But for the Bad, There Would Not Be Good: Grounding Valence in Brightness through Shared Relational Structures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakens, Daniel; Semin, Gun R.; Foroni, Francesco

2012-01-01

Light and dark are used pervasively to represent positive and negative concepts. Recent studies suggest that black and white stimuli are automatically associated with negativity and positivity. However, structural factors in experimental designs, such as the shared opposition in the valence (good vs. bad) and brightness (light vs. dark) dimensions…

The Effects of Social Capital Levels in Elementary Schools on Organizational Information Sharing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekinci, Abdurrahman

2012-01-01

This study aims to assess the effects of social capital levels at elementary schools on organizational information sharing as reported by teachers. Participants were 267 teachers selected randomly from 16 elementary schools; schools also selected randomly among 42 elementary schools located in the city center of Batman. The data were analyzed by…

Comparison of Vehicle Choice Models

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

Stephens, Thomas S.; Levinson, Rebecca S.; Brooker, Aaron

Five consumer vehicle choice models that give projections of future sales shares of light-duty vehicles were compared by running each model using the same inputs, where possible, for two scenarios. The five models compared — LVCFlex, MA3T, LAVE-Trans, ParaChoice, and ADOPT — have been used in support of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Vehicle Technologies Office in analyses of future light-duty vehicle markets under different assumptions about future vehicle technologies and market conditions. The models give projections of sales shares by powertrain technology. Projections made using common, but not identical, inputs showed qualitative agreement, with the exception ofmore » ADOPT. ADOPT estimated somewhat lower advanced vehicle shares, mostly composed of hybrid electric vehicles. Other models projected large shares of multiple advanced vehicle powertrains. Projections of models differed in significant ways, including how different technologies penetrated cars and light trucks. Since the models are constructed differently and take different inputs, not all inputs were identical, but were the same or very similar where possible.« less

14 CFR 151.87 - Lighting and electrical work: Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... participate in the costs of runway lighting is eligible for the installing of an airport beacon, lighted wind... percent U.S. participation in the costs of high intensity runway edge lighting (or the allowable.... share of the cost of runway edge lighting is 50 percent of the cost of the lighting installed but not...

14 CFR 151.87 - Lighting and electrical work: Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... participate in the costs of runway lighting is eligible for the installing of an airport beacon, lighted wind... percent U.S. participation in the costs of high intensity runway edge lighting (or the allowable.... share of the cost of runway edge lighting is 50 percent of the cost of the lighting installed but not...

14 CFR 151.87 - Lighting and electrical work: Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... participate in the costs of runway lighting is eligible for the installing of an airport beacon, lighted wind... percent U.S. participation in the costs of high intensity runway edge lighting (or the allowable.... share of the cost of runway edge lighting is 50 percent of the cost of the lighting installed but not...

14 CFR 151.87 - Lighting and electrical work: Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... participate in the costs of runway lighting is eligible for the installing of an airport beacon, lighted wind... percent U.S. participation in the costs of high intensity runway edge lighting (or the allowable.... share of the cost of runway edge lighting is 50 percent of the cost of the lighting installed but not...

14 CFR 151.87 - Lighting and electrical work: Standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... participate in the costs of runway lighting is eligible for the installing of an airport beacon, lighted wind... percent U.S. participation in the costs of high intensity runway edge lighting (or the allowable.... share of the cost of runway edge lighting is 50 percent of the cost of the lighting installed but not...

Skin - abnormally dark or light

MedlinePlus

... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003242.htm Abnormally dark or light skin To use the sharing features ... The bronze color can range from light to dark (in fair-skinned people) with the degree of ...

Sharing of track by transit and freight railroads : liability and insurance issues

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-09-21

This report explores the issues of liability and insurance that arise in planning and operating track shared between light rail transit and freight railroads. Shared track operations involve some unique risks, and insurance is used to mitigate or man...

ProCare Trial: a phase II randomized controlled trial of shared care for follow-up of men with prostate cancer.

PubMed

Emery, Jon D; Jefford, Michael; King, Madeleine; Hayne, Dickon; Martin, Andrew; Doorey, Juanita; Hyatt, Amelia; Habgood, Emily; Lim, Tee; Hawks, Cynthia; Pirotta, Marie; Trevena, Lyndal; Schofield, Penelope

2017-03-01

To test the feasibility and efficacy of a multifaceted model of shared care for men after completion of treatment for prostate cancer. Men who had completed treatment for low- to moderate-risk prostate cancer within the previous 8 weeks were eligible. Participants were randomized to usual care or shared care. Shared care entailed substituting two hospital visits with three visits in primary care, a survivorship care plan, recall and reminders, and screening for distress and unmet needs. Outcome measures included psychological distress, prostate cancer-specific quality of life, satisfaction and preferences for care and healthcare resource use. A total of 88 men were randomized (shared care n = 45; usual care n = 43). There were no clinically important or statistically significant differences between groups with regard to distress, prostate cancer-specific quality of life or satisfaction with care. At the end of the trial, men in the intervention group were significantly more likely to prefer a shared care model to hospital follow-up than those in the control group (intervention 63% vs control 24%; P<0.001). There was high compliance with prostate-specific antigen monitoring in both groups. The shared care model was cheaper than usual care (shared care AUS$1411; usual care AUS$1728; difference AUS$323 [plausible range AUS$91-554]). Well-structured shared care for men with low- to moderate-risk prostate cancer is feasible and appears to produce clinically similar outcomes to those of standard care, at a lower cost. © 2016 The Authors BJU International © 2016 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Randomly biased investments and the evolution of public goods on interdependent networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei; Wu, Te; Li, Zhiwu; Wang, Long

2017-08-01

Deciding how to allocate resources between interdependent systems is significant to optimize efficiency. We study the effects of heterogeneous contribution, induced by such interdependency, on the evolution of cooperation, through implementing the public goods games on two-layer networks. The corresponding players on different layers try to share a fixed amount of resources as the initial investment properly. The symmetry breaking of investments between players located on different layers is able to either prevent investments from, or extract them out of the deadlock. Results show that a moderate investment heterogeneity is best favorable for the evolution of cooperation, and random allocation of investment bias suppresses the cooperators at a wide range of the investment bias and the enhancement effect. Further studies on time evolution with different initial strategy configurations show that the non-interdependent cooperators along the interface of interdependent cooperators also are an indispensable factor in facilitating cooperative behavior. Our main results are qualitatively unchanged even diversifying investment bias that is subject to uniform distribution. Our study may shed light on the understanding of the origin of cooperative behavior on interdependent networks.

Uveal melanoma in relation to ultraviolet light exposure and host factors.

PubMed

Holly, E A; Aston, D A; Char, D H; Kristiansen, J J; Ahn, D K

1990-09-15

We conducted a case-control interview study among 1277 subjects (407 patients, 870 controls selected by using random digit dial) in 11 western United States to determine whether uveal melanoma and cutaneous melanoma shared common risk factors. After adjustment for other factors, the risk of uveal melanoma was increased for those with green, gray, or hazel eyes [relative risk (RR) = 2.5, P less than 0.001] or blue eyes (RR = 2.2, P less than 0.001) when compared to brown. A tendency to sunburn after 0.5 h midday summer sun exposure increased risk for uveal melanoma (burn with tanning RR = 1.5, P = 0.02; burn with little tanning RR = 1.8, P less than 0.001; burn with no tanning RR = 1.7, P = 0.002); as did exposure to UV or black lights (RR = 3.7, P = 0.003); and welding burn, sunburn of the eye, or snow blindness (RR = 7.2, P less than 0.001). An association with uveal melanoma was also noted with an increasing number of large nevi (P = 0.04 for trend), although the individual risk estimates were not remarkable. These data suggest that host factors and exposure to UV light are risk factors for uveal melanoma.

A fast method for optical simulation of flood maps of light-sharing detector modules.

PubMed

Shi, Han; Du, Dong; Xu, JianFeng; Moses, William W; Peng, Qiyu

2015-12-01

Optical simulation of the detector module level is highly desired for Position Emission Tomography (PET) system design. Commonly used simulation toolkits such as GATE are not efficient in the optical simulation of detector modules with complicated light-sharing configurations, where a vast amount of photons need to be tracked. We present a fast approach based on a simplified specular reflectance model and a structured light-tracking algorithm to speed up the photon tracking in detector modules constructed with polished finish and specular reflector materials. We simulated conventional block detector designs with different slotted light guide patterns using the new approach and compared the outcomes with those from GATE simulations. While the two approaches generated comparable flood maps, the new approach was more than 200-600 times faster. The new approach has also been validated by constructing a prototype detector and comparing the simulated flood map with the experimental flood map. The experimental flood map has nearly uniformly distributed spots similar to those in the simulated flood map. In conclusion, the new approach provides a fast and reliable simulation tool for assisting in the development of light-sharing-based detector modules with a polished surface finish and using specular reflector materials.

Hanbury Brown and Twiss interferometry with twisted light

PubMed Central

Magaña-Loaiza, Omar S.; Mirhosseini, Mohammad; Cross, Robert M.; Rafsanjani, Seyed Mohammad Hashemi; Boyd, Robert W.

2016-01-01

The rich physics exhibited by random optical wave fields permitted Hanbury Brown and Twiss to unveil fundamental aspects of light. Furthermore, it has been recognized that optical vortices are ubiquitous in random light and that the phase distribution around these optical singularities imprints a spectrum of orbital angular momentum onto a light field. We demonstrate that random fluctuations of intensity give rise to the formation of correlations in the orbital angular momentum components and angular positions of pseudothermal light. The presence of these correlations is manifested through distinct interference structures in the orbital angular momentum–mode distribution of random light. These novel forms of interference correspond to the azimuthal analog of the Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect. This family of effects can be of fundamental importance in applications where entanglement is not required and where correlations in angular position and orbital angular momentum suffice. We also suggest that the azimuthal Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect can be useful in the exploration of novel phenomena in other branches of physics and astrophysics. PMID:27152334

Hanbury Brown and Twiss interferometry with twisted light.

PubMed

Magaña-Loaiza, Omar S; Mirhosseini, Mohammad; Cross, Robert M; Rafsanjani, Seyed Mohammad Hashemi; Boyd, Robert W

2016-04-01

The rich physics exhibited by random optical wave fields permitted Hanbury Brown and Twiss to unveil fundamental aspects of light. Furthermore, it has been recognized that optical vortices are ubiquitous in random light and that the phase distribution around these optical singularities imprints a spectrum of orbital angular momentum onto a light field. We demonstrate that random fluctuations of intensity give rise to the formation of correlations in the orbital angular momentum components and angular positions of pseudothermal light. The presence of these correlations is manifested through distinct interference structures in the orbital angular momentum-mode distribution of random light. These novel forms of interference correspond to the azimuthal analog of the Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect. This family of effects can be of fundamental importance in applications where entanglement is not required and where correlations in angular position and orbital angular momentum suffice. We also suggest that the azimuthal Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect can be useful in the exploration of novel phenomena in other branches of physics and astrophysics.

Building Vocabulary Knowledge in Preschoolers through Shared Book Reading and Gameplay

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Ridge, Katherine; Parker, Amira; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy; Dickinson, David K.

2016-01-01

This study moves beyond previous investigations to examine whether an educational intervention combining shared book reading with a vocabulary game increases children's vocabulary knowledge. Four-year-olds (N = 44) were randomly assigned to dyads in either an intervention (shared book reading plus vocabulary review game) or comparison condition…

Explicit equilibria in a kinetic model of gambling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassetti, F.; Toscani, G.

2010-06-01

We introduce and discuss a nonlinear kinetic equation of Boltzmann type which describes the evolution of wealth in a pure gambling process, where the entire sum of wealths of two agents is up for gambling, and randomly shared between the agents. For this equation the analytical form of the steady states is found for various realizations of the random fraction of the sum which is shared to the agents. Among others, the exponential distribution appears as steady state in case of a uniformly distributed random fraction, while Gamma distribution appears for a random fraction which is Beta distributed. The case in which the gambling game is only conservative-in-the-mean is shown to lead to an explicit heavy tailed distribution.

Citizenship Education and Human Rights in Sites of Ethnic Conflict: Toward Critical Pedagogies of Compassion and Shared Fate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zembylas, Michalinos

2012-01-01

The present essay discusses the value of citizenship as shared fate in sites of ethnic conflict and analyzes its implications for citizenship education in light of three issues: first, the requirements of affective relationality in the notion of citizenship-as-shared fate; second, the tensions between the values of human rights and shared fate in…

Implementation and adherence issues in a workplace treadmill desk intervention.

PubMed

Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Hendrick, Chelsea A; Duet, Megan T; Swift, Damon L; Schuna, John M; Martin, Corby K; Johnson, William D; Church, Timothy S

2014-10-01

We report experiences, observations, and general lessons learned, specifically with regards to participant recruitment and adherence, while implementing a 6-month randomized controlled treadmill desk intervention (the WorkStation Pilot Study) in a real-world office-based health insurance workplace. Despite support from the company's upper administration, relatively few employees responded to the company-generated e-mail to participate in the study. Ultimately only 41 overweight/obese participants were deemed eligible and enrolled from a recruitment pool of 728 workers. Participants allocated to the Treadmill Desk Group found the treadmill desk difficult to use for 45 min twice a day as scheduled. Overall attendance averaged 45%-50% of all possible scheduled sessions. The most frequently reported reasons for missing sessions included work conflict (35%), out of office (30%), and illness/injury/drop-out (20%). Although focus groups indicated consistently positive comments about treadmill desks, an apparent challenge was fitting a rigid schedule of shared use to an equally rigid and demanding work schedule punctuated with numerous tasks and obligations that could not easily be interrupted. Regardless, we documented that sedentary office workers average ∼43 min of light-intensity (∼2 METs) treadmill walking daily in response to a scheduled, facilitated, and shared access workplace intervention. Workstation alternatives that combine computer-based work with light-intensity physical activity are a potential solution to health problems associated with excessive sedentary behavior; however, there are numerous administrative, capital, and human resource challenges confronting employers considering providing treadmill desks to workers in a cost-effective and equitable manner.

Two spatial light modulator system for laboratory simulation of random beam propagation in random media.

PubMed

Wang, Fei; Toselli, Italo; Korotkova, Olga

2016-02-10

An optical system consisting of a laser source and two independent consecutive phase-only spatial light modulators (SLMs) is shown to accurately simulate a generated random beam (first SLM) after interaction with a stationary random medium (second SLM). To illustrate the range of possibilities, a recently introduced class of random optical frames is examined on propagation in free space and several weak turbulent channels with Kolmogorov and non-Kolmogorov statistics.

Novel inter-crystal scattering event identification method for PET detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Min Sun; Kang, Seung Kwan; Lee, Jae Sung

2018-06-01

Here, we propose a novel method to identify inter-crystal scattering (ICS) events from a PET detector that is even applicable to light-sharing designs. In the proposed method, the detector observation was considered as a linear problem and ICS events were identified by solving this problem. Two ICS identification methods were suggested for solving the linear problem, pseudoinverse matrix calculation and convex constrained optimization. The proposed method was evaluated based on simulation and experimental studies. For the simulation study, an 8  ×  8 photo sensor was coupled to 8  ×  8, 10  ×  10 and 12  ×  12 crystal arrays to simulate a one-to-one coupling and two light-sharing detectors, respectively. The identification rate, the rate that the identified ICS events correctly include the true first interaction position and the energy linearity were evaluated for the proposed ICS identification methods. For the experimental study, a digital silicon photomultiplier was coupled with 8  ×  8 and 10  ×  10 arrays of 3  ×  3  ×  20 mm3 LGSO crystals to construct the one-to-one coupling and light-sharing detectors, respectively. Intrinsic spatial resolutions were measured for two detector types. The proposed ICS identification methods were implemented, and intrinsic resolutions were compared with and without ICS recovery. As a result, the simulation study showed that the proposed convex optimization method yielded robust energy estimation and high ICS identification rates of 0.93 and 0.87 for the one-to-one and light-sharing detectors, respectively. The experimental study showed a resolution improvement after recovering the identified ICS events into the first interaction position. The average intrinsic spatial resolutions for the one-to-one and light-sharing detector were 1.95 and 2.25 mm in the FWHM without ICS recovery, respectively. These values improved to 1.72 and 1.83 mm after ICS recovery, respectively. In conclusion, our proposed method showed good ICS identification in both one-to-one coupling and light-sharing detectors. We experimentally validated that the ICS recovery based on the proposed identification method led to an improved resolution.

Measures of Light in Studies on Light-Driven Plant Plasticity in Artificial Environments

PubMed Central

Niinemets, Ülo; Keenan, Trevor F.

2012-01-01

Within-canopy variation in light results in profound canopy profiles in foliage structural, chemical, and physiological traits. Studies on within-canopy variations in key foliage traits are often conducted in artificial environments, including growth chambers with only artificial light, and greenhouses with and without supplemental light. Canopy patterns in these systems are considered to be representative to outdoor conditions, but in experiments with artificial and supplemental lighting, the intensity of artificial light strongly deceases with the distance from the light source, and natural light intensity in greenhouses is less than outdoors due to limited transmittance of enclosure walls. The implications of such changes in radiation conditions on canopy patterns of foliage traits have not yet been analyzed. We developed model-based methods for retrospective estimation of distance vs. light intensity relationships, for separation of the share of artificial and natural light in experiments with combined light and for estimation of average enclosure transmittance, and estimated daily integrated light at the time of sampling (Qint,C), at foliage formation (Qint,G), and during foliage lifetime (Qint,av). The implications of artificial light environments were analyzed for altogether 25 studies providing information on within-canopy gradients of key foliage traits for 70 species × treatment combinations. Across the studies with artificial light, Qint,G for leaves formed at different heights in the canopy varied from 1.8- to 6.4-fold due to changing the distance between light source and growing plants. In experiments with combined lighting, the share of natural light at the top of the plants varied threefold, and the share of natural light strongly increased with increasing depth in the canopy. Foliage nitrogen content was most strongly associated with Qint,G, but photosynthetic capacity with Qint,C, emphasizing the importance of explicit description of light environment during foliage lifetime. The reported and estimated transmittances of enclosures varied between 0.27 and 0.85, and lack of consideration of the reduction of light compared with outdoor conditions resulted in major underestimation of foliage plasticity to light. The study emphasizes that plant trait vs. light relationships in artificial systems are not directly comparable to natural environments unless modifications in lighting conditions in artificial environments are taken into account. PMID:22822407

Single-shot stand-off chemical identification of powders using random Raman lasing

PubMed Central

Hokr, Brett H.; Bixler, Joel N.; Noojin, Gary D.; Thomas, Robert J.; Rockwell, Benjamin A.; Yakovlev, Vladislav V.; Scully, Marlan O.

2014-01-01

The task of identifying explosives, hazardous chemicals, and biological materials from a safe distance is the subject we consider. Much of the prior work on stand-off spectroscopy using light has been devoted to generating a backward-propagating beam of light that can be used drive further spectroscopic processes. The discovery of random lasing and, more recently, random Raman lasing provide a mechanism for remotely generating copious amounts of chemically specific Raman scattered light. The bright nature of random Raman lasing renders directionality unnecessary, allowing for the detection and identification of chemicals from large distances in real time. In this article, the single-shot remote identification of chemicals at kilometer-scale distances is experimentally demonstrated using random Raman lasing. PMID:25114231

Development of an LYSO based gamma camera for positron and scinti-mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, H.-C.; Jan, M.-L.; Lin, W.-C.; Yu, S.-F.; Su, J.-L.; Shen, L.-H.

2009-08-01

In this research, characteristics of combination of PSPMTs (position sensitive photo-multiplier tube) to form a larger detection area is studied. A home-made linear divider circuit was built for merging signals and readout. Borosilicate glasses were chosen for the scintillation light sharing in the crossover region. Deterioration effect caused by the light guide was understood. The influences of light guide and crossover region on the separable crystal size were evaluated. According to the test results, a gamma camera with a crystal block of 90 × 90 mm2 covered area, composed of 2 mm LYSO crystal pixels, was designed and fabricated. Measured performances showed that this camera worked fine in both 511 keV and lower energy gammas. The light loss behaviour within the crossover region was analyzed and realized. Through count rate measurements, the 176Lu nature background didn't show severe influence on the single photon imaging and exhibited an amount of less than 1/3 of all the events acquired. These results show that with using light sharing techniques, combination of multiple PSPMTs in both X and Y directions to build a large area imaging detector is capable to be achieved. Also this camera design is feasible to keep both the abilities for positron and single photon breast imaging applications. Separable crystal size is 2 mm with 2 mm thick glass applied for the light sharing in current status.

Increasing Young Children's Contact with Print during Shared Reading: Longitudinal Effects on Literacy Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piasta, Shayne B.; Justice, Laura M.; McGinty, Anita S.; Kaderavek, Joan N.

2012-01-01

Longitudinal results for a randomized-controlled trial (RCT) assessing the impact of increasing preschoolers' attention to print during reading are reported. Four-year-old children (N = 550) in 85 classrooms experienced a 30-week shared reading program implemented by their teachers. Children in experimental classrooms experienced shared-book…

Meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials in the era of individual patient data sharing.

PubMed

Kawahara, Takuya; Fukuda, Musashi; Oba, Koji; Sakamoto, Junichi; Buyse, Marc

2018-06-01

Individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis is considered to be a gold standard when the results of several randomized trials are combined. Recent initiatives on sharing IPD from clinical trials offer unprecedented opportunities for using such data in IPD meta-analyses. First, we discuss the evidence generated and the benefits obtained by a long-established prospective IPD meta-analysis in early breast cancer. Next, we discuss a data-sharing system that has been adopted by several pharmaceutical sponsors. We review a number of retrospective IPD meta-analyses that have already been proposed using this data-sharing system. Finally, we discuss the role of data sharing in IPD meta-analysis in the future. Treatment effects can be more reliably estimated in both types of IPD meta-analyses than with summary statistics extracted from published papers. Specifically, with rich covariate information available on each patient, prognostic and predictive factors can be identified or confirmed. Also, when several endpoints are available, surrogate endpoints can be assessed statistically. Although there are difficulties in conducting, analyzing, and interpreting retrospective IPD meta-analysis utilizing the currently available data-sharing systems, data sharing will play an important role in IPD meta-analysis in the future.

New scaling relation for information transfer in biological networks

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyunju; Davies, Paul; Walker, Sara Imari

2015-01-01

We quantify characteristics of the informational architecture of two representative biological networks: the Boolean network model for the cell-cycle regulatory network of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Davidich et al. 2008 PLoS ONE 3, e1672 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001672)) and that of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Li et al. 2004 Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 101, 4781–4786 (doi:10.1073/pnas.0305937101)). We compare our results for these biological networks with the same analysis performed on ensembles of two different types of random networks: Erdös–Rényi and scale-free. We show that both biological networks share features in common that are not shared by either random network ensemble. In particular, the biological networks in our study process more information than the random networks on average. Both biological networks also exhibit a scaling relation in information transferred between nodes that distinguishes them from random, where the biological networks stand out as distinct even when compared with random networks that share important topological properties, such as degree distribution, with the biological network. We show that the most biologically distinct regime of this scaling relation is associated with a subset of control nodes that regulate the dynamics and function of each respective biological network. Information processing in biological networks is therefore interpreted as an emergent property of topology (causal structure) and dynamics (function). Our results demonstrate quantitatively how the informational architecture of biologically evolved networks can distinguish them from other classes of network architecture that do not share the same informational properties. PMID:26701883

Randomized controlled trial of a book-sharing intervention in a deprived South African community: effects on carer-infant interactions, and their relation to infant cognitive and socio-emotional outcome

PubMed Central

Murray, Lynne; De Pascalis, Leonardo; Tomlinson, Mark; Vally, Zahir; Dadomo, Harold; MacLachlan, Brenda; Woodward, Charlotte; Cooper, Peter J.

2017-01-01

Background Consistent with evidence from high income countries, we previously showed that, in an informal peri-urban settlement in a low-middle income country, training parents in book-sharing with their infants benefitted infant language and attention (Vally et al., 2015). Here, we investigated whether these benefits were explained by improvements in carer-infant interactions in both book-sharing and non-book-sharing contexts. We also explored whether infant socio-emotional development benefitted from book-sharing. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Khayelitsha, South Africa. Carers of 14–16 month-old infants were randomized to 8 weeks’ training in book-sharing (n = 49) or a wait list control group (n = 42). In addition to the cognitive measures reported previously, independent assessments were made at base line and follow-up of carer-infant interactions during book-sharing and toy play. Assessments were also made, at follow-up only, of infant pro-social behaviour in a ‘help task’, and of infant imitation of doll characters’ non-social actions and an interpersonal interaction. Eighty-two carer-infant pairs (90%) were assessed at follow-up. (Trial registration ISRCTN39953901). Results Carers who received the training showed significant improvements in book-sharing interactions (sensitivity, elaborations, reciprocity), and, to a smaller extent, in toy-play interactions (sensitivity). Infants in the intervention group showed a significantly higher rate of pro-social behaviour, and tended to show more frequent imitation of the interpersonal interaction. Improvements in carer behaviour during book-sharing, but not during toy play, mediated intervention effects on all infant cognitive outcomes, and tended to mediate intervention effects on infant interpersonal imitation. Conclusions Training in book sharing, a simple, inexpensive intervention that has been shown to benefit infant cognitive development in a low-middle income country, also shows promise for improving infant socio-emotional outcomes in this context. Benefits are mediated by improvements in carer-infant interactions, particularly in book-sharing contexts. PMID:27465028

Randomized controlled trial of a book-sharing intervention in a deprived South African community: effects on carer-infant interactions, and their relation to infant cognitive and socioemotional outcome.

PubMed

Murray, Lynne; De Pascalis, Leonardo; Tomlinson, Mark; Vally, Zahir; Dadomo, Harold; MacLachlan, Brenda; Woodward, Charlotte; Cooper, Peter J

2016-12-01

Consistent with evidence from high-income countries (HICs), we previously showed that, in an informal peri-urban settlement in a low-middle income country, training parents in book sharing with their infants benefitted infant language and attention (Vally, Murray, Tomlinson, & Cooper, ). Here, we investigated whether these benefits were explained by improvements in carer-infant interactions in both book-sharing and non-book-sharing contexts. We also explored whether infant socioemotional development benefitted from book sharing. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Khayelitsha, South Africa. Carers of 14-16-month-old infants were randomized to 8 weeks' training in book sharing (n = 49) or a wait-list control group (n = 42). In addition to the cognitive measures reported previously, independent assessments were made at base line and follow-up of carer-infant interactions during book sharing and toy play. Assessments were also made, at follow-up only, of infant prosocial behaviour in a 'help task', and of infant imitation of doll characters' nonsocial actions and an interpersonal interaction. Eighty-two carer-infant pairs (90%) were assessed at follow-up. (Trial registration ISRCTN39953901). Carers who received the training showed significant improvements in book-sharing interactions (sensitivity, elaborations, reciprocity), and, to a smaller extent, in toy-play interactions (sensitivity). Infants in the intervention group showed a significantly higher rate of prosocial behaviour, and tended to show more frequent imitation of the interpersonal interaction. Improvements in carer behaviour during book sharing, but not during toy play, mediated intervention effects on all infant cognitive outcomes, and tended to mediate intervention effects on infant interpersonal imitation. Training in book sharing, a simple, inexpensive intervention that has been shown to benefit infant cognitive development in a low-middle income country, also shows promise for improving infant socioemotional outcomes in this context. Benefits are mediated by improvements in carer-infant interactions, particularly in book-sharing contexts. © 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Physical key-protected one-time pad

PubMed Central

Horstmeyer, Roarke; Judkewitz, Benjamin; Vellekoop, Ivo M.; Assawaworrarit, Sid; Yang, Changhuei

2013-01-01

We describe an encrypted communication principle that forms a secure link between two parties without electronically saving either of their keys. Instead, random cryptographic bits are kept safe within the unique mesoscopic randomness of two volumetric scattering materials. We demonstrate how a shared set of patterned optical probes can generate 10 gigabits of statistically verified randomness between a pair of unique 2 mm3 scattering objects. This shared randomness is used to facilitate information-theoretically secure communication following a modified one-time pad protocol. Benefits of volumetric physical storage over electronic memory include the inability to probe, duplicate or selectively reset any bits without fundamentally altering the entire key space. Our ability to securely couple the randomness contained within two unique physical objects can extend to strengthen hardware required by a variety of cryptographic protocols, which is currently a critically weak link in the security pipeline of our increasingly mobile communication culture. PMID:24345925

A fast method for optical simulation of flood maps of light-sharing detector modules

PubMed Central

Shi, Han; Du, Dong; Xu, JianFeng; Moses, William W.; Peng, Qiyu

2016-01-01

Optical simulation of the detector module level is highly desired for Position Emission Tomography (PET) system design. Commonly used simulation toolkits such as GATE are not efficient in the optical simulation of detector modules with complicated light-sharing configurations, where a vast amount of photons need to be tracked. We present a fast approach based on a simplified specular reflectance model and a structured light-tracking algorithm to speed up the photon tracking in detector modules constructed with polished finish and specular reflector materials. We simulated conventional block detector designs with different slotted light guide patterns using the new approach and compared the outcomes with those from GATE simulations. While the two approaches generated comparable flood maps, the new approach was more than 200–600 times faster. The new approach has also been validated by constructing a prototype detector and comparing the simulated flood map with the experimental flood map. The experimental flood map has nearly uniformly distributed spots similar to those in the simulated flood map. In conclusion, the new approach provides a fast and reliable simulation tool for assisting in the development of light-sharing-based detector modules with a polished surface finish and using specular reflector materials. PMID:27660376

A fast method for optical simulation of flood maps of light-sharing detector modules

DOE PAGES

Shi, Han; Du, Dong; Xu, JianFeng; ...

2015-09-03

Optical simulation of the detector module level is highly desired for Position Emission Tomography (PET) system design. Commonly used simulation toolkits such as GATE are not efficient in the optical simulation of detector modules with complicated light-sharing configurations, where a vast amount of photons need to be tracked. Here, we present a fast approach based on a simplified specular reflectance model and a structured light-tracking algorithm to speed up the photon tracking in detector modules constructed with polished finish and specular reflector materials. We also simulated conventional block detector designs with different slotted light guide patterns using the new approachmore » and compared the outcomes with those from GATE simulations. And while the two approaches generated comparable flood maps, the new approach was more than 200–600 times faster. The new approach has also been validated by constructing a prototype detector and comparing the simulated flood map with the experimental flood map. The experimental flood map has nearly uniformly distributed spots similar to those in the simulated flood map. In conclusion, the new approach provides a fast and reliable simulation tool for assisting in the development of light-sharing-based detector modules with a polished surface finish and using specular reflector materials.« less

Phytochrome-mediated agravitropism in Arabidopsis hypocotyls requires GIL1 and confers a fitness advantage.

PubMed

Allen, Trudie; Ingles, Patricia J; Praekelt, Uta; Smith, Harry; Whitelam, Garry C

2006-05-01

Plants use specialized photoreceptors to detect the amount, quality, periodicity and direction of light and to modulate their growth and development accordingly. These regulatory light signals often interact with other environmental cues. Exposure of etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings to red (R) or far-red (FR) light causes hypocotyls to grow in random orientations with respect to the gravitational vector, thus overcoming the signal from gravity to grow upwards. This light response, mediated by either phytochrome A or phytochrome B, represents a prime example of cross-talk between environmental signalling systems. Here, we report the isolation the mutant gil1 (for gravitropic in the light) in which hypocotyls continue to grow upwards after exposure of seedlings to R or FR light. The gil1 mutant displays no other phenotypic alterations in response to gravity or light. Cloning of GIL1 has identified a novel gene that is necessary for light-dependent randomization of hypocotyl growth orientation. Using gil1, we have demonstrated that phytochrome-mediated randomization of Arabidopsis hypocotyl orientation provides a fitness advantage to seedlings developing in patchy, low-light environments.

Sharing Knowledge in Universities: Communities of Practice the Answer?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckley, Sheryl; du Toit, Adeline

2009-01-01

The change from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy forced many organizations to change their modus operandi if they were going to survive in a sustainable way. The introduction of communities of practice (CoPs) by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger shed new light on knowledge sharing and dissemination of information. Sharing, interacting,…

Gratings and Random Reflectors for Near-Infrared PIN Diodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gunapala, Sarath; Bandara, Sumith; Liu, John; Ting, David

2007-01-01

Crossed diffraction gratings and random reflectors have been proposed as means to increase the quantum efficiencies of InGaAs/InP positive/intrinsic/ negative (PIN) diodes designed to operate as near-infrared photodetectors. The proposal is meant especially to apply to focal-plane imaging arrays of such photodetectors to be used for near-infrared imaging. A further increase in quantum efficiency near the short-wavelength limit of the near-infrared spectrum of such a photodetector array could be effected by removing the InP substrate of the array. The use of crossed diffraction gratings and random reflectors as optical devices for increasing the quantum efficiencies of quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) was discussed in several prior NASA Tech Briefs articles. While the optical effects of crossed gratings and random reflectors as applied to PIN photodiodes would be similar to those of crossed gratings and random reflectors as applied to QWIPs, the physical mechanisms by which these optical effects would enhance efficiency differ between the PIN-photodiode and QWIP cases: In a QWIP, the multiple-quantum-well layers are typically oriented parallel to the focal plane and therefore perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the direction of incidence of infrared light. By virtue of the applicable quantum selection rules, light polarized parallel to the focal plane (as normally incident light is) cannot excite charge carriers and, hence, cannot be detected. A pair of crossed gratings or a random reflector scatters normally or nearly normally incident light so that a significant portion of it attains a component of polarization normal to the focal plane and, hence, can excite charge carriers. A pair of crossed gratings or a random reflector on a PIN photodiode would also scatter light into directions away from the perpendicular to the focal plane. However, in this case, the reason for redirecting light away from the perpendicular is to increase the length of the optical path through the detector to increase the probability of absorption of photons and thereby increase the resulting excitation of charge carriers. A pair of crossed gratings or a random reflector according to the proposal would be fabricated as an integral part of photodetector structure on the face opposite the focal plane (see figure). In the presence of crossed gratings, light would make four passes through the device before departing. In the presence of a random reflector, a significant portion of the light would make more than four passes: After each bounce, light would be scattered at a different random angle, and would have a chance to escape only when it was reflected, relative to the normal, at an angle less than the critical angle for total internal reflection. Given the indices of refraction of the photodiode materials, this angle would be about 17 . This amounts to a very narrow cone for escape of trapped light.

Randomized clinical trial of bright light therapy for antepartum depression: preliminary findings.

PubMed

Epperson, C Neill; Terman, Michael; Terman, Jiuan Su; Hanusa, Barbara H; Oren, Dan A; Peindl, Kathleen S; Wisner, Katherine L

2004-03-01

Bright light therapy was shown to be a promising treatment for depression during pregnancy in a recent open-label study. In an extension of this work, we report findings from a double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study. Ten pregnant women with DSM-IV major depressive disorder were randomly assigned from April 2000 to January 2002 to a 5-week clinical trial with either a 7000 lux (active) or 500 lux (placebo) light box. At the end of the randomized controlled trial, subjects had the option of continuing in a 5-week extension phase. The Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Scale-Seasonal Affective Disorder Version was administered to assess changes in clinical status. Salivary melatonin was used to index circadian rhythm phase for comparison with antidepressant results. Although there was a small mean group advantage of active treatment throughout the randomized controlled trial, it was not statistically significant. However, in the longer 10-week trial, the presence of active versus placebo light produced a clear treatment effect (p =.001) with an effect size (0.43) similar to that seen in antidepressant drug trials. Successful treatment with bright light was associated with phase advances of the melatonin rhythm. These findings provide additional evidence for an active effect of bright light therapy for antepartum depression and underscore the need for an expanded randomized clinical trial.

The Effects of Content-Enriched Shared Book Reading versus Vocabulary-Only Discussions on the Vocabulary Outcomes of Preschool Dual Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollard-Durodola, Sharolyn D.; Gonzalez, Jorge E.; Saenz, Laura; Resendez, Nora; Kwok, Oiman; Zhu, Leina; Davis, Heather

2018-01-01

Research Findings: This study compared the effects of content-based shared book-reading instruction versus an explicit vocabulary-only condition on the vocabulary development of preschool dual language learners (DLLs). Using shared book reading as the mode of instruction, we randomly assigned 48 bilingual preschool teachers and 281…

Simulating propagation of coherent light in random media using the Fredholm type integral equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraszewski, Maciej; Pluciński, Jerzy

2017-06-01

Studying propagation of light in random scattering materials is important for both basic and applied research. Such studies often require usage of numerical method for simulating behavior of light beams in random media. However, if such simulations require consideration of coherence properties of light, they may become a complex numerical problems. There are well established methods for simulating multiple scattering of light (e.g. Radiative Transfer Theory and Monte Carlo methods) but they do not treat coherence properties of light directly. Some variations of these methods allows to predict behavior of coherent light but only for an averaged realization of the scattering medium. This limits their application in studying many physical phenomena connected to a specific distribution of scattering particles (e.g. laser speckle). In general, numerical simulation of coherent light propagation in a specific realization of random medium is a time- and memory-consuming problem. The goal of the presented research was to develop new efficient method for solving this problem. The method, presented in our earlier works, is based on solving the Fredholm type integral equation, which describes multiple light scattering process. This equation can be discretized and solved numerically using various algorithms e.g. by direct solving the corresponding linear equations system, as well as by using iterative or Monte Carlo solvers. Here we present recent development of this method including its comparison with well-known analytical results and a finite-difference type simulations. We also present extension of the method for problems of multiple scattering of a polarized light on large spherical particles that joins presented mathematical formalism with Mie theory.

Effective Usage of Social Media for Dark Skies Awareness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hennig, A. J.; Heenatigala, T.; Walker, C. E.

2012-12-01

Social media has become a daily tool in our culture. Networks such as Facebook with 900 million active users and Twitter with 140 million active users make an ideal platform to create awareness. It helps to generate and share new content and enables multi-communication channels. This presentation will address how effectively social media can be used as an education tool to create awareness of light pollution. As a "green" focus becomes more important in our world the topic of light pollution is also rising as an important issue. Light Pollution affects many aspects of our world ranging from flora and fauna to the economic well-being of many industrialized countries. Mixed among the many important pollutants in our world light pollution can fall by the way-side, forgotten, but it is imperative to bring out awareness of this problem, especially since studies are beginning to show how by fighting light pollution we will also be fighting other pollution such as air pollutants. GLOBE at Night has combined social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter with its educational awareness campaign on light pollution to reach out to social media community. Currently our Facebook reaches citizens of twenty separate countries ranging from the Czech Republic and Peru to the United States and the United Kingdom. On Facebook our reach is estimated at over 800,000 friends of our fans. These networks help us to directly answer users' immediate questions and encourage participation in the GLOBE at Night campaigns. Important news on light pollution appearing in cyberspace is monitored regularly using Google Alerts and Twitter hash tags filters which gets posted regularly on our networks. Social media networking has become a tool for users not only for information about GLOBE at Night but also for information about the overall topic of light pollution itself. Many individuals and organizations struggle with the mass content shared in social networks. It is important to know where to look for the right content and what to share with whom. This presentation will highlight on; the importance of engaging in social media to gain and share new content, how to filter the right content, and best uses of social media to create an awareness of light pollution. We will discuss the proper ways to get the most use out of social media networking.

Improving team information sharing with a structured call-out in anaesthetic emergencies: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Weller, J M; Torrie, J; Boyd, M; Frengley, R; Garden, A; Ng, W L; Frampton, C

2014-06-01

Sharing information with the team is critical in developing a shared mental model in an emergency, and fundamental to effective teamwork. We developed a structured call-out tool, encapsulated in the acronym 'SNAPPI': Stop; Notify; Assessment; Plan; Priorities; Invite ideas. We explored whether a video-based intervention could improve structured call-outs during simulated crises and if this would improve information sharing and medical management. In a simulation-based randomized, blinded study, we evaluated the effect of the video-intervention teaching SNAPPI on scores for SNAPPI, information sharing, and medical management using baseline and follow-up crisis simulations. We assessed information sharing using a probe technique where nurses and technicians received unique, clinically relevant information probes before the simulation. Shared knowledge of probes was measured in a written, post-simulation test. We also scored sharing of diagnostic options with the team and medical management. Anaesthetists' scores for SNAPPI were significantly improved, as was the number of diagnostic options they shared. We found a non-significant trend to improve information-probe sharing and medical management in the intervention group, and across all simulations, a significant correlation between SNAPPI and information-probe sharing. Of note, only 27% of the clinically relevant information about the patient provided to the nurse and technician in the pre-simulation information probes was subsequently learnt by the anaesthetist. We developed a structured communication tool, SNAPPI, to improve information sharing between anaesthetists and their team, taught it using a video-based intervention, and provide initial evidence to support its value for improving communication in a crisis. © The Author [2014]. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Rail transit shared use and control systems study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-03-01

Since the 1990s, there has been growing interest in shared use of general railway system railroad rights-of-way and tracks by transit : vehicles (such as light rail vehicles) that do not fully comply with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulat...

Secret sharing based on quantum Fourier transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Wei; Huang, Liusheng; Shi, Runhua; He, Libao

2013-07-01

Secret sharing plays a fundamental role in both secure multi-party computation and modern cryptography. We present a new quantum secret sharing scheme based on quantum Fourier transform. This scheme enjoys the property that each share of a secret is disguised with true randomness, rather than classical pseudorandomness. Moreover, under the only assumption that a top priority for all participants (secret sharers and recovers) is to obtain the right result, our scheme is able to achieve provable security against a computationally unbounded attacker.

The Impact of Dialogic Book-Sharing Training on Infant Language and Attention: A Randomized Controlled Trial in a Deprived South African Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vally, Zahir; Murray, Lynne; Tomlinson, Mark; Cooper, Peter J.

2015-01-01

Background: Dialogic book-sharing is an interactive form of shared reading. It has been shown in high income countries (HICs) to be of significant benefit to child cognitive development. Evidence for such benefit in low and middle income countries (LMICs) is scarce, although a feasibility study of our own produced encouraging findings.…

Strangers in sync: Achieving embodied rapport through shared movements

PubMed Central

Vacharkulksemsuk, Tanya; Fredrickson, Barbara L.

2011-01-01

This paper examines the emergence of behavioral synchrony among strangers in the context of self-disclosure, and their path in predicting interaction quality. Specifically, we hypothesize that behavioral synchrony mediates the direct effect of self-disclosure on the development of embodied rapport. Same-sex stranger pairs (n=94) were randomly assigned to a videorecorded self-disclosure or control condition, and afterward each member rated their social interaction. Following the procedure used by Bernieri, Reznick, & Rosenthal (1988), two trained judges independently watched each video record and rated each pair interaction on behavioral synchrony. Bootstrapping analyses provide support for the hypothesized mediating effect of behavioral synchrony, which emerged as independent of the effects of self-other overlap and positive affect. The authors discuss implications of behavioral synchrony for relationship formation processes and the inevitable entwinement of behavior and judgments in light of embodied cognition. PMID:22389521

Propagation and scattering of optical light beams in free space, in atmosphere and in biological media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahin, Serkan

With their first production implemented around 1960's, lasers have afterwards proven to be excellent light sources in building the technology. Subsequently, it has been shown that the extraordinary properties of lasers are related to their coherence properties. Recent developments in optics make it possible to synthesize partially coherent light beams from fully coherent ones. In the last several decades it was seen that using partially coherent light sources may be advantageous, in the areas such as laser surface processing, fiber and free-space optical communications, and medical diagnostics. In this thesis, I study extensively the generation, the propagation in different media, and the scattering of partially coherent light beams with respect to their spectral polarization and coherence states. For instance, I analyze the evolution of recently introduced degree of cross-polarization of light fields in free space; then develop a novel partially coherent light source which acquires and keeps a flat intensity profile around the axis at any distance in the far field; and investigate the interaction of electromagnetic random light with the human eye lens. A part of the thesis treats the effect of atmospheric turbulence on random light beams. Due to random variations in the refractive index, atmospheric turbulence modulates all physical and statistical properties of propagating beams. I have explored the possibility of employing the polarimetric domain of the beam for scintillation reduction, which positively affects the performance of free-space communication systems. I also discuss novel techniques for the sensing of rough targets in the turbulent atmosphere by polarization and coherence properties of light. The other contribution to the thesis is the investigation of light scattering from deterministic or random collections of particles, within the validity of first Born approximation. In the case of a random collection, I introduce and model the new quantity (named pair-structure function) describing correlations among particles, the knowledge of which is necessary for the rigorous predictions of scattered radiation's statistics. Also, by introducing the multi-Gaussian family of functions for scattering potentials, we demonstrate a realistic model for semi-hard edges of particles and bubblelike particles.

Color speckle in laser displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuroda, Kazuo

2015-07-01

At the beginning of this century, lighting technology has been shifted from discharge lamps, fluorescent lamps and electric bulbs to solid-state lighting. Current solid-state lighting is based on the light emitting diodes (LED) technology, but the laser lighting technology is developing rapidly, such as, laser cinema projectors, laser TVs, laser head-up displays, laser head mounted displays, and laser headlamps for motor vehicles. One of the main issues of laser displays is the reduction of speckle noise1). For the monochromatic laser light, speckle is random interference pattern on the image plane (retina for human observer). For laser displays, RGB (red-green-blue) lasers form speckle patterns independently, which results in random distribution of chromaticity, called color speckle2).

Bicyclist Safety Behaviors in an Urban Northeastern, United States City: An Observational Study.

PubMed

Wolfe, Elizabeth Suzanne; Arabian, Sandra Strack; Salzler, Matthew J; Bugaev, Nikolay; Rabinovici, Reuven

2016-01-01

Bicycling is gaining popularity in the United States, and laws and safety recommendations are being established to keep bicyclists safer. To improve road safety for bicyclists, there is a need to characterize their compliance with road laws and safety behaviors. Adult bicyclists were observed at three high-traffic intersections in Boston, MA, with state recommendations of wearing a helmet and riding in a bike lane. State law compliance for displaying reflectors during the day and of a front light and a rear light/reflector at night, obeying traffic signals, and giving pedestrians the right of way was also observed. Variables were compared between personal and shared/rented bicyclists and analyzed by time of day. A total of 1,685 bicyclists were observed. Because of the speed of the bicyclists and obstructed views, only a sampling of 802 bicyclists was observed for reflectors/front light. Overall, 74% wore a helmet, 49% had reflectors/front lights, 95% rode in bike lanes, 87% obeyed traffic signals, and 99% gave the right of way to pedestrians. Compared with shared bicyclists (n = 122), personal bicyclists (n = 1563) had a higher helmet-wearing behaviors (77% vs. 39%, p = .0001). Shared bicyclists had a higher (p = .0001) compliance with reflectors/lights (100%) than personal bicyclists (39%, n = 265). Boston bicyclists ride in bike lanes, obey traffic signals, give pedestrians the right of way, and wear helmets while having suboptimal compliance with light/reflector use. Educational programs and stricter law enforcement aimed at these safety behaviors should be part of the effort to improve safety for all road users.

Statistical optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodman, J. W.

This book is based on the thesis that some training in the area of statistical optics should be included as a standard part of any advanced optics curriculum. Random variables are discussed, taking into account definitions of probability and random variables, distribution functions and density functions, an extension to two or more random variables, statistical averages, transformations of random variables, sums of real random variables, Gaussian random variables, complex-valued random variables, and random phasor sums. Other subjects examined are related to random processes, some first-order properties of light waves, the coherence of optical waves, some problems involving high-order coherence, effects of partial coherence on imaging systems, imaging in the presence of randomly inhomogeneous media, and fundamental limits in photoelectric detection of light. Attention is given to deterministic versus statistical phenomena and models, the Fourier transform, and the fourth-order moment of the spectrum of a detected speckle image.

Balancing the risks and benefits of genomic data sharing: genome research participants' perspectives.

PubMed

Oliver, J M; Slashinski, M J; Wang, T; Kelly, P A; Hilsenbeck, S G; McGuire, A L

2012-01-01

Technological advancements are rapidly propelling the field of genome research forward, while lawmakers attempt to keep apace with the risks these advances bear. Balancing normative concerns of maximizing data utility and protecting human subjects, whose privacy is at risk due to the identifiability of DNA data, are central to policy decisions. Research on genome research participants making real-time data sharing decisions is limited; yet, these perspectives could provide critical information to ongoing deliberations. We conducted a randomized trial of 3 consent types affording varying levels of control over data release decisions. After debriefing participants about the randomization process, we invited them to a follow-up interview to assess their attitudes toward genetic research, privacy and data sharing. Participants were more restrictive in their reported data sharing preferences than in their actual data sharing decisions. They saw both benefits and risks associated with sharing their genomic data, but risks were seen as less concrete or happening in the future, and were largely outweighed by purported benefits. Policymakers must respect that participants' assessment of the risks and benefits of data sharing and their privacy-utility determinations, which are associated with their final data release decisions, vary. In order to advance the ethical conduct of genome research, proposed policy changes should carefully consider these stakeholder perspectives. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Path-length-resolved dynamic light scattering in highly scattering random media: The transition to diffusing wave spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bizheva, Kostadinka K.; Siegel, Andy M.; Boas, David A.

1998-12-01

We used low coherence interferometry to measure Brownian motion within highly scattering random media. A coherence gate was applied to resolve the optical path-length distribution and to separate ballistic from diffusive light. Our experimental analysis provides details on the transition from single scattering to light diffusion and its dependence on the system parameters. We found that the transition to the light diffusion regime occurs at shorter path lengths for media with higher scattering anisotropy or for larger numerical aperture of the focusing optics.

Whole high-quality light environment for humans and plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharakshane, Anton

2017-11-01

Plants sharing a single light environment on a spaceship with a human being and bearing a decorative function should look as natural and attractive as possible. And consequently they can be illuminated only with white light with a high color rendering index. Can lighting optimized for a human eye be effective and appropriate for plants? Spectrum-based effects have been compared under artificial lighting of plants by high-pressure sodium lamps and general-purpose white LEDs. It has been shown that for the survey sample phytochrome photo-equilibria does not depend significantly on the parameters of white LED light, while the share of phytoactive blue light grows significantly as the color temperature increases. It has been revealed that yield photon flux is proportional to luminous efficacy and increases as the color temperature decreases, general color rendering index Ra and the special color rendering index R14 (green leaf) increase. General-purpose white LED lamps with a color temperature of 2700 K, Ra > 90 and luminous efficacy of 100 lm/W are as efficient as the best high-pressure sodium lamps, and at a higher luminous efficacy their yield photon flux per joule is even bigger in proportion. Here we show that demand for high color rendering white LED light is not contradictory to the agro-technical objectives.

Comparison of Vehicle Choice Models

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

Stephens, Thomas S.; Levinson, Rebecca S.; Brooker, Aaron

Five consumer vehicle choice models that give projections of future sales shares of light-duty vehicles were compared by running each model using the same inputs, where possible, for two scenarios. The five models compared — LVCFlex, MA3T, LAVE-Trans, ParaChoice, and ADOPT — have been used in support of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Vehicle Technologies Office in analyses of future light-duty vehicle markets under different assumptions about future vehicle technologies and market conditions. The models give projections of sales shares by powertrain technology. Projections made using common, but not identical, inputs showed qualitative agreement, with the exception ofmore » ADOPT. ADOPT estimated somewhat lower advanced vehicle shares, mostly composed of hybrid electric vehicles. Other models projected large shares of multiple advanced vehicle powertrains. Projections of models differed in significant ways, including how different technologies penetrated cars and light trucks. Since the models are constructed differently and take different inputs, not all inputs were identical, but were the same or very similar where possible. Projections by all models were in close agreement only in the first few years. Although the projections from LVCFlex, MA3T, LAVE-Trans, and ParaChoice were in qualitative agreement, there were significant differences in sales shares given by the different models for individual powertrain types, particularly in later years (2030 and later). For example, projected sales shares of conventional spark-ignition vehicles in 2030 for a given scenario ranged from 35% to 74%. Reasons for such differences are discussed, recognizing that these models were not developed to give quantitatively accurate predictions of future sales shares, but to represent vehicles markets realistically and capture the connections between sales and important influences. Model features were also compared at a high level, and suggestions for further comparison of models are given to enable better understanding of how different features and algorithms used in these models may give different projections.« less

Random-phase metasurfaces at optical wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pors, Anders; Ding, Fei; Chen, Yiting; Radko, Ilya P.; Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I.

2016-06-01

Random-phase metasurfaces, in which the constituents scatter light with random phases, have the property that an incident plane wave will diffusely scatter, hereby leading to a complex far-field response that is most suitably described by statistical means. In this work, we present and exemplify the statistical description of the far-field response, particularly highlighting how the response for polarised and unpolarised light might be alike or different depending on the correlation of scattering phases for two orthogonal polarisations. By utilizing gap plasmon-based metasurfaces, consisting of an optically thick gold film overlaid by a subwavelength thin glass spacer and an array of gold nanobricks, we design and realize random-phase metasurfaces at a wavelength of 800 nm. Optical characterisation of the fabricated samples convincingly demonstrates the diffuse scattering of reflected light, with statistics obeying the theoretical predictions. We foresee the use of random-phase metasurfaces for camouflage applications and as high-quality reference structures in dark-field microscopy, while the control of the statistics for polarised and unpolarised light might find usage in security applications. Finally, by incorporating a certain correlation between scattering by neighbouring metasurface constituents new types of functionalities can be realised, such as a Lambertian reflector.

Fiber-Type Random Laser Based on a Cylindrical Waveguide with a Disordered Cladding Layer.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei Li; Zheng, Meng Ya; Ma, Rui; Gong, Chao Yang; Yang, Zhao Ji; Peng, Gang Ding; Rao, Yun Jiang

2016-05-25

This letter reports a fiber-type random laser (RL) which is made from a capillary coated with a disordered layer at its internal surface and filled with a gain (laser dye) solution in the core region. This fiber-type optical structure, with the disordered layer providing randomly scattered light into the gain region and the cylindrical waveguide providing confinement of light, assists the formation of random lasing modes and enables a flexible and efficient way of making random lasers. We found that the RL is sensitive to laser dye concentration in the core region and there exists a fine exponential relationship between the lasing intensity and particle concentration in the gain solution. The proposed structure could be a fine platform of realizing random lasing and random lasing based sensing.

The impact of dialogic book-sharing training on infant language and attention: a randomized controlled trial in a deprived South African community.

PubMed

Vally, Zahir; Murray, Lynne; Tomlinson, Mark; Cooper, Peter J

2015-08-01

Dialogic book-sharing is an interactive form of shared reading. It has been shown in high income countries (HICs) to be of significant benefit to child cognitive development. Evidence for such benefit in low and middle income countries (LMICs) is scarce, although a feasibility study of our own produced encouraging findings. Accordingly, we aimed to establish the impact on child language and attention of providing training in dialogic booksharing to carers of infants in an impoverished South African community. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Khayelitsha, an informal settlement in South Africa. Mothers of infants aged between 14 and 16 months were recruited and randomized to either 8 weeks of manualized training in dialogic book-sharing or a no-intervention control group. Independent assessments were made of infant language and attention at baseline and following training. The trial was registered (ISRCTN39953901). Ninety one carer-infant dyads were recruited and randomized to the intervention group (n = 49) or the control group (n = 42), 82 (90%) of whom were available for follow-up assessments. On a standardized carer report of infant vocabulary, compared to those in the control group, carers who received the intervention reported a significantly greater increase in the number of words understood by their infants as well as a larger increase in the number of words that their infant understood and could vocalize. Intervention group children also showed substantially greater gains on a measure of sustained attention. In line with evidence from HICs, a dialogic book-sharing programme delivered to an impoverished South African sample was shown to be of considerable benefit to the development of child language and focussed attention. The training programme, which is simple and inexpensive to deliver, has the potential to benefit child cognitive development in LMIC contexts where such development is commonly compromised. © 2014 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

The impact of dialogic book-sharing training on infant language and attention: a randomized controlled trial in a deprived South African community

PubMed Central

Vally, Zahir; Murray, Lynne; Tomlinson, Mark; Cooper, Peter J.

2015-01-01

Background Dialogic book-sharing is an interactive form of shared reading. It has been shown in high income countries (HICs) to be of significant benefit to child cognitive development. Evidence for such benefit in low and middle income countries (LMICs) is scarce, although a feasibility study of our own produced encouraging findings. Accordingly, we aimed to establish the impact on child language and attention of providing training in dialogic booksharing to carers of infants in an impoverished South African community. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Khayelitsha, an informal settlement in South Africa. Mothers of infants aged between 14 and 16 months were recruited and randomized to either eight weeks of manualized training in dialogic book-sharing or a no-intervention control group. Independent assessments were made of infant language and attention at baseline and following training. The trial was registered (ISRCTN39953901). Results Ninety one carer-infant dyads were recruited and randomized to the intervention group (n = 49) or the control group (n = 42), 82 (90%) of whom were available for follow-up assessments. On a standardized carer report of infant vocabulary, compared to those in the control group, carers who received the intervention reported a significantly greater increase in the number of words understood by their infants as well as a larger increase in the number of words that their infant understood and could vocalize. Intervention group children also showed substantially greater gains on a measure of sustained attention. Conclusions In line with evidence from HICs, a dialogic book-sharing programme delivered to an impoverished South African sample was shown to be of considerable benefit to the development of child language and focussed attention. The training programme, which is simple and inexpensive to deliver, has the potential to benefit child cognitive development in LMIC contexts where such development is commonly compromised. PMID:25399699

A natively paired antibody library yields drug leads with higher sensitivity and specificity than a randomly paired antibody library.

PubMed

Adler, Adam S; Bedinger, Daniel; Adams, Matthew S; Asensio, Michael A; Edgar, Robert C; Leong, Renee; Leong, Jackson; Mizrahi, Rena A; Spindler, Matthew J; Bandi, Srinivasa Rao; Huang, Haichun; Tawde, Pallavi; Brams, Peter; Johnson, David S

2018-04-01

Deep sequencing and single-chain variable fragment (scFv) yeast display methods are becoming more popular for discovery of therapeutic antibody candidates in mouse B cell repertoires. In this study, we compare a deep sequencing and scFv display method that retains native heavy and light chain pairing with a related method that randomly pairs heavy and light chain. We performed the studies in a humanized mouse, using interleukin 21 receptor (IL-21R) as a test immunogen. We identified 44 high-affinity binder scFv with the native pairing method and 100 high-affinity binder scFv with the random pairing method. 30% of the natively paired scFv binders were also discovered with the randomly paired method, and 13% of the randomly paired binders were also discovered with the natively paired method. Additionally, 33% of the scFv binders discovered only in the randomly paired library were initially present in the natively paired pre-sort library. Thus, a significant proportion of "randomly paired" scFv were actually natively paired. We synthesized and produced 46 of the candidates as full-length antibodies and subjected them to a panel of binding assays to characterize their therapeutic potential. 87% of the antibodies were verified as binding IL-21R by at least one assay. We found that antibodies with native light chains were more likely to bind IL-21R than antibodies with non-native light chains, suggesting a higher false positive rate for antibodies from the randomly paired library. Additionally, the randomly paired method failed to identify nearly half of the true natively paired binders, suggesting a higher false negative rate. We conclude that natively paired libraries have critical advantages in sensitivity and specificity for antibody discovery programs.

A natively paired antibody library yields drug leads with higher sensitivity and specificity than a randomly paired antibody library

PubMed Central

Adler, Adam S.; Bedinger, Daniel; Adams, Matthew S.; Asensio, Michael A.; Edgar, Robert C.; Leong, Renee; Leong, Jackson; Mizrahi, Rena A.; Spindler, Matthew J.; Bandi, Srinivasa Rao; Huang, Haichun; Brams, Peter; Johnson, David S.

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Deep sequencing and single-chain variable fragment (scFv) yeast display methods are becoming more popular for discovery of therapeutic antibody candidates in mouse B cell repertoires. In this study, we compare a deep sequencing and scFv display method that retains native heavy and light chain pairing with a related method that randomly pairs heavy and light chain. We performed the studies in a humanized mouse, using interleukin 21 receptor (IL-21R) as a test immunogen. We identified 44 high-affinity binder scFv with the native pairing method and 100 high-affinity binder scFv with the random pairing method. 30% of the natively paired scFv binders were also discovered with the randomly paired method, and 13% of the randomly paired binders were also discovered with the natively paired method. Additionally, 33% of the scFv binders discovered only in the randomly paired library were initially present in the natively paired pre-sort library. Thus, a significant proportion of “randomly paired” scFv were actually natively paired. We synthesized and produced 46 of the candidates as full-length antibodies and subjected them to a panel of binding assays to characterize their therapeutic potential. 87% of the antibodies were verified as binding IL-21R by at least one assay. We found that antibodies with native light chains were more likely to bind IL-21R than antibodies with non-native light chains, suggesting a higher false positive rate for antibodies from the randomly paired library. Additionally, the randomly paired method failed to identify nearly half of the true natively paired binders, suggesting a higher false negative rate. We conclude that natively paired libraries have critical advantages in sensitivity and specificity for antibody discovery programs. PMID:29376776

PV systems for remote villages: Service-learning and communal sharing

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

Duffy, J.; Soper, P.; Prasitpianchai, S.

1999-07-01

The remote village of Malvas in the Andes seems typical of many in Peru. The 500 descendants of the Quechua once ruled by the Inca have no electricity, no running water, one telephone, and mud adobe houses. At a 10,000-foot altitude, residents survive with subsistence farming. A group designed and installed a photovoltaic system to provide a vaccine refrigerator, lights, and a transceiver radio system in the town medical clinic last August. They installed light systems in four other town medical clinics in January. This project involves service-learning: combining service with academic subject matter, in this case solar engineering. Keymore » elements of the project also include: letting people define their needs, sustainable infrastructure development, community sharing of installation and virtual ownership (to go along with almost everything else that is shared in common).« less

Fractal attractors and singular invariant measures in two-sector growth models with random factor shares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Torre, Davide; Marsiglio, Simone; Mendivil, Franklin; Privileggi, Fabio

2018-05-01

We analyze a multi-sector growth model subject to random shocks affecting the two sector-specific production functions twofold: the evolution of both productivity and factor shares is the result of such exogenous shocks. We determine the optimal dynamics via Euler-Lagrange equations, and show how these dynamics can be described in terms of an iterated function system with probability. We also provide conditions that imply the singularity of the invariant measure associated with the fractal attractor. Numerical examples show how specific parameter configurations might generate distorted copies of the Barnsley's fern attractor.

Resonance, criticality, and emergence in city traffic investigated in cellular automaton models.

PubMed

Varas, A; Cornejo, M D; Toledo, B A; Muñoz, V; Rogan, J; Zarama, R; Valdivia, J A

2009-11-01

The complex behavior that occurs when traffic lights are synchronized is studied for a row of interacting cars. The system is modeled through a cellular automaton. Two strategies are considered: all lights in phase and a "green wave" with a propagating green signal. It is found that the mean velocity near the resonant condition follows a critical scaling law. For the green wave, it is shown that the mean velocity scaling law holds even for random separation between traffic lights and is not dependent on the density. This independence on car density is broken when random perturbations are considered in the car velocity. Random velocity perturbations also have the effect of leading the system to an emergent state, where cars move in clusters, but with an average velocity which is independent of traffic light switching for large injection rates.

Matched Template Signal Processing for Continuous Wave Laser Tracking of Space Debris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raj, S.; Ward, R.; Roberts, L.; Fleddermann, R.; Francis, S.; McClellend, D.; Shaddock, D.; Smith, C.

2016-09-01

The build up of space junk in Earth's orbit space is a growing concern as it shares the same orbit as many currently active satellites. As the number of objects increase in these orbits, the likelihood of collisions between satellites and debris will increase [1]. The eventual goal is to be able to maneuver space debris to avoid such collisions. We at SERC aim to accomplish this by using ground based laser facilities that are already being used to track space debris orbit. One potential method to maneuver space debris is using continuous wave lasers and applying photon pressure on the debris and attempt to change the orbit. However most current laser ranging facilities operates using pulsed lasers where a pulse of light is sent out and the time taken for the pulse to return back to the telescope is measured after being reflected by the target. If space debris maneuvering is carried out with a continuous wave laser then two laser sources need to be used for ranging and maneuvering. The aim of this research is to develop a laser ranging system that is compatible with the continuous wave laser; using the same laser source to simultaneously track and maneuver space debris. We aim to accomplish this by modulating the outgoing laser light with pseudo random noise (PRN) codes, time tagging the outgoing light, and utilising a matched filter at the receiver end to extract the various orbital information of the debris.

The eyes and vision of butterflies.

PubMed

Arikawa, Kentaro

2017-08-15

Butterflies use colour vision when searching for flowers. Unlike the trichromatic retinas of humans (blue, green and red cones; plus rods) and honeybees (ultraviolet, blue and green photoreceptors), butterfly retinas typically have six or more photoreceptor classes with distinct spectral sensitivities. The eyes of the Japanese yellow swallowtail (Papilio xuthus) contain ultraviolet, violet, blue, green, red and broad-band receptors, with each ommatidium housing nine photoreceptor cells in one of three fixed combinations. The Papilio eye is thus a random patchwork of three types of spectrally heterogeneous ommatidia. To determine whether Papilio use all of their receptors to see colours, we measured their ability to discriminate monochromatic lights of slightly different wavelengths. We found that Papilio can detect differences as small as 1-2 nm in three wavelength regions, rivalling human performance. We then used mathematical modelling to infer which photoreceptors are involved in wavelength discrimination. Our simulation indicated that the Papilio vision is tetrachromatic, employing the ultraviolet, blue, green and red receptors. The random array of three ommatidial types is a common feature in butterflies. To address the question of how the spectrally complex eyes of butterflies evolved, we studied their developmental process. We have found that the development of butterfly eyes shares its molecular logic with that of Drosophila: the three-way stochastic expression pattern of the transcription factor Spineless determines the fate of ommatidia, creating the random array in Papilio. © 2017 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2017 The Physiological Society.

Effect of ambient light on the time needed to complete a fetal biophysical profile: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Said, Heather M; Gupta, Shweta; Vricella, Laura K; Wand, Katy; Nguyen, Thinh; Gross, Gilad

2017-10-01

The objective of this study is to determine whether ambient light serves as a fetal stimulus to decrease the amount of time needed to complete a biophysical profile. This is a randomized controlled trial of singleton gestations undergoing a biophysical profile. Patients were randomized to either ambient light or a darkened room. The primary outcome was the time needed to complete the biophysical profile. Secondary outcomes included total and individual component biophysical profile scores and scores less than 8. A subgroup analysis of different maternal body mass indices was also performed. 357 biophysical profile studies were analyzed. 182 studies were performed with ambient light and 175 were performed in a darkened room. There was no difference in the median time needed to complete the biophysical profile based on exposure to ambient light (6.1min in darkened room versus 6.6min with ambient light; P=0.73). No difference was found in total or individual component biophysical profile scores. Subgroup analysis by maternal body mass index did not demonstrate shorter study times with ambient light exposure in women who were normal weight, overweight or obese. Ambient light exposure did not decrease the time needed to complete the biophysical profile. There was no evidence that ambient light altered fetal behavior observed during the biophysical profile. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of depth-of-interaction (DOI) effects in single- and dual-layer block detectors by the use of light sharing in scintillators.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Seiichi

2012-01-01

In block detectors for PET scanners that use different lengths of slits in scintillators to share light among photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), a position histogram is distorted when the depth of interaction (DOI) of the gamma photons is near the PMTs (DOI effect). However, it remains unclear whether a DOI effect is observed for block detectors that use light sharing in scintillators. To investigate the effect, I tested the effect for single- and dual-layer block detectors. In the single-layer block detector, Ce doped Gd₂SiO₅ (GSO) crystals of 1.9 × 1.9 × 15 mm³ (0.5 mol% Ce) were used. In the dual-layer block detector, GSO crystals of a 1.9 × 1.9 × 6 mm³ (1.5 mol% Ce) were used for the front layer and GSO crystals of 1.9 × 1.9 × 9 mm³ (0.5 mol% Ce) for the back layer. These scintillators were arranged to form an 8 × 8 matrix with multi-layer optical film inserted partly between the scintillators for obtaining an optimized position response with use of two dual-PMTs. Position histograms and energy responses were measured for these block detectors at three different DOI positions, and the flood histograms were obtained. The results indicated that DOI effects are observed in both block detectors, but the dual-layer block showed more severe distortion in the position histogram as well as larger energy variations. We conclude that, in the block detectors that use light sharing in the scintillators, the DOI effect is an important factor for the performance of the detectors, especially for DOI block detectors.

All optical mode controllable Er-doped random fiber laser with distributed Bragg gratings.

PubMed

Zhang, W L; Ma, R; Tang, C H; Rao, Y J; Zeng, X P; Yang, Z J; Wang, Z N; Gong, Y; Wang, Y S

2015-07-01

An all-optical method to control the lasing modes of Er-doped random fiber lasers (RFLs) is proposed and demonstrated. In the RFL, an Er-doped fiber (EDF) recoded with randomly separated fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) is used as the gain medium and randomly distributed reflectors, as well as the controllable element. By combining random feedback of the FBG array and Fresnel feedback of a cleaved fiber end, multi-mode coherent random lasing is obtained with a threshold of 14 mW and power efficiency of 14.4%. Moreover, a laterally-injected control light is used to induce local gain perturbation, providing additional gain for certain random resonance modes. As a result, active mode selection of the RFL is realized by changing locations of the laser cavity that is exposed to the control light.

Data sharing and reanalysis of randomized controlled trials in leading biomedical journals with a full data sharing policy: survey of studies published in The BMJ and PLOS Medicine

PubMed Central

Naudet, Florian; Sakarovitch, Charlotte; Janiaud, Perrine; Cristea, Ioana; Fanelli, Daniele; Moher, David

2018-01-01

Abstract Objectives To explore the effectiveness of data sharing by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in journals with a full data sharing policy and to describe potential difficulties encountered in the process of performing reanalyses of the primary outcomes. Design Survey of published RCTs. Setting PubMed/Medline. Eligibility criteria RCTs that had been submitted and published by The BMJ and PLOS Medicine subsequent to the adoption of data sharing policies by these journals. Main outcome measure The primary outcome was data availability, defined as the eventual receipt of complete data with clear labelling. Primary outcomes were reanalyzed to assess to what extent studies were reproduced. Difficulties encountered were described. Results 37 RCTs (21 from The BMJ and 16 from PLOS Medicine) published between 2013 and 2016 met the eligibility criteria. 17/37 (46%, 95% confidence interval 30% to 62%) satisfied the definition of data availability and 14 of the 17 (82%, 59% to 94%) were fully reproduced on all their primary outcomes. Of the remaining RCTs, errors were identified in two but reached similar conclusions and one paper did not provide enough information in the Methods section to reproduce the analyses. Difficulties identified included problems in contacting corresponding authors and lack of resources on their behalf in preparing the datasets. In addition, there was a range of different data sharing practices across study groups. Conclusions Data availability was not optimal in two journals with a strong policy for data sharing. When investigators shared data, most reanalyses largely reproduced the original results. Data sharing practices need to become more widespread and streamlined to allow meaningful reanalyses and reuse of data. Trial registration Open Science Framework osf.io/c4zke. PMID:29440066

High deductible health plans: does cost sharing stimulate increased consumer sophistication?

PubMed

Gupta, Neal; Polsky, Daniel

2015-06-01

To determine whether increased cost sharing in health insurance plans induces higher levels of consumer sophistication in a non-elderly population. This analysis is based on the collection of survey and demographic data collected from enrollees in the RAND health insurance experiment (HIE). During the RAND HIE, enrollees were randomly assigned to different levels of cost sharing (0, 25, 50 and 95%). The study population compromises about 2000 people enrolled in the RAND HIE, between the years 1974 and 1982. Effects on health-care decision making were measured using the results of a standardized questionnaire, administered at the beginning and end of the experiment. Points of enquiry included whether or not enrollees' (i) recognized the need for second opinions (ii) questioned the effectiveness of certain therapies and (iii) researched the background/skill of their medical providers. Consumer sophistication was also measured for regular health-care consumers, as indicated by the presence of a chronic disease. We found no statically significant changes (P < 0.05) in the health-care decision-making strategies between individuals randomized to high cost sharing plans and low cost sharing plans. Furthermore, we did not find a stronger effect for patients with a chronic disease. The evidence from the RAND HIE does not support the hypothesis that a higher level of cost sharing incentivizes the development of consumer sophistication. As a result, cost sharing alone will not promote individuals to become more selective in their health-care decision-making. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Development of an online platform for streamlining highway LiDAR data collection, sharing, and processing.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-01

Lidar (a portmanteau of "light" and "radar.") is a remote sensing technology that measures distance by illuminating a target with a laser and analyzing the reflected light. Among other applications, lidar is particularly useful for detailed mapping o...

Cold Temperature Effects on Speciated VOC Emissions from modern GDI Light Duty Truck

EPA Science Inventory

Although gasoline direct injection (GDI) vehicles represent nearly half of the light-duty vehicle market share, few studies have reported speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in GDI vehicle exhaust emissions. In this study, speciated VOC emissions were characterized from t...

Whole high-quality light environment for humans and plants.

PubMed

Sharakshane, Anton

2017-11-01

Plants sharing a single light environment on a spaceship with a human being and bearing a decorative function should look as natural and attractive as possible. And consequently they can be illuminated only with white light with a high color rendering index. Can lighting optimized for a human eye be effective and appropriate for plants? Spectrum-based effects have been compared under artificial lighting of plants by high-pressure sodium lamps and general-purpose white LEDs. It has been shown that for the survey sample phytochrome photo-equilibria does not depend significantly on the parameters of white LED light, while the share of phytoactive blue light grows significantly as the color temperature increases. It has been revealed that yield photon flux is proportional to luminous efficacy and increases as the color temperature decreases, general color rendering index R a and the special color rendering index R 14 (green leaf) increase. General-purpose white LED lamps with a color temperature of 2700 K, R a  > 90 and luminous efficacy of 100 lm/W are as efficient as the best high-pressure sodium lamps, and at a higher luminous efficacy their yield photon flux per joule is even bigger in proportion. Here we show that demand for high color rendering white LED light is not contradictory to the agro-technical objectives. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Observing random walks of atoms in buffer gas through resonant light absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoki, Kenichiro; Mitsui, Takahisa

2016-07-01

Using resonant light absorption, random-walk motions of rubidium atoms in nitrogen buffer gas are observed directly. The transmitted light intensity through atomic vapor is measured, and its spectrum is obtained, down to orders of magnitude below the shot-noise level to detect fluctuations caused by atomic motions. To understand the measured spectra, the spectrum for atoms performing random walks in a Gaussian light beam is computed, and its analytical form is obtained. The spectrum has 1 /f2 (f is frequency) behavior at higher frequencies, crossing over to a different, but well-defined, behavior at lower frequencies. The properties of this theoretical spectrum agree excellently with the measured spectrum. This understanding also enables us to obtain the diffusion constant, the photon cross section of atoms in buffer gas, and the atomic number density from a single spectral measurement. We further discuss other possible applications of our experimental method and analysis.

Controlling dispersion forces between small particles with artificially created random light fields

PubMed Central

Brügger, Georges; Froufe-Pérez, Luis S.; Scheffold, Frank; José Sáenz, Juan

2015-01-01

Appropriate combinations of laser beams can be used to trap and manipulate small particles with optical tweezers as well as to induce significant optical binding forces between particles. These interaction forces are usually strongly anisotropic depending on the interference landscape of the external fields. This is in contrast with the familiar isotropic, translationally invariant, van der Waals and, in general, Casimir–Lifshitz interactions between neutral bodies arising from random electromagnetic waves generated by equilibrium quantum and thermal fluctuations. Here we show, both theoretically and experimentally, that dispersion forces between small colloidal particles can also be induced and controlled using artificially created fluctuating light fields. Using optical tweezers as a gauge, we present experimental evidence for the predicted isotropic attractive interactions between dielectric microspheres induced by laser-generated, random light fields. These light-induced interactions open a path towards the control of translationally invariant interactions with tuneable strength and range in colloidal systems. PMID:26096622

Is There a Substellar Object Orbiting the Solar-like Stable Contact Binary V2284 Cyg?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.-J.; Jiang, L.-Q.; Zhang, B.; Zhao, S.-Q.; Yu, J.

2017-12-01

V2284 Cyg is a neglected W UMa-type binary star for photometric investigations. Monitored by the Kepler Space Telescope from 2009 to 2013, its light curves are continuously stable, suggesting that both components are inactive during this time interval. Based on the short-cadence observations, we determined the photometric solutions by using the 2013 version of the Wilson-Devinney code. These parameters reveal that V2284 Cyg is a W-type system with a degree of contact factor of f = 39.23% and a mass ratio of q = 2.90. Meanwhile, hundreds of times of minimum light were obtained and applied to analyze the orbital period changes. In the O-C diagram, a small-amplitude cyclic oscillation (A 3 = 0.00030 days and T 3 = 2.06 years) superimposed on a secular decreasing was found. The continuous decreasing may be a result from the mass transfer from the more massive component to the less massive one. With the long-term decreasing of the orbital period, this binary will evolve into a deeper contact system. Because the light curve is stable, the cyclic variation is plausibly explained as the light-travel time effect (LTTE) due to the presence of an additional body. The mass of the companion is {M}3\\sin i\\prime =0.036(+/- 0.003) {M}⊙ . If the orbital plane inclination is a random distribution, it is a brown dwarf with 66.7% probability. Therefore, the companion of V2284 Cyg is possibly the first candidate of the brown dwarf orbiting around contact binary, where both component are sharing a common convective envelope.

Biomaterials in light amplification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mysliwiec, Jaroslaw; Cyprych, Konrad; Sznitko, Lech; Miniewicz, Andrzej

2017-03-01

Biologically produced or inspired materials can serve as optical gain media, i.e. they can exhibit the phenomenon of light amplification. Some of these materials, under suitable dye-doping and optical pumping conditions, show lasing phenomena. The emerging branch of research focused on obtaining lasing action in highly disordered and highly light scattering materials, i.e. research on random lasing, is perfectly suited for biological materials. The use of biomaterials in light amplification has been extensively reported in the literature. In this review we attempt to report on progress in the development of biologically derived systems able to show the phenomena of light amplification and random lasing together with the contribution of our group to this field. The rich world of biopolymers modified with molecular aggregates and nanocrystals, and self-organized at the nanoscale, offers a multitude of possibilities for tailoring luminescent and light scattering properties that are not easily replicated in conventional organic or inorganic materials. Of particular importance and interest are light amplification and lasing, or random lasing studies in biological cells and tissues. In this review we will describe nucleic acids and their complexes employed as gain media due to their favorable optical properties and ease of manipulation. We will report on research conducted on various biomaterials showing structural analogy to nucleic acids such as fluorescent proteins, gelatins in which the first distributed feedback laser was realized, and also amyloids or silks, which, due to their dye-doped fiber-like structure, allow for light amplification. Other materials that were investigated in that respect include polysaccharides, like starch exhibiting favorable photostability in comparison to other biomaterials, and chitosan, which forms photonic crystals or cellulose. Light amplification and random lasing was not only observed in processed biomaterials but also in living cells and tissues or separated phase systems like phosphatydylcholine liposomes. All of the above-mentioned light amplification possibilities of biomaterials also have potential for several interesting applications in biology, medicine, sensing and imaging, which will be described and discussed in this review.

The span of correlations in dolphin whistle sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrer-i-Cancho, Ramon; McCowan, Brenda

2012-06-01

Long-range correlations are found in symbolic sequences from human language, music and DNA. Determining the span of correlations in dolphin whistle sequences is crucial for shedding light on their communicative complexity. Dolphin whistles share various statistical properties with human words, i.e. Zipf's law for word frequencies (namely that the probability of the ith most frequent word of a text is about i-α) and a parallel of the tendency of more frequent words to have more meanings. The finding of Zipf's law for word frequencies in dolphin whistles has been the topic of an intense debate on its implications. One of the major arguments against the relevance of Zipf's law in dolphin whistles is that it is not possible to distinguish the outcome of a die-rolling experiment from that of a linguistic or communicative source producing Zipf's law for word frequencies. Here we show that statistically significant whistle-whistle correlations extend back to the second previous whistle in the sequence, using a global randomization test, and to the fourth previous whistle, using a local randomization test. None of these correlations are expected by a die-rolling experiment and other simple explanations of Zipf's law for word frequencies, such as Simon's model, that produce sequences of unpredictable elements.

Student Vulnerability, Agency, and Learning Analytics: An Exploration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prinsloo, Paul; Slade, Sharon

2016-01-01

In light of increasing concerns about surveillance, higher education institutions (HEIs) cannot afford a simple paternalistic approach to student data. Very few HEIs have regulatory frameworks in place and/or share information with students regarding the scope of data that may be collected, analyzed, used, and shared. It is clear from literature…

Compact atom interferometer using single laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiow, Sheng-wey; Yu, Nan

2018-06-01

A typical atom interferometer requires vastly different laser frequencies at different stages of operation, e.g., near resonant light for laser cooling and far detuned light for atom optics, such that multiple lasers are typically employed. The number of laser units constrains the achievable minimum size and power in practical devices for resource critical environments such as space. We demonstrate a compact atom interferometer accelerometer operated by a single diode laser. This is achieved by dynamically changing the laser output frequency in GHz range while maintaining spectroscopic reference to an atomic transition via a sideband generated by phase modulation. At the same time, a beam path sharing configuration is also demonstrated for a compact sensor head design, in which atom interferometer beams share the same path as that of the cooling beam. This beam path sharing also significantly simplifies three-axis atomic accelerometry in microgravity using single sensor head.

Optimized light sharing for high-resolution TOF PET detector based on digital silicon photomultipliers.

PubMed

Marcinkowski, R; España, S; Van Holen, R; Vandenberghe, S

2014-12-07

The majority of current whole-body PET scanners are based on pixelated scintillator arrays with a transverse pixel size of 4 mm. However, recent studies have shown that decreasing the pixel size to 2 mm can significantly improve image spatial resolution. In this study, the performance of Digital Photon Counter (DPC) from Philips Digital Photon Counting (PDPC) was evaluated to determine their potential for high-resolution whole-body time of flight (TOF) PET scanners. Two detector configurations were evaluated. First, the DPC3200-44-22 DPC array was coupled to a LYSO block of 15 × 15 2 × 2 × 22 mm(3) pixels through a 1 mm thick light guide. Due to light sharing among the dies neighbour logic of the DPC was used. In a second setup the same DPC was coupled directly to a scalable 4 × 4 LYSO matrix of 1.9 × 1.9 × 22 mm(3) crystals with a dedicated reflector arrangement allowing for controlled light sharing patterns inside the matrix. With the first approach an average energy resolution of 14.5% and an average CRT of 376 ps were achieved. For the second configuration an average energy resolution of 11% and an average CRT of 295 ps were achieved. Our studies show that the DPC is a suitable photosensor for a high-resolution TOF-PET detector. The dedicated reflector arrangement allows one to achieve better performances than the light guide approach. The count loss, caused by dark counts, is overcome by fitting the matrix size to the size of DPC single die.

Shared Genetic Influences on Negative Emotionality and Major Depression/Conduct Disorder Comorbidity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tackett, Jennifer L.; Waldman, Irwin D.; Van Hulle, Carol A.; Lahey, Benjamin B.

2011-01-01

Objective: To investigate whether genetic contributions to major depressive disorder and conduct disorder comorbidity are shared with genetic influences on negative emotionality. Method: Primary caregivers of 2,022 same- and opposite-sex twin pairs 6 to 18 years of age comprised a population-based sample. Participants were randomly selected across…

Enhancing Preschool Educators' Ability to Facilitate Conversations during Shared Book Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milburn, Trelani F.; Girolametto, Luigi; Weitzman, Elaine; Greenberg, Janice

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether professional development enhanced educators' use of conversational strategies during shared book reading with small groups of preschoolers. Twenty preschool educators and small groups of children from each of their classrooms were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The 10…

Making intersections safer : a toolbox of engineering countermeasures to reduce red-light running : an informational report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-01-01

The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) formed a panel of experts from federal, state and local governments, as well as academia and the private sector, to share knowledge and experiences in addressing red-light running using engineering coun...

Accelerate quasi Monte Carlo method for solving systems of linear algebraic equations through shared memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Siyan; Xu, Ying; Shao, Bo; Guo, Menghan; Lin, Xiaola

2017-04-01

In this paper we study on Monte Carlo method for solving systems of linear algebraic equations (SLAE) based on shared memory. Former research demostrated that GPU can effectively speed up the computations of this issue. Our purpose is to optimize Monte Carlo method simulation on GPUmemoryachritecture specifically. Random numbers are organized to storein shared memory, which aims to accelerate the parallel algorithm. Bank conflicts can be avoided by our Collaborative Thread Arrays(CTA)scheme. The results of experiments show that the shared memory based strategy can speed up the computaions over than 3X at most.

Covariance Bell inequalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozsgay, Victor; Hirsch, Flavien; Branciard, Cyril; Brunner, Nicolas

2017-12-01

We introduce Bell inequalities based on covariance, one of the most common measures of correlation. Explicit examples are discussed, and violations in quantum theory are demonstrated. A crucial feature of these covariance Bell inequalities is their nonlinearity; this has nontrivial consequences for the derivation of their local bound, which is not reached by deterministic local correlations. For our simplest inequality, we derive analytically tight bounds for both local and quantum correlations. An interesting application of covariance Bell inequalities is that they can act as "shared randomness witnesses": specifically, the value of the Bell expression gives device-independent lower bounds on both the dimension and the entropy of the shared random variable in a local model.

Genetically determined schizophrenia is not associated with impaired glucose homeostasis.

PubMed

Polimanti, Renato; Gelernter, Joel; Stein, Dan J

2018-05-01

Here, we used data from large genome-wide association studies to test the presence of causal relationships, conducting a Mendelian randomization analysis; and shared molecular mechanisms, calculating the genetic correlation, among schizophrenia, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and impaired glucose homeostasis. Although our Mendelian randomization analysis was well-powered, no causal relationship was observed between schizophrenia and T2D, or traits related to glucose impaired homeostasis. Similarly, we did not observe any global genetic overlap among these traits. These findings indicate that there is no causal relationships or shared mechanisms between schizophrenia and impaired glucose homeostasis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Bell inequality for a class of multilocal ring networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frey, Michael

2017-11-01

Quantum networks with independent sources of entanglement (hidden variables) and nodes that execute joint quantum measurements can create strong quantum correlations spanning the breadth of the network. Understanding of these correlations has to the present been limited to standard Bell experiments with one source of shared randomness, bilocal arrangements having two local sources of shared randomness, and multilocal networks with tree topologies. We introduce here a class of quantum networks with ring topologies comprised of subsystems each with its own internally shared source of randomness. We prove a Bell inequality for these networks, and to demonstrate violations of this inequality, we focus on ring networks with three-qubit subsystems. Three qubits are capable of two non-equivalent types of entanglement, GHZ and W-type. For rings of any number N of three-qubit subsystems, our inequality is violated when the subsystems are each internally GHZ-entangled. This violation is consistently stronger when N is even. This quantitative even-odd difference for GHZ entanglement becomes extreme in the case of W-type entanglement. When the ring size N is even, the presence of W-type entanglement is successfully detected; when N is odd, the inequality consistently fails to detect its presence.

Effectiveness of educational materials designed to change knowledge and behaviors regarding crying and shaken-baby syndrome in mothers of newborns: a randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Barr, Ronald G; Rivara, Frederick P; Barr, Marilyn; Cummings, Peter; Taylor, James; Lengua, Liliana J; Meredith-Benitz, Emily

2009-03-01

Infant crying is an important precipitant for shaken-infant syndrome. OBJECTIVE. To determine if parent education materials (The Period of PURPLE Crying [PURPLE]) change maternal knowledge and behavior relevant to infant shaking. This study was a randomized, controlled trial conducted in prenatal classes, maternity wards, and pediatric practices. There were 1374 mothers of newborns randomly assigned to the PURPLE intervention and 1364 mothers to the control group. Primary outcomes were measured by telephone 2 months after delivery. These included 2 knowledge scales about crying and the dangers of shaking; 3 scales about behavioral responses to crying generally and to unsoothable crying, and caregiver self-talk in response to unsoothable crying; and 3 questions concerning the behaviors of sharing of information with others about crying, walking away if frustrated, and the dangers of shaking. The mean infant crying knowledge score was greater in the intervention group (69.5) compared with controls (63.3). Mean shaking knowledge was greater for intervention subjects (84.8) compared with controls (83.5). For reported maternal behavioral responses to crying generally, responses to unsoothable crying, and for self-talk responses, mean scores for intervention mothers were similar to those for controls. For the behaviors of information sharing, more intervention mothers reported sharing information about walking away if frustrated and the dangers of shaking, but there was little difference in sharing information about infant crying. Intervention mothers also reported increased infant distress. Use of the PURPLE education materials seem to lead to higher scores in knowledge about early infant crying and the dangers of shaking, and in sharing of information behaviors considered to be important for the prevention of shaking.

Detection of biological particles by the use of circular dichroism measurements improved by scattering theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosen, David L.; Pendleton, J. David

1995-09-01

Light scattered from optically active spheres was theoretically analyzed for biodetection. The circularly polarized signal of near-forward scattering from circularly dichroic spheres was calculated. Both remote and point biodetection were considered. The analysis included the effect of a circular aperture and beam block at the detector. If the incident light is linearly polarized, a false signal would limit the sensitivity of the biodetector. If the incident light is randomly polarized, shot noise would limit the sensitivity. Suggested improvements to current techniques include a beam block, precise angular measurements, randomly polarized light, index-matching fluid, and larger apertures for large particles.

Threshold quantum state sharing based on entanglement swapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Huawang; Tso, Raylin

2018-06-01

A threshold quantum state sharing scheme is proposed. The dealer uses the quantum-controlled-not operations to expand the d-dimensional quantum state and then uses the entanglement swapping to distribute the state to a random subset of participants. The participants use the single-particle measurements and unitary operations to recover the initial quantum state. In our scheme, the dealer can share different quantum states among different subsets of participants simultaneously. So the scheme will be very flexible in practice.

Coherent light scattering of heterogeneous randomly rough films and effective medium in the theory of electromagnetic wave multiple scattering

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

Berginc, G

2013-11-30

We have developed a general formalism based on Green's functions to calculate the coherent electromagnetic field scattered by a random medium with rough boundaries. The approximate expression derived makes it possible to determine the effective permittivity, which is generalised for a layer of an inhomogeneous random medium with different types of particles and bounded with randomly rough interfaces. This effective permittivity describes the coherent propagation of an electromagnetic wave in a random medium with randomly rough boundaries. We have obtained an expression, which contains the Maxwell – Garnett formula at the low-frequency limit, and the Keller formula; the latter hasmore » been proved to be in good agreement with experiments for particles whose dimensions are larger than a wavelength. (coherent light scattering)« less

Informed shared decision-making supported by decision coaches for women with ductal carcinoma in situ: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Berger-Höger, Birte; Liethmann, Katrin; Mühlhauser, Ingrid; Haastert, Burkhard; Steckelberg, Anke

2015-10-12

Women with breast cancer want to participate in treatment decision-making. Guidelines have confirmed the right of informed shared decision-making. However, previous research has shown that the implementation of informed shared decision-making is suboptimal for reasons of limited resources of physicians, power imbalances between patients and physicians and missing evidence-based patient information. We developed an informed shared decision-making program for women with primary ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The program provides decision coaching for women by specialized nurses and aims at supporting involvement in decision-making and informed choices. In this trial, the informed shared decision-making program will be evaluated in breast care centers. A cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted to compare the informed shared decision-making program with standard care. The program comprises an evidence-based patient decision aid and training of physicians (2 hours) and specialized breast care and oncology nurses (4 days) in informed shared decision-making. Sixteen certified breast care centers will be included, with 192 women with primary DCIS being recruited. Primary outcome is the extent of patients' involvement in shared decision-making as assessed by the MAPPIN-Odyad (Multifocal approach to the 'sharing' in shared decision-making: observer instrument dyad). Secondary endpoints include the sub-measures of the MAPPIN-inventory (MAPPIN-Onurse, MAPPIN-Ophysician, MAPPIN-Opatient, MAPPIN-Qnurse, MAPPIN-Qpatient and MAPPIN-Qphysician), informed choice, decisional conflict and the duration of encounters. It is expected that decision coaching and the provision of evidence-based patient decision aids will increase patients' involvement in decision-making with informed choices and reduce decisional conflicts and duration of physician encounters. Furthermore, an accompanying process evaluation will be conducted. To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the implementation of decision coaches in German breast care centers. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN46305518 , date of registration: 5 June 2015.

Development Engineers' Work and Learning as Shared Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collin, Kaija

2008-01-01

The field of workplace learning lacks empirical studies that view workplace practices as places for learning and see these practices in a critical light. Accordingly, the aim of this study is, first, to describe examples of everyday shared practice and consider what kinds of various conflicting aims and demands exist in it. Second, the purpose is…

Developing Low-Income Preschoolers' Social Studies and Science Vocabulary Knowledge through Content-Focused Shared Book Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Jorge E.; Pollard-Durodola, Sharolyn; Simmons, Deborah C.; Taylor, Aaron B.; Davis, Matthew J.; Kim, Minjun; Simmons, Leslie

2011-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of integrating science and social studies vocabulary instruction into shared book reading with low-income preschool children. Twenty-one preschool teachers and 148 children from their classrooms were randomly assigned at the class level to either the Words of Oral Reading and Language Development (WORLD)…

The Effects of a Responsive Parenting Intervention on Parent-Child Interactions during Shared Book Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landry, Susan H.; Smith, Karen E.; Swank, Paul R.; Zucker, Tricia; Crawford, April D.; Solari, Emily F.

2012-01-01

This study examined mother-child shared book reading behaviors before and after participation in a random-assignment responsive parenting intervention called Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) that occurred during infancy (PALS I), the toddler-preschool (PALS II) period, or both as compared with a developmental assessment (DAS) intervention (DAS…

Shared Decision Making for Clients with Mental Illness: A Randomized Factorial Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukens, Jonathan M.; Solomon, Phyllis; Sorenson, Susan B.

2013-01-01

Objective: The goal of this study was to test the degree to which client clinical characteristics and environmental context and social workers' practice values and experience influenced support for client's autonomy and willingness to engage in shared decision making (SDM), and whether willingness to engage in SDM was mediated by support for…

The Effects of the Coordination Support on Shared Mental Models and Coordinated Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hyunsong; Kim, Dongsik

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of coordination support (tool support and tutor support) on the development of shared mental models (SMMs) and coordinated action in a computer-supported collaborative learning environment. Eighteen students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, including the tool condition, the…

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Light Therapy, and Their Combination for Seasonal Affective Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rohan, Kelly J.; Roecklein, Kathryn A.; Tierney Lindsey, Kathryn; Johnson, Leigh G.; Lippy, Robert D.; Lacy, Timothy J.; Barton, Franca B.

2007-01-01

This first controlled psychotherapy trial for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) compared SAD-tailored cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), light therapy (LT), and their combination to a concurrent wait-list control. Adults (N = 61) with major depression, recurrent with seasonal pattern, were randomized to one of four 6-week conditions: CBT (1.5-hr…

Random bipartite entanglement from W and W-like states.

PubMed

Fortescue, Ben; Lo, Hoi-Kwong

2007-06-29

We describe a protocol for distilling maximally entangled bipartite states between random pairs of parties from those sharing a tripartite W state |W=(1/sqrt[3])(|100+|010+|001)(ABC), and show that the total distillation rate E(t)(infinity) [the total number of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) pairs distilled per W, irrespective of who shares them] may be done at a higher rate than EPR distillation between specified pairs of parties. Specifically, the optimal rate for distillation to specified parties has been previously shown to be 0.92 EPR pairs per W, while our protocol can asymptotically distill 1 EPR pair per W between random pairs of parties, which we conjecture to be optimal. We thus demonstrate a tradeoff between overall distillation rate and final distribution of EPR pairs. We further show that there exist states with fixed lower-bounded E(t)(infinity), but arbitrarily small distillable entanglement for specified parties.

The effect on teenage risky driving of feedback from a safety monitoring system: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Simons-Morton, Bruce G; Bingham, C Raymond; Ouimet, Marie Claude; Pradhan, Anuj K; Chen, Rusan; Barretto, Andrea; Shope, Jean T

2013-07-01

Teenage risky driving may be due to teenagers not knowing what is risky, preferring risk, or the lack of consequences. Elevated gravitational-force (g-force) events, caused mainly by hard braking and sharp turns, provide a valid measure of risky driving and are the target of interventions using in-vehicle data recording and feedback devices. The effect of two forms of feedback about risky driving events to teenagers only or to teenagers and their parents was tested in a randomized controlled trial. Ninety parent-teen dyads were randomized to one of two groups: (1) immediate feedback to teens (Lights Only); or (2) immediate feedback to teens plus family access to event videos and ranking of the teen relative to other teenage drivers (Lights Plus). Participants' vehicles were instrumented with data recording devices and events exceeding .5 g were assessed for 2 weeks of baseline and 13 weeks of feedback. Growth curve analysis with random slopes yielded a significant decrease in event rates for the Lights Plus group (slope = -.11, p < .01), but no change for the Lights Only group (slope = .05, p = .67) across the 15 weeks. A large effect size of 1.67 favored the Lights Plus group. Provision of feedback with possible consequences associated with parents being informed reduced risky driving, whereas immediate feedback only to teenagers did not. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Light-Induced Changes of the Circadian Clock of Humans: Increasing Duration is More Effective than Increasing Light Intensity

PubMed Central

Dewan, Karuna; Benloucif, Susan; Reid, Kathryn; Wolfe, Lisa F.; Zee, Phyllis C.

2011-01-01

Study Objectives: To evaluate the effect of increasing the intensity and/or duration of exposure on light-induced changes in the timing of the circadian clock of humans. Design: Multifactorial randomized controlled trial, between and within subject design Setting: General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) of an academic medical center Participants: 56 healthy young subjects (20-40 years of age) Interventions: Research subjects were admitted for 2 independent stays of 4 nights/3 days for treatment with bright or dim-light (randomized order) at a time known to induce phase delays in circadian timing. The intensity and duration of the bright light were determined by random assignment to one of 9 treatment conditions (duration of 1, 2, or 3 hours at 2000, 4000, or 8000 lux). Measurements and Results: Treatment-induced changes in the dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) and dim light melatonin offset (DLMOff) were measured from blood samples collected every 20-30 min throughout baseline and post-treatment nights. Comparison by multi-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) of light-induced changes in the time of the circadian melatonin rhythm for the 9 conditions revealed that changing the duration of the light exposure from 1 to 3 h increased the magnitude of light-induced delays. In contrast, increasing from moderate (2,000 lux) to high (8,000 lux) intensity light did not alter the magnitude of phase delays of the circadian melatonin rhythm. Conclusions: Results from the present study suggest that for phototherapy of circadian rhythm sleep disorders in humans, a longer period of moderate intensity light may be more effective than a shorter exposure period of high intensity light. Citation: Dewan K; Benloucif S; Reid K; Wolfe LF; Zee PC. Light-induced changes of the circadian clock of humans: increasing duration is more effective than increasing light intensity. SLEEP 2011;34(5):593-599. PMID:21532952

Shared decision making for prostate cancer screening: the results of a combined analysis of two practice-based randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Sheridan, Stacey L; Golin, Carol; Bunton, Audrina; Lykes, John B; Schwartz, Bob; McCormack, Lauren; Driscoll, David; Bangdiwala, Shrikant I; Harris, Russell P

2012-11-13

Professional societies recommend shared decision making (SDM) for prostate cancer screening, however, most efforts have promoted informed rather than shared decision making. The objective of this study is to 1) examine the effects of a prostate cancer screening intervention to promote SDM and 2) determine whether framing prostate information in the context of other clearly beneficial men's health services affects decisions. We conducted two separate randomized controlled trials of the same prostate cancer intervention (with or without additional information on more clearly beneficial men's health services). For each trial, we enrolled a convenience sample of 2 internal medicine practices, and their interested physicians and male patients with no prior history of prostate cancer (for a total of 4 practices, 28 physicians, and 128 men across trials). Within each practice site, we randomized men to either 1) a video-based decision aid and researcher-led coaching session or 2) a highway safety video. Physicians at each site received a 1-hour educational session on prostate cancer and SDM. To assess intervention effects, we measured key components of SDM, intent to be screened, and actual screening. After finding that results did not vary by trial, we combined data across sites, adjusting for the random effects of both practice and physician. Compared to an attention control, our prostate cancer screening intervention increased men's perceptions that screening is a decision (absolute difference +41%; 95% CI 25 to 57%) and men's knowledge about prostate cancer screening (absolute difference +34%; 95% CI 19% to 50%), but had no effect on men's self-reported participation in shared decisions or their participation at their preferred level. Overall, the intervention decreased screening intent (absolute difference -34%; 95% CI -50% to -18%) and actual screening rates (absolute difference -22%; 95% CI -38 to -7%) with no difference in effect by frame. SDM interventions can increase men's knowledge, alter their perceptions of prostate cancer screening, and reduce actual screening. However, they may not guarantee an increase in shared decisions. #NCT00630188.

46 CFR 161.012-13 - Production tests and inspections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ten lights from each lot of lights produced. Each lot must not exceed 1,000 lights. At least nine of the ten lights, when tested in accordance with the test described in § 161.012-11(c), must meet the... random sample of ten lights must be taken and tested. If less than nine of these lights meet the test...

Encryption method based on pseudo random spatial light modulation for single-fibre data transmission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalski, Marcin; Zyczkowski, Marek

2017-11-01

Optical cryptosystems can provide encryption and sometimes compression simultaneously. They are increasingly attractive for information securing especially for image encryption. Our studies shown that the optical cryptosystems can be used to encrypt optical data transmission. We propose and study a new method for securing fibre data communication. The paper presents a method for optical encryption of data transmitted with a single optical fibre. The encryption process relies on pseudo-random spatial light modulation, combination of two encryption keys and the Compressed Sensing framework. A linear combination of light pulses with pseudo-random patterns provides a required encryption performance. We propose an architecture to transmit the encrypted data through the optical fibre. The paper describes the method, presents the theoretical analysis, design of physical model and results of experiment.

Compact Quantum Random Number Generator with Silicon Nanocrystals Light Emitting Device Coupled to a Silicon Photomultiplier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bisadi, Zahra; Acerbi, Fabio; Fontana, Giorgio; Zorzi, Nicola; Piemonte, Claudio; Pucker, Georg; Pavesi, Lorenzo

2018-02-01

A small-sized photonic quantum random number generator, easy to be implemented in small electronic devices for secure data encryption and other applications, is highly demanding nowadays. Here, we propose a compact configuration with Silicon nanocrystals large area light emitting device (LED) coupled to a Silicon photomultiplier to generate random numbers. The random number generation methodology is based on the photon arrival time and is robust against the non-idealities of the detector and the source of quantum entropy. The raw data show high quality of randomness and pass all the statistical tests in national institute of standards and technology tests (NIST) suite without a post-processing algorithm. The highest bit rate is 0.5 Mbps with the efficiency of 4 bits per detected photon.

Interactions among sulfide-oxidizing bacteria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poplawski, R.

1985-01-01

The responses of different phototrophic bacteria in a competitive experimental system are studied, one in which primary factors such as H2S or light limited photometabolism. Two different types of bacteria shared one limited source of sulfide under specific conditions of light. The selection of a purple and a green sulfur bacteria and the cyanobacterium was based on their physiological similarity and also on the fact that they occur together in microbial mats. They all share anoxygenic photosynthesis, and are thus probably part of an evolutionary continuum of phototrophic organisms that runs from, strictly anaerobic physiology to the ability of some cyanobacteria to shift between anoxygenic bacterial style photosynthesis and the oxygenic kind typical of eukaryotes.

The effect of halogen light stimulation on duration of ultrasound parameters of biophysical profile: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Hanafi, Mohammad Ghasem; Sahraeizadeh, Aliakbar

2018-02-22

The objective is to assess if fetal halogen light stimulation can reduce the time needed to obtain a normal biophysical profile (BPP). Patients scheduled for a BPP and who satisfied the inclusion criteria were prospectively randomized to halogen light stimulation and no stimulation groups. The study group was exposed to handheld halogen light for 10 s whenever fetal breathing, movement, or tone was absent through the first 5 min of BPP. The time required to achieve complete BPP score was recorded. In patients with complete BPP score who had delivery within 1 week after the test, perinatal morbidity was examined. A total of 598 patients were randomized (light = 302, no light = 296). There was no difference between the two groups in terms of gestational age, maternal age, body mass index, and indication for BPP except for preterm labor (light: 9%, no light: 4%, p = 0.03). Among the patients who had a normal BPP score (n = 507), the mean (light: 7.1 ± 6 min, no light: 12.3 ± 8 min, p < 0.0001) and median (light: 4.3, no light: 8, p = 0.004) time needed to complete the BPP score was significantly less in the light stimulation group than the no stimulation group. Perinatal outcomes were not different between groups who had delivery during the first week after BPP. Fetal halogen light stimulation can be utilized to reduce the time needed to complete a BPP. However, further studies should be conducted in order to determine the effect of this method on decreasing non-reassuring test results. The study was submitted to the Registry of Clinical Trials on 04/20/2017 (IRCT2017041633470N1). After IRCT registration on 06/07/2017, we recruited patients from 06/08/2017 till 10/15/2017.

The Impact of Eliminating Extraneous Sound and Light on Students' Achievement: An Empirical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangipudy, Rajarajeswari

2010-01-01

The impact of eliminating extraneous sound and light on students' achievement was investigated under four conditions: Light and Sound controlled, Sound Only controlled, Light Only controlled and neither Light nor Sound controlled. Group, age and gender were the control variables. Four randomly selected groups of high school freshmen students with…

Standardized Effect Size Measures for Mediation Analysis in Cluster-Randomized Trials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stapleton, Laura M.; Pituch, Keenan A.; Dion, Eric

2015-01-01

This article presents 3 standardized effect size measures to use when sharing results of an analysis of mediation of treatment effects for cluster-randomized trials. The authors discuss 3 examples of mediation analysis (upper-level mediation, cross-level mediation, and cross-level mediation with a contextual effect) with demonstration of the…

A Randomized Controlled Trial Study of the ABRACADABRA Reading Intervention Program in Grade 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savage, Robert S.; Abrami, Philip; Hipps, Geoffrey; Deault, Louise

2009-01-01

This study reports a randomized controlled trial evaluation of a computer-based balanced literacy intervention, ABRACADABRA (http://grover.concordia.ca/abra/version1/abracadabra.html). Children (N = 144) in Grade 1 were exposed either to computer activities for word analysis, text comprehension, and fluency, alongside shared stories (experimental…

Exploring the Cost and Value of Private versus Shared Bedrooms in Nursing Homes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calkins, Margaret; Cassella, Christine

2007-01-01

Purpose: There is debate about the relative merits and costs of private versus shared bedrooms in nursing homes, particularly in light of the current efforts at creating both cost-efficient and person-centered care facilities. The purpose of this project was to explore the extent to which there is evidence-based information that supports the…

Idea Sharing: Do Students Learn Better through a More Entertaining Way? The Case of Taiwan EFL Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Chin Min; Wu, Chita

2016-01-01

This article aims at sharing with the readers two ways of English vocabulary learning based upon a small-scale study conducted in Taiwan. The participants of this study were one hundred and three university students randomly chosen from universities in Taiwan. They received questionnaires and vocabulary teaching videos through e-mail or Facebook.…

Expanding the Boundaries of Shared Book Reading: E-Books and Printed Books in Parent-Child Reading as Support for Children's Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korat, Ofra; Shamir, Adina; Heibal, Shani

2013-01-01

Early shared book reading activities are considered to be a promising context for supporting young children's language development. Ninety low socioeconomic status preschoolers and their mothers were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) e-book reading; (2) printed book reading; (3) regular kindergarten literacy program (control). Mothers…

Case Studies' Effect on Undergraduates' Achievement, Attitudes, and Team Shared Mental Models in Educational Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razzouk, Rim; Johnson, Tristan E.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of case studies on learning outcomes, attitudes toward instructions, and team shared mental models (SMM) in a team-based learning environment in an undergraduate educational psychology course. Approximately 105 students who participated in this study were randomly assigned to either a case-study…

Investment strategies used as spectroscopy of financial markets reveal new stylized facts.

PubMed

Zhou, Wei-Xing; Mu, Guo-Hua; Chen, Wei; Sornette, Didier

2011-01-01

We propose a new set of stylized facts quantifying the structure of financial markets. The key idea is to study the combined structure of both investment strategies and prices in order to open a qualitatively new level of understanding of financial and economic markets. We study the detailed order flow on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange of China for the whole year of 2003. This enormous dataset allows us to compare (i) a closed national market (A-shares) with an international market (B-shares), (ii) individuals and institutions, and (iii) real traders to random strategies with respect to timing that share otherwise all other characteristics. We find in general that more trading results in smaller net return due to trading frictions, with the exception that the net return is independent of the trading frequency for A-share individual traders. We unveiled quantitative power laws with non-trivial exponents, that quantify the deterioration of performance with frequency and with holding period of the strategies used by traders. Random strategies are found to perform much better than real ones, both for winners and losers. Surprising large arbitrage opportunities exist, especially when using zero-intelligence strategies. This is a diagnostic of possible inefficiencies of these financial markets.

Data sharing and reanalysis of randomized controlled trials in leading biomedical journals with a full data sharing policy: survey of studies published in The BMJ and PLOS Medicine.

PubMed

Naudet, Florian; Sakarovitch, Charlotte; Janiaud, Perrine; Cristea, Ioana; Fanelli, Daniele; Moher, David; Ioannidis, John P A

2018-02-13

To explore the effectiveness of data sharing by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in journals with a full data sharing policy and to describe potential difficulties encountered in the process of performing reanalyses of the primary outcomes. Survey of published RCTs. PubMed/Medline. RCTs that had been submitted and published by The BMJ and PLOS Medicine subsequent to the adoption of data sharing policies by these journals. The primary outcome was data availability, defined as the eventual receipt of complete data with clear labelling. Primary outcomes were reanalyzed to assess to what extent studies were reproduced. Difficulties encountered were described. 37 RCTs (21 from The BMJ and 16 from PLOS Medicine ) published between 2013 and 2016 met the eligibility criteria. 17/37 (46%, 95% confidence interval 30% to 62%) satisfied the definition of data availability and 14 of the 17 (82%, 59% to 94%) were fully reproduced on all their primary outcomes. Of the remaining RCTs, errors were identified in two but reached similar conclusions and one paper did not provide enough information in the Methods section to reproduce the analyses. Difficulties identified included problems in contacting corresponding authors and lack of resources on their behalf in preparing the datasets. In addition, there was a range of different data sharing practices across study groups. Data availability was not optimal in two journals with a strong policy for data sharing. When investigators shared data, most reanalyses largely reproduced the original results. Data sharing practices need to become more widespread and streamlined to allow meaningful reanalyses and reuse of data. Open Science Framework osf.io/c4zke. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Shared care or nurse consultations as an alternative to rheumatologist follow-up for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) outpatients with stable low disease-activity RA: cost-effectiveness based on a 2-year randomized trial.

PubMed

Sørensen, J; Primdahl, J; Horn, H C; Hørslev-Petersen, K

2015-01-01

To compare the cost-effectiveness of three types of follow-up for outpatients with stable low-activity rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In total, 287 patients were randomized to either planned rheumatologist consultations, shared care without planned consultations, or planned nurse consultations. Effectiveness measures included disease activity (Disease Activity Score based on 28 joint counts and C-reactive protein, DAS28-CRP), functional status (Health Assessment Questionnaire, HAQ), and health-related quality of life (EuroQol EQ-5D). Cost measures included activities in outpatient clinics and general practice, prescription and non-prescription medicine, dietary supplements, other health-care resources, and complementary and alternative care. Measures of effectiveness and costs were collected by self-reported questionnaires at inclusion and after 12 and 24 months. Incremental cost-effectiveness rates (ICERs) were estimated in comparison with rheumatologist consultations. Changes in disease activity, functional status, and health-related quality of life were not statistically significantly different for the three groups, although the mean scores were better for the shared care and nurse care groups compared with the rheumatologist group. Shared care and nurse care were non-significantly less costly than rheumatologist care. As both shared care and nurse care were associated with slightly better EQ-5D improvements and lower costs, they dominated rheumatologist care. At EUR 10,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) threshold, shared care and nurse care were cost-effective with more than 90% probability. Nurse care was cost-effective in comparison with shared care with 75% probability. Shared care and nurse care seem to cost less but provide broadly similar health outcomes compared with rheumatologist outpatient care. However, it is still uncertain whether nurse care and shared care are cost-effective in comparison with rheumatologist outpatient care.

Using a Shared Parameter Mixture Model to Estimate Change during Treatment when Termination is Related to Recovery Speed

PubMed Central

Gottfredson, Nisha C.; Bauer, Daniel J.; Baldwin, Scott A.; Okiishi, John C.

2014-01-01

Objective This study demonstrates how to use a shared parameter mixture model (SPMM) in longitudinal psychotherapy studies to accommodate missing that are due to a correlation between rate of improvement and termination of therapy. Traditional growth models assume that such a relationship does not exist (i.e., assume that data are missing at random) and will produce biased results if this assumption is incorrect. Method We use longitudinal data from 4,676 patients enrolled in a naturalistic study of psychotherapy to compare results from a latent growth model and a shared parameter mixture model (SPMM). Results In this dataset, estimates of the rate of improvement during therapy differ by 6.50 – 6.66% across the two models, indicating that participants with steeper trajectories left psychotherapy earliest, thereby potentially biasing inference for the slope in the latent growth model. Conclusion We conclude that reported estimates of change during therapy may be underestimated in naturalistic studies of therapy in which participants and their therapists determine the end of treatment. Because non-randomly missing data can also occur in randomized controlled trials or in observational studies of development, the utility of the SPMM extends beyond naturalistic psychotherapy data. PMID:24274626

Absorption and scattering of light by nonspherical particles. [in atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bohren, C. F.

1986-01-01

Using the example of the polarization of scattered light, it is shown that the scattering matrices for identical, randomly ordered particles and for spherical particles are unequal. The spherical assumptions of Mie theory are therefore inconsistent with the random shapes and sizes of atmospheric particulates. The implications for corrections made to extinction measurements of forward scattering light are discussed. Several analytical methods are examined as potential bases for developing more accurate models, including Rayleigh theory, Fraunhoffer Diffraction theory, anomalous diffraction theory, Rayleigh-Gans theory, the separation of variables technique, the Purcell-Pennypacker method, the T-matrix method, and finite difference calculations.

Compact quantum random number generator based on superluminescent light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Shihai; Yang, Jie; Fan, Fan; Huang, Wei; Li, Dashuang; Xu, Bingjie

2017-12-01

By measuring the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise of the superluminescent light emitting diodes, we propose and realize a quantum random number generator (QRNG) featured with practicability. In the QRNG, after the detection and amplification of the ASE noise, the data acquisition and randomness extraction which is integrated in a field programmable gate array (FPGA) are both implemented in real-time, and the final random bit sequences are delivered to a host computer with a real-time generation rate of 1.2 Gbps. Further, to achieve compactness, all the components of the QRNG are integrated on three independent printed circuit boards with a compact design, and the QRNG is packed in a small enclosure sized 140 mm × 120 mm × 25 mm. The final random bit sequences can pass all the NIST-STS and DIEHARD tests.

Bayesian analysis of longitudinal dyadic data with informative missing data using a dyadic shared-parameter model.

PubMed

Ahn, Jaeil; Morita, Satoshi; Wang, Wenyi; Yuan, Ying

2017-01-01

Analyzing longitudinal dyadic data is a challenging task due to the complicated correlations from repeated measurements and within-dyad interdependence, as well as potentially informative (or non-ignorable) missing data. We propose a dyadic shared-parameter model to analyze longitudinal dyadic data with ordinal outcomes and informative intermittent missing data and dropouts. We model the longitudinal measurement process using a proportional odds model, which accommodates the within-dyad interdependence using the concept of the actor-partner interdependence effects, as well as dyad-specific random effects. We model informative dropouts and intermittent missing data using a transition model, which shares the same set of random effects as the longitudinal measurement model. We evaluate the performance of the proposed method through extensive simulation studies. As our approach relies on some untestable assumptions on the missing data mechanism, we perform sensitivity analyses to evaluate how the analysis results change when the missing data mechanism is misspecified. We demonstrate our method using a longitudinal dyadic study of metastatic breast cancer.

Spatial and Angular Resolution Enhancement of Light Fields Using Convolutional Neural Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gul, M. Shahzeb Khan; Gunturk, Bahadir K.

2018-05-01

Light field imaging extends the traditional photography by capturing both spatial and angular distribution of light, which enables new capabilities, including post-capture refocusing, post-capture aperture control, and depth estimation from a single shot. Micro-lens array (MLA) based light field cameras offer a cost-effective approach to capture light field. A major drawback of MLA based light field cameras is low spatial resolution, which is due to the fact that a single image sensor is shared to capture both spatial and angular information. In this paper, we present a learning based light field enhancement approach. Both spatial and angular resolution of captured light field is enhanced using convolutional neural networks. The proposed method is tested with real light field data captured with a Lytro light field camera, clearly demonstrating spatial and angular resolution improvement.

Spatial and Angular Resolution Enhancement of Light Fields Using Convolutional Neural Networks.

PubMed

Gul, M Shahzeb Khan; Gunturk, Bahadir K

2018-05-01

Light field imaging extends the traditional photography by capturing both spatial and angular distribution of light, which enables new capabilities, including post-capture refocusing, post-capture aperture control, and depth estimation from a single shot. Micro-lens array (MLA) based light field cameras offer a cost-effective approach to capture light field. A major drawback of MLA based light field cameras is low spatial resolution, which is due to the fact that a single image sensor is shared to capture both spatial and angular information. In this paper, we present a learning based light field enhancement approach. Both spatial and angular resolution of captured light field is enhanced using convolutional neural networks. The proposed method is tested with real light field data captured with a Lytro light field camera, clearly demonstrating spatial and angular resolution improvement.

A new approach to evaluate gamma-ray measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dejager, O. C.; Swanepoel, J. W. H.; Raubenheimer, B. C.; Vandervalt, D. J.

1985-01-01

Misunderstandings about the term random samples its implications may easily arise. Conditions under which the phases, obtained from arrival times, do not form a random sample and the dangers involved are discussed. Watson's U sup 2 test for uniformity is recommended for light curves with duty cycles larger than 10%. Under certain conditions, non-parametric density estimation may be used to determine estimates of the true light curve and its parameters.

Breaking through the bandwidth barrier in distributed fiber vibration sensing by sub-Nyquist randomized sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jingdong; Zhu, Tao; Zheng, Hua; Kuang, Yang; Liu, Min; Huang, Wei

2017-04-01

The round trip time of the light pulse limits the maximum detectable frequency response range of vibration in phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometry (φ-OTDR). We propose a method to break the frequency response range restriction of φ-OTDR system by modulating the light pulse interval randomly which enables a random sampling for every vibration point in a long sensing fiber. This sub-Nyquist randomized sampling method is suits for detecting sparse-wideband- frequency vibration signals. Up to MHz resonance vibration signal with over dozens of frequency components and 1.153MHz single frequency vibration signal are clearly identified for a sensing range of 9.6km with 10kHz maximum sampling rate.

Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy Used to Study Foams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerli, Gregory A.; Durian, Douglas J.

2000-01-01

The white appearance of familiar objects such as clouds, snow, milk, or foam is due to the random scattering of light by the sample. As we all know, pure water is clear and easily passes a beam of light. However, tiny water droplets, such as those in a cloud, scatter light because the air and water droplet have different indexes of refraction. When many droplets, or scattering sites, are present, the incident light is scattered in random directions and the sample takes on a milky white appearance. In a glass of milk, the scattering is due to small colloidal particles. The white appearance of shaving cream, or foam, is due to the scattering of light at the water-bubble interface. Diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) is a laser light-scattering technique used to noninvasively probe the particle dynamics in systems that strongly scatter light. The technique takes advantage of the diffuse nature of light, which is reflected or transmitted from samples such as foams, dense colloidal suspensions (such as paint and milk), emulsions, liquid crystals, sandpiles, and even biological tissues.

Significant growth in. LED use predicted.

PubMed

Simpson, Mike

2012-03-01

Although LED lighting has its critics, a number of whom (see article 'LED--panacea or marketing hype', HEJ--February 2012) are concerned about what they claim are some manufacturers' 'exaggerated claims' about lighting efficiency and lamp lifetime, Philips Lighting believes that, such are the advances being made in this innovative lighting technology, that LED's overall share of the European lighting market will have risen from around 7% in 2008 to 25% by 2020 and that, a decade later, it will account for a remarkable 75% of lighting sales. In the UK, Philips' technical and design director for Lighting, Mike Simpson, told HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, healthcare estates and facilities managers are increasingly recognising the potential to save energy, reduce carbon emissions, and cut maintenance costs, using LED.

Positivity, discontinuity, finite resources, and nonzero error for arbitrarily varying quantum channels

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

Boche, H., E-mail: boche@tum.de, E-mail: janis.noetzel@tum.de; Nötzel, J., E-mail: boche@tum.de, E-mail: janis.noetzel@tum.de

2014-12-15

This work is motivated by a quite general question: Under which circumstances are the capacities of information transmission systems continuous? The research is explicitly carried out on finite arbitrarily varying quantum channels (AVQCs). We give an explicit example that answers the recent question whether the transmission of messages over AVQCs can benefit from assistance by distribution of randomness between the legitimate sender and receiver in the affirmative. The specific class of channels introduced in that example is then extended to show that the unassisted capacity does have discontinuity points, while it is known that the randomness-assisted capacity is always continuousmore » in the channel. We characterize the discontinuity points and prove that the unassisted capacity is always continuous around its positivity points. After having established shared randomness as an important resource, we quantify the interplay between the distribution of finite amounts of randomness between the legitimate sender and receiver, the (nonzero) probability of a decoding error with respect to the average error criterion and the number of messages that can be sent over a finite number of channel uses. We relate our results to the entanglement transmission capacities of finite AVQCs, where the role of shared randomness is not yet well understood, and give a new sufficient criterion for the entanglement transmission capacity with randomness assistance to vanish.« less

Lighting market alchemy: Will we find a pot of gold at the end of the III-V rainbow?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conway, Kathryn M.

2004-12-01

With a focus on visible spectrum light emitting diodes (LEDs), three questions frame this update. First, what are the market and financial outlooks for light-producing compound semiconductor materials and devices? Second, which applications offer the greatest growth potential for the next five to ten years and with which technologies will they likely compete for market share? Third, how can photonics experts contribute to accelerated successes for LEDs and other solid-state lighting technologies such as quantum dots? Using the rainbow as a metaphor for the market, the author examines developments in single color, multiple color and "white light" products.

Comparison of Collaboration and Performance in Groups of Learners Assembled Randomly or Based on Learners' Topic Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cela, Karina L.; Sicilia, Miguel Ángel; Sánchez, Salvador

2015-01-01

Teachers and instructional designers frequently incorporate collaborative learning approaches into their e-learning environments. A key factor of collaborative learning that may affect learner outcomes is whether the collaborative groups are assigned project topics randomly or based on a shared interest in the topic. This is a particularly…

Statistics of premixed flame cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noever, David A.

1991-01-01

The statistics of random cellular patterns in premixed flames are analyzed. Agreement is found with a variety of topological relations previously found for other networks, namely, Lewis's law and Aboav's law. Despite the diverse underlying physics, flame cells are shown to share a broad class of geometric properties with other random networks-metal grains, soap foams, bioconvection, and Langmuir monolayers.

Stalled ERP at Random Textiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brumberg, Robert; Kops, Eric; Little, Elizabeth; Gamble, George; Underbakke, Jesse; Havelka, Douglas

2016-01-01

Andre Raymond, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Random Textiles Co. Inc. (RTC), stood in front of the podium to address his team of 70 sales consultants in Las Vegas, NV. The organization had increased market share and achieved record sales over the past three years; however, in the shadow of this success lurked an obstacle that…

Analysis of multivariate longitudinal kidney function outcomes using generalized linear mixed models.

PubMed

Jaffa, Miran A; Gebregziabher, Mulugeta; Jaffa, Ayad A

2015-06-14

Renal transplant patients are mandated to have continuous assessment of their kidney function over time to monitor disease progression determined by changes in blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Cr), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Multivariate analysis of these outcomes that aims at identifying the differential factors that affect disease progression is of great clinical significance. Thus our study aims at demonstrating the application of different joint modeling approaches with random coefficients on a cohort of renal transplant patients and presenting a comparison of their performance through a pseudo-simulation study. The objective of this comparison is to identify the model with best performance and to determine whether accuracy compensates for complexity in the different multivariate joint models. We propose a novel application of multivariate Generalized Linear Mixed Models (mGLMM) to analyze multiple longitudinal kidney function outcomes collected over 3 years on a cohort of 110 renal transplantation patients. The correlated outcomes BUN, Cr, and eGFR and the effect of various covariates such patient's gender, age and race on these markers was determined holistically using different mGLMMs. The performance of the various mGLMMs that encompass shared random intercept (SHRI), shared random intercept and slope (SHRIS), separate random intercept (SPRI) and separate random intercept and slope (SPRIS) was assessed to identify the one that has the best fit and most accurate estimates. A bootstrap pseudo-simulation study was conducted to gauge the tradeoff between the complexity and accuracy of the models. Accuracy was determined using two measures; the mean of the differences between the estimates of the bootstrapped datasets and the true beta obtained from the application of each model on the renal dataset, and the mean of the square of these differences. The results showed that SPRI provided most accurate estimates and did not exhibit any computational or convergence problem. Higher accuracy was demonstrated when the level of complexity increased from shared random coefficient models to the separate random coefficient alternatives with SPRI showing to have the best fit and most accurate estimates.

The effect of the order in which episodic autobiographical memories versus autobiographical knowledge are shared on feelings of closeness.

PubMed

Brandon, Nicole R; Beike, Denise R; Cole, Holly E

2017-07-01

Autobiographical memories (AMs) can be used to create and maintain closeness with others [Alea, N., & Bluck, S. (2003). Why are you telling me that? A conceptual model of the social function of autobiographical memory. Memory, 11(2), 165-178]. However, the differential effects of memory specificity are not well established. Two studies with 148 participants tested whether the order in which autobiographical knowledge (AK) and specific episodic AM (EAM) are shared affects feelings of closeness. Participants read two memories hypothetically shared by each of four strangers. The strangers first shared either AK or an EAM, and then shared either AK or an EAM. Participants were randomly assigned to read either positive or negative AMs from the strangers. Findings suggest that people feel closer to those who share positive AMs in the same way they construct memories: starting with general and moving to specific.

Brief Report: Medication Sharing Is Rare Among African HIV-1 Serodiscordant Couples Enrolled in an Efficacy Trial of Oral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV-1 Prevention.

PubMed

Thomson, Kerry A; Haberer, Jessica E; Marzinke, Mark A; Mujugira, Andrew; Hendrix, Craig W; Celum, Connie; Ndase, Patrick; Ronald, Allan; Bangsberg, David R; Baeten, Jared M

2017-06-01

Sharing of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications is a concern for PrEP implementation. For HIV-1 serodiscordant couples, sharing may undermine the HIV-1 prevention benefit and also cause antiretroviral resistance if taken by HIV-1 infected partners. Within a PrEP efficacy trial among HIV-1 serodiscordant couples, we assessed the occurrence of PrEP sharing by self-report and plasma tenofovir concentrations in HIV-1 infected partners. PrEP sharing was self-reported at <0.01% of visits, and 0%-1.6% of randomly selected and 0% of purposively selected specimens from HIV-1 infected participants had detectable tenofovir concentrations (median: 66.5 ng/mL, range: 1.3-292 ng/mL). PrEP sharing within HIV-1 serodiscordant couples was extremely rare.

"At Risk of Harm"? An Exploratory Survey of School Counsellors in the UK, Their Perceptions of Confidentiality, Information Sharing and Risk Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Peter; Palmer, Joanne

2012-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to explore perceptions of UK school counsellors of confidentiality and information sharing in therapeutic work with children and young people, using qualitative methods. The research design employed a two-stage process, using questionnaires and follow-up interviews, with a small, non-random sample of school…

Launching Light: Beyond the Bulb for the United Nations' International Year of Light 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arcand, K. K.; Watzke, M.

2015-09-01

In astronomy, light is the language used to understand the Universe. From radio waves to gamma rays, light in all its forms delivers information that helps astronomers learn about the Universe. When the United Nations declared 2015 to be the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL2015), it presented an opportunity to share the role that light plays in astronomy and beyond. The IYL2015 also offered a chance to build on experiences and sustain networks from the International Year of Astronomy in 2009. Light: Beyond the Bulb is an IYL2015 project that melds both of these goals. The project takes the form of an exhibit that showcases what light can do, from here on Earth and across the vastness of space, hosted by volunteer networks in public spaces for informal science learning.

Vehicle-to-Grid Automatic Load Sharing with Driver Preference in Micro-Grids

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

Wang, Yubo; Nazaripouya, Hamidreza; Chu, Chi-Cheng

Integration of Electrical Vehicles (EVs) with power grid not only brings new challenges for load management, but also opportunities for distributed storage and generation. This paper comprehensively models and analyzes distributed Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) for automatic load sharing with driver preference. In a micro-grid with limited communications, V2G EVs need to decide load sharing based on their own power and voltage profile. A droop based controller taking into account driver preference is proposed in this paper to address the distributed control of EVs. Simulations are designed for three fundamental V2G automatic load sharing scenarios that include all system dynamics of suchmore » applications. Simulation results demonstrate that active power sharing is achieved proportionally among V2G EVs with consideration of driver preference. In additional, the results also verify the system stability and reactive power sharing analysis in system modelling, which sheds light on large scale V2G automatic load sharing in more complicated cases.« less

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

Zeylikovich, I.; Xu, M., E-mail: mxu@fairfield.edu

The phase of multiply scattered light has recently attracted considerable interest. Coherent backscattering is a striking phenomenon of multiple scattered light in which the coherence of light survives multiple scattering in a random medium and is observable in the direction space as an enhancement of the intensity of backscattered light within a cone around the retroreflection direction. Reciprocity also leads to enhancement of backscattering light in the spatial space. The random medium behaves as a reciprocity mirror which robustly converts a diverging incident beam into a converging backscattering one focusing at a conjugate spot in space. Here we first analyzemore » theoretically this coherent backscattering mirror (CBM) phenomenon and then demonstrate the capability of CBM compensating and correcting both static and dynamic phase distortions occurring along the optical path. CBM may offer novel approaches for high speed dynamic phase corrections in optical systems and find applications in sensing and navigation.« less

Dynamic coherent backscattering mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeylikovich, I.; Xu, M.

2016-02-01

The phase of multiply scattered light has recently attracted considerable interest. Coherent backscattering is a striking phenomenon of multiple scattered light in which the coherence of light survives multiple scattering in a random medium and is observable in the direction space as an enhancement of the intensity of backscattered light within a cone around the retroreflection direction. Reciprocity also leads to enhancement of backscattering light in the spatial space. The random medium behaves as a reciprocity mirror which robustly converts a diverging incident beam into a converging backscattering one focusing at a conjugate spot in space. Here we first analyze theoretically this coherent backscattering mirror (CBM) phenomenon and then demonstrate the capability of CBM compensating and correcting both static and dynamic phase distortions occurring along the optical path. CBM may offer novel approaches for high speed dynamic phase corrections in optical systems and find applications in sensing and navigation.

Light scattering and random lasing in aqueous suspensions of hexagonal boron nitride nanoflakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, S. A.; Harvey, A.; Griffin, A.; Donnelly, T.; Mulcahy, D.; Coleman, J. N.; Donegan, J. F.; McCloskey, D.

2017-11-01

Liquid phase exfoliation allows large scale production of 2D materials in solution. The particles are highly anisotropic and strongly scatter light. While spherical particles can be accurately and precisely described by a single parameter—the radius, 2D nanoflakes, however, cannot be so easily described. We investigate light scattering in aqueous solutions of 2D hexagonal boron nitride nanoflakes in the single and multiple scattering regimes. In the single scattering regime, the anisotropic 2D materials show a much stronger depolarization of light when compared to spherical particles of similar size. In the multiple scattering regime, the scattering as a function of optical path for hexagonal boron nitride nanoflakes of a given lateral length was found to be qualitatively equivalent to scattering from spheres with the same diameter. We also report the presence of random lasing in high concentration suspensions of aqueous h-BN mixed with Rhodamine B dye. The h-BN works as a scattering agent and Rhodamine B as a gain medium for the process. We observed random lasing at 587 nm with a threshold energy of 0.8 mJ.

Light scattering and random lasing in aqueous suspensions of hexagonal boron nitride nanoflakes.

PubMed

O'Brien, S A; Harvey, A; Griffin, A; Donnelly, T; Mulcahy, D; Coleman, J N; Donegan, J F; McCloskey, D

2017-11-24

Liquid phase exfoliation allows large scale production of 2D materials in solution. The particles are highly anisotropic and strongly scatter light. While spherical particles can be accurately and precisely described by a single parameter-the radius, 2D nanoflakes, however, cannot be so easily described. We investigate light scattering in aqueous solutions of 2D hexagonal boron nitride nanoflakes in the single and multiple scattering regimes. In the single scattering regime, the anisotropic 2D materials show a much stronger depolarization of light when compared to spherical particles of similar size. In the multiple scattering regime, the scattering as a function of optical path for hexagonal boron nitride nanoflakes of a given lateral length was found to be qualitatively equivalent to scattering from spheres with the same diameter. We also report the presence of random lasing in high concentration suspensions of aqueous h-BN mixed with Rhodamine B dye. The h-BN works as a scattering agent and Rhodamine B as a gain medium for the process. We observed random lasing at 587 nm with a threshold energy of 0.8 mJ.

Mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator pumped by an amplified random fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Yaping; Shen, Meili; Wang, Peng; Li, Xiao; Xu, Xiaojun

2017-01-01

Recently, the concept of random fiber lasers has attracted a great deal of attention for its feature to generate incoherent light without a traditional laser resonator, which is free of mode competition and insure the stationary narrow-band continuous modeless spectrum. In this Letter, we reported the first, to the best of our knowledge, optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by an amplified 1070 nm random fiber laser (RFL), in order to generate stationary mid-infrared (mid-IR) laser. The experiment realized a watt-level laser output in the mid-IR range and operated relatively stable. The use of the RFL seed source allowed us to take advantage of its respective stable time-domain characteristics. The beam profile, spectrum and time-domain properties of the signal light were measured to analyze the process of frequency down-conversion process under this new pumping condition. The results suggested that the near-infrared (near-IR) signal light `inherited' good beam performances from the pump light. Those would be benefit for further develop about optical parametric process based on different pumping circumstances.

Asymmetric transmission and optical low-pass filtering in a stack of random media with graded transport mean free path

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bingi, J.; Hemalatha, M.; Anita, R. W.; Vijayan, C.; Murukeshan, V. M.

2015-11-01

Light transport and the physical phenomena related to light propagation in random media are very intriguing, they also provide scope for new paradigms of device functionality, most of which remain unexplored. Here we demonstrate, experimentally and by simulation, a novel kind of asymmetric light transmission (diffusion) in a stack of random media (SRM) with graded transport mean free path. The structure is studied in terms of transmission, of photons propagated through and photons generated within the SRM. It is observed that the SRM exhibits asymmetric transmission property with a transmission contrast of 0.25. In addition, it is shown that the SRM works as a perfect optical low-pass filter with a well-defined cutoff wavelength at 580 nm. Further, the photons generated within the SRM found to exhibit functionality similar to an optical diode with a transmission contrast of 0.62. The basis of this functionality is explained in terms of wavelength dependent photon randomization and the graded transport mean free path of SRM.

Brownian Motion in a Speckle Light Field: Tunable Anomalous Diffusion and Selective Optical Manipulation

PubMed Central

Volpe, Giorgio; Volpe, Giovanni; Gigan, Sylvain

2014-01-01

The motion of particles in random potentials occurs in several natural phenomena ranging from the mobility of organelles within a biological cell to the diffusion of stars within a galaxy. A Brownian particle moving in the random optical potential associated to a speckle pattern, i.e., a complex interference pattern generated by the scattering of coherent light by a random medium, provides an ideal model system to study such phenomena. Here, we derive a theory for the motion of a Brownian particle in a speckle field and, in particular, we identify its universal characteristic timescale. Based on this theoretical insight, we show how speckle light fields can be used to control the anomalous diffusion of a Brownian particle and to perform some basic optical manipulation tasks such as guiding and sorting. Our results might broaden the perspectives of optical manipulation for real-life applications. PMID:24496461

Biomimetic light-harvesting funnels for re-directioning of diffuse light.

PubMed

Pieper, Alexander; Hohgardt, Manuel; Willich, Maximilian; Gacek, Daniel Alexander; Hafi, Nour; Pfennig, Dominik; Albrecht, Andreas; Walla, Peter Jomo

2018-02-14

Efficient sunlight harvesting and re-directioning onto small areas has great potential for more widespread use of precious high-performance photovoltaics but so far intrinsic solar concentrator loss mechanisms outweighed the benefits. Here we present an antenna concept allowing high light absorption without high reabsorption or escape-cone losses. An excess of randomly oriented pigments collects light from any direction and funnels the energy to individual acceptors all having identical orientations and emitting ~90% of photons into angles suitable for total internal reflection waveguiding to desired energy converters (funneling diffuse-light re-directioning, FunDiLight). This is achieved using distinct molecules that align efficiently within stretched polymers together with others staying randomly orientated. Emission quantum efficiencies can be >80% and single-foil reabsorption <0.5%. Efficient donor-pool energy funneling, dipole re-orientation, and ~1.5-2 nm nearest donor-acceptor transfer occurs within hundreds to ~20 ps. Single-molecule 3D-polarization experiments confirm nearly parallel emitters. Stacked pigment selection may allow coverage of the entire solar spectrum.

Writing on wet paper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fridrich, Jessica; Goljan, Miroslav; Lisonek, Petr; Soukal, David

2005-03-01

In this paper, we show that the communication channel known as writing in memory with defective cells is a relevant information-theoretical model for a specific case of passive warden steganography when the sender embeds a secret message into a subset C of the cover object X without sharing the selection channel C with the recipient. The set C could be arbitrary, determined by the sender from the cover object using a deterministic, pseudo-random, or a truly random process. We call this steganography "writing on wet paper" and realize it using low-density random linear codes with the encoding step based on the LT process. The importance of writing on wet paper for covert communication is discussed within the context of adaptive steganography and perturbed quantization steganography. Heuristic arguments supported by tests using blind steganalysis indicate that the wet paper steganography provides improved steganographic security for embedding in JPEG images and is less vulnerable to attacks when compared to existing methods with shared selection channels.

Focusing light through random scattering media by four-element division algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Longjie; Zhang, Xicheng; Zuo, Haoyi; Pang, Lin

2018-01-01

The focusing of light through random scattering materials using wavefront shaping is studied in detail. We propose a newfangled approach namely four-element division algorithm to improve the average convergence rate and signal-to-noise ratio of focusing. Using 4096 independently controlled segments of light, the intensity at the target is 72 times enhanced over the original intensity at the same position. The four-element division algorithm and existing phase control algorithms of focusing through scattering media are compared by both of the numerical simulation and the experiment. It is found that four-element division algorithm is particularly advantageous to improve the average convergence rate of focusing.

Spatial Distribution of Phase Singularities in Optical Random Vector Waves.

PubMed

De Angelis, L; Alpeggiani, F; Di Falco, A; Kuipers, L

2016-08-26

Phase singularities are dislocations widely studied in optical fields as well as in other areas of physics. With experiment and theory we show that the vectorial nature of light affects the spatial distribution of phase singularities in random light fields. While in scalar random waves phase singularities exhibit spatial distributions reminiscent of particles in isotropic liquids, in vector fields their distribution for the different vector components becomes anisotropic due to the direct relation between propagation and field direction. By incorporating this relation in the theory for scalar fields by Berry and Dennis [Proc. R. Soc. A 456, 2059 (2000)], we quantitatively describe our experiments.

APBF-DEC NOx Adsorber/DPF Project: SUV / Pick-up Truck Platform

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

Webb, C; Weber, P; Thornton,M

2003-08-24

The objective of this project is to determine the influence of diesel fuel composition on the ability of NOX adsorber catalyst (NAC) technology, in conjunction with diesel particle filters (DPFs), to achieve stringent emissions levels with a minimal fuel economy impact. The test bed for this project was intended to be a light-duty sport utility vehicle (SUV) with a goal of achieving light-duty Tier 2-Bin 5 tail pipe emission levels (0.07 g/mi. NOX and 0.01 g/mi. PM). However, with the current US market share of light-duty diesel applications being so low, no US 2002 model year (MY) light-duty truck (LDT)more » or SUV platforms equipped with a diesel engine and having a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) less than 8500 lb exist. While the current level of diesel engine use is relatively small in the light-duty class, there exists considerable potential for the diesel engine to gain a much larger market share in the future as manufacturers of heavy light-duty trucks (HLDTs) attempt to offset the negative impact on cooperate average fuel economy (CAFE) that the recent rise in market share of the SUVs and LDTs has caused. The US EPA Tier 2 emission standards also contain regulation to prevent the migration of heavy light-duty trucks and SUV's to the medium duty class. This preventive measure requires that all medium duty trucks, SUV's and vans in the 8,500 to 10,000 lb GVWR range being used as passenger vehicles, meet light-duty Tier 2 standards. In meeting the Tier 2 emission standards, the HLDTs and medium-duty passenger vehicles (MDPVs) will face the greatest technological challenges. Because the MDPV is the closest weight class and application relative to the potential upcoming HLDTs and SUV's, a weight class compromise was made in this program to allow the examination of using a diesel engine with a NAC-DPF system on a 2002 production vehicle. The test bed for this project is a 2500 series Chevrolet Silverado equipped with a 6.6L Duramax diesel engine certified to 2002 MY Federal heavy-duty and 2002 MY California medium-duty emission standards. The stock vehicle included cooled air charge (CAC), turbocharger (TC), direct fuel injection (DFI), oxidation catalyst (OC), and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)« less

Laser absorption of carbon fiber reinforced polymer with randomly distributed carbon fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Jun; Xu, Hebing; Li, Chao

2018-03-01

Laser processing of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is a non-traditional machining method which has many prospective applications. The laser absorption characteristics of CFRP are analyzed in this paper. A ray tracing model describing the interaction of the laser spot with CFRP is established. The material model contains randomly distributed carbon fibers which are generated using an improved carbon fiber placement method. It was found that CFRP has good laser absorption due to multiple reflections of the light rays in the material’s microstructure. The randomly distributed carbon fibers make the absorptivity of the light rays change randomly in the laser spot. Meanwhile, the average absorptivity fluctuation is obvious during movement of the laser. The experimental measurements agree well with the values predicted by the ray tracing model.

Weak scattering of scalar and electromagnetic random fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Zhisong

This dissertation encompasses several studies relating to the theory of weak potential scattering of scalar and electromagnetic random, wide-sense statistically stationary fields from various types of deterministic or random linear media. The proposed theory is largely based on the first Born approximation for potential scattering and on the angular spectrum representation of fields. The main focus of the scalar counterpart of the theory is made on calculation of the second-order statistics of scattered light fields in cases when the scattering medium consists of several types of discrete particles with deterministic or random potentials. It is shown that the knowledge of the correlation properties for the particles of the same and different types, described with the newly introduced pair-scattering matrix, is crucial for determining the spectral and coherence states of the scattered radiation. The approach based on the pair-scattering matrix is then used for solving an inverse problem of determining the location of an "alien" particle within the scattering collection of "normal" particles, from several measurements of the spectral density of scattered light. Weak scalar scattering of light from a particulate medium in the presence of optical turbulence existing between the scattering centers is then approached using the combination of the Born's theory for treating the light interaction with discrete particles and the Rytov's theory for light propagation in extended turbulent medium. It is demonstrated how the statistics of scattered radiation depend on scattering potentials of particles and the power spectra of the refractive index fluctuations of turbulence. This theory is of utmost importance for applications involving atmospheric and oceanic light transmission. The second part of the dissertation includes the theoretical procedure developed for predicting the second-order statistics of the electromagnetic random fields, such as polarization and linear momentum, scattered from static media. The spatial distribution of these properties of scattered fields is shown to be substantially dependent on the correlation and polarization properties of incident fields and on the statistics of the refractive index distribution within the scatterers. Further, an example is considered which illustrates the usefulness of the electromagnetic scattering theory of random fields in the case when the scattering medium is a thin bio-tissue layer with the prescribed power spectrum of the refractive index fluctuations. The polarization state of the scattered light is shown to be influenced by correlation and polarization states of the illumination as well as by the particle size distribution of the tissue slice.

Dynamic segment shared protection for multicast traffic in meshed wavelength-division-multiplexing optical networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Luhua; Li, Lemin; Wang, Sheng

2006-12-01

We investigate the protection approach for dynamic multicast traffic under shared risk link group (SRLG) constraints in meshed wavelength-division-multiplexing optical networks. We present a shared protection algorithm called dynamic segment shared protection for multicast traffic (DSSPM), which can dynamically adjust the link cost according to the current network state and can establish a primary light-tree as well as corresponding SRLG-disjoint backup segments for a dependable multicast connection. A backup segment can efficiently share the wavelength capacity of its working tree and the common resources of other backup segments based on SRLG-disjoint constraints. The simulation results show that DSSPM not only can protect the multicast sessions against a single-SRLG breakdown, but can make better use of the wavelength resources and also lower the network blocking probability.

Light Scattering by Marine Particles: Modeling with Non-spherical Shapes

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

coccoliths detached from Emiliania huxleyi, Limnology and Oceanography, 46, 1438−1454, 2001. Gordon, H.R., T.J. Smyth, W.M. Balch, and G.C. Boynton...Light scattering by coccoliths detached from Emiliania huxleyi, Applied Optics, (2009). PUBLICATIONS H.R. Gordon, Light scattering by randomly

A randomized controlled trial with bright light and melatonin for delayed sleep phase disorder: effects on subjective and objective sleep.

PubMed

Saxvig, Ingvild West; Wilhelmsen-Langeland, Ane; Pallesen, Ståle; Vedaa, Oystein; Nordhus, Inger Hilde; Bjorvatn, Bjørn

2014-02-01

Delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD) is assumed to be common amongst adolescents, with potentially severe consequences in terms of school attendance and daytime functioning. The most common treatment approaches for DSPD are based on the administration of bright light and/or exogenous melatonin with or without adjunct behavioural instructions. Much is generally known about the chronobiological effects of light and melatonin. However, placebo-controlled treatment studies for DSPD are scarce, in particular in adolescents and young adults, and no standardized guidelines exist regarding treatment. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to investigate the short- and long-term effects on sleep of a DSPD treatment protocol involving administration of timed bright light and melatonin alongside gradual advancement of rise time in adolescents and young adults with DSPD in a randomized controlled trial and an open label follow-up study. A total of 40 adolescents and young adults (age range 16-25 years) diagnosed with DSPD were recruited to participate in the study. The participants were randomized to receive treatment for two weeks in one of four treatment conditions: dim light and placebo capsules, bright light and placebo capsules, dim light and melatonin capsules or bright light and melatonin capsules. In a follow-up study, participants were re-randomized to either receive treatment with the combination of bright light and melatonin or no treatment in an open label trial for approximately three months. Light and capsules were administered alongside gradual advancement of rise times. The main end points were sleep as assessed by sleep diaries and actigraphy recordings and circadian phase as assessed by salivary dim light melatonin onset (DLMO). During the two-week intervention, the timing of sleep and DLMO was advanced in all treatment conditions as seen by about 1 h advance of bed time, 2 h advance of rise time and 2 h advance of DLMO in all four groups. Sleep duration was reduced with approximately 1 h. At three-month follow-up, only the treatment group had maintained an advanced sleep phase. Sleep duration had returned to baseline levels in both groups. In conclusion, gradual advancement of rise time produced a phase advance during the two-week intervention, irrespective of treatment condition. Termination of treatment caused relapse into delayed sleep times, whereas long-term treatment with bright light and melatonin (three months) allowed maintenance of the advanced sleep phase.

Apparatus for synthesis of a solar spectrum

DOEpatents

Sopori, Bhushan L.

1993-01-01

A xenon arc lamp and a tungsten filament lamp provide light beams that together contain all the wavelengths required to accurately simulate a solar spectrum. Suitable filter apparatus selectively direct visible and ultraviolet light from the xenon arc lamp into two legs of a trifurcated randomized fiber optic cable. Infrared light selectively filtered from the tungsten filament lamp is directed into the third leg of the fiber optic cable. The individual optic fibers from the three legs are brought together in a random fashion into a single output leg. The output beam emanating from the output leg of the trifurcated randomized fiber optic cable is extremely uniform and contains wavelengths from each of the individual filtered light beams. This uniform output beam passes through suitable collimation apparatus before striking the surface of the solar cell being tested. Adjustable aperture apparatus located between the lamps and the input legs of the trifurcated fiber optic cable can be selectively adjusted to limit the amount of light entering each leg, thereby providing a means of "fine tuning" or precisely adjusting the spectral content of the output beam. Finally, an adjustable aperture apparatus may also be placed in the output beam to adjust the intensity of the output beam without changing the spectral content and distribution of the output beam.

Randomized Controlled Trial of a Book-Sharing Intervention in a Deprived South African Community: Effects on Carer-Infant Interactions, and Their Relation to Infant Cognitive and Socioemotional Outcome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Lynne; De Pascalis, Leonardo; Tomlinson, Mark; Vally, Zahir; Dadomo, Harold; MacLachlan, Brenda; Woodward, Charlotte; Cooper, Peter J.

2016-01-01

Background: Consistent with evidence from high-income countries (HICs), we previously showed that, in an informal peri-urban settlement in a low-middle income country, training parents in book sharing with their infants benefitted infant language and attention (Vally, Murray, Tomlinson, & Cooper, [Vally, Z., 2015]). Here, we investigated…

Investment Strategies Used as Spectroscopy of Financial Markets Reveal New Stylized Facts

PubMed Central

Zhou, Wei-Xing; Mu, Guo-Hua; Chen, Wei; Sornette, Didier

2011-01-01

We propose a new set of stylized facts quantifying the structure of financial markets. The key idea is to study the combined structure of both investment strategies and prices in order to open a qualitatively new level of understanding of financial and economic markets. We study the detailed order flow on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange of China for the whole year of 2003. This enormous dataset allows us to compare (i) a closed national market (A-shares) with an international market (B-shares), (ii) individuals and institutions, and (iii) real traders to random strategies with respect to timing that share otherwise all other characteristics. We find in general that more trading results in smaller net return due to trading frictions, with the exception that the net return is independent of the trading frequency for A-share individual traders. We unveiled quantitative power laws with non-trivial exponents, that quantify the deterioration of performance with frequency and with holding period of the strategies used by traders. Random strategies are found to perform much better than real ones, both for winners and losers. Surprising large arbitrage opportunities exist, especially when using zero-intelligence strategies. This is a diagnostic of possible inefficiencies of these financial markets. PMID:21935403

White random lasing in mixture of ZnSe, CdS and CdSSe micropowders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alyamani, A. Y.; Leanenia, M. S.; Alanazi, L. M.; Aljohani, M. M.; Aljariwi, A. A.; Rzheutski, M. V.; Lutsenko, E. V.; Yablonskii, G. P.

2016-03-01

Room temperature random lasing with white light emission in a mixture of AIIBVI semiconductor powders was achieved for the first time. The scattering gain media was formed by the mixture of closely packed active micron sized crystallites of ZnSe, CdS, CdSSe semiconductors. The micropowders were produced by grinding bulk crystals of each compound. Optical excitation was performed by 10-nanosecond pulses of tuned Ti:Al2O3-laser at 390 nm. The lasing in the mixture of semiconductor powders was achieved simultaneously at four wavelengths in blue, green, yellow and red spectral regions after exceeding the threshold excitation power density. A drastic integral intensity increase, spectrum narrowing and appearance of mode structure accompanied the laser action. ZnSe crystallites produce the laser light at about 460 nm while CdS particles - at about 520 nm. Two types of CdSSe semiconductor micropowders with different sulfur content lase at 580 nm and 660 nm. The threshold excitation power densities for all laser lines in the emission spectrum are approximately the same of about 0.9 MW/cm2. The sum of the emission spectrum of the mixture of the micropowders forms white light with high brightness. Lasing is due to an appearance of random feedback for amplified radiation in the active medium of closely packed light scattering crystallites. The presented results may find their applications for visualization systems, lighting technology, data transmission, medicine as biosensors and in identification systems. The key feature of random lasers is low cost of its production and possibility to be deposited on any type of surface.

Optimizing occupational exposure measurement strategies when estimating the log-scale arithmetic mean value--an example from the reinforced plastics industry.

PubMed

Lampa, Erik G; Nilsson, Leif; Liljelind, Ingrid E; Bergdahl, Ingvar A

2006-06-01

When assessing occupational exposures, repeated measurements are in most cases required. Repeated measurements are more resource intensive than a single measurement, so careful planning of the measurement strategy is necessary to assure that resources are spent wisely. The optimal strategy depends on the objectives of the measurements. Here, two different models of random effects analysis of variance (ANOVA) are proposed for the optimization of measurement strategies by the minimization of the variance of the estimated log-transformed arithmetic mean value of a worker group, i.e. the strategies are optimized for precise estimation of that value. The first model is a one-way random effects ANOVA model. For that model it is shown that the best precision in the estimated mean value is always obtained by including as many workers as possible in the sample while restricting the number of replicates to two or at most three regardless of the size of the variance components. The second model introduces the 'shared temporal variation' which accounts for those random temporal fluctuations of the exposure that the workers have in common. It is shown for that model that the optimal sample allocation depends on the relative sizes of the between-worker component and the shared temporal component, so that if the between-worker component is larger than the shared temporal component more workers should be included in the sample and vice versa. The results are illustrated graphically with an example from the reinforced plastics industry. If there exists a shared temporal variation at a workplace, that variability needs to be accounted for in the sampling design and the more complex model is recommended.

Marine algae and land plants share conserved phytochrome signaling systems

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

Duanmu, Deqiang; Bachy, Charles; Sudek, Sebastian

Phytochrome photosensors control a vast gene network in streptophyte plants, acting as master regulators of diverse growth and developmental processes throughout the life cycle. In contrast with their absence in known chlorophyte algal genomes and most sequenced prasinophyte algal genomes, a phytochrome is found in Micromonas pusilla, a widely distributed marine picoprasinophyte (<2 µm cell diameter). Together with phytochromes identified from other prasinophyte lineages, we establish that prasinophyte and streptophyte phytochromes share core light-input and signaling-output domain architectures except for the loss of C-terminal response regulator receiver domains in the streptophyte phytochrome lineage. Phylogenetic reconstructions robustly support the presence ofmore » phytochrome in the common progenitor of green algae and land plants. These analyses reveal a monophyletic clade containing streptophyte, prasinophyte, cryptophyte, and glaucophyte phytochromes implying an origin in the eukaryotic ancestor of the Archaeplastida. Transcriptomic measurements reveal diurnal regulation of phytochrome and bilin chromophore biosynthetic genes in Micromonas. The expression of these genes precedes both light-mediated phytochrome redistribution from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and increased expression of photosynthesis-associated genes. Prasinophyte phytochromes perceive wavelengths of light transmitted farther through seawater than the red/far-red light sensed by land plant phytochromes. Prasinophyte phytochromes also retain light-regulated histidine kinase activity lost in the streptophyte phytochrome lineage. Our studies demonstrate that light-mediated nuclear translocation of phytochrome predates the emergence of land plants and likely represents a widespread signaling mechanism in unicellular algae.« less

Marine algae and land plants share conserved phytochrome signaling systems

DOE PAGES

Duanmu, Deqiang; Bachy, Charles; Sudek, Sebastian; ...

2014-09-29

Phytochrome photosensors control a vast gene network in streptophyte plants, acting as master regulators of diverse growth and developmental processes throughout the life cycle. In contrast with their absence in known chlorophyte algal genomes and most sequenced prasinophyte algal genomes, a phytochrome is found in Micromonas pusilla, a widely distributed marine picoprasinophyte (<2 µm cell diameter). Together with phytochromes identified from other prasinophyte lineages, we establish that prasinophyte and streptophyte phytochromes share core light-input and signaling-output domain architectures except for the loss of C-terminal response regulator receiver domains in the streptophyte phytochrome lineage. Phylogenetic reconstructions robustly support the presence ofmore » phytochrome in the common progenitor of green algae and land plants. These analyses reveal a monophyletic clade containing streptophyte, prasinophyte, cryptophyte, and glaucophyte phytochromes implying an origin in the eukaryotic ancestor of the Archaeplastida. Transcriptomic measurements reveal diurnal regulation of phytochrome and bilin chromophore biosynthetic genes in Micromonas. The expression of these genes precedes both light-mediated phytochrome redistribution from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and increased expression of photosynthesis-associated genes. Prasinophyte phytochromes perceive wavelengths of light transmitted farther through seawater than the red/far-red light sensed by land plant phytochromes. Prasinophyte phytochromes also retain light-regulated histidine kinase activity lost in the streptophyte phytochrome lineage. Our studies demonstrate that light-mediated nuclear translocation of phytochrome predates the emergence of land plants and likely represents a widespread signaling mechanism in unicellular algae.« less

Review of research designs and statistical methods employed in dental postgraduate dissertations.

PubMed

Shirahatti, Ravi V; Hegde-Shetiya, Sahana

2015-01-01

There is a need to evaluate the quality of postgraduate dissertations of dentistry submitted to university in the light of the international standards of reporting. We conducted the review with an objective to document the use of sampling methods, measurement standardization, blinding, methods to eliminate bias, appropriate use of statistical tests, appropriate use of data presentation in postgraduate dental research and suggest and recommend modifications. The public access database of the dissertations from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences was reviewed. Three hundred and thirty-three eligible dissertations underwent preliminary evaluation followed by detailed evaluation of 10% of randomly selected dissertations. The dissertations were assessed based on international reporting guidelines such as strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE), consolidated standards of reporting trials (CONSORT), and other scholarly resources. The data were compiled using MS Excel and SPSS 10.0. Numbers and percentages were used for describing the data. The "in vitro" studies were the most common type of research (39%), followed by observational (32%) and experimental studies (29%). The disciplines conservative dentistry (92%) and prosthodontics (75%) reported high numbers of in vitro research. Disciplines oral surgery (80%) and periodontics (67%) had conducted experimental studies as a major share of their research. Lacunae in the studies included observational studies not following random sampling (70%), experimental studies not following random allocation (75%), not mentioning about blinding, confounding variables and calibrations in measurements, misrepresenting the data by inappropriate data presentation, errors in reporting probability values and not reporting confidence intervals. Few studies showed grossly inappropriate choice of statistical tests and many studies needed additional tests. Overall observations indicated the need to comply with standard guidelines of reporting research.

A randomized controlled trial of light versus deep propofol sedation for elective outpatient colonoscopy: recall, procedural conditions, and recovery.

PubMed

Allen, Megan; Leslie, Kate; Hebbard, Geoffrey; Jones, Ian; Mettho, Tejinder; Maruff, Paul

2015-11-01

This study aimed to determine if the incidence of recall was equivalent between light and deep sedation for colonoscopy. Secondary analysis included complications, patient clinical recovery, and post-procedure cognitive impairment. Two hundred patients undergoing elective outpatient colonoscopy were randomized to light (bispectral index [BIS] 70-80) or deep (BIS < 60) sedation with propofol and fentanyl. Recall was assessed by the modified Brice questionnaire, and cognition at baseline and discharge was assessed using a Cogstate test battery. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) BIS values were different in the two groups (69 [65-74] light sedation vs 53 [46-59] deep sedation; P < 0.0001). The incidence of recall was 12% in the light sedation group and 1% in the deep sedation group. The risk difference for recall was 0.11 (90% confidence interval, 0.05 to 0.17) in the intention-to-treat analysis, thus refuting equivalence in recall between light and deep sedation (0.05 significance level; 10% equivalence margin). Overall sedation-related complications were more frequent with deep sedation than with light sedation (66% vs 47%, respectively; P = 0.008). Recovery was more rapid with light sedation than with deep sedation as determined by the mean (SD) time to reach a score of 5 on the Modified Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation Scale [3 (4) min vs 7 (4) min, respectively; P < 0.001] and by the median [IQR] time to readiness for hospital discharge (65 [57-80] min vs 74 [63-86] min, respectively; P = 0.001). The incidence of post-procedural cognitive impairment was similar in those randomized to light (19%) vs deep (16%) sedation (P = 0.554). Light sedation was not equivalent to deep sedation for procedural recall, the spectrum of complications, or recovery times. This study provides evidence to inform discussions with patients about sedation for colonoscopy. This trial was registered at the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number 12611000320954.

Random parameter models of interstate crash frequencies by severity, number of vehicles involved, collision and location type.

PubMed

Venkataraman, Narayan; Ulfarsson, Gudmundur F; Shankar, Venky N

2013-10-01

A nine-year (1999-2007) continuous panel of crash histories on interstates in Washington State, USA, was used to estimate random parameter negative binomial (RPNB) models for various aggregations of crashes. A total of 21 different models were assessed in terms of four ways to aggregate crashes, by: (a) severity, (b) number of vehicles involved, (c) crash type, and by (d) location characteristics. The models within these aggregations include specifications for all severities (property damage only, possible injury, evident injury, disabling injury, and fatality), number of vehicles involved (one-vehicle to five-or-more-vehicle), crash type (sideswipe, same direction, overturn, head-on, fixed object, rear-end, and other), and location types (urban interchange, rural interchange, urban non-interchange, rural non-interchange). A total of 1153 directional road segments comprising of the seven Washington State interstates were analyzed, yielding statistical models of crash frequency based on 10,377 observations. These results suggest that in general there was a significant improvement in log-likelihood when using RPNB compared to a fixed parameter negative binomial baseline model. Heterogeneity effects are most noticeable for lighting type, road curvature, and traffic volume (ADT). Median lighting or right-side lighting are linked to increased crash frequencies in many models for more than half of the road segments compared to both-sides lighting. Both-sides lighting thereby appears to generally lead to a safety improvement. Traffic volume has a random parameter but the effect is always toward increasing crash frequencies as expected. However that the effect is random shows that the effect of traffic volume on crash frequency is complex and varies by road segment. The number of lanes has a random parameter effect only in the interchange type models. The results show that road segment-specific insights into crash frequency occurrence can lead to improved design policy and project prioritization. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between drug insurance cost sharing strategies and outcomes in patients with chronic diseases: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mann, Bikaramjit S; Barnieh, Lianne; Tang, Karen; Campbell, David J T; Clement, Fiona; Hemmelgarn, Brenda; Tonelli, Marcello; Lorenzetti, Diane; Manns, Braden J

2014-01-01

Prescription drugs are used in people with hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease to manage their illness. Patient cost sharing strategies such as copayments and deductibles are often employed to lower expenditures for prescription drug insurance plans, but the impact on health outcomes in these patients is unclear. To determine the association between drug insurance and patient cost sharing strategies on medication adherence, clinical and economic outcomes in those with chronic diseases (defined herein as diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, coronary artery disease, and cerebrovascular disease). Studies were included if they examined various cost sharing strategies including copayments, coinsurance, fixed copayments, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket expenditures. Value-based insurance design and reference based pricing studies were excluded. Two reviewers independently identified original intervention studies (randomized controlled trials, interrupted time series, and controlled before-after designs). MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and relevant reference lists were searched until March 2013. Two reviewers independently assessed studies for inclusion, quality, and extracted data. Eleven studies, assessing the impact of seven policy changes, were included: 2 separate reports of one randomized controlled trial, 4 interrupted time series, and 5 controlled before-after studies. Outcomes included medication adherence, clinical events (myocardial infarction, stroke, death), quality of life, healthcare utilization, or cost. The heterogeneity among the studies precluded meta-analysis. Few studies reported the impact of cost sharing strategies on mortality, clinical and economic outcomes. The association between patient copayments and medication adherence varied across studies, ranging from no difference to significantly lower adherence, depending on the amount of the copayment. Lowering cost sharing in patients with chronic diseases may improve adherence, but the impact on clinical and economic outcomes is uncertain.

Do humans and nonhuman animals share the grouping principles of the Iambic - Trochaic Law?

PubMed Central

de la Mora, Daniela M.; Nespor, Marina; Toro, Juan M.

2014-01-01

The Iambic-Trochaic Law describes humans’ tendency to form trochaic groups over sequences varying in pitch or intensity (i.e., the loudest or highest sound marks group beginnings), and iambic groups over sequences varying in duration (i.e., the longest sound marks group endings). The extent to which these perceptual biases are shared by humans and nonhuman animals is yet unclear. In Experiment 1, we trained rats to discriminate pitch-alternating sequences of tones from sequences randomly varying in pitch. In Experiment 2, rats were trained to discriminate duration-alternating sequences of tones from sequences randomly varying in duration. We found that nonhuman animals group as trochees sequences based on pitch variations, but they do not group as iambs sequences varying in duration. Importantly, humans grouped the same stimuli following the principles of the Iambic-Trochaic Law (Experiment 3). These results suggest an early emergence of the trochaic rhythmic grouping bias based on pitch, possibly relying on perceptual abilities shared by humans and other mammals as well, whereas the iambic rhythmic grouping bias based on duration might depend on language experience. PMID:22956287

Do humans and nonhuman animals share the grouping principles of the iambic-trochaic law?

PubMed

de la Mora, Daniela M; Nespor, Marina; Toro, Juan M

2013-01-01

The iambic-trochaic law describes humans' tendency to form trochaic groups over sequences varying in pitch or intensity (i.e., the loudest or highest sounds mark group beginnings), and iambic groups over sequences varying in duration (i.e., the longest sounds mark group endings). The extent to which these perceptual biases are shared by humans and nonhuman animals is yet unclear. In Experiment 1, we trained rats to discriminate pitch-alternating sequences of tones from sequences randomly varying in pitch. In Experiment 2, rats were trained to discriminate duration-alternating sequences of tones from sequences randomly varying in duration. We found that nonhuman animals group sequences based on pitch variations as trochees, but they do not group sequences varying in duration as iambs. Importantly, humans grouped the same stimuli following the principles of the iambic-trochaic law (Exp. 3). These results suggest the early emergence of the trochaic rhythmic grouping bias based on pitch, possibly relying on perceptual abilities shared by humans and other mammals, whereas the iambic rhythmic grouping bias based on duration might depend on language experience.

Topical methyl-aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy using red light-emitting diode light for treatment of multiple actinic keratoses: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

PubMed

Pariser, David; Loss, Robert; Jarratt, Michael; Abramovits, William; Spencer, James; Geronemus, Roy; Bailin, Philip; Bruce, Suzanne

2008-10-01

The use of light-emitting diode light offers practical advantages in photodynamic therapy (PDT) with topical methyl-aminolevulinate (MAL) for management of actinic keratoses (AK). We sought to evaluate the efficacy of MAL PDT using red light-emitting diode light. We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, randomized study. A total of 49 patients with 363 AK lesions had 16.8% MAL cream applied under occlusion for 3 hours, and 47 patients with 360 AK lesions had vehicle cream similarly applied. The lesions were then illuminated (630 nm, light dose 37 J/cm2) with repeated treatment 1 week later. Complete lesion and patient (all lesions showing complete response) response rates were evaluated 3 months after last treatment. MAL PDT was superior (P<.0001) to vehicle PDT with respect to lesion complete response (86.2% vs 52.2%, odds ratio 6.9 [95% confidence interval 4.7-10.3]) and patient complete response (59.2% vs 14.9%, odds ratio 13.2 [95% confidence interval 4.1-43.1]). The study population may not be representative of all patients with AK. MAL PDT using red light-emitting diode light is an appropriate treatment alternative for multiple AK lesions.

Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burresi, Matteo; Cortese, Lorenzo; Pattelli, Lorenzo; Kolle, Mathias; Vukusic, Peter; Wiersma, Diederik S.; Steiner, Ullrich; Vignolini, Silvia

2014-08-01

Whiteness arises from diffuse and broadband reflection of light typically achieved through optical scattering in randomly structured media. In contrast to structural colour due to coherent scattering, white appearance generally requires a relatively thick system comprising randomly positioned high refractive-index scattering centres. Here, we show that the exceptionally bright white appearance of Cyphochilus and Lepidiota stigma beetles arises from a remarkably optimised anisotropy of intra-scale chitin networks, which act as a dense scattering media. Using time-resolved measurements, we show that light propagating in the scales of the beetles undergoes pronounced multiple scattering that is associated with the lowest transport mean free path reported to date for low-refractive-index systems. Our light transport investigation unveil high level of optimisation that achieves high-brightness white in a thin low-mass-per-unit-area anisotropic disordered nanostructure.

Security authentication with a three-dimensional optical phase code using random forest classifier: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markman, Adam; Carnicer, Artur; Javidi, Bahram

2017-05-01

We overview our recent work [1] on utilizing three-dimensional (3D) optical phase codes for object authentication using the random forest classifier. A simple 3D optical phase code (OPC) is generated by combining multiple diffusers and glass slides. This tag is then placed on a quick-response (QR) code, which is a barcode capable of storing information and can be scanned under non-uniform illumination conditions, rotation, and slight degradation. A coherent light source illuminates the OPC and the transmitted light is captured by a CCD to record the unique signature. Feature extraction on the signature is performed and inputted into a pre-trained random-forest classifier for authentication.

The Effect of Recent Tax Changes on Taxable Income: Evidence from a New Panel of Tax Returns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heim, Bradley T.

2009-01-01

This paper estimates the elasticity of taxable income to the net-of-tax share using a panel of tax returns that follows a random sample of taxpayers from 1999 to 2005, spanning the EGTRRA 2001 and JGTRRA 2003 tax changes. Results suggest that the elasticity of taxable income to the current year's net-of-tax share lies between 0.3 and 0.4 overall,…

Research Data in Core Journals in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics.

PubMed

Womack, Ryan P

2015-01-01

This study takes a stratified random sample of articles published in 2014 from the top 10 journals in the disciplines of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, as ranked by impact factor. Sampled articles were examined for their reporting of original data or reuse of prior data, and were coded for whether the data was publicly shared or otherwise made available to readers. Other characteristics such as the sharing of software code used for analysis and use of data citation and DOIs for data were examined. The study finds that data sharing practices are still relatively rare in these disciplines' top journals, but that the disciplines have markedly different practices. Biology top journals share original data at the highest rate, and physics top journals share at the lowest rate. Overall, the study finds that within the top journals, only 13% of articles with original data published in 2014 make the data available to others.

Research Data in Core Journals in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics

PubMed Central

Womack, Ryan P.

2015-01-01

This study takes a stratified random sample of articles published in 2014 from the top 10 journals in the disciplines of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, as ranked by impact factor. Sampled articles were examined for their reporting of original data or reuse of prior data, and were coded for whether the data was publicly shared or otherwise made available to readers. Other characteristics such as the sharing of software code used for analysis and use of data citation and DOIs for data were examined. The study finds that data sharing practices are still relatively rare in these disciplines’ top journals, but that the disciplines have markedly different practices. Biology top journals share original data at the highest rate, and physics top journals share at the lowest rate. Overall, the study finds that within the top journals, only 13% of articles with original data published in 2014 make the data available to others. PMID:26636676

Halftone visual cryptography.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhi; Arce, Gonzalo R; Di Crescenzo, Giovanni

2006-08-01

Visual cryptography encodes a secret binary image (SI) into n shares of random binary patterns. If the shares are xeroxed onto transparencies, the secret image can be visually decoded by superimposing a qualified subset of transparencies, but no secret information can be obtained from the superposition of a forbidden subset. The binary patterns of the n shares, however, have no visual meaning and hinder the objectives of visual cryptography. Extended visual cryptography [1] was proposed recently to construct meaningful binary images as shares using hypergraph colourings, but the visual quality is poor. In this paper, a novel technique named halftone visual cryptography is proposed to achieve visual cryptography via halftoning. Based on the blue-noise dithering principles, the proposed method utilizes the void and cluster algorithm [2] to encode a secret binary image into n halftone shares (images) carrying significant visual information. The simulation shows that the visual quality of the obtained halftone shares are observably better than that attained by any available visual cryptography method known to date.

Random laser illumination: an ideal source for biomedical polarization imaging?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvalho, Mariana T.; Lotay, Amrit S.; Kenny, Fiona M.; Girkin, John M.; Gomes, Anderson S. L.

2016-03-01

Imaging applications increasingly require light sources with high spectral density (power over spectral bandwidth. This has led in many cases to the replacement of conventional thermal light sources with bright light-emitting diodes (LEDs), lasers and superluminescent diodes. Although lasers and superluminescent diodes appear to be ideal light sources due to their narrow bandwidth and power, however, in the case of full-field imaging, their spatial coherence leads to coherent artefacts, such as speckle, that corrupt the image. LEDs, in contrast, have lower spatial coherence and thus seem the natural choice, but they have low spectral density. Random Lasers are an unconventional type of laser that can be engineered to provide low spatial coherence with high spectral density. These characteristics makes them potential sources for biological imaging applications where specific absorption and reflection are the characteristics required for state of the art imaging. In this work, a Random Laser (RL) is used to demonstrate speckle-free full-field imaging for polarization-dependent imaging in an epi-illumination configuration. We compare LED and RL illumination analysing the resulting images demonstrating that the RL illumination produces an imaging system with higher performance (image quality and spectral density) than that provided by LEDs.

All-Optical Switching and Two-States Light-Controlled Coherent-Incoherent Random Lasing in a Thiophene-Based Donor-Acceptor System.

PubMed

Szukalski, Adam; Ayadi, Awatef; Haupa, Karolina; El-Ghayoury, Abdelkrim; Sahraoui, Bouchta; Mysliwiec, Jaroslaw

2018-03-30

We describe herein the synthesis and characterization of a thiophene-based donor-acceptor system, namely (E)-2-(4-nitrostyryl)-5-phenylthiophene (Th-pNO 2 ), which was prepared under Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons conditions. The UV/Vis absorption bands, including the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) band, were fully assigned using DFT and TD-DFT computations. The results of both efficient third-order nonlinear optical properties and light-amplification phenomena are presented. Investigations of photoinduced birefringence (PIB) in optical Kerr effect (OKE) experiments showed a great potential for this particular compound as an efficient, fully reversible, and fast optical switch. Time constants for the observed trans-cis-trans molecular transitions are in the range of microseconds and give a competitive experimental result for the well-known and exploited azobenzene derivatives. Random lasing (RL) investigations confirmed that this organic system is potentially useful to achieve strong light enhancement, observed as a multimode lasing action. Both RL and OKE measurements indicate that this material is a representative of thiophene derivatives, which can be utilized to fabricate fast all-optical switches or random lasers (light amplifiers). © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Gravitational microlensing - The effect of random motion of individual stars in the lensing galaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kundic, Tomislav; Wambsganss, Joachim

1993-01-01

We investigate the influence of random motion of individual stars in the lensing galaxy on the light curve of a gravitationally lensed background quasar. We compare this with the effects of the transverse motion of the galaxy. We find that three-dimensional random motion of stars with a velocity dispersion sigma in each dimension is more effective in producing 'peaks' in a microlensed light curve by a factor a about 1.3 than motion of the galaxy with a transverse velocity v(t) = sigma. This effectiveness parameter a seems to depend only weakly on the surface mass density. With an assumed transverse velocity of v(t) = 600 km/s of the galaxy lensing the QSO 2237+0305 and a measured velocity dispersion of sigma = 215 km/s, the expected rate of maxima in the light curves calculated for bulk motion alone has to be increased by about 10 percent due to the random motion of stars. As a consequence, the average time interval Delta t between two high-magnification events is smaller than the time interval Delta(t) bulk, calculated for bulk motion alone, Delta t about 0.9 Delta(t) bulk.

Multi-dimension and Comprehensive Assessment on the Utilizing and Sharing of Regional Large-Scale Scientific Equipment

PubMed Central

Li, Chen; Yongbo, Lv; Chi, Chen

2015-01-01

Based on the data from 30 provincial regions in China, an assessment and empirical analysis was carried out on the utilizing and sharing of the large-scale scientific equipment with a comprehensive assessment model established on the three dimensions, namely, equipment, utilization and sharing. The assessment results were interpreted in light of relevant policies. The results showed that on the whole, the overall development level in the provincial regions in eastern and central China is higher than that in western China. This is mostly because of the large gap among the different provincial regions with respect to the equipped level. But in terms of utilizing and sharing, some of the Western provincial regions, such as Ningxia, perform well, which is worthy of our attention. Policy adjustment targeting at the differentiation, elevation of the capacity of the equipment management personnel, perfection of the sharing and cooperation platform, and the promotion of the establishment of open sharing funds, are all important measures to promote the utilization and sharing of the large-scale scientific equipment and to narrow the gap among different regions. PMID:25937850

The Effect on Teenage Risky Driving of Feedback From a Safety Monitoring System: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Bingham, C. Raymond; Ouimet, Marie Claude; Pradhan, Anuj; Chen, Rusan; Barretto, Andrea; Shope, Jean

2012-01-01

Purpose Teenage risky driving may be due to teenagers not knowing what is risky, preferring risk, or the lack of consequences. Elevated gravitational-force (g-force) events, caused mainly by hard braking and sharp turns, provide a valid measure of risky driving and are the target of interventions using in-vehicle data recording and feedback devices. The effect of two forms of feedback about risky driving events to teenagers only or to teenagers and their parents was tested in a randomized controlled trial. Methods Ninety parent-teen dyads were randomized to one of two groups: (1) immediate feedback to teens (Lights Only); or (2) immediate feedback to teens plus family access to event videos and ranking of the teen relative to other teenage drivers (Lights Plus). Participants’ vehicles were instrumented with data recording devices and events exceeding 0.5 g were assessed for two weeks of baseline and 13 weeks of feedback. Results Growth analysis with random slopes yielded a significant decrease in event rates for the Lights Plus group (slope = −.11, p < 0.01), but no change for the Lights Only group (slope = 0.05, p = 0.67) across the 15 weeks. A large effect size of 1.67 favored the Lights Plus group. Conclusions Provision of feedback with possible consequences associated with parents being informed reduced risky driving, while immediate feedback only to teenagers did not. Implications and Contribution Reducing elevated g-force events due to hard stops and sharp turns could reduce crash rates among novice teenage drivers. Using materials from the DriveCam For Families Program we found that feedback to both teens and parents significantly reduced rates, while feedback only to teens did not. PMID:23375825

Vibrio chromosomes share common history.

PubMed

Kirkup, Benjamin C; Chang, LeeAnn; Chang, Sarah; Gevers, Dirk; Polz, Martin F

2010-05-10

While most gamma proteobacteria have a single circular chromosome, Vibrionales have two circular chromosomes. Horizontal gene transfer is common among Vibrios, and in light of this genetic mobility, it is an open question to what extent the two chromosomes themselves share a common history since their formation. Single copy genes from each chromosome (142 genes from chromosome I and 42 genes from chromosome II) were identified from 19 sequenced Vibrionales genomes and their phylogenetic comparison suggests consistent phylogenies for each chromosome. Additionally, study of the gene organization and phylogeny of the respective origins of replication confirmed the shared history. Thus, while elements within the chromosomes may have experienced significant genetic mobility, the backbones share a common history. This allows conclusions based on multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) for one chromosome to be applied equally to both chromosomes.

Adaptive firefly algorithm: parameter analysis and its application.

PubMed

Cheung, Ngaam J; Ding, Xue-Ming; Shen, Hong-Bin

2014-01-01

As a nature-inspired search algorithm, firefly algorithm (FA) has several control parameters, which may have great effects on its performance. In this study, we investigate the parameter selection and adaptation strategies in a modified firefly algorithm - adaptive firefly algorithm (AdaFa). There are three strategies in AdaFa including (1) a distance-based light absorption coefficient; (2) a gray coefficient enhancing fireflies to share difference information from attractive ones efficiently; and (3) five different dynamic strategies for the randomization parameter. Promising selections of parameters in the strategies are analyzed to guarantee the efficient performance of AdaFa. AdaFa is validated over widely used benchmark functions, and the numerical experiments and statistical tests yield useful conclusions on the strategies and the parameter selections affecting the performance of AdaFa. When applied to the real-world problem - protein tertiary structure prediction, the results demonstrated improved variants can rebuild the tertiary structure with the average root mean square deviation less than 0.4Å and 1.5Å from the native constrains with noise free and 10% Gaussian white noise.

Adaptive Firefly Algorithm: Parameter Analysis and its Application

PubMed Central

Shen, Hong-Bin

2014-01-01

As a nature-inspired search algorithm, firefly algorithm (FA) has several control parameters, which may have great effects on its performance. In this study, we investigate the parameter selection and adaptation strategies in a modified firefly algorithm — adaptive firefly algorithm (AdaFa). There are three strategies in AdaFa including (1) a distance-based light absorption coefficient; (2) a gray coefficient enhancing fireflies to share difference information from attractive ones efficiently; and (3) five different dynamic strategies for the randomization parameter. Promising selections of parameters in the strategies are analyzed to guarantee the efficient performance of AdaFa. AdaFa is validated over widely used benchmark functions, and the numerical experiments and statistical tests yield useful conclusions on the strategies and the parameter selections affecting the performance of AdaFa. When applied to the real-world problem — protein tertiary structure prediction, the results demonstrated improved variants can rebuild the tertiary structure with the average root mean square deviation less than 0.4Å and 1.5Å from the native constrains with noise free and 10% Gaussian white noise. PMID:25397812

The effects of cuing in time-shared tasks. [for aircraft flight route-way-point information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chechile, R. A.; Sadoski, D. M.

1983-01-01

The results of two divided-attention experiments involving the editing of route-way-point displays on an avionics computer unit are reported. Two side tasks were required of the subjects, and either no cue, verbal cues appearing on the CRT, or symbolic cues (lights on the keyboard adjacent to keys to be used) were given to facilitate the primary editing task. Forty female and 30 male undergraduates were trained in the separate and combined tasks and divided randomly into groups of 25 for the cuing tests. A second test with three 10-subject groups was conducted at least one month later to investigate the efficacy of cuing for infrequently used procedures. It is found that only symbolic cuing significantly improved primary-task performance, increasing editing accuracy in the repetitive tests and reducing editing time in the delayed tests. Verbal cuing, probably because it requires additional cognitive effort, has no significant beneficial effect. These results are considered important for designing instruments for work environments requiring the performance of concurrent tasks, and as aircraft cockpits.

[120 mmHg for everyone?].

PubMed

Wiersma, Tjerk

2016-01-01

The recently published Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) casts new light on the issue of lowering blood pressure to 120 mmHg. The trial randomized 9161 patients with systolic blood pressures of 130 mmHg - 180 mmHg and increased cardiovascular risk into a group receiving intensive treatment (target 120 mmHg) and a group given standard treatment (target 140 mmHg). The trial was stopped earlier than foreseen because interim analysis showed a lower incidence rate of myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure and death from cardiovascular causes in the group given intensive treatment (1.65 versus 2.19 per year, hazard ratio 0.75; 95% CI 0.64-0.89; p < 0.001). These results open up the possibility of aiming for lower blood pressure targets in antihypertensive treatment. It is questionable whether this strategy would be preferred by every patient. New guidelines on cardiovascular risk management should pay more attention to shared decision-making where doctors inform patients about the benefits and risks of strict or less strict blood pressure control and patients choose personal targets.

The behaviour of share returns of football clubs: An econophysics approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, Paulo; Loures, Luís; Nunes, José Rato; Dionísio, Andreia

2017-04-01

Football is a sport that moves thousands of people and millions of euros. Since 1983, several clubs entered the stock markets with shares, and now twenty two clubs are listed in the Stoxx Football Index. In this study, we analyse the behaviour of the return rates of such shares, with Detrended Fluctuation Analysis and Detrended Cross-Correlation Analysis (and its correlation coefficient). With Detrended Fluctuation Analysis, we are able to observe that the shares of several clubs are far from the behaviour of a random walk, which is expected by the theory. Using Detrended Cross-Correlation Analysis, we calculate the cross correlations of clubs' returns with national indexes and then with the Stoxx Football Index. Although almost all of them are positive, they do not seem to be strong.

High definition plus colonoscopy combined with i-scan tone enhancement vs. high definition colonoscopy for colorectal neoplasia: A randomized trial.

PubMed

Hoffman, Arthur; Loth, Linn; Rey, Johannes Wilhelm; Rahman, Fareed; Goetz, Martin; Hansen, Torsten; Tresch, Achim; Niederberger, Theresa; Galle, Peter Robert; Kiesslich, Ralf

2014-11-01

High definition endoscopy is the accepted standard in colonoscopy. However, an important problem is missed polyps. Our objective was to assess the additional adenoma detection rate between high definition colonoscopy with tone enhancement (digital chromoendoscopy) vs. white light high definition colonoscopy. In this prospective randomized trial patients were included to undergo a tandem colonoscopy. The first exam was a white light colonoscopy with removal of all visualized polyps. The second examination was randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio as either again white light colonoscopy (Group A) or colonoscopy with tone enhancement (Group B). Primary endpoint was the adenoma detection rate during the second withdrawal (sample size calculation - 40 per group). 67 lesions (Group A: n=34 vs. Group B: n=33) in 80 patients (mean age 61 years, male 64%) were identified on the first colonoscopy. The second colonoscopy detected 78 additional lesions: n=60 with tone enhancement vs. n=18 with white light endoscopy (p<0.001). Tone enhancement found more additional adenomas (A n=20 vs. B n=6, p=0.006) and identified significantly more missed adenomas per subject (0.5 vs. 0.15, p=0.006). High definition plus colonoscopy with tone enhancement detected more adenomas missed by white light colonoscopy. Copyright © 2014 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A randomized controlled study for the treatment of acne vulgaris using high-intensity 414 nm solid state diode arrays.

PubMed

Ash, Caerwyn; Harrison, Anna; Drew, Samantha; Whittall, Rebecca

2015-01-01

The treatment of acne vulgaris poses a challenge to the dermatologist, and the disease causes emotional anxiety for the patient. The treatment of acne vulgaris may be well-suited to home-use applications, where sufferers may be too embarrassed to seek medical treatment. This randomized controlled study is designed to quantify the effectiveness of using a blue light device in a therapy combined with proprietary creams, in the investigation of a self-treatment regimen. A total of 41 adults with mild-to-moderate facial inflammatory acne were recruited. The subjects were randomly assigned to combination blue light therapy (n = 26) or control (n = 15). Photography was used for qualitative assessment of lesion counts, at weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12. All subjects in the treatment cohort achieved a reduction in their inflammatory lesion counts after 12 weeks. The mean inflammatory lesion counts reduced by 50.02% in the treatment cohort, and increased by 2.45% in the control cohort. The reduction in inflammatory lesions was typically observable at week-3, and maximal between weeks 8 and 12. The treatment is free of pain and side-effects. The blue light device offers a valuable alternative to antibiotics and potentially irritating topical treatments. Blue light phototherapy, using a narrow-band LED light source, appears to be a safe and effective additional therapy for mild to moderate acne.

Complementary Health Approaches for Smoking Cessation: What the Science Says

MedlinePlus

... Says Share: November 2017 Mind and Body Practices Mindfulness Meditation To date, there have been a few randomized studies on mindfulness-based interventions for smoking cessation, and while the ...

The HVAC Challenges of Upgrading an Old Lab for High-end Light Microscopes

PubMed Central

Richard, R.; Martone, P.; Callahan, L.M.

2014-01-01

The University of Rochester Medical Center forms the centerpiece of the University of Rochester's health research, teaching, patient care, and community outreach missions. Within this large facility of over 5 million square feet, demolition and remodeling of existing spaces is a constant activity. With more than $145 million in federal research funding, lab space is frequently repurposed and renovated to support this work. The URMC Medical Center Facilities Organization supporting small to medium space renovations is constantly challenged and constrained by the existing mechanical infrastructure and budgets to deliver a renovated space that functions within the equipment environmental parameters. One recent project, sponsored by the URMC Shared Resources Laboratory, demonstrates these points. The URMC Light Microscopy Shared Resource Laboratory requested renovation of a 121 sq. ft. room in a 40 year old building which would enable placement of a laser capture microdissection microscope and a Pascal 5 laser scanning confocal microscope with the instruments separated by a blackout curtain. This poster discusses the engineering approach implemented to bring an older lab into the environmental specifications needed for the proper operation of the high-end light microscopes.

People, planning, predictions pull DP&L to pinnacle

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

Beaty, W.; Warkentin, D.

Dayton Power and Light was chosen as the 26th utility to receive Electric Light and Power`s annual Utility of the Year award for investor-owned electric utilities. The award not only recognizes management for having guided the company to a high level of achievement, but to each employee for their contribution to the company`s success. Using its formula of three Ps to success - people, planning, and predict and prevent - this West Central Ohio utility plans on using its current plain vanilla approach to business to carve out its own pattern for the years ahead. DP&L`s employees have gone abovemore » and beyond the call of duty to serve its customers and shareholders. The utility`s operations are epitomized by the excellent fuel efficiency of its generating plants. DP&L has been in Electric Light & Power`s top 10 heat rate rankings for nine out of the past 10 years. Investor earnings per share increased from $1.15 in 1991 to $1.34 in 1992, with earnings per share rising by 6% to $1.42 in 1993.« less

Impact of red versus blue light on tolerability and efficacy of PDT: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Gholam, Patrick; Bosselmann, Ina; Enk, Alexander; Fink, Christine

2018-06-01

Various light sources may be used for photodynamic therapy of actinic keratosis since photosensitizing agents are activated by different wavelengths. However, the relative impact of red and blue light irradiation on the efficacy and tolerability of therapy is controversial. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and tolerability of therapy with red versus blue light sources, as well as the patients' evaluation of cosmetic results, clinical response, painfulness and preferred light source for future photodynamic treatments. This is a prospective, single-center, randomized, controlled, open-label study with 28 patients undergoing elective photodynamic therapy. Red and blue light sources both showed very good results with a complete response rate of 84 % and 85 % respectively. Pain during photodynamic therapy was 6.1 vs. 5.4 (and 2.1 vs. 1.5 eight hours after therapy) on the visual analogue scale. Although these differences were statistically significant, the clinical relevance is low, since the number of therapy interruptions were equally distributed in both groups, and patients' subjective evaluation of the treatment showed no personal preference towards the light sources. Both light sources showed very good clinical results and satisfactory tolerability in this study. © 2018 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Design and fabrication of AlGaInP-based micro-light-emitting-diode array devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Xingzhen; Liang, Jingqiu; Liang, Zhongzhu; Wang, Weibiao; Tian, Chao; Qin, Yuxin; Lü, Jinguang

2016-04-01

An integrated high-resolution (individual pixel size 80 μm×80 μm) solid-state self-emissive active matrix programmed with 320×240 micro-light-emitting-diode arrays structure was designed and fabricated on an AlGaInP semiconductor chip using micro electro-mechanical systems, microstructure and semiconductor fabricating techniques. Row pixels share a p-electrode and line pixels share an n-electrode. We experimentally investigated GaAs substrate thickness affects the electrical and optical characteristics of the pixels. For a 150-μm-thick GaAs substrate, the single pixel output power was 167.4 μW at 5 mA, and increased to 326.4 μW when current increase to 10 mA. The device investigated potentially plays an important role in many fields.

Evaluating progressive-rendering algorithms in appearance design tasks.

PubMed

Jiawei Ou; Karlik, Ondrej; Křivánek, Jaroslav; Pellacini, Fabio

2013-01-01

Progressive rendering is becoming a popular alternative to precomputational approaches to appearance design. However, progressive algorithms create images exhibiting visual artifacts at early stages. A user study investigated these artifacts' effects on user performance in appearance design tasks. Novice and expert subjects performed lighting and material editing tasks with four algorithms: random path tracing, quasirandom path tracing, progressive photon mapping, and virtual-point-light rendering. Both the novices and experts strongly preferred path tracing to progressive photon mapping and virtual-point-light rendering. None of the participants preferred random path tracing to quasirandom path tracing or vice versa; the same situation held between progressive photon mapping and virtual-point-light rendering. The user workflow didn’t differ significantly with the four algorithms. The Web Extras include a video showing how four progressive-rendering algorithms converged (at http://youtu.be/ck-Gevl1e9s), the source code used, and other supplementary materials.

Tunable ultraviolet and blue light generation from Nd:YAB random laser bolstered by second-order nonlinear processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moura, André L.; Carreño, Sandra J. M.; Pincheira, Pablo I. R.; Fabris, Zanine V.; Maia, Lauro J. Q.; Gomes, Anderson S. L.; de Araújo, Cid B.

2016-06-01

Ultraviolet and blue light were obtained by nonlinear frequency conversion in a random laser (RL) based on Nd0.10Y0.90Al3(BO3)4 nanocrystalline powder. RL operation at 1062 nm, due to the 4F3/2 → 4I11/2 transition of neodymium ions (Nd3+), was achieved by exciting the Nd3+ with a tunable beam from 680 to 920 nm covering the ground state absorption transitions to the 4F9/2, (4F7/2,4S3/2), (4F5/2,2H9/2), and 4F3/2 states. Light from 340 to 460 nm was obtained via the second-harmonic generation of the excitation beam while tunable blue light, from 417 to 486 nm, was generated by self-sum-frequency mixing between the excitation beam and the RL emission.

Concurrent design of quasi-random photonic nanostructures

PubMed Central

Lee, Won-Kyu; Yu, Shuangcheng; Engel, Clifford J.; Reese, Thaddeus; Rhee, Dongjoon; Chen, Wei

2017-01-01

Nanostructured surfaces with quasi-random geometries can manipulate light over broadband wavelengths and wide ranges of angles. Optimization and realization of stochastic patterns have typically relied on serial, direct-write fabrication methods combined with real-space design. However, this approach is not suitable for customizable features or scalable nanomanufacturing. Moreover, trial-and-error processing cannot guarantee fabrication feasibility because processing–structure relations are not included in conventional designs. Here, we report wrinkle lithography integrated with concurrent design to produce quasi-random nanostructures in amorphous silicon at wafer scales that achieved over 160% light absorption enhancement from 800 to 1,200 nm. The quasi-periodicity of patterns, materials filling ratio, and feature depths could be independently controlled. We statistically represented the quasi-random patterns by Fourier spectral density functions (SDFs) that could bridge the processing–structure and structure–performance relations. Iterative search of the optimal structure via the SDF representation enabled concurrent design of nanostructures and processing. PMID:28760975

Time-resolved two-window measurement of Wigner functions for coherent backscatter from a turbid medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reil, Frank; Thomas, John E.

2002-05-01

For the first time we are able to observe the time-resolved Wigner function of enhanced backscatter from a random medium using a novel two-window technique. This technique enables us to directly verify the phase-conjugating properties of random media. An incident divergent beam displays a convergent enhanced backscatter cone. We measure the joint position and momentum (x, p) distributions of the light field as a function of propagation time in the medium. The two-window technique allows us to independently control the resolutions for position and momentum, thereby surpassing the uncertainty limit associated with Fourier transform pairs. By using a low-coherence light source in a heterodyne detection scheme, we observe enhanced backscattering resolved by path length in the random medium, providing information about the evolution of optical coherence as a function of penetration depth in the random medium.

Contexts for Teacher Practice: (Re)Considering the Role of Context in Interventions in Early Childhood Teacher Engagement with New Approaches to Shared Book Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delaney, Katherine K.; Neuman, Susan B.

2016-01-01

Although the randomized controlled trial has been regarded as the "sine qua non" in recent years, we argue that understanding contexts for teacher practice is a critical factor in the implementation of intervention, but has often been overlooked in educational research design. In this paper, we argue that randomized trials may not be…

A Randomized Trial Examining the Effects of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation in Rural Schools: Student Outcomes and the Mediating Role of the Teacher-Parent Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheridan, Susan M.; Witte, Amanda L.; Holmes, Shannon R.; Coutts, Michael J.; Dent, Amy L.; Kunz, Gina M.; Wu, ChaoRong

2017-01-01

The results of a large-scale randomized controlled trial of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) on student outcomes and teacher-parent relationships in rural schools are presented. CBC is an indirect service delivery model that addresses concerns shared by teachers and parents about students. In the present study, the intervention was aimed at…

Estimating prevalence of coronary heart disease for small areas using collateral indicators of morbidity.

PubMed

Congdon, Peter

2010-01-01

Different indicators of morbidity for chronic disease may not necessarily be available at a disaggregated spatial scale (e.g., for small areas with populations under 10 thousand). Instead certain indicators may only be available at a more highly aggregated spatial scale; for example, deaths may be recorded for small areas, but disease prevalence only at a considerably higher spatial scale. Nevertheless prevalence estimates at small area level are important for assessing health need. An instance is provided by England where deaths and hospital admissions for coronary heart disease are available for small areas known as wards, but prevalence is only available for relatively large health authority areas. To estimate CHD prevalence at small area level in such a situation, a shared random effect method is proposed that pools information regarding spatial morbidity contrasts over different indicators (deaths, hospitalizations, prevalence). The shared random effect approach also incorporates differences between small areas in known risk factors (e.g., income, ethnic structure). A Poisson-multinomial equivalence may be used to ensure small area prevalence estimates sum to the known higher area total. An illustration is provided by data for London using hospital admissions and CHD deaths at ward level, together with CHD prevalence totals for considerably larger local health authority areas. The shared random effect involved a spatially correlated common factor, that accounts for clustering in latent risk factors, and also provides a summary measure of small area CHD morbidity.

Estimating Prevalence of Coronary Heart Disease for Small Areas Using Collateral Indicators of Morbidity

PubMed Central

Congdon, Peter

2010-01-01

Different indicators of morbidity for chronic disease may not necessarily be available at a disaggregated spatial scale (e.g., for small areas with populations under 10 thousand). Instead certain indicators may only be available at a more highly aggregated spatial scale; for example, deaths may be recorded for small areas, but disease prevalence only at a considerably higher spatial scale. Nevertheless prevalence estimates at small area level are important for assessing health need. An instance is provided by England where deaths and hospital admissions for coronary heart disease are available for small areas known as wards, but prevalence is only available for relatively large health authority areas. To estimate CHD prevalence at small area level in such a situation, a shared random effect method is proposed that pools information regarding spatial morbidity contrasts over different indicators (deaths, hospitalizations, prevalence). The shared random effect approach also incorporates differences between small areas in known risk factors (e.g., income, ethnic structure). A Poisson-multinomial equivalence may be used to ensure small area prevalence estimates sum to the known higher area total. An illustration is provided by data for London using hospital admissions and CHD deaths at ward level, together with CHD prevalence totals for considerably larger local health authority areas. The shared random effect involved a spatially correlated common factor, that accounts for clustering in latent risk factors, and also provides a summary measure of small area CHD morbidity. PMID:20195439

Policing behaviors, safe injection self-efficacy, and intervening on injection risks: Moderated mediation results from a randomized trial.

PubMed

Pitpitan, Eileen V; Patterson, Thomas L; Abramovitz, Daniela; Vera, Alicia; Martinez, Gustavo; Staines, Hugo; Strathdee, Steffanie A

2016-01-01

We aim to use conditional or moderated mediation to simultaneously test how and for whom an injection risk intervention was efficacious at reducing receptive needle sharing among female sex workers who inject drugs (FSWs-IDUs) in Mexico. Secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial. A total of 300 FSW-IDUs participated in Mujer Mas Segura in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and were randomized to an interactive injection risk intervention or a didactic injection risk intervention. We measured safe injection self-efficacy as the hypothesized mediator and policing behaviors (being arrested and syringe confiscation) as hypothesized moderators. In total, 213 women provided complete data for the current analyses. Conditional (moderated) mediation showed that the intervention affected receptive needle sharing through safe injection self-efficacy among women who experienced syringe confiscation. On average, police syringe confiscation was associated with lower safe injection self-efficacy (p = .04). Among those who experienced syringe confiscation, those who received the interactive (vs. didactic) intervention reported higher self-efficacy, which in turn predicted lower receptive needle sharing (p = .04). Whereas syringe confiscation by the police negatively affected safe injection self-efficacy and ultimately injection risk behavior, our interactive intervention helped to "buffer" this negative impact of police behavior on risky injection practices. The theory-based, active skills building elements included in the interactive condition, which were absent from the didactic condition, helped participants' self-efficacy for safer injection in the face of syringe confiscation. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Policing Behaviors, Safe Injection Self-Efficacy, and Intervening on Injection Risks: Moderated Mediation Results from a Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Pitpitan, Eileen V.; Patterson, Thomas L.; Abramovitz, Daniela; Vera, Alicia; Martinez, Gustavo; Staines, Hugo; Strathdee, Steffanie A.

2015-01-01

Objective We aim to use conditional, or moderated mediation to simultaneously test how and for whom an injection risk intervention was efficacious at reducing receptive needle sharing among female sex workers who inject drugs (FSWs-IDUs) in Mexico. Methods Secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial. A total of 300 FSW-IDUs participated in Mujer Mas Segura in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and were randomized to an interactive injection risk intervention or a didactic injection risk intervention. We measured safe injection self-efficacy as the hypothesized mediator, and policing behaviors (being arrested and syringe confiscation) as hypothesized moderators. 213 women provided complete data for the current analyses. Results Conditional (moderated) mediation showed that the intervention affected receptive needle sharing through safe injection self-efficacy among women who experienced syringe confiscation. On average, police syringe confiscation was associated with lower safe injection self-efficacy (p = 0.04). Among those who experienced syringe confiscation, those who received the interactive (vs. didactic) intervention reported higher self-efficacy, which in turn predicted lower receptive needle sharing (p = 0.04). Conclusions Whereas syringe confiscation by the police negatively impacted safe injection self-efficacy and ultimately injection risk behavior, our interactive intervention helped to “buffer” this negative impact of police behavior on risky injection practices. The theory-based, active skills building elements included in the interactive condition, which were absent from the didactic condition, helped participants’ self-efficacy for safer injection in the face of syringe confiscation. PMID:26120851

Blue Light Enhances Bacterial Clearance and Reduces Organ Injury During Sepsis.

PubMed

Lewis, Anthony J; Zhang, Xianghong; Griepentrog, John E; Yuan, Du; Collage, Richard D; Waltz, Paul K; Angus, Derek C; Zuckerbraun, Brian S; Rosengart, Matthew R

2018-05-04

The physiology of nearly all mammalian organisms are entrained by light and exhibit circadian rhythm. The data derived from animal studies show that light influences immunity, and these neurophysiologic pathways are maximally entrained by the blue spectrum. Here, we hypothesize that bright blue light reduces acute kidney injury by comparison with either bright red or standard, white fluorescent light in mice subjected to sepsis. To further translational relevance, we performed a pilot clinical trial of blue light therapy in human subjects with appendicitis. Laboratory animal research, pilot human feasibility trial. University basic science laboratory and tertiary care hospital. Male C57BL/6J mice, adult (> 17 yr) patients with acute appendicitis. Mice underwent cecal ligation and puncture and were randomly assigned to a 24-hour photoperiod of bright blue, bright red, or ambient white fluorescent light. Subjects with appendicitis were randomized to receive postoperatively standard care or standard care plus high-illuminance blue light. Exposure to bright blue light enhanced bacterial clearance from the peritoneum, reduced bacteremia and systemic inflammation, and attenuated the degree of acute kidney injury. The mechanism involved an elevation in cholinergic tone that augmented tissue expression of the nuclear orphan receptor REV-ERBα and occurred independent of alterations in melatonin or corticosterone concentrations. Clinically, exposure to blue light after appendectomy was feasible and reduced serum interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 concentrations. Modifying the spectrum of light may offer therapeutic utility in sepsis.

Differential effects of psychomotor stimulants on attentional performance in rats: nicotine, amphetamine, caffeine and methylphenidate.

PubMed

Bizarro, L; Patel, S; Murtagh, C; Stolerman, I P

2004-05-01

Nicotine can improve attentional performance in the rat as assessed by a modified five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), but it is not known if the effect is shared with other psychomotor stimulants. This study compared the effects of nicotine, amphetamine, caffeine and methylphenidate on performance in the 5-CSRTT and determined whether presenting stimuli at unpredictable times by using variable inter-trial intervals (ITI) influenced the sensitivity of the task to the drugs. One group of male hooded rats was trained to obtain food reinforcers by nose-poking in response to 1 s light stimuli presented randomly in one of five apertures, with fixed ITI; for a second group of rats, ITI varied randomly (n=12 per group). As observed previously, nicotine (tested in doses of 0.05-0.2 mg/kg) produced dose-related improvements in accuracy, reduced omission errors and response latencies, but increased anticipatory responding. Amphetamine (0.1-0.8 mg/kg) and methylphenidate (2.5-10 mg/kg) increased accuracy and reduced response latency, and decreased anticipatory responding. Caffeine (2.5-20 mg/kg) did not improve performance except at a small dose that decreased omission errors only. Training at different levels of stimulus predictability influenced performance in the undrugged state but had little impact on profiles of responses to the drugs. The findings with methylphenidate support the potential value of the 5-CSRTT for testing drugs that may be useful in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Food-Sharing Networks in Lamalera, Indonesia: Status, Sharing, and Signaling

PubMed Central

Nolin, David A.

2012-01-01

Costly signaling has been proposed as a possible mechanism to explain food sharing in foraging populations. This sharing-as-signaling hypothesis predicts an association between sharing and status. Using exponential random graph modeling (ERGM), this prediction is tested on a social network of between-household food-sharing relationships in the fishing and sea-hunting village of Lamalera, Indonesia. Previous analyses (Nolin 2010) have shown that most sharing in Lamalera is consistent with reciprocal altruism. The question addressed here is whether any additional variation may be explained as sharing-as-signaling by high-status households. The results show that high-status households both give and receive more than other households, a pattern more consistent with reciprocal altruism than costly signaling. However, once the propensity to reciprocate and household productivity are controlled, households of men holding leadership positions show greater odds of unreciprocated giving when compared to households of non-leaders. This pattern of excessive giving by leaders is consistent with the sharing-as-signaling hypothesis. Wealthy households show the opposite pattern, giving less and receiving more than other households. These households may reciprocate in a currency other than food or their wealth may attract favor-seeking behavior from others. Overall, status covariates explain little variation in the sharing network as a whole, and much of the sharing observed by high-status households is best explained by the same factors that explain sharing by other households. This pattern suggests that multiple mechanisms may operate simultaneously to promote sharing in Lamalera and that signaling may motivate some sharing by some individuals even within sharing regimes primarily maintained by other mechanisms. PMID:22822299

Coherent random lasing from liquid waveguide gain channels with biological scatters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hong; Feng, Guoying; Wang, Shutong; Yang, Chao; Yin, Jiajia; Zhou, Shouhuan

2014-12-01

A unidirectional coherent random laser based on liquid waveguide gain channels with biological scatters is demonstrated. The optical feedback of the random laser is provided by both light scattering and waveguide confinement. This waveguide-scattering-feedback scheme not only reduces the pump threshold but also makes the output of random laser directional. The threshold of our random laser is about 11 μJ. The emission spectra can be sensitively tuned by changing pump position due to the micro/nano-scale randomness of butterfly wings. It shows the potential applications of optofluidic random lasers for bio-chemical sensors on-chip.

Attenuating Photostress and Glare Disability in Pseudophakic Patients through the Addition of a Short-Wave Absorbing Filter.

PubMed

Hammond, Billy R

2015-01-01

To evaluate the effects of filtering short wavelength light on visual performance under intense light conditions among pseudophakic patients previously implanted with a clear intraocular lens (IOL). This was a patient-masked, randomized crossover study conducted at 6 clinical sites in the United States between September 2013 and January 2014. One hundred fifty-four bilaterally pseudophakic patients were recruited. Photostress recovery time and glare disability thresholds were measured with clip-on blue-light-filtering and placebo (clear; no blue-light filtration) glasses worn over patients' habitual correction. Photostress recovery time was quantified as the time necessary to regain sight of a grating target after intense light exposure. Glare disability threshold was assessed as the intensity of a white-light annulus necessary to obscure a central target. The order of filter used and test eye were randomized across patients. Photostress recovery time and glare disability thresholds were significantly improved (both P < 0.0001) when patients used blue-light-filtering glasses compared with clear, nonfiltering glasses. Compared with a nonfiltering placebo, adding a clip-on blue-absorbing filter to the glasses of pseudophakic patients implanted with clear IOLs significantly increased their ability to cope with glare and to recover normal viewing after an intensive photostress. This result implies that IOL designs with blue-light-filtering characteristics may be beneficial under intense light conditions.

From micro-correlations to macro-correlations

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

Eliazar, Iddo, E-mail: iddo.eliazar@intel.com

2016-11-15

Random vectors with a symmetric correlation structure share a common value of pair-wise correlation between their different components. The symmetric correlation structure appears in a multitude of settings, e.g. mixture models. In a mixture model the components of the random vector are drawn independently from a general probability distribution that is determined by an underlying parameter, and the parameter itself is randomized. In this paper we study the overall correlation of high-dimensional random vectors with a symmetric correlation structure. Considering such a random vector, and terming its pair-wise correlation “micro-correlation”, we use an asymptotic analysis to derive the random vector’smore » “macro-correlation” : a score that takes values in the unit interval, and that quantifies the random vector’s overall correlation. The method of obtaining macro-correlations from micro-correlations is then applied to a diverse collection of frameworks that demonstrate the method’s wide applicability.« less

Low-intensity blue-enriched white light (750 lux) and standard bright light (10,000 lux) are equally effective in treating SAD. A randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Meesters, Ybe; Dekker, Vera; Schlangen, Luc J M; Bos, Elske H; Ruiter, Martine J

2011-01-28

Photoreceptor cells containing melanopsin play a role in the phase-shifting effects of short-wavelength light. In a previous study, we compared the standard light treatment (SLT) of SAD with treatment using short-wavelength blue-enriched white light (BLT). Both treatments used the same illuminance (10,000 lux) and were equally highly effective. It is still possible, however, that neither the newly-discovered photoreceptor cells, nor the biological clock play a major role in the therapeutic effects of light on SAD. Alternatively, these effects may at least be partly mediated by these receptor cells, which may have become saturated as a result of the high illuminances used in the therapy. This randomized controlled study compares the effects of low-intensity BLT to those of high-intensity SLT. In a 22-day design, 22 patients suffering from a major depression with a seasonal pattern (SAD) were given light treatment (10,000 lux) for two weeks on workdays. Subjects were randomly assigned to either of the two conditions, with gender and age evenly distributed over the groups. Light treatment either consisted of 30 minutes SLT (5000 °K) with the EnergyLight® (Philips, Consumer Lifestyle) with a vertical illuminance of 10,000 lux at eye position or BLT (17,000 °K) with a vertical illuminance of 750 lux using a prototype of the EnergyLight® which emitted a higher proportion of short-wavelengths. All participants completed questionnaires concerning mood, activation and sleep quality on a daily basis. Mood and energy levels were also assessed on a weekly basis by means of the SIGH-SAD and other assessment tools. On day 22, SIGH-SAD ratings were significantly lower than on day 1 (SLT 65.2% and BLT 76.4%). On the basis of all assessments no statistically significant differences were found between the two conditions. With sample size being small, conclusions can only be preliminary. Both treatment conditions were found to be highly effective. The therapeutic effects of low-intensity blue-enriched light were comparable to those of the standard light treatment. Saturation effects may play a role, even with a light intensity of 750 lux. The therapeutic effects of blue-enriched white light in the treatment of SAD at illuminances as low as 750 lux help bring light treatment for SAD within reach of standard workplace and educational lighting systems.

STS-79 Mission Specialist Thomas Akers in White Room

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

STS-79 Mission Specialist Thomas D. Akers shares a light moment with white room closeout crew members Rick Welty (left) and Travis Thompson, before entering the Space Shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39A.

Sharing Resources In Mobile/Satellite Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yan, Tsun-Yee; Sue, Miles K.

1992-01-01

Report presents preliminary theoretical analysis of several alternative schemes for allocation of satellite resource among terrestrial subscribers of landmobile/satellite communication system. Demand-access and random-access approaches under code-division and frequency-division concepts compared.

A systematic review of decision aids that facilitate elements of shared decision-making in chronic illnesses: a review protocol.

PubMed

Wieringa, Thomas H; Kunneman, Marleen; Rodriguez-Gutierrez, Rene; Montori, Victor M; de Wit, Maartje; Smets, Ellen M A; Schoonmade, Linda J; Spencer-Bonilla, Gabriela; Snoek, Frank J

2017-08-07

Shared decision-making (SDM) is a patient-centred approach in which clinicians and patients work side-by-side to decide together on the best course of action for each patient's particular situation. Six key elements of SDM can be distinguished: situation diagnosis, choice awareness, option clarification, discussion of harms and benefits, deliberation of patient preferences and making the decision. Decision aids (DAs) are tools that facilitate SDM. The impact of DAs for chronic illnesses on SDM, clinical and patient reported outcomes remains uncertain. We will perform a systematic review aiming to describe (a) which SDM elements are incorporated in DAs for adult patients with chronic conditions and (b) the effects of DA use on SDM, clinical and patient reported outcomes. This manuscript reports on the protocol for this systematic review. The following databases will be searched for relevant articles: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and PsycINFO, from their inception to October 2016. We will ascertain ongoing research by querying experts and searching trial registries. To enhance feasibility, we will limit the review to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including patients with chronic cardiovascular and/or respiratory diseases and/or diabetes. SDM elements incorporated in DAs, DA effects and DA itself will be described. This study will characterize DAs for chronic illness and will provide an overview of their effects on SDM, clinical and patient reported outcomes. We anticipate this review will bring to light knowledge gaps and inform further research into the design and use of DAs for patients with chronic conditions. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42016050320 .

The sharing of self in geriatric clinical practice: case report and analysis.

PubMed

Nowak, K B; Wandel, J C

1998-01-01

We relate a case history that involved the therapeutic sharing of self with an elderly patient. The potential usefulness of this kind of intervention is discussed in light of the literature on self-disclosure and the use of self in clinical practice. We discuss how these concepts might relate to other well-described phenomena in geriatric nursing, including reminiscence, life review, loneliness, and storytelling. Recommendations for use in clinical practice and for qualitative studies are given.

Summary of 2016 Light Microscopy Module (LMM) Physical Science Experiments on ISS. Update of LMM Science Experiments and Facility Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sicker, Ronald J.; Meyer, William V.; Foster, William M.; Fletcher, William A.; Williams, Stuart J.; Lee, Chang-Soo

2016-01-01

This presentation will feature a series of short, entertaining, and informative videos that describe the current status and science support for the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) facility on the International Space Station. These interviews will focus on current experiments and provide an overview of future capabilities. The recently completed experiments include nano-particle haloing, 3-D self-assembly with Janus particles and a model system for nano-particle drug delivery. The videos will share perspectives from the scientists, engineers, and managers working with the NASA Light Microscopy program.

Simultaneous multimodal ophthalmic imaging using swept-source spectrally encoded scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and optical coherence tomography

PubMed Central

Malone, Joseph D.; El-Haddad, Mohamed T.; Bozic, Ivan; Tye, Logan A.; Majeau, Lucas; Godbout, Nicolas; Rollins, Andrew M.; Boudoux, Caroline; Joos, Karen M.; Patel, Shriji N.; Tao, Yuankai K.

2016-01-01

Scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) benefits diagnostic imaging and therapeutic guidance by allowing for high-speed en face imaging of retinal structures. When combined with optical coherence tomography (OCT), SLO enables real-time aiming and retinal tracking and provides complementary information for post-acquisition volumetric co-registration, bulk motion compensation, and averaging. However, multimodality SLO-OCT systems generally require dedicated light sources, scanners, relay optics, detectors, and additional digitization and synchronization electronics, which increase system complexity. Here, we present a multimodal ophthalmic imaging system using swept-source spectrally encoded scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and optical coherence tomography (SS-SESLO-OCT) for in vivo human retinal imaging. SESLO reduces the complexity of en face imaging systems by multiplexing spatial positions as a function of wavelength. SESLO image quality benefited from single-mode illumination and multimode collection through a prototype double-clad fiber coupler, which optimized scattered light throughput and reduce speckle contrast while maintaining lateral resolution. Using a shared 1060 nm swept-source, shared scanner and imaging optics, and a shared dual-channel high-speed digitizer, we acquired inherently co-registered en face retinal images and OCT cross-sections simultaneously at 200 frames-per-second. PMID:28101411

Has open data arrived at the British Medical Journal (BMJ)? An observational study.

PubMed

Rowhani-Farid, Anisa; Barnett, Adrian G

2016-10-13

To quantify data sharing trends and data sharing policy compliance at the British Medical Journal (BMJ) by analysing the rate of data sharing practices, and investigate attitudes and examine barriers towards data sharing. Observational study. The BMJ research archive. 160 randomly sampled BMJ research articles from 2009 to 2015, excluding meta-analysis and systematic reviews. Percentages of research articles that indicated the availability of their raw data sets in their data sharing statements, and those that easily made their data sets available on request. 3 articles contained the data in the article. 50 out of 157 (32%) remaining articles indicated the availability of their data sets. 12 used publicly available data and the remaining 38 were sent email requests to access their data sets. Only 1 publicly available data set could be accessed and only 6 out of 38 shared their data via email. So only 7/157 research articles shared their data sets, 4.5% (95% CI 1.8% to 9%). For 21 clinical trials bound by the BMJ data sharing policy, the per cent shared was 24% (8% to 47%). Despite the BMJ's strong data sharing policy, sharing rates are low. Possible explanations for low data sharing rates could be: the wording of the BMJ data sharing policy, which leaves room for individual interpretation and possible loopholes; that our email requests ended up in researchers spam folders; and that researchers are not rewarded for sharing their data. It might be time for a more effective data sharing policy and better incentives for health and medical researchers to share their data. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

A special attack on the multiparty quantum secret sharing of secure direct communication using single photons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Su-Juan; Gao, Fei; Wen, Qiao-Yan; Zhu, Fu-Chen

2008-11-01

The security of a multiparty quantum secret sharing protocol [L.F. Han, Y.M. Liu, J. Liu, Z.J. Zhang, Opt. Commun. 281 (2008) 2690] is reexamined. It is shown that any one dishonest participant can obtain all the transmitted secret bits by a special attack, where the controlled- (-iσy) gate is employed to invalidate the role of the random phase shift operation. Furthermore, a possible way to resist this attack is discussed.

Randomized, Controlled Trial of Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser Resurfacing Followed by Ultrashort Incubation Aminolevulinic Acid Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy for Actinic Keratosis.

PubMed

Alexiades, Macrene

2017-08-01

Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an established treatment option for actinic keratosis (AK), and recently fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser was shown to improve outcomes; but studies of short incubation photosensitizer are lacking. Assess the efficacy of short incubation ALA followed by blue light PDT with and without previous fractional CO2 treatment for the treatment of AK. Randomized, paired split-design, controlled trial of fractional CO2 followed by ultrashort 15-minute versus 30-minute incubation ALA and blue light PDT for the treatment of AK on the face. The complete clearance rates (CRs) at 8 weeks after ALA PDT with and without FxCO2 at 30- and 15-minute ALA incubation times were 89.78% (+FxCO2) versus 71.20% CR (-FxCO2) at 30', and 86.38% (+FxCO2) versus 69.23% (-FxCO2) at 15' ALA incubation. All lesion improvements were statistically significant. This randomized, comparative paired group controlled clinical study demonstrates that ultrashort 15- and 30-minute incubation ALA PDTs are of limited efficacy for the treatment of AK. Pretreatment with fractional ablative resurfacing yields statistically significant greater AK clearance with ALA-PDT at ultrashort ALA incubations followed by blue light.

Prediction of truly random future events using analysis of prestimulus electroencephalographic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgart, Stephen L.; Franklin, Michael S.; Jimbo, Hiroumi K.; Su, Sharon J.; Schooler, Jonathan

2017-05-01

Our hypothesis is that pre-stimulus physiological data can be used to predict truly random events tied to perceptual stimuli (e.g., lights and sounds). Our experiment presents light and sound stimuli to a passive human subject while recording electrocortical potentials using a 32-channel Electroencephalography (EEG) system. For every trial a quantum random number generator (qRNG) chooses from three possible selections with equal probability: a light stimulus, a sound stimulus, and no stimulus. Time epochs are defined preceding and post-ceding each stimulus for which mean average potentials were computed across all trials for the three possible stimulus types. Data from three regions of the brain are examined. In all three regions mean potential for light stimuli was generally enhanced relative to baseline during the period starting approximately 2 seconds before the stimulus. For sound stimuli, mean potential decreased relative to baseline during the period starting approximately 2 seconds before the stimulus. These changes from baseline may indicated the presence of evoked potentials arising from the stimulus. A P200 peak was observed in data recorded from frontal electrodes. The P200 is a well-known potential arising from the brain's processing of visual stimuli and its presence represents a replication of a known neurological phenomenon.

Minimum savings requirements in shared savings provider payment.

PubMed

Pope, Gregory C; Kautter, John

2012-11-01

Payer (insurer) sharing of savings is a way of motivating providers of medical services to reduce cost growth. A Medicare shared savings program is established for accountable care organizations in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. However, savings created by providers cannot be distinguished from the normal (random) variation in medical claims costs, setting up a classic principal-agent problem. To lessen the likelihood of paying undeserved bonuses, payers may pay bonuses only if observed savings exceed minimum levels. We study the trade-off between two types of errors in setting minimum savings requirements: paying bonuses when providers do not create savings and not paying bonuses when providers create savings. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Supply chain coordination with two production modes and random demand depending on advertising expenditure and selling price

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Sheng-Dong; Zhou, Yong-Wu; Wang, Jun-Ping

2010-10-01

This article discusses production and order as well as advertising coordination issues in a single-manufacturer single-buyer supply chain, where the manufacturer sells a newsvendor-type product through the buyer who faces a random demand depending on advertising expenditure and selling price. The buyer has two ordering opportunities: the one happens before the beginning of the season, and the other takes place at the end of the season. The ordered items are produced by the manufacturer in two production modes for different requirements. The first production mode is relatively cheap but requires a long lead-time, whereas the second is expensive but offers quick response. Under such a setting, the centralised and decentralised decision models are developed, respectively, and the closed form solution to each model is provided as well. Moreover, we point out that the traditional revenue-sharing contract fails to coordinate the supply chain. We thus propose an improved revenue-sharing contract that requests the manufacturer not only shares the buyer's revenue but also bears a portion of the buyer's operating costs. Such a contract can achieve perfect coordination of the supply chain and arbitrarily allocate its profit between two parties.

Improving data sharing in research with context-free encoded missing data.

PubMed

Hoevenaar-Blom, Marieke P; Guillemont, Juliette; Ngandu, Tiia; Beishuizen, Cathrien R L; Coley, Nicola; Moll van Charante, Eric P; Andrieu, Sandrine; Kivipelto, Miia; Soininen, Hilkka; Brayne, Carol; Meiller, Yannick; Richard, Edo

2017-01-01

Lack of attention to missing data in research may result in biased results, loss of power and reduced generalizability. Registering reasons for missing values at the time of data collection, or-in the case of sharing existing data-before making data available to other teams, can save time and efforts, improve scientific value and help to prevent erroneous assumptions and biased results. To ensure that encoding of missing data is sufficient to understand the reason why data are missing, it should ideally be context-free. Therefore, 11 context-free codes of missing data were carefully designed based on three completed randomized controlled clinical trials and tested in a new randomized controlled clinical trial by an international team consisting of clinical researchers and epidemiologists with extended experience in designing and conducting trials and an Information System expert. These codes can be divided into missing due to participant and/or participation characteristics (n = 6), missing by design (n = 4), and due to a procedural error (n = 1). Broad implementation of context-free missing data encoding may enhance the possibilities of data sharing and pooling, thus allowing more powerful analyses using existing data.

What underlies the shift to a modality of partnership in educational development cooperation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mason, Mark

2011-08-01

This paper situates the philosophy and politics of partnership in educational development cooperation in the context of wider epistemological and axiological shifts in contemporary social theory. Partnerships in development cooperation are also considered in the light of the alleged failure of international development assistance, a claim that has received much attention with the publication of, among others, William Easterly's The White Man's Burden: Why the West's efforts to aid the rest have done so much ill and so little good (2006) and of Dambisa Moyo's Dead Aid: Why aid is not working and how there is another way for Africa (2008). Partnership as a development strategy offers one response to these claims, but if shared development objectives and policies, shared ownership, shared decisions about where aid is targeted, shared rights, shared responsibilities, and shared implementation strategies still leave the education development community facing challenges as big as ever, it might be time, the paper concludes, to consider whether the concept of partnership has not been expanded too far as a modality in development cooperation.

Lasing in strongly scattering dielectric microstructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florescu, Lucia

In the first part of this thesis, a detailed analysis of lasing in random multiple-light-scattering media with gain is presented. Random laser emission is analyzed using a time-dependent diffusion model for light propagating in the medium containing active atoms. We demonstrate the effects of scatterers to narrow the emission spectral linewidth and to shorten the emitted pulse duration at a specific threshold pump intensity. This threshold pump intensity decreases with scatterer density and excitation spot diameter, in excellent agreement with experimental results. The coherence properties of the random laser are studied using a generalized master equation. The random laser medium is treated as a collection of low quality-factor cavities, coupled by random photon diffusion. Laser-like coherence, on average, is demonstrated above a specific pumping threshold. We demonstrate that with stronger scattering, the pumping threshold for the transition from chaotic to isotropic coherent light emission decreases and enhanced optical coherence for the emitted light is achieved above threshold. The second part of this thesis presents a study of lasing in photonic crystals (PCs). The emission from an incoherently pumped atomic system in interaction with the electro-magnetic reservoir of a PC is analyzed using a set of generalized semiclassical Maxwell-Bloch equations. We demonstrate that the photonic band edge facilitates the enhancement of stimulated emission and the reduction of internal losses, leading to an important lowering of the laser threshold. In addition, an increase of the laser output at a photonic band edge is demonstrated. We next develop a detailed quantum theory of a coherently pumped two-level atom in a photonic band gap material, coupled to both a multi-mode wave-guide channel and a high-quality micro-cavity embedded within the PC. The cavity field characteristics are highly distinct from that of a corresponding high-Q cavity in ordinary vacuum. We demonstrate enhanced, inversionless, and nearly coherent light generation when the photon density of states (DOS) jump between the Mollow spectral components of atomic resonance fluorescence is large. In the case of a vanishing photon DOS on the lower Mollow sideband and no dipolar dephasing, the emitted photon statistics is Poissonian and the cavity field exhibits quadrature coherence.

Robinson and Camarda in Node 1 / Unity module

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-07-30

ISS011-E-11357 (30 July 2005) --- Astronauts Stephen K. Robinson and Charles J. Camarda, STS-114 mission specialists, share a light moment while Robinson plays a guitar in the Unity node of the International Space Station.

STS-79 Mission Specialist John Blaha in White Room

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

STS-79 Mission Specialist John E. Blaha shares a light moment with white room closeout crew members Rick Welty (No. 1) and Jim Davis (right), before entering the Space Shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39A.

Cis-regulatory changes in Kit ligand expression and parallel evolution of pigmentation in sticklebacks and humans

PubMed Central

Miller, Craig T.; Beleza, Sandra; Pollen, Alex A.; Schluter, Dolph; Kittles, Rick A.; Shriver, Mark D.; Kingsley, David M.

2010-01-01

SUMMARY Dramatic pigmentation changes have evolved within most vertebrate groups, including fish and humans. Here we use genetic crosses in sticklebacks to investigate the parallel origin of pigmentation changes in natural populations. High-resolution mapping and expression experiments show that light gills and light ventrums map to a divergent regulatory allele of the Kit ligand (Kitlg) gene. The divergent allele reduces expression in gill and skin tissue, and is shared by multiple derived freshwater populations with reduced pigmentation. In humans, Europeans and East Asians also share derived alleles at the KITLG locus. Strong signatures of selection map to regulatory regions surrounding the gene, and admixture mapping shows that the KITLG genomic region has a significant effect on human skin color. These experiments suggest that regulatory changes in Kitlg contribute to natural variation in vertebrate pigmentation, and that similar genetic mechanisms may underlie rapid evolutionary change in fish and humans. PMID:18083106

Tools to Promote Shared Decision Making in Serious Illness: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Austin, C Adrian; Mohottige, Dinushika; Sudore, Rebecca L; Smith, Alexander K; Hanson, Laura C

2015-07-01

Serious illness impairs function and threatens survival. Patients facing serious illness value shared decision making, yet few decision aids address the needs of this population. To perform a systematic review of evidence about decision aids and other exportable tools that promote shared decision making in serious illness, thereby (1) identifying tools relevant to the treatment decisions of seriously ill patients and their caregivers, (2) evaluating the quality of evidence for these tools, and (3) summarizing their effect on outcomes and accessibility for clinicians. We searched PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychInfo from January 1, 1995, through October 31, 2014, and identified additional studies from reference lists and other systematic reviews. Clinical trials with random or nonrandom controls were included if they tested print, video, or web-based tools for advance care planning (ACP) or decision aids for serious illness. We extracted data on the study population, design, results, and risk for bias using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Each tool was evaluated for its effect on patient outcomes and accessibility. Seventeen randomized clinical trials tested decision tools in serious illness. Nearly all the trials were of moderate or high quality and showed that decision tools improve patient knowledge and awareness of treatment choices. The available tools address ACP, palliative care and goals of care communication, feeding options in dementia, lung transplant in cystic fibrosis, and truth telling in terminal cancer. Five randomized clinical trials provided further evidence that decision tools improve ACP documentation, clinical decisions, and treatment received. Clinicians can access and use evidence-based tools to engage seriously ill patients in shared decision making. This field of research is in an early stage; future research is needed to develop novel decision aids for other serious diagnoses and key decisions. Health care delivery organizations should prioritize the use of currently available tools that are evidence based and effective.

FDTD analysis of the light extraction efficiency of OLEDs with a random scattering layer.

PubMed

Kim, Jun-Whee; Jang, Ji-Hyang; Oh, Min-Cheol; Shin, Jin-Wook; Cho, Doo-Hee; Moon, Jae-Hyun; Lee, Jeong-Ik

2014-01-13

The light extraction efficiency of OLEDs with a nano-sized random scattering layer (RSL-OLEDs) was analyzed using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. In contrast to periodic diffraction patterns, the presence of an RSL suppresses the spectral shift with respect to the viewing angle. For FDTD simulation of RSL-OLEDs, a planar light source with a certain spatial and temporal coherence was incorporated, and the light extraction efficiency with respect to the fill factor of the RSL and the absorption coefficient of the material was investigated. The design results were compared to the experimental results of the RSL-OLEDs in order to confirm the usefulness of FDTD in predicting experimental results. According to our FDTD simulations, the light confined within the ITO-organic waveguide was quickly absorbed, and the absorption coefficients of ITO and RSL materials should be reduced in order to obtain significant improvement in the external quantum efficiency (EQE). When the extinction coefficient of ITO was 0.01, the EQE in the RSL-OLED was simulated to be enhanced by a factor of 1.8.

Postquench prethermalization in a disordered quantum fluid of light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larré, Pierre-Élie; Delande, Dominique; Cherroret, Nicolas

2018-04-01

We study the coherence of a disordered and interacting quantum light field after propagation along a nonlinear optical fiber. Disorder is generated by a cross-phase modulation with a randomized auxiliary classical light field, while interactions are induced by self-phase modulation. When penetrating the fiber from free space, the incoming quantum light undergoes a disorder and interaction quench. By calculating the coherence function of the transmitted quantum light, we show that the decoherence induced by the quench spreads in a light-cone fashion in the nonequilibrium many-body quantum system, leaving the latter prethermalize with peculiar features originating from disorder.

Sharing all types of clinical data and harmonizing journal standards.

PubMed

Barbui, Corrado

2016-04-03

Despite recent efforts to enforce policies requiring the sharing of data underlying clinical findings, current policies of biomedical journals remain largely heterogeneous. As this heterogeneity does not optimally serve the cause of data sharing, a first step towards better harmonization would be the requirement of a data sharing statement for all clinical studies and not simply for randomized studies. Although the publication of a data sharing statement does not imply that all data is made readily available, such a policy would swiftly implement a cultural change in the definition of scientific outputs. Currently, a scientific output only corresponds to a study report published in a medical journal, while in the near future it might consist of all materials described in the manuscript, including all relevant raw data. When such a cultural shift has been achieved, the logical conclusion would be for biomedical journals to require authors to make all data fully available without restriction as a condition for publication.

Hunger games: fluctuations in blood glucose levels influence support for social welfare.

PubMed

Aarøe, Lene; Petersen, Michael Bang

2013-12-01

Social-welfare policies are a modern instantiation of a phenomenon that has pervaded human evolutionary history: resource sharing. Ancestrally, food was a key shared resource in situations of temporary hunger. If evolved human psychology continues to shape how individuals think about current, evolutionarily novel conditions, this invites the prediction that attitudes regarding welfare politics are influenced by short-term fluctuations in hunger. Using blood glucose levels as a physiological indicator of hunger, we tested this prediction in a study in which participants were randomly assigned to conditions in which they consumed soft drinks containing either carbohydrates or an artificial sweetener. Analyses showed that participants with experimentally induced low blood glucose levels expressed stronger support for social welfare. Using an incentivized measure of actual sharing behavior (the dictator game), we further demonstrated that this increased support for social welfare does not translate into genuinely increased sharing motivations. Rather, we suggest that it is "cheap talk" aimed at increasing the sharing efforts of other individuals.

Ultra-broadband Tunable Resonant Light Trapping in a Two-dimensional Randomly Microstructured Plasmonic-photonic Absorber

PubMed Central

Liu, Zhengqi; Liu, Long; Lu, Haiyang; Zhan, Peng; Du, Wei; Wan, Mingjie; Wang, Zhenlin

2017-01-01

Recently, techniques involving random patterns have made it possible to control the light trapping of microstructures over broad spectral and angular ranges, which provides a powerful approach for photon management in energy efficiency technologies. Here, we demonstrate a simple method to create a wideband near-unity light absorber by introducing a dense and random pattern of metal-capped monodispersed dielectric microspheres onto an opaque metal film; the absorber works due to the excitation of multiple optical and plasmonic resonant modes. To further expand the absorption bandwidth, two different-sized metal-capped dielectric microspheres were integrated into a densely packed monolayer on a metal back-reflector. This proposed ultra-broadband plasmonic-photonic super absorber demonstrates desirable optical trapping in dielectric region and slight dispersion over a large incident angle range. Without any effort to strictly control the spatial arrangement of the resonant elements, our absorber, which is based on a simple self-assembly process, has the critical merits of high reproducibility and scalability and represents a viable strategy for efficient energy technologies. PMID:28256599

A light-controlled cell lysis system in bacteria.

PubMed

Wang, Geyi; Lu, Xin; Zhu, Yisha; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Jiahui; Wu, Yankang; Yu, Liyang; Sun, Dongchang; Cheng, Feng

2018-05-08

Intracellular products (e.g., insulin), which are obtained through cell lysis, take up a big share of the biotech industry. It is often time-consuming, laborious, and environment-unfriendly to disrupt bacterial cells with traditional methods. In this study, we developed a molecular device for controlling cell lysis with light. We showed that intracellular expression of a single lysin protein was sufficient for efficient bacterial cell lysis. By placing the lysin-encoding gene under the control of an improved light-controlled system, we successfully controlled cell lysis by switching on/off light: OD 600 of the Escherichia coli cell culture was decreased by twofold when the light-controlled system was activated under dark condition. We anticipate that our work would not only pave the way for cell lysis through a convenient biological way in fermentation industry, but also provide a paradigm for applying the light-controlled system in other fields of biotech industry.

Heating device for semiconductor wafers

DOEpatents

Vosen, Steven R.

1999-01-01

An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly of light energy sources for emitting light energy onto a wafer. In particular, the light energy sources are positioned such that many different radial heating zones are created on a wafer being heated. For instance, in one embodiment, the light energy sources form a spiral configuration. In an alternative embodiment, the light energy sources appear to be randomly dispersed with respect to each other so that no discernable pattern is present. In a third alternative embodiment of the present invention, the light energy sources form concentric rings. Tuning light sources are then placed in between the concentric rings of light.

Heating device for semiconductor wafers

DOEpatents

Vosen, S.R.

1999-07-27

An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly of light energy sources for emitting light energy onto a wafer. In particular, the light energy sources are positioned such that many different radial heating zones are created on a wafer being heated. For instance, in one embodiment, the light energy sources form a spiral configuration. In an alternative embodiment, the light energy sources appear to be randomly dispersed with respect to each other so that no discernible pattern is present. In a third alternative embodiment of the present invention, the light energy sources form concentric rings. Tuning light sources are then placed in between the concentric rings of light. 4 figs.

Attitudes towards Social Networking and Sharing Behaviors among Consumers of Direct-to-Consumer Personal Genomics

PubMed Central

Lee, Sandra Soo-Jin; Vernez, Simone L.; Ormond, K.E.; Granovetter, Mark

2013-01-01

Little is known about how consumers of direct-to-consumer personal genetic services share personal genetic risk information. In an age of ubiquitous online networking and rapid development of social networking tools, understanding how consumers share personal genetic risk assessments is critical in the development of appropriate and effective policies. This exploratory study investigates how consumers share personal genetic information and attitudes towards social networking behaviors. Methods: Adult participants aged 23 to 72 years old who purchased direct-to-consumer genetic testing from a personal genomics company were administered a web-based survey regarding their sharing activities and social networking behaviors related to their personal genetic test results. Results: 80 participants completed the survey; of those, 45% shared results on Facebook and 50.9% reported meeting or reconnecting with more than 10 other individuals through the sharing of their personal genetic information. For help interpreting test results, 70.4% turned to Internet websites and online sources, compared to 22.7% who consulted their healthcare providers. Amongst participants, 51.8% reported that they believe the privacy of their personal genetic information would be breached in the future. Conclusion: Consumers actively utilize online social networking tools to help them share and interpret their personal genetic information. These findings suggest a need for careful consideration of policy recommendations in light of the current ambiguity of regulation and oversight of consumer initiated sharing activities. PMID:25562728

Attitudes towards Social Networking and Sharing Behaviors among Consumers of Direct-to-Consumer Personal Genomics.

PubMed

Lee, Sandra Soo-Jin; Vernez, Simone L; Ormond, K E; Granovetter, Mark

2013-10-14

Little is known about how consumers of direct-to-consumer personal genetic services share personal genetic risk information. In an age of ubiquitous online networking and rapid development of social networking tools, understanding how consumers share personal genetic risk assessments is critical in the development of appropriate and effective policies. This exploratory study investigates how consumers share personal genetic information and attitudes towards social networking behaviors. Adult participants aged 23 to 72 years old who purchased direct-to-consumer genetic testing from a personal genomics company were administered a web-based survey regarding their sharing activities and social networking behaviors related to their personal genetic test results. 80 participants completed the survey; of those, 45% shared results on Facebook and 50.9% reported meeting or reconnecting with more than 10 other individuals through the sharing of their personal genetic information. For help interpreting test results, 70.4% turned to Internet websites and online sources, compared to 22.7% who consulted their healthcare providers. Amongst participants, 51.8% reported that they believe the privacy of their personal genetic information would be breached in the future. Consumers actively utilize online social networking tools to help them share and interpret their personal genetic information. These findings suggest a need for careful consideration of policy recommendations in light of the current ambiguity of regulation and oversight of consumer initiated sharing activities.

GLIDE: a grid-based light-weight infrastructure for data-intensive environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mattmann, Chris A.; Malek, Sam; Beckman, Nels; Mikic-Rakic, Marija; Medvidovic, Nenad; Chrichton, Daniel J.

2005-01-01

The promise of the grid is that it will enable public access and sharing of immense amounts of computational and data resources among dynamic coalitions of individuals and institutions. However, the current grid solutions make several limiting assumptions that curtail their widespread adoption. To address these limitations, we present GLIDE, a prototype light-weight, data-intensive middleware infrastructure that enables access to the robust data and computational power of the grid on DREAM platforms.

Not Light Enough to Get There, Not Heavy Enough to Win: The Case of US Light Infantry,

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-04

service rivalry for a greater share of the rapid deployment capability was evident in this maneuvering between the Marines for pre-positioned equipment and...The Army was continuing to receive less funding than the other services in the Defense Authorization bills.(77) Congress was concerned about force...projection and was funding the services which would enhance this capability. In the Defense Authorization Act of 1984 Congress defined the major missions

A Randomized, Controlled Trial of a Shared Panel Management Program for Small Practices.

PubMed

Bishop, Tara F; Ryan, Andrew M; Chen, Melinda A; Mendelsohn, Jayme; Gottlieb, Daniel; Shih, Sarah; Desai, Priya; Wolff, Elizabeth A; Casalino, Lawrence P

2016-10-01

To determine whether a shared panel management program was effective at improving quality of care for patients with uncontrolled chronic disease. Data were extracted from electronic health records. Randomized controlled trial of a panel management program initiated by New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Patients from 20 practices with an uncontrolled chronic disease and a lapse in care were assigned to the intervention (a phone call requesting that the patient schedule a physician appointment) or usual care. Outcomes were visits to physician practices, body mass index measurement, blood pressure measurement and control, use of antithrombotics, and low-density lipoprotein measurement and control. Panel managers were able to successfully speak with 1,676 patients (14.7 percent of the intervention group). There were no significant differences in outcomes between the intervention and usual care groups. Successfully contacted patients were more likely to have an office visit within 1 year of randomization (45.6 percent [95 percent CI: 22.8, 26.9] vs. 38.1 percent [95 percent CI: 36.8, 39.3]) and more likely to be on antithrombotics (24.4 percent [95 percent CI: 17.7, 31.0]) versus those in the usual care group (17.0 percent [95 percent CI: 13.9, 20.0]) but had no other difference in quality. A shared, low-intensity panel management program run by a city health department did not improve quality of care for patients with chronic illnesses and lapses in care. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

ISBP: Understanding the Security Rule of Users' Information-Sharing Behaviors in Partnership

PubMed Central

Wu, Hongchen; Wang, Xinjun

2016-01-01

The rapid growth of social network data has given rise to high security awareness among users, especially when they exchange and share their personal information. However, because users have different feelings about sharing their information, they are often puzzled about who their partners for exchanging information can be and what information they can share. Is it possible to assist users in forming a partnership network in which they can exchange and share information with little worry? We propose a modified information sharing behavior prediction (ISBP) model that can help in understanding the underlying rules by which users share their information with partners in light of three common aspects: what types of items users are likely to share, what characteristics of users make them likely to share information, and what features of users’ sharing behavior are easy to predict. This model is applied with machine learning techniques in WEKA to predict users’ decisions pertaining to information sharing behavior and form them into trustable partnership networks by learning their features. In the experiment section, by using two real-life datasets consisting of citizens’ sharing behavior, we identify the effect of highly sensitive requests on sharing behavior adjacent to individual variables: the younger participants’ partners are more difficult to predict than those of the older participants, whereas the partners of people who are not computer majors are easier to predict than those of people who are computer majors. Based on these findings, we believe that it is necessary and feasible to offer users personalized suggestions on information sharing decisions, and this is pioneering work that could benefit college researchers focusing on user-centric strategies and website owners who want to collect more user information without raising their privacy awareness or losing their trustworthiness. PMID:26950064

ISBP: Understanding the Security Rule of Users' Information-Sharing Behaviors in Partnership.

PubMed

Wu, Hongchen; Wang, Xinjun

2016-01-01

The rapid growth of social network data has given rise to high security awareness among users, especially when they exchange and share their personal information. However, because users have different feelings about sharing their information, they are often puzzled about who their partners for exchanging information can be and what information they can share. Is it possible to assist users in forming a partnership network in which they can exchange and share information with little worry? We propose a modified information sharing behavior prediction (ISBP) model that can help in understanding the underlying rules by which users share their information with partners in light of three common aspects: what types of items users are likely to share, what characteristics of users make them likely to share information, and what features of users' sharing behavior are easy to predict. This model is applied with machine learning techniques in WEKA to predict users' decisions pertaining to information sharing behavior and form them into trustable partnership networks by learning their features. In the experiment section, by using two real-life datasets consisting of citizens' sharing behavior, we identify the effect of highly sensitive requests on sharing behavior adjacent to individual variables: the younger participants' partners are more difficult to predict than those of the older participants, whereas the partners of people who are not computer majors are easier to predict than those of people who are computer majors. Based on these findings, we believe that it is necessary and feasible to offer users personalized suggestions on information sharing decisions, and this is pioneering work that could benefit college researchers focusing on user-centric strategies and website owners who want to collect more user information without raising their privacy awareness or losing their trustworthiness.

Effects of light sources and intensity on broilers grown to heavy weights. Part 1: growth performance, carcass characteristics, and welfare indices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study investigated the effects of light sources and light intensity on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and welfare indices of heavy broilers (> 3.0 kg) in 4 trials with 2 replications per trial. A total of 960 1-d-old Ross × Ross 708 chicks (30 males/30 females/room) were randomly ...

Comparisons of sensory descriptive flavor and texture profiles of cooked broiler breast fillets categorized by raw meat color lightness values

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Three replicate trials were conducted to compare sensory descriptive profiles of cooked broiler breast fillets categorized by raw meat color lightness or CIELAB L* values (L*). In each trial, 20 light, 20 dark and 30 random fillets (42d old birds and deboned at 6-8h postmortem) were obtained from a...

Notes on Experiments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Physics Education, 1980

1980-01-01

Describes briefly three experiments, which are presented by three physics teachers to share their ideas with other teachers and readers. These experiments are: (1) a simple hazemeter for window pollution assessment; (2) the speed of light; and (3) the ball-bearing electric motor. (HM)

Morning Versus Evening Bright Light Treatment at Home to Improve Function and Pain Sensitivity for Women with Fibromyalgia: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Burgess, Helen J; Park, Margaret; Ong, Jason C; Shakoor, Najia; Williams, David A; Burns, John

2017-01-01

To test the feasibility, acceptability, and effects of a home-based morning versus evening bright light treatment on function and pain sensitivity in women with fibromyalgia. A single blind randomized study with two treatment arms: 6 days of a 1 hour morning light treatment or 6 days of a 1 hour evening light treatment. Function, pain sensitivity, and circadian timing were assessed before and after treatment. Participants slept at home, except for two nights in Sleep Center. Ten women meeting the American College of Rheumatology's diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia, including normal blood test results. Self-reported function was assessed with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). Pain sensitivity was assessed using a heat stimulus that gave measures of threshold and tolerance. Circadian timing was assessed with the dim light melatonin onset. Both morning and evening light treatments led to improvements in function and pain sensitivity. However, only the morning light treatment led to a clinically meaningful improvement in function (>14% reduction from baseline FIQ) and morning light significantly increased pain threshold more than evening light ( P  < 0.05). Phase advances in circadian timing were associated with an increase in pain tolerance (r = 0.67, P  < 0.05). Bright light treatment appears to be a feasible and acceptable adjunctive treatment to women with fibromyalgia. Those who undergo morning light treatment may show improvements in function and pain sensitivity. Advances in circadian timing may be one mechanism by which morning light improves pain sensitivity. Findings can inform the design of a randomized controlled trial. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Security authentication using phase-encoded nanoparticle structures and polarized light.

PubMed

Carnicer, Artur; Hassanfiroozi, Amir; Latorre-Carmona, Pedro; Huang, Yi-Pai; Javidi, Bahram

2015-01-15

Phase-encoded nanostructures such as quick response (QR) codes made of metallic nanoparticles are suggested to be used in security and authentication applications. We present a polarimetric optical method able to authenticate random phase-encoded QR codes. The system is illuminated using polarized light, and the QR code is encoded using a phase-only random mask. Using classification algorithms, it is possible to validate the QR code from the examination of the polarimetric signature of the speckle pattern. We used Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistical test and Support Vector Machine algorithms to authenticate the phase-encoded QR codes using polarimetric signatures.

Self-assembled antireflection coatings for light trapping based on SiGe random metasurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouabdellaoui, Mohammed; Checcucci, Simona; Wood, Thomas; Naffouti, Meher; Sena, Robert Paria; Liu, Kailang; Ruiz, Carmen M.; Duche, David; le Rouzo, Judikael; Escoubas, Ludovic; Berginc, Gerard; Bonod, Nicolas; Zazoui, Mimoun; Favre, Luc; Metayer, Leo; Ronda, Antoine; Berbezier, Isabelle; Grosso, David; Gurioli, Massimo; Abbarchi, Marco

2018-03-01

We demonstrate a simple self-assembly method based on solid state dewetting of ultrathin silicon films and germanium deposition for the fabrication of efficient antireflection coatings on silicon for light trapping. We fabricate SiGe islands with a high surface density, randomly positioned and broadly varied in size. This allows one to reduce the reflectance to low values in a broad spectral range (from 500 nm to 2500 nm) and a broad angle (up to 55°) and to trap within the wafer a large portion of the impinging light (˜40 % ) also below the band gap, where the Si substrate is nonabsorbing. Theoretical simulations agree with the experimental results, showing that the efficient light coupling into the substrate is mediated by Mie resonances formed within the SiGe islands. This lithography-free method can be implemented on arbitrarily thick or thin SiO2 layers and its duration only depends on the sample thickness and on the annealing temperature.

Unintended messages in online advertising to youth: illicit drug imagery in a Canadian sports marketing campaign.

PubMed

Auger, Nathalie; Daniel, Mark; Knäuper, Bärbel; Dourian, Tara; Raynault, Marie-France

2015-04-01

We assessed the potential for harmful messages in online advertisements targeted to youth, using the example of the Canadian "Light It Up" marketing campaign from a large sports corporation. We undertook a cluster randomized controlled trial of 20 secondary school classes in Montreal, Canada. Classes were randomly allocated to view a "Light It Up" advertisement (n = 205) or a neutral comparison advertisement (n = 192). The main outcome measures were self-reports of illicit drug messages in the advertisements. Of the students, 22.9% reported that the "Light It Up" advertisement contained illicit drug messages compared with 1.0% for the comparison advertisement (relative risk, 22.0; 95% confidence interval, 6.5-74.9). Although meant to promote sports, youth in this study believed that the "Light It Up" advertisement was related to illicit drugs. The campaign illustrates how advertisements may inadvertently market unwanted behaviors to children. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phase transition of light in cavity QED lattices.

PubMed

Schiró, M; Bordyuh, M; Oztop, B; Türeci, H E

2012-08-03

Systems of strongly interacting atoms and photons, which can be realized wiring up individual cavity QED systems into lattices, are perceived as a new platform for quantum simulation. While sharing important properties with other systems of interacting quantum particles, here we argue that the nature of light-matter interaction gives rise to unique features with no analogs in condensed matter or atomic physics setups. By discussing the physics of a lattice model of delocalized photons coupled locally with two-level systems through the elementary light-matter interaction described by the Rabi model, we argue that the inclusion of counterrotating terms, so far neglected, is crucial to stabilize finite-density quantum phases of correlated photons out of the vacuum, with no need for an artificially engineered chemical potential. We show that the competition between photon delocalization and Rabi nonlinearity drives the system across a novel Z(2) parity symmetry-breaking quantum criticality between two gapped phases that share similarities with the Dicke transition of quantum optics and the Ising critical point of quantum magnetism. We discuss the phase diagram as well as the low-energy excitation spectrum and present analytic estimates for critical quantities.

Public attitudes toward transportation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-01-01

A telephone survey of a thousand randomly selected Virginia residents found that the automobile was the most popular mode of travel, and that more work trips than trips for other purposes were being made by alternatives such as ride sharing, public t...

Tailoring and evaluating an intervention to improve shared decision-making among seniors with dementia, their caregivers, and healthcare providers: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Giguere, Anik M C; Lawani, Moulikatou Adouni; Fortier-Brochu, Émilie; Carmichael, Pierre-Hugues; Légaré, France; Kröger, Edeltraut; Witteman, Holly O; Voyer, Philippe; Caron, Danielle; Rodríguez, Charo

2018-06-25

The increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia raises new challenges to ensure that healthcare decisions are informed by research evidence and reflect what is important for seniors and their caregivers. Therefore, we aim to evaluate a tailored intervention to help healthcare providers empower seniors and their caregivers in making health-related decisions. In two phases, we will: (1) design and tailor the intervention; and (2) implement and evaluate it. We will use theory and user-centered design to tailor an intervention comprising a distance professional training program on shared decision-making and five shared decision-making tools dealing with difficult decisions often faced by seniors with dementia and their caregivers. Each tool will be designed in two versions, one for clinicians and one for patients. We will recruit 49 clinicians and 27 senior/caregiver to participate in three cycles of design-evaluation-feedback of each intervention components. Besides think-aloud and interview approaches, users will also complete questionnaires based on the Theory of Planned Behavior to identify the factors most likely to influence their adoption of shared decision-making after exposure to the intervention. We will then modify the intervention by adding/enhancing behavior-change techniques targeting these factors. We will evaluate the effectiveness of this tailored intervention before/after implementation, in a two-armed, clustered randomized trial. We will enroll a convenience sample of six primary care clinics (unit of randomization) in the province of Quebec and recruit the clinicians who practice there (mostly family physicians, nurses, and social workers). These clinics will then be randomized to immediate exposure to the intervention or delayed exposure. Overall, we will recruit 180 seniors with dementia, their caregivers, and their healthcare providers. We will evaluate the impact of the intervention on patient involvement in the decision-making process, decisional comfort, patient and caregiver personal empowerment in relation to their own healthcare, patient quality of life, caregiver burden, and decisional regret. The intervention will empower patients and their caregivers in their healthcare, by fostering their participation as partners during the decision-making process and by ensuring they make informed decisions congruent with their values and priorities. ClinicalTrials.org, NCT02956694 . Registered on 31 October 2016.

Statistical auditing and randomness test of lotto k/N-type games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coronel-Brizio, H. F.; Hernández-Montoya, A. R.; Rapallo, F.; Scalas, E.

2008-11-01

One of the most popular lottery games worldwide is the so-called “lotto k/N”. It considers N numbers 1,2,…,N from which k are drawn randomly, without replacement. A player selects k or more numbers and the first prize is shared amongst those players whose selected numbers match all of the k randomly drawn. Exact rules may vary in different countries. In this paper, mean values and covariances for the random variables representing the numbers drawn from this kind of game are presented, with the aim of using them to audit statistically the consistency of a given sample of historical results with theoretical values coming from a hypergeometric statistical model. The method can be adapted to test pseudorandom number generators.

Random sequences generation through optical measurements by phase-shifting interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

François, M.; Grosges, T.; Barchiesi, D.; Erra, R.; Cornet, A.

2012-04-01

The development of new techniques for producing random sequences with a high level of security is a challenging topic of research in modern cryptographics. The proposed method is based on the measurement by phase-shifting interferometry of the speckle signals of the interaction between light and structures. We show how the combination of amplitude and phase distributions (maps) under a numerical process can produce random sequences. The produced sequences satisfy all the statistical requirements of randomness and can be used in cryptographic schemes.

Using a shared parameter mixture model to estimate change during treatment when termination is related to recovery speed.

PubMed

Gottfredson, Nisha C; Bauer, Daniel J; Baldwin, Scott A; Okiishi, John C

2014-10-01

This study demonstrates how to use a shared parameter mixture model (SPMM) in longitudinal psychotherapy studies to accommodate missingness that is due to a correlation between rate of improvement and termination of therapy. Traditional growth models assume that such a relationship does not exist (i.e., assume that data are missing at random) and produce biased results if this assumption is incorrect. We used longitudinal data from 4,676 patients enrolled in a naturalistic study of psychotherapy to compare results from a latent growth model and an SPMM. In this data set, estimates of the rate of improvement during therapy differed by 6.50%-6.66% across the two models, indicating that participants with steeper trajectories left psychotherapy earliest, thereby potentially biasing inference for the slope in the latent growth model. We conclude that reported estimates of change during therapy may be underestimated in naturalistic studies of therapy in which participants and their therapists determine the end of treatment. Because non-randomly missing data can also occur in randomized controlled trials or in observational studies of development, the utility of the SPMM extends beyond naturalistic psychotherapy data. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

The development of GPU-based parallel PRNG for Monte Carlo applications in CUDA Fortran

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

Kargaran, Hamed, E-mail: h-kargaran@sbu.ac.ir; Minuchehr, Abdolhamid; Zolfaghari, Ahmad

The implementation of Monte Carlo simulation on the CUDA Fortran requires a fast random number generation with good statistical properties on GPU. In this study, a GPU-based parallel pseudo random number generator (GPPRNG) have been proposed to use in high performance computing systems. According to the type of GPU memory usage, GPU scheme is divided into two work modes including GLOBAL-MODE and SHARED-MODE. To generate parallel random numbers based on the independent sequence method, the combination of middle-square method and chaotic map along with the Xorshift PRNG have been employed. Implementation of our developed PPRNG on a single GPU showedmore » a speedup of 150x and 470x (with respect to the speed of PRNG on a single CPU core) for GLOBAL-MODE and SHARED-MODE, respectively. To evaluate the accuracy of our developed GPPRNG, its performance was compared to that of some other commercially available PPRNGs such as MATLAB, FORTRAN and Miller-Park algorithm through employing the specific standard tests. The results of this comparison showed that the developed GPPRNG in this study can be used as a fast and accurate tool for computational science applications.« less

Genetic separation of phototropism and blue light inhibition of stem elongation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liscum, E.; Young, J. C.; Poff, K. L.; Hangarter, R. P.

1992-01-01

Blue light-induced regulation of cell elongation is a component of the signal response pathway for both phototropic curvature and inhibition of stem elongation in higher plants. To determine if blue light regulates cell elongation in these responses through shared or discrete pathways, phototropism and hypocotyl elongation were investigated in several blue light response mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana. Specifically, the blu mutants that lack blue light-dependent inhibition of hypocotyl elongation were found to exhibit a normal phototropic response. In contrast, a phototropic null mutant (JK218) and a mutant that has a 20- to 30-fold shift in the fluence dependence for first positive phototropism (JK224) showed normal inhibition of hypocotyl elongation in blue light. F1 progeny of crosses between the blu mutants and JK218 showed normal phototropism and inhibition of hypocotyl elongation, and approximately 1 in 16 F2 progeny were double mutants lacking both responses. Thus, blue light-dependent inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and phototropism operate through at least some genetically distinct components.

Temperature effects on particulate matter emissions from light-duty, gasoline-powered motor vehicles

EPA Science Inventory

The Kansas City Light-Duty Vehicle Emissions study measured exhaust emissions of regulated and unregulated pollutants from over 500 vehicles randomly recruited in the Kansas City metropolitan area in 2004 and 2005. Vehicle emissions testing occurred during the summer and winter, ...

Transform-limited-pulse representation of excitation with natural incoherent light

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

Chenu, Aurélia, E-mail: aurelia.chenu@utoronto.ca; Brumer, Paul, E-mail: pbrumer@chem.utoronto.ca

2016-01-28

The excitation of molecular systems by natural incoherent light relevant, for example, to photosynthetic light-harvesting is examined. We show that the result of linear excitation with natural incoherent light can be obtained using incident light described in terms of transform limited pulses, as opposed to conventional classical representations with explicit random character. The derived expressions allow for computations to be done directly for any thermal light spectrum using a simple wave function formalism and provide a route to the experimental determination of natural incoherent excitation using pulsed laser techniques. Pulses associated with solar and cosmic microwave background radiation are providedmore » as examples.« less

Time-dependent fiber bundles with local load sharing.

PubMed

Newman, W I; Phoenix, S L

2001-02-01

Fiber bundle models, where fibers have random lifetimes depending on their load histories, are useful tools in explaining time-dependent failure in heterogeneous materials. Such models shed light on diverse phenomena such as fatigue in structural materials and earthquakes in geophysical settings. Various asymptotic and approximate theories have been developed for bundles with various geometries and fiber load-sharing mechanisms, but numerical verification has been hampered by severe computational demands in larger bundles. To gain insight at large size scales, interest has returned to idealized fiber bundle models in 1D. Such simplified models typically assume either equal load sharing (ELS) among survivors, or local load sharing (LLS) where a failed fiber redistributes its load onto its two nearest flanking survivors. Such models can often be solved exactly or asymptotically in increasing bundle size, N, yet still capture the essence of failure in real materials. The present work focuses on 1D bundles under LLS. As in previous works, a fiber has failure rate following a power law in its load level with breakdown exponent rho. Surviving fibers under fixed loads have remaining lifetimes that are independent and exponentially distributed. We develop both new asymptotic theories and new computational algorithms that greatly increase the bundle sizes that can be treated in large replications (e.g., one million fibers in thousands of realizations). In particular we develop an algorithm that adapts several concepts and methods that are well-known among computer scientists, but relatively unknown among physicists, to dramatically increase the computational speed with no attendant loss of accuracy. We consider various regimes of rho that yield drastically different behavior as N increases. For 1/2< or =rho< or =1, ELS and LLS have remarkably similar behavior (they have identical lifetime distributions at rho=1) with approximate Gaussian bundle lifetime statistics and a finite limiting mean. For rho>1 this Gaussian behavior also applies to ELS, whereas LLS behavior diverges sharply showing brittle, weakest volume behavior in terms of characteristic elements derived from critical cluster formation. For 0

Analysis of the Yule-Nielsen effect with the multiple-path point spread function in a frequency-modulated halftone.

PubMed

Rogers, Geoffrey

2018-06-01

The Yule-Nielsen effect is an influence on halftone color caused by the diffusion of light within the paper upon which the halftone ink is printed. The diffusion can be characterized by a point spread function. In this paper, a point spread function for paper is derived using the multiple-path model of reflection. This model treats the interaction of light with turbid media as a random walk. Using the multiple-path point spread function, a general expression is derived for the average reflectance of light from a frequency-modulated halftone, in which dot size is constant and the number of dots is varied, with the arrangement of dots random. It is also shown that the line spread function derived from the multiple-path model has the form of a Lorentzian function.

Stochastic epidemic outbreaks: why epidemics are like lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, Ira B.; Billings, Lora

2004-05-01

Many diseases, such as childhood diseases, dengue fever, and West Nile virus, appear to oscillate randomly as a function of seasonal environmental or social changes. Such oscillations appear to have a chaotic bursting character, although it is still uncertain how much is due to random fluctuations. Such bursting in the presence of noise is also observed in driven lasers. In this talk, I will show how noise can excite random outbreaks in simple models of seasonally driven outbreaks, as well as lasers. The models for both population dynamics will be shown to share the same class of underlying topology, which plays a major role in the cause of observed stochastic bursting.

Randomized controlled trial of the efficacy and safety of self-adhesive low-level light therapy in women with primary dysmenorrhea.

PubMed

Hong, Gi-Youn; Shin, Byung-Cheul; Park, Seong-Nam; Gu, Yun-Hee; Kim, Nam-Gyun; Park, Kyoung-Jun; Kim, Soo-Yeon; Shin, Yong-Il

2016-04-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-level light therapy in women with primary dysmenorrhea. A multicenter prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial including patients 18-35 years of age with primary dysmenorrhea was undertaken at two university hospitals in South Korea between October 2011 and September 2012. Patients were randomized using a computer-generated sequence to receive low-level light therapy using the Color DNA-WSF device or to receive placebo treatment with a dummy device. The severity of menstrual pain, assessed using a visual analog scale, was the primary outcome and was evaluated at baseline and during every menstrual cycle for 3 months following treatment. Patients who received more than one application of treatment (with a Color DNA-WSF or placebo device) were included in analyses. Patients and investigators were masked to the treatment assignments. Overall, 44 patients were assigned to each group. At the final study visit, the reduction in scores using a visual analog scale was significantly greater in patients who received low-level light therapy (n=41; 4.34±2.22) than among those in the control group (n=38; 1.79±1.73; P<0.001 when adjusted for age) No serious adverse events occurred. Low-level light therapy could be an effective, safe treatment modality for women with primary dysmenorrhea. Clinical Trials.gov: NCT02026206. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

An intervention to reduce sitting and increase light-intensity physical activity at work: Design and rationale of the ‘Stand & Move at Work’ group randomized trial

PubMed Central

Buman, Matthew P.; Mullane, Sarah L.; Toledo, Meynard J.; Rydell, Sarah A.; Gaesser, Glenn A.; Crespo, Noe C.; Hannan, Peter; Feltes, Linda; Vuong, Brenna; Pereira, Mark A

2016-01-01

Background American workers spend 70–80% of their time at work being sedentary. Traditional approaches to increase moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may be perceived to be harmful to productivity. Approaches that target reductions in sedentary behavior and/or increases in standing or light-intensity physical activity [LPA] may not interfere with productivity and may be more feasible to achieve through small changes accumulated throughout the workday. Methods/Design This group randomized trial (i.e., cluster randomized trial) will test the relative efficacy of two sedentary behavior focused interventions in 24 worksites across two states (N=720 workers). The MOVE+ intervention is a multilevel individual, social, environmental, and organizational intervention targeting increases in light-intensity physical activity in the workplace. The STAND+ intervention is the MOVE+ intervention with the addition of the installation and use of sit-stand workstations to reduce sedentary behavior and enhance light-intensity physical activity opportunities. Our primary outcome will be objectively-measured changes in sedentary behavior and light-intensity physical activity over 12 months, with additional process measures at 3 months and longer-term sustainability outcomes at 24 months. Our secondary outcomes will be a clustered cardiometabolic risk score (comprised of fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and blood pressure), workplace productivity, and job satisfaction. Discussion This study will determine the efficacy of a multilevel workplace intervention (including the use of a sit-stand workstation) to reduce sedentary behavior and increase LPA and concomitant impact on cardiometabolic health, workplace productivity, and satisfaction. PMID:27940181

Unified Mie and fractal scattering by cells and experimental study on application in optical characterization of cellular and subcellular structures.

PubMed

Xu, Min; Wu, Tao T; Qu, Jianan Y

2008-01-01

A unified Mie and fractal model for light scattering by biological cells is presented. This model is shown to provide an excellent global agreement with the angular dependent elastic light scattering spectroscopy of cells over the whole visible range (400 to 700 nm) and at all scattering angles (1.1 to 165 deg) investigated. Mie scattering from the bare cell and the nucleus is found to dominate light scattering in the forward directions, whereas the random fluctuation of the background refractive index within the cell, behaving as a fractal random continuous medium, is found to dominate light scattering at other angles. Angularly dependent elastic light scattering spectroscopy aided by the unified Mie and fractal model is demonstrated to be an effective noninvasive approach to characterize biological cells and their internal structures. The acetowhitening effect induced by applying acetic acid on epithelial cells is investigated as an example. The changes in morphology and refractive index of epithelial cells, nuclei, and subcellular structures after the application of acetic acid are successfully probed and quantified using the proposed approach. The unified Mie and fractal model may serve as the foundation for optical detection of precancerous and cancerous changes in biological cells and tissues based on light scattering techniques.

Optical Interactions at Randomly Rough Surfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-10

frequency range. The design of a random surface that acts as a Lambertian diffuser, especially in the infrared region of the optical spectrum, is...FTIR grazing angle microscopy. Recently, an experimental study was performed of the far-field scattering at small grazing angles, especially the enhanced...a specular component in the scattered light, in this frequency range. The design of a random surface that acts as a Lambertian diffuser, especially in

A service platform architecture design towards a light integration of heterogeneous systems in the wellbeing domain.

PubMed

Yang, Yaojin; Ahtinen, Aino; Lahteenmaki, Jaakko; Nyman, Petri; Paajanen, Henrik; Peltoniemi, Teijo; Quiroz, Carlos

2007-01-01

System integration is one of the major challenges for building wellbeing or healthcare related information systems. In this paper, we are going to share our experiences on how to design a service platform called Nuadu service platform, for providing integrated services in occupational health promotion and health risk management through two heterogeneous systems. Our design aims for a light integration covering the layers, from data through service up to presentation, while maintaining the integrity of the underlying systems.

Spatial Light Modulators as Optical Crossbar Switches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juday, Richard

2003-01-01

A proposed method of implementing cross connections in an optical communication network is based on the use of a spatial light modulator (SLM) to form controlled diffraction patterns that connect inputs (light sources) and outputs (light sinks). Sources would typically include optical fibers and/or light-emitting diodes; sinks would typically include optical fibers and/or photodetectors. The sources and/or sinks could be distributed in two dimensions; that is, on planes. Alternatively or in addition, sources and/or sinks could be distributed in three dimensions -- for example, on curved surfaces or in more complex (including random) three-dimensional patterns.

Processing structure in language and music: a case for shared reliance on cognitive control.

PubMed

Slevc, L Robert; Okada, Brooke M

2015-06-01

The relationship between structural processing in music and language has received increasing interest in the past several years, spurred by the influential Shared Syntactic Integration Resource Hypothesis (SSIRH; Patel, Nature Neuroscience, 6, 674-681, 2003). According to this resource-sharing framework, music and language rely on separable syntactic representations but recruit shared cognitive resources to integrate these representations into evolving structures. The SSIRH is supported by findings of interactions between structural manipulations in music and language. However, other recent evidence suggests that such interactions also can arise with nonstructural manipulations, and some recent neuroimaging studies report largely nonoverlapping neural regions involved in processing musical and linguistic structure. These conflicting results raise the question of exactly what shared (and distinct) resources underlie musical and linguistic structural processing. This paper suggests that one shared resource is prefrontal cortical mechanisms of cognitive control, which are recruited to detect and resolve conflict that occurs when expectations are violated and interpretations must be revised. By this account, musical processing involves not just the incremental processing and integration of musical elements as they occur, but also the incremental generation of musical predictions and expectations, which must sometimes be overridden and revised in light of evolving musical input.

Perceived non-shared environment, personality traits, family factors and developmental experiences in bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Lehoux, Pascale M; Howe, Nina

2007-03-01

The role of perceived non-shared environmental influences and personality traits in the risk of developing bulimia nervosa (BN) was compared in 40 women with BN and their non-eating disordered sisters. The two sisters were compared for (a) eating pathology, (b) perceived non-shared environmental factors (differential family relationships, developmental teasing, traumatic experiences), (c) personality traits (impulsivity, affective instability, narcissism), and (d) psychopathology (anxiety, depression). Specific perceived non-shared risk factors (e.g. perceptions of teasing), nonspecific non-shared risk factors (e.g. insecure paternal attachment) and personality traits (e.g. narcissism) distinguished women with BN from sisters. In the final logistic regression, insecure paternal attachment predicted the risk for BN, while trends were apparent for narcissism and developmental teasing after controlling for psychopathology. Our correlational cross-sectional design does not allow for investigation of direction of effects. However, it is an important first step in identifying possible perceived non-shared environmental influences and personality traits that may constitute vulnerability factors predisposing individuals to the development of BN. Findings are discussed in the light of existing models of risk factors for the etiology of BN.

Group Matching: Is This a Research Technique to Be Avoided?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Donald C.; Klein, Donald F.

1988-01-01

The variance of the sample difference and the power of the "F" test for mean differences were studied under group matching on covariates and also under random assignment. Results shed light on systematic assignment procedures advocated to provide more precise estimates of treatment effects than simple random assignment. (TJH)

Shared genetic determinants of axial length and height in children: the Guangzhou twin eye study.

PubMed

Zhang, Jian; Hur, Yoon-Mi; Huang, Wenyong; Ding, Xiaohu; Feng, Ke; He, Mingguang

2011-01-01

To describe the association between axial length (AL) and height and to estimate the extent to which shared genetic or environmental factors influence this covariance. Study participants were recruited from the Guangzhou Twin Registry. Axial length was measured using partial coherence laser interferometry. Height was measured with the participants standing without shoes. We computed twin pairwise correlations and cross-twin cross-trait correlations between AL and height for monozygotic and dizygotic twins and performed model-fitting analyses using a multivariate Cholesky model. The right eye was arbitrarily selected to represent AL of participants. Five hundred sixty-five twin pairs (359 monozygotic and 206 dizygotic) aged 7 to 15 years were available for analysis. Phenotypic correlation between AL and height was 0.46 but decreased to 0.19 after adjusting for age, sex, and age × sex interaction. Bivariate Cholesky model-fitting analyses revealed that 89% of phenotypic correlation was due to shared genetic factors and 11% was due to shared random environmental factors, which includes measurement error. Covariance of AL and height is largely attributable to shared genes. Given that AL is a key determinant of myopia, further work is needed to confirm gene sharing between myopia and stature.

Light harvesting for quantum solar energy conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markvart, Tomas

2000-05-01

Despite wide structural and functional differences, the laws that govern quantum solar energy conversion to chemical energy or electricity share many similarities. In the photosynthetic membrane, in common with semiconductor solar cells, the conversion process proceeds from the creation of electron-hole pairs by a photon of light, followed by charge separation to produce the required high-energy product. In many cases, however, mechanisms are needed to enhance the optical absorption cross-section and extend the spectral range of operation. A common way of achieving this is by light harvesting: light absorption by a specialised unit which transfers the energy to the conversion apparatus. This paper considers two examples of light harvesting - semiconductor solar cells and the photosynthetic apparatus - to illustrate the basic operation and principles that apply. The existence of a light harvesting unit in photosynthesis has been known since the early 1930's but details of the process - relating, in particular, to the relationship between the structure and spectral properties - are still being unravelled. The excitation energy carriers are excitons but the precise nature of the transport - via the solid state Frenkel-Peierls variety or by Förster's resonant energy transfer - is still subject to debate. In semiconductor solar cells, the energy of the absorbed photon is collected by minority carriers but the broad principles remain the same. In both cases it is shown that the rate of energy conversion is described by a law which parallels the Shockley's solar cell equation, and the light harvesting energy collection is subject to reciprocity relations which resemble Onsager's reciprocity relations between coefficients which couple appropriate forces and flows in non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Differences in the basic atomic make-up in the two systems lead to different energy transport equations. In both cases, however, similar mathematical techniques based on Green's functions can be used to advantage. The Green's function provides a convenient vehicle for the determination of the probability of energy collection - known as the trapping probability in the photosynthetic unit. Using the reciprocity relation, both quantities are shown to be closely related to the distribution of the energy carriers in the dark. The collection probability can then be discussed in detail, by solving the semiconductor device equations in the case of solar cell, and by linking the Green's function formalism to the random walk model in the case of the photosynthetic unit. The concept of resonant energy transfer is beginning to enter the arena of solid-state optoelectronics. It is an aim of this paper to show that similar phenomena - which exist in the domain of bioenergetics - can throw new light on a range of energy transfer and collection processes that are of considerable importance in many modern optoelectronic devices.

Generation of transgenic Hydra by embryo microinjection.

PubMed

Juliano, Celina E; Lin, Haifan; Steele, Robert E

2014-09-11

As a member of the phylum Cnidaria, the sister group to all bilaterians, Hydra can shed light on fundamental biological processes shared among multicellular animals. Hydra is used as a model for the study of regeneration, pattern formation, and stem cells. However, research efforts have been hampered by lack of a reliable method for gene perturbations to study molecular function. The development of transgenic methods has revitalized the study of Hydra biology(1). Transgenic Hydra allow for the tracking of live cells, sorting to yield pure cell populations for biochemical analysis, manipulation of gene function by knockdown and over-expression, and analysis of promoter function. Plasmid DNA injected into early stage embryos randomly integrates into the genome early in development. This results in hatchlings that express transgenes in patches of tissue in one or more of the three lineages (ectodermal epithelial, endodermal epithelial, or interstitial). The success rate of obtaining a hatchling with transgenic tissue is between 10% and 20%. Asexual propagation of the transgenic hatchling is used to establish a uniformly transgenic line in a particular lineage. Generating transgenic Hydra is surprisingly simple and robust, and here we describe a protocol that can be easily implemented at low cost.

Building Your Undergraduate Physics Career

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2014-03-01

In this interactive event for undergraduates, students will learn important lessons about career preparation, including skill building, networking, and developing ``soft skills.'' Our expert panel of working physicists will be on hand to answer questions, offer advice, and share their stories. Light refreshments will be served.

Sharing the Light of Faith.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Hazel

1999-01-01

Presents the parish programs at the Prince of Peace Catholic Community in Plano, Texas and at the Holy Family Parish Community in Inverness, Illinois as examples of what can be accomplished when imaginative, inspired, and knowledgeable teachers take on family catechesis as their mission. (VWC)

Light therapy for multiple sclerosis-associated fatigue: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Mateen, Farrah J; Manalo, Natalie C; Grundy, Sara J; Houghton, Melissa A; Hotan, Gladia C; Erickson, Hans; Videnovic, Aleksandar

2017-09-01

Fatigue is the most commonly reported symptom among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, more than a quarter of whom consider fatigue to be their most disabling symptom. However, there are few effective treatment options for fatigue. We aim to investigate whether supplemental exposure to bright white light will reduce MS-associated fatigue. Eligible participants will have clinically confirmed multiple sclerosis based on the revised McDonald criteria (2010) and a score ≥36 on the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Participants will be randomized 1:1 to bright white light (10,000 lux; active condition) or dim red light (<300 lux; control condition) self-administered for 1 hour twice daily. The study will include a 2-week baseline period, a 4-week treatment period, and a 4-week washout period. Participants will record their sleep duration, exercise, caffeine, and medication intake daily. Participants will record their fatigue using the Visual Analogue Fatigue Scale (VAFS) 4 times every third day, providing snapshots of their fatigue level at different times of day. Participants will self-report their fatigue severity using FSS on 3 separate visits: at baseline (week 0), following completion of the treatment phase (week 6), and at study completion (week 10). The primary outcome will be the change in the average FSS score after light therapy. We will perform an intention-to-treat analysis, comparing the active and control groups to assess the postintervention difference in fatigue levels reported on FSS. Secondary outcome measures include change in global VAFS scores during the light therapy and self-reported quality of life in the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54. We present a study design and rationale for randomizing a nonpharmacological intervention for MS-associated fatigue, using bright light therapy. The study limitations relate to the logistical issues of a self-administered intervention requiring frequent participant self-report in a relapsing condition. Ultimately, light therapy for the treatment of MS-associated fatigue may provide a low-cost, noninvasive, self-administered treatment for one of the most prevalent and burdensome symptoms experienced by people with MS.

(C6H13N)2BiI5: A One-Dimensional Lead-Free Perovskite-Derivative Photoconductive Light Absorber.

PubMed

Zhang, Weichuan; Tao, Kewen; Ji, Chengmin; Sun, Zhihua; Han, Shiguo; Zhang, Jing; Wu, Zhenyue; Luo, Junhua

2018-04-16

Lead-free organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have recently attracted intense interest as environmentally friendly, low-cost, chemically stable light absorbers. Here, we reported a new one-dimensional (1D) zigzag chainlike light-absorbing hybrid material of (C 6 H 13 N) 2 BiI 5 , in which the corner-sharing octahedral bismuth halide chains are surrounded by organic cations of tetramethylpiperidinium. This unique zigzag 1D hybrid perovskite-derivative material shows a narrow direct band gap of 2.02 eV and long-lived photoluminescence, which is encouraging for optoelectronic applications. Importantly, it behaves as a typical semiconducting material and displays obvious photoresponse in the visible-light range. This work opens a potential pathway for the further application of 1D lead-free hybrids.

Photodynamic Therapy for Actinic Keratoses: A Randomized Prospective Non-sponsored Cost-effectiveness Study of Daylight-mediated Treatment Compared with Light-emitting Diode Treatment.

PubMed

Neittaanmäki-Perttu, Noora; Grönroos, Mari; Karppinen, Toni; Snellman, Erna; Rissanen, Pekka

2016-02-01

Daylight-mediated photodynamic therapy (DL-PDT) is considered as effective as conventional PDT using artificial light (light-emitting diode (LED)-PDT) for treatment of actinic keratoses (AK). This randomized prospective non-sponsored study assessed the cost-effectiveness of DL-PDT compared with LED-PDT. Seventy patients with 210 AKs were randomized to DL-PDT or LED-PDT groups. Effectiveness was assessed at 6 months. The costs included societal costs and private costs, including the time patients spent in treatment. Results are presented as incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The total costs per patient were significantly lower for DL-PDT (€132) compared with LED-PDT (€170), giving a cost saving of €38 (p = 0.022). The estimated probabilities for patients' complete response were 0.429 for DL-PDT and 0.686 for LED-PDT; a difference in probability of being healed of 0.257. ICER showed a monetary gain of €147 per unit of effectiveness lost. DL-PDT is less costly and less effective than LED-PDT. In terms of cost-effectiveness analysis, DL-PDT provides lower value for money compared with LED-PDT.

Continuous time quantum random walks in free space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eichelkraut, Toni; Vetter, Christian; Perez-Leija, Armando; Christodoulides, Demetrios; Szameit, Alexander

2014-05-01

We show theoretically and experimentally that two-dimensional continuous time coherent random walks are possible in free space, that is, in the absence of any external potential, by properly tailoring the associated initial wave function. These effects are experimentally demonstrated using classical paraxial light. Evidently, the usage of classical beams to explore the dynamics of point-like quantum particles is possible since both phenomena are mathematically equivalent. This in turn makes our approach suitable for the realization of random walks using different quantum particles, including electrons and photons. To study the spatial evolution of a wavefunction theoretically, we consider the one-dimensional paraxial wave equation (i∂z +1/2 ∂x2) Ψ = 0 . Starting with the initially localized wavefunction Ψ (x , 0) = exp [ -x2 / 2σ2 ] J0 (αx) , one can show that the evolution of such Gaussian-apodized Bessel envelopes within a region of validity resembles the probability pattern of a quantum walker traversing a uniform lattice. In order to generate the desired input-field in our experimental setting we shape the amplitude and phase of a collimated light beam originating from a classical HeNe-Laser (633 nm) utilizing a spatial light modulator.

Quantum-like Viewpoint on the Complexity and Randomness of the Financial Market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choustova, Olga

In economics and financial theory, analysts use random walk and more general martingale techniques to model behavior of asset prices, in particular share prices on stock markets, currency exchange rates and commodity prices. This practice has its basis in the presumption that investors act rationally and without bias, and that at any moment they estimate the value of an asset based on future expectations. Under these conditions, all existing information affects the price, which changes only when new information comes out. By definition, new information appears randomly and influences the asset price randomly. Corresponding continuous time models are based on stochastic processes (this approach was initiated in the thesis of [4]), see, e.g., the books of [33] and [37] for historical and mathematical details.

Effects of bright and blue light on acoustic reaction time and maximum handgrip strength in male athletes: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Knaier, Raphael; Schäfer, Juliane; Rossmeissl, Anja; Klenk, Christopher; Hanssen, Henner; Höchsmann, Christoph; Cajochen, Christian; Schmidt-Trucksäss, Arno

2017-08-01

To assess which type of evening light exposure has the greatest effect on reaction time and maximum handgrip strength. These were pre-specified secondary outcomes in a trial which primarily investigated the influence of light on cycling performance. Seventy-four male athletes were allocated at random to either bright light (BRIGHT), monochromatic blue light (BLUE), or a control condition (CONTROL). Light exposure lasted for 60 min and started 17 h after the individual midpoint of sleep. Reaction time, handgrip strength, and melatonin levels were measured before and after the light exposure. We used analysis of covariance to compare the groups with respect to the investigated outcomes. Two participants had to be excluded retrospectively. The remaining 72 participants had a median age of 23 years. The adjusted difference in reaction time was -1 ms [95% confidence interval (CI) -8, 6] for participants in BRIGHT and 2 ms (95% CI -5, 9) for participants in BLUE, both relative to participants in CONTROL. The adjusted difference in handgrip strength was 0.9 kg (95% CI -1.5, 3.3) for participants in BRIGHT and -0.3 kg (95% CI -2.7, 2.0) for participants in BLUE, both relative to participants in CONTROL. After the light exposure, 17% of participants in BRIGHT, 22% in BLUE, and 29% in CONTROL showed melatonin concentrations of 2 pg/ml or higher. The results suggest that bright light might reduce melatonin levels but neither bright nor blue light exposure in the evening seem to improve reaction time or handgrip strength in athletes.

A Novel Visual Psychometric Test for Light-Induced Discomfort Using Red and Blue Light Stimuli Under Binocular and Monocular Viewing Conditions.

PubMed

Zivcevska, Marija; Lei, Shaobo; Blakeman, Alan; Goltz, Herbert C; Wong, Agnes M F

2018-03-01

To develop an objective psychophysical method to quantify light-induced visual discomfort, and to measure the effects of viewing condition and stimulus wavelength. Eleven visually normal subjects participated in the study. Their pupils were dilated (2.5% phenylephrine) before the experiment. A Ganzfeld system presented either red (1.5, 19.1, 38.2, 57.3, 76.3, 152.7, 305.3 cd/m2) or blue (1.4, 7.1, 14.3, 28.6, 42.9, 57.1, 71.4 cd/m2) randomized light intensities (1 s each) in four blocks. Constant white-light stimuli (3 cd/m2, 4 s duration) were interleaved with the chromatic trials. Participants reported each stimulus as either "uncomfortably bright" or "not uncomfortably bright." The experiment was done binocularly and monocularly in separate sessions, and the order of color/viewing condition sequence was randomized across participants. The proportion of "uncomfortable" responses was used to generate individual psychometric functions, from which 50% discomfort thresholds were calculated. Light-induced discomfort was higher under blue compared with red light stimulation, both during binocular (t(10) = 3.58, P < 0.01) and monocular viewing (t(10) = 3.15, P = 0.01). There was also a significant difference in discomfort between viewing conditions, with binocular viewing inducing more discomfort than monocular viewing for blue (P < 0.001), but not for red light stimulation. The light-induced discomfort characteristics reported here are consistent with features of the melanopsin-containing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell light irradiance pathway, which may mediate photophobia, a prominent feature in many clinical disorders. This is the first psychometric assessment designed around melanopsin spectral properties that can be customized further to assess photophobia in different clinical populations.

Tailored chemotherapy information faxed to general practitioners improves confidence in managing adverse effects and satisfaction with shared care: results from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Jefford, Michael; Baravelli, Carl; Dudgeon, Paul; Dabscheck, Adrian; Evans, Melanie; Moloney, Michael; Schofield, Penelope

2008-05-10

General practitioners (GPs) play a critical role in the treatment of patients with cancer; yet often lack information for optimal care. We developed standardized information for GPs about chemotherapy (CT). In a randomized controlled trial we assessed the impact of sending, by fax, information tailored to the particular patient's CT regimen. Primary end points were: confidence treating patients who were receiving CT (confidence), knowledge of adverse effects and reasons to refer the patient to the treatment center (knowledge), and satisfaction with information and shared care of patients (satisfaction). Focus group work informed the development of the CT information which focused on potential adverse effects and recommended management strategies. GPs of patients due to commence CT were randomly assigned to receive usual correspondence with or without the faxed patient/regimen-specific information. Telephone questionnaire at baseline and 1 week postintervention assessed knowledge, confidence, and satisfaction. Ninety-seven GPs managed 97 patients receiving 23 types of CT. Eighty-one (83.5%) completed the follow-up questionnaire. GPs in the intervention group demonstrated a significantly greater increase in confidence (mean difference, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.47) and satisfaction (mean difference, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.88) compared with usual care, reflecting a 7.1% and 10.5% difference in score, respectively. No differences were detected for knowledge. GPs receiving the CT sheet found correspondence significantly more useful (P < .001) and instructive (P < .001) than GPs who received standard correspondence alone. Information about CT faxed to GPs is a simple, inexpensive intervention that increases confidence managing CT adverse effects and satisfaction with shared care. This intervention could have widespread application.

Randomized Trial of a Children's Book Versus Brochures for Safe Sleep Knowledge and Adherence in a High-Risk Population.

PubMed

Hutton, John S; Gupta, Resmi; Gruber, Rachel; Berndsen, Jennifer; DeWitt, Thomas; Ollberding, Nicholas J; Van Ginkel, Judith B; Ammerman, Robert T

Sleep-related infant deaths have plateaued in the past decade, disproportionately affecting low socioeconomic status (SES) families. Printed materials are widely used for anticipatory guidance, yet none for safe sleep has been studied. We tested the efficacy of a specially designed children's book compared to brochures for safe sleep knowledge and adherence, which we hypothesized would be greater due to superior readability and engagement. This randomized controlled trial involved low-SES mothers (n = 282) enrolled in a home visiting program. Home visitors (n = 56) were randomly assigned to perform safe sleep teaching and assessments during 3 visits: third trimester, 1 week old, and 2 months old, exclusively utilizing a specially designed children's book or brochures, and surveys incorporating the American Academy of Pediatrics' safe sleep recommendations. Outcomes were safe sleep knowledge, adherence, and usefulness of materials, controlling for maternal health literacy. Safe sleep knowledge increased across all time points with no overall group difference, though gains for sleep-evocative and general health items varied. Odds of bed sharing were higher and exclusive crib use lower for the brochure group (P < .05). Mothers and home visitors reported similar usefulness, though home visitors reported greater dialogue via the book and mothers in the book group reported more book sharing with their baby. While a specially designed children's book and brochures were equally effective conveying aggregate safe sleep knowledge in low-SES mothers, adherence to exclusive crib use and avoiding bed sharing were greater in the book group, attributable to enhanced dialogue, readability and emotional engagement. Children's books are a promising mode of anticipatory guidance, warranting further investigation. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genders of patients and clinicians and their effect on shared decision making: a participant-level meta-analysis.

PubMed

Wyatt, Kirk D; Branda, Megan E; Inselman, Jonathan W; Ting, Henry H; Hess, Erik P; Montori, Victor M; LeBlanc, Annie

2014-09-02

Gender differences in communication styles between clinicians and patients have been postulated to impact patient care, but the extent to which the gender dyad structure impacts outcomes in shared decision making remains unclear. Participant-level meta-analysis of 775 clinical encounters within 7 randomized trials where decision aids, shared decision making tools, were used at the point of care. Outcomes analysed include decisional conflict scale scores, satisfaction with the clinical encounter, concordance between stated decision and action taken, and degree of patient engagement by the clinician using the OPTION scale. An estimated minimal important difference was used to determine if nonsignificant results could be explained by low power. We did not find a statistically significant interaction between clinician/patient gender mix and arm for decisional conflict, satisfaction with the clinical encounter or patient engagement. A borderline significant interaction (p = 0.05) was observed for one outcome: concordance between stated decision and action taken, where encounters with female clinician/male patient showed increased concordance in the decision aid arm compared to control (8% more concordant encounters). All other gender dyads showed decreased concordance with decision aid use (6% fewer concordant encounters for same-gender, 16% fewer concordant encounters for male clinician/female patient). In this participant-level meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials, decision aids used at the point of care demonstrated comparable efficacy across gender dyads. Purported barriers to shared decision making based on gender were not detected when tested for a minimum detected difference. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00888537, NCT01077037, NCT01029288, NCT00388050, NCT00578981, NCT00949611, NCT00217061.

A novel airlift photobioreactor with baffles for improved light utilization through the flashing light effect.

PubMed

Degen, J; Uebele, A; Retze, A; Schmid-Staiger, U; Trösch, W

2001-12-28

A newly developed flat panel airlift photobioreactor with a defined circulation path was tested for microalgal culture. The bioreactor exposed the cells to intermittent light to improve the efficiency of light utilization through the flashing-light effect. During batch cultures in the new photobioreactor, the biomass productivity of Chlorella vulgaris was 1.7 times greater than in a randomly mixed bubble column of identical dimension. A reduction in light path from 30 to 15 mm increased the biomass productivity by 2.5-fold. A maximum dry biomass productivity of 0.11 g l(-1) h(-1) was obtained at an artificial illumination of 980 mu E m(-2) s(-1).

Thin randomly aligned hierarchical carbon nanotube arrays as ultrablack metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Nicola, Francesco; Hines, Peter; De Crescenzi, Maurizio; Motta, Nunzio

2017-07-01

Ultrablack metamaterials are artificial materials able to harvest all the incident light regardless of wavelength, angle, or polarization. Here, we show the ultrablack properties of randomly aligned hierarchical carbon nanotube arrays with thicknesses below 200 nm. The thin coatings are realized by solution processing and dry-transfer deposition on different substrates. The hierarchical surface morphology of the coatings is biomimetic and provides a large effective area that improves the film optical absorption. Also, such a morphology is responsible for the moth-eye effect, which leads to the omnidirectional and polarization-independent suppression of optical reflection. The films exhibit an emissivity up to 99.36% typical of an ideal black body, resulting in the thinnest ultrablack metamaterial ever reported. Such a material may be exploited for thermal, optical, and optoelectronic devices such as heat sinks, optical shields, solar cells, light and thermal sensors, and light-emitting diodes.

Perspectives: Nanofibers and nanowires for disordered photonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pisignano, Dario; Persano, Luana; Camposeo, Andrea

2017-03-01

As building blocks of microscopically non-homogeneous materials, semiconductor nanowires and polymer nanofibers are emerging component materials for disordered photonics, with unique properties of light emission and scattering. Effects found in assemblies of nanowires and nanofibers include broadband reflection, significant localization of light, strong and collective multiple scattering, enhanced absorption of incident photons, synergistic effects with plasmonic particles, and random lasing. We highlight recent related discoveries, with a focus on material aspects. The control of spatial correlations in complex assemblies during deposition, the coupling of modes with efficient transmission channels provided by nanofiber waveguides, and the embedment of random architectures into individually coded nanowires will allow the potential of these photonic materials to be fully exploited, unconventional physics to be highlighted, and next-generation optical devices to be achieved. The prospects opened by this technology include enhanced random lasing and mode-locking, multi-directionally guided coupling to sensors and receivers, and low-cost encrypting miniatures for encoders and labels.

Modeling Local Interactions during the Motion of Cyanobacteria

PubMed Central

Galante, Amanda; Wisen, Susanne; Bhaya, Devaki; Levy, Doron

2012-01-01

Synechocystis sp., a common unicellular freshwater cyanobacterium, has been used as a model organism to study phototaxis, an ability to move in the direction of a light source. This microorganism displays a number of additional characteristics such as delayed motion, surface dependence, and a quasi-random motion, where cells move in a seemingly disordered fashion instead of in the direction of the light source, a global force on the system. These unexplained motions are thought to be modulated by local interactions between cells such as intercellular communication. In this paper, we consider only local interactions of these phototactic cells in order to mathematically model this quasi-random motion. We analyze an experimental data set to illustrate the presence of quasi-random motion and then derive a stochastic dynamic particle system modeling interacting phototactic cells. The simulations of our model are consistent with experimentally observed phototactic motion. PMID:22713858

Experimentally Generated Random Numbers Certified by the Impossibility of Superluminal Signaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bierhorst, Peter; Shalm, Lynden K.; Mink, Alan; Jordan, Stephen; Liu, Yi-Kai; Rommal, Andrea; Glancy, Scott; Christensen, Bradley; Nam, Sae Woo; Knill, Emanuel

Random numbers are an important resource for applications such as numerical simulation and secure communication. However, it is difficult to certify whether a physical random number generator is truly unpredictable. Here, we exploit the phenomenon of quantum nonlocality in a loophole-free photonic Bell test experiment to obtain data containing randomness that cannot be predicted by any theory that does not also allow the sending of signals faster than the speed of light. To certify and quantify the randomness, we develop a new protocol that performs well in an experimental regime characterized by low violation of Bell inequalities. Applying an extractor function to our data, we obtain 256 new random bits, uniform to within 10- 3 .

Phototherapy for Improvement of Performance and Exercise Recovery: Comparison of 3 Commercially Available Devices.

PubMed

De Marchi, Thiago; Schmitt, Vinicius Mazzochi; Danúbia da Silva Fabro, Carla; da Silva, Larissa Lopes; Sene, Juliane; Tairova, Olga; Salvador, Mirian

2017-05-01

  Recent studies suggest the prophylactic use of low-powered laser/light has ergogenic effects on athletic performance and postactivity recovery. Manufacturers of high-powered lasers/light devices claim that these can produce the same clinical benefits with increased power and decreased irradiation time; however, research with high-powered lasers is lacking.   To evaluate the magnitude of observed phototherapeutic effects with 3 commercially available devices.   Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.   Laboratory.   Forty healthy untrained male participants.   Participants were randomized into 4 groups: placebo, high-powered continuous laser/light, low-powered continuous laser/light, or low-powered pulsed laser/light (comprising both lasers and light-emitting diodes). A single dose of 180 J or placebo was applied to the quadriceps.   Maximum voluntary contraction, delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and creatine kinase (CK) activity from baseline to 96 hours after the eccentric exercise protocol.   Maximum voluntary contraction was maintained in the low-powered pulsed laser/light group compared with placebo and high-powered continuous laser/light groups in all time points (P < .05). Low-powered pulsed laser/light demonstrated less DOMS than all groups at all time points (P < .05). High-powered continuous laser/light did not demonstrate any positive effects on maximum voluntary contraction, CK activity, or DOMS compared with any group at any time point. Creatine kinase activity was decreased in low-powered pulsed laser/light compared with placebo (P < .05) and high-powered continuous laser/light (P < .05) at all time points. High-powered continuous laser/light resulted in increased CK activity compared with placebo from 1 to 24 hours (P < .05).   Low-powered pulsed laser/light demonstrated better results than either low-powered continuous laser/light or high-powered continuous laser/light in all outcome measures when compared with placebo. The increase in CK activity using the high-powered continuous laser/light compared with placebo warrants further research to investigate its effect on other factors related to muscle damage.

Spectrum sharing between a surveillance radar and secondary Wi-Fi networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hessar, Farzad; Roy, Sumit

2016-06-01

Co-existence between unlicensed networks that share spectrum spatio-temporally with terrestrial (e.g. Air Traffic Control) and shipborne radars in 3-GHz band is attracting significant interest. Similar to every primary-secondary coexistence scenario, interference from unlicensed devices to a primary receiver must be within acceptable bounds. In this work, we formulate the spectrum sharing problem between a pulsed, search radar (primary) and 802.11 WLAN as the secondary. We compute the protection region for such a search radar for a) a single secondary user (initially) as well as b) a random spatial distribution of multiple secondary users. Furthermore, we also analyze the interference to the WiFi devices from the radar's transmissions to estimate the impact on achievable WLAN throughput as a function of distance to the primary radar.

Structural confounding of area-level deprivation and segreation: an empirical example

EPA Science Inventory

The neighborhood effects literature has grown, but its utility is limited by the lack of attention paid to non-random selection into neighborhoods. Confounding occurs when an exposure and an outcome share an underlying common cause. Confounding resulting from differential allocat...

47 CFR 1.2207 - Two competing participants required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... by Random Selection Competitive Bidding Proceedings Broadcast Television Spectrum Reverse Auction § 1... to relinquish spectrum usage rights in exchange for a share of the proceeds from the related forward auction assigning new spectrum licenses unless at least two competing licensees participate in the reverse...

Patient decision-making preference and physician decision-making style for contraceptive method choice in an Asian culture: does concordance matter?

PubMed

Alden, Dana Latham; Merz, Miwa Yamazaki; Thi, Le Minh

2010-12-01

This study investigates preferences for patient-physician decision-making in an emerging economy with an Asian culture. A survey of 445 randomly sampled women, aged 20-40 in Hanoi, Vietnam, revealed that pre-consultation attitudes were most positive toward a "shared" decision-making approach with the physician for contraceptive method choice. However, following random assignment to one of three vignettes (passive, shared or autonomous) featuring a young Vietnamese woman reaching a contraceptive method decision with her physician, preference was highest for the "autonomous" approach. Furthermore, discordance between pre-consultation preference for decision-making style and the physician's decision-making style negatively impacted evaluations under some but not all circumstances. This study demonstrates that, despite living in a hierarchic Asian culture, active participation in contraceptive method choice is desired by many urban Vietnamese women. However, there is variation on this dimension and adjusting the physician's style to be concordant with patient preference appears important to maximizing patient satisfaction.

A random-key encoded harmony search approach for energy-efficient production scheduling with shared resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Santiago, C. A.; Del Ser, J.; Upton, C.; Quilligan, F.; Gil-Lopez, S.; Salcedo-Sanz, S.

2015-11-01

When seeking near-optimal solutions for complex scheduling problems, meta-heuristics demonstrate good performance with affordable computational effort. This has resulted in a gravitation towards these approaches when researching industrial use-cases such as energy-efficient production planning. However, much of the previous research makes assumptions about softer constraints that affect planning strategies and about how human planners interact with the algorithm in a live production environment. This article describes a job-shop problem that focuses on minimizing energy consumption across a production facility of shared resources. The application scenario is based on real facilities made available by the Irish Center for Manufacturing Research. The formulated problem is tackled via harmony search heuristics with random keys encoding. Simulation results are compared to a genetic algorithm, a simulated annealing approach and a first-come-first-served scheduling. The superior performance obtained by the proposed scheduler paves the way towards its practical implementation over industrial production chains.

Conditions for the Emergence of Shared Norms in Populations with Incompatible Preferences

PubMed Central

Helbing, Dirk; Yu, Wenjian; Opp, Karl-Dieter; Rauhut, Heiko

2014-01-01

Understanding norms is a key challenge in sociology. Nevertheless, there is a lack of dynamical models explaining how one of several possible behaviors is established as a norm and under what conditions. Analysing an agent-based model, we identify interesting parameter dependencies that imply when two behaviors will coexist or when a shared norm will emerge in a heterogeneous society, where different populations have incompatible preferences. Our model highlights the importance of randomness, spatial interactions, non-linear dynamics, and self-organization. It can also explain the emergence of unpopular norms that do not maximize the collective benefit. Furthermore, we compare behavior-based with preference-based punishment and find interesting results concerning hypocritical punishment. Strikingly, pressuring others to perform the same public behavior as oneself is more effective in promoting norms than pressuring others to meet one’s own private preference. Finally, we show that adaptive group pressure exerted by randomly occuring, local majorities may create norms under conditions where different behaviors would normally coexist. PMID:25166137

Effect of varying light intensity on welfare indices of broiler chickens grown to heavy weights

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The effects of varying light-intensity on ocular, immue, fear, and leg health of broiler chickens grown to heavy weights under environmentally controlled conditions were evaluated. Four identical trials were conducted with two replications per trial. In each trial, 600 Ross 308 chicks were randomly ...

Interactive effects of photoperiod and light intensity on blood physiological and biochemical reactions of broilers grown to heavy weights

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The effects of photoperiod, light intensity, and their interaction on blood acid-base balance, metabolites, and electrolytes in broiler chickens under environmentally controlled conditions were examined in 2 trials. The experiment was consisted of a factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomize...

Plum pudding random medium model of biological tissue toward remote microscopy from spectroscopic light scattering

PubMed Central

Xu, Min

2017-01-01

Biological tissue has a complex structure and exhibits rich spectroscopic behavior. There has been no tissue model until now that has been able to account for the observed spectroscopy of tissue light scattering and its anisotropy. Here we present, for the first time, a plum pudding random medium (PPRM) model for biological tissue which succinctly describes tissue as a superposition of distinctive scattering structures (plum) embedded inside a fractal continuous medium of background refractive index fluctuation (pudding). PPRM faithfully reproduces the wavelength dependence of tissue light scattering and attributes the “anomalous” trend in the anisotropy to the plum and the powerlaw dependence of the reduced scattering coefficient to the fractal scattering pudding. Most importantly, PPRM opens up a novel venue of quantifying the tissue architecture and microscopic structures on average from macroscopic probing of the bulk with scattered light alone without tissue excision. We demonstrate this potential by visualizing the fine microscopic structural alterations in breast tissue (adipose, glandular, fibrocystic, fibroadenoma, and ductal carcinoma) deduced from noncontact spectroscopic measurement. PMID:28663913

Mass-polariton theory of light in dispersive media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Partanen, Mikko; Tulkki, Jukka

2017-12-01

We have recently shown that the electromagnetic pulse in a medium is made of mass-polariton (MP) quasiparticles, which are quantized coupled states of the field and an atomic mass density wave (MDW) [M. Partanen et al., Phys. Rev. A 95, 063850 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevA.95.063850]. In this work, we generalize the MP theory of light for dispersive media assuming that absorption and scattering losses are very small. Following our previous work, we present two different approaches to the coupled state of light: (1) the MP quasiparticle theory, which is derived by only using the fundamental conservation laws and the Lorentz transformation; (2) the classical optoelastic continuum dynamics (OCD), which is a generalization of the electrodynamics of continuous media to include the dynamics of the medium under the influence of optical forces. We show that the total momentum and the transferred mass of the light pulse can be determined in a straightforward way if we know the field energy of the pulse and the dispersion relation of the medium. In analogy to the nondispersive case, we also find unambiguous correspondence between the MP and OCD theories. For the coupled MP state of a single photon and the medium, we obtain the total MP momentum pMP=npℏ ω /c , where np is the phase refractive index. The field's share of the MP momentum is equal to pfield=ℏ ω /(ngc ) , where ng is the group refractive index and the share of the MDW is equal to pMDW=pMP-pfield . Thus, as in a nondispersive medium, the total momentum of the MP is equal to the Minkowski momentum and the field's share of the momentum is equal to the Abraham momentum. We also show that the correspondence between the MP and OCD models and the conservation of momentum at interfaces gives an unambiguous formula for the optical force. The dynamics of the light pulse and the related MDW lead to nonequilibrium of the medium and to relaxation of the atomic density by sound waves in the same way as for nondispersive media. We also carry out simulations for optimal measurements of atomic displacements related to the MDW in silicon. In the simulations, we consider different waveguide cross sections and optical pulse widths and account for the breakdown threshold irradiance of materials. We also compare the MP theory to previous theories of the momentum of light in a dispersive medium. We show that our generalized MP theory resolves all the problems related to the Abraham-Minkowski dilemma in a dispersive medium.

Recognizing pedestrian's unsafe behaviors in far-infrared imagery at night

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eun Ju; Ko, Byoung Chul; Nam, Jae-Yeal

2016-05-01

Pedestrian behavior recognition is important work for early accident prevention in advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). In particular, because most pedestrian-vehicle crashes are occurred from late of night to early of dawn, our study focus on recognizing unsafe behavior of pedestrians using thermal image captured from moving vehicle at night. For recognizing unsafe behavior, this study uses convolutional neural network (CNN) which shows high quality of recognition performance. However, because traditional CNN requires the very expensive training time and memory, we design the light CNN consisted of two convolutional layers and two subsampling layers for real-time processing of vehicle applications. In addition, we combine light CNN with boosted random forest (Boosted RF) classifier so that the output of CNN is not fully connected with the classifier but randomly connected with Boosted random forest. We named this CNN as randomly connected CNN (RC-CNN). The proposed method was successfully applied to the pedestrian unsafe behavior (PUB) dataset captured from far-infrared camera at night and its behavior recognition accuracy is confirmed to be higher than that of some algorithms related to CNNs, with a shorter processing time.

Dentin hypersensitivity after teeth bleaching with in-office systems. Randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Martin, Javier; Fernandez, Eduardo; Bahamondes, Valeria; Werner, Andrea; Elphick, Klaus; Oliveira, Osmir Batista; Moncada, Gustavo

2013-02-01

To comparatively and prospectively compare in a randomized clinical trial, dentin hypersensitivity after treatment with three in-office bleaching systems, based on hydrogen peroxide at different concentrations, with and without light source activation. 88 individuals were included according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subjects were randomly divided into the following three treatment groups: Group 1 was treated with three 15-minute applications of hydrogen peroxide at 15% with titanium dioxide (Lase Peroxide Lite) that was light-activated (Light Plus Whitening Lase) with five cycles of 1 minute and 30 seconds each cycle, giving a total treatment time of 45 minutes; Group 2 was treated with three 10-minute applications of hydrogen peroxide at 35% (Lase Peroxide Sensy), activated by light (LPWL) same activation cycles than Group 1, with a total treatment time of 30 minutes; Group 3 was treated with only one application for 45 minutes of hydrogen peroxide at 35% (Whitegold Office) without light activation. Each subject underwent one session of bleaching on the anterior teeth according to the manufacturers' instructions. Dentin sensitivity was recorded with a visual analogue scale (VAS) at baseline, immediately after, and at 7 and 30 days after treatment using a stimulus of an evaporative blowing triple syringe for 3 seconds on the upper central incisors from a distance of 1 cm. A Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Mann-Whitney test was performed for statistical analysis. All groups showed increased sensitivity immediately after treatment. Group 1 displayed less changes relative to baseline with no significant differences (P = 0.104). At 7 and 30 days after treatment, a comparison of VAS values indicated no significant differences between all groups (P = 0.598 and 0.489, respectively).

Sedation Depth During Spinal Anesthesia and the Development of Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients Undergoing Hip Fracture Repair

PubMed Central

Sieber, Frederick E.; Zakriya, Khwaji J.; Gottschalk, Allan; Blute, Mary-Rita; Lee, Hochang B.; Rosenberg, Paul B.; Mears, Simon C.

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether limiting intraoperative sedation depth during spinal anesthesia for hip fracture repair in elderly patients can decrease the prevalence of postoperative delirium. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a double-blind, randomized controlled trial at an academic medical center of elderly patients (≥65 years) without preoperative delirium or severe dementia who underwent hip fracture repair under spinal anesthesia with propofol sedation. Sedation depth was titrated using processed electroencephalography with the bispectral index (BIS), and patients were randomized to receive either deep (BIS, approximately 50) or light (BIS, ≥80) sedation. Postoperative delirium was assessed as defined by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Third Edition Revised) criteria using the Confusion Assessment Method beginning at any time from the second day after surgery. RESULTS: From April 2, 2005, through October 30, 2008, a total of 114 patients were randomized. The prevalence of postoperative delirium was significantly lower in the light sedation group (11/57 [19%] vs 23/57 [40%] in the deep sedation group; P=.02), indicating that 1 incident of delirium will be prevented for every 4.7 patients treated with light sedation. The mean ± SD number of days of delirium during hospitalization was lower in the light sedation group than in the deep sedation group (0.5±1.5 days vs 1.4±4.0 days; P=.01). CONCLUSION: The use of light propofol sedation decreased the prevalence of postoperative delirium by 50% compared with deep sedation. Limiting depth of sedation during spinal anesthesia is a simple, safe, and cost-effective intervention for preventing postoperative delirium in elderly patients that could be widely and readily adopted. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00590707 PMID:20042557

An intervention to reduce sitting and increase light-intensity physical activity at work: Design and rationale of the 'Stand & Move at Work' group randomized trial.

PubMed

Buman, Matthew P; Mullane, Sarah L; Toledo, Meynard J; Rydell, Sarah A; Gaesser, Glenn A; Crespo, Noe C; Hannan, Peter; Feltes, Linda; Vuong, Brenna; Pereira, Mark A

2017-02-01

American workers spend 70-80% of their time at work being sedentary. Traditional approaches to increase moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may be perceived to be harmful to productivity. Approaches that target reductions in sedentary behavior and/or increases in standing or light-intensity physical activity [LPA] may not interfere with productivity and may be more feasible to achieve through small changes accumulated throughout the workday METHODS/DESIGN: This group randomized trial (i.e., cluster randomized trial) will test the relative efficacy of two sedentary behavior focused interventions in 24 worksites across two states (N=720 workers). The MOVE+ intervention is a multilevel individual, social, environmental, and organizational intervention targeting increases in light-intensity physical activity in the workplace. The STAND+ intervention is the MOVE+ intervention with the addition of the installation and use of sit-stand workstations to reduce sedentary behavior and enhance light-intensity physical activity opportunities. Our primary outcome will be objectively-measured changes in sedentary behavior and light-intensity physical activity over 12months, with additional process measures at 3months and longer-term sustainability outcomes at 24months. Our secondary outcomes will be a clustered cardiometabolic risk score (comprised of fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and blood pressure), workplace productivity, and job satisfaction DISCUSSION: This study will determine the efficacy of a multi-level workplace intervention (including the use of a sit-stand workstation) to reduce sedentary behavior and increase LPA and concomitant impact on cardiometabolic health, workplace productivity, and satisfaction. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02566317 (date of registration: 10/1/2015). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Digital servo control of random sound test excitation. [in reverberant acoustic chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakich, R. B. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

A digital servocontrol system for random noise excitation of a test object in a reverberant acoustic chamber employs a plurality of sensors spaced in the sound field to produce signals in separate channels which are decorrelated and averaged. The average signal is divided into a plurality of adjacent frequency bands cyclically sampled by a time division multiplex system, converted into digital form, and compared to a predetermined spectrum value stored in digital form. The results of the comparisons are used to control a time-shared up-down counter to develop gain control signals for the respective frequency bands in the spectrum of random sound energy picked up by the microphones.

Evaluation of internal peer-review to train nurses recruiting to a randomized controlled trial--Internal Peer-review for Recruitment Training in Trials (InterPReTiT).

PubMed

Mann, Cindy; Delgado, Debbie; Horwood, Jeremy

2014-04-01

A discussion and qualitative evaluation of the use of peer-review to train nurses and optimize recruitment practice in a randomized controlled trial. Sound recruitment processes are critical to the success of randomized controlled trials. Nurses recruiting to trials must obtain consent for an intervention that is administered for reasons other than anticipated benefit to the patient. This requires not only patients' acquiescence but also evidence that they have weighed the relevant information in reaching their decision. How trial information is explained is vital, but communication and training can be inadequate. A discussion of a new process to train nurses recruiting to a randomized controlled trial. Literature from 1999-2013 about consenting to trials is included. Over 3 months from 2009-2010, recruiting nurses reviewed recruitment interviews recorded during the pilot phase of a single-site randomized controlled trial and noted content, communication style and interactions. They discussed their findings during peer-review meetings, which were audio-recorded and analysed using qualitative methodology. Peer-review can enhance nurses' training in trial recruitment procedures by supporting development of the necessary communication skills, facilitating consistency in information provision and sharing best practice. Nurse-led peer-review can provide a forum to share communication strategies that will elicit and address participant concerns and obtain evidence of participant understanding prior to consent. Comparing practice can improve consistency and accuracy of trial information and facilitate identification of recruitment issues. Internal peer-review was well accepted and promoted team cohesion. Further evaluation is needed. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exploring unobserved heterogeneity in bicyclists' red-light running behaviors at different crossing facilities.

PubMed

Guo, Yanyong; Li, Zhibin; Wu, Yao; Xu, Chengcheng

2018-06-01

Bicyclists running the red light at crossing facilities increase the potential of colliding with motor vehicles. Exploring the contributing factors could improve the prediction of running red-light probability and develop countermeasures to reduce such behaviors. However, individuals could have unobserved heterogeneities in running a red light, which make the accurate prediction more challenging. Traditional models assume that factor parameters are fixed and cannot capture the varying impacts on red-light running behaviors. In this study, we employed the full Bayesian random parameters logistic regression approach to account for the unobserved heterogeneous effects. Two types of crossing facilities were considered which were the signalized intersection crosswalks and the road segment crosswalks. Electric and conventional bikes were distinguished in the modeling. Data were collected from 16 crosswalks in urban area of Nanjing, China. Factors such as individual characteristics, road geometric design, environmental features, and traffic variables were examined. Model comparison indicates that the full Bayesian random parameters logistic regression approach is statistically superior to the standard logistic regression model. More red-light runners are predicted at signalized intersection crosswalks than at road segment crosswalks. Factors affecting red-light running behaviors are gender, age, bike type, road width, presence of raised median, separation width, signal type, green ratio, bike and vehicle volume, and average vehicle speed. Factors associated with the unobserved heterogeneity are gender, bike type, signal type, separation width, and bike volume. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of acrylic polymer adhesive tapes and silicone optical grease in light sharing detectors for positron emission tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Elburg, Devin J.; Noble, Scott D.; Hagey, Simone; Goertzen, Andrew L.

2018-03-01

Optical coupling is an important factor in detector design as it improves optical photon transmission by mitigating internal reflections at light-sharing boundaries. In this work we compare optical coupling materials, namely double-sided acrylic polymer tapes and silicone optical grease (SiG), in the context of positron emission tomography. Four double-sided tapes from 3 M of varying thicknesses (0.229 mm-1.016 mm) and adhesive materials (‘100MP’, ‘A100’, and ‘GPA’) were characterized with spectrophotometer measurements as well as photopeak amplitude and energy resolution measurements using lutetium-yttrium oxy-orthosilicate (LYSO) coupled to photomultiplier tubes (PMT) or silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). Transmission spectra from the spectrophotometer showed over 80% transmission for all tapes at 420 nm and above, with 89.6% and 88.8% transmission for the 0.508 mm and 1.016 mm thick GPA tapes, respectively, at 420 nm. Measurements with single-pixel LYSO-PMT and 4  ×  4 array (one-to-one coupled) LYSO-SiPM setups determined that SiG had the greatest photopeak amplitude, with tapes showing 2.1%-14.8% reduction in photopeak amplitude with respect to SiG. Energy resolution changed by less than 4% on a relative basis between tapes and SiG with PMT measurements, however for the SiPM array measurements the energy resolution improved from 15.6%  ±  2.7% full-width at half-maximum to 11.4%  ±  1.2% for SiG and 1 mm GPA respectively. Data acquired with dual-layer offset LYSO arrays (light sharing detector designs) demonstrated that a detector coupled with 1 mm thick GPA tape produced equivalent detector flood histograms to those from a design coupled with SiG and a 1 mm thick glass lightguide. No significant degradation in photopeak amplitude and energy resolution was observed over five months of measurements, indicating the tapes maintain their coupling integrity over several months. Though minimal photopeak amplitude degradation compared to SiG occurs, double-sided tapes are convenient alternatives for optical coupling materials since they diffuse light intrinsically, acting as a light guide, offer mechanical support and durability, are easily applied and removed from scintillators/photodetectors, and are relatively inexpensive and readily available.

Comparison of acrylic polymer adhesive tapes and silicone optical grease in light sharing detectors for positron emission tomography.

PubMed

Van Elburg, Devin J; Noble, Scott D; Hagey, Simone; Goertzen, Andrew L

2018-02-26

Optical coupling is an important factor in detector design as it improves optical photon transmission by mitigating internal reflections at light-sharing boundaries. In this work we compare optical coupling materials, namely double-sided acrylic polymer tapes and silicone optical grease (SiG), in the context of positron emission tomography. Four double-sided tapes from 3 M of varying thicknesses (0.229 mm-1.016 mm) and adhesive materials ('100MP', 'A100', and 'GPA') were characterized with spectrophotometer measurements as well as photopeak amplitude and energy resolution measurements using lutetium-yttrium oxy-orthosilicate (LYSO) coupled to photomultiplier tubes (PMT) or silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). Transmission spectra from the spectrophotometer showed over 80% transmission for all tapes at 420 nm and above, with 89.6% and 88.8% transmission for the 0.508 mm and 1.016 mm thick GPA tapes, respectively, at 420 nm. Measurements with single-pixel LYSO-PMT and 4  ×  4 array (one-to-one coupled) LYSO-SiPM setups determined that SiG had the greatest photopeak amplitude, with tapes showing 2.1%-14.8% reduction in photopeak amplitude with respect to SiG. Energy resolution changed by less than 4% on a relative basis between tapes and SiG with PMT measurements, however for the SiPM array measurements the energy resolution improved from 15.6%  ±  2.7% full-width at half-maximum to 11.4%  ±  1.2% for SiG and 1 mm GPA respectively. Data acquired with dual-layer offset LYSO arrays (light sharing detector designs) demonstrated that a detector coupled with 1 mm thick GPA tape produced equivalent detector flood histograms to those from a design coupled with SiG and a 1 mm thick glass lightguide. No significant degradation in photopeak amplitude and energy resolution was observed over five months of measurements, indicating the tapes maintain their coupling integrity over several months. Though minimal photopeak amplitude degradation compared to SiG occurs, double-sided tapes are convenient alternatives for optical coupling materials since they diffuse light intrinsically, acting as a light guide, offer mechanical support and durability, are easily applied and removed from scintillators/photodetectors, and are relatively inexpensive and readily available.

Population gratings in saturable optical fibers with randomly oriented rare-earth ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanov, S.; Martinez, L. M.; Hernandez, E. H.; Agruzov, P.; Shamray, A.

2015-07-01

Formation of the dynamic population gratings in optical fibers with randomly oriented rare-earth ions is analyzed with a special interest to the grating component for readout with the orthogonal light polarization. It is shown that as compared with a simple model case of the collinearly oriented dipole-like centers their random orientation leads to approximately 2-times growth of the effective saturation power P sat when it is estimated from the incident power dependence of the fiber absorption or from that of the fluorescence intensity. An optimal incident power, for which the maximum of the dynamic population grating amplitude for collinear light polarization is observed, also follows this change in P sat, while formation of the grating for orthogonal polarization needs essentially higher light power. The reduced anisotropy of the active centers, which is in charge of the experimentally observed weakening of the polarization hole burning (PHB) and of the fluorescence polarization, compensates in some way the effect of random ion orientation. The ratio between the maximum conventional (i.e. for the interacting waves collinear polarizations) two-wave mixing (TWM) amplitude and the initial not saturable fiber optical density proves to be, however, nearly the same as in the model case of collinearly oriented dipoles. The ratio between the PHB effect and the amplitude of the anisotropic grating, which is responsible for TWM of the orthogonally polarized waves, is also not influenced significantly by the reduced anisotropy of ions.

Inferring microhabitat preferences of Lilium catesbaei (Liliaceae).

PubMed

Sommers, Kristen Penney; Elswick, Michael; Herrick, Gabriel I; Fox, Gordon A

2011-05-01

Microhabitat studies use varied statistical methods, some treating site occupancy as a dependent and others as an independent variable. Using the rare Lilium catesbaei as an example, we show why approaches to testing hypotheses of differences between occupied and unoccupied sites can lead to erroneous conclusions about habitat preferences. Predictive approaches like logistic regression can better lead to understanding of habitat requirements. Using 32 lily locations and 30 random locations >2 m from a lily (complete data: 31 lily and 28 random spots), we measured physical conditions--photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), canopy cover, litter depth, distance to and height of nearest shrub, and soil moisture--and number and identity of neighboring plants. Twelve lilies were used to estimate a photosynthetic assimilation curve. Analyses used logistic regression, discriminant function analysis (DFA), (multivariate) analysis of variance, and resampled Wilcoxon tests. Logistic regression and DFA found identical predictors of presence (PAR, canopy cover, distance to shrub, litter), but hypothesis tests pointed to a different set (PAR, litter, canopy cover, height of nearest shrub). Lilies are mainly in high-PAR spots, often close to light saturation. By contrast, PAR in random spots was often near the lily light compensation point. Lilies were near Serenoa repens less than at random; otherwise, neighbor identity had no significant effect. Predictive methods are more useful in this context than the hypothesis tests. Light availability plays a big role in lily presence, which may help to explain increases in flowering and emergence after fire and roller-chopping.

Light propagation in Swiss-cheese cosmologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szybka, Sebastian J.

2011-08-01

We study the effect of inhomogeneities on light propagation. The Sachs equations are solved numerically in the Swiss-cheese models with inhomogeneities modeled by the Lemaître-Tolman solutions. Our results imply that, within the models we study, inhomogeneities may partially mimic the accelerated expansion of the Universe provided the light propagates through regions with lower than the average density. The effect of inhomogeneities is small and full randomization of the photons’ trajectories reduces it to an insignificant level.

Sharing for Health: A Study of Chinese Adolescents' Experiences and Perspectives on Using Social Network Sites to Share Health Information.

PubMed

Zhang, Ni; Teti, Michele; Stanfield, Kellie; Campo, Shelly

2017-07-01

This exploratory qualitative study examines Chinese adolescents' health information sharing habits on social network sites. Ten focus group meetings with 76 adolescents, ages 12 to 17 years, were conducted at community-based organizations in Chicago's Chinatown. The research team transcribed the recording and analyzed the transcripts using ATLAS.ti. Chinese adolescents are using different social network sites for various topics of health information including food, physical activity, and so on. Adolescents would share useful and/or interesting health information. Many adolescents raised credibility concerns regarding health information and suggested evaluating the information based on self-experience or intuition, word-of-mouth, or information online. The findings shed lights on future intervention using social network sites to promote health among Chinese adolescents in the United States. Future interventions should provide adolescents with interesting and culturally sensitive health information and educate them to critically evaluate health information on social network sites.

Toward Enhancing OpenMP's Work-Sharing Directives

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

Chapman, B M; Huang, L; Jin, H

2006-05-17

OpenMP provides a portable programming interface for shared memory parallel computers (SMPs). Although this interface has proven successful for small SMPs, it requires greater flexibility in light of the steadily growing size of individual SMPs and the recent advent of multithreaded chips. In this paper, we describe two application development experiences that exposed these expressivity problems in the current OpenMP specification. We then propose mechanisms to overcome these limitations, including thread subteams and thread topologies. Thus, we identify language features that improve OpenMP application performance on emerging and large-scale platforms while preserving ease of programming.

Efficacy of an automated ultraviolet C device in a shared hospital bathroom.

PubMed

Cooper, Jesse; Bryce, Elizabeth; Astrakianakis, George; Stefanovic, Aleksandra; Bartlett, Karen

2016-12-01

Toilet flushing can contribute to disease transmission by generating aerosolized bacteria and viruses that can land on nearby surfaces or follow air currents. Aerobic and anaerobic bacterial bioaerosol loads, and bacterial counts on 2 surfaces in a bathroom with a permanently installed, automated ultraviolet C (UVC) irradiation device, were significantly lower than in a comparable bathroom without the UVC device. Permanently installed UVC lights may be a useful supplementary decontamination tool in shared patient bathrooms. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Randomized Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Versus Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder: Acute Outcomes.

PubMed

Rohan, Kelly J; Mahon, Jennifer N; Evans, Maggie; Ho, Sheau-Yan; Meyerhoff, Jonah; Postolache, Teodor T; Vacek, Pamela M

2015-09-01

Whereas considerable evidence supports light therapy for winter seasonal affective disorder (SAD), data on cognitive-behavioral therapy for SAD (CBT-SAD) are promising but preliminary. This study estimated the difference between CBT-SAD and light therapy outcomes in a large, more definitive test. The participants were 177 adults with a current episode of major depression that was recurrent with a seasonal pattern. The randomized clinical trial compared 6 weeks of CBT-SAD (N=88) and light therapy (N=89). Light therapy consisted of 10,000-lux cool-white florescent light, initiated at 30 minutes each morning and adjusted according to a treatment algorithm based on response and side effects. CBT-SAD comprised 12 sessions of the authors' SAD-tailored protocol in a group format and was administered by Ph.D. psychologists in two 90-minute sessions per week. Outcomes were continuous scores on the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-SAD Version (SIGH-SAD, administered weekly) and Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II, administered before treatment, at week 3, and after treatment) and posttreatment remission status based on cut points. Depression severity measured with the SIGH-SAD and BDI-II improved significantly and comparably with CBT-SAD and light therapy. Having a baseline comorbid diagnosis was associated with higher depression scores across all time points in both treatments. CBT-SAD and light therapy did not differ in remission rates based on the SIGH-SAD (47.6% and 47.2%, respectively) or the BDI-II (56.0% and 63.6%). CBT-SAD and light therapy are comparably effective for SAD during an acute episode, and both may be considered as treatment options.

Multiparty Quantum Direct Secret Sharing of Classical Information with Bell States and Bell Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yun; Li, Yongming; Wang, Wenhua

2018-02-01

This paper proposed a new and efficient multiparty quantum direct secret sharing (QDSS) by using swapping quantum entanglement of Bell states. In the proposed scheme, the quantum correlation between the possible measurement results of the members (except dealer) and the original local unitary operation encoded by the dealer was presented. All agents only need to perform Bell measurements to share dealer's secret by recovering dealer's operation without performing any unitary operation. Our scheme has several advantages. The dealer is not required to retain any photons, and can further share a predetermined key instead of a random key to the agents. It has high capacity as two bits of secret messages can be transmitted by an EPR pair and the intrinsic efficiency approaches 100%, because no classical bit needs to be transmitted except those for detection. Without inserting any checking sets for detecting the eavesdropping, the scheme can resist not only the existing attacks, but also the cheating attack from the dishonest agent.

Pairing Physician Education With Patient Activation to Improve Shared Decisions in Prostate Cancer Screening: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Wilkes, Michael S.; Day, Frank C.; Srinivasan, Malathi; Griffin, Erin; Tancredi, Daniel J.; Rainwater, Julie A.; Kravitz, Richard L.; Bell, Douglas S.; Hoffman, Jerome R.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND Most expert groups recommend shared decision making for prostate cancer screening. Most primary care physicians, however, routinely order a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test with little or no discussion about whether they believe the potential benefits justify the risk of harm. We sought to assess whether educating primary care physicians and activating their patients to ask about prostate cancer screening had a synergistic effect on shared decision making, rates and types of discussions about prostate cancer screening, and the physician’s final recommendations. METHODS Our study was a cluster randomized controlled trial among primary care physicians and their patients, comparing usual education (control), with physician education alone (MD-Ed), and with physician education and patient activation (MD-Ed+A). Participants included 120 physicians in 5 group practices, and 712 male patients aged 50 to 75 years. The interventions comprised a Web-based educational program for all intervention physicians and MD-Ed+A patients compared with usual education (brochures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The primary outcome measure was patients’ reported postvisit shared decision making regarding prostate cancer screening; secondary measures included unannounced standardized patients’ reported shared decision making and the physician’s recommendation for prostate cancer screening. RESULTS Patients’ ratings of shared decision making were moderate and did not differ between groups. MD-Ed+A patients reported that physicians had higher prostate cancer screening discussion rates (MD-Ed+A = 65%, MD-Ed = 41%, control=38%; P <.01). Standardized patients reported that physicians seeing MD-Ed+A patients were more neutral during prostate cancer screening recommendations (MD-Ed+A=50%, MD-Ed=33%, control=15%; P <.05). Of the male patients, 80% had had previous PSA tests. CONCLUSIONS Although activating physicians and patients did not lead to significant changes in all aspects of physician attitudes and behaviors that we studied, interventions that involved physicians did have a large effect on their attitudes toward screening and in the discussions they had with patients, including their being more likely than control physicians to engage in prostate cancer screening discussions and more likely to be neutral in their final recommendations. PMID:23835818

Reductions in HIV/STI Incidence and Sharing of Injection Equipment among Female Sex Workers Who Inject Drugs: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Strathdee, Steffanie A.; Abramovitz, Daniela; Lozada, Remedios; Martinez, Gustavo; Rangel, Maria Gudelia; Vera, Alicia; Staines, Hugo; Magis-Rodriguez, Carlos; Patterson, Thomas L.

2013-01-01

Background We evaluated brief combination interventions to simultaneously reduce sexual and injection risks among female sex workers who inject drugs (FSW-IDUs) in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico during 2008–2010, when harm reduction coverage was expanding rapidly in Tijuana, but less so in Juarez. Methods FSW-IDUs ≥18 years reporting sharing injection equipment and unprotected sex with clients within the last month participated in a randomized factorial trial comparing four brief, single-session conditions combining either an interactive or didactic version of a sexual risk intervention to promote safer sex in the context of drug use, and an injection risk intervention to reduce sharing of needles/injection paraphernalia. Women underwent quarterly interviews and testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Trichomonas, blinding interviewers and assessors to assignment. Poisson regression with robust variance estimation and repeated measures ordinal logistic regression examined effects on combined HIV/STI incidence and receptive needle sharing frequency. Findings Of 584 initially HIV-negative FSW-IDUs, retention was ≥90%. After 12 months, HIV/STI incidence decreased >50% in the interactive vs. didactic sex intervention (Tijuana:AdjRR:0.38,95% CI:0.16–0.89; Juarez: AdjRR:0.44,95% CI:0.19–0.99). In Juarez, women receiving interactive vs. didactic injection risk interventions decreased receptive needle-sharing by 85% vs. 71%, respectively (p = 0.04); in Tijuana, receptive needle sharing declined by 95%, but was similar in active versus didactic groups. Tijuana women reported significant increases in access to syringes and condoms, but Juarez women did not. Interpretation After 12 months in both cities, the interactive sexual risk intervention significantly reduced HIV/STI incidence. Expanding free access to sterile syringes coupled with brief, didactic education on safer injection was necessary and sufficient for achieving robust, sustained injection risk reductions in Tijuana. In the absence of expanding syringe access in Juarez, the injection risk intervention achieved significant, albeit more modest reductions, suggesting that community-level interventions incorporating harm reduction are more powerful than individual-level interventions. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov NCT00840658 PMID:23785451

Toxic Rain in Class: Classroom Interpersonal Microaggressions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suárez-Orozco, Carola; Casanova, Saskias; Martin, Margary; Katsiaficas, Dalal; Cuellar, Veronica; Smith, Naila Antonia; Dias, Sandra Isabel

2015-01-01

In this article we share exploratory findings from a study that captures microaggressions (MAs) in vivo to shed light on how they occur in classrooms. These brief and commonplace indignities communicate derogatory slights and insults toward individuals of underrepresented status contributing to invalidating and hostile learning experiences. Our…

Lights, Camera, Project-Based Learning!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Dannon G.; Meaney, Karen S.

2018-01-01

A physical education instructor incorporates a teaching method known as project-based learning (PBL) in his physical education curriculum. Utilizing video-production equipment to imitate the production of a televisions show, sixth-grade students attending a charter school invited college students to share their stories about physical activity and…

Phase-coherent elastic scattering of electromagnetic waves from a random array of resonant dielectric ridges on a dielectric substrate: Weak roughness limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danila, B.; McGurn, A. R.

2005-03-01

A theoretical discussion is given of the diffuse scattering of p -polarized electromagnetic waves from a vacuum-dielectric interface characterized by a one-dimensional disorder in the form of parallel, Gaussian shaped, dielectric ridges positioned at random on a planar semi-infinite dielectric substrate. The parameters of the surface roughness are chosen so that the surface is characterized as weakly rough with a low ridge concentration. The emphasis is on phase coherent features in the speckle pattern of light scattered from the surface. These features are determined from the intensity-intensity correlation function of the speckle pattern and are studied as functions of the frequency of light for frequencies near the dielectric frequency resonances of the ridge material. In the first part of the study, the ridges on the substrate are taken to be identical, made from either GaAs, NaF, or ZnS. The substrate for all cases is CdS. In a second set of studies, the heights and widths of the ridges are statistically distributed. The effects of these different types of randomness on the scattering from the random array of dielectric ridges is determined near the dielectric resonance frequency of the ridge material. The work presented is an extension of studies [A. B. McGurn and R. M. Fitzgerald, Phys. Rev. B 65, 155414 (2002)] that originally treated only the differential reflection coefficient of the diffuse scattering of light (not speckle correlation functions) from a system of identical ridges. The object of the present work is to demonstrate the effects of the dielectric frequency resonances of the ridge materials on the phase coherent features found in the speckle patterns of the diffusely scattered light. The dielectric frequency resonances are shown to enhance the observation of the weak localization of electromagnetic surface waves at the random interface. The frequencies treated in this work are in the infrared. Previous weak localization studies have concentrated mainly on the visible and ultraviolet.

Molecular Optical Simulation Environment (MOSE): A Platform for the Simulation of Light Propagation in Turbid Media

PubMed Central

Ren, Shenghan; Chen, Xueli; Wang, Hailong; Qu, Xiaochao; Wang, Ge; Liang, Jimin; Tian, Jie

2013-01-01

The study of light propagation in turbid media has attracted extensive attention in the field of biomedical optical molecular imaging. In this paper, we present a software platform for the simulation of light propagation in turbid media named the “Molecular Optical Simulation Environment (MOSE)”. Based on the gold standard of the Monte Carlo method, MOSE simulates light propagation both in tissues with complicated structures and through free-space. In particular, MOSE synthesizes realistic data for bioluminescence tomography (BLT), fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT), and diffuse optical tomography (DOT). The user-friendly interface and powerful visualization tools facilitate data analysis and system evaluation. As a major measure for resource sharing and reproducible research, MOSE aims to provide freeware for research and educational institutions, which can be downloaded at http://www.mosetm.net. PMID:23577215

An overview of LED applications for general illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelka, David G.; Patel, Kavita

2003-11-01

This paper begins by reviewing the current state of development of LEDs, their existing markets as well as their potential for energy conservation and their potential for gaining market share in the general illumination market. It discusses LED metrics such as chip size, lumens per watt, thermal resistance, and the recommended maximum current rating. The paper then goes on to consider the importance of non-imaging optics for both optically efficient and extremely compact LED lighting systems. Finally, microstructures useful for controlling the fields-of-view of LED lighting systems are considered and described in some detail. An extremely efficient and cost effective microstructure, called kinoform diffusers, is shown to have very unique properties that make this technology almost ideal for shaping the output beams of LED lighting systems. It concludes by illustrating some general illumination LED lighting systems

Economic impact and policy implications from urban shared transportation: The case of Pittsburgh’s shared bike system

PubMed Central

Zacharias, Christos; Kokkodis, Marios; Lappas, Theodoros

2017-01-01

During the last years the number of cities that have installed and started operating shared bike systems has significantly increased. These systems provide an alternative and sustainable mean of transportation to the city dwellers. Apart from the energy sustainability benefits, shared bike systems can have a positive effect on residents’ health, air quality and the overall condition of the currently crumbling road network infrastructure. Anecdotal stories and survey studies have also identified that bike lanes have a positive impact on local businesses. In this study, driven by the rapid adoption of shared bike systems by city governments and their potential positive effects on a number of urban life facets we opt to study and quantify the value of these systems. We focus on a specific aspect of this value and use evidence from the real estate market in the city of Pittsburgh to analyze the effect on dwellers’ properties of the shared bike system installed in the city in June 2015. We use quasi-experimental techniques and find that the shared bike system led to an increase in the housing prices (both sales and rental prices) in the zip codes where shared bike stations were installed. We further bring into the light potential negative consequences of this impact (i.e., gentrification) and discuss/propose two public policies that can exploit the impact of the system for the benefit of both the local government as well as the city dwellers. PMID:28859121

Economic impact and policy implications from urban shared transportation: The case of Pittsburgh's shared bike system.

PubMed

Pelechrinis, Konstantinos; Zacharias, Christos; Kokkodis, Marios; Lappas, Theodoros

2017-01-01

During the last years the number of cities that have installed and started operating shared bike systems has significantly increased. These systems provide an alternative and sustainable mean of transportation to the city dwellers. Apart from the energy sustainability benefits, shared bike systems can have a positive effect on residents' health, air quality and the overall condition of the currently crumbling road network infrastructure. Anecdotal stories and survey studies have also identified that bike lanes have a positive impact on local businesses. In this study, driven by the rapid adoption of shared bike systems by city governments and their potential positive effects on a number of urban life facets we opt to study and quantify the value of these systems. We focus on a specific aspect of this value and use evidence from the real estate market in the city of Pittsburgh to analyze the effect on dwellers' properties of the shared bike system installed in the city in June 2015. We use quasi-experimental techniques and find that the shared bike system led to an increase in the housing prices (both sales and rental prices) in the zip codes where shared bike stations were installed. We further bring into the light potential negative consequences of this impact (i.e., gentrification) and discuss/propose two public policies that can exploit the impact of the system for the benefit of both the local government as well as the city dwellers.

A shared decision-making tool for obstructive sleep apnea without tonsillar hypertrophy: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Bergeron, Mathieu; Duggins, Angela L; Cohen, Aliza P; Tiemeyer, Karin; Mullen, Lisa; Crisalli, Joseph; McArthur, Angela; Ishman, Stacey L

2018-04-01

Shared decision-making is a process whereby patients and clinicians jointly establish a treatment plan integrating clinical evidence and patient values and preferences. Although this approach has been successfully employed in numerous medical disciplines, often using shared decision-making tools, otolaryngologic research assessing its use is scant. Our primary objective was therefore to determine if the tools we developed reduced decisional conflict for children with obstructive sleep apnea without tonsillar hypertrophy. Prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. We enrolled consecutive patients meeting inclusion criteria who were referred to our multidisciplinary upper airway center. Study patients used a shared decision-making tool whereas controls did not. Measures of decisional conflict (SURE [Sure of myself, Understanding information, Risk benefit ratio, Encouragement], CollaboRATE, and the Decisional Conflict Scale [DCS]) were obtained pre- and postvisit. We assessed 50 families (study group = 24, controls = 26). The mean age was 8.8 ± 6.6 years, 44% were female, 86% were white, and the mean obstructive apnea-hypopnea index was 12.7 ± 15.6 events/hour. The previsit mean DCS score was similar for controls (42.7) and study patients (40.8) (P = .38). The postvisit mean DCS score for controls was 13.3 and for study patients 6.1 (P = .034). Improvement in this score was greater in the study group (P = .03). At previsit evaluation, 63% of controls and 58% of study patients were unsure about their options. Postvisit, this improved to 4.1% and 0%, respectively. Families counseled regarding treatment options using shared decision-making tools had significantly less decisional conflict than those who did not use these tools. These positive outcomes suggest that clinicians should consider integrating this approach into clinical practice. 1b. Laryngoscope, 128:1007-1015, 2018. © 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Is frequency of shared family meals related to the nutritional health of children and adolescents?

PubMed

Hammons, Amber J; Fiese, Barbara H

2011-06-01

We used meta-analytic methods to examine the frequency of shared family mealtimes in relation to nutritional health in children and adolescents. The primary objective was to determine consistency and strength of effects across 17 studies that examined overweight and obese, food consumption and eating patterns, and disordered eating. The total sample size for all studies was 182 836 children and adolescents (mean sample age: 2.8-17.3 years). Pooled odds ratios were calculated. A random-effects model was used to estimate all outcomes. The frequency of shared family meals is significantly related to nutritional health in children and adolescents. Children and adolescents who share family meals 3 or more times per week are more likely to be in a normal weight range and have healthier dietary and eating patterns than those who share fewer than 3 family meals together. In addition, they are less likely to engage in disordered eating. Educational and public health initiatives aimed at promoting shared family mealtimes may improve nutritional health of children and adolescents. Clinicians may advise their patients about the benefits of sharing 3 or more family mealtimes per week; benefits include a reduction in the odds for overweight (12%), eating unhealthy foods (20%), and disordered eating (35%) and an increase in the odds for eating healthy foods (24%).

Is Frequency of Shared Family Meals Related to the Nutritional Health of Children and Adolescents?

PubMed Central

Fiese, Barbara H.

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE: We used meta-analytic methods to examine the frequency of shared family mealtimes in relation to nutritional health in children and adolescents. The primary objective was to determine consistency and strength of effects across 17 studies that examined overweight and obese, food consumption and eating patterns, and disordered eating. METHODS: The total sample size for all studies was 182 836 children and adolescents (mean sample age: 2.8–17.3 years). Pooled odds ratios were calculated. A random-effects model was used to estimate all outcomes. RESULTS: The frequency of shared family meals is significantly related to nutritional health in children and adolescents. Children and adolescents who share family meals 3 or more times per week are more likely to be in a normal weight range and have healthier dietary and eating patterns than those who share fewer than 3 family meals together. In addition, they are less likely to engage in disordered eating. CONCLUSIONS: Educational and public health initiatives aimed at promoting shared family mealtimes may improve nutritional health of children and adolescents. Clinicians may advise their patients about the benefits of sharing 3 or more family mealtimes per week; benefits include a reduction in the odds for overweight (12%), eating unhealthy foods (20%), and disordered eating (35%) and an increase in the odds for eating healthy foods (24%). PMID:21536618

Network coding multiuser scheme for indoor visible light communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jiankun; Dang, Anhong

2017-12-01

Visible light communication (VLC) is a unique alternative for indoor data transfer and developing beyond point-to-point. However, for realizing high-capacity networks, VLC is facing challenges including the constrained bandwidth of the optical access point and random occlusion. A network coding scheme for VLC (NC-VLC) is proposed, with increased throughput and system robustness. Based on the Lambertian illumination model, theoretical decoding failure probability of the multiuser NC-VLC system is derived, and the impact of the system parameters on the performance is analyzed. Experiments demonstrate the proposed scheme successfully in the indoor multiuser scenario. These results indicate that the NC-VLC system shows a good performance under the link loss and random occlusion.

Sequential quantum secret sharing in a noisy environment aided with weak measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, Maharshi; Chatterjee, Sourav; Chakrabarty, Indranil

2016-05-01

In this work we give a (n,n)-threshold protocol for sequential secret sharing of quantum information for the first time. By sequential secret sharing we refer to a situation where the dealer is not having all the secrets at the same time, at the beginning of the protocol; however if the dealer wishes to share secrets at subsequent phases she/he can realize it with the help of our protocol. First of all we present our protocol for three parties and later we generalize it for the situation where we have more (n> 3) parties. Interestingly, we show that our protocol of sequential secret sharing requires less amount of quantum as well as classical resource as compared to the situation wherein existing protocols are repeatedly used. Further in a much more realistic situation, we consider the sharing of qubits through two kinds of noisy channels, namely the phase damping channel (PDC) and the amplitude damping channel (ADC). When we carry out the sequential secret sharing in the presence of noise we observe that the fidelity of secret sharing at the kth iteration is independent of the effect of noise at the (k - 1)th iteration. In case of ADC we have seen that the average fidelity of secret sharing drops down to ½ which is equivalent to a random guess of the quantum secret. Interestingly, we find that by applying weak measurements one can enhance the average fidelity. This increase of the average fidelity can be achieved with certain trade off with the success probability of the weak measurements.

Exploratory study of bed-sharing and maternal-infant bonding.

PubMed

Mitchell, Edwin A; Hutchison, B Lynne; Thompson, John Md; Wouldes, Trecia A

2015-08-01

Bed-sharing with an infant is controversial due to the increased risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy versus postulated benefits of the practice such as enhanced breastfeeding and maternal-infant bonding. This study evaluated the association between bed-sharing and maternal-infant bonding. Four hundred randomly selected mothers who had delivered in a large maternity unit in Auckland and whose infants were between the ages of 6 weeks and 4 months were sent a postal questionnaire asking about their bed-sharing practices last night, usually, and in the last 2 weeks. Included in the questionnaire were factors 1 and 2 questions from the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire to assess maternal-infant bonding. Responders totalled 172 (43%), and infants were a mean age of 11 weeks. Fourteen per cent of infants slept in a bed-sharing situation last night, 8% usually, and 41% had slept with an adult in the last 2 weeks. Nine per cent of mothers scored above the cut-off for factor 1 for impaired maternal-infant bonding. Infants of these mothers were more likely to bed-share last night, usually, and in the last 2 weeks, and were less likely to use a pacifier and to breastfeed. Bed-sharing mothers scored more highly on individual questions relating to being annoyed or irritated by their baby. There is an inverse association between bed-sharing and maternal-infant bonding, which is contrary to the often expressed belief that bed-sharing enhances maternal-infant bonding. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2015 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

The Evolution of an Interprofessional Shared Decision-Making Research Program: Reflective Case Study of an Emerging Paradigm

PubMed Central

Menear, Matthew; Stacey, Dawn; Brière, Nathalie; Légaré, France

2016-01-01

Introduction: Healthcare research increasingly focuses on interprofessional collaboration and on shared decision making, but knowledge gaps remain about effective strategies for implementing interprofessional collaboration and shared decision-making together in clinical practice. We used Kuhn’s theory of scientific revolutions to reflect on how an integrated interprofessional shared decision-making approach was developed and implemented over time. Methods: In 2007, an interdisciplinary team initiated a new research program to promote the implementation of an interprofessional shared decision-making approach in clinical settings. For this reflective case study, two new team members analyzed the team’s four projects, six research publications, one unpublished and two published protocols and organized them into recognizable phases according to Kuhn’s theory. Results: The merging of two young disciplines led to challenges characteristic of emerging paradigms. Implementation of interprofessional shared-decision making was hindered by a lack of conceptual clarity, a dearth of theories and models, little methodological guidance, and insufficient evaluation instruments. The team developed a new model, identified new tools, and engaged knowledge users in a theory-based approach to implementation. However, several unresolved challenges remain. Discussion: This reflective case study sheds light on the evolution of interdisciplinary team science. It offers new approaches to implementing emerging knowledge in the clinical context. PMID:28435417

The Evolution of an Interprofessional Shared Decision-Making Research Program: Reflective Case Study of an Emerging Paradigm.

PubMed

Dogba, Maman Joyce; Menear, Matthew; Stacey, Dawn; Brière, Nathalie; Légaré, France

2016-07-19

Healthcare research increasingly focuses on interprofessional collaboration and on shared decision making, but knowledge gaps remain about effective strategies for implementing interprofessional collaboration and shared decision-making together in clinical practice. We used Kuhn's theory of scientific revolutions to reflect on how an integrated interprofessional shared decision-making approach was developed and implemented over time. In 2007, an interdisciplinary team initiated a new research program to promote the implementation of an interprofessional shared decision-making approach in clinical settings. For this reflective case study, two new team members analyzed the team's four projects, six research publications, one unpublished and two published protocols and organized them into recognizable phases according to Kuhn's theory. The merging of two young disciplines led to challenges characteristic of emerging paradigms. Implementation of interprofessional shared-decision making was hindered by a lack of conceptual clarity, a dearth of theories and models, little methodological guidance, and insufficient evaluation instruments. The team developed a new model, identified new tools, and engaged knowledge users in a theory-based approach to implementation. However, several unresolved challenges remain. This reflective case study sheds light on the evolution of interdisciplinary team science. It offers new approaches to implementing emerging knowledge in the clinical context.

Optimization of light quality from color mixing light-emitting diode systems for general lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorseth, Anders

2012-03-01

Given the problem of metamerisms inherent in color mixing in light-emitting diode (LED) systems with more than three distinct colors, a method for optimizing the spectral output of multicolor LED system with regards to standardized light quality parameters has been developed. The composite spectral power distribution from the LEDs are simulated using spectral radiometric measurements of single commercially available LEDs for varying input power, to account for the efficiency droop and other non-linear effects in electrical power vs. light output. The method uses electrical input powers as input parameters in a randomized steepest decent optimization. The resulting spectral power distributions are evaluated with regard to the light quality using the standard characteristics: CIE color rendering index, correlated color temperature and chromaticity distance. The results indicate Pareto optimal boundaries for each system, mapping the capabilities of the simulated lighting systems with regard to the light quality characteristics.

Adaptation response of Arabidopsis thaliana to random positioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kittang, A.-I.; Winge, P.; van Loon, J. J. W. A.; Bones, A. M.; Iversen, T.-H.

2013-10-01

Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings were exposed on a Random Positioning Machine (RPM) under light conditions for 16 h and the samples were analysed using microarray techniques as part of a preparation for a space experiment on the International Space Station (ISS). The results demonstrated a moderate to low regulation of 55 genes (<0.2% of the analysed genes). Genes encoding proteins associated with the chaperone system (e.g. heat shock proteins, HSPs) and enzymes in the flavonoid biosynthesis were induced. Most of the repressed genes were associated with light and sugar responses. Significant up-regulation of selected HSP genes was found by quantitative Real-Time PCR in 1 week old plants after the RPM exposure both in light and darkness. Higher quantity of DPBA (diphenylboric acid 2-amino-ethyl ester) staining was observed in the whole root and in the root elongation zone of the seedlings exposed on the RPM by use of fluorescent microscopy, indicating higher flavonoid content. The regulated genes and an increase of flavonoids are related to several stresses, but increased occurrence of HSPs and flavonoids are also representative for normal growth (e.g. gravitropism). The response could be a direct stress response or an integrated response of the two signal pathways of light and gravity resulting in an overall light response.

Omnidirectional narrow optical filters for circularly polarized light in a nanocomposite structurally chiral medium.

PubMed

Avendaño, Carlos G; Palomares, Laura O

2018-04-20

We consider the propagation of electromagnetic waves throughout a nanocomposite structurally chiral medium consisting of metallic nanoballs randomly dispersed in a structurally chiral material whose dielectric properties can be represented by a resonant effective uniaxial tensor. It is found that an omnidirectional narrow pass band and two omnidirectional narrow band gaps are created in the blue optical spectrum for right and left circularly polarized light, as well as narrow reflection bands for right circularly polarized light that can be controlled by varying the light incidence angle and the filling fraction of metallic inclusions.

Mesoscopic coherence in light scattering from cold, optically dense and disordered atomic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kupriyanov, D. V.; Sokolov, I. M.; Havey, M. D.

2017-02-01

Coherent effects manifested in light scattering from cold, optically dense and disordered atomic systems are reviewed from a primarily theoretical point of view. Development of the basic theoretical tools is then elaborated through several physical atomic physics based processes which have been at least partly explored experimentally. These include illustrations drawn from the coherent backscattering effect, random lasing in atomic gases, quantum memories and light-atoms interface assisted by the light trapping mechanism. Current understanding and challenges associated with the transition to high atomic densities and cooperativity in the scattering process are also discussed in some detail.

Glass-wool study of laser-induced spin currents en route to hyperpolarized Cs salt

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

Ishikawa, Kiyoshi

2011-07-15

The nuclear spin polarization of optically pumped Cs atoms flows to the surface of Cs hydride in a vapor cell. A fine glass wool lightly coated with the salt helps greatly increase the surface area in contact with the pumped atoms and enhance the spin polarization of the salt nuclei. Even though the glass wool randomly scatters the pump light, the atomic vapor can be polarized with unpolarized light in a magnetic field. The measured enhancement in the salt enables study of the polarizations of light and atomic nuclei very near the salt surface.

Morning bright light exposure has no influence on self-chosen exercise intensity and mood in overweight individuals - A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Knaier, Raphael; Klenk, Christopher; Königstein, Karsten; Hinrichs, Timo; Rossmeissl, Anja; Infanger, Denis; Cajochen, Christian; Schmidt-Trucksäss, Arno

2018-04-01

Overweight is a worldwide increasing public health issue. Physical exercise is a useful countermeasure. Overweight individuals choose rather low exercise intensities, but especially high exercise intensities lead to higher energy expenditure and show beneficial health effects compared to lower exercise intensities. However, especially in the morning higher exercise intensities are likely to be avoided due to higher subjective effort. Bright light exposure has shown to increase maximum performance. The aim of this study was to investigate if bright light exposure can also increase self-chosen exercise intensity. We hypothesized that morning bright light exposure increases self-chosen exercise intensity of subsequent exercise through increased mood and reduced sleepiness in overweight individuals. In this randomized controlled single-blind parallel group design, 26 overweight individuals (11 males, 15 females; age 25 ± 5.7 years; body mass index 28.9 ± 2.1 kg/m 2 ) underwent three measurement appointments. On the first appointment, subjects performed a cardiopulmonary exercise test to measure maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max). Two days later a 30-min exercise session with self-chosen exercise intensity was performed for familiarization. Then subjects were randomly allocated to bright light (~4400 lx) or a control light (~230 lx) condition. Three to seven days later, subjects were exposed to light for 30 min starting at 8:00 am, immediately followed by a 30-min exercise session with persisting light exposure. Multidimensional mood questionnaires were filled out before and after the light exposure and after the exercise session. The primary outcome was the mean power output during the exercise session and the secondary outcome the rating on the three domains (i.e. good-bad; awake-tired; calm-nervous) of the multidimensional mood questionnaire. Mean power output during the exercise session was 92 ± 19 W in bright light and 80 ± 37 W in control light, respectively. In the multivariate analysis adjusted for VO2max, the mean power output during the exercise session was 8.5 W higher (95% confidence interval -12.7, 29.7; p = 0.416) for participants in bright light compared to control light. There were no significant differences between the groups for any of the three domains of the questionnaire at any time point. This is in contrast to longer lasting intervention studies that show positive influences on mood and suggests that bright light therapy requires repetitive sessions to improve mood in overweight individuals. In conclusion bright light exposure does not acutely increase self-chosen exercise intensity or improve mood in a 30-min exercise session starting at 08:30. However, regarding the fact that overweight is a worldwide and rapidly increasing public health issue even small increases in exercise intensity may be relevant. The trend toward superiority of bright light over control light implicates that further studies may be conducted in a larger scale. VO2max: maximum oxygen uptake; 95% CI: 95% confidence interval; SD: standard deviation.

Influence of light-sources and photoperiod on growth performance, carcass characteristics and health indices of broilers grown to heavy weights

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Effects of light sources and photoperiod on growth performance, carcass characteristics and health indices of broilers were investigated in 4 trials. In each trial, 720 1 d old Ross × Ross 708 chicks were equally and randomly distributed into 12 environmentally-controlled rooms (30 males/30 females ...

Weight Management in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Dietary Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ptomey, Lauren T.; Saunders, Richard R.; Saunders, Muriel; Washburn, Richard A.; Mayo, Matthew S.; Sullivan, Debra K.; Gibson, Cheryl A.; Goetz, Jeannine R.; Honas, Jeff J.; Willis, Erik A.; Danon, Jessica C.; Krebill, Ron; Donnelly, Joseph E.

2018-01-01

Background: The prevalence of obesity among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is equal to or greater than the general population. Methods: Overweight/obese adults (BMI =25 kg/m2) with mild-to-moderate intellectual and developmental disabilities were randomized to an enhanced stop light diet…

A simple photometric factor in perceived depth order of bistable transparency patterns.

PubMed

Fukiage, Taiki; Oishi, Takeshi; Ikeuchi, Katsushi

2014-05-05

Previous studies on perceptual transparency defined the photometric condition in which perceived depth ordering between two surfaces becomes ambiguous. Even under this bistable transparency condition, it is known that depth-order perceptions are often biased toward one specific interpretation (Beck, Prazdny, & Ivry, 1984; Delogu, Fedorov, Belardinelli, & van Leeuwen, 2010; Kitaoka, 2005; Oyama & Nakahara, 1960). In this study, we examined what determines the perceived depth ordering for bistable transparency patterns using stimuli that simulated two partially overlapping disks resulting in four regions: a (background), b (portion of right disk), p (portion of left disk), and q (shared region). In contrast to the previous theory that proposed contributions of contrast against the background region (i.e., contrast at contour b/a and contrast at contour p/a) to perceived depth order in bistable transparency patterns, the present study demonstrated that contrast against the background region has little influence on perceived depth order compared with contrast against the shared region (i.e., contrast at contour b/q and contrast at contour p/q). In addition, we found that the perceived depth ordering is well predicted by a simpler model that takes into consideration only relative size of lightness difference against the shared region. Specifically, the probability that the left disk is perceived as being in front is proportional to (|b - q| - |p - q|) / (|b - q| + |p - q|) calculated based on lightness.

Photoresponse and learning behavior of ascidian larvae, a primitive chordate, to repeated stimuli of step-up and step-down of light.

PubMed

Kawakami, I; Shiraishi, S; Tsuda, M

2002-09-01

Ascidians are lower chordates and their simple tadpole-like larvae share a basic body plan with vertebrates. Newly hatched larvae show no response to a stimulus of light. 4 h after hatching, the larvae were induced to swim upon a step-down of light and stop swimming upon a step-up of light. At weaker intensity of light, the larvae show the same response to a stimulus after presentation of repeated stimuli. When intensity of actinic light was increased, the larvae show sensitization and habituation of the swimming response to a stimulus after repeated stimuli of step-down and step-up of the light. Between 2 h 20 min and 3 h 40 min after hatching the larvae did not show any response to the first stimulus, but after several repeatedstimuli they show swimming response to a step-down of light. A repeated series of stimulus cause sensitization. Between 4 h and 7 h after hatching, the larvae show photoresponse to the first stimulus, but after several repetition of the stimuli, the larvae could not stop swimming to a stimulus of a step-up of the actinic light. A repeated series of stimulus cause greaterhabituation. Both sensitization and habituation depend upon intensity ofactinic light.

A randomized trial of candidate inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine versus trivalent influenza vaccines in children aged 3-17 years.

PubMed

Domachowske, Joseph B; Pankow-Culot, Heidemarie; Bautista, Milagros; Feng, Yang; Claeys, Carine; Peeters, Mathieu; Innis, Bruce L; Jain, Varsha

2013-06-15

Two antigenically distinct influenza B lineages have cocirculated since 2001, yet trivalent influenza vaccines (TIVs) contain 1 influenza B antigen, meaning lineage mismatch with the vaccine is frequent. We assessed a candidate inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) containing both B lineages vs TIV in healthy children aged 3-17 years. Children were randomized 1:1:1 to receive QIV or 1 of 2 TIVs (either B/Victoria or B/Yamagata lineage; N = 2738). Hemagglutination-inhibition assays were performed 28 days after 1 or 2 doses in primed and unprimed children, respectively. Immunological noninferiority of QIV vs TIV against shared strains, and superiority against alternate-lineage B strains was based on geometric mean titers (GMTs) and seroconversion rates. Reactogenicity and safety were also assessed (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01196988). Noninferiority against shared strains and superiority against alternate-lineage B strains was demonstrated for QIV vs TIV. QIV was highly immunogenic; seroconversion rates were 91.4%, 72.3%, 70.0%, and 72.5% against A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B/Victoria, and B/Yamagata, respectively. Reactogenicity and safety of QIV was consistent with TIV. QIV vs TIV showed superior immunogenicity for the additional B strain without interfering with immune responses to shared strains. QIV may offer improved protection against influenza B in children compared with current trivalent vaccines.

Shared Decision Making with Collective Bargaining.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steimel, Eric L.

This paper examines the changing role of school leaders, in light of the current trend toward participative decision making. Executive Order 12871 mandates the formation of a partnership between unions and management, which will result in teachers playing an active role in decision making. Leaders, particularly leaders of Department of Defense…

"Festivals of Light": A Multicultural Celebration in Brooklyn.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Judith Y.; Singer, Alan

1997-01-01

Describes a celebration developed by children, staff, and parents at Morris L. Eisenstein Learning Center (Brooklyn, New York) to share the customs of Diwali, Hannukah, Loi Krathong, Kwanzaa, Nacimiento, and Christmas with the diverse student population. Includes brief descriptions of each holiday and activities included in the center's…

Esprit de Place: Maintaining and Designing Library Buildings To Provide Transcendent Spaces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demas, Sam; Scherer, Jeffrey A.

2002-01-01

Discusses library buildings and their role in building community. Reviews current design trends, including reading and study spaces; collaborative workspaces; technology-free zones; archives and special collections; cultural events spaces; age-specific spaces; shared spaces; natural light and landscapes; and interior design trends. (LRW)

Transversely polarized source cladding for an optical fiber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Egalon, Claudio Oliveira (Inventor); Rogowski, Robert S. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

An optical fiber comprising a fiber core having a longitudinal symmetry axis is provided. An active cladding surrounds a portion of the fiber core and comprises light-producing sources which emit light in response to chemical or light excitation. The cladding sources are oriented transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fiber core. This polarization results in a superior power efficiency compared to active cladding sources that are randomly polarized or longitudinally polarized parallel with the longitudinal symmetry axis.

VNIR hyperspectral background characterization methods in adverse weather conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romano, João M.; Rosario, Dalton; Roth, Luz

2009-05-01

Hyperspectral technology is currently being used by the military to detect regions of interest where potential targets may be located. Weather variability, however, may affect the ability for an algorithm to discriminate possible targets from background clutter. Nonetheless, different background characterization approaches may facilitate the ability for an algorithm to discriminate potential targets over a variety of weather conditions. In a previous paper, we introduced a new autonomous target size invariant background characterization process, the Autonomous Background Characterization (ABC) or also known as the Parallel Random Sampling (PRS) method, features a random sampling stage, a parallel process to mitigate the inclusion by chance of target samples into clutter background classes during random sampling; and a fusion of results at the end. In this paper, we will demonstrate how different background characterization approaches are able to improve performance of algorithms over a variety of challenging weather conditions. By using the Mahalanobis distance as the standard algorithm for this study, we compare the performance of different characterization methods such as: the global information, 2 stage global information, and our proposed method, ABC, using data that was collected under a variety of adverse weather conditions. For this study, we used ARDEC's Hyperspectral VNIR Adverse Weather data collection comprised of heavy, light, and transitional fog, light and heavy rain, and low light conditions.

Randomization Based Privacy Preserving Categorical Data Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Ling

2010-01-01

The success of data mining relies on the availability of high quality data. To ensure quality data mining, effective information sharing between organizations becomes a vital requirement in today's society. Since data mining often involves sensitive information of individuals, the public has expressed a deep concern about their privacy.…

Quantum key distribution with an entangled light emitting diode

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

Dzurnak, B.; Stevenson, R. M.; Nilsson, J.

Measurements performed on entangled photon pairs shared between two parties can allow unique quantum cryptographic keys to be formed, creating secure links between users. An advantage of using such entangled photon links is that they can be adapted to propagate entanglement to end users of quantum networks with only untrusted nodes. However, demonstrations of quantum key distribution with entangled photons have so far relied on sources optically excited with lasers. Here, we realize a quantum cryptography system based on an electrically driven entangled-light-emitting diode. Measurement bases are passively chosen and we show formation of an error-free quantum key. Our measurementsmore » also simultaneously reveal Bell's parameter for the detected light, which exceeds the threshold for quantum entanglement.« less

Quantum key distribution with an entangled light emitting diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzurnak, B.; Stevenson, R. M.; Nilsson, J.; Dynes, J. F.; Yuan, Z. L.; Skiba-Szymanska, J.; Farrer, I.; Ritchie, D. A.; Shields, A. J.

2015-12-01

Measurements performed on entangled photon pairs shared between two parties can allow unique quantum cryptographic keys to be formed, creating secure links between users. An advantage of using such entangled photon links is that they can be adapted to propagate entanglement to end users of quantum networks with only untrusted nodes. However, demonstrations of quantum key distribution with entangled photons have so far relied on sources optically excited with lasers. Here, we realize a quantum cryptography system based on an electrically driven entangled-light-emitting diode. Measurement bases are passively chosen and we show formation of an error-free quantum key. Our measurements also simultaneously reveal Bell's parameter for the detected light, which exceeds the threshold for quantum entanglement.

Efficacy of Noninvasive Stellate Ganglion Blockade Performed Using Physical Agent Modalities in Patients with Sympathetic Hyperactivity-Associated Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Liao, Chun-De; Tsauo, Jau-Yih; Liou, Tsan-Hon; Chen, Hung-Chou; Rau, Chi-Lun

2016-01-01

Stellate ganglion blockade (SGB) is mainly used to relieve symptoms of neuropathic pain in conditions such as complex regional pain syndrome and has several potential complications. Noninvasive SGB performed using physical agent modalities (PAMs), such as light irradiation and electrical stimulation, can be clinically used as an alternative to conventional invasive SGB. However, its application protocols vary and its clinical efficacy remains controversial. This study investigated the use of noninvasive SGB for managing neuropathic pain or other disorders associated with sympathetic hyperactivity. We performed a comprehensive search of the following online databases: Medline, PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, Cochrane Library Database, Ovid MEDLINE, Europe PubMed Central, EBSCOhost Research Databases, CINAHL, ProQuest Research Library, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, WorldWideScience, BIOSIS, and Google Scholar. We identified and included quasi-randomized or randomized controlled trials reporting the efficacy of SGB performed using therapeutic ultrasound, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, light irradiation using low-level laser therapy, or xenon light or linearly polarized near-infrared light irradiation near or over the stellate ganglion region in treating complex regional pain syndrome or disorders requiring sympatholytic management. The included articles were subjected to a meta-analysis and risk of bias assessment. Nine randomized and four quasi-randomized controlled trials were included. Eleven trials had good methodological quality with a Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) score of ≥6, whereas the remaining two trials had a PEDro score of <6. The meta-analysis results revealed that the efficacy of noninvasive SGB on 100-mm visual analog pain score is higher than that of a placebo or active control (weighted mean difference, -21.59 mm; 95% CI, -34.25, -8.94; p = 0.0008). Noninvasive SGB performed using PAMs effectively relieves pain of various etiologies, making it a valuable addition to the contemporary pain management armamentarium. However, this evidence is limited by the potential risk of bias.

Biomechanical factors contributing to self-organization in seagrass landscapes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fonseca, M.S.; Koehl, M.A.R.; Kopp, B.S.

2007-01-01

Field observations have revealed that when water flow is consistently from one direction, seagrass shoots align in rows perpendicular to the primary axis of flow direction. In this study, live Zostera marina shoots were arranged either randomly or in rows perpendicular to the flow direction and tested in a seawater flume under unidirectional flow and waves to determine if shoot arrangement: a) influenced flow-induced force on individual shoots, b) differentially altered water flow through the canopy, and c) influenced light interception by the canopy. In addition, blade breaking strength was compared with flow-induced force to determine if changes in shoot arrangement might reduce the potential for damage to shoots. Under unidirectional flow, both current velocity in the canopy and force on shoots were significantly decreased when shoots were arranged in rows as compared to randomly. However, force on shoots was nearly constant with downstream distance, arising from the trade-off of shoot bending and in-canopy flow reduction. The coefficient of drag was higher for randomly-arranged shoots at low velocities (< 30 cm s- 1) but converged rapidly among the two shoot arrangements at higher velocities. Shoots arranged in rows tended to intercept slightly more light than those arranged randomly. Effects of shoot arrangement under waves were less clear, potentially because we did not achieve the proper plant size?row spacing ratio. At this point, we may only suggest that water motion, as opposed to light capture, is the dominant physical mechanism responsible for these shoot arrangements. Following a computation of the Environmental Stress Factor, we concluded that even photosynthetically active blades may be damaged or broken under frequently encountered storm conditions, irrespective of shoot arrangement. We hypothesize that when flow is generally from one direction, seagrass bed patterns over multiple scales of consideration may arise as a cumulative effect of individual shoot self-organization driven by reduced force and drag on the shoots and somewhat improved light capture.

N-acetylaspartate and neurofilaments as biomarkers of axonal damage in patients with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Trentini, Alessandro; Comabella, Manuel; Tintoré, Mar; Koel-Simmelink, Marleen J A; Killestein, Joep; Roos, Birthe; Rovira, Alex; Korth, Carsten; Ottis, Philipp; Blankenstein, Marinus A; Montalban, Xavier; Bellini, Tiziana; Teunissen, Charlotte E

2014-12-01

Primary and secondary progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (PPMS and SPMS) have different pathological characteristics. However, it is unknown whether neurodegenerative mechanisms are shared. We measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of neurofilament (Nf) light and heavy isoforms and N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA) in 21 PP, 10 SPMS patients and 15 non-inflammatory neurological disease controls (NINDC). Biomarkers were related to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) over a long period of follow-up [median (interquartile range) 9 (5.5-12.5) years] in 19 PPMS and 4 SPMS patients, and to T2 lesion load, T1 lesion load, and brain parenchymal fraction at the time of lumbar puncture. Nf light was higher in PPMS (p < 0.005) and Nf heavy was increased in both SPMS and PPMS (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01) compared to NINDC, but were comparable between the two MS subtypes. Nf heavy was a predictor of the ongoing disability measured by MSSS (R(2) = 0.17, β = 0.413; p < 0.05). Conversely, Nf light was the only predictor of the EDSS annual increase (R(2) = 0.195, β = 0.441; p < 0.05). The frequency of abnormal biomarkers did not differ between the two MS progressive subtypes. Our data suggest that PP and SPMS likely share similar mechanisms of axonal damage. Moreover, Nf heavy can be a biomarker of ongoing axonal damage. Conversely, Nf light can be used as a prognostic marker for accumulating disability suggesting it as a good tool for possible treatment monitoring in the progressive MS forms.

Stochastic Epidemic Outbreaks, or Why Epidemics Behave Like Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, Ira; Billings, Lora; Bollt, Erik; Carr, Thomas

2004-03-01

Many diseases, such childhood diseases, dengue fever, and West Nile virus, appear to oscillate randomly as a function of seasonal environmental or social changes. Such oscillations appear to have a chaotic bursting character, although it is still uncertain how much is due to random fluctuations. Such bursting in the presence of noise is also observed in driven lasers. In this talk, I will show how noise can excite random outbreaks in simple models of seasonally driven outbreaks, as well as lasers. The models for both population dynamics will be shown to share the same class of underlying topology, which plays a major role in the cause of observed stochastic bursting. New tools for predicting stcohastic outbreaks will be presented.

Survival of bonded lingual retainers with chemical or photo polymerization over a 2-year period: a single-center, randomized controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Pandis, Nikolaos; Fleming, Padhraig S; Kloukos, Dimitrios; Polychronopoulou, Argy; Katsaros, Christos; Eliades, Theodore

2013-08-01

The objective of this trial was to compare the survival rates of mandibular lingual retainers bonded with either chemically cured or light-cured adhesive after orthodontic treatment. Patients having undergone orthodontic treatment at a private orthodontic office were randomly allocated to fixed retainers placed with chemically cured composite or light-cured composite. Eligibility criteria included no active caries, restorations, or fractures on the mandibular anterior teeth, and adequate oral hygiene. The main outcome was any type of first-time lingual retainer breakage; pattern of failure (adapted adhesive remnant index scores) was a secondary outcome. Randomization was accomplished with random permuted blocks of 20 patients with allocation concealed in sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes. Blinding was applicable for outcome assessment only. Patients were reviewed at 1, 3, and 6 months and then every 6 months after placement of the retainer until completion of the study. Data were analyzed using survival analysis including Cox regression; sensitivity analysis was carried out after data imputation for subjects lost to follow-up. Two hundred twenty patients (median age, 16 years; interquartile range, 2; range, 12-47 years) were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either chemical or light curing. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, the median follow-up period was 2.19 years (range, 0.003-3.64 years), and 16 patients were lost to follow-up. At a minimum follow-up of 2 years, 47 of 110 (42.7%) and 55 of 110 (50.0%) retainers had some type of failure with chemically cured and light-cured adhesive, respectively (log-rank test, P = 0.35). Data were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis, and the hazard ratio (HR) was 1.15 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-1.70; P = 0.47). There was weak evidence that age is a significant predictor for lingual retainer failures (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-1.00; P = 0.08). Adhesive remnant index scoring was possible for only 66 of the 102 (64.7%) failures and did not differ between composites (Fisher exact test, P = 0.16). No serious harm was observed other than gingivitis associated with plaque accumulation. The results of this study indicated no evidence that survival of mandibular lingual retainers differs between chemically and light-cured adhesives. The overall failure rate was 46.4%; however, this included any type of failure, which may have exaggerated the overall failure rate. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Randomized placebo-controlled field study of the effects of bright light and melatonin in adaptation to night work.

PubMed

Bjorvatn, Bjørn; Stangenes, Kristine; Oyane, Nicolas; Forberg, Knut; Lowden, Arne; Holsten, Fred; Akerstedt, Torbjørn

2007-06-01

This study evaluated the effects of bright light and melatonin on adaptation to night work on an oil rig in the North Sea. Seventeen persons working a schedule of 2 weeks on a 12-hour shift, with the first week on night shift and the second week on day shift (ie, the swing shift schedule) participated. In a randomized controlled crossover design, the shift workers received a placebo, melatonin (3 mg, 1 hour before bedtime), or bright light (30-minute exposure, individually scheduled) during the first 4 days on the night shift and during the first 4 days on the day shift. Subjective and objective measures of sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and a simple serial reaction-time test) and sleep (diary and actigraphy) were recorded. Subjective measures indicated that melatonin modestly reduced sleepiness at work during the day shift and increased sleep by 15-20 minutes per day. Bright light gave values in between those of melatonin and the placebo, but with few significant results. According to the objective measures, bright light improved sleep to a minor degree during the night shift. Hardly any side-effects were reported. Melatonin and bright light modestly improved sleep and sleepiness in this field study. In well-controlled simulated nightwork studies, both melatonin and bright light are more effective in alleviating sleepiness and sleep problems. The less effect in this field study may be due to competing or conflicting factors present in real life or to an inoptimal timing and duration of the treatments.

Phototactic orientation mechanism in the ciliate Fabrea salina, as inferred from numerical simulations.

PubMed

Marangoni, R; Preosti, G; Colombetti, G

2000-02-01

The marine ciliate Fabrea salina shows a clear positive phototaxis, but the mechanism by which a single cell is able to detect the direction of light and orient its swimming accordingly is still unknown. A simple model of phototaxis is that of a biased random walk, where the bias due to light can affect one or more of the parameters that characterize a random walk, i.e., the mean speed, the frequency distribution of the angles of directional changes and the frequency of directional changes. Since experimental evidence has shown no effect of light on the mean speed of Fabrea salina, we have excluded models depending on this parameter. We have, therefore, investigated the phototactic orientation of Fabrea salina by computer simulation of two simple models, the first where light affects the frequency distribution of the angles of directional changes (model M1) and the second where the light bias modifies the frequency of directional changes (model M2). Simulated M1 cells directly orient their swimming towards the direction of light, regardless of their current swimming orientation; simulated M2 cells, on the contrary, are unable to actively orient their motion, but remain locked along the light direction once they find it by chance. The simulations show that these two orientation models lead to different macroscopic behaviours of the simulated cell populations. By comparing the results of the simulations with the experimental ones, we have found that the phototactic behaviour of real cells is more similar to that of the M2 model.

Bismuth zinc vanadate, BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}: New crystal structure type and electronic structure

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

Eliziario Nunes, Sayonara; Department of Materials Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, 13565-905 São Carlos, SP; Wang, Chun-Hai

2015-02-15

We report a combined experimental and computational study of the crystal structure and electronic properties of bismuth zinc vanadate, BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}, known for its visible light photocatalytic activity. The crystal structure has been solved from laboratory powder X-ray diffraction data using the repeated minimisations from random starting values method. BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6} adopts a new structure type, based on the following building blocks: corner- and edge-sharing ZnO{sub 4} tetrahedra, ZnO{sub 6} octahedra and VO{sub 4} tetrahedra, and Bi{sub 2}O{sub 12} dimers. It is the only known member of the BiM{sub 2}AO{sub 6} (M=Pb, Ca, Cd, Mn, Zn, Mg, Cu;more » A=V, P, As) family which does not appear to be structurally closely related to others. The electronic structure of BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}, calculated by DFT methods, shows that it is an indirect gap semiconductor with a calculated band gap of 1.6 eV, which compares favourably to the experimentally measured value of 2.4 eV. - Graphical abstract: The crystal structure of BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}, a new structure type in the BiM{sub 2}AO{sub 6} (M=Mg, Ca, Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn, Zn; A=V, P, As) family. - Highlights: • Structure solution from PXRD data by repeated minimisations from random starting values. • New structure type in the BiM{sub 2}AO{sub 6} (M=Pb, Ca, Cd, Mn, Zn, Mg, Cu; A=V, P, As) family. • Electronic structure calculation.« less

Delay of constant light-induced persistent vaginal estrus by 24-hour time cues in rats.

PubMed

Weber, A L; Adler, N T

1979-04-20

The normal ovarian cycle of female rats is typically replaced by persistent estrus when these animals are housed under constant light. Evidence presented here shows that the maintenance of periodicity in the environment can at least delay (if not prevent) the photic induction of persistent vaginal estrus. Female rats in constant light were exposed to vaginal smearing at random times or at the same time every day. In another experiment, female rats were exposed to either constant bright light, constant dim light, or a 24-hour photic cycle of bright and dim light. The onset of persistent vaginal estrus was delayed in rats exposed to 24-hour time cues even though the light intensities were the same as or greater than those for the aperiodic control groups. The results suggest that the absence of 24-hour time cues in constant light contributes to the induction of persistent estrus.

Speckle lithography for fabricating Gaussian, quasi-random 2D structures and black silicon structures.

PubMed

Bingi, Jayachandra; Murukeshan, Vadakke Matham

2015-12-18

Laser speckle pattern is a granular structure formed due to random coherent wavelet interference and generally considered as noise in optical systems including photolithography. Contrary to this, in this paper, we use the speckle pattern to generate predictable and controlled Gaussian random structures and quasi-random structures photo-lithographically. The random structures made using this proposed speckle lithography technique are quantified based on speckle statistics, radial distribution function (RDF) and fast Fourier transform (FFT). The control over the speckle size, density and speckle clustering facilitates the successful fabrication of black silicon with different surface structures. The controllability and tunability of randomness makes this technique a robust method for fabricating predictable 2D Gaussian random structures and black silicon structures. These structures can enhance the light trapping significantly in solar cells and hence enable improved energy harvesting. Further, this technique can enable efficient fabrication of disordered photonic structures and random media based devices.

Coherent backscattering of light by complex random media of spherical scatterers: numerical solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muinonen, Karri

2004-07-01

Novel Monte Carlo techniques are described for the computation of reflection coefficient matrices for multiple scattering of light in plane-parallel random media of spherical scatterers. The present multiple scattering theory is composed of coherent backscattering and radiative transfer. In the radiative transfer part, the Stokes parameters of light escaping from the medium are updated at each scattering process in predefined angles of emergence. The scattering directions at each process are randomized using probability densities for the polar and azimuthal scattering angles: the former angle is generated using the single-scattering phase function, whereafter the latter follows from Kepler's equation. For spherical scatterers in the Rayleigh regime, randomization proceeds semi-analytically whereas, beyond that regime, cubic spline presentation of the scattering matrix is used for numerical computations. In the coherent backscattering part, the reciprocity of electromagnetic waves in the backscattering direction allows the renormalization of the reversely propagating waves, whereafter the scattering characteristics are computed in other directions. High orders of scattering (~10 000) can be treated because of the peculiar polarization characteristics of the reverse wave: after a number of scatterings, the polarization state of the reverse wave becomes independent of that of the incident wave, that is, it becomes fully dictated by the scatterings at the end of the reverse path. The coherent backscattering part depends on the single-scattering albedo in a non-monotonous way, the most pronounced signatures showing up for absorbing scatterers. The numerical results compare favourably to the literature results for nonabsorbing spherical scatterers both in and beyond the Rayleigh regime.

Flies and humans share a motion estimation strategy that exploits natural scene statistics

PubMed Central

Clark, Damon A.; Fitzgerald, James E.; Ales, Justin M.; Gohl, Daryl M.; Silies, Marion A.; Norcia, Anthony M.; Clandinin, Thomas R.

2014-01-01

Sighted animals extract motion information from visual scenes by processing spatiotemporal patterns of light falling on the retina. The dominant models for motion estimation exploit intensity correlations only between pairs of points in space and time. Moving natural scenes, however, contain more complex correlations. Here we show that fly and human visual systems encode the combined direction and contrast polarity of moving edges using triple correlations that enhance motion estimation in natural environments. Both species extract triple correlations with neural substrates tuned for light or dark edges, and sensitivity to specific triple correlations is retained even as light and dark edge motion signals are combined. Thus, both species separately process light and dark image contrasts to capture motion signatures that can improve estimation accuracy. This striking convergence argues that statistical structures in natural scenes have profoundly affected visual processing, driving a common computational strategy over 500 million years of evolution. PMID:24390225

Spectral mismatch and solar simulator quality factor in advanced LED solar simulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherff, Maximilian L. D.; Nutter, Jason; Fuss-Kailuweit, Peter; Suthues, Jörn; Brammer, Torsten

2017-08-01

Solar cell simulators based on light emitting diodes (LED) have the potential to achieve a large potential market share in the next years. As advantages they can provide a short and long time stable spectrum, which fits very well to the global AM1.5g reference spectrum. This guarantees correct measurements during the flashes and throughout the light engines’ life span, respectively. Furthermore, a calibration with a solar cell type of different spectral response (SR) as well as the production of solar cells with varying SR in between two calibrations does not affect the correctness of the measurement result. A high quality 21 channel LED solar cell spectrum is compared to former study comprising a standard modified xenon spectrum light source. It is shown, that the spectrum of the 21-channel-LED light source performs best for all examined cases.

Losing the Dark: Public Outreach about Light Pollution and Its Mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins Petersen, Carolyn; Petersen, Mark C.; Walker, Constance E.; Kardel, W. Scott; International Dark Sky Association Education Committee

2015-01-01

Losing the Dark is a PSA video available for public outreach through fulldome theaters as well as conventional venues (classroom, lecture hall, YouTube, Vimeo). It was created by Loch Ness Productions for the International Dark Sky Association. It explains problems caused by light pollution, which targets astronomy, health, and the environment. Losing the Dark also suggests ways people can implement "wise lighting" practices to help mitigate light pollution. The video is available free of charge for outreach professionals in planetarium facilities (both fulldome and classical), science centers, classroom, and other outreach venues, and has been translated into 13 languages. It is available via download, USB key (at cost), and through online venues. This paper summarizes the program's outreach to more than a thousand fulldome theaters, nearly 100,000 views via four sites on Youtube and Vimeo,a number of presentations at other museum and classroom facilities, and shares some preliminary metrics and commentary from users.

Effects of smartphone use with and without blue light at night in healthy adults: A randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled comparison.

PubMed

Heo, Jung-Yoon; Kim, Kiwon; Fava, Maurizio; Mischoulon, David; Papakostas, George I; Kim, Min-Ji; Kim, Dong Jun; Chang, Kyung-Ah Judy; Oh, Yunhye; Yu, Bum-Hee; Jeon, Hong Jin

2017-04-01

Smartphones deliver light to users through Light Emitting Diode (LED) displays. Blue light is the most potent wavelength for sleep and mood. This study investigated the immediate effects of smartphone blue light LED on humans at night. We investigated changes in serum melatonin levels, cortisol levels, body temperature, and psychiatric measures with a randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled design of two 3-day admissions. Each subject played smartphone games with either conventional LED or suppressed blue light from 7:30 to 10:00PM (150 min). Then, they were readmitted and conducted the same procedure with the other type of smartphone. Serum melatonin levels were measured in 60-min intervals before, during and after use of the smartphones. Serum cortisol levels and body temperature were monitored every 120 min. The Profile of Mood States (POMS), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and auditory and visual Continuous Performance Tests (CPTs) were administered. Among the 22 participants who were each admitted twice, use of blue light smartphones was associated with significantly decreased sleepiness (Cohen's d = 0.49, Z = 43.50, p = 0.04) and confusion-bewilderment (Cohen's d = 0.53, Z = 39.00, p = 0.02), and increased commission error (Cohen's d = -0.59, t = -2.64, p = 0.02). Also, users of blue light smartphones experienced a longer time to reach dim light melatonin onset 50% (2.94 vs. 2.70 h) and had increases in body temperature, serum melatonin levels, and cortisol levels, although these changes were not statistically significant. Use of blue light LED smartphones at night may negatively influence sleep and commission errors, while it may not be enough to lead to significant changes in serum melatonin and cortisol levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of blue light-filtering intraocular lenses on the macula, contrast sensitivity, and color vision after a long-term follow-up.

PubMed

Kara-Junior, Newton; Espindola, Rodrigo F; Gomes, Beatriz A F; Ventura, Bruna; Smadja, David; Santhiago, Marcony R

2011-12-01

To evaluate the possible side effects and potential protection 5 years after implantation of an intraocular lens (IOL) with a blue-light filter (yellow tinted). Ophthalmology Department, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Prospective randomized clinical study. Patients with bilateral visually significant cataract randomly received an ultraviolet (UV) and blue light-filtering IOL (Acrysof Natural SN60AT) in 1 eye and an acrylic UV light-filtering only IOL (Acrysof SA60AT) in the fellow eye. The primary outcome measures were contrast sensitivity, color vision, and macular findings 5 years after surgery. The study enrolled 60 eyes of 30 patients. There were no significant clinical or optical coherence tomography findings in terms of age-related macular degeneration in any eye. There were no statistically significant differences in central macular thickness between the 2 IOL groups (P=.712). There were also no significant between-group differences under photopic or scotopic conditions at any spatial frequency studied. No statistically significant differences in the color discrimination test were found between the 2 IOL groups (P=.674). After 5 years, there were no significant differences in color perception, scotopic contrast sensitivity, or photopic contrast sensitivity between the blue light-filtering (yellow-tinted) IOL and the IOL with a UV-light filter only (untinted). The potential advantage of the tinted IOL in providing protection to macular cells remains unclear. Copyright © 2011 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Prospective, Randomized Crossover Study Comparing Direct Inspection by Light Microscopy versus Projected Images for Teaching of Hematopathology to Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Aaron M.; McPhail, Ellen D.; Rodriguez, Vilmarie; Schroeder, Georgene; Wolanskyj, Alexandra P.

2014-01-01

Instruction in hematopathology at Mayo Medical School has evolved from instructor-guided direct inspection under the light microscope (laboratory method), to photomicrographs of glass slides with classroom projection (projection method). These methods have not been compared directly to date. Forty-one second-year medical students participated in…

More Rapidly Rotating PMS M Dwarfs with Light Curves Suggestive of Orbiting Clouds of Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stauffer, John; Rebull, Luisa; David, Trevor J.; Jardine, Moira; Collier Cameron, Andrew; Cody, Ann Marie; Hillenbrand, Lynne A.; Barrado, David; van Eyken, Julian; Melis, Carl; Briceno, Cesar

2018-02-01

In a previous paper, using data from K2 Campaign 2, we identified 11 very low mass members of the ρ Oph and Upper Scorpius star-forming region as having periodic photometric variability and phased light curves showing multiple scallops or undulations. All of the stars with the “scallop-shell” light curve morphology are mid-to-late M dwarfs without evidence of active accretion and with photometric periods generally <1 day. Their phased light curves have too much structure to be attributed to non-axisymmetrically distributed photospheric spots and rotational modulation. We have now identified an additional eight probable members of the same star-forming region plus three stars in the Taurus star-forming region with this same light curve morphology and sharing the same period and spectral type range as the previous group. We describe the light curves of these new stars in detail and present their general physical characteristics. We also examine the properties of the overall set of stars in order to identify common features that might help elucidate the causes of their photometric variability.

Depressed light emission by symbiotic Vibrio fischeri of the sepiolid squid Euprymna scolopes.

PubMed

Boettcher, K J; Ruby, E G

1990-07-01

Bioluminescent marine bacteria of the species Vibrio fischeri are the specific light organ symbionts of the sepiolid squid Euprymna scolopes. Although they share morphological and physiological characteristics with other strains of V. fischeri, when cultured away from the light organ association the E. scolopes symbionts depress their maximal luminescence over 1,000-fold. The primary cause of this reduced luminescence is the underproduction by these bacteria of luciferase autoinducer, a molecule involved in the positive transcriptional regulation of the V. fischeri lux operon. Such an absence of visible light production outside of the symbiotic association has not been previously reported among light organ symbionts of this or any other species of luminous bacteria. Levels of luminescence approaching those of the E. scolopes bacteria in the intact association can be restored by the addition of exogenous autoinducer to bacteria in laboratory culture and are affected by the presence of cyclic AMP. We conclude that some condition(s) specific to the internal environment of the light organ is necessary for maximal autoinduction of luminescence in the symbionts of this squid-bacterial association.

Entanglement dynamics in random media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menezes, G.; Svaiter, N. F.; Zarro, C. A. D.

2017-12-01

We study how the entanglement dynamics between two-level atoms is impacted by random fluctuations of the light cone. In our model the two-atom system is envisaged as an open system coupled with an electromagnetic field in the vacuum state. We employ the quantum master equation in the Born-Markov approximation in order to describe the completely positive time evolution of the atomic system. We restrict our investigations to the situation in which the atoms are coupled individually to two spatially separated cavities, one of which displays the emergence of light-cone fluctuations. In such a disordered cavity, we assume that the coefficients of the Klein-Gordon equation are random functions of the spatial coordinates. The disordered medium is modeled by a centered, stationary, and Gaussian process. We demonstrate that disorder has the effect of slowing down the entanglement decay. We conjecture that in a strong-disorder environment the mean life of entangled states can be enhanced in such a way as to almost completely suppress quantum nonlocal decoherence.

Nonperturbative light-front Hamiltonian methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiller, J. R.

2016-09-01

We examine the current state-of-the-art in nonperturbative calculations done with Hamiltonians constructed in light-front quantization of various field theories. The language of light-front quantization is introduced, and important (numerical) techniques, such as Pauli-Villars regularization, discrete light-cone quantization, basis light-front quantization, the light-front coupled-cluster method, the renormalization group procedure for effective particles, sector-dependent renormalization, and the Lanczos diagonalization method, are surveyed. Specific applications are discussed for quenched scalar Yukawa theory, ϕ4 theory, ordinary Yukawa theory, supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory, quantum electrodynamics, and quantum chromodynamics. The content should serve as an introduction to these methods for anyone interested in doing such calculations and as a rallying point for those who wish to solve quantum chromodynamics in terms of wave functions rather than random samplings of Euclidean field configurations.

Studies in astronomical time series analysis: Modeling random processes in the time domain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scargle, J. D.

1979-01-01

Random process models phased in the time domain are used to analyze astrophysical time series data produced by random processes. A moving average (MA) model represents the data as a sequence of pulses occurring randomly in time, with random amplitudes. An autoregressive (AR) model represents the correlations in the process in terms of a linear function of past values. The best AR model is determined from sampled data and transformed to an MA for interpretation. The randomness of the pulse amplitudes is maximized by a FORTRAN algorithm which is relatively stable numerically. Results of test cases are given to study the effects of adding noise and of different distributions for the pulse amplitudes. A preliminary analysis of the optical light curve of the quasar 3C 273 is given.

Random errors in interferometry with the least-squares method

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

Wang Qi

2011-01-20

This investigation analyzes random errors in interferometric surface profilers using the least-squares method when random noises are present. Two types of random noise are considered here: intensity noise and position noise. Two formulas have been derived for estimating the standard deviations of the surface height measurements: one is for estimating the standard deviation when only intensity noise is present, and the other is for estimating the standard deviation when only position noise is present. Measurements on simulated noisy interferometric data have been performed, and standard deviations of the simulated measurements have been compared with those theoretically derived. The relationships havemore » also been discussed between random error and the wavelength of the light source and between random error and the amplitude of the interference fringe.« less

Continuous-Time Random Walk with multi-step memory: an application to market dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gubiec, Tomasz; Kutner, Ryszard

2017-11-01

An extended version of the Continuous-Time Random Walk (CTRW) model with memory is herein developed. This memory involves the dependence between arbitrary number of successive jumps of the process while waiting times between jumps are considered as i.i.d. random variables. This dependence was established analyzing empirical histograms for the stochastic process of a single share price on a market within the high frequency time scale. Then, it was justified theoretically by considering bid-ask bounce mechanism containing some delay characteristic for any double-auction market. Our model appeared exactly analytically solvable. Therefore, it enables a direct comparison of its predictions with their empirical counterparts, for instance, with empirical velocity autocorrelation function. Thus, the present research significantly extends capabilities of the CTRW formalism. Contribution to the Topical Issue "Continuous Time Random Walk Still Trendy: Fifty-year History, Current State and Outlook", edited by Ryszard Kutner and Jaume Masoliver.

KSC-99wl13

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-01-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Its newly grown, wispy feathers reflecting light like a halo, an unidentified baby bird waits, probably for its next meal, in its stick-assembled nest. The nest is in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with KSC. Hardwood hammocks and pine flatwoods share the 92,000-acre refuge with fresh-water impoundments, salt-water estuaries and brackish marshes. The diverse landscape provides habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles, including such endangered species as Southern bald eagles, wood storks, Florida scrub jays, Atlantic loggerhead and leatherback turtles, osprey, and nearly 5,000 alligators

Application of an extended random-phase approximation to giant resonances in light-, medium-, and heavy-mass nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tselyaev, V.; Lyutorovich, N.; Speth, J.; Krewald, S.; Reinhard, P.-G.

2016-09-01

We present results of the time blocking approximation (TBA) for giant resonances in light-, medium-, and heavy-mass nuclei. The TBA is an extension of the widely used random-phase approximation (RPA) adding complex configurations by coupling to phonon excitations. A new method for handling the single-particle continuum is developed and applied in the present calculations. We investigate in detail the dependence of the numerical results on the size of the single-particle space and the number of phonons as well as on nuclear matter properties. Our approach is self-consistent, based on an energy-density functional of Skyrme type where we used seven different parameter sets. The numerical results are compared with experimental data.

Underwater image enhancement through depth estimation based on random forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tai, Shen-Chuan; Tsai, Ting-Chou; Huang, Jyun-Han

2017-11-01

Light absorption and scattering in underwater environments can result in low-contrast images with a distinct color cast. This paper proposes a systematic framework for the enhancement of underwater images. Light transmission is estimated using the random forest algorithm. RGB values, luminance, color difference, blurriness, and the dark channel are treated as features in training and estimation. Transmission is calculated using an ensemble machine learning algorithm to deal with a variety of conditions encountered in underwater environments. A color compensation and contrast enhancement algorithm based on depth information was also developed with the aim of improving the visual quality of underwater images. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme outperforms existing methods with regard to subjective visual quality as well as objective measurements.

Image Sharing Technologies and Reduction of Imaging Utilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Vest, Joshua R; Jung, Hye-Young; Ostrovsky, Aaron; Das, Lala Tanmoy; McGinty, Geraldine B

2015-12-01

Image sharing technologies may reduce unneeded imaging by improving provider access to imaging information. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to summarize the impact of image sharing technologies on patient imaging utilization. Quantitative evaluations of the effects of PACS, regional image exchange networks, interoperable electronic heath records, tools for importing physical media, and health information exchange systems on utilization were identified through a systematic review of the published and gray English-language literature (2004-2014). Outcomes, standard effect sizes (ESs), settings, technology, populations, and risk of bias were abstracted from each study. The impact of image sharing technologies was summarized with random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression models. A total of 17 articles were included in the review, with a total of 42 different studies. Image sharing technology was associated with a significant decrease in repeat imaging (pooled effect size [ES] = -0.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [-0.25, -0.09]; P < .001). However, image sharing technology was associated with a significant increase in any imaging utilization (pooled ES = 0.20; 95% CI = [0.07, 0.32]; P = .002). For all outcomes combined, image sharing technology was not associated with utilization. Most studies were at risk for bias. Image sharing technology was associated with reductions in repeat and unnecessary imaging, in both the overall literature and the most-rigorous studies. Stronger evidence is needed to further explore the role of specific technologies and their potential impact on various modalities, patient populations, and settings. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Image Sharing Technologies and Reduction of Imaging Utilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Vest, Joshua R.; Jung, Hye-Young; Ostrovsky, Aaron; Das, Lala Tanmoy; McGinty, Geraldine B.

2016-01-01

Introduction Image sharing technologies may reduce unneeded imaging by improving provider access to imaging information. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to summarize the impact of image sharing technologies on patient imaging utilization. Methods Quantitative evaluations of the effects of PACS, regional image exchange networks, interoperable electronic heath records, tools for importing physical media, and health information exchange systems on utilization were identified through a systematic review of the published and gray English-language literature (2004–2014). Outcomes, standard effect sizes (ESs), settings, technology, populations, and risk of bias were abstracted from each study. The impact of image sharing technologies was summarized with random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression models. Results A total of 17 articles were included in the review, with a total of 42 different studies. Image sharing technology was associated with a significant decrease in repeat imaging (pooled effect size [ES] = −0.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [−0.25, −0.09]; P < .001). However, image sharing technology was associated with a significant increase in any imaging utilization (pooled ES = 0.20; 95% CI = [0.07, 0.32]; P = .002). For all outcomes combined, image sharing technology was not associated with utilization. Most studies were at risk for bias. Conclusions Image sharing technology was associated with reductions in repeat and unnecessary imaging, in both the overall literature and the most-rigorous studies. Stronger evidence is needed to further explore the role of specific technologies and their potential impact on various modalities, patient populations, and settings. PMID:26614882

Comparison of consumers’ views on electronic data sharing for healthcare and research

PubMed Central

Joseph, Jill G; Ohno-Machado, Lucila

2015-01-01

New models of healthcare delivery such as accountable care organizations and patient-centered medical homes seek to improve quality, access, and cost. They rely on a robust, secure technology infrastructure provided by health information exchanges (HIEs) and distributed research networks and the willingness of patients to share their data. There are few large, in-depth studies of US consumers’ views on privacy, security, and consent in electronic data sharing for healthcare and research together. Objective This paper addresses this gap, reporting on a survey which asks about California consumers’ views of data sharing for healthcare and research together. Materials and Methods The survey conducted was a representative, random-digit dial telephone survey of 800 Californians, performed in Spanish and English. Results There is a great deal of concern that HIEs will worsen privacy (40.3%) and security (42.5%). Consumers are in favor of electronic data sharing but elements of transparency are important: individual control, who has access, and the purpose for use of data. Respondents were more likely to agree to share deidentified information for research than to share identified information for healthcare (76.2% vs 57.3%, p < .001). Discussion While consumers show willingness to share health information electronically, they value individual control and privacy. Responsiveness to these needs, rather than mere reliance on Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), may improve support of data networks. Conclusion Responsiveness to the public’s concerns regarding their health information is a pre-requisite for patient-centeredness. This is one of the first in-depth studies of attitudes about electronic data sharing that compares attitudes of the same individual towards healthcare and research. PMID:25829461

Social network analysis of food sharing among households in opisthorchiasis endemic villages of Lawa Lake, Thailand.

PubMed

Phimpraphai, Waraphon; Tangkawattana, Sirikachorn; Sereerak, Piya; Kasemsuwan, Suwicha; Sripa, Banchob

2017-05-01

Consumption of raw fish is a well-documented risk factor for Opisthorchis viverrini infection. Sharing of food, especially raw fish recipes may influence the spread of disease through a community. Using social network analysis of an ego network, we investigated food sharing among households in an Opisthorchis-endemic area. Network centrality properties were used to explain the differences in O. viverrini transmission and control between villages with a low and high prevalence of infection. Information on demography and O. viverrini infection in 2008 from villagers in the Lawa Lake area was extracted from the Tropical Disease Research Center database. The two villages that had the lowest and the highest O. viverrini infection at the household level were recruited. Ten percent of households of each village were randomly sampled. Participatory epidemiology and face-to-face structured interviews guided by a social network questionnaire were used to collect data on livelihood, agricultural patterns, food sources, raw fish eating habits, and other food sharing during daily life and social gatherings. The number of contacts including in-degree and out-degree varied from 0 to 7 in the low-infection village and 0 to 4 in the high-infection village. The mean number of contacts for the food-sharing network among the low- and high-infection villages was 1.64 and 0.73 contacts per household, respectively. Between these villages, the mean number of out-degree (p=0.0125), but not in-degree (p=0.065), was significantly different. Food-sharing differed in numbers of sharing-in and sharing-out between the two villages. Network analysis of food sharing may be of value in designing strategies for opisthorchiasis control at the community level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A neural model of valuation and information virality

PubMed Central

Baek, Elisa C.; O’Donnell, Matthew Brook; Kim, Hyun Suk; Cappella, Joseph N.

2017-01-01

Information sharing is an integral part of human interaction that serves to build social relationships and affects attitudes and behaviors in individuals and large groups. We present a unifying neurocognitive framework of mechanisms underlying information sharing at scale (virality). We argue that expectations regarding self-related and social consequences of sharing (e.g., in the form of potential for self-enhancement or social approval) are integrated into a domain-general value signal that encodes the value of sharing a piece of information. This value signal translates into population-level virality. In two studies (n = 41 and 39 participants), we tested these hypotheses using functional neuroimaging. Neural activity in response to 80 New York Times articles was observed in theory-driven regions of interest associated with value, self, and social cognitions. This activity then was linked to objectively logged population-level data encompassing n = 117,611 internet shares of the articles. In both studies, activity in neural regions associated with self-related and social cognition was indirectly related to population-level sharing through increased neural activation in the brain's value system. Neural activity further predicted population-level outcomes over and above the variance explained by article characteristics and commonly used self-report measures of sharing intentions. This parsimonious framework may help advance theory, improve predictive models, and inform new approaches to effective intervention. More broadly, these data shed light on the core functions of sharing—to express ourselves in positive ways and to strengthen our social bonds. PMID:28242678

Chaetomium elatum (Kunze: Chaetomiaceae) as a root-colonizing fungus in avocado: is it a mutualist, cheater, commensalistic associate, or pathogen?

PubMed

Violi, Helen A; Menge, John A; Beaver, Robert J

2007-04-01

Plants support numerous root colonists that may share morphological characteristics with mycorrhizal fungi but may play different roles in the rhizosphere. To determine the function of one such root-colonizing fungus, Chaetomium elatum, the infectivity and composition of inoculum containing C. elatum were varied independently of and in association with the known mutualist Glomus intraradices under two light intensities. Maximum plant benefit occurred with mixtures of both G. intraradices and C. elatum and under high light intensity. Under low light intensity and in monoculture, C. elatum functioned as a weak pathogen that was able to kill host plants. Here, maximum plant mortality was associated with the highest levels of C. elatum infectivity. When G. intraradices was present, no negative impact of C. elatum was detected. Intraspecific interactions were important in predicting sporulation rates for both fungi, whereas no interspecific fungal interactions were detected. In the presence of G. intraradices, C. elatum appears to function as a "commensalistic associate," neither impacting plant growth nor sporulation by G. intraradices. Overall, C. elatum appears to be multifunctional, serving as both a rhizoplane and rhizophere fungus, opportunistically colonizing plant roots and only becoming pathogenic when resources are severely limited and intraspecific competition is high. This multifunctional strategy may be shared with other fungi that form similar structures in roots.

Acceptability and Feasibility of Sharing a Soapy Water System for Handwashing in a Low-Income Urban Community in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Sultana, Farhana; Unicomb, Leanne E; Nizame, Fosiul A; Dutta, Notan Chandra; Ram, Pavani K; Luby, Stephen P; Winch, Peter J

2018-06-11

Handwashing with soap at key times is an effective means of reducing pathogen transmission. In a low-income community in urban Dhaka, we piloted and evaluated the acceptability and feasibility of a shared handwashing intervention. This included promotion by community health promoters of a homemade solution of detergent powder mixed with water and stored in a 1.5-L reclaimed mineral water bottle. Community health promoters encouraged sharing of the recurrent detergent cost among compound members. Of 152 participating compounds, fieldworkers randomly selected 60 for qualitative assessment. Fieldworkers conducted 30 in-depth interviews and five focus group discussions among purposively selected compound members. The reclaimed bottles served as an easily accessible dispenser for the soapy water, which could feasibly be retained next to the toilet and kitchen areas for communal use. Bottles functioned as a positive reminder for handwashing at recommended key times. Most compounds (45/60, 75%) shared a common soapy water system and its associated costs. There was reluctance to prepare soapy water for shared use in the remaining 25%. Soapy water was an acceptable hand cleaning agent, with the bottle as a feasible dispenser. It was simple in design, cost-effective, replicable, popular with intervention recipient, and neighboring nonrecipients, and commonly shared among nonrelated households. The need to share expenses and product preparation served as a barrier. Developing a sustainable maintenance system, therefore, is critical to ensuring the public health benefits of handwashing with soap.

On the Concept of Random Orientation in Far-Field Electromagnetic Scattering by Nonspherical Particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mishchenko, Michael I.; Yurkin, Maxim A.

2017-01-01

Although the model of randomly oriented nonspherical particles has been used in a great variety of applications of far-field electromagnetic scattering, it has never been defined in strict mathematical terms. In this Letter we use the formalism of Euler rigid-body rotations to clarify the concept of statistically random particle orientations and derive its immediate corollaries in the form of most general mathematical properties of the orientation-averaged extinction and scattering matrices. Our results serve to provide a rigorous mathematical foundation for numerous publications in which the notion of randomly oriented particles and its light-scattering implications have been considered intuitively obvious.

Political Economy of Cost-Sharing in Higher Education: The Case of Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanaan, Taher H.; Al-Salamat, Mamdouh N.; Hanania, May D.

2011-01-01

This article analyzes patterns of expenditure on higher education in Jordan, explores the current system's adequacy, efficiency, and equity, and identifies its strengths and weaknesses in light of current constraints and future challenges. Among the constraints are the relatively low public expenditure on higher education, leaving households to…

Visual Hemispheric Specialization: A Computational Theory. Technical Report #7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosslyn, Stephen M.

Visual recognition, navigation, tracking, and imagery are posited to involve some of the same types of representations and processes. The first part of this paper develops a theory of some of the shared types of representations and processing modules. The theory is developed in light of neurophysiological and neuroanatomical data from non-human…

A Comparative Analysis of Wiki Discretionary Access Control in a CONOPS Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

always light at the end of the tunnel . Last but not less, the author would like to share the success of the completion of this thesis research...modern clients (e.g. Blackberries , iPhones, tactical digital assistants like the TACTICOMP), wikis do not require extensive user training or loading of

The Role of Angular Momentum in the Construction of Electromagnetic Multipolar Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tischler, Nora; Zambrana-Puyalto, Xavier; Molina-Terriza, Gabriel

2012-01-01

Multipolar solutions of Maxwell's equations are used in many practical applications and are essential for the understanding of light-matter interactions at the fundamental level. Unlike the set of plane wave solutions of electromagnetic fields, the multipolar solutions do not share a standard derivation or notation. As a result, expressions…

Data Collection during the Great American Eclipse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernier, Dave

2017-01-01

In this article Dave Vernier describes how he turned the total eclipse on August 21, 2017 into a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) lesson by taking data. He asked teachers and former teachers to join in collecting data and to share it. The most frequently monitored parameters were illuminance (a measure of light brightness as…

Quantifying targets to manage invasion risk: light gradients dominate the early regeneration niche of naturalized and pre-commercial Miscanthus populations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Prospective bioenergy crops have caused concern about their invasive potential because they often share characteristics with known invasive species. Studies that examine the factors that limit regeneration of these crop species will be crucial for identifying vulnerable habitats and devising managem...

Lu and Duque in Destiny laboratory with musical keyboard

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-10-26

ISS007-E-18044 (26 October 2003) --- Astronaut Edward T. Lu (at musical keyboard), Expedition 7 NASA ISS science officer and flight engineer, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain share a light moment during off-shift time in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).

De los Derechos Humanos: Reimagining Civics in Bilingual & Bicultural Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Melissa Leigh

2017-01-01

Dominant approaches to teaching social studies often marginalize bilingual and bicultural students. This is particularly troubling because the explicit goal of the social studies is to cultivate civic participation. Educational inequalities are thus tied to political inequalities. In light of this, this article shares a narrative case study of the…

Deporting Elena's Father

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tempel, Melissa Bollow

2010-01-01

As a bilingual teacher in Milwaukee Public Schools, this author has seen many students deal with deportation. In this article, she shares a story of Elena, whose father was deported, that casts light on a growing crisis. She is using Elena as an example because this is "not" a unique story. It has many similarities to the experiences of…

Shared Challenges in Object Perception for Robots and Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzpatrick, Paul; Needham, Amy; Natale, Lorenzo; Metta, Giorgio

2008-01-01

Robots and humans receive partial, fragmentary hints about the world's state through their respective sensors. These hints--tiny patches of light intensity, frequency components of sound, etc.--are far removed from the world of objects which we feel and perceive so effortlessly around us. The study of infant development and the construction of…

Smooth Optical Self-similar Emission of Gamma-Ray Bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipunov, Vladimir; Simakov, Sergey; Gorbovskoy, Evgeny; Vlasenko, Daniil

2017-08-01

We offer a new type of calibration for gamma-ray bursts (GRB), in which some class of GRB can be marked and share a common behavior. We name this behavior Smooth Optical Self-similar Emission (SOS-similar Emission) and identify this subclasses of GRBs with optical light curves described by a universal scaling function.

Social Technologies for Online Learning: Theoretical and Contextual Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kear, Karen; Jones, Allan; Holden, Georgina; Curcher, Mark

2016-01-01

Three exemplars are presented of social technologies deployed in educational contexts: wikis; a photo-sharing environment; and a social bookmarking tool. Students were found to engage with the technologies selectively, sometimes rejecting them, in the light of their prior conceptions of education. Some students (a minority in all the studies) were…

CGRP and Migraine: Could PACAP Play a Role Too?

PubMed Central

Kaiser, Eric A.; Russo, Andrew F.

2013-01-01

Migraine is a debilitating neurological disorder that affects about 12% of the population. In the past decade, the role of the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in migraine has been firmly established by clinical studies. CGRP administration can trigger migraines, and CGRP receptor antagonists ameliorate migraine. In this review, we will describe multifunctional activities of CGRP that could potentially contribute to migraine. These include roles in light aversion, neurogenic inflammation, peripheral and central sensitization of nociceptive pathways, cortical spreading depression, and regulation of nitric oxide production. Yet clearly there will be many other contributing genes that could act in concert with CGRP. One candidate is pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP), which shares some of the same actions as CGRP, including the ability to induce migraine in migraineurs and light aversive behavior in rodents. Interestingly, both CGRP and PACAP act on receptors that share an accessory subunit called receptor activity modifying protein-1 (RAMP1). Thus, comparisons between the actions of these two migraine-inducing neuropeptides, CGRP and PACAP, may provide new insights into migraine pathophysiology. PMID:24210136

Occulting Light Concentrators in Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buizza Avanzini, Margherita; Cabrera, Anatael; Dusini, Stefano; Grassi, Marco; He, Miao; Wu, Wenjie

2017-09-01

The experimental efforts characterizing the era of precision neutrino physics revolve around collecting high-statistics neutrino samples and attaining an excellent energy and position resolution. Next generation liquid-based neutrino detectors, such as JUNO, HyperKamiokande, etc, share the use of a large target mass, and the need of pushing light collection to the edge for maximal calorimetric information. Achieving high light collection implies considerable costs, especially when considering detector masses of several kt. A traditional strategy to maximize the effective photo-coverage with the minimum number of PMTs relies on Light Concentrators (LC), such as Winston Cones. In this paper, the authors introduce a novel concept called Occulting Light Concentrators (OLC), whereby a traditional LC gets tailored to a conventional PMT, by taking into account its single-photoelectron collection efficiency profile and thus occulting the worst performing portion of the photocathode. Thus, the OLC shape optimization takes into account not only the optical interface of the PMT, but also the maximization of the PMT detection performances. The light collection uniformity across the detector is another advantage of the OLC system. By considering the case of JUNO, we will show OLC capabilities in terms of light collection and energy resolution.

Inducible in vivo DNA footprints define sequences necessary for UV light activation of the parsley chalcone synthase gene.

PubMed Central

Schulze-Lefert, P; Dangl, J L; Becker-André, M; Hahlbrock, K; Schulz, W

1989-01-01

We began characterization of the protein--DNA interactions necessary for UV light induced transcriptional activation of the gene encoding chalcone synthase (CHS), a key plant defense enzyme. Three light dependent in vivo footprints appear on a 90 bp stretch of the CHS promoter with a time course correlated with the onset of CHS transcription. We define a minimal light responsive promoter by functional analysis of truncated CHS promoter fusions with a reporter gene in transient expression experiments in parsley protoplasts. Two of the three footprinted sequence 'boxes' reside within the minimal promoter. Replacement of 10 bp within either of these 'boxes' leads to complete loss of light responsiveness. We conclude that these sequences define the necessary cis elements of the minimal CHS promoter's light responsive element. One of the functionally defined 'boxes' is homologous to an element implicated in regulation of genes involved in photosynthesis. These data represent the first example in a plant defense gene of an induced change in protein--DNA contacts necessary for transcriptional activation. Also, our data argue strongly that divergent light induced biosynthetic pathways share common regulatory units. Images PMID:2566481

Optimization of Light-Harvesting Pigment Improves Photosynthetic Efficiency.

PubMed

Jin, Honglei; Li, Mengshu; Duan, Sujuan; Fu, Mei; Dong, Xiaoxiao; Liu, Bing; Feng, Dongru; Wang, Jinfa; Wang, Hong-Bin

2016-11-01

Maximizing light capture by light-harvesting pigment optimization represents an attractive but challenging strategy to improve photosynthetic efficiency. Here, we report that loss of a previously uncharacterized gene, HIGH PHOTOSYNTHETIC EFFICIENCY1 (HPE1), optimizes light-harvesting pigments, leading to improved photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) hpe1 mutants show faster electron transport and increased contents of carbohydrates. HPE1 encodes a chloroplast protein containing an RNA recognition motif that directly associates with and regulates the splicing of target RNAs of plastid genes. HPE1 also interacts with other plastid RNA-splicing factors, including CAF1 and OTP51, which share common targets with HPE1. Deficiency of HPE1 alters the expression of nucleus-encoded chlorophyll-related genes, probably through plastid-to-nucleus signaling, causing decreased total content of chlorophyll (a+b) in a limited range but increased chlorophyll a/b ratio. Interestingly, this adjustment of light-harvesting pigment reduces antenna size, improves light capture, decreases energy loss, mitigates photodamage, and enhances photosynthetic quantum yield during photosynthesis. Our findings suggest a novel strategy to optimize light-harvesting pigments that improves photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production in higher plants. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Optimization of Light-Harvesting Pigment Improves Photosynthetic Efficiency1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Jin, Honglei; Li, Mengshu; Duan, Sujuan; Fu, Mei; Dong, Xiaoxiao; Feng, Dongru; Wang, Jinfa

2016-01-01

Maximizing light capture by light-harvesting pigment optimization represents an attractive but challenging strategy to improve photosynthetic efficiency. Here, we report that loss of a previously uncharacterized gene, HIGH PHOTOSYNTHETIC EFFICIENCY1 (HPE1), optimizes light-harvesting pigments, leading to improved photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) hpe1 mutants show faster electron transport and increased contents of carbohydrates. HPE1 encodes a chloroplast protein containing an RNA recognition motif that directly associates with and regulates the splicing of target RNAs of plastid genes. HPE1 also interacts with other plastid RNA-splicing factors, including CAF1 and OTP51, which share common targets with HPE1. Deficiency of HPE1 alters the expression of nucleus-encoded chlorophyll-related genes, probably through plastid-to-nucleus signaling, causing decreased total content of chlorophyll (a+b) in a limited range but increased chlorophyll a/b ratio. Interestingly, this adjustment of light-harvesting pigment reduces antenna size, improves light capture, decreases energy loss, mitigates photodamage, and enhances photosynthetic quantum yield during photosynthesis. Our findings suggest a novel strategy to optimize light-harvesting pigments that improves photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production in higher plants. PMID:27609860

Pain as social glue: shared pain increases cooperation.

PubMed

Bastian, Brock; Jetten, Jolanda; Ferris, Laura J

2014-11-01

Even though painful experiences are employed within social rituals across the world, little is known about the social effects of pain. We examined the possibility that painful experiences can promote cooperation within social groups. In Experiments 1 and 2, we induced pain by asking some participants to insert their hands in ice water and to perform leg squats. In Experiment 3, we induced pain by asking some participants to eat a hot chili pepper. Participants performed these tasks in small groups. We found evidence for a causal link: Sharing painful experiences with other people, compared with a no-pain control treatment, promoted trusting interpersonal relationships by increasing perceived bonding among strangers (Experiment 1) and increased cooperation in an economic game (Experiments 2 and 3). Our findings shed light on the social effects of pain, demonstrating that shared pain may be an important trigger for group formation. © The Author(s) 2014.

Continuing Caritas Journey-Reflections Upon a Shared Private Pilgrimage.

PubMed

Watson, Jean

2014-09-01

This manuscript is a continuing saga of an earlier walking pilgrimage (El Camino in northern Spain): now a journey to Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet, this time with others instead of alone. As I journeyed in close company with five others we experienced and expressed surprises about our selves and each other-our shared vulnerability, tolerance, and humility-uncovering lessons in living Caritas. As I trekked through these inner and outer adventures, Bhutan was discovered as a light of hope-a living metaphor of a people and a culture that hold and practice Caritas principles of loving-kindness, compassion, and equanimity for all sentient beings. Bhutan, a small country bordered by China and India, the only country in the world with a gross national happiness index and shared Caritas consciousness of oneness and connectedness of all, serves as a sacred path for humanity-a geographic Bodhisattva. © The Author(s) 2014.

The social networks: new challenge or new addiction?

PubMed

Colucci, Annalisa

2016-09-01

The reality of Social networks provides a fascinating and enhancing opportunity to understand the issues and life dynamics of generations of pre-adolescents and adolescents; This study has matured over three years of work in the schools of Campania (southern Italy), observing all the provinces, with a predominance of those of the Neapolitan territory. It has been found that the language of the boys finds its maximal expression in using social media to share, exhibit, and tell their experience of living every day their daily lives, with a high probability of encountering very interesting pitfalls and dangers... because they are "children" of a period when to exhibit themselves is in accordance with current fashion. These dangers and pitfalls are amplified by simply sharing, and sharing this work with professionals has helped to better monitor some contexts and difficulties which have emerged with difficulty and have helped to shed light on more specific and authentic issues regarding this reality.

SN 1991bg - A type Ia supernova with a difference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leibundgut, Bruno; Kirshner, Robert P.; Phillips, Mark M.; Wells, Lisa A.; Suntzeff, N. B.; Hamuy, Mario; Schommer, R. A.; Walker, A. R.; Gonzalez, L.; Ugarte, P.

1993-01-01

While SN 1991bg is an unusual type Ia SN in such a feature as the brief duration of the photospheric phase, which ended only two weeks after maximum, it shares with other Ia SNs strong Si II and Ca II lines near maximum light. In addition, the light and color curve slopes are almost identical with the templates at late times. The spectral evolution of SN 1991bg is also unique but not unrecognizable; nevertheless, the peculiarities associated with this event complicate the fundamental question as to whether the Ia SNs make good standard candles.

Instrumentation in Diffuse Optical Imaging

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiaofeng

2014-01-01

Diffuse optical imaging is highly versatile and has a very broad range of applications in biology and medicine. It covers diffuse optical tomography, fluorescence diffuse optical tomography, bioluminescence, and a number of other new imaging methods. These methods of diffuse optical imaging have diversified instrument configurations but share the same core physical principle – light propagation in highly diffusive media, i.e., the biological tissue. In this review, the author summarizes the latest development in instrumentation and methodology available to diffuse optical imaging in terms of system architecture, light source, photo-detection, spectral separation, signal modulation, and lastly imaging contrast. PMID:24860804

"Project ACTS": An Intervention to Increase Organ and Tissue Donation Intentions among African Americans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arriola, Kimberly; Robinson, Dana H.; Thompson, Nancy J.; Perryman, Jennie P.

2010-01-01

This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of "Project ACTS: About Choices in Transplantation and Sharing," which was developed to increase readiness for organ and tissue donation among African American adults. Nine churches (N = 425 participants) were randomly assigned to receive donation education materials currently available to consumers…

Unexpected Effects of a System-Distributed Mobile Application in Maternity Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledford, Christy J. W.; Womack, Jasmyne J.; Rider, Heather A.; Seehusen, Angela B.; Conner, Stephen J.; Lauters, Rebecca A.; Hodge, Joshua A.

2018-01-01

Background: As pregnant mothers increasingly engage in shared decision making regarding prenatal decisions, such as induction of labor, the patient's level of activation may influence pregnancy outcomes. One potential tool to increase patient activation in the clinical setting is mobile applications. However, research is limited in comparing…

NON-RANDOM CELL KILLING IN CRYOPRESERVATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR PERFORMANCE OF THE BATTERY OF LEUKOCYTE TESTS (BLT) - I. TOXIC AND IMMUNOTOXIC EFFECTS

EPA Science Inventory

To eliminate between-tests error in longitudinal studies, for specimen sharing, convenient scheduling, etc., it is necessary to freeze freshly separated leukocytes as well as non-transformed, continuous T lymphocyte (CTL) lines. o test the efficacy of a programmable reezer (tempe...

Parallelization of KENO-Va Monte Carlo code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramón, Javier; Peña, Jorge

1995-07-01

KENO-Va is a code integrated within the SCALE system developed by Oak Ridge that solves the transport equation through the Monte Carlo Method. It is being used at the Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (CSN) to perform criticality calculations for fuel storage pools and shipping casks. Two parallel versions of the code: one for shared memory machines and other for distributed memory systems using the message-passing interface PVM have been generated. In both versions the neutrons of each generation are tracked in parallel. In order to preserve the reproducibility of the results in both versions, advanced seeds for random numbers were used. The CONVEX C3440 with four processors and shared memory at CSN was used to implement the shared memory version. A FDDI network of 6 HP9000/735 was employed to implement the message-passing version using proprietary PVM. The speedup obtained was 3.6 in both cases.

Protecting Privacy of Shared Epidemiologic Data without Compromising Analysis Potential

DOE PAGES

Cologne, John; Grant, Eric J.; Nakashima, Eiji; ...

2012-01-01

Objective . Ensuring privacy of research subjects when epidemiologic data are shared with outside collaborators involves masking (modifying) the data, but overmasking can compromise utility (analysis potential). Methods of statistical disclosure control for protecting privacy may be impractical for individual researchers involved in small-scale collaborations. Methods . We investigated a simple approach based on measures of disclosure risk and analytical utility that are straightforward for epidemiologic researchers to derive. The method is illustrated using data from the Japanese Atomic-bomb Survivor population. Results . Masking by modest rounding did not adequately enhance security but rounding to remove several digits of relativemore » accuracy effectively reduced the risk of identification without substantially reducing utility. Grouping or adding random noise led to noticeable bias. Conclusions . When sharing epidemiologic data, it is recommended that masking be performed using rounding. Specific treatment should be determined separately in individual situations after consideration of the disclosure risks and analysis needs.« less

Protecting Privacy of Shared Epidemiologic Data without Compromising Analysis Potential

PubMed Central

Cologne, John; Grant, Eric J.; Nakashima, Eiji; Chen, Yun; Funamoto, Sachiyo; Katayama, Hiroaki

2012-01-01

Objective. Ensuring privacy of research subjects when epidemiologic data are shared with outside collaborators involves masking (modifying) the data, but overmasking can compromise utility (analysis potential). Methods of statistical disclosure control for protecting privacy may be impractical for individual researchers involved in small-scale collaborations. Methods. We investigated a simple approach based on measures of disclosure risk and analytical utility that are straightforward for epidemiologic researchers to derive. The method is illustrated using data from the Japanese Atomic-bomb Survivor population. Results. Masking by modest rounding did not adequately enhance security but rounding to remove several digits of relative accuracy effectively reduced the risk of identification without substantially reducing utility. Grouping or adding random noise led to noticeable bias. Conclusions. When sharing epidemiologic data, it is recommended that masking be performed using rounding. Specific treatment should be determined separately in individual situations after consideration of the disclosure risks and analysis needs. PMID:22505949

Protecting privacy of shared epidemiologic data without compromising analysis potential.

PubMed

Cologne, John; Grant, Eric J; Nakashima, Eiji; Chen, Yun; Funamoto, Sachiyo; Katayama, Hiroaki

2012-01-01

Ensuring privacy of research subjects when epidemiologic data are shared with outside collaborators involves masking (modifying) the data, but overmasking can compromise utility (analysis potential). Methods of statistical disclosure control for protecting privacy may be impractical for individual researchers involved in small-scale collaborations. We investigated a simple approach based on measures of disclosure risk and analytical utility that are straightforward for epidemiologic researchers to derive. The method is illustrated using data from the Japanese Atomic-bomb Survivor population. Masking by modest rounding did not adequately enhance security but rounding to remove several digits of relative accuracy effectively reduced the risk of identification without substantially reducing utility. Grouping or adding random noise led to noticeable bias. When sharing epidemiologic data, it is recommended that masking be performed using rounding. Specific treatment should be determined separately in individual situations after consideration of the disclosure risks and analysis needs.

Backward jump continuous-time random walk: An application to market trading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gubiec, Tomasz; Kutner, Ryszard

2010-10-01

The backward jump modification of the continuous-time random walk model or the version of the model driven by the negative feedback was herein derived for spatiotemporal continuum in the context of a share price evolution on a stock exchange. In the frame of the model, we described stochastic evolution of a typical share price on a stock exchange with a moderate liquidity within a high-frequency time scale. The model was validated by satisfactory agreement of the theoretical velocity autocorrelation function with its empirical counterpart obtained for the continuous quotation. This agreement is mainly a result of a sharp backward correlation found and considered in this article. This correlation is a reminiscence of such a bid-ask bounce phenomenon where backward price jump has the same or almost the same length as preceding jump. We suggested that this correlation dominated the dynamics of the stock market with moderate liquidity. Although assumptions of the model were inspired by the market high-frequency empirical data, its potential applications extend beyond the financial market, for instance, to the field covered by the Le Chatelier-Braun principle of contrariness.

Preparing beginning reading teachers: An experimental comparison of initial early literacy field experiences.

PubMed

Al Otaiba, Stephanie; Lake, Vickie E; Greulich, Luana; Folsom, Jessica S; Guidry, Lisa

2012-01-01

This randomized-control trial examined the learning of preservice teachers taking an initial Early Literacy course in an early childhood education program and of the kindergarten or first grade students they tutored in their field experience. Preservice teachers were randomly assigned to one of two tutoring programs: Book Buddies and Tutor Assisted Intensive Learning Strategies (TAILS), which provided identical meaning-focused instruction (shared book reading), but differed in the presentation of code-focused skills. TAILS used explicit, scripted lessons, and the Book Buddies required that code-focused instruction take place during shared book reading. Our research goal was to understand which tutoring program would be most effective in improving knowledge about reading, lead to broad and deep language and preparedness of the novice preservice teachers, and yield the most successful student reading outcomes. Findings indicate that all pre-service teachers demonstrated similar gains in knowledge, but preservice teachers in the TAILS program demonstrated broader and deeper application of knowledge and higher self-ratings of preparedness to teach reading. Students in both conditions made similar comprehension gains, but students tutored with TAILS showed significantly stronger decoding gains.

Is Attention Shared Between the Ears?1

PubMed Central

Shiffrin, Richard M.; Pisoni, David B.; Castaneda-Mendez, Kicab

2012-01-01

This study tests the locus of attention during selective listening for speech-like stimuli. Can processing be differentially allocated to the two ears? Two conditions were used. The simultaneous condition involved one of four randomly chosen stop-consonants being presented to one of the ears chosen at random. The sequential condition involved two intervals; in the first S listened to the right ear; in the second S listened to the left ear. One of the four consonants was presented to an attended ear during one of these intervals. Experiment I used no distracting stimuli. Experiment II utilized a distracting consonant not confusable with any of the four target consonants. This distractor was always presented to any ear not containing a target. In both experiments, simultaneous and sequential performance were essentially identical, despite the need for attention sharing between the two ears during the simultaneous condition. We conclude that selective attention does not occur during perceptual processing of speech sounds presented to the two ears. We suggest that attentive effects arise in short-term memory following processing. PMID:23226838

Do nonexercisers also share the positive exerciser stereotype?: An elicitation and comparison of beliefs about exercisers.

PubMed

Rodgers, Wendy M; Hall, Craig R; Wilson, Philip M; Berry, Tanya R

2009-02-01

The purpose of this research was to examine whether exercisers and nonexercisers are rated similarly on a variety of characteristics by a sample of randomly selected regular exercisers, nonexercisers who intend to exercise, and nonexercisers with no intention to exercise. Previous research by Martin Ginis et al. (2003) has demonstrated an exerciser stereotype that advantages exercisers. It is unknown, however, the extent to which an exerciser stereotype is shared by nonexercisers, particularly nonintenders. Following an item-generation procedure, a sample of 470 (n=218 men; n=252 women) people selected using random digit dialing responded to a questionnaire assessing the extent to which they agreed that exercisers and nonexercisers possessed 24 characteristics, such as "happy," "fit," "fat," and "lazy." The results strongly support a positive exerciser bias, with exercisers rated more favorably on 22 of the 24 items. The degree of bias was equivalent in all groups of respondents. Examination of the demographic characteristics revealed no differences among the three groups on age, work status, or child-care responsibilities, suggesting that there is a pervasive positive exerciser bias.

Backward jump continuous-time random walk: an application to market trading.

PubMed

Gubiec, Tomasz; Kutner, Ryszard

2010-10-01

The backward jump modification of the continuous-time random walk model or the version of the model driven by the negative feedback was herein derived for spatiotemporal continuum in the context of a share price evolution on a stock exchange. In the frame of the model, we described stochastic evolution of a typical share price on a stock exchange with a moderate liquidity within a high-frequency time scale. The model was validated by satisfactory agreement of the theoretical velocity autocorrelation function with its empirical counterpart obtained for the continuous quotation. This agreement is mainly a result of a sharp backward correlation found and considered in this article. This correlation is a reminiscence of such a bid-ask bounce phenomenon where backward price jump has the same or almost the same length as preceding jump. We suggested that this correlation dominated the dynamics of the stock market with moderate liquidity. Although assumptions of the model were inspired by the market high-frequency empirical data, its potential applications extend beyond the financial market, for instance, to the field covered by the Le Chatelier-Braun principle of contrariness.

Fractal attractors in economic growth models with random pollution externalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Torre, Davide; Marsiglio, Simone; Privileggi, Fabio

2018-05-01

We analyze a discrete time two-sector economic growth model where the production technologies in the final and human capital sectors are affected by random shocks both directly (via productivity and factor shares) and indirectly (via a pollution externality). We determine the optimal dynamics in the decentralized economy and show how these dynamics can be described in terms of a two-dimensional affine iterated function system with probability. This allows us to identify a suitable parameter configuration capable of generating exactly the classical Barnsley's fern as the attractor of the log-linearized optimal dynamical system.

Paraprotein-Related Kidney Disease: Evaluation and Treatment of Myeloma Cast Nephropathy.

PubMed

Finkel, Kevin W; Cohen, Eric P; Shirali, Anushree; Abudayyeh, Ala

2016-12-07

Nearly 50% of patients with multiple myeloma develop renal disease, most commonly from AKI caused by cast nephropathy. Development of AKI is associated with poor 1-year survival and reduces the therapeutic options available to patients. There is a great need for more effective therapies. Cast nephropathy is caused by the interaction and aggregation of filtered free light chains and Tamm-Horsfall protein causing intratubular obstruction and damage. The key to treating cast nephropathy is rapid lowering of free light chains, because this correlates with renal recovery. Newer chemotherapy agents rapidly lower free light chains and have been referred to as renoprotective. There is additional great interest in using extracorporeal therapies to remove serum free light chains. Small trials initially showed benefit of therapeutic plasma exchange to improve renal outcomes in cast nephropathy, but a large randomized trial of therapeutic plasma exchange failed to show benefit. A newer technique is extended high-cutoff hemodialysis. This modality uses a high molecular weight cutoff filter to remove free light chains. To date, trials of high-cutoff hemodialysis use in patients with cast nephropathy have been encouraging. However, there are no randomized trials showing the benefit of high-cutoff hemodialysis when used in addition to newer chemotherapeutic regimens. Until these studies are available, high-cutoff hemodialysis cannot be recommended as standard of care. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

The effect of massage on immune function and stress in women with breast cancer--a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Billhult, A; Lindholm, C; Gunnarsson, Ronny; Stener-Victorin, E

2009-10-05

To examine the short-term effects of light pressure effleurage on circulating lymphocytes by studying the number and activity of peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells in patients with breast cancer compared to a control group. Furthermore, the effect of light pressure effleurage on salivary cortisol levels, heart rate and blood pressure was studied. Single centre, prospective, randomized and controlled study. Thirty women, aged 50 to 75 years (mean 61 sd=7.2) with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy in a hospital in southwestern Sweden were enrolled in the study. They were allocated to either receive massage in the form of a full-body light pressure effleurage treatment, or a control visit where they were given an equal amount of attention. Blood samples, saliva, notation of heart rate and blood pressure were collected before and after massage/control visit. Differences in change over time between groups were analyzed by Student's t-test. Light pressure effleurage massage decreased the deterioration of NK cell activity occurring during radiation therapy. Furthermore it lowered heart rate and systolic blood pressure. No effects were demonstrated on cortisol and diastolic pressure. A single full-body light pressure effleurage massage has a short-term effect on NK cell activity, systolic blood pressure and heart rate in patients with breast cancer. However, the long-term clinical importance of these findings needs to be further investigated.

Three-dimensional scanning near field optical microscopy (3D-SNOM) imaging of random arrays of copper nanoparticles: implications for plasmonic solar cell enhancement.

PubMed

Ezugwu, Sabastine; Ye, Hanyang; Fanchini, Giovanni

2015-01-07

In order to investigate the suitability of random arrays of nanoparticles for plasmonic enhancement in the visible-near infrared range, we introduced three-dimensional scanning near-field optical microscopy (3D-SNOM) imaging as a useful technique to probe the intensity of near-field radiation scattered by random systems of nanoparticles at heights up to several hundred nm from their surface. We demonstrated our technique using random arrays of copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) at different particle diameter and concentration. Bright regions in the 3D-SNOM images, corresponding to constructive interference of forward-scattered plasmonic waves, were obtained at heights Δz ≥ 220 nm from the surface for random arrays of Cu-NPs of ∼ 60-100 nm in diameter. These heights are too large to use Cu-NPs in contact of the active layer for light harvesting in thin organic solar cells, which are typically no thicker than 200 nm. Using a 200 nm transparent spacer between the system of Cu-NPs and the solar cell active layer, we demonstrate that forward-scattered light can be conveyed in 200 nm thin film solar cells. This architecture increases the solar cell photoconversion efficiency by a factor of 3. Our 3D-SNOM technique is general enough to be suitable for a large number of other applications in nanoplasmonics.

Information processing in echo state networks at the edge of chaos.

PubMed

Boedecker, Joschka; Obst, Oliver; Lizier, Joseph T; Mayer, N Michael; Asada, Minoru

2012-09-01

We investigate information processing in randomly connected recurrent neural networks. It has been shown previously that the computational capabilities of these networks are maximized when the recurrent layer is close to the border between a stable and an unstable dynamics regime, the so called edge of chaos. The reasons, however, for this maximized performance are not completely understood. We adopt an information-theoretical framework and are for the first time able to quantify the computational capabilities between elements of these networks directly as they undergo the phase transition to chaos. Specifically, we present evidence that both information transfer and storage in the recurrent layer are maximized close to this phase transition, providing an explanation for why guiding the recurrent layer toward the edge of chaos is computationally useful. As a consequence, our study suggests self-organized ways of improving performance in recurrent neural networks, driven by input data. Moreover, the networks we study share important features with biological systems such as feedback connections and online computation on input streams. A key example is the cerebral cortex, which was shown to also operate close to the edge of chaos. Consequently, the behavior of model systems as studied here is likely to shed light on reasons why biological systems are tuned into this specific regime.

Cytochemical analysis of alkaline phosphatase and esterase activities and of lectin-binding and anionic sites in rat and mouse Peyer's patch M cells.

PubMed

Owen, R L; Bhalla, D K

1983-10-01

M cells in Peyer's patch follicle epithelium endocytose and transport luminal materials to intraepithelial lymphocytes. We examined (1) enzymatic characteristics of the epithelium covering mouse and rat Peyer's patches by using cytochemical techniques, (2) distribution of lectin-binding sites by peroxidase-labeled lectins, and (3) anionic site distribution by using cationized ferritin to develop a profile of M cell surface properties. Alkaline phosphatase activity resulted in deposits of dense reaction product over follicle surfaces but was markedly reduced over M cells, unlike esterase which formed equivalent or greater product over M cells. Concanavalin A, ricinus communis agglutinin, wheat germ agglutinin and peanut agglutinin reacted equally with M cells and with surrounding enterocytes over follicle surfaces. Cationized ferritin distributed in a random fashion along microvillus membranes of both M cells and enterocytes, indicating equivalent anionic site distribution. Staining for alkaline phosphatase activity provides a new approach for distinguishing M cells from enterocytes at the light microscopic level. Identical binding of lectins indicates that M cells and enterocytes share common glycoconjugates even though molecular groupings may differ. Lectin binding and anionic charge similarities of M cells and enterocytes may facilitate antigen sampling by M cells of particles and compounds that adhere to intestinal surfaces in non-Peyer's patch areas.

Participants' recall and understanding of genomic research and large-scale data sharing.

PubMed

Robinson, Jill Oliver; Slashinski, Melody J; Wang, Tao; Hilsenbeck, Susan G; McGuire, Amy L

2013-10-01

As genomic researchers are urged to openly share generated sequence data with other researchers, it is important to examine the utility of informed consent documents and processes, particularly as these relate to participants' engagement with and recall of the information presented to them, their objective or subjective understanding of the key elements of genomic research (e.g., data sharing), as well as how these factors influence or mediate the decisions they make. We conducted a randomized trial of three experimental informed consent documents (ICDs) with participants (n = 229) being recruited to genomic research studies; each document afforded varying control over breadth of release of genetic information. Recall and understanding, their impact on data sharing decisions, and comfort in decision making were assessed in a follow-up structured interview. Over 25% did not remember signing an ICD to participate in a genomic study, and the majority (54%) could not correctly identify with whom they had agreed to share their genomic data. However, participants felt that they understood enough to make an informed decision, and lack of recall did not impact final data sharing decisions or satisfaction with participation. These findings raise questions about the types of information participants need in order to provide valid informed consent, and whether subjective understanding and comfort with decision making are sufficient to satisfy the ethical principle of respect for persons.

Efficient light harvesting with micropatterned 3D pyramidal photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Wooh, Sanghyuk; Yoon, Hyunsik; Jung, Jae-Hyun; Lee, Yong-Gun; Koh, Jai Hyun; Lee, Byoungho; Kang, Yong Soo; Char, Kookheon

2013-06-11

3D TiO2 photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are fabricated by the soft lithographic technique for efficient light trapping. An extended strategy to the construction of randomized pyramid structure is developed by the conventional wet-etching of a silicon wafer for low-cost fabrication. Moreover, the futher enhancement of light absorption resulting in photocurrent increase is achieved by combining the 3D photoanode with a conventional scattering layer. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Punishment in the form of shared cost promotes altruism in the cooperative dilemma games.

PubMed

Zhang, Chunyan; Zhu, Yuying; Chen, Zengqiang; Zhang, Jianlei

2017-05-07

One phenomenon or social institution often observed in multi-agent interactions is the altruistic punishment, i.e. the punishment of unfair behavior by others at a personal cost. Inspired by the works focusing on punishment and the intricate mechanism behind it, we theoretically study the strategy evolution in the framework of two-strategy game models with the punishment on defectors, moreover, the cost of punishing will be evenly shared among the cooperators. Theoretical computations suggest that larger punishment on defectors or smaller punishment cost incurred by cooperators will enhance the fixation of altruistic cooperation in the population. Through the replicate dynamics, the group size of the randomly selected individuals from the sufficiently large population will notably affect the strategy evolution in populations nested within a dilemma. By theoretical modeling the concept of shared cost for punishment from one point of view, our findings underscore the importance of punishment with shared cost as a factor in real-life decisions in an evolutionary game context. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mie resonances to tailor random lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García, P. D.; Ibisate, M.; Sapienza, R.; Wiersma, D. S.; López, C.

2009-07-01

In this paper, we present an optical characterization of photonic glass-based random lasers. We show how the resonant behavior of diffuse light transport through such systems can tailor the lasing emission when a gain medium is added to the glass. A DNA-based organic dye is used as gain medium. The resonances in the transport mean-free path influence the lasing wavelength of the random laser. The laser wavelength is therefore controlled by the sphere diameter. Furthermore, the existence of Mie resonances reduces the necessary pump energy to reach the lasing threshold.

Focusing of light energy inside a scattering medium by controlling the time-gated multiple light scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Seungwon; Lee, Ye-Ryoung; Choi, Wonjun; Kang, Sungsam; Hong, Jin Hee; Park, Jin-Sung; Lim, Yong-Sik; Park, Hong-Gyu; Choi, Wonshik

2018-05-01

The efficient delivery of light energy is a prerequisite for the non-invasive imaging and stimulating of target objects embedded deep within a scattering medium. However, the injected waves experience random diffusion by multiple light scattering, and only a small fraction reaches the target object. Here, we present a method to counteract wave diffusion and to focus multiple-scattered waves at the deeply embedded target. To realize this, we experimentally inject light into the reflection eigenchannels of a specific flight time to preferably enhance the intensity of those multiple-scattered waves that have interacted with the target object. For targets that are too deep to be visible by optical imaging, we demonstrate a more than tenfold enhancement in light energy delivery in comparison with ordinary wave diffusion cases. This work will lay a foundation to enhance the working depth of imaging, sensing and light stimulation.

High power tunable mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator enabled by random fiber laser.

PubMed

Wu, Hanshuo; Wang, Peng; Song, Jiaxin; Ye, Jun; Xu, Jiangming; Li, Xiao; Zhou, Pu

2018-03-05

Random fiber laser, as a kind of novel fiber laser that utilizes random distributed feedback as well as Raman gain, has become a research focus owing to its advantages of wavelength flexibility, modeless property and output stability. Herein, a tunable optical parametric oscillator (OPO) enabled by a random fiber laser is reported for the first time. By exploiting a tunable random fiber laser to pump the OPO, the central wavelength of idler light can be continuously tuned from 3977.34 to 4059.65 nm with stable temporal average output power. The maximal output power achieved is 2.07 W. So far as we know, this is the first demonstration of a continuous-wave tunable OPO pumped by a tunable random fiber laser, which could not only provide a new approach for achieving tunable mid-infrared (MIR) emission, but also extend the application scenarios of random fiber lasers.

Optimizing LED lighting for space plant growth unit: Joint effects of photon flux density, red to white ratios and intermittent light pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avercheva, O. V.; Berkovich, Yu. A.; Konovalova, I. O.; Radchenko, S. G.; Lapach, S. N.; Bassarskaya, E. M.; Kochetova, G. V.; Zhigalova, T. V.; Yakovleva, O. S.; Tarakanov, I. G.

2016-11-01

The aim of this work were to choose a quantitative optimality criterion for estimating the quality of plant LED lighting regimes inside space greenhouses and to construct regression models of crop productivity and the optimality criterion depending on the level of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), the proportion of the red component in the light spectrum and the duration of the duty cycle (Chinese cabbage Brassica chinensis L. as an example). The properties of the obtained models were described in the context of predicting crop dry weight and the optimality criterion behavior when varying plant lighting parameters. Results of the fractional 3-factor experiment demonstrated the share of the PPFD level participation in the crop dry weight accumulation was 84.4% at almost any combination of other lighting parameters, but when PPFD value increased up to 500 μmol m-2 s-1 the pulse light and supplemental light from red LEDs could additionally increase crop productivity. Analysis of the optimality criterion response to variation of lighting parameters showed that the maximum coordinates were the following: PPFD = 500 μmol m-2 s-1, about 70%-proportion of the red component of the light spectrum (PPFDLEDred/PPFDLEDwhite = 1.5) and the duty cycle with a period of 501 μs. Thus, LED crop lighting with these parameters was optimal for achieving high crop productivity and for efficient use of energy in the given range of lighting parameter values.

In vitro extinction learning in Hermissenda: involvement of conditioned inhibition molecules

PubMed Central

Cavallo, Joel S.; Hamilton, Brittany N.; Farley, Joseph

2014-01-01

Extinction of a conditioned association is typically viewed as the establishment of new learning rather than the erasure of the original memory. However, recent research in the nudibranch, Hermissenda crassicornis (H.c.) demonstrated that extinction training (using repeated light-alone presentations) given 15 min, but not 23 h, after memory acquisition reversed both the cellular correlates of learning (enhanced Type B cell excitability) and the behavioral changes (reduced phototaxis) produced by associative conditioning (pairings of light, CS, and rotation, US). Here, we investigated the putative molecular signaling pathways that underlie this extinction in H.c. by using a novel in vitro protocol combined with pharmacological manipulations. After intact H.c. received either light-rotation pairings (Paired), random presentations of light and rotation (Random), or no stimulation (Untrained), B cells from isolated CNSs were recorded from during exposure to extinction training consisting of two series of 15 consecutive light-steps (LSs). When in vitro extinction was administered shortly (2 h, but not 24 h) after paired training, B cells from Paired animals showed progressive and robust declines in spike frequency by the 30th LS, while control cells (Random and Untrained) did not. We found that several molecules implicated in H.c. conditioned inhibitory (CI) learning, protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and arachidonic acid (AA)/12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) metabolites, also contributed to the spike frequency decreases produced by in vitro extinction. Protein phosphatase 2B (PP2B) also appeared to play a role. Calyculin A (PP1 inhibitor), cyclosporin A (PP2B inhibitor), and baicalein (a 12-LOX inhibitor) all blocked the spike frequency declines in Paired B cells produced by 30 LSs. Conversely, injection of catalytically-active PP1 (caPP1) or PP2B (caPP2B) into Untrained B cells partially mimicked the spike frequency declines observed in Paired cells, as did bath-applied AA, and occluded additional LS-produced reductions in spiking in Paired cells. PMID:25374517

A Demonstration Sample for Poetry Education: Poem under the Light of "Poetics of the Open Work"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afacan, Aydin

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to provide a demonstration sample for the high school stage under the light of "Poetics of the Open Work" that is considered as a step towards comprehending the qualified poem. In this study, has been built in single group pretest-posttest design. Independent variables are applied to a randomly selected group to…

A broadband ASE light source-based full-duplex FTTX/ROF transport system.

PubMed

Chang, Ching-Hung; Lu, Hai-Han; Su, Heng-Sheng; Shih, Chien-Liang; Chen, Kai-Jen

2009-11-23

A full-duplex fiber-to-the-X (FTTX)/radio-over-fiber (ROF) transport system based on a broadband amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) light source is proposed and demonstrated for rural wide-spread villages. Combining the concepts of long-transmission transmission and ring topology, a long-haul single-mode fiber (SMF) trunk is sharing with multiple rural villages. Externally modulated baseband (BB) (1.25 Gbps) and radio-frequency (RF) (622 Mbps/10 GHz) signals are successfully transmitted simultaneously. Good bit error rate (BER) performance was achieved to demonstrate the practice of providing wire/wireless connections for long-haul wide-spread rural villages. Since our proposed system uses only a broadband ASE light source to achieve multi-wavelengths transmissions, it also reveals an outstanding one with simpler and more economic advantages.

Changes in Energy Intake and Diet Quality during an 18-Month Weight-Management Randomized Controlled Trial in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

PubMed

Ptomey, Lauren T; Steger, Felicia L; Lee, Jaehoon; Sullivan, Debra K; Goetz, Jeannine R; Honas, Jeffery J; Washburn, Richard A; Gibson, Cheryl A; Donnelly, Joseph E

2018-06-01

Previous research indicates that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) are at risk for poor diet quality. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to determine whether two different weight-loss diets affect energy intake, macronutrient intake, and diet quality as measured by the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) during a 6-month weight-loss period and 12-month weight-management period, and to examine differences in energy intake, macronutrient intake, and HEI-2010 between groups. Overweight/obese adults with IDDs took part in an 18-month randomized controlled trial and were assigned to either an enhanced Stop Light Diet utilizing portion-controlled meals or a conventional diet consisting of reducing energy intake and following the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Proxy-assisted 3-day food records were collected at baseline, 6 months, and 18 months, and were analyzed using Nutrition Data System for Research software. HEI-2010 was calculated using the data from Nutrition Data System for Research. The study took place from June 2011 through May 2014 in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area. This was a secondary analysis of a weight-management intervention for adults with IDDs randomized to an enhanced Stop Light Diet or conventional diet, to examine differences in energy intake, macronutrient intake, and HEI-2010 across time and between groups. Independent- and paired-samples t tests and general mixed modeling for repeated measures were performed to examine group differences and changes at baseline, 6 months, and 18 months between the enhanced Stop Light Diet and conventional diet groups. One hundred and forty six participants (57% female, mean±standard deviation age=36.2±12.0 years) were randomized to either the enhanced Stop Light Diet or conventional diet group (77 enhanced Stop Light Diet, 69 conventional diet) and provided data for analysis at baseline, 124 completed the 6-month weight-loss period, and 101 completed the 18-month study. Participants on the enhanced Stop Light Diet diet significantly reduced energy intake at 6 and 18 months (both P<0.001), but those on the conventional diet did not (both P=0.13). However, when accounting for age, sex, race, education level, and support level (mild vs moderate IDD), there was a significant decrease during the 18-month intervention in energy intake for the enhanced Stop Light Diet and conventional diet groups combined (P<0.01 for time effect), but no significant group difference in this change (P=0.39 for group-by-time interaction). There was no significant change in total HEI-2010 score at 6 and 18 months (P=0.05 and P=0.38 for the enhanced Stop Light Diet group; P=0.22 and P=0.17 for the conventional diet group), and no significant group difference at 6 and 18 months (P=0.08 and P=0.42). However, when participants' age, sex, race, education level, and support level were accounted for, mixed modeling indicated a significant increase in total HEI-2010 scores for the enhanced Stop Light Diet and conventional diet groups combined during the 18-month intervention (P=0.01 for time effect). The results of this study found that after controlling for demographic factors, individuals with IDDs can decrease their energy intake and increase their diet quality, with no significant differences between the enhanced Stop Light Diet and conventional diet groups. Copyright © 2018 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Universal self-similarity of propagating populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eliazar, Iddo; Klafter, Joseph

2010-07-01

This paper explores the universal self-similarity of propagating populations. The following general propagation model is considered: particles are randomly emitted from the origin of a d -dimensional Euclidean space and propagate randomly and independently of each other in space; all particles share a statistically common—yet arbitrary—motion pattern; each particle has its own random propagation parameters—emission epoch, motion frequency, and motion amplitude. The universally self-similar statistics of the particles’ displacements and first passage times (FPTs) are analyzed: statistics which are invariant with respect to the details of the displacement and FPT measurements and with respect to the particles’ underlying motion pattern. Analysis concludes that the universally self-similar statistics are governed by Poisson processes with power-law intensities and by the Fréchet and Weibull extreme-value laws.

Universal self-similarity of propagating populations.

PubMed

Eliazar, Iddo; Klafter, Joseph

2010-07-01

This paper explores the universal self-similarity of propagating populations. The following general propagation model is considered: particles are randomly emitted from the origin of a d-dimensional Euclidean space and propagate randomly and independently of each other in space; all particles share a statistically common--yet arbitrary--motion pattern; each particle has its own random propagation parameters--emission epoch, motion frequency, and motion amplitude. The universally self-similar statistics of the particles' displacements and first passage times (FPTs) are analyzed: statistics which are invariant with respect to the details of the displacement and FPT measurements and with respect to the particles' underlying motion pattern. Analysis concludes that the universally self-similar statistics are governed by Poisson processes with power-law intensities and by the Fréchet and Weibull extreme-value laws.

Innovative Strategies for Clinical Microscopy Instruction: Virtual Versus Light Microscopy.

PubMed

McDaniel, M Jane; Russell, Gregory B; Crandall, Sonia J

2018-06-01

The purpose of the study was to compare virtual microscopy with light microscopy to determine differences in learning outcomes and learner attitudes in teaching clinical microscopy to physician assistant (PA) students. A prospective, randomized, crossover design study was conducted with a convenience sample of 67 first-year PA students randomized to 2 groups. One group used light microscopes to find microscopic structures, whereas the other group used instructor-directed video streaming of microscopic elements. At the midpoint of the study, the groups switched instructional strategies. Learning outcomes were assessed via posttest after each section of the study, with comparison of final practical examination results to previous cohorts. Attitudes about the 2 educational strategies were assessed through a postcourse questionnaire with a Likert scale. Analysis of the first posttest demonstrated that students in the video-streamed group had significantly better learning outcomes than those in the light microscopy group (P = .004; Cohen's d = 0.74). Analysis of the posttest after crossover showed no differences between the 2 groups (P = .48). Between the 2 posttests, students first assigned to the light microscopy group scored a 6.6 mean point increase (±10.4 SD; p = .0011), whereas students first assigned to the virtual microscopy group scored a 1.3 mean point increase (±7.1 SD; p = .29). The light microscopy group improved more than the virtual microscopy group (P = .019). Analysis of practical examination data revealed higher scores for the study group compared with 5 previous cohorts of first-year students (P < .0001; Cohen's d = 0.66). Students preferred virtual microscopy to traditional light microscopy. Virtual microscopy is an effective educational strategy, and students prefer this method when learning to interpret images of clinical specimens.

Strong light absorption capability directed by structured profile of vertical Si nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaliyawala, Harsh A.; Ray, Abhijit; Pati, Ranjan K.; Mukhopadhyay, Indrajit

2017-11-01

Si nanowire arrays (SiNWAs) with random fractal geometry was fabricated using fast, mask-less, non-lithographic and facile approach by incorporating metal assisted electroless etching of n-type Si (111) substrates. The FESEM images demonstrate the formation of nano-porous surfaces that provide effective path for the incoming light to get trapped into the cavity of nanowires. The length of NWs increases from ∼1 to 10 μm with increase in the etching time having a diameter in the range of ∼25-82 nm. A transformation from zero to first order kinetics after a prolonged etching has been determined. The synthesized SiNWAs show high light trapping properties, including a maximum photon absorption across the entire visible and near IR range below the band gap of Si. The SiNWAs etched for 15 min exhibit extremely low specular and total reflectance of ∼0.2% and 4.5%, respectively over a broadband of wavelength. The reduction in the reflection loss is accompanied with the gradient of refractive index from air to Si substrate as well as due to the sub-wavelength structures, which manifests the light scattering effect. The COMSOL multiphysics simulation has been performed to study the high broadband light absorption capability in terms of the strong localized light field confinement by varying the length of the nanowire. Moreover, the SiNWs induces the dewetting ability at the solid/liquid interface and enhances the superhydrophobicity. Furthermore, a maximum length scale of 100-200 nm manifests a strong heterogeneity along the planar section of the surface of SiNWs. The study thus provides an insight on the light propagation into the random fractal geometries of Si nanowires. These outstanding properties should contribute to the structural optimization of various optoelectronic and photonic devices.

Clinical Equipoise and Shared Decision-making in Pulmonary Nodule Management. A Survey of American Thoracic Society Clinicians.

PubMed

Iaccarino, Jonathan M; Simmons, James; Gould, Michael K; Slatore, Christopher G; Woloshin, Steven; Schwartz, Lisa M; Wiener, Renda Soylemez

2017-06-01

Guidelines for pulmonary nodule evaluation suggest a variety of strategies, reflecting the lack of high-quality evidence demonstrating the superiority of any one approach. It is unclear whether clinicians agree that multiple management options are appropriate at different levels of risk and whether this impacts their decision-making approaches with patients. To assess clinicians' perceptions of the appropriateness of various diagnostic strategies, approach to decision-making, and perceived clinical equipoise in pulmonary nodule evaluation. We developed and administered a web-based survey in March and April, 2014 to clinician members of the American Thoracic Society. The primary outcome was perceived appropriateness of pulmonary nodule evaluation strategies in three clinical vignettes with different malignancy risk. We compared responses to guideline recommendations and analyzed clinician characteristics associated with a reported shared decision-making approach. We also assessed clinicians' likelihood to enroll patients in hypothetical randomized trials comparing nodule evaluation strategies. Of 5,872 American Thoracic Society members e-mailed, 1,444 opened the e-mail and 428 eligible clinicians participated in the survey (response rate, 30.0% among those who opened the invitation; 7% overall). The mean number of options considered appropriate increased with pretest probability of cancer, ranging from 1.8 (SD, 1.2) for the low-risk case to 3.5 (1.1) for the high-risk case (P < 0.0001). As recommended by guidelines, the proportion that deemed surgical resection as an appropriate option also increased with cancer risk (P < 0.0001). One-half of clinicians (50.4%) reported engaging in shared decision-making with patients for pulmonary nodule management; this was more commonly reported by clinicians with more years of experience (P = 0.01) and those who reported greater comfort in managing pulmonary nodules (P = 0.005). Although one-half (49.9%) deemed the evidence for pulmonary nodule evaluation to be strong, most clinicians were willing to enroll patients in randomized trials to compare nodule management strategies in all risk categories (low risk, 87.6%; moderate risk, 89.7%; high risk, 63.0%). Consistent with guideline recommendations, clinicians embrace multiple options for pulmonary nodule evaluation and many are open to shared decision-making. Clinicians support the need for randomized clinical trials to strengthen the evidence for nodule evaluation, which will further improve decision-making.

Quantum Strategies and Local Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutoski, Gus

2010-02-01

This thesis is divided into two parts. In Part I we introduce a new formalism for quantum strategies, which specify the actions of one party in any multi-party interaction involving the exchange of multiple quantum messages among the parties. This formalism associates with each strategy a single positive semidefinite operator acting only upon the tensor product of the input and output message spaces for the strategy. We establish three fundamental properties of this new representation for quantum strategies and we list several applications, including a quantum version of von Neumann's celebrated 1928 Min-Max Theorem for zero-sum games and an efficient algorithm for computing the value of such a game. In Part II we establish several properties of a class of quantum operations that can be implemented locally with shared quantum entanglement or classical randomness. In particular, we establish the existence of a ball of local operations with shared randomness lying within the space spanned by the no-signaling operations and centred at the completely noisy channel. The existence of this ball is employed to prove that the weak membership problem for local operations with shared entanglement is strongly NP-hard. We also provide characterizations of local operations in terms of linear functionals that are positive and "completely" positive on a certain cone of Hermitian operators, under a natural notion of complete positivity appropriate to that cone. We end the thesis with a discussion of the properties of no-signaling quantum operations.

Task-sharing interventions for cardiovascular risk reduction and lipid outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Anand, T N; Joseph, Linju M; Geetha, A V; Chowdhury, Joyita; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Jeemon, Panniyammakal

One of the potential strategies to improve health care delivery in understaffed low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is task sharing, where specific tasks are transferred from more qualified health care cadre to a lesser trained cadre. Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease but often it is not managed appropriately. We conducted a systematic review with the objective to identify and evaluate the effect of task sharing interventions on dyslipidemia in LMICs. Published studies (randomized controlled trials and observational studies) were identified via electronic databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. We searched the databases from inception to September 2016 and updated till 30 June 2017, using search terms related to task shifting, and cardiovascular disease prevention in LMICs. All eligible studies were summarized narratively, and potential studies were grouped for meta-analysis. Although our search yielded 2938 records initially and another 1628 in the updated search, only 15 studies met the eligibility criteria. Most of the studies targeted lifestyle modification and care coordination by involving nurses or allied health workers. Eight randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. Task sharing intervention were effective in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-6.90 mg/dL; 95% CI -11.81 to -1.99) and total cholesterol (-9.44 mg/dL; 95% CI -17.94 to -0.93) levels with modest effect size. However, there were no major differences in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-0.29 mg/dL; 95% CI -0.88 to 1.47) and triglycerides (-14.31 mg/dL; 95% CI -33.32 to 4.69). The overall quality of evidence based on Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation was either "low" or "very low". Available data are not adequate to make recommendations on the role of task sharing strategies for the management of dyslipidemia in LMICs. However, the studies conducted in LMICs demonstrate the potential use of this strategy especially in terms of reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol levels. Our review calls for the need of well-designed and large-scale studies to demonstrate the effect of task-sharing strategy on lipid management in LMICs. Copyright © 2018 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A SOLAR FLARE DISTURBING A LIGHT WALL ABOVE A SUNSPOT LIGHT BRIDGE

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

Hou, Yijun; Zhang, Jun; Li, Ting

With the high-resolution data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph , we detect a light wall above a sunspot light bridge in the NOAA active region (AR) 12403. In the 1330 Å slit-jaw images, the light wall is brighter than the ambient areas while the wall top and base are much brighter than the wall body, and it keeps oscillating above the light bridge. A C8.0 flare caused by a filament activation occurred in this AR with the peak at 02:52 UT on 2015 August 28, and the flare’s one ribbon overlapped the light bridge, which was the observational basemore » of the light wall. Consequently, the oscillation of the light wall was evidently disturbed. The mean projective oscillation amplitude of the light wall increased from 0.5 to 1.6 Mm before the flare and decreased to 0.6 Mm after the flare. We suggest that the light wall shares a group of magnetic field lines with the flare loops, which undergo a magnetic reconnection process, and they constitute a coupled system. When the magnetic field lines are pushed upward at the pre-flare stage, the light wall turns to the vertical direction, resulting in the increase of the light wall’s projective oscillation amplitude. After the magnetic reconnection takes place, a group of new field lines with smaller scales are formed underneath the reconnection site, and the light wall inclines. Thus, the projective amplitude notably decrease at the post-flare stage.« less

Parallel and convergent evolution of the dim-light vision gene RH1 in bats (Order: Chiroptera).

PubMed

Shen, Yong-Yi; Liu, Jie; Irwin, David M; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2010-01-21

Rhodopsin, encoded by the gene Rhodopsin (RH1), is extremely sensitive to light, and is responsible for dim-light vision. Bats are nocturnal mammals that inhabit poor light environments. Megabats (Old-World fruit bats) generally have well-developed eyes, while microbats (insectivorous bats) have developed echolocation and in general their eyes were degraded, however, dramatic differences in the eyes, and their reliance on vision, exist in this group. In this study, we examined the rod opsin gene (RH1), and compared its evolution to that of two cone opsin genes (SWS1 and M/LWS). While phylogenetic reconstruction with the cone opsin genes SWS1 and M/LWS generated a species tree in accord with expectations, the RH1 gene tree united Pteropodidae (Old-World fruit bats) and Yangochiroptera, with very high bootstrap values, suggesting the possibility of convergent evolution. The hypothesis of convergent evolution was further supported when nonsynonymous sites or amino acid sequences were used to construct phylogenies. Reconstructed RH1 sequences at internal nodes of the bat species phylogeny showed that: (1) Old-World fruit bats share an amino acid change (S270G) with the tomb bat; (2) Miniopterus share two amino acid changes (V104I, M183L) with Rhinolophoidea; (3) the amino acid replacement I123V occurred independently on four branches, and the replacements L99M, L266V and I286V occurred each on two branches. The multiple parallel amino acid replacements that occurred in the evolution of bat RH1 suggest the possibility of multiple convergences of their ecological specialization (i.e., various photic environments) during adaptation for the nocturnal lifestyle, and suggest that further attention is needed on the study of the ecology and behavior of bats.

Parallel and Convergent Evolution of the Dim-Light Vision Gene RH1 in Bats (Order: Chiroptera)

PubMed Central

Shen, Yong-Yi; Liu, Jie; Irwin, David M.; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2010-01-01

Rhodopsin, encoded by the gene Rhodopsin (RH1), is extremely sensitive to light, and is responsible for dim-light vision. Bats are nocturnal mammals that inhabit poor light environments. Megabats (Old-World fruit bats) generally have well-developed eyes, while microbats (insectivorous bats) have developed echolocation and in general their eyes were degraded, however, dramatic differences in the eyes, and their reliance on vision, exist in this group. In this study, we examined the rod opsin gene (RH1), and compared its evolution to that of two cone opsin genes (SWS1 and M/LWS). While phylogenetic reconstruction with the cone opsin genes SWS1 and M/LWS generated a species tree in accord with expectations, the RH1 gene tree united Pteropodidae (Old-World fruit bats) and Yangochiroptera, with very high bootstrap values, suggesting the possibility of convergent evolution. The hypothesis of convergent evolution was further supported when nonsynonymous sites or amino acid sequences were used to construct phylogenies. Reconstructed RH1 sequences at internal nodes of the bat species phylogeny showed that: (1) Old-World fruit bats share an amino acid change (S270G) with the tomb bat; (2) Miniopterus share two amino acid changes (V104I, M183L) with Rhinolophoidea; (3) the amino acid replacement I123V occurred independently on four branches, and the replacements L99M, L266V and I286V occurred each on two branches. The multiple parallel amino acid replacements that occurred in the evolution of bat RH1 suggest the possibility of multiple convergences of their ecological specialization (i.e., various photic environments) during adaptation for the nocturnal lifestyle, and suggest that further attention is needed on the study of the ecology and behavior of bats. PMID:20098620

Clinical efficacy, onset time and safety of bright light therapy in acute bipolar depression as an adjunctive therapy: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Zhou, Tian-Hang; Dang, Wei-Min; Ma, Yan-Tao; Hu, Chang-Qing; Wang, Ning; Zhang, Guo-Yi; Wang, Gang; Shi, Chuan; Zhang, Hua; Guo, Bin; Zhou, Shu-Zhe; Feng, Lei; Geng, Shu-Xia; Tong, Yu-Zhen; Tang, Guan-Wen; He, Zhong-Kai; Zhen, Long; Yu, Xin

2018-02-01

Bright light therapy (BLT) is an effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder and non- seasonal depression. The efficacy of BLT in treating patients with bipolar disorder is still unknown. The aim of this study is to examine the efficacy, onset time and clinical safety of BLT in treating patients with acute bipolar depression as an adjunctive therapy (trial registration at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02009371). This was a multi-center, single blind, randomized clinical trial. Seventy-four participants were randomized in one of two treatment conditions: BLT and control (dim red light therapy, dRLT). Sixty-three participants completed the study (33 BLT, 30 dRLT). Light therapy lasted for two weeks, one hour every morning. All participants were required to complete several scales assessments at baseline, and at the end of weeks 1 and 2. The primary outcome measures were the clinical efficacy of BLT which was assessed by the reduction rate of HAMD-17 scores, and the onset time of BLT which was assessed by the reduction rate of QIDS-SR16 scores. The secondary outcome measures were rates of switch into hypomania or mania and adverse events. 1) Clinical efficacy: BLT showed a greater ameliorative effect on bipolar depression than the control, with response rates of 78.19% vs. 43.33% respectively (p < 0.01). 2) Onset day: Median onset day was 4.33 days in BLT group. 3) BLT-emergent hypomania: No participants experienced symptoms of hypomania. 4) Side effects: No serious adverse events were reported. BLT can be considered as an effective and safe adjunctive treatment for patients with acute bipolar depression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tolerability of loteprednol/tobramycin versus dexamethasone/tobramycin in healthy volunteers: results of a 4-week, randomized, double-masked, parallel-group study.

PubMed

Bartlett, Jimmy D; Holland, Edward J; Usner, Dale W; Paterno, Michael R; Comstock, Timothy L

2008-08-01

To compare the ocular comfort and tolerability of loteprednol etabonate 0.5%/tobramycin 0.3% (LE/T; Zylet) with dexamethasone 0.1%/tobramycin 0.3% (DM/T; TobraDex) in healthy volunteers. In this multicenter, randomized, double-masked, parallel-group study, healthy volunteers (n = 306) were randomized to receive LE/T or DM/T four times per day for 28 days. Subjects recorded subjective ratings for seven comfort/tolerability parameters using an electronic patient diary (EPD). The primary endpoint was the difference at week 4 from the ratings of an artificial tear at baseline in comfort/tolerability parameters between treatment groups, using a noninferiority paradigm. ClinicalTrials. gov, NCT 00532961. The 97.5% confidence intervals for the lower bound were within -10 for all of the seven comfort/ tolerability parameters evaluated (pain, stinging/burning, irritation, itchiness, foreign-body sensation, dryness, and light sensitivity). Secondary analysis revealed small but significant within-treatment differences in pain favoring LE/T over tears and in light sensitivity favoring tears over DM/T (p < 0.01). Small between-treatment differences in the changes from baseline tear ratings to individual study visits favored LE/T for pain, stinging/burning, irritation, itchiness, foreign-body sensation, and light sensitivity at visit 4 (p < or = 0.04); for pain, stinging/burning, and foreignbody sensation at visit 5 (p < or = 0.03), and for dryness and light sensitivity at visit 6 (p < or = 0.05). LE/T satisfied all conditions of noninferiority to DM/T in comfort and tolerability. Subjects receiving LE/T were more likely to report better ocular comfort/tolerability ratings relative to baseline artificial tears than subjects receiving DM/T. The study population consisted of healthy volunteers.

A randomized, controlled trial of bright light therapy for agitated behaviors in dementia patients residing in long-term care.

PubMed

Lyketsos, C G; Lindell Veiel, L; Baker, A; Steele, C

1999-07-01

Agitated behaviors are common in dementia patients residing in chronic care settings. Their occurrence may be associated with lack of adequate exposure to sunlight and with circadian rhythm disturbances. Prior research has suggested that bright light therapy (BLT) may reduce agitated behaviors in dementia patients. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of BLT in a randomized, controlled, crossover clinical trial. Fifteen patients with dementia and agitated behaviors residing in a chronic care facility were randomized in a crossover design to morning BLT for 1 hour per day or to a control condition with dim light exposure. Patients were treated in either condition for 4 weeks, followed by 1 week on no treatment, prior to being crossed over to the other condition. Eight out of 15 patients completed the entire study. The rest completed at least 2 weeks of study. Patients randomized to the BLT condition exhibited a statistically significant improvement in nocturnal sleep from a mean of 6.4 hours/night to 8.1 hours/night 4 weeks later (p<0.05). The sleep of patients in the control condition did not improve significantly. There were no other significant differences between baseline and follow-up, nor between BLT and control treated patients on the other outcome measures, which included the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer Disease scale (Behave-AD) and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. Patients with dementia in chronic care who exhibit agitated behaviors sleep more hours at night when administered morning BLT. However, BLT does not lead to improvements in agitated behaviors in institutionalized patients with dementia with non-disturbed sleep-wake cycles. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessment of Medication Use among University Students in Ethiopia

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background. The extent, nature, and determinants of medication use of individuals can be known from drug utilization studies. Objectives. This study intended to determine medication consumption, sharing, storage, and disposal practices of university students in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 404 university students selected through stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 20 statistical software. Pearson's Chi-square test of independence was conducted with P < 0.05 taken as statistically significant. Results. At 95.3% response rate, the prevalences of medication consumption and sharing were 35.3% (N = 136) and 38.2% (N = 147), respectively. One hundred (26%) respondents admitted that they often keep leftover medications for future use while the rest (N = 285, 74%) discard them primarily into toilets (N = 126, 44.2%). Evidence of association existed between medication taking and year of study (P = 0.048), medication sharing and sex (P = 0.003), and medication sharing and year of study (P = 0.015). Conclusion. There is a high prevalence of medication consumption, medication sharing, and inappropriate disposal practices which are influenced by sex and educational status of the university students. Thus medication use related educational interventions need to be given to students in general. PMID:28393101

Assessment of Medication Use among University Students in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Asmelashe Gelayee, Dessalegn; Binega, Gashaw

2017-01-01

Background. The extent, nature, and determinants of medication use of individuals can be known from drug utilization studies. Objectives. This study intended to determine medication consumption, sharing, storage, and disposal practices of university students in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 404 university students selected through stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 20 statistical software. Pearson's Chi-square test of independence was conducted with P < 0.05 taken as statistically significant. Results. At 95.3% response rate, the prevalences of medication consumption and sharing were 35.3% ( N = 136) and 38.2% ( N = 147), respectively. One hundred (26%) respondents admitted that they often keep leftover medications for future use while the rest ( N = 285, 74%) discard them primarily into toilets ( N = 126, 44.2%). Evidence of association existed between medication taking and year of study ( P = 0.048), medication sharing and sex ( P = 0.003), and medication sharing and year of study ( P = 0.015). Conclusion. There is a high prevalence of medication consumption, medication sharing, and inappropriate disposal practices which are influenced by sex and educational status of the university students. Thus medication use related educational interventions need to be given to students in general.

Does the Use of a Decision Aid Improve Decision Making in Prosthetic Heart Valve Selection? A Multicenter Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Korteland, Nelleke M; Ahmed, Yunus; Koolbergen, David R; Brouwer, Marjan; de Heer, Frederiek; Kluin, Jolanda; Bruggemans, Eline F; Klautz, Robert J M; Stiggelbout, Anne M; Bucx, Jeroen J J; Roos-Hesselink, Jolien W; Polak, Peter; Markou, Thanasie; van den Broek, Inge; Ligthart, Rene; Bogers, Ad J J C; Takkenberg, Johanna J M

2017-02-01

A Dutch online patient decision aid to support prosthetic heart valve selection was recently developed. A multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess whether use of the patient decision aid results in optimization of shared decision making in prosthetic heart valve selection. In a 5-center randomized controlled trial, patients were allocated to receive either standard preoperative care (control group) or additional access to the patient decision aid (intervention group). Legally capable adult patients accepted for elective isolated or combined aortic and mitral valve replacement were included. Primary outcome was preoperative decisional conflict (Decisional Conflict Scale); secondary outcomes included patient knowledge, involvement in valve selection, anxiety and depression, (valve-specific) quality of life, and regret. Out of 306 eligible patients, 155 were randomized (78 control and 77 intervention). Preoperative decisional conflict did not differ between the groups (34% versus 33%; P =0.834). Intervention patients felt better informed (median Decisional Conflict Scale informed subscore: 8 versus 17; P =0.046) and had a better knowledge of prosthetic valves (85% versus 68%; P =0.004). Intervention patients experienced less anxiety and depression (median Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score: 6 versus 9; P =0.015) and better mental well-being (mean Short Form Health Survey score: 54 versus 50; P =0.032). Three months postoperatively, valve-specific quality of life and regret did not differ between the groups. A patient decision aid to support shared decision making in prosthetic heart valve selection does not lower decisional conflict. It does result in more knowledgeable, better informed, and less anxious and depressed patients, with a better mental well-being. http://www.trialregister.nl. Unique identifier: NTR4350. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Biological Motion Primes the Animate/Inanimate Distinction in Infancy

PubMed Central

Poulin-Dubois, Diane; Crivello, Cristina; Wright, Kristyn

2015-01-01

Given that biological motion is both detected and preferred early in life, we tested the hypothesis that biological motion might be instrumental to infants’ differentiation of animate and inanimate categories. Infants were primed with either point-light displays of realistic biological motion, random motion, or schematic biological motion of an unfamiliar shape. After being habituated to these displays, 12-month-old infants categorized animals and vehicles as well as furniture and vehicles with the sequential touching task. The findings indicated that infants primed with point-light displays of realistic biological motion showed better categorization of animates than those exposed to random or schematic biological motion. These results suggest that human biological motion might be one of the motion cues that provide the building blocks for infants’ concept of animacy. PMID:25659077

Random Photon Absorption Model Elucidates How Early Gain Control in Fly Photoreceptors Arises from Quantal Sampling

PubMed Central

Song, Zhuoyi; Zhou, Yu; Juusola, Mikko

2016-01-01

Many diurnal photoreceptors encode vast real-world light changes effectively, but how this performance originates from photon sampling is unclear. A 4-module biophysically-realistic fly photoreceptor model, in which information capture is limited by the number of its sampling units (microvilli) and their photon-hit recovery time (refractoriness), can accurately simulate real recordings and their information content. However, sublinear summation in quantum bump production (quantum-gain-nonlinearity) may also cause adaptation by reducing the bump/photon gain when multiple photons hit the same microvillus simultaneously. Here, we use a Random Photon Absorption Model (RandPAM), which is the 1st module of the 4-module fly photoreceptor model, to quantify the contribution of quantum-gain-nonlinearity in light adaptation. We show how quantum-gain-nonlinearity already results from photon sampling alone. In the extreme case, when two or more simultaneous photon-hits reduce to a single sublinear value, quantum-gain-nonlinearity is preset before the phototransduction reactions adapt the quantum bump waveform. However, the contribution of quantum-gain-nonlinearity in light adaptation depends upon the likelihood of multi-photon-hits, which is strictly determined by the number of microvilli and light intensity. Specifically, its contribution to light-adaptation is marginal (≤ 1%) in fly photoreceptors with many thousands of microvilli, because the probability of simultaneous multi-photon-hits on any one microvillus is low even during daylight conditions. However, in cells with fewer sampling units, the impact of quantum-gain-nonlinearity increases with brightening light. PMID:27445779

Shared regulatory sites are abundant in the human genome and shed light on genome evolution and disease pleiotropy.

PubMed

Tong, Pin; Monahan, Jack; Prendergast, James G D

2017-03-01

Large-scale gene expression datasets are providing an increasing understanding of the location of cis-eQTLs in the human genome and their role in disease. However, little is currently known regarding the extent of regulatory site-sharing between genes. This is despite it having potentially wide-ranging implications, from the determination of the way in which genetic variants may shape multiple phenotypes to the understanding of the evolution of human gene order. By first identifying the location of non-redundant cis-eQTLs, we show that regulatory site-sharing is a relatively common phenomenon in the human genome, with over 10% of non-redundant regulatory variants linked to the expression of multiple nearby genes. We show that these shared, local regulatory sites are linked to high levels of chromatin looping between the regulatory sites and their associated genes. In addition, these co-regulated gene modules are found to be strongly conserved across mammalian species, suggesting that shared regulatory sites have played an important role in shaping human gene order. The association of these shared cis-eQTLs with multiple genes means they also appear to be unusually important in understanding the genetics of human phenotypes and pleiotropy, with shared regulatory sites more often linked to multiple human phenotypes than other regulatory variants. This study shows that regulatory site-sharing is likely an underappreciated aspect of gene regulation and has important implications for the understanding of various biological phenomena, including how the two and three dimensional structures of the genome have been shaped and the potential causes of disease pleiotropy outside coding regions.

Improvement in depression scores after 1 hour of light therapy treatment in patients with seasonal affective disorder.

PubMed

Reeves, Gloria M; Nijjar, Gagan Virk; Langenberg, Patricia; Johnson, Mary A; Khabazghazvini, Baharak; Sleemi, Aamar; Vaswani, Dipika; Lapidus, Manana; Manalai, Partam; Tariq, Muhammad; Acharya, Monika; Cabassa, Johanna; Snitker, Soren; Postolache, Teodor T

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate possible rapid effects of light therapy on depressed mood in patients with seasonal affective disorder. Participants received 1 hour of bright light therapy and 1 hour of placebo dim red light in a randomized order crossover design. Depressed mood was measured at baseline and after each hour of light treatment using two self-report depression scales (Profile of Mood States-Depression-Dejection [POMS-D] subscale and the Beck Depression Inventory II [BDI-II]). When light effects were grouped for the two sessions, there was significantly greater reduction in self-report depression scores by -1.3 (p = 0.02) on the BDI-II and -1.2 (p = 0.02) on the POMS-D. A significant but modest improvement was detected after a single active light session. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to document an immediate improvement with light treatment using a placebo-controlled design with a clinical sample of depressed individuals.

Numerical analysis of light extraction enhancement of GaN-based thin-film flip-chip light-emitting diodes with high-refractive-index buckling nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Qing-Yang; Yang, Yang; Cheng, Zhen-Jia; Guo, Cheng-Shan

2018-06-01

In this work, the light extraction efficiency enhancement of GaN-based thin-film flip-chip (TFFC) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with high-refractive-index (TiO2) buckling nanostructures was studied using the three-dimensional finite difference time domain method. Compared with 2-D photonic crystals, the buckling structures have the advantages of a random directionality and a broad distribution in periodicity, which can effectively extract the guided light propagating in all azimuthal directions over a wide spectrum. Numerical studies revealed that the light extraction efficiency of buckling-structured LEDs reaches 1.1 times that of triangular lattice photonic crystals. The effects of the buckling structure feature sizes and the thickness of the N-GaN layer on the light extraction efficiency for TFFC LEDs were also investigated systematically. With optimized structural parameters, a significant light extraction enhancement of about 2.6 times was achieved for TiO2 buckling-structured TFFC LEDs compared with planar LEDs.

Challenges and Difficulties about College Counseling in China: Response to Portnoy (2013)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Ya; Yang, Wensheng; Liu, Mingbo; Wu, Mengyang

2016-01-01

Portnoy (2013) shared a series of personal observations about central issues in Chinese college mental health based on his Fulbright year in China. While we really appreciated his personal observations and his discussion, which shed light on cultural differences and structural forces in China, we present here a different perspective on his…

"Distance Education: An International Journal"-- Reflections on How It All Began

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Ian McD.

2009-01-01

In this article, the author reflects on the historical context of the Australian distance education environment that led to the establishment of the journal "Distance Education." He deals with the dynamics of and the decisions made about the journal, in the light of that environment. He also asks readers to share their stance on the…

Small World: Access to Higher Education between Methodological Nationalism and International Organisations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goastellec, Gaele

2010-01-01

What do the shared norms emerging in the regulation of access reveal about the higher education internationalisation process? The history of access norms brings to light two characteristics of this process: the spreading of sociotechnic tools and the emergence of moral entrepreneurs. Based on case studies carried out in France, the US, South…

Mathematics Education in Rural Communities in Light of Current Trends in Mathematics Education. Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, James E.

Despite the considerable efforts now under way to improve our nation's mathematics education for all students, students in rural settings do not receive their share of attention. This paper considers school mathematics in rural communities in the larger context of current reform from a number of perspectives, including curricular materials,…

Some Conceptual and Methodological Issues in Understanding Ability-Performance Relationships. Research Report No. 16.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Benjamin, Ed.

This technical report contains the text of papers presented at a conference on personnel selection research. The conference brought together scholars to share their ideas regarding ways in which their own special interests help shed light on ability-performance relationships observed in personnel selection studies. The contributions can be divided…

Inclusive Prekindergarten Classrooms in a New Era: Exploring the Perspectives of Teachers in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Elizabeth McKendry; Lindeman, Karen Wise

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share the results of a qualitative research study designed to shed light on the perspectives of inclusive prekindergarten classroom teachers in the United States. This study used surveys, interviews, and classroom observations to explore understandings of recently adopted learning standards and accountability…

16 CFR Appendix A to Part 313 - Model Privacy Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

.... (d) Color. The model form must be printed on white or light color paper (such as cream) with black or...” in the middle column. Only the sixth row (“For our affiliates to market to you”) may be omitted at.... (6) For our affiliates to market to you. This reason incorporates sharing information specified in...

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 216 - Model Privacy Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... form must be printed on white or light color paper (such as cream) with black or other contrasting ink...” in the middle column. Only the sixth row (“For our affiliates to market to you”) may be omitted at.... (6) For our affiliates to market to you. This reason incorporates sharing information specified in...

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 216 - Model Privacy Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... form must be printed on white or light color paper (such as cream) with black or other contrasting ink...” in the middle column. Only the sixth row (“For our affiliates to market to you”) may be omitted at.... (6) For our affiliates to market to you. This reason incorporates sharing information specified in...

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 216 - Model Privacy Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... form must be printed on white or light color paper (such as cream) with black or other contrasting ink...” in the middle column. Only the sixth row (“For our affiliates to market to you”) may be omitted at.... (6) For our affiliates to market to you. This reason incorporates sharing information specified in...

17 CFR Appendix A to Part 160 - Model Privacy Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

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17 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Forms

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

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12 CFR Appendix A to Part 332 - Model Privacy Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

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12 CFR Appendix A to Part 332 - Model Privacy Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

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12 CFR Appendix A to Part 332 - Model Privacy Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... form must be printed on white or light color paper (such as cream) with black or other contrasting ink...” in the middle column. Only the sixth row (“For our affiliates to market to you”) may be omitted at.... (6) For our affiliates to market to you. This reason incorporates sharing information specified in...

16 CFR Appendix A to Part 313 - Model Privacy Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

.... (d) Color. The model form must be printed on white or light color paper (such as cream) with black or...” in the middle column. Only the sixth row (“For our affiliates to market to you”) may be omitted at.... (6) For our affiliates to market to you. This reason incorporates sharing information specified in...