The view from everywhere: disciplining diversity in post-World War II international social science.

PubMed

Selcer, Perrin

2009-01-01

This paper explores the attempt of social scientists associated with Unesco to create a system of knowledge production to provide the international perspective necessary for democratic governance of a world community. Social scientists constructed a federal system of international associations that institutionalized American disciplines on an international scale. An international perspective emerged through the process of interdisciplinary international research. I call this ideal of coordinating multiple subjectivities to produce objectivity the "view from everywhere." Influenced by social psychological "action-research," collaborative research was group therapy. The attempt to operationalize internationalists' rallying slogan, "unity in diversity," illuminated tensions inherent in the mobilization of science for social and political reform.

Bodily action penetrates affective perception

PubMed Central

Rigutti, Sara; Gerbino, Walter

2016-01-01

Fantoni & Gerbino (2014) showed that subtle postural shifts associated with reaching can have a strong hedonic impact and affect how actors experience facial expressions of emotion. Using a novel Motor Action Mood Induction Procedure (MAMIP), they found consistent congruency effects in participants who performed a facial emotion identification task after a sequence of visually-guided reaches: a face perceived as neutral in a baseline condition appeared slightly happy after comfortable actions and slightly angry after uncomfortable actions. However, skeptics about the penetrability of perception (Zeimbekis & Raftopoulos, 2015) would consider such evidence insufficient to demonstrate that observer’s internal states induced by action comfort/discomfort affect perception in a top-down fashion. The action-modulated mood might have produced a back-end memory effect capable of affecting post-perceptual and decision processing, but not front-end perception. Here, we present evidence that performing a facial emotion detection (not identification) task after MAMIP exhibits systematic mood-congruent sensitivity changes, rather than response bias changes attributable to cognitive set shifts; i.e., we show that observer’s internal states induced by bodily action can modulate affective perception. The detection threshold for happiness was lower after fifty comfortable than uncomfortable reaches; while the detection threshold for anger was lower after fifty uncomfortable than comfortable reaches. Action valence induced an overall sensitivity improvement in detecting subtle variations of congruent facial expressions (happiness after positive comfortable actions, anger after negative uncomfortable actions), in the absence of significant response bias shifts. Notably, both comfortable and uncomfortable reaches impact sensitivity in an approximately symmetric way relative to a baseline inaction condition. All of these constitute compelling evidence of a genuine top-down effect on perception: specifically, facial expressions of emotion are penetrable by action-induced mood. Affective priming by action valence is a candidate mechanism for the influence of observer’s internal states on properties experienced as phenomenally objective and yet loaded with meaning. PMID:26893964

Wishful seeing: more desired objects are seen as closer.

PubMed

Balcetis, Emily; Dunning, David

2010-01-01

Although people assume that they see the surrounding environment as it truly is, we suggest that perception of the natural environment is dependent upon the internal goal states of perceivers. Five experiments demonstrated that perceivers tend to see desirable objects (i.e., those that can fulfill immediate goals-a water bottle to assuage their thirst, money they can win, a personality test providing favorable feedback) as physically closer to them than less desirable objects. Biased distance perception was revealed through verbal reports and through actions toward the object (e.g., underthrowing a beanbag at a desirable object). We suggest that seeing desirable objects as closer than less desirable objects serves the self-regulatory function of energizing the perceiver to approach objects that fulfill needs and goals.

INFORMAS (International Network for Food and Obesity/non-communicable diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support): summary and future directions.

PubMed

Kumanyika, S

2013-10-01

This supplement presents the foundational elements for INFORMAS (International Network for Food and Obesity/non-communicable diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support). As explained in the overview article by Swinburn and colleagues, INFORMAS has a compelling rationale and has set forth clear objectives, outcomes, principles and frameworks for monitoring and benchmarking key aspects of food environments and the policies and actions that influence the healthiness of food environments. This summary highlights the proposed monitoring approaches for the 10 interrelated INFORMAS modules: public and private sector policies and actions; key aspects of food environments (food composition, labelling, promotion, provision, retail, prices, and trade and investment) and population outcomes (diet quality). This ambitious effort should be feasible when approached in a step-wise manner, taking into account existing monitoring efforts, data sources, country contexts and capacity, and when adequately resourced. After protocol development and pilot testing of the modules, INFORMAS aims to be a sustainable, low-cost monitoring framework. Future directions relate to institutionalization, implementation and, ultimately, to leveraging INFORMAS data in ways that will bring key drivers of food environments into alignment with public health goals. © 2013 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

The simulating social mind: the role of the mirror neuron system and simulation in the social and communicative deficits of autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Oberman, Lindsay M; Ramachandran, Vilayanur S

2007-03-01

The mechanism by which humans perceive others differs greatly from how humans perceive inanimate objects. Unlike inanimate objects, humans have the distinct property of being "like me" in the eyes of the observer. This allows us to use the same systems that process knowledge about self-performed actions, self-conceived thoughts, and self-experienced emotions to understand actions, thoughts, and emotions in others. The authors propose that internal simulation mechanisms, such as the mirror neuron system, are necessary for normal development of recognition, imitation, theory of mind, empathy, and language. Additionally, the authors suggest that dysfunctional simulation mechanisms may underlie the social and communicative deficits seen in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

The cost of poor quality: an opportunity of enormous proportions.

PubMed

Hughes, J M

1998-01-01

In all organizations, the state of finance is routinely reported in sublime detail for study and action. And yet, anywhere from 20 to 50 percent of the monies involved in that report are never identified as unnecessary and nonproductive. These monies, referred to as the Cost of Waste (COW), are the result of actions that have been taken or must be taken because quality is not served--inappropriate actions are being performed or appropriate actions are not being performed right the first time, every time. Proactively determining, reporting, and monitoring the COW brings a degree of objectivity to the quality management process and provides a powerful internal driver for performance improvement. A 10 step Cost of Waste system is proposed.

NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office at NASA HQ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daou, D.; Johnson, L.; Fast, K. E.; Landis, R.; Friedensen, V. P.; Kelley, M.

2017-09-01

NASA and its partners maintain a watch for near-Earth objects (NEOs), asteroids and comets that pass close to the Earth, as part of an ongoing effort to discover, catalog, and characterize these bodies. The PDCO is responsible for: • Ensuring the early detection of potentially hazardous objects (PHOs) - asteroids and comets whose orbit are predicted to bring them within 0.05 Astronomical Units of Earth; and of a size large enough to reach Earth's surface - that is, greater than perhaps 30 to 50 meters; • Tracking and characterizing PHOs and issuing warnings about potential impacts; • Providing timely and accurate communications about PHOs; and • Performing as a lead coordination node in U.S. Government planning for response to an actual impact threat. The PDCO collaborates with other U.S. Government agencies, other national and international agencies, and professional and amateur astronomers around the world. The PDCO also is responsible for facilitating communications between the science community and the public should any potentially hazardous NEO be discovered. In addition, the PDCO works closely with the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs, its Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and its Action Team on Near Earth Objects (also known as Action Team 14). The PDCO is a leading member of the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and the Space Missions Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG), multinational endeavors recommended by the United Nations for an international response to the NEO impact hazard and established and operated by the spacecapable nations. The PDCO also communicates with the scientific community through channels such as NASA's Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG). In this talk, we will provide an update to the office's various efforts and new opportunities for partnerships in the continuous international effort for Planetary Defense.

NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office at NASA HQ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daou, D.; Johnson, L.; Fast, K. E.; Landis, R.; Friedensen, V. P.; Kelley, M.

2017-12-01

NASA and its partners maintain a watch for near-Earth objects (NEOs), asteroids and comets that pass close to the Earth, as part of an ongoing effort to discover, catalog, and characterize these bodies. The PDCO is responsible for: Ensuring the early detection of potentially hazardous objects (PHOs) - asteroids and comets whose orbit are predicted to bring them within 0.05 Astronomical Units of Earth; and of a size large enough to reach Earth's surface - that is, greater than perhaps 30 to 50 meters; Tracking and characterizing PHOs and issuing warnings about potential impacts; Providing timely and accurate communications about PHOs; and Performing as a lead coordination node in U.S. Government planning for response to an actual impact threat. The PDCO collaborates with other U.S. Government agencies, other national and international agencies, and professional and amateur astronomers around the world. The PDCO also is responsible for facilitating communications between the science community and the public should any potentially hazardous NEO be discovered. In addition, the PDCO works closely with the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs, its Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and its Action Team on Near Earth Objects (also known as Action Team 14). The PDCO is a leading member of the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and the Space Missions Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG), multinational endeavors recommended by the United Nations for an international response to the NEO impact hazard and established and operated by the space-capable nations. The PDCO also communicates with the scientific community through channels such as NASA's Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG). In this talk, we will provide an update to the office's various efforts and new opportunities for partnerships in the continuous international effort for Planetary Defense.

Selective reaching in macaques: evidence for action-centred attention.

PubMed

Bulgheroni, Maria; Camperio-Ciani, Andrea; Straulino, Elisa; Sartori, Luisa; D'Amico, Enrico; Castiello, Umberto

2017-03-01

When a monkey selects a piece of food lying on the ground from among other viable objects in the near vicinity, only the desired item governs the particular pattern and direction of the animal's reaching action. It would seem then that selection is an important component controlling the animal's action. But, we may ask, is the selection process in such cases impervious to the presence of other objects that could constitute potential obstacles to or constraints on movement execution? And if it is, in fact, pervious to other objects, do they have a direct influence on the organization of the response? The kinematics of macaques' reaching movements were examined by the current study that analysed some exemplars as they selectively reached to grasp a food item in the absence as well as in the presence of potential obstacles (i.e., stones) that could affect the arm trajectory. Changes in movement parameterization were noted in temporal measures, such as movement time, as well as in spatial ones, such as paths of trajectory. Generally speaking, the presence of stones in the vicinity of the acting hand stalled the reaching movement and affected the arm trajectory as the hand veered away from the stone even when it was not a physical obstacle. We concluded that nearby objects evoke a motor response in macaques, and the attentional mechanisms that allow for a successful action selection are revealed in the reaching path. The data outlined here concur with human studies indicating that potential obstacles are internally represented, a finding implying basic cognitive operations allowing for action selection in macaques.

Shoulder isokinetic profile of male handball players of the Brazilian National Team

PubMed Central

Andrade, Marília S.; Vancini, Rodrigo L.; de Lira, Claudio A. B.; Mascarin, Naryana C.; Fachina, Rafael J. F. G.; da Silva, Antonio C.

2013-01-01

Background Data obtained on an isokinetic dynamometer are useful to characterize muscle status and have been reported in muscle imbalance studies in different types of sport. However, few studies have assessed elite handball players to establish reference values. Objective The purpose of this study was to compare, for the dominant (D) and non-dominant (ND) side, the isokinetic profile of shoulder rotator muscle strength between male handball players (H) and asymptomatic non-athletes (NA). Method Isokinetic concentric and eccentric strength tests for D upper limbs were performed by the H group (n=20) and the NA group (n=12). Internal and external rotator muscle peak torque in concentric action was assessed at 60°/s and 300°/s and in eccentric action at 300°/s. We also calculated conventional balance (the ratio of external rotator peak torque to internal rotator peak torque in concentric action) and functional balance (the ratio of external rotator peak torque in eccentric action to internal rotator peak torque in concentric action). Results In the H group, dominant limbs were stronger in concentric action for external rotation at 60 and 300°/s. The conventional balance ratio for the D side was significantly lower at 60 and 300°/s for H compared to NA. The functional ratio for the D side was significantly lower at 300º/s for H compared to NA. Conclusions Compared to asymptomatic non-athletes, handball players presented significant muscular imbalance resulting from daily sports practice, a known risk factor for shoulder injuries. PMID:24271090

Cognitive, perceptual and action-oriented representations of falling objects.

PubMed

Zago, Myrka; Lacquaniti, Francesco

2005-01-01

We interact daily with moving objects. How accurate are our predictions about objects' motions? What sources of information do we use? These questions have received wide attention from a variety of different viewpoints. On one end of the spectrum are the ecological approaches assuming that all the information about the visual environment is present in the optic array, with no need to postulate conscious or unconscious representations. On the other end of the spectrum are the constructivist approaches assuming that a more or less accurate representation of the external world is built in the brain using explicit or implicit knowledge or memory besides sensory inputs. Representations can be related to naive physics or to context cue-heuristics or to the construction of internal copies of environmental invariants. We address the issue of prediction of objects' fall at different levels. Cognitive understanding and perceptual judgment of simple Newtonian dynamics can be surprisingly inaccurate. By contrast, motor interactions with falling objects are often very accurate. We argue that the pragmatic action-oriented behaviour and the perception-oriented behaviour may use different modes of operation and different levels of representation.

A specific deficit of imitation in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Stewart, Hannah J; McIntosh, Rob D; Williams, Justin H G

2013-12-01

Imitation is a potentially crucial aspect of social cognitive development. Although deficits in imitation ability have been widely demonstrated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the specificity and significance of the findings is unclear, due largely to methodological limitations. We developed a novel assessment of imitation ability, using objective movement parameters (path length and action duration) derived from a touch-sensitive tablet laptop during drawing actions on an identical tablet. By direct comparison of the kinematics of a model's actions with those of the participant who observed them, measures of imitation accuracy were obtained. By replaying the end-point of the movement as a spot on the screen, imitation accuracy was compared against a "ghost control" condition, with no human actor but only the end-point of the movement seen [object movement reenactment (OMR)]. Hence, demands of the control task were closely matched to the experimental task with respect to motor, memory, and attentional abilities. Adolescents with ASD showed poorer accuracy for copying object size and action duration on both the imitation and OMR tasks, but were significantly more impaired for imitation of object size. Our results provide evidence that some of the imitation deficit in ASD is specific to a self-other mapping problem, and cannot be explained by general factors such as memory, spatial reasoning, motor control, or attention, nor related to the social demands of the testing situation. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A guidelines handbook for GPR surveys in tunnels: a COST Action TU1208 contribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianchini Ciampoli, Luca; Alani, Amir M.; Pajewski, Lara; Benedetto, Andrea; Loizos, Andreas; Tosti, Fabio

2016-04-01

A significant open issue concerning the reliability of geophysical methods and in particular of ground penetrating radar (GPR), both in research and professional context, is a general lack of international standards. This is a major problem to be faced, in order to gain scientific strictness for the GPR practices, and to easily extend to the international community the results achieved within the area of single virtuous countries. Producing international guidelines can represent an important step forward, in this sense. In the memorandum of understanding of the COST Action TU1208 is clearly stated that one of the main purposes of the Action is the "development of innovative protocols and guidelines which will be published in a handbook and constitute a basis for European Standards, for an effective GPR application in CE tasks; safety, economic and financial criteria will be integrated within the protocols". Of course this is not a simple task to be accomplished. Firstly, survey procedures are highly dependent on the objective of the survey itself. On the basis of the objective of each geophysical test, the GPR system, the antenna configuration, and even the processing procedures may change. Besides, these procedures are also influenced by the environmental conditions in which the tests are performed. This affects several aspects spanning from hardware to software, but including, for instance, also safety issues. Due to these reasons, one of the main goal of the COST Action TU1208 is the development of several guidelines related to the main applications of GPR in the field of civil engineering. In this work, the structure of a guidelines handbook for GPR activities in tunnels is outlined. In the first sections, the principal references in the field are provided, and the most common GPR equipment and complementary technologies are described. Subsequently, the survey methodologies are explained. Particular attention is paid to the preliminary activities to be carried out prior to the GPR surveys, which can cover an important role in such a complex environment. Lastly, the main applications of GPR technology in tunnels are discussed. Acknowledgement The Authors thank COST, for funding the Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar."

Word-to-picture recognition is a function of motor components mappings at the stage of retrieval.

PubMed

Brouillet, Denis; Brouillet, Thibaut; Milhau, Audrey; Heurley, Loïc; Vagnot, Caroline; Brunel, Lionel

2016-10-01

Embodied approaches of cognition argue that retrieval involves the re-enactment of both sensory and motor components of the desired remembering. In this study, we investigated the effect of motor action performed to produce the response in a recognition task when this action is compatible with the affordance of the objects that have to be recognised. In our experiment, participants were first asked to learn a list of words referring to graspable objects, and then told to make recognition judgements on pictures. The pictures represented objects where the graspable part was either pointing to the same or to the opposite side of the "Yes" response key. Results show a robust effect of compatibility between objects affordance and response hand. Moreover, this compatibility improves participants' ability of discrimination, suggesting that motor components are relevant cue for memory judgement at the stage of retrieval in a recognition task. More broadly, our data highlight that memory judgements are a function of motor components mappings at the stage of retrieval. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

Desire understanding in 2-year-old children: An eye-tracking study.

PubMed

Vaish, Amrisha; Hepach, Robert; Grossmann, Tobias

2018-05-21

'Much research has investigated children's understanding of others' mental states in terms of beliefs, but far less is known about their understanding of others' desires. To fill this gap, we used an eye-tracking paradigm to test 2-year-old children's desire understanding by measuring their anticipatory looking behavior as well as changes in their internal arousal (i.e., changes in pupil dilation). Children showed increased pupil dilation when an adult reached for an object she had previously emoted negatively towards (the object incongruent with her desire). Children also showed weaker evidence of anticipating that an adult will reach for an object that she had emoted positively towards (the object congruent with her desire). These results suggest that 2-year-olds robustly recognize whether or not an individual's actions are consistent with her desires, and seem to have a budding capacity to predict an individual's actions based on her desires. Thus, by age 2 years, children are on their way to acquiring a robust desire psychology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Objects tell us what action we can expect: dissociating brain areas for retrieval and exploitation of action knowledge during action observation in fMRI

PubMed Central

Schubotz, Ricarda I.; Wurm, Moritz F.; Wittmann, Marco K.; von Cramon, D. Yves

2014-01-01

Objects are reminiscent of actions often performed with them: knife and apple remind us on peeling the apple or cutting it. Mnemonic representations of object-related actions (action codes) evoked by the sight of an object may constrain and hence facilitate recognition of unrolling actions. The present fMRI study investigated if and how action codes influence brain activation during action observation. The average number of action codes (NAC) of 51 sets of objects was rated by a group of n = 24 participants. In an fMRI study, different volunteers were asked to recognize actions performed with the same objects presented in short videos. To disentangle areas reflecting the storage of action codes from those exploiting them, we showed object-compatible and object-incompatible (pantomime) actions. Areas storing action codes were considered to positively co-vary with NAC in both object-compatible and object-incompatible action; due to its role in tool-related tasks, we here hypothesized left anterior inferior parietal cortex (aIPL). In contrast, areas exploiting action codes were expected to show this correlation only in object-compatible but not incompatible action, as only object-compatible actions match one of the active action codes. For this interaction, we hypothesized ventrolateral premotor cortex (PMv) to join aIPL due to its role in biasing competition in IPL. We found left anterior intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and left posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) to co-vary with NAC. In addition to these areas, action codes increased activity in object-compatible action in bilateral PMv, right IPS, and lateral occipital cortex (LO). Findings suggest that during action observation, the brain derives possible actions from perceived objects, and uses this information to shape action recognition. In particular, the number of expectable actions quantifies the activity level at PMv, IPL, and pMTG, but only PMv reflects their biased competition while observed action unfolds. PMID:25009519

Enhanced reimbursement is becoming a reality.

PubMed

Ogrod, E S; Doherty, R B

1988-06-01

Physicians' cognitive services, historically underpaid in comparison to specific procedures, are finally beginning to earn deservedly higher fees. To a great extent, this increased reimbursement is the result of action by the American Society of Internal Medicine. The authors note how some HMOs and insurers are already implementing payments for cognitive services, and a Table outlines congressional action in this direction from late 1983 to the present. Suggestions are given for changes individual physicians can make in their practices so that they can emphasize these services. The authors also describe the objectives of the ongoing, federally funded, Harvard Relative Value Scale.

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a 5-year recovery period for computer-based gambling machines.

THOMAS, 112th Congress

Rep. Heller, Dean [R-NV-2

2011-01-25

House - 05/11/2011 Ms. Berkley asked unanimous consent to be the first sponsor of H.R. 427, and to have the authority to add co-sponsors. Agreed to without objection. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

[Level of knowledge and action on lipaemia among Spanish primary and specialist care doctors. Press cholesterol study].

PubMed

Abellán Alemán, José; Leal Hernández, Mariano; Martínez Pastor, Antonio; Hernández Menárguez, Fernando; García-Galbis Marín, José Antonio; Jara Gómez, Purificación

2006-09-01

To find the level of knowledge, the guidelines for action and the monitoring of lipaemia by Spanish primary care and specialist doctors. A self-defined questionnaire of 12 items was designed. Data on the population treated and the subjective evaluation of objectives, and on the management and monitoring of lipid parameters were filled in. A total of 1998 doctors from the whole of Spain took part; 68.8% of the doctors interviewed worked in primary health care and 30.2% in specialist centres or hospitals. A 91% of the doctors said they followed international consensus on monitoring lipaemia. The most commonly used objective therapeutic parameter for treating lipaemia was LDL-cholesterol (83%), followed by total cholesterol (62%), HDL-cholesterol (56%) and triglycerides (51%). If the patient's lipaemia was well controlled, then 21.8% of doctors reduced the doses of lipid-lowerers. In general terms, no great differences were appreciated between the criteria followed by PC and by specialist doctors. The criteria for action on lipaemia could be improved. There are no important differences of view or action in clinical and therapeutic criteria for Lipaemia cases between PC and specialist doctors.

Predicting risk for disciplinary action by a state medical board.

PubMed

Cardarelli, Roberto; Licciardone, John C; Ramirez, Gilbert

2004-01-01

Disciplinary actions taken against physicians in the United States have been increasing over the last decade, yet the factors that place physicians at risk have not been well identified. The objective of this study is to identify predictors of physician disciplinary action. This case-control study used data from the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners from January 1989 through December 1998. Characteristics of disciplined physicians and predictors of disciplinary action for all violations and by type of violation were the main outcome descriptors. Years in practice, black physicians, and osteopathic graduates were positive predictors for disciplinary action. In contrast, female physicians, international medical graduates, and Hispanic and Asian physicians were less likely to receive disciplinary action compared with male, US allopathic, and white physicians, respectively. Most specialists, except psychiatrists and obstetrician-gynecologists, were less likely to be disciplined than were family practitioners, whereas general practitioners were more likely to be disciplined. More studies are needed to corroborate these findings.

Observing complex action sequences: The role of the fronto-parietal mirror neuron system.

PubMed

Molnar-Szakacs, Istvan; Kaplan, Jonas; Greenfield, Patricia M; Iacoboni, Marco

2006-11-15

A fronto-parietal mirror neuron network in the human brain supports the ability to represent and understand observed actions allowing us to successfully interact with others and our environment. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we wanted to investigate the response of this network in adults during observation of hierarchically organized action sequences of varying complexity that emerge at different developmental stages. We hypothesized that fronto-parietal systems may play a role in coding the hierarchical structure of object-directed actions. The observation of all action sequences recruited a common bilateral network including the fronto-parietal mirror neuron system and occipito-temporal visual motion areas. Activity in mirror neuron areas varied according to the motoric complexity of the observed actions, but not according to the developmental sequence of action structures, possibly due to the fact that our subjects were all adults. These results suggest that the mirror neuron system provides a fairly accurate simulation process of observed actions, mimicking internally the level of motoric complexity. We also discuss the results in terms of the links between mirror neurons, language development and evolution.

[Strategy Development for International Cooperation in the Clinical Laboratory Field].

PubMed

Kudo, Yoshiko; Osawa, Susumu

2015-10-01

The strategy of international cooperation in the clinical laboratory field was analyzed to improve the quality of intervention by reviewing documents from international organizations and the Japanese government. Based on the world development agenda, the target of action for health has shifted from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases (NCD). This emphasizes the importance of comprehensive clinical laboratories instead of disease-specific examinations in developing countries. To achieve this goal, the World Health Organization (WHO) has disseminated to the African and Asian regions the Laboratory Quality Management System (LQMS), which is based on the same principles of the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) 15189. To execute this strategy, international experts must have competence in project management, analyze information regarding the target country, and develop a strategy for management of the LQMS with an understanding of the technical aspects of laboratory work. However, there is no appropriate pre- and post-educational system of international health for Japanese international workers. Universities and academic organizations should cooperate with the government to establish a system of education for international workers. Objectives of this education system must include: (1) training for the organization and understanding of global health issues, (2) education of the principles regarding comprehensive management of clinical laboratories, and (3) understanding the LQMS which was employed based on WHO's initiative. Achievement of these objectives will help improve the quality of international cooperation in the clinical laboratory field.

Impact of implementing an Internal Bed Regulation Committee on administrative and care indicators at a teaching hospital

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Luciane Cristine Ribeiro; Juliani, Carmen Maria Casquel Monti

2015-01-01

Objective To compare hospital indicators before and after implementing an Internal Bed Regulation Committee at a reference hospital. Methods It is an quantitative, evaluation, exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional research. The data was gathered from the hospital administrative reports for the period 2008-2013, provided by the Information Technology Center of the Complexo FAMEMA. Results The indicators improved after implementation of the Internal Bed Regulation Committee. Conclusion The individuals involved in the process acknowledged the improvement. It is necessary to carry on the regulatory actions, especially in a comprehensive and complex healthcare system, such as the brazilian Sistema Único de Saúde. PMID:25993075

Exploration of the perceptions of emergency physicians and interns regarding the medical documentation practices of interns.

PubMed

Isoardi, Jonathon; Spencer, Lyndall; Sinnott, Michael; Nicholls, Kim; O'Connor, Angela; Jones, Fleur

2013-08-01

The primary objective of the present study was to learn the factors that influence the documentation practices of ED interns. A second objective was to identify the expectations of emergency physicians (EPs) towards the medical record documentation of ED interns. A qualitative design was adopted using semi-structured interviews in convenience samples drawn from both groups. Eighteen interviews were conducted with intern volunteers and 10 with EP volunteers. One (5%) intern and two (20%) EPs had received medical documentation training. Factors that encouraged interns' documentation included: patient acuity (the more critical the condition, the more comprehensive the documentation) and the support of senior colleagues. Inhibiting factors included uncertainty about how much to write, and the shift being worked (interns indicated they wrote less at night). Factors of consequence to senior personnel included the apparent reluctance of interns to document management plans. They noted that interns frequently confine their notes to assessment, investigations and treatments, whereas EPs preferred records that demonstrated intern thought processes and included such matters as future actions to follow immediate treatment. A positive theme that emerged included the high level of support interns received from their senior colleagues. Another theme, the influence of patient acuity, held both positive and negative implications for intern writing practices. The lack of formal training is an impediment to the production of useful medical records by ED interns. One solution proposed by both interns and senior personnel was the introduction of the subject into intern education programmes. © 2013 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

International Arctic Seas Assessment Project.

PubMed

Sjöblom, K L; Salo, A; Bewers, J M; Cooper, J; Dyer, R S; Lynn, N M; Mount, M E; Povinec, P P; Sazykina, T G; Schwarz, J; Scott, E M; Sivintsev, Y V; Tanner, J E; Warden, J M; Woodhead, D

1999-09-30

The International Atomic Energy Agency responded to the news that the former Soviet Union had dumped radioactive wastes in the shallow waters of the Arctic Seas, by launching the International Arctic Seas Assessment Project in 1993. The project had two objectives: to assess the risks to human health and to the environment associated with the radioactive wastes dumped in the Kara and Barents Seas; and to examine possible remedial actions related to the dumped wastes and to advise on whether they are necessary and justified. The current radiological situation in the Arctic waters was examined to assess whether there is any evidence for releases from the dumped waste. Potential future releases from the dumped wastes were predicted, concentrating on the high-level waste objects containing the major part of the radionuclide inventory of the wastes. Environmental transport of released radionuclides was modelled and the associated radiological impact on humans and the biota was assessed. The feasibility, costs and benefits of possible remedial measures applied to a selected high-level waste object were examined. Releases from identified dumped objects were found to be small and localised to the immediate vicinity of the dumping sites. Projected future annual doses to members of the public in typical local population groups were very small, less than 1 microSv--corresponding to a trivial risk. Projected future doses to a hypothetical group of military personnel patrolling the foreshore of the fjords in which wastes have been dumped were higher, up to 4 mSv/year, which still is of the same order as the average annual natural background dose. Moreover, since any of the proposed remedial actions were estimated to cost several million US$ to implement, remediation was not considered justified on the basis of potentially removing a collective dose of 10 man Sv. Doses calculated to marine fauna were insignificant, orders of magnitude below those at which detrimental effects on fauna populations might be expected to occur. Remediation was thus concluded not to be warranted on radiological grounds.

Electrothermal Action of the Pulse of the Current of a Short Artificial-Lightning Stroke on Test Specimens of Wires and Cables of Electric Power Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranov, M. I.; Rudakov, S. V.

2018-03-01

The authors have given results of investigations of the electrothermal action of aperiodic pulses of temporal shape 10/350 μs of the current of a short artificial-lightning stroke on test specimens of electric wires and cables with copper and aluminum cores and sheaths with polyvinylchloride and polyethylene insulations of power circuits of industrial electric power objects. It has been shown that the thermal stability of such wires and cables is determined by the action integral of the indicated current pulse. The authors have found the maximum permissible and critical densities of this pulse in copper and aluminum current-carrying parts of the wires and cables. High-current experiments conducted under high-voltage laboratory conditions on a unique generator of 10/350 μs pulses of an artificial-lightning current with amplitude-time parameters normalized according to the existing requirements of international and national standards and with tolerances on them have confirmed the reliability of the proposed calculated estimate for thermal lightning resistance of cabling and wiring products.

Electrothermal Action of the Pulse of the Current of a Short Artificial-Lightning Stroke on Test Specimens of Wires and Cables of Electric Power Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranov, M. I.; Rudakov, S. V.

2018-05-01

The authors have given results of investigations of the electrothermal action of aperiodic pulses of temporal shape 10/350 μs of the current of a short artificial-lightning stroke on test specimens of electric wires and cables with copper and aluminum cores and sheaths with polyvinylchloride and polyethylene insulations of power circuits of industrial electric power objects. It has been shown that the thermal stability of such wires and cables is determined by the action integral of the indicated current pulse. The authors have found the maximum permissible and critical densities of this pulse in copper and aluminum current-carrying parts of the wires and cables. High-current experiments conducted under high-voltage laboratory conditions on a unique generator of 10/350 μs pulses of an artificial-lightning current with amplitude-time parameters normalized according to the existing requirements of international and national standards and with tolerances on them have confirmed the reliability of the proposed calculated estimate for thermal lightning resistance of cabling and wiring products.

Federal Strategy for Prevention of Drug Abuse and Drug Trafficking, 1982. Prepared for the President Pursuant to the Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Policy Development, Washington, DC.

This document describes the Federal response to drug abuse and drug trafficking. The actions of President Reagan, in Executive Order 12368, establishing an official advisor on drug abuse policy matters, and the priorities, issues, and objectives (international cooperation, drug law enforcement, education and prevention, detoxification and…

Attitudes of Stakeholders towards Physical Punishment on Pupils of International and National Schools in Kampala District, Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulinga, Damien Mbikyo

2012-01-01

This paper describes an applied research study conducted to find solutions for the problem of the use of physical punishment in schools in the Kampala District of Uganda. In this study stakeholders were requested to state their actions and feelings towards the use of physical punishment in schools. The objective of the study was to investigate…

The effect of personal and group discrimination on the subjective well-being of people with mental illness: the role of internalized stigma and collective action intention.

PubMed

Pérez-Garín, Daniel; Molero, Fernando; Bos, Arjan E R

2017-04-01

The goal of this study is to test a model in which personal discrimination predicts internalized stigma, while group discrimination predicts a greater willingness to engage in collective action. Internalized stigma and collective action, in turn, are associated to positive and negative affect. A cross-sectional study with 213 people with mental illness was conducted. The model was tested using path analysis. Although the data supported the model, its fit was not sufficiently good. A respecified model, in which a direct path from collective action to internalized stigma was added, showed a good fit. Personal and group discrimination appear to impact subjective well-being through two different paths: the internalization of stigma and collective action intentions, respectively. These two paths, however, are not completely independent, as collective action predicts a lower internalization of stigma. Thus, collective action appears as an important tool to reduce internalized stigma and improve subjective well-being. Future interventions to reduce the impact of stigma should fight the internalization of stigma and promote collective action are suggested.

The left inferior parietal lobe represents stored hand-postures for object use and action prediction

PubMed Central

van Elk, Michiel

2014-01-01

Action semantics enables us to plan actions with objects and to predict others' object-directed actions as well. Previous studies have suggested that action semantics are represented in a fronto-parietal action network that has also been implicated to play a role in action observation. In the present fMRI study it was investigated how activity within this network changes as a function of the predictability of an action involving multiple objects and requiring the use of action semantics. Participants performed an action prediction task in which they were required to anticipate the use of a centrally presented object that could be moved to an associated target object (e.g., hammer—nail). The availability of actor information (i.e., presenting a hand grasping the central object) and the number of possible target objects (i.e., 0, 1, or 2 target objects) were independently manipulated, resulting in different levels of predictability. It was found that making an action prediction based on actor information resulted in an increased activation in the extrastriate body area (EBA) and the fronto-parietal action observation network (AON). Predicting actions involving a target object resulted in increased activation in the bilateral IPL and frontal motor areas. Within the AON, activity in the left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) and the left premotor cortex (PMC) increased as a function of the level of action predictability. Together these findings suggest that the left IPL represents stored hand-postures that can be used for planning object-directed actions and for predicting other's actions as well. PMID:24795681

23 CFR 771.137 - International actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false International actions. 771.137 Section 771.137 Highways... IMPACT AND RELATED PROCEDURES § 771.137 International actions. (a) The requirements of this part apply to: (1) Administration actions significantly affecting the environment of a foreign nation not...

Action relations facilitate the identification of briefly-presented objects.

PubMed

Roberts, Katherine L; Humphreys, Glyn W

2011-02-01

The link between perception and action allows us to interact fluently with the world. Objects which 'afford' an action elicit a visuomotor response, facilitating compatible responses. In addition, positioning objects to interact with one another appears to facilitate grouping, indicated by patients with extinction being better able to identify interacting objects (e.g. a corkscrew going towards the top of a wine bottle) than the same objects when positioned incorrectly for action (Riddoch, Humphreys, Edwards, Baker, & Willson, Nature Neuroscience, 6, 82-89, 2003). Here, we investigate the effect of action relations on the perception of normal participants. We found improved identification of briefly-presented objects when in correct versus incorrect co-locations for action. For the object that would be 'active' in the interaction (the corkscrew), this improvement was enhanced when it was oriented for use by the viewer's dominant hand. In contrast, the position-related benefit for the 'passive' object was stronger when the objects formed an action-related pair (corkscrew and bottle) compared with an unrelated pair (corkscrew and candle), and it was reduced when spatial cues disrupted grouping between the objects. We propose that these results indicate two separate effects of action relations on normal perception: a visuomotor response to objects which strongly afford an action; and a grouping effect between objects which form action-related pairs.

Exposure to and actions against passive smoking in non-smoking pregnant women in Guangzhou, China.

PubMed

Loke, A Y; Lam, T H; Pan, S C; Li, S Y; Gao, X J; Song, Y Y

2000-11-01

The objective was to describe the extent of passive smoking exposure and preventive actions against passive smoking in non-smoking pregnant women and to analyze factors associated with preventive actions. This was a cross-sectional survey on 1449 never-smoking pregnant women who made their first prenatal visit to the Women and Children's Hospital of Guangzhou, China during 1996-97. 60.2% (95% Confidence Interval 57.7%-62.7%) of the never-smoking pregnant women had a husband who currently smoked. Women with smoking husbands (n=872) were more exposed to ETS than those with non-smoking husbands (n=577) at home (71% vs. 33%), in public places (77% vs. 66%) and at work (60% vs. 50% of working women), and they took less actions against passive smoking in public places. Women with better education and knowledge on smoking and passive smoking had stronger preventive actions. Non-smoking pregnant women in China are often exposed to passive smoking and their preventive actions are weak. Passive smoking is an important obstetric and public health problem in developing countries and deserves urgent international attention.

The role of objects and effects in action imitation: Comparing the imitation of object-related actions vs. gestures in 18-month-old infants.

PubMed

Kim, Ziyon; Óturai, Gabriella; Király, Ildikó; Knopf, Monika

2015-11-01

This study aimed to systematically investigate 18-month-old infants' imitation of object-related actions compared to motorically similar gestures. An additional goal of the study was to examine the role of action effects on infants' imitation of target actions. One group of infants (n=17) observed object-related actions and gestures leading to salient effects (sounds or visual resp. social effects), and the other group (n=16) watched the same actions without effects. Furthermore, this study examined whether infants show a consistent imitation ability for object-related actions and gestures. First, the present study showed that 18-month-old infants imitated object-related actions more frequently than gestures. Second, the presence of an effect significantly increased the imitation rate of object-related actions; however, this difference was not found for gestures. Third, indications for a general imitation ability were found as results on an individual level showed that object-related action imitation significantly correlated with gesture imitation. Implications of the results for theory and future studies are discussed with a focus on the role of objects and effects in 18-month-old infants' action imitation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Mixed-Methods Study of Patient-Provider E-mail Content in a Safety-Net Setting

PubMed Central

Mirsky, Jacob B.; Tieu, Lina; Lyles, Courtney; Sarkar, Urmimala

2016-01-01

Objective To explore the content of patient-provider e-mails in a safety-net primary care clinic. Methods We conducted a content analysis using inductive and deductive coding of e-mail exchanges (n=31) collected from January through November of 2013. Participants were English-speaking adult patients with a chronic condition (or their caregivers) cared for at a single publicly-funded general internal medicine clinic and their primary care providers (attending general internist physicians, clinical fellows, internal medicine residents, and nurse practitioners). Results All e-mails were non-urgent. Patients included a medical update in 19% of all e-mails. Patients requested action in 77% of e-mails, and the most common requests overall were for action regarding medications or treatment (29%). Requests for information were less common (45% of e-mails). Patient requests (n=56) were resolved in 84% of e-mail exchanges, resulting in 63 actions. Conclusion Patients in safety-net clinics are capable of safely and effectively using electronic messaging for between-visit communication with providers. Practical Implications Safety-net systems should implement electronic communications tools as soon as possible to increase healthcare access and enhance patient involvement in their care. PMID:26332306

The affordance-matching hypothesis: how objects guide action understanding and prediction

PubMed Central

Bach, Patric; Nicholson, Toby; Hudson, Matthew

2014-01-01

Action understanding lies at the heart of social interaction. Prior research has often conceptualized this capacity in terms of a motoric matching of observed actions to an action in one’s motor repertoire, but has ignored the role of object information. In this manuscript, we set out an alternative conception of intention understanding, which places the role of objects as central to our observation and comprehension of the actions of others. We outline the current understanding of the interconnectedness of action and object knowledge, demonstrating how both rely heavily on the other. We then propose a novel framework, the affordance-matching hypothesis, which incorporates these findings into a simple model of action understanding, in which object knowledge—what an object is for and how it is used—can inform and constrain both action interpretation and prediction. We will review recent empirical evidence that supports such an object-based view of action understanding and we relate the affordance matching hypothesis to recent proposals that have re-conceptualized the role of mirror neurons in action understanding. PMID:24860468

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale for Brazilian nurses 1

PubMed Central

Tomaschewski-Barlem, Jamila Geri; Lunardi, Valéria Lerch; Barlem, Edison Luiz Devos; da Silveira, Rosemary Silva; Dalmolin, Graziele de Lima; Ramos, Aline Marcelino

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective: to adapt culturally and validate the Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale for Brazilian nurses. Method: methodological study carried out with 153 nurses from two hospitals in the South region of Brazil, one public and the other philanthropic. The cross-cultural adaptation of the Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale was performed according to international standards, and its validation was carried out for use in the Brazilian context, by means of factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha as measure of internal consistency. Results: by means of evaluation by a committee of experts and application of pre-test, face validity and content validity of the instrument were considered satisfactory. From the factor analysis, five constructs were identified: negative implications of the advocacy practice, advocacy actions, facilitators of the advocacy practice, perceptions that favor practice advocacy and barriers to advocacy practice. The instrument showed satisfactory internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha values ranging from 0.70 to 0.87. Conclusion: it was concluded that the Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale - Brazilian version, is a valid and reliable instrument for use in the evaluation of beliefs and actions of health advocacy, performed by Brazilian nurses in their professional practice environment. PMID:26444169

Visual context modulates potentiation of grasp types during semantic object categorization.

PubMed

Kalénine, Solène; Shapiro, Allison D; Flumini, Andrea; Borghi, Anna M; Buxbaum, Laurel J

2014-06-01

Substantial evidence suggests that conceptual processing of manipulable objects is associated with potentiation of action. Such data have been viewed as evidence that objects are recognized via access to action features. Many objects, however, are associated with multiple actions. For example, a kitchen timer may be clenched with a power grip to move it but pinched with a precision grip to use it. The present study tested the hypothesis that action evocation during conceptual object processing is responsive to the visual scene in which objects are presented. Twenty-five healthy adults were asked to categorize object pictures presented in different naturalistic visual contexts that evoke either move- or use-related actions. Categorization judgments (natural vs. artifact) were performed by executing a move- or use-related action (clench vs. pinch) on a response device, and response times were assessed as a function of contextual congruence. Although the actions performed were irrelevant to the categorization judgment, responses were significantly faster when actions were compatible with the visual context. This compatibility effect was largely driven by faster pinch responses when objects were presented in use-compatible, as compared with move-compatible, contexts. The present study is the first to highlight the influence of visual scene on stimulus-response compatibility effects during semantic object processing. These data support the hypothesis that action evocation during conceptual object processing is biased toward context-relevant actions.

Visual context modulates potentiation of grasp types during semantic object categorization

PubMed Central

Kalénine, Solène; Shapiro, Allison D.; Flumini, Andrea; Borghi, Anna M.; Buxbaum, Laurel J.

2013-01-01

Substantial evidence suggests that conceptual processing of manipulable objects is associated with potentiation of action. Such data have been viewed as evidence that objects are recognized via access to action features. Many objects, however, are associated with multiple actions. For example, a kitchen timer may be clenched with a power grip to move it, but pinched with a precision grip to use it. The present study tested the hypothesis that action evocation during conceptual object processing is responsive to the visual scene in which objects are presented. Twenty-five healthy adults were asked to categorize object pictures presented in different naturalistic visual contexts that evoke either move- or use-related actions. Categorization judgments (natural vs. artifact) were performed by executing a move- or use-related action (clench vs. pinch) on a response device, and response times were assessed as a function of contextual congruence. Although the actions performed were irrelevant to the categorization judgment, responses were significantly faster when actions were compatible with the visual context. This compatibility effect was largely driven by faster pinch responses when objects were presented in use- compared to move-compatible contexts. The present study is the first to highlight the influence of visual scene on stimulus-response compatibility effects during semantic object processing. These data support the hypothesis that action evocation during conceptual object processing is biased toward context-relevant actions. PMID:24186270

Sensory and semantic activations evoked by action attributes of manipulable objects: Evidence from ERPs

PubMed Central

Lee, Chia-lin; Huang, Hsu-Wen; Federmeier, Kara D.; Buxbaum, Laurel J.

2018-01-01

“Two route” theories of object-related action processing posit different temporal activation profiles of grasp-to-move actions (rapidly evoked based on object structure) versus skilled use actions (more slowly activated based on semantic knowledge). We capitalized on the exquisite temporal resolution and multidimensionality of Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) to directly test this hypothesis. Participants viewed manipulable objects (e.g., calculator) preceded by objects sharing either “grasp”, “use”, or no action attributes (e.g., bar of soap, keyboard, earring, respectively), as well as by action-unrelated but taxonomically-related objects (e.g., abacus); participants judged whether the two objects were related. The results showed more positive responses to “grasp-to-move” primed objects than “skilled use” primed objects or unprimed objects starting in the P1 (0–150 ms) time window and continuing onto the subsequent N1 and P2 components (150–300 ms), suggesting that only “grasp-to-move”, but not “skilled use”, actions may facilitate visual attention to object attributes. Furthermore, reliably reduced N400s (300–500 ms), an index of semantic processing, were observed to taxonomically primed and “skilled use” primed objects relative to unprimed objects, suggesting that “skilled use” action attributes are a component of distributed, multimodal semantic representations of objects. Together, our findings provide evidence supporting two-route theories by demonstrating that “grasp-to-move” and “skilled use” actions impact different aspects of object processing and highlight the relationship of “skilled use” information to other aspects of semantic memory. PMID:29183777

Components of action representations evoked when identifying manipulable objects

PubMed Central

Bub, Daniel N.; Masson, Michael E. J.; Lin, Terry

2015-01-01

We examined the influence of holding planned hand actions in working memory on the time taken to visually identify objects with handles. Features of the hand actions and position of the object's handle were congruent or incongruent on two dimensions: alignment (left vs. right) and orientation (horizontal vs. vertical). When an object was depicted in an upright view, subjects were slower to name it when its handle was congruent with the planned hand actions on one dimension but incongruent on the other, relative to when the object handle and actions were congruent on both or neither dimension. This pattern is consistent with many other experiments demonstrating that a cost occurs when there is partial feature overlap between a planned action and a perceived target. An opposite pattern of results was obtained when the depicted object appeared in a 90° rotated view (e.g., a beer mug on its side), suggesting that the functional goal associated with the object (e.g., drinking from an upright beer mug) was taken into account during object perception and that this knowledge superseded the influence of the action afforded by the depicted view of the object. These results have implications for the relationship between object perception and action representations, and for the mechanisms that support the identification of rotated objects. PMID:25705187

Predictive Coding Strategies for Invariant Object Recognition and Volitional Motion Control in Neuromorphic Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-02

human behavior. In this project, we hypothesized that visual memory of past motion trajectories may be used for selecting future behavior. In other...34Decoding sequence of actions using fMRI ", Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, USA, Nov 9-13 2013 (only abstract) 3. Hansol Choi, Dae...Shik Kim, "Planning as inference in a Hierarchical Predictive Memory ", Proceedings of International Conference on Neural Information Processing

JPRS Report. Soviet Union, World Economy & International Relations, No. 2, February 1987.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-04

ORGANIZATION OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION (UEO) THE WORKING CLASS P, THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD (UWC) PEOPLES OF ASIA $ AFRICA (UAA) MILITARY HISrORY JOURNAL...a guide in urgent and joint activities of peoples and states to avert a hitherto unknown disaster. An objective unity of the interests of security...point for the assertive, immediate, joint actions of peoples and states in the name of averting a disaster such as would be without precedent in the

Response Interference between Functional and Structural Actions Linked to the Same Familiar Object

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jax, Steven A.; Buxbaum, Laurel J.

2010-01-01

Viewing objects with the intention to act upon them may activate task-irrelevant motor responses. Many manufactured objects are associated with two action classes: grasping in accordance with object structure and skillful use consistent with object function. We studied the potential for within-object competition during action selection by…

Learning and exploration in action-perception loops.

PubMed

Little, Daniel Y; Sommer, Friedrich T

2013-01-01

Discovering the structure underlying observed data is a recurring problem in machine learning with important applications in neuroscience. It is also a primary function of the brain. When data can be actively collected in the context of a closed action-perception loop, behavior becomes a critical determinant of learning efficiency. Psychologists studying exploration and curiosity in humans and animals have long argued that learning itself is a primary motivator of behavior. However, the theoretical basis of learning-driven behavior is not well understood. Previous computational studies of behavior have largely focused on the control problem of maximizing acquisition of rewards and have treated learning the structure of data as a secondary objective. Here, we study exploration in the absence of external reward feedback. Instead, we take the quality of an agent's learned internal model to be the primary objective. In a simple probabilistic framework, we derive a Bayesian estimate for the amount of information about the environment an agent can expect to receive by taking an action, a measure we term the predicted information gain (PIG). We develop exploration strategies that approximately maximize PIG. One strategy based on value-iteration consistently learns faster than previously developed reward-free exploration strategies across a diverse range of environments. Psychologists believe the evolutionary advantage of learning-driven exploration lies in the generalized utility of an accurate internal model. Consistent with this hypothesis, we demonstrate that agents which learn more efficiently during exploration are later better able to accomplish a range of goal-directed tasks. We will conclude by discussing how our work elucidates the explorative behaviors of animals and humans, its relationship to other computational models of behavior, and its potential application to experimental design, such as in closed-loop neurophysiology studies.

The Representation of Object-Directed Action and Function Knowledge in the Human Brain

PubMed Central

Chen, Quanjing; Garcea, Frank E.; Mahon, Bradford Z.

2016-01-01

The appropriate use of everyday objects requires the integration of action and function knowledge. Previous research suggests that action knowledge is represented in frontoparietal areas while function knowledge is represented in temporal lobe regions. Here we used multivoxel pattern analysis to investigate the representation of object-directed action and function knowledge while participants executed pantomimes of familiar tool actions. A novel approach for decoding object knowledge was used in which classifiers were trained on one pair of objects and then tested on a distinct pair; this permitted a measurement of classification accuracy over and above object-specific information. Region of interest (ROI) analyses showed that object-directed actions could be decoded in tool-preferring regions of both parietal and temporal cortex, while no independently defined tool-preferring ROI showed successful decoding of object function. However, a whole-brain searchlight analysis revealed that while frontoparietal motor and peri-motor regions are engaged in the representation of object-directed actions, medial temporal lobe areas in the left hemisphere are involved in the representation of function knowledge. These results indicate that both action and function knowledge are represented in a topographically coherent manner that is amenable to study with multivariate approaches, and that the left medial temporal cortex represents knowledge of object function. PMID:25595179

Using an International Medical Advisory Board to guide clinical governance in a corporate refractive surgery model.

PubMed

Vukich, John A

2009-07-01

To describe the role played by the International Medical Advisory Board (IMAB) in clinical and corporate governance at Optical Express, a corporate provider of refractive surgery. A review of goals, objectives, and actions of the IMAB. The IMAB has contributed to study design, data analysis, and selection of instruments and procedures. Through interactions with Optical Express corporate and clinical staff, the IMAB has supported management's effort to craft a corporate culture focused on continuous improvement in the safety and visual outcomes of refractive surgery. The IMAB has fashioned significant changes in corporate policies and procedures and has had an impact on corporate culture at Optical Express.

Development of the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT): A new measure of understandability and actionability for print and audiovisual patient information

PubMed Central

Shoemaker, Sarah J.; Wolf, Michael S.; Brach, Cindy

2016-01-01

Objective To develop a reliable and valid instrument to assess the understandability and actionability of print and audiovisual materials. Methods We compiled items from existing instruments/guides that the expert panel assessed for face/content validity. We completed four rounds of reliability testing, and produced evidence of construct validity with consumers and readability assessments. Results The experts deemed the PEMAT items face/content valid. Four rounds of reliability testing and refinement were conducted using raters untrained on the PEMAT. Agreement improved across rounds. The final PEMAT showed moderate agreement per Kappa (Average K = 0.57) and strong agreement per Gwet’s AC1 (Average = 0.74). Internal consistency was strong (α = 0.71; Average Item-Total Correlation = 0.62). For construct validation with consumers (n = 47), we found significant differences between actionable and poorly-actionable materials in comprehension scores (76% vs. 63%, p < 0.05) and ratings (8.9 vs. 7.7, p < 0.05). For understandability, there was a significant difference for only one of two topics on consumer numeric scores. For actionability, there were significant positive correlations between PEMAT scores and consumer-testing results, but no relationship for understandability. There were, however, strong, negative correlations between grade-level and both consumer-testing results and PEMAT scores. Conclusions The PEMAT demonstrated strong internal consistency, reliability, and evidence of construct validity. Practice implications The PEMAT can help professionals judge the quality of materials (available at: http://www.ahrq.gov/pemat). PMID:24973195

The one that does, leads: action relations influence the perceived temporal order of graspable objects.

PubMed

Roberts, Katherine L; Humphreys, Glyn W

2010-06-01

Perception and action are influenced by the "possibilities for action" in the environment. Neuropsychological studies (e.g., Riddoch, Humphreys, Edwards, Baker, & Willson, 2003) have demonstrated that objects that are perceived to be interacting (e.g., a corkscrew going toward the top of a wine bottle) are perceptually integrated into a functional unit, facilitating report of both objects. In addition, patients with parietal damage tend to report the "active" item of the pair (the corkscrew in the above example) when the objects are positioned for action, overriding their spatial bias toward the ipsilesional side. Using a temporal order judgment task we show for the first time that normal viewers judge that active objects appear earlier when they are positioned correctly for action. This effect is not dependent on a learned relationship between objects, or on the active object being integrated at a perceptual level with the object it is paired with. The data suggest that actions afforded by a correctly positioned active object permeate normal perceptual judgments.

Object-Driven and Temporal Action Rules Mining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hajja, Ayman

2013-01-01

In this thesis, I present my complete research work in the field of action rules, more precisely object-driven and temporal action rules. The drive behind the introduction of object-driven and temporally based action rules is to bring forth an adapted approach to extract action rules from a subclass of systems that have a specific nature, in which…

Mechanisms underlying selecting objects for action

PubMed Central

Wulff, Melanie; Laverick, Rosanna; Humphreys, Glyn W.; Wing, Alan M.; Rotshtein, Pia

2015-01-01

We assessed the factors which affect the selection of objects for action, focusing on the role of action knowledge and its modulation by distracters. Fourteen neuropsychological patients and 10 healthy aged-matched controls selected pairs of objects commonly used together among distracters in two contexts: with real objects and with pictures of the same objects presented sequentially on a computer screen. Across both tasks, semantically related distracters led to slower responses and more errors than unrelated distracters and the object actively used for action was selected prior to the object that would be passively held during the action. We identified a sub-group of patients (N = 6) whose accuracy was 2SDs below the controls performances in the real object task. Interestingly, these impaired patients were more affected by the presence of unrelated distracters during both tasks than intact patients and healthy controls. Note that the impaired patients had lesions to left parietal, right anterior temporal and bilateral pre-motor regions. We conclude that: (1) motor procedures guide object selection for action, (2) semantic knowledge affects action-based selection, (3) impaired action decision making is associated with the inability to ignore distracting information and (4) lesions to either the dorsal or ventral visual stream can lead to deficits in making action decisions. Overall, the data indicate that impairments in everyday tasks can be evaluated using a simulated computer task. The implications for rehabilitation are discussed. PMID:25954177

On the nature of hand-action representations evoked during written sentence comprehension.

PubMed

Bub, Daniel N; Masson, Michael E J

2010-09-01

We examine the nature of motor representations evoked during comprehension of written sentences describing hand actions. We distinguish between two kinds of hand actions: a functional action, applied when using the object for its intended purpose, and a volumetric action, applied when picking up or holding the object. In Experiment 1, initial activation of both action representations was followed by selection of the functional action, regardless of sentence context. Experiment 2 showed that when the sentence was followed by a picture of the object, clear context-specific effects on evoked action representations were obtained. Experiment 3 established that when a picture of an object was presented alone, the time course of both functional and volumetric actions was the same. These results provide evidence that representations of object-related hand actions are evoked as part of sentence processing. In addition, we discuss the conditions that elicit context-specific evocation of motor representations. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Incidental and context-responsive activation of structure- and function-based action features during object identification

PubMed Central

Lee, Chia-lin; Middleton, Erica; Mirman, Daniel; Kalénine, Solène; Buxbaum, Laurel J.

2012-01-01

Previous studies suggest that action representations are activated during object processing, even when task-irrelevant. In addition, there is evidence that lexical-semantic context may affect such activation during object processing. Finally, prior work from our laboratory and others indicates that function-based (“use”) and structure-based (“move”) action subtypes may differ in their activation characteristics. Most studies assessing such effects, however, have required manual object-relevant motor responses, thereby plausibly influencing the activation of action representations. The present work utilizes eyetracking and a Visual World Paradigm task without object-relevant actions to assess the time course of activation of action representations, as well as their responsiveness to lexical-semantic context. In two experiments, participants heard a target word and selected its referent from an array of four objects. Gaze fixations on non-target objects signal activation of features shared between targets and non-targets. The experiments assessed activation of structure-based (Experiment 1) or function-based (Experiment 2) distractors, using neutral sentences (“S/he saw the …”) or sentences with a relevant action verb (Experiment 1: “S/he picked up the……”; Experiment 2: “S/he used the….”). We observed task-irrelevant activations of action information in both experiments. In neutral contexts, structure-based activation was relatively faster-rising but more transient than function-based activation. Additionally, action verb contexts reliably modified patterns of activation in both Experiments. These data provide fine-grained information about the dynamics of activation of function-based and structure-based actions in neutral and action-relevant contexts, in support of the “Two Action System” model of object and action processing (e.g., Buxbaum & Kalénine, 2010). PMID:22390294

How is an international public health threat advanced in Canada? The case of antimicrobial resistance.

PubMed

Tsegaye, L; Huston, P; Milliken, R; Hanniman, K; Nesbeth, C; Noad, L

2016-11-03

On September 21, 2016, the United Nations General Assembly held a high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Participating political leaders committed to coordinate action across the human and animal health, agriculture and environmental sectors and to work at national, regional and international levels with the public sector, private sector, civil society and all other relevant actors, including the public. The objective of this article is to outline how the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has been working to address AMR in Canada. PHAC has used a One Health approach and has been working at the federal level with other government departments and nationally with the provinces, territories, professional organizations and other key players to address AMR. To date, the federal response has focused on surveillance, stewardship and innovation across multiple sectors, including human health, animal health, regulatory actions and research. PHAC is currently working with the provinces and territories as well as key experts in the field to develop a pan-Canadian AMR Framework and subsequent action plan that will outline best practices and approaches to AMR across human and animal health. The Framework will build on previous work done by PHAC and the federal/provincial/territorial Pan-Canadian Public Health Network Council, and recognizes the research expertise in Canada, the need to ensure actions are based on evidence, and to combat AMR through infection prevention and control. The three articles in this issue are examples of the foundational work that has been done federally by PHAC, in developing the Canadian AMR Surveillance System (CARSS), and nationally, through task groups of the Public Health Network Council, in identifying where to strengthen human surveillance of AMR and best practices for stewardship in the human health care system. While we remain in an early stage of national, coordinated AMR action, momentum is building to ensure Canada can respond to this global health threat with a One Health approach involving multiple sectors at local, national and international levels that are all well-aligned with the World Health Organization Global Action Plan.

The Representation of Object-Directed Action and Function Knowledge in the Human Brain.

PubMed

Chen, Quanjing; Garcea, Frank E; Mahon, Bradford Z

2016-04-01

The appropriate use of everyday objects requires the integration of action and function knowledge. Previous research suggests that action knowledge is represented in frontoparietal areas while function knowledge is represented in temporal lobe regions. Here we used multivoxel pattern analysis to investigate the representation of object-directed action and function knowledge while participants executed pantomimes of familiar tool actions. A novel approach for decoding object knowledge was used in which classifiers were trained on one pair of objects and then tested on a distinct pair; this permitted a measurement of classification accuracy over and above object-specific information. Region of interest (ROI) analyses showed that object-directed actions could be decoded in tool-preferring regions of both parietal and temporal cortex, while no independently defined tool-preferring ROI showed successful decoding of object function. However, a whole-brain searchlight analysis revealed that while frontoparietal motor and peri-motor regions are engaged in the representation of object-directed actions, medial temporal lobe areas in the left hemisphere are involved in the representation of function knowledge. These results indicate that both action and function knowledge are represented in a topographically coherent manner that is amenable to study with multivariate approaches, and that the left medial temporal cortex represents knowledge of object function. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Handling or being the concept: An fMRI study on metonymy representations in coverbal gestures.

PubMed

Joue, Gina; Boven, Linda; Willmes, Klaus; Evola, Vito; Demenescu, Liliana R; Hassemer, Julius; Mittelberg, Irene; Mathiak, Klaus; Schneider, Frank; Habel, Ute

2018-01-31

In "Two heads are better than one," "head" stands for people and focuses the message on the intelligence of people. This is an example of figurative language through metonymy, where substituting a whole entity by one of its parts focuses attention on a specific aspect of the entity. Whereas metaphors, another figurative language device, are substitutions based on similarity, metonymy involves substitutions based on associations. Both are figures of speech but are also expressed in coverbal gestures during multimodal communication. The closest neuropsychological studies of metonymy in gestures have been nonlinguistic tool-use, illustrated by the classic apraxic problem of body-part-as-object (BPO, equivalent to an internal metonymy representation of the tool) vs. pantomimed action (external metonymy representation of the absent object/tool). Combining these research domains with concepts in cognitive linguistic research on gestures, we conducted an fMRI study to investigate metonymy resolution in coverbal gestures. Given the greater difficulty in developmental and apraxia studies, perhaps explained by the more complex semantic inferencing involved for external metonymy than for internal metonymy representations, we hypothesized that external metonymy resolution requires greater processing demands and that the neural resources supporting metonymy resolution would modulate regions involved in semantic processing. We found that there are indeed greater activations for external than for internal metonymy resolution in the temporoparietal junction (TPJ). This area is posterior to the lateral temporal regions recruited by metaphor processing. Effective connectivity analysis confirmed our hypothesis that metonymy resolution modulates areas implicated in semantic processing. We interpret our results in an interdisciplinary view of what metonymy in action can reveal about abstract cognition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Obama Presents Far-Reaching Climate Plan, Addresses Keystone Pipeline Proposal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2013-07-01

Stating that climate change "is a challenge that does not pause for partisan gridlock," U.S. President Barack Obama took matters into his own hands and presented a broad-based climate action plan on 25 June. The plan, which relies on existing administrative authority and does not require congressional approval, includes three primary objectives: cutting carbon pollution in the United States, preparing the nation for the impacts of climate change, and leading international efforts to address climate change.

Collective Training and Fielding Opportunities for the Objective Force Maneuver Systems at the Unit of Action Level in a Unit Manning/Unit Replacement Personnel System

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-04-07

PERSON Rife, Dave RifeD@awc.carlisle.army.mil a. REPORT Unclassified b. ABSTRACT Unclassified c. THIS PAGE Unclassified 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER International...38 WORD COUNT = 8975 39 40 ENDNOTES 1 COL Pete Zielinski , Director, Joint/Army concepts HQs TRADOC “Transformation Update” briefing slide #9, Briefing...Staff. Interviewed by author, 18 February 2003, Carlisle Barracks, PA. Zielinski , Pete, COL Director, Joint/Army concepts HQs TRADOC “Transformation

A case study of global health at the university: implications for research and action

PubMed Central

Pinto, Andrew D.; Cole, Donald C.; ter Kuile, Aleida; Forman, Lisa; Rouleau, Katherine; Philpott, Jane; Pakes, Barry; Jackson, Suzanne; Muntaner, Carles

2014-01-01

Background Global health is increasingly a major focus of institutions in high-income countries. However, little work has been done to date to study the inner workings of global health at the university level. Academics may have competing objectives, with few mechanisms to coordinate efforts and pool resources. Objective To conduct a case study of global health at Canada's largest health sciences university and to examine how its internal organization influences research and action. Design We drew on existing inventories, annual reports, and websites to create an institutional map, identifying centers and departments using the terms ‘global health’ or ‘international health’ to describe their activities. We compiled a list of academics who self-identified as working in global or international health. We purposively sampled persons in leadership positions as key informants. One investigator carried out confidential, semi-structured interviews with 20 key informants. Interview notes were returned to participants for verification and then analyzed thematically by pairs of coders. Synthesis was conducted jointly. Results More than 100 academics were identified as working in global health, situated in numerous institutions, centers, and departments. Global health academics interviewed shared a common sense of what global health means and the values that underpin such work. Most academics interviewed expressed frustration at the existing fragmentation and the lack of strategic direction, financial support, and recognition from the university. This hampered collaborative work and projects to tackle global health problems. Conclusions The University of Toronto is not exceptional in facing such challenges, and our findings align with existing literature that describes factors that inhibit collaboration in global health work at universities. Global health academics based at universities may work in institutional siloes and this limits both internal and external collaboration. A number of solutions to address these challenges are proposed. PMID:25172428

Differential effects of others' emotional cues on 18-month-olds' preferential reproduction of observed actions.

PubMed

Patzwald, Christiane; Curley, Charlotte A; Hauf, Petra; Elsner, Birgit

2018-05-01

Infants use others' emotional signals to regulate their own object-directed behavior and action reproduction, and they typically produce more actions after having observed positive as compared to negative emotional cues. This study explored infants' understanding of the referential specificity of others' emotional cues when being confronted with two actions that are accompanied by different emotional displays. Selective action reproduction was measured after 18-month-olds (N = 42) had observed two actions directed at the same object, one of which was modeled with a positive emotional expression and the other with a negative emotional expression. Across four trials with different objects, infants' first actions matched the positively-emoted actions more often than the negatively-emoted actions. In comparison with baseline-level, infants' initial performance changed only for the positively-emoted actions, in that it increased during test. Latencies to first object-touch during test did not differ when infants reproduced the positively- or negatively-emoted actions, respectively, indicating that infants related the cues to the respective actions rather than to the object. During demonstration, infants looked relatively longer at the object than at the model's face, with no difference in positive or negative displays. Infants during their second year of life thus capture the action-related referential specificity of others' emotional cues and seem to follow positive signals more readily when actively selecting which of two actions to reproduce preferentially. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Action semantics: A unifying conceptual framework for the selective use of multimodal and modality-specific object knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Elk, Michiel; van Schie, Hein; Bekkering, Harold

2014-06-01

Our capacity to use tools and objects is often considered one of the hallmarks of the human species. Many objects greatly extend our bodily capabilities to act in the physical world, such as when using a hammer or a saw. In addition, humans have the remarkable capability to use objects in a flexible fashion and to combine multiple objects in complex actions. We prepare coffee, cook dinner and drive our car. In this review we propose that humans have developed declarative and procedural knowledge, i.e. action semantics that enables us to use objects in a meaningful way. A state-of-the-art review of research on object use is provided, involving behavioral, developmental, neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies. We show that research in each of these domains is characterized by similar discussions regarding (1) the role of object affordances, (2) the relation between goals and means in object use and (3) the functional and neural organization of action semantics. We propose a novel conceptual framework of action semantics to address these issues and to integrate the previous findings. We argue that action semantics entails both multimodal object representations and modality-specific sub-systems, involving manipulation knowledge, functional knowledge and representations of the sensory and proprioceptive consequences of object use. Furthermore, we argue that action semantics are hierarchically organized and selectively activated and used depending on the action intention of the actor and the current task context. Our framework presents an integrative account of multiple findings and perspectives on object use that may guide future studies in this interdisciplinary domain.

Developments since the Summit. The right to food.

PubMed

1997-12-01

In 1997, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and relevant nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) worked to actualize Objective 7.4 of the World Food Summit Plan of Action that asks governments "to clarify the content of the right to adequate food and the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger, as stated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other relevant international and regional instruments." The Objective also calls for a better definition of the rights related to food security. On May 29, 1997, the FAO Director-General and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding that created a framework of cooperation on issues related to the right to food. NGOs have crafted a 15-article draft International Code of Conduct on the Human Right to Adequate Food that includes a precise definition of the content of the right to food and indicates the obligations of states and other organizations. The FAO and the office of the UNHCHR plan to mark the 50th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights with a public event recording their joint progress in clarifying and implementing the right to food.

Roadmap for an EArth Defense Initiative (READI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, J. D.; Hussain, A.; Soni, A.; Johnson-Freese, J.; Faull, J.; Schmidt, N.; Wilson, T.; Thangavelu, M.

2015-12-01

During the 2015 Space Studies Program of the International Space University, a team of thirty-four participants from seventeen countries carried out a team project on the subject of planetary defense against near-Earth object impacts. The READI Project presents the components of a complete architecture representing practical future strategies and methods for protecting our planet and life as we know it. The findings and recommendations of the project are as follows: for detection and tracking, add infrared instruments in space and radar in Earth's southern hemisphere, as well as dedicated ground telescopes and a program for spectroscopic and other characterization of asteroids and comets; for deflection, develop and space-qualify kinetic and nuclear interceptors, as well as long-range laser ablators; for education and outreach, develop programs aimed at the cohort of children aged 6-15 and their parents; and for evacuation and recovery, provide distributed shelters and increased emergency planning. The project recognizes that the enactment of any deflection strategy would require significant international collaboration; thus, we recommend the formation of a Mitigation Action Group (MAG) in addition to the existing organizations IAWN and SMPAG. The MAG should be chartered to recommend deflection strategies to the UN Security Council in the event of an imminent NEO impact and, upon approval, to lead international deflection action.

Objects Mediate Goal Integration in Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex during Action Observation

PubMed Central

Hrkać, Mari; Wurm, Moritz F.; Kühn, Anne B.; Schubotz, Ricarda I.

2015-01-01

Actions performed by others are mostly not observed in isolation, but embedded in sequences of actions tied together by an overarching goal. Therefore, preceding actions can modulate the observer's expectations in relation to the currently perceived action. Ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in particular, is suggested to subserve the integration of episodic as well as semantic information and memory, including action scripts. The present fMRI study investigated if activation in IFG varies with the effort to integrate expected and observed action, even when not required by the task. During an fMRI session, participants were instructed to attend to short videos of single actions and to deliver a judgment about the actor’s current goal. We manipulated the strength of goal expectation induced by the preceding action, implementing the parameter "goal-relatedness" between the preceding and the currently observed action. Moreover, since objects point to the probability of certain actions, we also manipulated whether the current and the preceding action shared at least one object or not. We found an interaction between the two factors goal-relatedness and shared object: IFG activation increased the weaker the goal-relatedness between the preceding and the current action was, but only when they shared at least one object. Here, integration of successive action steps was triggered by the re-appearing (shared) object but hampered by a weak goal-relatedness between the actually observed manipulation. These findings foster the recently emerging view that IFG is enhanced by goal-related conflicts during action observation. PMID:26218102

From language comprehension to action understanding and back again.

PubMed

Tremblay, Pascale; Small, Steven L

2011-05-01

A controversial question in cognitive neuroscience is whether comprehension of words and sentences engages brain mechanisms specific for decoding linguistic meaning or whether language comprehension occurs through more domain-general sensorimotor processes. Accumulating behavioral and neuroimaging evidence suggests a role for cortical motor and premotor areas in passive action-related language tasks, regions that are known to be involved in action execution and observation. To examine the involvement of these brain regions in language and nonlanguage tasks, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on a group of 21 healthy adults. During the fMRI session, all participants 1) watched short object-related action movies, 2) looked at pictures of man-made objects, and 3) listened to and produced short sentences describing object-related actions and man-made objects. Our results are among the first to reveal, in the human brain, a functional specialization within the ventral premotor cortex (PMv) for observing actions and for observing objects, and a different organization for processing sentences describing actions and objects. These findings argue against the strongest version of the simulation theory for the processing of action-related language.

Orbiting space debris: Dangers, measurement and mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNutt, Ross T.

1992-06-01

Space debris is a growing environmental problem. Accumulation of objects in earth orbit threatens space systems through the possibility of collisions and runaway debris multiplication. The amount of debris in orbit is uncertain due to the lack of information on the population of debris between 1 and 10 centimeters diameter. Collisions with debris even smaller than 1 cm can be catastrophic due to the high orbital velocities involved. Research efforts are under way at NASA, United States Space Command and the Air Force Phillips Laboratory to detect and catalog the debris population in near-earth space. Current international and national laws are inadequate to control the proliferation of space debris. Space debris is a serious problem with large economic, military, technical and diplomatic components. Actions need to be taken now to: determine the full extent of the orbital debris problem; accurately predict the future evolution of the debris population; decide the extent of the debris mitigation procedures required; implement these policies on a global basis via an international treaty. Action must be initiated now, before the loss of critical space systems such as the space shuttle or the space station.

Effects of paired-object affordance in search tasks across the adult lifespan.

PubMed

Wulff, Melanie; Stainton, Alexandra; Rotshtein, Pia

2016-06-01

The study investigated the processes underlying the retrieval of action information about functional object pairs, focusing on the contribution of procedural and semantic knowledge. We further assessed whether the retrieval of action knowledge is affected by task demands and age. The contribution of procedural knowledge was examined by the way objects were selected, specifically whether active objects were selected before passive objects. The contribution of semantic knowledge was examined by manipulating the relation between targets and distracters. A touchscreen-based search task was used testing young, middle-aged, and elderly participants. Participants had to select by touching two targets among distracters using two search tasks. In an explicit action search task, participants had to select two objects which afforded a mutual action (e.g., functional pair: hammer-nail). Implicit affordance perception was tested using a visual color-matching search task; participants had to select two objects with the same colored frame. In both tasks, half of the colored targets also afforded an action. Overall, middle-aged participants performed better than young and elderly participants, specifically in the action task. Across participants in the action task, accuracy was increased when the distracters were semantically unrelated to the functional pair, while the opposite pattern was observed in the color task. This effect was enhanced with increased age. In the action task all participants utilized procedural knowledge, i.e., selected the active object before the passive object. This result supports the dual-route account from vision to action. Semantic knowledge contributed to both the action and the color task, but procedural knowledge associated with the direct route was primarily retrieved when the task was action-relevant. Across the adulthood lifespan, the data show inverted U-shaped effects of age on the retrieval of action knowledge. Age also linearly increased the involvement of the indirect (semantic) route and the integration of information of the direct and the indirect routes in selection processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Participation and creativity as tools of analysis of public policies].

PubMed

Cordeiro, Joselma Cavalcanti; Villasante, Tomás Rodriguez Pietro; de Araújo, José Luiz do Amaral Correa

2010-07-01

In the context of current globalization, important modifications of the international relations and of the ideological, technical, and cultural components in the administration of the States are expressed by non-legitimate public action principles which account for social iniquity and the weakening of the role of the State. Regardless of its political origin or ideological orientation, the economic development plans and programs exhibit a prevailing uniformity. The challenge today implies mobilizing in local capacities with the objective of changing the quality of public action through the adoption of new development strategies able to integrate new social dimensions with other mechanisms of action. One of them, the intersectoral action, demands the structural revision of the administrative and cultural frontiers of the public and private social agents as a means of making a new tentative sociopolitical arrangement. The complexity of politics, projects and programs is taken as a methodological landmark based on the following theoretical presuppositions: integrality, social networks, and sociopraxis, constructing a participative process of knowledge to a political analysis in search of a change in the approach of the sociopolitical processes, starting from local social networks.

Semantic distance effects on object and action naming.

PubMed

Vigliocco, Gabriella; Vinson, David P; Damian, Markus F; Levelt, Willem

2002-10-01

Graded interference effects were tested in a naming task, in parallel for objects and actions. Participants named either object or action pictures presented in the context of other pictures (blocks) that were either semantically very similar, or somewhat semantically similar or semantically dissimilar. We found that naming latencies for both object and action words were modulated by the semantic similarity between the exemplars in each block, providing evidence in both domains of graded semantic effects.

Toward an integrated account of object and action selection: A computational analysis and empirical findings from reaching-to-grasp and tool-use

PubMed Central

Botvinick, Matthew M.; Buxbaum, Laurel J.; Bylsma, Lauren M.; Jax, Steven A.

2014-01-01

The act of reaching for and acting upon an object involves two forms of selection: selection of the object as a target, and selection of the action to be performed. While these two forms of selection are logically dissociable, and are evidently subserved by separable neural pathways, they must also be closely coordinated. We examine the nature of this coordination by developing and analyzing a computational model of object and action selection first proposed by Ward [Ward, R. (1999). Interactions between perception and action systems: a model for selective action. In G. W. Humphreys, J. Duncan, & A. Treisman (Eds.), Attention, Space and Action: Studies in Cognitive Neuroscience. Oxford: Oxford University Press]. An interesting tenet of this account, which we explore in detail, is that the interplay between object and action selection depends critically on top-down inputs representing the current task set or plan of action. A concrete manifestation of this, established through a series of simulations, is that the impact of distractor objects on reaching times can vary depending on the nature of the current action plan. In order to test the model's predictions in this regard, we conducted two experiments, one involving direct object manipulation, the other involving tool-use. In both experiments we observed the specific interaction between task set and distractor type predicted by the model. Our findings provide support for the computational model, and more broadly for an interactive account of object and action selection. PMID:19100758

Action semantics: A unifying conceptual framework for the selective use of multimodal and modality-specific object knowledge.

PubMed

van Elk, Michiel; van Schie, Hein; Bekkering, Harold

2014-06-01

Our capacity to use tools and objects is often considered one of the hallmarks of the human species. Many objects greatly extend our bodily capabilities to act in the physical world, such as when using a hammer or a saw. In addition, humans have the remarkable capability to use objects in a flexible fashion and to combine multiple objects in complex actions. We prepare coffee, cook dinner and drive our car. In this review we propose that humans have developed declarative and procedural knowledge, i.e. action semantics that enables us to use objects in a meaningful way. A state-of-the-art review of research on object use is provided, involving behavioral, developmental, neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies. We show that research in each of these domains is characterized by similar discussions regarding (1) the role of object affordances, (2) the relation between goals and means in object use and (3) the functional and neural organization of action semantics. We propose a novel conceptual framework of action semantics to address these issues and to integrate the previous findings. We argue that action semantics entails both multimodal object representations and modality-specific sub-systems, involving manipulation knowledge, functional knowledge and representations of the sensory and proprioceptive consequences of object use. Furthermore, we argue that action semantics are hierarchically organized and selectively activated and used depending on the action intention of the actor and the current task context. Our framework presents an integrative account of multiple findings and perspectives on object use that may guide future studies in this interdisciplinary domain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chapter 4: A policy process and tools for international non-governmental organizations in the health sector using ISPRM as a case in point.

PubMed

Reinhardt, Jan D; von Groote, Per M; DeLisa, Joel A; Melvin, John L; Bickenbach, Jerome E; Stucki, Gerold

2009-09-01

The politics of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM) serve the function of selecting and attaining particular socially valued goals. The selection and attainment of goals as the primary function of political action can be structured along a policy process or cycle comprising the stages of strategic goal setting and planning of strategic pathways, agenda setting, resource mobilization, implementation, evaluation and innovation. At the various stages of this policy process different policy tools or instruments, which can be used to influence citizen and organizational behaviour in the light of defined goals, can be applied. The objective of this paper is to introduce and describe policy tools of potential relevance to ISPRM with regard to different policy functions and stages of the policy process.

The responsibility to protect: a new notion of state sovereignty.

PubMed

Ashford, Mary-Wynne

2003-01-01

The recent policies of the United States Administration threaten the entire structure of international law. Widespread concern in the US and elsewhere has been expressed in a different cluster of principles, in particular in the report of the Canadian-based Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty. Its report states that the primary responsibility of a state is to protect its citizens; such protection includes prevention, reaction and rebuilding. The implications of this for military intervention are discussed; this must be a last resort after all non-military options have failed in response to the actual or probable large-scale loss of life and the objective to prevent further suffering. The action must be authorized by the United Nations Security Council or, if this fails to respond, the General Assembly. A further commission should examine how the international community should respond to states that refuse to comply with international law regarding weapons of mass destruction.

Associative vocabulary learning: development and testing of two paradigms for the (re-) acquisition of action- and object-related words.

PubMed

Freundlieb, Nils; Ridder, Volker; Dobel, Christian; Enriquez-Geppert, Stefanie; Baumgaertner, Annette; Zwitserlood, Pienie; Gerloff, Christian; Hummel, Friedhelm C; Liuzzi, Gianpiero

2012-01-01

Despite a growing number of studies, the neurophysiology of adult vocabulary acquisition is still poorly understood. One reason is that paradigms that can easily be combined with neuroscientfic methods are rare. Here, we tested the efficiency of two paradigms for vocabulary (re-) acquisition, and compared the learning of novel words for actions and objects. Cortical networks involved in adult native-language word processing are widespread, with differences postulated between words for objects and actions. Words and what they stand for are supposed to be grounded in perceptual and sensorimotor brain circuits depending on their meaning. If there are specific brain representations for different word categories, we hypothesized behavioural differences in the learning of action-related and object-related words. Paradigm A, with the learning of novel words for body-related actions spread out over a number of days, revealed fast learning of these new action words, and stable retention up to 4 weeks after training. The single-session Paradigm B employed objects and actions. Performance during acquisition did not differ between action-related and object-related words (time*word category: p = 0.01), but the translation rate was clearly better for object-related (79%) than for action-related words (53%, p = 0.002). Both paradigms yielded robust associative learning of novel action-related words, as previously demonstrated for object-related words. Translation success differed for action- and object-related words, which may indicate different neural mechanisms. The paradigms tested here are well suited to investigate such differences with neuroscientific means. Given the stable retention and minimal requirements for conscious effort, these learning paradigms are promising for vocabulary re-learning in brain-lesioned people. In combination with neuroimaging, neuro-stimulation or pharmacological intervention, they may well advance the understanding of language learning to optimize therapeutic strategies.

Prediction processes during multiple object tracking (MOT): involvement of dorsal and ventral premotor cortices

PubMed Central

Atmaca, Silke; Stadler, Waltraud; Keitel, Anne; Ott, Derek V M; Lepsien, Jöran; Prinz, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Background The multiple object tracking (MOT) paradigm is a cognitive task that requires parallel tracking of several identical, moving objects following nongoal-directed, arbitrary motion trajectories. Aims The current study aimed to investigate the employment of prediction processes during MOT. As an indicator for the involvement of prediction processes, we targeted the human premotor cortex (PM). The PM has been repeatedly implicated to serve the internal modeling of future actions and action effects, as well as purely perceptual events, by means of predictive feedforward functions. Materials and methods Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), BOLD activations recorded during MOT were contrasted with those recorded during the execution of a cognitive control task that used an identical stimulus display and demanded similar attentional load. A particular effort was made to identify and exclude previously found activation in the PM-adjacent frontal eye fields (FEF). Results We replicated prior results, revealing occipitotemporal, parietal, and frontal areas to be engaged in MOT. Discussion The activation in frontal areas is interpreted to originate from dorsal and ventral premotor cortices. The results are discussed in light of our assumption that MOT engages prediction processes. Conclusion We propose that our results provide first clues that MOT does not only involve visuospatial perception and attention processes, but prediction processes as well. PMID:24363971

On the Dynamics of Action Representations Evoked by Names of Manipulable Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bub, Daniel N.; Masson, Michael E. J.

2012-01-01

Two classes of hand action representations are shown to be activated by listening to the name of a manipulable object (e.g., cellphone). The functional action associated with the proper use of an object is evoked soon after the onset of its name, as indicated by primed execution of that action. Priming is sustained throughout the duration of the…

Fiscal Year 2015 Site Sustainability Plan

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

Witt, Monica Rene

Los Alamos National Laboratory is taking action to operate as a living laboratory for sustainable solutions in buildings, climate, energy, purchasing, transportation, waste, and water. LANL prepared the fiscal year (FY) 2015 Site Sustainability Plan (SSP) to describe progress towards the goals established in the SSPP. In addition, per the requirements of DOE Order 436.1, Departmental Sustainability, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) uses its International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001:2004 certified Environmental Management System (EMS) to establish objectives to improve compliance, reduce environmental impacts, increase operational capacity, and meet long-term sustainability goals. The goals of the 2015 SSP are fullymore » integrated into LANL’s institutional environmental objectives under the EMS and its Long-Term Strategy for Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability (LTSESS).« less

Joint object and action recognition via fusion of partially observable surveillance imagery data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirkhodaie, Amir; Chan, Alex L.

2017-05-01

Partially observable group activities (POGA) occurring in confined spaces are epitomized by their limited observability of the objects and actions involved. In many POGA scenarios, different objects are being used by human operators for the conduct of various operations. In this paper, we describe the ontology of such as POGA in the context of In-Vehicle Group Activity (IVGA) recognition. Initially, we describe the virtue of ontology modeling in the context of IVGA and show how such an ontology and a priori knowledge about the classes of in-vehicle activities can be fused for inference of human actions that consequentially leads to understanding of human activity inside the confined space of a vehicle. In this paper, we treat the problem of "action-object" as a duality problem. We postulate a correlation between observed human actions and the object that is being utilized within those actions, and conversely, if an object being handled is recognized, we may be able to expect a number of actions that are likely to be performed on that object. In this study, we use partially observable human postural sequences to recognition actions. Inspired by convolutional neural networks (CNNs) learning capability, we present an architecture design using a new CNN model to learn "action-object" perception from surveillance videos. In this study, we apply a sequential Deep Hidden Markov Model (DHMM) as a post-processor to CNN to decode realized observations into recognized actions and activities. To generate the needed imagery data set for the training and testing of these new methods, we use the IRIS virtual simulation software to generate high-fidelity and dynamic animated scenarios that depict in-vehicle group activities under different operational contexts. The results of our comparative investigation are discussed and presented in detail.

States of fragility: stabilisation and its implications for humanitarian action.

PubMed

Collinson, Sarah; Elhawary, Samir; Muggah, Robert

2010-10-01

This paper explores the evolution of international stabilisation agendas and their significance for humanitarian action. Stabilisation includes a combination of military, humanitarian, political and economic activities to control, contain and manage areas affected by armed conflict and complex emergencies. Encompassing narrow security objectives and broader peace-building efforts, stabilisation is both a conservative and potentially transformative, comprehensive and long-term agenda. The open-ended approach allows for widely varying interpretations and applications in different circumstances and by different actors with an assortment of implications for humanitarian action. The relationship between the two is highly uncertain and contentious, due not only to the controversies surrounding stabilisation policies, but also to deep-seated ambiguities at the heart of humanitarianism. While humanitarian actors are preoccupied with the growing involvement of the military in the humanitarian sphere, the paper argues that it is trends in the humanitarian-political interface that represent the more fundamental dilemma. © 2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2010.

Decreased attention to object size information in scale errors performers.

PubMed

Grzyb, Beata J; Cangelosi, Angelo; Cattani, Allegra; Floccia, Caroline

2017-05-01

Young children sometimes make serious attempts to perform impossible actions on miniature objects as if they were full-size objects. The existing explanations of these curious action errors assume (but never explicitly tested) children's decreased attention to object size information. This study investigated the attention to object size information in scale errors performers. Two groups of children aged 18-25 months (N=52) and 48-60 months (N=23) were tested in two consecutive tasks: an action task that replicated the original scale errors elicitation situation, and a looking task that involved watching on a computer screen actions performed with adequate to inadequate size object. Our key finding - that children performing scale errors in the action task subsequently pay less attention to size changes than non-scale errors performers in the looking task - suggests that the origins of scale errors in childhood operate already at the perceptual level, and not at the action level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"I Have No English Friends": Some Observations on the Practice of Action Learning with International Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brook, Cheryl; Milner, Christopher

2014-01-01

This account reports on some experiences of facilitating action learning with international business students. Interest in international student learning and the international student experience is significant and increasing with a considerable range of literature on the subject. Some of this literature is concerned with the perceived…

The Early Development of Object Knowledge: A Study of Infants' Visual Anticipations during Action Observation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunnius, Sabine; Bekkering, Harold

2010-01-01

This study examined the developing object knowledge of infants through their visual anticipation of action targets during action observation. Infants (6, 8, 12, 14, and 16 months) and adults watched short movies of a person using 3 different everyday objects. Participants were presented with objects being brought either to a correct or to an…

Abstract Representations of Object-Directed Action in the Left Inferior Parietal Lobule.

PubMed

Chen, Quanjing; Garcea, Frank E; Jacobs, Robert A; Mahon, Bradford Z

2018-06-01

Prior neuroimaging and neuropsychological research indicates that the left inferior parietal lobule in the human brain is a critical substrate for representing object manipulation knowledge. In the present functional MRI study we used multivoxel pattern analyses to test whether action similarity among objects can be decoded in the inferior parietal lobule independent of the task applied to objects (identification or pantomime) and stimulus format in which stimuli are presented (pictures or printed words). Participants pantomimed the use of objects, cued by printed words, or identified pictures of objects. Classifiers were trained and tested across task (e.g., training data: pantomime; testing data: identification), stimulus format (e.g., training data: word format; testing format: picture) and specific objects (e.g., training data: scissors vs. corkscrew; testing data: pliers vs. screwdriver). The only brain region in which action relations among objects could be decoded across task, stimulus format and objects was the inferior parietal lobule. By contrast, medial aspects of the ventral surface of the left temporal lobe represented object function, albeit not at the same level of abstractness as actions in the inferior parietal lobule. These results suggest compulsory access to abstract action information in the inferior parietal lobe even when simply identifying objects.

U.S. National Committee for CODATA. Final technical report: September 15, 1996 to September 14, 2000

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

Uhlir, Paul F.

2001-01-26

This report describes the activities of the U.S. National Committee (USNC) for CODATA from September 16, 1996, through September 14, 2000. The USNC/CODATA counsels the U.S. National Delegate to CODATA on the U.S. position regarding official CODATA business. It also provides a link between the United States and international data compilation and evaluation activities, taking into account the needs of the scientific and technological user community, and undertakes special studies and other actions consistent with the overall CODATA objectives.

The Clusters - Collaborative Models of Sustainable Regional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mănescu, Gabriel; Kifor, Claudiu

2014-12-01

The clusters are the subject of actions and of whole series of documents issued by national and international organizations, and, based on experience, many authorities promote the idea that because of the clusters, competitiveness increases, the workforce specializes, regional businesses and economies grow. The present paper is meant to be an insight into the initiatives of forming clusters in Romania. Starting from a comprehensive analysis of the development potential offered by each region of economic development, we present the main types of clusters grouped according to fields of activity and their overall objectives

Final Tier 2 Environmental Impact Statement for International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The Final Tier 2 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the International Space Station (ISS) has been prepared by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and follows NASA's Record of Decision on the Final Tier 1 EIS for the Space Station Freedom. The Tier 2 EIS provides an updated evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with the alternatives considered: the Proposed Action and the No-Action alternative. The Proposed Action is to continue U.S. participation in the assembly and operation of ISS. The No-Action alternative would cancel NASA!s participation in the Space Station Program. ISS is an international cooperative venture between NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, the European Space Agency, the Science and Technology Agency of Japan, the Russian Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency. The purpose of the NASA action would be to further develop human presence in space; to meet scientific, technological, and commercial research needs; and to foster international cooperation.

Draft Tier 2 Environmental Impact Statement for International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The Draft Tier 2 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the International Space Station (ISS) has been prepared by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and follows NASA's Record of Decision on the Final Tier 1 EIS for the Space Station Freedom. The Tier 2 EIS provides an updated evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with the alternatives considered: the Proposed Action and the No-Action alternative. The Proposed Action is to continue U.S. participation in the assembly and operation of ISS. The No-Action alternative would cancel NASA's participation in the Space Station Program. ISS is an international cooperative venture between NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, the European Space Agency, the Science and Technology Agency of Japan, the Russian Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency. The purpose of the NASA action would be to further develop a human presence in space; to meet scientific, technological, and commercial research needs; and to foster international cooperation.

Parallels between Action-Object Mapping and Word-Object Mapping in Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggs, Kevin J.; Mather, Emily; Hyde, Grace; Simpson, Andrew

2016-01-01

Across a series of four experiments with 3- to 4-year-olds we demonstrate how cognitive mechanisms supporting noun learning extend to the mapping of actions to objects. In Experiment 1 (n = 61) the demonstration of a novel action led children to select a novel, rather than a familiar object. In Experiment 2 (n = 78) children exhibited long-term…

[Standard of integration management at company level and its auditing].

PubMed

Flach, T; Hetzel, C; Mozdzanowski, M; Schian, H-M

2006-10-01

Responsibility at company level for the employment of workers with health-related problems or disabilities has increased, inter alia because of integration management at company level according to section 84 (2) of the German Social Code Book IX. Although several recommendations exist, no standard is available for auditing and certification. Such a standard could be a basis for granting premiums according to section 84 (3) of Book IX of the German Social Code. AUDIT AND CERTIFICATION: One product of the international "disability management" movement is the "Consensus Based Disability Management Audit" (CBDMA). The Audit is a systematic and independent measurement of the effectiveness of integration management at company level. CBDMA goals are to give evidence of the quality of the integration management implemented, to identify opportunities for improvement and recommend appropriate corrective and preventive action. In May 2006, the integration management of Ford-Werke GmbH Germany with about 23 900 employees was audited and certified as the first company in Europe. STANDARD OF INTEGRATION MANAGEMENT AT COMPANY LEVEL: In dialogue with corporate practitioners, the international standard of CBDMA has been adapted, completed and verified concerning its practicability. Process orientation is the key approach, and the structure is similar to DIN EN ISO 9001:2000. Its structure is as follows: (1) management-labour responsibility (goals and objectives, program planning, management-labour review), (2) management of resources (disability manager and DM team, employees' participation, cooperation with external partners, infrastructure), (3) communication (internal and external public relations), (4) case management (identifying cases, contact, situation analysis, planning actions, implementing actions and monitoring, process and outcome evaluation), (5) analysis and improvement (analysis and program evaluation), (6) documentation (manual, records).

77 FR 38227 - Proposed Amendment of Class D and Class E Airspace; Bozeman, MT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-27

...: This action proposes to modify Class D and Class E airspace at Bozeman Yellowstone International.... This action would also update the airport name to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. This action would enhance the safety and management of aircraft operations at the airport. DATES: Comments...

78 FR 63181 - Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; NESHAP...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-23

... Internal Combustion Engines (Renewal) AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice...), ``NESHAP for Stationary Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1975.09, OMB... combustion engines (RICE) have been regulated under previous actions. Thus, this final action fulfills the...

78 FR 48291 - Amendment of Class D Airspace; Columbus, Rickenbacker International Airport, OH

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-08

... Airport, OH AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This action amends Class D airspace at Rickenbacker International Airport, Columbus, OH. Changes to the airspace description are necessary due to the closure of South Columbus Airport. The FAA is taking this action to...

The Action Event (Notes on the Development of Object-Oriented Actions II)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elkonin, B. D.

2015-01-01

The article critically rethinks and refashions conceptions of object-oriented actions. The author introduces the concept of an action event, which relies on the work of D. B. Elkonin. The essence of an action event lies in its transition to a new form of activity, that is, an action mediated by a pattern that is given to a child by an adult. An…

[Consolidation of international guidelines for the management of canine populations in urban areas and proposal of performance indicators].

PubMed

Garcia, Rita de Cassia Maria; Calderón, Néstor; Ferreira, Fernando

2012-08-01

The objective of this study is to propose a generic program for the management of urban canine populations with suggestion of performance indicators. The following international guidelines on canine population management were revised and consolidated: World Health Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health, World Society for the Protection of Animals, International Companion Animal Management Coalition, and the Food and Agriculture Organization. Management programs should cover: situation diagnosis, including estimates of population size; social participation with involvement of various sectors in the planning and execution of strategies; educational actions to promote humane values, animal welfare, community health, and responsible ownership (through purchase or adoption); environmental and waste management to eliminate sources of food and shelter; registration and identification of animals; animal health care, reproductive control; prevention and control of zoonoses; control of animal commerce; management of animal behavior and adequate solutions for abandoned animals; and laws regulating responsible ownership, prevention of abandonment and zoonoses. To monitor these actions, four groups of indicators are suggested: animal population indicators, human/animal interaction indicators, public service indicators, and zoonosis indicators. The management of stray canine populations requires political, sanitary, ethologic, ecologic, and humanitarian strategies that are socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable. Such measures must also include the control of zoonoses such as rabies and leishmaniasis, considering the concept of "one health," which benefits both the animals and people in the community.

A new approach to quantifying physical demand in rugby union.

PubMed

Lacome, Mathieu; Piscione, Julien; Hager, Jean-Philippe; Bourdin, Muriel

2014-01-01

The objective of the study was to describe an original approach to assessing individual workload during international rugby union competitions. The difference between positional groups and between the two halves was explored. Sixty-seven files from 30 French international rugby union players were assessed on a computerised player-tracking system (Amisco Pro(®), Sport Universal Process, Nice, France) during five international games. Each player's action was split up into exercise and recovery periods according to his individual velocity threshold. Exercise-to-recovery (E:R) period ratios and acceleration were calculated. Results indicated that about 65% of exercise periods lasted less than 4 s; half of the E:Rs were less than 1:4, and about one-third ranged between 1 and 1:4 and about 40% of exercise periods were classified as medium intensity. Most acceleration values were less than 3 m·s(-2) and started from standing or walking activity. Back row players showed the highest mean acceleration values over the game (P < 0.05). No significant decrease in physical performance was seen between the first and second halves of the games except for back rows, who showed a significant decrease in mean acceleration (P < 0.05). The analysis of results emphasised the specific activity of back rows and tended to suggest that the players' combinations of action and recovery times were optimal for preventing large decrease in the physical performance.

Arab oil weapon. [documents, treaties, commentaries

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

Paust, J.J.; Blaustein, A.P.

1977-01-01

This compilation of publications dealing with the Arab oil weapon presents documents and commentaries. In Part I, the Embargo, fhe documents include: Historical Chronologies; The United States Oil Shortage and the Arab-Israelic Conflict; OPEC: Oil Negotations, OPEC, and the Stability of Supply; and OPEC Resolutions and Other Documents. Commentaries include: The Arab Oil Weapon--A Threat to International Peace, by Jordon J. Paust and Albert P. Blaustein; Destination Embargo of Arab Oil: Its Legality Under International Law, by Ibrahim F. I. Shihata; The Arab Oil Weapon: A Reply and Re-Affirmation of Illegality, by Jordan J. Paust and Albert P. Blaustein; Economicmore » Coercion and the International Legal Order, by Richard B. Lillich; Some Politico-Legal Aspects of Resource Scarcity, by Timothy Stanley; and OPEC in the Context of the Global Power Equation, by Jahangir Amuzegar. Part II, The Response, includes the following documents: Presidential Statements: Carter and Ford; The Energy Crisis: Strategy for Cooperative Action, by Henry A. Kissinger; Oil Fields as Military Objectives; and Data and Analysis: Concerning the Possibility of a U.S. Food Embargo as a Response to the present Arab Oil Boycott. The commentaries in Part II are: Oil: The Issue of American Intervention, by Robert W. Tucker; War--The Ultimate Antitrust Actions, by Andrew Tobias; and The Need for Negotiated Reforms, by John H. Jackson. Part III, Legal Framework, contains 10 United Nations documents and 4 treaties. (MCW)« less

Crawling and walking infants encounter objects differently in a multi-target environment.

PubMed

Dosso, Jill A; Boudreau, J Paul

2014-10-01

From birth, infants move their bodies in order to obtain information and stimulation from their environment. Exploratory movements are important for the development of an infant's understanding of the world and are well established as being key to cognitive advances. Newly acquired motor skills increase the potential actions available to the infant. However, the way that infants employ potential actions in environments with multiple potential targets is undescribed. The current work investigated the target object selections of infants across a range of self-produced locomotor experience (11- to 14-month-old crawlers and walkers). Infants repeatedly accessed objects among pairs of objects differing in both distance and preference status, some requiring locomotion. Overall, their object actions were found to be sensitive to object preference status; however, the role of object distance in shaping object encounters was moderated by movement status. Crawlers' actions appeared opportunistic and were biased towards nearby objects while walkers' actions appeared intentional and were independent of object position. Moreover, walkers' movements favoured preferred objects more strongly for children with higher levels of self-produced locomotion experience. The multi-target experimental situation used in this work parallels conditions faced by foraging organisms, and infants' behaviours were discussed with respect to optimal foraging theory. There is a complex interplay between infants' agency, locomotor experience, and environment in shaping their motor actions. Infants' movements, in turn, determine the information and experiences offered to infants by their micro-environment.

The paired-object affordance effect.

PubMed

Yoon, Eun Young; Humphreys, Glyn W; Riddoch, M Jane

2010-08-01

We demonstrate that right-handed participants make speeded classification responses to pairs of objects that appear in standard co-locations for right-handed actions relative to when they appear in reflected locations. These effects are greater when participants "weight" information for action when deciding if 2 objects are typically used together, compared with deciding if objects typically occur in a given context. The effects are enhanced, and affect both types of decision, when an agent is shown holding the objects. However, the effects are eliminated when the objects are not viewed from the first-person perspective and when words are presented rather than objects. The data suggest that (a) participants are sensitive to whether objects are positioned correctly for their own actions, (b) the position information is coded within an egocentric reference frame, (c) the critical representation involved is visual and not semantic, and (d) the effects are enhanced by a sense of agency. The results can be interpreted within a dual-route framework for action retrieval in which a direct visual route is influenced by affordances for action.

Pilot test of the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) to increase government actions for creating healthy food environments

PubMed Central

Vandevijvere, Stefanie; Swinburn, Boyd

2015-01-01

Objectives Effective government policies are essential to increase the healthiness of food environments. The International Network for Food and Obesity/non-communicable diseases (NCDs) Research, Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS) has developed a monitoring tool (the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI)) and process to rate government policies to create healthy food environments against international best practice. The aims of this study were to pilot test the Food-EPI, and revise the tool and process for international implementation. Setting New Zealand. Participants Thirty-nine informed, independent public health experts and non-governmental organisation (NGO) representatives. Primary and secondary outcome measures Evidence on the extent of government implementation of different policies on food environments and infrastructure support was collected in New Zealand and validated with government officials. Two whole-day workshops were convened of public health experts and NGO representatives who rated performance of their government for seven policy and seven infrastructure support domains against international best practice. In addition, the raters evaluated the level of difficulty of rating, and appropriateness and completeness of the evidence presented for each indicator. Results Inter-rater reliability was 0.85 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.88; Gwet’s AC2) using quadratic weights, and increased to 0.89 (95% CI 0.85 to 0.92) after deletion of the problematic indicators. Based on raters’ assessments and comments, major changes to the Food-EPI tool include strengthening the leadership domain, removing the workforce development domain, a stronger focus on equity, and adding community-based programmes and government funding for research on obesity and diet-related NCD prevention, as good practice indicators. Conclusions The resulting tool and process will be promoted and offered to countries of varying size and income globally. International benchmarking of the extent of government policy implementation on food environments has the potential to catalyse greater government action to reduce obesity and NCDs, and increase civil society's capacity to advocate for healthy food environments. PMID:25575874

Orbiting space debris: Dangers, measurement, and mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNutt, Ross T.

1992-01-01

Space debris is a growing environmental problem. Accumulation of objects in Earth orbit threatens space systems through the possibility of collisions and runaway debris multiplication. The amount of debris in orbit is uncertain due to the lack of information on the population of debris between 1 and 10 centimeters diameter. Collisions with debris even smaller than 1 cm can be catastrophic due to the high orbital velocities involved. Research efforts are under way at NASA, Unites States Space Command and the Air Force Phillips Laboratory to detect and catalog the debris population in near-Earth space. Current international and national laws are inadequate to control the proliferation of space debris. Space debris is a serious problem with large economic, military, technical, and diplomatic components. Actions need to be taken now for the following reasons: determine the full extent of the orbital debris problem; accurately predict the future evolution of the debris population; decide the extent of the debris mitigation procedures required; implement these policies on a global basis via an international treaty. Action must be initiated now, before the the loss of critical space systems such as the Space Shuttle or the Space Station.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 371: Johnnie Boy Crater and Pin Stripe Nevada Test Site, Nevada, Revision 0

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

Patrick Matthews

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 371 is located in Areas 11 and 18 of the Nevada Test Site, which is approximately 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. Corrective Action Unit 371 is comprised of the two corrective action sites (CASs) listed below: • 11-23-05, Pin Stripe Contamination Area • 18-45-01, U-18j-2 Crater (Johnnie Boy) These sites are being investigated because existing information on the nature and extent of potential contamination is insufficient to evaluate and recommend corrective action alternatives. Additional information will be obtained by conducting a corrective action investigation before evaluating corrective action alternatives and selecting the appropriate correctivemore » action for each CAS. The results of the field investigation will support a defensible evaluation of viable corrective action alternatives that will be presented in the Corrective Action Decision Document. The sites will be investigated based on the data quality objectives (DQOs) developed on November 19, 2008, by representatives of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office; Stoller-Navarro Joint Venture; and National Security Technologies, LLC. The DQO process was used to identify and define the type, amount, and quality of data needed to develop and evaluate appropriate corrective actions for CAU 371. Appendix A provides a detailed discussion of the DQO methodology and the DQOs specific to each CAS. The scope of the corrective action investigation for CAU 371 includes the following activities: • Move surface debris and/or materials, as needed, to facilitate sampling. • Conduct radiological surveys. • Measure in situ external dose rates using thermoluminescent dosimeters or other dose measurement devices. • Collect and submit environmental samples for laboratory analysis to determine internal dose rates. • Combine internal and external dose rates to determine whether total dose rates exceed final action levels (FALs). • Collect and submit environmental samples for laboratory analysis to determine whether chemical contaminants are present at concentrations exceeding FALs. • If contamination exceeds FALs, define the extent of the contamination exceeding FALs. • Investigate waste to determine whether potential source material is present. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan has been developed in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order that was agreed to by the State of Nevada; U.S. Department of Energy; and U.S. Department of Defense. Under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, this Corrective Action Investigation Plan will be submitted to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection for approval. Fieldwork will be conducted following approval of the plan.« less

The balanced scorecard: an integrative approach to performance evaluation.

PubMed

Oliveira, J

2001-05-01

In addition to strict financial outcomes, healthcare financial managers should assess intangible assets that affect the organization's bottom line, such as clinical processes, staff skills, and patient satisfaction and loyalty. The balanced scorecard, coupled with data-warehousing capabilities, offers a way to measure an organization's performance against its strategic objectives while focusing on building capabilities to achieve these objectives. The balanced scorecard examines performance related to finance, human resources, internal processes, and customers. Because the balanced scorecard requires substantial amounts of data, it is a necessity to establish an organizational data warehouse of clinical, operational, and financial data that can be used in decision support. Because it presents indicators that managers and staff can influence directly by their actions, the balanced-scorecard approach to performance measurement encourages behavioral changes aimed at achieving corporate strategies.

Bayesian Action-Perception loop modeling: Application to trajectory generation and recognition using internal motor simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilet, Estelle; Diard, Julien; Palluel-Germain, Richard; Bessière, Pierre

2011-03-01

This paper is about modeling perception-action loops and, more precisely, the study of the influence of motor knowledge during perception tasks. We use the Bayesian Action-Perception (BAP) model, which deals with the sensorimotor loop involved in reading and writing cursive isolated letters and includes an internal simulation of movement loop. By using this probabilistic model we simulate letter recognition, both with and without internal motor simulation. Comparison of their performance yields an experimental prediction, which we set forth.

Infants Recognize Similar Goals across Dissimilar Actions Involving Object Manipulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olofson, Eric L.; Baldwin, Dare

2011-01-01

We investigated infants' ability to recognize the similarity between observed and implied goals when actions differed in surface-level motion details. In two experiments, 10- to 12-month-olds were habituated to an actor manipulating an object and then shown test actions in which the actor contacted the object with a novel hand configuration that…

Infant Manipulative Actions upon Customary and Uncustomary Objects in Independent and Joint Activity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aureli, Tiziana; De Tommasi, Emilia

1999-01-01

Observed 12-month olds, with their mothers and independently, acting on objects from home and objects brought by the experimenter as new exemplars of previous toys. Found that conventional actions were more frequent in joint than in independent activity. In independent activity, conventional actions were more frequent with customary than with…

The Automaticity of Affordance of Dangerous Object.

PubMed

Zhao, Liang

2016-11-03

Objects observation automatically elicits the activation of a reach-to-grasp response specifically directed to interact with the object, which is termed affordance. Murphy, van Velzen, and de Fockert (2012) found that only when an irrelevant object receives sufficient attention, it can potentiate an action. However, it remains unclear whether the dangerous object would afford an action when it receives insufficient attention. In this study, we manipulated the perceptual load in a letter identification task. Participants were required to identify a target letter with the right or left hand while ignoring a neutral or dangerous graspable object. The target letter was presented either on its own (low perceptual load), alongside five non-target letters (high load), or alongside eight non-target letters (super high load). Under the low perceptual load, for both neutral and dangerous object, responses were faster when the action afforded by the ignored object was congruent (vs. incongruent) with the current target response (t(27) = 4.44, p < .001; t(27) = 7.99, p < .001, respectively). However, during the high perceptual load, for dangerous object, responses were slower when the action afforded by the ignored object was congruent (vs. incongruent) with the current target response (t(27) = 4.97, p < .001). There was not any effect for both neutral object and dangerous object under super high perceptual load. These results suggest the affordance of dangerous object is also sensitive to the perceptual load. An irrelevant dangerous object can't potentiate an action if it receives insufficient attention.

Embodied effects of conceptual knowledge continuously perturb the hand in flight.

PubMed

Till, Bernie C; Masson, Michael E J; Bub, Daniel N; Driessen, Peter F

2014-08-01

Attending to a manipulable object evokes a mental representation of hand actions associated with the object's form and function. In one view, these representations are sufficiently abstract that their competing influence on an unrelated action is confined to the planning stages of movement and does not affect its on-line control. Alternatively, an object may evoke action representations that affect the entire trajectory of an unrelated grasping action. We developed a new methodology to statistically analyze the forward motion and rotation of the hand and fingers under different task conditions. Using this novel approach, we established that a grasping action executed after seeing a photograph of an object is systematically perturbed even into the late stages of its trajectory by the competing influence of the grasping posture associated with the object. Our results show that embodied effects of conceptual knowledge continuously modulate the hand in flight. © The Author(s) 2014.

Implementation of quality improvement techniques for management and technical processes in the ACRV project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raiman, Laura B.

1992-01-01

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a cooperative form of doing business that relies on the talents of everyone in an organization to continually improve quality and productivity, using teams and an assortment of statistical and measurement tools. The objective of the activities described in this paper was to implement effective improvement tools and techniques in order to build work processes which support good management and technical decisions and actions which are crucial to the success of the ACRV project. The objectives were met by applications in both the technical and management areas. The management applications involved initiating focused continuous improvement projects with widespread team membership. The technical applications involved applying proven statistical tools and techniques to the technical issues associated with the ACRV Project. Specific activities related to the objective included working with a support contractor team to improve support processes, examining processes involved in international activities, a series of tutorials presented to the New Initiatives Office and support contractors, a briefing to NIO managers, and work with the NIO Q+ Team. On the technical side, work included analyzing data from the large-scale W.A.T.E.R. test, landing mode trade analyses, and targeting probability calculations. The results of these efforts will help to develop a disciplined, ongoing process for producing fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide the ACRV organization .

Implementation of quality improvement techniques for management and technical processes in the ACRV project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raiman, Laura B.

1992-12-01

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a cooperative form of doing business that relies on the talents of everyone in an organization to continually improve quality and productivity, using teams and an assortment of statistical and measurement tools. The objective of the activities described in this paper was to implement effective improvement tools and techniques in order to build work processes which support good management and technical decisions and actions which are crucial to the success of the ACRV project. The objectives were met by applications in both the technical and management areas. The management applications involved initiating focused continuous improvement projects with widespread team membership. The technical applications involved applying proven statistical tools and techniques to the technical issues associated with the ACRV Project. Specific activities related to the objective included working with a support contractor team to improve support processes, examining processes involved in international activities, a series of tutorials presented to the New Initiatives Office and support contractors, a briefing to NIO managers, and work with the NIO Q+ Team. On the technical side, work included analyzing data from the large-scale W.A.T.E.R. test, landing mode trade analyses, and targeting probability calculations. The results of these efforts will help to develop a disciplined, ongoing process for producing fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide the ACRV organization .

Unaware Processing of Tools in the Neural System for Object-Directed Action Representation.

PubMed

Tettamanti, Marco; Conca, Francesca; Falini, Andrea; Perani, Daniela

2017-11-01

The hypothesis that the brain constitutively encodes observed manipulable objects for the actions they afford is still debated. Yet, crucial evidence demonstrating that, even in the absence of perceptual awareness, the mere visual appearance of a manipulable object triggers a visuomotor coding in the action representation system including the premotor cortex, has hitherto not been provided. In this fMRI study, we instantiated reliable unaware visual perception conditions by means of continuous flash suppression, and we tested in 24 healthy human participants (13 females) whether the visuomotor object-directed action representation system that includes left-hemispheric premotor, parietal, and posterior temporal cortices is activated even under subliminal perceptual conditions. We found consistent activation in the target visuomotor cortices, both with and without perceptual awareness, specifically for pictures of manipulable versus non-manipulable objects. By means of a multivariate searchlight analysis, we also found that the brain activation patterns in this visuomotor network enabled the decoding of manipulable versus non-manipulable object picture processing, both with and without awareness. These findings demonstrate the intimate neural coupling between visual perception and motor representation that underlies manipulable object processing: manipulable object stimuli specifically engage the visuomotor object-directed action representation system, in a constitutive manner that is independent from perceptual awareness. This perceptuo-motor coupling endows the brain with an efficient mechanism for monitoring and planning reactions to external stimuli in the absence of awareness. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Our brain constantly encodes the visual information that hits the retina, leading to a stimulus-specific activation of sensory and semantic representations, even for objects that we do not consciously perceive. Do these unconscious representations encompass the motor programming of actions that could be accomplished congruently with the objects' functions? In this fMRI study, we instantiated unaware visual perception conditions, by dynamically suppressing the visibility of manipulable object pictures with mondrian masks. Despite escaping conscious perception, manipulable objects activated an object-directed action representation system that includes left-hemispheric premotor, parietal, and posterior temporal cortices. This demonstrates that visuomotor encoding occurs independently of conscious object perception. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/3710712-13$15.00/0.

Time course of action representations evoked during sentence comprehension.

PubMed

Heard, Alison W; Masson, Michael E J; Bub, Daniel N

2015-03-01

The nature of hand-action representations evoked during language comprehension was investigated using a variant of the visual-world paradigm in which eye fixations were monitored while subjects viewed a screen displaying four hand postures and listened to sentences describing an actor using or lifting a manipulable object. Displayed postures were related to either a functional (using) or volumetric (lifting) interaction with an object that matched or did not match the object mentioned in the sentence. Subjects were instructed to select the hand posture that matched the action described in the sentence. Even before the manipulable object was mentioned in the sentence, some sentence contexts allowed subjects to infer the object's identity and the type of action performed with it and eye fixations immediately favored the corresponding hand posture. This effect was assumed to be the result of ongoing motor or perceptual imagery in which the action described in the sentence was mentally simulated. In addition, the hand posture related to the manipulable object mentioned in a sentence, but not related to the described action (e.g., a writing posture in the context of a sentence that describes lifting, but not using, a pencil), was favored over other hand postures not related to the object. This effect was attributed to motor resonance arising from conceptual processing of the manipulable object, without regard to the remainder of the sentence context. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Action Perception on Object Recognition: A Developmental Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mounoud, Pierre; Duscherer, Katia; Moy, Guenael; Perraudin, Sandrine

2007-01-01

Two experiments explored the existence and the development of relations between action representations and object representations. A priming paradigm was used in which participants viewed an action pantomime followed by the picture of a tool, the tool being either associated or unassociated with the preceding action. Overall, we observed that the…

Young Children's Response Tendencies toward Yes-No Questions Concerning Actions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fritzley, V. Heather; Lindsay, Rod C. L.; Lee, Kang

2013-01-01

Two experiments investigated response tendencies of preschoolers toward yes-no questions about actions. Two hundred 2- to 5-year-old children were asked questions concerning actions commonly associated with particular objects (e.g., drinking from a cup) and actions not commonly associated with particular objects (e.g., kicking a toothbrush). The…

Making Facilitation Work: The Challenges on an International DBA Action Learning Set

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OFarrell, Jack

2018-01-01

This account relates my experiences as facilitator of an action learning set on a DBA cohort comprising international students and myself. It outlines the reasons for my selection as facilitator and describes my initial expectations and assumptions of action learning. I chart the difficulty in separating the 'what' of my own research from the…

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Social Anxiety - Acceptance and Action Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Soltani, Esmail; Bahrainian, Seyed Abdolmajid; Masjedi Arani, Abbas; Farhoudian, Ali; Gachkar, Latif

2016-01-01

Background Social anxiety disorder is often related to specific impairment or distress in different areas of life, including occupational, social and family settings. Objective The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the persian version of the social anxiety-acceptance and action questionnaire (SA-AAQ) in university students. Materials and Methods In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 324 students from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences participated via the cluster sampling method during year 2015. Factor analysis by the principle component analysis method, internal consistency analysis, and convergent and divergent validity were conducted to examine the validity of the SA-AAQ. To calculate the reliability of the SA-AAQ, Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest reliability were used. Results The results from factor analysis by principle component analysis method yielded three factors that were named acceptance, action and non-judging of experience. The three-factor solution explained 51.82% of the variance. Evidence for the internal consistency of SA-AAQ was obtained via calculating correlations between SA-AAQ and its subscales. Support for convergent and discriminant validity of the SA-AAQ via its correlations with the acceptance and action questionnaire - II, social interaction anxiety scale, cognitive fusion questionnaire, believability of anxious feelings and thoughts questionnaire, valued living questionnaire and WHOQOL- BREF was obtained. The reliability of the SA-AAQ via calculating Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest coefficients yielded values of 0.84 and 0.84, respectively. Conclusions The Iranian version of the SA-AAQ has acceptable levels of psychometric properties in university students. The SA-AAQ is a valid and reliable measure to be utilized in research investigations and therapeutic interventions. PMID:27803719

Is Action Naming Better Preserved (than Object Naming) in Alzheimer's Disease and Why Should We Ask?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Druks, Judit; Masterson, Jackie; Kopelman, Michael; Clare, Linda; Rose, Anita; Rai, Gucharan

2006-01-01

The present study compared object and action naming in patients with Alzheimer's dementia. We tested the hypothesis put forward in (some) previous studies that in Alzheimer's dementia the production of verbs, that is required in action naming, is better preserved than the production of nouns, that is required in object naming. The possible reason…

What Three-Year-Olds Remember from Their Past: Long-Term Memory for Persons, Objects, and Actions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirte, Monika; Graf, Frauke; Kim, Ziyon; Knopf, Monika

2017-01-01

From birth on, infants show long-term recognition memory for persons. Furthermore, infants from six months onwards are able to store and retrieve demonstrated actions over long-term intervals in deferred imitation tasks. Thus, information about the model demonstrating the object-related actions is stored and recognition memory for the objects as…

Object Manipulation and Motion Perception: Evidence of an Influence of Action Planning on Visual Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindemann, Oliver; Bekkering, Harold

2009-01-01

In 3 experiments, the authors investigated the bidirectional coupling of perception and action in the context of object manipulations and motion perception. Participants prepared to grasp an X-shaped object along one of its 2 diagonals and to rotate it in a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction. Action execution had to be delayed until the…

Preserved Tool Knowledge in the Context of Impaired Action Knowledge: Implications for Models of Semantic Memory

PubMed Central

Garcea, Frank E.; Dombovy, Mary; Mahon, Bradford Z.

2013-01-01

A number of studies have observed that the motor system is activated when processing the semantics of manipulable objects. Such phenomena have been taken as evidence that simulation over motor representations is a necessary and intermediary step in the process of conceptual understanding. Cognitive neuropsychological evaluations of patients with impairments for action knowledge permit a direct test of the necessity of motor simulation in conceptual processing. Here, we report the performance of a 47-year-old male individual (Case AA) and six age-matched control participants on a number of tests probing action and object knowledge. Case AA had a large left-hemisphere frontal-parietal lesion and hemiplegia affecting his right arm and leg. Case AA presented with impairments for object-associated action production, and his conceptual knowledge of actions was severely impaired. In contrast, his knowledge of objects such as tools and other manipulable objects was largely preserved. The dissociation between action and object knowledge is difficult to reconcile with strong forms of the embodied cognition hypothesis. We suggest that these, and other similar findings, point to the need to develop tractable hypotheses about the dynamics of information exchange among sensory, motor and conceptual processes. PMID:23641205

Effects of Action Relations on the Configural Coding between Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riddoch, M. J.; Pippard, B.; Booth, L.; Rickell, J.; Summers, J.; Brownson, A.; Humphreys, G. W.

2011-01-01

Configural coding is known to take place between the parts of individual objects but has never been shown between separate objects. We provide novel evidence here for configural coding between separate objects through a study of the effects of action relations between objects on extinction. Patients showing visual extinction were presented with…

Direct and indirect pathways for choosing objects and actions.

PubMed

Hikosaka, Okihide; Kim, Hyoung F; Amita, Hidetoshi; Yasuda, Masaharu; Isoda, Masaki; Tachibana, Yoshihisa; Yoshida, Atsushi

2018-02-23

A prominent target of the basal ganglia is the superior colliculus (SC) which controls gaze orientation (saccadic eye movement in primates) to an important object. This 'object choice' is crucial for choosing an action on the object. SC is innervated by the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) which is controlled mainly by the caudate nucleus (CD). This CD-SNr-SC circuit is sensitive to the values of individual objects and facilitates saccades to good objects. The object values are processed differently in two parallel circuits: flexibly by the caudate head (CDh) and stably by the caudate tail (CDt). To choose good objects, we need to reject bad objects. In fact, these contrasting functions are accomplished by the circuit originating from CDt: The direct pathway focuses on good objects and facilitates saccades to them; the indirect pathway focuses on bad objects and suppresses saccades to them. Inactivation of CDt deteriorated the object choice, because saccades to bad objects were no longer suppressed. This suggests that the indirect pathway is important for object choice. However, the direct and indirect pathways for 'object choice', which aim at the same action (i.e., saccade), may not work for 'action choice'. One possibility is that circuits controlling different actions are connected through the indirect pathway. Additional connections of the indirect pathway with brain areas outside the basal ganglia may also provide a wider range of behavioral choice. In conclusion, basal ganglia circuits are composed of the basic direct/indirect pathways and additional connections and thus have acquired multiple functions. © 2018 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Functional relations trump implied motion in recovery from extinction: evidence from the effects of animacy on extinction.

PubMed

Riddoch, M Jane; Riveros, Rodrigo; Humphreys, Glyn W

2011-02-01

Patients with extinction show a characteristic impairment in the identification of objects when two items are presented simultaneously, typically reporting the ipsilesional item only. The effect is thought to be due to a spatial bias advantaging the ipsilesional item under conditions of competing concurrent stimulation. Action relations between objects can result in recovery from extinction as the object pair may be perceived as a single group rather than competing perceptual units. However, objects interacting together can also have implied motion. Here we test whether implied motion is necessary to generate recovery from extinction. We varied orthogonally whether animate and inanimate objects were paired together in positions related or unrelated to action. Implied motion was greater when an animate object was present than when both stimuli were inanimate. Despite this, recovery from extinction was greater when actions were shown between inanimate objects. We suggest that actions between inanimate objects are perceived more easily due to the surfaces of these stimuli being designed for functional goals (e.g., the flat surface of a hammer head is designed to hit the flattened head of a nail). Attention is sensitive to the fit between potential action and the functional properties of objects, and not just to implied motion between stimuli.

Stigma towards PLWHA: The Role of Internalized Homosexual Stigma in Latino Gay/Bisexual Male and Transgender Communities

PubMed Central

Ramirez-Valles, Jesus; Molina, Yamile; Dirkes, Jessica

2013-01-01

Stigma negatively affects the health of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Negative attitudes and discriminatory actions towards PLWHA are thought to be based, among other factors, on stigma towards sexual minorities and beliefs about personal responsibility. Yet, there is little evidence to support these linkages and explain how they take place, especially among Latinos. This study analyzes attitudes towards PLWHA among 643 Latino gay/bisexual men and transgender (GBT) people. It examines whether discriminatory actions are predicted by beliefs about personal responsibility and internalized homosexual stigma. Results indicate that Discriminatory Actions towards PLWHA is associated with HIV/AIDS Personal Responsibility Beliefs and Internalized Homosexual Stigma. Further, HIV/AIDS Personal Responsibility Beliefs partially mediates the relationship between Internalized Homosexual Stigma and Discriminatory Actions towards PLWHA. Latino GBT persons who have internalized negative views about homosexuality may project those onto PLWHA. They may think PLWHA are responsible for their serostatus and, hence, deserving of rejection. PMID:23631713

Stigma towards PLWHA: the role of internalized homosexual stigma in Latino gay/bisexual male and transgender communities.

PubMed

Ramirez-Valles, Jesus; Molina, Yamile; Dirkes, Jessica

2013-06-01

Stigma negatively affects the health of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Negative attitudes and discriminatory actions towards PLWHA are thought to be based, among other factors, on stigma towards sexual minorities and beliefs about personal responsibility. Yet, there is little evidence to support these linkages and explain how they take place, especially among Latinos. This study analyzes attitudes towards PLWHA among 643 Latino gay/bisexual men and transgender (GBT) people. It examines whether discriminatory actions are predicted by beliefs about personal responsibility and internalized homosexual stigma. Results indicate that Discriminatory Actions towards PLWHA is associated with HIV/AIDS Personal Responsibility Beliefs and Internalized Homosexual Stigma. Further, HIV/AIDS Personal Responsibility Beliefs partially mediates the relationship between Internalized Homosexual Stigma and Discriminatory Actions towards PLWHA. Latino GBT persons who have internalized negative views about homosexuality may project those onto PLWHA. They may think PLWHA are responsible for their serostatus and, hence, deserving of rejection.

A tool for enhancing strategic health planning: a modeled use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

PubMed Central

Sinclair, Lisa Bundara; Fox, Michael H.; Betts, Donald R.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY This article describes use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a tool for strategic planning. The ICF is the international classification system for factors that influence health, including Body Structures, Body Functions, Activities and Participation and Environmental Factors. An overview of strategic planning and the ICF are provided. Selected ICF concepts and nomenclature are used to demonstrate its utility in helping develop a classic planning framework, objectives, measures and actions. Some issues and resolutions for applying the ICF are described. Applying the ICF for strategic health planning is an innovative approach that fosters the inclusion of social ecological health determinants and broad populations. If employed from the onset of planning, the ICF can help public health organizations systematically conceptualize, organize and communicate a strategic health plan. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. PMID:23147247

[Brazilian guidelines for marketing baby food: history, limitations and perspectives].

PubMed

Monteiro, Renata

2006-05-01

The objective of this paper is to present and discuss Brazilian policy concerning actions to protect breastfeeding, especially the history, international and national background, limitations, and perspectives of the Brazilian Guidelines for the Marketing of Baby Food, Pacifiers and Bottles. The Brazilian Guidelines, which play a crucial role in protecting breastfeeding against industry marketing strategies, were based on the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, proposed by the World Health Organization in 1981. The first version of the Brazilian Guidelines was released in 1988, and there were subsequent revisions in 1992 and 2001/2002. In 2006, the Guidelines became national law. However, the strides made over this period in terms of regulation have been few because the law is not always observed. Thus, it is essential that all actors involved, including government officials, manufacturers and sellers of baby food and other baby products, teaching and health professionals and their associations, international bodies, and non-governmental organizations make a commitment to enforce the current law.

A tool for enhancing strategic health planning: a modeled use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

PubMed

Sinclair, Lisa Bundara; Fox, Michael H; Betts, Donald R

2013-01-01

This article describes use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a tool for strategic planning. The ICF is the international classification system for factors that influence health, including Body Structures, Body Functions, Activities and Participation and Environmental Factors. An overview of strategic planning and the ICF are provided. Selected ICF concepts and nomenclature are used to demonstrate its utility in helping develop a classic planning framework, objectives, measures and actions. Some issues and resolutions for applying the ICF are described. Applying the ICF for strategic health planning is an innovative approach that fosters the inclusion of social ecological health determinants and broad populations. If employed from the onset of planning, the ICF can help public health organizations systematically conceptualize, organize and communicate a strategic health plan. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Using goal- and grip-related information for understanding the correctness of other's actions: an ERP study.

PubMed

van Elk, Michiel; Bousardt, Roel; Bekkering, Harold; van Schie, Hein T

2012-01-01

Detecting errors in other's actions is of pivotal importance for joint action, competitive behavior and observational learning. Although many studies have focused on the neural mechanisms involved in detecting low-level errors, relatively little is known about error-detection in everyday situations. The present study aimed to identify the functional and neural mechanisms whereby we understand the correctness of other's actions involving well-known objects (e.g. pouring coffee in a cup). Participants observed action sequences in which the correctness of the object grasped and the grip applied to a pair of objects were independently manipulated. Observation of object violations (e.g. grasping the empty cup instead of the coffee pot) resulted in a stronger P3-effect than observation of grip errors (e.g. grasping the coffee pot at the upper part instead of the handle), likely reflecting a reorienting response, directing attention to the relevant location. Following the P3-effect, a parietal slow wave positivity was observed that persisted for grip-errors, likely reflecting the detection of an incorrect hand-object interaction. These findings provide new insight in the functional significance of the neurophysiological markers associated with the observation of incorrect actions and suggest that the P3-effect and the subsequent parietal slow wave positivity may reflect the detection of errors at different levels in the action hierarchy. Thereby this study elucidates the cognitive processes that support the detection of action violations in the selection of objects and grips.

Least action and entropy considerations of self-organization in Benard cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgiev, Georgi; Iannacchione, Germano

We study self-organization in complex systems using first principles in physics. Our approach involves the principle of least action and the second law of thermodynamics. In far from equilibrium systems, energy gradients cause internal ordering to facilitate the dissipation of energy in the environment. This internal ordering decreases their internal entropy in order to obey the principle of least action, minimizing the product of time and energy for transport through the system. We are considering the connection between action and entropy decrease inside Benard cells in order to derive some general features of self-organization. We are developing mathematical treatment of this coupling and comparing it to results from experiments and simulations.

Sustaining Human Space Flight: From the Present to the Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Rick

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews some of the efforts to ensure that human space flight continues in NASA. With the aging shuttle orbiter fleet, some actions have been taken to assure safe operations. Some of these are: (1) the formation of a Corrosion Control Review Board (CCRB) that will assess the extent and cause of corrosion to the shuttle, and provide short term and long term corrective actions, among other objectives, (2) a formalization of an aging vehicle assessment (AVA) as part of a certification for the Return-to-Flight, (3) an assessment of the age life of the materials in the space shuttle, and (4) the formation of the Aging Orbiter Working Group (AOWG). There are also slides with information about the International Space Station. There is also information about the need to update the Kennedy Space Center, to sustain a 21st century launch complex and the requirement to further the aim of commercial launch capability.

[Analysis of the social and health impacts of large hydroelectric plants: lessons for a sustainable energy management].

PubMed

de Queiroz, Adriana Renata Sathler; Motta-Veiga, Marcelo

2012-06-01

The main objective of this study was to analyze the social and health impacts resulting from the construction of the Tucuruí (Pará, Brazil) and James Bay (Quebec, Canada) Hydroelectric Plants. The comparative method study used in analysis of the literature review revealed lessons to be learned from the national and international experience in order to ensure sustainable management of future major energy projects in Brazil. In this study, a successive negative domino effect was observed in terms of social impacts on jobs, income, sanitation, and culture, all with associated health problems. These included stress, nutritional and psychosocial disturbances, cardiopathies, as well as respiratory and digestive problems. The actions seeking to mitigate the effects of these negative impacts were slow to be implemented. Moreover, even though three decades have elapsed, these actions proved inefficient to resolve all the health and socio-environmental problems caused.

Action Sounds Modulate Arm Reaching Movements

PubMed Central

Tajadura-Jiménez, Ana; Marquardt, Torsten; Swapp, David; Kitagawa, Norimichi; Bianchi-Berthouze, Nadia

2016-01-01

Our mental representations of our body are continuously updated through multisensory bodily feedback as we move and interact with our environment. Although it is often assumed that these internal models of body-representation are used to successfully act upon the environment, only a few studies have actually looked at how body-representation changes influence goal-directed actions, and none have looked at this in relation to body-representation changes induced by sound. The present work examines this question for the first time. Participants reached for a target object before and after adaptation periods during which the sounds produced by their hand tapping a surface were spatially manipulated to induce a representation of an elongated arm. After adaptation, participants’ reaching movements were performed in a way consistent with having a longer arm, in that their reaching velocities were reduced. These kinematic changes suggest auditory-driven recalibration of the somatosensory representation of the arm morphology. These results provide support to the hypothesis that one’s represented body size is used as a perceptual ruler to measure objects’ distances and to accordingly guide bodily actions. PMID:27695430

Behavior of Internal Customer in Family Business: Strategies and Actions for Improving Their Satisfaction

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez-Broncano, Santiago; Jiménez-Estévez, Pedro; del Carmen Zabala-Baños, María

2017-01-01

Determining the relevant aspects of family businesses (FBs) that make them increasingly competitive is the main objective of researchers in this field. Despite this, there is little empirical literature on the behavior of the internal customer (IC) in FBs or how businesses increase their satisfaction. Basing our work on psychological theories and with both quantitative and qualitative information from 31 semi-structured interviews, this work establishes certain characteristics of the ICs of the FB and proposes a series of guidelines for increasing their satisfaction, thereby facilitating the continuity of this type of business. FBs that are able to understand that the motivation of their ICs is more important than other qualities, and that this requires a more comprehensive management will be able to get sustainable competitive advantages in the future. PMID:28790958

Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) Through Cooperative Bioengagement

PubMed Central

Standley, Claire J.; Sorrell, Erin M.; Kornblet, Sarah; Fischer, Julie E.; Katz, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Cooperative bioengagement efforts, as practiced by U.S. government-funded entities, such as the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Cooperative Biological Engagement Program, the State Department’s Biosecurity Engagement Program, and parallel programs in other countries, exist at the nexus between public health and security. These programs have an explicit emphasis on developing projects that address the priorities of the partner country as well as the donor. While the objectives of cooperative bioengagement programs focus on reducing the potential for accidental or intentional misuse and/or release of dangerous biological agents, many partner countries are interested in bioengagement as a means to improve basic public health capacities. This article examines the extent to which cooperative bioengagement projects address public health capacity building under the revised International Health Regulations and alignment with the Global Health Security Agenda action packages. PMID:26528463

Behavior of Internal Customer in Family Business: Strategies and Actions for Improving Their Satisfaction.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Broncano, Santiago; Jiménez-Estévez, Pedro; Del Carmen Zabala-Baños, María

2017-01-01

Determining the relevant aspects of family businesses (FBs) that make them increasingly competitive is the main objective of researchers in this field. Despite this, there is little empirical literature on the behavior of the internal customer (IC) in FBs or how businesses increase their satisfaction. Basing our work on psychological theories and with both quantitative and qualitative information from 31 semi-structured interviews, this work establishes certain characteristics of the ICs of the FB and proposes a series of guidelines for increasing their satisfaction, thereby facilitating the continuity of this type of business. FBs that are able to understand that the motivation of their ICs is more important than other qualities, and that this requires a more comprehensive management will be able to get sustainable competitive advantages in the future.

Bullying and cyberbullying: research and intervention at school and social contexts.

PubMed

Ortega-Ruiz, Rosario; Núñez, José C

2012-11-01

School is the main scenario of social actions where the foundations of interpersonal relations other than those of the family are laid down; it has therefore become one of the main settings for psychoeducational research. In recent years, the phenomena of poor interpersonal relations, gratuitous and cruel aggression, the resulting victimization, and the construction of a psychopathic and inmoral personality have been the object of intense research. The monographic section presented herein aims to provide the readers of Psicothema with a series of investigations that trace the most important research lines developed in the international community on bullying and cyberbullying.

Chemical and Biological Mobile Laboratory: infrastructure employed by Brazilian Army in emergency response actions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardozo, M.; Oliveira, V. G. M.; Sousa, R. B.; de Paula, R. L.

2018-03-01

The Brazilian Army specified and acquired a mobile chemical and biological laboratory in order to confirm in a fast and mobile way with more precise analytical techniques the information obtained by the emergency responders field teams. The laboratory was designed for displacement in different scenarios of the national territory. This paper describes the laboratorial structure, the material flow and the deployment of this defense product in the major international events occurred in Brazil from 2011 to 2016, with the objective of providing in situ identification of chemical and biological threats.

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

NONE

This intern report consists of the workshop handbook for the Comprehensive Environmental and Natural Resource Management Planning workshop presented by the Council of Energy Resource Tribes. The workshop objectives were to foster and awareness of integrated resource management rationale; present the fundamental elements of an integrated approach; explain what distinguishes this approach from mainstream strategies; discuss how worldview and philosophy shape action and policy; present ways in which philosophical dexterity promotes effective management; and identify opportunities to engage and participate in integrated management. Resource articles presented at the meeting have been removed for separate processing for inclusion on the datamore » base.« less

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 569: Area 3 Yucca Flat Atmospheric Test Sites Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 0

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

Patrick Matthews; Christy Sloop

2012-02-01

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 569 is located in Area 3 of the Nevada National Security Site, which is approximately 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. Corrective Action Unit 569 comprises the nine numbered corrective action sites (CASs) and one newly identified site listed below: (1) 03-23-09, T-3 Contamination Area (hereafter referred to as Annie, Franklin, George, and Moth); (2) 03-23-10, T-3A Contamination Area (hereafter referred to as Harry and Hornet); (3) 03-23-11, T-3B Contamination Area (hereafter referred to as Fizeau); (4) 03-23-12, T-3S Contamination Area (hereafter referred to as Rio Arriba); (5) 03-23-13, T-3T Contamination Area (hereafter referred tomore » as Catron); (6) 03-23-14, T-3V Contamination Area (hereafter referred to as Humboldt); (7) 03-23-15, S-3G Contamination Area (hereafter referred to as Coulomb-B); (8) 03-23-16, S-3H Contamination Area (hereafter referred to as Coulomb-A); (9) 03-23-21, Pike Contamination Area (hereafter referred to as Pike); and (10) Waste Consolidation Site 3A. Because CAU 569 is a complicated site containing many types of releases, it was agreed during the data quality objectives (DQO) process that these sites will be grouped. These sites are being investigated because existing information on the nature and extent of potential contamination is insufficient to evaluate and recommend corrective action alternatives (CAAs). Additional information will be obtained by conducting a corrective action investigation before evaluating CAAs and selecting the appropriate corrective action for each study group. The results of the field investigation will support a defensible evaluation of viable CAAs that will be presented in the Corrective Action Decision Document. The sites will be investigated based on the DQOs developed on September 26, 2011, by representatives of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office. The DQO process was used to identify and define the type, amount, and quality of data needed to develop and evaluate appropriate corrective actions for CAU 569. The presence and nature of contamination at CAU 569 will be evaluated based on information collected from a field investigation. Radiological contamination will be evaluated based on a comparison of the total effective dose (TED) at sample locations to the dose-based final action level (FAL). The TED will be calculated as the total of separate estimates of internal and external dose. Results from the analysis of soil samples will be used to calculate internal radiological dose. Thermoluminescent dosimeters placed at the center of each sample location will be used to measure external radiological dose. A field investigation will be performed to define any areas where TED exceeds the FAL and to determine whether contaminants of concern are present at the site from other potential releases. The presence and nature of contamination from other types of releases (e.g., excavation, migration, and any potential releases discovered during the investigation) will be evaluated using soil samples collected from biased locations indicating the highest levels of contamination. Appendix A provides a detailed discussion of the DQO methodology and the objectives specific to each study group.« less

A psychosocial approach in humanitarian forensic action: The Latin American perspective.

PubMed

Hofmeister, Ute; Navarro, Susana

2017-11-01

Forensic humanitarian action is aimed at alleviating suffering and maintaining human dignity, with the victims and their families at the core. International recommendations emphasize the importance of psychological support and psychosocial work as an integral part of forensic investigations into missing persons. Psychosocial action does not simply refer to emotional support but is based on the idea of the individual being the holder of rights, encouraging decision taking, affirming actions, and elaborating personal and collective histories. In this framework, forensics and psychosocial sciences need to work in complementary and coordinated interaction for the benefit of the families and communities. For forensic investigations to be restorative - their ultimate humanitarian objective - there are certain additional conditions apart from those of scientific quality and ethics: respect, information and coordination are among the main pillars for forensic action with a psychosocial approach, taking into account the need to treat on an individual and collective level the continuous psychological affectations caused by the disappearance of a loved one. On this basis, psychological and psychosocial accompaniment of the victims can contribute to the victims' healing process and also improve the forensic investigations themselves. This article, which is based on the experience of two decades of practical forensic and psychosocial work in the field, explains the main psychological effects of disappearances and the resulting needs. It gives a short historical overview of the origins and developments in psychosocial support and a perspective in relation to the search for missing persons and forensic interventions in Latin America. It goes on to demonstrate how coordinated interaction among the forensic and psychosocial fields strengthens both of them to the benefit of the affected families, groups and communities. Finally, it takes up some of the international recommendations of best practices with particular significance for the implementation of a psychosocial approach in forensic investigations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

76 FR 77383 - Amendment of Class C Airspace; Palm Beach International Airport, FL

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-13

...-0527; Airspace Docket No. 11-AWA-2] Amendment of Class C Airspace; Palm Beach International Airport, FL... action modifies the Palm Beach International Airport, FL, Class C airspace area by raising the floor of Class C airspace over Palm Beach County Park Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance safety...

Primary Care Performance Measurement and Reporting at a Regional Level: Could a Matrix Approach Provide Actionable Information for Policy Makers and Clinicians?

PubMed Central

Langton, Julia M.; Wong, Sabrina T.; Johnston, Sharon; Abelson, Julia; Ammi, Mehdi; Burge, Fred; Campbell, John; Haggerty, Jeannie; Hogg, William; Wodchis, Walter P.

2016-01-01

Objective: Primary care services form the foundation of modern healthcare systems, yet the breadth and complexity of services and diversity of patient populations may present challenges for creating comprehensive primary care information systems. Our objective is to develop regional-level information on the performance of primary care in Canada. Methods: A scoping review was conducted to identify existing initiatives in primary care performance measurement and reporting across 11 countries. The results of this review were used by our international team of primary care researchers and clinicians to propose an approach for regional-level primary care reporting. Results: We found a gap between conceptual primary care performance measurement frameworks in the peer-reviewed literature and real-world primary care performance measurement and reporting activities. We did not find a conceptual framework or analytic approach that could readily form the foundation of a regional-level primary care information system. Therefore, we propose an approach to reporting comprehensive and actionable performance information according to widely accepted core domains of primary care as well as different patient population groups. Conclusions: An approach that bridges the gap between conceptual frameworks and real-world performance measurement and reporting initiatives could address some of the potential pitfalls of existing ways of presenting performance information (i.e., by single diseases or by age). This approach could produce meaningful and actionable information on the quality of primary care services. PMID:28032823

Automatic Imitation of Intransitive Actions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Press, Clare; Bird, Geoffrey; Walsh, Eamonn; Heyes, Cecilia

2008-01-01

Previous research has indicated a potential discontinuity between monkey and human ventral premotor-parietal mirror systems, namely that monkey mirror systems process only transitive (object-directed) actions, whereas human mirror systems may also process intransitive (non-object-directed) actions. The present study investigated this discontinuity…

Dissociable intrinsic functional networks support noun-object and verb-action processing.

PubMed

Yang, Huichao; Lin, Qixiang; Han, Zaizhu; Li, Hongyu; Song, Luping; Chen, Lingjuan; He, Yong; Bi, Yanchao

2017-12-01

The processing mechanism of verbs-actions and nouns-objects is a central topic of language research, with robust evidence for behavioral dissociation. The neural basis for these two major word and/or conceptual classes, however, remains controversial. Two experiments were conducted to study this question from the network perspective. Experiment 1 found that nodes of the same class, obtained through task-evoked brain imaging meta-analyses, were more strongly connected with each other than nodes of different classes during resting-state, forming segregated network modules. Experiment 2 examined the behavioral relevance of these intrinsic networks using data from 88 brain-damaged patients, finding that across patients the relative strength of functional connectivity of the two networks significantly correlated with the noun-object vs. verb-action relative behavioral performances. In summary, we found that verbs-actions and nouns-objects are supported by separable intrinsic functional networks and that the integrity of such networks accounts for the relative noun-object- and verb-action-selective deficits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Global leaf companies control the tobacco market in Malawi

PubMed Central

Otañez, Marty G; Mamudu, Hadii; Glantz, Stanton A

2007-01-01

Objective To examine the influence of US‐based tobacco leaf‐buying companies, Universal Corporation and Alliance One International, on Malawi's economy and trade policy in 2000–6. Design Analyses of ethnographic data and tobacco industry documents. Results Universal Corporation and Alliance One International, through their subsidiary companies Limbe Leaf and Alliance One, respectively, in Malawi, control policy‐making advisory groups and operate a tobacco cartel to influence Malawi's economic and trade sectors. Limbe Leaf's corporate secretary and lawyer is a member of several policy‐making committees that advise the Malawi government on tobacco‐related trade policy. The corporate representative's presence prevents other committee members from taking positions against the tobacco industry and ensures government policy that advances industry interests to obtain low‐cost tobacco. The World Bank and Malawi's Anti‐corruption Bureau report allegations of collusion between Limbe Leaf and Alliance One over prices at tobacco markets. Allegations of collusion between Limbe Leaf and Alliance One prompted Malawi President Bingu Mutharika in 2006 to warn the companies to end non‐competitive practices or leave the country, but there was no meaningful follow‐up action. Findings from interviews with small‐scale tobacco traders in Malawi suggest that Universal and Alliance One International purchase smuggled raw tobacco from the neighbouring countries, Zambia and Mozambique, undermining growers' efforts to benefit from tobacco farming in Malawi. Conclusion These actions restrict competition, depress tobacco prices for Malawi's farmers and contribute to poverty in Malawi, while keeping the country dependent on tobacco growing. PMID:17652242

Evaluating the Impact of Action Plans on Trainee Compliance with Learning Objectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aumann, Michael J.

2013-01-01

This mixed methods research study evaluated the use of technology-based action plans as a way to help improve compliance with the learning objectives of an online training event. It explored how the action planning strategy impacted subjects in a treatment group and compared them to subjects in a control group who did not get the action plan. The…

Object words modulate the activity of the mirror neuron system during action imitation.

PubMed

Wu, Haiyan; Tang, Honghong; Ge, Yue; Yang, Suyong; Mai, Xiaoqin; Luo, Yue-Jia; Liu, Chao

2017-11-01

Although research has demonstrated that the mirror neuron system (MNS) plays a crucial role in both action imitation and action-related semantic processing, whether action-related words can inversely modulate the MNS activity remains unclear. Here, three types of task-irrelevant words (body parts, verbs, and manufactured objects) were presented to examine the modulation effect of these words on the MNS activity during action observation and imitation. Twenty-two participants were recruited for the fMRI scanning and remaining data from 19 subjects were reported here. Brain activity results showed that word types elicited different modulation effects over nodes of the MNS (i.e., the right inferior frontal gyrus, premotor cortex, inferior parietal lobule, and STS), especially during the imitation stage. Compared with other word conditions, action imitation following manufactured objects words induced stronger activation in these brain regions during the imitation stage. These results were consistent in both task-dependent and -independent ROI analysis. Our findings thus provide evidence for the unique effect of object words on the MNS during imitation of action, which may also confirm the key role of goal inference in action imitation.

Descriptive Case Study of Theories of Action, Strategic Objectives, and Strategic Initiatives Used by California Female County Superintendents to Move Their Organizations from Current State to Desired Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Valerie Darlene

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the theories of action, strategic objectives, and strategic initiatives of school systems led by female county superintendents in California and examine their impact on improving system outcomes. Additionally, the factors influencing theory of action, strategic objective, and initiative development were…

A domain-specific system for representing knowledge of both man-made objects and human actions. Evidence from a case with an association of deficits.

PubMed

Vannuscorps, Gilles; Pillon, Agnesa

2011-07-01

We report the single-case study of a brain-damaged individual, JJG, presenting with a conceptual deficit and whose knowledge of living things, man-made objects, and actions was assessed. The aim was to seek for empirical evidence pertaining to the issue of how conceptual knowledge of objects, both living things and man-made objects, is related to conceptual knowledge of actions at the functional level. We first found that JJG's conceptual knowledge of both man-made objects and actions was similarly impaired while his conceptual knowledge of living things was spared as well as his knowledge of unique entities. We then examined whether this pattern of association of a conceptual deficit for both man-made objects and actions could be accounted for, first, by the "sensory/functional" and, second, the "manipulability" account for category-specific conceptual impairments advocated within the Feature-Based-Organization theory of conceptual knowledge organization, by assessing, first, patient's knowledge of sensory compared to functional features, second, his knowledge of manipulation compared to functional features and, third, his knowledge of manipulable compared to non-manipulable objects and actions. The later assessment also allowed us to evaluate an account for the deficits in terms of failures of simulating the hand movements implied by manipulable objects and manual actions. The findings showed that, contrary to the predictions made by the "sensory/functional", the "manipulability", and the "failure-of-simulating" accounts for category-specific conceptual impairments, the patient's association of deficits for both man-made objects and actions was not associated with a disproportionate impairment of functional compared to sensory knowledge or of manipulation compared to functional knowledge; manipulable items were not more impaired than non-manipulable items either. In the general discussion, we propose to account for the patient's association of deficits by the hypothesis that concepts whose core property is that of being a mean of achieving a goal - like the concepts of man-made objects and of actions - are learned, represented and processed by a common domain-specific conceptual system, which would have evolved to allow human beings to quickly and efficiently design and understand means to achieve goals and purposes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recruiting from within: Action-Oriented Research Solutions to Internal Student Recruitment in Collegiate Aviation Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Brent; Carstenson, Larry; Hansen, Frederick

1999-01-01

Discusses student recruitment in aviation education and establishes that internal recruitment methods are the most productive and cost effective. Provides examples of recruitment strategies based on a model of action research. (JOW)

48 CFR 705.202 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Section 705.202 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACQUISITION PLANNING PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS Synopsis of Proposed Contract Actions 705.202 Exceptions. (a) [Reserved] (b) The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development has determined after consultation...

Motor mapping of implied actions during perception of emotional body language.

PubMed

Borgomaneri, Sara; Gazzola, Valeria; Avenanti, Alessio

2012-04-01

Perceiving and understanding emotional cues is critical for survival. Using the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) previous TMS studies have found that watching humans in emotional pictures increases motor excitability relative to seeing landscapes or household objects, suggesting that emotional cues may prime the body for action. Here we tested whether motor facilitation to emotional pictures may reflect the simulation of the human motor behavior implied in the pictures occurring independently of its emotional valence. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) to single-pulse TMS of the left motor cortex were recorded from hand muscles during observation and categorization of emotional and neutral pictures. In experiment 1 participants watched neutral, positive and negative IAPS stimuli, while in experiment 2, they watched pictures depicting human emotional (joyful, fearful), neutral body movements and neutral static postures. Experiment 1 confirms the increase in excitability for emotional IAPS stimuli found in previous research and shows, however, that more implied motion is perceived in emotional relative to neutral scenes. Experiment 2 shows that motor excitability and implied motion scores for emotional and neutral body actions were comparable and greater than for static body postures. In keeping with embodied simulation theories, motor response to emotional pictures may reflect the simulation of the action implied in the emotional scenes. Action simulation may occur independently of whether the observed implied action carries emotional or neutral meanings. Our study suggests the need of controlling implied motion when exploring motor response to emotional pictures of humans. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A national action plan for promoting preconception health and health care in the United States (2012-2014).

PubMed

Floyd, R Louise; Johnson, Kay A; Owens, Jasmine R; Verbiest, Sarah; Moore, Cynthia A; Boyle, Coleen

2013-10-01

Preconception health and health care (PCHHC) has gained increasing popularity as a key prevention strategy for improving outcomes for women and infants, both domestically and internationally. The Action Plan for the National Initiative on Preconception Health and Health Care: A Report of the PCHHC Steering Committee (2012-2014) provides a model that states, communities, public, and private organizations can use to help guide strategic planning for promoting preconception care projects. Since 2005, a national public-private PCHHC initiative has worked to create and implement recommendations on this topic. Leadership and funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention combined with the commitment of maternal and child health leaders across the country brought together key partners from the public and private sector to provide expertise and technical assistance to develop an updated national action plan for the PCHHC Initiative. Key activities for this process included the identification of goals, objectives, strategies, actions, and anticipated timelines for the five workgroups that were established as part of the original PCHHC Initiative. These are further described in the action plan. To assist other groups doing similar work, this article discusses the approach members of the PCHHC Initiative took to convene local, state, and national leaders to enhance the implementation of preconception care nationally through accomplishments, lessons learned, and projections for future directions.

Using Goal- and Grip-Related Information for Understanding the Correctness of Other’s Actions: An ERP Study

PubMed Central

van Elk, Michiel; Bousardt, Roel; Bekkering, Harold; van Schie, Hein T.

2012-01-01

Detecting errors in other’s actions is of pivotal importance for joint action, competitive behavior and observational learning. Although many studies have focused on the neural mechanisms involved in detecting low-level errors, relatively little is known about error-detection in everyday situations. The present study aimed to identify the functional and neural mechanisms whereby we understand the correctness of other’s actions involving well-known objects (e.g. pouring coffee in a cup). Participants observed action sequences in which the correctness of the object grasped and the grip applied to a pair of objects were independently manipulated. Observation of object violations (e.g. grasping the empty cup instead of the coffee pot) resulted in a stronger P3-effect than observation of grip errors (e.g. grasping the coffee pot at the upper part instead of the handle), likely reflecting a reorienting response, directing attention to the relevant location. Following the P3-effect, a parietal slow wave positivity was observed that persisted for grip-errors, likely reflecting the detection of an incorrect hand-object interaction. These findings provide new insight in the functional significance of the neurophysiological markers associated with the observation of incorrect actions and suggest that the P3-effect and the subsequent parietal slow wave positivity may reflect the detection of errors at different levels in the action hierarchy. Thereby this study elucidates the cognitive processes that support the detection of action violations in the selection of objects and grips. PMID:22606261

Priming of Reach and Grasp Actions by Handled Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masson, Michael E. J.; Bub, Daniel N.; Breuer, Andreas T.

2011-01-01

Pictures of handled objects such as a beer mug or frying pan are shown to prime speeded reach and grasp actions that are compatible with the object. To determine whether the evocation of motor affordances implied by this result is driven merely by the physical orientation of the object's handle as opposed to higher-level properties of the object,…

Perceptual inference.

PubMed

Aggelopoulos, Nikolaos C

2015-08-01

Perceptual inference refers to the ability to infer sensory stimuli from predictions that result from internal neural representations built through prior experience. Methods of Bayesian statistical inference and decision theory model cognition adequately by using error sensing either in guiding action or in "generative" models that predict the sensory information. In this framework, perception can be seen as a process qualitatively distinct from sensation, a process of information evaluation using previously acquired and stored representations (memories) that is guided by sensory feedback. The stored representations can be utilised as internal models of sensory stimuli enabling long term associations, for example in operant conditioning. Evidence for perceptual inference is contributed by such phenomena as the cortical co-localisation of object perception with object memory, the response invariance in the responses of some neurons to variations in the stimulus, as well as from situations in which perception can be dissociated from sensation. In the context of perceptual inference, sensory areas of the cerebral cortex that have been facilitated by a priming signal may be regarded as comparators in a closed feedback loop, similar to the better known motor reflexes in the sensorimotor system. The adult cerebral cortex can be regarded as similar to a servomechanism, in using sensory feedback to correct internal models, producing predictions of the outside world on the basis of past experience. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New insights into action-perception coupling.

PubMed

Feldman, Anatol G

2009-03-01

According to a view that has dominated the field for over a century, the brain programs muscle commands and uses a copy of these commands [efference copy (EC)] to adjust not only resulting motor action but also ongoing perception. This view was helpful in formulating several classical problems of action and perception: (1) the posture-movement problem of how movements away from a stable posture can be made without evoking resistance of posture-stabilizing mechanisms resulting from intrinsic muscle and reflex properties; (2) the problem of kinesthesia or why our sense of limb position is good despite ambiguous positional information delivered by proprioceptive and cutaneous signals; (3) the problem of visual space constancy or why the world is perceived as stable while its retinal image shifts following changes in gaze. On closer inspection, the EC theory actually does not solve these problems in a physiologically feasible way. Here solutions to these problems are proposed based on the advanced formulation of the equilibrium-point hypothesis that suggests that action and perception are accomplished in a common spatial frame of reference selected by the brain from a set of available frames. Experimental data suggest that the brain is also able to translate or/and rotate the selected frame of reference by modifying its major attributes-the origin, metrics and orientation-and thus substantially influence action and perception. Because of this ability, such frames are called physical to distinguish them from symbolic or mathematical frames that are used to describe system behavior without influencing this behavior. Experimental data also imply that once a frame of reference is chosen, its attributes are modified in a feedforward way, thus enabling the brain to act in an anticipatory and predictive manner. This approach is extended to sense of effort, kinesthetic illusions, phantom limb and phantom body phenomena. It also addresses the question of why retinal images of objects are sensed as objects located in the external, physical world, rather than in internal representations of the brain.

How second-grade students internalize rules during teacher-student transactions: a case study.

PubMed

Méard, Jacques; Bertone, Stefano; Flavier, Eric

2008-09-01

Vygotsky's theory of the internalization of signs provided the basis for this study. This study tried to analyse the processes by which second-grade students internalize school rules. Ethnographic data were collected on 102 lessons in a second-grade class (6-8 years) during 1 year. This study focused on three lessons (ethnographic data completed by video-recordings, post-lesson interviews with the teacher, and re-transcriptions of the verbal interactions of the lessons and interviews). The longitudinal observation data were broken down into discrete transactions, crossed with the recorded data, and analysed in a four-step procedure. The results showed that the students' self-regulated actions (voluntary performance of prescribed actions) corresponded to the teacher's presentation of the rules, which was varied and personalized. She used explanation/justification, negotiation, persuasion, or imposition as a function of the situation and the students concerned. The results revealed: (a) Multiple actions of explanation/justification of the rules, negotiation and persuasion to the entire class, (b) Personalized actions of persuasion and rule imposition in instances of heteronomous actions by students, (c) Actions adjusted to the dynamics of the transactions. This study demonstrates how closely the actions of teacher and students are linked. More than a linear process of rules internalization, education looks like a co-construction of rules between teacher and students. These results can serve as a basis for the tools of teacher teaching.

[The effect of acupuncture in the treatment of insomnia. Clinical study of subjective and objective evaluation].

PubMed

Montakab, H; Langel, G

1994-01-01

The sleep-wake cycle is the most important circadian rhythm in man and thus constitutes an excellent indicator of internal equilibrium and of health. Sleep disorders, and particularly insomnia, affect a great percentage of the population. In daily practice, an inappropriate treatment may transform a bad sleeper into an insomniac dependent on pharmaceuticals for life. It is therefore necessary to give priority to non-chemical treatments in the management of insomnia. Acupuncture, which offers a personalized treatment, is particularly indicated for reharmonizing a disturbed sleep-wake cycle. Furthermore, there is an interesting similarity between the 5000-year-old theoretical basis of Chinese medicine and the recent scientific discoveries about man's internal rhythms. Clinical and statistical studies of the effects of acupuncture on insomnia are rare and evaluate only the subjective appreciation of sleep. Objective analysis of sleep by polysomnography permits evaluation of sleep architecture and visualizes the site and depth of action of the therapeutic method. Such studies have only been conducted in relation to pharmaceutical treatments. No such study has been carried out for acupuncture. A scientific and objective evaluation of the effects of acupuncture on insomnia by polysomnography could be not only of academic but mainly of great practical interest. If the efficiency of acupuncture is thus verified, this method could be integrated and proposed along with other classical therapeutic technics.

Interactions between dorsal and ventral streams for controlling skilled grasp

PubMed Central

van Polanen, Vonne; Davare, Marco

2015-01-01

The two visual systems hypothesis suggests processing of visual information into two distinct routes in the brain: a dorsal stream for the control of actions and a ventral stream for the identification of objects. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that the dorsal and ventral streams are not strictly independent, but do interact with each other. In this paper, we argue that the interactions between dorsal and ventral streams are important for controlling complex object-oriented hand movements, especially skilled grasp. Anatomical studies have reported the existence of direct connections between dorsal and ventral stream areas. These physiological interconnections appear to be gradually more active as the precision demands of the grasp become higher. It is hypothesised that the dorsal stream needs to retrieve detailed information about object identity, stored in ventral stream areas, when the object properties require complex fine-tuning of the grasp. In turn, the ventral stream might receive up to date grasp-related information from dorsal stream areas to refine the object internal representation. Future research will provide direct evidence for which specific areas of the two streams interact, the timing of their interactions and in which behavioural context they occur. PMID:26169317

Back to our roots.

PubMed

Ketting, E

1996-01-01

The international family planning (FP) movement started in the 1940s amidst opposition from all quarters claiming that family planning would threaten public morality, disrupt the family, and weaken the strength of the nation. Therefore, FP pioneers had to build a worldwide coalition to plead for the control of human reproduction on international social and political agendas. Eventually they created the International Planned Parenthood Federation whose objective was to show that people really wanted FP. FP became part of a philosophy centering on the belief that humanity could take its destiny into its own hands. Early FP advocates were more interested in getting this message across to millions than in providing FP services. This kind of advocacy is engaged in creating a supportive and self-sustaining environment. FP advocates overcame stiff opposition and by 1994 only a handful of countries were not represented at the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo. A new agenda was accepted at the ICPD for the 21st century in line with the IPPF's Strategic Plan, Vision 2000. This includes issues such as the empowerment of women, the elimination of unsafe abortion, and the right of adolescents to reproductive health education. The agenda provoked opposition, therefore advocacy is required again to explain and promote the ICPD Program of Action. For this reason, IPPF has developed advocacy materials: the Public Response Guide and the Advocacy Guide. It is also organizing training courses on advocacy. The implementation of Vision 2000 and the ICPD Program of Action requires the building of coalitions with social movements, contact with policymakers, and the use of the media. The 35% reduction in funds for FP in the US foreign aid budget for 1996 makes it urgent to invest in advocacy.

A case study of global health at the university: implications for research and action.

PubMed

Pinto, Andrew D; Cole, Donald C; ter Kuile, Aleida; Forman, Lisa; Rouleau, Katherine; Philpott, Jane; Pakes, Barry; Jackson, Suzanne; Muntaner, Carles

2014-01-01

Global health is increasingly a major focus of institutions in high-income countries. However, little work has been done to date to study the inner workings of global health at the university level. Academics may have competing objectives, with few mechanisms to coordinate efforts and pool resources. To conduct a case study of global health at Canada's largest health sciences university and to examine how its internal organization influences research and action. We drew on existing inventories, annual reports, and websites to create an institutional map, identifying centers and departments using the terms 'global health' or 'international health' to describe their activities. We compiled a list of academics who self-identified as working in global or international health. We purposively sampled persons in leadership positions as key informants. One investigator carried out confidential, semi-structured interviews with 20 key informants. Interview notes were returned to participants for verification and then analyzed thematically by pairs of coders. Synthesis was conducted jointly. More than 100 academics were identified as working in global health, situated in numerous institutions, centers, and departments. Global health academics interviewed shared a common sense of what global health means and the values that underpin such work. Most academics interviewed expressed frustration at the existing fragmentation and the lack of strategic direction, financial support, and recognition from the university. This hampered collaborative work and projects to tackle global health problems. The University of Toronto is not exceptional in facing such challenges, and our findings align with existing literature that describes factors that inhibit collaboration in global health work at universities. Global health academics based at universities may work in institutional siloes and this limits both internal and external collaboration. A number of solutions to address these challenges are proposed.

Fostering internationalization: an American-Danish semester-long undergraduate nursing student exchange program.

PubMed

Baernholdt, M; Drake, E; Maron, F; Neymark, K

2013-06-01

This paper describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a semester-long exchange program between two Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs in the USA and Denmark. Nurses globally need to provide culturally sensitive care for an ethnically diverse population. Competencies on how to do so should start in basic nursing programs. A useful strategy is through immersion into another culture through an exchange program. Little is known about successful strategies for two-way or 360° exchange programs between schools from different countries. Guided by experiential learning theory, we developed an exchange program with the objective of enhancing nursing students' cultural competence through knowledge building, attitudes and behaviour development. Lessons learned and implications for educational institutions and policy are discussed. In internationalization of nursing education, an awareness of underlying cultural values regarding nursing competence and taking appropriate action are important for success. Other areas for a successful exchange program include matching of courses or content across schools, clear objectives and evaluation plans. Finally, flexibility and open communication are key components when setting up a 360° exchange program. © 2013 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2013 International Council of Nurses.

[Does action semantic knowledge influence mental simulation in sentence comprehension?].

PubMed

Mochizuki, Masaya; Naito, Katsuo

2012-04-01

This research investigated whether action semantic knowledge influences mental simulation during sentence comprehension. In Experiment 1, we confirmed that the words of face-related objects include the perceptual knowledge about the actions that bring the object to the face. In Experiment 2, we used an acceptability judgment task and a word-picture verification task to compare the perceptual information that is activated by the comprehension of sentences describing an action using face-related objects near the face (near-sentence) or far from the face (far-sentence). Results showed that participants took a longer time to judge the acceptability of the far-sentence than the near-sentence. Verification times were significantly faster when the actions in the pictures matched the action described in the sentences than when they were mismatched. These findings suggest that action semantic knowledge influences sentence processing, and that perceptual information corresponding to the content of the sentence is activated regardless of the action semantic knowledge at the end of the sentence processing.

The Environmental Action Internal Control Index.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Sebasto, N. J.; Fortner, Rosanne W.

1994-01-01

Reports research designed to develop a reliable and valid instrument to assess the relationship between locus of control of reinforcement and environmentally responsible behavior in (n=853) undergraduate students. Results suggest that the Environmental Action Internal Control Index can accurately predict environmentally responsible behavior.…

Efficiency in Rule- vs. Plan-Based Movements Is Modulated by Action-Mode.

PubMed

Scheib, Jean P P; Stoll, Sarah; Thürmer, J Lukas; Randerath, Jennifer

2018-01-01

The rule/plan motor cognition (RPMC) paradigm elicits visually indistinguishable motor outputs, resulting from either plan- or rule-based action-selection, using a combination of essentially interchangeable stimuli. Previous implementations of the RPMC paradigm have used pantomimed movements to compare plan- vs. rule-based action-selection. In the present work we attempt to determine the generalizability of previous RPMC findings to real object interaction by use of a grasp-to-rotate task. In the plan task, participants had to use prospective planning to achieve a comfortable post-handle rotation hand posture. The rule task used implementation intentions (if-then rules) leading to the same comfortable end-state. In Experiment A, we compare RPMC performance of 16 healthy participants in pantomime and real object conditions of the experiment, within-subjects. Higher processing efficiency of rule- vs. plan-based action-selection was supported by diffusion model analysis. Results show a significant response-time increase in the pantomime condition compared to the real object condition and a greater response-time advantage of rule-based vs. plan-based actions in the pantomime compared to the real object condition. In Experiment B, 24 healthy participants performed the real object RPMC task in a task switching vs. a blocked condition. Results indicate that plan-based action-selection leads to longer response-times and less efficient information processing than rule-based action-selection in line with previous RPMC findings derived from the pantomime action-mode. Particularly in the task switching mode, responses were faster in the rule compared to the plan task suggesting a modulating influence of cognitive load. Overall, results suggest an advantage of rule-based action-selection over plan-based action-selection; whereby differential mechanisms appear to be involved depending on the action-mode. We propose that cognitive load is a factor that modulates the advantageous effect of implementation intentions in motor cognition on different levels as illustrated by the varying speed advantages and the variation in diffusion parameters per action-mode or condition, respectively.

ParticipACTION after 5 years of relaunch: a quantitative survey of Canadian organizational awareness and capacity regarding physical activity initiatives.

PubMed

Faulkner, Guy; Ramanathan, Subha; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Berry, Tanya; Deshpande, Sameer; Latimer-Cheung, Amy E; Rhodes, Ryan E; Tremblay, Mark S; Spence, John C

2018-04-01

ParticipACTION is a Canadian physical activity communications and social marketing organization relaunched in 2007. This study assesses the capacity of Canadian organizations to adopt, implement, and promote physical activity initiatives. The four objectives were to compare findings from baseline (2008) and follow-up (2013) with respect to: (1) awareness of ParticipACTION; (2) organizational capacity to adopt, implement and promote physical activity initiatives; (3) potential differences in capacity based on organizational size, sector, and mandate; and (4) assess perceptions of ParticipACTION five years after relaunch. In this cross-sectional study, representatives from local, provincial/territorial, and national organizations completed an online survey assessing capacity to adopt, implement, and promote physical activity. Descriptive statistics and one-way analyses of variance were conducted to examine the objectives. Response rate for opening an email survey invitation and consenting to participate was 40.6% (685/1688) and 540 surveys were completed. Awareness of ParticipACTION increased from 54.6% at baseline to 93.9% at follow-up (Objective 1). Findings at both baseline and follow-up reflected good organizational capacity to adopt, implement and promote physical activity (Objective 2) although some varied by organizational sector and mandate (Objective 3). Most respondents reported that ParticipACTION provided positive leadership (65.3%), but there was less agreement regarding ParticipACTION's facilitation of infrastructure (44.0%) or organizational will/motivation (47.1%)(Objective 4). Canadian organizations continue to report having good capacity to adopt, implement, and promote physical activity. There was no discernible change in capacity indicators five years after ParticipACTION's relaunch although its broader contribution to the physical activity sector was endorsed.

Analytical basis for planetary quarantine.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schalkowsky, S.; Kline, R. C., Jr.

1971-01-01

The attempt is made to investigate quarantine constraints, and alternatives for meeting them, in sufficient detail for identifying those courses of action which compromise neither the quarantine nor the space mission objectives. Mathematical models pertinent to this goal are formulated at three distinct levels. The first level of mission constraint models pertains to the quarantine goals considered necessary by the international scientific community. The principal emphasis of modeling at this level is to quantify international considerations and to produce well-defined mission constraints. Such constraints must be translated into explicit implementation requirements by the operational agency of the launching nation. This produces the second level of implementation system modeling. However, because of the multitude of factors entering into the implementation models, it is convenient to consider these factors at the third level of implementation parameter models. These models are intentionally limited to the inclusion of only those factors which can be quantified realistically, either now or in the near future.

[The right to food as a human right].

PubMed

Jusidman-Rapoport, Clara

2014-01-01

The right to adequate food is included as a human right in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in which dignity and equality are recognized as inherent to all people. The objective of the present work is to summarize the main statements contained in the international instruments related to this right. The text tries to clarify -according to such instruments and the derived thoughts in the international human rights system- what is the right to adequate food, what are the guarantees that can make it possible, what are the States commitments, what actions should be taken by them in order to effectively realize it, and what are the mechanisms that allow this right to be enforceable and justiciable. It ends stating that -with the aim to guarantee the right to food- interinstitutional, intergovernmental, academic and social participation are required, emphasizing the importance of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger worldwide.

The Joint Role of Trained, Untrained, and Observed Actions at the Origins of Goal Recognition

PubMed Central

Gerson, Sarah A.; Woodward, Amanda L.

2014-01-01

Recent findings across a variety of domains reveal the benefits of self-produced experience on object exploration, object knowledge, attention, and action perception. The influence of active experience may be particularly important in infancy, when motor development is undergoing great changes. Despite the importance of self-produced experience, we know that infants and young children are eventually able to gain knowledge through purely observational experience. In the current work, three-month-old infants were given experience with object-directed actions in one of three forms and their recognition of the goal of grasping actions was then assessed in a habituation paradigm. All infants were given the chance to manually interact with the toys without assistance (a difficult task for most three-month-olds). Two of the three groups were then given additional experience with object-directed actions, either through active training (in which Velcro mittens helped infants act more efficiently) or observational training. Findings support the conclusion that self-produced experience is uniquely informative for action perception and suggest that individual differences in spontaneous motor activity may interact with observational experience to inform action perception early in life. PMID:24468646

Processing of Own Hand Visual Feedback during Object Grasping in Ventral Premotor Mirror Neurons.

PubMed

Maranesi, Monica; Livi, Alessandro; Bonini, Luca

2015-08-26

Mirror neurons (MNs) discharge during action execution as well as during observation of others' actions. Our own actions are those that we have the opportunity to observe more frequently, but no study thus far to our knowledge has addressed the issue of whether, and to what extent, MNs can code own hand visual feedback (HVF) during object grasping. Here, we show that MNs of the ventral premotor area F5 of macaque monkeys are particularly sensitive to HVF relative to non-MNs simultaneously recorded in the same penetrations. Importantly, the HVF effect is more evident on MN activity during hand-object interaction than during the hand-shaping phase. Furthermore, the increase of MN activity induced by HVF and others' actions observed from a subjective perspective were positively correlated. These findings indicate that at least part of ventral premotor MNs can process the visual information coming from own hand interacting with objects, likely playing a role in self-action monitoring. We show that mirror neurons (MNs) of area F5 of the macaque, in addition to encoding others' observed actions, are particularly sensitive, relative to simultaneously recorded non-MNs, to the sight of the monkey's own hand during object grasping, likely playing a role in self-action monitoring. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/3511824-06$15.00/0.

The American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification Examination and State Medical Board Disciplinary Actions: a Population Cohort Study.

PubMed

McDonald, Furman S; Duhigg, Lauren M; Arnold, Gerald K; Hafer, Ruth M; Lipner, Rebecca S

2018-03-07

Some have questioned whether successful performance in the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program is meaningful. The association of the ABIM Internal Medicine (IM) MOC examination with state medical board disciplinary actions is unknown. To assess risk of disciplinary actions among general internists who did and did not pass the MOC examination within 10 years of initial certification. Historical population cohort study. The population of internists certified in internal medicine, but not a subspecialty, from 1990 through 2003 (n = 47,971). ABIM IM MOC examination. General internal medicine in the USA. The primary outcome measure was time to disciplinary action assessed in association with whether the physician passed the ABIM IM MOC examination within 10 years of initial certification, adjusted for training, certification, demographic, and regulatory variables including state medical board Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements. The risk for discipline among physicians who did not pass the IM MOC examination within the 10 year requirement window was more than double than that of those who did pass the examination (adjusted HR 2.09; 95% CI, 1.83 to 2.39). Disciplinary actions did not vary by state CME requirements (adjusted HR 1.02; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.16), but declined with increasing MOC examination scores (Kendall's tau-b coefficient = - 0.98 for trend, p < 0.001). Among disciplined physicians, actions were less severe among those passing the IM MOC examination within the 10-year requirement window than among those who did not pass the examination. Passing a periodic assessment of medical knowledge is associated with decreased state medical board disciplinary actions, an important quality outcome of relevance to patients and the profession.

Impact of action primes on implicit processing of thematic and functional similarity relations: evidence from eye-tracking.

PubMed

Pluciennicka, Ewa; Wamain, Yannick; Coello, Yann; Kalénine, Solène

2016-07-01

The aim of this study was to specify the role of action representations in thematic and functional similarity relations between manipulable artifact objects. Recent behavioral and neurophysiological evidence indicates that while they are all relevant for manipulable artifact concepts, semantic relations based on thematic (e.g., saw-wood), specific function similarity (e.g., saw-axe), and general function similarity (e.g., saw-knife) are differently processed, and may relate to different levels of action representation. Point-light displays of object-related actions previously encoded at the gesture level (e.g., "sawing") or at the higher level of action representation (e.g., "cutting") were used as primes before participants identified target objects (e.g., saw) among semantically related and unrelated distractors (e.g., wood, feather, piano). Analysis of eye movements on the different objects during target identification informed about the amplitude and the timing of implicit activation of the different semantic relations. Results showed that action prime encoding impacted the processing of thematic relations, but not that of functional similarity relations. Semantic competition with thematic distractors was greater and earlier following action primes encoded at the gesture level compared to action primes encoded at higher level. As a whole, these findings highlight the direct influence of action representations on thematic relation processing, and suggest that thematic relations involve gesture-level representations rather than intention-level representations.

Managing and learning with multiple models: Objectives and optimization algorithms

USGS Publications Warehouse

Probert, William J. M.; Hauser, C.E.; McDonald-Madden, E.; Runge, M.C.; Baxter, P.W.J.; Possingham, H.P.

2011-01-01

The quality of environmental decisions should be gauged according to managers' objectives. Management objectives generally seek to maximize quantifiable measures of system benefit, for instance population growth rate. Reaching these goals often requires a certain degree of learning about the system. Learning can occur by using management action in combination with a monitoring system. Furthermore, actions can be chosen strategically to obtain specific kinds of information. Formal decision making tools can choose actions to favor such learning in two ways: implicitly via the optimization algorithm that is used when there is a management objective (for instance, when using adaptive management), or explicitly by quantifying knowledge and using it as the fundamental project objective, an approach new to conservation.This paper outlines three conservation project objectives - a pure management objective, a pure learning objective, and an objective that is a weighted mixture of these two. We use eight optimization algorithms to choose actions that meet project objectives and illustrate them in a simulated conservation project. The algorithms provide a taxonomy of decision making tools in conservation management when there is uncertainty surrounding competing models of system function. The algorithms build upon each other such that their differences are highlighted and practitioners may see where their decision making tools can be improved. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Infants' prospective control during object manipulation in an uncertain environment.

PubMed

Gottwald, Janna M; Gredebäck, Gustaf

2015-08-01

This study investigates how infants use visual and sensorimotor information to prospectively control their actions. We gave 14-month-olds two objects of different weight and observed how high they were lifted, using a Qualisys Motion Capture System. In one condition, the two objects were visually distinct (different color condition) in another they were visually identical (same color condition). Lifting amplitudes of the first movement unit were analyzed in order to assess prospective control. Results demonstrate that infants lifted a light object higher than a heavy object, especially when vision could be used to assess weight (different color condition). When being confronted with two visually identical objects of different weight (same color condition), infants showed a different lifting pattern than what could be observed in the different color condition, expressed by a significant interaction effect between object weight and color condition on lifting amplitude. These results indicate that (a) visual information about object weight can be used to prospectively control lifting actions and that (b) infants are able to prospectively control their lifting actions even without visual information about object weight. We argue that infants, in the absence of reliable visual information about object weight, heighten their dependence on non-visual information (tactile, sensorimotor memory) in order to estimate weight and pre-adjust their lifting actions in a prospective manner.

A novel model of motor learning capable of developing an optimal movement control law online from scratch.

PubMed

Shimansky, Yury P; Kang, Tao; He, Jiping

2004-02-01

A computational model of a learning system (LS) is described that acquires knowledge and skill necessary for optimal control of a multisegmental limb dynamics (controlled object or CO), starting from "knowing" only the dimensionality of the object's state space. It is based on an optimal control problem setup different from that of reinforcement learning. The LS solves the optimal control problem online while practicing the manipulation of CO. The system's functional architecture comprises several adaptive components, each of which incorporates a number of mapping functions approximated based on artificial neural nets. Besides the internal model of the CO's dynamics and adaptive controller that computes the control law, the LS includes a new type of internal model, the minimal cost (IM(mc)) of moving the controlled object between a pair of states. That internal model appears critical for the LS's capacity to develop an optimal movement trajectory. The IM(mc) interacts with the adaptive controller in a cooperative manner. The controller provides an initial approximation of an optimal control action, which is further optimized in real time based on the IM(mc). The IM(mc) in turn provides information for updating the controller. The LS's performance was tested on the task of center-out reaching to eight randomly selected targets with a 2DOF limb model. The LS reached an optimal level of performance in a few tens of trials. It also quickly adapted to movement perturbations produced by two different types of external force field. The results suggest that the proposed design of a self-optimized control system can serve as a basis for the modeling of motor learning that includes the formation and adaptive modification of the plan of a goal-directed movement.

A proposed framework for the systematic review and integrated assessment (SYRINA) of endocrine disrupting chemicals.

PubMed

Vandenberg, Laura N; Ågerstrand, Marlene; Beronius, Anna; Beausoleil, Claire; Bergman, Åke; Bero, Lisa A; Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf; Boyer, C Scott; Cooper, Glinda S; Cotgreave, Ian; Gee, David; Grandjean, Philippe; Guyton, Kathryn Z; Hass, Ulla; Heindel, Jerrold J; Jobling, Susan; Kidd, Karen A; Kortenkamp, Andreas; Macleod, Malcolm R; Martin, Olwenn V; Norinder, Ulf; Scheringer, Martin; Thayer, Kristina A; Toppari, Jorma; Whaley, Paul; Woodruff, Tracey J; Rudén, Christina

2016-07-14

The issue of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is receiving wide attention from both the scientific and regulatory communities. Recent analyses of the EDC literature have been criticized for failing to use transparent and objective approaches to draw conclusions about the strength of evidence linking EDC exposures to adverse health or environmental outcomes. Systematic review methodologies are ideal for addressing this issue as they provide transparent and consistent approaches to study selection and evaluation. Objective methods are needed for integrating the multiple streams of evidence (epidemiology, wildlife, laboratory animal, in vitro, and in silico data) that are relevant in assessing EDCs. We have developed a framework for the systematic review and integrated assessment (SYRINA) of EDC studies. The framework was designed for use with the International Program on Chemical Safety (IPCS) and World Health Organization (WHO) definition of an EDC, which requires appraisal of evidence regarding 1) association between exposure and an adverse effect, 2) association between exposure and endocrine disrupting activity, and 3) a plausible link between the adverse effect and the endocrine disrupting activity. Building from existing methodologies for evaluating and synthesizing evidence, the SYRINA framework includes seven steps: 1) Formulate the problem; 2) Develop the review protocol; 3) Identify relevant evidence; 4) Evaluate evidence from individual studies; 5) Summarize and evaluate each stream of evidence; 6) Integrate evidence across all streams; 7) Draw conclusions, make recommendations, and evaluate uncertainties. The proposed method is tailored to the IPCS/WHO definition of an EDC but offers flexibility for use in the context of other definitions of EDCs. When using the SYRINA framework, the overall objective is to provide the evidence base needed to support decision making, including any action to avoid/minimise potential adverse effects of exposures. This framework allows for the evaluation and synthesis of evidence from multiple evidence streams. Finally, a decision regarding regulatory action is not only dependent on the strength of evidence, but also the consequences of action/inaction, e.g. limited or weak evidence may be sufficient to justify action if consequences are serious or irreversible.

The One that Does, Leads: Action Relations Influence the Perceived Temporal Order of Graspable Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Katherine L.; Humphreys, Glyn W.

2010-01-01

Perception and action are influenced by the "possibilities for action" in the environment. Neuropsychological studies (e.g., Riddoch, Humphreys, Edwards, Baker, & Willson, 2003) have demonstrated that objects that are perceived to be interacting (e.g., a corkscrew going toward the top of a wine bottle) are perceptually integrated…

Action Alters Object Identification: Wielding a Gun Increases the Bias to See Guns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witt, Jessica K.; Brockmole, James R.

2012-01-01

Stereotypes, expectations, and emotions influence an observer's ability to detect and categorize objects as guns. In light of recent work in action-perception interactions, however, there is another unexplored factor that may be critical: The action choices available to the perceiver. In five experiments, participants determined whether another…

Systematizing planning and formative phases of HIV prevention research: Case studies from Brazil, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan

PubMed Central

Pinto, Rogério M.; Spector, Anya Y.; Witte, Susan S.; Gilbert, Louisa

2014-01-01

Objectives International Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) is vulnerable to contextual, political, and interpersonal issues that may hamper researchers’ abilities to develop and sustain partnerships with local communities. This paper responds to a call for systematizing CBPR practices and to the urgent need for frameworks with potential to facilitate partnership-building between researchers and communities in both “developed” and “developing” countries. Methods Using three brief case examples, each from a different context, with different partners and varied research questions, we demonstrate how to apply the International Participatory Research Framework (IPRF). Results IPRF consists of triangulated procedures (steps and actions) that can facilitate known participatory outcomes: 1) community-defined research goals, 2) capacity for further research, and 3) policies and programs grounded in research. Conclusions We show how the application of this model is particularly helpful in the planning and formative phases of CBPR. Other partnerships can use this framework in its entirety or aspects thereof, in different contexts. Further evaluation of how this framework can help other international partnerships, studying myriad diseases and conditions, should be a focus of future international CBPR. PMID:25489495

The International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare: an interprofessional global collaboration to enhance values and communication in healthcare.

PubMed

Rider, Elizabeth A; Kurtz, Suzanne; Slade, Diana; Longmaid, H Esterbrook; Ho, Ming-Jung; Pun, Jack Kwok-hung; Eggins, Suzanne; Branch, William T

2014-09-01

The human dimensions of healthcare--core values and skilled communication necessary for every healthcare interaction--are fundamental to compassionate, ethical, and safe relationship-centered care. The objectives of this paper are to: describe the development of the International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare which delineates core values, articulate the role of skilled communication in enacting these values, and provide examples showing translation of the Charter's values into action. We describe development of the Charter using combined qualitative research methods and the international, interprofessional collaboration of institutions and individuals worldwide. We identified five fundamental categories of human values for every healthcare interaction--Compassion, Respect for Persons, Commitment to Integrity and Ethical Practice, Commitment to Excellence, and Justice in Healthcare--and delineated subvalues within each category. We have disseminated the Charter internationally and incorporated it into education/training. Diverse healthcare partners have joined in this work. We chronicle the development and dissemination of the International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare, the role of skilled communication in demonstrating values, and provide examples of educational and clinical programs integrating these values. The Charter identifies and promotes core values clinicians and educators can demonstrate through skilled communication and use to advance humanistic educational programs and practice. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

A motor similarity effect in object memory.

PubMed

Downing-Doucet, Frédéric; Guérard, Katherine

2014-08-01

In line with theories of embodied cognition (e.g., Versace et al. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 21, 522-560, 2009), several studies have suggested that the motor system used to interact with objects in our environment is involved in object recognition (e.g., Helbig, Graf, & Kiefer Experimental Brain Research, 174, 221-228, 2006). However, the role of the motor system in immediate memory for objects is more controversial. The objective of the present study was to investigate the role of the motor system in object memory by manipulating the similarity between the actions associated to series of objects to be retained in memory. In Experiment 1, we showed that lists of objects associated to dissimilar actions were better recalled than lists associated to similar actions. We then showed that this effect was abolished when participants were required to perform a concurrent motor suppression task (Experiment 2) and when the objects to be memorized were unmanipulable (Experiment 3). The motor similarity effect provides evidence for the role of motor affordances in object memory.

Self-Organized Behavior Generation for Musculoskeletal Robots.

PubMed

Der, Ralf; Martius, Georg

2017-01-01

With the accelerated development of robot technologies, control becomes one of the central themes of research. In traditional approaches, the controller, by its internal functionality, finds appropriate actions on the basis of specific objectives for the task at hand. While very successful in many applications, self-organized control schemes seem to be favored in large complex systems with unknown dynamics or which are difficult to model. Reasons are the expected scalability, robustness, and resilience of self-organizing systems. The paper presents a self-learning neurocontroller based on extrinsic differential plasticity introduced recently, applying it to an anthropomorphic musculoskeletal robot arm with attached objects of unknown physical dynamics. The central finding of the paper is the following effect: by the mere feedback through the internal dynamics of the object, the robot is learning to relate each of the objects with a very specific sensorimotor pattern. Specifically, an attached pendulum pilots the arm into a circular motion, a half-filled bottle produces axis oriented shaking behavior, a wheel is getting rotated, and wiping patterns emerge automatically in a table-plus-brush setting. By these object-specific dynamical patterns, the robot may be said to recognize the object's identity, or in other words, it discovers dynamical affordances of objects. Furthermore, when including hand coordinates obtained from a camera, a dedicated hand-eye coordination self-organizes spontaneously. These phenomena are discussed from a specific dynamical system perspective. Central is the dedicated working regime at the border to instability with its potentially infinite reservoir of (limit cycle) attractors "waiting" to be excited. Besides converging toward one of these attractors, variate behavior is also arising from a self-induced attractor morphing driven by the learning rule. We claim that experimental investigations with this anthropomorphic, self-learning robot not only generate interesting and potentially useful behaviors, but may also help to better understand what subjective human muscle feelings are, how they can be rooted in sensorimotor patterns, and how these concepts may feed back on robotics.

Self-Organized Behavior Generation for Musculoskeletal Robots

PubMed Central

Der, Ralf; Martius, Georg

2017-01-01

With the accelerated development of robot technologies, control becomes one of the central themes of research. In traditional approaches, the controller, by its internal functionality, finds appropriate actions on the basis of specific objectives for the task at hand. While very successful in many applications, self-organized control schemes seem to be favored in large complex systems with unknown dynamics or which are difficult to model. Reasons are the expected scalability, robustness, and resilience of self-organizing systems. The paper presents a self-learning neurocontroller based on extrinsic differential plasticity introduced recently, applying it to an anthropomorphic musculoskeletal robot arm with attached objects of unknown physical dynamics. The central finding of the paper is the following effect: by the mere feedback through the internal dynamics of the object, the robot is learning to relate each of the objects with a very specific sensorimotor pattern. Specifically, an attached pendulum pilots the arm into a circular motion, a half-filled bottle produces axis oriented shaking behavior, a wheel is getting rotated, and wiping patterns emerge automatically in a table-plus-brush setting. By these object-specific dynamical patterns, the robot may be said to recognize the object's identity, or in other words, it discovers dynamical affordances of objects. Furthermore, when including hand coordinates obtained from a camera, a dedicated hand-eye coordination self-organizes spontaneously. These phenomena are discussed from a specific dynamical system perspective. Central is the dedicated working regime at the border to instability with its potentially infinite reservoir of (limit cycle) attractors “waiting” to be excited. Besides converging toward one of these attractors, variate behavior is also arising from a self-induced attractor morphing driven by the learning rule. We claim that experimental investigations with this anthropomorphic, self-learning robot not only generate interesting and potentially useful behaviors, but may also help to better understand what subjective human muscle feelings are, how they can be rooted in sensorimotor patterns, and how these concepts may feed back on robotics. PMID:28360852

Object Rotation Effects on the Timing of a Hitting Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Mark A.; van der Kamp, John; Savelsbergh, Geert J. P.; Oudejans, Raoul R. D.; Davids, Keith

2004-01-01

In this article, the authors investigated how perturbing optical information affects the guidance of an unfolding hitting action. Using monocular and binocular vision, six participants were required to hit a rectangular foam object, released from two different heights, under four different approach conditions, two with object rotation (to perturb…

76 FR 33726 - National Ocean Council; Strategic Action Plan Content Outlines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-09

...On July 19, 2010, President Obama signed Executive Order 13547 establishing a National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, our Coasts, and the Great Lakes (``National Ocean Policy''). The National Ocean Policy provides an implementation strategy, which describes nine priority objectives that seek to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes. The National Ocean Council is responsible for developing strategic action plans for each of the nine priority objectives. As a first step, Federal interagency writing teams have developed content outlines for each draft strategic action plan. The NOC is seeking public review and comment of these content outlines. The purpose of the draft content outlines (outlines) is to provide the public with an initial view of potential actions that could be taken to further the national priority objectives. As such, they are an interim step toward development of the first full draft of each strategic action plan. In developing the outlines, the writing teams were informed by the comments received during an initial public scoping period that closed on April 29. Each outline presents in bulleted form potential actions to further the particular priority objective. It describes the reasons for taking the action, expected outcomes and milestones, gaps and needs in science and technology, and the timeframe for completing the action. The outlines also provide an overview of the priority objective, greater context for the strategic action plan in implementing the National Ocean Policy, and an overview of the preparation of the plan . Public comments received on the outlines will be collated and posted on the NOC Web site. The comments on the outlines will inform the preparation of full draft strategic action plans, which will be released for public review in the fall of 2011, allowing additional opportunity for the public to provide comments. Final strategic action plans are expected to be completed by early 2012.

Auditory object salience: human cortical processing of non-biological action sounds and their acoustic signal attributes

PubMed Central

Lewis, James W.; Talkington, William J.; Tallaksen, Katherine C.; Frum, Chris A.

2012-01-01

Whether viewed or heard, an object in action can be segmented as a distinct salient event based on a number of different sensory cues. In the visual system, several low-level attributes of an image are processed along parallel hierarchies, involving intermediate stages wherein gross-level object form and/or motion features are extracted prior to stages that show greater specificity for different object categories (e.g., people, buildings, or tools). In the auditory system, though relying on a rather different set of low-level signal attributes, meaningful real-world acoustic events and “auditory objects” can also be readily distinguished from background scenes. However, the nature of the acoustic signal attributes or gross-level perceptual features that may be explicitly processed along intermediate cortical processing stages remain poorly understood. Examining mechanical and environmental action sounds, representing two distinct non-biological categories of action sources, we had participants assess the degree to which each sound was perceived as object-like versus scene-like. We re-analyzed data from two of our earlier functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task paradigms (Engel et al., 2009) and found that scene-like action sounds preferentially led to activation along several midline cortical structures, but with strong dependence on listening task demands. In contrast, bilateral foci along the superior temporal gyri (STG) showed parametrically increasing activation to action sounds rated as more “object-like,” independent of sound category or task demands. Moreover, these STG regions also showed parametric sensitivity to spectral structure variations (SSVs) of the action sounds—a quantitative measure of change in entropy of the acoustic signals over time—and the right STG additionally showed parametric sensitivity to measures of mean entropy and harmonic content of the environmental sounds. Analogous to the visual system, intermediate stages of the auditory system appear to process or extract a number of quantifiable low-order signal attributes that are characteristic of action events perceived as being object-like, representing stages that may begin to dissociate different perceptual dimensions and categories of every-day, real-world action sounds. PMID:22582038

The action of the (free) [InlineMediaObject not available: see fulltext.] theory in six spacetime dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henneaux, Marc; Lekeu, Victor; Matulich, Javier; Prohazka, Stefan

2018-06-01

The action of the free [InlineMediaObject not available: see fulltext.] theory in six spacetime dimensions is explicitly constructed. The variables of the variational principle are prepotentials adapted to the self-duality conditions on the fields. The (3, 1) supersymmetry variations are given and the invariance of the action is verified. The action is first-order in time derivatives. It is also Poincaré invariant but not manifestly so, just like the Hamiltonian action of more familiar relativistic field theories.

The Extrastriate Body Area Computes Desired Goal States during Action Planning123

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Abstract How do object perception and action interact at a neural level? Here we test the hypothesis that perceptual features, processed by the ventral visuoperceptual stream, are used as priors by the dorsal visuomotor stream to specify goal-directed grasping actions. We present three main findings, which were obtained by combining time-resolved transcranial magnetic stimulation and kinematic tracking of grasp-and-rotate object manipulations, in a group of healthy human participants (N = 22). First, the extrastriate body area (EBA), in the ventral stream, provides an initial structure to motor plans, based on current and desired states of a grasped object and of the grasping hand. Second, the contributions of EBA are earlier in time than those of a caudal intraparietal region known to specify the action plan. Third, the contributions of EBA are particularly important when desired and current object configurations differ, and multiple courses of actions are possible. These findings specify the temporal and functional characteristics for a mechanism that integrates perceptual processing with motor planning. PMID:27066535

Action Prediction Allows Hypothesis Testing via Internal Forward Models at 6 Months of Age

PubMed Central

Gredebäck, Gustaf; Lindskog, Marcus; Juvrud, Joshua C.; Green, Dorota; Marciszko, Carin

2018-01-01

We propose that action prediction provides a cornerstone in a learning process known as internal forward models. According to this suggestion infants’ predictions (looking to the mouth of someone moving a spoon upward) will moments later be validated or proven false (spoon was in fact directed toward a bowl), information that is directly perceived as the distance between the predicted and actual goal. Using an individual difference approach we demonstrate that action prediction correlates with the tendency to react with surprise when social interactions are not acted out as expected (action evaluation). This association is demonstrated across tasks and in a large sample (n = 118) at 6 months of age. These results provide the first indication that infants might rely on internal forward models to structure their social world. Additional analysis, consistent with prior work and assumptions from embodied cognition, demonstrates that the latency of infants’ action predictions correlate with the infant’s own manual proficiency. PMID:29593600

Modulating Mimetic Preference with Theta Burst Stimulation of the Inferior Parietal Cortex

PubMed Central

Ticini, Luca F.; Urgesi, Cosimo; Kotz, Sonja A.

2017-01-01

We like an object more when we see someone else reaching for it. To what extent is action observation causally linked to object valuation? In this study, we set out to answer to this question by applying continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) over the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Previous studies pointed to this region as critical in the representation of others' actions and in tool manipulation. However, it is unclear to what extent IPL's involvement simply reflects action observation, rather than a casual role in objects' valuation. To clarify this issue, we measured cTBS-dependent modulations of participants' “mimetic preference ratings”, i.e., the difference between the ratings of pairs of familiar objects that were (vs. were not) reached out for by other individuals. Our result shows that cTBS increased mimetic preference ratings for tools, when compared to a control condition without stimulation. This effect was selective for items that were reached for or manipulated by another individual, whilst it was not detected in non-tool objects. Although preliminary, this finding suggests that the automatic and covert simulation of an observed action, even when there is no intention to act on an object, influences explicit affective judgments for objects. This work supports embodied cognition theories by substantiating that our subjective preference is grounded in action. PMID:29250021

Threshold Concept Theory as an Enabling Constraint: A Facilitated Practitioner Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harlow, Ann; Cowie, Bronwen; McKie, David; Peter, Mira

2017-01-01

International interest is growing in how threshold concept theory can transform tertiary teaching and learning. A facilitated practitioner action research project investigating the potential of threshold concepts across several disciplines offers a practical contribution and helps to consolidate this international field of research. In this…

On the Nature of Verb-Noun Dissociations in Bilectal SLI: A Psycholinguistic Perspective from Greek

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kambanaros, Maria; Grohmann, Kleanthes K.; Michaelides, Michalis; Theodorou, Eleni

2014-01-01

We report on object and action picture-naming accuracy in two groups of bilectal speakers in Cyprus, children with typical language development (TLD) and children with specific language impairment (SLI). Object names were overall better retrieved than action names by both groups. Given that comprehension for action names was relatively intact for…

Handing a Tool to Someone Can Take More Time than Using It

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osiurak, Francois; Roche, Kevin; Ramone, Jennifer; Chainay, Hanna

2013-01-01

Jax and Buxbaum [Jax and Buxbaum (2010). Response interference between functional and structural actions linked to the same familiar object. "Cognition, 115", 350-355] demonstrated that grasp-to-transport actions (handing an object to someone, i.e., a receiver) are initiated more quickly than grasp-to-use actions. A possible interpretation of…

Light Weapons and Intrastate Conflict, Early Warning Factors and Preventive Action. A Report to the Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict,

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-07-01

x. BACKGROUND , RECENT EXPERIENCE, AND THE BEGINNINGS 13 OF INTERNATIONAL ACTION Background , 13 Codifying and Illustrating the Experience to Date...are proposed for preventive action at the national, regional, and international level. BACKGROUND , RECENT EXPERIENCE, AND THE BEGINNINGS OF...the nature of such conflict, and most important, the types and modes of acquisition of the weapons now used in this type of conflict. BACKGROUND

Sex determination in goat by amplification of the HMG box using duplex PCR.

PubMed

Shi, Lei; Yue, Wenbin; Ren, Youshe; Lei, Fulin; Zhao, Junxing

2008-05-01

The objective of this study was to obtain a fast, accurate and reliable method of determining the sex of goat embryos prior to implantation through amplification of the high-motility-group (HMG) box of the sex-determining region of the Y chromosome (SRY) gene of the goats. Goat specific primers were designed for duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). As an internal control gene, the goat beta-action gene sequence was simultaneously amplified together with the HMG box of goat SRY gene. Males showed both 1 SRY band and 1 beta-action band, but only 1 beta-action band was present in the agarose gel electrophoresis of females. The result indicated that the goat HMG-box sequence motif of SRY was male specific. Afterward, the optimized PCR procedure was applied in 30 embryo biopsies and the biopsied embryos were transferred into 30 recipient female goats. The sex of the 13 kids proved anatomically corresponded to the sex determined by PCR (100% accuracy). Thus, this study showed that this duplex PCR method can be applied to sex the goat pre-implantation embryos and to manipulate the sex ratio of offspring in goat breeding programs.

From Good Intentions to Proven Interventions: Effectiveness of Actions to Reduce the Health Impacts of Air Pollution

PubMed Central

Giles, Luisa V.; Barn, Prabjit; Künzli, Nino; Romieu, Isabelle; Mittleman, Murray A.; van Eeden, Stephan; Allen, Ryan; Carlsten, Chris; Stieb, Dave; Noonan, Curtis; Smargiassi, Audrey; Kaufman, Joel D.; Hajat, Shakoor; Kosatsky, Tom; Brauer, Michael

2011-01-01

Background Associations between air pollution and a multitude of health effects are now well established. Given ubiquitous exposure to some level of air pollution, the attributable health burden can be high, particularly for susceptible populations. Objectives An international multidisciplinary workshop was convened to discuss evidence of the effectiveness of actions to reduce health impacts of air pollution at both the community and individual level. The overall aim was to summarize current knowledge regarding air pollution exposure and health impacts leading to public health recommendations. Discussion During the workshop, experts reviewed the biological mechanisms of action of air pollution in the initiation and progression of disease, as well as the state of the science regarding community and individual-level interventions. The workshop highlighted strategies to reduce individual baseline risk of conditions associated with increased susceptibility to the effects of air pollution and the need to better understand the role of exposure duration in disease progression, reversal, and adaptation. Conclusion We have identified two promising and largely unexplored strategies to address and mitigate air pollution–related health impacts: reducing individual baseline risk of cardiovascular disease and incorporating air pollution–related health impacts into land-use decisions. PMID:20729178

WHO-definition of health must be enforced by national law: a debate

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background On its establishment, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as a fundamental human right deserving legal protection. Subsequently, the Ottawa Charter reaffirmed health as a fundamental right, and emphasized health promotion as the most appropriate response to global health issues. Here we suggest that the WHO definition of health as more than simply the absence of illness is not normative, and therefore requires standardization. To date such standardization unfortunately is lacking. Discussion National legislatures must actively ensure fair access to health care, both nationally and internationally, and also must reduce social inequality. To achieve this requires practical action, not statements of intentions, commitments or targets. Protecting fundamental rights to health care can be a fruitful focus for legislatures. Legislative action can build an objective legal framework for health care law, and guide its interpretation and application. Additionally, it is important to ensure the law is appropriate, useful and sustainable. Summary Action is needed to protect the fundamental right to health care. Legislators should appropriately incorporate the WHO recommendations regarding this right into national law. Additionally, professional experts should help interpret and codify concepts of health and join the interdisciplinary discussion of a variable health standard. PMID:23782795

Leveraging Conceptual Frameworks to Improve Students' Mental Organization of Astronomy Understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slater, Timothy F.; Lee, K. M.

2006-06-01

Many different types of schematic diagrams are useful in helping students organize and internalize their developing understanding in introductory astronomy courses. These include Venn Diagrams, Flowcharts, Concept Maps, among others, which illustrate the relationships between astronomical objects and dynamic concepts. These conceptual framework diagrams have been incorporated into the NSF-funded ClassAction project. ClassAction is a collection of electronic materials designed to enhance the metacognitive skills of college and university introductory astronomy survey students by promoting interactive engagement and providing rapid feedback in a highly visual setting. The main effort is targeted at creating dynamic think-pair-share questions supported by simulations, animations, and visualizations to be projected in the lecture classroom. The infrastructure allows instructors to recast these questions into alternative forms based on their own pedagogical preferences and feedback from the class. The recourses can be easily selected from a FLASH computer database and are accompanied by outlines, graphics, and numerous simulations which the instructor can use to provide student feedback and, when necessary, remediation. ClassAction materials are publicly available online at URL: http://astro.unl.edu and is funded by NSF Grant #0404988.

48 CFR 750.7104 - Types of actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Types of actions. 750.7104 Section 750.7104 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT MANAGEMENT EXTRAORDINARY CONTRACTUAL ACTIONS Extraordinary Contractual Actions To Protect Foreign Policy...

An fMRI Study of Perception and Action in Deaf Signers

PubMed Central

Okada, Kayoko; Rogalsky, Corianne; O’Grady, Lucinda; Hanaumi, Leila; Bellugi, Ursula; Corina, David; Hickok, Gregory

2016-01-01

Since the discovery of mirror neurons, there has been a great deal of interest in understanding the relationship between perception and action, and the role of the human mirror system in language comprehension and production. Two questions have dominated research. One concerns the role of Broca’s area in speech perception. The other concerns the role of the motor system more broadly in understanding action-related language. The current study investigates both of these questions in a way that bridges research on language with research on manual actions. We studied the neural basis of observing and executing American Sign Language (ASL) object and action signs. In an fMRI experiment, deaf signers produced signs depicting actions and objects as well as observed/comprehended signs of actions and objects. Different patterns of activation were found for observation and execution although with overlap in Broca’s area, providing prima facie support for the claim that the motor system participates in language perception. In contrast, we found no evidence that action related signs differentially involved the motor system compared to object related signs. These findings are discussed in the context of lesion studies of sign language execution and observation. In this broader context, we conclude that the activation in Broca’s area during ASL observation is not causally related to sign language understanding. PMID:26796716

An fMRI study of perception and action in deaf signers.

PubMed

Okada, Kayoko; Rogalsky, Corianne; O'Grady, Lucinda; Hanaumi, Leila; Bellugi, Ursula; Corina, David; Hickok, Gregory

2016-02-01

Since the discovery of mirror neurons, there has been a great deal of interest in understanding the relationship between perception and action, and the role of the human mirror system in language comprehension and production. Two questions have dominated research. One concerns the role of Broca's area in speech perception. The other concerns the role of the motor system more broadly in understanding action-related language. The current study investigates both of these questions in a way that bridges research on language with research on manual actions. We studied the neural basis of observing and executing American Sign Language (ASL) object and action signs. In an fMRI experiment, deaf signers produced signs depicting actions and objects as well as observed/comprehended signs of actions and objects. Different patterns of activation were found for observation and execution although with overlap in Broca's area, providing prima facie support for the claim that the motor system participates in language perception. In contrast, we found no evidence that action related signs differentially involved the motor system compared to object related signs. These findings are discussed in the context of lesion studies of sign language execution and observation. In this broader context, we conclude that the activation in Broca's area during ASL observation is not causally related to sign language understanding. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distinct neural substrates for visual short-term memory of actions.

PubMed

Cai, Ying; Urgolites, Zhisen; Wood, Justin; Chen, Chuansheng; Li, Siyao; Chen, Antao; Xue, Gui

2018-06-26

Fundamental theories of human cognition have long posited that the short-term maintenance of actions is supported by one of the "core knowledge" systems of human visual cognition, yet its neural substrates are still not well understood. In particular, it is unclear whether the visual short-term memory (VSTM) of actions has distinct neural substrates or, as proposed by the spatio-object architecture of VSTM, shares them with VSTM of objects and spatial locations. In two experiments, we tested these two competing hypotheses by directly contrasting the neural substrates for VSTM of actions with those for objects and locations. Our results showed that the bilateral middle temporal cortex (MT) was specifically involved in VSTM of actions because its activation and its functional connectivity with the frontal-parietal network (FPN) were only modulated by the memory load of actions, but not by that of objects/agents or locations. Moreover, the brain regions involved in the maintenance of spatial location information (i.e., superior parietal lobule, SPL) was also recruited during the maintenance of actions, consistent with the temporal-spatial nature of actions. Meanwhile, the frontoparietal network (FPN) was commonly involved in all types of VSTM and showed flexible functional connectivity with the domain-specific regions, depending on the current working memory tasks. Together, our results provide clear evidence for a distinct neural system for maintaining actions in VSTM, which supports the core knowledge system theory and the domain-specific and domain-general architectures of VSTM. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Parliamentarians play key role in linking population and social development.

PubMed

1995-01-01

Mr. Hirofunti Ando, Deputy Executive Director of the UNFPA, delivered the statement of Dr. Nafis Sadik, Executive Director of the UNFPA at the International Meeting of Parliamentarians on Population and Social Development. The International Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (ICPPD) in Cairo in September 1994 made a significant impact on the attitudes and support of parliamentarians regarding population issues. The Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) brought together a group of parliamentarians from all over the world to discuss population issues and social development. The World Summit included in its deliberations the accumulated experiences of earlier international conferences dealing with social economic issues. The ICPD Program of Action addressed concerns relevant to the agenda of the Social Summit: the crucial contribution that early population stabilization will make towards the attainment of sustainable development; the significant role of integrated policies on population and development in creating employment; the importance of population policies and programs in alleviating poverty; the contributions of reproductive health policies, including high-quality family planning services, to the enhancement of the status of women and to the achievement of gender equality; the synergy between education, family planning, and the general improvement of the human condition; and the relationship between population pressures, poverty, and environmental degradation. The ICPD Program of Action also identified critically important population and development objectives, such as ensuring access to education, especially of girls; reducing infant, child, and maternal mortality; and providing universal access to reproductive health and family planning services. Now the challenge is to mobilize the necessary resources for the Social Summit.

Interactive Context Integration in Children? Evidence from an Action Memory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mecklenbrauker, Silvia; Steffens, Melanie C.; Jelenec, Petra; Goergens, N. Kristine

2011-01-01

Action-object phrases (e.g., "lift the bottle") are remembered better if they have been enacted rather than learned verbally. This enactment effect is largest in free recall for phrases with objects (e.g., "bottle") present because these phrases can be interactively encoded with those context objects ("interactive context integration") that serve…

Incidental and Context-Responsive Activation of Structure- and Function-Based Action Features during Object Identification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chia-lin; Middleton, Erica; Mirman, Daniel; Kalenine, Solene; Buxbaum, Laurel J.

2013-01-01

Previous studies suggest that action representations are activated during object processing, even when task-irrelevant. In addition, there is evidence that lexical-semantic context may affect such activation during object processing. Finally, prior work from our laboratory and others indicates that function-based ("use") and structure-based…

Perspectives on object manipulation and action grammar for percussive actions in primates

PubMed Central

Hayashi, Misato

2015-01-01

The skill of object manipulation is a common feature of primates including humans, although there are species-typical patterns of manipulation. Object manipulation can be used as a comparative scale of cognitive development, focusing on its complexity. Nut cracking in chimpanzees has the highest hierarchical complexity of tool use reported in non-human primates. An analysis of the patterns of object manipulation in naive chimpanzees after nut-cracking demonstrations revealed the cause of difficulties in learning nut-cracking behaviour. Various types of behaviours exhibited within a nut-cracking context can be examined in terms of the application of problem-solving strategies, focusing on their basis in causal understanding or insightful intentionality. Captive chimpanzees also exhibit complex forms of combinatory manipulation, which is the precursor of tool use. A new notation system of object manipulation was invented to assess grammatical rules in manipulative actions. The notation system of action grammar enabled direct comparisons to be made between primates including humans in a variety of object-manipulation tasks, including percussive-tool use. PMID:26483528

Perspectives on object manipulation and action grammar for percussive actions in primates.

PubMed

Hayashi, Misato

2015-11-19

The skill of object manipulation is a common feature of primates including humans, although there are species-typical patterns of manipulation. Object manipulation can be used as a comparative scale of cognitive development, focusing on its complexity. Nut cracking in chimpanzees has the highest hierarchical complexity of tool use reported in non-human primates. An analysis of the patterns of object manipulation in naive chimpanzees after nut-cracking demonstrations revealed the cause of difficulties in learning nut-cracking behaviour. Various types of behaviours exhibited within a nut-cracking context can be examined in terms of the application of problem-solving strategies, focusing on their basis in causal understanding or insightful intentionality. Captive chimpanzees also exhibit complex forms of combinatory manipulation, which is the precursor of tool use. A new notation system of object manipulation was invented to assess grammatical rules in manipulative actions. The notation system of action grammar enabled direct comparisons to be made between primates including humans in a variety of object-manipulation tasks, including percussive-tool use. © 2015 The Author(s).

When Height Carries Weight: Communicating Hidden Object Properties for Joint Action.

PubMed

Schmitz, Laura; Vesper, Cordula; Sebanz, Natalie; Knoblich, Günther

2018-06-24

In the absence of pre-established communicative conventions, people create novel communication systems to successfully coordinate their actions toward a joint goal. In this study, we address two types of such novel communication systems: sensorimotor communication, where the kinematics of instrumental actions are systematically modulated, versus symbolic communication. We ask which of the two systems co-actors preferentially create when aiming to communicate about hidden object properties such as weight. The results of three experiments consistently show that actors who knew the weight of an object transmitted this weight information to their uninformed co-actors by systematically modulating their instrumental actions, grasping objects of particular weights at particular heights. This preference for sensorimotor communication was reduced in a fourth experiment where co-actors could communicate with weight-related symbols. Our findings demonstrate that the use of sensorimotor communication extends beyond the communication of spatial locations to non-spatial, hidden object properties. © 2018 The Authors. Cognitive Science - A Multidisciplinary Journal published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Cognitive Science Society.

Effects of grasp compatibility on long-term memory for objects.

PubMed

Canits, Ivonne; Pecher, Diane; Zeelenberg, René

2018-01-01

Previous studies have shown action potentiation during conceptual processing of manipulable objects. In four experiments, we investigated whether these motor actions also play a role in long-term memory. Participants categorized objects that afforded either a power grasp or a precision grasp as natural or artifact by grasping cylinders with either a power grasp or a precision grasp. In all experiments, responses were faster when the affordance of the object was compatible with the type of grasp response. However, subsequent free recall and recognition memory tasks revealed no better memory for object pictures and object names for which the grasp affordance was compatible with the grasp response. The present results therefore do not support the hypothesis that motor actions play a role in long-term memory. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Corrective Action Decision Document for Corrective Action Unit 340: Pesticide Release sites, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

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

DOE /NV

This Corrective Action Decision Document has been prepared for Corrective Action Unit 340, the NTS Pesticide Release Sites, in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order of 1996 (FFACO, 1996). Corrective Action Unit 340 is located at the Nevada Test Site, Nevada, and is comprised of the following Corrective Action Sites: 23-21-01, Area 23 Quonset Hut 800 Pesticide Release Ditch; 23-18-03, Area 23 Skid Huts Pesticide Storage; and 15-18-02, Area 15 Quonset Hut 15-11 Pesticide Storage. The purpose of this Corrective Action Decision Document is to identify and provide a rationale for the selection of a recommended correctivemore » action alternative for each Corrective Action Site. The scope of this Corrective Action Decision Document consists of the following tasks: Develop corrective action objectives; Identify corrective action alternative screening criteria; Develop corrective action alternatives; Perform detailed and comparative evaluations of the corrective action alternatives in relation to the corrective action objectives and screening criteria; and Recommend and justify a preferred corrective action alternative for each Corrective Action Site.« less

Efficiency in Rule- vs. Plan-Based Movements Is Modulated by Action-Mode

PubMed Central

Scheib, Jean P. P.; Stoll, Sarah; Thürmer, J. Lukas; Randerath, Jennifer

2018-01-01

The rule/plan motor cognition (RPMC) paradigm elicits visually indistinguishable motor outputs, resulting from either plan- or rule-based action-selection, using a combination of essentially interchangeable stimuli. Previous implementations of the RPMC paradigm have used pantomimed movements to compare plan- vs. rule-based action-selection. In the present work we attempt to determine the generalizability of previous RPMC findings to real object interaction by use of a grasp-to-rotate task. In the plan task, participants had to use prospective planning to achieve a comfortable post-handle rotation hand posture. The rule task used implementation intentions (if-then rules) leading to the same comfortable end-state. In Experiment A, we compare RPMC performance of 16 healthy participants in pantomime and real object conditions of the experiment, within-subjects. Higher processing efficiency of rule- vs. plan-based action-selection was supported by diffusion model analysis. Results show a significant response-time increase in the pantomime condition compared to the real object condition and a greater response-time advantage of rule-based vs. plan-based actions in the pantomime compared to the real object condition. In Experiment B, 24 healthy participants performed the real object RPMC task in a task switching vs. a blocked condition. Results indicate that plan-based action-selection leads to longer response-times and less efficient information processing than rule-based action-selection in line with previous RPMC findings derived from the pantomime action-mode. Particularly in the task switching mode, responses were faster in the rule compared to the plan task suggesting a modulating influence of cognitive load. Overall, results suggest an advantage of rule-based action-selection over plan-based action-selection; whereby differential mechanisms appear to be involved depending on the action-mode. We propose that cognitive load is a factor that modulates the advantageous effect of implementation intentions in motor cognition on different levels as illustrated by the varying speed advantages and the variation in diffusion parameters per action-mode or condition, respectively. PMID:29593612

The dynamics of perception and action.

PubMed

Warren, William H

2006-04-01

How might one account for the organization in behavior without attributing it to an internal control structure? The present article develops a theoretical framework called behavioral dynamics that integrates an information-based approach to perception with a dynamical systems approach to action. For a given task, the agent and its environment are treated as a pair of dynamical systems that are coupled mechanically and informationally. Their interactions give rise to the behavioral dynamics, a vector field with attractors that correspond to stable task solutions, repellers that correspond to avoided states, and bifurcations that correspond to behavioral transitions. The framework is used to develop theories of several tasks in which a human agent interacts with the physical environment, including bouncing a ball on a racquet, balancing an object, braking a vehicle, and guiding locomotion. Stable, adaptive behavior emerges from the dynamics of the interaction between a structured environment and an agent with simple control laws, under physical and informational constraints. ((c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).

Interprofessional care co-ordinators: the benefits and tensions associated with a new role in UK acute health care.

PubMed

Bridges, Jackie; Meyer, Julienne; Glynn, Michael; Bentley, Jane; Reeves, Scott

2003-08-01

While more flexible models of service delivery are being introduced in UK health and social care, little is known about the impact of new roles, particularly support worker roles, on the work of existing practitioners. This action research study aimed to explore the impact of one such new role, that of interprofessional care co-ordinators (IPCCs). The general (internal) medical service of a UK hospital uses IPCCs to provide support to the interprofessional team and, in doing so, promote efficiency of acute bed use. Using a range of methods, mainly qualitative, this action research study sought to explore the characteristics and impact of the role on interprofessional team working. While the role's flexibility, autonomy and informality contributed to success in meeting its intended objectives, these characteristics also caused some tensions with interprofessional colleagues. These benefits and tensions mirror wider issues associated with the current modernisation agenda in UK health care.

Upholding science in health, safety and environmental risk assessments and regulations.

PubMed

Aschner, Michael; Autrup, Herman N; Berry, Sir Colin L; Boobis, Alan R; Cohen, Samuel M; Creppy, Edmond E; Dekant, Wolfgang; Doull, John; Galli, Corrado L; Goodman, Jay I; Gori, Gio B; Greim, Helmut A; Joudrier, Philippe; Kaminski, Norbert E; Klaassen, Curtis D; Klaunig, James E; Lotti, Marcello; Marquardt, Hans W J; Pelkonen, Olavi; Sipes, I Glenn; Wallace, Kendall B; Yamazaki, Hiroshi

2016-09-14

A public appeal has been advanced by a large group of scientists, concerned that science has been misused in attempting to quantify and regulate unmeasurable hazards and risks. 1 The appeal recalls that science is unable to evaluate hazards that cannot be measured, and that science in such cases should not be invoked to justify risk assessments in health, safety and environmental regulations. The appeal also notes that most national and international statutes delineating the discretion of regulators are ambiguous about what rules of evidence ought to apply. Those statutes should be revised to ensure that the evidence for regulatory action is grounded on the standards of the scientific method, whenever feasible. When independent scientific evidence is not possible, policies and regulations should be informed by publicly debated trade-offs between socially desirable uses and social perceptions of affordable precaution. This article explores the premises, implications and actions supporting the appeal and its objectives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptive planning for applications with dynamic objectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hadavi, Khosrow; Hsu, Wen-Ling; Pinedo, Michael

1992-01-01

We devise a qualitative control layer to be integrated into a real-time multi-agent reactive planner. The reactive planning system consists of distributed planning agents attending to various perspectives of the task environment. Each perspective corresponds to an objective. The set of objectives considered are sometimes in conflict with each other. Each agent receives information about events as they occur, and a set of actions based on heuristics can be taken by the agents. Within the qualitative control scheme, we use a set of qualitative feature vectors to describe the effects of applying actions. A qualitative transition vector is used to denote the qualitative distance between the current state and the target state. We will then apply on-line learning at the qualitative control level to achieve adaptive planning. Our goal is to design a mechanism to refine the heuristics used by the reactive planner every time an action is taken toward achieving the objectives, using feedback from the results of the actions. When the outcome is compared with expectations, our prior objectives may be modified and a new set of objectives (or a new assessment of the relative importance of the different objectives) can be introduced. Because we are able to obtain better estimates of the time-varying objectives, the reactive strategies can be improved and better prediction can be achieved.

Conscientious objection or fear of social stigma and unawareness of ethical obligations.

PubMed

Faúndes, Anibal; Duarte, Graciana Alves; Osis, Maria José Duarte

2013-12-01

Conscientious objection is a legitimate right of physicians to reject the practice of actions that violate their ethical or moral principles. The application of that principle is being used in many countries as a justification to deny safe abortion care to women who have the legal right to have access to safe termination of pregnancy. The problem is that, often, this concept is abused by physicians who camouflage under the guise of conscientious objection their fear of experiencing discrimination and social stigma if they perform legal abortions. These colleagues seem to ignore the ethical principle that the primary conscientious duty of OB/GYNs is-at all times-to treat, or provide benefit and prevent harm to, the patients for whose care they are responsible. Any conscientious objection to treating a patient is secondary to this primary duty. One of the jobs of the FIGO Working Group for the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion is to change this paradigm and make our colleagues proud of providing legal abortion services that protect women's life and health, and concerned about disrespecting the human rights of women and professional ethical principles. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

World Breastfeeding Week 1994: making the Code work.

PubMed

1994-01-01

WHO adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in 1981, with the US being the only member voting against it. US abandoned its opposition and voted for the International Code at the World Health Assembly in May 1994. The US was also part of a unanimous vote to promote a resolution that clearly proclaims breast milk to be better than breast milk substitutes and the best food for infants. World Breastfeeding Week 1994 began more efforts to promote the International Code. In 1994, through its Making the Code Work campaign, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) will work on increasing awareness about the mission and promise of the International Code, notify governments of the Innocenti target date, call for governments to introduce rules and regulations based on the International Code, and encourage public interest groups, professional organizations, and the general public to monitor enforcement of the Code. So far, 11 countries have passed legislation including all or almost all provisions of the International Code. Governments of 36 countries have passed legislation including only some provisions of the International Code. The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), a coalition of more than 140 breastfeeding promotion groups, monitors implementation of the Code worldwide. IBFAN substantiates 1000s of violations of the Code in its report, Breaking the Rules 1994. The violations consist of promoting breast milk substitutes to health workers, using labels describing a brand of formula in idealizing terms, or using labels that do not have warnings in the local language. We should familiarize ourselves with the provisions of the International Code and the status of the Code in our country. WABA provides an action folder which contains basic background information on the code and action ideas.

Global Conceptualization of the Professional Learning Community Process: Transitioning from Country Perspectives to International Commonalities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huffman, Jane B.; Olivier, Dianne F.; Wang, Ting; Chen, Peiying; Hairon, Salleh; Pang, Nicholas

2016-01-01

The authors seek to find common PLC structures and actions among global educational systems to enhance understanding and practice. Six international researchers formed the Global Professional Learning Community Network (GloPLCNet), conducted literature reviews of each country's involvement with PLC actions, and noted similarities and common…

76 FR 35369 - Proposed Establishment of Class D and Amendment of Class E Airspace; Los Angeles, CA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-17

... Angeles International Airport. The FAA is proposing this action to enhance the safety and management of... rulemaking (NPRM). SUMMARY: This action proposes to establish Class D airspace at Los Angeles International... be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Management System (see ADDRESSES section for address and...

Awakening Sleepy Knowledge: Transformative Learning in Action. Final Report of the Transformative Learning through Environmental Action Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

York Univ., Toronto (Ontario).

This document summarizes and presents materials produced during a qualitative international study of the role of transformative learning in achieving sustainable societies and global responsibility that included the following activities: case studies of experiences with transformative learning in seven countries; international survey and workshop;…

Adult Environmental Education: A Workbook To Move from Words to Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camozzi, Anne

This workbook, developed for an international workshop held in the Philippines in 1994, is designed to enrich adult environmental education worldwide and to ensure that the International Treaty on Environmental Education for Sustainable Societies and Global Responsibility is implemented in an action-oriented program. The workbook is organized in…

Considering Child Labour: Changing Terms, Issues and Actors at the International Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, William E.

1999-01-01

Draws on increased international debate and concern about child labor to provide an overview of important apparent trends. Issues addressed include diversity of thinking, variety of work situations, effects on children involved, and traditional modes of action against child labor. Notes that traditional actions are ineffective and that ending the…

75 FR 20389 - Chrysler Group LLC, Formerly Known as Chrysler LLC, Warren Office Building, Including On-Site...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-19

... certification to include workers leased from Product Action International, LLC working on-site at the Warren..., Formerly Known as Chrysler LLC, Warren Office Building, Including On-Site Leased Workers from Product Action International, LLC, Warren, Michigan; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply for...

U.S. Military Action Against the Islamic State: Answers to Frequently Asked Legal Questions

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-09

and exclusive power of the President as the sole organ of the federal government in the field of international relations”). U.S. Military Action...with relevant statutory authority,26 there has been little jurisprudence concerning the scope of presidential authority to order the use of force...29 Dames & Moore, 453 U.S. 678-679 ( internal citations omitted). 30 Medellin v. Texas, 552 U.S. 491, 531-532 (2008) ( internal citations omitted

Subliminal Priming of Actions Influences Sense of Control over Effects of Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenke, Dorit; Fleming, Stephen M.; Haggard, Patrick

2010-01-01

The experience of controlling one's own actions, and through them events in the outside world, is a pervasive feature of human mental life. Two experiments investigated the relation between this sense of control and the internal processes involved in action selection and cognitive control. Action selection was manipulated by subliminally priming…

26 CFR 1.141-12 - Remedial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Remedial actions. 1.141-12 Section 1.141-12...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Tax Exemption Requirements for State and Local Bonds § 1.141-12 Remedial actions. (a) Conditions to taking remedial action. An action that causes an issue to meet the private business...

26 CFR 1.141-12 - Remedial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Remedial actions. 1.141-12 Section 1.141-12...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Tax Exemption Requirements for State and Local Bonds § 1.141-12 Remedial actions. (a) Conditions to taking remedial action. An action that causes an issue to meet the private business...

Availability and Diversity of Training Programs for Responders to International Disasters and Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

PubMed Central

Jacquet, Gabrielle A.; Obi, Chioma C.; Chang, Mary P.; Bayram, Jamil D.

2014-01-01

Introduction: Volunteers and members of relief organizations increasingly seek formal training prior to international field deployment. This paper identifies training programs for personnel responding to international disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies, and provides concise information – if available- regarding the founding organization, year established, location, cost, duration of training, participants targeted, and the content of each program. Methods: An environmental scan was conducted through a combination of a peer-reviewed literature search and an open Internet search for the training programs. Literature search engines included EMBASE, Cochrane, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science databases using the search terms “international,” “disaster,” “complex humanitarian emergencies,” “training,” and “humanitarian response”. Both searches were conducted between January 2, 2013 and September 12, 2013. Results: 14 peer-reviewed articles mentioned or described eight training programs, while open Internet search revealed 13 additional programs. In total, twenty-one training programs were identified as currently available for responders to international disasters and CHE. Each of the programs identified has different goals and objectives, duration, expenses, targeted trainees and modules. Each of the programs identified has different goals and objectives, duration, expenses, targeted trainees and modules. Seven programs (33%) are free of charge and four programs (19%) focus on the mental aspects of disasters. The mean duration for each training program is 5 to 7 days. Fourteen of the trainings are conducted in multiple locations (66%), two in Cuba (9%) and two in Australia (9%). The cost-reported in US dollars- ranges from $100 to $2,400 with a mean cost of $480 and a median cost of $135. Most of the programs are open to the public, but some are only available by invitation only, such as the International Mobilization Preparation for Action (IMPACT) and the United Nations Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination (UN-CMCoord) Field Course. Conclusions: A variety of training programs are available for responders to disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies. These programs vary in their objectives, audiences, modules, geographical locations, eligibility and financial cost. This paper presents an overview of available programs and serves as a resource for potential responders interested in capacity-building training prior to deployment. PMID:24987573

Viewing Objects and Planning Actions: On the Potentiation of Grasping Behaviours by Visual Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makris, Stergios; Hadar, Aviad A.; Yarrow, Kielan

2011-01-01

How do humans interact with tools? Gibson (1979) suggested that humans perceive directly what tools afford in terms of meaningful actions. This "affordances" hypothesis implies that visual objects can potentiate motor responses even in the absence of an intention to act. Here we explore the temporal evolution of motor plans afforded by common…

Two-Year-Olds Use Pragmatic Cues to Differentiate Reference to Objects and Actions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomasello, Michael; Akhtar, Nameera

1995-01-01

Attempts to determine whether children can use social-pragmatic cues to determine "what kind" of referent, object, or action an adult intends to indicate with a novel word. Doubts that children assume that a novel word refers to whatever nameless object is present. Suggests that lexical acquisition rests fundamentally on children's…

Infants with Down Syndrome and Their Interactions with Objects: Development of Exploratory Actions after Reaching Onset

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Campos, Ana Carolina; da Costa, Carolina Souza Neves; Savelsbergh, Geert J. P.; Rocha, Nelci Adriana Cicuto Ferreira

2013-01-01

During infant development, objects and their functions are learned by means of active exploration. Factors that may influence exploration include reaching and grasping ability, object properties and the presence of developmental disorders. We assessed the development of exploratory actions in 16 typically-developing (TD) infants and 9 infants with…

Body posture differentially impacts on visual attention towards tool, graspable, and non-graspable objects.

PubMed

Ambrosini, Ettore; Costantini, Marcello

2017-02-01

Viewed objects have been shown to afford suitable actions, even in the absence of any intention to act. However, little is known as to whether gaze behavior (i.e., the way we simply look at objects) is sensitive to action afforded by the seen object and how our actual motor possibilities affect this behavior. We recorded participants' eye movements during the observation of tools, graspable and ungraspable objects, while their hands were either freely resting on the table or tied behind their back. The effects of the observed object and hand posture on gaze behavior were measured by comparing the actual fixation distribution with that predicted by 2 widely supported models of visual attention, namely the Graph-Based Visual Saliency and the Adaptive Whitening Salience models. Results showed that saliency models did not accurately predict participants' fixation distributions for tools. Indeed, participants mostly fixated the action-related, functional part of the tools, regardless of its visual saliency. Critically, the restriction of the participants' action possibility led to a significant reduction of this effect and significantly improved the model prediction of the participants' gaze behavior. We suggest, first, that action-relevant object information at least in part guides gaze behavior. Second, postural information interacts with visual information to the generation of priority maps of fixation behavior. We support the view that the kind of information we access from the environment is constrained by our readiness to act. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

What makes a movement a gesture?

PubMed

Novack, Miriam A; Wakefield, Elizabeth M; Goldin-Meadow, Susan

2016-01-01

Theories of how adults interpret the actions of others have focused on the goals and intentions of actors engaged in object-directed actions. Recent research has challenged this assumption, and shown that movements are often interpreted as being for their own sake (Schachner & Carey, 2013). Here we postulate a third interpretation of movement-movement that represents action, but does not literally act on objects in the world. These movements are gestures. In this paper, we describe a framework for predicting when movements are likely to be seen as representations. In Study 1, adults described one of three scenes: (1) an actor moving objects, (2) an actor moving her hands in the presence of objects (but not touching them) or (3) an actor moving her hands in the absence of objects. Participants systematically described the movements as depicting an object-directed action when the actor moved objects, and favored describing the movements as depicting movement for its own sake when the actor produced the same movements in the absence of objects. However, participants favored describing the movements as representations when the actor produced the movements near, but not on, the objects. Study 2 explored two additional features-the form of an actor's hands and the presence of speech-like sounds-to test the effect of context on observers' classification of movement as representational. When movements are seen as representations, they have the power to influence communication, learning, and cognition in ways that movement for its own sake does not. By incorporating representational gesture into our framework for movement analysis, we take an important step towards developing a more cohesive understanding of action-interpretation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Young children with autism spectrum disorder use predictive eye movements in action observation.

PubMed

Falck-Ytter, Terje

2010-06-23

Does a dysfunction in the mirror neuron system (MNS) underlie the social symptoms defining autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? Research suggests that the MNS matches observed actions to motor plans for similar actions, and that these motor plans include directions for predictive eye movements when observing goal-directed actions. Thus, one important question is whether children with ASD use predictive eye movements in action observation. Young children with ASD as well as typically developing children and adults were shown videos in which an actor performed object-directed actions (human agent condition). Children with ASD were also shown control videos showing objects moving by themselves (self-propelled condition). Gaze was measured using a corneal reflection technique. Children with ASD and typically developing individuals used strikingly similar goal-directed eye movements when observing others' actions in the human agent condition. Gaze was reactive in the self-propelled condition, suggesting that prediction is linked to seeing a hand-object interaction. This study does not support the view that ASD is characterized by a global dysfunction in the MNS.

Action and object processing in brain-injured speakers of Chinese.

PubMed

Arévalo, Analia L; Lu, Ching-Ching; Huang, Lydia B-Y; Bates, Elizabeth A; Dronkers, Nina F

2011-11-01

To see whether action and object processing across different tasks and modalities differs in brain-injured speakers of Chinese with varying fluency and lesion locations within the left hemisphere. Words and pictures representing actions and objects were presented to a group of 33 participants whose native and/or dominant language was Mandarin Chinese: 23 patients with left-hemisphere lesions due to stroke and 10 language-, age- and education-matched healthy control participants. A set of 120 stimulus items was presented to each participant in three different forms: as black and white line drawings (for picture-naming), as written words (for reading) and as aurally presented words (for word repetition). Patients were divided into groups for two separate analyses: Analysis 1 divided and compared patients based on fluency (Fluent vs. Nonfluent) and Analysis 2 compared patients based on lesion location (Anterior vs. Posterior). Both analyses yielded similar results: Fluent, Nonfluent, Anterior, and Posterior patients all produced significantly more errors when processing action (M = 0.73, SD = 0.45) relative to object (M = 0.79, SD = 0.41) stimuli, and this effect was strongest in the picture-naming task. As in our previous study with English-speaking participants using the same experimental design (Arévalo et al., 2007, Arévalo, Moineau, Saygin, Ludy, & Bates, 2005), we did not find evidence for a double-dissociation in action and object processing between groups with different lesion and fluency profiles. These combined data bring us closer to a more informed view of action/object processing in the brain in both healthy and brain-injured individuals.

A Domain-Specific System for Representing Knowledge of Both Man-Made Objects and Human Actions. Evidence from a Case with an Association of Deficits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vannuscorps, Gilles; Pillon, Agnesa

2011-01-01

We report the single-case study of a brain-damaged individual, JJG, presenting with a conceptual deficit and whose knowledge of living things, man-made objects, and actions was assessed. The aim was to seek for empirical evidence pertaining to the issue of how conceptual knowledge of objects, both living things and man-made objects, is related to…

An evaluation of cancer survivorship activities across national comprehensive cancer control programs

PubMed Central

Underwood, J. Michael; Lakhani, Naheed; Rohan, Elizabeth; Moore, Angela; Stewart, Sherri L.

2015-01-01

Introduction Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) funds states, the District of Columbia, tribal organizations, territories, and jurisdictions across the USA develop and implement jurisdiction-specific comprehensive cancer control (CCC) plans. The objective of this study was to analyze NCCCP action plan data for incorporation and appropriateness of cancer survivorship-specific goals and objectives. Methods In August 2013, NCCCP action plans maintained within CDC’s Chronic Disease Management Information System (CDMIS) from years 2010 to 2013 were reviewed to assess the inclusion of cancer survivorship objectives. We used the CDMIS search engine to identify “survivorship” within each plan and calculated the proportion of programs that incorporate cancer survivorship-related content during the study period and in each individual year. Cancer survivorship objectives were then categorized by compatibility with nationally accepted, recommended strategies from the report A National Action Plan for Cancer Survivorship: Advancing Public Health Strategies (NAP). Results From 2010 to 2013, 94 % (n=65) of NCCCP action plans contained survivorship content in at least 1 year during the time period and 38 % (n=26) of all NCCCP action plans addressed cancer survivorship every year during the study period. Nearly 64 % (n=44) of NCCCP action plans included cancer survivorship objectives recommended in NAP. Conclusion Nearly all NCCCP action plans addressed cancer survivorship from 2010 to 2013, and most programs implemented recommended cancer survivorship efforts during the time period. Implications for Cancer Survivors NCCCP grantees can improve cancer survivorship support by incorporating recommended efforts within each year of their plans. PMID:25732543

Progressing beyond SLMTA: Are internal audits and corrective action the key drivers of quality improvement?

PubMed

Maina, Robert N; Mengo, Doris M; Mohamud, Abdikher D; Ochieng, Susan M; Milgo, Sammy K; Sexton, Connie J; Moyo, Sikhulile; Luman, Elizabeth T

2014-01-01

Kenya has implemented the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme to facilitate quality improvement in medical laboratories and to support national accreditation goals. Continuous quality improvement after SLMTA completion is needed to ensure sustainability and continue progress toward accreditation. Audits were conducted by qualified, independent auditors to assess the performance of five enrolled laboratories using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist. End-of-programme (exit) and one year post-programme (surveillance) audits were compared for overall score, star level (from zero to five, based on scores) and scores for each of the 12 Quality System Essential (QSE) areas that make up the SLIPTA checklist. All laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit (median improvement 38 percentage points, range 5-45 percentage points). Two laboratories improved from zero to one star, two improved from zero to three stars and one laboratory improved from three to four stars. The lowest median QSE scores at exit were: internal audit; corrective action; and occurrence management and process improvement (< 20%). Each of the 12 QSEs improved substantially at surveillance audit, with the greatest improvement in client management and customer service, internal audit and information management (≥ 50 percentage points). The two laboratories with the greatest overall improvement focused heavily on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs. Whilst all laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit, those that focused on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs improved substantially more than those that did not; internal audits and corrective actions may have acted as catalysts, leading to improvements in other QSEs. Systematic identification of core areas and best practices to address them is a critical step toward strengthening public medical laboratories.

Progressing beyond SLMTA: Are internal audits and corrective action the key drivers of quality improvement?

PubMed Central

Mengo, Doris M.; Mohamud, Abdikher D.; Ochieng, Susan M.; Milgo, Sammy K.; Sexton, Connie J.; Moyo, Sikhulile; Luman, Elizabeth T.

2014-01-01

Background Kenya has implemented the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme to facilitate quality improvement in medical laboratories and to support national accreditation goals. Continuous quality improvement after SLMTA completion is needed to ensure sustainability and continue progress toward accreditation. Methods Audits were conducted by qualified, independent auditors to assess the performance of five enrolled laboratories using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist. End-of-programme (exit) and one year post-programme (surveillance) audits were compared for overall score, star level (from zero to five, based on scores) and scores for each of the 12 Quality System Essential (QSE) areas that make up the SLIPTA checklist. Results All laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit (median improvement 38 percentage points, range 5–45 percentage points). Two laboratories improved from zero to one star, two improved from zero to three stars and one laboratory improved from three to four stars. The lowest median QSE scores at exit were: internal audit; corrective action; and occurrence management and process improvement (< 20%). Each of the 12 QSEs improved substantially at surveillance audit, with the greatest improvement in client management and customer service, internal audit and information management (≥ 50 percentage points). The two laboratories with the greatest overall improvement focused heavily on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs. Conclusion Whilst all laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit, those that focused on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs improved substantially more than those that did not; internal audits and corrective actions may have acted as catalysts, leading to improvements in other QSEs. Systematic identification of core areas and best practices to address them is a critical step toward strengthening public medical laboratories. PMID:29043193

Developing a spinal cord injury research strategy using a structured process of evidence review and stakeholder dialogue. Part III: outcomes.

PubMed

Middleton, J W; Piccenna, L; Lindsay Gruen, R; Williams, S; Creasey, G; Dunlop, S; Brown, D; Batchelor, P E; Berlowitz, D J; Coates, S; Dunn, J A; Furness, J B; Galea, M P; Geraghty, T; Kwon, B K; Urquhart, S; Yates, D; Bragge, P

2015-10-01

Focus Group. To develop a unified, regional spinal cord injury (SCI) research strategy for Australia and New Zealand. Australia. A 1-day structured stakeholder dialogue was convened in 2013 in Melbourne, Australia, by the National Trauma Research Institute in collaboration with the SCI Network of Australia and New Zealand. Twenty-three experts participated, representing local and international research, clinical, consumer, advocacy, government policy and funding perspectives. Preparatory work synthesised evidence and articulated draft principles and options as a starting point for discussion. A regional SCI research strategy was proposed, whose objectives can be summarised under four themes. (1) Collaborative networks and strategic partnerships to increase efficiency, reduce duplication, build capacity and optimise research funding. (2) Research priority setting and coordination to manage competing studies. (3) Mechanisms for greater consumer engagement in research. (4) Resources and infrastructure to further develop SCI data registries, evaluate research translation and assess alignment of research strategy with stakeholder interests. These are consistent with contemporary international SCI research strategy development activities. This first step in a regional SCI research strategy has articulated objectives for further development by the wider SCI research community. The initiative has also reinforced the importance of coordinated, collective action in optimising outcomes following SCI.

Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning-based Deep Neural Networks for Cognitive Space Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferreria, Paulo; Paffenroth, Randy; Wyglinski, Alexander M.; Hackett, Timothy; Bilen, Sven; Reinhart, Richard; Mortensen, Dale

2017-01-01

Future communication subsystems of space exploration missions can potentially benefit from software-defined radios (SDRs) controlled by machine learning algorithms. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid radio resource allocation management control algorithm that integrates multi-objective reinforcement learning and deep artificial neural networks. The objective is to efficiently manage communications system resources by monitoring performance functions with common dependent variables that result in conflicting goals. The uncertainty in the performance of thousands of different possible combinations of radio parameters makes the trade-off between exploration and exploitation in reinforcement learning (RL) much more challenging for future critical space-based missions. Thus, the system should spend as little time as possible on exploring actions, and whenever it explores an action, it should perform at acceptable levels most of the time. The proposed approach enables on-line learning by interactions with the environment and restricts poor resource allocation performance through virtual environment exploration. Improvements in the multiobjective performance can be achieved via transmitter parameter adaptation on a packet-basis, with poorly predicted performance promptly resulting in rejected decisions. Simulations presented in this work considered the DVB-S2 standard adaptive transmitter parameters and additional ones expected to be present in future adaptive radio systems. Performance results are provided by analysis of the proposed hybrid algorithm when operating across a satellite communication channel from Earth to GEO orbit during clear sky conditions. The proposed approach constitutes part of the core cognitive engine proof-of-concept to be delivered to the NASA Glenn Research Center SCaN Testbed located onboard the International Space Station.

Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning-Based Deep Neural Networks for Cognitive Space Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferreria, Paulo Victor R.; Paffenroth, Randy; Wyglinski, Alexander M.; Hackett, Timothy M.; Bilen, Sven G.; Reinhart, Richard C.; Mortensen, Dale J.

2017-01-01

Future communication subsystems of space exploration missions can potentially benefit from software-defined radios (SDRs) controlled by machine learning algorithms. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid radio resource allocation management control algorithm that integrates multi-objective reinforcement learning and deep artificial neural networks. The objective is to efficiently manage communications system resources by monitoring performance functions with common dependent variables that result in conflicting goals. The uncertainty in the performance of thousands of different possible combinations of radio parameters makes the trade-off between exploration and exploitation in reinforcement learning (RL) much more challenging for future critical space-based missions. Thus, the system should spend as little time as possible on exploring actions, and whenever it explores an action, it should perform at acceptable levels most of the time. The proposed approach enables on-line learning by interactions with the environment and restricts poor resource allocation performance through virtual environment exploration. Improvements in the multiobjective performance can be achieved via transmitter parameter adaptation on a packet-basis, with poorly predicted performance promptly resulting in rejected decisions. Simulations presented in this work considered the DVB-S2 standard adaptive transmitter parameters and additional ones expected to be present in future adaptive radio systems. Performance results are provided by analysis of the proposed hybrid algorithm when operating across a satellite communication channel from Earth to GEO orbit during clear sky conditions. The proposed approach constitutes part of the core cognitive engine proof-of-concept to be delivered to the NASA Glenn Research Center SCaN Testbed located onboard the International Space Station.

Measuring Advance Care Planning: Optimizing the Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey.

PubMed

Sudore, Rebecca L; Heyland, Daren K; Barnes, Deborah E; Howard, Michelle; Fassbender, Konrad; Robinson, Carole A; Boscardin, John; You, John J

2017-04-01

A validated 82-item Advance Care Planning (ACP) Engagement Survey measures a broad range of behaviors. However, concise surveys are needed. The objective of this study was to validate shorter versions of the survey. The survey included 57 process (e.g., readiness) and 25 action items (e.g., discussions). For item reduction, we systematically eliminated questions based on face validity, item nonresponse, redundancy, ceiling effects, and factor analysis. We assessed internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and construct validity with cross-sectional correlations and the ability of the progressively shorter survey versions to detect change one week after exposure to an ACP intervention (Pearson correlation coefficients). Five hundred one participants (four Canadian and three US sites) were included in item reduction (mean age 69 years [±10], 41% nonwhite). Because of high correlations between readiness and action items, all action items were removed. Because of high correlations and ceiling effects, two process items were removed. Successive factor analysis then created 55-, 34-, 15-, nine-, and four-item versions; 664 participants (from three US ACP clinical trials) were included in validity analysis (age 65 years [±8], 72% nonwhite, 34% Spanish speaking). Cronbach's alphas were high for all versions (four items 0.84-55 items 0.97). Compared with the original survey, cross-sectional correlations were high (four items 0.85; 55 items 0.97) as were delta correlations (four items 0.68; 55 items 0.93). Shorter versions of the ACP Engagement Survey are valid, internally consistent, and able to detect change across a broad range of ACP behaviors for English and Spanish speakers. Shorter ACP surveys can efficiently measure broad ACP behaviors in research and clinical settings. Published by Elsevier Inc.

New Research Findings Since the 2007 Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: A Review

PubMed Central

Hingson, Ralph; White, Aaron

2014-01-01

Objective: In 2007, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued The Surgeon General’s Call To Action To Prevent And Reduce Underage Drinking, a publication documenting a problem linked to nearly 5,000 injury deaths annually and poor academic performance, potential cognitive deficits, risky sexual behavior, physical and sexual assaults, and other substance use. This report reviews subsequent underage drinking and related traffic fatality trends and research on determinants, consequences, and prevention interventions. Method: New research reports, meta-analyses, and systematic literature reviews were examined. Results: Since the Call to Action, reductions in underage frequency of drinking, heavy drinking occasions, and alcohol-related traffic deaths that began in the 1980s when the drinking age nationally became 21 have continued. Knowledge regarding determinants and consequences, particularly the effects of early-onset drinking, parental alcohol provision, and cognitive effects, has expanded. Additional studies support associations between the legal drinking age of 21, zero tolerance laws, higher alcohol prices, and reduced drinking and related problems. New research suggests that use/lose laws, social host liability, internal possession laws, graduated licensing, and night driving restrictions reduce traffic deaths involving underage drinking drivers. Additional studies support the positive effects of individually oriented interventions, especially screening and brief motivational interventions, web and face-to-face social norms interventions, college web-based interventions, parental interventions, and multicomponent community interventions. Conclusions: Despite reductions in underage alcohol consumption and related traffic deaths, underage drinking remains an enduring problem. Continued research is warranted in minimally studied areas, such as prospective studies of alcohol and brain development, policy studies of use/lose laws, internal possession laws, social host liability, and parent–family interventions. PMID:24411808

The passage from Rio.

PubMed

Strong, M F

1992-01-01

The Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Environment and Development notes that after the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro discussions about the environment and development will differ from those prior to the Summit. These discussions must now incorporate problems of developing countries, poverty, inequalities, flow of resources to developing countries, and terms of trade. The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development consists of important tenets, but it must evolve into an Earth Charter to be endorsed on the 50th anniversary of the UN in 1965. The Summit's Plan of Action, Agenda 21, must also continue to evolve and, despite its shortcomings, is the most extensive and, if implemented, most effective international action ever approved by the international community. Financing the Agenda 21 initiatives remains to be decided. New possible sources of funding must be based n the polluter pays principle and may include new taxes, user charges, emission permits, and citizen funding. Even though the most serious problem in the 1990s is stabilization of atmospheric gases, the Rio agreement does not include targets or timetables. Governments must take united action immediately to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by at least 60%. 1 nation has not yet approved the convention on biological diversity. Governments also need to move forward on conventions on decertification and deforestation. They need to incorporate the global objectives of Agenda 21 into their own national policies and practices. This must also be done at the global, regional, organizational, local, and individual levels. The global community must also begin technology capacity building. The participatory process should also include nongovernmental organizations. Population growth must also slow dramatically to achieve sustainable development. The various participatory levels must consider elimination of poverty.

Unpacking the concept of land degradation neutrality and addressing its operation through the Rio Conventions.

PubMed

Akhtar-Schuster, Mariam; Stringer, Lindsay C; Erlewein, Alexander; Metternicht, Graciela; Minelli, Sara; Safriel, Uriel; Sommer, Stefan

2017-06-15

The world's commitment towards land degradation neutrality (LDN) became enshrined in various international agreements and decisions throughout the year 2015. The challenge now becomes one of addressing its operation, in order to achieve these new policy goals and targets by the year 2030. Advancing LDN demands attention to what the concept seeks to achieve, as well as unravelling the perspectives of the key multi-lateral environmental agreements through which progress can be made. The three Rio Conventions (the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)) all play key roles in shaping the international LDN governance and implementation context. Their different but related foci create a number of challenges and opportunities for advancing LDN. In this paper we critically analyze the literature to elucidate potential challenges and opportunities in moving LDN towards implementation, considering the mandates and objectives of all three Rio Conventions. We first unpack the concept of LDN's aspirations. We highlight the importance of the definitions and terminology used, and the relationships between those definitions, terms and the actors using them, as well as their implications in framing the range of policy actions and synergies that could benefit progress towards multiple Sustainable Development Goals. We then examine the LDN pilot project spearheaded by the UNCCD to identify key lessons for LDN implementation. Synthesizing these lessons, we present a portfolio of blended interventions that seeks to address the aspirations of the UNCCD, UNFCCC and CBD in the LDN space, identifying synergistic options for national actions to move towards LDN. Overall, our analysis provides insights in advancing LDN from its current position as a policy target, towards synergetic action. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the U.S. Department of Defense Efforts to Develop an Effective Medical Logistics System within the Afghan National Security Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-14

aggressively to strengthen measures aimed at ensuring a successful ANSF transition. Ongoing actions include: • Working with CURE International and the ANSF...sustainability include the following ongoing actions: • Working with CURE International and the MoD and MoI to complete, promulgate and implement Standards of Care...approximately June-August 2011. In addition, NTM-A/CSTC-A previously awarded an approximately $1.57M contract with the NGO CURE International to

Student Perceptions of Academic Service Learning: Using Mixed Content Analysis to Examine the Effectiveness of the International Baccalaureate Creativity, Action, Service Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatziconstantis, Christos; Kolympari, Tania

2016-01-01

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for secondary education students requires the successful completion of the Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) component (more recently renamed Creativity, Activity, Service) which is based on the philosophy of experiential learning and Academic Service Learning. In this article, the technique of…

Implementing Experiential Action Learning in International Management Education: The Global Business Strategic (GLOBUSTRAT) Consulting Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamath, Shyam; Agrawal, Jagdish; Krickx, Guido

2008-01-01

This paper discusses the theoretical foundations and implementation challenges and outcomes of a unique "hands-on" global consulting program that is integrated into an international EMBA program for mid-career and senior American and European managers. It details the challenges for the integration of experiential action learning, double-loop…

77 FR 17362 - Proposed Modification of Class D and Class E Airspace and Revocation of Class E Airspace...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-26

... (IFR) at Bellingham International Airport. This action also would remove Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class D or E surface area at Bellingham International Airport. This action, initiated by the biennial review of the Bellingham airspace area, would enhance the safety and management of...

Preparing Learning Teachers: The Role of Collaborative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Pamela

2016-01-01

This paper describes a two-year action research study of 20 pre-service teachers (referred to in the context of this study as intern teachers) in their final 15-week practicum, during which they engaged in a type of action research known as collaborative inquiry. Over the course of their practicum, these intern teachers were interviewed monthly to…

78 FR 6257 - Proposed Amendment of Class C Airspace; Nashville International Airport, TN

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-30

...-0031; Airspace Docket No. 12-AWA-7] RIN 2120-AA66 Proposed Amendment of Class C Airspace; Nashville... rulemaking (NPRM). SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify the Nashville International Airport, TN, Class C... around an airport that is now permanently closed. The FAA is proposing this action to return the Class C...

Multimodal Hierarchical Dirichlet Process-Based Active Perception by a Robot

PubMed Central

Taniguchi, Tadahiro; Yoshino, Ryo; Takano, Toshiaki

2018-01-01

In this paper, we propose an active perception method for recognizing object categories based on the multimodal hierarchical Dirichlet process (MHDP). The MHDP enables a robot to form object categories using multimodal information, e.g., visual, auditory, and haptic information, which can be observed by performing actions on an object. However, performing many actions on a target object requires a long time. In a real-time scenario, i.e., when the time is limited, the robot has to determine the set of actions that is most effective for recognizing a target object. We propose an active perception for MHDP method that uses the information gain (IG) maximization criterion and lazy greedy algorithm. We show that the IG maximization criterion is optimal in the sense that the criterion is equivalent to a minimization of the expected Kullback–Leibler divergence between a final recognition state and the recognition state after the next set of actions. However, a straightforward calculation of IG is practically impossible. Therefore, we derive a Monte Carlo approximation method for IG by making use of a property of the MHDP. We also show that the IG has submodular and non-decreasing properties as a set function because of the structure of the graphical model of the MHDP. Therefore, the IG maximization problem is reduced to a submodular maximization problem. This means that greedy and lazy greedy algorithms are effective and have a theoretical justification for their performance. We conducted an experiment using an upper-torso humanoid robot and a second one using synthetic data. The experimental results show that the method enables the robot to select a set of actions that allow it to recognize target objects quickly and accurately. The numerical experiment using the synthetic data shows that the proposed method can work appropriately even when the number of actions is large and a set of target objects involves objects categorized into multiple classes. The results support our theoretical outcomes. PMID:29872389

Multimodal Hierarchical Dirichlet Process-Based Active Perception by a Robot.

PubMed

Taniguchi, Tadahiro; Yoshino, Ryo; Takano, Toshiaki

2018-01-01

In this paper, we propose an active perception method for recognizing object categories based on the multimodal hierarchical Dirichlet process (MHDP). The MHDP enables a robot to form object categories using multimodal information, e.g., visual, auditory, and haptic information, which can be observed by performing actions on an object. However, performing many actions on a target object requires a long time. In a real-time scenario, i.e., when the time is limited, the robot has to determine the set of actions that is most effective for recognizing a target object. We propose an active perception for MHDP method that uses the information gain (IG) maximization criterion and lazy greedy algorithm. We show that the IG maximization criterion is optimal in the sense that the criterion is equivalent to a minimization of the expected Kullback-Leibler divergence between a final recognition state and the recognition state after the next set of actions. However, a straightforward calculation of IG is practically impossible. Therefore, we derive a Monte Carlo approximation method for IG by making use of a property of the MHDP. We also show that the IG has submodular and non-decreasing properties as a set function because of the structure of the graphical model of the MHDP. Therefore, the IG maximization problem is reduced to a submodular maximization problem. This means that greedy and lazy greedy algorithms are effective and have a theoretical justification for their performance. We conducted an experiment using an upper-torso humanoid robot and a second one using synthetic data. The experimental results show that the method enables the robot to select a set of actions that allow it to recognize target objects quickly and accurately. The numerical experiment using the synthetic data shows that the proposed method can work appropriately even when the number of actions is large and a set of target objects involves objects categorized into multiple classes. The results support our theoretical outcomes.

The role of action representations in thematic object relations

PubMed Central

Tsagkaridis, Konstantinos; Watson, Christine E.; Jax, Steven A.; Buxbaum, Laurel J.

2014-01-01

A number of studies have explored the role of associative/event-based (thematic) and categorical (taxonomic) relations in the organization of object representations. Recent evidence suggests that thematic information may be particularly important in determining relationships between manipulable artifacts. However, although sensorimotor information is on many accounts an important component of manipulable artifact representations, little is known about the role that action may play during the processing of semantic relationships (particularly thematic relationships) between multiple objects. In this study, we assessed healthy and left hemisphere stroke participants to explore three questions relevant to object relationship processing. First, we assessed whether participants tended to favor thematic relations including action (Th+A, e.g., wine bottle—corkscrew), thematic relationships without action (Th-A, e.g., wine bottle—cheese), or taxonomic relationships (Tax, e.g., wine bottle—water bottle) when choosing between them in an association judgment task with manipulable artifacts. Second, we assessed whether the underlying constructs of event relatedness, action relatedness, and categorical relatedness determined the choices that participants made. Third, we assessed the hypothesis that degraded action knowledge and/or damage to temporo-parietal cortex, a region of the brain associated with the representation of action knowledge, would reduce the influence of action on the choice task. Experiment 1 showed that explicit ratings of event, action, and categorical relatedness were differentially predictive of healthy participants' choices, with action relatedness determining choices between Th+A and Th-A associations above and beyond event and categorical ratings. Experiment 2 focused more specifically on these Th+A vs. Th-A choices and demonstrated that participants with left temporo-parietal lesions, a brain region known to be involved in sensorimotor processing, were less likely than controls and tended to be less likely than patients with lesions sparing that region to use action relatedness in determining their choices. These data indicate that action knowledge plays a critical role in processing of thematic relations for manipulable artifacts. PMID:24672461

The role of action representations in thematic object relations.

PubMed

Tsagkaridis, Konstantinos; Watson, Christine E; Jax, Steven A; Buxbaum, Laurel J

2014-01-01

A number of studies have explored the role of associative/event-based (thematic) and categorical (taxonomic) relations in the organization of object representations. Recent evidence suggests that thematic information may be particularly important in determining relationships between manipulable artifacts. However, although sensorimotor information is on many accounts an important component of manipulable artifact representations, little is known about the role that action may play during the processing of semantic relationships (particularly thematic relationships) between multiple objects. In this study, we assessed healthy and left hemisphere stroke participants to explore three questions relevant to object relationship processing. First, we assessed whether participants tended to favor thematic relations including action (Th+A, e.g., wine bottle-corkscrew), thematic relationships without action (Th-A, e.g., wine bottle-cheese), or taxonomic relationships (Tax, e.g., wine bottle-water bottle) when choosing between them in an association judgment task with manipulable artifacts. Second, we assessed whether the underlying constructs of event relatedness, action relatedness, and categorical relatedness determined the choices that participants made. Third, we assessed the hypothesis that degraded action knowledge and/or damage to temporo-parietal cortex, a region of the brain associated with the representation of action knowledge, would reduce the influence of action on the choice task. Experiment 1 showed that explicit ratings of event, action, and categorical relatedness were differentially predictive of healthy participants' choices, with action relatedness determining choices between Th+A and Th-A associations above and beyond event and categorical ratings. Experiment 2 focused more specifically on these Th+A vs. Th-A choices and demonstrated that participants with left temporo-parietal lesions, a brain region known to be involved in sensorimotor processing, were less likely than controls and tended to be less likely than patients with lesions sparing that region to use action relatedness in determining their choices. These data indicate that action knowledge plays a critical role in processing of thematic relations for manipulable artifacts.

Neuropsychological Evidence for Visual- and Motor-Based Affordance: Effects of Reference Frame and Object-Hand Congruence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphreys, Glyn W.; Wulff, Melanie; Yoon, Eun Young; Riddoch, M. Jane

2010-01-01

Two experiments are reported that use patients with visual extinction to examine how visual attention is influenced by action information in images. In Experiment 1 patients saw images of objects that were either correctly or incorrectly colocated for action, with the objects held by hands that were congruent or incongruent with those used…

Will Any Doll Do? 12-Month-Olds' Reasoning about Goal Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaepen, Elizabet; Spelke, Elizabeth

2007-01-01

Infants as young as 5 months of age view familiar actions such as reaching as goal-directed (Woodward, 1998), but how do they construe the goal of an actor's reach? Six experiments investigated whether 12-month-old infants represent reaching actions as directed to a particular individual object, to a narrowly defined object category (e.g., an…

Designing personal grief rituals: An analysis of symbolic objects and actions.

PubMed

Sas, Corina; Coman, Alina

2016-10-01

Personal grief rituals are beneficial in dealing with complicated grief, but challenging to design, as they require symbolic objects and actions meeting clients' emotional needs. The authors reported interviews with 10 therapists with expertise in both grief therapy and grief rituals. Findings indicate three types of rituals supporting honoring, letting go, and self transformation, with the latter being particularly complex. Outcomes also point to a taxonomy of ritual objects for framing and remembering ritual experience, and for capturing and processing grief. Besides symbolic possessions, the authors identified other types of ritual objects including transformational and future-oriented ones. Symbolic actions include creative craft of ritual objects, respectful handling, disposal, and symbolic play. They conclude with theoretical implications of these findings, and a reflection on their value for tailored, creative co-design of grief rituals. In particular, several implications for designing grief rituals were identified that include accounting for the client's need, selecting (or creating) the most appropriate objects and actions from the identified types, integrating principles of both grief and art/drama therapy, exploring clients' affinity for the ancient elements as medium of disposal in letting go rituals, and the value of technology for recording and reflecting on ritual experience.

Collective action and the evolution of social norm internalization

PubMed Central

Gavrilets, Sergey; Richerson, Peter J.

2017-01-01

Human behavior is strongly affected by culturally transmitted norms and values. Certain norms are internalized (i.e., acting according to a norm becomes an end in itself rather than merely a tool in achieving certain goals or avoiding social sanctions). Humans’ capacity to internalize norms likely evolved in our ancestors to simplify solving certain challenges—including social ones. Here we study theoretically the evolutionary origins of the capacity to internalize norms. In our models, individuals can choose to participate in collective actions as well as punish free riders. In making their decisions, individuals attempt to maximize a utility function in which normative values are initially irrelevant but play an increasingly important role if the ability to internalize norms emerges. Using agent-based simulations, we show that norm internalization evolves under a wide range of conditions so that cooperation becomes “instinctive.” Norm internalization evolves much more easily and has much larger effects on behavior if groups promote peer punishment of free riders. Promoting only participation in collective actions is not effective. Typically, intermediate levels of norm internalization are most frequent but there are also cases with relatively small frequencies of “oversocialized” individuals willing to make extreme sacrifices for their groups no matter material costs, as well as “undersocialized” individuals completely immune to social norms. Evolving the ability to internalize norms was likely a crucial step on the path to large-scale human cooperation. PMID:28533363

Collective action and the evolution of social norm internalization.

PubMed

Gavrilets, Sergey; Richerson, Peter J

2017-06-06

Human behavior is strongly affected by culturally transmitted norms and values. Certain norms are internalized (i.e., acting according to a norm becomes an end in itself rather than merely a tool in achieving certain goals or avoiding social sanctions). Humans' capacity to internalize norms likely evolved in our ancestors to simplify solving certain challenges-including social ones. Here we study theoretically the evolutionary origins of the capacity to internalize norms. In our models, individuals can choose to participate in collective actions as well as punish free riders. In making their decisions, individuals attempt to maximize a utility function in which normative values are initially irrelevant but play an increasingly important role if the ability to internalize norms emerges. Using agent-based simulations, we show that norm internalization evolves under a wide range of conditions so that cooperation becomes "instinctive." Norm internalization evolves much more easily and has much larger effects on behavior if groups promote peer punishment of free riders. Promoting only participation in collective actions is not effective. Typically, intermediate levels of norm internalization are most frequent but there are also cases with relatively small frequencies of "oversocialized" individuals willing to make extreme sacrifices for their groups no matter material costs, as well as "undersocialized" individuals completely immune to social norms. Evolving the ability to internalize norms was likely a crucial step on the path to large-scale human cooperation.

Action Poetry as an Empowering Art: A Manifesto for Didaction in Arts Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tochon, Francois Victor

2000-01-01

Explains that didaction is an expressive action in search of internal consistency. Analyzes the didactic implications of the poetic transposition into action and the construction of a postmodern action literature through poetry. Presents the process of poetic emergence in Francophone Switzerland and Ontario. (CMK)

19 CFR 200.735-104a - Proscribed actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Proscribed actions. 200.735-104a Section 200.735-104a Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT... actions. An employee shall avoid any action, whether or not specifically prohibited by this subpart, which...

Interference from related actions in spoken word production: Behavioural and fMRI evidence.

PubMed

de Zubicaray, Greig; Fraser, Douglas; Ramajoo, Kori; McMahon, Katie

2017-02-01

Few investigations of lexical access in spoken word production have investigated the cognitive and neural mechanisms involved in action naming. These are likely to be more complex than the mechanisms involved in object naming, due to the ways in which conceptual features of action words are represented. The present study employed a blocked cyclic naming paradigm to examine whether related action contexts elicit a semantic interference effect akin to that observed with categorically related objects. Participants named pictures of intransitive actions to avoid a confound with object processing. In Experiment 1, body-part related actions (e.g., running, walking, skating, hopping) were named significantly slower compared to unrelated actions (e.g., laughing, running, waving, hiding). Experiment 2 employed perfusion functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural mechanisms involved in this semantic interference effect. Compared to unrelated actions, naming related actions elicited significant perfusion signal increases in frontotemporal cortex, including bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and hippocampus, and decreases in bilateral posterior temporal, occipital and parietal cortices, including intraparietal sulcus (IPS). The findings demonstrate a role for temporoparietal cortex in conceptual-lexical processing of intransitive action knowledge during spoken word production, and support the proposed involvement of interference resolution and incremental learning mechanisms in the blocked cyclic naming paradigm. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The inability to mentally represent action may be associated with performance deficits in children with developmental coordination disorder.

PubMed

Gabbard, Carl; Bobbio, Tatiana

2011-03-01

Several research studies indicate that children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) show delays with an array of perceptual-motor skills. One of the explanations, based on limited research, is that these children have problems generating and/or monitoring a mental (action) representation of intended actions, termed the "internal modeling deficit" (IMD) hypothesis. According to the hypothesis, children with DCD have significant limitations in their ability to accurately generate and utilize internal models of motor planning and control. The focus of this review is on one of the methods used to examine action representation-motor imagery, which theorists argue provides a window into the process of action representation (e.g., Jeannerod, 2001 . Neural simulation of action: A unifying mechanism for motor cognition. Neuroimage, 14, 103-109.). Included in the review are performance studies of typically developing and DCD children, and possible brain structures involved.

ParticipACTION: Baseline assessment of the 'new ParticipACTION': A quantitative survey of Canadian organizational awareness and capacity

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background ParticipACTION is a Canadian physical activity (PA) communications and social marketing organization that was relaunched in 2007 after a six-year hiatus. This study assesses the baseline awareness and capacity of Canadian organizations that promote physical activity, to adopt, implement and promote ParticipACTION's physical activity campaign. The three objectives were: (1) to determine organizational awareness of both the 'original' and 'new' ParticipACTION; (2) to report baseline levels of three organizational capacity domains (i.e., to adopt, implement and externally promote physical activity initiatives); and, (3) to explore potential differences in those domains based on organizational size, sector and primary mandate. Methods Organizations at local, provincial/territorial, and national levels were sent an invitation via email prior to the official launch of ParticipACTION to complete an on-line survey. The survey assessed their organization's capacity to adopt, implement and externally promote a new physical activity campaign within their organizational mandates. Descriptive statistics were employed to address the first two study objectives. A series of one-way analysis of variance were conducted to examine the third objective. Results The response rate was 29.7% (268/902). The majority of responding organizations had over 40 employees and had operated for over 10 years. Education was the most common primary mandate, followed by sport and recreation. Organizations were evenly distributed between government and not-for-profits. Approximately 96% of respondents had heard of the 'original' ParticipACTION while 54.6% had heard of the 'new' ParticipACTION (Objective 1). Findings indicate good organizational capacity in Canada to promote physical activity (Objective 2) based on reported means of approximately 4.0 (on 5-point scales) for capacity to adopt, implement, and externally promote new physical activity campaigns. Capacity to adopt new physical activity campaigns differed by organizational sector and mandate, and capacity to implement differed by organizational mandate (Objective 3). Conclusion At baseline, and without specific details of the campaign, respondents believe they have good capacity to work with ParticipACTION. ParticipACTION may do well to capitalize on the existing strong organizational capacity components of leadership, infrastructure and 'will' of national organizations to facilitate the success of its future campaigns. PMID:19995457

The millennium development goals and tobacco control.

PubMed

Collishaw, Neil E

2010-03-01

The eight Millennium Development Goals were proposed by the UN Secretary-General in 2001. They are goals with measurable targets to be achieved by 2015 or earlier. The Goals were distilled from the 2000 United Nations Millennium Declaration, a sweeping statement of development values, principles, objectives and proposed actions. The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is a demonstrable translation of some of the ideas in the Millennium Declaration into reality. With 165(i) Parties, the FCTC does more than just improve global tobacco control: * The FCTC contributes to achievement of many of the Millennium Development Goals, and benefits from success in implementation of the Goals in other sectors. * The treaty itself is a demonstration of strengthened international and national rule of law, central tenets of the Millennium Declaration. * The FCTC expands international law into the health sector and provides better balance of international law among economic, environmental, social and health sectors. The Millennium Declaration calls for a more equitable distribution of the benefits of globalization, and the FCTC delivers this result. * The FCTC provides a model for addressing other unsolved global problems through greater use of international law. Alcohol control and dietary improvements including greater control of empty calories in manufactured foods are examples of problems that may benefit from greater governance by international law. Were that to come to pass, those new treaties would also improve implementation of the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals.

DPADL: An Action Language for Data Processing Domains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golden, Keith; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This paper presents DPADL (Data Processing Action Description Language), a language for describing planning domains that involve data processing. DPADL is a declarative object-oriented language that supports constraints and embedded Java code, object creation and copying, explicit inputs and outputs for actions, and metadata descriptions of existing and desired data. DPADL is supported by the IMAGEbot system, which will provide automation for an ecosystem forecasting system called TOPS.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 541: Small Boy Nevada National Security Site and Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada with ROTC 1

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

Matthews, Patrick

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 541 is co-located on the boundary of Area 5 of the Nevada National Security Site and Range 65C of the Nevada Test and Training Range, approximately 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. CAU 541 is a grouping of sites where there has been a suspected release of contamination associated with nuclear testing. This document describes the planned investigation of CAU 541, which comprises the following corrective action sites (CASs): 05-23-04, Atmospheric Tests (6) - BFa Site; 05-45-03, Atmospheric Test Site - Small Boy. These sites are being investigated because existing information on the nature andmore » extent of potential contamination is insufficient to evaluate and recommend corrective action alternatives (CAAs). Additional information will be obtained by conducting a corrective action investigation before evaluating CAAs and selecting the appropriate corrective action for each CAS. The results of the field investigation will support a defensible evaluation of viable CAAs that will be presented in the investigation report. The sites will be investigated based on the data quality objectives (DQOs) developed on April 1, 2014, by representatives of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; U.S. Air Force; and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office. The DQO process was used to identify and define the type, amount, and quality of data needed to develop and evaluate appropriate corrective actions for CAU 541. The site investigation process also will be conducted in accordance with the Soils Activity Quality Assurance Plan, which establishes requirements, technical planning, and general quality practices to be applied to this activity. The potential contamination sources associated with CASs 05-23-04 and 05-45-03 are from nuclear testing activities conducted at the Atmospheric Tests (6) - BFa Site and Atmospheric Test Site - Small Boy sites. The presence and nature of contamination at CAU 541 will be evaluated based on information collected from field investigations. Radiological contamination will be evaluated based on a comparison of the total effective dose at sample locations to the dose-based final action level. The total effective dose will be calculated as the total of separate estimates of internal and external dose. Results from the analysis of soil samples will be used to calculate internal radiological dose. Thermoluminescent dosimeters placed at the center of each sample location will be used to measure external radiological dose. Appendix A provides a detailed discussion of the DQO methodology and the DQOs specific to each CAS.« less

Integrated models to support multiobjective ecological restoration decisions.

PubMed

Fraser, Hannah; Rumpff, Libby; Yen, Jian D L; Robinson, Doug; Wintle, Brendan A

2017-12-01

Many objectives motivate ecological restoration, including improving vegetation condition, increasing the range and abundance of threatened species, and improving species richness and diversity. Although models have been used to examine the outcomes of ecological restoration, few researchers have attempted to develop models to account for multiple, potentially competing objectives. We developed a combined state-and-transition, species-distribution model to predict the effects of restoration actions on vegetation condition and extent, bird diversity, and the distribution of several bird species in southeastern Australian woodlands. The actions reflected several management objectives. We then validated the models against an independent data set and investigated how the best management decision might change when objectives were valued differently. We also used model results to identify effective restoration options for vegetation and bird species under a constrained budget. In the examples we evaluated, no one action (improving vegetation condition and extent, increasing bird diversity, or increasing the probability of occurrence for threatened species) provided the best outcome across all objectives. In agricultural lands, the optimal management actions for promoting the occurrence of the Brown Treecreeper (Climacteris picumnus), an iconic threatened species, resulted in little improvement in the extent of the vegetation and a high probability of decreased vegetation condition. This result highlights that the best management action in any situation depends on how much the different objectives are valued. In our example scenario, no management or weed control were most likely to be the best management options to satisfy multiple restoration objectives. Our approach to exploring trade-offs in management outcomes through integrated modeling and structured decision-support approaches has wide application for situations in which trade-offs exist between competing conservation objectives. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

A Critical Review of Methods to Evaluate the Impact of FDA Regulatory Actions

PubMed Central

Briesacher, Becky A.; Soumerai, Stephen B.; Zhang, Fang; Toh, Sengwee; Andrade, Susan E.; Wagner, Joann L.; Shoaibi, Azadeh; Gurwitz, Jerry H.

2013-01-01

Purpose To conduct a synthesis of the literature on methods to evaluate the impacts of FDA regulatory actions, and identify best practices for future evaluations. Methods We searched MEDLINE for manuscripts published between January 1948 and August 2011 that included terms related to FDA, regulatory actions, and empirical evaluation; the review additionally included FDA-identified literature. We used a modified Delphi method to identify preferred methodologies. We included studies with explicit methods to address threats to validity, and identified designs and analytic methods with strong internal validity that have been applied to other policy evaluations. Results We included 18 studies out of 243 abstracts and papers screened. Overall, analytic rigor in prior evaluations of FDA regulatory actions varied considerably; less than a quarter of studies (22%) included control groups. Only 56% assessed changes in the use of substitute products/services, and 11% examined patient health outcomes. Among studies meeting minimal criteria of rigor, 50% found no impact or weak/modest impacts of FDA actions and 33% detected unintended consequences. Among those studies finding significant intended effects of FDA actions, all cited the importance of intensive communication efforts. There are preferred methods with strong internal validity that have yet to be applied to evaluations of FDA regulatory actions. Conclusions Rigorous evaluations of the impact of FDA regulatory actions have been limited and infrequent. Several methods with strong internal validity are available to improve trustworthiness of future evaluations of FDA policies. PMID:23847020

Anticipatory scaling of grip forces when lifting objects of everyday life.

PubMed

Hermsdörfer, Joachim; Li, Yong; Randerath, Jennifer; Goldenberg, Georg; Eidenmüller, Sandra

2011-07-01

The ability to predict and anticipate the mechanical demands of the environment promotes smooth and skillful motor actions. Thus, the finger forces produced to grasp and lift an object are scaled to the physical properties such as weight. While grip force scaling is well established for neutral objects, only few studies analyzed objects known from daily routine and none studied grip forces. In the present study, eleven healthy subjects each lifted twelve objects of everyday life that encompassed a wide range of weights. The finger pads were covered with force sensors that enabled the measurement of grip force. A scale registered load forces. In a control experiment, the objects were wrapped into paper to prevent recognition by the subjects. Data from the first lift of each object confirmed that object weight was anticipated by adequately scaled forces. The maximum grip force rate during the force increase phase emerged as the most reliable measure to verify that weight was actually predicted and to characterize the precision of this prediction, while other force measures were scaled to object weight also when object identity was not known. Variability and linearity of the grip force-weight relationship improved for time points reached after liftoff, suggesting that sensory information refined the force adjustment. The same mechanism seemed to be involved with unrecognizable objects, though a lower precision was reached. Repeated lifting of the same object within a second and third presentation block did not improve the precision of the grip force scaling. Either practice was too variable or the motor system does not prioritize the optimization of the internal representation when objects are highly familiar.

[Quality evaluation of the orthodontic practice for certification by ISO 9001. A procedure beneficial for medical, medico-dental or hospital service].

PubMed

Becker, G

2001-01-01

The accreditation of the ISO 9001 certification (ISO = International Standard Organization) is an external evaluation procedure carried out by independent experts, whose object is the analysis of the operational methods and practices of a medical care facility (e.g. hospital, private clinic, general practitioner's or dentist's practice) which decided to assume the concept, implementation and control of its own quality policy. The whole accreditation procedure represents the basic structure of a continuous dynamic progressiveness within a cabinet eager to offer outstanding quality. Moreover, it guarantees active and voluntary participation of every single member of the medical administration or technical team involved in the realization of this primary objective. In other words, we are talking about a very strong dynamic innovation leading to a change of views and the improvement of communication means, while simultaneously enhancing the security and quality aspects of medical care. The continuous guarantee of high quality medical care calls for precise planning and systematization of actions. First of all, these actions are defined, analyzed and listed in precise work procedures. As they are defined with the agreement of the whole team, they implicate respect and self control. This requires of course transparency of the treatment methods, whose different steps and procedures are described in detail in a logogramm set up in common.

Action and object word writing in a case of bilingual aphasia.

PubMed

Kambanaros, Maria; Messinis, Lambros; Anyfantis, Emmanouil

2012-01-01

We report the spoken and written naming of a bilingual speaker with aphasia in two languages that differ in morphological complexity, orthographic transparency and script Greek and English. AA presented with difficulties in spoken picture naming together with preserved written picture naming for action words in Greek. In English, AA showed similar performance across both tasks for action and object words, i.e. difficulties retrieving action and object names for both spoken and written naming. Our findings support the hypothesis that cognitive processes used for spoken and written naming are independent components of the language system and can be selectively impaired after brain injury. In the case of bilingual speakers, such processes impact on both languages. We conclude grammatical category is an organizing principle in bilingual dysgraphia.

Getting a grip on reality: Grasping movements directed to real objects and images rely on dissociable neural representations.

PubMed

Freud, Erez; Macdonald, Scott N; Chen, Juan; Quinlan, Derek J; Goodale, Melvyn A; Culham, Jody C

2018-01-01

In the current era of touchscreen technology, humans commonly execute visually guided actions directed to two-dimensional (2D) images of objects. Although real, three-dimensional (3D), objects and images of the same objects share high degree of visual similarity, they differ fundamentally in the actions that can be performed on them. Indeed, previous behavioral studies have suggested that simulated grasping of images relies on different representations than actual grasping of real 3D objects. Yet the neural underpinnings of this phenomena have not been investigated. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate how brain activation patterns differed for grasping and reaching actions directed toward real 3D objects compared to images. Multivoxel Pattern Analysis (MVPA) revealed that the left anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS), a key region for visually guided grasping, discriminates between both the format in which objects were presented (real/image) and the motor task performed on them (grasping/reaching). Interestingly, during action planning, the representations of real 3D objects versus images differed more for grasping movements than reaching movements, likely because grasping real 3D objects involves fine-grained planning and anticipation of the consequences of a real interaction. Importantly, this dissociation was evident in the planning phase, before movement initiation, and was not found in any other regions, including motor and somatosensory cortices. This suggests that the dissociable representations in the left aIPS were not based on haptic, motor or proprioceptive feedback. Together, these findings provide novel evidence that actions, particularly grasping, are affected by the realness of the target objects during planning, perhaps because real targets require a more elaborate forward model based on visual cues to predict the consequences of real manipulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 29618 - Rules of Adjudication and Enforcement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-21

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION 19 CFR Part 210 Rules of Adjudication and Enforcement AGENCY: International Trade Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The United States International Trade Commission... the General Counsel, United States International Trade Commission. Hearing-impaired individuals are...

78 FR 36542 - International Energy Agency Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY International Energy Agency Meetings AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of meetings. SUMMARY: The Industry Advisory Board (IAB) to the International Energy Agency (IEA.... Clark, Assistant General Counsel for International and National Security Programs, Department of Energy...

Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart

MedlinePlus

... Administrative Forms Standard Forms Skip Navigation Z7_0Q0619C0JGR010IFST1G5B10H1 Web Content Viewer (JSR 286) Actions ${title} Loading... / Topics / ... Chart / Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart Z7_0Q0619C0JGR010IFST1G5B10H3 Web Content Viewer (JSR 286) Actions ${title} Loading... Z7_ ...

The Voice of THIMUN Youth: Action Papers of the Annual Session (2nd, The Hague, Netherlands, January 27-February 1, 2002).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, David L., Ed.; Munstermann, Ulrich, Ed.; Gamble, Helen E. W., Ed.

These Action Papers of seven committees of The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) Youth Assembly represent the efforts of young people, who have been given the opportunity to voice their personal opinions on issues permanently on the international agenda. The Committee on Education and Employment analyzes improving quality of…

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Bulletin, New Series Vol. 7, No. 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Morges, (Switzerland).

Described is the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) marine program which centers around the world wildlife fund marine program. The program has been divided into three phases - launch, main, and follow-up; the launch phase is described. Action plans are described for each sub-program. Each action plan…

Social Action As An Objective of Social Studies Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Charles K.

This paper presents a rationale for making social action a major goal of elementary and secondary school social studies education. In addition, it describes social action models, suggests social action approaches appropriate for students at various grade levels, and reviews literature on social action by public school students. Social action is…

42 CFR 137.444 - If a Self-Governance Tribe objects to the recommended decision, what action will the Secretary take?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false If a Self-Governance Tribe objects to the... SERVICES TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE Appeals Appeals of An Immediate Reassumption of A Self-Governance Program § 137.444 If a Self-Governance Tribe objects to the recommended decision, what action will the Secretary...

The minimalist grammar of action

PubMed Central

Pastra, Katerina; Aloimonos, Yiannis

2012-01-01

Language and action have been found to share a common neural basis and in particular a common ‘syntax’, an analogous hierarchical and compositional organization. While language structure analysis has led to the formulation of different grammatical formalisms and associated discriminative or generative computational models, the structure of action is still elusive and so are the related computational models. However, structuring action has important implications on action learning and generalization, in both human cognition research and computation. In this study, we present a biologically inspired generative grammar of action, which employs the structure-building operations and principles of Chomsky's Minimalist Programme as a reference model. In this grammar, action terminals combine hierarchically into temporal sequences of actions of increasing complexity; the actions are bound with the involved tools and affected objects and are governed by certain goals. We show, how the tool role and the affected-object role of an entity within an action drives the derivation of the action syntax in this grammar and controls recursion, merge and move, the latter being mechanisms that manifest themselves not only in human language, but in human action too. PMID:22106430

Separate neural systems support representations for actions and objects during narrative speech in post-stroke aphasia☆

PubMed Central

Gleichgerrcht, Ezequiel; Fridriksson, Julius; Rorden, Chris; Nesland, Travis; Desai, Rutvik; Bonilha, Leonardo

2015-01-01

Background Representations of objects and actions in everyday speech are usually materialized as nouns and verbs, two grammatical classes that constitute the core elements of language. Given their very distinct roles in singling out objects (nouns) or referring to transformative actions (verbs), they likely rely on distinct brain circuits. Method We tested this hypothesis by conducting network-based lesion-symptom mapping in 38 patients with chronic stroke to the left hemisphere. We reconstructed the individual brain connectomes from probabilistic tractography applied to magnetic resonance imaging and obtained measures of production of words referring to objects and actions from narrative discourse elicited by picture naming tasks. Results Words for actions were associated with a frontal network strongly engaging structures involved in motor control and programming. Words for objects, instead, were related to a posterior network spreading across the occipital, posterior inferior temporal, and parietal regions, likely related with visual processing and imagery, object recognition, and spatial attention/scanning. Thus, each of these networks engaged brain areas typically involved in cognitive and sensorimotor experiences equivalent to the function served by each grammatical class (e.g. motor areas for verbs, perception areas for nouns). Conclusions The finding that the two major grammatical classes in human speech rely on two dissociable networks has both important theoretical implications for the neurobiology of language and clinical implications for the assessment and potential rehabilitation and treatment of patients with chronic aphasia due to stroke. PMID:26759789

Implementation of the first adaptive management plan for a European migratory waterbird population: The case of the Svalbard pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madsen, Jesper; Williams, James Henty; Johnson, Fred A.; Tombre, Ingunn M.; Dereliev, Sergey; Kuijken, Eckhart

2017-01-01

An International Species Management Plan for the Svalbard population of the pink-footed goose was adopted under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds in 2012, the first case of adaptive management of a migratory waterbird population in Europe. An international working group (including statutory agencies, NGO representatives and experts) agreed on objectives and actions to maintain the population in favourable conservation status, while accounting for biodiversity, economic and recreational interests. Agreements include setting a population target to reduce agricultural conflicts and avoid tundra degradation, and using hunting in some range states to maintain stable population size. As part of the adaptive management procedures, adjustment to harvest is made annually subject to population status. This has required streamlining of monitoring and assessment activities. Three years after implementation, indicators suggest the attainment of management results. Dialogue, consensus-building and engagement among stakeholders represent the major process achievements.

78 FR 59412 - Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental Scientific Affairs; Climate Action Report

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-26

... opportunity to submit comments to the draft 2014 Climate Action Report (CAR) on U.S. climate change actions... respond to reporting requirements under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The... summarizes major actions taken to address climate change, covering the period up to 2020, and contains...

26 CFR 1.142-2 - Remedial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Remedial actions. 1.142-2 Section 1.142-2...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Tax Exemption Requirements for State and Local Bonds § 1.142-2 Remedial actions... this section and the issuer takes the remedial action described in paragraph (c) of this section. (b...

26 CFR 1.147-2 - Remedial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Remedial actions. 1.147-2 Section 1.147-2...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Tax Exemption Requirements for State and Local Bonds § 1.147-2 Remedial actions. The remedial action rules of § 1.142-2 apply to the rules in section 147 for qualified private...

26 CFR 1.142-2 - Remedial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Remedial actions. 1.142-2 Section 1.142-2...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Tax Exemption Requirements for State and Local Bonds § 1.142-2 Remedial actions... this section and the issuer takes the remedial action described in paragraph (c) of this section. (b...

26 CFR 1.147-2 - Remedial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Remedial actions. 1.147-2 Section 1.147-2...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Tax Exemption Requirements for State and Local Bonds § 1.147-2 Remedial actions. The remedial action rules of § 1.142-2 apply to the rules in section 147 for qualified private...

Towards a consensus definition of maternal sepsis: results of a systematic review and expert consultation.

PubMed

Bonet, Mercedes; Nogueira Pileggi, Vicky; Rijken, Marcus J; Coomarasamy, Arri; Lissauer, David; Souza, João Paulo; Gülmezoglu, Ahmet Metin

2017-05-30

There is a need for a clear and actionable definition of maternal sepsis, in order to better assess the burden of this condition, trigger timely and effective treatment and allow comparisons across facilities and countries. The objective of this study was to review maternal sepsis definitions and identification criteria and to report on the results of an expert consultation to develop a new international definition of maternal sepsis. All original and review articles and WHO documents, as well as clinical guidelines providing definitions and/or identification criteria of maternal sepsis were included. A multidisciplinary international panel of experts was surveyed through an online consultation in March-April 2016 on their opinion on the existing sepsis definitions, including new definition of sepsis proposed for the adult population (2016 Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock) and importance of different criteria for identification of maternal sepsis. The definition was agreed using an iterative process in an expert face-to-face consensus development meeting convened by WHO and Jhpiego. Standardizing the definition of maternal sepsis and aligning it with the current understanding of sepsis in the adult population was considered a mandatory step to improve the assessment of the burden of maternal sepsis by the expert panel. The literature review and expert consultation resulted in a new WHO consensus definition "Maternal sepsis is a life-threatening condition defined as organ dysfunction resulting from infection during pregnancy, child-birth, post-abortion, or post-partum period". Plans are in progress to validate the new WHO definition of maternal sepsis in a large international population. The operationalization of the new maternal sepsis definition requires generation of a set of practical criteria to identify women with sepsis. These criteria should enable clinicians to focus on the timely initiation of actionable elements of care (administration of antimicrobials and fluids, support of vital organ functions, and referral) and improve maternal outcomes.

Performance during internal medicine residency training and subsequent disciplinary action by state licensing boards.

PubMed

Papadakis, Maxine A; Arnold, Gerald K; Blank, Linda L; Holmboe, Eric S; Lipner, Rebecca S

2008-06-03

Physicians who are disciplined by state licensing boards are more likely to have demonstrated unprofessional behavior in medical school. Information is limited on whether similar performance measures taken during residency can predict performance as practicing physicians. To determine whether performance measures during residency predict the likelihood of future disciplinary actions against practicing internists. Retrospective cohort study. State licensing board disciplinary actions against physicians from 1990 to 2006. 66,171 physicians who entered internal medicine residency training in the United States from 1990 to 2000 and became diplomates. Predictor variables included components of the Residents' Annual Evaluation Summary ratings and American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certification examination scores. 2 performance measures independently predicted disciplinary action. A low professionalism rating on the Residents' Annual Evaluation Summary predicted increased risk for disciplinary action (hazard ratio, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.3 to 2.2]), and high performance on the ABIM certification examination predicted decreased risk for disciplinary action (hazard ratio, 0.7 [CI, 0.60 to 0.70] for American or Canadian medical school graduates and 0.9 [CI, 0.80 to 1.0] for international medical school graduates). Progressively better professionalism ratings and ABIM certification examination scores were associated with less risk for subsequent disciplinary actions; the risk ranged from 4.0% for the lowest professionalism rating to 0.5% for the highest and from 2.5% for the lowest examination scores to 0.0% for the highest. The study was retrospective. Some diplomates may have practiced outside of the United States. Nondiplomates were excluded. Poor performance on behavioral and cognitive measures during residency are associated with greater risk for state licensing board actions against practicing physicians at every point on a performance continuum. These findings support the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education standards for professionalism and cognitive performance and the development of best practices to remediate these deficiencies.

The International Permafrost Association: current initiatives for cryospheric research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schollaen, Karina; Lewkowicz, Antoni G.; Christiansen, Hanne H.; Romanovsky, Vladimir E.; Lantuit, Hugues; Schrott, Lothar; Sergeev, Dimitry; Wei, Ma

2015-04-01

The International Permafrost Association (IPA), founded in 1983, has as its objectives to foster the dissemination of knowledge concerning permafrost and to promote cooperation among persons and national or international organizations engaged in scientific investigation and engineering work on permafrost. The IPA's primary responsibilities are convening International Permafrost Conferences, undertaking special projects such as preparing databases, maps, bibliographies, and glossaries, and coordinating international field programs and networks. Membership is through adhering national or multinational organizations or as individuals in countries where no Adhering Body exists. The IPA is governed by its Executive Committee and a Council consisting of representatives from 26 Adhering Bodies having interests in some aspect of theoretical, basic and applied frozen ground research, including permafrost, seasonal frost, artificial freezing and periglacial phenomena. This presentation details the IPA core products, achievements and activities as well as current projects in cryospheric research. One of the most important core products is the circumpolar permafrost map. The IPA also fosters and supports the activities of the Global Terrestrial Network on Permafrost (GTN-P) sponsored by the Global Terrestrial Observing System, GTOS, and the Global Climate Observing System, GCOS, whose long-term goal is to obtain a comprehensive view of the spatial structure, trends, and variability of changes in the active layer thickness and permafrost temperature. A further important initiative of the IPA are the biannually competitively-funded Action Groups which work towards the production of well-defined products over a period of two years. Current IPA Action Groups are working on highly topical and interdisciplinary issues, such as the development of a regional Palaeo-map of Permafrost in Eurasia, the integration of multidisciplinary knowledge about the use of thermokarst and permafrost landscapes, and defining permafrost research priorities - a roadmap for the future. The latter project is a joint effort with the Climate and Cryosphere initiative (CliC) and a contribution to the upcoming International Conference on Arctic Research Planning III (ICARP III). The product stemming from the effort will consist of a journal publication listing permafrost research priorities and putting them into context. In all of these activities, the IPA emphasizes the involvement of young researchers (especially through the Permafrost Young Researchers Network and APECS) as well as its collaboration with international partner organizations such as IASC, SCAR, CliC, IACS, IUGS and WMO.

78 FR 53504 - Internal Revenue Service

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-29

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Revenue Procedure 2007-37 AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for... Gerald J. Shields at Internal Revenue Service, room 6129, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC...

75 FR 12532 - International Energy Agency Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-16

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY International Energy Agency Meetings AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of meetings. SUMMARY: The Industry Advisory Board (IAB) to the International Energy Agency (IEA...: Diana D. Clark, Assistant General for International and National Security Programs, Department of Energy...

Cortical regions recruited for complex active-learning strategies and action planning exhibit rapid reactivation during memory retrieval.

PubMed

Voss, Joel L; Galvan, Ashley; Gonsalves, Brian D

2011-12-01

Memory retrieval can involve activity in the same sensory cortical regions involved in perception of the original event, and this neural "reactivation" has been suggested as an important mechanism of memory retrieval. However, it is still unclear if fragments of experience other than sensory information are retained and later reactivated during retrieval. For example, learning in non-laboratory settings generally involves active exploration of memoranda, thus requiring the generation of action plans for behavior and the use of strategies deployed to improve subsequent memory performance. Is information pertaining to action planning and strategic processing retained and reactivated during retrieval? To address this question, we compared ERP correlates of memory retrieval for objects that had been studied in an active manner involving action planning and strategic processing to those for objects that had been studied passively. Memory performance was superior for actively studied objects, and unique ERP retrieval correlates for these objects were identified when subjects remembered the specific spatial locations at which objects were studied. Early-onset frontal shifts in ERP correlates of retrieval were noted for these objects, which parallel the recruitment of frontal cortex during learning object locations previously identified using fMRI with the same paradigm. Notably, ERPs during recall for items studied with a specific viewing strategy localized to the same supplementary motor cortex region previously identified with fMRI when this strategy was implemented during study, suggesting rapid reactivation of regions directly involved in strategic action planning. Collectively, these results implicate neural populations involved in learning in important retrieval functions, even for those populations involved in strategic control and action planning. Notably, these episodic features are not generally reported during recollective experiences, suggesting that reactivation is a more general property of memory retrieval that extends beyond those fragments of perceptual information that might be needed to re-live the past. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementation of Clinical Quality Management for Rehabilitation in Malaysia.

PubMed

Engkasan, Julia Patrick; Stucki, Gerold; Ali, Sadeeq; Yusof, Yusniza Mohd; Hussain, Hafez; Latif, Lydia Abdul

2018-04-18

In February 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its historic "Rehabilitation 2030: A Call for Action". Scaling up rehabilitation in health systems requires concerted action across all 6 components of WHO's Health Systems Framework. For rehabilitation, information about functioning is essential, as it is required for effective rehabilitation at all levels of the health system. What is missing is a countrywide demonstration project involving the implementation of a clinical quality management system for the continuous improvement of rehabilitation, both at the level of clinical care for individual patients and at the level of rehabilitation service provision. Consequently, the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Malaya and University Malaya Medical Centre, together with the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital of the Ministry of Health, and the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) Rehabilitation Centre in Malacca, Malaysia, initiated a project to develop a Malaysian-wide clinical quality management system for rehabilitation (CQM-R Malaysia). The objective of this paper is to describe CQM-R Malaysia. First, a conceptual description of a CQM-R based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is set out. The methods, results and conclusions of a situation analysis conducted in January 2017 are then reported. Finally, the building blocks and implementation action plan developed for CQM-R Malaysia are presented.

Quantum statistical relation for black holes in nonlinear electrodynamics coupled to Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet AdS gravity

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

Miskovic, Olivera; Olea, Rodrigo

2011-03-15

We consider curvature-squared corrections to Einstein-Hilbert gravity action in the form of a Gauss-Bonnet term in D>4 dimensions. In this theory, we study the thermodynamics of charged static black holes with anti-de Sitter (AdS) asymptotics, and whose electric field is described by nonlinear electrodynamics. These objects have received considerable attention in recent literature on gravity/gauge dualities. It is well-known that, within the framework of anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory (AdS/CFT) correspondence, there exists a nonvanishing Casimir contribution to the internal energy of the system, manifested as the vacuum energy for global AdS spacetime in odd dimensions. Because of this reason, wemore » derive a quantum statistical relation directly from the Euclidean action and not from the integration of the first law of thermodynamics. To this end, we employ a background-independent regularization scheme which consists, in addition to the bulk action, of counterterms that depend on both extrinsic and intrinsic curvatures of the boundary (Kounterterm series). This procedure results in a consistent inclusion of the vacuum energy and chemical potential in the thermodynamic description for Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet AdS gravity regardless of the explicit form of the nonlinear electrodynamics Lagrangian.« less

Determinants of bird conservation-action implementation and associated population trends of threatened species.

PubMed

Luther, David A; Brooks, Thomas M; Butchart, Stuart H M; Hayward, Matt W; Kester, Marieke E; Lamoreux, John; Upgren, Amy

2016-12-01

Conservation actions, such as habitat protection, attempt to halt the loss of threatened species and help their populations recover. The efficiency and the effectiveness of actions have been examined individually. However, conservation actions generally occur simultaneously, so the full suite of implemented conservation actions should be assessed. We used the conservation actions underway for all threatened and near-threatened birds of the world (International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species) to assess which biological (related to taxonomy and ecology) and anthropogenic (related to geoeconomics) factors were associated with the implementation of different classes of conservation actions. We also assessed which conservation actions were associated with population increases in the species targeted. Extinction-risk category was the strongest single predictor of the type of conservation actions implemented, followed by landmass type (continent, oceanic island, etc.) and generation length. Species targeted by invasive nonnative species control or eradication programs, ex situ conservation, international legislation, reintroduction, or education, and awareness-raising activities were more likely to have increasing populations. These results illustrate the importance of developing a predictive science of conservation actions and the relative benefits of each class of implemented conservation action for threatened and near-threatened birds worldwide. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Action Learning Research? Reflections from the Colloquium at the Third International Conference on Action Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coghlan, David

2013-01-01

The case for the notion of action learning research has been posed and explored in several publications over the past few years. There is no tradition within action learning of understanding it as an approach to research. Within some academic circles, there has been a focus on the "action turn," the development of the notion of actionable…

Corrective Action Decision Document/Corrective Action Plan for Corrective Action Unit 97: Yucca Flat/Climax Mine Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 1

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

Farnham, Irene

This corrective action decision document (CADD)/corrective action plan (CAP) has been prepared for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 97, Yucca Flat/Climax Mine, Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), Nevada. The Yucca Flat/Climax Mine CAU is located in the northeastern portion of the NNSS and comprises 720 corrective action sites. A total of 747 underground nuclear detonations took place within this CAU between 1957 and 1992 and resulted in the release of radionuclides (RNs) in the subsurface in the vicinity of the test cavities. The CADD portion describes the Yucca Flat/Climax Mine CAU data-collection and modeling activities completed during the corrective action investigationmore » (CAI) stage, presents the corrective action objectives, and describes the actions recommended to meet the objectives. The CAP portion describes the corrective action implementation plan. The CAP presents CAU regulatory boundary objectives and initial use-restriction boundaries identified and negotiated by DOE and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP). The CAP also presents the model evaluation process designed to build confidence that the groundwater flow and contaminant transport modeling results can be used for the regulatory decisions required for CAU closure. The UGTA strategy assumes that active remediation of subsurface RN contamination is not feasible with current technology. As a result, the corrective action is based on a combination of characterization and modeling studies, monitoring, and institutional controls. The strategy is implemented through a four-stage approach that comprises the following: (1) corrective action investigation plan (CAIP), (2) CAI, (3) CADD/CAP, and (4) closure report (CR) stages.« less

Advanced Environmental Monitoring and Control Program: Strategic Plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, Gregory

1996-01-01

Human missions in space, from short-duration shuttle missions lasting no more than several days to the medium-to-long-duration missions planned for the International Space Station, face a number of hazards that must be understood and mitigated for the mission to be carried out safely. Among these hazards are those posed by the internal environment of the spacecraft itself; through outgassing of toxic vapors from plastics and other items, failures or off-nominal operations of spacecraft environmental control systems, accidental exposure to hazardous compounds used in experiments: all present potential hazards that while small, may accumulate and pose a danger to crew health. The first step toward mitigating the dangers of these hazards is understanding the internal environment of the spacecraft and the compounds contained within it. Future spacecraft will have integrated networks of redundant sensors which will not only inform the crew of hazards, but will pinpoint the problem location and, through analysis by intelligent systems, recommend and even implement a course of action to stop the problem. This strategic plan details strategies to determine NASA's requirements for environmental monitoring and control systems for future spacecraft, and goals and objectives for a program to answer these needs.

Economic Sanctions, Military Activity, and Road Traffic Crashes in Vojvodina, Serbia

PubMed Central

Ðurić, Predrag; Peek-Asa, Corinne

2008-01-01

Objectives Political violence has not been examined as a risk factor for traumatic injuries from road traffic crashes. We identify trends in road traffic crashes related to war-related military activity and international economic sanctions in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Methods Overall road traffic crashes and crashes leading to hospitalization and fatality in Vojvodina, Serbia were examined from 1996 through 2001. Rates were calculated per 100,000 population and per 10,000 registered vehicles. Three time periods were examined: years with international sanctions and military activity; years with international sanctions but no military activity; and, years with neither sanctions nor military activity. Results Compared to the period with neither sanctions nor military activity, severe injury crashes were 1.23 times more frequent (95% CI = 1.19 – 1.27) during the period with sanctions and military activity and 1.21 times more frequent (95% CI= 1.16 – 1.27) during the period with sanctions but no military activity. Conclusions Our data suggest that vehicle travel became safer following the end of military action and economic sanctions. Road traffic safety needs to be a priority both during periods of political unrest and its recovery phase. PMID:19074242

Decision-making for foot-and-mouth disease control: Objectives matter

USGS Publications Warehouse

Probert, William J. M.; Shea, Katriona; Fonnesbeck, Christopher J.; Runge, Michael C.; Carpenter, Tim E.; Durr, Salome; Garner, M. Graeme; Harvey, Neil; Stevenson, Mark A.; Webb, Colleen T.; Werkman, Marleen; Tildesley, Michael J.; Ferrari, Matthew J.

2016-01-01

Formal decision-analytic methods can be used to frame disease control problems, the first step of which is to define a clear and specific objective. We demonstrate the imperative of framing clearly-defined management objectives in finding optimal control actions for control of disease outbreaks. We illustrate an analysis that can be applied rapidly at the start of an outbreak when there are multiple stakeholders involved with potentially multiple objectives, and when there are also multiple disease models upon which to compare control actions. The output of our analysis frames subsequent discourse between policy-makers, modellers and other stakeholders, by highlighting areas of discord among different management objectives and also among different models used in the analysis. We illustrate this approach in the context of a hypothetical foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Cumbria, UK using outputs from five rigorously-studied simulation models of FMD spread. We present both relative rankings and relative performance of controls within each model and across a range of objectives. Results illustrate how control actions change across both the base metric used to measure management success and across the statistic used to rank control actions according to said metric. This work represents a first step towards reconciling the extensive modelling work on disease control problems with frameworks for structured decision making.

Action understanding in the superior temporal sulcus region.

PubMed

Wyk, Brent C Vander; Hudac, Caitlin M; Carter, Elizabeth J; Sobel, David M; Pelphrey, Kevin A

2009-06-01

The posterior superior temporal sulcus (STS) region plays an important role in the perception of social acts, although its full role has not been completely clarified. This functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment examined activity in the STS region as participants viewed actions that were congruent or incongruent with intentions established by a previous emotional context. Participants viewed an actress express either a positive or a negative emotion toward one of two objects and then subsequently pick up one of them. If the object that was picked up had received positive regard, or if the object that was not picked up had received negative regard, the action was congruent; otherwise, the action was incongruent. Activity in the right posterior STS region was sensitive to the congruency between the action and the actress's emotional expression (i.e., STS activity was greater on incongruent than on congruent trials). These findings suggest that the posterior STS represents not only biological motion, but also how another person's motion is related to his or her intentions.

The Global Possible: Resources, Development, and the New Century. The Statement and Action Agenda of an International Conference (Washington, D.C., May 2-5, 1984).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Resources Inst., Washington, DC.

The relationships between earth's resources and the human future and the challenges of maintaining a sustainable environment were probed at an international conference sponsored by the World Resources Institute. A synthesis of the conference's reports, perspectives, and plans for action are presented in this document. The position supported by the…

Workshop on the preparation of climate change action plans. Workshop summary

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

NONE

1999-05-24

Over 130 participants from more than 27 countries shared experiences of developing and transition countries in preparation and development of their climate change national action plans. International experts guided countries in preparation of their climate change national action plans.

47 CFR 73.23 - AM broadcast station applications affected by international agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... consistency with international relationships and as to which no final decision has been rendered, whenever action under this section becomes appropriate because of inconsistency with international relationships... international agreements. 73.23 Section 73.23 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED...

78 FR 63873 - Minimum Internal Control Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-25

... Internal Control Standards AGENCY: National Indian Gaming Commission, Interior. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) amends its minimum internal control standards for Class... Internal Control Standards. 64 FR 590. The rule added a new part to the Commission's regulations...

78 FR 11793 - Minimum Internal Control Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-20

... Internal Control Standards AGENCY: National Indian Gaming Commission. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) proposes to amend its minimum internal control standards for Class... NIGC published a final rule in the Federal Register called Minimum Internal Control Standards. 64 FR...

Creating Affording Situations: Coaching through Animate Objects.

PubMed

Baber, Chris; Khattab, Ahmad; Russell, Martin; Hermsdörfer, Joachim; Wing, Alan

2017-10-11

We explore the ways in which animate objects can be used to cue actions as part of coaching in Activities of Daily Living (ADL). In this case, changing the appearance or behavior of a physical object is intended to cue actions which are appropriate for a given context. The context is defined by the intention of the users, the state of the objects and the tasks for which these objects can be used. We present initial design prototypes and simple user trials which explore the impact of different cues on activity. It is shown that raising the handle of a jug, for example, not only cues the act of picking up the jug but also encourages use of the hand adjacent to the handle; that combinations of lights (on the objects) and auditory cues influence activity through reducing uncertainty; and that cueing can challenge pre-learned action sequences. We interpret these results in terms of the idea that the animate objects can be used to create affording situations, and discuss implications of this work to support relearning of ADL following brain damage or injury, such as might arise following a stroke.

Changes in the use of manual vacuum aspiration for postabortion care within the public healthcare service network in Honduras.

PubMed

Chinchilla, Ana Ligia; Flores, Ivo Flores; Morales, Alma Fabiola; de Gil, Marina Padilla

2014-07-01

Honduras is one of the 17 priority countries included in the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Initiative for the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion and its Consequences. The priority category enables the country to request emergency funding to acquire services or commodities that could contribute toward achieving the objectives laid out in its plan of action. These objectives include improving postabortion care by increasing the use of manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) as an outpatient procedure with minimal human and material resources. Since the Ministry of Health lacked funding, use of the emergency fund was approved for the purchase and distribution of MVA kits nationwide to ensure continuity and the hope of increasing MVA use. Eleven hospitals participating in this initiative provided data for analysis of the outcome. These data show no increase in MVA use; however, as discussed in the article, further investigation provided valuable information on the reasons behind these results. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

How to Assess Quality of Research in Iran, From Input to Impact? Introduction of Peer-Based Research Evaluation Model in Iran.

PubMed

Ebadifar, Asghar; Baradaran Eftekhari, Monir; Owlia, Parviz; Habibi, Elham; Ghalenoee, Elham; Bagheri, Mohammad Reza; Falahat, Katayoun; Eltemasi, Masoumeh; Sobhani, Zahra; Akhondzadeh, Shahin

2017-11-01

Research evaluation is a systematic and objective process to measure relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of research activities, and peer review is one of the most important tools for assessing quality of research. The aim of this study was introducing research evaluation indicators based on peer reviewing. This study was implemented in 4 stages. A list of objective-oriented evaluation indicators were designed in 4 axes, including; governance and leadership, structure, knowledge production and research impact. The top 10% medical sciences research centers (RCs) were evaluated based on peer review. Adequate equipment and laboratory instruments, high quality research publication and national or international cooperation were the main strengths in medical sciences RCs and the most important weaknesses included failure to adhere to strategic plans, parallel actions in similar fields, problems in manpower recruitment, knowledge translation & exchange (KTE) in service providers and policy makers' levels. Peer review evaluation can improve the quality of research.

Contested Narratives: South African and Cuban military action in Angola (1987-1988)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-26

monograph is to explore how Cuba and the Republic of South Africa used tactical actions in southern Angola to pursue their strategic objectives in the...each state’s pursuit of its strategic objectives. 15. SUBJECT TERMS South African Border War, Cuito Cuanavale, Angola, Namibia, South Africa , Cuba...Williams, US Army, 45 pages. The purpose of this monograph is to explore how Cuba and the Republic of South Africa used tactical actions in

Recruitment of Foveal Retinotopic Cortex During Haptic Exploration of Shapes and Actions in the Dark.

PubMed

Monaco, Simona; Gallivan, Jason P; Figley, Teresa D; Singhal, Anthony; Culham, Jody C

2017-11-29

The role of the early visual cortex and higher-order occipitotemporal cortex has been studied extensively for visual recognition and to a lesser degree for haptic recognition and visually guided actions. Using a slow event-related fMRI experiment, we investigated whether tactile and visual exploration of objects recruit the same "visual" areas (and in the case of visual cortex, the same retinotopic zones) and if these areas show reactivation during delayed actions in the dark toward haptically explored objects (and if so, whether this reactivation might be due to imagery). We examined activation during visual or haptic exploration of objects and action execution (grasping or reaching) separated by an 18 s delay. Twenty-nine human volunteers (13 females) participated in this study. Participants had their eyes open and fixated on a point in the dark. The objects were placed below the fixation point and accordingly visual exploration activated the cuneus, which processes retinotopic locations in the lower visual field. Strikingly, the occipital pole (OP), representing foveal locations, showed higher activation for tactile than visual exploration, although the stimulus was unseen and location in the visual field was peripheral. Moreover, the lateral occipital tactile-visual area (LOtv) showed comparable activation for tactile and visual exploration. Psychophysiological interaction analysis indicated that the OP showed stronger functional connectivity with anterior intraparietal sulcus and LOtv during the haptic than visual exploration of shapes in the dark. After the delay, the cuneus, OP, and LOtv showed reactivation that was independent of the sensory modality used to explore the object. These results show that haptic actions not only activate "visual" areas during object touch, but also that this information appears to be used in guiding grasping actions toward targets after a delay. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Visual presentation of an object activates shape-processing areas and retinotopic locations in early visual areas. Moreover, if the object is grasped in the dark after a delay, these areas show "reactivation." Here, we show that these areas are also activated and reactivated for haptic object exploration and haptically guided grasping. Touch-related activity occurs not only in the retinotopic location of the visual stimulus, but also at the occipital pole (OP), corresponding to the foveal representation, even though the stimulus was unseen and located peripherally. That is, the same "visual" regions are implicated in both visual and haptic exploration; however, touch also recruits high-acuity central representation within early visual areas during both haptic exploration of objects and subsequent actions toward them. Functional connectivity analysis shows that the OP is more strongly connected with ventral and dorsal stream areas when participants explore an object in the dark than when they view it. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/3711572-20$15.00/0.

COST Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar": first-year activities and results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pajewski, Lara; Benedetto, Andrea; Loizos, Andreas; Slob, Evert; Tosti, Fabio

2014-05-01

This work aims at presenting the first-year activities and results of COST (European COoperation in Science and Technology) Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar". This Action was launched in April 2013 and will last four years. The principal aim of COST Action TU1208 is to exchange and increase scientific-technical knowledge and experience of GPR techniques in civil engineering, whilst simultaneously promoting throughout Europe the effective use of this safe and non-destructive technique in the monitoring of infrastructures and structures. Moreover, the Action is oriented to the following specific objectives and expected deliverables: (i) coordinating European scientists to highlight problems, merits and limits of current GPR systems; (ii) developing innovative protocols and guidelines, which will be published in a handbook and constitute a basis for European standards, for an effective GPR application in civil- engineering tasks; safety, economic and financial criteria will be integrated within the protocols; (iii) integrating competences for the improvement and merging of electromagnetic scattering techniques and of data- processing techniques; this will lead to a novel freeware tool for the localization of buried objects, shape-reconstruction and estimation of geophysical parameters useful for civil engineering needs; (iv) networking for the design, realization and optimization of innovative GPR equipment; (v) comparing GPR with different NDT techniques, such as ultrasonic, radiographic, liquid-penetrant, magnetic-particle, acoustic-emission and eddy-current testing; (vi) comparing GPR technology and methodology used in civil engineering with those used in other fields; (vii) promotion of a more widespread, advanced and efficient use of GPR in civil engineering; and (viii) organization of a high-level modular training program for GPR European users. Four Working Groups (WGs) carry out the research activities. The first WG focuses on the design of innovative GPR equipment, on the building of prototypes and on the testing and optimisation of new systems. The second WG focuses on the GPR surveying of pavement, bridges, tunnels and buildings, as well as on the sensing of underground utilities and voids. The third WG deals with the development of electromagnetic forward and inverse scattering methods, for the characterization of GPR scenarios, as well as with data- processing algorithms for the elaboration of the data collected during GPR surveys. The fourth WG works on the use of GPR in fields different from the civil engineering, as well as on the integration of GPR with other non-destructive testing techniques. Each WG includes several Projects. COST Action TU1208 is active through a range of networking tools: meetings, workshops, conferences, training schools, short-term scientific missions, dissemination activities. During the first year of activities, a First General Meeting was organized in Rome, in July 2013, a second meeting took place in Nantes, in February 2014, and the Second General Meeting is being held jointly with the 2014 EGU General Assembly. A training school on "Microwave Imaging and Diagnostics: Theory, Techniques, and Applications", held in March 2014, was co-organised with the European School of Antennas. Four Short-Term Scientific Missions were funded, allowing young researchers to spend a period of time in an institution abroad, in order to carry out a research project contributing to the scientific objectives of the Action. The Action's activities were disseminated in international conferences [1]-[4], as well as in further workshops and meetings. Two volumes were published [5]-[6], and several scientific papers on peer-reviewed journals. A Springer book presenting the state of the art on civil engineering applications of Ground Penetrating Radar is being prepared and is going to be published in summer 2014. A COST Action is a wide bottom-up interdisciplinary science and technology network, open to researchers from universities, public and private research institutions, as well as to NGOs, industry and SMEs. At present, About 100 Institutions from 24 COST Member Countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Macedonia, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom) have already joined the Action, together with an Institution from Armenia (Near Neighbour Country, NNC). Beyond European borders, six Institutions from U.S.A., one from Rwanda and one from Australia have joined the Action. Further applications from two NNCs (Egypt and Ukraine) and International Partner Countries (Hong Kong and Japan) are under examination. COST Action TU1208 is still open to the participation of new parties and it is possible to include, in the scientific work plan, new perspectives and activities. Scientists and scientific institutions willing to join COST Action TU1208 are encouraged to contact the Chair of the Action and to follow the procedure described at http://www.cost.eu/participate/join_action. For more information on COST Action TU1208, please visit www.GPRadar.eu. ----------------------------- Acknowledgement The Authors thanks COST for funding COST Action TU1208. References [1] L. Pajewski, A. Benedetto, A. Loizos, E. Slob, F. Tosti, "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar: Research Perspectives in COST Action TU1208," Geophysical Research Abstracts, European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2013, 7-12 April 2013, Vienna, Austria, article ID EGU2013-13941. [2] L. Pajewski, A. Benedetto, G. Schettini, F. Soldovieri, "Applications of GPR in archaeological prospecting and cultural heritage diagnostics: Research Perspectives in COST Action TU1208," Geophysical Research Abstracts, European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2013, 7-12 April 2013, Vienna, Austria, article ID EGU2013-14010. [3] L. Pajewski, A. Benedetto, X. Dérobert, A. Giannopoulos, A. Loizos, G. Manacorda, M. Marciniak, C. Plati, G. Schettini, I. Trinks, "Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar in Civil Engineering - COST Action TU1208," Proc. 7th International Workshop on Advanced Ground Penetrating Radar (IWAGPR), 2-5 July 2013, Nantes, France, pp. 1-6 (INVITED). ISBN 978-1-4799-0937-7, doi:10.1109/ IWAGPR.2013.6601528). [4] L. Pajewski, A. Benedetto, "Advanced Ground Penetrating Radar: open issues and new research opportunities in Europe," Proc. 10th European Radar Conference (EuRad), 2013 European Microwave Week (EuMW), 6-11 October 2013, Nuremberg, Germany, pp. 1847-1850. [5] Proceedings of the First Action's General Meeting (Editors: L. Pajewski and A. Benedetto; Publishing House: Aracne; Rome, July 2013; 194 pp.; ISBN 978-88-548-6191-6; o.o. 978-88-548-6190-9) - available as free download on www.GPRadar.eu [6] Booklet of Participants and Institutions (Editors: L. Pajewski and A. Benedetto; Publishing House: Aracne; Rome, July 2013; 127 pp.; ISBN 978-88-548-6192-3; o.o. 978-88-548-6190-9) - available as free download on www.GPRadar.eu

Adaptive management of large aquatic ecosystem recovery programs in the United States.

PubMed

Thom, Ronald; St Clair, Tom; Burns, Rebecca; Anderson, Michael

2016-12-01

Adaptive management (AM) is being employed in a number of programs in the United States to guide actions to restore aquatic ecosystems because these programs are both expensive and are faced with significant uncertainties. Many of these uncertainties are associated with prioritizing when, where, and what kind of actions are needed to meet the objectives of enhancing ecosystem services and recovering threatened and endangered species. We interviewed nine large-scale aquatic ecosystem restoration programs across the United States to document the lessons learned from implementing AM. In addition, we recorded information on ecological drivers (e.g., endangered fish species) for the program, and inferred how these drivers reflected more generic ecosystem services. Ecosystem services (e.g., genetic diversity, cultural heritage), albeit not explicit drivers, were either important to the recovery or enhancement of the drivers, or were additional benefits associated with actions to recover or enhance the program drivers. Implementing programs using AM lessons learned has apparently helped achieve better results regarding enhancing ecosystem services and restoring target species populations. The interviews yielded several recommendations. The science and AM program must be integrated into how the overall restoration program operates in order to gain understanding and support, and effectively inform management decision-making. Governance and decision-making varied based on its particular circumstances. Open communication within and among agency and stakeholder groups and extensive vetting lead up to decisions. It was important to have an internal agency staff member to implement the AM plan, and a clear designation of roles and responsibilities, and long-term commitment of other involved parties. The most important management questions and information needs must be identified up front. It was imperative to clearly identify, link and continually reinforce the essential components of an AM plan, including objectives, constraints, uncertainties, hypotheses, management actions, decision criteria and triggers, monitoring, and research. Some employed predictive models and the results of research on uncertainties to vet options for actions. Many relied on best available science and professional judgment to decide if adjustments to actions were needed. All programs emphasized the need to be nimble enough to be responsive to new information and make necessary adjustments to management action implementation. We recommend that ecosystem services be explicit drivers of restoration programs to facilitate needed funding and communicate to the general public and with the global efforts on restoring and conserving ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence for the role of self-priming in epistemic action: expertise and the effective use of memory.

PubMed

Maglio, Paul P; Wenger, Michael J; Copeland, Angelina M

2008-01-01

Epistemic actions are physical actions people take to simplify internal problem solving rather than to move closer to an external goal. When playing the video game Tetris, for instance, experts routinely rotate falling shapes more than is strictly needed to place the shapes. Maglio and Kirsh [Kirsh, D., & Maglio, P. (1994). On distinguishing epistemic from pragmatic action. Cognitive Science, 18, 513-549; Maglio, P. P. (1995). The computational basis of interactive skill. PhD thesis, University of California, San Diego] proposed that such actions might serve the purpose of priming memory by external means, reducing the need for internal computation (e.g., mental rotation), and resulting in performance improvements that exceed the cost of taking additional actions. The present study tests this priming hypothesis in a set of four experiments. The first three explored precisely the conditions under which priming produces benefits. Results showed that presentation of multiple orientations of a shape led to faster responses than did presentation of a single orientation, and that this effect depended on the interval between preview and test. The fourth explored whether the benefit of seeing shapes in multiple orientations outweighs the cost of taking the extra actions to rotate shapes physically. Benefits were measured using a novel statistical method for mapping reaction-time data onto an estimate of the increase in processing capacity afforded by seeing multiple orientations. Cost was measured using an empirical estimate of time needed to take action in Tetris. Results showed that indeed the increase in internal processing capacity obtained from seeing shapes in multiple orientations outweighed the time to take extra actions.

Crimes against humanity: the role of international courts.

PubMed

Schneider, Eder Milton; Iglesias, José Roberto; Hallberg, Karen; Kuperman, Marcelo Néstor

2014-01-01

We study the role of international tribunals, like the International Criminal Court (ICC), as an effective way of reducing the number and/or gravity of crimes against humanity. The action of the ICC is directed against leaders that promote or tolerate these kinds of crimes, that is, political authorities, army commanders, civil leaders, etc. In order to simulate the action of the ICC we build a hierarchical society where the most important leaders have the highest connectivity and can spread their points of view, or their orders, through a chain of less but still highly connected deputy chiefs or opinion chieftains. In this way, if they practice misconduct, corruption, or any kind of discriminatory or criminal actions against individuals or groups, it would very difficult and improbable that they will be prosecuted by the courts of their own country. It is to alleviate this situation that the ICC was created. Its mission is to process and condemn crimes against humanity though a supranational organism that can act on criminal leaders in any country. In this study, the action of the ICC is simulated by removing the corrupt leader and replacing it by a "decent" one. However, as the action of the corrupt leader could have spread among the population by the time the ICC acts, we try to determine if a unique action of the ICC is sufficient or if further actions are required, depending on the degree of deterioration of the human rights in the hypothetical country. The results evidence the positive effect of the ICC action with a relatively low number of interventions. The effect of the ICC is also compared with the action of the local national judiciary system.

Crimes against Humanity: The Role of International Courts

PubMed Central

Schneider, Éder Milton; Iglesias, José Roberto; Hallberg, Karen; Kuperman, Marcelo Néstor

2014-01-01

We study the role of international tribunals, like the International Criminal Court (ICC), as an effective way of reducing the number and/or gravity of crimes against humanity. The action of the ICC is directed against leaders that promote or tolerate these kinds of crimes, that is, political authorities, army commanders, civil leaders, etc. In order to simulate the action of the ICC we build a hierarchical society where the most important leaders have the highest connectivity and can spread their points of view, or their orders, through a chain of less but still highly connected deputy chiefs or opinion chieftains. In this way, if they practice misconduct, corruption, or any kind of discriminatory or criminal actions against individuals or groups, it would very difficult and improbable that they will be prosecuted by the courts of their own country. It is to alleviate this situation that the ICC was created. Its mission is to process and condemn crimes against humanity though a supranational organism that can act on criminal leaders in any country. In this study, the action of the ICC is simulated by removing the corrupt leader and replacing it by a “decent” one. However, as the action of the corrupt leader could have spread among the population by the time the ICC acts, we try to determine if a unique action of the ICC is sufficient or if further actions are required, depending on the degree of deterioration of the human rights in the hypothetical country. The results evidence the positive effect of the ICC action with a relatively low number of interventions. The effect of the ICC is also compared with the action of the local national judiciary system. PMID:24967894

History and Culture of Alara--The Action Learning and Action Research Association

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zuber-Skerritt, Ortrun; Passfield, Ron

2016-01-01

As co-founders of the Action Learning and Action Research Association (ALARA), we tell the story of this international network organisation through our personal experience. Our history traces the evolution of ALARA from origins at the first World Congress in 1990 in Brisbane, Australia, through development over two and a half decades, to its…

Defining Success in Action Learning: An International Comparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bong, Hyeon-Cheol; Cho, Yonjoo

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to explore how the two groups of action learning experts (Korean and non-Korean experts) define success of action learning to see whether there are any cultural differences. To this end, the authors conducted a total of 44 interviews with action learning experts around the world. Research questions guiding…

26 CFR 1.144-2 - Remedial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Remedial actions. 1.144-2 Section 1.144-2...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Tax Exemption Requirements for State and Local Bonds § 1.144-2 Remedial actions. The remedial action rules of § 1.142-2 apply to qualified small issue bonds issued under section 144(a...

26 CFR 1.144-2 - Remedial actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Remedial actions. 1.144-2 Section 1.144-2...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Tax Exemption Requirements for State and Local Bonds § 1.144-2 Remedial actions. The remedial action rules of § 1.142-2 apply to qualified small issue bonds issued under section 144(a...

Priming of reach trajectory when observing actions: Hand-centred effects

PubMed Central

Griffiths, Debra; Tipper, Steven P.

2009-01-01

When another person's actions are observed it appears that these actions are simulated, such that similar motor processes are triggered in the observer. Much evidence suggests that such simulation concerns the achievement of behavioural goals, such as grasping a particular object, and is less concerned with the specific nature of the action, such as the path the hand takes to reach the goal object. We demonstrate that when observing another person reach around an obstacle, an observer's subsequent reach has an increased curved trajectory, reflecting motor priming of reach path. This priming of reach trajectory via action observation can take place under a variety of circumstances: with or without a shared goal, and when the action is seen from a variety of perspectives. However, of most importance, the reach path priming effect is only evoked if the obstacle avoided by another person is within the action (peripersonal) space of the observer. PMID:19731190

Ordering actions for visibility. [distributed computing based on idea of atomic actions operating on data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckendry, M. S.

1985-01-01

The notion of 'atomic actions' has been considered in recent work on data integrity and reliability. It has been found that the standard database operations of 'read' and 'write' carry with them severe performance limitations. For this reason, systems are now being designed in which actions operate on 'objects' through operations with more-or-less arbitrary semantics. An object (i.e., an instance of an abstract data type) comprises data, a set of operations (procedures) to manipulate the data, and a set of invariants. An 'action' is a unit of work. It appears to be primitive to its surrounding environment, and 'atomic' to other actions. Attention is given to the conventional model of nested actions, ordering requirements, the maximum possible visibility (full visibility) for items which must be controlled by ordering constraints, item management paradigms, and requirements for blocking mechanisms which provide the required visibility.

THE ROLE OF GUIDANCE SERVICES IN COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMS COMBATING POVERTY.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GUIDANCE OBJECTIVES TO BE INCLUDED IN A COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM COMBATING PROVERTY ARE PRESENTED. THE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE EARLY ADJUSTMENT OF STUDENTS, EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND INTERPRETATION OF ABILITIES, EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER PLANS BASED ON ABILITIES AND SKILLS, PARENT UNDERSTANDING OF OPPORTUNITIES, ENCOURAGEMENT OF REALISTIC GOALS IN LINE…

Grasp Preparation Improves Change Detection for Congruent Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Symes, Ed; Tucker, Mike; Ellis, Rob; Vainio, Lari; Ottoboni, Giovanni

2008-01-01

A series of experiments provided converging support for the hypothesis that action preparation biases selective attention to action-congruent object features. When visual transients are masked in so-called "change-blindness scenes," viewers are blind to substantial changes between 2 otherwise identical pictures that flick back and forth. The…

Bimanual coupling paradigm as an effective tool to investigate productive behaviors in motor and body awareness impairments.

PubMed

Garbarini, Francesca; Pia, Lorenzo

2013-11-05

When humans move simultaneously both hands strong coupling effects arise and neither of the two hands is able to perform independent actions. It has been suggested that such motor constraints are tightly linked to action representation rather than to movement execution. Hence, bimanual tasks can represent an ideal experimental tool to investigate internal motor representations in those neurological conditions in which the movement of one hand is impaired. Indeed, any effect on the "moving" (healthy) hand would be caused by the constraints imposed by the ongoing motor program of the 'impaired' hand. Here, we review recent studies that successfully utilized the above-mentioned paradigms to investigate some types of productive motor behaviors in stroke patients. Specifically, bimanual tasks have been employed in left hemiplegic patients who report illusory movements of their contralesional limbs (anosognosia for hemiplegia). They have also been administered to patients affected by a specific monothematic delusion of body ownership, namely the belief that another person's arm and his/her voluntary action belong to them. In summary, the reviewed studies show that bimanual tasks are a simple and valuable experimental method apt to reveal information about the motor programs of a paralyzed limb. Therefore, it can be used to objectively examine the cognitive processes underpinning motor programming in patients with different delusions of motor behavior. Additionally, it also sheds light on the mechanisms subserving bimanual coordination in the intact brain suggesting that action representation might be sufficient to produce these effects.

78 FR 34031 - Burned Area Emergency Response, Forest Service

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-06

...) Evaluate potential threats to critical values; (2) determine the risk level for each threat; (3) identify... actions that meet the objectives; (6) evaluate potential response actions on likelihood for timely... stabilization actions. Improved the descriptive guidelines for employing response actions involving...

75 FR 67711 - International Energy Agency Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-03

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY International Energy Agency Meetings AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of meetings. SUMMARY: The Industry Advisory Board (IAB) to the International Energy Agency (IEA... Security Programs, Department of Energy, 1000 [[Page 67712

Mental object rotation and the planning of hand movements.

PubMed

Wohlschläger, A

2001-05-01

Recently, we showed that the simultaneous execution of rotational hand movements interferes with mental object rotation, provided that the axes of rotation coincide in space. We hypothesized that mental object rotation and the programming of rotational hand movements share a common process presumably involved in action planning. Two experiments are reported here that show that the mere planning of a rotational hand movement is sufficient to cause interference with mental object rotation. Subjects had to plan different spatially directed hand movements that they were asked to execute only after they had solved a mental object rotation task. Experiment 1 showed that mental object rotation was slower if hand movements were planned in a direction opposite to the presumed mental rotation direction, but only if the axes of hand rotation and mental object rotation were parallel in space. Experiment 2 showed that this interference occurred independent of the preparatory hand movements observed in Experiment 1. Thus, it is the planning of hand movements and not their preparation or execution that interferes with mental object rotation. This finding underlines the idea that mental object rotation is an imagined (covert) action, rather than a pure visual-spatial imagery task, and that the interference between mental object rotation and rotational hand movements is an interference between goals of actions.

Enhancing cognition with video games: a multiple game training study.

PubMed

Oei, Adam C; Patterson, Michael D

2013-01-01

Previous evidence points to a causal link between playing action video games and enhanced cognition and perception. However, benefits of playing other video games are under-investigated. We examined whether playing non-action games also improves cognition. Hence, we compared transfer effects of an action and other non-action types that required different cognitive demands. We instructed 5 groups of non-gamer participants to play one game each on a mobile device (iPhone/iPod Touch) for one hour a day/five days a week over four weeks (20 hours). Games included action, spatial memory, match-3, hidden- object, and an agent-based life simulation. Participants performed four behavioral tasks before and after video game training to assess for transfer effects. Tasks included an attentional blink task, a spatial memory and visual search dual task, a visual filter memory task to assess for multiple object tracking and cognitive control, as well as a complex verbal span task. Action game playing eliminated attentional blink and improved cognitive control and multiple-object tracking. Match-3, spatial memory and hidden object games improved visual search performance while the latter two also improved spatial working memory. Complex verbal span improved after match-3 and action game training. Cognitive improvements were not limited to action game training alone and different games enhanced different aspects of cognition. We conclude that training specific cognitive abilities frequently in a video game improves performance in tasks that share common underlying demands. Overall, these results suggest that many video game-related cognitive improvements may not be due to training of general broad cognitive systems such as executive attentional control, but instead due to frequent utilization of specific cognitive processes during game play. Thus, many video game training related improvements to cognition may be attributed to near-transfer effects.

Invariant recognition drives neural representations of action sequences

PubMed Central

Poggio, Tomaso

2017-01-01

Recognizing the actions of others from visual stimuli is a crucial aspect of human perception that allows individuals to respond to social cues. Humans are able to discriminate between similar actions despite transformations, like changes in viewpoint or actor, that substantially alter the visual appearance of a scene. This ability to generalize across complex transformations is a hallmark of human visual intelligence. Advances in understanding action recognition at the neural level have not always translated into precise accounts of the computational principles underlying what representations of action sequences are constructed by human visual cortex. Here we test the hypothesis that invariant action discrimination might fill this gap. Recently, the study of artificial systems for static object perception has produced models, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), that achieve human level performance in complex discriminative tasks. Within this class, architectures that better support invariant object recognition also produce image representations that better match those implied by human and primate neural data. However, whether these models produce representations of action sequences that support recognition across complex transformations and closely follow neural representations of actions remains unknown. Here we show that spatiotemporal CNNs accurately categorize video stimuli into action classes, and that deliberate model modifications that improve performance on an invariant action recognition task lead to data representations that better match human neural recordings. Our results support our hypothesis that performance on invariant discrimination dictates the neural representations of actions computed in the brain. These results broaden the scope of the invariant recognition framework for understanding visual intelligence from perception of inanimate objects and faces in static images to the study of human perception of action sequences. PMID:29253864

22 CFR 1203.735-105 - Disciplinary action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Disciplinary action. 1203.735-105 Section 1203.735-105 Foreign Relations UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AGENCY EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General Provisions § 1203.735-105 Disciplinary action. A violation of the regulations...

19 CFR 210.49 - Implementation of Commission action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Implementation of Commission action. 210.49 Section 210.49 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS OF UNFAIR PRACTICES IN IMPORT TRADE ADJUDICATION AND ENFORCEMENT Determinations and Actions Taken § 210.49...

77 FR 32444 - Minimum Internal Control Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-01

... Internal Control Standards AGENCY: National Indian Gaming Commission. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) proposes to amend its minimum internal control standards for Class... the Federal Register called Minimum Internal Control Standards. 64 FR 590. The rule added a new part...

Impulsive action: emotional impulses and their control

PubMed Central

Frijda, Nico H.; Ridderinkhof, K. Richard; Rietveld, Erik

2014-01-01

This paper presents a novel theoretical view on impulsive action, integrating thus far separate perspectives on non-reflective action, motivation, emotion regulation, and impulse control. We frame impulsive action in terms of directedness of the individual organism toward, away, or against other givens – toward future states and away from one’s present state. First, appraisal of a perceived or thought-of event or object on occasion, rapidly and without premonition or conscious deliberation, triggers a motive to modify one’s relation to that event or object. Situational specifics of the event as perceived and appraised motivate and guide selection of readiness for a particular kind of purposive action. Second, perception of complex situations can give rise to multiple appraisals, multiple motives, and multiple simultaneous changes in action readiness. Multiple states of action readiness may interact in generating action, by reinforcing or attenuating each other, thereby yielding impulse control. We show how emotion control can itself result from a motive state or state of action readiness. Our view links impulsive action mechanistically to states of action readiness, which is the central feature of what distinguishes one kind of emotion from another. It thus provides a novel theoretical perspective to the somewhat fragmented literature on impulsive action. PMID:24917835

Conflict between object structural and functional affordances in peripersonal space.

PubMed

Kalénine, Solène; Wamain, Yannick; Decroix, Jérémy; Coello, Yann

2016-10-01

Recent studies indicate that competition between conflicting action representations slows down planning of object-directed actions. The present study aims to assess whether similar conflict effects exist during manipulable object perception. Twenty-six young adults performed reach-to-grasp and semantic judgements on conflictual objects (with competing structural and functional gestures) and non-conflictual objects (with similar structural and functional gestures) presented at difference distances in a 3D virtual environment. Results highlight a space-dependent conflict between structural and functional affordances. Perceptual judgments on conflictual objects were slower that perceptual judgments on non-conflictual objects, but only when objects were presented within reach. Findings demonstrate that competition between structural and functional affordances during object perception induces a processing cost, and further show that object position in space can bias affordance competition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

GPS: Actions Needed to Address Ground System Development Problems and User Equipment Production Readiness

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

Executive Action 43 Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 44 Appendix I Objectives , Scope, and Methodology 47 Appendix II Comments from the Department of...findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives . We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and...conclusions based on our audit objectives . GPS is a global positioning, navigation, and timing system consisting of space, ground control, and user equipment

Both vision-for-perception and vision-for-action follow Weber's law at small object sizes, but violate it at larger sizes.

PubMed

Bruno, Nicola; Uccelli, Stefano; Viviani, Eva; de'Sperati, Claudio

2016-10-01

According to a previous report, the visual coding of size does not obey Weber's law when aimed at guiding a grasp (Ganel et al., 2008a). This result has been interpreted as evidence for a fundamental difference between sensory processing in vision-for-perception, which needs to compress a wide range of physical objects to a restricted range of percepts, and vision-for-action when applied to the much narrower range of graspable and reachable objects. We compared finger aperture in a motor task (precision grip) and perceptual task (cross modal matching or "manual estimation" of the object's size). Crucially, we tested the whole range of graspable objects. We report that both grips and estimations clearly violate Weber's law with medium-to-large objects, but are essentially consistent with Weber's law with smaller objects. These results differ from previous characterizations of perception-action dissociations in the precision of representations of object size. Implications for current functional interpretations of the dorsal and ventral processing streams in the human visual system are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Longitudinal Evaluation of the Positive Action Program in a Low-Income, Racially Diverse, Rural County: Effects on Self-Esteem, School Hassles, Aggression, and Internalizing Symptoms.

PubMed

Guo, Shenyang; Wu, Qi; Smokowski, Paul R; Bacallao, Martica; Evans, Caroline B R; Cotter, Katie L

2015-12-01

Positive Action is a school-based program that aims to decrease problem behaviors (e.g., violence, substance use) and increase positive behaviors (e.g., school engagement, academic achievement). Although a number of studies have shown that Positive Action successfully achieves these goals, few studies have evaluated the program's effectiveness in rural schools. Given that rural youth are at an increased risk for risky behaviors (e.g., violence, substance use), this is a critical gap in the existing Positive Action research base. The current study assesses the impact of Positive Action on change rates of self-esteem, school hassles, aggression, and internalizing symptoms in a group (N = 1246, 52% female) of ethnically/racially diverse (27% White, 23% African American, 12% mixed race/other, 8% Latino, 30% as American Indian) middle school youth (age range 9-20) located in two violent, low-income rural counties in North Carolina. One county engaged in Positive Action over the 3-year study window while the other county did not. Following multiple imputation and propensity score analysis, 4 two-level hierarchical linear models were run using each of the outcome measures as dependent variables. The results indicate that the program generates statistically significant beneficial effects for youth from the intervention county on self-esteem scores and school hassles scores. Although the program generates beneficial effects for intervention youth on the change in aggression scores, the finding is not statistically significant. The finding on the change in internalizing scores shows a non-significant detrimental effect: the youth from the comparison county have lower internalizing scores than those from the intervention county. Implications are discussed.

Prediction of Human Activity by Discovering Temporal Sequence Patterns.

PubMed

Li, Kang; Fu, Yun

2014-08-01

Early prediction of ongoing human activity has become more valuable in a large variety of time-critical applications. To build an effective representation for prediction, human activities can be characterized by a complex temporal composition of constituent simple actions and interacting objects. Different from early detection on short-duration simple actions, we propose a novel framework for long -duration complex activity prediction by discovering three key aspects of activity: Causality, Context-cue, and Predictability. The major contributions of our work include: (1) a general framework is proposed to systematically address the problem of complex activity prediction by mining temporal sequence patterns; (2) probabilistic suffix tree (PST) is introduced to model causal relationships between constituent actions, where both large and small order Markov dependencies between action units are captured; (3) the context-cue, especially interactive objects information, is modeled through sequential pattern mining (SPM), where a series of action and object co-occurrence are encoded as a complex symbolic sequence; (4) we also present a predictive accumulative function (PAF) to depict the predictability of each kind of activity. The effectiveness of our approach is evaluated on two experimental scenarios with two data sets for each: action-only prediction and context-aware prediction. Our method achieves superior performance for predicting global activity classes and local action units.

The Relative Influence of Goal and Kinematics on Corticospinal Excitability Depends on the Information Provided to the Observer

PubMed Central

Mc Cabe, Sofía I.; Villalta, Jorge Ignacio; Saunier, Ghislain; Grafton, Scott T.; Della-Maggiore, Valeria

2015-01-01

Viewing a person perform an action activates the observer's motor system. Whether this phenomenon reflects the action's kinematics or its final goal remains a matter of debate. One alternative to this apparent controversy is that the relative influence of goal and kinematics depends on the information available to the observer. Here, we addressed this possibility. For this purpose, we measured corticospinal excitability (CSE) while subjects viewed 3 different grasping actions with 2 goals: a large and a small object. Actions were directed to the large object, the small object, or corrected online in which case the goal switched during the movement. We first determined the kinematics and dynamics of the 3 actions during execution. This information was used in 2 other experiments to measure CSE while observers viewed videos of the same actions. CSE was recorded prior to movement onset and at 3 time points during the observed action. To discern between goal and kinematics, information about the goal was manipulated across experiments. We found that the goal influenced CSE only when its identity was known before movement onset. In contrast, a kinematic modulation of CSE was observed whether or not information regarding the goal was provided. PMID:24591524

What Deters Crime? Comparing the Effectiveness of Legal, Social, and Internal Sanctions Across Countries.

PubMed

Mann, Heather; Garcia-Rada, Ximena; Hornuf, Lars; Tafurt, Juan

2016-01-01

The question of what deters crime is of both theoretical and practical interest. The present paper focuses on what factors deter minor, non-violent crimes, i.e., dishonest actions that violate the law. Much research has been devoted to testing the effectiveness of legal sanctions on crime, while newer models also include social sanctions (judgment of friends or family) and internal sanctions (feelings of guilt). Existing research suggests that both internal sanctions and, to a lesser extent, legal sanctions deter crime, but it is unclear whether this pattern is unique to Western countries or robust across cultures. We administered a survey study to participants in China, Colombia, Germany, Portugal, and USA, five countries from distinct cultural regions of the world. Participants were asked to report the likelihood of engaging in seven dishonest and illegal actions, and were asked to indicate the probability and severity of consequences for legal, friend, family, and internal sanctions. Results indicated that across countries, internal sanctions had the strongest deterrent effects on crime. The deterrent effects of legal sanctions were weaker and varied across countries. Furthermore, the deterrent effects of legal sanctions were strongest when internal sanctions were lax. Unexpectedly, social sanctions were positively related to likelihood of engaging in crime. Taken together, these results suggest that the relative strengths of legal and internal sanctions are robust across cultures and dishonest actions.

What Deters Crime? Comparing the Effectiveness of Legal, Social, and Internal Sanctions Across Countries

PubMed Central

Mann, Heather; Garcia-Rada, Ximena; Hornuf, Lars; Tafurt, Juan

2016-01-01

The question of what deters crime is of both theoretical and practical interest. The present paper focuses on what factors deter minor, non-violent crimes, i.e., dishonest actions that violate the law. Much research has been devoted to testing the effectiveness of legal sanctions on crime, while newer models also include social sanctions (judgment of friends or family) and internal sanctions (feelings of guilt). Existing research suggests that both internal sanctions and, to a lesser extent, legal sanctions deter crime, but it is unclear whether this pattern is unique to Western countries or robust across cultures. We administered a survey study to participants in China, Colombia, Germany, Portugal, and USA, five countries from distinct cultural regions of the world. Participants were asked to report the likelihood of engaging in seven dishonest and illegal actions, and were asked to indicate the probability and severity of consequences for legal, friend, family, and internal sanctions. Results indicated that across countries, internal sanctions had the strongest deterrent effects on crime. The deterrent effects of legal sanctions were weaker and varied across countries. Furthermore, the deterrent effects of legal sanctions were strongest when internal sanctions were lax. Unexpectedly, social sanctions were positively related to likelihood of engaging in crime. Taken together, these results suggest that the relative strengths of legal and internal sanctions are robust across cultures and dishonest actions. PMID:26903898

Grounding Action Words in the Sensorimotor Interaction with the World: Experiments with a Simulated iCub Humanoid Robot

PubMed Central

Marocco, Davide; Cangelosi, Angelo; Fischer, Kerstin; Belpaeme, Tony

2010-01-01

This paper presents a cognitive robotics model for the study of the embodied representation of action words. The present research will present how an iCub humanoid robot can learn the meaning of action words (i.e. words that represent dynamical events that happen in time) by physically interacting with the environment and linking the effects of its own actions with the behavior observed on the objects before and after the action. The control system of the robot is an artificial neural network trained to manipulate an object through a Back-Propagation-Through-Time algorithm. We will show that in the presented model the grounding of action words relies directly to the way in which an agent interacts with the environment and manipulates it. PMID:20725503

Grasping objects by their handles: a necessary interaction between cognition and action

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Creem, S. H.; Proffitt, D. R.; Kaiser, M. K. (Principal Investigator)

2001-01-01

Research has illustrated dissociations between "cognitive" and "action" systems, suggesting that different representations may underlie phenomenal experience and visuomotor behavior. However, these systems also interact. The present studies show a necessary interaction when semantic processing of an object is required for an appropriate action. Experiment 1 demonstrated that a semantic task interfered with grasping objects appropriately by their handles, but a visuospatial task did not. Experiment 2 assessed performance on a visuomotor task that had no semantic component and showed a reversal of the effects of the concurrent tasks. In Experiment 3, variations on concurrent word tasks suggested that retrieval of semantic information was necessary for appropriate grasping. In all, without semantic processing, the visuomotor system can direct the effective grasp of an object, but not in a manner that is appropriate for its use.

Mirror neurons encode the subjective value of an observed action.

PubMed

Caggiano, Vittorio; Fogassi, Leonardo; Rizzolatti, Giacomo; Casile, Antonino; Giese, Martin A; Thier, Peter

2012-07-17

Objects grasped by an agent have a value not only for the acting agent, but also for an individual observing the grasping act. The value that the observer attributes to the object that is grasped can be pivotal for selecting a possible behavioral response. Mirror neurons in area F5 of the monkey premotor cortex have been suggested to play a crucial role in the understanding of action goals. However, it has not been addressed if these neurons are also involved in representing the value of the grasped object. Here we report that observation-related neuronal responses of F5 mirror neurons are indeed modulated by the value that the monkey associates with the grasped object. These findings suggest that during action observation F5 mirror neurons have access to key information needed to shape the behavioral responses of the observer.

Examining Pharmacy Workforce Issues in the United States and the United Kingdom

PubMed Central

Covvey, Jordan R.; Cohron, Peter P.

2015-01-01

Objective. To examine available data and actions surrounding current pharmacy workforce issues in the United States and United Kingdom. Methods. Published pharmacy workforce data from the United States and United Kingdom were gathered from various sources, including PUBMED, Internet search engines, and pharmacy organization websites. Data was collated from additional sources including scientific literature, internal documents, news releases, and policy positions. Results. The number of colleges and schools of pharmacy has expanded by approximately 50% in both the United States and United Kingdom over the previous decade. In the United States, continued demand for the pharmacy workforce has been forecasted, but this need is based on outdated supply figures and assumptions for economic recovery. In the United Kingdom, workforce modeling has predicted a significant future oversupply of pharmacists, and action within the profession has attempted to address the situation through educational planning and regulation. Conclusion. Workforce planning is an essential task for sustaining a healthy profession. Recent workforce planning mechanisms in the United Kingdom may provide guidance for renewed efforts within the profession in the United States. PMID:25861098

International trade in live molluscs: perspective from the Americas.

PubMed

Elston, R A

1996-06-01

There is an active world trade in seed and edible molluscs, including such species as oysters, abalones, clams, scallops, and mussels. The supply of new and effectively-produced products, such as triploid oyster seed, is likely to increase due to greater world-wide demand for these high-value products, together with improved technology. Transfer to live molluscs is driven by need an availability, with concern over infectious disease risks often playing subordinate role or serving to support economic trade barriers. Experience shows that serious risks from infectious disease transfer exist. Technology and balanced management, however, can limit such risks. Separation of biological risks from trade control objectives is a necessary first step. A systematic method of risk analysis is urgently needed, along with predefined actions which can be adapted to the various risk levels. Critical to the effective development and implementation of this risk analysis is the participation of the shellfish industry in defining risks and actions. Organization and infrastructure to improve recognition of infectious diseases and decrease response time are necessary improvements, together with appropriately-targeted research on impacts, diagnosis, epidemiology, carrier status, and geographical distribution of diseases.

48 CFR 705.207 - Preparation and transmittal of certain synopses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACQUISITION PLANNING PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS Synopsis of Proposed Contract Actions 705.207 Preparation and transmittal of certain synopses. The responsible contracting officer shall...

Mixed Methods Research With Internally Displaced Colombian Gay and Bisexual Men and Transwomen

PubMed Central

Zea, Maria Cecilia; Aguilar-Pardo, Marcela; Betancourt, Fabian; Reisen, Carol A.; Gonzales, Felisa

2014-01-01

We discuss the use of mixed methods research to further understanding of displaced Colombian gay and bisexual men and transwomen, a marginalized population at risk. Within the framework of communicative action, which calls for social change through egalitarian dialog, we describe how our multinational, interdisciplinary research team explored the subjective, objective, and social worlds of participants through life history interviews and surveys. We also describe the unique Colombian context, conscious efforts to establish egalitarian relationships among research team members, and efforts to disseminate and reflect on findings. Through discussion of our research process and results, we aim to demonstrate how mixed methods research can be utilized to facilitate noncoercive discourse and contribute to social change. PMID:24926225

76 FR 62092 - Filing Procedures

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-06

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION Filing Procedures AGENCY: International Trade Commission. ACTION: Notice of issuance of Handbook on Filing Procedures. SUMMARY: The United States International Trade Commission (``Commission'') is issuing a Handbook on Filing Procedures to replace its Handbook on Electronic...

77 FR 66481 - Certain Integrated Circuits, Chipsets, and Products Containing Same Including Televisions; Notice...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-05

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 337-TA-822] Certain Integrated Circuits.... International Trade Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International... the General Counsel, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436...

19 CFR 206.54 - Investigations with respect to extension of action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Investigations with respect to extension of action. 206.54 Section 206.54 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS RELATING TO GLOBAL AND BILATERAL SAFEGUARD ACTIONS, MARKET DISRUPTION, TRADE...

Participatory Action Research: International Contexts and Consequences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McTaggart, Robin, Ed.

The collection of essays in this book illustrate commonalties and differences among the theories, practices, and forms of organization of participatory action research in different countries. Participatory action research expresses the recognition that all research methodologies are implicitly political in nature, and this is reflected in the…

Analysis of the characteristics of competitive badminton

PubMed Central

Cabello, M; Gonzalez-Badillo, J

2003-01-01

Objective: To describe the characteristics of badminton in order to determine the energy requirements, temporal structure, and movements in the game that indicate performance level. To use the findings to plan training with greater precision. Methods: Eleven badminton players (mean (SD) age 21.8 (3.26) years) with international experience from four different countries (France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal) were studied. Two of the Spanish players were monitored in several matches, giving a total of 14 samples, all during the 1999 Spanish International Tournament. Blood lactate concentration was measured with a reflective photometer. Maximum and average heart rates were recorded with a heart rate monitor. Temporal structure and actions during the matches were determined from video recordings. All variables were measured during and after the game and later analysed using a descriptive study. Results: The results confirmed the high demands of the sport, with a maximum heart rate of 190.5 beats/min and an average of 173.5 beats/min during matches over 28 minutes long and performance intervals of 6.4 seconds and rest time of 12.9 seconds between exchanges. Conclusions: The results suggest that badminton is characterised by repetitive efforts of alactic nature and great intensity which are continuously performed throughout the match. An awareness of these characteristics, together with data on the correlations between certain actions such as unforced errors and winning shots and the final result of the match, will aid in more appropriate planning and monitoring of specific training. PMID:12547746

Belief-desire reasoning in the explanation of behavior: do actions speak louder than words?

PubMed

Wertz, Annie E; German, Timsin C

2007-10-01

The mechanisms underwriting our commonsense psychology, or 'theory of mind', have been extensively investigated via reasoning tasks that require participants to predict the action of agents based on information about beliefs and desires. However, relatively few studies have investigated the processes contributing to a central component of 'theory of mind' - our ability to explain the action of agents in terms of underlying beliefs and desires. In two studies, we demonstrate a novel phenomenon in adult belief-desire reasoning, capturing the folk notion that 'actions speak louder than words'. When story characters were described as searching in the wrong place for a target object, adult subjects often endorsed mental state explanations referencing a distracter object, but only when that object was approached. We discuss how this phenomenon, alongside other reasoning "errors" (e.g., hindsight bias; the curse of knowledge) can be used to illuminate the architecture of domain specific belief-desire reasoning processes.

A blueprint for professionalizing humanitarian assistance.

PubMed

Walker, Peter; Hein, Karen; Russ, Catherine; Bertleff, Greg; Caspersz, Dan

2010-12-01

International humanitarian response to crises employs 210,000 people and accounts for nearly $15 billion in spending globally each year. Most action is carried out by not-for-profit organizations working with United Nations (UN) agencies, military organizations, and commercial entities. UN agencies employ many technical experts, often retaining them for five or more years. As yet there is no international professional apparatus to promote the quality and integrity of this workforce. This paper reports on research exploring the case for professionalizing humanitarian action through an international professional association, the development of core competencies, and the creation of a universal certification system for aid workers.

Neuronal Reward and Decision Signals: From Theories to Data

PubMed Central

Schultz, Wolfram

2015-01-01

Rewards are crucial objects that induce learning, approach behavior, choices, and emotions. Whereas emotions are difficult to investigate in animals, the learning function is mediated by neuronal reward prediction error signals which implement basic constructs of reinforcement learning theory. These signals are found in dopamine neurons, which emit a global reward signal to striatum and frontal cortex, and in specific neurons in striatum, amygdala, and frontal cortex projecting to select neuronal populations. The approach and choice functions involve subjective value, which is objectively assessed by behavioral choices eliciting internal, subjective reward preferences. Utility is the formal mathematical characterization of subjective value and a prime decision variable in economic choice theory. It is coded as utility prediction error by phasic dopamine responses. Utility can incorporate various influences, including risk, delay, effort, and social interaction. Appropriate for formal decision mechanisms, rewards are coded as object value, action value, difference value, and chosen value by specific neurons. Although all reward, reinforcement, and decision variables are theoretical constructs, their neuronal signals constitute measurable physical implementations and as such confirm the validity of these concepts. The neuronal reward signals provide guidance for behavior while constraining the free will to act. PMID:26109341

75 FR 6157 - Airworthiness Directives; Gulfstream Aerospace LP Model Gulfstream 100 Airplanes, and Model Astra...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-08

... objects may also occur. The proposed AD would require actions that are intended to address the unsafe... flying debris and objects may also occur. Required actions include modifying the warning and caution lights panel (WACLP), changing the WACLP and MED wiring, changing the wiring harness connecting the MED...

Actions, Objectives & Concerns. Human Parameters for Architectural Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lasswell, Thomas E.; And Others

An experiment conducted at California State College, Los Angeles, to test the value of social-psychological research in defining building needs is described. The problems of how to identify and synthesize the disparate objectives, concerns and actions of the groups who use or otherwise have an interest in large and complex buildings is discussed.…

Grasp Representations Depend on Knowledge and Attention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chua, Kao-Wei; Bub, Daniel N.; Masson, Michael E. J.; Gauthier, Isabel

2018-01-01

Seeing pictures of objects activates the motor cortex and can have an influence on subsequent grasping actions. However, the exact nature of the motor representations evoked by these pictures is unclear. For example, action plans engaged by pictures could be most affected by direct visual input and computed online based on object shape.…

Intentions of Chiropractic Interns Regarding use of Health Promotion in Practice: Applying Theory of Reasoned Action to Identify Attitudes, Beliefs, and Influencing Factors

PubMed Central

Evans, Marion W.; Ndetan, Harrison; Williams, Ronald D.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The theory of reasoned action is a health behavioral theory that has been used to predict personal health behaviors and intentions as well as those of providers delivering health care. The purpose of this study was to determine interns' future practices regarding the use of health promotion using this model to develop survey questions and to determine attitudes and perceived influences on their prospective behaviors in general, toward the use of health promotion once in practice. Methods: Across the course of one year, all graduating interns at a chiropractic college were queried with a 20 question survey designed using the theory of reasoned action. Frequencies and inferential statistics were performed including prediction modeling using logistic regression. Results: A majority (>85%) of interns indicated they would use health promotion in practice. Differences were noted based on perceived skill levels, perception of educational emphasis, various normative beliefs, and gender. Conclusion: Most interns will use some form of health promotion in practice. Normative influences including those seen as key influencers are as powerful a predictor as perceived education or skill levels on future practice of health promotion. PMID:19390679

Intentions of Chiropractic Interns Regarding use of Health Promotion in Practice: Applying Theory of Reasoned Action to Identify Attitudes, Beliefs, and Influencing Factors.

PubMed

Evans, Marion W; Ndetan, Harrison; Williams, Ronald D

2009-01-01

The theory of reasoned action is a health behavioral theory that has been used to predict personal health behaviors and intentions as well as those of providers delivering health care. The purpose of this study was to determine interns' future practices regarding the use of health promotion using this model to develop survey questions and to determine attitudes and perceived influences on their prospective behaviors in general, toward the use of health promotion once in practice. Across the course of one year, all graduating interns at a chiropractic college were queried with a 20 question survey designed using the theory of reasoned action. Frequencies and inferential statistics were performed including prediction modeling using logistic regression. A majority (>85%) of interns indicated they would use health promotion in practice. Differences were noted based on perceived skill levels, perception of educational emphasis, various normative beliefs, and gender. Most interns will use some form of health promotion in practice. Normative influences including those seen as key influencers are as powerful a predictor as perceived education or skill levels on future practice of health promotion.

Identification of metrics to monitor salt marsh integrity on National Wildlife Refuges in relation to conservation and management objectives

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neckles, Hilary A.; Guntenspergen, Glenn R.; Shriver, W. George; Danz, Nicholas P.; Wiest, Whitney A.; Nagel, Jessica L.; Olker, Jennifer H.

2013-01-01

Implementation of these metrics for quantitative assessment of NWRS salt marsh integrity in FWS Region 5 requires developing sampling designs for each refuge. Additionally, it is important to determine how the monitoring information will be used within a management context. SDM should be used to complete the analysis of salt marsh management decisions. The next steps would involve 1) prioritizing and weighting the management objectives; 2) predicting responses to individual management actions in terms of objectives and metrics; 3) using multiattribute utility theory to convert all measurable attributes to a common utility scale; 4) determining the total management benefit of each action by summing utilities across objectives; and 5) maximizing the total management benefits within cost constraints for each refuge. This process would allow the optimum management decisions for NWRS salt marshes to be selected and implemented based directly on monitoring data and current understanding of marsh responses to management actions. Monitoring the outcome of management actions would then allow new monitoring data to be incorporated into subsequent decisions. 

Community Action for Recreation Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christiansen, Rudolph A.; And Others

Examples of projects, notably those using watersheds, that local community action groups can promote in planning and developing needed recreational facilities are discussed in this study report. Objectives of the report are to create an awareness of group action in obtaining recreational development, to emphasize that community action is important…

Amygdala lesions in rhesus monkeys fail to disrupt object choices based on internal context

PubMed Central

Rhodes, Sarah E. V.; Charles, David P.; Howland, Emily J.; Murray, Elisabeth A.

2012-01-01

We assessed the involvement of the amygdala in a task in which object choices were guided by internal context. Rhesus monkeys were trained on a biconditional discrimination whereby objects associated with food (but not water) were baited when the monkey was hungry, and objects associated with water (but not food) were baited when the monkey was thirsty. To solve this task monkeys were required to choose objects yielding the reward congruent with their internal motivational state. Lesions of the amygdala did not disrupt learning or performance of this task. We conclude that the involvement of the amygdala in selective-satiation tasks, which depends in part on a change in internal context, is not due to the amygdala playing a general role in representing, or using, internal context. PMID:22352788

The culture of peace and peace education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Năstase, Adrian

1983-09-01

In the present world situation, there is an urgent need for new strategies of peace based on the common fundamental interest of mankind, rejecting the use of force, and aimed at creating a new world order. Recognising the close interrelationship between culture and peace, and the extension of international interdependencies in reducing economic disparities, emphasis must be given to developing positive attitudes to peace in the minds of all men: a qualitative change in thinking has to occur before international security can be ensured without resort to military alliances and nuclear deterrence. The dangers inherent in the arms race require that education for disarmament be an integral part of peace education. Likewise, the connections between peace and other international objectives such as development and human rights, need to be stressed. Peace education should lead not only to a greater awareness of problems but also to a sense of responsibility and an active involvement in efforts towards promoting equal rights, economic and social development, and mutual respect and understanding among nations. The power of informed public opinion, internationally, in influencing governments towards peace and disarmament should not be underestimated; therefore, greater attention in peace education needs to be given to identifying and overcoming the structural, conceptual and cultural obstacles to peace. What is being undertaken in Romania, especially amongst young people, by way of education and action for peace, reflects a coherent policy, comprises a powerful and effective educational whole, and is contributing towards the building up of an international `constituency' of peace and disarmament.

Interservice Procedures for Instructional Systems Development. Phase 3. Develop

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-08-01

Occur at wide intervals to be learned *Reads about the actions to *Occur at the end, but before be learned tests or on-the-job performance *Watches a...the particular sub-category. Use the learning objective action statement, conditions, standards, and the test item to help select which guidelines to...objective. EXAMPLE If you have a CLASSIFYING objective like "identifying poisonous plants,’ when you get to guideline 16. "To test learning, require the

78 FR 32306 - Advisory Group to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue; Renewal of Charter

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-29

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Advisory Group to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue; Renewal of Charter AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The... Communications and Liaison, 202-283-8868 (not a toll-free number). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby...

78 FR 2281 - Certain Robotic Toys and Components Thereof; Notice of Receipt of Complaint; Solicitation of...

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2013-01-10

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76 FR 40773 - Agency Information Collection Activity; Proposed Collection

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77 FR 1043 - Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International Inc. Turbofan Engines

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2012-01-09

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76 FR 42137 - Certain Lightweight Thermal Paper From Germany; Remand Proceedings

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2011-07-18

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2012-06-20

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2012-04-05

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77 FR 19056 - Information Reporting Program Advisory Committee (IRPAC); Nominations

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2012-03-29

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78 FR 19582 - Information Reporting Program Advisory Committee (IRPAC); Nominations

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2013-04-01

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19 CFR 200.735-104 - Disciplinary and other remedial action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Disciplinary and other remedial action. 200.735-104 Section 200.735-104 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General Provisions § 200.735-104 Disciplinary and other remedial action. (a) An...

19 CFR 200.735-104 - Disciplinary and other remedial action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Disciplinary and other remedial action. 200.735-104 Section 200.735-104 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General Provisions § 200.735-104 Disciplinary and other remedial action. (a) An...

19 CFR 200.735-104 - Disciplinary and other remedial action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Disciplinary and other remedial action. 200.735-104 Section 200.735-104 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General Provisions § 200.735-104 Disciplinary and other remedial action. (a) An...

19 CFR 200.735-104 - Disciplinary and other remedial action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Disciplinary and other remedial action. 200.735-104 Section 200.735-104 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General Provisions § 200.735-104 Disciplinary and other remedial action. (a) An...

19 CFR 200.735-104 - Disciplinary and other remedial action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Disciplinary and other remedial action. 200.735-104 Section 200.735-104 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General Provisions § 200.735-104 Disciplinary and other remedial action. (a) An...

President's Report on AACC Strategic Action Areas and Initiatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of Community Colleges, Washington, DC.

This is a summary of the American Association of Community College's (AACC) Strategic Action Areas and corresponding initiatives. Strategies for Action Area I (National and International Recognition and Advocacy for Community Colleges) focus primarily on the creation of task forces to address key legislative issues in higher education. Examples…

Training for Nonviolent Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Theodore W.; Shivers, Lynne

The theory and practice of nonviolent action training as it exists to date are reviewed in this pamphlet. A response to a renewal of interest in alternative forms of social action, the pamphlet results specifically from an international seminar of experienced organizers and trainers held at Preston Patrick, Westmorland, England, June 27 - July 2,…

78 FR 44180 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Miami International Securities Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and...

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2013-07-23

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75 FR 53718 - Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-01

... States v. International Paper Company, et al., Civil Action No. 10-cv-03749-ADM-XXX. In this action, the... Action No.10-cv-03749-ADM-XXX, DJ 90-11-3-06790/2. The Consent Decrees may be examined at the Office of...

Studying Action Representation in Children via Motor Imagery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabbard, Carl

2009-01-01

The use of motor imagery is a widely used experimental paradigm for the study of cognitive aspects of action planning and control in adults. Furthermore, there are indications that motor imagery provides a window into the process of action representation. These notions complement internal model theory suggesting that such representations allow…

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart D of... - Categorical Exclusions Applicable to General Agency Actions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... International agreements for energy research and development A1 Routine DOE business actions Routine actions... dissemination Information gathering (including, but not limited to, literature surveys, inventories, site visits... (including, but not limited to, conceptual design, feasibility studies, and analytical energy supply and...

Affirmative Action in Other Lands: A Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenberg, Jack

This paper briefly summarizes issues in affirmative action covered by the conference papers preceding it in the same volume. First, the definition of affirmative action adopted by the United Nations at an international convention in 1969 is reviewed. Based on this definition, the countries covered in the conference papers are classified as…

Stimulus learning and response learning by observation in the European starling, in a two-object/two-action test.

PubMed

Campbell; Heyes; Goldsmith

1999-07-01

Juvenile European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, were allowed to observe a conspecific demonstrator using its beak to remove one of two distinctively coloured objects (i.e. a red or a black plug) from a hole in the lid of a plastic box. Both plugs could be removed by either pulling up on a loop of string inserted through the centre of the plug, or pushing down on the plug. When subsequently allowed access to the plugs, and rewarded with food for all removal responses, regardless of the object to which they were made and their direction, observer birds removed the same plug in the same direction as their demonstrator. These results suggest that the two-object/two-action paradigm is a valuable procedure for testing for the simultaneous effects of learning about a stimulus and a response, an object and an action, through conspecific observation. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Thematic knowledge, artifact concepts, and the left posterior temporal lobe: Where action and object semantics converge

PubMed Central

Kalénine, Solène; Buxbaum, Laurel J.

2016-01-01

Converging evidence supports the existence of functionally and neuroanatomically distinct taxonomic (similarity-based; e.g., hammer-screwdriver) and thematic (event-based; e.g., hammer-nail) semantic systems. Processing of thematic relations between objects has been shown to selectively recruit the left posterior temporoparietal cortex. Similar posterior regions have been also been shown to be critical for knowledge of relationships between actions and manipulable human-made objects (artifacts). Based on the hypothesis that thematic relationships for artifacts are based, at least in part, on action relationships, we assessed the prediction that the same regions of the left posterior temporoparietal cortex would be critical for conceptual processing of artifact-related actions and thematic relations for artifacts. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated processing of taxonomic and thematic relations for artifact and natural objects as well as artifact action knowledge (gesture recognition) abilities in a large sample of 48 stroke patients with a range of lesion foci in the left hemisphere. Like control participants, patients identified thematic relations faster than taxonomic relations for artifacts, whereas they identified taxonomic relations faster than thematic relations for natural objects. Moreover, response times for identifying thematic relations for artifacts selectively predicted performance in gesture recognition. Whole brain Voxel Based Lesion-Symptom Mapping (VLSM) analyses and Region of Interest (ROI) regression analyses further demonstrated that lesions to the left posterior temporal cortex, overlapping with LTO and visual motion area hMT+, were associated both with relatively slower response times in identifying thematic relations for artifacts and poorer artifact action knowledge in patients. These findings provide novel insights into the functional role of left posterior temporal cortex in thematic knowledge, and suggest that the close association between thematic relations for artifacts and action representations may reflect their common dependence on visual motion and manipulation information. PMID:27389801

Towards Optimal Spectral and Spatial Documentation of Cultural Heritage. Cosch - AN Interdisciplinary Action in the Cost Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boochs, F.; Bentkowska-Kafel, A.; Degringy, C.; Hautta-Kasari, M.; Rizvic, S.; Sitnik, R.; Tremeau, A.

2013-07-01

This paper introduces the aims and early activities of Colour and Space in Cultural Heritage (COSCH), an interdisciplinary European network of experts in the latest optical measuring techniques and electronic imaging applied to documentation of artefacts. COSCH is a forum open to organisations, institutions and companies interested in collaboration within the emerging field of precise spectral and spatial imaging techniques, in physical and chemical sciences applied to cultural heritage objects, as well as in research and applications to conservation and art-historical analysis of such objects. COSCH started in November 2012. Funded by COST, an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology, COSCH networking activities enable knowledge exchange and coordination of nationally-funded research on a European level with occasional contribution of experts from other countries. Funding has been made available for four years (2012-2016). Participation is open to researchers across a wide range of disciplines, including computer scientists and museum professionals, art historians and academics in heritage-related fields. COSCH is a trans-domain Action (TD1201) of the COST Domain Materials, Physics and Nanosciences (MPNS) which facilitates and promotes innovation in material science. The work of COSCH is defined in the Memorandum of Understanding between the COST Office and the Chairman of COSCH. The Memorandum is available from http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/mpns/Actions/TD1201 alongside the latest progress report and other documents. The scientific work draws on earlier and current research of the participants and is organised around the following areas: spectral and spatial object documentation; algorithms and procedures; analysis and restoration of surfaces and objects of material culture; visualisation of cultural heritage objects and its dissemination. Up-to-date information about COSCH activities, including its scientific and training programmes, abstracts of presentations and a list of participants, can all be found on the Action website at http://www.cosch.info.

Actionable Nuggets

PubMed Central

McColl, Mary Ann; Aiken, Alice; Smith, Karen; McColl, Alexander; Green, Michael; Godwin, Marshall; Birtwhistle, Richard; Norman, Kathleen; Brankston, Gabrielle; Schaub, Michael

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective To present the results of a pilot study of an innovative methodology for translating best evidence about spinal cord injury (SCI) for family practice. Design Review of Canadian and international peer-reviewed literature to develop SCI Actionable Nuggets, and a mixed qualitative-quantitative evaluation to determine Nuggets’ effect on physician knowledge of and attitudes toward patients with SCI, as well as practice accessibility. Setting Ontario, Newfoundland, and Australia. Participants Forty-nine primary care physicians. Methods Twenty Actionable Nuggets (pertaining to key health issues associated with long-term SCI) were developed. Nugget postcards were mailed weekly for 20 weeks to participating physicians. Prior knowledge of SCI was self-rated by participants; they also completed an online posttest to assess the information they gained from the Nugget postcards. Participants’ opinions about practice accessibility and accommodations for patients with SCI, as well as the acceptability and usefulness of Nuggets, were assessed in interviews. Main findings With Actionable Nuggets, participants’ knowledge of the health needs of patients with SCI improved, as knowledge increased from a self-rating of fair (58%) to very good (75%) based on posttest quiz results. The mean overall score for accessibility and accommodations in physicians’ practices was 72%. Participants’ awareness of the need for screening and disease prevention among this population also increased. The usefulness and acceptability of SCI Nugget postcards were rated as excellent. Conclusion Actionable Nuggets are a knowledge translation tool designed to provide family physicians with concise, practical information about the most prevalent and pressing primary care needs of patients with SCI. This evidence-based resource has been shown to be an excellent fit with information consumption processes in primary care. They were updated and adapted for distribution by the Canadian Medical Association to approximately 50 000 primary care physicians in Canada, in both English and French. PMID:26167564

Putting Action in Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lozano, Sandra C.; Hard, Bridgette Martin; Tversky, Barbara

2007-01-01

Embodied approaches to cognition propose that our own actions influence our understanding of the world. Do other people's actions also have this influence? The present studies show that perceiving another person's actions changes the way people think about objects in a scene. In Study 1, participants viewed a photograph and answered a question…

Planning-in-Action: An Innovative Approach to Human Development. The Hunger Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Community Development Journal, 1991

1991-01-01

The Hunger Project in India used a strategic planning-in-action approach that involved (1) reaching a common understanding; (2) creating a strategic intent; (3) choosing social indicators; (4) identifying strategic objectives; (5) empowering leadership; (6) identifying immediate action steps; and (7) sustaining the action. (SK)

The Melamine Incident: Implications for International Food and Feed Safety

PubMed Central

Gossner, Céline Marie-Elise; Schlundt, Jørgen; Ben Embarek, Peter; Hird, Susan; Lo-Fo-Wong, Danilo; Beltran, Jose Javier Ocampo; Teoh, Keng Ngee; Tritscher, Angelika

2009-01-01

Background A major food safety incident in China was made public in September 2008. Kidney and urinary tract effects, including kidney stones, affected about 300,000 Chinese infants and young children, with six reported deaths. Melamine had been deliberately added at milk-collecting stations to diluted raw milk ostensibly to boost its protein content. Subsequently, melamine has been detected in many milk and milk-containing products, as well as other food and feed products, which were also exported to many countries worldwide. Objectives The melamine event represents one of the largest deliberate food contamination incidents. We provide a description and analysis of this event to determine the global implications on food and feed safety. Discussions A series of factors, including the intentional character of the milk contamination, the young age of the population affected, the large number of potentially contaminated products, the global distribution of these products, and the delay in reporting led this event to take on unexpected proportions. This incident illustrated the complexity of international trade of food products and food ingredients that required immediate actions at international level. Conclusion Managing food-safety events should be done internationally and early on as soon as multinational consequences are expected. Collaboration between food-safety authorities worldwide is needed to efficiently exchange information and to enable tracking and recalling of affected products to ensure food safety and to protect public health. PMID:20049196

Planetary Sciences Interoperability at VO Paris Data Centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Sidaner, P.; Aboudarham, J.; Birlan, M.; Briot, D.; Bonnin, X.; Cecconi, B.; Chauvin, C.; Erard, S.; Henry, F.; Lamy, L.; Mancini, M.; Normand, J.; Popescu, F.; Roques, F.; Savalle, R.; Schneider, J.; Shih, A.; Thuillot, W.; Vinatier, S.

2015-10-01

The Astronomy community has been developing interoperability since more than 10 years, by standardizing data access, data formats, and metadata. This international action is led by the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA). Observatoire de Paris is an active participant in this project. All actions on interoperability, data and service provision are centralized in and managed by VOParis Data Centre (VOPDC). VOPDC is a coordinated project from all scientific departments of Observatoire de Paris..

Colombo opens door for FPA action.

PubMed

1979-01-01

In a 36-point declaration adopted unanimously by the Colombo Conference on Population and Development, the voluntary sector in population was recognized as an equal partner with governments and international agencies. The Conference also called for international assistance for population activities to be increased to an annual target of 1 billion dollars by 1984. Consequently, Family Planning Associations are being encouraged to make contact with parliamentarians who attended the Conference and to support their work in the population field. The Conference, held from August 28-September 1, 1979 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, brought together parliamentarians from both developed and developing nations. Included among the Conference's recommendations for action were the following: 1) the integration of population and development as a key issue in the International Development Strategy to be adopted for the 1980's; and 2) a United Nations World Population Conference in 1984 to review progress made over the 10 years since the Bucharest Conference and to propose further action.

Creating Affording Situations: Coaching through Animate Objects

PubMed Central

Khattab, Ahmad; Russell, Martin; Hermsdörfer, Joachim; Wing, Alan

2017-01-01

We explore the ways in which animate objects can be used to cue actions as part of coaching in Activities of Daily Living (ADL). In this case, changing the appearance or behavior of a physical object is intended to cue actions which are appropriate for a given context. The context is defined by the intention of the users, the state of the objects and the tasks for which these objects can be used. We present initial design prototypes and simple user trials which explore the impact of different cues on activity. It is shown that raising the handle of a jug, for example, not only cues the act of picking up the jug but also encourages use of the hand adjacent to the handle; that combinations of lights (on the objects) and auditory cues influence activity through reducing uncertainty; and that cueing can challenge pre-learned action sequences. We interpret these results in terms of the idea that the animate objects can be used to create affording situations, and discuss implications of this work to support relearning of ADL following brain damage or injury, such as might arise following a stroke. PMID:29019939

The action-sentence compatibility effect in Japanese sentences.

PubMed

Awazu, Shunji

2011-10-01

The action-sentence compatibility effect (ACE) is a phenomenon in which a reader's response to a sentence is made faster when there is congruity between the action described in the sentence and the action that makes up the response. Previous studies showed the ACE occurs in action-related sentences in several languages. However, all these were SVO (verb-object) languages, in which verbs are placed before object nouns; this order is reversed in SOV languages. Moreover, those studies investigated hand responses. This study assessed the existence of the ACE in Japanese, an SOV language, and in foot responses. 24 female participants judged the sensibility of Japanese sentences that described actions and responded with either their foot or hand as an effector. Reaction times were significantly faster when there was congruity between the effector described in the sentences and the effector actually used for the response. However, sentence dependency was also found in the foot responses.

Force feedback delay affects perception of stiffness but not action, and the effect depends on the hand used but not on the handedness.

PubMed

Leib, Raz; Rubin, Inbar; Nisky, Ilana

2018-05-16

Interaction with an object often requires the estimation of its mechanical properties. We examined whether the hand that is used to interact with the object and their handedness affected people's estimation of these properties using stiffness estimation as a test case. We recorded participants' responses on a stiffness discrimination of a virtual elastic force field and the grip force applied on the robotic device during the interaction. In half of the trials, the robotic device delayed the participants' force feedback. Consistent with previous studies, delayed force feedback biased the perceived stiffness of the force field. Interestingly, in both left-handed and right-handed participants, for the delayed force field, there was even less perceived stiffness when participants used their left hand than their right hand. This result supports the idea that haptic processing is affected by laterality in the brain, not by handedness. Consistent with previous studies, participants adjusted their applied grip force according to the correct size and timing of the load force regardless of the hand that was used, the handedness, or the delay. This suggests that in all these conditions, participants were able to form an accurate internal representation of the anticipated trajectory of the load force (size and timing) and that this representation was used for accurate control of grip force independently of the perceptual bias. Thus, these results provide additional evidence for the dissociation between action and perception in the processing of delayed information.

Groundwater resources monitoring and population displacement in northern Uganda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chalikakis, K.; Hammache, Y.; Nawa, A.; Slinski, K.; Petropoulos, G.; Muteesasira, A.

2009-04-01

Northern Uganda has been devastated by more than 20 years of open conflict by the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) and the Government of Uganda. This war has been marked by extreme violence against civilians, who had been gathered in protected IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps. At the height of the displacement in 2007, the UN office for coordination of humanitarian affairs, estimated that nearly 2.5 million people were interned into approximately 220 camps throughout Northern Uganda. With the improved security since mid-2006, the people displaced by the conflict in Northern Uganda started to move out of the overcrowded camps and return either to their villages/parishes of origin or to resettlement/transit sites. However, basic water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure in the return areas or any new settlements sites are minimal. People returning to their villages of origin encounter a situation where in many cases there is no access to safe water. Since 1998 ACF (Action Against Hunger, part of the Action Contre la Faim International Network) activities have been concentrated in the Acholi and Lango regions of Northern Uganda. ACF's WASH (Water, sanitation and hygiene) department interventions concern sanitation infrastructure, hygiene education and promotion as well as water points implementation. To ensure safe water access, actions are focused in borehole construction and traditional spring rehabilitation, also called "protected" springs. These activities follow the guidelines as set forth by the international WASH cluster, led by UNICEF. A three year project (2008-2010) is being implemented by ACF, to monitor the available groundwater resources in Northern Uganda. The main objectives are: 1. to monitor the groundwater quality from existing water points during different hydrological seasons, 2. to identify, if any, potential risks of contamination from population concentrations and displacement, lack of basic infrastructure and land use, and finally 3. to provide a guideline for a sustainable exploration of groundwater resources within the investigated regions, relating to population movements and potential of aquifers. To achieve these objectives a) groundwater samples are collected and analyzed (microbiologically, chemically and physically) from all types of water points, boreholes and "protected" springs, during rainy, dry and intermediate seasons, b) a network of piezometers is being installed for monitoring groundwater level, and comparison with available rainfall data will define groundwater balance. During these steps results are compared with the population's displacement and density in order to quantify the consequences towards the groundwater resources. Preliminary results after microbiological analysis show the inadequacy of traditional "protected" springs in providing safe water. Feacal pollution is observed in "protected" springs even though it was not being observed before and during rehabilitation. It is mainly due to recent population concentration around the available water resources and the lack of comprehensive hydrogeological study of the functioning of the near surface aquifers. Accordingly all operations concerning spring rehabilitation are on hold. No evidence regarding microbiological contamination was found from borehole water samples. However, high concentration in ferrous iron and total iron was found in several boreholes. Concentrations in the water of weathered bedrock are expected and specific treatment is necessary.

Mirror neurons encode the subjective value of an observed action

PubMed Central

Caggiano, Vittorio; Fogassi, Leonardo; Rizzolatti, Giacomo; Casile, Antonino; Giese, Martin A.; Thier, Peter

2012-01-01

Objects grasped by an agent have a value not only for the acting agent, but also for an individual observing the grasping act. The value that the observer attributes to the object that is grasped can be pivotal for selecting a possible behavioral response. Mirror neurons in area F5 of the monkey premotor cortex have been suggested to play a crucial role in the understanding of action goals. However, it has not been addressed if these neurons are also involved in representing the value of the grasped object. Here we report that observation-related neuronal responses of F5 mirror neurons are indeed modulated by the value that the monkey associates with the grasped object. These findings suggest that during action observation F5 mirror neurons have access to key information needed to shape the behavioral responses of the observer. PMID:22753471

Stepping Across Boundaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLin, Jon

1972-01-01

Considers existing mechanisms for international action on environmental improvement and accomplishments of European organizations to date. Suggests some of the problems and difficulties relative to establishing international environmental controls. (BL)

78 FR 63963 - Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-25

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee Public Meeting AGENCY: International Trade Administration, DOC. ACTION: Notice of... [[Page 63964

26 CFR 301.6021-1 - Listing by district directors of taxable objects owned by nonresidents of internal revenue...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

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78 FR 46692 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

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2013-08-01

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76 FR 55742 - Proposed Collection

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2011-09-08

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78 FR 51820 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request Regulation Project

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77 FR 20884 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation

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2012-04-06

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77 FR 2765 - NASA International Space Station Advisory Committee; Meeting

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2012-01-19

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2012-07-12

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78 FR 25425 - Request for Stakeholder Comments on Doing Business in Africa Campaign

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2013-05-01

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75 FR 51852 - NASA International Space Station Advisory Committee; Meeting

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2010-08-23

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2013-08-13

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78 FR 66964 - International Space Station Advisory Committee; Charter Renewal

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2013-11-07

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2013-11-07

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2012-03-22

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2011-03-15

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77 FR 61583 - International Energy Agency Meetings

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2012-10-10

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75 FR 34724 - International Energy Agency Meetings

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2010-06-18

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76 FR 78945 - Summary of Commission Practice Relating to Administrative Protective Orders

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2011-12-20

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75 FR 66127 - Summary of Commission Practice Relating to Administrative Protective Orders

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2010-10-27

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Preferential Inspection of Recent Real-World Events Over Future Events: Evidence from Eye Tracking during Spoken Sentence Comprehension

PubMed Central

Knoeferle, Pia; Carminati, Maria Nella; Abashidze, Dato; Essig, Kai

2011-01-01

Eye-tracking findings suggest people prefer to ground their spoken language comprehension by focusing on recently seen events more than anticipating future events: When the verb in NP1-VERB-ADV-NP2 sentences was referentially ambiguous between a recently depicted and an equally plausible future clipart action, listeners fixated the target of the recent action more often at the verb than the object that hadn’t yet been acted upon. We examined whether this inspection preference generalizes to real-world events, and whether it is (vs. isn’t) modulated by how often people see recent and future events acted out. In a first eye-tracking study, the experimenter performed an action (e.g., sugaring pancakes), and then a spoken sentence either referred to that action or to an equally plausible future action (e.g., sugaring strawberries). At the verb, people more often inspected the pancakes (the recent target) than the strawberries (the future target), thus replicating the recent-event preference with these real-world actions. Adverb tense, indicating a future versus past event, had no effect on participants’ visual attention. In a second study we increased the frequency of future actions such that participants saw 50/50 future and recent actions. During the verb people mostly inspected the recent action target, but subsequently they began to rely on tense, and anticipated the future target more often for future than past tense adverbs. A corpus study showed that the verbs and adverbs indicating past versus future actions were equally frequent, suggesting long-term frequency biases did not cause the recent-event preference. Thus, (a) recent real-world actions can rapidly influence comprehension (as indexed by eye gaze to objects), and (b) people prefer to first inspect a recent action target (vs. an object that will soon be acted upon), even when past and future actions occur with equal frequency. A simple frequency-of-experience account cannot accommodate these findings. PMID:22207858

Imitative Learning of Actions on Objects by Children, Chimpanzees, and Enculturated Chimpanzees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomasello, Michael; And Others

1993-01-01

Compared the abilities of 3 mother-reared and 3 human-raised (enculturated) chimpanzees and 16 human toddlers to imitatively learn novel actions on objects. Found that mother-reared chimpanzees were poorer imitators than both enculturated chimpanzees and human children, who did not differ from one another in imitative learning. On time delay…

The Team up for School Nutrition Success Workshop Evaluation Study: Three Month Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, Karen Weber; Rushing, Keith

2017-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the "Team Up for School Nutrition Success" pilot initiative, conducted by the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN), on meeting the objectives of the individual action plans created by school food authorities (SFAs) during the workshop. The action plans could address improving…

75 FR 22400 - Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petition To Object to Title V Permit for Wheelabrator...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-28

... ENVIROMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9142-6] Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petition To Object to Title V Permit for Wheelabrator Baltimore, L.P., Baltimore City, MD AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of final action. SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 505(b)(2) of the Clean...

A Technology Immune Technology Enabled Problem within an Action on Objects Framework: Stamping Functions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connell, Michael; Abramovich, Sergei

2017-01-01

This paper illustrates how the notion of Technology Immune Technology Enabled (TITE) problems (Abramovich, 2014), in this case an exploration of variations in surface area we refer to as Stamping Functions, might be incorporated into a K-6 mathematics methods class operating within an Action on Objects framework (Connell, 2001). TITE problems have…

Echoes on the motor network: how internal motor control structures afford sensory experience.

PubMed

Burgess, Jed D; Lum, Jarrad A G; Hohwy, Jakob; Enticott, Peter G

2017-12-01

Often, during daily experiences, hearing peers' actions can activate motor regions of the CNS. This activation is termed auditory-motor resonance (AMR) and is thought to represent an internal simulation of one's motor memories. Currently, AMR is demonstrated at the neuronal level in the Macaque and songbird, in conjunction with evidence on a systems level in humans. Here, we review evidence of AMR development from a motor control perspective. In the context of internal modelling, we consider data that demonstrates sensory-guided motor learning and action maintenance, particularly the notion of sensory comparison seen during songbird vocalisation. We suggest that these comparisons generate accurate sensory-to-motor inverse mappings. Furthermore, given reports of mapping decay after songbird learning, we highlight the proposal that the maintenance of these sensorimotor maps potentially explains why frontoparietal regions are activated upon hearing known sounds (i.e., AMR). In addition, we also recommend that activation of these types of internal models outside of action execution may provide an ecological advantage when encountering known stimuli in ambiguous conditions.

Amygdala lesions in rhesus monkeys fail to disrupt object choices based on internal context.

PubMed

Rhodes, Sarah E V; Charles, David P; Howland, Emily J; Murray, Elisabeth A

2012-04-01

We assessed the involvement of the amygdala in a task in which object choices were guided by internal context. Rhesus monkeys were trained on a biconditional discrimination whereby objects associated with food (but not water) were baited when the monkey was hungry, and objects associated with water (but not food) were baited when the monkey was thirsty. To solve this task, monkeys were required to choose objects yielding the reward congruent with their internal motivational state. Lesions of the amygdala did not disrupt learning or performance of this task. We conclude that the involvement of the amygdala in selective-satiation tasks, which depends in part on a change in internal context, is not due to the amygdala playing a general role in representing, or using, internal context. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Safeguards Considerations for Thorium Fuel Cycles

DOE PAGES

Worrall, Louise G.; Worrall, Andrew; Flanagan, George F.; ...

2016-04-21

We report that by around 2025, thorium-based fuel cycles are likely to be deployed internationally. States such as China and India are pursuing research, development, and deployment pathways toward a number of commercial-scale thorium fuel cycles, and they are already building test reactors and the associated fuel cycle infrastructure. In the future, the potential exists for these emerging programs to sell, export, and deploy thorium fuel cycle technology in other states. Without technically adequate international safeguards protocols and measures in place, any future potential clandestine misuse of these fuel cycles could go undetected, compromising the deterrent value of these protocolsmore » and measures. The development of safeguards approaches for thorium-based fuel cycles is therefore a matter of some urgency. Yet, the focus of the international safeguards community remains mainly on safeguarding conventional 235U- and 239Pu-based fuel cycles while the safeguards challenges of thorium-uranium fuel cycles remain largely uninvestigated. This raises the following question: Is the International Atomic Energy Agency and international safeguards system ready for thorium fuel cycles? Furthermore, is the safeguards technology of today sufficiently mature to meet the verification challenges posed by thorium-based fuel cycles? In defining these and other related research questions, the objectives of this paper are to identify key safeguards considerations for thorium-based fuel cycles and to call for an early dialogue between the international safeguards and the nuclear fuel cycle communities to prepare for the potential safeguards challenges associated with these fuel cycles. In this paper, it is concluded that directed research and development programs are required to meet the identified safeguards challenges and to take timely action in preparation for the international deployment of thorium fuel cycles.« less

Dorsolateral pFC and the representation of the incorrect use of an object: the transcranial direct current stimulation effect on N400 for visual and linguistic stimuli.

PubMed

Balconi, Michela; Vitaloni, Silvia

2014-02-01

In this study, we explored the representation of an incongruent action (instrumentally incorrect use of an object) in comparison with sentences ending with an incongruent action word, taking into account the role of the activation of the left dorsolateral pFC (DLPFC). This activity was appositely modulated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The effect of tDCS when participants processed congruent/incongruent object-related actions (Experiment 1) or sentences (Experiment 2) was verified by measuring changes in the ERP N400, error rates (ERs), and RTs. In Experiment 1, 30 participants performed the detection task within a dynamic context (video tapes representing a sequence of four action frames). In Experiment 2, 28 participants read sentences that represented object-related actions. The stimulation effect (a cathode applied to the DLPFC and an anode to the right supraorbital region) was analyzed by comparing the ER, RT, and ERP profiles before and after stimulation (or sham treatment). A significant reduction of the N400 was observed for incongruent stimuli in the case of cathodal (inhibitory) stimulation of the DLPFC in comparison with prestimulation conditions for Experiment 1, but not Experiment 2. Moreover, ERs were increased, and RTs were reduced in response to incongruent conditions after tDCS, but not after sham stimulation in Experiment 1. It is suggested that perturbation of the DLPFC may limit the ability to analyze a semantically anomalous action sequence as a reduced N400 ERP effect and increased random responses was observed. Finally, the contribution of the frontal area to the semantic processing of actions is discussed.

Planning Ahead: Object-Directed Sequential Actions Decoded from Human Frontoparietal and Occipitotemporal Networks

PubMed Central

Gallivan, Jason P.; Johnsrude, Ingrid S.; Randall Flanagan, J.

2016-01-01

Object-manipulation tasks (e.g., drinking from a cup) typically involve sequencing together a series of distinct motor acts (e.g., reaching toward, grasping, lifting, and transporting the cup) in order to accomplish some overarching goal (e.g., quenching thirst). Although several studies in humans have investigated the neural mechanisms supporting the planning of visually guided movements directed toward objects (such as reaching or pointing), only a handful have examined how manipulatory sequences of actions—those that occur after an object has been grasped—are planned and represented in the brain. Here, using event-related functional MRI and pattern decoding methods, we investigated the neural basis of real-object manipulation using a delayed-movement task in which participants first prepared and then executed different object-directed action sequences that varied either in their complexity or final spatial goals. Consistent with previous reports of preparatory brain activity in non-human primates, we found that activity patterns in several frontoparietal areas reliably predicted entire action sequences in advance of movement. Notably, we found that similar sequence-related information could also be decoded from pre-movement signals in object- and body-selective occipitotemporal cortex (OTC). These findings suggest that both frontoparietal and occipitotemporal circuits are engaged in transforming object-related information into complex, goal-directed movements. PMID:25576538

Disentangling representations of shape and action components in the tool network.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoying; Zhuang, Tonghe; Shen, Jiasi; Bi, Yanchao

2018-05-30

Shape and how they should be used are two key components of our knowledge about tools. Viewing tools preferentially activated a frontoparietal and occipitotemporal network, with dorsal regions implicated in computation of tool-related actions and ventral areas in shape representation. As shape and manners of manipulation are highly correlated for daily tools, whether they are independently represented in different regions remains inconclusive. In the current study, we collected fMRI data when participants viewed blocks of pictures of four daily tools (i.e., paintbrush, corkscrew, screwdriver, razor) where shape and action (manner of manipulation for functional use) were orthogonally manipulated, to tease apart these two dimensions. Behavioral similarity judgments tapping on object shape and finer aspects of actions (i.e., manners of motion, magnitude of arm movement, configuration of hand) were also collected to further disentangle the representation of object shape and different action components. Information analysis and representational similarity analysis were conducted on regional neural activation patterns of the tool-preferring network. In both analyses, the bilateral lateral occipitotemporal cortex showed robust shape representations but could not effectively distinguish between tool-use actions. The frontal and precentral regions represented kinematic action components, whereas the left parietal region (in information analyses) exhibited coding of both shape and tool-use action. By teasing apart shape and action components, we found both dissociation and association of them within the tool network. Taken together, our study disentangles representations for object shape from finer tool-use action components in the tool network, revealing the potential dissociable roles different tool-preferring regions play in tool processing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Second International Conference on Nutrition, as Seen by a Member State.

PubMed

Eiden, Hanns-Christoph; Welte, Simone

2016-01-01

For years now, providing people with food and balanced diets has been a problem unsolved by the world community. Despite numerous initiatives, the great breakthrough has still not happened, not least because the issue is so complex. Hunger and undernourishment must be fought as much as hidden hunger, overweight and obesity. Increasingly, several forms of malnutrition have been occurring simultaneously. The so-called double burden of malnutrition has become the new normal. The follow-up process of the Second International Conference on Nutrition assumes a vital role in that context. The Rome Declaration and the Framework for Action commit the international community, international organizations and civil society to undertake joint efforts across and beyond sectorial policies. Both documents also indicate numerous starting points for actions that consider individual national examples. Germany has been actively engaged at both the national and the international levels. Since its inception in 2008, the National Action Plan 'IN FORM' has taken up a number of suggestions made by the Second International Conference on Nutrition. While IN FORM is further developed, the ideas given in the Framework for Action shall provide a fresh impetus. Within its development cooperation, Germany is increasingly focusing on improving the nutritional situation, such as through its One World, No Hunger initiative. In the follow-up process, all stakeholders, including the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization, will have to offer platforms to promote exchange among all parties involved and to initiate coherent actions that also reach beyond national borders. Only then can the improvement of the nutritional situation really be seen as a truly global challenge. Given the issue's complexity, it is equally important to establish priorities in each case in order for progress not to be thwarted by lengthy decision-making processes. Improving the situation of particularly vulnerable groups, such as young women and small children, shall be as prominent as the support and promotion of diversified agriculture. Building networks among partners is of equal importance for joint action and exchange between stakeholders at the national and international levels to generate added value on the way toward solving the nutrition problem. Science will also have to be more closely involved for that matter and purpose. Research is required to supply scientific evidence for certain measures to be taken, and it assumes a prominent role where political consultation, knowledge management and the implementation of measures are concerned. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

IPPF's strategic vision 2000.

PubMed

Mahler, H

1994-09-01

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) supports the objectives of the International Conference on Population and Development. The draft conference document displays the linkages between women's rights, poverty, population, and sustainable development. In the next two to three decades the global population will grow by a staggering 50% and that reality requires sustained socioeconomic growth. The 6 components of IPPF's Strategic Vision 2000 and the action agenda for meeting these challenges are as follows: 1) The small family is rapidly becoming the cultural norm everywhere, as more than 60% of all fertile women and men are using safe and effective contraceptive methods. 2) Sexual and reproductive health is becoming an integral part of the physical, mental, and social health culture and not just the absence of pregnancy, disease or injury. The members of IPPF have been developing programs concentrating on adolescent sexuality. IPPF is also concerned about HIV, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases as they relate to the work undertaken by family planning associations. 3) The quality of care has been heightened by the right of informed choice, service sustainability, and the maintenance of the highest standards. 4) Vigorous programs are in place to eliminate unsafe abortion and to increase access to safe abortion. 5) Young people are systematically supported to give voice to the need for understanding their sexuality and services. There are currently more than 500 million young women and men between the ages of 15 and 19, and their numbers increase for a long time to come. 6) Women are fast moving towards full participation in all aspects of local and global development demanding reproductive rights. IPPF and its associations, through Vision 2000, are committed to the objective of sexual and reproductive health at the national and international levels.

75 FR 3959 - Noise Exposure Map Notice for Kona International Airport at Keahole, Keahole, North Kona, HI

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-25

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19 CFR 176.11 - Transmission of records to Court of International Trade.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

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77 FR 50716 - Certain Food Waste Disposers and Components and Packaging Thereof; Notice of Commission...

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19 CFR 176.11 - Transmission of records to Court of International Trade.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

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19 CFR 176.11 - Transmission of records to Court of International Trade.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

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19 CFR 176.11 - Transmission of records to Court of International Trade.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

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19 CFR 176.11 - Transmission of records to Court of International Trade.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) PROCEEDINGS IN THE COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE Transmission of Records § 176.11 Transmission of records to Court of International Trade. Upon receipt of service of a summons in an action initiated in the Court of International Trade the following items shall...

Optimizing the Naval Force for the Horn of Africa Anti-Piracy Mission

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-04

new trend emerged for an increased number of 1 International Chamber of Commerce International...Countering Piracy Off the Horn of Africa: Partnership & Action Plan. Dec 2008, 3. 3 International Chamber of Commerce International Maritime Bureau...Increase off Somali Coast” Release #053- 09. 30 Mar 2009. 26 International Chamber of Commerce Commercial Crime Services. “Live Piracy Report

The Action Researcher as Tempered Radical and Strategic Entrepreneur in Higher Education: A Personal Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearce, Alison

2014-01-01

This article describes the discovery of action research by a "conscious incompetent" in higher education. The influences on the development of an action researcher's individual philosophy are discussed. These shape a specific investigation into the implementation of international staff exchange in a post-1992 UK university from the…

Action Learning, Team Learning and Co-Operation in the Czech Republic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubatova, Slava

2012-01-01

This account of practice presents two cases of the application of Action Learning (AL) communication methodology as described by Marquardt [2004. "Optimising the power of action learning". Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing]. The teams were Czech and international top management teams. The AL methodology was used to improve…

Affirmative Action Is an International Issue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pipes, Randolph B.

2007-01-01

This article contains comments on the article by Vasquez and Jones (see record 2006-01690-003), which focuses on diversity and begins with a discussion of affirmative action. The current author discusses his own three related points: first, it is virtually impossible, in our current culture, to agree on what constitutes affirmative action and…

Dynamic Simulation and Static Matching for Action Prediction: Evidence from Body Part Priming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, Anne; Brandstadter, Simone; Prinz, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Accurately predicting other people's actions may involve two processes: internal real-time simulation (dynamic updating) and matching recently perceived action images (static matching). Using a priming of body parts, this study aimed to differentiate the two processes. Specifically, participants played a motion-controlled video game with…

Teaching about Tort Law--My Actions, My Actions, Somebody Got Hurt!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Stephen A.

1997-01-01

Presents a lesson plan that uses cases to teach students about three types of torts: intentional wrongs, negligence, and strict liability. Torts are wrongful actions (not involving a breech of contract) that may result in a civic action. Includes lesson procedures, objectives, and student handouts on torts and negligence cases. (MJP)

Occupant-vehicle dynamics and the role of the internal model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cole, David J.

2018-05-01

With the increasing need to reduce time and cost of vehicle development there is increasing advantage in simulating mathematically the dynamic interaction of a vehicle and its occupant. The larger design space arising from the introduction of automated vehicles further increases the potential advantage. The aim of the paper is to outline the role of the internal model hypothesis in understanding and modelling occupant-vehicle dynamics, specifically the dynamics associated with direction and speed control of the vehicle. The internal model is the driver's or passenger's understanding of the vehicle dynamics and is thought to be employed in the perception, cognition and action processes of the brain. The internal model aids the estimation of the states of the vehicle from noisy sensory measurements. It can also be used to optimise cognitive control action by predicting the consequence of the action; thus model predictive control (MPC) theory provides a foundation for modelling the cognition process. The stretch reflex of the neuromuscular system also makes use of the prediction of the internal model. Extensions to the MPC approach are described which account for: interaction with an automated vehicle; robust control; intermittent control; and cognitive workload. Further work to extend understanding of occupant-vehicle dynamic interaction is outlined. This paper is based on a keynote presentation given by the author to the 13th International Symposium on Advanced Vehicle Control (AVEC) conference held in Munich, September 2016.

Weakly Isolated horizons: first order actions and gauge symmetries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corichi, Alejandro; Reyes, Juan D.; Vukašinac, Tatjana

2017-04-01

The notion of Isolated Horizons has played an important role in gravitational physics, being useful from the characterization of the endpoint of black hole mergers to (quantum) black hole entropy. With an eye towards a canonical formulation we consider general relativity in terms of connection and vierbein variables and their corresponding first order actions. We focus on two main issues: (i) The role of the internal gauge freedom that exists, in the consistent formulations of the action principle, and (ii) the role that a 3  +  1 canonical decomposition has in the allowed internal gauge freedom. More concretely, we clarify in detail how the requirement of having well posed variational principles compatible with general weakly isolated horizons (WIHs) as internal boundaries does lead to a partial gauge fixing in the first order descriptions used previously in the literature. We consider the standard Hilbert-Palatini action together with the Holst extension (needed for a consistent 3  +  1 decomposition), with and without boundary terms at the horizon. We show in detail that, for the complete configuration space—with no gauge fixing—, while the Palatini action is differentiable without additional surface terms at the inner WIH boundary, the more general Holst action is not. The introduction of a surface term at the horizon—that renders the action for asymptotically flat configurations differentiable—does make the Holst action differentiable, but only if one restricts the configuration space and partially reduces the internal Lorentz gauge. For the second issue at hand, we show that upon performing a 3  +  1 decomposition and imposing the time gauge, there is a further gauge reduction of the Hamiltonian theory in terms of Ashtekar-Barbero variables to a U(1)-gauge theory on the horizon. We also extend our analysis to the more restricted boundary conditions of (strongly) isolated horizons as inner boundary. We show that even when the Holst action is indeed differentiable without the need of additional surface terms or any gauge fixing for Type I spherically symmetric (strongly) isolated horizons—and a preferred foliation—, this result does not go through for more general isolated or weakly isolated horizons. Our results represent the first comprehensive study of these issues and clarify some contradictory statements found in the literature.

76 FR 32405 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Form 12114

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2011-06-06

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75 FR 44845 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

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2010-07-29

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77 FR 31686 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

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77 FR 38802 - Proposed CERCLA Administrative Cost Recovery Settlement; Standex International Corporation

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76 FR 55741 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

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78 FR 29205 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Form 4952

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75 FR 51879 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

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78 FR 19574 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

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2013-04-01

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78 FR 12155 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

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2013-02-21

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76 FR 34806 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

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2011-06-14

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78 FR 12830 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Form 14420

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2013-02-25

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Form 14420 AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY..., Internal Revenue Service, Room 6129, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224. FOR FURTHER...

77 FR 31687 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project

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2012-05-29

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Regulation Project AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for comments.... ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Yvette Lawrence, Internal Revenue Service, Room 6129, 1111...