Apollo experience report: The AN/ARD-17 direction finding system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chase, W. R.; Middleton, W. A.

1975-01-01

This report contains a statement of the operational philosophy and requirements leading to the development of the AN/ARD-17 direction-finding system. The technical problems encountered and the solutions devised in the AN/ARD-17 development are discussed. An evaluation of the system under actual operational conditions is included.

Hidden Agendas in Marriage: Affective and Longitudinal Dimensions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krokoff, Lowell J.

1990-01-01

Examines how couples' discussions of troublesome problems reveal hidden agendas (issues not directly discussed or explored). Finds disgust and contempt are at the core of both love and respect agendas for husbands and wives. Finds that wives' more than husbands' hidden agendas are directly predictive of how negatively they argue at home. (SR)

2-D Acousto-Optic Signal Processors for Simultaneous Spectrum Analysis and Direction Finding

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-11-01

National Dfense Defence nationale 2-D ACOUSTO - OPTIC SIGNAL PROCESSORS FOR SIMULTANEOUS SPECTRUM ANALYSIS 00 AND DIRECTION FINDING (U) by NM Jim P.Y...Wr pdft .1w I0~1111191 3 05089 National DIfense Defence nationale 2-D ACOUSTO - OPTIC SIGNAL PROCESSORS FOR SIMULTANEOUS SPECTRUM ANALYSIS AND DIRECTION...Processing, J.T. Tippet et al., Eds., Chapter 38, pp. 715-748, MIT Press, Cambridge 1965. [6] A.E. Spezio," Acousto - optics for Electronic Warfare

Direct and contextual effects of individual values on organizational citizenship behavior in teams.

PubMed

Arthaud-Day, Marne L; Rode, Joseph C; Turnley, William H

2012-07-01

The authors use Schwartz's values theory as an integrative framework for testing the relationship between individual values and peer-reported organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in teams, controlling for sex, satisfaction, and personality traits. Using hierarchical linear modeling in a sample of 582 students distributed across 135 class project teams, the authors find positive, direct effects for achievement on citizenship behaviors directed toward individuals (OCB-I), for benevolence on citizenship behaviors directed toward the group (OCB-O), and for self-direction on both OCB-I and OCB-O. Applying relational demography techniques to test for contextual effects, the authors find that group mean power scores negatively moderate the relationship between individual power and OCB-I, whereas group mean self-direction scores positively moderate the relationship between self-direction and both OCB-I and OCB-O. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

A Comparison of Direction Finding Results From an FFT Peak Identification Technique With Those From the Music Algorithm

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-07-01

MUSIC ALGORITHM (U) by L.E. Montbrland go I July 1991 CRC REPORT NO. 1438 Ottawa I* Government of Canada Gouvsrnweient du Canada I o DParunnt of...FINDING RESULTS FROM AN FFT PEAK IDENTIFICATION TECHNIQUE WITH THOSE FROM THE MUSIC ALGORITHM (U) by L.E. Montbhrand CRC REPORT NO. 1438 July 1991...Ottawa A Comparison of Direction Finding Results From an FFT Peak Identification Technique With Those From the Music Algorithm L.E. Montbriand Abstract A

The mutual causality analysis between the stock and futures markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Can-Zhong; Lin, Qing-Wen

2017-07-01

In this paper we employ the conditional Granger causality model to estimate the information flow, and find that the improved model outperforms the Granger causality model in revealing the asymmetric correlation between stocks and futures in the Chinese market. First, we find that information flows estimated by Granger causality tests from futures to stocks are greater than those from stocks to futures. Additionally, average correlation coefficients capture some important characteristics between stock prices and information flows over time. Further, we find that direct information flows estimated by conditional Granger causality tests from stocks to futures are greater than those from futures to stocks. Besides, the substantial increases of information flows and direct information flows exhibit a certain degree of synchronism with the occurrences of important events. Finally, the comparative analysis with the asymmetric ratio and the bootstrap technique demonstrates the slight asymmetry of information flows and the significant asymmetry of direct information flows. It reveals that the information flows from futures to stocks are slightly greater than those in the reverse direction, while the direct information flows from stocks to futures are significantly greater than those in the reverse direction.

Visual orientation performances of desert ants (Cataglyphis bicolor) toward astromenotactic directions and horizon landmarks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wehner, R.

1972-01-01

Experimental data, on the visual orientation of desert ants toward astromenotactic courses and horizon landmarks involving the cooperation of different direction finding systems, are given. Attempts were made to: (1) determine if the ants choose a compromise direction between astromenotactic angles and the direction toward horizon landmarks when both angles compete with each other or whether they decide alternatively; (2) analyze adaptations of the visual system to the special demands of direction finding by astromenotactic orientation or pattern recognition; and (3) determine parameters of visual learning behavior. Results show separate orientation mechanisms are responsible for the orientation of the ant toward astromenotactic angles and horizon landmarks. If both systems compete with each other, the ants switch over from one system to the other and do not perform a compromise direction.

Breakdown of interdependent directed networks.

PubMed

Liu, Xueming; Stanley, H Eugene; Gao, Jianxi

2016-02-02

Increasing evidence shows that real-world systems interact with one another via dependency connectivities. Failing connectivities are the mechanism behind the breakdown of interacting complex systems, e.g., blackouts caused by the interdependence of power grids and communication networks. Previous research analyzing the robustness of interdependent networks has been limited to undirected networks. However, most real-world networks are directed, their in-degrees and out-degrees may be correlated, and they are often coupled to one another as interdependent directed networks. To understand the breakdown and robustness of interdependent directed networks, we develop a theoretical framework based on generating functions and percolation theory. We find that for interdependent Erdős-Rényi networks the directionality within each network increases their vulnerability and exhibits hybrid phase transitions. We also find that the percolation behavior of interdependent directed scale-free networks with and without degree correlations is so complex that two criteria are needed to quantify and compare their robustness: the percolation threshold and the integrated size of the giant component during an entire attack process. Interestingly, we find that the in-degree and out-degree correlations in each network layer increase the robustness of interdependent degree heterogeneous networks that most real networks are, but decrease the robustness of interdependent networks with homogeneous degree distribution and with strong coupling strengths. Moreover, by applying our theoretical analysis to real interdependent international trade networks, we find that the robustness of these real-world systems increases with the in-degree and out-degree correlations, confirming our theoretical analysis.

An Analysis and Evaluation of Research in Cognition and Learning among Older Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wass, Hannelore; Olejnik, Stephen F.

The research literature on aging was reviewed to determine findings with direct implications for educational programs for older persons and findings with no direct application but that raise further research questions. The focus was on cognition and learning in later life, predominantly on work published during the past two decades in major…

Complementary mechanisms create direction selectivity in the fly

PubMed Central

Haag, Juergen; Arenz, Alexander; Serbe, Etienne; Gabbiani, Fabrizio; Borst, Alexander

2016-01-01

How neurons become sensitive to the direction of visual motion represents a classic example of neural computation. Two alternative mechanisms have been discussed in the literature so far: preferred direction enhancement, by which responses are amplified when stimuli move along the preferred direction of the cell, and null direction suppression, where one signal inhibits the response to the subsequent one when stimuli move along the opposite, i.e. null direction. Along the processing chain in the Drosophila optic lobe, directional responses first appear in T4 and T5 cells. Visually stimulating sequences of individual columns in the optic lobe with a telescope while recording from single T4 neurons, we find both mechanisms at work implemented in different sub-regions of the receptive field. This finding explains the high degree of directional selectivity found already in the fly’s primary motion-sensing neurons and marks an important step in our understanding of elementary motion detection. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17421.001 PMID:27502554

47 CFR 80.289 - Requirements for radio direction finder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Requirements for radio direction finder. 80.289 Section 80.289 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO... Requirements for radio direction finder. (a) The radio direction finding apparatus must: (1) Be capable of...

Principal Cluster Axes: A Projection Pursuit Index for the Preservation of Cluster Structures in the Presence of Data Reduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinley, Douglas; Brusco, Michael J.; Henson, Robert

2012-01-01

A measure of "clusterability" serves as the basis of a new methodology designed to preserve cluster structure in a reduced dimensional space. Similar to principal component analysis, which finds the direction of maximal variance in multivariate space, principal cluster axes find the direction of maximum clusterability in multivariate space.…

Biomimetic, Self-Healing Nanocomposites for Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morse, Daniel E.

2003-01-01

This final report contains a summary of significant findings, and bibliographies of publications and patents resulting from the research. The findings are grouped as follows: A) Lustrin-Mimetic Self-Healing Polymer Networks; B) Nanostructure-Directing Catalysis of Synthesis of Electronically and Optoelectronically Active Metallo-oxanes and Organometallics; C) New Discovery that Molecular Stencils Control Directional Growth to Form Light-Weight Mineral Foams.

Sixteen-Month-Old Infants' Segment Words from Infant- and Adult-Directed Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mani, Nivedita; Pätzold, Wiebke

2016-01-01

One of the first challenges facing the young language learner is the task of segmenting words from a natural language speech stream, without prior knowledge of how these words sound. Studies with younger children find that children find it easier to segment words from fluent speech when the words are presented in infant-directed speech, i.e., the…

Impact of Implementation of Direct Cash Transfer Program 2008/2009 on Household Consumption in Central Java Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subanti, S.; Hakim, A. R.; Hakim, I. M.

2017-04-01

This study aims to see the impact of direct cash transfer program for 2008/2009 on household consumption of food, nonfood, education, and health in Central Java Province. The study is expected to provide important findings for the improvement of a similar program in the future. This study findings that (1) the increasing in food and non-food consumption for direct cash transfer recipients than non direct cash transfer recipients; (2) the impact of households expenditure on education for direct cash transfer recipients is higher than non direct cash transfer recipients; (3) the impact of households expenditure on health for direct cash transfer recipients is lower than non direct cash transfer recipients. This study recommended that (1) implementation of direct cash transfer program 2008/2009 must be managed to be better because this program can defend household welfare. It shows from several indicators of well-being such as consumption spending, education, and health; (2) data targets for poor households (very poor, poor, nearly poor) must be updated.

Search efficiency of biased migration towards stationary or moving targets in heterogeneously structured environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azimzade, Youness; Mashaghi, Alireza

2017-12-01

Efficient search acts as a strong selective force in biological systems ranging from cellular populations to predator-prey systems. The search processes commonly involve finding a stationary or mobile target within a heterogeneously structured environment where obstacles limit migration. An open generic question is whether random or directionally biased motions or a combination of both provide an optimal search efficiency and how that depends on the motility and density of targets and obstacles. To address this question, we develop a simple model that involves a random walker searching for its targets in a heterogeneous medium of bond percolation square lattice and used mean first passage time (〈T 〉 ) as an indication of average search time. Our analysis reveals a dual effect of directional bias on the minimum value of 〈T 〉 . For a homogeneous medium, directionality always decreases 〈T 〉 and a pure directional migration (a ballistic motion) serves as the optimized strategy, while for a heterogeneous environment, we find that the optimized strategy involves a combination of directed and random migrations. The relative contribution of these modes is determined by the density of obstacles and motility of targets. Existence of randomness and motility of targets add to the efficiency of search. Our study reveals generic and simple rules that govern search efficiency. Our findings might find application in a number of areas including immunology, cell biology, ecology, and robotics.

Finding Direction in the Search for Selection.

PubMed

Thiltgen, Grant; Dos Reis, Mario; Goldstein, Richard A

2017-01-01

Tests for positive selection have mostly been developed to look for diversifying selection where change away from the current amino acid is often favorable. However, in many cases we are interested in directional selection where there is a shift toward specific amino acids, resulting in increased fitness in the species. Recently, a few methods have been developed to detect and characterize directional selection on a molecular level. Using the results of evolutionary simulations as well as HIV drug resistance data as models of directional selection, we compare two such methods with each other, as well as against a standard method for detecting diversifying selection. We find that the method to detect diversifying selection also detects directional selection under certain conditions. One method developed for detecting directional selection is powerful and accurate for a wide range of conditions, while the other can generate an excessive number of false positives.

47 CFR 73.158 - Directional antenna monitoring points.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Directional antenna monitoring points. 73.158... RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES AM Broadcast Stations § 73.158 Directional antenna monitoring points. (a) When a licensee of a station using a directional antenna system finds that a field monitoring point, as...

47 CFR 73.158 - Directional antenna monitoring points.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Directional antenna monitoring points. 73.158... RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES AM Broadcast Stations § 73.158 Directional antenna monitoring points. (a) When a licensee of a station using a directional antenna system finds that a field monitoring point, as...

47 CFR 73.158 - Directional antenna monitoring points.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Directional antenna monitoring points. 73.158... RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES AM Broadcast Stations § 73.158 Directional antenna monitoring points. (a) When a licensee of a station using a directional antenna system finds that a field monitoring point, as...

47 CFR 73.158 - Directional antenna monitoring points.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Directional antenna monitoring points. 73.158... RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES AM Broadcast Stations § 73.158 Directional antenna monitoring points. (a) When a licensee of a station using a directional antenna system finds that a field monitoring point, as...

47 CFR 73.158 - Directional antenna monitoring points.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Directional antenna monitoring points. 73.158... RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES AM Broadcast Stations § 73.158 Directional antenna monitoring points. (a) When a licensee of a station using a directional antenna system finds that a field monitoring point, as...

I know what you did: The effects of interpersonal deviance on bystanders.

PubMed

Ferguson, Merideth; Barry, Bruce

2011-01-01

Using social information processing theory, we explore how interpersonally directed deviance affects work group members who observe or are aware of these insidious behaviors. In a field study, we find that indirect knowledge of work group member interpersonal deviance leads to subsequent interpersonal deviance of a focal individual. We also find that when work group cohesion is high, direct observation of deviance is more likely to result in subsequent bystander deviance. These findings add concretely to theory and research on the bystander effects of workplace deviance.

Interferometric direction finding with a metamaterial detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatesh, Suresh; Shrekenhamer, David; Xu, Wangren; Sonkusale, Sameer; Padilla, Willie; Schurig, David

2013-12-01

We present measurements and analysis demonstrating useful direction finding of sources in the S band (2-4 GHz) using a metamaterial detector. An augmented metamaterial absorber that supports magnitude and phase measurement of the incident electric field, within each unit cell, is described. The metamaterial is implemented in a commercial printed circuit board process with off-board back-end electronics. We also discuss on-board back-end implementation strategies. Direction finding performance is analyzed for the fabricated metamaterial detector using simulated data and the standard algorithm, MUtiple SIgnal Classification. The performance of this complete system is characterized by its angular resolution as a function of radiation density at the detector. Sources with power outputs typical of mobile communication devices can be resolved at kilometer distances with sub-degree resolution and high frame rates.

Spatial cues serving the tactile directional sensibility of the human forearm.

PubMed Central

Norrsell, U; Olausson, H

1994-01-01

1. Tactile directional sensibility is considered to rely on the parallel processing of direction-contingent sensory data that depend on skin stretching caused by friction, and spatial cues that vary with time. A temperature-controlled airstream stimulus that prevented the activation of stretch receptors was used to investigate directional sensibility for the skin of the forearm. 2. The dependence on contact load and distance of movement was determined for normal subjects with a two-alternative forced-choice method. Testing was performed under two conditions, elbow bent or straight. Bracing the skin by straightening the arm did not alter the accuracy of the directional sensibility, in contrast to previous findings with stimuli that caused friction. 3. The accuracy of directional sensibility was correlated linearly to the logarithm of the distance of movement of the air jet. No correlation was found between accuracy and contact load, unlike findings with stimuli that cause friction. 4. Measurements were made with different subjects to determine the threshold distance at constant load. On average, subjects were able to distinguish direction with movements of < or = 8 mm. This acuity is sharper than has been reported with static stimuli. There was no correlation between subjects' threshold distances for judging direction and spatial acuity measured with absolute point localization. 5. The ability to distinguish direction was poor for the airstream stimulus compared with stimuli causing frictional contact with hairy skin. Nevertheless, the present findings are consistent with the suggestion that cutaneous spatial acuity is better for dynamic than for static stimuli. Images Figure 1 PMID:7965863

Economic growth, CO2 emissions, renewable waste and FDI relation in Pakistan: New evidences from 3SLS.

PubMed

Bakhsh, Khuda; Rose, Sobia; Ali, Muhammad Faisal; Ahmad, Najid; Shahbaz, Muhammad

2017-07-01

First attempt has been made to find the effects of foreign direct investment on environmental pollution and economic growth, in addition to finding the determinants of foreign direct investment inflows in Pakistan using the annual data set for the period of 1980-2014. Simultaneous equation model has been used to find relation between the variables of concern. Results from technique and composition effects show that increase in economic growth leads towards more pollution emissions. Scale effect shows stock of capital and labor have positive effect on the economic growth of Pakistan while pollution has negative effect on growth. In case of capital accumulation effect, economic growth and foreign direct investment have positive and significant effect on stock of capital. Although increase in economic growth increases pollution, however, economic growth declines as pollution crosses a certain limit. Foreign direct investment is also found positively related with pollution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cue generation and memory construction in direct and generative autobiographical memory retrieval.

PubMed

Harris, Celia B; O'Connor, Akira R; Sutton, John

2015-05-01

Theories of autobiographical memory emphasise effortful, generative search processes in memory retrieval. However recent research suggests that memories are often retrieved directly, without effortful search. We investigated whether direct and generative retrieval differed in the characteristics of memories recalled, or only in terms of retrieval latency. Participants recalled autobiographical memories in response to cue words. For each memory, they reported whether it was retrieved directly or generatively, rated its visuo-spatial perspective, and judged its accompanying recollective experience. Our results indicated that direct retrieval was commonly reported and was faster than generative retrieval, replicating recent findings. The characteristics of directly retrieved memories differed from generatively retrieved memories: directly retrieved memories had higher field perspective ratings and lower observer perspective ratings. However, retrieval mode did not influence recollective experience. We discuss our findings in terms of cue generation and content construction, and the implication for reconstructive models of autobiographical memory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct simulation of phase delay effects on induced-charge electro-osmosis under large ac electric fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugioka, Hideyuki

2016-08-01

The standard theory of induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) often overpredicts experimental values of ICEO velocities. Using a nonsteady direct multiphysics simulation technique based on the coupled Poisson-Nernst-Planck and Stokes equations for an electrolyte around a conductive cylinder subject to an ac electric field, we find that a phase delay effect concerning an ion response provides a fundamental mechanism for electrokinetic suppression. A surprising aspect of our findings is that the phase delay effect occurs even at much lower frequencies (e.g., 50 Hz) than the generally believed charging frequency of an electric double layer (typically, 1 kHz) and it can decrease the electrokinetic velocities in one to several orders. In addition, we find that the phase delay effect may also cause a change in the electrokinetic flow directions (i.e., flow reversal) depending on the geometrical conditions. We believe that our findings move toward a more complete understanding of complex experimental nonlinear electrokinetic phenomena.

Effects of Directed Written Disclosure on Grief and Distress Symptoms among Bereaved Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichtenthal, Wendy G.; Cruess, Dean G.

2010-01-01

Bereavement-specific written disclosure trials have generally demonstrated null effects, but these studies have not directed the focus of writing. This randomized controlled trial compared directed writing that focused on either sense-making or benefit-finding, both associated with adjustment to loss, to traditional, non-directed emotional…

42 CFR 1004.60 - QIO finding of a violation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION QIO Responsibilities § 1004.60 QIO finding of a violation. (a) On the..., no one at the QIO who is a participant in such a finding may be in direct economic competition with...

A Proposed Direction Finding and Polarization Sensing Scheme.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-03-01

on ’:i J -v nor any ’.o tion 4-u rn s e c, c. in a ,y x ay su-.plie soi a. cdl nir ino g cvsci f icati o-c, in ar"r’. mnner C o the >o d r c ,,,o-,r...SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 19. KEY WORDS (Continue on reverse aide iI necessary and identify by block number) Direction-findingi t Polarization-sensing Small...antenna array 20. ABS CT (Continue on reverse aide If necesaery and identify by block number) This report proposes and demonstrates a direction finding

First and subsequent return stroke properties of cloud-to-ground lightning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Namasivayam, S.; Lundquist, Stig

1991-01-01

Lightning properties obtained by a network of magnetic direction finders and by electric field measurements for distances from 50 to 500 km are compared for three summer thunderstorms in Sweden. The data from direct field recordings indicate 31, 17, and 26 pcts. of negative subsequent return strokes with peak current (as inferred from the peak electric field) higher than the first. Electric fields from first strokes are compared with normalized amplitudes registered by the magnetic direction finding system. The efficiency of detection by the magnetic direction finding system is discussed in terms of the percentage of lightning flashes observed by electric field measurements that are not localized. Statistics of the number of strokes per flash and the interstroke time intervals are presented.

Optimizing Environmental Monitoring Networks with Direction-Dependent Distance Thresholds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudak, Paul F.

1993-01-01

In the direction-dependent approach to location modeling developed herein, the distance within which a point of demand can find service from a facility depends on direction of measurement. The utility of the approach is illustrated through an application to groundwater remediation. (Author/MDH)

Study on the shipboard radar reconnaissance equipment azimuth benchmark method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhenxing; Jiang, Ning; Ma, Qian; Liu, Songtao; Wang, Longtao

2015-10-01

The future naval battle will take place in a complex electromagnetic environment. Therefore, seizing the electromagnetic superiority has become the major actions of the navy. Radar reconnaissance equipment is an important part of the system to obtain and master battlefield electromagnetic radiation source information. Azimuth measurement function is one of the main function radar reconnaissance equipments. Whether the accuracy of direction finding meets the requirements, determines the vessels successful or not active jamming, passive jamming, guided missile attack and other combat missions, having a direct bearing on the vessels combat capabilities . How to test the performance of radar reconnaissance equipment, while affecting the task as little as possible is a problem. This paper, based on radar signal simulator and GPS positioning equipment, researches and experiments on one new method, which povides the azimuth benchmark required by the direction-finding precision test anytime anywhere, for the ships at jetty to test radar reconnaissance equipment performance in direction-finding. It provides a powerful means for the naval radar reconnaissance equipments daily maintenance and repair work[1].

Work-family enrichment and job performance: a constructive replication of affective events theory.

PubMed

Carlson, Dawn; Kacmar, K Michele; Zivnuska, Suzanne; Ferguson, Merideth; Whitten, Dwayne

2011-07-01

Based on affective events theory (AET), we hypothesize a four-step model of the mediating mechanisms of positive mood and job satisfaction in the relationship between work-family enrichment and job performance. We test this model for both directions of enrichment (work-to-family and family-to-work). We used two samples to test the model using structural equation modeling. Results from Study 1, which included 240 full-time employees, were replicated in Study 2, which included 189 matched subordinate-supervisor dyads. For the work-to-family direction, results from both samples support our conceptual model and indicate mediation of the enrichment-performance relationship for the work-to-family direction of enrichment. For the family-to-work direction, results from the first sample support our conceptual model but results from the second sample do not. Our findings help elucidate mixed findings in the enrichment and job performance literatures and contribute to an understanding of the mechanisms linking these concepts. We conclude with a discussion of the practical and theoretical implications of our findings.

10 CFR 2.712 - Proposed findings and conclusions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Proposed findings and conclusions. 2.712 Section 2.712... ORDERS Rules for Formal Adjudications § 2.712 Proposed findings and conclusions. (a) Any party to a proceeding may, or if directed by the presiding officer shall, file proposed findings of fact and conclusions...

Intelligence/Electronic Warfare (IEW) direction-finding and fix estimation analysis report. Volume 2: Trailblazer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, Robert; Gillis, James W.; Griesel, Ann; Pardo, Bruce

1985-01-01

An analysis of the direction finding (DF) and fix estimation algorithms in TRAILBLAZER is presented. The TRAILBLAZER software analyzed is old and not currently used in the field. However, the algorithms analyzed are used in other current IEW systems. The underlying algorithm assumptions (including unmodeled errors) are examined along with their appropriateness for TRAILBLAZER. Coding and documentation problems are then discussed. A detailed error budget is presented.

Cerebrospinal fluid leakage in intracranial hypotension syndrome: usefulness of indirect findings in radionuclide cisternography for detection and treatment monitoring.

PubMed

Morioka, Tomoaki; Aoki, Takatoshi; Tomoda, Yoshinori; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Kakeda, Shingo; Takeshita, Iwao; Ohno, Masato; Korogi, Yukunori

2008-03-01

To evaluate indirect findings of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage on radionuclide cisternography and their changes after treatment. This study was approved by the hospital's institutional review board and informed consent was obtained before each examination. A total of 67 patients who were clinically suspected of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) syndrome underwent radionuclide cisternography, and 27 patients who had direct findings of CSF leakage on radionuclide cisternography were selected for this evaluation. They were 16 males and 11 females, aged between 26 and 58 years. Sequential images of radionuclide cisternography were acquired at 1, 3, 5, and 24 hours after injection. We assessed the presence or absence of 4 indirect findings; early visualization of bladder activity, no visualization of activity over the brain convexities, rapid disappearance of spinal activity, and abnormal visualization of the root sleeves. Changes of the direct and indirect findings after treatment were also evaluated in 14 patients who underwent epidural blood patch treatment. Early visualization of bladder activity was found in all 27 patients. Seven of 27 (25.9%) patients showed no activity over the brain convexities. Rapid disappearance of spinal activity and abnormal root sleeve visualization were present in 2 (7.4%) and 5 (18.5%) patients, respectively. After epidural blood patch, both direct CSF leakage findings and indirect findings of early visualization of bladder activity had disappeared or improved in 12 of 14 patients (85.7%). The other indirect findings also disappeared after treatment in all cases. Indirect findings of radionuclide cisternography, especially early visualization of bladder activity, may be useful in the diagnosis and posttreatment follow-up of CSF leakage.

Developing Self-Directed Executive Functioning: Recent Findings and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Jane E.; Munakata, Yuko

2015-01-01

How do children become increasingly self-directed across development, achieving their goals without help from others? How might such developments be impacted by societal changes in how children spend their time? Children's abilities to achieve their goals are supported by developing executive functions (EFs), cognitive processes that predict…

Diagnostic accuracy and use of nonmydriatic ocular fundus photography by emergency physicians: phase II of the FOTO-ED study.

PubMed

Bruce, Beau B; Thulasi, Praneetha; Fraser, Clare L; Keadey, Matthew T; Ward, Antoinette; Heilpern, Katherine L; Wright, David W; Newman, Nancy J; Biousse, Valérie

2013-07-01

During the first phase of the Fundus Photography vs Ophthalmoscopy Trial Outcomes in the Emergency Department study, 13% (44/350; 95% confidence interval [CI] 9% to 17%) of patients had an ocular fundus finding, such as papilledema, relevant to their emergency department (ED) management found by nonmydriatic ocular fundus photography reviewed by neuro-ophthalmologists. All of these findings were missed by emergency physicians, who examined only 14% of enrolled patients by direct ophthalmoscopy. In the present study, we evaluate the sensitivity of nonmydriatic ocular fundus photography, an alternative to direct ophthalmoscopy, for relevant findings when photographs are made available for use by emergency physicians during routine clinical care. Three hundred fifty-four patients presenting to our ED with headache, focal neurologic deficit, visual change, or diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 120 mm Hg had nonmydriatic fundus photography obtained (Kowa nonmydriatic α-D). Photographs were placed on the electronic medical record for emergency physician review. Identification of relevant findings on photographs by emergency physicians was compared with a reference standard of neuro-ophthalmologist review. Emergency physicians reviewed photographs of 239 patients (68%). Thirty-five patients (10%; 95% CI 7% to 13%) had relevant findings identified by neuro-ophthalmologist review (6 disc edema, 6 grade III/IV hypertensive retinopathy, 7 isolated hemorrhages, 15 optic disc pallor, and 1 retinal vascular occlusion). Emergency physicians identified 16 of 35 relevant findings (sensitivity 46%; 95% CI 29% to 63%) and also identified 289 of 319 normal findings (specificity 91%; 95% CI 87% to 94%). Emergency physicians reported that photographs were helpful for 125 patients (35%). Emergency physicians used nonmydriatic fundus photographs more frequently than they performed direct ophthalmoscopy, and their detection of relevant abnormalities improved. Ocular fundus photography often assisted ED care even when results were normal. Nonmydriatic ocular fundus photography offers a promising alternative to direct ophthalmoscopy. Copyright © 2013 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Beam pointing direction changes in a misaligned Porro prism resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jyh-Fa; Leung, Chung-Yee

1988-07-01

The relative change of the beam pointing direction for a misaligned Porro prism resonator has been analyzed, using an oscillation axis concept for the Porro prism resonator to find the beam direction. Expressions for the beam tilting angles are presented which show that the angular misalignment in the horizontal direction will result in beam tilting in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Good agreement between experimental and theoretical results is found.

Finding the Return Path: Landmark Position Effects and the Influence of Perspective

PubMed Central

Karimpur, Harun; Röser, Florian; Hamburger, Kai

2016-01-01

Much research has been done on how people find their way from one place to another. Compared to that, there is less research available on how people find back from the destination to their origin. We first present theoretical approaches to perceptual and cognitive processes involved in finding a return path, including concepts, such as visibility, structural salience, and allocentric versus egocentric perspective, followed by a series of three experiments. In these experiments, we presented subjects intersections that contained landmark information on different positions. In order to investigate the processes involved, we used different measures, such as route-continuation (in learning direction and in opposite direction) and free-recall of route information. In summary, the results demonstrate the importance of landmark positions at intersections (structural salience in combination with perspective) and that finding the return path is more difficult than reproducing the same route from the learning condition. All findings will be discussed with respect to the current research literature on landmark-based wayfinding. PMID:28066283

Microwave Photonic Architecture for Direction Finding of LPI Emitters: Front End Analog Circuit Design and Component Characterization

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

design to control the phase shifters was complex, and the calibration process was time consuming. During the redesign process, we carried out...signals in time domain with a maximum sampling frequency of 20 Giga samples per second. In the previous tests of the design , the performance of...PHOTONIC ARCHITECTURE FOR DIRECTION FINDING OF LPI EMITTERS: FRONT-END ANALOG CIRCUIT DESIGN AND COMPONENT CHARACTERIZATION by Chew K. Tan

Substrate thermal conductivity controls the ability to manufacture microstructures via laser-induced direct write

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomko, John A.; Olson, David H.; Braun, Jeffrey L.; Kelliher, Andrew P.; Kaehr, Bryan; Hopkins, Patrick E.

2018-01-01

In controlling the thermal properties of the surrounding environment, we provide insight into the underlying mechanisms driving the widely used laser direct write method for additive manufacturing. We find that the onset of silver nitrate reduction for the formation of direct write structures directly corresponds to the calculated steady-state temperature rises associated with both continuous wave and high-repetition rate, ultrafast pulsed laser systems. Furthermore, varying the geometry of the heat affected zone, which is controllable based on in-plane thermal diffusion in the substrate, and laser power, allows for control of the written geometries without any prior substrate preparation. These findings allow for the advance of rapid manufacturing of micro- and nanoscale structures with minimal material constraints through consideration of the laser-controllable thermal transport in ionic liquid/substrate media.

Maternal Childhood Sexual Trauma, Child Directed Aggression, Parenting Behavior, and the Moderating Role of Child Sex

PubMed Central

Zvara, B.J.; Mills-Koonce, R.; Cox, M.

2016-01-01

Using propensity-matched controls, the present study examines the associations between maternal report of child-directed aggression and observed parenting behavior across early childhood for women with and without childhood sexual trauma histories. The moderating role of child sex was also examined. The sample (n=204) is from a longitudinal study of rural poverty exploring the ways in which child, family, and contextual factors shape development over time. After controlling for numerous factors including child and primary caregiver covariates, findings reveal that childhood sexual trauma is related to sensitive parenting behavior and child-directed aggression. Findings further revealed that child sex moderates the relation between sexual trauma history and maternal behavior towards children. Implications for interventions for mothers with childhood sexual trauma histories and directions for future study are proposed. PMID:28450762

Aging persons' estimates of vehicular motion.

PubMed

Schiff, W; Oldak, R; Shah, V

1992-12-01

Estimated arrival times of moving autos were examined in relation to viewer age, gender, motion trajectory, and velocity. Direct push-button judgments were compared with verbal estimates derived from velocity and distance, which were based on assumptions that perceivers compute arrival time from perceived distance and velocity. Experiment 1 showed that direct estimates of younger Ss were most accurate. Older women made the shortest (highly cautious) estimates of when cars would arrive. Verbal estimates were much lower than direct estimates, with little correlation between them. Experiment 2 extended target distances and velocities of targets, with the results replicating the main findings of Experiment 1. Judgment accuracy increased with target velocity, and verbal estimates were again poorer estimates of arrival time than direct ones, with different patterns of findings. Using verbal estimates to approximate judgments in traffic situations appears questionable.

Find a Bed Bug Pesticide Product

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Introduces the Bed Bug Product Search Tool, to help consumers find EPA-registered pesticides for bed bug infestation control. Inclusion in this database is not an endorsement. Always follow label directions carefully.

The genetic overlap between schizophrenia and height.

PubMed

Bacanu, Silviu-Alin; Chen, Xianging; Kendler, Kenneth S

2013-12-01

Epidemiological studies suggest that height and schizophrenia risk are inversely correlated. These findings might arise because i) height and schizophrenia share genetic variants and ii) the effects of these shared variants are in opposite direction for the two traits. We use genome wide association data to empirically evaluate these hypotheses. We find that variants which impact on height and risk for schizophrenia are distributed across several genomic regions and the directions of effect vary, some consistent and others inconsistent with the direction expected from the phenotypic data. Moreover, signals that were in and not in accord with the phenotypic data aggregated in distinct biological pathways. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Finding the Sacred Direction: Medieval Books on the Qibla

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rius, M.

2009-08-01

Medieval Islamic scholars wrote a great number of books on the qibla, the Sacred Direction. These books had a huge readership and provided instructions for finding the direction of Mecca by either exact or approximate means. In principle, the qibla was a purely religious subject, but in practice its determination required the use of astronomy as an applied science. As so often, religion and politics had many points of contact and, in this case, it was generally political considerations that prevailed. Finally, the analysis of nautical charts can offer new perspectives. As yet, modern scholarship has not established the link between this area of study and the classical literature on this subject.

Optimization methods for locating lightning flashes using magnetic direction finding networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodman, Steven J.

1989-01-01

Techniques for producing best point estimates of target position using direction finder bearing information are reviewed. The use of an algorithm that calculates the cloud-to-ground flash location given multiple bearings is illustrated and the position errors are described. This algorithm can be used to analyze direction finder network performance.

Direction of Attentional Focus in Biofeedback Treatment for /R/ Misarticulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAllister Byun, Tara; Swartz, Michelle T.; Halpin, Peter F.; Szeredi, Daniel; Maas, Edwin

2016-01-01

Background: Maintaining an external direction of focus during practice is reported to facilitate acquisition of non-speech motor skills, but it is not known whether these findings also apply to treatment for speech errors. This question has particular relevance for treatment incorporating visual biofeedback, where clinician cueing can direct the…

Transgenic mice reveal unexpected diversity of On-Off direction selective retinal ganglion cell subtypes and brain structures involved in motion processing

PubMed Central

Rivlin-Etzion, Michal; Zhou, Kaili; Wei, Wei; Elstrott, Justin; Nguyen, Phong L.; Barres, Ben; Huberman, Andrew D.; Feller, Marla B.

2011-01-01

On-Off direction selective retinal ganglion cells (DSGCs) encode the axis of visual motion. They respond strongly to an object moving in a preferred direction and weakly to an object moving in the opposite, ‘null’, direction. Historically, On-Off DSGCs were classified into 4 subtypes according to their directional preference (anterior, posterior, superior or inferior). Here, we compare two genetically identified populations of On-Off DSGCs: DRD4-DSGCs and TRHR-DSGCs. We find that although both populations are tuned for posterior motion, they can be distinguished by a variety of physiological and anatomical criteria. First, the directional tuning of TRHR-DSGCs is broader than that of DRD4-DSGCs. Second, whereas both populations project similarly to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, they project differently to the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus and the superior colliculus. Moreover, TRHR-DSGCs, but not DRD4-DSGCs, also project to the zona incerta, a thalamic area not previously known to receive direction-tuned visual information. Our findings reveal unexpected diversity among mouse On-Off DSGC subtypes that uniquely process and convey image motion to the brain. PMID:21677160

Police Response to Children Present at Domestic Violence Incidents.

PubMed

Swerin, Danielle D; Bostaph, Lisa Growette; King, Laura L; Gillespie, Lane Kirkland

2018-01-01

Police response to domestic violence (DV) has continued to change and expand over the past several decades. Although DV was originally considered a private matter, it now represents one of the most common calls for service received by police agencies. While police response to DV incidents has improved substantially, intervention when children are present remains an undeveloped area of research and practice. The present study examined 345 police reports from an agency in the Northwestern United States to explore police response to DV incidents when children are present. Regression analyses indicated that child presence was a statistically significant predictor of victim-directed intervention, victim-directed follow-up, and arrest although in differing directions. While child presence increased the odds of victim-directed intervention and victim-directed follow-up, it decreased the odds of arrest. Findings further indicated that the frequency of police interaction with children present at DV incidents was minimal. Based on these findings, recommendations for policy and practice are discussed.

Comparing the influence of directly vs. indirectly encountered post-event misinformation on eyewitness remembering.

PubMed

Blank, Hartmut; Ost, James; Davies, Jo; Jones, Georgina; Lambert, Katie; Salmon, Kelly

2013-11-01

Some research has found a stronger influence of directly (face-to-face; co-witness; 'social') vs. indirectly (through written reports, 'non-social') encountered post-event misinformation on eyewitness memory reports, whereas other research finds no (big) difference. We argue and demonstrate that a crucial but so far neglected variable underlying this difference is memory for the misleading information itself. In a study with N=120 participants who encountered misinformation directly or indirectly, we found misinformation retention (as assessed in a separate test) to be positively associated with a broad range of misinformation effects. Influence type (direct vs. indirect), however, did not moderate the misinformation effect in terms of memory for original details, and misinformation endorsement was even weaker in the direct influence condition. In our view, these findings reflect differential conversion of retained misinformation into test performance. Other than this, influence type had essentially no effects on remembering; nor did an additional post-warning manipulation. © 2013.

75 FR 41379 - Finding of Attainment for PM10

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-16

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 81 [Docket EPA-R10-OAR-2010-0432; FRL-9171-4] Finding of Attainment for PM 10 for the Mendenhall Valley PM 10 Nonattainment Area, AK AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Direct final rule. SUMMARY: EPA finds that the Mendenhall Valley...

Impacts of foreign direct investment on efficiency in Swedish manufacturing.

PubMed

Svedin, Dick; Stage, Jesper

2016-01-01

A number of studies have found that foreign direct investment (FDI) can have positive impacts on productivity. However, while FDI has clearly positive impacts on technology transfers, its effects on resource use within firms is less clear and, in principle, efficiency losses might offset some of the productivity gains associated with improved technologies. In this paper, we study the impacts of FDI on efficiency in Swedish manufacturing. We find that foreign ownership has positive impacts on efficiency, supporting the earlier findings on productivity.

Intermittent nature of acceleration in near wall turbulence.

PubMed

Lee, Changhoon; Yeo, Kyongmin; Choi, Jung-Il

2004-04-09

Using direct numerical simulation of a fully developed turbulent channel flow, we investigate the behavior of acceleration near a solid wall. We find that acceleration near the wall is highly intermittent and the intermittency is in large part associated with the near wall organized coherent turbulence structures. We also find that acceleration of large magnitude is mostly directed towards the rotation axis of the coherent vortical structures, indicating that the source of the intermittent acceleration is the rotational motion associated with the vortices that causes centripetal acceleration.

Low-thrust trajectory optimization of asteroid sample return mission with multiple revolutions and moon gravity assists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Gao; Jiang, FanHuag; Li, JunFeng

2015-11-01

Near-Earth asteroids have gained a lot of interest and the development in low-thrust propulsion technology makes complex deep space exploration missions possible. A mission from low-Earth orbit using low-thrust electric propulsion system to rendezvous with near-Earth asteroid and bring sample back is investigated. By dividing the mission into five segments, the complex mission is solved separately. Then different methods are used to find optimal trajectories for every segment. Multiple revolutions around the Earth and multiple Moon gravity assists are used to decrease the fuel consumption to escape from the Earth. To avoid possible numerical difficulty of indirect methods, a direct method to parameterize the switching moment and direction of thrust vector is proposed. To maximize the mass of sample, optimal control theory and homotopic approach are applied to find the optimal trajectory. Direct methods of finding proper time to brake the spacecraft using Moon gravity assist are also proposed. Practical techniques including both direct and indirect methods are investigated to optimize trajectories for different segments and they can be easily extended to other missions and more precise dynamic model.

The cost of parallel consolidation into visual working memory.

PubMed

Rideaux, Reuben; Edwards, Mark

2016-01-01

A growing body of evidence indicates that information can be consolidated into visual working memory in parallel. Initially, it was suggested that color information could be consolidated in parallel while orientation was strictly limited to serial consolidation (Liu & Becker, 2013). However, we recently found evidence suggesting that both orientation and motion direction items can be consolidated in parallel, with different levels of accuracy (Rideaux, Apthorp, & Edwards, 2015). Here we examine whether there is a cost associated with parallel consolidation of orientation and direction information by comparing performance, in terms of precision and guess rate, on a target recall task where items are presented either sequentially or simultaneously. The results compellingly indicate that motion direction can be consolidated in parallel, but the evidence for orientation is less conclusive. Further, we find that there is a twofold cost associated with parallel consolidation of direction: Both the probability of failing to consolidate one (or both) item/s increases and the precision at which representations are encoded is reduced. Additionally, we find evidence indicating that the increased consolidation failure may be due to interference between items presented simultaneously, and is moderated by item similarity. These findings suggest that a biased competition model may explain differences in parallel consolidation between features.

Random matrix theory for analyzing the brain functional network in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Rong; Wang, Li; Yang, Yong; Li, Jiajia; Wu, Ying; Lin, Pan

2016-11-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common childhood neuropsychiatric disorder and affects approximately 6 -7 % of children worldwide. Here, we investigate the statistical properties of undirected and directed brain functional networks in ADHD patients based on random matrix theory (RMT), in which the undirected functional connectivity is constructed based on correlation coefficient and the directed functional connectivity is measured based on cross-correlation coefficient and mutual information. We first analyze the functional connectivity and the eigenvalues of the brain functional network. We find that ADHD patients have increased undirected functional connectivity, reflecting a higher degree of linear dependence between regions, and increased directed functional connectivity, indicating stronger causality and more transmission of information among brain regions. More importantly, we explore the randomness of the undirected and directed functional networks using RMT. We find that for ADHD patients, the undirected functional network is more orderly than that for normal subjects, which indicates an abnormal increase in undirected functional connectivity. In addition, we find that the directed functional networks are more random, which reveals greater disorder in causality and more chaotic information flow among brain regions in ADHD patients. Our results not only further confirm the efficacy of RMT in characterizing the intrinsic properties of brain functional networks but also provide insights into the possibilities RMT offers for improving clinical diagnoses and treatment evaluations for ADHD patients.

Color Improves Speed of Processing But Not Perception in a Motion Illusion

PubMed Central

Perry, Carolyn J.; Fallah, Mazyar

2012-01-01

When two superimposed surfaces of dots move in different directions, the perceived directions are shifted away from each other. This perceptual illusion has been termed direction repulsion and is thought to be due to mutual inhibition between the representations of the two directions. It has further been shown that a speed difference between the two surfaces attenuates direction repulsion. As speed and direction are both necessary components of representing motion, the reduction in direction repulsion can be attributed to the additional motion information strengthening the representations of the two directions and thus reducing the mutual inhibition. We tested whether bottom-up attention and top-down task demands, in the form of color differences between the two surfaces, would also enhance motion processing, reducing direction repulsion. We found that the addition of color differences did not improve direction discrimination and reduce direction repulsion. However, we did find that adding a color difference improved performance on the task. We hypothesized that the performance differences were due to the limited presentation time of the stimuli. We tested this in a follow-up experiment where we varied the time of presentation to determine the duration needed to successfully perform the task with and without the color difference. As we expected, color segmentation reduced the amount of time needed to process and encode both directions of motion. Thus we find a dissociation between the effects of attention on the speed of processing and conscious perception of direction. We propose four potential mechanisms wherein color speeds figure-ground segmentation of an object, attentional switching between objects, direction discrimination and/or the accumulation of motion information for decision-making, without affecting conscious perception of the direction. Potential neural bases are also explored. PMID:22479255

Color improves speed of processing but not perception in a motion illusion.

PubMed

Perry, Carolyn J; Fallah, Mazyar

2012-01-01

When two superimposed surfaces of dots move in different directions, the perceived directions are shifted away from each other. This perceptual illusion has been termed direction repulsion and is thought to be due to mutual inhibition between the representations of the two directions. It has further been shown that a speed difference between the two surfaces attenuates direction repulsion. As speed and direction are both necessary components of representing motion, the reduction in direction repulsion can be attributed to the additional motion information strengthening the representations of the two directions and thus reducing the mutual inhibition. We tested whether bottom-up attention and top-down task demands, in the form of color differences between the two surfaces, would also enhance motion processing, reducing direction repulsion. We found that the addition of color differences did not improve direction discrimination and reduce direction repulsion. However, we did find that adding a color difference improved performance on the task. We hypothesized that the performance differences were due to the limited presentation time of the stimuli. We tested this in a follow-up experiment where we varied the time of presentation to determine the duration needed to successfully perform the task with and without the color difference. As we expected, color segmentation reduced the amount of time needed to process and encode both directions of motion. Thus we find a dissociation between the effects of attention on the speed of processing and conscious perception of direction. We propose four potential mechanisms wherein color speeds figure-ground segmentation of an object, attentional switching between objects, direction discrimination and/or the accumulation of motion information for decision-making, without affecting conscious perception of the direction. Potential neural bases are also explored.

Interventions for preventing voice disorders in adults.

PubMed

Ruotsalainen, J H; Sellman, J; Lehto, L; Jauhiainen, M; Verbeek, J H

2007-10-17

Poor voice quality due to a voice disorder can lead to a reduced quality of life. In occupations where voice use is substantial it can lead to periods of absence from work. To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to prevent voice disorders in adults. We searched MEDLINE (PubMed, 1950 to 2006), EMBASE (1974 to 2006), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library, Issue 2 2006), CINAHL (1983 to 2006), PsychINFO (1967 to 2006), Science Citation Index (1986 to 2006) and the Occupational Health databases OSH-ROM (to 2006). The date of the last search was 05/04/06. Randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of interventions evaluating the effectiveness of treatments to prevent voice disorders in adults. For work-directed interventions interrupted time series and prospective cohort studies were also eligible. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed trial quality. Meta-analysis was performed where appropriate. We identified two randomised controlled trials including a total of 53 participants in intervention groups and 43 controls. One study was conducted with teachers and the other with student teachers. Both trials were poor quality. Interventions were grouped into 1) direct voice training, 2) indirect voice training and 3) direct and indirect voice training combined.1) Direct voice training: One study did not find a significant decrease of the Voice Handicap Index for direct voice training compared to no intervention.2) Indirect voice training: One study did not find a significant decrease of the Voice Handicap Index for indirect voice training when compared to no intervention.3) Direct and indirect voice training combined: One study did not find a decrease of the Voice Handicap Index for direct and indirect voice training combined when compared to no intervention. The same study did however find an improvement in maximum phonation time (Mean Difference -3.18 sec; 95 % CI -4.43 to -1.93) for direct and indirect voice training combined when compared to no intervention. No work-directed studies were found. None of the studies found evaluated the effectiveness of prevention in terms of sick leave or number of diagnosed voice disorders. We found no evidence that either direct or indirect voice training or the two combined are effective in improving self-reported vocal functioning when compared to no intervention. The current practice of giving training to at-risk populations for preventing the development of voice disorders is therefore not supported by definitive evidence of effectiveness. Larger and methodologically better trials are needed with outcome measures that better reflect the aims of interventions.

Percolation of networks with directed dependency links

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Dunbiao; Yuan, Xin; Du, Minhui; Stanley, H. Eugene; Hu, Yanqing

2016-04-01

The self-consistent probabilistic approach has proven itself powerful in studying the percolation behavior of interdependent or multiplex networks without tracking the percolation process through each cascading step. In order to understand how directed dependency links impact criticality, we employ this approach to study the percolation properties of networks with both undirected connectivity links and directed dependency links. We find that when a random network with a given degree distribution undergoes a second-order phase transition, the critical point and the unstable regime surrounding the second-order phase transition regime are determined by the proportion of nodes that do not depend on any other nodes. Moreover, we also find that the triple point and the boundary between first- and second-order transitions are determined by the proportion of nodes that depend on no more than one node. This implies that it is maybe general for multiplex network systems, some important properties of phase transitions can be determined only by a few parameters. We illustrate our findings using Erdős-Rényi networks.

Poor readers' retrieval mechanism: efficient access is not dependent on reading skill

PubMed Central

Johns, Clinton L.; Matsuki, Kazunaga; Van Dyke, Julie A.

2015-01-01

A substantial body of evidence points to a cue-based direct-access retrieval mechanism as a crucial component of skilled adult reading. We report two experiments aimed at examining whether poor readers are able to make use of the same retrieval mechanism. This is significant in light of findings that poor readers have difficulty retrieving linguistic information (e.g., Perfetti, 1985). Our experiments are based on a previous demonstration of direct-access retrieval in language processing, presented in McElree et al. (2003). Experiment 1 replicates the original result using an auditory implementation of the Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff (SAT) method. This finding represents a significant methodological advance, as it opens up the possibility of exploring retrieval speeds in non-reading populations. Experiment 2 provides evidence that poor readers do use a direct-access retrieval mechanism during listening comprehension, despite overall poorer accuracy and slower retrieval speeds relative to skilled readers. The findings are discussed with respect to hypotheses about the source of poor reading comprehension. PMID:26528212

Awareness and Perceptions of Food Safety Risks and Risk Management in Poultry Production and Slaughter: A Qualitative Study of Direct-Market Poultry Producers in Maryland.

PubMed

Baron, Patrick; Frattaroli, Shannon

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to document and understand the perceptions and opinions of small-scale poultry producers who market directly to consumers about microbial food safety risks in the poultry supply chain. Between January and November 2014, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a convenience sample of 16 owner-operators of Maryland direct-market commercial poultry farms. Three overarching thematic categories emerged from these interviews that describe: 1) characteristics of Maryland direct-market poultry production and processing; 2) microbial food safety risk awareness and risk management in small-scale poultry production, slaughter and processing; and 3) motivations for prioritizing food safety in the statewide direct-market poultry supply chain. Key informants provided valuable insights on many topics relevant to evaluating microbial food safety in the Maryland direct-market poultry supply chain, including: direct-market poultry production and processing practices and models, perspectives on issues related to food safety risk management, perspectives on direct-market agriculture economics and marketing strategies, and ideas for how to enhance food safety at the direct-market level of the Maryland poultry supply chain. The findings have policy implications and provide insights into food safety in small-scale commercial poultry production, processing, distribution and retail. In addition, the findings will inform future food safety research on the small-scale US poultry supply chain.

Direct uptake and degradation of DNA by lysosomes

PubMed Central

Fujiwara, Yuuki; Kikuchi, Hisae; Aizawa, Shu; Furuta, Akiko; Hatanaka, Yusuke; Konya, Chiho; Uchida, Kenko; Wada, Keiji; Kabuta, Tomohiro

2013-01-01

Lysosomes contain various hydrolases that can degrade proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and carbohydrates. We recently discovered “RNautophagy,” an autophagic pathway in which RNA is directly taken up by lysosomes and degraded. A lysosomal membrane protein, LAMP2C, a splice variant of LAMP2, binds to RNA and acts as a receptor for this pathway. In the present study, we show that DNA is also directly taken up by lysosomes and degraded. Like RNautophagy, this autophagic pathway, which we term “DNautophagy,” is dependent on ATP. The cytosolic sequence of LAMP2C also directly interacts with DNA, and LAMP2C functions as a receptor for DNautophagy, in addition to RNautophagy. Similarly to RNA, DNA binds to the cytosolic sequences of fly and nematode LAMP orthologs. Together with the findings of our previous study, our present findings suggest that RNautophagy and DNautophagy are evolutionarily conserved systems in Metazoa. PMID:23839276

Substrate thermal conductivity controls the ability to manufacture microstructures via laser-induced direct write

DOE PAGES

Tomko, John A.; Olson, David H.; Braun, Jeffrey L.; ...

2018-01-30

In controlling the thermal properties of the surrounding environment, we provide insight into the underlying mechanisms driving the widely used laser direct write method for additive manufacturing. In this study, we find that the onset of silver nitrate reduction for the formation of direct write structures directly corresponds to the calculated steady-state temperature rises associated with both continuous wave and high-repetition rate, ultrafast pulsed laser systems. Furthermore, varying the geometry of the heat affected zone, which is controllable based on in-plane thermal diffusion in the substrate, and laser power, allows for control of the written geometries without any prior substratemore » preparation. In conclusion, these findings allow for the advance of rapid manufacturing of micro- and nanoscale structures with minimal material constraints through consideration of the laser-controllable thermal transport in ionic liquid/substrate media.« less

Substrate thermal conductivity controls the ability to manufacture microstructures via laser-induced direct write

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

Tomko, John A.; Olson, David H.; Braun, Jeffrey L.

In controlling the thermal properties of the surrounding environment, we provide insight into the underlying mechanisms driving the widely used laser direct write method for additive manufacturing. In this study, we find that the onset of silver nitrate reduction for the formation of direct write structures directly corresponds to the calculated steady-state temperature rises associated with both continuous wave and high-repetition rate, ultrafast pulsed laser systems. Furthermore, varying the geometry of the heat affected zone, which is controllable based on in-plane thermal diffusion in the substrate, and laser power, allows for control of the written geometries without any prior substratemore » preparation. In conclusion, these findings allow for the advance of rapid manufacturing of micro- and nanoscale structures with minimal material constraints through consideration of the laser-controllable thermal transport in ionic liquid/substrate media.« less

The Direct Support Workforce in Community Supports to Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: Issues, Implications, and Promising Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewitt, Amy; Larson, Sheryl

2007-01-01

Difficulties in finding, keeping, and ensuring the competence of the direct support workforce in community developmental disability services has long been a challenge for individuals, families, providers, and policy makers. Direct support staff recruitment, retention, and competence are widely reported as one of the most significant barriers to…

Direct and Indirect Aggression during Childhood and Adolescence: A Meta-Analytic Review of Gender Differences, Intercorrelations, and Relations to Maladjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Card, Noel A.; Stucky, Brian D.; Sawalani, Gita M.; Little, Todd D.

2008-01-01

This meta-analytic review of 148 studies on child and adolescent direct and indirect aggression examined the magnitude of gender differences, intercorrelations between forms, and associations with maladjustment. Results confirmed prior findings of gender differences (favoring boys) in direct aggression and trivial gender differences in indirect…

A Short Term Evaluation of the Direct Operating Grants. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy-Coughlin Partnership.

Findings of a survey of a sample of center-based child care (CBCC) programs and private home day care (PHDC) agencies listed in Ontario's Direct Operating Grant Calculation Data Base are reported. During 1988, licensed child care programs in Ontario received approximately 46.5 million dollars in Direct Operating Grants (DOGs). Grants were…

Electrolytes for Hydrocarbon Air Fuel Cells.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

finding an electrolyte with sufficient electrochemical activity and stability to replace phosphoric acid in direct oxidation fuel cells. Commercially...and stability to replace phosphoric acid in direct oxidation fuel cells. Commercially available materials received prime consideration. However, ECO’s...was to obtain an electrolyte with sufficient electrochemical activity and stability to replace phosphoric acid in direct oxidation fuel cells. This

Oak Regeneration by Direct Seeding

Treesearch

Robert L. Johnson; Roger M. Krinard

1985-01-01

Direct sowing of oak acorns has not always met with success. This paper summarizes recent research regarding direct sowing of oaks in research plots and commercial trials. Present findings indicate that seedlings can be established from properly stored acorns sown any month of the year by hand or machine . They should be sown at a two-inch depth , although they can be...

77 FR 71487 - Airworthiness Directives; Stemme GmbH & Co. KG Powered Sailplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-03

... Airworthiness Directives; Stemme GmbH & Co. KG Powered Sailplanes AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... directive (AD) for all Stemme GmbH & Co. KG Models S10, S10-V, and S10-VT powered sailplanes. This AD... damage to the sailplane and/or injury of occupants. Prompted by these findings, Stemme GmbH developed a...

Treatment for Anxiety Disorders

MedlinePlus

... finding a therapist . Follow Us Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Advertisement Advertisement Find A Therapist Search our directory ... direct service organization. Follow Us Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Follow Us Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn ADAA is ...

Communicating Experimental Findings in Single Case Design Research: How to Use Celeration Values and Celeration Multipliers to Measure Direction, Magnitude, and Change of Slope

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Datchuk, Shawn M.; Kubina, Richard M., Jr.

2011-01-01

The accumulation of scientific knowledge greatly depends upon the critical review of experimental findings by ones peers. In single case design research, experimenters present findings with graphical displays of data and narrative description of a visual analysis. To aid in efficient and accurate description of experimental findings, the research…

Civic Journalism and Nonelite Sourcing: Making Routine Newswork of Community Connectedness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massey, Brian L.

1998-01-01

Compares the number of "average" citizens brought into the news in three newspapers. Finds nonelite information sources in numerical parity with elite sources in a civic-journalism newspaper, but finds the frequency and directness of their news voices largely unchanged. Finds that routine civic journalism did more to tone down elites'…

Direct imaging search for the "missing link" in giant planet formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngo, Henry; Mawet, Dimitri; Ruane, Garreth; Xuan, Wenhao; Bowler, Brendan; Cook, Therese; Zawol, Zoe

2018-01-01

While transit and radial velocity detection techniques have probed giant planet populations at close separations (within a few au), current direct imaging surveys are finding giant planets at separations of 10s-100s au. Furthermore, these directly imaged planets are very massive, including some with masses above the deuterium burning limit. It is not certain whether these objects represent the high mass end of planet formation scenarios or the low mass end of star formation. We present a direct imaging survey to search for the "missing link" population between the close-in RV and transiting giant planets and the extremely distant directly imaged giant planets (i.e. giant planets between 5-10 au). Finding and characterizing this population allows for comparisons with the formation models of closer-in planets and connects directly imaged planets with closer-in planets in semi-major axis phase space. In addition, microlensing surveys have suggested a large reservoir of giant planets exist in this region. To find these "missing link" giant planets, our survey searches for giant planets around M-stars. The ubiquity of M-stars provide a large number of nearby targets and their L-band contrast with planets allow for sensitivities to smaller planet masses than surveys conducted at shorter wavelengths. Along with careful target selection, we use Keck's L-band vector vortex coronagraph to enable sensitivities of a few Jupiter masses as close as 4 au to their host stars. We present our completed 2-year survey targeting 200 young (10-150 Myr), nearby M-stars and our ongoing work to follow-up over 40 candidate objects.

Two-dimensional acousto-optic processor using circular antenna array with a Butler matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jim P.

1992-09-01

A two-dimensional acousto-optic signal processor is shown to be useful for providing simultaneous spectrum analysis and direction finding of radar signals over an instantaneous field of view of 360 deg. A system analysis with emphasis on the direction-finding aspect of this new architecture is presented. The peak location of the optical pattern provides a direct measure of bearing, independent of signal frequency. In addition, the sidelobe levels of the pattern can be effectively reduced using amplitude weighting. Performance parameters, such as mainlobe beamwidth, peak-sidelobe level, and pointing error, are analyzed as a function of the Gaussian laser illumination profile and the number of channels. Finally, a comparison with a linear antenna array architecture is also discussed.

Design of Small MEMS Microphone Array Systems for Direction Finding of Outdoors Moving Vehicles

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xin; Huang, Jingchang; Song, Enliang; Liu, Huawei; Li, Baoqing; Yuan, Xiaobing

2014-01-01

In this paper, a MEMS microphone array system scheme is proposed which implements real-time direction of arrival (DOA) estimation for moving vehicles. Wind noise is the primary source of unwanted noise on microphones outdoors. A multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm is used in this paper for direction finding associated with spatial coherence to discriminate between the wind noise and the acoustic signals of a vehicle. The method is implemented in a SHARC DSP processor and the real-time estimated DOA is uploaded through Bluetooth or a UART module. Experimental results in different places show the validity of the system and the deviation is no bigger than 6° in the presence of wind noise. PMID:24603636

Design of small MEMS microphone array systems for direction finding of outdoors moving vehicles.

PubMed

Zhang, Xin; Huang, Jingchang; Song, Enliang; Liu, Huawei; Li, Baoqing; Yuan, Xiaobing

2014-03-05

In this paper, a MEMS microphone array system scheme is proposed which implements real-time direction of arrival (DOA) estimation for moving vehicles. Wind noise is the primary source of unwanted noise on microphones outdoors. A multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm is used in this paper for direction finding associated with spatial coherence to discriminate between the wind noise and the acoustic signals of a vehicle. The method is implemented in a SHARC DSP processor and the real-time estimated DOA is uploaded through Bluetooth or a UART module. Experimental results in different places show the validity of the system and the deviation is no bigger than 6° in the presence of wind noise.

6C polarization analysis - seismic direction finding in coherent noise, automated event identification, and wavefield separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmelzbach, C.; Sollberger, D.; Greenhalgh, S.; Van Renterghem, C.; Robertsson, J. O. A.

2017-12-01

Polarization analysis of standard three-component (3C) seismic data is an established tool to determine the propagation directions of seismic waves recorded by a single station. A major limitation of seismic direction finding methods using 3C recordings, however, is that a correct propagation-direction determination is only possible if the wave mode is known. Furthermore, 3C polarization analysis techniques break down in the presence of coherent noise (i.e., when more than one event is present in the analysis time window). Recent advances in sensor technology (e.g., fibre-optical, magnetohydrodynamic angular rate sensors, and ring laser gyroscopes) have made it possible to accurately measure all three components of rotational ground motion exhibited by seismic waves, in addition to the conventionally recorded three components of translational motion. Here, we present an extension of the theory of single station 3C polarization analysis to six-component (6C) recordings of collocated translational and rotational ground motions. We demonstrate that the information contained in rotation measurements can help to overcome some of the main limitations of standard 3C seismic direction finding, such as handling multiple arrivals simultaneously. We show that the 6C polarisation of elastic waves measured at the Earth's free surface does not only depend on the seismic wave type and propagation direction, but also on the local P- and S-wave velocities just beneath the recording station. Using an adaptation of the multiple signal classification algorithm (MUSIC), we demonstrate how seismic events can univocally be identified and characterized in terms of their wave type. Furthermore, we show how the local velocities can be inferred from single-station 6C data, in addition to the direction angles (inclination and azimuth) of seismic arrivals. A major benefit of our proposed 6C method is that it also allows the accurate recovery of the wave type, propagation directions, and phase velocities of multiple, interfering arrivals in one time window. We demonstrate how this property can be exploited to separate the wavefield into its elastic wave-modes and to isolate or suppress waves arriving from specific directions (directional filtering), both in a fully automated fashion.

Anisotropic in-plane thermal conductivity in multilayer silicene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yang; Guo, Zhi-Xin; Chen, Shi-You; Xiang, Hong-Jun; Gong, Xin-Gao

2018-06-01

We systematically study thermal conductivity of multilayer silicene by means of Boltzmann Transportation Equation (BTE) method. We find that their thermal conductivity strongly depends on the surface structures. Thermal conductivity of bilayer silicene varies from 3.31 W/mK to 57.9 W/mK with different surface structures. Also, the 2 × 1 surface reconstruction induces unusual large thermal conductivity anisotropy, which reaches 70% in a four-layer silicene. We also find that the anisotropy decreases with silicene thickness increasing, owing to the significant reduction of thermal conductivity in the zigzag direction and its slight increment in the armchair direction. Finally, we find that both the phonon-lifetime anisotropy and the phonon-group-velocity anisotropy contribute to the thermal conductivity anisotropy of multilayer silicene. These findings could be helpful in the field of heat management, thermoelectric applications involving silicene and other multilayer nanomaterials with surface reconstructions in the future.

Communication Strategies in Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising (DTCA): Application of the Six Segment Message Strategy Wheel.

PubMed

Ju, Ilwoo; Park, Jin Seong

2015-01-01

This study addresses a void in the literature on direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising (DTCA) with a theory-based content analysis. The findings indicate that Taylor's communication strategy wheel provides insight into what and how pharmaceutical marketers communicate with consumers by means of DTCA. Major findings are summarized as follows: (a) In most DTC ads, informational and transformational message themes and creative approaches were simultaneously used, indicating a combination strategy; (b) DTCA message themes were associated with creative strategies in alignment with Taylor's framework; and (c) message themes and creative strategies varied across therapeutic categories and DTCA categories with different levels of ad spending. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

I Feel, Therefore, I Learn: The Role of Emotion in Self-Directed Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rager, Kathleen B.

2009-01-01

It is rare to find the emotional component of self-directed learning discussed explicitly in the literature. This lack is particularly glaring given the interest sparked by recent brain research concerning the importance of emotion in all types of learning as well as by the dramatic increase in self-directed learning in the emotionally charged…

The Longitudinal Causal Directionality between Body Image Distress and Self-Esteem among Korean Adolescents: The Moderating Effect of Relationships with Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Woochul; Epstein, Norman B.

2013-01-01

This study examined the longitudinal relationship between self-esteem and body image distress, as well as the moderating effect of relationships with parents, among adolescents in Korea, using nationally representative prospective panel data. Regarding causal direction, the findings supported bi-directionality for girls, but for boys the…

First, Get Your Feet Wet: The Effects of Learning from Direct and Indirect Experience on Team Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gino, Francesca; Argote, Linda; Miron-Spektor, Ella; Todorova, Gergana

2010-01-01

How does prior experience influence team creativity? We address this question by examining the effects of task experience acquired directly and task experience acquired vicariously from others on team creativity in a product-development task. Across three laboratory studies, we find that direct task experience leads to higher levels of team…

Regeneration of oaks by direct seeding

Treesearch

R. Johnson; R. Krinard

1985-01-01

Direct sowing of oak acorns has not always met with success. This paper summarizes recent research regarding direct sowing of oaks in research plots and commercial trials. Present findings indicate that seedlings can be established from properly stored acorns sown any month of the year by hand or machine. They should be sown at a 2-inch depth, although they can be sown...

Exploring Self-Directed Learning in the Online Learning Environment: Comparing Traditional versus Nontraditional Learner Populations a Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plews, Rachel Christine

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore self-directed learning in the online learning context. A sample of traditional and nontraditional learners, who were considered above average in their level of self-direction, participated in qualitative interviews to discuss their learning while engaged in an online course. The findings suggested no major…

77 FR 57531 - Airworthiness Directives; Stemme GmbH & Co. KG Powered Sailplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-18

...-0982; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-035-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Stemme GmbH & Co... directive (AD) for all Stemme GmbH & Co. KG Models S10, S10-V, and S10-VT powered sailplanes. This proposed... injury of occupants. Prompted by these findings, Stemme GmbH developed a procedure for identification of...

Looking and homing: how displaced ants decide where to go.

PubMed

Zeil, Jochen; Narendra, Ajay; Stürzl, Wolfgang

2014-01-01

We caught solitary foragers of the Australian Jack Jumper ant, Myrmecia croslandi, and released them in three compass directions at distances of 10 and 15 m from the nest at locations they have never been before. We recorded the head orientation and the movements of ants within a radius of 20 cm from the release point and, in some cases, tracked their subsequent paths with a differential GPS. We find that upon surfacing from their transport vials onto a release platform, most ants move into the home direction after looking around briefly. The ants use a systematic scanning procedure, consisting of saccadic head and body rotations that sweep gaze across the scene with an average angular velocity of 90° s(-1) and intermittent changes in turning direction. By mapping the ants' gaze directions onto the local panorama, we find that neither the ants' gaze nor their decisions to change turning direction are clearly associated with salient or significant features in the scene. Instead, the ants look most frequently in the home direction and start walking fast when doing so. Displaced ants can thus identify home direction with little translation, but exclusively through rotational scanning. We discuss the navigational information content of the ants' habitat and how the insects' behaviour informs us about how they may acquire and retrieve that information.

Independent and additive repetition priming of motion direction and color in visual search.

PubMed

Kristjánsson, Arni

2009-03-01

Priming of visual search for Gabor patch stimuli, varying in color and local drift direction, was investigated. The task relevance of each feature varied between the different experimental conditions compared. When the target defining dimension was color, a large effect of color repetition was seen as well as a smaller effect of the repetition of motion direction. The opposite priming pattern was seen when motion direction defined the target--the effect of motion direction repetition was this time larger than for color repetition. Finally, when neither was task relevant, and the target defining dimension was the spatial frequency of the Gabor patch, priming was seen for repetition of both color and motion direction, but the effects were smaller than in the previous two conditions. These results show that features do not necessarily have to be task relevant for priming to occur. There is little interaction between priming following repetition of color and motion, these two features show independent and additive priming effects, most likely reflecting that the two features are processed at separate processing sites in the nervous system, consistent with previous findings from neuropsychology & neurophysiology. The implications of the findings for theoretical accounts of priming in visual search are discussed.

16 CFR 1204.6 - Findings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... directional antennas can obtain greater reception and transmitting capabilities in one or more directions than... manufacturers, including one or two of the major producers, to abandon production of omnidirectional CB base.... (5) The Commission also considered alternative technical approaches to reducing or eliminating...

16 CFR 1204.6 - Findings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... directional antennas can obtain greater reception and transmitting capabilities in one or more directions than... manufacturers, including one or two of the major producers, to abandon production of omnidirectional CB base.... (5) The Commission also considered alternative technical approaches to reducing or eliminating...

16 CFR 1204.6 - Findings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... directional antennas can obtain greater reception and transmitting capabilities in one or more directions than... manufacturers, including one or two of the major producers, to abandon production of omnidirectional CB base.... (5) The Commission also considered alternative technical approaches to reducing or eliminating...

16 CFR 1204.6 - Findings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... directional antennas can obtain greater reception and transmitting capabilities in one or more directions than... manufacturers, including one or two of the major producers, to abandon production of omnidirectional CB base.... (5) The Commission also considered alternative technical approaches to reducing or eliminating...

The influence of magnetic total intensity and inclination on directions preferred by migrating European robins (Erithacus rubecula)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiltschko, W.

1972-01-01

The directional orientation of migratory European robins in relation to magnetic cues is analyzed. Major efforts were made to determine what information the birds derive from the fields. It was determined that magnetic fields provide: (1) field intensity which determines whether the magnetic field can be used for orientation, (2) a means by which axial direction may be perceived, and (3) a means by which the bird can find the north direction. The north direction is sensed from the angle between gravity and the magnetic field.

75 FR 5684 - Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Model S-92A Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-04

... pad and rib for a crack and corrosion. If you do not find a crack, the AD requires applying a corrosion preventive compound. If you find a crack, the AD requires replacing the MGB before further flight. If you find corrosion, bubbled paint, or paint discoloration, the AD also requires you to repair the...

Persistent directional selection on body size and a resolution to the paradox of stasis.

PubMed

Rollinson, Njal; Rowe, Locke

2015-09-01

Directional selection on size is common but often fails to result in microevolution in the wild. Similarly, macroevolutionary rates in size are low relative to the observed strength of selection in nature. We show that many estimates of selection on size have been measured on juveniles, not adults. Further, parents influence juvenile size by adjusting investment per offspring. In light of these observations, we help resolve this paradox by suggesting that the observed upward selection on size is balanced by selection against investment per offspring, resulting in little or no net selection gradient on size. We find that trade-offs between fecundity and juvenile size are common, consistent with the notion of selection against investment per offspring. We also find that median directional selection on size is positive for juveniles but no net directional selection exists for adult size. This is expected because parent-offspring conflict exists over size, and juvenile size is more strongly affected by investment per offspring than adult size. These findings provide qualitative support for the hypothesis that upward selection on size is balanced by selection against investment per offspring, where parent-offspring conflict over size is embodied in the opposing signs of the two selection gradients. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Relationship between Psychological Capital and Psychological Well-Being of Direct Support Staff of Specialist Autism Services. The Mediator Role of Burnout

PubMed Central

Manzano-García, Guadalupe; Ayala, Juan-Carlos

2017-01-01

This study investigates the specific role of burnout as a mediator in the relationship between psychological capital and psychological well-being (PWB) in direct support staff of specialist autism services. A time lagged design with three data-collection points was conducted to survey 56 professionals (direct support staff) who work at a Spanish center specialized in autism. Participants completed measures of psychological capital, burnout and PWB. The hypothesized model was tested using structural equation modeling. Our findings show that psychological capital has a significant main effect on PWB. The results also show that psychological capital in the work environment should result in lower burnout which in turn, should lead to higher degrees of PWB in the direct support staff of autism services. Our results support that psychological capital is a key variable in the working life of the direct support staff of autism services. The findings suggest the need of implementing programmes which strengthen each individual's psychological capital in order to prevent burnout and achieve a greater PWB. PMID:29312101

10 CFR 2.1209 - Findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Findings of fact and conclusions of law. 2.1209 Section 2.1209 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION RULES OF PRACTICE FOR DOMESTIC LICENSING PROCEEDINGS AND... directs. ...

Clinical Research with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS): Challenges and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Brunoni, Andre Russowsky; Nitsche, Michael A.; Bolognini, Nadia; Bikson, Marom; Wagner, Tim; Merabet, Lotfi; Edwards, Dylan J.; Valero-Cabre, Antoni; Rotenberg, Alexander; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Ferrucci, Roberta; Priori, Alberto; Boggio, Paulo; Fregni, Felipe

2011-01-01

Background Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulatory technique that delivers low-intensity, direct current to cortical areas facilitating or inhibiting spontaneous neuronal activity. In the past ten years, tDCS physiological mechanisms of action have been intensively investigated giving support for the investigation of its applications in clinical neuropsychiatry and rehabilitation. However, new methodological, ethical, and regulatory issues emerge when translating the findings of preclinical and phase I studies into phase II and III clinical studies. The aim of this comprehensive review is to discuss the key challenges of this process and possible methods to address them. Methods We convened a workgroup of researchers in the field to review, discuss and provide updates and key challenges of neuromodulation use for clinical research. Main Findings/Discussion We reviewed several basic and clinical studies in the field and identified potential limitations, taking into account the particularities of the technique. We review and discuss the findings into four topics: (i) mechanisms of action of tDCS, parameters of use and computer-based human brain modeling investigating electric current fields and magnitude induced by tDCS; (ii) methodological aspects related to the clinical research of tDCS as divided according to study phase (i.e., preclinical, phase I, phase II and phase III studies); (iii) ethical and regulatory concerns; (iv) future directions regarding novel approaches, novel devices, and future studies involving tDCS. Finally, we propose some alternative methods to facilitate clinical research on tDCS. PMID:22037126

Awareness and Perceptions of Food Safety Risks and Risk Management in Poultry Production and Slaughter: A Qualitative Study of Direct-Market Poultry Producers in Maryland

PubMed Central

Baron, Patrick; Frattaroli, Shannon

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to document and understand the perceptions and opinions of small-scale poultry producers who market directly to consumers about microbial food safety risks in the poultry supply chain. Between January and November 2014, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a convenience sample of 16 owner-operators of Maryland direct-market commercial poultry farms. Three overarching thematic categories emerged from these interviews that describe: 1) characteristics of Maryland direct-market poultry production and processing; 2) microbial food safety risk awareness and risk management in small-scale poultry production, slaughter and processing; and 3) motivations for prioritizing food safety in the statewide direct-market poultry supply chain. Key informants provided valuable insights on many topics relevant to evaluating microbial food safety in the Maryland direct-market poultry supply chain, including: direct-market poultry production and processing practices and models, perspectives on issues related to food safety risk management, perspectives on direct-market agriculture economics and marketing strategies, and ideas for how to enhance food safety at the direct-market level of the Maryland poultry supply chain. The findings have policy implications and provide insights into food safety in small-scale commercial poultry production, processing, distribution and retail. In addition, the findings will inform future food safety research on the small-scale US poultry supply chain. PMID:27341034

Pleural Touch Preparations and Direct Visualization of the Pleura during Medical Thoracoscopy for the Diagnosis of Malignancy.

PubMed

Grosu, Horiana B; Vial-Rodriguez, Macarena; Vakil, Erik; Casal, Roberto F; Eapen, George A; Morice, Rodolfo; Stewart, John; Sarkiss, Mona G; Ost, David E

2017-08-01

During diagnostic thoracoscopy, talc pleurodesis after biopsy is appropriate if the probability of malignancy is sufficiently high. Findings on direct visual assessment of the pleura during thoracoscopy, rapid onsite evaluation (ROSE) of touch preparations (touch preps) of thoracoscopic biopsy specimens, and preoperative imaging may help predict the likelihood of malignancy; however, data on the performance of these methods are limited. To assess the performance of ROSE of touch preps, direct visual assessment of the pleura during thoracoscopy, and preoperative imaging in diagnosing malignancy. Patients who underwent ROSE of touch preps during thoracoscopy for suspected malignancy were retrospectively reviewed. Malignancy was diagnosed on the basis of final pathologic examination of pleural biopsy specimens. ROSE results were categorized as malignant, benign, or atypical cells. Visual assessment results were categorized as tumor studding present or absent. Positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) findings were categorized as abnormal or normal pleura. Likelihood ratios were calculated for each category of test result. The study included 44 patients, 26 (59%) with a final pathologic diagnosis of malignancy. Likelihood ratios were as follows: for ROSE of touch preps: malignant, 1.97 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90-4.34); atypical cells, 0.69 (95% CI, 0.21-2.27); benign, 0.11 (95% CI, 0.01-0.93); for direct visual assessment: tumor studding present, 3.63 (95% CI, 1.32-9.99); tumor studding absent, 0.24 (95% CI, 0.09-0.64); for PET: abnormal pleura, 9.39 (95% CI, 1.42-62); normal pleura, 0.24 (95% CI, 0.11-0.52); and for CT: abnormal pleura, 13.15 (95% CI, 1.93-89.63); normal pleura, 0.28 (95% CI, 0.15-0.54). A finding of no malignant cells on ROSE of touch preps during thoracoscopy lowers the likelihood of malignancy significantly, whereas finding of tumor studding on direct visual assessment during thoracoscopy only moderately increases the likelihood of malignancy. A positive finding on PET and/or CT increases the likelihood of malignancy significantly in a moderate-risk patient group and can be used as an adjunct to predict malignancy before pleurodesis.

Comparing reactive and memory-one strategies of direct reciprocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baek, Seung Ki; Jeong, Hyeong-Chai; Hilbe, Christian; Nowak, Martin A.

2016-05-01

Direct reciprocity is a mechanism for the evolution of cooperation based on repeated interactions. When individuals meet repeatedly, they can use conditional strategies to enforce cooperative outcomes that would not be feasible in one-shot social dilemmas. Direct reciprocity requires that individuals keep track of their past interactions and find the right response. However, there are natural bounds on strategic complexity: Humans find it difficult to remember past interactions accurately, especially over long timespans. Given these limitations, it is natural to ask how complex strategies need to be for cooperation to evolve. Here, we study stochastic evolutionary game dynamics in finite populations to systematically compare the evolutionary performance of reactive strategies, which only respond to the co-player’s previous move, and memory-one strategies, which take into account the own and the co-player’s previous move. In both cases, we compare deterministic strategy and stochastic strategy spaces. For reactive strategies and small costs, we find that stochasticity benefits cooperation, because it allows for generous-tit-for-tat. For memory one strategies and small costs, we find that stochasticity does not increase the propensity for cooperation, because the deterministic rule of win-stay, lose-shift works best. For memory one strategies and large costs, however, stochasticity can augment cooperation.

New kind of polarotaxis governed by degree of polarization: attraction of tabanid flies to differently polarizing host animals and water surfaces.

PubMed

Egri, Ádám; Blahó, Miklós; Sándor, András; Kriska, György; Gyurkovszky, Mónika; Farkas, Róbert; Horváth, Gábor

2012-05-01

Aquatic insects find their habitat from a remote distance by means of horizontal polarization of light reflected from the water surface. This kind of positive polarotaxis is governed by the horizontal direction of polarization (E-vector). Tabanid flies also detect water by this kind of polarotaxis. The host choice of blood-sucking female tabanids is partly governed by the linear polarization of light reflected from the host's coat. Since the coat-reflected light is not always horizontally polarized, host finding by female tabanids may be different from the established horizontal E-vector polarotaxis. To reveal the optical cue of the former polarotaxis, we performed choice experiments in the field with tabanid flies using aerial and ground-based visual targets with different degrees and directions of polarization. We observed a new kind of polarotaxis being governed by the degree of polarization rather than the E-vector direction of reflected light. We show here that female and male tabanids use polarotaxis governed by the horizontal E-vector to find water, while polarotaxis based on the degree of polarization serves host finding by female tabanids. As a practical by-product of our studies, we explain the enigmatic attractiveness of shiny black spheres used in canopy traps to catch tabanids.

New kind of polarotaxis governed by degree of polarization: attraction of tabanid flies to differently polarizing host animals and water surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egri, Ádám; Blahó, Miklós; Sándor, András; Kriska, György; Gyurkovszky, Mónika; Farkas, Róbert; Horváth, Gábor

2012-05-01

Aquatic insects find their habitat from a remote distance by means of horizontal polarization of light reflected from the water surface. This kind of positive polarotaxis is governed by the horizontal direction of polarization (E-vector). Tabanid flies also detect water by this kind of polarotaxis. The host choice of blood-sucking female tabanids is partly governed by the linear polarization of light reflected from the host's coat. Since the coat-reflected light is not always horizontally polarized, host finding by female tabanids may be different from the established horizontal E-vector polarotaxis. To reveal the optical cue of the former polarotaxis, we performed choice experiments in the field with tabanid flies using aerial and ground-based visual targets with different degrees and directions of polarization. We observed a new kind of polarotaxis being governed by the degree of polarization rather than the E-vector direction of reflected light. We show here that female and male tabanids use polarotaxis governed by the horizontal E-vector to find water, while polarotaxis based on the degree of polarization serves host finding by female tabanids. As a practical by-product of our studies, we explain the enigmatic attractiveness of shiny black spheres used in canopy traps to catch tabanids.

Comparing reactive and memory-one strategies of direct reciprocity

PubMed Central

Baek, Seung Ki; Jeong, Hyeong-Chai; Hilbe, Christian; Nowak, Martin A.

2016-01-01

Direct reciprocity is a mechanism for the evolution of cooperation based on repeated interactions. When individuals meet repeatedly, they can use conditional strategies to enforce cooperative outcomes that would not be feasible in one-shot social dilemmas. Direct reciprocity requires that individuals keep track of their past interactions and find the right response. However, there are natural bounds on strategic complexity: Humans find it difficult to remember past interactions accurately, especially over long timespans. Given these limitations, it is natural to ask how complex strategies need to be for cooperation to evolve. Here, we study stochastic evolutionary game dynamics in finite populations to systematically compare the evolutionary performance of reactive strategies, which only respond to the co-player’s previous move, and memory-one strategies, which take into account the own and the co-player’s previous move. In both cases, we compare deterministic strategy and stochastic strategy spaces. For reactive strategies and small costs, we find that stochasticity benefits cooperation, because it allows for generous-tit-for-tat. For memory one strategies and small costs, we find that stochasticity does not increase the propensity for cooperation, because the deterministic rule of win-stay, lose-shift works best. For memory one strategies and large costs, however, stochasticity can augment cooperation. PMID:27161141

Current capabilities and future directions in computational fluid dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

A summary of significant findings is given, followed by specific recommendations for future directions of emphasis for computational fluid dynamics development. The discussion is organized into three application areas: external aerodynamics, hypersonics, and propulsion - and followed by a turbulence modeling synopsis.

16 CFR § 1204.6 - Findings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... capabilities in one or more directions than can omnidirectionals, directionals are generally more expensive and... recent history of decreasing sales, may cause a number of manufacturers, including one or two of the... technical approaches to reducing or eliminating unreasonable risks of injury associated with omnidirectional...

Directions in Near-Death Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundahl, C.R.

1981-01-01

Explains that near-death research is moving in three directions: (1) the ongoing accumulation of knowledge on the near-death experience through scientifically derived studies; (2) the examination of post-mortem survival; and (3) the clinical application of the findings of near- death research. (Author/RC)

Diversity of faculty practice in workshop classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franklin, Scott V.; Chapman, Tricia

2013-01-01

We present a temporally fine-grained characterization of faculty practice in workshop-style introductory physics courses. Practice is binned in five minute intervals and coded through two complementary observational protocols: the Reform Teaching Observation Protocol provides a summative assessment of fidelity to reform-teaching principles, while the Teaching Dimensions Observation Protocol records direct practice. We find that the TDOP's direct coding of practice explains nuances in the holistic RTOP score, with higher RTOP scores corresponding to less lecture, but not necessarily more student-directed activities. Despite using similar materials, faculty show significant differences in practice that manifests in both TDOP and RTOP scores. We also find a significant dependence of practice on course subject reflected in both RTOP and TDOP scores, with Electricity & Magnetism using more instructor-centered practices (lecture, illustration, etc.) than Mechanics courses.

Electrohydrodynamic Quincke rotation of a prolate ellipsoid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brosseau, Quentin; Hickey, Gregory; Vlahovska, Petia M.

2017-01-01

We study experimentally the occurrence of spontaneous spinning (Quincke rotation) of an ellipsoid in a uniform direct current (dc) electric field. For an ellipsoid suspended in an unbounded fluid, we find two stable states characterized by the orientation of the ellipsoid long axis relative to the applied electric field: spinless (parallel) and spinning (perpendicular). The phase diagram of ellipsoid behavior as a function of field strength and aspect ratio is in close agreement with the theory of Cēbers et al. [Phys. Rev. E 63, 016301 (2000)], 10.1103/PhysRevE.63.016301. We also investigate the dynamics of the ellipsoidal Quincke rotor resting on a planar surface with normal perpendicular to the field direction. We find behaviors, such as swinging (long axis oscillating around the applied field direction) and tumbling, due to the confinement.

The Weird Side of the Universe: Preferred Axis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Wen; Santos, Larissa

In both WMAP and Planck observations on the temperature anisotropy of cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation a number of large-scale anomalies were discovered in the past years, including the CMB parity asymmetry in the low multipoles. By defining a directional statistics, we find that the CMB parity asymmetry is directional dependent, and the preferred axis is stable, which means that it is independent of the chosen CMB map, the definition of the statistic, or the CMB masks. Meanwhile, we find that this preferred axis strongly aligns with those of the CMB quadrupole, octopole, as well as those of other large-scale observations. In addition, all of them aligns with the CMB kinematic dipole, which hints to the non-cosmological origin of these directional anomalies in cosmological observations.

Direction-Finding Measurements of Heliospheric 2-3 kHz Radio Emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurnett, Donald A.

1998-01-01

Using data from the Voyager 1 plasma wave instrument, a series of direction-finding measurements is presented for the intense 1992-93 heliospheric 2- to 3-kHz radio emission event, and several weaker events extending into 1994. Direction-finding measurements can only be obtained during roll maneuvers, which are performed about once every three months. Two parameters can be determined from the roll-induced intensity modulation, the azimuthal direction of arrival (measured around the roll axis), and the modulation index (the peak-to-peak amplitude divided by the peak amplitude). Measurements were made at two frequencies, 1.78 and 3.11 kHz. No roll modulation was observed at 1.78 kHz, which is consistent with an isotropic source at this frequency. In most cases an easily measurable roll modulation was detectable at 3.11 kHz. Although the azimuth angles have considerable scatter, the directions of arrival at 3.11 kHz can be organized into three groups, each of which appears to be associated with a separate upward drifting feature in the radio emission spectrum. The first group, which is associated with the main 1992-93 event, is consistent with a source located near the nose of the heliosphere. The remaining two groups, which occur after the main 1992-93 event, have azimuth angles well away from the nose of the heliosphere. The modulation indexes vary over a large range, from 0.06 to 0.61, with no obvious trend. Although the variations in the directions of arrival and modulation indicies appear to reflect changes in the position and angular size of the source, it is also possible that they could be caused by refraction or scattering due to density structures in the solar wind.

78 FR 64894 - Airworthiness Directives; B-N Group Ltd. Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-30

... requires a one-time inspection and functional test of the engine control cables and, depending on findings... Airworthiness Directives; B-N Group Ltd. Airplanes AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of... airworthiness directive (AD) for B-N Group Ltd. Models BN-2, BN-2A, BN-2A-2, BN-2A-3, BN-2A-6, BN-2A-8, BN- 2A-9...

A Survey of Levels of Supervisory Support and Maintenance of Effects Reported by Educators Involved in Direct Instruction Implementations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blakely, Molly Riley

2001-01-01

Provides results of a survey given to 150 educators across 5 school Direct Instruction implementations. Proposes that this survey is an initial step in the direction of determining teacher preferences with regard to levels of support and coaching provided in school. Finds teachers identified the team-teach method of coaching as the most effective.…

Elementary teachers' ideas about, planning for and implementation of learner-directed and teacher-directed inquiry: A mixed methods study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biggers, Mandy Sue

Using a framework for variations of classroom inquiry (National Research Council [NRC], 2000, p. 29), this study explored 40 inservice elementary teachers' planning, modification, and enactment of kit-based science curriculum materials. As part of the study, a new observation protocol was modified from an existing protocol (Practices of Science Observation Protocol [P-SOP]) to measure the amount of teacher direction in science inquiry lessons (Practices of Science Observation Protocol + Directedness [P-SOPd]). An embedded mixed methods design was employed to investigate four questions: 1. How valid and reliable is the P-SOPd? 2. In what ways do inservice elementary teachers adapt existing elementary science curriculum materials across the inquiry continuum? 3. What is the relationship between the overall quality of inquiry and variations of inquiry in elementary teachers' enacted science instruction? 4. How do inservice elementary teachers' ideas about the inquiry continuum influence their adaptation of elementary science curriculum materials? Each teacher chose three lessons from a science unit for video-recorded observation, and submitted lesson plans for the three lessons. Lesson plans and videos were scored using the P-SOPd. The scores were also compared between the two protocols to determine if a correlation existed between the level of inquiry (measured on the P-SOP) and the amount of teacher direction (measured on the P-SOPd). Findings indicated no significant differences between planned and enacted lessons for the amount of teacher direction, but a correlation existed between the level of inquiry and the amount of teacher direction. In effect, the elementary teachers taught their science curriculum materials with a high level of fidelity for both the features of inquiry and the amount of teacher direction. A smaller group of three case study teachers were followed for the school year to give a more in-depth explanation of the quantitative findings. Case study findings revealed that the teachers' science instruction was teacher-directed while their conceptions of inquiry were student-directed. This study contributes to existing research on preservice teachers' learning about the continuum (Biggers & Forbes, 2012) and inservice teachers' ideas about the five features of inquiry (Biggers & Forbes, in press).

Bi-directional transition nets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staines, Anthony Spiteri

2017-06-01

Ordinary Petri nets are forward directed transition systems. Modern transition systems events and event flows are reversible. Hence modeling structures that reflect this are important. The creation of a bi-directional Petri net extends the modeling power of Petri nets. This work presents the successful implementation of a bi-directional transition net. Some toy examples in comparison to Petri nets are given showing the increased modeling power in a compacted form. The results show some interesting findings on how the expressive power of these structures has been increased.

Impoverished descriptions of familiar routes in three cases of hippocampal/medial temporal lobe amnesia.

PubMed

Herdman, Katherine A; Calarco, Navona; Moscovitch, Morris; Hirshhorn, Marnie; Rosenbaum, R Shayna

2015-10-01

Recent research has challenged classic theories of hippocampal function in spatial memory with findings that the hippocampus may be necessary for detailed representations of environments learned long ago, but not for remembering the gist or schematic aspects that are sufficient for navigating within those environments (Rosenbaum et al., 2000; Rosenbaum, Winocur, Binns, & Moscovitch, 2012). We aimed to probe further distinctions between detailed and schematic representations of familiar environments in three cases of hippocampal/medial temporal lobe (MTL) amnesia by testing them on a route description task and mental navigation tasks that assess the identity and location of landmarks, and distances and directions between them. The amnesic cases could describe basic directions along known, imagined routes, estimate distance and direction between well-known landmarks, and produce sketch maps with accurate layouts, suggestive of intact schematic representations. However, findings that their route descriptions lack richness of detail, along with impoverished sketch maps and poor landmark recognition, substantiates previous findings that detailed representations are hippocampus-dependent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analytic calculation of finite-population reproductive numbers for direct- and vector-transmitted diseases with homogeneous mixing.

PubMed

Keegan, Lindsay; Dushoff, Jonathan

2014-05-01

The basic reproductive number, R0, provides a foundation for evaluating how various factors affect the incidence of infectious diseases. Recently, it has been suggested that, particularly for vector-transmitted diseases, R0 should be modified to account for the effects of finite host population within a single disease transmission generation. Here, we use a transmission factor approach to calculate such "finite-population reproductive numbers," under the assumption of homogeneous mixing, for both vector-borne and directly transmitted diseases. In the case of vector-borne diseases, we estimate finite-population reproductive numbers for both host-to-host and vector-to-vector generations, assuming that the vector population is effectively infinite. We find simple, interpretable formulas for all three of these quantities. In the direct case, we find that finite-population reproductive numbers diverge from R0 before R0 reaches half of the population size. In the vector-transmitted case, we find that the host-to-host number diverges at even lower values of R0, while the vector-to-vector number diverges very little over realistic parameter ranges.

78 FR 72879 - Adequacy Status of the Submitted Redesignation Requests and Maintenance Plans for the Charleston...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-04

...In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that EPA has made insignificance findings through the transportation conformity adequacy process, under the Clean Air Act (CAA), for directly emitted fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) in the Charleston, West Virginia 1997 and 2006 PM2.5 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) nonattainment area. West Virginia submitted the insignificance findings with the redesignation requests and maintenance plans submittal on December 6, 2012. As a result of EPA's findings, the Charleston, West Virginia nonattainment area is no longer required to perform a regional emissions analysis for directly emitted PM2.5, or NOX, as part of future PM2.5 conformity determinations for the 1997 and 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS.

76 FR 60492 - Adequacy Status of the Ohio Portion of the Huntington/Ashland Submitted Annual Fine Particulate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-29

...In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that we have made insignificance findings through the transportation conformity adequacy process, under the Clean Air Act, for directly emitted fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX) in the Ohio portion of the Huntington/Ashland WV-KY-OH area. Ohio submitted the insignificance findings with the redesignation and maintenance plan submittal on May 4, 2011. As a result of our findings, the Ohio portion of the Huntington/Ashland area is no longer required to perform a regional emissions analysis for either directly emitted PM2.5 or NOX as part of future PM2.5 conformity determinations for the 1997 annual PM2.5 air quality standard.

SU(5) with nonuniversal gaugino masses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajaib, M. Adeel

2018-02-01

We explore the sparticle spectroscopy of the supersymmetric SU(5) model with nonuniversal gaugino masses in light of latest experimental searches. We assume that the gaugino mass parameters are independent at the GUT scale. We find that the observed deviation in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon can be explained in this model. The parameter space that explains this deviation predicts a heavy colored sparticle spectrum whereas the sleptons can be light. We also find a notable region of the parameter space that yields the desired relic abundance for dark matter. In addition, we analyze the model in light of latest limits from direct detection experiments and find that the parameter space corresponding to the observed deviation in the muon anomalous magnetic moment can be probed at some of the future direct detection experiments.

75 FR 70812 - Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-19

... corrosion. If you do not find a crack, the AD requires applying a corrosion preventive compound. If you find a crack, the AD requires replacing the MGB before further flight. If you find corrosion, bubbled... include another MGB assembly and MGB housing that is prone to the same cracks and corrosion as the MGB...

34 CFR 75.50 - How to find out whether you are eligible.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false How to find out whether you are eligible. 75.50 Section 75.50 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education DIRECT GRANT PROGRAMS General Eligibility for A Grant § 75.50 How to find out whether you are eligible. Eligibility to apply for a grant...

Inhomogeneous ensembles of radical pairs in chemical compasses

PubMed Central

Procopio, Maria; Ritz, Thorsten

2016-01-01

The biophysical basis for the ability of animals to detect the geomagnetic field and to use it for finding directions remains a mystery of sensory biology. One much debated hypothesis suggests that an ensemble of specialized light-induced radical pair reactions can provide the primary signal for a magnetic compass sensor. The question arises what features of such a radical pair ensemble could be optimized by evolution so as to improve the detection of the direction of weak magnetic fields. Here, we focus on the overlooked aspect of the noise arising from inhomogeneity of copies of biomolecules in a realistic biological environment. Such inhomogeneity leads to variations of the radical pair parameters, thereby deteriorating the signal arising from an ensemble and providing a source of noise. We investigate the effect of variations in hyperfine interactions between different copies of simple radical pairs on the directional response of a compass system. We find that the choice of radical pair parameters greatly influences how strongly the directional response of an ensemble is affected by inhomogeneity. PMID:27804956

Inhomogeneous ensembles of radical pairs in chemical compasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Procopio, Maria; Ritz, Thorsten

2016-11-01

The biophysical basis for the ability of animals to detect the geomagnetic field and to use it for finding directions remains a mystery of sensory biology. One much debated hypothesis suggests that an ensemble of specialized light-induced radical pair reactions can provide the primary signal for a magnetic compass sensor. The question arises what features of such a radical pair ensemble could be optimized by evolution so as to improve the detection of the direction of weak magnetic fields. Here, we focus on the overlooked aspect of the noise arising from inhomogeneity of copies of biomolecules in a realistic biological environment. Such inhomogeneity leads to variations of the radical pair parameters, thereby deteriorating the signal arising from an ensemble and providing a source of noise. We investigate the effect of variations in hyperfine interactions between different copies of simple radical pairs on the directional response of a compass system. We find that the choice of radical pair parameters greatly influences how strongly the directional response of an ensemble is affected by inhomogeneity.

Computer-mediated communication and interpersonal attraction: an experimental test of two explanatory hypotheses.

PubMed

Antheunis, Marjolijn L; Valkenburg, Patti M; Peter, Jochen

2007-12-01

The aims of this study were (a) to investigate the influence of computer-mediated communication (CMC) on interpersonal attraction and (b) to examine two underlying processes in the CMC-interpersonal attraction relationship. We identified two variables that may mediate the influence of CMC on interpersonal attraction: self-disclosure and direct questioning. Focusing on these potential mediating variables, we tested two explanatory hypotheses: the CMC-induced direct questioning hypothesis and the CMC-induced self-disclosure hypothesis. Eighty-one cross-sex dyads were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: text-only CMC, visual CMC, and face-to-face communication. We did not find a direct effect of CMC on interpersonal attraction. However, we did find two positive indirect effects of text-only CMC on interpersonal attraction: text-only CMC stimulated both self-disclosure and direct questioning, both of which in turn enhanced interpersonal attraction. Results are discussed in light of uncertainty reduction theory and CMC theories.

Biodiversity and Dynamics of Direction Finding Accuracy in Bat Biosonar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilani, Syed Uzair

In the biosonar systems of bats, emitted acoustic energy and receiver sensitivity are distributed over direction and frequency through beampattern functions that have diverse and often complicated geometries. This complexity could be used by the animals to determine the direction of incoming sounds based on spectral signatures. The present study in its first part has investigated how well bat biosonar beampatterns are suited for direction finding using a measure of the smallest estimator variance that is possible for a given direction (Cramer-Rao lower bound, CRLB). CRLB values were estimated for numerical beampattern estimates derived from 330 individual shape samples, 157 noseleaves (used for emission) and 173 outer ears (pinnae). At an assumed 60 dB signal-to-noise ratio, the average value of the CRLB was 3.9°, which is similar to previous behavioral findings. Distribution for the CRLBs in individual beampatterns were found to have a positive skew indicating the existence of regions where a given beampattern does not support a high accuracy. The highest supported accuracies were for direction finding in elevation (with the exception of phyllostomid emission patterns). Beampatterns in the dataset were also characterized based upon the differences in the type of acoustic signal they are associated with, the functionality of the baffle shape producing them and their phylogeny. In the second part of the study, functionality of various local shape features was investigated under static and dynamic conditions. Each local shape feature was found to have an impact on the estimation performance of the baffle shape. Interaction of the local shape features among themselves as well as their dynamic motion produced a plethora of results, not achievable through either single features or through their static states only. This work was supported by grants from the U.S. Army Research Office (Grant No. 451069), the National Science Foundation (Award Ids 1053130, 1362886), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 11374192, 11074149, and 11574183), the Fundamental Research Fund of Shandong University (No. 2014QY008) and the Government of Pakistan, establishment of Jalozai campus scholarship program.

Computed tomography findings of acute gastric volvulus.

PubMed

Millet, Ingrid; Orliac, Celine; Alili, Chakib; Guillon, Françoise; Taourel, Patrice

2014-12-01

To assess the diagnostic performance of CT signs of gastric volvulus in both confirmed cases and control subjects. We retrospectively reviewed CT findings in 10 patients with surgically confirmed acute gastric volvulus and 20 control subjects with gastric distension. Two radiologists independently evaluated CT images for risk factors of gastric volvulus, direct findings of gastric volvulus by assessing gastric dilatation, the presence of an antropyloric transition point, the respective position of the different stomach segments and of the greater and lesser curvatures, stenosis of the gastric segments through the oesophageal hiatus and for findings of gastric ischemia. The sensitivity and specificity of each finding were calculated. The most sensitive direct signs of gastric volvulus were an antropyloric transition point without any abnormality at the transition zone and the antrum at the same level or higher than the fundus. The presence of both these two findings as diagnostic criteria of gastric volvulus had 100% sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of gastric volvulus. There was no association between CT signs of ischemia and final bowel ischemia at pathology. CT is both highly sensitive and specific for diagnosing acute gastric volvulus. CT is highly reliable for diagnosing acute gastric volvulus with two findings. The two signs are gastropyloric transition zone and abnormal location of the antrum. This allows fast surgical management of this emergency.

BrainCheck - a very brief tool to detect incipient cognitive decline: optimized case-finding combining patient- and informant-based data.

PubMed

Ehrensperger, Michael M; Taylor, Kirsten I; Berres, Manfred; Foldi, Nancy S; Dellenbach, Myriam; Bopp, Irene; Gold, Gabriel; von Gunten, Armin; Inglin, Daniel; Müri, René; Rüegger, Brigitte; Kressig, Reto W; Monsch, Andreas U

2014-01-01

Optimal identification of subtle cognitive impairment in the primary care setting requires a very brief tool combining (a) patients' subjective impairments, (b) cognitive testing, and (c) information from informants. The present study developed a new, very quick and easily administered case-finding tool combining these assessments ('BrainCheck') and tested the feasibility and validity of this instrument in two independent studies. We developed a case-finding tool comprised of patient-directed (a) questions about memory and depression and (b) clock drawing, and (c) the informant-directed 7-item version of the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE). Feasibility study: 52 general practitioners rated the feasibility and acceptance of the patient-directed tool. Validation study: An independent group of 288 Memory Clinic patients (mean ± SD age = 76.6 ± 7.9, education = 12.0 ± 2.6; 53.8% female) with diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment (n = 80), probable Alzheimer's disease (n = 185), or major depression (n = 23) and 126 demographically matched, cognitively healthy volunteer participants (age = 75.2 ± 8.8, education = 12.5 ± 2.7; 40% female) partook. All patient and healthy control participants were administered the patient-directed tool, and informants of 113 patient and 70 healthy control participants completed the very short IQCODE. Feasibility study: General practitioners rated the patient-directed tool as highly feasible and acceptable. Validation study: A Classification and Regression Tree analysis generated an algorithm to categorize patient-directed data which resulted in a correct classification rate (CCR) of 81.2% (sensitivity = 83.0%, specificity = 79.4%). Critically, the CCR of the combined patient- and informant-directed instruments (BrainCheck) reached nearly 90% (that is 89.4%; sensitivity = 97.4%, specificity = 81.6%). A new and very brief instrument for general practitioners, 'BrainCheck', combined three sources of information deemed critical for effective case-finding (that is, patients' subject impairments, cognitive testing, informant information) and resulted in a nearly 90% CCR. Thus, it provides a very efficient and valid tool to aid general practitioners in deciding whether patients with suspected cognitive impairments should be further evaluated or not ('watchful waiting').

Frontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) abolishes list-method directed forgetting.

PubMed

Silas, Jonathan; Brandt, Karen R

2016-03-11

It is a point of controversy as to whether directed forgetting effects are a result of active inhibition or a change of context initiated by the instruction to forget. In this study we test the causal role of active inhibition in directed forgetting. By applying cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the right prefrontal cortex we suppressed cortical activity commonly associated with inhibitory control. Participants who underwent real brain stimulation before completing the directed forgetting paradigm showed no directed forgetting effects. Conversely, those who underwent sham brain stimulation demonstrated classical directed forgetting effects. We argue that these findings suggest that inhibition is the primary mechanism that results in directed forgetting costs and benefits. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perspectives of self-direction: a systematic review of key areas contributing to service users' engagement and choice-making in self-directed disability services and supports.

PubMed

Lakhani, Ali; McDonald, Donna; Zeeman, Heidi

2018-05-01

Self-directed disability support policies aim to encourage greater choice and control for service users in terms of the health and social care they receive. The proliferation of self-directed disability support policies throughout the developed world has resulted in a growing amount of research exploring the outcomes for service users, and their families and carers. Our understanding of the issues faced by people with disabilities, particularly how they make health and social care decisions and the key areas that determine their engagement with service providers within a self-directed environment is limited. A synthesis of research is timely and can provide knowledge for service users and health and social care support providers to ensure their successful participation. A systematic review guided by the PRISMA approach explored (i) the key areas determining service users' engagement with self-directed disability services and supports, and (ii) how service users make informed decisions about providers. In October 2014 and April 2016, three databases - MEDLINE, CINAHL and Web of Science - were searched for research and review articles. Eighteen sources met the search criteria. Findings were mapped into either: key areas determining service user engagement, or service users' informed decision-making. Findings concerning key areas determining engagement fell into three themes - personal responsibility for budgeting, personalised approaches, and a cultural shift in practice and delivery among service providers. Findings about decision-making yielded two themes - supporting informed decision-making and inhibiting informed decision-making. Literature suggests that self-directed models of care may provide service users with increased control over the services that they receive. Increased control for some service users and their families requires independent external decision-making support, particularly around the domains of budgeting, planning and hiring. Future research must continue to investigate the perspectives of service users pertaining to their engagement, as their participation is central to the effectiveness of the approach. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Current-direction dependence of the transport properties in single-crystalline face-centered-cubic cobalt films

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

Xiao, X.; Liang, J. H.; Chen, B. L.

2015-07-28

Face-centered-cubic cobalt films are epitaxially grown on insulating LaAlO{sub 3}(001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. Transport measurements are conducted in different current directions relative to the crystal axes. We find that the temperature dependent anisotropic magnetoresistance ratio strongly depends on the current direction. However, the anomalous Hall effect shows isotropic behavior independent of the current direction. Our results demonstrate the interplay between the current direction and the crystalline lattice in single-crystalline ferromagnetic films. A phenomenological analysis is presented to interpret the experimental data.

Human discrimination of visual direction of motion with and without smooth pursuit eye movements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krukowski, Anton E.; Pirog, Kathleen A.; Beutter, Brent R.; Brooks, Kevin R.; Stone, Leland S.

2003-01-01

It has long been known that ocular pursuit of a moving target has a major influence on its perceived speed (Aubert, 1886; Fleischl, 1882). However, little is known about the effect of smooth pursuit on the perception of target direction. Here we compare the precision of human visual-direction judgments under two oculomotor conditions (pursuit vs. fixation). We also examine the impact of stimulus duration (200 ms vs. 800 ms) and absolute direction (cardinal vs. oblique). Our main finding is that direction discrimination thresholds in the fixation and pursuit conditions are indistinguishable. Furthermore, the two oculomotor conditions showed oblique effects of similar magnitudes. These data suggest that the neural direction signals supporting perception are the same with or without pursuit, despite remarkably different retinal stimulation. During fixation, the stimulus information is restricted to large, purely peripheral retinal motion, while during steady-state pursuit, the stimulus information consists of small, unreliable foveal retinal motion and a large efference-copy signal. A parsimonious explanation of our findings is that the signal limiting the precision of direction judgments is a neural estimate of target motion in head-centered (or world-centered) coordinates (i.e., a combined retinal and eye motion signal) as found in the medial superior temporal area (MST), and not simply an estimate of retinal motion as found in the middle temporal area (MT).

Looking and homing: how displaced ants decide where to go

PubMed Central

Zeil, Jochen; Narendra, Ajay; Stürzl, Wolfgang

2014-01-01

We caught solitary foragers of the Australian Jack Jumper ant, Myrmecia croslandi, and released them in three compass directions at distances of 10 and 15 m from the nest at locations they have never been before. We recorded the head orientation and the movements of ants within a radius of 20 cm from the release point and, in some cases, tracked their subsequent paths with a differential GPS. We find that upon surfacing from their transport vials onto a release platform, most ants move into the home direction after looking around briefly. The ants use a systematic scanning procedure, consisting of saccadic head and body rotations that sweep gaze across the scene with an average angular velocity of 90° s−1 and intermittent changes in turning direction. By mapping the ants’ gaze directions onto the local panorama, we find that neither the ants’ gaze nor their decisions to change turning direction are clearly associated with salient or significant features in the scene. Instead, the ants look most frequently in the home direction and start walking fast when doing so. Displaced ants can thus identify home direction with little translation, but exclusively through rotational scanning. We discuss the navigational information content of the ants’ habitat and how the insects’ behaviour informs us about how they may acquire and retrieve that information. PMID:24395961

Peer Victimization and Depression in Early-Mid Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweeting, Helen; Young, Robert; West, Patrick; Der, Geoff

2006-01-01

Background: Despite considerable evidence for psychological distress among children and young people who experience peer victimization, cross-sectional studies cannot determine the direction of the relationship. Several recent studies have examined associations between victimization and distress. The majority find evidence for both directions but…

Sleep Can Eliminate List-Method Directed Forgetting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abel, Magdalena; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T.

2013-01-01

Recent work suggests a link between sleep and memory consolidation, indicating that sleep in comparison to wakefulness stabilizes memories. However, relatively little is known about how sleep affects forgetting. Here we examined whether sleep influences directed forgetting, the finding that people can intentionally forget obsolete memories when…

What's Shaking?!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Janice L.; Smith, Diane; Corbat, Josh; Minshew, Lana; Madlangbayan, Melissa

2016-01-01

Direct experience is a powerful learning and teaching tool. However, when trying to teach students about natural hazards such as earthquakes, direct experience is not the best idea. Depending on location, it might be difficult to help young students understand the impact of natural hazards on their lives. Students will naturally find it…

Emotional consequences of collective action participation: differentiating self-directed and outgroup-directed emotions.

PubMed

Becker, Julia C; Tausch, Nicole; Wagner, Ulrich

2011-12-01

The present research examines the emotional and behavioral consequences of collective action participation. It demonstrates that "positive" and "negative" emotions can be experienced simultaneously as a result of collective action participation, yet it is important to distinguish outgroup-directed from self-directed emotions. Results of two experiments (N = 71 and N = 101) that manipulated participation in collective action illustrate that whereas collective action participants experience more outgroup-directed anger and contempt, they feel more self-directed positive affect. Furthermore, collective action participation predicted willingness to engage in moderate and radical collective actions in the future. These relations were mediated by outgroup-directed, but not by self-directed, emotions, suggesting that outgroup-directed rather than self-directed emotions play a crucial role in the maintenance of protest behavior. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Future Directions in Fractional Calculus Research and Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-31

Report: Future Directions in Fractional Calculus Research and Applications The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of the...SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS (ES) U.S. Army Research Office P.O. Box 12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 REPORT...Future Directions in Fractional Calculus Research and Applications Report Term: 0-Other Email: mcubed@msu.edu Distribution Statement: 1-Approved for

Degree, but not direction of grip strength asymmetries, is related to depression and anxiety in an elderly population.

PubMed

Yu, Junhong; Rawtaer, Iris; Mahendran, Rathi; Kua, Ee-Heok; Feng, Lei

2017-05-01

Despite the abundance of studies on asymmetries in manual laterality, a marker for atypical brain lateralization in depression and anxiety, findings in this area are mixed. Traditionally, research have looked at individual differences in depression and anxiety as a function of the direction of asymmetry. However, recent research has emphasized on studying the degree of asymmetry in addition to its direction. To these ends, the present study aims to unravel the associations between the degree and direction of manual lateralization, and depression/anxiety. Cognitively healthy elderlies (N = 326, 91 males, M age  = 68) were administered grip strength assessments on both hands and self-report measures of depression and anxiety. Partial correlation analyses controlling for age, education and sex revealed significant positive associations between degree of lateralization and anxiety in the overall sample and among right-dominant participants, as well as a significant positive relationship between degree of lateralization and depression among right-dominant participants. None of the correlations involving the direction of lateralization yielded significance, neither was there significant differences between left- and right-dominant participants on depression and anxiety scores. These findings suggest that the degree of manual lateralization, but not direction, is related to depression and anxiety at least among right-dominant individuals.

Spatial updating in area LIP is independent of saccade direction.

PubMed

Heiser, Laura M; Colby, Carol L

2006-05-01

We explore the world around us by making rapid eye movements to objects of interest. Remarkably, these eye movements go unnoticed, and we perceive the world as stable. Spatial updating is one of the neural mechanisms that contributes to this perception of spatial constancy. Previous studies in macaque lateral intraparietal cortex (area LIP) have shown that individual neurons update, or "remap," the locations of salient visual stimuli at the time of an eye movement. The existence of remapping implies that neurons have access to visual information from regions far beyond the classically defined receptive field. We hypothesized that neurons have access to information located anywhere in the visual field. We tested this by recording the activity of LIP neurons while systematically varying the direction in which a stimulus location must be updated. Our primary finding is that individual neurons remap stimulus traces in multiple directions, indicating that LIP neurons have access to information throughout the visual field. At the population level, stimulus traces are updated in conjunction with all saccade directions, even when we consider direction as a function of receptive field location. These results show that spatial updating in LIP is effectively independent of saccade direction. Our findings support the hypothesis that the activity of LIP neurons contributes to the maintenance of spatial constancy throughout the visual field.

Directional time-distance probing of model sunspot atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moradi, H.; Cally, P. S.; Przybylski, D.; Shelyag, S.

2015-05-01

A crucial feature not widely accounted for in local helioseismology is that surface magnetic regions actually open a window from the interior into the solar atmosphere, and that the seismic waves leak through this window, reflect high in the atmosphere, and then re-enter the interior to rejoin the seismic wave field normally confined there. In a series of recent numerical studies using translation invariant atmospheres, we utilized a `directional time-distance helioseismology' measurement scheme to study the implications of the returning fast and Alfvén waves higher up in the solar atmosphere on the seismology at the photosphere (Cally & Moradi 2013; Moradi & Cally 2014). In this study, we extend our directional time-distance analysis to more realistic sunspot-like atmospheres to better understand the direct effects of the magnetic field on helioseismic travel-time measurements in sunspots. In line with our previous findings, we uncover a distinct frequency-dependent directional behaviour in the travel-time measurements, consistent with the signatures of magnetohydrodynamic mode conversion. We found this to be the case regardless of the sunspot field strength or depth of its Wilson depression. We also isolated and analysed the direct contribution from purely thermal perturbations to the measured travel times, finding that waves propagating in the umbra are much more sensitive to the underlying thermal effects of the sunspot.

Sequence-dependent catalytic regulation of the SpoIIIE motor activity ensures directionality of DNA translocation.

PubMed

Chara, Osvaldo; Borges, Augusto; Milhiet, Pierre-Emmanuel; Nöllmann, Marcelo; Cattoni, Diego I

2018-03-27

Transport of cellular cargo by molecular motors requires directionality to ensure proper biological functioning. During sporulation in Bacillus subtilis, directionality of chromosome transport is mediated by the interaction between the membrane-bound DNA translocase SpoIIIE and specific octameric sequences (SRS). Whether SRS regulate directionality by recruiting and orienting SpoIIIE or by simply catalyzing its translocation activity is still unclear. By using atomic force microscopy and single-round fast kinetics translocation assays we determined the localization and dynamics of diffusing and translocating SpoIIIE complexes on DNA with or without SRS. Our findings combined with mathematical modelling revealed that SpoIIIE directionality is not regulated by protein recruitment to SRS but rather by a fine-tuned balance among the rates governing SpoIIIE-DNA interactions and the probability of starting translocation modulated by SRS. Additionally, we found that SpoIIIE can start translocation from non-specific DNA, providing an alternative active search mechanism for SRS located beyond the exploratory length defined by 1D diffusion. These findings are relevant in vivo in the context of chromosome transport through an open channel, where SpoIIIE can rapidly explore DNA while directionality is modulated by the probability of translocation initiation upon interaction with SRS versus non-specific DNA.

Coupling of Higgs and Leggett modes in non-equilibrium superconductors.

PubMed

Krull, H; Bittner, N; Uhrig, G S; Manske, D; Schnyder, A P

2016-06-21

In equilibrium systems amplitude and phase collective modes are decoupled, as they are mutually orthogonal excitations. The direct detection of these Higgs and Leggett collective modes by linear-response measurements is not possible, because they do not couple directly to the electromagnetic field. In this work, using numerical exact simulations we show for the case of two-gap superconductors, that optical pump-probe experiments excite both Higgs and Leggett modes out of equilibrium. We find that this non-adiabatic excitation process introduces a strong interaction between the collective modes, which is absent in equilibrium. Moreover, we propose a type of pump-probe experiment, which allows to probe and coherently control the Higgs and Leggett modes, and thus the order parameter directly. These findings go beyond two-band superconductors and apply to general collective modes in quantum materials.

Coordinating compass-based and nest-based flight directions during bumblebee learning and return flights.

PubMed

Collett, Thomas S; de Ibarra, Natalie Hempel; Riabinina, Olena; Philippides, Andrew

2013-03-15

Bumblebees tend to face their nest over a limited range of compass directions when learning the nest's location on departure and finding it on their approach after foraging. They thus obtain similar views of the nest and its surroundings on their learning and return flights. How do bees coordinate their flights relative to nest-based and compass-based reference frames to get such similar views? We show, first, that learning and return flights contain straight segments that are directed along particular compass bearings, which are independent of the orientation of a bee's body. Bees are thus free within limits to adjust their viewing direction relative to the nest, without disturbing flight direction. Second, we examine the coordination of nest-based and compass-based control during likely information gathering segments of these flights: loops during learning flights and zigzags on return flights. We find that bees tend to start a loop or zigzag when flying within a restricted range of compass directions and to fly towards the nest and face it after a fixed change in compass direction, without continuous interactions between their nest-based and compass-based directions of flight. A preferred trajectory of compass-based flight over the course of a motif, combined with the tendency of the bees to keep their body oriented towards the nest automatically narrows the range of compass directions over which bees view the nest. Additionally, the absence of interactions between the two reference frames allows loops and zigzags to have a stereotyped form that can generate informative visual feedback.

Neural Correlates of Direct and Indirect Suppression of Autobiographical Memories

PubMed Central

Noreen, Saima; O’Connor, Akira R.; MacLeod, Malcolm D.

2016-01-01

Research indicates that there are two possible mechanisms by which particular target memories can be intentionally forgotten. Direct suppression, which involves the suppression of the unwanted memory directly, and is dependent on a fronto-hippocampal modulatory process, and, memory substitution, which includes directing one’s attention to an alternative memory in order to prevent the unwanted memory from coming to mind, and involves engaging the caudal prefrontal cortex (cPFC) and the mid-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) regions. Research to date, however, has investigated the neural basis of memory suppression of relatively simple information. The aim of the current study was to use fMRI to identify the neural mechanisms associated with the suppression of autobiographical memories. In the present study, 22 participants generated memories in response to a series of cue words. In a second session, participants learnt these cue-memory pairings, and were subsequently presented with a cue word and asked either to recall (think) or to suppress (no-think) the associated memory, or to think of an alternative memory in order to suppress the original memory (memory-substitution). Our findings demonstrated successful forgetting effects in the no-think and memory substitution conditions. Although we found no activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, there was reduced hippocampal activation during direct suppression. In the memory substitution condition, however, we failed to find increased activation in the cPFC and VLPFC regions. Our findings suggest that the suppression of autobiographical memories may rely on different neural mechanisms to those established for other types of material in memory. PMID:27047412

Neural Correlates of Direct and Indirect Suppression of Autobiographical Memories.

PubMed

Noreen, Saima; O'Connor, Akira R; MacLeod, Malcolm D

2016-01-01

Research indicates that there are two possible mechanisms by which particular target memories can be intentionally forgotten. Direct suppression, which involves the suppression of the unwanted memory directly, and is dependent on a fronto-hippocampal modulatory process, and, memory substitution, which includes directing one's attention to an alternative memory in order to prevent the unwanted memory from coming to mind, and involves engaging the caudal prefrontal cortex (cPFC) and the mid-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) regions. Research to date, however, has investigated the neural basis of memory suppression of relatively simple information. The aim of the current study was to use fMRI to identify the neural mechanisms associated with the suppression of autobiographical memories. In the present study, 22 participants generated memories in response to a series of cue words. In a second session, participants learnt these cue-memory pairings, and were subsequently presented with a cue word and asked either to recall (think) or to suppress (no-think) the associated memory, or to think of an alternative memory in order to suppress the original memory (memory-substitution). Our findings demonstrated successful forgetting effects in the no-think and memory substitution conditions. Although we found no activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, there was reduced hippocampal activation during direct suppression. In the memory substitution condition, however, we failed to find increased activation in the cPFC and VLPFC regions. Our findings suggest that the suppression of autobiographical memories may rely on different neural mechanisms to those established for other types of material in memory.

34 CFR 303.303 - Referral procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the subject of a substantiated case of child abuse or neglect; or (2) Is identified as directly... DISABILITIES Child Find, Evaluations and Assessments, and Individualized Family Service Plans Referral Procedures § 303.303 Referral procedures. (a) General. (1) The lead agency's child find system described in...

34 CFR 303.303 - Referral procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the subject of a substantiated case of child abuse or neglect; or (2) Is identified as directly... DISABILITIES Child Find, Evaluations and Assessments, and Individualized Family Service Plans Referral Procedures § 303.303 Referral procedures. (a) General. (1) The lead agency's child find system described in...

34 CFR 303.303 - Referral procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the subject of a substantiated case of child abuse or neglect; or (2) Is identified as directly... DISABILITIES Child Find, Evaluations and Assessments, and Individualized Family Service Plans Referral Procedures § 303.303 Referral procedures. (a) General. (1) The lead agency's child find system described in...

Functions of reminiscence and the psychological well-being of young-old and older adults over time.

PubMed

O'Rourke, Norm; Cappeliez, Philippe; Claxton, Amy

2011-03-01

Existing cross-sectional research demonstrates an association between reminiscence functions and well-being in later life. The results of this study replicate and extend previous findings in separate participant samples above and below 70 years of age. Findings suggest a link between reminiscence functions and psychological well-being, and indirectly between reminiscence and well-being 16 months thereafter. Invariance analyses reveal few differences in association between reminiscence and well-being when young-old (n = 196) and older adults (n = 215) are compared. These findings suggest a direct positive association between self-positive reminiscence functions (identity, death preparation, and problem-solving) and a direct negative association between self-negative functions (boredom reduction, bitterness revival, and intimacy maintenance) and psychological well-being (life satisfaction, depressive, and anxiety symptoms). In contrast, prosocial reminiscence functions (conversation, teach/inform others) appear to have an indirect association with well-being (i.e., via self-positive and self-negative functions). These findings are discussed relative to evolving theory and research linking cognition and health.

Million-body star cluster simulations: comparisons between Monte Carlo and direct N-body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, Carl L.; Morscher, Meagan; Wang, Long; Chatterjee, Sourav; Rasio, Frederic A.; Spurzem, Rainer

2016-12-01

We present the first detailed comparison between million-body globular cluster simulations computed with a Hénon-type Monte Carlo code, CMC, and a direct N-body code, NBODY6++GPU. Both simulations start from an identical cluster model with 106 particles, and include all of the relevant physics needed to treat the system in a highly realistic way. With the two codes `frozen' (no fine-tuning of any free parameters or internal algorithms of the codes) we find good agreement in the overall evolution of the two models. Furthermore, we find that in both models, large numbers of stellar-mass black holes (>1000) are retained for 12 Gyr. Thus, the very accurate direct N-body approach confirms recent predictions that black holes can be retained in present-day, old globular clusters. We find only minor disagreements between the two models and attribute these to the small-N dynamics driving the evolution of the cluster core for which the Monte Carlo assumptions are less ideal. Based on the overwhelming general agreement between the two models computed using these vastly different techniques, we conclude that our Monte Carlo approach, which is more approximate, but dramatically faster compared to the direct N-body, is capable of producing an accurate description of the long-term evolution of massive globular clusters even when the clusters contain large populations of stellar-mass black holes.

25 CFR 47.3 - How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... EDUCATION UNIFORM DIRECT FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BUREAU-OPERATED SCHOOLS § 47.3 How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive? The Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) will... 25 Indians 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much...

25 CFR 47.3 - How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... EDUCATION UNIFORM DIRECT FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BUREAU-OPERATED SCHOOLS § 47.3 How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive? The Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) will... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much...

25 CFR 47.3 - How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... EDUCATION UNIFORM DIRECT FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BUREAU-OPERATED SCHOOLS § 47.3 How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive? The Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) will... 25 Indians 1 2012-04-01 2011-04-01 true How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much...

25 CFR 47.3 - How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... EDUCATION UNIFORM DIRECT FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BUREAU-OPERATED SCHOOLS § 47.3 How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive? The Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) will... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much...

25 CFR 47.3 - How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... EDUCATION UNIFORM DIRECT FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BUREAU-OPERATED SCHOOLS § 47.3 How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive? The Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) will... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much...

Default Options In Advance Directives Influence How Patients Set Goals For End-Of-Life Care

PubMed Central

Halpern, Scott D.; Loewenstein, George; Volpp, Kevin G.; Cooney, Elizabeth; Vranas, Kelly; Quill, Caroline M.; Mckenzie, Mary S.; Harhay, Michael O.; Gabler, Nicole B.; Silva, Tatiana; Arnold, Robert; Angus, Derek C.; Bryce, Cindy

2015-01-01

Although decisions regarding end-of-life care are personal and important, they may be influenced by the ways in which options are presented. To test this hypothesis, we randomly assigned 132 seriously ill patients to complete one of three types of advance directives. Two types had end-of-life care options already checked—a default choice—but one of these favored comfort-oriented care, and the other, life-extending care. The third type was a standard advance directive with no options checked. We found that most patients preferred comfort-oriented care, but the defaults influenced those choices. For example, 77 percent of patients in the comfort-oriented group retained that choice, while 43 percent of those in the life-extending group rejected the default choice and selected comfort-oriented care instead. Among the standard advance directive group, 61 percent of patients selected comfort-oriented care. Our findings suggest that patients may not hold deep-seated preferences regarding end-of-life care. The findings provide motivation for future research examining whether using default options in advance directives may improve important outcomes, including patients’ receipt of wanted and unwanted services, resource use, survival, and quality of life. PMID:23381535

Perceived Gaze Direction Modulates Neural Processing of Prosocial Decision Making

PubMed Central

Sun, Delin; Shao, Robin; Wang, Zhaoxin; Lee, Tatia M. C.

2018-01-01

Gaze direction is a common social cue implying potential interpersonal interaction. However, little is known about the neural processing of social decision making influenced by perceived gaze direction. Here, we employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) method to investigate 27 females when they were engaging in an economic exchange game task during which photos of direct or averted eye gaze were shown. We found that, when averted but not direct gaze was presented, prosocial vs. selfish choices were associated with stronger activations in the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) as well as larger functional couplings between right STG and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Moreover, stronger activations in right STG was associated with quicker actions for making prosocial choice accompanied with averted gaze. The findings suggest that, when the cue implying social contact is absent, the processing of understanding others’ intention and the relationship between self and others is more involved for making prosocial than selfish decisions. These findings could advance our understanding of the roles of subtle cues in influencing prosocial decision making, as well as shedding lights on deficient social cue processing and functioning among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). PMID:29487516

Sexual dimorphism of male face shape, partnership status and the temporal context of relationship sought modulate women's preferences for direct gaze.

PubMed

Conway, Claire A; Jones, Benedict C; DeBruine, Lisa M; Little, Anthony C

2010-02-01

Most previous studies of face preferences have investigated the physical cues that influence face preferences. Far fewer studies have investigated the effects of cues to the direction of others' social interest (i.e. gaze direction) on face preferences. Here we found that unpartnered women demonstrated stronger preferences for direct gaze (indicating social interest) from feminine male faces than from masculine male faces when judging men's attractiveness for long-term relationships, but not when judging men's attractiveness for short-term relationships. Moreover, unpartnered women's preferences for direct gaze from feminine men were stronger for long-term than short-term relationships, but there was no comparable effect for judgements of masculine men. No such effects were evident among women with romantic partners, potentially reflecting different motivations underlying partnered and unpartnered women's judgements of men's attractiveness. Collectively these findings (1) complement previous findings whereby women demonstrated stronger preferences for feminine men as long-term than short-term partners, (2) demonstrate context-sensitivity in the integration of physical and social cues in face preferences, and (3) suggest that gaze preferences may function, at least in part, to facilitate efficient allocation of mating effort.

Culture, gaze and the neural processing of fear expressions

PubMed Central

Franklin, Robert G.; Rule, Nicholas O.; Freeman, Jonathan B.; Kveraga, Kestutis; Hadjikhani, Nouchine; Yoshikawa, Sakiko; Ambady, Nalini

2010-01-01

The direction of others’ eye gaze has important influences on how we perceive their emotional expressions. Here, we examined differences in neural activation to direct- versus averted-gaze fear faces as a function of culture of the participant (Japanese versus US Caucasian), culture of the stimulus face (Japanese versus US Caucasian), and the relation between the two. We employed a previously validated paradigm to examine differences in neural activation in response to rapidly presented direct- versus averted-fear expressions, finding clear evidence for a culturally determined role of gaze in the processing of fear. Greater neural responsivity was apparent to averted- versus direct-gaze fear in several regions related to face and emotion processing, including bilateral amygdalae, when posed on same-culture faces, whereas greater response to direct- versus averted-gaze fear was apparent in these same regions when posed on other-culture faces. We also found preliminary evidence for intercultural variation including differential responses across participants to Japanese versus US Caucasian stimuli, and to a lesser degree differences in how Japanese and US Caucasian participants responded to these stimuli. These findings reveal a meaningful role of culture in the processing of eye gaze and emotion, and highlight their interactive influences in neural processing. PMID:20019073

Directional Cluster Analysis on a Sphere: Retrieval of Archean Magnetic Directions from Data with High Dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bono, R. K.; Dare, M. S.; Tarduno, J. A.; Cottrell, R. D.

2016-12-01

Magnetic directions from coarse clastic rocks are typically highly scattered, to the point that the null hypothesis that they are drawn from a random distribution, using the iconic test of Watson (1956), cannot be rejected at a high confidence level (e.g. 95%). Here, we use an alternative approach of searching for directional clusters on a sphere. When applied to a new data set of directions from quartzites from the Jack Hills of Western Australia, we find evidence for distinct and meaningful magnetic directions at low (200 to 300 degrees C) and intermediate ( 350 to 450 degrees C) unblocking temperatures, whereas the test of Watson (1956) fails to draw a distinction from random distributions for the ensemble of directions at these unblocking temperature ranges. The robustness of the directional groups identified by the cluster analysis is confirmed by non-parametric resampling tests. The lowest unblocking temperature directional mode appears related to the present day field, perhaps contaminated by viscous magnetizations. The intermediate temperature magnetization matches an overprint recorded by the secondary mineral fuchsite (Cottrell et al., 2016) acquired at ca. 2.65 Ga. These data thus indicate that the Jack Hills carry an overprint at intermediate unblocking temperatures of Archean age. We find no evidence for a 1 Ga remagnetization. In general, the application of cluster analysis on a sphere, with directions confirmed by nonparametric tests, represents a new approach that should be applied when evaluating data with high dispersion, such as those that typically come from weak coarse-grained clastic sedimentary rocks, and/or rocks that have seen several tectonic events that could have imparted multiple magnetic overprints.

Social Support, Social Loss and Positive and Negative Psychological Functioning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGowan, John R.

While the relationship between stressful life events, social support, and health outcomes has received much attention, efforts to quantify social support and directly examine specific ameliorative effects have resulted in mixed findings. Direct and mediational effects of two psychometrically validated measures of perceived and received social…

Final Report for Grant "Direct Writing via Novel Aromatic Ladder Polymer Precursors"

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

C. B. Gorman

2010-10-29

This report describes activities and findings under the above entitled grant. These pertain to the development of new synthetic routes to novel precursor polymers and oligomers that are applicable for conversion from electrical insulators to electrical conductors under the application of light (e.g. direct photolithographic writing)

Client cognitive responses to counselor paradoxical and nonparadoxical directives.

PubMed

Lee, D Y; Rossiter, B; Martin, J; Uhlemann, M R

1990-09-01

Client cognitive responses to counselor paradoxical and nonparadoxical directives were examined. It was predicted (a) that clients who received paradoxical symptom prescriptions would display a greater negativity toward the counselor and counseling than those who received nonparadoxical directives; and (b) that clients who received no rationale for the paradoxical directives would display a greater negativity than those who received a rationale. Thirty clients who had reported performance anxiety received one 45-minute counseling interview. Ten clients received paradoxical directives with a rationale, 10 received paradoxical directives with no rationale, and 10 received nonparadoxical directives. Results showed no significant differences in either client in-session negativity or out-of-session implementation of directives between the paradoxical and nonparadoxical conditions and between the rationale and no rationale paradoxical conditions. Possible implications of the findings are discussed.

Large-scale Observations of a Subauroral Polarization Stream by Midlatitude SuperDARN Radars: Instantaneous Longitudinal Velocity Variations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clausen, L. B. N.; Baker, J. B. H.; Sazykin, S.; Ruohoniemi, J. M.; Greenwald, R. A.; Thomas, E. J.; Shepherd, S. G.; Talaat, E. R.; Bristow, W. A.; Zheng, Y.;

A 125 GeV fat Higgs at large tan β

DOE PAGES

Menon, Arjun; Raj, Nirmal

2015-12-02

In this paper, we study the viability of regions of large tan β within the frame-work of Fat Higgs/λ-SUSY Models. We compute the one-loop effective potential to find the corrections to the Higgs boson mass due to the heavy non-standard Higgs bosons. As the tree level contribution to the Higgs boson mass is suppressed at large tan β, these one-loop corrections are crucial to raising the Higgs boson mass to the measured LHC value. By raising the Higgsino and singlino mass parameters, typical electroweak precision constraints can also be avoided. We illustrate these new regions of Fat Higgs/λ-SUSY parameter spacemore » by finding regions of large tan β that are consistent with all experimental constraints including direct dark matter detection experiments, relic density limits and the invisible decay width of the Z boson. We find that there exist regions around λ = 1.25, tan β = 50 and a uniform psuedo-scalar 4 TeV ≲ M A ≲ 8 TeV which are consistent will all present phenomenological constraints. In this region the dark matter relic abundance and direct detection limits are satisfied by a lightest neutralino that is mostly bino or singlino. As an interesting aside we also find a region of low tan β and small singlino mass parameter where a well-tempered neutralino avoids all cosmological and direct detection constraints.« less

A 125 GeV fat Higgs at large tan β

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

Menon, Arjun; Raj, Nirmal

In this paper, we study the viability of regions of large tan β within the frame-work of Fat Higgs/λ-SUSY Models. We compute the one-loop effective potential to find the corrections to the Higgs boson mass due to the heavy non-standard Higgs bosons. As the tree level contribution to the Higgs boson mass is suppressed at large tan β, these one-loop corrections are crucial to raising the Higgs boson mass to the measured LHC value. By raising the Higgsino and singlino mass parameters, typical electroweak precision constraints can also be avoided. We illustrate these new regions of Fat Higgs/λ-SUSY parameter spacemore » by finding regions of large tan β that are consistent with all experimental constraints including direct dark matter detection experiments, relic density limits and the invisible decay width of the Z boson. We find that there exist regions around λ = 1.25, tan β = 50 and a uniform psuedo-scalar 4 TeV ≲ M A ≲ 8 TeV which are consistent will all present phenomenological constraints. In this region the dark matter relic abundance and direct detection limits are satisfied by a lightest neutralino that is mostly bino or singlino. As an interesting aside we also find a region of low tan β and small singlino mass parameter where a well-tempered neutralino avoids all cosmological and direct detection constraints.« less

Are You Your Friends' Friend? Poor Perception of Friendship Ties Limits the Ability to Promote Behavioral Change.

PubMed

Almaatouq, Abdullah; Radaelli, Laura; Pentland, Alex; Shmueli, Erez

2016-01-01

Persuasion is at the core of norm creation, emergence of collective action, and solutions to 'tragedy of the commons' problems. In this paper, we show that the directionality of friendship ties affect the extent to which individuals can influence the behavior of each other. Moreover, we find that people are typically poor at perceiving the directionality of their friendship ties and that this can significantly limit their ability to engage in cooperative arrangements. This could lead to failures in establishing compatible norms, acting together, finding compromise solutions, and persuading others to act. We then suggest strategies to overcome this limitation by using two topological characteristics of the perceived friendship network. The findings of this paper have significant consequences for designing interventions that seek to harness social influence for collective action.

Are You Your Friends’ Friend? Poor Perception of Friendship Ties Limits the Ability to Promote Behavioral Change

PubMed Central

Almaatouq, Abdullah; Radaelli, Laura; Pentland, Alex; Shmueli, Erez

2016-01-01

Persuasion is at the core of norm creation, emergence of collective action, and solutions to ‘tragedy of the commons’ problems. In this paper, we show that the directionality of friendship ties affect the extent to which individuals can influence the behavior of each other. Moreover, we find that people are typically poor at perceiving the directionality of their friendship ties and that this can significantly limit their ability to engage in cooperative arrangements. This could lead to failures in establishing compatible norms, acting together, finding compromise solutions, and persuading others to act. We then suggest strategies to overcome this limitation by using two topological characteristics of the perceived friendship network. The findings of this paper have significant consequences for designing interventions that seek to harness social influence for collective action. PMID:27002530

Topical Review: Integrating Findings on Direct Observation of Family Communication in Studies Comparing Pediatric Chronic Illness and Typically Developing Samples.

PubMed

Murphy, Lexa K; Murray, Caitlin B; Compas, Bruce E

2017-01-01

To review research on observed family communication in families with children with chronic illnesses compared with families with healthy, typically developing children, and to integrate findings utilizing a unifying family communication framework. Topical review of studies that have directly observed family communication in pediatric populations and included a typically developing comparison group. Initial findings from 14 studies with diverse approaches to quantifying observed family communication suggest that families with children with chronic illnesses may demonstrate lower levels of warm and structured communication and higher levels of hostile/intrusive and withdrawn communication compared with families with healthy, typically developing children. An integrative framework of family communication may be used in future studies that examine the occurrence, correlates, and mechanisms of family communication in pediatric populations.

Dual gene activation and knockout screen reveals directional dependencies in genetic networks. | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

Understanding the direction of information flow is essential for characterizing how genetic networks affect phenotypes. However, methods to find genetic interactions largely fail to reveal directional dependencies. We combine two orthogonal Cas9 proteins from Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus to carry out a dual screen in which one gene is activated while a second gene is deleted in the same cell. We analyze the quantitative effects of activation and knockout to calculate genetic interaction and directionality scores for each gene pair.

A Review of Clinical and Imaging Findings in Eosinophilic Lung Diseases.

PubMed

Bernheim, Adam; McLoud, Theresa

2017-05-01

The purpose of this article is to review the clinical and imaging findings associated with eosinophilic lung diseases. The spectrum of eosinophilic lung diseases comprises a diverse group of pulmonary disorders that have an association with tissue or peripheral eosinophilia. These diseases have varied clinical presentations and may be associated with several other abnormalities. Characteristic imaging findings are often detected with chest radiography, and CT best shows parenchymal abnormalities. The integration of clinical, radiologic, and pathologic findings facilitates diagnosis and directs appropriate treatment.

Need for Closure and Political Orientation among German University Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemmelmeier, Markus

1997-01-01

Tests competing hypotheses about the relationship between general political orientation and differences in cognitive functioning. Finds that a direct relationship between right-wing orientation and closed cognitive constructs best fits the data. Notes that these findings contradict other recent studies that support a curvilinear relationship…

Design and Operation of an Electrochemical Methanol Concentration Sensor for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayanan, S. R.; Valdez, T. I.; Chun, W.

2000-01-01

The development of a 150-Watt packaged power source based on liquid feed direct methanol fuel cells is being pursued currently at the Jet propulsion Laboratory for defense applications. In our studies we find that the concentration of methanol in the fuel circulation loop affects the electrical performance and efficiency the direct methanol fuel cell systems significantly. The practical operation of direct methanol fuel cell systems, therefore, requires accurate monitoring and control of methanol concentration. The present paper reports on the principle and demonstration of an in-house developed electrochemical sensor suitable for direct methanol fuel cell systems.

Evaluating opportunities for direct contracting between employers and physician-hospital organizations.

PubMed

Straley, P F; Swaim, C R

1994-01-01

Employers seeking to reduce health care expenditures are turning to direct contracting as a way to control provider cost increases. In a direct contract, the participation of third parties is minimized. The health care provider and a corporate buyer directly negotiate a price agreement for the delivery of health care services. However, as managed care penetration increases, the ability of hospitals and physicians to assume risk while providing high quality, cost effective care will be paramount. Physicians and hospitals who choose to work together may find a physician-hospital organization an effective vehicle to meet the current and future market challenges of direct contracting.

Effects of directional migration on prisoner's dilemma game in a square domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Hongyan; Dai, Qionglin; Li, Haihong; Qian, Xiaolan; Zhang, Mei; Yang, Junzhong

2013-04-01

We introduce a new migration rule, the directional migration, into evolutionary prisoner's dilemma games defined in a square domain with periodic boundary conditions. We find that cooperation can be enhanced to a much higher level than the case in the absence of migration. Additionally, the presence of the directional migration has profound impact on the population structure: the directional migration drives individuals to form a number of dense clusters which resembles social cohesion. The evolutionary game theory incorporating the directional migration can reproduce some real characteristics of populations in human society and may shed light on the problem of social cohesion.

Direct determination of the number-weighted mean radius and polydispersity from dynamic light-scattering data.

PubMed

Patty, Philipus J; Frisken, Barbara J

2006-04-01

We compare results for the number-weighted mean radius and polydispersity obtained either by directly fitting number distributions to dynamic light-scattering data or by converting results obtained by fitting intensity-weighted distributions. We find that results from fits using number distributions are angle independent and that converting intensity-weighted distributions is not always reliable, especially when the polydispersity of the sample is large. We compare the results of fitting symmetric and asymmetric distributions, as represented by Gaussian and Schulz distributions, respectively, to data for extruded vesicles and find that the Schulz distribution provides a better estimate of the size distribution for these samples.

Turning of COGS moves forward findings for hormonally mediated cancers.

PubMed

Sakoda, Lori C; Jorgenson, Eric; Witte, John S

2013-04-01

The large-scale Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study (COGS) presents new findings that further characterize the genetic bases of breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. We summarize and provide insights into this collection of papers from COGS and discuss the implications of the results and future directions for such efforts.

Alternatives in Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, Millard

This paper on alternatives in teacher education begins by analyzing the current emphasis on the scientific approach in education. The author finds the promise of the scientific approach to be illusory. He defines it as education that promotes behavior change in some desirable direction. However, this definition, which the author finds equally…

18 CFR 415.3 - Purpose and findings.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Purpose and findings. 415.3 Section 415.3 Conservation of Power and Water Resources DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION... flood plain users shall bear the full direct and indirect costs attributable to their use and actions...

How Is Formative Assessment Related to Students' Reading Achievement? Findings from PISA 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Hongli

2016-01-01

Drawing on the programme for international student assessment 2009 US data-set, this study examines the relationship between formative assessment and students' reading achievement using a structural equation modelling approach. We find that formative assessment is positively related to students' reading achievement directly and indirectly (through…

Momentum toward Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Inst. (DHHS/NIH), Bethesda, MD. Div. of Lung Diseases.

Important new medical findings and advances in heart, lung, and blood research with goals of encouraging practical applications are presented in this supplement to the 12th report of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council. The findings are the result of a 10-year research program directed to the highest identified priorities in…

Barriers and Coping Mechanisms Relating to Agroforestry Adoption by Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chitakira, Munyaradzi; Torquebiau, Emmanuel

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate agroforestry adoption by smallholder farmers in Gutu District, Zimbabwe. Design/Methodology/Approach: The methodology was based on field data collected through household questionnaires, key informant interviews and direct observations. Findings: Major findings reveal that traditional…

Undergrad Enrollments Level Off, Graduate Education Declines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Lee B.; Kosicki, Gerald M.; Lowery, Wilson; Prine, Joelle; Punathambekar, Aswin

2000-01-01

Presents key findings of the annual survey of journalism and mass communication enrollments. Finds faculty hiring and faculty size have stabilized; half of those hired have a doctorate; one in four hired come directly from graduate school; and administrators anticipate hiring faculty in print and broadcast journalism. Notes continued decline in…

Predictors of Disordered Eating in Young Males.

PubMed

Doumit, R; Abi Kharma, J; Sanchez-Ruiz, M J; Zeeni, N

2018-02-01

Recent findings suggest that disordered eating (DE) symptomatology may be underestimated in the male population. The present study examined depressive symptomatology as a potential mediator of the relationships between body image dissatisfaction, strategies to change body weight and muscles, media pressure, and DE (emotional, restrained and emotional eating) in 260 male undergraduates who completed a self-reported questionnaire. Path analyses indicated that media influence and strategies to decrease body weight had direct positive effects on depressive symptomatology, which in turn predicted emotional eating. Media influence had a direct positive effect on emotional eating, whereas strategies to decrease body weight did not exhibit a direct effect on emotional eating. Therefore, the latter pathway was removed from the model. The link between media pressure, strategies to decrease body weight and emotional eating was partially mediated by depressive symptomatology. The present findings can inform the development and implementation of prevention and education programs for DE in schools and universities.

The Effects of Grandparents on Children's Schooling: Evidence from Rural China*

PubMed Central

Zeng, Zhen; Xie, Yu

2014-01-01

Whether or not the social class of grandparents affects grandchildren's socioeconomic outcomes net of the characteristics of the middle generation is much debated in the social mobility literature. Using data from the 2002 Chinese Household Income Project, we investigate the direct effects of grandparents on grandchildren's educational attainment in rural China. We find that the influence of grandparents is contingent on living arrangements. While the educational level of coresident grandparents directly affects the educational attainment of their grandchildren, with an effect size similar to that of parental education, the education of non-coresident and deceased grandparents does not have any effect. These findings suggest that grandparents can directly affect grandchildren's educational outcomes through socio-psychological pathways. Our study not only adds an important case study to the literature, but also sheds new light on theoretical interpretations of grandparent effects when they are found. PMID:24578167

Does Imprecision in The Waggle Dance Fit Patterns Predicted by The Tuned-Error Hypothesis?

PubMed

Tanner, David A; Visscher, P Kirk

2010-05-01

The waggle dance of the honey bee is used to recruit nest mates to a resource, though direction indicated for a resource may vary greatly within a single dance. Some authors suggest that this variation exits as an adaptation to distribute recruits across a patch of flowers, and that, due to the variation's inverse relationship with distance, the shape of the recruit distribution will remain constant for resources at different distances. In this study, we test this hypothesis by examining how variation in the indication of direction and distance changes with respect to distance. We find that imprecision in the communication of direction does not diminish rapidly enough to accommodate an adaptive-error hypothesis, and we also find that variation in the indication of distance has a positive relationship with the distance of a resource from the hive.

Does Imprecision in The Waggle Dance Fit Patterns Predicted by The Tuned-Error Hypothesis?

PubMed Central

Visscher, P. Kirk

2010-01-01

The waggle dance of the honey bee is used to recruit nest mates to a resource, though direction indicated for a resource may vary greatly within a single dance. Some authors suggest that this variation exits as an adaptation to distribute recruits across a patch of flowers, and that, due to the variation’s inverse relationship with distance, the shape of the recruit distribution will remain constant for resources at different distances. In this study, we test this hypothesis by examining how variation in the indication of direction and distance changes with respect to distance. We find that imprecision in the communication of direction does not diminish rapidly enough to accommodate an adaptive-error hypothesis, and we also find that variation in the indication of distance has a positive relationship with the distance of a resource from the hive. PMID:20414338

γ-Ray background sources in the VESUVIO spectrometer at ISIS spallation neutron source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pietropaolo, A.; Perelli Cippo, E.; Gorini, G.; Tardocchi, M.; Schooneveld, E. M.; Andreani, C.; Senesi, R.

2009-09-01

An investigation of the gamma background was carried out in the VESUVIO spectrometer at the ISIS spallation neutron source. This study, performed with a yttrium-aluminum-perovskite (YAP) scintillator, follows high resolution pulse height measurements of the gamma background carried out on the same instrument with the use of a high-purity germanium detector. In this experimental work, a mapping of the gamma background was attempted, trying to find the spatial distribution and degree of directionality of the different contributions identified in the previous study. It is found that the gamma background at low times is highly directional and mostly due to the gamma rays generated in the moderator-decoupler system. The other contributions, consistently to the findings of a previous experiment, are identified as a nearly isotropic one due to neutron absorption in the walls of the experimental hall, and a directional one coming from the beam dump.

Parent socialization effects in different cultures: significance of directive parenting.

PubMed

Sorkhabi, Nadia

2012-06-01

In this article, the controversy of divergent findings in research on parental socialization effects in different cultures is addressed. Three explanations intended to address divergent findings of socialization effects in different cultures, as advanced by researchers who emphasize cultural differences, are discussed. These include cultural differences in socialization values and goals of parents, parental emotional and cognitive characteristics associated with parenting styles, and adolescents' interpretations or evaluations of their parents' parenting styles. The empirical evidence for and against each of these arguments is examined and an alternative paradigm for understanding and empirical study of developmental outcomes associated with parenting styles in different cultures is suggested. Baumrind's directive parenting style is presented as an alternative to the authoritarian parenting style in understanding the positive developmental effects associated with "strict" parenting in cultures said to have a collectivist orientation. Directions for research on the three explanations are mentioned.

Examining Factors Affecting Attitudes toward Nuclear Power in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Tzu-Jen

Nuclear power has become a major issue in Taiwan for several decades. The objective of the present study is to obtain evidence about the major determinants contributing to attitudes toward nuclear power, by investigating socioeconomic factors, environmental attitudes, knowledge of issues, trust, and risk perception, in shaping nuclear attitudes. A face-to-face survey was conducted using paper-based questionnaires from July 2014 to September 2014. Finally, 364 surveys were collected, of which 356 met validation requirements. The findings showed (1) knowledge of issues, trust in university scientists, trust in environmental groups, and risk perception directly influence attitudes toward nuclear power. (2) Risk perception is directly influenced by trust in nuclear authorities, trust in environmental groups, environmental attitudes, and party preference. (3) Gender, age, and party preference directly influence knowledge, trust in nuclear authorities, or trust in university scientists. The potential explanations and implications of findings are discussed.

Dissociating motivational direction and affective valence: specific emotions alter central motor processes.

PubMed

Coombes, Stephen A; Cauraugh, James H; Janelle, Christopher M

2007-11-01

We aimed to clarify the relation between affective valence and motivational direction by specifying how central and peripheral components of extension movements are altered according to specific unpleasant affective states. As predicted, premotor reaction time was quicker for extension movements initiated during exposure to attack than for extension movements initiated during exposure to all other valence categories (mutilation, erotic couples, opposite-sex nudes, neutral humans, household objects, blank). Exposure to erotic couples and mutilations yielded greater peak force than exposure to images of attack, neutral humans, and household objects. Finally, motor reaction time and peak electromyographic amplitude were not altered by valence. These findings indicate that unpleasant states do not unilaterally prime withdrawal movements, and that the quick execution of extension movements during exposure to threatening images is due to rapid premotor, rather than motor, reaction time. Collectively, our findings support the call for dissociating motivational direction and affective valence.

The impact of the EU Directive on patients' rights and cross border health care in Malta.

PubMed

Azzopardi-Muscat, Natasha; Aluttis, Christoph; Sorensen, Kristine; Pace, Roderick; Brand, Helmut

2015-10-01

The patients' rights and cross-border health care directive was implemented in Malta in 2013. Malta's transposition of the directive used the discretionary elements allowable to retain national control on cross-border care to the fullest extent. This paper seeks to analyse the underlying dynamics of this directive on the Maltese health care system through the lens of key health system stakeholders. Thirty-three interviews were conducted. Qualitative content analysis of the interviews reveals six key themes: fear from the potential impact of increased patient mobility, strategies employed for damage control, opportunities exploited for health system reform, moderate enhancement of patients' rights, negligible additional patient mobility and unforeseen health system reforms. The findings indicate that local stakeholders expected the directive to have significant negative effects and adopted measures to minimise these effects. In practice the directive has not affected patient mobility in Malta in the first months following its implementation. Government appears to have instrumentalised the implementation of the directive to implement certain reforms including legislation on patients' rights, a health benefits package and compulsory indemnity insurance. Whilst the Maltese geo-demographic situation precludes automatic generalisation of the conclusions from this case study to other Member States, the findings serve to advance our understanding of the mechanisms through which European legislation on health services is influencing health systems, particularly in small EU Member States. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Origins of coevolution between residues distant in protein 3D structures

PubMed Central

Ovchinnikov, Sergey; Kamisetty, Hetunandan; Baker, David

2017-01-01

Residue pairs that directly coevolve in protein families are generally close in protein 3D structures. Here we study the exceptions to this general trend—directly coevolving residue pairs that are distant in protein structures—to determine the origins of evolutionary pressure on spatially distant residues and to understand the sources of error in contact-based structure prediction. Over a set of 4,000 protein families, we find that 25% of directly coevolving residue pairs are separated by more than 5 Å in protein structures and 3% by more than 15 Å. The majority (91%) of directly coevolving residue pairs in the 5–15 Å range are found to be in contact in at least one homologous structure—these exceptions arise from structural variation in the family in the region containing the residues. Thirty-five percent of the exceptions greater than 15 Å are at homo-oligomeric interfaces, 19% arise from family structural variation, and 27% are in repeat proteins likely reflecting alignment errors. Of the remaining long-range exceptions (<1% of the total number of coupled pairs), many can be attributed to close interactions in an oligomeric state. Overall, the results suggest that directly coevolving residue pairs not in repeat proteins are spatially proximal in at least one biologically relevant protein conformation within the family; we find little evidence for direct coupling between residues at spatially separated allosteric and functional sites or for increased direct coupling between residue pairs on putative allosteric pathways connecting them. PMID:28784799

The Indochinese Mutual Assistance Associations: Characteristics, Composition, Capacity Building Needs and Future Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bui, Diana D.; And Others

The results of an informal survey of the characteristics, composition, capacity building needs and future directions of sixty Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese Mutual Assistance Associations (MAAs) are documented in this report. Included among the survey findings are the purposes, current achievements, and future goals of the associations,…

Direct Experience with Nature and the Development of Biological Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longbottom, Sarah E.; Slaughter, Virginia

2016-01-01

Research Findings: An emerging consensus is that casual, direct contact with nature influences the development of children's biological knowledge. Here we review the existing literature on this topic, focusing on the effects of (a) rural versus urban rearing environments and (b) pet ownership and care on children's biological concepts and…

Direct evaluation of free energy for large system through structure integration approach.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Kazuhito; Tanaka, Ryohei; Yuge, Koretaka

2015-09-30

We propose a new approach, 'structure integration', enabling direct evaluation of configurational free energy for large systems. The present approach is based on the statistical information of lattice. Through first-principles-based simulation, we find that the present method evaluates configurational free energy accurately in disorder states above critical temperature.

Threats and Aggression Directed at Soccer Referees: An Empirical Phenomenological Psychological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friman, Margareta; Nyberg, Claes; Norlander, Torsten

2004-01-01

A descriptive qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews involving seven provincial Soccer Association referees was carried out in order to find out how referees experience threats and aggression directed to soccer referees. The Empirical Phenomenological Psychological method (EPP-method) was used. The analysis resulted in thirty categories which…

Aliasing, Ambiguities, and Interpolation in Wideband Direction-of-Arrival Estimation Using Antenna Arrays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Chung-Cheng

2016-01-01

For decades, direction finding has been an important research topic in many applications such as radar, location services, and medical diagnosis for treatment. For those kinds of applications, the precision of location estimation plays an important role, since that, having a higher precision location estimate method is always desirable. Although…

Co-Development of Internalizing and Externalizing Problem Behaviors: Causal Direction and Common Vulnerability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Eunju J.; Bukowski, William M.

2012-01-01

Latent growth curve modeling was used to study the co-development of internalizing and externalizing problems in a sample of 2844 Korean fourth graders followed over four years. The project integrated two major theoretical viewpoints positing developmental mechanism: directional model and common vulnerability model. Findings suggest that (a) boys…

Linking School Effectiveness and School Improvement: The Background and Outline of the Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creemers, Bert P. M.; Reezigt, Gerry J.

2005-01-01

School effectiveness and school improvement have different origins: School effectiveness is more directed to finding out "what works" in education and "why"; school improvement is practice and policy oriented and intended to change education in the desired direction. However, in their orientation to outcomes, input, processes,…

Teaching Direct Current Theory Using a Field Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stocklmayer, Susan

2010-01-01

Principles of direct current have long been recognised in the literature as presenting difficulties for learners. Most of these difficulties have been reported in the context of the traditional electron flow model. In this paper, an alternative approach for high school students using a field model is explored. Findings from a range of short pilot…

"Roadblocks" Revisited: Neural Change, Stuttering Treatment, and Recovery from Stuttering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingham, Roger J.; Finn, Patrick; Bothe, Anne K.

2005-01-01

In light of emerging findings concerning untreated recovery and neural plasticity, this paper re-examines the viability of an NIH conference recommendation [Cooper, J. A. (1990). Research directions in stuttering: Consensus and conflict. In Cooper, J. A. (Ed.), "Research needs in stuttering: Roadblocks and future directions" (pp. 98-100).…

Digging Deeper: The Deep Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Laura

2001-01-01

Focuses on the Deep Web, defined as Web content in searchable databases of the type that can be found only by direct query. Discusses the problems of indexing; inability to find information not indexed in the search engine's database; and metasearch engines. Describes 10 sites created to access online databases or directly search them. Lists ways…

Questioning supports effective transmission of knowledge and increased exploratory learning in pre-kindergarten children.

PubMed

Yu, Yue; Landrum, Asheley R; Bonawitz, Elizabeth; Shafto, Patrick

2018-06-19

How can education optimize transmission of knowledge while also fostering further learning? Focusing on children at the cusp of formal schooling (N = 180, age = 4.0-6.0 y), we investigate learning after direct instruction by a knowledgeable teacher, after questioning by a knowledgeable teacher, and after questioning by a naïve informant. Consistent with previous findings, instruction by a knowledgeable teacher allows effective information transmission but at the cost of exploration and further learning. Critically, we find a dual benefit for questioning by a knowledgeable teacher: Such pedagogical questioning both effectively transmits knowledge and fosters exploration and further learning, regardless of whether the question was directed to the child or directed to a third party and overheard by the child. These effects are not observed when the same question is asked by a naïve informant. We conclude that a teacher's choice of pedagogical method may differentially influence learning through their choices of how, and how not, to present evidence, with implications for transmission of knowledge and self-directed discovery. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Parasympathetic reactivity and disruptive behavior problems in young children during interactions with their mothers and other adults: A preliminary investigation

PubMed Central

Cooper-Vince, Christine E.; DeSerisy, Mariah; Cornacchio, Danielle; Sanchez, Amanda; McLaughlin, Katie A.; Comer, Jonathan S.

2017-01-01

Parasympathetic nervous system influences on cardiac functions—commonly indexed via respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA)—are central to self-regulation. RSA suppression during challenging emotional and cognitive tasks is often associated with better emotional and behavioral functioning in preschoolers. However, the links between RSA suppression and child behavior across various challenging interpersonal contexts remains unclear. The present study experimentally evaluated the relationship between child RSA reactivity to adult (mother vs. study staff) direction and disruptive behavior problems in children ages 3–8 with varying levels of disruptive behavior problems (N=43). Reduced RSA suppression in the context of mothers’ play-based direction was associated with more severe child behavior problems. In contrast, RSA suppression in the context of staff play-based direction was not associated with behavior problems. Findings suggest that the association between RSA suppression and child behavior problems may vary by social context (i.e., mother vs. other adult direction-givers). Findings are discussed in regard to RSA as an indicator of autonomic self-regulation that has relevance to child disruptive behavior problems. PMID:28261792

Valley-spin filtering through a nonmagnetic resonant tunneling structure in silicene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiuqiang; Meng, Hao; Zhang, Haiyang; Bai, Yujie; Xu, Xing

2018-07-01

We theoretically investigate how a silecene-based nonmagnetic resonant-tunneling structure, i.e. a double electrostatic potential structure, can be tailored to generate valley- and spin-polarized filtering by using the scattering matrix method. This method allows us to find simple analytical expressions for the scattering amplitudes. It is found that the transmissions of electrons from opposite spin and valley show exactly opposite behaviors, leading to valley and spin filtering in a wide range of transmission directions. These directional-dependent valley-spin polarization behaviors can be used to select preferential directions along which the valley-spin polarization of an initially unpolarized carrier can be strongly enhanced. We also find that this phenomenon arises from the combinations of the coherent effect, electrostatic potential and external electric field. Especially when the direction of the external electric field is changed, the spin filtering properties are contained, while the valley filtering properties can be switched. In addition, the filtering behaviors can be conveniently controlled by electrical gating. Therefore, the results can offer an all-electric method to construct a valley-spin filter in silicene.

Identifying influential neighbors in animal flocking

PubMed Central

Jiang, Li; Giuggioli, Luca; Escobedo, Ramón; Sire, Clément; Han, Zhangang

2017-01-01

Schools of fish and flocks of birds can move together in synchrony and decide on new directions of movement in a seamless way. This is possible because group members constantly share directional information with their neighbors. Although detecting the directionality of other group members is known to be important to maintain cohesion, it is not clear how many neighbors each individual can simultaneously track and pay attention to, and what the spatial distribution of these influential neighbors is. Here, we address these questions on shoals of Hemigrammus rhodostomus, a species of fish exhibiting strong schooling behavior. We adopt a data-driven analysis technique based on the study of short-term directional correlations to identify which neighbors have the strongest influence over the participation of an individual in a collective U-turn event. We find that fish mainly react to one or two neighbors at a time. Moreover, we find no correlation between the distance rank of a neighbor and its likelihood to be influential. We interpret our results in terms of fish allocating sequential and selective attention to their neighbors. PMID:29161269

Treatment of Memory Disorders in Gulf War Illness with High-Definition Transcranial Direct Cortical Stimulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-1-0521 TITLE: Treatment of Memory Disorders in Gulf War Illness with High - Definition Transcranial Direct Cortical...Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of the author(s) and should...Sep 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Treatment of Memory Disorders in Gulf War Illness with High -Definition Transcranial Direct

Impact of the direction of HLA mismatch on transplantation outcomes in single unrelated cord blood transplantation.

PubMed

Kanda, Junya; Atsuta, Yoshiko; Wake, Atsushi; Ichinohe, Tatsuo; Takanashi, Minoko; Morishima, Yasuo; Taniguchi, Shuichi; Takahashi, Satoshi; Ogawa, Hiroyasu; Ohashi, Kazuteru; Ohno, Yuju; Aotsuka, Nobuyuki; Onishi, Yasushi; Kato, Koji; Nagamura-Inoue, Tokiko; Kanda, Yoshinobu

2013-02-01

The impact of the direction of HLA mismatch (MM) on outcome in unrelated cord blood (UCB) transplantation has not yet been clarified. We conducted a retrospective study using national registry data on 2977 patients who underwent transplantation using a single UCB for leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome. HLA matching was assessed by serologic data for HLA-A, -B, and -DR loci. The median age of the recipients at transplantation was 41 years (range, 0-82 years), and 2300 recipients (77%) were age ≥16 years. The 2-year overall survival rate was 0.46. The presence of MM only in the graft-versus-host direction or only in the host-versus-graft direction was not associated with overall mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.88; P = .317 and HR, 0.95; P = .670, respectively) compared with 1 bidirectional MM. This finding was consistent in both the child and adult cohorts. The presence of MM only in the graft-versus-host direction was associated with a lower incidence of nonrelapse mortality (HR, 0.65; P = .040), significant only in the child cohort. No MM category was associated with relapse. Our findings suggest that the direction of HLA MM does not have a significant impact on overall survival after UCB transplantation. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound semi-automated measurement of fetal nuchal translucency thickness based on principal direction estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Heechul; Lee, Hyuntaek; Jung, Haekyung; Lee, Mi-Young; Won, Hye-Sung

2015-03-01

The objective of the paper is to introduce a novel method for nuchal translucency (NT) boundary detection and thickness measurement, which is one of the most significant markers in the early screening of chromosomal defects, namely Down syndrome. To improve the reliability and reproducibility of NT measurements, several automated methods have been introduced. However, the performance of their methods degrades when NT borders are tilted due to varying fetal movements. Therefore, we propose a principal direction estimation based NT measurement method to provide reliable and consistent performance regardless of both fetal positions and NT directions. At first, Radon Transform and cost function are used to estimate the principal direction of NT borders. Then, on the estimated angle bin, i.e., the main direction of NT, gradient based features are employed to find initial NT lines which are beginning points of the active contour fitting method to find real NT borders. Finally, the maximum thickness is measured from distances between the upper and lower border of NT by searching along to the orthogonal lines of main NT direction. To evaluate the performance, 89 of in vivo fetal images were collected and the ground-truth database was measured by clinical experts. Quantitative results using intraclass correlation coefficients and difference analysis verify that the proposed method can improve the reliability and reproducibility in the measurement of maximum NT thickness.

Measures of three-dimensional anisotropy and intermittency in strong Alfvénic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallet, A.; Schekochihin, A. A.; Chandran, B. D. G.; Chen, C. H. K.; Horbury, T. S.; Wicks, R. T.; Greenan, C. C.

2016-06-01

We measure the local anisotropy of numerically simulated strong Alfvénic turbulence with respect to two local, physically relevant directions: along the local mean magnetic field and along the local direction of one of the fluctuating Elsasser fields. We find significant scaling anisotropy with respect to both these directions: the fluctuations are `ribbon-like' - statistically, they are elongated along both the mean magnetic field and the fluctuating field. The latter form of anisotropy is due to scale-dependent alignment of the fluctuating fields. The intermittent scalings of the nth-order conditional structure functions in the direction perpendicular to both the local mean field and the fluctuations agree well with the theory of Chandran, Schekochihin & Mallet, while the parallel scalings are consistent with those implied by the critical-balance conjecture. We quantify the relationship between the perpendicular scalings and those in the fluctuation and parallel directions, and find that the scaling exponent of the perpendicular anisotropy (I.e. of the aspect ratio of the Alfvénic structures in the plane perpendicular to the mean magnetic field) depends on the amplitude of the fluctuations. This is shown to be equivalent to the anticorrelation of fluctuation amplitude and alignment at each scale. The dependence of the anisotropy on amplitude is shown to be more significant for the anisotropy between the perpendicular and fluctuation-direction scales than it is between the perpendicular and parallel scales.

Direct democracy and minority rights: same-sex marriage bans in the U.S.

PubMed

Lewis, Daniel C

2011-01-01

Objectives. A common critique of direct democracy posits that minority rights are endangered by citizen legislative institutions. By allowing citizens to directly create public policy, these institutions avoid the filtering mechanisms of representative democracy that provide a check on the power of the majority. Empirical research, however, has produced conflicting results that leave the question of direct democracy's effect on minority rights open to debate. This article seeks to empirically test this critique using a comparative, dynamic approach.Methods. I examine the diffusion of same-sex marriage bans in the United States using event-history analysis, comparing direct-democracy states to non-direct-democracy states.Results. The results show that direct-democracy states are significantly more likely than other states to adopt same-sex marriage bans.Conclusion. The findings support the majoritarian critique of direct democracy, suggesting that the rights of minority groups are at relatively higher risk under systems with direct democracy.

Onsite-effects of dual-hemisphere versus conventional single-hemisphere transcranial direct current stimulation: A functional MRI study.

PubMed

Kwon, Yong Hyun; Jang, Sung Ho

2012-08-25

We performed functional MRI examinations in six right-handed healthy subjects. During functional MRI scanning, transcranial direct current stimulation was delivered with the anode over the right primary sensorimotor cortex and the cathode over the left primary sensorimotor cortex using dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. This was compared to a cathode over the left supraorbital area using conventional single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. Voxel counts and blood oxygenation level-dependent signal intensities in the right primary sensorimotor cortex regions were estimated and compared between the two transcranial direct current stimulation conditions. Our results showed that dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation induced greater cortical activities than single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. These findings suggest that dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation may provide more effective cortical stimulation than single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation.

Onsite-effects of dual-hemisphere versus conventional single-hemisphere transcranial direct current stimulation

PubMed Central

Kwon, Yong Hyun; Jang, Sung Ho

2012-01-01

We performed functional MRI examinations in six right-handed healthy subjects. During functional MRI scanning, transcranial direct current stimulation was delivered with the anode over the right primary sensorimotor cortex and the cathode over the left primary sensorimotor cortex using dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. This was compared to a cathode over the left supraorbital area using conventional single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. Voxel counts and blood oxygenation level-dependent signal intensities in the right primary sensorimotor cortex regions were estimated and compared between the two transcranial direct current stimulation conditions. Our results showed that dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation induced greater cortical activities than single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. These findings suggest that dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation may provide more effective cortical stimulation than single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. PMID:25624815

The existence of parenting styles in the owner-dog relationship.

PubMed

Herwijnen, Ineke R van; van der Borg, Joanne A M; Naguib, Marc; Beerda, Bonne

2018-01-01

Parents interact with children following specific styles, known to influence child development. These styles represent variations in the dimensions of demandingness and responsiveness, resulting in authoritarian, authoritative, permissive or uninvolved parenting. Given the similarities in the parent to child and owner to dog relationships, we determined the extent to which parenting styles exist in the owner to dog relationship using the existing Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire for the parent-child relationship and an adapted version for dog owners. Items on the parenting of children/dogs were rated for applicability on a five-point Likert scale by 518 Dutch dog owning parents. Principal Component Analyses grouped parenting propensities into styles, with some marked differences between the findings for children and dogs. Dog-directed items grouped into an authoritarian-correction orientated style, incorporating variation in demandingness and focussing on correcting a dog for behaviour verbally/physically, and in two styles based on authoritative items. An authoritative-intrinsic value orientated style reflected variation in mainly responsiveness and oriented on the assumed needs and emotions of the animal. A second authoritative-item based style, captured variations in demandingness and responsiveness. We labelled this style authoritative-training orientated, as it orientated on manners in teaching a dog how to behave in social situations. Thus, we defined dog-directed parenting styles and constructed a Dog-Directed Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire along the lines of the existing theoretical framework on parenting styles. We did not find a dog-directed parenting style of being permissive or uninvolved, which we attribute to a study population of devoted dog owners and our findings should be interpreted with this specific study population in mind. We found evidence of dog-directed parenting styles and provide a fundament for determining their possible impact on the different aspects of a dog's life.

Healthy Aging After Age 65: A Life-Span Health Production Function Approach.

PubMed

Ferdows, Nasim B; Jensen, Gail A; Tarraf, Wassim

2018-06-01

This article examines the determinants of healthy aging using Grossman's framework of a health production function. Healthy aging, sometimes described as successful aging, is produced using a variety of inputs, determined in early life, young adulthood, midlife, and later life. A healthy aging production function is estimated using nationally representative data from the 2010 and 2012 Health and Retirement Study on 7,355 noninstitutionalized seniors. Using a simultaneous equation mediation model, we quantify how childhood factors contribute to healthy aging, both directly and indirectly through their effects on mediating adult outcomes. We find that favorable childhood conditions significantly improve healthy aging scores, both directly and indirectly, mediated through education, income, and wealth. We also find that good health habits have positive effects on healthy aging that are larger in magnitude than the effects of childhood factors. Our findings suggest that exercising, maintaining proper weight, and not smoking are likely to translate into healthier aging.

Influence of corruption on economic growth rate and foreign investment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podobnik, Boris; Shao, Jia; Njavro, Djuro; Ivanov, Plamen Ch.; Stanley, H. E.

2008-06-01

We analyze the dependence of the Gross Domestic Product ( GDP) per capita growth rates on changes in the Corruption Perceptions Index ( CPI). For the period 1999 2004 for all countries in the world, we find on average that an increase of CPI by one unit leads to an increase of the annual GDP per capita growth rate by 1.7%. By regressing only the European countries with transition economies, we find that an increase of CPI by one unit generates an increase of the annual GDP per capita growth rate by 2.4%. We also analyze the relation between foreign direct investments received by different countries and CPI, and we find a statistically significant power-law functional dependence between foreign direct investment per capita and the country corruption level measured by the CPI. We introduce a new measure to quantify the relative corruption between countries based on their respective wealth as measured by GDP per capita.

78 FR 72880 - Adequacy Status of the West Virginia Portion of the Steubenville-Weirton, WV-OH Nonattainment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-04

...In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that we have made insignificance findings through the transportation conformity adequacy process, under the Clean Air Act (CAA), for directly emitted fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) in the West Virginia portion of the Steubenville- Weirton, WV-OH 1997 PM2.5 national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) nonattainment area. West Virginia submitted the insignificance findings with the redesignation request and maintenance plan submittal on April 13, 2012. As a result of EPA's findings, the West Virginia portion of the Steubenville-Weirton, WV-OH nonattainment area is no longer required to perform a regional emissions analysis for directly emitted PM2.5, or NOx, as part of future PM2.5 conformity determinations for the 1997 annual PM2.5 air quality standard.

78 FR 72881 - Adequacy Status of the West Virginia Portion of the Steubenville-Weirton, WV-OH Nonattainment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-04

...In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that we have made insignificance findings through the transportation conformity adequacy process, under the Clean Air Act (CAA), for directly emitted fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) in the West Virginia portion of the Steubenville- Weirton, WV-OH 2006 PM2.5 national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) nonattainment area. West Virginia submitted the insignificance findings with the redesignation request and maintenance plan submittal on June 8, 2012. As a result of EPA's findings, the West Virginia portion of the Steubenville-Weirton, WV-OH nonattainment area is no longer required to perform a regional emissions analysis for directly emitted PM2.5, or NOX, as part of future PM2.5 conformity determinations for the 2006 daily PM2.5 air quality standard.

Principles of physics in surgery: the laws of flow dynamics physics for surgeons - Part 1.

PubMed

Srivastava, Anurag; Sood, Akshay; Joy, S Parijat; Woodcock, John

2009-08-01

In the field of medicine and surgery many principles of physics find numerous applications. In this article we have summarized some prominent applications of the laws of fluid mechanics and hydrodynamics in surgery. Poiseuille's law sets the limits of isovolaemic haemodilution, enumerates limiting factors during fluid resuscitation and is a guiding principle in surgery for vascular stenoses. The equation of continuity finds use in non-invasive measurement of blood flow. Bernoulli's theorem explains the formation of post-stenotic dilatation. Reynolds number explains the origin of murmurs, haemolysis and airflow disturbances. Various forms of oxygen therapy are a direct application of the gas laws. Doppler effect is used in ultrasonography to find the direction and velocity of blood flow. In this first part of a series of articles we describe some applications of the laws of hydrodynamics governing the flow of blood and other body fluids.

Basic cardiovascular variability signals: mutual directed interactions explored in the information domain.

PubMed

Javorka, Michal; Krohova, Jana; Czippelova, Barbora; Turianikova, Zuzana; Lazarova, Zuzana; Javorka, Kamil; Faes, Luca

2017-05-01

The study of short-term cardiovascular interactions is classically performed through the bivariate analysis of the interactions between the beat-to-beat variability of heart period (RR interval from the ECG) and systolic blood pressure (SBP). Recent progress in the development of multivariate time series analysis methods is making it possible to explore how directed interactions between two signals change in the context of networks including other coupled signals. Exploiting these advances, the present study aims at assessing directional cardiovascular interactions among the basic variability signals of RR, SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), using an approach which allows direct comparison between bivariate and multivariate coupling measures. To this end, we compute information-theoretic measures of the strength and delay of causal interactions between RR, SBP and DBP using both bivariate and trivariate (conditioned) formulations in a group of healthy subjects in a resting state and during stress conditions induced by head-up tilt (HUT) and mental arithmetics (MA). We find that bivariate measures better quantify the overall (direct  +  indirect) information transferred between variables, while trivariate measures better reflect the existence and delay of directed interactions. The main physiological results are: (i) the detection during supine rest of strong interactions along the pathway RR  →  DBP  →  SBP, reflecting marked Windkessel and/or Frank-Starling effects; (ii) the finding of relatively weak baroreflex effects SBP  →  RR at rest; (iii) the invariance of cardiovascular interactions during MA, and the emergence of stronger and faster SBP  →  RR interactions, as well as of weaker RR  →  DBP interactions, during HUT. These findings support the importance of investigating cardiovascular interactions from a network perspective, and suggest the usefulness of directed information measures to assess physiological mechanisms and track their changes across different physiological states.

Preferences of referring physicians regarding the role of radiologists as direct communicators of test results

PubMed Central

Erdoğan, Nuri; İmamoğlu, Hakan; Görkem, Süreyya Burcu; Doğan, Serap; Şenol, Serkan; Öztürk, Ahmet

2017-01-01

PURPOSE Currently, there is a growing need for patient-centered radiology in which radiologists communicate with patients directly. The aim of this study is to investigate the preferences of referring physicians (RPs) regarding direct communication between radiologists and patients. METHODS This study was conducted in a single academic hospital using a survey form. The survey items investigated the preferences of RPs regarding: 1. who should be the communicator of test results when a patient with abnormal findings requests information (the options were the radiologist; another health professional with communication skills training (CST); and the RP with CST); and 2. how the communication activity should be conducted if the radiologist is obliged (or chooses) to communicate with the patient directly (the options were that the disclosure should be limited to the findings in the radiology report; the radiologist should emphasize that the RP is the primary physician; and the communication activity should be conducted in accordance with guidelines established by consensus). The respondents were 101 RPs from various fields of specialty; they were asked to rate the items using a 5-point Likert scale. The effects of age, sex, field of specialty (surgical vs. nonsurgical), and total years of experience as a medical specialist on the ratings were statistically compared. RESULTS Most RPs preferred that the radiologist transmit the information to the RP without communicating directly with the patient (89.1%). Although 69.3% of the RPs declared that health professionals with CST have priority in communication, 86.1% declared that the RP should be the person who received CST. If the radiologist communicates with patients directly, the RPs favored that 1. the disclosure should be limited to the findings in the radiology report (95%); 2. the communication activity should include an emphasis on the RP as the patient’s primary agent (84.1%); and 3. communication should be conducted in accordance with guidelines established by consensus (73.2%). The percentage of strong opinions did not change significantly with regard to age, sex, field of specialty, or total years of experience, except that surgeons expressed strong disagreement with delegating the communication activity to another health professional who received CST (χ2 = 9.9; P = 0.042). CONCLUSION These findings may serve as a basis to implement institutional and national policies for patient-centered radiology. PMID:27876683

Comparing consumer-directed and agency models for providing supportive services at home.

PubMed

Benjamin, A E; Matthias, R; Franke, T M

2000-04-01

To examine the service experiences and outcomes of low-income Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities under two different models for organizing home-based personal assistance services: agency-directed and consumer-directed. A survey of a random sample of 1,095 clients, age 18 and over, who receive services in California's In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program funded primarily by Medicaid. Other data were obtained from the California Management and Payrolling System (CMIPS). The sample was stratified by service model (agency-directed or consumer-directed), client age (over or under age 65), and severity. Data were collected on client demographics, condition/functional status, and supportive service experience. Outcome measures were developed in three areas: safety, unmet need, and service satisfaction. Factor analysis was used to reduce multiple outcome measures to nine dimensions. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the effect of service model on each outcome dimension, taking into account the client-provider relationship, client demographics, and case mix. Recipients of IHSS services as of mid-1996 were interviewed by telephone. The survey was conducted in late 1996 and early 1997. On various outcomes, recipients in the consumer-directed model report more positive outcomes than those in the agency model, or they report no difference. Statistically significant differences emerge on recipient safety, unmet needs, and service satisfaction. A family member present as a paid provider is also associated with more positive reported outcomes within the consumer-directed model, but model differences persist even when this is taken into account. Although both models have strengths and weaknesses, from a recipient perspective the consumer-directed model is associated with more positive outcomes. Although health professionals have expressed concerns about the capacity of consumer direction to assure quality, particularly with respect to safety, meeting unmet needs, and technical quality, our findings suggest that the consumer-directed service model is a viable alternative to the agency model. Because public programs are under growing pressure to address the long-term care needs of low-income people of all ages with disabilities, the Medicaid personal assistance benefit needs to be reassessed in light of these findings. Consumer-directed models may offer a less elaborate and possibly less costly option for organizing supportive services at home. Study limitations may limit the generalizability of these findings. This was a natural experiment, in which only some counties offered both service models and counties assigned recipients to a service model. The use of a telephone survey excluded important recipient subsets, notably people with severe cognitive impairments. A more definitive study would include direct observations as well as survey approaches.

Expansion of direction space around the cardinal axes revealed by smooth pursuit eye movements.

PubMed

Krukowski, Anton E; Stone, Leland S

2005-01-20

It is well established that perceptual direction discrimination shows an oblique effect; thresholds are higher for motion along diagonal directions than for motion along cardinal directions. Here, we compare simultaneous direction judgments and pursuit responses for the same motion stimuli and find that both pursuit and perceptual thresholds show similar anisotropies. The pursuit oblique effect is robust under a wide range of experimental manipulations, being largely resistant to changes in trajectory (radial versus tangential motion), speed (10 versus 25 deg/s), directional uncertainty (blocked versus randomly interleaved), and cognitive state (tracking alone versus concurrent tracking and perceptual tasks). Our data show that the pursuit oblique effect is caused by an effective expansion of direction space surrounding the cardinal directions and the requisite compression of space for other directions. This expansion suggests that the directions around the cardinal directions are in some way overrepresented in the visual cortical pathways that drive both smooth pursuit and perception.

Expansion of direction space around the cardinal axes revealed by smooth pursuit eye movements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krukowski, Anton E.; Stone, Leland S.

2005-01-01

It is well established that perceptual direction discrimination shows an oblique effect; thresholds are higher for motion along diagonal directions than for motion along cardinal directions. Here, we compare simultaneous direction judgments and pursuit responses for the same motion stimuli and find that both pursuit and perceptual thresholds show similar anisotropies. The pursuit oblique effect is robust under a wide range of experimental manipulations, being largely resistant to changes in trajectory (radial versus tangential motion), speed (10 versus 25 deg/s), directional uncertainty (blocked versus randomly interleaved), and cognitive state (tracking alone versus concurrent tracking and perceptual tasks). Our data show that the pursuit oblique effect is caused by an effective expansion of direction space surrounding the cardinal directions and the requisite compression of space for other directions. This expansion suggests that the directions around the cardinal directions are in some way overrepresented in the visual cortical pathways that drive both smooth pursuit and perception.

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia: Multiple detector computed tomography findings after direct lymphangiography.

PubMed

Sun, Xiaoli; Shen, Wenbin; Chen, Xiaobai; Wen, Tingguo; Duan, Yongli; Wang, Rengui

2017-10-01

To analyse the findings of multiple detector computed tomography (MDCT) after direct lymphangiography in primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL). Fifty-five patients with PIL were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent MDCT after direct lymphangiography. The pathologies of 16 patients were confirmed by surgery and the remaining 39 patients were confirmed by gastroendoscopy and/or capsule endoscopy. After direct lymphangiography, MDCT found intra- and extraintestinal as well as lymphatic vessel abnormalities. Among the intra- and extraintestinal disorders, 49 patients had varying degrees of intestinal dilatation, 46 had small bowel wall thickening, 9 had pleural and pericardial effusions, 21 had ascites, 41 had mesenteric oedema, 20 had mesenteric nodules and 9 had abdominal lymphatic cysts. Features of lymphatic vessel abnormalities included intestinal trunk reflux (43.6%, n = 24), lumbar trunk reflux (89.1%, n = 49), pleural and pulmonary lymph reflux (14.5%, n = 8), pericardial and mediastinal lymph reflux (16.4%, n = 9), mediastinal and pulmonary lymph reflux (18.2%, n = 10), and thoracic duct outlet obstruction (90.9%, n = 50). Multiple detector computed tomography after direct lymphangiography provides a safe and accurate examination method and is an excellent tool for the diagnosis of PIL. © 2017 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

Directional analysis and filtering for dust storm detection in NOAA-AVHRR imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janugani, S.; Jayaram, V.; Cabrera, S. D.; Rosiles, J. G.; Gill, T. E.; Rivera Rivera, N.

2009-05-01

In this paper, we propose spatio-spectral processing techniques for the detection of dust storms and automatically finding its transport direction in 5-band NOAA-AVHRR imagery. Previous methods that use simple band math analysis have produced promising results but have drawbacks in producing consistent results when low signal to noise ratio (SNR) images are used. Moreover, in seeking to automate the dust storm detection, the presence of clouds in the vicinity of the dust storm creates a challenge in being able to distinguish these two types of image texture. This paper not only addresses the detection of the dust storm in the imagery, it also attempts to find the transport direction and the location of the sources of the dust storm. We propose a spatio-spectral processing approach with two components: visualization and automation. Both approaches are based on digital image processing techniques including directional analysis and filtering. The visualization technique is intended to enhance the image in order to locate the dust sources. The automation technique is proposed to detect the transport direction of the dust storm. These techniques can be used in a system to provide timely warnings of dust storms or hazard assessments for transportation, aviation, environmental safety, and public health.

Trends and Gaps in Awareness of Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Tests From 2007 to 2014.

PubMed

Apathy, Nate C; Menser, Terri; Keeran, Lindsay M; Ford, Eric W; Harle, Christopher A; Huerta, Timothy R

2018-06-01

Direct-to-consumer genetic tests for inherited disease risks have gained recent approvals from the Food and Drug Administration, and interest in these tests has continued to grow. Broad use of these tests coupled with planning and discussion with health providers regarding genetic risks and potential protective behavior changes have been proposed as preventive tools to reduce health disparities and improve equity in health outcomes. However, awareness of direct-to-consumer genetic testing has historically demonstrated differences by education, income, and race; these disparities could jeopardize potential benefits by limiting access and use. The national survey data from the Health Information National Trends Survey was analyzed to understand how overall awareness of direct-to-consumer genetic testing and disparities in awareness across sociodemographic groups have changed since 2007. The findings showed persistent disparities, as well as a widening gap in awareness between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites (OR 2007 =1.52, OR 2014 =0.58, p change =0.0056), despite overall increases in awareness over time. Given these findings, policies regulating direct-to-consumer genetic tests should prioritize equitable distribution of benefits by including provisions that counteract prevailing disparities in awareness. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Does Not Improve Language Outcome in Subacute Poststroke Aphasia.

PubMed

Spielmann, Kerstin; van de Sandt-Koenderman, W Mieke E; Heijenbrok-Kal, Majanka H; Ribbers, Gerard M

2018-04-01

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on word-finding treatment outcome in subacute poststroke aphasia. In this multi-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial with 6-month follow-up, we included 58 patients with subacute aphasia (<3 months poststroke), who were enrolled in a stroke rehabilitation program. Patients participated in 2 separate intervention weeks. Each intervention week included 5 daily sessions of 45-minute word-finding therapy combined with either anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (1 mA, 20 minutes; experimental group) or sham transcranial direct current stimulation (control group) over the left inferior frontal gyrus. The primary outcome measure was the Boston Naming Test. Secondary outcome measures included naming performance for trained/untrained picture items and verbal communication. Both the experimental (n=26) and the control group (n=32) improved on the Boston Naming Test over the intervention period and 6-month follow-up; however, there were no significant differences between groups. Also for the secondary outcome measures, no significant differences were found. The results of the present study do not support an effect of transcranial direct current stimulation as an adjuvant treatment in subacute poststroke aphasia. URL: http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp. Unique identifier: NTR4364. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Ranked solutions to a class of combinatorial optimizations—with applications in mass spectrometry based peptide sequencing and a variant of directed paths in random media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doerr, Timothy P.; Alves, Gelio; Yu, Yi-Kuo

2005-08-01

Typical combinatorial optimizations are NP-hard; however, for a particular class of cost functions the corresponding combinatorial optimizations can be solved in polynomial time using the transfer matrix technique or, equivalently, the dynamic programming approach. This suggests a way to efficiently find approximate solutions-find a transformation that makes the cost function as similar as possible to that of the solvable class. After keeping many high-ranking solutions using the approximate cost function, one may then re-assess these solutions with the full cost function to find the best approximate solution. Under this approach, it is important to be able to assess the quality of the solutions obtained, e.g., by finding the true ranking of the kth best approximate solution when all possible solutions are considered exhaustively. To tackle this statistical issue, we provide a systematic method starting with a scaling function generated from the finite number of high-ranking solutions followed by a convergent iterative mapping. This method, useful in a variant of the directed paths in random media problem proposed here, can also provide a statistical significance assessment for one of the most important proteomic tasks-peptide sequencing using tandem mass spectrometry data. For directed paths in random media, the scaling function depends on the particular realization of randomness; in the mass spectrometry case, the scaling function is spectrum-specific.

77 FR 69409 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-19

...-road motor vehicle insignificance finding that is included as part of Kentucky's maintenance plan for... Plan (SIP) revision containing a maintenance plan for the Kentucky portion of the Huntington-Ashland...-Ashland Area. EPA is also proposing to approve the on-road motor vehicle insignificance finding for direct...

Subharmonic Solutions of Order One-Third

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fay, Temple H.

2005-01-01

Finding a periodic solution to a nonlinear ordinary differential equation is in general a difficult task. Only in a very few cases can direct methods be applied to an equation to find initial values leading to a solution of the corresponding initial value problem that is periodic. Oscillatory periodic solutions have such practical importance that…

Fact Finding Report. Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Commerce, Washington, DC.

This report presents findings of a commission that held hearings and examined quantitative and qualitative evidence on the current state of worker-management relations in the United States. Chapter I identifies those facts about the changing economic and social environment that bear directly on the mission statement of the commission (to ensure…

The Impact of OER on Teaching and Learning Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weller, Martin; de los Arcos, Bea; Farrow, Rob; Pitt, Beck; McAndrew, Patrick

2015-01-01

The OER Research Hub has been investigating the impact of OER, using eleven hypotheses, and a mixed methods approach to establish an evidence base. This paper explores the findings relating to teaching and learning. The findings reveal a set of direct impacts, including an increase in factors relating to student performance, increased reflection…

Getting into the Game: Helping Preservice Candidates Find Initial Teaching Positions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayers, Suzan F.; Senne, Terry A.

2011-01-01

Many teacher candidates fumble through the job-hunting process by employing the "discovery" approach to finding a teaching position. The purpose of this article is to provide direction and guidance for securing an initial teaching position in physical education. The areas outlined in this article include (1) developing application…

"I Just Find It Boring": Findings from an Affective Adolescent Reading Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cockroft, Charlotte; Atkinson, Cathy

2017-01-01

Research suggests that reading engagement and motivation are strong predictors of reading performance. Reading motivation may decline as students approach adolescence, resulting in less time spent with text. To date, there has been no research on how practitioners might directly support students to address affective factors in reading. In this…

Two Mind-Altering Curriculums: Contemplation, Mindfulness, and the Educational Question Whether "To Think or Not to Think?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ergas, Oren

2013-01-01

Findings "from" neuroscience and psychological research reveal that the mind's "default" state is "wandering" bearing directly on our well-being. These findings raise difficult questions as to the premises underlying the curriculum rendered as a "mind-altering device" (Eisner, 1993). This article analyzes…

The Emotional Use of Popular Music by Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, Alan; Hakanen, Ernest A.

1991-01-01

Follows up on some recent calls for study of music as a mass medium. Finds that music serves as a powerful communication medium, speaking directly to the emotions (excitement, happiness, love) of high school students. Finds that women were somewhat more likely to associate emotions with music and to use music for mood management. (PRA)

A mixed-methods approach to systematic reviews.

PubMed

Pearson, Alan; White, Heath; Bath-Hextall, Fiona; Salmond, Susan; Apostolo, Joao; Kirkpatrick, Pamela

2015-09-01

There are an increasing number of published single-method systematic reviews that focus on different types of evidence related to a particular topic. As policy makers and practitioners seek clear directions for decision-making from systematic reviews, it is likely that it will be increasingly difficult for them to identify 'what to do' if they are required to find and understand a plethora of syntheses related to a particular topic.Mixed-methods systematic reviews are designed to address this issue and have the potential to produce systematic reviews of direct relevance to policy makers and practitioners.On the basis of the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute International Mixed Methods Reviews Methodology Group in 2012, the Institute adopted a segregated approach to mixed-methods synthesis as described by Sandelowski et al., which consists of separate syntheses of each component method of the review. Joanna Briggs Institute's mixed-methods synthesis of the findings of the separate syntheses uses a Bayesian approach to translate the findings of the initial quantitative synthesis into qualitative themes and pooling these with the findings of the initial qualitative synthesis.

Mechanisms underlying interlimb transfer of visuomotor rotations

PubMed Central

Wang, Jinsung; Sainburg, Robert L.

2013-01-01

We previously reported that opposite arm training improved the initial direction of dominant arm movements, whereas it only improved the final position accuracy of non-dominant arm movements. We now ask whether each controller accesses common, or separate, short-term memory resources. To address this question, we investigated interlimb transfer of learning for visuomotor rotations that were directed oppositely [clockwise (CW)/counterclockwise (CCW)] for the two arms. We expected that if information obtained by initial training was stored in the same short-term memory space for both arms, opposite arm training of a CW rotation would interfere with subsequent adaptation to a CCW rotation. All subjects first adapted to a 30° rotation (CW) in the visual display during reaching movements. Following this, they adapted to a 30° rotation in the opposite direction (CCW) with the other arm. In contrast to our previous findings for interlimb transfer of same direction rotations (CCW/CCW), no effects of opposite arm adaptation were indicated in the initial trials performed. This indicates that interlimb transfer is not obligatory, and suggests that short-term memory resources for the two limbs are independent. Through single trial analysis, we found that the direction and final position errors of the first trial of movement, following opposite arm training, were always the same as those of naive performance. This was true whether the opposite arm was trained with the same or the opposing rotation. When trained with the same rotation, transfer of learning did not occur until the second trial. These findings suggest that the selective use of opposite arm information is dependent on the first trial to probe current movement conditions. Interestingly, the final extent of adaptation appeared to be reduced by opposite arm training of opposing rotations. Thus, the extent of adaptation, but not initial information transfer, appears obligatorily affected by prior opposite arm adaptation. According to our findings, it is plausible that the initiation and the final extent of adaptation involve two independent neural processes. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed. PMID:12677333

Direct and Indirect Links between the Couple Relationship and Child School Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Hui-Hua; Liang, Yi-Ching; Gapp, Susan C.; Newland, Lisa A.; Giger, Jarod T.; Lin, Chunn-Ying

2017-01-01

This study measured aspects of the couple relationship to examine direct and indirect relations with parental involvement in education and children's school outcomes. The sample (n = 100) consisted of families that have at least one child between the ages of 8 and 11 in urban central Taiwan. Findings indicated that couple relationship quality is…

A Mathematics Education Comparative Analysis of ALEKS Technology and Direct Classroom Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mertes, Emily Sue

2013-01-01

Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS), a technology-based mathematics curriculum, was piloted in the 2012-2013 school year at a Minnesota rural public middle school. The goal was to find an equivalent or more effective mathematics teaching method than traditional direct instruction. The purpose of this quantitative study was to…

Hiring and Retaining Direct-Care Staff: After Fifty Years of Research, What Do We Know?.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Philip S.; Hall, Nancy D.

2002-01-01

This literature review finds that efforts since the 1950s to develop research-based selection tools for recruiting direct-care staff to work with people with developmental disabilities have not been successful. However, researchers have identified practices that can reduce staff turnover, such as articulating the mission and improving human…

Student Perspectives of Self-Directed Language Learning: Implications for Teaching and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Fengning

2013-01-01

This article presents findings from a qualitative study examining students' perspectives of engaging in an autonomous learning project at a community college. Through the conceptual prism of self-directed learning, this study describes how students view the benefits of SDL as well as the roles of teachers. It also touches on factors contributing…

Promoting Self-Directed Learning in a Learning Organization: Tools and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rana, Sowath; Ardichvili, Alexandre; Polesello, Daiane

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine a set of practices that can help promote self-directed learning (SDL) in congruence with the goals of developing and maintaining a learning organization. Design/methodology/approach Findings from this study were derived from an extensive review of the SDL and the learning organization literature, as…

Are Direct to Consumer Advertisements of Prescription Drugs Educational?: Comparing 1992 to 2002

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curry, Timothy Jon; Jarosch, Jeff; Pacholok, Shelley

2005-01-01

We investigate the educational value of direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertisements from 58 popular magazines published in 1992 and 2002. We find that the number of DTC prescription drug ads increased nine-fold from 1992 to 2002, while the advertisements for other health care products increased only slightly. We examine changes in…

Self-Directed Learning in Preparatory-Year University Students: Comparing Successful and Less-Successful English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alghamdi, Fatimah M. A.

2016-01-01

There is consensus among those involved in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in the Saudi educational context that students' achievement in language learning is below expectations. Much research has been directed towards finding the reasons for low achievement amongst learners. However, very few studies have looked at parameters of…

Information Seeking about the Military by Young Men: Findings from the 1989 Youth Attitude Tracking Study II

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-02-01

its use of high technologies and its high-caliber tram- ing in a very demanding electronic environment. The Navy’s advertising strategy is similar to...element of their advertising strategy is the use of direct mail campaigns. The content of broadcast and direct mail advertising messages often

Educational Technology Program. Quarterly Technical Summary, 1 December 1970 through 28 February 1971.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frick, Frederick C.

The decision to employ direct rather than diffraction recording in the Lincoln Training System (LTS) is reported. This resulted from the findings that direct recording was practical at higher densities than previously thought possible and that rapid access to a number of fiche would compensate for the limited number of frames per fiche realized…

A Perspective on Pre-University and College Marine and Aquatic Education in Canada.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Robert; And Others

This paper: (1) reviews the goals and directions of United States marine education; (2) reports the findings of three surveys which were designed to provide a perspective on current Canadian efforts in marine education; and (3) presents a set of proposed goals and future directions for marine education in Canada. Federal agencies with a…

The Effect of Self-Directed Work Teams on Work Ethic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Doo Hun; Petty, Gregory; Fontan, Johnny; Yoon, Seung Won

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare work ethic of manufacturing machine operators between a self-directed work team and a traditional work team based on four work ethic subscales and identify differences in work ethic based on six demographic factors. The major findings from the study indicated there were significant differences in the work…

Bases of Radio Direction Finding, Part II

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-12-22

of H-shaped system . Fundamental ind the equivalent diagrams of the piir of antennas are given in Fig. 7.12. For -alculation is assigned the frejuency...Geographic Names Transliteration System ......... ii Preface ...................................................... 2 Chapter 1. Problems of Radio Traffic...4 Chapter 2. Principles and Methods of Radio Traffic ......... 14 Chapter 3. Antenna Systems of Radio Direction Finders

Physical activity and self-esteem: testing direct and indirect relationships associated with psychological and physical mechanisms.

PubMed

Zamani Sani, Seyed Hojjat; Fathirezaie, Zahra; Brand, Serge; Pühse, Uwe; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Gerber, Markus; Talepasand, Siavash

2016-01-01

In the present study, we investigated the relationship between physical activity (PA) and self-esteem (SE), while introducing body mass index (BMI), perceived physical fitness (PPF), and body image (BI) in adults (N =264, M =38.10 years). The findings indicated that PA was directly and indirectly associated with SE. BMI predicted SE neither directly nor indirectly, but was directly associated with PPF and both directly and indirectly with BI. Furthermore, PPF was directly related to BI and SE, and a direct association was found between BI and SE. The pattern of results suggests that among a sample of adults, PA is directly and indirectly associated with SE, PPF, and BI, but not with BMI. PA, PPF, and BI appear to play an important role in SE. Accordingly, regular PA should be promoted, in particular, among adults reporting lower SE.

Physical activity and self-esteem: testing direct and indirect relationships associated with psychological and physical mechanisms

PubMed Central

Zamani Sani, Seyed Hojjat; Fathirezaie, Zahra; Brand, Serge; Pühse, Uwe; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Gerber, Markus; Talepasand, Siavash

2016-01-01

In the present study, we investigated the relationship between physical activity (PA) and self-esteem (SE), while introducing body mass index (BMI), perceived physical fitness (PPF), and body image (BI) in adults (N =264, M =38.10 years). The findings indicated that PA was directly and indirectly associated with SE. BMI predicted SE neither directly nor indirectly, but was directly associated with PPF and both directly and indirectly with BI. Furthermore, PPF was directly related to BI and SE, and a direct association was found between BI and SE. The pattern of results suggests that among a sample of adults, PA is directly and indirectly associated with SE, PPF, and BI, but not with BMI. PA, PPF, and BI appear to play an important role in SE. Accordingly, regular PA should be promoted, in particular, among adults reporting lower SE. PMID:27789950

Retinal Origin of Direction Selectivity in the Superior Colliculus

PubMed Central

Shi, Xuefeng; Barchini, Jad; Ledesma, Hector Acaron; Koren, David; Jin, Yanjiao; Liu, Xiaorong; Wei, Wei; Cang, Jianhua

2017-01-01

Detecting visual features in the environment such as motion direction is crucial for survival. The circuit mechanisms that give rise to direction selectivity in a major visual center, the superior colliculus (SC), are entirely unknown. Here, we optogenetically isolate the retinal inputs that individual direction-selective SC neurons receive and find that they are already selective as a result of precisely converging inputs from similarly-tuned retinal ganglion cells. The direction selective retinal input is linearly amplified by the intracollicular circuits without changing its preferred direction or level of selectivity. Finally, using 2-photon calcium imaging, we show that SC direction selectivity is dramatically reduced in transgenic mice that have decreased retinal selectivity. Together, our studies demonstrate a retinal origin of direction selectivity in the SC, and reveal a central visual deficit as a consequence of altered feature selectivity in the retina. PMID:28192394

Costs and benefits in item-method directed forgetting: differential effects of encoding and retrieval.

PubMed

Lee, Yuh-Shiow

2013-01-01

This study examined how encoding and retrieval factors affected directed forgetting costs and benefits in an item-method procedure. Experiment 1 used a typical item-method procedure and revealed a levels-of-processing effect in overall recall. However, the deep encoding condition showed a smaller directed forgetting effect than the shallow encoding conditions. More importantly, "remember" (R) words were selectively rehearsed as indicated by greater recall from the primacy portion of the list and more apt to be recalled before "forget" (F) words. Experiment 2 showed that a deep encoding operation reduced directed forgetting costs and that directed forgetting benefits occurred only when R words were recalled before F words. These findings supported the hypotheses that encoding manipulation affected directed forgetting costs and that directed forgetting benefits were associated with output order bias. Results were discussed in terms of mechanisms that produce item-method directed forgetting.

Ocean services user needs assessment. Volume 1: Survey results, conclusions and recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, D. R.; Patton, R. J.; Mccandless, S. W.

1984-01-01

An interpretation of environmental information needs of marine users, derived from a direct contact survey of eight important sectors of the marine user community is presented. Findings of the survey and results and recommendations are reported. The findings consist of specific and quantized measurement and derived product needs for each sector and comparisons of these needs with current and planned NOAA data and services. The following supportive and reference material are examined: direct contact interviews with industry members, analyses of current NOAA data gathering and derived product capabilities, evaluations of new and emerging domestic and foreign satellite data gathering capabilities, and a special commercial fishing survey conducted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

A direct method of solution for the Fokas-Lenells derivative nonlinear Schrödinger equation: I. Bright soliton solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuno, Yoshimasa

2012-06-01

We develop a direct method of solution for finding the bright N-soliton solution of the Fokas-Lenells derivative nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The construction of the solution is performed by means of a purely algebraic procedure using an elementary theory of determinants and does not rely on the inverse scattering transform method. We present two different expressions of the solution both of which are expressed as a ratio of determinants. We then investigate the properties of the solutions and find several new features. Specifically, we derive the formula for the phase shift caused by the collisions of bright solitons.

Magnetic control of dipolaritons in quantum dots.

PubMed

Rojas-Arias, J S; Rodríguez, B A; Vinck-Posada, H

2016-12-21

Dipolaritons are quasiparticles that arise in coupled quantum wells embedded in a microcavity, they are a superposition of a photon, a direct exciton and an indirect exciton. We propose the existence of dipolaritons in a system of two coupled quantum dots inside a microcavity in direct analogy with the quantum well case and find that, despite some similarities, dipolaritons in quantum dots have different properties and can lead to true dark polariton states. We use a finite system theory to study the effects of the magnetic field on the system, including the emission, and find that it can be used as a control parameter of the properties of excitons and dipolaritons, and the overall magnetic behaviour of the structure.

Harming ourselves and defiling others: what determines a moral domain?

PubMed

Chakroff, Alek; Dungan, James; Young, Liane

2013-01-01

Recent work has distinguished "harm" from "purity" violations, but how does an act get classified as belonging to a domain in the first place? We demonstrate the impact of not only the kind of action (e.g., harmful versus impure) but also its target (e.g., oneself versus another). Across two experiments, common signatures of harm and purity tracked with other-directed and self-directed actions, respectively. First, participants judged self-directed acts as primarily impure and other-directed acts as primarily harmful. Second, conservatism predicted harsher judgments of self-directed but not other-directed acts. Third, while participants delivered harsher judgments of intentional versus accidental acts, this effect was smaller for self-directed than other-directed acts. Finally, participants judged self-directed acts more harshly when focusing on the actor's character versus the action itself; other-directed acts elicited the opposite pattern. These findings suggest that moral domains are defined not only by the kind of action but also by the target of the action.

Effects of Edge Directions on the Structural Controllability of Complex Networks.

PubMed

Xiao, Yandong; Lao, Songyang; Hou, Lvlin; Small, Michael; Bai, Liang

2015-01-01

Recent advances indicate that assigning or reversing edge direction can significantly improve the structural controllability of complex networks. For directed networks, approaching the optimal structural controllability can be achieved by detecting and reversing certain "inappropriate" edge directions. However, the existence of multiple sets of "inappropriate" edge directions suggests that different edges have different effects on optimal controllability-that is, different combinations of edges can be reversed to achieve the same structural controllability. Therefore, we classify edges into three categories based on their direction: critical, redundant and intermittent. We then investigate the effects of changing these edge directions on network controllability, and demonstrate that the existence of more critical edge directions implies not only a lower cost of modifying inappropriate edges but also better controllability. Motivated by this finding, we present a simple edge orientation method aimed at producing more critical edge directions-utilizing only local information-which achieves near optimal controllability. Furthermore, we explore the effects of edge direction on the controllability of several real networks.

Harming Ourselves and Defiling Others: What Determines a Moral Domain?

PubMed Central

Chakroff, Alek; Dungan, James; Young, Liane

2013-01-01

Recent work has distinguished “harm” from “purity” violations, but how does an act get classified as belonging to a domain in the first place? We demonstrate the impact of not only the kind of action (e.g., harmful versus impure) but also its target (e.g., oneself versus another). Across two experiments, common signatures of harm and purity tracked with other-directed and self-directed actions, respectively. First, participants judged self-directed acts as primarily impure and other-directed acts as primarily harmful. Second, conservatism predicted harsher judgments of self-directed but not other-directed acts. Third, while participants delivered harsher judgments of intentional versus accidental acts, this effect was smaller for self-directed than other-directed acts. Finally, participants judged self-directed acts more harshly when focusing on the actor’s character versus the action itself; other-directed acts elicited the opposite pattern. These findings suggest that moral domains are defined not only by the kind of action but also by the target of the action. PMID:24040245

A systematic narrative review of consumer-directed care for older people: implications for model development.

PubMed

Ottmann, Goetz; Allen, Jacqui; Feldman, Peter

2013-11-01

Consumer-directed care is increasingly becoming a mainstream option in community-based aged care. However, a systematic review describing how the current evaluation research translates into practise has not been published to date. This review aimed to systematically establish an evidence base of user preferences for and satisfaction with services associated with consumer-directed care programmes for older people. Twelve databases were searched, including MedLine, BioMed Central, Cinahl, Expanded Academic ASAP, PsychInfo, ProQuest, Age Line, Science Direct, Social Citation Index, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. Google Scholar and Google were also searched. Eligible studies were those reporting on choice, user preferences and service satisfaction outcomes regarding a programme or model of home-based care in the United States or United Kingdom. This systematic narrative review retrieved literature published from January 1992 to August 2011. A total of 277 references were identified. Of these 17 met the selection criteria and were reviewed. Findings indicate that older people report varying preferences for consumer-directed care with some demonstrating limited interest. Clients and carers reported good service satisfaction. However, research comparing user preferences across countries or investigating how ecological factors shape user preferences has received limited attention. Policy-makers and practitioners need to carefully consider the diverse contexts, needs and preferences of older adults in adopting consumer-directed care approaches in community aged care. The review calls for the development of consumer-directed care programmes offering a broad range of options that allow for personalisation and greater control over services without necessarily transferring the responsibility for administrative responsibilities to service users. Review findings suggest that consumer-directed care approaches have the potential to empower older people. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Modeling Optimal Strategies for Finding a Resource-Linked, Windborne Odor Plume: Theories, Robotics, and Biomimetic Lessons from Flying Insects.

PubMed

Bau, Josep; Cardé, Ring T

2015-09-01

Male moths locate females by navigating along her pheromone plume, often flying hundreds of meters en route. As the first male to find a calling female is most apt to be her mate, this can be termed "a race to find the female" and it is assumed to be under strong selective pressure for efficiency and rapidity. Locating a distant, odor-linked resource involves two strategies. The first is to contact the outer envelope of the odor plume. When wind direction is relatively invariant, the plume stretches and then crosswind flights may be favored, although when wind direction shifts over 60°, upwind and downwind paths may be optimal. Alternatively, the path may be random with respect to the direction of wind flow, with periodic changes in direction, as in either Lévy or Random Walks. After first detecting the pheromone, a second strategy follows: moths navigate along the plume by heading upwind when the pheromone is detected, with crosswind casting to re-establish contact if the plume is lost. This orientation path is not straightforward in nature, however, because atmospheric turbulence fragments the plume, thereby creating large odor gaps. Furthermore, a shifting wind direction can lead the responder out of the plume. One way to explore which strategies are optimal for enabling initial contact with the plume and subsequent navigation is through modeling of plumes' dispersal and of insects' flight strategies. Our simulations using the flight characteristics of the male gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) suggest that search strategies similar to Lévy Walks are most apt to result in a high probability of contact with plumes. Although a searching trajectory aimed predominately crosswind performed almost as well as those with a random orientation when wind direction was relatively stable, downwind biased trajectories were least successful. A random orientation with respect to immediate wind flow, as used in our simulations of Lévy and Random Walks, seems optimal both for initial discovery of the plume and likelihood of locating an odor source. In the two available direct field observations, moths adopted a random orientation with respect to concurrent wind direction. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Age-Related Differences in Associative Learning of Landmarks and Heading Directions in a Virtual Navigation Task.

PubMed

Zhong, Jimmy Y; Moffat, Scott D

2016-01-01

Previous studies have showed that spatial memory declines with age but have not clarified the relevance of different landmark cues for specifying heading directions among different age groups. This study examined differences between younger, middle-aged and older adults in route learning and memory tasks after they navigated a virtual maze that contained: (a) critical landmarks that were located at decision points (i.e., intersections) and (b) non-critical landmarks that were located at non-decision points (i.e., the sides of the route). Participants were given a recognition memory test for critical and non-critical landmarks and also given a landmark-direction associative learning task. Compared to younger adults, older adults committed more navigation errors during route learning and were poorer at associating the correct heading directions with both critical and non-critical landmarks. Notably, older adults exhibited a landmark-direction associative memory deficit at decision points; this was the first finding to show that an associative memory deficit exist among older adults in a navigational context for landmarks that are pertinent for reaching a goal, and suggest that older adults may expend more cognitive resources on the encoding of landmark/object features than on the binding of landmark and directional information. This study is also the first to show that older adults did not have a tendency to process non-critical landmarks, which were regarded as distractors/irrelevant cues for specifying the directions to reach the goal, to an equivalent or larger extent than younger adults. We explain this finding in view of the low number of non-critical cues in our virtual maze (relative to a real-world urban environment) that might not have evoked older adults' usual tendency toward processing or encoding distractors. We explain the age differences in navigational and cognitive performance with regards to functional and structural changes in the hippocampus and parahippocampus, and recommend further investigations into the functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus for a better understanding of the landmark-direction associative learning among the elderly. Finally, it is hoped that the current behavioral findings will facilitate efforts to identify the neural markers of Alzheimer's disease, a disease that commonly involves navigational deficits.

Conveying 3D shape with texture: recent advances and experimental findings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Interrante, Victoria; Kim, Sunghee; Hagh-Shenas, Haleh

2002-06-01

If we could design the perfect texture pattern to apply to any smooth surface in order to enable observers to more accurately perceive the surface's shape in a static monocular image taken from an arbitrary generic viewpoint under standard lighting conditions, what would the characteristics of that texture pattern be? In order to gain insight into this question, our group has developed an efficient algorithm for synthesizing a high resolution texture pattern, derived from a provided 2D sample, over an arbitrary doubly curved surface in such a way that the orientation of the texture is constrained to follow a specified underlying vector field over the surface, at a per-pixel level, without evidence of seams or projective distortion artifacts. In this paper, we report the findings of a recent experiment in which we attempt to use this new texture synthesis method to assess the shape information carrying capacity of two different types of directional texture patterns (unidirectional and bi-directional) under three different orientation conditions (following the first principal direction, following a constant uniform direction, or swirling sinusoidally in the surface). In a four alternative forced choice task, we asked participants to identify the quadrant in which two B-spline surfaces, illuminated from different random directions and simultaneously and persistently displayed, differed in their shapes. We found, after all subjects had gained sufficient training in the task, that accuracy increased fairly consistently with increasing magnitude of surface shape disparity, but that the characteristics of this increase differed under the different texture orientation conditions. Subjects were able to more reliably perceive smaller shape differences when the surfaces were textured with a pattern whose orientation followed one of the principal directions than when the surfaces were textured with a pattern that either gradually swirled in the surface or followed a constant uniform direction in the tangent plane regardless of the surface shape characteristics. These findings appear to support our hypothesis that anisotropic textures aligned with the first principal direction may facilitate shape perception, for a generic view, by making more, reliable information about the extent of the surface curvature explicitly available to the observer than would be available if the texture pattern were oriented in any other way.

Blood culture gram stain, acridine orange stain and direct sensitivity-based antimicrobial therapy of bloodstream infection in patients with trauma.

PubMed

Behera, B; Mathur, P; Gupta, B

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to ascertain if the simple practice of Gram stain, acridine orange stain and direct sensitivity determination of positive blood culture bottles could be used to guide early and appropriate treatment in trauma patients with clinical suspicion of sepsis. The study also aimed to evaluate the error in interpreting antimicrobial sensitivity by direct method when compared to standard method and find out if specific antibiotic-organism combination had more discrepancies. Findings from consecutive episodes of blood stream infection at an Apex Trauma centre over a 12-month period are summarized. A total of 509 consecutive positive blood cultures were subjected to Gram staining. AO staining was done in BacT/ALERT-positive Gram-stain negative blood cultures. Direct sensitivity was performed from 369 blood culture broths, showing single type of growth in Gram and acridine orange staining. Results of direct sensitivity were compared to conventional sensitivity for errors. No 'very major' discrepancy was found in this study. About 5.2 and 1.8% minor error rates were noted in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, respectively, while comparing the two methods. Most of the discrepancies in gram-negative bacteria were noted in beta lactam - beta lactamase inhibitor combinations. Direct sensitivity testing was not reliable for reporting of methicillin and vancomycin resistance in Staphylococci. Gram stain result together with direct sensitivity testing is required for optimizing initial antimicrobial therapy in trauma patients with clinical suspicion of sepsis. Gram staining and AO staining proved particularly helpful in the early detection of candidaemia.

The importance of ecological costs for the evolution of plant defense against herbivory.

PubMed

van Velzen, Ellen; Etienne, Rampal S

2015-05-07

Plant defense against herbivory comes at a cost, which can be either direct (reducing resources available for growth and reproduction) or indirect (through reducing ecological performance, for example intraspecific competitiveness). While direct costs have been well studied in theoretical models, ecological costs have received almost no attention. In this study we compare models with a direct trade-off (reduced growth rate) to models with an ecological trade-off (reduced competitive ability), using a combination of adaptive dynamics and simulations. In addition, we study the dependence of the level of defense that can evolve on the type of defense (directly by reducing consumption, or indirectly by inducing herbivore mortality (toxicity)), and on the type of herbivore against which the plant is defending itself (generalists or specialists). We find three major results: First, for both direct and ecological costs, defense only evolves if the benefit to the plant is direct (through reducing consumption). Second, the type of cost has a major effect on the evolutionary dynamics: direct costs always lead to a single optimal strategy against herbivores, but ecological costs can lead to branching and the coexistence of non-defending and defending plants; however, coexistence is only possible when defending against generalist herbivores. Finally, we find that fast-growing plants invest less than slow-growing plants when defending against generalist herbivores, as predicted by the Resource Availability Hypothesis, but invest more than slow-growing plants when defending against specialists. Our results clearly show that assumptions about ecological interactions are crucial for understanding the evolution of defense against herbivores. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of different intensity measures and earthquake directions on the seismic assessment of skewed highway bridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayat, M.; Daneshjoo, F.; Nisticò, N.

2017-01-01

In this study the probable seismic behavior of skewed bridges with continuous decks under earthquake excitations from different directions is investigated. A 45° skewed bridge is studied. A suite of 20 records is used to perform an Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) for fragility curves. Four different earthquake directions have been considered: -45°, 0°, 22.5°, 45°. A sensitivity analysis on different spectral intensity meas ures is presented; efficiency and practicality of different intensity measures have been studied. The fragility curves obtained indicate that the critical direction for skewed bridges is the skew direction as well as the longitudinal direction. The study shows the importance of finding the most critical earthquake in understanding and predicting the behavior of skewed bridges.

Seductive eyes: attractiveness and direct gaze increase desire for associated objects.

PubMed

Strick, Madelijn; Holland, Rob W; van Knippenberg, Ad

2008-03-01

Recent research in neuroscience shows that observing attractive faces with direct gaze is more rewarding than observing attractive faces with averted gaze. On the basis of this research, it was hypothesized that object evaluations can be enhanced by associating them with attractive faces displaying direct gaze. In a conditioning paradigm, novel objects were associated with either attractive or unattractive female faces, either displaying direct or averted gaze. An affective priming task showed more positive automatic evaluations of objects that were paired with attractive faces with direct gaze than attractive faces with averted gaze and unattractive faces, irrespective of gaze direction. Participants' self-reported desire for the objects matched the affective priming data. The results are discussed against the background of recent findings on affective consequences of gaze cueing.

Are advance directives helpful for good end of life decision making: a cross sectional survey of health professionals.

PubMed

Peicius, Eimantas; Blazeviciene, Aurelija; Kaminskas, Raimondas

2017-06-05

This paper joins the debate over changes in the role of health professionals when applying advance directives to manage the decision-making process at the end of life care. Issues in relation to advance directives occur in clinical units in Lithuania; however, it remains one of the few countries in the European Union (EU) where the discussion on advance directives is not included in the health-care policy-making agenda. To encourage the discussion of advance directives, a study was designed to examine health professionals' understanding and preferences related to advance directives. In addition, the study sought to explore the views of health care professionals of the application of Advance Directives (AD) in clinical practice in Lithuania. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by interviewing 478 health professionals based at major health care centers in Kaunas district, Lithuania. The design of the study included the use of a questionnaire developed for this study and validated by a pilot study. The collected data were analyzed using standard descriptive statistical methods. The analysis of knowledge about AD revealed some statistically significant differences when comparing the respondents' profession and gender. The analysis also indicated key emerging themes among respondents including tranquility of mind, the longest possible life expectancy and freedom of choice. Further, the study findings revealed that more than half of the study participants preferred to express their will while alive by using advance directives. The study findings revealed a low level of knowledge on advance directives among health professionals. Most health professionals agreed that AD's improved end-of-life decision making while the majority of physicians appreciated AD as the best tool for sharing responsibilities in clinical practice in Lithuania. More physicians than nurses preferred the presence of advance directives to support their decision making in end-of-life situations.

Indirect and Direct Signatures of Young Planets in Protoplanetary Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhaohuan; Stone, James M.; Dong, Ruobing; Rafikov, Roman; Bai, Xue-Ning

2015-12-01

Directly finding young planets around protostars is challenging since protostars are highly variable and obscured by dust. However, young planets will interact with protoplanetary disks, inducing disk features such as gaps, spiral arms, and asymmetric features, which are much easier to be detected. Transitional disks, which are protoplanetary disks with gaps and holes, are excellent candidates for finding young planets. Although these disks have been studied extensively in observations (e.g. using Subaru, VLT, ALMA, EVLA), theoretical models still need to be developed to explain observations. We have constructed numerical simulations, including dust particle dynamics and MHD effects, to study planet-disk interaction, with an emphasis on explaining observations. Our simulations have successfully reproduced spiral arms, gaps and asymmetric features observed in transitional disks. Furthermore, by comparing with observations, we have constrained protoplanetary disk properties and pinpoint potential planets in these disks. We will present progress in constructing global simulations to study transitional disks, including using our recently developed Athena++ code with static-mesh-refinement for MHD. Finally we suggest that accreting circumplanetary disks can release an observable amount of energy and could be the key to detect young planets directly. We will discuss how JWST and next generation telescopes can help to find these young planets with circumplanetary disks.

Pathways from College to University: A Social Science Example from Ontario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeSage, Ann; Samis, John; Hinch, Ron; Longo, Fabiola; DiGiuseppe, Maurice; Goodman, William; Percival, Jennifer; De La Rocha, Arlene; Rodrigues, Anna; Raby, Phil; Sanchez, Otto

2014-01-01

This study evaluates the impact of a College to University Pathway Program in the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities at The University of Ontario Institute of Technology. The findings support the assertion that Pathway students perform as well as or better than students who enter university directly from secondary school. This finding is…

Inhibitory Functioning across ADHD Subtypes: Recent Findings, Clinical Implications, and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Zachary W.; Derefinko, Karen J.; Milich, Richard; Fillmore, Mark T.

2008-01-01

Although growing consensus supports the role of deficient behavioral inhibition as a central feature of the combined subtype of ADHD (ADHD/C; Barkley 1997 "Psychol Bull" 121:65-94; Nigg 2001 "Psychol Bull" 127:571-598), little research has focused on how this finding generalizes to the primarily inattentive subtype (ADHD/I). This question holds…

How to Find Information on Educational and Psychological Tests at the Library of Congress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Library of Congress, Washington, DC. General Reading Rooms Div.

Although portions of this guide to finding information on educational and psychological tests at the Library of Congress are directed at those interested in standardized published tests as preparation for taking them, it will probably be most helpful to those administering tests, interpreting their results, or designing measuring devices for…

Conceptualizing an Inclusive Economic Approach to GLBT Labor Issues: Current Research and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Loo, Jasper B.; Rocco, Tonette S.

2008-01-01

We discuss how economic theory has analyzed the effects of being GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender). We find that economics has focused on finding earnings differentials between GLBT and heterosexuals. The issue is, however, whether the standard analytical techniques available in economics, can be applied to sexual minorities. A number…

Does Education Affect Happiness? Evidence for Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunado, Juncal; de Gracia, Fernando Perez

2012-01-01

In this paper we study the impact of education on happiness in Spain using individual-level data from the European Social Survey, by means of estimating Ordinal Logit Models. We find both direct and indirect effects of education on happiness. First, we find an indirect effect of education on happiness through income and labour status. That is, we…

When Does Length Cause the Word Length Effect?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jalbert, Annie; Neath, Ian; Bireta, Tamra J.; Surprenant, Aimee M.

2011-01-01

The word length effect, the finding that lists of short words are better recalled than lists of long words, has been termed one of the benchmark findings that any theory of immediate memory must account for. Indeed, the effect led directly to the development of working memory and the phonological loop, and it is viewed as the best remaining…

Word Recognition and Word Identification: A Review of Research on Effective Instructional Practices with Learning Disabled Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormick, Sandra; Becker, Evelyn Z.

1996-01-01

Reviews investigations related to word learning of learning disabled students. Finds that direct word study leads to reading improvement for learning disabled pupils, but that indirect instruction also provides assistance. Finds also that word knowledge instruction not only promotes word learning, but can heighten learning disabled students'…

Tax Increment Financing and Education Expenditures: The Case of Iowa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen-Hoang, Phuong

2014-01-01

This is the first study to directly examine the relationship between tax increment financing (TIF) and education expenditures, using the state of Iowa as a case study. I find that greater use of TIF is associated with reduced education expenditures. I also find little evidence to support the commonly held proposition that school spending increases…

75 FR 16651 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 747-200C and -200F Series Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-02

... upper chord of the upper deck floor beams in Area 5, and the inspection for fatigue cracking in the.... That AD currently requires repetitive inspections to find fatigue cracking in the floor panel... additional repetitive inspections to find fatigue cracking in the floor panel attachment fastener holes of...

Finding the Groove: A Grounded Theory Study on Leading Others to a Productive Path

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Roshann Reed

2011-01-01

Finding the groove was systematically discovered directly from data following the classical grounded theory methodology developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967) and further developed by Glaser (1965, 1978, 1992, 1998, 2001). This basic social process emerged from data as the pattern of behavior that leaders proceed through to increase performer…

Remediating Reading Difficulties in a Response to Intervention Model with Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pyle, Nicole; Vaughn, Sharon

2012-01-01

The research on Response to Intervention (RtI) with secondary students is scant; however, a recently conducted, multiyear, large-scale implementation of RtI with middle-school students provides findings that inform practices and future directions for research. This article provides an overview of the findings from each of the 3 years of an…

Biometric Research in Perception and Neurology Related to the Study of Visual Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metallinos, Nikos

Contemporary research findings in the fields of perceptual psychology and neurology of the human brain that are directly related to the study of visual communication are reviewed and briefly discussed in this paper. Specifically, the paper identifies those major research findings in visual perception that are relevant to the study of visual…

Adaptive form-finding method for form-fixed spatial network structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Cheng; Tu, Xi; Xue, Junqing; Briseghella, Bruno; Zordan, Tobia

2018-02-01

An effective form-finding method for form-fixed spatial network structures is presented in this paper. The adaptive form-finding method is introduced along with the example of designing an ellipsoidal network dome with bar length variations being as small as possible. A typical spherical geodesic network is selected as an initial state, having bar lengths in a limit group number. Next, this network is transformed into the ellipsoidal shape as desired by applying compressions on bars according to the bar length variations caused by transformation. Afterwards, the dynamic relaxation method is employed to explicitly integrate the node positions by applying residual forces. During the form-finding process, the boundary condition of constraining nodes on the ellipsoid surface is innovatively considered as reactions on the normal direction of the surface at node positions, which are balanced with the components of the nodal forces in a reverse direction induced by compressions on bars. The node positions are also corrected according to the fixed-form condition in each explicit iteration step. In the serial results of time history, the optimal solution is found from a time history of states by properly choosing convergence criteria, and the presented form-finding procedure is proved to be applicable for form-fixed problems.

A directed network of Greek and Roman mythology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Yeon-Mu; Kim, Hyun-Joo

2007-08-01

We construct a directed network using a dictionary of Greek and Roman mythology in which the nodes represent the entries listed in the dictionary and we make directional links from an entry to other entries that appear in its explanatory part. We find that this network is clearly not a random network but a directed scale-free network in which the distributions of out-degree and in-degree follow a power-law with exponents γout≈3.0 and γin≈2.5, respectively. Also we measure several quantities which describe the topological properties of the network and compare it to that of other real networks.

Directed motion of a Brownian motor in a temperature gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yibing; Nie, Wenjie; Lan, Yueheng

2017-05-01

Directed motion of mesoscopic systems in a non-equilibrium environment is of great interest to both scientists and engineers. Here, the translation and rotation of a Brownian motor is investigated under non-equilibrium conditions. An anomalous directed translation is found if the two heads of the Brownian motor are immersed in baths with different particle masses, which is hinted in the analytic computation and confirmed by the numerical simulation. Similar consideration is also used to find the directed movement in the single rotational and translational degree of freedom of the Brownian motor when residing in one thermal bath with a temperature gradient.

Gender as a Context for Interpreting the Self-Directed Learning Experiences of Prostate and Breast Cancer Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rager, Kathleen B.

2007-01-01

This article reports the findings from a secondary analysis of the data from two qualitative studies conducted by the researcher regarding the self-directed learning experiences of prostate and breast cancer patients. Of interest were possible differences in the descriptions of the participants' experiences that appear to relate to gender.…

Adapting a Multiple-Baseline Design Rationale for Evaluating Instructional Interventions: Implications for the Adoption of Direct Instruction Reading Curricula for Evidence-Based Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vitale, Michael R.; Kaniuka, Theodore S.

2012-01-01

Present national methodological standards for evaluating the credibility of the design of individual research studies have resulted in findings reporting the pre-­post effectiveness of Direct Instruction programs to be eliminated from consideration by educational leaders involved in making curricular decisions intended to advance local school…

Bilateral foreign direct investment in forest industry between the U.S. and Canada

Treesearch

Rao V Nagubadi; Daowei Zhang

2011-01-01

In this study we examine the trends and various factors influencing bilateral foreign direct investment (FDI) in the U.S. and Canadian forest industry between 1989 and 2008. Using panel data analysis methods, we find that bilateral FDI is positively influenced by depreciation of host country's real exchange rates and exchange rate volatility, and home country...

75 FR 55713 - Air Quality Implementation Plans; Montana; Attainment Plan for Libby, MT PM2.5

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-14

... proposing to find on-road directly emitted PM 2.5 and oxides of nitrogen (NO X ) in the Libby, Montana... contribute to fine particle concentrations: direct PM 2.5 , sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NO X... balance study (CMB) was conducted during the winter of 2003-2004 by the University of Montana, Center for...

Student Teachers' Understanding of Policy Behavioural Directives Concerning the Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse: Findings from One Australian State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldman, Juliette D. G.; Grimbeek, Peter

2008-01-01

Background: In the Australian state of Queensland, many Department of Education Policies include behavioural directives for school teachers, whereby "the teacher must..." behave in a certain manner. The introduction of an education policy, such as the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse by teachers, has significant and wide-ranging…

Implementation of Geographic Information System (GIS) in Secondary Geography Curriculum in Hong Kong: Current Situations and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Chi-Chung; Lai, Edith; Wong, Janice

2009-01-01

Using geographic information system (GIS) in teaching and learning geography is an important direction in the secondary geography curriculum in Hong Kong. In the present study, interviews were conducted individually with 28 geography teachers from different secondary schools in Hong Kong, with a view to finding their views on the inclusion of GIS…

Patterns of Co-Occurring Non-Verbal Behaviour and Self-Directed Speech; a Comparison of Three Methodological Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuvalja, Martina; Verma, Mohini; Whitebread, David

2014-01-01

"Self-directed speech"--the audible or partially whispered self-talk that children engage in during their daily activities, was proposed by Vygotsky to have a mediating role in the emerging self-regulatory behaviour of young children. Studies with correlational findings tend to lend support to this hypothesis but fail to delineate the…

Understanding Self-Directed Learning in the Context of Mobile Web 2.0--Case Study with Workplace Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gu, Jia

2016-01-01

This paper presents the findings from a multiple-case study which has investigated the impact of mobile Web 2.0 technologies on self-directed learning (SDL) of workplace learners by exploring participants' learning experiences with a mobile App. Drawing on existing literatures, we examined learners' SDL personal attributes and process in the…

Participating on Equal Terms? The Gender Dimensions of Direct Participation in Organisational Change: Findings from the EPOC Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnabel, Annette; Webster, Juliet

The gender dimensions of direct participation in organizational change were examined in a survey of general managers at 32,582 workplaces in the following European countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Responses were received from 5,786 managers (response rate,…

Interactions between Bilingual Effects and Language Impairment: Exploring Grammatical Markers in Spanish-Speaking Bilingual Children

PubMed Central

Castilla-Earls, Anny P.; Restrepo, María Adelaida; Perez-Leroux, Ana Teresa; Gray, Shelley; Holmes, Paul; Gail, Daniel; Chen, Ziqiang

2015-01-01

This study examines the interaction between language impairment and different levels of bilingual proficiency. Specifically, we explore the potential of articles and direct object pronouns as clinical markers of primary language impairment (PLI) in bilingual Spanish-speaking children. The study compared children with PLI and typically developing children (TD) matched on age, English language proficiency, and mother’s education level. Two types of bilinguals were targeted: Spanish-dominant children with intermediate English proficiency (asymmetrical bilinguals, AsyB), and near-balanced bilinguals (BIL). We measured children’s accuracy in the use of direct object pronouns and articles with an elicited language task. Results from this preliminary study suggest language proficiency affects the patterns of use of direct object pronouns and articles. Across language proficiency groups, we find marked differences between TD and PLI, in the use of both direct object pronouns and articles. However, the magnitude of the difference diminishes in balanced bilinguals. Articles appear more stable in these bilinguals and therefore, seem to have a greater potential to discriminate between TD bilinguals from those with PLI. Future studies using discriminant analyses are needed to assess the clinical impact of these findings. PMID:27570320

Stress-induced reliance on habitual behavior is moderated by cortisol reactivity.

PubMed

Smeets, T; van Ruitenbeek, P; Hartogsveld, B; Quaedflieg, Conny W E M

2018-05-25

Instrumental learning, i.e., learning that specific behaviors lead to desired outcomes, occurs through goal-directed and habit memory systems. Exposure to acute stress has been shown to result in less goal-directed control, thus rendering behavior more habitual. The aim of the current studies was to replicate and extend findings on stress-induced prompting of habitual responding and specifically focused on the role of stress-induced cortisol reactivity. Study 1 used an established outcome devaluation paradigm to assess goal-directed and habitual control. Study 2 utilized a modified version of this paradigm that was intended to establish stronger habitual responding through more extensive reward training and applying a relevant behavioral devaluation procedure (i.e., eating to satiety). Both studies failed to replicate that stress overall, i.e., independent of cortisol reactivity, shifted behavior from goal-directed to habitual control. However, both studies found that relative to stress-exposed cortisol non-responders and no-stress controls, participants displaying stress-induced cortisol reactivity displayed prominent habitual responding. These findings highlight the importance of stress-induced cortisol reactivity in facilitating habits. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

When fellow customers behave badly: Witness reactions to employee mistreatment by customers.

PubMed

Hershcovis, M Sandy; Bhatnagar, Namita

2017-11-01

In 3 experiments, we examined how customers react after witnessing a fellow customer mistreat an employee. Drawing on the deontic model of justice, we argue that customer mistreatment of employees leads witnesses (i.e., other customers) to leave larger tips, engage in supportive employee-directed behaviors, and evaluate employees more positively (Studies 1 and 2). We also theorize that witnesses develop less positive treatment intentions and more negative retaliatory intentions toward perpetrators, with anger and empathy acting as parallel mediators of our perpetrator- and target-directed outcomes, respectively. In Study 1, we conducted a field experiment that examined real customers' target-directed reactions to witnessed mistreatment in the context of a fast-food restaurant. In Study 2, we replicated Study 1 findings in an online vignette experiment, and extended it by examining more severe mistreatment and perpetrator-directed responses. In Study 3, we demonstrated that employees who respond to mistreatment uncivilly are significantly less likely to receive the positive outcomes found in Studies 1 and 2 than those who respond neutrally. We discuss the implications of our findings for theory and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Non-digestible oligosaccharides directly regulate host kinome to modulate host inflammatory responses without alterations in the gut microbiota.

PubMed

Wu, Richard Y; Määttänen, Pekka; Napper, Scott; Scruten, Erin; Li, Bo; Koike, Yuhki; Johnson-Henry, Kathene C; Pierro, Agostino; Rossi, Laura; Botts, Steven R; Surette, Michael G; Sherman, Philip M

2017-10-10

Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that enhance the growth of certain microbes within the gut microbiota. Prebiotic consumption generates immune-modulatory effects that are traditionally thought to reflect microbial interactions within the gut. However, recent evidence suggests they may also impart direct microbe-independent effects on the host, though the mechanisms of which are currently unclear. Kinome arrays were used to profile the host intestinal signaling responses to prebiotic exposures in the absence of microbes. Identified pathways were functionally validated in Caco-2Bbe1 intestinal cell line and in vivo model of murine endotoxemia. We found that prebiotics directly regulate host mucosal signaling to alter response to bacterial infection. Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) exposed to prebiotics are hyporesponsive to pathogen-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activations, and have a kinome profile distinct from non-treated cells pertaining to multiple innate immune signaling pathways. Consistent with this finding, mice orally gavaged with prebiotics showed dampened inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) without alterations in the gut microbiota. These findings provide molecular mechanisms of direct host-prebiotic interactions to support prebiotics as potent modulators of host inflammation.

The Role of Serotonin (5-HT) in Behavioral Control: Findings from Animal Research and Clinical Implications

PubMed Central

Sanchez, CL; Biskup, CS; Herpertz, S; Gaber, TJ; Kuhn, CM; Hood, SH

2015-01-01

The neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine both have a critical role in the underlying neurobiology of different behaviors. With focus on the interplay between dopamine and serotonin, it has been proposed that dopamine biases behavior towards habitual responding, and with serotonin offsetting this phenomenon and directing the balance toward more flexible, goal-directed responding. The present focus paper stands in close relationship to the publication by Worbe et al. (2015), which deals with the effects of acute tryptophan depletion, a neurodietary physiological method to decrease central nervous serotonin synthesis in humans for a short period of time, on the balance between hypothetical goal-directed and habitual systems. In that research, acute tryptophan depletion challenge administration and a following short-term reduction in central nervous serotonin synthesis were associated with a shift of behavioral performance towards habitual responding, providing further evidence that central nervous serotonin function modulates the balance between goal-directed and stimulus-response habitual systems of behavioral control. In the present focus paper, we discuss the findings by Worbe and colleagues in light of animal experiments as well as clinical implications and discuss potential future avenues for related research. PMID:25991656

Effects of Edge Directions on the Structural Controllability of Complex Networks

PubMed Central

Xiao, Yandong; Lao, Songyang; Hou, Lvlin; Small, Michael; Bai, Liang

2015-01-01

Recent advances indicate that assigning or reversing edge direction can significantly improve the structural controllability of complex networks. For directed networks, approaching the optimal structural controllability can be achieved by detecting and reversing certain “inappropriate” edge directions. However, the existence of multiple sets of “inappropriate” edge directions suggests that different edges have different effects on optimal controllability—that is, different combinations of edges can be reversed to achieve the same structural controllability. Therefore, we classify edges into three categories based on their direction: critical, redundant and intermittent. We then investigate the effects of changing these edge directions on network controllability, and demonstrate that the existence of more critical edge directions implies not only a lower cost of modifying inappropriate edges but also better controllability. Motivated by this finding, we present a simple edge orientation method aimed at producing more critical edge directions—utilizing only local information—which achieves near optimal controllability. Furthermore, we explore the effects of edge direction on the controllability of several real networks. PMID:26281042

Nurse staffing, direct nursing care hours and patient mortality in Taiwan: the longitudinal analysis of hospital nurse staffing and patient outcome study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Studies over the past decades have shown an association between nurse staffing and patient outcomes, however, most of these studies were conducted in the West. Accordingly, the purpose of this study aimed to provide an overview of the research/evidence base which has clarified the relationship between nurse staffing and patient mortality of acute care hospital wards under a universal health insurance system and attempted to provide explanations for some of the phenomena that are unique in Taiwan. Methods Through stratified random sampling, a total of 108 wards selected from 32 hospitals in Taiwan were collected over a consecutive seven month period. The mixed effect logit model was used to explore the relationship between nurse staffing and patient mortality. Results The medians of direct-nursing-care-hour, and nurse manpower were 2.52 h, and 378 persons, respectively. The OR for death between the long direct-nursing-care-hour (> median) group and the short direct-nursing-care-hour (≦median) group was 0.393 (95% CI = [0.245, 0.617]). The OR for death between the high (> median) and the low (≦median) nurse manpower groups was 0.589 (95% CI = [0.381, 0.911]). Conclusions Findings from this study demonstrate an association of nurse staffing and patient mortality and are consistent with findings from similar studies. These findings have policy implications for strengthening the nursing profession, nurse staffing, and the hospital quality associated with nursing. Additional research is necessary to demonstrate adequate nurse staffing ratios of different wards in Taiwan. PMID:22348278

Keeping it simple: the grammatical properties of shared book reading.

PubMed

Noble, Claire H; Cameron-Faulkner, Thea; Lieven, Elena

2018-05-01

The positive effects of shared book reading on vocabulary and reading development are well attested (e.g., Bus, van Ijzendoorn, & Pellegrini, 1995). However, the role of shared book reading in grammatical development remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a construction-based analysis of caregivers' child-directed speech during shared book reading and toy play and compared the grammatical profile of the child-directed speech generated during the two activities. The findings indicate that (a) the child-directed speech generated by shared book reading contains significantly more grammatically rich constructions than child-directed speech generated by toy play, and (b) the grammatical profile of the book itself affects the grammatical profile of the child-directed speech generated by shared book reading.

Directional searches at DUNE for sub-GeV monoenergetic neutrinos arising from dark matter annihilation in the Sun

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

Rott, Carsten; In, Seongjin; Kumar, Jason

We consider the use of directionality in the search for monoenergetic sub-GeV neutrinos arising from the decay of stopped kaons, which can be produced by dark matter annihilation in the core of the Sun. When these neutrinos undergo charged-current interactions with a nucleus at a neutrino detector, they often eject a proton which is highly peaked in the forward direction. The direction of this track can be measured at DUNE, allowing one to distinguish signal from background by comparing on-source and off-source event rates. We find that directional information can enhance the signal to background ratio by up to amore » factor of 5.« less

Direct and indirect punishment among strangers in the field

PubMed Central

Balafoutas, Loukas; Nikiforakis, Nikos; Rockenbach, Bettina

2014-01-01

Many interactions in modern human societies are among strangers. Explaining cooperation in such interactions is challenging. The two most prominent explanations critically depend on individuals’ willingness to punish defectors: In models of direct punishment, individuals punish antisocial behavior at a personal cost, whereas in models of indirect reciprocity, they punish indirectly by withholding rewards. We investigate these competing explanations in a field experiment with real-life interactions among strangers. We find clear evidence of both direct and indirect punishment. Direct punishment is not rewarded by strangers and, in line with models of indirect reciprocity, is crowded out by indirect punishment opportunities. The existence of direct and indirect punishment in daily life indicates the importance of both means for understanding the evolution of cooperation. PMID:25349390

Direct and indirect punishment among strangers in the field.

PubMed

Balafoutas, Loukas; Nikiforakis, Nikos; Rockenbach, Bettina

2014-11-11

Many interactions in modern human societies are among strangers. Explaining cooperation in such interactions is challenging. The two most prominent explanations critically depend on individuals' willingness to punish defectors: In models of direct punishment, individuals punish antisocial behavior at a personal cost, whereas in models of indirect reciprocity, they punish indirectly by withholding rewards. We investigate these competing explanations in a field experiment with real-life interactions among strangers. We find clear evidence of both direct and indirect punishment. Direct punishment is not rewarded by strangers and, in line with models of indirect reciprocity, is crowded out by indirect punishment opportunities. The existence of direct and indirect punishment in daily life indicates the importance of both means for understanding the evolution of cooperation.

Maladaptive schemas as mediators of the relationship between previous victimizations in the family and dating violence victimization in adolescents.

PubMed

Calvete, Esther; Gámez-Guadix, Manuel; Fernández-Gonzalez, Liria; Orue, Izaskun; Borrajo, Erika

2018-07-01

This study examined whether exposure to family violence, both in the form of direct victimization and witnessing violence, predicted dating violence victimization in adolescents through maladaptive schemas. A sample of 933 adolescents (445 boys and 488 girls), aged between 13 and 18 (M = 15.10), participated in a three-year longitudinal study. They completed measures of exposure to family violence, maladaptive schemas of disconnection/rejection, and dating violence victimization. The findings indicate that witnessing family violence predicts the increase of dating violence victimization over time, through the mediation of maladaptive schemas in girls, but not in boys. Direct victimization in the family predicts dating violence victimization directly, without the mediation of schemas. In addition, maladaptive schemas contribute to the perpetuation of dating violence victimization over time. These findings provide new opportunities for preventive interventions, as maladaptive schemas can be modified. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Finding the High-Risk Patient in Primary Prevention Is Not as Easy as a Conventional Risk Score!

PubMed

Ambrose, John A; Acharya, Tushar; Roberts, Micah J

2016-12-01

Patients with coronary artery disease or its equivalent are an appropriate target for guideline-directed therapy. However, finding and treating the individuals at risk for myocardial infarction or sudden death in primary prevention has been problematic. Most initial cardiovascular events are acute syndromes, and only a minority of these occurs in those deemed high risk by contemporary algorithms. Even newer noninvasive modalities cannot detect a majority of those at risk. Furthermore, accurate and early detection of high risk/vulnerability does not guarantee event prevention. Until new tools can be identified, one should consider a few simplistic solutions. In addition to a greater emphasis on lifestyle, earlier use of statins than currently recommended and a direct assault on tobacco could go a long way in reducing acute syndromes and cardiovascular mortality. To achieve the tobacco goal, the medical community would have to be directly and communally engaged. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rural neighborhoods and child aggression.

PubMed

Bowen, Natasha K; Wretman, Christopher J

2014-12-01

Structural equation modeling with latent variables was used to evaluate the direct and mediated effects of a neighborhood risk factor (negative teen behaviors) on the parent-report aggressive behavior of 213 students in grades 3 through 5 attending a school in a low-income, rural community. Contagion and social control hypotheses were examined as well as hypotheses about whether the neighborhood served as a microsystem or exosystem for rural pre-adolescents. Analyses took into account the clustering of students and ordinal nature of the data. Findings suggest that rural neighborhoods may operate as both a microsystem and exosystem for children, with direct contagion effects on their aggressive behaviors as well as indirect social control effects through parenting practices. Direct effects on aggression were also found for parenting practices and child reports of friends' negative behaviors. Pre-adolescence may be a transitional stage, when influences of the neighborhood on child behavior begin to compete with influences of caregivers. Findings can inform the timing and targets of violence prevention in rural communities.

Homocysteine directly interacts and activates the angiotensin II type I receptor to aggravate vascular injury.

PubMed

Li, Tuoyi; Yu, Bing; Liu, Zhixin; Li, Jingyuan; Ma, Mingliang; Wang, Yingbao; Zhu, Mingjiang; Yin, Huiyong; Wang, Xiaofeng; Fu, Yi; Yu, Fang; Wang, Xian; Fang, Xiaohong; Sun, Jinpeng; Kong, Wei

2018-01-02

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is a risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanism underlying HHcy-aggravated vascular injury remains unclear. Here we show that the aggravation of abdominal aortic aneurysm by HHcy is abolished in mice with genetic deletion of the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor and in mice treated with an AT1 blocker. We find that homocysteine directly activates AT1 receptor signalling. Homocysteine displaces angiotensin II and limits its binding to AT1 receptor. Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer analysis reveals distinct conformational changes of AT1 receptor upon binding to angiotensin II and homocysteine. Molecular dynamics and site-directed mutagenesis experiments suggest that homocysteine regulates the conformation of the AT1 receptor both orthosterically and allosterically by forming a salt bridge and a disulfide bond with its Arg 167 and Cys 289 residues, respectively. Together, these findings suggest that strategies aimed at blocking the AT1 receptor may mitigate HHcy-associated aneurysmal vascular injuries.

Direction-specific adaptation effects acquired in a slow rotation room

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graybiel, A.; Knepton, J.

1972-01-01

Thirty-eight subjects were required to execute 120 head movements in a slow rotation room at each 1-rpm increase in velocity of the room between 0 and 6 rpm and, after a single-step gradual return to zero velocity, execute 120 head movements either immediately after the return or after delay periods varying from 1 to 24 hours unless, at any time, more than mild symptoms of motion sickness were elicited. A second stress profile differed by the sequential addition of an incremental adaptation schedule in which the direction of rotation was reversed. The experimental findings demonstrated the acquisition of direction-specific adaptation effects that underwent spontaneous decay with a short time constant (hours). Speculations are presented which could account for the simultaneous acquisition of short-term and long-term adaptation effects. The findings support the theory that motion sickness, although a consequence of vestibular stimulation, has its immediate origin in nonvestibular systems, implying a faculative or temporary linkage between the vestibular and nonvestibular systems.

Tug of war in motility assay experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hexner, Daniel; Kafri, Yariv

2009-09-01

The dynamics of two groups of molecular motors pulling in opposite directions on a rigid filament is studied theoretically. To this end we first consider the behavior of one set of motors pulling in a single direction against an external force using a new mean-field approach. Based on these results we analyze a similar setup with two sets of motors pulling in opposite directions in a tug of war in the presence of an external force. In both cases we find that the interplay of fluid friction and protein friction leads to a complex phase diagram where the force-velocity relations can exhibit regions of bistability and spontaneous symmetry breaking. Finally, motivated by recent work, we turn to the case of motility assay experiments where motors bound to a surface push on a bundle of filaments. We find that, depending on the absence or the presence of bistability in the force-velocity curve at zero force, the bundle exhibits anomalous or biased diffusion on long-time and large-length scales.

Direct support workforce supporting individuals with IDD: current wages, benefits, and stability.

PubMed

Bogenschutz, Matthew D; Hewitt, Amy; Nord, Derek; Hepperlen, Renee

2014-10-01

Abstract Direct support professionals (DSPs) and frontline supervisors (FLSs) play an integral role in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and are often the individuals directly responsible for assisting people with IDD to live and fully participate in their communities. These two groups of workers have typically been employed at lower wages with limited access to fringe benefits, contributing to high rates of turnover compared to a similarly skilled worker in the United States. This article summarizes findings and is the first investigation in several years to systematically examine the wages, fringe benefits, and stability of the DSP and FLS workforces supporting individuals with IDD. Findings suggest that a typical DSP may expect to earn about $11.25 per hour, while FLSs may expect wages of about $15.45 hourly. Of concern, however, is that fringe benefit provision was quite limited in this sample. Implications, including relation to past reports of DSP workforce development, are discussed.

Silk Film Topography Directs Collective Epithelial Cell Migration

PubMed Central

Rosenblatt, Mark I.

2012-01-01

The following study provides new insight into how surface topography dictates directed collective epithelial cell sheet growth through the guidance of individual cell movement. Collective cell behavior of migrating human corneal limbal-epithelial cell sheets were studied on highly biocompatible flat and micro-patterned silk film surfaces. The silk film edge topography guided the migratory direction of individual cells making up the collective epithelial sheet, which resulted in a 75% increase in total culture elongation. This was due to a 3-fold decrease in cell sheet migration rate efficiency for movement perpendicular to the topography edge. Individual cell migration direction is preferred in the parallel approach to the edge topography where localization of cytoskeletal proteins to the topography’s edge region is reduced, which results in the directed growth of the collective epithelial sheet. Findings indicate customized biomaterial surfaces may be created to direct both the migration rate and direction of tissue epithelialization. PMID:23185573

Brain 'talks over' boring quotes: top-down activation of voice-selective areas while listening to monotonous direct speech quotations.

PubMed

Yao, Bo; Belin, Pascal; Scheepers, Christoph

2012-04-15

In human communication, direct speech (e.g., Mary said, "I'm hungry") is perceived as more vivid than indirect speech (e.g., Mary said that she was hungry). This vividness distinction has previously been found to underlie silent reading of quotations: Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we found that direct speech elicited higher brain activity in the temporal voice areas (TVA) of the auditory cortex than indirect speech, consistent with an "inner voice" experience in reading direct speech. Here we show that listening to monotonously spoken direct versus indirect speech quotations also engenders differential TVA activity. This suggests that individuals engage in top-down simulations or imagery of enriched supra-segmental acoustic representations while listening to monotonous direct speech. The findings shed new light on the acoustic nature of the "inner voice" in understanding direct speech. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Airspace Operations Simulations Findings Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

Provides preliminary findings of the initial series (normal operations and contingency management) of airspace operations simulations. The key elements of this report discuss feedback from controller subjects for UAS flight above FL430. Findings provide initial evaluation of routine UAS operations above dense ARTCC airspace (ZOB), and identify areas of further research, policy direction and procedural development. This document further serves as an addendum to the detailed AOS simulation plan (Deliverable SIM001), incorporating feedback from FAA air traffic personnel and Access 5 IPTs.

Aggressive behavior in schizophrenia is associated with the low enzyme activity COMT polymorphism: a replication study.

PubMed

Strous, Rael D; Nolan, Karen A; Lapidus, Raya; Diaz, Libna; Saito, Takuya; Lachman, Herbert M

2003-07-01

We have previously reported that increased aggressive behavior in schizophrenic patients may be associated with a polymorphism at codon 158 of the catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene that encodes a low enzyme activity variant. The finding has been replicated by one group, but not others. The discordant findings could be due to statistical errors or methodological issues in the assessment of aggressive/violent behavior. Consequently, additional studies are needed. Patients with schizophrenia (SZ) were assessed for violent behavior using the Lifetime History of Aggression (LHA) scale, an 11-item questionnaire that includes Aggression, Self-Directed Aggression, and Consequences/Antisocial Behavior subscales. DNA was genotyped for the COMT 158 polymorphism, as well as a functional polymorphism in the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene promoter. Similar to our previously reported findings, a statistically significant association was found between aggressive behavior in SZ and the COMT 158 polymorphism; mean LHA scores were higher in subjects homozygous for 158Met, the low enzyme activity COMT variant (F(2,105) = 5.616, P = 0.005). Analysis of the major LHA subscales revealed that the association with 158Met was due to high scores on the Aggression, and Self-Directed Aggression subscales, but not the Consequences/Antisocial Behavior subscale. No significant association was detected for the MAOA gene alone. Our findings provide further support that COMT is a modifying gene that plays a role in determining interindividual variability in the proclivity for outward and self-directed aggressive behavior found in some schizophrenic patients. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Association of Smoking Onset With R-Rated Movie Restrictions and Adolescent Sensation Seeking

PubMed Central

Sargent, James D.; Stoolmiller, Mike; Scholte, Ron H. J.; Engels, Rutger C. M. E.; Tanski, Susanne E.

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we examined how often US youths reported having complete parental restrictions on watching R-rated movies. In addition, we assessed the relationship between parental R-rated movie restrictions and adolescents' sensation seeking and how this interplay is related to smoking onset. METHODS: Data from a 4-wave longitudinal study of 6522 adolescents (10–14 years of age) who were recruited through a random-digit-dial telephone survey were used. At baseline, subjects were nationally representative of the US population. Subjects were monitored for 2 years and queried about their smoking status, their sensation-seeking propensity, and how often they were allowed to watch R-rated movies. A cross-lagged model combined with survival analysis was used to assess the relationships between parental R-rated movie restrictions, sensation-seeking propensity, and risk for smoking onset. RESULTS: Findings demonstrated that 32% of the US adolescents reported being completely restricted from watching R-rated movies by their parents. Model findings revealed that adolescents' sensation seeking was related to greater risk for smoking onset not only directly but also indirectly through their parents becoming more permissive of R-rated movie viewing. Parental R-rated movie restrictions were found to decrease the risk of smoking onset directly and indirectly by changing children's sensation seeking. CONCLUSIONS: These findings imply that, beyond direct influences, the relationship between adolescents' sensation seeking and parental R-rated movie restrictions in explaining smoking onset is bidirectional in nature. Finally, these findings highlight the relevance of motivating and supporting parents in limiting access to R-rated movies. PMID:21135004

Searching for dark absorption with direct detection experiments

DOE PAGES

Bloch, Itay M.; Essig, Rouven; Tobioka, Kohsaku; ...

2017-06-16

We consider the absorption by bound electrons of dark matter in the form of dark photons and axion-like particles, as well as of dark photons from the Sun, in current and next-generation direct detection experiments. Experiments sensitive to electron recoils can detect such particles with masses between a few eV to more than 10 keV. For dark photon dark matter, we update a previous bound based on XENON10 data and derive new bounds based on data from XENON100 and CDMSlite. We find these experiments to disfavor previously allowed parameter space. Moreover, we derive sensitivity projections for SuperCDMS at SNOLAB formore » silicon and germanium targets, as well as for various possible experiments with scintillating targets (cesium iodide, sodium iodide, and gallium arsenide). The projected sensitivity can probe large new regions of parameter space. For axion-like particles, the same current direction detection data improves on previously known direct-detection constraints but does not bound new parameter space beyond known stellar cooling bounds. However, projected sensitivities of the upcoming SuperCDMS SNOLAB using germanium can go beyond these and even probe parameter space consistent with possible hints from the white dwarf luminosity function. We find similar results for dark photons from the sun. For all cases, direct-detection experiments can have unprecedented sensitivity to dark-sector particles.« less

Searching for dark absorption with direct detection experiments

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

Bloch, Itay M.; Essig, Rouven; Tobioka, Kohsaku

We consider the absorption by bound electrons of dark matter in the form of dark photons and axion-like particles, as well as of dark photons from the Sun, in current and next-generation direct detection experiments. Experiments sensitive to electron recoils can detect such particles with masses between a few eV to more than 10 keV. For dark photon dark matter, we update a previous bound based on XENON10 data and derive new bounds based on data from XENON100 and CDMSlite. We find these experiments to disfavor previously allowed parameter space. Moreover, we derive sensitivity projections for SuperCDMS at SNOLAB formore » silicon and germanium targets, as well as for various possible experiments with scintillating targets (cesium iodide, sodium iodide, and gallium arsenide). The projected sensitivity can probe large new regions of parameter space. For axion-like particles, the same current direction detection data improves on previously known direct-detection constraints but does not bound new parameter space beyond known stellar cooling bounds. However, projected sensitivities of the upcoming SuperCDMS SNOLAB using germanium can go beyond these and even probe parameter space consistent with possible hints from the white dwarf luminosity function. We find similar results for dark photons from the sun. For all cases, direct-detection experiments can have unprecedented sensitivity to dark-sector particles.« less

Transverse thermal depinning and nonlinear sliding friction of an adsorbed monolayer.

PubMed

Granato, E; Ying, S C

2000-12-18

We study the response of an adsorbed monolayer under a driving force as a model of sliding friction phenomena between two crystalline surfaces with a boundary lubrication layer. Using Langevin-dynamics simulation, we determine the nonlinear response in the direction transverse to a high symmetry direction along which the layer is already sliding. We find that below a finite transition temperature there exist a critical depinning force and hysteresis effects in the transverse response in the dynamical state when the adlayer is sliding smoothly along the longitudinal direction.

Locating Direction Finders in a Generalized Search and Rescue Network

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

David A . Drake and Alfred B. Marsb. Conv-ersation at NationalI Security Agenc, 29 September 1990. 7. Daskin , Mark S. " A M-admum Fpeced Co-:efing...91 7 19 134 .flT/GORjEnSj9I-M LOCATING DIRECTION FIND’RS IN A GENERALIZED SEARCH AND RESCUE NETWORK THESIS Jean M. Steppe Captain, USAF AFIT/GOR/EN S...91-Mk-7 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELI ASE: DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. 1191-05734 .. 91.. .7 19 134 i i . nMIGOR4M.S/91-MI LOCATING DIRECTION FINDERS IW A

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

Wuttig, Manfred

The research was directed towards finding new functional materials, mainly polymeric. Main accomplishment consisit of indentifying mulktiferroic polymers and a shape memory alloy featuring an ultralong fatigue life of 10 million cycles.

A correlative study of Papanicolaou smear, fluorescent antibody, and culture for the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis.

PubMed

Spence, M R; Barbacci, M; Kappus, E; Quinn, T

1986-11-01

A prospective study of 300 patients undergoing therapeutic termination of pregnancy was conducted. A Papanicolaou smear was obtained and a clinical evaluation of the cervix was made. Specimens from the cervix were examined by both direct fluorescent antibody and culture techniques for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis. The presence of inflammation on Papanicolaou smear could be correlated with C trachomatis isolation. Papanicolaou smear findings consistent with C trachomatis lacked both sensitivity and specificity when compared with direct fluorescent antibody and/or culture techniques. A correlation was found between the clinical diagnosis of cervicitis and C trachomatis. This interrelationship was absent when the component findings of cervicitis (ectopy, friability, and purulent mucus) were examined independently.

A parametric method for determining the number of signals in narrow-band direction finding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qiang; Fuhrmann, Daniel R.

1991-08-01

A novel and more accurate method to determine the number of signals in the multisource direction finding problem is developed. The information-theoretic criteria of Yin and Krishnaiah (1988) are applied to a set of quantities which are evaluated from the log-likelihood function. Based on proven asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimation, these quantities have the properties required by the criteria. Since the information-theoretic criteria use these quantities instead of the eigenvalues of the estimated correlation matrix, this approach possesses the advantage of not requiring a subjective threshold, and also provides higher performance than when eigenvalues are used. Simulation results are presented and compared to those obtained from the nonparametric method given by Wax and Kailath (1985).

Good cope, bad cope: adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies following a critical negative work event.

PubMed

Brown, Steven P; Westbrook, Robert A; Challagalla, Goutam

2005-07-01

The authors examined the moderating effects of coping tactics on the relationship between negative emotion and work performance. Findings indicate an adverse effect of emotion on performance; however, this effect is moderated by coping tactics. Venting (expressing one's negative feelings to others) amplified the adverse effects of negative emotion. Self-control had mixed effects: On one hand, it buffered the adverse effects of negative emotion, yet on the other hand, it had a negative direct effect on outcomes. Task focus had a positive direct effect on performance but no buffering (moderating) effect. Implications of these findings for understanding the effects of negative emotion and coping in the workplace are discussed. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

Modeling contextual influences on parents with intellectual disability and their children.

PubMed

Wade, Catherine; Llewellyn, Gwynnyth; Matthews, Jan

2011-11-01

Many parents with intellectual disability experience living conditions associated with risk for children and parents. This study used structural equation modeling to test a theoretical model of the relationships among parent, child, family, and contextual variables in 120 Australian families where a parent had an intellectual disability. Findings revealed that parenting practices had a direct effect on children's well being, that social support was associated with children's well being through the mediator of parenting practices, and that access to social support had a direct influence on parenting practices. Implications of the findings for research, intervention, and policy are explored, with the goal of promoting optimal well being for children who are raised by parents with intellectual disability.

A Herschel-Detected Correlation between Planets and Debris Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryden, Geoffrey; Krist, J. E.; Stapelfeldt, K. R.; Kennedy, G.; Wyatt, M.; Beichman, C. A.; Eiroa, C.; Marshall, J.; Maldonado, J.; Montesinos, B.; Moro-Martin, A.; Matthews, B. C.; Fischer, D.; Ardila, D. R.; Kospal, A.; Rieke, G.; Su, K. Y.

2013-01-01

The Fomalhaut, beta Pic, and HR 8799 systems each have directly imaged planets and prominent debris disks, suggesting a direct link between the two phenomena. Unbiased surveys with Spitzer, however, failed to find a statistically significant correlation. We present results from SKARPS (the Search for Kuiper belts Around Radial-velocity Planet Stars) a Herschel far-IR survey for debris disks around solar-type stars known to have orbiting planets. The identified disks are generally cold and distant 50 K/100 AU), i.e. well separated from the radial-velocity-discovered planets. Nevertheless, we find a strong correlation between the inner planets and outer disks, with disks around planet-bearing stars tending to be much brighter than those not known to have planets.

Seniors' uncertainty management of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising usefulness.

PubMed

DeLorme, Denise E; Huh, Jisu

2009-09-01

This study provides insight into seniors' perceptions of and responses to direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising (DTCA) usefulness, examines support for DTCA regulation as a type of uncertainty management, and extends and gives empirical voice to previous survey results through methodological triangulation. In-depth interview findings revealed that, for most informants, DTCA usefulness was uncertain and this uncertainty stemmed from 4 sources. The majority had negative responses to DTCA uncertainty and relied on 2 uncertainty-management strategies: information seeking from physicians, and inferences of and support for some government regulation of DTCA. Overall, the findings demonstrate the viability of uncertainty management theory (Brashers, 2001, 2007) for mass-mediated health communication, specifically DTCA. The article concludes with practical implications and research recommendations.

Numerical studies of the thermal design sensitivity calculation for a reaction-diffusion system with discontinuous derivatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hou, Jean W.; Sheen, Jeen S.

1987-01-01

The aim of this study is to find a reliable numerical algorithm to calculate thermal design sensitivities of a transient problem with discontinuous derivatives. The thermal system of interest is a transient heat conduction problem related to the curing process of a composite laminate. A logical function which can smoothly approximate the discontinuity is introduced to modify the system equation. Two commonly used methods, the adjoint variable method and the direct differentiation method, are then applied to find the design derivatives of the modified system. The comparisons of numerical results obtained by these two methods demonstrate that the direct differentiation method is a better choice to be used in calculating thermal design sensitivity.

Otoacoustic Estimates of Cochlear Tuning: Testing Predictions in Macaque

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shera, Christopher A.; Bergevin, Christopher; Kalluri, Radha; Mc Laughlin, Myles; Michelet, Pascal; van der Heijden, Marcel; Joris, Philip X.

2011-11-01

Otoacoustic estimates of cochlear frequency selectivity suggest substantially sharper tuning in humans. However, the logic and methodology underlying these estimates remain untested by direct measurements in primates. We report measurements of frequency tuning in macaque monkeys, Old-World primates phylogenetically closer to humans than the small laboratory animals often taken as models of human hearing (e.g., cats, guinea pigs, and chinchillas). We find that measurements of tuning obtained directly from individual nerve fibers and indirectly using otoacoustic emissions both indicate that peripheral frequency selectivity in macaques is significantly sharper than in small laboratory animals, matching that inferred for humans at high frequencies. Our results validate the use of otoacoustic emissions for noninvasive measurement of cochlear tuning and corroborate the finding of sharper tuning in humans.

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

Arbanas, G; Dietrich, F S; Kerman, A K

A method for computing direct-semidirect (DSD) neutron radiative capture is presented and applied to thermal neutron capture on {sup 19}F, {sup 27}Al, {sup 28,29.30}Si, {sup 35,37}Cl, {sup 39,41}K, {sup 56}Fe, and {sup 238}U, in support of data evaluation effort at the O.R.N.L. The DSD method includes both direct and semidirect capture; the latter is a core-polarization term in which the giant dipole resonance is formed. We study the effects of a commonly used ''density'' approximation to the EM operator and find it to be unsatisfactory for the nuclei considered here. We also study the magnitude of semidirect capture relative tomore » the pure direct capture. Furthermore, we compare our results with those obtained from another direct capture code (Tedca [17]). We also compare our results with those obtained from analytical expression for external capture derived by Lane and Lynn [3], and its extension to include internal capture [7]. To estimate the effect of nuclear deformation on direct capture, we computed direct thermal capture on {sup 238}U with and without imposition of spherical symmetry. Direct capture for a spherically symmetric {sup 238}U was approximately 6 mb, while a quadrupole deformation of 0.215 on the shape of {sup 238}U lowers this cross section down to approximately 2 mb. This result suggests that effects of nuclear deformation on direct capture warrant a further study. We also find out that contribution to the direct capture on {sup 238}U from the nuclear interior significantly cancels that coming from the exterior region, and hence both contributions must be taken into account. We reproduced a well known discrepancy between the computed and observed branching ratios in {sup 56}Fe(n,{gamma}). This will lead us to revisit the concept of doorway states in the particle-hole model.« less

Laboratory Studies of Cometary Materials - Continuity Between Asteroid and Comet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Messenger, Scott; Walker, Robert M.

2015-01-01

Laboratory analysis of cometary samples have been enabled by collection of cometary dust in the stratosphere by high altitude aircraft and by the direct sampling of the comet Wild-2 coma by the NASA Stardust spacecraft. Cometary materials are composed of a complex assemblage of highly primitive, unprocessed interstellar and primordial solar system materials as well as a variety of high temperature phases that must have condensed in the inner regions of the protoplanetary disk. These findings support and contradict conclusions of comet properties based solely on astronomical observations. These sample return missions have instead shown that there is a continuity of properties between comets and asteroids, where both types of materials show evidence for primitive and processed materials. Furthermore, these findings underscore the importance and value of direct sample return. There will be great value in comparing the findings of the Stardust cometary coma sample return mission with those of future asteroid surface sample returns OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa II as well as future comet nucleus sample returns.

Microscopic origins of the large piezoelectricity of leadfree (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nahas, Yousra; Akbarzadeh, Alireza; Prokhorenko, Sergei; Prosandeev, Sergey; Walter, Raymond; Kornev, Igor; Íñiguez, Jorge; Bellaiche, L.

2017-06-01

In light of directives around the world to eliminate toxic materials in various technologies, finding lead-free materials with high piezoelectric responses constitutes an important current scientific goal. As such, the recent discovery of a large electromechanical conversion near room temperature in (1-x)Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-x(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 compounds has directed attention to understanding its origin. Here, we report the development of a large-scale atomistic scheme providing a microscopic insight into this technologically promising material. We find that its high piezoelectricity originates from the existence of large fluctuations of polarization in the orthorhombic state arising from the combination of a flat free-energy landscape, a fragmented local structure, and the narrow temperature window around room temperature at which this orthorhombic phase is the equilibrium state. In addition to deepening the current knowledge on piezoelectricity, these findings have the potential to guide the design of other lead-free materials with large electromechanical responses.

The incidence of health financing in South Africa: findings from a recent data set.

PubMed

Ataguba, John E; McIntyre, Di

2018-01-01

There is an international call for countries to ensure universal health coverage. This call has been embraced in South Africa (SA) in the form of a National Health Insurance (NHI). This is expected to be financed through general tax revenue with the possibility of additional earmarked taxes including a surcharge on personal income and/or a payroll tax for employers. Currently, health services are financed in SA through allocations from general tax revenue, direct out-of-pocket payments, and contributions to medical scheme. This paper uses the most recent data set to assess the progressivity of each health financing mechanism and overall financing system in SA. Applying standard and innovative methodologies for assessing progressivity, the study finds that general taxes and medical scheme contributions remain progressive, and direct out-of-pocket payments and indirect taxes are regressive. However, private health insurance contributions, across only the insured, are regressive. The policy implications of these findings are discussed in the context of the NHI.

Delayed visual attention caused by high myopic refractive error.

PubMed

Winges, Kimberly M; Zarpellon, Ursula; Hou, Chuan; Good, William V

2005-06-01

Delayed visual maturation (DVM) is usually a retrospective diagnosis given to infants who are born with no or poor visually-directed behavior, despite normal acuity on objective testing, but who recover months later. This condition can be organized into several types based on associated neurodevelopmental or ocular findings, but the etiology of DVM is probably complex and involves multiple possible origins. Here we report two infants who presented with delayed visual maturation (attention). They were visually unresponsive at birth but were later found to have high myopic errors. Patient 1 had -4 D right eye, -5 D left eye. Patient 2 had -9 D o.u. Upon spectacle correction at 5 and 4 months, respectively, both infants immediately displayed visually-directed behavior, suggesting that a high refractive error was the cause of inattention in these patients. These findings could add to knowledge surrounding DVM and the diagnosis of apparently blind infants. Findings presented here also indicate the importance of prompt refractive error measurement in such cases.

Nucleolin Mediates MicroRNA-directed CSF-1 mRNA Deadenylation but Increases Translation of CSF-1 mRNA*

PubMed Central

Woo, Ho-Hyung; Baker, Terri; Laszlo, Csaba; Chambers, Setsuko K.

2013-01-01

CSF-1 mRNA 3′UTR contains multiple unique motifs, including a common microRNA (miRNA) target in close proximity to a noncanonical G-quadruplex and AU-rich elements (AREs). Using a luciferase reporter system fused to CSF-1 mRNA 3′UTR, disruption of the miRNA target region, G-quadruplex, and AREs together dramatically increased reporter RNA levels, suggesting important roles for these cis-acting regulatory elements in the down-regulation of CSF-1 mRNA. We find that nucleolin, which binds both G-quadruplex and AREs, enhances deadenylation of CSF-1 mRNA, promoting CSF-1 mRNA decay, while having the capacity to increase translation of CSF-1 mRNA. Through interaction with the CSF-1 3′UTR miRNA common target, we find that miR-130a and miR-301a inhibit CSF-1 expression by enhancing mRNA decay. Silencing of nucleolin prevents the miRNA-directed mRNA decay, indicating a requirement for nucleolin in miRNA activity on CSF-1 mRNA. Downstream effects followed by miR-130a and miR-301a inhibition of directed cellular motility of ovarian cancer cells were found to be dependent on nucleolin. The paradoxical effects of nucleolin on miRNA-directed CSF-1 mRNA deadenylation and on translational activation were explored further. The nucleolin protein contains four acidic stretches, four RNA recognition motifs (RRMs), and nine RGG repeats. All three domains in nucleolin regulate CSF-1 mRNA and protein levels. RRMs increase CSF-1 mRNA, whereas the acidic and RGG domains decrease CSF-1 protein levels. This suggests that nucleolin has the capacity to differentially regulate both CSF-1 RNA and protein levels. Our finding that nucleolin interacts with Ago2 indirectly via RNA and with poly(A)-binding protein C (PABPC) directly suggests a nucleolin-Ago2-PABPC complex formation on mRNA. This complex is in keeping with our suggestion that nucleolin may work with PABPC as a double-edged sword on both mRNA deadenylation and translational activation. Our findings underscore the complexity of nucleolin's actions on CSF-1 mRNA and describe the dependence of miR-130a- and miR-301a-directed CSF-1 mRNA decay and inhibition of ovarian cancer cell motility on nucleolin. PMID:23471483

New findings confirm the viscoelastic behaviour of the inter-lamellar matrix of the disc annulus fibrosus in radial and circumferential directions of loading.

PubMed

Tavakoli, J; Costi, J J

2018-04-15

While few studies have improved our understanding of composition and organization of elastic fibres in the inter-lamellar matrix (ILM), its clinical relevance is not fully understood. Moreover, no studies have measured the direct tensile and shear failure and viscoelastic properties of the ILM. Therefore, the aim of this study was, for the first time, to measure the viscoelastic and failure properties of the ILM in both the tension and shear directions of loading. Using an ovine model, isolated ILM samples were stretched to 40% of their initial length at three strain rates of 0.1%s -1 (slow), 1%s -1 (medium) and 10%s -1 (fast) and a ramp test to failure was performed at a strain rate of 10%s -1 . The findings from this study identified that the stiffness of the ILM was significantly larger at faster strain rates, and energy absorption significantly smaller, compared to slower strain rates, and the viscoelastic and failure properties were not significantly different under tension and shear loading. We found a strain rate dependent response of the ILM during dynamic loading, particularly at the fastest rate. The ILM demonstrated a significantly higher capability for energy absorption at slow strain rates compared to medium and fast strain rates. A significant increase in modulus was found in both loading directions and all strain rates, having a trend of larger modulus in tension and at faster strain rates. The finding of no significant difference in failure properties in both loading directions, was consistent with our previous ultra-structural studies that revealed a well-organized (±45°) elastic fibre orientation in the ILM. The results from this study can be used to develop and validate finite element models of the AF at the tissue scale, as well as providing new strategies for fabricating tissue engineered scaffolds. While few studies have improved our understanding of composition and organization of elastic fibres in the inter-lamellar matrix (ILM) of the annulus in the disc no studies have measured the direct mechanical failure and viscoelastic properties of the ILM. The findings from this study identified that the stiffness of the ILM was significantly larger at faster strain rates, and energy absorption significantly smaller, compared to slower strain rates. The failure properties of the ILM were not significantly different under tension and shear. Copyright © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 75865 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-26

... 1997 Annual PM 2.5 NAAQS maintenance plan, including the on-road motor vehicle insignificance finding... Implementation Plan (SIP) to include the 1997 Annual PM 2.5 maintenance plan for the Kentucky portion of the Huntington-Ashland Area. EPA is also approving the on-road motor vehicle insignificance finding for direct PM...

The Development of Technology Enhanced Learning: Findings from a 2008 Survey of UK Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Martin; Browne, Tom; Walker, Richard; Hewitt, Roger

2011-01-01

This article summarises the key findings from a UK survey of higher education institutions, focusing on the development of technology enhanced learning (TEL). TEL is defined as any online facility or system that directly supports learning and teaching. The 2008 survey builds upon previous UCISA surveys conducted in 2001, 2003 and 2005 and for…

Online Public Access Catalog: The Google Maps of the Library World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Kieren

2011-01-01

What do Google Maps and a library's Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) have in common? Google Maps provides users with all the information they need for a trip in one place; users can get directions and find out what attractions, hotels, and restaurants are close by. Librarians must find the ultimate OPAC that will provide, in one place, all the…

34 CFR 97.406 - Research involving greater than minimal risk and no prospect of direct benefit to individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... conducts or funds research in which the IRB finds that more than minimal risk to children is presented by..., only if the IRB finds that— (a) The risk represents a minor increase over minimal risk; (b) The... or condition that is of vital importance for the understanding or amelioration of the subjects...

34 CFR 97.406 - Research involving greater than minimal risk and no prospect of direct benefit to individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... conducts or funds research in which the IRB finds that more than minimal risk to children is presented by..., only if the IRB finds that— (a) The risk represents a minor increase over minimal risk; (b) The... or condition that is of vital importance for the understanding or amelioration of the subjects...

34 CFR 97.406 - Research involving greater than minimal risk and no prospect of direct benefit to individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... conducts or funds research in which the IRB finds that more than minimal risk to children is presented by..., only if the IRB finds that— (a) The risk represents a minor increase over minimal risk; (b) The... or condition that is of vital importance for the understanding or amelioration of the subjects...

34 CFR 97.406 - Research involving greater than minimal risk and no prospect of direct benefit to individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... conducts or funds research in which the IRB finds that more than minimal risk to children is presented by..., only if the IRB finds that— (a) The risk represents a minor increase over minimal risk; (b) The... or condition that is of vital importance for the understanding or amelioration of the subjects...

Career Planning the Second Time around

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullins, John

2009-01-01

People change careers for a number of reasons. Some want to do work that they find more meaningful or that makes better use of their skills than their current job. Others might be acting on a long-deferred dream or in pursuit of new interests. For some, it is less a choice than a necessity: They may find themselves heading in a new direction after…

National space transportation studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Durocher, Cort L.; Irby, Thomas M.; Jenkins, James C.; Gorski, Raymond J.

1986-01-01

This paper describes the government and industry activities and findings in response to a Presidential directive to study second-generation space transportation systems. Topics discussed include study purpose, mission needs, architecture development, system concepts, and technology recommendations. Interim study findings will also be presented. The study is being jointly managed by DOD and NASA and equally funded by DOD, NASA, and the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization.

The MEDIGATE graphical user interface for entry of physical findings: design principles and implementation. Medical Examination Direct Iconic and Graphic Augmented Text Entry System.

PubMed

Yoder, J W; Schultz, D F; Williams, B T

1998-10-01

The solution to many of the problems of the computer-based recording of the medical record has been elusive, largely due to difficulties in the capture of those data elements that comprise the records of the Present Illness and of the Physical Findings. Reliable input of data has proven to be more complex than originally envisioned by early work in the field. This has led to more research and development into better data collection protocols and easy to use human-computer interfaces as support tools. The Medical Examination Direct Iconic and Graphic Augmented Text Entry System (MEDIGATE System) is a computer enhanced interactive graphic and textual record of the findings from physical examinations designed to provide ease of user input and to support organization and processing of the data characterizing these findings. The primary design objective of the MEDIGATE System is to develop and evaluate different interface designs for recording observations from the physical examination in an attempt to overcome some of the deficiencies in this major component of the individual record of health and illness.

Free Education and Social Inequality in Ugandan Primary Schools: A Step Backward or a Step in the Right Direction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zuze, Tia L.; Leibbrandt, Murray

2011-01-01

The intent of this study is to understand both direct and indirect resource effects in the context of a mass education system in Uganda. We find that under certain conditions, policies that promote physical resource availability can lead to substantial equity gains. A school's social composition appears to improve educational quality but it is…

The Effects of Direct Written Corrective Feedback on Improvement of Grammatical Accuracy of High-Proficient L2 Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrokhi, Farahman; Sattarpour, Simin

2012-01-01

The present article reports the findings of a study that explored(1) whether direct written corrective feedback (CF) can help high-proficient L2 learners, who has already achieved a rather high level of accuracy in English, improve in the accurate use of two functions of English articles (the use of "a" for first mention and…

Presidentially Directed Relocation: Compliance Attitudes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-01

and other alternatives for the mitigation of nuclear disaster affects. Specifically, let us examine the relationships among the following alternative...crisis relocation is only one of several methods available for the mitigation of the effects of nuclear disaster , we find that among our sample the...conclude that the extent of con- fidence in evacuation as a method of mitigating the effect of nuclear disaster , is directly related to both evacuation

Direct Thermodynamic Measurements of the Energetics of Information Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-08

Report: Direct thermodynamic measurements of the energetics of information processing The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are... information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and...maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information . Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other

The Effects of Fraternity and Sorority Membership in the Fourth Year of College: A Detrimental or Value-Added Component of Undergraduate Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hevel, Michael S.; Martin, Georgianna L.; Weeden, Dustin D.; Pascarella, Ernest T.

2015-01-01

We use a longitudinal national dataset to explore the direct and conditional effects of fraternity/sorority membership on students' educational outcomes in the 4th year of college. Controlling for a variety of potentially confounding variables, including pretest measures of the outcomes, we find no direct effect of fraternity/sorority membership…

Piezoviscosity In Lubrication Of Nonconformal Contacts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jeng, Yeau-Ren; Hamrock, Bernard J.; Brewe, David E.

1988-01-01

Developments in theory of lubrication. Analysis of piezoviscous-rigid regime of lubrication of two ellipsoidal contacts. Begins with Reynolds equation for point contact. Equation nondimensionalized using Roelands empirical formula and Dowson and Higginson formula. Equation solved numerically. Solutions obtained for full spectrum of conditions to find effects of dimensionless load, speed, parameters of lubricated and lubricating materials, and angle between direction of rolling and direction of entrainment of lubricant.

Distinguishing between direct and indirect directional couplings in large oscillator networks: Partial or non-partial phase analyses?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rings, Thorsten; Lehnertz, Klaus

2016-09-01

We investigate the relative merit of phase-based methods for inferring directional couplings in complex networks of weakly interacting dynamical systems from multivariate time-series data. We compare the evolution map approach and its partialized extension to each other with respect to their ability to correctly infer the network topology in the presence of indirect directional couplings for various simulated experimental situations using coupled model systems. In addition, we investigate whether the partialized approach allows for additional or complementary indications of directional interactions in evolving epileptic brain networks using intracranial electroencephalographic recordings from an epilepsy patient. For such networks, both direct and indirect directional couplings can be expected, given the brain's connection structure and effects that may arise from limitations inherent to the recording technique. Our findings indicate that particularly in larger networks (number of nodes ≫10 ), the partialized approach does not provide information about directional couplings extending the information gained with the evolution map approach.

Anticipate and communicate: Ethical management of incidental and secondary findings in the clinical, research, and direct-to-consumer contexts (December 2013 report of the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues).

PubMed

Weiner, Christine

2014-09-15

Genomic population research increases the possibility of finding genetic coding anomalies that are not the primary object of research but may have significance for the current and future medical care of research participants and progeny. The December 2013 Report of the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues (Anticipate and Communicate: Ethical Management of Incidental and Secondary Findings in the Clinical, Research, and Direct-to-Consumer Contexts (http://bioethics.gov/sites/default/files/FINALAnticipateCommunicate_PCSBI_0.pdf)) recommends that a researcher anticipate these findings and make a plan that addresses which findings will be communicated to research participants and how. Following these recommendations will be disruptive for both investigators and institutional review boards (IRBs) until the research community reaches consensus, or a mechanism for evolving consensus, on which results should be returned to research participants. A protocol-by-protocol approach, though laborious, makes sense for both investigators and IRBs as the research community thinks through the implications of genomic research. Epidemiologists will note that discussion of the return of results and the plan for communicating findings should be included in both the participant consent agreement and the research protocol submitted to the IRB. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The direct impact of landslides on household income in tropical regions: A case study from the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda.

PubMed

Mertens, K; Jacobs, L; Maes, J; Kabaseke, C; Maertens, M; Poesen, J; Kervyn, M; Vranken, L

2016-04-15

Landslides affect millions of people worldwide, but theoretical and empirical studies on the impact of landslides remain scarce, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study proposes and applies a method to estimate the direct impact of landslides on household income and to investigate the presence of specific risk sharing and mitigation strategies towards landslides in a tropical and rural environment. An original cross-sectional household survey is used in combination with geographical data to acquire detailed information on livelihoods and on hazards in the Rwenzori mountains, Uganda. Ordinary least square regressions and probit estimations with village fixed effects are used to estimate the impact of landslides and the presence of mitigation strategies. Geographical information at household level allows to disentangle the direct impact from the indirect effects of landslides. We show that the income of affected households is substantially reduced during the first years after a landslide has occurred. We find that members of recently affected households participate more in wage-employment or in self-employed activities, presumably to address income losses following a landslide. Yet, we see that these jobs do not provide sufficient revenue to compensate for the loss of income from agriculture. Given that landslides cause localized shocks, finding a significant direct impact in our study indicates that no adequate risk sharing mechanisms are in place in the Rwenzori sub-region. These insights are used to derive policy recommendations for alleviating the impact of landslides in the region. By quantifying the direct impact of landslides on household income in an agricultural context in Africa this study draws the attention towards a problem that has been broadly underestimated so far and provides a sound scientific base for disaster risk reduction in the region. Both the methodology and the findings of this research are applicable to other tropical regions with high landslide densities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Getting the most out of all your customers.

PubMed

Thomas, Jacquelyn S; Reinartz, Werner; Kumar, V

2004-01-01

Companies spend billions of dollars on direct marketing, targeting individual customers with ever more accuracy. Yet despite the power of the myriad data-collecting and analytical tools at their disposal, they're still having trouble optimizing their direct-marketing investments. Many marketers try to minimize costs by pursuing only those customers who are cheap to find and cheap to keep. Others try to get the most customers they possibly can and keep all of them for as long as they can. But a customer need not be loyal to be highly profitable, and many loyal customers turn out to be highly unprofitable. Companies can get more out of direct marketing if they see it as a single system for generating profits than if they try to maximize performance measures at each stage of the process. This article describes a tool for doing just that. Called ARPRO (Allocating Resources for Profits), the tool is essentially a complex regression analysis that can estimate the impact of a company's direct-marketing investments on the profitability of its customer pool. With data that companies already gather, the tool can show managers how much to spend on acquisition versus retention and even what percentage of their funds they should allocate to the different direct-marketing channels. Using the model, companies can easily see that even small deviations from the optimal levels of customer profitability are expensive. Applying it to one catalog retailer showed, for instance, that a 10% reduction in marketing costs would lead to a 1.8 million dollar drop in long-term customer profits. Conversely, spending 69% less on marketing would actually increase average customer profitability at one B2B service provider by 42%. What's more, the tool can show that finding the optimal balance between investments in acquisition and retention can be more important than finding the optimum amount to invest overall.

The existence of parenting styles in the owner-dog relationship

PubMed Central

van der Borg, Joanne A. M.; Naguib, Marc; Beerda, Bonne

2018-01-01

Parents interact with children following specific styles, known to influence child development. These styles represent variations in the dimensions of demandingness and responsiveness, resulting in authoritarian, authoritative, permissive or uninvolved parenting. Given the similarities in the parent to child and owner to dog relationships, we determined the extent to which parenting styles exist in the owner to dog relationship using the existing Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire for the parent-child relationship and an adapted version for dog owners. Items on the parenting of children/dogs were rated for applicability on a five-point Likert scale by 518 Dutch dog owning parents. Principal Component Analyses grouped parenting propensities into styles, with some marked differences between the findings for children and dogs. Dog-directed items grouped into an authoritarian-correction orientated style, incorporating variation in demandingness and focussing on correcting a dog for behaviour verbally/physically, and in two styles based on authoritative items. An authoritative-intrinsic value orientated style reflected variation in mainly responsiveness and oriented on the assumed needs and emotions of the animal. A second authoritative-item based style, captured variations in demandingness and responsiveness. We labelled this style authoritative-training orientated, as it orientated on manners in teaching a dog how to behave in social situations. Thus, we defined dog-directed parenting styles and constructed a Dog-Directed Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire along the lines of the existing theoretical framework on parenting styles. We did not find a dog-directed parenting style of being permissive or uninvolved, which we attribute to a study population of devoted dog owners and our findings should be interpreted with this specific study population in mind. We found evidence of dog-directed parenting styles and provide a fundament for determining their possible impact on the different aspects of a dog’s life. PMID:29474425

Analysis and application of impedance polar diagram and zstrike rose diagram of magnetotellurics data in southern part of the Wayang Windu geothermal field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohayat, O. R.; Wicaksono, R. A.; Daud, Y.

2018-03-01

In this study, we determined the main direction of geoelectric strike in the southern part of the Wayang Windu geothermal field using magnetotellurics (MT) data. The strike direction was obtained by analyzing data using impedance polar and Zstrike rose diagram. We investigated 51 MT data at different sites of the southern part of the Wayang Windu geothermal field. Determination of geoelectric strike direction is important since the strike is the rotation references in MT data processing. Our findings had pointed out that the geoelectric strike direction in this study area is in accordance with the direction of geological structure and has a good correlation with structures delineated from 3D MT inversion model.

Directed dynamical influence is more detectable with noise

PubMed Central

Jiang, Jun-Jie; Huang, Zi-Gang; Huang, Liang; Liu, Huan; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2016-01-01

Successful identification of directed dynamical influence in complex systems is relevant to significant problems of current interest. Traditional methods based on Granger causality and transfer entropy have issues such as difficulty with nonlinearity and large data requirement. Recently a framework based on nonlinear dynamical analysis was proposed to overcome these difficulties. We find, surprisingly, that noise can counterintuitively enhance the detectability of directed dynamical influence. In fact, intentionally injecting a proper amount of asymmetric noise into the available time series has the unexpected benefit of dramatically increasing confidence in ascertaining the directed dynamical influence in the underlying system. This result is established based on both real data and model time series from nonlinear ecosystems. We develop a physical understanding of the beneficial role of noise in enhancing detection of directed dynamical influence. PMID:27066763

Directed dynamical influence is more detectable with noise.

PubMed

Jiang, Jun-Jie; Huang, Zi-Gang; Huang, Liang; Liu, Huan; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2016-04-12

Successful identification of directed dynamical influence in complex systems is relevant to significant problems of current interest. Traditional methods based on Granger causality and transfer entropy have issues such as difficulty with nonlinearity and large data requirement. Recently a framework based on nonlinear dynamical analysis was proposed to overcome these difficulties. We find, surprisingly, that noise can counterintuitively enhance the detectability of directed dynamical influence. In fact, intentionally injecting a proper amount of asymmetric noise into the available time series has the unexpected benefit of dramatically increasing confidence in ascertaining the directed dynamical influence in the underlying system. This result is established based on both real data and model time series from nonlinear ecosystems. We develop a physical understanding of the beneficial role of noise in enhancing detection of directed dynamical influence.

Variables associated with seeking information from doctors and the internet after exposure to direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription medications.

PubMed

Fogel, Joshua; Teichman, Chaim

2014-01-01

This study examines variables associated with seeking information from doctors, the Internet, and a combination of both doctors and Internet after exposure to direct-to-consumer advertisements. Data were analyzed from 462 college students. Younger age, women, and health insurance were associated with greater odds for doctor; women, subjective norms, intentions, and greater time since seen doctor were associated with greater odds for Internet; and African American, Hispanic, subjective norms, intentions, and health insurance were associated with greater odds for both doctor and Internet. Marketers of direct-to-consumer advertisements can use these findings for tailoring and targeting direct-to-consumer advertisements.

Design and simulation of the direct drive servo system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Changzhi; Liu, Zhao; Song, Libin; Yi, Qiang; Chen, Ken; Zhang, Zhenchao

2010-07-01

As direct drive technology is finding their way into telescope drive designs for its many advantages, it would push to more reliable and cheaper solutions for future telescope complex motion system. However, the telescope drive system based on the direct drive technology is one high integrated electromechanical system, which one complex electromechanical design method is adopted to improve the efficiency, reliability and quality of the system during the design and manufacture circle. The telescope is one ultra-exact, ultra-speed, high precision and huge inertial instrument, which the direct torque motor adopted by the telescope drive system is different from traditional motor. This paper explores the design process and some simulation results are discussed.

Assessing the Probability that a Finding Is Genuine for Large-Scale Genetic Association Studies

PubMed Central

Kuo, Chia-Ling; Vsevolozhskaya, Olga A.; Zaykin, Dmitri V.

2015-01-01

Genetic association studies routinely involve massive numbers of statistical tests accompanied by P-values. Whole genome sequencing technologies increased the potential number of tested variants to tens of millions. The more tests are performed, the smaller P-value is required to be deemed significant. However, a small P-value is not equivalent to small chances of a spurious finding and significance thresholds may fail to serve as efficient filters against false results. While the Bayesian approach can provide a direct assessment of the probability that a finding is spurious, its adoption in association studies has been slow, due in part to the ubiquity of P-values and the automated way they are, as a rule, produced by software packages. Attempts to design simple ways to convert an association P-value into the probability that a finding is spurious have been met with difficulties. The False Positive Report Probability (FPRP) method has gained increasing popularity. However, FPRP is not designed to estimate the probability for a particular finding, because it is defined for an entire region of hypothetical findings with P-values at least as small as the one observed for that finding. Here we propose a method that lets researchers extract probability that a finding is spurious directly from a P-value. Considering the counterpart of that probability, we term this method POFIG: the Probability that a Finding is Genuine. Our approach shares FPRP's simplicity, but gives a valid probability that a finding is spurious given a P-value. In addition to straightforward interpretation, POFIG has desirable statistical properties. The POFIG average across a set of tentative associations provides an estimated proportion of false discoveries in that set. POFIGs are easily combined across studies and are immune to multiple testing and selection bias. We illustrate an application of POFIG method via analysis of GWAS associations with Crohn's disease. PMID:25955023

Assessing the Probability that a Finding Is Genuine for Large-Scale Genetic Association Studies.

PubMed

Kuo, Chia-Ling; Vsevolozhskaya, Olga A; Zaykin, Dmitri V

2015-01-01

Genetic association studies routinely involve massive numbers of statistical tests accompanied by P-values. Whole genome sequencing technologies increased the potential number of tested variants to tens of millions. The more tests are performed, the smaller P-value is required to be deemed significant. However, a small P-value is not equivalent to small chances of a spurious finding and significance thresholds may fail to serve as efficient filters against false results. While the Bayesian approach can provide a direct assessment of the probability that a finding is spurious, its adoption in association studies has been slow, due in part to the ubiquity of P-values and the automated way they are, as a rule, produced by software packages. Attempts to design simple ways to convert an association P-value into the probability that a finding is spurious have been met with difficulties. The False Positive Report Probability (FPRP) method has gained increasing popularity. However, FPRP is not designed to estimate the probability for a particular finding, because it is defined for an entire region of hypothetical findings with P-values at least as small as the one observed for that finding. Here we propose a method that lets researchers extract probability that a finding is spurious directly from a P-value. Considering the counterpart of that probability, we term this method POFIG: the Probability that a Finding is Genuine. Our approach shares FPRP's simplicity, but gives a valid probability that a finding is spurious given a P-value. In addition to straightforward interpretation, POFIG has desirable statistical properties. The POFIG average across a set of tentative associations provides an estimated proportion of false discoveries in that set. POFIGs are easily combined across studies and are immune to multiple testing and selection bias. We illustrate an application of POFIG method via analysis of GWAS associations with Crohn's disease.

A NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF COSMIC RAY MODULATION NEAR THE HELIOPAUSE. II. SOME PHYSICAL INSIGHTS

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

Luo, Xi; Feng, Xueshang; Potgieter, Marius S.

Cosmic ray (CR) transport near the heliopause (HP) is studied using a hybrid transport model, with the parameters constrained by observations from the Voyager 1 spacecraft. We simulate the CR radial flux along different directions in the heliosphere. There is no well-defined thin layer between the solar wind region and the interstellar region along the tail and polar directions of the heliosphere. By analyzing the radial flux curve along the direction of Voyager 2 , together with its trajectory information, the crossing time of the HP by Voyager 2 is predicted to be in 2017.14. We simulate the CR radialmore » flux for different energy values along the direction of Voyager 1 . We find that there is only a modest modulation region of about 10 au wide beyond the HP, so that Voyager 1 observing the Local Interstellar Spectra is justified in numerical modeling. We analyze the heliospheric exit information of pseudo-particles in our stochastic numerical (time-backward) method, conjecturing that they represent the behavior of CR particles, and we find that pseudo-particles that have been traced from the nose region exit in the tail region. This implies that many CR particles diffuse directly from the heliospheric tail region to the nose region near the HP. In addition, when pseudo-particles were traced from the Local Interstellar Medium (LISM), it is found that their exit location (entrance for real particles) from the simulation domain is along the prescribed Interstellar Magnetic Field direction. This indicates that parallel diffusion dominates CR particle transport in the LISM.« less

Reliance on habits at the expense of goal-directed control following dopamine precursor depletion.

PubMed

de Wit, Sanne; Standing, Holly R; Devito, Elise E; Robinson, Oliver J; Ridderinkhof, K Richard; Robbins, Trevor W; Sahakian, Barbara J

2012-01-01

Dopamine is well known to play an important role in learning and motivation. Recent animal studies have implicated dopamine in the reinforcement of stimulus-response habits, as well as in flexible, goal-directed action. However, the role of dopamine in human action control is still not well understood. We present the first investigation of the effect of reducing dopamine function in healthy volunteers on the balance between habitual and goal-directed action control. The dietary intervention of acute dietary phenylalanine and tyrosine depletion (APTD) was adopted to study the effects of reduced global dopamine function on action control. Participants were randomly assigned to either the APTD or placebo group (ns = 14) to allow for a between-subjects comparison of performance on a novel three-stage experimental paradigm. In the initial learning phase, participants learned to respond to different stimuli in order to gain rewarding outcomes. Subsequently, an outcome-devaluation test and a slips-of-action test were conducted to assess whether participants were able to flexibly adjust their behaviour to changes in the desirability of the outcomes. APTD did not prevent stimulus-response learning, nor did we find evidence for impaired response-outcome learning in the subsequent outcome-devaluation test. However, when goal-directed and habitual systems competed for control in the slips-of-action test, APTD tipped the balance towards habitual control. These findings were restricted to female volunteers. We provide direct evidence that the balance between goal-directed and habitual control in humans is dopamine dependent. The results are discussed in light of gender differences in dopamine function and psychopathologies.

The analysis and study of fault systems in the Southernmost Part of Okinawa Trough

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Y.; Tsai, C.; Lee, C.

2004-12-01

Taiwan is located in the boundary between the Eurasian and Philippine Sea plates. Due to different subduction, two arc-trench systems in different direction were happened. One is Luzon arc-trench system in N-S direction; the other one is called Ryukyu arc-trench system in E-W direction. The Okinawa Trough is a back-arc basin which was formed by extension of Eurasian plate, and the tectonic setting in this area has a series of normal-faults and igneous bodies. According to previous studies, we know that Southernmost Part of Okinawa Trough (SPOT) have evolved at least two main tensional phases of Okinawa Trough, the first phase probably came up in early Pleistocene and struck in NE-SW direction; and the second phases occurred during late Pleistocene and Holocene changed the direction to E-W. In this study, we have used seismic data collected by R/V Chiu-Lien, Ocean Research I, and R/V L'Atalante to explain the normal-fault systems in the SPOT area. We integrate seismic profiles with corrected bathymetry to relocate these normal faults. Our results show these normal fault systems has two main strikes, respectively N60° E and N80° E. We find that most of N60° E faults are located in the northern slope of SPOT and landward to Taiwan. The N80° E faults are found in the southern slop and center area of SPOT. Compare with the faults and a new topographic map, we find there were a lot of faults around the canyon, such as North-Mienhua Canyon. We suggest that the origin of the canyon is probably due to these tectonic forces. The canyon is a weak area, and is eroded much fast than the surrounding continental shelf. Passing through a series of erosional processes, the canyon becomes what looks like today. We find a lot of graben structure located in the center of SPOT. This area is the extension axis of SPOT right now. We also find many possible igneous rocks in the seismic profiles, some of them are intrusions and the others penetrate the seabed along the weak zone and form the submarine volcanoes. We have found at least 68 volcanoes in the SPOT area. The interactions of submarine volcanoes, canyons, and fault grabens demonstrate an active tectonic episode.

Hyperfine field and magnetic structure in the B phase of CeCoIn5

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

Graf, Matthias J; Curro, Nicholas J; Young, Ben - Li

2009-01-01

We re-analyze Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectra observed at low temperatures and high magnetic fields in the field-induced B-phase of CeCoIn{sub 5}. The NMR spectra are consistent with incommensurate antiferromagnetic order of the Ce magnetic moments. However, we find that the spectra of the In(2) sites depend critically on the direction of the ordered moments, the ordering wavevector and the symmetry of the hyperfine coupling to the Ce spins. Assuming isotropic hyperfine coupling, the NMR spectra observed for H {parallel} [100] are consistent with magnetic order with wavevector Q = {pi}(1+{delta}/a, 1/a, 1/c) and Ce moments ordered antiferromagnetically along themore » [100] direction in real space. If the hyperfine coupling has dipolar symmetry, then the NMR spectra require Ce moments along the [001] direction. The dipolar scenario is also consistent with recent neutron scattering measurements that find an ordered moment of 0.15{micro}{sub B} along [001] and Q{sub n} = {pi}(1+{delta}/a, 1+{delta}c, 1/c) with incommensuration {delta} = 0.12 for field H {parallel} [1{bar 1}0]. Using these parameters, we find that the hyperfine field is consistent with both experiments. We speculate that the B phase of CeCoIn{sub 5} represents an intrinsic phase of modulated superconductivity and antiferromagnetism that can only emerge in a highly clean system.« less

CO2 Emissions from Direct Energy Use of Urban Households in India.

PubMed

Ahmad, Sohail; Baiocchi, Giovanni; Creutzig, Felix

2015-10-06

India hosts the world's second largest population and offers the world's largest potential for urbanization. India's urbanization trajectory will have crucial implications on its future GHG emission levels. Using household microdata from India's 60 largest cities, this study maps GHG emissions patterns and its determinants. It also ranks the cities with respect to their household actual and "counter-factual" GHG emissions from direct energy use. We find that household GHG emissions from direct energy use correlate strongly with income and household size; population density, basic urban services (municipal water, electricity, and modern cooking-fuels access) and cultural, religious, and social factors explain more detailed emission patterns. We find that the "greenest" cities (on the basis of household GHG emissions) are Bareilly and Allahabad, while the "dirtiest" cities are Chennai and Delhi; however, when we control for socioeconomic variables, the ranking changes drastically. In the control case, we find that smaller lower-income cities emit more than expected, and larger high-income cities emit less than expected in terms of counter-factual emissions. Emissions from India's cities are similar in magnitude to China's cities but typically much lower than those of comparable U.S. cities. Our results indicate that reducing urban heat-island effects and the associated cooling degree days by greening, switching to modern nonsolid cooking fuels, and anticipatory transport infrastructure investments are key policies for the low-carbon and inclusive development of Indian cities.

Properies of the microseism wave field in Australia from three component array data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gal, Martin; Reading, Anya; Ellingsen, Simon; Koper, Keith; Burlacu, Relu; Tkalčić, Hrvoje

2016-04-01

In the last two decades, ambient noise studies in the range of 1-20 seconds have predominantly focused on the analysis of source regions for Rayleigh and P waves. The theoretical excitation of these phases is well understood for primary microseisms (direct coupling of gravity waves in sloping shallow bathymetry) and secondary microseisms (wave-wave interaction) and correlates well with observations. For Love waves, the excitation mechanism in the secondary microseism band is to date unknown. It has been shown, that LQ waves can exhibit larger amplitudes than Rg waves for certain frequencies. Therefore detailed analysis of the wave field are necessary to find indications on the generation mechanism. We analyse data from two spiral-shaped arrays located in Australia, the Pilbara Array (PSAR) in the North-West and an array in South Queensland (SQspa) in the East. The two arrays are different in aperture and allow for the study of primary and secondary microseisms with SQspa and higher secondary microseisms with PSAR. We use a deconvolution enhanced beamforming approach, which is based on the CLEAN algorithm. It allows the accurate detection of weaker sources and the estimation of power levels on each component or wave type. For PSAR we evaluate 1 year of data in the frequency range of 0.35-1 Hz and find fundamental and higher mode Rg and LQ waves. For the low end of the frequency range, we find the strongest fundamental mode Rg waves to originate from multiple direction, but confined to coastline reflectors, i.e. coastlines that are perpendicular to the main swell direction, while higher mode Rg waves are mainly generated in the Great Australian Bight. For higher frequencies, the source locations of Rg waves move toward the north coast, which is closest to the array and we see an increase in the Lg phase. The majority of fundamental LQ waves are generated at the west coast of Australia and we find some agreement between low frequency Rg and LQ source locations, which becomes uncorrelated with increasing frequency. For higher mode LQ waves the generation region is in the south-west, where Australia is exposed to direct swells from the Antarctic. In the case of Rg-to-LQ power ratio, we find a frequency and backazimuth dependence. Results from SQspa allow lower frequency arrivals around the primary and secondary microseism peak to be investigated.

Directed network modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palla, Gergely; Farkas, Illés J.; Pollner, Péter; Derényi, Imre; Vicsek, Tamás

2007-06-01

A search technique locating network modules, i.e. internally densely connected groups of nodes in directed networks is introduced by extending the clique percolation method originally proposed for undirected networks. After giving a suitable definition for directed modules we investigate their percolation transition in the Erdos-Rényi graph both analytically and numerically. We also analyse four real-world directed networks, including Google's own web-pages, an email network, a word association graph and the transcriptional regulatory network of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The obtained directed modules are validated by additional information available for the nodes. We find that directed modules of real-world graphs inherently overlap and the investigated networks can be classified into two major groups in terms of the overlaps between the modules. Accordingly, in the word-association network and Google's web-pages, overlaps are likely to contain in-hubs, whereas the modules in the email and transcriptional regulatory network tend to overlap via out-hubs.

Identification of coupling direction: Application to cardiorespiratory interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenblum, Michael G.; Cimponeriu, Laura; Bezerianos, Anastasios; Patzak, Andreas; Mrowka, Ralf

2002-04-01

We consider the problem of experimental detection of directionality of weak coupling between two self-sustained oscillators from bivariate data. We further develop the method introduced by Rosenblum and Pikovsky [Phys. Rev. E 64, 045202 (2001)], suggesting an alternative approach. Next, we consider another framework for identification of directionality, based on the idea of mutual predictability. Our algorithms provide directionality index that shows whether the coupling between the oscillators is unidirectional or bidirectional, and quantifies the asymmetry of bidirectional coupling. We demonstrate the efficiency of three different algorithms in determination of directionality index from short and noisy data. These techniques are then applied to analysis of cardiorespiratory interaction in healthy infants. The results reveal that the direction of coupling between cardiovascular and respiratory systems varies with the age within the first 6 months of life. We find a tendency to change from nearly symmetric bidirectional interaction to nearly unidirectional one (from respiration to the cardiovascular system).

Directional amplifier in an optomechanical system with optical gain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Cheng; Song, L. N.; Li, Yong

2018-05-01

Directional amplifiers are crucial nonreciprocal devices in both classical and quantum information processing. Here we propose a scheme for realizing a directional amplifier between optical and microwave fields based on an optomechanical system with optical gain, where an active optical cavity and two passive microwave cavities are coupled to a common mechanical resonator via radiation pressure. The two passive cavities are coupled via hopping interaction to facilitate the directional amplification between the active and passive cavities. We obtain the condition of achieving optical directional amplification and find that the direction of amplification can be controlled by the phase differences between the effective optomechanical couplings. The effects of the gain rate of the active cavity and the effective coupling strengths on the maximum gain of the amplifier are discussed. We show that the noise added to this amplifier can be greatly suppressed in the large cooperativity limit.

Malarial retinopathy in northern Nigerian children.

PubMed

Mohammed, I; Ibrahim, U Y; Mukhtar, M; Farouq, Z; Obiagwu, P N; Yashua, A H

2010-01-01

This is a prospective study involving two centres. Children younger than 16 years old who had severe malaria underwent funduscopy. In one centre, direct ophthalmoscopy was performed by both an ophthalmologist and a non-ophthalmologist physician. At the other, two ophthalmologists performed a funduscopy on each patient using different methods (one using direct and the other indirect ophthalmoscopy). The objective was to determine the frequency of retinopathy and evaluate the effectiveness of direct ophthalmoscopy in detecting retinopathy in constantly dilated eyes. Of 62 children seen at both centres, 37% were found to have malarial retinopathy. Macula whitening was the most common finding. There was substantial agreement between the ophthalmologists using either the direct or indirect ophthalmoscopy techniques (Kappa value 0.604). However, at the centre using only direct ophthalmoscopy, there was poor agreement between the ophthalmologist and the non-ophthalmologist (kappa value -0.244). Direct ophthalmoscopy seemed to be effective in detecting malarial retinopathy, but only when performed by experienced personnel.

The logic of relations and the logic of management.

PubMed

Buntinx, W

2008-07-01

Increasing emphasis on financial and administrative control processes is affecting service culture in support organisations for persons with intellectual disability. This phenomenon is currently obvious in Dutch service organisations that find themselves in transition towards more community care and at the same time under pressure from new administrative and funding managerial bureaucracy. As a result, the logic of management is becoming more dominant in direct support settings and risk to overshadow the logic of relationships between staff and clients. The article presents a reflection on this phenomenon, starting from a description of service team characteristics as found in the literature. Next, findings about direct support staff (DSS) continuity are summarised from four Dutch studies. Following up these findings, the concept of 'microsystems' is explored as a possible answer to the organisational challenges demonstrated in the studies. Team characteristics, especially team size and membership continuity for DSS, appear relevant factors for assuring supportive relationships and service quality in direct support teams. The structure of the primary support team shows to be of special interest. The organisational concept of 'microsystems' is explored with respect to transcending the present conflict between bureaucratic managerial pressure and the need for supportive relationships. Service organisations need to create structural conditions for the efficacy of direct support teams in terms of client relationships and relevant client outcomes. At the same time, the need for administrative and control processes can not be denied. The concept of 'microsystems', application of a Quality of Life framework and the use of new instruments, such as the Supports Intensity Scale, can contribute to an organisational solution for the present conflicting logic of relations and management.

Phenobarbital-responsive episodic dyscontrol (rage) in dogs.

PubMed

Dodman, N H; Miczek, K A; Knowles, K; Thalhammer, J G; Shuster, L

1992-11-15

Episodic dyscontrol (rage) was diagnosed from the clinical history, electroencephalographic findings, and response to oral treatment with phenobarbital in 3 dogs. Clinical features included a mood change heralding aggressive incidents, explosive aggression directed at people or objects, and a postaggressive phase characterized by lethargy and lack of responsiveness. Abnormal electroencephalographic findings included spike activity in the temporal recordings. All 3 dogs responded well to anticonvulsant medication with phenobarbital.

Simulated bi-SQUID Arrays Performing Direction Finding

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

First, we applied the multiple signal classification ( MUSIC ) algorithm on linearly polarized signals. We included multiple signals in the output...both of the same frequency and different fre- quencies. Next, we explored a modified MUSIC algorithm called dimensionality reduction MUSIC (DR- MUSIC ... MUSIC algorithm is able to determine the AoA from the simulated SQUID data for linearly polarized signals. The MUSIC algorithm could accurately find

45 CFR 46.406 - Research involving greater than minimal risk and no prospect of direct benefit to individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... disorder or condition. HHS will conduct or fund research in which the IRB finds that more than minimal risk... to the well-being of the subject, only if the IRB finds that: (a) The risk represents a minor... knowledge about the subjects' disorder or condition which is of vital importance for the understanding or...

45 CFR 46.406 - Research involving greater than minimal risk and no prospect of direct benefit to individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... disorder or condition. HHS will conduct or fund research in which the IRB finds that more than minimal risk... to the well-being of the subject, only if the IRB finds that: (a) The risk represents a minor... knowledge about the subjects' disorder or condition which is of vital importance for the understanding or...

45 CFR 46.406 - Research involving greater than minimal risk and no prospect of direct benefit to individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... disorder or condition. HHS will conduct or fund research in which the IRB finds that more than minimal risk... to the well-being of the subject, only if the IRB finds that: (a) The risk represents a minor... knowledge about the subjects' disorder or condition which is of vital importance for the understanding or...

45 CFR 46.406 - Research involving greater than minimal risk and no prospect of direct benefit to individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... disorder or condition. HHS will conduct or fund research in which the IRB finds that more than minimal risk... to the well-being of the subject, only if the IRB finds that: (a) The risk represents a minor... knowledge about the subjects' disorder or condition which is of vital importance for the understanding or...

45 CFR 46.406 - Research involving greater than minimal risk and no prospect of direct benefit to individual...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... disorder or condition. HHS will conduct or fund research in which the IRB finds that more than minimal risk... to the well-being of the subject, only if the IRB finds that: (a) The risk represents a minor... knowledge about the subjects' disorder or condition which is of vital importance for the understanding or...

Radiotelemetric analysis of the effects of prevailing wind direction on Mormon cricket migratory band movement.

PubMed

Sword, G A; Lorch, P D; Gwynne, D T

2008-08-01

During outbreaks, flightless Mormon crickets [Anabrus simplex Haldeman (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)] form large mobile groups known as migratory bands. These bands can contain millions of individuals that march en masse across the landscape. The role of environmental cues in influencing the movement direction of migratory bands is poorly understood and has been the subject of little empirical study. We examined the effect of wind direction on Mormon cricket migratory band movement direction by monitoring the local weather conditions and daily movement patterns of individual insects traveling in bands over the same time course at three close, but spatially distinct sites. Although weather conditions were relatively homogeneous across sites, wind directions tended to be more variable across sites during the morning hours, the period during which directional movement begins. Migratory bands at different sites traveled in distinctly different directions. However, we failed to find any evidence to suggest that the observed variation in migratory band movement direction was correlated with local wind direction at any time during the day. These results support the notion that the cues mediating migratory band directionality are likely to be group specific and that a role for landscape-scale environmental cues such as wind direction is unlikely.

Evaluation of Demonstrations of National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program Direct Certification of Children Receiving Medicaid Benefits: Access Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hulsey, Lara; Gordon, Anne; Leftin, Joshua; Beyler, Nicholas; Schirm, Allen; Smither-Wulsin, Claire; Crumbley, Will

2015-01-01

This report presents findings from the Access Evaluation, a study component that is designed to assess the potential impacts of direct certification-Medicaid (DC-M) on students' access to free school meals by conducting retrospective simulations of DC-M in school year 2011-2012, the year before the demonstration began. For the Access Evaluation,…

Multifunction Multiband Airborne Radio Architecture Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

30 to 88, 108 to 156, and 255 to 400 MHz band allocations . (ii) On designated operating channels: two in the 225 to 400 MHz bandwidth, one in each of...altimeter, direction finding, and relay. 2.2 BASELINE SYSTEM APPROACH This subsection describes the TRW-proposed baseline design for the MFBARS system...problem and SINCGARS application. Major efforts were directed toward reducing the overall costs while retaining required performance. Significantly, cost

Availability Estimate of a Conceptual ESM System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-06-01

affect mission operation.t A functional block level failure modes and effects analysis ( FMEA ) performed on the filter resulted in an assessed failure rate...is based on an FMEA of failures that disable the function (see Appendix A). A further 29 examination of the filter piece-parts reveals that the driver...Digital-to-analog converter DC Direct current DF Direction finding ESM Electronic Support Measures FMEA Failure modes and effects analysis FMPO

Of conflicts, conspiracies, red herrings, and black swans.

PubMed

Wactawski-Wende, J; Anderson, G L

2015-06-01

The impact of the findings from the Women's Health Initiative trial of estrogen plus progestin cannot be attributed to any real or imagined conflicts of interest between government, researchers, and journals. Rather, the findings overturned decades of dogma in part promoted by the pharmaceutical industry, and the reaction to these unexpected findings was in direct proportion to their importance in reversing a misguided practice of prescribing the drug for chronic disease prevention. The findings have been widely accepted, as shown by the sustained subsequent reduction in prescriptions. However, conflicts of interest may influence a minority unwilling to accept the findings. The decrease in the use of a drug with an adverse risk profile for prevention of chronic disease is a public good.

BRCA1 interacts directly with the Fanconi anemia protein FANCA.

PubMed

Folias, Alexandra; Matkovic, Mara; Bruun, Donald; Reid, Sonja; Hejna, James; Grompe, Markus; D'Andrea, Alan; Moses, Robb

2002-10-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by skeletal defects, anemia, chromosomal instability and increased risk of leukemia. At the cellular level FA is characterized by increased sensitivity to agents forming interstrand crosslinks (ICL) in DNA. Six FA genes have been cloned and interactions among individual FANC proteins have been found. The FANCD2 protein co-localizes in nuclear foci with the BRCA1 protein following DNA damage and during S-phase, requiring the FANCA, C, E and G proteins to do so. This finding may reflect a direct role for the BRCA1 protein in double strand break (DSB) repair and interaction with the FANC proteins. Therefore interactions between BRCA1 and the FANC proteins were investigated. Among the known FANC proteins, we find evidence for direct interaction only between the FANCA protein and BRCA1. The evidence rests on three different tests: yeast two-hybrid analysis, coimmunoprecipitation from in vitro synthesis, and coimmunoprecipitation from cell extracts. The amino terminal portion of FANCA and the central part (aa 740-1083) of BRCA1 contain the sites of interaction. The interaction does not depend on DNA damage, thus FANCA and BRCA1 are constitutively interacting. The demonstrated interaction directly connects BRCA1 to the FA pathway of DNA repair.

Detecting Upward Directed Charged Particle Fluxes in the Mars Science Laboratory Radiation Assessment Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Appel, J. K.; Köehler, J.; Guo, J.; Ehresmann, B.; Zeitlin, C.; Matthiä, D.; Lohf, H.; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.; Hassler, D.; Brinza, D. E.; Böhm, E.; Böttcher, S.; Martin, C.; Burmeister, S.; Reitz, G.; Rafkin, S.; Posner, A.; Peterson, J.; Weigle, G.

2018-01-01

The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity, operating on the surface of Mars, is exposed to radiation fluxes from above and below. Galactic Cosmic Rays travel through the Martian atmosphere, producing a modified spectrum consisting of both primary and secondary particles at ground level. These particles produce an upward directed secondary particle spectrum as they interact with the Martian soil. Here we develop a method to distinguish the upward and downward directed particle fluxes in the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) instrument, verify it using data taken during the cruise to Mars, and apply it to data taken on the Martian surface. We use a combination of Geant4 and Planetocosmics modeling to find discrimination criteria for the flux directions. After developing models of the cruise phase and surface shielding conditions, we compare model-predicted values for the ratio of upward to downward flux with those found in RAD observation data. Given the quality of available information on Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft and rover composition, we find generally reasonable agreement between our models and RAD observation data. This demonstrates the feasibility of the method developed and tested here. We additionally note that the method can also be used to extend the measurement range and capabilities of the RAD instrument to higher energies.

Exclusion Performance in Dwarf Goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) and Sheep (Ovis orientalis aries)

PubMed Central

Nawroth, Christian; von Borell, Eberhard; Langbein, Jan

2014-01-01

Using a comparative approach, we investigated the ability of dwarf goats and sheep to use direct and indirect information about the location of a food reward in an object-choice task. Subjects had to choose between two cups with only one covering a reward. Before making a choice, subjects received information about the baited (direct information) or non-baited cup (indirect information). Both goats and sheep were able to use direct information (presence of food) in the object choice task. After controlling for local enhancement, we found that goats rather than sheep were able to use indirect information (i.e., the absence of food) to find a reward. The actual test setup could not clarify whether individual goats were able to inferentially reason about the content of the baited cup when only shown the content of the non-baited cup or if they simply avoided the empty cup in that situation. As browsing species, feral and wild goats exhibit highly selective feeding behaviour compared to the rather unselective grazing sheep. The potential influence of this species-specific foraging flexibility of goats and sheep for using direct and indirect information to find a food reward is discussed in relation to a higher aversion to losses in food acquisition in goats compared to sheep. PMID:24695781

Jumpin' Jambalaya

MedlinePlus

... 2 tsp cayenne pepper 3 Tbsp finely chopped parsley Directions Wash chicken and pat dry. Cut the ... will take less time to cook). Stir in parsley and serve warm. Find more delicious heart healthy ...

Trust in leadership: meta-analytic findings and implications for research and practice.

PubMed

Dirks, Kurt T; Ferrin, Donald L

2002-08-01

In this study, the authors examined the findings and implications of the research on trust in leadership that has been conducted during the past 4 decades. First, the study provides estimates of the primary relationships between trust in leadership and key outcomes, antecedents, and correlates (k = 106). Second, the study explores how specifying the construct with alternative leadership referents (direct leaders vs. organizational leadership) and definitions (types of trust) results in systematically different relationships between trust in leadership and outcomes and antecedents. Direct leaders (e.g., supervisors) appear to be a particularly important referent of trust. Last, a theoretical framework is offered to provide parsimony to the expansive literature and to clarify the different perspectives on the construct of trust in leadership and its operation.

Emotional competence relating to perceived stress and burnout in Spanish teachers: a mediator model.

PubMed

Rey, Lourdes; Extremera, Natalio; Pena, Mario

2016-01-01

This study examined direct associations between emotional competence, perceived stress and burnout in 489 Spanish teachers. In addition, a model in which perceived stress mediated pathways linking emotional competence to teacher burnout symptoms was also examined. Results showed that emotional competence and stress were significantly correlated with teacher burnout symptoms in the expected direction. Moreover, mediational analysis indicated that perceived stress partly mediated the relationship between emotional competence and the three dimensions of burnout even when controlling for salient background characteristics. These findings suggest an underlying process by which high emotional competence may increase the capacity to cope with symptoms of burnout, by reducing the experience of stress. Implications of these findings for future research and for working with teachers to prevent burnout are discussed.

Directions for Development of the Field of Electroactive Polymer (EAP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bar-Cohen, Yoseph

2011-01-01

In last few years, the rate of development and advances in the field of EAP has accelerated significantly and it is increasingly getting closer to the point of finding them used in commercial products. Substantial development has been reported in the understanding of their drive mechanisms and the parameters that control their electro-activation behavior. Further, efforts are being made to develop mass production techniques with greatly improved actuation capability and operation durability. The recent efforts to develop energy harvesting techniques, haptic interfacing (including refreshable braille displays), and toys are further increasing the likelihood of finding niches for these materials. In this paper, the author sought to examine the potential directions for the future development of the field of EAP in relation to the state-of-the-art.

Resolution of ranking hierarchies in directed networks.

PubMed

Letizia, Elisa; Barucca, Paolo; Lillo, Fabrizio

2018-01-01

Identifying hierarchies and rankings of nodes in directed graphs is fundamental in many applications such as social network analysis, biology, economics, and finance. A recently proposed method identifies the hierarchy by finding the ordered partition of nodes which minimises a score function, termed agony. This function penalises the links violating the hierarchy in a way depending on the strength of the violation. To investigate the resolution of ranking hierarchies we introduce an ensemble of random graphs, the Ranked Stochastic Block Model. We find that agony may fail to identify hierarchies when the structure is not strong enough and the size of the classes is small with respect to the whole network. We analytically characterise the resolution threshold and we show that an iterated version of agony can partly overcome this resolution limit.

Emotional competence relating to perceived stress and burnout in Spanish teachers: a mediator model

PubMed Central

Extremera, Natalio

2016-01-01

This study examined direct associations between emotional competence, perceived stress and burnout in 489 Spanish teachers. In addition, a model in which perceived stress mediated pathways linking emotional competence to teacher burnout symptoms was also examined. Results showed that emotional competence and stress were significantly correlated with teacher burnout symptoms in the expected direction. Moreover, mediational analysis indicated that perceived stress partly mediated the relationship between emotional competence and the three dimensions of burnout even when controlling for salient background characteristics. These findings suggest an underlying process by which high emotional competence may increase the capacity to cope with symptoms of burnout, by reducing the experience of stress. Implications of these findings for future research and for working with teachers to prevent burnout are discussed. PMID:27280077

Computer simulation and discussion of high-accuracy laser direction finding in real time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wenyi; Chen, Yongzhi

1997-12-01

On condition that CCD is used as the sensor, there are at least five methods that can be used to realize laser's direction finding with high accuracy. They are: image matching method, radiation center method, geometric center method, center of rectangle envelope method and center of maximum run length method. The first three can get the highest accuracy but working in real-time it is too complicated to realize and the cost is very expansive. The other two can also get high accuracy, and it is not difficult to realize working in real time. By using a single-chip microcomputer and an ordinary CCD camera a very simple system can get the position information of a laser beam. The data rate is 50 times per second.

Resolution of ranking hierarchies in directed networks

PubMed Central

Barucca, Paolo; Lillo, Fabrizio

2018-01-01

Identifying hierarchies and rankings of nodes in directed graphs is fundamental in many applications such as social network analysis, biology, economics, and finance. A recently proposed method identifies the hierarchy by finding the ordered partition of nodes which minimises a score function, termed agony. This function penalises the links violating the hierarchy in a way depending on the strength of the violation. To investigate the resolution of ranking hierarchies we introduce an ensemble of random graphs, the Ranked Stochastic Block Model. We find that agony may fail to identify hierarchies when the structure is not strong enough and the size of the classes is small with respect to the whole network. We analytically characterise the resolution threshold and we show that an iterated version of agony can partly overcome this resolution limit. PMID:29394278

The applied value of public investments in biomedical research.

PubMed

Li, Danielle; Azoulay, Pierre; Sampat, Bhaven N

2017-04-07

Scientists and policy-makers have long argued that public investments in science have practical applications. Using data on patents linked to U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants over a 27-year period, we provide a large-scale accounting of linkages between public research investments and subsequent patenting. We find that about 10% of NIH grants generate a patent directly but 30% generate articles that are subsequently cited by patents. Although policy-makers often focus on direct patenting by academic scientists, the bulk of the effect of NIH research on patenting appears to be indirect. We also find no systematic relationship between the "basic" versus "applied" research focus of a grant and its propensity to be cited by a patent. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Exceptional Outgroup Stereotypes and White Racial Inequality Attitudes toward Asian Americans

PubMed Central

Park, Jerry Z.; Martinez, Brandon C.; Cobb, Ryon; Park, Julie J.; Wong, Erica Ryu

2016-01-01

Stereotypes of outgroups help create social identificational boundaries for ingroups. When the ingroup is dominant, members employ individualist sentiments to justify their status. In this study, we build on advances in social psychological research that account for multiple outgroup stereotypes. We argue the Asian American model minority stereotype is analogous to the “cold but competent” position of perceptions toward Asians in Fiske’s stereotype content model. Asian Americans are perceived to be exceptional to other minority groups, and we hypothesize that perceived competence is associated with individualist sentiments directed at Blacks and Latinos. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Freshmen, we find support for our hypotheses but find that perceived coldness has no relationship to individualist sentiments. We discuss the implications and directions for further research. PMID:27478288

The Molecular Genetics of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Genomic Mechanisms, Neuroimmunopathology, and Clinical Implications

PubMed Central

Guerra, Daniel J.

2011-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have become increasingly common in recent years. The discovery of single-nucleotide polymorphisms and accompanying copy number variations within the genome has increased our understanding of the architecture of the disease. These genetic and genomic alterations coupled with epigenetic phenomena have pointed to a neuroimmunopathological mechanism for ASD. Model animal studies, developmental biology, and affective neuroscience laid a foundation for dissecting the neural pathways impacted by these disease-generating mechanisms. The goal of current autism research is directed toward a systems biological approach to find the most basic genetic and environmental causes to this severe developmental disease. It is hoped that future genomic and neuroimmunological research will be directed toward finding the road toward prevention, treatment, and cure of ASD. PMID:22937247

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

Krupar, V.; Eastwood, J. P.; Kruparova, O.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large-scale eruptions of magnetized plasma that may cause severe geomagnetic storms if Earth directed. Here, we report a rare instance with comprehensive in situ and remote sensing observations of a CME combining white-light, radio, and plasma measurements from four different vantage points. For the first time, we have successfully applied a radio direction-finding technique to an interplanetary type II burst detected by two identical widely separated radio receivers. The derived locations of the type II and type III bursts are in general agreement with the white-light CME reconstruction. We find that the radio emission arisesmore » from the flanks of the CME and are most likely associated with the CME-driven shock. Our work demonstrates the complementarity between radio triangulation and 3D reconstruction techniques for space weather applications.« less

Directions for development of the field of electroactive polymer (EAP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bar-Cohen, Yoseph

2011-04-01

In last few years, the rate of development and advances in the field of EAP has accelerated significantly and it is increasingly getting closer to the point of finding them used in commercial products. Substantial development has been reported in the understanding of their drive mechanisms and the parameters that control their electro-activation behavior. Further, efforts are being made to develop mass production techniques with greatly improved actuation capability and operation durability. The recent efforts to develop energy harvesting techniques, haptic interfacing (including refreshable braille displays), and toys are further increasing the likelihood of finding niches for these materials. In this paper, the author sought to examine the potential directions for the future development of the field of EAP in relation to the state-of-the-art.

An ecological perspective of science and math academic achievement among African American students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Endya Bentley

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88), path analytic procedures were performed to test an ecological model of the effects of family, individual and school characteristics on the academic African American students. A distinctive study is the inclusion of school computer use in the model. The study results show that several of the variables directly or indirectly affected 12th grade academic achievement. Furthermore, most of the individual influence variables were directly related to 12 th grade achievement. Two surprising findings from this study were the insignificant effects of family income and school computer use on 12 th grade achievement. Overall, the findings support the notion that family, individual, and school characteristics are important predictors of academic success among African American students.

A Direct Path to Finding Earth-Like Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heap, Sara R.; Linder, Don J.

2009-01-01

As envisaged by the 2000 astrophysics decadal survey panel: The main goal of Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) is nothing less than to search for evidence of life on terrestrial planets around nearby stars . Here, we consider how an optical telescope paired with a free-flying occulter blocking light from the star can reach this goal directly, without knowledge of results from prior astrometric, doppler, or transit exoplanet observations. Using design reference missions and other simulations, we explore the potential of TPF-O to find planets in the habitable zone around their central stars, to spectrally characterize the atmospheres of detected planets, and to obtain rudimentary information about their orbits. We emphasize the importance of ozone absorption in the UV spectrum of a planet as a marker of photosynthesis by plants, algae, and cyanobacteria.

A Consideration on the Future Direction of Japanese Educational System About Fostering Human Resources for the Global Society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubota, Shusuke; Shimura, Tsutomu; Takahashi, Koji

The lectures are taken, making use of the textbook of the same contents, for high school students in Japan, students at Yamagata University and at Korea Maritime University in Korea. I’ ll find the similarity and difference, by comparing vertical and horizontal relations among three groups. As a result, I can find the directionality of cultivating human resources of doing well in the global society. I think there is “Matrix Thinking Frame” as one of the effective countermeasures for fostering men of ability. It is possible to part from conventional passiveness type education, according to planning and practicing one’ s “Life Management Plan” by using this system. The case where one’ s capability has been extended appears in students, as above mentioned.

A Systematic Review and Head-to-Head Meta-Analysis of Outcomes following Direct-to-Implant versus Conventional Two-Stage Implant Reconstruction.

PubMed

Basta, Marten N; Gerety, Patrick A; Serletti, Joseph M; Kovach, Stephen J; Fischer, John P

2015-12-01

Innovative approaches to reconstruction have ushered in an era of breast reconstruction in which direct-to-implant procedures can provide an immediately reconstructed breast. Balancing the benefits against its technical challenges is vital. The authors evaluated the safety and efficacy of using direct-to-implant versus conventional two-stage reconstruction through a systematic meta-analysis. A literature search identified all articles published after 1999 involving prosthetic-based breast reconstruction as a two-stage tissue expander/implant or direct-to-implant technique. The primary outcomes of interest, including implant loss, capsular contracture, reoperation, and infection, were analyzed by means of head-to-head meta-analysis. Thirteen studies involving 5216 breast reconstructions were included. The average patient age was 47.2 ± 1.0 years, the average body mass index was 24.9 ± 0.8 mg/k2, and the average follow-up was 40.8 months. Wound infection, seroma, and capsular contracture risk were similar between groups. However, direct-to-implant reconstruction was associated with a higher risk for skin flap necrosis (OR, 1.43; p = 0.01; I2 = 51 percent) and reoperation (OR, 1.25; p = 0.04; I2 = 43 percent). Ultimately, the risk for implant loss was nearly two-fold higher with direct-to-implant reconstruction compared with tissue expander/implant reconstruction (OR, 1.87; p = 0.04; I2 = 33 percent). Although direct-to-implant and two-stage tissue expander/implant reconstruction are successful approaches, this meta-analysis demonstrates significantly greater risk of flap necrosis and implant failure with direct-to-implant reconstruction. The authors' findings suggest that the critical component of patient selection is judgment of mastectomy flap tissue quality. These findings can enhance the risk counseling process and highlight the need for additional investigations to optimize outcomes.

75 FR 34735 - Adequacy Status of the Alabama Portion (Jackson County) of the Chattanooga, Tennessee Tri-State...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-18

...In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that EPA has made an insignificance finding through the transportation conformity adequacy process for directly emitted fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions as contained in the 1997 PM2.5 attainment demonstration for the Alabama portion of the tri-state Chattanooga, Tennessee nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as the ``Jackson County Area''). On October 14, 2009, the State of Alabama, through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), submitted an attainment demonstration plan for the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard for Jackson County, Alabama as part of the tri-state Chattanooga 1997 PM2.5 nonattainment area. The tri-state Chattanooga 1997 annual PM2.5 nonattainment area is comprised of a portion of Jackson County, Alabama; Catoosa and Walker Counties, Georgia; and Hamilton County, Tennessee. As a result of EPA's finding, the portion of Jackson County within the tri-state Chattanooga 1997 PM2.5 nonattainment area is no longer required to perform a regional emissions analysis for either directly emitted PM2.5 or NOX as part of future PM2.5 conformity determinations for the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard. This finding only relates to the Alabama portion of this Area, and does not relieve the Georgia or Tennessee portions of the tri-state 1997 PM2.5 nonattainment area from the requirement of performing the regional emissions analyses for direct PM2.5 and NOX. EPA will review the adequacy of the Georgia and Tennessee submittals with regard to the motor vehicle emission budgets or insignificance findings (if any and if appropriate) in separate actions.

75 FR 34734 - Adequacy Status of the Kentucky Portion of the Huntington-Ashland Tri-State Area 1997 Annual PM2.5

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-18

...In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that EPA has made an insignificance finding through the transportation conformity adequacy process for directly emitted fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions as contained in the 1997 PM2.5 attainment demonstration for the Kentucky portion of the tri-state Huntington-Ashland nonattainment area. The tri-state Huntington-Ashland 1997 annual PM2.5 nonattainment area is comprised of Boyd County, Kentucky; Cabell and Wayne Counties, West Virginia; Lawrence and Scioto Counties, Ohio; and the partial Counties of Lawrence in Kentucky; Mason in West Virginia; and Adams and Gallia in Ohio. On December 5, 2008, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Division of Air Quality (DAQ), submitted an attainment demonstration for the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard for the Kentucky portion of the tri-state Huntington-Ashland area (hereafter referred to as the Ashland Area). As a result of EPA's insignificance finding, the Ashland Area is no longer required to perform regional emissions analyses for either directly emitted PM2.5 or NOX as part of future PM2.5 conformity determinations for the 1997 annual PM2.5 air quality standard. This finding only relates to the Kentucky portion of the tri-state Huntington-Ashland 1997 PM2.5 nonattainment area. In a letter dated October 23, 2009, EPA informed the State of Ohio that regional mobile emissions of direct PM2.5 and NOX are insignificant for transportation conformity purposes as well. That insignificance finding took effect on December 22, 2009. EPA will review the adequacy of the West Virginia submittal in a separate action.

On the Monge-Ampere equivalent of the sine-Gordon equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferapontov, E. V.; Nutku, Y.

1994-12-01

Surfaces of constant negative curvature in Euclidean space can be described by either the sine-Gordon equation for the angle between asymptotic directions, or a Monge-Ampere equation for the graph of the surface. We present the explicit form of the correspondence between these two integrable non-linear partial differential equations using their well-known properties in differential geometry. We find that the cotangent of the angle between asymptotic directions is directly related to the mean curvature of the surface. This is a Backlund-type transformation between the sine-Gordon and Monge-Ampere equations.

Implications of direct protective factors for public health research and prevention strategies to reduce youth violence.

PubMed

Hall, Jeffrey E; Simon, Thomas R; Lee, Rosalyn D; Mercy, James A

2012-08-01

The development of work on direct protective factors for youth violence has been delayed by conceptual and methodologic problems that have constrained the design, execution, and interpretation of prevention research. These problems are described in detail and actively addressed in review and analytic papers developed by the CDC's Expert Panel on Protective Factors for youth violence. The present paper synthesizes findings from these papers, specifies their implications for public health research and prevention strategies to reduce youth violence, and suggests directions for future research. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Direct laser writing of graphene electronics.

PubMed

El-Kady, Maher F; Kaner, Richard B

2014-09-23

One of the fundamental issues with graphene for logic applications is its lack of a band gap. In this issue of ACS Nano, Shim and colleagues introduce an effective approach for modulating the current flow in graphene by forming p-n junctions using lasers. The findings could lead to a new route for controlling the electronic properties of graphene-based devices. We highlight recent progress in the direct laser synthesis and patterning of graphene for numerous applications. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities in translating this remarkable progress toward the direct laser writing of graphene electronics at large scales.

Interdisciplinary team communication among forensic nurses and rape victim advocates.

PubMed

Patterson, Debra

2014-01-01

Victim advocates and forensic nurses provide integrated care to address the complex legal, medical, and mental health needs of rape survivors. Research suggests that conflict exists between nurses and advocates, but it remains unknown how their communication patterns contribute to or resolve these conflicts. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, the current study interviewed 24 nurses and advocates from a Midwest organization to better understand team communication patterns when addressing conflicts. The findings suggest that most nurses communicate concerns directly while advocates avoid direct communication. Factors that influenced direct and indirect communication and their implications for practice will be discussed.

How often and how consistently do symptoms directly precede criminal behavior among offenders with mental illness?

PubMed

Peterson, Jillian K; Skeem, Jennifer; Kennealy, Patrick; Bray, Beth; Zvonkovic, Andrea

2014-10-01

Although offenders with mental illness are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, psychiatric symptoms relate weakly to criminal behavior at the group level. In this study of 143 offenders with mental illness, we use data from intensive interviews and record reviews to examine how often and how consistently symptoms lead directly to criminal behavior. First, crimes rarely were directly motivated by symptoms, particularly when the definition of symptoms excluded externalizing features that are not unique to Axis I illness. Specifically, of the 429 crimes coded, 4% related directly to psychosis, 3% related directly to depression, and 10% related directly to bipolar disorder (including impulsivity). Second, within offenders, crimes varied in the degree to which they were directly motivated by symptoms. These findings suggest that programs will be most effective in reducing recidivism if they expand beyond psychiatric symptoms to address strong variable risk factors for crime like antisocial traits. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

The impact of listening with directional microphone technology on self-perceived localization disabilities and handicaps.

PubMed

Ruscetta, Melissa N; Palmer, Catherine V; Durrant, John D; Grayhack, Judith; Ryan, Carey

2007-10-01

The chief complaint of individuals with hearing impairment is difficulty hearing in noise, with directional microphones emerging as the most capable remediation. Our purpose was to determine the impact of directional microphones on localization disability and concurrent handicap. Fifty-seven individuals participated unaided and then in groups of 19, using omni-directional microphones, directional-microphones, or toggle-switch equipped amplification. The outcome measure was a localization disabilities and handicaps questionnaire. Comparisons between the unaided group versus the aided groups, and the directional-microphone groups versus the other two aided groups revealed no significant differences. None of the microphone schemes either increased or decreased self-perceived localization disability or handicap. Objective measures of localization ability are warranted and if significance is noted, clinicians should caution patients when moving in their environment. If no significant objective differences exist, in light of the subjective findings in this investigation concern over decreases in quality of life and safety with directional microphones need not be considered.

Working memory capacity predicts listwise directed forgetting in adults and children.

PubMed

Aslan, Alp; Zellner, Martina; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T

2010-05-01

In listwise directed forgetting, participants are cued to forget previously studied material and to learn new material instead. Such cueing typically leads to forgetting of the first set of material and to memory enhancement of the second. The present study examined the role of working memory capacity in adults' and children's listwise directed forgetting. Working memory capacity was assessed with complex span tasks. In Experiment 1 working memory capacity predicted young adults' directed-forgetting performance, demonstrating a positive relationship between working memory capacity and each of the two directed-forgetting effects. In Experiment 2 we replicated the finding with a sample of first and a sample of fourth-grade children, and additionally showed that working memory capacity can account for age-related increases in directed-forgetting efficiency between the two age groups. Following the view that directed forgetting is mediated by inhibition of the first encoded list, the results support the proposal of a close link between working memory capacity and inhibitory function.

Architectural constraints are a major factor reducing path integration accuracy in the rat head direction cell system.

PubMed

Page, Hector J I; Walters, Daniel; Stringer, Simon M

2015-01-01

Head direction cells fire to signal the direction in which an animal's head is pointing. They are able to track head direction using only internally-derived information (path integration)In this simulation study we investigate the factors that affect path integration accuracy. Specifically, two major limiting factors are identified: rise time, the time after stimulation it takes for a neuron to start firing, and the presence of symmetric non-offset within-layer recurrent collateral connectivity. On the basis of the latter, the important prediction is made that head direction cell regions directly involved in path integration will not contain this type of connectivity; giving a theoretical explanation for architectural observations. Increased neuronal rise time is found to slow path integration, and the slowing effect for a given rise time is found to be more severe in the context of short conduction delays. Further work is suggested on the basis of our findings, which represent a valuable contribution to understanding of the head direction cell system.

Backward-walking biological motion orients attention to moving away instead of moving toward.

PubMed

Ding, Xiaowei; Yin, Jun; Shui, Rende; Zhou, Jifan; Shen, Mowei

2017-04-01

Walking direction is an important attribute of biological motion because it carries key information, such as the specific intention of the walker. Although it is known that spatial attention is guided by walking direction, it remains unclear whether this attentional shift is reflexive (i.e., constantly shifts to the walking direction) or not. A richer interpretation of this effect is that attention is guided to seek the information that is necessary to understand the motion. To investigate this issue, we examined how backward-walking biological motion orients attention because the intention of walking backward is usually to avoid something that walking forward would encounter. The results showed that attention was oriented to the walking-away direction of biological motion instead of the walking-toward direction (Experiment 1), and this effect was not due to the gaze direction of biological motion (Experiment 2). Our findings suggest that the attentional shift triggered by walking direction is not reflexive, thus providing support for the rich interpretation of these attentional effects.

Iranian Clinical Nurses’ Activities for Self-Directed Learning: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Ghiyasvandian, Shahrzad; Malekian, Morteza; Cheraghi, Mohammad Ali

2016-01-01

Background: Clinical nurses need lifelong learning skills for responding to the rapid changes of clinical settings. One of the best strategies for lifelong learning is self-directed learning. The aim of this study was to explore Iranian clinical nurses’ activities for self-directed learning. Methods: In this qualitative study, 23 semi-structured personal interviews were conducted with nineteen clinical nurses working in all four hospitals affiliated to Isfahan Social Security Organization, Isfahan, Iran. Study data were analyzed by using the content analysis approach. The study was conducted from June 2013 to October 2014. Findings: Study participants’ activities for self-directed learning fell into two main categories of striving for knowledge acquisition and striving for skill development. The main theme of the study was ‘Revising personal performance based on intellectual-experiential activities’. Conclusions: Study findings suggest that Iranian clinical nurses continually revise their personal performance by performing self-directed intellectual and experiential activities to acquire expertise. The process of acquiring expertise is a linear process which includes two key steps of knowledge acquisition and knowledge development. In order to acquire and advance their knowledge, nurses perform mental learning activities such as sensory perception, self-evaluation, and suspended judgment step-by-step. Moreover, they develop their skills through doing activities like apprenticeship, masterly performance, and self-regulation. The absolute prerequisite to expertise acquisition is that a nurse needs to follow these two steps in a sequential manner. PMID:26652072

Direct and indirect measures of Level-2 perspective-taking in children and adults.

PubMed

Surtees, Andrew D R; Butterfill, Stephen A; Apperly, Ian A

2012-03-01

Studies with infants show divergence between performance on theory of mind tasks depending on whether direct or indirect measures are used. It has been suggested that direct measures assess a flexible but cognitively demanding ability to reason about the minds of others, whereas indirect measures assess distinct processes which afford more efficient but less flexible theory of mind abilities (Apperly & Butterfill, 2009). This leads to the prediction that performance on indirect measures should be subject to signature limits. The current study tested whether the Level-1/Level-2 distinction might constitute one such limit. The study adapted a task that has shown evidence of Level-1 perspective-taking on both direct and indirect measures (Samson, Apperly, Braithwaite, Andrews, & Bodley-Scott, 2010). The aim was to test Level-2 perspective-taking in a sample of 6- to 11-year-olds (N = 80) and adults (N = 20). Participants were able to make Level-2 judgements on the direct measure. In contrast with the findings from Level-1 perspective-taking, there was no evidence of automatic processing of Level-2 perspectives on the indirect measure. This finding is consistent with the view that theory of mind abilities assessed by indirect measures are subject to signature limits. The Level-1/Level-2 distinction, suitably refined, marks one way in which efficient but inflexible theory of mind abilities are limited. © 2011 The British Psychological Society.

Neuroprotective effect of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation in a rat stroke model.

PubMed

Notturno, Francesca; Pace, Marta; Zappasodi, Filippo; Cam, Etrugul; Bassetti, Claudio L; Uncini, Antonino

2014-07-15

Experimental focal brain ischemia generates in the penumbra recurrent depolarizations which spread across the injured cortex inducing infarct growth. Transcranial direct current stimulation can induce a lasting, polarity-specific, modulation of cortical excitability. To verify whether cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation could reduce the infarct size and the number of depolarizations, focal ischemia was induced in the rat by the 3 vessels occlusion technique. In the first experiment 12 ischemic rats received cathodal stimulation (alternating 15 min on and 15 min off) starting 45 min after middle cerebral artery occlusion and lasting 4 h. In the second experiment 12 ischemic rats received cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation with the same protocol but starting soon after middle cerebral artery occlusion and lasting 6 h. In both experiments controls were 12 ischemic rats not receiving stimulation. Cathodal stimulation reduced the infarct volume in the first experiment by 20% (p=0.002) and in the second by 30% (p=0.003). The area of cerebral infarction was smaller in animals receiving cathodal stimulation in both experiments (p=0.005). Cathodal stimulation reduced the number of depolarizations (p=0.023) and infarct volume correlated with the number of depolarizations (p=0.048). Our findings indicate that cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation exert a neuroprotective effect in the acute phase of stroke possibly decreasing the number of spreading depolarizations. These findings may have translational relevance and open a new avenue in neuroprotection of stroke in humans. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Verbalizing, Visualizing, and Navigating: The Effect of Strategies on Encoding a Large-Scale Virtual Environment

PubMed Central

Kraemer, David J.M.; Schinazi, Victor R.; Cawkwell, Philip B.; Tekriwal, Anand; Epstein, Russell A.; Thompson-Schill, Sharon L.

2016-01-01

Using novel virtual cities, we investigated the influence of verbal and visual strategies on the encoding of navigation-relevant information in a large-scale virtual environment. In two experiments, participants watched videos of routes through four virtual cities and were subsequently tested on their memory for observed landmarks and on their ability to make judgments regarding the relative directions of the different landmarks along the route. In the first experiment, self-report questionnaires measuring visual and verbal cognitive styles were administered to examine correlations between cognitive styles, landmark recognition, and judgments of relative direction. Results demonstrate a tradeoff in which the verbal cognitive style is more beneficial for recognizing individual landmarks than for judging relative directions between them, whereas the visual cognitive style is more beneficial for judging relative directions than for landmark recognition. In a second experiment, we manipulated the use of verbal and visual strategies by varying task instructions given to separate groups of participants. Results confirm that a verbal strategy benefits landmark memory, whereas a visual strategy benefits judgments of relative direction. The manipulation of strategy by altering task instructions appears to trump individual differences in cognitive style. Taken together, we find that processing different details during route encoding, whether due to individual proclivities (Experiment 1) or task instructions (Experiment 2), results in benefits for different components of navigation relevant information. These findings also highlight the value of considering multiple sources of individual differences as part of spatial cognition investigations. PMID:27668486

Skin Diseases and the Adolescent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauer, Marjorie

1970-01-01

Discusses such concerns as acne, syphilis, drug abuse, and tatoos. Indicates need for physician not only to treat skin diseases but to help adolescents to accept themselves and find constructive directions. (CJ)

A taste of dark matter: Flavour constraints on pseudoscalar mediators

DOE PAGES

Dolan, Matthew J.; Kahlhoefer, Felix; McCabe, Christopher; ...

2015-03-31

Dark matter interacting via the exchange of a light pseudoscalar can induce observable signals in indirect detection experiments and experience large self-interactions while evading the strong bounds from direct dark matter searches. The pseudoscalar mediator will however induce flavour-changing interactions in the Standard Model, providing a promising alternative way to test these models. We investigate in detail the constraints arising from rare meson decays and fixed target experiments for different coupling structures between the pseudoscalar and Standard Model fermions. The resulting bounds are highly complementary to the information inferred from the dark matter relic density and the constraints from primordialmore » nucleosynthesis. We discuss the implications of our findings for the dark matter self-interaction cross section and the prospects of probing dark matter coupled to a light pseudoscalar with direct or indirect detection experiments. In particular, we find that a pseudoscalar mediator can only explain the Galactic Centre excess if its mass is above that of the B mesons, and that it is impossible to obtain a sufficiently large direct detection cross section to account for the DAMA modulation.« less

N-terminal domains of fibrillin 1 and fibrillin 2 direct the formation of homodimers: a possible first step in microfibril assembly.

PubMed Central

Trask, T M; Ritty, T M; Broekelmann, T; Tisdale, C; Mecham, R P

1999-01-01

Aggregation of fibrillin molecules via disulphide bonds is postulated to be an early step in microfibril assembly. By expressing fragments of fibrillin 1 and fibrillin 2 in a mammalian expression system, we found that the N-terminal region of each protein directs the formation of homodimers and that disulphide bonds stabilize this interaction. A large fragment of fibrillin 1 containing much of the region downstream from the N-terminus remained as a monomer when expressed in the same cell system, indicating that this region of the protein lacks dimerization domains. This finding also confirms that the overexpression of fibrillin fragments does not in itself lead to spurious dimer formation. Pulse-chase analysis demonstrated that dimer formation occurred intracellularly, suggesting that the process of fibrillin aggregation is initiated early after biosynthesis of the molecules. These findings also implicate the N-terminal region of fibrillin 1 and fibrillin 2 in directing the formation of a dimer intermediate that aggregates to form the functional microfibril. PMID:10359653

Time perspectives and convenience food consumption among teenagers in Vietnam: The dual role of hedonic and healthy eating values.

PubMed

Olsen, Svein Ottar; Tuu, Ho Huy

2017-09-01

This study uses the subscales of Consideration of Future Consequences (CFC) to explore the effects of future (CFC-future) and immediate (CFC-immediate) on convenience food consumption among teenagers in Vietnam. Furthermore, we investigate the mediating and dual role of hedonic and healthy eating values in the relationships between CFCs and convenience food consumption. Survey data from 451 teenagers in Central Vietnam and structural equation modelling were used to test the relationships in a proposed theoretical model. The results indicate that while CFC-immediate and hedonic eating value has a positive direct effect, CFC-future and healthy eating value has a negative direct effect on convenience food consumption. The findings also reveal that both CFC-immediate and CFC-future have positive effects on hedonic and healthy eating values. However, this study argues and tests the relative importance of the direct (asymmetric) effects of time perspectives on eating values, and finds that while CFC-future dominate in explaining healthy eating values, CFC-immediate dominate in explaining hedonic eating values. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

N-Functionalized MXenes: ultrahigh carrier mobility and multifunctional properties.

PubMed

Shao, Yangfan; Zhang, Fang; Shi, Xingqiang; Pan, Hui

2017-11-01

Two dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have demonstrated huge potential in wide applications from nanodevices to energy harvesting/storage. In this work, we propose a new class of 2D monolayers, nitrogen-functionalized MXenes (Nb 2 CN 2 and Ta 2 CN 2 ), based on density-functional theory (DFT). We find that these monolayers are direct semiconductors with near linear energy dispersions at the Γ point. M 2 CN 2 monolayers have significant small effective mass and show an ultra-high mobility of up to 10 6 cm 2 V -1 s -1 . We show that the electronic structures of the M 2 CN 2 monolayers can be easily controlled by biaxial and uniaxial strains. Importantly, the carrier mobility and direct band gap can be dramatically increased within a certain range of strain. A direct-indirect band gap transition can be triggered and the band gap can be tuned under strain. The tunable electronic properties are attributed to the structural changes and charge redistribution under stain. Our findings demonstrate that N-functionalized MXenes are promising materials for nanodevices with high speed and low power.

Direct imaging of exoplanets in the habitable zone with adaptive optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Males, Jared R.; Close, Laird M.; Guyon, Olivier; Morzinski, Katie; Puglisi, Alfio; Hinz, Philip; Follette, Katherine B.; Monnier, John D.; Tolls, Volker; Rodigas, Timothy J.; Weinberger, Alycia; Boss, Alan; Kopon, Derek; Wu, Ya-lin; Esposito, Simone; Riccardi, Armando; Xompero, Marco; Briguglio, Runa; Pinna, Enrico

2014-07-01

One of the primary goals of exoplanet science is to find and characterize habitable planets, and direct imaging will play a key role in this effort. Though imaging a true Earth analog is likely out of reach from the ground, the coming generation of giant telescopes will find and characterize many planets in and near the habitable zones (HZs) of nearby stars. Radial velocity and transit searches indicate that such planets are common, but imaging them will require achieving extreme contrasts at very small angular separations, posing many challenges for adaptive optics (AO) system design. Giant planets in the HZ may even be within reach with the latest generation of high-contrast imagers for a handful of very nearby stars. Here we will review the definition of the HZ, and the characteristics of detectable planets there. We then review some of the ways that direct imaging in the HZ will be different from the typical exoplanet imaging survey today. Finally, we present preliminary results from our observations of the HZ of α Centauri A with the Magellan AO system's VisAO and Clio2 cameras.

Direct effects of Vaccinium myrtillus L. fruit extracts on rat heart mitochondrial functions.

PubMed

Trumbeckaitė, S; Burdulis, D; Raudonė, L; Liobikas, J; Toleikis, A; Janulis, V

2013-04-01

In this study, the direct influence of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) fruit extracts (aqueous and ethanolic) rich in anthocyanins on the oxidative phosphorylation of isolated rat heart mitochondria was investigated in vitro. Higher concentrations of bilberry extracts concentration-dependently inhibited mitochondrial state 3 respiration (by 23%-61%) with pyruvate plus malate, mildly (by 1.2- to 1.3-fold) uncoupled the oxidative phosphorylation, and increased (by 30%-87%) the state 4 respiration rate in the presence of exogenous cytochrome c. Succinate oxidation was less affected. Pure anthocyanins, the main components of used extracts, malvidin-3-glucoside, malvidin-3-galactoside, and cyanidin-3-galactoside, had no effect on oxidation of pyruvate plus malate. A statistically significant decrease in H2 O2 production by mitochondria was found in the presence of bilberry fruit extracts. Our findings show that bilberry fruit anthocyanin-rich extracts possess direct effects on rat heart mitochondrial function in vitro. These findings give the first insights into the mechanism(s) of their action on cellular energy metabolism. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mid-callosal plane determination using preferred directions from diffusion tensor images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, André L.; Rittner, Letícia; Lotufo, Roberto A.; Appenzeller, Simone

2015-03-01

The corpus callosum is the major brain structure responsible for inter{hemispheric communication between neurons. Many studies seek to relate corpus callosum attributes to patient characteristics, cerebral diseases and psychological disorders. Most of those studies rely on 2D analysis of the corpus callosum in the mid-sagittal plane. However, it is common to find conflicting results among studies, once many ignore methodological issues and define the mid-sagittal plane based on precary or invalid criteria with respect to the corpus callosum. In this work we propose a novel method to determine the mid-callosal plane using the corpus callosum internal preferred diffusion directions obtained from diffusion tensor images. This plane is analogous to the mid-sagittal plane, but intended to serve exclusively as the corpus callosum reference. Our method elucidates the great potential the directional information of the corpus callosum fibers have to indicate its own referential. Results from experiments with five image pairs from distinct subjects, obtained under the same conditions, demonstrate the method effectiveness to find the corpus callosum symmetric axis relative to the axial plane.

Directional guidance from audible pedestrian signals for street crossing.

PubMed

Wall, Robert S; Ashmead, Daniel H; Bentzen, Billie Louise; Barlow, Janet

2004-10-10

Typical audible pedestrian signals indicate when the pedestrian walk interval is in effect but provide little, or even misleading information for directional alignment. In three experiments, blind and blindfolded sighted adults crossed a simulated crossing with recorded traffic noise to approximate street sounds. This was done to investigate how characteristics of signal presentation affected usefulness of the auditory signal for guiding crossing behaviour. Crossing was more accurate when signals came only from the far end of the crossing rather than the typical practice of presenting signals simultaneously from both ends. Alternating the signal between ends of the crossing was not helpful. Also, the customary practice of signalling two parallel crossings at the same time drew participants somewhat toward the opposite crossing. Providing a locator tone at the end of the crossing during the pedestrian clearance interval improved crossing accuracy. These findings provide a basis for designing audible pedestrian signals to enhance directional guidance. The principal findings were the same for blind and sighted participants and applied across a range of specific signals (e.g. chirps, clicks, voices).

A novel co-occurrence-based approach to predict pure associative and semantic priming.

PubMed

Roelke, Andre; Franke, Nicole; Biemann, Chris; Radach, Ralph; Jacobs, Arthur M; Hofmann, Markus J

2018-03-15

The theoretical "difficulty in separating association strength from [semantic] feature overlap" has resulted in inconsistent findings of either the presence or absence of "pure" associative priming in recent literature (Hutchison, 2003, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 10(4), p. 787). The present study used co-occurrence statistics of words in sentences to provide a full factorial manipulation of direct association (strong/no) and the number of common associates (many/no) of the prime and target words. These common associates were proposed to serve as semantic features for a recent interactive activation model of semantic processing (i.e., the associative read-out model; Hofmann & Jacobs, 2014). With stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) as an additional factor, our findings indicate that associative and semantic priming are indeed dissociable. Moreover, the effect of direct association was strongest at a long SOA (1,000 ms), while many common associates facilitated lexical decisions primarily at a short SOA (200 ms). This response pattern is consistent with previous performance-based accounts and suggests that associative and semantic priming can be evoked by computationally determined direct and common associations.

Executive Control Mediates the Association Between Aerobic Fitness and Emotion Regulation in Preadolescent Children.

PubMed

Lott, Mark A; Jensen, Chad D

2017-03-01

This study evaluated direct and indirect associations between aerobic fitness, executive control, and emotion regulation among a community sample of preadolescent children. Two-hundred and seventy-eight children aged 8-12 years completed measures of aerobic fitness (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run) and executive control (Stroop Test). Parents completed questionnaires assessing child emotion regulation and executive control (Emotion Regulation Checklist; Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire). We evaluated associations between these constructs using structural equation modeling. Study findings supported a moderate direct association between childhood aerobic fitness and executive control, a strong direct negative association between executive control and emotion regulation, and a moderate indirect association between aerobic fitness and emotion regulation through executive control. These findings provide preliminary evidence that executive control functions as a mediator between aerobic fitness and emotion regulation and may help explain the mechanism by which aerobic exercise influences emotional well-being among preadolescent children. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Role of the Perigenual Anterior Cingulate and Orbitofrontal Cortex in Contingency Learning in the Marmoset

PubMed Central

Jackson, Stacey A. W.; Horst, Nicole K.; Pears, Andrew; Robbins, Trevor W.; Roberts, Angela C.

2016-01-01

Two learning mechanisms contribute to decision-making: goal-directed actions and the “habit” system, by which action-outcome and stimulus-response associations are formed, respectively. Rodent lesion studies and human neuroimaging have implicated both the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in the neural basis of contingency learning, a critical component of goal-directed actions, though some published findings are conflicting. We sought to reconcile the existing literature by comparing the effects of excitotoxic lesions of the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC), a region of the mPFC, and OFC on contingency learning in the marmoset monkey using a touchscreen-based paradigm, in which the contingent relationship between one of a pair of actions and its outcome was degraded selectively. Both the pgACC and OFC lesion groups were insensitive to the contingency degradation, whereas the control group demonstrated selectively higher performance of the nondegraded action when compared with the degraded action. These findings suggest the pgACC and OFC are both necessary for normal contingency learning and therefore goal-directed behavior. PMID:27130662

Digital Game Playing and Direct and Indirect Aggression in Early Adolescence: The Roles of Age, Social Intelligence, and Parent-Child Communication.

PubMed

Wallenius, Marjut; Punamäki, Raija-Leena; Rimpelä, Arja

2007-04-01

The roles of age, social intelligence and parent-child communication in moderating the association between digital game playing and direct and indirect aggression were examined in 478 Finnish 10- and 13-year-old schoolchildren based on self-reports. The results confirmed that digital game violence was directly associated with direct aggression, especially at age 10, but only among boys. The moderating role of social intelligence was substantiated among older boys: game violence was associated with indirect aggression among those with high level of social intelligence. Further, as hypothesized, digital game playing was associated with direct aggression especially when parent-child communication was poor, but only among boys. Our findings emphasize the importance of individual and situational factors as moderators of the link between game violence and aggression.

Robust laser-structured asymmetrical PTFE mesh for underwater directional transportation and continuous collection of gas bubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Kai; Yang, Shuai; Dong, Xinran; Chu, Dongkai; Duan, Ji-An; He, Jun

2018-06-01

We report a simple, efficient method to fabricate micro/nanoscale hierarchical structures on one side of polytetrafluoroethylene mesh surfaces, using one-step femtosecond laser direct writing technology. The laser-treated surface exhibits superhydrophobicity in air and superaerophilicity in water, resulting in the mesh possessing the hydrophobic/superhydrophobic asymmetrical property. Bubbles can pass through the mesh from the untreated side to the laser-treated side but cannot pass through the mesh in the opposite direction. The asymmetrical mesh can therefore be designed for the directional transportation and continuous collection of gas bubbles in aqueous environments. Furthermore, the asymmetrical mesh shows excellent stability during corrosion and abrasion tests. These findings may provide an efficient route for fabricating a durable asymmetrical mesh for the directional and continuous transport of gas bubbles.

Impact of Ethics Codes on Judgments by Journalists: A Natural Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pritchard, David; Morgan, Madelyn Peroni

1989-01-01

Investigates whether ethics codes help shape the decisions journalists make in situations that raise ethical issues. Finds no evidence that ethics codes directly influence journalists' decisions. (RS)

Global limits and interference patterns in dark matter direct detection

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

Catena, Riccardo; Gondolo, Paolo

2015-08-13

We compare the general effective theory of one-body dark matter nucleon interactions to current direct detection experiments in a global multidimensional statistical analysis. We derive exclusion limits on the 28 isoscalar and isovector coupling constants of the theory, and show that current data place interesting constraints on dark matter-nucleon interaction operators usually neglected in this context. We characterize the interference patterns that can arise in dark matter direct detection from pairs of dark matter-nucleon interaction operators, or from isoscalar and isovector components of the same operator. We find that commonly neglected destructive interference effects weaken standard direct detection exclusion limitsmore » by up to one order of magnitude in the coupling constants.« less

Global limits and interference patterns in dark matter direct detection

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

Catena, Riccardo; Gondolo, Paolo, E-mail: riccardo.catena@theorie.physik.uni-goettingen.de, E-mail: paolo.gondolo@utah.edu

2015-08-01

We compare the general effective theory of one-body dark matter nucleon interactions to current direct detection experiments in a global multidimensional statistical analysis. We derive exclusion limits on the 28 isoscalar and isovector coupling constants of the theory, and show that current data place interesting constraints on dark matter-nucleon interaction operators usually neglected in this context. We characterize the interference patterns that can arise in dark matter direct detection from pairs of dark matter-nucleon interaction operators, or from isoscalar and isovector components of the same operator. We find that commonly neglected destructive interference effects weaken standard direct detection exclusion limitsmore » by up to one order of magnitude in the coupling constants.« less

Aspects of Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection in Asymmetric Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hesse, Michael; Aunai, Nicolas; Zenitani, Seiji; Kuznetsova, Masha; Birn, Joachim

2013-01-01

Asymmetric reconnection is being investigated by means of particle-in-cell simulations. The research has two foci: The direction of the reconnection line in configurations with nonvanishing magnetic fields; and the question why reconnection can be faster if a guide field is added to an otherwise unchanged asymmetric configuration. We find that reconnection prefers a direction, which maximizes the available magnetic energy, and show that this direction coincides with the bisection of the angle between the asymptotic magnetic fields. Regarding the difference in reconnection rates between planar and guide field models, we demonstrate that a guide field can provide essential confinement for particles in the reconnection region, which the weaker magnetic field in one of the inflow directions cannot necessarily provide.

Aspects of Collisionless Magnetic Reconnection in Asymmetric Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hesse, Michael; Aunai, Nicolas; Zeitani, Seiji; Kuznetsova, Masha; Birn, Joachim

2013-01-01

Asymmetric reconnection is being investigated by means of particle-in-cell simulations. The research has two foci: the direction of the reconnection line in configurations with non-vanishing magnetic fields; and the question why reconnection can be faster if a guide field is added to an otherwise unchanged asymmetric configuration. We find that reconnection prefers a direction, which maximizes the available magnetic energy, and show that this direction coincides with the bisection of the angle between the asymptotic magnetic fields. Regarding the difference in reconnection rates between planar and guide field models, we demonstrate that a guide field can provide essential confinement for particles in the reconnection region, which the weaker magnetic field in one of the inflow directions cannot necessarily provide.

Coarse graining for synchronization in directed networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, An; Lü, Linyuan

2011-05-01

Coarse-graining model is a promising way to analyze and visualize large-scale networks. The coarse-grained networks are required to preserve statistical properties as well as the dynamic behaviors of the initial networks. Some methods have been proposed and found effective in undirected networks, while the study on coarse-graining directed networks lacks of consideration. In this paper we proposed a path-based coarse-graining (PCG) method to coarse grain the directed networks. Performing the linear stability analysis of synchronization and numerical simulation of the Kuramoto model on four kinds of directed networks, including tree networks and variants of Barabási-Albert networks, Watts-Strogatz networks, and Erdös-Rényi networks, we find our method can effectively preserve the network synchronizability.

Aspects of collisionless magnetic reconnection in asymmetric systems

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

Hesse, Michael; Aunai, Nicolas; Kuznetsova, Masha

2013-06-15

Asymmetric reconnection is being investigated by means of particle-in-cell simulations. The research has two foci: the direction of the reconnection line in configurations with nonvanishing magnetic fields; and the question why reconnection can be faster if a guide field is added to an otherwise unchanged asymmetric configuration. We find that reconnection prefers a direction, which maximizes the available magnetic energy, and show that this direction coincides with the bisection of the angle between the asymptotic magnetic fields. Regarding the difference in reconnection rates between planar and guide field models, we demonstrate that a guide field can provide essential confinement formore » particles in the reconnection region, which the weaker magnetic field in one of the inflow directions cannot necessarily provide.« less

Using virtual reality to determine how emergency signs facilitate way-finding.

PubMed

Tang, Chieh-Hsin; Wu, Wu-Tai; Lin, Ching-Yuan

2009-07-01

In this study, virtual reality was the tool used to construct an experimental space. Three scenarios - one without emergency signs, another with an old-version emergency sign, and the third with a new-version emergency sign - were created, after which 107 subjects, divided into three groups, engaged in an emergency escape game to determine if and how various emergency signs aid in way-finding in the event of an emergency. Under the presupposition that the minimum time needed for an emergency escape without any mistake occurring was 40s, we found that the average way-finding time in the scenario without any emergency signs was 123.8s, for the scenario with the new-version signs 84.8s, and for the scenario with the old-version signs 75.6s; statistically, this demonstrated that the absence of signs results in slower escape than either old signs (p=0.001) or new signs (p=0.005). These findings indicate that signs do help way-finding greatly. Males were found to exhibit better way-finding skills than females (p<0.001). Construction workers and fire safety personnel, as a combined group, did not fare better than others with less presumed prior experience with building plans or emergency exit procedures. In addition, when faced with both an emergency direction sign and an exit door, almost half of the subjects (42% of the participants) were chosen to take the door instead of following the direction posted on the sign. Finally, we found that, at T-intersections, the majority of participants (60%) chose to turn left versus right.

The Impact of Marital Separation/Divorce on Children: III. Parent-Child Communication and Child Adjustment, and Regression Analysis of Findings from Overall Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Doris S.

1978-01-01

This is the third of a series of reports on the findings from a study directed at further understanding the impact of marital separation/divorce on children during the 12-month period following the parental separation. This paper reports on parent-child communication regarding cognitive preparation of children for the parental separation. (Author)

Overcoming Obstacles to College Attendance and Degree Completion: Toward a Pro-College Savings Agenda. Asset Building Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Rachel; Huelsman, Mark

2012-01-01

The rise in student loan debt has directed critical attention to the growing pace of college costs as well as the reliance on loans to finance those costs. For graduates entering the workforce in recent years, many are finding that they are unable to find the type of job they thought they were securing when they received their degree, if they are…

A tale of two studies of two disasters: comparing psychosocial responses to disaster among Oklahoma City bombing survivors and Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

PubMed

North, Carol S

2010-08-01

An accumulation of disaster mental health research literature in the last few decades has contributed knowledge to direct disaster mental health interventions. However, no single set of principles can necessarily outline all anticipated mental health needs to be encountered in a particular disaster. To illustrate how different disaster scenarios may yield a divergence of mental health needs, this article compares mental health findings from two distinctly different studies of two very different populations affected by two very different disasters: directly exposed survivors the Oklahoma City bombing and sheltered evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. Research on the two disasters reviewed illustrates many facets and complexities of postdisaster mental health needs in different populations in different settings after different types of disasters. The major findings of the Oklahoma City bombing study related to posttraumatic stress disorder and the main findings of the Hurricane Katrina study involved need for treatment of preexisting chronic mental health and substance abuse problems. The disaster studies in this review diverged in type of disaster, affected populations, setting, and timing of the study, and these studies yielded a divergence of findings. One disaster mental health model clearly cannot adequately describe all postdisaster scenarios.

Personal vision: enhancing work engagement and the retention of women in the engineering profession.

PubMed

Buse, Kathleen R; Bilimoria, Diana

2014-01-01

This study examines how personal vision enhances work engagement and the retention of women in the engineering profession. Using a mixed method approach to understand the factors related to the retention of women in the engineering profession, we first interviewed women who persisted and women who opted out of the profession (Buse and Bilimoria, 2014). In these rich stories, we found that women who persisted had a personal vision that included their profession, and that this personal vision enabled them to overcome the bias, barriers and discrimination in the engineering workplace. To validate this finding on a larger population, we developed a scale to measure one's personal vision conceptualized as the ideal self (Boyatzis and Akrivou, 2006). The measure was tested in a pilot study and then used in a study of 495 women with engineering degrees. The findings validate that the ideal self is comprised of self-efficacy, hope, optimism and core identity. For these women, the ideal self directly impacts work engagement and work engagement directly impacts career commitment to engineering. The findings add to extant theory related to the role of personal vision and intentional change theory. From a practical perspective, these findings will aid efforts to retain women in engineering and other STEM professions.

76 FR 24475 - Adequacy Status of the Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir, North Carolina 1997 Annual PM2.5

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-02

...In this notice, EPA is notifying the public of its finding that the nitrogen oxides (NOX) motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) in the Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir, North Carolina area (hereafter referred to as the ``Hickory Area'') maintenance plan for the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard, submitted on December 18, 2009, and supplemented on December 22, 2010, by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) are adequate for transportation conformity purposes. EPA is also making an insignificance finding for direct fine particulate (PM2.5) through the transportation conformity adequacy process for the Hickory Area. The Hickory Area is comprised of the entire county of Catawba in North Carolina. On March 2, 1999, the District of Columbia Circuit Court ruled that submitted state implementation plans (SIPs) cannot be used for transportation conformity determinations until EPA has affirmatively found them adequate. As a result of EPA's finding, the Hickory Area must use the NOX MVEBs from the submitted maintenance plan and supplement for the Hickory Area for future conformity determinations. Additionally, as a result of this finding, the Hickory Area is not required to perform a regional emissions analysis for direct PM2.5 in future PM2.5 transportation conformity determinations for the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard.

Personal vision: enhancing work engagement and the retention of women in the engineering profession

PubMed Central

Buse, Kathleen R.; Bilimoria, Diana

2014-01-01

This study examines how personal vision enhances work engagement and the retention of women in the engineering profession. Using a mixed method approach to understand the factors related to the retention of women in the engineering profession, we first interviewed women who persisted and women who opted out of the profession (Buse and Bilimoria, 2014). In these rich stories, we found that women who persisted had a personal vision that included their profession, and that this personal vision enabled them to overcome the bias, barriers and discrimination in the engineering workplace. To validate this finding on a larger population, we developed a scale to measure one's personal vision conceptualized as the ideal self (Boyatzis and Akrivou, 2006). The measure was tested in a pilot study and then used in a study of 495 women with engineering degrees. The findings validate that the ideal self is comprised of self-efficacy, hope, optimism and core identity. For these women, the ideal self directly impacts work engagement and work engagement directly impacts career commitment to engineering. The findings add to extant theory related to the role of personal vision and intentional change theory. From a practical perspective, these findings will aid efforts to retain women in engineering and other STEM professions. PMID:25538652

[Laryngeal disease. Endoscopic characterization of 1493 procedures based on age].

PubMed

Che-Morales, José Luis; Figueroa-Hurtado, Esperanza; Cortes-Télles, Arturo

2018-01-01

Based on international epidemiology, some laryngeal diseases could be more frequent at certain ages. The objective was to describe endoscopic findings in patients through distinct decades of age in a laryngoscopy facility. retrospective and descriptive study; clinical and endoscopic records were collected from 1493 procedures performed between 2009 and 2015, and organized in five groups of age for analysis. Differences among them were analyzed by chi squared and ANOVA. 70% of patients reported dysphonia as a main symptom; 24% of subjects were referred with cancer diagnosis and just 7% of them, showed findings related to malignancy; on the other hand, cancer suspicion increased in direct proportion with age (p < 0.0001); inespecific inflammation and other benign endoscopic manifestations (e.g. vocal fold paralysis, subglotic stenosis and nodules) represented 80% of the whole findings; 14% of the procedures were reported as normal. Glottic and supraglottic structures were the two regions affected by malignancy; this finding was directly related to advanced age, particularly in patients of 70 years of age or older. Finally, subglottic stenosis was observed in patients younger than 50 years of age (p < 0.0001). Causes of laryngeal diseases are different in individuals according to their age. Carcinoma was more prevalent in adults of 70 years of age or older. Benign causes were secondary to inflammatory and functional conditions.

How directional change in reading/writing habits relates to directional change in displayed pictures.

PubMed

Lee, Hachoung; Oh, Songjoo

2016-01-01

It has been suggested that reading/writing habits may influence the appreciation of pictures. For example, people who read and write in a rightward direction have an aesthetic preference for pictures that face rightward over pictures that face leftward, and vice versa. However, correlations for this phenomenon have only been found in cross-cultural studies. Will a directional change in reading/writing habits within a culture relate to changes in picture preference? Korea is a good place to research this question because the country underwent gradual changes in reading/writing direction habits, from leftward to rightward, during the 20th century. In this study, we analyzed the direction of drawings and photos published in the two oldest newspapers in Korea from 1920-2013. The results show that the direction of the drawings underwent a clear shift from the left to the right, but the direction of the photos did not change. This finding suggests a close psychological link between the habits of reading/writing and drawing that cannot be accounted for simply by an accidental correspondence across different cultures.

Potential Theory for Directed Networks

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qian-Ming; Lü, Linyuan; Wang, Wen-Qiang; Zhou, Tao

2013-01-01

Uncovering factors underlying the network formation is a long-standing challenge for data mining and network analysis. In particular, the microscopic organizing principles of directed networks are less understood than those of undirected networks. This article proposes a hypothesis named potential theory, which assumes that every directed link corresponds to a decrease of a unit potential and subgraphs with definable potential values for all nodes are preferred. Combining the potential theory with the clustering and homophily mechanisms, it is deduced that the Bi-fan structure consisting of 4 nodes and 4 directed links is the most favored local structure in directed networks. Our hypothesis receives strongly positive supports from extensive experiments on 15 directed networks drawn from disparate fields, as indicated by the most accurate and robust performance of Bi-fan predictor within the link prediction framework. In summary, our main contribution is twofold: (i) We propose a new mechanism for the local organization of directed networks; (ii) We design the corresponding link prediction algorithm, which can not only testify our hypothesis, but also find out direct applications in missing link prediction and friendship recommendation. PMID:23408979

Reward and vocal production: song-associated place preference in songbirds.

PubMed

Riters, Lauren V; Stevenson, Sharon A

2012-05-15

Vocal production is crucial for successful social interactions in multiple species. Reward can strongly influence behavior; however, the extent to which reward systems influence vocal behavior is unknown. In songbirds, singing occurs in different contexts. It can be spontaneous and undirected (e.g., song produced alone or as part of a large flock) or directed towards a conspecific (e.g., song used to attract a mate or influence a competitor). In this study, we developed a conditioned place preference paradigm to measure reward associated with different types of singing behavior in two songbird species. Both male zebra finches and European starlings developed a preference for a chamber associated with production of undirected song, suggesting that the production of undirected song is tightly coupled to intrinsic reward. In contrast, neither starlings nor zebra finches developed a place preference in association with directed song; however, male starlings singing directed song that failed to attract a female developed a place aversion. Unsuccessful contact calling behavior was also associated with a place aversion. These findings suggest that directed vocal behavior is not tightly linked to intrinsic reward but may be externally reinforced by social interactions. Data across two species thus support the hypothesis that the production of undirected but not directed song is tightly coupled to intrinsic reward. This study is the first to identify song-associated reward and suggests that reward associated with vocal production differs depending upon the context in which communication occurs. The findings have implications for understanding what motivates animals to engage in social behaviors and ways in which distinct reward mechanisms function to direct socially appropriate behaviors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Consumer-Oriented Health Care Reform Strategies: A Review of the Evidence on Managed Competition and Consumer-Directed Health Insurance

PubMed Central

Buchmueller, Thomas C

2009-01-01

Context: For many years, leading health care reform proposals have been based on market-oriented strategies. In the 1990s, a number of reform proposals were built around the concept of “managed competition,” but more recently, “consumer-directed health care” models have received attention. Although price-conscious consumer demand plays a critical role in both the managed competition and consumer-directed health care models, the two strategies are based on different visions of the health care marketplace and the best way to use market forces to achieve greater systemwide efficiencies. Methods: This article reviews the research literature that tests the main hypotheses concerning the two policy strategies. Findings: Numerous studies provide consistent evidence that consumers’ health plan choices are sensitive to out-of-pocket premiums. The elasticity of demand appears to vary with consumers’ health risk, with younger, healthier individuals being more price sensitive. This heterogeneity increases the potential for adverse selection. Biased risk selection also is a concern when the menu of health plan options includes consumer-directed health plans. Several studies confirm that such plans tend to attract healthier enrollees. A smaller number of studies test the main hypothesis regarding consumer-directed health plans, which is that they result in lower medical spending than do more generous plans. These studies find little support for this claim. Conclusions: The experiences of employers that have adopted key elements of managed competition are generally consistent with the key hypotheses underlying that strategy. Research in this area, however, has focused on only a narrow range of questions. Because consumer-directed health care is such a recent phenomenon, research on this strategy is even more limited. Additional studies on both topics would be valuable. PMID:20021587

Dark matter directionality revisited with a high pressure xenon gas detector

DOE PAGES

Mohlabeng, Gopolang; Kong, Kyoungchul; Li, Jin; ...

2015-07-20

An observation of the anisotropy of dark matter interactions in a direction-sensitive detector would provide decisive evidence for the discovery of galactic dark matter. Directional information would also provide a crucial input to understanding its distribution in the local Universe. Most of the existing directional dark matter detectors utilize particle tracking methods in a low-pressure gas time projection chamber. These low pressure detectors require excessively large volumes in order to be competitive in the search for physics beyond the current limit. In order to avoid these volume limitations, we consider a novel proposal, which exploits a columnar recombination effect inmore » a high-pressure gas time projection chamber. The ratio of scintillation to ionization signals observed in the detector carries the angular information of the particle interactions. In this paper, we investigate the sensitivity of a future directional detector focused on the proposed high-pressure Xenon gas time projection chamber. We study the prospect of detecting an anisotropy in the dark matter velocity distribution. We find that tens of events are needed to exclude an isotropic distribution of dark matter interactions at 95% confidence level in the most optimistic case with head-to-tail information. However, one needs at least 10-20 times more events without head-to-tail information for light dark matter below ~50 GeV. For an intermediate mass range, we find it challenging to observe an anisotropy of the dark matter distribution. Our results also show that the directional information significantly improves precision measurements of dark matter mass and the elastic scattering cross section for a heavy dark matter.« less

Whither CRM? Future directions in Crew Resource Management training in the cockpit and elsewhere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, Robert L.

1993-01-01

The past decade has shown worldwide adoption of human factors training in civil aviation, now known as Crew Resource Management (CRM). The shift in name from cockpit to crew reflects a growing trend to extend the training to other components of the aviation system including flight attendants, dispatchers, maintenance personnel, and Air Traffic Controllers. The paper reports findings and new directions in research into human factors.

Mine or Theirs, Where Do Users Go? A Comparison of E-Journal Usage at the OhioLINK Electronic Journal Center Platform versus the Elsevier ScienceDirect Platform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Juleah

2015-01-01

This research provides librarians with a model for assessing and predicting which platforms patrons will use to access the same content, specifically comparing usage at the Ohio Library and Information Network (OhioLINK) Electronic Journal Center (EJC) and at Elsevier's ScienceDirect from 2007 to 2013. Findings show that in the earlier years, the…

Cerberus to Mind: Media as Sentinel in the Fight against Terrorism

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

splits. First, unfiltered signals arrive directly at the amygdala . The amygdala , as the evolutionary and memory-induced warehouse of fear, makes a...and detailed evaluation. The cortically-processed sensory inputs then arrive at the amygdala (with a time detail relative to the direct inputs from...the victims themselves.[4] Terror and the Media Democratic nations must try to find ways to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of

[Future directions of molecular bone cell biology].

PubMed

Yoneda, T

2001-01-01

Introduction of genetic approaches using knockout and/or transgenic mice has produced many pieces of information that can't be obtained by conventional cell biological studies and profoundly advanced our understanding of bone biology and metabolism. Here, the author will first briefly summarize the current findings in the recent bone research and subsequently attempt to predict future directions to which bone research is going to proceed with a special emphasis of osteoclast and osteoblast biology.

Reynolds numbers exhibit dramatic influence on directionality of movement of self-propelled systems.

PubMed

Zhao, Guanjia; Pumera, Martin

2012-05-14

Self-propelled artificial objects are at the current forefront of research. We demonstrate here that the motion directionality of millimetre sized self-propelled objects is highly dependent on the Reynolds numbers (Re) of the systems, with emphasis on the "intermediate" Re region (1-600). Our findings have strong implication on the motion controllability and predictability of these independent self-propelled systems. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2012

Research Area 3: Mathematics (3.1 Modeling of Complex Systems)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-31

RESEARCH AREA 3: MATHEMATICS (3.1 Modeling of Complex Systems). Proposal should be directed to Dr. John Lavery The views, opinions and/or findings...so designated by other documentation. 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS (ES) U.S. Army Research Office P.O. Box 12211 Research ...Title: RESEARCH AREA 3: MATHEMATICS (3.1 Modeling of Complex Systems). Proposal should be directed to Dr. John Lavery Report Term: 0-Other Email

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

Ramaswamy, B.; Algarin, J. M.; Waks, E., E-mail: edowaks@umd.edu

We demonstrate that spin transfer torque nano-oscillators (STNO) can act as wireless sensors for local current. The STNO acts as a transducer that converts weak direct currents into microwave field oscillations that we detect using an inductive coil. We detect direct currents in the range of 300–700 μA and report them wirelessly to a receiving induction coil at distances exceeding 6.5 mm. This current sensor could find application in chemical and biological sensing and industrial inspection.

Grandparents' resources and grandchildren's schooling: Does grandparental involvement moderate the grandparent effect?

PubMed

Bol, Thijs; Kalmijn, Matthijs

2016-01-01

Recent studies have argued that grandparents have a direct effect on grandchildren's achievements, net of parental resources. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. One explanation is that grandchildren can benefit from the cultural resources that grandparents transmit to their grandchildren. If this is the case, one would expect strong effects in families where grandparents are highly involved in the lives of their grandchildren and weak or no effects in other families. Using new nationally representative survey data on three generations in the Netherlands, we examine if and how grandchildren's educational attainment is affected by three grandparental resources: education, occupational status, and cultural resources. We explore how these effects vary by the strength of the tie between grandparent and grandchild. We find no evidence for a main direct grandparental effect, nor do we find interactions with the strength of the tie between grandparent and grandchild. These null-findings are discussed in light of the mixed body of evidence that has been accumulated in the literature and contemporary theorizing on grandparenting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Cellular Automata for Parking Recommendations in Smart Environments

PubMed Central

Horng, Gwo-Jiun

2014-01-01

In this work, we propose an innovative adaptive recommendation mechanism for smart parking. The cognitive RF module will transmit the vehicle location information and the parking space requirements to the parking congestion computing center (PCCC) when the driver must find a parking space. Moreover, for the parking spaces, we use a cellular automata (CA) model mechanism that can adjust to full and not full parking lot situations. Here, the PCCC can compute the nearest parking lot, the parking lot status and the current or opposite driving direction with the vehicle location information. By considering the driving direction, we can determine when the vehicles must turn around and thus reduce road congestion and speed up finding a parking space. The recommendation will be sent to the drivers through a wireless communication cognitive radio (CR) model after the computation and analysis by the PCCC. The current study evaluates the performance of this approach by conducting computer simulations. The simulation results show the strengths of the proposed smart parking mechanism in terms of avoiding increased congestion and decreasing the time to find a parking space. PMID:25153671

Sentencing convicted juvenile felony offenders in the adult court: the direct effects of race.

PubMed

Howell, Rebecca J; Hutto, Tonya Spicer

2012-01-01

While research indicates that Black and Hispanic adults sentenced in the criminal court tend to be rendered more severe punishments than their White counterparts, only one prior study has examined whether this finding holds for juveniles tried in the adult system. The findings from this sole study need replication, however, since the effects posed by trial type were not taken into account and it is likely that the results are confounded by measurement error resulting from overlap in criminal sentencing. The current study addressed these issues by assessing whether race has a direct impact on waived juveniles being criminally sentenced to restitution, probation, or jail. Data were derived from a secondary, cross-sectional national dataset on felony juvenile offenders convicted in the adult system. Three hypotheses were tested. After controlling for a number of important legal and extra-legal predictors of sentencing, race differences in sentencing outcomes were observed and the findings yielded partial support for the hypotheses. The implications of the research are noted. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Child and Interviewer Race in Forensic Interviewing.

PubMed

Fisher, Amy K; Mackey, Tomiko D; Langendoen, Carol; Barnard, Marie

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential effect of child race and interviewer race on forensic interviewing outcomes. The results of the regression analysis indicated that child race and interviewer race had a significant effect on interview outcome category (no findings, inconclusive, or findings consistent with sexual abuse). Furthermore, the results indicate that the interaction of child and interviewer race had predictive value for rates of findings consistent with sexual abuse but not in the direction predicted. Cross-race dyads had significantly higher rates of interview outcomes consistent with sexual abuse. These findings suggest that more research into the effect of race on disclosure of child sexual abuse is needed.

Advance care directives

MedlinePlus

... order on your medical chart. Fill out an organ donation card and carry it in your wallet. Keep ... your important papers. You can find out about organ donation from your provider. You can also have this ...

Baked Tilapia with Tomatoes

MedlinePlus

... onion, diced 1 tablespoon lime juice Parsley and lemon wedges for garnish Directions Preheat oven to 400 ° ... with a fork. Garnish with parsley and a lemon wedge. Find more delicious heart healthy recipes from ...

The Use of Post-Purchase Communication to Reduce Dissonance and Improve Direct Marketing Effectiveness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milliman, Ronald E.; Decker, Phillip J.

1990-01-01

Demonstrates the use and potentially positive effects of postpurchase communication on order refund requests and reorder rates. Finds that dissonance was effectively reduced through postpurchase communication. (MG)

An uncertain future for lightning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, Lee T.

2018-03-01

The most commonly used method for representing lightning in global atmospheric models generally predicts lightning increases in a warmer world. A new scheme finds the opposite result, directly challenging the predictive skill of an old stalwart.