Maxwell's demons realized in electronic circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koski, Jonne V.; Pekola, Jukka P.

2016-12-01

We review recent progress in making the former gedanken experiments of Maxwell's demon [1] into real experiments in a lab. In particular, we focus on realizations based on single-electron tunneling in electronic circuits. We first present how stochastic thermodynamics can be investigated in these circuits. Next we review recent experiments on an electron-based Szilard engine. Finally, we report on experiments on single-electron tunneling-based cooling, overviewing the recent realization of a Coulomb gap refrigerator, as well as an autonomous Maxwell's demon.

Human Resource Development and Training Strategies: The Experience and Results of the Eurotecnet Programme. Four Priority Fields of Focus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium). Directorate-General for Education, Training, and Youth.

The EUROTECNET program has been refocused to concentrate more on continuing vocational education as the area of greatest need across the European Community. Four priority fields or domains of innovative activity have been defined for the final 2 years of EUROTECNET. Priority domain 1 is innovative training needs analysis with a special focus on…

Education Quality and the Kenyan 8-4-4 Curriculum: Secondary School Learners' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milligan, Lizzi O.

2017-01-01

This article explores the implementation of Kenyan secondary education in rural Western Kenya, focusing on learners' experiences. One of the key challenges to educational quality is shown to be the size and breadth of the secondary education curriculum. Learners are in school 12 hours a day with those approaching their final exams working three to…

Ultrasonic brain therapy: First trans-skull in vivo experiments on sheep using adaptive focusing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pernot, Mathieu; Aubry, Jean-Francois; Tanter, Michael; Fink, Mathias; Boch, Anne-Laure; Kujas, Michèle

2004-05-01

A high-power prototype dedicated to trans-skull therapy has been tested in vivo on 20 sheep. The array is made of 200 high-power transducers working at 1-MHz central and is able to reach 260 bars at focus in water. An echographic array connected to a Philips HDI 1000 system has been inserted in the therapeutic array in order to perform real-time monitoring of the treatment. A complete craniotomy has been performed on half of the treated animal models in order to get a reference model. On the other animals, a minimally invasive surgery has been performed thanks to a time-reversal experiment: a hydrophone was inserted at the target inside the brain thanks to a 1-mm2 craniotomy. A time-reversal experiment was then conducted through the skull bone with the therapeutic array to treat the targeted point. For all the animals a specified region around the target was treated thanks to electronic beam steering. Animals were finally divided into three groups and sacrificed, respectively, 0, 1, and 2 weeks after treatment. Finally, histological examination confirmed tissue damage. These in vivo experiments highlight the strong potential of high-power time-reversal technology.

Genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators: using genetics and molecular design to understand complex physiology

PubMed Central

Kotlikoff, Michael I

2007-01-01

This article reviews genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GECIs), with a focus on the use of these novel molecules in the context of understanding complex cell signalling in mammals, in vivo. The review focuses on the advantages and limitations of specific GECI design strategies and the results of experiments in which these molecules have been expressed in transgenic mice, concentrating particularly on recent experiments from our laboratory in which physiological signalling could be monitored in vivo. Finally, newer strategies for effective genetic specification of GECIs are briefly reviewed. PMID:17038427

Electron effects in the Neutralized Transport Experiment (NTX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eylon, S.; Henestroza, E.; Roy, P. K.; Yu, S. S.

2005-05-01

The Neutralized Transport Experiment (NTX) at the Heavy Ion Fusion Virtual National Laboratory is exploring the performance of neutralized final focus systems for high-perveance heavy ion beams. To focus a high-intensity beam to a small spot requires a high-brightness beam. In the NTX experiment, a potassium ion beam of up to 400 keV and 80 mA is generated in a Pierce-type diode. At the diode exit, an aperture with variable opening provides the capability to vary the beam perveance. The beam is transported through four quadrupole magnets to a distance of 2.5 m. The beam can be neutralized and focused using a MEVVA plasma plug and a RF plasma source. We shall report on the measurement of the electron effects and the ways to mitigate the effects. Furthermore, we shall present the results of EGUN calculations consistent with the measurements effects of the electrons.

Theory and Experimental Program for p-B11 Fusion with the Dense Plasma Focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerner, Eric J.; Krupakar Murali, S.; Haboub, A.

2011-10-01

Lawrenceville Plasma Physics Inc. has initiated a 2-year-long experimental project to test the scientific feasibility of achieving controlled fusion using the dense plasma focus (DPF) device with hydrogen-boron (p-B11) fuel. The goals of the experiment are: first, to confirm the achievement of high ion and electron energies observed in previous experiments from 2001; second, to greatly increase the efficiency of energy transfer into the plasmoid where the fusion reactions take place; third, to achieve the high magnetic fields (>1 GG) needed for the quantum magnetic field effect, which will reduce cooling of the plasma by X-ray emission; and finally, to use p-B11 fuel to demonstrate net energy gain. The experiments are being conducted with a newly constructed dense plasma focus in Middlesex, NJ which is expected to generate peak currents in excess of 2 MA. Some preliminary results are reported.

Career Ladders and Teacher Incentives: The Utah Experiment. Part I: The Implementation. Final Report: Secretary's Discretionary Program Implementation Grant to Develop Teacher Incentive Structures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Ken; Kauchak, Don

This volume, the first of two reports on development of teacher incentive structures, focuses on implementation of a career ladder design and teacher evaluation experiment in four Utah school districts. The report has five sections. Section 1 describes study background and implementation of an evaluation-reward system that featured data collection…

Issues and opportunities: beam simulations for heavy ion fusion

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

Friedman, A

1999-07-15

UCRL- JC- 134975 PREPRINT code offering 3- D, axisymmetric, and ''transverse slice'' (steady flow) geometries, with a hierarchy of models for the ''lattice'' of focusing, bending, and accelerating elements. Interactive and script- driven code steering is afforded through an interpreter interface. The code runs with good parallel scaling on the T3E. Detailed simulations of machine segments and of complete small experiments, as well as simplified full- system runs, have been carried out, partially benchmarking the code. A magnetoinductive model, with module impedance and multi- beam effects, is under study. experiments, including an injector scalable to multi- beam arrays, a high-more » current beam transport and acceleration experiment, and a scaled final- focusing experiment. These ''phase I'' projects are laying the groundwork for the next major step in HIF development, the Integrated Research Experiment (IRE). Simulations aimed directly at the IRE must enable us to: design a facility with maximum power on target at minimal cost; set requirements for hardware tolerances, beam steering, etc.; and evaluate proposed chamber propagation modes. Finally, simulations must enable us to study all issues which arise in the context of a fusion driver, and must facilitate the assessment of driver options. In all of this, maximum advantage must be taken of emerging terascale computer architectures, requiring an aggressive code development effort. An organizing principle should be pursuit of the goal of integrated and detailed source- to- target simulation. methods for analysis of the beam dynamics in the various machine concepts, using moment- based methods for purposes of design, waveform synthesis, steering algorithm synthesis, etc. Three classes of discrete- particle models should be coupled: (1) electrostatic/ magnetoinductive PIC simulations should track the beams from the source through the final- focusing optics, passing details of the time- dependent distribution function to (2) electromagnetic or magnetoinductive PIC or hybrid PIG/ fluid simulations in the fusion chamber (which would finally pass their particle trajectory information to the radiation- hydrodynamics codes used for target design); in parallel, (3) detailed PIC, delta- f, core/ test- particle, and perhaps continuum Vlasov codes should be used to study individual sections of the driver and chamber very carefully; consistency may be assured by linking data from the PIC sequence, and knowledge gained may feed back into that sequence.« less

POLAR/CEPPAD Data Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, D. N.; Hoffman, R. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This final report provides a final report on a NASA sponsored project involving data reduction and scientific analysis related to the Comprehensive Energetic Particle Pitch Angle Distribution (CEPPAD) experiment of POLAR. Dr. D.N. Baker, the chief scientist, has focused primarily on the calibration of CEPPAD sensors and the interpretation of data from the sensors which has led to discoveries regarding storm-substorm relationships in the earth's magnetosphere. The report contains approximately 190 bibliographic references to the activities of Baker and others involved.

FINAL DESIGN REVIEW REPORT Subcritical Experiments Gen 2, 3-ft Confinement Vessel Weldment

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

Romero, Christopher

A Final Design Review (FDR) of the Subcritical Experiments (SCE) Gen 2, 3-ft. Confinement Vessel Weldment was held at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) on September 14, 2017. The review was a focused review on changes only to the confinement vessel weldment (versus a system design review). The changes resulted from lessons-learned in fabricating and inspecting the current set of confinement vessels used for the SCE Program. The baseline 3-ft. confinement vessel weldment design has successfully been used (to date) for three (3) high explosive (HE) over-tests, two (2) fragment tests, and five (5) integral HE experiments. The design teammore » applied lessons learned from fabrication and inspection of these vessel weldments to enhance fit-up, weldability, inspection, and fitness for service evaluations. The review team consisted of five (5) independent subject matter experts with engineering design, analysis, testing, fabrication, and inspection experience. The« less

What Do Final Year Medical Students Understand by the Concept of Recovery? A Descriptive Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Newton-Howes, Giles; Beverley, Georgia; Ellis, Pete M; Gordon, Sarah; Levack, William

2018-06-01

Traditional teaching in psychiatry does little to address recovery concepts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incorporation of a recovery-focused teaching program for medical students in psychiatry. Recovery, as understood by medical students who had participated in a recovery-focused teaching program, was assessed by thematic analysis of recovery-focused assessment reflections. Six major themes emerged from the recovery reflections from final year medical students are as follows: (1) recovery as a person-centered approach, (2) the need for social integration, (3) non-diagnostic framing of mental illness, (4) tensions between the medical model and personal recovery, (5) a patient's willingness to engage with mental health services, and (6) the development of a positive sense of self. A recovery teaching program was associated with students expressing knowledge of recovery principles and positive attitudes towards people with experience of mental illness. Psychiatric placements for medical students may benefit from a recovery focus.

Final Comments from Professors George and Beane.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beane, James; George, Paul S.

1996-01-01

Concludes this journal focus section on curriculum integration with transcripts of questions asked by conference attendees and answers by Professors Beane and George. Areas addressed included experience levels with children and teachers, studies that point to the failure of curriculum integration, and how teachers can continue curriculum…

MRT letter: Guided filtering of image focus volume for 3D shape recovery of microscopic objects.

PubMed

Mahmood, Muhammad Tariq

2014-12-01

In this letter, a shape from focus (SFF) method is proposed that utilizes the guided image filtering to enhance the image focus volume efficiently. First, image focus volume is computed using a conventional focus measure. Then each layer of image focus volume is filtered using guided filtering. In this work, the all-in-focus image, which can be obtained from the initial focus volume, is used as guidance image. Finally, improved depth map is obtained from the filtered image focus volume by maximizing the focus measure along the optical axis. The proposed SFF method is efficient and provides better depth maps. The improved performance is highlighted by conducting several experiments using image sequences of simulated and real microscopic objects. The comparative analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed SFF method. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Consequences of Arizona's immigration policy on social capital among Mexican mothers with unauthorized immigration status

PubMed Central

Valdez, Carmen R.; Padilla, Brian; Valentine, Jessa Lewis

2013-01-01

This study explores the consequences of increasingly restrictive immigration policies on social capital among Mexican mothers with unauthorized immigrant status in Arizona. Three focus groups conducted in Arizona explore how mothers’ experiences with immigration policies have affected their neighborhood, community, and family ties. Focus group content and interactions revealed that perceived racial profiling was common among mothers and led to fear of family separation. Several described direct experiences with detention and deportation. Although detention and deportation strengthened social ties between mothers and other unauthorized immigrants, these experiences were detrimental to social ties between mothers and members of the mainstream society, including their children's teachers. Finally, immigration policies were perceived to affect parent-child ties negatively, as mothers reported family stress, financial hardship, and decreased parental availability. PMID:24371370

A Comparison of Maternal and Paternal Experiences of Becoming Parents of a Very Preterm Infant.

PubMed

Provenzi, Livio; Barello, Serena; Fumagalli, Monica; Graffigna, Guendalina; Sirgiovanni, Ida; Savarese, Mariarosaria; Montirosso, Rosario

2016-01-01

To compare maternal and paternal experiences of very preterm (VPT) birth (gestational age < 32 weeks) and the NICU stay. Qualitative study. Data collection took place at parents' homes 3 to 6 months after NICU discharge. Ten parental couples participated in the study (20 parents). All VPT infants were healthy, without any neonatal or postnatal complications or injuries. Computer-assisted content analysis was used to highlight thematic clusters from parents' narratives, which were labeled through qualitative interpretation. Two main dimensions (Adjustment Process to Preterm Birth and Parental Role Assumption) and three main thematic clusters (Facing the Unexpected, Learning to Parent, and Finally Back Home) described the parental experience. Mothers focused mostly on the Finally Back Home cluster, which was characterized by moderate levels of adjustment to preterm birth and by awareness of their own maternal roles. Fathers focused mostly on the Learning to Parent cluster, which was characterized by low to moderate levels of adjustment to preterm birth and by a limited assumption of paternal role. To our knowledge, this study is unique in that we compared mothers and fathers who experienced the VPT births of their infants and described their experiences of the NICU stay. We found that the VPT birth experience for parents involves a dynamic adjustment. Differences in maternal and paternal experiences may indicate the need for tailored supportive interventions in the NICU. Copyright © 2016 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Collaborative Technologies: Three Ways Web Conferencing is Transforming PD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raths, David

2013-01-01

The first five articles of this series on technologies that enable collaboration, highlighted ways to foster shared learning experiences among students. For this, the final installment, focus is shifted to teachers. States, districts, and groups of teachers are enhancing their collaboration opportunities through synchronous online meetings and…

Intellectual Competition and the Female Student. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zanna, Mark P.

Recent attention has been focused on the possibility that some women may fear success in competitive achievement situations. The present research suggested that fear of success might be mediated by an anxiety process of a self-presentational process. Experiments were conducted which attempted to distinguish between the two. In addition, studies…

Implementation of Effective Capstone Projects in Undergraduate Manufacturing Design Engineering Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viswanathan, Shekar

2017-01-01

Final program projects (capstone course) in manufacturing design engineering technology at National University are intensive experiences in critical thinking and analysis, designed to broaden students' perspectives and provide an opportunity for integration of coursework in the area of manufacturing design engineering. This paper focuses on three…

A multi-focus image fusion method via region mosaicking on Laplacian pyramids

PubMed Central

Kou, Liang; Zhang, Liguo; Sun, Jianguo; Han, Qilong; Jin, Zilong

2018-01-01

In this paper, a method named Region Mosaicking on Laplacian Pyramids (RMLP) is proposed to fuse multi-focus images that is captured by microscope. First, the Sum-Modified-Laplacian is applied to measure the focus of multi-focus images. Then the density-based region growing algorithm is utilized to segment the focused region mask of each image. Finally, the mask is decomposed into a mask pyramid to supervise region mosaicking on a Laplacian pyramid. The region level pyramid keeps more original information than the pixel level. The experiment results show that RMLP has best performance in quantitative comparison with other methods. In addition, RMLP is insensitive to noise and can reduces the color distortion of the fused images on two datasets. PMID:29771912

The Acquisition of English Focus Marking by Non-Native Speakers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Rachel Elizabeth

This dissertation examines Mandarin and Korean speakers' acquisition of English focus marking, which is realized by accenting particular words within a focused constituent. It is important for non-native speakers to learn how accent placement relates to focus in English because appropriate accent placement and realization makes a learner's English more native-like and easier to understand. Such knowledge may also improve their English comprehension skills. In this study, 20 native English speakers, 20 native Mandarin speakers, and 20 native Korean speakers participated in four experiments: (1) a production experiment, in which they were recorded reading the answers to questions, (2) a perception experiment, in which they were asked to determine which word in a recording was the last prominent word, (3) an understanding experiment, in which they were asked whether the answers in recorded question-answer pairs had context-appropriate prosody, and (4) an accent placement experiment, in which they were asked which word they would make prominent in a particular context. Finally, a new group of native English speakers listened to utterances produced in the production experiment, and determined whether the prosody of each utterance was appropriate for its context. The results of the five experiments support a novel predictive model for second language prosodic focus marking acquisition. This model holds that both transfer of linguistic features from a learner's native language (L1) and features of their second language (L2) affect learners' acquisition of prosodic focus marking. As a result, the model includes two complementary components: the Transfer Component and the L2 Challenge Component. The Transfer Component predicts that prosodic structures in the L2 will be more easily acquired by language learners that have similar structures in their L1 than those who do not, even if there are differences between the L1 and L2 in how the structures are realized. The L2 Challenge Component predicts that for difficult tasks, language learners will rely on widely-applied prosodic patterns, making them more successful at prosodically marking broad focus than narrow focus. However, for easy tasks, language learners will more successfully mark information structures that have a more direct relationship between focus and accent placement.

The long journey to the Higgs boson and beyond at the LHC: Emphasis on ATLAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenni, Peter

2016-09-01

The journey in search for the Higgs boson with the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN started more than two decades ago. But the first discussions motivating the LHC project dream date back even further into the 1980s. This article will recall some of these early historical considerations, mention some of the LHC machine milestones and achievements, focus as an example of a technological challenge on the unique ATLAS superconducting magnet system, and then give an account of the physics results so far, leading to, and featuring particularly, the Higgs boson results, and sketching finally prospects for the future. With its emphasis on the ATLAS experiment it is complementary to the preceding article by Tejinder S. Virdee which focused on the CMS experiment.

The Long Journey to the Higgs Boson and Beyond at the LHC Part II: Emphasis on ATLAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenni, Peter

The journey in search for the Higgs boson with the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN started more than two decades ago. But the first discussions motivating the LHC project dream date back even further into the 1980s. This article will recall some of these early historical considerations, mention some of the LHC machine milestones and achievements, focus as an example of a technological challenge on the unique ATLAS superconducting magnet system, and then give an account of the physics results so far, leading to, and featuring particularly, the Higgs boson results, and sketching finally prospects for the future. With its emphasis on the ATLAS experiment it is complementary to the preceding article by Tejinder S. Virdee which focused on the CMS experiment.

Beyond Academics: Conquering Senioritis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rehage, Larry; Dreis, Janice

2009-01-01

Many educators complain that the blight of senioritis and the absence of rigor and relevance prevent the final year of high school from being the capstone year it should be. Helping seniors focus on the life-changing transition they are about to experience is an effective strategy for engaging seniors and infusing relevance and rigor in a profound…

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

Kalantar, D.

This document provides information on the distribution of unconverted light in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) target chamber with the wedged final focus lens that has been adopted by the NIF project. It includes a comparison of the wedged lens configuration with the color separation grating (CSG). There are significant benefits to the wedged lens design as it greatly simplifies experiment design.

Redefining Employability: Student Voices Mapping Their Dance Journeys and Futures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higdon, Rachel Delta; Stevens, Jayne

2017-01-01

This paper explores dance students' understanding of employability and their views about their dance futures in order to inform higher education curricula and workforce development. The investigation focuses on the student experience on a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree course in Dance at an English university. First and final year undergraduate…

Youth Intervention for Peace Project: Burundi Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigirindavyi, Jean-Paul

2004-01-01

The experience of Rwanda's genocide in 1994 shocked the world into disbelief as Western media finally focused their attention on the region's ongoing conflict. Yet little is being done today to prevent the reproduction of a parallel disaster in its twin country, Burundi, where similar conflict patterns may spark another intensely violent civil…

Thinking about Evolution: Combinatorial Play as a Strategy for Exercising Scientific Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wingate, Richard J. T.

2011-01-01

An enduring focus in education on how scientists formulate experiments and "do science" in the laboratory has excluded a vital element of scientific practice: the creative and imaginative thinking that generates models and testable hypotheses. In this case study, final-year biomedical sciences university students were invited to create and justify…

Dalitz plot analysis of the D+→K-π+π+ decay in the FOCUS experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Link, J. M.; Yager, P. M.; Anjos, J. C.; Bediaga, I.; Castromonte, C.; Machado, A. A.; Magnin, J.; Massafferri, A.; de Miranda, J. M.; Pepe, I. M.; Polycarpo, E.; Dos Reis, A. C.; Carrillo, S.; Casimiro, E.; Cuautle, E.; Sánchez-Hernández, A.; Uribe, C.; Vázquez, F.; Agostino, L.; Cinquini, L.; Cumalat, J. P.; Frisullo, V.; O'Reilly, B.; Segoni, I.; Stenson, K.; Butler, J. N.; Cheung, H. W. K.; Chiodini, G.; Gaines, I.; Garbincius, P. H.; Garren, L. A.; Gottschalk, E.; Kasper, P. H.; Kreymer, A. E.; Kutschke, R.; Wang, M.; Benussi, L.; Bianco, S.; Fabbri, F. L.; Zallo, A.; Reyes, M.; Cawlfield, C.; Kim, D. Y.; Rahimi, A.; Wiss, J.; Gardner, R.; Kryemadhi, A.; Chung, Y. S.; Kang, J. S.; Ko, B. R.; Kwak, J. W.; Lee, K. B.; Cho, K.; Park, H.; Alimonti, G.; Barberis, S.; Boschini, M.; Cerutti, A.; D'Angelo, P.; Dicorato, M.; Dini, P.; Edera, L.; Erba, S.; Inzani, P.; Leveraro, F.; Malvezzi, S.; Menasce, D.; Mezzadri, M.; Moroni, L.; Pedrini, D.; Pontoglio, C.; Prelz, F.; Rovere, M.; Sala, S.; Davenport, T. F.; Arena, V.; Boca, G.; Bonomi, G.; Gianini, G.; Liguori, G.; Lopes Pegna, D.; Merlo, M. M.; Pantea, D.; Ratti, S. P.; Riccardi, C.; Vitulo, P.; Göbel, C.; Otalora, J.; Hernandez, H.; Lopez, A. M.; Mendez, H.; Paris, A.; Quinones, J.; Ramirez, J. E.; Zhang, Y.; Wilson, J. R.; Handler, T.; Mitchell, R.; Engh, D.; Hosack, M.; Johns, W. E.; Luiggi, E.; Nehring, M.; Sheldon, P. D.; Vaandering, E. W.; Webster, M.; Sheaff, M.; Pennington, M. R.; Focus Collaboration

2007-09-01

Using data collected by the high-energy photoproduction experiment FOCUS at Fermilab we performed a Dalitz plot analysis of the Cabibbo favored decay D+ →K-π+π+. This study uses 53653 Dalitz-plot events with a signal fraction of ∼ 97%, and represents the highest statistics, most complete Dalitz plot analysis for this channel. Results are presented and discussed using two different formalisms. The first is a simple sum of Breit-Wigner functions with freely fitted masses and widths. It is the model traditionally adopted and serves as comparison with the already published analyses. The second uses a K-matrix approach for the dominant S-wave, in which the parameters are fixed by first fitting Kπ scattering data and continued to threshold by Chiral Perturbation Theory. We show that the Dalitz plot distribution for this decay is consistent with the assumption of two-body dominance of the final state interactions and the description of these interactions is in agreement with other data on the Kπ final state.

Pursuing Personal Passion: Learner-Centered Research Mentoring.

PubMed

Phillips, William R

2018-01-01

New researchers often face difficulty finding and focusing research questions. I describe a new tool for research mentoring, the Pursuing Personal Passion (P3) interview, and a systematic approach to help learners organize their curiosity and develop researchable questions aligned with their personal and professional priorities. The learner-centered P3 research interview parallels the patient-centered clinical interview. This paper reviews experience with 27 research mentees over the years 2009 to 2016, using the P3 approach to identify their initial research topics, classify their underlying passions and track the evolution into their final research questions. These researchers usually identified one of three personal passions that provided lenses to focus their research: problem, person, or process. Initial research topics focused on: problem (24%, 6), person (48%, 12) and process (28%, 7). Final research questions evolved into: problem (20%, 5), person (32%, 8) and process (48%, 12). Identification of the underlying passion can lead researchers who start with one general topic to develop it into very different research questions. Using this P3 approach, mentors can help new researchers focus their interests into researchable questions, successful studies, and organized programs of scholarship.

US plant and radiation dosimetry experiments flown on the soviet satellite COSMOS 1129. Final report

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

Heinrich, M.R.; Souza, K.A.

1981-05-01

Experiments included: 30 young male Wistar SPF rats used for wide range physiological studies Kosmos Satellites experiments with plants, fungi, insects, and mammalian tissue cultures; radiation physics experiments; a heat convection study; a rat embryology experiment in which an attempt was made to breed 2 male and 5 female rats during the flight; and fertile quail eggs used to determine the effects of spaceflight on avian embryogenesis. Specimens for US experiments were initially prepared at the recovery site or in Moscow and transferred to US laboratories for complete analyses. An overview of the mission focusing on preflight, on orbit, andmore » postflight activities pertinent to the fourteen US experiments aboard Cosmos 1129 is presented.« less

Development of Literacy Follow-up Materials on Agricultural Vocational Training (Horticulture and Animal Raising) for Adults in Rural Areas. Final Report. Regional Workshop on the Preparation of Literacy Follow-up Materials in Asia and the Pacific (11th, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, November 22-December 3, 1993).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

This final report contains the proceedings and other materials from a workshop to provide training experience in literacy follow-up materials development to participants from UNESCO member states in the Asia and Pacific region. Focus is on practical agricultural training for adults. The proceedings discuss the objectives of the workshop and…

Enhanced collective focusing of intense neutralized ion beam pulses in the presence of weak solenoidal magnetic fields

DOE PAGES

Dorf, Mikhail A.; Davidson, Ronald C.; Kaganovich, Igor D.; ...

2012-05-31

In this study, the design of ion drivers for warm dense matter and high energy density physics applications and heavy ion fusion involves transverse focusing and longitudinal compression of intense ion beams to a small spot size on the target. To facilitate the process, the compression occurs in a long drift section filled with a dense background plasma, which neutralizes the intense beam self-fields. Typically, the ion bunch charge is better neutralized than its current, and as a result a net self-pinching (magnetic) force is produced. The self-pinching effect is of particular practical importance, and is used in various ionmore » driver designs in order to control the transverse beam envelope. In the present work we demonstrate that this radial self-focusing force can be significantly enhanced if a weak (B~100 G) solenoidal magnetic field is applied inside the neutralized drift section, thus allowing for substantially improved transport. It is shown that in contrast to magnetic self-pinching, the enhanced collective self-focusing has a radial electric field component and occurs as a result of the overcompensation of the beam charge by plasmaelectrons, whereas the beam current becomes well-neutralized. As the beam leaves the neutralizing drift section, additional transverse focusing can be applied. For instance, in the neutralized drift compression experiments (NDCX) a strong (several Tesla) final focus solenoid is used for this purpose. In the present analysis we propose that the tight final focus in the NDCX experiments may possibly be achieved by using a much weaker (few hundred Gauss) magnetic lens, provided the ion beam carries an equal amount of co-moving neutralizing electrons from the preceding drift section into the lens. In this case the enhanced focusing is provided by the collective electrondynamics strongly affected by a weak applied magnetic field.« less

Exploring the experiences and implementing strategies for physiotherapy students who perceive they have been bullied or harassed on clinical placements: participatory action research.

PubMed

Thomson, Di; Patterson, David; Chapman, Hannah; Murray, Louise; Toner, Maeve; Hassenkamp, Anne-Marie

2017-03-01

To explore and empower physiotherapy students who reported being bullied or harassed on clinical placements by co-developing, implementing and evaluating strategies that could be adopted by the university. A participatory action research design was employed. Two focus groups were carried out involving 5 final year physiotherapy students. In the first focus group negative experiences were discussed and coping strategies suggested for their penultimate placement. A second focus group was held following the students' final placement when these strategies were evaluated and further ones proposed. A thematic analysis of the data was carried out. Four themes and sub-themes emerged from the analysis. The four themes were negative experiences on placement, coping strategies, the role of the visiting tutor and the assessment. The students' highlighted various degrees of threat to their efficacy and in most cases could draw upon a suggested 'tool box' of coping strategies. They all agreed that serious cases of harassment require wider support from the University senior management team which should be clearly documented. The role of the visiting tutor was deemed to be critical in these situations and recommendations were made regarding this role and the assessment of placements. Students understand that they are going to be assessed before achieving their professional qualification and in essence they will always find themselves in a hierarchical position but equally fairness must prevail and it is important and that there are clear avenues for them to seek support. Copyright © 2016 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inquiring into Pre-Service Content Area Teachers' Development of Literacy Practices and Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitton Kukner, Jennifer; Murray Orr, Anne

2015-01-01

The focus of this qualitative multi-year case study is on preservice teachers' experiences related to the development of their literacy practices in teaching high school science, math, social studies and other content area courses during their final field placement in a teacher education program. Results indicate tangible indicators of overall…

Assessment as a Barrier in Developing Design Expertise: Interior Design Student Perceptions of Meanings and Sources of Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Kennon M.

2013-01-01

This article reports on a portion of a larger qualitative study focused on a group of interior design students' perceptions of their educational experiences. Twelve interior design students enrolled in their final studio course participated in interviews intended to elicit their perceptions of key barriers encountered during their undergraduate…

Development of a Checklist for Assessing Good Hygiene Practices of Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables Using Focus Group Interviews.

PubMed

Araújo, Jane A M; Esmerino, Erick A; Alvarenga, Verônica O; Cappato, Leandro P; Hora, Iracema C; Silva, Marcia Cristina; Freitas, Monica Q; Pimentel, Tatiana C; Walter, Eduardo H M; Sant'Ana, Anderson S; Cruz, Adriano G

2018-03-01

This study aimed to develop a checklist for good hygiene practices (GHP) for raw material of vegetable origin using the focus groups (FGs) approach (n = 4). The final checklist for commercialization of horticultural products totaled 28 questions divided into six blocks, namely: water supply; hygiene, health, and training; waste control; control of pests; packaging and traceability; and hygiene of facilities and equipment. The FG methodology was efficient to elaborate a participatory and objective checklist, based on minimum hygiene requirements, serving as a tool for diagnosis, planning, and training in GHP of fresh vegetables, besides contributing to raise awareness of the consumers' food safety. The FG methodology provided useful information to establish the final checklist for GHP, with easy application, according to the previous participants' perception and experience.

Bodies obliged and unbound: differentiated response tendencies for injunctive and descriptive social norms.

PubMed

Jacobson, Ryan P; Mortensen, Chad R; Cialdini, Robert B

2011-03-01

The authors suggest that injunctive and descriptive social norms engage different psychological response tendencies when made selectively salient. On the basis of suggestions derived from the focus theory of normative conduct and from consideration of the norms' functions in social life, the authors hypothesized that the 2 norms would be cognitively associated with different goals, would lead individuals to focus on different aspects of self, and would stimulate different levels of conflict over conformity decisions. Additionally, a unique role for effortful self-regulation was hypothesized for each type of norm-used as a means to resist conformity to descriptive norms but as a means to facilitate conformity for injunctive norms. Four experiments supported these hypotheses. Experiment 1 demonstrated differences in the norms' associations to the goals of making accurate/efficient decisions and gaining/maintaining social approval. Experiment 2 provided evidence that injunctive norms lead to a more interpersonally oriented form of self-awareness and to a greater feeling of conflict about conformity decisions than descriptive norms. In the final 2 experiments, conducted in the lab (Experiment 3) and in a naturalistic environment (Experiment 4), self-regulatory depletion decreased conformity to an injunctive norm (Experiments 3 and 4) and increased conformity to a descriptive norm (Experiment 4)-even though the norms advocated identical behaviors. By illustrating differentiated response tendencies for each type of social norm, this research provides new and converging support for the focus theory of normative conduct. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved

From access to success in science: An academic-student affairs intervention for undergraduate freshmen biology students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aldridge, Jacqueline Nouvelle

The first year experience is known to present an array of challenges for traditional college students. In particular, freshmen who major in a STEM discipline have their own unique set of challenges when they transition from high school science and math to college science and math; especially chemistry. As a result, students may encounter negative experiences which lower academic and social confidence. This project was designed as a pilot study intervention for a small group of freshmen biology students who were considered academically at-risk due their math SAT scores. The study occurred during the fall semester involving an enhanced active learning component based on the Peer-led Team Learning (PLTL) general chemistry supplemental pedagogy model, and a biology-focused First Year Experience (FYE). PLTL workshops took place in freshmen residence halls, creating a live-n-learn community environment. Mid-term and final chemistry grades and final math grades were collected to measure academic progress. Self-reporting surveys and journals were used to encourage participants to reconstruct their experiences and perceptions of the study. Descriptive analysis was performed to measure statistical significance between midterm and final grade performance, and a general inductive qualitative method was used to determine academic and social confidence as well as experiences and perceptions of the project. Findings of this project revealed a statistically significant improvement between chemistry midterm and final grades of the sample participants. Although academic confidence did not increase, results reveal that social confidence progressed as the majority of students developed a value for studying in groups.

"Sounds like something a white man should be doing": Academic identity in African American female engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stitt, Rashunda LaRuth

This study exposed the way African American female engineering students constructed their academic identities by focusing on their lived experiences. Participants included nine engineering students at Mid-South University (pseudonym) who identified as African American females. Participants were required to sit for one semi-structured academic life history interview that focused on their academic experiences from early childhood to present. This study employed two levels of theory in order to obtain a comprehensive view of participants' experiences. Black feminist theory, which accounts for the intersectionality of participants' race and gender, served as the macro level theory and academic identity, which accounts for the individual's sense of identity within an academic context, served as the mid-level theory. I engaged in thematic analysis, narrative analysis, and creative analytic practice in order to highlight similarities between participants' stories, differences between participants' experiences, and to make this research accessible to individuals outside of academia. As a result, the following three themes emerged to highlight the similarities between participants: (a) just because you struggle, does not mean you should quit; (b) engineering is something you cannot do alone; and (c) I can be creative and do math and science? That's cool! Narrative analysis exposed the academic identity statuses of participants to be either identity achieved, identity moratorium, identity foreclosed or identity diffused. The final piece of analysis involved creating a play that highlights the experiences of an African American girl's pursuit of her engineering degree. Additionally, the final chapter provides conclusions, implications, suggestions for future research, and limitations of the current study.

Perspectives of Canadian Final-Year Physiotherapy Students on Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy as a Career Choice

PubMed Central

Araujo, Tamara; Romano, Julia Marie; Camp, Pat G.; Hall, Mark; Mathur, Sunita; Brooks, Dina

2016-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the opinions of final-year Canadian physiotherapy students of cardiorespiratory physiotherapy (CRP) and the factors influencing their decision about whether to pursue a career in CRP. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by final-year Master of Science of Physical Therapy students from three of the largest English-speaking physiotherapy schools in Canada. Results: A total of 120 students responded to the survey (overall response rate was 44%). Fifteen students (12.5%) responded that they were extremely or quite interested in specializing in CRP. The most common factors that positively influenced students' decision to consider specializing in CRP were job accessibility, potential salary, and experiences in the area, and the most common factors that negatively influenced their decision were the clinical aspects of the area, their experiences in the area, job accessibility, and the influence of others. The most common factors that positively influenced students' opinion of CRP were their clinical supervisor, educator, or lecturer; their own clinical experience; and evidence in the literature, and the most common factors that negatively influenced their opinion were their own clinical experience and their peers. Conclusion: Strategies focusing on increasing awareness of the role of physiotherapists in the care of patients with cardiorespiratory conditions, exposing students to the positive impact that physiotherapists have in this practice area, and good mentorship experiences may promote the attractiveness of this specialty. PMID:27909378

Difficulties Encountered by Final-Year Male Nursing Students in Their Internship Programmes

PubMed Central

Al-Momani, Mohammed Mahmoud

2017-01-01

Background The cultural norms of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia do not encourage men to choose nursing as a career. Understanding male nursing students’ experiences of their clinical exposure to the nursing profession throughout their internship might increase their retention. This study explored the experiences of final-year male nursing students as they transitioned to the role of registered nurse. Methods A qualitative descriptive research design with an inductive content-analysis approach was used. The experiences of 22 final-year male nursing students from three public hospitals in a major city of Saudi Arabia were explored. The data were collected using focus-group interviews and documentary analysis in March 2015 and May 2015. Results Content analysis revealed three major themes: the societal and cultural image of male nurses, male students’ engagement in nursing practice, and restructuring the internship programmes’ policies to suit male students’ needs. Conclusion The findings reveal issues that mainly stem from negative social views of nursing as a male profession. Considering the students’ social and cultural needs during their internship programme will facilitate their transition into the role of registered nurse and their retention in the nursing profession. PMID:28951687

Three-Dimensional User Interfaces for Immersive Virtual Reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

vanDam, Andries

1997-01-01

The focus of this grant was to experiment with novel user interfaces for immersive Virtual Reality (VR) systems, and thus to advance the state of the art of user interface technology for this domain. Our primary test application was a scientific visualization application for viewing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) datasets. This technology has been transferred to NASA via periodic status reports and papers relating to this grant that have been published in conference proceedings. This final report summarizes the research completed over the past year, and extends last year's final report of the first three years of the grant.

Final report: Constructing comprehensive models of grain boundaries using high-throughput experiments

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

Demkowicz, Michael; Schuh, Christopher; Marzouk, Youssef

2016-08-29

This is the final report on project DE-SC0008926. The goal of this project was to create capabilities for constructing, analyzing, and modeling experimental databases of the crystallographic characters and physical properties of thousands of individual grain boundaries (GBs) in polycrystalline metals. This project focused on gallium permeation through aluminum (Al) GBs and hydrogen uptake into nickel (Ni) GBs as model problems. This report summarizes the work done within the duration of this project (including the original three-year award and the subsequent one-year renewal), i.e. from August 1, 2012 until April 30, 2016.

On data modeling for neurological application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woźniak, Karol; Mulawka, Jan

The aim of this paper is to design and implement information system containing large database dedicated to support neurological-psychiatric examinations focused on human brain after stroke. This approach encompasses the following steps: analysis of software requirements, presentation of the problem solving concept, design and implementation of the final information system. Certain experiments were performed in order to verify the correctness of the project ideas. The approach can be considered as an interdisciplinary venture. Elaboration of the system architecture, data model and the tools supporting medical examinations are provided. The achievement of the design goals is demonstrated in the final conclusion.

Failure to Fail in a Final Pre-Service Teaching Practicum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danyluk, Patricia J.; Luhanga, Florence; Gwekwerere, Yovita N.; MacEwan, Leigh; Larocque, Sylvie

2015-01-01

This article presents a Canadian perspective on the issue of failure to fail in Bachelor of Education programs. The issue of failure to fail in Bachelor of Education programs is one that had not been explored in any great detail. What literature does exist focuses on the strain that a teacher experiences when s/he mentors a student teacher…

A Research Study To Determine the Effects of PSAT Verbal Skills Training on Secondary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reichenberger, Marcella

The primary focus of this experiment was to determine the effects of verbal skill training for the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) on secondary school students. The other concern was whether there was a correlation between class grades and PSAT scores. Finally, there was a determination as to whether there were any attitude changes…

County Agents for Children. Final Report. Part II. Helping Children Effectively. A Guide to Volunteers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George Peabody Coll. for Teachers, Nashville, TN. John F. Kennedy Center for Research on Education and Human Development.

Based on the experiences of a child advocacy project in Tennessee entitled County Agents for Children, the booklet presents a guide to help identify the needs of specific children, and to assist child advocate volunteers and other community personnel in meeting these needs. The focus is on children whose learning speed or physical development is…

Student Ownership of Projects in an Upper-Division Optics Laboratory Course: A Multiple Case Study of Successful Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dounas-Frazer, Dimitri R.; Stanley, Jacob T.; Lewandowski, H. J.

2017-01-01

We investigate students' sense of ownership of multiweek final projects in an upper-division optics lab course. Using a multiple case study approach, we describe three student projects in detail. Within-case analyses focused on identifying key issues in each project, and constructing chronological descriptions of those events. Cross-case analysis…

Study of Natural Fiber Breakage during Composite Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quijano-Solis, Carlos Jafet

Biofiber-thermoplastic composites have gained considerable importance in the last century. To provide mechanical reinforcement to the polymer, fibers must be larger than a critical aspect ratio (length-to-width ratio). However, biofibers undergo breakage in length or width during processing, affecting their final aspect ratio in the composites. In this study, influence on biofiber breakage by factors related to processing conditions, fiber morphology and the flow type was investigated through: a) experiments using an internal mixer, a twin-screw extruder (TSE) or a capillary rheometer; and b) a Monte Carlo computer simulation. Composites of thermomechanical fibers of aspen or wheat straw mixed with polypropylene were studied. Internal mixer experiments analyzed wheat straw and two batches of aspen fibers, named AL and AS. AL fibers had longer average length. Processing variables included the temperature, rotors speed and fiber concentration. TSE experiments studied AL and AS fiber composites under various screws speeds, temperatures and feeding rates of the polymer and fibers. Capillary rheometers experiments determined AL fiber breakage in shear and elongational flows for composites processed at different concentrations, temperatures, and strain rates. Finally, the internal mixer experimental results where compared to Monte Carlo simulation predictions. The simulation focused on fiber length breakage due to fiber-polymer interactions. Internal mixer results showed that final fiber average length depended almost solely on processing conditions while final fiber average width depended on both processing conditions and initial fiber morphology. In the TSE, processing conditions as well as initial fiber length influenced final average length. TSE results showed that the fiber concentration regime seems to influence the effect of processing variables on fiber breakage. Capillary rheometer experiments demonstrated that biofiber breakage happens in both elongational and shear flows. In some cases, percentage of biofiber breakage in elongational flow is higher. In general, simulation predictions of final average lengths were in good agreement with experiments, indicating the importance of fiber-polymer interactions on fiber breakage. The largest discrepancies were obtained at higher fiber concentration composites; these differences might be resolved, in future simulations, by including the effect of fiber-fiber interactions.

A Focused Review of Language Use Preceding Death by Execution

PubMed Central

Hirschmüller, Sarah; Egloff, Boris

2018-01-01

Executions are one form of death that can be assumed to be maximally anxiety provoking. Words spoken by death row inmates moments before their execution can provide valuable insights into people's end-of-life communication needs and themes, conveying what individuals choose to express to others in the face of imminent death. In this focused review, we describe findings from quantitative and qualitative text analysis studies that have analyzed affective experiences and meaning-making attempts in transcriptions of actual statements made by Texas death row inmates. Overall, the most prevalent content themes identified in these final acts of verbal communication in the reviewed studies consisted of a strong predominance of emotional positivity, messages to relevant social others, and spiritual references. We subsequently view the reviewed findings in the light of additional research in which people's conceptions of death and dying were explored and language studies in which people's communication before other forms of death was analyzed. Finally, we describe open questions and directions for future analyses of death row inmates' final statements, and we outline practical implications. PMID:29867657

Applying new science leadership theory in planning an international nursing student practice experience in Nepal.

PubMed

Doyle, Rose Marie

2004-09-01

Planning an international practice experience for nursing students is a challenging, but rewarding, opportunity. Kwantlen University College faculty members' experience of planning for 8 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students to study abroad was no exception. Faculty members' and students' interest prompted a request for a placement in Nepal. The faculty members involved in the planning were dedicated to using a process that would enable them to remain true to the program philosophy and theoretical underpinnings throughout the entire experience, from the planning phase to the follow-up presentation. Using Wheatley's theory, the students and faculty members reexamined their personal leadership styles to ensure they remained relationship focused, rather than task focused. Wheatley maintained that because the potentiality lies in building strong relationships, it is important to support the creative power that lies in those involved in a project. This article describes new science leadership and relates it to the planning phase for the practice experience in Nepal. Then, reflections on how the philosophy of the program may have influenced the experience are shared. Finally, critical reflection on using this theory in nursing education is presented.

Bringing basic research on early experience and stress neurobiology to bear on preventive interventions for neglected and maltreated children.

PubMed

Gunnar, Megan R; Fisher, Philip A

2006-01-01

A major focus in developmental psychopathology is on understanding developmental mechanisms and, armed with this information, intervening to improve children's outcomes. Translational research attempts to bridge the distance between understanding and intervention. In the collaborations that have formed the core of our research network on early experience, stress, and prevention science, we have focused on translating basic research on early experiences and stress neurobiology into preventive interventions for neglected and abused children. Our experiences in attempting to move from bench to bedside have led us to recognize the many challenges that face translational researchers. This review provides a brief synopsis of the animal model literature on early experience and stress neurobiology from which we glean several key bridging issues. We then review what is currently known about the impact of childhood neglect and abuse on stress neurobiology in human adults and children. Next, we describe how this work has informed the evaluation of our preventive interventions with maltreated children. Finally, we discuss several considerations that should facilitate a more complete integration of basic research on early experience and stress neurobiology into preventive intervention strategies.

Modeling Drift Compression in an Integrated Beam Experiment for Heavy-Ion-Fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharp, W. M.; Barnard, J. J.; Friedman, A.; Grote, D. P.; Celata, C. M.; Yu, S. S.

2003-10-01

The Integrated Beam Experiment (IBX) is an induction accelerator being designed to further develop the science base for heavy-ion fusion. The experiment is being developed jointly by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. One conceptual approach would first accelerate a 0.5-1 A beam of singly charged potassium ions to 5 MeV, impose a head-to-tail velocity tilt to compress the beam longitudinally, and finally focus the beam radiallly using a series of quadrupole lenses. The lengthwise compression is a critical step because the radial size must be controlled as the current increases, and the beam emittance must be kept minimal. The work reported here first uses the moment-based model HERMES to design the drift-compression beam line and to assess the sensitivity of the final beam profile to beam and lattice errors. The particle-in-cell code WARP is then used to validate the physics design, study the phase-space evolution, and quantify the emittance growth.

Assessing client self-narrative change in emotion-focused therapy of depression: an intensive single case analysis.

PubMed

Angus, Lynne E; Kagan, Fern

2013-12-01

Personality researchers use the term self-narrative to refer to the development of an overall life story that places life events in a temporal sequence and organizes them in accordance to overarching themes. In turn, it is often the case that clients seek out psychotherapy when they can no longer make sense of their life experiences, as a coherent story. Angus and Greenberg (L. Angus and L. Greenberg, 2011, Working with narrative in emotion-focused therapy: Changing stories, healing lives. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press) view the articulation and consolidation of an emotionally integrated self-narrative account as an important part of the therapeutic change process that is essential for sustained change in emotion-focused therapy of depression. The purpose of the present study was to investigate client experiences of change, and self-narrative reconstruction, in the context of one good outcome emotion-focused therapy dyad drawn from the York II Depression Study. Using the Narrative Assessment Interview (NAI) method, client view of self and experiences of change were assessed at three points in time--after session one, at therapy termination, and at 6 months follow-up. Findings emerging from an intensive narrative theme analyses of the NAI transcripts--and 1 key therapy session identified by the client--are reported and evidence for the contributions of narrative and emotion processes to self-narrative change in emotion-focused therapy of depression are discussed. Finally, the implications of assessing clients' experiences of self-narrative change for psychotherapy research and practice are addressed.

An adjustable short-focal length, high-gradient PMQ electron-beam final-focus system for the PLEIADES ultra-fast x-ray Thomson source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Jae-Ku

In the span of a 100 year since the discovery of first x-rays by Roentgen that won him the first Nobel prize in physics, several types of radiation sources have been developed. Currently, radiations at extremely short wavelengths have only been accessed at synchrotron radiation sources. However, the current 3rd generation synchrotron sources can only produce x-rays of energy up to 60 keV and pulse lengths of several picoseconds long. But needs for shorter wavelength and shorter pulse duration radiations demanded by scientists to understand the nature of matter at atomic/molecular scale initiated the new scientific research for the production of sub-picosecond, hard x-rays. At the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a Thomson x-ray source in the backscattering mode---a head-on collision between a high intensity Ti:Sapphire Chirped Pulse Amplification laser and a relativistic electron beam---called the PLEIADES (Picosecond Laser-Electron Inter-Action for the Dynamical Evaluation of Structures) laboratory has been developed. Early works demonstrated the production of quasi-monochromatic, femto-second long, hard x-rays. Initially reported x-ray flux was in the low range of 105--10 6 photons per shot. During the early stage of PLEIADES experiments, 15 T/m electromagnet final focusing quadrupoles (in a triplet lattice configuration) were employed to focus the beam to a 40-50 mum spot-size. A larger focal spot-size beam has a low-density of electron particles available at the interaction with incident photons, which leads to a low scattering probability. The current dissertation shows that by employing a 560 T/m PMQ (Permanent-Magnet Quadrupole) final focus system, an electron beam as small as 10-20 mum can be achieved. The implementation of this final focus system demonstrated the improvement of the total x-ray flux by two orders of magnitude. The PMQ final focus system also produced small electron beams consistently over 30-100 MeV electron beam energy, which enabled the production of x-ray energy over 40-140 keV. In this dissertation, the PLEIADES Thomson x-ray facility will be described in detail includes the 100 MeV linac and the FALCON laser system. Later, we will discuss the design, construction and implementation of the PMQ final focus system in the beamline. The measurement of electron beam parameters before and after the final focus system will be presented. The beam measurements at the interaction region were accomplished with the use of both OTR (Optical Transition Radiation) imaged by a CCD camera and the fast streak camera for respective spatial and temporal alignments. The theoretical analysis in "real beam" effects and spacetime beam jitter effects will be given to help understand the observations. A 3D simulation tool developed for x-ray data analysis was used to provide direct comparisons with the x-ray flux, spectrum distribution and transverse x-ray profile.

Sexual Relationships, Behaviors, and Experiences among Bisexual Men in Mumbai, India.

PubMed

Dodge, Brian; Banik, Swagata; Bowling, Jessamyn; Sivasubramanian, Murugesan; Mengle, Shruta; Schick, Vanessa; Herbenick, Debby; Kavi, Ashok Row; Anand, Vivek

2016-01-01

This exploratory study aimed to assess a range of sexual behaviors, relationships and related factors among a sample of bisexual men in Mumbai, India. Data collection occurred in two separate phases: 1. focus group discussions were facilitated with local community members in order to finalize an interviewer-administered questionnaire, and 2. structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 50 bisexual men using this questionnaire. Participants self-reported a wide range of sexual behaviors and relationships. Findings have implications for future research and practice focusing on bisexual men in India, as well as their partners of all genders.

Sexual Relationships, Behaviors, and Experiences among Bisexual Men in Mumbai, India

PubMed Central

Dodge, Brian; Banik, Swagata; Bowling, Jessamyn; Sivasubramanian, Murugesan; Mengle, Shruta; Schick, Vanessa; Herbenick, Debby; Kavi, Ashok Row; Anand, Vivek

2015-01-01

This exploratory study aimed to assess a range of sexual behaviors, relationships and related factors among a sample of bisexual men in Mumbai, India. Data collection occurred in two separate phases: 1. focus group discussions were facilitated with local community members in order to finalize an interviewer-administered questionnaire, and 2. structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 50 bisexual men using this questionnaire. Participants self-reported a wide range of sexual behaviors and relationships. Findings have implications for future research and practice focusing on bisexual men in India, as well as their partners of all genders. PMID:27073588

Comparison-Bot: an Automated Preliminary-Final Report Comparison System.

PubMed

Kalaria, Amit D; Filice, Ross W

2016-06-01

Regular comparison of preliminary to final reports is a critical part of radiology resident and fellow education as prior research has documented substantial preliminary to final discrepancies. Unfortunately, there are many barriers to this comparison: high study volume; overnight rotations without an attending; the ability to finalize reports remotely; the subtle nature of many changes; and lack of easy access to the preliminary report after finalization. We developed a system that automatically compiles and emails a weekly summary of report differences for all residents and fellows. Trainees can also create a custom report using a date range of their choice and can view this data on a resident dashboard. Differences between preliminary and final reports are clearly highlighted with links to the associated study in Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) for efficient review and learning. Reports with more changes, particularly changes made in the impression, are highlighted to focus attention on those exams with substantive edits. Our system provides an easy way for trainees to review changes to preliminary reports with immediate access to the associated images, thereby improving their educational experience. Departmental surveys showed that our report difference summary is easy to understand and improves the educational experience of our trainees. Additionally, interesting descriptive statistics help us understand how reports are changed by trainee level, by attending, and by exam type. Finally, this system can be easily ported to other departments who have access to their Health Level 7 (HL7) data.

The Experience of Childbearing Women in the Workplace: The Impact of Family-Friendly Policies and Practices. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piotrkowski, Chaya S.; And Others

Secondary analyses of data collected in the Mothers in the Workplace study examined how family-relevant workplace policies and practices may influence childbearing women's labor force participation during pregnancy and after childbirth. It focused on 2,375 women who held wage and salary jobs during pregnancy and 1,761 of these women who were…

Elementary Preservice Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching: Using Situated Case Studies and Educative Experiences to Examine and Improve the Development of MKT in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Tracy L.

2011-01-01

This study examined pre-service teachers' development of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) over their final year in a university based teacher education program. This was done through analyzing written reflections, focus group interviews, individual interviews, teaching observations, and post-observation interviews as well as through the…

Supporting Students' Preparation for the Viva: Their Pre-Conceptions and Implications for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wellington, Jerry

2010-01-01

There has been relatively little research on the pre-conceptions of doctoral students about the final examination, the viva voce and hence there is a shortage of evidence to underpin activities designed to prepare them for this experience. The present paper, which is based upon data from a wide range of focus groups of pre-viva students, seeks to…

Final Report for DE-AR0000708

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

Donohue, Marc; Aranovich, Gregory; Wang, Chao

This project determined the effect of adsorption compression on the rates of catalytic chemical reactions. It was shown that in regions of strong adsorption compression there is a dramatic increase in the rate of catalytic chemical reaction. Experiments focused on the conversion of NO to molecular nitrogen and oxygen. Data analysis techniques were developed to allow interpretation of experimental data and prediction of conditions for optimal reaction rates.

Methodology for turbulence code validation: Quantification of simulation-experiment agreement and application to the TORPEX experiment

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

Ricci, Paolo; Theiler, C.; Fasoli, A.

A methodology for plasma turbulence code validation is discussed, focusing on quantitative assessment of the agreement between experiments and simulations. The present work extends the analysis carried out in a previous paper [P. Ricci et al., Phys. Plasmas 16, 055703 (2009)] where the validation observables were introduced. Here, it is discussed how to quantify the agreement between experiments and simulations with respect to each observable, how to define a metric to evaluate this agreement globally, and - finally - how to assess the quality of a validation procedure. The methodology is then applied to the simulation of the basic plasmamore » physics experiment TORPEX [A. Fasoli et al., Phys. Plasmas 13, 055902 (2006)], considering both two-dimensional and three-dimensional simulation models.« less

Prize for Industrial Applications of Physics Talk: Low energy spread Ion source for focused ion beam systems-Search for the holy grail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Bill

2011-03-01

In this talk I will cover my personal experiences as a serial entrepreneur and founder of a succession of focused ion beam companies (1). Ion Beam Technology, which developed a 200kv (FIB) direct ion implanter (2). Micrion, where the FIB found a market in circuit edit and mask repair, which eventually merged with FEI corporation. and (3). ALIS Corporation which develop the Orion system, the first commercially successful sub-nanometer helium ion microscope, that was ultimately acquired by Carl Zeiss corporation. I will share this adventure beginning with my experiences in the early days of ion beam implantation and e-beam lithography which lead up to the final breakthrough understanding of the mechanisms that govern the successful creation and operation of a single atom ion source.

Sexual Intimacy Constructions of Heterosexual Couples Living in a Low-Income, "Colored," Farmworker Community in South Africa.

PubMed

Lesch, Elmien; Adams, Arlene R

2016-01-01

This study has been motivated by the scarcity of research that adopts an unproblematic focus on sexuality in South African Black and Colored low-income communities. We explored the sexual intimacy constructions of 15 Colored married/cohabiting couples who live in a low-income, historical South African farmworker community. Using a social constructionist thematic analysis method, we identified four themes: (a) metaphoric and indirect sexual language; (b) the use of a romantic discourse to talk about sexual experiences; (c) male-centered sexual relationships; and (d) lack of privacy brings both restriction and pleasure. We consider how these themes may be linked to the participants' community context and colonial and apartheid history. Finally, we emphasize the need for research that also explores positive sex functions and experiences rather than focuses narrowly on problematic sexual behavior.

What Makes a Better Smeller?

PubMed

Majid, Asifa; Speed, Laura; Croijmans, Ilja; Arshamian, Artin

2017-01-01

Olfaction is often viewed as difficult, yet the empirical evidence suggests a different picture. A closer look shows people around the world differ in their ability to detect, discriminate, and name odors. This gives rise to the question of what influences our ability to smell. Instead of focusing on olfactory deficiencies, this review presents a positive perspective by focusing on factors that make someone a better smeller. We consider three driving forces in improving olfactory ability: one's biological makeup, one's experience, and the environment. For each factor, we consider aspects proposed to improve odor perception and critically examine the evidence; as well as introducing lesser discussed areas. In terms of biology, there are cases of neurodiversity, such as olfactory synesthesia, that serve to enhance olfactory ability. Our lifetime experience, be it typical development or unique training experience, can also modify the trajectory of olfaction. Finally, our odor environment, in terms of ambient odor or culinary traditions, can influence odor perception too. Rather than highlighting the weaknesses of olfaction, we emphasize routes to harnessing our olfactory potential.

Chemistry and students with blindness: The hurdles are not what you think

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Amy L. Micklos

Statistics have shown that individuals with disabilities are underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This work focused on exploring how three students with blindness enrolled in a full-inclusion high-school chemistry class experienced and conceptualized content in order to inform educators, curriculum designers, textbook manufacturers, researchers, and individuals with vision impairments about roadblocks that can inhibit student learning. A critical theory lens was used to explore how the student participants discussed experiences, models, and visualizations (Talanquer, 2010) during six semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study suggest that students with blindness focus on direct experiences when formulating macroscopic descriptions of matter; they form alternative models of the atom and develop incomplete understandings of symbolic representations. Students with blindness also had inhibited learning experiences based on what tactile materials, tools, and vocabulary are available to them. Finally, access to scientific information requires proper organization otherwise meaning cannot be made from the common tables, graphs, or representations.

Building confidence for work as house officers: student experience in the final year of a new problem-based curriculum.

PubMed

Whitehouse, Carl R; O'Neill, Paul; Dornan, Tim

2002-08-01

Newly qualified doctors require an appropriate level of confidence for their new roles. Development of this confidence was a key objective in the final year of a new integrated course with an emphasis on student self-direction. There are 5 placements in the final year course. Students use a Learning Planner to help them choose suitable placements and objectives to serve their learning needs. Educational supervision focuses on helping students determine their objectives and assessing them against these. Course evaluation was by means of a questionnaire during final assessments. Cohorts of 310 and 316 students in successive years completed the evaluation. The interrelationship between variables was explored using logistic regression. 220/310 students in the 2000 cohort and 214/316 in the 2001 cohort agreed they felt confident with their prospective role as a pre-registration house officer (PRHO). Confidence was significantly associated with confidence in their clinical skills, belief in their ability to cope with uncertainty and feeling able to work as a team member. The experience of the 2 hospital placements and (in 2000 only) the elective was associated with increased confidence. In all placements helpful educational supervision and the achievement of the self-directed learning plan was associated with increased confidence as a potential doctor. Students perceive a relationship between learning experiences in the final year of a self-directed course and development of confidence for their future role. Whilst further elucidation of the nature of this relationship is required, this provides encouragement to curriculum planners to promote self-direction.

Patient Portal Use and Experience Among Older Adults: Systematic Review

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background The older adult population (65 years or older) in the United States is growing, and it is important for communities to consider ways to support the aging population. Patient portals and electronic personal health records (ePHRs) are technologies that could better serve populations with the highest health care needs, such as older adults. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the existing research landscape related to patient portal and ePHR use and experience among older adults and to understand the benefits and barriers to older adults’ use and adoption of patient portals and ePHRs. Methods We searched six pertinent bibliographic databases for papers, published from 2006 to 2016 and written in English, that focused on adults 60 years or older and their use of or experience with patient portals or ePHRs. We adapted preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to review papers based on exclusion and inclusion criteria. We then applied thematic analysis to identify key themes around use, experience, and adoption. Results We retrieved 199 papers after an initial screening and removal of duplicate papers. Then we applied an inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in a final set of 17 papers that focused on 15 separate projects. The majority of papers described studies involving qualitative research, including interviews and focus groups. They looked at the experience and use of ePHRs and patient portals. Overall, we found 2 main barriers to use: (1) privacy and security and (2) access to and ability to use technology and the Internet. We found 2 facilitators: (1) technical assistance and (2) family and provider advice. We also reported on older adults’ experience, including satisfaction with the system and improvement of the quality of their health care. Several studies captured features that older adults wanted from these systems such as further assistance managing health-related tasks and contextual health advice and tips. Conclusions More research is needed to better understand the patient portal experience among older adults from initial use to adoption. There are also opportunities to explore the role of design in addressing barriers and supporting facilitators to patient portal and ePHR use. Finally, the future use of these systems by older adults should be anticipated and considered in the design process. PMID:29038093

Self-management Experiences of Older Korean Women With Urinary Incontinence: A Descriptive Qualitative Study Using Focus Groups.

PubMed

Park, Sunah; Yeoum, SoonGyo; Kim, Yoonjung; Kwon, Hye Jin

The purpose of this study was to explore the self-management experiences of Korean women with urinary incontinence (UI). Descriptive, qualitative study using focus groups. Twenty-two community-dwelling women, 65 years and older, participated in 3 focus-group interviews. Participants were recruited from 2 elderly halls and 1 senior welfare center in South Korea. Three focus group interviews comprising 6 to 8 individuals were conducted in a quiet venue at the elderly hall or senior welfare center. Two investigators performed the interviews; one acted as moderator and one as notetaker; interviews began with scripted open-ended questions. All interviews were electronically recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using an inductive thematic approach, data were first analyzed by the first and second authors; and all 4 authors contributed to coding and agreed on final themes. Korean women perceived UI as a loss of dignity, an odor problem, an uncontrollable disease, and a life impairment. Thematic analysis revealed 4 themes regarding the self-management experience of UI: preserving self-respect in the sociocultural environment, deodorizing the smell, keeping the secret of uncontrollability, and adjusting to an impaired life. Women in this study used various daily-living strategies to manage UI, but they mainly implemented strategies to keep UI a secret, including restrictions in activities of daily living. Educational approaches are needed to inform women with UI about more effective management skills.

Personal pervasive environments: practice and experience.

PubMed

Ballesteros, Francisco J; Guardiola, Gorka; Soriano, Enrique

2012-01-01

In this paper we present our experience designing and developing two different systems to enable personal pervasive computing environments, Plan B and the Octopus. These systems were fully implemented and have been used on a daily basis for years. Both are based on synthetic (virtual) file system interfaces and provide mechanisms to adapt to changes in the context and reconfigure the system to support pervasive applications. We also present the main differences between them, focusing on architectural and reconfiguration aspects. Finally, we analyze the pitfalls and successes of both systems and review the lessons we learned while designing, developing, and using them.

Personal Pervasive Environments: Practice and Experience

PubMed Central

Ballesteros, Francisco J.; Guardiola, Gorka; Soriano, Enrique

2012-01-01

In this paper we present our experience designing and developing two different systems to enable personal pervasive computing environments, Plan B and the Octopus. These systems were fully implemented and have been used on a daily basis for years. Both are based on synthetic (virtual) file system interfaces and provide mechanisms to adapt to changes in the context and reconfigure the system to support pervasive applications. We also present the main differences between them, focusing on architectural and reconfiguration aspects. Finally, we analyze the pitfalls and successes of both systems and review the lessons we learned while designing, developing, and using them. PMID:22969340

Identifying early indicators in bipolar disorder: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Benti, Liliane; Manicavasagar, Vijaya; Proudfoot, Judy; Parker, Gordon

2014-06-01

The identification of early markers has become a focus for early intervention in bipolar disorder. Using a retrospective, qualitative methodology, the present study compares the early experiences of participants with bipolar disorder to those with unipolar depression up until their first diagnosed episode. The study focuses on differences in early home and school environments as well as putative differences in personality characteristics between the two groups. Finally we a compare and contrast prodromal symptoms in these two populations. Thirty-nine participants, 20 diagnosed with unipolar depression and 19 diagnosed with bipolar disorder, took part in the study. A semi-structured interview was developed to elicit information about participants' experiences prior to their first episode. Participants with bipolar disorder reported disruptive home environments, driven personality features, greater emotion dysregulation and adverse experiences during the school years, whereas participants with depression tended to describe more supportive home environments, and more compliant and introvert personality traits. Retrospective data collection and no corroborative evidence from other family members. No distinction was made between bipolar I and bipolar II disorder nor between melancholic and non-melancholic depression in the sample. Finally the study spanned over a 12-month period which does not allow for the possibility of diagnostic reassignment of some of the bipolar participants to the unipolar condition. These findings indicate that there may be benefits in combining both proximal and distal indicators in identifying a bipolar disorder phenotype which, in turn, may be relevant to the development of early intervention programs for young people with bipolar disorder.

Aberration analysis and calculation in system of Gaussian beam illuminates lenslet array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zhu; Hui, Mei; Zhou, Ping; Su, Tianquan; Feng, Yun; Zhao, Yuejin

2014-09-01

Low order aberration was founded when focused Gaussian beam imaging at Kodak KAI -16000 image detector, which is integrated with lenslet array. Effect of focused Gaussian beam and numerical simulation calculation of the aberration were presented in this paper. First, we set up a model of optical imaging system based on previous experiment. Focused Gaussian beam passed through a pinhole and was received by Kodak KAI -16000 image detector whose microlenses of lenslet array were exactly focused on sensor surface. Then, we illustrated the characteristics of focused Gaussian beam and the effect of relative space position relations between waist of Gaussian beam and front spherical surface of microlenses to the aberration. Finally, we analyzed the main element of low order aberration and calculated the spherical aberration caused by lenslet array according to the results of above two steps. Our theoretical calculations shown that , the numerical simulation had a good agreement with the experimental result. Our research results proved that spherical aberration was the main element and made up about 93.44% of the 48 nm error, which was demonstrated in previous experiment. The spherical aberration is inversely proportional to the value of divergence distance between microlens and waist, and directly proportional to the value of the Gaussian beam waist radius.

Stress and eustress in nursing students.

PubMed

Gibbons, Chris; Dempster, Martin; Moutray, Marianne

2008-02-01

This paper is a report of a study to identify experiences that led to both distress and eustress and to make recommendations to help students cope with course demands. Much of the research on stress in nursing students is quantitative in focus and all draws on their experience of distress, with little attempt to understand experiences of eustress. A series of focus groups were carried out with a volunteer sample of final year nursing students (n = 16) in the United Kingdom in 2007. The data were thematically analysed. The themes identified were clinical experience, support, learning and teaching experience and course structure. There were experiences within each that were perceived as sources of distress and eustress. Many of the sources of distress concur with earlier findings but they are more likely to be experienced and commented on because the demands of present-day programmes and the profile of many nursing students mean that more effort is invested in meeting educational demands. The experiential learning and patient-care opportunity that placements provided was an important source of eustress. Students who coped well drew on effective support networks and adopted a positive, optimistic perspective towards programme issues. Effective educators did not offer more time than those perceived as less effective but seemed more effective at tuning into students' concerns, showing more empathy and offering clearer guidance.

The NASA Juncture Flow Experiment: Goals, Progress, and Preliminary Testing (Invited)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rumsey, Christopher L.; Neuhart, Danny H.; Kegerise, Michael A.

2016-01-01

NASA has been working toward designing and conducting a juncture flow experiment on a wing-body aircraft configuration. The experiment is planned to provide validation-quality data for CFD that focuses on the onset and progression of a separation bubble near the wing-body juncture trailing edge region. This paper describes the goals and purpose of the experiment. Although currently considered unreliable, preliminary CFD analyses of several different configurations are shown. These configurations have been subsequently tested in a series of "risk-reduction" wind tunnel tests, in order to help down-select to a final configuration that will attain the desired flow behavior. The risk-reduction testing at the higher Reynolds number has not yet been completed (at the time of this writing), but some results from one of the low-Reynolds-number experiments are shown.

On the history of medicine in the United States, theory, health insurance, and psychiatry: an interview with Charles Rosenberg.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Charles; Mantovani, Rafael

2016-01-01

An interview with Charles Rosenberg conducted by Rafael Mantovani in November 2013 that addressed four topics. It first focused on the way in which Rosenberg perceived trends and directions in historical research on medicine in the United States during the second half of the twentieth century. The second focus was on his experience with other important historians who wrote about public health. Thirdly, he discussed his impressions about the current debate on health policy in his country. Finally, the last part explores some themes related to psychiatry and behavior control that have appeared in a number of his articles.

Sensory perception in autism.

PubMed

Robertson, Caroline E; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2017-11-01

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition, and little is known about its neurobiology. Much of autism research has focused on the social, communication and cognitive difficulties associated with the condition. However, the recent revision of the diagnostic criteria for autism has brought another key domain of autistic experience into focus: sensory processing. Here, we review the properties of sensory processing in autism and discuss recent computational and neurobiological insights arising from attention to these behaviours. We argue that sensory traits have important implications for the development of animal and computational models of the condition. Finally, we consider how difficulties in sensory processing may relate to the other domains of behaviour that characterize autism.

Plasma phenomena at magnetic neutral points

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sturrock, P. A.

1975-01-01

A model of the plasma focus is considered, in which large axial electric fields are induced by the imploding current sheet during the final few nanoseconds of the collapse phase. This field provides a mechanism for creation of a beam of electrons of highly suprathermal energies. For this beam, the bremsstrahlung radiation is calculated, which is expected either from electron-deuteron collisions in the focused plasma itself or from the beam as it reaches the walls of the device. Comparison with experimental results indicates that the walls are the more likely source of these hard X-rays and also find qualitative agreement of the expected angular distribution of X-rays with experiment.

Development of a group-based self-management programme for individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot study.

PubMed

Pinxsterhuis, Irma; Hellum, Live Lange; Aannestad, Hilde Hassum; Sveen, Unni

2015-03-01

The aim of the study was to develop a group-based self-management programme for individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) by using the participants' experiences with the initial version of the programme, which intends to promote coping with the illness in a primary healthcare setting. An initial programme was developed, based on self-efficacy theory and the concepts of client-centred practice and empowerment. Subsequently, the programme was tested and further developed by drawing on the participants' experiences with the programme. Focus-group interviews were applied. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The initial programme was found to be feasible, although several modifications regarding the content and practical organization of the programme were proposed. In line with the participants' experiences, the final self-management programme was developed, which includes short presentations of eight topics, exchange of experiences among participants, goal-setting, construction of action plans, and relaxation exercises, in addition to a meeting for relatives. The programme will be provided in eight biweekly sessions and be led by juxtaposed peer counsellors and occupational therapists. The effects of the final programme will be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.

Effects of Psychological Attention on Pronoun Comprehension

PubMed Central

Arnold, Jennifer E.; Lao, Shin-Yi C.

2015-01-01

Pronoun comprehension is facilitated for referents that are focused in the discourse context. Discourse focus has been described as a function of attention, especially shared attention, but few studies have explicitly tested this idea. Two experiments used an exogenous capture cue paradigm to demonstrate that listeners’ visual attention at the onset of a story influences their preferences during pronoun resolution later in the story. In both experiments trial-initial attention modulated listeners’ transitory biases while considering referents for the pronoun, whether it was in response to the capture cue or not. These biases even had a small influence on listeners’ final interpretation of the pronoun. These results provide independently-motivated evidence that the listener’s attention influences the on-line processes of pronoun comprehension. Trial-initial attentional shifts were made on the basis of non-shared, private information, demonstrating that attentional effects on pronoun comprehension are not restricted to shared attention among interlocutors. PMID:26191533

Automated Steering Control Design by Visual Feedback Approach —System Identification and Control Experiments with a Radio-Controlled Car—

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujiwara, Yukihiro; Yoshii, Masakazu; Arai, Yasuhito; Adachi, Shuichi

Advanced safety vehicle(ASV)assists drivers’ manipulation to avoid trafic accidents. A variety of researches on automatic driving systems are necessary as an element of ASV. Among them, we focus on visual feedback approach in which the automatic driving system is realized by recognizing road trajectory using image information. The purpose of this paper is to examine the validity of this approach by experiments using a radio-controlled car. First, a practical image processing algorithm to recognize white lines on the road is proposed. Second, a model of the radio-controlled car is built by system identication experiments. Third, an automatic steering control system is designed based on H∞ control theory. Finally, the effectiveness of the designed control system is examined via traveling experiments.

Practicing more retrieval routes leads to greater memory retention.

PubMed

Zheng, Jun; Zhang, Wei; Li, Tongtong; Liu, Zhaomin; Luo, Liang

2016-09-01

A wealth of research has shown that retrieval practice plays a significant role in improving memory retention. The current study focused on one simple yet rarely examined question: would repeated retrieval using two different retrieval routes or using the same retrieval route twice lead to greater long-term memory retention? Participants elaborately learned 22 Japanese-Chinese translation word pairs using two different mediators. Half an hour after the initial study phase, the participants completed two retrieval sessions using either one mediator (Tm1Tm1) or two different mediators (Tm1Tm2). On the final test, which was performed 1week after the retrieval practice phase, the participants received only the cue with a request to report the mediator (M1 or M2) followed by the target (Experiment 1) or only the mediator (M1 or M2) with a request to report the target (Experiment 2). The results of Experiment 1 indicated that the participants who practiced under the Tm1Tm2 condition exhibited greater target retention than those who practiced under the Tm1Tm1 condition. This difference in performance was due to the significant disadvantage in mediator retrieval and decoding of the unpracticed mediator under the Tm1Tm1 condition. Although mediators were provided to participants on the final test in Experiment 2, decoding of the unpracticed mediators remained less effective than decoding of the practiced mediators. We conclude that practicing multiple retrieval routes leads to greater memory retention than focusing on a single retrieval route. Thus, increasing retrieval variability during repeated retrieval practice indeed significantly improves long-term retention in a delay test. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Development of a Pediatric Inpatient Experience of Care Measure: Child HCAHPS®

PubMed Central

Toomey, Sara L.; Zaslavsky, Alan M.; Elliott, Marc N.; Gallagher, Patricia M.; Fowler, Floyd J.; Klein, David J.; Shulman, Shanna; Ratner, Jessica; McGovern, Caitriona; LeBlanc, Jessica L.; Schuster, Mark A.

2016-01-01

CMS uses Adult HCAHPS® scores for public reporting and pay-for-performance for most U.S. hospitals, but no publicly available standardized survey of inpatient experience of care exists for pediatrics. To fill the gap, CMS/AHRQ commissioned the development of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Hospital Survey – Child Version (Child HCAHPS), a survey of parents/guardians of pediatric patients (<18 years old) who were recently hospitalized. This Special Article describes the development of Child HCAHPS, which included an extensive review of the literature and quality measures, expert interviews, focus groups, cognitive testing, pilot testing of the draft survey, a national field test with 69 hospitals in 34 states, psychometric analysis, and end-user testing of the final survey. We conducted extensive validity and reliability testing to determine which items would be included in the final survey instrument and to develop composite measures. We analyzed national field test data from 17,727 surveys collected from 11/12-1/14 from parents of recently hospitalized children. The final Child HCAHPS instrument has 62 items, including 39 patient experience items, 10 screeners, 12 demographic/descriptive items, and 1 open-ended item. The 39 experience items are categorized based on testing into 18 composite and single-item measures. Our composite and single-item measures demonstrated good to excellent hospital-level reliability at 300 responses per hospital. Child HCAHPS was developed to be a publicly available standardized survey of pediatric inpatient experience of care. It can be used to benchmark pediatric inpatient experience across hospitals and assist in efforts to improve the quality of inpatient care. PMID:26195542

Correctional officers' perceptions of a solution-focused training program: potential implications for working with offenders.

PubMed

Pan, Peter Jen Der; Deng, Liang-Yu F; Chang, Shona Shih Hua; Jiang, Karen Jye-Ru

2011-09-01

The purpose of this exploratory study was to explore correctional officers' perceptions and experiences during a solution-focused training program and to initiate development of a modified pattern for correctional officers to use in jails. The study uses grounded theory procedures combined with a follow-up survey. The findings identified six emergent themes: obstacles to doing counseling work in prisons, offenders' amenability to change, correctional officers' self-image, advantages of a solution-focused approach (SFA), potential advantages of applying SFA to offenders, and the need for the consolidation of learning and transformation. Participants perceived the use of solution-focused techniques as appropriate, important, functional, and of only moderate difficulty in interacting with offenders. Finally, a modified pattern was developed for officers to use when working with offenders in jails. Suggestions and recommendations are made for correctional interventions and future studies.

Generation of High Brightness X-rays with the PLEIADES Thomson X-ray Source

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

Brown, W J; Anderson, S G; Barty, C P J

2003-05-28

The use of short laser pulses to generate high peak intensity, ultra-short x-ray pulses enables exciting new experimental capabilities, such as femtosecond pump-probe experiments used to temporally resolve material structural dynamics on atomic time scales. PLEIADES (Picosecond Laser Electron InterAction for Dynamic Evaluation of Structures) is a next generation Thomson scattering x-ray source being developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Ultra-fast picosecond x-rays (10-200 keV) are generated by colliding an energetic electron beam (20-100 MeV) with a high intensity, sub-ps, 800 nm laser pulse. The peak brightness of the source is expected to exceed 10{sup 20} photons/s/0.1% bandwidth/mm2/mrad2. Simulationsmore » of the electron beam production, transport, and final focus are presented. Electron beam measurements, including emittance and final focus spot size are also presented and compared to simulation results. Measurements of x-ray production are also reported and compared to theoretical calculations.« less

The 1996 NASA Aerospace Battery Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brewer, Jeffrey C. (Compiler)

1997-01-01

The 1996 Workshop was held on three consecutive days and was divided into five sessions. The first day consisted of a General Primary Battery Session and a Nickel-Hydrogen Battery On-Orbit Reconditioning Experience Focused Session. The second day consisted of a Nickel-Hydrogen Session and a Nickel-Cadmium Session. The third and final day was devoted to an Other Secondary Technologies Session which covered sodium-sulfur, nickel-zinc, nickel-metal hydride, and lithium ion technologies.

Force Enhancement Packages for Countering Nuclear Threats in the 2022-2027 Time Frame: Final Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

survey, and area characterization methods . • Apply proper radioisotope identification techniques. A-10 c. A one-week CNT operations exercise at Fort...focus on experiments to seek better iv methods , holding active teaching until later. The team expects that better methods would involve collection... methods likely will involve collection by multiple ISR sensors and on-the-ground investigators, with only limited use of radiation detectors. The

Drawing together psyche, soma and spirit: my career in cultural psychiatry.

PubMed

Dein, Simon

2011-04-01

In this article I discuss my career in cultural psychiatry. I begin by examining the influence of my personal background on my interests in cultural psychiatry and religion and health. I then discuss my research, which has focused upon two areas: the cognitive and phenomenological parallels between religious experiences and psychopathological states, and relationships between biomedicine and religious healing in diverse cultural contexts. Finally, I discuss plans for future research and teaching.

Controlling Defects in Graphene for Optimizing the Electrical Properties of Graphene Nanodevices

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Structural defects strongly impact the electrical transport properties of graphene nanostructures. In this Perspective, we give a brief overview of different types of defects in graphene and their effect on transport properties. We discuss recent experimental progress on graphene self-repair of defects, with a focus on in situ transmission electron microscopy studies. Finally, we present the outlook for graphene self-repair and in situ experiments. PMID:25864552

Mathematically guided approaches to distinguish models of periodic patterning

PubMed Central

Hiscock, Tom W.; Megason, Sean G.

2015-01-01

How periodic patterns are generated is an open question. A number of mechanisms have been proposed – most famously, Turing's reaction-diffusion model. However, many theoretical and experimental studies focus on the Turing mechanism while ignoring other possible mechanisms. Here, we use a general model of periodic patterning to show that different types of mechanism (molecular, cellular, mechanical) can generate qualitatively similar final patterns. Observation of final patterns is therefore not sufficient to favour one mechanism over others. However, we propose that a mathematical approach can help to guide the design of experiments that can distinguish between different mechanisms, and illustrate the potential value of this approach with specific biological examples. PMID:25605777

Majorana zero modes in superconductor-semiconductor heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lutchyn, R. M.; Bakkers, E. P. A. M.; Kouwenhoven, L. P.; Krogstrup, P.; Marcus, C. M.; Oreg, Y.

2018-05-01

Realizing topological superconductivity and Majorana zero modes in the laboratory is a major goal in condensed-matter physics. In this Review, we survey the current status of this rapidly developing field, focusing on proposals for the realization of topological superconductivity in semiconductor-superconductor heterostructures. We examine materials science progress in growing InAs and InSb semiconductor nanowires and characterizing these systems. We then discuss the observation of robust signatures of Majorana zero modes in recent experiments, paying particular attention to zero-bias tunnelling conduction measurements and Coulomb blockade experiments. We also outline several next-generation experiments probing exotic properties of Majorana zero modes, including fusion rules and non-Abelian exchange statistics. Finally, we discuss prospects for implementing Majorana-based topological quantum computation.

Annual modulation experiments, galactic models and WIMPs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, Robert G.

Our task in the paper is to examine some recent experiments (in the period 1996-2002) bearing on the issue of whether there is dark matter in the universe in the form of neutralino WIMPs (weakly interacting massive particles). Our main focus is an experiment performed by the DAMA group that claims to have found an 'annual modulation signature' for the WIMP. DAMA's result has been hotly contested by two other groups, EDELWEISS and CDMS, and we study the details of the experiments performed by all three groups. Our goal is to investigate the philosophic and sociological implications of this controversy. Particularly, using an innovative theoretical strategy suggested by (Copi, C. and L. M. Krauss (2003). Comparing interaction rate detectors for weakly interacting massive particles with annual modulation detectors. Physical Review D, 67, 103 507), we suggest a new way of resolving discordant experimental data (extending a previous analysis by (Franklin, A. (2002). Selectivity and discord. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press). In addition, we are in a position to contribute substantively to the debate between realists and constructive empiricists. Finally, from a sociological standpoint, we remark that DAMA's work has been valuable in mobilizing other research teams and providing them with a critical focus.

Near-death experiences in cardiac arrest survivors.

PubMed

French, Christopher C

2005-01-01

Near-death experiences (NDEs) have become the focus of much interest in the last 30 years or so. Such experiences can occur both when individuals are objectively near to death and also when they simply believe themselves to be. The experience typically involves a number of different components including a feeling of peace and well-being, out-of-body experiences (OBEs), entering a region of darkness, seeing a brilliant light, and entering another realm. NDEs are known to have long-lasting transformational effects upon those who experience them. An overview is presented of the various theoretical approaches that have been adopted in attempts to account for the NDE. Spiritual theories assume that consciousness can become detached from the neural substrate of the brain and that the NDE may provide a glimpse of an afterlife. Psychological theories include the proposal that the NDE is a dissociative defense mechanism that occurs in times of extreme danger or, less plausibly, that the NDE reflects memories of being born. Finally, a wide range of organic theories of the NDE has been put forward including those based upon cerebral hypoxia, anoxia, and hypercarbia; endorphins and other neurotransmitters; and abnormal activity in the temporal lobes. Finally, the results of studies of NDEs in cardiac arrest survivors are reviewed and the implications of these results for our understanding of mind-brain relationships are discussed.

Hard X-ray mirrors for Nuclear Security

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

Descalle, M. A.; Brejnholt, N.; Hill, R.

Research performed under this LDRD aimed to demonstrate the ability to detect and measure hard X-ray emissions using multilayer X-ray reflective optics above 400 keV, to enable the development of inexpensive and high-accuracy mirror substrates, and to investigate applications of hard X-ray mirrors of interest to the nuclear security community. Experiments conducted at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility demonstrated hard X-ray mirror reflectivity up to 650 keV for the first time. Hard X-ray optics substrates must have surface roughness under 3 to 4 Angstrom rms, and three materials were evaluated as potential substrates: polycarbonates, thin Schott glass and a newmore » type of flexible glass called Willow Glass®. Chemical smoothing and thermal heating of the surface of polycarbonate samples, which are inexpensive but have poor intrinsic surface characteristics, did not yield acceptable surface roughness. D263 Schott glass was used for the focusing optics of the NASA NuSTAR telescope. The required specialized hardware and process were costly and motivated experiments with a modified non-contact slumping technique. The surface roughness of the glass was preserved and the process yielded cylindrical shells with good net shape pointing to the potential advantage of this technique. Finally, measured surface roughness of 200 and 130 μm thick Willow Glass sheets was between 2 and 2.5 A rms. Additional results of flexibility tests and multilayer deposition campaigns indicated it is a promising substrate for hard X-ray optics. The detection of U and Pu characteristics X-ray lines and gamma emission lines in a high background environment was identified as an area for which X-ray mirrors could have an impact and where focusing optics could help reduce signal to noise ratio by focusing signal onto a smaller detector. Hence the first one twelvetant of a Wolter I focusing optics for the 90 to 140 keV energy range based on aperiodic multilayer coating was designed. Finally, we conducted the first demonstration that reflective multilayer mirrors could be used as diagnostic for HED experiment with an order of magnitude improvement in signal-to-noise ratio for the multilayer optic compared a transmission crystal spectrometer.« less

Laser diode initiated detonators for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewick, David W.; Graham, J. A.; Hawley, J. D.

1993-01-01

Ensign Bickford Aerospace Company (EBAC) has over ten years of experience in the design and development of laser ordnance systems. Recent efforts have focused on the development of laser diode ordnance systems for space applications. Because the laser initiated detonators contain only insensitive secondary explosives, a high degree of system safety is achieved. Typical performance characteristics of a laser diode initiated detonator are described in this paper, including all-fire level, function time, and output. A finite difference model used at EBAC to predict detonator performance, is described and calculated results are compared to experimental data. Finally, the use of statistically designed experiments to evaluate performance of laser initiated detonators is discussed.

The Pulsed High Density Experiment (PHDX) Final Report

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

Slough, John P.; Andreason, Samuel

The purpose of this paper is to present the conclusions that can be drawn from the Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) formation experiments conducted on the Pulsed High Density experiment (PHD) at the University of Washington. The experiment is ongoing. The experimental goal for this first stage of PHD was to generate a stable, high flux (>10 mWb), high energy (>10 KJ) target FRC. Such results would be adequate as a starting point for several later experiments. This work focuses on experimental implementation and the results of the first four month run. Difficulties were encountered due to the initial on-axis plasmamore » ionization source. Flux trapping with this ionization source acting alone was insufficient to accomplish experimental objectives. Additional ionization methods were utilized to overcome this difficulty. A more ideal plasma source layout is suggested and will be explored during a forthcoming work.« less

Learning from clinical placement experience: Analysing nursing students' final reflections in a digital storytelling activity.

PubMed

Paliadelis, Penny; Wood, Pamela

2016-09-01

This paper reports on the learning potential of a reflective activity undertaken by final year nursing students, in which they were asked to recount two meaningful events that occurred during their clinical placements over the duration of their 3-year nursing degree program and reflect on how these events contributed to their learning to become beginning level Registered Nurses (RNs). This descriptive qualitative study gathered narratives from 92 students as individual postings in an online forum created within the University's learning management system. An analysis of the students' reflections are the focus of this paper particularly in relation to the value of reflecting on the identified events. Four themes emerged that clearly highlight the way in which these students interpreted and learned from both positive and negative clinical experiences, their strong desire to fit into their new role and their ability to re-imagine how they might respond to clinical events when they become Registered Nurses. The findings of this study may contribute to developing nursing curricula that better prepares final year students for the realities of practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis for sustainable agriculture and water reuse in arid regions.

PubMed

Chekli, Laura; Kim, Youngjin; Phuntsho, Sherub; Li, Sheng; Ghaffour, Noreddine; Leiknes, TorOve; Shon, Ho Kyong

2017-02-01

The present study focused on the performance of the FDFO process to achieve simultaneous water reuse from wastewater and production of nutrient solution for hydroponic application. Bio-methane potential (BMP) measurements were firstly carried out to determine the effect of osmotic concentration of wastewater achieved in the FDFO process on the anaerobic activity. Results showed that 95% water recovery from the FDFO process is the optimum value for further AnMBR treatment. Nine different fertilizers were then tested based on their FO performance (i.e. water flux, water recovery and reverse salt flux) and final nutrient concentration. From this initial screening, ammonium phosphate monobasic (MAP), ammonium sulfate (SOA) and mono-potassium phosphate were selected for long term experiments to investigate the maximum water recovery achievable. After the experiments, hydraulic membrane cleaning was performed to assess the water flux recovery. SOA showed the highest water recovery rate, up to 76% while KH 2 PO 4 showed the highest water flux recovery, up to 75% and finally MAP showed the lowest final nutrient concentration. However, substantial dilution was still necessary to comply with the standards for fertigation even if the recovery rate was increased. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cryogenic fluid management (base R/T): Cryogenic fluid systems, Cryogenic Orbital Nitrogen Experiment (CONE), Cryogenic Orbital Hydrogen Experiment (COHE). (Transportation focused technology)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Symons, Pat

1991-01-01

The topics presented are covered in viewgraph form. The concluded remarks are: (1) advanced cryogenic fluid systems technology is enhancing or enabling to all known transportation scenarios for space exploration; (2) an integrated/coordinated program involving LeRC/MSFC has been formulated to address all known CFM needs - new needs should they develop, can be accommodated within available skills/facilities; (3) all required/experienced personnel and facilities are finally in place - data from initial ground-based experiments is being collected and analyzed - small scale STS experiments are nearing flight - program is beginning to yield significant results; (4) future proposed funding to primarily come from two sources; and (5) cryogenic fluid experimentation is essential to provide required technology and assure implementation in future NASA missions.

ALICE results from Run-1 and Run-2 and perspectives for Run-3 and Run-4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noferini, Francesco; ALICE Collaboration

2018-05-01

A review of ALICE is presented focusing on its physics programme and results from the Run-1 and Run-2 data taking periods. Among the four major LHC experiments, ALICE is devoted to the study of the Quark-Gluon Plasma produced in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions (Pb–Pb), but it is also collecting data in smaller systems (pp and p–Pb). This review focuses on the main results collected so far, including the characterization of the QGP via soft and hard probes, and the production rate of light nuclei and hypernuclei. Finally, the perspectives after the detectors upgrades to be performed during 2019-2020 are presented.

Efficient modeling of Bragg coherent x-ray nanobeam diffraction

DOE PAGES

Hruszkewycz, S. O.; Holt, M. V.; Allain, M.; ...

2015-07-02

X-ray Bragg diffraction experiments that utilize tightly focused coherent beams produce complicated Bragg diffraction patterns that depend on scattering geometry, characteristics of the sample, and properties of the x-ray focusing optic. In this paper, we use a Fourier-transform-based method of modeling the 2D intensity distribution of a Bragg peak and apply it to the case of thin films illuminated with a Fresnel zone plate in three different Bragg scattering geometries. Finally, the calculations agree well with experimental coherent diffraction patterns, demonstrating that nanodiffraction patterns can be modeled at nonsymmetric Bragg conditions with this approach—a capability critical for advancing nanofocused x-raymore » diffraction microscopy.« less

Pharmacological approaches to the challenge of treatment-resistant depression

PubMed Central

Ionescu, Dawn F.; Rosenbaum, Jerrold F.; Alpert, Jonathan E.

2015-01-01

Although monoaminergic antidepressants revolutionized the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) over a half-century ago, approximately one third of depressed patients experience treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Such patients account for a disproportionately large burden of disease, as evidenced by increased disability, cost, human suffering, and suicide. This review addresses the definition, causes, evaluation, and treatment of unipolar TRD, as well as the major treatment strategies, including optimization, augmentation, combination, and switch therapies. Evidence for these options, as outlined in this review, is mainly focused on large-scale trials or meta-analyses. Finally, we briefly review emerging targets for antidepressant drug discovery and the novel effects of rapidly acting antidepressants, with a focus on ketamine. PMID:26246787

[Sources of leader's confidence in organizations].

PubMed

Ikeda, Hiroshi; Furukawa, Hisataka

2006-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the sources of confidence that organization leaders had. As potential sources of the confidence, we focused on fulfillment of expectations made by self and others, reflection on good as well as bad job experiences, and awareness of job experiences in terms of commonality, differentiation, and multiple viewpoints. A questionnaire was administered to 170 managers of Japanese companies. Results were as follows: First, confidence in leaders was more strongly related to fulfillment of expectations made by self and others than reflection on and awareness of job experiences. Second, the confidence was weakly related to internal processing of job experiences, in the form of commonality awareness and reflection on good job experiences. And finally, years of managerial experiences had almost no relation to the confidence. These findings suggested that confidence in leaders was directly acquired from fulfillment of expectations made by self and others, rather than indirectly through internal processing of job experiences. Implications of the findings for leadership training were also discussed.

WWC Review of the Report "A Big Apple for Educators: New York City's Experiment with Schoolwide Performance Bonuses. Final Evaluation Report." What Works Clearinghouse Single Study Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

2013-01-01

The study examined in this paper focuses on whether monetary bonuses for teachers improved schoolwide academic achievement in New York City public schools. Study authors analyzed data from 389 high-need elementary, middle, and high schools in New York City in the first year of the bonus program (2007-08) and from 371 of those same schools in the…

[Design and implementation on smart client for hospital information system].

PubMed

Liu, Min; Chen, Wei

2009-07-01

The article analyzes the traditional advantages and disadvantages of HIS based on the C/S and B/S structure, and introduces the features of Smart Client technology. Applying the technology in HIS, not only provides excellent operating experience, but also has the benefits of management brought about by concentration of deployment and update, achieve a balanced use of resources. Finally, this paper focuses on the application of the technology in the HIS system architecture design.

The Economic Impact of Terrorism in the Near East: Understanding the Threats Posed by Militant Groups

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-21

Finally, developing countries often have less diversified economies and are more likely to experience a larger effect from a sector -specific attack.27...also affect economic growth. As government spending increases, interest rates can rise, crowding out private investment and consumption. The extent...and private citizens in order to weaken the general confidence in the state. They have focused less on targets of economic significance, as is often

Microfluidics for Synthetic Biology: From Design to Execution

PubMed Central

Ferry, M. S.; Razinkov, I. A.; Hasty, J.

2016-01-01

With the expanding interest in cellular responses to dynamic environments, microfluidic devices have become important experimental platforms for biological research. Microfluidic “microchemostat” devices enable precise environmental control while capturing high quality, single-cell gene expression data. For studies of population heterogeneity and gene expression noise, these abilities are crucial. Here, we describe the necessary steps for experimental microfluidics using devices created in our lab as examples. First, we discuss the rational design of microchemostats and the tools available to predict their performance. We carefully analyze the critical parts of an example device, focusing on the most important part of any microchemostat: the cell trap. Next, we present a method for generating on-chip dynamic environments using an integrated fluidic junction coupled to linear actuators. Our system relies on the simple modulation of hydrostatic pressure to alter the mixing ratio between two source reservoirs and we detail the software and hardware behind it. To expand the throughput of microchemostat experiments, we describe how to build larger, parallel versions of simpler devices. To analyze the large amounts of data, we discuss methods for automated cell tracking, focusing on the special problems presented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The manufacturing of microchemostats is described in complete detail: from the photolithographic processing of the wafer to the final bonding of the PDMS chip to glass coverslip. Finally, the procedures for conducting Escherichia coli and S. cerevisiae microchemostat experiments are addressed. PMID:21601093

Theoretical studies of defect formation and target heating by intense pulsed ion beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnard, J. J.; Schenkel, T.; Persaud, A.; Seidl, P. A.; Friedman, A.; Grote, D. P.; Davidson, R. C.; Gilson, E. P.; Kaganovich, I.

2015-11-01

We present results of three studies related to experiments on NDCX-II, the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment, a short-pulse (~ 1ns), high-current (~ 70A) linear accelerator for 1.2 MeV ions at LBNL. These include: (a) Coupled transverse and longitudinal envelope calculations of the final non-neutral ion beam transport, followed by neutralized drift and final focus, for a number of focus and drift lengths and with a series of ion species (Z =1-19). Predicted target fluences were obtained and target temperatures in the 1 eV range estimated. (b) HYDRA simulations of the target response for Li and He ions and for Al and Au targets at various ion fluences (up to 1012 ions/pulse/mm2) and pulse durations, benchmarking temperature estimates from the envelope calculations. (c) Crystal-Trim simulations of ion channeling through single-crystal lattices, with comparisons to ion transmission data as a function of orientation angle of the crystal foil and for different ion intensities and ion species. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE under contracts DE-AC52-07NA27344 (LLNL), DE-AC02-05CH11231 (LBNL) and DE-AC02-76CH0307 (PPPL) and was supported by the US DOE Office of Science, Fusion Energy Sciences. LLNL-ABS-67521.

The Phantom Vanish Magic Trick: Investigating the Disappearance of a Non-existent Object in a Dynamic Scene

PubMed Central

Tompkins, Matthew L.; Woods, Andy T.; Aimola Davies, Anne M.

2016-01-01

Drawing inspiration from sleight-of-hand magic tricks, we developed an experimental paradigm to investigate whether magicians’ misdirection techniques could be used to induce the misperception of “phantom” objects. While previous experiments investigating sleight-of-hand magic tricks have focused on creating false assumptions about the movement of an object in a scene, our experiment investigated creating false assumptions about the presence of an object in a scene. Participants watched a sequence of silent videos depicting a magician performing with a single object. Following each video, participants were asked to write a description of the events in the video. In the final video, participants watched the Phantom Vanish Magic Trick, a novel magic trick developed for this experiment, in which the magician pantomimed the actions of presenting an object and then making it magically disappear. No object was presented during the final video. The silent videos precluded the use of false verbal suggestions, and participants were not asked leading questions about the objects. Nevertheless, 32% of participants reported having visual impressions of non-existent objects. These findings support an inferential model of perception, wherein top-down expectations can be manipulated by the magician to generate vivid illusory experiences, even in the absence of corresponding bottom-up information. PMID:27493635

Efforts to Promote Reintegration and Rehabilitation of Traumatized Former Child Soldiers

PubMed Central

Borisova, Ivelina I.; Betancourt, Theresa S.; Willett, John B.

2017-01-01

This article explores the role of caregivers in the reintegration of former child soldiers from Sierra Leone. Using data on 282 youth and their respective caregivers, our aim is to focus on the caregiver–child relationship after reintegration. We investigate the extent to which caregivers know about child soldiers' experiences of direct and indirect violence, as well as involvement in war activities. We further examine variables that might shape the degree of caregiver knowledge of child's war experiences. Finally, we examine if caregiver knowledge of war experiences is associated with child's psychosocial outcomes. Findings highlight the importance of developing thoughtful programs that consider the needs of the child in the context of the family and caregivers with whom he or she is reunified. PMID:29249893

Using experience sampling methods/ecological momentary assessment (ESM/EMA) in clinical assessment and clinical research: introduction to the special section.

PubMed

Trull, Timothy J; Ebner-Priemer, Ulrich W

2009-12-01

This article introduces the special section on experience sampling methods and ecological momentary assessment in clinical assessment. We review the conceptual basis for experience sampling methods (ESM; Csikszentmihalyi & Larson, 1987) and ecological momentary assessment (EMA; Stone & Shiffman, 1994). Next, we highlight several advantageous features of ESM/EMA as applied to psychological assessment and clinical research. We provide a brief overview of the articles in this special section, each of which focuses on 1 of the following major classes of psychological disorders: mood disorders and mood dysregulation (Ebner-Priemer & Trull, 2009), anxiety disorders (Alpers, 2009), substance use disorders (Shiffman, 2009), and psychosis (Oorschot, Kwapil, Delespaul, & Myin-Germeys, 2009). Finally, we discuss prospects, future challenges, and limitations of ESM/EMA.

Dietetics students' perceptions and experiences of interprofessional education.

PubMed

Earland, J; Gilchrist, M; McFarland, L; Harrison, K

2011-04-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) is a process through which students are provided with learning opportunities with other professions aiming to improve client care. The need to include effective IPE in preregistration programmes for health professionals is increasingly being recognised. The overall aim of the present study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of final-year dietetics students of IPE delivered through interactive online learning groups. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate the students' satisfaction with the IPE modules, including importance to their clinical placements, and their understanding of the roles of other professions. Six dietetics students took part in a focus group that addressed the impact of participating in the IPE modules. The focus group discussion was recorded, transcribed and subjected to content analysis. Twenty students completed the questionnaire (77% of the cohort). Satisfaction with the IPE modules increased as the programme progressed, with 65%, 90% and 95% of the respondents, respectively, being satisfied with the content, assessment and access of the final module. Participating in the programme enhanced the students' opinions on the value of the roles of other professionals (80%) and enhanced their awareness of interprofessional issues (75%). Four key areas of interest emerged from the focus group analysis: key impressions; understanding the role of the dietitian and other professionals; the advantages and disadvantages of online delivery; and interprofessional working in the work environment. The most important outcome of participating in IPE was that students' knowledge of other professions was enhanced, which had a positive impact on placements. An effective information technology infrastructure and appropriate scenarios are key requirements for the online delivery of IPE. © 2011 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Psychosocial experiences associated with confirmed and self-identified dyslexia: a participant-driven concept map of adult perspectives.

PubMed

Nalavany, Blace Arthur; Carawan, Lena Williams; Rennick, Robyn A

2011-01-01

Concept mapping (a mixed qualitative-quantitative methodology) was used to describe and understand the psychosocial experiences of adults with confirmed and self-identified dyslexia. Using innovative processes of art and photography, Phase 1 of the study included 15 adults who participated in focus groups and in-depth interviews and were asked to elucidate their experiences with dyslexia. On index cards, 75 statements and experiences with dyslexia were recorded. The second phase of the study included 39 participants who sorted these statements into self-defined categories and rated each statement to reflect their personal experiences to produce a visual representation, or concept map, of their experience. The final concept map generated nine distinct cluster themes: Organization Skills for Success; Finding Success; A Good Support System Makes the Difference; On Being Overwhelmed; Emotional Downside; Why Can't They See It?; Pain, Hurt, and Embarrassment From Past to Present; Fear of Disclosure; and Moving Forward. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Moral Emotions and Moral Behavior

PubMed Central

Stuewig, Jeff; Mashek, Debra J.

2011-01-01

Moral emotions represent a key element of our human moral apparatus, influencing the link between moral standards and moral behavior. This chapter reviews current theory and research on moral emotions. We first focus on a triad of negatively valenced “self-conscious” emotions—shame, guilt, and embarrassment. As in previous decades, much research remains focused on shame and guilt. We review current thinking on the distinction between shame and guilt, and the relative advantages and disadvantages of these two moral emotions. Several new areas of research are highlighted: research on the domain-specific phenomenon of body shame, styles of coping with shame, psychobiological aspects of shame, the link between childhood abuse and later proneness to shame, and the phenomena of vicarious or “collective” experiences of shame and guilt. In recent years, the concept of moral emotions has been expanded to include several positive emotions—elevation, gratitude, and the sometimes morally relevant experience of pride. Finally, we discuss briefly a morally relevant emotional process—other-oriented empathy. PMID:16953797

Towards more patient centred healthcare: A new Consumer Quality Index instrument to assess patients' experiences with breast care.

PubMed

Damman, Olga C; Hendriks, Michelle; Sixma, Herman J

2009-06-01

To develop a Consumer Quality Index (CQ-index) Breast Care instrument that measures quality of care from the perspective of patients with (suspicion of) breast cancer. To develop a pilot questionnaire, three focus group discussions with breast cancer patients were performed. The questionnaire was sent to 1197 patients. We performed psychometric and descriptive analyses to optimise the new instrument. Focus group discussions revealed nine main themes related to breast care quality. Psychometric analyses resulted in 15 reliable scales. The final instrument consisted of 152 items, of which 118 items regarded patients' experiences. The aspect with the highest need for quality improvement was informing patients about a second opinion. The CQ-index Breast Care (CQI-BC) instrument provides a good starting point for further research on the quality of breast care seen from the perspective of patients. The newly developed instrument can be used by different stakeholders for future quality monitoring.

Ceramic micro-injection molded nozzles for serial femtosecond crystallography sample delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyerlein, K. R.; Adriano, L.; Heymann, M.; Kirian, R.; Knoška, J.; Wilde, F.; Chapman, H. N.; Bajt, S.

2015-12-01

Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) using X-ray Free-Electron Lasers (XFELs) allows for room temperature protein structure determination without evidence of conventional radiation damage. In this method, a liquid suspension of protein microcrystals can be delivered to the X-ray beam in vacuum as a micro-jet, which replenishes the crystals at a rate that exceeds the current XFEL pulse repetition rate. Gas dynamic virtual nozzles produce the required micrometer-sized streams by the focusing action of a coaxial sheath gas and have been shown to be effective for SFX experiments. Here, we describe the design and characterization of such nozzles assembled from ceramic micro-injection molded outer gas-focusing capillaries. Trends of the emitted jet diameter and jet length as a function of supplied liquid and gas flow rates are measured by a fast imaging system. The observed trends are explained by derived relationships considering choked gas flow and liquid flow conservation. Finally, the performance of these nozzles in a SFX experiment is presented, including an analysis of the observed background.

Moral emotions and moral behavior.

PubMed

Tangney, June Price; Stuewig, Jeff; Mashek, Debra J

2007-01-01

Moral emotions represent a key element of our human moral apparatus, influencing the link between moral standards and moral behavior. This chapter reviews current theory and research on moral emotions. We first focus on a triad of negatively valenced "self-conscious" emotions-shame, guilt, and embarrassment. As in previous decades, much research remains focused on shame and guilt. We review current thinking on the distinction between shame and guilt, and the relative advantages and disadvantages of these two moral emotions. Several new areas of research are highlighted: research on the domain-specific phenomenon of body shame, styles of coping with shame, psychobiological aspects of shame, the link between childhood abuse and later proneness to shame, and the phenomena of vicarious or "collective" experiences of shame and guilt. In recent years, the concept of moral emotions has been expanded to include several positive emotions-elevation, gratitude, and the sometimes morally relevant experience of pride. Finally, we discuss briefly a morally relevant emotional process-other-oriented empathy.

“Now I Can Do Better”: A Study of Obese Women’s Experiences Following a Nonprescriptive Nutritional Intervention

PubMed Central

Ulian, Mariana D; Gualano, Bruno; Benatti, Fabiana B; de Campos-Ferraz, Patricia L; Roble, Odilon J; Modesto, Bruno T; Brito, Bruna C; Murakawa, Karina A; Torre, Mariana D; Tritto, Aline CC; Unsain, Ramiro F; de M Sato, Priscila; Scagliusi, Fernanda B

2015-01-01

The present study analyzed obese women’s experiences following a nonprescriptive nutritional intervention, implemented through a 1-year program based on the Health at Every Size® philosophy. We employed an action research method and conducted three focus groups during the intervention. We identified five interpretative axes across the focus groups, as follows: conflicts and perceptions; gaining motivation, perspective, and positioning; becoming autonomous eaters; acquiring tools; and the meetings between the nutritional therapist and participant. Our findings revealed varying levels of readiness among participants in adapting to the intervention and varying valuations of achievements related to eating and health, independent of body-weight changes. Participants reported benefiting from and expressed approval of the intervention. Participants reported positive behavioral and attitudinal changes to their diet and improvements to diet quality, diet structure, and consumption. Finally, participants seemed to show increased autonomy concerning diet and indicated increased confidence, comfort, flexibility, and positivity of attitude regarding eating. PMID:26417206

Myths about autism: An exploratory study using focus groups.

PubMed

John, Rachael Ps; Knott, Fiona J; Harvey, Kate N

2017-08-01

Individuals with autism are often stigmatised and isolated by their typically developing peers according to parental, teacher and self-reports. While quantitative studies often report negative attitudes towards individuals with autism, it is still unclear how understandings of autism influence attitudes. In this exploratory study, misconceptions or myths about autism, that is, the cognitive component of attitudes, were examined using focus groups. Purposive sampling was used to recruit undergraduate and postgraduate students, and adults with and without experience of autism, to one of the five focus groups (n = 37). Content analysis was used to identify emergent themes. The data identified seven commonly held beliefs about individuals with autism. The first four were related to social interaction, such as that people with autism do not like to be touched. The fifth reflected the view that all individuals with autism have a special talent, and the final two concerned beliefs that people with autism are dangerous. The findings from this study demonstrate that people with varying experience or knowledge of autism often hold inaccurate beliefs about autism. These findings improve our understandings of lay beliefs about autism and will aid the development and implementation of interventions designed to improve lay knowledge of autism.

A novel method for multifactorial bio-chemical experiments design based on combinational design theory.

PubMed

Wang, Xun; Sun, Beibei; Liu, Boyang; Fu, Yaping; Zheng, Pan

2017-01-01

Experimental design focuses on describing or explaining the multifactorial interactions that are hypothesized to reflect the variation. The design introduces conditions that may directly affect the variation, where particular conditions are purposely selected for observation. Combinatorial design theory deals with the existence, construction and properties of systems of finite sets whose arrangements satisfy generalized concepts of balance and/or symmetry. In this work, borrowing the concept of "balance" in combinatorial design theory, a novel method for multifactorial bio-chemical experiments design is proposed, where balanced templates in combinational design are used to select the conditions for observation. Balanced experimental data that covers all the influencing factors of experiments can be obtianed for further processing, such as training set for machine learning models. Finally, a software based on the proposed method is developed for designing experiments with covering influencing factors a certain number of times.

Searching for a dark photon with DarkLight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corliss, R.; DarkLight Collaboration

2017-09-01

Despite compelling astrophysical evidence for the existence of dark matter in the universe, we have yet to positively identify it in any terrestrial experiment. If such matter is indeed particle in nature, it may have a new interaction as well, carried by a dark counterpart to the photon. The DarkLight experiment proposes to search for such a beyond-the-standard-model dark photon through complete reconstruction of the final states of electron-proton collisions. In order to accomplish this, the experiment requires a moderate-density target and a very high intensity, low energy electron beam. I describe DarkLight's approach and focus on the implications this has for the design of the experiment, which centers on the use of an internal gas target in Jefferson Lab's Low Energy Recirculating Facility. I also discuss upcoming beam tests, where we will place our target and solenoidal magnet in the beam for the first time.

Three-dimensional user interfaces for scientific visualization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanDam, Andries (Principal Investigator)

1996-01-01

The focus of this grant was to experiment with novel user interfaces for scientific visualization applications using both desktop and virtual reality (VR) systems, and thus to advance the state of the art of user interface technology for this domain. This technology has been transferred to NASA via periodic status reports and papers relating to this grant that have been published in conference proceedings. This final report summarizes the research completed over the past three years, and subsumes all prior reports.

Lessons learned from the SLC

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

Phinney, N.

The SLAC Linear Collider (SLC) is the first example of an entirely new type of lepton collider. Many years of effort were required to develop the understanding and techniques needed to approach design luminosity. This paper discusses some of the key issues and problems encountered in producing a working linear collider. These include the polarized source, techniques for emittance preservation, extensive feedback systems, and refinements in beam optimization in the final focus. The SLC experience has been invaluable for testing concepts and developing designs for a future linear collider.

Development and Implementaton of Advanced Materials for Aircraft Engine Applications Development and Implementation of Nanostructure Laminates Final Report CRADA No. TC-0497-93-B

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

Barbee, T. W.; Yee, W.

The objective of this project was to develop engineered nanostructure laminate materials for applications in gas turbine engines. Although the focus of this effort was on developing improved · thermal barrier coatings, the data and experience gained through such project tasks as basic theoretical work and modeling of composition/structure property relationships can be applied. to the development of microscructure laminates for other·applications.

Gemini Observatory base facility operations: systems engineering process and lessons learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serio, Andrew; Cordova, Martin; Arriagada, Gustavo; Adamson, Andy; Close, Madeline; Coulson, Dolores; Nitta, Atsuko; Nunez, Arturo

2016-08-01

Gemini North Observatory successfully began nighttime remote operations from the Hilo Base Facility control room in November 2015. The implementation of the Gemini North Base Facility Operations (BFO) products was a great learning experience for many of our employees, including the author of this paper, the BFO Systems Engineer. In this paper we focus on the tailored Systems Engineering processes used for the project, the various software tools used in project support, and finally discuss the lessons learned from the Gemini North implementation. This experience and the lessons learned will be used both to aid our implementation of the Gemini South BFO in 2016, and in future technical projects at Gemini Observatory.

A Phenomenographic Investigation of the Ways Engineering Students Experience Innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fila, Nicholas David

Innovation has become an important phenomenon in engineering and engineering education. By developing novel, feasible, viable, and valued solutions to complex technical and human problems, engineers support the economic competitiveness of organizations, make a difference in the lives of users and other stakeholders, drive societal and scientific progress, and obtain key personal benefits. Innovation is also a complex phenomenon. It occurs across a variety of contexts and domains, encompasses numerous phases and activities, and requires unique competency profiles. Despite this complexity, many studies in engineering education focus on specific aspects (e.g., engineering students' abilities to generate original concepts during idea generation), and we still know little about the variety of ways engineering students approach and understand innovation. This study addresses that gap by asking: 1. What are the qualitatively different ways engineering students experience innovation during their engineering projects? 2. What are the structural relationships between the ways engineering students experience innovation? This study utilized phenomenography, a qualitative research method, to explore the above research questions. Thirty-three engineering students were recruited to ensure thorough coverage along four factors suggested by the literature to support differences related to innovation: engineering project experience, academic major, year in school, and gender. Each participant completed a 1-2 hour, semi-structured interview that focused on experiences with and conceptions of innovation. Whole transcripts were analyzed using an eight-stage, iterative, and comparative approach meant to identify a limited number of categories of description (composite ways of experiencing innovation comprised of the experiences of several participants), and the structural relationships between these categories. Phenomenographic analysis revealed eight categories of description that were structured in a semi-hierarchical, two-dimensional outcome space. The first four categories demonstrated a progression toward greater comprehensiveness in both process and focus dimensions. In the process dimension, subsequent categories added increasingly preliminary innovation phases: idea realization, idea generation, problem scoping, and problem finding. In the focus dimension, subsequent categories added key areas engineers considered during innovation: technical, human, and enterprise. The final four categories each incorporated all previous process phases and focus areas, but prioritized different focus areas in sophisticated ways and acknowledged a macro-iterative cycle, i.e., an understanding of how the processes within a single innovation project built upon and contributed to past and future innovation projects. These results demonstrate important differences between engineering students and suggest how they may come to experience innovation in increasingly comprehensive ways. A framework based on the results can be used by educators and researchers to support more robust educational offerings and nuanced research designs that reflect these differences.

Teaching caring and competence: Student transformation during an older adult focused service-learning course.

PubMed

Brown, Karen M; Bright, Leslie M

2017-11-01

Innovative teaching strategies develop nurses' knowledge, skills, and attitudes while simultaneously integrating the art of caring and transforming attitudes toward adults over age 65. The study's purpose was to explore students' experiences and attitudes toward older adults with cognitive and/or physical limitations as well as the effects on students' knowledge and skills during a baccalaureate nursing, course which included a service-learning experience. Service-learning synthesizes meaningful community service, academic instruction, and reflection. Participants included baccalaureate students enrolled in a service-learning nursing course focused on older adults. This retrospective, qualitative, phenomenological study used reflective journals and an online survey to explore baccalaureate nursing students' experiences toward older adults with cognitive and/or physical limitations. Themes included initial attitudes of anticipation, apprehension, anxiety, and ageist stereotypes. Final attitudes included a "completely changed perspective" of caring, compassion, and respect indicative of a rewarding, "life-changing" experience. Participants cited enhanced learning, especially in the areas of patient-centered care, collaboration, communication, advocacy, empathy, assessment skills, and evidence-based practice. This innovative teaching strategy led to transformed attitudes toward older adults, reduced fear of older adult populations, an increased desire to work with older adults, and the ability to form a transpersonal, caring relationship while enhancing nursing knowledge and skills. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

E-simulation: preregistration nursing students' evaluation of an online patient deterioration program.

PubMed

Cant, Robyn; Young, Susan; Cooper, Simon J; Porter, Joanne

2015-03-01

This study explores preregistration nursing students' views of a Web-based simulation program: FIRST ACTWeb (Feedback Incorporating Review and Simulation Techniques to Act on Clinical Trends-Web). The multimedia program incorporating three videoed scenarios portrayed by a standardized patient (human actor) aims to improve students' recognition and management of hospital patient deterioration. Participants were 367 final-year nursing students from three universities who completed an online evaluation survey and 19 students from two universities who attended one of five focus groups. Two researchers conducted a thematic analysis of the transcribed narratives. Three core themes identified were as follows: "ease of program use," "experience of e-Simulation," and "satisfaction with the learning experience." The Web-based clinical learning environment was endorsed as functional, feasible, and easy to use and was reported to have high fidelity and realism. Feedback in both focus groups and surveys showed high satisfaction with the learning experience. Overall, evaluation suggested that the Web-based simulation program successfully integrated elements essential for blended learning. Although Web-based educational applications are resource intensive to develop, positive appraisal of program quality, plus program accessibility and repeatability, appears to provide important educational benefits. Further research is needed to determine the transferability of these learning experiences into real-world practice.

Multi-focus image fusion based on area-based standard deviation in dual tree contourlet transform domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Min; Dong, Chenghui; Guo, Miao; Wang, Zhe; Mu, Xiaomin

2018-04-01

Multiresolution-based methods, such as wavelet and Contourlet are usually used to image fusion. This work presents a new image fusion frame-work by utilizing area-based standard deviation in dual tree Contourlet trans-form domain. Firstly, the pre-registered source images are decomposed with dual tree Contourlet transform; low-pass and high-pass coefficients are obtained. Then, the low-pass bands are fused with weighted average based on area standard deviation rather than the simple "averaging" rule. While the high-pass bands are merged with the "max-absolute' fusion rule. Finally, the modified low-pass and high-pass coefficients are used to reconstruct the final fused image. The major advantage of the proposed fusion method over conventional fusion is the approximately shift invariance and multidirectional selectivity of dual tree Contourlet transform. The proposed method is compared with wavelet- , Contourletbased methods and other the state-of-the art methods on common used multi focus images. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed fusion framework is feasible and effective, and it performs better in both subjective and objective evaluation.

Wide angle reflection effects on the uncertainty in layered models travel times tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majdanski, Mariusz; Bialas, Sebastian; Trzeciak, Maciej; Gaczyński, Edward; Maksym, Andrzej

2015-04-01

Multi-phase layered model traveltimes tomography inversions can be realised in several ways depending on the inversion path. Inverting the shape of the boundaries based on reflection data and the velocity field based on refractions could be done jointly or sequentially. We analyse an optimal inversion path based on the uncertainty analysis of the final models. Additionally, we propose to use post critical wide-angle reflections in tomographic inversions for more reliable results especially in the deeper parts of each layer. We focus on the effects of using hard to pick post critical reflections on the final model uncertainty. Our study is performed using data collected during standard vibroseis and explosive sources seismic reflection experiment focused on shale gas reservoir characterisation realised by Polish Oil and Gas Company. Our data were gathered by a standalone single component stations deployed along the whole length of the 20 km long profile, resulting in significantly longer offsets. Our piggy back recordings resulted in good quality wide angle refraction and reflection recordings clearly observable up to the offsets of 12 km.

The student perspective of high school laboratory experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambert, R. Mitch

High school science laboratory experiences are an accepted teaching practice across the nation despite a lack of research evidence to support them. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspective of students---stakeholders often ignored---on these experiences. Insight into the students' perspective was explored progressively using a grounded theory methodology. Field observations of science classrooms led to an open-ended survey of high school science students, garnering 665 responses. Twelve student interviews then focused on the data and questions evolving from the survey. The student perspective on laboratory experiences revealed varied information based on individual experience. Concurrent analysis of the data revealed that although most students like (348/665) or sometimes like (270/665) these experiences, some consistent factors yielded negative experiences and prompted suggestions for improvement. The category of responses that emerged as the core idea focused on student understanding of the experience. Students desire to understand the why do, the how to, and the what it means of laboratory experiences. Lacking any one of these, the experience loses educational value for them. This single recurring theme crossed the boundaries of age, level in school, gender, and even the student view of lab experiences as positive or negative. This study suggests reflection on the current laboratory activities in which science teachers engage their students. Is the activity appropriate (as opposed to being merely a favorite), does it encourage learning, does it fit, does it operate at the appropriate level of inquiry, and finally what can science teachers do to integrate these activities into the classroom curriculum more effectively? Simply stated, what can teachers do so that students understand what to do, what's the point, and how that point fits into what they are learning outside the laboratory?

An electrostatically and a magnetically confined electron gun lens system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernius, Mark T.; Man, Kin F.; Chutjian, Ara

1988-01-01

Focal properties, electron trajectory calculations, and geometries are given for two electron 'gun' lens systems that have a variety of applications in, for example, electron-neutral and electron-ion scattering experiments. One nine-lens system utilizes only electrostatic confinement and is capable of focusing electrons onto a fixed target with extremely small divergence angles, over a range of final energies 1-790 eV. The second gun lens system is a simpler three-lens system suitable for use in a uniform, solenoidal magnetic field. While the focusing properties of such a magnetically confined lens systenm are simpler to deal with, the system does illustrate features of electron extraction and Brillouin flow that have not been suitably emphasized in the literature.

Adaptive Focusing For Ultrasonic Transcranial Brain Therapy: First In Vivo Investigation On 22 Sheep

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pernot, Mathieu; Aubry, Jean-François; Tanter, Mickael; Boch, Anne Laure; Kujas, Michelle; Fink, Mathias

2005-03-01

A high power prototype dedicated to trans-skull therapy has been tested in vivo on 22 sheep. The array is made of 300 high power transducers working at 1MHz central frequency and is able to achieve 400 bars at focus in water during five seconds with a 50% percent duty cycle. In the first series of experiments, 10 sheep were treated and sacrificed immediately after treatment. A complete craniotomy was performed on half of the treated animal models in order to get a reference model. On the other half, minimally invasive surgery has been performed: a hydrophone was inserted at a given target location inside the brain through a craniotomy of a few mm2. A time reversal experiment was then conducted through the skull bone with the therapeutic array to treat the targeted point. Thanks to the high power technology of the prototype, trans-skull adaptive treatment could be achieved. In a second series of experiments, 12 animals were divided into three groups and sacrificed respectively one, two or three weeks after treatment. Finally, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and histological examination were performed to confirm tissue damage.

Comparing alternate learning pathways within a problem-based learning speech-language pathology curriculum.

PubMed

Erickson, Shane; Serry, Tanya Anne

2016-02-01

This qualitative study investigated the learning process for speech-language pathology (SLP) students engaging in a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum and compared the perspectives of students from two pathways. Sixteen final-year SLP students participated in one of four focus groups. Half the participants entered the course directly via an undergraduate pathway and the other half entered via a graduate entry pathway. Each focus group comprised two students from each pathway. Data were generated via a semi-structured interview and analysed thematically. Regardless of participants' pathway, many similar themes about factors that influenced their expectations prior to PBL commencing as well as their actual PBL experiences were raised. Participants believed that PBL was a productive way to learn and to develop clinical competencies. Many were critical of variations in PBL facilitation styles and were sensitive to changes in facilitators. The majority of participants viewed experiential opportunities to engage in PBL prior to commencement of semester as advantageous. Combining students with different backgrounds has many advantages to the PBL learning process. Regardless of prior experiences, all students must be sufficiently prepared. Furthermore, the facilitator has a crucial role with the potential to optimise or detract from the learning experience.

Wireless device connection problems and design solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Ji-Won; Norman, Donald; Nam, Tek-Jin; Qin, Shengfeng

2016-09-01

Users, especially the non-expert users, commonly experience problems when connecting multiple devices with interoperability. While studies on multiple device connections are mostly concentrated on spontaneous device association techniques with a focus on security aspects, the research on user interaction for device connection is still limited. More research into understanding people is needed for designers to devise usable techniques. This research applies the Research-through-Design method and studies the non-expert users' interactions in establishing wireless connections between devices. The "Learning from Examples" concept is adopted to develop a study focus line by learning from the expert users' interaction with devices. This focus line is then used for guiding researchers to explore the non-expert users' difficulties at each stage of the focus line. Finally, the Research-through-Design approach is used to understand the users' difficulties, gain insights to design problems and suggest usable solutions. When connecting a device, the user is required to manage not only the device's functionality but also the interaction between devices. Based on learning from failures, an important insight is found that the existing design approach to improve single-device interaction issues, such as improvements to graphical user interfaces or computer guidance, cannot help users to handle problems between multiple devices. This study finally proposes a desirable user-device interaction in which images of two devices function together with a system image to provide the user with feedback on the status of the connection, which allows them to infer any required actions.

Mitigating chromatic effects for the transverse focusing of intense charged particle beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitrani, James; Kaganovich, Igor; Davidson, Ronald

2013-09-01

A final focusing scheme designed to minimize chromatic effects is discussed. Solenoids are often used for transverse focusing in accelerator systems that require a charged particle beam with a small focal spot and/or large energy density A sufficiently large spread in axial momentum will reduce the effectiveness of transverse focusing, and result in chromatic effects on the final focal spot. Placing a weaker solenoid upstream of a stronger final focusing solenoid (FFS) mitigates chromatic effects on transverse beam focusing. J.M. Mitrani et al., Nucl. Inst. Meth. Phys. Res. A (2013) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2013.05.09 This work was supported by DOE contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Evaluating Recommendation Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shani, Guy; Gunawardana, Asela

Recommender systems are now popular both commercially and in the research community, where many approaches have been suggested for providing recommendations. In many cases a system designer that wishes to employ a recommendation system must choose between a set of candidate approaches. A first step towards selecting an appropriate algorithm is to decide which properties of the application to focus upon when making this choice. Indeed, recommendation systems have a variety of properties that may affect user experience, such as accuracy, robustness, scalability, and so forth. In this paper we discuss how to compare recommenders based on a set of properties that are relevant for the application. We focus on comparative studies, where a few algorithms are compared using some evaluation metric, rather than absolute benchmarking of algorithms. We describe experimental settings appropriate for making choices between algorithms. We review three types of experiments, starting with an offline setting, where recommendation approaches are compared without user interaction, then reviewing user studies, where a small group of subjects experiment with the system and report on the experience, and finally describe large scale online experiments, where real user populations interact with the system. In each of these cases we describe types of questions that can be answered, and suggest protocols for experimentation. We also discuss how to draw trustworthy conclusions from the conducted experiments. We then review a large set of properties, and explain how to evaluate systems given relevant properties. We also survey a large set of evaluation metrics in the context of the properties that they evaluate.

Activities of UAH

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Ning

2000-01-01

From its start in December 1996, the Cooperative Agreement allowed that some tasks could be performed primarily by UAH, some primarily by MSFC and some in a joint manner. The detailed distribution of effort has evolved in a pragmatic fashion, with each organization focusing on those tasks that seemed most urgent and for which appropriate capabilities existed. The final, all-up experiments were envisioned as a very careful measurement process carried out jointly using components developed at both UAH and MSFC. The total project began with an air of optimism that the necessary apparatus for the adopted objectives could be quickly and easily assembled. Not surprisingly, technological difficulties were encountered by all parties and it has proven impossible to complete the challenging experiments in the term of this cooperative agreement. The UAH accomplishments toward the ultimate experiments are reported here in a taskwise manner.

Neural network control of focal position during time-lapse microscopy of cells.

PubMed

Wei, Ling; Roberts, Elijah

2018-05-09

Live-cell microscopy is quickly becoming an indispensable technique for studying the dynamics of cellular processes. Maintaining the specimen in focus during image acquisition is crucial for high-throughput applications, especially for long experiments or when a large sample is being continuously scanned. Automated focus control methods are often expensive, imperfect, or ill-adapted to a specific application and are a bottleneck for widespread adoption of high-throughput, live-cell imaging. Here, we demonstrate a neural network approach for automatically maintaining focus during bright-field microscopy. Z-stacks of yeast cells growing in a microfluidic device were collected and used to train a convolutional neural network to classify images according to their z-position. We studied the effect on prediction accuracy of the various hyperparameters of the neural network, including downsampling, batch size, and z-bin resolution. The network was able to predict the z-position of an image with ±1 μm accuracy, outperforming human annotators. Finally, we used our neural network to control microscope focus in real-time during a 24 hour growth experiment. The method robustly maintained the correct focal position compensating for 40 μm of focal drift and was insensitive to changes in the field of view. About ~100 annotated z-stacks were required to train the network making our method quite practical for custom autofocus applications.

Microfluidics for synthetic biology: from design to execution.

PubMed

Ferry, M S; Razinkov, I A; Hasty, J

2011-01-01

With the expanding interest in cellular responses to dynamic environments, microfluidic devices have become important experimental platforms for biological research. Microfluidic "microchemostat" devices enable precise environmental control while capturing high quality, single-cell gene expression data. For studies of population heterogeneity and gene expression noise, these abilities are crucial. Here, we describe the necessary steps for experimental microfluidics using devices created in our lab as examples. First, we discuss the rational design of microchemostats and the tools available to predict their performance. We carefully analyze the critical parts of an example device, focusing on the most important part of any microchemostat: the cell trap. Next, we present a method for generating on-chip dynamic environments using an integrated fluidic junction coupled to linear actuators. Our system relies on the simple modulation of hydrostatic pressure to alter the mixing ratio between two source reservoirs and we detail the software and hardware behind it. To expand the throughput of microchemostat experiments, we describe how to build larger, parallel versions of simpler devices. To analyze the large amounts of data, we discuss methods for automated cell tracking, focusing on the special problems presented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The manufacturing of microchemostats is described in complete detail: from the photolithographic processing of the wafer to the final bonding of the PDMS chip to glass coverslip. Finally, the procedures for conducting Escherichia coli and S. cerevisiae microchemostat experiments are addressed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dental hygiene student experiences in external placements in Australia.

PubMed

Taylor, Jane A; Hayes, Melanie J; Wallace, Linda

2012-05-01

While placements in external locations are being increasingly used in dental education globally, few studies have explored the student learning experience at such placements. The purpose of this study was to investigate student experiences while on external placement in a baccalaureate dental hygiene program. A self-reporting questionnaire was distributed to final-year dental hygiene students (n=77) at the University of Newcastle, Australia, in 2010. The questionnaire included questions regarding the type of placement, experiences offered, supervision, resources available, and lasting impressions. Responding students were generally positive about their external placement experience and indicated that the majority of facilities provided them with the opportunity to provide direct patient care and perform clinical tasks typical of a practicing hygienist. However, there was a statistically significant difference in their opinions about discipline-focused and community placements. Students indicated that their external placement experience provided opportunities to learn more about time and patient management, including hands-on experience with specific clinical tasks. Ongoing evaluations are necessary to ensure that external placements meet both student needs and intended learning outcomes within dental hygiene programs.

"I don't care about you as a person": Sexual minority women objectified.

PubMed

Tebbe, Elliot A; Moradi, Bonnie; Connelly, Kathleen E; Lenzen, Alexandra L; Flores, Mirella

2018-01-01

This study investigates sexual minority women's experiences of objectification in the United States. Data from 5 focus groups with 33 sexual minority women were analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2012). Results revealed 6 themes and 34 subthemes grouped into "manifestations of objectification: general and explicit intersections," "immediate context of relational and situational characteristics," and "broader context of oppression and privilege along gender and sexualities." First, sexual minority women's experiences of objectification included both general manifestations described in prior research with heterosexual women and manifestations of objectification that reflected intersections of systems of inequality based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, and age. Second, participants identified novel relational and situational characteristics of objectification. Finally, participants included experiences of stereotyping, discrimination, and dehumanization in their conceptualizations of objectification, connecting their experiences of objectification with broader dynamics of power related to gender and sexuality. Centralizing sexual minority women's experiences, this study produced a fuller understanding of objectification experiences in general and of sexual minority women's experiences in particular. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Analysis of the project synthesis goal cluster orientation and inquiry emphasis of elementary science textbooks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staver, John R.; Bay, Mary

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine selected units of commonly used elementary science texts, using the Project Synthesis goal clusters as a framework for part of the examination. An inquiry classification scheme was used for the remaining segment. Four questions were answered: (1) To what extent do elementary science textbooks focus on each Project Synthesis goal cluster? (2) In which part of the text is such information found? (3) To what extent are the activities and experiments merely verifications of information already introduced in the text? (4) If inquiry is present in an activity, then what is the level of such inquiry?Eleven science textbook series, which comprise approximately 90 percent of the national market, were selected for analysis. Two units, one primary (K-3) and one intermediate (4-6), were selected for analysis by first identifying units common to most series, then randomly selecting one primary and one intermediate unit for analysis.Each randomly selected unit was carefully read, using the sentence as the unit of analysis. Each declarative and interrogative sentence in the body of the text was classified as: (1) academic; (2) personal; (3) career; or (4) societal in its focus. Each illustration, except those used in evaluation items, was similarly classified. Each activity/experiment and each miscellaneous sentence in end-of-chapter segments labelled review, summary, evaluation, etc., were similarly classified. Finally, each activity/experiment, as a whole, was categorized according to a four-category inquiry scheme (confirmation, structured inquiry, guided inquiry, open inquiry).In general, results of the analysis are: (1) most text prose focuses on academic science; (2) most remaining text prose focuses on the personal goal cluster; (3) the career and societal goal clusters receive only minor attention; (4) text illustrations exhibit a pattern similar to text prose; (5) text activities/experiments are academic in orientation, almost to the exclusion of other goal clusters; (6) end-of-chapter sentences are largely academic; (7) inquiry is absent or present only in limited forms in text activities/experiments; and (8) texts allocate only a minor portion of space to activities/experiments. Detailed findings are given as numeral, percentage, and decimal values. Discussion focuses on the implications of the results and a comparison of NSTA recommendations with the results of this analysis.

Reconceptualising the external validity of discrete choice experiments.

PubMed

Lancsar, Emily; Swait, Joffre

2014-10-01

External validity is a crucial but under-researched topic when considering using discrete choice experiment (DCE) results to inform decision making in clinical, commercial or policy contexts. We present the theory and tests traditionally used to explore external validity that focus on a comparison of final outcomes and review how this traditional definition has been empirically tested in health economics and other sectors (such as transport, environment and marketing) in which DCE methods are applied. While an important component, we argue that the investigation of external validity should be much broader than a comparison of final outcomes. In doing so, we introduce a new and more comprehensive conceptualisation of external validity, closely linked to process validity, that moves us from the simple characterisation of a model as being or not being externally valid on the basis of predictive performance, to the concept that external validity should be an objective pursued from the initial conceptualisation and design of any DCE. We discuss how such a broader definition of external validity can be fruitfully used and suggest innovative ways in which it can be explored in practice.

[Design and implementation of controlling smart car systems using P300 brain-computer interface].

PubMed

Wang, Jinjia; Yang, Chengjie; Hu, Bei

2013-04-01

Using human electroencephalogram (EEG) to control external devices in order to achieve a variety of functions has been focus of the field of brain-computer interface (BCI) research. P300 is experiments which stimulate the eye to produce EEG by using letters flashing, and then identify the corresponding letters. In this paper, some improvements based on the P300 experiments were made??. Firstly, the matrix of flashing letters were modified into words which represent a certain sense. Secondly, the BCI2000 procedures were added with the corresponding source code. Thirdly, the smart car systems were designed using the radiofrequency signal. Finally it was realized that the evoked potentials were used to control the state of the smart car.

Diagnostics of cathode material loss in cutting plasma torch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruber, J.; Šonský, J.; Hlína, J.

2014-07-01

A cutting plasma torch was observed in several ways by a high-speed camera with a focus on the cathode area. In the first experiment, the plasma arc between the nozzle tip and anode was recorded in a series of duty cycles ranging from new unworn cathodes to cathode failure due to wear and material loss. In the second experiment, we used a specially modified nozzle to observe the inside area between the cathode and the nozzle exit through a fused silica window. Finally, using tilted view, we observed a pool of molten hafnium at the cathode tip during the plasma torch operation. The process of cathode material melting, droplet formation, their expulsion and rate of cathode material loss was examined.

Love and the commitment problem in romantic relations and friendship.

PubMed

Gonzaga, G C; Keltner, D; Londahl, E A; Smith, M D

2001-08-01

On the basis of the proposition that love promotes commitment, the authors predicted that love would motivate approach, have a distinct signal, and correlate with commitment-enhancing processes when relationships are threatened. The authors studied romantic partners and adolescent opposite-sex friends during interactions that elicited love and threatened the bond. As expected, the experience of love correlated with approach-related states (desire, sympathy). Providing evidence for a nonverbal display of love, four affiliation cues (head nods, Duchenne smiles, gesticulation, forward leans) correlated with self-reports and partner estimates of love. Finally, the experience and display of love correlated with commitment-enhancing processes (e.g., constructive conflict resolution, perceived trust) when the relationship was threatened. Discussion focused on love, positive emotion, and relationships.

High School and Undergraduate Participation in Field Experiments as a Means of Teaching Global Change Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiariello, N. R.; Gomez, W.; Field, C. B.

2004-12-01

Field experiments offer unique opportunities to teach undergraduates and high school students many of the principles and methods of global change science. The Jasper Ridge Global Change Experiment (JRGCE) studies the response of California grassland to four environmental factors changing globally, and has emphasized a tiered program of outreach that combines curriculum supplements, demonstration tours, sample data sets, and internship opportunities. The program emphasizes translating a complex environmental question into an experiment. High school outreach by the JRGCE has focused on the environmental studies classes at a nearby public high school. Students begin with background material via a website and in-class sessions that focus on global and regional changes in the four environmental factors incorporated in the experiment: warming, elevated CO2, increased precipitation, and nitrogen deposition. Each class also visits the experiment to see and discuss many aspects of experimental design: environmental heterogeneity, the importance of replication and randomization, the role of experimental controls, the possibility of experimental artifacts, the importance of minimally disruptive measurements, and the complexity of ecosystems and their responses to experimental treatments. These demonstration tours also emphasize hands-on measurements to illustrate how ecosystem responses to global change are quantified across a wide range of mechanisms. Finally, students use data from the experiment to test for effects of the treatments. For undergraduate classes, outreach focuses on either broad-based or more specialized demonstration tours to support their already well-developed curriculum. A few strongly interested high school students and undergraduates also conduct studies within the JRGCE under the supervision of a graduate student, postdoc, or professor. These educational activities depend crucially on three factors: 1) involvement of many members of the experiment team so that demonstration tours can be subdivided into small groups, 2) communication skills of dedicated volunteers to create and implement a broad set of educational materials, and 3) collaboration with participating teachers so that the activities merge with their curriculum. Feedback from students suggests that the outreach has been most successful when small groups of students are in the field with volunteers or researchers who engage them in well-crafted thought experiments or hands-on measurements.

The emerging dental workforce: short-term expectations of, and influences on dental students graduating from a London dental school in 2005.

PubMed

Gallagher, Jennifer E; Clarke, Wendy; Wilson, Nairn H F

2008-07-01

The aim of this research was to identify short-term career aspirations and goals of final-year dental students at a London dental school and the perceived factors that influenced these aspirations. Two methods were used to collect data on final-year students' short-term career plans and influences. Qualitative data were collected through focus groups and analysed using 'framework methodology'. These findings informed a questionnaire survey of all students at the end of their final undergraduate year. Data were entered into and analysed using a statistical software package. Thirty-five students participated in focus groups, with recruitment continuing until data were saturated. Ninety per cent (n=126) of the total population (140) responded to the questionnaire survey; the majority were Asian (70%), female (58%), and aged 23 years (59%). Short-term professional expectations focused around 'achieving professional status within a social context', 'gaining professional experience', 'developing independence' and 'achieving financial stability'. 'Achieving financial stability' was ranked as the most important influence in decision-making about their career in the short term (77%), followed by 'balance of work and other aspects of life' (75%) and 'good lifestyle' (75%). Four out of ten intended to work towards membership of a Royal College and/or becoming a specialist. Proximity to family (81%) and friends (79%) was an important or very important influence on location in the short term. Asian students were significantly more likely to rate 'proximity to family' (p=0.042), working in an 'urban area' (p=0.001) and 'opportunities for private care' (p=0.043) of greater importance than their White counterparts. Short-term aspirations involve 'achieving professional status within a social context', and personal, social, professional and financial goals. Location of future practice was significantly associated with ethnicity.

Opening the Conversation on REU Assessment and Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pressley, S. N.; LeBeau, J. E.

2015-12-01

Project evaluation is a key component to ensuring success of any Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The Washington State University (WSU) Regional Atmospheric Chemistry: State-of-the-art Measurement and Modeling in the Pacific Northwest REU Site employs a mixed method approach to determine what is working well and what can use improvement (formative evaluation) and to determine impact and effectiveness of the project in reaching the stated goals (summative evaluation). Quantitative data is collected via a pre-/post-test measuring participants' research self-efficacy (RSE), motivation, background information, extent of socialization, and their interpretation of the value of the REU experience. Qualitative data is gathered through individual interviews with the REU students (at the beginning and end of the program) and faculty mentors (at the end). Beginning interviews focus on expectations for the REU program and student backgrounds. End interviews focus on student RSE development, interpretations of their experience, and the value of the experience. Faculty mentors are interviewed to gather insight on student performance in the program and perspectives on the overall success of the program in meeting the proposed goals. Students are provided an opportunity to comment on the strengths and weaknesses of workshops, providing critical feedback to the particular instructor and enabling the faculty to modify the workshop content and activities in future years. Finally, research results are evaluated during the final poster presentation, and faculty are interviewed to report on their perception of how each student learned and gained knowledge during the program. To evaluate the retention of students in engineering and science and identify chosen career paths, a longitudinal survey was created and it is administered via email each year. Many REU programs also employ the Undergraduate Research Students Self-Assessment (URSSA) online tool designed for evaluating REU experiences (University of Colorado at Boulder). Information presented in this presentation will include a discussion of the current tools used as described above as well as a discussion of the pros/cons of using URSSA. One of the concerns with using URSSA in conjunction with the other assessment tools is "survey fatigue".

Virtuality and efficiency - overcoming past antinomy in the remote collaboration experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandes, Joao; Bjorkli, Knut; Clavo, David Martin; Baron, Thomas

2010-04-01

Several recent initiatives have been put in place by the CERN IT Department to improve the user experience in remote dispersed meetings and remote collaboration at large in the LHC communities worldwide. We will present an analysis of the factors which were historically limiting the efficiency of remote dispersed meetings and describe the consequent actions which were undertaken at CERN to overcome these limitations. After giving a status update of the different equipment available at CERN to enable the virtual sessions and the various collaborative tools which are currently proposed to users, we will focus on the evolution of this market: how can the new technological trends (among others, HD videoconferencing, Telepresence, Unified Communications, etc.) impact positively the user experience and how to attain the best usage of them. Finally, by projecting ourselves in the future, we will give some hints as to how to answer the difficult question of selecting the next generation of collaborative tools: which set of tools among the various offers (systems like Vidyo H264 SVC, next generation EVO, Groupware offers, standard H323 systems, etc.) is best suited for our environment and how to unify this set for the common user. This will finally allow us to definitively overcome the past antinomy between virtuality and efficiency.

Radiation tests on optical fibres: good and bad practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuhnhenn, J.

2017-11-01

Testing optical fibers for their response to ionizing radiation is unavoidable if their properties in radiation environments need to be known. So far, no model exists that would be able to predict the behavior of optical fibers in the presence of radiation, for example because too many, mostly unknown parameters influence the changes in the fiber. To obtain reliable results from irradiation tests of optical fibers a well-defined setup and thorough experience is needed to avoid erroneous data that might lead to wrong decisions for the final application. This presentation tries to introduce basic concepts of radiation testing of optical fibers, focusing on not so well known influences or typical errors. Focus will be laid on the measurement of radiation-induced attenuation (RIA) in optical fibers.

FOCUS: a fire management planning system -- final report

Treesearch

Frederick W. Bratten; James B. Davis; George T. Flatman; Jerold W. Keith; Stanley R. Rapp; Theodore G. Storey

1981-01-01

FOCUS (Fire Operational Characteristics Using Simulation) is a computer simulation model for evaluating alternative fire management plans. This final report provides a broad overview of the FOCUS system, describes two major modules-fire suppression and cost, explains the role in the system of gaming large fires, and outlines the support programs and ways of...

Radiation reaction studies in an all-optical set-up: experimental limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samarin, G. M.; Zepf, M.; Sarri, G.

2018-06-01

The recent development of ultra-high intensity laser facilities is finally opening up the possibility of studying high-field quantum electrodynamics in the laboratory. Arguably, one of the central phenomena in this area is that of quantum radiation reaction experienced by an ultra-relativistic electron beam as it propagates through the tight focus of a laser beam. In this paper, we discuss the major experimental challenges that are to be faced in order to extract meaningful and quantitative information from this class of experiments using existing and near-term laser facilities.

Multistability and tipping: From mathematics and physics to climate and brain-Minireview and preface to the focus issue.

PubMed

Feudel, Ulrike; Pisarchik, Alexander N; Showalter, Kenneth

2018-03-01

Multistability refers to the coexistence of different stable states in nonlinear dynamical systems. This phenomenon has been observed in laboratory experiments and in nature. In this introduction, we briefly introduce the classes of dynamical systems in which this phenomenon has been found and discuss the extension to new system classes. Furthermore, we introduce the concept of critical transitions and discuss approaches to distinguish them according to their characteristics. Finally, we present some specific applications in physics, neuroscience, biology, ecology, and climate science.

Consolidated RXTE Observing Grants on Observation of Neutron Stars and Black Holes in Binaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prince, Thomas A.; Vaughan, Brian A.

1998-01-01

This final report is a study of neutron stars and black holes in binaries. The activities focused on observation made with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. The following areas were covered: long term observations of accreting binary pulsars with the All-Sky Monitor (ASM); observations of Centaurus X-3 with the Proportional Counter Array (PCA) and the High-Energy X-ray Timing Experiment (HEXTE); observations of accreting pulsars with the PCA and HEXTE; studies of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO); and investigations of accreting black-hole candidates.

Multistability and tipping: From mathematics and physics to climate and brain—Minireview and preface to the focus issue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feudel, Ulrike; Pisarchik, Alexander N.; Showalter, Kenneth

2018-03-01

Multistability refers to the coexistence of different stable states in nonlinear dynamical systems. This phenomenon has been observed in laboratory experiments and in nature. In this introduction, we briefly introduce the classes of dynamical systems in which this phenomenon has been found and discuss the extension to new system classes. Furthermore, we introduce the concept of critical transitions and discuss approaches to distinguish them according to their characteristics. Finally, we present some specific applications in physics, neuroscience, biology, ecology, and climate science.

Critical Thinking through Writing: Expressing Scientific Thought and Process in a Deaf Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manjarrez, Leslie

Within Deaf classrooms there is often a disconnect between academic areas and writing curriculums that develop in both common and academic language, where often classrooms focus solely on writing as a skill rather than as a method for producing language through an academic area. This work focuses on the development of academic language in ASL and English print of science. The curriculum is written to be implemented as a bilingual academic curriculum to support Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in various self contained classroom settings. Lessons are conducted in three Units, A B and C. Unit A focuses on research, thought and writing of preparatory materials in small groups. Unit B is comprised of procedural lessons on conducting x experiments and the evaluation of those experiments through mathematics. Unit C is a group of lessons that ties together Units A and B through writing and peer teaching as a method of concluding the work and presenting information in an effective manner. The success of the project was evaluated on the basis of student work, rubrics, and final works from the students. The results showed promise in aspects of Critical Thinking, writing development, and expression of new concepts in both ASL and English.

Interference experiment with asymmetric double slit by using 1.2-MV field emission transmission electron microscope.

PubMed

Harada, Ken; Akashi, Tetsuya; Niitsu, Kodai; Shimada, Keiko; Ono, Yoshimasa A; Shindo, Daisuke; Shinada, Hiroyuki; Mori, Shigeo

2018-01-17

Advanced electron microscopy technologies have made it possible to perform precise double-slit interference experiments. We used a 1.2-MV field emission electron microscope providing coherent electron waves and a direct detection camera system enabling single-electron detections at a sub-second exposure time. We developed a method to perform the interference experiment by using an asymmetric double-slit fabricated by a focused ion beam instrument and by operating the microscope under a "pre-Fraunhofer" condition, different from the Fraunhofer condition of conventional double-slit experiments. Here, pre-Fraunhofer condition means that each single-slit observation was performed under the Fraunhofer condition, while the double-slit observations were performed under the Fresnel condition. The interference experiments with each single slit and with the asymmetric double slit were carried out under two different electron dose conditions: high-dose for calculation of electron probability distribution and low-dose for each single electron distribution. Finally, we exemplified the distribution of single electrons by color-coding according to the above three types of experiments as a composite image.

Gamete donors' reasons for, and expectations and experiences of, registration with a voluntary donor linking register.

PubMed

Blyth, Eric; Crawshaw, Marilyn; Frith, Lucy; van den Akker, Olga

2017-12-01

This paper reports on a study of the views and experiences of 21 sperm donors and five egg donors registered with UK DonorLink (UKDL), a voluntary DNA-based contact register established to facilitate contact between adults who wish to identify and locate others to whom they are genetically related following donor conception. Specifically, the paper examines donors' reasons for searching for, or making information about themselves available to donor-conceived offspring. Their expectations of registration with UKDL, experiences of being registered and finally, the experiences of those who had contacted donor-conceived offspring and other genetic relatives are investigated. While most respondents reported largely positive experiences of registration, the study found significant issues relating to concerns about donation, DNA testing, possible linking with offspring and expectations of any relationship that might be established with offspring that have implications for support, mediation and counselling. Research that puts the experiences, perceptions and interests of gamete donors as the central focus of study is a relatively recent phenomenon. This study contributes to this debate and highlights directions for future research in this area.

Patterns of thought: Population variation in the associations between large-scale network organisation and self-reported experiences at rest.

PubMed

Wang, Hao-Ting; Bzdok, Danilo; Margulies, Daniel; Craddock, Cameron; Milham, Michael; Jefferies, Elizabeth; Smallwood, Jonathan

2018-08-01

Contemporary cognitive neuroscience recognises unconstrained processing varies across individuals, describing variation in meaningful attributes, such as intelligence. It may also have links to patterns of on-going experience. This study examined whether dimensions of population variation in different modes of unconstrained processing can be described by the associations between patterns of neural activity and self-reports of experience during the same period. We selected 258 individuals from a publicly available data set who had measures of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, and self-reports of experience during the scan. We used machine learning to determine patterns of association between the neural and self-reported data, finding variation along four dimensions. 'Purposeful' experiences were associated with lower connectivity - in particular default mode and limbic networks were less correlated with attention and sensorimotor networks. 'Emotional' experiences were associated with higher connectivity, especially between limbic and ventral attention networks. Experiences focused on themes of 'personal importance' were associated with reduced functional connectivity within attention and control systems. Finally, visual experiences were associated with stronger connectivity between visual and other networks, in particular the limbic system. Some of these patterns had contrasting links with cognitive function as assessed in a separate laboratory session - purposeful thinking was linked to greater intelligence and better abstract reasoning, while a focus on personal importance had the opposite relationship. Together these findings are consistent with an emerging literature on unconstrained states and also underlines that these states are heterogeneous, with distinct modes of population variation reflecting the interplay of different large-scale networks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Making space for the inner guide.

PubMed

Leijssen, Mia

2007-01-01

The therapeutic relationship is described as a curative factor in its own right as well as facilitative for other tasks. Experiential tasks that facilitate working on the intrapsychic, interpersonal, and existential domains are distinguished. Focusing is an intrapsychic task of paying attention to one's bodily felt experience. Clearing space helps clients finding a right distance for exploring their experience when they are too close or too distanced from their emotions. Interpersonal work takes the lead when maladaptive interactional patterns are hindering the relational life of the client. Metacommunicative feedback and interpersonal experiences in the therapeutic encounter act as an invitation to develop new ways of communicating. Existential processes are challenged when the client struggles with the givens of life. Finally, the "inner guide" found in accessing experiencing may involve an awareness of a transcendent dimension that leads one to spiritual growth. Vignettes from short term psychotherapy illustrate how this approach is established in practice.

Speech perception and production in severe environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pisoni, David B.

1990-09-01

The goal was to acquire new knowledge about speech perception and production in severe environments such as high masking noise, increased cognitive load or sustained attentional demands. Changes were examined in speech production under these adverse conditions through acoustic analysis techniques. One set of studies focused on the effects of noise on speech production. The experiments in this group were designed to generate a database of speech obtained in noise and in quiet. A second set of experiments was designed to examine the effects of cognitive load on the acoustic-phonetic properties of speech. Talkers were required to carry out a demanding perceptual motor task while they read lists of test words. A final set of experiments explored the effects of vocal fatigue on the acoustic-phonetic properties of speech. Both cognitive load and vocal fatigue are present in many applications where speech recognition technology is used, yet their influence on speech production is poorly understood.

The Role of Nurses in E-Health: The MobiGuide Project Experience.

PubMed

Parimbelli, Enea; Sacchi, Lucia; Budasu, Roxana; Napolitano, Carlo; Peleg, Mor; Quaglini, Silvana

2016-01-01

Leveraging the experience of the European project MobiGuide, this paper elaborates on the nurses' role in developing, delivering and evaluating e-health based services. We focus on the home monitoring of atrial fibrillation. Patients enrolled in our study are provided with a smartphone and an ECG sensor, and receive recommendations, reminders and alerts concerning medications and measurements that they should perform through a mobile decision support system that is constantly updated by a backend system. Patients' data are sent to health care personnel that may visualize them, and act accordingly. Nurses play a central role in such setting. After being involved in the design of the caregiver interface, they are responsible for the patients' enrollment phase (which includes patients' training), for the daily checking of incoming data, for the triage of patients' complaints, and for the final phase of the study where patients are interviewed about their experience with the system.

Exploring an experiential learning project through Kolb's Learning Theory using a qualitative research method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuk Chan, Cecilia Ka

2012-08-01

Experiential learning pedagogy is taking a lead in the development of graduate attributes and educational aims as these are of prime importance for society. This paper shows a community service experiential project conducted in China. The project enabled students to serve the affected community in a post-earthquake area by applying their knowledge and skills. This paper documented the students' learning process from their project goals, pre-trip preparations, work progress, obstacles encountered to the final results and reflections. Using the data gathered from a focus group interview approach, the four components of Kolb's learning cycle, the concrete experience, reflection observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation, have been shown to transform and internalise student's learning experience, achieving a variety of learning outcomes. The author will also explore how this community service type of experiential learning in the engineering discipline allowed students to experience deep learning and develop their graduate attributes.

Efforts to Promote Reintegration and Rehabilitation of Traumatized Former Child Soldiers: Reintegration of Former Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone: The Role of Caregivers and Their Awareness of the Violence Adolescents Experienced During the War.

PubMed

Borisova, Ivelina I; Betancourt, Theresa S; Willett, John B

2013-01-01

This article explores the role of caregivers in the reintegration of former child soldiers from Sierra Leone. Using data on 282 youth and their respective caregivers, our aim is to focus on the caregiver-child relationship after reintegration. We investigate the extent to which caregivers know about child soldiers' experiences of direct and indirect violence, as well as involvement in war activities. We further examine variables that might shape the degree of caregiver knowledge of child's war experiences. Finally, we examine if caregiver knowledge of war experiences is associated with child's psychosocial outcomes. Findings highlight the importance of developing thoughtful programs that consider the needs of the child in the context of the family and caregivers with whom he or she is reunified.

Combining theory and experiment for X-ray absorption spectroscopy and resonant X-ray scattering characterization of polymers

DOE PAGES

Su, Gregory M.; Cordova, Isvar A.; Brady, Michael A.; ...

2016-07-04

We present that an improved understanding of fundamental chemistry, electronic structure, morphology, and dynamics in polymers and soft materials requires advanced characterization techniques that are amenable to in situ and operando studies. Soft X-ray methods are especially useful in their ability to non-destructively provide information on specific materials or chemical moieties. Analysis of these experiments, which can be very dependent on X-ray energy and polarization, can quickly become complex. Complementary modeling and predictive capabilities are required to properly probe these critical features. Here, we present relevant background on this emerging suite of techniques. Finally, we focus on how the combinationmore » of theory and experiment has been applied and can be further developed to drive our understanding of how these methods probe relevant chemistry, structure, and dynamics in soft materials.« less

Achieving external validity in home advantage research: generalizing crowd noise effects

PubMed Central

Myers, Tony D.

2014-01-01

Different factors have been postulated to explain the home advantage phenomenon in sport. One plausible explanation investigated has been the influence of a partisan home crowd on sports officials' decisions. Different types of studies have tested the crowd influence hypothesis including purposefully designed experiments. However, while experimental studies investigating crowd influences have high levels of internal validity, they suffer from a lack of external validity; decision-making in a laboratory setting bearing little resemblance to decision-making in live sports settings. This focused review initially considers threats to external validity in applied and theoretical experimental research. Discussing how such threats can be addressed using representative design by focusing on a recently published study that arguably provides the first experimental evidence of the impact of live crowd noise on officials in sport. The findings of this controlled experiment conducted in a real tournament setting offer a level of confirmation of the findings of laboratory studies in the area. Finally directions for future research and the future conduct of crowd noise studies are discussed. PMID:24917839

Simulation-Guided 3D Nanomanufacturing via Focused Electron Beam Induced Deposition

DOE PAGES

Fowlkes, Jason D.; Winkler, Robert; Lewis, Brett B.; ...

2016-06-10

Focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) is one of the few techniques that enables direct-write synthesis of free-standing 3D nanostructures. While the fabrication of simple architectures such as vertical or curving nanowires has been achieved by simple trial and error, processing complex 3D structures is not tractable with this approach. This is due, inpart, to the dynamic interplay between electron–solid interactions and the transient spatial distribution of absorbed precursor molecules on the solid surface. Here, we demonstrate the ability to controllably deposit 3D lattice structures at the micro/nanoscale, which have received recent interest owing to superior mechanical and optical properties.more » Moreover, a hybrid Monte Carlo–continuum simulation is briefly overviewed, and subsequently FEBID experiments and simulations are directly compared. Finally, a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) program is introduced, which generates the beam parameters necessary for FEBID by both simulation and experiment. In using this approach, we demonstrate the fabrication of various 3D lattice structures using Pt-, Au-, and W-based precursors.« less

Ceramic micro-injection molded nozzles for serial femtosecond crystallography sample delivery

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

Beyerlein, K. R.; Heymann, M.; Kirian, R.

Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) using X-ray Free-Electron Lasers (XFELs) allows for room temperature protein structure determination without evidence of conventional radiation damage. In this method, a liquid suspension of protein microcrystals can be delivered to the X-ray beam in vacuum as a micro-jet, which replenishes the crystals at a rate that exceeds the current XFEL pulse repetition rate. Gas dynamic virtual nozzles produce the required micrometer-sized streams by the focusing action of a coaxial sheath gas and have been shown to be effective for SFX experiments. Here, we describe the design and characterization of such nozzles assembled from ceramic micro-injectionmore » molded outer gas-focusing capillaries. Trends of the emitted jet diameter and jet length as a function of supplied liquid and gas flow rates are measured by a fast imaging system. The observed trends are explained by derived relationships considering choked gas flow and liquid flow conservation. Finally, the performance of these nozzles in a SFX experiment is presented, including an analysis of the observed background.« less

"We actually care and we want to make the parks better": A qualitative study of youth experiences and perceptions after conducting park audits.

PubMed

Gallerani, David G; Besenyi, Gina M; Wilhelm Stanis, Sonja A; Kaczynski, Andrew T

2017-02-01

This study explored youths' experiences and perceptions about community engagement as a result of participating in a community-based data collection project using paper and mobile technology park environmental audit tools. In July 2014, youth (ages 11-18, n=50) were recruited to participate in nine focus groups after auditing two parks each using paper, electronic, or both versions of the Community Park Audit Tool in Greenville County, SC. The focus groups explored the youths' experiences participating in the project, changes as a result of participation, suggested uses of park audit data collected, and who should use the tools. Four themes emerged related to youths' project participation experiences: two positive (fun and new experiences) and two negative (uncomfortable/unsafe and travel issues). Changes described as a result of participating in the project fell into four themes: increased awareness, motivation for further action, physical activity benefits, and no change. Additionally, youth had numerous suggestions for utilizing the data collected that were coded into six themes: maintenance & aesthetics, feature/amenity addition, online park information, park rating/review system, fundraising, and organizing community projects. Finally, six themes emerged regarding who the youth felt could use the tools: frequent park visitors, community groups/organizations, parks and recreation professionals, adults, youth, and everyone. This study revealed a wealth of information about youth experiences conducting park audits for community health promotion. Understanding youth attitudes and preferences can help advance youth empowerment and civic engagement efforts to promote individual and community health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The meaning of body experience evaluation in oncology.

PubMed

Slatman, Jenny

2011-12-01

Evaluation of quality of life, psychic and bodily well-being is becoming increasingly important in oncology aftercare. This type of assessment is mainly carried out by medical psychologists. In this paper I will seek to show that body experience valuation has, besides its psychological usefulness, a normative and practical dimension. Body experience evaluation aims at establishing the way a person experiences and appreciates his or her physical appearance, intactness and competence. This valuation constitutes one's 'body image'. While, first, interpreting the meaning of body image and, second, indicating the limitations of current psychological body image assessment, I argue that the normative aspect of body image is related to the experience of bodily wholeness or bodily integrity. Since this experience is contextualized by a person's life story, evaluation should also focus on narrative aspects. I finally suggest that the interpretation of body experience is not only valuable to assess a person's quality of life after treatment, but that it can also be useful in counseling prior to interventions, since it can support patients in making decisions about interventions that will change their bodies. To apply this type of evaluation to oncology practice, a rich and tailored vocabulary of body experiences has to be developed.

Three countries' experience with Norplant introduction.

PubMed

Hardee, K; Balogh, S; Villinski, M T

1997-09-01

Despite international efforts to plan for Norplant introduction, the method has drawn the attention of critics of family planning programmes, and has raised several issues for debate since it was introduced into family planning programmes. The experiences of three countries with the introduction of Norplant highlight some of the unique features of the method that have affected its introduction. Indonesia, Bangladesh and the United States represent diverse cultural settings and systems of family planning provision. Experience in each country has highlighted the need to focus on quality of care for clients, most notably the need for good counselling and attention to removal as well as insertion. The cost of Norplant also has influenced its introduction in each country. Another issue includes the need to work with women's health advocacy groups, which is illustrated particularly in Bangladesh. Finally, the role of litigation in the United States, and its potential role in influencing Norplant introduction in other countries, is discussed. These three countries' experience illustrate the importance of understanding the programmatic context of contraceptive introduction.

OAST Technology for the Future. Executive Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) conducted a workshop on the In-Space Technology Experiments Program (IN-STEP) December 6-9, 1988, in Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of this workshop was to identify and prioritize space technologies which are critical for future national space programs and which require validation in the space environment. A secondary objective was to review the current NASA (In-Reach) and Industry/University (Out-Reach) experiments. Finally, the aerospace community was requested to review and comment on the proposed plans for the continuation of the In-Space Technology Experiments Program. In particular, the review included the proposed process for focusing the next experiment selection on specific, critical technologies and the process for implementing the hardware development and integration on the Space Shuttle vehicle. The product of the workshop was a prioritized listing of the critical space technology needs in each of eight technology disciplines. These listings were the cumulative recommendations of nearly 400 participants, which included researchers, technologists, and managers from aerospace industries, universities, and government organizations.

Experienced quality factors: qualitative evaluation approach to audiovisual quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jumisko-Pyykkö, Satu; Häkkinen, Jukka; Nyman, Göte

2007-02-01

Subjective evaluation is used to identify impairment factors of multimedia quality. The final quality is often formulated via quantitative experiments, but this approach has its constraints, as subject's quality interpretations, experiences and quality evaluation criteria are disregarded. To identify these quality evaluation factors, this study examined qualitatively the criteria participants used to evaluate audiovisual video quality. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 60 participants after a subjective audiovisual quality evaluation experiment. The assessment compared several, relatively low audio-video bitrate ratios with five different television contents on mobile device. In the analysis, methodological triangulation (grounded theory, Bayesian networks and correspondence analysis) was applied to approach the qualitative quality. The results showed that the most important evaluation criteria were the factors of visual quality, contents, factors of audio quality, usefulness - followability and audiovisual interaction. Several relations between the quality factors and the similarities between the contents were identified. As a research methodological recommendation, the focus on content and usage related factors need to be further examined to improve the quality evaluation experiments.

Corrosion of copper and authigenic sulfide mineral growth in hydrothermal bentonite experiments

DOE PAGES

Caporuscio, F. A.; Palaich, Sarah E. M.; Cheshire, M. C.; ...

2016-12-29

The focus of this experimental paper is to characterize interaction of bentonite with possible used-fuel waste container materials. Experiments were performed up to 300 °C at 150–160 bars for five to six weeks. Bentonite was saturated with a 1900 ppm K-Ca-Na-Cl-bearing water with Cu-foils. Copper rapidly degrades into chalcocite (CuS 2) and minor covellite (CuS) in the presence of H 2S. Chalcocite growth and corrosion pit depths were measured for four different experimental runs yielding corrosion rates between 8.8 and 116 μm/yr depending on duration of experiment, brine composition, and clay type (bentonite vs. Opalinus Clay). Results of this researchmore » show that although pit-corrosion is demonstrated on Cu substrates, experiments show that the reactions that ensue, and the formation of minerals that develop, are extraordinarily slow. Finally, this supports the use of Cu in nuclide-containment systems as a possible engineered barrier system material.« less

Impact of the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring on Sexual Experiences and Intimate Partnerships of Women in an HIV Prevention Clinical Trial: Managing Ring Detection and Hot Sex

PubMed Central

Pleasants, Elizabeth; Reddy, Krishnaveni; Atujuna, Millicent; Nakyanzi, Teopista; Chitukuta, Miria; Naidoo, Sarita; Palanee-Phillips, Thesla; Baeten, Jared M.; Montgomery, Elizabeth T.

2018-01-01

Vaginally-inserted HIV prevention methods have been reported to impact the sexual experience for women and their partners, and hence impacts acceptability of and adherence to the method. We analyzed in-depth interviews and focus group discussions about participants’ sexual experiences while wearing the ring, collected during the MTN-020/ASPIRE phase 3 safety and effectiveness trial of a dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV prevention in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Most women reported that partners did not feel the ring during sex, however, women felt they had to manage their partners’ interaction with or reaction to the ring. In maintaining positive relationships, women were concerned about partners’ discovering ring use and about ensuring that partners had a good sexual experience with them. Finally women were concerned about how they themselves experienced sex with the ring. Some found that the ring made the vaginal environment more desirable for their partners and themselves. PMID:29151197

Impact of the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring on Sexual Experiences and Intimate Partnerships of Women in an HIV Prevention Clinical Trial: Managing Ring Detection and Hot Sex.

PubMed

Laborde, Nicole D; Pleasants, Elizabeth; Reddy, Krishnaveni; Atujuna, Millicent; Nakyanzi, Teopista; Chitukuta, Miria; Naidoo, Sarita; Palanee-Phillips, Thesla; Baeten, Jared M; Montgomery, Elizabeth T

2018-02-01

Vaginally-inserted HIV prevention methods have been reported to impact the sexual experience for women and their partners, and hence impacts acceptability of and adherence to the method. We analyzed in-depth interviews and focus group discussions about participants' sexual experiences while wearing the ring, collected during the MTN-020/ASPIRE phase 3 safety and effectiveness trial of a dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV prevention in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Most women reported that partners did not feel the ring during sex, however, women felt they had to manage their partners' interaction with or reaction to the ring. In maintaining positive relationships, women were concerned about partners' discovering ring use and about ensuring that partners had a good sexual experience with them. Finally women were concerned about how they themselves experienced sex with the ring. Some found that the ring made the vaginal environment more desirable for their partners and themselves.

Final Report: Superconducting Joints Between (RE)Ba 2Cu 3O 7-x Coated Conductors via Electric Field Assisted Processing

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

Schwartz, Justin

Here we report the results from a project aimed at developing a fully superconducting joint between two REBCO coated conductors using electric field processing (EFP). Due to a reduction in the budget and time period of this contract, we reduced the project scope and focused first on the key scientific issues for forming a strong bond between conductors, and subsequently focused on improving through-the-joint transport. A modified timeline and task list is shown in Table 1, summarizing accomplishments to date. In the first period, we accomplished initial surface characterization as well as rounds of EFP experiments to begin to understandmore » processing parameters which produce well-bonded tapes. In the second phase, we explored the effects of two fundamental EFP parameters, voltage and pressure, and the limitations they place on the process. In the third phase, we achieved superconducting joints and established base characteristics of both the bonding process and the types of tapes best suited to this process. Finally, we investigated some of the parameters related to kinetics which appeared inhibit joint quality and performance.« less

Value-Focused Objectives Model for Community Resilience

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

Value-focused objectives model for community resilience : Final report Prepared by: Jay Adamsson CAE Integrated Enterprise Solutions...2014 Value-Focused Objectives Model for Community Resilience Final Report 24 March 2014 – iv – 5606-002 Version 01 T A B L E O F C O N T E... Community Resilience ......................................................... 13 APPENDIX A LIST OF ACRONYMS

The Particle Physics Data Grid. Final Report

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

Livny, Miron

2002-08-16

The main objective of the Particle Physics Data Grid (PPDG) project has been to implement and evaluate distributed (Grid-enabled) data access and management technology for current and future particle and nuclear physics experiments. The specific goals of PPDG have been to design, implement, and deploy a Grid-based software infrastructure capable of supporting the data generation, processing and analysis needs common to the physics experiments represented by the participants, and to adapt experiment-specific software to operate in the Grid environment and to exploit this infrastructure. To accomplish these goals, the PPDG focused on the implementation and deployment of several critical services:more » reliable and efficient file replication service, high-speed data transfer services, multisite file caching and staging service, and reliable and recoverable job management services. The focus of the activity was the job management services and the interplay between these services and distributed data access in a Grid environment. Software was developed to study the interaction between HENP applications and distributed data storage fabric. One key conclusion was the need for a reliable and recoverable tool for managing large collections of interdependent jobs. An attached document provides an overview of the current status of the Directed Acyclic Graph Manager (DAGMan) with its main features and capabilities.« less

Radiation damage and waste management options for the SOMBRERO final focus system and neutron dumps

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

Latkowski, J F; Meier, W R; Reyes, S

1999-08-09

Previous studies of the safety and environmental aspects of the SOMBRERO inertial fusion energy (IFE) power plant design did not completely address the issues associated with the final focus system. While past work calculated neutron fluences for a grazing incidence metal mirror (GIMM) and a final focus mirror, scattering off of the final optical component was not included, and thus, fluences in the final focus mirror were significantly underestimated. In addition, past work did not consider neutron-induced gamma-rays. Finally, power plant lifetime waste volumes may have been underestimated as neutron activation of the neutron dumps and building structure were notmore » addressed. In the present work, a modified version of the SOMBRERO target building is presented where a significantly larger open solid-angle fraction (5%) is used to enhance beam smoothing of a diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL). The GIMMs are replaced with transmissive fused silica wedges and have been included in three -dimensional neutron and photon transport calculations. This work shows that a power plant with a large open solid-angle fraction, needed for beam smoothing with a DPSSL, is acceptable from tritium breeding, and neutron activation points-of-view.« less

Cancer Support Needs for African American Breast Cancer Survivors and Caregivers.

PubMed

Haynes-Maslow, Lindsey; Allicock, Marlyn; Johnson, La-Shell

2016-03-01

Improved cancer screening and treatment advances have led to higher cancer survival rates in the United States. However, racial disparities in breast cancer survival persist for African American women who experience lower survival rates than white women. These disparities suggest that unmet needs related to survivorship still exist. This study focuses on the challenges that both African American cancer survivors and caregivers face across the cancer continuum. Five African American focus groups examined cancer survivor and caregiver support needs. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and uploaded into Atlas.ti. Thematic content analysis was applied to the text during the coding process. Themes were identified and emphasized based on the research team's integrated and unified final codes. Forty-one African Americans participated in five focus groups: 22 cancer survivors and 19 caregivers. Participants discussed five themes: (1) a culture that discourages the discussion of cancer; (2) lack of support services for African American cancer survivors; (3) lack of support services for cancer caregivers; (4) need for culturally appropriate cancer resources, including resources targeted at African American women; and (5) aspects that were helpful to cancer survivors and caregivers, including connecting with other survivors and caregivers, and having strong social support networks. We gained new insight into the unmet support needs for survivors and caregivers, especially when coping with the cancer experience continuum. While some cancer and caregiver support services exist, our study reveals a great need for services that incorporate the cultural differences that exist across races.

Fluorescent sensing with Fresnel microlenses for optofluidic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siudzińska, Anna; Miszczuk, Andrzej; Marczak, Jacek; Komorowska, Katarzyna

2017-05-01

The concept of fluorescent sensing in a microchannel equipped with focusing light Fresnel lenses has been demonstrated. The concept employs a line or array of Fresnel lenses generating a line or array of focused light spots within a microfluidic channel, to increase the sensitivity of fluorescent signal detection in the system. We have presented efficient methods of master mold fabrication based on the lithography method and focused ion beam milling. The flexible microchannel was fabricated by an imprint process with new thiolene-epoxy resin with a good ability to replicate even submicron-size features. For final imprinted lenses, the measured background to peak signal level shows more than nine times the increase in brightness at the center of the focal spot for the green part of the spectrum (532 nm). The effectiveness of the microlenses in fluorescent-marked Escherichia coli bacteria was confirmed in a basic fluoroscope experiment, showing the increase of the sensitivity of the detection by the order of magnitude.

Cross-correlation focus method with an electrostatic sensor array for local particle velocity measurement in dilute gas-solid two-phase flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chao; Zhang, Jingyu; Gao, Wenbin; Ding, Hongbing; Wu, Weiping

2015-11-01

The gas-solid two-phase flow has been widely applied in the power, chemical and metallurgical industries. It is of great significance in the research of gas-solid two-phase flow to measure particle velocity at different locations in the pipeline. Thus, an electrostatic sensor array comprising eight arc-shaped electrodes was designed. The relationship between the cross-correlation (CC) velocity and the distribution of particle velocity, charge density and electrode spatial sensitivity was analysed. Then the CC sensitivity and its calculation method were proposed. According to the distribution of CC sensitivity, it was found that, between different electrode pairs, it had different focus areas. The CC focus method was proposed for particle velocity measurement at different locations and validated by a belt-style electrostatic induction experiment facility. Finally, the particle velocities at different locations with different flow conditions were measured to research the particle velocity distribution in a dilute horizontal pneumatic conveying pipeline.

Evaluating #VetFinals: Can Twitter help students prepare for final examinations?

PubMed

Kinnison, Tierney; Whiting, Martin; Magnier, Kirsty; Mossop, Liz

2017-04-01

Twitter is increasingly used in education. In this article, Twitter was evaluated for its potential to aid veterinary students in their preparation for final examinations. "#VetFinals" revision sessions were facilitated by experts on a variety of topics. The initiative was evaluated through consideration of potential participants, session content and student experiences. In analysis of nine sessions, 52 students participated from eight veterinary schools. During a session, the facilitator tweeted 66 times on average, primarily asking a general question. Students on average tweeted 84 times, mostly in response to facilitators. They also asked novel questions and responded to fellow students. Focus groups and interviews with 11 students suggested that: sessions are useful for preparation/self-testing to succeed in exams; the facilitator and session style impact on learning; the sessions feel like personalized learning; there are elements of safety and exposure leading to some fear of tweeting; peer-learning promotes competition; a community of learners was formed; Twitter has become a part of normal professional life. Whilst not all students will take part in this type of social media use, many found it beneficial. The importance of the facilitator suggests the need for faculty development.

IOTA (Integrable Optics Test Accelerator): Facility and experimental beam physics program

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

Antipov, Sergei; Broemmelsiek, Daniel; Bruhwiler, David

The Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) is a storage ring for advanced beam physics research currently being built and commissioned at Fermilab. It will operate with protons and electrons using injectors with momenta of 70 and 150 MeV/c, respectively. The research program includes the study of nonlinear focusing integrable optical beam lattices based on special magnets and electron lenses, beam dynamics of space-charge effects and their compensation, optical stochastic cooling, and several other experiments. In this article, we present the design and main parameters of the facility, outline progress to date and provide the timeline of the construction, commissioning andmore » research. Finally, the physical principles, design, and hardware implementation plans for the major IOTA experiments are also discussed.« less

IOTA (Integrable Optics Test Accelerator): Facility and experimental beam physics program

DOE PAGES

Antipov, Sergei; Broemmelsiek, Daniel; Bruhwiler, David; ...

2017-03-06

The Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) is a storage ring for advanced beam physics research currently being built and commissioned at Fermilab. It will operate with protons and electrons using injectors with momenta of 70 and 150 MeV/c, respectively. The research program includes the study of nonlinear focusing integrable optical beam lattices based on special magnets and electron lenses, beam dynamics of space-charge effects and their compensation, optical stochastic cooling, and several other experiments. In this article, we present the design and main parameters of the facility, outline progress to date and provide the timeline of the construction, commissioning andmore » research. Finally, the physical principles, design, and hardware implementation plans for the major IOTA experiments are also discussed.« less

Memory lane and morality: how childhood memories promote prosocial behavior.

PubMed

Gino, Francesca; Desai, Sreedhari D

2012-04-01

Although research has established that autobiographical memory affects one's self-concept, little is known about how it affects moral behavior. We focus on a specific type of autobiographical memory: childhood memories. Drawing on research on memory and moral psychology, we propose that childhood memories elicit moral purity, which we define as a psychological state of feeling morally clean and innocent. In turn, heightened moral purity leads to greater prosocial behavior. In Experiment 1, participants instructed to recall childhood memories were more likely to help the experimenter with a supplementary task than were participants in a control condition, and this effect was mediated by moral purity. In Experiment 2, the same manipulation increased the amount of money participants donated to a good cause, and both implicit and explicit measures of moral purity mediated the effect. Experiment 3 provides further support for the process linking childhood memories and prosocial behavior through moderation. In Experiment 4, we found that childhood memories led to punishment of others' ethically questionable actions. Finally, in Experiment 5, both positively valenced and negatively valenced childhood memories increased helping compared to a control condition.

Final Report for U.S. DOE GRANT No. DEFG02-96ER41015 November 1, 2010 - April 30, 2013 entitled HIGH ENERGY ACCELERATOR AND COLLIDING BEAM USER GROUP at the UNIVERSITY of MARYLAND

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

Hadley, Nicholas; Jawahery, Abolhassan; Eno, Sarah C

2013-07-26

We have finished the third year of a three year grant cycle with the U.S. Department of Energy for which we were given a five month extension (U.S. D.O.E. Grant No. DEFG02-96ER41015). This document is the fi nal report for this grant and covers the period from November 1, 2010 to April 30, 2013. The Maryland program is administered as a single task with Professor Nicholas Hadley as Principal Investigator. The Maryland experimental HEP group is focused on two major research areas. We are members of the CMS experiment at the LHC at CERN working on the physics of themore » Energy Frontier. We are also analyzing the data from the Babar experiment at SLAC while doing design work and R&D towards a Super B experiment as part of the Intensity Frontier. We have recently joined the LHCb experiment at CERN. We concluded our activities on the D experiment at Fermilab in 2009.« less

Being an outpatient with rheumatoid arthritis--a focus group study on patients' self-efficacy and experiences from participation in a short course and one of three different outpatient settings.

PubMed

Primdahl, Jette; Wagner, Lis; Hørslev-Petersen, Kim

2011-06-01

A Danish study compared three different outpatient settings for persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). All participants completed a short course before random allocation to one of three groups. A third of the patients continued with planned medical consultations. A third was allocated to a shared care setting with no planned consultations. The final third was allocated for planned nursing consultations every 3 months. Little knowledge exists of patients' experiences at different outpatient settings. (1) To explore the patients' experiences of participation in the course and one of the three different outpatient settings and (2) to explore whether some of these experiences can explain possible changes in self-efficacy beliefs. In total six focus group interviews were carried out with 33 participants from the three settings. The interviews and the analysis were inspired by phenomenological philosophy. On the short course the participants felt understood, gained new insights and some changed behaviours after attendance. Important themes in experiences from the three outpatient settings were: (1) continuity and relationships with health professionals, (2) a need for others to take control, and (3) contact with health professionals. SPECIFIC FINDINGS: The nursing consultations were experienced as less factual and less authoritarian than the medical consultations. The participants in the shared care setting had a lack of confidence in the GP's competence to manage their RA. However, they felt responsible for taking action in case of a flare up. The study provided opportunities to enhance the participants' self-efficacy beliefs. When planning follow-up care, the focus needs to be on continuity, the interpersonal relationship and easy access to health professionals with thorough knowledge of RA. A short course and consultations with nurses and hospital doctors can enhance patients' self-efficacy and thereby strengthen their confidence to assess and manage their own disease. © 2010 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2010 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Residents' perspectives on the final year of medical school

PubMed Central

Obrien, Bridget; Niehaus, Brian; Teherani, Arianne; Young, John Q.

2012-01-01

Objectives To characterize junior residents’ perspectives on the purpose, value, and potential improvement of the final year of medical school. Methods Eighteen interviews were conducted with junior residents who graduated from nine different medical schools and who were in internal medicine, surgery, and psychiatry programs at one institution in the United States. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed inductively for themes. Results Participants’ descriptions of the purpose of their recently completed final year of medical school contained three primary themes: residency-related purposes, interest- or need-based purposes, and transitional purposes. Participants commented on the most valued aspects of the final year. Themes included opportunities to: prepare for residency; assume a higher level of responsibility in patient care; pursue experiences of interest that added breadth of knowledge, skills and perspective; develop and/or clarify career plans; and enjoy a period of respite. Suggestions for improvement included enhancing the learning value of clinical electives, augmenting specific curricular content, and making the final year more purposeful and better aligned with career goals. Conclusions The final year of medical school is a critical part of medical education for most learners, but careful attention is needed to ensure that the year is developmentally robust. Medical educators can facilitate this by creating structures to help students define personal and professional goals, identify opportunities to work toward these goals, and monitor progress so that the value of the final year is optimized and not exclusively focused on residency preparation. PMID:28029642

Modeling of the attenuation of stress waves in concrete based on the Rayleigh damping model using time-reversal and PZT transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Zhen; Huo, Linsheng; Gao, Weihang; Li, Hongnan; Song, Gangbing

2017-10-01

Wave-based concrete structural health monitoring has attracted much attention. A stress wave experiences significant attenuation in concrete, however there is a lack of a unified method for predicting the attenuation coefficient of the stress wave. In this paper, a simple and effective absorption attenuation model of stress waves in concrete is developed based on the Rayleigh damping model, which indicates that the absorption attenuation coefficient of stress waves in concrete is directly proportional to the square of the stress wave frequency when the damping ratio is small. In order to verify the theoretical model, related experiments were carried out. During the experiments, a concrete beam was designed in which the d33-model piezoelectric smart aggregates were embedded to detect the propagation of stress waves. It is difficult to distinguish direct stress waves due to the complex propagation paths and the reflection and scattering of stress waves in concrete. Hence, as another innovation of this paper, a new method for computing the absorption attenuation coefficient based on the time-reversal method is developed. Due to the self-adaptive focusing properties of the time-reversal method, the time-reversed stress wave focuses and generates a peak value. The time-reversal method eliminates the adverse effects of multipaths, reflection, and scattering. The absorption attenuation coefficient is computed by analyzing the peak value changes of the time-reversal focused signal. Finally, the experimental results are found to be in good agreement with the theoretical model.

Challenges and Strategies for Hospice Caregivers: A Qualitative Analysis.

PubMed

Oliver, Debra Parker; Demiris, George; Washington, Karla T; Clark, Carlyn; Thomas-Jones, Deborah

2017-08-01

Family caregivers of hospice patients are responsible for the day-to-day care of their loved ones during the final months of life. They are faced with numerous challenges. The purpose of this study was to understand the challenges and coping strategies used by hospice caregivers as they care for their family members. This study is a secondary analysis of data from an attention control group in a large randomized controlled trial testing a cognitive behavioral intervention with hospice caregivers. Audiotaped interviews were coded with initial themes and combined into final categories of caregiving challenges and strategies for managing the hospice caregiving experience. Caregivers shared narratives discussing challenges that included their frustrations with patient care issues, emotional challenges, frustrations with various health care systems, financial problems, and personal health concerns. They also discussed coping strategies involving patient care, self-care, and emotional support. The coping techniques were both problem and emotion based. There is a need for interventions that focus on strengthening both problem-based and emotional-based coping skills to improve the caregiving experience. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

International Piping Integrity Research Group (IPIRG) Program. Final report

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

Wilkowski, G.; Schmidt, R.; Scott, P.

1997-06-01

This is the final report of the International Piping Integrity Research Group (IPIRG) Program. The IPIRG Program was an international group program managed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and funded by a consortium of organizations from nine nations: Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The program objective was to develop data needed to verify engineering methods for assessing the integrity of circumferentially-cracked nuclear power plant piping. The primary focus was an experimental task that investigated the behavior of circumferentially flawed piping systems subjected to high-rate loadings typical of seismic events. Tomore » accomplish these objectives a pipe system fabricated as an expansion loop with over 30 meters of 16-inch diameter pipe and five long radius elbows was constructed. Five dynamic, cyclic, flawed piping experiments were conducted using this facility. This report: (1) provides background information on leak-before-break and flaw evaluation procedures for piping, (2) summarizes technical results of the program, (3) gives a relatively detailed assessment of the results from the pipe fracture experiments and complementary analyses, and (4) summarizes advances in the state-of-the-art of pipe fracture technology resulting from the IPIRG program.« less

Pre-departure training and the social accountability of International Medical Electives.

PubMed

Wallace, Lauren J; Webb, Allison

2014-01-01

Due to widespread awareness of global inequities in health and development, participation and interest in International Medical Electives has grown. However, it has been suggested that the benefits of these electives for students and communities may not outweigh the harms. Pre-departure training (PDT) has been proposed as a route through which participants can adequately prepare for their elective experience. Through a review of the current literature, this article explores the ethics of international medical electives using a social accountability framework and assesses the success of PDT in mitigating harms for students and communities. We find that the literature on PDT is limited. What is clear from completed studies is that the focus of PDT has often been centered on the clinical experience, while theories of development and health inequity remain minor topics. We argue that a greater benefit for students and communities could be gained from framing health inequity from a critical perspective, and integrating mandatory global health education into medical school curricula. We suggest that attention to only PDT is not enough. In a socially accountable program, community partnerships must be bilateral and respect communities as primary stakeholders in the training of students and in program evaluation. Unfortunately, research to-date has focused on the student experience; further studies of the community perspective would help to elicit how PDT and partnership models can be strengthened, improving the experiences of both students and communities. Finally, individual medical schools and organizations that offer global health elective experiences must ensure that they take responsibility for monitoring PDT.

Dreams, katharsis and anxiety.

PubMed

Kilborne, Benjamin

2013-06-01

Over the centuries, the importance and the nature of the relationship of "inside" and "outside" in human experience have shifted, with consequences for notions of mind and body. This paper begins with dreams and healing in the Asklepian tradition. It continues with Aristotle's notions of psuche and how these influenced his conception of katharsis and tragedy. Jumping then to the 17th century, we will consider Descartes' focus on dreams in his theories of thinking. Finally, we will turn explicitly to Freud's use of dreams in relation to his theories of anxiety, of psychic processes and of the Oedipus Complex.

Prospective memory: A comparative perspective

PubMed Central

Crystal, Jonathon D.; Wilson, A. George

2014-01-01

Prospective memory consists of forming a representation of a future action, temporarily storing that representation in memory, and retrieving it at a future time point. Here we review the recent development of animal models of prospective memory. We review experiments using rats that focus on the development of time-based and event-based prospective memory. Next, we review a number of prospective-memory approaches that have been used with a variety of non-human primates. Finally, we review selected approaches from the human literature on prospective memory to identify targets for development of animal models of prospective memory. PMID:25101562

Report from the School of Experience: Lessons-Learned on NASA's EOS/ICESat Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anselm, William

2003-01-01

Abstract-NASA s Earth Observing System EOS) Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) mission was one of the first missions under Goddard Space Flight Center s (then-) new Rapid Spacecraft Development Office. This paper explores the lessons-learned under the ICESat successful implementation and launch, focusing on four areas: Procurement., Management, Technical, and Launch and Early Operations. Each of these areas is explored in a practical perspective of communication, the viewpoint of the players, and the interactions among the organizations. Conclusions and lessons-learned are summarized in the final section.

Globalization and identity development: a Chinese perspective.

PubMed

Cheng, Min; Berman, Steven L

2012-01-01

This chapter begins with a discussion of the unique experience of adolescents and emerging adults who grew up with globalization in China and how it has affected their sense of self. We then discuss the effects of globalization on identity development in general, with a special focus on the sociohistorical context of China. We also review and critique the psychological literature that has been conducted on identity within Chinese and Chinese American populations. Finally, we discuss the applicability of Western concepts of identity on a culture that does not necessarily share the same value structure. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Updated Review of Planetary Atmospheric Electricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yair, Y.; Fischer, G.; Simões, F.; Renno, N.; Zarka, P.

2008-06-01

This paper reviews the progress achieved in planetary atmospheric electricity, with focus on lightning observations by present operational spacecraft, aiming to fill the hiatus from the latest review published by Desch et al. (Rep. Prog. Phys. 65:955 997, 2002). The information is organized according to solid surface bodies (Earth, Venus, Mars and Titan) and gaseous planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune), and each section presents the latest results from space-based and ground-based observations as well as laboratory experiments. Finally, we review planned future space missions to Earth and other planets that will address some of the existing gaps in our knowledge.

Updated Review of Planetary Atmospheric Electricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yair, Y.; Fischer, G.; Simões, F.; Renno, N.; Zarka, P.

This paper reviews the progress achieved in planetary atmospheric electricity, with focus on lightning observations by present operational spacecraft, aiming to fill the hiatus from the latest review published by Desch et al. (Rep. Prog. Phys. 65:955-997, 2002). The information is organized according to solid surface bodies (Earth, Venus, Mars and Titan) and gaseous planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune), and each section presents the latest results from space-based and ground-based observations as well as laboratory experiments. Finally, we review planned future space missions to Earth and other planets that will address some of the existing gaps in our knowledge.

Atmospheric pressure ion focusing in a high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guevremont, Roger; Purves, Randy W.

1999-02-01

The focusing of ions at atmospheric pressure and room temperature in a high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometer (FAIMS) has been investigated. FAIMS operates with the application of a high-voltage, high-frequency asymmetric waveform across parallel plates. This establishes conditions wherein an ion migrates towards one of the plates because of a difference in the ion mobility at the low and high electric field conditions during application of the waveform. The migration can be stopped by applying a dc compensation voltage (CV) which serves to create a "balanced" condition wherein the ion experiences no net transverse motion. This method has also been called "transverse field compensation ion mobility spectrometry" and "field ion spectrometry®." If this experiment is conducted using a device with cylindrical geometry, rather than with flat plates, an ion focusing region can exist in the annular space between the two concentric cylinders. Ion trajectory modeling showed that the behavior of the ions in the cylindrical geometry FAIMS analyzer was unlike any previously described atmospheric pressure ion optics system. The ions appeared to be trapped, or focused by being caught between two opposing forces. Requirements for establishing this focus for a given ion were identified: the applied waveform must be asymmetric, the electric field must be sufficiently high that the mobility of the ion deviates from its low-field value during the high-voltage portion of the asymmetric waveform, and finally, the electric field must be nonuniform in space (e.g., cylindrical or spherical geometry). Experimental observations with a prototype FAIMS device, which was designed to measure the radial distribution of ions in the FAIMS analyzer region, have confirmed the results of ion trajectory modeling.

The processing of facial identity and expression is interactive, but dependent on task and experience

PubMed Central

Yankouskaya, Alla; Humphreys, Glyn W.; Rotshtein, Pia

2014-01-01

Facial identity and emotional expression are two important sources of information for daily social interaction. However the link between these two aspects of face processing has been the focus of an unresolved debate for the past three decades. Three views have been advocated: (1) separate and parallel processing of identity and emotional expression signals derived from faces; (2) asymmetric processing with the computation of emotion in faces depending on facial identity coding but not vice versa; and (3) integrated processing of facial identity and emotion. We present studies with healthy participants that primarily apply methods from mathematical psychology, formally testing the relations between the processing of facial identity and emotion. Specifically, we focused on the “Garner” paradigm, the composite face effect and the divided attention tasks. We further ask whether the architecture of face-related processes is fixed or flexible and whether (and how) it can be shaped by experience. We conclude that formal methods of testing the relations between processes show that the processing of facial identity and expressions interact, and hence are not fully independent. We further demonstrate that the architecture of the relations depends on experience; where experience leads to higher degree of inter-dependence in the processing of identity and expressions. We propose that this change occurs as integrative processes are more efficient than parallel. Finally, we argue that the dynamic aspects of face processing need to be incorporated into theories in this field. PMID:25452722

When the learning environment is suboptimal: exploring medical students' perceptions of "mistreatment".

PubMed

Gan, Runye; Snell, Linda

2014-04-01

Despite widespread implementation of policies to address mistreatment, high rates of mistreatment during clinical training are reported, prompting the question of whether "mistreatment" means more to students than delineated in official codes of conduct. Understanding "mistreatment" from students' perspective and as it relates to the learning environment is needed before effective interventions can be implemented. The authors conducted focus groups with final-year medical students at McGill University Faculty of Medicine in 2012. Participants were asked to characterize "suboptimal learning experience" and "mistreatment." Transcripts were analyzed via inductive thematic analysis. Forty-one of 174 eligible students participated in six focus groups. Students described "mistreatment" as lack of respect or attack directed toward the person, and "suboptimal learning experience" as that which compromised their learning. Differing perceptions emerged as students debated whether "mistreatment" can be applied to negative learning environments as well as isolated incidents of mistreatment even though some experiences fell outside of the "official" label as per institutional policies. Whether students perceived "mistreatment" versus a "suboptimal learning experience" in negative environments appeared to be influenced by several key factors. A concept map integrating these ideas is presented. How students perceived negative situations during training appears to be a complex process. When medical students say "mistreatment," they may be referring to a spectrum, with incident-based mistreatment on one end and learning-environment-based mistreatment on the other. Multiple factors influenced how students perceived an environment-based negative situation and may provide strategies to improving the learning environment.

Half-unit weighted bilinear algorithm for image contrast enhancement in capsule endoscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rukundo, Olivier

2018-04-01

This paper proposes a novel enhancement method based exclusively on the bilinear interpolation algorithm for capsule endoscopy images. The proposed method does not convert the original RBG image components to HSV or any other color space or model; instead, it processes directly RGB components. In each component, a group of four adjacent pixels and half-unit weight in the bilinear weighting function are used to calculate the average pixel value, identical for each pixel in that particular group. After calculations, groups of identical pixels are overlapped successively in horizontal and vertical directions to achieve a preliminary-enhanced image. The final-enhanced image is achieved by halving the sum of the original and preliminary-enhanced image pixels. Quantitative and qualitative experiments were conducted focusing on pairwise comparisons between original and enhanced images. Final-enhanced images have generally the best diagnostic quality and gave more details about the visibility of vessels and structures in capsule endoscopy images.

Coping and emotional distress during acute hospitalization in older persons with earlier trauma: the case of Holocaust survivors.

PubMed

Kimron, Lee; Cohen, Miri

2012-06-01

Older persons with earlier trauma are often more vulnerable to stresses of old age. To examine the levels of emotional distress in relation to cognitive appraisal of acute hospitalization and coping strategies in Holocaust survivors compared with an age- and education-matched group of elderly persons without Holocaust experience. This is a cross-sectional study of 63 Holocaust survivors, 65 years and older, hospitalized for an acute illness, and 57 age-, education- and hospital unit-matched people without Holocaust experience. Participants completed appraisal and coping strategies (COPE) questionnaires, and the brief symptoms inventory (BSI-18). Holocaust survivors reported higher levels of emotional distress, appraised the hospitalization higher as a threat and lower as a challenge, and used more emotion-focused and less problem-focused or support-seeking coping strategies than the comparison group. Study variables explained 65% of the variance of emotional distress; significant predictors of emotional distress in the final regression model were not having a partner and more use of emotion-focused coping. The latter mediated the relation of group variable and challenge appraisal to emotional distress. Health professionals must be aware of the potential impact of the hospital environment on the survivors of Holocaust as well as survivors of other trauma. Being sensitive to their specific needs may reduce the negative impact of hospitalization.

A Qualitative Assessment of the Parenting Challenges and Treatment Needs of Mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder

PubMed Central

Zalewski, Maureen; Stepp, Stephanie D.; Whalen, Diana J.; Scott, Lori N.

2014-01-01

There are currently no empirically supported interventions to target parenting among mothers who have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The current study uses Consensus Qualitative Research (CQR) methodology to: I) learn about mothers’ experiences of parenting with BPD, and II) identify treatment modifications to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as suggested by mothers with BPD who are currently engaged in DBT skills training. Twenty-three mothers were recruited from intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs that teach DBT skills. A total of 9 focus groups that met one time were conducted asking women a series of questions regarding their experiences of parenting with BPD and how they would modify DBT to address parenting issues. Using the CQR approach, we coded domains and categories that were discussed by mothers in the focus groups. Coding revealed that mothers with BPD wished parenting was integrated more in their current DBT skills groups. In addition, one of the most prominent themes to emerge was that parenting is particularly stressful to mothers with BPD and is associated with guilt, uncertainty, and worry. Finally, mothers offered many ideas for how to integrate parenting-focused interventions into DBT. The CQR method revealed gaps in current treatment for mothers with BPD and provided useful ideas for how to modify DBT to target parenting and integrate these modifications into other approaches for treating mothers with BPD. PMID:26257507

The Monsoon-90 / SALSA / EOS / SUDMED / SAHRA / HELP / USPP Experience: A Progression of Interdisciplinary Integration of Science and Decision Making over 20 years.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chehbouni, G.; Goodrich, D.; Kustas, B.; Sorooshian, S.; Shuttleworth, J.; Richter, H.

2008-12-01

The Monsoon'90 Experiment conducted at the USDA-ARS Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed in southeast Arizona was the start of a long arc of subsequent experiments and research that were larger, longer-term, more international, more interdisciplinary, and led to more direct integration of science for decision making and watershed management. In this era, much of our research and science must be more directly relevant to decision-makers and natural resource managers as they increasingly require sophisticated levels of expert findings and scientific results (e.g. interdisciplinary) to make informed decisions. Significant effort beyond focused, single disciplinary research is required conduct interdisciplinary science typical in large scale field experiments. Even greater effort is required to effectively integrate our research across the physical and ecological sciences for direct use by policy and decision makers. This presentation will provide an overview of the evolution of this arc of experiments and long-term projects into a mature integrated science and decision making program. It will discuss the transition in project focus from science and research for understanding; through science for addressing a need; to integrated science and policy development. At each stage the research conducted became more interdisciplinary, first across abiotic disciplines (hydrology, remote sensing, atmospheric science), then by merging abiotic and biotic disciplines (adding ecology and plant physiology), and finally a further integration of economic and social sciences with and policy and decision making for resource management. Lessons learned from this experience will be reviewed with the intent providing guidance to ensure that the resulting research is socially and scientifically relevant and will not only result in cutting edge science but will also directly address the needs of policy makers and resource managers.

Nanotechnologies for Composite Structures- From Nanocomposites to Multifunctional Nano-Enabled Fibre Reinforced Composites for Spacecrafts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostopoulos, Vassilis; Vavouliotis, Antonios; Baltopoulos, Athanasios; Sotiririadis, George; Masouras, Athanasios; Pambaguian, Laurent

2014-06-01

The past decade, extensive efforts have been invested in understanding the nano-scale and revealing the capabilities offered by nanotechnology products to structural materials. Nevertheless, a major issue faced lately more seriously due to the interest of industry is on how to incorporate these nano-species into the final composite structure through existing manufacturing processes and infrastructure. In this work, we present the experience obtained from the latest nanotechnology research activities supported by ESA. The paper focuses on prepreg composite manufacturing technology and addresses:- Approaches for nano-enabling of composites- Up-scaling strategies towards final structures- Latest results on performance of nano-enabledfiber reinforced compositesSeveral approaches for the utilization of nanotechnology products in structural composite structures have been proposed and are reviewed, in short along with respective achieved results. A variety of nano-fillers has been proposed and employed, individually or in combination in hybrid forms, to approach the desired performance. A major part of the work deals with the up-scaling routes of these technologies to reach final products and industrial scales and processes while meeting end-user performance.

Medical students' preparation for the transition to postgraduate training through final year elective rotations.

PubMed

van den Broek, W E Sjoukje; Wijnen-Meijer, Marjo; Ten Cate, Olle; van Dijk, Marijke

2017-01-01

Objectives: This study adds to the ongoing discussion on how to ease the transition from undergraduate medical training to postgraduate training. In the Netherlands there is no central matching system for admission to residency. Medical school graduates just apply for a position in an open job market. Many choose to acquire general or specialty-specific clinical experiences after the medical degree before residency, to further explore career opportunities and to increase their chances to get into their preferred specialty. To shorten this gap between undergraduate and the start of postgraduate training, the sixth and final year of most Dutch medical schools is designed as a "transitional year". Students work with more clinical responsibilities than in the earlier clerkships, and this year includes many elective options. Our study focuses on these elective options and explores how medical students use these transitional year electives to prepare for transition to postgraduate training. Methods: In 2012-2013 we asked all 274 graduating students at one Dutch medical school to complete an open-answer questionnaire with the following topics: their preferred specialty at the start of the transitional year, electives they chose during this year and reasons for these choices, and whether the transitional year electives changed their career considerations. Questionnaire results were coded by two researchers and were discussed with all members of the research team. Results: A total of 235 students responded (86%). Answers about motivation for choices revealed that most electives where chosen for career orientation and to optimize chances to get into a residency program. Students also focused on additional experiences in specialties related to their preferred specialty. Many students chose electives logically related to each other, e.g. combinations of surgery and radiology. About two-thirds of the respondents stated that their elective experiences did confirm their specialty preferences or resulted in a more clear insight. Conclusion: We conclude that students use the transitional year electives to focus on their future postgraduate training program, i.e. for orientation and to align their curriculum vitae with their preferred specialty, resulting in spontaneous early specialty streaming. To take advantages of this streaming, and to make sure students can transfer their experiences to other specialties if their career preferences change, individual elective Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), next to the core EPAs for all medical students, may serve to prepare a smooth transition to a specialty of choice and should be fully documented.

Mind-life continuity: A qualitative study of conscious experience.

PubMed

Hipólito, Inês; Martins, Jorge

2017-12-01

There are two fundamental models to understanding the phenomenon of natural life. One is the computational model, which is based on the symbolic thinking paradigm. The other is the biological organism model. The common difficulty attributed to these paradigms is that their reductive tools allow the phenomenological aspects of experience to remain hidden behind yes/no responses (behavioral tests), or brain 'pictures' (neuroimaging). Hence, one of the problems regards how to overcome methodological difficulties towards a non-reductive investigation of conscious experience. It is our aim in this paper to show how cooperation between Eastern and Western traditions may shed light for a non-reductive study of mind and life. This study focuses on the first-person experience associated with cognitive and mental events. We studied phenomenal data as a crucial fact for the domain of living beings, which, we expect, can provide the ground for a subsequent third-person study. The intervention with Jhana meditation, and its qualitative assessment, provided us with experiential profiles based upon subjects' evaluations of their own conscious experiences. The overall results should move towards an integrated or global perspective on mind where neither experience nor external mechanisms have the final word. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Medical students' personal experience of high-stakes failure: case studies using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

PubMed

Patel, R S; Tarrant, C; Bonas, S; Shaw, R L

2015-05-12

Failing a high-stakes assessment at medical school is a major event for those who go through the experience. Students who fail at medical school may be more likely to struggle in professional practice, therefore helping individuals overcome problems and respond appropriately is important. There is little understanding about what factors influence how individuals experience failure or make sense of the failing experience in remediation. The aim of this study was to investigate the complexity surrounding the failure experience from the student's perspective using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The accounts of three medical students who had failed final re-sit exams, were subjected to in-depth analysis using IPA methodology. IPA was used to analyse each transcript case-by-case allowing the researcher to make sense of the participant's subjective world. The analysis process allowed the complexity surrounding the failure to be highlighted, alongside a narrative describing how students made sense of the experience. The circumstances surrounding students as they approached assessment and experienced failure at finals were a complex interaction between academic problems, personal problems (specifically finance and relationships), strained relationships with friends, family or faculty, and various mental health problems. Each student experienced multi-dimensional issues, each with their own individual combination of problems, but experienced remediation as a one-dimensional intervention with focus only on improving performance in written exams. What these students needed to be included was help with clinical skills, plus social and emotional support. Fear of termination of the their course was a barrier to open communication with staff. These students' experience of failure was complex. The experience of remediation is influenced by the way in which students make sense of failing. Generic remediation programmes may fail to meet the needs of students for whom personal, social and mental health issues are a part of the picture.

Influences on final year medical students' attitudes to general practice as a career.

PubMed

Parker, Johanna E; Hudson, Ben; Wilkinson, Tim J

2014-03-01

General practice is under-represented in student career choices. This study aimed to identify and explore factors that influence the attitudes of final year medical students to general practice as a career. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews of focus groups of final year undergraduate medical students at the University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. Thematic analysis and grounded theory were used to interpret the data. General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in influencing medical students' attitudes to general practice as a career. Students identified their general practice placement during medical school training and personal contact with their own GP as principal factors. The media portrayal of general practice and the attitudes of friends and family were also influential. Students were positively influenced when they were made to feel part of the team, involved with consultations, allowed to carry out practical procedures under supervision, and witnessed what they perceived as good medical practice during clinical placements. Positive experiences often occurred later in training, when students felt more confident of their clinical abilities. While students reported occasional negative comments about general practice by some hospital doctors, these had a lesser role in influencing their perceptions of general practice compared with their own experiences, both as students and patients. GPs have a strong influence, positively and negatively, on the attitudes of medical students to general practice as a career. Effective influences include being made to feel welcome, involved, valued, and given legitimate roles during clinical placements.

News for assimilation or integration? Examining the functions of news in shaping acculturation experiences of immigrants in the Netherlands and Spain

PubMed Central

Alencar, Amanda; Deuze, Mark

2017-01-01

This study investigates the functions of news media in shaping acculturation experiences of new economic and refugee immigrants in the Netherlands and Spain. Focus group data revealed that consumption of host country news media was mainly connected to immigrants’ deliberate strategies to assimilate the culture, politics and language of the host society, while exposure to transnational news was viewed in terms of strategies of integration in both countries. We also observed that participants’ educational background and language skills combined with their perceptions of the host country’s news have an impact on the use they make of news for assimilating and/or integrating into the host society. Finally, important sociopolitical conditions of the context influenced the ways participants use the news media in their process of acculturation. PMID:28579663

News for assimilation or integration? Examining the functions of news in shaping acculturation experiences of immigrants in the Netherlands and Spain.

PubMed

Alencar, Amanda; Deuze, Mark

2017-04-01

This study investigates the functions of news media in shaping acculturation experiences of new economic and refugee immigrants in the Netherlands and Spain. Focus group data revealed that consumption of host country news media was mainly connected to immigrants' deliberate strategies to assimilate the culture, politics and language of the host society, while exposure to transnational news was viewed in terms of strategies of integration in both countries. We also observed that participants' educational background and language skills combined with their perceptions of the host country's news have an impact on the use they make of news for assimilating and/or integrating into the host society. Finally, important sociopolitical conditions of the context influenced the ways participants use the news media in their process of acculturation.

Plant gnotobiology: Epiphytic microbes and sustainable agriculture

PubMed Central

Kutschera, Ulrich; Khanna, Rajnish

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT In 1963, a monograph by Thomas D. Luckey entitled Germfree Life and Gnotobiology was published, with a focus on animals treated with microbes and reference to the work of Louis Pasteur (1822–1895). Here, we review the history and current status of plant gnotobiology, which can be traced back to the experiments of Jean-Baptiste Boussingault (1801–1887) published in 1838. Since the outer surfaces of typical land plants are much larger than their internal areas, embryophytes “wear their guts on the outside.” We describe the principles of gnotobiological analyses, with reference to epiphytic metylobacteria, and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) as well as Arabidopsis as model dicots. Finally, a Californian field experiment aiming to improve crop yield in strawberries (Fragaria ananassa) is described to document the practical value of this novel research agenda. PMID:27830978

The European and American use of exploratory approaches for first-in-human studies.

PubMed

Silva-Lima, Beatriz; Carlson, David; Jones, David R; Laurie, David; Stahl, Elke; Maria, Vasco; Janssens, Walter; Robinson, William T

2010-02-01

Exploratory approaches for first-in-human clinical studies have evolved over the last few years and have stimulated the issuance of national regulatory guidances in some European countries as well as the United States. With the increasing implementation of these approaches and the recent preparation of a multiregional regulatory guidance (ICH M3 rev2), an exchange of experiences on the opportunities and challenges of exploratory clinical trials was desirable; thus, a workshop focusing on the use of this clinical approach was planned and conducted in Lisbon, Portugal, March 18-19, 2009 sponsored by the Portuguese Health Authority (INFARMED) and DIA. The structure of the workshop focused in three main areas. Regulatory representatives from Portugal, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States formally reviewed their experiences. This was followed by a discussion on issues from an ethics review perspective as well as an insight to the opportunities in the area of biologics. The industry perspective was presented by representatives from Merck, Pfizer, J&J, Novartis, Speedel, AstraZeneca, GSK, and Roche. Finally, through break out sessions, issues were identified to be addressed moving forward. It is the purpose of this paper to report on the outcome of this workshop.

The Recommendations for Linear Measurement Techniques on the Measurements of Nonlinear System Parameters of a Joint.

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

Smith, Scott A; Catalfamo, Simone; Brake, Matthew R. W.

2017-01-01

In the study of the dynamics of nonlinear systems, experimental measurements often convolute the response of the nonlinearity of interest and the effects of the experimental setup. To reduce the influence of the experimental setup on the deduction of the parameters of the nonlinearity, the response of a mechanical joint is investigated under various experimental setups. These experiments first focus on quantifying how support structures and measurement techniques affect the natural frequency and damping of a linear system. The results indicate that support structures created from bungees have negligible influence on the system in terms of frequency and damping ratiomore » variations. The study then focuses on the effects of the excitation technique on the response for a linear system. The findings suggest that thinner stingers should not be used, because under the high force requirements the stinger bending modes are excited adding unwanted torsional coupling. The optimal configuration for testing the linear system is then applied to a nonlinear system in order to assess the robustness of the test configuration. Finally, recommendations are made for conducting experiments on nonlinear systems using conventional/linear testing techniques.« less

Experimental, Theoretical and Computational Studies of Plasma-Based Concepts for Future High Energy Accelerators

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

Joshi, Chan; Mori, W.

2013-10-21

This is the final report on the DOE grant number DE-FG02-92ER40727 titled, “Experimental, Theoretical and Computational Studies of Plasma-Based Concepts for Future High Energy Accelerators.” During this grant period the UCLA program on Advanced Plasma Based Accelerators, headed by Professor C. Joshi has made many key scientific advances and trained a generation of students, many of whom have stayed in this research field and even started research programs of their own. In this final report however, we will focus on the last three years of the grant and report on the scientific progress made in each of the four tasksmore » listed under this grant. Four tasks are focused on: Plasma Wakefield Accelerator Research at FACET, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, In House Research at UCLA’s Neptune and 20 TW Laser Laboratories, Laser-Wakefield Acceleration (LWFA) in Self Guided Regime: Experiments at the Callisto Laser at LLNL, and Theory and Simulations. Major scientific results have been obtained in each of the four tasks described in this report. These have led to publications in the prestigious scientific journals, graduation and continued training of high quality Ph.D. level students and have kept the U.S. at the forefront of plasma-based accelerators research field.« less

Habits, rituals, and addiction: an inquiry into substance abuse in older persons.

PubMed

Gray, Mary Tod

2014-04-01

Older people enter the final phases of their lives with well-established habits and rituals, some of which might be or become substance abuse. This inquiry focused on the relationship between habits, rituals, and the compulsive addictive behaviours evident in older persons' substance abuse. Habits and rituals, examined as adaptive and limiting functions in older persons, revealed changes in autonomy, social inclusion, and emotional responses to such changes as older persons experience declining energy reserves and physical debilities. Older persons' ebbing sense of control and passionate responses to change illustrate the perennial struggle between the will and emotions when habits and rituals transform to compulsive addictive behaviours. Two concepts, germane to this struggle both in older persons' addictive behaviours and nurses' response, emerged from this inquiry: temperance, a balance between the will's freely chosen actions and passionate desire, and discipline, the means to achieve such balance. The focused attention demanded in discipline can be realized in spiritual exercises and daily care of the soul. Disciplined actions engage the older persons' imaginative capacities to manage and abandon the self in goals consistent with end-of-life issues: meaningful fulfillment of human potential and the need for daily joy and pleasure in living the final years. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

MRF, ELSM and STED: tools to study defects in fused silica optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catrin, R.; Taroux, D.; Cormont, P.; Maunier, C.; Neauport, J.

2013-11-01

The MegaJoule laser being constructed at the CEA near Bordeaux (France) is designed to focus more than 1 MJ of energy at 351 nm, on a millimetre scale target in the centre of an experiment chamber. The final optic assembly of this system operating at a wavelength of 351 nm is made up of large fused silica optics, working in transmission, that are used to convey and focus the laser beam. Under high fluences (i.e. more than 5 J/cm2 for 3 ns pulses), the limited lifetime of final optical assembly is a major concern for fusion scale laser facilities. Previous works have shown that surface finishing processes applied to manufacture these optical components can leave subsurface cracks (SSD), pollution or similar defects that act as initiators of the laser damage. In this work, we used epi-fluorescent light scanning microscopy (ELSM) and Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) in confocal mode with fluorescent dye tagging to get a better knowledge of size and depth of these subsurface cracks. Magnetorheological fluid finishing technique (MRF) was also used as a tool to remove these cracks and thus assess depths measured by confocal microscopy. Subsurface cracks with a width of about 120 nm are observed up to ten micrometers below the surface.

IER 203 CED-2 Report: LLNL Final Design for BERP Ball With a Composite Reflector of Thin Polyethylene Backed by Nickel

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

Percher, C. M.; Heinrichs, D. P.; Kim, S. K.

2016-07-18

This report documents the results of final design (CED-2) for IER 203, BERP Ball Composite Reflection, and focuses on critical configurations with a 4.5 kg α-phase plutonium sphere reflected by a combination of thin high-density polyethylene (HDPE) backed by a thick nickel reflector. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) Nuclear Criticality Safety Division, in support of fissile material operations, calculated surprisingly reactive configurations when a fissile core was surrounded by a thin, moderating reflector backed by a thick metal reflector. These composite reflector configurations were much more reactive than either of the single reflector materials separately. The calculated findings havemore » resulted in a stricter-than-anticipated criticality control set, impacting programmatic work. IER 203 was requested in response to these seemingly anomalous calculations to see if the composite reflection effect could be shown experimentally. This report focuses on the Beryllium Reflected Plutonium (BERP) ball as a fissile material core reflected by polyethylene and nickel. A total of four critical configurations were designed as part of CED-2. Fabrication costs are estimated to be $98,500, largely due to the cost of the large nickel reflectors. The IER 203 experiments could reasonably be expected to begin in early FY2017.« less

Breaking bad news - an interdisciplinary curricular teaching-concept.

PubMed

Simmenroth-Nayda, Anne; Alt-Epping, Bernd; Gágyor, Ildikó

2011-01-01

The concerns of patients suffering from life-threatening disease and end-of-life care aspects have gained increasing attention in public perception. The increasing focus on palliative medicine questions can be considered to be paradigmatic for this development. Palliative medicine became a compulsory subject of the undergraduate curriculum in Germany to be implemented until 2013. The preexisting conditions and qualifications at the medical faculties vary, though. We describe the conceptual process, didactic background, and first experiences with the new interdisciplinary course "Delivering bad news" as a compulsory part of the palliative medicine curriculum. Since autumn 2009, this course has been taught at the University Medical Center Göttingen, consisting of two double lessons in the final year of medical education. Considering the curriculum-based learning goals in Göttingen, the focus of this course is to impart knowledge, attitudes and communication skills relating to "bad news". Although the seminar requires adequate staff and is time-consuming, students have accepted it and gave high marks in evaluations. In particular, the teachers' performance and commitment was evaluated positively. We describe the first experiences with a new course. Didactic structure, theoretical contents, role-plays and usage of media (film, novel) are well- suited to communicate topics such as "bad news". Additional experiences and evaluations are necessary. According to the progressive nature of learning, it might be worthwhile to repeat communication- centered questions several times during medical studies.

Teaching Strategis Designed to Change the Undergraduate Experience for College Women Learning Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Samia

A college for women has been cited as one of the most productive origins of female physical science doctorates in the United States. A case study was conducted to investigate teaching strategies that support the retention of women in the physical sciences, based on evidence from one of the college's most notable instructors and her teaching strategies. The strategies this teacher used included a personal "contract", confidence building techniques, and science internships. Data were collected from classroom documents, classroom observations, teacher interviews, student focus groups, student feedback sheets, Likert-response student surveys, and student final exams. Evidence from the Likert-response survey and focus groups suggested that the contract increased students' likelihood of success in the course and that confidence-building strategies improved students' confidence in their ability to succeed in science. An analysis of students' final exam scores indicated that student marks improved after the introduction of the aforementioned teaching innovations: 4% of students taking the same science course with the same teacher earned less than a C-, compared to a previous three-year average of 18% of students with below C- grades. In addition, notably fewer minority women dropped the course than they had in the past. The findings of this study suggest that this teacher's strategies may have played a part in retaining these women in the physical sciences. Based on the data, a theoretical model is proposed that suggests how switching or "fading" out of the course may have been addressed and how multiple teaching strategies can work in concert with each other to contribute to women's positive experiences in the physical sciences.

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

Seidl, P. A.; Waldron, W.

This report describes the prototype final focus solenoid (FFS-1G), or 1st generation FFS. In order to limit eddy currents, the solenoid winding consists of Litz wire wound on a non-conductive G-10 tube. For the same reason, the winding pack was inserted into an electrically insulating, but thermally conducting Polypropylene (Cool- Poly© D1202) housing and potted with highly viscous epoxy (to be able to wick the single strands of the Litz wire). The magnet is forced-air cooled through cooling channels. The magnet was designed for water cooling, but he cooling jacket cracked, and therefore cooling (beyond natural conduction and radiation) wasmore » exclusively by forced air. Though the design operating point was 8 Tesla, for the majority of running on NDCX-1 it operated up to about 5 Tesla. This was due mostly from limitations of voltage holding at the leads, where discharges at higher pulsed current damaged the leads. Generation 1 was replaced by the 2nd generation solenoid (FFS-2G) about a year later, which has operated reliably up to 8 Tesla, with a better lead design and utilizes water cooling. At this point, FFS-1G was used for plasma source R&D by LBNL and PPPL. The maximum field for those experiments was reduced to 3 Tesla due to continued difficulty with the leads and because higher field was not essential for those experiments. The pulser for the final focusing solenoid is a SCR-switched capacitor bank which produces a half-sine current waveform. The pulse width is ~800us and a charge voltage of 3kV drives ~20kA through the magnet producing ~8T field.« less

On feelings as a heuristic for making offers in ultimatum negotiations.

PubMed

Stephen, Andrew T; Pham, Michel Tuan

2008-10-01

This research examined how reliance on emotional feelings as a heuristic influences how offers are made. Results from three experiments using the ultimatum game show that, compared with proposers who do not rely on their feelings, proposers who rely on their feelings make less generous offers in the standard ultimatum game, more generous offers in a variant of the game allowing responders to make counteroffers, and less generous offers in a dictator game in which no responses are allowed. Reliance on feelings triggers a more literal form of play, whereby proposers focus more on how they feel toward the content of the offers than on how they feel toward the possible outcomes of those offers, as if the offers were the final outcomes. Proposers who rely on their feelings also tend to focus on gist-based construals of the negotiation that capture only the essential aspects of the situation.

Functional feature embedded space mapping of fMRI data.

PubMed

Hu, Jin; Tian, Jie; Yang, Lei

2006-01-01

We have proposed a new method for fMRI data analysis which is called Functional Feature Embedded Space Mapping (FFESM). Our work mainly focuses on the experimental design with periodic stimuli which can be described by a number of Fourier coefficients in the frequency domain. A nonlinear dimension reduction technique Isomap is applied to the high dimensional features obtained from frequency domain of the fMRI data for the first time. Finally, the presence of activated time series is identified by the clustering method in which the information theoretic criterion of minimum description length (MDL) is used to estimate the number of clusters. The feasibility of our algorithm is demonstrated by real human experiments. Although we focus on analyzing periodic fMRI data, the approach can be extended to analyze non-periodic fMRI data (event-related fMRI) by replacing the Fourier analysis with a wavelet analysis.

Hypnosis and belief: A review of hypnotic delusions.

PubMed

Connors, Michael H

2015-11-01

Hypnosis can create temporary, but highly compelling alterations in belief. As such, it can be used to model many aspects of clinical delusions in the laboratory. This approach allows researchers to recreate features of delusions on demand and examine underlying processes with a high level of experimental control. This paper reviews studies that have used hypnosis to model delusions in this way. First, the paper reviews studies that have focused on reproducing the surface features of delusions, such as their high levels of subjective conviction and strong resistance to counter-evidence. Second, the paper reviews studies that have focused on modelling underlying processes of delusions, including anomalous experiences or cognitive deficits that underpin specific delusional beliefs. Finally, the paper evaluates this body of research as a whole. The paper discusses advantages and limitations of using hypnotic models to study delusions and suggests some directions for future research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

International terrorism and mental health: recent research and future directions.

PubMed

Fischer, Peter; Ai, Amy L

2008-03-01

International terrorism has become a major global concern. Several studies conducted in North America and Europe in the aftermath of terrorist attacks reveal that international terrorism represents a significant short-term and long-term threat to mental health. In the present article, the authors clarify the concept and categories of terrorism and then present central findings from studies conducted in the United States and Europe, which mainly focus on negative impacts on mental health, such as emotional stress and PTSD. Furthermore, the authors outline experiments that focus on social interaction processes thought to be triggered by international terrorism and which are assumed to be related indirectly to mental health processes. Next, they highlight the potential positive outcomes on the resilience side, in line with the current theory on posttraumatic growth in adversity. Finally, theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations and future directions are discussed.

Molecular Momentum Transport at Fluid-Solid Interfaces in MEMS/NEMS: A Review

PubMed Central

Cao, Bing-Yang; Sun, Jun; Chen, Min; Guo, Zeng-Yuan

2009-01-01

This review is focused on molecular momentum transport at fluid-solid interfaces mainly related to microfluidics and nanofluidics in micro-/nano-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS). This broad subject covers molecular dynamics behaviors, boundary conditions, molecular momentum accommodations, theoretical and phenomenological models in terms of gas-solid and liquid-solid interfaces affected by various physical factors, such as fluid and solid species, surface roughness, surface patterns, wettability, temperature, pressure, fluid viscosity and polarity. This review offers an overview of the major achievements, including experiments, theories and molecular dynamics simulations, in the field with particular emphasis on the effects on microfluidics and nanofluidics in nanoscience and nanotechnology. In Section 1 we present a brief introduction on the backgrounds, history and concepts. Sections 2 and 3 are focused on molecular momentum transport at gas-solid and liquid-solid interfaces, respectively. Summary and conclusions are finally presented in Section 4. PMID:20087458

From (before) Bhopal to (after) BP: trade secrets and the right to know.

PubMed

Levenstein, Charles; Tuminaro, Dom

2011-01-01

This paper discuses the tensions between, on the one hand, workers' and communities' right to know about occupational and environmental hazards, and on the other hand, trade secrets and the rights of their corporate owners. We first discuss the role of trade secrets in economic development in the context of the benefits claimed for free markets. We then describe the ongoing struggles of workers and communities in the United States for access to information about hazards. The third section of the paper is a discussion of the reformulation of labor and occupational health and safety regulation as matters of human rights, again focusing on the situation in the United States. The final section is a discussion of the implications of the human rights approach for the occupational and environmental health practitioner. Although the paper focuses primarily on the U.S. experience, we believe that the lessons learned may be broadly applicable.

Spaceborne SAR Imaging Algorithm for Coherence Optimized.

PubMed

Qiu, Zhiwei; Yue, Jianping; Wang, Xueqin; Yue, Shun

2016-01-01

This paper proposes SAR imaging algorithm with largest coherence based on the existing SAR imaging algorithm. The basic idea of SAR imaging algorithm in imaging processing is that output signal can have maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by using the optimal imaging parameters. Traditional imaging algorithm can acquire the best focusing effect, but would bring the decoherence phenomenon in subsequent interference process. Algorithm proposed in this paper is that SAR echo adopts consistent imaging parameters in focusing processing. Although the SNR of the output signal is reduced slightly, their coherence is ensured greatly, and finally the interferogram with high quality is obtained. In this paper, two scenes of Envisat ASAR data in Zhangbei are employed to conduct experiment for this algorithm. Compared with the interferogram from the traditional algorithm, the results show that this algorithm is more suitable for SAR interferometry (InSAR) research and application.

Spaceborne SAR Imaging Algorithm for Coherence Optimized

PubMed Central

Qiu, Zhiwei; Yue, Jianping; Wang, Xueqin; Yue, Shun

2016-01-01

This paper proposes SAR imaging algorithm with largest coherence based on the existing SAR imaging algorithm. The basic idea of SAR imaging algorithm in imaging processing is that output signal can have maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by using the optimal imaging parameters. Traditional imaging algorithm can acquire the best focusing effect, but would bring the decoherence phenomenon in subsequent interference process. Algorithm proposed in this paper is that SAR echo adopts consistent imaging parameters in focusing processing. Although the SNR of the output signal is reduced slightly, their coherence is ensured greatly, and finally the interferogram with high quality is obtained. In this paper, two scenes of Envisat ASAR data in Zhangbei are employed to conduct experiment for this algorithm. Compared with the interferogram from the traditional algorithm, the results show that this algorithm is more suitable for SAR interferometry (InSAR) research and application. PMID:26871446

Characterization and visual illustration of the consequences motion of human body for the determination of heart rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nedoma, Jan; Fajkus, Marcel; Martinek, Radek; Kepak, Stanislav; Cubik, Jakub; Vasinek, Vladimir

2017-10-01

The team of authors focused on analyzing of using fiber-optic sensor based on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) for the monitoring of heart rate (HR) of long-term ill patients with a minimum of physical movement load. During all experiments, test subjects were asked to simulate their natural behavior in the most accurate way (for instance, the focus was on the use of fine motor skills - not only movements of hands and arms, legs, and feet, coughing, changes in body positions, but also walking). All these external aspects are taken into account in the bellow-described results of the probe efficiency and show that it is very necessary to know the impact of these artifacts for the determine the heart rate of the human body. Final results were discussed with the senior doctor of the long-term care department.

The Uncertainty Response in Animal-Metacognition Researchers

PubMed Central

Beran, Michael J.; Smith, J. David

2014-01-01

Kornell (2013) considers whether and in what sense animals may be considered metacognitive. He questions whether tests that rely on animals assessing their internal memory strength can provide useful data. He offers his own strategies for determining what internal cues animals use in making metacognitive judgments. We endorse his call for an increased focus on animals' metacognitive errors as true reflections of metacognitive states shorn of associative bases. We endorse a sharper focus on information-processing analyses of the executive or attentional level that metacognitive responses may occupy in animals’ cognitive systems. Some of these analyses are being implemented in contemporary research, with positive results. Finally, we endorse the possibility that metacognition may not be an all-or-none thing, so that animals may share some facets—but not all facets—of metacognitive experience with humans. Kornell’s interesting contribution makes clear that in this area the animal-metacognition literature needs further theoretical sharpening. PMID:24866007

Emotionally Intense Science Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Donna; Ritchie, Stephen; Sandhu, Maryam; Henderson, Senka

2015-08-01

Science activities that evoke positive emotional responses make a difference to students' emotional experience of science. In this study, we explored 8th Grade students' discrete emotions expressed during science activities in a unit on Energy. Multiple data sources including classroom videos, interviews and emotion diaries completed at the end of each lesson were analysed to identify individual student's emotions. Results from two representative students are presented as case studies. Using a theoretical perspective drawn from theories of emotions founded in sociology, two assertions emerged. First, during the demonstration activity, students experienced the emotions of wonder and surprise; second, during a laboratory activity, students experienced the intense positive emotions of happiness/joy. Characteristics of these activities that contributed to students' positive experiences are highlighted. The study found that choosing activities that evoked strong positive emotional experiences, focused students' attention on the phenomenon they were learning, and the activities were recalled positively. Furthermore, such positive experiences may contribute to students' interest and engagement in science and longer term memorability. Finally, implications for science teachers and pre-service teacher education are suggested.

OAST Technology for the Future. Volume 3 - Critical Technologies, Themes 5-8

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) conducted a workshop on the In-Space Technology Experiments Program IN-STEP) December 6-9, 1988, in Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of this workshop was to identify and prioritize space technologies which are critical for future national space programs and which require validation in the 5 ace environment. A secondary objective was to review the current NASA (In-Reach and Industry/University (Out-Reach) experiments. Finally, the aerospace community was requested to review and comment on the proposed plans for the continuation of the In-Space Technology Experiments Program. In particular, the review included the proposed process for focusing the next experiment selection on specific, critical technologies and the process for implementing the hardware development and integration on the Space Shuttle vehicle. The product of the workshop was a prioritized listing of the critical space technology needs in each of eight technology disciplines. These listings were the cumulative recommendations of nearly 400 participants, which included researchers, technologists, and managers from aerospace industries, universities, and government organizations.

OAST Technology for the Future. Volume 2 - Critical Technologies, Themes 1-4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) conducted a workshop on the In-Space Technology Experiments Program IN-STEP) December 6-9, 1988, in Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of this workshop was to identify and prioritize space technologies which are critical for future national space programs and which. require validation in the space environment. A secondary objective was to review the current NASA (InReach) and Industry/University (Out-Reach) experiments. Finally, the aerospace community was requested to review and comment on the proposed plans for the continuation of the In-Space Technology Experiments Program. In particular, the review included the proposed process for focusing the next experiment selection on specific, critical technologies and the process for implementing the hardware development and integration on the Space Shuttle vehicle. The product of the workshop was a prioritized listing of the critical space technology needs in each of eight technology disciplines. These listings were the cumulative recommendations of nearly 400 participants, which included researchers, technologists, and managers from aerospace industries, universities, and government organizations.

Near minimum-time maneuvers of the advanced space structures technology research experiment (ASTREX) test article: Theory and experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vadali, Srinivas R.; Carter, Michael T.

1994-01-01

The Phillips Laboratory at the Edwards Air Force Base has developed the Advanced Space Structures Technology Research Experiment (ASTREX) facility to serve as a testbed for demonstrating the applicability of proven theories to the challenges of spacecraft maneuvers and structural control. This report describes the work performed on the ASTREX test article by Texas A&M University under contract NAS119373 as a part of the Control-Structure Interaction (CSI) Guest Investigator Program. The focus of this work is on maneuvering the ASTREX test article with compressed air thrusters that can be throttled, while attenuating structural excitation. The theoretical foundation for designing the near minimum-time thrust commands is based on the generation of smooth, parameterized optimal open-loop control profiles, and the determination of control laws for final position regulation and tracking using Lyapunov stability theory. Details of the theory, mathematical modeling, model updating, and compensation for the presence of 'real world' effects are described and the experimental results are presented. The results show an excellent match between theory and experiments.

Chalk-calcite-microfluidic experiments: construction and flooding of microsystems with reactive fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuville, Amélie; Thuy Luu, Thi; Dysthe, Dag Kristian; Vinningland, Jan Ludvig; Hiorth, Aksel

2015-04-01

Direct in situ observation of the pore structure changes that occur when chalk is flooded with brines could resolve many of the open questions that remain about the interactions between mineralogical alterations and oil-liberating mechanisms. Experiments on core scale and field tests that have been carried out the last decade have clearly shown that water chemistry affects the final oil recovery. However, there is generally no consensus in the scientific community of why additional oil is released. In this work, our aim is to focus on in-situ observations of single phase flow and interactions at the pore scale. To do so, we create several types of custom-made microsystems with chalk and calcite crystals. We then do experiments with reacting fluids in these microsystems. During these experiments, we realize in-situ observations (geometrical characteristics, reaction rate) using microsopy techniques (white light vertical/phase shift interferometric microscopy, and classical microscopy), and show how they vary as function as the water chemistry. In simple systems made of calcite, we obtain reactive rates that are coherent with the litterature and with numerical simulations based on Lattice-Boltzmann methods.

The Nucifer Experiment

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

Cucoanes, A.S., E-mail: cucoanes@subatech.in2p3.fr

In nuclear reactors, a large number of antineutrinos are generated in the decay chains of the fission products; thus a survey of the antineutrino flux could provide valuable information related to the uranium and plutonium content of the core. This application generated interest by the IAEA in using antineutrino detectors as a potential safeguard tool. Here we present the Nucifer experiment, developed in France, by CEA and CNRS/IN2P3. The design of this new antineutrino detector has focused on safety, size reduction, reliability and high detection efficiency with a good background rejection. The Nucifer detector is currently taking data at themore » OSIRIS research reactor, inside CEA-Saclay. Presently, the ongoing analyses are considering the main sources of background for the antineutrino detection; the first antineutrino result is expected in 2013. A possible contribution to the understanding of the so called “reactor antineutrino anomaly” is also discussed. Finally, we present a brief description of the proposed experiments at very short baselines (VSBL) from reactors in France.« less

Support of mathematical thinking through embodied cognition: Nondigital and digital approaches.

PubMed

Tran, Cathy; Smith, Brandon; Buschkuehl, Martin

2017-01-01

Research on mathematics education has shown that learners' actions can influence how they think and vice versa. Much of this work has been rooted in the use of manipulatives, gestures, and body movements. Our article dissects the mechanisms that underscore the impact of embodied activities and applies this lens to explore how to harness the affordances of new technology to enhance mathematical thinking. This is especially crucial given the increasing accessibility of technology-such as digital touch devices, 3D printers, and location sensors-for constructing embodied experiences. Providing guidance for incorporating those tools, we focus on the role that embodied cognition can play in communicating mathematical concepts as well as in allowing learners to experiment and evolve their ideas. To inspire future integration of theory in the development of technologically enhanced embodied mathematics experiences, we provide examples of how this can be done. Finally, we outline future directions in the areas of design, implementation, and assessment of embodied learning of mathematics.

Irradiation of materials with short, intense ion pulses at NDCX-II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seidl, P. A.; Barnard, J. J.; Feinberg, E.; Friedman, A.; Gilson, E. P.; Grote, D. P.; Ji, Q.; Kaganovich, I. D.; Ludewigt, B.; Persaud, A.; Sierra, C.; Silverman, M.; Stepanov, A. D.; Sulyman, A.; Treffert, F.; Waldron, W. L.; Zimmer, M.; Schenkel, T.

2017-06-01

We present an overview of the performance of the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment-II (NDCX-II) accelerator at Berkeley Lab, and report on recent target experiments on beam driven melting and transmission ion energy loss measurements with nanosecond and millimeter-scale ion beam pulses and thin tin foils. Bunches with around 10^11 ions, 1-mm radius, and 2-30 ns FWHM duration have been created with corresponding fluences in the range of 0.1 to 0.7 J/cm^2. To achieve these short pulse durations and mm-scale focal spot radii, the 1.1 MeV He+ ion beam is neutralized in a drift compression section, which removes the space charge defocusing effect during final compression and focusing. The beam space charge and drift compression techniques resemble necessary beam conditions and manipulations in heavy ion inertial fusion accelerators. Quantitative comparison of detailed particle-in-cell simulations with the experiment play an important role in optimizing accelerator performance.

Comb-push Ultrasound Shear Elastography (CUSE) with Various Ultrasound Push Beams

PubMed Central

Song, Pengfei; Urban, Matthew W.; Manduca, Armando; Zhao, Heng; Greenleaf, James F.; Chen, Shigao

2013-01-01

Comb-push Ultrasound Shear Elastography (CUSE) has recently been shown to be a fast and accurate two-dimensional (2D) elasticity imaging technique that can provide a full field-of- view (FOV) shear wave speed map with only one rapid data acquisition. The initial version of CUSE was termed U-CUSE because unfocused ultrasound push beams were used. In this paper, we present two new versions of CUSE – Focused CUSE (F-CUSE) and Marching CUSE (M-CUSE), which use focused ultrasound push beams to improve acoustic radiation force penetration and produce stronger shear waves in deep tissues (e.g. kidney and liver). F-CUSE divides transducer elements into several subgroups which transmit multiple focused ultrasound beams simultaneously. M-CUSE uses more elements for each focused push beam and laterally marches the push beams. Both F-CUSE and M-CUSE can generate comb-shaped shear wave fields that have shear wave motion at each imaging pixel location so that a full FOV 2D shear wave speed map can be reconstructed with only one data acquisition. Homogeneous phantom experiments showed that U-CUSE, F-CUSE and M-CUSE can all produce smooth shear wave speed maps with accurate shear wave speed estimates. An inclusion phantom experiment showed that all CUSE methods could provide good contrast between the inclusion and background with sharp boundaries while F-CUSE and M-CUSE require shorter push durations to achieve shear wave speed maps with comparable SNR to U-CUSE. A more challenging inclusion phantom experiment with a very stiff and deep inclusion shows that better shear wave penetration could be gained by using F-CUSE and M-CUSE. Finally, a shallow inclusion experiment showed that good preservations of inclusion shapes could be achieved by both U-CUSE and F-CUSE in the near field. Safety measurements showed that all safety parameters are below FDA regulatory limits for all CUSE methods. These promising results suggest that, using various push beams, CUSE is capable of reconstructing a 2D full FOV shear elasticity map using only one push-detection data acquisition in a wide range of depths for soft tissue elasticity imaging. PMID:23591479

Comb-push ultrasound shear elastography (CUSE) with various ultrasound push beams.

PubMed

Song, Pengfei; Urban, Matthew W; Manduca, Armando; Zhao, Heng; Greenleaf, James F; Chen, Shigao

2013-08-01

Comb-push ultrasound shear elastography (CUSE) has recently been shown to be a fast and accurate 2-D elasticity imaging technique that can provide a full field-of-view (FOV) shear wave speed map with only one rapid data acquisition. The initial version of CUSE was termed U-CUSE because unfocused ultrasound push beams were used. In this paper, we present two new versions of CUSE-focused CUSE (F-CUSE) and marching CUSE (M-CUSE), which use focused ultrasound push beams to improve acoustic radiation force penetration and produce stronger shear waves in deep tissues (e.g., kidney and liver). F-CUSE divides transducer elements into several subgroups which transmit multiple focused ultrasound beams simultaneously. M-CUSE uses more elements for each focused push beam and laterally marches the push beams. Both F-CUSE and M-CUSE can generate comb-shaped shear wave fields that have shear wave motion at each imaging pixel location so that a full FOV 2-D shear wave speed map can be reconstructed with only one data acquisition. Homogeneous phantom experiments showed that U-CUSE, F-CUSE, and M-CUSE can all produce smooth shear wave speed maps with accurate shear wave speed estimates. An inclusion phantom experiment showed that all CUSE methods could provide good contrast between the inclusion and background with sharp boundaries while F-CUSE and M-CUSE require shorter push durations to achieve shear wave speed maps with comparable SNR to U-CUSE. A more challenging inclusion phantom experiment with a very stiff and deep inclusion shows that better shear wave penetration could be gained by using F-CUSE and M-CUSE. Finally, a shallow inclusion experiment showed that good preservations of inclusion shapes could be achieved by both U-CUSE and F-CUSE in the near field. Safety measurements showed that all safety parameters are below FDA regulatory limits for all CUSE methods. These promising results suggest that, using various push beams, CUSE is capable of reconstructing a 2-D full FOV shear elasticity map using only one push-detection data acquisition in a wide range of depths for soft tissue elasticity imaging.

Understanding the Patient Perspective of Seizure Severity in Epilepsy: Development of a Conceptual Model.

PubMed

Borghs, Simon; Tomaszewski, Erin L; Halling, Katarina; de la Loge, Christine

2016-10-01

For patients with uncontrolled epilepsy, the severity and postictal sequelae of seizures might be more impactful than their frequency. Seizure severity is often assessed using patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments; however, evidence of content validity for existing instruments is lacking. Our aim was to understand the real-life experiences of patients with uncontrolled epilepsy. A preliminary conceptual model was developed. The model was refined through (1) a targeted literature review of qualitative research on seizure severity; (2) interviews with four clinical epilepsy experts to evaluate identified concepts; and (3) qualitative interviews with patients with uncontrolled epilepsy, gathering descriptions of symptoms and impacts of epilepsy, focusing on how patients experience and describe "seizure severity." Findings were summarized in a final conceptual model of seizure severity in epilepsy. Twenty-five patients (12 who experienced primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures and 13 who experienced partial-onset seizures) expressed 42 different symptoms and 26 different impacts related to seizures. The final conceptual model contained a wide range of concepts related to seizure frequency, symptoms, and duration. Our model identified several new concepts that characterize the patient experience of seizure severity. A seizure severity PRO instrument should cover a wide range of seizure symptoms alongside frequency and duration of seizures. This qualitative work reinforces the notion that measuring seizure frequency is insufficient and that seizure severity is important in defining the patient's experience of epilepsy. This model could be used to assess the content validity of existing PRO instruments, or could support the development of a new one.

The Calibration System of the E989 Experiment at Fermilab

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

Anastasi, Antonio

The muon anomaly aµ is one of the most precise quantity known in physics experimentally and theoretically. The high level of accuracy permits to use the measurement of aµ as a test of the Standard Model comparing with the theoretical calculation. After the impressive result obtained at Brookhaven National Laboratory in 2001 with a total accuracy of 0.54 ppm, a new experiment E989 is under construction at Fermilab, motivated by the diff of aexp SM µ - aµ ~ 3σ. The purpose of the E989 experiment is a fourfold reduction of the error, with a goal of 0.14 ppm,more » improving both the systematic and statistical uncertainty. With the use of the Fermilab beam complex a statistic of × 21 with respect to BNL will be reached in almost 2 years of data taking improving the statistical uncertainty to 0.1 ppm. Improvement on the systematic error involves the measurement technique of ωa and ωp, the anomalous precession frequency of the muon and the Larmor precession frequency of the proton respectively. The measurement of ωp involves the magnetic field measurement and improvements on this sector related to the uniformity of the field should reduce the systematic uncertainty with respect to BNL from 170 ppb to 70 ppb. A reduction from 180 ppb to 70 ppb is also required for the measurement of ωa; new DAQ, a faster electronics and new detectors and calibration system will be implemented with respect to E821 to reach this goal. In particular the laser calibration system will reduce the systematic error due to gain fl of the photodetectors from 0.12 to 0.02 ppm. The 0.02 ppm limit on systematic requires a system with a stability of 10 -4 on short time scale (700 µs) while on longer time scale the stability is at the percent level. The 10 -4 stability level required is almost an order of magnitude better than the existing laser calibration system in particle physics, making the calibration system a very challenging item. In addition to the high level of stability a particular environment, due to the presence of a 14 m diameter storage ring, a highly uniform magnetic field and the detector distribution around the storage ring, set specific guidelines and constraints. This thesis will focus on the final design of the Laser Calibration System developed for the E989 experiment. Chapter 1 introduces the subject of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon; chapter 2 presents previous measurement of g -2, while chapter 3 discusses the Standard Model prediction and possible new physics scenario. Chapter 4 describes the E989 experiment. In this chapter will be described the experimental technique and also will be presented the experimental apparatus focusing on the improvements necessary to reduce the statistical and systematic errors. The main item of the thesis is discussed in the last two chapters: chapter 5 is focused on the Laser Calibration system while chapter 6 describes the Test Beam performed at the Beam Test Facility of Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati from the 29th February to the 7th March as a final test for the full calibrations system. An introduction explain the physics motivation of the system and the diff t devices implemented. In the final chapter the setup used will be described and some of the results obtained will be presented.« less

Self-management experiences among men and women with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a qualitative analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The purpose of this study is to better understand differences in diabetes self-management, specifically needs, barriers and challenges among men and women living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods 35 participants were recruited from a diabetes education center (DEC) in Toronto, Canada. Five focus groups and nine individual interviews were conducted to explore men and women's diabetes self-management experiences. Results The average age of participants was 57 years and just over half (51.4%) were female. Analyses revealed five themes: disclosure and identity as a person living with diabetes; self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG); diet struggles across varying contexts; utilization of diabetes resources; and social support. Women disclosed their diabetes more readily and integrated management into their daily lives, whereas men were more reluctant to tell friends and family about their diabetes and were less observant of self-management practices in social settings. Men focused on practical aspects of SMBG and experimented with various aspects of management to reduce reliance on medications whereas women focused on affective components of SMBG. Women restricted foods from their diets perceived as prohibited whereas many men moderated their intake of perceived unhealthy foods, except in social situations. Women used socially interactive resources, like education classes and support groups whereas men relied more on self-directed learning but also described wanting more guidance to help navigate the healthcare system. Finally, men and women reported wanting physician support for both affective and practical aspects of self-management. Conclusions Our findings highlight the differences in needs and challenges of diabetes self-management among men and women, which may inform gender-sensitive diabetes, care, counseling and support. PMID:23249410

Nursing student and professor perceptions and assessments of the achievement of practicum competencies: A mixed method approach.

PubMed

Fuentes-Pumarola, Concepció; Ballester-Ferrando, David; Gelabert-Vilella, Sandra; Bosch-Farré, Cristina; Malagón-Aguilera, M Carme; Rascón-Hernán, Carolina; Bonmatí-Tomàs, Anna; Fernandez-Peña, Rosario

2016-10-01

Within the context of the European Higher Education Area's requirement of competency-based assessments, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the Nursing Degree Practicum experience at the University of Girona (Spain) and ascertain student and faculty perceptions of the degree of competency achieved as a result of the practicum. This cross-sectional, descriptive, study combined quantitative analysis of a questionnaire and qualitative analysis of focus group comments. In the quantitative part of the study, 163 fourth-year nursing students completed the questionnaire; the qualitative analysis was derived from a focus group of 5 students and 5 professors. On the questionnaire, overall practicum evaluation was 8.39 on a 10-point Likert scale; scores evaluating the nurse mentor/instructor and nursing professor were 8.43 and 7.98, respectively. The geriatrics practicum experience received the lowest overall score (7.81), while the surgical practicum received the lowest score on the adequacy of knowledge acquired in the classroom in previous courses (5.54). The best scores were earned by the mental health and intensive/emergency care practicum experiences (a mean of 9.05 and 8.70, respectively). Students and professors in the focus group agreed that the practicum met the Nursing degree program's competency goals, highlighting practical activity as the best methodology to evaluate competencies. Participants highlighted the importance of reflective practice and the role of the nurse mentor/instructor in student learning, and indicated that it is essential for the university and the health care centers where students take practicum courses to maintain a strong relationship and good communication. Finally, feedback from the nurse mentor/instructor and Nursing professor was very important to students, both to motivate them and to help them learn. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diode magnetic-field influence on radiographic spot size

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

Ekdahl, Carl A. Jr.

2012-09-04

Flash radiography of hydrodynamic experiments driven by high explosives is a well-known diagnostic technique in use at many laboratories. The Dual-Axis Radiography for Hydrodynamic Testing (DARHT) facility at Los Alamos was developed for flash radiography of large hydrodynamic experiments. Two linear induction accelerators (LIAs) produce the bremsstrahlung radiographic source spots for orthogonal views of each experiment ('hydrotest'). The 2-kA, 20-MeV Axis-I LIA creates a single 60-ns radiography pulse. For time resolution of the hydrotest dynamics, the 1.7-kA, 16.5-MeV Axis-II LIA creates up to four radiography pulses by slicing them out of a longer pulse that has a 1.6-{micro}s flattop. Bothmore » axes now routinely produce radiographic source spot sizes having full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) less than 1 mm. To further improve on the radiographic resolution, one must consider the major factors influencing the spot size: (1) Beam convergence at the final focus; (2) Beam emittance; (3) Beam canonical angular momentum; (4) Beam-motion blur; and (5) Beam-target interactions. Beam emittance growth and motion in the accelerators have been addressed by careful tuning. Defocusing by beam-target interactions has been minimized through tuning of the final focus solenoid for optimum convergence and other means. Finally, the beam canonical angular momentum is minimized by using a 'shielded source' of electrons. An ideal shielded source creates the beam in a region where the axial magnetic field is zero, thus the canonical momentum zero, since the beam is born with no mechanical angular momentum. It then follows from Busch's conservation theorem that the canonical angular momentum is minimized at the target, at least in principal. In the DARHT accelerators, the axial magnetic field at the cathode is minmized by using a 'bucking coil' solenoid with reverse polarity to cancel out whatever solenoidal beam transport field exists there. This is imperfect in practice, because of radial variation of the total field across the cathode surface, solenoid misalignments, and long-term variability of solenoid fields for given currents. Therefore, it is useful to quantify the relative importance of canonical momentum in determining the focal spot, and to establish a systematic methodology for tuning the bucking coils for minimum spot size. That is the purpose of this article. Section II provides a theoretical foundation for understanding the relative importance of the canonical momentum. Section III describes the results of simulations used to quantify beam parameters, including the momentum, for each of the accelerators. Section IV compares the two accelerators, especially with respect to mis-tuned bucking coils. Finally, Section IV concludes with a methodology for optimizing the bucking coil settings.« less

Development of FOCUS-GC: Framework for Outcomes of Clinical Communication Services in Genetic Counseling.

PubMed

Cragun, Deborah; Zierhut, Heather

2018-02-01

Conceptual frameworks bring together existing theories and models in order to identify, consolidate, and fill in gaps between theory, practice, and evidence. Given the vast number of possible outcomes that could be studied in genetic counseling, a framework for organizing outcomes and postulating relationships between communication services and genetic counseling outcomes was sought. Through an iterative approach involving literature review, thematic analysis, and consolidation, outcomes and processes were categorized to create and define components of a conceptual framework. The final product, "Framework for Outcomes of Clinical commUnication Services" (FOCUS) contains the following domains: communication strategy; communication process measures; patient care experience, patient changes, patient health; and family changes. A website was created to allow easier access and ongoing modifications to the framework. In addition, a step-by-step guide and two examples were created to show flexibility in how the framework can be used. FOCUS may help in conceptualizing, organizing and summarizing outcomes research related to risk communication and counseling in genetic service delivery as well as other healthcare settings.

Low dimensional carbon electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herring, Patrick Kenichi

This thesis covers several different experiments that comprised my graduate career. The main focus of these experiments was the use of carbon as an electronic material and a steady evolution of fabrication recipes that allowed us to perform reliable and consistent measurements. The second chapter describes experiments with carbon nanotubes, where our goal was to produce devices capable of manipulating electronic spin states in order create quantum bits or "qubits." The third chapter covers the development of fabrication recipes with the goal of creating qubits within Si-Ge nanowire, and the bottom-gating approach that was developed. The fourth chapter begins graphene related research, describing one of the simplest uses of graphene as a simple transparent electrode on a SiN micromembrane. The remainder of the thesis describes experiments that develop graphene based optical and infrared detectors, study their characteristics and determine the physics that underlies their detection mechanism. Key in these experiments were the fabrication recipes that had been developed to create carbon nanotube and Si-Ge nanowire devices. Finally, we demonstrate how engineering of the device's thermal characteristics can lead to improved sensitivity and how graphene can be used in novel applications where conventional materials are not suitable.

Conceptual design of a Moving Belt Radiator (MBR) shuttle-attached experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aguilar, Jerry L.

1990-01-01

The conceptual design of a shuttle-attached Moving Belt Radiator (MBR) experiment is presented. The MBR is an advanced radiator concept in which a rotating belt is used to radiate thermal energy to space. The experiment is developed with the primary focus being the verification of the dynamic characteristics of a rotating belt with a secondary objective of proving the thermal and sealing aspects in a reduced gravity, vacuum environment. The mechanical design, selection of the belt material and working fluid, a preliminary test plan, and program plan are presented. The strategy used for selecting the basic sizes and materials of the components are discussed. Shuttle and crew member requirements are presented with some options for increasing or decreasing the demands on the STS. An STS carrier and the criteria used in the selection process are presented. The proposed carrier for the Moving Belt Radiator experiment is the Hitchhiker-M. Safety issues are also listed with possible results. This experiment is designed so that a belt can be deployed, run at steady state conditions, run with dynamic perturbations imposed, verify the operation of the interface heat exchanger and seals, and finally be retracted into a stowed position for transport back to earth.

Sleep, circadian rhythms, and schizophrenia: where we are and where we need to go.

PubMed

Cosgrave, Jan; Wulff, Katharina; Gehrman, Philip

2018-05-01

The review is designed to give an overview of the latest developments in research exploring the relationship between sleep and psychosis, with particular attention paid to the evidence for a causal relationship between the two. The most interesting avenues currently in pursuit are focused upon sleep spindle deficits which may hallmark an endophenotype; explorations of the continuum of psychotic experiences, and experimental manipulations to explore the evidence for bidirectional causality; inflammatory markers, psychosis and sleep disturbances and finally, treatment approaches for sleep in psychosis and the subsequent impact on positive experiences. Globally, large surveys and tightly controlled sleep deprivation or manipulation experiments provide good evidence for a cause-and-effect relationship between sleep and subclinical psychotic experiences. The evidence for cause-and-effect using a interventionist-causal model is more ambiguous; it would appear treating insomnia improves psychotic experiences in an insomnia cohort but not in a cohort with schizophrenia. This advocates the necessity for mechanism-driven research with dimensional approaches and in depth phenotyping of circadian clock-driven processes and sleep regulating functions. Such an approach would lead to greater insight into the dynamics of sleep changes in healthy and acute psychosis brain states.

UPC BarcelonaTech Platform. Innovative aerobatic parabolic flights for life sciences experiments.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Poch, Antoni; Gonzalez, Daniel

We present an innovative method of performing parabolic flights with aerobatic single-engine planes. A parabolic platform has been established in Sabadell Airport (Barcelona, Spain) to provide an infraestructure ready to allow Life Sciences reduced gravity experiments to be conducted in parabolic flights. Test flights have demonstrated that up to 8 seconds of reduced gravity can be achieved by using a two-seat CAP10B aircraft, with a gravity range between 0.1 and 0.01g in the three axis. A parabolic flight campaign may be implemented with a significant reduction in budget compared to conventional parabolic flight campaigns, and with a very short time-to-access to the platform. Operational skills and proficiency of the pilot controling the aircraft during the maneuvre, sensitivity to wind gusts, and aircraft balance are the key issues that make a parabola successful. Efforts are focused on improving the total “zero-g” time and the quality of reduced gravity achieved, as well as providing more space for experiments. We report results of test flights that have been conducted in order to optimize the quality and total microgravity time. A computer sofware has been developed and implemented to help the pilot optimize his or her performance. Finally, we summarize the life science experiments that have been conducted in this platform. Specific focus is given to the very successful 'Barcelona ZeroG Challenge', this year in its third edition. This educational contest gives undergraduate and graduate students worldwide the opportunity to design their research within our platform and test it on flight, thus becoming real researchers. We conclude that aerobatic parabolic flights have proven to be a safe, unexpensive and reliable way to conduct life sciences reduced gravity experiments.

Short- and Long-Term Effects of Cumulative Finals on Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khanna, Maya M.; Brack, Amy S. Badura; Finken, Laura L.

2013-01-01

In two experiments, we examined the benefits of cumulative and noncumulative finals on students' short- and long-term course material retention. In Experiment 1, we examined results from course content exams administered immediately after course finals. Course sections including cumulative finals had higher content exam scores than sections…

Diagnostic techniques in deflagration and detonation studies.

PubMed

Proud, William G; Williamson, David M; Field, John E; Walley, Stephen M

2015-12-01

Advances in experimental, high-speed techniques can be used to explore the processes occurring within energetic materials. This review describes techniques used to study a wide range of processes: hot-spot formation, ignition thresholds, deflagration, sensitivity and finally the detonation process. As this is a wide field the focus will be on small-scale experiments and quantitative studies. It is important that such studies are linked to predictive models, which inform the experimental design process. The stimuli range includes, thermal ignition, drop-weight, Hopkinson Bar and Plate Impact studies. Studies made with inert simulants are also included as these are important in differentiating between reactive response and purely mechanical behaviour.

Possible drug-drug interaction in dogs and cats resulted from alteration in drug metabolism: A mini review.

PubMed

Sasaki, Kazuaki; Shimoda, Minoru

2015-05-01

Pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions (in particular at metabolism) may result in fatal adverse effects in some cases. This basic information, therefore, is needed for drug therapy even in veterinary medicine, as multidrug therapy is not rare in canines and felines. The aim of this review was focused on possible drug-drug interactions in dogs and cats. The interaction includes enzyme induction by phenobarbital, enzyme inhibition by ketoconazole and fluoroquinolones, and down-regulation of enzymes by dexamethasone. A final conclusion based upon the available literatures and author's experience is given at the end of the review.

Possible drug–drug interaction in dogs and cats resulted from alteration in drug metabolism: A mini review

PubMed Central

Sasaki, Kazuaki; Shimoda, Minoru

2015-01-01

Pharmacokinetic drug–drug interactions (in particular at metabolism) may result in fatal adverse effects in some cases. This basic information, therefore, is needed for drug therapy even in veterinary medicine, as multidrug therapy is not rare in canines and felines. The aim of this review was focused on possible drug–drug interactions in dogs and cats. The interaction includes enzyme induction by phenobarbital, enzyme inhibition by ketoconazole and fluoroquinolones, and down-regulation of enzymes by dexamethasone. A final conclusion based upon the available literatures and author’s experience is given at the end of the review. PMID:26257936

Mechatronic system design course for undergraduate programmes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleem, A.; Tutunji, T.; Al-Sharif, L.

2011-08-01

Technology advancement and human needs have led to integration among many engineering disciplines. Mechatronics engineering is an integrated discipline that focuses on the design and analysis of complete engineering systems. These systems include mechanical, electrical, computer and control subsystems. In this paper, the importance of teaching mechatronic system design to undergraduate engineering students is emphasised. The paper offers the collaborative experience in preparing and delivering the course material for two universities in Jordan. A detailed description of such a course is provided and a case study is presented. The case study used is a final year project, where students applied a six-stage design procedure that is described in the paper.

Design of the micro pressure multi-node measuring system for micro-fluidic chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Lili; Guo, Shuheng; Rong, Li; Yin, Ke

2016-01-01

An online multi-node microfludic pressure measuring system was designed in the paper. The research focused on the design of pressure test circuit system and methods on dealing with pressure data collecting. The MPXV7002 micro-pressure sensor was selected to measure the chip inside channel pressure and installed by a silicone tube on different micro-channel measured nodes. The pressure transmission loss was estimated in the paper, and corrected by the filtering and smoothing method. The pressure test experiment was carried out and the data were analyzed. Finally, the measuring system was calibrated. The results showed that the measuring system had high testing precision.

Tension between the theoretical thinking and the empirical method: is it an inevitable fate for psychology?

PubMed

Omi, Yasuhiro

2012-03-01

This paper will start from focusing on the limitations of quantitative approach in psychology from three viewpoints. First--data collection, especially experiments and questionnaires as two major methods of quantitative approach. The second limitation is data aggregation, followed by the third--statistical significance testing. After that, recent spread of qualitative approach as another option for one of psychological methods will be introduced and a controversy surrounding epistemology of qualitative approach will be also introduced. Finally, it will be discussed that accumulation of faithful descriptions on reality, especially from qualitative approach, would be needed for producing creative research.

Final Report: Mechanisms of sputter ripple formation: coupling among energetic ions, surface kinetics, stress and composition

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

Chason, Eric; Shenoy, Vivek

Self-organized pattern formation enables the creation of nanoscale surface structures over large areas based on fundamental physical processes rather than an applied template. Low energy ion bombardment is one such method that induces the spontaneous formation of a wide variety of interesting morphological features (e.g., sputter ripples and/or quantum dots). This program focused on the processes controlling sputter ripple formation and the kinetics controlling the evolution of surfaces and nanostructures in high flux environments. This was done by using systematic, quantitative experiments to measure ripple formation under a variety of processing conditions coupled with modeling to interpret the results.

Effect of Anisotropic Velocity Structure on Acoustic Emission Source Location during True-Triaxial Deformation Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghofrani Tabari, Mehdi; Goodfellow, Sebastian; Young, R. Paul

2016-04-01

Although true-triaxial testing (TTT) of rocks is now more extensive worldwide, stress-induced heterogeneity due to the existence of several loading boundary effects is not usually accounted for and simplified anisotropic models are used. This study focuses on the enhanced anisotropic velocity structure to improve acoustic emission (AE) analysis for an enhanced interpretation of induced fracturing. Data from a TTT on a cubic sample of Fontainebleau sandstone is used in this study to evaluate the methodology. At different stages of the experiment the True-Triaxial Geophysical Imaging Cell (TTGIC), armed with an ultrasonic and AE monitoring system, performed several velocity surveys to image velocity structure of the sample. Going beyond a hydrostatic stress state (poro-elastic phase), the rock sample went through a non-dilatational elastic phase, a dilatational non-damaging elasto-plastic phase containing initial AE activity and finally a dilatational and damaging elasto-plastic phase up to the failure point. The experiment was divided into these phases based on the information obtained from strain, velocity and AE streaming data. Analysis of the ultrasonic velocity survey data discovered that a homogeneous anisotropic core in the center of the sample is formed with ellipsoidal symmetry under the standard polyaxial setup. Location of the transducer shots were improved by implementation of different velocity models for the sample starting from isotropic and homogeneous models going toward anisotropic and heterogeneous models. The transducer shot locations showed a major improvement after the velocity model corrections had been applied especially at the final phase of the experiment. This location improvement validated our velocity model at the final phase of the experiment consisting lower-velocity zones bearing partially saturated fractures. The ellipsoidal anisotropic velocity model was also verified at the core of the cubic rock specimen by AE event location of transducer shots. AE of the rock during the whole experiment recorded by the surrounding transducers were investigated by location methods developed for anisotropic heterogeneous medium where, the M-shape fracture pattern was observed. AE events occurred in the vicinity of the dilation pseudo-boundaries where, a relatively large velocity gradient was formed and along parallel fractures in the σ1/σ2 plane. This research is contributing to enhanced AE interpretation of fracture growth processes in the rock under laboratory true-triaxial stress conditions.

Guidelines for information about therapy experiments: a proposal on best practice for recording experimental data on cancer therapy.

PubMed

González-Beltrán, Alejandra N; Yong, May Y; Dancey, Gairin; Begent, Richard

2012-01-06

Biology, biomedicine and healthcare have become data-driven enterprises, where scientists and clinicians need to generate, access, validate, interpret and integrate different kinds of experimental and patient-related data. Thus, recording and reporting of data in a systematic and unambiguous fashion is crucial to allow aggregation and re-use of data. This paper reviews the benefits of existing biomedical data standards and focuses on key elements to record experiments for therapy development. Specifically, we describe the experiments performed in molecular, cellular, animal and clinical models. We also provide an example set of elements for a therapy tested in a phase I clinical trial. We introduce the Guidelines for Information About Therapy Experiments (GIATE), a minimum information checklist creating a consistent framework to transparently report the purpose, methods and results of the therapeutic experiments. A discussion on the scope, design and structure of the guidelines is presented, together with a description of the intended audience. We also present complementary resources such as a classification scheme, and two alternative ways of creating GIATE information: an electronic lab notebook and a simple spreadsheet-based format. Finally, we use GIATE to record the details of the phase I clinical trial of CHT-25 for patients with refractory lymphomas. The benefits of using GIATE for this experiment are discussed. While data standards are being developed to facilitate data sharing and integration in various aspects of experimental medicine, such as genomics and clinical data, no previous work focused on therapy development. We propose a checklist for therapy experiments and demonstrate its use in the 131Iodine labeled CHT-25 chimeric antibody cancer therapy. As future work, we will expand the set of GIATE tools to continue to encourage its use by cancer researchers, and we will engineer an ontology to annotate GIATE elements and facilitate unambiguous interpretation and data integration.

Guidelines for information about therapy experiments: a proposal on best practice for recording experimental data on cancer therapy

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Biology, biomedicine and healthcare have become data-driven enterprises, where scientists and clinicians need to generate, access, validate, interpret and integrate different kinds of experimental and patient-related data. Thus, recording and reporting of data in a systematic and unambiguous fashion is crucial to allow aggregation and re-use of data. This paper reviews the benefits of existing biomedical data standards and focuses on key elements to record experiments for therapy development. Specifically, we describe the experiments performed in molecular, cellular, animal and clinical models. We also provide an example set of elements for a therapy tested in a phase I clinical trial. Findings We introduce the Guidelines for Information About Therapy Experiments (GIATE), a minimum information checklist creating a consistent framework to transparently report the purpose, methods and results of the therapeutic experiments. A discussion on the scope, design and structure of the guidelines is presented, together with a description of the intended audience. We also present complementary resources such as a classification scheme, and two alternative ways of creating GIATE information: an electronic lab notebook and a simple spreadsheet-based format. Finally, we use GIATE to record the details of the phase I clinical trial of CHT-25 for patients with refractory lymphomas. The benefits of using GIATE for this experiment are discussed. Conclusions While data standards are being developed to facilitate data sharing and integration in various aspects of experimental medicine, such as genomics and clinical data, no previous work focused on therapy development. We propose a checklist for therapy experiments and demonstrate its use in the 131Iodine labeled CHT-25 chimeric antibody cancer therapy. As future work, we will expand the set of GIATE tools to continue to encourage its use by cancer researchers, and we will engineer an ontology to annotate GIATE elements and facilitate unambiguous interpretation and data integration. PMID:22226027

International electives in the final year of German medical school education--a student's perspective.

PubMed

Ebrahimi-Fakhari, Darius; Agrawal, Mridul; Wahlster, Lara

2014-01-01

The final year of medical school has a unique role for introducing students to their future responsibilities and challenges. At many medical schools, electives at an accredited institution abroad are a common part of the student's final year experience. International electives provide an opportunity for a personal and academic experience that will often create new perspectives on clinical medicine and research, medical education and healthcare policy. In this article the authors reflect on their experience as elective students abroad and discuss the contribution of international electives to the constant development and progress of local final year rotations. They identify key areas for improving final year electives and outline essential features for a valuable and successful final year elective.

Evaluation of Neutron-induced Cross Sections and their Related Covariances with Physical Constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Saint Jean, C.; Archier, P.; Privas, E.; Noguère, G.; Habert, B.; Tamagno, P.

2018-02-01

Nuclear data, along with numerical methods and the associated calculation schemes, continue to play a key role in reactor design, reactor core operating parameters calculations, fuel cycle management and criticality safety calculations. Due to the intensive use of Monte-Carlo calculations reducing numerical biases, the final accuracy of neutronic calculations increasingly depends on the quality of nuclear data used. This paper gives a broad picture of all ingredients treated by nuclear data evaluators during their analyses. After giving an introduction to nuclear data evaluation, we present implications of using the Bayesian inference to obtain evaluated cross sections and related uncertainties. In particular, a focus is made on systematic uncertainties appearing in the analysis of differential measurements as well as advantages and drawbacks one may encounter by analyzing integral experiments. The evaluation work is in general done independently in the resonance and in the continuum energy ranges giving rise to inconsistencies in evaluated files. For future evaluations on the whole energy range, we call attention to two innovative methods used to analyze several nuclear reaction models and impose constraints. Finally, we discuss suggestions for possible improvements in the evaluation process to master the quantification of uncertainties. These are associated with experiments (microscopic and integral), nuclear reaction theories and the Bayesian inference.

Vocational trainees' views and experiences regarding the learning and teaching of communication skills in general practice.

PubMed

Van Nuland, Marc; Thijs, Gabie; Van Royen, Paul; Van den Noortgate, Wim; Goedhuys, Jo

2010-01-01

To explore the views and experiences of general practice (GP) vocational trainees regarding communication skills (CS) and the teaching and learning of these skills. A purposive sample of second and third (final) year GP trainees took part in six focus group (FG) discussions. Transcripts were coded and analysed in accordance with a grounded theory approach by two investigators using Alas-ti software. Finally results were triangulated by means of semi-structured telephone interviews. The analysis led to three thematic clusters: (1) trainees acknowledge the essential importance of communication skills and identified contextual factors influencing the learning and application of these skills; (2) trainees identified preferences for learning and receiving feedback on their communication skills; and (3) trainees perceived that the assessment of communication skills is subjective. These themes are organised into a framework for a better understanding of trainees' communication skills as part of their vocational training. The framework helps in leading to a better understanding of the way in which trainees learn and apply communication skills. The unique context of vocational training should be taken into account when trainees' communication skills are assessed. The teaching and learning should be guided by a learner-centred approach. The framework is valuable for informing curricular reform and future research.

The Induction of Chaos in Electronic Circuits Final Report-October 1, 2001

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

R.M.Wheat, Jr.

2003-04-01

This project, now known by the name ''Chaos in Electronic Circuits,'' was originally tasked as a two-year project to examine various ''fault'' or ''non-normal'' operational states of common electronic circuits with some focus on determining the feasibility of exploiting these states. Efforts over the two-year duration of this project have been dominated by the study of the chaotic behavior of electronic circuits. These efforts have included setting up laboratory space and hardware for conducting laboratory tests and experiments, acquiring and developing computer simulation and analysis capabilities, conducting literature surveys, developing test circuitry and computer models to exercise and test ourmore » capabilities, and experimenting with and studying the use of RF injection as a means of inducing chaotic behavior in electronics. An extensive array of nonlinear time series analysis tools have been developed and integrated into a package named ''After Acquisition'' (AA), including capabilities such as Delayed Coordinate Embedding Mapping (DCEM), Time Resolved (3-D) Fourier Transform, and several other phase space re-creation methods. Many computer models have been developed for Spice and for the ATP (Alternative Transients Program), modeling the several working circuits that have been developed for use in the laboratory. And finally, methods of induction of chaos in electronic circuits have been explored.« less

Surgical Treatment for Chronic Pancreatitis: Past, Present, and Future

PubMed Central

Welte, Maria; Izbicki, Jakob R.; Bachmann, Kai

2017-01-01

The pancreas was one of the last explored organs in the human body. The first surgical experiences were made before fully understanding the function of the gland. Surgical procedures remained less successful until the discovery of insulin, blood groups, and finally the possibility of blood donation. Throughout the centuries, the surgical approach went from radical resections to minimal resections or only drainage of the gland in comparison to an adequate resection combined with drainage procedures. Today, the well-known and standardized procedures are considered as safe due to the high experience of operating surgeons, the centering of pancreatic surgery in specialized centers, and optimized perioperative treatment. Although surgical procedures have become safer and more efficient than ever, the overall perioperative morbidity after pancreatic surgery remains high and management of postoperative complications stagnates. Current research focuses on the prevention of complications, optimizing the patient's general condition preoperatively and finding the appropriate timing for surgical treatment. PMID:28819358

Astrophysically Relevant Dipole Studies at WiPAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endrizzi, Douglass; Forest, Cary; Wallace, John; WiPAL Team

2015-11-01

A novel terrella experiment is being developed to immerse a dipole magnetic field in the large, unmagnetized, and fully ionized background plasma of WiPAL (Wisconsin Plasma Astrophysics Lab). This allows for a series of related experiments motivated by astrophysical processes, including (1) inward transport of plasma into a magnetosphere with focus on development of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities from boundary shear flow; (2) helicity injection and simulation of solar eruptive events via electrical breakdown along dipole field lines; (3) interaction of Coronal Mass Ejection-like flows with a target magnetosphere and dependence on background plasma pressure; (4) production of a centrifugally driven wind to study how dipolar magnetic topology changes as closed field lines open. A prototype has been developed and preliminary results will be presented. An overview of the final design and construction progress will be given. This material is based upon work supported by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Considering Roads Taken and Not Taken: How Psychological Distance Influences the Framing of Choice Events.

PubMed

Valenti, Greta; Libby, Lisa K

2017-09-01

After people make choices, they can frame the choice event in terms of what they chose, or in terms of what they did not choose. The current research proposes psychological distance as one factor influencing this framing and suggests implications. Three experiments manipulated dimensions of distance to demonstrate people's greater tendency to frame choice events in terms of chosen options at greater psychological distances. Additional findings demonstrate that these effects occur regardless of whether the decision turned out well or poorly. In a final experiment, framing a decision in terms of choosing (versus not choosing) a task made people more likely to believe their choice reflected their liking for the chosen task, which led to more favorable expectations for it. The discussion focuses on possible implications of these findings for understanding prior work on self-other differences in decision making, motivations for past decisions, reactions to decision outcomes, and counterfactual thinking.

Using situated cognition theory in researching student experience of the workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Case, Jennifer; Jawitz, Jeff

2004-05-01

It has been proposed that situated cognition theory, in which learning is conceptualized as induction into a community of practice through the activity of legitimate peripheral participation, offers an appropriate theoretical perspective for examining issues of gender in science education. This study critically engages with this proposal by means of an investigation of the vacation work experiences of a group of South African final-year civil and chemical engineering students. Issues of race and gender appeared prominently and spontaneously in focus group and interview data. An analysis of these data using the situated cognition framework allowed for a deeper understanding of these issues and their impact on learning. It was found that access to legitimate peripheral participation was critical for good learning outcomes (associated with positive identity formation) while denial of this access (as sometimes experienced by black and female students) appeared to be related to less effective learning and poor feelings of self-worth.

Music Influences Hedonic and Taste Ratings in Beer

PubMed Central

Reinoso Carvalho, Felipe; Velasco, Carlos; van Ee, Raymond; Leboeuf, Yves; Spence, Charles

2016-01-01

The research presented here focuses on the influence of background music on the beer-tasting experience. An experiment is reported in which different groups of customers tasted a beer under three different conditions (N = 231). The control group was presented with an unlabeled beer, the second group with a labeled beer, and the third group with a labeled beer together with a customized sonic cue (a short clip from an existing song). In general, the beer-tasting experience was rated as more enjoyable with music than when the tasting was conducted in silence. In particular, those who were familiar with the band that had composed the song, liked the beer more after having tasted it while listening to the song, than those who knew the band, but only saw the label while tasting. These results support the idea that customized sound-tasting experiences can complement the process of developing novel beverage (and presumably also food) events. We suggest that involving musicians and researchers alongside brewers in the process of beer development, offers an interesting model for future development. Finally, we discuss the role of attention in sound-tasting experiences, and the importance that a positive hedonic reaction toward a song can have for the ensuing tasting experience. PMID:27199862

Organization principles in visual working memory: Evidence from sequential stimulus display.

PubMed

Gao, Zaifeng; Gao, Qiyang; Tang, Ning; Shui, Rende; Shen, Mowei

2016-01-01

Although the mechanisms of visual working memory (VWM) have been studied extensively in recent years, the active property of VWM has received less attention. In the current study, we examined how VWM integrates sequentially presented stimuli by focusing on the role of Gestalt principles, which are important organizing principles in perceptual integration. We manipulated the level of Gestalt cues among three or four sequentially presented objects that were memorized. The Gestalt principle could not emerge unless all the objects appeared together. We distinguished two hypotheses: a perception-alike hypothesis and an encoding-specificity hypothesis. The former predicts that the Gestalt cue will play a role in information integration within VWM; the latter predicts that the Gestalt cue will not operate within VWM. In four experiments, we demonstrated that collinearity (Experiment 1) and closure (Experiment 2) cues significantly improved VWM performance, and this facilitation was not affected by the testing manner (Experiment 3) or by adding extra colors to the memorized objects (Experiment 4). Finally, we re-established the Gestalt cue benefit with similarity cues (Experiment 5). These findings together suggest that VWM realizes and uses potential Gestalt principles within the stored representations, supporting a perception-alike hypothesis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experiences with and attitudes toward death and dying among homeless persons.

PubMed

Song, John; Ratner, Edward R; Bartels, Dianne M; Alderton, Lucy; Hudson, Brenda; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S

2007-04-01

Homeless persons face many barriers to health care, have few resources, and experience high death rates. They live lives of disenfranchisement and neglect. Few studies have explored their experiences and attitudes toward death and dying. Unfortunately, studies done in other populations may not apply to homeless persons. Exploring these experiences and attitudes may provide insight into life, health care, and end-of-life (EOL) concerns of this population. To explore the experiences and attitudes toward death and dying among homeless persons. Qualitative study utilizing focus groups. Fifty-three homeless persons recruited from homeless service agencies. In-depth interviews, which were audiotaped and transcribed. We present seven themes, some of which are previously unreported. Homeless persons described many significant experiences with death and dying, and many participants suffered losses while very young. These encounters influenced participants' attitudes toward risks and risky behavior: e.g., for some, these experiences provided justification for high-risk behaviors and influenced their behaviors while living on the streets. For others, they may be associated with their homelessness. Finally, these experiences informed their attitudes toward death and dying as well as EOL care; homeless persons believe that care will be poor at the EOL. Findings from this study have implications for addressing social services, health promotion, prevention, and EOL care for homeless persons, as well as for others who are poor and disenfranchised.

Experiences With and Attitudes Toward Death and Dying Among Homeless Persons

PubMed Central

Ratner, Edward R; Bartels, Dianne M.; Alderton, Lucy; Hudson, Brenda; Ahluwalia, Jasjit S.

2007-01-01

Background Homeless persons face many barriers to health care, have few resources, and experience high death rates. They live lives of disenfranchisement and neglect. Few studies have explored their experiences and attitudes toward death and dying. Unfortunately, studies done in other populations may not apply to homeless persons. Exploring these experiences and attitudes may provide insight into life, health care, and end-of-life (EOL) concerns of this population. Objective To explore the experiences and attitudes toward death and dying among homeless persons. Design Qualitative study utilizing focus groups. Participants Fifty-three homeless persons recruited from homeless service agencies. Measurements In-depth interviews, which were audiotaped and transcribed. Results We present seven themes, some of which are previously unreported. Homeless persons described many significant experiences with death and dying, and many participants suffered losses while very young. These encounters influenced participants’ attitudes toward risks and risky behavior: e.g., for some, these experiences provided justification for high-risk behaviors and influenced their behaviors while living on the streets. For others, they may be associated with their homelessness. Finally, these experiences informed their attitudes toward death and dying as well as EOL care; homeless persons believe that care will be poor at the EOL. Conclusions Findings from this study have implications for addressing social services, health promotion, prevention, and EOL care for homeless persons, as well as for others who are poor and disenfranchised. PMID:17372788

Developing a patient-centered outcome measure for complementary and alternative medicine therapies II: Refining content validity through cognitive interviews

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Available measures of patient-reported outcomes for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) inadequately capture the range of patient-reported treatment effects. The Self-Assessment of Change questionnaire was developed to measure multi-dimensional shifts in well-being for CAM users. With content derived from patient narratives, items were subsequently focused through interviews on a new cohort of participants. Here we present the development of the final version in which the content and format is refined through cognitive interviews. Methods We conducted cognitive interviews across five iterations of questionnaire refinement with a culturally diverse sample of 28 CAM users. In each iteration, participant critiques were used to revise the questionnaire, which was then re-tested in subsequent rounds of cognitive interviews. Following all five iterations, transcripts of cognitive interviews were systematically coded and analyzed to examine participants' understanding of the format and content of the final questionnaire. Based on this data, we established summary descriptions and selected exemplar quotations for each word pair on the final questionnaire. Results The final version of the Self-Assessment of Change questionnaire (SAC) includes 16 word pairs, nine of which remained unchanged from the original draft. Participants consistently said that these stable word pairs represented opposite ends of the same domain of experience and the meanings of these terms were stable across the participant pool. Five pairs underwent revision and two word pairs were added. Four word pairs were eliminated for redundancy or because participants did not agree on the meaning of the terms. Cognitive interviews indicate that participants understood the format of the questionnaire and considered each word pair to represent opposite poles of a shared domain of experience. Conclusions We have placed lay language and direct experience at the center of questionnaire revision and refinement. In so doing, we provide an innovative model for the development of truly patient-centered outcome measures. Although this instrument was designed and tested in a CAM-specific population, it may be useful in assessing multi-dimensional shifts in well-being across a broader patient population. PMID:22206409

Foundational Tests of the Need-Support Model: A Framework for Bridging Regulatory Focus Theory and Self-Determination Theory.

PubMed

Vaughn, Leigh Ann

2017-03-01

This article introduces the need-support model, which proposes that regulatory focus can affect subjective support for the needs proposed by self-determination theory (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), and support of these needs can affect subjective labeling of experiences as promotion-focused and prevention-focused. Three studies tested these hypotheses ( N = 2,114). Study 1 found that people recall more need support in promotion-focused experiences than in prevention-focused experiences, and need support in their day yesterday (with no particular regulatory focus) fell in between. Study 2 found that experiences of higher need support were more likely to be labeled as promotion-focused rather than prevention-focused, and that each need accounted for distinct variance in the labeling of experiences. Study 3 varied regulatory focus within a performance task and found that participants in the promotion condition engaged in need-support inflation, whereas participants in the prevention condition engaged in need-support deflation. Directions for future research are discussed.

An integrated model of social environment and social context for pediatric rehabilitation.

PubMed

Batorowicz, Beata; King, Gillian; Mishra, Lipi; Missiuna, Cheryl

2016-01-01

This article considers the conceptualization and operationalization of "social environment" and "social context" with implications for research and practice with children and youth with impairments. We first discuss social environment and social context as constructs important for understanding interaction between external environmental qualities and the individual's experience. The article considers existing conceptualizations within psychological and sociological bodies of literature, research using these concepts, current developmental theories and issues in the understanding of environment and participation within rehabilitation science. We then describe a model that integrates a person-focused perspective with an environment-focused perspective and that outlines the mechanisms through which children/youth and social environment interact and transact. Finally, we consider the implications of the proposed model for research and clinical practice. This conceptual model directs researchers and practitioners toward interventions that will address the mechanisms of child-environment interaction and that will build capacity within both children and their social environments, including families, peers groups and communities. Health is created and lived by people within the settings of their everyday life; where they learn, work, play, and love [p.2]. Understanding how social environment and personal factors interact over time to affect the development of children/youth can influence the design of services for children and youth with impairments. The model described integrates the individual-focused and environment-focused perspectives and outlines the mechanisms of the ongoing reciprocal interaction between children/youth and their social environments: provision of opportunities, resources and supports and contextual processes of choice, active engagement and collaboration. Addressing these mechanisms could contribute to creating healthier environments in which all children, including children with impairments, have experiences that lead to positive developmental benefits.

The new design of final optics assembly on SG-III prototype facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ping; Zhao, Runchang; Wang, Wei; Jia, Huaiting; Chen, Liangmin; Su, Jingqin

2014-09-01

To improve the performance of SG-III prototype facility (TIL-Technical Integration Line), final optics assembly (FOA) is re-designed. It contains that stray light and focusing ghosts are optimized, operational performance and environments are improved and the total thickness of optics is reduced. With the re-designed FOA, Some performance advantages are achieved. First, the optics damages are mitigated obviously, especially crystals and Focus lens; Second, stray light and focusing ghosts are controlled better that organic contamination sources inside FOA are eliminated; Third, maintenance and operation are more convenient for the atoms environment; Fourth, the focusable power on target is increased for lower B-integral.

Undergraduate psychiatry students' attitudes towards teaching methods at an Irish university.

PubMed

Jabbar, F; Casey, P; Kelly, B D

2016-11-01

At University College Dublin, teaching in psychiatry includes clinical electives, lectures, small-group and problem-based teaching, consistent with international trends. To determine final-year psychiatry students' attitudes towards teaching methods. We distributed questionnaires to all final-year medical students in two classes (2008 and 2009), after final psychiatry examination (before results) and all of them participated (n = 111). Students' interest in psychiatry as a career increased during psychiatry teaching. Students rated objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) as the most useful element of teaching and examination. The most common learning style was "reflector"; the least common was "pragmatist". Two thirds believed teaching could be improved (increased patient contact) and 89 % reported that experience of psychiatry changed attitudes towards mental illness (increased understanding). Students' preference for OSCEs may reflect the closeness of OSCE as a form of learning to OSCE as a form of assessment: OSCEs both focus on specific clinical skills and help prepare for examinations. Future research could usefully examine the extent to which these findings are university-specific or instructor-dependent. Information on the consistency of various teaching, examination and modularisation methods would also be useful.

An evaluation of teaching methods in the introductory physics classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savage, Lauren Michelle Williams

The introductory physics mechanics course at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte has a history of relatively high DFW rates. In 2011, the course was redesigned from the traditional lecture format to the inverted classroom format (flipped). This format inverts the classroom by introducing material in a video assigned as homework while the instructor conducts problem solving activities and guides discussions during the regular meetings. This format focuses on student-centered learning and is more interactive and engaging. To evaluate the effectiveness of the new method, final exam data over the past 10 years was mined and the pass rates examined. A normalization condition was developed to evaluate semesters equally. The two teaching methods were compared using a grade distribution across multiple semesters. Students in the inverted class outperformed those in the traditional class: "A"s increased by 22% and "B"s increased by 38%. The final exam pass rate increased by 12% under the inverted classroom approach. The same analysis was used to compare the written and online final exam formats. Surprisingly, no students scored "A"s on the online final. However, the percent of "B"s increased by 136%. Combining documented best practices from a literature review with personal observations of student performance and attitudes from first hand classroom experience as a teaching assistant in both teaching methods, reasons are given to support the continued use of the inverted classroom approach as well as the online final. Finally, specific recommendations are given to improve the course structure where weaknesses have been identified.

Effects of Atwood number on shock focusing in shock-cylinder interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Junfeng; Ding, Juchun; Luo, Xisheng; Zhai, Zhigang

2018-02-01

The evolution of shock-accelerated heavy-gas cylinder surrounded by the air with different Atwood numbers (A_t=0.28, 0.50, 0.63) is investigated, concentrating on shock focusing and jet formation. Experimentally, a soap film technique is used to generate an ideal two-dimensional discontinuous gas cylinder with a clear surface, which can guarantee the observation of shock wave movements inside the cylinder. Different Atwood numbers are realized by different mixing ratios of SF_6 and air inside the cylinder. A high-speed schlieren system is adopted to capture the shock motions and jet morphology. Numerical simulations are also performed to provide more information. The results indicate that an inward jet is formed for low Atwood numbers, while an outward jet is generated for high Atwood numbers. Different Atwood numbers will lead to the differences in the relative velocities between the incident shock and the refraction shock, which ultimately results in the differences in shock competition near the downstream pole. The morphology and feature of the jet are closely associated with the position and intensity of shock focusing. The pressure and vorticity contours indicate that the jet formation should be attributed to the pressure pulsation caused by shock focusing, and the jet development is ascribed to the vorticity induction. Finally, a time ratio proposed in the previous work for determining the shock-focusing type is verified by experiments.

L2 Word Recognition: Influence of L1 Orthography on Multi-syllabic Word Recognition.

PubMed

Hamada, Megumi

2017-10-01

L2 reading research suggests that L1 orthographic experience influences L2 word recognition. Nevertheless, the findings on multi-syllabic words in English are still limited despite the fact that a vast majority of words are multi-syllabic. The study investigated whether L1 orthography influences the recognition of multi-syllabic words, focusing on the position of an embedded word. The participants were Arabic ESL learners, Chinese ESL learners, and native speakers of English. The task was a word search task, in which the participants identified a target word embedded in a pseudoword at the initial, middle, or final position. The search accuracy and speed indicated that all groups showed a strong preference for the initial position. The accuracy data further indicated group differences. The Arabic group showed higher accuracy in the final than middle, while the Chinese group showed the opposite and the native speakers showed no difference between the two positions. The findings suggest that L2 multi-syllabic word recognition involves unique processes.

The Final Frontier - Transitions and Sustainability: From Mentored to Independent Research

PubMed Central

Zea, Maria Cecilia; Bowleg, Lisa

2017-01-01

A recurrent theme in much of the contemporary HIV behavioral and social science research is that ecological approaches that acknowledge the interplay of structural, institutional, and individual-level factors are essential to improve HIV prevention efforts in racial/ethnic minority communities. Similarly, an ecological approach provides an innovative framework for understanding the challenges that many racial/ethnic minority HIV prevention researchers face in their quest to transition from mentored researcher to independent researchers. Informed by an ecological framework, and building on our experiences as two racial/ethnic minority women HIV prevention researchers who transitioned from a formal research mentorship relationship to become independent HIV prevention researchers — principal investigators of NIH-funded R01 grants —, we frame our discussion of the mentored to independence research trajectory with a focus on structural, institutional, and individual determinants. Throughout, we integrate suggestions for how institutions, mentors, and HIV prevention researchers can facilitate the final frontier from mentored research to independence. PMID:27007125

FE-simulation of hot forging with an integrated heat treatment with the objective of residual stress prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behrens, Bernd-Arno; Chugreeva, Anna; Chugreev, Alexander

2018-05-01

Hot forming as a coupled thermo-mechanical process comprises numerous material phenomena with a corresponding impact on the material behavior during and after the forming process as well as on the final component performance. In this context, a realistic FE-simulation requires reliable mathematical models as well as detailed thermo-mechanical material data. This paper presents experimental and numerical results focused on the FE-based simulation of a hot forging process with a subsequent heat treatment step aiming at the prediction of the final mechanical properties and residual stress state in the forged component made of low alloy CrMo-steel DIN 42CrMo4. For this purpose, hot forging experiments of connecting rod geometry with a corresponding metallographic analysis and x-ray residual stress measurements have been carried out. For the coupled thermo-mechanical-metallurgical FE-simulations, a special user-defined material model based on the additive strain decomposition method and implemented in Simufact Forming via MSC.Marc solver features has been used.

The development of an audit technique to assess the quality of safety barrier management.

PubMed

Guldenmund, Frank; Hale, Andrew; Goossens, Louis; Betten, Jeroen; Duijm, Nijs Jan

2006-03-31

This paper describes the development of a management model to control barriers devised to prevent major hazard scenarios. Additionally, an audit technique is explained that assesses the quality of such a management system. The final purpose of the audit technique is to quantify those aspects of the management system that have a direct impact on the reliability and effectiveness of the barriers and, hence, the probability of the scenarios involved. First, an outline of the management model is given and its elements are explained. Then, the development of the audit technique is described. Because the audit technique uses actual major hazard scenarios and barriers within these as its focus, the technique achieves a concreteness and clarity that many other techniques often lack. However, this strength is also its limitation, since the full safety management system is not covered with the technique. Finally, some preliminary experiences obtained from several test sites are compiled and discussed.

Experimental and modeling approaches for food waste composting: a review.

PubMed

Li, Zhentong; Lu, Hongwei; Ren, Lixia; He, Li

2013-10-01

Composting has been used as a method to dispose food waste (FW) and recycle organic matter to improve soil structure and fertility. Considering the significance of composting in FW treatment, many researchers have paid their attention on how to improve FW composting efficiency, reduce operating cost, and mitigate the associated environmental damage. This review focuses on the overall studies of FW composting, not only various parameters significantly affecting the processes and final results, but also a number of simulation approaches that are greatly instrumental in well understanding the process mechanism and/or results prediction. Implications of many key ingredients on FW composting performance are also discussed. Perspects of effective laboratory experiments and computer-based simulation are finally investigated, demonstrating many demanding areas for enhanced research efforts, which include the screening of multi-functional additives, volatile organiccompound emission control, necessity of modeling and post-modeling analysis, and usefulness of developing more conjunctive AI-based process control techniques. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of the branching ratios of D(+) and D(+)(s) hadronic decays to four-body final states containing a K(S).

PubMed

Link, J M; Reyes, M; Yager, P M; Anjos, J C; Bediaga, I; Göbel, C; Magnin, J; Massafferi, A; de Miranda, J M; Pepe, I M; dos Reis, A C; Simão, F R; Carrillo, S; Casimiro, E; Sánchez-Hernández, A; Uribe, C; Vázquez, F; Cinquini, L; Cumalat, J P; O'Reilly, B; Ramirez, J E; Vaandering, E W; Butler, J N; Cheung, H W; Gaines, I; Garbincius, P H; Garren, L A; Gottschalk, E; Kasper, P H; Kreymer, A E; Kutschke, R; Bianco, S; Fabbri, F L; Sarwar, S; Zallo, A; Cawlfield, C; Kim, D Y; Rahimi, A; Wiss, J; Gardner, R; Chung, Y S; Kang, J S; Ko, B R; Kwak, J W; Lee, K B; Park, H; Alimonti, G; Boschini, M; Caccianiga, B; D'Angelo, P; DiCorato, M; Dini, P; Giammarchi, M; Inzani, P; Leveraro, F; Malvezzi, S; Menasce, D; Mezzadri, M; Milazzo, L; Moroni, L; Pedrini, D; Pontoglio, C; Prelz, F; Rovere, M; Sala, A; Sala, S; Davenport, T F; Agostino, L; Arena, V; Boca, G; Bonomi, G; Gianini, G; Liguori, G; Merlo, M; Pantea, D; Ratti, S P; Riccardi, C; Segoni, I; Viola, L; Vitulo, P; Hernandez, H; Lopez, A M; Mendez, H; Mendez, L; Mirles, A; Montiel, E; Olaya, D; Paris, A; Quinones, J; Rivera, C; Xiong, W; Zhang, Y; Wilson, J R; Cho, K; Handler, T; Engh, D; Hosack, M; Johns, W E; Nehring, M; Sheldon, P D; Stenson, K; Webster, M; Sheaff, M

2001-10-15

We have studied hadronic four-body decays of D(+) and D(+)(s) mesons with a K(S) in the final state using data recorded during the 1996-1997 fixed-target run of the Fermilab high energy photoproduction experiment FOCUS. We report a new branching ratio measurement of gamma(D(+)-->K(S)K-pi(+)pi(+))/gamma(D(+)-->K(S)pi(+)pi(+)pi(-)) = 0.0768+/-0.0041+/-0.0032. We make the first observation of three new decay modes with branching ratios gamma(D(+)-->K(S)K+pi(+)pi(-))/gamma(D(+)-->K(S)pi(+)pi(+)pi(-)) = 0.0562+/-0.0039+/-0.0040, gamma(D(+)-->K(S)K+K-pi(+))/gamma(D(+)-->K(S)pi(+)pi(+)pi(-)) = 0.0077+/-0.0015+/-0.0009, and gamma(D(+)(s)-->K(S)K+pi(+)pi(-))/gamma(D(+)(s)-->K(S)K-pi(+)pi(+)) = 0.586+/-0.052+/-0.043, where in each case the first error is statistical and the second error is systematic.

An in-vacuo optical levitation trap for high-intensity laser interaction experiments with isolated microtargets

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

Price, C. J., E-mail: c.price10@imperial.ac.uk; Giltrap, S.; Stuart, N. H.

2015-03-15

We report on the design, construction, and characterisation of a new class of in-vacuo optical levitation trap optimised for use in high-intensity, high-energy laser interaction experiments. The system uses a focused, vertically propagating continuous wave laser beam to capture and manipulate micro-targets by photon momentum transfer at much longer working distances than commonly used by optical tweezer systems. A high speed (10 kHz) optical imaging and signal acquisition system was implemented for tracking the levitated droplets position and dynamic behaviour under atmospheric and vacuum conditions, with ±5 μm spatial resolution. Optical trapping of 10 ± 4 μm oil droplets inmore » vacuum was demonstrated, over timescales of >1 h at extended distances of ∼40 mm from the final focusing optic. The stability of the levitated droplet was such that it would stay in alignment with a ∼7 μm irradiating beam focal spot for up to 5 min without the need for re-adjustment. The performance of the trap was assessed in a series of high-intensity (10{sup 17} W cm{sup −2}) laser experiments that measured the X-ray source size and inferred free-electron temperature of a single isolated droplet target, along with a measurement of the emitted radio-frequency pulse. These initial tests demonstrated the use of optically levitated microdroplets as a robust target platform for further high-intensity laser interaction and point source studies.« less

Associations among daily stressors and salivary cortisol: findings from the National Study of Daily Experiences.

PubMed

Stawski, Robert S; Cichy, Kelly E; Piazza, Jennifer R; Almeida, David M

2013-11-01

While much research has focused on linking stressful experiences to emotional and biological reactions in laboratory settings, there is an emerging interest in extending these examinations to field studies of daily life. The current study examined day-to-day associations among naturally occurring daily stressors and salivary cortisol in a national sample of adults from the second wave of the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE). A sample of 1694 adults (age=57, range=33-84; 44% male) completed telephone interviews detailing their stressors and emotions on eight consecutive evenings. Participants also provided saliva samples upon waking, 30min post-waking, before lunch and before bed, on four consecutive interview days resulting in 5995 days of interview/cortisol data. Analyses revealed three main findings. First, cortisol AUC was significantly higher on stressor days compared to stressor-free days, particularly for arguments and overloads at home, suggesting that daily stressors are associated with increased cortisol output, but that not all daily stressors have such an influence. Second, individuals reporting a greater frequency of stressor days also exhibited a steeper diurnal cortisol slope. Finally, daily stressor-cortisol associations were unaltered after adjustment for daily negative affect and physical symptoms. Our discussion focuses on the influence of naturally occurring daily stressors on daily cortisol and the role of daily diary approaches for studying healthy cortisol responses to psychosocial stressors outside of traditional laboratory settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Associations among Daily Stressors and Salivary Cortisol: Findings from the National Study of Daily Experiences

PubMed Central

Stawski, Robert S.; Cichy, Kelly E.; Piazza, Jennifer R.; Almeida, David M.

2013-01-01

While much research has focused on linking stressful experiences to emotional and biological reactions in laboratory settings, there is an emerging interest in extending these examinations to field studies of daily life. The current study examined day-to-day associations among naturally-occurring daily stressors and salivary cortisol in a national sample of adults from the second wave of the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE). A sample of 1,694 adults (Age=57, Range=33–84; 44% male) completed telephone interviews detailing their stressors and emotions on eight consecutive evenings. Participants also provided saliva samples upon waking, 30 minutes post-waking, before lunch and before bed, on four consecutive interview days resulting in 5,995 days of interview/cortisol data. Analyses revealed three main findings. First, cortisol AUC was significantly higher on stressor days compared to stressor-free days, particularly for arguments and overloads at home, suggesting that daily stressors are associated with increased cortisol output, but that not all daily stressors have such an influence. Second, individuals reporting a greater frequency of stressor days also exhibited a steeper diurnal cortisol slope. Finally, daily stressor-cortisol associations were unaltered after adjustment for daily negative affect and physical symptoms. Our discussion focuses on the influence of naturally-occurring daily stressors on daily cortisol and the role of daily diary approaches for studying healthy cortisol responses to psychosocial stressors outside of traditional laboratory settings. PMID:23856186

An in-vacuo optical levitation trap for high-intensity laser interaction experiments with isolated microtargets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, C. J.; Donnelly, T. D.; Giltrap, S.; Stuart, N. H.; Parker, S.; Patankar, S.; Lowe, H. F.; Drew, D.; Gumbrell, E. T.; Smith, R. A.

2015-03-01

We report on the design, construction, and characterisation of a new class of in-vacuo optical levitation trap optimised for use in high-intensity, high-energy laser interaction experiments. The system uses a focused, vertically propagating continuous wave laser beam to capture and manipulate micro-targets by photon momentum transfer at much longer working distances than commonly used by optical tweezer systems. A high speed (10 kHz) optical imaging and signal acquisition system was implemented for tracking the levitated droplets position and dynamic behaviour under atmospheric and vacuum conditions, with ±5 μm spatial resolution. Optical trapping of 10 ± 4 μm oil droplets in vacuum was demonstrated, over timescales of >1 h at extended distances of ˜40 mm from the final focusing optic. The stability of the levitated droplet was such that it would stay in alignment with a ˜7 μm irradiating beam focal spot for up to 5 min without the need for re-adjustment. The performance of the trap was assessed in a series of high-intensity (1017 W cm-2) laser experiments that measured the X-ray source size and inferred free-electron temperature of a single isolated droplet target, along with a measurement of the emitted radio-frequency pulse. These initial tests demonstrated the use of optically levitated microdroplets as a robust target platform for further high-intensity laser interaction and point source studies.

Steady-state protein focusing in carrier ampholyte based isoelectric focusing: Part I-Analytical solution.

PubMed

Shim, Jaesool; Yoo, Kisoo; Dutta, Prashanta

2017-03-01

The determination of an analytical solution to find the steady-state protein concentration distribution in IEF is very challenging due to the nonlinear coupling between mass and charge conservation equations. In this study, approximate analytical solutions are obtained for steady-state protein distribution in carrier ampholyte based IEF. Similar to the work of Svensson, the final concentration profile for proteins is assumed to be Gaussian, but appropriate expressions are presented in order to obtain the effective electric field and pH gradient in the focused protein band region. Analytical results are found from iterative solutions of a system of coupled algebraic equations using only several iterations for IEF separation of three plasma proteins: albumin, cardiac troponin I, and hemoglobin. The analytical results are compared with numerically predicted results for IEF, showing excellent agreement. Analytically obtained electric field and ionic conductivity distributions show significant deviation from their nominal values, which is essential in finding the protein focusing behavior at isoelectric points. These analytical solutions can be used to determine steady-state protein concentration distribution for experiment design of IEF considering any number of proteins and ampholytes. Moreover, the model presented herein can be used to find the conductivity, electric field, and pH field. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A clinical reasoning model focused on clients' behaviour change with reference to physiotherapists: its multiphase development and validation.

PubMed

Elvén, Maria; Hochwälder, Jacek; Dean, Elizabeth; Söderlund, Anne

2015-05-01

A biopsychosocial approach and behaviour change strategies have long been proposed to serve as a basis for addressing current multifaceted health problems. This emphasis has implications for clinical reasoning of health professionals. This study's aim was to develop and validate a conceptual model to guide physiotherapists' clinical reasoning focused on clients' behaviour change. Phase 1 consisted of the exploration of existing research and the research team's experiences and knowledge. Phases 2a and 2b consisted of validation and refinement of the model based on input from physiotherapy students in two focus groups (n = 5 per group) and from experts in behavioural medicine (n = 9). Phase 1 generated theoretical and evidence bases for the first version of a model. Phases 2a and 2b established the validity and value of the model. The final model described clinical reasoning focused on clients' behaviour change as a cognitive, reflective, collaborative and iterative process with multiple interrelated levels that included input from the client and physiotherapist, a functional behavioural analysis of the activity-related target behaviour and the selection of strategies for behaviour change. This unique model, theory- and evidence-informed, has been developed to help physiotherapists to apply clinical reasoning systematically in the process of behaviour change with their clients.

Development of an S-band cavity Beam Position Monitor for ATF2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heo, A.; Kim, E.-S.; Kim, H.; Son, D.; Honda, Y.; Tauchi, T.

2013-04-01

We have developed an S-band cavity Beam Position Monitor (BPM) in order to measure the position of an electron beam in the final focus area at ATF2, which is the test facility for the final focus design for the International Linear Collider (ILC). The lattice of the ILC Beam Delivery System (BDS) has been modified, requiring a larger physical aperture of 40 mm in the final focus area. The beam orbit measurement in this area is now covered with high resolution S-Band cavity BPMs. In this paper we summarize the design of the cavity BPM and the first experimental results. The calibration slopes were measured as 0.87 counts/μm in the x-coordinate direction and 1.16 counts/μm in the y-coordinate direction.

Annular Focused Electron/Ion Beams for Combining High Spatial Resolution with High Probe Current.

PubMed

Khursheed, Anjam; Ang, Wei Kean

2016-10-01

This paper presents a proposal for reducing the final probe size of focused electron/ion beam columns that are operated in a high primary beam current mode where relatively large final apertures are used, typically required in applications such as electron beam lithography, focused ion beams, and electron beam spectroscopy. An annular aperture together with a lens corrector unit is used to replace the conventional final hole-aperture, creating an annular ring-shaped primary beam. The corrector unit is designed to eliminate the first- and second-order geometric aberrations of the objective lens, and for the same probe current, the final geometric aberration limited spot size is predicted to be around a factor of 50 times smaller than that of the corresponding conventional hole-aperture beam. Direct ray tracing simulation is used to illustrate how a three-stage core lens corrector can be used to eliminate the first- and second-order geometric aberrations of an electric Einzel objective lens.

Exploring the transition of undergraduate medical students into a clinical clerkship using organizational socialization theory.

PubMed

Atherley, Anique E; Hambleton, Ian R; Unwin, Nigel; George, Colette; Lashley, Paula M; Taylor, Charles G

2016-04-01

Transitions in medical education are emotionally and socially dynamic; this may affect learning. Students transitioning from preclinical to clinical training may experience negative consequences. Less is understood about students' experiences during transitions within clinical training and influential factors. The authors used organizational socialization theory to explore a transition within the clinical years. Final-year medical students experienced a nine-week internal medicine clerkship; willing students participated. Students (n = 101; 97 %) completed a questionnaire with open-ended questions at the beginning and end of the clerkship and participated in six consecutive focus groups, until data saturation occurred (n = 37). Data were thematically analyzed. Socialization was challenging. Many students experienced difficulty developing relationships with team members. Students with a positive attitude experienced a smoother transition. Many students were uncertain of their roles, concerned about the workload and desired guidance to meet clerkship demands. This transition resulted in varied outcomes from enjoyment, increased confidence and student development through to disinterest. Transitions within clinical training are complex. Faculty should focus on adequate socialization in a new clerkship as this may facilitate a smoother transition. This may necessitate orientations, staff training, and formal student support. Further research is needed on the impact of these recommendations on learning and well-being.

Advances in Neutron Spectroscopy and High Magnetic Field Instrumentation for studies of Correlated Electron Systems

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

Granroth, Garrett E

2011-01-01

Neutron Spectroscopy has provided critical information on the magnetism in correlated electron systems. Specifically quantum magnets, superconductors, and multi-ferroics are areas of productive research. A discussion of recent measurements on the SEQUOIA spectrometer will provide examples of how novel instrumentation concepts are used on the latest generation of spectrometers to extend our knowledge in such systems. The now ubiquitous function of sample rotation allows for full mapping of volumes ofmore » $Q$ and $$\\omega$$ space. An instrument focused on low angles could extend these maps to cover more of the first Brillioun zone. Innovative chopper cascades allow two unique modes of operation. Multiplexed measurements allow the simultaneous measurement of high and low energy features in an excitation spectrum. Alternatively by limiting the neutron bandwidth incident on the Fermi Chopper, background from subsequent time frames is removed, enabling the observation of weak, large energy transfer features. Finally the implementation of event-based detection for neutron experiments is time correlated experiments. Diffraction studies of the high field spin states in MnWO$$_4$$ using magnetic fields up to 30 T, provided by a pulsed magnet, illustrate this method. Expanding the high field studies to spectroscopy will require a novel instrument, focused around a world class DC magnet, like Zeemans proposed for the SNS.« less

At, with and beyond risk: expectations of living with the possibility of future dementia.

PubMed

Milne, Richard; Diaz, Ana; Badger, Shirlene; Bunnik, Eline; Fauria, Karine; Wells, Katie

2018-04-16

Biomedical research aimed at the development of therapies for chronic and late-onset conditions increasingly concentrates on the early treatment of symptom-less disease. This broad trend is evidenced in prominent shifts in contemporary dementia research. Revised diagnostic criteria and new approaches to clinical trials propose a focus on earlier stages of disease and prompt concerns about the implications of communicating test results associated with the risk of developing dementia when no effective treatments are available. This article examines expectations of the implications of learning test results related to dementia risk, based on focus group research conducted in the UK and Spain. It points to the extended social and temporal aspects of the dementia risk experience. Three key dimensions of this risk experience are elaborated: living 'at risk', represented in efforts to reduce risk and plan for the future; 'with risk', through vigilance towards cognitive health and earlier or prolonged contact with healthcare services; and finally, 'beyond risk' through a cessation of the self in its current social, legal and financial form. A virtual abstract of this paper can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_979cmCmR9rLrKuD7z0ycA. © 2018 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

"There's no reason why": a campaign to raise cancer awareness among adolescents.

PubMed

Magni, Chiara; Maggioni, Francesca; Ricci, Angelo; Barisone, Elena; Jankovic, Momcilo; Postiglione, Emma Sarlo; Cargnel, Enrica; Barricelli, Barbara Rita; Valtolina, Stefano; Veneroni, Laura; Chiaravalli, Stefano; Lapidari, Pietro; Capelletti, Mirko; Clerici, Carlo A; Biondi, Andrea; Ferrari, Andrea

2016-06-02

Adolescents with cancer often experience a longer diagnostic delay than children, mainly because they take longer to go to a doctor. The Italian Society for Adolescents with Oncohematological Diseases (SIAMO) has launched an information campaign focusing on raising adolescents' awareness of the importance of diagnosing cancer early. The concepts of the campaign were developed by a scientific committee of clinicians, cancer patients and their parents, and marketing experts. The title of the campaign is "There's no reason why". A video has been launched on TV channels and the Internet, and the final frame refers viewers to the SIAMO website, which provides advice to help adolescents interpret any symptoms they experience. The video has had 12,181 views. In the 6 months following the launch of the campaign, the SIAMO website page dedicated to the campaign was opened by 9,767 viewers for a total of 13,632 views. Though it remains very difficult to judge the efficacy of this initiative, the value of a campaign focusing on improving the adolescent population's cancer awareness is supported by the large number of studies published on the diagnostic delay in this age group. Our campaign goes to show the importance of ensuring cooperation between the different stakeholders involved in the global care of adolescents with cancer.

The European and American Use of Exploratory Approaches for First‐in‐Human Studies*

PubMed Central

Silva‐Lima, Beatriz; Carlson, David; Jones, David R.; Laurie, David; Stahl, Elke; Maria, Vasco; Janssens, Walter; Robinson, William T.

2010-01-01

Abstract Exploratory approaches for first‐in‐human clinical studies have evolved over the last few years and have stimulated the issuance of national regulatory guidances in some European countries as well as the United States. With the increasing implementation of these approaches and the recent preparation of a multiregional regulatory guidance (ICH M3 rev2), an exchange of experiences on the opportunities and challenges of exploratory clinical trials was desirable; thus, a workshop focusing on the use of this clinical approach was planned and conducted in Lisbon, Portugal, March 18–19, 2009 sponsored by the Portuguese Health Authority (INFARMED) and DIA. The structure of the workshop focused in three main areas. Regulatory representatives from Portugal, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States formally reviewed their experiences. This was followed by a discussion on issues from an ethics review perspective as well as an insight to the opportunities in the area of biologics. The industry perspective was presented by representatives from Merck, Pfizer, J&J, Novartis, Speedel, AstraZeneca, GSK, and Roche. Finally, through break out sessions, issues were identified to be addressed moving forward. It is the purpose of this paper to report on the outcome of this workshop. Clin Trans Sci 2010; Volume #: 1–4 PMID:20443952

Nonlinear derating of high-intensity focused ultrasound beams using Gaussian modal sums.

PubMed

Dibaji, Seyed Ahmad Reza; Banerjee, Rupak K; Soneson, Joshua E; Myers, Matthew R

2013-11-01

A method is introduced for using measurements made in water of the nonlinear acoustic pressure field produced by a high-intensity focused ultrasound transducer to compute the acoustic pressure and temperature rise in a tissue medium. The acoustic pressure harmonics generated by nonlinear propagation are represented as a sum of modes having a Gaussian functional dependence in the radial direction. While the method is derived in the context of Gaussian beams, final results are applicable to general transducer profiles. The focal acoustic pressure is obtained by solving an evolution equation in the axial variable. The nonlinear term in the evolution equation for tissue is modeled using modal amplitudes measured in water and suitably reduced using a combination of "source derating" (experiments in water performed at a lower source acoustic pressure than in tissue) and "endpoint derating" (amplitudes reduced at the target location). Numerical experiments showed that, with proper combinations of source derating and endpoint derating, direct simulations of acoustic pressure and temperature in tissue could be reproduced by derating within 5% error. Advantages of the derating approach presented include applicability over a wide range of gains, ease of computation (a single numerical quadrature is required), and readily obtained temperature estimates from the water measurements.

Participatory Imaging Mapping of Cultural Heritage Across Internal Borders Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadzic, L.; Dzino-Suta, A.; Eppich, R.; Vezic, A.; Izkara Martinez, J. L.

2015-08-01

During the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995) cultural heritage was explicitly targeted and the state of destruction was extensive to both sacral and secular monuments. Two decades after the end of hostilities the perception of the historic environment is still defined from the angles of national, religious or ethnic belonging. Enabling recognition, reconciliation, tolerance and respect within the community of Stolac, Bosnia & Herzegovina through a better understanding and sharing of cultural heritage was the focus of this project. Stolac is representative of the problems in the region and stands out for its particularly sharp divisions. Until recently there was segregation with local schools and their curriculum was divided with cultural heritage generally not addressed. How can this small community engage with heritage and develop a dialogue that encourages tolerance, respect and as a base for development? How does one understand, then document areas significance to the community? Finally, how can technology assist? The focus of this paper is to relate the experiences and findings of a project that incorporated participatory imaging mapping and the use of technology to bridge between the internal borders of this small community. It will outline a methodology, experiences of the participants and results from their exercises in order to assist other communities facing similar issues.

Interprofessional training for final year healthcare students: a mixed methods evaluation of the impact on ward staff and students of a two-week placement and of factors affecting sustainability.

PubMed

McGettigan, Patricia; McKendree, Jean

2015-10-26

Multiple care failings in hospitals have led to calls for increased interprofessional training in medical education to improve multi-disciplinary teamwork. Providing practical interprofessional training has many challenges and remains uncommon in medical schools in the UK. Unlike most previous research, this evaluation of an interprofessional training placement takes a multi-faceted approach focusing not only on the impact on students, but also on clinical staff delivering the training and on outcomes for patients. We used mixed methods to examine the impact of a two-week interprofessional training placement undertaken on a medical rehabilitation ward by three cohorts of final year medical, nursing and therapy students. We determined the effects on staff, ward functioning and participating students. Impact on staff was evaluated using the Questionnaire for Psychological and Social factors at work (QPSNordic) and focus groups. Ward functioning was inferred from standard measures of care including length of stay, complaints, and adverse events. Impact on students was evaluated using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Survey (RIPLS) among all students plus a placement survey among medical students. Between 2007 and 2010, 362 medical students and 26 nursing and therapy students completed placements working alongside the ward staff to deliver patient care. Staff identified benefits including skills recognition and expertise sharing. Ward functioning was stable. Students showed significant improvements in the RIPLS measures of Teamwork, Professional Identity and Patient-Centred Care. Despite small numbers of students from other professions, medical students' rated the placement highly. Increasing student numbers and budgetary constraints led to the cessation of the placement after three years. Interprofessional training placements can be delivered in a clinical setting without detriment to care and with benefits for all participants. While financial support is a necessity, it appears that having students from multiple professions is not critical for a valuable training experience; staff from different professions and students from a single profession can work successfully together. Difficulty in aligning the schedules of different student professions is commonly cited as a barrier to interprofessional training. Our experience challenges this and should encourage provision of authentic interprofessional training experience.

Preparedness of final-year Turkish nursing students for work as a professional nurse.

PubMed

Güner, Perihan

2015-03-01

To determine the preparedness levels of final-year Turkish nursing students starting their careers as professional nurses. The transition from nursing student to professional nurse is challenging. One of the ways to help facilitate this transition is to determine how well students are prepared to start work. There are limited, but conflicting, results on this topic. Mixed-methods study. Undergraduate nursing students (n = 4490) in their final year of study from 74 Turkish universities were eligible to participate in this study. Of these, 1804 total students participated from 38 randomly selected universities. Data were collected through an investigator-developed questionnaire (n = 1804) and focus group interviews (n = 57). Students felt highly prepared to start work (57·6%). Those who were older, male, graduates of a vocational high school or already working as a nurse felt most prepared. Students who felt that their education preparation and resources were adequate felt more prepared. Focus group interviews revealed that students felt confident in their knowledge of educational theory, but not in clinical skills. Students may have felt prepared to start work, but insufficient clinical experience probably contributed to a lack of confidence in their skills. The resources of the school, the quality of the education, and the clinical practice environments were considered most important for the students' perceived preparedness levels. An undergraduate education provides the foundation for successful nurse preparation. A good clinical environment along with a high-quality education programme can help give students more confidence in their skills when they join the nursing workforce. Internship or residency programmes may also facilitate this learning. This is extremely important for safe, high-quality patient care. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Is it Possible to Experiment with Thought? Ernst Mach's Notion of Thought Experiment and its Pedagogical Context around 1900. ].

PubMed

Bauer, Julian

2015-03-01

Is it Possible to Experiment with Thought? Ernst Mach's Notion of Thought Experiment and its Pedagogical Context around 1900. The article tries to establish the crucial importance of the pedagogical dimension of Ernst Mach's ideas on experimenting with thought. The focus on contemporary pedagogics demonstrates, first, that Mach's didactic approach to physics is part of a much broader stream of pedagogical writings that transcends national and disciplinary borders and comprises a diversity of authors, e.g. Wilhelm Jerusalem, William James or Alfred N. Whitehead; second, that the much-heralded controversy between Mach and the French philosopher of science Pierre Duhem about thought experiments does not only revolve around epistemological issues but rather stems from their antagonist vision of teaching physics; and finally, third, that G. Stanley Hall's psychogenetic theory of pedagogics bears a strong resemblance with the evolutionary naturalism of Machian epistemology and helps explaining key tenets of Mach's conception of thought experiment. By establishing a broad convergence between the work of all these authors despite their different academic upbringing, background and nationality the article argues for a complex and historically fine-grained vision of the relations between natural, social and human sciences going beyond dichotomies like 'Erklären' and 'Verstehen' or the 'Two Cultures'. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Reactions of Thiocyanate Ions with Acid: A Laboratory Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glidewell, Christopher; And Others

1984-01-01

Background information, procedures, and typical results are provided for a three-part experiment involving reactions of potassium thiocynate (KNCS) with sulfuric acid. The experiment represents the final stage of structured work prior to students' research projects during their final year. (JM)

The experience of nurses in care for culturally diverse families: A qualitative meta-synthesis 1

PubMed Central

Murcia, Saidy Eliana Arias; Lopez, Lucero

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective: to understand the experience of nurses in care delivery to culturally diverse families. Method: qualitative meta-synthesis. Exhaustive search in seven databases, three repositories and a manual search in references without time limit, in English, Spanish and Portuguese, resulting in 1609 potentially relevant studies. These were assessed based on the title, summary and full text, determining the final inclusion of 14 studies. Two independent reviewers used the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) to assess the quality. The interpretative synthesis implied permanent contrast and consensus among the authors, revealing four categories and one meta-theme. Results: "taking care of a culturally diverse family, the experience of crossing a tightrope". Conclusion: the experience of nurses in care delivery to culturally diverse families is demanding and challenging because it imprints a constant tension among barriers, cultural manifestations and the ethical responsibility of care, incipiently revealing elements of cultural competency. The omission of information in the participants' reports in the studies represents a limitation. The findings offer a baseline for professionals and organizations to focus their intervention efforts on the continuing barriers in care delivery to culturally diverse families and strengthens the need for cultural competency training for nurses. PMID:27384469

Logical Experimental Design and Execution in the Biomedical Sciences.

PubMed

Holder, Daniel J; Marino, Michael J

2017-03-17

Lack of reproducibility has been highlighted as a significant problem in biomedical research. The present unit is devoted to describing ways to help ensure that research findings can be replicated by others, with a focus on the design and execution of laboratory experiments. Essential components for this include clearly defining the question being asked, using available information or information from pilot studies to aid in the design the experiment, and choosing manipulations under a logical framework based on Mill's "methods of knowing" to build confidence in putative causal links. Final experimental design requires systematic attention to detail, including the choice of controls, sample selection, blinding to avoid bias, and the use of power analysis to determine the sample size. Execution of the experiment is done with care to ensure that the independent variables are controlled and the measurements of the dependent variables are accurate. While there are always differences among laboratories with respect to technical expertise, equipment, and suppliers, execution of the steps itemized in this unit will ensure well-designed and well-executed experiments to answer any question in biomedical research. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Thanatos and massive psychic trauma: the impact of the death instinct on knowing, remembering, and forgetting.

PubMed

Laub, Dori; Lee, Susanna

2003-01-01

The connection between massive psychic trauma and the concept of the death instinct is explored using the basic assumptions that the death instinct is unleashed through and is in a sense characteristic of traumatic experience, and that the concept of the death instinct is indispensable to the understanding and treatment of trauma. Characteristics of traumatic experience, such as dissolution of the empathic bond, failure to assimilate experience into psychic representation and structure, a tendency to repeat traumatic experience, and a resistance to remembering and knowing, are considered as trauma-induced death instinct derivatives. An initial focus is on the individual, on how death instinct manifestations can be discerned in the survivors of trauma. Next the intergenerational force of trauma is examined; a clinical vignette illustrates how the death instinct acts on and is passed on to the children of survivors. Finally, the cultural or societal aspects of trauma are considered, with an eye to how death instinct derivatives permeate cultural responses (or failures to respond) to trauma. Because trauma causes a profound destructuring and decathexis, it is concluded that the concept of the death instinct is a clinical and theoretical necessity.

Ground-based sensors for the SR-71 sonic boom propagation experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norris, Stephen R.; Haering, Edward A., Jr.; Murray, James E.

1995-01-01

This paper describes ground-level measurements of sonic boom signatures made as part of the SR-71 sonic boom propagation experiment recently completed at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Ground level measurements were the final stage of this experiment which also included airborne measurements at near and intermediate distances from an SR-71 research aircraft. Three types of sensors were deployed to three station locations near the aircraft ground track. Pressure data were collected for flight conditions from Mach 1.25 to Mach 1.60 at altitudes from 30,000 to 48,000 ft. Ground-level measurement techniques, comparisons of data sets from different ground sensors, and sensor system strengths and weaknesses are discussed. The well-known N-wave structure dominated the sonic boom signatures generated by the SR-71 aircraft at most of these conditions. Variations in boom shape caused by atmospheric turbulence, focusing effects, or both were observed for several flights. Peak pressure and boom event duration showed some dependence on aircraft gross weight. The sonic boom signatures collected in this experiment are being compiled in a data base for distribution in support of the High Speed Research Program.

Restrike Particle Beam Experiments on a Dense Plasma Focus. Opening Switch Research on a Dense Plasma Focus.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

Research on this grant has focused on plasma focus experiments in the areas of particle beam generation and as a potential repetitive opening switch...as were scaling laws for the increase of electron energy and current with input energy. The potential of the plasma focus as an opening switch was...delay line technique. The observed frequencies were most consistent with the lower hybrid frequency. Keywords include: Dense Plasma Focus , Particle Beam Generation, Opening Switch, Load Experiments, Pulsed Power.

Exploring the acquisition of entry-to-practice competencies by second-degree nursing students during a preceptorship experience.

PubMed

Sedgwick, Monique; Kellett, Peter; Kalischuck, Ruth Grant

2014-03-01

Nursing programs across Canada have begun to implement at an unprecedented rate second-degree nursing programs in response to consumer demands and a nursing shortage. While these types of programs are enjoying considerable popularity among prospective students and employers, it is imperative that nursing programs assess their graduates' ability to meet Registered Nursing entry-to-practice competencies (ETCs). This study sought to determine if second-degree undergraduate nursing students achieved the entry-to-practice competencies established by the provincial regulatory body for registered nurses of Alberta, Canada. The study took place in southern Alberta, Canada as the first cohort of second-degree undergraduate nursing students were completing the final practice course for the program. In this exploratory study, quantitative and qualitative data generation approaches were used. Quantitative data were collected using the nursing program's standardized Clinical Evaluation Tool which is mapped to the 119 ETCs established by the regulatory body. Qualitative data were generated by conducting focus group interviews with students, faculty advisors, and preceptors. A convenience sample consisting of both male and female students (n=14) submitted their mid-term and final clinical evaluations for inclusion in the dataset. Thirteen preceptors submitted mid-term and final clinical evaluations. Three students, three faculty advisors, and two preceptors participated in focus group interviews. At mid-term, statistically significant differences were noted on 31% of the indicators within the clinical evaluation tool between students and preceptors with preceptors consistently ranking students higher than the students' ratings of their performance. Student and preceptor ratings of students' clinical performance were more consistent on the final evaluation. However, where there were differences, preceptors rated students higher than student ratings. Qualitative data analysis suggests that the concept of competence is complex and multifaceted and understood differently by students, preceptors, and advisors. The findings of this study suggest that there is ambiguity among second-degree students, preceptors and faculty advisors surrounding the concept of competence. In order to develop an understanding of competence, nursing program administrators must encourage faculty advisors, preceptors and students to engage in a discussion at the outset of the preceptored practice experience in regard to what is meant by competence within various practice setting. Further, we suggest nursing programs in collaboration with their clinical partners and re-examine their practice evaluation tools to determine the degree to which they are sensitive to the clinical practice context. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

First results of eclipse induced pressure and turbulence changes in South Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiscox, A.; McCombs, A. G.; Stewart, M. J.

2017-12-01

Total solar eclipses supply both visual captivation and a controlled meteorological experiment by reason of a sudden decrease in radiation from the Sun. This presentation will provide first results from a field experiment focused on the atmospheric surface layer changes before, during, and after a total solar eclipse. A suite of instruments including radiosondes, aerosol lidar, sonic anemometers, and microbarographs will be deployed one mile from the total eclipse centerline outside Columbia, South Carolina. The results should not only confirm the commonly expected changes in sensible weather, but also provide insight into the generation and propagation of internal gravity waves. These waves propagate and transfer both energy and momentum vertically to and from the upper levels of the atmosphere. Early scientific results are expected to provide IGW vertical propagation speeds from succesive radiosonde measurements, while triangulated surface pressure measurements will provide timing of wave activity. Other anticipated results to be presented are changes in turbulence turbulence stationarity and pressure pertubations. Finally, the sucess of a major outreach event held in tandem with the scientific experiement will be discussed.

"The Earth Under my Shoes", a Poster Where Research and Outreach Merge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castro-Artola, O. A.; Pérez-Campos, X.

2007-05-01

The MesoAmerican Subduction Experiment is a cooperative research project that will help a lot of people to know about the behavior of the subduction of Cocos plate beneath North America, especially in rural communities where its 100 seismic stations are located. MASE is not only focused in its research results, it is also concerned about outreach to the community. To achieve this, MASE conducts an information program on the experiment and seismology, especially targetted to children, to educate them about seismic prevention. MASE field operations in Guerrero, Morelos, Distrito Federal, Estado de México, Hidalgo and Veracruz are ending this year, and our last outreach activity is providing MASE host sites with a poster informing about the experiment and its results. This poster will include pictures about the instruments, a collection of key seismograms, figures of the final seismic model obtained by the MASE research group, showing our enhanced knowledge of the interior of the Earth under each particular site, and a reminder that Mexico is a seismic country and they should be always prepared.

Irradiation of materials with short, intense ion pulses at NDCX-II

DOE PAGES

Seidl, P. A.; Barnard, J. J.; Feinberg, E.; ...

2017-05-31

Abstract We present an overview of the performance of the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment-II (NDCX-II) accelerator at Berkeley Lab, and report on recent target experiments on beam-driven melting and transmission ion energy loss measurements with nanosecond and millimeter-scale ion beam pulses and thin tin foils. Bunches with around 10 11ions, 1 mm radius, and 2–30 ns full width at half maximum duration have been created with corresponding fluences in the range of 0.1–0.7 J/cm 2. To achieve these short pulse durations and mm-scale focal spot radii, the 1.1 MeV [megaelectronvolt (10 6eV)] He +ion beam is neutralized in a driftmore » compression section, which removes the space charge defocusing effect during final compression and focusing. The beam space charge and drift compression techniques resemble necessary beam conditions and manipulations in heavy ion inertial fusion accelerators. Quantitative comparison of detailed particle-in-cell simulations with the experiment plays an important role in optimizing accelerator performance.« less

Irradiation of materials with short, intense ion pulses at NDCX-II

DOE PAGES

Seidl, P. A.; Barnard, J. J.; Feinberg, E.; ...

2017-05-31

Here, we present an overview of the performance of the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment-II (NDCX-II) accelerator at Berkeley Lab, and report on recent target experiments on beam-driven melting and transmission ion energy loss measurements with nanosecond and millimeter-scale ion beam pulses and thin tin foils. Bunches with around 10 11 ions, 1 mm radius, and 2–30 ns full width at half maximum duration have been created with corresponding fluences in the range of 0.1–0.7 J/cm 2. To achieve these short pulse durations and mm-scale focal spot radii, the 1.1 MeV [megaelectronvolt (10 6 eV)] He + ion beam is neutralizedmore » in a drift compression section, which removes the space charge defocusing effect during final compression and focusing. The beam space charge and drift compression techniques resemble necessary beam conditions and manipulations in heavy ion inertial fusion accelerators. In conclusion, quantitative comparison of detailed particle-in-cell simulations with the experiment plays an important role in optimizing accelerator performance« less

Irradiation of materials with short, intense ion pulses at NDCX-II

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

Seidl, P. A.; Barnard, J. J.; Feinberg, E.

Abstract We present an overview of the performance of the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment-II (NDCX-II) accelerator at Berkeley Lab, and report on recent target experiments on beam-driven melting and transmission ion energy loss measurements with nanosecond and millimeter-scale ion beam pulses and thin tin foils. Bunches with around 10 11ions, 1 mm radius, and 2–30 ns full width at half maximum duration have been created with corresponding fluences in the range of 0.1–0.7 J/cm 2. To achieve these short pulse durations and mm-scale focal spot radii, the 1.1 MeV [megaelectronvolt (10 6eV)] He +ion beam is neutralized in a driftmore » compression section, which removes the space charge defocusing effect during final compression and focusing. The beam space charge and drift compression techniques resemble necessary beam conditions and manipulations in heavy ion inertial fusion accelerators. Quantitative comparison of detailed particle-in-cell simulations with the experiment plays an important role in optimizing accelerator performance.« less

Dimensions of Racism and their Impact on Partner Selection among Men who have Sex with Men of Colour: Understanding Pathways to Sexual Risk

PubMed Central

Ayala, George; Paul, Jay; Choi, Kyung-Hee

2013-01-01

While many studies have established the relationship between experiences of racism and sexual risk among men who have sex with men of colour, the pathways by which this occurs are underdeveloped. To address this gap, we must better investigate the lived realities of racism in the gay community. In this study, we had the unique opportunity to examine experiences of racism among African American, Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander men who have sex with men living in Los Angeles through focus groups and individual in-depth interviews. We found three themes of racism: exclusion from West Hollywood and the mainstream gay community, sexual rejection based on race/ethnicity, and sexual stereotypes. There were differences across the three racial groups in the experiences of each theme, however. We then considered how racism impacted partner selection and found that race played a salient role in determining power differentials within mixed-race partnerships. Finally, we discussed several future areas for research that can better establish pathways between racism and sexual risk. PMID:23659363

Dimensions of racism and their impact on partner selection among men of colour who have sex with men: understanding pathways to sexual risk.

PubMed

Ro, Annie; Ayala, George; Paul, Jay; Choi, Kyung-Hee

2013-01-01

While many studies have established the relationship between experiences of racism and sexual risk among men of colour who have sex with men, the pathways by which this occurs are underdeveloped. To address this gap, we must better investigate the lived realities of racism in the gay community. In this study, we had the unique opportunity to examine experiences of racism among African American, Asian/Pacific Islander and Latino men who have sex with men living in Los Angeles through focus groups and individual in-depth interviews. We found three themes of racism: exclusion from West Hollywood and the mainstream gay community, sexual rejection based on race/ethnicity and sexual stereotypes. There were differences across the three racial groups in the experiences of each theme, however. We then considered how racism impacted partner selection and found that race played a salient role in determining power differentials within mixed-race partnerships. Finally, we discussed several future areas for research that can better establish pathways between racism and sexual risk.

BooNE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenney, S.; Smith, D.; Koutsoliotas, S.; Church, E.; Stancu, I.; Vandalen, G. J.; Johnson, R. A.; Bugel, L.; Conrad, J. M.; Formaggio, J.; Shaevitz, M. H.; Tamminga, B.; Zimmerman, E.; Bhat, C.; Brown, B. C.; Ford, R.; Kasper, P.; Kourbanis, I.; Malensek, A.; Marsh, W.; Martin, P.; Mills, F.; Moore, C.; Russell, A.; Stefanski, R.; Eitel, K.; Garvey, G. T.; Hawker, E.; Louis, W. C.; Mills, G. B.; Sandberg, V.; Sapp, B.; Tayloe, R.; White, D. H.; Imlay, R.; Kim, H. J.; Malik, A.; Metcalf, W.; Sung, M.; Azemoon, T.; Ball, R.; Berbeco, R.; Riles, K.; Roe, B. P.; Wadia, N.; Yamamoto, J.; Bazarko, A. O.; Meyers, P. D.; Shoemaker, F. C.

2000-10-01

The phenomenon of neutrino oscillations, where a neutrino of one type spontaneously transforms into a neutrino of another type, has important and far-reaching consequences for particle physics and cosmology. For this phenomenon to occur, at least one neutrino must be massive and the heretofore observed lepton flavor conservation law must be violated. There are, at present, several results that indicate neutrino oscillations and it is not clear how and if these experimental results are indicative of the situation that actually obtains in Nature. There is evidence for a deficit of electrons neutrinos observed emanating from the sun. There is evidence for a deficit of electron neutrinos compared to muon neutrinos created in the upper atmosphere. And, there is an excess of electron antineutrinos observed in a beam of muon antineutrinos by the LSND experiment. The Booster Neutrino Experiment (BooNE) will focus on the final observation by definitely testing the LSND result. BooNE has been approved to run at Fermilab and is currently under construction. If the LSND result is due to oscillations, the first stage of the experiment (miniBooNE) will observe approximately 1000 oscillation events in the first calendar year of operation.

Levels of Social Sharing and Clinical Implications for Severe Social Withdrawal in Patients with Personality Disorders.

PubMed

Colle, Livia; Pellecchia, Giovanni; Moroni, Fabio; Carcione, Antonino; Nicolò, Giuseppe; Semerari, Antonio; Procacci, Michele

2017-01-01

Social sharing capacities have attracted attention from a number of fields of social cognition and have been variously defined and analyzed in numerous studies. Social sharing consists in the subjective awareness that aspects of the self's experience are held in common with other individuals. The definition of social sharing must take a variety of elements into consideration: the motivational element, the contents of the social sharing experience, the emotional responses it evokes, the behavioral outcomes, and finally, the circumstances and the skills which enable social sharing. The primary objective of this study is to explore some of the diverse forms of human social sharing and to classify them according to levels of complexity. We identify four different types of social sharing, categorized according to the nature of the content being shared and the complexity of the mindreading skills required. The second objective of this study is to consider possible applications of this graded model of social sharing experience in clinical settings. Specifically, this model may support the development of graded, focused clinical interventions for patients with personality disorders characterized by severe social withdrawal.

Artist Concept of Atlantis' new home

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-01-18

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are constructing 40-foot-diameter dish antenna arrays for the Ka-Band Objects Observation and Monitoring, or Ka-BOOM system. The antennas will be part of the operations command center facility. The construction site is near the former Vertical Processing Facility, which has been demolished. The Ka-BOOM project is one of the final steps in developing the techniques to build a high power, high resolution radar system capable of becoming a Near Earth Object Early Warning System. While also capable of space communication and radio science experiments, developing radar applications is the primary focus of the arrays. Photo credit: NASA/ Ben Smegelsky

Collider detection of dark matter electromagnetic anapole moments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alves, Alexandre; Santos, A. C. O.; Sinha, Kuver

2018-03-01

Dark matter that interacts with the Standard Model by exchanging photons through higher multipole interactions occurs in a wide range of both strongly and weakly coupled hidden sector models. We study the collider detection prospects of these candidates, with a focus on Majorana dark matter that couples through the anapole moment. The study is conducted at the effective field theory level with the mono-Z signature incorporating varying levels of systematic uncertainties at the high-luminosity LHC. The projected collider reach on the anapole moment is then compared to the reach coming from direct detection experiments like LZ. Finally, the analysis is applied to a weakly coupled completion with leptophilic dark matter.

A program of high resolution X-ray astronomy using sounding rockets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Two Aerobee 170 sounding rocket payloads were flown at the White Sands Missile Range: (1) a focusing X-ray collector on 31 March 1972; and (2) a high resolution telescope on 4 August 1972. Data has been reduced from each of these flights. In the first flight both the rocket and the experiment instrumentation performed adequately, and it is clear that at least the minimum scientific objectives were attained. In the second flight the attitude control system failed to point the telescope at the target for a sufficient length of time. However examination of final preflight checkout data and some flight data indicate that the instrumentation for this rocket payload was functioning according to expectations.

Dangling bond defects in SiC: An ab initio study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuttle, Blair R.

2018-01-01

We report first-principles microscopic calculations of the properties of defects with dangling bonds in crystalline 3 C -SiC. Specifically, we focus on hydrogenated Si and C vacancies, divacancies, and multivacancies. The latter is a generic model for an isolated dangling bond within a bulk SiC matrix. Hydrogen serves to passivate electrically active defects to allow the isolation of a single dangling-bond defect. We used hybrid density-functional methods to determine energetics and electrical activity. The present results are compared to previous 3 C -SiC calculations and experiments. Finally, we identify homopolar carbon dangling-bond defects as the leakage causing defects in nanoporous SiC alloys.

Retrieval Practice and Spacing Effects in Young and Older Adults: An Examination of the Benefits of Desirable Difficulty

PubMed Central

Maddox, Geoffrey B.; Balota, David A.

2015-01-01

The present study examined how the function relating continued retrieval practice (e.g., 1, 3, or 5 tests) and long-term memory retention is modulated by desirable difficulty (Bjork, 1994). Of particular interest was how retrieval difficulty differed across young and older adults and across manipulations of lag (Experiment 1) and spacing (Experiment 2). To extend on previous studies, acquisition phase response latency was used as a proxy for retrieval difficulty, and analysis of final test performance was conditionalized on acquisition phase retrieval success to more directly examine the influence of desirable difficulty on retention. Results from Experiment 1 revealed that continued testing in the short lag condition led to consistent increases in retention, whereas continued testing in the long lag condition led to increasingly smaller benefits in retention for both age groups. Results from Experiment 2 revealed that repeated spaced testing enhanced retention relative to taking one spaced test for both age groups; however, repeated massed testing only enhanced retention over taking one test for young adults. Across both experiments, the response latency results were overall consistent with an influence of desirable difficulty on retention. Discussion focuses on the role of desirable difficulty during encoding in producing the benefits of lag, spacing, and testing. PMID:25616776

The Critical Mass Laboratory at Rocky Flats

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

Rothe, Robert E

2003-10-15

The Critical Mass Laboratory (CML) at Rocky Flats northwest of Denver, Colorado, was built in 1964 and commissioned to conduct nuclear experiments on January 28, 1965. It was built to attain more accurate and precise experimental data to ensure nuclear criticality safety at the plant than were previously possible. Prior to its construction, safety data were obtained from long extrapolations of subcritical data (called in situ experiments), calculated parameters from reactor engineering 'models', and a few other imprecise methods. About 1700 critical and critical-approach experiments involving several chemical forms of enriched uranium and plutonium were performed between then and 1988.more » These experiments included single units and arrays of fissile materials, reflected and 'bare' systems, and configurations with various degrees of moderation, as well as some containing strong neutron absorbers. In 1989, a raid by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) caused the plant as a whole to focus on 'resumption' instead of further criticality safety experiments. Though either not recognized or not admitted for a few years, that FBI raid did sound the death knell for the CML. The plant's optimistic goal of resumption evolved to one of deactivation, decommissioning, and plantwide demolition during the 1990s. The once-proud CML facility was finally demolished in April of 2002.« less

Pulmonary Function in Flight (PuFF) Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

In this International Space Station (ISS) onboard photo, Expedition Six Science Officer Donald R. Pettit works to set up the Pulmonary Function in Flight (PuFF) experiment hardware in the Destiny Laboratory. Expedition Six is the fourth and final crew to perform the PuFF experiment. The PuFF experiment was developed to better understand what effects long term exposure to microgravity may have on the lungs. The focus is on measuring changes in the everness of gas exchange in the lungs, and on detecting changes in respiratory muscle strength. It allows astronauts to measure blood flow through the lungs, the ability of the lung to take up oxygen, and lung volumes. Each PuFF session includes five lung function tests, which involve breathing only cabin air. For each planned extravehicular (EVA) activity, a crew member performs a PuFF test within one week prior to the EVA. Following the EVA, those crew members perform another test to document the effect of exposure of the lungs to the low-pressure environment of the space suits. This experiment utilizes the Gas Analyzer System for Metabolic Analysis Physiology, or GASMAP, located in the Human Research Facility (HRF), along with a variety of other Puff equipment including a manual breathing valve, flow meter, pressure-flow module, pressure and volume calibration syringes, and disposable mouth pieces.

Focusing Electron Beams at SLAC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Richard L.

1993-01-01

Describes the development of a set of magnets that focus high-energy electron and positron beams causing them to collide, annihilate each other, and generate new particles. Explains how dipoles bend the beam, how quadrupoles focus the beam, how the focal length is calculated, and the superconducting final focus. (MDH)

The role and experiences of family members during the rehabilitation of mentally ill offenders.

PubMed

Rowaert, Sara; Vandevelde, Stijn; Lemmens, Gilbert; Vanderplasschen, Wouter; Vander Beken, Tom; Vander Laenen, Freya; Audenaert, Kurt

2016-03-01

Taking care of a family member with a mental illness imposes a burden on various aspects of family life. This burden may be enhanced if the mentally ill individual has a criminal history. This paper aims to summarize the scientific literature dealing with the experiences, needs and burdens of families of mentally ill offenders. We aim to explore the roles that family members play in the rehabilitation of their relative and review the families' needs and burdens. Finally, we aim to investigate whether or not the family strengths are considered in the literature. A literature search in line with the PRISMA statement for systematic reviews and with the recommendations for an integrative review was performed in the ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct and ProQuest databases. Limited research has been carried out into the experiences, needs and burdens of families of mentally ill offenders, with only eight studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Families of mentally ill offenders experience more stress than those of mentally ill individuals with no judicial involvement. This is because of the fact that these family members have to deal with both mental health services and judicial systems. The eight retrieved studies focus on needs and burdens, with little reference to strengths or capabilities. The review has highlighted the need for further research into the needs and burdens of families with mentally ill offenders, with a focus on strengths rather than an exclusively problem-oriented perspective. It is important that families become more involved in the health and social care of their relatives to avoid being considered 'second patients'.

The ALICE-HMPID Detector Control System: Its evolution towards an expert and adaptive system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Cataldo, G.; Franco, A.; Pastore, C.; Sgura, I.; Volpe, G.

2011-05-01

The High Momentum Particle IDentification (HMPID) detector is a proximity focusing Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) for charged hadron identification. The HMPID is based on liquid C 6F 14 as the radiator medium and on a 10 m 2 CsI coated, pad segmented photocathode of MWPCs for UV Cherenkov photon detection. To ensure full remote control, the HMPID is equipped with a detector control system (DCS) responding to industrial standards for robustness and reliability. It has been implemented using PVSS as Slow Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) environment, Programmable Logic Controller as control devices and Finite State Machines for modular and automatic command execution. In the perspective of reducing human presence at the experiment site, this paper focuses on DCS evolution towards an expert and adaptive control system, providing, respectively, automatic error recovery and stable detector performance. HAL9000, the first prototype of the HMPID expert system, is then presented. Finally an analysis of the possible application of the adaptive features is provided.

Reproduction in Leishmania: A focus on genetic exchange.

PubMed

Rougeron, V; De Meeûs, T; Bañuls, A-L

2017-06-01

One key process of the life cycle of pathogens is their mode of reproduction. Indeed, this fundamental biological process conditions the multiplication and the transmission of genes and thus the propagation of diseases in the environment. Reproductive strategies of protozoan parasites have been a subject of debate for many years, principally due to the difficulty in making direct observations of sexual reproduction (i.e. genetic recombination). Traditionally, these parasites were considered as characterized by a preeminent clonal structure. Nevertheless, with the development of elaborate culture experiments, population genetics and evolutionary and population genomics, several studies suggested that most of these pathogens were also characterized by constitutive genetic recombination events. In this opinion, we focused on Leishmania parasites, pathogens responsible of leishmaniases, a major public health issue. We first discuss the evolutionary advantages of a mixed mating reproductive strategy, then we review the evidence of genetic exchange, and finally we detail available tools to detect naturally occurring genetic recombination in Leishmania parasites and more generally in protozoan parasites. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Circles of Confidence in Correspondence: Modeling Confidentiality and Secrecy in Knowledge Exchange Networks of Letters and Drawings in the Early Modern Period.

PubMed

van den Heuvel, Charles; Weingart, Scott B; Spelt, Nils; Nellen, Henk

2016-01-01

Science in the early modern world depended on openness in scholarly communication. On the other hand, a web of commercial, political, and religious conflicts required broad measures of secrecy and confidentiality; similar measures were integral to scholarly rivalries and plagiarism. This paper analyzes confidentiality and secrecy in intellectual and technological knowledge exchange via letters and drawings. We argue that existing approaches to understanding knowledge exchange in early modern Europe--which focus on the Republic of Letters as a unified entity of corresponding scholars--can be improved upon by analyzing multilayered networks of communication. We describe a data model to analyze circles of confidence and cultures of secrecy in intellectual and technological knowledge exchanges. Finally, we discuss the outcomes of a first experiment focusing on the question of how personal and professional/official relationships interact with confidentiality and secrecy, based on a case study of the correspondence of Hugo Grotius.

Real-Time Analysis of Specific Protein-DNA Interactions with Surface Plasmon Resonance

PubMed Central

Ritzefeld, Markus; Sewald, Norbert

2012-01-01

Several proteins, like transcription factors, bind to certain DNA sequences, thereby regulating biochemical pathways that determine the fate of the corresponding cell. Due to these key positions, it is indispensable to analyze protein-DNA interactions and to identify their mode of action. Surface plasmon resonance is a label-free method that facilitates the elucidation of real-time kinetics of biomolecular interactions. In this article, we focus on this biosensor-based method and provide a detailed guide how SPR can be utilized to study binding of proteins to oligonucleotides. After a description of the physical phenomenon and the instrumental realization including fiber-optic-based SPR and SPR imaging, we will continue with a survey of immobilization methods. Subsequently, we will focus on the optimization of the experiment, expose pitfalls, and introduce how data should be analyzed and published. Finally, we summarize several interesting publications of the last decades dealing with protein-DNA and RNA interaction analysis by SPR. PMID:22500214

The many lives of Charles Darwin: early biographies and the definitive evolutionist.

PubMed

Lightman, Bernard

2010-12-20

This article focuses on the early book-length biographies of Darwin published from his death in 1882 up to 1900. By making 1900 the cutoff point I can examine the biographies produced when the iconic figure was not yet set in stone, and before the rediscovery of Mendel's work in the early twentieth century and the anniversary celebrations of 1909 changed the way in which Darwin was regarded. Darwin's biographers dealt with three major themes. First, several biographers emphasized his scientific abilities, in particular his powers of observation and his prowess in conducting experiments. Second, many biographers discussed his character, a key issue in determining whether or not he could be trusted as a scientific guide. Finally, his scientific theories and religious beliefs, and how they related to the evolutionary controversy, formed a topic taken up by most biographers. By focusing on these three themes, the biographies published before 1900 were important in shaping the image of Darwin that was forming in American and British culture.

Analytical approach to chromatic correction in the final focus system of circular colliders

DOE PAGES

Cai, Yunhai

2016-11-28

Here, a conventional final focus system in particle accelerators is systematically analyzed. We find simple relations between the parameters of two focus modules in the final telescope. Using the relations, we derive the chromatic Courant-Snyder parameters for the telescope. The parameters are scaled approximately according to (L*/βmore » $$*\\atop{y}$$)δ, where L* is the distance from the interaction point to the first quadrupole, β$$*\\atop{y}$$ the vertical beta function at the interaction point, and δ the relative momentum deviation. Most importantly, we show how to compensate its chromaticity order by order in δ by a traditional correction module flanked by an asymmetric pair of harmonic multipoles. The method enables a circular Higgs collider with 2% momentum aperture and illuminates a path forward to 4% in the future.« less

Development of Tsunami Numerical Model Considering the Disaster Debris such as Cars, Ships and Collapsed Buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozono, Y.; Takahashi, T.; Sakuraba, M.; Nojima, K.

2016-12-01

A lot of debris by tsunami, such as cars, ships and collapsed buildings were generated in the 2011 Tohoku tsunami. It is useful for rescue and recovery after tsunami disaster to predict the amount and final position of disaster debris. The transport form of disaster debris varies as drifting, rolling and sliding. These transport forms need to be considered comprehensively in tsunami simulation. In this study, we focused on the following three points. Firstly, the numerical model considering various transport forms of disaster debris was developed. The proposed numerical model was compared with the hydraulic experiment by Okubo et al. (2004) in order to verify transport on the bottom surface such as rolling and sliding. Secondly, a numerical experiment considering transporting on the bottom surface and drifting was studied. Finally, the numerical model was applied for Kesennuma city where serious damage occurred by the 2011 Tohoku tsunami. In this model, the influence of disaster debris was considered as tsunami flow energy loss. The hydraulic experiments conducted in a water tank which was 10 m long by 30 cm wide. The gate confined water in a storage tank, and acted as a wave generator. A slope was set at downstream section. The initial position of a block (width: 3.2 cm, density: 1.55 g/cm3) assuming the disaster debris was placed in front of the slope. The proposed numerical model simulated well the maximum transport distance and the final stop position of the block. In the second numerical experiment, the conditions were the same as the hydraulic experiment, except for the density of the block. The density was set to various values (from 0.30 to 4.20 g/cm3). This model was able to estimate various transport forms including drifting and sliding. In the numerical simulation of the 2011 Tohoku tsunami, the condition of buildings was modeled as follows: (i)the resistance on the bottom using Manning roughness coefficient (conventional method), and (ii)structure of buildings with collapsing and washing-away due to tsunami wave pressure. In this calculation, disaster debris of collapsed buildings, cars and ships was considered. As a result, the proposed model showed that it is necessary to take the disaster debris into account in order to predict tsunami inundation accurately.

Atlanta NAVIGATOR case study. Final report, May 1996--Jun 1997

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

Amodei, R.; Bard, E.; Brong, B.

1998-11-01

The Atlanta metropolitan region was the location of one of the most ambitious Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) deployments in the United States. This deployment included several individual projects--a Central Transportation Management Center (TMC), six Traffic Control Centers (TCC), one Transit Information Center (TIC), the Travel Information Showcase (TIS), and the extension of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail network and the new high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-85 and I-75. The Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games and Paralympic Games created a focus for these projects. All of these systems were to be brought on line in time for themore » Olympic Games. This report presents the findings of the NAVIGATOR Case Study and documents the lessons learned from the Atlanta ITS deployment experience in order to improve other ITS deployments in the future. The Case Study focuses on the institutional, programmatic, and technical issues and opportunities from planning and implementing the ITS deployment in Atlanta. The Case Study collected data and information from interviews, observations, focus groups, and documentation reviews. It presents a series of lessons learned and recommendations for enabling successful ITS deployments nationwide.« less

Attachment quality is related to the synchrony of mother and infant monitoring patterns.

PubMed

Biro, Szilvia; Alink, Lenneke R A; Huffmeijer, Renske; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J; Van IJzendoorn, Marinus H

2017-06-01

We investigated whether attachment quality is related to infant-mother dyadic patterns in monitoring animated social situations. Sixty 12-month-old infants and their mothers participated in an eye-tracking study in which they watched abstractly depicted distress interactions involving the separation of a "baby" and a "parent" character followed by reunion or further separation of the two characters. We measured infants' and their mothers' relative fixation duration to the two characters in the animations. We found that infant attachment disorganization moderated the correspondence between the monitoring patterns of infant-mother dyads during the final part of the animations resulting in reunion or separation. Organized infants and their mothers showed complementary monitoring patterns: the more the mothers focused their attention on the "baby" character, the more the infants focused their attention on the "parent" character, and vice versa. Disorganized infant-mother dyads showed the opposite pattern although the correlation was nonsignificant: mothers and their infants focused on the same character. The attachment-related differences in the nature of the synchrony in the attentional processes of infants and their mothers suggest that by 12 months the dyads' representations of social situations reflect their shared social-emotional experiences.

The DarkLight Experiment at the JLab FEL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Peter

2013-10-01

DarkLight will study the production of gauge bosons associated with Dark Forces theories in the scattering of 100 MeV electrons on proton a target. DarkLight is a spectrometer to measure all the final state particles in e- + p -->e- + p +e- +e+ . QED allows this process and the invariant mass distribution of the e+e- pair is a continuum from nearly zero to nearly the electron beam energy. Dark Forces theories, which allow the dark matter mass scale to be over 1 TeV, predict a gauge boson A' in the mass range of 10-1,000 MeV and decays to an electron-positron pair with an invariant mass of mA'. We aim to search for this process using the 100 MeV, 10 mA electron beam at the JLab Free Electron Laser impinging on a hydrogen target with a 1019 cm-2 density. The resulting luminosity of 6 ×1035/cm2-s gives the experiment enough sensitivity to probe A' couplings of 10-9 α . DarkLight is unique in its design to detect all four particles in the final state. The leptons will be measured in a large high-rate TPC and a silicon sensor will measure the protons. A 0.5 T solenoidal magnetic field provides the momentum resolution and focuses the copious Møller scattering background down the beam line, away from the detectors. A first beam test has shown the FEL beam is compatible with the target design and that the hall backgrounds are manageable. The experiment has been approved by Jefferson Lab for first running in 2017.

An agile acquisition decision-support workbench for evaluating ISR effectiveness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stouch, Daniel W.; Champagne, Valerie; Mow, Christopher; Rosenberg, Brad; Serrin, Joshua

2011-06-01

The U.S. Air Force is consistently evolving to support current and future operations through the planning and execution of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. However, it is a challenge to maintain a precise awareness of current and emerging ISR capabilities to properly prepare for future conflicts. We present a decisionsupport tool for acquisition managers to empirically compare ISR capabilities and approaches to employing them, thereby enabling the DoD to acquire ISR platforms and sensors that provide the greatest return on investment. We have developed an analysis environment to perform modeling and simulation-based experiments to objectively compare alternatives. First, the analyst specifies an operational scenario for an area of operations by providing terrain and threat information; a set of nominated collections; sensor and platform capabilities; and processing, exploitation, and dissemination (PED) capacities. Next, the analyst selects and configures ISR collection strategies to generate collection plans. The analyst then defines customizable measures of effectiveness or performance to compute during the experiment. Finally, the analyst empirically compares the efficacy of each solution and generates concise reports to document their conclusions, providing traceable evidence for acquisition decisions. Our capability demonstrates the utility of using a workbench environment for analysts to design and run experiments. Crafting impartial metrics enables the acquisition manager to focus on evaluating solutions based on specific military needs. Finally, the metric and collection plan visualizations provide an intuitive understanding of the suitability of particular solutions. This facilitates a more agile acquisition strategy that handles rapidly changing technology in response to current military needs.

Moving Beyond the Theoretical: Medical Students' Desire for Practical, Role-Specific Ethics Training.

PubMed

Stites, Shana D; Clapp, Justin; Gallagher, Stefanie; Fiester, Autumn

2018-05-04

Background It has been widely reported that medical trainees experience situations with profound ethical implications during their clinical rotations. To address this most U.S. medical schools include ethics curricula in their undergraduate programs. However, the content of these curricula vary substantially. Our pilot study aimed to discover, from the students' perspective, how ethics pedagogy prepares medical students for clerkship and what gaps might remain. This qualitative study organized focus groups of third- and fourth-year medical students. Participants recounted ethical concerns encountered during clerkship rotations and reflected on how their medical school ethics curriculum informed their responses to these scenarios. Transcripts of the focus group sessions were analyzed using a grounded theory approach to identify common themes that characterized the students' experiences. While students' accounts demonstrated a solid grasp of ethical theory and attunement to ethical concerns presented in the clinic, they also consistently evinced an inability to act on these issues given clerks' particular position in a complex learning hierarchy. Students felt they received too little training in the role-specific application of medical ethics as clinical trainees. We found a desire among trainees for enhanced practical ethics training in preparation for the clerkship phase of medical education. We recommend several strategies that can begin to address these findings. The use of roleplaying with standardized patients can enable students to practice engagement with ethical issues. Conventional ethics courses can focus more on action-based pedagogy and instruction in conflict management techniques. Finally, clear structures for reporting and seeking advice and support for addressing ethical issues can lessen students' apprehension to act on ethical concerns.

The FASES instrument development and experiment preparation for the ISS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picker, Gerold; Gollinger, Klaus; Greger, Ralf; Dettmann, Jan; Winter, Josef; Dewandre, Thierry; Castiglione, Luigi; Vincent-Bonnieu, Sebastien; Liggieri, Libero; Clausse, Daniele; Antoni, Mickael

The FASES experiments target the investigation of the stability of emulsions. The main objec-tives are the study of the surfactant adsorption at the liquid / liquid interfaces, the interaction of the droplets as well as the behaviour of the liquid film between nearby drops. Particular focus is given to the dynamic droplet evolution during emulsion destabilisation. The results of the experiments shall support development of methods for the modelling of droplet size distri-butions, which are important to many industries using stable emulsions like food production, cosmetics and pharmaceutics or unstable emulsions as required for applications in waste water treatment or crude oil recovery. The development of the experimental instrumentation was initiated in 2002. The flight instru-ment hardware development was started in 2004 and finally the flight unit was completed in 2009. Currently the final flight preparation is proceeding targeting a launch to the International Space Station (ISS) with Progress 39P in September 2010. The experiment setup of the instrument is accommodated in a box type insert called Experiment Container (EC), which will be installed in the Fluid Science Laboratory part of the European Columbus module of the ISS. The EC is composed of two diagnostics instruments for the investigation of transparent and opaque liquid emulsion. The transparent emulsions will be subject to the experiment called "Investigations on drop/drop interactions in Transparent Emulsions" (ITEM). The opaque emulsion samples will be studied in the experiment called "Investigations on concentrated or opaque Emulsions and on Phase Inversions" (EMPI). The thermal conditioning unit (TCU) allows performing homogeneous thermalization, tem-perature sweeps, emulsion preparation by stirrer, and optical diagnostics with a scanning mi-croscope. The objective of the instrument is the 3D reconstruction of the emulsion droplet distribution in the liquid matrix in terms of the droplet sizes, location and their time depen-dent evolution. The TCU will be used for the stability experiment ITEM-S and the droplet freezing experiment ITEM-F. The Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) will give an information about the evolution of the emulsion through the droplet size distribution and the dispersion state of the droplets within the emulsion during a controlled temperature sweep by measuring the latent heat of droplet freezing and melting during the EMPI experiments. For this purpose the calorimeter is equipped with a reference sample filled with a pure liquid matrix and a similar measurement sample filled with the specific emulsion under investigation. The differential heat flux between measurement sample and reference sample is measured with a sensitive heat flux sensor. Each instrument is serviced by a robotic sample stowage system, which accommodates in total 44 different ITEM and EMPI emulsion samples each filled with a specific composition of the emulsion. Currently the flight preparation is ongoing with particular focus on the preparation of the emulsion flight sample set and the instrument's operating parameters. The FASES flight instrument was developed by ASTRIUM Space Transportation Germany with support of RUAG Aerospace Wallisellen under ESA / ESTEC contract. The science team of FASES is supported by ESA/ESTEC (Microgravity Application Programme, AO99-052).

Lived experiences of self-reported science-anxious students taking an interdisciplinary undergraduate science course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minger, Mark Austin

Having fears and frustrations while studying science topics can lead to science anxiety for some individuals. For those who experience science learning anxiety, the reality is often poor performance, lowered self-esteem, anger, and avoidance of further science courses. Using an interpretive approach, this study captures the experiences of five self-reported science anxious students as they participate in an interdisciplinary science course at the University of Minnesota. A series of three in-depth interviews were conducted with five students who were enrolled in the "Our Changing Planet" course offered at the University of Minnesota. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed thematically. Four major themes emerged from the interviews. Two of the themes involve the realities of being a science anxious student. These focus on participants' experiences of feeling frustrated, anxious and incompetent when studying both math and science; and the experiences of trying to learn science content that does not seem relevant to them. The last two themes highlight the participants' perceptions of their experiences during the "Our Changing Planet" course, including how the course seemed different from previous science courses as well as their learning experiences in cooperative groups. After presenting the themes, with supporting quotations, each theme is linked to the related literature. The essence of the participants' science anxiety experiences is presented and practical implications regarding science anxious students are discussed. Finally, insights gained and suggestions for further research are provided.

"My midwife said that having a glass of red wine was actually better for the baby": a focus group study of women and their partner's knowledge and experiences relating to alcohol consumption in pregnancy.

PubMed

Crawford-Williams, Fiona; Steen, Mary; Esterman, Adrian; Fielder, Andrea; Mikocka-Walus, Antonina

2015-04-01

While it is well established that alcohol can cross the placenta to the foetus and can affect an infant's development, many women continue to drink during pregnancy. For this reason it is important to determine what information is being provided, what information may be missing, and the preferred sources of information on this issue. In order to improve prevention strategies, we sought to understand the knowledge and experiences of pregnant women and their partners regarding the effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The current study utilised a qualitative study design in order to gain insight into the views and experiences of pregnant women, newly delivered mothers and their partners. Focus groups examined the participant's knowledge about the effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, the sources of information on this issue, and the psycho-social influences on their drinking behaviour. Five focus groups were conducted involving a total of 21 participants (17 female). A six-stage thematic analysis framework was used to analyse all focus group discussions in a systematic way. Seven major themes were identified from the focus group data: 1) knowledge of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders; 2) message content and sources; 3) healthcare system; 4) society and culture; 5) partner role; 6) evaluation of risk; and 7) motivation. The findings indicated that although the majority of participants knew not to drink alcohol in pregnancy they had limited information on the specific harmful effects. In addition, routine enquiry and the provision of information by health care professionals were seen as lacking. The findings of this research provide important insights in to the relationship between pregnant women, their partners, and their healthcare providers. Several recommendations can be made on the basis of these findings. Firstly, public health messages and educational materials need to provide clear and consistent information about the effects of alcohol consumption on the developing baby. Additionally, more thorough and consistent routine enquiry for alcohol consumption in pregnant women needs to occur. Finally, it is important to ensure ongoing education for health professionals on the issue of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Cognitive penetrability and emotion recognition in human facial expressions

PubMed Central

Marchi, Francesco

2015-01-01

Do our background beliefs, desires, and mental images influence our perceptual experience of the emotions of others? In this paper, we will address the possibility of cognitive penetration (CP) of perceptual experience in the domain of social cognition. In particular, we focus on emotion recognition based on the visual experience of facial expressions. After introducing the current debate on CP, we review examples of perceptual adaptation for facial expressions of emotion. This evidence supports the idea that facial expressions are perceptually processed as wholes. That is, the perceptual system integrates lower-level facial features, such as eyebrow orientation, mouth angle etc., into facial compounds. We then present additional experimental evidence showing that in some cases, emotion recognition on the basis of facial expression is sensitive to and modified by the background knowledge of the subject. We argue that such sensitivity is best explained as a difference in the visual experience of the facial expression, not just as a modification of the judgment based on this experience. The difference in experience is characterized as the result of the interference of background knowledge with the perceptual integration process for faces. Thus, according to the best explanation, we have to accept CP in some cases of emotion recognition. Finally, we discuss a recently proposed mechanism for CP in the face-based recognition of emotion. PMID:26150796

Radiation fluxes at the FIFE site. Final report, 1 January 1991-31 July 1992

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

Walter-Shea, E.A.; Blad, B.L.; Zara, P.

1993-01-01

The main objective of the International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) has been stated as 'the development of techniques that may be applied to satellite observations of the radiation reflected and emitted from the Earth to yield quantitative information concerning land surface climatological conditions'. The major field study, FIFE (the First ISLSCP Field Experiment), was conducted in 1987-89 to accomplish this objective. Four intensive field campaigns (IFC's) were carried out in 1987 and one in 1989. Factors contributing to observed reflected radiation from the FIFE site must be understood before the radiation observed by satellites can be used tomore » quantify surface processes. Our last report (Walter-Shea et al.) focused on slope effects on incoming and outgoing shortwave radiation and net radiation from data collected in 1989. We report here on the final analysis of the slope data as well as results from thermal radiation studies conducted during the FIFE experiment. The specific areas reported are the following: (1) analysis of slope effects on measured reflectance values and estimates of surface albedo; (2) using remotely-measured surface temperatures as a means of estimating sensible heat flux from the Konza Prairie; (3) extracting canopy temperatures from remotely-measured composite surface temperatures; (4) modeling the measured composite temperature of partially vegetated surfaces; and (5) estimating gap distribution in partially vegetated surfaces from reflectance measurements.« less

Retrieval enhances eyewitness suggestibility to misinformation in free and cued recall.

PubMed

Wilford, Miko M; Chan, Jason C K; Tuhn, Sam J

2014-03-01

Immediately recalling a witnessed event can increase people's susceptibility to later postevent misinformation. But this retrieval-enhanced suggestibility (RES) effect has been shown only when the initial recall test included specific questions that reappeared on the final test. Moreover, it is unclear whether this phenomenon is affected by the centrality of event details. These limitations make it difficult to generalize RES to criminal investigations, which often begin with free recall prior to more specific queries from legal officials and attorneys. In 3 experiments, we examined the influence of test formats (free recall vs. cued recall) and centrality of event details (central vs. peripheral) on RES. In Experiment 1, both the initial and final tests were cued recall. In Experiment 2, the initial test was free recall and the final test was cued recall. In Experiment 3, both the initial and final tests were free recall. Initial testing increased misinformation reporting on the final test for peripheral details in all experiments, but the effect was significant for central details only after aggregating the data from all 3 experiments. These results show that initial free recall can produce RES, and more broadly, that free recall can potentiate subsequent learning of complex prose materials. © 2013 American Psychological Association

Changes in the dark focus of accommodation associated with simulator sickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fowlkes, Jennifer E.; Kennedy, Robert S.; Hettinger, Lawrence J.; Harm, Deborah L.

1993-01-01

The relationship between the dark focus of accommodation and simulator sickness, a form of motion sickness, was examined in three experiments. In Experiment 1, dark focus was measured in 18 college students in a laboratory setting before and after they viewed a projected motion scene depicting low altitude helicopter flight. In Experiments 2 and 3, dark focus was measured in pilots (N = 16 and 23, respectively) before and after they 'flew' in moving-base helicopter flight simulators with optical infinity CRT visual systems. The results showed that individuals who experienced simulator sickness had either an inward (myopic) change in dark focus (Experiments 1 and 3) or attenuated outward shifts in dark focus (Experiment 2) relative to participants who did not get sick. These results are consonant with the hypothesis that parasympathetic activity, which may be associated with simulator sickness, should result in changes in dark focus that are in a myopic direction. Night vision goggles, virtual environments, extended periods in microgravity, and heads-up displays all produce related visual symptomatology. Changes in dark focus may occur in these conditions, as well, and should be measured.

Integrated healthy workplace model: An experience from North Indian industry

PubMed Central

Thakur, Jarnail Singh; Bains, Puneet; Kar, Sitanshu Sekhar; Wadhwa, Sanjay; Moirangthem, Prabha; Kumar, Rajesh; Wadwalker, Sanjay; Sharma, Yashpal

2012-01-01

Background: Keeping in view of rapid industrialization and growing Indian economy, there has been a substantial increase in the workforce in India. Currently there is no organized workplace model for promoting health of industrial workers in India. Objective: To develop and implement a healthy workplace model in three industrial settings of North India. Materials and Methods: An operations research was conducted for 12 months in purposively selected three industries of Chandigarh. In phase I, a multi-stakeholder workshop was conducted to finalize the components and tools for the healthy workplace model. NCD risk factors were assessed in 947 employees in these three industries. In phase II, the healthy workplace model was implemented on pilot basis for a period of 12 months in these three industries to finalize the model. Findings: Healthy workplace committee with involvement of representatives of management, labor union and research organization was formed in three industries. Various tools like comprehensive and rapid healthy workplace assessment forms, NCD work-lite format for risk factors surveillance and monitoring and evaluation format were developed. The prevalence of tobacco use, ever alcoholics was found to be 17.8% and 47%, respectively. Around one-third (28%) of employees complained of back pain in the past 12 months. Healthy workplace model with focus on three key components (physical environment, psychosocial work environment, and promoting healthy habits) was developed, implemented on pilot basis, and finalized based on experience in participating industries. A stepwise approach for model with a core, expanded, and optional components were also suggested. An accreditation system is also required for promoting healthy workplace program. Conclusion: Integrated healthy workplace model is feasible, could be implemented in industrial setting in northern India and needs to be pilot tested in other parts of the country. PMID:23776318

Beam Spin Asymmetry Measurements for Two Pion Photoproduction at CLAS

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

Anderson, Mark D.

2015-09-01

The overarching goal of this analysis, and many like it, is to develop our understanding of the strong force interactions within the nucleon by examining the nature of their excitation spectra. As the resonances of these spectra have very short lifetimes (tau = 1x10 -23 s) and often have very similar masses, it is often impossible to directly observe resonances in the excitation spectra of nucleons. Polarization observables allow us to study the resonances by looking at how they affect the spin state of final state particles. The beam asymmetry is a polarization observable that allows us to detect themore » sensitivity of these resonances, and other transition mechanisms, to the electric vector orientation of incident photons. Presented in this thesis are first measurements of the beam asymmetries in the resonant region for the reaction channel pgamma p --> p π + π -focusing on the intermediate mesonic states rho^0 and f^0, and the final state pions. The analysis used data from the g8b experiment undertaken at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab), the first experiment at JLab to use a linearly polarized photon beam. Using the coherent Bremsstrahlung facility and the CLAS detector of Hall B at JLab allowed for many multi-channel reactions to be detected and the first measurements of many polarization observables including those presented here. A brief overview of the theoretical framework used to undertake this analysis is given, followed by a description of the experimental details of the facilities used, then a description of the calibration of the Bremsstrahlung tagging facility which the author undertook, and finally the analysis is presented and the resulting measurements.« less

Classification of autistic individuals and controls using cross-task characterization of fMRI activity

PubMed Central

Chanel, Guillaume; Pichon, Swann; Conty, Laurence; Berthoz, Sylvie; Chevallier, Coralie; Grèzes, Julie

2015-01-01

Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) has been applied successfully to task-based and resting-based fMRI recordings to investigate which neural markers distinguish individuals with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) from controls. While most studies have focused on brain connectivity during resting state episodes and regions of interest approaches (ROI), a wealth of task-based fMRI datasets have been acquired in these populations in the last decade. This calls for techniques that can leverage information not only from a single dataset, but from several existing datasets that might share some common features and biomarkers. We propose a fully data-driven (voxel-based) approach that we apply to two different fMRI experiments with social stimuli (faces and bodies). The method, based on Support Vector Machines (SVMs) and Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE), is first trained for each experiment independently and each output is then combined to obtain a final classification output. Second, this RFE output is used to determine which voxels are most often selected for classification to generate maps of significant discriminative activity. Finally, to further explore the clinical validity of the approach, we correlate phenotypic information with obtained classifier scores. The results reveal good classification accuracy (range between 69% and 92.3%). Moreover, we were able to identify discriminative activity patterns pertaining to the social brain without relying on a priori ROI definitions. Finally, social motivation was the only dimension which correlated with classifier scores, suggesting that it is the main dimension captured by the classifiers. Altogether, we believe that the present RFE method proves to be efficient and may help identifying relevant biomarkers by taking advantage of acquired task-based fMRI datasets in psychiatric populations. PMID:26793434

Evaluation for the design of experience in virtual environments: modeling breakdown of interaction and illusion.

PubMed

Marsh, T; Wright, P; Smith, S

2001-04-01

New and emerging media technologies have the potential to induce a variety of experiences in users. In this paper, it is argued that the inducement of experience presupposes that users are absorbed in the illusion created by these media. Looking to another successful visual medium, film, this paper borrows from the techniques used in "shaping experience" to hold spectators' attention in the illusion of film, and identifies what breaks the illusion/experience for spectators. This paper focuses on one medium, virtual reality (VR), and advocates a transparent or "invisible style" of interaction. We argue that transparency keeps users in the "flow" of their activities and consequently enhances experience in users. Breakdown in activities breaks the experience and subsequently provides opportunities to identify and analyze potential causes of usability problems. Adopting activity theory, we devise a model of interaction with VR--through consciousness and activity--and introduce the concept of breakdown in illusion. From this, a model of effective interaction with VR is devised and the occurrence of breakdown in interaction and illusion is identified along a continuum of engagement. Evaluation guidelines for the design of experience are proposed and applied to usability problems detected in an empirical study of a head-mounted display (HMD) VR system. This study shows that the guidelines are effective in the evaluation of VR. Finally, we look at the potential experiences that may be induced in users and propose a way to evaluate user experience in virtual environments (VEs) and other new and emerging media.

Cross-year peer tutoring on internal medicine wards: results of a qualitative focus group analysis.

PubMed

Krautter, Markus; Andreesen, Sven; Köhl-Hackert, Nadja; Hoffmann, Katja; Herzog, Wolfgang; Nikendei, Christoph

2014-01-01

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) has become a well-accepted teaching method within medical education. However, descriptions of on-ward PAL programs are rare. A focus group analysis of a newly established PAL program on an internal medicine ward was conducted to provide insights into PAL teaching from a student perspective. To provide insights into students' experiences regarding their on-ward training with and without accompanying PAL tutors. A total of N=168 medical students in their sixth semester participated in the investigation (intervention group: N=88; control group: N=80). The intervention group took part in the PAL program, while the control group received standard on-ward training. There were seven focus groups with N=43 participants (intervention group: four focus groups, N=28 participants; control group: three focus groups, N=15 participants). The discussions were analyzed using content analysis. The intervention group emphasized the role of the tutors as competent and well-trained teachers, most beneficial in supervising clinical skills. Tutors motivate students, help them to integrate into the ward team, and provide a non-fear-based working relationship whereby students' anxiety regarding working on ward decreases. The control group had to rely on autodidactic learning strategies when neither supervising physicians nor final-year students were available. On-ward PAL programs represent a particularly valuable tool for students' support in training clinical competencies on ward. The tutor-student working alliance acts through its flat hierarchy. Nevertheless, tutors cannot represent an adequate substitute for experienced physicians.

Teaching Undergraduate Students to Visualize and Communicate Public Health Data with Infographics

PubMed Central

Shanks, Justin D.; Izumi, Betty; Sun, Christina; Martin, Allea; Byker Shanks, Carmen

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the degree to which an infographic assignment facilitated student learning around health science issues, as well as the ways in which the assignment was an effective teaching tool. The objectives of the assignment were to (1) understand the purposes of and potential uses for infographics, (2) cultivate creative visual communication skills, and (3) disseminate a complex health topic to diverse audiences. The infographic assignment was developed at Montana State University and piloted at Portland State University. Students were assigned to small groups of three or four to create an infographic focused on a health science issue. The assignment was divided into four steps: brainstorming, developing, designing, and finalizing. Focus groups were conducted to assess how learning occurred throughout the assignment and identify any opportunities for modification of the assignment. This study was conducted with freshman students enrolled at Portland State University, a public university located in downtown Portland, OR, USA. Thirty four students completed the assignment and 31 students participated in one of three focus groups. Four themes emerged from focus groups: (1) Communicating Science-Related Topics to Non-experts, (2) Developing Professional Skills, (3) Understanding Health Issues, and (4) Overall Experience. This article outlines the assignment, discusses focus group results, and presents assignment modifications. It is clear that the infographic assignment facilitated learning about accessing and translating data. This assignment is ideally suited for use with diverse college-age audiences in health education and health promotion fields. PMID:29226120

Teaching Undergraduate Students to Visualize and Communicate Public Health Data with Infographics.

PubMed

Shanks, Justin D; Izumi, Betty; Sun, Christina; Martin, Allea; Byker Shanks, Carmen

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the degree to which an infographic assignment facilitated student learning around health science issues, as well as the ways in which the assignment was an effective teaching tool. The objectives of the assignment were to (1) understand the purposes of and potential uses for infographics, (2) cultivate creative visual communication skills, and (3) disseminate a complex health topic to diverse audiences. The infographic assignment was developed at Montana State University and piloted at Portland State University. Students were assigned to small groups of three or four to create an infographic focused on a health science issue. The assignment was divided into four steps: brainstorming, developing, designing, and finalizing. Focus groups were conducted to assess how learning occurred throughout the assignment and identify any opportunities for modification of the assignment. This study was conducted with freshman students enrolled at Portland State University, a public university located in downtown Portland, OR, USA. Thirty four students completed the assignment and 31 students participated in one of three focus groups. Four themes emerged from focus groups: (1) Communicating Science-Related Topics to Non-experts, (2) Developing Professional Skills, (3) Understanding Health Issues, and (4) Overall Experience. This article outlines the assignment, discusses focus group results, and presents assignment modifications. It is clear that the infographic assignment facilitated learning about accessing and translating data. This assignment is ideally suited for use with diverse college-age audiences in health education and health promotion fields.

Presence in Video-Mediated Interactions: Case Studies at CSIRO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alem, Leila

Although telepresence and a sense of connectedness with others are frequently mentioned in media space studies, as far as we know, none of these studies report attempts at assessing this critical aspect of user experience. While some attempts have been made to measure presence in virtual reality or augmented reality, (a comprehensive review of existing measures is available in Baren and Ijsselsteijn [2004]), very little work has been reported in measuring presence in video-mediated collaboration systems. Traditional studies of video-mediated collaboration have mostly focused their evaluation on measures of task performance and user satisfaction. Videoconferencing systems can be seen as a type of media space; they rely on technologies of audio, video, and computing put together to create an environment extending the embodied mind. This chapter reports on a set of video-mediated collaboration studies conducted at CSIRO in which different aspects of presence are being investigated. The first study reports the sense of physical presence a specialist doctor experiences when engaged in a remote consultation of a patient using the virtual critical care unit (Alem et al., 2006). The Viccu system is an “always-on” system connecting two hospitals (Li et al., 2006). The presence measure focuses on the extent to which users of videoconferencing systems feel physically present in the remote location. The second study reports the sense of social presence users experience when playing a game of charades with remote partners using a video conference link (Kougianous et al., 2006). In this study the presence measure focuses on the extent to which users feel connected with their remote partners. The third study reports the sense of copresence users experience when building collaboratively a piece of Lego toy (Melo and Alem, 2007). The sense of copresence is the extent to which users feel present with their remote partner. In this final study the sense of copresence is investigated by looking at the word used by users when referring to the physical objects they are manipulating during their interaction as well as when referring to locations in the collaborative workspace. We believe that such efforts provide a solid stepping stone for evaluating and analyzing future media spaces.

Talking Physics: Two Case Studies on Short Answers and Self-explanation in Learning Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badeau, Ryan C.

This thesis explores two case studies into the use of short answers and self-explanation to improve student learning in physics. The first set of experiments focuses on the role of short answer questions in the context of computer-based instruction. Through a series of six experiments, we compare and evaluate the performance of computer-assessed short answer questions versus multiple choice for training conceptual topics in physics, controlling for feedback between the two formats. In addition to finding overall similar improvements on subsequent student performance and retention, we identify unique differences in how students interact with the treatments in terms of time spent on feedback and performance on follow-up short answer assessment. In addition, we identify interactions between the level of interactivity of the training, question format, and student attitudinal ratings of each respective training. The second case study focuses on the use of worked examples in the context of multi-concept physics problems - which we call "synthesis problems." For this part of the thesis, four experiments were designed to evaluate the effectiveness of two instructional methods employing worked examples on student performance with synthesis problems; these instructional techniques, analogical comparison and self-explanation, have previously been studied primarily in the context of single-concept problems. As such, the work presented here represents a novel focus on extending these two techniques to this class of more complicated physics problem. Across the four experiments, both self-explanation and certain kinds of analogical comparison of worked examples significantly improved student performance on a target synthesis problem, with distinct improvements in recognition of the relevant concepts. More specifically, analogical comparison significantly improved student performance when the comparisons were invoked between worked synthesis examples. In contrast, similar comparisons between corresponding pairs of worked single-concept examples did not significantly improve performance. On a more complicated synthesis problem, self-explanation was significantly more effective than analogical comparison, potentially due to differences in how successfully students encoded the full structure of the worked examples. Finally, we find that the two techniques can be combined for additional benefit, with the trade-off of slightly more time-on-task.

Crossing professional barriers with peer-assisted learning: undergraduate midwifery students teaching undergraduate paramedic students.

PubMed

McLelland, Gayle; McKenna, Lisa; French, Jill

2013-07-01

Peer assisted learning (PAL) has been shown in undergraduate programmes to be as effective as learning from instructors. PAL is a shared experience between two learners often with one being more senior to the other but usually both are studying within the same discipline. Interprofessional education occurs when two or more professionals learn with, from and about each other. Benefits of PAL in an interprofessional context have not been previously explored. As part of a final year education unit, midwifery students at Monash University developed workshops for second year undergraduate paramedic students. The workshops focused on care required during and after the birth of the baby. To investigate the benefits of an interprofessional PAL for both midwifery and paramedic students. Data for this project were obtained by both quantitative and qualitative methods. Questionnaires were distributed to both cohorts of students to explore experiences of peer teaching and learning. Results were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Focus groups were conducted separately with both cohorts of students and transcripts analysed using a thematic approach. Response rates from the midwifery and paramedic students were 64.9% and 44.0% respectively. The majority of students regardless of discipline enjoyed the interprofessional activity and wanted more opportunities in their curricula. After initial anxieties about teaching into another discipline, 97.3 (n = 36) of midwifery students thought the experience was worthwhile and personally rewarding. Of the paramedic students, 76.9% (n = 60) reported enjoying the interaction. The focus groups supported and added to the quantitative findings. Both midwifery and paramedic students had a new-found respect and understanding for each other's disciplines. Midwifery students were unaware of the limited knowledge paramedics had around childbirth. Paramedic students admired the depth of knowledge displayed by the midwifery students. This study indicates both educational and professional benefits for undergraduate students from different disciplines having shared PAL activities. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fukushima's lessons from the blue butterfly: A risk assessment of the human living environment in the post-Fukushima era.

PubMed

Otaki, Joji M

2016-10-01

A series of studies on the pale grass blue butterfly that were carried out to assess the biological effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident teach 3 important lessons. First, it is necessary to have an environmental indicator species, such as the pale grass blue butterfly in Japan, that is common (not endangered), shares a living environment (air, water, and soil) with humans, and is amenable to laboratory experiments. The monitoring of such indicator species before and immediately after a nuclear accident likely reflects acute impacts caused by initial exposure. To assess transgenerational and chronic effects, continuous monitoring over time is encouraged. Second, it is important to understand the actual health status of a polluted region and comprehend the whole picture of the pollution impacts, rather than focusing on the selected effects of radiation alone. In our butterfly experiments, plant leaves from Fukushima were fed to larval butterflies to access whole-body effects, focusing on survival rate and morphological abnormalities (rather than focusing on a specific disease or biochemical marker). Our results revealed that ionizing radiation is unlikely to be the exclusive source of environmental disturbances. Airborne particulate matter from a nuclear reactor, regardless of its radioactivity, is likely equally important. Finally, our butterfly experiments demonstrate that there is considerable variation in sensitivities to nuclear pollution within a single species or even within a local population. Based on these results, it is speculated that high pollution sensitivity in humans may be caused not only by low levels of functional DNA repair enzymes but also by immunological responses to particulate matter in the respiratory tract. These lessons from the pale grass blue butterfly should be integrated in studying future nuclear pollution events and decision making on nuclear and environmental policies at the local and international levels in the postFukushima era. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:667-672. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Examining Theory-Based Behavior-Change Constructs, Social Interaction, and Sociability Features of the Weight Watchers' Online Community.

PubMed

Wang, Ye; Willis, Erin

2016-12-01

Objective To examine whether and to what extent relevant and meaningful discussions of weight loss occurred in the Weight Watchers' online community, and whether and to what extent the online community is designed for fostering such discussions. A multimethod approach was used here. First, a quantitative content analysis was conducted on 320 posts from 64 threads sampled from WeightWatchers.com's message boards between December 1, 2011, and January 31, 2012. The coding categories included constructs from the health belief model, the planned behavior theory, and the theory of self-efficacy. An acceptable level of intercoder reliability was reached; frequencies, cluster analysis, and t test were reported. Second, a conventional content analysis of the posts was conducted. The posts were examined for themes and patterns within the discussion. Finally, the researchers examined the sociability features of the message boards. The qualitative review followed established procedures and was conducted independently by four researchers. Mastery experience occurred in 46% of the posts. Threads focusing on physical activities contained more perceived barriers, mastery experiences, and verbal persuasion than other types of threads. Posts focusing on diet included unanswered questions about dieting practices with certain medical conditions. Posts focusing on mastery experience celebrated any small step toward success. Posts irrelevant to weight loss mostly contained events and happenings in members' lives. The sociability review revealed a lack of moderation. The Weight Watchers' online community included much discussion about weight loss. Findings suggest that physical activities require more encouragement than dieting. Health educators have an opportunity to interject and moderate meaningful discussions. For example, dieting with certain medical conditions, opinions on various diets, and the relationship between dieting and being healthy are opportunities to facilitate learning. Discussion posts irrelevant to weight loss help build social relationships. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Light for the quantum. Entangled photons and their applications: a very personal perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeilinger, Anton

2017-07-01

The quantum physics of light is a most fascinating field. Here I present a very personal viewpoint, focusing on my own path to quantum entanglement and then on to applications. I have been fascinated by quantum physics ever since I heard about it for the first time in school. The theory struck me immediately for two reasons: (1) its immense mathematical beauty, and (2) the unparalleled precision to which its predictions have been verified again and again. Particularly fascinating for me were the predictions of quantum mechanics for individual particles, individual quantum systems. Surprisingly, the experimental realization of many of these fundamental phenomena has led to novel ideas for applications. Starting from my early experiments with neutrons, I later became interested in quantum entanglement, initially focusing on multi-particle entanglement like GHZ states. This work opened the experimental possibility to do quantum teleportation and quantum hyper-dense coding. The latter became the first entanglement-based quantum experiment breaking a classical limitation. One of the most fascinating phenomena is entanglement swapping, the teleportation of an entangled state. This phenomenon is fundamentally interesting because it can entangle two pairs of particles which do not share any common past. Surprisingly, it also became an important ingredient in a number of applications, including quantum repeaters which will connect future quantum computers with each other. Another application is entanglement-based quantum cryptography where I present some recent long-distance experiments. Entanglement swapping has also been applied in very recent so-called loophole-free tests of Bell’s theorem. Within the physics community such loophole-free experiments are perceived as providing nearly definitive proof that local realism is untenable. While, out of principle, local realism can never be excluded entirely, the 2015 achievements narrow down the remaining possibilities for local realistic explanations of the quantum phenomenon of entanglement in a significant way. These experiments may go down in the history books of science. Future experiments will address particularly the freedom-of-choice loophole using cosmic sources of randomness. Such experiments confirm that unconditionally secure quantum cryptography is possible, since quantum cryptography based on Bell’s theorem can provide unconditional security. The fact that the experiments were loophole-free proves that an eavesdropper cannot avoid detection in an experiment that correctly follows the protocol. I finally discuss some recent experiments with single- and entangled-photon states in higher dimensions. Such experiments realized quantum entanglement between two photons, each with quantum numbers beyond 10 000 and also simultaneous entanglement of two photons where each carries more than 100 dimensions. Thus they offer the possibility of quantum communication with more than one bit or qubit per photon. The paper concludes discussing Einstein’s contributions and viewpoints of quantum mechanics. Even if some of his positions are not supported by recent experiments, he has to be given credit for the fact that his analysis of fundamental issues gave rise to developments which led to a new information technology. Finally, I reflect on some of the lessons learned by the fact that nature cannot be local, that objective randomness exists and about the emergence of a classical world. It is suggestive that information plays a fundamental role also in the foundations of quantum physics.

Numerical simulation and experimentation of adjusting the curvatures of micro-cantilevers using the water-confined laser-generated plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Chunxing; Shen, Zongbao; Liu, Huixia; Li, Pin; Lu, Mengmeng; Zhao, Yinxin; Wang, Xiao

2013-04-01

This paper describes a precise and non-contact adjustment technique using the water-confined laser-generated plasma to adjust the curvature of micro-components (micro-mechanical cantilevers). A series of laser shock micro-adjustment experiments were conducted on 0.4 mm-thick Al samples using pulsed Nd:YAG lasers operating at 1064 nm wavelengths to verify the technical feasibility. Systematic study was carried out in the term of effects of various factors on the adjusting results, including laser energies, laser focus positions, laser shock times and confined regime configuration. The research results have shown that the different bending angles and bending directions can be obtained by changing the laser processing parameters. And, for the adjustment process, the absence of confined regime configuration could also generate suitable bending deformation. But, in the case of larger energy, the final surfaces would have the sign of ablation, hence resulting in poor surface quality. An analysis procedure including dynamic analysis performed by ANSYS/LS-DYNA and static analysis performed by ANSYS is presented in detail to attain the simulation of laser shock micro-adjustment to predict the final bending deformation. The predicted bending profiles is well correlated with the available experimental data, showing the finite element analysis can predict the final curvatures of the micro-cantilevers properly.

Fertilisation in the horse and paracrine signalling in the oviduct.

PubMed

Goudet, Ghylène

2011-01-01

The mammalian oviduct plays a crucial role in the preparation of gametes for fertilisation (transport and final maturation) and fertilisation itself. An increasing number of studies offers a comprehensive overview of the functions of the oviduct and its secretions, but this topic has had limited investigation in the horse. Limited data are available on the final oocyte maturation in the equine oviduct. However, in vitro and in vivo systems have been established to analyse the influence of equine oviduct epithelial cells (OEC) during maturation on the potential of oocytes for fertilisation and development. Most studies focus on the role of the oviduct in equine sperm function, such as spermatozoa transport, attachment to oviduct epithelium, viability, motility and capacitation. Moreover, some possible candidate molecules for sperm-oviducal interactions have been identified in the horse. Finally, the low efficiency of conventional in vitro fertilisation and the in vivo fertilisation of equine oocytes transferred into the oviduct of an inseminated mare predicted an influence of oviduct in equine fertilisation. Actually, in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated a role of the oviduct in equine fertilisation. Moreover, recent studies showed a beneficial effect of homologous and heterologous OEC on equine in vitro fertilisation, and some candidate molecules have been studied.

The development and initial validation of a questionnaire to measure help-seeking behaviour in patients with new onset rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Stack, Rebecca J; Mallen, Christian D; Deighton, Chris; Kiely, Patrick; Shaw, Karen L; Booth, Alison; Kumar, Kanta; Thomas, Susan; Rowan, Ian; Horne, Rob; Nightingale, Peter; Herron-Marx, Sandy; Jinks, Clare; Raza, Karim

2015-12-01

Early treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is vital. However, people often delay in seeking help at symptom onset. An assessment of the reasons behind patient delay is necessary to develop interventions to promote rapid consultation. Using a mixed methods design, we aimed to develop and test a questionnaire to assess the barriers to help seeking at RA onset. Questionnaire items were extracted from previous qualitative studies. Fifteen people with a lived experience of arthritis participated in focus groups to enhance the questionnaire's face validity. The questionnaire was also reviewed by groups of multidisciplinary health-care professionals. A test-retest survey of 41 patients with newly presenting RA or unclassified arthritis assessed the questionnaire items' intraclass correlations. During focus groups, participants rephrased questions, added questions and deleted items not relevant to the questionnaire's aims. Participants organized items into themes: early symptom experience, initial reactions to symptoms, self-management behaviours, causal beliefs, involvement of significant others, pre-diagnosis knowledge about RA, direct barriers to seeking help and relationship with GP. The test-retest survey identified seven items (out of 79) with low intraclass correlations which were removed from the final questionnaire. The involvement of people with a lived experience of arthritis and multidisciplinary health-care professionals in the preliminary validation of the DELAY (delays in evaluating arthritis early) questionnaire has enriched its development. Preliminary assessment established its reliability. The DELAY questionnaire provides a tool for researchers to evaluate individual, cultural and health service barriers to help-seeking behaviour at RA onset. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Validation of a Statistical Methodology for Extracting Vegetation Feedbacks: Focus on North African Ecosystems in the Community Earth System Model

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

Yu, Yan; Notaro, Michael; Wang, Fuyao

Generalized equilibrium feedback assessment (GEFA) is a potentially valuable multivariate statistical tool for extracting vegetation feedbacks to the atmosphere in either observations or coupled Earth system models. The reliability of GEFA at capturing the terrestrial impacts on regional climate is demonstrated in this paper using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Earth System Model (CESM), with focus on North Africa. The feedback is assessed statistically by applying GEFA to output from a fully coupled control run. To reduce the sampling error caused by short data records, the traditional or full GEFA is refined through stepwise GEFA by dropping unimportantmore » forcings. Two ensembles of dynamical experiments are developed for the Sahel or West African monsoon region against which GEFA-based vegetation feedbacks are evaluated. In these dynamical experiments, regional leaf area index (LAI) is modified either alone or in conjunction with soil moisture, with the latter runs motivated by strong regional soil moisture–LAI coupling. Stepwise GEFA boasts higher consistency between statistically and dynamically assessed atmospheric responses to land surface anomalies than full GEFA, especially with short data records. GEFA-based atmospheric responses are more consistent with the coupled soil moisture–LAI experiments, indicating that GEFA is assessing the combined impacts of coupled vegetation and soil moisture. Finally, both the statistical and dynamical assessments reveal a negative vegetation–rainfall feedback in the Sahel associated with an atmospheric stability mechanism in CESM versus a weaker positive feedback in the West African monsoon region associated with a moisture recycling mechanism in CESM.« less

Qualitative Development of a Discrete Choice Experiment for Physical Activity Interventions to Improve Knee Osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Pinto, Daniel; Danilovich, Margaret K; Hansen, Paul; Finn, Daniel J; Chang, Rowland W; Holl, Jane L; Heinemann, Allen W; Bockenholt, Ulf

2017-06-01

To describe the qualitative process used to develop attributes and attribute levels for inclusion in a discrete choice experiments (DCE) for older adult physical activity interventions. Five focus groups (n=41) were conducted, grounded in the Health Action Process Approach framework. Discussion emphasized identification and prioritization attributes for a DCE on physical activity. Semi-structured interviews (n=6) investigated attribute levels and lay-language for the DCE. A focus group with physical activity researchers and health care providers was the final stakeholder group used to establish a comprehensive approach for the generation of attributes and levels. A DCE pilot test (n=8) was then conducted with individuals of the target patient population. All transcripts were analyzed using a constant comparative approach. General community and university-based research setting. Volunteers (N=55) aged >45 years with knee pain, aches, or stiffness for at least 1 month over the previous 12 months. Not applicable. Interview guides, attributes, attribute levels, and discrete choice experiment. The most influential identified attributes for physical activity were time, effort, cost, convenience, enjoyment, and health benefits. Each attribute had 3 levels that were understandable in the pilot test of the DCE. The identification of 6 physical activity attributes that are most salient to adults with knee osteoarthritis resulted from a systematic qualitative process, including attribute-ranking exercises. A DCE will provide insight into the relative importance of these attributes for participating in physical activity, which can guide intervention development. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An epidemiological perspective of personalized medicine: the Estonian experience

PubMed Central

Milani, L; Leitsalu, L; Metspalu, A

2015-01-01

Milani L, Leitsalu L, Metspalu A (University of Tartu). An epidemiological perspective of personalized medicine: the Estonian experience (Review). J Intern Med 2015; 277: 188–200. The Estonian Biobank and several other biobanks established over a decade ago are now starting to yield valuable longitudinal follow-up data for large numbers of individuals. These samples have been used in hundreds of different genome-wide association studies, resulting in the identification of reliable disease-associated variants. The focus of genomic research has started to shift from identifying genetic and nongenetic risk factors associated with common complex diseases to understanding the underlying mechanisms of the diseases and suggesting novel targets for therapy. However, translation of findings from genomic research into medical practice is still lagging, mainly due to insufficient evidence of clinical validity and utility. In this review, we examine the different elements required for the implementation of personalized medicine based on genomic information. First, biobanks and genome centres are required and have been established for the high-throughput genomic screening of large numbers of samples. Secondly, the combination of susceptibility alleles into polygenic risk scores has improved risk prediction of cardiovascular disease, breast cancer and several other diseases. Finally, national health information systems are being developed internationally, to combine data from electronic medical records from different sources, and also to gradually incorporate genomic information. We focus on the experience in Estonia, one of several countries with national goals towards more personalized health care based on genomic information, where the unique combination of elements required to accomplish this goal are already in place. PMID:25339628

Validation of a Statistical Methodology for Extracting Vegetation Feedbacks: Focus on North African Ecosystems in the Community Earth System Model

DOE PAGES

Yu, Yan; Notaro, Michael; Wang, Fuyao; ...

2018-02-05

Generalized equilibrium feedback assessment (GEFA) is a potentially valuable multivariate statistical tool for extracting vegetation feedbacks to the atmosphere in either observations or coupled Earth system models. The reliability of GEFA at capturing the terrestrial impacts on regional climate is demonstrated in this paper using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Earth System Model (CESM), with focus on North Africa. The feedback is assessed statistically by applying GEFA to output from a fully coupled control run. To reduce the sampling error caused by short data records, the traditional or full GEFA is refined through stepwise GEFA by dropping unimportantmore » forcings. Two ensembles of dynamical experiments are developed for the Sahel or West African monsoon region against which GEFA-based vegetation feedbacks are evaluated. In these dynamical experiments, regional leaf area index (LAI) is modified either alone or in conjunction with soil moisture, with the latter runs motivated by strong regional soil moisture–LAI coupling. Stepwise GEFA boasts higher consistency between statistically and dynamically assessed atmospheric responses to land surface anomalies than full GEFA, especially with short data records. GEFA-based atmospheric responses are more consistent with the coupled soil moisture–LAI experiments, indicating that GEFA is assessing the combined impacts of coupled vegetation and soil moisture. Finally, both the statistical and dynamical assessments reveal a negative vegetation–rainfall feedback in the Sahel associated with an atmospheric stability mechanism in CESM versus a weaker positive feedback in the West African monsoon region associated with a moisture recycling mechanism in CESM.« less

Generalized theory of semiflexible polymers.

PubMed

Wiggins, Paul A; Nelson, Philip C

2006-03-01

DNA bending on length scales shorter than a persistence length plays an integral role in the translation of genetic information from DNA to cellular function. Quantitative experimental studies of these biological systems have led to a renewed interest in the polymer mechanics relevant for describing the conformational free energy of DNA bending induced by protein-DNA complexes. Recent experimental results from DNA cyclization studies have cast doubt on the applicability of the canonical semiflexible polymer theory, the wormlike chain (WLC) model, to DNA bending on biologically relevant length scales. This paper develops a theory of the chain statistics of a class of generalized semiflexible polymer models. Our focus is on the theoretical development of these models and the calculation of experimental observables. To illustrate our methods, we focus on a specific, illustrative model of DNA bending. We show that the WLC model generically describes the long-length-scale chain statistics of semiflexible polymers, as predicted by renormalization group arguments. In particular, we show that either the WLC or our present model adequately describes force-extension, solution scattering, and long-contour-length cyclization experiments, regardless of the details of DNA bend elasticity. In contrast, experiments sensitive to short-length-scale chain behavior can in principle reveal dramatic departures from the linear elastic behavior assumed in the WLC model. We demonstrate this explicitly by showing that our toy model can reproduce the anomalously large short-contour-length cyclization factors recently measured by Cloutier and Widom. Finally, we discuss the applicability of these models to DNA chain statistics in the context of future experiments.

Use of robotics for nondestructive inspection of steel highway bridges and structures : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-01

This report presents the results of a project to finalize and apply a crawling robotic system for the remote visual inspection of high-mast light poles. The first part of the project focused on finalizing the prototype crawler robot hardware and cont...

Women's experiences of three early miscarriage management options a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Smith, Lindsay F; Frost, Julia; Levitas, Ruth; Bradley, Harriet; Garcia, Jo

2006-01-01

Background Miscarriage affects around one in six pregnancies. Much research has taken place identifying the consequences of this for parents but is mainly quantitative. Of the limited qualitative studies, none have explored women's experiences of the methods of miscarriage management received. Aim To assess the social and personal impact of different management methods (expectant, medical and surgical) on women's experience of first trimester miscarriage. Design of study Qualitative interviews using a topic guide with a purposive cohort of four categories of women (each management method plus non-participants) 6 months to 1 year after first trimester miscarriage. Focus groups with both research participants and health workers. Setting Women from three hospitals in the South West of England that participated in the Miscarriage Treatment (MIST) trial. Method Seventy-two interviews were undertaken between September 1999 and June 2000. There were also five focus groups (47 participants) and two feedback sessions (8 participants) with written feedback from 12 women. Interviews lasted 0.5–2.5 hours generating over 2000 A4 pages of transcripts. The transcripts were analysed for common themes, using standard proformas, which were filled in by individual team members and then discussed by the whole research team. Iterative readings in the light of new emerging issues ensured that new themes could be identified throughout the analytical process. All transcripts were then encoded for the identified themes using NUDIST. Results Common themes emerged across all management options although some were specific to just one or two management options. The five major themes arising out of the data analysis were: intervention; experiences of care; finality; the ‘baby’; and pain and bleeding. Conclusions Women's experiences and beliefs vary widely and their preferences need to be considered in their early miscarriage management. The three methods have different benefits and problems from the women's point of view. Competence and caring from professionals are especially important. PMID:16536960

Women's experiences of three early miscarriage management options: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Smith, Lindsay F; Frost, Julia; Levitas, Ruth; Bradley, Harriet; Garcia, Jo

2006-03-01

Miscarriage affects around one in six pregnancies. Much research has taken place identifying the consequences of this for parents but is mainly quantitative. Of the limited qualitative studies, none have explored women's experiences of the methods of miscarriage management received. To assess the social and personal impact of different management methods (expectant, medical and surgical) on women's experience of first trimester miscarriage. Qualitative interviews using a topic guide with a purposive cohort of four categories of women (each management method plus non-participants) 6 months to 1 year after first trimester miscarriage. Focus groups with both research participants and health workers. Women from three hospitals in the South West of England that participated in the Miscarriage Treatment (MIST) trial. Seventy-two interviews were undertaken between September 1999 and June 2000. There were also five focus groups (47 participants) and two feedback sessions (8 participants) with written feedback from 12 women. Interviews lasted 0.5-2.5 hours generating over 2000 A4 pages of transcripts. The transcripts were analysed for common themes, using standard proformas, which were filled in by individual team members and then discussed by the whole research team. Iterative readings in the light of new emerging issues ensured that new themes could be identified throughout the analytical process. All transcripts were then encoded for the identified themes using NUDIST. Common themes emerged across all management options although some were specific to just one or two management options. The five major themes arising out of the data analysis were: intervention; experiences of care; finality; the 'baby'; and pain and bleeding. Women's experiences and beliefs vary widely and their preferences need to be considered in their early miscarriage management. The three methods have different benefits and problems from the women's point of view. Competence and caring from professionals are especially important.

Multi-acoustic lens design methodology for a low cost C-scan photoacoustic imaging camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinni, Bhargava; Han, Zichao; Brown, Nicholas; Vallejo, Pedro; Jacobs, Tess; Knox, Wayne; Dogra, Vikram; Rao, Navalgund

2016-03-01

We have designed and implemented a novel acoustic lens based focusing technology into a prototype photoacoustic imaging camera. All photoacoustically generated waves from laser exposed absorbers within a small volume get focused simultaneously by the lens onto an image plane. We use a multi-element ultrasound transducer array to capture the focused photoacoustic signals. Acoustic lens eliminates the need for expensive data acquisition hardware systems, is faster compared to electronic focusing and enables real-time image reconstruction. Using this photoacoustic imaging camera, we have imaged more than 150 several centimeter size ex-vivo human prostate, kidney and thyroid specimens with a millimeter resolution for cancer detection. In this paper, we share our lens design strategy and how we evaluate the resulting quality metrics (on and off axis point spread function, depth of field and modulation transfer function) through simulation. An advanced toolbox in MATLAB was adapted and used for simulating a two-dimensional gridded model that incorporates realistic photoacoustic signal generation and acoustic wave propagation through the lens with medium properties defined on each grid point. Two dimensional point spread functions have been generated and compared with experiments to demonstrate the utility of our design strategy. Finally we present results from work in progress on the use of two lens system aimed at further improving some of the quality metrics of our system.

Experiences of work among people with disabilities who are HIV-positive in Zambia.

PubMed

Njelesani, Janet; Nixon, Stephanie; Cameron, Deb; Parsons, Janet; Menon, Anitha

2015-01-01

This paper focuses on accounts of how having a disability and being HIV-positive influences experiences of work among 21 people (12 women, 9 men) in Lusaka, Zambia. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in English, Bemba, Nyanja, or Zambian sign language. Descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted. Three major themes were generated. The first, a triple burden, describes the burden of having a disability, being HIV-positive, and being unemployed. The second theme, disability and HIV is not inability, describes participants' desire for work and their resistance to being regarded as objects of charity. Finally, how work influences HIV management, describes the practicalities of working and living with HIV. Together these themes highlight the limited options available to persons with disabilities with HIV in Lusaka, not only secondary to the effects of HIV influencing their physical capacity to work, but also because of the attendant social stigma of being a person with a disability and HIV-positive.

Free-carrier-induced soliton fission unveiled by in situ measurements in nanophotonic waveguides

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

Husko, Chad; Wulf, Matthias; Lefrancois, Simon

Solitons are localized waves formed by a balance of focusing and defocusing effects. These nonlinear waves exist in diverse forms of matter yet exhibit similar properties including stability, periodic recurrence and particle-like trajectories. One important property is soliton fission, a process by which an energetic higher-order soliton breaks apart due to dispersive or nonlinear perturbations. Here we demonstrate through both experiment and theory that nonlinear photocarrier generation can induce soliton fission. Using near-field measurements, we directly observe the nonlinear spatial and temporal evolution of optical pulses in situ in a nanophotonic semiconductor waveguide. We develop an analytic formalism describing themore » free-carrier dispersion (FCD) perturbation and show the experiment exceeds the minimum threshold by an order of magnitude. We confirm these observations with a numerical nonlinear Schrodinger equation model. Finally, these results provide a fundamental explanation and physical scaling of optical pulse evolution in free-carrier media and could enable improved supercontinuum sources in gas based and integrated semiconductor waveguides.« less

Enhancing the Empathic Connection: Using Action Methods to Understand Conflicts in End-of-Life Care

PubMed Central

Tanzi, Silvia; Biasco, Guido; Baile, Walter F.

2014-01-01

Empathy is a core feature of patient-centered care. It enables practitioners to better understand the patient and family concerns that are key to patient and family satisfaction, prevention of anxiety and depression, and provider empowerment. Current methods of teaching communication skills do not specifically focus on enhancing the ability to “stand in the patient's shoes” as a way of connecting with the patient and/or family experience and understanding feelings that may be a source of conflict with providers. In this paper, we present a model for deepening empathic understanding based upon action methods (role-reversal and doubling) derived from psychodrama and sociodrama. We describe these techniques and illustrate how they can be used to identify hidden emotions and attitudes and reveal that which the patient and family member may be thinking or feeling but be afraid to say. Finally, we present data showing that these methods were valuable to participants in enhancing their professional experience and skills. PMID:28725796

Testing of advanced technique for linear lattice and closed orbit correction by modeling its application for iota ring at Fermilab

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

Romanov, A.

Many modern and most future accelerators rely on precise configuration of lattice and trajectory. The Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) at Fermilab that is coming to final stages of construction will be used to test advanced approaches of control over particles dynamics. Various experiments planned at IOTA require high flexibility of lattice configuration as well as high precision of lattice and closed orbit control. Dense element placement does not allow to have ideal configuration of diagnostics and correctors for all planned experiments. To overcome this limitations advanced method of lattice an beneficial for other machines. Developed algorithm is based onmore » LOCO approach, extended with various sets of other experimental data, such as dispersion, BPM BPM phase advances, beam shape information from synchrotron light monitors, responses of closed orbit bumps to variations of focusing elements and other. Extensive modeling of corrections for a big number of random seed errors is used to illustrate benefits from developed approach.« less

Enhancing the Empathic Connection: Using Action Methods to Understand Conflicts in End-of-Life Care.

PubMed

Tanzi, Silvia; Biasco, Guido; Baile, Walter F

2014-05-01

Empathy is a core feature of patient-centered care. It enables practitioners to better understand the patient and family concerns that are key to patient and family satisfaction, prevention of anxiety and depression, and provider empowerment. Current methods of teaching communication skills do not specifically focus on enhancing the ability to "stand in the patient's shoes" as a way of connecting with the patient and/or family experience and understanding feelings that may be a source of conflict with providers. In this paper, we present a model for deepening empathic understanding based upon action methods (role-reversal and doubling) derived from psychodrama and sociodrama. We describe these techniques and illustrate how they can be used to identify hidden emotions and attitudes and reveal that which the patient and family member may be thinking or feeling but be afraid to say. Finally, we present data showing that these methods were valuable to participants in enhancing their professional experience and skills.

Identification of simple objects in image sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geiselmann, Christoph; Hahn, Michael

1994-08-01

We present an investigation in the identification and location of simple objects in color image sequences. As an example the identification of traffic signs is discussed. Three aspects are of special interest. First regions have to be detected which may contain the object. The separation of those regions from the background can be based on color, motion, and contours. In the experiments all three possibilities are investigated. The second aspect focuses on the extraction of suitable features for the identification of the objects. For that purpose the border line of the region of interest is used. For planar objects a sufficient approximation of perspective projection is affine mapping. In consequence, it is near at hand to extract affine-invariant features from the border line. The investigation includes invariant features based on Fourier descriptors and moments. Finally, the object is identified by maximum likelihood classification. In the experiments all three basic object types are correctly identified. The probabilities for misclassification have been found to be below 1%

Nanometer-scale characterization of laser-driven compression, shocks, and phase transitions, by x-ray scattering using free electron lasers

DOE PAGES

Kluge, T.; Rödel, C.; Rödel, M.; ...

2017-10-23

In this paper, we study the feasibility of using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as a new experimental diagnostic for intense laser-solid interactions. By using X-ray pulses from a hard X-ray free electron laser, we can simultaneously achieve nanometer and femtosecond resolution of laser-driven samples. This is an important new capability for the Helmholtz international beamline for extreme fields at the high energy density endstation currently built at the European X-ray free electron laser. We review the relevant SAXS theory and its application to transient processes in solid density plasmas and report on first experimental results that confirm the feasibilitymore » of the method. Finally, we present results of two test experiments where the first experiment employs ultra-short laser pulses for studying relativistic laser plasma interactions, and the second one focuses on shock compression studies with a nanosecond laser system.« less

Nanometer-scale characterization of laser-driven compression, shocks, and phase transitions, by x-ray scattering using free electron lasers

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

Kluge, T.; Rödel, C.; Rödel, M.

In this paper, we study the feasibility of using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as a new experimental diagnostic for intense laser-solid interactions. By using X-ray pulses from a hard X-ray free electron laser, we can simultaneously achieve nanometer and femtosecond resolution of laser-driven samples. This is an important new capability for the Helmholtz international beamline for extreme fields at the high energy density endstation currently built at the European X-ray free electron laser. We review the relevant SAXS theory and its application to transient processes in solid density plasmas and report on first experimental results that confirm the feasibilitymore » of the method. Finally, we present results of two test experiments where the first experiment employs ultra-short laser pulses for studying relativistic laser plasma interactions, and the second one focuses on shock compression studies with a nanosecond laser system.« less

Rotational Spectroscopy of Reactive Species at the Center for Astrochemical Studies.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lattanzi, Valerio; Spezzano, Silvia; Caselli, Paola

2017-06-01

The Center for Astrochemical Studies at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, is a recently established group which collects scientists with very diverse backgrounds. In the same group observers, theoreticians, chemists and molecular astrophysicists join their efforts with the ultimate goal of properly interpreting observations with the new generation telescopes and unveiling our astrochemical/physical heritage. Among these tasks, the gas-phase spectroscopic characterisation of molecular species of astrophysical relevance is one of the main goals of the laboratory sub-group. This talk will mainly focus on the first experiment built in our center, the CASAC (CAS Absorption Cell) spectrometer: this experiment has been optimised on the production and probe of small molecular ions and radicals. The main laboratory techniques along with the more prominent outcomes of recent studies will be presented. Finally, a brief update on the status of the other instruments available in our center will be given, including their planned upgrades.

Free-carrier-induced soliton fission unveiled by in situ measurements in nanophotonic waveguides

DOE PAGES

Husko, Chad; Wulf, Matthias; Lefrancois, Simon; ...

2016-04-15

Solitons are localized waves formed by a balance of focusing and defocusing effects. These nonlinear waves exist in diverse forms of matter yet exhibit similar properties including stability, periodic recurrence and particle-like trajectories. One important property is soliton fission, a process by which an energetic higher-order soliton breaks apart due to dispersive or nonlinear perturbations. Here we demonstrate through both experiment and theory that nonlinear photocarrier generation can induce soliton fission. Using near-field measurements, we directly observe the nonlinear spatial and temporal evolution of optical pulses in situ in a nanophotonic semiconductor waveguide. We develop an analytic formalism describing themore » free-carrier dispersion (FCD) perturbation and show the experiment exceeds the minimum threshold by an order of magnitude. We confirm these observations with a numerical nonlinear Schrodinger equation model. Finally, these results provide a fundamental explanation and physical scaling of optical pulse evolution in free-carrier media and could enable improved supercontinuum sources in gas based and integrated semiconductor waveguides.« less

Low percolation transitions in carbon nanotube networks dispersed in a polymer matrix: dielectric properties, simulations and experiments.

PubMed

Simoes, Ricardo; Silva, Jaime; Vaia, Richard; Sencadas, Vítor; Costa, Pedro; Gomes, João; Lanceros-Méndez, Senentxu

2009-01-21

The low concentration behaviour and the increase of the dielectric constant in carbon nanotubes/polymer nanocomposites near the percolation threshold are still not well understood. In this work, a numerical model has been developed which focuses on the effect of the inclusion of conductive fillers in a dielectric polymer matrix on the dielectric constant and the dielectric strength. Experiments have been carried out in carbon nanotubes/poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanocomposites in order to compare to the simulation results. This work shows how the critical concentration is related to the formation of capacitor networks and that these networks give rise to high variations in the electrical properties of the composites. Based on numerical studies, the dependence of the percolation transition on the preparation of the nanocomposite is discussed. Finally, based on numerical and experimental results, both ours and from other authors, the causes of anomalous percolation behaviour of the dielectric constant are identified.

Stability Limits and Dynamics of Nonaxisymmetric Liquid Bridges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, J. Iwan D.; Slobozhanin, Lev A.; Resnick, Andrew H.; Ramus, Jean-Francois; Delafontaine, Sylvie

1999-01-01

Liquid bridges have been the focus of numerous theoretical and experimental investigations since the early work by Plateau more than a century ago. More recently, motivated by interest in their physical behavior and their occurrence in a variety of technological situations, there has been a resurgence of interest in the static and dynamic behavior of liquid bridges. Furthermore, opportunities to carry out experiments in the near weightless environment of a low-Earth-orbit spacecraft have also led to a number of low-gravity experiments involving large liquid bridges. In this paper, we present selected results from our work concerning the stability of nonaxisymmetric liquid bridges, the bifurcation of weightless bridges in the neighborhood of the maximum volume stability limit, isorotating axisymmetric bridges contained between equidimensional disks, and bridges contained between unequal disks. For the latter, we discuss both theoretical and experimental results. Finally, we present results concerning the stability of axisymmetric equilibrium configurations for a capillary liquid partly contained in a closed circular cylinder.

Statistical homogeneity tests applied to large data sets from high energy physics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trusina, J.; Franc, J.; Kůs, V.

2017-12-01

Homogeneity tests are used in high energy physics for the verification of simulated Monte Carlo samples, it means if they have the same distribution as a measured data from particle detector. Kolmogorov-Smirnov, χ 2, and Anderson-Darling tests are the most used techniques to assess the samples’ homogeneity. Since MC generators produce plenty of entries from different models, each entry has to be re-weighted to obtain the same sample size as the measured data has. One way of the homogeneity testing is through the binning. If we do not want to lose any information, we can apply generalized tests based on weighted empirical distribution functions. In this paper, we propose such generalized weighted homogeneity tests and introduce some of their asymptotic properties. We present the results based on numerical analysis which focuses on estimations of the type-I error and power of the test. Finally, we present application of our homogeneity tests to data from the experiment DØ in Fermilab.

Exploring Human Cognition Using Large Image Databases.

PubMed

Griffiths, Thomas L; Abbott, Joshua T; Hsu, Anne S

2016-07-01

Most cognitive psychology experiments evaluate models of human cognition using a relatively small, well-controlled set of stimuli. This approach stands in contrast to current work in neuroscience, perception, and computer vision, which have begun to focus on using large databases of natural images. We argue that natural images provide a powerful tool for characterizing the statistical environment in which people operate, for better evaluating psychological theories, and for bringing the insights of cognitive science closer to real applications. We discuss how some of the challenges of using natural images as stimuli in experiments can be addressed through increased sample sizes, using representations from computer vision, and developing new experimental methods. Finally, we illustrate these points by summarizing recent work using large image databases to explore questions about human cognition in four different domains: modeling subjective randomness, defining a quantitative measure of representativeness, identifying prior knowledge used in word learning, and determining the structure of natural categories. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Temperature, Pressure, and Infrared Image Survey of an Axisymmetric Heated Exhaust Plume

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Edward L.; Mahan, J. Robert; Birckelbaw, Larry D.; Turk, Jeffrey A.; Wardwell, Douglas A.; Hange, Craig E.

1996-01-01

The focus of this research is to numerically predict an infrared image of a jet engine exhaust plume, given field variables such as temperature, pressure, and exhaust plume constituents as a function of spatial position within the plume, and to compare this predicted image directly with measured data. This work is motivated by the need to validate computational fluid dynamic (CFD) codes through infrared imaging. The technique of reducing the three-dimensional field variable domain to a two-dimensional infrared image invokes the use of an inverse Monte Carlo ray trace algorithm and an infrared band model for exhaust gases. This report describes an experiment in which the above-mentioned field variables were carefully measured. Results from this experiment, namely tables of measured temperature and pressure data, as well as measured infrared images, are given. The inverse Monte Carlo ray trace technique is described. Finally, experimentally obtained infrared images are directly compared to infrared images predicted from the measured field variables.

“Stuck in the Quagmire of an HIV Ghetto”: The meaning of stigma in the lives of older black gay and bisexual men living with HIV in New York City

PubMed Central

Haile, Rahwa; Padilla, Mark B.; Parker, Edith A.

2010-01-01

In this paper, we analyse the life history narratives of 10 poor gay and bisexual Black men over the age of 50 living with HIV/AIDS in New York City, focusing on experiences of stigma. Three overarching themes are identified. First, participants described the ways in which stigma marks them as just one more body within social and medical institutions, emphasising the dehumanisation they experience in these settings. Second, respondents described the process of knowing your place within social hierarchies as a means through which they are rendered tolerable. Finally, interviewees described the dynamics of stigma as all-consuming, relegating them to the quagmire of an HIV ghetto. These findings emphasise that despite advances in treatment and an aging population of persons living with HIV, entrenched social stigmas continue to endanger the well-being of Black men who have sex with men. PMID:21229421

STAR Online Framework: from Metadata Collection to Event Analysis and System Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkhipkin, D.; Lauret, J.

2015-05-01

In preparation for the new era of RHIC running (RHIC-II upgrades and possibly, the eRHIC era), the STAR experiment is expanding its modular Message Interface and Reliable Architecture framework (MIRA). MIRA allowed STAR to integrate meta-data collection, monitoring, and online QA components in a very agile and efficient manner using a messaging infrastructure approach. In this paper, we briefly summarize our past achievements, provide an overview of the recent development activities focused on messaging patterns and describe our experience with the complex event processor (CEP) recently integrated into the MIRA framework. CEP was used in the recent RHIC Run 14, which provided practical use cases. Finally, we present our requirements and expectations for the planned expansion of our systems, which will allow our framework to acquire features typically associated with Detector Control Systems. Special attention is given to aspects related to latency, scalability and interoperability within heterogeneous set of services, various data and meta-data acquisition components coexisting in STAR online domain.

The HEAO experience - design through operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, D. P.

1983-01-01

The design process and performance of the NASA High Energy Astronomy Observatories (HEAO-1, 2, and 3) are surveyed from the initiation of the program in 1968 through the end of HEAO-3 operation in May, 1981, with a focus on the attitude control and determination subsystem (ACDS). The science objectives, original and revised overall design concepts, final design for each spacecraft, and details of the ACDS designs are discussed, and the stages of the ACDS design process, including redefinition to achieve 50 percent cost reduction, detailed design of common and mission-unique hardware and software, unit qualification, subsystem integration, and observatory-level testing, are described. Overall and ACDS performance is evaluated for each mission and found to meet or exceed design requirements despite some difficulties arising from errors in startracker-ACDS-interface coordination and from gyroscope failures. These difficulties were resolved by using the flexibility of the software design. The implicationns of the HEAO experience for the design process of future spacecraft are suggested.

Physics and the role of mind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, Stanley A.; Cochran, Christopher

2017-05-01

This paper explores the role of the mind in the physical world. We begin with a brief introduction to distinct types of retrocausal phenomena connected with parapsychology and physics. We provide an introduction to laws of quantum mechanics (QM) that lead some to surmise connections between QM and psychic phenomena (psi). Next, we present our argument that verification of psi will require changes to QM. As a possible placeholder for these changes we introduce "Mind", from Cartesian dualism. This area of research points the way to connections between two fundamental issues in science: the mind-matter hard problem and the measurement problem of QM. Positive outcomes of carefully executed experiments could demonstrate a close relationship between these two problems, including the possibility that sentience plays an important role in the fundamental laws of physics. We focus on a version of Daryl Bem's seeing the future experiments, which should allow for discrimination between various interpretations of QM. Finally, although the authors are psi skeptics, we suggest methodologies that may enable psi phenomena to be acceptable to mainstream science.

Longitudinal Modeling of Functional Decline Associated with Pathologic Alzheimer's Disease in Older Persons without Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Wang, Dai; Schultz, Tim; Novak, Gerald P; Baker, Susan; Bennett, David A; Narayan, Vaibhav A

2018-01-01

Therapeutic research on Alzheimer's disease (AD) has moved to intercepting the disease at the preclinical phase. Most drugs in late development have focused on the amyloid hypothesis. To understand the magnitude of amyloid-related functional decline and to identify the functional domains sensitive to decline in a preclinical AD population. Data were from the Religious Orders Study and the Rush Memory and Aging Project. Cognitive decline was measured by a modified version of the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite. The trajectories of functional decline, as measured by the instrumental and basic activities of daily living, were longitudinally modeled in 484 participants without cognitive impairment at baseline and having both a final clinical and a postmortem neuropathology assessment of AD. Individuals with different final clinical diagnoses had different trajectories of cognitive and functional decline. Individuals with AD dementia, minor cognitive impairment, and no cognitive impairment had the most, intermediate, and least declines. While individuals with pathologic AD had significantly more cognitive decline over time than those without, the magnitude of difference in functional decline between these two groups was small. Functional domains such as handling finance and handling medications were more sensitive to decline. Demonstrating the functional benefit of an amyloid-targeting drug represents a significant challenge as elderly people experience functional decline due to a wide range of reasons with limited manifestation attributable to AD neuropathology. More sensitive functional scales focusing on the functional domains sensitive to decline in preclinical AD are needed.

A critical review of nanotechnologies for composite aerospace structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostopoulos, Vassilis; Masouras, Athanasios; Baltopoulos, Athanasios; Vavouliotis, Antonios; Sotiriadis, George; Pambaguian, Laurent

2017-03-01

The past decade extensive efforts have been invested in understanding the nano-scale and revealing the capabilities offered by nanotechnology products to structural materials. Integration of nano-particles into fiber composites concludes to multi-scale reinforced composites and has opened a new wide range of multi-functional materials in industry. In this direction, a variety of carbon based nano-fillers has been proposed and employed, individually or in combination in hybrid forms, to approach the desired performance. Nevertheless, a major issue faced lately more seriously due to the interest of industry is on how to incorporate these nano-species into the final composite structure through existing manufacturing processes and infrastructure. This interest originates from several industrial applications needs that request the development of new multi-functional materials which combine enhanced mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. In this work, an attempt is performed to review the most representative processes and related performances reported in literature and the experience obtained on nano-enabling technologies of fiber composite materials. This review focuses on the two main composite manufacturing technologies used by the aerospace industry; Prepreg/Autoclave and Resin Transfer technologies. It addresses several approaches for nano-enabling of composites for these two routes and reports latest achieved results focusing on performance of nano-enabled fiber reinforced composites extracted from literature. Finally, this review work identifies the gap between available nano-technology integration routes and the established industrial composite manufacturing techniques and the challenges to increase the Technology Readiness Level to reach the demands for aerospace industry applications.

Quality of Life and Psychopathology in Adults Who Underwent Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) in Childhood: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis.

PubMed

Sinatora, Francesco; Traverso, Annalisa; Zanato, Silvia; Di Florio, Nicoletta; Porreca, Alessio; Tremolada, Marta; Boscolo, Valentina; Marzollo, Antonio; Mainardi, Chiara; Calore, Elisabetta; Pillon, Marta; Cattelan, Chiara; Basso, Giuseppe; Messina, Chiara

2017-01-01

Background: Patients who undergo pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) may experience long-term psychological sequelae and poor Quality of Life (QoL) in adulthood. This study aimed to investigate subjective illness experience, QoL, and psychopathology in young adults who have survived pediatric HSCT. Method: The study involved patients treated with HSCT in the Hematology-Oncology Department between 1984 and 2007. Psychopathology and QoL were investigated using the SCL-90-R and SF-36. Socio-demographic and medical information was also collected. Finally, participants were asked to write a brief composition about their experiences of illness and care. Qualitative analysis of the texts was performed using T-LAB, an instrument for text analysis that allows the user to highlight the occurrences and co-occurrences of lemma. Quantitative analyses were performed using non-parametric tests (Spearman correlations, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests). Results: Twenty-one patients (9 males) participated in the study. No significant distress was found on the SCL-90 Global Severity Index, but it was found on specific scales. On the SF-36, lower scores were reported on scales referring to bodily pain, general health, and physical and social functioning. All the measures were significantly ( p < 0.05) associated with specific socio-demographic and medical variables (gender, type of pathology, type of HSCT, time elapsed between communication of the need to transplant and effective transplantation, and days of hospitalization). With regard to the narrative analyses, males focused on expressions related to the body and medical therapies, while females focused on people they met during treatment, family members, and donors. Low general health and treatment with autologous HSCT were associated with memories about chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and the body parts involved, while high general health was associated with expressions focused on gratitude ( V -Test ± 1.96). Conclusion: Pediatric HSCT survivors are more likely to experience psychological distress and low QoL in adulthood compared with the general population. These aspects, along with survivors' subjective illness experience, show differences according to specific medical and socio-demographic variables. Studies are needed in order to improve the care and long-term follow-up of these families.

Quality of Life and Psychopathology in Adults Who Underwent Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) in Childhood: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

PubMed Central

Sinatora, Francesco; Traverso, Annalisa; Zanato, Silvia; Di Florio, Nicoletta; Porreca, Alessio; Tremolada, Marta; Boscolo, Valentina; Marzollo, Antonio; Mainardi, Chiara; Calore, Elisabetta; Pillon, Marta; Cattelan, Chiara; Basso, Giuseppe; Messina, Chiara

2017-01-01

Background: Patients who undergo pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) may experience long-term psychological sequelae and poor Quality of Life (QoL) in adulthood. This study aimed to investigate subjective illness experience, QoL, and psychopathology in young adults who have survived pediatric HSCT. Method: The study involved patients treated with HSCT in the Hematology-Oncology Department between 1984 and 2007. Psychopathology and QoL were investigated using the SCL-90-R and SF-36. Socio-demographic and medical information was also collected. Finally, participants were asked to write a brief composition about their experiences of illness and care. Qualitative analysis of the texts was performed using T-LAB, an instrument for text analysis that allows the user to highlight the occurrences and co-occurrences of lemma. Quantitative analyses were performed using non-parametric tests (Spearman correlations, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests). Results: Twenty-one patients (9 males) participated in the study. No significant distress was found on the SCL-90 Global Severity Index, but it was found on specific scales. On the SF-36, lower scores were reported on scales referring to bodily pain, general health, and physical and social functioning. All the measures were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with specific socio-demographic and medical variables (gender, type of pathology, type of HSCT, time elapsed between communication of the need to transplant and effective transplantation, and days of hospitalization). With regard to the narrative analyses, males focused on expressions related to the body and medical therapies, while females focused on people they met during treatment, family members, and donors. Low general health and treatment with autologous HSCT were associated with memories about chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and the body parts involved, while high general health was associated with expressions focused on gratitude (V-Test ± 1.96). Conclusion: Pediatric HSCT survivors are more likely to experience psychological distress and low QoL in adulthood compared with the general population. These aspects, along with survivors' subjective illness experience, show differences according to specific medical and socio-demographic variables. Studies are needed in order to improve the care and long-term follow-up of these families. PMID:28848462

RNA Secondary Structure Prediction by Using Discrete Mathematics: An Interdisciplinary Research Experience for Undergraduate Students

PubMed Central

Ellington, Roni; Wachira, James

2010-01-01

The focus of this Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project was on RNA secondary structure prediction by using a lattice walk approach. The lattice walk approach is a combinatorial and computational biology method used to enumerate possible secondary structures and predict RNA secondary structure from RNA sequences. The method uses discrete mathematical techniques and identifies specified base pairs as parameters. The goal of the REU was to introduce upper-level undergraduate students to the principles and challenges of interdisciplinary research in molecular biology and discrete mathematics. At the beginning of the project, students from the biology and mathematics departments of a mid-sized university received instruction on the role of secondary structure in the function of eukaryotic RNAs and RNA viruses, RNA related to combinatorics, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information resources. The student research projects focused on RNA secondary structure prediction on a regulatory region of the yellow fever virus RNA genome and on an untranslated region of an mRNA of a gene associated with the neurological disorder epilepsy. At the end of the project, the REU students gave poster and oral presentations, and they submitted written final project reports to the program director. The outcome of the REU was that the students gained transferable knowledge and skills in bioinformatics and an awareness of the applications of discrete mathematics to biological research problems. PMID:20810968

RNA secondary structure prediction by using discrete mathematics: an interdisciplinary research experience for undergraduate students.

PubMed

Ellington, Roni; Wachira, James; Nkwanta, Asamoah

2010-01-01

The focus of this Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project was on RNA secondary structure prediction by using a lattice walk approach. The lattice walk approach is a combinatorial and computational biology method used to enumerate possible secondary structures and predict RNA secondary structure from RNA sequences. The method uses discrete mathematical techniques and identifies specified base pairs as parameters. The goal of the REU was to introduce upper-level undergraduate students to the principles and challenges of interdisciplinary research in molecular biology and discrete mathematics. At the beginning of the project, students from the biology and mathematics departments of a mid-sized university received instruction on the role of secondary structure in the function of eukaryotic RNAs and RNA viruses, RNA related to combinatorics, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information resources. The student research projects focused on RNA secondary structure prediction on a regulatory region of the yellow fever virus RNA genome and on an untranslated region of an mRNA of a gene associated with the neurological disorder epilepsy. At the end of the project, the REU students gave poster and oral presentations, and they submitted written final project reports to the program director. The outcome of the REU was that the students gained transferable knowledge and skills in bioinformatics and an awareness of the applications of discrete mathematics to biological research problems.

Controlled outcome studies of child clinical hypnosis.

PubMed

Adinolfi, Barbara; Gava, Nicoletta

2013-09-01

Background Hypnosis is defined as "as an interaction in which the hypnotist uses suggested scenarios ("suggestions") to encourage a person's focus of attention to shift towards inner experiences". Aim of the work The focus of this review is to summarize the findings of controlled outcome studies investigating the potential of clinical hypnosis in pediatric populations. We will examine the following themes: anesthesia, acute and chronic pain, chemotherapy-related distress, along with other specific medical issues. Results Hypnosis is an effective method to reduce pain and anxiety before, during and after the administration of anesthetics, during local dental treatments, invasive medical procedures and in burn children. Hypnosis can be successfully used to manage recurrent headaches, abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome and chemotherapy-related distress. Hypnosis has an important role in managing symptoms and improving the quality of life of children suffering from asthma and cystic fibrosis and in facilitating the treatment of insomnia in school-age children. Finally, hypnosis can be effectively used for the treatment of some habitual disorders such as nocturnal enuresis and dermatologic conditions, including atopic dermatitis and chronic eczema Conclusions Clinical hypnosis seems to be a useful, cheap and side-effects free tool to manage fear, pain and several kinds of stressful experiences in pediatric populations. Children who receive self-hypnosis trainings achieve significantly greater improvements in their physical health, quality of life, and self-esteem.

On the Radicalization Process.

PubMed

Leistedt, Samuel J

2016-11-01

This study aimed to provide an in-depth description of the radicalization process, which is a very important step in terrorist activities. The author proposes a translational analysis that is first based on the author's experience in the psychological evaluation of terrorist behavior and second on an exhaustive review of the current literature. The search terms "terrorism," "radicalization," "social psychology," and "psychopathology" were used to identify relevant studies in the following databases: Scopus, Medline, PubCentral, and Science Direct. Because of its importance, understanding radicalization process should be one of the priorities of behavioral scientists. International studies should be performed with a focus on several aspects, such as radicalization risk factors, brainwashing, the role of the media, and finally, in de-radicalization programs. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Ground-Based Remote or In Situ Measurement of Vertical Profiles of Wind in the Lower Troposphere

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

Clifton, Andrew; Newman, Jennifer

Knowledge of winds in the lower troposphere is essential for a range of applications, including weather forecasting, transportation, natural hazards, and wind energy. This presentation focuses on the measurement of vertical profiles of wind in the lower troposphere for wind energy applications. This presentation introduces the information that wind energy site development and operations require, how it used, and the benefits and problems of current measurements from in-situ measurements and remote sensing. The development of commercial Doppler wind lidar systems over the last 10 years are shown, along with the lessons learned from this experience. Finally, potential developments in windmore » profiling aimed at reducing uncertainty and increasing data availability are introduced.« less

Protection of HEVC Video Delivery in Vehicular Networks with RaptorQ Codes

PubMed Central

Martínez-Rach, Miguel; López, Otoniel; Malumbres, Manuel Pérez

2014-01-01

With future vehicles equipped with processing capability, storage, and communications, vehicular networks will become a reality. A vast number of applications will arise that will make use of this connectivity. Some of them will be based on video streaming. In this paper we focus on HEVC video coding standard streaming in vehicular networks and how it deals with packet losses with the aid of RaptorQ, a Forward Error Correction scheme. As vehicular networks are packet loss prone networks, protection mechanisms are necessary if we want to guarantee a minimum level of quality of experience to the final user. We have run simulations to evaluate which configurations fit better in this type of scenarios. PMID:25136675

A mixed method pilot study: the researchers' experiences.

PubMed

Secomb, Jacinta M; Smith, Colleen

2011-08-01

This paper reports on the outcomes of a small well designed pilot study. Pilot studies often disseminate limited or statistically meaningless results without adding to the body knowledge on the comparative research benefits. The design a pre-test post-test group parallel randomised control trial and inductive content analysis of focus group transcripts was tested specifically to increase outcomes in a proposed larger study. Strategies are now in place to overcome operational barriers and recruitment difficulties. Links between the qualitative and quantitative arms of the proposed larger study have been made; it is anticipated that this will add depth to the final report. More extensive reporting on the outcomes of pilot studies would assist researchers and increase the body of knowledge in this area.

An Overview of Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Quality Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Matthew S.

2017-01-01

This presentation will include my personal research experience and an overview of atmospheric chemistry and air quality modeling to the participants of the NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP 2017). The presentation will also provide examples on ways to apply airborne observations for chemical transport (CTM) and air quality (AQ) model evaluation. CTM and AQ models are important tools in understanding tropospheric-stratospheric composition, atmospheric chemistry processes, meteorology, and air quality. This presentation will focus on how NASA scientist currently apply CTM and AQ models to better understand these topics. Finally, the importance of airborne observation in evaluating these topics and how in situ and remote sensing observations can be used to evaluate and improve CTM and AQ model predictions will be highlighted.

Enriching mission planning approach with state transition graph heuristics for deep space exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Hao; Xu, Rui; Xu, Wenming; Cui, Pingyuan; Zhu, Shengying

2017-10-01

As to support the mission of Mars exploration in China, automated mission planning is required to enhance security and robustness of deep space probe. Deep space mission planning requires modeling of complex operations constraints and focus on the temporal state transitions of involved subsystems. Also, state transitions are ubiquitous in physical systems, but have been elusive for knowledge description. We introduce a modeling approach to cope with these difficulties that takes state transitions into consideration. The key technique we build on is the notion of extended states and state transition graphs. Furthermore, a heuristics that based on state transition graphs is proposed to avoid redundant work. Finally, we run comprehensive experiments on selected domains and our techniques present an excellent performance.

Building blocks of social cognition: Mirror, mentalize, share?

PubMed

Alcalá-López, Daniel; Vogeley, Kai; Binkofski, Ferdinand; Bzdok, Danilo

2018-05-14

During the past decade, novel approaches to study social interaction have expanded and questioned long-standing knowledge about how humans understand each other. We aim to portray and reconcile the key psychological processes and neural mechanisms underlying navigation of the social environment. Theoretical accounts mostly revolved around either abstract inferences or embodied simulations, whereas experimental studies mostly focused on theory of mind or mentalizing, empathy, and action imitation. The tension between theories of and experiments on social cognition is systematically revisited to foster new theoretical and empirical studies in the fields. We finally retrace differential impairments in social capacities as a means to re-conceptualize psychopathological disturbance in psychiatry, including schizophrenia, borderline personality, and autism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The multi-purpose three-axis spectrometer (TAS) MIRA at FRM II

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

Georgii, Robert; Weber, Tobias; Brandl, Georg

The cold-neutron three-axis spectrometer MIRA is an instrument optimized for low-energy excitations. Its excellent intrinsic $Q$-resolution makes it ideal for studying incommensurate magnetic systems (elastic and inelastic). MIRA is at the forefront of using advanced neutron focusing optics such as elliptic guides, which enable the investigation of small samples under extreme conditions. Another advantage of MIRA is the modular assembly allowing for instrumental adaption to the needs of the experiment within a few hours. The development of new methods such as the spin-echo technique MIEZE is another important application at MIRA. Finally, scientific topics include the investigation of complex inter-metallicmore » alloys and spectroscopy on incommensurate magnetic structures.« less

A Survey on Sentiment Classification in Face Recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Jingyu

2018-01-01

Face recognition has been an important topic for both industry and academia for a long time. K-means clustering, autoencoder, and convolutional neural network, each representing a design idea for face recognition method, are three popular algorithms to deal with face recognition problems. It is worthwhile to summarize and compare these three different algorithms. This paper will focus on one specific face recognition problem-sentiment classification from images. Three different algorithms for sentiment classification problems will be summarized, including k-means clustering, autoencoder, and convolutional neural network. An experiment with the application of these algorithms on a specific dataset of human faces will be conducted to illustrate how these algorithms are applied and their accuracy. Finally, the three algorithms are compared based on the accuracy result.

Large-scale linear rankSVM.

PubMed

Lee, Ching-Pei; Lin, Chih-Jen

2014-04-01

Linear rankSVM is one of the widely used methods for learning to rank. Although its performance may be inferior to nonlinear methods such as kernel rankSVM and gradient boosting decision trees, linear rankSVM is useful to quickly produce a baseline model. Furthermore, following its recent development for classification, linear rankSVM may give competitive performance for large and sparse data. A great deal of works have studied linear rankSVM. The focus is on the computational efficiency when the number of preference pairs is large. In this letter, we systematically study existing works, discuss their advantages and disadvantages, and propose an efficient algorithm. We discuss different implementation issues and extensions with detailed experiments. Finally, we develop a robust linear rankSVM tool for public use.

Volumetric error modeling, identification and compensation based on screw theory for a large multi-axis propeller-measuring machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Xuemin; Liu, Hongqi; Mao, Xinyong; Li, Bin; He, Songping; Peng, Fangyu

2018-05-01

Large multi-axis propeller-measuring machines have two types of geometric error, position-independent geometric errors (PIGEs) and position-dependent geometric errors (PDGEs), which both have significant effects on the volumetric error of the measuring tool relative to the worktable. This paper focuses on modeling, identifying and compensating for the volumetric error of the measuring machine. A volumetric error model in the base coordinate system is established based on screw theory considering all the geometric errors. In order to fully identify all the geometric error parameters, a new method for systematic measurement and identification is proposed. All the PIGEs of adjacent axes and the six PDGEs of the linear axes are identified with a laser tracker using the proposed model. Finally, a volumetric error compensation strategy is presented and an inverse kinematic solution for compensation is proposed. The final measuring and compensation experiments have further verified the efficiency and effectiveness of the measuring and identification method, indicating that the method can be used in volumetric error compensation for large machine tools.

Final Technical Report for DE-SC0012297

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

Dell'Antonio, Ian

This is the final report on the work performed in award DE-SC0012297, Cosmic Frontier work in support of the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration's work to develop algorithms, simulations, and statistical tests to ensure optimal extraction of the dark energy properties from galaxy clusters observed with LSST. This work focused on effects that could produce a systematic error on the measurement of cluster masses (that will be used to probe the effects of dark energy on the growth of structure). These effects stem from the deviations from pure ellipticity of the gravitational lensing signal and from the blending of lightmore » of neighboring galaxies. Both these effects are expected to be more significant for LSST than for the stage III experiments such as the Dark Energy Survey. We calculate the magnitude of the mass error (or bias) for the first time and demonstrate that it can be treated as a multiplicative correction and calibrated out, allowing mass measurements of clusters from gravitational lensing to meet the requirements of LSST's dark energy investigation.« less

Exploring Cultural Competence amongst OT Students.

PubMed

Govender, Pragashnie; Mpanza, December M; Carey, Tarryn; Jiyane, Kwenzile; Andrews, Bicolé; Mashele, Sam

2017-01-01

Occupational therapy relies primarily on communication between the therapist and client for effective intervention. Adequate communication may be influenced by language and cultural differences between the therapist and client. Cultural competence in relation to language and culture is thus a vital part in practice. Limited research exists on cultural competence in occupational therapy students. This study thus aimed to explore the cultural competence of final year students and their perceptions of their own cultural competence, with respect to language and culture in their practice as students. An explorative qualitative study design was utilised with a nonprobability purposeful sample of 21 final year undergraduate students at a tertiary institute in South Africa. Three focus groups were conducted, comprising between 6 and 8 students in each group. Thematic analysis using inductive reasoning was undertaken in order to analyse the students' experiences and understanding of cultural competence. Findings of the study suggest that cultural competence, in relation to language and culture, influences the occupational therapy intervention process. It was shown to both positively and negatively influence intervention through supporting or hindering rapport building, client centeredness, and effective intervention.

Using patient engagement in the design and rationale of a trial for women with depression in obstetrics and gynecology practices.

PubMed

Poleshuck, Ellen; Wittink, Marsha; Crean, Hugh; Gellasch, Tara; Sandler, Mardy; Bell, Elaine; Juskiewicz, Iwona; Cerulli, Catherine

2015-07-01

Significant health disparities exist among socioeconomically disadvantaged women, who experience elevated rates of depression and increased risk for poor depression treatment engagement and outcomes. We aimed to use stakeholder input to develop innovative methods for a comparative effectiveness trial to address the needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged women with depression in women's health practices. Using a community advisory board, focus groups, and individual patient input, we determined the feasibility and acceptability of an electronic psychosocial screening and referral tool; developed and finalized a prioritization tool for women with depression; and piloted the prioritization tool. Two intervention approaches, enhanced screening and referral using an electronic psychosocial screening, and mentoring using the prioritization tool, were developed as intervention options for socioeconomically disadvantaged women attending women's health practices. We describe the developmental steps and the final design for the comparative effectiveness trial evaluating both intervention approaches. Stakeholder input allowed us to develop an acceptable clinical trial of two patient-centered interventions with patient-driven outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring Cultural Competence amongst OT Students

PubMed Central

Mpanza, December M.; Carey, Tarryn; Jiyane, Kwenzile; Andrews, Bicolé; Mashele, Sam

2017-01-01

Occupational therapy relies primarily on communication between the therapist and client for effective intervention. Adequate communication may be influenced by language and cultural differences between the therapist and client. Cultural competence in relation to language and culture is thus a vital part in practice. Limited research exists on cultural competence in occupational therapy students. This study thus aimed to explore the cultural competence of final year students and their perceptions of their own cultural competence, with respect to language and culture in their practice as students. An explorative qualitative study design was utilised with a nonprobability purposeful sample of 21 final year undergraduate students at a tertiary institute in South Africa. Three focus groups were conducted, comprising between 6 and 8 students in each group. Thematic analysis using inductive reasoning was undertaken in order to analyse the students' experiences and understanding of cultural competence. Findings of the study suggest that cultural competence, in relation to language and culture, influences the occupational therapy intervention process. It was shown to both positively and negatively influence intervention through supporting or hindering rapport building, client centeredness, and effective intervention. PMID:29097961

Search for supersymmetry in pp collisions at sqrt s = 13 TeV in the single-lepton final state using the sum of masses of large-radius jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dishaw, Adam; CMS Collaboration

2016-03-01

Results are presented from a search for supersymmetric particles in pp collisions in the final state with a single, high pT lepton; multiple jets, including at least one b-tagged jet; and large missing transverse momentum. The data sample corresponds to 2.1 fb-1 recorded by the CMS experiment at √{ s} = 13 TeV. The search focuses on processes leading to high jet multiplicities, such as the simplified model T1tttt corresponding to gg -> g g with g -> t t χ 10 . The quantity MJ, defined as the sum of the masses of the large-radius jets in the event, is used along with other kinematic variables to provide discrimination between signal and backgrounds and as a key part of the background estimation method. The observed event yields in data are consistent with those expected for standard model backgrounds. Gluinos with mass below 1575 GeV are excluded at 95 % CL for T1tttt scenarios with low χ 10 mass.

Stepping up, stepping back, stepping forward: Student nurses' experiences as peer mentors in a pre-nursing scholarship.

PubMed

Smith, Annetta; Beattie, Michelle; Kyle, Richard G

2015-11-01

Mentorship is an essential part of the registered nurse's role, yet few opportunities exist for student nurses to mentor others during pre-registration programmes. This paper reports student nurses' experiences of mentoring school pupils during a pre-nursing scholarship. Focus groups were conducted with fifteen final year student nurses (14 female, 1 male) in two university campuses in Scotland. Discussions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim, and data analysed thematically. Three interconnected themes emerged: 1) stepping up; 2) stepping back; 3) stepping forward. 'Stepping up' was a process through which student nurses rapidly assumed responsibility for mentoring pupils, facilitated through the attitudes and actions of students' mentors and students' control over pupils' practice experiences. 'Stepping back' encapsulated attitudes and behaviours that enabled student nurses to mentor pupils that involved considerable judgement around how unfolding events in practice could provide learning and development opportunities, and emotional acuity to support pupils through, sometimes challenging, practice situations. 'Stepping forward' described how students' mentoring experience allowed them to appraise and affirm nursing knowledge and skills, and gain greater appreciation of the reality and complexity of mentorship in clinical practice. Peer mentoring may prepare student nurses for future mentoring roles and aid their transition into clinical practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-01-16

In this International Space Station (ISS) onboard photo, Expedition Six Science Officer Donald R. Pettit works to set up the Pulmonary Function in Flight (PuFF) experiment hardware in the Destiny Laboratory. Expedition Six is the fourth and final crew to perform the PuFF experiment. The PuFF experiment was developed to better understand what effects long term exposure to microgravity may have on the lungs. The focus is on measuring changes in the everness of gas exchange in the lungs, and on detecting changes in respiratory muscle strength. It allows astronauts to measure blood flow through the lungs, the ability of the lung to take up oxygen, and lung volumes. Each PuFF session includes five lung function tests, which involve breathing only cabin air. For each planned extravehicular (EVA) activity, a crew member performs a PuFF test within one week prior to the EVA. Following the EVA, those crew members perform another test to document the effect of exposure of the lungs to the low-pressure environment of the space suits. This experiment utilizes the Gas Analyzer System for Metabolic Analysis Physiology, or GASMAP, located in the Human Research Facility (HRF), along with a variety of other Puff equipment including a manual breathing valve, flow meter, pressure-flow module, pressure and volume calibration syringes, and disposable mouth pieces.

Development of the Contact Lens User Experience: CLUE Scales

PubMed Central

Wirth, R. J.; Edwards, Michael C.; Henderson, Michael; Henderson, Terri; Olivares, Giovanna; Houts, Carrie R.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose The field of optometry has become increasingly interested in patient-reported outcomes, reflecting a common trend occurring across the spectrum of healthcare. This article reviews the development of the Contact Lens User Experience: CLUE system designed to assess patient evaluations of contact lenses. CLUE was built using modern psychometric methods such as factor analysis and item response theory. Methods The qualitative process through which relevant domains were identified is outlined as well as the process of creating initial item banks. Psychometric analyses were conducted on the initial item banks and refinements were made to the domains and items. Following this data-driven refinement phase, a second round of data was collected to further refine the items and obtain final item response theory item parameters estimates. Results Extensive qualitative work identified three key areas patients consider important when describing their experience with contact lenses. Based on item content and psychometric dimensionality assessments, the developing CLUE instruments were ultimately focused around four domains: comfort, vision, handling, and packaging. Item response theory parameters were estimated for the CLUE item banks (377 items), and the resulting scales were found to provide precise and reliable assignment of scores detailing users’ subjective experiences with contact lenses. Conclusions The CLUE family of instruments, as it currently exists, exhibits excellent psychometric properties. PMID:27383257

The FIRST experiment at GSI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pleskac, R.; Abou-Haidar, Z.; Agodi, C.; Alvarez, M. A. G.; Aumann, T.; Battistoni, G.; Bocci, A.; Böhlen, T. T.; Boudard, A.; Brunetti, A.; Carpinelli, M.; Cirrone, G. A. P.; Cortes-Giraldo, M. A.; Cuttone, G.; De Napoli, M.; Durante, M.; Fernández-García, J. P.; Finck, C.; Golosio, B.; Gallardo, M. I.; Iarocci, E.; Iazzi, F.; Ickert, G.; Introzzi, R.; Juliani, D.; Krimmer, J.; Kurz, N.; Labalme, M.; Leifels, Y.; Le Fevre, A.; Leray, S.; Marchetto, F.; Monaco, V.; Morone, M. C.; Oliva, P.; Paoloni, A.; Piersanti, L.; Quesada, J. M.; Raciti, G.; Randazzo, N.; Romano, F.; Rossi, D.; Rousseau, M.; Sacchi, R.; Sala, P.; Sarti, A.; Scheidenberger, C.; Schuy, C.; Sciubba, A.; Sfienti, C.; Simon, H.; Sipala, V.; Spiriti, E.; Stuttge, L.; Tropea, S.; Younis, H.; Patera, V.

2012-06-01

The FIRST (Fragmentation of Ions Relevant for Space and Therapy) experiment at the SIS accelerator of GSI laboratory in Darmstadt has been designed for the measurement of ion fragmentation cross-sections at different angles and energies between 100 and 1000 MeV/nucleon. Nuclear fragmentation processes are relevant in several fields of basic research and applied physics and are of particular interest for tumor therapy and for space radiation protection applications. The start of the scientific program of the FIRST experiment was on summer 2011 and was focused on the measurement of 400 MeV/nucleon 12C beam fragmentation on thin (8 mm) graphite target. The detector is partly based on an already existing setup made of a dipole magnet (ALADiN), a time projection chamber (TP-MUSIC IV), a neutron detector (LAND) and a time of flight scintillator system (TOFWALL). This pre-existing setup has been integrated with newly designed detectors in the Interaction Region, around the carbon target placed in a sample changer. The new detectors are a scintillator Start Counter, a Beam Monitor drift chamber, a silicon Vertex Detector and a Proton Tagger scintillator system optimized for the detection of light fragments emitted at large angles. In this paper we review the experimental setup, then we present the simulation software, the data acquisition system and finally the trigger strategy of the experiment.

SHEFEX II - Aerodynamic Re-Entry Controlled Sharp Edge Flight Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longo, J. M. A.; Turner, J.; Weihs, H.

2009-01-01

In this paper the basic goals and architecture of the SHEFEX II mission is presented. Also launched by a two staged sounding rocket system SHEFEX II is a consequent next step in technology test and demonstration. Considering all experience and collected flight data obtained during the SHEFEX I Mission, the test vehicle has been re-designed and extended by an active control system, which allows active aerodynamic control during the re-entry phase. Thus, ceramic based aerodynamic control elements like rudders, ailerons and flaps, mechanical actuators and an automatic electronic control unit has been implemented. Special focus is taken on improved GNC Elements. In addition, some other experiments including an actively cooled thermal protection element, advanced sensor equipment, high temperature antenna inserts etc. are part of the SHEFEX II experimental payload. A final 2 stage configuration has been selected considering Brazilian solid rocket boosters derived from the S 40 family. During the experiment phase a maximum entry velocity of Mach around 10 is expected for 50 seconds. Considering these flight conditions, the heat loads are not representative for a RLV re-entry, however, it allows to investigate the principal behaviour of such a facetted ceramic TPS, a sharp leading edge at the canards and fins and all associated gas flow effects and their structural response.

The Bilingual Adaptation: How Minds Accommodate Experience

PubMed Central

Bialystok, Ellen

2017-01-01

According to some estimates, more than half of the world’s population is multilingual to some extent. Because of the centrality of language use to human experience and the deep connections between linguistic and nonlinguistic processing, it would not be surprising to find that there are interactions between bilingualism and cognitive and brain processes. The present review uses the framework of experience-dependent plasticity to evaluate the evidence for systematic modifications of brain and cognitive systems that can be attributed to bilingualism. The review describes studies investigating the relation between bilingualism and cognition in infants and children, younger and older adults, and patients, using both behavioral and neuroimaging methods. Excluded are studies whose outcomes focus primarily on linguistic abilities because of their more peripheral contribution to the central question regarding experience-dependent changes to cognition. Although most of the research discussed in the review reports some relation between bilingualism and cognitive or brain outcomes, several areas of research, notably behavioral studies with young adults, largely fail to show these effects. These discrepancies are discussed and considered in terms of methodological and conceptual issues. The final section proposes an account based on “executive attention” to explain the range of research findings and to set out an agenda for the next steps in this field. PMID:28230411

Out-of-Focus Projector Calibration Method with Distortion Correction on the Projection Plane in the Structured Light Three-Dimensional Measurement System.

PubMed

Zhang, Jiarui; Zhang, Yingjie; Chen, Bo

2017-12-20

The three-dimensional measurement system with a binary defocusing technique is widely applied in diverse fields. The measurement accuracy is mainly determined by out-of-focus projector calibration accuracy. In this paper, a high-precision out-of-focus projector calibration method that is based on distortion correction on the projection plane and nonlinear optimization algorithm is proposed. To this end, the paper experimentally presents the principle that the projector has noticeable distortions outside its focus plane. In terms of this principle, the proposed method uses a high-order radial and tangential lens distortion representation on the projection plane to correct the calibration residuals caused by projection distortion. The final accuracy parameters of out-of-focus projector were obtained using a nonlinear optimization algorithm with good initial values, which were provided by coarsely calibrating the parameters of the out-of-focus projector on the focal and projection planes. Finally, the experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method can accuracy calibrate an out-of-focus projector, regardless of the amount of defocusing.

The effect of user's perceived presence and promotion focus on usability for interacting in virtual environments.

PubMed

Sun, Huey-Min; Li, Shang-Phone; Zhu, Yu-Qian; Hsiao, Bo

2015-09-01

Technological advance in human-computer interaction has attracted increasing research attention, especially in the field of virtual reality (VR). Prior research has focused on examining the effects of VR on various outcomes, for example, learning and health. However, which factors affect the final outcomes? That is, what kind of VR system design will achieve higher usability? This question remains largely. Furthermore, when we look at VR system deployment from a human-computer interaction (HCI) lens, does user's attitude play a role in achieving the final outcome? This study aims to understand the effect of immersion and involvement, as well as users' regulatory focus on usability for a somatosensory VR learning system. This study hypothesized that regulatory focus and presence can effectively enhance user's perceived usability. Survey data from 78 students in Taiwan indicated that promotion focus is positively related to user's perceived efficiency, whereas involvement and promotion focus are positively related to user's perceived effectiveness. Promotion focus also predicts user satisfaction and overall usability perception. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Multiracial College Students' Experiences with Multiracial Microaggressions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Jessica C.

2017-01-01

While research on monoracial college students' experiences with racial microaggressions increases, minimal, if any, research focuses on multiracial college students' experiences with racial microaggressions. This manuscript addresses the gap in the literature by focusing on multiracial college students' experiences with multiracial…

The testing effect for mediator final test cues and related final test cues in online and laboratory experiments.

PubMed

Coppens, Leonora C; Verkoeijen, Peter P J L; Bouwmeester, Samantha; Rikers, Remy M J P

2016-05-31

The testing effect is the finding that information that is retrieved during learning is more often correctly retrieved on a final test than information that is restudied. According to the semantic mediator hypothesis the testing effect arises because retrieval practice of cue-target pairs (mother-child) activates semantically related mediators (father) more than restudying. Hence, the mediator-target (father-child) association should be stronger for retrieved than restudied pairs. Indeed, Carpenter (2011) found a larger testing effect when participants received mediators (father) than when they received target-related words (birth) as final test cues. The present study started as an attempt to test an alternative account of Carpenter's results. However, it turned into a series of conceptual (Experiment 1) and direct (Experiment 2 and 3) replications conducted with online samples. The results of these online replications were compared with those of similar existing laboratory experiments through small-scale meta-analyses. The results showed that (1) the magnitude of the raw mediator testing effect advantage is comparable for online and laboratory experiments, (2) in both online and laboratory experiments the magnitude of the raw mediator testing effect advantage is smaller than in Carpenter's original experiment, and (3) the testing effect for related cues varies considerably between online experiments. The variability in the testing effect for related cues in online experiments could point toward moderators of the related cue short-term testing effect. The raw mediator testing effect advantage is smaller than in Carpenter's original experiment.

African American cancer patients' pain experience.

PubMed

Im, Eun-Ok; Lim, Hyun-Ju; Clark, Maresha; Chee, Wonshik

2008-01-01

Although very little is known about African American cancer patients' pain experience, a few studies have indicated that their cancer pain experience is unique and somewhat different from that of other ethnic groups. The purpose of the study reported in this article was to explore African American cancer patients' pain experience using an online forum. This study was a qualitative online forum designed from a feminist perspective and conducted among 11 African American cancer patients who were recruited through both Internet and real settings. Nine online forum topics were used to administer the 6-month online forum, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged through the data analysis process. First, participants viewed cancer as a challenge in life that they should fight against. Second, cancer pain was differentiated from ordinary pain because cancer was stigmatized in their culture. Third, participants viewed that African Americans, especially women, were culturally raised to be strong, and this African American cultural heritage inhibited cancer patients from expressing pain and seeking help for pain management. Finally, the findings indicated certain changes in perspectives among African American cancer patients during the disease process, which might make them tolerate pain through praying to God and reading the Bible. Based on the findings, we suggest further studies among diverse groups of African American cancer patients, with a focus on cultural attitudes toward cancer pain and influences of family on cancer pain experience.

The Education of Attention as Explanation of Variability of Practice Effects : Learning the Final Approach Phase in a Flight Simulator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huet, Michael; Jacobs, David M.; Camachon, Cyril; Missenard, Olivier; Gray, Rob; Montagne, Gilles

2011-01-01

The present study reports two experiments in which a total of 20 participants without prior flight experience practiced the final approach phase in a fixed-base simulator. All participants received self-controlled concurrent feedback during 180 practice trials. Experiment 1 shows that participants learn more quickly under variable practice…

Making electronic mail accessible: perspectives of people with acquired cognitive impairments, caregivers and professionals.

PubMed

Todis, B; Sohlberg, M M; Hood, D; Fickas, S

2005-06-01

The primary objective of this study was to better understand the technology needs, barriers and strategies of individuals with acquired cognitive impairments (ACI) in order to design and modify technologies with potential for alleviating the diminished independence and social isolation common in this population. The authors hypothesized that (1) higher rates of computer use would be reported by younger, more highly educated individuals with ACI, those with less severe injuries and those with previous computer experience; (2) A low percentage of survey respondents would own their own computers; and (3) People with ACI would experience social isolation and report low frequency of connecting with important people who live far away. A total of 133 individuals with ACI, professionals and care providers completed the survey. To gain more specific information, seven focus groups were conducted with 66 individuals with ACI and 20 care providers. Finally, 10 current email users participated in structured conversations, detailing their strategies for using email. The survey revealed that 80% of subjects with ACI reported owning a computer. Age and education were not predictors of computer use, but individuals whose ACI was the result of more severe injuries were less likely to use computers. As expected, respondents reported that maintaining contact with distant loved ones is problematic. The focus groups and conversations provided more detail about the communication needs of the population and the relative advantages and disadvantages of email compared with telephone and mail. Participants also identified barriers to email use they had encountered or feared they would encounter when using email. A number of accommodations to overcome these barriers were suggested. The results of the survey, focus groups and conversations confirmed the utility of email and other technologies for people with ACI and the need to make these technologies more accessible. The results and suggestions provided by the focus groups and interviews are being used in the design of Think and Link, an email interface for use by individuals with ACI.

1977 National Debate Tournament Final Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rives, Stanley G., ed.; Boaz, John K., ed.

1977-01-01

Presents a transcript of the final debate of the Thirty-First National Debate Tournament sponsored by the American Forensic Association in 1977. Focuses on the necessity and desirability of requiring airbags to promote automobile safety. (MH)

Mississippi Department of Transportation research peer exchange : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-06-01

Peer Exchange Focus Areas : The MDOT Research Division developed focus areas for the exchange as follows: : Maintaining Adequate Resources for Research Activities : Implementation of Research Results : Outreach to Transportation Partners ...

Radiation forces and the Abraham-Minkowski problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brevik, Iver

2018-04-01

Recent years have witnessed a number of beautiful experiments in radiation optics. Our purpose with this paper is to highlight some developments of radiation pressure physics in general, and thereafter to focus on the importance of the mentioned experiments in regard to the classic Abraham-Minkowski problem. That means, what is the “correct” expression for electromagnetic momentum density in continuous matter. In our opinion, one often sees that authors over-interpret the importance of their experimental findings with respect to the momentum problem. Most of these experiments are actually unable to discriminate between these energy-momentum tensors at all, since they can be easily described in terms of force expressions that are common for Abraham and Minkowski. Moreover, we emphasize the inherent ambiguity in applying the formal conservation principles to the radiation field in a dielectric, the reason being that the electromagnetic field in matter is only a subsystem which has to be supplemented by the mechanical subsystem to be closed. Finally, we make some suggestions regarding the connection between macroscopic electrodynamics and the Casimir effect, suggesting that there is a limit for the magnitudes of the cutoff parameters in QFT related to surface tension in ordinary hydromechanics.

Human Emotion Experiences Can Be Predicted on Theoretical Grounds: Evidence from Verbal Labeling

PubMed Central

Scherer, Klaus R.; Meuleman, Ben

2013-01-01

In an effort to demonstrate that the verbal labeling of emotional experiences obeys lawful principles, we tested the feasibility of using an expert system called the Geneva Emotion Analyst (GEA), which generates predictions based on an appraisal theory of emotion. Several thousand respondents participated in an Internet survey that applied GEA to self-reported emotion experiences. Users recalled appraisals of emotion-eliciting events and labeled the experienced emotion with one or two words, generating a massive data set on realistic, intense emotions in everyday life. For a final sample of 5969 respondents we show that GEA achieves a high degree of predictive accuracy by matching a user’s appraisal input to one of 13 theoretically predefined emotion prototypes. The first prediction was correct in 51% of the cases and the overall diagnosis was considered as at least partially correct or appropriate in more than 90% of all cases. These results support a component process model that encourages focused, hypothesis-guided research on elicitation and differentiation, memory storage and retrieval, and categorization and labeling of emotion episodes. We discuss the implications of these results for the study of emotion terms in natural language semantics. PMID:23483988

A simulation investigation of scout/attack helicopter directional control requirements for hover and low-speed tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bivens, Courtland C.; Guercio, Joseph G.

1987-01-01

A piloted simulator experiment was conducted to investigate directional axis handling qualities requirements for low speed and hover tasks performed by a Scout/Attack helicopter. Included were the directional characteristics of various candidate light helicopter family configurations. Also, the experiment focused on conventional single main/tail rotor configurations of the OH-58 series aircraft, where the first-order yaw-axis dynamic effects that contributed to the loss of tail rotor control were modeled. Five pilots flew 22 configurations under various wind conditions. Cooper-Harper handling quality ratings were used as the primary measure of merit of each configuration. The results of the experiment indicate that rotorcraft configurations with high directional gust sensitivity require greater minimum yaw damping to maintain satisfactory handling qualities during nap-of-the-Earth flying tasks. It was also determined that both yaw damping and control response are critical handling qualities parameters in performing the air-to-air target acquisition and tracking task. Finally, the lack of substantial yaw damping and larger values of gust sensitivity increased the possibility of loss of directional control at low airspeeds for the single main/tail rotor configurations.

Levels of Social Sharing and Clinical Implications for Severe Social Withdrawal in Patients with Personality Disorders

PubMed Central

Colle, Livia; Pellecchia, Giovanni; Moroni, Fabio; Carcione, Antonino; Nicolò, Giuseppe; Semerari, Antonio; Procacci, Michele

2017-01-01

Social sharing capacities have attracted attention from a number of fields of social cognition and have been variously defined and analyzed in numerous studies. Social sharing consists in the subjective awareness that aspects of the self’s experience are held in common with other individuals. The definition of social sharing must take a variety of elements into consideration: the motivational element, the contents of the social sharing experience, the emotional responses it evokes, the behavioral outcomes, and finally, the circumstances and the skills which enable social sharing. The primary objective of this study is to explore some of the diverse forms of human social sharing and to classify them according to levels of complexity. We identify four different types of social sharing, categorized according to the nature of the content being shared and the complexity of the mindreading skills required. The second objective of this study is to consider possible applications of this graded model of social sharing experience in clinical settings. Specifically, this model may support the development of graded, focused clinical interventions for patients with personality disorders characterized by severe social withdrawal. PMID:29255430

Potentials of biological oxidation processes for the treatment of spent sulfidic caustics containing thiols.

PubMed

Sipma, Jan; Svitelskaya, Anna; van der Mark, Bart; Pol, Look W Hulshoff; Lettinga, Gatze; Buisman, Cees J N; Janssen, Albert J H

2004-12-01

This research focused on the biological treatment of sulfidic spent caustics from refineries, which contain mainly hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol (MT) and ethanethiol (ET). Also various organic compounds can be present such as BTEX. Biological oxidation of 2.5 mM MT in batch experiments occurred after MT was first auto-oxidized into dimethyldisulfide (DMDS) whereafter oxidation into sulfate was completed in 350 h. DMDS as sole substrate was completely oxidized within 40 h. Therefore, DMDS formation seems to play an important role in detoxification of MT. Biological oxidation of ET and buthanethiol was not successful in batch experiments. Complete oxidation of MT and ET was observed in flow-through reactor experiments. Simultaneous oxidation of sulfide and MT was achieved when treating a synthetic spent caustic, containing 10 mM sulfide and 2.5 mM MT, in a bubble column reactor with carrier material at a hydraulic retention time of 6 h. Addition of 7.5 mM phenol, a common pollutant of spent caustics, did not adversely affect the biological oxidation process and phenol was completely removed from the effluent. Finally, three different spent caustics solutions from refineries were successfully treated.

Experience, knowledge, and opinions about childhood genetic testing in Batten disease.

PubMed

Adams, Heather R; Rose, Katherine; Augustine, Erika F; Kwon, Jennifer M; deBlieck, Elisabeth A; Marshall, Frederick J; Vierhile, Amy; Mink, Jonathan W; Nance, Martha A

2014-02-01

Policies for genetic testing in children (GTIC) focus on medical or psychosocial benefit to the child, discouraging or prohibiting carrier testing, and advising caution regarding pre-symptomatic diagnosis if no treatment exists. This study sought to understand parents' perspectives on these issues and determine their experiences and knowledge related to genetic testing for Batten disease - a set of inherited neurodegenerative diseases of childhood onset for which no disease modifying therapies yet exist. Parents of children with Batten disease completed a survey of their knowledge of genetics, experience with genetic testing, and opinions regarding GTIC. 54% had sought genetic testing for non-affected family members, including predictive diagnosis of healthy, at-risk children. Participation in any genetic counseling was associated with greater knowledge on questions about genetics. The majority of parents felt it was better to know ahead of time that a child would develop Batten disease, believed that this knowledge would not alter how they related to their child, and that parents should have the final say in deciding whether to obtain GTIC. Parents of children with an inherited disease are knowledgeable about genetics and wish to establish predictive or carrier status of at-risk children. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Battery Pack Life Estimation through Cell Degradation Data and Pack Thermal Modeling for BAS+ Li-Ion Batteries. Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-12-489

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

Smith, Kandler

Battery Life estimation is one of the key inputs required for Hybrid applications for all GM Hybrid/EV/EREV/PHEV programs. For each Hybrid vehicle program, GM has instituted multi-parameter Design of Experiments generating test data at Cell level and also Pack level on a reduced basis. Based on experience, generating test data on a pack level is found to be very expensive, resource intensive and sometimes less reliable. The proposed collaborative project will focus on a methodology to estimate Battery life based on cell degradation data combined with pack thermal modeling. NREL has previously developed cell-level battery aging models and pack-level thermal/electricalmore » network models, though these models are currently not integrated. When coupled together, the models are expected to describe pack-level thermal and aging response of individual cells. GM and NREL will use data collected for GM's Bas+ battery system for evaluation of the proposed methodology and assess to what degree these models can replace pack-level aging experiments in the future.« less

An Intervention to Improve Teachers' Interpersonally Involving Instructional Practices in High School Physical Education: Implications for Student Relatedness Support and In-Class Experiences.

PubMed

Sparks, Cassandra; Lonsdale, Chris; Dimmock, James; Jackson, Ben

2017-04-01

Research grounded in self-determination theory has demonstrated the important role of teachers in shaping students' physical education experiences. Utilizing a cluster-randomized controlled design, this study aimed to examine whether an interpersonally involving training program based on self-determination theory principles could enhance students' in-class experiences. With 18 teachers (males = 8, females = 10, M age  = 32.75, SD = 8.14) and a final sample of 382 students (males = 155, females = 227, M age  = 13.20, SD = 1.66), we implemented linear mixed modeling to investigate the effects on students' (a) perceived relatedness support and (b) enjoyment of physical education, tripartite efficacy beliefs (i.e., self-efficacy, other-efficacy, relation-inferred self-efficacy), self-determined motivation, and amotivation. Relative to those in the control condition, students in the treatment condition reported positive changes in teacher-provided relatedness support, enjoyment, other-efficacy, and peer-focused relation-inferred self-efficacy. These findings demonstrate support for strategies designed to aid physical education teachers' relatedness-supportive instructional behaviors.

Irradiation of Materials using Short, Intense Ion Beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seidl, Peter; Ji, Q.; Persaud, A.; Feinberg, E.; Silverman, M.; Sulyman, A.; Waldron, W. L.; Schenkel, T.; Barnard, J. J.; Friedman, A.; Grote, D. P.; Gilson, E. P.; Kaganovich, I. D.; Stepanov, A.; Zimmer, M.

2016-10-01

We present experiments studying material properties created with nanosecond and millimeter-scale ion beam pulses on the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment-II at Berkeley Lab. The explored scientific topics include the dynamics of ion induced damage in materials, materials synthesis far from equilibrium, warm dense matter and intense beam-plasma physics. We describe the improved accelerator performance, diagnostics and results of beam-induced irradiation of thin samples of, e.g., tin and silicon. Bunches with >3x1010 ions/pulse with 1-mm radius and 2-30 ns FWHM duration and have been created. To achieve the short pulse durations and mm-scale focal spot radii, the 1.2 MeV He+ ion beam is neutralized in a drift compression section which removes the space charge defocusing effect during the final compression and focusing. Quantitative comparison of detailed particle-in-cell simulations with the experiment play an important role in optimizing the accelerator performance and keep pace with the accelerator repetition rate of <1/minute. This work was supported by the Office of Science of the US Department of Energy under contracts DE-AC0205CH11231 (LBNL), DE-AC52-07NA27344 (LLNL) and DE-AC02-09CH11466 (PPPL).

Collaboration and emotions to the test: the experience of FILe volunteers in hospices.

PubMed

Mascagni, Giulia

2016-11-22

This study seeks to provide an in-depth analysis of care-based interaction in the experiences of volunteers working in lenitherapy (pain therapy) through the case study of hospices in Florence, Italy. A qualitative method of data collection was chosen: the field research made use of open-ended questionnaires distributed to trained but unspecialised volunteers (V = 32) and to volunteers with hospital-based medical expertise (PV = 35) acting for the Italian Lenitherapy Foundation (FILe) and operating in hospices within the ex-ASL (Local Health Unit) of Florence. By analysing the 67 questionnaires collected, it has been possible to reconstruct and interpret the interactional dynamics that exist between the various figures present within a hospice, bringing into focus the most salient aspects of both the organisational context and emotional setting. The research experience, by highlighting everyday unseen aspects that are inaccessible to an 'internal' eye, has made it possible to better characterise the dynamics of unsuccessful collaboration between team members and potential areas of conflict. Finally, where these dynamics have been observed, an attempt has been made to outline priorities for change and possible directions to be taken, so as to promote defusing actions and restore synergy and fluidity to the FILe system.

Acoustic characterization of high intensity focused ultrasound fields generated from a transmitter with a large aperture

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

Chen, Tao; Fan, Tingbo; Jiangsu Province Institute for Medical Equipment Testing, Nanjing 210012

Prediction and measurement of the acoustic field emitted from a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is essential for the accurate ultrasonic treatment. In this study, the acoustic field generated from a strongly focused HIFU transmitter was characterized by a combined experiment and simulation method. The spheroidal beam equation (SBE) was utilized to describe the nonlinear sound propagation. The curve of the source pressure amplitude versus voltage excitation was determined by fitting the measured ratio of the second harmonic to the fundamental component of the focal waveform to the simulation result; finally, the acoustic pressure field generated by the strongly focusedmore » HIFU transmitter was predicted by using the SBE model. A commercial fiber optic probe hydrophone was utilized to measure the acoustic pressure field generated from a 1.1 MHz HIFU transmitter with a large half aperture angle of 30°. The maximum measured peak-to-peak pressure was up to 72 MPa. The validity of this combined approach was confirmed by the comparison between the measured results and the calculated ones. The results indicate that the current approach might be useful to describe the HIFU field. The results also suggest that this method is not valid for low excitations owing to low sensitivity of the second harmonic.« less

Educating for interprofessional practice: moving from knowing to being, is it the final piece of the puzzle?

PubMed

Ward, Helena; Gum, Lyn; Attrill, Stacie; Bramwell, Donald; Lindemann, Iris; Lawn, Sharon; Sweet, Linda

2017-01-06

Professional socialisation and identity arise from interactions occurring within university-based interprofessional education, and workplace-based interprofessional practice experience. However, it is unclear how closely language and concepts of academic learning situations align with workplace contexts for interprofessional learning. This paper reports on a study that brought together university-based educators responsible for teaching health professional students and health service-based practitioners who supervise students in the field. Interviews and focus groups with university-based educators and health service-base practitioners were used to explore perceptions of capabilities required for interprofessional practice. The qualitative data were then examined to explore similarities and differences in the language used by these groups. This analysis identified that there were language differences between the university-based educators and health service based practitioners involved in the project. The former demonstrated a curriculum lens, focusing on educational activities, student support and supervision. Conversely, health service-based practitioners presented a client-centred lens, with a focus on communication, professional disposition, attitude towards clients and co-workers, and authenticity of practice. Building on these insights, we theorise about the need for students to develop the self in order to be an interprofessional practitioner. The implications for health professional education in both university and workplace settings are explored.

Therapists' Perspective on Virtual Reality Training in Patients after Stroke: A Qualitative Study Reporting Focus Group Results from Three Hospitals.

PubMed

Schmid, Ludwig; Glässel, Andrea; Schuster-Amft, Corina

2016-01-01

Background . During the past decade, virtual reality (VR) has become a new component in the treatment of patients after stroke. Therefore aims of the study were (a) to get an insight into experiences and expectations of physiotherapists and occupational therapists in using a VR training system and (b) to investigate relevant facilitators, barriers, and risks for implementing VR training in clinical practice. Methods . Three focus groups were conducted with occupational therapists and physiotherapists, specialised in rehabilitation of patients after stroke. All data were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The study was analysed based on a phenomenological approach using qualitative content analysis. Results . After code refinements, a total number of 1289 codes emerged out of 1626 statements. Intercoder reliability increased from 53% to 91% until the last focus group. The final coding scheme included categories on a four-level hierarchy: first-level categories are (a) therapists and VR, (b) VR device, (c) patients and VR, and (d) future prospects and potential of VR developments. Conclusions . Results indicate that interprofessional collaboration is needed to develop future VR technology and to devise VR implementation strategies in clinical practice. In principal, VR technology devices were seen as supportive for a general health service model.

Why the time is right to tackle breast and cervical cancer in low-resource settings.

PubMed

Tsu, Vivien Davis; Jeronimo, Jose; Anderson, Benjamin O

2013-09-01

The health concerns of women in their mid-adult years - when the prime age of reproduction has passed - have been traditionally given little or no attention by health systems and donors, despite the heavy burden that diseases such as breast and cervical cancer impose on women and their families. The risk of sexually transmitted infections that accompanies sexual relations and the risk of death and morbidity associated with pregnancy have long been recognized and have stimulated major control efforts that are finally yielding positive results. Much less attention has been focused, however, on how experiences in early life can affect women's health in adulthood. Breast and cervical cancers kill more women than any other types of cancer in all parts of the developing world. In most of Asia and Latin America and some African countries, deaths from these two forms of cancer now outnumber pregnancy-related deaths. There are five compelling reasons for focusing on these cancers now to try to reverse these epidemiologic trends: (i) the burden of breast and cervical cancer is large and is growing; (ii) effective screening and treatment are available; (iii) research is generating new knowledge; (iv) there are opportunities for synergy with other health programmes; and (v) noncommunicable diseases are the focus of much current interest.

Therapists' Perspective on Virtual Reality Training in Patients after Stroke: A Qualitative Study Reporting Focus Group Results from Three Hospitals

PubMed Central

Schmid, Ludwig; Glässel, Andrea

2016-01-01

Background. During the past decade, virtual reality (VR) has become a new component in the treatment of patients after stroke. Therefore aims of the study were (a) to get an insight into experiences and expectations of physiotherapists and occupational therapists in using a VR training system and (b) to investigate relevant facilitators, barriers, and risks for implementing VR training in clinical practice. Methods. Three focus groups were conducted with occupational therapists and physiotherapists, specialised in rehabilitation of patients after stroke. All data were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The study was analysed based on a phenomenological approach using qualitative content analysis. Results. After code refinements, a total number of 1289 codes emerged out of 1626 statements. Intercoder reliability increased from 53% to 91% until the last focus group. The final coding scheme included categories on a four-level hierarchy: first-level categories are (a) therapists and VR, (b) VR device, (c) patients and VR, and (d) future prospects and potential of VR developments. Conclusions. Results indicate that interprofessional collaboration is needed to develop future VR technology and to devise VR implementation strategies in clinical practice. In principal, VR technology devices were seen as supportive for a general health service model. PMID:28058130

High construal level can help negotiators to reach integrative agreements: The role of information exchange and judgement accuracy.

PubMed

Wening, Stefanie; Keith, Nina; Abele, Andrea E

2016-06-01

In negotiations, a focus on interests (why negotiators want something) is key to integrative agreements. Yet, many negotiators spontaneously focus on positions (what they want), with suboptimal outcomes. Our research applies construal-level theory to negotiations and proposes that a high construal level instigates a focus on interests during negotiations which, in turn, positively affects outcomes. In particular, we tested the notion that the effect of construal level on outcomes was mediated by information exchange and judgement accuracy. Finally, we expected the mere mode of presentation of task material to affect construal levels and manipulated construal levels using concrete versus abstract negotiation tasks. In two experiments, participants negotiated in dyads in either a high- or low-construal-level condition. In Study 1, high-construal-level dyads outperformed dyads in the low-construal-level condition; this main effect was mediated by information exchange. Study 2 replicated both the main and mediation effects using judgement accuracy as mediator and additionally yielded a positive effect of a high construal level on a second, more complex negotiation task. These results not only provide empirical evidence for the theoretically proposed link between construal levels and negotiation outcomes but also shed light on the processes underlying this effect. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Spacecraft Fire Safety Research at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Marit

2016-01-01

Appropriate design of fire detection systems requires knowledge of both the expected fire signature and the background aerosol levels. Terrestrial fire detection systems have been developed based on extensive study of terrestrial fires. Unfortunately there is no corresponding data set for spacecraft fires and consequently the fire detectors in current spacecraft were developed based upon terrestrial designs. In low gravity, buoyant flow is negligible which causes particles to concentrate at the smoke source, increasing their residence time, and increasing the transport time to smoke detectors. Microgravity fires have significantly different structure than those in 1-g which can change the formation history of the smoke particles. Finally the materials used in spacecraft are different from typical terrestrial environments where smoke properties have been evaluated. It is critically important to detect a fire in its early phase before a flame is established, given the fixed volume of air on any spacecraft. Consequently, the primary target for spacecraft fire detection is pyrolysis products rather than soot. Experimental investigations have been performed at three different NASA facilities which characterize smoke aerosols from overheating common spacecraft materials. The earliest effort consists of aerosol measurements in low gravity, called the Smoke Aerosol Measurement Experiment (SAME), and subsequent ground-based testing of SAME smoke in 55-gallon drums with an aerosol reference instrument. Another set of experiments were performed at NASAs Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility (WSTF), with additional fuels and an alternate smoke production method. Measurements of these smoke products include mass and number concentration, and a thermal precipitator was designed for this investigation to capture particles for microscopic analysis. The final experiments presented are from NASAs Gases and Aerosols from Smoldering Polymers (GASP) Laboratory, with selected results focusing on realistic fuel preparations and heating profiles with regards to early detection of smoke. SAFFIRE is the upcoming large-scale fire experiment which will be executed in a Cygnus vehicle after it undocks from the ISS.

Gerena School Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Final Report

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This is the final report of the EPA-led Gerena Community School HIA, which aims to provide valuable health-focused information to help the City of Springfield narrow down and prioritize renovation actions at the school.

Robotically assisted MRgFUS system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenne, Jürgen W.; Krafft, Axel J.; Maier, Florian; Rauschenberg, Jaane; Semmler, Wolfhard; Huber, Peter E.; Bock, Michael

2010-03-01

Magnetic resonance imaging guided focus ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is a highly precise method to ablate tissue non-invasively. The objective of this ongoing work is to establish an MRgFUS therapy unit consisting of a specially designed FUS applicator as an add-on to a commercial robotic assistance system originally designed for percutaneous needle interventions in whole-body MRI systems. The fully MR compatible robotic assistance system InnoMotion™ (Synthes Inc., West Chester, USA; formerly InnoMedic GmbH, Herxheim, Germany) offers six degrees of freedom. The developed add-on FUS treatment applicator features a fixed focus ultrasound transducer (f = 1.7 MHz; f' = 68 mm, NA = 0.44, elliptical shaped -6-dB-focus: 8.1 mm length; O/ = 1.1 mm) embedded in a water-filled flexible bellow. A Mylar® foil is used as acoustic window encompassed by a dedicated MRI loop coil. For FUS application, the therapy unit is directly connected to the head of the robotic system, and the treatment region is targeted from above. A newly in-house developed software tool allowed for complete remote control of the MRgFUS-robot system and online analysis of MRI thermometry data. The system's ability for therapeutic relevant focal spot scanning was tested in a closed-bore clinical 1.5 T MR scanner (Magnetom Symphony, Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany) in animal experiments with pigs. The FUS therapy procedure was performed entirely under MRI guidance including initial therapy planning, online MR-thermometry, and final contrast enhanced imaging for lesion detection. In vivo trials proved the MRgFUS-robot system as highly MR compatible. MR-guided focal spot scanning experiments were performed and a well-defined pattern of thermal tissue lesions was created. A total in vivo positioning accuracy of the US focus better than 2 mm was estimated which is comparable to existing MRgFUS systems. The newly developed FUS-robotic system offers an accurate, highly flexible focus positioning. With its access to the patient from above, it provides a wide range of flexibility for acoustic target access. In the next step, motion correction unit should be integrated.

What students are saying about science: Student perspectives of meaningful, effective and ineffective learning experiences in science class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Thomas John

Statement of the problem. Research studies have rarely incorporated the subjective experience of students as they are engaged in learning. When the students' position is viewed at all in a research study, it is usually viewed from the perspective of the adult educators' interests and ways of seeing. As a result, the most conspicuously absent feature from the research literature is the first person voice of the student. In regards to science education specifically, few studies have focused on the students' perspective of their experience in science. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe and understand student perspectives of meaningful, effective, and ineffective learning experiences in science class. The following served as guiding questions: (1) What do students describe as meaningful and effective learning experiences in science class? (2) What do students describe as obstacles to their effective learning in science class? Methods. An interpretive research methodology was chosen for this study. The nine participants that took part in the study were grouped as self-directed, teacher-guided, and teacher-dependent learners. A variety of data gathering techniques were used including field notes, participant observations, interviews and focus groups. Throughout the study, inductive analysis was employed as a process for making sense out of the data. More specifically, the constant comparative method was used to categorize the data and facilitate the search for meaningful patterns. The analysis included a thick description of the students' experience of science in the first person voice of the student. The results of this study indicate that teachers play the fundamental role in the establishment of an effective learning environment and that students' consider their improved understanding to be a key to their meaningful learning. In addition, the students' improved understanding requires that teachers are actively involved in their progress and are willing to explain concepts on an ongoing basis. The study concludes by asserting that effective teachers must accommodate the needs of both self-directed and instructor-centered learners. Finally, it is argued that student feedback can be used to improve classroom effectiveness.

Post-primary students' images of mathematics: findings from a survey of Irish ordinary level mathematics students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lane, Ciara; Stynes, Martin; O'Donoghue, John

2016-10-01

A questionnaire survey was carried out as part of a PhD research study to investigate the image of mathematics held by post-primary students in Ireland. The study focused on students in fifth year of post-primary education studying ordinary level mathematics for the Irish Leaving Certificate examination - the final examination for students in second-level or post-primary education. At the time this study was conducted, ordinary level mathematics students constituted approximately 72% of Leaving Certificate students. Students were aged between 15 and 18 years. A definition for 'image of mathematics' was adapted from Lim and Wilson, with image of mathematics hypothesized as comprising attitudes, beliefs, self-concept, motivation, emotions and past experiences of mathematics. A questionnaire was composed incorporating 84 fixed-response items chosen from eight pre-established scales by Aiken, Fennema and Sherman, Gourgey and Schoenfeld. This paper focuses on the findings from the questionnaire survey. Students' images of mathematics are compared with regard to gender, type of post-primary school attended and prior mathematical achievement.

Towards adaptation in e-learning 2.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cristea, Alexandra I.; Ghali, Fawaz

2011-04-01

This paper presents several essential steps from an overall study on shaping new ways of learning and teaching, by using the synergetic merger of three different fields: Web 2.0, e-learning and adaptation (in particular, personalisation to the learner). These novel teaching and learning ways-the latter focus of this paper-are reflected in and finally adding to various versions of the My Online Teacher 2.0 adaptive system. In particular, this paper focuses on a study of how to more effectively use and combine the recommendation of peers and content adaptation to enhance the learning outcome in e-learning systems based on Web 2.0. In order to better isolate and examine the effects of peer recommendation and adaptive content presentation, we designed experiments inspecting collaboration between individuals based on recommendation of peers who have greater knowledge, and compare this to adaptive content recommendation, as well as to "simple" learning in a system with a minimum of Web 2.0 support. Overall, the results of adding peer recommendation and adaptive content presentation were encouraging, and are further discussed in detail in this paper.

A framework for using magic to study the mind.

PubMed

Rensink, Ronald A; Kuhn, Gustav

2014-01-01

Over the centuries, magicians have developed extensive knowledge about the manipulation of the human mind-knowledge that has been largely ignored by psychology. It has recently been argued that this knowledge could help improve our understanding of human cognition and consciousness. But how might this be done? And how much could it ultimately contribute to the exploration of the human mind? We propose here a framework outlining how knowledge about magic can be used to help us understand the human mind. Various approaches-both old and new-are surveyed, in terms of four different levels. The first focuses on the methods in magic, using these to suggest new approaches to existing issues in psychology. The second focuses on the effects that magic can produce, such as the sense of wonder induced by seeing an apparently impossible event. Third is the consideration of magic tricks-methods and effects together-as phenomena of scientific interest in their own right. Finally, there is the organization of knowledge about magic into an informative whole, including the possibility of a science centered around the experience of wonder.

SWOT Analysis of Total Sanitation Campaign in Yavatmal District of Maharashtra

PubMed Central

Pardeshi, Geeta; Shirke, Avinash; Jagtap, Minal

2008-01-01

Aims: To study the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) in the Yavatmal district of Maharashtra. Methodology: Data was collected in December 2006 through interviews with stakeholders, house-to-house surveys, focus group discussions, and transect walks. Information in each category was finalized in a meeting after brainstorming and discussion with the TSC cell members. Results: The strengths of the campaign were innovations in Information Education and Communication, motivation through incentives, competitive spirit, active participation and partnerships, involvement of women, and universal coverage. The main weaknesses of the program were the absence of Rural Sanitary Marts/Production Centers, poor maintenance of Women Sanitary Complexes, lack of facilities for monitoring/ follow-up and a temporary focus of the campaign approach. There is an opportunity to tap additional resources, learn from other experiences, and institute back-up agencies to support and guide the community in the post-TSC phase. A change in administration and local leadership and loss of priority and interest needed to sustain the momentum while scaling up the interventions are possible threats for the program. PMID:19876501

SWOT Analysis of Total Sanitation Campaign in Yavatmal District of Maharashtra.

PubMed

Pardeshi, Geeta; Shirke, Avinash; Jagtap, Minal

2008-10-01

To study the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) in the Yavatmal district of Maharashtra. Data was collected in December 2006 through interviews with stakeholders, house-to-house surveys, focus group discussions, and transect walks. Information in each category was finalized in a meeting after brainstorming and discussion with the TSC cell members. The strengths of the campaign were innovations in Information Education and Communication, motivation through incentives, competitive spirit, active participation and partnerships, involvement of women, and universal coverage. The main weaknesses of the program were the absence of Rural Sanitary Marts/Production Centers, poor maintenance of Women Sanitary Complexes, lack of facilities for monitoring/ follow-up and a temporary focus of the campaign approach. There is an opportunity to tap additional resources, learn from other experiences, and institute back-up agencies to support and guide the community in the post-TSC phase. A change in administration and local leadership and loss of priority and interest needed to sustain the momentum while scaling up the interventions are possible threats for the program.

High-performance DIRC detector for the future Electron Ion Collider experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalicy, G.; Allison, L.; Cao, T.; Dzhygadlo, R.; Hartlove, T.; Horn, T.; Hyde, C.; Ilieva, Y.; Nadel-Turonski, P.; Park, K.; Peters, K.; Schwarz, C.; Schwiening, J.; Stevens, J.; Xi, W.; Zorn, C.

2018-04-01

Excellent particle identification (PID) is an essential requirement for a future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) detector. Identification of the hadrons in the final state is critical to study how different quark flavors contribute to nucleon properties. A detector based on the Detection of Internally Reflected Cherenkov light (DIRC) principle, with a radial size of only a few cm, is a perfect solution for those requirements. The R&D process performed by the EIC PID consortium (eRD14) is focused on designing a high-performance DIRC that would extend the momentum coverage well beyond the state-of-the-art, allowing 3 standard deviations or more separation of π/K up to 6 GeV/c, e/π up to 1.8 GeV/c, and p/K up to 10 GeV/c. A key component to reach such a performance is a special 3-layer compound lens. This article describes the status of the High-Performance DIRC R&D for the EIC detector, with a focus on the detailed Monte Carlo simulation results and performance tests of the 3-layer lens.

Stressors, coping, and social supports of adolescent mothers.

PubMed

Panzarine, S

1986-05-01

This report describes the perceived stressors, coping strategies, and social supports of a group of adolescent mothers during their first month at home after delivery. In addition to concerns about the baby and the limitations imposed by motherhood, many of the young mothers considered their interpersonal relationships as problematic. Findings suggest that the puerperium was not a time of major distress for most of these young women. Factors contributing to a relatively smooth transition to motherhood were the adolescent's use of anticipatory coping prior to the birth, their extensive reliance on family support once at home, and their past experience with childcare. Sharing childcare with the family was an important component of the support received by these adolescents, and it is suggested that the adolescent's mobilization of social supports may be essential to ther adaptation to motherhood. Professionals were infrequently mentioned as sources of support even though a majority of the sample participated in special adolescent maternity programs. Finally, findings also suggest that problem-focused coping was used more often when dealing with concrete stressors, while emotion-focused coping was used more in response to interpersonal problems.

The imperative for new approaches for managing and leading in healthcare for the 21st century--observations from the Canadian Nurses Association's National Expert Commission Experience and Report.

PubMed

McTeer, Maureen

2014-12-01

The Canadian healthcare system must change to meet current and future realities, particularly to respond effectively to changing age and cultural demographics and new medical/scientific technologies. To meet its ongoing policy role, the Canadian Nurses Association established a National Expert Commission in 2011, mandated to prepare a report on healthcare reform and transformation, with a clear focus on the role individual nurses and the nursing profession generally could play in ensuring better health, better care and better value for Canadians. In this paper, Commission co-chair, health law specialist Maureen McTeer, outlines the key findings and recommendations of their final report, titled A Nursing Call to Action: The Health of our Nation, the Future of our Health System which she and co-chair Dr. Marlene Smadu presented originally at the CNA's biennial meeting in Vancouver, in June, 2012. The discussion focuses on the rationale behind the commission's recommendation for a new registered nursing education curriculum and approach to training.

MO-DE-207-04: Imaging educational program on solutions to common pediatric imaging challenges

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

Krishnamurthy, R.

This imaging educational program will focus on solutions to common pediatric imaging challenges. The speakers will present collective knowledge on best practices in pediatric imaging from their experience at dedicated children’s hospitals. The educational program will begin with a detailed discussion of the optimal configuration of fluoroscopes for general pediatric procedures. Following this introduction will be a focused discussion on the utility of Dual Energy CT for imaging children. The third lecture will address the substantial challenge of obtaining consistent image post -processing in pediatric digital radiography. The fourth and final lecture will address best practices in pediatric MRI includingmore » a discussion of ancillary methods to reduce sedation and anesthesia rates. Learning Objectives: To learn techniques for optimizing radiation dose and image quality in pediatric fluoroscopy To become familiar with the unique challenges and applications of Dual Energy CT in pediatric imaging To learn solutions for consistent post-processing quality in pediatric digital radiography To understand the key components of an effective MRI safety and quality program for the pediatric practice.« less

A framework for using magic to study the mind

PubMed Central

Rensink, Ronald A.; Kuhn, Gustav

2015-01-01

Over the centuries, magicians have developed extensive knowledge about the manipulation of the human mind—knowledge that has been largely ignored by psychology. It has recently been argued that this knowledge could help improve our understanding of human cognition and consciousness. But how might this be done? And how much could it ultimately contribute to the exploration of the human mind? We propose here a framework outlining how knowledge about magic can be used to help us understand the human mind. Various approaches—both old and new—are surveyed, in terms of four different levels. The first focuses on the methods in magic, using these to suggest new approaches to existing issues in psychology. The second focuses on the effects that magic can produce, such as the sense of wonder induced by seeing an apparently impossible event. Third is the consideration of magic tricks—methods and effects together—as phenomena of scientific interest in their own right. Finally, there is the organization of knowledge about magic into an informative whole, including the possibility of a science centered around the experience of wonder. PMID:25698983

Progress on ultrasonic flaw sizing in turbine-engine rotor components: bore and web geometries

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

Rose, J.H.; Gray, T.A.; Thompson, R.B.

1983-01-01

The application of generic flaw-sizing techniques to specific components generally involves difficulties associated with geometrical complexity and simplifications arising from a knowledge of the expected flaw distribution. This paper is concerned with the case of ultrasonic flaw sizing in turbine-engine rotor components. The sizing of flat penny-shaped cracks in the web geometry discussed and new crack-sizing algorithms based on the Born and Kirchhoff approximations are introduced. Additionally, we propose a simple method for finding the size of a flat, penny-shaped crack given only the magnitude of the scattering amplitude. The bore geometry is discussed with primary emphasis on the cylindricalmore » focusing of the incident beam. Important questions which are addressed include the effects of diffraction and the position of the flaw with respect to the focal line. The appropriate deconvolution procedures to account for these effects are introduced. Generic features of the theory are compared with experiment. Finally, the effects of focused transducers on the Born inversion algorithm are discussed.« less

Emotional flow in persuasive health messages.

PubMed

Nabi, Robin L

2015-01-01

Overwhelmingly, the literature on the persuasive influence of emotions has focused on individual emotions, fear in particular, though some recent attention has been given to mixed emotions in persuasive appeals. Building on this newer wave of research, this article argues that instead of focusing on singular emotional states or collections of emotions evoked by a message, it might prove valuable to explore the flow, or evolution, of emotional experience over the course of exposure to a health message. The article offers a brief introduction to the concept of emotion, followed by a review of the state of the literature on the use of emotion in health messages. The concept of emotional flow is then introduced along with a consideration of how it has been tacitly incorporated into the study of emotional health messages. Finally, the utility of the concept of emotional flow is elaborated by articulating the ways in which it might be harnessed to facilitate the creation of more effective health messages, individually as well as across campaigns. The article concludes with an agenda for future research.

Developing a professional identity: student nurses in the workplace.

PubMed

Grealish, Laurie; Trevitt, Corinne

2005-01-01

This analysis of the academic and student discourse about learning in the practicum in one Australian pre-registration Bachelor of Nursing course is part of a larger study examining the professional identity of undergraduate students in three professional groups: nursing, teaching and engineering. The focus group discussion of six student nurses reveals that the theories learned in the classroom are only partially useful preparation for the relationships required to work as a nurse in a people-laden workplace; students struggle to create meaning about practices that are not consistent with classroom theory; and students require support as they develop an identity of a nurse through the embodiment of practice work. The findings from this group support the view that the traditional approach to learning, as expressed in the documentation for the final practicum experience, where knowledge is certain, context-free, and disciplinary or subject focused, is insufficient to assist student readiness for the world of work. Recommendations emerging from this analysis are related to the university and provides some evidence for others teaching in nursing programs to reconsider their practices.

Psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and urban poverty in Argentina.

PubMed

Epele, Maria Esther

2016-12-01

Based on ethnographic research carried out in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, this paper examines the views of social actors on the psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy focused on marginalized populations. From Foucault's perspective on the forms of truth-telling, the aim of this paper is to analyze, as a preliminary research report, treatments according to the native ways of speaking and listening, which dominate the description of therapeutic experiences of patients who come to the treatment without any professional intermediation. The neoliberal transformations of the past decades in Argentina changed both the landscape of the public health system and the daily lives of marginalized people. Considering such changes, this paper examines the ways in which verbal actions (speaking and listening) take place in psychotherapy and mark the course not only of treatments but also the temporal rhythms of their development, and their various levels of efficacy. Finally, the discussion focuses on how ways of speaking and listening in treatments are modeled not only by institutional dynamics but also by the characteristics these verbal activities take in everyday life under the logics of power that prevail over them.

The 30/20 GHz flight experiment system, phase 2. Volume 2: Experiment system description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bronstein, L.; Kawamoto, Y.; Ribarich, J. J.; Scope, J. R.; Forman, B. J.; Bergman, S. G.; Reisenfeld, S.

1981-01-01

A detailed technical description of the 30/20 GHz flight experiment system is presented. The overall communication system is described with performance analyses, communication operations, and experiment plans. Hardware descriptions of the payload are given with the tradeoff studies that led to the final design. The spacecraft bus which carries the payload is discussed and its interface with the launch vehicle system is described. Finally, the hardwares and the operations of the terrestrial segment are presented.

The Dynamics of Miscible Interfaces: Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meiburg, Eckart

2005-01-01

This research project focuses on the dynamics of interfacial regions between miscible fluids. While much attention has focused on immiscible interfaces in the past, miscible interfaces have been explored to a much lesser degree, so that there are many open questions regarding their dynamics at this time. Among the more pressing issues is the role that nonconventional stresses can play in such interfacial regions. Such stresses are typically not accounted for in efforts to model the dynamics of miscible flows. Our research aims to clarify under which circumstances these stresses do have to be taken into account, and what quantitative approaches are most suitable in this regard. In order to address these issues, we have focused on conducting linear stability analyses and nonlinear simulations for capillary tube and Hele-Shaw flows, and to compare the results with corresponding experiments performed in the labs of our co-investigators Prof. Maxworthy at USC, and Dr. Balasubramaniam at NASA. Over the duration of the project we have, among other things, focused on the effects of variable diffusion coefficients in such flows, and specifically on their influence in the growth of instabilities. Furthermore, our three-dimensional spectral element simulations have made good progress, so that we have come to a point where we can conduct more detailed comparisons with experimental observations. We are currently focusing our efforts on reproducing the tip-splitting instability observed by Maxworthy. Finally, we have discovered a new core-annular flow instability in the Stokes flow regime during the last year. This represents a significant finding, as this instability does not have an immiscible counterpart.

Improving basic surgical skills for final year medical students: the value of a rural weekend.

PubMed

House, A K; House, J

2000-05-01

Hospitals employing medical graduates often express concern at the inexperience of new interns in basic surgical skills. In self assessment questionnaires, our senior medical students reported little clinical procedural experience. A practical skills workshop was staged in order to set learning goals for the final study year. This gave the students an opportunity to learn, revise and practice basic surgical techniques. The Bruce Rock rural community sponsored a surgical camp at the beginning of the academic year. Ninety-five (80%) of the class registered at the workshop, which rotated them through teaching modules, with private study opportunities and the capacity to cater for varied skill levels. Eight teaching stations with multiple access points were provided, and ten mock trauma scenarios were staged to augment the learning process. The teaching weekend was rated by students on an evaluative entrance and exit questionnaire. Sixty-five (73%) students returned questionnaires. They recorded significant improvement (P < 0.05) in their ability to handle the teaching stations. All students had inserted intravenous lines in practice prior to the camp, so the rating change in intravenous line insertion ability was not statistically significant. The weekend retreat offers students a chance to focus on surgical skills, free from the pressures of a clinical setting or the classroom. The emphasis was on the value of practice and primary skills learning. Students endorsed the camp as relevant, practical and an enjoyable learning experience for basic surgical skills.

A versatile system for optical manipulation experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanstorp, Dag; Ivanov, Maksym; Alemán Hernández, Ademir F.; Enger, Jonas; Gallego, Ana M.; Isaksson, Oscar; Karlsson, Carl-Joar; Monroy Villa, Ricardo; Varghese, Alvin; Chang, Kelken

2017-08-01

In this paper a versatile experimental system for optical levitation is presented. Microscopic liquid droplets are produced on demand from piezo-electrically driven dispensers. The charge of the droplets is controlled by applying an electric field on the piezo-dispenser head. The dispenser releases droplets into a vertically focused laser beam. The size and position in 3 dimensions of trapped droplets are measured using two orthogonally placed high speed cameras. Alternatively, the vertical position is determined by imaging scattered light onto a position sensitive detector. The charge of a trapped droplets is determined by recording its motion when an electric field is applied, and the charge can be altered by exposing the droplet to a radioactive source or UV light. Further, spectroscopic information of the trapped droplet is obtained by imaging the droplet on the entrance slit of a spectrometer. Finally, the trapping cell can be evacuated, allowing investigations of droplet dynamics in vacuum. The system is utilized to study a variety of physical phenomena, and three pilot experiments are given in this paper. First, a system used to control and measure the charge of the droplet is presented. Second, it is demonstrated how particles can be made to rotate and spin by trapping them using optical vortices. Finally, the Raman spectra of trapped glycerol droplets are obtained and analyzed. The long term goal of this work is to create a system where interactions of droplets with the surrounding medium or with other droplets can be studied with full control of all physical variables.

Evaluation of interactions between soil and coal fly ash leachates using column percolation tests.

PubMed

Tsiridis, V; Petala, M; Samaras, P; Sakellaropoulos, G P

2015-09-01

The aim of this work was the assessment of the environmental impact of different origin fly ashes with regard to their final disposal. The experimental procedure included the performance of single column tests and column tests of fly ash and soil in series. The appraisal of the potential environmental hazards was implemented using physicochemical analyses and bioassays. Two different fly ash samples were examined, one fly ash produced from the combustion of sub-bituminous coal (CFA) and one fly ash produced from the combustion of lignite (LFA). Single column percolation tests were performed according to NEN 7343 protocol, while fly ash/soil experiments were conducted incorporating slight modifications to this protocol. The study focused on the release of metals Ba, Cr, Cu, Mo, Se and Zn and the ecotoxic behavior of leachates on crustacean Daphnia magna and bacteria Vibrio fischeri. The infiltration of the leachates of both fly ashes through soil affected considerably their leaching profile. The transport of Cu and Zn was facilitated by the dynamic leaching conditions and influenced by the pH of the leachates. Moreover, the release and bioavailability of Cr, Cu and Zn was probably altered during the infiltration experiments and organisms' response was not always correlated with the concentration of metals. Nevertheless, the results are signalling that possible manipulations and final disposal of fly ash should be considered when environmental threats are investigated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Development of the strain in dementia care scale (SDCS).

PubMed

Edberg, Anna-Karin; Anderson, Katrina; Orrung Wallin, Anneli; Bird, Mike

2015-12-01

Though many staff gain satisfaction from working with people with dementia in residential facilities, they also experience significant stress. This is a serious issue because this in turn can affect the quality of care. There is, however, a lack of instruments to measure staff strain in the dementia-specific residential care environment, and the aim of this study, accordingly, was to develop the "Strain in Dementia Care Scale." The instrument was developed in three steps. In the first step, items were derived from six focus group discussions with 35 nurses in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Sweden concerning their experience of strain. In the second step, a preliminary 64-item scale was distributed to 927 dementia care staff in Australia and Sweden, which, based on exploratory factor analysis, resulted in a 29-item scale. In the final step, the 29-item scale was distributed to a new sample of 346 staff in Sweden, and the results were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. The final scale comprised the following 27 items producing a five-factor solution: Frustrated empathy; difficulties understanding and interpreting; balancing competing needs; balancing emotional involvement; and lack of recognition. The scale can be used (a) as an outcome measurement in residential care intervention studies; (b) to help residential facilities identify interventions needed to improve staff well-being, and, by extension, those they care for; and (c) to generally make more salient the critical issue of staff strain and the importance of ameliorating it.

Grooming ten-year-olds with gender stereotypes? A content analysis of preteen and teen girl magazines.

PubMed

Daniels, Elizabeth A; Layh, Marlee C; Porzelius, Linda K

2016-12-01

Extensive research shows a strong body focus in media aimed at teen girls and adult women; less is known about the content of media aimed at preteen girls. The present study investigated differences in the content of preteen versus teen girl magazines. Additionally, the content of independent compared to mainstream magazines was examined. Media frames, which are dominant themes present in media stories, used in content about the body were examined. Finally, the prevalence of appearance-focused versus non-appearance-focused content was assessed. Advertisements and general stories were analyzed. Results indicate that teen and mainstream magazines contained more appearance content than preteen and independent magazines. Appearance media frames were more common in teen than preteen magazines. Finally, teen and mainstream magazines contained more appearance-focused than non-appearance-focused content, whereas the opposite was true for preteen and independent magazines. Findings are discussed in terms of objectification theory and gender socialization practices. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Snow removal performance metrics : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

This document is the final report for the Clear Roads project entitled Snow Removal Performance Metrics. The project team was led by researchers at Washington State University on behalf of Clear Roads, an ongoing pooled fund research effort focused o...