Perspectives of patients with haematological cancer on how clinicians meet their information needs: "Managing" information versus "giving" it.

PubMed

Atherton, Kirsten; Young, Bridget; Kalakonda, Nagesh; Salmon, Peter

2018-03-23

Practitioners treating patients with haematological cancers have extensive clinical information available to give to patients, and patients need to be informed. However, many patients want to be protected from having information that is too detailed or threatening. To illuminate how practitioners can address this dilemma and help patients feel appropriately informed, we explored patients' experience of feeling informed or uninformed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 patients who had been diagnosed with haematological cancer and had recently received results from clinical investigations or from evaluations of treatment response. Inductive and interpretive analysis of the transcribed audio-recorded interviews drew on constant comparison. Patients described the need for practitioners carefully to manage the information that they provided, and many felt alarmed by information that they did not experience as having been managed for them. A few patients who had difficulty trusting practitioners were not content with the information provided. These findings can be understood using attachment theory, whereby practitioners' careful management of information demonstrates their care for patients, and patients' trust in the practitioner enables them to feel informed. It follows that, when patients do not feel informed, the solution will not necessarily be more information but might be to help patients feel more secure in a caring clinical relationship. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Information Hiding In Digital Video Using DCT, DWT and CvT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abed Shukur, Wisam; Najah Abdullah, Wathiq; Kareem Qurban, Luheb

2018-05-01

The type of video that used in this proposed hiding a secret information technique is .AVI; the proposed technique of a data hiding to embed a secret information into video frames by using Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and Curvelet Transform (CvT). An individual pixel consists of three color components (RGB), the secret information is embedded in Red (R) color channel. On the receiver side, the secret information is extracted from received video. After extracting secret information, robustness of proposed hiding a secret information technique is measured and obtained by computing the degradation of the extracted secret information by comparing it with the original secret information via calculating the Normalized cross Correlation (NC). The experiments shows the error ratio of the proposed technique is (8%) while accuracy ratio is (92%) when the Curvelet Transform (CvT) is used, but compared with Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), the error rates are 11% and 14% respectively, while the accuracy ratios are (89%) and (86%) respectively. So, the experiments shows the Poisson noise gives better results than other types of noises, while the speckle noise gives worst results compared with other types of noises. The proposed technique has been established by using MATLAB R2016a programming language.

The information needs of women who have undergone breast reconstruction. Part II: Information giving and content of information.

PubMed

Wolf, Lisa

2004-12-01

Women diagnosed with breast cancer treated by mastectomy can choose breast reconstruction. The information needs of women undergoing this procedure have only been addressed in the research literature to a limited extent. A qualitative approach was used to explore the experiences of women who had undergone breast reconstruction with a specific focus on their views on how they considered their information needs could best be met. A purposeful sample of eight women was recruited to participate in two focus groups, each lasting 2 hours. Framework analysis was used to develop an index of key themes and sub themes which transformed the data into a structured record which facilitated systematic analysis. This paper will present the emergent key themes regarding information giving and the content of information that women perceive as important when preparing for breast reconstruction. Process, delivery and patient factors are presented in the category of information giving. Several sub themes are discussed concerning the content of information considered to be relevant. Those involved in imparting information to women about such surgery should be aware of the type of information that is considered relevant, the manner in which it should be delivered and timing factors that implicate on the process.

An evaluation of "informed consent" with volunteer prisoner subjects.

PubMed

Marini, J L; Sheard, M H; Bridges, C I

1976-11-01

"Informed consent" sets a goal for investigators experimenting with human subjects, but little is known about how to achieve or evaluate it in an experiment. In a 3-year, double-blind study with incarcerated men, we attempted to provide a "free and informed consent" and evaluated our efforts with an unannounced questionnaire administered to subjects after they completed the experiment. At that time, approximately two-thirds had sufficient information for an informed consent, but only one-third was well informed about all key aspects of the experiment and one-third was insufficiently informed to give an informed consent. We found that institution- or study-based coercion was minimal in our experiment. From our evaluation of the questionnaire and experience at the study institution, we conclude that an experiment with human subjects should be designed to include an ongoing evaluation of informed consent, and active attempts should be made to avoid or minimize coercive inducements. Experiments with significant risk, which require a long duration and/or large sample size relative to the institution's population, should probably not be performed on prisoner subjects. The experimenter should be independent of the penal institution's power structure. Presenting and explaining a consent form to volunteers on one occasion is probably an in adequate procedure for obtaining and maintaining an informed consent.

Informing nurses of the lived experience of acupuncture treatment: a phenomenological account.

PubMed

Griffiths, Viv; Taylor, Bev

2005-05-01

Acupuncture is a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine, focusing on a holistic, energy-based approach to the individual, rather than a disease-oriented, diagnostic, and treatment model. Nurses are increasingly involving themselves in the use of acupuncture as practitioners and as supporters of acupuncture in mainstream health care. This project described the lived experience of acupuncture treatment, with specific objectives to: inform nurses of people's experiences of having acupuncture; give nurses the language to explain to patients the experience of having acupuncture; and create possibilities for offering acupuncture as an informed choice of treatment in nursing and health care. The phenomenon of experiencing acupuncture was located within the participants' accounts of what it was like for them before, during, and after treatment.

Microcomputers for Young Children: Procedures and Practices in the Laboratory Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Betty Ruth

These guidelines are designed to give preservice teachers information to use in selecting techniques and planning learning experiences for young children in the microcomputer laboratory. The main purpose of this laboratory experience is for children to develop computer awareness/literacy and keyboard knowledge, and to improve skills in following…

“It’s alright to ask for help”: findings from a qualitative study exploring the information and support needs of family carers at the end of life

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Family carers play an essential role in providing end-of-life care to their relatives but have been found to experience uncertainty and a lack of confidence in fulfilling their caregiving roles, prompting recent calls for educational or information based resources to be developed for carers. Methods We carried out four focus groups with Clinical Nurse Specialists, healthcare assistants, former and current carers at a hospice in the UK, to explore the information and support needs of family carers. Results Our findings support previous research by highlighting a number of care situations where carers experience uncertainty and could seemingly benefit from greater information or instruction. Three main themes were identified which reflected carer experiences and needs in relation to potential information giving or educational interventions. These have been described as the knowledge and competence of carers; the preparedness of carers and low levels of carer identification with, and confidence in their roles as ‘carers’, which influences help seeking behaviours; and in turn how potential supportive interventions might be received by carers. Conclusions Family carers experience multiple needs for information and education, but meeting these needs remains a challenge. Our results suggest three domains which could underpin this type of intervention: developing knowledge and competence; facilitating preparedness; supporting role recognition and confidence building. We recommend an integrated information giving approach which addresses these domains by combining a resource pack for carers with a more explicit acknowledging role for health professionals. Together these could provide key information and also build confidence amongst family carers to ask for further support and advice as needed. PMID:24742046

Nutrition and Musculoskeletal Function: Skylab Experiment Series Number M070

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raumbaut, P. C.

1972-01-01

The M070 experiments are expected to give medical investigators precise information on a variety of biochemical changes occurring during exposure to space flight. Sufficient control data are being generated by baseline studies to differentiate those effects that are caused by weightless flight and those that are caused by other abnormal conditions that normally accompany spaceflight.

Experiences among Beginning Special Education Teachers in General Education Settings: The Influence of School Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strogilos, Vasilis; Nikolaraizi, Magda; Tragoulia, Eleni

2012-01-01

In this study 20 beginning special education teachers were asked to describe their experiences in general education settings. To provide data, each teacher completed approximately three electronic reflective journals during a school year and also participated in a phone interview, which was aimed to give in-depth information regarding the…

Egocentrism in language and space perception: an examination of the concept.

PubMed

Houssiadas, L; Brown, L B

1980-05-01

Piaget's original work on egocentricity in language and thought and in the perception of space is reviewed, and various criticisms of his findings are summarized. It is argued that in these "experiments" children are often presented with unnatural problems, in situations of which they have had no prior experience. When deprived of customary cues they give poorly considered responses which are assessed as "egocentric." In everyday social interaction even very young children can give "decentered" responses, so the solution to Pigget's problem of egocentricity might be found in social awareness as much as in cognitive abilities and the processing of information.

Fidelity between Gaussian mixed states with quantum state quadrature variances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hai-Long, Zhang; Chun, Zhou; Jian-Hong, Shi; Wan-Su, Bao

2016-04-01

In this paper, from the original definition of fidelity in a pure state, we first give a well-defined expansion fidelity between two Gaussian mixed states. It is related to the variances of output and input states in quantum information processing. It is convenient to quantify the quantum teleportation (quantum clone) experiment since the variances of the input (output) state are measurable. Furthermore, we also give a conclusion that the fidelity of a pure input state is smaller than the fidelity of a mixed input state in the same quantum information processing. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2013CB338002) and the Foundation of Science and Technology on Information Assurance Laboratory (Grant No. KJ-14-001).

Using the Experience of a Lifetime. NOWIS: An Employer-to-Employer Data Base of Programs Utilizing Experienced Workers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of Retired Persons, Washington, DC. Work Force Programs Dept.

This publication gives examples of employment programs for experienced workers taken from the National Older Workers Information System (NOWIS), a computerized system of information on more than 140 experienced worker employment programs in public and private sector organizations. (Maintained by the Business Partnerships Program of the American…

Mental Capacity to Consent to Research? Experiences of Consenting Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and/or Autism to Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Jahnese; Ingham, Barry; McKinnon, Iain; Parr, Jeremy R.; Tam, Louise Yuen-Chong; Le Couteur, Ann

2017-01-01

Background: Adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism are often excluded from participating in health and healthcare research. Understanding study information, which is an important aspect of demonstrating capacity to give informed consent, can be a particular challenge. This study surveyed clinical researchers to discover: (i) their…

Educating Educators: Perceptions of Preceptors and Clinical Education Coordinators Regarding Training at a Division II Athletic Training Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bomar, Renae Ellen; Mulvihill, Thalia

2016-01-01

Context: Clinical experiences give the student athletic trainer the opportunity to relate and apply didactic information to a real-world setting. During these experiences student athletic trainers are supervised by certified, licensed health care providers working in a variety of settings (e.g., hospital, physical therapy clinic, doctor's office).…

Experimental Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger-Type Six-Photon Quantum Nonlocality.

PubMed

Zhang, Chao; Huang, Yun-Feng; Wang, Zhao; Liu, Bi-Heng; Li, Chuan-Feng; Guo, Guang-Can

2015-12-31

Quantum nonlocality gives us deeper insight into quantum physics. In addition, quantum nonlocality has been further recognized as an essential resource for device-independent quantum information processing in recent years. Most experiments of nonlocality are performed using a photonic system. However, until now, photonic experiments of nonlocality have involved at most four photons. Here, for the first time, we experimentally demonstrate the six-photon quantum nonlocality in an all-versus-nothing manner based on a high-fidelity (88.4%) six-photon Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state. Our experiment pushes multiphoton nonlocality studies forward to the six-photon region and might provide a larger photonic system for device-independent quantum information protocols.

Social learning strategies and predation risk: minnows copy only when using private information would be costly

PubMed Central

Webster, M.M; Laland, K.N

2008-01-01

Animals can acquire information from the environment privately, by sampling it directly, or socially, through learning from others. Generally, private information is more accurate, but expensive to acquire, while social information is cheaper but less reliable. Accordingly, the ‘costly information hypothesis’ predicts that individuals will use private information when the costs associated with doing so are low, but that they should increasingly use social information as the costs of using private information rise. While consistent with considerable data, this theory has yet to be directly tested in a satisfactory manner. We tested this hypothesis by giving minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus) a choice between socially demonstrated and non-demonstrated prey patches under conditions of low, indirect and high simulated predation risk. Subjects had no experience (experiment 1) or prior private information that conflicted with the social information provided by the demonstrators (experiment 2). In both experiments, subjects spent more time in the demonstrated patch than in the non-demonstrated patch, and in experiment 1 made fewer switches between patches, when risk was high compared with when it was low. These findings are consistent with the predictions of the costly information hypothesis, and imply that minnows adopt a ‘copy-when-asocial-learning-is-costly’ learning strategy. PMID:18755676

POS-Tagging for informal language (study in Indonesian tweets)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suryawati, Endang; Munandar, Devi; Riswantini, Dianadewi; Fatchuttamam Abka, Achmad; Arisal, Andria

2018-03-01

This paper evaluates Part-of-Speech Tagging for the formal Indonesian language can be used for the tagging process of Indonesian tweets. In this study, we add five additional tags which reflect to social media attributes to the existing original tagset. Automatic POS tagging process is done by stratified training process with 1000, 1600, and 1800 of annotated tweets. It shows that the process can achieve up to 66.36% accuracy. The experiment with original tagset gives slightly better accuracy (67.39%) than the experiment with five additional tags, but will lose important informations which given by the five additional tagset.POS-Tagging for Informal Language (Study in Indonesian Tweets).

Cometary Materials Originating from Interstellar Ices: Clues from Laboratory Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fresneau, A.; Abou Mrad, N.; d'Hendecourt, L. LS; Duvernay, F.; Flandinet, L.; Orthous-Daunay, F.-R.; Vuitton, V.; Thissen, R.; Chiavassa, T.; Danger, G.

2017-03-01

We use laboratory experiments to derive information on the chemistry occurring during the evolution of astrophysical ices from dense molecular clouds to interplanetary objects. Through a new strategy that consists of coupling very high resolution mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), we investigate the molecular content of the organic residues synthesized from different initial ice compositions. We also obtain information on the evolution of the soluble part of the residues after their over-irradiation. The results give insight into the role of water ice as a trapping and diluting agent during the chemical evolution. They also give information about the importance of the amount of ammonia in such ices, particularly regarding its competition with the carbon chemistry. All of these results allow us to build a first mapping of the evolution of soluble organic matter based on its chemical and physical history. Furthermore, our results suggest that interstellar ices should lead to organic materials enriched in heteroatoms that present similarities with cometary materials but strongly differ from meteoritic organic material, especially in their C/N ratios.

Is Substance Abuse an Issue for Creative People?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mabee, Bev

1985-01-01

The author proposes a model for lessons on substance abuse that gives children alternative ways to satisfy the natural desire for altered states of consciousness. The model incorporates stages of progressive relaxation, visualization/guided fantasy, sensory experiences, information, and experimentation. (CL)

An Investigation of the Characteristics of the Enzyme Thrombin, Suitable for Classwork

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blofield, B. Ann

1972-01-01

Shows how a simple investigation of the enzyme, thrombin, can provide a series of experiments giving information on enzyme characteristics. The results also provide a basis for discussion of the coagulation mechanism and related phenomena. (Author/AL)

Integrated image presentation of transmission and fluorescent X-ray CT using synchrotron radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeniya, T.; Takeda, T.; Yu, Q.; Hasegawa, Y.; Hyodo, K.; Yuasa, T.; Hiranaka, Y.; Itai, Y.; Akatsuka, T.

2001-07-01

We have developed a computed tomography (CT) system with synchrotron radiation (SR) to detect fluorescent X-rays and transmitted X-rays simultaneously. Both SR transmission X-ray CT (SR-TXCT) and SR fluorescent X-ray CT (SR-FXCT) can describe cross-sectional images with high spatial and contrast resolutions as compared to conventional CT. TXCT gives morphological information and FXCT gives functional information of organs. So, superposed display system for SR-FXCT and SR-TXCT images has been developed for clinical diagnosis with higher reliability. Preliminary experiment with brain phantom was carried out and the superposition of both images was performed. The superposed SR-CT image gave us both functional and morphological information easily with high reliability, thus demonstrating the usefulness of this system.

Money makes you reveal more: consequences of monetary cues on preferential disclosure of personal information

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, Sumitava; Manjaly, Jaison A.; Nargundkar, Maithilee

2013-01-01

With continuous growth in information aggregation and dissemination, studies on privacy preferences are important to understand what makes people reveal information about them. Previous studies have demonstrated that short-term gains and possible monetary rewards make people risk disclosing information. Given the malleability of privacy preferences and the ubiquitous monetary cues in daily lives, we measured the contextual effect of reminding people about money on their privacy disclosure preferences. In experiment 1, we found that priming money increased willingness to disclose their personal information that could be shared with an online shopping website. Beyond stated willingness, experiment 2 tested whether priming money increases propensity for actually giving out personal information. Across both experiments, we found that priming money increases both the reported willingness and the actual disclosure of personal information. Our results imply that not only do short-term rewards make people trade-off personal security and privacy, but also mere exposure to money increases self-disclosure. PMID:24273524

Money makes you reveal more: consequences of monetary cues on preferential disclosure of personal information.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Sumitava; Manjaly, Jaison A; Nargundkar, Maithilee

2013-01-01

With continuous growth in information aggregation and dissemination, studies on privacy preferences are important to understand what makes people reveal information about them. Previous studies have demonstrated that short-term gains and possible monetary rewards make people risk disclosing information. Given the malleability of privacy preferences and the ubiquitous monetary cues in daily lives, we measured the contextual effect of reminding people about money on their privacy disclosure preferences. In experiment 1, we found that priming money increased willingness to disclose their personal information that could be shared with an online shopping website. Beyond stated willingness, experiment 2 tested whether priming money increases propensity for actually giving out personal information. Across both experiments, we found that priming money increases both the reported willingness and the actual disclosure of personal information. Our results imply that not only do short-term rewards make people trade-off personal security and privacy, but also mere exposure to money increases self-disclosure.

["Soiuz-Apollo" experimental flight. Preliminary results of medicobiological studies, carried out during the flight of "Soiuz-19" spaceship].

PubMed

Vorob'ev, E I; Gazenko, O G; Gurovskiĭ, N N; Nefedov, Iu G; Egorov, B B

1976-01-01

The paper presents brief information on the Apollo-Soyuz test mission, its program biomedical investigations to be carried out in flight and specific medical aspects. It discusses the main tasks of the joint US-USSR experiments and Soviet experiments. It gives and analyzes preliminary results of medical monitoring and postflight examinations of the crew members.

Impaired emotional memory enhancement on recognition of pictorial stimuli in Alzheimer's disease: no influence of the nature of encoding.

PubMed

Chainay, Hanna; Sava, Alexandra; Michael, George A; Landré, Lionel; Versace, Rémy; Krolak-Salmon, Pierre

2014-01-01

There is some discrepancy in the results regarding emotional enhancement of memory (EEM) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Some studies report better retrieval of emotional information, especially positive, than neutral information. This observation is similar to the positivity effect reported in healthy older adults. It was suggested that this effect is due to privileged, deeper and more controlled processing of positive information. One way of testing this is to control both the intention to encode the information and the cognitive resources involved during encoding. Studies investigating EEM in AD patients did not systematically control the nature of encoding. Consequently, the purpose of our study was to examine EEM in AD while manipulating the nature of encoding. Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1 the intention to encode stimuli was manipulated by giving or not giving instructions to participants about the subsequent retrieval. In Experiment 2 cognitive resources involved during encoding were varied (low vs high). In both experiments participants performed immediate recognition task of negative, positive and neutral pictures. 41 mild AD patients and 44 older healthy adults participated in Exp. 1, and 17 mild AD patients and 20 older healthy adults participated in Exp. 2. AD patients did not present EEM. Positivity effect, better performance for positive than neutral and negative pictures was observed with older healthy adults. The data suggest that EEM is disturbed in mild AD patients, with respect to both negative and positive stimuli, at least concerning laboratory, not real-life material. They also suggest there is a positivity effect in healthy older adults and lend support to the idea that this effect is due to preferential cognitive processing of positive information in this population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-Confrontation of Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmuck, Richard A.

Simply presenting teachers with information about discrepancies between their ideal and their actual classroom performances does not, in itself, lead to constructive change. In part, this is because teachers confronted with such discrepancies experience dissonance which often gives rise to anxiety. This paper discusses the psychological processes…

Emergency research without consent under Polish law.

PubMed

Rózyńska, Joanna; Czarkowski, Marek

2007-09-01

Although Directive 2001/20/EC of the European Parliament and of Council of 4 April 2001 on the approximation of the laws regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the implementation of good clinical practice in the conduct of clinical trials on medicinal products for human use does not contain an exception for emergency situations, and requires the informed consent of a legal representative in all cases where research is conducted on legally competent individuals who are unable to give informed consent, in Poland, emergency research can be conducted without consent. Polish regulations on emergency research can hardly be treated as a result of intentional legislative policy. Our provisions arise from multiple and sophisticated interpretations of different regulations that govern medical experiments on human subjects and clinical trials. These interpretations can be summarized as follows: (1) There are two categories of medical experiments: therapeutic and non-therapeutic experiments. Emergency research without consent may be conducted in the category of therapeutic experiment only (therapeutic experiment consists of the introduction by the physician of new or only partially proven diagnostic, therapeutic or preventive methods in order to achieve direct benefit to the health of the patients, and it can be carried out when hitherto applied methods were ineffective or their effectiveness was insufficient). (2). Emergency research may be conducted without consent if there is a situation of great urgency in which the research subject's life is in danger and there is no possibility of obtaining immediate consent from the research subject him or herself, or from his or her legal representative or guardianship court, and the research subject has not refused to give consent for the participation in an emergency therapeutic experiment. The legal representative or guardianship court shall be provided with all the relevant information concerning subject's participation in an experiment as soon as possible. All projects of emergency research with intent to be done without the research subject's consent must be approved by an independent bioethics committee. Because these five requirements seem to provide insufficient protection for a subject's autonomy and rights it is necessary to add to them two other conditions: (1) the emergency research could not be conducted using other research participants capable of giving informed consent; and (2) informed consent for continued participation in the emergency research shall be obtained from either the participant him or herself or the legally authorized representative as soon as possible (requirement of obtaining deferred consent). A consolidated single Act that will govern all aspects of medical experiments on human subjects, including emergency research, should be prepared and enacted as soon as possible.

Women's experiences of social support during the first year following primary breast cancer surgery.

PubMed

Drageset, Sigrunn; Lindstrøm, Torill Christine; Giske, Tove; Underlid, Kjell

2016-06-01

The aim of this qualitative follow-up study was to describe women's individual experiences of social support during their first year after primary breast cancer surgery. Individual semi-structured interviews with 10 women 1 year after surgery analysed by Kvales' meaning condensation method. Sharing experiences, being understood as an individual, continuity, and information and explanations were themes identified. Sharing mutual experiences increased the women's knowledge regarding cancer, increased experience of support and minimised rumination. After 1 year, the women felt that the network around them had 'normalised' and was less supportive. Being seen as a person, not as 'a diagnosis being treated', and continuity of professional support were important, giving feelings of security and trust. The women felt uncertainty after loss of professional support post-treatment. Information and explanations regarding treatment and treatment-related problems were essential. Mutual sharing of experiences is an important part of social support. Continuity, availability, information and respect were essential aspects of experienced professional support. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Problems in deceptive medical procedures: an ethical and legal analysis of the administration of placebos

PubMed Central

Simmons, Beth

1978-01-01

The use of placebos in therapy or research poses ethical questions. What are the benefits and the costs in ethical terms of condoning deception of the patient or subject? What does the deception mean for the patient's or subject's right to give informed consent to his treatment? Doctors are rightly expected to disclose to their patient facts which would in their judgement best enable him to give informed consent to treatment. On occasion, the degree of this disclosure may be limited by the need to avoid hazarding the success of treatment of an unstable patient whose condition threatens his life, but doctors should have no right to withhold information just to prevent a patient refusing consent to therapy. No such limitation should apply in experiments where full disclosure must operate to enable the subject to give his informed consent. The potential medical benefits for the patient of placebo therapy have to be weighed against all the ethical costs of the deception and dishonesty involved, including the longer term repercussions on doctor/patient trust: similar ethical costs may arise in experiments involving the use of placebos without disclosure of this as a possibility to the subject. Deception is ethically degrading to both parties not only being a breach of trust, but denying the moral autonomy of the patient or subject to make his own choice. The writer concludes that placebos should be used only with full disclosure and consent whether in therapy or in research, and that this need not impede the success of either. PMID:739513

Lunar surface gravimeter experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giganti, J. J.; Larson, J. V.; Richard, J. P.; Tobias, R. L.; Weber, J.

1977-01-01

The lunar surface gravimeter used the moon as an instrumented antenna to search for gravitational waves predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity. Tidal deformation of the moon was measured. Gravitational radiation is a channel that is capable of giving information about the structure and evolution of the universe.

Exploiting the Lichen Liaison.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raham, R. Gary

1978-01-01

For teachers in search of an easily obtainable, readily dissectable, and unique living specimen to arouse the interest of their students and illustrate important biological principles, lichens are the perfect selection. Background information and experiments on lichen anatomy, physiology, and chemistry are given. An appendix gives culture media.…

Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory Safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luckenbaugh, Raymond W.

1996-11-01

Each organic chemistry student should become familiar with the educational and governmental laboratory safety requirements. One method for teaching laboratory safety is to assign each student to locate safety resources for a specific class laboratory experiment. The student should obtain toxicity and hazardous information for all chemicals used or produced during the assigned experiment. For example, what is the LD50 or LC50 for each chemical? Are there any specific hazards for these chemicals, carcinogen, mutagen, teratogen, neurotixin, chronic toxin, corrosive, flammable, or explosive agent? The school's "Chemical Hygiene Plan", "Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in the Laboratory" (National Academy Press), and "Laboratory Standards, Part 1910 - Occupational Safety and Health Standards" (Fed. Register 1/31/90, 55, 3227-3335) should be reviewed for laboratory safety requirements for the assigned experiment. For example, what are the procedures for safe handling of vacuum systems, if a vacuum distillation is used in the assigned experiment? The literature survey must be submitted to the laboratory instructor one week prior to the laboratory session for review and approval. The student should then give a short presentation to the class on the chemicals' toxicity and hazards and describe the safety precautions that must be followed. This procedure gives the student first-hand knowledge on how to find and evaluate information to meet laboartory safety requirements.

The Art of Giving Online Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leibold, Nancyruth; Schwarz, Laura Marie

2015-01-01

The cultivation of providing online feedback that is positive, effective, and enhances the learning experience is a valuable educator skill. Acquisition of the art of providing feedback is through education, practice, and faculty development. This article provides information about the best practices for delivering online feedback to learners. An…

Reptiles and amphibians of the Savannah River Plant

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

Gibbons, J.W.; Patterson, K.K.

1978-11-01

Taxonomic, distributional, and ecological information on the reptiles and amphibians of the Savannah River Plant (SRP) is provided. The purpose of such a presentation is to give a professional biologist an initial familiarity with herpetology on the SRP, and to provide sufficient comprehensive information to an ecologist, regardless of his experience in herpetology, to permit him to undertake studies that in some manner incorporate the herpetofauna of the SRP. (ERB)

A Fuzzy ARTMAP Approach To The Incorporation Of Chromatographic Retention Time Information To An MS Based E-Nose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burian, Cosmin; Brezmes, Jesus; Vinaixa, Maria; Llobet, Eduard; Vilanova, Xavier; Cañellas, Nicolau; Correig, Xavier

2009-05-01

This paper presents the work done with Fuzzy ARTMAP neural networks in order to improve the performance of mass spectrometry-based electronic noses using the time retention of a chromatographic column as additional information. Solutions of nine isomers of dimethylphenols and ethylphenols were used in this experiment. The gas chromatograph mass spectrometer response was analyzed with an in-house developed Fuzzy ARTMAP neural network, showing that the combined information (GC plus MS) gives better results than MS information alone.

OPEX: Optimized Eccentricity Computation in Graphs

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

Henderson, Keith

2011-11-14

Real-world graphs have many properties of interest, but often these properties are expensive to compute. We focus on eccentricity, radius and diameter in this work. These properties are useful measures of the global connectivity patterns in a graph. Unfortunately, computing eccentricity for all nodes is O(n2) for a graph with n nodes. We present OPEX, a novel combination of optimizations which improves computation time of these properties by orders of magnitude in real-world experiments on graphs of many different sizes. We run OPEX on graphs with up to millions of links. OPEX gives either exact results or bounded approximations, unlikemore » its competitors which give probabilistic approximations or sacrifice node-level information (eccentricity) to compute graphlevel information (diameter).« less

Disability and the Family in South Wales Coalfield Society, c.1920–1939

PubMed Central

Curtis, Ben; Thompson, Steven

2017-01-01

This article utilises the south Wales coalfield in the interwar period as a case study to illustrate the applicability of two sociological theories – family systems theory and the social ecology of the family – to impairment in the past. It demonstrates that a theoretically-informed approach can help to situate impairment in its particular contexts, most especially the family and the community, and give a better sense of the lived experience of disability. It also demonstrates the complexity of the experience of disability as the family and economic circumstances of each impaired individual varied and led to different forms of care-giving or the utilisation of different sources of support. The article also sheds further light on the ubiquity of disability as many families included a number of individuals with different impairments and this too had consequences for experiences and coping strategies. PMID:28706465

STS-106 Expedition 2 Crew Interview: Jim Voss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

Expedition 2 (the second resident crew of the International Space Station) Flight Engineer Jim Voss is seen being interviewed. He answers questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut and his career path. He gives details on the Space Shuttle mission and goals, including information on the spacewalks and transfer of Expedition crews, and discusses his upcoming stay on the International Space Station (ISS). Voss gives his thoughts on the international cooperation needed to successfully construct the ISS and some of the scientific experiments that will take place on the station.

Expedition 2 Crew Interview: Susan Helms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

Expedition 2 (the second resident crew of the International Space Station) Flight Engineer Susan Helms is seen being interviewed. She answers questions about her inspiration to become an astronaut and her career path. She gives details on the Space Shuttle mission and goals, including information on the spacewalks and transfer of Expedition crews, and discusses her upcoming stay on the International Space Station (ISS). Helms gives her thoughts on the international cooperation needed to successfully construct the ISS and some of the scientific experiments that will take place on the station.

Bibliography of Environmental Design References.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Univ., Madison. ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Facilities.

A bibliography on sources related to the structuring of the physical environment has been developed based on professional and classroom experience. This initial selection of journals, books, and unpublished papers gives an overview of man and the environmental conditions which are part of his daily living pattern. Information leading to design…

Tourette Syndrome: A Training Day for Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chowdhury, Uttom; Christie, Deborah

2002-01-01

This article describes a Tourette syndrome training day for teachers facilitated by members of the Tic Disorders Clinic at Great Ormond Street Hospital in England. The day provided a mix of information giving and discussion of current practice. Outcomes of the day are related to professional knowledge and experience. (Contains references.) (CR)

Sound Unwound

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Lia

2009-01-01

While podcasting initiatives may have come and gone in many libraries, it remains a powerful and accessible way to leverage emerging technology to make personal as well as practical connections with users. In this article, the author briefly discusses best practices in podcasting informed by her experience in public radio, which gives her a unique…

How Might "You"…? Seeking Inquiry in the Museum Studio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ecker, Hollie; Mostow, Sarah

2015-01-01

Hands-on workshops in museums have become ubiquitous. What is the best approach to leading these materials-based experiences and how might they relate to gallery teaching? This article outlines best practices for facilitating museum workshops. Describing a framework for designing activities, giving feedback, and sharing information, it draws…

Is Your Network Safe?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Cheryl S.; Krueger, Keith R.

2005-01-01

Most educators have little experience or expertise in cybersecurity. Yet, it is one of the most pressing vulnerabilities in today's society. Beyond simply being aware of this vulnerability, educational leaders must ask themselves: What is an effective strategy for managing cybersecurity concerns? Whom do you trust to give you the best information?…

Evaluating the Design and Development of an Adaptive E-Tutorial Module: A Rasch-Measurement Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barefah, Allaa; McKay, Elspeth

2016-01-01

Courseware designers aim to innovate information communications technology (ICT) tools to increase learning experiences, spending many hours developing eLearning programmes. This effort gives rise to a dynamic technological pedagogical environment. However, it is difficult to recognise whether these online programmes reflect an instructional…

MovementScapes as Ecomotricity in Ecopedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodrigues, Cae

2018-01-01

This elaboration of an ecopedagogy in movementscapes aims to present an empirically informed account of the concept of "ecomotricity" as manifested in the living body interacting in/with nature (human-and-other-than-human). This interaction is ludic (where pleasure or joy/happiness gives meaning to the lived experience) and ecological…

Experience Catalysts: Understanding How They Can Help Fill the Acquisition Experience Gap for the Department of Defense?

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-30

involvement before and after the training can have a significant impact on whether trainees use their newly developed skills” (Bassi & Russ- Eft , 1997). Other...motivation, cultural realities, learning self-efficacy, age, etc., that make a deterministic forecast more difficult (Bassi & Russ- Eft , 1997). Other...clo=fkclojba=`e^kdb==== - 280 - = = personnel can tap into freely. Give personnel easy access to key information sources of expertise. It

The value of information in a multi-agent market model. The luck of the uninformed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tóth, B.; Scalas, E.; Huber, J.; Kirchler, M.

2007-01-01

We present an experimental and simulated model of a multi-agent stock market driven by a double auction order matching mechanism. Studying the effect of cumulative information on the performance of traders, we find a non monotonic relationship of net returns of traders as a function of information levels, both in the experiments and in the simulations. Particularly, averagely informed traders perform worse than the non informed and only traders with high levels of information (insiders) are able to beat the market. The simulations and the experiments reproduce many stylized facts of tick-by-tick stock-exchange data, such as fast decay of autocorrelation of returns, volatility clustering and fat-tailed distribution of returns. These results have an important message for everyday life. They can give a possible explanation why, on average, professional fund managers perform worse than the market index.

Quantum Foundations of Quantum Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffiths, Robert

2009-03-01

The main foundational issue for quantum information is: What is quantum information about? What does it refer to? Classical information typically refers to physical properties, and since classical is a subset of quantum information (assuming the world is quantum mechanical), quantum information should--and, it will be argued, does--refer to quantum physical properties represented by projectors on appropriate subspaces of a quantum Hilbert space. All sorts of microscopic and macroscopic properties, not just measurement outcomes, can be represented in this way, and are thus a proper subject of quantum information. The Stern-Gerlach experiment illustrates this. When properties are compatible, which is to say their projectors commute, Shannon's classical information theory based on statistical correlations extends without difficulty or change to the quantum case. When projectors do not commute, giving rise to characteristic quantum effects, a foundation for the subject can still be constructed by replacing the ``measurement and wave-function collapse'' found in textbooks--an efficient calculational tool, but one giving rise to numerous conceptual difficulties--with a fully consistent and paradox free stochastic formulation of standard quantum mechanics. This formulation is particularly helpful in that it contains no nonlocal superluminal influences; the reason the latter carry no information is that they do not exist.

FIBER BRAGG GRATING SENSORS FOR LOCALIZED STRAIN MEASUREMENTS AT LOW TEMPERATURE AND IN HIGH MAGNETIC FIELD

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

Ramalingam, Rajinikumar

2010-04-09

Study of magnetostrictive effects in the bulk superconductors is very essential and can give more knowledge about the effects like namely, flux pinning induced strain, pincushion distortions in the magnets and so on. Currently used electro mechanical sensors are magnetic field dependent and can only give the global stress/strain information but not the local stress/strains. But the information like radius position dependent strain and characterisation of shape distortion in non cylindrical magnets are interesting. Wavelength encoded multiplexed fiber Bragg Grating sensors inscribed in one fiber gives the possibility to measure magentostrictive effects spatially resolved in low temperature and high magneticmore » field. This paper specifies the design and technology requirements to adapt FBG sensors for such an application. Also reports the experiments demonstrate the properties of glass FBG at low temperature (4.2 K) and the results of strain measurement at 4.2 K/8 T. The sensor exhibits a linear wavelength change for the strain change.« less

[Giving bad news in medicine: an exploratory study].

PubMed

Bascuñán, M L; Roizblatt, A; Roizblatt, D

2007-01-01

Giving bad news is inherent to the practice of medicine. Development of guidelines for this task has great value, although the orientations are only general and should be adapted to each case, allowing for the cultural idiosyncrasy of the people involved. the present study aims to explore common practices of giving bad news in different hospital services in Santiago-Chile. a qualitative methodology was applied through three focus groups with a sample of 33 physicians from two hospitals in Santiago-Chile. giving bad news is a frequent practice for which no training is given. It generates preoccupation and interest among professionals. There is no agreed procedure to communicate bad news. Each professional has had to develop his/her own way from his/her experience and observing others. Informing the patient is seen as an ethical duty, but in many cases it is not easy because of family pressure. Comments are made on different types of bad news, strategies for this communicational process and facilitators and barriers for it. Doctors' own professional past experience is a central factor in the way bad news is given, and so self-development mechanisms constitute an important challenge.

Uncovering psychosocial needs: perspectives of Australian child and family health nurses in a sustained home visiting trial.

PubMed

Kardamanidis, Katina; Kemp, Lynn; Schmied, Virginia

2009-08-01

The first Australian trial of sustained nurse home visiting provided an opportunity to explore nurses' understanding of the situations that support mothers of infants to disclose personal and sensitive psychosocial information. Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcripts were analysed drawing upon aspects of Smith's interpretative phenomenological analysis. Five themes pertaining to the experience of relationship building to foster disclosure of sensitive information emerged: (1) building trust is an ongoing process of giving and giving in return, (2) being 'actively passive' to develop trust, (3) the client is in control of the trust-relationship, (4) the association between disclosure of sensitive issues and a trust-relationship, and (5) empowerment over disclosure. This study provides a deeper understanding of how child and family health nurses develop relationships that lead women to entrust the nurse with personal, sensitive information, and may inform the practice of psychosocial needs assessment in other contexts.

The BIG Bell Test: quantum physics experiments with direct public participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Morgan; Abellan, Carlos; Tura, Jordi; Garcia Matos, Marta; Hirschmann, Alina; Beduini, Federica; Pruneri, Valerio; Acin, Antonio; Marti, Maria; BIG Bell Test Collaboration

The BIG Bell Test is a suite of physics experiments - tests of quantum nonlocality, quantum communications, and related experiments - that use crowd-sourced human randomness as an experimental resource. By connecting participants - anyone with an internet connection - to state-of-the-art experiments on five continents, the project aims at two complementary goals: 1) to provide bits generated directly from human choices, a unique information resource, to physics experiments, and 2) to give the world public the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to quantum physics research. We also describe related outreach and educational efforts to spread awareness of quantum physics and its applications.

Designing a web-application to support home-based care of childhood CKD stages 3-5: qualitative study of family and professional preferences.

PubMed

Swallow, Veronica M; Hall, Andrew G; Carolan, Ian; Santacroce, Sheila; Webb, Nicholas J A; Smith, Trish; Hanif, Noreen

2014-02-18

There is a lack of online, evidence-based information and resources to support home-based care of childhood CKD stages 3-5. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with parents, patients and professionals to explore their views on content of the proposed online parent information and support (OPIS) web-application. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis, guided by the concept of Self-efficacy. 32 parents, 26 patients and 12 professionals were interviewed. All groups wanted an application that explains, demonstrates, and enables parental clinical care-giving, with condition-specific, continously available, reliable, accessible material and a closed communication system to enable contact between families living with CKD. Professionals advocated a regularly updated application to empower parents to make informed health-care decisions. To address these requirements, key web-application components were defined as: (i) Clinical care-giving support (information on treatment regimens, video-learning tools, condition-specific cartoons/puzzles, and a question and answer area) and (ii) Psychosocial support for care-giving (social-networking, case studies, managing stress, and enhancing families' health-care experiences). Developing a web-application that meets parents' information and support needs will maximise its utility, thereby augmenting parents' self-efficacy for CKD caregiving, and optimising outcomes. Self-efficacy theory provides a schema for how parents' self-efficacy beliefs about management of their child's CKD could potentially be promoted by OPIS.

An investigation into Ca-DNA conformation as a function of relative humidity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Megan Schwenker

Raman spectroscopy experiments on CaDNA free-standing, highly-ordered wet-spun films containing various concentrations of CaCl2 show that CaDNA does not adopt the A conformation and reveals a maximum of DNA in the B conformation at 80% relative humidity. Swelling experiments on these same films give information as to the intermolecular spacing between molecules. Finally, a proof of principle measurement of the activation enthalpy of guanosine is also given.

Neural underpinnings of the identifiable victim effect: affect shifts preferences for giving.

PubMed

Genevsky, Alexander; Västfjäll, Daniel; Slovic, Paul; Knutson, Brian

2013-10-23

The "identifiable victim effect" refers to peoples' tendency to preferentially give to identified versus anonymous victims of misfortune, and has been proposed to partly depend on affect. By soliciting charitable donations from human subjects during behavioral and neural (i.e., functional magnetic resonance imaging) experiments, we sought to determine whether and how affect might promote the identifiable victim effect. Behaviorally, subjects gave more to orphans depicted by photographs versus silhouettes, and their shift in preferences was mediated by photograph-induced feelings of positive arousal, but not negative arousal. Neurally, while photographs versus silhouettes elicited activity in widespread circuits associated with facial and affective processing, only nucleus accumbens activity predicted and could statistically account for increased donations. Together, these findings suggest that presenting evaluable identifiable information can recruit positive arousal, which then promotes giving. We propose that affect elicited by identifiable stimuli can compel people to give more to strangers, even despite costs to the self.

Students’ Experiences with Web-Based Alcohol Prevention: A Qualitative Evaluation of AlcoholEdu

PubMed Central

Nygaard, Peter; Paschall, Mallie J.

2015-01-01

Aim To provide more in-depth information about students’ experiences with AlcoholEdu and in particular to assess if students perceive that the course gives them tools to better control their drinking-related behavior. Methods Focus group interviews with freshmen at three California universities. Findings 1) The course provides so much information that everyone can find some of it relevant; 2) participants prefer information presented in ways they can identify with; 3) participants report problems with surveys in the program pointing to redundancy and length; and 4) participants did not expect the course to impact their behavior relating to alcohol. Conclusion AlcoholEdu provides valuable information for freshmen in college about how to avoid problems with alcohol. However, the course could have much more impact if closer to college reality. PMID:23185835

Portfolio Assessment Handbook. 1990-91.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas A. Edison State Coll., Trenton, NJ.

This handbook gives the adult student information to complete portfolios that are designed to help adult students earn college credits for outside experience. Portfolio assessment is a flexible and efficient way to earn college credit. Nearly any area of learning can be converted into credits as long as it is taught at a regionally accredited…

School/Business Partnerships: We Expanded the Idea into a Mutual-Benefit Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron, S. L.

1987-01-01

Describes a "mutual benefit" arrangement that expanded the school-business partnership model. Westfall Secondary School and an industrial operation in Owen Sound Ontario, Canada, linked their strengths and needs to offer students actual work and project experiences and to give the company useful information, services, and adult basic…

Let's Cooperate II: The Costs and Benefits of Cooperation Between Recreation/Park and Education Agencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Committee for Recreation/Education Cooperation, CA.

The ideas and the information in this handbook illustrate the experiences of local recreation and education agencies that started cooperative programs in the face of declining resources and increasing demand for improved services. Funding distribution in California usually gives schools financial latitude in facilities and transporation, while…

Preschool for Parents: What Every Parent Needs To Know about Preschool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodge, Diane Trister; Bickart, Toni S.

Noting that a high-quality preschool program is one that promotes learning through rich play experiences, this book gives parents information needed to select the right preschool for their children. Chapter 1, "Thinking about Preschool," discusses questions parents ask, practical considerations, beginning the search, and the screening phone call.…

A Qualitative Study on Transferring the Experience of Using Technology from Formal Education to Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Merve; Selim, Yavuz

2015-01-01

With improvements in information technologies, distance education programs have become widespread. Institutions that offer distance education programs are increasing in number. Scholars who were used to face-to-face teaching began to give courses in distance education programs which entail technological teaching methods, a new teaching experience…

A Hilbert Space Geometric Representation of Shared Awareness and Joint Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canan, Mustafa

2017-01-01

Two people in the same situation may ascribe very different meanings to their experiences. They will form different awareness, reacting differently to shared information. Various factors can give rise to this behavior. These factors include, but are not limited to, prior knowledge, training, biases, cultural factors, social factors, team vs.…

American Indian Children's Voices from Prison: School Days Remembered

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freed, Craig D.; Smith, Karen

2004-01-01

Perceptions of incarcerated American Indian youth were examined to give voice to their school experiences prior to adjudication. The purpose of the study was to examine what schools can do to help young American Indian students to avoid involvement in crime. Participants from fourteen states (N = 136) provided information related to their overall…

Electrical Experiments. VT-214-12-5. Part V. Transformers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Hartford. Div. of Vocational Education.

Designed for high school electronics students, this fifth document in a series of six electrical learning activity packages focuses on transformers. An introductory section gives the objective for the activities, an introduction, and an outline of the content. The remainder of the activity book is comprised of information sheets and job sheets on…

Electrical Experiments. VT-214-12-3. Part III. Basic Electronics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Hartford. Div. of Vocational Education.

Designed for high school electronics students, this third document in a series of six electrical learning activity packages focuses on basic electronics. An introductory section gives the objective for the activities, an introduction, and an outline of the content. The remainder of the activity book is comprised of information sheets and job…

Laboratory Experiences in Marine Biology for Upper Elementary and Secondary School Grades, Teachers Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raimist, Roger J.

Designed to assist the teacher who wishes to use marine organisms for biological laboratory investigations, this manual includes general information on maintaining marine aquaria and collecting marine organisms as well as five tested laboratory exercises. The exercises deal with the measurement of oxygen consumption (giving techniques for…

Meals without Squeals: Child Care Feeding Guide and Cookbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berman, Christine; Fromer, Jacki

Simple, straightforward information on child nutrition and growth is offered in this child care feeding guide and cookbook. The book contains clear, easy-to-read menus and recipes, provides solutions to common feeding problems, and shows ways to offer children positive learning experiences with food. Chapter 1 gives an overview to important issues…

The Colorado experience (evaluation and selection of hardware for automated, geo-based information systems)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sonnenl, D.

1981-01-01

A turnkey system which gives technical assistance to legislative redistricting and state census data affiliate activities is described. The procedures followed for the acquisition of the Colorado automated census mapping system are presented. Price and performance criteria of the system were examined and the system architecture is outlined.

The Doctor-Patient Relationship and Information-Seeking Behavior: Four Orientations to Cancer Communication.

PubMed

Adamson, Matthew; Choi, Kelsey; Notaro, Stephen; Cotoc, Crina

2018-04-01

In cancer communication, patients and physicians often understand a patient's experience and situation differently. This can negatively impact health outcomes and the physician-patient relationship. To explore how cancer patients' interpretations of the physician's role as information giver affect the communication relationship with the physician and their information-seeking behavior regarding different aspects of their cancer care. Participants completed a semistructured qualitative interview addressing their treatment experience and communication with their physician. Interviews were coded and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Ten patients with cancer treated at a regional cancer center in central Illinois participated in the study. Cancer stages I to IV and 4 cancer types were represented. Participants' orientations to the relationship with their physician (and their information-seeking behavior) were classified into 4 general categories: (1) "questioners" have a general mistrust toward their physicians and the information doctors are giving; (2) "the undecided" focuses on physician "fit," often requiring time to step away in order to make decisions and process information; (3) "cross-checkers" are concerned with content of their treatment protocol, often double-checking the treatment plan; and (4) "the experience-oriented" feel a gap between their experience and their physician's experience (and perspective), often seeking information from other survivors. All categories described a perceived lack of adequate exchange of information and the need to seek information outside of the physician-patient relationship to compensate. Participants exhibited different information-seeking behaviors based on how they interpreted the role of their physician as information giver. This affected what kind of information they sought and how they understood the information received, which in turn affected understanding of their broader experience and care.

Children's and adults' use of verbal information to visually anticipate others' actions: A study on explicit and implicit social-cognitive processing.

PubMed

Paulus, Markus; Schuwerk, Tobias; Sodian, Beate; Ganglmayer, Kerstin

2017-03-01

According to recent theories, social cognition is based on two different types of information-processing; an implicit or action-based one and an explicit or verbal one. The present study examined whether implicit and explicit social-cognitive information processing interact with each other by investigating young children's and adults' use of verbal (i.e., explicit) information to predict others' actions. Employing eye-tracking to measure anticipatory eye-movements as a measure of implicit processing, Experiment 1 presented 1.5-, 2.5-, and 3.5-year-old children as well as adults with agents who announced to move to either of two possible targets. The results show that only the 3.5-year-old children and adults, but not the 1.5- and 2.5-year-old children were able to use verbal information to correctly anticipate others' actions. Yet, Experiments 2 and 3 showed that 2.5-year-old children were able to use explicit information to give a correct explicit answer (Experiment 2) and that they were able to use statistical information to anticipate the other's actions (Experiment 3). Overall, the study is in line with theoretical claims that two types of information-processing underlie human social cognition. It shows that these two inform each other by 3years of age. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New approaches in teaching spectroscopy technique and application classes: history, experiments and frontier lectures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Qing; Zhuge, Minghua; Yuan, Bo

2017-08-01

Spectroscopy has a long history. The theory of is difficult for students to understand. So we want to improve the traditional teaching to some way of interesting experience combined with historical knowledge, practical application and development frontiers. We make use of all kinds of resources to get vivid information of big events of spectroscopy development in order to show students the specific process of some phenomenon. Meanwhile, students will be suggested to read all kinds of latest papers relevantly to obtain much more information about this discipline. Both in class and in lab, we lead students to do some very useful experiments and give them guidance. Through this practice, they will understand the theory much more deeply, especially they will know how to solve the problems in research.

Hierarchical mutual information for the comparison of hierarchical community structures in complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perotti, Juan Ignacio; Tessone, Claudio Juan; Caldarelli, Guido

2015-12-01

The quest for a quantitative characterization of community and modular structure of complex networks produced a variety of methods and algorithms to classify different networks. However, it is not clear if such methods provide consistent, robust, and meaningful results when considering hierarchies as a whole. Part of the problem is the lack of a similarity measure for the comparison of hierarchical community structures. In this work we give a contribution by introducing the hierarchical mutual information, which is a generalization of the traditional mutual information and makes it possible to compare hierarchical partitions and hierarchical community structures. The normalized version of the hierarchical mutual information should behave analogously to the traditional normalized mutual information. Here the correct behavior of the hierarchical mutual information is corroborated on an extensive battery of numerical experiments. The experiments are performed on artificial hierarchies and on the hierarchical community structure of artificial and empirical networks. Furthermore, the experiments illustrate some of the practical applications of the hierarchical mutual information, namely the comparison of different community detection methods and the study of the consistency, robustness, and temporal evolution of the hierarchical modular structure of networks.

A Simple XML Producer-Consumer Protocol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Warren; Gunter, Dan; Quesnel, Darcy

2000-01-01

This document describes a simple XML-based protocol that can be used for producers of events to communicate with consumers of events. The protocol described here is not meant to be the most efficient protocol, the most logical protocol, or the best protocol in any way. This protocol was defined quickly and it's intent is to give us a reasonable protocol that we can implement relatively easily and then use to gain experience in distributed event services. This experience will help us evaluate proposals for event representations, XML-based encoding of information, and communication protocols. The next section of this document describes how we represent events in this protocol and then defines the two events that we choose to use for our initial experiments. These definitions are made by example so that they are informal and easy to understand. The following section then proceeds to define the producer-consumer protocol we have agreed upon for our initial experiments.

Effect of descriptive information and experience on automation reliance.

PubMed

Yuviler-Gavish, Nirit; Gopher, Daniel

2011-06-01

The present research addresses the issue of reliance on decision support systems for the long-term (DSSLT), which help users develop decision-making strategies and long-term planning. It is argued that providing information about a system's future performance in an experiential manner, as compared with a descriptive manner, encourages users to increase their reliance level. Establishing appropriate reliance on DSSLT is contingent on the system developer's ability to provide users with information about the system's future performance. A sequence of three studies contrasts the effect on automation reliance of providing descriptive information versus experience for DSSLT with two different positive expected values of recommendations. Study I demonstrated that when automation reliance was determined solely on the basis of description, it was relatively low, but it increased significantly when a decision was made after experience with 50 training simulations. Participants were able to learn to increase their automation reliance levels when they encountered the same type of recommendation again. Study 2 showed that the absence of preliminary descriptive information did not affect the automation reliance levels obtained after experience. Study 3 demonstrated that participants were able to generalize their learning about increasing reliance levels to new recommendations. Using experience rather than description to give users information about future performance in DSSLT can help increase automation reliance levels. Implications for designing DSSLT and decision support systems in general are discussed.

Young's double-slit interference with two-color biphotons.

PubMed

Zhang, De-Jian; Wu, Shuang; Li, Hong-Guo; Wang, Hai-Bo; Xiong, Jun; Wang, Kaige

2017-12-12

In classical optics, Young's double-slit experiment with colored coherent light gives rise to individual interference fringes for each light frequency, referring to single-photon interference. However, two-photon double-slit interference has been widely studied only for wavelength-degenerate biphoton, known as subwavelength quantum lithography. In this work, we report double-slit interference experiments with two-color biphoton. Different from the degenerate case, the experimental results depend on the measurement methods. From a two-axis coincidence measurement pattern we can extract complete interference information about two colors. The conceptual model provides an intuitional picture of the in-phase and out-of-phase photon correlations and a complete quantum understanding about the which-path information of two colored photons.

Reaction Time in Grade 5: Data Collection within the Practice of Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Jane; English, Lyn

2017-01-01

This study reports on a classroom activity for Grade 5 students investigating their reaction times. The investigation was part of a 3-year research project introducing students to informal inference and giving them experience carrying out the practice of statistics. For this activity the focus within the practice of statistics was on introducing…

Early Childhood Bilingualism in the Montessori Children's House: Guessable Context and the Planned Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosanova, M. J.

The language immersion approach of the Intercultural Montessori School (Oak Park, Illinois) for children aged 2-6 years is described and discussed. An introductory section gives background information on early work with immersion by Maria Montessori, a personal experience leading to the school's establishment, and the response of language and…

Enhancing the revenue cycle experience for patients.

PubMed

Consolver, Patti; Phillips, Scott

2014-09-01

In 2013, Texas Health Resources began to record discussions with patients at each revenue cycle touch point, from scheduling through registration. The recordings give leaders insight on the accuracy and consistency of information communicated at each touch point and provide a tool for improving customer service. The initiative has improved patient satisfaction and increased point-of-service collections.

Effect of Psycho-Educational Training Program for Parent's Having Child with Leukemia on Their Experience and Psychological Wellbeing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahmoud, Sahar; Elaziz, Nahla Ahmed Abd

2015-01-01

Leukemia is a significant public health and life-threatening problem for pediatric cancer patients. Family caregivers of cancer patients receive little preparation, information, or support to perform their care giving role. This study aims to assess the effect of psycho-educational training program to enhancing practice and psychosocial adaptation…

Using Television in Distance Education. Papers on Information Technology No. 245.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, A. W.

The presentational power of television gives it unique teaching characteristics and it is a source of a wide variety of learning material that would be unavailable to learners in any other way. For instance, it can be used to: (1) demonstrate experiments or experimental situations; (2) explain principles involving movement over space and/or time;…

Lost in the Lifeworld: Technology Help Seeking and Giving on Diverse, Post-Secondary Campuses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tannis, Derek

2013-01-01

Information and communications technology (ICT) is integrated throughout a student's lived experience in their post-secondary learning environment. In order for students with limited or no background with ICT to achieve their academic goals, a central part of their adaptation involves an intensive period of ICT help seeking. Using anecdotes from…

Electrical Experiments. VT-214-12-1. Part I. Electric Motor Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Hartford. Div. of Vocational Education.

Designed for high school electronics students, this first document in a series of six electrical learning activity packages focuses on electric motor control. An introductory section gives the objective for the activities, an introduction, and an outline of the content. The remainder of the activity book is comprised of information sheets and job…

The Sequence of Study Changes What Information Is Attended to, Encoded, and Remembered during Category Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carvalho, Paulo F.; Goldstone, Robert L.

2017-01-01

The sequence of study influences how we learn. Previous research has identified different sequences as potentially beneficial for learning in different contexts and with different materials. Here we investigate the mechanisms involved in inductive category learning that give rise to these sequencing effects. Across 3 experiments we show evidence…

From Widening Horizons to Widening Participation: Transmitting the Experience of Global Citizenship to the School Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampton, Cathy; Demeure-Ahearne, Ariane

2016-01-01

This paper gives account of a project involving Year Abroad students of French at Warwick University challenged to select "realia" from their host countries in order to stimulate enthusiasm for language learning in local schools. It considers the cognitive and affective processes informing the "culture gathering" that took…

Experience our Planet - EPO Opportunities in a Museum Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, S.

2013-12-01

Earth science interpretation is more than giving your audience facts and figures. It is about relate Earth sciences to something within the personality or experience of your audience. It is about revelation based on information rather than just give away information per se. And: The chief aim of interpretation is not instruction but provocation. A great environment for Earth and Space science communication is a museum. Whether it is an art gallery, a technology exhibition or a national park's visitor center doesn't matter. Everywhere, Earth science interpretation is possible and sometimes even more successful in unsuspected locations than in natural history museums. Earth and Space sciences just started to use the potential which lies within museum environments. A historic view on Earth sciences and natural hazard research can be given in art galleries. The technology used in research can be showcased and - sometimes - even tested in science centers and technology museums. National Parks provide the best opportunity to actually experience the dynamic planet Earth live. Furthermore, museums do offer a great venue for educational programs. Just recently, the German Research and Development Program GEOTECHNOLOGIEN, together with the Germany's Geounion and the Institute for Advanced Sustainable Studies initiated a network of research institutions and museums called GeoED. Within this network, scientists and educationists as well as teachers will find an environment to create and enhance educational programs in Earth and Space science. Therefore, museums do not only provide the venue, but also the frame for sustainable Earth and Space science interpretation. This talk aims towards giving an insight view on how to conduct interpretive programs in museums, how to utilize the treasures and possibilities provided by museums and national parks and to encourage scientists to go to these places for face-to-face Earth science interpretation.

Urban Public Space Context and Cognitive Psychology Evolution in Information Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Chen; Xu, Hua-wei

2017-11-01

The rapid development of information technology has had a great impact on the understanding of urban environment, which brings different spatially psychological experience. Information and image transmission has been full with the streets, both the physical space and virtual space have been unprecedentedly blended together through pictures, images, electronic media and other tools, which also stimulates people’s vision and psychology and gives birth to a more complex form of urban space. Under the dual role of spatial mediumlization and media spatialization, the psychological cognitive pattern of urban public space context is changing.

Fetal Monitoring: Creating a Culture of Safety With Informed Choice

PubMed Central

Heelan, Lisa

2013-01-01

The dominant culture in labor and birth is the medical model, not the midwifery model of woman-centered care. Consensus among professional and governmental groups is that, based on the evidence, intermittent auscultation is safer to use in healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies than electronic fetal monitoring (EFM). Barriers impact the laboring woman’s ability to give informed choice regarding fetal monitoring. Lack of informed choice denies a woman her right to be in control of her birth experience, and is in opposition to a woman’s right to autonomy and self-determination. PMID:24868127

Informal care, employment and quality of life: Barriers and facilitators to combining informal care and work participation for healthcare professionals.

PubMed

Heitink, Eveline; Heerkens, Yvonne; Engels, Josephine

2017-01-01

In The Netherlands, one out of six Dutch employees has informal care tasks; in the hospital and healthcare sector, this ratio is one out of four workers. Informal carers experience problems with the combination of work and informal care. In particular, they have problems with the burden of responsibility, a lack of independence and their health. These problems can reveal themselves in a variety of mental and physical symptoms that can result in absenteeism, reduction or loss of (work) participation, reduction of income, and even social isolation. The aim of the study was to describe the factors that informal carers who are employed in healthcare organizations identify as affecting their quality of life, labour participation and health. We conducted an exploratory study in 2013-2014 that included desk research and a qualitative study. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare employees who combine work and informal care. Data were analyzed with Atlas-TI. We identified five themes: 1. Fear and responsibility; 2. Sense that one's own needs are not being met; 3. Work as an escape from home; 4. Health: a lack of balance; and 5. The role of colleagues and managers: giving support and understanding. Respondents combine work and informal care because they have no other solution. The top three reasons for working are: income, escape from home and satisfaction. The biggest problems informal carers experience are a lack of time and energy. They are all tired and are often or always exhausted at the end of the day. They give up activities for themselves, their social networks become smaller and they have less interest in social activities. Their managers are usually aware of the situation, but informal care is not a topic of informal conversation or in performance appraisals. Respondents solve their problems with colleagues and expect little from the organization.

Linking time-series of single-molecule experiments with molecular dynamics simulations by machine learning

PubMed Central

Matsunaga, Yasuhiro

2018-01-01

Single-molecule experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are indispensable tools for investigating protein conformational dynamics. The former provide time-series data, such as donor-acceptor distances, whereas the latter give atomistic information, although this information is often biased by model parameters. Here, we devise a machine-learning method to combine the complementary information from the two approaches and construct a consistent model of conformational dynamics. It is applied to the folding dynamics of the formin-binding protein WW domain. MD simulations over 400 μs led to an initial Markov state model (MSM), which was then "refined" using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) data through hidden Markov modeling. The refined or data-assimilated MSM reproduces the FRET data and features hairpin one in the transition-state ensemble, consistent with mutation experiments. The folding pathway in the data-assimilated MSM suggests interplay between hydrophobic contacts and turn formation. Our method provides a general framework for investigating conformational transitions in other proteins. PMID:29723137

Linking time-series of single-molecule experiments with molecular dynamics simulations by machine learning.

PubMed

Matsunaga, Yasuhiro; Sugita, Yuji

2018-05-03

Single-molecule experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are indispensable tools for investigating protein conformational dynamics. The former provide time-series data, such as donor-acceptor distances, whereas the latter give atomistic information, although this information is often biased by model parameters. Here, we devise a machine-learning method to combine the complementary information from the two approaches and construct a consistent model of conformational dynamics. It is applied to the folding dynamics of the formin-binding protein WW domain. MD simulations over 400 μs led to an initial Markov state model (MSM), which was then "refined" using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) data through hidden Markov modeling. The refined or data-assimilated MSM reproduces the FRET data and features hairpin one in the transition-state ensemble, consistent with mutation experiments. The folding pathway in the data-assimilated MSM suggests interplay between hydrophobic contacts and turn formation. Our method provides a general framework for investigating conformational transitions in other proteins. © 2018, Matsunaga et al.

Self managing experiment resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stagni, F.; Ubeda, M.; Tsaregorodtsev, A.; Romanovskiy, V.; Roiser, S.; Charpentier, P.; Graciani, R.

2014-06-01

Within this paper we present an autonomic Computing resources management system, used by LHCb for assessing the status of their Grid resources. Virtual Organizations Grids include heterogeneous resources. For example, LHC experiments very often use resources not provided by WLCG, and Cloud Computing resources will soon provide a non-negligible fraction of their computing power. The lack of standards and procedures across experiments and sites generated the appearance of multiple information systems, monitoring tools, ticket portals, etc... which nowadays coexist and represent a very precious source of information for running HEP experiments Computing systems as well as sites. These two facts lead to many particular solutions for a general problem: managing the experiment resources. In this paper we present how LHCb, via the DIRAC interware, addressed such issues. With a renewed Central Information Schema hosting all resources metadata and a Status System (Resource Status System) delivering real time information, the system controls the resources topology, independently of the resource types. The Resource Status System applies data mining techniques against all possible information sources available and assesses the status changes, that are then propagated to the topology description. Obviously, giving full control to such an automated system is not risk-free. Therefore, in order to minimise the probability of misbehavior, a battery of tests has been developed in order to certify the correctness of its assessments. We will demonstrate the performance and efficiency of such a system in terms of cost reduction and reliability.

Internet as a Tool for Reference Work Experiences from the IFLA/Danida Trial Project in Ghana.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kondrup, Ruth

The basic ideas of the project described in this paper are to establish Internet connections to libraries in developing countries, to give access to information and to organize training of staff. Technical solutions with radio and microwave Internet connections have been established. Access to on-line journals has been established by the PERI…

The Use of Computer-Based Data Banks in the Teaching of Clinical Problem-Solving and Medical Case Management to Veterinary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conzelman, Gaylord M.; And Others

1975-01-01

Describes a program at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis to give students experience in diagnosis and management of urinary tract diseases. Students request from computer data banks that laboratory information they deem most useful in the medical management of each clinical problem. (JT)

The Emerging Worldwide Electronic University: Information Age Global Higher Education. Contributions to the Study of Education, Number 57.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossman, Parker

This book proposes an agenda of questions for people who plan for and seek to give some direction to the expanding use of computer conferencing and television for international courses. The book is the first comprehensive effort to gather together and summarize scattered research reports and to report experiments and demonstrations that suggest…

The Cuban Vocational Education and Training System and Its Current Changes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Stefan; Penton, Felipe A. Hernandez; Marin, Anna Lidia Beltran; Romero, Osvaldo

2011-01-01

The main purpose of the article is to inform about the Cuban Vocational Education and Training System. Based on the analyse of different studies, on expert interviews and on field experiences the authors give a clear overview of the Cuban VET-System. This description is embedded in the presentation of the general education system in Cuba and in a…

Complex Investigations of Sapphire Crystals Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malyukov, S. P.; Klunnikova, Yu V.

The problem of optimum conditions choice for processing sapphire substrates was solved with optimization methods and with combination of analytical simulation methods, experiment and expert system technology. The experimental results and software give rather full information on features of real structure of the sapphire crystal substrates and can be effectively used for optimization of technology of the substrate preparation for electronic devices.

The Role of Goal-Directed Behavior in Intention Attribution in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legrain, Laure; Destrebecqz, Arnaud; Gevers, Wim

2012-01-01

In this study, we addressed the question of the nature of the information needed by 13-month-old infants to understand another agent's intentions. In two experiments, an experimenter was either unable or unwilling to give a toy to an infant. Importantly, an implement (a gutter in which the toy could roll down toward the infant) was used to make…

Neural Underpinnings of the Identifiable Victim Effect: Affect Shifts Preferences for Giving

PubMed Central

Västfjäll, Daniel; Slovic, Paul; Knutson, Brian

2013-01-01

The “identifiable victim effect” refers to peoples' tendency to preferentially give to identified versus anonymous victims of misfortune, and has been proposed to partly depend on affect. By soliciting charitable donations from human subjects during behavioral and neural (i.e., functional magnetic resonance imaging) experiments, we sought to determine whether and how affect might promote the identifiable victim effect. Behaviorally, subjects gave more to orphans depicted by photographs versus silhouettes, and their shift in preferences was mediated by photograph-induced feelings of positive arousal, but not negative arousal. Neurally, while photographs versus silhouettes elicited activity in widespread circuits associated with facial and affective processing, only nucleus accumbens activity predicted and could statistically account for increased donations. Together, these findings suggest that presenting evaluable identifiable information can recruit positive arousal, which then promotes giving. We propose that affect elicited by identifiable stimuli can compel people to give more to strangers, even despite costs to the self. PMID:24155323

Insights into the variability of nucleated amyloid polymerization by a minimalistic model of stochastic protein assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eugène, Sarah; Xue, Wei-Feng; Robert, Philippe; Doumic, Marie

2016-05-01

Self-assembly of proteins into amyloid aggregates is an important biological phenomenon associated with human diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Amyloid fibrils also have potential applications in nano-engineering of biomaterials. The kinetics of amyloid assembly show an exponential growth phase preceded by a lag phase, variable in duration as seen in bulk experiments and experiments that mimic the small volumes of cells. Here, to investigate the origins and the properties of the observed variability in the lag phase of amyloid assembly currently not accounted for by deterministic nucleation dependent mechanisms, we formulate a new stochastic minimal model that is capable of describing the characteristics of amyloid growth curves despite its simplicity. We then solve the stochastic differential equations of our model and give mathematical proof of a central limit theorem for the sample growth trajectories of the nucleated aggregation process. These results give an asymptotic description for our simple model, from which closed form analytical results capable of describing and predicting the variability of nucleated amyloid assembly were derived. We also demonstrate the application of our results to inform experiments in a conceptually friendly and clear fashion. Our model offers a new perspective and paves the way for a new and efficient approach on extracting vital information regarding the key initial events of amyloid formation.

An innovative experimental sequence on electromagnetic induction and eddy currents based on video analysis and cheap data acquisition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonanno, A.; Bozzo, G.; Sapia, P.

2017-11-01

In this work, we present a coherent sequence of experiments on electromagnetic (EM) induction and eddy currents, appropriate for university undergraduate students, based on a magnet falling through a drilled aluminum disk. The sequence, leveraging on the didactical interplay between the EM and mechanical aspects of the experiments, allows us to exploit the students’ awareness of mechanics to elicit their comprehension of EM phenomena. The proposed experiments feature two kinds of measurements: (i) kinematic measurements (performed by means of high-speed video analysis) give information on the system’s kinematics and, via appropriate numerical data processing, allow us to get dynamic information, in particular on energy dissipation; (ii) induced electromagnetic field (EMF) measurements (by using a homemade multi-coil sensor connected to a cheap data acquisition system) allow us to quantitatively determine the inductive effects of the moving magnet on its neighborhood. The comparison between experimental results and the predictions from an appropriate theoretical model (of the dissipative coupling between the moving magnet and the conducting disk) offers many educational hints on relevant topics related to EM induction, such as Maxwell’s displacement current, magnetic field flux variation, and the conceptual link between induced EMF and induced currents. Moreover, the didactical activity gives students the opportunity to be trained in video analysis, data acquisition and numerical data processing.

A text zero-watermarking method based on keyword dense interval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fan; Zhu, Yuesheng; Jiang, Yifeng; Qing, Yin

2017-07-01

Digital watermarking has been recognized as a useful technology for the copyright protection and authentication of digital information. However, rarely did the former methods focus on the key content of digital carrier. The idea based on the protection of key content is more targeted and can be considered in different digital information, including text, image and video. In this paper, we use text as research object and a text zero-watermarking method which uses keyword dense interval (KDI) as the key content is proposed. First, we construct zero-watermarking model by introducing the concept of KDI and giving the method of KDI extraction. Second, we design detection model which includes secondary generation of zero-watermark and the similarity computing method of keyword distribution. Besides, experiments are carried out, and the results show that the proposed method gives better performance than other available methods especially in the attacks of sentence transformation and synonyms substitution.

Measurement-induced decoherence and information in double-slit interference.

PubMed

Kincaid, Joshua; McLelland, Kyle; Zwolak, Michael

2016-07-01

The double slit experiment provides a classic example of both interference and the effect of observation in quantum physics. When particles are sent individually through a pair of slits, a wave-like interference pattern develops, but no such interference is found when one observes which "path" the particles take. We present a model of interference, dephasing, and measurement-induced decoherence in a one-dimensional version of the double-slit experiment. Using this model, we demonstrate how the loss of interference in the system is correlated with the information gain by the measuring apparatus/observer. In doing so, we give a modern account of measurement in this paradigmatic example of quantum physics that is accessible to students taking quantum mechanics at the graduate or senior undergraduate levels.

The SHEFEX II Thermal Protection System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohrk, H.; Elsaber, H.; Weihs, H.

2011-05-01

The SHEFEXII payload tip is ready for flight. Within a period of three years, the experiment has been designed, laid out, parts have been manufactured, mounted and instrumented for the upcoming flight in autumn 2011. The present paper gives an overview over the thermal protection system (TPS) of the SHEFEX II vehicle including the TPS-material, the overall TPS-setup, and detailed informations on the faceted ther- mal protection including the gap seal, the sharp leading edge, the transpiration-cooling experiment AKTIV, and the aerodynamic control surfaces, i.e. canards.

Astronauts Shepard and Mitchell practice using Active Seismic Experiment

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-10-30

S71-15273 (October 1970) --- Apollo 14 astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander (right); and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot, practice using the Active Seismic Experiment (ASE) to set off explosions on the lunar surface and arm a mortar to launch four grenades after they leave. Measurements of the ensuing vibrations of the moon, radioed to Earth, will give scientists new information on the shape, structure and thickness of the outer lunar crust. ASE will be deployed during one of two Apollo 14 extravehicular activity (EVA) periods.

Disaster Radio for Communication of Vital Messages and Health-Related Information: Experiences From the Haiyan Typhoon, the Philippines.

PubMed

Hugelius, Karin; Gifford, Mervyn; Örtenwall, Per; Adolfsson, Annsofie

2016-08-01

Crisis communication is seen as an integrated and essential part of disaster management measures. After Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines 2013, radio was used to broadcast information to the affected community. The aim of this study was to describe how disaster radio was used to communicate vital messages and health-related information to the public in one affected region after Typhoon Haiyan. Mixed-methods analysis using qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics was used to analyze 2587 logged radio log files. Radio was used to give general information and to demonstrate the capability of officials to manage the situation, to encourage, to promote recovery and foster a sense of hope, and to give practical advice and encourage self-activity. The content and focus of the messages changed over time. Encouraging messages were the most frequently broadcast messages. Health-related messages were a minor part of all information broadcast and gaps in the broadcast over time were found. Disaster radio can serve as a transmitter of vital messages including health-related information and psychological support in disaster areas. The present study indicated the potential for increased use. The perception, impact, and use of disaster radio need to be further evaluated. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:591-597).

Exploring women's personal experiences of giving birth in Gonabad city: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Askari, Fariba; Atarodi, Alireza; Torabi, Shirin; Moshki, Mahdi

2014-05-08

Women's health is an important task in society. The aim of this qualitative study that used a phenomenological approach was to explain women's personal experiences of giving birth in Gonabad city that had positive experiences of giving birth in order to establish quality cares and the related factors of midwifery cares for this physiological phenomenon. The participants were 21 primiparae women who gave a normal and or uncomplicated giving birth in the hospital of Gonabad University of medical sciences. Based on a purposeful approach in-depth interviews were continued to reach data saturation. The data were collected through open and semi-structured interactional in-depth interviews with all the participants. All the interviews were taped, transcribed and then analyzed through a qualitative content analysis method to identify the concepts and themes. Some categories were emerged. A quiet and safe environment was the most urgent need of the most women giving birth. Unnecessary routine interventions that are performed on all women regardless of their needs and should be avoided were considered such as: "absolute rest, establishing vein, frequent vaginal examinations, fasting and early Amniotomy". All the women wanted to take part actively in their giving birth, because they believed it could affect their giving birth. We hope that the women's experiences of giving birth will be a pleasant and enjoyable experience for all the mothers giving birth.

A Framework for Creating a Function-based Design Tool for Failure Mode Identification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arunajadai, Srikesh G.; Stone, Robert B.; Tumer, Irem Y.; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Knowledge of potential failure modes during design is critical for prevention of failures. Currently industries use procedures such as Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Fault Tree analysis, or Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality analysis (FMECA), as well as knowledge and experience, to determine potential failure modes. When new products are being developed there is often a lack of sufficient knowledge of potential failure mode and/or a lack of sufficient experience to identify all failure modes. This gives rise to a situation in which engineers are unable to extract maximum benefits from the above procedures. This work describes a function-based failure identification methodology, which would act as a storehouse of information and experience, providing useful information about the potential failure modes for the design under consideration, as well as enhancing the usefulness of procedures like FMEA. As an example, the method is applied to fifteen products and the benefits are illustrated.

By which name should I call thee? The consequences of having multiple names.

PubMed

Stevenage, Sarah V; Lewis, Hugh G

2005-11-01

The nominal competitor effect suggests that, when a person has two names associated with them, recall of either name is more difficult than if they just had one name. Drawing on a connectionist framework, this effect could arise either if multiple names were represented as being connected to a single person identity node (PIN), or if multiple names were represented as being connected via one-to-one links to multiple PINs. Whilst the latter has intuitive appeal, results from two experiments support the former architecture. Having two names connected to a single PIN not only gives rise to a nominal competitor effect (Experiment 1), but also gives rise to a familiarity enhancement effect (Experiment 2). These empirical results are simulated using an extension of Brédart, Valentine, Calder, and Gassi's (1995) connectionist architecture, which reveals that both effects hold even when the association of both names to the PIN is unequal. These results are presented in terms of a more complete model for person recognition, and the representation of semantic information within such a model is examined.

Enhanced picture of protein-folding intermediates using organic solvents in H/D exchange and quench-flow experiments

PubMed Central

Nishimura, Chiaki; Dyson, H. Jane; Wright, Peter E.

2005-01-01

Hydrogen/deuterium exchange followed by trapping of the labeled species in the aprotic solvent DMSO has been used to elucidate structure in both the burst-phase molten globule-folding intermediate of apomyoglobin and in an equilibrium intermediate that models the kinetic intermediate. Precise estimates can be made of exchange times in an interrupted exchange-out experiment at pH 4 followed by analysis in DMSO solution, giving extensive sequence-specific information about the structure of the equilibrium intermediate. In addition, the use of DMSO as a solvent for NMR measurements after quench-flow pH-pulse labeling experiments gives a greatly increased data set for the elucidation of the kinetic folding pathway. Interestingly, differences are observed in some regions of apomyoglobin between the equilibrium and kinetic intermediates. These differences are quantitative rather than qualitative; that is, the overall patterns of labeling and secondary structure formation remain similar between the two species. However, local differences are observed, which probably reflect the difference in the solution conditions for the equilibrium experiment (pH 4) vs. the kinetic experiment (pH 6) and the change in the status of the stabilizing hydrogen bond between the side chains of His-24 and His-119. PMID:15769860

Showing You're Working: A Project Using Former Pupils' Experiences to Engage Current Mathematics Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musto, Garrod

2008-01-01

To help students view mathematics in a more favourable light, a number of former pupils were contacted and asked to give details of how they use mathematics in their daily lives. This information was gathered through an online questionnaire or visits to the school to talk to pupils--a booklet of responses was also given to students. Attitudinally…

Source Physics Experiment: Research in Support of Verification and Nonproliferation

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

designed to provide a carefully controlled seismic and strong motion data set from buried explosions at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The...deposition partitioned into internal (heat and plastic strain) and kinetic (e.g., radiated seismic ) energy, giving more confidence in predicted free...ample information to study dry and water-saturated fractures, local lithology and topography on the radiated seismic wavefield. Spallation on

The Teacher Trainer: A Practical Journal Mainly for Modern Language Teacher Trainers, 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodward, Tessa, Ed.

2000-01-01

This journal is for those interested in modern language teacher training. Several aims are to provide a forum for ideas, information, and news, to put trainers in touch with each other, and to give those involved with teacher training a feeling of how trainers in other fields operate as well as building up a pool of experience within modern…

Using Maryland's HOUSSE (High, Objective, Uniform State Standard of Evaluation). Achieving "Highly Qualified" Status Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). A Guide for Maryland Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Department of Education, 2004

2004-01-01

To assist teachers in achieving "highly qualified" status, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has created a single document that will give teachers the information they need to interpret the requirements of HOUSSE; assess their credentials, course work, experience, and professional activities; complete the HOUSSE rubric to achieve…

Research on active imaging information transmission technology of satellite borne quantum remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, Siwen; Zhen, Ming; Yang, Song; Lin, Xuling; Wu, Zhiqiang

2017-08-01

According to the development and application needs of Remote Sensing Science and technology, Prof. Siwen Bi proposed quantum remote sensing. Firstly, the paper gives a brief introduction of the background of quantum remote sensing, the research status and related researches at home and abroad on the theory, information mechanism and imaging experiments of quantum remote sensing and the production of principle prototype.Then, the quantization of pure remote sensing radiation field, the state function and squeezing effect of quantum remote sensing radiation field are emphasized. It also describes the squeezing optical operator of quantum light field in active imaging information transmission experiment and imaging experiments, achieving 2-3 times higher resolution than that of coherent light detection imaging and completing the production of quantum remote sensing imaging prototype. The application of quantum remote sensing technology can significantly improve both the signal-to-noise ratio of information transmission imaging and the spatial resolution of quantum remote sensing .On the above basis, Prof.Bi proposed the technical solution of active imaging information transmission technology of satellite borne quantum remote sensing, launched researches on its system composition and operation principle and on quantum noiseless amplifying devices, providing solutions and technical basis for implementing active imaging information technology of satellite borne Quantum Remote Sensing.

Intelligent Computerized Training System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Lui; Baffes, Paul; Loftin, R. Bowen; Hua, Grace C.

1991-01-01

Intelligent computer-aided training system gives trainees same experience gained from best on-the-job training. Automated system designed to emulate behavior of experienced teacher devoting full time and attention to training novice. Proposes challenging training scenarios, monitors and evaluates trainee's actions, makes meaningful comments in response to errors, reponds to requests for information, gives hints when appropriate, and remembers strengths and weaknesses so it designs suitable exercises. Used to train flight-dynamics officers in deploying satellites from Space Shuttle. Adapted to training for variety of tasks and situations, simply by modifying one or at most two of its five modules. Helps to ensure continuous supply of trained specialists despite scarcity of experienced and skilled human trainers.

Being in limbo: Women's lived experiences of pregnancy at 41 weeks of gestation and beyond - A phenomenological study.

PubMed

Wessberg, Anna; Lundgren, Ingela; Elden, Helen

2017-06-02

Globally, the prevalence of post term pregnancy (PTP) is about 5-10%, but the rate varies considerably between and within countries. PTP is defined as a pregnancy ≥294 days, but the definition is arbitrary. Many studies focusing on the prevalence, risks and management of PTP include pregnancies ≥41 gestational weeks (GW). However, qualitative interview studies concerning women's experiences of PTP are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe women's lived experiences of a pregnancy ≥41 GW. The study has a lifeworld research approach. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted from August 2013 to September 2014 with 10 healthy women with an expected normal pregnancy at GW 41 + 1-6 days in Gothenburg, Sweden. Interviews were conducted at the antenatal clinic or in the woman's home, depending on her preference. Data were analysed with a phenomenological reflective lifeworld approach. The essence of women's experiences of a pregnancy at GW ≥ 41 was described as being in limbo, a void characterised by contradictions related to time, giving birth and the condition. Exceeding the estimated date of childbirth implied a period of up to 2 weeks that was not expected. The contradictory aspect was the notion that time passed both slowly and quickly. Negative feelings dominated and increased over time. The women experienced difficulty due to not being in complete control, while at the same time finding it a beneficial experience. Health care professionals focused solely on the due date, while the women felt neither seen nor acknowledged. Lack of information led to searches in social media. Previously, they had trusted the body's ability to give birth, but this trust diminished after GW 41 + 0. In this state of limbo, the women became more easily influenced by people around them, while in turn influencing others. Being in limbo represents a contradictory state related to time and process of giving birth, when women need to be listened to by healthcare professionals. An understanding of the importance of different information sources, such as family and friends, is necessary. It is vital that women are seen and acknowledged by midwives at the antenatal clinics. In addition, they should be asked how they experience waiting for the birth in order to create a sense of trust and confidence in the process.

Are inferences from stereotyped role names to characters' gender made elaboratively?

PubMed

Garnham, Alan; Oakhill, Jane; Reynolds, David

2002-04-01

Two experiments provided evidence that gender stereotype inferences from role names--for example, that a surgeon is (probably) male--are made in a forward, elaborative, direction. We used sentences in which a person's gender was never made explicit, but was implied in two different ways. The two ways were by the use of a role name, and by mentioning an item of clothing (e.g., a bikini) or a biological characteristic (e.g., giving birth) that is typically associated with females or males. The two pieces of information (role name and clothing/biological characteristic) were presented in different orders in the two experiments. In both cases a mismatch between the associated genders slowed reading, showing that gender information has been activated. It is argued that if an inference about gender is made on the basis of the second piece of information, hence slowing comprehension, it is unlikely that the inference about gender based on the first piece of information was not made immediately.

Image Data Processing System (IDAPS) user manual, S-056 experiment. Volume 1: System description. Volume 2: Batch IDAPS. Volume 3: Interactive IDAPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Image data processing system (IDAPS) developed to satisfy the image processing requirements of the Skylab S-056 experiment is described. The S-056 experiment was designed to obtain high-resolution photographs of the sun in the far ultraviolet, or soft X-ray, portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Thirty-five thousand photographs were obtained by the three flights of the program; and, faced with such a massive volume of imagery, the designers of the experiment decided to develop a computer-based system which would reduce the image processing workload. The purpose of the IDAPS User Manual is to give the IDAPS user the necessary information and instructions to effectively utilize the system.

Quantum Information Experiments with Trapped Ions at NIST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Andrew

2015-03-01

We present an overview of recent trapped-ion quantum information experiments at NIST. Advancing beyond few-qubit ``proof-of-principle'' experiments to the many-qubit systems needed for practical quantum simulation and information processing, without compromising on the performance demonstrated with small systems, remains a major challenge. One approach to scalable hardware development is surface-electrode traps. Micro-fabricated planar traps can have a number of useful features, including flexible electrode geometries, integrated microwave delivery, and spatio-temporal tuning of potentials for ion transport and spin-spin interactions. In this talk we report on a number of on-going investigations with surface traps. Experiments feature a multi-zone trap with closely spaced ions in a triangular arrangement (a first step towards 2D arrays of ions with tunable spin-spin interactions), a scheme for smooth transport through a junction in a 2D structure based on switchable RF potentials, and a micro-fabricated photo-detector integrated into a trap. We also give a progress report on our latest efforts to improve the fidelity of both optical and microwave 2-qubit gates. This work was supported by IARPA, ONR and the NIST Quantum Information Program. The 3-ion and switchable-RF-junction traps were developed in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratory.

Stop interfering: Stroop task conflict independence from informational conflict and interference.

PubMed

Kalanthroff, Eyal; Goldfarb, Liat; Usher, Marius; Henik, Avishai

2013-01-01

Performance of the Stroop task reflects two conflicts-informational (between the incongruent word and ink colour) and task (between relevant colour naming and irrelevant word reading). This is supported by findings showing that the anterior cingulate cortex is more activated by congruent and incongruent stimuli than by nonword neutral stimuli. Previously, researchers demonstrated behavioural evidence for task conflict-a reverse facilitation effect under a reduced task conflict control condition. The boundary conditions of this Stroop reverse facilitation effect are not yet clear. The current study aimed to investigate whether task conflict arises, and task control is needed, whenever there are two possible tasks, even if the irrelevant task cannot mislead one to give erroneous responses (i.e., stimuli do not contain an informational conflict). To this end, in both experiments no incongruent stimuli were presented. In Experiment 1, participants conducted a Stroop task with a high proportion of nonword neutrals and with a neutral/congruent cue in 50% of the trials. In Experiment 2, the nonword neutral was replaced by a real non-colour-word. We found the reverse facilitation effect in the noncued trials of Experiment 1. Moreover, as expected, this effect was eliminated when a noncolour neutral word that induced task conflict was used (Experiment 2). We conclude that task conflict control is reactively activated whenever there are at least two possible tasks, even in the absence of any possibility of informational conflict.

Perception on Informed Consent Regarding Nursing Care Practices in a Tertiary Care Center.

PubMed

Paudel, B; Shrestha, G K

Background Consent for care procedures is mandatory after receipt of adequate information. It maintains patient's rights and autonomy to make thoughtful decisions. Poor communication often leads to poor health quality. Objective To assess hospitalized patients' perception on informed consent regarding nursing care practices in a tertiary care center. Method This is a descriptive cross-sectional study among 113 admitted patients conducted in February 2012 at Dhulikhel Hospital, Nepal. Patients of various wards were selected using purposive non-probability sampling with at least 3 days of hospitalization. Close ended structured questionnaire was used to assess patients' perception on three different areas of informed consent (information giving, opportunity to make decision and taking prior consent). Result Among the participants 71.6% perceived positively regarding informed consent towards nursing care practices with a mean score of 3.32 ± 1.28. Patients' perception on various areas of informed consent viz. information giving, opportunities to make specific decision and taking prior consent were all positive with mean values of 3.43±1.12, 2.88±1.23, 3.65±1.49 respectively. Comparison of mean perception of informed consent with various variables revealed insignificant correlation (p-value >0.05) for age, educational level and previous hospitalization while it was significant (p-value < 0.05) for communication skills of nurses. Conclusion Majority of patients have positive perception on informed consent towards nursing care practices. Communication skills of nurses affect the perception of patients' regardless of age, education level and past experiences.

Testing for altruism and social pressure in charitable giving.

PubMed

DellaVigna, Stefano; List, John A; Malmendier, Ulrike

2012-01-01

Every year, 90% of Americans give money to charities. Is such generosity necessarily welfare enhancing for the giver? We present a theoretical framework that distinguishes two types of motivation: individuals like to give, for example, due to altruism or warm glow, and individuals would rather not give but dislike saying no, for example, due to social pressure. We design a door-to-door fund-raiser in which some households are informed about the exact time of solicitation with a flyer on their doorknobs. Thus, they can seek or avoid the fund-raiser. We find that the flyer reduces the share of households opening the door by 9% to 25% and, if the flyer allows checking a Do Not Disturb box, reduces giving by 28% to 42%. The latter decrease is concentrated among donations smaller than $10. These findings suggest that social pressure is an important determinant of door-to-door giving. Combining data from this and a complementary field experiment, we structurally estimate the model. The estimated social pressure cost of saying no to a solicitor is $3.80 for an in-state charity and $1.40 for an out-of-state charity. Our welfare calculations suggest that our door-to-door fund-raising campaigns on average lower the utility of the potential donors.

Exploring Women’s Personal Experiences of Giving Birth in Gonabad City: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Askari, Fariba; Atarodi, Alireza; Torabi, Shirin; Moshki, Mahdi

2014-01-01

Background: Women’s health is an important task in society. The aim of this qualitative study that used a phenomenological approach was to explain women’s personal experiences of giving birth in Gonabad city that had positive experiences of giving birth in order to establish quality cares and the related factors of midwifery cares for this physiological phenomenon. Methods: The participants were 21 primiparae women who gave a normal and or uncomplicated giving birth in the hospital of Gonabad University of medical sciences. Based on a purposeful approach in-depth interviews were continued to reach data saturation. The data were collected through open and semi-structured interactional in-depth interviews with all the participants. All the interviews were taped, transcribed and then analyzed through a qualitative content analysis method to identify the concepts and themes. Findings: Some categories were emerged. A quiet and safe environment was the most urgent need of the most women giving birth. Unnecessary routine interventions that are performed on all women regardless of their needs and should be avoided were considered such as: “absolute rest, establishing vein, frequent vaginal examinations, fasting and early Amniotomy”. All the women wanted to take part actively in their giving birth, because they believed it could affect their giving birth. Conclusion: We hope that the women’s experiences of giving birth will be a pleasant and enjoyable experience for all the mothers giving birth. PMID:25168980

Measurement-induced decoherence and information in double-slit interference

PubMed Central

Kincaid, Joshua; McLelland, Kyle; Zwolak, Michael

2016-01-01

The double slit experiment provides a classic example of both interference and the effect of observation in quantum physics. When particles are sent individually through a pair of slits, a wave-like interference pattern develops, but no such interference is found when one observes which “path” the particles take. We present a model of interference, dephasing, and measurement-induced decoherence in a one-dimensional version of the double-slit experiment. Using this model, we demonstrate how the loss of interference in the system is correlated with the information gain by the measuring apparatus/observer. In doing so, we give a modern account of measurement in this paradigmatic example of quantum physics that is accessible to students taking quantum mechanics at the graduate or senior undergraduate levels. PMID:27807373

Are GP patients' needs being met? Unfulfilled information needs among native-Dutch and Turkish-Dutch patients.

PubMed

Schinkel, Sanne; Schouten, Barbara C; van Weert, Julia C M

2013-02-01

This study aims to assess unfulfilled information needs of native-Dutch and Turkish-Dutch general practitioner (GP) patients in the Netherlands. In addition, the relation between perceived and recorded information provision by GPs is studied. Unfulfilled information needs of native-Dutch (N=117) and Turkish-Dutch patients (N=74) were assessed through pre- and post-consultation questionnaires. Audiotapes of GP consultations were made to code GPs' information provision. Turkish-Dutch patients experience more unfulfilled information needs than native-Dutch patients, in particular those who identify equally with Dutch and Turkish culture. Overall, perceived information provision is hardly related to recorded information provision. GPs insufficiently provide Turkish-Dutch patients and, to a lesser extent, native-Dutch patients as well, the information they need. GPs should be trained in giving adequate, tailored information to patients with various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of compression speed on intelligibility: simulated hearing-aid processing with and without original temporal fine structure information.

PubMed

Hopkins, Kathryn; King, Andrew; Moore, Brian C J

2012-09-01

Hearing aids use amplitude compression to compensate for the effects of loudness recruitment. The compression speed that gives the best speech intelligibility varies among individuals. Moore [(2008). Trends Amplif. 12, 300-315] suggested that an individual's sensitivity to temporal fine structure (TFS) information may affect which compression speed gives most benefit. This hypothesis was tested using normal-hearing listeners with a simulated hearing loss. Sentences in a competing talker background were processed using multi-channel fast or slow compression followed by a simulation of threshold elevation and loudness recruitment. Signals were either tone vocoded with 1-ERB(N)-wide channels (where ERB(N) is the bandwidth of normal auditory filters) to remove the original TFS information, or not processed further. In a second experiment, signals were vocoded with either 1 - or 2-ERB(N)-wide channels, to test whether the available spectral detail affects the optimal compression speed. Intelligibility was significantly better for fast than slow compression regardless of vocoder channel bandwidth. The results suggest that the availability of original TFS or detailed spectral information does not affect the optimal compression speed. This conclusion is tentative, since while the vocoder processing removed the original TFS information, listeners may have used the altered TFS in the vocoded signals.

Starting and Managing a Retail Flower Shop. The Starting and Managing Series, Volume 18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krone, Paul R.

This booklet is intended to give a general idea of what is required to set up and manage a flower shop, to point out some of the problems and rewards, and to tell where to find more detailed information. First, an overview of the business is provided, telling the background required in education and experience as well as the amount of profit that…

20 CFR 416.965 - Your work experience as a vocational factor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... education, we will ask you to tell us about all of your work from the time you first began working. This.... If you cannot give us all of the information we need, we will try, with your permission, to get it... different from what you have done in the past, we will ask you to tell us about all of the jobs you have had...

Identity of Artificial Color on Oranges; Analysis for Spoilage Indicators in Butter; Rapid Identity of Margarine and Butter; Identity of Synthetic Colors in Foods. FDA's Science Project Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Food and Drug Administration (DHEW), Washington, DC.

These guides are four of several prepared through the F.D.A.'s Science Project Series for senior high school chemistry students and teachers investigating the quality of constituents of foods through experimentation. Each eight page pamphlet gives background information on the subject, equipment and reagents needed for the experiment, the…

Social inequalities in the organization of pregnancy care in a universally funded public health care system.

PubMed

Sutherland, Georgina; Yelland, Jane; Brown, Stephanie

2012-02-01

To examine the social organization of pregnancy care and the extent to which socioeconomic factors affect women's experience of care. We consider these data in the global discussion on taking action to reduce health inequalities. This study draws on cross-sectional data from a large population-based survey of Australian women 6 months after giving birth. Only those women reporting to attend publically-funded models of antenatal care (i.e., public clinic, midwife clinic, shared care, primary medical care, primary midwife care) were included in analyses. Results showed a social patterning in the organization and experience of care with clear links between model of care attended in pregnancy and a number of individual-level indicators of social disadvantage. Our findings show model of care is a salient feature in how women view their care. How women from socially disadvantaged backgrounds navigate available care options are important considerations. Pregnancy care is recognized as an opportunity to intervene to give children 'the best start in life.' Our data show the current system of universally accessible pregnancy care in Australia is failing to support the most vulnerable women and families. This information can inform actions to reduce social disparities during this critical period.

Space Shuttle mission: STS-67

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The Space Shuttle Endeavor, scheduled to launch March 2, 1995 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, will conduct NASA's longest Shuttle flight prior to date. The mission, designated STS-67, has a number of experiments and payloads, which the crew, commanded by Stephen S. Oswald, will have to oversee. This NASA press kit for the mission contains a general background (general press release, media services information, quick-look facts page, shuttle abort modes, summary timeline, payload and vehicle weights, orbital summary, and crew responsibilities); cargo bay payloads and activities (Astro 2, Get Away Special Experiments); in-cabin payloads (Commercial Minimum Descent Altitude Instrumentation Technology Associates Experiments, protein crystal growth experiments, Middeck Active Control Experiment, and Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment); and the STS-67 crew biographies. The payloads and experiments are described and summarized to give an overview of the goals, objectives, apparatuses, procedures, sponsoring parties, and the assigned crew members to carry out the tasks.

Crystallization mosaic effect generation by superpixels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Yuqi; Bo, Pengbo; Yuan, Ye; Wang, Kuanquan

2015-03-01

Art effect generation from digital images using computational tools has been a hot research topic in recent years. We propose a new method for generating crystallization mosaic effects from color images. Two key problems in generating pleasant mosaic effect are studied: grouping pixels into mosaic tiles and arrangement of mosaic tiles adapting to image features. To give visually pleasant mosaic effect, we propose to create mosaic tiles by pixel clustering in feature space of color information, taking compactness of tiles into consideration as well. Moreover, we propose a method for processing feature boundaries in images which gives guidance for arranging mosaic tiles near image features. This method gives nearly uniform shape of mosaic tiles, adapting to feature lines in an esthetic way. The new approach considers both color distance and Euclidean distance of pixels, and thus is capable of giving mosaic tiles in a more pleasing manner. Some experiments are included to demonstrate the computational efficiency of the present method and its capability of generating visually pleasant mosaic tiles. Comparisons with existing approaches are also included to show the superiority of the new method.

The invisible hands made visible: recognizing the value of informal care in healthcare decision-making.

PubMed

van Exel, Job; Bobinac, Ana; Koopmanschap, Marc; Brouwer, Werner

2008-12-01

The healthcare sector depends heavily on the informal care provided by families and friends of those who are ill. Informal caregivers may experience significant burden as well as health and well-being effects. Resource allocation decisions, in particular from a societal perspective, should account explicitly for these effects in the social environment of patients. This is not only important to make a complete welfare economic assessment of treatments, but also to ensure the lasting involvement of informal caregivers in the care-giving process. Measurement and valuation techniques for the costs and effects of informal care have been developed and their use is becoming more common. Decision-makers in healthcare - and eventually families and patients - would be helped by more uniformity in methods.

The drama of end of life care at home.

PubMed

Newbury, Jenny

Many terminally ill patients want to die at home. Family carers are fundamental to achieving this, but often feel anxious and unprepared for the role. Supporting them is vital in palliative care. To explore the experiences of carers of patients dying at home, in particular their expectations and preparedness for the dying process. The study followed a qualitative approach. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 15 carers were carried out. Carers experienced uncertainty and felt unrehearsed for their role. They were reluctant to seek information to give them a script for their performance because it was too painful to contemplate the patient's death. The carers needed the direction of health and social care professionals, and the help of paid carers, but experiences of these services varied. The study highlighted the drama of the situation for carers, and the anxiety of being the leading player on stage with minimal preparation. Nurses play a crucial role in supporting carers and can use a "dramaturgical" perspective to guide them in giving carers the direction they need.

Adjuvant chemotherapy in elderly women with breast cancer: patients' perspectives on information giving and decision making.

PubMed

Harder, Helena; Ballinger, Rachel; Langridge, Carolyn; Ring, Alistair; Fallowfield, Lesley J

2013-12-01

Decisions about adjuvant chemotherapy in older women with early stage breast cancer (EBC) are often challenging. Uncertainty about benefits due to limited data about treatment efficacy and outcomes complicates decision making. This qualitative study explored older patients' experiences and preferences towards information giving and ultimate decisions about adjuvant chemotherapy. Clinicians from 24 UK breast cancer teams reported on adjuvant chemotherapy decisions for women aged ≥70 years with EBC from April 2010 to December 2011. Women who were offered chemotherapy were invited to participate in structured interviews. Self-reported quality of life (QoL) and functional ability were assessed. Qualitative methods were used to identify themes associated with information giving and decision making. A total of 58/95 eligible women (61%) participated. Median age was 73 years (range 70-83). Mean total scores for QoL and functional ability were average. The majority of women preferred to make their treatment decisions collaboratively with a clinician (59%) or on their own (19%). The main reasons influencing decisions to accept chemotherapy were categorised as prevention of recurrence and clinician recommendation. Side effects, length of treatment, impact on QoL, low survival benefits and clinician recommendation influenced decisions to decline chemotherapy. The majority (80%) were satisfied with information provision, the communication with their clinician and explanation of treatment. Older women with EBC preferred to be involved in clinical decision making. Clinician recommendation plays a significant role in either accepting or declining chemotherapy. Well-informed decision making and effective communication between clinicians, older women and their family members are therefore important. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Targeting functional motifs of a protein family

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhadola, Pradeep; Deo, Nivedita

2016-10-01

The structural organization of a protein family is investigated by devising a method based on the random matrix theory (RMT), which uses the physiochemical properties of the amino acid with multiple sequence alignment. A graphical method to represent protein sequences using physiochemical properties is devised that gives a fast, easy, and informative way of comparing the evolutionary distances between protein sequences. A correlation matrix associated with each property is calculated, where the noise reduction and information filtering is done using RMT involving an ensemble of Wishart matrices. The analysis of the eigenvalue statistics of the correlation matrix for the β -lactamase family shows the universal features as observed in the Gaussian orthogonal ensemble (GOE). The property-based approach captures the short- as well as the long-range correlation (approximately following GOE) between the eigenvalues, whereas the previous approach (treating amino acids as characters) gives the usual short-range correlations, while the long-range correlations are the same as that of an uncorrelated series. The distribution of the eigenvector components for the eigenvalues outside the bulk (RMT bound) deviates significantly from RMT observations and contains important information about the system. The information content of each eigenvector of the correlation matrix is quantified by introducing an entropic estimate, which shows that for the β -lactamase family the smallest eigenvectors (low eigenmodes) are highly localized as well as informative. These small eigenvectors when processed gives clusters involving positions that have well-defined biological and structural importance matching with experiments. The approach is crucial for the recognition of structural motifs as shown in β -lactamase (and other families) and selectively identifies the important positions for targets to deactivate (activate) the enzymatic actions.

Situated phenomenology and biological systems: Eastern and Western synthesis.

PubMed

Schroeder, Marcin J; Vallverdú, Jordi

2015-12-01

Phenomenology was born with the mission to give foundations for science of experience and to open consciousness to scientific study. The influence of phenomenology initiated in the works of Husserl and continued in a wide range of works of others was immense, but mainly within the confines of philosophy and the humanities. The actual attempts to develop a scientific discipline of the study of consciousness and to carry out research on cognition and consciousness were always based on the methods of traditional science in which elimination of the subjective has been always a primary tenet. Thus, focus was mainly on neurological correlates of conscious phenomena. The present paper is an attempt to initiate an extension and revision of phenomenological methodology with the use of philosophical and scientific experience and knowledge accumulated in a century of inquiry and research in relevant disciplines. The question which disciplines are relevant is crucial and our answer is innovative. The range of disciplines involved here is from information science and studies of computation, up to cultural psychology and the studies of philosophical traditions of the East. Concepts related to information and computation studies provide a general conceptual framework free from the limitations of particular languages and of linguistic analysis. This conceptual framework is extending the original perspective of phenomenology to issues of modern technology and science. Cultural psychology gives us tools to root out what in phenomenology was considered universal for humanity, but was a result of European ethnocentrism. Most important here is the contrast between individualistic and collectivistic cultural determinants of consciousness. Finally, philosophical tradition of the East gives alternatives in seeking solutions for fundamental problems. This general outline of the research methodology is illustrated by an example of its use when phenomenology is studied within the conceptual framework of information. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Care for a break? An investigation of informal caregivers' attitudes toward respite care using Q-methodology.

PubMed

van Exel, Job; de Graaf, Gjalt; Brouwer, Werner

2007-10-01

To investigate informal caregivers' attitudes toward respite care. Interviews with informal caregivers during open-house support groups (three) for informal caregivers, conducted late 2004 at Informal Care Support Centres in the city of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. A Q-methodological study was conducted. Informal caregivers were asked to rank-order 39 statements regarding motivation for providing informal care; supporting capacity; physical, psychological, practical, financial, relational and social obstacles; subjective burden; need for support; experienced support; and propensity and impediments to make use of respite care. In addition, respondents explained their Q-sort in writing and completed a questionnaire regarding characteristics of the caregiver, the care recipient, and the objective and subjective burden of their care giving situation. Individual Q-sorts were analysed using PQMethod 2.11 (statistical method factor analysis with a varimax rotation). Objective of Q-analysis was to reveal a limited number of corresponding ways the statements were sorted. For the factors identified, composite sorts were determined. Factors were interpreted and described using the composite sorts, differences and similarities in rank value of statements between factors and the explanations by respondents. We found three distinct groups of caregivers: informal caregivers who need and ask for respite care, those who need but won't ask for respite care, and those that do not need respite care. Caregivers in the first two groups experience substantial burden, while those in the third group enjoy sufficient support and appear to manage pretty well. Caregivers in the second and third group derive considerable satisfaction from care giving. On balance, caregivers in the first two groups would sometimes rather have someone else take over their task. The first group feels misunderstood and undervalued by health and welfare organisations and has problems obtaining respite. The desire for respite of caregivers in the second group is not unambiguous, affected by care recipient resistance against respite. Respite care programmes should target caregivers in the first two groups. Regarding the second group, effort should be directed to both caregiver and care recipient. They need to be convinced that it is in their mutual interest to make the care giving task manageable in the long run, because they report serious burden from care giving coupled with a resistance to respite care.

Unethical human research in the field of neuroscience: a historical review.

PubMed

Algahtani, Hussein; Bajunaid, Mohammed; Shirah, Bader

2018-05-01

Understanding the historical foundations of ethics in human research are key to illuminating future human research and clinical trials. This paper gives an overview of the most remarkable unethical human research and how past misconducts helped develop ethical guidelines on human experimentation such as The Nuremberg Code 1947 following WWII. Unethical research in the field of neuroscience also proved to be incredibly distressing. Participants were often left with life-long cognitive disabilities. This emphasizes the importance of implicating strict rules and ethical guidelines in neuroscience research that protect participants and respects their dignity. The experiments conducted by German Nazi in the concentration camps during WWII are probably the most inhumane and brutal ever conducted. The Nuremberg Code of 1947, one of the few positive outcomes of the Nazi experiments, is often considered the first document to set out ethical regulations of human research. It consists of numerous necessary criteria, to highlight a few, the subject must give informed consent, there must be a concrete scientific basis for the experiment, and the experiment should yield positive results that cannot be obtained in any other way. In the end, we must remember, the interest of the patient must always prevail over the interest of science or society.

Physics Without Causality — Theory and Evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoup, Richard

2006-10-01

The principle of cause and effect is deeply rooted in human experience, so much so that it is routinely and tacitly assumed throughout science, even by scientists working in areas where time symmetry is theoretically ingrained, as it is in both classical and quantum physics. Experiments are said to cause their results, not the other way around. In this informal paper, we argue that this assumption should be replaced with a more general notion of mutual influence — bi-directional relations or constraints on joint values of two or more variables. From an analysis based on quantum entropy, it is proposed that quantum measurement is a unitary three-interaction, with no collapse, no fundamental randomness, and no barrier to backward influence. Experimental results suggesting retrocausality are seen frequently in well-controlled laboratory experiments in parapsychology and elsewhere, especially where a random element is included. Certain common characteristics of these experiments give the appearance of contradicting well-established physical laws, thus providing an opportunity for deeper understanding and important clues that must be addressed by any explanatory theory. We discuss how retrocausal effects and other anomalous phenomena can be explained without major injury to existing physical theory. A modified quantum formalism can give new insights into the nature of quantum measurement, randomness, entanglement, causality, and time.

A Tamper-Resistant and Portable Healthcare Folder

PubMed Central

Anciaux, Nicolas; Berthelot, Morgane; Braconnier, Laurent; Bouganim, Luc; De la Blache, Martine; Gardarin, Georges; Kesmarszky, Philippe; Lartigue, Sophie; Navarre, Jean-François; Pucheral, Philippe; Vandewalle, Jean-Jacques; Zeitouni, Karine

2008-01-01

Electronic health record (EHR) projects have been launched in most developed countries to increase the quality of healthcare while decreasing its cost. The benefits provided by centralizing the healthcare information in database systems are unquestionable in terms of information quality, availability, and protection against failure. Yet, patients are reluctant to give to a distant server the control over highly sensitive data (e.g., data revealing a severe or shameful disease). This paper capitalizes on a new hardware portable device, associating the security of a smart card to the storage capacity of a USB key, to give back to the patient the control over his medical data. This paper shows how this device can complement a traditional EHR server to (1) protect and share highly sensitive data among trusted parties and (2) provide a seamless access to the data even in disconnected mode. The proposed architecture is experimented in the context of a medicosocial network providing medical care and social services at home for elderly people. PMID:18615200

Using the theory of planned behaviour to develop targets for interventions to enhance patient communication during pharmacy consultations for non-prescription medicines.

PubMed

Watson, Margaret C; Johnston, Marie; Entwistle, Vikki; Lee, Amanda J; Bond, Christine M; Fielding, Shona

2014-12-01

To identify modifiable factors that influence patients' information-giving behaviour about their health during consultations with pharmacy staff. A theory of planned behaviour questionnaire was posted to 3000 individuals randomly selected from the Scottish Electoral Register. The 927 respondents confirmed a low rate of disclosure of information about their health to pharmacy staff during their last pharmacy visit. Individuals who intended to give information about their health during pharmacy consultations were more likely to do so. Those who intended to give information during consultations had higher subjective norms than those who did not (i.e. intentions were associated with beliefs that people who were important to them, e.g. family members, doctors, thought they should give information during these consultations). Control beliefs, e.g. 'I am confident that I will give information if I have received good advice in the past', and behavioural beliefs, e.g. 'If I give information I will be sold an appropriate medicine', were not associated with intention or behaviour. Future interventions to promote relevant communication between patients and pharmacy staff should target patients' subjective norms rather than control beliefs or behavioural beliefs. © 2014 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Flash trajectory imaging of target 3D motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xinwei; Zhou, Yan; Fan, Songtao; He, Jun; Liu, Yuliang

2011-03-01

We present a flash trajectory imaging technique which can directly obtain target trajectory and realize non-contact measurement of motion parameters by range-gated imaging and time delay integration. Range-gated imaging gives the range of targets and realizes silhouette detection which can directly extract targets from complex background and decrease the complexity of moving target image processing. Time delay integration increases information of one single frame of image so that one can directly gain the moving trajectory. In this paper, we have studied the algorithm about flash trajectory imaging and performed initial experiments which successfully obtained the trajectory of a falling badminton. Our research demonstrates that flash trajectory imaging is an effective approach to imaging target trajectory and can give motion parameters of moving targets.

Breaking bad news--parents' experience of learning that their child has leukaemia.

PubMed

Oshea, J; Smith, O; O'Marcaigh, A; McMahon, C; Geoghegan, R; Cotter, M

2007-10-01

This study aimed to seek parents' experiences of how they learned their child had leukaemia and therefore identify ways of improving this process. To achieve this task a questionnaire was designed to ask parents about specific elements of the initial interview and give them opportunity to add their thoughts and feelings on the subject. All children with a diagnosis of leukaemia over an eighteen-year period were identified and parents of those children still alive were invited to partake in the study. 49 out of 50 families agreed to participate of which 35 (72%) returned completed questionnaires. The majority 29 (83%) expressed overall satisfaction. Their replies confirmed some findings of previous studies, and also offered some new insights. Examples of new findings or expansion on previous findings include observations on the presence of young children at the initial interview; the importance of the language used in conveying the diagnosis and prognostic information, and a preference for actuarial terms when discussing prognosis. Telling parents their child has leukaemia is a challenging and important task. The experience of parents gives us valuable insights into our own communication skills and highlights areas of possible improvement in this difficult area.

78 FR 13914 - Submission for Review: Survivor Annuity Election for a Spouse, RI 20-63; Cover Letter Giving...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-01

... 20-63; Cover Letter Giving Information About the Cost To Elect Less Than the Maximum Survivor Annuity, RI 20-116; Cover Letter Giving Information About the Cost To Elect the Maximum Survivor Annuity, RI... other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a revised information collection request (ICR 3206...

78 FR 42986 - Submission for Review: Survivor Annuity Election for a Spouse, RI 20-63; Cover Letter Giving...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-18

.... This letter may be used to ask for more information. Analysis Agency: Retirement Operations, Retirement... 20-63; Cover Letter Giving Information About The Cost To Elect Less Than the Maximum Survivor Annuity, RI 20-116; Cover Letter Giving Information About The Cost To Elect the Maximum Survivor Annuity, RI...

[Expandable stents and composite prosthesis].

PubMed

Baldeyrou, P

1999-11-01

Today, numerous expandable and mixed silicone metallic stents for trachea and bronchi are available. Among the many technical propositions, Nitinol is a new alloy with promising potential, offering the advantage of shape memory. The right stent is the one which best meets the needs of the individual stenotic situation as evaluated by endoscopy and CT. Sufficient experience has been acquired only with the Dumon stent, giving exact information about its qualities and possible complications. The new stents are thinner. Some can be inserted under fluoroscopic and fibroscopic control. They are presumed to produce fewer complications an provide answers to some still unresolved questions such as dyskinesia or stenosis on short bronchi. They appear to be more easily inserted on the tracheo-bronchial tree. More experience is needed to satisfactorily identify specific indications and contraindications. A prospective registry will be important to obtain comparative information more quickly.

[4 years' experience with use of the "Ambulancia, Oddelenie, Sklad" software made by Softprogress Piestany installed on the local computer network in the Ophthalmology Department of the Trnava Hospital].

PubMed

Gavorník, P; Kristofovicová, A

1997-10-01

The authors give information about their positive and negative experience at using computers connected to local network in ophthalmology department. They put the stress on a need to respect the requirements on hygiene of work at the beginning of the process of planning of suitable hardware choice software and workplace equipment. The need of sufficient number of workplace-terminals and software choice are considered to be necessary and the latter one allows a complex data processing and forming of the common database of patients for outpatient department, department and storage files. They refer to risks of local network switching over with other workplaces and possibility of undesirable information escapes and virus penetration into the network.

Biased information search in homogeneous groups: confidence as a moderator for the effect of anticipated task requirements.

PubMed

Kerschreiter, Rudolf; Schulz-Hardt, Stefan; Mojzisch, Andreas; Frey, Dieter

2008-05-01

When searching for information, groups that are homogeneous regarding their members' prediscussion decision preferences show a strong bias for information that supports rather than conflicts with the prevailing opinion (confirmation bias). The present research examined whether homogeneous groups blindly search for information confirming their beliefs irrespective of the anticipated task or whether they are sensitive to the usefulness of new information for this forthcoming task. Results of three experiments show that task sensitivity depends on the groups' confidence in the correctness of their decision: Moderately confident groups displayed a strong confirmation bias when they anticipated having to give reasons for their decision but showed a balanced information search or even a dis confirmation bias (i.e., predominately seeking conflicting information) when they anticipated having to refute counterarguments. In contrast, highly confident groups demonstrated a strong confirmation bias independent of the anticipated task requirements.

Statewide health information: a tool for improving hospital accountability.

PubMed

Epstein, M H; Kurtzig, B S

1994-07-01

By early 1994, 38 states had invested in data collection, analysis, and dissemination on the use, cost, effectiveness, and performance of hospitals. States use these data to control costs, encourage prudent purchasing, monitor effectiveness and outcomes of health care, guide health policy, and promote informed decision making. Experience in several states suggests that public release of hospital-specific data influences hospital performance. The value of state data organizations' databases to address issues of quality and accountability can be strengthened by ensuring the stability and growth of statewide health information systems, supporting research on information dissemination techniques, and promoting comparisons among hospitals. Information to measure provider performance must be placed in the public domain--to help ensure prudent and cost-effective health care purchasing and to give providers comparable information for improvement of care. State-level health databases are an essential component of the information infrastructure needed to support health reform.

20 CFR 404.705 - Failure to give requested evidence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... will be asked to give us by a certain date specific kinds of evidence or information to prove you are... not eligible for benefits. If you are already receiving benefits, you may be asked to give us by a... benefits should be stopped or reduced. If you do not give us the requested information by the date given...

20 CFR 404.705 - Failure to give requested evidence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... will be asked to give us by a certain date specific kinds of evidence or information to prove you are... not eligible for benefits. If you are already receiving benefits, you may be asked to give us by a... benefits should be stopped or reduced. If you do not give us the requested information by the date given...

Remembering and diagnosing clients: does experience matter?

PubMed

Witteman, Cilia L M; Tollenaar, Marieke S

2012-01-01

Experienced mental health clinicians often do not outperform novices in diagnostic decision making. In this paper we look for an explanation of this phenomenon by testing differences in memory processes. In two studies we aimed to look at differences in accuracy of diagnoses in relation to free recall of client information between mental health clinicians with different levels of experience. Clinicians were presented with two cases, and were asked afterwards, either directly (Study 1) or after 1 week (Study 2), to give the appropriate diagnoses and to write down what they remembered of the cases. We found in Study 1 that the accuracy of the diagnoses was the same for all levels of experience, as was the amount of details recalled. Very experienced clinicians did remember more higher-order concepts, that is, abstractions from the presented information. In Study 2 we found that the very experienced clinicians were less accurate in their diagnoses and remembered fewer details than the novices. In response to these findings we further discuss their implications for psychodiagnostic practice.

A question of belonging: race, social fit, and achievement.

PubMed

Walton, Gregory M; Cohen, Geoffrey L

2007-01-01

Stigmatization can give rise to belonging uncertainty. In this state, people are sensitive to information diagnostic of the quality of their social connections. Two experiments tested how belonging uncertainty undermines the motivation and achievement of people whose group is negatively characterized in academic settings. In Experiment 1, students were led to believe that they might have few friends in an intellectual domain. Whereas White students were unaffected, Black students (stigmatized in academics) displayed a drop in their sense of belonging and potential. In Experiment 2, an intervention that mitigated doubts about social belonging in college raised the academic achievement (e.g., college grades) of Black students but not of White students. Implications for theories of achievement motivation and intervention are discussed. 2007 APA, all rights reserved

The Impact of Personal and/or Close Relationship Experience on Memorable Messages about Breast Cancer and the Perceived Speech Acts of the Sender

PubMed Central

Smith, Sandi W.; Atkin, Charles; Skubisz, Christine M.; Munday, Samantha; Stohl, Cynthia

2009-01-01

Background Memorable messages and their speech acts (purposes of the messages) can promote protection against breast cancer and guide health behaviors. Methods Participants reported their personal, friends’, and relatives’ experiences with breast cancer and a memorable message about breast cancer if one came to mind. Those with a memorable message reported its perceived speech acts. Results Individuals who had personal and friend or relative experience with breast cancer were significantly more likely to recall memorable messages than other respondents. The most frequently perceived speech acts were providing facts, providing advice, and giving hope. Conclusion This information should be used to form messages in future breast cancer protection campaigns. PMID:19431030

14 CFR 382.53 - What information must carriers give individuals with a vision or hearing impairment at airports?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false What information must carriers give individuals with a vision or hearing impairment at airports? 382.53 Section 382.53 Aeronautics and Space... information must carriers give individuals with a vision or hearing impairment at airports? (a)(1) As a U.S...

14 CFR 382.53 - What information must carriers give individuals with a vision or hearing impairment at airports?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What information must carriers give individuals with a vision or hearing impairment at airports? 382.53 Section 382.53 Aeronautics and Space... information must carriers give individuals with a vision or hearing impairment at airports? (a)(1) As a U.S...

User-Centered Design, Experience, and Usability of an Electronic Consent User Interface to Facilitate Informed Decision-Making in an HIV Clinic.

PubMed

Ramos, S Raquel

2017-11-01

Health information exchange is the electronic accessibility and transferability of patient medical records across various healthcare settings and providers. In some states, patients have to formally give consent to allow their medical records to be electronically shared. The purpose of this study was to apply a novel user-centered, multistep, multiframework approach to design and test an electronic consent user interface, so patients with HIV can make more informed decisions about electronically sharing their health information. This study consisted of two steps. Step 1 was a cross-sectional, descriptive, qualitative study that used user-centric design interviews to create the user interface. This informed Step 2. Step 2 consisted of a one group posttest to examine perceptions of usefulness, ease of use, preference, and comprehension of a health information exchange electronic consent user interface. More than half of the study population had college experience, but challenges remained with overall comprehension regarding consent. The user interface was not independently successful, suggesting that in addition to an electronic consent user interface, human interaction may also be necessary to address the complexities associated with consenting to electronically share health information. Comprehension is key factor in the ability to make informed decisions.

Diffuse Scattering from Lead-Containing Ferroelectric Perovskite Oxides

DOE PAGES

Goossens, D. J.

2013-01-01

Ferroelectric materials rely on some type of non-centrosymmetric displacement correlations to give rise to a macroscopic polarisation. These displacements can show short-range order (SRO) that is reflective of the local chemistry, and so studying it reveals important information about how the structure gives rise to the technologically useful properties. A key means of exploring this SRO is diffuse scattering. Conventional structural studies use Bragg peak intensitiesto determine the average structure. In a single crystal diffuse scattering (SCDS) experiment, the coherent scattered intensity is measured at non-integer Miller indices, and can be used to examine the population of local configurations. Thismore » is because the diffuse scattering is sensitive to two-body averages, whereas the Bragg intensity gives single-body averages. This review outlines key results of SCDS studies on several materials and explores the similarities and differences in their diffuse scattering. Random strains are considered, as are models based on a phonon-like picture or a more local-chemistry oriented picture. Limitations of the technique are discussed.« less

32 CFR 806b.11 - When to give Privacy Act Statements (PAS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 6 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false When to give Privacy Act Statements (PAS). 806b... ADMINISTRATION PRIVACY ACT PROGRAM Collecting Personal Information § 806b.11 When to give Privacy Act Statements... information. Give a copy of the Privacy Act Statement if asked. Do not ask the person to sign the Privacy Act...

32 CFR 806b.11 - When to give Privacy Act Statements (PAS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 6 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false When to give Privacy Act Statements (PAS). 806b... ADMINISTRATION PRIVACY ACT PROGRAM Collecting Personal Information § 806b.11 When to give Privacy Act Statements... information. Give a copy of the Privacy Act Statement if asked. Do not ask the person to sign the Privacy Act...

32 CFR 806b.11 - When to give Privacy Act Statements (PAS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false When to give Privacy Act Statements (PAS). 806b... ADMINISTRATION PRIVACY ACT PROGRAM Collecting Personal Information § 806b.11 When to give Privacy Act Statements... information. Give a copy of the Privacy Act Statement if asked. Do not ask the person to sign the Privacy Act...

Alumni Giving at Arkansas Tech University: College Experiences and Motivations to Give as Predictors of Giving Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lackie, Mary Bane

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of the "Lost Generation" alumni who ended their attendance or graduated from Arkansas Tech University (Tech) between January 1973 and December 1995 relating to their demographic characteristics, perceptions of college experiences, involvement with Tech after graduation, and attitudes…

Self-interest and pro-environmental behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Laurel; Maio, Gregory R.; Corner, Adam; Hodgetts, Carl J.; Ahmed, Sameera; Hahn, Ulrike

2013-02-01

Inspired by the principles used to market physical products, campaigns to promote pro-environmental behaviour have increasingly emphasized self-interested (for example, economic) reasons for engaging with a self-transcendent cause (that is, protecting the environment). Yet, psychological evidence about values and behaviour suggests that giving self-interested reasons, rather than self-transcending reasons, to carry out a self-transcending action should be ineffective at increasing self-transcending behaviour more generally. In other words, such a campaign may fail to cause spillover, or an increase in other, different environmental behaviours. Here we show that recycling rates are dependent on the information participants receive about a separate environmental behaviour, car-sharing (carpooling in the USA). In two experiments, we found that recycling was significantly higher than control when participants received environmental information about car-sharing, but was no different from control when they received financial information or (in experiment 2) received both financial and environmental information. Our results suggest that, congruent with value theory, positive spillover from one environmental message to another behaviour (car-sharing to recycling) may occur primarily when self-transcending reasons alone are made salient.

Evolution of health web certification through the HONcode experience.

PubMed

Boyer, Célia; Baujard, Vincent; Geissbuhler, Antoine

2011-01-01

Today, the Web is a media with increasing pervasiveness around the world. Its use is constantly growing and the medical field is no exception. With this large amount of information, the problem is no longer about finding information but assessing the credibility of the publishers as well as the relevance and accuracy of the documents retrieved from the web. This problem is particularly relevant in the medical area which has a direct impact on the well-being of citizens and in the Web 2.0 context where information publishing is easier than ever. To address the quality of the medical Internet, the HONcode certification proposed by the Health On the Net Foundation (HON) is certainly the most successful initiative. The aims of this paper are to present certification activity through the HONcode experience and to show that certification is more complex than a simple code of conduct. Therefore, we first present the HONcode, its application and its current evolutions. Following that, we give some quantitative results and describe how the final user can access the certified information.

Ambassador Award Nominations Sought: Celebrate Work in Outreach and Societal Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finn, Carol

2014-03-01

A seismologist who starts giving talks at her local library and city's chamber of commerce about her work gradually becomes a go-to resource for her entire community on natural hazards preparation and safety. A professor at a community college creates an ambitious teaching initiative that supports hands-on research experiences for students who have never before been given the chance to conduct experiments. An Arctic ecologist assembles and leads a state-wide group of colleagues whose regular communication with legislators helps inform policy decisions and long-term regional planning. A heliophysicist steps up and coordinates new space weather research collaborations whose participants cross continents and disciplines.

Proposed Molecular Beam Determination of Energy Partition in the Photodissociation of Polyatomic Molecules

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Zare, P. N.; Herschbach, D. R.

1964-01-29

Conventional photochemical experiments give no information about the partitioning of energy between translational recoil and internal excitation of the fragment molecules formed in photodissociation of a polyatomic molecule. In a molecular beam experiment, it becomes possible to determine the energy partition from the form of the laboratory angular distribution of one of the photodissociation products. A general kinematic analysis is worked out in detail, and the uncertainty introduced by the finite angular resolution of the apparatus and the velocity spread in the parent beam is examined. The experimental requirements are evaluated for he photolysis of methyl iodide by the 2537 angstrom Hg line.

High Energy Cosmic Ray Electron Spectra measured from the ATIC Balloon Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, J.; Schmidt, W. K. H.; Adams, J. H.; Ahn, H. S.; Bashindzhagyan, G.; Batkov, K. E.; Christl, M.; Fazely, A. R.; Ganel, O.; Gunasingha, R. M.

2003-01-01

The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter Balloon Experiment (ATIC) is specifically designed for high energy cosmic ray ion detection. From simulation and a CERN beam test exposure we find that the design consisting of a graphite target and an energy detection device, a totally active calorimeter of BGO scintillator, gives us sufficient information to distinguish electrons from protons up to the TeV energy range. Balloon observations were successfully carried out over Antarctica in both 2000/2001 and 2002/2003 for a total of more than 35 days. This paper presents preliminary results on the spectrum of high energy electrons observed in the first ATIC flight.

Developing a policy to empower informal carers to administer subcutaneous medication in community palliative care; a feasibility project.

PubMed

Lee, Louise; Howard, Kay; Wilkinson, Lyn; Kern, Cheryl; Hall, Sarah

2016-08-01

This article describes the development and implementation of a policy to support community professionals to train informal carers to give, 'as required ', subcutaneous medications to their relative. In a rural county, Lincolnshire, despite out of hours responsive services, patients could wait up to one hour for subcutaneous medications. Additionally there were increasing requests from carers to participate in this role. To provide a safe and effective framework via a robust policy to support informal carers to give, as required, subcutaneous medications in today's health-care environment. A group of professionals working in adult community palliative care formed a working party to scope the literature and existing policies, and to consider risks, legalities and local infrastructure. The policy was developed and based on available literature. A consultation process on the policy was commenced before a series of educational workshops supported its roll out. The small number of informal carers (n=5) who undertook this role reported positive experiences and felt empowered. Professionals found the policy was able to be implemented quickly and was adhered to. From the small numbers audited it could be suggested that if the process is well managed and the informal carers feel supported they can safely and effectively administer subcutaneous injections in community palliative care. More importantly, if a policy is available, staff can respond to requests from carers in a timely manner.

Acoustic Signature from Flames as a Combustion Diagnostic Tool

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-01

empirical visual flame length had to be input to the computer for the inversion method to give good results. That is, if the experiment cnd inversion...method were asked to yield the flame length , poor results were obtained. Since this wa3 part of the information sought for practical application of the...to small experimental uncertainty. The method gave reasonably good results for the open flame but substantial input (the flame length ) had to be

Operation Desert Storm. Questions Remain on Possible Exposure to Reproductive Toxicants

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

Persian Gulf war believe that exposure to these elements had harmful effects on not only their own health but also on the health of their spouses and...small number of veterans and their spouses . However, these veterans voluntarily came forward to give us information on their individual experiences...hypersensitive to pyridostigmine (those with asthma or high blood pressure, on medication, and smokers). It may be important to include women as well as men

Employees' views on outsourcing and its impact on employee turnover: A phenomenological study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Przybelinski, Steven A.

Increasing use of outsourcing gives employees concern about personal job security. Using a modified van Kaam approach, this qualitative phenomenological study examined perceptions and experiences of 12 employees' on the influence outsourcing had on employee turnover. Five themes describing employee perceptions emerged: (a) preparation---education gives job security, (b) plausibility---all believed job loss plausible, (c) emotional influence---feelings of stress, threat, betrayal, and not being valued, (d) environment---value of communication and interaction with leaders, and (e) confidence---gained from increased education, skills, and knowledge protected from outsourcing. Significance of this study to leadership is the identification of employee perceptions of outsourcing and motivating factors influencing employee turnover during times of outsourcing. Findings might present new information and assist leaders with employee retention concerns for future outsourcing activities.

Simultaneity in Emotional Moments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clore, Gerald L.

Emotions are described as emergent states, which exist only to the extent that multiple affective reactions to the same object occur at the same time. Emotions are thus the confluence of thoughts, feelings, expressions, desires, and so on. They emerge as meta-cognitive representations of embodied affective reactions. Emotions may be initiated by low-level, automatic, unconscious affective reactions, which are then iteratively re-processed with ever greater cognitive involvement until they become elaborated into emotional states. Affective and emotional reactions act as information about the value of objects of judgment and of accessible cognitions and inclinations during tasks. They influence judgment and thought when they are experienced simultaneously with sensory data about the world. Affective influences thus depend on our inability to disentangle affective from descriptive perceptions. To the extent that affective reactions reflect different, incommensurate sources of value (e.g., utilitarian, moral, aesthetic), perceived persons or objects may be experienced as being transcendently good or evil. Experiments varying people's attributions for their affective experiences allow the separate roles of affective and descriptive information to be examined. However, it is the inability to parse everyday experience into its separate sources of evaluative and descriptive information that gives rise to a colourful and transcendent reality.

The Modified, Multi-patient Observed Simulated Handoff Experience (M-OSHE): Assessment and Feedback for Entering Residents on Handoff Performance.

PubMed

Gaffney, Sean; Farnan, Jeanne M; Hirsch, Kristen; McGinty, Michael; Arora, Vineet M

2016-04-01

Despite the identification of transfer of patient responsibility as a Core Entrustable Professional Activity for Entering Residency, rigorous methods to evaluate incoming residents' ability to give a verbal handoff of multiple patients are lacking. Our purpose was to implement a multi-patient, simulation-based curriculum to assess verbal handoff performance. Graduate Medical Education (GME) orientation at an urban, academic medical center. Eighty-four incoming residents from four residency programs participated in the study. The curriculum featured an online training module and a multi-patient observed simulated handoff experience (M-OSHE). Participants verbally "handed off" three mock patients of varying acuity and were evaluated by a trained "receiver" using an expert-informed, five-item checklist. Prior handoff experience in medical school was associated with higher checklist scores (23% none vs. 33% either third OR fourth year vs. 58% third AND fourth year, p = 0.021). Prior training was associated with prioritization of patients based on acuity (12% no training vs. 38% prior training, p = 0.014). All participants agreed that the M-OSHE realistically portrayed a clinical setting. The M-OSHE is a promising strategy for teaching and evaluating entering residents' ability to give verbal handoffs of multiple patients. Prior training and more handoff experience was associated with higher performance, which suggests that additional handoff training in medical school may be of benefit.

Choosing homebirth--the women's perspective.

PubMed

Jouhki, Maija-Riitta

2012-12-01

To describe the decision-making process and birth experience of ten women in Finland who had planned to have a home birth. The data were collected by means of in-depth interviews in 2008 and were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Several reasons led to a decision to give birth at home. The main reasons were: previous birth experience, considering birth to be a natural process, increased autonomy, the home environment, intuition, the desire to choose the birth attendant, mistrust of the medical establishment and the opportunity to have the baby's siblings present at the birth. There were inhibiting and facilitating factors which influenced the women's decisions, and before making their decisions women sought out information about home birth. Home birth was an extremely positive experience and women highlighted their desire for the development of parent education to empower women in their preparations for birth. Full autonomy, the participation of family members, trust in one's ability to give birth and the absence of pharmacological pain relief were major contributors to the positive birth experience. The need for empowerment through parent education was highlighted in the interviews. To the women of this study home birth was very positive experience in which the autonomy was the important factor. According to this study maternity care services do not respond to women's individual wishes and services should be offer more alternatives and should be more empowering. Copyright © 2011 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virtual seminars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, H. Roice

1997-06-01

A virtual seminar (SM) is an economic and effective instructional tool for teaching students who are at a distance from their instructor. Like conventional class room teaching, a virtual seminar requires an instructor, a student, and a method of communication. Teleconferencing, video conferencing, intranets and the Internet give learners in a Virtual Seminar the ability to interact immediately with their mentors and receive real and relevant answers. This paper shows how industry and academia can benefit from using methods developed and experience gained in presenting the first virtual seminars to academic and petroleum industry participants in mid-1996. The information explosion in industry means that business or technical information is worthless until it is assimilated into a corporate knowledge management system. A search for specific information often turns into a filtering exercise or an attempt to find patterns and classify retrieved material. In the setting of an interactive corporate information system, virtual seminars meet the need for a productive new relationship between creative people and the flux of corporate knowledge. Experience shows that it is more efficient to circulate timesensitive and confidential information electronically through a virtual seminar. Automating the classification of information and removing that task from the usual work load creates an electronic corporate memory and enhances the value of the knowledge to both users and a corporation. Catalogued benchmarks, best-practice standards, and Knowledge Maps (SM) of experience serve as key aids to communicating knowledge through virtual seminars and converting that knowledge into a profit-making asset.

Concurrent Ultrasonic Tomography and Acoustic Emission in Solid Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Thomas M.

A series of experiments were performed to detect stress induced changes in the elastic properties of various solid materials. A technique was developed where these changes were monitored concurrently by two methods, ultrasonic tomography and acoustic emission monitoring. This thesis discusses some experiments in which acoustic emission (AE) and ultrasonic tomography were performed on various samples of solid materials including rocks, concrete, metals, and fibre reinforced composites. Three separate techniques were used to induce stress in these samples. Disk shaped samples were subject to stress via diametral loading using an indirect tensile test geometry. Cylindrical samples of rocks and concrete were subject to hydraulic fracture tests, and rectangular samples of fibre reinforced composite were subject to direct tensile loading. The majority of the samples were elastically anisotropic. Full waveform acoustic emission and tomographic data were collected while these samples were under load to give information concerning changes in the structure of the material as it was undergoing stress change and/or failure. Analysis of this data indicates that AE and tomographic techniques mutually compliment each other to give a view of the stress induced elastic changes in the tested samples.

Experiments with Image Theatre: Accessing and Giving Meaning to Sensory Experiences in Social Anthropology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strauss, Annika

2017-01-01

This article puts forward an experiential teaching method for becoming aware of, getting access to, and giving meaning to the sensory experiences that constitute and shape learning processes during social anthropological fieldwork. While social anthropologists use all their senses in the field, the preparation and processing of fieldwork are…

Claparède (1904) on Monocular Stereopsis: History, Theory, and Translation.

PubMed

O'Shea, Robert P

2017-01-01

Astoundingly, looking at a photograph with one eye can yield an experience of depth of the depicted objects similar to that from viewing the real objects with both eyes. Édouard Claparède (1873-1940) was one of the first to report this phenomenon in a French paper published in 1904. I give some historical and theoretical context to the phenomenon, provide some biographical information about Claparède, and provide a translation into English of Claparède's paper.

[Risk to employees in garbage collection and transport from pathogen exposure].

PubMed

Becker, G; Mathys, W; Neumann, H D; Allmers, H; Balfanz, J

1999-01-01

In a current study funded by the Federal Institute of Occupational Safety and Hygiene the microbial exposure during waste collection and the health of waste collectors are being examined. The investigation of the exposure is carried out in standard experiments and in field studies. It should give information about the extent of emissions of bacteria and fungi spores und confounding factors. Medical examinations of waste collectors will show if there are special health risks attributable to waste collection.

The NOL Gap Test: Past, present, and future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, S. J.; Price, D.

1980-01-01

A brief history of the development of the gap test is presented with emphasis on accumulated knowledge of how best to use it as a tool to assess relative shock sensitivity of explosives and propellants. Present information about the detonation process in build-up, steady state, and failure is used to show that failure diameter cannot give the desired shock sensitivity assessment. Suggestions are made for improving the test to an experiment. The use of spherical donors, water as attenuator, and camera instrumentation are briefly discussed.

Retail video analytics: an overview and survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connell, Jonathan; Fan, Quanfu; Gabbur, Prasad; Haas, Norman; Pankanti, Sharath; Trinh, Hoang

2013-03-01

Today retail video analytics has gone beyond the traditional domain of security and loss prevention by providing retailers insightful business intelligence such as store traffic statistics and queue data. Such information allows for enhanced customer experience, optimized store performance, reduced operational costs, and ultimately higher profitability. This paper gives an overview of various camera-based applications in retail as well as the state-ofthe- art computer vision techniques behind them. It also presents some of the promising technical directions for exploration in retail video analytics.

Online monitoring of a photocatalytic reaction by real-time high resolution FlowNMR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Hall, Andrew M R; Broomfield-Tagg, Rachael; Camilleri, Matthew; Carbery, David R; Codina, Anna; Whittaker, David T E; Coombes, Steven; Lowe, John P; Hintermair, Ulrich

2017-12-19

We demonstrate how FlowNMR spectroscopy can readily be applied to investigate photochemical reactions that require sustained input of light and air to yield mechanistic insight under realistic conditions. The Eosin Y mediated photo-oxidation of N-allylbenzylamine is shown to produce imines as primary reaction products from which undesired aldehydes form after longer reaction times. Facile variation of reaction conditions during the reaction in flow allows for probe experiments that give information about the mode of action of the photocatalyst.

STS-107 Flight Day 8 Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

This video shows the activities of the STS-107 crew (Rick Husband, Commander; William McCool, Pilot; Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Michael Anderson, Laurel Clark, Mission Specialists, Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist) during flight day 8 of the Columbia orbiter's final flight. The primary activities of flight day 8 are spaceborne experiments. Some background information is given on the SOFBALL (Structure of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-Number) microgravity experiment as footage of the flame balls is shown. The video also shows the MEIDEX (Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment) calibrating on the Moon. The six STARS (Space Technology and Research Students) international student experiments are profiled, including experiments on carpenter bees (Liechtenstein), spiders (Australia), silkworms (China), ants (United States), crystal growth (Israel), and fish embryos (Japan). A commercial experiment on roses is also profiled. Astronaut Clark gives a tour of the SpaceHab RDM (Research Double Module), in the space shuttle's payload bay. Astronauts McCool and Ramon take turns on an exercise machine. The video includes a partly cloudy view of the Pacific Ocean.

Perceiving expressions of emotion: What evidence could bear on questions about perceptual experience of mental states?

PubMed

Butterfill, Stephen A

2015-11-01

What evidence could bear on questions about whether humans ever perceptually experience any of another's mental states, and how might those questions be made precise enough to test experimentally? This paper focusses on emotions and their expression. It is proposed that research on perceptual experiences of physical properties provides one model for thinking about what evidence concerning expressions of emotion might reveal about perceptual experiences of others' mental states. This proposal motivates consideration of the hypothesis that categorical perception of expressions of emotion occurs, can be facilitated by information about agents' emotions, and gives rise to phenomenal expectations. It is argued that the truth of this hypothesis would support a modest version of the claim that humans sometimes perceptually experience some of another's mental states. Much available evidence is consistent with, but insufficient to establish, the truth of the hypothesis. We are probably not yet in a position to know whether humans ever perceptually experience others' mental states. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Parasitic modulation of electromagnetic signals caused by time-varying plasma

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

Yang, Min, E-mail: merovingia1911@126.com; Li, Xiaoping; Xie, Kai

2015-02-15

An experiment on the propagation of electromagnetic (EM) signals in continuous time-varying plasma is described. The time-varying characteristics of plasma are considered to cause a parasitic modulation in both amplitude and phase, and the strength of this modulation, which carries the information of the electron density profile, is closely related to the plasma frequency and the incident wave frequency. Through theoretical analysis, we give an explanation and mechanism of the interaction between the continuous time-varying plasma and EM waves, which is verified by a comparative analysis with experiments performed under the same conditions. The effects of this modulation on themore » EM signals in the plasma sheath cannot be ignored.« less

Implementing quantum optics with parametrically driven superconducting circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aumentado, Jose

Parametric coupling has received much attention, in part because it forms the core of many low-noise amplifiers in superconducting quantum information experiments. However, parametric coupling in superconducting circuits is, as a general rule, simple to generate and forms the basis of a methodology for interacting microwave fields at different frequencies. In the quantum regime, this has important consequences, allowing relative novices to do experiments in superconducting circuits today that were previously heroic efforts in quantum optics and cavity-QED. In this talk, I'll give an overview of some of our work demonstrating parametric coupling within the context of circuit-QED as well as some of the possibilities this concept creates in our field.

Sometimes You Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows: The 25-Year Weather Underground Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masters, J.

2014-12-01

Originally an educational project at the University of Michigan in the early 1990s, the Weather Underground transformed into the highly successful commercial Internet weather web site, wunderground.com, in 1995. I give an overview of the science communication experiences learned during my 25-year experience with the Weather Underground. Some lessons learned: Find your own unique voice. Be entertaining; don't be such a scientist. Tell stories. Earn people's trust. Use colorful graphs, images that show people, historical events, or scenes of local interest to illustrate your message. Be careful with criticism. Allow your audience to participate. Enrich people's experience by turning them on to other groups that offer unique and interesting information. Collaborate with other communicators with the goal of providing the public with simple, clear messages, repeated by a variety of trusted sources.

[Family caregivers' adjustment to nursing home placement of older relatives].

PubMed

Wang, Szu-Yao; Davies, Elizabeth

2007-06-01

The literature on the impact of nursing home placement of older parents on family caregivers is still incomplete. Family caregivers experience stress, shock, anxiety, fear, resistance, and guilt in the process of decision making. The literature has demonstrated that family caregivers continue to experience stress and problems after placing older relatives into a long term care facility. Cultural values impact on people's attitudes, values and expectations. Culture will therefore affect the care-giving experience. Relatively little information is available from Asian and multicultural societies. Identifying family caregiver experiences after nursing home placement can alert professionals to the need for family guidance prior to nursing home placement and assist in early identification of potential problems. This article reviews the literature and discusses the impact on family caregivers of making a decision for nursing home placement and dealing with the stress and challenges that persist after nursing home admission.

I want to help you, but I am not sure why: gaze-cuing induces altruistic giving.

PubMed

Rogers, Robert D; Bayliss, Andrew P; Szepietowska, Anna; Dale, Laura; Reeder, Lydia; Pizzamiglio, Gloria; Czarna, Karolina; Wakeley, Judi; Cowen, Phillip J; Tipper, Steven P

2014-04-01

Detecting subtle indicators of trustworthiness is highly adaptive for moving effectively amongst social partners. One powerful signal is gaze direction, which individuals can use to inform (or deceive) by looking toward (or away from) important objects or events in the environment. Here, across 5 experiments, we investigate whether implicit learning about gaze cues can influence subsequent economic transactions; we also examine some of the underlying mechanisms. In the 1st experiment, we demonstrate that people invest more money with individuals whose gaze information has previously been helpful, possibly reflecting enhanced trust appraisals. However, in 2 further experiments, we show that other mechanisms driving this behavior include obligations to fairness or (painful) altruism, since people also make more generous offers and allocations of money to individuals with reliable gaze cues in adapted 1-shot ultimatum games and 1-shot dictator games. In 2 final experiments, we show that the introduction of perceptual noise while following gaze can disrupt these effects, but only when the social partners are unfamiliar. Nonconscious detection of reliable gaze cues can prompt altruism toward others, probably reflecting the interplay of systems that encode identity and control gaze-evoked attention, integrating the reinforcement value of gaze cues.

A phenomenologic investigation of pediatric residents' experiences being parented and giving parenting advice.

PubMed

Bax, A C; Shawler, P M; Blackmon, D L; DeGrace, E W; Wolraich, M L

2016-09-01

Factors surrounding pediatricians' parenting advice and training on parenting during residency have not been well studied. The primary purpose of this study was to examine pediatric residents' self-reported experiences giving parenting advice and explore the relationship between parenting advice given and types of parenting residents received as children. Thirteen OUHSC pediatric residents were individually interviewed to examine experiences being parented and giving parenting advice. Phenomenological methods were used to explicate themes and secondary analyses explored relationships of findings based upon Baumrind's parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive). While childhood experiences were not specifically correlated to the parenting advice style of pediatric residents interviewed, virtually all reported relying upon childhood experiences to generate their advice. Those describing authoritative parents reported giving more authoritative advice while others reported more variable advice. Core interview themes related to residents' parenting advice included anxiety about not being a parent, varying advice based on families' needs, and emphasis of positive interactions and consistency. Themes related to how residents were parented included discipline being a learning process for their parents and recalling that their parents always had expectations, yet always loved them. Pediatric residents interviewed reported giving family centered parenting advice with elements of positive interactions and consistency, but interviews highlighted many areas of apprehension residents have around giving parenting advice. Our study suggests that pediatric residents may benefit from more general educational opportunities to develop the content of their parenting advice, including reflecting on any impact from their own upbringing.

OSO-7 Orbiting Solar Observatory program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The seventh Orbiting Solar Observatory (OSO-7) in the continuing series designed to gather solar and celestial data that cannot be obtained from the earth's surface is described. OSO-7 was launched September 29, 1971. It has been highly successful in returning scientific data giving new and important information about solar flare development, coronal temperature variations, streamer dynamics of plasma flow, and solar nuclear processes. OSO-7 is expected to have sufficient lifetime to permit data comparisons with the Skylab A mission during 1973. The OSO-7 is a second generation observatory. It is about twice as large and heavy as its predecessors, giving it considerably greater capability for scientific measurements. This report reviews mission objectives, flight history, and scientific experiments; describes the observatory; briefly compares OSO-7 with the first six OSO's; and summarizes the performance of OSO-7.

Personal control of privacy and data: Estonian experience.

PubMed

Priisalu, Jaan; Ottis, Rain

2017-01-01

The Republic of Estonia leads Europe in the provision of public digital services. The national communications and transactions platform allows for twenty-first century governance by allowing for transparency, e-safety (inter alia privacy), e-security, entrepreneurship and, among other things, rising levels of prosperity, and well-being for all its Citizens. However, a series of Information Infrastructure attacks against the Estonian e-society infrastructure in 2007 became one of best known incidents and experiences that fundamentally changed both Estonian and international discussions about Cyber Security and Privacy. Estonian experience shows that an open and transparent attitude provides a good foundation for trust between the Citizen and the State, and gives more control to the real owner of the data - the Citizen. Another important lesson is that the Citizen needs to be confident in the government's ability to keep their data safe -- in terms of confidentiality, integrity and availability - establishing a strong link between privacy and information security. This paper discusses certain critical choices, context, and events connected to the birth and growth of the Estonian e-society in terms of Privacy.

14 CFR 382.119 - What information must carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false What information must carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft? 382.119 Section 382.119 Aeronautics and Space... carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft? (a) As a carrier, you must ensure...

14 CFR 382.119 - What information must carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What information must carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft? 382.119 Section 382.119 Aeronautics and Space... carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft? (a) As a carrier, you must ensure...

Information giving and education in pregnancy: a review of qualitative studies.

PubMed

Nolan, Mary L

2009-01-01

Studies of childbirth education have universally failed to take into account the quality of the education provided to women and their families and whether its style of delivery meets women's preferences and needs. The present study sought to determine which educational approaches are most welcomed by women and most helpful to them in learning about labor, birth, and early parenting. A systematic survey of peer-reviewed studies on antenatal education, published in English from 1996-2006 and which sought women's views and experiences, was conducted. Findings confirm women's preference for a small-group learning environment in which they can talk to each other as well as the educator and can relate information to their individual circumstances.

[Which truth for patients and their family].

PubMed

Bréchot, J-M

2007-10-01

Must the truth always be told to a cancer patient and/or his relatives? Taking a personal experience as the basis for discussion, the author examines this question in the context of Western cultural norms where death is taboo. The legal obligations to inform patients and the representation of cancer are discussed. Two key situations are considered: the delivery of a diagnosis of cancer and the announcement of a bad prognosis. What does it really mean "to tell the truth"? A best strategy for giving information to relatives is developed. The author's conclusion is that it seems more important to establish a "true" relationship with the cancer patient and his relatives than telling or not telling the whole truth.

Large-Scale Cooperative Dissemination of Governmental Information in Emergency — An Experiment and Future Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horiba, Katsuhiro; Okawa, Keiko; Murai, Jun

On the 11th of March, 2011, a massive earthquake hit the northeast region of Japan. The government of Japan needed to publish information regarding the earthquake and its influences. However, their capacity of Web services overflowed. They called the industry and academia for help for providing stable information service to the people. Industry and academia formed a team to answer the call and named themselves the “EQ project”. This paper describes how the EQ Project was organized and operated, and gives analyses of the statistics. An academic organization took the lead in the EQ Project. Ten organizations which consisted of commercial IT industry and academics specialized in Internet technology, were participating in the EQ Project and they structured the three clusters based on their relationships and technological approach. In WIDE Cluster, one of three clusters in the structure of EQ, the peak number of file accesses per day was over 90 thousand, the mobile browsers was 3.4% and foreign languages (translated contents) were referred 35%. We have also discussed the future information distribution strategies in emergency situation based on the experiences of the EQ Project, and proposed nine suggestions to the MEXT as a future strategy.

Adaptive design optimization: a mutual information-based approach to model discrimination in cognitive science.

PubMed

Cavagnaro, Daniel R; Myung, Jay I; Pitt, Mark A; Kujala, Janne V

2010-04-01

Discriminating among competing statistical models is a pressing issue for many experimentalists in the field of cognitive science. Resolving this issue begins with designing maximally informative experiments. To this end, the problem to be solved in adaptive design optimization is identifying experimental designs under which one can infer the underlying model in the fewest possible steps. When the models under consideration are nonlinear, as is often the case in cognitive science, this problem can be impossible to solve analytically without simplifying assumptions. However, as we show in this letter, a full solution can be found numerically with the help of a Bayesian computational trick derived from the statistics literature, which recasts the problem as a probability density simulation in which the optimal design is the mode of the density. We use a utility function based on mutual information and give three intuitive interpretations of the utility function in terms of Bayesian posterior estimates. As a proof of concept, we offer a simple example application to an experiment on memory retention.

Enhancing the Communication of Climate Change Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somerville, R. C.; Hassol, S. J.

2011-12-01

Climate scientists have an important role to play in the critical task of informing the public, media and policymakers. Scientists can help in publicizing and illuminating climate science. However, this task requires combining climate science expertise with advanced communication skills. For example, it is entirely possible to convey scientific information accurately without using jargon or technical concepts unfamiliar to non-scientists. However, making this translation into everyday language is a job that few scientists have been trained to do. In this talk, we give examples from our recent experience working with scientists to enhance their ability to communicate well. Our work includes providing training, technical assistance, and communications tools to climate scientists and universities, government agencies, and research centers. Our experience ranges from preparing Congressional testimony to writing major climate science reports to appearing on television. We have also aided journalists in gathering reliable scientific information and identifying trustworthy experts. Additionally, we are involved in developing resources freely available online at climatecommunication.org. These include a feature on the links between climate change and extreme weather, a climate science primer, and graphics and video explaining key developments in climate change science.

Measurement of participant experience and satisfaction of exercise programs for low back pain: a structured literature review.

PubMed

Slade, Susan C; Keating, Jennifer L

2010-10-01

The objective of this review was to identify measuring instruments that might be suitable for assessment of satisfaction and experience of exercise programs designed to help people with persistent, recurrent low back pain. The review was designed as a structured literature review adapted from the Cochrane Collaboration Systematic Review and the Quality of Reporting of Meta-analyses and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Guidelines. A priori inclusion and exclusion criteria were established and electronic databases were searched without limits until February 2009. Data extraction guidelines were developed to extract the same information from each included article. Thematic analysis, conducted by two independent reviewers, was applied to identify emergent codes and themes from the questionnaires. The relevant questions were then evaluated for applicability to the back pain population. Ten potentially useful instruments were described in the 11 included articles. The following domains of experience were common to the included instruments: care-provider qualities, support staff, governance, access, and facilities. The answers to questions based on these themes may give valuable insights into the experience of exercise programs in general and for low back pain. Important information that would inform researchers and clinicians regarding the components of successful exercise programs may be gained from the development of an instrument that assesses experience of exercise program participation. Research into the experience of people who have participated in exercise programs may be a key to understanding their motivation, engagement, compliance or noncompliance and success or failure. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

On Reminder Effects, Drop-Outs and Dominance: Evidence from an Online Experiment on Charitable Giving

PubMed Central

Sonntag, Axel; Zizzo, Daniel John

2015-01-01

We present the results of an experiment that (a) shows the usefulness of screening out drop-outs and (b) tests whether different methods of payment and reminder intervals affect charitable giving. Following a lab session, participants could make online donations to charity for a total duration of three months. Our procedure justifying the exclusion of drop-outs consists in requiring participants to collect payments in person flexibly and as known in advance and as highlighted to them later. Our interpretation is that participants who failed to collect their positive payments under these circumstances are likely not to satisfy dominance. If we restrict the sample to subjects who did not drop out, but not otherwise, reminders significantly increase the overall amount of charitable giving. We also find that weekly reminders are no more effective than monthly reminders in increasing charitable giving, and that, in our three months duration experiment, standing orders do not increase giving relative to one-off donations. PMID:26252524

Dynamic Weighing Experiments—The Way to New Physics of Gravitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dmitriev, A. L.; Nikushchenko, E. M.; Bulgakova, S. A.

2010-01-01

Dynamic weighing is a measuring of size of the average gravity force acting on a test body which is in the state of accelerated movement. The acceleration of a body, or its microparticles, can be caused both by forces of gravitation, and by a direct, electromagnetic in nature, influence on the part of other bodies. It is just dynamic weighing of bodies which is informative in studying the features of electromagnetic and gravitational forces interaction. The report gives a brief review of results of experiments with weighing of accelerated moving bodies—in case of shock phenomena, in state of rotation, and in heating. Special attention is given to measurements of free fall accelerations of a mechanical rotor. In majority of the laboratory experiments executed with the purpose of checking the equivalence principle, the axis of a rotor was oriented verticallly. In our experiment we measured the free fall accelerations of the closed container inside which a mechanical rotor (gyroscope) with a horizontal axis of rotation was installed. There was observed an appreciable, essentially exceeding errors of measurements increase of acceleration of free falling of the container at angular speed of rotation of a rotor up to 20 000 rev/min. The physical conditions of free vertical falling of a body essentially differ from conditions of rotary (orbital) movement of a body in the field of gravity and the result obtained by us does not contradict the results of measurements of a gyroscope precession on satellites. Experiments with dynamic weighing of bodies give useful information on complex properties of the gravity force which are beyond the scope of well-known theories. Their careful analysis will allow to expand and supplement the concepts based on the general theory of relativity, and probably to open a way to new physics of gravitation and to new principles of movement.

Automating annotation of information-giving for analysis of clinical conversation.

PubMed

Mayfield, Elijah; Laws, M Barton; Wilson, Ira B; Penstein Rosé, Carolyn

2014-02-01

Coding of clinical communication for fine-grained features such as speech acts has produced a substantial literature. However, annotation by humans is laborious and expensive, limiting application of these methods. We aimed to show that through machine learning, computers could code certain categories of speech acts with sufficient reliability to make useful distinctions among clinical encounters. The data were transcripts of 415 routine outpatient visits of HIV patients which had previously been coded for speech acts using the Generalized Medical Interaction Analysis System (GMIAS); 50 had also been coded for larger scale features using the Comprehensive Analysis of the Structure of Encounters System (CASES). We aggregated selected speech acts into information-giving and requesting, then trained the machine to automatically annotate using logistic regression classification. We evaluated reliability by per-speech act accuracy. We used multiple regression to predict patient reports of communication quality from post-visit surveys using the patient and provider information-giving to information-requesting ratio (briefly, information-giving ratio) and patient gender. Automated coding produces moderate reliability with human coding (accuracy 71.2%, κ=0.57), with high correlation between machine and human prediction of the information-giving ratio (r=0.96). The regression significantly predicted four of five patient-reported measures of communication quality (r=0.263-0.344). The information-giving ratio is a useful and intuitive measure for predicting patient perception of provider-patient communication quality. These predictions can be made with automated annotation, which is a practical option for studying large collections of clinical encounters with objectivity, consistency, and low cost, providing greater opportunity for training and reflection for care providers.

White Cliffs: Operating Experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaneff, S.

1984-01-01

The fourteen dish white cliffs solar power station area is remote and subject to extreme environmental conditions, solution of the associated problems required careful and thoughtful attention and the application of resources. Notwithstanding the wide range and harshness of conditions, the difficulties caused by remoteness and the lack of a technological base and the need for relatively rapid demonstration of success, the project has had a very positive outcome. Qualitative and quantitative information and lessons are now available to enable considerable simplifications to be made for a new system, reducing both hardware and operation and maintenance costs. Experience and lessons are presented, particularly in relation to: system performance in various environmental conditions; design philosophies for collectors, the array, control systems, engine and plant; operation and maintenance strategies and cost reducing possibilities. Experience so far gives encouragement for the future of such paraboloidal dish systems in appropriate areas.

Can Anyone Hear Me? Does Anyone See Me? A Qualitative Meta-Analysis of Women's Experiences of Heart Disease.

PubMed

Galick, Aimee; D'Arrigo-Patrick, Elizabeth; Knudson-Martin, Carmen

2015-08-01

Female heart patients are underdiagnosed and undertreated. The purpose of this qualitative meta-data-analysis was to explain how societal expectations related to gender and the treatment environment influence women's experiences and can inform optimal care. The authors used grounded theory methodology and a social constructionist gender lens to analyze 43 studies (1993-2012) of women's experiences of heart disease. The analysis illustrates how social expectations within both medical and relational contexts led to women experiencing barriers to diagnosis and treatment and inadvertent minimization of their experience and knowledge. Women's descriptions of their experiences suggest three kinds of health care strategies that have the potential to increase women's engagement with heart disease treatment and rehabilitation: (a) support give and take in relational connections, (b) identify and acknowledge unique health-promoting behavior, and (c) focus on empowerment. These findings have interdisciplinary implications for practice with women with heart disease. © The Author(s) 2015.

Development of guidelines for giving community presentations about eating disorders: a Delphi study.

PubMed

Doley, Joanna Rachel; Hart, Laura Merilyn; Stukas, Arthur Anthony; Morgan, Amy Joanna; Rowlands, Danielle Lisa; Paxton, Susan Jessica

2017-01-01

Concerns exist around how to talk about eating disorders (EDs) due to evidence that suggests discussing ED symptoms and behaviours may cause or worsen symptoms in vulnerable people. Using expert consensus, we developed a set of guidelines for giving safe community presentations about EDs. Participants with professional ED expertise, and people with lived experience of an ED, were recruited for a Delphi study. N  = 26 panel members rated 367 statements for both a) inclusion in guidelines, and b) their potential to be helpful (increase knowledge, reduce stigma) or harmful (increase stigma, cause/worsen ED symptoms). After each round of the study, statements were classified as endorsed, re-rate, or not endorsed. 208 statements were endorsed by the panel over three rounds. 13 statements were strongly endorsed in the first round, with both people with lived experience and professionals agreeing it is important for presentations to include information on etiology of EDs and to promote help-seeking. Several statements had a high level of disagreement between those with lived experience and professionals, including the idea that presentations should suggest dieting is likely to result in weight gain. The experts were able to develop consensus on a wide range of issues. Panel members, particularly people with lived experience, were sensitive to aspects of presentations that may be harmful to an audience. The guidelines fill an important gap in the literature and provide guidance to those educating the public about EDs; they should, however, be further evaluated to test their efficacy.

An Information Building on Radioactivity and Nuclear Energy for the French CEA Cadarache Research Center - 13492

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

Brunel, Guy; Denis, Dominique; Boulet, Alain

The CEA Cadarache research center is one of the 10 research centers of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). Distributed throughout various research platforms, it focuses on nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, new energy technologies (hydrogen, solar, biomass) and fundamental research in the field of vegetal biology. It is the most important technological research and development centers for energy in Europe. Considering the sensitive nature of nuclear activities, the questions surrounding the issue of radioactive waste, the nuclear energy and the social, economic and environmental concerns for present and future generations, the French Government asked nuclear actors tomore » open communication and to give all the information asked by the Local Information Commission (CLI) and the public [1]. In this context, the CEA Cadarache has decided to better show and explain its expertise and experience in the area of nuclear energy and nuclear power plant design, and to make it available to stakeholders and to the public. CEA Cadarache receives each year more than 9000 visitors. To complete technical visits of the research facilities and laboratories, a scientific cultural center has been built in 2011 to inform the public on CEA Cadarache research activities and to facilitate the acceptance of nuclear energy in a way suited to the level of knowledge of the visitors. A modern interactive exhibition of 150 m{sup 2} allows visitors to find out more about energy, CEA Cadarache research programs, radioactive waste management and radiological impact on the research center activities. It also offers an auditorium for group discussions and for school groups to discover science through enjoyment. This communication center has received several thousand visitors since its opening on October 2011; the initial results of this experience are now available. It's possible to explain the design of this exhibition, to give some statistics on the number of the visitors, their characteristics and their perception after their center visits. (authors)« less

Sensitivity Analysis and Optimization of Enclosure Radiation with Applications to Crystal Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tiller, Michael M.

1995-01-01

In engineering, simulation software is often used as a convenient means for carrying out experiments to evaluate physical systems. The benefit of using simulations as 'numerical' experiments is that the experimental conditions can be easily modified and repeated at much lower cost than the comparable physical experiment. The goal of these experiments is to 'improve' the process or result of the experiment. In most cases, the computational experiments employ the same trial and error approach as their physical counterparts. When using this approach for complex systems, the cause and effect relationship of the system may never be fully understood and efficient strategies for improvement never utilized. However, it is possible when running simulations to accurately and efficiently determine the sensitivity of the system results with respect to simulation to accurately and efficiently determine the sensitivity of the system results with respect to simulation parameters (e.g., initial conditions, boundary conditions, and material properties) by manipulating the underlying computations. This results in a better understanding of the system dynamics and gives us efficient means to improve processing conditions. We begin by discussing the steps involved in performing simulations. Then we consider how sensitivity information about simulation results can be obtained and ways this information may be used to improve the process or result of the experiment. Next, we discuss optimization and the efficient algorithms which use sensitivity information. We draw on all this information to propose a generalized approach for integrating simulation and optimization, with an emphasis on software programming issues. After discussing our approach to simulation and optimization we consider an application involving crystal growth. This application is interesting because it includes radiative heat transfer. We discuss the computation of radiative new factors and the impact this mode of heat transfer has on our approach. Finally, we will demonstrate the results of our optimization.

Informed consent during the clinical emergency of acute myocardial infarction (HERO-2 consent substudy): a prospective observational study.

PubMed

Williams, Barbara F; French, John K; White, Harvey D

2003-03-15

Anxiety, fear, pain, and treatment with morphine might compromise the ability of patients to comprehend information about, and give informed consent for, participation in clinical trials. We aimed to assess whether patients with acute myocardial infarction could understand written and verbal information and whether they were competent to give autonomous informed consent to participate in a clinical trial. We prospectively studied 399 patients with acute myocardial infarction in 16 hospitals in New Zealand and Australia who were eligible for participation in the Hirulog and Early Reperfusion or Occlusion (HERO)-2 trial. We assessed readability of patient information sheets, patients' educational status, their views of the consent process, comprehension of verbal and written information, and competence to give consent. The patient information sheet needed a year 13 (age 18) educational level for comprehension, although only 75 of 345 patients (22%) had been educated beyond secondary school. Only 63 of 346 (18%) read the patient information sheet before giving or refusing consent to participate. Patients who gave consent were more likely to report good or partial comprehension of the information provided than were those who refused consent (272 [89%] vs 14 [70%], respectively; p=0.009). In an assessment of competence to make an autonomous decision, 75 of 145 (52%) were ranked at the lowest grade and 26 (18%) were not competent to consent. Although the consent process for HERO-2 met regulatory requirements for clinical trials, it was inappropriate for the needs of most patients. The patients' comprehension of the information provided and their competence to autonomously give consent was less than optimum.

The ISPM experiment for spectral, composition and anistropy measurements of charged particles at low energie

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lanzerotti, L. J.; Gold, R. E.; Anderson, K. A.; Armstrong, T. P.; Lin, R. P.; Krimigis, S. M.; Pick, M.; Roelof, E. C.; Sarris, E. T.; Simnett, G. M.

1983-01-01

The Heliosphere Instrument for Spectral, Composition, and Anisotropy at Low Energies (HI-SCALE) designed to measure interplanetary ions and electrons is described. Ions and electrons are detected by five separate solid-state detector telescopes oriented to give complete pitch angle coverage from the spinning spacecraft. Ion elemental abundances are determined by a telescope using a thin front detector element in a three-element telescope. Experiment operation is controlled by a microprocessor-based data system. Inflight calibration is provided by radioactive sources mounted on closable telescope covers. Ion and electron spectral information is determined using broad-energy-range rate channels, and a pulse-height analyzer for more detailed spectra. The instrument weighs 5.775 kg and uses 4.0 W power.

The new high field photoexcitation muon spectrometer at the ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokoyama, K.; Lord, J. S.; Murahari, P.; Wang, K.; Dunstan, D. J.; Waller, S. P.; McPhail, D. J.; Hillier, A. D.; Henson, J.; Harper, M. R.; Heathcote, P.; Drew, A. J.

2016-12-01

A high power pulsed laser system has been installed on the high magnetic field muon spectrometer (HiFi) at the International Science Information Service pulsed neutron and muon source, situated at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK. The upgrade enables one to perform light-pump muon-probe experiments under a high magnetic field, which opens new applications of muon spin spectroscopy. In this report we give an overview of the principle of the HiFi laser system and describe the newly developed techniques and devices that enable precisely controlled photoexcitation of samples in the muon instrument. A demonstration experiment illustrates the potential of this unique combination of the photoexcited system and avoided level crossing technique.

The LOPES experiment—Recent results, status and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huege, T.; Apel, W. D.; Arteaga, J. C.; Asch, T.; Bähren, L.; Bekk, K.; Bertaina, M.; Biermann, P. L.; Blümer, J.; Bozdog, H.; Brancus, I. M.; Buchholz, P.; Buitink, S.; Cantoni, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Daumiller, K.; de Souza, V.; Doll, P.; Engel, R.; Falcke, H.; Finger, M.; Fuhrmann, D.; Gemmeke, H.; Grupen, C.; Haungs, A.; Heck, D.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horneffer, A.; Huber, D.; Isar, P. G.; Kampert, K.-H.; Kang, D.; Krömer, O.; Kuijpers, J.; Lafebre, S.; Link, K.; Łuczak, P.; Ludwig, M.; Mathes, H. J.; Melissas, M.; Morello, C.; Nehls, S.; Oehlschläger, J.; Palmieri, N.; Pierog, T.; Rautenberg, J.; Rebel, H.; Roth, M.; Rühle, C.; Saftoiu, A.; Schieler, H.; Schmidt, A.; Schröder, F. G.; Sima, O.; Toma, G.; Trinchero, G. C.; Weindl, A.; Wochele, J.; Wommer, M.; Zabierowski, J.; Zensus, J. A.

2012-01-01

The LOPES experiment at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology has been taking radio data in the frequency range from 40 to 80 MHz in coincidence with the KASCADE-Grande air shower detector since 2003. Various experimental configurations have been employed to study aspects such as the energy scaling, geomagnetic dependence, lateral distribution, and polarization of the radio emission from cosmic rays. The high quality per-event air shower information provided by KASCADE-Grande has been the key to many of these studies and has even allowed us to perform detailed per-event comparisons with simulations of the radio emission. In this article, we give an overview of results obtained by LOPES, and present the status and perspectives of the ever-evolving experiment.

The new high field photoexcitation muon spectrometer at the ISIS pulsed neutron and muon source.

PubMed

Yokoyama, K; Lord, J S; Murahari, P; Wang, K; Dunstan, D J; Waller, S P; McPhail, D J; Hillier, A D; Henson, J; Harper, M R; Heathcote, P; Drew, A J

2016-12-01

A high power pulsed laser system has been installed on the high magnetic field muon spectrometer (HiFi) at the International Science Information Service pulsed neutron and muon source, situated at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK. The upgrade enables one to perform light-pump muon-probe experiments under a high magnetic field, which opens new applications of muon spin spectroscopy. In this report we give an overview of the principle of the HiFi laser system and describe the newly developed techniques and devices that enable precisely controlled photoexcitation of samples in the muon instrument. A demonstration experiment illustrates the potential of this unique combination of the photoexcited system and avoided level crossing technique.

Buses of Cuernavaca—an agent-based model for universal random matrix behavior minimizing mutual information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warchoł, Piotr

2018-06-01

The public transportation system of Cuernavaca, Mexico, exhibits random matrix theory statistics. In particular, the fluctuation of times between the arrival of buses on a given bus stop, follows the Wigner surmise for the Gaussian unitary ensemble. To model this, we propose an agent-based approach in which each bus driver tries to optimize his arrival time to the next stop with respect to an estimated arrival time of his predecessor. We choose a particular form of the associated utility function and recover the appropriate distribution in numerical experiments for a certain value of the only parameter of the model. We then investigate whether this value of the parameter is otherwise distinguished within an information theoretic approach and give numerical evidence that indeed it is associated with a minimum of averaged pairwise mutual information.

The Puzzle of Science; Making Sense of Incomplete Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shorey, B. U.

2015-12-01

There are many topics within Earth science including evolution, historical geology, and climate change, which have gained the status of theory becuse they have overwhelming evidence, yet there is still fragmentary information which can frustrate a student from coming to solid conclusions. Using a jigsaw puzzle whose image has been hidden, and the pieces only given out sparingly, students go though the process of getting more information. How does one get more puzzle pieces and what is the interpretive process? Experience with this exercise demonstrates how students can sketch out an incredibly accurate conception of the "big picture", despite not having all the puzzle pieces. The goal of this talk is to give a complete tool kit to perform as a comprehensive lesson plan. Guiding questions and copies of lesson plans and materials are supplied for this exercise.

Money Management for Children and Parents. The CIRcular: Consumer Information Report 25.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bank of America NT & SA, San Francisco, CA.

This report provides parents with information on teaching their children about budgeting, saving, and careful spending as well as information on giving their children money, bonds, and stocks. Topics covered include: (1) participation of young children in family shopping; (2) money management skills developed through giving children an allowance;…

Probing antibody internal dynamics with fluorescence anisotropy and molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Kortkhonjia, Ekaterine; Brandman, Relly; Zhou, Joe Zhongxiang; Voelz, Vincent A; Chorny, Ilya; Kabakoff, Bruce; Patapoff, Thomas W; Dill, Ken A; Swartz, Trevor E

2013-01-01

The solution dynamics of antibodies are critical to antibody function. We explore the internal solution dynamics of antibody molecules through the combination of time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy experiments on IgG1 with more than two microseconds of all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in explicit water, an order of magnitude more than in previous simulations. We analyze the correlated motions with a mutual information entropy quantity, and examine state transition rates in a Markov-state model, to give coarse-grained descriptors of the motions. Our MD simulations show that while there are many strongly correlated motions, antibodies are highly flexible, with F(ab) and F(c) domains constantly forming and breaking contacts, both polar and non-polar. We find that salt bridges break and reform, and not always with the same partners. While the MD simulations in explicit water give the right time scales for the motions, the simulated motions are about 3-fold faster than the experiments. Overall, the picture that emerges is that antibodies do not simply fluctuate around a single state of atomic contacts. Rather, in these large molecules, different atoms come in contact during different motions.

Existence of Corotating and Counter-Rotating Vortex Pairs for Active Scalar Equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hmidi, Taoufik; Mateu, Joan

2017-03-01

In this paper, we study the existence of corotating and counter-rotating pairs of simply connected patches for Euler equations and the {(SQG)_{α}} equations with {α in (0,1)}. From the numerical experiments implemented for Euler equations in Deem and Zabusky (Phys Rev Lett 40(13):859-862, 1978), Pierrehumbert (J Fluid Mech 99:129-144, 1980), Saffman and Szeto (Phys Fluids 23(12):2339-2342, 1980) it is conjectured the existence of a curve of steady vortex pairs passing through the point vortex pairs. There are some analytical proofs based on variational principle (Keady in J Aust Math Soc Ser B 26:487-502, 1985; Turkington in Nonlinear Anal Theory Methods Appl 9(4):351-369, 1985); however, they do not give enough information about the pairs, such as the uniqueness or the topological structure of each single vortex. We intend in this paper to give direct proofs confirming the numerical experiments and extend these results for the {(SQG)_{α}} equation when {α in (0,1)}. The proofs rely on the contour dynamics equations combined with a desingularization of the point vortex pairs and the application of the implicit function theorem.

P dopants induced ferromagnetism in g-C3N4 nanosheets: Experiments and calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yonggang; Liu, Peitao; Sun, Changqi; Wang, Tongtong; Tao, Kun; Gao, Daqiang

2017-05-01

Outstanding magnetic properties are highly desired for two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor nanosheets due to their potential applications in spintronics. Metal-free ferromagnetic 2D materials whose magnetism originated from the pure s/p electron configuration could give a long spin relaxation time, which plays the vital role in spin information transfer. Here, we synthesize 2D g-C3N4 nanosheets with room temperature ferromagnetism induced by P doping. In our case, the Curie temperature of P doped g-C3N4 nanosheets reaches as high as 911 K and the precise control of the P concentration can further adjust the saturation magnetization of the samples. First principles calculation results indicate that the magnetic moment is primarily due to strong hybridization between p bonds of P, N, and C atoms, giving the theoretical evidence of the ferromagnetism. This work opens another door to engineer a future generation of spintronic devices.

Failure Mode Identification Through Clustering Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arunajadai, Srikesh G.; Stone, Robert B.; Tumer, Irem Y.; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Research has shown that nearly 80% of the costs and problems are created in product development and that cost and quality are essentially designed into products in the conceptual stage. Currently, failure identification procedures (such as FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis), FMECA (Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis) and FTA (Fault Tree Analysis)) and design of experiments are being used for quality control and for the detection of potential failure modes during the detail design stage or post-product launch. Though all of these methods have their own advantages, they do not give information as to what are the predominant failures that a designer should focus on while designing a product. This work uses a functional approach to identify failure modes, which hypothesizes that similarities exist between different failure modes based on the functionality of the product/component. In this paper, a statistical clustering procedure is proposed to retrieve information on the set of predominant failures that a function experiences. The various stages of the methodology are illustrated using a hypothetical design example.

The high Reynolds number flow through an axial-flow pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zierke, W. C.; Straka, W. A.; Taylor, P. D.

1993-11-01

The high Reynolds number pump (HIREP) facility at ARL Penn State has been used to perform a low-speed, large-scale experiment of the incompressible flow of water through a two-blade-row turbomachine. HIREP can involve blade chord Reynolds numbers as high as 6,000,000 and can accommodate a variety of instrumentation in both a stationary and a rotating frame of reference. The objectives of this experiment were as follows: to provide a database for comparison with three-dimensional, viscous (turbulent) flow computations; to evaluate the engineering models; and to improve our physical understanding of many of the phenomena involved in this complex flow field. The experimental results include a large quantity of data acquired throughout HIREP. A five-hole probe survey of the inlet flow 37.0 percent chord upstream of the inlet guide vane (IGV) leading edge is sufficient to give information for the inflow boundary conditions, while some static-pressure information is available to help establish an outflow boundary condition.

Heading perception in patients with advanced retinitis pigmentosa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Li; Peli, Eli; Warren, William H.

2002-01-01

PURPOSE: We investigated whether retinis pigmentosa (RP) patients with residual visual field of < 100 degrees could perceive heading from optic flow. METHODS: Four RP patients and four age-matched normally sighted control subjects viewed displays simulating an observer walking over a ground. In experiment 1, subjects viewed either the entire display with free fixation (full-field condition) or through an aperture with a fixation point at the center (aperture condition). In experiment 2, patients viewed displays of different durations. RESULTS: RP patients' performance was comparable to that of the age-matched control subjects: heading judgment was better in the full-field condition than in the aperture condition. Increasing display duration from 0.5 s to 1 s improved patients' heading performance, but giving them more time (3 s) to gather more visual information did not consistently further improve their performance. CONCLUSIONS: RP patients use active scanning eye movements to compensate for their visual field loss in heading perception; they might be able to gather sufficient optic flow information for heading perception in about 1 s.

Heading perception in patients with advanced retinitis pigmentosa.

PubMed

Li, Li; Peli, Eli; Warren, William H

2002-09-01

We investigated whether retinis pigmentosa (RP) patients with residual visual field of < 100 degrees could perceive heading from optic flow. Four RP patients and four age-matched normally sighted control subjects viewed displays simulating an observer walking over a ground. In experiment 1, subjects viewed either the entire display with free fixation (full-field condition) or through an aperture with a fixation point at the center (aperture condition). In experiment 2, patients viewed displays of different durations. RP patients' performance was comparable to that of the age-matched control subjects: heading judgment was better in the full-field condition than in the aperture condition. Increasing display duration from 0.5 s to 1 s improved patients' heading performance, but giving them more time (3 s) to gather more visual information did not consistently further improve their performance. RP patients use active scanning eye movements to compensate for their visual field loss in heading perception; they might be able to gather sufficient optic flow information for heading perception in about 1 s.

PRIMORDIAL GRAVITATIONAL WAVE DETECTABILITY WITH DEEP SMALL-SKY COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND EXPERIMENTS

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

Farhang, M.; Bond, J. R.; Netterfield, C. B.

2013-07-01

We use the Bayesian estimation on direct T - Q - U cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization maps to forecast errors on the tensor-to-scalar power ratio r, and hence on primordial gravitational waves, as a function of sky coverage f{sub sky}. This map-based likelihood filters the information in the pixel-pixel space into the optimal combinations needed for r detection for cut skies, providing enhanced information over a first-step linear separation into a combination of E, B, and mixed modes, and ignoring the latter. With current computational power and for typical resolutions appropriate for r detection, the large matrix inversions requiredmore » are accurate and fast. Our simulations explore two classes of experiments, with differing bolometric detector numbers, sensitivities, and observational strategies. One is motivated by a long duration balloon experiment like Spider, with pixel noise {proportional_to}{radical}(f{sub sky}) for a specified observing period. This analysis also applies to ground-based array experiments. We find that, in the absence of systematic effects and foregrounds, an experiment with Spider-like noise concentrating on f{sub sky} {approx} 0.02-0.2 could place a 2{sigma}{sub r} Almost-Equal-To 0.014 boundary ({approx}95% confidence level), which rises to 0.02 with an l-dependent foreground residual left over from an assumed efficient component separation. We contrast this with a Planck-like fixed instrumental noise as f{sub sky} varies, which gives a Galaxy-masked (f{sub sky} = 0.75) 2{sigma}{sub r} Almost-Equal-To 0.015, rising to Almost-Equal-To 0.05 with the foreground residuals. Using as the figure of merit the (marginalized) one-dimensional Shannon entropy of r, taken relative to the first 2003 WMAP CMB-only constraint, gives -2.7 bits from the 2012 WMAP9+ACT+SPT+LSS data, and forecasts of -6 bits from Spider (+ Planck); this compares with up to -11 bits for CMBPol, COrE, and PIXIE post-Planck satellites and -13 bits for a perfectly noiseless cosmic variance limited experiment. We thus confirm the wisdom of the current strategy for r detection of deeply probed patches covering the f{sub sky} minimum-error trough with balloon and ground experiments.« less

Blogs Written by Families During Their Child's Hospitalization: A Thematic Narrative Analysis.

PubMed

Jones, Carolyn W; Lynn, Mary R

2018-04-04

To identify stressors experienced by parents whose child is hospitalized in an intensive care unit, and identify coping mechanisms utilized to ameliorate those stressors. Using Lazarus and Folkman's Transactional Model of Stress and Coping as a framework, 20 publicly available blogs written by parents while their child was a patient in intensive care were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. Stressors and coping techniques were identified, and grouped by theme for further analysis. The most frequently noted types of stressors were related to information; both knowing and not knowing information related to their child's condition was reported as stressful, as well as waiting for information and when the information was not what was expected. Reframing was the emotion-focused technique most often identified by the parents, and seeking support was the most frequently noted problem-focused coping mechanism. Illness blogs represent a rich source of information regarding the experiences of families with a child in the hospital. Parents transitioned from more emotion-focused coping strategies to problem-focused strategies during their child's hospital stay. When nurses give information to parents, they should be aware that knowing information can be stressful as well as not knowing, and care should be taken to provide support for parents after information is given. Nurses can also help parents identify sources of support. Writing about their experiences, either online or in a journal, may help parents cope in stressful situations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Theoretical Neuroanatomy:Analyzing the Structure, Dynamics,and Function of Neuronal Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seth, Anil K.; Edelman, Gerald M.

The mammalian brain is an extraordinary object: its networks give rise to our conscious experiences as well as to the generation of adaptive behavior for the organism within its environment. Progress in understanding the structure, dynamics and function of the brain faces many challenges. Biological neural networks change over time, their detailed structure is difficult to elucidate, and they are highly heterogeneous both in their neuronal units and synaptic connections. In facing these challenges, graph-theoretic and information-theoretic approaches have yielded a number of useful insights and promise many more.

Consejos para los Padres Sobre la Lectura: Informacion e Ideas para Ayudar a los Ninos Desde la Infancia Hasta Octavo Grado a Tener Exito en la Lectura (Tips for Parents about Reading: Information and Ideas for Helping Children through Grade Eight Succeed with Reading).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Deborah; Lewis, Jan Patricia

Noting that all parents want the best school experience for their children, this booklet, in Spanish, gives parents some ideas about what to expect at different ages and stages of reading development, suggestions for what parents can do at home, and a list of favorite books parents can find in most libraries for parents and children to read.…

Claparède (1904) on Monocular Stereopsis: History, Theory, and Translation

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Astoundingly, looking at a photograph with one eye can yield an experience of depth of the depicted objects similar to that from viewing the real objects with both eyes. Édouard Claparède (1873–1940) was one of the first to report this phenomenon in a French paper published in 1904. I give some historical and theoretical context to the phenomenon, provide some biographical information about Claparède, and provide a translation into English of Claparède’s paper. PMID:28975022

The Machine behind the Stage: A Neurobiological Approach toward Theoretical Issues of Sensory Perception

PubMed Central

Moutoussis, Konstantinos

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present article is to try and give a brief, scientific perspective on several issues raised in the Philosophy of Perception literature. This perspective gives a central role to the brain mechanisms that underlie perception: a percept is something that emerges when the brain is activated in a certain way and thus all perceptual experiences (whether veridical, illusory, or hallucinatory) have a common cause behind them, namely a given brain-activation pattern. What distinguishes between different cases of perception is what has caused this activation pattern, i.e., something very separate and very different from the perceptual experience itself. It is argued that separating the perceptual event from its hypothetical content, a direct consequence of the way everyday language is structured, creates unnecessary ontological complications regarding the nature of the hypothetical ‘object’ of perception. A clear distinction between the physical properties of the real world on the one hand (e.g., wavelength reflectance), and the psychological properties of perceptual experiences on the other (e.g., color) is clearly made. Finally, although perception is a way of acquiring knowledge/information about the world, this acquisition should be considered as a cognitive process which is separate to and follows perception. Therefore, the latter should remain neutral with respect to the ‘correctness’ or ‘truth’ of the knowledge acquired. PMID:27679587

The Machine behind the Stage: A Neurobiological Approach toward Theoretical Issues of Sensory Perception.

PubMed

Moutoussis, Konstantinos

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present article is to try and give a brief, scientific perspective on several issues raised in the Philosophy of Perception literature. This perspective gives a central role to the brain mechanisms that underlie perception: a percept is something that emerges when the brain is activated in a certain way and thus all perceptual experiences (whether veridical, illusory, or hallucinatory) have a common cause behind them, namely a given brain-activation pattern. What distinguishes between different cases of perception is what has caused this activation pattern, i.e., something very separate and very different from the perceptual experience itself. It is argued that separating the perceptual event from its hypothetical content, a direct consequence of the way everyday language is structured, creates unnecessary ontological complications regarding the nature of the hypothetical 'object' of perception. A clear distinction between the physical properties of the real world on the one hand (e.g., wavelength reflectance), and the psychological properties of perceptual experiences on the other (e.g., color) is clearly made. Finally, although perception is a way of acquiring knowledge/information about the world, this acquisition should be considered as a cognitive process which is separate to and follows perception. Therefore, the latter should remain neutral with respect to the 'correctness' or 'truth' of the knowledge acquired.

Application of acoustical thermometry to noninvasive monitoring of internal temperature during laser hyperthermia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krotov, Eugene V.; Yakovlev, Ivan V.; Zhadobov, Maxim; Reyman, Alexander M.; Zharov, Vladimir P.

2002-06-01

This work present the results of experimental study of applicability of acoustical brightness thermometry (ABT) in monitoring of internal temperature during laser hyperthermia and interstitial therapy. In these experiments the radiation of pulse repetition Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) and continuous diode laser (800 nm) were used as heating sources. Experiments were performed in vitro by insertion of optical fiber inside the objects - optically transparent gelatin with incorporated light absorbing heterogeneities and samples of biological tissues (e.g. liver). During laser heating, internal temperature in absorbing heterogeneity and at fiber end were monitored by means of multi-channel ABT. The independent temperature control was performed with tiny electronic thermometer incorporated in heated zones. The results of experiments demonstrated reasonable sensitivity and accuracy of ABT for real-time temperature control during different kind of laser thermal therapies. According to preliminary data, ABT allow to measure temperature in depth up to 3-5 cm (depends on tissue properties) with spatial resolution some mm. Obtained data show that ABT is a very promising tool to give quantitative measure for different types of energy deposition (laser, microwave, focused ultrasound etc) at the depth commonly encountered in tumors of vital organs. Besides, ABT could give information about diffusion effects in heated zones or optical absorption. This work was supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research and 6th competition-expertise of young scientists of Russian Academy of Sciences.

Experiences of women with breast cancer: exchanging social support over the CHESS computer network.

PubMed

Shaw, B R; McTavish, F; Hawkins, R; Gustafson, D H; Pingree, S

2000-01-01

Using an existential-phenomenological approach, this paper describes how women with breast cancer experience the giving and receiving of social support in a computer-mediated context. Women viewed their experiences with the computer-mediated support group as an additional and unique source of support in facing their illness. Anonymity within the support group fostered equalized participation and allowed women to communicate in ways that would have been more difficult in a face-to-face context. The asynchronous communication was a frustration to some participants, but some indicated that the format allowed for more thoughtful interaction. Motivations for seeking social support appeared to be a dynamic process, with a consistent progression from a position of receiving support to that of giving support. The primary benefits women received from participation in the group were communicating with other people who shared similar problems and helping others, which allowed them to change their focus from a preoccupation with their own sickness to thinking of others. Consistent with past research is the finding that women in this study expressed that social support is a multidimensional phenomenon and that their computer-mediated support group provided abundant emotional support, encouragement, and informational support. Excerpts from the phenomenological interviews are used to review and highlight key theoretical concepts from the research literatures on computer-mediated communication, social support, and the psychosocial needs of women with breast cancer.

[Autonomy and informed consent in surgical care-patients' and staff perceptions].

PubMed

Schopp, Anja; Dassen, Theo; Välimäki, Maritta; Leino-Kilpi, Helena; Gasull, Maria; Lemonidou, Chryssoula; Scott, Anne P; Arndt, Marianne

2004-06-01

The aim of this study was to describe autonomy and informed consent in surgical care. The study is a part of the international BIOMED 2 project "Patients' Autonomy and Privacy in Nursing Interventions" (BIOMED2, BMH4-CT98-3555; 1998-2001) supported by the European Commission. For this study, data of patients (n = 254) and nurses (n = 205) in eleven Berlin hospitals and three hospitals outside Berlin were collected by means of a structured questionnaire. The findings of the study indicate, that information-giving was more positive than decision-making. Patients perceived they were more frequently informed about their surgery than about their care. According to the perceptions of nurses the case was reversed. The perceptions of both groups differed, since from the point of view of nurses, patients' autonomy was more frequently heeded and their consent was sought more often than from the point of view of the patients. Patients admitted as emergencies and in multi-bed rooms perceived their autonomy more negatively than those with a planned surgery or in single rooms. Elderly nurses were more frequently than younger nurses of the opinion to grant patients autonomy. Nurses with a longer working experience in nursing care perceived that patients were more frequently asked their consent. Further, nurses with a higher educational qualification and with a higher occupational status perceived decision-making more negatively. The findings of the present study give implications for clinical practice, nursing education, and for further research.

75 FR 42680 - Proposed Information Collection; Topographic and Bathymetric Data Survey

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-22

.... Twenty-one pieces of information about each dataset will be collected to give an accurate picture of data quality and give users of the Topographic and Bathymetric Data Inventory access to each dataset. The end...

Information Retrieval Using Hadoop Big Data Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motwani, Deepak; Madan, Madan Lal

This paper concern on big data analysis which is the cognitive operation of probing huge amounts of information in an attempt to get uncovers unseen patterns. Through Big Data Analytics Applications such as public and private organization sectors have formed a strategic determination to turn big data into cut throat benefit. The primary occupation of extracting value from big data give rise to a process applied to pull information from multiple different sources; this process is known as extract transforms and lode. This paper approach extract information from log files and Research Paper, awareness reduces the efforts for blueprint finding and summarization of document from several positions. The work is able to understand better Hadoop basic concept and increase the user experience for research. In this paper, we propose an approach for analysis log files for finding concise information which is useful and time saving by using Hadoop. Our proposed approach will be applied on different research papers on a specific domain and applied for getting summarized content for further improvement and make the new content.

Information giving in clinical trials: the views of medical researchers.

PubMed

Ferguson, P R

2003-02-01

It is both an ethical and legal requirement that patients who participate in clinical trials must generally give their consent. As part of this process, patients must be provided with adequate information to enable them to decide whether or not to take part. In the UK, the pharmaceutical companies that sponsor such research, as well as Local Research Ethics Committees, specify in detail the information that must be given to trial participants. The researchers who conduct clinical trials inevitably form views on the amount of information they are required to provide, and about patients' comprehension of that information. The literature in this area suggests that some medical researchers may be unhappy with the amount of information that they must give patient participants. There have been, however, few systematic attempts to determine their views. This paper reports a study that explored researchers' views as to (i) the amount of information provided to trial participants, and (ii) participants' understanding of that information. Researchers generally felt that they were required to give trial participants an appropriate amount of information, and that most patients had at least a reasonable understanding of key aspects of the clinical trials' process. However, there were differing views as to the level of information that they felt patients themselves wanted. The researchers did not generally feel that the patients' inability to comprehend information rendered the process of obtaining 'informed consent' a waste of time. However, some did believe that they were required to burden patients with excessive information.

Child sexual abuse: an Italian perspective.

PubMed

Cattaneo, Cristina; Ruspa, Marina; Motta, Tiziano; Gentilomo, Andrea; Scagnelli, Chiara

2007-06-01

The problem of child sexual abuse is a growing reality in Italy. The experience of over 200 children seen by the SVS (Soccorso Violenza Sessuale) Centre in Milan (the first Italian large-scale study) may give more information on the European situation. This study is a retrospective study based on information contained in the files of children beneath the age of 14 seen at the SVS Centre between May 1996 and May 2003, who arrived with a suspicion of child sexual abuse. Over 80% of all cases fell within the normal-aspecific category according to Adams' 2001 classification. This first Italian survey, though not based on substantiated cases but only on cases of suspected sexual abuse, supplies a perspective on a large northern European city such as Milan. Data seem similar to those published in other non-European studies, particularly as regards clinical signs observed. Thus, the results of this study, with all their limitations, start to give a perspective on the frequency and type of child population reaching this Italian center, what the scenarios are, what signs the children present and how infrequent it is to find clinical anogenital signs concerning for sexual abuse.

Optimal Compression of Floating-Point Astronomical Images Without Significant Loss of Information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pence, William D.; White, R. L.; Seaman, R.

2010-01-01

We describe a compression method for floating-point astronomical images that gives compression ratios of 6 - 10 while still preserving the scientifically important information in the image. The pixel values are first preprocessed by quantizing them into scaled integer intensity levels, which removes some of the uncompressible noise in the image. The integers are then losslessly compressed using the fast and efficient Rice algorithm and stored in a portable FITS format file. Quantizing an image more coarsely gives greater image compression, but it also increases the noise and degrades the precision of the photometric and astrometric measurements in the quantized image. Dithering the pixel values during the quantization process greatly improves the precision of measurements in the more coarsely quantized images. We perform a series of experiments on both synthetic and real astronomical CCD images to quantitatively demonstrate that the magnitudes and positions of stars in the quantized images can be measured with the predicted amount of precision. In order to encourage wider use of these image compression methods, we have made available a pair of general-purpose image compression programs, called fpack and funpack, which can be used to compress any FITS format image.

Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment: the breast cancer experience.

PubMed

Myers, Jamie S

2012-01-01

To provide an in-depth description of the experience of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) for women with breast cancer and identify related information that women would find useful prior to chemotherapy and at the onset of cognitive changes. Qualitative, descriptive design. Academic breast cancer survivorship center in Kansas City, KS. 18 breast cancer survivors within 6-12 months of having completed chemotherapy who self-reported changes in cognitive function. Data were collected with a demographic questionnaire, semistructured interviews, and a focus group. Qualitative content analysis was performed. Study themes were Life With Chemobrain, How I Changed, How I Cope, and How to Teach Me. Participants described difficulty with short-term memory, focusing, word finding, reading, and driving. Issues with fatigue, trouble sleeping, neuropathy, balance, and coordination also were of concern. Coping strategies included writing things down, depending on others, focusing on one task at a time, and giving oneself permission to make mistakes. Participants described exercise and getting enough rest to be helpful and recommended activities to stimulate the mind. Participants wanted information about the potential for CRCI prior to initiating chemotherapy and desired an individualized approach to education. Specific recommendations for education were provided. The study results provide a framework for understanding the experience of CRCI that can be used to guide development of patient and family education and generate questions for additional research. Application of the study results will enhance informed consent, validate the experience of CRCI, and contribute to patient satisfaction.

Teach CAD and Measuring Skills through Reverse Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Board, Keith

2012-01-01

This article describes a reverse engineering activity that gives students hands-on, minds-on experience with measuring tools, machine parts, and CAD. The author developed this activity to give students an abundance of practical experience with measuring tools. Equally important, it provides a good interface between the virtual world of CAD 3D…

I Want to Help You, But I Am Not Sure Why: Gaze-Cuing Induces Altruistic Giving

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Detecting subtle indicators of trustworthiness is highly adaptive for moving effectively amongst social partners. One powerful signal is gaze direction, which individuals can use to inform (or deceive) by looking toward (or away from) important objects or events in the environment. Here, across 5 experiments, we investigate whether implicit learning about gaze cues can influence subsequent economic transactions; we also examine some of the underlying mechanisms. In the 1st experiment, we demonstrate that people invest more money with individuals whose gaze information has previously been helpful, possibly reflecting enhanced trust appraisals. However, in 2 further experiments, we show that other mechanisms driving this behavior include obligations to fairness or (painful) altruism, since people also make more generous offers and allocations of money to individuals with reliable gaze cues in adapted 1-shot ultimatum games and 1-shot dictator games. In 2 final experiments, we show that the introduction of perceptual noise while following gaze can disrupt these effects, but only when the social partners are unfamiliar. Nonconscious detection of reliable gaze cues can prompt altruism toward others, probably reflecting the interplay of systems that encode identity and control gaze-evoked attention, integrating the reinforcement value of gaze cues. PMID:23937180

A Task Analysis for Teaching the Organization of an Informative Speech.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parks, Arlie Muller

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a task analysis of the objectives needed to organize an effective information-giving speech. A hierarchical structure of the behaviors needed to deliver a well-organized extemporaneous information-giving speech is presented, with some behaviors as subtasks for the unit objective and the others as…

Experience-based design: from redesigning the system around the patient to co-designing services with the patient.

PubMed

Bate, Paul; Robert, Glenn

2006-10-01

Involving patients in service improvement and listening and responding to what they say has played a key part in the redesign of healthcare processes over the past five years and more. Patients and users have attended stakeholder events, participated in discovery interviews, completed surveys, mapped healthcare processes and even designed new hospitals with healthcare staff. However, to date efforts have not necessarily focused on the patient's experience, beyond asking what was good and what was not. Questions were not asked to find out details of what the experience was or should be like ("experience" being different from "attitudes") and the information then systematically used to co-design services with patients. Knowledge of the experience, held only by the patient, is unique and precious. In this paper, attention is drawn to the burgeoning discipline of the design sciences and experience-based design, in which the traditional view of the user as a passive recipient of a product or service has begun to give way to the new view of users as integral to the improvement and innovation process.

Application of Gaussian Elimination to Determine Field Components within Unmeasured Regions in the UCN τ Trap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felkins, Joseph; Holley, Adam

2017-09-01

Determining the average lifetime of a neutron gives information about the fundamental parameters of interactions resulting from the charged weak current. It is also an input for calculations of the abundance of light elements in the early cosmos, which are also directly measured. Experimentalists have devised two major approaches to measure the lifespan of the neutron, the beam experiment, and the bottle experiment. For the bottle experiment, I have designed a computational algorithm based on a numerical technique that interpolates magnetic field values in between measured points. This algorithm produces interpolated fields that satisfy the Maxwell-Heaviside equations for use in a simulation that will investigate the rate of depolarization in magnetic traps used for bottle experiments, such as the UCN τ experiment at Los Alamos National Lab. I will present how UCN depolarization can cause a systematic error in experiments like UCN τ. I will then describe the technique that I use for the interpolation, and will discuss the accuracy of interpolation for changes with the number of measured points and the volume of the interpolated region. Supported by NSF Grant 1553861.

Double-duty caregivers: healthcare professionals juggling employment and informal caregiving. A survey on personal health and work experiences.

PubMed

Boumans, Nicolle P G; Dorant, Elisabeth

2014-07-01

This study compared the work-related experiences and personal health status of double-duty caregivers with those of caregivers who do not provide informal care to a family member or close friend in need. The interest in providing informal care alongside employment is growing. However, little attention has been paid to the dual role of the healthcare professional who also has caregiving responsibilities for a needy person in his/her private situation. It is important to study the negative and positive consequences of this combination of professional and family care giving. A cross-sectional study. In 2011, we distributed a digital questionnaire to employees with a professional care function working at a healthcare organization in the Netherlands. Descriptive statistics, analyses of covariance and tests of linearity were performed. Analyses of variance demonstrated that as professional healthcare workers provide more hours of informal care in their private lives, their mental and physical health significantly worsens, while their need for recovery increases. Also, statistical significant increases were seen for emotional exhaustion, presenteeism and negative experiences with Work-Home and Home-Work Interferences. Remarkably, positive Home-Work Interference increased significantly with increasing hours of informal care. Double-duty caregivers appeared to be equally motivated and satisfied with their work as their co-workers. No differences were seen with respect to absenteeism. Double-duty caregivers prove to be employees who are at risk of developing symptoms of overload. This finding calls for special attention, with long-term solutions at both legislative and organizational level. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Skylab: A chronology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newkirk, R. W.; Ertel, I. D.; Brooks, C. G.

1977-01-01

The Skylab Program was specifically designed to conduct a series of experiments from beyond the earth's atmosphere. Since the number and types of experiments conducted during the operational phase of Skylab were constantly changing, rather than encumber the body of the chronology with these changes, a lengthy appendix on experiments is included in this document. This appendix identifies the principle investigators and coinvestigators; gives the types, numbers, and descriptions of the experiments; explains the purpose of the various experiments; and, where possible, gives the results or findings of the experiments. The body of the Skylab chronology is divided into three parts; early space station activities, Apollo applications, and Skylab development and operations.

Reflection of a therapeutic touch experience: case study 2.

PubMed

Green, C A

1998-02-01

The purpose of this case study was to explore the experience of both giving and receiving Therapeutic Touch. A subjective account of the Therapeutic Touch experience is given in an attempt to throw light on its unique creative and therapeutic qualities. In most instances it was shown that the experience of both giving and receiving Therapeutic Touch was a parallel experience. This case study explores the effects of Therapeutic Touch on a client experiencing pain and associated anxiety. Whilst a response to treatment was observed, the need for further case studies and research studies in this area was identified.

Multilevel approach to mentoring in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonine, K. E.; Dontsova, K.; Pavao-Zuckerman, M.; Paavo, B.; Hogan, D.; Oberg, E.; Gay, J.

2015-12-01

This presentation focuses on different types of mentoring for students participating in Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs with examples, including some new approaches, from The Environmental and Earth Systems Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program at Biosphere 2. While traditional faculty mentors play essential role in students' development as researchers and professionals, other formal and informal mentoring can be important component of the REU program and student experiences. Students receive mentoring from program directors, coordinators, and on site undergraduate advisors. While working on their research projects, REU students receive essential support and mentoring from undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scientists in the research groups of their primary mentors. Cohort living and group activities give multiple opportunities for peer mentoring where each student brings their own strengths and experiences to the group. Biosphere 2 REU program puts strong emphasis on teaching students to effectively communicate their research to public. In order to help REUs learn needed skills the outreach personnel at Biosphere 2 mentor and advise students both in groups and individually, in lecture format and by personal example, on best outreach approaches in general and on individual outreach projects students develop. To further enhance and strengthen outreach mentoring we used a novel approach of blending cohort of REU students with the Cal Poly STAR (STEM Teacher And Researcher) Program fellows, future K-12 STEM teachers who are gaining research experience at Biosphere 2. STAR fellows live together with the REU students and participate with them in professional development activities, as well as perform research side by side. Educational background and experiences gives these students a different view and better preparation and tools to effectively communicate and adapt science to lay audiences, a challenge commonly facing researchers but rarely taught to future scientists. In addition, REU students act as mentors themselves to the middle and high school students in Biosphere 2 Science Academy sharing with them exciting research they are doing and their experiences about doing science and life in college.

MED32/442: Internet Lectures: A five years experience at the University of Vienna

PubMed Central

Kritz, H; Najemnik, C; Sinzinger, H

1999-01-01

Introduction Internet lectures are a very useful specialized tool to distribute information to interested people. Our experience started 1994 and we want to give a survey. Methods We started with a special lecture on atherosclerosis and improved the method within the last years. We had a lot of problems with certification and identification procedures, but they are solved now. In the last years we added web casting tools. Results At this time we have 80- 140 student per term, which are participants of a lectures. These are students attending a certificate course. Additionally we distribute our content over two homepages which we have installed to improve our work http://www.lipidforum.at, http://www.billrothhaus.at (10000 hits/month). Discussion Internet will be the most important tool for future teaching. It is an interesting experience to teach students from all over the world and you learn a lot from these people by yourself.

Topological phases in the Haldane model with spin–spin on-site interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubio-García, A.; García-Ripoll, J. J.

2018-04-01

Ultracold atom experiments allow the study of topological insulators, such as the non-interacting Haldane model. In this work we study a generalization of the Haldane model with spin–spin on-site interactions that can be implemented on such experiments. We focus on measuring the winding number, a topological invariant, of the ground state, which we compute using a mean-field calculation that effectively captures long-range correlations and a matrix product state computation in a lattice with 64 sites. Our main result is that we show how the topological phases present in the non-interacting model survive until the interactions are comparable to the kinetic energy. We also demonstrate the accuracy of our mean-field approach in efficiently capturing long-range correlations. Based on state-of-the-art ultracold atom experiments, we propose an implementation of our model that can give information about the topological phases.

How to install platforms in tidal deltaic areas: The 25-year experience of Total in Kalimantan (Indonesia)

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

Quenelle, A.; Metz, R.; Poirier, D.

1994-12-31

Due to the extended work by TOTAL, since 1971, offshore and within the Mahakam delta (East Kalimantan), several installation and platform concepts have been used. The present paper only concerns the installations at Handil and Tambora sites located in the Mahakam delta (in-shore) where water depths are between 2 and 4 meters, water current is 2 knots max. and tide is 2 meters as an average. The experience gained by the company in this kind of job made it possible to recently install in a single piece large and heavy integrated decks (up to 2,600 t) with the optimum usemore » of local skills, non-sophisticated technology and at low costs. The following shows the historical and evolutive experience of TOTAL up to now in platform concepts in this area of the world and gives, by the way, some useful information for future work.« less

Using narrative inquiry to listen to the voices of adolescent mothers in relation to their use of social networking sites (SNS).

PubMed

Nolan, Samantha; Hendricks, Joyce; Williamson, Moira; Ferguson, Sally

2018-03-01

This article presents a discussion highlighting the relevance and strengths of using narrative inquiry to explore experiences of social networking site (SNS) use by adolescent mothers. Narrative inquiry as a method reveals truths about holistic human experience. Knowledge gleaned from personal narratives informs nursing knowledge and clinical practice. This approach gives voice to adolescent mothers in relation to their experiences with SNS as a means of providing social support. Discussion paper. This paper draws and reflects on the author's experiences using narrative inquiry and is supported by literature and theory. The following databases were searched: CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Medline, Scopus, ERIC, ProQuest, PsychINFO, Web of Science and Health Collection (Informit). Key terms and Boolean search operators were used to broaden the search criteria. Search terms included: adolescent mother, teenage mother, "social networking sites", online, social media, Facebook, social support, social capital and information. Dates for the search were limited to January 1995-June 2017. Narrative research inherently values the individual "story" of experience. This approach facilitates rapport building and methodological flexibility with an often difficult to engage sample group, adolescents. Narrative inquiry reveals a deep level of insight into social networking site use by adolescent mothers. The flexibility afforded by use of a narrative approach allows for fluidity and reflexivity in the research process. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

What Klein's "Semantic Gradient" Does and Does Not Really Show: Decomposing Stroop Interference into Task and Informational Conflict Components.

PubMed

Levin, Yulia; Tzelgov, Joseph

2016-01-01

The present study suggests that the idea that Stroop interference originates from multiple components may gain theoretically from integrating two independent frameworks. The first framework is represented by the well-known notion of "semantic gradient" of interference and the second one is the distinction between two types of conflict - the task and the informational conflict - giving rise to the interference (MacLeod and MacDonald, 2000; Goldfarb and Henik, 2007). The proposed integration led to the conclusion that two (i.e., orthographic and lexical components) of the four theoretically distinct components represent task conflict, and the other two (i.e., indirect and direct informational conflict components) represent informational conflict. The four components were independently estimated in a series of experiments. The results confirmed the contribution of task conflict (estimated by a robust orthographic component) and of informational conflict (estimated by a strong direct informational conflict component) to Stroop interference. However, the performed critical review of the relevant literature (see General Discussion), as well as the results of the experiments reported, showed that the other two components expressing each type of conflict (i.e., the lexical component of task conflict and the indirect informational conflict) were small and unstable. The present analysis refines our knowledge of the origins of Stroop interference by providing evidence that each type of conflict has its major and minor contributions. The implications for cognitive control of an automatic reading process are also discussed.

What Klein’s “Semantic Gradient” Does and Does Not Really Show: Decomposing Stroop Interference into Task and Informational Conflict Components

PubMed Central

Levin, Yulia; Tzelgov, Joseph

2016-01-01

The present study suggests that the idea that Stroop interference originates from multiple components may gain theoretically from integrating two independent frameworks. The first framework is represented by the well-known notion of “semantic gradient” of interference and the second one is the distinction between two types of conflict – the task and the informational conflict – giving rise to the interference (MacLeod and MacDonald, 2000; Goldfarb and Henik, 2007). The proposed integration led to the conclusion that two (i.e., orthographic and lexical components) of the four theoretically distinct components represent task conflict, and the other two (i.e., indirect and direct informational conflict components) represent informational conflict. The four components were independently estimated in a series of experiments. The results confirmed the contribution of task conflict (estimated by a robust orthographic component) and of informational conflict (estimated by a strong direct informational conflict component) to Stroop interference. However, the performed critical review of the relevant literature (see General Discussion), as well as the results of the experiments reported, showed that the other two components expressing each type of conflict (i.e., the lexical component of task conflict and the indirect informational conflict) were small and unstable. The present analysis refines our knowledge of the origins of Stroop interference by providing evidence that each type of conflict has its major and minor contributions. The implications for cognitive control of an automatic reading process are also discussed. PMID:26955363

Effects of discrete emotions on young children's suggestibility.

PubMed

Levine, Linda J; Burgess, Stewart L; Laney, Cara

2008-05-01

Two experiments investigated the effects of sadness, anger, and happiness on 4- to 6-year-old children's memory and suggestibility concerning story events. In Experiment 1, children were presented with 3 interactive stories on a video monitor. The stories included protagonists who wanted to give the child a prize. After each story, the child completed a task to try to win the prize. The outcome of the child's effort was manipulated in order to elicit sadness, anger, or happiness. Children's emotions did not affect story recall, but children were more vulnerable to misleading questions about the stories when sad than when angry or happy. In Experiment 2, a story was presented and emotions were elicited using an autobiographical recall task. Children responded to misleading questions and then recalled the story for a different interviewer. Again, children's emotions did not affect the amount of story information recalled correctly, but sad children incorporated more information from misleading questions during recall than did angry or happy children. Sad children's greater suggestibility is discussed in terms of the differing problem-solving strategies associated with discrete emotions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

Informal support for women and intimate partner violence: the crucial yet ambivalent role of neighbours in urban India.

PubMed

Snell-Rood, Claire

2015-01-01

Women who experience intimate partner violence often rely on informal support to mitigate intimate partner violence's health effects. Yet there is little known about who gives the support and how it is provided. This paper explores from whom and how low-income women experiencing domestic violence in urban India seek informal support. In South Asia, women's reliance on kin for support is culturally valued, yet the urban social context makes it more likely that they will access such support from non-kin when they experience intimate partner violence. The paper draws on observations and interviews with 10 families collected over 14 months of in-depth ethnographic research in one Delhi slum community. Using a case study approach to explore women's responses to violence longitudinally, it was possible to track how women drew on support. Results show that even as women sought emotional support and direct intervention from their neighbours to deal with their domestic violence, they restricted these relationships, faced stigma, and emphasised the need to protect their families. Understanding the informal, but deeply ambivalent, systems of social support that women engage to deal with intimate partner violence is a first step toward strengthening such networks, a key recommendation to stem the health impacts of domestic violence.

Designing Effective Undergraduate Research Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Severson, S.

2010-12-01

I present a model for designing student research internships that is informed by the best practices of the Center for Adaptive Optics (CfAO) Professional Development Program. The dual strands of the CfAO education program include: the preparation of early-career scientists and engineers in effective teaching; and changing the learning experiences of students (e.g., undergraduate interns) through inquiry-based "teaching laboratories." This paper will focus on the carry-over of these ideas into the design of laboratory research internships such as the CfAO Mainland internship program as well as NSF REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) and senior-thesis or "capstone" research programs. Key ideas in maximizing student learning outcomes and generating productive research during internships include: defining explicit content, scientific process, and attitudinal goals for the project; assessment of student prior knowledge and experience, then following up with formative assessment throughout the project; setting reasonable goals with timetables and addressing motivation; and giving students ownership of the research by implementing aspects of the inquiry process within the internship.

The influence of car-seat design on its character experience.

PubMed

Kamp, Irene

2012-03-01

Producing higher efficiency cars with less and lighter materials but without compromising safety, comfort and driving pleasure might give a competitive advantage. In this light, at BMW a new light weight car-seat concept was developed based on the human body contour. A possibility to increase the comfort is using a seat which elicits positive tactile experiences. However, limited information is available on seat characteristics and tactile experiences. Therefore, this study describes the contour of three different car-seat designs, including a light weight seat, and the recorded corresponding emotion and tactile experience of 21 persons sitting in the seats. Results show that the new light weight car-seat concept rated well on experienced relaxedness, even with the lack of a side support. The most important findings are that hard seats with rather high side supports are rated sporty and seats that are softer are rated more luxurious. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Informal care-giving and mental ill-health - differential relationships by workload, gender, age and area-remoteness in a UK region.

PubMed

Doebler, Stefanie; Ryan, Assumpta; Shortall, Sally; Maguire, Aideen

2017-05-01

Informal care-giving can be a demanding role which has been shown to impact on physical, psychological and social well-being. Methodological weaknesses including small sample sizes and subjective measures of mental health have led to inconclusive evidence about the relationship between informal care-giving and mental ill-health. This paper reports on a study carried out in a UK region which investigated the relationship between informal care-giving and mental ill-health. The analysis was conducted by linking three data sets, the Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study, the Northern Ireland Enhanced Prescribing Database and the Proximity to Service Index from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Our analysis used both a subjective measure of mental ill-health, i.e. a question asked in the 2011 Census, and an objective measure, whether the respondents had been prescribed antidepressants by a General Practitioner between 2010 and 2012. We applied binary logistic multilevel modelling to these two responses to test whether, and for what sub-groups of the population, informal care-giving was related to mental ill-health. The results showed that informal care-giving per se was not related to mental ill-health, although there was a strong relationship between the intensity of the care-giving role and mental ill-health. Females under 50, who provided over 19 hours of care, were not employed or worked part-time and who provided care in both 2001 and 2011 were at a statistically significantly elevated risk of mental ill-health. Caregivers in remote areas with limited access to shops and services were also at a significantly increased risk as evidenced by prescription rates for antidepressants. With community care policies aimed at supporting people to remain at home, the paper highlights the need for further research in order to target resources appropriately. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Developing skilled doctor-patient communication in the workplace: a qualitative study of the experiences of trainees and clinical supervisors.

PubMed

Giroldi, Esther; Veldhuijzen, Wemke; Geelen, Kristel; Muris, Jean; Bareman, Frits; Bueving, Herman; van der Weijden, Trudy; van der Vleuten, Cees

2017-12-01

To inform the development of recommendations to facilitate learning of skilled doctor-patient communication in the workplace, this qualitative study explores experiences of trainees and supervisors regarding how trainees learn communication and how supervisors support trainees' learning in the workplace. We conducted a qualitative study in a general practice training setting, triangulating various sources of data to obtain a rich understanding of trainees and supervisors' experiences: three focus group discussions, five discussions during training sessions and five individual interviews. Thematic network analysis was performed during an iterative process of data collection and analysis. We identified a communication learning cycle consisting of six phases: impactful experience, change in frame of reference, identification of communication strategies, experimentation with strategies, evaluation of strategies and incorporation into personal repertoire. Supervisors supported trainees throughout this process by creating challenges, confronting trainees with their behaviour and helping them reflect on its underlying mechanisms, exploring and demonstrating communication strategies, giving concrete practice assignments, creating safety, exploring the effect of strategies and facilitating repeated practice and reflection. Based on the experiences of trainees and supervisors, we conclude that skilled communication involves the development of a personal communication repertoire from which learners are able to apply strategies that fit the context and their personal style. After further validation of our findings, it may be recommended to give learners concrete examples, opportunities for repeated practise and reflection on personal frames of reference and the effect of strategies, as well as space for authenticity and flexibility. In the workplace, the clinical supervisor is able to facilitate all these essential conditions to support his/her trainee in becoming a skilled communicator.

The information-giving skills of resident physicians: relationships with confidence and simulated patient satisfaction.

PubMed

Ishikawa, Hirono; Son, Daisuke; Eto, Masato; Kitamura, Kiyoshi; Kiuchi, Takahiro

2017-02-08

Sharing information is crucial for discussion of problems and treatment decision making by patients and physicians. However, the focus of communication skills training in undergraduate medical education has been on building the relationship and gathering information; thus, resident physicians tend to be less confident about sharing information and planning treatment. This study evaluated the medical interviews conducted by resident physicians with a focus on information giving, and investigated its relationships with their confidence in communication and simulated patient (SP) satisfaction. Among 137 junior resident physicians at a university hospital in Japan who participated in a survey of communication skills, 25 volunteered to conduct simulated medical interviews. The medical interviews were video-recorded and analyzed using the Roter Interaction Analysis System, together with additional coding to explore specific features of information giving. The SPs evaluated their satisfaction with the medical interview. Resident physicians who were more confident in their communication skills provided more information to the patients, while SP satisfaction was associated only with patient-prompted information giving. SPs were more satisfied when the physicians explained the rationales for their opinions and recommendations. Our findings underscore the importance of providing relevant information in response to the patient requests, and explaining the rationales for the opinions and recommendations. Further investigation is needed to clinically confirm our findings and develop an appropriate communication skills training program.

14 CFR 382.119 - What information must carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false What information must carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft? 382.119 Section 382.119 Aeronautics and Space... NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL Services on Aircraft § 382.119 What information must...

14 CFR 382.119 - What information must carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false What information must carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft? 382.119 Section 382.119 Aeronautics and Space... NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL Services on Aircraft § 382.119 What information must...

14 CFR 382.119 - What information must carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false What information must carriers give individuals with vision or hearing impairment on aircraft? 382.119 Section 382.119 Aeronautics and Space... NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL Services on Aircraft § 382.119 What information must...

A Study of Family Centered Help Giving Practices in Early Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coogle, Christan Grygas

2012-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the early intervention experiences of mothers who have a young child at risk for an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). More specifically, the goal was to explore the family centered help giving practices mothers identify and how these practices affect their early intervention experiences. Five…

A Freehand Ultrasound Elastography System with Tracking for In-vivo Applications

PubMed Central

Foroughi, Pezhman; Kang, Hyun-Jae; Carnegie, Daniel A.; van Vledder, Mark G.; Choti, Michael A.; Hager, Gregory D.; Boctor, Emad M.

2012-01-01

Ultrasound transducers are commonly tracked in modern ultrasound navigation/guidance systems. In this paper, we demonstrate the advantages of incorporating tracking information into ultrasound elastography for clinical applications. First, we address a common limitation of freehand palpation: speckle decorrelation due to out-of-plane probe motion. We show that by automatically selecting pairs of radio frequency (RF) frames with minimal lateral and out-of-plane motions combined with a fast and robust displacement estimation technique greatly improves in-vivo elastography results. We also use tracking information and image quality measure to fuse multiple images with similar strain that are taken roughly from the same location to obtain a high quality elastography image. Finally, we show that tracking information can be used to give the user partial control over the rate of compression. Our methods are tested on tissue mimicking phantom and experiments have been conducted on intra-operative data acquired during animal and human experiments involving liver ablation. Our results suggest that in challenging clinical conditions, our proposed method produces reliable strain images and eliminates the need for a manual search through the ultrasound data in order to find RF pairs suitable for elastography. PMID:23257351

[Evaluation by focus groups on women's expectations and perceptions during the birth process].

PubMed

Ferreiro-Losada, M T; Díaz-Sanisidro, E; Martínez-Romero, M D; Rial-Boubeta, A; Varela-Mallou, J; Clavería-Fontán, A

2013-01-01

Delivery care giving is undergoing excessive interventionism today, not supported by scientific evidence, neglecting organisational aspects and individualisation. This study analyses the perception of mothers during their delivery, postpartum and breastfeeding periods in the Galician Health Service, in order to inform and help to improve this service. A total of 14 focus group meetings were held (one in each Galician public hospital), consisting of women who, in 2008, delivered by vaginal delivery or those who were not scheduled for a caesarean section. The process of birth analysis can identify a sequence of important elements both positive and negative, for mothers, and may lead to suggestions for improvement. Their experiences and opinions, especially in aspects such as participation in decision-making, mechanisation of labour and lactation, may help to conduct an assessment of the maternity ward operating. When investigating expectations and demands from users, information from perceived quality is received, and also mothers' experience is shared. Mothers call for humanity, empathy, information and participation. Facing the implementation of these elements, the key processes for working harder are the dilation stage and hospital staying. Copyright © 2012 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Health Social Networks as Online Life Support Groups for Patients With Cardiovascular Diseases

PubMed Central

Medina, Edhelmira Lima; Loques, Orlando; Mesquita, Cláudio Tinoco

2013-01-01

The number of patients who use the internet in search for information that might improve their health conditions has increased. Among them, those looking for virtual environments to share experiences, doubts, opinions, and emotions, and to foster relationships aimed at giving and getting support stand out. Therefore, there is an increasing need to assess how those environments can affect the patients' health. This study was aimed at identifying scientific studies on the proliferation and impact of virtual communities, known as health social networks or online support groups, directed to cardiovascular diseases, which might be useful to patients with certain conditions, providing them with information and emotional support. A systematic review of the literature was conducted with articles published from 2007 to 2012, related to cardiovascular diseases and collected from the following databases: PubMed; Association for Computing Machinery(ACM); and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Four articles meeting the inclusion criteria were selected. The results were interesting and relevant from the health viewpoint, identifying therapeutic benefits, such as provision of emotional support, greater compliance to treatment, and information sharing on diseases and on life experiences. PMID:24030085

Sharing bad news of a lung cancer diagnosis: understanding through communication privacy management theory.

PubMed

Ngwenya, Nothando; Farquhar, Morag; Ewing, Gail

2016-08-01

The aim of this paper is to understand the process of information disclosure and privacy as patients share their news of lung cancer with significant others. Twenty patients with lung cancer and 17 family members/friends accompanying them at diagnosis-giving completed either individual or dyad semi-structured interviews. Initial thematic analysis, then Petronio's Communication Privacy Management theory was used to inform interpretation. Patients described a sense of ownership of the news of their cancer and sought control of how, when and with whom it was shared. Family members expressed a need to follow the patients' rules in sharing this news, which limited their own support systems. Patients and family members had to live within the relational communication boundaries in order to maintain their trusting relationship and avoid potential disruptions. Patients as individuals are strongly interlinked with significant others, which impacts on their experience of disclosing private information. This shapes their psychological processes and outcomes impacting on their illness experience. This should be considered when developing interventions to support patients with sharing bad news. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Deferred consent for inclusion of patients unable to give their consent in studies in the field of emergency medicine].

PubMed

Kompanje, E J O; Jansen, T C; Le Noble, J L M L; de Geus, H R; Bakker, J

2008-09-20

Respect for individual autonomy, expressed in the concept of informed consent, is a basic principle in research with humans. Many patients in intensive care are unable to give consent because of mental incapacity, and this can be further complicated in emergency research, in which the treatment or experiment needs to be initiated without delay. In those situations consent can be deferred. Randomization is done without prior consent, followed by patients' or relatives' consent at a later stage. Butwhat should one do with the data if the patient dies at an early stage after randomization before consent could be obtained? Should the data be used or not? Should the relatives be asked for consent for using the data? The Dutch Central Committee on Research involving Human Subjects (CCMO) states that asking for consent after the patient has died makes no sense, because with the death of the patient the research has ended. Relatives do not have the authority to give consent for the use of medical data after the patient has died. Data can be used anonymously in the final analysis of the trial. We propose a flowchart for this procedure.

Principle of Care and Giving to Help People in Need.

PubMed

Bekkers, René; Ottoni-Wilhelm, Mark

2016-01-01

Theories of moral development posit that an internalized moral value that one should help those in need-the principle of care-evokes helping behaviour in situations where empathic concern does not. Examples of such situations are helping behaviours that involve cognitive deliberation and planning, that benefit others who are known only in the abstract, and who are out-group members. Charitable giving to help people in need is an important helping behaviour that has these characteristics. Therefore we hypothesized that the principle of care would be positively associated with charitable giving to help people in need, and that the principle of care would mediate the empathic concern-giving relationship. The two hypotheses were tested across four studies. The studies used four different samples, including three nationally representative samples from the American and Dutch populations, and included both self-reports of giving (Studies 1-3), giving observed in a survey experiment (Study 3), and giving observed in a laboratory experiment (Study 4). The evidence from these studies indicated that a moral principle to care for others was associated with charitable giving to help people in need and mediated the empathic concern-giving relationship. © 2016 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology.

The Iodine Spectrum: A New Look at an Old Topic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, George; Sauder, Deborah; Shalhoub, George M.; Stout, Roland; Hamby Towns, Marcy; Zielinski, Theresa Julia

1999-06-01

This paper describes a new approach to the traditional iodine gas absorption spectrum experiment often performed in undergraduate physical chemistry labs. The approach is student centered and designed to emphasize the conceptual richness in this classic experiment. It gives students the opportunity to examine the conceptual and mathematical connections between spectroscopic data and quantum models by organizing the material in conceptual chunks, which they work through sequentially. Students use symbolic mathematics software, Mathcad, to expedite the sophisticated numerical calculations required. The curricular chunks were specifically constructed to make the sophisticated concepts embedded in the project accessible. The focus activities remind the students of information they already know and require them to employ both paper and pencil and computer worksheets to complete calculations. Five Mathcad templates provide a rich mathematical treatment of the topics in this experiment. This paper describes how the documents MorsePotential.mcd, BirgeSponer.mcd, IodineSpectrum.mcd, FranckCondonBackground.mcd, and FranckCondonComputation.mcd are used during the three weeks in which this experiment can be performed by a typical physical chemistry student. Although originally designed to use the WWW to disseminate information and promote interaction among physical chemistry students at geographically dispersed institutions, this segmented focus-question approach to the iodine experiment has also been used by a physical chemistry class at a single campus. In both formats, faculty noticed decreased anxiety of the students towards the experiment and an increase in the quality of laboratory reports that indicated better understanding of the chemical concepts.

Evidence from a partial report task for forgetting in dynamic spatial memory.

PubMed

Gugerty, L

1998-09-01

G. Sperling (1960) and others have investigated memory for briefly presented stimuli by using a partial versus whole report technique in which participants sometimes reported part of a stimulus array and sometimes reported all of it. For simple, static stimulus displays, the partial report technique showed that participants could recall most of the information in the stimulus array but that this information faded quickly when participants engaged in whole report recall. An experiment was conducted that applied the partial report method to a task involving complex displays of moving objects. In the experiment, 26 participants viewed cars in a low-fidelity driving simulator and then reported the locations of some or all of the cars in each scene. A statistically significant advantage was found for the partial report trials. This finding suggests that detailed spatial location information was forgotten from dynamic spatial memory over the 14 s that it took participants to recall whole report trials. The experiment results suggest better ways of measuring situation awareness. Partial report recall techniques may give a more accurate measure of people's momentary situation awareness than whole report techniques. Potential applications of this research include simulator-based measures of situation awareness ability that can be part of inexpensive test batteries to select people for real-time tasks (e.g., in a driver licensing battery) and to identify people who need additional training.

'We, not them and us?' Views on the relationships and interactions between staff and relatives of older people permanently living in nursing homes.

PubMed

Hertzberg, A; Ekman, S L

2000-03-01

'We, not them and us?' Views on the relationships and interactions between staff and relatives of older people permanently living in nursing homes This study describes relatives' and staffs' experiences of each other in their relationships and interactions in connection with the care of old people with dementia living in nursing homes. The aim was to identify obstacles and promoters concerning these interactions. A qualitative method was used. Data were collected from 27 hours of observations of group discussions about relatives' and staffs' communication, interactions and experiences. Three different groups, with eight participants, relatives, staff and a group leader in each, met six times during a period of 3 months. Findings indicate that the experiences that relatives and staff have of each other are related to issues about influence, participation, trust and measures to avoid conflicts. These conclusions build on concrete descriptions about care, activities, competence, communication and visits given by research participants. Experiences of situations were sometimes contradictory between relatives and staff. This implies that the potential for cooperation between relatives and staff in care of the elderly is not fully utilized. Suggestions for enhancing the relationships between relatives and staff are: pre-planned informal, individual conversations between relatives and staff; development of ways to give regular two-way feedback about matters concerning the resident and the relationship between staff and relatives; giving staff credit for measures taken to facilitate relatives' involvement in the nursing home care; measures to improve documentation about families' involvement; and working together with minor practical tasks.

Scorebox extraction from mobile sports videos using Support Vector Machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Wonjun; Park, Jimin; Kim, Changick

2008-08-01

Scorebox plays an important role in understanding contents of sports videos. However, the tiny scorebox may give the small-display-viewers uncomfortable experience in grasping the game situation. In this paper, we propose a novel framework to extract the scorebox from sports video frames. We first extract candidates by using accumulated intensity and edge information after short learning period. Since there are various types of scoreboxes inserted in sports videos, multiple attributes need to be used for efficient extraction. Based on those attributes, the optimal information gain is computed and top three ranked attributes in terms of information gain are selected as a three-dimensional feature vector for Support Vector Machines (SVM) to distinguish the scorebox from other candidates, such as logos and advertisement boards. The proposed method is tested on various videos of sports games and experimental results show the efficiency and robustness of our proposed method.

CHRONOS architecture: Experiences with an open-source services-oriented architecture for geoinformatics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fils, D.; Cervato, C.; Reed, J.; Diver, P.; Tang, X.; Bohling, G.; Greer, D.

2009-01-01

CHRONOS's purpose is to transform Earth history research by seamlessly integrating stratigraphic databases and tools into a virtual on-line stratigraphic record. In this paper, we describe the various components of CHRONOS's distributed data system, including the encoding of semantic and descriptive data into a service-based architecture. We give examples of how we have integrated well-tested resources available from the open-source and geoinformatic communities, like the GeoSciML schema and the simple knowledge organization system (SKOS), into the services-oriented architecture to encode timescale and phylogenetic synonymy data. We also describe on-going efforts to use geospatially enhanced data syndication and informally including semantic information by embedding it directly into the XHTML Document Object Model (DOM). XHTML DOM allows machine-discoverable descriptive data such as licensing and citation information to be incorporated directly into data sets retrieved by users. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Corticohippocampal Circuit, Synaptic Plasticity, and Memory

PubMed Central

Basu, Jayeeta; Siegelbaum, Steven A.

2015-01-01

Synaptic plasticity serves as a cellular substrate for information storage in the central nervous system. The entorhinal cortex (EC) and hippocampus are interconnected brain areas supporting basic cognitive functions important for the formation and retrieval of declarative memories. Here, we discuss how information flow in the EC–hippocampal loop is organized through circuit design. We highlight recently identified corticohippocampal and intrahippocampal connections and how these long-range and local microcircuits contribute to learning. This review also describes various forms of activity-dependent mechanisms that change the strength of corticohippocampal synaptic transmission. A key point to emerge from these studies is that patterned activity and interaction of coincident inputs gives rise to associational plasticity and long-term regulation of information flow. Finally, we offer insights about how learning-related synaptic plasticity within the corticohippocampal circuit during sensory experiences may enable adaptive behaviors for encoding spatial, episodic, social, and contextual memories. PMID:26525152

Social Networks and Externalities from Gift Exchange: Evidence from A Field Experiment.

PubMed

Currie, Janet; Lin, Wanchuan; Meng, Juanjuan

2013-11-01

This paper asks whether gift exchange generates externalities for people outside of the bilateral relationship between the gift giver and recipient, and whether the nature of this relationship is affected by social networks. We examine this question in the context of a field experiment in urban Chinese hospital outpatient clinics. We first show that when patients give a small gift, doctors reciprocate with better service and a fewer unnecessary prescriptions of antibiotics. We then show that gift giving creates externalities for third parties. If two patients, A and B are perceived as unrelated, B receives worse care when A gives a gift. However, if A identifies B as a friend, then both A and B benefit from A's gift giving. Hence, we show that gift giving can create positive or negative externalities, depending on the giver's social distance to the third party.

[Death cause of Józef Hempel, M.D. - truth or myth?].

PubMed

Witczak, Włodzimierz

2004-01-01

In this article the author makes an attempt to explain causes of untimely death of Józef Hempel, a Cracow physician. In the Polish historiography there has been a strong belief that he was a victim of an unfortunate experiment with tuberculin administered to him by Robert Koch in Berlin in 1890. However, there was every indication that his death was caused by purulent appendicitis with complicated peritonitis. Memoirs of Stefan Dunin, a journalist, were the most probable source of this misinformation on the tuberculin experiment. The author emphasizes that hte memoirs should not be used in works on history of the Polish phthisiology. He draws our attention to dangers that were related to attempts of treating tuberculosis with tuberculin and also gives basic biographical information about Hempel.

Life into Space: Space Life Sciences Experiments, Ames Research Center, Kennedy Space Center, 1991-1998, Including Profiles of 1996-1998 Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Souza, Kenneth (Editor); Etheridge, Guy (Editor); Callahan, Paul X. (Editor)

2000-01-01

We have now conducted space life sciences research for more than four decades. The continuing interest in studying the way living systems function in space derives from two main benefits of that research. First, in order for humans to engage in long-term space travel, we must understand and develop measures to counteract the most detrimental effects of space flight on biological systems. Problems in returning to the conditions of Earth must be kept to a manageable level. Second, increasing our understanding of how organisms function in the absence of gravity gives us new understanding of fundamental biological processes. This information can be used to improve human health and the quality of life on Earth.

Neutron detection using a crystal ball calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martem'yanov, M. A.; Kulikov, V. V.; Krutenkova, A. P.

2015-12-01

The program of experiments of the A2 Collaboration performed on a beam of tagged photons of the MAMI electron microtron in Mainz (Germany) includes precision measurements of the total and differential cross sections of the pion photoproduction on neutrons of a deuterium target. The determination of the detector ability to detect neutrons is undoubtedly one of the important problems of the experiment. The calorimetric system of the detector contains a segmented NaI Crystal Ball detector, which gives information about the position, energy, and detection time of neutral and charged particles in a wide angular range. In this work, we describe the measurement of the neutron detection efficiency in the energy range from 20 to 400MeV. The results are compared with BNL data obtained on a pion beam and proton target.

Molecular electronics: insight from first-principles transport simulations.

PubMed

Paulsson, Magnus; Frederiksen, Thomas; Brandbyge, Mads

2010-01-01

Conduction properties of nanoscale contacts can be studied using first-principles simulations. Such calculations give insight into details behind the conductance that is not readily available in experiments. For example, we may learn how the bonding conditions of a molecule to the electrodes affect the electronic transport. Here we describe key computational ingredients and discuss these in relation to simulations for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments with C60 molecules where the experimental geometry is well characterized. We then show how molecular dynamics simulations may be combined with transport calculations to study more irregular situations, such as the evolution of a nanoscale contact with the mechanically controllable break-junction technique. Finally we discuss calculations of inelastic electron tunnelling spectroscopy as a characterization technique that reveals information about the atomic arrangement and transport channels.

Rational learning and information sampling: on the "naivety" assumption in sampling explanations of judgment biases.

PubMed

Le Mens, Gaël; Denrell, Jerker

2011-04-01

Recent research has argued that several well-known judgment biases may be due to biases in the available information sample rather than to biased information processing. Most of these sample-based explanations assume that decision makers are "naive": They are not aware of the biases in the available information sample and do not correct for them. Here, we show that this "naivety" assumption is not necessary. Systematically biased judgments can emerge even when decision makers process available information perfectly and are also aware of how the information sample has been generated. Specifically, we develop a rational analysis of Denrell's (2005) experience sampling model, and we prove that when information search is interested rather than disinterested, even rational information sampling and processing can give rise to systematic patterns of errors in judgments. Our results illustrate that a tendency to favor alternatives for which outcome information is more accessible can be consistent with rational behavior. The model offers a rational explanation for behaviors that had previously been attributed to cognitive and motivational biases, such as the in-group bias or the tendency to prefer popular alternatives. 2011 APA, all rights reserved

The Common Vision. Reviews: Books.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chattin-McNichols, John

1998-01-01

Reviews Marshak's book describing the work of educators Maria Montessori, Rudolf Steiner, Aurobindo Ghose, and Inayat Khan. Maintains that the book gives clear, concise information on each educator and presents a common vision for children and their education; also maintains that it gives theoretical and practical information and discusses…

Burden of informal care giving to patients with psychoses: a descriptive and methodological study.

PubMed

Flyckt, Lena; Löthman, Anna; Jörgensen, Leif; Rylander, Anders; Koernig, Thomas

2013-03-01

There is a lack of studies of the size of burden associated with informal care giving in psychosis. To evaluate the objective and subjective burden of informal care giving to patients with psychoses, and to compare a diary and recall method for assessments of objective burden. Patients and their informal caregivers were recruited from nine Swedish psychiatric outpatient centres. Subjective burden was assessed at inclusion using the CarerQoL and COPE index scales. The objective burden (time and money spent) was assessed by the caregivers daily using diaries over four weeks and by recall at the end of weeks 1 and 2. One-hundred and seven patients (53% females; mean age 43 ± 11) and 118 informal caregivers (67%; 58 ± 15 years) were recruited. Informal caregivers spent 22.5 hours/week and about 14% of their gross income on care-related activities. The time spent was underestimated by two to 20 hours when assessed by recall than by daily diary records. The most prominent aspects of the subjective burden were mental problems. Despite a substantial amount of time and money spent on care giving, the informal caregivers perceived the mental aspects of burden as the most troublesome. The informal caregiver burden is considerable and should be taken into account when evaluating effects of health care provided to patients with psychoses.

Heavy doping effects in high efficiency silicon solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindholm, F. A.; Neugroschel, A.; Landsberg, P. T.; San, C. T.

1984-01-01

A model for bandgap shrinkage in semiconductors is developed and applied to silicon. A survey of earlier experiments, and of new ones, give an agreement between the model and experiments on n- and p-type silicon which is good as far as transport measurements in the 300 K range. The discrepancies between theory and experiment are no worse than the discrepancies between the experimental results of various authors. It also gives a good account of recent, optical determinations of band gap shrinkage at 5 K.

Effective HTCondor-based monitoring system for CMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balcas, J.; Bockelman, B. P.; Da Silva, J. M.; Hernandez, J.; Khan, F. A.; Letts, J.; Mascheroni, M.; Mason, D. A.; Perez-Calero Yzquierdo, A.; Vlimant, J.-R.; pre="for the"> CMS Consortium,

2017-10-01

The CMS experiment at the LHC relies on HTCondor and glideinWMS as its primary batch and pilot-based Grid provisioning systems, respectively. Given the scale of the global queue in CMS, the operators found it increasingly difficult to monitor the pool to find problems and fix them. The operators had to rely on several different web pages, with several different levels of information, and sift tirelessly through log files in order to monitor the pool completely. Therefore, coming up with a suitable monitoring system was one of the crucial items before the beginning of the LHC Run 2 in order to ensure early detection of issues and to give a good overview of the whole pool. Our new monitoring page utilizes the HTCondor ClassAd information to provide a complete picture of the whole submission infrastructure in CMS. The monitoring page includes useful information from HTCondor schedulers, central managers, the glideinWMS frontend, and factories. It also incorporates information about users and tasks making it easy for operators to provide support and debug issues.

An optimized workflow for the integration of biological information into radiotherapy planning: experiences with T1w DCE-MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neff, T.; Kiessling, F.; Brix, G.; Baudendistel, K.; Zechmann, C.; Giesel, F. L.; Bendl, R.

2005-09-01

Planning of radiotherapy is often difficult due to restrictions on morphological images. New imaging techniques enable the integration of biological information into treatment planning and help to improve the detection of vital and aggressive tumour areas. This might improve clinical outcome. However, nowadays morphological data sets are still the gold standard in the planning of radiotherapy. In this paper, we introduce an in-house software platform enabling us to combine images from different imaging modalities yielding biological and morphological information in a workflow driven approach. This is demonstrated for the combination of morphological CT, MRI, functional DCE-MRI and PET data. Data of patients with a tumour of the prostate and with a meningioma were examined with DCE-MRI by applying pharmacokinetic two-compartment models for post-processing. The results were compared with the clinical plans for radiation therapy. Generated parameter maps give additional information about tumour spread, which can be incorporated in the definition of safety margins.

Making detailed predictions makes (some) predictions worse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Theresa F.

In this paper, we investigate whether making detailed predictions about an event makes other predictions worse. Across 19 experiments, 10,895 participants, and 415,960 predictions about 724 professional sports games, we find that people who made detailed predictions about sporting events (e.g., how many hits each baseball team would get) made worse predictions about more general outcomes (e.g., which team would win). We rule out that this effect is caused by inattention or fatigue, thinking too hard, or a differential reliance on holistic information about the teams. Instead, we find that thinking about game-relevant details before predicting winning teams causes people to give less weight to predictive information, presumably because predicting details makes information that is relatively useless for predicting the winning team more readily accessible in memory and therefore incorporated into forecasts. Furthermore, we show that this differential use of information can be used to predict what kinds of games will and will not be susceptible to the negative effect of making detailed predictions.

Julia Roberts, Precognition, America’s Stonehenge, (A.S.), Detecting Information From the Past, Mistaking It For “Spirit,” and Defusing Martyrdom Practices Among Religious Zealots.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawa Matagamon, Sagamo

2001-11-01

Julia Roberts claimed to have had a precognitive dream about an orangutan giving her a full-body embrace, in the special about orangutans by the PBS's NY channel 13. When such events do occur for anyone, my research suggests the equivalent of spatial diffraction pattern information about an event can propagate in a backward sense through time. A sufficiently energized transponder is needed, and an appropriately sensitive receiver. Equivalent information from the past is detectable at A.S. Individuals ``experiencing" reincarnation may actually have been impacted by naturally occurring EMF, upon which information-conveying signals from the past have been superimposed. Individuals ``possessed" by spirits could actually be detecting unsettling signals. Native American world-view holds blameless deranged individuals, stating that Tseka'bec or the Great Spirit, perhaps EMF, is at fault. Zealots' expectations of a glorious reincarnation could be defused if rage is an artifact of EMF experiences. Society should attempt such a persuasion.

Using an atom interferometer to take the Gedanken out of Feynman's Gedankenexperiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pritchard, David E.; Hammond, Troy D.; Lenef, Alan; Rubenstein, Richard A.; Smith, Edward T.; Chapman, Michael S.; Schmiedmayer, Jörg

1997-01-01

We give a description of two experiments performed in an atom interferometer at MIT. By scattering a single photon off of the atom as it passes through the interferometer, we perform a version of a classic gedankenexperiment, a demonstration of a Feynman light microscope. As path information about the atom is gained, contrast in the atom fringes (coherence) is lost. The lost coherence is then recovered by observing only atoms which scatter photons into a particular final direction. This paper reflects the main emphasis of D. E. Pritchard's talk at the RIS meeting. Information about other topics covered in that talk, as well as a review of all of the published work performed with the MIT atom/molecule interferometer, is available on the world wide web at http://coffee.mit.edu/.

Electrical resistance tomography to monitor unsaturated moisture flow in cementitious materials

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

Hallaji, Milad; Seppänen, Aku; Pour-Ghaz, Mohammad, E-mail: mpourghaz@ncsu.edu

2015-03-15

Traditionally the electrically-based assessment of the moisture flow in cement-based materials relies on two- or four-point measurements. In this paper, imaging of moisture distribution with electrical resistance tomography (ERT) is considered. Especially, the aim is to study whether ERT could give information on unsaturated moisture flows in cases where the flow is non-uniform. In the experiment, the specimens are monitored with ERT during the water ingress. The ERT reconstructions are compared with neutron radiographs, which provide high resolution information on the 2D distribution of the moisture. The results indicate that ERT is able to detect the moisture movement and tomore » show approximately the shape and position of the water front even if the flow is nonuniform.« less

Providing support to family members.

PubMed

Davidhizar, Ruth; Dowd, Steven

2004-01-01

Providing recognition and simple information can be powerful and reassure a family member who is anxious and worried about an ill relative. While "answers" concerning the procedure are often not available, providing information that is available--the locations of the rest rooms and coffee shop; approximately how long the procedure will take; where to wait; and the process involved in the radiological procedure, reading and getting the results--can give some feeling of control, and thus reduce feelings of powerlessness. Most importantly, family members who are recognized and included with the patient in the treatment process will be reassured of the competency of the staff and gain hopefulness about the outcome of the diagnostic and treatment experience. And providing hope in the healthcare setting is a radiology professional's most important job.

The Development of Distrust

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanderbilt, Kimberly E.; Liu, David; Heyman, Gail D.

2011-01-01

Preschool-age children's reasoning about the reliability of deceptive sources was investigated. Ninety 3- to 5-year-olds watched several trials in which an informant gave advice about the location of a hidden sticker. Informants were either "helpers" who were happy to give correct advice, or "trickers" who were happy to give incorrect advice.…

What LDEF means for development and testing of materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitaker, Ann F.; Stuckey, Wayne K.; Stein, Bland A.

1993-01-01

The Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) served as the ultimate laboratory to provide combined space environmental effects on materials. The LDEF structure and its 57 experiments contained an estimated 12,000 to 14,000 specimens of materials and materials processes. It not only provided information about the resistance of these materials to the space environment but gives us direction into future needs for spacecraft materials development and testing. This paper provides an overview of the materials effects observed on the satellite and suggests recommendations for the future work in space-qualified materials development and space environmental simulation.

Excel VBA for Physicists; A Primer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liengme, Bernard V.

2016-11-01

This book is both an introduction and a demonstration of how Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) can greatly enhance Microsoft Excel® by giving users the ability to create their own functions within a worksheet and to create subroutines to perform repetitive actions. The book is written so readers are encouraged to experiment with VBA programming with examples using fairly simple physics or non-complicated mathematics such as root finding and numerical integration. Tested Excel® workbooks are available for each chapter and there is nothing to buy or install. A tested Excel workbook for each chapter can be downloaded from Book information

The influence of intuition and communication language in generating student conceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handhika, J.; Cari, C.; Suparmi, A.; Sunarno, W.

2017-11-01

This research aims to describe the influence of intuition and communication language in generating student conceptions. The conception diagnostic test is used to reveal student conception. The diagnostic test results described and communication language profiled by giving instruction to students to make sentences using physics quantities. Sentences expressed by students are reduced and profiled potential effects. Obtained information that (1) Students generalize non-scientific experience (based on feeling) into the physics problem. This process caused misconception. Communication language can make the students difficult to understand the concept because of the difference meaning of communication and physics language.

Applications of AN OO Methodology and Case to a Daq System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bee, C. P.; Eshghi, S.; Jones, R.; Kolos, S.; Magherini, C.; Maidantchik, C.; Mapelli, L.; Mornacchi, G.; Niculescu, M.; Patel, A.; Prigent, D.; Spiwoks, R.; Soloviev, I.; Caprini, M.; Duval, P. Y.; Etienne, F.; Ferrato, D.; Le van Suu, A.; Qian, Z.; Gaponenko, I.; Merzliakov, Y.; Ambrosini, G.; Ferrari, R.; Fumagalli, G.; Polesello, G.

The RD13 project has evaluated the use of the Object Oriented Information Engineering (OOIE) method during the development of several software components connected to the DAQ system. The method is supported by a sophisticated commercial CASE tool (Object Management Workbench) and programming environment (Kappa) which covers the full life-cycle of the software including model simulation, code generation and application deployment. This paper gives an overview of the method, CASE tool, DAQ components which have been developed and we relate our experiences with the method and tool, its integration into our development environment and the spiral lifecycle it supports.

Information processing occurs via critical avalanches in a model of the primary visual cortex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bortolotto, G. S.; Girardi-Schappo, M.; Gonsalves, J. J.; Pinto, L. T.; Tragtenberg, M. H. R.

2016-01-01

We study a new biologically motivated model for the Macaque monkey primary visual cortex which presents power-law avalanches after a visual stimulus. The signal propagates through all the layers of the model via avalanches that depend on network structure and synaptic parameter. We identify four different avalanche profiles as a function of the excitatory postsynaptic potential. The avalanches follow a size-duration scaling relation and present critical exponents that match experiments. The structure of the network gives rise to a regime of two characteristic spatial scales, one of which vanishes in the thermodynamic limit.

Measurement uncertainty analysis techniques applied to PV performance measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wells, C.

1992-10-01

The purpose of this presentation is to provide a brief introduction to measurement uncertainty analysis, outline how it is done, and illustrate uncertainty analysis with examples drawn from the PV field, with particular emphasis toward its use in PV performance measurements. The uncertainty information we know and state concerning a PV performance measurement or a module test result determines, to a significant extent, the value and quality of that result. What is measurement uncertainty analysis? It is an outgrowth of what has commonly been called error analysis. But uncertainty analysis, a more recent development, gives greater insight into measurement processes and tests, experiments, or calibration results. Uncertainty analysis gives us an estimate of the interval about a measured value or an experiment's final result within which we believe the true value of that quantity will lie. Why should we take the time to perform an uncertainty analysis? A rigorous measurement uncertainty analysis: Increases the credibility and value of research results; allows comparisons of results from different labs; helps improve experiment design and identifies where changes are needed to achieve stated objectives (through use of the pre-test analysis); plays a significant role in validating measurements and experimental results, and in demonstrating (through the post-test analysis) that valid data have been acquired; reduces the risk of making erroneous decisions; demonstrates quality assurance and quality control measures have been accomplished; define Valid Data as data having known and documented paths of: Origin, including theory; measurements; traceability to measurement standards; computations; uncertainty analysis of results.

Detecting Deception in Movement: The Case of the Side-Step in Rugby

PubMed Central

Brault, Sébastien; Bideau, Benoit; Kulpa, Richard; Craig, Cathy M.

2012-01-01

Although coordinated patterns of body movement can be used to communicate action intention, they can also be used to deceive. Often known as deceptive movements, these unpredictable patterns of body movement can give a competitive advantage to an attacker when trying to outwit a defender. In this particular study, we immersed novice and expert rugby players in an interactive virtual rugby environment to understand how the dynamics of deceptive body movement influence a defending player’s decisions about how and when to act. When asked to judge final running direction, expert players who were found to tune into prospective tau-based information specified in the dynamics of ‘honest’ movement signals (Centre of Mass), performed significantly better than novices who tuned into the dynamics of ‘deceptive’ movement signals (upper trunk yaw and out-foot placement) (p<.001). These findings were further corroborated in a second experiment where players were able to move as if to intercept or ‘tackle’ the virtual attacker. An analysis of action responses showed that experts waited significantly longer before initiating movement (p<.001). By waiting longer and picking up more information that would inform about future running direction these experts made significantly fewer errors (p<.05). In this paper we not only present a mathematical model that describes how deception in body-based movement is detected, but we also show how perceptual expertise is manifested in action expertise. We conclude that being able to tune into the ‘honest’ information specifying true running action intention gives a strong competitive advantage. PMID:22701569

Exploring Differences in the Content of Job Interviews between Youth with and without a Physical Disability

PubMed Central

Lindsay, Sally; DePape, Anne-Marie

2015-01-01

Objective Although people with disabilities have great potential to provide advantages to work environments, many encounter barriers in finding employment, especially youth who are looking for their first job. A job interview is an essential component of obtaining employment. The objective of this study is to explore the content of the answers given in job interviews among youth with disabilities compared to typically developing youth. Methods A purposive sample of 31 youth (16 with typical development and 15 with disability) completed a mock job interview as part of an employment readiness study. The interview questions focused on skills and experiences, areas for improvement, and actions taken during problem-based scenarios. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using a content analysis of themes that emerged from the interviews. Results We found several similarities and differences between youth with disabilities and typically developing youth. Similarities included giving examples from school, emphasizing their “soft skills” (i.e., people and communication skills) and giving examples of relevant experience for the position. Both groups of youth gave similar examples for something they were proud of but fewer youth with disabilities provided examples. Differences in the content of job interview answers between the two groups included youth with disabilities: (1) disclosing their condition; (2) giving fewer examples related to customer service and teamwork skills; (3) experiencing greater challenges in providing feedback to team members and responding to scenario-based problem solving questions; and (4) drawing on examples from past work, volunteer and extra curricular activities. Conclusions Clinicians and educators should help youth to understand what their marketable skills are and how to highlight them in an interview. Employers need to understand that the experiences of youth with disabilities may be different than typically developing youth. Our findings also help to inform employment readiness programs by highlighting the areas where youth with disabilities may need extra help as compared to typically developing youth. PMID:25799198

Talking to children about parental mental illness: The experiences of well parents.

PubMed

Ballal, Divya; Navaneetham, Janardhana

2018-06-01

Children of parents with mental illness are not routinely included in psychoeducational and supportive family interventions provided by adult mental health systems. The family, therefore, is an important and, sometimes, the only source of information and support for them. To understand the experiences of well parents in talking to their children about parental mental illness. This article presents the findings of a qualitative study of the experiences of well parents in talking to their children about parental mental illness. Ten well parents whose spouses were diagnosed with a severe mental illness participated in the study. Socio-demographic information, family details and history of the spouse's mental illness along with their experiences of talking to children about parental mental illness, the perceived risks and benefits, challenges they faced and the role of others in the process were recorded. Qualitative data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The themes of 'distancing children from parental mental illness', 'avoiding conversations about the illness', 'giving and receiving emotional support', 'providing explanations of the illness' and 'regulating other sources of information' show the complex ways in which well parents influence their children's understanding of parental mental illness. The findings are examined in the background of what is known about this topic from the perspective of children or of the parent with illness. Possible ways to support well parents in families affected by parental mental illness are discussed. This study is a step forward in the understanding of how families talk to children about parental mental illness and provides the perspective of the well parent.

Training Alters the Resolution of Lexical Interference: Evidence for Plasticity of Competition and Inhibition

PubMed Central

Kapnoula, Efthymia C.; McMurray, Bob

2016-01-01

Language learning is generally described as a problem of acquiring new information (e.g., new words). However, equally important are changes in how the system processes known information. For example, a wealth of studies has suggested dramatic changes over development in how efficiently children recognize familiar words, but it is unknown what kind of experience-dependent mechanisms of plasticity give rise to such changes in real-time processing. We examined the plasticity of the language processing system by testing whether a fundamental aspect of spoken word recognition, lexical interference, can be altered by experience. Adult participants were trained on a set of familiar words over a series of 4 tasks. In the high-competition (HC) condition, tasks were designed to encourage coactivation of similar words (e.g., net and neck) and to require listeners to resolve this competition. Tasks were similar in the low-competition (LC) condition, but did not enhance this competition. Immediately after training, interlexical interference was tested using a visual world paradigm task. Participants in the HC group resolved interference to a fuller degree than those in the LC group, demonstrating that experience can shape the way competition between words is resolved. TRACE simulations showed that the observed late differences in the pattern of interference resolution can be attributed to differences in the strength of lexical inhibition. These findings inform cognitive models in many domains that involve competition/interference processes, and suggest an experience-dependent mechanism of plasticity that may underlie longer term changes in processing efficiency associated with both typical and atypical development. PMID:26709587

Assessing the quality of bereavement care after perinatal death: development and piloting of a questionnaire to assess parents' experiences.

PubMed

Aiyelaagbe, Esther; Scott, Rebecca E; Holmes, Victoria; Lane, Emma; Heazell, Alexander E P

2017-10-01

Understanding parents' experience of care is essential to develop high-quality perinatal bereavement services. This study aimed at developing a questionnaire to identify parents' needs and record their experience of care. The patient experience questionnaire was developed by professionals and parents, and piloted in a tertiary maternity unit. Responses were received from 58 parents. Sensitivity and kindness of staff and time spent with their baby were ranked as 'very important' by 95% of parents. Care in these areas largely met their needs (90%), although 5% of respondents stated that partners could have been more involved. Between 8% and 15% of respondents did not feel that language used at the diagnosis of fetal death was sensitive, clear and unambiguous. Parents did not always receive written information about their care (5%) or post-mortem (13%). Analysis of bereaved parents' responses identified areas for improvement including greater involvement of partners and a need for timely information. Impact statement What is already known on this subject?: Good quality bereavement care after perinatal death reduces the negative emotional, psychological and social effects for parents. Description of parents' experiences is a potential means to improve the quality of perinatal bereavement care. What do the results of this study add?: Parents' needs and experiences of care after perinatal death were recorded using a patient-experience questionnaire designed by a multi-professional team and parents. Staff behaviour, particularly sensitivity and kindness was highly valued by parents. Giving both verbal and written information could be improved. Training is needed for professionals, particularly those who come into contact with bereaved parents less frequently. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research?: Description of parents' priorities and views can be used to identify areas for improvement in perinatal bereavement care. Parents' views should be regularly sought and used to develop local services in an iterative process.

Does informed consent given by healthy individuals when enrolling in clinical research feel less voluntary than for ill individuals?

PubMed

Roberts, Laura; Kim, Jane Paik

2018-04-30

Clinical research is predicated ethically on the authentic voluntarism of individuals who choose to enroll in human studies. Existing literature has focused on aspects of informed consent for clinical research other than voluntarism. The objective of this study was to compare the perspectives of clinical research participants who are in good health and who are ill regarding voluntarism-related aspects of informed consent and to assess situational influences that enable voluntarism in the process of obtaining clinical research consent. A 23-item written survey, the Informed Consent Questionnaire (ICQ), was administered in a "piggyback" semi-structured interview study of ill and healthy volunteers enrolled in IRB-approved clinical research studies. A total of 150 (60 mentally ill, 43 physically ill, and 47 healthy) clinical research participants participated. Respondents expressed positive views of their experiences with the informed consent processes for their respective clinical research protocols and respondents strongly endorsed items related to voluntarism irrespective of their illness type (range of means = [3.9, 4.8]). Ill participants more highly endorsed items relating to informed consent conditions (mentally ill vs healthy: 0.54 on a 5-point scale, P value = 0.01) (physically ill vs. healthy: 0.47 on a 5-point scale, P value = 0.01). The favorable views of clinical research participants regarding their experience of giving informed consent to enroll in a study were not surprising. Contrary to our a priori hypothesis, healthy individuals did not feel as positively as their ill counterparts. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feeling like a nurse: re-calling the spirit of nursing.

PubMed

Spence, Deborah; Smythe, Elizabeth

2008-12-01

To explore the essential meaning of being a nurse. Nine registered nurses were each asked to write a story of a time when they felt like a nurse. Analysis was informed by Heideggerian hermeneutic philosophy, seeking to reveal the phenomenon of "feeling like a nurse." As part of a workshop on phenomenological methodology, participants were invited to reflect on a personal experience of feeling like a nurse. These documents were analyzed according to the method of van Manen. Participants were kept informed throughout each phase. Feelings announce primordial meaning of feeling like a nurse. Nurses experience the call as mood attuned by an anxiety that creates possibilities for authentic caring. It is a way of being that encompasses watching and acting, doing to and caring for, and taking over and giving back. Moreover, it is after the encounter that the essential meaning is more clearly revealed. We argue that there is value in continuing to question the meaning of "being a nurse." Amid a complex and increasingly technological world, this calls the profession to remember the human encounter at the heart of all nursing.

Grants for Libraries & Information Services. 2012 Digital Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foundation Center, 2011

2011-01-01

This publication is only available as a downloadable file. See who's giving and getting grants in your field. Strengthen your search for funds with the Foundation Center's digital edition of "Grants for Libraries & Information Services." This new "Grant Guide" reveals the scope of current foundation giving in the field. You'll find descriptions of…

Information About a Layperson's Knowledge Supports Experts in Giving Effective and Efficient Online Advice to Laypersons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuckles, Matthias; Wittwer, Jorg; Renkl, Alexander

2005-01-01

To give effective and efficient advice to laypersons, experts should adapt their explanations to the layperson's knowledge. However, experts often fail to consider the limited domain knowledge of laypersons. To support adaptation in asynchronous help desk communication, researchers provided computer experts with information about a layperson's…

The SWITCH-ON Virtual Water-Science Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arheimer, Berit; Boot, Gerben; Calero, Joan; Ceola, Serena; Gyllensvärd, Frida; Hrachowitz, Markus; Little, Lorna; Montanari, Alberto; Nijzink, Remko; Parajka, Juraj; Wagener, Thorsten

2017-04-01

The SWITCH-ON Virtual Water-Science Laboratory (VWSL) aims to facilitate collaboration and support reproducible experiments in water research. The goal is to overcome geographical distance for comparative hydrology and increase transparency when using computational tools in hydrological sciences. The VWSL gives access to open data through dedicated software tools for data search and upload, and helps creating collaborative protocols for joint experiments in the virtual environment. The VWSL will help scientists with: • Cooperation around the world - straightforward connections with other scientists in comparative analyses and collaboration, as a mean to accelerate scientific advance in hydrology. • Repeatability of experiments -thorough review of a large variety of numerical experiments, which is a foundational principle in scientific research, and improvement of research standards. • New forms of scientific research - by using online 'living' protocols, scientists you can elaborate ideas incrementally with a large group of colleagues and share data, tools, models, etc. in open science. The VWSL was developed within the EU project "Sharing Water Information to Tackle Changes in Hydrology - for Operational Needs" (Grant agreement No 603587). Visitors can choose to Define, Participate or Review experiments by clicking the start buttons (http://www.switch-on-vwsl.eu/). Anyone can view protocols without log-in (that's important for Open Science) - but to create, participate and edit protocols, you need to Log-in for security reasons. During the work process, the protocol is moved from one view to another as the experiment evolves from idea, to on-going, to be completed. The users of the Lab also get access to useful tools for running collaborative experiments, for instance: Open data Search, Data (and metadata) Upload, and Create Protocol tools. So far, eight collaborative experiments have been completed in the VWSL and resulted in research papers (published or submitted), and there are currently four on-going experiments, which also involves external participants, not paid by the project. The VWSL is now launched and open to everyone but it will be continuously developed and sustained also after the project. This presentation will give an on-line demonstration of the major features of the present VWSL and discuss some future visions and major challenges in this e-infrastructure.

Development and Evaluation of an Educational E-Tool to Help Patients With Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Manage Their Personal Care Pathway.

PubMed

Stienen, Jozette Jc; Ottevanger, Petronella B; Wennekes, Lianne; Dekker, Helena M; van der Maazen, Richard Wm; Mandigers, Caroline Mpw; van Krieken, Johan Hjm; Blijlevens, Nicole Ma; Hermens, Rosella Pmg

2015-01-09

An overload of health-related information is available for patients on numerous websites, guidelines, and information leaflets. However, the increasing need for personalized health-related information is currently unmet. This study evaluates an educational e-tool for patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) designed to meet patient needs with respect to personalized and complete health-related information provision. The e-tool aims to help NHL patients manage and understand their personal care pathway, by providing them with insight into their own care pathway, the possibility to keep a diary, and structured health-related information. Together with a multidisciplinary NHL expert panel, we developed an e-tool consisting of two sections: (1) a personal section for patients' own care pathway and their experiences, and (2) an informative section including information on NHL. We developed an ideal NHL care pathway based on the available (inter)national guidelines. The ideal care pathway, including date of first consultation, diagnosis, and therapy start, was used to set up the personal care pathway. The informative section was developed in collaboration with the patient association, Hematon. Regarding participants, 14 patients and 6 laymen were asked to evaluate the e-tool. The 24-item questionnaire used discussed issues concerning layout (6 questions), user convenience (3 questions), menu clarity (3 questions), information clarity (5 questions), and general impression (7 questions). In addition, the panel members were asked to give their feedback by email. A comprehensive overview of diagnostics, treatments, and aftercare can be established by patients completing the questions from the personal section. The informative section consisted of NHL information regarding NHL in general, diagnostics, therapy, aftercare, and waiting times. Regarding participants, 6 patients and 6 laymen completed the questionnaire. Overall, the feedback was positive, with at least 75% satisfaction on each feedback item. Important strengths mentioned were the use of a low health-literacy level, the opportunity to document the personal care pathway and experiences, and the clear overview of the information provided. The added value of the e-tool in general was pointed out as very useful for preparing the consultation with one's doctor and for providing all information on one website, including the opportunity for a personalized care pathway and diary. The majority of the revisions concerned wording and clarity. In addition, more explicit information on immunotherapy, experimental therapy, and psychosocial support was added. We have developed a personal care management e-tool for NHL patients. This tool contains a unique way to help patients manage their personal care pathway and give them insight into their NHL by providing health-related information and a personal diary. This evaluation showed that our e-tool meets patients' needs concerning personalized health-related information, which might serve as a good example for other oncologic diseases. Future research should focus on the possible impact of the e-tool on doctor-patient communication during consultations.

The Meaning of Leprosy and Everyday Experiences: An Exploration in Cirebon, Indonesia

PubMed Central

Peters, Ruth M. H.; Dadun; Lusli, Mimi; Miranda-Galarza, Beatriz; van Brakel, Wim H.; Zweekhorst, Marjolein B. M.; Damayanti, Rita; Seda, Francisia S. S. E.; Bunders, Joske F. G.; Irwanto

2013-01-01

It is imperative to consider the meaning of leprosy and everyday experiences of people affected by leprosy and key persons in the community if one aims to make leprosy services more effective, which appears necessary in Indonesia given the large numbers of new cases detected annually. However, little is written in the international literature about the experiences of people currently being treated for leprosy, those cured, or other key informants. This paper analyses the narratives of the people by drawing upon in-depth interviews with 53 participants and 20 focus groups discussions. The participants were purposively selected. We provide insights into the experiences of people and the meaning they give to leprosy and highlight aspect of aetiology, spirituality, religion, darkening of the skin, and sorcery. We also examine experiences of seeking care and focused on the impact of the disease in particular on the elderly and children. In conclusion, the continued need for implementation of leprosy services in Indonesia is very evident. The diversities in people's experiences with leprosy indicate a demand for responsive leprosy services to serve the diverse needs, including services for those formally declared to be “cured.” PMID:23577037

How product trial changes quality perception of four new processed beef products.

PubMed

Saeed, Faiza; Grunert, Klaus G; Therkildsen, Margrethe

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is the quantitative analysis of the change in quality perception of four new processed beef products from pre to post trial phases. Based on the Total Food Quality Model, differences in pre and post-trial phases were measured using repeated measures technique for cue evaluation, quality evaluation and purchase motive fulfillment. For two of the tested products, trial resulted in a decline of the evaluation of cues, quality and purchase motive fulfillment compared to pre-trial expectations. For these products, positive expectations were created by giving information about ingredients and ways of processing, which were not confirmed during trial. For the other two products, evaluations on key sensory dimensions based on trial exceeded expectations, whereas the other evaluations remained unchanged. Several demographic factors influenced the pattern of results, notably age and gender, which may be due to underlying differences in previous experience. The study gives useful insights for testing of new processed meat products before market introduction. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nothing to declare: mandatory and voluntary disclosure leads advisors to avoid conflicts of interest.

PubMed

Sah, Sunita; Loewenstein, George

2014-02-01

Professionals face conflicts of interest when they have a personal interest in giving biased advice. Mandatory disclosure--informing consumers of the conflict--is a widely adopted strategy in numerous professions, such as medicine, finance, and accounting. Prior research has shown, however, that such disclosures have little impact on consumer behavior, and can backfire by leading advisors to give even more biased advice. We present results from three experiments with real monetary stakes. These results show that, although disclosure has generally been found to be ineffective for dealing with unavoidable conflicts of interest, it can be beneficial when providers have the ability to avoid conflicts. Mandatory and voluntary disclosure can deter advisors from accepting conflicts of interest so that they have nothing to disclose except the absence of conflicts. We propose that people are averse to being viewed as biased, and that policies designed to activate reputational and ethical concerns will motivate advisors to avoid conflicts of interest.

Marcus canonical integral for non-Gaussian processes and its computation: pathwise simulation and tau-leaping algorithm.

PubMed

Li, Tiejun; Min, Bin; Wang, Zhiming

2013-03-14

The stochastic integral ensuring the Newton-Leibnitz chain rule is essential in stochastic energetics. Marcus canonical integral has this property and can be understood as the Wong-Zakai type smoothing limit when the driving process is non-Gaussian. However, this important concept seems not well-known for physicists. In this paper, we discuss Marcus integral for non-Gaussian processes and its computation in the context of stochastic energetics. We give a comprehensive introduction to Marcus integral and compare three equivalent definitions in the literature. We introduce the exact pathwise simulation algorithm and give the error analysis. We show how to compute the thermodynamic quantities based on the pathwise simulation algorithm. We highlight the information hidden in the Marcus mapping, which plays the key role in determining thermodynamic quantities. We further propose the tau-leaping algorithm, which advance the process with deterministic time steps when tau-leaping condition is satisfied. The numerical experiments and its efficiency analysis show that it is very promising.

The Role of Geoscience Information in Reducing Catastrophic Loss Using a Web-Based Economics Experiment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernknopf, Richard L.; Brookshire, David S.; Ganderton, Philip T.

2003-01-01

What role can geoscience information play in the assessment of risk and the value of insurance, especially for natural hazard type risks? In an earlier, related paper Ganderton and others (2000) provided subjects with relatively simple geoscience information concerning natural hazard-type risks. Their research looked at how subjects purchase insurance when faced with relatively low probability but high loss risks of the kind that characterize natural hazards and now, increasingly, manmade disasters. They found evidence to support the expected utility theory (definitions of economics terms can be found in a glossary at the end of report), yet there remained the implication that subjects with excessive aversion to risk were willing to pay considerably more for insurance than the actuarially fair price plus any reasonable risk premium. Here, we report the results of additional experiments that provide further support for the basic postulates of expected utility theory. However, these new experiments add considerably to the decision environment facing subjects by offering an option to purchase geoscientific information that would assist them when calculating expected losses from hazards more accurately. Using an Internet-based mechanism to present information and gather data in an experimental setting, this research provided subjects with considerable textual and graphical information, and time to process it. Over a period of three months, almost 400 subjects participated in on-line experiments that generated approximately 22,000 usable data points for the empirical analysis discussed in this report. In the design of the experiment, we modeled the decisions to purchase (1) a detailed map giving subjects more information regarding the distribution of losses from a hazard and (2) insurance to indemnify them from any losses should they occur. On the basis of this design, we find strong evidence in support of the expected utility theory. Many of the findings reinforce those found in the early, similar study (Ganderton and others, 2000). However, this research also finds interactions between the decision to become better informed and the decision to insure. We chose an empirical framework that allows for both explicit and implicit (unobservable) correlations between the two decisions. The results suggest that at the end of the computer game subjects recognize the benefits of greater geoscience information. They take advantage of it, but are sensitive to its cost. When subjects use the more detailed information, they are more likely to purchase insurance when it offers a net benefit.

Application and evaluation of ISVR method in QuickBird image fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Bo; Song, Xiaolu

2014-05-01

QuickBird satellite images are widely used in many fields, and applications have put forward high requirements for the integration of the spatial information and spectral information of the imagery. A fusion method for high resolution remote sensing images based on ISVR is identified in this study. The core principle of ISVS is taking the advantage of radicalization targeting to remove the effect of different gain and error of satellites' sensors. Transformed from DN to radiance, the multi-spectral image's energy is used to simulate the panchromatic band. The linear regression analysis is carried through the simulation process to find a new synthetically panchromatic image, which is highly linearly correlated to the original panchromatic image. In order to evaluate, test and compare the algorithm results, this paper used ISVR and other two different fusion methods to give a comparative study of the spatial information and spectral information, taking the average gradient and the correlation coefficient as an indicator. Experiments showed that this method could significantly improve the quality of fused image, especially in preserving spectral information, to maximize the spectral information of original multispectral images, while maintaining abundant spatial information.

The use of subjective rating of exertion in Ergonomics.

PubMed

Capodaglio, P

2002-01-01

In Ergonomics, the use of psychophysical methods for subjectively evaluating work tasks and determining acceptable loads has become more common. Daily activities at the work site are studied not only with physiological methods but also with perceptual estimation and production methods. The psychophysical methods are of special interest in field studies of short-term work tasks for which valid physiological measurements are difficult to obtain. The perceived exertion, difficulty and fatigue that a person experiences in a certain work situation is an important sign of a real or objective load. Measurement of the physical load with physiological parameters is not sufficient since it does not take into consideration the particular difficulty of the performance or the capacity of the individual. It is often difficult from technical and biomechanical analyses to understand the seriousness of a difficulty that a person experiences. Physiological determinations give important information, but they may be insufficient due to the technical problems in obtaining relevant but simple measurements for short-term activities or activities involving special movement patterns. Perceptual estimations using Borg's scales give important information because the severity of a task's difficulty depends on the individual doing the work. Observation is the most simple and used means to assess job demands. Other evaluations integrating observation are the followings: indirect estimation of energy expenditure based on prediction equations or direct measurement of oxygen consumption; measurements of forces, angles and biomechanical parameters; measurements of physiological and neurophysiological parameters during tasks. It is recommended that determinations of performances of occupational activities assess rating of perceived exertion and integrate these measurements of intensity levels with those of activity's type, duration and frequency. A better estimate of the degree of physical activity of individuals thus can be obtained.

A Multimodal Emotion Detection System during Human-Robot Interaction

PubMed Central

Alonso-Martín, Fernando; Malfaz, María; Sequeira, João; Gorostiza, Javier F.; Salichs, Miguel A.

2013-01-01

In this paper, a multimodal user-emotion detection system for social robots is presented. This system is intended to be used during human–robot interaction, and it is integrated as part of the overall interaction system of the robot: the Robotics Dialog System (RDS). Two modes are used to detect emotions: the voice and face expression analysis. In order to analyze the voice of the user, a new component has been developed: Gender and Emotion Voice Analysis (GEVA), which is written using the Chuck language. For emotion detection in facial expressions, the system, Gender and Emotion Facial Analysis (GEFA), has been also developed. This last system integrates two third-party solutions: Sophisticated High-speed Object Recognition Engine (SHORE) and Computer Expression Recognition Toolbox (CERT). Once these new components (GEVA and GEFA) give their results, a decision rule is applied in order to combine the information given by both of them. The result of this rule, the detected emotion, is integrated into the dialog system through communicative acts. Hence, each communicative act gives, among other things, the detected emotion of the user to the RDS so it can adapt its strategy in order to get a greater satisfaction degree during the human–robot dialog. Each of the new components, GEVA and GEFA, can also be used individually. Moreover, they are integrated with the robotic control platform ROS (Robot Operating System). Several experiments with real users were performed to determine the accuracy of each component and to set the final decision rule. The results obtained from applying this decision rule in these experiments show a high success rate in automatic user emotion recognition, improving the results given by the two information channels (audio and visual) separately. PMID:24240598

Observing System Simulation Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prive, Nikki

2015-01-01

This presentation gives an overview of Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs). The components of an OSSE are described, along with discussion of the process for validating, calibrating, and performing experiments. a.

Neutron detection using a crystal ball calorimeter

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

Martem’yanov, M. A., E-mail: mmartemi@gmail.com; Kulikov, V. V.; Krutenkova, A. P.

2015-12-15

The program of experiments of the A2 Collaboration performed on a beam of tagged photons of the MAMI electron microtron in Mainz (Germany) includes precision measurements of the total and differential cross sections of the pion photoproduction on neutrons of a deuterium target. The determination of the detector ability to detect neutrons is undoubtedly one of the important problems of the experiment. The calorimetric system of the detector contains a segmented NaI Crystal Ball detector, which gives information about the position, energy, and detection time of neutral and charged particles in a wide angular range. In this work, we describemore » the measurement of the neutron detection efficiency in the energy range from 20 to 400MeV. The results are compared with BNL data obtained on a pion beam and proton target.« less

A behavior model for blood donors and marketing strategies to retain and attract them

PubMed Central

Aldamiz-echevarria, Covadonga; Aguirre-Garcia, Maria Soledad

2014-01-01

Objective analyze and propose a theoretical model that describes blood donor decisions to help staff working in blood banks (nurses and others) in their efforts to capture and retain donors. Methods analysis of several studies on the motivations to give blood in Spain over the last six years, as well as past literature on the topic, the authors' experiences in the last 25 years in over 15 Non Governmental Organizations with different levels of responsibilities, their experiences as blood donors and the informal interviews developed during those 25 years. Results a model is proposed with different internal and external factors that influence blood donation, as well as the different stages of the decision-making process. Conclusion the knowledge of the donation process permits the development of marketing strategies that help to increase donors and donations. PMID:25029059

The Significance of Spermatozoa in Victims of Sexual Offences

PubMed Central

Sharpe, Noble

1963-01-01

Factual information for the use of the doctor called upon to give evidence in court after examining the victim of an alleged sexual attack is considered on the basis of an extensive review of the literature and of years of experience by the staff of the Attorney-General's Laboratory for Ontario. This experience emphasizes the need for immediate examination of fluid from the vaginal pool for motility of the spermatozoa and the need for a later examination for delayed bruising of the victim. Motile spermatozoa are found in the vagina for one-half to six hours, with an average time of three hours. Non-motile forms usually are found for seven to 12 hours, but exceptionally for 18 to 24 hours. Data relative to the survival of spermatozoa under various conditions are tabulated. PMID:14042804

A behavior model for blood donors and marketing strategies to retain and attract them.

PubMed

Aldamiz-Echevarria, Covadonga; Aguirre-Garcia, Maria Soledad

2014-01-01

analyze and propose a theoretical model that describes blood donor decisions to help staff working in blood banks (nurses and others) in their efforts to capture and retain donors. analysis of several studies on the motivations to give blood in Spain over the last six years, as well as past literature on the topic, the authors' experiences in the last 25 years in over 15 Non Governmental Organizations with different levels of responsibilities, their experiences as blood donors and the informal interviews developed during those 25 years. a model is proposed with different internal and external factors that influence blood donation, as well as the different stages of the decision-making process. the knowledge of the donation process permits the development of marketing strategies that help to increase donors and donations.

Detection of network attacks based on adaptive resonance theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bukhanov, D. G.; Polyakov, V. M.

2018-05-01

The paper considers an approach to intrusion detection systems using a neural network of adaptive resonant theory. It suggests the structure of an intrusion detection system consisting of two types of program modules. The first module manages connections of user applications by preventing the undesirable ones. The second analyzes the incoming network traffic parameters to check potential network attacks. After attack detection, it notifies the required stations using a secure transmission channel. The paper describes the experiment on the detection and recognition of network attacks using the test selection. It also compares the obtained results with similar experiments carried out by other authors. It gives findings and conclusions on the sufficiency of the proposed approach. The obtained information confirms the sufficiency of applying the neural networks of adaptive resonant theory to analyze network traffic within the intrusion detection system.

Performance of the Cylindrical Drift Chamber and the Inner Plastic Scintillator in the BGOegg experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibukawa, Takuya; Masumoto, Shinichi; Ozawa, Kyoichiro; Ohnishi, Hiroaki; Muramatsu, Norihito; Ishikawa, Takatsugu; Miyabe, Manabu; Tsuchikawa, Yusuke; Yamazaki, Ryuji; Matsumura, Yuji; Mizutani, Keigo; Hashimoto, Toshikazu; Hamano, Hirotomo; LEPS2/BGOegg Collaboration

2014-09-01

Properties of vector mesons, such as ω mesons, in nucleus are intensively measured to study interactions between mesons and nuclear medium. To study ω meson properties in nuclei, we search for the nuclear ω bound states in the LEPS2/BGOegg experiment at SPring-8. If a strongly bounded ω state exists and binding energy is measured, it gives a phenomenological information about interactions between ω meson and nuclei. ω meson is produced using the GeV γ rays at SPring-8/LEPS2 beamline. The ω bound state is searched from the missing mass measurements of forward going protons. ω meson production is identified by detecting γ and proton from ωN --> N* --> γp or ωN --> γΔ --> γπ p reaction. In the BGOegg experiment, charged particles are detected by Cylindrical Drift Chamber(CDC) and Inner Plastic Scintillators (IPS) around the target. CDC has 4 layers of stereo wires and each layer has 72 sense wires. IPS consists of 30 plastic scintillators. In this talk, the performance of CDC and IPS are described in detail. Properties of vector mesons, such as ω mesons, in nucleus are intensively measured to study interactions between mesons and nuclear medium. To study ω meson properties in nuclei, we search for the nuclear ω bound states in the LEPS2/BGOegg experiment at SPring-8. If a strongly bounded ω state exists and binding energy is measured, it gives a phenomenological information about interactions between ω meson and nuclei. ω meson is produced using the GeV γ rays at SPring-8/LEPS2 beamline. The ω bound state is searched from the missing mass measurements of forward going protons. ω meson production is identified by detecting γ and proton from ωN --> N* --> γp or ωN --> γΔ --> γπ p reaction. In the BGOegg experiment, charged particles are detected by Cylindrical Drift Chamber(CDC) and Inner Plastic Scintillators (IPS) around the target. CDC has 4 layers of stereo wires and each layer has 72 sense wires. IPS consists of 30 plastic scintillators. In this talk, the performance of CDC and IPS are described in detail. All members of the collaboration are listed on http://www.lns.tohoku.ac.jp/ ~bgoegg/collaboration.html

Anthropogenic Influence on the Changes of the Subtropical Gyre Circulation in the South Pacific in the 20th Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albrecht, F.; Pizarro, O.; Montecinos, A.

2016-12-01

The subtropical ocean gyre in the South Pacific is a large scale wind-driven ocean circulation, including the Peru-Chile Current, the westward South Equatorial Current, the East Australian Current, and the eastward South Pacific Current. Large scale ocean circulations play an essential role in the climate of the Earth over long and short term time scales.In the recent years a spin-up of this circulation has been recognized analyzing observations of sea level, temperature and salinity profiles, sea surface temperature and wind. Until now it is not clear whether this spin-up is decadal variability or whether it is a long-term trend introduced by anthropogenic forcing. This study aims to analyze whether and how anthropogenic forcing influences the position and the strength of the gyre in the 20th century. To determine that, yearly means of different variables of an ensemble of CMIP5 models are analyzed. The experiments 'historical' and 'historicalNat' are examined. The 'historical' experiment simulates the climate of the 20th century and the 'historicalNat' experiment covers the same time period, but only includes natural forcings. Comparing the outcomes of these two experiments is supposed to give information about the anthropogenic influence on the subtropical gyre of the South Pacific.The main variable we analyze is sea level change. This is directly related to the gyre circulation. The center of the gyre is characterized by a high pressure zone (high sea level) and the temporal and spatial variability of the sea level height field gives information about changes in the gyre circulation. The CMIP5 databank includes steric and dynamic sea level changes. Steric sea level, that is the contribution of temperature and salinity of the water, describes the major contribution to regional sea level change with respect to the global mean. Density changes contract or expand the water, which also changes the sea surface height. This does not only occur at the surface, but at all layers in the ocean. Sea level change thus integrates ocean variability throughout the depth of the ocean. Sea level simulations of the different experiments are compared using long-term trends, multi-year anomalies and EOF-Analysis. Changes in temperature and salinity in the deeper ocean are used to describe the development of the gyre below the surface.

Communicating information to patients. Patient satisfaction and adherence as associated with resident skill.

PubMed

Falvo, D; Tippy, P

1988-06-01

A study investigated the degree to which residents' communication of specific information about medications and follow-up appointments had an impact on patient recall, satisfaction, and adherence. Twenty-nine interactions between patients and residents were taped and analyzed by two trained observers. Patients were interviewed immediately after their interactions with residents to assess their ability to recall instructions and to assess their levels of satisfaction with the visit. Patients' overall global satisfaction with their interactions was highly correlated with their ratings of resident information giving (Pearson r = .90, P less than .001). Patients who expressed higher levels of satisfaction also had higher recall rates (Pearson r = .39, P less than .01), although overall patient recall rate was only slightly above 50 percent. Observers' analysis of residents giving information reveals a mean performance rating of 40 percent. Only 31 percent of patients returned for their follow-up appointments. The study suggests that information itself may not be so important in determining patient satisfaction as are patients' perceptions that physicians attempt to give them information. Such information may, however, have greater impact on patient adherence with physician recommendations.

How women with high risk pregnancies use lay information when considering place of birth: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Lee, Suzanne; Holden, Des; Ayers, Susan

2016-02-01

Where to give birth is a key decision in pregnancy. Women use information from family, friends and other sources besides healthcare professionals when contemplating this decision. This study explored women's use of lay information during high risk pregnancies in order to examine differences and similarities in the use of information in relation to planned place of birth. Half the participants were planning hospital births and half were planning to give birth at home. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews set in a hospital maternity department in South East England. Twenty-six participants with high risk pregnancies, at least 32 weeks pregnant. Results were analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: approaches to research - how much information women chose to seek out and from which sources; selection of sources - how women decided which sources they considered reliable; and unhelpful research - information they considered unhelpful. Women planning homebirths undertook more research than women planning to give birth in hospital and were more likely to seek out alternative sources of information. Women from both groups referred to deliberately seeking out sources of information which reflected their own values and so did not challenge their decisions. There are similarities and differences in the use of lay information between women who plan to give birth in hospital and those who plan homebirths. Professionals working with women with high risk pregnancies should consider these factors when interacting with these women. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experiences and preferences of care among Swedish immigrants following a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defect in the fetus: a qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Carlsson, Tommy; Marttala, Ulla Melander; Mattsson, Elisabet; Ringnér, Anders

2016-06-02

Immigrants experience significant challenges when in contact with healthcare and report less satisfaction with maternity care compared to native Swedes. Research that gives voice to pregnant immigrant women and their partners following a prenatal diagnosis of a fetal anomaly is scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore experiences and preferences of care following a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defect among Swedish immigrants. Pregnant immigrants and their partners were consecutively recruited following a prenatal diagnosis of a congenital heart defect in the fetus. Nine respondents were interviewed in five interviews, four with the aid of a professional interpreter. The material was analyzed using manifest qualitative content analysis. The analysis resulted in five categories: 1) "Trustworthy information", 2) "Language barriers", 3) "Psychosocial situation", 4) "Peer support", and 5) "Religious positions". The potential need for interpreter services, visual information, psychosocial support, coordination with welfare officers, and respect for religious positions about termination of pregnancy are all important aspects for health professionals to consider when consulting immigrants faced with a prenatal diagnosis of fetal anomaly in the fetus. Peer support within this context needs to be further explored in future studies.

A g-factor puzzle for the N=38 nuclei:First measurement of the ^70Ge 41^+ magnetic moment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boutachkov, Plamen; Kumbartzki, G.; Benczer-Koller, N.; Robinson, S.; Escuderos, A.; Stefanova, E.; Sharon, Y.; Zamick, L.; McCutchan, E.; Werner, V.; Ai, H.; Gurdal, G.; Heinz, A.; Qian, J.; Williams, E.; Winkler, R.; Garnsworthy, A.; Thompson, N.; Maier-Komor, P.

2006-10-01

The transient field technique in inverse kinematics allows g-factor studies of short-lived states. This method gives information on both the sign and the magnitude of the g factor. In a recent experiment, the g factor of the 4^+1 state of ^6830Zn38 was measured to be -0.37(17) suggesting a significant neutron g9/2 contribution to the wave function[1]. However, shell model calculations in the 0f5/2,1p3/2,1p1/2,0g9/2 space [1] predict a positive, nearly zero g factor. To obtain more information on this region we measured the magnetic moment of the 4^+1 in ^7032Ge38. The measurement was performed at WNSL, Yale, using a 275 MeV ^70Ge beam and a multilayered C+Gd+Cu target. A positive g factor was obtained. The measured magnetic moment was compared to full fp shell model calculations which we performed with the code ANTOINE using several effective interactions. The results were in good agreement with the experiment. The experiment and the implications of the new results will be discussed.1. J. Leske et al., Phys. Rev C 72, 044301 (2005).

Working wonders? investigating insight with magic tricks.

PubMed

Danek, Amory H; Fraps, Thomas; von Müller, Albrecht; Grothe, Benedikt; Ollinger, Michael

2014-02-01

We propose a new approach to differentiate between insight and noninsight problem solving, by introducing magic tricks as problem solving domain. We argue that magic tricks are ideally suited to investigate representational change, the key mechanism that yields sudden insight into the solution of a problem, because in order to gain insight into the magicians' secret method, observers must overcome implicit constraints and thus change their problem representation. In Experiment 1, 50 participants were exposed to 34 different magic tricks, asking them to find out how the trick was accomplished. Upon solving a trick, participants indicated if they had reached the solution either with or without insight. Insight was reported in 41.1% of solutions. The new task domain revealed differences in solution accuracy, time course and solution confidence with insight solutions being more likely to be true, reached earlier, and obtaining higher confidence ratings. In Experiment 2, we explored which role self-imposed constraints actually play in magic tricks. 62 participants were presented with 12 magic tricks. One group received verbal cues, providing solution relevant information without giving the solution away. The control group received no informative cue. Experiment 2 showed that participants' constraints were suggestible to verbal cues, resulting in higher solution rates. Thus, magic tricks provide more detailed information about the differences between insightful and noninsightful problem solving, and the underlying mechanisms that are necessary to have an insight. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NASA Publications Guide for Authors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2015-01-01

This document presents guidelines for use by NASA authors in preparation and publication of their scientific and technical information (STI). Section 2 gives an overview. Section 2 describes types of publication. Section 3 discusses technical, data/information, and dissemination reviews. Section 4 provides recommended standards and gives the elements of a typical report. Section 5 presents miscellaneous preparation recommendations.

Planning of an Experiment for VLBI Tracking of GNSS Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tornatore, Vincenza; Hass, Ruediger; Molera, Guifre; Pogrebenko, Sergei

2010-01-01

As a preparation for future possible orbit determination of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) satellites by VLBI observations an initial three-station experiment was planned and performed in January 2009. The goal was to get first experience and to verify the feasibility of using the method for accurate satellite tracking. GNSS orbits related to a satellite constellation can be expressed in the Terrestrial Reference Frame. A comparison with orbit results that might be obtained by VLBI can give valuable information on how the GNSS reference frame and the VLBI reference frame are linked. We present GNSS transmitter specifications and experimental results of the observations of some GLONASS satellites together with evaluations for the expected signal strengths at telescopes. The satellite flux densities detected on the Earth s surface are very high. The narrow bandwidth of the GNSS signal partly compensates for potential problems at the receiving stations, and signal attenuation is necessary. Attempts to correlate recorded data have been performed with different software.

The haptic pleasures of ground-feel: The role of textured terrain in motivating regular exercise.

PubMed

Brown, Katrina M

2017-07-01

This paper explores the role that somatic or bodily touch-based experience of ground surface textures plays in securing a commitment to health-giving exercise practices, and argues that ground-feel is a neglected and underrated dimension of how environments co-constitute health. Past work has largely either overlooked ground-feel or positioned rough ground solely as a barrier to bodily movement. This research, however, informed by mobile and video ethnographies of walking and mountain biking in Scotland, elaborates a number of ways in which the experience of textured terrain can produce sensory and emotional experiences that motivate regular exercise. The possibility of positive tactile as well as visual experiences of landscapes, including uneven as well as smooth surfaces, ought then to be taken more seriously in designing everyday outdoor environments that encourage the energetic movement of bodies. A key challenge is to identify the optimal mix of textured and smooth ground surfaces to encourage increased energetic engagement for the widest range of users. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Study of the dynamics of poly(ethylene oxide) by combining molecular dynamic simulations and neutron scattering experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodeck, M.; Alvarez, F.; Arbe, A.; Juranyi, F.; Unruh, T.; Holderer, O.; Colmenero, J.; Richter, D.

2009-03-01

We performed quasielastic neutron scattering experiments and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations on a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) homopolymer system above the melting point. The excellent agreement found between both sets of data, together with a successful comparison with literature diffraction results, validates the condensed-phase optimized molecular potentials for atomistic simulation studies (COMPASS) force field used to produce our dynamic runs and gives support to their further analysis. This provided direct information on magnitudes which are not accessible from experiments such as the radial probability distribution functions of specific atoms at different times and their moments. The results of our simulations on the H-motions and different experiments indicate that in the high-temperature range investigated the dynamics is Rouse-like for Q-values below ≈0.6 Å-1. We then addressed the single chain dynamic structure factor with the simulations. A mode analysis, not possible directly experimentally, reveals the limits of applicability of the Rouse model to PEO. We discuss the possible origins for the observed deviations.

Study of the dynamics of poly(ethylene oxide) by combining molecular dynamic simulations and neutron scattering experiments.

PubMed

Brodeck, M; Alvarez, F; Arbe, A; Juranyi, F; Unruh, T; Holderer, O; Colmenero, J; Richter, D

2009-03-07

We performed quasielastic neutron scattering experiments and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations on a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) homopolymer system above the melting point. The excellent agreement found between both sets of data, together with a successful comparison with literature diffraction results, validates the condensed-phase optimized molecular potentials for atomistic simulation studies (COMPASS) force field used to produce our dynamic runs and gives support to their further analysis. This provided direct information on magnitudes which are not accessible from experiments such as the radial probability distribution functions of specific atoms at different times and their moments. The results of our simulations on the H-motions and different experiments indicate that in the high-temperature range investigated the dynamics is Rouse-like for Q-values below approximately 0.6 A(-1). We then addressed the single chain dynamic structure factor with the simulations. A mode analysis, not possible directly experimentally, reveals the limits of applicability of the Rouse model to PEO. We discuss the possible origins for the observed deviations.

A qualitative phenomenological analysis of the subjective experience and understanding of the at risk mental state

PubMed Central

Brew, Benjamin; Shannon, Ciaran; Storey, Lesley; Boyd, Adrian; Mulholland, Ciaran

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Over recent years there has been a growing interest in identifying the early stages of psychosis. The At Risk Mental State (ARMS) is characteristic of the prodromal stages of psychosis and its identification gives rise to a number of clinical and research opportunities including early intervention and prevention of psychosis. This study employs interpretative phenomenological analysis to gain insights into the subjective experience and individuals understanding of the development of their ARMS. Five participants took part and provided information on the experience of symptoms, life prior to onset of their ARMS and their understanding of symptoms and their development through a semi structured interview. From the analysis of transcripts eight themes emerged which were common across participants accounts. Three themes of experience (disturbed world/disturbed self, disconnection with the world, thunderstruck) and five themes of understanding (absence of understanding, use of others, identity, forming links, fragmented understanding) were identified. Themes are explored in detail and discussed in relation to existing literature and theory. Clinical implications, directions for future research, and limitations are discussed within. PMID:28689474

Urban History in 4 Dimensions - Supporting Research and Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Münster, S.; Friedrichs, K.; Kröber, C.; Bruschke, J.; Henze, F.; Maiwald, F.; Niebling, F.

2017-08-01

The new research group on the four-dimensional research and communication of urban history (Urban History 4D) aims to investigate and develop methods and technologies to access extensive repositories of historical media and their contextual information in a spatial model, with an additional temporal component. This will make content accessible to different target groups, researchers and the public, via a 4D browser. A location-dependent augmented-reality representation can be used as an information base, research tool, and means of communicating historical knowledge. The data resources for this research include extensive holdings of historical photographs of Dresden, which have documented the city over the decades, and digitized map collections from the Deutsche Fotothek (German photographic collection) platform. These will lay the foundation for a prototype model which will give users a virtual experience of historic parts of Dresden.

Experiences in extraction of contact parameters from process-evaluation test-structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lieneweg, Udo

1988-01-01

Six-terminal-contact test structures are introduced for characterizing ohmic contacts between a metal and a heavily doped semiconductor layer. Specifically, the six-terminal test structure supplies the additional information needed in order to calculate the transmission length and eventual corrections to the characteristic resistance per unit width due to finite contact length. The essential feature of this test structure is a square contact with four taps in the lower (semiconductor) layer. Every other one of these taps is used for current injection ('front'). From the voltage drop at the opposite tap and the side taps, the 'end' resistance and the 'side' resistances are calculated. The test structures are shown to give valuable information complementary to the common front resistance measurements. The interfacial resistivity is obtained directly after proper correction for flange effects.

New challenges for Life Sciences flight project management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huntoon, C. L.

1999-01-01

Scientists have conducted studies involving human spaceflight crews for over three decades. These studies have progressed from simple observations before and after each flight to sophisticated experiments during flights of several weeks up to several months. The findings from these experiments are available in the scientific literature. Management of these flight experiments has grown into a system fashioned from the Apollo Program style, focusing on budgeting, scheduling and allocation of human and material resources. While these areas remain important to the future, the International Space Station (ISS) requires that the Life Sciences spaceflight experiments expand the existing project management methodology. The use of telescience with state-the-art information technology and the multi-national crews and investigators challenges the former management processes. Actually conducting experiments on board the ISS will be an enormous undertaking and International Agreements and Working Groups will be essential in giving guidance to the flight project management Teams forged in this matrix environment must be competent to make decisions and qualified to work with the array of engineers, scientists, and the spaceflight crews. In order to undertake this complex task, data systems not previously used for these purposes must be adapted so that the investigators and the project management personnel can all share in important information as soon as it is available. The utilization of telescience and distributed experiment operations will allow the investigator to remain involved in their experiment as well as to understand the numerous issues faced by other elements of the program The complexity in formation and management of project teams will be a new kind of challenge for international science programs. Meeting that challenge is essential to assure success of the International Space Station as a laboratory in space.

New challenges for Life Sciences flight project management.

PubMed

Huntoon, C L

1999-01-01

Scientists have conducted studies involving human spaceflight crews for over three decades. These studies have progressed from simple observations before and after each flight to sophisticated experiments during flights of several weeks up to several months. The findings from these experiments are available in the scientific literature. Management of these flight experiments has grown into a system fashioned from the Apollo Program style, focusing on budgeting, scheduling and allocation of human and material resources. While these areas remain important to the future, the International Space Station (ISS) requires that the Life Sciences spaceflight experiments expand the existing project management methodology. The use of telescience with state-the-art information technology and the multi-national crews and investigators challenges the former management processes. Actually conducting experiments on board the ISS will be an enormous undertaking and International Agreements and Working Groups will be essential in giving guidance to the flight project management Teams forged in this matrix environment must be competent to make decisions and qualified to work with the array of engineers, scientists, and the spaceflight crews. In order to undertake this complex task, data systems not previously used for these purposes must be adapted so that the investigators and the project management personnel can all share in important information as soon as it is available. The utilization of telescience and distributed experiment operations will allow the investigator to remain involved in their experiment as well as to understand the numerous issues faced by other elements of the program The complexity in formation and management of project teams will be a new kind of challenge for international science programs. Meeting that challenge is essential to assure success of the International Space Station as a laboratory in space.

New challenges for life sciences flight project management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huntoon, Carolyn L.

1999-09-01

Scientists have conducted studies involving human spaceflight crews for over three decades. These studies have progressed from simple observations before and after each flight to sophisticated experiments during flights of several weeks up to several months. The findings from these experiments are available in the scientific literature. Management of these flight experiments has grown into a system fashioned from the Apollo Program style, focusing on budgeting, scheduling and allocation of human and material resources. While these areas remain important to the future, the International Space Station (ISS) requires that the Life Sciences spaceflight experiments expand the existing project management methodology. The use of telescience with state-of-the-art information technology and the multi-national crews and investigators challenges the former management processes. Actually conducting experiments on board the ISS will be an enormous undertaking and International Agreements and Working Groups will be essential in giving guidance to the flight project management Teams forged in this matrix environment must be competent to make decisions and qualified to work with the array of engineers, scientists, and the spaceflight crews. In order to undertake this complex task, data systems not previously used for these purposes must be adapted so that the investigators and the project management personnel can all share in important information as soon as it is available. The utilization of telescience and distributed experiment operations will allow the investigator to remain involved in their experiment as well as to understand the numerous issues faced by other elements of the program. The complexity in formation and management of project teams will be a new kind of challenge for international science programs. Meeting that challenge is essential to assure success of the International Space Station as a laboratory in space.

NASA Scientific and Technical Information Standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

This document presents general recommended standards for documenting scientific and technical information (STI) from a number of scientific and engineering disciplines. It is a companion publication to NASA SP-7084, "Grammar, Punctuation, and Capitalization: A Handbook for Technical Writers and Editors," and is intended primarily for STI personnel and publishing personnel within NASA and who support NASA STI publishing. Section 1 gives an overview of NASA STI publications. Section 2 discusses figure preparation considerations. Section 3 covers table design, and Section 4 gives information about symbols and math related to STI publishing. Section 5 covers units of measure. Section 6 discusses References, and Section 7 discusses electronic documents. Section 8 covers information related to the review of STI prior to publication; this covers both technical and dissemination review and approval, including data quality. Section 9 discusses printing and dissemination related to STI, and Section 10 gives abbreviations and acronyms used in the document.

The results from a two-year case study of an information and communication technology support system for family caregivers.

PubMed

Lundberg, Stefan

2014-07-01

The aim was to better understand how information and communication technology (ICT) can provide support to elderly family caregivers caring for significant others suffering from dementia or stroke. Ten households equipped with an ICT system, with a family caregiver and a spouse diagnosed with dementia or stroke, were followed and observed in a two-year case study. The family caregivers had regular meetings in groups organised by the municipal care of the elderly. Data from observations, semi-structured interviews, user data from the ICT system and data about the support provided by the municipality has been used to validate the findings. The family caregivers socialised with users in the group as long as the users were stayed in the group. Meetings in the group were an important opportunity for exchanging experiences and to easing one"s mind. The ICT system did not reduce the municipality"s level of services to the participating families. The information built into the system has to be constantly updated to be of interest. An ICT support must be provided in a context of personal meetings and with a formal caregiver backing. This will empower informal or family caregivers. Such support must give the user the possibility to communicate and get access to the Internet. Benefits were obtained when informal caregivers met with a group of people with whom they share the same kind of experiences and were supported by a formal caregiver. Informal caregivers need more attention and recognition. ICT systems can help but must be current and maintain the users interest.

The building blocks of drinking experience across men and women: A case study with craft and industrial beers.

PubMed

Gómez-Corona, Carlos; Escalona-Buendía, Héctor B; Chollet, Sylvie; Valentin, Dominique

2017-09-01

In today's market, every product seems to be marked by the label of "experience". It is expected that successful products give the consumer "extraordinary experiences". The research in consumption experience is growing, but much work still needs to be done to understand the food and beverage experience. A qualitative study was conducted using contextual focus groups to explore the building blocks of consumers' drinking experience of industrial and craft beers. The results show that drinking experience is shaped by our cognitive, sensory or affective systems, especially during the core consumption experience. Elements such as attitudes, consumption habits, and individual versus social consumption, shopping experience and product benefits are also responsible for shaping the experience, but are more relevant during the pre-consumption or post-consumption experience. Gender differences occur more frequently in the affective experience, as women search more for relaxation while men for excitement and stimulation while drinking beer. When comparing industrial users versus craft, in the latter the cognitive and shopping experiences are more relevant. Overall, the results showed that the drinking experience of beers can be studied as a function of the salient human system used during product interaction, and this systems act as the building blocks of the drinking experience of beer. This information can be applied in consumer research studies to further study the experiential differences across products and consumers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lay concepts in informed consent to biomedical research: the capacity to understand and appreciate risk.

PubMed

Iltis, Ana

2006-08-01

Persons generally must give their informed consent to participate in research. To provide informed consent persons must be given information regarding the study in simple, lay language. Consent must be voluntary, and persons giving consent must be legally competent to consent and possess the capacity to understand and appreciate the information. This paper examines the relationship between the obligation to disclose information regarding risks and the requirement that persons have the capacity to understand and appreciate the information. There has been insufficient attention to the extent to which persons must be able to understand and appreciate study information in order to have their consent deemed valid when the information is provided in simple, lay language. This paper argues that (1) the capacity to understand and appreciate information that should be deemed necessary to give valid consent should be defined by the capacity of the typical, cognitively normal adult and (2) the capacity of the typical, cognitively normal adult to understand and appreciate the concept of risk is limited. Therefore, (3) all things being equal, potential subjects must possess a limited capacity to understand and appreciate risk to be deemed competent to consent to research participation. (4) In some cases investigators ought to require that persons possess a greater than typical capacity to understand and appreciate risk.

Free energy landscapes of RNA/RNA complexes: with applications to snRNA complexes in spliceosomes.

PubMed

Cao, Song; Chen, Shi-Jie

2006-03-17

We develop a statistical mechanical model for RNA/RNA complexes with both intramolecular and intermolecular interactions. As an application of the model, we compute the free energy landscapes, which give the full distribution for all the possible conformations, for U4/U6 and U2/U6 in major spliceosome and U4atac/U6atac and U12/U6atac in minor spliceosome. Different snRNA experiments found contrasting structures, our free energy landscape theory shows why these structures emerge and how they compete with each other. For yeast U2/U6, the model predicts that the two distinct experimental structures, the four-helix junction structure and the helix Ib-containing structure, can actually coexist and specifically compete with each other. In addition, the energy landscapes suggest possible mechanisms for the conformational switches in splicing. For instance, our calculation shows that coaxial stacking is essential for stabilizing the four-helix junction in yeast U2/U6. Therefore, inhibition of the coaxial stacking possibly by protein-binding may activate the conformational switch from the four-helix junction to the helix Ib-containing structure. Moreover, the change of the energy landscape shape gives information about the conformational changes. We find multiple (native-like and misfolded) intermediates formed through base-pairing rearrangements in snRNA complexes. For example, the unfolding of the U2/U6 undergoes a transition to a misfolded state which is functional, while in the unfolding of U12/U6atac, the functional helix Ib is found to be the last one to unfold and is thus the most stable structural component. Furthermore, the energy landscape gives the stabilities of all the possible (functional) intermediates and such information is directly related to splicing efficiency.

Inhomogeneity of epidemic spreading with entropy-based infected clusters.

PubMed

Wen-Jie, Zhou; Xing-Yuan, Wang

2013-12-01

Considering the difference in the sizes of the infected clusters in the dynamic complex networks, the normalized entropy based on infected clusters (δ*) is proposed to characterize the inhomogeneity of epidemic spreading. δ* gives information on the variability of the infected clusters in the system. We investigate the variation in the inhomogeneity of the distribution of the epidemic with the absolute velocity v of moving agent, the infection density ρ, and the interaction radius r. By comparing δ* in the dynamic networks with δH* in homogeneous mode, the simulation experiments show that the inhomogeneity of epidemic spreading becomes smaller with the increase of v, ρ, r.

AMPS definition study on Optical Band Imager and Photometer System (OBIPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, T. N.; Deehr, C. S.; Hallinan, T. J.; Wescott, E. M.

1975-01-01

A study was conducted to define the characteristics of a modular optical diagnostic system (OBIPS) for AMPS, to provide input to Phase B studies, and to give information useful for experiment planning and design of other instrumentation. The system described consists of visual and UV-band imagers and visual and UV-band photometers; of these the imagers are most important because of their ability to measure intensity as a function of two spatial dimensions and time with high resolution. The various subsystems of OBIPS are in themselves modular with modules having a high degree of interchangeability for versatility, economy, and redundancy.

Human factors in space telepresence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akin, D. L.; Howard, R. D.; Oliveria, J. S.

1983-01-01

The problems of interfacing a human with a teleoperation system, for work in space are discussed. Much of the information presented here is the result of experience gained by the M.I.T. Space Systems Laboratory during the past two years of work on the ARAMIS (Automation, Robotics, and Machine Intelligence Systems) project. Many factors impact the design of the man-machine interface for a teleoperator. The effects of each are described in turn. An annotated bibliography gives the key references that were used. No conclusions are presented as a best design, since much depends on the particular application desired, and the relevant technology is swiftly changing.

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography in melanoma.

PubMed

Bourgeois, Austin C; Chang, Ted T; Fish, Lindsay M; Bradley, Yong C

2013-09-01

Fludeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has been invaluable in the assessment of melanoma throughout the course of the disease. As with any modality, the studies are incomplete and more information will be gleaned as our experience progresses. Additionally, it is hoped that a newer PET agent in the pipeline will give us even greater success in the identification and subsequent treatment of melanoma. This article aims to examine the utilization of PET/CT in the staging, prognostication, and follow-up of melanoma while providing the physicians who order and interpret these studies practical guidelines and interpretive pitfalls. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Considerations Based on Reaction Rate on Char Gasification Behavior in Two-stage Gasifier for Biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taniguchi, Miki; Nishiyama, Akio; Sasauchi, Kenichi; Ito, Yusuke; Akamatsu, Fumiteru

In order to develop a small-scale gasifier in which biomass can be converted to energy with high efficiency, we planned a gasification process that consists of two parts: pyrolysis part (rotary kiln) and gasification part (downdraft gasifier). We performed fundamental experiments on gasification part and discussed the appropriate conditions such as air supply location, air ratio, air temperature and hearth load. We considered the results by calculating reaction rates of representative reactions on char gasification part and found that water gas reaction is dominant in the reduction area and its behavior gives important information to decide the adequate length of the char layer.

Speckle correlation method used to measure object's in-plane velocity.

PubMed

Smíd, Petr; Horváth, Pavel; Hrabovský, Miroslav

2007-06-20

We present a measurement of an object's in-plane velocity in one direction by the use of the speckle correlation method. Numerical correlations of speckle patterns recorded periodically during motion of the object under investigation give information used to evaluate the object's in-plane velocity. The proposed optical setup uses a detection plane in the image field and enables one to detect the object's velocity within the interval (10-150) microm x s(-1). Simulation analysis shows a way of controlling the measuring range. The presented theory, simulation analysis, and setup are verified through an experiment of measurement of the velocity profile of an object.

Three-dimensional time dependent computation of turbulent flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kwak, D.; Reynolds, W. C.; Ferziger, J. H.

1975-01-01

The three-dimensional, primitive equations of motion are solved numerically for the case of isotropic box turbulence and the distortion of homogeneous turbulence by irrotational plane strain at large Reynolds numbers. A Gaussian filter is applied to governing equations to define the large scale field. This gives rise to additional second order computed scale stresses (Leonard stresses). The residual stresses are simulated through an eddy viscosity. Uniform grids are used, with a fourth order differencing scheme in space and a second order Adams-Bashforth predictor for explicit time stepping. The results are compared to the experiments and statistical information extracted from the computer generated data.

Using computerized text analysis to assess communication within an Italian type 1 diabetes Facebook group.

PubMed

Troncone, Alda; Cascella, Crescenzo; Chianese, Antonietta; Iafusco, Dario

2015-07-01

The purpose of this study was to assess messages posted by mothers of children with type 1 diabetes in the Italian Facebook group "Mamme e diabete" using computerized text analysis. The data suggest that these mothers use online discussion boards as a place to seek and provide information to better manage the disease's daily demands-especially those tasks linked to insulin correction and administration, control of food intake, and bureaucratic duties, as well as to seek and give encouragement and to share experiences regarding diabetes and related impact on their life. The implications of these findings for the management of diabetes are discussed.

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

Jose, J. M.; Čermák, P.; Fajt, L.

The SPT collaboration has been investigating the applicability of pixel detectors in the detection of two neutrino double electron capture (2νEC/EC) in{sup 106}Cd. The collaboration has proposed a Silicon Pixel Telescope (SPT) where a pair of Si pixel detectors with enriched Cd foil in the middle forms the detection unit. The Pixel detector gives spatial information along with energy of the particle, thus helps to identify and remove the background signals. Four units of SPT prototype (using 0.5 and 1 mm Si sensors) were fabricated and installed in the LSM underground laboratory, France. Recent progress in the SPT experiment and preliminarymore » results from background measurements are presented.« less

Replacement of the Project Manager Reflected Through Activity Theory and Work-System Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vartiainen, Tero; Aramo-Immonen, Heli; Jussila, Jari; Pirhonen, Maritta; Liikamaa, Kirsi

Replacement of the project manager (RPM) is a known phenomenon in information systems (IS) projects, but scant attention is given to it in the project management or IS literature. Given its critical effects on the project business, the organization, the project team, and the project manager, it should be studied in more depth. We identified factors which make RPM occurrences inherently different and we show that work-system theory and activity theory give comprehensive lenses to advance research on RPM. For the future research on RPM we identified three objectives: experiences on RPM, process model for RPM, and organizational culture's influence on RPM occurrences.

Local quantum measurement and no-signaling imply quantum correlations.

PubMed

Barnum, H; Beigi, S; Boixo, S; Elliott, M B; Wehner, S

2010-04-09

We show that, assuming that quantum mechanics holds locally, the finite speed of information is the principle that limits all possible correlations between distant parties to be quantum mechanical as well. Local quantum mechanics means that a Hilbert space is assigned to each party, and then all local positive-operator-valued measurements are (in principle) available; however, the joint system is not necessarily described by a Hilbert space. In particular, we do not assume the tensor product formalism between the joint systems. Our result shows that if any experiment would give nonlocal correlations beyond quantum mechanics, quantum theory would be invalidated even locally.

A developmental approach to gifts in long-term group psychotherapy extending from an anniversary ritual.

PubMed

Smolar, Andrew I; Eichen, Ann E

2013-01-01

Therapists have been quietly receiving gifts from patients for many years, but only recently have they been acknowledging and reporting such transactions. Most of the literature on the subject, which has been sparse, has been limited to the individual psychotherapy setting. In this article, we take up the issue within the group psychotherapeutic setting, surveying the literature, and describing our own experience with what became a gift-giving ritual in our long-term open-ended therapy group. We offer a group developmental perspective for informing therapeutic responses to gifts, and suggestions for the technical management of this kind of transaction.

Planetary exploration - Earth's new horizon /12th von Karman Lecture/. [ground based and spaceborne

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schurmeier, H. M.

1975-01-01

The article gives an account of the history of unmanned exploration of the planets of the solar system, including both earthbound exploration and exploration with spacecraft. Examples of images of the Martian surface are presented along with images obtained in Jupiter and Mercury flybys. Data are presented on the growth of US launch vehicle performance capability, navigation performance, and planetary data rate capability. Basic information regarding the nature of the scientific experiments aboard the Pioneer and Viking spacecraft is given. A case is put forward for the ongoing exploration of the planets as a worthwhile endeavor for man.

Human development II: we need an integrated theory for matter, life and consciousness to understand life and healing.

PubMed

Ventegodt, Søren; Hermansen, Tyge Dahl; Nielsen, Maj Lyck; Clausen, Birgitte; Merrick, Joav

2006-07-06

For almost a decade, we have experimented with supporting the philosophical development of severely ill patients to induce recovery and spontaneous healing. Recently, we have observed a new pattern of extremely rapid, spontaneous healing that apparently can facilitate even the spontaneous remission of cancer and the spontaneous recovery of mental diseases like schizophrenia and borderline schizophrenia. Our working hypothesis is that the accelerated healing is a function of the patient's brain-mind and body-mind coming closer together due to the development of what we call "deep" cosmology. To understand and describe what happens at a biological level, we have suggested naming the process adult human metamorphosis, a possibility that is opened by the human genome showing full generic equipment for metamorphosis. To understand the mechanistic details in the complicated interaction between consciousness and biology, we need an adequate theory for biological information. In a series of papers, we propose what we call "holistic biology for holistic medicine". We suggest that a relatively simple model based on interacting wholenesses instead of isolated parts can shed a new light on a number of difficult issues that we need to explain and understand in biology and medicine in order to understand and use metamorphosis in the holistic medical clinic. We aim to give a holistic theoretical interpretation of biological phenomena at large, morphogenesis, evolution, immune system regulation (self-nonself discrimination), brain function, consciousness, and health in particular. We start at the most fundamental problem: what is biological information at the subcellular, cellular, and supracellular levels if we presume that it is the same phenomenon on all levels (using Occam's razor), and how can this be described scientifically? The problems we address are all connected to the information flow in the functioning, living organism: function of the brain and consciousness, the regulations of the immune system and cell growth, the dynamics of health and disease. We suggest that life utilizes an unseen fine structure of the physical energy of the universe at a subparticular or quantum level to give information-directed self-organization; we give a first sketch of a possible fractal structure of the energy able to both contain and communicate biological information and carry individual and collective consciousness. Finally, thorough our analysis, we put up a model for adult human metamorphosis.

The development of a Krook model for nonlocal transport in laser produced plasmas II. Comparisons with Fokker Planck, experiment and other models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombant, Denis; Manheimer, Wallace

2008-11-01

The Krook model described in the previous talk has been incorporated into a fluid simulation. These fluid simulations are then compared with Fokker Planck simulations and also with a recent NRL Nike experiment. We also examine several other models for electron energy transport that have been used in laser fusion research. As regards comparison with Fokker Planck simulation, the Krook model gives better agreement than the other models, especially in the time asymptotic limit. As regards the NRL experiment, all models except one give reasonable agreement.

Measuring Small Debris - What You Can't See Can Hurt You

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matney, Mark

2016-01-01

While modeling gives us a tool to better understand the Earth orbit debris environment, it is measurements that give us "ground truth" about what is happening in space. Assets that can detect orbital debris remotely from the surface of the Earth, such as radars and telescopes, give us a statistical view of how debris are distributed in space, how they are being created, and how they are evolving over time. In addition, in situ detectors in space are giving us a better picture of how the small particle environment is actually damaging spacecraft today. IN addition, simulation experiments on the ground help us to understand what we are seeing in orbit. This talk will summarize the history of space debris measurements, how it has changed our view of the Earth orbit environment, and how we are designing the experiments of tomorrow.

Beneficiary or benefactor: are people more prosocial when they reflect on receiving or giving?

PubMed

Grant, Adam; Dutton, Jane

2012-09-01

Research shows that reflecting on benefits received can make people happier, but it is unclear whether or not such reflection makes them more helpful. Receiving benefits can promote prosocial behavior through reciprocity and positive affect, but these effects are often relationship-specific, short-lived, and complicated by ambivalent reactions. We propose that prosocial behavior is more likely when people reflect on being a benefactor to others, rather than a beneficiary. The experience of giving benefits may encourage prosocial behavior by increasing the salience and strength of one's identity as a capable, caring contributor. In field and laboratory experiments, we found that participants who reflected about giving benefits voluntarily contributed more time to their university, and were more likely to donate money to natural-disaster victims, than were participants who reflected about receiving benefits. When it comes to reflection, giving may be more powerful than receiving as a driver of prosocial behavior.

How the new web generations are changing library and information services.

PubMed

Miranda, Giovanna F; Gualtieri, Francesca; Coccia, Paolo

2010-04-01

The new Web generations are influencing the minds and changing the habits of software developers and end users. Users, librarians, and information services professionals can interact more efficiently, creating additional information and content and generating knowledge. This new scenario is also changing the behavior of information providers and users in health sciences libraries. This article reviews the new Web environments and tools that give librarians opportunities to tailor their services better, and gives some examples of the advantages and disadvantages for them and their users. Librarians need to adapt to the new mindset of users, linking new technologies, information, and people.

41 CFR 301-70.909 - What disclosure information must we give to anyone who flies on our Government aircraft?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What disclosure information must we give to anyone who flies on our Government aircraft? 301-70.909 Section 301-70.909 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Travel Regulation System TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES...

41 CFR 301-70.909 - What disclosure information must we give to anyone who flies on our Government aircraft?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 4 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What disclosure information must we give to anyone who flies on our Government aircraft? 301-70.909 Section 301-70.909 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Travel Regulation System TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES...

41 CFR 301-70.909 - What disclosure information must we give to anyone who flies on our Government aircraft?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 4 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true What disclosure information must we give to anyone who flies on our Government aircraft? 301-70.909 Section 301-70.909 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Travel Regulation System TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES...

41 CFR 301-70.909 - What disclosure information must we give to anyone who flies on our Government aircraft?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 4 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What disclosure information must we give to anyone who flies on our Government aircraft? 301-70.909 Section 301-70.909 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Travel Regulation System TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) TRAVEL ALLOWANCES...

Protocol: systematic review and meta-analyses of birth outcomes for women who intend at the onset of labour to give birth at home compared to women of low obstetrical risk who intend to give birth in hospital.

PubMed

Hutton, Eileen K; Reitsma, Angela; Thorpe, Julia; Brunton, Ginny; Kaufman, Karyn

2014-05-29

There has been a renewed interest in the place of birth, including intended home birth, for low risk women. In the absence of adequately-sized randomised controlled trials, a recent Cochrane review recommended that a systematic review and meta-analysis, including observational studies, be undertaken to inform this topic. The objective of this review is to determine if women intending at the onset of labour to give birth at home are more or less likely to experience a foetal or neonatal loss compared to a cohort of women who are comparable to the home birth cohort on the absence of risk factors but who intend to give birth in a hospital setting. We will search using Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED and the Cochrane Library to find studies published since 1990 that compare foetal, neonatal and maternal outcomes for women who intended at the onset of labour to give birth at home to a comparison cohort of low risk women who intended at the onset of labour to give birth in hospital. We will obtain pooled estimates of effect using Review Manager. Because of the likelihood of differences in outcomes in settings where home birth is integrated into the health care system, we will stratify our results according to jurisdictions that have a health care system that integrates home birth and those where home birth is provided outside the usual health care system. Since parity is known to be associated with birth outcomes, only studies that take parity into account will be included in the meta-analyses. We will provide results by parity to the extent possible. This protocol was registered with PROSPERO at http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/Prospero/ (Registration number: CRD42013004046).

Explanations and information-giving: clinician strategies used in talking to parents of preterm infants.

PubMed

Redshaw, M E; Harvey, M E

2016-02-11

The study is part of a larger research programme on neonatal brain imaging in the trial element of which parents were randomised to receive prognostic information based upon either magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound findings (ePrime study). The aim of this study was to investigate the strategies used by clinicians in communicating with parents following imaging at term age of the brain of preterm infants born before 33 weeks gestation, focusing on explanations and information-giving about prognosis  Audio recordings of discussions between parents and clinicians were made following MRI and ultrasound assessment. Parents were given the scan result and the baby's predicted prognosis. A framework was developed based on preliminary analysis of the recordings and findings of other studies of information-giving in healthcare. Communication of scan results by the clinicians was further explored in qualitative analysis with 36 recordings using NVivo 10 and the specifically developed framework. Emerging themes and associated sub-themes were identified. The ways in which clinicians gave information and helped parents to understand were identified. Within the over-arching theme of clinician strategies a wide range of approaches were used to facilitate parental understanding. These included orienting, checking on previously acquired information, using analogies, explaining terminology, pacing the information, confirming understanding, inviting clarification, answering parents' questions and recapping at intervals. Ultimately four key themes were identified: 'Framing the information-giving', 'What we are looking at', 'Presenting the numbers and explaining the risk' and 'Appreciating the position of parents'. The interviews represent a multifaceted situation in which there is a tension between the need to explain and inform and the inherent complexity of neurological development, potential problems following preterm birth and the technology used to investigate and monitor these.

College students' knowledge and attitudes about cesarean birth.

PubMed

Lampman, C; Phelps, A

1997-09-01

Numerous clinicians and researchers have expressed concern about the necessity and potential adverse consequences of many cesarean births in the United States. The purpose of this study was to explore college students' attitudes and beliefs about cesarean section. One hundred two college students (66% women) completed a 20-item questionnaire that asked if they viewed cesarean delivery as a potentially negative experience, as a normal or acceptable method of childbirth, and as medically necessary, and asked about their beliefs concerning risk and prevention of cesarean birth. The number of "undecided" responses in the study was striking (7.8% to 69.6% across the 20 items). In general, women and men responded similarly, although women were significantly more likely than men to say they would be profoundly disappointed if their babies had to be delivered by cesarean section. Despite expressing cynicism about the cesarean birth rate (40% agreed that many unnecessary cesarean births occurred) and not viewing the procedure as a normal way of giving birth (47%), most respondents (over 70%) disagreed that giving birth by cesarean would be a negative experience or would make a woman feel like a failure. A high level of uncertainty exists about certain aspects of cesarean birth among young women and men, highlighting the need for information for prospective parents. Most college students did not view the cesarean birth experience as either potentially negative or normal. Future research should explore coverage of cesarean birth in childbirth education classes and the roles physicians, nurses, and midwives play in preparing expectant parents for the possibility of cesarean delivery.

Human development XIII: the connection between the structure of the overtone system and the tone language of music. Some implications for our understanding of the human brain.

PubMed

Ventegodt, Søren; Hermansen, Tyge Dahl; Kandel, Isack; Merrick, Joav

2008-07-13

The functioning brain behaves like one highly-structured, coherent, informational field. It can be popularly described as a "coherent ball of energy", making the idea of a local highly-structured quantum field that carries the consciousness very appealing. If that is so, the structure of the experience of music might be a quite unique window into a hidden quantum reality of the brain, and even of life itself. The structure of music is then a mirror of a much more complex, but similar, structure of the energetic field of the working brain. This paper discusses how the perception of music is organized in the human brain with respect to the known tone scales of major and minor. The patterns used by the brain seem to be similar to the overtones of vibrating matter, giving a positive experience of harmonies in major. However, we also like the minor scale, which can explain brain patterns as fractal-like, giving a symmetric "downward reflection" of the major scale into the minor scale. We analyze the implication of beautiful and ugly tones and harmonies for the model. We conclude that when it comes to simple perception of harmonies, the most simple is the most beautiful and the most complex is the most ugly, but in music, even the most disharmonic harmony can be beautiful, if experienced as a part of a dynamic release of musical tension. This can be taken as a general metaphor of painful, yet meaningful, and developing experiences in human life.

Promoting patient engagement with self-management support information: a qualitative meta-synthesis of processes influencing uptake.

PubMed

Protheroe, Joanne; Rogers, Anne; Kennedy, Anne P; Macdonald, Wendy; Lee, Victoria

2008-10-13

Patient information has been viewed as a key component of self-management. However, little attention has been given to methods of dissemination or implementation of effective information strategies. Previous problems identified with the use and implementation of patient information point to the need to explore the way in which patients engage with and use information to support self-management for chronic conditions. Four published qualitative studies from a programme of research about self-management were analysed as a group; these included studies of the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); self-help in anxiety and depression (SHADE); menorrhagia, treatment, information, and preference (MENTIP) study; and self-help for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). For the analysis, we used an adapted meta-ethnographic approach to the synthesis of qualitative data in order to develop an evidence base. The ontological status and experience of the condition in everyday life was the most dominant theme to emerge from this synthesis. This, coupled with access to and experience of traditional health services responses, shaped the engagement with and use of information to support self-management. Five key elements were found which were likely to influence this: the perception and awareness of alternative self-management possibilities; the prior extent and nature of engagement with information; the extent of and ability to self-manage; opportunities for use of the information and the stage of the illness career; and congruence and synergy with the professional role. People with chronic conditions need support from providers in both supply and engagement with information, in a way which gives legitimacy to the person's own self-management strategies and possible alternatives. Thus, a link could usefully be made between information offered, as well as patients' past experiences of self-management and engagement with services for their condition. The timeliness of the information should be considered, both in terms of the illness career and the type of condition (i.e., before depression gets too bad or time to reflect on existing knowledge about a condition and how it is to be managed) and in terms of the pre-existing relationship with services (i.e., options explored and tried). More considered use of information (how it is provided, by whom, and at what point it should be introduced) is key to facilitating patients' engagement with and therefore use of information to support self-management.

Housing and maintenance of Ambystoma mexicanum, the Mexican axolotl.

PubMed

Farkas, Johanna E; Monaghan, James R

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to assemble a significant amount of information on Ambystoma mexicanum, the axolotl salamander, to assist in the basic knowledge needed to raise, breed, and study most aspects of axolotl biology. It is important to understand the basic biology of the axolotl in order to make informed decisions on their proper care and use in experiments. Therefore, we will provide necessary information to the non-herpetologist that will assist in their study of this unique and fascinating animal. We also aim to provide a resource on the general anatomy, behavior, and experimental tips specific to the Mexican axolotl that will be of use to most axolotl laboratories. Axolotls have been actively researched since the 1860s, giving testament to their relatively straightforward maintenance and their versatility as an animal model for development and regeneration. Interest in using the axolotl in laboratory research has grown tremendously over the past decade, so dedicated resources to support the study of this species are needed and encouraged.

Coupling of replisome movement with nucleosome dynamics can contribute to the parent-daughter information transfer.

PubMed

Bameta, Tripti; Das, Dibyendu; Padinhateeri, Ranjith

2018-06-01

Positioning of nucleosomes along the genomic DNA is crucial for many cellular processes that include gene regulation and higher order packaging of chromatin. The question of how nucleosome-positioning information from a parent chromatin gets transferred to the daughter chromatin is highly intriguing. Accounting for experimentally known coupling between replisome movement and nucleosome dynamics, we propose a model that can obtain de novo nucleosome assembly similar to what is observed in recent experiments. Simulating nucleosome dynamics during replication, we argue that short pausing of the replication fork, associated with nucleosome disassembly, can be a event crucial for communicating nucleosome positioning information from parent to daughter. We show that the interplay of timescales between nucleosome disassembly (τp) at the replication fork and nucleosome sliding behind the fork (τs) can give rise to a rich 'phase diagram' having different inherited patterns of nucleosome organization. Our model predicts that only when τp ≥ τs the daughter chromatin can inherit nucleosome positioning of the parent.

A search of the SAS-2 data for pulsed gamma-ray emission from radio pulsars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogelman, H.; Fichtel, C. E.; Kniffen, D. A.; Thompson, D. J.

1976-01-01

Data from the SAS-2 high-energy (above 35 MeV) gamma-ray experiment have been examined for pulsed emission from each of 75 radio pulsars which were viewed by the instrument and which have sufficiently well-defined period and period-derivative information from radio observations to allow for gamma-ray periodicity searches. When gamma-ray arrival times were converted to pulsar phase using the radio reference timing information, two pulsars, PSR 1747-46 and PSR 1818-04, showed positive effects, each with a probability of less than 1 part in 10,000 of being a random fluctuation in the data for that pulsar. These are in addition to PSR 0531+21 and PSR 0833-45, previously reported. The results of this study suggest that gamma-ray astronomy has reached the detection threshold for gamma-ray pulsars and that work in the near future should give important new information on the nature of pulsars.

20 CFR 408.403 - Where should you give us your evidence?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Where should you give us your evidence? 408.403 Section 408.403 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Evidence Requirements General Information § 408.403 Where should you give us your...

20 CFR 408.403 - Where should you give us your evidence?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Where should you give us your evidence? 408.403 Section 408.403 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Evidence Requirements General Information § 408.403 Where should you give us your...

20 CFR 408.403 - Where should you give us your evidence?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Where should you give us your evidence? 408.403 Section 408.403 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Evidence Requirements General Information § 408.403 Where should you give us your...

20 CFR 408.403 - Where should you give us your evidence?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Where should you give us your evidence? 408.403 Section 408.403 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Evidence Requirements General Information § 408.403 Where should you give us your...

20 CFR 408.403 - Where should you give us your evidence?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Where should you give us your evidence? 408.403 Section 408.403 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Evidence Requirements General Information § 408.403 Where should you give us your...

Giving information on medicinal products to the general public--in search of a definition to safeguard the patient.

PubMed

Faeh, Andrea

2014-04-01

Information on medicinal products is vital for enabling patients to give informed consent to the use of a specific product. Within the European Union (EU) the debate about how much information about prescription-only medicinal products should be made available to patients has gone on for the past five years with no definite conclusion yet. This contribution assesses the current legislation and the ongoing debate in order to identify the challenges and the prospect of new legislation, and consider its potential implications for the scope for advertising and for patient safety.

Differential Epitope Mapping by STD NMR Spectroscopy To Reveal the Nature of Protein-Ligand Contacts.

PubMed

Monaco, Serena; Tailford, Louise E; Juge, Nathalie; Angulo, Jesus

2017-11-27

Saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy is extensively used to obtain epitope maps of ligands binding to protein receptors, thereby revealing structural details of the interaction, which is key to direct lead optimization efforts in drug discovery. However, it does not give information about the nature of the amino acids surrounding the ligand in the binding pocket. Herein, we report the development of the novel method differential epitope mapping by STD NMR (DEEP-STD NMR) for identifying the type of protein residues contacting the ligand. The method produces differential epitope maps through 1) differential frequency STD NMR and/or 2) differential solvent (D 2 O/H 2 O) STD NMR experiments. The two approaches provide different complementary information on the binding pocket. We demonstrate that DEEP-STD NMR can be used to readily obtain pharmacophore information on the protein. Furthermore, if the 3D structure of the protein is known, this information also helps in orienting the ligand in the binding pocket. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Preparing strategic information management plans for hospitals: a practical guideline SIM plans for hospitals: a guideline.

PubMed

Brigl, B; Ammenwerth, E; Dujat, C; Gräber, S; Grosse, A; Häber, A; Jostes, C; Winter, A

2005-01-01

Systematic information management in hospitals demands for a strategic information management plan (SIM plan). As preparing a SIM plan is a considerable challenge we provide a practical guideline that is directly applicable when a SIM plan is going to be prepared. The guideline recommends a detailed structure of a SIM plan and gives advice about its content and the preparation process. It may be used as template, which can be adapted to the individual demands of any hospital. The guideline was used in several hospitals preparing a SIM plan. Experiences showed that the SIM plans could be prepared very efficiently and timely using the guideline, that the proposed SIM plan structure suited well, that the guideline offers enough flexibility to meet the requirements of the individual hospitals and that the specific recommendations of the guideline were very helpful. Nevertheless, we must strive for a more comprehensive theory of strategic information management planning which -- in the sense of enterprise architecture planning -- represents the intrinsic correlations of the different parts of a SIM plan to a greater extent.

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy/Nephrolithotripsy

MedlinePlus

... disease. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance Charity Seal provides the giving public with an easily ... meets the comprehensive standards of America's most experienced charity evaluator. Privacy Policy | Legal and Copyright Information | State ...

Kidney-Pancreas Transplant

MedlinePlus

... disease. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance Charity Seal provides the giving public with an easily ... meets the comprehensive standards of America's most experienced charity evaluator. Privacy Policy | Legal and Copyright Information | State ...

Who, Who, Who Gives a Hoot about Bones?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolan, Arthur

1988-01-01

Describes a mouse skeleton reconstruction activity from owl pellets. Gives information about the materials, directions for students, and a five-day unit schedule. Provides some owl pellet sources. (YP)

Asbestos Information

MedlinePlus

... Recognition Societies Percentage Donations Other Giving/Fundraising Opportunities Bitcoin Donation Form The Meso Foundation saves lives by ... Recognition Societies Percentage Donations Other Giving/Fundraising Opportunities Bitcoin Donation Form © 2017 Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, Inc. ...

Fundamental Experiments at Liquid Helium Temperatures (Low Temperature Studies of Anomalous Surface Shielding and Related Phenomena).

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-30

EXPERIMENT BACKGROUND Motivated by the desire to measure for the first time the force of 27 gravity on antimatter , Witteborn and Fairbank (WF...and antimatter . There are, however, no direct experimental tests of the gravitational forces on antimatter . Having measured the force of gravity on...electrons, a measurement using positrons would give the first measurement of the force of gravity on antimatter as well as giving a definitive value for

Give me a break! Informal caregiver attitudes towards respite care.

PubMed

van Exel, Job; de Graaf, Gjalt; Brouwer, Werner

2008-10-01

Because informal health care is now recognized to be indispensable to health care systems, different forms of respite care have been developed and publicly funded that supposedly alleviate caregivers' perceived burdens and help prolong the care giving task. Nonetheless, the use of respite care services is low even among substantially strained caregivers. To throw light on this low usage, this paper explores the associations between attitudes towards respite care, characteristics of the care giving situation, and the need and use of respite care. The survey, administered to a sample of 273 informal caregivers, addressed caregiver, care recipient, and care giving situation characteristics, as well as the familiarity and use of respite care services. It also included a sub-set of 12 statements eliciting attitudes towards respite care from an earlier study [Van Exel NJA, De Graaf G, Brouwer WBF. Care for a break? An investigation of informal caregivers' attitudes toward respite care using Q-methodology. Health Policy 2007;83(2/3):332-42]. Associations between variables were measured using univariate statistics and multinomial logistic regression. We found three caregiver attitudes, distributed fairly equally in the sample, that are apparently associated with caregiver educational level, employment status, health and happiness, as well as care recipient gender, duration and intensity of care giving, relationship, co-residence, need for surveillance, and subjective burden and process utility of care giving. However, the relation between attitude and familiarity with and use of respite care services is ambiguous. Although further exploration is needed of the mix of Q-methodology and survey analysis, the overall results indicate that a considerable portion of the caregiver population needs but does not readily ask for support or respite care. This finding has important policy implications in the context of an ageing population.

'We knew it was a totally at random thing': parents' experiences of being part of a neonatal trial.

PubMed

Harvey, Merryl; Nongena, Phumza; Edwards, David; Redshaw, Maggie

2017-08-01

Studies exploring parents' trial experiences generally relate to their understanding of the consent process and the development of researcher strategies to facilitate recruitment and retention. The aim was to better understand parents' experience of being part of a trial at the time and their perceptions of trial participation in retrospect. Data were collected in a number of ways: from recorded discussions between parents and clinicians about the MRI or ultrasound, in open-text responses to questionnaires and in qualitative interviews at 1 and 2 years after participation. Thematic analysis was undertaken using NVivo10. Key themes identified were 'deciding to take part', with subthemes associated with 'benefitting self', 'benefitting others' and 'being prepared'; 'the randomisation process' with subthemes relating to 'acceptance' and 'understanding' and 'actual engagement' with subthemes of 'practicalities' and 'care from responsive staff'. Parents' perspectives on the trial and the processes and information received reflect their understanding and experience of the trial and the value of parent-friendly information-giving about participation, randomisation and follow-up. The practical and logistical points raised confirm the key issues and parents' need for sensitive care and support in the course of a trial. Looking back, almost all parents were positive about their experience and felt that the family had benefitted from participation in the trial and follow-up studies, even when the developmental outcomes were poor. ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT01049594. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01049594 . Registered on 13 January 2010. EudraCT: EudraCT: 2009-011602-42. https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ .

Flower choice by naïve young crab spiders and the effect of subsequent experience.

PubMed

Morse

2000-05-01

Initial responses of naïve individuals to critical environmental stimuli provide important information about the innate contribution to behaviour, and subsequent responses to the same stimuli may show the role of experience in mediating those initial responses. To test the role of these factors, I measured initial patch choices and giving-up responses of just-emerged, naïve, second-instar crab spiders, Misumena vatia, on several hunting sites they encountered after leaving their natal nests. In follow-up tests I measured the effects of these experiences on subsequent patch choice decisions. The choice of hunting sites is a vital decision at all stages of the life cycle for sit-and-wait predators such as Misumena. In their initial tests these spiderlings remained more frequently on goldenrod (Solidago spp.) flowers than on green or yellow goldenrod buds, a preference they retained through tests run on 5 consecutive days. Individuals on green and yellow buds shifted sites more quickly and frequently than those from flowers, and made most of these moves to flowers, which attracted many more prey than did buds. These differences were not affected by age, energetic condition, or loss of information over the period of the experiment. Once spiderlings moved from buds, they showed a high, increasing tendency to move from buds in subsequent runs, those from flowers showed a consistently low tendency. These results suggest that spiderlings retain their innate behavioural patterns through the second instar, but that experience also plays a modest role in patch choice at this stage. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Target cuing in visual search: the effects of conformality and display location on the allocation of visual attention.

PubMed

Yeh, M; Wickens, C D; Seagull, F J

1999-12-01

Two experiments were performed to examine how frame of reference (world-referenced vs. screen-referenced) and target expectancy can modulate the effects of target cuing in directing attention for see-through helmet-mounted displays (HMDs). In the first experiment, the degree of world referencing was varied by the spatial accuracy of the cue; in the second, the degree of world referencing was varied more radically between a world-referenced HMD and a hand-held display. Participants were asked to detect, identify, and give azimuth information for targets hidden in terrain presented in the far domain (i.e., the world) while performing a monitoring task in the near domain (i.e., the display). The results of both experiments revealed a cost-benefit trade-off for cuing such that the presence of cuing aided the target detection task for expected targets but drew attention away from the presence of unexpected targets in the environment. Analyses support the observation that this effect can be mediated by the display: The world-referenced display reduced the cost of cognitive tunneling relative to the screen-referenced display in Experiment 1; this cost was further reduced in Experiment 2 when participants were using a hand-held display. Potential applications of this research include important design guidelines and specifications for automated target recognition systems as well as any terrain-and-targeting display system in which superimposed symbology is included, specifically in assessing the costs and benefits of attentional cuing and the means by which this information is displayed.

The role of meaning in contextual cueing: evidence from chess expertise.

PubMed

Brockmole, James R; Hambrick, David Z; Windisch, David J; Henderson, John M

2008-01-01

In contextual cueing, the position of a search target is learned over repeated exposures to a visual display. The strength of this effect varies across stimulus types. For example, real-world scene contexts give rise to larger search benefits than contexts composed of letters or shapes. We investigated whether such differences in learning can be at least partially explained by the degree of semantic meaning associated with a context independently of the nature of the visual information available (which also varies across stimulus types). Chess boards served as the learning context as their meaningfulness depends on the observer's knowledge of the game. In Experiment 1, boards depicted actual game play, and search benefits for repeated boards were 4 times greater for experts than for novices. In Experiment 2, search benefits among experts were halved when less meaningful randomly generated boards were used. Thus, stimulus meaningfulness independently contributes to learning context-target associations.

ESTSS at 20 years: “a phoenix gently rising from a lava flow of European trauma”

PubMed Central

Ørner, Roderick J.

2013-01-01

Roderick J. Ørner, who was President between 1997 and 1999, traces the phoenix-like origins of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) from an informal business meeting called during the 1st European Conference on Traumatic Stress (ECOTS) in 1987 to its emergence into a formally constituted society. He dwells on the challenges of tendering a trauma society within a continent where trauma has been and remains endemic. ESTSS successes are noted along with a number of personal reflections on activities that give rise to concern for the present as well as its future prospects. Denial of survivors’ experiences and turning away from survivors’ narratives by reframing their experiences to accommodate helpers’ theory-driven imperatives are viewed with alarm. Arguments are presented for making human rights, memory, and ethics core elements of a distinctive European psycho traumatology, which will secure current ESTSS viability and future integrity. PMID:23755328

Experimental demonstration of real-time adaptive one-qubit quantum-state tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Qi; Li, Li; Xiang, Xiao; Xiang, Guo-Yong; Li, Chuang-Feng; Guo, Guang-Can

2017-01-01

Quantum-state tomography plays a pivotal role in quantum computation and information processing. To improve the accuracy in estimating an unknown state, carefully designed measurement schemes, such as adopting an adaptive strategy, are necessarily needed, which have gained great interest recently. In this work, based on the proposal of Sugiyama et al. [Phys. Rev. A 85, 052107 (2012)], 10.1103/PhysRevA.85.052107, we experimentally realize an adaptive quantum-state tomography for one qubit in an optical system. Since this scheme gives an analytical solution to the optimal measurement basis problem, our experiment is updated in real time and the infidelity between the real state and the estimated state is tracked with the detected photons. We observe an almost 1 /N scaling rule of averaged infidelity against the overall number of photons, N , in our experiment, which outperforms 1 /√{N } of nonadaptive schemes.

An experience of group work with parents of children and adolescents with gender identity disorder.

PubMed

Di Ceglie, Domenico; Thümmel, Elizabeth Coates

2006-07-01

This article gives an account of an experience of group work with parents and carers who had children or adolescents with gender identity disorder (GID). The history of this intervention within the context of a service for children with gender identity problems is outlined. The limited literature on the subject is reviewed. Group meetings were held monthly for 6 months, facilitated by two therapists (the authors). Selection criteria for group participants, the aims of the group and the methodology for achieving those aims are described. Some information about the group's composition is provided. The structure and content of the group sessions are outlined together with details of some group interactions. Finally, we present the results of an evaluation of the intervention through feedback questionnaires and discuss the value for the children and young people of running such groups.

Medical geography in Charaka Samhita

PubMed Central

Bhavana, K.R.; Shreevathsa

2014-01-01

Charaka Samhita is the oldest and the most authentic treatise on Ayurveda and is the ancient medical science of India. Apart from giving information on medical conditions and their treatment; it also gives valuable information on geographical, social, and economic conditions of India. This article is an attempt to explore geographical conditions of the ancient India, its geographical position in present India and its medical significance. PMID:26195898

3D Visualization as a Communicative Aid in Pharmaceutical Advice-Giving over Distance

PubMed Central

Dahlbäck, Nils; Petersson, Göran Ingemar

2011-01-01

Background Medication misuse results in considerable problems for both patient and society. It is a complex problem with many contributing factors, including timely access to product information. Objective To investigate the value of 3-dimensional (3D) visualization paired with video conferencing as a tool for pharmaceutical advice over distance in terms of accessibility and ease of use for the advice seeker. Methods We created a Web-based communication service called AssistancePlus that allows an advisor to demonstrate the physical handling of a complex pharmaceutical product to an advice seeker with the aid of 3D visualization and audio/video conferencing. AssistancePlus was tested in 2 separate user studies performed in a usability lab, under realistic settings and emulating a real usage situation. In the first study, 10 pharmacy students were assisted by 2 advisors from the Swedish National Co-operation of Pharmacies’ call centre on the use of an asthma inhaler. The student-advisor interview sessions were filmed on video to qualitatively explore their experience of giving and receiving advice with the aid of 3D visualization. In the second study, 3 advisors from the same call centre instructed 23 participants recruited from the general public on the use of 2 products: (1) an insulin injection pen, and (2) a growth hormone injection syringe. First, participants received advice on one product in an audio-recorded telephone call and for the other product in a video-recorded AssistancePlus session (product order balanced). In conjunction with the AssistancePlus session, participants answered a questionnaire regarding accessibility, perceived expressiveness, and general usefulness of 3D visualization for advice-giving over distance compared with the telephone and were given a short interview focusing on their experience of the 3D features. Results In both studies, participants found the AssistancePlus service helpful in providing clear and exact instructions. In the second study, directly comparing AssistancePlus and the telephone, AssistancePlus was judged positively for ease of communication (P = .001), personal contact (P = .001), explanatory power (P < .001), and efficiency (P < .001). Participants in both studies said that they would welcome this type of service as an alternative to the telephone and to face-to-face interaction when a physical meeting is not possible or not convenient. However, although AssistancePlus was considered as easy to use as the telephone, they would choose AssistancePlus over the telephone only when the complexity of the question demanded the higher level of expressiveness it offers. For simpler questions, a simpler service was preferred. Conclusions 3D visualization paired with video conferencing can be useful for advice-giving over distance, specifically for issues that require a higher level of communicative expressiveness than the telephone can offer. 3D-supported advice-giving can increase the range of issues that can be handled over distance and thus improve access to product information. PMID:21771714

Filtering Dialysis Myths from Facts

MedlinePlus

... disease. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance Charity Seal provides the giving public with an easily ... meets the comprehensive standards of America's most experienced charity evaluator. Privacy Policy | Legal and Copyright Information | State ...

The contributions of family care-givers at end of life: A national post-bereavement census survey of cancer carers' hours of care and expenditures.

PubMed

Rowland, Christine; Hanratty, Barbara; Pilling, Mark; van den Berg, Bernard; Grande, Gunn

2017-04-01

Family members provide vital care at end of life, enabling patients to remain at home. Such informal care contributes significantly to the economy while supporting patients' preferences and government policy. However, the value of care-givers' contributions is often underestimated or overlooked in evaluations. Without information on the activities and expenditures involved in informal care-giving, it is impossible to provide an accurate assessment of carers' contribution to end-of-life care. The aim of this study was to investigate the contributions and expenditure of informal, family care-giving in end-of-life cancer care. A national census survey of English cancer carers was conducted. Survey packs were mailed to 5271 people who registered the death of a relative to cancer during 1-16 May 2015. Data were collected on decedents' health and situation, care support given, financial expenditure resulting from care, carer well-being and general background information. In all, 1504 completed surveys were returned (28.5%). Over 90% of respondents reported spending time on care-giving in the last 3 months of the decedent's life, contributing a median 69 h 30 min of care-giving each week. Those who reported details of expenditure (72.5%) spent a median £370 in the last 3 months of the decedent's life. Carers contribute a great deal of time and money for day-to-day support and care of patients. This study has yielded a unique, population-level data set of end-of-life care-giving and future analyses will provide estimates of the economic value of family care-givers' contributions.

20 CFR 408.402 - When do you need to give us evidence?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false When do you need to give us evidence? 408.402 Section 408.402 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Evidence Requirements General Information § 408.402 When do you need to give us evidence...

20 CFR 408.402 - When do you need to give us evidence?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false When do you need to give us evidence? 408.402 Section 408.402 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Evidence Requirements General Information § 408.402 When do you need to give us evidence...

Enhancing interest in statistics among computer science students using computer tool entrepreneur role play

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Judi, Hairulliza Mohamad; Sahari @ Ashari, Noraidah; Eksan, Zanaton Hj

2017-04-01

Previous research in Malaysia indicates that there is a problem regarding attitude towards statistics among students. They didn't show positive attitude in affective, cognitive, capability, value, interest and effort aspects although did well in difficulty. This issue should be given substantial attention because students' attitude towards statistics may give impacts on the teaching and learning process of the subject. Teaching statistics using role play is an appropriate attempt to improve attitudes to statistics, to enhance the learning of statistical techniques and statistical thinking, and to increase generic skills. The objectives of the paper are to give an overview on role play in statistics learning and to access the effect of these activities on students' attitude and learning in action research framework. The computer tool entrepreneur role play is conducted in a two-hour tutorial class session of first year students in Faculty of Information Sciences and Technology (FTSM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, enrolled in Probability and Statistics course. The results show that most students feel that they have enjoyable and great time in the role play. Furthermore, benefits and disadvantages from role play activities were highlighted to complete the review. Role play is expected to serve as an important activities that take into account students' experience, emotions and responses to provide useful information on how to modify student's thinking or behavior to improve learning.

X-ray Vision for Aerosol Scientists: LCLS Snapshots of Soot (Narrated)

ScienceCinema

None

2018-01-26

This short conceptual animation depicts how scientists can now simultaneously capture fractal morphology (structure), chemical composition and nanoscale imagery of individual aerosol particles in flight. These particles, known as "PM2.5" because they are smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, affect climate by interacting with sunlight and impact human health by entering the lungs. The single LCLS laser pulses travel to the Atomic, Molecular and Optical Sciences (AMO) laboratory in the Near Experimental Hall. As we zoom in, we see deep inside a simplified aerosol inlet, where the complex fractal structure of the soot particles, each one completely unique, is shown. Individual soot particles are then delivered into the pulses of the LCLS beam, which destroys them. X-rays are scattered to the detector before the particle is destroyed, giving information about the morphology of the particle. Ion fragments released in the explosion are sent into a mass spectrometer, which measures their mass-to-charge ratio -- giving scientists information about the chemical composition of the particle. Many different particles are analyzed in this manner, allowing scientists to probe variations in the particles due to changes in their environment before being sent through the aerosol inlet. The final visual of aerosols emitted from a factory is representative of the goal that such LCLS aerosol dynamics experiments can provide critical feedback into modeling and understanding combustion, aerosol processes in manufacturing or aerosol effects on climate change.

Exercise and Posture

MedlinePlus

... Planned Giving & Endowments Volunteer Fundraising Donate Your Vehicle Purchase from our Store Login Register About Spondylitis Overview ... Planned Giving Resources Volunteer Fundraising Donate Your Vehicle Purchase from our Store About Spondylitis › Treatment Information › Exercise & ...

The fundholding fandango.

PubMed Central

Bowie, C; Harris, T

1994-01-01

General practitioner fundholding allows flexible use of resources at the coal-face, provides incentives to alter practice such as prescribing within cash limits and forces hospitals to be more responsive to general practitioner demands. However, the additional administrative costs both in time and money, the fragmentation of purchasing power compounded by a lack of expertise and experience in contracting, and the poor information and financial systems which exist in the National Health Service are severe constraints. A suggested way forward is to delegate responsibility for running the scheme, including the contracting and billing, to district health authorities offering more flexible budgets to all practices and extending the scheme as local information systems allow. This will reduce fragmentation of purchasing power and administrative costs and re-establish local accountability. It will also give the general practitioner more time to see and treat patients, who will see the system as being fairer. PMID:8312038

Descriptive parameter for photon trajectories in a turbid medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gandjbakhche, Amir H.; Weiss, George H.

2000-06-01

In many applications of laser techniques for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes it is necessary to be able to characterize photon trajectories to know which parts of the tissue are being interrogated. In this paper, we consider the cw reflectance experiment on a semi-infinite medium with uniform optical parameters and having a planar interface. The analysis is carried out in terms of a continuous-time random walk and the relation between the occupancy of a plane parallel to the surface to the maximum depth reached by the random walker is studied. The first moment of the ratio of average depth to the average maximum depth yields information about the volume of tissue interrogated as well as giving some indication of the region of tissue that gets the most light. We have also calculated the standard deviation of this random variable. It is not large enough to qualitatively affect information contained in the first moment.

Truth Telling as an Element of Culturally Competent Care at End of Life.

PubMed

Rising, Margaret L

2017-01-01

Nondisclosure of terminal prognosis in the context of intercultural interactions can cause moral distress among health care providers guided exclusively by informed consent. However, cultural humility can show that revealing and withholding prognostic information are two equally valid paths to the goal of protecting the patient from harm. Assumptions and history giving rise to the preference for truth telling in the United States(US) are examined. Principles of biomedical ethics are described within the context of US, Chinese, and Latin American cultures. The process of cultural competence in the delivery of health care services is explained and introduces the concept of cultural humility. By focusing more on biases and assumptions brought forth from the dominant culture, health care providers may experience less moral distress and convey increased caring in the context of intercultural interactions and nondisclosure of prognosis of a terminal illness. © The Author(s) 2015.

Stepwise Connectivity of the Modal Cortex Reveals the Multimodal Organization of the Human Brain

PubMed Central

Sepulcre, Jorge; Sabuncu, Mert R.; Yeo, Thomas B.; Liu, Hesheng; Johnson, Keith A.

2012-01-01

How human beings integrate information from external sources and internal cognition to produce a coherent experience is still not well understood. During the past decades, anatomical, neurophysiological and neuroimaging research in multimodal integration have stood out in the effort to understand the perceptual binding properties of the brain. Areas in the human lateral occipito-temporal, prefrontal and posterior parietal cortices have been associated with sensory multimodal processing. Even though this, rather patchy, organization of brain regions gives us a glimpse of the perceptual convergence, the articulation of the flow of information from modality-related to the more parallel cognitive processing systems remains elusive. Using a method called Stepwise Functional Connectivity analysis, the present study analyzes the functional connectome and transitions from primary sensory cortices to higher-order brain systems. We identify the large-scale multimodal integration network and essential connectivity axes for perceptual integration in the human brain. PMID:22855814

Assessing the maturity and re-usability of NASA's Advanced Information System Technology (AIST) Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Little, M. M.; Hines, K.

2016-12-01

Considerable funding has been invested in Earth science information technology (IT) projects by NASA over the past 15 years. While many of these projects succeeded at completing their objectives, rapid improvements in technology and growth in available data could further enhance the capabilities available to the Earth science community. Independent evaluation of these projects has become more and more important. Not only do they qualify the maturity of the work, but they give potential adopters the chance to kick the tires. One approach that has been used is to task Federally Funded Research and Development Corporations (FFRDC) with reviews and paper studies. Another approach involves field testing by third parties. Over the past three years, the AIST Program has tried both. This paper will describe both approaches and lessons learned from the experiences. The audience will be asked for their suggestions as to how to qualify and value these results.

Query-Based Outlier Detection in Heterogeneous Information Networks.

PubMed

Kuck, Jonathan; Zhuang, Honglei; Yan, Xifeng; Cam, Hasan; Han, Jiawei

2015-03-01

Outlier or anomaly detection in large data sets is a fundamental task in data science, with broad applications. However, in real data sets with high-dimensional space, most outliers are hidden in certain dimensional combinations and are relative to a user's search space and interest. It is often more effective to give power to users and allow them to specify outlier queries flexibly, and the system will then process such mining queries efficiently. In this study, we introduce the concept of query-based outlier in heterogeneous information networks, design a query language to facilitate users to specify such queries flexibly, define a good outlier measure in heterogeneous networks, and study how to process outlier queries efficiently in large data sets. Our experiments on real data sets show that following such a methodology, interesting outliers can be defined and uncovered flexibly and effectively in large heterogeneous networks.

Query-Based Outlier Detection in Heterogeneous Information Networks

PubMed Central

Kuck, Jonathan; Zhuang, Honglei; Yan, Xifeng; Cam, Hasan; Han, Jiawei

2015-01-01

Outlier or anomaly detection in large data sets is a fundamental task in data science, with broad applications. However, in real data sets with high-dimensional space, most outliers are hidden in certain dimensional combinations and are relative to a user’s search space and interest. It is often more effective to give power to users and allow them to specify outlier queries flexibly, and the system will then process such mining queries efficiently. In this study, we introduce the concept of query-based outlier in heterogeneous information networks, design a query language to facilitate users to specify such queries flexibly, define a good outlier measure in heterogeneous networks, and study how to process outlier queries efficiently in large data sets. Our experiments on real data sets show that following such a methodology, interesting outliers can be defined and uncovered flexibly and effectively in large heterogeneous networks. PMID:27064397

Integrated Data Analysis for Fusion: A Bayesian Tutorial for Fusion Diagnosticians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinklage, Andreas; Dreier, Heiko; Fischer, Rainer; Gori, Silvio; Preuss, Roland; Toussaint, Udo von

2008-03-01

Integrated Data Analysis (IDA) offers a unified way of combining information relevant to fusion experiments. Thereby, IDA meets with typical issues arising in fusion data analysis. In IDA, all information is consistently formulated as probability density functions quantifying uncertainties in the analysis within the Bayesian probability theory. For a single diagnostic, IDA allows the identification of faulty measurements and improvements in the setup. For a set of diagnostics, IDA gives joint error distributions allowing the comparison and integration of different diagnostics results. Validation of physics models can be performed by model comparison techniques. Typical data analysis applications benefit from IDA capabilities of nonlinear error propagation, the inclusion of systematic effects and the comparison of different physics models. Applications range from outlier detection, background discrimination, model assessment and design of diagnostics. In order to cope with next step fusion device requirements, appropriate techniques are explored for fast analysis applications.

Education of speech-language pathologists around the world: The Scandinavian experience.

PubMed

Söderpalm, Ewa

2006-01-01

The object of this paper is to give an overview of the education and training programmes in logopedics offered in the Scandinavian/Nordic countries and to provide some information about the development of the programmes in Scandinavia since their foundation in the 1920s. In order to collect information about the various programmes, a questionnaire comprising 12 questions was sent to representatives for education programmes and national societies affiliated to the IALP. In the past all the countries used to provide possibilities for teachers to continue their education with courses in logopedics to become 'special teachers'. These programmes no longer exist except in Norway. Degree programmes at bachelor's and/or master's level are now offered in all the Nordic countries. It can be concluded that the education and training in logopedics have developed into university degree programmes, with few exceptions, in the Nordic countries. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A regional approach to the Co-Production of climate information for water utilities- Managing Messages, Approaches, Benefits, and Lessons learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yates, D. N.; Kaatz, L.

2016-12-01

Over the past decade, water utility managers across Colorado have joined together to advance their understanding of the role of climate information in their planning process. In an unprecedented step, managers from 5 different organizations and agencies pooled their resources and worked collaboratively to better understand the ever evolving role of science in helping understand risks, uncertainties, and opportunities that climate uncertainty and change might bring to this semi-arid region. The group developed an ongoing educational process to better understand climate projections (Scale); cohesively communicate with customers and the media (Communication); provided institutional coverage to an often contentious topic (Safety); and helped coordinate with other investigations and participants to facilitate education and training (Collaboration); and pooled finances, staff, and expert resources (Resources). We will share this experience and give examples of concrete outcomes.

Consequences of cognitive impairments following traumatic brain injury: Pilot study on visual exploration while driving.

PubMed

Milleville-Pennel, Isabelle; Pothier, Johanna; Hoc, Jean-Michel; Mathé, Jean-François

2010-01-01

The aim was to assess the visual exploration of a person suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). It was hypothesized that visual exploration could be modified as a result of attentional or executive function deficits that are often observed following brain injury. This study compared an analysis of eyes movements while driving with data from neuropsychological tests. Five participants suffering from TBI and six control participants took part in this study. All had good driving experience. They were invited to drive on a fixed-base driving simulator. Eye fixations were recorded using an eye tracker. Neuropsychological tests were used to assess attention, working memory, rapidity of information processing and executive functions. Participants with TBI showed a reduction in the variety of the visual zones explored and a reduction of the distance of exploration. Moreover, neuropsychological evaluation indicates that there were difficulties in terms of divided attention, anticipation and planning. There is a complementarity of the information obtained. Tests give information about cognitive deficiencies but not about their translation into a dynamic situation. Conversely, visual exploration provides information about the dynamic with which information is picked up in the environment but not about the cognitive processes involved.

Oscillatory power decreases and long-term memory: the information via desynchronization hypothesis

PubMed Central

Hanslmayr, Simon; Staudigl, Tobias; Fellner, Marie-Christin

2012-01-01

The traditional belief is that brain oscillations are important for human long-term memory, because they induce synchronized firing between cell assemblies which shapes synaptic plasticity. Therefore, most prior studies focused on the role of synchronization for episodic memory, as reflected in theta (∼5 Hz) and gamma (>40 Hz) power increases. These studies, however, neglect the role that is played by neural desynchronization, which is usually reflected in power decreases in the alpha and beta frequency band (8–30 Hz). In this paper we present a first idea, derived from information theory that gives a mechanistic explanation of how neural desynchronization aids human memory encoding and retrieval. Thereby we will review current studies investigating the role of alpha and beta power decreases during long-term memory tasks and show that alpha and beta power decreases play an important and active role for human memory. Applying mathematical models of information theory, we demonstrate that neural desynchronization is positively related to the richness of information represented in the brain, thereby enabling encoding and retrieval of long-term memories. This information via desynchronization hypothesis makes several predictions, which can be tested in future experiments. PMID:22514527

Oscillatory power decreases and long-term memory: the information via desynchronization hypothesis.

PubMed

Hanslmayr, Simon; Staudigl, Tobias; Fellner, Marie-Christin

2012-01-01

The traditional belief is that brain oscillations are important for human long-term memory, because they induce synchronized firing between cell assemblies which shapes synaptic plasticity. Therefore, most prior studies focused on the role of synchronization for episodic memory, as reflected in theta (∼5 Hz) and gamma (>40 Hz) power increases. These studies, however, neglect the role that is played by neural desynchronization, which is usually reflected in power decreases in the alpha and beta frequency band (8-30 Hz). In this paper we present a first idea, derived from information theory that gives a mechanistic explanation of how neural desynchronization aids human memory encoding and retrieval. Thereby we will review current studies investigating the role of alpha and beta power decreases during long-term memory tasks and show that alpha and beta power decreases play an important and active role for human memory. Applying mathematical models of information theory, we demonstrate that neural desynchronization is positively related to the richness of information represented in the brain, thereby enabling encoding and retrieval of long-term memories. This information via desynchronization hypothesis makes several predictions, which can be tested in future experiments.

Care-giving as a Canadian-Vietnamese tradition: ‘It's like eating, you just do it’

PubMed Central

Donovan, Rhonda; Williams, Allison M

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine how Vietnamese family caregivers (FCGs) perceive, manage and experience end-of-life care-giving for seriously ill family members. Using an instrumental case study design, this longitudinal qualitative research employed the use of cultural brokers/language interpreters to help ensure that the research was conducted in a culturally-appropriate manner. Participants (n = 18) discussed their experiences of care-giving within the context of a traditional cultural framework, which was found to influence their motivations and approaches to care-giving, as well as their propensities towards the use of various supports and services. The study was carried out in southern Ontario, Canada, and participants were providing home-based care-giving in the community. Data were collected throughout 2010 and 2011. The ways in which care-giving was perceived and expressed are reflected in three themes: (i) Natural: identity and care work; (ii) Intentional: whole-person care; and (iii) Intensive: standards, struggle and the context of care. This research confirms the need for culturally-appropriate services and supports while illustrating that Vietnamese FCGs not only value, but are also likely to use healthcare and social services if they are language-accessible, built on trust and demonstrate respect for their values as individuals, regardless of culture. PMID:25328018

What influences birth place preferences, choices and decision-making amongst healthy women with straightforward pregnancies in the UK? A qualitative evidence synthesis using a 'best fit' framework approach.

PubMed

Coxon, Kirstie; Chisholm, Alison; Malouf, Reem; Rowe, Rachel; Hollowell, Jennifer

2017-03-31

English maternity care policy has supported offering women choice of birth setting for over twenty years, but only 13% of women in England currently give birth in settings other than obstetric units (OUs). It is unclear why uptake of non-OU settings for birth remains relatively low. This paper presents a synthesis of qualitative evidence which explores influences on women's experiences of birth place choice, preference and decision-making from the perspectives of women using maternity services. Qualitative evidence synthesis of UK research published January 1992-March 2015, using a 'best-fit' framework approach. Searches were run in seven electronic data bases applying a comprehensive search strategy. Thematic framework analysis was used to synthesise extracted data from included studies. Twenty-four papers drawing on twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis identified support for the key framework themes. Women's experiences of choosing or deciding where to give birth were influenced by whether they received information about available options and about the right to choose, women's preferences for different services and their attributes, previous birth experiences, views of family, friends and health care professionals and women's beliefs about risk and safety. The synthesis additionally identified that women's access to choice of place of birth during the antenatal period varied. Planning to give birth in OU was straightforward, but although women considering birth in a setting other than hospital OU were sometimes well-supported, they also encountered obstacles and described needing to 'counter the negativity' surrounding home birth or birth in midwife-led settings. Over the period covered by the review, it was straightforward for low risk women to opt for hospital birth in the UK. Accessing home birth was more complex and contested. The evidence on freestanding midwifery units (FMUs) is more limited, but suggests that women wanting to opt for an FMU birth experienced similar barriers. The extent to which women experienced similar problems accessing alongside midwifery units (AMUs) is unclear. Women's preferences for different birth options, particularly for 'hospital' vs non-hospital settings, are shaped by their pre-existing values, beliefs and experience, and not all women are open to all birth settings.

Slime moulds use heuristics based on within-patch experience to decide when to leave.

PubMed

Latty, Tanya; Beekman, Madeleine

2015-04-15

Animals foraging in patchy, non-renewing or slowly renewing environments must make decisions about how long to remain within a patch. Organisms can use heuristics ('rules of thumb') based on available information to decide when to leave the patch. Here, we investigated proximate patch-departure heuristics in two species of giant, brainless amoeba: the slime moulds Didymium bahiense and Physarum polycephalum. We explicitly tested the importance of information obtained through experience by eliminating chemosensory cues of patch quality. In P. polycephalum, patch departure was influenced by the consumption of high, and to a much lesser extent low, quality food items such that engulfing a food item increased patch-residency time. Physarum polycephalum also tended to forage for longer in darkened, 'safe' patches. In D. bahiense, engulfment of any food item increased patch residency irrespective of that food item's quality. Exposure to light had no effect on the patch-residency time of D. bahiense. Given that these organisms lack a brain, our results illustrate how the use of simple heuristics can give the impression that individuals make sophisticated foraging decisions. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Ethnographic perspectives on global mental health.

PubMed

Jain, Sumeet; Orr, David M R

2016-12-01

The field of Global Mental Health (GMH) aims to influence mental health policy and practice worldwide, with a focus on human rights and access to care. There have been important achievements, but GMH has also been the focus of scholarly controversies arising from political, cultural, and pragmatic critiques. These debates have become increasingly polarized, giving rise to a need for more dialogue and experience-near research to inform theorizing. Ethnography has much to offer in this respect. This paper frames and introduces five articles in this issue of Transcultural Psychiatry that illustrate the role of ethnographic methods in understanding the effects and implications of the field of global mental health on mental health policy and practice. The papers include ethnographies from South Africa, India, and Tonga that show the potential for ethnographic evidence to inform GMH projects. These studies provide nuanced conceptualizations of GMH's varied manifestations across different settings, the diverse ways that GMH's achievements can be evaluated, and the connections that can be drawn between locally observed experiences and wider historical, political, and social phenomena. Ethnography can provide a basis for constructive dialogue between those engaged in developing and implementing GMH interventions and those critical of some of its approaches.

Social network size can influence linguistic malleability and the propagation of linguistic change.

PubMed

Lev-Ari, Shiri

2018-07-01

We learn language from our social environment, but the more sources we have, the less informative each source is, and therefore, the less weight we ascribe its input. According to this principle, people with larger social networks should give less weight to new incoming information, and should therefore be less susceptible to the influence of new speakers. This paper tests this prediction, and shows that speakers with smaller social networks indeed have more malleable linguistic representations. In particular, they are more likely to adjust their lexical boundary following exposure to a new speaker. Experiment 2 uses computational simulations to test whether this greater malleability could lead people with smaller social networks to be important for the propagation of linguistic change despite the fact that they interact with fewer people. The results indicate that when innovators were connected with people with smaller rather than larger social networks, the population exhibited greater and faster diffusion. Together these experiments show that the properties of people's social networks can influence individuals' learning and use as well as linguistic phenomena at the community level. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PIV Measurements of Full-Scale UH-60A Tip Vortices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamauchi, Gloria K.

2012-01-01

The following presentation will give a description on experiments like installation, PIV measurements, and test conditions. It will also be giving the status of data processing, as well as, preliminary results. In addition, plans and present papers will also be discussed.

AABC Libraries at Century's End: A Demographic Survey of Bible College Libraries Affiliated with the American Association of Bible Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesley, Ed

The purpose of this research project was to gather information to give personality and a demographic profile to Bible college libraries and to assure them that they have identity and purpose in the 1990's. This research project is an attempt to update information on American Association Bible College libraries and give a face and some personality…

Performance measures from the explorer platform berthing experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leake, Stephen

1993-01-01

The Explorer Platform is a Modular Mission Spacecraft: it has several subunits that are designed to be replaced on orbit. The Goddard Space Flight Center Robotics Lab undertook an experiment to evaluate various robotic approaches to replacing one of the units; a large (approximately 1 meter by 1 meter by 0.5 meter) power box. The hardware consists of a Robotics Research Corporation K-1607 (RRC) manipulator mounted on a large gantry robot, a Kraft handcontroller for teleoperation of RRC, a Lightweight Servicing Tool (LST) mounted on the RRC, and an Explorer Platform mockup (EP) with a removable box (MMS) that has fixtures that mate with the LST. Sensors include a wrist wrench sensor on the RRC and Capaciflectors mounted on the LST and the MMS. There are also several cameras, but no machine vision is used. The control system for the RRC is entirely written by Goddard; it consists of Ada code on three Multibus I 386/387 CPU boards doing the real-time robot control, and C on a 386 PC processing Capaciflector data. The gantry is not moved during this experiment. The task is the exchange of the MMS; it is removed and replaced. This involves four basic steps: mating the LST to the MMS, demating the MMS from the EP, mating the MMS to the EP, and demating the LST form the MMS. Each of the mating steps must be preceeded by an alignment to bring the mechanical fixtures within their capture range. Two basic approaches to alignment are explored: teleoperation with the operator viewing thru cameras, and Capaciflector based autonomy. To evaluate the two alignment approaches, several runs were run with each approach and the final pose was recorded. Comparing this to the ideal alignment pose gives accuracy and repeatability data. In addition the wrenches exerted during the mating tasks were recorded; this gives information on how the alignment step affects the mating step. There are also two approaches to mating; teleoperation, and impedance based autonomy. The wrench data taken during mating using these two approaches is used to evaluate them. Section 2 describes the alignment results, section 3 describes the mating results, and finally Section 4 gives some conclusions.

Data-analysis issues in a phenomenographic investigation of information literacy in nursing.

PubMed

Forster, Marc

2013-11-01

To explore two contrasting methods of phenomenographic data analysis. Phenomenography is a still-uncommon but increasingly used methodology based on qualitative interviews that allows experiences to be categorised and put into a descriptive structure for use in developing educational interventions. There are two different approaches in the literature to analysing data: the Marton and Åkerlind methods. A doctoral research project investigating the role of information literacy in evidence-based practice in nursing. The phenomenographic study involves open-ended interviews in which participants are asked to describe their 'life-world' where the phenomenon is experienced, covering the contexts in which it is experienced and how it is experienced. The researcher attempts to develop statements from the interview transcripts that describe representative ways of experiencing the phenomenon in the form of 'categories of description'. A category of description represents a qualitatively different way of experiencing a phenomenon. This article discusses the reasons for adopting phenomenography, phenomenography's epistemological assumptions, and the strengths and weaknesses of the two different data-analysis methods. Phenomenography's strength is its ability to develop logical structures that give a picture of the experience of a phenomenon while being able to read into the structure as much of the complexity of that experience as is consciously and practically possible. One method, described as the 'Åkerlind' method, emerged as the appropriate method for phenomenographic studies in nursing.

Atypical cleavage of protonated N-fatty acyl amino acids derived from aspartic acid evidenced by sequential MS3 experiments.

PubMed

Boukerche, Toufik Taalibi; Alves, Sandra; Le Faouder, Pauline; Warnet, Anna; Bertrand-Michel, Justine; Bouchekara, Mohamed; Belbachir, Mohammed; Tabet, Jean-Claude

2016-12-01

Lipidomics calls for information on detected lipids and conjugates whose structural elucidation by mass spectrometry requires to rationalization of their gas phase dissociations toward collision-induced dissociation (CID) processes. This study focused on activated dissociations of two lipoamino acid (LAA) systems composed of N-palmitoyl acyl coupled with aspartic and glutamic acid mono ethyl esters (as LAA (*D) and LAA (*E) ). Although in MS/MS, their CID spectra show similar trends, e.g., release of water and ethanol, the [(LAA (*D/*E) +H)-C 2 H 5 OH] + product ions dissociate via distinct pathways in sequential MS 3 experiments. The formation of all the product ions is rationalized by charge-promoted cleavages often involving stepwise processes with ion isomerization into ion-dipole prior to dissociation. The latter explains the maleic anhydride or ketene neutral losses from N-palmitoyl acyl aspartate and glutamate anhydride fragment ions, respectively. Consequently, protonated palmitoyl acid amide is generated from LAA (*D), whereas LAA (*E) leads to the [*E+H-H 2 O] + anhydride. The former releases ammonia to provide acylium, which gives the C n H (2n-1) and C n H (2n-3) carbenium series. This should offer structural information, e.g., to locate either unsaturation(s) or alkyl group branching present on the various fatty acyl moieties of lipo-aspartic acid in further studies based on MS n experiments.

Flow dynamics in hyper-saline aquifers: hydro-geophysical monitoring and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haaken, Klaus; Piero Deidda, Gian; Cassiani, Giorgio; Deiana, Rita; Putti, Mario; Paniconi, Claudio; Scudeler, Carlotta; Kemna, Andreas

2017-03-01

Saline-freshwater interaction in porous media is a phenomenon of practical interest particularly for the management of water resources in arid and semi-arid environments, where precious freshwater resources are threatened by seawater intrusion and where storage of freshwater in saline aquifers can be a viable option. Saline-freshwater interactions are controlled by physico-chemical processes that need to be accurately modeled. This in turn requires monitoring of these systems, a non-trivial task for which spatially extensive, high-resolution non-invasive techniques can provide key information. In this paper we present the field monitoring and numerical modeling components of an approach aimed at understanding complex saline-freshwater systems. The approach is applied to a freshwater injection experiment carried out in a hyper-saline aquifer near Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy). The experiment was monitored using time-lapse cross-hole electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). To investigate the flow dynamics, coupled numerical flow and transport modeling of the experiment was carried out using an advanced three-dimensional (3-D) density-driven flow-transport simulator. The simulation results were used to produce synthetic ERT inversion results to be compared against real field ERT results. This exercise demonstrates that the evolution of the freshwater bulb is strongly influenced by the system's (even mild) hydraulic heterogeneities. The example also highlights how the joint use of ERT imaging and gravity-dependent flow and transport modeling give fundamental information for this type of study.

Cognitive processing specificity of anxious apprehension: impact on distress and performance during speech exposure.

PubMed

Philippot, Pierre; Vrielynck, Nathalie; Muller, Valérie

2010-12-01

The present study examined the impact of different modes of processing anxious apprehension on subsequent anxiety and performance in a stressful speech task. Participants were informed that they would have to give a speech on a difficult topic while being videotaped and evaluated on their performance. They were then randomly assigned to one of three conditions. In a specific processing condition, they were encouraged to explore in detail all the specific aspects (thoughts, emotions, sensations) they experienced while anticipating giving the speech; in a general processing condition, they had to focus on the generic aspects that they would typically experience during anxious anticipation; and in a control, no-processing condition, participants were distracted. Results revealed that at the end of the speech, participants in the specific processing condition reported less anxiety than those in the two other conditions. They were also evaluated by judges to have performed better than those in the control condition, who in turn did better than those in the general processing condition. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Deployment of an inductance-based quasi-digital sensor to detect metallic wear debris in lubricant oil of rotating machinery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanga, Ramesh; Srinivasan, V. S.; Sivaramakrishna, M.; Prabhakara Rao, G.

2018-07-01

In rotating machinery due to continuous rotational induced wear and tear, metallic debris will be produced and mixes with the in-service lubricant oil over the course of time. This debris gives the sign of potential machine failure due to the aging of critical parts like gears and bearings. The size and type of wear debris has a direct relationship with the degree of wear in the machine and gives information about the healthiness of equipment. This article presents an inductive quasi-digital sensor to detect the metallic debris, its type; size in the lubrication oil of rotating machinery. A microcontroller based low cost, low power, high resolution and high precise instrument with alarm indication and LCD is developed to detect ferrous debris of sizes from 30 µm and non-ferrous debris of 50 µm. It is thoroughly tested and calibrated with ferrous, non-ferrous debris of different sizes in the air environment. Finally, an experiment is conducted to check the performance of the instrument by circulating lubricant oil containing ferrous, non-ferrous debris through the sensor.

Quality management benchmarking: FDA compliance in pharmaceutical industry.

PubMed

Jochem, Roland; Landgraf, Katja

2010-01-01

By analyzing and comparing industry and business best practice, processes can be optimized and become more successful mainly because efficiency and competitiveness increase. This paper aims to focus on some examples. Case studies are used to show knowledge exchange in the pharmaceutical industry. Best practice solutions were identified in two companies using a benchmarking method and five-stage model. Despite large administrations, there is much potential regarding business process organization. This project makes it possible for participants to fully understand their business processes. The benchmarking method gives an opportunity to critically analyze value chains (a string of companies or players working together to satisfy market demands for a special product). Knowledge exchange is interesting for companies that like to be global players. Benchmarking supports information exchange and improves competitive ability between different enterprises. Findings suggest that the five-stage model improves efficiency and effectiveness. Furthermore, the model increases the chances for reaching targets. The method gives security to partners that did not have benchmarking experience. The study identifies new quality management procedures. Process management and especially benchmarking is shown to support pharmaceutical industry improvements.

“Directive Approach” for Chinese Clients Receiving Psychotherapy: Is That Really a Priority?

PubMed Central

Ng, Chi Ting Connie; James, Susan

2013-01-01

The academic literature often suggests that Chinese people prefer directive approaches in therapy. However, studies on this topic are often based on therapists’ self-reports: clients’ perceptions are rarely considered. What does “directive approach” mean? Is it what clients prefer? Using cultural psychology and medical anthropology as a theoretical framework, the ethnography explored the experience of psychotherapy from Chinese clients’ perspectives. Specifically, using ethnographic interview, eight informants, two male and six female, ranging in age from 40 to 55, were interviewed twice in-depth about their experiences of seeing Chinese therapists. All informants are Chinese immigrants who reside in a major Canadian city and saw at least one Chinese therapist in a community counseling agency within 1 year prior to the interview. In the first interview, informants created group of cards describing a list of hypothesized cultural knowledge regarding psychotherapy. After initial data analysis, the cards were presented to the informants in the second interviews, in which they confirmed and/or rejected the hypotheses by grouping, reorganizing, and ranking the cards. In the end each informant created a number of mind-maps with the cards, which served as a representation of informants’ psychological reality of psychotherapy based on their ordinary language. The maps were then further analyzed for themes among informants. Results suggest that clients appreciate therapists who “give homework,” “analyze their problems,” “talk about strategies that other clients have found useful,” “chat,” and “provide resources.” Results also highlight informants’ understanding of their own responsibility for the therapeutic relationship which has never been documented before and has important clinical implications. PMID:23408043

XSemantic: An Extension of LCA Based XML Semantic Search

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supasitthimethee, Umaporn; Shimizu, Toshiyuki; Yoshikawa, Masatoshi; Porkaew, Kriengkrai

One of the most convenient ways to query XML data is a keyword search because it does not require any knowledge of XML structure or learning a new user interface. However, the keyword search is ambiguous. The users may use different terms to search for the same information. Furthermore, it is difficult for a system to decide which node is likely to be chosen as a return node and how much information should be included in the result. To address these challenges, we propose an XML semantic search based on keywords called XSemantic. On the one hand, we give three definitions to complete in terms of semantics. Firstly, the semantic term expansion, our system is robust from the ambiguous keywords by using the domain ontology. Secondly, to return semantic meaningful answers, we automatically infer the return information from the user queries and take advantage of the shortest path to return meaningful connections between keywords. Thirdly, we present the semantic ranking that reflects the degree of similarity as well as the semantic relationship so that the search results with the higher relevance are presented to the users first. On the other hand, in the LCA and the proximity search approaches, we investigated the problem of information included in the search results. Therefore, we introduce the notion of the Lowest Common Element Ancestor (LCEA) and define our simple rule without any requirement on the schema information such as the DTD or XML Schema. The first experiment indicated that XSemantic not only properly infers the return information but also generates compact meaningful results. Additionally, the benefits of our proposed semantics are demonstrated by the second experiment.

Development of Information System for Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate undergoing Operation.

PubMed

Augsornwan, Darawan; Pattangtanang, Pantamanas; Surakunprapha, Palakorn

2015-08-01

Srinagarind Hospital has 150-200 patients with cleft lip and palate each year. When patients are admitted to hospital for surgery patients and family feel they are in a crisis of life, they feel fear anxiety and need to know about how to take care of wound, they worry if patient will feel pain, how to feed patients and many things about patients. Information is very important for patients/family to prevent complications and help their decision process, decrease parents stress and encourage better co-operation. To develop information system for patients with cleft lip-palate undergoing operation. This is an action research divided into 3 phases. Phase 1 Situation review: in this phase we interview, nursing care observation, and review nursing documents about the information giving. Phase 2 Develop information system: focus groups, for discussion about what nurses can do to develop the system to give information to patients/parents. Phase 3 evaluation: by interviewing 61 parents using the structure questionnaire. 100 percent of patients/parents received information but some items were not received. Patients/parents satisfaction was 94.9 percent, no complications. The information system development provides optimal care for patients and family with cleft lip and palate, but needs to improve some techniques or tools to give more information and evaluate further the nursing outcome after.

A specialized information center. The clinical neurology information center.

PubMed Central

Friedlander, W J

1978-01-01

The history, philosophy, and methodology of a unique specialized medical information center are reported. The Clinical Neurology Information Center is an educational information service (giving its audience information which can be the basis for formulating their own questions) rather than an instructional information service (giving information in reply to questions). Clinical, as well as basic neuroscience, information is culled by professional neurologists from 855 medical periodicals. The essence of each article is summarized in a single sentence ("terse conclusions") or a bibliographic reference only is given; this material is published every two weeks in the Concise Clinical Neurology Review (CCNR). The format of the CCNR is such that the reader should be able to scan a very large amount of current literature by investing only twenty to thirty minutes every two weeks. The values of this system as well as some of its problems are discussed. PMID:354706

Approximate first-principles anharmonic calculations of polyatomic spectra using MP2 and B3LYP potentials: comparisons with experiment.

PubMed

Roy, Tapta Kanchan; Carrington, Tucker; Gerber, R Benny

2014-08-21

Anharmonic vibrational spectroscopy calculations using MP2 and B3LYP computed potential surfaces are carried out for a series of molecules, and frequencies and intensities are compared with those from experiment. The vibrational self-consistent field with second-order perturbation correction (VSCF-PT2) is used in computing the spectra. The test calculations have been performed for the molecules HNO3, C2H4, C2H4O, H2SO4, CH3COOH, glycine, and alanine. Both MP2 and B3LYP give results in good accord with experimental frequencies, though, on the whole, MP2 gives very slightly better agreement. A statistical analysis of deviations in frequencies from experiment is carried out that gives interesting insights. The most probable percentage deviation from experimental frequencies is about -2% (to the red of the experiment) for B3LYP and +2% (to the blue of the experiment) for MP2. There is a higher probability for relatively large percentage deviations when B3LYP is used. The calculated intensities are also found to be in good accord with experiment, but the percentage deviations are much larger than those for frequencies. The results show that both MP2 and B3LYP potentials, used in VSCF-PT2 calculations, account well for anharmonic effects in the spectroscopy of molecules of the types considered.

Dynamics of a Successful Planned Giving Program Utilizing Shared Leadership at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Robin Lynn Brunty

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of a successful planned giving program utilizing shared leadership at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This information will assist the leadership in determining if and how a successful planned giving program can be established for HBCUs. It is possible for planned gifts…

Using UNIX, Part 2.

PubMed

Mann, J

2001-01-01

We talked about using 3 UNIX commands. In UNIX, there are many other options for using them. But for the most part, if you can use them like I have shown, you will be able to do everything you need. If you can learn these few points well, I think you will be better off than if I give you 50 options and leave you totally confused about when to do what. On some UNIX systems, an electronic version of the UNIX manual is on the system. This gives a lot more information about each command. However, it is a bit difficult to understand. If you want more information about any command, you can type man COMMAND, e.g., man ls. This will give you more ways to use the ls command. And remember, the command pwd tells what directory you are in, cd/directory changes to another directory, ls lists the contents of the directory you are in, ls more displays the directory contents 1 page at a time (the space bar gives you the next page), ls-al gives a detailed listing of the contents of the directory you are in, ls-al more displays them 1 page at a time (the space bar gives you the next page).

STEM--Beyond the Acronym

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasquez, Jo Anne

2015-01-01

When most educators think of STEM education, they think of fully integrated projects seamlessly combining all four disciplines--science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Although such transdisciplinary STEM units are ideal, writes Vasquez, they are not the only way to give students valuable STEM experiences. She gives examples of two…

A Colorful Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, C. Bruce

1978-01-01

This experiment, mixing solutions of potassium iodide and lead nitrate to give a bright yellow lead iodide precipitate, often leads students into other topics such as making paint from the precipitate. (BB)

The cost of concreteness: the effect of nonessential information on analogical transfer.

PubMed

Kaminski, Jennifer A; Sloutsky, Vladimir M; Heckler, Andrew F

2013-03-01

Most theories of analogical transfer focus on similarities between the learning and transfer domains, where transfer is more likely between domains that share common surface features, similar elements, or common interpretations of structure. We suggest that characteristics of the learning instantiation alone can give rise to different levels of transfer. We propose that concreteness of the learning instantiation can hinder analogical transfer of well-defined structured concepts, such as mathematical concepts. We operationalize the term concreteness as the amount of information communicated through a specific instantiation of a concept. The 5 reported experiments with undergraduate students tested the hypothesis by presenting participants with the concept of a commutative mathematical group of order 3. The experiments varied the level of concreteness of the training instantiation and measured transfer of learning to a new instantiation. The results support the hypothesis, demonstrating better transfer from more generic instantiations (i.e., ones that communicate minimal extraneous information) than from more concrete instantiations. Specifically, concreteness was found to create an obstacle to successful structural alignment across domains, whereas generic instantiations led to spontaneous structural alignment. These findings have important implications for the theory of learning and transfer and practical implications for the design of educational material. Although some concreteness may activate prior knowledge and perhaps offer a leg up in the learning process, this benefit may come at the cost of transfer.

Field trip method as an effort to reveal student environmental literacy on biodiversity issue and context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rijal, M.; Saefudin; Amprasto

2018-05-01

Field trip method through investigation of local biodiversity cases can give educational experiences for students. This learning activity was efforts to reveal students environmental literacy on biodiversity. The aim of study were (1) to describe the activities of students get information about the biodiversity issue and its context through field trip, (2) to describe the students findings during field trip, and (3) to reveal students environmental literacy based on pre test and post test. The research method used weak-experiment and involved 34 participants at senior high school students in Bandung-Indonesia. The research instruments for collecting data were environmental literacy test, observation sheets and questionnaire sheets for students. The analysis of data was quantitative descriptive. The results show that more than 79% of the students gave positive view for each field trip activity, i.e students activity during work (97%-100%); students activity during gather information (79%- 100%); students activity during exchange information with friend (82%-100%); and students interested to Biodiversity after field trip activity (85%-100%). Students gain knowledge about the diversity of animal vertebrate and its characteristics, the status and condition of animals, and the source of animal with the cases of animal diversity. The students environmental literacy tends to be moderate level based on test. Meanwhile, the average of the attitudes and action greater than the components of knowledge and cognitive skills.

Organisational justice and employee perceptions on hospital management.

PubMed

Wiili-Peltola, Erja; Kivimäki, Mika; Elovainio, Marko; Virtanen, Marianna

2007-01-01

The purpose to clarify what kind of managerial challenges employees experience regarding organisational justice in hospitals. This exploratory study of 8,971 employees working in 14 hospitals and examines the concept of organisational justice in management with qualitative and quantitative methods. An inductive content analysis of the comments revealed five integrative frames describing challenges in hospital management at respondents' workplaces. These frames should be regarded as major managerial challenges in hospitals. These findings illustrate important antecedents of organisational justice and suggest that work units tend to share the same perceptions of justice. They also reveal that individually produced comments reflect collective experiences in organisational justice. Further, the results indicate that problems in management and policies are often experienced in a complex way, and people making justice judgements do not separate procedural and interactional factors. Although the commentators producing qualitative data represented many organisational hierarchy levels, the results should not be generalised to apply to horizontal, informal social relationships. This paper gives useful information regarding challenges in human resources management in hospitals. The paper suggests that people making fairness judgements do not make a distinction between procedural and interpersonal factors. Instead, they use any information available to judge the righteousness of the management events. This paper serves to guide hospital managers towards a better understanding of the importance of organisational justice and its collective nature.

The nurse's role in day surgery: a literature review.

PubMed

Gilmartin, J; Wright, K

2007-06-01

This paper reports a literature review to synthesize the evidence on day surgery, demonstrating its usefulness for innovative nurses. Day surgery growth has developed rapidly in recent years. Such a rapid growth has triggered a shift in nursing roles and interventions. Nursing roles are taking shape within modern day surgical units but have not been widely reviewed in developing countries. The RCN library, BNI, CINAHL and Medline databases were searched using the terms 'day surgery and technological advantages', 'financial/economic benefits', 'patient experiences/satisfaction', 'day surgery/international comparisons', 'day surgery and developing countries'. Only papers in the English language from 1990 to 2005 were reviewed, with a predominantly adult focus. The papers examined mainly used research techniques and some opinion papers, policy documents and textbooks were examined for additional information. The key strengths of day surgery are cost-effectiveness, increased patient satisfaction and low infection rates. Patients indicated that effective information provision and psychological preparation helped them cope with the experience. The use of music, story telling and distraction reduced pre-operative anxiety. Contrastingly, the deficits included poor information giving and psychological preparation resulting in high anxiety levels. Many patients encountered variable pain and nausea management and education strategies. This review highlights the importance of adequate preparation and continuous psychological support for patients undergoing day surgery. The challenges faced by practitioners involved with innovation are also emphasized.

What are the roles and valued attributes of a Trial Steering Committee? Ethnographic study of eight clinical trials facing challenges.

PubMed

Daykin, Anne; Selman, Lucy E; Cramer, Helen; McCann, Sharon; Shorter, Gillian W; Sydes, Matthew R; Gamble, Carrol; Macefield, Rhiannon; Lane, J Athene; Shaw, Alison

2016-07-01

Clinical trials oversight by a Trial Steering Committee (TSC) is mandated by Good Clinical Practice. This study used qualitative methods to explore the role and valued attributes of the TSC to inform planned updates of Medical Research Council guidance and TSC terms of reference. An ethnographic study was conducted during 2013-2014. TSC and Trial Management Group meetings from eight trials were observed and audio-recorded, and semi-structured interviews conducted with purposively sampled key informants: independent and non-independent TSC members, trial sponsor representatives, funder representatives and chief investigators. The selected trials were currently recruiting and dealing with challenging scenarios. Data were analysed thematically and findings triangulated and integrated to give a multi-perspective account of the role and valued attributes of a TSC. Eight TSC meetings and six Trial Management Group meetings were observed. Sixty-five interviews were conducted with 51 informants. The two main roles played by the TSC were quality assurance and patient advocacy. Quality assurance involved being a 'critical friend' or a provider of 'tough love'. Factors influencing the ability of the TSC to fulfil this role included the TSC Chair, other independent TSC members and the model of the TSC and its fit with the trial subject. The role of the TSC as an advocate for patient well-being was perceived as paramount. Two attributes of TSC members emerged as critical: experience (of running a trial, trial oversight or in a clinical/methodological area) and independence. While independence was valued for giving impartiality, the lack of consensus about its definition and strict requirements of some funders made it difficult to operationalise. We found tensions and ambiguities in the roles expected of TSCs and the attributes valued of TSC members. In particular, the requirements of independence and experience could conflict, impacting the TSCs' quality assurance role. Concerns were raised regarding whose interests are served by funders' criteria of independence; in particular, funders' selection of TSC members was thought to potentially inhibit TSCs' ability to fulfil their patient advocacy role. These findings should be incorporated in revising guidance and terms of reference for TSCs.

Decision Making in Computer-Simulated Experiments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suits, J. P.; Lagowski, J. J.

A set of interactive, computer-simulated experiments was designed to respond to the large range of individual differences in aptitude and reasoning ability generally exhibited by students enrolled in first-semester general chemistry. These experiments give students direct experience in the type of decision making needed in an experimental setting.…

Inexpensive Electrooptic Experiments on Liquid Crystal Displays.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciferno, Thomas M.; And Others

1995-01-01

Describes the construction and use of an electrooptic apparatus that can be incorporated into the classroom to test liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and introduce students to experiments of an applied physics nature with very practical implications. Presents experiments that give students hands-on experience with technologies of current interest to…

Experiments With the Role of Lipids in Cell-Membrane Permeability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, O. Roger

1970-01-01

Reviews research into the composition and structure of cell membranes. Describes four experiments, suitable for high school students, on the role of lipids in regulating diffusion across cell boundaries. Gives purpose and procedures for each experiment, laboratory data sheets, and the results of classroom trials of the experiments. (EB)

Accelerating Ground-Test Cycle Time: The Six-Minute Model Change and Other Visions for the 21st Century

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kegelman, Jerome T.

1998-01-01

The advantage of managing organizations to minimize product development cycle time has been well established. This paper provides an overview of the wind tunnel testing cycle time reduction activities at Langley Research Center (LaRC) and gives the status of several improvements in the wind tunnel productivity and cost reductions that have resulted from these activities. Processes have been examined and optimized. Metric data from monitoring processes provides guidance for investments in advanced technologies. The most promising technologies under implementation today include the use of formally designed experiments, a diverse array of quick disconnect technology and the judicious use of advanced electronic and information technologies.

User friendly IT Services for Monitoring and Prevention during Pregnancy.

PubMed

Crişan-Vida, Mihaela; Serban, Alexandru; Ghihor-Izdrăilă, Ioana; Mirea, Adrian; Stoicu-Tivadar, Lacramioara

2014-01-01

A healthy lifestyle for a mother and monitoring both mother and fetus activities are crucial factors for a normal pregnancy without hazardous conditions. This paper proposes a cloud computing solution and a mobile application which collect data from the sensors to be used in Obstetrics-Gynecology Department. This application monitors the dietary plan of the pregnant and gives her the possibility to socialize and share pregnancy experience with the rest of women from the social network from the hospital. The physicians can access the information's of the patient in real time and they can alert mothers in some situations. Using this cloud computing device, the health condition of the pregnant women may be improved.

Instructional immediacy in elearning.

PubMed

Walkem, Kerrie

2014-01-01

Instructor immediacy has been positively associated with many desirable academic outcomes including increased student learning. This study extends existing understanding of instructional immediacy behaviours in elearning by describing postgraduate nursing students' reflections on their own experience. An exploratory, descriptive survey design was used to collect qualitative data. Participants were asked what behaviours or activities help to create rapport or a positive interpersonal connection (immediacy) between students and their online teacher(s). Thematic analysis of the data revealed three main themes: acknowledging and affirming student's personal and professional responsibilities; providing clear and timely information; and utilising rich media. These findings give lecturers insight into instructional strategies they may adopt to increase immediacy in elearning and hence improve student learning outcomes.

Harvard Observing Project (HOP): Undergraduate and graduate observing opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bieryla, Allyson; Newton, Elisabeth R.

2014-06-01

The Harvard Observing Project (HOP) engages undergraduate students in observational astronomy and gives graduate students extra teaching experience beyond their required teaching fellowships. This project offers students opportunities to see if they are interested in astronomy, introduces them to scientific research, and provides an opportunity for them to interact with graduate students in an informal setting. Observations are made using the 16” Clay Telescope atop the Science Center at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. We have observed as part of the Pro-Am White dwarf Monitoring (PAWM) and Target Asteroids! projects, and most recently we have been monitoring SN2014J in the Messier 82 galaxy (see poster by M. McIntosh).

MRI experiments for introductory physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taghizadeh, Sanaz; Lincoln, James

2018-04-01

The introductory physics classroom has long educated students about the properties of the atom and the nucleus. But absent from these lessons has been an informed discussion of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its parent science nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Physics teachers should not miss the opportunity to instruct upon this highly relevant application of modern physics, especially with so many of our students planning to pursue a career in medicine. This article provides an overview of the physics of MRI and gives advice on how physics teachers can introduce this topic. Also included are some demonstration activities and a discussion of a desktop MRI apparatus that may be used by students in the lab or as a demo.

Realities of sustainable development

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

Annan, R.H.

1997-12-01

The author gives a brief overview of rural electrification projects which have been developed worldwide based on different forms of renewable energy sources. Rural electrification provides hope to the 1.3 billion people who are still unserved by the power grid, and as a consequence are severely disadvantaged in todays economy in most facits of daily life and health. He recommends a more concerted effort to consolidate the experiences gained from present programs in order to present a more organized program by the time of the 2002 UNCED conference. His recommendation is that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory serve as amore » secretariat, to gather and formalize the information which has been learned to this point in time.« less

Displays. [three dimensional analog visual system for aiding pilot space perception

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

An experimental investigation made to determine the depth cue of a head movement perspective and image intensity as a function of depth is summarized. The experiment was based on the use of a hybrid computer generated contact analog visual display in which various perceptual depth cues are included on a two dimensional CRT screen. The system's purpose was to impart information, in an integrated and visually compelling fashion, about the vehicle's position and orientation in space. Results show head movement gives a 40% improvement in depth discrimination when the display is between 40 and 100 cm from the subject; intensity variation resulted in as much improvement as head movement.

Information geometry and its application to theoretical statistics and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wisniewski, Nicholas Andrew

This dissertation is divided into two parts. First we present an exact solution to a generalization of the Behrens-Fisher problem by embedding the problem in the Riemannian manifold of Normal distributions. From this we construct a geometric hypothesis testing scheme. Secondly we investigate the most commonly used geometric methods employed in tensor field interpolation for DT-MRI analysis and cardiac computer modeling. We computationally investigate a class of physiologically motivated orthogonal tensor invariants, both at the full tensor field scale and at the scale of a single interpolation by doing a decimation/interpolation experiment. We show that Riemannian-based methods give the best results in preserving desirable physiological features.

[FADCC in NIHS for prior consultation system of application of food additives].

PubMed

Akiyama, Hiroshi; Sato, Kyoko

2015-01-01

An increasing number of inquiries about application of food additives have been made from businesses in and outside Japan. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) is requested to expedite the procedure for designation and revision of use standards. In June 2014, the MHLW set up a center for consultation on application concerning food additives (Food Additive Designation Consultation Center, FADCC) in the National Institute of Health Sciences, aiming to smoothly and expeditiously handle clerical work for designation or revision of the use standards. FADCC gives advice on how to prepare documents on the information such as physicochemical characteristics, effectiveness, safety, daily intake and use standards, based on actual cases and experience.

"Sinkers" and "Floaters."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leyden, Michael B.

1996-01-01

Describes a science experiment that gives students experiences with the float-sink phenomena and allows them to practice what Piaget called formal operational thinking. The goal of the experiment is to determine some of the variables responsible for cans of soda sinking or floating. (TJQ)

Experiences of municipal public health nurses following Japan's earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster.

PubMed

Kayama, Mami; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi; Ohashi, Akiko; Horikoshi, Naoko; Kido, Yoshifumi; Murakata, Tazuko; Kawakami, Norito

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of municipal public health nurses in the wake of the March 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami and resulting nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan, from the time of the disaster until December 2013. Thirty-two public health nurses working in three cities in Fukushima prefecture were divided into four focus groups and took part in interviews, which were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive method. Two major themes were extracted: (1) experiences of difficulties and dilemmas, and (2) professional challenges and the meaning of excellence as a public health nurse. Subjects recounted their experiences based on the timeline of events. The process of overcoming various dilemmas--between prescribed roles and actual needs on the ground, being both civil servants and private citizens with families, and having to be publicly accountable while lacking adequate information--caused participants to reexamine the meaning of excellence in the practice of public health. The strenuous and complex demands of extended disaster management caused subjects to grow professionally. Helping them process their emotions should also help these nurses give focus to their posttraumatic growth, and strengthen their sense of professionalism. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Elevated correlations in neuronal ensembles of mouse auditory cortex following parturition.

PubMed

Rothschild, Gideon; Cohen, Lior; Mizrahi, Adi; Nelken, Israel

2013-07-31

The auditory cortex is malleable by experience. Previous studies of auditory plasticity have described experience-dependent changes in response profiles of single neurons or changes in global tonotopic organization. However, experience-dependent changes in the dynamics of local neural populations have remained unexplored. In this study, we examined the influence of a dramatic yet natural experience in the life of female mice, giving birth and becoming a mother on single neurons and neuronal ensembles in the primary auditory cortex (A1). Using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging and electrophysiological recordings from layer 2/3 in A1 of mothers and age-matched virgin mice, we monitored changes in the responses to a set of artificial and natural sounds. Population dynamics underwent large changes as measured by pairwise and higher-order correlations, with noise correlations increasing as much as twofold in lactating mothers. Concomitantly, changes in response properties of single neurons were modest and selective. Remarkably, despite the large changes in correlations, information about stimulus identity remained essentially the same in the two groups. Our results demonstrate changes in the correlation structure of neuronal activity as a result of a natural life event.

Conducting a qualitative child interview: methodological considerations.

PubMed

Kortesluoma, Riitta-Liisa; Hentinen, Maija; Nikkonen, Merja

2003-06-01

Studies of children have a long history, but the literature related to young children consists for the most part of studies on rather than with children and taking little account of what is regarded as significant and meaningful by children themselves. Researchers have relied almost exclusively on adults when collecting data about children's thoughts, feelings and experiences. Interviewing children, however, gives an opportunity to gain information about their subjective experiences. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the theoretical premises of child interviewing, as well as to describe some practical methodological solutions used during interviews. Factors that influence data gathered from children and strategies for taking these factors into consideration during the interview are also described. This paper is based on literature and the experience of one of the authors in interviewing children aged from 4 to 11 years about their experiences of pain. A consideration of literature dealing with the principles of child interviewing shows that there is surprisingly little guidance available on conversational methods involving children. The empirical and conceptual foundation for child interviewing is not very clear. Novice researchers especially may need recommendations about how to conduct a qualitative child interview. The method must suit both the purpose and the context.

Examining the Professional Development Experiences and Non-Technical Skills Desired for Geoscience Employment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houlton, H. R.; Ricci, J.; Wilson, C. E.; Keane, C.

2014-12-01

Professional development experiences, such as internships, research presentations and professional network building, are becoming increasingly important to enhance students' employability post-graduation. The practical, non-technical skills that are important for succeeding during these professional development experiences, such as public speaking, project management, ethical practices and writing, transition well and are imperative to the workplace. Thereby, graduates who have honed these skills are more competitive candidates for geoscience employment. Fortunately, the geoscience community recognizes the importance of these professional development opportunities and the skills required to successfully complete them, and are giving students the chance to practice non-technical skills while they are still enrolled in academic programs. The American Geosciences Institute has collected data regarding students' professional development experiences, including the preparation they receive in the corresponding non-technical skills. This talk will discuss the findings of two of AGI's survey efforts - the Geoscience Student Exit Survey and the Geoscience Careers Master's Preparation Survey (NSF: 1202707). Specifically, data highlighting the role played by internships, career opportunities and the complimentary non-technical skills will be discussed. As a practical guide, events informed by this research, such as AGI's professional development opportunities, networking luncheons and internships, will also be included.

Micrometeoroids and debris on LDEF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mandeville, Jean-Claude

1993-01-01

Two experiments within the French Cooperative Payload (FRECOPA) and devoted to the detection of cosmic dust were flown on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). A variety of sensors and collecting devices have made possible the study of impact processes on dedicated sensors and on materials of technological interest. Examination of hypervelocity impact features on these experiments gives valuable information on the size distribution and nature of interplanetary dust particles in low-Earth orbit (LEO), within the 0.5-300 micrometer size range. However no crater smaller than 1.5 microns has been observed, thus suggesting a cut-off in the near Earth particle distribution. Chemical investigation of craters by EDX clearly shows evidence of elements (Na, Mg, Si, S, Ca, and Fe) consistent with cosmic origin. However, remnants of orbital debris have been found in a few craters; this can be the result of particles in eccentric orbits about the Earth and of the 8 deg offset in the orientation of LDEF. Crater size distribution is compared with results from other dust experiments flown on LDEF and with current models. Possible origin and orbital evolution of micrometeoroids is discussed. Use of thin foil detectors for the chemical study of particle remnants looks promising for future experiments.

KSC-2012-2865

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Student investigator Emily Soice is interviewed by the media in the NASA Newsroom at Kennedy Space Center in Florida during prelaunch activities for the SpaceX demonstration test flight. Soice is an eighth-grade student at Johnston Middle School in Houston, Texas. Her experiment, “Hepatocyte Development in Bioscaffolds Infused with TGFB3 in Microgravity,” is one of 15 in the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, or SSEP, being ferried to the International Space Station inside the Dragon capsule. The launch will be the second demonstration test flight for SpaceX for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, or COTS. SSEP, which began operation in June 2010 through a partnership of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education with NanoRacks LLC, is a U.S. national science, technology, engineering and mathematics STEM education initiative that gives students across a community the opportunity to propose and design real experiments to fly in low Earth orbit. SSEP experiments flew on space shuttle missions STS-134 and STS-135 in 2011, the final flights of space shuttles Endeavour and Atlantis. For more information on SSEP, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/station-here-we-come.html. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

Extracting the Electron-Ion Temperature Relaxation Rate from Ion Stopping Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grabowski, Paul E.; Frenje, Johan A.; Benedict, Lorin X.

2016-10-01

Direct measurement of i-e equilibration rates at ICF-relevant conditions is a big challenge, as it is difficult to differentiate from other sinks and sources of energy, such as heat conduction and pdV work. Another method is to use information from ion stopping experiments. Such experiments at the OMEGA laser have made precision energy loss measurements of fusion products at these conditions. Combined with the multimonochromatic x-ray imager technique, which gives temporally and spatially resolved electron temperature and density, we have a robust stopping experiment. We propose to use such stopping measurements to assess the i-e temperature relaxation rate, since both processes involve energy exchange between electrons and ions. We require that the fusion products are 1) much faster than the thermal ions so that i-i collisions are negligible compared to i-e collisions and 2) slower than the thermal electrons so that the stopping obeys a linear friction law. Then the Coulomb logarithms associated with ion stopping and i-e temperature relaxation rate are identical and a measurement of the former provides the latter. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Cancer Patients' Self-Reported Attitudes About the Internet

PubMed Central

Knobf, M Tish; McCorkle, Ruth

2005-01-01

Background Increasing numbers of cancer patients are using the Internet, but little is known about their attitudes toward online health care. Objective The purpose of this substudy was to analyze cancer patients' attitudes toward online health care. Methods This was a substudy of 41 persons with cancer who used the Internet for health care information and support and who completed the Attitudes Toward Online Health Care (ATOHC) survey. Results The majority of study participants were married, held graduate degrees, and had high incomes. Using a five-point Likert scale, means for the five dimensions of the ATOHC survey were as follows: community and news 3.22 (SD = 1.01), outcomes 3.20 (SD = 1.08), trusted information and advice 2.73 (SD = 0.66), self-efficacy in evaluating information and intention 3.46 (SD = 0.65), and disclosure 3.15 (SD = 1.06). The average response fell between “About half the time” and “Usually.” Favorite websites for content were Medscape and WebMD, while favorite sites for support were WebMD and Mediconsult. Conclusions Respondents were generally eager to obtain and offer cancer information and support online, but they were skeptical of unknown sources. They were comfortable both giving and receiving information and support. Respondents were interested in the experiences of other patients and benefited by their direct and indirect interactions with them. Respondents felt that they coped better with their illness and experienced less uncertainty and anxiety as a result of their online experiences. They reported a certain level of trust, primarily for established reputable sources of information, and they were confident in their ability to evaluate the information, including research reports. In addition, cancer patients displayed a healthy skepticism when presented with the option of divulging their personal health information; however, they were willing to provide personal details if, as a result, a website provided them with individualized information. PMID:15998613

Evaluating Feedback Systems by Civil Service Employees. HRDV 6000 Integrated Studies in Human Resources Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-07-01

Specifically, it gives leaders an azimuth check in their self-awareness, Evaluating feedback systems by civil service employees 16 gives feedback to assist ...constructive feedback and that managers needed to be taught how to communicate with employees . Currently, DOE has run this program since 1996 and...providing employees with developmental information. Information that would be used to assist leaders in improving in both their managerial and

Customer systems group 1996 target summaries: Information systems and telecommunications. Revision 4

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

NONE

1995-06-15

The target summaries give planning information on the new business systems development; customer service applications and infrastructure; and advanced information systems and telecommunications research, architecture and standards factions of Information Systems & Telecommunications.

Adversity magnifies the importance of social information in decision-making.

PubMed

Pérez-Escudero, Alfonso; de Polavieja, Gonzalo G

2017-11-01

Decision-making theories explain animal behaviour, including human behaviour, as a response to estimations about the environment. In the case of collective behaviour, they have given quantitative predictions of how animals follow the majority option. However, they have so far failed to explain that in some species and contexts social cohesion increases when conditions become more adverse (i.e. individuals choose the majority option with higher probability when the estimated quality of all available options decreases). We have found that this failure is due to modelling simplifications that aided analysis, like low levels of stochasticity or the assumption that only one choice is the correct one. We provide a more general but simple geometric framework to describe optimal or suboptimal decisions in collectives that gives insight into three different mechanisms behind this effect. The three mechanisms have in common that the private information acts as a gain factor to social information: a decrease in the privately estimated quality of all available options increases the impact of social information, even when social information itself remains unchanged. This increase in the importance of social information makes it more likely that agents will follow the majority option. We show that these results quantitatively explain collective behaviour in fish and experiments of social influence in humans. © 2017 The Authors.

[What is important for Israeli women who give birth? Estimation of the preference structure using a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE)].

PubMed

Neuman, Tzahi; Neuman, Einat

2009-10-01

This article aims to estimate the preference structure of attributes of maternity-wards, as expressed by Israeli women who recently gave birth. The estimation is based on data generated by an experiment that simulates actual choices of hospital (Discrete Choice experiment). The sample includes 323 women who gave birth in the year 2003 in three large hospitals in the central part of Israel (The Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer; The Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva; and the Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba). It was found that the ranking of attributes (in a descending order in terms of importance) is: professionalism of the staff, attention of staff towards the patient, transfer of information, and travel time from residence to the hospital. Most women who gave birth did not care about the number of beds in the room at hospitalization (that represents the physical facilities). The technique used in this study is unique and can assist policymakers in allocation of funds, analysis of new policies even before they have been implemented and inclusion of new services.

Coherent control of single electrons: a review of current progress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bäuerle, Christopher; Glattli, D. Christian; Meunier, Tristan; Portier, Fabien; Roche, Patrice; Roulleau, Preden; Takada, Shintaro; Waintal, Xavier

2018-05-01

In this report we review the present state of the art of the control of propagating quantum states at the single-electron level and its potential application to quantum information processing. We give an overview of the different approaches that have been developed over the last few years in order to gain full control over a propagating single-electron in a solid-state system. After a brief introduction of the basic concepts, we present experiments on flying qubit circuits for ensemble of electrons measured in the low frequency (DC) limit. We then present the basic ingredients necessary to realise such experiments at the single-electron level. This includes a review of the various single-electron sources that have been developed over the last years and which are compatible with integrated single-electron circuits. This is followed by a review of recent key experiments on electron quantum optics with single electrons. Finally we will present recent developments in the new physics that has emerged using ultrashort voltage pulses. We conclude our review with an outlook and future challenges in the field.

Characterizing Background Events in Neutron Transmutation Doped Thermistors for CUORE-0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Suryabrata; Cuore Collaboration

2017-09-01

The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) is a ton-scale neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment operating at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS). The experiment is comprised of 988 TeO2 bolometric crystals arranged into 19 towers and operated at a temperature of 15 mK. A neutron-transmutation-doped (NTD) Ge thermistor measures the thermal response from particles incident on the crystals. However, bulk and surface contamination of the NTD thermistors themselves produce distorted thermal responses inside the thermistor volume. Although these pulses are efficiently removed from the double-beta decay analysis by pulse shape cuts, they can be used to extract information about thermistor contamination. I will present a multifaceted approach to characterize these events, in which I implement an improved hot-electron thermal model, Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations of background events, and data from a previous experiment, CUORE-0, reprocessed with a new optimal filter. Using this approach, rates and energy deposition from contamination inside the NTD thermistors are measured, giving us better understanding of a CUORE background source.

LASSO, two-way, and GPS time comparisons: A (very) preliminary status report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veillet, Christian J. L.; Feraudy, D.; Torre, J. M.; Mangin, J. F.; Grudler, P.; Baumont, Francoise S.; Gaignebet, Jean C.; Hatat, J. L.; Hanson, Wayne; Clements, A.

1990-01-01

The first results are presented on the time transfer experiments between TUG (Graz, Austria) and OCA (Grasse, France) using common view Global Positioning System (GPS) and two-way stations at both sites. The present data, providing arms of the clock offsets of 2 to 3 nanoseconds for a three month period, have to be further analyzed before any conclusions on the respective precision and accuracy of these techniques can be drawn. Two years after its start, the Laser Synchronization from Stationary Orbit (LASSO) experiment is finally giving its first results at TUG and OCA. The first analysis of three common sessions permitted researchers to conclude that the LASSO package on board Meteosat P2 is working satisfactorily, and that time transfer using this method should provide clock offsets at better than 1 nanosecond precision, and clock rates at better than 10(exp -12) s/s in a 5 to 10 minutes session. A new method for extracting this information from the raw data sent by LASSO should enhance the performances of this experiment, exploiting the stability of the on-board oscillator.

Human Development XIII: The Connection Between the Structure of the Overtone System and the Tone Language of Music. Some Implications for Our Understanding of the Human Brain

PubMed Central

Ventegodt, Søren; Hermansen, Tyge Dahl; Kandel, Isack; Merrick, Joav

2008-01-01

The functioning brain behaves like one highly-structured, coherent, informational field. It can be popularly described as a “coherent ball of energy”, making the idea of a local highly-structured quantum field that carries the consciousness very appealing. If that is so, the structure of the experience of music might be a quite unique window into a hidden quantum reality of the brain, and even of life itself. The structure of music is then a mirror of a much more complex, but similar, structure of the energetic field of the working brain. This paper discusses how the perception of music is organized in the human brain with respect to the known tone scales of major and minor. The patterns used by the brain seem to be similar to the overtones of vibrating matter, giving a positive experience of harmonies in major. However, we also like the minor scale, which can explain brain patterns as fractal-like, giving a symmetric “downward reflection” of the major scale into the minor scale. We analyze the implication of beautiful and ugly tones and harmonies for the model. We conclude that when it comes to simple perception of harmonies, the most simple is the most beautiful and the most complex is the most ugly, but in music, even the most disharmonic harmony can be beautiful, if experienced as a part of a dynamic release of musical tension. This can be taken as a general metaphor of painful, yet meaningful, and developing experiences in human life. PMID:18661052