occurring OCD in those with social phobia is less common. Genetic, environmental, and cognitive traits are common risk factors for anxiety disorders broadly. It is plausible that shared variables related to OCD and/or social phobia could provide insight into the co-occurrence of these two disorders. The current study explored differences in fear of negative evaluation (FNE) and perfectionism among four groups: those with (1) elevated social phobia symptoms, (2) elevated OCD symptoms, (3) elevated symptoms of OCD and social phobia, and those who were (4) asymptomatic as a control group. A non-clinical sample of 196 participants completed several online questionnaires about social phobia and OCD symptomology. Results identified three cognitive variables (i.e., FNE, total perfectionism, and concern over mistakes) as differential variables in comorbid symptom presentation of OCD and social phobia. A fourth variable (i.e., doubts about actions) was identified as a potential dual risk factor, and four subsequent variables (i.e., parental criticism, personal standards, parental expectations, and organization) were not implicated in differential symptom presentation. Given the different rates of OCD and social phobia co-occurrence, identification of differentiating variables could aid in better understanding of potential risk factors, which may enhance preventative and therapeutic techniques. Study implications, limitations, and future recommendations are discussed.

HYPERDIRE-HYPERgeometric functions DIfferential REduction: Mathematica-based packages for the differential reduction of generalized hypergeometric functions: Lauricella function FC of three variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bytev, Vladimir V.; Kniehl, Bernd A.

2016-09-01

We present a further extension of the HYPERDIRE project, which is devoted to the creation of a set of Mathematica-based program packages for manipulations with Horn-type hypergeometric functions on the basis of differential equations. Specifically, we present the implementation of the differential reduction for the Lauricella function FC of three variables. Catalogue identifier: AEPP_v4_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEPP_v4_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: GNU General Public License, version 3 No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 243461 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 61610782 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Mathematica. Computer: All computers running Mathematica. Operating system: Operating systems running Mathematica. Classification: 4.4. Does the new version supersede the previous version?: No, it significantly extends the previous version. Nature of problem: Reduction of hypergeometric function FC of three variables to a set of basis functions. Solution method: Differential reduction. Reasons for new version: The extension package allows the user to handle the Lauricella function FC of three variables. Summary of revisions: The previous version goes unchanged. Running time: Depends on the complexity of the problem.

Exploration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilburn, D.R.

2002-01-01

Exploration budgets fell for a fourth successive year in 2001. These decreases reflected low mineral commodity prices, mineral-market investment reluctance, company failures and a continued trend of company mergers and takeovers.

Spatial stochastic modelling of the Hes1 gene regulatory network: intrinsic noise can explain heterogeneity in embryonic stem cell differentiation

PubMed Central

Sturrock, Marc; Hellander, Andreas; Matzavinos, Anastasios; Chaplain, Mark A. J.

2013-01-01

Individual mouse embryonic stem cells have been found to exhibit highly variable differentiation responses under the same environmental conditions. The noisy cyclic expression of Hes1 and its downstream genes are known to be responsible for this, but the mechanism underlying this variability in expression is not well understood. In this paper, we show that the observed experimental data and diverse differentiation responses can be explained by a spatial stochastic model of the Hes1 gene regulatory network. We also propose experiments to control the precise differentiation response using drug treatment. PMID:23325756

Brain Signal Variability Differentially Affects Cognitive Flexibility and Cognitive Stability.

PubMed

Armbruster-Genç, Diana J N; Ueltzhöffer, Kai; Fiebach, Christian J

2016-04-06

Recent research yielded the intriguing conclusion that, in healthy adults, higher levels of variability in neuronal processes are beneficial for cognitive functioning. Beneficial effects of variability in neuronal processing can also be inferred from neurocomputational theories of working memory, albeit this holds only for tasks requiring cognitive flexibility. However, cognitive stability, i.e., the ability to maintain a task goal in the face of irrelevant distractors, should suffer under high levels of brain signal variability. To directly test this prediction, we studied both behavioral and brain signal variability during cognitive flexibility (i.e., task switching) and cognitive stability (i.e., distractor inhibition) in a sample of healthy human subjects and developed an efficient and easy-to-implement analysis approach to assess BOLD-signal variability in event-related fMRI task paradigms. Results show a general positive effect of neural variability on task performance as assessed by accuracy measures. However, higher levels of BOLD-signal variability in the left inferior frontal junction area result in reduced error rate costs during task switching and thus facilitate cognitive flexibility. In contrast, variability in the same area has a detrimental effect on cognitive stability, as shown in a negative effect of variability on response time costs during distractor inhibition. This pattern was mirrored at the behavioral level, with higher behavioral variability predicting better task switching but worse distractor inhibition performance. Our data extend previous results on brain signal variability by showing a differential effect of brain signal variability that depends on task context, in line with predictions from computational theories. Recent neuroscientific research showed that the human brain signal is intrinsically variable and suggested that this variability improves performance. Computational models of prefrontal neural networks predict differential effects of variability for different behavioral situations requiring either cognitive flexibility or stability. However, this hypothesis has so far not been put to an empirical test. In this study, we assessed cognitive flexibility and cognitive stability, and, besides a generally positive effect of neural variability on accuracy measures, we show that neural variability in a prefrontal brain area at the inferior frontal junction is differentially associated with performance: higher levels of variability are beneficial for the effectiveness of task switching (cognitive flexibility) but detrimental for the efficiency of distractor inhibition (cognitive stability). Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/363978-10$15.00/0.

Research on Zheng Classification Fusing Pulse Parameters in Coronary Heart Disease

PubMed Central

Guo, Rui; Wang, Yi-Qin; Xu, Jin; Yan, Hai-Xia; Yan, Jian-Jun; Li, Fu-Feng; Xu, Zhao-Xia; Xu, Wen-Jie

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to illustrate that nonlinear dynamic variables of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pulse can improve the performances of TCM Zheng classification models. Pulse recordings of 334 coronary heart disease (CHD) patients and 117 normal subjects were collected in this study. Recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) was employed to acquire nonlinear dynamic variables of pulse. TCM Zheng models in CHD were constructed, and predictions using a novel multilabel learning algorithm based on different datasets were carried out. Datasets were designed as follows: dataset1, TCM inquiry information including inspection information; dataset2, time-domain variables of pulse and dataset1; dataset3, RQA variables of pulse and dataset1; and dataset4, major principal components of RQA variables and dataset1. The performances of the different models for Zheng differentiation were compared. The model for Zheng differentiation based on RQA variables integrated with inquiry information had the best performance, whereas that based only on inquiry had the worst performance. Meanwhile, the model based on time-domain variables of pulse integrated with inquiry fell between the above two. This result showed that RQA variables of pulse can be used to construct models of TCM Zheng and improve the performance of Zheng differentiation models. PMID:23737839

Reliability of Pressure Ulcer Rates: How Precisely Can We Differentiate Among Hospital Units, and Does the Standard Signal-Noise Reliability Measure Reflect This Precision?

PubMed

Staggs, Vincent S; Cramer, Emily

2016-08-01

Hospital performance reports often include rankings of unit pressure ulcer rates. Differentiating among units on the basis of quality requires reliable measurement. Our objectives were to describe and apply methods for assessing reliability of hospital-acquired pressure ulcer rates and evaluate a standard signal-noise reliability measure as an indicator of precision of differentiation among units. Quarterly pressure ulcer data from 8,199 critical care, step-down, medical, surgical, and medical-surgical nursing units from 1,299 US hospitals were analyzed. Using beta-binomial models, we estimated between-unit variability (signal) and within-unit variability (noise) in annual unit pressure ulcer rates. Signal-noise reliability was computed as the ratio of between-unit variability to the total of between- and within-unit variability. To assess precision of differentiation among units based on ranked pressure ulcer rates, we simulated data to estimate the probabilities of a unit's observed pressure ulcer rate rank in a given sample falling within five and ten percentiles of its true rank, and the probabilities of units with ulcer rates in the highest quartile and highest decile being identified as such. We assessed the signal-noise measure as an indicator of differentiation precision by computing its correlations with these probabilities. Pressure ulcer rates based on a single year of quarterly or weekly prevalence surveys were too susceptible to noise to allow for precise differentiation among units, and signal-noise reliability was a poor indicator of precision of differentiation. To ensure precise differentiation on the basis of true differences, alternative methods of assessing reliability should be applied to measures purported to differentiate among providers or units based on quality. © 2016 The Authors. Research in Nursing & Health published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 The Authors. Research in Nursing & Health published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Use of Heart Rate Variability as a Novel Method to Differentiate between Affective States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The major goal of animal welfare scientists is to determine when animals are experiencing a state of good welfare or poor welfare. The goal of this research was to determine if measures of heart rate variability can be used to differentiate whether animals are experiencing ‘unpleasant’ versus ‘pleas...

A pocket of variability in Pinus rigida

Treesearch

F. Thomas Ledig; John H. Fryer

1971-01-01

Steady state gene frequencies around a pocket of differential fitness have been formulated by Hanson (1966) in a generalization of the work of Haldane (1948). A pocket of differential fitness would result in a pocket-of-variability, assuming that the radius of the area of contrasting fitness was large in relation to the vagility of the organism. Conversely, the absence...

A Ten Year Study of Salary Differential by Sex through a Regression Methodology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, John Delane; And Others

A 10-year study of salary differential by sex was undertaken at the University of North Dakota using a multiple regression methodology, with rank, discipline, degree, years in department, years in current rank, and sex as predictors. The sex variable evidenced lower salaries for women when controlling for the other variables throughout the study…

Modeling Differentiation of Cognitive Abilities within the Higher-Order Factor Model Using Moderated Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molenaar, Dylan; Dolan, Conor V.; Wicherts, Jelte M.; van der Maas, Han L. J.

2010-01-01

The general differentiation hypothesis states that the strength of the correlations among a set of IQ subtests varies with a given variable. Instances of the general differentiation hypothesis that have been considered in the literature include age and ability differentiation. Traditionally, the differentiation effect is attributed to the varying…

Morphologic Characteristics Help Explain the Gender Difference in Peak Anterior Cruciate Ligament Strain During a Simulated Pivot Landing

PubMed Central

Lipps, David B.; Oh, Youkeun K.; Ashton-Miller, James A.; Wojtys, Edward M.

2015-01-01

Background Gender differences exist in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) cross-sectional area and lateral tibial slope. Biomechanical principles suggest that the direction of these gender differences should induce larger peak ACL strains in females under dynamic loading. Hypothesis Peak ACL relative strain during a simulated pivot landing is significantly greater in female ACLs than male ACLs. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Twenty cadaveric knees from height- and weight-matched male and female cadavers were subjected to impulsive 3-dimensional test loads of 2 times body weight in compression, flexion, and internal tibial torque starting at 15° of flexion. Load cells measured the 3-dimensional forces and moments applied to the knee, and forces in the pretensioned quadriceps, hamstring, and gastrocnemius muscle equivalents. A novel, gender-specific, nonlinear spring simulated short-range and longer range quadriceps muscle tensile stiffness. Peak relative strain in the anteromedial bundle of the ACL (AM-ACL) was measured using a differential variable reluctance transducer, while ACL cross-sectional area and lateral tibial slope were measured using magnetic resonance imaging. A repeated-measures Mann-Whitney signed-rank test was used to test the hypothesis. Results Female knees exhibited 95% greater peak AM-ACL relative strain than male knees (6.37% [22.53%] vs 3.26% [11.89%]; P = .004). Anterior cruciate ligament cross-sectional area and lateral tibial slope were significant predictors of peak AM-ACL relative strain (R2 = .59; P = .001). Conclusion Peak AM-ACL relative strain was significantly greater in female than male knees from donors of the same height and weight. This gender difference is attributed to a smaller female ACL cross-sectional area and a greater lateral tibial slope. Clinical Relevance Since female ACLs are systematically exposed to greater strain than their male counterparts, training and injury prevention programs should take this fact into consideration. PMID:21917612

Differential Experience of Siblings in the Same Family.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Denise; Plomin, Robert

1985-01-01

Used the Sibling Inventory of Differential Experience with 396 adolescent and young adult children to determine the extent to which genetic differences between siblings or sibling differences in family constellation variables were responsible for differential experiences. (HOD)

Finders keepers: the features differentiating hoarding disorder from normative collecting.

PubMed

Nordsletten, Ashley E; Fernández de la Cruz, Lorena; Billotti, Danielle; Mataix-Cols, David

2013-04-01

A new diagnostic category called Hoarding Disorder (HD) has been proposed for inclusion in DSM-5. It is paramount that this addition does not result in an over-pathologization of normative behavior. Collectors constitute a valid population within which to test the diagnostic boundaries of HD. The current study explored the features that differentiate pathological hoarding from normative collecting. Participants were 29 individuals with a diagnosis of HD and 20 individuals who self-identified as collectors who enrolled in the London Field Trial for HD. A series of semi-structured interviews (often in the participants' homes) were conducted, including a detailed assessment of the typical elements of the collecting process. Participants also completed a battery of self-report questionnaires. Collectors were more likely than those with HD to be male, partnered, and free of psychiatric conditions or medication. Like those with HD, collectors reported the acquisition of, attachment to, and reluctance to discarding objects. However, the resulting clutter and impairment were minimal in this group and ultimately insufficient to garner an HD diagnosis. Collectors were, additionally, more focused in their acquisitions (e.g., confining their accumulations to a narrow range of items), more selective (e.g., planning and purchasing only pre-determined items), more likely to organize their possessions and less likely to accumulate in an excessive manner. There are important quantitative and qualitative differences between HD and normative collecting. For this reason, collectors are unlikely to be inappropriately pathologized by the introduction of HD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Communicating about Cancer Pain

Cancer.gov

Patients with cancer may be reluctant to discuss their pain with their doctors for a variety of reasons. NCI sponsors research that examines the barriers that prevent patients from talking about pain.

Analysis and comparison of end effects in linear switched reluctance and hybrid motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barhoumi, El Manaa; Abo-Khalil, Ahmed Galal; Berrouche, Youcef; Wurtz, Frederic

2017-03-01

This paper presents and discusses the longitudinal and transversal end effects which affects the propulsive force of linear motors. Generally, the modeling of linear machine considers the forces distortion due to the specific geometry of linear actuators. The insertion of permanent magnets on the stator allows improving the propulsive force produced by switched reluctance linear motors. Also, the inserted permanent magnets in the hybrid structure allow reducing considerably the ends effects observed in linear motors. The analysis was conducted using 2D and 3D finite elements method. The permanent magnet reinforces the flux produced by the winding and reorients it which allows modifying the impact of end effects. Presented simulations and discussions show the importance of this study to characterize the end effects in two different linear motors.

Strategies and motives for resistance to persuasion: an integrative framework

PubMed Central

Fransen, Marieke L.; Smit, Edith G.; Verlegh, Peeter W. J.

2015-01-01

Persuasion is an important element of human communication. But in many situations, we resist rather than embrace persuasive attempts. Resistance to persuasion has been studied in many different disciplines, including communication science, psychology, and marketing. The present paper reviews and connects these diverse literatures, and provides an organizing framework for understanding and studying resistance. Four clusters of resistance strategies are defined (avoidance, contesting, biased processing, and empowerment), and these clusters are related to different motivations for resisting persuasion (threat to freedom, reluctance to change, and concerns of deception). We propose that, while avoidance strategies may be triggered by any of these motivations, contesting strategies are linked primarily to concerns of deception, while empowerment and biased processing strategies are most common when people are reluctant to change. PMID:26322006

Do nursing homes for older people have the support they need to provide end-of-life care? A mixed methods enquiry in England

PubMed Central

Seymour, Jane E; Kumar, Arun; Froggatt, Katherine

2011-01-01

Nursing homes are a common site of death, but older residents receive variable quality of end-of-life care. We used a mixed methods design to identify external influences on the quality of end-of-life care in nursing homes. Two qualitative case studies were conducted and a postal survey of 180 nursing homes surrounding the case study sites. In the case studies, qualitative interviews were held with seven members of nursing home staff and 10 external staff. Problems in accessing support for end-of-life care reported in the survey included variable support by general practitioners (GPs), reluctance among GPs to prescribe appropriate medication, lack of support from other agencies, lack of out of hours support, cost of syringe drivers and lack of access to training. Most care homes were implementing a care pathway. Those that were not rated their end-of-life care as in need of improvement or as average. The case studies suggest that critical factors in improving end-of-life care in nursing homes include developing clinical leadership, developing relationships with GPs, the support of ‘key’ external advocates and leverage of additional resources by adoption of care pathway tools. PMID:21282349

Asymmetric DNA methylation of CpG dyads is a feature of secondary DMRs associated with the Dlk1/Gtl2 imprinting cluster in mouse.

PubMed

Guntrum, Megan; Vlasova, Ekaterina; Davis, Tamara L

2017-01-01

Differential DNA methylation plays a critical role in the regulation of imprinted genes. The differentially methylated state of the imprinting control region is inherited via the gametes at fertilization, and is stably maintained in somatic cells throughout development, influencing the expression of genes across the imprinting cluster. In contrast, DNA methylation patterns are more labile at secondary differentially methylated regions which are established at imprinted loci during post-implantation development. To investigate the nature of these more variably methylated secondary differentially methylated regions, we adopted a hairpin linker bisulfite mutagenesis approach to examine CpG dyad methylation at differentially methylated regions associated with the murine Dlk1/Gtl2 imprinting cluster on both complementary strands. We observed homomethylation at greater than 90% of the methylated CpG dyads at the IG-DMR, which serves as the imprinting control element. In contrast, homomethylation was only observed at 67-78% of the methylated CpG dyads at the secondary differentially methylated regions; the remaining 22-33% of methylated CpG dyads exhibited hemimethylation. We propose that this high degree of hemimethylation could explain the variability in DNA methylation patterns at secondary differentially methylated regions associated with imprinted loci. We further suggest that the presence of 5-hydroxymethylation at secondary differentially methylated regions may result in hemimethylation and methylation variability as a result of passive and/or active demethylation mechanisms.

Experiences of using life histories with health workers in post-conflict and crisis settings: methodological reflections.

PubMed

Witter, Sophie; Namakula, Justine; Alonso-Garbayo, Alvaro; Wurie, Haja; Theobald, Sally; Mashange, Wilson; Ros, Bandeth; Buzuzi, Stephen; Mangwi, Richard; Martineau, Tim

2017-05-01

Life history is a research tool which has been used primarily in sociology and anthropology to document experiences of marginalized individuals and communities. It has been less explored in relation to health system research. In this paper, we examine our experience of using life histories to explore health system trajectories coming out of conflict through the eyes of health workers. Life histories were used in four inter-related projects looking at health worker incentives, the impact of Ebola on health workers, deployment policies, and gender and leadership in the health sector. In total 244 health workers of various cadres were interviewed in Uganda, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Cambodia. The life histories were one element within mixed methods research. We examine the challenges faced and how these were managed. They arose in relation to gaining access, data gathering, and analysing and presenting findings from life histories. Access challenges included lack of familiarity with the method, reluctance to expose very personal information and sentiments, lack of trust in confidentiality, particularly given the traumatized contexts, and, in some cases, cynicism about research and its potential to improve working lives. In relation to data gathering, there was variable willingness to draw lifelines, and some reluctance to broach sensitive topics, particularly in contexts where policy-related issues and legitimacy are commonly still contested. Presentation of lifeline data without compromising confidentiality is also an ethical challenge. We discuss how these challenges were (to a large extent) surmounted and conclude that life histories with health staff can be a very powerful tool, particularly in contexts where routine data sources are absent or weak, and where health workers constitute a marginalized community (as is often the case for mid-level cadres, those serving in remote areas, and staff who have lived through conflict and crisis). © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Experiences of using life histories with health workers in post-conflict and crisis settings: methodological reflections

PubMed Central

Namakula, Justine; Alonso-Garbayo, Alvaro; Wurie, Haja; Theobald, Sally; Mashange, Wilson; Ros, Bandeth; Buzuzi, Stephen; Mangwi, Richard; Martineau, Tim

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Life history is a research tool which has been used primarily in sociology and anthropology to document experiences of marginalized individuals and communities. It has been less explored in relation to health system research. In this paper, we examine our experience of using life histories to explore health system trajectories coming out of conflict through the eyes of health workers. Methods: Life histories were used in four inter-related projects looking at health worker incentives, the impact of Ebola on health workers, deployment policies, and gender and leadership in the health sector. In total 244 health workers of various cadres were interviewed in Uganda, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Cambodia. The life histories were one element within mixed methods research. Results: We examine the challenges faced and how these were managed. They arose in relation to gaining access, data gathering, and analysing and presenting findings from life histories. Access challenges included lack of familiarity with the method, reluctance to expose very personal information and sentiments, lack of trust in confidentiality, particularly given the traumatized contexts, and, in some cases, cynicism about research and its potential to improve working lives. In relation to data gathering, there was variable willingness to draw lifelines, and some reluctance to broach sensitive topics, particularly in contexts where policy-related issues and legitimacy are commonly still contested. Presentation of lifeline data without compromising confidentiality is also an ethical challenge. Conclusion: We discuss how these challenges were (to a large extent) surmounted and conclude that life histories with health staff can be a very powerful tool, particularly in contexts where routine data sources are absent or weak, and where health workers constitute a marginalized community (as is often the case for mid-level cadres, those serving in remote areas, and staff who have lived through conflict and crisis). PMID:28052985

The effect of nutritional status on myogenic satellite cell proliferation and differentiation.

PubMed

Powell, D J; McFarland, D C; Cowieson, A J; Muir, W I; Velleman, S G

2013-08-01

Early posthatch satellite cell (SC) mitotic activity is a critical component of muscle development and growth. Satellite cells are stem cells that can be induced by nutrition to follow other cellular developmental pathways. The objective of the current study was to determine the effect of restricting protein synthesis on the proliferation and differentiation of SC, using variable concentrations of Met and Cys to modulate protein synthesis. Broiler pectoralis major SC were cultured and treated with 1 of 6 different Met/Cys concentrations: 60/192, 30/96 (control), 7.5/24, 3/9.6, 1/3.2, or 0/0 mg/L. The effect of Met/Cys concentration on SC proliferation and differentiation was measured, and myonuclear accretion was measured by counting the number of nuclei per myotube during differentiation. The 30/96 mg/L Met/Cys treatment resulted in the highest rate of proliferation compared with all other treatments by 72 h of proliferation (P < 0.05). Differentiation was measured with Met/Cys treatments only during proliferation and the cultures receiving normal differentiation medium (R/N), normal proliferation medium and differentiation medium with variable Met/Cys (N/R), or both proliferation and differentiation receiving variable Met/Cys treatments (R/R). Differentiation responded in a dose-dependent manner to Met/Cys concentration under all 3 of these treatment regimens, with a degree of recovery in the R/N regimen cells following reinstatement of the control medium. Reductions in both proliferation and differentiation were more pronounced as Met/Cys concentrations were further reduced, whereas increased differentiation was observed under the increased Met/Cys concentration treatment when applied during differentiation in the N/R and R/R regimens. The number of nuclei per myotube was significantly decreased in the severely Met/Cys restricted treatments (P < 0.05). These data demonstrate the sensitivity of pectoralis major SC to nutritional availability and the importance of optimal nutrition during both proliferation and differentiation for maximizing SC activity, which will affect subsequent muscle mass accretion.

Intrinsic Variability in Shell and Soft Tissue Growth of the Freshwater Mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea

PubMed Central

Larson, James H.; Eckert, Nathan L.; Bartsch, Michelle R.

2014-01-01

Freshwater mussels are ecologically and economically important members of many aquatic ecosystems, but are globally among the most imperiled taxa. Propagation techniques for mussels have been developed and used to boost declining and restore extirpated populations. Here we use a cohort of propagated mussels to estimate the intrinsic variability in size and growth rate of Lampsilis siliquoidea (a commonly propagated species). Understanding the magnitude and pattern of variation in data is critical to determining whether effects observed in nature or experimental treatments are likely to be important. The coefficient of variation (CV) of L. siliquoidea soft tissues (6.0%) was less than the CV of linear shell dimensions (25.1–66.9%). Size-weight relationships were best when mussel width (the maximum left-right dimension with both valves appressed) was used as a predictor, but 95% credible intervals on these predictions for soft tissues were ∼145 mg wide (about 50% of the mean soft tissue mass). Mussels in this study were treated identically, raised from a single cohort and yet variation in soft tissue mass at a particular size class (as determined by shell dimensions) was still high. High variability in mussel size is often acknowledged, but seldom discussed in the context of mussel conservation. High variability will influence the survival of stocked juvenile cohorts, may affect the ability to experimentally detect sublethal stressors and may lead to incongruities between the effects that mussels have on structure (via hard shells) and biogeochemical cycles (via soft tissue metabolism). Given their imperiled status and longevity, there is often reluctance to destructively sample unionid mussel soft tissues even in metabolic studies (e.g., studies of nutrient cycling). High intrinsic variability suggests that using shell dimensions (particularly shell length) as a response variable in studies of sublethal stressors or metabolic processes will make confident identifications of smaller effect sizes difficult. PMID:25411848

Intrinsic variability in shell and soft tissue growth of the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, James H.; Eckert, Nathan L.; Bartsch, Michelle

2014-01-01

Freshwater mussels are ecologically and economically important members of many aquatic ecosystems, but are globally among the most imperiled taxa. Propagation techniques for mussels have been developed and used to boost declining and restore extirpated populations. Here we use a cohort of propagated mussels to estimate the intrinsic variability in size and growth rate of Lampsilis siliquoidea (a commonly propagated species). Understanding the magnitude and pattern of variation in data is critical to determining whether effects observed in nature or experimental treatments are likely to be important. The coefficient of variation (CV) of L. siliquoidea soft tissues (6.0%) was less than the CV of linear shell dimensions (25.1-66.9%). Size-weight relationships were best when mussel width (the maximum left-right dimension with both valves appressed) was used as a predictor, but 95% credible intervals on these predictions for soft tissues were ~145 mg wide (about 50% of the mean soft tissue mass). Mussels in this study were treated identically, raised from a single cohort and yet variation in soft tissue mass at a particular size class (as determined by shell dimensions) was still high. High variability in mussel size is often acknowledged, but seldom discussed in the context of mussel conservation. High variability will influence the survival of stocked juvenile cohorts, may affect the ability to experimentally detect sublethal stressors and may lead to incongruities between the effects that mussels have on structure (via hard shells) and biogeochemical cycles (via soft tissue metabolism). Given their imperiled status and longevity, there is often reluctance to destructively sample unionid mussel soft tissues even in metabolic studies (e.g., studies of nutrient cycling). High intrinsic variability suggests that using shell dimensions (particularly shell length) as a response variable in studies of sublethal stressors or metabolic processes will make confident identifications of smaller effect sizes difficult.

Evaluation of Two Types of Differential Item Functioning in Factor Mixture Models with Binary Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, HwaYoung; Beretvas, S. Natasha

2014-01-01

Conventional differential item functioning (DIF) detection methods (e.g., the Mantel-Haenszel test) can be used to detect DIF only across observed groups, such as gender or ethnicity. However, research has found that DIF is not typically fully explained by an observed variable. True sources of DIF may include unobserved, latent variables, such as…

Darwin's "Gigantic Blunder."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Paul H.

1973-01-01

Darwin's attempt at unraveling the Glen Roy parallel road mystery is discussed. He admitted that Louis Agassiz's glacier theory seemed reasonable but he was reluctant to give up on his own marine theory. (DF)

Aerospace Education and the Elementary Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Robert M.

1978-01-01

This articles attempts to stimulate otherwise reluctant school teachers to involve aerospace education in their content repertoire. Suggestions are made to aid the teacher in getting started with aerospace education. (MDR)

Victorian Dragons: The Reluctant Brood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berman, Ruth

1984-01-01

Relates why nineteenth century fantasy writers shied away from the use of dragons in their stories and rejoices over the return and happy transformation of this mythical beast in children's literature. (HOD)

Approaches for modeling within subject variability in pharmacometric count data analysis: dynamic inter-occasion variability and stochastic differential equations.

PubMed

Deng, Chenhui; Plan, Elodie L; Karlsson, Mats O

2016-06-01

Parameter variation in pharmacometric analysis studies can be characterized as within subject parameter variability (WSV) in pharmacometric models. WSV has previously been successfully modeled using inter-occasion variability (IOV), but also stochastic differential equations (SDEs). In this study, two approaches, dynamic inter-occasion variability (dIOV) and adapted stochastic differential equations, were proposed to investigate WSV in pharmacometric count data analysis. These approaches were applied to published count models for seizure counts and Likert pain scores. Both approaches improved the model fits significantly. In addition, stochastic simulation and estimation were used to explore further the capability of the two approaches to diagnose and improve models where existing WSV is not recognized. The results of simulations confirmed the gain in introducing WSV as dIOV and SDEs when parameters vary randomly over time. Further, the approaches were also informative as diagnostics of model misspecification, when parameters changed systematically over time but this was not recognized in the structural model. The proposed approaches in this study offer strategies to characterize WSV and are not restricted to count data.

An examination of organizational and team commitment in a self-directed team environment.

PubMed

Bishop, James W; Scott, K Dow

2000-06-01

A model hypothesizing differential relationships among predictor variables and individual commitment to the organization and work team was tested. Data from 485 members of sewing teams supported the existence of differential relationships between predictors and organizational and team commitment. In particular, intersender conflict and satisfaction with coworkers were more strongly related to team commitment than to organizational commitment. Resource-related conflict and satisfaction with supervision were more strongly related to organizational commitment than to team commitment. Perceived task interdependence was strongly related to both commitment foci. Contrary to prediction, the relationships between perceived task interdependence and the 2 commitment foci were not significantly different. Relationships with antecedent variables help explain how differential levels of commitment to the 2 foci may be formed. Indirect effects of exogenous variables are reported.

Thermodynamic and Differential Entropy under a Change of Variables

PubMed Central

Hnizdo, Vladimir; Gilson, Michael K.

2013-01-01

The differential Shannon entropy of information theory can change under a change of variables (coordinates), but the thermodynamic entropy of a physical system must be invariant under such a change. This difference is puzzling, because the Shannon and Gibbs entropies have the same functional form. We show that a canonical change of variables can, indeed, alter the spatial component of the thermodynamic entropy just as it alters the differential Shannon entropy. However, there is also a momentum part of the entropy, which turns out to undergo an equal and opposite change when the coordinates are transformed, so that the total thermodynamic entropy remains invariant. We furthermore show how one may correctly write the change in total entropy for an isothermal physical process in any set of spatial coordinates. PMID:24436633

Emotion differentiation and intensity during acute tobacco abstinence: A comparison of heavy and light smokers.

PubMed

Sheets, Erin S; Bujarski, Spencer; Leventhal, Adam M; Ray, Lara A

2015-08-01

The ability to recognize and label discrete emotions, termed emotion differentiation, is particularly pertinent to overall emotion regulation abilities. Patterns of deficient emotion differentiation have been associated with mood and anxiety disorders but have yet to be examined in relation to nicotine dependence. This study employed ecological momentary assessment to examine smokers' subjective experience of discrete emotions during 24-h of forced tobacco abstinence. Thirty daily smokers rated their emotions up to 23 times over the 24-hour period, and smoking abstinence was biologically verified. From these data, we computed individual difference measures of emotion differentiation, overall emotion intensity, and emotional variability. As hypothesized, heavy smokers reported poorer negative emotion differentiation than light smokers (d=0.55), along with more intense negative emotion (d=0.97) and greater negative emotion variability (d=0.97). No differences were observed in positive emotion differentiation. Across the sample, poorer negative emotion differentiation was associated with greater endorsement of psychological motives to smoke, including negative and positive reinforcement motives, while positive emotion differentiation was not. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maximum-entropy probability distributions under Lp-norm constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dolinar, S.

1991-01-01

Continuous probability density functions and discrete probability mass functions are tabulated which maximize the differential entropy or absolute entropy, respectively, among all probability distributions with a given L sub p norm (i.e., a given pth absolute moment when p is a finite integer) and unconstrained or constrained value set. Expressions for the maximum entropy are evaluated as functions of the L sub p norm. The most interesting results are obtained and plotted for unconstrained (real valued) continuous random variables and for integer valued discrete random variables. The maximum entropy expressions are obtained in closed form for unconstrained continuous random variables, and in this case there is a simple straight line relationship between the maximum differential entropy and the logarithm of the L sub p norm. Corresponding expressions for arbitrary discrete and constrained continuous random variables are given parametrically; closed form expressions are available only for special cases. However, simpler alternative bounds on the maximum entropy of integer valued discrete random variables are obtained by applying the differential entropy results to continuous random variables which approximate the integer valued random variables in a natural manner. All the results are presented in an integrated framework that includes continuous and discrete random variables, constraints on the permissible value set, and all possible values of p. Understanding such as this is useful in evaluating the performance of data compression schemes.

A dozen reasons for raising gasoline taxes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-03-01

Motor fuel taxes at state and federal levels have traditionally been earmarked for transportation investments, supporting road construction, maintenance, and operations, and increasingly public transit. Recently, elected officials have been reluctant...

Temporal competition between differentiation programs determines cell fate choice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuchina, Anna; Espinar, Lorena; Cagatay, Tolga; Balbin, Alejandro; Alvarado, Alma; Garcia-Ojalvo, Jordi; Suel, Gurol

2011-03-01

During pluripotent differentiation, cells adopt one of several distinct fates. The dynamics of this decision-making process are poorly understood, since cell fate choice may be governed by interactions between differentiation programs that are active at the same time. We studied the dynamics of decision-making in the model organism Bacillus subtilis by simultaneously measuring the activities of competing differentiation programs (sporulation and competence) in single cells. We discovered a precise switch-like point of cell fate choice previously hidden by cell-cell variability. Engineered artificial crosslinks between competence and sporulation circuits revealed that the precision of this choice is generated by temporal competition between the key players of two differentiation programs. Modeling suggests that variable progression towards a switch-like decision might represent a general strategy to maximize adaptability and robustness of cellular decision-making.

Evaluating and giving feedback to mentors: new evidence-based approaches.

PubMed

Anderson, Lauren; Silet, Karin; Fleming, Michael

2012-02-01

A comprehensive mentoring program includes a variety of components. One of the most important is the ongoing assessment of and feedback to mentors. Scholars need strong active mentors who have the expertise, disposition, motivation, skills, and the ability to accept feedback and to adjust their mentoring style. Assessing the effectiveness of a given mentor is no easy task. Variability in learning needs and academic goals among scholars makes it difficult to develop a single evaluation instrument or a standardized procedure for evaluating mentors. Scholars, mentors, and program leaders are often reluctant to conduct formal evaluations, as there are no commonly accepted measures. The process of giving feedback is often difficult and there is limited empirical data on efficacy. This article presents a new and innovative six-component approach to mentor evaluation that includes the assessment of mentee training and empowerment, peer learning and mentor training, scholar advocacy, mentee-mentor expectations, mentor self-reflection, and mentee evaluation of their mentor. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Electromagnetic DM technology meets future AO demands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamelinck, Roger; Rosielle, Nick; Steinbuch, Maarten; Doelman, Niek

New deformable mirror technology is developed by the Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Delft University of Technology and TNO Science and Industry. Several prototype adaptive deformable mirrors are realized mirrors, up to 427 actuators and ∅150mm diameter, with characteristics suitable for future AO systems. The prototypes consist of a 100µm thick, continuous facesheet on which low voltage, electromagnetic, push-pull actuators impose out-of-plane displacements. The variable reluctance actuators with ±10µm stroke and nanometer resolution are located in a standard actuator module. Each module with 61 actuators connects to a single PCB with dedicated, 16 bit, PWM based, drivers. A LVDS multi-drop cable connects up to 32 actuator modules. With the actuator module, accompanying PCB and multi-drop system the deformable mirror technology is made modular in its mechanics and electronics. An Ethernet-LVDS bridge enables any commercial PC to control the mirror using the UDP standard. Latest results of the deformable mirror technology development are presented.

Analysis of a flare-director concept for an externally blown flap STOL aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, D. B.

1974-01-01

A flare-director concept involving a thrust-required flare-guidance equation was developed and tested on a moving-base simulator. The equation gives a signal to command thrust as a linear function of the errors between the variables thrust, altitude, and altitude rate and corresponding values on a desired reference flare trajectory. During the simulator landing tests this signal drove either the horizontal command bar of the aircraft's flight director or a thrust-command dot on a head-up virtual-image display of a flare director. It was also used as the input to a simple autoflare system. An externally blown flap STOL (short take-off and landing) aircraft (with considerable stability and control augmentation) was modeled for the landing tests. The pilots considered the flare director a valuable guide for executing a proper flare-thrust program under instrument-landing conditions, but were reluctant to make any use of the head-up display when they were performing the landings visually.

A New Adaptive Self-Tuning Fourier Coefficients Algorithm for Periodic Torque Ripple Minimization in Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM)

PubMed Central

Gómez-Espinosa, Alfonso; Hernández-Guzmán, Víctor M.; Bandala-Sánchez, Manuel; Jiménez-Hernández, Hugo; Rivas-Araiza, Edgar A.; Rodríguez-Reséndiz, Juvenal; Herrera-Ruíz, Gilberto

2013-01-01

Torque ripple occurs in Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSMs) due to the non-sinusoidal flux density distribution around the air-gap and variable magnetic reluctance of the air-gap due to the stator slots distribution. These torque ripples change periodically with rotor position and are apparent as speed variations, which degrade the PMSM drive performance, particularly at low speeds, because of low inertial filtering. In this paper, a new self-tuning algorithm is developed for determining the Fourier Series Controller coefficients with the aim of reducing the torque ripple in a PMSM, thus allowing for a smoother operation. This algorithm adjusts the controller parameters based on the component's harmonic distortion in time domain of the compensation signal. Experimental evaluation is performed on a DSP-controlled PMSM evaluation platform. Test results obtained validate the effectiveness of the proposed self-tuning algorithm, with the Fourier series expansion scheme, in reducing the torque ripple. PMID:23519345

Psychodynamic conflicts in hearing children of deaf parents.

PubMed

Frank, H

A case study documents the consequences of parental deafness on the personality development of hearing children. Of central dynamic significance are unacknowledged feelings of resentment generated by (1) acute feelings of humiliation experienced about the parents' imperfections, (2) identity confusion resulting from the parents' suspicious attitude toward the hearing world, and (3) the inevitable role-reversal resulting from the parents' handicapped status. The possibility of taking triumphant pleasure in more fortunate life circumstances evokes intense guilt and forms the basis for a conflictual attitude toward success. A proclivity toward guilt appears to be an outstanding psychological characteristic of children of handicapped parents, irrespective of the nature of the handicap. Some relevant variables include: greater resentment due to unavoidable early frustrations, a reluctance to direct aggression outward, despair about making reparations to parents seen as damaged by the child's aggression, and absence of external controls on the expression hostility (victories are easy). Some parallels are noted between conflicts displayed in hearing children of deaf parents and children of immigrant parents.

Holonomicity analysis of electromechanical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wcislik, Miroslaw; Suchenia, Karol

2017-12-01

Electromechanical systems are described using state variables that contain electrical and mechanical components. The equations of motion, both electrical and mechanical, describe the relationships between these components. These equations are obtained using Lagrange functions. On the basis of the function and Lagrange - d'Alembert equation the methodology of obtaining equations for electromechanical systems was presented, together with a discussion of the nonholonomicity of these systems. The electromechanical system in the form of a single-phase reluctance motor was used to verify the presented method. Mechanical system was built as a system, which can oscillate as the element of physical pendulum. On the base of the pendulum oscillation, parameters of the electromechanical system were defined. The identification of the motor electric parameters as a function of the rotation angle was carried out. In this paper the characteristics and motion equations parameters of the motor are presented. The parameters of the motion equations obtained from the experiment and from the second order Lagrange equations are compared.

Isoflavones in food supplements: chemical profile, label accordance and permeability study in Caco-2 cells.

PubMed

Almeida, I M C; Rodrigues, F; Sarmento, B; Alves, R C; Oliveira, M B P P

2015-03-01

Consumers nowadays are playing an active role in their health-care. A special case is the increasing number of women, who are reluctant to use exogenous hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms and are looking for complementary therapies. However, food supplements are not clearly regulated in Europe. The EFSA has only recently begun to address the issues of botanical safety and purity regulation, leading to a variability of content, standardization, dosage, and purity of available products. In this study, isoflavones (puerarin, daidzin, genistin, daidzein, glycitein, genistein, formononetin, prunetin, and biochanin A) from food supplements (n = 15) for menopausal symptoms relief are evaluated and compared with the labelled information. Only four supplements complied with the recommendations made by the EC on the tolerable thresholds. The intestinal bioavailability of these compounds was investigated using Caco-2 cells. The apparent permeability coefficients of the selected isoflavonoids across the Caco-2 cells were affected by the isoflavone concentration and product matrix.

Motivating Kids to Be Active

MedlinePlus

... genetics, and athletic ability combine to influence kids' attitudes toward participation in sports and other physical activities, ... kids can be physically fit. A parent's positive attitude will help a child who's reluctant to exercise. ...

Library Computing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Library Journal, 1985

1985-01-01

This special supplement to "Library Journal" and "School Library Journal" includes articles on technological dependency, promise of computers for reluctant readers, copyright and database downloading, access to neighborhood of Mister Rogers, library acquisitions, circulating personal computers, "microcomputeritis,"…

Finite element analysis and performance study of switched reluctance generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qianhan; Guo, Yingjun; Xu, Qi; Yu, Xiaoying; Guo, Yajie

2017-03-01

Analyses a three-phase 12/8 switched reluctance generator (SRG) which is based on its structure and performance principle. The initial size data were calculated by MathCAD, and the simulation model was set up in the ANSOFT software environment with the maximum efficiency and the maximum output power as the main reference parameters. The outer diameter of the stator and the inner diameter of the rotor were parameterized. The static magnetic field distribution, magnetic flux, magnetic energy, torque, inductance characteristics, back electromotive force and phase current waveform of SRG is obtained by analyzing the static magnetic field and the steady state motion of two-dimensional transient magnetic field in ANSOFT environment. Finally, the experimental data of the prototype are compared with the simulation results, which provide a reliable basis for the design and research of SRG wind turbine system.

A Bearingless Switched-Reluctance Motor for High Specific Power Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Benjamin B.; Siebert, Mark

2006-01-01

A 12-8 switched-reluctance motor (SRM) is studied in bearingless (or self-levitated) operation with coil currents limited to the linear region to avoid magnetic saturation. The required motoring and levitating currents are summed and go into a single motor coil per pole to obtain the highest power output of the motor by having more space for motor coil winding. Two controllers are investigated for the bearingless SRM operation. First, a model-based controller using the radial force, which is adjusted by a factor derived from finite element analysis, is presented. Then a simple and practical observation-based controller using a PD (proportional-derivative) control algorithm is presented. Both controllers were experimentally demonstrated to 6500 rpm. This paper reports the initial efforts toward eventual self levitation of a SRM operating into strong magnetic core saturation at liquid nitrogen temperature.

Analytical Derivation of Power Laws in Firm Size Variables from Gibrat's Law and Quasi-inversion Symmetry: A Geomorphological Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishikawa, Atushi; Fujimoto, Shouji; Mizuno, Takayuki; Watanabe, Tsutomu

2014-03-01

We start from Gibrat's law and quasi-inversion symmetry for three firm size variables (i.e., tangible fixed assets K, number of employees L, and sales Y) and derive a partial differential equation to be satisfied by the joint probability density function of K and L. We then transform K and L, which are correlated, into two independent variables by applying surface openness used in geomorphology and provide an analytical solution to the partial differential equation. Using worldwide data on the firm size variables for companies, we confirm that the estimates on the power-law exponents of K, L, and Y satisfy a relationship implied by the theory.

The efficacy of the ketogenic diet in infants and young children with refractory epilepsies using a formula-based powder.

PubMed

Ashrafi, Mahmoud Reza; Hosseini, Seyed Ahmad; Zamani, Gholam Reza; Mohammadi, Mahmoud; Tavassoli, Alireza; Badv, Reza Shervin; Heidari, Morteza; Karimi, Parviz; Malamiri, Reza Azizi

2017-03-01

To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a classic 4:1 ketogenic diet using a formula-based powder in infants and children with refractory seizures who are reluctant to eat homemade foods. We conducted an open label trial and administered a ketogenic diet using formula-based power (Ketocal ® ). Twenty-seven infants and children aged between 12 months and 5 years were enrolled who had refractory seizures and were reluctant to eat homemade foods. Of 27 children, 5 were lost to follow-up and 22 were remained at the end of the study. After 4 months, the median frequency of seizures per week was reduced >50% in 68.2% of patients, while 9/22 children (40.9%) showed a 50-90% reduction in seizure frequency per week, and 6/22 children (27.3%) showed more than 90% reduction in seizure frequency per week. Over the study course, 6/22 (27%) children who continued to receive the diet developed constipation, one child developed gastroesophageal reflux, and one child developed hypercholesterolemia. None of these children discontinued the diet because of the complications. Thirteen children and their parents (59%) reported that the diet was palatable and tolerable enough. The ketogenic diet using a formula-based powder (Ketocal ® ) is effective, safe, and tolerable in infants and children with refractory seizures who are reluctant to eat homemade foods according to the rules of the ketogenic diet.

Why are some HIV/AIDS patients reluctant to receive antiviral therapy as soon as possible in China?

PubMed

Sun, Yang; Lu, Hongzhou

2014-06-01

In more than 20 years of medical practice, a surprising phenomenon has often occurred: some patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) decide not to go to the hospital and they do not let others know that they are suffering from the disease unless they believe that they are dieing. Zhang Shan (a pseudonym) is one such patient with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS who was reluctant to receive antiviral therapy as soon as possible, and this paper shares Zhang's story as he related it. Clearly, there are numerous views as to why patients in China behave as Zhang did. Presented here are several reasons, including society, history, morality and ideology, family, and education. Although all of these reasons do play a role, the patient's mindset and behavior is the most significant reason for a patient's reluctance to seek treatment or disclose his/her status. If the individual patient's mindset and behavior are not dealt with effectively, then HIV/AIDS can continue to spread and threaten additional lives and even the fabric of society. This paper analyzes the reasons why patients are hesitant to receive antiviral therapy, but this paper also suggests steps healthcare personnel can take to encourage patients to seek treatment. Such steps can save the lives of current patients with HIV/AIDS. In addition, sound public health measures and a rational approach to treatment are important to helping potential patients with HIV/AIDS.

Sexual health dialogue between parents and teenagers: an imperative in the HIV/AIDS era.

PubMed

Lebese, R T; Davhana-Maselesele, M; Obi, C L

2010-09-01

Societies are reluctant to openly confront issues of sexuality, and this reluctance forms a barrier of communication between parents and teenagers and even between sexual partners (Wulf, 2004:2). This reluctance promotes the presence of misconceptions about sexual health, sexual risks and its consequences. Poor dialogue about sexual health between parents and teenagers is one of the contributory factors of high teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates including HIV and AIDS. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe how dialogue about sexual health between teenagers and parents is conducted and to use the information gathered as a basis for making recommendations for improvement. A qualitative study of an explorative, descriptive and contextual nature was used. The researcher used the main question as a point of departure and more questions emanated from the discussions. There were 42 informants involved in the study, of which 4 were males and 38 were females. A purposive sampling method was used to collect data through in depth individual interviews and focus group discussions. The researcher strived to adhere to the principle of trustworthiness by adopting Guba's model (in Krefting, 1991: 217). Tech's method (Creswell, 1994:154-55) was used to analyse the data and an independent coder was used. The results indicate that there is minimal if not absent dialogue about sexual health between teenagers and parents. Culture was identified as a major challenge to sexual health dialogue between teenagers and parents. Recommendations to enhance dialogue were made.

Comparative analysis of the labelling of nanotechnologies across four stakeholder groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capon, Adam; Gillespie, James; Rolfe, Margaret; Smith, Wayne

2015-08-01

Societies are constantly challenged to develop policies around the introduction of new technologies, which by their very nature contain great uncertainty. This uncertainty gives prominence to varying viewpoints which are value laden and have the ability to drastically shift policy. The issue of nanotechnologies is a prime example. The labelling of products that contain new technologies has been one policy tool governments have used to address concerns around uncertainty. Our study develops evidence regarding opinions on the labelling of products made by nanotechnologies. We undertook a computer-assisted telephone (CATI) survey of the Australian public and those involved in nanotechnologies from the academic, business and government sectors using a standardised questionnaire. Analysis was undertaken using descriptive and logistic regression techniques. We explored reluctance to purchase as a result of labelling products which contained manufactured nanomaterials both generally and across five broad products (food, cosmetics/sunscreens, medicines, pesticides, tennis racquets/computers) which represent the broad categories of products regulated by differing government agencies in Australia. We examined the relationship between reluctance to purchase and risk perception, trust, and familiarity. We found irrespective of stakeholder, most supported the labelling of products which contained manufactured nanomaterials. Perception of risk was the main driver of reluctance to purchase, while trust and familiarity were likely to have an indirect effect through risk perception. Food is likely to be the greatest product impacted by labelling. Risk perception surrounding nanotechnologies and label `framing' on the product are key issues to be addressed in the implementation of a labelling scheme.

Differentiating children with and without a history of repeated problematic sexual behavior.

PubMed

Curwen, Tracey; Jenkins, Jennifer M; Worling, James R

2014-01-01

Many adolescents who sexually offend commenced problematic sexual behaviors as children. There is little evidence to indicate which children may be at risk to continue problematic sexual behaviors and which children will desist once identified. The goal of this study was to determine variables that differentiate children who repeated problematic sexual behaviors following adult reprimand from those who did not. Predictive accuracy of 33 risk variables was investigated using 62 children assessed for problematic sexual behaviors. Eight individual variables were related to group membership, and a total score based on the combination of these variables was predictive of group membership. The results indicate variables that may assist in identifying children requiring intervention versus those likely to discontinue problematic sexual behaviors once they are identified and reprimanded.

A new multi-step technique with differential transform method for analytical solution of some nonlinear variable delay differential equations.

PubMed

Benhammouda, Brahim; Vazquez-Leal, Hector

2016-01-01

This work presents an analytical solution of some nonlinear delay differential equations (DDEs) with variable delays. Such DDEs are difficult to treat numerically and cannot be solved by existing general purpose codes. A new method of steps combined with the differential transform method (DTM) is proposed as a powerful tool to solve these DDEs. This method reduces the DDEs to ordinary differential equations that are then solved by the DTM. Furthermore, we show that the solutions can be improved by Laplace-Padé resummation method. Two examples are presented to show the efficiency of the proposed technique. The main advantage of this technique is that it possesses a simple procedure based on a few straight forward steps and can be combined with any analytical method, other than the DTM, like the homotopy perturbation method.

Reluctant gerontologists: integrating gerontological nursing content into a prelicensure program.

PubMed

Miller, Joanne M; Coke, Lola; Moss, Angela; McCann, Judith J

2009-01-01

Integration of readily available resources on care of older adults increased student and faculty interest and knowledge of gerontological nursing. The authors describe their use of these practical and easy-to-implement resources.

Health Canada unveils plan to distribute marijuana for medical use.

PubMed

Thaczuk, Derek

2003-08-01

Under pressure from the courts, Health Canada reluctantly comes up with a distribution plan to provide dried cannabis and seeds to patients using medical marijuana. The plan has been greeted with considerable criticism

"The Song Has Ended but the Melody Lingers On"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Laughlin

1975-01-01

A case history of desegregation at Strom Thurmond High School, Edgefield, South Carolina, reveals that traditions are a source of racial conflict and suggests that a reluctance to change traditions hinders equal education. (DW)

Parallel Calculation of Sensitivity Derivatives for Aircraft Design using Automatic Differentiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bischof, c. H.; Green, L. L.; Haigler, K. J.; Knauff, T. L., Jr.

1994-01-01

Sensitivity derivative (SD) calculation via automatic differentiation (AD) typical of that required for the aerodynamic design of a transport-type aircraft is considered. Two ways of computing SD via code generated by the ADIFOR automatic differentiation tool are compared for efficiency and applicability to problems involving large numbers of design variables. A vector implementation on a Cray Y-MP computer is compared with a coarse-grained parallel implementation on an IBM SP1 computer, employing a Fortran M wrapper. The SD are computed for a swept transport wing in turbulent, transonic flow; the number of geometric design variables varies from 1 to 60 with coupling between a wing grid generation program and a state-of-the-art, 3-D computational fluid dynamics program, both augmented for derivative computation via AD. For a small number of design variables, the Cray Y-MP implementation is much faster. As the number of design variables grows, however, the IBM SP1 becomes an attractive alternative in terms of compute speed, job turnaround time, and total memory available for solutions with large numbers of design variables. The coarse-grained parallel implementation also can be moved easily to a network of workstations.

Diffusion Processes Satisfying a Conservation Law Constraint

DOE PAGES

Bakosi, J.; Ristorcelli, J. R.

2014-03-04

We investigate coupled stochastic differential equations governing N non-negative continuous random variables that satisfy a conservation principle. In various fields a conservation law requires that a set of fluctuating variables be non-negative and (if appropriately normalized) sum to one. As a result, any stochastic differential equation model to be realizable must not produce events outside of the allowed sample space. We develop a set of constraints on the drift and diffusion terms of such stochastic models to ensure that both the non-negativity and the unit-sum conservation law constraint are satisfied as the variables evolve in time. We investigate the consequencesmore » of the developed constraints on the Fokker-Planck equation, the associated system of stochastic differential equations, and the evolution equations of the first four moments of the probability density function. We show that random variables, satisfying a conservation law constraint, represented by stochastic diffusion processes, must have diffusion terms that are coupled and nonlinear. The set of constraints developed enables the development of statistical representations of fluctuating variables satisfying a conservation law. We exemplify the results with the bivariate beta process and the multivariate Wright-Fisher, Dirichlet, and Lochner’s generalized Dirichlet processes.« less

Diffusion Processes Satisfying a Conservation Law Constraint

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

Bakosi, J.; Ristorcelli, J. R.

We investigate coupled stochastic differential equations governing N non-negative continuous random variables that satisfy a conservation principle. In various fields a conservation law requires that a set of fluctuating variables be non-negative and (if appropriately normalized) sum to one. As a result, any stochastic differential equation model to be realizable must not produce events outside of the allowed sample space. We develop a set of constraints on the drift and diffusion terms of such stochastic models to ensure that both the non-negativity and the unit-sum conservation law constraint are satisfied as the variables evolve in time. We investigate the consequencesmore » of the developed constraints on the Fokker-Planck equation, the associated system of stochastic differential equations, and the evolution equations of the first four moments of the probability density function. We show that random variables, satisfying a conservation law constraint, represented by stochastic diffusion processes, must have diffusion terms that are coupled and nonlinear. The set of constraints developed enables the development of statistical representations of fluctuating variables satisfying a conservation law. We exemplify the results with the bivariate beta process and the multivariate Wright-Fisher, Dirichlet, and Lochner’s generalized Dirichlet processes.« less

The Chabot Emotional Differentiation Scale: A Theoretically and Psychometrically Sound Instrument for Measuring Bowen's Intrapsychic Aspect of Differentiation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Licht, Carolyn; Chabot, David

2006-01-01

Bowen's theory (1978) of differentiation is the personality variable most critical to mature development and the attainment of psychological health. The study of psychological differentiation has been confounded by confusion regarding the constructs being studied and the measurement tools used to assess them. The purpose of this review is to…

Saturation behavior: a general relationship described by a simple second-order differential equation.

PubMed

Kepner, Gordon R

2010-04-13

The numerous natural phenomena that exhibit saturation behavior, e.g., ligand binding and enzyme kinetics, have been approached, to date, via empirical and particular analyses. This paper presents a mechanism-free, and assumption-free, second-order differential equation, designed only to describe a typical relationship between the variables governing these phenomena. It develops a mathematical model for this relation, based solely on the analysis of the typical experimental data plot and its saturation characteristics. Its utility complements the traditional empirical approaches. For the general saturation curve, described in terms of its independent (x) and dependent (y) variables, a second-order differential equation is obtained that applies to any saturation phenomena. It shows that the driving factor for the basic saturation behavior is the probability of the interactive site being free, which is described quantitatively. Solving the equation relates the variables in terms of the two empirical constants common to all these phenomena, the initial slope of the data plot and the limiting value at saturation. A first-order differential equation for the slope emerged that led to the concept of the effective binding rate at the active site and its dependence on the calculable probability the interactive site is free. These results are illustrated using specific cases, including ligand binding and enzyme kinetics. This leads to a revised understanding of how to interpret the empirical constants, in terms of the variables pertinent to the phenomenon under study. The second-order differential equation revealed the basic underlying relations that describe these saturation phenomena, and the basic mathematical properties of the standard experimental data plot. It was shown how to integrate this differential equation, and define the common basic properties of these phenomena. The results regarding the importance of the slope and the new perspectives on the empirical constants governing the behavior of these phenomena led to an alternative perspective on saturation behavior kinetics. Their essential commonality was revealed by this analysis, based on the second-order differential equation.

Differentiating incest survivors who self-mutilate.

PubMed

Turell, S C; Armsworth, M W

2000-02-01

This study was an exploratory analysis of the variables which differentiated incest survivors who self-mutilate from those who do not. A sample of women incest survivors (N = 84) were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of self-mutilation. Participants included both community and clinical populations. A packet consisting of a demographic questionnaire, Sexual Attitudes Survey, Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms, Dissociative Events Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory was completed by each participant. Demographic, incest, and family of origin variables distinguished the self-mutilating women from those who did not. These include ethnicity and educational experiences; duration, frequency, and perpetrator characteristics regarding the incest; and multiple abuses, instability, birth order, and loss of mother in one's family of origin. Psychological and physical health concerns also differentiated between the two groups. Many variables may differentiate between women incest survivors who self-mutilate from those who do not. A rudimentary checklist to describe the lives of incest survivors who self-mutilate resulted from these findings. The importance of the concept of embodiment is also discussed.

A boundary value approach for solving three-dimensional elliptic and hyperbolic partial differential equations.

PubMed

Biala, T A; Jator, S N

2015-01-01

In this article, the boundary value method is applied to solve three dimensional elliptic and hyperbolic partial differential equations. The partial derivatives with respect to two of the spatial variables (y, z) are discretized using finite difference approximations to obtain a large system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) in the third spatial variable (x). Using interpolation and collocation techniques, a continuous scheme is developed and used to obtain discrete methods which are applied via the Block unification approach to obtain approximations to the resulting large system of ODEs. Several test problems are investigated to elucidate the solution process.

Modeling Noisy Data with Differential Equations Using Observed and Expected Matrices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deboeck, Pascal R.; Boker, Steven M.

2010-01-01

Complex intraindividual variability observed in psychology may be well described using differential equations. It is difficult, however, to apply differential equation models in psychological contexts, as time series are frequently short, poorly sampled, and have large proportions of measurement and dynamic error. Furthermore, current methods for…

Variable-mesh method of solving differential equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Wyk, R.

1969-01-01

Multistep predictor-corrector method for numerical solution of ordinary differential equations retains high local accuracy and convergence properties. In addition, the method was developed in a form conducive to the generation of effective criteria for the selection of subsequent step sizes in step-by-step solution of differential equations.

Differentially Variable Component Analysis (dVCA): Identifying Multiple Evoked Components using Trial-to-Trial Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knuth, Kevin H.; Shah, Ankoor S.; Truccolo, Wilson; Ding, Ming-Zhou; Bressler, Steven L.; Schroeder, Charles E.

2003-01-01

Electric potentials and magnetic fields generated by ensembles of synchronously active neurons in response to external stimuli provide information essential to understanding the processes underlying cognitive and sensorimotor activity. Interpreting recordings of these potentials and fields is difficult as each detector records signals simultaneously generated by various regions throughout the brain. We introduce the differentially Variable Component Analysis (dVCA) algorithm, which relies on trial-to-trial variability in response amplitude and latency to identify multiple components. Using simulations we evaluate the importance of response variability to component identification, the robustness of dVCA to noise, and its ability to characterize single-trial data. Finally, we evaluate the technique using visually evoked field potentials recorded at incremental depths across the layers of cortical area VI, in an awake, behaving macaque monkey.

Cross diffusion and exponential space dependent heat source impacts in radiated three-dimensional (3D) flow of Casson fluid by heated surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaigham Zia, Q. M.; Ullah, Ikram; Waqas, M.; Alsaedi, A.; Hayat, T.

2018-03-01

This research intends to elaborate Soret-Dufour characteristics in mixed convective radiated Casson liquid flow by exponentially heated surface. Novel features of exponential space dependent heat source are introduced. Appropriate variables are implemented for conversion of partial differential frameworks into a sets of ordinary differential expressions. Homotopic scheme is employed for construction of analytic solutions. Behavior of various embedding variables on velocity, temperature and concentration distributions are plotted graphically and analyzed in detail. Besides, skin friction coefficients and heat and mass transfer rates are also computed and interpreted. The results signify the pronounced characteristics of temperature corresponding to convective and radiation variables. Concentration bears opposite response for Soret and Dufour variables.

The mechanical and chemical equations of motion of muscle contraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiner, J. S.; Sieniutycz, Stanislaw

1997-11-01

Up to now no formulation of muscle contraction has provided both the chemical kinetic equations for the reactions responsible for the contraction and the mechanical equation of motion for the muscle. This has most likely been due to the lack of general formalisms for nonlinear systems with chemical-nonchemical coupling valid under the far from equilibrium conditions under which muscle operates physiologically. We have recently developed such formalisms and apply them here to the formulation of muscle contraction to obtain both the chemical and the mechanical equations. The standard formulation up to now has yielded only the dynamic equations for the chemical variables and has considered these to be functions of both time and an appropriate mechanical variable. The macroscopically observable quantities were then obtained by averaging over the mechanical variable. When attempting to derive the dynamics equations for both the chemistry and mechanics this choice of variables leads to conflicting results for the mechanical equation of motion when two different general formalisms are applied. The conflict can be resolved by choosing the variables such that both the chemical variables and the mechanical variables are considered to be functions of time alone. This adds one equation to the set of differential equations to be solved but is actually a simplification of the problem, since these equations are ordinary differential equations, not the partial differential equations of the now standard formulation, and since in this choice of variables the variables themselves are the macroscopic observables the procedure of averaging over the mechanical variable is eliminated. Furthermore, the parameters occurring in the equations at this level of description should be accessible to direct experimental determination.

A computer software system for the generation of global ocean tides including self-gravitation and crustal loading effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, R. H.

1977-01-01

A computer software system is described which computes global numerical solutions of the integro-differential Laplace tidal equations, including dissipation terms and ocean loading and self-gravitation effects, for arbitrary diurnal and semidiurnal tidal constituents. The integration algorithm features a successive approximation scheme for the integro-differential system, with time stepping forward differences in the time variable and central differences in spatial variables.

Uncertainty Quantification in Simulations of Epidemics Using Polynomial Chaos

PubMed Central

Santonja, F.; Chen-Charpentier, B.

2012-01-01

Mathematical models based on ordinary differential equations are a useful tool to study the processes involved in epidemiology. Many models consider that the parameters are deterministic variables. But in practice, the transmission parameters present large variability and it is not possible to determine them exactly, and it is necessary to introduce randomness. In this paper, we present an application of the polynomial chaos approach to epidemiological mathematical models based on ordinary differential equations with random coefficients. Taking into account the variability of the transmission parameters of the model, this approach allows us to obtain an auxiliary system of differential equations, which is then integrated numerically to obtain the first-and the second-order moments of the output stochastic processes. A sensitivity analysis based on the polynomial chaos approach is also performed to determine which parameters have the greatest influence on the results. As an example, we will apply the approach to an obesity epidemic model. PMID:22927889

Constructing general partial differential equations using polynomial and neural networks.

PubMed

Zjavka, Ladislav; Pedrycz, Witold

2016-01-01

Sum fraction terms can approximate multi-variable functions on the basis of discrete observations, replacing a partial differential equation definition with polynomial elementary data relation descriptions. Artificial neural networks commonly transform the weighted sum of inputs to describe overall similarity relationships of trained and new testing input patterns. Differential polynomial neural networks form a new class of neural networks, which construct and solve an unknown general partial differential equation of a function of interest with selected substitution relative terms using non-linear multi-variable composite polynomials. The layers of the network generate simple and composite relative substitution terms whose convergent series combinations can describe partial dependent derivative changes of the input variables. This regression is based on trained generalized partial derivative data relations, decomposed into a multi-layer polynomial network structure. The sigmoidal function, commonly used as a nonlinear activation of artificial neurons, may transform some polynomial items together with the parameters with the aim to improve the polynomial derivative term series ability to approximate complicated periodic functions, as simple low order polynomials are not able to fully make up for the complete cycles. The similarity analysis facilitates substitutions for differential equations or can form dimensional units from data samples to describe real-world problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Guy Reader" Is Not an Oxymoron

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korman, Gordon

2013-01-01

The author of 80 books, most recently "HYPNOTIZE ME," discusses the unique challenges of engaging reluctant and sometimes openly hostile boys by creating the kind of stories that will hook them in and turn them into lifelong readers.

Using Television Commercials to Develop Reading Comprehension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, James D.; Bowman, S. Ray

1991-01-01

Suggests that teachers can use reluctant readers' sensitivity to and sophistication with "musicomedy" to both assess and develop reading comprehension. Discusses several class activities using the musical and humorous expressions in television commercials for fulfilling this objective. (RS)

Encourage Your Workers to Report Bloodborne Pathogen Exposures

MedlinePlus

... Contact NIOSH First Responders: Encourage Your Workers to Report Bloodborne Pathogen Exposures Language: English (US) Español (Spanish) ... infectious body fluids. Some employees are reluctant to report exposure incidents. Encourage your employees to report all ...

Researching Primary Teachers' Professional Agency: Employing Interactive Ethnography to Overcome Reluctance to Teach Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Jenny

2017-09-01

This paper provides a report of a case study on the professional agency of an experienced early years teacher, Sarah, who successfully embedded a chemical science program of teaching-learning for her students aged between 6 and 8. Interactive ethnography informs the research design, and discursive psychology provides the tools for the analysis of Sarah's speech acts for her positioning as a responsible agent. Reframing the problem of primary teacher reluctance to teach science in terms of primary teachers' professional agency using discursive psychology, this ontological study provides new insight into issues related to the provision of science education in primary schools and asks: How do primary teachers position themselves and others in relation to science curriculum and education? The research calls for research methodologies and reform efforts in primary science that are better grounded in the local moral orders of primary schools.

Bad news transmission as a function of the definitiveness of consequences and the relationship between communicator and recipient.

PubMed

Weenig, M W; Groenenboom, A C; Wilke, H A

2001-03-01

There is ample evidence suggesting (e.g., A. Tesser & S. Rosen, 1975) that people are reluctant to transmit bad news. Research on rumors, on the other hand, suggests that people sometimes are less reluctant to transmit bad news. It is argued that differences between the 2 lines of research include the definitiveness of the consequences of the news and the relationship between communicator and recipient. The influence of these 2 factors on news transmission was investigated in 3 experiments. Results showed that bad news with indefinite consequences was transmitted more often than bad news with definite consequences and that both kinds of bad news were transmitted more often if the recipient was a friend rather than a stranger. Differences in feelings of moral responsibility to transmit the news largely accounted for both effects. The 2 factors did not affect the likelihood of good news transmission.

Patient distress and emotional disclosure: a study of Chinese cancer patients.

PubMed

Wei, Dong; Tian, Yan; Gao, Hui; Peng, Jingjing; Tan, Yong; Li, Yan

2013-06-01

The study was conducted to extend research on the reluctance for emotional disclosure to Chinese patients with a variety of types of cancer. A quantitative survey was conducted among 400 cancer patients in China. Statistical analysis revealed that among four confirmed factors on reluctance for emotional disclosure to physicians, no perceived need scored highest, followed by unwillingness to bother, no practical use, and fear of negative impact. Patient distress was negatively associated with no perceived need and no practical use. Patients with low family support scored significantly lower in all factors except fear of negative impact. Education and income affected the factor of no perceived need. Those patients having limited family support and limited education indicated a higher need for emotional support from their physicians and were more likely to open up to them. Cultural traits should be integrated into supportive cancer care research.

Viscoelastic property tuning for reducing noise radiated by switched-reluctance machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millithaler, Pierre; Dupont, Jean-Baptiste; Ouisse, Morvan; Sadoulet-Reboul, Émeline; Bouhaddi, Noureddine

2017-10-01

Switched-reluctance motors (SRM) present major acoustic drawbacks that hinder their use for electric vehicles in spite of widely-acknowledged robustness and low manufacturing costs. Unlike other types of electric machines, a SRM stator is completely encapsulated/potted with a viscoelastic resin. By taking advantage of the high damping capacity that a viscoelastic material has in certain temperature and frequency ranges, this article proposes a tuning methodology for reducing the noise emitted by a SRM in operation. After introducing the aspects the tuning process will focus on, the article details a concrete application consisting in computing representative electromagnetic excitations and then the structural response of the stator including equivalent radiated power levels. An optimised viscoelastic material is determined, with which the peak radiated levels are reduced up to 10 dB in comparison to the initial state. This methodology is implementable for concrete industrial applications as it only relies on common commercial finite-element solvers.

Identification of reluctant factors in using footpaths based on the pedestrians' perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadiyanto, Wahyu; Handayani, Dewi; Yulianto, Budi

2017-06-01

Footpath is a path intended particularly for pedestrians to avoid any conflicts with motor vehicles. However in reality, most of the pedestrians are unwilling to use paths and they prefer to walk on the roads. This research was conducted with the aim to identify the existing condition of pedestrian footpaths based on field observations and to determine the factors that cause the pedestrians are reluctant to walk on the trails. The method used to investigate the pedestrians' perception was by distributing questionnaires to the pedestrians. The results of this study found that the factors that caused the pedestrians did not want to use footpaths were the footpath width, the existence of barriers and obstacles, unstable height (not continuous), damaged surface, non-standard driveway that intersects sidewalk, suboptimal function of ramp, transverse steep slope, and the absence of bollard that could protect footpaths from the access of motorcycles.

Afterbirths in the afterlife: cultural meaning of placental disposal in a Hmong American community.

PubMed

Helsel, Deborah G; Mochel, Marilyn

2002-10-01

Interviews were conducted with 94 Hmong Americans in California's Central Valley to explore attitudes regarding placental disposition and the cultural values that affect those attitudes. Research indicated a persistence of the traditional belief that placentas should be buried at home. The placenta is perceived to be essential for travel by the soul of the deceased into the spirit world to rejoin ancestors. Older respondents (older than age 35) and those who self-identified as animists were most likely to believe in the importance of home placental burial. Comments by respondents indicated some reluctance on the part of Hmong patients to ask health care providers for permission to take placentas home. Incorporating non-Western patients' traditional health care practices into Western health care delivery may be facilitated by an awareness of the reluctance of some patients to verbalize their wishes.

ParaChoice Model.

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

Heimer, Brandon Walter; Levinson, Rebecca Sobel; West, Todd H.

Analysis with the ParaChoice model addresses three barriers from the VTO Multi-Year Program Plan: availability of alternative fuels and electric charging station infrastructure, availability of AFVs and electric drive vehicles, and consumer reluctance to purchase new technologies. In this fiscal year, we first examined the relationship between the availability of alternative fuels and station infrastructure. Specifically, we studied how electric vehicle charging infrastructure affects the ability of EVs to compete with vehicles that rely on mature, conventional petroleum-based fuels. Second, we studied how the availability of less costly AFVs promotes their representation in the LDV fleet. Third, we used ParaChoicemore » trade space analyses to help inform which consumers are reluctant to purchase new technologies. Last, we began analysis of impacts of alternative energy technologies on Class 8 trucks to isolate those that may most efficaciously advance HDV efficiency and petroleum use reduction goals.« less

Children's explanations of the intentions underlying others' behaviour.

PubMed

Grant, Meridith G; Mills, Candice M

2011-09-01

This study investigated developmental differences in children's explanations of the intentions underlying the behaviours of others, including behaviours that conflicted with their expectations. Children aged 6-13 and adults explained the intentions underlying their predictions of behaviour following stories with ambiguous, positive, and negative cues. Children were then presented with experimenter-provided conflicting behaviour and explained again. Results indicated that with no clear cues, children and adults had optimistic expectations. When cues were provided, participants across development provided explanations consistent with positive cues, but children under age 10 were reluctant to provide explanations consistent with negative cues, despite good recall. When explaining conflicting behaviour, people may hesitate to overlook suspicions of negative intent sometimes even in the face of good behaviour, and this reluctance may increase with age. Findings suggest we may all overcome an optimistic bias, but children under age 10 may struggle more to do so. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Quaternion Regularization of the Equations of the Perturbed Spatial Restricted Three-Body Problem: I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chelnokov, Yu. N.

2017-11-01

We develop a quaternion method for regularizing the differential equations of the perturbed spatial restricted three-body problem by using the Kustaanheimo-Stiefel variables, which is methodologically closely related to the quaternion method for regularizing the differential equations of perturbed spatial two-body problem, which was proposed by the author of the present paper. A survey of papers related to the regularization of the differential equations of the two- and threebody problems is given. The original Newtonian equations of perturbed spatial restricted three-body problem are considered, and the problem of their regularization is posed; the energy relations and the differential equations describing the variations in the energies of the system in the perturbed spatial restricted three-body problem are given, as well as the first integrals of the differential equations of the unperturbed spatial restricted circular three-body problem (Jacobi integrals); the equations of perturbed spatial restricted three-body problem written in terms of rotating coordinate systems whose angular motion is described by the rotation quaternions (Euler (Rodrigues-Hamilton) parameters) are considered; and the differential equations for angular momenta in the restricted three-body problem are given. Local regular quaternion differential equations of perturbed spatial restricted three-body problem in the Kustaanheimo-Stiefel variables, i.e., equations regular in a neighborhood of the first and second body of finite mass, are obtained. The equations are systems of nonlinear nonstationary eleventhorder differential equations. These equations employ, as additional dependent variables, the energy characteristics of motion of the body under study (a body of a negligibly small mass) and the time whose derivative with respect to a new independent variable is equal to the distance from the body of negligibly small mass to the first or second body of finite mass. The equations obtained in the paper permit developing regular methods for determining solutions, in analytical or numerical form, of problems difficult for classicalmethods, such as the motion of a body of negligibly small mass in a neighborhood of the other two bodies of finite masses.

Island Concept Electrically Variable Transmission (EVT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

ice. There are also known sophisticated differential types (such as Torsen , speed-sensitive, self locking, magnetoreological, etc) which are able in...complex torsen differential can be replaced by a simple planetary gear set). Apparently more complex, the configuration can lead to a superior vehicle...with the EM2 through a differential mechanism, whereas typically one may find using a planetary gear set for this application. The differential

Automatic differentiation evaluated as a tool for rotorcraft design and optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walsh, Joanne L.; Young, Katherine C.

1995-01-01

This paper investigates the use of automatic differentiation (AD) as a means for generating sensitivity analyses in rotorcraft design and optimization. This technique transforms an existing computer program into a new program that performs sensitivity analysis in addition to the original analysis. The original FORTRAN program calculates a set of dependent (output) variables from a set of independent (input) variables, the new FORTRAN program calculates the partial derivatives of the dependent variables with respect to the independent variables. The AD technique is a systematic implementation of the chain rule of differentiation, this method produces derivatives to machine accuracy at a cost that is comparable with that of finite-differencing methods. For this study, an analysis code that consists of the Langley-developed hover analysis HOVT, the comprehensive rotor analysis CAMRAD/JA, and associated preprocessors is processed through the AD preprocessor ADIFOR 2.0. The resulting derivatives are compared with derivatives obtained from finite-differencing techniques. The derivatives obtained with ADIFOR 2.0 are exact within machine accuracy and do not depend on the selection of step-size, as are the derivatives obtained with finite-differencing techniques.

An interactive approach based on a discrete differential evolution algorithm for a class of integer bilevel programming problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hong; Zhang, Li; Jiao, Yong-Chang

2016-07-01

This paper presents an interactive approach based on a discrete differential evolution algorithm to solve a class of integer bilevel programming problems, in which integer decision variables are controlled by an upper-level decision maker and real-value or continuous decision variables are controlled by a lower-level decision maker. Using the Karush--Kuhn-Tucker optimality conditions in the lower-level programming, the original discrete bilevel formulation can be converted into a discrete single-level nonlinear programming problem with the complementarity constraints, and then the smoothing technique is applied to deal with the complementarity constraints. Finally, a discrete single-level nonlinear programming problem is obtained, and solved by an interactive approach. In each iteration, for each given upper-level discrete variable, a system of nonlinear equations including the lower-level variables and Lagrange multipliers is solved first, and then a discrete nonlinear programming problem only with inequality constraints is handled by using a discrete differential evolution algorithm. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Levels of substance use and willingness to use the Employee Assistance Program.

PubMed

Reynolds, G Shawn; Lehman, Wayne E K

2003-01-01

Individuals with drinking and drug problems may become particularly reluctant to seek help. To remove barriers to services, more needs to be understood about factors that influence help-seeking decisions. It was hypothesized that certain social psychological influences (attitudes, group cohesion, trust in management) might buffer a reluctance to use services provided by an external Employee Assistance Program (EAP). A random sampling of municipal employees (n = 793) completed anonymous questionnaires that assessed willingness to use the EAP, individual drinking and drug use, attitudes toward policy, work group cohesion, and trust in management. Data from the questionnaires were analyzed with multivariate regression analyses to examine the interacting effects of substance abuse and proposed moderators (gender, race, awareness of the EAP, perceptions of policy, cohesion) on willingness to use the EAP. The results demonstrated that although substance abusers were less willing to use the EAP than were nonusers, substance abusers who were aware of the EAP, who had favorable attitudes toward policy, and who did not tolerate coworker substance abuse were as willing to use the EAP as were nonusers. The results also showed that employees with greater awareness of the EAP, support for policy, and perceptions of work group cohesion reported significantly greater willingness to use the EAP than did employees with relatively less awareness of the EAP, policy support, and cohesion. Workplace prevention efforts that are designed to increase the use of EAP services should intentionally target the workplace environment and social context. Creating the awareness and favorability of the EAP, policy, and work group cohesion might buffer substance abusers' reluctance to seek help.

78 FR 28727 - Airworthiness Directives; Agusta S.p.A. Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-16

... inspecting the pilot and copilot engine rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT) control box... differential transformer (RVDT) locking pin, which could move out of position and result in loss of manual...

The Influence of Differential "Power" and "Solidarity" upon the Predictability of Behavior: A Peruvian Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moles, Jerry A.

1978-01-01

The usage of Spanish address terms is investigated to explore the predictability and variability in the behavior of non-Indians and Quechua Indians in Peru. The behavior variations are related to differential "power" and "solidarity" between the two ethnic groups and differential "solidarity" within the Quecha group.…

A clinician’s guide to recurrent isolated sleep paralysis

PubMed Central

Sharpless, Brian A

2016-01-01

This review summarizes the empirical and clinical literature on sleep paralysis most relevant to practitioners. During episodes of sleep paralysis, the sufferer awakens to rapid eye movement sleep-based atonia combined with conscious awareness. This is usually a frightening event often accompanied by vivid, waking dreams (ie, hallucinations). When sleep paralysis occurs independently of narcolepsy and other medical conditions, it is termed “isolated” sleep paralysis. Although the more specific diagnostic syndrome of “recurrent isolated sleep paralysis” is a recognized sleep–wake disorder, it is not widely known to nonsleep specialists. This is likely due to the unusual nature of the condition, patient reluctance to disclose episodes for fear of embarrassment, and a lack of training during medical residencies and graduate education. In fact, a growing literature base has accrued on the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical impact of this condition, and a number of assessment instruments are currently available in both self-report and interview formats. After discussing these and providing suggestions for accurate diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and patient selection, the available treatment options are discussed. These consist of both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions which, although promising, require more empirical support and larger, well-controlled trials. PMID:27486325

Current review of prepubertal vaginal bleeding.

PubMed

Dwiggins, Maggie; Gomez-Lobo, Veronica

2017-10-01

Prepubertal vaginal bleeding raises many concerns and evaluation and diagnosis may prove difficult for many providers. We aim to provide a comprehensive review and recent updates for those practitioners who care for these patients. Prompt management in the case of prepubertal vaginal bleeding is indicated, especially to rule out malignancy or abuse. If a child is reluctant to undergo examination, or if the extent of injury or source of bleeding cannot be determined, examination under anesthesia and vaginoscopy is recommended. Use of vaginoscopy allows for clear visualization of the vagina and cervix without distorting hymenal anatomy, as well as diagnosis and removal of a foreign body and evaluation of mucosal damage caused. In the case of sexual abuse, providers specifically trained in pediatrics need to be present, and safety of the patient should always be ensured. Careful history taking and targeted examination may lead to diagnosis in the case of prepubertal vaginal bleeding. However, in more difficult cases, practitioners should not hesitate to examine a patient in the operating room using general anesthesia to elicit the cause. Although sexual abuse and malignancy are always on the differential, most causes of bleeding are benign and easily treated.

Temporal Stability of Genetic Variability and Differentiation in the Three-Spined Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

PubMed Central

DeFaveri, Jacquelin; Merilä, Juha

2015-01-01

Temporal variation in allele frequencies, whether caused by deterministic or stochastic forces, can inform us about interesting demographic and evolutionary phenomena occurring in wild populations. In spite of the continued surge of interest in the genetics of three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) populations, little attention has been paid towards the temporal stability of allele frequency distributions, and whether there are consistent differences in effective size (Ne) of local populations. We investigated temporal stability of genetic variability and differentiation in 15 microsatellite loci within and among eight collection sites of varying habitat type, surveyed twice over a six-year time period. In addition, Nes were estimated with the expectation that they would be lowest in isolated ponds, intermediate in larger lakes and largest in open marine sites. In spite of the marked differences in genetic variability and differentiation among the study sites, the temporal differences in allele frequencies, as well as measures of genetic diversity and differentiation, were negligible. Accordingly, the Ne estimates were temporally stable, but tended to be lower in ponds than in lake or marine habitats. Hence, we conclude that allele frequencies in putatively neutral markers in three-spined sticklebacks seem to be temporally stable – at least over periods of few generations – across a wide range of habitat types differing markedly in levels of genetic variability, effective population size and gene flow. PMID:25853707

Temporal stability of genetic variability and differentiation in the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus).

PubMed

DeFaveri, Jacquelin; Merilä, Juha

2015-01-01

Temporal variation in allele frequencies, whether caused by deterministic or stochastic forces, can inform us about interesting demographic and evolutionary phenomena occurring in wild populations. In spite of the continued surge of interest in the genetics of three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) populations, little attention has been paid towards the temporal stability of allele frequency distributions, and whether there are consistent differences in effective size (Ne) of local populations. We investigated temporal stability of genetic variability and differentiation in 15 microsatellite loci within and among eight collection sites of varying habitat type, surveyed twice over a six-year time period. In addition, Nes were estimated with the expectation that they would be lowest in isolated ponds, intermediate in larger lakes and largest in open marine sites. In spite of the marked differences in genetic variability and differentiation among the study sites, the temporal differences in allele frequencies, as well as measures of genetic diversity and differentiation, were negligible. Accordingly, the Ne estimates were temporally stable, but tended to be lower in ponds than in lake or marine habitats. Hence, we conclude that allele frequencies in putatively neutral markers in three-spined sticklebacks seem to be temporally stable - at least over periods of few generations - across a wide range of habitat types differing markedly in levels of genetic variability, effective population size and gene flow.

"Attacking the Citadel": James Moncreiff's Proposals to Reform Scottish Education, 1851-69.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bain, Wilson H.

1978-01-01

A review of the parliamentary actions of Lord Advocate James Moncreiff to create a fully national Scottish educational system against the opposition by church groups reluctant to lose control over parish schools and schoolmasters. (SJL)

Reaching the Reluctant Science Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colburn, Alan; Henriques, Laura

2000-01-01

Discusses a college science course designed for juniors and seniors who are going to be elementary teachers. Focuses on hands-on activities, understanding the nature of science, and conducting scientific research. Explores student misconceptions and conceptual changes on elementary science subjects. (YDS)

Trust in climate scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauchat, Gordon

2018-06-01

Those who distrust climate scientists are more likely to be skeptical of climate change and reluctant to support mitigation policies. Now research shows that scientific interest in early adolescence is associated with increased trust in climate scientists in adulthood irrespective of political ideology.

Teaching Comprehension Processes Using Magazines, Paperback Novels, and Content Area Textbooks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nist, Sherrie L.; And Others

1983-01-01

Argues that teaching students the process of comprehension and ways to improve their own comprehension helps to develop skills in reluctant or poor readers. Offers teaching ideas that involve a variety of reading materials. (FL)

An animated landscape representation of CD4+ T-cell differentiation, variability, and plasticity: Insights into the behavior of populations versus cells

PubMed Central

Rebhahn, Jonathan A; Deng, Nan; Sharma, Gaurav; Livingstone, Alexandra M; Huang, Sui; Mosmann, Tim R

2014-01-01

Recent advances in understanding CD4+ T-cell differentiation suggest that previous models of a few distinct, stable effector phenotypes were too simplistic. Although several well-characterized phenotypes are still recognized, some states display plasticity, and intermediate phenotypes exist. As a framework for reexamining these concepts, we use Waddington's landscape paradigm, augmented with explicit consideration of stochastic variations. Our animation program “LAVA” visualizes T-cell differentiation as cells moving across a landscape of hills and valleys, leading to attractor basins representing stable or semistable differentiation states. The model illustrates several principles, including: (i) cell populations may behave more predictably than individual cells; (ii) analogous to reticulate evolution, differentiation may proceed through a network of interconnected states, rather than a single well-defined pathway; (iii) relatively minor changes in the barriers between attractor basins can change the stability or plasticity of a population; (iv) intrapopulation variability of gene expression may be an important regulator of differentiation, rather than inconsequential noise; (v) the behavior of some populations may be defined mainly by the behavior of outlier cells. While not a quantitative representation of actual differentiation, our model is intended to provoke discussion of T-cell differentiation pathways, particularly highlighting a probabilistic view of transitions between states. PMID:24945794

Students' performance in accounting: differential effect of field dependence-independence as a learning style.

PubMed

Bernardi, Richard A

2003-08-01

This study examined the differential moderating effects associated with field dependence-independence and perceptions of stress on students' performance after controlling for SAT Mathematics and Verbal scores as well as students' actual effort on homework. The average performance of 178 third-year accounting majors over three examinations was used to evaluate their understanding of financial accounting. The students also took the Group Embedded Figures Test. While the data indicate that the most significant variables were students' effort, SAT Verbal scores, and their perceptions of stress, these variables were differentially associated with students' performance depending upon whether the student was classified as a field-independent or field-dependent learner.

A calculus based on a q-deformed Heisenberg algebra

DOE PAGES

Cerchiai, B. L.; Hinterding, R.; Madore, J.; ...

1999-04-27

We show how one can construct a differential calculus over an algebra where position variables $x$ and momentum variables p have be defined. As the simplest example we consider the one-dimensional q-deformed Heisenberg algebra. This algebra has a subalgebra generated by cursive Greek chi and its inverse which we call the coordinate algebra. A physical field is considered to be an element of the completion of this algebra. We can construct a derivative which leaves invariant the coordinate algebra and so takes physical fields into physical fields. A generalized Leibniz rule for this algebra can be found. Based on thismore » derivative differential forms and an exterior differential calculus can be constructed.« less

Operant Variability: Procedures and Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machado, Armando; Tonneau, Francois

2012-01-01

Barba's (2012) article deftly weaves three main themes in one argument about operant variability. From general theoretical considerations on operant behavior (Catania, 1973), Barba derives methodological guidelines about response differentiation and applies them to the study of operant variability. In the process, he uncovers unnoticed features of…

Differential Flatness and Cooperative Tracking in the Lorenz System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crespo, Luis G.

2002-01-01

In this paper the control of the Lorenz system for both stabilization and tracking problems is studied via feedback linearization and differential flatness. By using the Rayleigh number as the control, only variable physically tunable, a barrier in the controllability of the system is incidentally imposed. This is reflected in the appearance of a singularity in the state transformation. Composite controllers that overcome this difficulty are designed and evaluated. The transition through the manifold defined by such a singularity is achieved by inducing a chaotic response within a boundary layer that contains it. Outside this region, a conventional feedback nonlinear control is applied. In this fashion, the authority of the control is enlarged to the whole. state space and the need for high control efforts is mitigated. In addition, the differential parametrization of the problem is used to track nonlinear functions of one state variable (single tracking) as well as several state variables (cooperative tracking). Control tasks that lead to integrable and non-integrable differential equations for the nominal flat output in steady-state are considered. In particular, a novel numerical strategy to deal with the non-integrable case is proposed. Numerical results validate very well the control design.

The Reader as Hero.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanton, Ruth

1987-01-01

Suggests that reluctant learners can be motivated to read and write if the teacher writes a story in which the student is the hero. Notes that students may be persuaded to write their own stories with themselves as heroes and share them with friends. (JC)

Language Ideologies and Epistemic Exclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiramba, Lydiah Kananu

2018-01-01

Research in educational linguistics is now challenging the efficacy of monolingual approaches that often dominate educational practices in multilingual settings. In most African nations where multilingualism is the norm, there remains a persistent reluctance by educational stakeholders (principals, teachers, parents, and students) to embrace…

Liability of Colleges and Universities for Injuries during Extracurricular Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miyamoto, Tia

1988-01-01

The extent to which college and universities can be held liable for student injuries during extracurricular activities is discussed based on negligence claims. Court reluctance to impose liability on institutions and the underlying policy considerations are examined. (MSE)

When Are Native Species Inappropriate for Conservation Plantings

EPA Science Inventory

Conservation agencies and organizations are generally reluctant to encourage the use of invasive plant species in conservation programs. Harsh lessons learned in the past have resulted in tougher screening protocols for non-indigenous species introductions and removal of many no...

Defensive Passivity in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenheim, Eliyahu; Gaoni, Bracha

1977-01-01

There are potentially healthy adolescents who display excessive reluctance to move toward independent decision and action. This research presents a clinical description of this "syndrome", conceptualizes it as a defensive maneuver against mourning over cherished childhood dreams and offers steps for therapeutic intervention. (Editor/RK)

Implosive Therapy as a Treatment for Insomnia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrera, Richard N.; Elenewski, Jeffrey J.

1980-01-01

The death implosion produced a decrease in insomnia beyond the strong expectancy effects that resulted from all experimental treatments. The failure to observe changes in reported fear of death was attributed to subjects' anxiety-based reluctance to acknowledge openly such fear. (Author)

Reluctant Rural Regionalists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Peter V.; Stern, Pamela

2009-01-01

Recently, scholars have begun to explore questions of regionalism and regionalization in rural contexts. Regionalism is often understood and presented as a pragmatic solution to intractable problems of fragmentation, inefficiency, accountability, spillover and neglect in the face of economic restructuring and other external threats. These…

External approach to rhinoplasty.

PubMed

Goodman, Wilfred S; Charbonneau, Paul A

2015-07-01

The technique of external rhinoplasty is outlined. Having reviewed 74 cases, its advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Reluctance to use this external approach seems to be based on emotional rather than radical grounds, for its seems to be the procedure of choice for many problems.

Mother-Daughter Communication about Sex.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Greer Litton; Inazu, Judith K.

1980-01-01

Family background influences only a few sex-related topics of communication between mothers and daughters but these are significant: birth control and sexual intercourse. Moral training is not neglected in traditional conservative families but mothers seem more reluctant to discuss these topics. (JAC)

DM-BLD: differential methylation detection using a hierarchical Bayesian model exploiting local dependency.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao; Gu, Jinghua; Hilakivi-Clarke, Leena; Clarke, Robert; Xuan, Jianhua

2017-01-15

The advent of high-throughput DNA methylation profiling techniques has enabled the possibility of accurate identification of differentially methylated genes for cancer research. The large number of measured loci facilitates whole genome methylation study, yet posing great challenges for differential methylation detection due to the high variability in tumor samples. We have developed a novel probabilistic approach, D: ifferential M: ethylation detection using a hierarchical B: ayesian model exploiting L: ocal D: ependency (DM-BLD), to detect differentially methylated genes based on a Bayesian framework. The DM-BLD approach features a joint model to capture both the local dependency of measured loci and the dependency of methylation change in samples. Specifically, the local dependency is modeled by Leroux conditional autoregressive structure; the dependency of methylation changes is modeled by a discrete Markov random field. A hierarchical Bayesian model is developed to fully take into account the local dependency for differential analysis, in which differential states are embedded as hidden variables. Simulation studies demonstrate that DM-BLD outperforms existing methods for differential methylation detection, particularly when the methylation change is moderate and the variability of methylation in samples is high. DM-BLD has been applied to breast cancer data to identify important methylated genes (such as polycomb target genes and genes involved in transcription factor activity) associated with breast cancer recurrence. A Matlab package of DM-BLD is available at http://www.cbil.ece.vt.edu/software.htm CONTACT: Xuan@vt.eduSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nonferromagnetic linear variable differential transformer

DOEpatents

Ellis, James F.; Walstrom, Peter L.

1977-06-14

A nonferromagnetic linear variable differential transformer for accurately measuring mechanical displacements in the presence of high magnetic fields is provided. The device utilizes a movable primary coil inside a fixed secondary coil that consists of two series-opposed windings. Operation is such that the secondary output voltage is maintained in phase (depending on polarity) with the primary voltage. The transducer is well-suited to long cable runs and is useful for measuring small displacements in the presence of high or alternating magnetic fields.

Value-Differentiation and Self-Esteem among Majority and Immigrant Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Ella; Boehnke, Klaus; Knafo-Noam, Ariel

2016-01-01

As they inhabit complex social worlds, adolescents often learn competing values, resulting in value-differentiation, within-individual variability in value importance across contexts. But what are the implications of value-differentiation across age groups and cultures? A study of 4007 adolescents aged 11 to 18 (M = 14.41, SD = 2.16), of three…

Connecting Related Rates and Differential Equations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandt, Keith

2012-01-01

This article points out a simple connection between related rates and differential equations. The connection can be used for in-class examples or homework exercises, and it is accessible to students who are familiar with separation of variables.

Semicommuting and Commuting Operators for the Heun Family

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batic, D.; Mills, D.; Nowakowski, M.

2018-04-01

We derive the most general families of first- and second-order differential operators semicommuting with the Heun class differential operators. Among these families, we classify all the families that commute with the Heun class. In particular, we find that a certain generalized Heun equation commutes with the Heun differential operator, which allows constructing a general solution of a complicated fourth-order linear differential equation with variable coefficients whose solution cannot be obtained using Maple 16.

Estimation of time- and state-dependent delays and other parameters in functional differential equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, K. A.

1988-01-01

A parameter estimation algorithm is developed which can be used to estimate unknown time- or state-dependent delays and other parameters (e.g., initial condition) appearing within a nonlinear nonautonomous functional differential equation. The original infinite dimensional differential equation is approximated using linear splines, which are allowed to move with the variable delay. The variable delays are approximated using linear splines as well. The approximation scheme produces a system of ordinary differential equations with nice computational properties. The unknown parameters are estimated within the approximating systems by minimizing a least-squares fit-to-data criterion. Convergence theorems are proved for time-dependent delays and state-dependent delays within two classes, which say essentially that fitting the data by using approximations will, in the limit, provide a fit to the data using the original system. Numerical test examples are presented which illustrate the method for all types of delay.

How to differentiate collective variables in free energy codes: Computer-algebra code generation and automatic differentiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giorgino, Toni

2018-07-01

The proper choice of collective variables (CVs) is central to biased-sampling free energy reconstruction methods in molecular dynamics simulations. The PLUMED 2 library, for instance, provides several sophisticated CV choices, implemented in a C++ framework; however, developing new CVs is still time consuming due to the need to provide code for the analytical derivatives of all functions with respect to atomic coordinates. We present two solutions to this problem, namely (a) symbolic differentiation and code generation, and (b) automatic code differentiation, in both cases leveraging open-source libraries (SymPy and Stan Math, respectively). The two approaches are demonstrated and discussed in detail implementing a realistic example CV, the local radius of curvature of a polymer. Users may use the code as a template to streamline the implementation of their own CVs using high-level constructs and automatic gradient computation.

Estimation of time- and state-dependent delays and other parameters in functional differential equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, K. A.

1990-01-01

A parameter estimation algorithm is developed which can be used to estimate unknown time- or state-dependent delays and other parameters (e.g., initial condition) appearing within a nonlinear nonautonomous functional differential equation. The original infinite dimensional differential equation is approximated using linear splines, which are allowed to move with the variable delay. The variable delays are approximated using linear splines as well. The approximation scheme produces a system of ordinary differential equations with nice computational properties. The unknown parameters are estimated within the approximating systems by minimizing a least-squares fit-to-data criterion. Convergence theorems are proved for time-dependent delays and state-dependent delays within two classes, which say essentially that fitting the data by using approximations will, in the limit, provide a fit to the data using the original system. Numerical test examples are presented which illustrate the method for all types of delay.

Hypergeometric Series Solution to a Class of Second-Order Boundary Value Problems via Laplace Transform with Applications to Nanofluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebaid, Abdelhalim; Wazwaz, Abdul-Majid; Alali, Elham; Masaedeh, Basem S.

2017-03-01

Very recently, it was observed that the temperature of nanofluids is finally governed by second-order ordinary differential equations with variable coefficients of exponential orders. Such coefficients were then transformed to polynomials type by using new independent variables. In this paper, a class of second-order ordinary differential equations with variable coefficients of polynomials type has been solved analytically. The analytical solution is expressed in terms of a hypergeometric function with generalized parameters. Moreover, applications of the present results have been applied on some selected nanofluids problems in the literature. The exact solutions in the literature were derived as special cases of our generalized analytical solution.

Separation of Variables and Superintegrability; The symmetry of solvable systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalnins, Ernest G.; Kress, Jonathan M.; Miller, Willard, Jr.

2018-06-01

Separation of variables methods for solving partial differential equations are of immense theoretical and practical importance in mathematical physics. They are the most powerful tool known for obtaining explicit solutions of the partial differential equations of mathematical physics. The purpose of this book is to give an up-to-date presentation of the theory of separation of variables and its relation to superintegrability. Collating and presenting it in a unified, updated and a more accessible manner, the results scattered in the literature that the authors have prepared is an invaluable resource for mathematicians and mathematical physicists in particular, as well as science, engineering, geological and biological researchers interested in explicit solutions.

Optimal control problems with mixed control-phase variable equality and inequality constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Makowski, K.; Neustad, L. W.

1974-01-01

In this paper, necessary conditions are obtained for optimal control problems containing equality constraints defined in terms of functions of the control and phase variables. The control system is assumed to be characterized by an ordinary differential equation, and more conventional constraints, including phase inequality constraints, are also assumed to be present. Because the first-mentioned equality constraint must be satisfied for all t (the independent variable of the differential equation) belonging to an arbitrary (prescribed) measurable set, this problem gives rise to infinite-dimensional equality constraints. To obtain the necessary conditions, which are in the form of a maximum principle, an implicit-function-type theorem in Banach spaces is derived.

Fidelity of the Integrated Force Method Solution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hopkins, Dale; Halford, Gary; Coroneos, Rula; Patnaik, Surya

2002-01-01

The theory of strain compatibility of the solid mechanics discipline was incomplete since St. Venant's 'strain formulation' in 1876. We have addressed the compatibility condition both in the continuum and the discrete system. This has lead to the formulation of the Integrated Force Method. A dual Integrated Force Method with displacement as the primal variable has also been formulated. A modest finite element code (IFM/Analyzers) based on the IFM theory has been developed. For a set of standard test problems the IFM results were compared with the stiffness method solutions and the MSC/Nastran code. For the problems IFM outperformed the existing methods. Superior IFM performance is attributed to simultaneous compliance of equilibrium equation and compatibility condition. MSC/Nastran organization expressed reluctance to accept the high fidelity IFM solutions. This report discusses the solutions to the examples. No inaccuracy was detected in the IFM solutions. A stiffness method code with a small programming effort can be improved to reap the many IFM benefits when implemented with the IFMD elements. Dr. Halford conducted a peer-review on the Integrated Force Method. Reviewers' response is included.

Many facets of reluctance: African Americans and the decision (not) to donate organs.

PubMed Central

Morgan, Susan E.

2006-01-01

Although the body of research on African Americans and organ donation continues to grow, the literature still suffers from a lack of reliance on theory to guide research as well as a surfeit of advanced statistical analytical strategies. A more sophisticated approach to understanding the barriers and facilitating factors that African Americans experience in the process of making the decision to become potential organ donors would yield more sound campaign strategies to increase donation. In this study, a sample of 310 African-American adult members of the NAACP was surveyed about their attitudes, knowledge and beliefs about organ donation. Logistic regression demonstrated that the level of knowledge, attitudes, social norms and altruism resulted in correct classification of organ donor card status in 69.3% of cases. When variables such as medical mistrust, bodily integrity and religiosity were added, an even more powerful model resulted, with 73.2% of the cases correctly classified according to organ donor card status. Recommendations for campaigns targeting African Americans' willingness to donate organs are offered. PMID:16749644

Magnetic plucking of piezoelectric bimorphs for a wearable energy harvester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozzi, Michele

2016-04-01

A compact and low-profile energy harvester designed to be worn on the outside of the knee-joint is presented. Frequency up-conversion has been widely adopted in recent times to exploit the high frequency response of piezoelectric transducers within environments where only low frequencies are present. Contactless magnetic plucking is here introduced, in a variable reluctance framework, with the aim of improving the mechanical energy transfer into the transducers, which is sub-optimal with contact plucking. FEA and experiments were used to design an optimal arrangement of ferromagnetic teeth to interact with the magnets fixed to the piezoelectric beams. A prototype was made and extensively tested in a knee-joint simulator controlled with gait data available in the literature. Energy and power produced were measured for walking and running steps. A power management unit was developed using off-the-shelf components, permitting the generation of a stable and regulated supply of 26 mW at 3.3 V during walking. Record levels of rectified (unregulated) electrical power of over 50 and 70 mW per walking and running steps, respectively, were measured.

The future for pharmaceuticals in a health care crisis.

PubMed

Redwood, H

1989-02-01

When an industry reaches a turning point, everyone in it is drawn into the turmoil. Not that it happens frequently, but most industries pass more than one major turning point in the course of an executive career of average length. The experience is unsettling--especially if preceded by a general reluctance to anticipate it or its consequences. Corporate strategy is usually concerned above all with the competitive positioning of a company within an industry or, if diversified, in a number of industries. To this two-dimensional picture, which takes the company and its competitors as the main variables, we need to add the changing background of the industry itself: a third dimension that challenges the powers of adaptation of all the competitors. It compels them to acknowledge as real the forces that are unleashed by time as industries mature and society changes. This paper explores the turning points that have occurred during the past 30 years in one particular industry--pharmaceuticals--and seeks to distil from it a number of lessons that may be relevant to industrial strategy in a wider framework.

A new adaptive self-tuning Fourier coefficients algorithm for periodic torque ripple minimization in permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM).

PubMed

Gómez-Espinosa, Alfonso; Hernández-Guzmán, Víctor M; Bandala-Sánchez, Manuel; Jiménez-Hernández, Hugo; Rivas-Araiza, Edgar A; Rodríguez-Reséndiz, Juvenal; Herrera-Ruíz, Gilberto

2013-03-19

A New Adaptive Self-Tuning Fourier Coefficients Algorithm for Periodic Torque Ripple Minimization in Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM) Torque ripple occurs in Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSMs) due to the non-sinusoidal flux density distribution around the air-gap and variable magnetic reluctance of the air-gap due to the stator slots distribution. These torque ripples change periodically with rotor position and are apparent as speed variations, which degrade the PMSM drive performance, particularly at low speeds, because of low inertial filtering. In this paper, a new self-tuning algorithm is developed for determining the Fourier Series Controller coefficients with the aim of reducing the torque ripple in a PMSM, thus allowing for a smoother operation. This algorithm adjusts the controller parameters based on the component's harmonic distortion in time domain of the compensation signal. Experimental evaluation is performed on a DSP-controlled PMSM evaluation platform. Test results obtained validate the effectiveness of the proposed self-tuning algorithm, with the Fourier series expansion scheme, in reducing the torque ripple.

Mixed Effects Modeling Using Stochastic Differential Equations: Illustrated by Pharmacokinetic Data of Nicotinic Acid in Obese Zucker Rats.

PubMed

Leander, Jacob; Almquist, Joachim; Ahlström, Christine; Gabrielsson, Johan; Jirstrand, Mats

2015-05-01

Inclusion of stochastic differential equations in mixed effects models provides means to quantify and distinguish three sources of variability in data. In addition to the two commonly encountered sources, measurement error and interindividual variability, we also consider uncertainty in the dynamical model itself. To this end, we extend the ordinary differential equation setting used in nonlinear mixed effects models to include stochastic differential equations. The approximate population likelihood is derived using the first-order conditional estimation with interaction method and extended Kalman filtering. To illustrate the application of the stochastic differential mixed effects model, two pharmacokinetic models are considered. First, we use a stochastic one-compartmental model with first-order input and nonlinear elimination to generate synthetic data in a simulated study. We show that by using the proposed method, the three sources of variability can be successfully separated. If the stochastic part is neglected, the parameter estimates become biased, and the measurement error variance is significantly overestimated. Second, we consider an extension to a stochastic pharmacokinetic model in a preclinical study of nicotinic acid kinetics in obese Zucker rats. The parameter estimates are compared between a deterministic and a stochastic NiAc disposition model, respectively. Discrepancies between model predictions and observations, previously described as measurement noise only, are now separated into a comparatively lower level of measurement noise and a significant uncertainty in model dynamics. These examples demonstrate that stochastic differential mixed effects models are useful tools for identifying incomplete or inaccurate model dynamics and for reducing potential bias in parameter estimates due to such model deficiencies.

Softer, higher-friction flooring improves gait of cows with and without sole ulcers.

PubMed

Flower, F C; de Passillé, A M; Weary, D M; Sanderson, D J; Rushen, J

2007-03-01

We studied dairy cows (n = 30) walking on concrete and on a soft, high-friction composite rubber surface to examine how flooring influenced gait and how this differed for cows with hoof lesions. Cows had hooves trimmed 9 wk after the trial and were classified as either with or without sole ulcers. Video recordings of the cows while walking were digitized using motion analysis software to calculate stride variables (length, height, overlap, duration, proportion of triple support, and speed). Gait was scored by a subjective scoring system (1 = sound to 5 = severely lame) and by a continuous visual analog scale for each of 7 gait attributes. Cows with sole ulcers walking on a composite rubber surface had longer strides (156.9 +/- 2.6 vs. 149.6 +/- 2.6 cm), higher stride heights (9.7 +/- 0.3 vs. 8.8 +/- 0.3 cm), more stride overlap (0.4 +/- 2.0 vs. -4.3 +/- 2.0 cm), shorter periods of triple support (3 legs in ground contact; 68.6 +/- 2.0 vs. 73.8 +/- 2.0%), walked faster (1.22 +/- 0.04 vs. 1.17 +/- 0.04 m/s) and had lower overall gait scores (2.9 +/- 0.1 vs. 3.1 +/- 0.1), better tracking-up (19 +/- 2 vs. 24 +/- 2), better joint flexion (29 +/- 2 vs. 33 +/- 2), more symmetric steps (31 +/- 3 vs. 36 +/- 3), and less reluctance to bear weight on their legs (12 +/- 2 vs. 16 +/- 2) compared with walking on concrete. Similar results were found for cows without sole ulcers. Most of the subjective gait measures could distinguish between cows with and without sole ulcers, but this was not the case for kinematic measures other than stride height. Cows with higher gait scores (more severe lameness) showed the greatest improvement in stride length (r = -0.51), triple support (r = 0.59), swing duration (r = -0.44), overall gait score (r = 0.46), and reluctance to bear weight (r = 0.66) when walking on the rubber surface compared with cows with lower gait scores. These results indicate that rubber flooring provides a more secure footing and is more comfortable to walk on, especially for lame cattle.

Technology Transfer: A Third World Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akubue, Anthony I.

2002-01-01

Technology transfer models are based on assumptions that do not reflect Third-World realities. Obstacles to building indigenous technology capacity include multinational corporations' control of innovations, strings attached to foreign aid, and indigenous reluctance to undertake research. Four areas of development include foreign direct…

Reading Begins at Home.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Dorothy

1982-01-01

If, ideally, reading begins at home, with children listening eagerly to interesting stories, then this experience must be duplicated in the classroom for reluctant readers. Listening to good stories can motivate students to develop reading skills. Activities of the Reading Center (Auckland, New Zealand) are described. (PP)

Many Scientists Welcome the Reluctance of Congress to Back Large Increases for "Star Wars" Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cordes, Colleen

1987-01-01

Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) program has inspired heated debate on campuses, and many scientists have pledged not to accept federal money for SDI research, for a variety of political, economic, and scientific reasons. (MSE)

The Reluctant Professor: Implications for University Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schein, Edgar H.

1973-01-01

Stating the belief that most analyses of the university fail to deal realistically with the role of the professor, the author's purpose is to show why it is difficult and possible undesirable to involve professors deeply in issues of university government. (Author/JB)

Counseling: The Spiritual Dimension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Mary Thomas, Ed.; Miranti, Judith G., Ed.

Although spirituality is gaining increased interest in counseling, counselors are reluctant to incorporate the spiritual dimension into their practice. This text explores spirituality in counseling so as to encourage counselors to consider their own spirituality and to facilitate the enhancement of spiritual wellness for their clients. The…

Project Ranger Adopter's Guide, 1979.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, Randi; McCann, Karen, Comp.

Project Ranger is a program providing a combination of classroom study, outdoor survival, and environmental education to students having difficulty adapting to structured learning. The program has three unique features: it tries to reach younger children than most programs for "reluctant learners"; it provides affective counseling…

Tori and chaos in a simple C1-system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roessler, O. E.; Kahiert, C.; Ughleke, B.

A piecewise-linear autonomous 3-variable ordinary differential equation is presented which permits analytical modeling of chaotic attractors. A once-differentiable system of equations is defined which consists of two linear half-systems which meet along a threshold plane. The trajectories described by each equation is thereby continuous along the divide, forming a one-parameter family of invariant tori. The addition of a damping term produces a system of equations for various chaotic attractors. Extension of the system by means of a 4-variable generalization yields hypertori and hyperchaos. It is noted that the hierarchy established is amenable to analysis by the use of Poincare half-maps. Applications of the systems of ordinary differential equations to modeling turbulent flows are discussed.

Stochasticity and Spatial Interaction Govern Stem Cell Differentiation Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Quinton; Stukalin, Evgeny; Kusuma, Sravanti; Gerecht, Sharon; Sun, Sean X.

2015-07-01

Stem cell differentiation underlies many fundamental processes such as development, tissue growth and regeneration, as well as disease progression. Understanding how stem cell differentiation is controlled in mixed cell populations is an important step in developing quantitative models of cell population dynamics. Here we focus on quantifying the role of cell-cell interactions in determining stem cell fate. Toward this, we monitor stem cell differentiation in adherent cultures on micropatterns and collect statistical cell fate data. Results show high cell fate variability and a bimodal probability distribution of stem cell fraction on small (80-140 μm diameter) micropatterns. On larger (225-500 μm diameter) micropatterns, the variability is also high but the distribution of the stem cell fraction becomes unimodal. Using a stochastic model, we analyze the differentiation dynamics and quantitatively determine the differentiation probability as a function of stem cell fraction. Results indicate that stem cells can interact and sense cellular composition in their immediate neighborhood and adjust their differentiation probability accordingly. Blocking epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin) can diminish this cell-cell contact mediated sensing. For larger micropatterns, cell motility adds a spatial dimension to the picture. Taken together, we find stochasticity and cell-cell interactions are important factors in determining cell fate in mixed cell populations.

An edge preserving differential image coding scheme

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rost, Martin C.; Sayood, Khalid

1992-01-01

Differential encoding techniques are fast and easy to implement. However, a major problem with the use of differential encoding for images is the rapid edge degradation encountered when using such systems. This makes differential encoding techniques of limited utility, especially when coding medical or scientific images, where edge preservation is of utmost importance. A simple, easy to implement differential image coding system with excellent edge preservation properties is presented. The coding system can be used over variable rate channels, which makes it especially attractive for use in the packet network environment.

Personal health records in the Netherlands: potential user preferences quantified by a discrete choice experiment.

PubMed

Determann, Domino; Lambooij, Mattijs S; Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte; de Bekker-Grob, Esther W; Steyerberg, Ewout W; Heldoorn, Marcel; Pedersen, Line Bjørnskov; de Wit, G Ardine

2017-05-01

To identify groups of potential users based on their preferences for characteristics of personal health records (PHRs) and to estimate potential PHR uptake. We performed a discrete choice experiment, which consisted of 12 choice scenarios, each comprising 2 hypothetical PHR alternatives and an opt-out. The alternatives differed based on 5 characteristics. The survey was administered to Internet panel members of the Dutch Federation of Patients and Consumer Organizations. We used latent class models to analyze the data. A total of 1,443 potential PHR users completed the discrete choice experiment. We identified 3 latent classes: "refusers" (class probability 43%), "eager adopters" (37%), and "reluctant adopters" (20%). The predicted uptake for the reluctant adopters ranged from 4% in the case of a PHR with the worst attribute levels to 68% in the best case. Those with 1 or more chronic diseases were significantly more likely to belong to the eager adopter class. The data storage provider was the most decisive aspect for the eager and reluctant adopters, while cost was most decisive for the refusers. Across all classes, health care providers and independent organizations were the most preferred data storage providers. We identified 3 groups, of which 1 group (more than one-third of potential PHR users) indicated great interest in a PHR irrespective of PHR characteristics. Policymakers who aim to expand the use of PHRs will be most successful when health care providers and health facilities or independent organizations store PHR data while refraining from including market parties. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Design and analysis of a novel doubly salient permanent- magnet generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarlioglu, Bulent

Improvements in permanent magnets and power electronics technologies have made it possible to devise different configurations of electrical machines which were not previously possible to implement. In this dissertation, a novel Doubly Salient Permanent Magnet (DSPM) generator has been designed, analyzed, and tested. The DSPM generator has four stator poles and six rotor poles. Two high density permanent magnets are located in the stator yoke. Since there are no windings or permanent magnets in the rotor, the DSPM generator has several advantages: the rotor has low inertia, no copper loss, no PM attachments, no brushes, and no slip rings. This type of rotor can be manufactured easily, and can be run at very high speeds as in the case of a switched reluctance machine. Compared to induction and switched reluctance machines, the DSPM generator can produce more power from the same geometry. Moreover, the efficiency of the DSPM generator is higher, since there is no copper loss associated with excitation of the machine. Another advantage of the DSPM generator is that the output AC voltage can easily be rectified by a diode bridge rectifier, while in the case of the switched reluctance machine one needs to use active semiconductor switches for power generation. If greater utilization and control of power production capability are desired, the AC output of the DSPM generator can be rectified using an active converter. In this dissertation, a novel doubly salient permanent magnet generator is introduced. First, the theory of the DSPM generator is given. Later, this novel generator is investigated using conventional magnetic circuits, nonlinear finite element analysis, and simulations with first order approximations and nonlinear modeling. It is compared with other generators. Static and no-load testing of the prototype DSPM generator are presented, and generator performance is evaluated with various power electronic circuits.

Palliative care professionals' willingness to perform euthanasia or physician assisted suicide.

PubMed

Zenz, Julia; Tryba, Michael; Zenz, Michael

2015-11-14

Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (PAS) are highly debated upon particularly in the light of medical advancement and an aging society. Little is known about the professionals' willingness to perform these practices particularly among those engaged in the field of palliative care and pain management. Thus a study was performed among those professionals. An anonymous questionnaire was handed out to all participants of a palliative care congress and a pain symposium in 2013. The questionnaire consisted of 8 questions regarding end of life decisions. Proposed patient vignettes were used. A total of 470 eligible questionnaires were returned, 198 by physicians, 272 by nurses. The response rate was 64 %. The majority of professionals were reluctant to perform euthanasia or PAS: 5.3 % of the respondents would be willing to perform euthanasia on a patient with a terminal illness if asked to do so. The reluctance grew in case of a patient with a non-terminal illness. The respondents were more willing to perform PAS than euthanasia. Nurses were more reluctant to take action as opposed to the physicians. The majority of the respondents would attempt to treat the patient's symptoms first before considering life-ending measures. As regards any decision making process the majority would consult with a colleague. This is the first German study to ask about the willingness of professionals to take action as regards euthanasia and PAS without biased phrasing. As opposed to the general acceptance that is respectively high, the actual willingness to perform life-ending measures is low. The German debate on physician assisted suicide and its possible legalization should also incorporate clarifications regarding the responsibility who should eventually perform these acts.

Current practices in cancer pain management in Asia: a survey of patients and physicians across 10 countries.

PubMed

Kim, Yong-Chul; Ahn, Jin Seok; Calimag, Maria Minerva P; Chao, Ta Chung; Ho, Kok Yuen; Tho, Lye Mun; Xia, Zhong-Jun; Ward, Lois; Moon, Hanlim; Bhagat, Abhishek

2015-08-01

In order to implement more effective policies for cancer pain management, a better understanding of current practices is needed. Physicians managing cancer pain and patients experiencing cancer pain were randomly surveyed across 10 Asian countries to assess attitudes and perceptions toward cancer pain management. A total of 463 physicians (77.3% oncologists) with a median experience of 13 years were included. Medical school training on opioid use was considered inadequate by 30.5% of physicians and 55.9% indicated ≤ 10 h of continuing medical education (CME). Of the 1190 patients included, 1026 reported moderate-to-severe pain (median duration, 12 months). Discordance was observed between physician and patient outcomes on pain assessment with 88.3% of physicians reporting pain quantification, while 49.5% of patients claimed that no scale was used. Inadequate assessment of pain was recognized as a barrier to therapy optimization by 49.7% of physicians. Additional barriers identified were patients' reluctance owing to fear of addiction (67.2%) and adverse events (65.0%), patients' reluctance to report pain (52.5%), excessive regulations (48.0%) and reluctance to prescribe opioids (42.8%). Opioid use was confirmed only in 53.2% (286/538) of patients remembering their medication. Pain affected the activities of daily living for 81.3% of patients. These findings highlight the need for better training and CME opportunities for cancer pain management in Asia. Collaborative efforts between physicians, patients, policy makers, and related parties may assist in overcoming the barriers identified. Addressing the opioid stigma and enhancing awareness is vital to improving current standards of patient care. © 2015 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

What motivates residents to teach? The Attitudes in Clinical Teaching study.

PubMed

Dotters-Katz, Sarah; Hargett, Charles W; Zaas, Aimee K; Criscione-Schreiber, Lisa G

2016-07-01

Graduate medical trainees have a critical role in the teaching of other trainees. Improving their teaching requires an understanding of their attitudes towards teaching and their motivation to teach. Both have been incompletely explored in this population. We aimed to better understand graduate medical trainees' attitudes towards teaching and motivation to teach in the clinical setting in order to inform modifications to resident-as-teacher (RAT) programmes and enhance teaching practices. We applied Q methodology, an established sorting method, to identify and quantify the factors that have an impact on trainees' engagement in teaching. We invited house officers at our institution to rank-order 47 statements regarding their attitudes to and motivation for teaching. Respondents explained their Q-sort rankings in writing and completed a demographic questionnaire. By-person factor analysis yielded groups of individuals with similar attitudes. One hundred and seven trainees completed the Q-sort. We found three primary groups of attitudes towards teaching in the clinical setting: enthusiasm, reluctance and rewarded. Enthusiastic teachers are committed and make time to teach. Teaching increases their job satisfaction. Reluctant teachers have enthusiasm but are earlier in training and feel limited by clinical workload and unprepared. Rewarded teachers feel teaching is worthwhile and derive satisfaction from the rewards and recognition they receive for teaching. This improved understanding of common attitudes shared by groups of residents will help curriculum designers create RAT programmes to further reinforce and encourage attitudes that promote teaching as well as improve trainees' motivation to teach. Designing RAT programmes that acknowledge the attitudes to and motivations for teaching should help develop effective teachers to improve educational outcomes. Directed efforts to enhance motivation for reluctant teachers and encourage more positive attitudes in rewarded teachers may lead to improved teaching behaviours among residents. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Current practices in cancer pain management in Asia: a survey of patients and physicians across 10 countries

PubMed Central

Kim, Yong-Chul; Ahn, Jin Seok; Calimag, Maria Minerva P; Chao, Ta Chung; Ho, Kok Yuen; Tho, Lye Mun; Xia, Zhong-Jun; Ward, Lois; Moon, Hanlim; Bhagat, Abhishek

2015-01-01

In order to implement more effective policies for cancer pain management, a better understanding of current practices is needed. Physicians managing cancer pain and patients experiencing cancer pain were randomly surveyed across 10 Asian countries to assess attitudes and perceptions toward cancer pain management. A total of 463 physicians (77.3% oncologists) with a median experience of 13 years were included. Medical school training on opioid use was considered inadequate by 30.5% of physicians and 55.9% indicated ≤10 h of continuing medical education (CME). Of the 1190 patients included, 1026 reported moderate-to-severe pain (median duration, 12 months). Discordance was observed between physician and patient outcomes on pain assessment with 88.3% of physicians reporting pain quantification, while 49.5% of patients claimed that no scale was used. Inadequate assessment of pain was recognized as a barrier to therapy optimization by 49.7% of physicians. Additional barriers identified were patients’ reluctance owing to fear of addiction (67.2%) and adverse events (65.0%), patients’ reluctance to report pain (52.5%), excessive regulations (48.0%) and reluctance to prescribe opioids (42.8%). Opioid use was confirmed only in 53.2% (286/538) of patients remembering their medication. Pain affected the activities of daily living for 81.3% of patients. These findings highlight the need for better training and CME opportunities for cancer pain management in Asia. Collaborative efforts between physicians, patients, policy makers, and related parties may assist in overcoming the barriers identified. Addressing the opioid stigma and enhancing awareness is vital to improving current standards of patient care. PMID:25914253

The nurse educator as teacher: exploring the construction of the 'reluctant instructor'.

PubMed

Bruni, N

1997-03-01

This paper explores the discursive construction of the category of teacher identified as the 'reluctant instructor'. Data are drawn from my doctoral study, an ethnography of a school of nursing located in the higher education sector in which I was employed. This study explored the question: What shapes nurse educators and what do they, in turn, shape? Participants included nurse educators who taught a pre-registration programme. Data were gathered through interview and observations of classroom teaching. Analysis focused on the discursive constitution of participants' sense of being a nurse educator and on the implications of their ways of 'knowing and doing' for students. The analysis suggests that the dominant subject positions adopted by participants were those of 'academic' and 'victim'. They employed an ideal/real dichotomy to give a sense of coherence to the inconsistencies or contradications that they saw as structuring their daily activities. Being an academic entailed being an educator, specifically a facilitator, as being competent and having some degree of autonomy. However, participants saw the reality of their situation as markedly different from their ideal; as exhibiting traits of the 'outmoded', oppressive, hospital system of nurse training. Within this context most participants positioned themselves as a 'reluctant instructor'. The implications of their practices for the creation of the 'passive student' are suggested in the paper. In this analysis the nurse educator is viewed as implicated in the formation and maintenance of the context in which she or he is located. Such a view challenges the neutrality that is implicated in understandings of the nurse educator that inform nursing texts and that helped constitute participants' sense of self.

Modeling Individual Damped Linear Oscillator Processes with Differential Equations: Using Surrogate Data Analysis to Estimate the Smoothing Parameter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deboeck, Pascal R.; Boker, Steven M.; Bergeman, C. S.

2008-01-01

Among the many methods available for modeling intraindividual time series, differential equation modeling has several advantages that make it promising for applications to psychological data. One interesting differential equation model is that of the damped linear oscillator (DLO), which can be used to model variables that have a tendency to…

Fracture Sustainability Pressure, Temperature, Differential Pressure, and Aperture Closure Data

DOE Data Explorer

Tim Kneafsey

2016-09-30

In these data sets, the experiment time, actual date and time, room temperature, sample temperature, upstream and downstream pressures (measured independently), corrected differential pressure (measured independently and corrected for offset and room temperature) indication of aperture closure by linear variable differential transformer are presented. An indication of the sample is in the file name and in the first line of data.

A Review of New Surgical and Endoscopic Therapies for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

PubMed

Ganz, Robert A

2016-07-01

Treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in the United States today is binary, with the majority of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease being treated with antisecre-tory medications and a minority of patients, typically those with volume regurgitation, undergoing Nissen fundoplication. However, there has been increasing dissatisfaction with proton pump inhibitor therapy among a significant number of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease owing to cost, side effects, and refractory symptoms, and there has been a general reluctance to undergo surgical fundoplication due to its attendant side-effect profile. As a result, a therapy gap exists for many patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Alternative techniques are available for these gap patients, including 2 endoscopic fundoplication techniques, an endoscopic radiofrequency energy delivery technique, and 2 minimally invasive surgical procedures. These alternative techniques have been extensively evaluated; however, there are limitations to published studies, including arbitrary definitions of success, variable efficacy measurements, deficient reporting tools, inconsistent study designs, inconsistent lengths of follow-up postintervention, and lack of comparison data across techniques. Although all of the techniques appear to be safe, the endoscopic techniques lack demonstrable reflux control and show variable symptom improvement and variable decreases in proton pump inhibitor use. The surgical techniques are more robust, with evidence for adequate reflux control, symptom improvement, and decreased proton pump inhibitor use; however, these techniques are more difficult to perform and are more intrusive. Additionally, these alternative techniques have only been studied in patients with relatively normal anatomy. The field of gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment is in need of consistent definitions of efficacy, standardized study design and outcome measurements, and improved reporting tools before the role of these techniques can be fully ascertained.

An Avian Basal Ganglia-Forebrain Circuit Contributes Differentially to Syllable Versus Sequence Variability of Adult Bengalese Finch Song

PubMed Central

Hampton, Cara M.; Sakata, Jon T.; Brainard, Michael S.

2009-01-01

Behavioral variability is important for motor skill learning but continues to be present and actively regulated even in well-learned behaviors. In adult songbirds, two types of song variability can persist and are modulated by social context: variability in syllable structure and variability in syllable sequencing. The degree to which the control of both types of adult variability is shared or distinct remains unknown. The output of a basal ganglia-forebrain circuit, LMAN (the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium), has been implicated in song variability. For example, in adult zebra finches, neurons in LMAN actively control the variability of syllable structure. It is unclear, however, whether LMAN contributes to variability in adult syllable sequencing because sequence variability in adult zebra finch song is minimal. In contrast, Bengalese finches retain variability in both syllable structure and syllable sequencing into adulthood. We analyzed the effects of LMAN lesions on the variability of syllable structure and sequencing and on the social modulation of these forms of variability in adult Bengalese finches. We found that lesions of LMAN significantly reduced the variability of syllable structure but not of syllable sequencing. We also found that LMAN lesions eliminated the social modulation of the variability of syllable structure but did not detect significant effects on the modulation of sequence variability. These results show that LMAN contributes differentially to syllable versus sequence variability of adult song and suggest that these forms of variability are regulated by distinct neural pathways. PMID:19357331

Biomechanics of longitudinal arch support mechanisms in foot orthoses and their effect on plantar aponeurosis strain.

PubMed

Kogler, G F; Solomonidis, S E; Paul, J P

1996-07-01

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the longitudinal arch support properties of several types of foot orthosis. DESIGN: An in vitro method that simulated 'static stance' was used to determine arch support capabilities, with plantar aponeurosis strain implemented as the performance measure. BACKGROUND: A longitudinal arch support mechanism of an orthosis resists depression of the foot's arches by transferring a portion of the load to the medial structures of the foot. Since the plantar aponeurosis is in tension when the foot is loaded, a quantifiable decrease in strain should occur with an adequate orthotic arch control mechanism. METHODS: A differential variable reluctance transducer was surgically implanted in the plantar aponeurosis of cadaveric donor limb feet (n = 7). Each specimen was mounted in an electromechanical test machine which applied a load of up to 900 N axially to the tibia. The test schedule was divided into seven test conditions: specimen barefoot; specimen with shoe and specimen with shoe and five different orthoses. RESULTS: The University of California Biomechanics Laboratory Shoe Insert and two other foot orthoses significantly decreased the strain in the plantar aponeurosis compared to the barefoot control and were considered effective arch supports (P < 0.05). The functional foot orthosis, stock orthosis, and test shoe did not effectively reduce plantar aponeurosis strain. Significant variations of time required to achieve the specified load levels were recorded among the test conditions, indicating the relative cushioning properties of the shoe/orthosis systems. CONCLUSIONS: The patterns of plantar aponeurosis strain observed in cadaveric tests suggest that certain types of orthoses are more effective than others in the support of the foot's longitudinal arches. It is suggested that to support the longitudinal arches of the foot effectively the medial surface contours of the orthosis must stabilize the apical bony structure of the foot's arch. RELEVANCE: Reducing tension in the plantar aponeurosis is an important treatment objective for orthotic management of plantar fasciitis. Therefore it is of great clinical interest to know whether the longitudinal arch support mechanism of specific foot orthoses have benefits with respect to the loading of the plantar aponeurosis.

What Strains the Anterior Cruciate Ligament During a Pivot Landing?

PubMed Central

Oh, Youkeun K.; Lipps, David B.; Ashton-Miller, James A.; Wojtys, Edward M.

2015-01-01

Background The relative contributions of an axial tibial torque and frontal plane moment to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) strain during pivot landings are unknown. Hypothesis The peak normalized relative strain in the anteromedial (AM) bundle of the ACL is affected by the direction of the axial tibial torque but not by the direction of the frontal plane moment applied concurrently during a simulated jump landing. Study Design Controlled and descriptive laboratory studies. Methods Fifteen adult male knees with pretensioned knee muscle-tendon unit forces were loaded under a simulated pivot landing test. Compression, flexion moment, internal or external tibial torque, and knee varus or valgus moment were simultaneously applied to the distal tibia while recording the 3D knee loads and tibiofemoral kinematics. The AM-ACL relative strain was measured using a 3-mm differential variable reluctance transducer. The results were analyzed using nonparametric Wilcoxon signed–rank tests. A 3D dynamic biomechanical knee model was developed using ADAMS and validated to help interpret the experimental results. Results The mean (SD) peak AM-ACL relative strain was 192% greater (P <.001) under the internal tibial torque combined with a knee varus or valgus moment (7.0% [3.9%] and 7.0% [4.1%], respectively) than under external tibial torque with the same moments (2.4% [2.5%] and 2.4% [3.2%], respectively). The knee valgus moment augmented the AM-ACL strain due to the slope of the tibial plateau inducing mechanical coupling (ie, internal tibial rotation and knee valgus moment); this augmentation occurred before medial knee joint space opening. Conclusion An internal tibial torque combined with a knee valgus moment is the worst-case ACL loading condition. However, it is the internal tibial torque that primarily causes large ACL strain. Clinical Relevance Limiting the maximum coefficient of friction between the shoe and playing surface should limit the peak internal tibial torque that can be applied to the knee during jump landings, thereby reducing peak ACL strain and the risk for noncontact injury. PMID:22223717

Economic feasibility of converting center pivot irrigation to subsurface drip irrigation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Advancements in irrigation technology have increased water use efficiency. However, producers can be reluctant to convert to a more efficient irrigation system when the initial investment costs are high. This study examines the economic feasibility of replacing low energy precision application (LEPA...

Gestalt Group Dreamwork Demonstrations in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coven, Arnold B.

2004-01-01

The application of Gestalt dreamwork was explored with counselor education students and professors at two Taiwan universities. The literature indicates Asians are reluctant to disclose personal matters or to display emotions. Contrary to expectations, the Taiwanese participants readily enacted roles, were personally open, and expressed intense…

Public Schools and Money

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guthrie, James; Ettema, Elizabeth A.

2012-01-01

Education managers are typically inexperienced in and often reluctant to initiate cost-savings actions. Budget cuts may be poorly targeted, and students, particularly economically disadvantaged students, are swept up in the process as collateral damage. In California and Washington, bad budget cutting has already begun. Governors in these two…

An Author's Storyboard Technique as a Prewriting Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Suzanne L.

1994-01-01

Describes an author's storyboard technique which elementary school students used as a prewriting strategy to roughly sketch out stories on the storyboard frames. Suggests that the technique helps students to plan and organize their stories and helps reluctant writers find the motivation to write. (SR)

Inoculating for smallpox.

PubMed

Greene, Jan

2003-04-01

In California, one hospital decided the time was right to inoculate staff volunteers with the smallpox vaccine. Weighing the same pros and cons--civic responsibility, health risk, cost and reluctance of staff--other hospitals opted out of inoculations, at least for now. What led these organizations to such divergent decisions?

"Board of Curators of the University of Missouri v. Horowitz": Student Due Process Rights and Judicial Deference to Academic Dismissals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brock, Allan D.

1979-01-01

The "Horowitz" case is consistent with the general reluctance of courts to sustain constitutional challenges to decisions by educators in academic matters. Available from Willamette University College of Law, Salem, OR 97301. (Author)

Job Sharing Provides a Useful Alternative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plant, Sheila

1985-01-01

Job sharing is discussed as alternative approach to traditional professional librarian work arrangements and viable solution for: working mothers wanting part-time, career-oriented jobs; end-of-career librarians near retirement; those who desire increased leisure. Employers' reluctance is outlined noting increased expense, salary problems,…

Confidentiality with Minors: The Need for Policy To Promote and Protect.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Carolyn; Isaacs, Madelyn L.

2003-01-01

Investigated school counselors' attitudes toward breaching confidentiality before and after the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. Surveys of demographically similar counselors indicated that the Columbine shootings affected counselors' predictions about their attitudes and behavior regarding confidentiality. Counselors were more reluctant to…

Remedial/Reluctant Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curriculum Review, 1978

1978-01-01

Eight kits or series are reviewed: Headliners I (EMC Corporation); Pacemaker Bestsellers I and II (Fearon-Pitman); Rocket Reading (AIDS); Vistas (Houghton Mifflin); The New Action Unit (Scholastic); Superstars of Soil and Rock (Steck-Vaughn); Super A and Super B (SRA); and Shoptalk: Vocational Reading Skills (Allyn and Bacon). (SJL)

Writing Blocks and Tacit Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boice, Robert

1993-01-01

A review of the literature on writing block looks at two kinds: inability to write in a timely, fluent fashion, and reluctance by academicians to assist others in writing. Obstacles to fluent writing are outlined, four historical trends in treating blocks are discussed, and implications are examined. (MSE)

TESTING, PERFORMANCE VALIDATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL OF FIELD-PORTABLE INSTRUMENTATION

EPA Science Inventory

New technologies for field-portable monitoring instruments often have a long lead time in development and authorization. Some obstacles to the acceptance of these pilot technologies include concern about liabilities, reluctance to take risks on new technologies, and uncertainty a...

Celebrating the Gifts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Douglas V.

2008-01-01

This article describes how learning communities can reach reluctant learners by providing multiple opportunities for recognizing the inner gifts each child possesses and tapping these strengths to foster personal mastery and independence. Using servant leadership and the Circle of Courage as a guiding vision, the staff at Grandfather Academy has…

Noncommutative Differential Geometry of Generalized Weyl Algebras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brzeziński, Tomasz

2016-06-01

Elements of noncommutative differential geometry of Z-graded generalized Weyl algebras A(p;q) over the ring of polynomials in two variables and their zero-degree subalgebras B(p;q), which themselves are generalized Weyl algebras over the ring of polynomials in one variable, are discussed. In particular, three classes of skew derivations of A(p;q) are constructed, and three-dimensional first-order differential calculi induced by these derivations are described. The associated integrals are computed and it is shown that the dimension of the integral space coincides with the order of the defining polynomial p(z). It is proven that the restriction of these first-order differential calculi to the calculi on B(p;q) is isomorphic to the direct sum of degree 2 and degree -2 components of A(p;q). A Dirac operator for B(p;q) is constructed from a (strong) connection with respect to this differential calculus on the (free) spinor bimodule defined as the direct sum of degree 1 and degree -1 components of A(p;q). The real structure of KO-dimension two for this Dirac operator is also described.

Reflecting Solutions of High Order Elliptic Differential Equations in Two Independent Variables Across Analytic Arcs. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carleton, O.

1972-01-01

Consideration is given specifically to sixth order elliptic partial differential equations in two independent real variables x, y such that the coefficients of the highest order terms are real constants. It is assumed that the differential operator has distinct characteristics and that it can be factored as a product of second order operators. By analytically continuing into the complex domain and using the complex characteristic coordinates of the differential equation, it is shown that its solutions, u, may be reflected across analytic arcs on which u satisfies certain analytic boundary conditions. Moreover, a method is given whereby one can determine a region into which the solution is extensible. It is seen that this region of reflection is dependent on the original domain of difinition of the solution, the arc and the coefficients of the highest order terms of the equation and not on any sufficiently small quantities; i.e., the reflection is global in nature. The method employed may be applied to similar differential equations of order 2n.

Application of a methodology for categorizing and differentiating urban soundscapes using acoustical descriptors and semantic-differential attributes.

PubMed

Torija, Antonio J; Ruiz, Diego P; Ramos-Ridao, A F

2013-07-01

A subjective and physical categorization of an ambient sound is the first step to evaluate the soundscape and provides a basis for designing or adapting this ambient sound to match people's expectations. For this reason, the main goal of this work is to develop a categorization and differentiation analysis of soundscapes on the basis of acoustical and perceptual variables. A hierarchical cluster analysis, using 15 semantic-differential attributes and acoustical descriptors to include an equivalent sound-pressure level, maximum-minimum sound-pressure level, impulsiveness of the sound-pressure level, sound-pressure level time course, and spectral composition, was conducted to classify soundscapes into different typologies. This analysis identified 15 different soundscape typologies. Furthermore, based on a discriminant analysis the acoustical descriptors, the crest factor (impulsiveness of the sound-pressure level), and the sound level at 125 Hz were found to be the acoustical variables with the highest impact in the differentiation of the recognized types of soundscapes. Finally, to determine how the different soundscape typologies differed from each other, both subjectively and acoustically, a study was performed.

3D Magnetic field modeling of a new superconducting synchronous machine using reluctance network method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelouaz, Moussa; Ouazir, Youcef; Hadjout, Larbi; Mezani, Smail; Lubin, Thiery; Berger, Kévin; Lévêque, Jean

2018-05-01

In this paper a new superconducting inductor topology intended for synchronous machine is presented. The studied machine has a standard 3-phase armature and a new kind of 2-poles inductor (claw-pole structure) excited by two coaxial superconducting coils. The air-gap spatial variation of the radial flux density is obtained by inserting a superconducting bulk, which deviates the magnetic field due to the coils. The complex geometry of this inductor usually needs 3D finite elements (FEM) for its analysis. However, to avoid a long computational time inherent to 3D FEM, we propose in this work an alternative modeling, which uses a 3D meshed reluctance network. The results obtained with the developed model are compared to 3D FEM computations as well as to measurements carried out on a laboratory prototype. Finally, a 3D FEM study of the shielding properties of the superconducting screen demonstrates the suitability of using a diamagnetic-like model of the superconducting screen.

Accurate modeling of switched reluctance machine based on hybrid trained WNN

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

Song, Shoujun, E-mail: sunnyway@nwpu.edu.cn; Ge, Lefei; Ma, Shaojie

2014-04-15

According to the strong nonlinear electromagnetic characteristics of switched reluctance machine (SRM), a novel accurate modeling method is proposed based on hybrid trained wavelet neural network (WNN) which combines improved genetic algorithm (GA) with gradient descent (GD) method to train the network. In the novel method, WNN is trained by GD method based on the initial weights obtained per improved GA optimization, and the global parallel searching capability of stochastic algorithm and local convergence speed of deterministic algorithm are combined to enhance the training accuracy, stability and speed. Based on the measured electromagnetic characteristics of a 3-phase 12/8-pole SRM, themore » nonlinear simulation model is built by hybrid trained WNN in Matlab. The phase current and mechanical characteristics from simulation under different working conditions meet well with those from experiments, which indicates the accuracy of the model for dynamic and static performance evaluation of SRM and verifies the effectiveness of the proposed modeling method.« less

Interior Permanent Magnet Reluctance Machine with Brushless Field Excitation

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

Wiles, R.H.

2005-10-07

In a conventional permanent magnet (PM) machine, the air-gap flux produced by the PM is fixed. It is difficult to enhance the air-gap flux density due to limitations of the PM in a series-magnetic circuit. However, the air-gap flux density can be weakened by using power electronic field weakening to the limit of demagnetization of the PMs. This paper presents the test results of controlling the PM air-gap flux density through the use of a stationary brushless excitation coil in a reluctance interior permanent magnet with brushless field excitation (RIPM-BFE) motor. Through the use of this technology the air-gap fluxmore » density can be either enhanced or weakened. There is no concern with demagnetizing the PMs during field weakening. The leakage flux of the excitation coil through the PMs is blocked. The prototype motor built on this principle confirms the concept of flux enhancement and weakening through the use of excitation coils.« less

Permanent Magnet Machine And Method With Reluctance Poles For High Strength Undiffused Brushless Operation.

DOEpatents

Hsu, John S [Oak Ridge, TN

2005-12-06

A method and apparatus in which a rotor (11) and a stator (17) define a radial air gap (20) for receiving AC flux and at least one, and preferably two, DC excitation assemblies (23, 24) are positioned at opposite ends of the rotor (20) to define secondary air gaps (21, 22). Portions of PM material (14a, 14b) are provided as boundaries separating the rotor pole portions (12a, 12b) of opposite polarity from other portions of the rotor (11) and from each other to define PM poles (12a, 12b) for conveying the DC flux to or from the primary air gap (20) and for inhibiting flux from leaking from the pole portions prior to reaching the primary air gap (20). The portions of PM material (14a, 14b) are spaced from each other so as to include reluctance poles (15) of ferromagnetic material between the PM poles (12a, 12b) to interact with the AC flux in the primary-air gap (20).

NASA Glenn Research Center Program in High Power Density Motors for Aeropropulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Gerald V.; Kascak, Albert F.; Ebihara, Ben; Johnson, Dexter; Choi, Benjamin; Siebert, Mark; Buccieri, Carl

2005-01-01

Electric drive of transport-sized aircraft propulsors, with electric power generated by fuel cells or turbo-generators, will require electric motors with much higher power density than conventional room-temperature machines. Cryogenic cooling of the motor windings by the liquid hydrogen fuel offers a possible solution, enabling motors with higher power density than turbine engines. Some context on weights of various systems, which is required to assess the problem, is presented. This context includes a survey of turbine engine weights over a considerable size range, a correlation of gear box weights and some examples of conventional and advanced electric motor weights. The NASA Glenn Research Center program for high power density motors is outlined and some technical results to date are presented. These results include current densities of 5,000 A per square centimeter current density achieved in cryogenic coils, finite element predictions compared to measurements of torque production in a switched reluctance motor, and initial tests of a cryogenic switched reluctance motor.

How definition of mental health problems can influence help seeking in rural and remote communities.

PubMed

Fuller, J; Edwards, J; Procter, N; Moss, J

2000-06-01

The present study sought to understand the rural and remote influences on people's identification of, and response to, mental health problems. Twenty-two key informants living in northern and western South Australia were interviewed. They included mental health and generalist health professionals, other human service workers and mental health consumers. Three themes are reported here: reluctance to acknowledge mental health problems and the avoidance of appropriate help; stigma and the avoidance of mental health services; and the influence of rural and remote circumstances. Most informants considered that many mental health problems were amenable to help from generalist workers, with backup support from mental health specialists. Informants thought this intervention to be appropriate because a common view of mental health problems as 'insanity' and a culture of self-reliance created a reluctance to seek help from a mental health specialist. These themes need to be taken into account when designing mental health interventions for rural and remote communities.

'The Problem with Men': Working-class Men Making Sense of Men's Health on Television.

PubMed

Hodgetts, Darrin; Chamberlain, Kerry

2002-05-01

Men have higher rates of premature death than women, and may arguably have higher rates of serious illness. One explanation often suggested to account for this is that men are considered to be stoical about illness and reluctant to seek help for it. This article explores the role of media representations in the construction of men's views about health. We investigate how a small group of lower socio-economic status men make sense of the reluctance to seek help notion through an analysis of texts from three sources: a television health documentary, individual interviews with the men and a focus group discussion in which the men discuss the documentary. The television documentary frames its presentation to promote early detection and help-seeking. We conclude that televised coverage of men's health is an important site of social discourse through which men's health is rendered meaningful. However, it is not accepted passively, but negotiated, resisted and interpreted into men's lives.

The More (Social Group Memberships), the Merrier: Is This the Case for Asians?

PubMed Central

Chang, Melissa X.-L.; Jetten, Jolanda; Cruwys, Tegan; Haslam, Catherine; Praharso, Nurul

2016-01-01

While previous studies have consistently shown that belonging to multiple groups enhances well-being, the current research proposes that for Asians, multiple group memberships (MGM) may confer fewer well-being benefits. We suggest that this is due, in part, to Asian norms about relationships and support seeking, making Asians more reluctant to enlist social support due to concerns about burdening others. Overall, MGM was associated with enhanced well-being in Westerners (Study 2), but not Asians (Studies 1–3). Study 2 showed that social support mediated the relationship between MGM and well-being for Westerners only. In Study 3, among Asians, MGM benefited the well-being of those who were least reluctant to enlist support. Finally, reviewing the MGM evidence-base to date, relative to Westerners, MGM was less beneficial for the well-being of Asians. The evidence underscores the importance of culture in influencing how likely individuals utilize their group memberships as psychological resources. PMID:27462281

Dynamics of the line-start reluctance motor with rotor made of SMC material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smółka, Krzysztof; Gmyrek, Zbigniew

2017-12-01

Design and control of electric motors in such a way as to ensure the expected motor dynamics, are the problems studied for many years. Many researchers tried to solve this problem, for example by the design optimization or by the use of special control algorithms in electronic systems. In the case of low-power and fractional power motors, the manufacture cost of the final product is many times less than cost of electronic system powering them. The authors of this paper attempt to improve the dynamic of 120 W line-start synchronous reluctance motor, energized by 50 Hz mains (without any electronic systems). The authors seek a road enabling improvement of dynamics of the analyzed motor, by changing the shape and material of the rotor, in such a way to minimize the modification cost of the tools necessary for the motor production. After the initial selection, the analysis of four rotors having different tooth shapes, was conducted.

Mechanisms of double stratification and magnetic field in flow of third grade fluid over a slendering stretching surface with variable thermal conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayat, Tasawar; Qayyum, Sajid; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Ahmad, Bashir

2018-03-01

This article addresses the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stagnation point flow of third grade fluid towards a nonlinear stretching sheet. Energy expression is based through involvement of variable thermal conductivity. Heat and mass transfer aspects are described within the frame of double stratification effects. Boundary layer partial differential systems are deduced. Governing systems are then converted into ordinary differential systems by invoking appropriate variables. The transformed expressions are solved through homotopic technique. Impact of embedded variables on velocity, thermal and concentration fields are displayed and argued. Numerical computations are presented to obtain the results of skin friction coefficient and local Nusselt and Sherwood numbers. It is revealed that larger values of magnetic parameter reduces the velocity field while reverse situation is noticed due to wall thickness variable. Temperature field and local Nusselt number are quite reverse for heat generation/absorption parameter. Moreover qualitative behaviors of concentration field and local Sherwood number are similar for solutal stratification parameter.

The Potential for Differential Findings among Invariance Testing Strategies for Multisample Measured Variable Path Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Heather M.; Rutstein, Daisy W.; Hancock, Gregory R.

2009-01-01

Multisample measured variable path analysis is used to test whether causal/structural relations among measured variables differ across populations. Several invariance testing approaches are available for assessing cross-group equality of such relations, but the associated test statistics may vary considerably across methods. This study is a…

Pluripotency, Differentiation, and Reprogramming: A Gene Expression Dynamics Model with Epigenetic Feedback Regulation

PubMed Central

Miyamoto, Tadashi; Furusawa, Chikara; Kaneko, Kunihiko

2015-01-01

Embryonic stem cells exhibit pluripotency: they can differentiate into all types of somatic cells. Pluripotent genes such as Oct4 and Nanog are activated in the pluripotent state, and their expression decreases during cell differentiation. Inversely, expression of differentiation genes such as Gata6 and Gata4 is promoted during differentiation. The gene regulatory network controlling the expression of these genes has been described, and slower-scale epigenetic modifications have been uncovered. Although the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells is normally irreversible, reprogramming of cells can be experimentally manipulated to regain pluripotency via overexpression of certain genes. Despite these experimental advances, the dynamics and mechanisms of differentiation and reprogramming are not yet fully understood. Based on recent experimental findings, we constructed a simple gene regulatory network including pluripotent and differentiation genes, and we demonstrated the existence of pluripotent and differentiated states from the resultant dynamical-systems model. Two differentiation mechanisms, interaction-induced switching from an expression oscillatory state and noise-assisted transition between bistable stationary states, were tested in the model. The former was found to be relevant to the differentiation process. We also introduced variables representing epigenetic modifications, which controlled the threshold for gene expression. By assuming positive feedback between expression levels and the epigenetic variables, we observed differentiation in expression dynamics. Additionally, with numerical reprogramming experiments for differentiated cells, we showed that pluripotency was recovered in cells by imposing overexpression of two pluripotent genes and external factors to control expression of differentiation genes. Interestingly, these factors were consistent with the four Yamanaka factors, Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and Myc, which were necessary for the establishment of induced pluripotent stem cells. These results, based on a gene regulatory network and expression dynamics, contribute to our wider understanding of pluripotency, differentiation, and reprogramming of cells, and they provide a fresh viewpoint on robustness and control during development. PMID:26308610

Live cell imaging reveals marked variability in myoblast proliferation and fate

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background During the process of muscle regeneration, activated stem cells termed satellite cells proliferate, and then differentiate to form new myofibers that restore the injured area. Yet not all satellite cells contribute to muscle repair. Some continue to proliferate, others die, and others become quiescent and are available for regeneration following subsequent injury. The mechanisms that regulate the adoption of different cell fates in a muscle cell precursor population remain unclear. Methods We have used live cell imaging and lineage tracing to study cell fate in the C2 myoblast line. Results Analyzing the behavior of individual myoblasts revealed marked variability in both cell cycle duration and viability, but similarities between cells derived from the same parental lineage. As a consequence, lineage sizes and outcomes differed dramatically, and individual lineages made uneven contributions toward the terminally differentiated population. Thus, the cohort of myoblasts undergoing differentiation at the end of an experiment differed dramatically from the lineages present at the beginning. Treatment with IGF-I increased myoblast number by maintaining viability and by stimulating a fraction of cells to complete one additional cell cycle in differentiation medium, and as a consequence reduced the variability of the terminal population compared with controls. Conclusion Our results reveal that heterogeneity of responses to external cues is an intrinsic property of cultured myoblasts that may be explained in part by parental lineage, and demonstrate the power of live cell imaging for understanding how muscle differentiation is regulated. PMID:23638706

Contemporary and historic factors influence differently genetic differentiation and diversity in a tropical palm

PubMed Central

da Silva Carvalho, C; Ribeiro, M C; Côrtes, M C; Galetti, M; Collevatti, R G

2015-01-01

Population genetics theory predicts loss in genetic variability because of drift and inbreeding in isolated plant populations; however, it has been argued that long-distance pollination and seed dispersal may be able to maintain gene flow, even in highly fragmented landscapes. We tested how historical effective population size, historical migration and contemporary landscape structure, such as forest cover, patch isolation and matrix resistance, affect genetic variability and differentiation of seedlings in a tropical palm (Euterpe edulis) in a human-modified rainforest. We sampled 16 sites within five landscapes in the Brazilian Atlantic forest and assessed genetic variability and differentiation using eight microsatellite loci. Using a model selection approach, none of the covariates explained the variation observed in inbreeding coefficients among populations. The variation in genetic diversity among sites was best explained by historical effective population size. Allelic richness was best explained by historical effective population size and matrix resistance, whereas genetic differentiation was explained by matrix resistance. Coalescence analysis revealed high historical migration between sites within landscapes and constant historical population sizes, showing that the genetic differentiation is most likely due to recent changes caused by habitat loss and fragmentation. Overall, recent landscape changes have a greater influence on among-population genetic variation than historical gene flow process. As immediate restoration actions in landscapes with low forest amount, the development of more permeable matrices to allow the movement of pollinators and seed dispersers may be an effective strategy to maintain microevolutionary processes. PMID:25873150

A Potential Function Derivation of a Constitutive Equation for Inelastic Material Response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stouffer, D. C.; Elfoutouh, N. A.

1983-01-01

Physical and thermodynamic concepts are used to develop a potential function for application to high temperature polycrystalline material response. Inherent in the formulation is a differential relationship between the potential function and constitutive equation in terms of the state variables. Integration of the differential relationship produces a state variable evolution equation that requires specification of the initial value of the state variable and its time derivative. It is shown that the initial loading rate, which is directly related to the initial hardening rate, can significantly influence subsequent material response. This effect is consistent with observed material behavior on the macroscopic and microscopic levels, and may explain the wide scatter in response often found in creep testing.

Is 'subthreshold' bipolar II disorder more difficult to differentiate from borderline personality disorder than formal bipolar II disorder?

PubMed

Bayes, Adam; Graham, Rebecca K; Parker, Gordon B; McCraw, Stacey

2018-06-01

Recent research indicates that borderline personality disorder (BPD) can be diagnostically differentiated from the bipolar disorders. However, no studies have attempted to differentiate participants with sub-threshold bipolar disorder or SubT BP (where hypomanic episodes last less than 4 days) from those with a BPD. In this study, participants were assigned a SubT BP, bipolar II disorder (BP II) or BPD diagnosis based on clinical assessment and DSM-IV criteria. Participants completed self-report measures and undertook a clinical interview which collected socio-demographic information, a mood history, family history, developmental history, treatment information, and assessed cognitive, emotional and behavioural functioning. Both bipolar groups, whether SubT BP or BP II, differed to the BPD group on a number of key variables (i.e. developmental trauma, depression correlates, borderline personality scores, self-harm and suicide attempts), and compared to each other, returned similar scores on nearly all key variables. Borderline risk scores resulted in comparable classification rates of 0.74 (for BPD vs BP II) and 0.82 (for BPD vs sub-threshold BP II). Study findings indicate that both SubT BP and BP II disorder can be differentiated from BPD on a set of refined clinical variables with comparable accuracy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of host response to bacterial infection using error model based gene expression microarray experiments

PubMed Central

Stekel, Dov J.; Sarti, Donatella; Trevino, Victor; Zhang, Lihong; Salmon, Mike; Buckley, Chris D.; Stevens, Mark; Pallen, Mark J.; Penn, Charles; Falciani, Francesco

2005-01-01

A key step in the analysis of microarray data is the selection of genes that are differentially expressed. Ideally, such experiments should be properly replicated in order to infer both technical and biological variability, and the data should be subjected to rigorous hypothesis tests to identify the differentially expressed genes. However, in microarray experiments involving the analysis of very large numbers of biological samples, replication is not always practical. Therefore, there is a need for a method to select differentially expressed genes in a rational way from insufficiently replicated data. In this paper, we describe a simple method that uses bootstrapping to generate an error model from a replicated pilot study that can be used to identify differentially expressed genes in subsequent large-scale studies on the same platform, but in which there may be no replicated arrays. The method builds a stratified error model that includes array-to-array variability, feature-to-feature variability and the dependence of error on signal intensity. We apply this model to the characterization of the host response in a model of bacterial infection of human intestinal epithelial cells. We demonstrate the effectiveness of error model based microarray experiments and propose this as a general strategy for a microarray-based screening of large collections of biological samples. PMID:15800204

Differential Calculus on h-Deformed Spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herlemont, Basile; Ogievetsky, Oleg

2017-10-01

We construct the rings of generalized differential operators on the h-deformed vector space of gl-type. In contrast to the q-deformed vector space, where the ring of differential operators is unique up to an isomorphism, the general ring of h-deformed differential operators {Diff}_{h},σ(n) is labeled by a rational function σ in n variables, satisfying an over-determined system of finite-difference equations. We obtain the general solution of the system and describe some properties of the rings {Diff}_{h},σ(n).

It Might Not Make a Big DIF: Improved Differential Test Functioning Statistics That Account for Sampling Variability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chalmers, R. Philip; Counsell, Alyssa; Flora, David B.

2016-01-01

Differential test functioning, or DTF, occurs when one or more items in a test demonstrate differential item functioning (DIF) and the aggregate of these effects are witnessed at the test level. In many applications, DTF can be more important than DIF when the overall effects of DIF at the test level can be quantified. However, optimal statistical…

Using the Homotopy Method to Find Periodic Solutions of Forced Nonlinear Differential Equations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fay, Temple H.; Lott, P. Aaron

2002-01-01

This paper discusses a result of Li and Shen which proves the existence of a unique periodic solution for the differential equation x[dots above] + kx[dot above] + g(x,t) = [epsilon](t) where k is a constant; g is continuous, continuously differentiable with respect to x , and is periodic of period P in the variable t; [epsilon](t) is continuous…

Variations in the Solution of Linear First-Order Differential Equations. Classroom Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seaman, Brian; Osler, Thomas J.

2004-01-01

A special project which can be given to students of ordinary differential equations is described in detail. Students create new differential equations by changing the dependent variable in the familiar linear first-order equation (dv/dx)+p(x)v=q(x) by means of a substitution v=f(y). The student then creates a table of the new equations and…

Differential sensory fMRI signatures in autism and schizophrenia: Analysis of amplitude and trial-to-trial variability.

PubMed

Haigh, Sarah M; Gupta, Akshat; Barb, Scott M; Glass, Summer A F; Minshew, Nancy J; Dinstein, Ilan; Heeger, David J; Eack, Shaun M; Behrmann, Marlene

2016-08-01

Autism and schizophrenia share multiple phenotypic and genotypic markers, and there is ongoing debate regarding the relationship of these two disorders. To examine whether cortical dynamics are similar across these disorders, we directly compared fMRI responses to visual, somatosensory and auditory stimuli in adults with autism (N=15), with schizophrenia (N=15), and matched controls (N=15). All participants completed a one-back letter detection task presented at fixation (to control attention) while task-irrelevant sensory stimulation was delivered to the different modalities. We focused specifically on the response amplitudes and the variability in sensory fMRI responses of the two groups, given the evidence of greater trial-to-trial variability in adults with autism. Both autism and schizophrenia individuals showed weaker signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) in sensory-evoked responses compared to controls (d>0.42), but for different reasons. For the autism group, the fMRI response amplitudes were indistinguishable from controls but were more variable trial-to-trial (d=0.47). For the schizophrenia group, response amplitudes were smaller compared to autism (d=0.44) and control groups (d=0.74), but were not significantly more variable (d<0.29). These differential group profiles suggest (1) that greater trial-to-trial variability in cortical responses may be specific to autism and is not a defining characteristic of schizophrenia, and (2) that blunted response amplitudes may be characteristic of schizophrenia. The relationship between the amplitude and the variability of cortical activity might serve as a specific signature differentiating these neurodevelopmental disorders. Identifying the neural basis of these responses and their relationship to the underlying genetic bases may substantially enlighten the understanding of both disorders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving multilevel Monte Carlo for stochastic differential equations with application to the Langevin equation

PubMed Central

Müller, Eike H.; Scheichl, Rob; Shardlow, Tony

2015-01-01

This paper applies several well-known tricks from the numerical treatment of deterministic differential equations to improve the efficiency of the multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) method for stochastic differential equations (SDEs) and especially the Langevin equation. We use modified equations analysis as an alternative to strong-approximation theory for the integrator, and we apply this to introduce MLMC for Langevin-type equations with integrators based on operator splitting. We combine this with extrapolation and investigate the use of discrete random variables in place of the Gaussian increments, which is a well-known technique for the weak approximation of SDEs. We show that, for small-noise problems, discrete random variables can lead to an increase in efficiency of almost two orders of magnitude for practical levels of accuracy. PMID:27547075

The variable role of SIRT1 in the maintenance and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Zainabadi, Kayvan

2018-04-01

SIRT1 is an NAD + -dependent deacetylase that acts as a nutrient sensitive regulator of longevity. SIRT1 also acts as a key regulator of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), adult stem cells that give rise to tissues such as bone, fat, muscle and cartilage. This review focuses on how SIRT1 regulates the self-renewal, multipotency and differentiation of MSCs. The variable role of SIRT1 in promoting the differentiation of MSCs towards certain lineages, while repressing others, will be examined within the broader context of aging, calorie restriction, and regenerative medicine. Finally, recent animal and human studies will be highlighted which paint an overall salutary role for SIRT1 in protecting MSCs (and resulting tissues) from age-related atrophy and dysfunction.

Immunohistochemical analysis of human milk fat globulin expression in extramammary Paget's disease.

PubMed

Ohnishi, T; Watanabe, S

2001-03-01

Primary extramammary Paget's disease is thought to be an intraepidermal carcinoma indicating apocrine secretory differentiation. In addition to expression in breast tissue, human milk fat globulin (HMFG) is expressed in the normal apocrine glands and tumours with apocrine differentiation. In this study HMFG expression in extramammary Paget's disease was analysed immunohistochemically in 18 cases of primary extramammary Paget's disease and two cases of secondary extramammary Paget's disease. The proportion and staining pattern of positive tumour cells with the anti-HMFG antibody was variable in each case. Cytoplasmic staining was observed frequently in dermal invasion and metastasis of Paget cells. The variabilities were thought to be due to modulation of the cellular localization of the cell surface component, HMFG, according to changes in cellular differentiation or malignant potency.

Improving multilevel Monte Carlo for stochastic differential equations with application to the Langevin equation.

PubMed

Müller, Eike H; Scheichl, Rob; Shardlow, Tony

2015-04-08

This paper applies several well-known tricks from the numerical treatment of deterministic differential equations to improve the efficiency of the multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) method for stochastic differential equations (SDEs) and especially the Langevin equation. We use modified equations analysis as an alternative to strong-approximation theory for the integrator, and we apply this to introduce MLMC for Langevin-type equations with integrators based on operator splitting. We combine this with extrapolation and investigate the use of discrete random variables in place of the Gaussian increments, which is a well-known technique for the weak approximation of SDEs. We show that, for small-noise problems, discrete random variables can lead to an increase in efficiency of almost two orders of magnitude for practical levels of accuracy.

Methodology for sensitivity analysis, approximate analysis, and design optimization in CFD for multidisciplinary applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Arthur C., III; Hou, Gene W.

1994-01-01

The straightforward automatic-differentiation and the hand-differentiated incremental iterative methods are interwoven to produce a hybrid scheme that captures some of the strengths of each strategy. With this compromise, discrete aerodynamic sensitivity derivatives are calculated with the efficient incremental iterative solution algorithm of the original flow code. Moreover, the principal advantage of automatic differentiation is retained (i.e., all complicated source code for the derivative calculations is constructed quickly with accuracy). The basic equations for second-order sensitivity derivatives are presented; four methods are compared. Each scheme requires that large systems are solved first for the first-order derivatives and, in all but one method, for the first-order adjoint variables. Of these latter three schemes, two require no solutions of large systems thereafter. For the other two for which additional systems are solved, the equations and solution procedures are analogous to those for the first order derivatives. From a practical viewpoint, implementation of the second-order methods is feasible only with software tools such as automatic differentiation, because of the extreme complexity and large number of terms. First- and second-order sensitivities are calculated accurately for two airfoil problems, including a turbulent flow example; both geometric-shape and flow-condition design variables are considered. Several methods are tested; results are compared on the basis of accuracy, computational time, and computer memory. For first-order derivatives, the hybrid incremental iterative scheme obtained with automatic differentiation is competitive with the best hand-differentiated method; for six independent variables, it is at least two to four times faster than central finite differences and requires only 60 percent more memory than the original code; the performance is expected to improve further in the future.

Robust joint score tests in the application of DNA methylation data analysis.

PubMed

Li, Xuan; Fu, Yuejiao; Wang, Xiaogang; Qiu, Weiliang

2018-05-18

Recently differential variability has been showed to be valuable in evaluating the association of DNA methylation to the risks of complex human diseases. The statistical tests based on both differential methylation level and differential variability can be more powerful than those based only on differential methylation level. Anh and Wang (2013) proposed a joint score test (AW) to simultaneously detect for differential methylation and differential variability. However, AW's method seems to be quite conservative and has not been fully compared with existing joint tests. We proposed three improved joint score tests, namely iAW.Lev, iAW.BF, and iAW.TM, and have made extensive comparisons with the joint likelihood ratio test (jointLRT), the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test, and the AW test. Systematic simulation studies showed that: 1) the three improved tests performed better (i.e., having larger power, while keeping nominal Type I error rates) than the other three tests for data with outliers and having different variances between cases and controls; 2) for data from normal distributions, the three improved tests had slightly lower power than jointLRT and AW. The analyses of two Illumina HumanMethylation27 data sets GSE37020 and GSE20080 and one Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC data set GSE107080 demonstrated that three improved tests had higher true validation rates than those from jointLRT, KS, and AW. The three proposed joint score tests are robust against the violation of normality assumption and presence of outlying observations in comparison with other three existing tests. Among the three proposed tests, iAW.BF seems to be the most robust and effective one for all simulated scenarios and also in real data analyses.

Automated cycled sprinkler irrigation for spring frost protection of cranberries

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sprinkler irrigation is essential for preventing spring frost bud damage in cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait). Risk-averse growers have been reluctant to adopt the intermittent cycling of irrigation pumps as a standard management practice. In the spring of 2013 and 2014, an experiment was conduc...

Character Interviews Help Bring Literature to Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swindall, Vickie; Cantrell, R. Jeffrey

1999-01-01

Describes "Character Interviews," a class activity that guides children, especially reluctant readers, to the meaning of a story through a thoughtful understanding of character as they consider a character's emotions and motives, to respond to a question as that character would. Describes the interview process. Offers sample interviews…

The Basic Writer as Reluctant Oralist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villanueva, Victor

By identifying speculations concerning cognitive abilities and cognition's relation to culture, this paper outlines some of the work surrounding basic writers and speaking-writing relationships. Beginning with a discussion of the differences between speaking and writing popularized by Mina Shaughnessy, the paper goes on to examine studies that…

Space Planning: A Basis for Cost Containment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Fred A.; And Others

Decreasing budgets and enrollments, the reluctance of state legislatures to provide funds for higher education facilities, and the rising costs of energy necessitate the development of space ownership management. Three patterns of space planning problems have developed at different colleges: (1) costly, underutilized facilities due to optimistic…

Three Seductive Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kagan, Jerome

Noting that a reluctance to question some assumptions of social and behavior sciences is one reason for the halting progress in these fields, this book examines three potentially misleading ideas and reasons for their continued popularity. Chapter 1 critiques the idea that all behavior is influenced by one's psychological construction of the…

Promoting an Addiction to Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preddy, Leslie B.

2007-01-01

The author has identified three kinds of readers: (1) resistive and struggling; (2) apathetic and reluctant; and (3) effective and motivated. The resistive and struggling reader is often the reader who needs help building reading competency and confidence while creating ample opportunity for practice. These readers often respond to relationships…

Vocation in Theology and Psychology: Conflicting Approaches?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rotman, Marco

2017-01-01

Recent contributions in the fields of psychology, sociology, and theology reveal opposing attitudes about the subject of calling or vocation with regard to one's work. Whereas psychologists have rediscovered the concept, theologians increasingly show reluctance to accept a vocational view of work. In offering an alternative perspective, this…

U.S. Labor Market in 2002: Continued Weakness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMenamin, Terence M.; Krantz, Rachel; Krolik, Thomas J.

2003-01-01

The unemployment rate increased to nearly 6% in 2002. Without a clear sign that the economy had returned to sustainable growth, most employers remained reluctant to hire. Travel-related industries were most affected. Interest-rate sensitive and health-related industries experienced employment gains. (Contains 63 references.) (JOW)

Municipal Administration of Former Jesuit Colleges in France, 1761-1763.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Charles R.

1979-01-01

Describes the secularization of French secondary schools ("colleges") between 1761-63 when the Parlement expelled Jesuits from their schools and disallowed the order's teaching function. Administrative authority was given to local municipalities who struggled to staff and fund the schools. French universities reluctantly assumed…

A CAS Project Ten Years On

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Sue; Pierce, Robyn

2016-01-01

Although research shows that Computer Algebra Systems offer pedagogical opportunities, more than a decade later some teachers are reluctant to change established practices. In 2002, the University of Melbourne in Australia launched a research project to investigate implementation of a senior mathematics course in which students could use a…

The Develoment of Anesthesia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Audrey B.

1982-01-01

Until the eighteenth century, doctors were reluctant to use chemicals to alleviate pain because they accepted the religious/moral beliefs of their day, claiming that pain was beneficial for the body. Traces technical developments in the control of pain, discussing relationships of anesthesia to social, cultural, and scientific factors and…

Taking lentils out of their comfort zone

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lentil is grown in many parts of the world where the photoperiod and temperature prior to flowering differ dramatically. Cultivars from one region struggle to perform well in other regions due to problems related to phenology. This makes breeders reluctant to use un-adapted material in their crosse...

Is There a Hemingway in the House?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Laurel

2004-01-01

Creative warm-up activities help most of the articulate students who hate writing and unblock the most reluctant writers. Some of the warm-up activities for students in elementary grades that help in taking the fright out of writing, or just reduce the initial resistance are described.

Critical Practice and the Public Pedagogy of Environmental and Conservation Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blewitt, John

2011-01-01

This article addresses the reluctance of mainstream corporate and commercial media to critically address major environmental and conservation issues. The resulting public pedagogy largely reproduces the neoliberal ideology informing much conservation practice and discourse. Nonetheless, the media retains an unrealised critical educative potential…

Trustee Quarterly, 1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trustee Quarterly, 1994

1994-01-01

The four issues of "Trustee Quarterly" combined here focus on topics of current concern to community college trustees. The winter 1994 issues offers these feature articles: "Honoring Retiring Presidents," by Terry O'Banion; "Trustees as Reluctant Leaders: The Board/CEO Relationship," Norma Jean Germond, John Keyser, and Vaughn A. Sherman; and…

Tillage and Residue Management Effects on Semi-Arid Mediterranean Soil Quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

No-tillage practices for semi-arid Mediterranean soils can conserve water and increase crop productivity, but producers are reluctant to adopt those practices because of concern regarding potential increases in penetration resistance and bulk density. We hypothesized that knowing more about all aspe...

The Chinese brain drain and policy options.

PubMed

Chang, P; Deng, Z

1992-01-01

The authors discuss the growing problem caused by the increasing reluctance of Chinese receiving higher education overseas to return to China following completion of their studies. They note that the Tiananmen incident of June 1989 exacerbated this problem. The policy options open to the Chinese government are reviewed.

Using Simulation Games to Increase Student and Instructor Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auman, Corinne

2011-01-01

Instructors are often reluctant to alter their current pedagogies in favor of engaged learning alternatives. In this article the author describes the development and implementation of an engaged learning, simulation-based pedagogy designed to increase student and instructor engagement. Student learning was examined across simulation and…

Beyond Identity: The Desirability and Possibility of Policies of Multilingualism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubin, Aviad

2017-01-01

Many contributors to the normative literature on language policy argue that inclusive multilingual regimes are beneficial on several grounds. However, despite the professed advantages of multilingualism, most nation-states have been reluctant to equally recognise minority languages alongside the majority language. This reality raises three…

The Reluctant Learner.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mamchur, Carolyn

Carl Jung labeled people who use sensing or intuition as a preferred function for dealing with their environment as "perceiving" types who prefer to process information, and those whose dominant function is thinking or feeling as "judging" types who prefer to make decisions. The outstanding quality of perceiving types is their…

Who Will Lead? The Top 10 Factors That Influence Teachers Moving into Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Jianping; Cooley, Van

1999-01-01

A survey of educational-administration students revealed 10 factors influencing teachers' reluctance to move into administration: nature of work responsibilities, working conditions, emotional aspects, district location, superintendent reputation, effects on home life, quality of community life, community support, salary/responsibility issues, and…

Student Assistants in Academic Libraries: From Reluctance to Reliance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Emilie C.

1985-01-01

A survey of the literature reveals that reliance upon student library assistants has become traditional in American institutions of higher education. The recent government-sponsored development of hiring policies, training programs, and evaluation procedures for student employees confirms their stability as academic library personnel. Forty-three…

The Retirees Are Coming--Or Are They?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoenfeld, Clay

1993-01-01

Changes in retirement patterns at colleges and universities can be expected because of demographic reasons and because of federal and state legislation uncapping mandatory retirement. Institutional policies that will encourage reluctant older faculty to retire need to address the three fundamental components of successful employee retirement: (1)…

Actively Engaging Middle Level Students with Photo Journals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shankar-Brown, Rajni

2011-01-01

The author describes the implementation of a photo journal project and explains how it positively impacted diverse young adolescents, specifically three reluctant learners. In addition to increasing motivation and engagement in learning, the photo journal project built community in the classroom. This article shares practical ideas for…

Drafted! An Urban Principal's Tale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Deborah S.

2013-01-01

When Deborah Peterson reluctantly accepted the principalship of Roosevelt High School in Portland, Oregon, a high-poverty school no other qualified applicants would touch that her supervisor assigned to her, books for new principals were no help. The books suggested actions like crafting a school vision and developing professional learning…

Editorial Advertising and the First Amendment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meeske, Milan D.

The fast-growing practice of buying paid "editorial advertisements" in the mass media by individuals and citizens groups wishing to express opinions oncontroversial issues, and the media by individuals and citizens groups wishing to express opinions on controversial issues, and the reluctance and refusal of some licensees and publishers…

Reluctant Samurai? Partnering with Japan to Combat Terrorism

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-01

Strategy of the United States of America (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2002), 7. 5 Saunders, 151. 6 Inazo Nitobe , Bushido: The Soul...Officer, March 2002, 38-41. Napoleoni, Loretta. Terror Incorporated. New York: Seven Stories Press, 2005. Nitobe , Inazo . Bushido: The Soul of Japan

The interaction of perceived risk and benefits and the relationship to predicting mammography adherence in African American women.

PubMed

Fair, Alecia Malin; Monahan, Patrick O; Russell, Kathleen; Zhao, Qianqian; Champion, Victoria L

2012-01-01

To test the interaction of perceived risk and benefits and how they impact stage of mammography readiness and adherence. Cross-sectional study. Community gathering centers and healthcare clinics across Indiana. 299 African American women who had not had a mammogram in more than 18 months. In-person interviews were used to collect data on sociodemographics, health belief variables, and stage of readiness to undertake mammography screening. Four categories were created to measure the combined magnitude of high or low levels of perceived risk and benefit, with health belief variables linked to modified mammography screening behavior. Perceived risks and benefits, stage of readiness, and mammography adherence. The lowest rate of mammography adherence was in women with a high perceived risk and low perceived benefit toward mammography adherence (26%). The highest rate of adherence was in women with a high perceived benefit and low perceived risk (46%). Differences in mammography adherence were statistically significant between the groups (p = 0.009). The interaction of high perceived risk and low perceived benefits impacted readiness to undergo screening mammography. Reducing disparities in breast cancer diagnosis and survival requires timely and efficient mammography adherence. African American medically underserved women with high perceived risk and low perceived benefits exhibited a reluctance to move forward with mammography adherence. Interventions are needed to increase the perception of mammography benefit and to subsequently reduce breast cancer mortality rates in that population.

The respiratory system during resuscitation: a review of the history, risk of infection during assisted ventilation, respiratory mechanics, and ventilation strategies for patients with an unprotected airway.

PubMed

Wenzel, V; Idris, A H; Dörges, V; Nolan, J P; Parr, M J; Gabrielli, A; Stallinger, A; Lindner, K H; Baskett, P J

2001-05-01

The fear of acquiring infectious diseases has resulted in reluctance among healthcare professionals and the lay public to perform mouth-to-mouth ventilation. However, the benefit of basic life support for a patient in cardiopulmonary or respiratory arrest greatly outweighs the risk for secondary infection in the rescuer or the patient. The distribution of ventilation volume between lungs and stomach in the unprotected airway depends on patient variables such as lower oesophageal sphincter pressure, airway resistance and respiratory system compliance, and the technique applied while performing basic or advanced airway support, such as head position, inflation flow rate and time, which determine upper airway pressure. The combination of these variables determines gas distribution between the lungs and the oesophagus and subsequently, the stomach. During bag-valve-mask ventilation of patients in respiratory or cardiac arrest with oxygen supplementation (> or = 40% oxygen), a tidal volume of 6-7 ml kg(-1) ( approximately 500 ml) given over 1-2 s until the chest rises is recommended. For bag-valve-mask ventilation with room-air, a tidal volume of 10 ml kg(-1) (700-1000 ml) in an adult given over 2 s until the chest rises clearly is recommended. During mouth-to-mouth ventilation, a breath over 2 s sufficient to make the chest rise clearly (a tidal volume of approximately 10 ml kg(-1) approximately 700-1000 ml in an adult) is recommended.

A general theoretical framework for interpreting patient-reported outcomes estimated from ordinally scaled item responses.

PubMed

Massof, Robert W

2014-10-01

A simple theoretical framework explains patient responses to items in rating scale questionnaires. Fixed latent variables position each patient and each item on the same linear scale. Item responses are governed by a set of fixed category thresholds, one for each ordinal response category. A patient's item responses are magnitude estimates of the difference between the patient variable and the patient's estimate of the item variable, relative to his/her personally defined response category thresholds. Differences between patients in their personal estimates of the item variable and in their personal choices of category thresholds are represented by random variables added to the corresponding fixed variables. Effects of intervention correspond to changes in the patient variable, the patient's response bias, and/or latent item variables for a subset of items. Intervention effects on patients' item responses were simulated by assuming the random variables are normally distributed with a constant scalar covariance matrix. Rasch analysis was used to estimate latent variables from the simulated responses. The simulations demonstrate that changes in the patient variable and changes in response bias produce indistinguishable effects on item responses and manifest as changes only in the estimated patient variable. Changes in a subset of item variables manifest as intervention-specific differential item functioning and as changes in the estimated person variable that equals the average of changes in the item variables. Simulations demonstrate that intervention-specific differential item functioning produces inefficiencies and inaccuracies in computer adaptive testing. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Methodological Choices in Muscle Synergy Analysis Impact Differentiation of Physiological Characteristics Following Stroke

PubMed Central

Banks, Caitlin L.; Pai, Mihir M.; McGuirk, Theresa E.; Fregly, Benjamin J.; Patten, Carolynn

2017-01-01

Muscle synergy analysis (MSA) is a mathematical technique that reduces the dimensionality of electromyographic (EMG) data. Used increasingly in biomechanics research, MSA requires methodological choices at each stage of the analysis. Differences in methodological steps affect the overall outcome, making it difficult to compare results across studies. We applied MSA to EMG data collected from individuals post-stroke identified as either responders (RES) or non-responders (nRES) on the basis of a critical post-treatment increase in walking speed. Importantly, no clinical or functional indicators identified differences between the cohort of RES and nRES at baseline. For this exploratory study, we selected the five highest RES and five lowest nRES available from a larger sample. Our goal was to assess how the methodological choices made before, during, and after MSA affect the ability to differentiate two groups with intrinsic physiologic differences based on MSA results. We investigated 30 variations in MSA methodology to determine which choices allowed differentiation of RES from nRES at baseline. Trial-to-trial variability in time-independent synergy vectors (SVs) and time-varying neural commands (NCs) were measured as a function of: (1) number of synergies computed; (2) EMG normalization method before MSA; (3) whether SVs were held constant across trials or allowed to vary during MSA; and (4) synergy analysis output normalization method after MSA. MSA methodology had a strong effect on our ability to differentiate RES from nRES at baseline. Across all 10 individuals and MSA variations, two synergies were needed to reach an average of 90% variance accounted for (VAF). Based on effect sizes, differences in SV and NC variability between groups were greatest using two synergies with SVs that varied from trial-to-trial. Differences in SV variability were clearest using unit magnitude per trial EMG normalization, while NC variability was less sensitive to EMG normalization method. No outcomes were greatly impacted by output normalization method. MSA variability for some, but not all, methods successfully differentiated intrinsic physiological differences inaccessible to traditional clinical or biomechanical assessments. Our results were sensitive to methodological choices, highlighting the need for disclosure of all aspects of MSA methodology in future studies. PMID:28912707

Methodological Choices in Muscle Synergy Analysis Impact Differentiation of Physiological Characteristics Following Stroke.

PubMed

Banks, Caitlin L; Pai, Mihir M; McGuirk, Theresa E; Fregly, Benjamin J; Patten, Carolynn

2017-01-01

Muscle synergy analysis (MSA) is a mathematical technique that reduces the dimensionality of electromyographic (EMG) data. Used increasingly in biomechanics research, MSA requires methodological choices at each stage of the analysis. Differences in methodological steps affect the overall outcome, making it difficult to compare results across studies. We applied MSA to EMG data collected from individuals post-stroke identified as either responders (RES) or non-responders (nRES) on the basis of a critical post-treatment increase in walking speed. Importantly, no clinical or functional indicators identified differences between the cohort of RES and nRES at baseline. For this exploratory study, we selected the five highest RES and five lowest nRES available from a larger sample. Our goal was to assess how the methodological choices made before, during, and after MSA affect the ability to differentiate two groups with intrinsic physiologic differences based on MSA results. We investigated 30 variations in MSA methodology to determine which choices allowed differentiation of RES from nRES at baseline. Trial-to-trial variability in time-independent synergy vectors (SVs) and time-varying neural commands (NCs) were measured as a function of: (1) number of synergies computed; (2) EMG normalization method before MSA; (3) whether SVs were held constant across trials or allowed to vary during MSA; and (4) synergy analysis output normalization method after MSA. MSA methodology had a strong effect on our ability to differentiate RES from nRES at baseline. Across all 10 individuals and MSA variations, two synergies were needed to reach an average of 90% variance accounted for (VAF). Based on effect sizes, differences in SV and NC variability between groups were greatest using two synergies with SVs that varied from trial-to-trial. Differences in SV variability were clearest using unit magnitude per trial EMG normalization, while NC variability was less sensitive to EMG normalization method. No outcomes were greatly impacted by output normalization method. MSA variability for some, but not all, methods successfully differentiated intrinsic physiological differences inaccessible to traditional clinical or biomechanical assessments. Our results were sensitive to methodological choices, highlighting the need for disclosure of all aspects of MSA methodology in future studies.

[Matrimonial radius and anthropologic differentiation of the population of the Peloponnese, Greece].

PubMed

Pitsios, T K

1983-09-01

Mean matrimonial radius (MMR) and mean breeding radius (MBR) were studied in the population of the Peloponnese (Greece). The historical and geographical causes of these important genetical variables are discussed considering, too, their effects on the anthropological differentiation of this population.

Variational differential equations for engineering type trajectories close to a planet with an atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickmanns, E. D.

1972-01-01

The differential equations for the adjoint variables are derived and coded in FORTRAN. The program is written in a form to either take into account or neglect thrust, aerodynamic forces, planet rotation and oblateness, and altitude dependent winds.

The contribution of smoking to socioeconomic differentials in mortality: results from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, Australia

PubMed Central

Siahpush, Mohammad; English, Dallas; Powles, John

2006-01-01

Objective To assess the contribution of smoking to the inverse association of mortality with years of formal education in men in Australia. Design Data were obtained from a prospective cohort study that included 17 049 men in Melbourne recruited from 1990 to 1994, most of whom were aged between 40 and 69 years at baseline. The outcome measured was all‐cause mortality. The contribution of smoking to socioeconomic status differentials was estimated by including smoking as a variable in a Cox's proportional hazards model that also included education and other potential confounding variables. Results In men, the association between education and mortality was attenuated after adjustment for smoking, and the aetiological fraction for low levels of education was reduced from 16.5% to 10.6%. Conclusions In men, smoking contributes substantially to socioeconomic differentials in mortality. Effective policies and interventions that target smoking among socially disadvantaged groups may substantially reduce socioeconomic differentials in health. PMID:17108305

An Evaluation of the Effects of Variable Sampling on Component, Image, and Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velicer, Wayne F.; Fava, Joseph L.

1987-01-01

Principal component analysis, image component analysis, and maximum likelihood factor analysis were compared to assess the effects of variable sampling. Results with respect to degree of saturation and average number of variables per factor were clear and dramatic. Differential effects on boundary cases and nonconvergence problems were also found.…

Variability of human pluripotent stem cell lines.

PubMed

Ortmann, Daniel; Vallier, Ludovic

2017-10-01

Human pluripotent stem cells derived from embryos (human Embryonic Stem Cells or hESCs) or generated by direct reprogramming of somatic cells (human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells or hiPSCs) can proliferate almost indefinitely in vitro while maintaining the capacity to differentiate into a broad diversity of cell types. These two properties (self-renewal and pluripotency) confers human pluripotent stem cells a unique interest for clinical applications since they could allow the production of infinite quantities of cells for disease modelling, drug screening and cell based therapy. However, recent studies have clearly established that human pluripotent stem cell lines can display variable capacity to differentiate into specific lineages. Consequently, the development of universal protocols of differentiation which could work efficiently with any human pluripotent cell line is complicated substantially. As a consequence, each protocol needs to be adapted to every cell line thereby limiting large scale applications and precluding personalised therapies. Here, we summarise our knowledge concerning the origin of this variability and describe potential solutions currently available to bypass this major challenge. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence of at least two evolutionary lineages in Melipona subnitida (Apidae, Meliponini) suggested by mtDNA variability and geometric morphometrics of forewings.

PubMed

Bonatti, Vanessa; Simões, Zilá Luz Paulino; Franco, Fernando Faria; Francoy, Tiago Mauricio

2014-01-01

Melipona subnitida, a tropical stingless bee, is an endemic species of the Brazilian northeast and exhibits great potential for honey and pollen production in addition to its role as one of the main pollinators of the Caatinga biome. To understand the genetic structure and better assist in the conservation of this species, we characterized the population variability of M. subnitida using geometric morphometrics of the forewing and cytochrome c oxidase I gene fragment sequencing. We collected workers from six localities in the northernmost distribution. Both methodologies indicated that the variability among the sampled populations is related both to the environment in which samples were collected and the geographical distance between the sampling sites, indicating that differentiation among the populations is due to the existence of at least evolutionary lineages. Molecular clock data suggest that this differentiation may have begun in the middle Pleistocene, approximately 396 kya. The conservation of all evolutionary lineages is important since they can present differential resistance to environmental changes, as resistance to drought and diseases.

Evidence of at least two evolutionary lineages in Melipona subnitida (Apidae, Meliponini) suggested by mtDNA variability and geometric morphometrics of forewings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonatti, Vanessa; Simões, Zilá Luz Paulino; Franco, Fernando Faria; Francoy, Tiago Mauricio

2014-01-01

Melipona subnitida, a tropical stingless bee, is an endemic species of the Brazilian northeast and exhibits great potential for honey and pollen production in addition to its role as one of the main pollinators of the Caatinga biome. To understand the genetic structure and better assist in the conservation of this species, we characterized the population variability of M. subnitida using geometric morphometrics of the forewing and cytochrome c oxidase I gene fragment sequencing. We collected workers from six localities in the northernmost distribution. Both methodologies indicated that the variability among the sampled populations is related both to the environment in which samples were collected and the geographical distance between the sampling sites, indicating that differentiation among the populations is due to the existence of at least evolutionary lineages. Molecular clock data suggest that this differentiation may have begun in the middle Pleistocene, approximately 396 kya. The conservation of all evolutionary lineages is important since they can present differential resistance to environmental changes, as resistance to drought and diseases.

Parallel arrangements of positive feedback loops limit cell-to-cell variability in differentiation.

PubMed

Dey, Anupam; Barik, Debashis

2017-01-01

Cellular differentiations are often regulated by bistable switches resulting from specific arrangements of multiple positive feedback loops (PFL) fused to one another. Although bistability generates digital responses at the cellular level, stochasticity in chemical reactions causes population heterogeneity in terms of its differentiated states. We hypothesized that the specific arrangements of PFLs may have evolved to minimize the cellular heterogeneity in differentiation. In order to test this we investigated variability in cellular differentiation controlled either by parallel or serial arrangements of multiple PFLs having similar average properties under extrinsic and intrinsic noises. We find that motifs with PFLs fused in parallel to one another around a central regulator are less susceptible to noise as compared to the motifs with PFLs arranged serially. Our calculations suggest that the increased resistance to noise in parallel motifs originate from the less sensitivity of bifurcation points to the extrinsic noise. Whereas estimation of mean residence times indicate that stable branches of bifurcations are robust to intrinsic noise in parallel motifs as compared to serial motifs. Model conclusions are consistent both in AND- and OR-gate input signal configurations and also with two different modeling strategies. Our investigations provide some insight into recent findings that differentiation of preadipocyte to mature adipocyte is controlled by network of parallel PFLs.

Differential flatness properties and multivariable adaptive control of ovarian system dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigatos, Gerasimos

2016-12-01

The ovarian system exhibits nonlinear dynamics which is modeled by a set of coupled nonlinear differential equations. The paper proposes adaptive fuzzy control based on differential flatness theory for the complex dynamics of the ovarian system. It is proven that the dynamic model of the ovarian system, having as state variables the LH and the FSH hormones and their derivatives, is a differentially flat one. This means that all its state variables and its control inputs can be described as differential functions of the flat output. By exploiting differential flatness properties the system's dynamic model is written in the multivariable linear canonical (Brunovsky) form, for which the design of a state feedback controller becomes possible. After this transformation, the new control inputs of the system contain unknown nonlinear parts, which are identified with the use of neurofuzzy approximators. The learning procedure for these estimators is determined by the requirement the first derivative of the closed-loop's Lyapunov function to be a negative one. Moreover, Lyapunov stability analysis shows that H-infinity tracking performance is succeeded for the feedback control loop and this assures improved robustness to the aforementioned model uncertainty as well as to external perturbations. The efficiency of the proposed adaptive fuzzy control scheme is confirmed through simulation experiments.

Black English and Reluctant Judges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazer, Nathan

1981-01-01

Discusses "Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School Children, et al. v Ann Arbor School District Board," a court decision requiring that teachers be instructed in the role and significance of Black English. Argues that the issues of educational achievement and Black English do not constitute a matter for the courts. (GC)

Emotion, Confidence, Perception and Expectation Case of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogan, Hamide

2012-01-01

Students' concerns about mathematics can significantly affect their ability to learn the subject. In particular, their anxieties and attitudes can greatly affect how they perceive their own mathematical competence, and in return, this may make them reluctant to pursue mathematical studies. Many researchers believe in the role of active learning…

Addressing Reticence: The Challenge of Engaging Reluctant Adult ESL Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Steven J.; Henrichsen, Lynn E.

2015-01-01

Reticence frequently prevents adult ESL learners from learning as much as they otherwise might. The nature of second-language learning requires frequent performance that may challenge students' self-concepts, leading to reticence and self-consciousness. To reduce or prevent this problem, teachers must employ appropriate pedagogical and classroom…

Joining the Video-Game Literacy Club: A Reluctant Mother Tries to Join the "Flow"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norton-Meier, Lori

2005-01-01

The author discusses the influence of video games and other technologies on modern family life, drawing on her own experiences. The implications of digital and other "new" and multiple literacies are described, with reference particularly to the work of Patrick Shannon and James Paul Gee.

Reaching Reluctant Students: Insights from Torey Hayden.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marlowe, Mike

1999-01-01

Illustrates principles of reaching students who fight or avoid adults by using examples drawn from the writings of Torey Hayden. Presents ten concepts that can serve as guidelines for building relationships with resistant children, and gives excerpts from Hayden's works to illustrate each concept. Demonstrates how books provide teachers with…

Sharing Ideas: Tough Times Encourage Colleges to Collaborate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fain, Paul; Blumenstyk, Goldie; Sander, Libby

2009-01-01

Tough times are encouraging colleges to share resources in a variety of areas, including campus security, research, and degree programs. Despite its veneer of cooperation, higher education is a competitive industry, where resource sharing is eyed warily. But the recession is chipping away at that reluctance, and institutions are pursuing…

A Middle School Dilemma: Dealing with "I Don't Care"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Foster

2006-01-01

This article addresses the difficulty of engaging middle school students who don't seem to care about learning. Several classroom vignettes illustrate practical, classroom-based dilemmas generated from a university classroom management course. Three positive engagement principles are proposed to address the challenge of the reluctant learner: get…

Cultivating Student Learning across Faith Lines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Marion; Shady, Sara

2013-01-01

Educators face the important challenge of preparing students to live constructively in a religiously diverse world. At some institutions, a reluctance to allow issues of faith into the classroom creates an obstacle to cultivating the skills students need to understand, process, and engage a religiously pluralistic society. At faith-based…

A Bluff-Bidding Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meister, J. Patrick

2011-01-01

Consider an auction in which one potential buyer wishes to participate, but the other potential buyer would rather the bidding not start. However, once bidding starts, the reluctant firm participates (submits "bluff bids") simply to make the eventual winner pay more. This incentive exists when the marginal effect of the winning bid is to increase…

Uneasy Translations: Taking Theories of Supervision into Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Barbara M.

2009-01-01

Graduate supervision is a puzzling pedagogy requiring a thoughtful response from its practitioners. In this article, I reflect upon teaching theories of supervision produced through my own research with the aim of galvanizing the imaginations and practices of supervisors. I address a curious reluctance to introduce those theories that require…

Making Molecular Movies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Walter

2015-01-01

One of the most difficult challenges of incorporating literacy in the classroom--as called for by the "Common Core State Standards" (NGAC and CCSSO 2010)--is inspiring reluctant writers. Students are often unmotivated by essay assignments or having to write answers to open-ended questions. Some students may even view these as obstacles…

Multiculturalism, Religion, and Disability: Implications for Special Education Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanks, A. Brooke; Smith, J. David

2009-01-01

Religious beliefs permeate many aspects of culture. Often, however, educators are reluctant to discuss religious beliefs when working with children with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families. Ignoring the salience of religious teachings about the nature and meaning of disabilities as they relate to both individuals and…

Spanish Renditions of Well-Known Stories and Novels.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schon, Isabel

2000-01-01

Argues that recent translations of works into Spanish are a great way to engage Spanish-speaking adolescents in the reading process. Offers brief descriptions of 16 such books that offer appeal for reluctant readers, accessible adventures, books about trendy subjects of interest to adolescents, and engrossing renditions of classics by world…

Women and the Psychology of Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uehling, Barbara S.

Attitudes of others toward women in management and the attitudes of women managers themselves are discussed. Research concludes: (1) Employers may be reluctant to place women in managerial positions, but internal constraints on women such as lack of motivation, fear of success or possession of personality characteristics incompatible with the…

Spelling across the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Elaine D.

There are many reasons for teachers' reluctance to address the issue of spelling content area vocabulary words; however, content vocabulary word spelling need not be ignored because of time constraints, boredom, or lack of knowledge on the teacher's part any longer. A method which can be utilized is an adaption of "Scratch, Scribble and…

Proposal for Professional Development Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajuan, Maureen

This paper discusses the reluctance of Israeli inservice teachers to assume the role of mentor to student teachers in their classrooms, proposing an alternative Professional Development School (PDS) model as a starting point for rethinking ways to recruit teachers into this role. In this model, two student teachers assume full responsibility for 1…

Video Games to Reading: Reaching out to Reluctant Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jolley, Kristie

2008-01-01

Junior high school teacher Kristie Jolley believes students become more willing and motivated to practice reading strategies when they are "comfortable within their realm of literacy." Background knowledge of video games helps students succeed in understanding and enjoying game-based texts, which she incorporates into her classroom library as…

Adoption of Internet2 in a Southwestern University: Human Resources Concerns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendoza-Diaz, Noemi V.; Dooley, Larry M.; Dooley, Kim E.

2007-01-01

Human Resources are often times challenged by the integration of new technologies (Benson, Johnson, & Kichinke, 2002). Universities pose a unique challenge since they reluctantly adapt to changes (Torraco & Hoover, 2005; Watkins 2005). This is a dissertation study of the human resource concerns about adopting Internet2 in a…

When are native species inappropriate for conservation planting?

Treesearch

Amy C. Ganguli; David M. Engle; Paul M. Mayer; Samuel D. Fuhlendorf

2008-01-01

Conservation agencies and organizations are generally reluctant to encourage the use of invasive plant species in conservation programs. Harsh lessons learned in the past have resulted in tougher screening protocols for nonin digenous species introductions and removal of many nonindigenous invaders from planting programs worldwide. Although the focus of screening and...

Judicial Review: Issues of State Court Involvement in School Finance Litigation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colwell, William Bradley

1998-01-01

Due to state legislatures' reluctance to initiate school-funding reform, judicial bodies are asked to provide relief from alleged inequities. Before providing judicial review, the judiciary must decide whether an issue is justiciable (does not violate separation of powers) and warrants court intervention. Children's education has not substantially…

The Northern Territories: Case Study in Japanese-Soviet Relations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-01

types ( watermelons and tomatoes) due to the relatively warm climatic conditions. Pigs, sheep, and horses populate most all settlements, and dairy...reluctantly accepted these restrictions because of its depend- ence on fish as its primary source of protein , but in doing so has given de facto recognition to

Campus Police/Media Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullendore, Philip

California state statutes and a series of court cases have required campus security and police departments to release information about incidents occurring on campus to the media and the general public. Despite the law and case decisions, recent studies reveal campus police and security officials are still reluctant to release information to the…

Does the dye Aquashade reduce pond production of sunshine bass fingerlings?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rooted macrophytes make harvesting fingerling sunshine bass Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis difficult because they tangle in the seines and increase fish stress. Aquashade(c), a dye, is used to reduce macrophyte growth. Fingerling culturists are reluctant to use it because it may reduce phytoplank...

Food for Thought: Expanding School Breakfast to NJ Students. [Updated

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Advocates for Children of New Jersey, 2014

2014-01-01

Often, school districts are reluctant to adopt innovative approaches to serving children breakfast in school because of logistical concerns that are easily overcome. Districts that adopt these more innovative approaches report significant increases in participation rates and improvement in student behavior and performance. This report provides…

Breaking through to Reluctant Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Bill

2006-01-01

With 70 percent of its student body entering school reading below grade level, Blackstone Academy Charter School realized that teachers needed to make literacy a pillar of the school's culture. This 9-12 urban high school administers a reading evaluation developed by the Northwest Evaluation Association each fall and spring to all incoming…

Reduction in Force: A Legal Update.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckham, Joseph C.

Courts have been reluctant to interfere with the decision-making authority of local school boards. However, a reduction-in-force (RIF) decision can be legally challenged by a discharged employee with evidence that the school board has either: (1) acted arbitrarily or capriciously, (2) failed to comply with procedural mandates, or (3) utilized…

The Reluctant Hegemon Counterdrug Efforts in Colombia

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-04-01

officers, General Fernando Perez and General Rito Alejo .22 On 2 May 99, government talks with the FARC resumed, and Pastrana and Marulanda met again...those who want war and those who want peace… It is a fight between generations.”24 FARC leaders are willing to negotiate, according to Alejo

Nontraditional Texts and the Struggling/Reluctant Reader

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fingon, Joan C.

2012-01-01

This article highlights the Wimpy Kid diary book series by Jeff Kenney and discusses how educators can increase their knowledge base and take advantage of integrating such highly visual and nontraditional texts within the reading and language arts curriculum to enhance students' vocabulary development and reading comprehension. The article…

Reading and Talking about Books: A Critical Foundation for Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wozniak, Cheryl L.

2011-01-01

Reluctant and struggling readers, many of whom are boys, are placed in reading intervention classes; however, often the environmental conditions of these intervention classrooms are not conducive for fostering a student's love for reading. This article describes Cambourne's optimal conditions for literacy learning and the results from implementing…

Factors of Students' Intercultural Competence Development in the Context of Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malazonia, David; Maglakelidze, Shorena; Chiabrishvili, Nino; Gakheladze, Giorgi

2017-01-01

Research aims to define the impact of diverse cultural factors on formation of students' intercultural competences. Study revealed following negative tendencies: students have insufficient knowledge about different cultures, in fact, they do not have any experience of communicating with other cultural representatives, and they are reluctant to…

Evaluation of a Computer Assisted Instruction Resource in Nursing Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herriot, Anne M.; Bishop, Jacki A.; Kelly, Mary; Murphy, Margaret; Truby, Helen

2003-01-01

Nine second-year and six final-year nursing students completed a questionnaire and participated in focus groups about STEP-DIET, a computer-based dietetics instructional tool. Students liked the design and content, perceived increased nutritional knowledge and understanding of dietitians' role. However, they were reluctant to accept…

Cultural Awareness of Minority Groups: Some Implications for School-Community Interaction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Jerry

Interaction between minority groups and local schools can be improved through increased cultural awareness by schools. School districts' responsiveness to the dominant social influences of the local community, coupled with minorities' reluctance to participate in school affairs, has helped deprive minority children of exposure to the unique…

Tewa Children Who Have Epilepsy: A Health Care Dilemma.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeBruyn, Lemyra M.

1990-01-01

Examines attitudes and responses toward epilepsy among families of 31 epileptic Tewa children, utilization of modern health care services, and parent reluctance to discuss traditional beliefs and healing practices. Discusses models of chronic illness behavior and the inadequacies of Indian Health Service treatment of epileptic children. Contains…

Curanderos and Mental Health Professionals: A Comparative Study on Perceptions of Psychopathology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arenas, Silverio; And Others

1980-01-01

Compared to mental health professionals, curanderos were more reluctant to label psychiatric or folk-medical disorders in hypothetical case histories as "mental illness." They perceived people as less seriously ill and less dangerous to others or to themselves. Curanderos perceived the disorders, their causes, and appropriate treatments…

Hi/Lo Supplements: Middle Grades to High School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curriculum Review, 1980

1980-01-01

Reviews seven entertaining story collections which aim to keep readers reading rather than doing exercises. With reading levels well below interest levels, these stories lure reluctant readers with such topics as the outdoors, mystery, and science fiction. Two series, one with accompanying filmstrips, retell literary classics for below-grade…

Romancing the Crop Tree

Treesearch

Allan E. Houston; Edward R. Buckner; James S. Meadows

1995-01-01

Foresters and landowners alike desire alternatives to traditional silvicultural techniques. For example, many landowners arc unwilling to clearcut their forest. They want economic return, but not at the expense of removing the entire forest. Yet, in the South, most knowledgeable foresters are reluctant to recommend selection cutting because it too readily drifts...

Employers Often Distrust Online Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnevale, Dan

2007-01-01

This article explains why employers are reluctant to accept potential employees with online degrees. The results of several surveys of those who evaluate potential employees and make hiring decisions indicate a bias against online degrees, even as more and more colleges are offering programs online. To those officials, the words "online…

Predicting the Probability for Faculty Adopting an Audience Response System in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Tan Fung Ivan; Borja, Marianne; Welch, Brett; Batiuk, Mary Ellen

2016-01-01

Instructional technologies can be effective tools to foster student engagement, but university faculty may be reluctant to integrate innovative and evidence-based modern learning technologies into instruction. Based on Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory, this quantitative, nonexperimental, one-shot cross-sectional survey determined what…

Social Work Education and Avoidable Ignorance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gambrill, Eileen

2014-01-01

The quality of professional education affects the quality of services offered to clients. Examples of avoidable ignorance that dilute the quality of education social workers receive are suggested, indicating that we have not been honest and energetic brokers of knowledge and ignorance. Related reasons are suggested, including a reluctance to take…

Technology Adoption in Higher Education: Overcoming Anxiety through Faculty Bootcamp

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Terri; Wisniewski, Mary Ann; Kuhlemeyer, Greg; Isaacs, Gerald; Krzykowski, Jamie

2012-01-01

The reluctance to design and teach online courses in higher education is often attributed to technology anxiety in faculty. This article documents a faculty development model that has successfully helped faculty overcome this obstacle. "Bootcamps," faculty development programs held at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI, were specifically and…

Examining Students' Reluctance to Use Graphs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyke, Frances Van; White, Alexander

2004-01-01

An evaluation designed to test basic graphical-thinking skills to students entering calculus or applied calculus at American University was given to use the assessment to discover the underlying causes for student's inability to use graphs effectively. The study indicates that graphical representation is not emphasized properly in the curriculum…

Don't Give Up! Practical Strategies for Challenging Collaborations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cramer, Sharon; Stivers, Jan

2007-01-01

People faced with collaboration challenges are often reluctant to be honest about problems because in many schools collaboration is a norm. But whereas most special educators are intuitively skilled at working with others, "problematic professional encounters are inevitable barriers that will appear occasionally in the life of every special…

On Widening Participation in Higher Education through Positive Discrimination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayton, Matthew

2012-01-01

Notwithstanding an ongoing concern about the low representation of certain groups in higher education, there is reluctance on the part of politicians and policy makers to adopt positive discrimination as an appropriate means of widening participation. This article offers an account of the different objections to positive discrimination and,…

The Oral History Curriculum Issue: A Step toward Quality Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Jerry

Sixty-five students in an undergraduate reading class wrote narratives on literacy life experiences from oral history tapes collected from interviews. Students interviewed middle and high school-level reluctant readers. In classroom workshops, the college students brainstormed about how to conduct the interviews and write the narratives. In later…

Measuring Urban Teachers' Beliefs about African American Students: A Psychometric Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Natesan, Prathiba; Kieftenbeld, Vincent

2013-01-01

Understanding urban teachers' beliefs about African American students has become important because (a) many teachers are reluctant to teach students from other cultures, and (b) most teachers are European American. To construct a psychometrically sound measure of teacher beliefs, the authors investigate the measurement properties of a teacher…

Collaboration Is the Key: Artists, Museums, and Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallos, Melina

2012-01-01

Often considered places of solemn contemplation, quiet inspiration and personal reflection, art museums seem among the most reluctant to embrace early childhood audiences. Melina Mallos discusses action research at the Queensland Art Gallery [vertical bar] Gallery of Modern Art, Australia, as a means of gaining new insight into children's learning…

76 FR 77038 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-09

... currently disincentivize aggressive displayed quoting by permitting pegging e-Quotes to eliminate the... to display aggressive prices, a participant may be reluctant to enter such displayed interest if a... interest. Accordingly, the proposal is designed to incentivize and reward aggressive displayed quoting by...

Evaluation and Treatment of Genital Injuries in Combat Warriors (Artiss Symposium 2012)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-02

patient and for the physician. Patients can be reluctant to discuss erectile dysfunction because of embarrassment, shame or ignorance about normal sexual...memory, breast discomfort or enlargement, loss of male body hair, muscle wasting and increased body fat . At WRNMMC patients with genital injury

Nudging Academic Science into the Public Sphere

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Rebecca

2007-01-01

Researchers can be reluctant to work with fellow academics outside their disciplines or to engage the public in their research. Some will even hesitate to work with departmental colleagues or their own students if they perceive a disciplinary gap. Many of today's pressing social concerns, however, demand interdisciplinary solutions and benefit…

Motivation Gets You Going and Habit Gets You There

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Twembeke, Ellen; Goeman, Katie

2018-01-01

Background: Educational changes often face resistance as lecturers tend to stand by familiar methods of instruction. This reluctance presents a challenge for programme coordinators who wish to introduce other methods, such as flipped classrooms, and seek to motivate lecturers to embrace educational change. Research into lecturers' motivational…

Managing Disruptive Behaviour in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deering, Catherine

2011-01-01

Both faculty and students at many colleges and universities report numerous incidents of disruptive and uncivil behaviour. However, studies show that faculty are often reluctant to confront these situations, or they feel ill-equipped to intervene. If the behaviour escalates, a disproportionate amount of time and effort can be spent trying to…

The Unrelenting Challenge of Young Black Male Unemployment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Linda

2013-01-01

Today, young black men in many low income communities are finding themselves virtually locked out of employment opportunity. The confluence of poor schooling, low education attainment, lack of early work experience or career exposure, over-zealous arrests and incarceration, and employer reluctance to hire have rendered a substantial segment of…

The Heart of Educational Restructuring: Dealing with Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norum, Karen; Lowry, May

School restructuring can be frightening for teachers, administrators, and even students as they give up familiar roles and are introduced to new paradigms. Educators affected by restructuring efforts often feel out of place, are reluctant to change, and anxious about the unknown. This paper describes approaches for helping school community members…

Building Leadership Skills with Evaluation Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutton, Dawn

2009-01-01

The career of educational administrator does not lend itself well to allowing new principals to practice their skills. Because of the element of responsibility for administrators, most principals are reluctant to relinquish power to interns in fear of their failure. As a result, educational leadership programs struggle to find appropriate methods…

Liability Insurance in California Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento.

In the mid-1970s, an increased number of high-cost liability lawsuits combined with other financial difficulties insurance companies were experiencing to cause drastic increases in insurance rates for schools and a reluctance on the part of insurance carriers to provide liability coverage. Questionnaires returned by county and district school…

Another Kind of Scientist Activism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marino, Lori

2009-01-01

In a well-cited 1996 editorial in "Science," "The Activist Scientist," Jaleh Daie calls for scientists to take an assertive role in educating politicians and the public about the importance of government support for research. She writes that most scientists are reluctant to become involved in political lobbying for a variety of reasons--time…

Orchids in the Bathroom: Reflections on Relocation Stress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, William R.

2001-01-01

Discusses the stress factors involved in moving overseas to teach, or in returning home after an overseas assignment. Includes warning signs of relocation stress, such as becoming fearful of new situations, being reluctant to talk about the move, and finding excessive fault with new people or places. (Contains 15 references.) (NB)

Child Abuse and Neglect in American Indians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischler, Ronald S.

Child abuse and neglect among American Indians is a political as well as a clinical problem, as the victims belong to one cultural group and health professionls who detect maltreatment generally belong to another. Reluctance to diagnose and report child abuse, although universal, is probably more significant in Indian communities for several…

Games and Strategies for Teaching Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starr, John W.; Brown, Don

1975-01-01

The selected activities in this bulletin are divided into three categories: games and strategies for primary grades, those for intermediate grades, and activities for the slow or reluctant learner. Among the activities and games contained in the first part are those which deal with: reading readiness; visual and auditory discrimination; concept…

Understanding and Reducing Faculty Reluctance to Improve Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCrickerd, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Many believe college instructors resist new teaching practices. In this article, the author develops a hypothesis to understand resistant faculty members, focusing on their likely educational experiences and on insights from psychology. Using Dweck's conception of self-theories and Fischer's conception of dynamic skill-theory, she defends the…

After the Identification of Incompetence: Then What?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Miles T.

Many factors make it difficult to identify a teacher formally as incompetent and to act on that identification once it is made. These factors include time constraints, bureaucratic requirements, and reluctance to face emotional stress. Once a poor teacher is identified, efforts are rarely made to help the teacher improve. Unsatisfactory…

OD Technology for the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blake, Robert R.; Mouton, Jane Srygley

1979-01-01

The authors state that organizational development (OD) consultants are reluctant to rely upon instruments because this would diminish their sense of usefulness. They discuss 15 OD issues and conclude that OD instruments must be based on sound principles of behavior and sequenced in a planned way in order to implement organizational change and…

Congressional Testimony on School Violence: Early Childhood, Youth and Families Subcommittee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poland, Scott

1998-01-01

School violence has been linked to youth not recognizing the finality of death, extreme violence portrayed in the media, availability of guns, student reluctance to "tell," and lack of curriculum that teaches children anger management and problem-solving skills. Recommendations include making prevention programs a priority and…

Trends in Instructional Technology and Distance Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abromitis, Jacky

This paper discusses trends in instructional technology and distance education (ITDE). The most notable trends are the lack of funding and resources for technology training, the lack of administrative support for ITDE issues, and faculty who are reluctant to adopt technology and distance learning. This paper identifies seven emerging trends as…

Overcoming Graduate Students' Negative Perceptions of Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lalayants, Marina

2012-01-01

Although there has been some attention in the literature to such issues as students' attitudes toward statistics, instructors are still constantly faced with the challenge to engage students; understand their perceptions, motivations, and interests; and deal with their reluctance and negative attitudes toward the field of statistics. The purpose…

Obtaining Public Records: Reporter Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammond, Betsy

2013-01-01

Obtaining public records is essential to covering public education. Fortunately, the law is on the side of reporters: Public agencies generally must disclose their records to the public and to the media--with important exceptions. Public agencies are often reluctant to hand over records, however, even when the law clearly says they should.…

Designing Learning for Evidence-Based Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pappas, Marjorie L.

2008-01-01

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has placed a significant focus on standards. Understandably, classroom teachers are focused on effectively covering their content area standards and are often reluctant to add information literacy skills to their lessons because they see no direct connection to the state achievement tests. However, a close…