Sample records for nuclear renaissance expectation

  1. A Nuclear Energy Renaissance in the U.S.?

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

    Kessler, Carol E.; Mahy, Heidi A.; Ankrum, Al

    2008-01-01

    Is it time for a nuclear energy renaissance? Among other things, nuclear power is a carbon neutral source of base load power. With the growth in energy use expected over the next 20 years and the growing negative impacts of global climate changes, the cost of oil and gas, energy security and diversity concerns, and progress on advanced reactor designs, it may be the right time for nuclear power to enter a new age of growth. Asia and Russia are both planning for a nuclear renaissance. In Europe, Finland and France have both taken steps to pursue new nuclear reactors.more » U.S. utilities are preparing for orders of new reactors; one submitted a request to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to review its request to construct a new reactor on an existing site. What has the industry been doing since nuclear energy was birthed in the 1960s? In those days a bold new industry boasted that nuclear power in the United States was going to be “too cheap to meter”, but as we all know this did not come about for many reasons. Eventually, it became clear that industry had neglected to do its homework. Critiques of the industry were made on safety, security, environment, economic competitiveness (without government support), and nonproliferation. All of these factors need to be effectively addressed to promote the confidence and support of the public – without which a nuclear power program is not feasible.« less

  2. Economic Globalization and a Nuclear Renaissance

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

    Wood, Thomas W; Johnson, Wayne L; Parker, Brian M

    2001-10-22

    The phenomenon of globalization has become increasingly well recognized, documented, and analyzed in the last several years. Globalization, the integration of markets and intra-firm competition on a worldwide basis, involves complex behavioral and mindset changes within a firm that facilitate global competition. The changes revolve around efficient information flow and rapid deployment of technology. The objective of this report is to examine the probable characteristics of a global nuclear renaissance and its broad implications for industry structure and export control relative to nuclear technology. The question of how a modern renaissance would affect the trend toward globalization of the nuclearmore » industry is addressed.« less

  3. The ``Nuclear Renaissance'' and the Spread of Nuclear Weapons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lyman, Edwin S.

    2007-05-01

    As interest grows around the world in nuclear power as an energy source that could help control greenhouse gas emissions, some have proclaimed the arrival of a ``nuclear renaissance.'' But can the increased risks of more nuclear power be managed? The political crisis surrounding Iran's pursuit of uranium enrichment has exposed weaknesses in the nuclear nonproliferation regime. Also, al Qaeda's declared interest in weapons of mass destruction raises the concern that terrorists could acquire nuclear weapons by stealing materials from poorly secured facilities. Growth of nuclear energy would require the construction of many additional uranium enrichment plants. And the generation of more spent nuclear fuel without a credible waste disposal strategy would increase political support for reprocessing, which separates large quantities of weapon-usable plutonium from spent fuel. There is little evidence that the various institutional arrangements and technical schemes proposed to mitigate the security risks of a major nuclear expansion would be effective. This talk will focus on the measures necessary to allow large-scale global growth of nuclear power without resulting in an unacceptably high risk of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism, and will discuss the feasibility of such measures. To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2007.OSS07.E1.2

  4. The Nuclear Renaissance — Implications on Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matzie, Regis A.

    2007-03-01

    The world demand for energy is growing rapidly, particularly in developing countries that are trying to raise the standard of living for billions of people, many of whom do not even have access to electricity. With this increased energy demand and the high and volatile price of fossil fuels, nuclear energy is experiencing resurgence. This so-called nuclear renaissance is broad based, reaching across Asia, the United States, Europe, as well as selected countries in Africa and South America. Some countries, such as Italy, that have actually turned away from nuclear energy are reconsidering the advisability of this design. This renaissance provides the opportunity to deploy more advanced reactor designs that are operating today, with improved safety, economy, and operations. In this keynote address, I will briefly present three such advanced reactor designs in whose development Westinghouse is participating. These designs include the advanced passive PWR, AP1000, which recently received design certification for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission; the Pebble Bed Modular reactor (PBMR) which is being demonstrated in South Africa; and the International Reactor Innovative and Secure (IRIS), which was showcased in the US Department of Energy's recently announced Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), program. The salient features of these designs that impact future requirements on quantitative nondestructive evaluations will be discussed. Such features as reactor vessel materials, operating temperature regimes, and new geometric configurations will be described, and mention will be made of the impact on quantitative nondestructive evaluation (NDE) approaches.

  5. A Nuclear Renaissance: The Role of Nuclear Power in Mitigating Climate Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Winslow, Anne

    2011-06-01

    The U. N. Framework Convention on Climate Change calls for the stabilization of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at double the preindustrial atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration to avoid dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. To achieve this goal, carbon emissions in 2050 must not exceed their current level, despite predictions of a dramatic increase in global electricity demand. The need to reduce GHG emissions and simultaneously provide for additional electricity demand has led to a renewed interest in the expansion of alternatives to fossil fuels—particularly renewable energy and nuclear power. As renewable energy sources are often constrained by the intermittency of natural energy forms, scale-ability concerns, cost and environmental barriers, many governments and even prominent environmentalist turn to nuclear energy as a source of clean, reliable base-load electricity. Described by some as a "nuclear renaissance", this trend of embracing nuclear power as a tool to mitigate climate change will dramatically influence the feasibility of emerging nuclear programs around the world.

  6. A Nuclear Renaissance: The Role of Nuclear Power in Mitigating Climate Change

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

    Winslow, Anne

    2011-06-28

    The U. N. Framework Convention on Climate Change calls for the stabilization of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at double the preindustrial atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration to avoid dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. To achieve this goal, carbon emissions in 2050 must not exceed their current level, despite predictions of a dramatic increase in global electricity demand. The need to reduce GHG emissions and simultaneously provide for additional electricity demand has led to a renewed interest in the expansion of alternatives to fossil fuels--particularly renewable energy and nuclear power. As renewable energy sources are often constrained by the intermittencymore » of natural energy forms, scale-ability concerns, cost and environmental barriers, many governments and even prominent environmentalist turn to nuclear energy as a source of clean, reliable base-load electricity. Described by some as a ''nuclear renaissance'', this trend of embracing nuclear power as a tool to mitigate climate change will dramatically influence the feasibility of emerging nuclear programs around the world.« less

  7. Renaissance Schools Fund-Supported Schools: Early Outcomes, Challenges, and Opportunities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Viki M.; Humphrey, Daniel C.; Wang, Haiwen; Bosetti, Kristin R.; Cassidy, Lauren; Wechsler, Marjorie E.; Rivera, Elizabeth; Murray, Samantha; Schanzenbach, Diane Whitmore

    2009-01-01

    Chicago's Renaissance 2010 seeks to create 100 new and autonomous schools by 2010. These new schools are expected to increase choice for parents and students, enact innovative practices, and help create a portfolio of schools designed to make the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) more diversified, responsive, and effective. Renaissance Schools Fund…

  8. Perceptions of beauty in Renaissance art.

    PubMed

    Haughton, Neil

    2004-12-01

    The Renaissance was a cultural revolution that spread from Florence, in 1400, throughout Italy and into the rest of Europe. Its impetus was the philosophy of Humanism, which strove to resurrect and emulate the literature and art of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Artists had previously been limited to formulaic religious iconography. They now began to reproduce descriptions of classical paintings and copy the antique statues that were being newly rediscovered. The Renaissance artist's perception of beauty was therefore determined by his philosophical environment, his visual experience (the 'period eye'), the demands of his patrons and by attempts to enhance his professional status in society to equal that of poets and architects. The image of Venus portrayed by Botticelli as the idealization of beauty in Renaissance Florence is significantly different from the Venus portrayed by the German artist, Lucas Cranach. The northern European Venus is much less voluptuous than her Italian counterpart but is still inspired by humanist principals and retains considerable sexuality. Raphael's paintings epitomise the idealization of female beauty of this period but, by his own admission they were rarely based on real models. Often the same facial type was repeated in many different paintings. Indeed Renaissance portrait artists tended to avoid realistic interpretation, emphasizing instead the positive attributes of their subjects, both physical and political. Thus, Bronzino's Portrait of a Young Man not only depicts his subject's idealized appearance but also his scholarship, background and potential. The depiction of beauty in Renaissance art is shown to be more complex than a mere photograph-like representation of sexuality or of a person's physical appearance. Instead, Renaissance art created physically perfect images resulting from scholarly expectation, the artist's ambitions and his developing skills.

  9. Nuclear power: renaissance or relapse? Global climate change and long-term Three Mile Island activists' narratives.

    PubMed

    Culley, Marci R; Angelique, Holly

    2010-06-01

    Community narratives are increasingly important as people move towards an ecologically sustainable society. Global climate change is a multi-faceted problem with multiple stakeholders. The voices of affected communities must be heard as we make decisions of global significance. We document the narratives of long-term anti-nuclear activists near the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear power plant who speak out in the dawn of a nuclear renaissance/relapse. While nuclear power is marketed as a "green" solution to global warming, their narratives reveal three areas for consideration; (1) significant problems with nuclear technology, (2) lessons "not" learned from the TMI disaster, and (3) hopes for a sustainable future. Nuclear waste, untrustworthy officials and economic issues were among the problems cited. Deceptive shaping of public opinion, nuclear illiteracy, and an aging anti-nuclear movement were reasons cited for the lessons not learned. However, many remain optimistic and envision increased participation to create an ecologically-balanced world.

  10. RHIC Renaissance Celebration

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

    Brookhaven Lab

    2009-07-31

    A celebration of the contribution that Renaissance Technologies, Inc., made to the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, during which the entire Lab community participated in a series of RHIC Renaissance events, beginning with the Roads to Discovery ceremony,

  11. The Coming Nuclear Renaissance for Next Generation Safeguards Specialists--Maximizing Potential and Minimizing the Risks

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

    Eipeldauer, Mary D

    2009-01-01

    This document is intended to provide an overview of the workshop entitled 'The Coming Nuclear Renaissance for the Next Generation Safeguards Experts-Maximizing Benefits While Minimizing Proliferation Risks', conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in partnership with the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) and the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). This document presents workshop objectives; lists the numerous participant universities and individuals, the nuclear nonproliferation lecture topics covered, and the facilities tours taken as part of the workshop; and discusses the university partnership sessions and proposed areas for collaboration between the universities and ORNL for 2009. Appendix A contains themore » agenda for the workshop; Appendix B lists the workshop attendees and presenters with contact information; Appendix C contains graphics of the evaluation form results and survey areas; and Appendix D summarizes the responses to the workshop evaluation form. The workshop was an opportunity for ORNL, Y-12, and SRNL staff with more than 30 years combined experience in nuclear nonproliferation to provide a comprehensive overview of their expertise for the university professors and their students. The overall goal of the workshop was to emphasize nonproliferation aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle and to identify specific areas where the universities and experts from operations and national laboratories could collaborate.« less

  12. The dawn of the third renaissance in surgery.

    PubMed

    Hackam, David J

    2015-08-01

    In this presidential address, I will share my belief that our proud and noble field stands at the dawn of a great renaissance. I further believe that this is the third such renaissance that has occurred in surgery. As described herein, the first renaissance in surgery occurred during the 1600s, which involved a transformation in operative care unlike anything that had been seen since Roman times. This first renaissance was triggered by tumultuous world events but was spurred on by the invention of the printing press. The second renaissance occurred during the 1980s and was triggered by the invention of the computer, which is of equal significance to the printing press 240 years earlier. I believe that this third renaissance shares with the earlier renaissances its transformative nature and its reaction to turmoil, both in the medical and nonmedical worlds. This is a renaissance driven by science, by creativity, and by innovation—resources that are never in short supply within our great profession. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Study of Italian Renaissance sculptures using an external beam nuclear microprobe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zucchiatti, A.; Bouquillon, A.; Moignard, B.; Salomon, J.; Gaborit, J. R.

    2000-03-01

    The use of an extracted proton micro-beam for the PIXE analysis of glazes is discussed in the context of the growing interest in the creation of an analytical database on Italian Renaissance glazed terracotta sculptures. Some results concerning the frieze of an altarpiece of the Louvre museum, featuring white angels and cherubs heads, are presented.

  14. Psychology's Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Leif D; Simmons, Joseph; Simonsohn, Uri

    2018-01-04

    In 2010-2012, a few largely coincidental events led experimental psychologists to realize that their approach to collecting, analyzing, and reporting data made it too easy to publish false-positive findings. This sparked a period of methodological reflection that we review here and call Psychology's Renaissance. We begin by describing how psychologists' concerns with publication bias shifted from worrying about file-drawered studies to worrying about p-hacked analyses. We then review the methodological changes that psychologists have proposed and, in some cases, embraced. In describing how the renaissance has unfolded, we attempt to describe different points of view fairly but not neutrally, so as to identify the most promising paths forward. In so doing, we champion disclosure and preregistration, express skepticism about most statistical solutions to publication bias, take positions on the analysis and interpretation of replication failures, and contend that meta-analytical thinking increases the prevalence of false positives. Our general thesis is that the scientific practices of experimental psychologists have improved dramatically.

  15. The Coming Renaissance in Law and Literature.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, J. Allen

    1979-01-01

    A renaissance that will strengthen the relationship between law and literature is foreseen and it is suggested that by devoting renewed attention to literature, lawyers can hasten the development of this renaissance. A three-point proposal to aid law schools in this undertaking is offered. (Author/JMD)

  16. Renaissance architecture for Ground Data Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Perkins, Dorothy C.; Zeigenfuss, Lawrence B.

    1994-01-01

    The Mission Operations and Data Systems Directorate (MO&DSD) has embarked on a new approach for developing and operating Ground Data Systems (GDS) for flight mission support. This approach is driven by the goals of minimizing cost and maximizing customer satisfaction. Achievement of these goals is realized through the use of a standard set of capabilities which can be modified to meet specific user needs. This approach, which is called the Renaissance architecture, stresses the engineering of integrated systems, based upon workstation/local area network (LAN)/fileserver technology and reusable hardware and software components called 'building blocks.' These building blocks are integrated with mission specific capabilities to build the GDS for each individual mission. The building block approach is key to the reduction of development costs and schedules. Also, the Renaissance approach allows the integration of GDS functions that were previously provided via separate multi-mission facilities. With the Renaissance architecture, the GDS can be developed by the MO&DSD or all, or part, of the GDS can be operated by the user at their facility. Flexibility in operation configuration allows both selection of a cost-effective operations approach and the capability for customizing operations to user needs. Thus the focus of the MO&DSD is shifted from operating systems that we have built to building systems and, optionally, operations as separate services. Renaissance is actually a continuous process. Both the building blocks and the system architecture will evolve as user needs and technology change. Providing GDS on a per user basis enables this continuous refinement of the development process and product and allows the MO&DSD to remain a customer-focused organization. This paper will present the activities and results of the MO&DSD initial efforts toward the establishment of the Renaissance approach for the development of GDS, with a particular focus on both the technical

  17. Collaborations in art/science: Renaissance teams.

    PubMed

    Cox, D J

    1991-01-01

    A Renaissance Team is a group of specialists who collaborate and provide synergism in the quest for knowledge and information. Artists can participate in Renaissance Teams with scientists and computer specialists for scientific visualization projects. Some projects are described in which the author functioned as programmer and color expert, as interface designer, as visual paradigm maker, as animator, and as producer. Examples are provided for each of these five projects.

  18. Ensuring an Italian Renaissance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hallock, Ann H.

    1978-01-01

    Factors contributing to the renaissance of Italian and the goals of students who study the language are discussed. Alternatives to rote learning in the classroom and ways to generate interest in Italian in the community are suggested. (SW)

  19. Brain 'imaging' in the Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Paluzzi, Alessandro; Belli, Antonio; Bain, Peter; Viva, Laura

    2007-12-01

    During the Renaissance, a period of 'rebirth' for humanities and science, new knowledge and speculation began to emerge about the function of the human body, replacing ancient religious and philosophical dogma. The brain must have been a fascinating mystery to a Renaissance artist, but some speculation existed at that time on the function of its parts. Here we show how revived interest in anatomy and life sciences may have influenced the figurative work of Italian and Flemish masters, such as Rafael, Michelangelo and David. We present a historical perspective on the artists and the period in which they lived, their fascination for human anatomy and its symbolic use in their art. Prior to the 16th century, knowledge of the brain was limited and influenced in a dogmatic way by the teachings of Galen(1) who, as we now know, conducted his anatomical studies not on humans but on animals.(2) Nemesus, Bishop of Emesa, in around the year 400 was one of the first to attribute mental faculties to the brain, specifically to the ventricles. He identified two anterior (lateral) ventricles, to which he assigned perception, a middle ventricle responsible for cognition and a posterior ventricle for memory.(2,3) After a long period of stasis in the Middle Ages, Renaissance scholars realized the importance of making direct observations on dissected cadavers. Between 1504 and 1507, Leonardo da Vinci conducted experiments to reveal the anatomy of the ventricular system in the brain. He injected hot wax through a tube thrust into the ventricular cavities of an ox and then scraped the overlying brain off, thus obtaining, in a simple but ingenious way, an accurate cast of the ventricles.(2,4) Leonardo shared the belief promoted by scholarly Christians that the ventricles were the abode of rational soul. We have several examples of hidden symbolism in Renaissance paintings, but the influence of phrenology and this rudimentary knowledge of neuroanatomy on artists of that period is under

  20. Thyroid swellings in the art of the Italian Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Sterpetti, Antonio V; De Toma, Giorgio; De Cesare, Alessandro

    2015-09-01

    Thyroid swellings in the art of the Italian Renaissance are sporadically reported in the medical literature. Six hundred paintings and sculptures from the Italian Renaissance, randomly selected, were analyzed to determine the prevalence of personages with thyroid swellings and its meaning. The prevalence of personages with thyroid swellings in the art of Italian Renaissance is much higher than previously thought. This phenomenon was probably secondary to iodine deficiency. The presence of personages with thyroid swelling was related to specific meanings the artists wanted to show in their works. Even if the function and the role of the thyroid were discovered only after thyroidectomy was started to be performed, at the beginning of the 19th century, artists of the Italian Renaissance had the intuition that thyroid swellings were related to specific psychological conditions. Artistic intuition and sensibility often comes before scientific demonstration, and it should be a guide for science development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Accelerated Reader/Reading Renaissance. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2007

    2007-01-01

    The Accelerated Reader/Reading Renaissance program (now called Accelerated Reader Best Classroom Practices) is a guided reading intervention in which teachers direct student reading of text. It involves two components. Reading Renaissance, the first component, is a set of recommended principles on guided reading (or teachers' direction of…

  2. Supporting Our Nation's Nuclear Industry

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

    Lyons, Peter

    2011-12-16

    On the 60th anniversary of the world's first nuclear power plant to produce electricity, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Peter Lyons discusses the Energy Department's and the Administration's commitment to promoting a nuclear renaissance in the United States.

  3. Supporting Our Nation's Nuclear Industry

    ScienceCinema

    Lyons, Peter

    2018-02-07

    On the 60th anniversary of the world's first nuclear power plant to produce electricity, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Peter Lyons discusses the Energy Department's and the Administration's commitment to promoting a nuclear renaissance in the United States.

  4. Gender and Ambition: Zora Neale Hurston in the Harlem Renaissance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Story, Ralph D.

    1989-01-01

    Discusses various critical interpretations of Zora Neale Hurston's personality and writing beginning in the Harlem Renaissance. Examines literary skirmishes and aesthetic debates between Hurston and Langston Hughes and Richard Wright beginning in the Harlem Renaissance period. Explores Black male and female writers' perspectives during this time.…

  5. A Nuclear Energy Renaissance: Challenges to Nuclear Weapon Nonproliferation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-03-30

    carbon dioxide every second.12 Nuclear energy is currently the only energy source capable of significant expansion to replace the many terawatts of...environmental lobby, which for decades opposed nuclear power, has now to a significant part come to support it as an important answer to reduce carbon ...power produced by burning fossil fuels. The 4 likely addition of carbon emission taxes and tax credits will only make nuclear power more economically

  6. Political Christianity in Renaissance Drama

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Joulan, Nayef Ali

    2017-01-01

    Examining the following selected Renaissance dramas: Marlowe's "The Jew of Malta" (1585), Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" (1596), Massinger's "The Renegado" (1624), Daborne's "A Christian Turn'd Turk" (1612), and Goffe's "The Raging Turk" (1656), this research investigates Renaissance…

  7. Philadelphia's Renaissance Schools: Start up and Early Implementation. Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Research for Action, 2011

    2011-01-01

    In April 2009, Superintendent Arlene Ackerman announced her reform plan for the School District of Philadelphia (the District)--"Imagine 2014". Among other major initiatives, "Imagine 2014" laid the groundwork for Philadelphia's Renaissance Schools Initiative. The Renaissance Initiative, set to enter its second year in 2011-12, is an effort to…

  8. 77 FR 23756 - Grant of Individual Exemption Involving Renaissance Technologies, LLC (Renaissance, or the...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-20

    ... investments.\\4\\ The Applicant notes that the change to the valuation policy simply solves a minor problem that... Vehicle invests, Renaissance or the applicable New Medallion Vehicle manager (the New Medallion Vehicle Manager), with respect to any such acquisition by an IRA * * *. In addition, the Applicant's comment...

  9. Lessons from the Renaissance: The Power of Multiple Knowledge Bases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitmire, Kathleen; Beck, Joanna

    2010-01-01

    This article applies the Renaissance paradigm of "Homo universalis" to a 30-year retrospective of services provided in education settings to children and youth with language disorders. It also proposes directions to take for the future. The Renaissance ideal of "Homo universalis" refers to an individual who acquires learning in a wide variety of…

  10. Utopia e Educacao no Renascimento (Utopia and Education in the Renaissance).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    da Silva, Joao Carlos

    2000-01-01

    Discusses education in utopian ideas of the Renaissance, privileging Thomas More's "Utopia," Tommaso Campanella's "City of the Sun," and Francis Bacon's "Nova Atlantis." Analyzes the importance Renaissance utopian thinkers had in the process of the construction of modern educational thinking, explaining how these…

  11. The occurrence of phi in dento-facial beauty of fine art from antiquity through the Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Wiener, R Constance; Wiener Pla, Regina M

    2012-01-01

    External beauty is a complex construct that influences lives and may be impacted by dentists. Beauty is not easily quantified, but one cited anthropometric of beauty is the ratio phi, the number 1.618033(...). This study examined phi as a measure of female frontal facial beauty in classic Western art, using pre- Renaissance (N = 30), and Renaissance (N = 30) artwork. Four horizontal and five vertical ratios were determined in the works of art, which were then compared with the phi ratio. All horizontal ratios for both pre-Renaissance and Renaissance artwork were similar to each other, but did not contain the phi ratio (P < 0.001). Nevertheless, all vertical ratios for pre-Renaissance and Renaissance art-work did contain the phi ratio within their confidence intervals with the exception of the vertical ratio, "intereye point to soft tissue menton/ intereye point to stomion", that was found to be less than phi in the Renaissance group. The study provides evidence of the presence of the phi ratio in vertical aspect of females in artwork from pre-Renaissance through the Renaissance demonstrating consistent temporal preferences. Therefore, the phi ratio seems to be an important consideration in altering vertical facial dimensions in full mouth rehabilitation and reconstructive orthognathic surgery involving females.

  12. Renaissance Neurosurgery: Italy's Iconic Contributions.

    PubMed

    Nanda, Anil; Khan, Imad Saeed; Apuzzo, Michael L

    2016-03-01

    Various changes in the sociopolitical milieu of Italy led to the increasing tolerance of the study of cadavers in the late Middle Ages. The efforts of Mondino de Liuzzi (1276-1326) and Guido da Vigevano (1280-1349) led to an explosion of cadaver-centric studies in centers such as Bologna, Florence, and Padua during the Renaissance period. Legendary scientists from this era, including Leonardo Da Vinci, Andreas Vesalius, Bartolomeo Eustachio, and Costanzo Varolio, furthered the study of neuroanatomy. The various texts produced during this period not only helped increase the understanding of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology but also led to the formalization of medical education. With increased understanding came new techniques to address various neurosurgical problems from skull fractures to severed peripheral nerves. The present study aims to review the major developments in Italy during the vibrant Renaissance period that led to major progress in the field of neurosurgery. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Brain ‘imaging’ in the Renaissance

    PubMed Central

    Paluzzi, Alessandro; Belli, Antonio; Bain, Peter; Viva, Laura

    2007-01-01

    During the Renaissance, a period of ‘rebirth’ for humanities and science, new knowledge and speculation began to emerge about the function of the human body, replacing ancient religious and philosophical dogma. The brain must have been a fascinating mystery to a Renaissance artist, but some speculation existed at that time on the function of its parts. Here we show how revived interest in anatomy and life sciences may have influenced the figurative work of Italian and Flemish masters, such as Rafael, Michelangelo and David. We present a historical perspective on the artists and the period in which they lived, their fascination for human anatomy and its symbolic use in their art. Prior to the 16th century, knowledge of the brain was limited and influenced in a dogmatic way by the teachings of Galen1 who, as we now know, conducted his anatomical studies not on humans but on animals.2 Nemesus, Bishop of Emesa, in around the year 400 was one of the first to attribute mental faculties to the brain, specifically to the ventricles. He identified two anterior (lateral) ventricles, to which he assigned perception, a middle ventricle responsible for cognition and a posterior ventricle for memory.2,3 After a long period of stasis in the Middle Ages, Renaissance scholars realized the importance of making direct observations on dissected cadavers. Between 1504 and 1507, Leonardo da Vinci conducted experiments to reveal the anatomy of the ventricular system in the brain. He injected hot wax through a tube thrust into the ventricular cavities of an ox and then scraped the overlying brain off, thus obtaining, in a simple but ingenious way, an accurate cast of the ventricles.2,4 Leonardo shared the belief promoted by scholarly Christians that the ventricles were the abode of rational soul. We have several examples of hidden symbolism in Renaissance paintings, but the influence of phrenology and this rudimentary knowledge of neuroanatomy on artists of that period is under

  14. Philadelphia's Renaissance Schools: A Report on Start up and Early Implementation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gold, Eva; Good, Deborah; Robertson-Kraft, Claire; Callahan, M. Kate

    2011-01-01

    In April 2009, Superintendent Arlene Ackerman announced her reform plan for the School District of Philadelphia (the District)--"Imagine 2014". Among other major initiatives, "Imagine 2014" laid the groundwork for Philadelphia's Renaissance Schools Initiative. The Renaissance Initiative, set to enter its second year in 2011-12,…

  15. From Accountability to Privatization and African American Exclusion: Chicago's "Renaissance 2010"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lipman, Pauline; Haines, Nathan

    2007-01-01

    This article analyzes Chicago's new Renaissance 2010 school plan to close public schools and reopen them as choice and charter schools. Grounding the analysis in participatory research methods, the authors argue that Chicago's education accountability policies have laid the groundwork for privatization. They furthermore argue that Renaissance 2010…

  16. BOOK REVIEW: Galileo's Muse: Renaissance Mathematics and the Arts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peterson, Mark; Sterken, Christiaan

    2013-12-01

    Galileo's Muse is a book that focuses on the life and thought of Galileo Galilei. The Prologue consists of a first chapter on Galileo the humanist and deals with Galileo's influence on his student Vincenzo Viviani (who wrote a biography of Galileo). This introductory chapter is followed by a very nice chapter that describes the classical legacy: Pythagoreanism and Platonism, Euclid and Archimedes, and Plutarch and Ptolemy. The author explicates the distinction between Greek and Roman contributions to the classical legacy, an explanation that is crucial for understanding Galileo and Renaissance mathematics. The following eleven chapters of this book arranged in a kind of quadrivium, viz., Poetry, Painting, Music, Architecture present arguments to support the author's thesis that the driver for Galileo's genius was not Renaissance science as is generally accepted but Renaissance arts brought forth by poets, painters, musicians, and architects. These four sets of chapters describe the underlying mathematics in poetry, visual arts, music and architecture. Likewise, Peterson stresses the impact of the philosophical overtones present in geometry, but absent in algebra and its equations. Basically, the author writes about Galileo, while trying to ignore the Copernican controversy, which he sees as distracting attention from Galileo's scientific legacy. As such, his story deviates from the standard myth on Galileo. But the book also looks at other eminent characters, such as Galileo's father Vincenzo (who cultivated music and music theory), the painter Piero della Francesca (who featured elaborate perspectives in his work), Dante Alighieri (author of the Divina Commedia), Filippo Brunelleschi (who engineered the dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Johannes Kepler (a strong supporter of Galileo's Copernicanism), etc. This book is very well documented: it offers, for each chapter, a wide selection of excellent biographical notes, and includes a fine

  17. Renaissance: A revolutionary approach for providing low-cost ground data systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Butler, Madeline J.; Perkins, Dorothy C.; Zeigenfuss, Lawrence B.

    1996-01-01

    The NASA is changing its attention from large missions to a greater number of smaller missions with reduced development schedules and budgets. In relation to this, the Renaissance Mission Operations and Data Systems Directorate systems engineering process is presented. The aim of the Renaissance approach is to improve system performance, reduce cost and schedules and meet specific customer needs. The approach includes: the early involvement of the users to define the mission requirements and system architectures; the streamlining of management processes; the development of a flexible cost estimation capability, and the ability to insert technology. Renaissance-based systems demonstrate significant reuse of commercial off-the-shelf building blocks in an integrated system architecture.

  18. The Nuclear Renaissance in the U.S.

    ScienceCinema

    Buongiorno, Jacopo

    2018-04-23

    Nuclear power currently provides 20% of the electricity generation in the U.S. and about 16% worldwide.  As a carbon-free energy source, nuclear is receiving a lot of attention by industry, lawmakers and environmental groups, as they attempt to resolve the issue of man-made climate change.  For the first time in 30 years several U.S. electric utilities have applied for construction and operation licenses of new nuclear power plants.  This talk will review the safety, operational and economic record of the existing U.S. commercial reactor fleet, will provide an overview of the reactor designs considered for the new wave of plant construction, and will discuss several research projects being conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to support the expansion of nuclear power in the U.S. and overseas.

  19. Astronomy in Italy during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Truffa, Giancarlo

    I will present a chronological excursus from the XII century, from the time of the birth of the first universities in Europe, when the translations of Arabic and Greek texts promoted the first "renaissance" of philosophical and scientific studies, to the XVI century, when the second "renaissance" gave birth to modern science. I will consider only some personalities, representatives of the different aspects of astronomical research during this period: translations, commentaries, astronomical tables, astronomical instruments, observations, astrological forecasting.

  20. Shakespearience: A Schoolwide Celebration of the Renaissance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wall, Angela F.; And Others

    1997-01-01

    Describes across disciplines in the culture, literature, science, art, and music of the Renaissance. The program featured student exhibits, performances, projects, and demonstrations and a visit by a professional actor posing as William Shakespeare. (DB)

  1. Ideas on Moral and Civil Upbringing of Personality in Italian and Ukrainian Pedagogy during the Renaissance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petruk, Natalia

    2015-01-01

    Important aspects of moral and civic upbringing of personality based on studying the experience of humanist pedagogy establishment in the Italian Renaissance in XIV-XV centuries and the Ukrainian Renaissance in XVI-XVII centuries have been reviewed in the article. It has been found out that under the influence of Renaissance in XVI-XVII centuries…

  2. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: Source of cooperation or contention?

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Teferi Taye, Meron; Tadesse, Tsegaye; Senay, Gabriel; Block, Paul

    2016-01-01

    This paper discusses the challenges and benefits of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which is under construction and expected to be operational on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia in a few years. Like many large-scale projects on transboundary rivers, the GERD has been criticized for potentially jeopardizing downstream water security and livelihoods through upstream unilateral decision making. In spite of the contentious nature of the project, the authors argue that this project can provide substantial benefits for regional development. The GERD, like any major river infrastructure project, will undeniably bring about social, environmental, and economic change, and in this unique case has, on balance, the potential to achieve success on all fronts. It must be stressed, however, that strong partnerships between riparian countries are essential. National success is contingent on regional cooperation.

  3. The Renaissance Culture and the Arts. Grades 3-6, The Time Traveler Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pofahl, Jane

    This resource guide encourages grade 3-6 students to explore the social structure, government, culture and art forms, scientific discoveries, and historic personalities of the European Renaissance. The work is organized into 10 topics: (1) The Renaissance; (2) Art; (3) Leonardo da Vinci; (4) The Medicis; (5) Michelangelo; (6) Printing; (7) Music;…

  4. Albrecht Durer's Renaissance Connections between Mathematics and Art.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walton, Karen Doyle

    1994-01-01

    Discusses the use of mathematics in the works of German artist Albrecht Durer, including the Mathematical Renaissance, Durer the geometer, mathematical drawing instruments, perspective drawing, and polyhedrons and magic squares. (Contains 14 references.) (MKR)

  5. Renaissance of the Web

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCarty, M.

    2009-09-01

    The renaissance of the web has driven development of many new technologies that have forever changed the way we write software. The resulting tools have been applied to both solve problems and creat new ones in a wide range of domains ranging from monitor and control user interfaces to information distribution. This discussion covers which of and how these technologies are being used in the astronomical computing community. Topics include JavaScript, Cascading Style Sheets, HTML, XML, JSON, RSS, iCalendar, Java, PHP, Python, Ruby on Rails, database technologies, and web frameworks/design patterns.

  6. The African Renaissance, NEPAD and Skills Formation: An Identification of Key Policy Tensions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tikly, Leon

    2003-01-01

    The aim of the article is to critically consider the implications of the African Renaissance project for skills formation policies and priorities with a focus on the education and training systems of sub-Saharan Africa. The article commences with an account of the origins of the African Renaissance idea and its latest incarnation in the New…

  7. Philadelphia's Renaissance Schools Initiative after Four Years

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stratos, Kati; Wolford, Tonya; Reitano, Adrienne

    2015-01-01

    In 2010-2011, the School District of Philadelphia (the District) launched its Renaissance Schools Initiative, a program designed to dramatically improve student achievement in the District's lowest performing schools. Some schools became Promise Academies, based on the federal turnaround model, and remained District-operated neighborhood schools.…

  8. Francis Bacon and the "Interpretation of Nature" in the late Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Serjeantson, Richard

    2014-12-01

    The "interpretation of nature" (interpretatio naturae) is the leading idea in Francis Bacon's natural philosophy. But by contrast with his ideas about method, induction, or experiment, the significance of the "interpretation of nature" has received very little scholarly attention. This essay tests the originality of Bacon's idea by means of a focused survey of existing forms of Renaissance natural knowledge-Aristotelian and anti-Aristotelian natural philosophy, Galenic and Paracelsian medicine, natural magic, physiognomy, natural history-before turning to consider the much more prominent place of "interpretation" in the fields of Renaissance logic, revealed and natural theology, and law. It finds that Bacon's application of the idea of "interpretation" to nature was highly original, but also that certain important aspects of his conception have analogies in Renaissance civil law. The essay concludes by exploring the implications of these findings for a recent body of scholarship in the history of the sciences that invokes the notion of the "interpretation of nature" to characterize pre-Baconian natural philosophy more generally.

  9. The Librarians' Reading Renaissance[R] Survey. Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Renaissance Inst., Inc., Madison, WI.

    A study was conducted which surveyed Reading Renaissance Model (RR) certified librarians (of 112 surveys sent, 49 responded). The survey requested demographic information and asked attitudinal questions about how RR has affected students' reading habits and librarian job satisfaction. Also solicited was circulation and funding information for the…

  10. The Renaissance and the universal surgeon: Giovanni Andrea Della Croce, a master of traumatology.

    PubMed

    Di Matteo, Berardo; Tarabella, Vittorio; Filardo, Giuseppe; Viganò, Anna; Tomba, Patrizia; Marcacci, Maurilio

    2013-12-01

    All the medical knowledge of all time in one book, the universal and perfect manual for the Renaissance surgeon, and the man who wrote it. This paper depicts the life and works of Giovanni Andrea della Croce, a 16th Century physician and surgeon, who, endowed with true spirit of Renaissance humanism, wanted to teach and share all his medical knowledge through his opus magnum, titled "Universal Surgery Complete with All the Relevant Parts for the Optimum Surgeon". An extraordinary book which truly represents a defining moment and a founding stone for traumatology, written by a lesser known historical personality, but nonetheless the Renaissance Master of Traumatology.

  11. Occlusion issues in early Renaissance art

    PubMed Central

    Gillam, Barbara

    2011-01-01

    Early Renaissance painters innovatively attempted to depict realistic three-dimensional scenes. A major problem was to produce the impression of overlap for surfaces that occlude one another in the scene but are adjoined in the picture plane. Much has been written about perspective in art but little about occlusion. Here I examine some of the strategies for depicting occlusion used by early Renaissance painters in relation to ecological considerations and perceptual research. Perceived surface overlap is often achieved by implementing the principle that an occluding surface occludes anything behind it, so that occlusion perception is enhanced by a lack of relationship of occluding contour to occluded contours. Some well-known figure-ground principles are also commonly used to stratify adjoined figures. Global factors that assist this stratification include the placement of figures on a ground plane, a high viewpoint, and figure grouping. Artists of this period seem to have differed on whether to occlude faces and heads, often carefully avoiding doing so. Halos were either eliminated selectively or placed oddly to avoid such occlusions. Finally, I argue that the marked intransitivity in occlusion by architecture in the paintings of Duccio can be related to the issue of perceptual versus cognitive influences on the visual impact of paintings. PMID:23145262

  12. The world's nuclear future - built on material success

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ion, Sue

    2010-07-01

    In our energy hungry world of the twenty-first century, the future of electricity generation must meet the twin challenges of security of supply and reduced carbon emissions. The expectations for nuclear power programmes to play a part in delivering success on both counts, grows ever higher. The nuclear industry is poised on a renaissance likely to dwarf the heady days of the 1960s and early 1970s. Global supply chain and project management challenges abound, now just as then. The science and engineering of materials will be key to the successful deployment and operation of a new generation of reactor systems and their associated fuel cycles. Understanding and predicting materials performance will be key to achieving life extension of existing assets and underpinning waste disposal options, as well as giving confidence to the designers, their financial backers and governments across the globe, that the next generation of reactors will deliver their full potential.

  13. Black Immigrants and Political Radicalism in the Harlem Renaissance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walter, John C.

    1977-01-01

    The migration of Blacks from the Caribbean to the United States after 1900 is described. The role of West Indian immigrants as radical political and labor leaders during the Harlem Renaissance (1910 to 1940) is discussed. (MC)

  14. Rediscovering Renaissance Research: Information Literacy Strategies for Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gilchrist, Sarah Burns

    2016-01-01

    While remaining cognizant of several aspects of current information literacy (IL) instruction methods, including threshold concepts, the author re-created experiences shared by students as she searched for, analyzed, and compiled resources pertaining to the Renaissance. Good IL instruction supports education of the whole person, develops new modes…

  15. Renaissance and Italian Literature in World Literature Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paolucci, Anne

    1977-01-01

    Shows how the giants of the Renaissance, from Dante to Shakespeare and Cervantes, can be taught so that they illustrate the dialectic of the cultural experience that produced them, and how the masterpieces of Italian literature can be used to suggest both national and universal qualities. (Editor/RK)

  16. Gout in Duke Federico of Montefeltro (1422-1482): a new pearl of the Italian Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Fornaciari, Antonio; Giuffra, Valentina; Armocida, Emanuele; Caramella, Davide; Rühli, Frank J; Galassi, Francesco Maria

    2018-01-01

    The article examines the truthfulness of historical accounts claiming that Renaissance Duke Federico of Montefeltro (1422-1482) suffered from gout. By direct paleopathological assessment of the skeletal remains and by the philological investigation of historical and documental sources, primarily a 1461 handwritten letter by the Duke himself to his personal physician, a description of the symptoms and Renaissance therapy is offered and a final diagnosis of gout is formulated. The Duke's handwritten letter offers a rare testimony of ancient clinical self-diagnostics and Renaissance living-experience of gout. Moreover, the article also shows how an alliance between historical, documental and paleopathological methods can greatly increase the precision of retrospective diagnoses, thus helping to shed clearer light onto the antiquity and evolution of diseases.

  17. The diffusion of ancient medicine in the Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Nutton, Vivian

    2002-01-01

    Ancient Greek medicine was largely transmitted in the Renaissance in the form of Latin translations. Recent scholarship has carefully delineated the sources used, and the printing history of many texts, but, save for anatomy, less has been done to elucidate how their message was received, and how that message itself changed during the sixteenth century.

  18. Renaissance Art, Education, and History: An Art Historian's Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steele, Brian D.

    1993-01-01

    Contends lack of appropriate instructional materials and demands of studio art production may keep some teachers from incorporating art history and art appreciation into secondary art education courses. Presents two lesson plans focusing on art from European Renaissance period. Concludes that the integration of art history, criticism, and…

  19. [Spanish-Italian medical relations during the Renaissance].

    PubMed

    Olagüe de Ros, G

    1993-01-01

    This paper offers a general review about the Spanish-Italian medical relations during the Renaissance. Spanish physicians travelled very often to Italy during this time, in order to get a better knowledge of the news advances in medicine. Many of them later occupied academic positions in Spanish universities and wide-spread the new ideas learned in Italy. The role played by printed books and manuscripts in their mutual relationships is here reported.

  20. Ancient, Renaissance, and Modern: The Human in the Humanities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kallendorf, Craig

    1987-01-01

    Highlights major points concerning the scope and purpose of the humanities from five educational treatises from the Italian Renaissance. Compares them with Allan Bloom's and E. D. Hirsch, Jr.'s, ideas and revisionist approaches to literature studies. Concludes that the right and left perceive the humanities as a means to political power. (DMM)

  1. Renaissance Paideia: Some Ideals in Italian Humanism and Their Relevance Today

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weakland, John E.

    1973-01-01

    The humanists of the Renaissance developed a philosophy of education which stated that education must always be connected with the active life, must lead to the development of humanity, must be for the benefit of the community. (JB)

  2. Nuclear Materials Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Whittle, Karl

    2016-06-01

    Concerns around global warming have led to a nuclear renaissance in many countries, meanwhile the nuclear industry is warning already of a need to train more nuclear engineers and scientists, who are needed in a range of areas from healthcare and radiation detection to space exploration and advanced materials as well as for the nuclear power industry. Here Karl Whittle provides a solid overview of the intersection of nuclear engineering and materials science at a level approachable by advanced students from materials, engineering and physics. The text explains the unique aspects needed in the design and implementation of materials for use in demanding nuclear settings. In addition to material properties and their interaction with radiation the book covers a range of topics including reactor design, fuels, fusion, future technologies and lessons learned from past incidents. Accompanied by problems, videos and teaching aids the book is suitable for a course text in nuclear materials and a reference for those already working in the field.

  3. Renaissance Science and Literature: Benedetti, Ovid and the Transformations of Phaeton's Myth after Copernicus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Omodeo, Pietro Daniel

    2014-03-01

    This paper aims at showing the close ties between Renaissance literature and science as emerge from the use and the transformation, in a post-Copernican context, of the myth of Phaeton—according to Greek mythology: the boy who tried to conduct the chariot of the Sun and died in this attempt. G.B. Benedetti's analysis and criticism of Ovid's Metamorphoses, book two, provides an insight into this literary and scientific issue. Astronomical poems and variations of Phaeton's myth by other illustrious Renaissance men—including T. Brahe and King James of Scotland and England—are taken into account, as well.

  4. Resources for Popular Culture in Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Humanities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schroeder, Fred E. H.

    1996-01-01

    Notes that there are few readily accessible resources for teachers who wish to include popular culture in their ancient, medieval, or renaissance history lessons. Goes on to partially remedy this situation by providing a review of print sources of information on popular culture. Also mentions useful films and artifacts. (DSK)

  5. A Brief Historical Development of Classical Mathematics before the Renaissance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Debnath, Lokenath

    2011-01-01

    This article deals with a short history of mathematics and mathematical scientists during the ancient and medieval periods. Included are some major developments of the ancient, Indian, Arabic, Egyptian, Greek and medieval mathematics and their significant impact on the Renaissance mathematics. Special attention is given to many results, theorems,…

  6. Renaissance mummies in Italy.

    PubMed

    Fornaciari, G

    1999-01-01

    The paleopathological study of 40 Italian Renaissance mummies has allowed us to perform about 20 diagnoses, of which 5 concern infectious (smallpox, hepatitis, condyloma, syphilis and pneumonia), 4 metabolic (obesity, atherosclerosis, gallstones and uric acid nephrolithiasis), 2 articular (DISH and rheumatoid arthritis) and 2 neoplastic (skin apithelioma and colon adenocarcinoma) diseases. The mummy of an anonymous child, dated back to the 16th century (C14=1569 +/- 60), presented a diffuse vesiculo-pustular exanthema. Macroscopic aspects and regional distribution suggested smallpox, while EM reavealed many egg-shaped, virus-like particles (250 x 50 nm), with a central dense core. Following incubation with anti-smallpox virus antiserum and protein A-gold complex immunostaining, the particles resulted completely covered with protein A-gold. These results clearly show that this Neapolitan child died of a severe form of smallpox some four centuries ago. The mummy of Maria of Aragon, Marquise of Vasto (1503-1568), reavealed on the left arm an oval, cutaneous ulcer (15x10 nm) with linen dressing. Indirect immunofluorescence with anti-treponema pallidum antibody identified a large number of filaments with the morphological characteristics of fluorescent treponemes. EM evidenced typical spirochetes, with axial fibril. These findings clearly demonstrate a treponemal, probably venereal, infection. The mummy of Ferrante I of Aragon, King of Naples (1431-1494), revealed an adenocarcinoma extensively infiltrating the muscles of the small pelvis. A molecular study of the neoplastic tissue evidenced a typical mutation of the K-ras gene codon 12:the normal sequence GGT (glycine) was altered into GAT (aspartic acid). At present this genetic change is the most frequent mutation of the K-ras gene in sporadic colorectal cancer. The alimentary "environment" of the Neapolitan court of the XV century, with its abundance of natural alimentary alkylating agents, well explains this

  7. The development of regulatory expectations for computer-based safety systems for the UK nuclear programme

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

    Hughes, P. J.; Westwood, R.N; Mark, R. T.

    2006-07-01

    The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) of the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has completed a review of their Safety Assessment Principles (SAPs) for Nuclear Installations recently. During the period of the SAPs review in 2004-2005 the designers of future UK naval reactor plant were optioneering the control and protection systems that might be implemented. Because there was insufficient regulatory guidance available in the naval sector to support this activity the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) invited the NII to collaborate with the production of a guidance document that provides clarity of regulatory expectations for the production of safety casesmore » for computer based safety systems. A key part of producing regulatory expectations was identifying the relevant extant standards and sector guidance that reflect good practice. The three principal sources of such good practice were: IAEA Safety Guide NS-G-1.1 (Software for Computer Based Systems Important to Safety in Nuclear Power Plants), European Commission consensus document (Common Position of European Nuclear Regulators for the Licensing of Safety Critical Software for Nuclear Reactors) and IEC nuclear sector standards such as IEC60880. A common understanding has been achieved between the NII and DNSR and regulatory guidance developed which will be used by both NII and DNSR in the assessment of computer-based safety systems and in the further development of more detailed joint technical assessment guidance for both regulatory organisations. (authors)« less

  8. Applying the World Water and Agriculture Model to Filling Scenarios for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

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

    Villa, Daniel L.; Tidwell, Vincent C.; Passell, Howard D.

    The World Water and Agriculture Model has been used to simulate water, hydropower, and food sector effects in Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia during the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam reservoir. This unique capability allows tradeoffs to be made between filling policies for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam reservoir. This Nile River Basin study is presented to illustrate the capacity to use the World Water and Agriculture Model to simulate regional food security issues while keeping a global perspective. The study uses runoff data from the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 and informationmore » from the literature in order to establish a reasonable set of hydrological initial conditions. Gross Domestic Product and population growth are modelled exogenously based on a composite projection of United Nations and World Bank data. The effects of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam under various percentages of water withheld are presented.« less

  9. U.S.-Pakistani Nuclear Relations: A Strategic Survey

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-04-01

    nuclear   renaissance  at  a  time   when  the   Fukushima   disaster  has  cooled  the...together,  these  trends  have   triggered   U.S.-­‐Pakistani  debate  in  four  key  subject  areas:    (1)   nuclear ...academic  literature  on  South  Asia,  but  Track  II  gatherings  have  explored   several  

  10. [The decoration of Italian Renaissance drug jars after engravings].

    PubMed

    Drey, R E

    1994-01-01

    Although Italian drug jar painters generally devised original compositions for the ornamentation of their products, on occasion they derived their subjects from printed sources. Printed sources used by drug jar artists of the Renaissance include wood-engraved Italian tarot cards and wood-engraved illustrations by Hans Sebald Beham and Bernard Salomon in miniature bibles published in the sixteenth century in Frankfurt and in Lyons respectively.

  11. Significant findings concerning the production of Italian Renaissance lustred majolica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.

    2013-12-01

    In the present paper the main results obtained, over a period of more than ten years, from a series of studies concerning the characterization of Italian Renaissance lustred majolicas (from Gubbio and Deruta, Umbria, Italy) are presented. Lustre decoration is a well-known technique, consisting in the application of a thin metallic iridescent film, containing silver and copper nanoparticles, over a previously glazed ceramic object. The technique had its origin in Persia (IX century), was imported by Moorish in Spain, and then developed in central Italy during the Renaissance period. Numerous analytical techniques (among which, ETASS, XRD, UV-Vis, SEM-EDX) have been employed for the characterization of lustred ceramic shards, allowing one to acquire information on both lustre chemical composition and nanostructure. In this way it was shown how some technological parameters, such as the firing conditions, are mandatory to obtain the final result. The presence of a specific marker of the lustre Italian production, i.e., cosalite (Pb2Bi2S5), has been also highlighted. From the study of the ceramic body composition (by means of XRD and ICP-OES and in particular of chemometric techniques) acquired on more than 50 ceramic shards it was possible to discriminate between Deruta and Gubbio production, in this way allowing one to assign objects of uncertain provenance to a specific site. Finally, the most interesting results obtained studying excellent lustred masterpieces from Renaissance belonging to important museums are here presented. In particular, with the use of nondestructive techniques (PIXE, RBS, and portable XRD), the production of Mastro Giorgio Andreoli from Gubbio was investigated. By means of the same analytical approach, one of the first examples of lustre in Italy (the famous Baglioni's albarello) was examined, and the controversial question of its attribution to Italian production was scientifically faced.

  12. An abbreviated history of the ear: from Renaissance to present.

    PubMed Central

    Hachmeister, Jorge E.

    2003-01-01

    In this article we discuss important discoveries in relation to the anatomy and physiology of the ear from Renaissance to present. Before the Renaissance, there was a paucity of knowledge of the anatomy of the ear, because of the relative inaccessibility of the temporal bone and the general perception that human dissections should not be conducted. It was not until the sixteenth century that the middle ear was described with detail. Further progress would be made between the sixteenth and eighteenth century in describing the inner ear. In the nineteenth century, technological advancement permitted a description of the cells and structures that constitute the cochlea. Von Helmholtz made further progress in hearing physiology when he postulated his resonance theory and later von Békésy when he observed a traveling wave in human cadavers within the cochlea. Brownell later made a major advance when he discovered that the ear has a mechanism for sound amplification, via outer hair cell electromotility. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:15369636

  13. The Universities of the Renaissance and Reformation.

    PubMed

    Grendler, Paul F

    2004-01-01

    European universities had great intellectual and religious influence in the Renaissance and Reformation and exhibited considerable variety. Italian universities taught law and medicine to doctoral students. Their loose organization made it possible for professors to produce original research in law, medicine, philosophy, and the humanities. Northern European universities concentrated on teaching arts to undergraduates, while theology was the most important graduate faculty. Their stronger structure enabled Martin Luther and other professors of theology in German, Dutch, Swiss, and English universities to create and lead the Protestant. By the early seventeenth century universities everywhere were in decline.

  14. Italian Renaissance and Japanese Zen Gardens: An Approach for Introducing Cultural Landscapes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Purkayastha, Bandana

    1995-01-01

    Presents a method for teaching about cultural landscapes in introductory geography classes by comparing Italian Renaissance gardens with Japanese Zen gardens. Discusses the background and attributes of both garden types. Maintains that, by contrasting the two traditions, it is possible to illustrate cultural landscapes. (CFR)

  15. [Brief history of lead poisoning: from Egyptian civilization to the Renaissance].

    PubMed

    Robles-Osorio, María Ludivina; Sabath, Ernesto

    2014-01-01

    The exposition to lead in the Antiquity is one of the first environmental health risks in the history of the mankind. In the ancient cultures of Egypt, Crete and Sumer there was no reports of an important exposition to this metal. The first clinical data is described in the Corpus Hipocraticcus, however was Nicandrus of Colophon the first to make a thorough description of the clinical manifestations of this disease. There was an increase in the exposition to this metal in times of the Roman empire and even some researchers propose that Julius Cesar and Octavio had clinical manifestations associated with lead poisoning. Paul of Aegina in the 7th century (a.C.) describes the first epidemic associated with lead intoxication, however in the Middle Ages the use of lead decrease until the Renaissance period in which lead poisoning affects mostly painters, metal-smithers and miners. Some studies done in the ice-layers of Greenland showed that the environmental pollution by lead during the Roman empire and the Renaissance was important.

  16. The role of images in the development of Renaissance natural history.

    PubMed

    Kusukawa, Sachiko

    2011-01-01

    This review surveys recent scholarship on the history of natural history with special attention to the role of images in the Renaissance. It discusses how classicism, collecting and printing were important catalysts for the Renaissance study of nature. Classicism provided inspiration of how to study and what kind of object to examine in nature, and several images from the period can be shown to reflect these classical values. The development of the passion for collecting and the rise of commerce in nature's commodities led to the circulation of a large number of exotic flora and fauna. Pictures enabled scholars to access unobtainable objects, build up knowledge of rare objects over time, and study them long after the live specimens had died away. Printing replicated pictures alongside texts and enabled scholars to share and accumulate knowledge. Images, alongside objects and text, were an important means of studying nature. Naturalists' images, in turn, became part of a larger visual culture in which nature was regarded as a beautiful and fascinating object of admiration.

  17. Application of PIXE to the study of Renaissance style enamelled gold jewelry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weldon, M.; Carlson, J.; Reedy, S.; Swann, C. P.

    1996-04-01

    This study examines and compares three pieces of Renaissance style gold and enamelled jewelry owned by the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, MD, USA. These are a 16th century Hat Badge of Adam and Eve, a 19th century Fortitude Pendant and a Diana Pendant presumed to be of the 16th century (The Walters Art Gallery, Jewelry, Ancient to Modern (Viking, New York, 1979)), Ref. [1]. PIXE spectroscopy was applied to examine the elemental composition of the gold and of the enamels. Compositional differences, including the use of post-Renaissance colorants, were found between the enamels in separate regions of each of the three pieces. The modern colorant, chromium, was, in fact, found in all of the pieces and uranium was found in only the Diana Pendant. There are some differences in the gold purity of the three objects; there are significant differences in the solders used even within one object, the Fortitude Pendant.

  18. Iba Techniques to Study Renaissance Pottery Techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bouquillon, A.; Castaing, J.; Salomon, J.; Zucchiatti, A.; Lucarelli, F.; Mando, P. A.; Prati, P.; Lanterna, G.; Vaccari, M. G.

    2001-09-01

    The application of Ion Beam Analysis, associated to Scanning Electron Microscopy is examined in connection with an extensive program on structural and chemical analyses of glazed terracotta's from the Italian Renaissance, launched by a French-Italian collaboration in the framework of the European COST-G1 scientific action. The objectives of the collaboration are reviewed. The compatibility of data from different specimen and various laboratories are discussed. Examples of the PIXE and statistical analyses on some artefacts of the "Robbiesche" type, supplied by the Louvre Museum of Paris and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence, are given to illustrate the performances of IBA in this particular field.

  19. [Spanish urology in the renaissance].

    PubMed

    De la Calle Muñoz, I; Martínez Sagarra, J M; Sánchez Santos, J A; De Castro Antolín, M L

    1991-01-01

    Spanish renaissance urology is a heirloom from both islamic and scholastic medieval trends. Theory and practice of urology generates three types of professionals: doctors, who study at universities and obtain their licence by making a demonstration before the Protomedicato Tribunal; surgeons, who acquire their surgical techniques through a teacher-pupil training relationship outside universities; and empirics, who were in charge of performing surgical operations. Urology literature exhibits greater interest during the second half of the century. Most outstanding are the works of Francisco Díaz. The pathologies arising greater interest are lithiasis and carnosities. Lithiasis is handled by lithotomists through a carving process of which there were two modalities, castilian and italian. Carnosities, which differential diagnosis, as well as that of lithiasis, was outlined by Andrés Laguna, are treated using a dilating bougie or, surgically, with a sharp instrument analogous to the urethrotome devised by Francisco Díaz.

  20. A Renaissance Depiction of a Tornado.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoinka, Klaus P.; de Castro, Manuel

    2005-04-01

    In the Renaissance, impressive weather features inspired considerable interest among artists. The depiction of a tornado and other weather features are discussed that appear on a sixteenth-century series of 12 huge tapestries (“Conquest of Tunis”) woven by the carpet manufacturer Willem de Pannemaker in Brussels, Belgium, between 1549 and 1551. The outstanding depiction of the tornado is presumably the earliest pictorial presentation of a tornado, at least in the Latin west.During the Renaissance, tapestries were an obligatory fixture of a European court and were used as an instrument for political propaganda and dynastic demonstration. The “Conquest of Tunis” tapestries are important pieces of Eu-ropean art commissioned by the Habsburgian emperor Charles V (1500–58), one of the most important ruling personalities in Euro-pean history. In 1535, he undertook a crusade to Tunis, Tunisia, in order to diminish the Ottoman emperor's power in the western Mediterranean region. Charles V wanted to ensure that the expedition would not be forgotten. In order to guarantee this, the emperor took along the Flemish painter Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen who painted sketches that were used as prototypes for the “Conquest of Tunis” tapestries. These present a highly detailed narrative of the expedition to Tunis.The depiction of a tornado, along with heavy rain and a sandstorm, raises the question of why these meteorological features are included in the scene. To the authors' knowledge, no mention is made of them in the art literature (except for the sandstorm, which actually occurred). This is particularly surprising because the tornado, at least, appears so prominently in one of the tapestries. Therefore, the weather features are discussed in terms of their meteorological, decorative, and symbolic importance. The tornado and the heavy rain seem to have been rendered in order to emphasize symbolically the beginning and ending of the military campaign. Although these

  1. What Renaissance Literary Theory Tells us about Climate Communication

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guenther, G. J.

    2017-12-01

    Many current debates in climate communication-to convey the consensus or not to convey the consensus; to frighten people or encourage them-seem to center on the question of how to discuss climate science and its ability to predict climate impacts. By examining the Renaissance literary theory that represents poets as better teachers than philosophers and scientists, this paper argues that climate advocates should redefine climate communication to include a variety of artistic discourses that make meaning in order to inspire people into political action.

  2. Foot deformities in Renaissance paintings. A mystery of symbolism, artistic licence, illusion and true representation in five renowned Renaissance painters.

    PubMed

    Lazzeri, D; Castello, M F; Grassetti, L; Dashti, T; Zhang, Y X; Persichetti, P

    2015-01-01

    Although Renaissance artists were skilled in representing normal anatomy, a close look at some paintings reveals anatomical variations in the depiction of the feet of human figures. A systematic review has identified 25 paintings by five artists in which the presumptive medico-artistic diagnosis of congenital or acquired foot deformity seems to be varyingly present. The connection between these five painters and what factors have influenced artists' style in the depiction of such deformities is discussed. The possible iconography and medical-historical meaning of such variations, as well as the possibility of artistic licence and real representation that drove the painters to depict these deformities, is explored and debated.

  3. Reliable Top-Left Light Convention Starts With Early Renaissance: An Extensive Approach Comprising 10k Artworks

    PubMed Central

    Carbon, Claus-Christian; Pastukhov, Alexander

    2018-01-01

    Art history claims that Western art shows light from the top left, which has been repeatedly shown with narrow image sets and simplistic research methods. Here we employed a set of 10,000 pictures for which participants estimated the direction of light plus their confidence of estimation. From 1420 A.D., the onset of Early Renaissance, until 1900 A.D., we revealed a clear preference for painting light from the top left—within the same period, we observed the highest confidence in such estimations of the light source. One sentence summary This study demonstrates a robust preference for painting light from the top left for Western art history, starting from Early Renaissance until 1900. PMID:29686636

  4. Assuaging Nuclear Energy Risks: The Angarsk International Uranium Enrichment Center

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Myers, Astasia

    2011-06-01

    The recent nuclear renaissance has motivated many countries, especially developing nations, to plan and build nuclear power reactors. However, domestic low enriched uranium demands may trigger nations to construct indigenous enrichment facilities, which could be redirected to fabricate high enriched uranium for nuclear weapons. The potential advantages of establishing multinational uranium enrichment sites are numerous including increased low enrichment uranium access with decreased nuclear proliferation risks. While multinational nuclear initiatives have been discussed, Russia is the first nation to actualize this concept with their Angarsk International Uranium Enrichment Center (IUEC). This paper provides an overview of the historical and modern context of the multinational nuclear fuel cycle as well as the evolution of Russia's IUEC, which exemplifies how international fuel cycle cooperation is an alternative to domestic facilities.

  5. Nuclear Energy Present and Future

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hutchinson, I. H.

    2006-10-01

    Nuclear power plants currently generate about 20% of US and 17% of world electricity, which makes nuclear the largest non-emitting energy source in current use. Concerns about global climate change have led to a remarkable transformation of attitudes towards nuclear energy. There remain key challenges that must be faced when considering expansion of its contribution. In summary they are: Economics, Safety, Waste Disposal, and Proliferation. Electricity from legacy fission plants is highly competitive with fossil, but perceived financial risks make the large capital cost fraction a key hurdle to new-construction, and costs of 2 per installed Watt electrical are currently considered only just economically attractive. Proliferation of nuclear-weapons-enabling technology is a major concern for global stability, in which fusion may have significant technical advantages over fission. But proliferation control requires a combination of both technical and political initiatives. The feasibility of supplying process heat or hydrogen from nuclear energy inspires additional research into novel reactor concepts and associated technologies. The presentation will lay out this overall context of the nuclear energy renaissance.

  6. The Effect of School Renaissance on TAAS Scores in the McKinney ISD

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nunnery, John A.; Ross, Steven M.; Goldfeder, Elizabeth

    2003-01-01

    The present research is a third-party study of the effects of the School Renaissance (SR) comprehensive school reform (CSR) model on student achievement in 11 elementary and middle schools in Texas. The primary measures used in the study were the Texas Learning Index (TLI) reading and mathematics scores obtained through administration of the Texas…

  7. Maintaining Web-based Bibliographies: A Case Study of Iter, the Bibliography of Renaissance Europe.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castell, Tracy

    1997-01-01

    Introduces Iter, a nonprofit research project developed for the World Wide Web and dedicated to increasing access to all published materials pertaining to the Renaissance and, eventually, the Middle Ages. Discusses information management issues related to building and maintaining Iter's first Web-based bibliography, focusing on printed secondary…

  8. The Renaissance. Grade 7 Model Lesson for Standard 7.8. World History and Geography: Medieval and Early Modern Times. California History-Social Science Course Models.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zachlod, Michelle, Ed.

    California State Standard 7.8 is delineated in the following manner: "Students analyze the origins, accomplishments, and diffusion of the Renaissance," in terms of the way in which the revival of classical learning and the arts affected a new interest in humanism; the importance of Florence in the early stages of the Renaissance and the…

  9. [Surgery and anatomy in the Renaissance].

    PubMed

    Romero-y Huesca, Andrés; Ramírez-Bollas, Julio; Ponce-Landín, Francisco Javier; Moreno-Rojas, Juan Carlos; Soto-Miranda, Miguel Angel

    2005-01-01

    The interest in the physical perfection and the corporal forms brings as a result the creation of new anatomical studies. The anatomical knowledge progressed in the second half of the XV century, conceiving the knowledge of the human body as a basic reality of Medicine. One of the greater contributions of the Italian Universities to medicine was the teaching of anatomy. The Universities of Padua, Bologna, and Pisa educated in their classrooms great physicians like Andres Vesalio, Gabriel Fallopio, Realdo Colombo, Mondino de Luzzi, Julio Ceasar Aranzio, and Gaspare Tagliacozzi, among others. The teaching of anatomy during the Renaissance was characterized by the development of dissection techniques and autopsy practice, which was recognized as an extremely valuable skill for anatomical study. The dissections were made in circular amphitheatres in the following way: a Medicine professor read the text book, another one made the dissection, and a third one indicated the structures referred.

  10. The (de)politicisation of nuclear power: The Finnish discussion after Fukushima.

    PubMed

    Ylönen, Marja; Litmanen, Tapio; Kojo, Matti; Lindell, Pirita

    2017-04-01

    When the Fukushima accident occurred in March 2011, Finland was at the height of a nuclear renaissance, with the Government's decision-in-principle in 2010 to allow construction of two new nuclear reactors. This article examines the nuclear power debate in Finland after Fukushima. We deploy the concepts of (de)politicisation and hyperpoliticisation in the analysis of articles in the country's main newspaper. Our analysis indicates that Finnish nuclear exceptionalism manifested in the safety-related depoliticising and the nation's prosperity-related hyperpoliticisation arguments of the pro-nuclear camp. The anti-nuclear camp used politicisation strategies, such as economic arguments, to show the unprofitability of nuclear power. The Fukushima accident had a clear effect on Finnish nuclear policy: the government programme of 2011 excluded the nuclear new build. However, in 2014 the majority of Parliament again supported nuclear power. Hence, the period after Fukushima until 2014 could be described as continued but undermined loyalty to nuclear power.

  11. Bioprospecting the African Renaissance: The new value of muthi in South Africa

    PubMed Central

    Reihling, Hanspeter CW

    2008-01-01

    This article gives an overview of anthropological research on bioprospecting in general and of available literature related to bioprospecting particularly in South Africa. It points out how new insights on value regimes concerning plant-based medicines may be gained through further research and is meant to contribute to a critical discussion about the ethics of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). In South Africa, traditional healers, plant gatherers, petty traders, researchers and private investors are assembled around the issues of standardization and commercialization of knowledge about plants. This coincides with a nation-building project which promotes the revitalization of local knowledge within the so called African Renaissance. A social science analysis of the transformation of so called Traditional Medicine (TM) may shed light onto this renaissance by tracing social arenas in which different regimes of value are brought into conflict. When medicinal plants turn into assets in a national and global economy, they seem to be manipulated and transformed in relation to their capacity to promote health, their market value, and their potential to construct new ethics of development. In this context, the translation of socially and culturally situated local knowledge about muthi into global pharmaceuticals creates new forms of agency as well as new power differentials between the different actors involved. PMID:18371221

  12. The discovery of circulation and the origin of modern medicine during the italian renaissance.

    PubMed

    Thiene, G

    1997-03-01

    This historical article discusses the dawn of anatomy during the Italian Renaissance, the role of the University of Padua in the origin of modern medicine, milestones in the development of modern medicine, the discovery of circulation, Padua leadership and Galileo's persecution for his scientific theories. Copyright © 1997 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Use of Second Life for interactive instruction and distance learning in nuclear physics and technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amme, Robert C.

    2009-05-01

    The developing nuclear power renaissance, coupled with related environmental consequences, is forcing a re-examination of the manner in which nuclear science and technology is (or is not) being taught in the United States. The 20-year hiatus of the nuclear power industry has been a decided factor in the relatively stagnant growth of nuclear physics and nuclear technology instruction, from middle school to graduate education. Furthermore, the general public remains fairly ignorant of the various features of nuclear power, at best having been briefly exposed to the subject only in a middle-school course in Physical Science. Essential to this renaissance is the capacity to deal with the regulatory environment and safety standards that must be addressed prior to new plant certification. Regrettably, too few individuals who are trained in environmental science are adequately prepared in the basic concepts of nuclear physics to deal with such issues as radioactive waste storage and transportation, biological effects of ionizing radiation, geological repositories, nuclear fuel reprocessing, etc. which are of great concern to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We are developing a master's degree, to be taught online, in the area of environmental impact assessment as it relates to these and other issues. To accommodate the need for laboratory exercises, we have adopted the virtual world developed by Linden Laboratory entitled Second Life; it is here that the student, as an avatar, will gain knowledge of the nature of ionizing radiation, radioactive half-lives, gamma and beta ray spectroscopy, neutron activation, and radiation shielding, using virtual apparatus and virtual radiation sources. Additionally, a virtual Generation III+ power reactor has been constructed on an adjoining Second Life island (entitled Science School II) which provides the visitor with a realistic impression of its inner workings. This presentation will provide the details of this construct and how it

  14. Renaissance or a Backward Step? Disparities and Tensions in Two New Swedish Pathways in VET

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berglund, Ingrid; Loeb, Ingrid Henning

    2013-01-01

    This article builds on results from studies of two new pathways in Swedish upper secondary VET. A major reform was launched in 2011 and the restructuring was presented by the Minister of Education as a "renaissance for VET education". The conclusion of the Upper Secondary Commission is that "students shall be more specialised within…

  15. Palaeopathology of the earlobe crease (Frank's sign): New insights from Renaissance art.

    PubMed

    Galassi, Francesco M; Borghi, Claudio; Ballestriero, Roberta; Habicht, Michael E; Henneberg, Maciej; Rühli, Frank J

    2017-06-01

    Several studies have associated the earlobe crease sign, discovered by Sanders T. Frank in 1973, with cardiovascular pathology, yet very few studies have focused on the antiquity of this trait, with the most ancient one thought to date back to the Roman Emperor Hadrian (76-138CE). This article presents two more cases from the Italian Renaissance in the works of the artist Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506) and examines them in a multidisciplinary fashion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Re-Orienting Ethiopia's Educational Policy in the Classical Humanist Perspectives of Renaissance Utopias

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Debele, Meskerem L.

    2018-01-01

    Ethiopia has launched a grand scheme of renaissance to realise fast-paced economic growth. The two Growth and Transformation Plans spanning five years each (2010/11-2015/16 and 2016/17- 2020/21) outlined major targets towards which the country intends to mobilise all its resources. In the education sector, this vision is understood as producing a…

  17. Raman spectroscopic study of "The Malatesta": a Renaissance painting?

    PubMed

    Edwards, Howell G M; Vandenabeele, Peter; Benoy, Timothy J

    2015-02-25

    Raman spectroscopic analysis of the pigments on an Italian painting described as a "Full Length Portrait of a Gentleman", known also as the "Malatesta", and attributed to the Renaissance period has established that these are consistent with the historical research provenance undertaken earlier. Evidence is found for the early 19th Century addition of chrome yellow to highlighted yellow ochre areas in comparison with a similar painting executed in 1801 by Sir Thomas Lawrence of John Kemble in the role of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. The Raman data are novel in that no analytical studies have previously been made on this painting and reinforces the procedure whereby scientific analyses are accompanied by parallel historical research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Raman spectroscopic study of “The Malatesta”: A Renaissance painting?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edwards, Howell G. M.; Vandenabeele, Peter; Benoy, Timothy J.

    2015-02-01

    Raman spectroscopic analysis of the pigments on an Italian painting described as a "Full Length Portrait of a Gentleman", known also as the "Malatesta", and attributed to the Renaissance period has established that these are consistent with the historical research provenance undertaken earlier. Evidence is found for the early 19th Century addition of chrome yellow to highlighted yellow ochre areas in comparison with a similar painting executed in 1801 by Sir Thomas Lawrence of John Kemble in the role of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. The Raman data are novel in that no analytical studies have previously been made on this painting and reinforces the procedure whereby scientific analyses are accompanied by parallel historical research.

  19. Building an urban 'renaissance': fragmented services and the production of inequality in Greater Downtown Detroit.

    PubMed

    Doucet, Brian; Smit, Edske

    2016-01-01

    Downtown Detroit has been undergoing a renaissance in recent years which is in stark contrast to the economic and social situation in much of the rest of the city. This renaissance has been taking place despite the city's ability to provide good municipal services such as streetlights, security, public space and transport. This article focuses on how four areas which constitute part of Greater Downtown Detroit have relied on different combinations of actors to create and provide the services and amenities deemed necessary for capital investment and middle-class consumption. Each area has its own initiatives and actors who implement them, further fragmenting the city between its core and periphery. Renewed public spaces, private police forces and resident initiatives in middle-class neighborhoods have been created to serve specific needs of the small areas they serve. Rather than being unique, Detroit is an extreme example of fragmented and polarized urbanism which is part and parcel of contemporary cities. We argue that rather than passively reflecting existing socio-spatial divides, these private initiatives in Greater Downtown Detroit actively contribute to the production of sociospatial inequalities across the city.

  20. The Oculist's Eye: Connections between Cataract Couching, Anatomy, and Visual Theory in the Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Baker, Tawrin

    2017-01-01

    We now know that cataract couching involves depressing an occluded crystalline lens to the bottom of the vitreous chamber, but from the time of Galen until the seventeenth-century cataracts were thought to be separate concretions arising between the crystalline lens and the pupil. From Antiquity through the Renaissance, the combination of visual theory in which the crystalline humor is the author of vision, and surgical experience—that couching cataracts restored some degree of sight—resulted in anatomists depicting a large space between the crystalline lens and the pupil. In the Renaissance, oculists—surgical specialists with little higher education or connections to learned surgery or medicine—overwhelmingly performed eye surgeries. This article examines how the experience and knowledge of oculists, of barber-surgeons, and of learned surgeons influenced one another on questions of anatomy, visual theory, and surgical experience. By analyzing the writings of the oculist George Bartisch (c. 1535–1607), the barber-surgeon Ambroise Paré (1510–1590), and the learned surgeon Hieronymus Fabricius ab Aquapendente (1533–1619), we see that the oculists’ understanding of the eye—an eye constructed out of the probing, tactile experience of eye surgery—slowly lost currency among the learned toward the beginning of the seventeenth century.

  1. The Harlem Renaissance Today (The 1920's 'New Negro Movement' Reviewed)--Notes on a Neglected Theme.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knox, George

    1971-01-01

    The works assigned to a university course in the Harlem Renaissance (HR) are discussed. The HR is defined as a controversial collocation of cultural and aesthetic phenomena. The point is made that the historical backgrounds for the period from Reconstruction to the end of World War I was characterized by many changes which strongly affected black…

  2. The New Saudi Educational Renaissance: In between the "Capacity to Aspire" and the "Capacity to Remember"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pavan, Annalisa

    2014-01-01

    In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia investments in higher education have increased exponentially in recent years, and the New Saudi Educational Renaissance is attracting the attention of international academia. The purpose of this study is to draw on Saudi sources, with the aim of allowing Saudi voices to introduce their strategies for the design of a…

  3. Books, printing and medicine in the Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Nutton, Vivian

    2005-01-01

    The history of the medical book in the Renaissance is only just beginning: there still are enormous gaps in our knowledge. Some general points may be emphasised: doctors, surgeons and apothecaries were often literate; the culture of the doctor was founded at least as much upon the book as upon practical experience. Much is known about the history of the printing press: but in focusing on expensive, luxury books such as Vesalius' Fabrica we often leave out average products such as the many other anatomy books printed in the 16th century. The most significant feature of printing is perhaps the increase of the amount and variety of what was available and accessible to readers. Looking specifically at one type of book, the plague treatise, the amalgamation of public and private allowed by the printing press becomes apparent. Knowledge was disseminated from universities to the general public: plague texts are scattered in many different private and public libraries, and any attempt at a general survey is bound to be provisional.

  4. "Masculine love," Renaissance writing, and the "new invention" of homosexuality: an addendum.

    PubMed

    Forker, C R

    1996-01-01

    Joseph Cady's recent article, "Masculine Love," Renaissance Writing, and the "New Invention' of Homosexuality," Journal of Homosexuality 23.1-2 (1992): 9-40, did much to shed new light on the controversial issue of whether homosexual identity is a relatively late phenomenon (late seventeenth- or early eighteenth-century at the earliest according to scholars of the "constructivist" persuasion) or already existed in the age of the Renaissance and before. Cady argues that homosexual identity is at least as old as the Elizabethan age, and cites from widely divergent sources several early modern instances of the term "masculine love," a term that seems to have been used exclusively to refer to the sexual preference of men for members of their own gender. The present note adds a further example to buttress Cady's case-namely the term "masculine conversation" from Arthur Wilson's History of Great Britain (1653), an account of the reign of James I (who was widely recognized to be sexually attracted to men). The term "conversation" often referred to sexual intercourse, being used in legal discourse to define adultery, and therefore constitutes an even more explicit example of denotative language than those Cady cites. Since Wilson discusses Sir Francis Bacon as well as James I, this brief article explores the historically documentable sexual preferences of these two figures in addition to that of the dramatist Christopher Marlowe and of Bacon's brother Anthony, a diplomat, all of whom seem to have been strongly oriented to "masculine love" and "masculine conversation".

  5. Subterranean Fire. Changing theories of the earth during the Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Vermij, R

    1998-11-01

    Aristotle described the earth as a cold and dry body and paid no attention to the phenomenon of terrestrial heat. Renaissance physicians, by contrast, when seeking to understand the origin of hot springs in the context of their balneological studies, came to defend a theory of subterranean fires. This tradition, which started in Italy, became widely known through the works of Georgius Agricola. But although it had implications for the explanation of further natural phenomena, it remained almost exclusively confined to medical circles. As far as physics as an academic discipline was concerned, the ideas concerning subterranean fire were hardly taken note of. Only with the collapse of Aristotelian philosophy in the seventeenth century could these by then "old innovations" obtain a wider significance.

  6. Renaissance Science and Literature: Benedetti, Ovid and the Transformations of Phaeton's Myth after Copernicus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Omodeo, Pietro Daniel

    2014-01-01

    This paper aims at showing the close ties between Renaissance literature and science as emerge from the use and the transformation, in a post-Copernican context, of the myth of Phaeton--according to Greek mythology: the boy who tried to conduct the chariot of the Sun and died in this attempt. G.B. Benedetti's analysis and criticism of…

  7. The environmental education in the Italian Renaissance: the geoethical model of Machiavelli

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liserre, Battista; De Pascale, Francesco

    2016-04-01

    The importance of the environmental and geoethical education is also present in the thought of one of the greatest intellectuals of the Italian Renaissance: the philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527). In the "Discorsi" of Machiavelli, the natural character of the place where a city is built is a determining factor in the overall measure of the need on the character of the citizens; but the barren place, if can keep away the people from idleness, and thereby constitute an essential tool of virtuous civic life, prevents the development of the power which can be fostered only by the fertility of the site. It may give rise own laziness which hinders the development of virtue; and then, according to Machiavelli, laws must be to impose the need to produce good behavior through education. Already in the Renaissance, Machiavelli recognized the importance of establishing a harmonious relationship between man and environment and suggested that the institutions should give a virtuous model of environmental education. The physiognomy of the geographical and natural environment conditions in an essential way the exercise of civil life and the development of virtues. If the Rome's model imposes the primacy of fertile places, it happens, however, that, in his general conception of virtue and of historical dialectic, Machiavelli tended toward ultimately to increased functionality of the desolate places, which make difficult the life, and through the exercise of the need, make men more virtuous, keeping them away from the destructive threat of idleness. This aspect emerges from a different perspective, but convergent in "Asino" of Machiavelli (Chapter V). The link between the natural places and civic life that takes place isn't something absolutely default. Men's work, orders underpinning their collective life, laws that place the compulsion of necessity by the behavior of citizens, change the data of nature. Although the structure of a territory unequally, according to

  8. Characterisation and reproduction of yellow pigments used in central Italy for decorating ceramics during Renaissance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bultrini, G.; Fragalà, I.; Ingo, G. M.; Lanza, G.

    2006-06-01

    This study presents the characterisation of prototypical yellow pigments used during the Renaissance period in Italy and the successful reproduction of homologous materials in accordance with the ancient recipes. Moreover, a large number of yellow decorative layers of Sicilian ceramic artefacts dated back from 13th to the 19th century have been selected and the main chemical, structural and minero-petrografic features have been studied by X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry. These results have been compared with literature data of some yellow decorations of Renaissance ceramics made in central Italy. Comparison has also been made with homologous materials that have been successfully reproduced in accordance with ancient recipes described by Cipriano Piccolpasso in the textbook: “I Tre Libri dell’Arte del Vasaio” using the same ingredients proposed by this artist. Such yellow materials reproduce the typical yellow colorants used by craftsmen of relevant sites for ceramic fabrication in central Italy, namely Città di Castello, Urbino and Castel Durante, during the 16th century. Comparative arguments have shown some intriguing differences that are indicators of both technological transfer processes between central and southern Italy as well as of some local implementations likely due to specific raw materials locally available.

  9. The Impact of the JostensRenaissance Program® on Overall Achievement in a New Jersey Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carney-Ray, Michelle C.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this case study was to determine the perceptions of students, faculty, and parents about the JostensRenaissance Program® (JRP) on overall school climate in a New Jersey middle school. The population for this research consisted of fifth through eighth grade students who participated in the JRP during the 2011-2012 school year, as…

  10. A medical bandage in an Italian Renaissance mummy (Naples, XVI century).

    PubMed

    Giuffra, Valentina; Marinozzi, Silvia; Vultaggio, Claudia; Fornaciari, Gino

    2008-01-01

    A dressing was observed on the left arm of the mummy of Mary of Aragon (1503-1568), under her precious Renaissance clothes. It consisted of a true medical bandage, covering a large syphilitic cutaneous ulcer, with a sulphur-embedded wad still in situ. The bandage has a very peculiar shape, rather different from the usual dressings described in the contemporary medical texts: a central rectangular pad, used as compressing appliance, is provided with a sort of pocket containing ivy leaves. The function of the dressing was not only to cover and protect the ulcer, but also to apply a plant drug. This is the first case of ancient medical bandage studied directly on a mummified body.

  11. MS PHD'S Professional Development Program: A Scientific Renaissance in Cyberspace

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Powell, J. M.; Williamson, V. A.; Griess, C. A.; Pyrtle, A. J.

    2004-12-01

    This study is a component of a four-year investigation of MS PHD'S Professional Development Program's virtual community through the lenses of underrepresented minority students in Earth system science and engineering fields. In this presentation, the development, assessment and projected utilization of the ongoing study will be discussed. The overall goal of this study is to examine the effectiveness of virtual team building methods and understand how the development of a communal cyberinfrastructure acts as an integral part of the emergence of a Scientific Renaissance. The exemplar, Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science (MS PHD'S), provides professional development experiences to facilitate the advancement of students of color achieving outstanding Earth system careers. Undergraduate and graduate students are supported through access to scientific conferences, mentorship and virtual community building. Framed by critical theory, this ethnographic exploration uses a mixed methods research design to record, observe, and analyze both the processes and products of the website, listserv and synchronous web-based dialogue. First, key findings of the formative evaluation and annual reports of the successfully implemented 2003 MS PHD'S Pilot Project are presented. These findings inform future evaluations of the use of technological resources and illustrate how this public space provides peer support and enriched research opportunities. Quantitative methods such as statistical analysis, academic and professional tracking and evaluative tools for scientific content and competency are complimented by qualitative methods that include observations, heuristic case studies and focus group interviews. The findings of this ongoing investigation will provide insight on how national organizations, higher education practitioners, community-based support systems and underrepresented minorities in the sciences promote diversity by developing

  12. Intramolecular Nuclear Flux Densities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barth, I.; Daniel, C.; Gindensperger, E.; Manz, J.; PéRez-Torres, J. F.; Schild, A.; Stemmle, C.; Sulzer, D.; Yang, Y.

    The topic of this survey article has seen a renaissance during the past couple of years. Here we present and extend the results for various phenomena which we have published from 2012-2014, with gratitude to our coauthors. The new phenomena include (a) the first reduced nuclear flux densities in vibrating diatomic molecules or ions which have been deduced from experimental pump-probe spectra; these "experimental" nuclear flux densities reveal several quantum effects including (b) the "quantum accordion", i.e., during the turn from bond stretch to bond compression, the diatomic system never stands still — instead, various parts of it with different bond lengths flow into opposite directions. (c) Wavepacket interferometry has been extended from nuclear densities to flux densities, again revealing new phenomena: For example, (d) a vibrating nuclear wave function with compact initial shape may split into two partial waves which run into opposite directions, thus causing interfering flux densities. (e) Tunneling in symmetric 1-dimensional double-well systems yields maximum values of the associated nuclear flux density just below the potential barrier; this is in marked contrast with negligible values of the nuclear density just below the barrier. (f) Nuclear flux densities of pseudorotating nuclei may induce huge magnetic fields. A common methodologic theme of all topics is the continuity equation which connects the time derivative of the nuclear density to the divergence of the flux density, subject to the proper boundary conditions. (g) Nearly identical nuclear densities with different boundary conditions may be related to entirely different flux densities, e.g., during tunneling in cyclic versus non-cyclic systems. The original continuity equation, density and flux density of all nuclei, or of all nuclear degrees of freedom, may be reduced to the corresponding quantities for just a single nucleus, or just a single degree of freedom.

  13. Drivers for the renaissance of coal

    PubMed Central

    Steckel, Jan Christoph; Edenhofer, Ottmar; Jakob, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Coal was central to the industrial revolution, but in the 20th century it increasingly was superseded by oil and gas. However, in recent years coal again has become the predominant source of global carbon emissions. We show that this trend of rapidly increasing coal-based emissions is not restricted to a few individual countries such as China. Rather, we are witnessing a global renaissance of coal majorly driven by poor, fast-growing countries that increasingly rely on coal to satisfy their growing energy demand. The low price of coal relative to gas and oil has played an important role in accelerating coal consumption since the end of the 1990s. In this article, we show that in the increasingly integrated global coal market the availability of a domestic coal resource does not have a statistically significant impact on the use of coal and related emissions. These findings have important implications for climate change mitigation: If future economic growth of poor countries is fueled mainly by coal, ambitious mitigation targets very likely will become infeasible. Building new coal power plant capacities will lead to lock-in effects for the next few decades. If that lock-in is to be avoided, international climate policy must find ways to offer viable alternatives to coal for developing countries. PMID:26150491

  14. A pair of little gilded shoes: commission, cost, and meaning in Renaissance footwear.

    PubMed

    O'Malley, Michelle

    2010-01-01

    This article focuses on women's luxury footwear to examine issues of economic, material, and familial life in Renaissance Italy. It uses graphic work by Albrecht Dürer to explore footwear design, and draw from disparate sources to propose a new method for evaluating its cost. The article argues that sumptuous footwear was available for a range of prices that are not reflected in surviving payment records, and that it was largely less expensive than moralists and legislators implied. In conclusion, it employs Minerbetti documentation to consider the role particular shoes may have played in developing personal subjectivity.

  15. Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam: Implications for Downstream Riparian Countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Y.; Block, P. J.; Hammond, M.; King, A.

    2013-12-01

    Ethiopia has begun seriously developing their significant hydropower potential by launching construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile River to facilitate local and regional growth. Although this has required substantial planning on Ethiopia's part, no policy dictating the reservoir filling rate strategy has been publicly issued. This filling stage will have clear implications on downstream flows in Sudan and Egypt, complicated by evaporative losses, climate variability, and climate change. In this study, various filling policies and future climate states are simultaneously explored to infer potential streamflow reductions at Lake Nasser, providing regional decision-makers with a set of plausible, justifiable, and comparable outcomes. Schematic of the model framework Box plots of 2017-2032 percent change in annual average streamflow at Lake Nasser for each filling policy constructed from the 100 time-series and weighted precipitation changes. All values are relative to the no dam policy and no changes to future precipitation.

  16. Educational Thought of Ukraine and Poland within Renaissance Culture: From the History of Intellectual Discourse of XVI-XVII Centuries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petruk, Natalia

    2014-01-01

    The article deals with the peculiarities of formation of pedagogical thought in Ukraine and Poland during the propagation of Renaissance ideas into pedagogical culture of 16th-17th centuries. It has been emphasized that founders of humanistic pedagogical culture in Ukraine were such outstanding scientists as Grygoriy Sanotskyi, Yuriy Drogobych,…

  17. Renaissance Epyllions: A Comparative Reading of Christopher Marlowe's "Hero and Leander," Thomas Lodge's "Scylla's Metamorphosis" and Francis Beaumont's "Salmacis and Hermaphroditus"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mahmoudi, Yazdan

    2016-01-01

    The present paper is supposed to compare and contrast three of these masterpieces written the Renaissance period. The epyllions under study are Christopher Marlowe's "Hero and Leander," Thomas Lodge's "Scylla's Metamorphosis" and Francis Beaumont's "Salmacis and Hermaphroditus." Bush believes that "the influence…

  18. An Exploratory Survey of Digital Libraries on the World Wide Web: Art and Literature of the Early Italian Renaissance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKibben, Suzanne J.

    This study assessed the ongoing development of digital libraries (DLs) on the World Wide Web. DLs of art and literature were surveyed for selected works from the early Italian Renaissance in order to gain insight into the current trends prevalent throughout the larger population of DLs. The following artists and authors were selected for study:…

  19. Incorporation of Operating Precepts of Roman Rhetoric in Medieval and Renaissance Handbooks on Letter Writing. Working Paper No. 217.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hildebrandt, Herbert W.

    The ancient world, as exemplified in the theoretical writings of the Greek and Roman rhetoricians, directly influenced the teaching and practice of dictamen as taught for business, for the church, and for law in the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. Prescriptions on how to communicate in the ancient world formed the core of preparation for the…

  20. Technological study of ancient ceramics produced in Casteldurante (central Italy) during the Renaissance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.; Gilardoni, S.; Galli, A.

    In order to recover the ancient tradition concerning the materials used for the decoration, majolica shards produced during the Renaissance period in Casteldurante, a famous centre for ceramic production in Italy (Marche), have been examined. In the present study, pigments used for the decorations have been investigated by means of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and diffuse-reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy. Ochre, lead antimonate yellow, copper-based pigment and smalt have been used as colourants to obtain respectively yellow-orange, yellow, green and blue decorations in accordance with what is reported by the ancient recipes.

  1. Forecast for nuclear energy: Clear skies or stormy weather?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferguson, Charles D.

    2018-01-01

    During the last decade many people in the nuclear industry were forecasting a renaissance in construction of nuclear power plants, especially in light of the near-zero greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear power and the global need for such cleaner electricity sources. While the accident in March 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Japan resulted in dozens of reactor shutdowns in Japan and reconsideration of new nuclear power plants in several countries, other countries are continuing to build new plants but not at a fast enough rate yet to make a significant further reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Even before this accident, the prospects for major growth in nuclear power were dim. To explicate the present situation and potential future scenarios for nuclear power, this paper examines the issue of who bears the financial risk especially during the construction phase, the roles of governments in financial interventions such as loan guarantees, tax credits, and prices on greenhouse gas emissions, the effects of regulated versus market-based utility systems, the competition with relatively cheap natural gas, the roles of various governments around the world in determining the use of nuclear power, the interdependent nature of the nuclear industry with companies both competing and cooperating with each other, and the issue of whether small modular reactors or advanced nuclear reactors could result in many more plants being constructed in the United States and worldwide.

  2. Fashion, time and the consumption of a Renaissance man in Germany: the costume book of Matthaus Schwarz of Augsburg, 1496-1564.

    PubMed

    Mentges, Gabriele

    2002-01-01

    This article uses the perspective of cultural anthropology to consider the construction of an early modern perception of time and its relation to the dress and personal consumption of a male subject. It focuses on a costume book from the Renaissance compiled by Matthäus Schwarz, a member of the bourgeoisie, who lived in Augsburg from 1496 to 1574. The book contains a collection of 137 drawings, portraying Schwarz's personal choice of dress. It is also an account of Schwarz's life, beginning with his parents, then covering his life-stages from birth to old age. The relationships between body and dress and between the male subject and the world run as a major thread through the book. This article shows how closely connected Schwarz's body is with the life of commodities (dress) and consumption. The life-story of this Renaissance man is expressed in terms of changing fashions, which act as his subjective measure of time.

  3. In search of Leonardo: computer-based facial image analysis of Renaissance artworks for identifying Leonardo as subject

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tyler, Christopher W.; Smith, William A. P.; Stork, David G.

    2012-03-01

    One of the enduring mysteries in the history of the Renaissance is the adult appearance of the archetypical "Renaissance Man," Leonardo da Vinci. His only acknowledged self-portrait is from an advanced age, and various candidate images of younger men are difficult to assess given the absence of documentary evidence. One clue about Leonardo's appearance comes from the remark of the contemporary historian, Vasari, that the sculpture of David by Leonardo's master, Andrea del Verrocchio, was based on the appearance of Leonardo when he was an apprentice. Taking a cue from this statement, we suggest that the more mature sculpture of St. Thomas, also by Verrocchio, might also have been a portrait of Leonardo. We tested the possibility Leonardo was the subject for Verrocchio's sculpture by a novel computational technique for the comparison of three-dimensional facial configurations. Based on quantitative measures of similarities, we also assess whether another pair of candidate two-dimensional images are plausibly attributable as being portraits of Leonardo as a young adult. Our results are consistent with the claim Leonardo is indeed the subject in these works, but we need comparisons with images in a larger corpora of candidate artworks before our results achieve statistical significance.

  4. Pharmacy, Testing, and the Language of Truth in Renaissance Italy

    PubMed Central

    Pugliano, Valentina

    2017-01-01

    summary This article examines the role of testing and innovation in sixteenthcentury Italian pharmacy. I argue that apothecaries were less concerned with testing drugs for efficacy or creating novel products than with reactivating an older Mediterranean pharmacological tradition and studying the materials on which it relied. Their practice was not driven by radical experimentation but by a "culture of tweaking"—of minute operational changes to existing recipes and accommodation of their textual variants—which was rooted in the guild economy fostering incremental over radical innovation and in a humanist reevaluation of past autorities. Workshop practice was also increasingly driven by a new ideal of staying true to nature fostered by the period's botanical renaissance. This led to an emphasis on ingredients over processes in the shop, and found clearest expression in the elaboration of a taxonomic "language of truth" that helped apothecaries discern between authentic and inauthentic materia medica and harness their sincerity in lieu of testing effectiveness. PMID:28757496

  5. A scholarly intermediary between the Ottoman Empire and Renaissance Europe.

    PubMed

    Morrison, Robert

    2014-03-01

    This essay studies Moses Galeano, a Jewish scholar with ties to Crete and the Ottoman Sultan's court, who traveled to the Veneto around 1500. After describing Galeano's intellectual milieu, it focuses, first, on circumstantial evidence that he transmitted information central to the rise of Renaissance astronomy. Galeano knew of theories that strongly resemble portions of astronomy texts written by Giovanni Battista Amico and Girolamo Fracastoro at Padua a few decades later. He also knew about theories pioneered by the Damascene Ibn al-Shāţir (d. 1375) that strongly resemble portions of Copernicus's work. Next, the article turns to concrete evidence showing that Galeano was part of a network of Jewish scholars who did have contact with Christian scholars in Europe. The essay concludes that, while it is impossible to prove that Galeano had direct contact with Copernicus, he most likely had contact with some European astronomer(s) in the Veneto.

  6. Pharmacy, Testing, and the Language of Truth in Renaissance Italy.

    PubMed

    Pugliano, Valentina

    2017-01-01

    This article examines the role of testing and innovation in sixteenthcentury Italian pharmacy. I argue that apothecaries were less concerned with testing drugs for efficacy or creating novel products than with reactivating an older Mediterranean pharmacological tradition and studying the materials on which it relied. Their practice was not driven by radical experimentation but by a "culture of tweaking"-of minute operational changes to existing recipes and accommodation of their textual variants-which was rooted in the guild economy fostering incremental over radical innovation and in a humanist reevaluation of past autorities. Workshop practice was also increasingly driven by a new ideal of staying true to nature fostered by the period's botanical renaissance. This led to an emphasis on ingredients over processes in the shop, and found clearest expression in the elaboration of a taxonomic "language of truth" that helped apothecaries discern between authentic and inauthentic materia medica and harness their sincerity in lieu of testing effectiveness.

  7. The political uses of astrology: predicting the illness and death of princes, kings and popes in the Italian Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Azzolini, Monica

    2010-06-01

    This paper examines the production and circulation of astrological prognostications regarding the illness and death of kings, princes, and popes in the Italian Renaissance (ca. 1470-1630). The distribution and consumption of this type of astrological information was often closely linked to the specific political situation in which they were produced. Depending on the astrological techniques used (prorogations, interrogations, or annual revolutions), and the media in which they appeared (private letters or printed prognostica) these prognostications fulfilled different functions in the information economy of Renaissance Italy. Some were used to legitimise the rule of a political leader, others to do just the opposite. Astrological prorogations and interrogations were often used to plan military and political strategies in case of the illness or death of a political leader, while astrological prognostications were generally written to promote certain political leaders while undermining others. While certainly often partisan to this game, astrologers, for their part, worked within a very well established tradition that gave authority to their forecasts. This paper argues that, as indicators of deeper political tensions otherwise not always explicitly manifest, these prognostications are privileged sources of information providing a better understanding of the political history of the period.

  8. Malaria in the Renaissance: remedies from European herbals from the 16th and 17th century.

    PubMed

    Adams, Michael; Alther, Wandana; Kessler, Michael; Kluge, Martin; Hamburger, Matthias

    2011-01-27

    From antiquity up into the 20th century tertian and quartan malaria which are caused by the parasites Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium malariae were widespread in Central Europe. Hundreds of different remedies against malaria can be found in herbals from the Renaissance. To document and discuss from a modern pharmacological viewpoint the old remedies described in eight 16th and 17th century herbals written in German. Eight of the most important herbals of the 16th and 17th century including Bock (1577), Fuchs (1543), Matthiolus (1590), Lonicerus (1560), Brunfels (1532), Zwinger (1696), and Tabernaemontanus (1591 and 1678) were searched for terms related to malaria, and documented plants and recipes described for its treatment. Additionally the overlapping of these remedies with those in De Materia Medica by the Greek physician Dioscorides was studied. Three hundred and fourteen taxa were identified in the herbals for this indication. Recent pharmacological data was found for just 5% of them. The influence of De Materia Medica was shown to be negligible with only 3.5% of the remedies in common. European Renaissance herbals may be a valuable source of information for the selection of plants for focussed antiplasmodial screening programmes, but have received only little scientific attention. Antimalarial remedies from these herbals must be viewed as independent sources of knowledge separate from Dioscorides' De Materia Medica. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Lesbian (in)visibility in Italian Renaissance culture: Diana and other cases of donna con donna.

    PubMed

    Simons, P

    1994-01-01

    Current conceptualizations of sexual identity in the West are not necessarily useful to an historian investigating "lesbianism" in the social history and visual representations of different periods. After an overview of Renaissance documents treating donna con donna relations which examines the potentially positive effects of condemnation and silence, the paper focuses on Diana, the goddess of chastity, who bathed with her nymphs as an exemplar of female bodies preserved for heterosexual, reproductive pleasures. Yet the self-sufficiency and bodily contact sometimes represented in images of this secluded all-female gathering might suggest "deviant" responses from their viewers.

  10. Characterization of blue decorated Renaissance pottery fragments from Caltagirone (Sicily, Italy)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barilaro, D.; Crupi, V.; Interdonato, S.; Majolino, D.; Venuti, V.; Barone, G.; La Russa, M. F.; Bardelli, F.

    2008-07-01

    Renaissance blue decorated pottery fragments from the archaeological site of Caltagirone (Sicily, Italy) were analysed by scanning electron microscopy - energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS). The samples were dated back to 16th century AD on the basis of archaeological observations. The micro-chemical analyses were performed on the ceramic body and the surface decorated layer of the samples. Particularly, the investigation was addressed the characterization of the coating blue decorations. The obtained results allowed us to clearly identify smalt as pigment. Also the presence of arsenic (As) was revealed and the Co/As ratio values were calculated and related to the different process used for the pigment preparation. Further spectroscopic analyses, performed through X-ray absorbance spectroscopy (XAS), carried out at the Co K-edge, confirmed the micro-analytical results and permitted us to identify the oxidation form and the local environment of cobalt atoms.

  11. Estrogen-related receptor β (ERRβ) – renaissance receptor or receptor renaissance?

    PubMed Central

    Divekar, Shailaja D.; Tiek, Deanna M.; Fernandez, Aileen; Riggins, Rebecca B.

    2016-01-01

    Estrogen-related receptors (ERRs) are founding members of the orphan nuclear receptor (ONR) subgroup of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Twenty-seven years of study have yet to identify cognate ligands for the ERRs, though they have firmly placed ERRα and ERRγ at the intersection of cellular metabolism and oncogenesis. The pace of discovery for novel functions of ERRβ, however, has until recently been somewhat slower than that of its family members. ERRβ has also been largely ignored in summaries and perspectives of the ONR literature. Here, we provide an overview of established and emerging knowledge of ERRβ in mouse, man, and other species, highlighting unique aspects of ERRβ biology that set it apart from the other two estrogen-related receptors, with a focus on the impact of alternative splicing on the structure and function of this receptor. PMID:27507929

  12. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) at Renaissance College (University of New Brunswick): A Case Study of SoTL at the Faculty Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mengel, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    This chapter presents the case study of Renaissance College at the University of New Brunswick, discussing the faculty's achievements, challenges, and outlook for the future in the context of the scholarship of teaching and learning in Canada.

  13. [Melancholia and reflection on the genius of Huarte de San Juan. Temperament and powers of the soul in Galenism of the Spanish Renaissance].

    PubMed

    Müller, Cristina

    2002-01-01

    Huarte de San Juan's Examen de ingenios (Examination of men's wits) of 1575 is one of the most significant Spanish contributions to Renaissance thought. The treatise reached an enormous popularity in Europe during the 16th and the 17th century as demonstrated by numerous translations in Italian, French, Portuguese, English, German or Dutch. However, it is barely known in modern times. Huart's doctrine illustrates the Renaissance attempt to restore the purity of ancient medicine, while proposing a "scientific" basis for the project of a systematic professional orientation. By means of the ancient theory of humours and that of the philosophical reflection on the genius, Huarte articulates a new pattern for the intellectual ability, seen as highly individual, but also deeply rooted in the biological nature of the human being The intellectual fecundity is explained by recourse to humoural physiology with a special focus on the traditional image of the melancholic temperament, redefined in the spirit of the pre-modern anthropology of the variety.

  14. Why can't a woman be more like a man? A renaissance perspective on the biological basis for female inferiority.

    PubMed

    Walton, M T; Fineman, R M; Walton, P J

    1996-01-01

    Western biomedical theory supported the idea of human female inferiority. The Aristotelian formulation was: Nature intends to produce the perfect male form with external genitalia; the female with internal genitalia is less than perfect and thus a defect of nature. In the Renaissance, peripubertal virilization in females was interpreted as further evidence that females were "defective" males capable of developing into the more perfect male form.

  15. Ulisse Aldrovandi's Pandechion epistemonicon and the use of paper technology in Renaissance natural history.

    PubMed

    Kraemer, Fabian

    2014-01-01

    Reconstructing the formation and use of the hitherto neglected Pandechion epistemonicon, Ulisse Aldrovandi's (152-1605) extant manuscript encyclopaedia, this article shows that early modern naturalists in many ways shared a world of paper with the members of several other professions. An analysis of the Pandechion suggests that Renaissance naturalists who applied the humanist jack-of-all-trades, the commonplace book, in their own field sometimes considerably altered its form. Aldrovandi tested and recombined different techniques so as to arrive at the paper technology that he considered to be the most fit for his purposes. He thereby drew on administrative practices as well as on the bookkeeping practices of early modern merchants that he knew first-hand.

  16. Babson, Bahnson, the DeWitts and the General Relativity Renaissance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carter, Hamilton

    2012-03-01

    During the 1950s the efforts of an unlikely group composed of two colorful businessmen, a handful of physicists, and Air Force representatives helped to create a renaissance in general relativity research. Industrialist Agnew Bahson was an air conditioning magnate with connections to leading scientists, and the Air Force. In addition to his contribution to ``respectable'' physics, his life and death are shrouded in a cloak of UFO and anti-gravity conspiracy theories. Business theorist Roger Babson was driven to search for a solution to anti-gravity after first his sister and later his grandson drowned tragically as children. This presentation tells of the globe spanning, harrowing adventure of mountainside crashes, an international love affair, physicists masquerading as secretaries, the founding of Les Houches, the development of the first radar defense system and how Bahnson and Babson became benefactors of mainstream physics, leading to the creation of the Institute of Field Physics at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill led by Cecile and Bryce DeWitt and ultimately to the groundbreaking research that predicted the Higgs boson.

  17. From Renaissance art to contemporary electron microscopy: DeGroft's rediscovery of Titian's "lost" portrait of Federico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, of 1539-40.

    PubMed

    Tucker, J Allan; DeGroft, Aaron H

    2002-01-01

    At the Ultrapath X meeting in Florence, the regular session opened with a presentation of Aaron DeGroft's engrossing story of investigating the authenticity of a portrait of Federico II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua. In the early 1900s, this work had been deemed to be an authentic production by Titian, a great artist of the Italian Renaissance. A respected art historian, however, discovered a conflict of dates that led to the conclusion that this work was not authentic. In a process sometimes analogous to the practice of surgical pathology, Dr. DeGroft pursued a review of the original materials that refutes this seeming contradiction of dates. Dr. DeGroft also undertook an extensive art historical examination and scientific analysis, including the use of electron microscopy, to persuasively conclude that this portrait is authentic. Further, his work provided a bridge from the conference setting in Florence, rich in Renaissance art, to the contemporary update on ultrastructural pathology provided by the conference.

  18. Pigment identification on ``Pietà'' of Barletta, example of Renaissance Apulian sculpture: A Raman microscopy study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marano, D.; Catalano, I. M.; Monno, A.

    2006-08-01

    A study of the original painting layer of the "Pietà" of Barletta, a polychrome statue, important example of Renaissance Apulian sculpture, was performed by μ-Raman spectroscopy. Vermilion was identified in the original layer of the blood drops on Jesus knee. Lazurite was identified as the original blue pigment on Our Lady's veil and lace, currently a yellow ochre-like color. The use of lazurite demonstrates the historical-artistic importance of this polychrome statue, and supports the hypothesis that this artwork was probably commissioned by Our Lady's devotees to itinerant artists inspired by the more precious Vesperbilder model.

  19. Nuclear option

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

    Olson, P.S.

    The energy demand complexion of this country is always changing and promises to change in the future. The nuclear industry is responding to changing energy demands through standards writing activities. Since the oil embargo of 1973, there has been a change in the mix of fuels contributing to energy growth in this country; virtually all of the energy growth has come from coal and nuclear power. The predicted expansion of coal use by 1985, over 1977 level, is 37%, while the use of oil is expected to decline by 17%. Use of nuclear power is expected to increase 62% frommore » the 1977 level. The feasibility of using nuclear energy to meet the needs of the USA for electric power is discussed.« less

  20. "Being the world eternal ..." the age of the Earth in Renaissance Italy.

    PubMed

    Dal Prete, Ivano

    2014-06-01

    Scholarship on the early modern period assumes that the Creation story of Genesis and its chronology were the only narratives openly available in Renaissance Europe. This essay revisits the topic by exploring a wide range of literature on the age and nature of the Earth in early modern Italy. It suggests that, contrary to received notions, in the early 1500s an Aristotelian ancient world characterized by slow geological change was a common assumption in discourse on the Earth. These notions were freely disseminated by popularizations and didactic literature in the vernacular, which made them available to a large readership. Counter-Reformation cultural policies eventually called for a tighter integration of theology and natural philosophy; however, the essay argues that even then the creation of the world was usually placed in a remote and undetermined past, not necessarily tied to the short timescales of contemporary chronology.

  1. Non-invasive Florentine Renaissance Panel Painting Replica Structures Investigation by Using Terahertz Time-Domain Imaging (THz-TDI) Technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koch Dandolo, Corinna L.; Picollo, Marcello; Cucci, Costanza; Jepsen, Peter Uhd

    2016-11-01

    The potentials of the Terahertz Time-Domain Imaging (THz-TDI) technique for a non-invasive inspection of panel paintings have been considered in detail. The THz-TD data acquired on a replica of a panel painting made in imitation of Italian Renaissance panel paintings were processed in order to provide insights as to the limits and potentials of the technique in detecting different kinds of underdrawings and paint layers. Constituent layers, construction techniques, and anomalies were identified and localized by interpreting the extracted THz dielectric stratigraphy.

  2. PREFACE: XIV Conference on Theoretical Nuclear Physics in Italy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bombaci, I.; Covello, A.; Marcucci, L. E.; Rosati, S.

    2014-07-01

    This volume contains the invited and contributed papers presented at the 14th Conference on Theoretical Nuclear Physics in Italy held in Cortona, Italy, from 29-31 October, 2013. The meeting was held at the Palazzone, an elegant Renaissance Villa, commissioned by the Cardinal Silvio Passerini (1469-1529), Bishop of Cortona, and presently owned by the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa. The aim of this biennial Conference is to bring together Italian theorists working in various fields of nuclear physics to discuss their latest results and confront their points of view in a lively and informal way. This offers the opportunity to stimulate new ideas and promote collaborations between different research groups. The Conference was attended by 46 participants, coming from 13 Italian Universities and 11 Laboratories and Sezioni of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - INFN. The program of the conference, prepared by the Organizing Committee (Ignazio Bombaci, Aldo Covello, Laura Elisa Marcucci and Sergio Rosati) focused on the following main topics: Few-Nucleon Systems Nuclear Structure Nuclear Matter and Nuclear Dynamics Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions and Quark-Gluon Plasma Nuclear Astrophysics Nuclear Physics with Electroweak Probes Structure of Hadrons and Hadronic Matter. In the last session of the Conference there were two invited review talks related to experimental activities of great current interest. Giacomo De Angelis from the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro spoke about the INFN SPES radioactive ion beam project. Sara Pirrone, INFN Sezione di Catania, gave a talk on the symmetry energy and isospin physics with the CHIMERA detector. Finally, Mauro Taiuti (Università di Genova), National Coordinator of the INFN-CSN3 (Nuclear Physics Experiments), reported on the present status and future challenges of experimental nuclear physics in Italy. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of INFN who helped make the conference possible. I Bombaci, A Covello

  3. Pseudobulbar paralysis in the Renaissance: Cosimo I de' Medici case.

    PubMed

    Arba, F; Inzitari, D; Lippi, D

    2014-07-01

    Cosimo I de' Medici (1519-1574) was the first Grand Duke of Tuscany. He was one of the most important members of the Medici family. He was an excellent conqueror and a good politician. Moreover, he was able to attract and encourage artists, scientists and architects to promote Florence as the cultural capital of the Italian Renaissance. Historical chronicles report that he suffered from a stroke when he was 49 years old. Together with the acute manifestation of stroke, he displayed peculiar symptoms. He had gait disturbances and sphincter dysfunctions. His language became poor and hard to understand. His mood was very fluctuating and in the last years of his life he was a short-tempered man. In addition, he had a characteristic symptom, so-called pathological laughing and crying. The course of his disease was slow and stuttering. Taken together, these data seem to be one of the first reports of pseudobulbar paralysis. The disease of Cosimo I was probably due to a chronic cerebral vasculopathy, known as small vessels disease. We discuss this hypothesis regarding an ancient clinical case, with the support of current studies.

  4. Patient-Reported Safety Information: A Renaissance of Pharmacovigilance?

    PubMed

    Härmark, Linda; Raine, June; Leufkens, Hubert; Edwards, I Ralph; Moretti, Ugo; Sarinic, Viola Macolic; Kant, Agnes

    2016-10-01

    The role of patients as key contributors in pharmacovigilance was acknowledged in the new EU pharmacovigilance legislation. This contains several efforts to increase the involvement of the general public, including making patient adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting systems mandatory. Three years have passed since the legislation was introduced and the key question is: does pharmacovigilance yet make optimal use of patient-reported safety information? Independent research has shown beyond doubt that patients make an important contribution to pharmacovigilance signal detection. Patient reports provide first-hand information about the suspected ADR and the circumstances under which it occurred, including medication errors, quality failures, and 'near misses'. Patient-reported safety information leads to a better understanding of the patient's experiences of the ADR. Patients are better at explaining the nature, personal significance and consequences of ADRs than healthcare professionals' reports on similar associations and they give more detailed information regarding quality of life including psychological effects and effects on everyday tasks. Current methods used in pharmacovigilance need to optimise use of the information reported from patients. To make the most of information from patients, the systems we use for collecting, coding and recording patient-reported information and the methodologies applied for signal detection and assessment need to be further developed, such as a patient-specific form, development of a severity grading and evolution of the database structure and the signal detection methods applied. It is time for a renaissance of pharmacovigilance.

  5. The Tragedy of the Unexamined Cat: Why K-12 and University Education Are Still in the Dark Ages and How Citizen Science Allows for a Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Dunn, Robert R; Urban, Julie; Cavelier, Darlene; Cooper, Caren B

    2016-03-01

    At the end of the dark ages, anatomy was taught as though everything that could be known was known. Scholars learned about what had been discovered rather than how to make discoveries. This was true even though the body (and the rest of biology) was very poorly understood. The renaissance eventually brought a revolution in how scholars (and graduate students) were trained and worked. This revolution never occurred in K-12 or university education such that we now teach young students in much the way that scholars were taught in the dark ages, we teach them what is already known rather than the process of knowing. Citizen science offers a way to change K-12 and university education and, in doing so, complete the renaissance. Here we offer an example of such an approach and call for change in the way students are taught science, change that is more possible than it has ever been and is, nonetheless, five hundred years delayed.

  6. Technology Status and Expected Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Battery, Plug-In Hybrid, and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lipman, Timothy E.

    2011-11-01

    Electric vehicles (EVs) of various types are experiencing a commercial renaissance but of uncertain ultimate success. Many new electric-drive models are being introduced by different automakers with significant technical improvements from earlier models, particularly with regard to further refinement of drivetrain systems and important improvements in battery and fuel cell systems. The various types of hybrid and all-electric vehicles can offer significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions when compared to conventional vehicles on a full fuel-cycle basis. In fact, most EVs used under most condition are expected to significantly reduce lifecycle GHG emissions. This paper reviews the current technology status of EVs and compares various estimates of their potential to reduce GHGs on a fuel cycle basis. In general, various studies show that battery powered EVs reduce GHGs by a widely disparate amount depending on the type of powerplant used and the particular region involved, among other factors. Reductions typical of the United States would be on the order of 20-50%, depending on the relative level of coal versus natural gas and renewables in the powerplant feedstock mix. However, much deeper reductions of over 90% are possible for battery EVs running on renewable or nuclear power sources. Plug-in hybrid vehicles running on gasoline can reduce emissions by 20-60%, and fuel cell EV reduce GHGs by 30-50% when running on natural gas-derived hydrogen and up to 95% or more when the hydrogen is made (and potentially compressed) using renewable feedstocks. These are all in comparison to what is usually assumed to be a more advanced gasoline vehicle "baseline" of comparison, with some incremental improvements by 2020 or 2030. Thus, the emissions from all of these EV types are highly variable depending on the details of how the electric fuel or hydrogen is produced.

  7. Identification of proteins in renaissance paintings by proteomics.

    PubMed

    Tokarski, Caroline; Martin, Elisabeth; Rolando, Christian; Cren-Olivé, Cécile

    2006-03-01

    The presented work proposes a new methodology based on proteomics techniques to identify proteins in old art paintings. The main challenging tasks of this work were (i) to find appropriate conditions for extracting proteins from the binding media without protein hydrolysis in amino acids and (ii) to develop analytical methods adapted to the small sample quantity available. Starting from microsamples of painting models (ovalbumin-based, which is the major egg white protein, and egg-based paintings), multiple extraction solutions (HCl, HCOOH, NH3, NaOH) and conditions (ultrasonic bath, mortar and pestle, grinding resin) were evaluated. The best results were obtained using a commercial kit including a synthetic resin, mortar and pestle to grind the sample in an aqueous solution acidified with trifluoroacetic acid at 1% with additional multiple steps of ultrasonic baths. The resulting supernatant was analyzed by MALDI-TOF in linear mode to verify the efficiency of the extraction solution. An enzymatic hydrolysis step was also performed for protein identification; the peptide mixture was analyzed by nanoLC/nanoESI/Q-q-TOF MS/MS with an adapted chromatographic run for the low sample quantity. Finally, the developed methodology was successfully applied to Renaissance art painting microsamples of approximately 10 microg from Benedetto Bonfigli's triptych, The Virgin and Child, St. John the Baptist, St. Sebastian (XVth century), and Niccolo di Pietro Gerini's painting, The Virgin and Child (XIVth century), identifying, for the first time and without ambiguity, the presence of whole egg proteins (egg yolk and egg white) in a painting binder.

  8. The Renaissance Kidney-Nephrology in and about the Sixteenth Century.

    PubMed

    Eknoyan, Garabed

    2012-07-01

    The endeavor to understand the workings of the human body is as old as civilization; but it is in the intellectual movement of the Renaissance that its actual scientific study began in earnest and has not ceased growing since then. It was in the 16th century that the study of organs was launched and with it that of the kidney, which was then conceived as an accessory organ to clear the excess water ingested with food. The study of the structural basis of kidney function was launched by Bartolomeo Eustachio (1514-1574); the elements of its physiology and pathology were promulgated by Jean Fernel (1497-1558), and that of the chemical study of urine and of the principal cause of kidney disease then, calculi, instigated by Joan Baptista Van Helmont (1577-1644). The methodological approaches of these and their contemporary investigators, which were crystallized and formulated by Francis Bacon (1561-1626), opened the gates of the Scientific Revolution that followed in the 17th century, beginning with that of describing the circulation in 1628 by William Harvey (1564-1657) that would finally free the kidney from the shackles imposed on it as a mere accessory organ to the liver in Galen's physiology. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Prostatic hyperplasia in the mummy of an italian renaissance prince.

    PubMed

    Ciranni, R; Giusti, L; Fornaciari, G

    2000-12-01

    Pandolfo III Malatesta (1370-1427) was a leading figure of the Italian Renaissance. He was a valiant soldier and horseman with a very active life style. Historical sources report that he died of a fever in 1427. The tomb, containing his mummified body, has recently been discovered in Fano (Marche, Central Italy). After careful X-ray and videographic examination, autopsy was performed to diagnose possible pathologies. Samples of different tissues were collected and rehydrated by Sandison's method and submitted to routine histology processes. Sections of treated tissue were fixed on clean slides, stained with hematoxylin-eosin or Gardner's Trichromic and observed at light microscope. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The autopsy showed good preservation of the skeletal muscles, cartilage, internal and external organs included prostate gland and penis. Macroscopic examination revealed stag-horn calculi (calcium urate) of the left kidney and a severe enlargement of the prostate, with calcifications detectable by X-ray and a large nodule protruding in the lumen of an ectatic urethra. Histology shows fibrous bands of connective and muscular tissue surrounding some circular and oblong lacunae, with no preservation of epithelial structures. The macroscopic and histological picture, showing clear prostatic nodular hyperplasia, makes this the first case described in paleopathology. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  10. 77 FR 66647 - License Amendment Request to Byproduct Material License 06-31445-01 for Light Sources, Inc...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-06

    ... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 03038458; NRC-2012-0267] License Amendment Request to Byproduct Material License 06-31445- 01 for Light Sources, Inc., Orange, CT AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory... Nuclear Materials Safety, Region I, 2100 Renaissance Blvd., King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406-2713...

  11. A renaissance in marine pharmacology: from preclinical curiosity to clinical reality.

    PubMed

    Glaser, Keith B; Mayer, Alejandro M S

    2009-09-01

    Marine pharmacology, the pharmacology of marine natural products, has been for some time more associated with marine natural products chemistry rather than mainstay pharmacology. However, in recent years a renaissance has occurred in this area of research, and has seen the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2004 of Prialt (ziconotide, omega-conotoxin MVIIA) the synthetic equivalent of a conopeptide found in marine snails, used for the management of severe chronic pain. Furthermore Yondelis) (trabectedin, ET-743) an antitumor agent scovered in a marine colonial tunicate, and now produced synthetically, receiving Orphan Drug designation from the European Commission (EC) and FDA for soft tissue sarcomas and ovarian cancer and its registration in 2007 in the EU for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma. The approval/marketing of so few marine natural products has come after many years of research primarily by the academic community and the sporadic involvement of major pharmaceutical companies. This commentary, through the opinions provided by several leaders in the marine natural products field, will examine the potential reasons and perceptions from both the academic and pharmaceutical communities regarding the development of marine natural products as viable therapeutic entities.

  12. Shakespeare and other English Renaissance authors as characterized by Information Theory complexity quantifiers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosso, Osvaldo A.; Craig, Hugh; Moscato, Pablo

    2009-03-01

    We introduce novel Information Theory quantifiers in a computational linguistic study that involves a large corpus of English Renaissance literature. The 185 texts studied (136 plays and 49 poems in total), with first editions that range from 1580 to 1640, form a representative set of its period. Our data set includes 30 texts unquestionably attributed to Shakespeare; in addition we also included A Lover’s Complaint, a poem which generally appears in Shakespeare collected editions but whose authorship is currently in dispute. Our statistical complexity quantifiers combine the power of Jensen-Shannon’s divergence with the entropy variations as computed from a probability distribution function of the observed word use frequencies. Our results show, among other things, that for a given entropy poems display higher complexity than plays, that Shakespeare’s work falls into two distinct clusters in entropy, and that his work is remarkable for its homogeneity and for its closeness to overall means.

  13. Evidence, logic, the rule and the exception in Renaissance law and medicine.

    PubMed

    Maclean, I

    2000-01-01

    This article sets out to investigate aspects of the uptake of Renaissance law and medicine from some of the logical and natural-philosophical components of the university arts course. Medicine is shown to have a much laxer operative logic than law, reflecting its commitment to the theory of idiosyncrasy as opposed to the demands made upon the law by the need for a uniform application of justice. Symptomatic of the different uptake are the contrasting meanings of "regulariter" and "generaliter" in the two disciplines. Whereas the law treats the rule as inviolable and the exception as only valid if made explicit in due legal form, medicine is able to conceive of a nature as a field of knowledge broader than that encompassed by its rules of art. Both law and medicine approach evidence in ways which reflect their attempts to keep apart the process of information-gathering from that of interpretation; this is exemplified by the legal computation of competing testimony on the one hand and by the various medical modes of sign interpretation on the other.

  14. Mechanisms of Dynamic Nuclear Polarization in Insulating Solids

    PubMed Central

    Can, T.V.; Ni, Q.Z.; Griffin, R.G.

    2015-01-01

    Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is a technique used to enhance signal intensities in NMR experiments by transferring the high polarization of electrons to their surrounding nuclei. The past decade has witnessed a renaissance in the development of DNP, especially at high magnetic fields, and its application in several areas including biophysics, chemistry, structural biology and materials science. Recent technical and theoretical advances have expanded our understanding of established experiments: for example, the cross effect DNP in samples spinning at the magic angle. Furthermore, new experiments suggest that our understanding of the Overhauser effect and its applicability to insulating solids needs to be re-examined. In this article, we summarize important results of the past few years and provide quantum mechanical explanations underlying these results. We also discuss future directions of DNP and current limitations, including the problem of resolution in protein spectra recorded at 80–100 K. PMID:25797002

  15. Heavenly Networks. Celestial Maps and Globes in Circulation between Artisans, Mathematicians, and Noblemen in Renaissance Europe.

    PubMed

    Gessner, Samuel

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to examine the iconography on a set of star charts by Albrecht Dürer (1515), and celestial globes by Caspar Vopel (1536) and Christoph Schissler (1575). The iconography on these instruments is conditioned by strong traditions which include not only the imagery on globes and planispheres (star charts), but also ancient literature about the constellations. Where this iconography departs from those traditions, the change had to do with humanism in the sixteenth century. This "humanistic" dimension is interwoven with other concerns that involve both "social" and "technical" motivations. The interplay of these three dimensions illustrates how the iconography on celestial charts and globes expresses some features of the shared knowledge and shared culture between artisans, mathematicians, and nobles in Renaissance Europe.

  16. [The neuroanatomy of Juan Valverde de Amusco and medicine at the time of the Spanish renaissance].

    PubMed

    Martín Araguz, A; Bustamante Martínez, C; Toledo León, D; López Gómez, M; Moreno Martínez, J M

    Juan Valverde de Amusco (c. 1525-c. 1564) is considered to have been the most important Spanish anatomist of the XVI century. A follower of Vesalius, he increased and divulged knowledge of anatomy during the Renaissance and his book The history of the composition of the human body was printed in Rome in 1556. The objective of this paper is to study the neuroanatomy in this book and present unpublished biographical data and describe the main contributions of this Castilian doctor to the neurosciences, in the context of Spanish medicine during the Renaissance period. He was born in the town of Hamusco (today Amusco) in the province of Palencia, which belonged to the Crown of Castile. Juan Valverde emigrated to Italy to improve his scientific knowledge. He carried out anatomical studies using the then revolutionary method of direct observation, as opposed to the Galenic criteria of authority inherited from the Medieval period. He trained in Padua under Realdo Colombo and lived in Rome where he practiced medicine until his death, becoming deservedly famous. He did not return to Spain since in the Spanish universities of the time there was a mentality which was reactionary to modern anatomy. His works, published in Italy but in the Spanish language, give an idea of the power of the Crown of Castile in the Europe of that period. The book is profusely illustrated with the first illustrations ever published in the history of printing, drawn by Nicolas Beatrizet. The book was sold widely and was translated and reedited on many occasions, until well into the XVIII century. For the first time Valverde made precise references to the minor circulation. He was the first anatomist to describe the muscles for movement of the eye correctly and the intracranial course of the carotid arteries. In his work he made the first drawing of the stapes, described by the Valencian Luis Collado. Vesalius and Valverde contributed decisively to the beginnings of modern neuroanatomy. Thanks to

  17. Transition Metal Oxides as Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Solutions: An Application-Inspired Renaissance.

    PubMed

    Song, Fang; Bai, Lichen; Moysiadou, Aliki; Lee, Seunghwa; Hu, Chao; Liardet, Laurent; Hu, Xile

    2018-06-27

    Water splitting is the essential chemical reaction to enable the storage of intermittent energies such as solar and wind in the form of hydrogen fuel. The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is often considered as the bottleneck in water splitting. Though metal oxides had been reported as OER electrocatalysts more than half a century ago, the recent interest in renewable energy storage has spurred a renaissance of the studies of transition metal oxides as Earth-abundant and nonprecious OER catalysts. This Perspective presents major progress in several key areas of the field such as theoretical understanding, activity trend, in situ and operando characterization, active site determination, and novel materials. A personal overview of the past achievements and future challenges is also provided.

  18. Our unacknowledged ancestors: dream theorists of antiquity, the middle ages, and the renaissance.

    PubMed

    Rupprecht, C S

    1990-06-01

    Exploring the dream world from a modern, or post-modern, perspective, especially through the lens of contemporary technologies, often leads us as researchers to see ourselves as engaged in a new and revolutionary discourse. In fact, this self-image is a profoundly ahistorical one, because it ignores the contributions of ancient, medieval and Renaissance oneirologists who wrote extensively, albeit in different terms and images of lucidity, prerecognition, day residue, wish fulfillment, incubation, problem solving, REM, obe, and the collective unconscious. There are also analogues in these early accounts to anxiety, recurrent, mirror, telepathic, shared, flying, and death dreams. Dream interpretation through music, analysis of dream as narrative, sophisticated theories about memory and language and symbolization are all part of the tradition. Further, early texts pose many issues in sleep and dream research which are not currently being pursued. We dream workers of the late twentieth century should therefore fortify ourselves with knowledge of the oneiric past as one important way to enhance our dream work in the twenty-first century.

  19. ADVANCED CERAMIC MATERIALS FOR NEXT-GENERATION NUCLEAR APPLICATIONS

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

    Marra, J.

    2010-09-29

    Rising global energy demands coupled with increased environmental concerns point to one solution; they must reduce their dependence on fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases. As the global community faces the challenge of maintaining sovereign nation security, reducing greenhouse gases, and addressing climate change nuclear power will play a significant and likely growing role. In the US, nuclear energy already provides approximately one-fifth of the electricity used to power factories, offices, homes, and schools with 104 operating nuclear power plants, located at 65 sites in 31 states. Additionally, 19 utilities have applied to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) formore » construction and operating licenses for 26 new reactors at 17 sites. This planned growth of nuclear power is occurring worldwide and has been termed the 'nuclear renaissance.' As major industrial nations craft their energy future, there are several important factors that must be considered about nuclear energy: (1) it has been proven over the last 40 years to be safe, reliable and affordable (good for Economic Security); (2) its technology and fuel can be domestically produced or obtained from allied nations (good for Energy Security); and (3) it is nearly free of greenhouse gas emissions (good for Environmental Security). Already an important part of worldwide energy security via electricity generation, nuclear energy can also potentially play an important role in industrial processes and supporting the nation's transportation sector. Coal-to-liquid processes, the generation of hydrogen and supporting the growing potential for a greatly increased electric transportation system (i.e. cars and trains) mean that nuclear energy could see dramatic growth in the near future as we seek to meet our growing demand for energy in cleaner, more secure ways. In order to address some of the prominent issues associated with nuclear power generation (i.e., high capital costs, waste management, and

  20. Universal Principles of Depicting Oneself across the Centuries: From Renaissance Self-Portraits to Selfie-Photographs.

    PubMed

    Carbon, Claus-Christian

    2017-01-01

    Selfie-photography is generally thought of as a cultural mass phenomenon of the early 21st century, inseparably related to the development and triumph of the smartphone with integrated camera. Western culture, however, has been highly familiar with self-depictions since the Renaissance days. Putting the contemporary selfie into this historic context covering more than five centuries of cultural development from Dürer's (1500) famous "Self-Portrait at 28" (also known as "Selbstbildnis im Pelzrock") to today's Instagram galleries allows for identifying central parallels concerning the technical and social antecedents as well as common underlying psychological factors and shared properties of different kinds of self-depiction. The article provides an overview of the types of contemporary photographic selfies and compares them with painted self-portraits. Finally, this historic perspective leads us to the insight that self-portraits as well as selfies are both referring to nothing less than the "conditio humana."

  1. A brief historical development of classical mathematics before the Renaissance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Debnath, Lokenath

    2011-07-01

    'If you wish to foresee the future of mathematics our proper course is to study the history and present condition of the science.' Henri Poincaré 'It is India that gave us the ingenious method of expressing all numbers by ten symbols, each symbol receiving a value of position, as well as an absolute value. We shall appreciate the grandeur of the achievement when we remember that it escaped the genius of Archimedes and Apollonius.' P.S. Laplace 'The Greeks were the first mathematicians who are still 'real' to us today. Oriental mathematics may be an interesting curiosity, but Greek mathematics is the real thing. The Greek first spoke of a language which modern mathematicians can understand.' G.H. Hardy This article deals with a short history of mathematics and mathematical scientists during the ancient and medieval periods. Included are some major developments of the ancient, Indian, Arabic, Egyptian, Greek and medieval mathematics and their significant impact on the Renaissance mathematics. Special attention is given to many results, theorems, generalizations, and new discoveries of arithmetic, algebra, number theory, geometry and astronomy during the above periods. A number of exciting applications of the above areas is discussed in some detail. It also contains a wide variety of important material accessible to college and even high school students and teachers at all levels. Included also is mathematical information that puts the professionals and prospective mathematical scientists at the forefront of current research.

  2. Non-destructive identification of green and yellow pigments: the case of some Sicilian Renaissance glazed pottery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crupi, V.; Majolino, D.; Venuti, V.; Barone, G.; Mazzoleni, P.; Pezzino, A.; La Russa, M. F.; Ruffolo, S. A.; Bardelli, F.

    2010-09-01

    Selected decorated Renaissance ceramic fragments, found during the excavation of a Sicilian archaeological site (Caltagirone, Sicily, South Italy), have been studied by combining scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray absorbance spectroscopy (XAS). The study was aimed at providing microchemical and microstructural characterization of the colored glazed coatings in order to elucidate the nature of the pigments in the decorative layers, and in the glaze itself. From the obtained results, the general perspective has been the identification of information to be used for a reliable recognition of the production techniques. In particular, XAS measurements, performed using synchrotron radiation (SR) as the source at the Cu K-edge, in the case of green decorations, provided structural information of the oxidation states and the local chemical environment of copper (neighboring atoms and bond distances).

  3. A comparative study of expectant parents ' childbirth expectations.

    PubMed

    Kao, Bi-Chin; Gau, Meei-Ling; Wu, Shian-Feng; Kuo, Bih-Jaw; Lee, Tsorng-Yeh

    2004-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to understand childbirth expectations and differences in childbirth expectations among expectant parents. For convenience sampling, 200 couples willing to participate in this study were chosen from two hospitals in central Taiwan. Inclusion criteria were at least 36 weeks of gestation, aged 18 and above, no prenatal complications, and willing to consent to participate in this study. Instruments used to collect data included basic demographic data and the Childbirth Expectations Questionnaire. Findings of the study revealed that (1) five factors were identified by expectant parents regarding childbirth expectations including the caregiving environment, expectation of labor pain, spousal support, control and participation, and medical and nursing support; (2) no general differences were identified in the childbirth expectations between expectant fathers and expectant mothers; and (3) expectant fathers with a higher socioeconomic status and who had received prenatal (childbirth) education had higher childbirth expectations, whereas mothers displayed no differences in demographic characteristics. The study results may help clinical healthcare providers better understand differences in expectations during labor and birth and childbirth expectations by expectant parents in order to improve the medical and nursing system and promote positive childbirth experiences and satisfaction for expectant parents.

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

    Dasari, Venkateswara Rao

    The need for sustainable and secure nuclear energy is summarized. Driven by economics and public-private partnerships, the technology is evolving. Cost control and regulatory simplification are needed for a nuclear renaissance. Small modular reactors--simple, scalable, and inherently safe--may be the future.

  5. Universal Principles of Depicting Oneself across the Centuries: From Renaissance Self-Portraits to Selfie-Photographs

    PubMed Central

    Carbon, Claus-Christian

    2017-01-01

    Selfie-photography is generally thought of as a cultural mass phenomenon of the early 21st century, inseparably related to the development and triumph of the smartphone with integrated camera. Western culture, however, has been highly familiar with self-depictions since the Renaissance days. Putting the contemporary selfie into this historic context covering more than five centuries of cultural development from Dürer's (1500) famous “Self-Portrait at 28” (also known as “Selbstbildnis im Pelzrock”) to today's Instagram galleries allows for identifying central parallels concerning the technical and social antecedents as well as common underlying psychological factors and shared properties of different kinds of self-depiction. The article provides an overview of the types of contemporary photographic selfies and compares them with painted self-portraits. Finally, this historic perspective leads us to the insight that self-portraits as well as selfies are both referring to nothing less than the “conditio humana.” PMID:28270789

  6. Poisoning histories in the Italian renaissance: The case of Pico Della Mirandola and Angelo Poliziano.

    PubMed

    Gallello, Gianni; Cilli, Elisabetta; Bartoli, Fulvio; Andretta, Massimo; Calcagnile, Lucio; Pastor, Agustin; de la Guardia, Miguel; Serventi, Patrizia; Marino, Alberto; Benazzi, Stefano; Gruppioni, Giorgio

    2018-05-01

    Giovanni Pico della Mirandola and Angelo Poliziano were two of the most important humanists of the Italian Renaissance. They died suddenly in 1494 and their deaths have been for centuries a subject of debate. The exhumation of their remains offered the opportunity to study the cause of their death through a multidisciplinary research project. Anthropological analyses, together with documentary evidences, radiocarbon dating and ancient DNA analysis supported the identification of the remains attributed to Pico. Macroscopic examination did not reveal paleopathological lesions or signs related to syphilis. Heavy metals analysis, carried out on bones and mummified tissues, showed that in Pico's remains there were potentially lethal levels of arsenic, supporting the philosopher's poisoning theory reported by documentary sources. The arsenic concentrations obtained from analysis of Poliziano's remains, are probably more related to an As chronic exposure or diagenetic processes rather than poisoning. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

  7. Bismuth knowledge during the Renaissance strengthened by its use in Italian lustres production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.

    The knowledge of bismuth during the XV and XVI centuries represents an open question since, according to some authors, this element was confused with lead, tin and silver. On the contrary, G. Agricola (1494-1555), the pioneer of mineralogical science in Europe, in his two works (De Natura Fossilium, Lib X, 1546 and Bermannus Sive De Re Metallica Dialogus, 1528) asserts that bismuth was considered as an element distinct from the other metals at that time. This question gave rise to some interest, and von Lippmann in 1930 wrote a treatise dealing with the history of bismuth between 1400 and 1800. In this work we present the results obtained on Italian and Hispano-Moresque shards studied by means of X-ray diffraction, atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomisation, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy. It seems that our work could provide a new and important contribution to this debate, because we found bismuth in lustre composition of Renaissance shards produced in central Italy. Furthermore, we found that it could also be considered as a discriminating element between Italian and Hispano-Moresque productions, useful to assess their origin.

  8. Microchemical investigation on Renaissance coins minted at Gubbio (Central Italy)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ingo, G. M.; de Caro, T.; Padeletti, G.; Chiozzini, G.

    The bulk and surface chemical composition of Renaissance coins minted at Gubbio (Central Italy) from 1508 to 1516 and from 1521 to 1538 by Francesco Maria della Rovere is investigated by means of the combined use of different analytical techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), and optical microscopy (OM). The aim of the work is to determine the bulk chemical composition of these commonly used coins at Gubbio, to ascertain their surface nature and if they were coated by a thin film of silver or other white metals similar to silver. The results indicate that the coins were produced by coating a copper core with a thin film of silver and antimony, and also with lead whose thickness is of a few microns which is now scarcely present because the original silvered surface was almost entirely removed by degradation phenomena. Furthermore, the SEM+EDS results show that the surface content of silver and antimony cannot be attributed to long-term selective corrosion phenomena leaving the coin slightly silver or antimony enriched. Therefore, the presence of silver or apparently silver-like metals i.e. antimony and lead, could be considered as a deliberate surface finishing of the coins obtained via inverse segregation or intentional selective corrosion based on pickling solutions or a combination of them. From a historical point of view the presence of a Ag or Sb film on the surface of the coins discloses the occurrence of a period of economic difficulties.

  9. Truffle renaissance in Poland - history, present and prospects.

    PubMed

    Rosa-Gruszecka, Aleksandra; Hilszczańska, Dorota; Gil, Wojciech; Kosel, Bogusław

    2017-06-15

    The use of truffles in Poland has a long tradition, yet due to some historical aspects, this knowledge was lost. Currently, truffles and truffle orchards are again receiving attention, and thanks to, e.g., historical data, they have solid foundations to be established. Publications relating to truffles between 1661 and 2017 were searched for in international and national databases, such as the database of PhD theses, Google Scholar, and catalogues of the National Library of Poland, the Jagiellonian Digital Library, the University Library of J. Giedroyc in Bialystok and the Lower Silesian Digital Library (DBC). A very meticulous survey of the literature on truffles showed that truffles have been known since at least 1661. In the 18th century, the fungi were considered a non-timber forest product. It is interesting to mention the impact of Polish Count Michał Jan Borch in understanding the nature of truffles. The whitish truffle (Tuber borchii) is named after him. The greatest number of publications regarding truffles can be observed at the first half of the 19th and 20th centuries. The fungi were present not only in cookbooks but also in scientific literature, and aspects of their ecology and medicinal use are considered. The "dark ages" for truffles, mainly for social reasons, occurred after the Second World War. In tough times, when Poland was under Soviet communist control (1945-1989), truffles as a luxurious product have been completely forgotten. However, at the end of the 20th century, truffles started receiving attention in Polish society. Yet, the real awakening began in the first decade of the twenty-first century when the first truffle orchards were established. One of them has already produced the first fruit bodies of summer truffle (Tuber aestivum). Truffles have been present in Polish culture for centuries. Their renaissance indicates the need for fostering sustainable agroforestry-centred initiatives aimed at helping truffle growers in growing the

  10. 'Royal' pediculosis in Renaissance Italy: lice in the mummy of the King of Naples Ferdinand II of Aragon (1467-1496).

    PubMed

    Fornaciari, Gino; Giuffra, Valentina; Marinozzi, Silvia; Picchi, Malayka Samantha; Masetti, Massimo

    2009-07-01

    Pediculosis seems to have afflicted humans since the most ancient times and lice have been found in several ancient human remains. Examination of the head hair and pubic hair of the artificial mummy of Ferdinand II of Aragon (1467-1496), King of Naples, revealed a double infestation with two different species of lice, Pediculus capitis, the head louse, and Pthirus pubis, the pubic louse. The hair samples were also positive for the presence of mercury, probably applied as an anti-pediculosis therapy. This is the first time that these parasites have been found in the hair of a king, demonstrating that even members of the wealthy classes in the Renaissance were subject to louse infestation.

  11. Raman microscopy and x-ray fluorescence analysis of pigments on medieval and Renaissance Italian manuscript cuttings

    PubMed Central

    Burgio, Lucia; Clark, Robin J. H.; Hark, Richard R.

    2010-01-01

    Italian medieval and Renaissance manuscript cuttings and miniatures from the Victoria and Albert Museum were analyzed by Raman microscopy to compile a database of pigments used in different periods and different Italian regions. The palette identified in most manuscripts and cuttings was found to include lead white, gypsum, azurite, lazurite, indigo, malachite, vermilion, red lead, lead tin yellow (I), goethite, carbon, and iron gall ink. A few of the miniatures, such as the historiated capital “M” painted by Gerolamo da Cremona and the Petrarca manuscript by Bartolomeo Sanvito, are of exceptional quality and were analyzed extensively; some contained unusual materials. The widespread usage of iron oxides such as goethite and hematite as minor components of mixtures with azurite is particularly notable. The use of a needle-shaped form of iron gall ink as a pigment rather than a writing material was established by both Raman microscopy and x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for the Madonna and Child by Franco de’ Russi. PMID:20304797

  12. Glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction of Ag nanoparticles in gold lustre decoration of Italian Renaissance pottery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bontempi, E.; Colombi, P.; Depero, L. E.; Cartechini, L.; Presciutti, F.; Brunetti, B. G.; Sgamellotti, A.

    2006-06-01

    Lustre is known as one of the most significant decorative techniques of Medieval and Renaissance pottery in the Mediterranean basin, characterized by brilliant gold and red metallic reflections and iridescence effects. Previous studies by various techniques (SEM-EDS and TEM, UV-VIS, XRF, RBS and EXAFS) demonstrated that lustre consists of a heterogeneous metal-glass composite film, formed by Cu and Ag nanoparticles dispersed within the outer layer of a tin-opacified lead glaze. In the present work the investigation of an original gold lustre sample from Deruta has been carried out by means of glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction techniques (GIXRD). The study was aimed at providing information on structure and depth distribution of Ag nanoparticles. Exploiting the capability of controlling X-ray penetration in the glaze by changing the incidence angle, we used GIXRD measurements to estimate non-destructively thickness and depth of silver particles present in the first layers of the glaze.

  13. Raman microscopy and x-ray fluorescence analysis of pigments on medieval and Renaissance Italian manuscript cuttings.

    PubMed

    Burgio, Lucia; Clark, Robin J H; Hark, Richard R

    2010-03-30

    Italian medieval and Renaissance manuscript cuttings and miniatures from the Victoria and Albert Museum were analyzed by Raman microscopy to compile a database of pigments used in different periods and different Italian regions. The palette identified in most manuscripts and cuttings was found to include lead white, gypsum, azurite, lazurite, indigo, malachite, vermilion, red lead, lead tin yellow (I), goethite, carbon, and iron gall ink. A few of the miniatures, such as the historiated capital "M" painted by Gerolamo da Cremona and the Petrarca manuscript by Bartolomeo Sanvito, are of exceptional quality and were analyzed extensively; some contained unusual materials. The widespread usage of iron oxides such as goethite and hematite as minor components of mixtures with azurite is particularly notable. The use of a needle-shaped form of iron gall ink as a pigment rather than a writing material was established by both Raman microscopy and x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for the Madonna and Child by Franco de' Russi.

  14. Silver and copper nanoclusters in the lustre decoration of Italian Renaissance pottery: an EXAFS study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padovani, S.; Borgia, I.; Brunetti, B.; Sgamellotti, A.; Giulivi, A.; D'Acapito, F.; Mazzoldi, P.; Sada, C.; Battaglin, G.

    Lustre is one of the most important decorative techniques of the Medieval and Renaissance pottery of the Mediterranean basin, capable of producing brilliant metallic reflections and iridescence. Following the recent finding that the colour of lustre decorations is mainly determined by copper and silver nanoclusters dispersed in the glaze layer, the local environment of copper and silver atoms has been studied by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy on original samples of gold and red lustre. It has been found that, in gold lustre, whose colour is attributed mainly to the silver nanocluster dispersion, silver is only partially present in the metallic form and copper is almost completely oxidised. In the red lustre, whose colour is attributed mainly to the copper nanocluster dispersion, only a fraction of copper is present in the metallic form. EXAFS measurements on red lustre, carried out in the total electron yield mode to probe only the first 150 nm of the glaze layer, indicated that in some cases lustre nanoclusters may be confined in a very thin layer close to the surface.

  15. The 21st century psychedelic renaissance: heroic steps forward on the back of an elephant.

    PubMed

    Sessa, Ben

    2018-02-01

    Given the plethora of new studies and published papers in the scientific press and the increasingly emerging presence of articles about positive psychedelic experiences appearing in the popular media, there is little doubt that we are in the midst of a Psychedelic Renaissance. The classical psychedelic drugs LSD and psilocybin and the entactogen MDMA are showing promise as tools to assist psychotherapy for a wide range of mental disorders, with multiple pilot studies demonstrating their safety and efficacy. In this article, the author describes how MDMA in particular has inherent characteristics that make it well suited for assisting trauma-focused psychotherapy in a population of patients who have experienced child abuse. But despite these advances, there remain many obstacles ahead of the widespread mainstream acceptance of psychedelic medicines. The author argues that the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is one such obstacle. Other impediments include a prevailing attitude of pseudoscience and rigidity from within the non-scientific psychedelic community itself. Resolution of these conflicts must be sought if medicine and society are to see psychedelics gaining a place in mainstream culture and science.

  16. Career Development: Revolution, Reform, and Renaissance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, John

    1985-01-01

    Discusses elements to be considered by career counselors, including robotics, fiber optics, biotechnology, space industry, transition from industry to information, expected labor shortage in the 1990s, population trends, and entrepreneurial explosion. Also describes four basic skills of the information society. (CT)

  17. Performance Expectations of Closed-Brayton-Cycle Heat Exchangers in 100-kWe Nuclear Space Power Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barrett, Michael J.

    2003-01-01

    Performance expectations of closed-Brayton-cycle heat exchangers to be used in 100-kWe nuclear space power systems were forecast. Proposed cycle state points for a system supporting a mission to three of Jupiter s moons required effectiveness values for the heat-source exchanger, recuperator and rejection exchanger (gas cooler) of 0.98,0.95 and 0.97, respectively. Performance parameters such as number of thermal units (Nm), equivalent thermal conductance (UA), and entropy generation numbers (Ns) varied from 11 to 19,23 to 39 kWK, and 0.019 to 0.023 for some standard heat exchanger configurations. Pressure-loss contributions to entropy generation were significant; the largest frictional contribution was 114% of the heat-transfer irreversibility. Using conventional recuperator designs, the 0.95 effectiveness proved difficult to achieve without exceeding other performance targets; a metallic, plate-fin counterflow solution called for 15% more mass and 33% higher pressure-loss than the target values. Two types of gas-coolers showed promise. Single-pass counterflow and multipass cross-counterflow arrangements both met the 0.97 effectiveness requirement. Potential reliability-related advantages of the cross-countefflow design were noted. Cycle modifications, enhanced heat transfer techniques and incorporation of advanced materials were suggested options to reduce system development risk. Carbon-carbon sheeting or foam proved an attractive option to improve overall performance.

  18. Performance Expectations of Closed-Brayton-Cycle Heat Exchangers in 100-kWe Nuclear Space Power Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barrett, Michael J.

    2003-01-01

    Performance expectations of closed-Brayton-cycle heat exchangers to be used in 100-k We nuclear space power systems were forecast. Proposed cycle state points for a system supporting a mission to three of Jupiter's moons required effectiveness values for the heat-source exchanger, recuperator and rejection exchanger (gas cooler) of 0.98, 0.95, and 0.97, respectively. Performance parameters such as number of thermal units (Ntu), equivalent thermal conductance (UA), and entropy generation numbers (Ns) varied from 11 to 19, 23 to 39 kW/K, and 0.019 to 0.023 for some standard heat exchanger configurations. Pressure-loss contributions to entropy generation were significant; the largest frictional contribution was 114% of the heat transfer irreversibility. Using conventional recuperator designs, the 0.95 effectiveness proved difficult to achieve without exceeding other performance targets; a metallic, plate-fin counterflow solution called for 15% more mass and 33% higher pressure-loss than the target values. Two types of gas-coolers showed promise. Single-pass counterflow and multipass cross-counterflow arrangements both met the 0.97 effectiveness requirement. Potential reliability-related advantages of the cross-counterflow design were noted. Cycle modifications, enhanced heat transfer techniques and incorporation of advanced materials were suggested options to reduce system development risk. Carbon-carbon sheeting or foam proved an attractive option to improve overall performance.

  19. The Life of a Renaissance Gunmaker: Bonaccorso Ghiberti and the Development of Florentine Artillery in the Late Fifteenth Century.

    PubMed

    Ansani, Fabrizio

    This article examines the technological development of artillery production in Florence during the last two decades of the fifteenth century, before and after the assimilation of the most efficient French ordnance into Italian warfare. The study starts from the notes, drawings, accounts, and guns produced by Bonaccorso di Vettorio Ghiberti (1451-1516), the heir of the foundry of his illustrious ancestor Lorenzo di Cione (1378-1455). Data have been collected from the historical archives of the Istituto degli Innocenti, from the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale of Florence, and from the Florentine State Archive. This article demonstrates the existence of a lively and reactive war-related industry in Renaissance Italy, which was aware of new ideas and new techniques. The article highlights, moreover, the leading role of public demand in fostering military innovations.

  20. Paracelsus and the science of nutrition in the renaissance. On occasion of the 500th anniversary of his birth.

    PubMed

    Guggenheim, K Y

    1993-07-01

    Paracelsus (1493-1541) was a Swiss chemist and physician. As professor of medicine in Basel, he violently opposed traditional Galenic medicine and emphasized direct observation instead. His nonconformist views and rough behaviour led to his expulsion after less than a year. He led an itinerant life, practicing medicine, writing books and studying diseases of miners. Paracelcus believed in an immaterial principle, the "alchemist," that converted food into body substance. Every animal species, he believed, was endowed with its own alchemist, adapted to its needs. Paracelcus introduced chemical thinking into medicine (iatrochemistry) and nutrition. Today, he remains a controversial figure. Other Renaissance scientists (Fernel, Vesalius) criticized traditional medicine without completely rejecting it. Leonardo da Vinci developed original views on nutrition, based on his anatomical studies. His views were, however, without influence, because he did not publish.

  1. On kissing and sighing: Renaissance homoerotic love from Ficino's De Amore and Sopra Lo Amore to Cesare Trevisani's L'impresa (1569).

    PubMed

    Maggi, Armando

    2005-01-01

    This essay investigates the homoerotic connotations present in the so-called treatises on love, a popular philosophical and literary genre of the Italian Renaissance. The referential text of this sixteenth- century genre is Marsilio Ficino's De amore (1484), a deeply innovative interpretation of Plato's Symposium. Focusing on the initial section of Ficino's text, Maggi highlights some important structural differences between the De amore and the Symposium. Moreover, by comparing Ficino's Latin text with his own subsequent Italian translation (Sopra lo amore, 1544), Maggi examines how Ficino interprets some key terms such as appearance and splendor. The second part of the essay studies Cesare Trevisani's L'impresa (1569), a later treatise on love with an explicit homoerotic foundation.

  2. Radiochemistry Student, Postdoc and Invited Speaker Support for New Directions in Isotope Production, Nuclear Forensics and Radiochemistry Supported by the DOE

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

    Jurisson, Silvia, S.

    The Division of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (NUCL) of the American Chemistry Society (ACS) is sponsoring a symposium entitled "New Directions in Isotope Production, Nuclear Forensics and Radiochemistry Supported by the DOE" at the 240th ACS National Meeting in Boston, MA 22-26 August 2010. Radiochemistry and nuclear science is a critical area of research and funding for which the DOE has provided support over the years. Radiochemistry is undergoing a renaissance in interdisciplinary areas including medicine, materials, nanotechnology, nuclear forensics and energy. For example, interest in nuclear energy is growing in response to global warming. The field of nuclear forensicsmore » has grown significantly since 9/11 in response to potential terror threats and homeland security. Radioactive molecular imaging agents and targeted radiotherapy are revolutionizing molecular medicine. The need for radiochemists is growing, critical, and global. The NUCL Division of the ACS has been involved in various areas of radiochemistry and nuclear chemistry for many years, and is the host of the DOE supported Nuclear Chemistry Summer Schools. This Symposium is dedicated to three of the critical areas of nuclear science, namely isotope production, nuclear forensics and radiochemistry. An important facet of this meeting is to provide support for young radiochemistry students/postdoctoral fellows to attend this Symposium as participants and contributors. The funding requested from DOE in this application will be used to provide bursaries for U.S. students/postdoctoral fellows to enable them to participate in this symposium at the 240th ACS National Meeting, and for invited scientists to speak on the important issues in these areas.« less

  3. The Golden Beauty: Brain Response to Classical and Renaissance Sculptures

    PubMed Central

    Di Dio, Cinzia; Macaluso, Emiliano; Rizzolatti, Giacomo

    2007-01-01

    Is there an objective, biological basis for the experience of beauty in art? Or is aesthetic experience entirely subjective? Using fMRI technique, we addressed this question by presenting viewers, naïve to art criticism, with images of masterpieces of Classical and Renaissance sculpture. Employing proportion as the independent variable, we produced two sets of stimuli: one composed of images of original sculptures; the other of a modified version of the same images. The stimuli were presented in three conditions: observation, aesthetic judgment, and proportion judgment. In the observation condition, the viewers were required to observe the images with the same mind-set as if they were in a museum. In the other two conditions they were required to give an aesthetic or proportion judgment on the same images. Two types of analyses were carried out: one which contrasted brain response to the canonical and the modified sculptures, and one which contrasted beautiful vs. ugly sculptures as judged by each volunteer. The most striking result was that the observation of original sculptures, relative to the modified ones, produced activation of the right insula as well as of some lateral and medial cortical areas (lateral occipital gyrus, precuneus and prefrontal areas). The activation of the insula was particularly strong during the observation condition. Most interestingly, when volunteers were required to give an overt aesthetic judgment, the images judged as beautiful selectively activated the right amygdala, relative to those judged as ugly. We conclude that, in observers naïve to art criticism, the sense of beauty is mediated by two non-mutually exclusive processes: one based on a joint activation of sets of cortical neurons, triggered by parameters intrinsic to the stimuli, and the insula (objective beauty); the other based on the activation of the amygdala, driven by one's own emotional experiences (subjective beauty). PMID:18030335

  4. Mortality from leukaemia and cancer in shipyard nuclear workers.

    PubMed

    Najarian, T; Colton, T

    1978-05-13

    A review of death certificates in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts for 1959-77 yielded a total of 1722 deaths among former workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard where nuclear submarines are repaired and refuelled. Next of kin were contacted for 592. All deaths under age 80 were classified as being in former nuclear or non-nuclear workers depending on information supplied by next of kin. With U.S. age-specific proportional cancer mortality for White males as a standard, the observed/expected ratio of leukaemia deaths was 5.62 (6 observed, 1.1 expected) among the 146 former nuclear workers. For all cancer deaths, this ratio was 1.78. Among non-nuclear workers there was no statistically significant increase in proportional mortality from either leukaemia or from all cancers. The excess proportional leukaemia and cancer mortality among nuclear workers exceeds predictions based on previous data of radiation effects in man.

  5. Beliefs about expectations moderate the influence of expectations on pain perception.

    PubMed

    Handley, Ian M; Fowler, Stephanie L; Rasinski, Heather M; Helfer, Suzanne G; Geers, Andrew L

    2013-03-01

    Expectations congruently influence, or bias, pain perception. Recent social psychological research reveals that individuals differ in the extent to which they believe in expectation biases and that individuals who believe in expectation biases may adjust for this bias in their perceptions and reactions. That is, idiosyncratic beliefs about expectations can moderate the influence of expectations on experience. Prior research has not examined whether idiosyncratic beliefs about expectations can alter the degree to which one's expectations influence pain perception. Using a laboratory pain stimulus, we examined the possibility that beliefs about expectation biases alter pain responses following both pain- and placebo-analgesic expectations. Participants' beliefs about expectation biases were measured. Next, participants were randomly assigned to receive either a pain expectation or a placebo-analgesia expectation prior to a cold-pressor task. After the task, participants rated their pain. Beliefs about expectation biases significantly influenced pain reports. Specifically, pain reports were more influenced by provided expectations the less participants believed in expectation biases (i.e., pain expectations resulted in more pain than analgesia expectations). Beliefs about the expectation bias are an important and under-examined predictor of pain and placebo analgesia.

  6. Predicting problem behaviors with multiple expectancies: expanding expectancy-value theory.

    PubMed

    Borders, Ashley; Earleywine, Mitchell; Huey, Stanley J

    2004-01-01

    Expectancy-value theory emphasizes the importance of outcome expectancies for behavioral decisions, but most tests of the theory focus on a single behavior and a single expectancy. However, the matching law suggests that individuals consider expected outcomes for both the target behavior and alternative behaviors when making decisions. In this study, we expanded expectancy-value theory to evaluate the contributions of two competing expectancies to adolescent behavior problems. One hundred twenty-one high school students completed measures of behavior problems, expectancies for both acting out and academic effort, and perceived academic competence. Students' self-reported behavior problems covaried mostly with perceived competence and academic expectancies and only nominally with problem behavior expectancies. We suggest that behavior problems may result from students perceiving a lack of valued or feasible alternative behaviors, such as studying. We discuss implications for interventions and suggest that future research continue to investigate the contribution of alternative expectancies to behavioral decisions.

  7. Production of gold and ruby-red lustres in Gubbio (Umbria, Italy) during the Renaissance period

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.

    The aim of this work is to gain a further insight into the knowledge of the production process of lustre-decorated ancient majolicas. Lustre is a sophisticated technique employed in the decoration of majolicas as used in central Italy during the Renaissance period. It consists of a beautiful iridescent gold or ruby-red thin metallic film, containing silver, copper and other substances and obtained in a reducing atmosphere on a previously glazed ceramic. Nowadays, it is not possible to replicate the outstanding results obtained by the ancient ceramicists, since the original recipes were lost. It is quite interesting to study lustre-production technology by means of analytical techniques now employed for advanced research on materials (XRD, ETAAS, ICP-OES, TEM-EDX-SAED and UV-Vis). In this work, we have focussed our attention on ceramic fragments decorated with both gold and ruby-red lustres, which were difficult to obtain due to complex reduction conditions required and which were a prerogative of Gubbio production. The two lustre colours differ in their chemical composition as well in their nanostructure. The presence of bismuth was disclosed and it was ascertained to be a distinctive feature of the Italian production.

  8. Historical perspective of traditional indigenous medical practices: the current renaissance and conservation of herbal resources.

    PubMed

    Pan, Si-Yuan; Litscher, Gerhard; Gao, Si-Hua; Zhou, Shu-Feng; Yu, Zhi-Ling; Chen, Hou-Qi; Zhang, Shuo-Feng; Tang, Min-Ke; Sun, Jian-Ning; Ko, Kam-Ming

    2014-01-01

    In recent years, increasing numbers of people have been choosing herbal medicines or products to improve their health conditions, either alone or in combination with others. Herbs are staging a comeback and herbal "renaissance" occurs all over the world. According to the World Health Organization, 75% of the world's populations are using herbs for basic healthcare needs. Since the dawn of mankind, in fact, the use of herbs/plants has offered an effective medicine for the treatment of illnesses. Moreover, many conventional/pharmaceutical drugs are derived directly from both nature and traditional remedies distributed around the world. Up to now, the practice of herbal medicine entails the use of more than 53,000 species, and a number of these are facing the threat of extinction due to overexploitation. This paper aims to provide a review of the history and status quo of Chinese, Indian, and Arabic herbal medicines in terms of their significant contribution to the health promotion in present-day over-populated and aging societies. Attention will be focused on the depletion of plant resources on earth in meeting the increasing demand for herbs.

  9. Quantum nuclear pasta and nuclear symmetry energy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fattoyev, F. J.; Horowitz, C. J.; Schuetrumpf, B.

    2017-05-01

    Complex and exotic nuclear geometries, collectively referred to as "nuclear pasta," are expected to appear naturally in dense nuclear matter found in the crusts of neutron stars and supernovae environments. The pasta geometries depend on the average baryon density, proton fraction, and temperature and are critically important in the determination of many transport properties of matter in supernovae and the crusts of neutron stars. Using a set of self-consistent microscopic nuclear energy density functionals, we present the first results of large scale quantum simulations of pasta phases at baryon densities 0.03 ≤ρ ≤0.10 fm-3 , proton fractions 0.05 ≤Yp≤0.40 , and zero temperature. The full quantum simulations, in particular, allow us to thoroughly investigate the role and impact of the nuclear symmetry energy on pasta configurations. We use the Sky3D code that solves the Skyrme Hartree-Fock equations on a three-dimensional Cartesian grid. For the nuclear interaction we use the state-of-the-art UNEDF1 parametrization, which was introduced to study largely deformed nuclei, hence is suitable for studies of the nuclear pasta. Density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy is simulated by tuning two purely isovector observables that are insensitive to the current available experimental data. We find that a minimum total number of nucleons A =2000 is necessary to prevent the results from containing spurious shell effects and to minimize finite size effects. We find that a variety of nuclear pasta geometries are present in the neutron star crust, and the result strongly depends on the nuclear symmetry energy. The impact of the nuclear symmetry energy is less pronounced as the proton fractions increase. Quantum nuclear pasta calculations at T =0 MeV are shown to get easily trapped in metastable states, and possible remedies to avoid metastable solutions are discussed.

  10. Signal-mediated nuclear transport in the amoeba.

    PubMed

    Feldherr, C M; Akin, D

    1999-06-01

    The evolutionary changes that occur in signal-mediated nuclear transport would be expected to reflect an increasing need to regulate nucleocytoplasmic exchanges as the complexity of organisms increases. This could involve changes in both the composition and structure of the pore complex, as well as the cytosolic factors that mediate transport. In this regard, we investigated the transport process in amoebae (Amoeba proteus and Chaos carolinensis), primitive cells that would be expected to have less stringent regulatory requirements than more complex organisms. Colloidal gold particles, coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugated with simple (large T) nuclear localization signals (NLSs), bipartite (nucleoplasmin) NLSs or mutant NLSs, were used to assay nuclear import. It was found that in amoebae (1) the diameter of the particles that are able to enter the nucleoplasm is significantly less than in vertebrate cells, (2) the simple NLS is more effective in mediating nuclear import than the bipartite NLS, and (3) the nucleoporins do not appear to be glycosylated. Evidence was also obtained suggesting that, in amoebae, the simple NLS can mediate nuclear export.

  11. History of clubfoot treatment, part I: From manipulation in antiquity to splint and plaster in Renaissance before tenotomy.

    PubMed

    Hernigou, Philippe; Huys, Maxime; Pariat, Jacques; Jammal, Sibylle

    2017-08-01

    Idiopathic clubfoot is one of the most common problems in paediatric orthopaedics. The treatment is controversial and continues to be one of the challenges in paediatric orthopaedics. The aim of this review is to assess the different methods of clubfoot treatment used over the years in light of the documentation present in the literature and art paintings from the antiquity to the end of the 19th century. The aim of this paper is to review all treatment methods of the clubfoot over the years that were proposed to provide patients a functional, pain-free, normal-looking foot, with good mobility, without calluses, and requiring no special shoes. Hippocrates was the first to write references about treatment methods of clubfoot. After the Middle Ages and the Renaissance where patients were treated by barber-surgeons, quacks and charlatans, bonesetters, and trussmakers, there were more detailed studies on the disease, with the help of famous names in medicine such as Venel and Scarpa.

  12. The rise and fall of the autochthonous self: from Italian Renaissance art and Shakespeare to Heidegger, Lacan, and intersubjectivism.

    PubMed

    Chessick, Richard D

    2010-01-01

    This article addresses the unresolved question of the existence of a private core autochthonous self, as it has been described by Winnicott, Modell, and others. The postmodern version of the self has eliminated this concept entirely, relegating the self to a changing and unstable display, or regarding it as totally chaotic, or even an illusion. The question is raised whether by returning to the origins of this notion of a private self and then tracing its apparent dissolution it might be possible to discover some evidence that it still exists. The methodology used is that of obtaining knowledge directly through the arts and the claim is made that because empirical science has clamored to be the only source of knowledge, we have lost what could be obtained by direct intuitive seeing and experiencing the works of creative geniuses. To explore the rise of the autochthonous self this article provides an examination of the shift from Gothic art to Italian Renaissance art, a time which engendered the origin of "man" with his or her elusive private individual self that then became expressed in changing works of art. As this spread north, Shakespeare appeared and similarly invented and illustrated in his characters the private individual self, a concept not appreciated or recognized before the renaissance. But as science arose and Western civilization began to decline, a corresponding disillusionment with "man" took place. The self began to be viewed as solely a social construction with no core except perhaps a genetic endowment. This was accompanied by a reduction in the concept of the human as a valuable and precious living being and was replaced by regarding the human as an object of control and exploitation. After the Second World War a movement in contemporary United States psychoanalysis gradually replaced the ideas of Freud and his emphasis on the "I" in the psychoanalytic process, with forms of relational therapy, assuming that the self was ab initio

  13. Were optical projections used in early Renaissance painting? A geometric image analysis of Jan van Eyck's "Arnolfini Portrait" and Robert Campin's "Merode Altarpiece"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stork, David G.

    2004-04-01

    It has recently been claimed that some painters in the early Renaissance employed optical devices, specifically concave mirrors, to project images onto their canvas or other support (paper, oak panel, etc.) which they then traced or painted over. In this way, according to the theory, artists achieved their newfound heightened realism. We apply geometric image analysis to the parts of two paintings specifically adduced as evidence supporting this bold theory: the splendid, meticulous chandelier in Jan van Eyck's "Portrait of Arnolfini and his wife," and the trellis in the right panel of Robert Campin's "Merode Altarpiece." It has further been claimed that this trellis is the earliest surviving image captured using the projection of any optical device - a claim that, if correct, would have profound import for the histories of art, science and optical technology. Our analyses show that the Arnolfini chandelier fails standard tests of perspective coherence that would indicate an optical projection. Or more specifically, for the physical Arnolfini chandelier to be consistent with an optical projection, that chandelier would have to be implausibly irregular, as judged in comparison to surviving chandeliers and candelabras from the same 15th-century European schools. We find that had Campin painted the trellis using projections, he would have performed an extraordinarily precise and complex procedure using the most sophisticated optical system of his day (for which there is no documentary evidence), a conclusion supported by an attempted "re-enactment." We provide a far more simple, parsimonious and plausible explanation, which we demonstrate by a simple experiment. Our analyses lead us to reject the optical projection theory for these paintings, a conclusion that comports with the vast scholarly consensus on Renaissance working methods and the lack of documentary evidence for optical projections onto a screen.

  14. [The examination of men's wits by Juan Huarte de San Juan, and the dawn of the neurobiology of intelligence in the Spanish renaissance].

    PubMed

    Martín-Araguz, A; Bustamante-Martínez, C

    The Spanish renaissance doctor Juan Huarte de San Juan (1529-1588) was the author of a unique and immortal work, The Examination of Men's Wits, the edition princeps of which was printed in Baeza in 1575. Since then it has been reprinted at least 80 times and translated into seven languages, which makes it the most influential Spanish contribution to medicine ever published. In this paper we review the unjustly little-known figure of Huarte as the founder of Neuropsychology, and we also analyse his works from a historical and neuroscientific point of view. Huarte's writings deal with the problem of the organic relations between the brain and understanding, and accept the possible influences exerted by temper on the will within the field of the Neurobiology of Intelligence. Thus, over four centuries ago Huarte became the founder of Differential or Physiological Psychology, Neuropsychology, Eugenics and Career Guidance. Huarte's work not only played a fundamental role in the history and development of the body of neuroscientific knowledge, but has also been a clear (although not always cited) influence on scientists, philosophers and men of letters such as Alarcón, Bacon, Cabanis, Cervantes (whose Don Quixote was inspired by him), Charron, Chomsky, Gall, Goethe, Hume, Kant, Kretchmer, Lessing, Lope de Vega, Montaigne, Montesquieu, Nietzsche, Quevedo, Rousseau, Schopenhauer, Thomasius, Tirso de Molina and Ziegler. In the middle of the 16th century, Huarte and his Examination of Men's Wits, together with the works of the naturalist philosophers Gómez Pereira (Antoniana Margarita, 1554) and Miguel Sabuco (New Philosophy, 1587), constituted the prestigious triumvirate of Spanish Renaissance scholars who, for the first time in history, contemplated the workings of the brain from a point of view that had more to do with science than the supernatural.

  15. The use of nuclear data in the field of nuclear fuel recycling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martin, Julie-Fiona; Launay, Agnès; Grassi, Gabriele; Binet, Christophe; Lelandais, Jacques; Lecampion, Erick

    2017-09-01

    AREVA NC La Hague facility is the first step of the nuclear fuel recycling process implemented in France. The processing of the used fuel is governed by high standards of criticality-safety, and strong expectations on the quality of end-products. From the received used fuel assemblies, the plutonium and the uranium are extracted for further energy production purposes within the years following the reprocessing. Furthermore, the ultimate waste - fission products and minor actinides on the one hand, and hulls and end-pieces on the other hand - is adequately packaged for long term disposal. The used fuel is therefore separated into very different materials, and time scales which come into account may be longer than in some other nuclear fields of activity. Given the variety of the handled nuclear materials, as well as the time scales at stake, the importance given to some radionuclides, and hence to the associated nuclear data, can also be specific to the AREVA NC La Hague plant. A study has thus been led to identify a list of the most important radionuclides for the AREVA NC La Hague plant applications, relying on the running constraints of the facility, and the end-products expectations. The activities at the AREVA NC La Hague plant are presented, and the methodology to extract the most important radionuclides for the reprocessing process is detailed.

  16. [The Chinese nuclear test and 'atoms for peace' as a measure for preventing nuclear armament of Japan: the nuclear non-proliferation policy of the United States and the introduction of light water reactors into Japan, 1964-1968].

    PubMed

    Yamazaki, Masakatsu

    2014-07-01

    Japan and the United States signed in 1968 a new atomic energy agreement through which US light-water nuclear reactors, including those of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company, were to be introduced into Japan. This paper studies the history of negotiations for the 1968 agreement using documents declassified in the 1990s in the US and Japan. After the success of the Chinese nuclear test in October 1964, the United States became seriously concerned about nuclear armament of other countries in Asia including Japan. Expecting that Japan would not have its own nuclear weapons, the US offered to help the country to demonstrate its superiority in some fields of science including peaceful nuclear energy to counter the psychological effect of the Chinese nuclear armament. Driven by his own political agenda, the newly appointed Prime Minister Eisaku Sato responded to the US expectation favorably. When he met in January 1965 with President Johnson, Sato made it clear that Japan would not pursue nuclear weapons. Although the US continued its support after this visit, it nevertheless gave priority to the control of nuclear technology in Japan through the bilateral peaceful nuclear agreement. This paper argues that the 1968 agreement implicitly meant a strategic measure to prevent Japan from going nuclear and also a tactic to persuade Japan to join the Nuclear Non -Proliferation Treaty.

  17. Predicting Problem Behaviors with Multiple Expectancies: Expanding Expectancy-Value Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borders, Ashley; Earleywine, Mitchell; Huey, Stanley J.

    2004-01-01

    Expectancy-value theory emphasizes the importance of outcome expectancies for behavioral decisions, but most tests of the theory focus on a single behavior and a single expectancy. However, the matching law suggests that individuals consider expected outcomes for both the target behavior and alternative behaviors when making decisions. In this…

  18. Temporal expectation and spectral expectation operate in distinct fashion on neuronal populations.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Yi-Fang; Hämäläinen, Jarmo A; Waszak, Florian

    2013-11-01

    The formation of temporal expectation (i.e., the prediction of "when") is of prime importance to sensory processing. It can modulate sensory processing at early processing stages probably via the entrainment of low-frequency neuronal oscillations in the brain. However, sensory predictions involve not only temporal expectation but also spectral expectation (i.e., the prediction of "what"). Here we investigated how temporal expectation may interrelate with spectral expectation by explicitly setting up temporal expectation and spectral expectation in a target detection task. We found that reaction time (RT) was shorter when targets were temporally expected than when they were temporally unexpected. The temporal expectation effect was larger with than without spectral expectation. However, this interaction in the behavioural data did not result from an interaction in the electroencephalography (EEG), where we observed independent main effects of temporal expectation and spectral expectation. More precisely, we found that the N1 and P2 event-related potential (ERP) components and the entrainment of low-frequency neuronal oscillations were exclusively modulated by temporal expectation, whilst only the P3 ERP component was modulated by spectral expectation. Our results, thus, support the idea that temporal expectation and spectral expectation operate in distinct fashion on neuronal populations. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Expected background in the LZ experiment

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

    Kudryavtsev, Vitaly A.

    2015-08-17

    The LZ experiment, featuring a 7-tonne active liquid xenon target, is aimed at achieving unprecedented sensitivity to WIMPs with the background expected to be dominated by astrophysical neutrinos. To reach this goal, extensive simulations are carried out to accurately calculate the electron recoil and nuclear recoil rates in the detector. Both internal (from target material) and external (from detector components and surrounding environment) backgrounds are considered. A very efficient suppression of background rate is achieved with an outer liquid scintillator veto, liquid xenon skin and fiducialisation. Based on the current measurements of radioactivity of different materials, it is shown thatmore » LZ can achieve the reduction of a total background for a WIMP search down to about 2 events in 1000 live days for 5.6 tonne fiducial mass.« less

  20. Expected background in the LZ experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kudryavtsev, Vitaly A.

    2015-08-01

    The LZ experiment, featuring a 7-tonne active liquid xenon target, is aimed at achieving unprecedented sensitivity to WIMPs with the background expected to be dominated by astrophysical neutrinos. To reach this goal, extensive simulations are carried out to accurately calculate the electron recoil and nuclear recoil rates in the detector. Both internal (from target material) and external (from detector components and surrounding environment) backgrounds are considered. A very efficient suppression of background rate is achieved with an outer liquid scintillator veto, liquid xenon skin and fiducialisation. Based on the current measurements of radioactivity of different materials, it is shown that LZ can achieve the reduction of a total background for a WIMP search down to about 2 events in 1000 live days for 5.6 tonne fiducial mass.

  1. Composition of Renaissance paint layers: simultaneous particle induced X-ray emission and backscattering spectrometry.

    PubMed

    de Viguerie, L; Beck, L; Salomon, J; Pichon, L; Walter, Ph

    2009-10-01

    Particle induced X-ray emission spectroscopy (PIXE) is now routinely used in the field of cultural heritage. Various setups have been developed to investigate the elemental composition of wood/canvas paintings or of cross-section samples. However, it is not possible to obtain information concerning the quantity of organic binder. Backscattering spectrometry (BS) can be a useful complementary method to overcome this limitation. In the case of paint layers, PIXE brings the elemental composition (major elements to traces) and the BS spectrum can give access to the proportion of pigment and binder. With the use of 3 MeV protons for PIXE and BS simultaneously, it was possible to perform quantitative analysis including C and O for which the non-Rutherford cross sections are intense. Furthermore, with the use of the same conditions for PIXE and BS, the experiment time and the potential damage by the ion beam were reduced. The results obtained with the external beam of the Accélérateur Grand Louvre pour l'Analyse Elementaire (AGLAE) facility on various test painting samples and on cross sections from Italian Renaissance masterpieces are shown. Simultaneous combination of PIXE and BS leads to a complete characterization of the paint layers: elemental composition and proportion of the organic binder have been determined and thus provide useful information about ancient oil painting recipes.

  2. In-situ fluorimetry: A powerful non-invasive diagnostic technique for natural dyes used in artefacts. Part II. Identification of orcein and indigo in Renaissance tapestries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clementi, C.; Miliani, C.; Romani, A.; Santamaria, U.; Morresi, F.; Mlynarska, K.; Favaro, G.

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, three Renaissance tapestries depicting scenes painted by Raffaello Sanzio, conserved at the Vatican Museum, were investigated using in-situ UV-Visible fluorimetric measurements. The results show that this technique is suitable for the detection of natural organic colorants used for dyeing the threads woven in these tapestries. The emission signals detected on red-purple colours were assigned to the colorant orcein and those on different nuances of blue and green colours to indigo by comparison with data from reference laboratory samples. The assignments were supported by chromatographic experiments carried out on threads taken from the back side of the tapestry in the same points analysed by spectrofluorimentry.

  3. In-situ fluorimetry: a powerful non-invasive diagnostic technique for natural dyes used in artefacts. Part II. Identification of orcein and indigo in Renaissance tapestries.

    PubMed

    Clementi, C; Miliani, C; Romani, A; Santamaria, U; Morresi, F; Mlynarska, K; Favaro, G

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, three Renaissance tapestries depicting scenes painted by Raffaello Sanzio, conserved at the Vatican Museum, were investigated using in-situ UV-Visible fluorimetric measurements. The results show that this technique is suitable for the detection of natural organic colorants used for dyeing the threads woven in these tapestries. The emission signals detected on red-purple colours were assigned to the colorant orcein and those on different nuances of blue and green colours to indigo by comparison with data from reference laboratory samples. The assignments were supported by chromatographic experiments carried out on threads taken from the back side of the tapestry in the same points analysed by spectrofluorimentry.

  4. Nuclear Families and Nuclear Risks: The Effects of Gender, Geography, and Progeny on Attitudes toward a Nuclear Waste Facility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freudenburg, William R.; Davidson, Debra J.

    2007-01-01

    Studies of reactions to nuclear facilities have found consistent male/female differences, but the underlying reasons have never been well-clarified. The most common expectations involve traditional roles--with men focusing more on economic concerns and with women (especially mothers) being more concerned about family safety/health. Still, with…

  5. Improvements to a Major Digital Archive of Seismic Waveforms from Nuclear Explosions: Borovoye Seismogram Archive

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-30

    coda) meet expectations. We are also interpreting absolute amplitudes, for those underground nuclear explosions at the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS...waves, coda) meet expectations. We are also interpreting absolute amplitudes, for those underground nuclear explosions at the Semipalatinsk Test Site ...Monitoring Research Review: Ground-Based Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Technologies 4.0- Balapan Subregion Semipalatinsk Test Site n- 3.5 - (U CIO ’-3.0 ES UI

  6. Poster — Thur Eve — 54: Radiotherapy and Non-Radiotherapy Safety Practices Beyond Licensing Expectations

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

    Kosierb, Rick

    The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulates the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians and the environment, and to implement Canada's international obligations on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. In order to perform this regulatory activity, the CNSC issue licences and has its staff perform inspections to verify conformity to the aspects of those licences. Within the CNSC, the Accelerators and Class II Facilities Division (ACFD) is responsible for the regulatory oversight of Class II Prescribed Equipment used in medical, academic, and industrial sectors in Canada. In performing inspections, ACFDmore » has encountered licensees with practices that are either below, meet or exceed regulatory expectations in specific areas. Unfortunately, none of these practices are ever communicated to the broader Class II community to help other licensees avoid the same problem or achieve high standards. In this poster, ACFD will highlight safety practices that go beyond expectations. These practices are taken from observations during site inspections between 2007 and 2013 and will be presented in six areas: Procedures, Participation, Awareness, Equipment, Servicing and Software. Each area briefly discusses a number of practices that the CNSC feels went beyond the expectations dictated by the licence. Where possible, names are added of the contact people at the centres who can be reached for full details of their implementations. It is hoped that this communication will assist other licensees to achieve these same high levels of compliance and possibly go beyond.« less

  7. Nuclear power: Siting and safety

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

    Openshaw, S.

    1986-01-01

    By 2030, half, or even two-thirds, of all electricity may be generated by nuclear power. Major reactor accidents are still expected to be rare occurrences, but nuclear safety is largely a matter of faith. Terrorist attacks, sabotage, and human error could cause a significant accident. Reactor siting can offer an additional, design-independent margin of safety. Remote geographical sites for new plants would minimize health risks, protect the industry from negative changes in public opinion concerning nuclear energy, and improve long-term public acceptance of nuclear power. U.K. siting practices usually do not consider the contribution to safety that could be obtainedmore » from remote sites. This book discusses the present trends of siting policies of nuclear power and their design-independent margin of safety.« less

  8. Humans expect generosity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brañas-Garza, Pablo; Rodríguez-Lara, Ismael; Sánchez, Angel

    2017-02-01

    Mechanisms supporting human ultra-cooperativeness are very much subject to debate. One psychological feature likely to be relevant is the formation of expectations, particularly about receiving cooperative or generous behavior from others. Without such expectations, social life will be seriously impeded and, in turn, expectations leading to satisfactory interactions can become norms and institutionalize cooperation. In this paper, we assess people’s expectations of generosity in a series of controlled experiments using the dictator game. Despite differences in respective roles, involvement in the game, degree of social distance or variation of stakes, the results are conclusive: subjects seldom predict that dictators will behave selfishly (by choosing the Nash equilibrium action, namely giving nothing). The majority of subjects expect that dictators will choose the equal split. This implies that generous behavior is not only observed in the lab, but also expected by subjects. In addition, expectations are accurate, matching closely the donations observed and showing that as a society we have a good grasp of how we interact. Finally, correlation between expectations and actual behavior suggests that expectations can be an important ingredient of generous or cooperative behavior.

  9. The radial distribution of supernovae in nuclear starbursts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herrero-Illana, R.; Pérez-Torres, M. A.; Alberdi, A.

    2013-05-01

    Galaxy-galaxy interactions are expected to be responsible for triggering massive star formation and possibly accretion onto a supermassive black hole, by providing large amounts of dense molecular gas down to the central kiloparsec region. Several scenarios to drive the gas further down to the central ˜100 pc, have been proposed, including the formation of a nuclear disk around the black hole, where massive stars would produce supernovae. Here, we probe the radial distribution of supernovae and supernova remnants in the nuclear regions of the starburst galaxies M82, Arp 299-A, and Arp 220, by using high-angular resolution (≲ 0.''1) radio observations. We derived scale-length values for the putative nuclear disks, which range from ˜20-30 pc for Arp 299-A and Arp 220, up to ˜140 pc for M82. The radial distribution of SNe for the nuclear disks in Arp 299-A and Arp 220 is also consistent with a power-law surface density profile of exponent γ = 1, as expected from detailed hydrodynamical simulations of nuclear disks. This study is detailed in te{herrero-illana12}.

  10. First light: exploring the spectra of high-redshift galaxies in the Renaissance Simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barrow, Kirk S. S.; Wise, John H.; Norman, Michael L.; O'Shea, Brian W.; Xu, Hao

    2017-08-01

    We present synthetic observations for the first generations of galaxies in the Universe and make predictions for future deep field observations for redshifts greater than 6. Due to the strong impact of nebular emission lines and the relatively compact scale of H II regions, high-resolution cosmological simulations and a robust suite of analysis tools are required to properly simulate spectra. We created a software pipeline consisting of fsps, hyperion, cloudy and our own tools to generate synthetic IR observations from a fully three-dimensional arrangement of gas, dust, and stars. Our prescription allows us to include emission lines for a complete chemical network and tackle the effect of dust extinction and scattering in the various lines of sight. We provide spectra, 2D binned photon imagery for both HST and JWST IR filters, luminosity relationships, and emission-line strengths for a large sample of high-redshift galaxies in the Renaissance Simulations. Our resulting synthetic spectra show high variability between galactic haloes with a strong dependence on stellar mass, metallicity, gas mass fraction, and formation history. Haloes with the lowest stellar mass have the greatest variability in [O III]/Hβ, [O III], and C III], while haloes with higher masses are seen to show consistency in their spectra and [O III] equivalent widths between 1 and 10 Å. Viewing angle accounted for threefold difference in flux due to the presence of ionized gas channels in a halo. Furthermore, JWST colour plots show a discernible relationship between redshift, colour, and mean stellar age.

  11. Style and non-style in anatomical illustration: From Renaissance Humanism to Henry Gray.

    PubMed

    Kemp, Martin

    2010-02-01

    Style is a familiar category for the analysis of art. It is less so in the history of anatomical illustration. The great Renaissance and Baroque picture books of anatomy illustrated with stylish woodcuts and engravings, such as those by Charles Estienne, Andreas Vesalius and Govard Bidloo, showed figures in dramatic action in keeping with philosophical and theological ideas about human nature. Parallels can be found in paintings of the period, such as those by Titian, Michelangelo and Hans Baldung Grien. The anatomists also claimed to portray the body in an objective manner, and showed themselves as heroes of the discovery of human knowledge. Rembrandt's painting of Dr Nicholas Tulp is the best-known image of the anatomist as hero. The British empirical tradition in the 18th century saw William Cheselden and William Hunter working with techniques of representation that were intended to guarantee detailed realism. The ambition to portray forms life-size led to massive volumes, such as those by Antonio Mascagni. John Bell, the Scottish anatomist, criticized the size and pretensions of the earlier books and argued for a plain style adapted to the needs of teaching and surgery. Henry Gray's famous Anatomy of 1858, illustrated by Henry Vandyke Carter, aspired to a simple descriptive mode of functional representation that avoided stylishness, resulting in a style of its own. Successive editions of Gray progressively saw the replacement of Gray's method and of all his illustrations. The 150th anniversary edition, edited by Susan Standring, radically re-thinks the role of Gray's book within the teaching of medicine.

  12. Italian Renaissance and Hispano-Moresque lustre-decorated majolicas: imitation cases of Hispano-Moresque style in central Italy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.

    An investigation was carried out on Renaissance lustre-decorated majolica shards, found during excavations made in Umbria (central Italy) and defined by experts, on the ground of the surface decoration, as imitations of the Hispano-Moresque style. A comparison between this particular kind of samples, produced in central Italy, and some Hispano-Moresque lustre shards has been performed. The ceramic bodies as well as the lustred surfaces have been analysed by means of several techniques: inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomisation and scanning electron microscopy. By means of XRD analysis the presence of cosalite (Pb2Bi2S5) has been disclosed in the Italian lustre decorations but was not observed in the Hispano-Moresque ones. A hypothesis has been made, considering bismuth as a discriminating element, between lustres produced in central Italy and the Hispano-Moresque ones. We thought that the Italian artisans were able to manage the use of bismuth. Therefore a recipe, quite similar to the one employed by the Spanish artisans, was used by the Italian ceramists if their aim was to imitate the Hispano-Moresque style.

  13. Patient expectations of dental services. Image affects expectations, and expectations affect perceived service quality.

    PubMed

    Clow, K E; Fischer, A K; O'Bryan, D

    1995-01-01

    The authors construct a theoretical model of the antecedents of expectations for dental services by analyzing survey responses from 240 dental patients. The patients' image of the dentist, tangible cues, situational factors, and patient satisfaction with prior service encounters have the greatest influence on expectations of service, whereas marketing variables, such as price and advertising, appear to have no effect.

  14. Nuclear winter - Global consequences of multiple nuclear explosions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Turco, R. P.; Toon, O. B.; Ackerman, T. P.; Pollack, J. B.; Sagan, C.

    1983-01-01

    The results of a computerized simulation of the potential global environmental effects of dust and smoke clouds that would be generated by a nuclear war are presented. Short term effects of blast, fire, and radiation are neglected in the series of physical models that include a nuclear war scenario, a particle microphysics model, and a radiative convective model. Account is taken of the altitude-dependent dust, smoke, radioactivity, and NO(x) injections, the temporal evolution of dust and smoke clouds, land and ocean environments, and temperature contrasts. A nuclear exchange would produce thousands of individual smoke and dust clouds rising up to 30 km altitude in the midlatitudes. The smoke, dust, and radioactive debris would cover the entire midlatitudes within 1-2 weeks. The smoke would arise from conflagrations of forests, suburbs, and urban areas. Obscuration of sunlight would induce subfreezing temperatures for several months, disruption of the global circulation patterns, and the arrival of a nuclear winter, followed and accompanied by radioactive fallout, pyrogenic air pollution, and UV-B flux enhancements. It is estimated that a total of only 100 Mtons would be sufficient to plunge the Northern Hemisphere summer to subfreezing temperatures lasting months. Since the probable exchange in a nuclear war would exceed 5000 Mtons, it is expected that many species, including humans, may not survive the war.

  15. Computation of Thermodynamic Equilibria Pertinent to Nuclear Materials in Multi-Physics Codes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piro, Markus Hans Alexander

    Nuclear energy plays a vital role in supporting electrical needs and fulfilling commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Research is a continuing necessity to improve the predictive capabilities of fuel behaviour in order to reduce costs and to meet increasingly stringent safety requirements by the regulator. Moreover, a renewed interest in nuclear energy has given rise to a "nuclear renaissance" and the necessity to design the next generation of reactors. In support of this goal, significant research efforts have been dedicated to the advancement of numerical modelling and computational tools in simulating various physical and chemical phenomena associated with nuclear fuel behaviour. This undertaking in effect is collecting the experience and observations of a past generation of nuclear engineers and scientists in a meaningful way for future design purposes. There is an increasing desire to integrate thermodynamic computations directly into multi-physics nuclear fuel performance and safety codes. A new equilibrium thermodynamic solver is being developed with this matter as a primary objective. This solver is intended to provide thermodynamic material properties and boundary conditions for continuum transport calculations. There are several concerns with the use of existing commercial thermodynamic codes: computational performance; limited capabilities in handling large multi-component systems of interest to the nuclear industry; convenient incorporation into other codes with quality assurance considerations; and, licensing entanglements associated with code distribution. The development of this software in this research is aimed at addressing all of these concerns. The approach taken in this work exploits fundamental principles of equilibrium thermodynamics to simplify the numerical optimization equations. In brief, the chemical potentials of all species and phases in the system are constrained by estimates of the chemical potentials of the system

  16. How expectations shape pain.

    PubMed

    Atlas, Lauren Y; Wager, Tor D

    2012-06-29

    Pain is highly modifiable by psychological factors, including expectations. However, pain is a complex phenomenon, and expectations may work by influencing any number of processes that underlie the construction of pain. Neuroimaging has begun to provide a window into these brain processes, and how expectations influence them. In this article, we review findings regarding expectancy effects on brain markers of nociception and how expectations lead to changes in subjective pain. We address both expectations about treatments (placebo analgesia and nocebo effects) and expectations about the environment (e.g. expectations about pain itself). The body of work reviewed indicates that expectancies shape pain-intensity processing in the central nervous system, with strong effects on nociceptive portions of insula, cingulate and thalamus. Expectancy effects on subjective experience are driven by responses in these regions as well as regions less reliably activated by changes in noxious input, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex. Thus, multiple systems are likely to interact and mediate the pain-modulatory effects of expectancies. Finally, we address open questions regarding the psychological processes likely to play an intervening role in expectancy effects on pain. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. LATE POP III STAR FORMATION DURING THE EPOCH OF REIONIZATION: RESULTS FROM THE RENAISSANCE SIMULATIONS

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

    Xu, Hao; Norman, Michael L.; O’Shea, Brian W.

    2016-06-01

    We present results on the formation of Population III (Pop III) stars at redshift 7.6 from the Renaissance Simulations, a suite of extremely high-resolution and physics-rich radiation transport hydrodynamics cosmological adaptive-mesh refinement simulations of high-redshift galaxy formation performed on the Blue Waters supercomputer. In a survey volume of about 220 comoving Mpc{sup 3}, we found 14 Pop III galaxies with recent star formation. The surprisingly late formation of Pop III stars is possible due to two factors: (i) the metal enrichment process is local and slow, leaving plenty of pristine gas to exist in the vast volume; and (ii) strongmore » Lyman–Werner radiation from vigorous metal-enriched star formation in early galaxies suppresses Pop III formation in (“not so”) small primordial halos with mass less than ∼3 × 10{sup 7} M {sub ⊙}. We quantify the properties of these Pop III galaxies and their Pop III star formation environments. We look for analogs to the recently discovered luminous Ly α emitter CR7, which has been interpreted as a Pop III star cluster within or near a metal-enriched star-forming galaxy. We find and discuss a system similar to this in some respects, however, the Pop III star cluster is far less massive and luminous than CR7 is inferred to be.« less

  18. The contribution of intellectuals to the history of traumatology during the Renaissance: treatment of femoral fracture through François Rabelais' glossocomion.

    PubMed

    Manzini, Francesco; Manzini, Claudio; Cesana, Giancarlo; Riva, Michele Augusto

    2017-02-01

    During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, intellectuals often included clinical cases and medical descriptions in their literary works. These authors appeared to be more interested in internal and infectious diseases rather than in musculoskeletal disorders and orthopaedics. François Rabelais (1490-1553) was one of the most renowned humanists and philologists of the sixteenth century. He was also a physician with an interest in translating ancient texts of medical authors. Rabelais rediscovered a device for treating femoral fracture originally described by the Roman physician Galen and named as glossocomion. Since the original apparatus had some imperfections, Rabelais redesigned and modified it. This new, improved version became a model for new devices for treating femoral fracture, as also reported by the great French surgeon Ambroise Paré. For this contribution, Rabelais deserves major consideration in the history of orthopaedics and traumatology.

  19. Kaon Condensation and the Non-Uniform Nuclear Matter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maruyama, Toshiki; Tatsumi, Toshitaka; Voskresensky, Dmitri N.; Tanigawa, Tomonori; Chiba, Satoshi

    2004-04-01

    Non-uniform structures of nuclear matter are studied in a wide density-range. Using the density functional theory with a relativistic mean-field model, we examine non-uniform structures at sub-nuclear densities (nuclear "pastas") and at high densities, where kaon condensate is expected. We try to give a unified view about the change of the matter structure as density increases, carefully taking into account the Coulomb screening effects from the viewpoint of first-order phase transition.

  20. Lusters of renaissance pottery: Experimental and theoretical optical properties using inhomogeneous theories

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berthier, S.; Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.; Bouquillon, A.; Aucouturier, M.; Charron, E.; Reillon, V.

    2006-06-01

    Luster decoration of medieval and renaissance potteries constitutes one of the most important and sophisticated decoration techniques of the Mediterranean basin. Lusters consist in a thin layer of silver and copper nanocrystals immersed in a dielectric matrix. Different physical phenomena are responsible for the very brilliant and complex colored effect produced by the lusters. On one hand, according to the thickness of the thin layer, interferential effects occur giving rise to a classical iridescent effect. On the other hand, the nanostructure of the metallic compound leads to extra absorption, generally observed in the visible or near infrared, due to an external resonance associated with the excitation of a surface plasmon in the metallic particles. The position of this resonance, and so the color of the film, depends from many parameters, mainly: (1) the relative volume fraction p of the metal inclusions. (2) The mean size of the metal particle. (3) The shape of the particles and (4) the dielectric functions of the constituents. These two phenomena are not independent as the second one greatly affects the dielectric function of the film and, thus, its optical thickness. In this paper, the physical and optical properties of various lusters from Deruta and Gubbio (Italy) of the XVI century are presented. The structure and the composition of the different films have been determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), ion beam analyses (PIXE and RBS) and low incidence X-ray diffraction. The optical properties have been determined by two different techniques: (a) hemispherical spectroscopic measurements under near-normal incidence; (b) gonioscopic measurements for a given angle of incidence and wavelength. The first one allows the determination of the effective index of refraction of the inhomogeneous layer, and the second one the determination of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of the material.

  1. [Sabuco's suco nerveo and the origins of neurochemistry in the Spanish Renaissance].

    PubMed

    Martin Araguz, A; Bustamante Martinez, C; Fernandez Armayor, V

    In the 16th century, at the height of the Spanish Renaissance, Bachiller Miguel Sabuco revolutionised medical theories about brain physiology with the publication of his work Nueva Filosof a in 1587. This work, which is mysteriously attributed to his daughter Luisa Oliva, presents a surprisingly gynocentric ideology for its time and has been reprinted on numerous occasions since its first edition saw the light. Sabuco s ideas have been plagiarised by such renowned authors as Descartes, Willis and Glisson. In stark contrast to the Arabized galenism based on the criterion of authority that predominated the medical practice of his time, Nueva Filosof a empirically promoted a modern approach to neurophysiology. This becomes even more worthy of merit if we bear in mind that Sabuco was not trained as a doctor but instead worked as an apothecary in Alcaraz (Albacete, Spain). The Bachiller granted the brain a commanding role over the organisation of the body for the first time in the history of medicine. He not only developed the surprising theory of succo nervoso (the nervous sap, or original neurotransmitting substance), but also an elegant digression on human nature that puts forward solid arguments about the dualist relation between mind and brain. He examined the association between emotional and physical health and explained how the emotions can impair health and lead to early death, which means he was also a pioneer in the development of psychosomatic medicine. Besides constituting the most illustrious forerunner of modern day neurochemistry, Sabuco s work also encourages doctors to treat their patients in an integral manner, with equal attention being given to the body, mind and soul. It comes as no surprise, then, that many aspects of his work can still be compared to modern medical and philosophical thought.

  2. A Uniform Framework of Global Nuclear Materials Management

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

    Dupree, S.A.; Mangan, D.L.; Sanders, T.L

    1999-04-20

    Global Nuclear Materials Management (GNMM) anticipates and supports a growing international recognition of the importance of uniform, effective management of civilian, excess defense, and nuclear weapons materials. We expect thereto be a continuing increase in both the number of international agreements and conventions on safety, security, and transparency of nuclear materials, and the number of U.S.-Russian agreements for the safety, protection, and transparency of weapons and excess defense materials. This inventory of agreements and conventions may soon expand into broad, mandatory, international programs that will include provisions for inspection, verification, and transparency, To meet such demand the community must buildmore » on the resources we have, including State agencies, the IAEA and regional organizations. By these measures we will meet the future expectations for monitoring and inspection of materials, maintenance of safety and security, and implementation of transparency measures.« less

  3. Astronomy at the dawn of the Renaissance. Proceedings. Symposium, Liège (Belgium), 23 - 24 Jul 1997, as part of the 20th International Congress of History of Science.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mercier, R.

    1998-05-01

    Recent investigations of the astronomical work of the Byzantine Platonist George Gemistus Plethon provided the motivation, for Plethon's work encapsulated to many of the cross-currents flowing in astronomy in the early fifteenth century. At a time when the Byzantine world was in a state of collapse, and perhaps for that reason was more susceptible to foreign influence, Plethon drew not only on Ptolemy, but on the Greek Persian Syntaxis, and on al-Bāttani mediated through Hebrew. Both Plethon and his star pupil Cardinal Bessarion were great benefactors of scholarship, science, and philosophy in Renaissance Italy.

  4. Experiences of family members of patients with colostomies and expectations about professional intervention

    PubMed Central

    Ferreira-Umpiérrez, Augusto; Fort-Fort, Zoraida

    2014-01-01

    Objective the objective was to understand the experience of a group of family members of patients with colostomies, revealing their expectations regarding the intervention of health professionals. Method qualitative research, with the social phenomenological approach of Alfred Schütz, conducted in Montevideo in 2012; twelve family members of patients with colostomies participated, from an ostomy service of a health institution. Results the following categories were identified: family ties, trust in the health care team, the nurse as the articulator of the process, the desire to humanize care, and adaptation to new family life. Conclusions knowing the experience and expectations of the families of colostomy patients was achieved, emphasizing the previous family relationships to build upon them, and the trust in the health team, emphasizing the nurse as articulator of the process. Expectations focused on the desire for humanized care, enhancing adaptation of the nuclear family to the new way of life, restoring and enhancing its strengths, and collaborating in overcoming its weaknesses. PMID:26107831

  5. Modeling nuclear processes by Simulink

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

    Rashid, Nahrul Khair Alang Md, E-mail: nahrul@iium.edu.my

    2015-04-29

    Modelling and simulation are essential parts in the study of dynamic systems behaviours. In nuclear engineering, modelling and simulation are important to assess the expected results of an experiment before the actual experiment is conducted or in the design of nuclear facilities. In education, modelling can give insight into the dynamic of systems and processes. Most nuclear processes can be described by ordinary or partial differential equations. Efforts expended to solve the equations using analytical or numerical solutions consume time and distract attention from the objectives of modelling itself. This paper presents the use of Simulink, a MATLAB toolbox softwaremore » that is widely used in control engineering, as a modelling platform for the study of nuclear processes including nuclear reactor behaviours. Starting from the describing equations, Simulink models for heat transfer, radionuclide decay process, delayed neutrons effect, reactor point kinetic equations with delayed neutron groups, and the effect of temperature feedback are used as examples.« less

  6. Nuclear transfer to study the nuclear reprogramming of human stem cells.

    PubMed

    Saito, Shigeo; Sawai, Ken; Murayama, Yoshinobu; Fukuda, Keiichi; Yokoyama, Kazunari

    2008-01-01

    Research of stem cells will enable us to understand the development and function of tissues and organs in mammals. The ability to induce regeneration of new tissues from embryonic stem (ES) cells derived from cloned blastocysts via nuclear transfer can be expected in the not-too-distant future. The fact that there is no way except nuclear cloning for the return of differentiated cells to undifferentiated cells remains an interesting problem to be solved. We describe protocols for the production of cloned calves from bovine ES cells to study nuclear reprogramming ability of stem cells. The frequency of term pregnancies for blastocysts from ES cells is higher than those of early pregnancies and maintained pregnancies after nuclear transfer with bovine somatic cells. We also describe protocols for gene introduction into bovine ES cells in vitro, particularly the human leukocyte antigens (HLA). Bovine ES cells provide a powerful tool for the generation of transgenic clonal offspring. This technique, when perfected for humans, may be critical for neural stem cell transplantation.

  7. Exceeding Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cannon, John

    2011-01-01

    Awareness of expectations is so important in the facilities business. The author's experiences has taught him that it is essential to understand how expectations impact people's lives as well as those for whom they provide services for every day. This article presents examples and ideas that will provide insight and ideas to help educators…

  8. Style and non-style in anatomical illustration: From Renaissance Humanism to Henry Gray

    PubMed Central

    Kemp, Martin

    2010-01-01

    Style is a familiar category for the analysis of art. It is less so in the history of anatomical illustration. The great Renaissance and Baroque picture books of anatomy illustrated with stylish woodcuts and engravings, such as those by Charles Estienne, Andreas Vesalius and Govard Bidloo, showed figures in dramatic action in keeping with philosophical and theological ideas about human nature. Parallels can be found in paintings of the period, such as those by Titian, Michelangelo and Hans Baldung Grien. The anatomists also claimed to portray the body in an objective manner, and showed themselves as heroes of the discovery of human knowledge. Rembrandt’s painting of Dr Nicholas Tulp is the best-known image of the anatomist as hero. The British empirical tradition in the 18th century saw William Cheselden and William Hunter working with techniques of representation that were intended to guarantee detailed realism. The ambition to portray forms life-size led to massive volumes, such as those by Antonio Mascagni. John Bell, the Scottish anatomist, criticized the size and pretensions of the earlier books and argued for a plain style adapted to the needs of teaching and surgery. Henry Gray’s famous Anatomy of 1858, illustrated by Henry Vandyke Carter, aspired to a simple descriptive mode of functional representation that avoided stylishness, resulting in a style of its own. Successive editions of Gray progressively saw the replacement of Gray’s method and of all his illustrations. The 150th anniversary edition, edited by Susan Standring, radically re-thinks the role of Gray’s book within the teaching of medicine. PMID:20447244

  9. Two grave issues concerning the expected Tokai Earthquake

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mogi, K.

    2004-08-01

    The possibility of a great shallow earthquake (M 8) in the Tokai region, central Honshu, in the near future was pointed out by Mogi in 1969 and by the Coordinating Committee for Earthquake Prediction (CCEP), Japan (1970). In 1978, the government enacted the Large-Scale Earthquake Countermeasures Law and began to set up intensified observations in this region for short-term prediction of the expected Tokai earthquake. In this paper, two serious issues are pointed out, which may contribute to catastrophic effects in connection with the Tokai earthquake: 1. The danger of black-and-white predictions: According to the scenario based on the Large-Scale Earthquake Countermeasures Law, if abnormal crustal changes are observed, the Earthquake Assessment Committee (EAC) will determine whether or not there is an imminent danger. The findings are reported to the Prime Minister who decides whether to issue an official warning statement. Administrative policy clearly stipulates the measures to be taken in response to such a warning, and because the law presupposes the ability to predict a large earthquake accurately, there are drastic measures appropriate to the situation. The Tokai region is a densely populated region with high social and economic activity, and it is traversed by several vital transportation arteries. When a warning statement is issued, all transportation is to be halted. The Tokyo capital region would be cut off from the Nagoya and Osaka regions, and there would be a great impact on all of Japan. I (the former chairman of EAC) maintained that in view of the variety and complexity of precursory phenomena, it was inadvisable to attempt a black-and-white judgment as the basis for a "warning statement". I urged that the government adopt a "soft warning" system that acknowledges the uncertainty factor and that countermeasures be designed with that uncertainty in mind. 2. The danger of nuclear power plants in the focal region: Although the possibility of the

  10. On the existence of Rydberg nuclear molecules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bertulani, C. A.; Frederico, T.; Hussein, M. S.

    2017-11-01

    Present nuclear detection techniques prevents us from determining if the analogue of a Rydberg molecule exists for the nuclear case. But nothing in nature disallows their existence. As in the atomic case, Rydberg nuclear molecules would be a laboratory for new aspects and applications of nuclear physics. We propose that Rydberg nuclear molecules, which represent the exotic, halo nuclei version, such as 11Be +11Be, of the well known quasimolecules observed in stable nuclei such as 12C +12C, might be common structures that could manifest their existence along the dripline. A study of possible candidates and the expected structure of such exotic clustering of two halo nuclei: the Rydberg nuclear molecules, is made on the basis of three different methods. It is shown that such cluster structures might be stable and unexpectedly common.

  11. On the pursuit of a nuclear development capability: The case of the Cuban nuclear program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benjamin-Alvarado, Jonathan Calvert

    1998-09-01

    While there have been many excellent descriptive accounts of modernization schemes in developing states, energy development studies based on prevalent modernization theory have been rare. Moreover, heretofore there have been very few analyses of efforts to develop a nuclear energy capability by developing states. Rarely have these analyses employed social science research methodologies. The purpose of this study was to develop a general analytical framework, based on such a methodology to analyze nuclear energy development and to utilize this framework for the study of the specific case of Cuba's decision to develop nuclear energy. The analytical framework developed focuses on a qualitative tracing of the process of Cuban policy objectives and implementation to develop a nuclear energy capability, and analyzes the policy in response to three models of modernization offered to explain the trajectory of policy development. These different approaches are the politically motivated modernization model, the economic and technological modernization model and the economic and energy security model. Each model provides distinct and functionally differentiated expectations for the path of development toward this objective. Each model provides expected behaviors to external stimuli that would result in specific policy responses. In the study, Cuba's nuclear policy responses to stimuli from domestic constraints and intensities, institutional development, and external influences are analyzed. The analysis revealed that in pursuing the nuclear energy capability, Cuba primarily responded by filtering most of the stimuli through the twin objectives of economic rationality and technological advancement. Based upon the Cuban policy responses to the domestic and international stimuli, the study concluded that the economic and technological modernization model of nuclear energy development offered a more complete explanation of the trajectory of policy development than either the

  12. Beyond prometheus and Bakasura: Elements of an alternative to nuclear power in India's response to the energy-environment crisis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mathai, Manu Verghese

    In India, as elsewhere, modern energy-society relations and economic development, metaphorically, Prometheus and the insatiable demon Bakasura, respectively, have produced unprecedented economic growth even as they have ushered in the "energy-environment crisis." Government efforts interpret the crisis as insufficiently advanced modernity. Resulting efforts to redress this crisis reaffirm more economic growth through modern energy-society relations and economic development. The civilian nuclear power renaissance in India, amidst rapidly accelerating economic growth and global climate change, is indicative. It presents the prospect of producing "abundant energy" and being "green" at the same time. This confidence in civilian nuclear power is questioned. It is investigated as proceeding from the modern discourse of "Cornucopianism" and its institutionalization as "modern megamachine organization of society." It is found that civilian nuclear power as energy policy is based on a presumption of overabundance as imperative for viable social and economic development; is predisposed to centralization and secrecy; its institutionalization limits deliberation on energy-society relations to technocratic terms; such deliberation is restrained to venues accessible only to the highest political office and technocratic elite; it fails to redress entrenched "energy injustice;" it embodies "modern technique" fostering the "displaced person" while eclipsing the "complete human personality." Overall, despite its green rhetoric, civilian nuclear power reaffirms the "politics of commodification" and refutes social and political arrangements for sustainability and equity. Alternatives are surveyed as strategies for resistance. They include the DEFENDUS approach for energy planning, the "Human Development and Capability Approach" and the "Sustainable Energy Utility." These alternatives and the synergy between them are offered as avenues to resist nuclear power as a response to the

  13. 10 CFR 50.36a - Technical specifications on effluents from nuclear power reactors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... reactors. 50.36a Section 50.36a Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC LICENSING OF PRODUCTION AND...; Ineligibility of Certain Applicants § 50.36a Technical specifications on effluents from nuclear power reactors..., including expected occurrences, as low as is reasonably achievable, each licensee of a nuclear power reactor...

  14. 10 CFR 50.36a - Technical specifications on effluents from nuclear power reactors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... reactors. 50.36a Section 50.36a Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC LICENSING OF PRODUCTION AND...; Ineligibility of Certain Applicants § 50.36a Technical specifications on effluents from nuclear power reactors..., including expected occurrences, as low as is reasonably achievable, each licensee of a nuclear power reactor...

  15. 10 CFR 50.36a - Technical specifications on effluents from nuclear power reactors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... reactors. 50.36a Section 50.36a Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC LICENSING OF PRODUCTION AND...; Ineligibility of Certain Applicants § 50.36a Technical specifications on effluents from nuclear power reactors..., including expected occurrences, as low as is reasonably achievable, each licensee of a nuclear power reactor...

  16. What do expectant fathers expect of antenatal care in Sweden? A cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Andersson, Ewa; Norman, Åse; Kanlinder, Camilla; Plantin, Lars

    2016-10-01

    In Sweden expectant fathers are now assumed to be active participants in pregnancy and birth, but few studies have focused on fathers' expectations of antenatal care. Knowledge of expectant fathers' views about what is important in antenatal care will enable the design of care that is more inclusive and meets the expectant fathers' needs. To identify expectant fathers' expectations regarding the content of antenatal care during pregnancy and to examine associations between expectations and social factors. The current study uses data from a quasi-experimental trial that took place from 2009 to 2010, in which 627 expectant fathers were recruited from different parts of Sweden. Checking the health of the baby (85.3%) and the mother (80.8%) were rated highest in importance by expectant fathers, whereas attending parent classes (14.9%), becoming acquainted with other expectant parents (7.0%) and paying attention to their own emotional well-being (6.9%) were rated lowest. Furthermore, less than half of the expectant fathers had a very high expectation of being treated in a way that made them feel involved (38.5%).First-time fathers, young fathers and fathers with very good emotional health had higher expectations about most aspects of antenatal care. Expectant fathers had low expectations of receiving support or of meeting other parents as they thought that antenatal care should have a medical focus. First-time fathers, young fathers and fathers with very good emotional health had higher expectations of antenatal care in most areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Organizational Alignment Supporting Distance Education in Post-Secondary Institutions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prestera, Gustavo E.; Moller, Leslie A.

    Leveraging Internet technologies, distance education is enjoying a renaissance of sorts. With its newfound popularity comes greater resource as well as higher expectations and great scrutiny. If distance education programs are to support their dramatic growth and outlive the hype, they must demonstrate performance results. Performance, however,…

  18. Practicing "Safe" Technical Communication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dombrowski, Paul M.

    2011-01-01

    The nuclear power industry is undergoing a renaissance, led by initiatives from the Obama administration and several states. In light of this development and the growing information economy, it is crucial that the public be well-informed, effective, and responsible regarding important technological issues. For this reason, undergraduate education,…

  19. From a Point Cloud Survey to a Mass 3d Modelling: Renaissance Hbim in Poggio a Caiano

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bolognesi, C.; Garagnani, S.

    2018-05-01

    This paper introduces some studies developed regarding the Medicea Villa at Poggio a Caiano, in Italy. The monumental building was built by Lorenzo de' Medici and his heirs following the design of the famous architect Giuliano da Sangallo, between 1485 and 1520. The Villa embodies many of the typical features of the Italian Renaissance, added a monumental double circular stairway in the front façade during neoclassical times, heading to the upper balcony surrounded by a balustrade. The Villa was surveyed taking advantage of Terrestrial Laser Scanning and Digital Photogrammetry, in order to produce a detailed model to be translated into a HBIM digital prototype then. The Scan-to-BIM approach was obtained with a generation of semantics and components proper of Sangallo's architectural grammar, first of all defining the object, then geometry, and then their parametrization. This process led to a model of the exteriors, used to better understand the architectural composition of the volumes, to make some hypothesis on its shape according to the original architect's drawing in the Taccuino Senese, on its general structural behaviours, to understand the limits of a process and the perspective of a research that goes from a digital survey to the HBIM environment.

  20. How the masters in Umbria, Italy, generated and used nanoparticles in art fabrication during the Renaissance period

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.

    Lustre was one of the most sophisticated techniques for the decoration of majolicas during the Renaissance period. Lustre consists of a thin metallic film containing silver, copper and other substances like iron oxide and cinnabar applied in a reducing atmosphere on a previously glazed ceramic. In this way, beautiful iridescent reflections of different colours (in particular gold and ruby-red) are obtained. The characterisation and the study of lustre-decorated majolicas is of great interest for archaeologists, but also offers possibilities for producing pottery with outstanding decoration today, following ancient examples, since nowadays Italian artisans are interested in the reproduction of the ancient recipes and procedures. Moreover, it can even suggest new procedures for obtaining uniform thin metallic films for technological applications. A study has been carried out on ancient lustre layers using numerous different analytical techniques such as XRD, SEM-EDX, TEM-EDX-SAED, ETAAS, ICP-OES, UV-vis reflectance spectroscopy and SAXS. Lustre films were shown to be formed by copper and silver clusters of nanometric dimension. The colour and the properties of the lustre films depend on the elemental composition of the impasto applied to the ceramic surface as well as on other factors like the metallic nanocluster dimension, the firing conditions, the underlying glaze composition and the procedure used.

  1. The century of nuclear materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mansur, Lou; Was, Gary S.; Zinkle, Steve; Petti, David; Ukai, Shigeharu

    2018-03-01

    In the spring of 1959 the well-read metallurgist would have noticed the first issue of an infant Journal, one dedicated to a unique and fast growing field of materials issues associated with nuclear energy systems. The periodical, Journal of Nuclear Materials (JNM), is now the leading publication in the field from which it takes its name, thriving beyond the rosiest expectations of its founders. The discipline is well into the second half-century. During that time much has been achieved in nuclear materials; the Journal provides the authoritative record of virtually all those accomplishments. These pages introduce the 500th volume, a significant measure in the world of publishing. The Editors reflect on the progress in the field and the role of this journal.

  2. Maternal Expectations for Toddlers' Reactions to Novelty: Relations of Maternal Internalizing Symptoms and Parenting Dimensions to Expectations and Accuracy of Expectations.

    PubMed

    Kiel, Elizabeth J; Buss, Kristin A

    2010-07-03

    OBJECTIVE: Although maternal internalizing symptoms and parenting dimensions have been linked to reports and perceptions of children's behavior, it remains relatively unknown whether these characteristics relate to expectations or the accuracy of expectations for toddlers' responses to novel situations. DESIGN: A community sample of 117 mother-toddler dyads participated in a laboratory visit and questionnaire completion. At the laboratory, mothers were interviewed about their expectations for their toddlers' behaviors in a variety of novel tasks; toddlers then participated in these activities, and trained coders scored their behaviors. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing demographics, depressive and worry symptoms, and parenting dimensions. RESULTS: Mothers who reported more worry expected their toddlers to display more fearful behavior during the laboratory tasks, but worry did not moderate how accurately maternal expectations predicted toddlers' observed behavior. When also reporting a low level of authoritative-responsive parenting, maternal depressive symptoms moderated the association between maternal expectations and observed toddler behavior, such that, as depressive symptoms increased, maternal expectations related less strongly to toddler behavior. CONCLUSIONS: When mothers were asked about their expectations for their toddlers' behavior in the same novel situations from which experimenters observe this behavior, symptoms and parenting had minimal effect on the accuracy of mothers' expectations. When in the context of low authoritative-responsive parenting, however, depressive symptoms related to less accurate predictions of their toddlers' fearful behavior.

  3. Maternal Expectations for Toddlers’ Reactions to Novelty: Relations of Maternal Internalizing Symptoms and Parenting Dimensions to Expectations and Accuracy of Expectations

    PubMed Central

    Kiel, Elizabeth J.; Buss, Kristin A.

    2010-01-01

    SYNOPSIS Objective Although maternal internalizing symptoms and parenting dimensions have been linked to reports and perceptions of children’s behavior, it remains relatively unknown whether these characteristics relate to expectations or the accuracy of expectations for toddlers’ responses to novel situations. Design A community sample of 117 mother-toddler dyads participated in a laboratory visit and questionnaire completion. At the laboratory, mothers were interviewed about their expectations for their toddlers’ behaviors in a variety of novel tasks; toddlers then participated in these activities, and trained coders scored their behaviors. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing demographics, depressive and worry symptoms, and parenting dimensions. Results Mothers who reported more worry expected their toddlers to display more fearful behavior during the laboratory tasks, but worry did not moderate how accurately maternal expectations predicted toddlers’ observed behavior. When also reporting a low level of authoritative-responsive parenting, maternal depressive symptoms moderated the association between maternal expectations and observed toddler behavior, such that, as depressive symptoms increased, maternal expectations related less strongly to toddler behavior. Conclusions When mothers were asked about their expectations for their toddlers’ behavior in the same novel situations from which experimenters observe this behavior, symptoms and parenting had minimal effect on the accuracy of mothers’ expectations. When in the context of low authoritative-responsive parenting, however, depressive symptoms related to less accurate predictions of their toddlers’ fearful behavior. PMID:21037974

  4. 78 FR 55765 - Compensatory and Alternative Regulatory Measures for Nuclear Power Plant Fire Protection (CARMEN...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-11

    ... Nuclear Power Plant Fire Protection (CARMEN-FIRE) AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Draft..., ``Compensatory and Alternative Regulatory Measures for Nuclear Power Plant Fire Protection (CARMEN-FIRE).'' In... integral part of NRC-approved fire protection programs. However, compensatory measures are not expected to...

  5. Optical or mechanical aids to drawing in the early Renaissance? A geometric analysis of the trellis work in Robert Campin's Mérode Altarpiece

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kulkarni, Ashutosh; Stork, David G.

    2009-02-01

    A recent theory claims that some Renaissance artists, as early as 1425, secretly traced optically projected images during the execution of some passages in some of their works, nearly a quarter millennium before historians of art and of optics have secure evidence anyone recorded an image this way. Key evidence adduced by the theory's proponents includes the trelliswork in the right panel of Robert Campin's Merode altarpiece triptych (c. 1425-28). If their claim were verified for this work, such a discovery would be extremely important to the history of art and of image making more generally: the Altarpiece would be the earliest surviving image believed to record the projected image of an illuminated object, the first step towards photography, over 400 years later. The projection theory proponents point to teeny "kinks" in the depicted slats of one orientation in the Altarpiece as evidence that Campin refocussed a projector twice and traced images of physically straight slats in his studio. However, the proponents rotated the digital images of each slat individually, rather than the full trelliswork as a whole, and thereby disrupted the relative alignment between the images of the kinks and thus confounded their analysis. We found that when properly rotated, the kinks line up nearly perfectly and are consistent with Campin using a subtly kinked straightedge repeatedly, once for each of the slats. Moreover, the proponents did not report any analysis of the other set of slats-the ones nearly perpendicular to the first set. These perpendicular slats are straight across the break line of the first set-an unlikely scenario in the optical explanation. Finally, whereas it would have been difficult for Campin to draw the middle portions of the slats perfectly straight by tracing a projected image, it would have been trivially simple had he used a straightedge. Our results and the lack of any contemporaneous documentary evidence for the projection technique imply that

  6. Nuclear Pasta: Topology and Defects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    da Silva Schneider, Andre; Horowitz, Charles; Berry, Don; Caplan, Matt; Briggs, Christian

    2015-04-01

    A layer of complex non-uniform phases of matter known as nuclear pasta is expected to exist at the base of the crust of neutron stars. Using large scale molecular dynamics we study the topology of some pasta shapes, the formation of defects and how these may affect properties of neutron star crusts.

  7. Combined expectancies: electrophysiological evidence for the adjustment of expectancy effects

    PubMed Central

    Mattler, Uwe; van der Lugt, Arie; Münte, Thomas F

    2006-01-01

    Background When subjects use cues to prepare for a likely stimulus or a likely response, reaction times are facilitated by valid cues but prolonged by invalid cues. In studies on combined expectancy effects, two cues can independently give information regarding two dimensions of the forthcoming task. In certain situations, cueing effects on one dimension are reduced when the cue on the other dimension is invalid. According to the Adjusted Expectancy Model, cues affect different processing levels and a mechanism is presumed which is sensitive to the validity of early level cues and leads to online adjustment of expectancy effects at later levels. To examine the predictions of this model cueing of stimulus modality was combined with response cueing. Results Behavioral measures showed the interaction of cueing effects. Electrophysiological measures of the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) and the N200 amplitude confirmed the predictions of the model. The LRP showed larger effects of response cues on response activation when modality cues were valid rather than invalid. N200 amplitude was largest with valid modality cues and invalid response cues, medium with invalid modality cues, and smallest with two valid cues. Conclusion Findings support the view that the validity of early level expectancies modulates the effects of late level expectancies, which included response activation and response conflict in the present study. PMID:16674805

  8. Comets, meteors, and eclipses: Art and science in early Renaissance Italy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olson, R. J. M.; Pasachoff, J. M.

    2002-11-01

    We discuss eight trecento (fourteenth century) paintings containing depictions of astronomical events to reveal the revolutionary advances made in both astronomy and naturalistic painting in early Renaissance Italy, noting that an artistic interest in naturalism predisposed these pioneering painters to make their scientific observations. In turn, the convincing representations of their observations of astronomical phenomena in works of art rendered their paintings more believable, convincing. Padua was already a renowned center for mathematics and nascent astronomy (which was separating from astrology) when Enrico Scrovegni commissioned the famous Florentine artist Giotto di Bondone to decorate his lavish family chapel (circa 1301-1303). Giotto painted a flaming comet in lieu of the traditional Star of Bethlehem in the Adoration of the Magi scene. Moreover, he painted a historical apparition that he recently had observed with a great accuracy even by modern standards. Halley's Comet of 1301 (Olson, 1979). While we do not know the identity of the artist's theological advisor, we discuss the possibility that Pietro d'Abano, the Paduan medical doctor and "astronomer" who wrote on comets, might have been influential. We also compare Giotto's blazing comet with two others painted by the artist's shop in San Francesco at Assisi (before 1316) and account for the differences. In addition, we discuss Giotto's pupil, Taddeo Gaddi, reputed to have been partially blinded by a solar eclipse, whose calamity may find expression in his frescoes in Santa Croce, Florence (1328-30; 1338?). Giotto also influenced the Sienese painter Pietro Lorenzetti, two of whose Passion cycle frescoes at Assisi (1316-20) contain dazzling meteor showers that reveal the artist's observed astronomical phenomena, such as the "radiant" effect of meteor showers, first recorded by Alexander von Humboldt in 1799 and only accepted in the nineteenth century. Lorenzetti also painted sporadic, independent

  9. Stochastic sampling of quadrature grids for the evaluation of vibrational expectation values

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    López Ríos, Pablo; Monserrat, Bartomeu; Needs, Richard J.

    2018-02-01

    The thermal lines method for the evaluation of vibrational expectation values of electronic observables [B. Monserrat, Phys. Rev. B 93, 014302 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevB.93.014302] was recently proposed as a physically motivated approximation offering balance between the accuracy of direct Monte Carlo integration and the low computational cost of using local quadratic approximations. In this paper we reformulate thermal lines as a stochastic implementation of quadrature-grid integration, analyze the analytical form of its bias, and extend the method to multiple-point quadrature grids applicable to any factorizable harmonic or anharmonic nuclear wave function. The bias incurred by thermal lines is found to depend on the local form of the expectation value, and we demonstrate that the use of finer quadrature grids along selected modes can eliminate this bias, while still offering an ˜30 % lower computational cost than direct Monte Carlo integration in our tests.

  10. Investigation of gaseous nuclear rocket technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kendall, J. S.

    1972-01-01

    The experimental and theoretical investigations conducted during the period from September 1969 through September 1972 are reported which were directed toward obtaining information necessary to determine the feasibility of the full-scale nuclear light bulb engine, and of small-scale nuclear tests involving fissioning uranium plasmas in a unit cell installed in a driver reactor, such as the Nuclear Furnace. Emphasis was placed on development of RF simulations of conditions expected in nuclear tests in the Nuclear Furnace. The work included investigations of the following: (1) the fluid mechanics and containment characteristics of one-component and two-component vortex flows, both unheated and RF-induction heated; (2) heating of particle-seeded streams by thermal radiation from a dc arc to simulate propellant heating; (3) condensation and separation phenomena for metal-vapor/heated-gas mixtures to provide information for conceptual designs of components of fuel exhaust and recycle systems; (4) the characteristics of the radiant energy spectrum emitted from the fuel region, with emphasis on definition of fuel and buffer-gas region seed systems to reduce the ultraviolet radiation emitted from the nuclear fuel; and (5) the effects of nuclear radiation on the optical transmission characteristics of transparent materials.

  11. A CORRELATION BETWEEN RADIATION TOLERANCE AND NUCLEAR SURFACE AREA

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

    Iversen, S.

    1962-09-22

    Sparrow and Miksche (Science, 134:282) determined the dose (r/day) required to produce severe growth inhibition in 23 species of plants and found a linear relationship between log nuclear volume and log dose. The following equations hold for 6 species: log nuclear volume - 4.42 -0.82 log dose and log nuclear volume = 1.66 + 0.66 log (DNA content). If all the nuclear DNA is distributed in two peripheral zones, the equations also hold: 2(log nuclear surface area) - 1.33(log nuclear volume) - 2.21 + 0.88 log(DNA content) and 5.88-- 1.09 log dose. For the 23 species, the equation was obtained:more » 2(log nuclear surface area) = 5.41 -- 0.97 log dose. All the slopes are close to the expected value of 1.00. (D.L.C.)« less

  12. Relocating Energy in the Social Commons: Ideas for a Sustainable Energy Utility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byrne, John; Martinez, Cecilia; Ruggero, Colin

    2009-01-01

    Climate change, rising energy costs, and other dilemmas raise the prospect for major change in energy-ecology-society relations. Two prominent proposals for change include: a nuclear power renaissance; and mega-scale renewable energy development. Both suggest that modern society will receive a rising stream of less CO2-rich kilowatt-hours, so that…

  13. What do stakeholders expect from patient engagement: Are these expectations being met?

    PubMed

    Boudes, Mathieu; Robinson, Paul; Bertelsen, Neil; Brooke, Nicholas; Hoos, Anton; Boutin, Marc; Geissler, Jan; Sargeant, Ify

    2018-06-01

    Meaningful patient engagement (PE) in medicines development and during the life cycle of a product requires all stakeholders have a clear understanding of respective expectations. A qualitative survey was undertaken to understand stakeholder expectations. The survey explored 4 themes from the perspective of each stakeholder group: meaning, views, expectations and priorities for PE. Participants were grouped into 7 categories: policymakers/regulators; health-care professionals (HCPs); research funders; payers/purchasers/HTA; patients/patient representatives; pharmaceutical/life sciences industry; and academic researchers. Fifty-nine interviews were conducted across a range of geographies, PE experience and job seniority/role. There was consensus across stakeholders on meaning of PE; importance of promoting PE to a higher level than currently; need for a more structured process and guidance. There was little consensus on stakeholder expectations and roles. Policymakers/regulators were expected by others to drive PE, create a framework and facilitate PE, provide guidelines of good practice and connect stakeholders, but this expectation was not shared by the policymakers/regulators group. HCPs were seen as the link between patients and other stakeholders, but HCPs did not necessarily share this view. Despite broad stakeholder categories, clear themes emerged: there is no "leader"; no stakeholder has a clear view on how to meaningfully engage with patients; there are educational gaps; and a structure and guidance for PE is urgently required. Given the diversity of stakeholders, there needs to be multistakeholder collaborative leadership. Effective collaboration requires consensus on roles, responsibilities and expectations to synergize efforts to deliver meaningful PE in medicines life cycle. © 2018 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Not-So-Great Expectations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rank, Hugh

    Too many people become disillusioned by political language because they start with illusions about it--erroneous ideas and unrealistic expectations. It is better to start with realistic attitudes, practical information, and not-so-great expectations. When dealing with political language, expect (1) conflict, arguments and disagreements, and…

  15. Nuclear waste

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

    Not Available

    1991-09-01

    Radioactive waste is mounting at U.S. nuclear power plants at a rate of more than 2,000 metric tons a year. Pursuant to statute and anticipating that a geologic repository would be available in 1998, the Department of Energy (DOE) entered into disposal contracts with nuclear utilities. Now, however, DOE does not expect the repository to be ready before 2010. For this reason, DOE does not want to develop a facility for monitored retrievable storage (MRS) by 1998. This book is concerned about how best to store the waste until a repository is available, congressional requesters asked GAO to review themore » alternatives of continued storage at utilities' reactor sites or transferring waste to an MRS facility, GAO assessed the likelihood of an MRSA facility operating by 1998, legal implications if DOE is not able to take delivery of wastes in 1998, propriety of using the Nuclear Waste Fund-from which DOE's waste program costs are paid-to pay utilities for on-site storage capacity added after 1998, ability of utilities to store their waste on-site until a repository is operating, and relative costs and safety of the two storage alternatives.« less

  16. Commentary from Westminster. Medical effects of nuclear war.

    PubMed

    Deitch, R

    1983-03-12

    A British Medical Association report on the medical consequences of nuclear war, scheduled for commercial publication in April 1983, could damage the Government's arguments for maintaining a nuclear deterrent. The gist of the BMA's findings is that Britain could not possibly cope with the aftermath of nuclear attack. Although Prime Minister Thatcher has made no comment, both the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Security have criticized the report's negative conclusions. The BMA is expected to take up the issue at its annual meeting, and the Labour party has called for a Parliamentary debate on the report and its implications.

  17. Considerations in Managing the Fill Rate of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Reservoir Using a System Dynamics Approach.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Keith, Bruce; Ford, David N.; Horton, Radley M.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate simulated fill rate scenarios for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam while taking into account plausible climate change outcomes for the Nile River Basin. The region lacks a comprehensive equitable water resource management strategy, which creates regional security concerns and future possible conflicts. We employ climate estimates from 33 general circulation models within a system dynamics model as a step in moving toward a feasible regional water resource management strategy. We find that annual reservoir fill rates of 8-15% are capable of building hydroelectric capacity in Ethiopia while concurrently ensuring a minimum level of stream flow disruption into Egypt before 2039. Insofar as climate change estimates suggest a modest average increase in stream flow into the Aswan, climate changes through 2039 are unlikely to affect the fill rate policies. However, larger fill rates will have a more detrimental effect on stream flow into the Aswan, particularly beyond a policy of 15%. While this study demonstrates that a technical solution for reservoir fill rates is feasible, the corresponding policy challenge is political. Implementation of water resource management strategies in the Nile River Basin specifically and Africa generally will necessitate a national and regional willingness to cooperate.

  18. The use of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for the characterisation of lustre surfaces in Renaissance majolica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fermo, P.; Cariati, F.; Cipriani, C.; Canetti, M.; Padeletti, G.; Brunetti, B.; Sgamellotti, A.

    2002-01-01

    In this work some Renaissance lustre decorated ceramics have been examined. Our attention was directed to lustre which is a thin decorative metallic film applied on the surfaces of previously glazed ancient pottery. Some 16th century lustre ceramics shards from Deruta, Umbria (Italy) have been analysed by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in order to characterise the dimension of the metal nanocrystals forming the thin lustre layer. This technique appeared to be a powerful tool to characterise lustre films nanostructure and may be successfully used for this purpose together with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Furthermore, SAXS measurements are extremely suitable for the determination of polydispersity and average interparticle distance. The lustre surfaces have been also analysed by scanning electron microscopy plus X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDX) in order to identify the metals present (silver, copper or both of them) and to establish copper/silver ratios. From the comparison between SAXS results and compositional data, it was possible to conclude that copper particles are smaller than the silver ones. We have evidenced how the microtexture as well as the chemical composition of the lustre layers are responsible for the gold or red colour typical of the lustre films.

  19. Coupled-cluster computations of atomic nuclei

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hagen, G.; Papenbrock, T.; Hjorth-Jensen, M.; Dean, D. J.

    2014-09-01

    In the past decade, coupled-cluster theory has seen a renaissance in nuclear physics, with computations of neutron-rich and medium-mass nuclei. The method is efficient for nuclei with product-state references, and it describes many aspects of weakly bound and unbound nuclei. This report reviews the technical and conceptual developments of this method in nuclear physics, and the results of coupled-cluster calculations for nucleonic matter, and for exotic isotopes of helium, oxygen, calcium, and some of their neighbors.

  20. The physiological challenges of the 1952 Copenhagen poliomyelitis epidemic and a renaissance in clinical respiratory physiology

    PubMed Central

    West, John B.

    2005-01-01

    The 1952 Copenhagen poliomyelitis epidemic provided extraordinary challenges in applied physiology. Over 300 patients developed respiratory paralysis within a few weeks, and the ventilator facilities at the infectious disease hospital were completely overwhelmed. The heroic solution was to call upon 200 medical students to provide round-the-clock manual ventilation using a rubber bag attached to a tracheostomy tube. Some patients were ventilated in this way for several weeks. A second challenge was to understand the gas exchange and acid-base status of these patients. At the onset of the epidemic, the only measurement routinely available in the hospital was the carbon dioxide concentration in the blood, and the high values were initially misinterpreted as a mysterious “alkalosis.” However, pH measurements were quickly instituted, the PCO2 was shown to be high, and modern clinical respiratory acid-base physiology was born. Taking a broader view, the problems highlighted by the epidemic underscored the gap between recent advances made by physiologists and their application to the clinical environment. However, the 1950s ushered in a renaissance in clinical respiratory physiology. In 1950 the coverage of respiratory physiology in textbooks was often woefully inadequate, but the decade saw major advances in topics such as mechanics and gas exchange. An important development was the translation of the new knowledge from departments of physiology to the clinical setting. In many respects, this period was therefore the beginning of modern clinical respiratory physiology. PMID:16020437

  1. Nuclear localization signal-dependent and -independent movements of Drosophila melanogaster dUTPase isoforms during nuclear cleavage

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

    Muha, Villo; Zagyva, Imre; Venkei, Zsolt

    2009-04-03

    Two dUTPase isoforms (23 kDa and 21 kDa) are present in the fruitfly with the sole difference of an N-terminal extension. In Drosophila embryo, both isoforms are detected inside the nucleus. Here, we investigated the function of the N-terminal segment using eYFP-dUTPase constructs. In Schneider 2 cells, only the 23 kDa construct showed nuclear localization arguing that it may contain a nuclear localization signal (NLS). Sequence comparisons identified a lysine-rich nonapeptide with similarity to the human c-myc NLS. In Drosophila embryos during nuclear cleavages, the 23 kDa isoform showed the expected localization shifts. Contrariwise, although the 21 kDa isoform wasmore » excluded from the nuclei during interphase, it was shifted to the nucleus during prophase and forthcoming mitotic steps. The observed dynamic localization character showed strict timing to the nuclear cleavage phases and explained how both isoforms can be present within the nuclear microenvironment, although at different stages of cell cycle.« less

  2. Reflections on Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santini, Joseph

    2014-01-01

    This article describes a teachers reflections on the matter of student expectations. Santini begins with a common understanding of the "Pygmalion effect" from research projects conducted in earlier years that intimated "people's expectations could influence other people in the world around them." In the world of deaf…

  3. Expectancy bias in anxious samples

    PubMed Central

    Cabeleira, Cindy M.; Steinman, Shari A.; Burgess, Melissa M.; Bucks, Romola S.; MacLeod, Colin; Melo, Wilson; Teachman, Bethany A.

    2014-01-01

    While it is well documented that anxious individuals have negative expectations about the future, it is unclear what cognitive processes give rise to this expectancy bias. Two studies are reported that use the Expectancy Task, which is designed to assess expectancy bias and illuminate its basis. This task presents individuals with valenced scenarios (Positive Valence, Negative Valence, or Conflicting Valence), and then evaluates their tendency to expect subsequent future positive relative to negative events. The Expectancy Task was used with low and high trait anxious (Study 1: N = 32) and anxiety sensitive (Study 2: N = 138) individuals. Results suggest that in the context of physical concerns, both high anxious samples display a less positive expectancy bias. In the context of social concerns, high trait anxious individuals display a negative expectancy bias only when negatively valenced information was previously presented. Overall, this suggests that anxious individuals display a less positive expectancy bias, and that the processes that give rise to this bias may vary by type of situation (e.g., social or physical) or anxiety difficulty. PMID:24798678

  4. Cancer incidence surrounding the former Apollo nuclear facility 1990-2010.

    PubMed

    Kelly-Reif, Kaitlin; Richardson, David B; Wing, Steve

    2018-04-05

    Environmental radiation releases from a nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Apollo, Pennsylvania may have exposed the surrounding population to ionizing radiation. This study characterizes cancer incidence in the population living near the nuclear facility between 1990 and 2010. Cancer incidence in the minor civil divisions surrounding the Apollo facility was compared to a standard population of the state of Pennsylvania adjusted for calendar year, age, sex, and race. Bias due to residential misclassification was considered by adjustment of case count. We also evaluated whether birth cohort effects or changes in population distribution over time affected the standardized incidence rate ratio (SIR). From 1990 to 2010, the observed rate of cancer incidence among males in the Apollo area was 1.56 (95% CI 1.47-1.66) times the expected cancer rate, and among females was 1.38 (95% CI 1.30-1.47) times the expected cancer rate. Accounting for residential misclassification, the SIR for males and females combined was 1.16 (95% CI 1.10-1.21). Residents who were members of earlier birth cohorts had similar SIRs to those born later. This research suggests that cancer incidence among the population surrounding the former Apollo nuclear facility is greater than expected based on statewide rates.

  5. Nuclear ``pasta'' structures in low-density nuclear matter and properties of the neutron-star crust

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okamoto, Minoru; Maruyama, Toshiki; Yabana, Kazuhiro; Tatsumi, Toshitaka

    2013-08-01

    In the neutron-star crust, nonuniform structure of nuclear matter—called the “pasta” structure—is expected. From recent studies of giant flares in magnetars, these structures might be related to some observables and physical quantities of the neutron-star crust. To investigate the above quantities, we numerically explore the pasta structure with a fully three-dimensional geometry and study the properties of low-density nuclear matter, based on the relativistic mean-field model and the Thomas-Fermi approximation. We observe typical pasta structures for fixed proton number fraction and two of them for cold catalyzed matter. We also discuss the crystalline configuration of “pasta.”

  6. Cannabis expectancies in substance misusers: French validation of the Marijuana Effect Expectancy Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Guillem, Eric; Notides, Christine; Vorspan, Florence; Debray, Marcel; Nieto, Isabel; Leroux, Mayliss; Lépine, Jean-Pierre

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the French version of the Marijuana Effect Expectancy Questionnaire (48 items) and study the cannabis expectancies according to the patterns of substance use and psychiatric disorders (DSM-IV). A sample of 263 subjects (average age 33.1 years [SD = 8.7], 56% men) consisting of cannabis users (n = 64), psychiatric inpatients (n = 175, most of whom were hospitalized for withdrawal), and a control group (n = 24) completed the questionnaire. Internal reliability was good (α= .87) and temporal reliability was satisfactory, with 24 of 48 items having a significant κ ≥ .41. Factor analysis showed four main factors that explained 42.1% of the total variance. The women feared Cognitive Impairment and Negative Effects, and Negative Behavioral Effects more than the men. The onset age of cannabis use, onset age of abuse, abuse and dependence were associated with fewer negative expectancies. Cannabis dependents differed from abusers by more Relaxation and Social Facilitation expectancies. Patients with major depressive episodes, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder feared negative effects the most. Schizophrenic patients expected more Perceptual Enhancement and Craving. The French version of the Marijuana Effect Expectancy Questionnaire has good psychometric properties and is valid to assess cannabis expectancies in adolescents and adults with substance use disorders. Copyright © American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

  7. The necessity of nuclear reactors for targeted radionuclide therapies.

    PubMed

    Krijger, Gerard C; Ponsard, Bernard; Harfensteller, Mark; Wolterbeek, Hubert T; Nijsen, Johannes W F

    2013-07-01

    Nuclear medicine has been contributing towards personalized therapies. Nuclear reactors are required for the working horses of both diagnosis and treatment, i.e., Tc-99m and I-131. In fact, reactors will remain necessary to fulfill the demand for a variety of radionuclides and are essential in the expanding field of targeted radionuclide therapies for cancer. However, the main reactors involved in the global supply are ageing and expected to shut down before 2025. Therefore, the fields of (nuclear) medicine, nuclear industry and politics share a global responsibility, faced with the task to secure future access to suitable nuclear reactors. At the same time, alternative production routes should be industrialized. For this, a coordinating entity should be put into place. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Dynamic nuclear polarization solid-state NMR in heterogeneous catalysis research

    DOE PAGES

    Kobayashi, Takeshi; Perras, Frédéric A.; Slowing, Igor I.; ...

    2015-10-20

    In this study, a revolution in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) spectroscopy is taking place, attributable to the rapid development of high-field dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), a technique yielding sensitivity improvements of 2–3 orders of magnitude. This higher sensitivity in SSNMR has already impacted materials research, and the implications of new methods on catalytic sciences are expected to be profound.

  9. Nuclear Data Sheets for A=241

    DOE PAGES

    Nesaraja, Caroline D.

    2015-11-27

    This paper presents available information pertaining to the nuclear structure of ground and excited states for all known nuclei with mass numbers A=24, which have been compiled and evaluated. The adopted level and decay schemes, as well as the detailed nuclear properties and configuration assignments based on experimental data are presented for these nuclides. When there are insufficient data, expected values from systematics of nuclear properties or/and theoretical calculations are quoted. Unexpected or discrepant experimental results are also noted. A summary and compilation of the discovery of various isotopes in this mass region is given in 2013Fr02 ( 241Np, 241Pu,more » 241Am, 241Cm, 241Bk, and 241Cf), 2011Me01 (241Es), and 2013Th02 ( 241Fm).« less

  10. Nuclear cardiology core syllabus of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI).

    PubMed

    Gimelli, Alessia; Neglia, Danilo; Schindler, Thomas H; Cosyns, Bernard; Lancellotti, Patrizio; Kitsiou, Anastasia

    2015-04-01

    The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Core Syllabus for Nuclear Cardiology is now available online. The syllabus lists key elements of knowledge in nuclear cardiology. It represents a framework for the development of training curricula and provides expected knowledge-based learning outcomes to the nuclear cardiology trainees. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Nuclear systems in space? Does/will the public accept them?

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Finger, Harold B.

    1993-01-01

    Public attitudes toward the use of nuclear energy on earth and in space are discussed. Survey data are presented which show that the public believes nuclear energy should play an important role in our energy supply. However, based on broad attitude research, there should be no expectation that the public will accept or support the use of nuclear energy unless it meets special needs and offers special and significant benefits. It is proposed that a public information program be adopted that results in getting recognition and support for the space program broadly and for the missions that benefit substantially from or require nuclear energy for their accomplishment.

  12. Expected geoneutrino signal at JUNO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strati, Virginia; Baldoncini, Marica; Callegari, Ivan; Mantovani, Fabio; McDonough, William F.; Ricci, Barbara; Xhixha, Gerti

    2015-12-01

    Constraints on the Earth's composition and on its radiogenic energy budget come from the detection of geoneutrinos. The Kamioka Liquid scintillator Antineutrino Detector (KamLAND) and Borexino experiments recently reported the geoneutrino flux, which reflects the amount and distribution of U and Th inside the Earth. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) neutrino experiment, designed as a 20 kton liquid scintillator detector, will be built in an underground laboratory in South China about 53 km from the Yangjiang and Taishan nuclear power plants, each one having a planned thermal power of approximately 18 GW. Given the large detector mass and the intense reactor antineutrino flux, JUNO aims not only to collect high statistics antineutrino signals from reactors but also to address the challenge of discriminating the geoneutrino signal from the reactor background. The predicted geoneutrino signal at JUNO is terrestrial neutrino unit (TNU), based on the existing reference Earth model, with the dominant source of uncertainty coming from the modeling of the compositional variability in the local upper crust that surrounds (out to approximately 500 km) the detector. A special focus is dedicated to the 6° × 4° local crust surrounding the detector which is estimated to contribute for the 44% of the signal. On the basis of a worldwide reference model for reactor antineutrinos, the ratio between reactor antineutrino and geoneutrino signals in the geoneutrino energy window is estimated to be 0.7 considering reactors operating in year 2013 and reaches a value of 8.9 by adding the contribution of the future nuclear power plants. In order to extract useful information about the mantle's composition, a refinement of the abundance and distribution of U and Th in the local crust is required, with particular attention to the geochemical characterization of the accessible upper crust where 47% of the expected geoneutrino signal originates and this region contributes

  13. Great Expectations: How Role Expectations and Role Experiences Relate to Perceptions of Group Cohesion.

    PubMed

    Benson, Alex J; Eys, Mark A; Irving, P Gregory

    2016-04-01

    Many athletes experience a discrepancy between the roles they expect to fulfill and the roles they eventually occupy. Drawing from met expectations theory, we applied response surface methodology to examine how role expectations, in relation to role experiences, influence perceptions of group cohesion among Canadian Interuniversity Sport athletes (N = 153). On the basis of data from two time points, as athletes approached and exceeded their role contribution expectations, they reported higher perceptions of task cohesion. Furthermore, as athletes approached and exceeded their social involvement expectations, they reported higher perceptions of social cohesion. These response surface patterns-pertaining to task and social cohesion-were driven by the positive influence of role experiences. On the basis of the interplay between athletes' role experiences and their perception of the group environment, efforts to improve team dynamics may benefit from focusing on improving the quality of role experiences, in conjunction with developing realistic role expectations.

  14. Patients' expectations of asthma treatment.

    PubMed

    Mancuso, Carol A; Rincon, Melina; Robbins, Laura; Charlson, Mary E

    2003-12-01

    A multicomponent model has been developed to explain patients' unmet expectations of medical care. The model proposes that expectations are related to patients' personal experiences with illness, perceived vulnerability to disease, transmitted knowledge, and perceived severity of disease. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether this model can be applied to patients' unrealistic expectations of treatment outcomes, specifically expecting to be cured of asthma. In total, 230 patients observed in a primary care practice in New York City were interviewed in person with open-ended questions about their expectations of asthma treatment. Responses were analyzed with qualitative techniques to generate categories of expectations. Patients had a mean age of 41 +/- 11 years, 21% were white, 30% African American, 42% Latino, and 7% other groups. Major categories of expectations were generated from patients' responses and included symptom relief (expected by 52%), cure (36%), improved physical function (21%), and improved psychological well-being (15%). The category of expecting a cure was assessed with patients' responses to the following items representing components of the model: 1) resource utilization and medication requirements for asthma (representing severity of disease); 2) perceived quality of asthma care and satisfaction with care (representing past asthma experiences); 3) the Asthma Self-Efficacy Scale (representing perceived vulnerability to exacerbations); and 4) experiences of social network contacts with asthma and the Check Your Asthma IQ survey (representing transmitted knowledge). In bivariate analysis, patients who expected a cure were more likely to be Latino or Native American or Asian (p = 0.02), to have never required oral corticosteroids (p = 0.004), to be dissatisfied with the status of their asthma (p = 0.008), to know others who were limited by asthma (p = 0.03), to have worse Asthma Self-Efficacy Scale scores (p = 0

  15. Hip Preservation Surgery Expectations Survey: A New Method to Measure Patients' Preoperative Expectations.

    PubMed

    Mancuso, Carol A; Wentzel, Catherine H; Ghomrawi, Hassan M K; Kelly, Bryan T

    2017-05-01

    To develop a patient-derived expectations survey for hip preservation surgery. Patients were eligible if they were undergoing primary hip surgery and were recruited in person or by telephone. The survey was developed in 3 phases. During phase 1, 64 patients were interviewed preoperatively and asked open-ended questions about their expectations of surgery; a draft survey was assembled by categorizing responses. During phase 2, the survey was administered twice to another group of 50 patients preoperatively to assess test-retest reliability and concordance was measured with weighted kappa values and intraclass correlations. All patients also completed valid standard hip surveys electronically. During phase 3, final items were selected, factor analysis was performed, and a scoring system was developed. In phase 1, 509 expectations were volunteered from which 21 distinct categories were discerned and became the items for the draft survey. In phase 2, the draft survey was completed twice, 4 days apart. In phase 3, all 21 items were retained for the final survey addressing pain, mobility, sports, resumption of active lifestyles, future function, and psychological well-being. An overall score is calculated from the number of items expected and the amount of improvement expected, and ranges from 0 to 100; higher is more expectations. For phase 2 patients, mean scores for both administrations were 82, Cronbach alpha coefficients were 0.88 and 0.91, and the intraclass correlation was 0.92. A higher score (i.e., greater expectations) was associated with worse hip condition measured by standard hip surveys (P ≤ .05). We developed a patient-derived survey that is valid, reliable, and addresses a spectrum of expectations. The survey generates an overall score that is easy to calculate and interpret and offers a practical and comprehensive way to record patients' preoperative expectations. Level II, prognostic study, prospective sample. Copyright © 2016 Arthroscopy

  16. The Renaissance Teacher Identifying Students' Perceptions of Exemplary Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wigton, Erica

    2012-01-01

    The focus on the achievement gap for minority students is an issue facing many school districts across the county. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation highlighted the fact that many minority students are not achieving at or above expected levels in classrooms across America. Teacher quality is found to be an important ingredient of a…

  17. Quartetting in Nuclear Matter and α Particle Condensation in Nuclear Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Röpke, G.; Schuck, P.; Horiuchi, H.; Tohsaki, A.; Funaki, Y.; Yamada, T.

    2008-02-01

    Alternatively to pairing, four-particle correlations may become of importance for the formation of quantum condensates in nuclear matter. With increasing density, four-particle correlations are suppressed because of Pauli blocking. Signatures of α-like clusters are expected to occur in low-density nuclear systems. The famous Hoyle state (02+ at 7.654 MeV in 12C) is identified as being an almost ideal condensate of three α-particles, hold together only by the Coulomb barrier. It, therefore, has a 8Be-α structure of low density. Transition probability and inelastic form factor together with position and other physical quantities are correctly reproduced without any adjustable parameter from our two parameter wave function of α-particle condensate type. The possibility of the existence of α-particle condensed states in heavier nα nuclei is also discussed.

  18. Patient (customer) expectations in hospitals.

    PubMed

    Bostan, Sedat; Acuner, Taner; Yilmaz, Gökhan

    2007-06-01

    The expectations of patient are one of the determining factors of healthcare service. The purpose of this study is to measure the Patients' Expectations, based on Patient's Rights. This study was done with Likert-Survey in Trabzon population. The analyses showed that the level of the expectations of the patient was high on the factor of receiving information and at an acceptable level on the other factors. Statistical meaningfulness was determined between age, sex, education, health insurance, and the income of the family and the expectations of the patients (p<0.05). According to this study, the current legal regulations have higher standards than the expectations of the patients. The reason that the satisfaction of the patients high level is interpreted due to the fact that the level of the expectation is low. It is suggested that the educational and public awareness studies on the patients' rights must be done in order to increase the expectations of the patients.

  19. Sex and life expectancy.

    PubMed

    Seifarth, Joshua E; McGowan, Cheri L; Milne, Kevin J

    2012-12-01

    A sexual dimorphism in human life expectancy has existed in almost every country for as long as records have been kept. Although human life expectancy has increased each year, females still live longer, on average, than males. Undoubtedly, the reasons for the sex gap in life expectancy are multifaceted, and it has been discussed from both sociological and biological perspectives. However, even if biological factors make up only a small percentage of the determinants of the sex difference in this phenomenon, parity in average life expectancy should not be anticipated. The aim of this review is to highlight biological mechanisms that may underlie the sexual dimorphism in life expectancy. Using PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar, as well as cited and citing reference histories of articles through August 2012, English-language articles were identified, read, and synthesized into categories that could account for biological sex differences in human life expectancy. The examination of biological mechanisms accounting for the female-based advantage in human life expectancy has been an active area of inquiry; however, it is still difficult to prove the relative importance of any 1 factor. Nonetheless, biological differences between the sexes do exist and include differences in genetic and physiological factors such as progressive skewing of X chromosome inactivation, telomere attrition, mitochondrial inheritance, hormonal and cellular responses to stress, immune function, and metabolic substrate handling among others. These factors may account for at least a part of the female advantage in human life expectancy. Despite noted gaps in sex equality, higher body fat percentages and lower physical activity levels globally at all ages, a sex-based gap in life expectancy exists in nearly every country for which data exist. There are several biological mechanisms that may contribute to explaining why females live longer than men on average, but the complexity of the

  20. User Expectations: Nurses' Perspective.

    PubMed

    Gürsel, Güney

    2016-01-01

    Healthcare is a technology-intensive industry. Although all healthcare staff needs qualified computer support, physicians and nurses need more. As nursing practice is an information intensive issue, understanding nurses' expectations from healthcare information systems (HCIS) is a must issue to meet their needs and help them in a better way. In this study perceived importance of nurses' expectations from HCIS is investigated, and two HCIS is evaluated for meeting the expectations of nurses by using fuzzy logic methodologies.

  1. Nuclear Targeting Terms for Engineers and Scientists

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

    St Ledger, John W.

    The Department of Defense has a methodology for targeting nuclear weapons, and a jargon that is used to communicate between the analysts, planners, aircrews, and missile crews. The typical engineer or scientist in the Department of Energy may not have been exposed to the nuclear weapons targeting terms and methods. This report provides an introduction to the terms and methodologies used for nuclear targeting. Its purpose is to prepare engineers and scientists to participate in wargames, exercises, and discussions with the Department of Defense. Terms such as Circular Error Probable, probability of hit and damage, damage expectancy, and the physicalmore » vulnerability system are discussed. Methods for compounding damage from multiple weapons applied to one target are presented.« less

  2. Expert judgments about RD&D and the future of nuclear energy.

    PubMed

    Anadón, Laura D; Bosetti, Valentina; Bunn, Matthew; Catenacci, Michela; Lee, Audrey

    2012-11-06

    Probabilistic estimates of the cost and performance of future nuclear energy systems under different scenarios of government research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) spending were obtained from 30 U.S. and 30 European nuclear technology experts. We used a novel elicitation approach which combined individual and group elicitation. With no change from current RD&D funding levels, experts on average expected current (Gen. III/III+) designs to be somewhat more expensive in 2030 than they were in 2010, and they expected the next generation of designs (Gen. IV) to be more expensive still as of 2030. Projected costs of proposed small modular reactors (SMRs) were similar to those of Gen. IV systems. The experts almost unanimously recommended large increases in government support for nuclear RD&D (generally 2-3 times current spending). The majority expected that such RD&D would have only a modest effect on cost, but would improve performance in other areas, such as safety, waste management, and uranium resource utilization. The U.S. and E.U. experts were in relative agreement regarding how government RD&D funds should be allocated, placing particular focus on very high temperature reactors, sodium-cooled fast reactors, fuels and materials, and fuel cycle technologies.

  3. Short Article The Use of Mercury against Pediculosis in the Renaissance: The Case of Ferdinand II of Aragon, King of Naples, 1467–96

    PubMed Central

    FORNACIARI, GINO; MARINOZZI, SILVIA; GAZZANIGA, VALENTINA; GIUFFRA, VALENTINA; PICCHI, MALAYKA SAMANTHA; GIUSIANI, MARIO; MASETTI, MASSIMO

    2011-01-01

    The hair samples of Ferdinand II of Aragon (1467–1496), King of Naples, whose mummy is preserved in the Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore in Naples, showed a high content of mercury, with a value of 827ppm. Furthermore, examination using a stereomicroscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) of head and pubic hairs of Ferdinand II, revealed a lice infestation. The reasons for the massive presence of the mercury in the king's hair are discussed and contemporary literature regarding the use of this metal in medical therapies and in cosmetic practices is analysed. As a result, the high value of mercury in the hair of Ferdinand II can be attributed to antipediculosis therapy, applied as a topic medicament. This case represents an important finding for the history of medicine, because demonstrates that in the Renaissance mercury was applied locally not only to treat syphilis, as well attested by direct and indirect sources, but also to prevent or eliminate lice infestation. PMID:23752867

  4. On the Time of the Intellect: The Interpretation of De Anima 3.6 (43ob 7-20) in Renaissance and Early Modern Italian Philosophy.

    PubMed

    Dubouclez, Olivier

    2015-01-01

    This article argues that an original debate over the relationship between time and the intellect took place in Northern Italy in the second half of the sixteenth century, which was part of a broader reflection on the temporality of human mental acts. While human intellectual activity was said to be 'above time' during the Middle Ages, Renaissance scholars such as Marcantonio Genua (1491-1563), Giulio Castellani (1528-1586), Antonio Montecatini (1537-1599) and Francesco Piccolomini (1520-1604), greatly influenced by the Simplician and Alexandrist interpretations of Aristotle's works, proposed alterna- tive conceptions based on the interpretation of De anima 3.6 (430b 7-20) according to which intellectual acts happen in a both 'undivided' and 'divisible time'. In order to explain Aristotle's puzzling claim, they were led to conceive of intellectual activity as a process similar to sensation, corresponding to a certain lapse of time (Castellani), an instant (Montecatini), or a mix of instantaneousness and concrete duration (Piccolomini), depending on their theoretical options.

  5. Medieval and Renaissance anatomists: the printing and unauthorized copying of illustrations, and the dissemination of ideas.

    PubMed

    Lanska, Douglas J; Lanska, John Robert

    2013-01-01

    The vanguard that began to question Galenic anatomical dogma originated in northern Italy in the latter half of the thirteenth century, and not coincidentally this was where human dissection was introduced, which in turn eventually fostered the origins of realistic anatomical illustration in the late fifteenth century. With the advent of the printing press and moveable type at this time, printed books began to supersede hand-copied medieval manuscripts, and labor-intensive techniques were soon developed to integrate text and illustrations on the printed page. The same technology was used to pirate the illustrations of prior authors with varying fidelity. Specific medieval and Renaissance anatomical illustrations can often be traced from their inceptions through different stages of development to the final printed images, and then through subsequent pirated versions in various abridgements or other compendia. The most important milestone in the development of anatomy and anatomical illustration was the publication in 1543 by Andreas Vesalii of De humani corporis fabrica (On the Fabric of the Human Body), commonly referred to simply as the Fabrica. With this work, Vesalii succeeded in coordinating a publication production team (author, artists, block cutters, publisher, and typesetters) to achieve an unprecedented integration of scientific discourse, medical illustration, and typography. However, despite Vesalii's valiant efforts to prevent unauthorized duplication, the illustrations from the Fabrica were extensively plagiarized. Although Vesalii found such piracy frustrating and annoying, the long-term effect was to make Vesalii's ideas known to a wider readership and to help solidify his own revolutionary contributions to anatomy. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Ships/Trains/Planes/Automobiles: A Renaissance of their Interface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Allan, Stanley N.

    1974-01-01

    This paper highlights some of the major multi-modal interface problems created by technological advances, socio-political individualism and the flexibility of choices we expect from our transportation modes. The emphasis is on the need for a comprehensive national network of multi-modal priorities to enhance the movement of people and goods within the changing physical shape of our cities.

  7. The future of nuclear power: A world-wide perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aktar, Ismail

    This study analyzes the future of commercial nuclear electric generation worldwide using the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) concept. The Tobit panel data estimation technique is applied to analyze the data between 1980 and 1998 for 105 countries. EKC assumes that low-income countries increase their nuclear reliance in total electric production whereas high-income countries decrease their nuclear reliance. Hence, we expect that high-income countries should shut down existing nuclear reactors and/or not build any new ones. We encounter two reasons for shutdowns: economic or political/environmental concerns. To distinguish these two effects, reasons for shut down are also investigated by using the Hazard Model technique. Hence, the load factor of a reactor is used as an approximation for economic reason to shut down the reactor. If a shut downed reactor had high load factor, this could be attributable to political/environmental concern or else economic concern. The only countries with nuclear power are considered in this model. The two data sets are created. In the first data set, the single entry for each reactor is created as of 1998 whereas in the second data set, the multiple entries are created for each reactor beginning from 1980 to 1998. The dependent variable takes 1 if operational or zero if shut downed. The empirical findings provide strong evidence for EKC relationship for commercial nuclear electric generation. Furthermore, higher natural resources suggest alternative electric generation methods rather than nuclear power. Economic index as an institutional variable suggests higher the economic freedom, lower the nuclear electric generation as expected. This model does not support the idea to cut the carbon dioxide emission via increasing nuclear share. The Hazard Model findings suggest that higher the load factor is, less likely the reactor will shut down. However, if it is still permanently closed downed, then this could be attributable to political

  8. Response Expectancy and the Placebo Effect.

    PubMed

    Kirsch, Irving

    2018-01-01

    In this chapter, I review basic tenets of response expectancy theory (Kirsch, 1985), beginning with the important distinction between response expectancies and stimulus expectancies. Although both can affect experience, the effects of response expectancies are stronger and more resistant to extinction than those of stimulus expectancies. Further, response expectancies are especially important to understanding placebo effects. The response expectancy framework is consistent with and has been amplified by the Bayesian model of predictive coding. Clinical implications of these phenomena are exemplified. © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Method of determining a content of a nuclear waste container

    DOEpatents

    Bernardi, Richard T.; Entwistle, David

    2003-04-22

    A method and apparatus are provided for identifying contents of a nuclear waste container. The method includes the steps of forming an image of the contents of the container using digital radiography, visually comparing contents of the image with expected contents of the container and performing computer tomography on the container when the visual inspection reveals an inconsistency between the contents of the image and the expected contents of the container.

  10. Nuclear analysis of structural damage and nuclear heating on enhanced K-DEMO divertor model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, J.; Im, K.; Kwon, S.; Kim, J.; Kim, D.; Woo, M.; Shin, C.

    2017-12-01

    This paper addresses nuclear analysis on the Korean fusion demonstration reactor (K-DEMO) divertor to estimate the overall trend of nuclear heating values and displacement damages. The K-DEMO divertor model was created and converted by the CAD (Pro-Engineer™) and Monte Carlo automatic modeling programs as a 22.5° sector of the tokamak. The Monte Carlo neutron photon transport and ADVANTG codes were used in this calculation with the FENDL-2.1 nuclear data library. The calculation results indicate that the highest values appeared on the upper outboard target (OT) area, which means the OT is exposed to the highest radiation conditions among the three plasma-facing parts (inboard, central and outboard) in the divertor. Especially, much lower nuclear heating values and displacement damages are indicated on the lower part of the OT area than others. These are important results contributing to thermal-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical analyses on the divertor and also it is expected that the copper alloy materials may be partially used as a heat sink only at the lower part of the OT instead of the reduced activation ferritic-martensitic steel due to copper alloy’s high thermal conductivity.

  11. Evidence of Nuclear Disks from the Radial Distribution of CCSNe in Starburst Galaxies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herrero-Illana, Rubén; Pérez-Torres, Miguel Ángel; Alberdi, Antxon

    Galaxy-galaxy interactions are expected to be responsible for triggering massive star formation and possibly accretion onto a supermassive black hole, by providing large amounts of dense molecular gas down to the central kiloparsec region. Several scenarios to drive the gas further down to the central ˜ 100 pc, have been proposed, including the formation of a nuclear disk around the black hole, where massive stars would produce supernovae. Here, we probe the radial distribution of supernovae and supernova remnants in the nuclear regions of the starburst galaxies M82, Arp 299-A, and Arp 220, by using high-angular resolution (≲ 0.'1) radio observations. We derived scale-length values for the putative nuclear disks, which range from ˜ 20-30 pc for Arp 299-A and Arp 220, up to ˜ 140 pc for M82. The radial distribution of SNe for the nuclear disks in Arp 299-A and Arp 220 is also consistent with a power-law surface density profile of exponent γ = 1, as expected from detailed hydrodynamical simulations of nuclear disks. This study is detailed in Herrero-Illana, Perez-Torres, and Alberdi [11].

  12. Job-Searching Expectations, Expectancy Violations, and Communication Strategies of Recent College Graduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Stephanie A.

    2017-01-01

    Expectancy violations theory, a communicative framework, is applied in this study to understand how recent college graduates form, evaluate, and respond to violated job-searching expectations. In-depth interviews of college seniors (N = 20) who were currently job searching helped answer the three research questions posed. Using a thematic…

  13. The rise, the fall and the renaissance of vitamin E

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This review deals with the expectations of vitamin E ability of preventing or curing, as a potent antioxidant, alleged oxidative stress based ailments including cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cataracts, macular degeneration and more. The results obtained with clinical in...

  14. Nuclear Data Sheets for A=243

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

    Nesaraja, Caroline D; McCutchan, Elizabeth A.

    2014-09-30

    We present available information pertaining to the nuclear structure of all nuclei with mass numbers A=243. Various decay and reaction data are evaluated and compared. Adopted data, levels, spin, parity and configuration assignments are given. When there are insufficient data, expected values from systematics of nuclear properties or/and theoretical calculations are quoted. Unexpected or discrepant experimental results are also noted. A summary and compilation of the discovery of various isotopes in this mass region is given in 2013Fr02 ( 243Np, 243Pu, 243Am, 243Cm, 243Bk, and 243Cf), 2011Me01 ( 243Es), and 2013Th02 ( 243Fm).

  15. Nuclear fuels policy. Report of the Atlantic Council's Nuclear Fuels Policy Working Group

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

    Not Available

    1976-01-01

    This Policy Paper recommends the actions deemed necessary to assure that future U.S. and non-Communist countries' nuclear fuels supply will be adequate, considering the following: estimates of modest growth in overall energy demand, electrical energy demand, and nuclear electrical energy demand in the U.S. and abroad, predicated upon the continuing trends involving conservation of energy, increased use of electricity, and moderate economic growth (Chap. I); possibilities for the development and use of all domestic resources providing energy alternatives to imported oil and gas, consonant with current environmental, health, and safety concerns (Chap. II); assessment of the traditional energy sources whichmore » provide current alternatives to nuclear energy (Chap. II); evaluation of realistic expectations for additional future energy supplies from prospective technologies: enhanced recovery from traditional sources and development and use of oil shales and synthetic fuels from coal, fusion and solar energy (Chap. II); an accounting of established nuclear technology in use today, in particular the light water reactor, used for generating electricity (Chap. III); an estimate of future nuclear technology, in particular the prospective fast breeder (Chap. IV); current and projected nuclear fuel demand and supply in the U.S. and abroad (Chaps. V and VI); the constraints encountered today in meeting nuclear fuels demand (Chap. VII); and the major unresolved issues and options in nuclear fuels supply and use (Chap. VIII). The principal conclusions and recommendations (Chap. IX) are that the U.S. and other industrialized countries should strive for increased flexibility of primary energy fuel sources, and that a balanced energy strategy therefore depends on the secure supply of energy resources and the ability to substitute one form of fuel for another.« less

  16. The U.S. national nuclear forensics library, nuclear materials information program, and data dictionary

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

    Lamont, Stephen Philip; Brisson, Marcia; Curry, Michael

    2011-02-17

    Nuclear forensics assessments to determine material process history requires careful comparison of sample data to both measured and modeled nuclear material characteristics. Developing centralized databases, or nuclear forensics libraries, to house this information is an important step to ensure all relevant data will be available for comparison during a nuclear forensics analysis and help expedite the assessment of material history. The approach most widely accepted by the international community at this time is the implementation of National Nuclear Forensics libraries, which would be developed and maintained by individual nations. This is an attractive alternative toan international database since it providesmore » an understanding that each country has data on materials produced and stored within their borders, but eliminates the need to reveal any proprietary or sensitive information to other nations. To support the concept of National Nuclear Forensics libraries, the United States Department of Energy has developed a model library, based on a data dictionary, or set of parameters designed to capture all nuclear forensic relevant information about a nuclear material. Specifically, information includes material identification, collection background and current location, analytical laboratories where measurements were made, material packaging and container descriptions, physical characteristics including mass and dimensions, chemical and isotopic characteristics, particle morphology or metallurgical properties, process history including facilities, and measurement quality assurance information. While not necessarily required, it may also be valuable to store modeled data sets including reactor burn-up or enrichment cascade data for comparison. It is fully expected that only a subset of this information is available or relevant to many materials, and much of the data populating a National Nuclear Forensics library would be process analytical or material

  17. Scholarship for Nuclear Communications and Methods for Evaluation of Nuclear Project Acceptability

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

    Golay, Michael

    This project aims to go beyond effective communication in understanding how to design nuclear enterprise projects that will gain stakeholder acceptability. Much of what we are studying is generally applicable to controversial projects, and we expect our results to be of broad value beyond the nuclear arena. Acceptability is more than effective communication; it also requires varying degrees of engagement with a disparate number of stakeholder groups. In the nuclear enterprise, previous attempts have been well designed physically (i.e., technologically sound), but have floundered by being insensitive concerning acceptance. Though effective communication is a necessary, but insufficient, condition for suchmore » success, there is a lack of scholarship regarding how to gain stakeholder acceptance for new controversial projects, including nuclear ones. Our work is building a model for use in assessing the performance of a project in the area of acceptability. In the nuclear-social nexus, gaining acceptance requires a clear understanding of factors regarded as being important by the many stakeholders that are common to new nuclear project (many of whom hold an effective veto power). Projects tend to become socially controversial when public beliefs, expert opinion and decision-maker understanding are misaligned. As such, stakeholder acceptance is hypothesized as both an ongoing process and an initial project design parameter comprised of complex, social, cognitive and technical components. Controversial projects may be defined as aspects of modern technologies that some people question, or are cautious about. They could range from genetic modifications, biological hazards, effects of chemical agents, nuclear radiation or hydraulic fracturing operations. We intend that our work will result in a model likely to be valuable for refining project design and implementation to increase the knowledge needed for successful management of stakeholder relationships.« less

  18. Measuring the expectations of kidney donors: initial psychometric properties of the Living Donation Expectancies Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Rodrigue, James R; Guenther, Robert; Kaplan, Bruce; Mandelbrot, Didier A; Pavlakis, Martha; Howard, Richard J

    2008-05-15

    We report on the initial development and validation of the Living Donation Expectancies Questionnaire (LDEQ), designed to measure the expectations of living kidney donor candidates. Potential living donors (n=443) at two transplant centers were administered the LDEQ and other questionnaires, and their medical records were reviewed. Factor analysis provides support for six LDEQ scales: Interpersonal Benefit, Personal Growth, Spiritual Growth, Quid Pro Quo, Health Consequences, and Miscellaneous Consequences. All but one scale showed good internal consistency. Expected benefits of donation were associated with higher optimism and lower mental health; expected consequences of donation were associated with lower optimism and lower physical and mental health. More potential donors with relative or absolute contraindications had high Interpersonal Benefit (P<0.0001), Personal Growth (P<0.01), Quid Pro Quo (P<0.0001), and Health Consequences (P<0.0001) expectations. The LDEQ has promise in evaluating donor candidates' expectations.

  19. Some Differences between Third Graders Who Read Up to Expectancy and Those Who Read Below Expectancy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Starkey, Roberta; Starkey, John

    A study was conducted to determine some differences between third grade children who were reading up to expected levels and those who were reading below expectancy as determined by the Spache formula. Subjects were 210 students reading at or above expectancy and 147 students reading below expectancy. In private interviews, each student was asked a…

  20. Measuring Alcohol Expectancies in Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Randolph, Karen A.; Gerend, Mary A.; Miller, Brenda A.

    2006-01-01

    Beliefs about the consequences of using alcohol, alcohol expectancies, are powerful predictors of underage drinking. The Alcohol Expectancies Questionnaire-Adolescent form (AEQ-A) has been widely used to measure expectancies in youth. Despite its broad use, the factor structure of the AEQ-A has not been firmly established. It is also not known…

  1. The American nuclear construction craftsmen: Will we be ready to build again

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

    Bravo, R.

    1990-01-01

    The present state of nuclear plant maintenance and operations support reflects sexual, ethnic, and radical integration; continued educational advances; some computer literacy; mixed trades in maintenance; detailed training for maintenance and operations work in the operating plant; plant safety awareness and respect; need for top-quality, take the time to do it right mentality; and planning. With no new nuclear construction, what will be the specific talents, focus, and contributions that the craftsmen can be expected to bring to the project To be prepared to successfully manage the next generation of nuclear plant construction, the industry must be acutely aware ofmore » the needs of the labor pool. To be aware of the needs requires an intimate knowledge of the present state of the craft talent, the changed expectations of their contributions, and the effects of new technologies, materials, methods, and individuals that will be used to design and build.« less

  2. Students' expectations of clinical teachers.

    PubMed

    Daniels, M; DeVos, D

    1996-01-01

    Clinical instructors play an essential role in the education of all health care students, including radiation therapy students. However, a review of the literature shows that no studies have examined radiation therapy students' expectations of their clinical instructors. To assess those expectations, a national survey was conducted of 282 radiation therapy students enrolled in 61 programs in 28 states. Survey results then were analyzed to generate a list of the students' expectations of clinical instructors and to look at possible significant relationships between the various groups surveyed. Survey results showed that the most common expectation among first-, second- and third-year radiation therapy students was that their clinical instructors "take time, both in explaining procedures and answering questions." Among fourth-year students, the most commonly cited expectation for clinical instructors was that they "model professionalism."

  3. Effects of Communication Expectancies, Actual Communication, and Expectancy Disconfirmation on Evaluations of Communicators and Their Communication Behavior.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burgoon, Judee K.; Le Poire, Beth A.

    1993-01-01

    Investigates the perseverance of preinteraction expectancies in the face of actual communication behavior, the separate effects of personal attribute and communication expectancies, and the role of expectancy confirmation or disconfirmation on postinteraction evaluations. Confirms the validity of expectancy violations theory. (SR)

  4. Modernization of US Nuclear Forces: Costs in Perspective

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

    Tapia-Jimenez, D.

    This short research paper addresses two topics that have emerged in the debate about whether, when, and how to modernize U.S. nuclear forces.1 The first topic relates to the size and scale of the planned nuclear force, with some critics of the modernization plan arguing that the United States is simply replicating the Cold War force for a very different era. The second topic relates to the cost of the modernization effort, with some critics arguing that the cost is unaffordable.2 This paper begins with a review of the changes in the size and scale of U.S. nuclear forces sincemore » the Cold War. It then examines the expected costs of modernization in a comparative perspective.« less

  5. Nuclear energy and health: and the benefits of low-dose radiation hormesis.

    PubMed

    Cuttler, Jerry M; Pollycove, Myron

    2009-01-01

    Energy needs worldwide are expected to increase for the foreseeable future, but fuel supplies are limited. Nuclear reactors could supply much of the energy demand in a safe, sustainable manner were it not for fear of potential releases of radioactivity. Such releases would likely deliver a low dose or dose rate of radiation, within the range of naturally occurring radiation, to which life is already accustomed. The key areas of concern are discussed. Studies of actual health effects, especially thyroid cancers, following exposures are assessed. Radiation hormesis is explained, pointing out that beneficial effects are expected following a low dose or dose rate because protective responses against stresses are stimulated. The notions that no amount of radiation is small enough to be harmless and that a nuclear accident could kill hundreds of thousands are challenged in light of experience: more than a century with radiation and six decades with reactors. If nuclear energy is to play a significant role in meeting future needs, regulatory authorities must examine the scientific evidence and communicate the real health effects of nuclear radiation. Negative images and implications of health risks derived by unscientific extrapolations of harmful effects of high doses must be dispelled.

  6. Smoking Outcome Expectancies among College Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brandon, Thomas H.; Baker, Timothy B.

    Alcohol expectancies have been found to predict later onset of drinking among adolescents. This study examined whether the relationship between level of alcohol use and expectancies is paralleled with cigarette smoking, and attempted to identify the content of smoking expectancies. An instrument to measure the subjective expected utility of…

  7. Distinction of nuclear spin states with the scanning tunneling microscope.

    PubMed

    Natterer, Fabian Donat; Patthey, François; Brune, Harald

    2013-10-25

    We demonstrate rotational excitation spectroscopy with the scanning tunneling microscope for physisorbed H(2) and its isotopes HD and D(2). The observed excitation energies are very close to the gas phase values and show the expected scaling with the moment of inertia. Since these energies are characteristic for the molecular nuclear spin states we are able to identify the para and ortho species of hydrogen and deuterium, respectively. We thereby demonstrate nuclear spin sensitivity with unprecedented spatial resolution.

  8. Morality and nuclear energy: perceptions of risks and benefits, personal norms, and willingness to take action related to nuclear energy.

    PubMed

    De Groot, Judith I M; Steg, Linda

    2010-09-01

    We examined factors underlying people's willingness to take action in favor of or against nuclear energy from a moral perspective. We conducted a questionnaire study among a sample of the Dutch population (N = 123). As expected, perceptions of risks and benefits were related to personal norms (PN), that is, feelings of moral obligation toward taking action in favor of or against nuclear energy. In turn, PN predicted willingness to take action. Furthermore, PN mediated the relationships between perceptions of risk and benefits and willingness to take action. In line with our hypothesis, beliefs about the risks and benefits of nuclear energy were less powerful in explaining PN for supporters compared to PN of opponents. Also, beliefs on risks and benefits and PN explained significantly more variance in willingness to take action of opponents than of supporters. Our results suggest that a moral framework is useful to explain willingness to take action in favor of and against nuclear energy, and that people are more likely to protest in favor of or against nuclear energy when PN are strong. © 2010 Society for Risk Analysis.

  9. Humanistic Linguistics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kahane, Henry; Kahane, Renee

    1983-01-01

    Examines (1) the historical development of humanistic linguistics through five stages of western renaissances--Carolingian renaissance, twelfth-century renaissance, Italian renaissance, neo-humanism, and impressionism and idealism and (2) how the late twentieth century continues the tradition. Expressionism and structuralism, philology,…

  10. A Study of Community Leaders in a Nuclear Host Community: Local Issues, Expectations and Support and Opposition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bronfman, B. H.

    As part of a continuing effort to assess the social impacts on communities of energy facility planning, construction, operation, and decommissioning, a May 1977 survey of 37 community leaders in Hartsville, Tennessee (site of a nuclear power plant) establishes major local issues (past, present, and future) which leaders feel are important to…

  11. A scientific approach to the attribution problem of renaissance ceramic productions based on chemical and mineralogical markers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padeletti, G.; Fermo, P.

    2010-09-01

    Renaissance lustred majolica shards from Gubbio and Deruta (Central Italy) were investigated in order to point out differences in chemical and mineralogical composition between these two very similar Italian potteries and furthermore to find correlations with the local raw clay materials probably used for their production. Chemical and mineralogical analysis on the ceramic body were performed by ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy) and XRD (X-ray diffraction), respectively. Investigation of the ceramic body revealed significant differences on calcium content indicating that it could be used as a marker for the two different productions. A separation of the ceramic shards in groups, on the base of their provenance, has been achieved applying to the data set formed by the chemical compositional data some multivariate techniques, such as PCA (principal component analysis) and HCA (hierarchical cluster analysis). Even the mineralogical composition of the groups shows very interesting features, differing Gubbio production from Deruta one for the presence of several mineralogical species. The investigations carried out on clays that were collected in the two geographical places have confirmed these differences. In fact, the clay materials have a chemical composition coherent with that one found in the shards. Firing tests performed by heating these clay in different conditions (temperature and soaking time) have shown a different behaviour as concerns the formation of the minerals and it is compatible with the shard composition found. From the comparison between the fired clay and the ceramic shards, some assumptions about the firing conditions applied by the ancient potters have been drawn.

  12. Expectancies as core features of mental disorders.

    PubMed

    Rief, Winfried; Glombiewski, Julia A; Gollwitzer, Mario; Schubö, Anna; Schwarting, Rainer; Thorwart, Anna

    2015-09-01

    Expectancies are core features of mental disorders, and change in expectations is therefore one of the core mechanisms of treatment in psychiatry. We aim to improve our understanding of expectancies by summarizing factors that contribute to their development, persistence, and modification. We pay particular attention to the issue of persistence of expectancies despite experiences that contradict them. Based on recent research findings, we propose a new model for expectation persistence and expectation change. When expectations are established, effects are evident in neural and other biological systems, for example, via anticipatory reactions, different biological reactions to expected versus unexpected stimuli, etc. Psychological 'immunization' and 'assimilation', implicit self-confirming processes, and stability of biological processes help us to better understand why expectancies persist even in the presence of expectation violations. Learning theory, attentional processes, social influences, and biological determinants contribute to the development, persistence, and modification of expectancies. Psychological interventions should focus on optimizing expectation violation to achieve optimal treatment outcome and to avoid treatment failures.

  13. An Unexpected Expected Value.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schwartzman, Steven

    1993-01-01

    Discusses the surprising result that the expected number of marbles of one color drawn from a set of marbles of two colors after two draws without replacement is the same as the expected number of that color marble after two draws with replacement. Presents mathematical models to help explain this phenomenon. (MDH)

  14. Metabolic Dysregulation after Neutron Exposures Expected from an Improvised Nuclear Device.

    PubMed

    Laiakis, Evagelia C; Wang, Yi-Wen; Young, Erik F; Harken, Andrew D; Xu, Yanping; Smilenov, Lubomir; Garty, Guy Y; Brenner, David J; Fornace, Albert J

    2017-07-01

    The increased threat of terrorism across the globe has raised fears that certain groups will acquire and use radioactive materials to inflict maximum damage. In the event that an improvised nuclear device (IND) is detonated, a potentially large population of victims will require assessment for radiation exposure. While photons will contribute to a major portion of the dose, neutrons may be responsible for the severity of the biologic effects and cellular responses. We investigated differences in response between these two radiation types by using metabolomics and lipidomics to identify biomarkers in urine and blood of wild-type C57BL/6 male mice. Identification of metabolites was based on a 1 Gy dose of radiation. Compared to X rays, a neutron spectrum similar to that encountered in Hiroshima at 1-1.5 km from the epicenter induced a severe metabolic dysregulation, with perturbations in amino acid metabolism and fatty acid β-oxidation being the predominant ones. Urinary metabolites were able to discriminate between neutron and X rays on day 1 as well as day 7 postirradiation, while serum markers showed such discrimination only on day 1. Free fatty acids from omega-6 and omega-3 pathways were also decreased with 1 Gy of neutrons, implicating cell membrane dysfunction and impaired phospholipid metabolism, which should otherwise lead to release of those molecules in circulation. While a precise relative biological effectiveness value could not be calculated from this study, the results are consistent with other published studies showing higher levels of damage from neutrons, demonstrated here by increased metabolic dysregulation. Metabolomics can therefore aid in identifying global perturbations in blood and urine, and effectively distinguishing between neutron and photon exposures.

  15. College for some to college for all: social background, occupational expectations, and educational expectations over time.

    PubMed

    Goyette, Kimberly A

    2008-06-01

    The educational expectations of 10th-graders have dramatically increased from 1980 to 2002. Their rise is attributable in part to the changing educational composition of students' parents and related to the educational profiles of their expected occupations. Students whose parents have gone to college are more likely to attend college themselves, and students expect occupations that are more prestigious in 2002 than in 1980. The educational requirements of particular occupation categories have risen only slightly. These analyses also reveal that educational expectations in recent cohorts are more loosely linked to social background and occupational plans than they were in 1980. The declining importance of parents' background and the decoupling of educational and occupational plans, in addition to a strong and significant effect of cohort on educational expectations, suggest that the expectation of four-year college attainment is indeed becoming the norm.

  16. Nuclear's role in 21. century Pacific rim energy use

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

    Singer, Clifford; Taylor, J'Tia

    2007-07-01

    Extrapolations contrast the future of nuclear energy use in Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) to that of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Japan can expect a gradual rise in the nuclear fraction of a nearly constant total energy use rate as the use of fossil fuels declines. ROK nuclear energy rises gradually with total energy use. ASEAN's total nuclear energy use rate can rapidly approach that of the ROK if Indonesia and Vietnam make their current nuclear energy targets by 2020, but experience elsewhere suggests that nuclear energy growth may be slower than planned. Extrapolations aremore » based on econometric calibration to a utility optimization model of the impact of growth of population, gross domestic product, total energy use, and cumulative fossil carbon use. Fractions of total energy use from fluid fossil fuels, coal, water-driven electrical power production, nuclear energy, and wind and solar electric energy sources are fit to market fractions data. Where historical data is insufficient for extrapolation, plans for non-fossil energy are used as a guide. Extrapolations suggest much more U.S. nuclear energy and spent nuclear fuel generation than for the ROK and ASEAN until beyond the first half of the twenty-first century. (authors)« less

  17. [Expectations and patient satisfaction in hospitals: construction and application of an expectation-based experience typology and its use in the management of quality and expectations].

    PubMed

    Gehrlach, Christoph; Güntert, Bernhard

    2015-01-01

    Patient satisfaction (PS) surveys are frequently used evaluation methods to show performance from the customer's view. This approach has some fundamental deficits, especially with respect to theory, methodology and usage. Because of the significant theoretical value of the expectation confirmation/disconfirmation concept in the development of PS, an expectation-based experience typology has been developed and tested to check whether this approach could be a theoretical and practical alternative to the survey of PS. Due to the mainly cognitive-rational process of comparison between expectations and expectation fulfilment, it is easier to make changes in this stage of the process than in the subsequent stage of the development of PS that is mainly based on emotional-affective processes. The paper contains a literature review of the common concept of PS and its causal and influencing factors. Based on the theoretical part of this study, an expectation-based experience typology was developed. In the next step, the typology was subjected to exploratory testing, based on two patient surveys. In some parts of the tested typology explorative differences could be found between hospitals. Despite this rather more complex and unusual approach to expectation-based experience typology, this concept offers the chance to change conditions not only retrospectively (based on data), but also in a prospective way in terms of a "management of expectations". Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  18. Anomalies in Proposed Regulations for the Release of Redundant Material from Nuclear and Non-nuclear Industries

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

    Menon, S.

    expectancy, chromosome aberrations or immune function, in comparison with those living in normal background areas. The paper discusses these and other strategic issues regarding the management of nuclear and non-nuclear radioactive material, underlining the need for consistency in regulatory treatment.« less

  19. Rapid Expectation Adaptation during Syntactic Comprehension

    PubMed Central

    Fine, Alex B.; Jaeger, T. Florian; Farmer, Thomas A.; Qian, Ting

    2013-01-01

    When we read or listen to language, we are faced with the challenge of inferring intended messages from noisy input. This challenge is exacerbated by considerable variability between and within speakers. Focusing on syntactic processing (parsing), we test the hypothesis that language comprehenders rapidly adapt to the syntactic statistics of novel linguistic environments (e.g., speakers or genres). Two self-paced reading experiments investigate changes in readers’ syntactic expectations based on repeated exposure to sentences with temporary syntactic ambiguities (so-called “garden path sentences”). These sentences typically lead to a clear expectation violation signature when the temporary ambiguity is resolved to an a priori less expected structure (e.g., based on the statistics of the lexical context). We find that comprehenders rapidly adapt their syntactic expectations to converge towards the local statistics of novel environments. Specifically, repeated exposure to a priori unexpected structures can reduce, and even completely undo, their processing disadvantage (Experiment 1). The opposite is also observed: a priori expected structures become less expected (even eliciting garden paths) in environments where they are hardly ever observed (Experiment 2). Our findings suggest that, when changes in syntactic statistics are to be expected (e.g., when entering a novel environment), comprehenders can rapidly adapt their expectations, thereby overcoming the processing disadvantage that mistaken expectations would otherwise cause. Our findings take a step towards unifying insights from research in expectation-based models of language processing, syntactic priming, and statistical learning. PMID:24204909

  20. Multiattribute risk analysis in nuclear emergency management.

    PubMed

    Hämäläinen, R P; Lindstedt, M R; Sinkko, K

    2000-08-01

    Radiation protection authorities have seen a potential for applying multiattribute risk analysis in nuclear emergency management and planning to deal with conflicting objectives, different parties involved, and uncertainties. This type of approach is expected to help in the following areas: to ensure that all relevant attributes are considered in decision making; to enhance communication between the concerned parties, including the public; and to provide a method for explicitly including risk analysis in the process. A multiattribute utility theory analysis was used to select a strategy for protecting the population after a simulated nuclear accident. The value-focused approach and the use of a neutral facilitator were identified as being useful.

  1. Modern hadron spectroscopy: a bridge between nuclear and particle physics.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szczepaniak, A. P.

    2018-05-01

    In this talk I discuss aspects of hadron physics, which soon are expected to shed new light on the fundamental QCD phenomena. In the analysis of hadron reactions and their propertieds I emphasize similarities to the nuclear many body problem.

  2. Modern hadron spectroscopy: a bridge between nuclear and particle physics

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

    Szczepaniak, Adam P.

    Here, in this talk I discuss aspects of hadron physics, which soon are expected to shed new light on the fundamental QCD phenomena. In the analysis of hadron reactions and their propertieds I emphasize similarities to the nuclear many body problem.

  3. Modern hadron spectroscopy: a bridge between nuclear and particle physics

    DOE PAGES

    Szczepaniak, Adam P.

    2018-05-01

    Here, in this talk I discuss aspects of hadron physics, which soon are expected to shed new light on the fundamental QCD phenomena. In the analysis of hadron reactions and their propertieds I emphasize similarities to the nuclear many body problem.

  4. A response surface analysis of expected and received support for smoking cessation: Expectancy violations predict greater relapse.

    PubMed

    Derrick, Jaye L; Britton, Maggie; Baker, Zachary G; Haddad, Sana

    2018-08-01

    People attempting to stop smoking cigarettes (quitters) hold expectations about the extent to which their partner will provide helpful support during a quit attempt. However, these expectations may not align with their perceptions of the helpfulness of the support they receive. We examine expected and received helpful support during a quit attempt. We hypothesized that receiving less helpful support than expected (i.e., creating an expectancy violation) would be associated with the greatest return to smoking. Sixty-two quitters completed a 21-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study. They reported expected support at baseline and support receipt and smoking during the EMA phase. At follow-up, they completed an expelled breath carbon monoxide test. Analyses using polynomial generalized linear models with response surface analysis indicated that smoking outcomes depended on the joint influence of expected and received helpful support. As hypothesized, when quitters expected more helpful support than they received, they were more likely to smoke in the first 24h and the last seven days of the EMA, and they provided higher carbon monoxide readings at follow-up. These results are consistent with an expectancy violation explanation: quitters are more likely to smoke when they perceive their partner has failed to provide support that is as helpful as expected. Given the importance of support for smoking cessation, many researchers have attempted to experimentally increase provision of support. The current findings suggest that partner support interventions might backfire if the quitter is led to expect more helpful support than the partner is able to provide. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Quantifying the coexistence of massive black holes and dense nuclear star clusters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Graham, Alister W.; Spitler, Lee R.

    2009-08-01

    In large spheroidal stellar systems, such as elliptical galaxies, one invariably finds a 106-109Msolar supermassive black hole at their centre. In contrast, within dwarf elliptical galaxies one predominantly observes a 105-107Msolar nuclear star cluster. To date, few galaxies have been found with both types of nuclei coexisting and even less have had the masses determined for both central components. Here, we identify one dozen galaxies housing nuclear star clusters and supermassive black holes whose masses have been measured. This doubles the known number of such hermaphrodite nuclei - which are expected to be fruitful sources of gravitational radiation. Over the host spheroid (stellar) mass range 108-1011Msolar, we find that a galaxy's nucleus-to-spheroid (baryon) mass ratio is not a constant value but decreases from a few per cent to ~0.3 per cent such that log[(MBH + MNC)/Msph] = -(0.39 +/- 0.07) log[Msph/1010Msolar] - (2.18 +/- 0.07). Once dry merging commences and the nuclear star clusters disappear, this ratio is expected to become a constant value. As a byproduct of our investigation, we have found that the projected flux from resolved nuclear star clusters is well approximated with Sérsic functions having a range of indices from ~0.5 to ~3, the latter index describing the Milky Way's nuclear star cluster.

  6. Improving US theater nuclear doctrine. a critical analysis

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

    Sollinger, J.M.

    This monograph argues that the doctrine, equipment, and training of US forces do not meet the demands of fighting a theater nuclear war. Current doctrine rests upon questionable assumptions, lacks the flexibility required to fight a tactical nuclear battle, and limits itself by concentrating on defense. Recommended improvements include increased flexibility and decentralized execution, emphasizing maneuver and dispersion. Service doctrinal writings should focus on enemy forces rather than terrain. Because the nuclear battlefield promises chaos and confusion, US forces need redundant command and control. The equipment of US forces also needs improving, The services must field equipment capable of withstandingmore » the effects of nuclear weapons. In most cases this requirement means making existing procedures work and the hardening of equipment. Some new items of equipment, such as monitoring devices, are needed. Training requires improvement at both the individual and unit levels. Individual enlisted training tends to concentrate specialized knowledge at too high a level. With substantial casualties expected in a nuclear battle, US forces cannot afford to confine specialized knowledge to a few individuals.« less

  7. Reordering of Nuclear Quantum States in Rare Isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Flanagan, Kieran

    2010-02-01

    A key question in modern nuclear physics relates to the ordering of quantum states, and whether the predictions made by the shell model hold true far from stability. Recent innovations in technology and techniques at radioactive beam facilities have allowed access to rare isotopes previously inaccessible to experimentalists. Measurements that have been performed in several regions of the nuclear chart have yielded surprising and dramatic changes in nuclear structure, where level ordering is quite different than expected from previous theoretical descriptions. In order to reconcile the difference between experiment and theory, new shell-model interactions have been proposed, which include the role of the tensor force as part of the monopole term from the expansion of the residual proton-neutron interaction. This has motivated a series of laser spectroscopy experiments that have studied the neutron-rich copper and gallium isotopes at the ISOLDE facility. This work has deduced without nuclear-model dependence the spin, moments and charge radii. The results of this work and their implications for nuclear structure near ^78Ni will be discussed. )

  8. Comets, Meteors, and Eclipses: Art and Science in Early Renaissance Italy (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olson, R. J. M.; Pasachoff, J. M.

    1999-09-01

    We discuss several topics relating artists and their works with actual astronomical events in early Renaissance Italy to reveal the revolutionary advances made in both astronomy and naturalistic painting. Padua, where Galileo would eventually hold a chair at the University, was already by the fourteenth century (trecento) a renowned center for mathematics and nascent astronomy (which was separating from astrology). It is no wonder that when Enrico Scrovegni commissioned the famous Florentine artist Giotto di Bondone to decorate his lavish family chapel (c. 1303) that in the scene of the Adoration of the Magi Giotto painted a flaming comet in lieu of the traditional Star of Bethlehem. Moreover, he painted an historical apparition he recently had observed with a great understanding of its scientific structure: Halley's Comet of 1301 (since Olson's first publication of this idea in Scientific American we have expanded the argument in several articles and talks). While we do not know the identity of the artist's theological advisor, we discuss the possibility that Pietro d'Abano, the Paduan medical doctor and ``astronomer" who wrote on comets, might have been influential. We also compare Giotto's blazing comet with two others painted by the artist's shop in San Francesco at Assisi (before 1316) and account for the differences. In addition, we tackle the question how Giotto's pupil, Taddeo Gaddi, who is documented as having been partially blinded by lengthy unprotected observation of the partial phase of an annular solar eclipse, reflects his observations in his frescoes in Santa Croce, Florence (1328-30). Giotto also influenced the Sienese painter Pietro Lorenzetti, two of whose Passion cycle frescoes at Assisi (1316-20), contain dazzling meteor showers that hold important symbolic meanings in the cyle's argument but more importantly reveal that the artist observed astronomical phenomena, such as the ``radiant" effect, which was first recorded by Alexander von Humboldt

  9. Metabolic Dysregulation after Neutron Exposures Expected from an Improvised Nuclear Device

    PubMed Central

    Laiakis, Evagelia C.; Wang, Yi-Wen; Young, Erik F.; Harken, Andrew D.; Xu, Yanping; Smilenov, Lubomir; Garty, Guy Y.; Brenner, David J.; Fornace, Albert J.

    2017-01-01

    The increased threat of terrorism across the globe has raised fears that certain groups will acquire and use radioactive materials to inflict maximum damage. In the event that an improvised nuclear device (IND) is detonated, a potentially large population of victims will require assessment for radiation exposure. While photons will contribute to a major portion of the dose, neutrons may be responsible for the severity of the biologic effects and cellular responses. We investigated differences in response between these two radiation types by using metabolomics and lipidomics to identify biomarkers in urine and blood of wild-type C57BL/6 male mice. Identification of metabolites was based on a 1 Gy dose of radiation. Compared to X rays, a neutron spectrum similar to that encountered in Hiroshima at 1–1.5 km from the epicenter induced a severe metabolic dysregulation, with perturbations in amino acid metabolism and fatty acid β-oxidation being the predominant ones. Urinary metabolites were able to discriminate between neutron and X rays on day 1 as well as day 7 postirradiation, while serum markers showed such discrimination only on day 1. Free fatty acids from omega-6 and omega-3 pathways were also decreased with 1 Gy of neutrons, implicating cell membrane dysfunction and impaired phospholipid metabolism, which should otherwise lead to release of those molecules in circulation. While a precise relative biological effectiveness value could not be calculated from this study, the results are consistent with other published studies showing higher levels of damage from neutrons, demonstrated here by increased metabolic dysregulation. Metabolomics can therefore aid in identifying global perturbations in blood and urine, and effectively distinguishing between neutron and photon exposures. PMID:28475424

  10. Stock Market Expectations of Dutch Households

    PubMed Central

    Hurd, Michael; van Rooij, Maarten; Winter, Joachim

    2013-01-01

    Despite its importance for the analysis of life-cycle behavior and, in particular, retirement planning, stock ownership by private households is poorly understood. Among other approaches to investigate this puzzle, recent research has started to elicit private households’ expectations of stock market returns. This paper reports findings from a study that collected data over a two-year period both on households’ stock market expectations (subjective probabilities of gains or losses) and on whether they own stocks. We document substantial heterogeneity in financial market expectations. Expectations are correlated with stock ownership. Over the two years of our data, stock market prices increased, and expectations of future stock market price changes also increased, lending support to the view that expectations are influenced by recent stock gains or losses. PMID:23997423

  11. Nuclear electric power for multimegawatt orbit transfer vehicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Casagrande, R. D.

    Multimegawatt nuclear propulsion is an attractive option for orbit transfer vehicles. The masses of these platforms are expected to exceed the capability of a single launch from Earth necessitating assembly in space in a parking orbit. The OTV would transfer the platform from the parking orbit to the operational orbit and then return for the next mission. Electric propulsion is advantageous because of the high specific impulse achieved by the technology, 1000 to 5000 s and beyond, to reduce the propellant required. Nuclear power is attractive as the power system because of the weight savings over solar systems in the multimegawatt regime, and multimegawatts of power are required. A conceptual diagram is shown of an OTV with a command control module using electric thrusters powered from an SP-100 class nuclear reactor power system.

  12. Functionals of Gegenbauer polynomials and D-dimensional hydrogenic momentum expectation values

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Assche, W.; Yáñez, R. J.; González-Férez, R.; Dehesa, Jesús S.

    2000-09-01

    The system of Gegenbauer or ultraspherical polynomials {Cnλ(x);n=0,1,…} is a classical family of polynomials orthogonal with respect to the weight function ωλ(x)=(1-x2)λ-1/2 on the support interval [-1,+1]. Integral functionals of Gegenbauer polynomials with integrand f(x)[Cnλ(x)]2ωλ(x), where f(x) is an arbitrary function which does not depend on n or λ, are considered in this paper. First, a general recursion formula for these functionals is obtained. Then, the explicit expression for some specific functionals of this type is found in a closed and compact form; namely, for the functionals with f(x) equal to (1-x)α(1+x)β, log(1-x2), and (1+x)log(1+x), which appear in numerous physico-mathematical problems. Finally, these functionals are used in the explicit evaluation of the momentum expectation values and of the D-dimensional hydrogenic atom with nuclear charge Z⩾1. The power expectation values are given by means of a terminating 5F4 hypergeometric function with unit argument, which is a considerable improvement with respect to Hey's expression (the only one existing up to now) which requires a double sum.

  13. Video lottery: winning expectancies and arousal.

    PubMed

    Ladouceur, Robert; Sévigny, Serge; Blaszczynski, Alexander; O'Connor, Kieron; Lavoie, Marc E

    2003-06-01

    This study investigates the effects of video lottery players' expectancies of winning on physiological and subjective arousal. Participants were assigned randomly to one of two experimental conditions: high and low winning expectancies. Participants played 100 video lottery games in a laboratory setting while physiological measures were recorded. Level of risk-taking was controlled. Participants were 34 occasional or regular video lottery players. They were assigned randomly into two groups of 17, with nine men and eight women in each group. The low-expectancy group played for fun, therefore expecting to win worthless credits, while the high-expectancy group played for real money. Players' experience, demographic variables and subjective arousal were assessed. Severity of problem gambling was measured with the South Oaks Gambling Screen. In order to measure arousal, the average heart rate was recorded across eight periods. Participants exposed to high as compared to low expectations experienced faster heart rate prior to and during the gambling session. According to self-reports, it is the expectancy of winning money that is exciting, not playing the game. Regardless of the level of risk-taking, expectancy of winning is a cognitive factor influencing levels of arousal. When playing for fun, gambling becomes significantly less stimulating than when playing for money.

  14. Expectancy-Value Theory of Achievement Motivation.

    PubMed

    Wigfield; Eccles

    2000-01-01

    We discuss the expectancy-value theory of motivation, focusing on an expectancy-value model developed and researched by Eccles, Wigfield, and their colleagues. Definitions of crucial constructs in the model, including ability beliefs, expectancies for success, and the components of subjective task values, are provided. These definitions are compared to those of related constructs, including self-efficacy, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and interest. Research is reviewed dealing with two issues: (1) change in children's and adolescents' ability beliefs, expectancies for success, and subjective values, and (2) relations of children's and adolescents' ability-expectancy beliefs and subjective task values to their performance and choice of activities. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

  15. Life expectancy in bipolar disorder.

    PubMed

    Kessing, Lars Vedel; Vradi, Eleni; Andersen, Per Kragh

    2015-08-01

    Life expectancy in patients with bipolar disorder has been reported to be decreased by 11 to 20 years. These calculations are based on data for individuals at the age of 15 years. However, this may be misleading for patients with bipolar disorder in general as most patients have a later onset of illness. The aim of the present study was to calculate the remaining life expectancy for patients of different ages with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Using nationwide registers of all inpatient and outpatient contacts to all psychiatric hospitals in Denmark from 1970 to 2012 we calculated remaining life expectancies for values of age 15, 25, 35 ⃛ 75 years among all individuals alive in year 2000. For the typical male or female patient aged 25 to 45 years, the remaining life expectancy was decreased by 12.0-8.7 years and 10.6-8.3 years, respectively. The ratio between remaining life expectancy in bipolar disorder and that of the general population decreased with age, indicating that patients with bipolar disorder start losing life-years during early and mid-adulthood. Life expectancy in bipolar disorder is decreased substantially, but less so than previously reported. Patients start losing life-years during early and mid-adulthood. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Concepts of Present Self, Expected Self, and Ideal Self in Vocational Preferences and Expectations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burgoyne, Peter H.

    1979-01-01

    Investigated the hypotheses that similarity of ideal self and occupational stereotypes is important in determining vocational preferences of adolescents, while similarity between expected self and occupational stereotypes is important in determining occupational expectations. Findings supported the idea that ideal self played an important role in…

  17. The future of life expectancy and life expectancy inequalities in England and Wales: Bayesian spatiotemporal forecasting

    PubMed Central

    Bennett, James E; Li, Guangquan; Foreman, Kyle; Best, Nicky; Kontis, Vasilis; Pearson, Clare; Hambly, Peter; Ezzati, Majid

    2015-01-01

    Summary Background To plan for pensions and health and social services, future mortality and life expectancy need to be forecast. Consistent forecasts for all subnational units within a country are very rare. Our aim was to forecast mortality and life expectancy for England and Wales' districts. Methods We developed Bayesian spatiotemporal models for forecasting of age-specific mortality and life expectancy at a local, small-area level. The models included components that accounted for mortality in relation to age, birth cohort, time, and space. We used geocoded mortality and population data between 1981 and 2012 from the Office for National Statistics together with the model with the smallest error to forecast age-specific death rates and life expectancy to 2030 for 375 of England and Wales' 376 districts. We measured model performance by withholding recent data and comparing forecasts with this withheld data. Findings Life expectancy at birth in England and Wales was 79·5 years (95% credible interval 79·5–79·6) for men and 83·3 years (83·3–83·4) for women in 2012. District life expectancies ranged between 75·2 years (74·9–75·6) and 83·4 years (82·1–84·8) for men and between 80·2 years (79·8–80·5) and 87·3 years (86·0–88·8) for women. Between 1981 and 2012, life expectancy increased by 8·2 years for men and 6·0 years for women, closing the female–male gap from 6·0 to 3·8 years. National life expectancy in 2030 is expected to reach 85·7 (84·2–87·4) years for men and 87·6 (86·7–88·9) years for women, further reducing the female advantage to 1·9 years. Life expectancy will reach or surpass 81·4 years for men and reach or surpass 84·5 years for women in every district by 2030. Longevity inequality across districts, measured as the difference between the 1st and 99th percentiles of district life expectancies, has risen since 1981, and is forecast to rise steadily to 8·3 years (6·8–9·7) for men and 8·3 years (7·1

  18. Nuclear Energy and Health: And the Benefits of Low-Dose Radiation Hormesis

    PubMed Central

    Cuttler, Jerry M.; Pollycove, Myron

    2009-01-01

    Energy needs worldwide are expected to increase for the foreseeable future, but fuel supplies are limited. Nuclear reactors could supply much of the energy demand in a safe, sustainable manner were it not for fear of potential releases of radioactivity. Such releases would likely deliver a low dose or dose rate of radiation, within the range of naturally occurring radiation, to which life is already accustomed. The key areas of concern are discussed. Studies of actual health effects, especially thyroid cancers, following exposures are assessed. Radiation hormesis is explained, pointing out that beneficial effects are expected following a low dose or dose rate because protective responses against stresses are stimulated. The notions that no amount of radiation is small enough to be harmless and that a nuclear accident could kill hundreds of thousands are challenged in light of experience: more than a century with radiation and six decades with reactors. If nuclear energy is to play a significant role in meeting future needs, regulatory authorities must examine the scientific evidence and communicate the real health effects of nuclear radiation. Negative images and implications of health risks derived by unscientific extrapolations of harmful effects of high doses must be dispelled. PMID:19343116

  19. Development and validation of a questionnaire to measure preferences and expectations of patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy: EXPECT questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Patil, V M; Chakraborty, S; Jithin, T K; Dessai, S; Sajith Babu, T P; Raghavan, V; Geetha, M; Kumar, T Shiva; Biji, M S; Bhattacharjee, A; Nair, C

    2016-01-01

    The objective was to design and validate the questionnaire for capturing palliative chemotherapy-related preferences and expectations. Single arm, unicentric, prospective observational study. EXPECT questionnaire was designed to capture preferences and expectations of patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy. This questionnaire underwent a linguistic validation and then was tested in patients. Ten patients are undergoing chemotherapy for solid tumors who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria self-administered the EXPECT questionnaire in regional language. After filling this questionnaire, they self-administered quick questionnaire-10 (QQ-10). SPSS version 16 (IBM New York) was used for analysis. Completion rate of EXPECT questionnaire was calculated. The feasibility, face validity, utility and time taken for completion of EXPECT questionnaire was also assessed. The completion rate of this questionnaire was 100%. All patients completed questionnaire within 5 min. The QQ-10 tool confirmed the feasibility, face validity and utility of the questionnaire. EXPECT questionnaire was validated in the regional language, and it's an effective tool for capturing patient's preferences and expectation from chemotherapy.

  20. High Fidelity, Fuel-Like Thermal Simulators for Non-Nuclear Testing: Analysis and Initial Test Results

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Dickens, Ricky; Dixon, David; Kapernick, Richard

    2007-01-01

    Non-nuclear testing can be a valuable tool in the development of a space nuclear power system, providing system characterization data and allowing one to work through various fabrication, assembly and integration issues without the cost and time associated with a full ground nuclear test. In a non-nuclear test bed, electric heaters are used to simulate the heat from nuclear fuel. Testing with non-optimized heater elements allows one to assess thermal, heat transfer. and stress related attributes of a given system, but fails to demonstrate the dynamic response that would be present in an integrated, fueled reactor system. High fidelity thermal simulators that match both the static and the dynamic fuel pin performance that would be observed in an operating, fueled nuclear reactor can vastly increase the value of non-nuclear test results. With optimized simulators, the integration of thermal hydraulic hardware tests with simulated neutronic response provides a bridge between electrically heated testing and fueled nuclear testing. By implementing a neutronic response model to simulate the dynamic response that would be expected in a fueled reactor system, one can better understand system integration issues, characterize integrated system response times and response characteristics and assess potential design improvements at relatively small fiscal investment. Initial conceptual thermal simulator designs are determined by simple one-dimensional analysis at a single axial location and at steady state conditions; feasible concepts are then input into a detailed three-dimensional model for comparison to expected fuel pin performance. Static and dynamic fuel pin performance for a proposed reactor design is determined using SINDA/FLUINT thermal analysis software, and comparison is made between the expected nuclear performance and the performance of conceptual thermal simulator designs. Through a series of iterative analyses, a conceptual high fidelity design is developed

  1. Galaxy Properties and UV Escape Fractions during the Epoch of Reionization: Results from the Renaissance Simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Hao; Wise, John H.; Norman, Michael L.; Ahn, Kyungjin; O'Shea, Brian W.

    2016-12-01

    Cosmic reionization is thought to be primarily fueled by the first generations of galaxies. We examine their stellar and gaseous properties, focusing on the star formation rates and the escape of ionizing photons, as a function of halo mass, redshift, and environment using the full suite of the Renaissance Simulations with an eye to provide better inputs to global reionization simulations. This suite probes overdense, average, and underdense regions of the universe of several hundred comoving Mpc3, each yielding a sample of over 3000 halos in the mass range of 107-109.5 {M}⊙ at their final redshifts of 15, 12.5, and 8, respectively. In the process, we simulate the effects of radiative and supernova feedback from 5000 to 10,000 Population III stars in each simulation. We find that halos as small as 107 {M}⊙ are able to host bursty star formation due to metal-line cooling from earlier enrichment by massive Population III stars. Using our large sample, we find that the galaxy-halo occupation fraction drops from unity at virial masses above 108.5 {M}⊙ to ˜50% at 108 {M}⊙ and ˜10% at 107 {M}⊙ , quite independent of redshift and region. Their average ionizing escape fraction is ˜5% in the mass range of 108-109 {M}⊙ and increases with decreasing halo mass below this range, reaching 40%-60% at 107 {M}⊙ . Interestingly, we find that the escape fraction varies between 10%-20% in halos with virial masses of ˜3 × 109 {M}⊙ . Taken together, our results confirm the importance of the smallest galaxies as sources of ionizing radiation contributing to the reionization of the universe.

  2. Primary care clinician expectations regarding aging.

    PubMed

    Davis, Melinda M; Bond, Lynne A; Howard, Alan; Sarkisian, Catherine A

    2011-12-01

    Expectations regarding aging (ERA) in community-dwelling older adults are associated with personal health behaviors and health resource usage. Clinicians' age expectations likely influence patients' expectations and care delivery patterns; yet, limited research has explored clinicians' age expectations. The Expectations Regarding Aging Survey (ERA-12) was used to assess (a) age expectations in a sample of primary care clinicians practicing in the United States and (b) clinician characteristics associated with ERA-12 scores.  This study was a cross-sectional survey of primary care clinicians affiliated with 5 practice-based research networks, October 2008 to June 2009. A total of 374 of the 1,510 distributed surveys were returned (24.8% response rate); 357 analyzed. Mean respondent age was 48.6 years (SD = 11.6; range 23-87 years); 88.0% physicians, 96.0% family medicine, 94.9% White, and 61.9% male. Female clinicians reported higher ERA-12 scores; clinicians' age expectations decreased with greater years in practice. Among the clinicians, higher ERA-12 scores were associated with higher clinician ratings of the importance of and personal skill in administering preventive counseling and the importance of delivering preventive services. Agreement with individual ERA-12 items varied widely. Unrealistically high or low ERA could negatively influence the quality of care provided to patients and patients' own age expectations. Research should examine the etiology of clinicians' age expectations and their association with older adult diagnoses and treatment. Medical education must incorporate strategies to promote clinician attitudes that facilitate successful patient aging.

  3. Subjective Life Expectancy Among College Students.

    PubMed

    Rodemann, Alyssa E; Arigo, Danielle

    2017-09-14

    Establishing healthy habits in college is important for long-term health. Despite existing health promotion efforts, many college students fail to meet recommendations for behaviors such as healthy eating and exercise, which may be due to low perceived risk for health problems. The goals of this study were to examine: (1) the accuracy of life expectancy predictions, (2) potential individual differences in accuracy (i.e., gender and conscientiousness), and (3) potential change in accuracy after inducing awareness of current health behaviors. College students from a small northeastern university completed an electronic survey, including demographics, initial predictions of their life expectancy, and their recent health behaviors. At the end of the survey, participants were asked to predict their life expectancy a second time. Their health data were then submitted to a validated online algorithm to generate calculated life expectancy. Participants significantly overestimated their initial life expectancy, and neither gender nor conscientiousness was related to the accuracy of these predictions. Further, subjective life expectancy decreased from initial to final predictions. These findings suggest that life expectancy perceptions present a unique-and potentially modifiable-psychological process that could influence college students' self-care.

  4. Patient/parent expectations of orthodontic treatment.

    PubMed

    Obilade, Omolara Abiodun; da Costa, Oluranti Olatokunbo; Sanu, Oluwatosin Oluyemi

    2017-03-01

    Expectations of orthodontic treatment may differ between the patient and their parents, as the parents' expectations may not reflect those of the child. The aim of this study, therefore, was to determine the expectations of patients and their parents. This was a clinic-based, comparative, cross-sectional study involving 110 patients aged between 10 and 19 years, as well as their accompanying parents or guardians. The expectations of both patients and parents were determined using a questionnaire developed by Sayers and Newton. Results showed that the expectations of the patients and parents differed significantly in a number of areas with the parents' expectations often exceeding those of the patients. Both patients and parents were found to be ignorant about some aspects of orthodontic treatment, with 47.3% of patients and 39.1% of parents unaware of the duration of orthodontic treatment and, as such, requiring information from their clinicians. The results highlight the importance of patient education and counseling as well as the need to focus on the individual patient and not assume that their expectations mirror those of the accompanying parent. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  5. Multicultural Differences in Women's Expectations of Birth.

    PubMed

    Moore, Marianne F

    2016-01-01

    This review surveyed qualitative and quantitative studies to explore the expectations around birth that are held by women from different cultures. These studies are grouped according to expectations of personal control expectations of support from partner/others/family; expectations of carel behavior from providers such as nurses, doctors, and/or midwives; expectations about the health of the baby; and expectations about pain in childbirth. Discussed are the findings and the role that Western culture in medicine, power and privilege are noted in providing care to these women.

  6. Particle Identification in Nuclear Emulsion by Measuring Multiple Coulomb Scattering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Than Tint, Khin; Nakazawa, Kazuma; Yoshida, Junya; Kyaw Soe, Myint; Mishina, Akihiro; Kinbara, Shinji; Itoh, Hiroki; Endo, Yoko; Kobayashi, Hidetaka; E07 Collaboration

    2014-09-01

    We are developing particle identification techniques for single charged particles such as Xi, proton, K and π by measuring multiple Coulomb scattering in nuclear emulsion. Nuclear emulsion is the best three dimensional detector for double strangeness (S = -2) nuclear system. We expect to accumulate about 10000 Xi-minus stop events which produce double lambda hypernucleus in J-PARC E07 emulsion counter hybrid experiment. The purpose of this particle identification (PID) in nuclear emulsion is to purify Xi-minus stop events which gives information about production probability of double hypernucleus and branching ratio of decay mode. Amount of scattering parameterized as angular distribution and second difference is inversely proportional to the momentum of particle. We produced several thousands of various charged particle tracks in nuclear emulsion stack via Geant4 simulation. In this talk, PID with some measuring methods for multiple scattering will be discussed by comparing with simulation data and real Xi-minus stop events in KEK-E373 experiment.

  7. Goals, Objectives, and Requirements (GOR) of the Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (GNDD) Team for the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D)

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

    Casey, Leslie A.

    The goal, objectives, and requirements (GOR) presented in this document define a framework for describing research directed specifically by the Ground-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (GNDD) Team of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The intent of this document is to provide a communication tool for the GNDD Team with NNSA management and with its stakeholder community. It describes the GNDD expectation that much of the improvement in the proficiency of nuclear explosion monitoring will come from better understanding of the science behind the generation, propagation, recording, and interpretation of seismic, infrasound, hydroacoustic, and radionuclide signals and development of "game-changer" advancesmore » in science and technology.« less

  8. "Treatises on Earthquakes" in late Renaissance (16th-17th cent), at the roots of historical seismology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albini, P.

    2009-04-01

    It was soon after the damaging November 1570 earthquake at Ferrara, Northern Italy, that the academic Stefano Breventano from Pavia, a small town in Northern Italy as well, started to compose his "Treatise on the earthquake". Completed by September 1576, this 250-page manuscript was to remain unpublished for centuries. The critical edition recently appeared (Albini, 2007) was a due tribute to the remarkable amount of information put together by Breventano, an otherwise "obscure" literate who, before getting involved with earthquakes, had published a history of the antiquities and remarkable events at his hometown Pavia (1570). Indeed, he was not the first Renaissance author to pursue the goal of checking into the historical sources of the previous centuries in search of earthquakes and other natural phenomena. What is outstanding in his "Treatise" is that he suceeded in retrieving information on more than two hundred earthquakes, along two thousand years, between 504 B.C. and 1575 A.D., covering the whole Euro-Mediterranean region, and the West Indies in early 16th century. Breventano's essay is here presented, together with a comparison between his style and amount of information with those included in the work by the contemporary British author Stephen Batman, "The Doome warning all men to the Judgement" (1581). A later treatise is presented also, the work by Marcello Bonito (1690) "Terra Tremante [Trembling Earth]", which could easily be defined as a worldwide list of earthquakes. In structure and content, Bonito's work goes along the same lines of Breventano, and could be considered a precursor of today descriptive catalogues, because of his outstandingly modern approach that paved the way to modern historical seismology.

  9. Reliability and Validity of the Self Efficacy Expectations and Outcome Expectations After ICD Implantation Scales

    PubMed Central

    Dougherty, Cynthia M.; Johnston, Sandra K.; Thompson, Elaine Adams

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and validity characteristics of two new scales that measure self-efficacy expectations (SE-ICD) and outcome expectations (OE-ICD) in survivors (n=168) of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), all of whom received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Cronbach's alpha reliability demonstrated good internal consistency (SE-ICD α = 0.93 and OE-ICD α = 0.81). Correlations with other self-efficacy instruments (general self-efficacy and social self-efficacy) were consistently high. The instruments were responsive to change across time with effect sizes of 0.46 for SE-ICD, and 0.26 for OE-ICD. These reliable, valid, and responsive instruments for measurement of self-efficacy expectations and outcome expectations after an ICD can be used in research and clinical settings. PMID:17693214

  10. Women's Retirement Expectations: How Stable Are They?

    PubMed Central

    Hardy, Melissa A.

    2009-01-01

    Objective Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Mature Women, we examine between- and within-person differences in expected retirement age as a key element of the retirement planning process. The expectation typologies of 1,626 women born between 1923 and 1937 were classified jointly on the basis of specificity and consistency. Methods Latent class analysis was used to determine retirement expectation patterns over a 7-year span. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were employed to estimate the effects of demographic and status characteristics on the likelihood of reporting 4 distinct longitudinal patterns of retirement expectations. Results Substantial heterogeneity in reports of expected retirement age between and within individuals over the 7-year span was found. Demographic and status characteristics, specifically age, race, marital status, job tenure, and recent job change, sorted respondents into different retirement expectation patterns. Conclusions The frequent within-person fluctuations and substantial between-person heterogeneity in retirement expectations indicate uncertainty and variability in both expectations and process of expectation formation. Variability in respondents' reports suggests that studying retirement expectations at multiple time points better captures the dynamics of preretirement planning. PMID:19176483

  11. Parental Expectations of Their Adolescents' Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tatar, Moshe; Horenczyk, Gabriel

    2000-01-01

    Examines parental expectations of their children's teachers through use of the Expectations of Teachers questionnaire. Participating parents (N=765) reported greater expectations for help and assistance, followed by teaching competence and fairness on the part of the teacher. Mothers were found to hold higher fairness, help, and assistance…

  12. Primary Care Clinician Expectations Regarding Aging

    PubMed Central

    Davis, Melinda M.; Bond, Lynne A.; Howard, Alan; Sarkisian, Catherine A.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: Expectations regarding aging (ERA) in community-dwelling older adults are associated with personal health behaviors and health resource usage. Clinicians’ age expectations likely influence patients’ expectations and care delivery patterns; yet, limited research has explored clinicians’ age expectations. The Expectations Regarding Aging Survey (ERA-12) was used to assess (a) age expectations in a sample of primary care clinicians practicing in the United States and (b) clinician characteristics associated with ERA-12 scores. Design and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey of primary care clinicians affiliated with 5 practice-based research networks, October 2008 to June 2009. A total of 374 of the 1,510 distributed surveys were returned (24.8% response rate); 357 analyzed. Mean respondent age was 48.6 years (SD = 11.6; range 23–87 years); 88.0% physicians, 96.0% family medicine, 94.9% White, and 61.9% male. Results: Female clinicians reported higher ERA-12 scores; clinicians’ age expectations decreased with greater years in practice. Among the clinicians, higher ERA-12 scores were associated with higher clinician ratings of the importance of and personal skill in administering preventive counseling and the importance of delivering preventive services. Agreement with individual ERA-12 items varied widely. Implications: Unrealistically high or low ERA could negatively influence the quality of care provided to patients and patients’ own age expectations. Research should examine the etiology of clinicians’ age expectations and their association with older adult diagnoses and treatment. Medical education must incorporate strategies to promote clinician attitudes that facilitate successful patient aging. PMID:21430129

  13. Nuclear thermal rocket nozzle testing and evaluation program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Davidian, Kenneth O.; Kacynski, Kenneth J.

    1993-01-01

    Performance characteristics of the Nuclear Thermal Rocket can be enhanced through the use of unconventional nozzles as part of the propulsion system. The Nuclear Thermal Rocket nozzle testing and evaluation program being conducted at the NASA Lewis is outlined and the advantages of a plug nozzle are described. A facility description, experimental designs and schematics are given. Results of pretest performance analyses show that high nozzle performance can be attained despite substantial nozzle length reduction through the use of plug nozzles as compared to a convergent-divergent nozzle. Pretest measurement uncertainty analyses indicate that specific impulse values are expected to be within + or - 1.17 pct.

  14. Debating Nuclear Energy: Theories of Risk and Purposes of Communication.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mirel, Barbara

    1994-01-01

    Applies theoretical principles of risk perception and communication (from various psychological, social, political, and cultural dynamics) to a sample risk communication on nuclear energy to determine realistic expectations for persuasive risk communications. Stresses that rhetorical researchers need to explore and test the extent to which written…

  15. Great Expectations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Natale, Jo Anna

    1993-01-01

    Inside one Washington, DC, elementary school, Principal John Pannell has high hopes for his students and an expansive school vision. Malcolm X School compensates for disorder outside by clearly inculcating rules and behavior expectations. Children in school uniforms daily repeat a motto promoting Malcolm X as a school of love allowing no hitting,…

  16. Brain Mechanisms Supporting Violated Expectations of Pain

    PubMed Central

    Zeidan, Fadel; Lobanov, Oleg V.; Kraft, Robert A.; Coghill, Robert C.

    2015-01-01

    The subjective experience of pain is influenced by interactions between prior experiences, future predictions and incoming afferent information. Expectations of high pain can exacerbate pain while expectations of low pain during a consistently noxious stimulus can produce significant reductions in pain. However, the brain mechanisms associated with processing mismatches between expected and experienced pain are poorly understood, but are important for imparting salience to a sensory event in order to override erroneous top-down expectancy-mediated information. The present investigation examined pain-related brain activation when expectations of pain were abruptly violated. After conditioning participants to cues predicting low or high pain, ten incorrectly cued stimuli were administered across 56 stimulus trials to determine if expectations would be less influential on pain when there is a high discordance between pre-stimulus cues and corresponding thermal stimulation. Incorrectly cued stimuli produced pain ratings and pain-related brain activation consistent with placebo analgesia, nocebo hyperalgesia, and violated expectations. Violated expectations of pain were associated with activation in distinct regions of the inferior parietal lobe, including the supramarginal and angular gyrus, and intraparietal sulcus, the superior parietal lobe, cerebellum and occipital lobe. Thus, violated expectations of pain engage mechanisms supporting salience-driven sensory discrimination, working memory, and associative learning processes. By overriding the influence of expectations on pain, these brain mechanisms are likely engaged in clinical situations where patients’ unrealistic expectations for pain relief diminish the efficacy of pain treatments. Accordingly, these findings underscore the importance of maintaining realistic expectations to augment the effectiveness of pain management. PMID:26083664

  17. High Fidelity Thermal Simulators for Non-Nuclear Testing: Analysis and Initial Results

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Dickens, Ricky; Dixon, David

    2007-01-01

    Non-nuclear testing can be a valuable tool in the development of a space nuclear power system, providing system characterization data and allowing one to work through various fabrication, assembly and integration issues without the cost and time associated with a full ground nuclear test. In a non-nuclear test bed, electric heaters are used to simulate the heat from nuclear fuel. Testing with non-optimized heater elements allows one to assess thermal, heat transfer, and stress related attributes of a given system, but fails to demonstrate the dynamic response that would be present in an integrated, fueled reactor system. High fidelity thermal simulators that match both the static and the dynamic fuel pin performance that would be observed in an operating, fueled nuclear reactor can vastly increase the value of non-nuclear test results. With optimized simulators, the integration of thermal hydraulic hardware tests with simulated neutronie response provides a bridge between electrically heated testing and fueled nuclear testing, providing a better assessment of system integration issues, characterization of integrated system response times and response characteristics, and assessment of potential design improvements' at a relatively small fiscal investment. Initial conceptual thermal simulator designs are determined by simple one-dimensional analysis at a single axial location and at steady state conditions; feasible concepts are then input into a detailed three-dimensional model for comparison to expected fuel pin performance. Static and dynamic fuel pin performance for a proposed reactor design is determined using SINDA/FLUINT thermal analysis software, and comparison is made between the expected nuclear performance and the performance of conceptual thermal simulator designs. Through a series of iterative analyses, a conceptual high fidelity design can developed. Test results presented in this paper correspond to a "first cut" simulator design for a potential

  18. World`s energy appetite may crave nuclear power

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

    Fulkerson, W.; Anderson, T.D.

    1996-07-01

    As scientists come to agree that global warming is a real phenomenon, it may be time to jumpstart the stalled nuclear industry. World population is expected to double by the end of the 21st century, and the lion`s share of growth will be in developing nations. {open_quotes}More people and more economic activity will require more energy,{close_quotes} say William Fulkerson, a senior fellow at the Joint Institute for Energy and the Environment in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Truman D. Anderson, formerly director of planning at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. There are only three viable options to fossil fuel plants, the authors say:more » nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, and such renewable energy sources as solar and wind. The advantages of nuclear energy are well known, the authors say. {open_quotes}It emits no greenhouse gases, and potentially it can be expanded almost without limit anywhere in the world, providing the controversies that surround it can be resolved.{close_quotes} However, to garner public acceptance, a new generation of supersafe nuclear reactors, invulnerable to terrorism and conversion to weapons, will need to be developed, the authors say.« less

  19. Design and expected performance of a compact and continuous nuclear demagnetization refrigerator for sub-mK applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Toda, Ryo; Murakawa, Satoshi; Fukuyama, Hiroshi

    2018-03-01

    Sub-mK temperatures are achievable by a copper nuclear demagnetization refrigerator (NDR). Recently, research demands for such an ultra-low temperature environment are increasing not only in condensed matter physics but also in astrophysics. A standard NDR requires a specially designed room, a high-field superconducting magnet, and a high-power dilution refrigerator (DR). And it is a one-shot cooling apparatus. To reduce these requirements, we are developing a compact and continuous NDR with two PrNi5 nuclear stages which occupies only a small space next to an appropriate pre-cooling stage such as DR. PrNi5 has a large magnetic-field enhancement on Pr3+ nuclei due to the strong hyperfine coupling. This enables us to enclose each stage in a miniature superconducting magnet and to locate two such sets in close proximity by surrounding them with high-permeability magnetic shields. The two stages are thermally connected in series to the pre-cooling stage by two Zn superconducting heat switches. A numerical analysis taking account of thermal resistances of all parts and an eddy current heating shows that the lowest sample temperature of 0.8 mK can be maintained continuously under a 10 nW ambient heat leak.

  20. Impact of Nuclear Data Uncertainties on Calculated Spent Fuel Nuclide Inventories and Advanced NDA Instrument Response

    DOE PAGES

    Hu, Jianwei; Gauld, Ian C.

    2014-12-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy’s Next Generation Safeguards Initiative Spent Fuel (NGSI-SF) project is nearing the final phase of developing several advanced nondestructive assay (NDA) instruments designed to measure spent nuclear fuel assemblies for the purpose of improving nuclear safeguards. Current efforts are focusing on calibrating several of these instruments with spent fuel assemblies at two international spent fuel facilities. Modelling and simulation is expected to play an important role in predicting nuclide compositions, neutron and gamma source terms, and instrument responses in order to inform the instrument calibration procedures. As part of NGSI-SF project, this work was carried outmore » to assess the impacts of uncertainties in the nuclear data used in the calculations of spent fuel content, radiation emissions and instrument responses. Nuclear data is an essential part of nuclear fuel burnup and decay codes and nuclear transport codes. Such codes are routinely used for analysis of spent fuel and NDA safeguards instruments. Hence, the uncertainties existing in the nuclear data used in these codes affect the accuracies of such analysis. In addition, nuclear data uncertainties represent the limiting (smallest) uncertainties that can be expected from nuclear code predictions, and therefore define the highest attainable accuracy of the NDA instrument. This work studies the impacts of nuclear data uncertainties on calculated spent fuel nuclide inventories and the associated NDA instrument response. Recently developed methods within the SCALE code system are applied in this study. The Californium Interrogation with Prompt Neutron instrument was selected to illustrate the impact of these uncertainties on NDA instrument response.« less

  1. Impact of Nuclear Data Uncertainties on Calculated Spent Fuel Nuclide Inventories and Advanced NDA Instrument Response

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

    Hu, Jianwei; Gauld, Ian C.

    The U.S. Department of Energy’s Next Generation Safeguards Initiative Spent Fuel (NGSI-SF) project is nearing the final phase of developing several advanced nondestructive assay (NDA) instruments designed to measure spent nuclear fuel assemblies for the purpose of improving nuclear safeguards. Current efforts are focusing on calibrating several of these instruments with spent fuel assemblies at two international spent fuel facilities. Modelling and simulation is expected to play an important role in predicting nuclide compositions, neutron and gamma source terms, and instrument responses in order to inform the instrument calibration procedures. As part of NGSI-SF project, this work was carried outmore » to assess the impacts of uncertainties in the nuclear data used in the calculations of spent fuel content, radiation emissions and instrument responses. Nuclear data is an essential part of nuclear fuel burnup and decay codes and nuclear transport codes. Such codes are routinely used for analysis of spent fuel and NDA safeguards instruments. Hence, the uncertainties existing in the nuclear data used in these codes affect the accuracies of such analysis. In addition, nuclear data uncertainties represent the limiting (smallest) uncertainties that can be expected from nuclear code predictions, and therefore define the highest attainable accuracy of the NDA instrument. This work studies the impacts of nuclear data uncertainties on calculated spent fuel nuclide inventories and the associated NDA instrument response. Recently developed methods within the SCALE code system are applied in this study. The Californium Interrogation with Prompt Neutron instrument was selected to illustrate the impact of these uncertainties on NDA instrument response.« less

  2. Expectancy Disconfirmation and Attitude Change.

    PubMed

    McPeek, Robert W; Edwards, John D

    1975-08-01

    An experiment was conducted testing the hypothesis that sources delivering unexpected communications (long-haired males arguing against marijuana usage and seminarians arguing in its favor) would be more persuasive than communicators of expected messages (promarijuana hippies and antimarijuana seminarians). Greater attitude change for unexpected sources was found only when the message was antimarijuana. Unexpected communicators also were rated as more sincere and honest than expected sources. Possible reasons for the failure of the expectancy effect to hold for promarijuana communications were suggested, and the results were discussed in terms of a variety of social-psychological theories.

  3. Introduction: commentaries and author's response to "The rise and fall of the autochthonous self: from Italian Renaissance Art and Shakespeare to Hediegger, Lacan, and Intersubjectivism" by Richard D. Chessick.

    PubMed

    Leffert, Mark; Schwartz, Scott C; Chessick, Richard D

    2011-01-01

    This article addresses the unresolved question of the existence of a private core autochthonous self, as it has been described by Winnicott, Modell, and others. The postmodern version of the self has eliminated this concept entirely, relegating the self to a changing and unstable display, or regarding it as totally chaotic, or even an illusion. The question is raised whether by returning to the origins of this notion of a private self and then tracing its apparent dissolution it might be possible to discover some evidence that it still exists. The methodology used is that of obtaining knowledge directly through the arts and the claim is made that because empirical science has clamored to be the only source of knowledge, we have lost what could be obtained by direct intuitive seeing and experiencing the works of creative geniuses. To explore the rise of the autochthonous self this article provides an examination of the shift from Gothic art to Italian Renaissance art, a time which engendered the origin of "man" with his or her elusive private individual self that then became expressed in changing works of art. As this spread north, Shakespeare appeared and similarly invented and illustrated in his characters the private individual self, a concept not appreciated or recognized before the Renaissance. But as science arose and Western civilization began to decline, a corresponding disillusionment with "man" took place. The self began to be viewed as solely a social construction with no core except perhaps a genetic endowment. This was accompanied by a reduction in the concept of the human as a valuable and precious living being and was replaced by regarding the human as an object of control and exploitation. After the Second World War a movement in contemporary United States psychoanalysis gradually replaced the ideas of Freud and his emphasis on the "I" in the psychoanalytic process, with forms of relational therapy, assuming that the self was ab initio

  4. Nuclear recoil measurements with the ARIS experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fan, Alden; ARIS Collaboration

    2017-01-01

    As direct dark matter searches become increasingly sensitive, it is important to fully characterize the target of the search. The goal of the Argon Recoil Ionization and Scintillation (ARIS) experiment is to quantify information related to the scintillation and ionization energy scale, quenching factor, ion recombination probability, and scintillation time response of nuclear recoils, as expected from WIMPs, in liquid argon. A time projection chamber with an active mass of 0.5 kg of liquid argon and capable of full 3D position reconstruction was exposed to an inverse kinematic neutron beam at the Institut de Physique Nucleaire d'Orsay in France. A scan of nuclear recoil energies was performed through coincidence with a set of neutron detectors to quantify properties of nuclear recoils in liquid argon at various electric fields. The difference in ionization and scintillation response with differing recoil track angle to the electric field was also studied. The preliminary results of the experiment will be presented.

  5. A review of expectancy theory and alcohol consumption.

    PubMed

    Jones, B T; Corbin, W; Fromme, K

    2001-01-01

    Research is reviewed on the association between alcohol outcome expectancies and consumption which has led many to argue that manipulating expectancies might be a route to manipulating consumption for problem prevention and treatment. Studies indirectly and directly evaluating this latter position are reviewed. Expectancies predicting treatment outcome: two studies have shown that the more positive expectancies held at treatment, the poorer is treatment outcome, but five other studies have failed to find this. Three related studies have shown that the more negative expectancies held at treatment, the better the treatment outcome. This evaluation provides evidence inconsistent with the main position for positive expectancy and limited support for negative. Expectancy manipulations and ad libitum consumption: three studies in the laboratory have shown that increasing positive expectancies through word priming increases subsequent consumption and two studies have shown that increasing negative expectancies decreases it. A single study in the field showed a similar relationship. This evaluation provides evidence consistent with the main position but is limited by measuring consumption changes over only 1-2 hours. Prevention programmes with expectancy components: seven projects are reviewed in which positive expectancies were targeted, but only two report an expectancy change analysis and in both cases the expectancy change did not relate to subsequent consumption. This evaluation provides evidence inconsistent with the main position. Expectancy challenge: two related studies are reviewed in which positive expectancy challenges reduce subsequent consumption but changes in expectancy were not evaluated as predictors of consumption change. Two studies are reviewed which found a reduction in positive expectancy following expectancy challenge but no reduction in consumption. One study is reviewed in which when negative expectancy was increased in treatment there was a

  6. The benefit of expecting no conflict--Stronger influence of self-generated than cue-induced conflict expectations on Stroop performance.

    PubMed

    Kemper, Maike; Gaschler, Robert; Schwager, Sabine; Schubert, Torsten

    2016-01-01

    The role of expectations in sequential adaptation to cognitive conflict has been debated controversially in prior studies. On the one hand, a sequential congruency effect (SCE) has been reported for trials in which participants expect a repetition of conflict level. On the other hand, conflict level expectations vs. the SCE have been shown to develop differentially across runs of trials with the same conflict level, arguing against the theory that the SCE is purely driven by expectation. The current verbal Stroop experiment addresses this controversy by two means. First, we tested which specific type of expectation (cue-induced expectations vs. self-generated predictions) might affect the SCE. Second, we assessed the impact of expectation on the SCE as well as the development of SCE and expectation with congruency level run length in one design. We observed a dissociation between expectations and SCE, demonstrating that the SCE is not exclusively driven by expectations. At the same time, we found evidence that (self-generated) expectations do have an impact on the SCE. Our data document especially high performance for one specific combination of task events: congruent trial accompanied by congruent prediction and conflict level repetition. Our results are in line with theories attributing conflict adaptation effects to the "adaption to the lack of conflict". We discuss our results in a broader context of theories about conflict monitoring. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Marital Expectations in Strong African American Marriages.

    PubMed

    Vaterlaus, J Mitchell; Skogrand, Linda; Chaney, Cassandra; Gahagan, Kassandra

    2017-12-01

    The current exploratory study utilized a family strengths framework to identify marital expectations in 39 strong African American heterosexual marriages. Couples reflected on their marital expectations over their 10 or more years of marriage. Three themes emerged through qualitative analysis and the participants' own words were used in the presentation of the themes. African Americans indicated that there was growth in marital expectations over time, with marital expectations often beginning with unrealistic expectations that grew into more realistic expectations as their marriages progressed. Participants also indicated that core expectations in strong African American marriages included open communication, congruent values, and positive treatment of spouse. Finally, participants explained there is an "I" in marriage as they discussed the importance of autonomy within their marital relationships. Results are discussed in association with existing research and theory. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

  8. Federal Guidance Report No. 4: Estimates and Evaluation of Fallout in the United States from Nuclear Weapons Testing Conducted Through 1962

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This Federal Radiation Council report includes a full study and analysis of fallout expected in 1963 from nuclear testing that occurred in the past. This report covers fallout expected from Soviet and United States tests through 1962.

  9. Establishment of an Undergraduate Research and Training Program in Radiochemistry at Florida Memorial University, a Historically Black College or University (HBCU)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tamalis, Dimitri; Stiffin, Rose; Elliott, Michael; Huisso, Ayivi; Biegalski, Steven; Landsberger, Sheldon

    2009-08-01

    With the passing of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the United States is experiencing for the first time in over two decades, what some refer to as the "Nuclear Renaissance". The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recognizes this surge in application submissions and is committed to reviewing these applications in a timely manner to support the country's growing energy demands. Notwithstanding these facts, it is understood that the nuclear industry requires appropriately trained and educated personnel to support the growing needs of the nuclear industry and the US NRC. Equally important is the need to educate the next generation of students in nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear forensics and various aspects of homeland security for the national laboratories and the Department of Defense. From mechanical engineers educated and experienced in materials, thermal/fluid dynamics, and component failure analysis, to physicists using advanced computing techniques to design the next generation of nuclear reactor fuel elements, the need for new engineers, scientists, and health physicist has never been greater.

  10. U.S.-India Military Relationship: Matching Expectations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-05-14

    13 May 1998, India conducted “Pokhran II,” a test of five nuclear devices and “blasted its way out of nuclear ambiguity,” resulting in the U.S...from possibly spreading out of Kashmir and growing into a larger conventional conflict, with the potential of disaster for the two nuclear -armed states...relations. Now that the nuclear deal has passed Congress, an indirect result is that New Delhi will be under pressure to reciprocate, possibly by

  11. A Review of Flow Analysis Methods for Determination of Radionuclides in Nuclear Wastes and Nuclear Reactor Coolants

    DOE PAGES

    Trojanowicz, Marek; Kolacinska, Kamila; Grate, Jay W.

    2018-02-13

    Here, the safety and security of nuclear power plant operations depend on the application of the most appropriate techniques and methods of chemical analysis, where modern flow analysis methods prevail. Nevertheless, the current status of the development of these methods is more limited than it might be expected based on their genuine advantages. The main aim of this paper is to review the automated flow analysis procedures developed with various detection methods for the nuclear energy industry. The flow analysis methods for the determination of radionuclides, that have been reported to date, are primarily focused on their environmental applications. Themore » benefits of the application of flow methods in both monitoring of the nuclear wastes and process analysis of the primary circuit coolants of light water nuclear reactors will also be discussed. The application of either continuous flow methods (CFA) or injection methods (FIA, SIA) of the flow analysis with the β–radiometric detection shortens the analysis time and improves the precision of determination due to mechanization of certain time-consuming operations of the sample processing. Compared to the radiometric detection, the mass spectrometry (MS) detection enables one to perform multicomponent analyses as well as the determination of transuranic isotopes with much better limits of detection.« less

  12. A Review of Flow Analysis Methods for Determination of Radionuclides in Nuclear Wastes and Nuclear Reactor Coolants

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

    Trojanowicz, Marek; Kolacinska, Kamila; Grate, Jay W.

    Here, the safety and security of nuclear power plant operations depend on the application of the most appropriate techniques and methods of chemical analysis, where modern flow analysis methods prevail. Nevertheless, the current status of the development of these methods is more limited than it might be expected based on their genuine advantages. The main aim of this paper is to review the automated flow analysis procedures developed with various detection methods for the nuclear energy industry. The flow analysis methods for the determination of radionuclides, that have been reported to date, are primarily focused on their environmental applications. Themore » benefits of the application of flow methods in both monitoring of the nuclear wastes and process analysis of the primary circuit coolants of light water nuclear reactors will also be discussed. The application of either continuous flow methods (CFA) or injection methods (FIA, SIA) of the flow analysis with the β–radiometric detection shortens the analysis time and improves the precision of determination due to mechanization of certain time-consuming operations of the sample processing. Compared to the radiometric detection, the mass spectrometry (MS) detection enables one to perform multicomponent analyses as well as the determination of transuranic isotopes with much better limits of detection.« less

  13. A review of flow analysis methods for determination of radionuclides in nuclear wastes and nuclear reactor coolants.

    PubMed

    Trojanowicz, Marek; Kołacińska, Kamila; Grate, Jay W

    2018-06-01

    The safety and security of nuclear power plant operations depend on the application of the most appropriate techniques and methods of chemical analysis, where modern flow analysis methods prevail. Nevertheless, the current status of the development of these methods is more limited than it might be expected based on their genuine advantages. The main aim of this paper is to review the automated flow analysis procedures developed with various detection methods for the nuclear energy industry. The flow analysis methods for the determination of radionuclides, that have been reported to date, are primarily focused on their environmental applications. The benefits of the application of flow methods in both monitoring of the nuclear wastes and process analysis of the primary circuit coolants of light water nuclear reactors will also be discussed. The application of either continuous flow methods (CFA) or injection methods (FIA, SIA) of the flow analysis with the β-radiometric detection shortens the analysis time and improves the precision of determination due to mechanization of certain time-consuming operations of the sample processing. Compared to the radiometric detection, the mass spectrometry (MS) detection enables one to perform multicomponent analyses as well as the determination of transuranic isotopes with much better limits of detection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Measurement of Quark Energy Loss in Cold Nuclear Matter at Fermilab E906/SeaQuest

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

    Lin, Po-Ju

    Parton energy loss is a process within QCD that draws considerable interest. The measurement of parton energy loss can provide valuable information for other hard-scattering processes in nuclei, and also serves as an important tool for exploring the properties of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP). Quantifying the energy loss in cold nuclear matter will help to set a baseline relative to energy loss in the QGP. With the Drell-Yan process, the energy loss of incoming quarks in cold nuclear matter can be ideally investigated since the final state interaction is expected to be minimal. E906/SeaQuest is a fixed-target experiment using themore » 120 GeV proton beam from the Fermilab Main Injector and has been collecting data from p+p, p+d, p+C, p+Fe, and p+W collisions. Within the E906 kinematic coverage of Drell-Yan production via the dimuon channel, the quark energy loss can be measured in a regime where other nuclear effects are expected to be small. In this thesis, the study of quark ener gy loss from different cold nuclear targets is presented.« less

  15. What do women with breast cancer expect from their treatment? Correlates of negative treatment expectations about endocrine therapy.

    PubMed

    Heisig, Sarah R; Shedden-Mora, Meike C; von Blanckenburg, Pia; Rief, Winfried; Witzel, Isabell; Albert, Ute-Susann; Nestoriuc, Yvonne

    2016-12-01

    Patients' negative treatment expectations can lead to nocebo-related side effects and non-initiation of treatment. This study aims to identify correlates of treatment expectations in patients with breast cancer before the start of endocrine therapy. Expectations were assessed in a cross-sectional sample of 166 patients with breast cancer after receiving treatment information. Side effect expectations (one item) and treatment necessity-concern balance (Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire) were assessed. Correlates were analyzed using regression analyses. The structure of treatment expectations was investigated using a network analysis. About 25% of patients expressed negative expectations. Higher side effect expectations were associated with lower treatment efficacy expectations (ß = -0.20, p = 0.01), higher medication overuse beliefs (ß = 0.17, p = 0.01), and a negative treatment appraisal before study treatment information (ß = -0.17, p = 0.02). A negative necessity-concern balance was associated with lower treatment efficacy expectations (ß = 0.36, p < 0.001), lower adherence intention (ß = 0.21, p < 0.001), and no knowledge of tumor's receptor status (ß = 0.21, p < 0.001); furthermore, it was associated with higher medication harmfulness beliefs (ß = -0.16, p = 0.02), negative treatment pre-appraisal (ß = 0.15, p = 0.01), higher somatosensory amplification (ß = -0.14, p = 0.02), and higher education (ß = -0.12, p = 0.02). The most important network node was the concern that endocrine therapy disrupts life. Negative treatment expectations before treatment start are mainly associated with psychological variables. These results are relevant for patient education in clinical settings. To improve expectations, clinicians might emphasize treatment efficacy and discuss general and specific medication concerns. Improving treatment knowledge could also be beneficial. Copyright

  16. Studies of neutron and proton nuclear activation in low-Earth orbit

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Laird, C. E.

    1982-01-01

    The expected induced radioactivity of experimental material in low Earth orbit was studied for characteristics of activating particles such as cosmic rays, high energy Earth albedo neutrons, trapped protons, and secondary protons and neutrons. The activation cross sections for the production of long lived radioisotopes and other existing nuclear data appropriate to the study of these reactions were compiled. Computer codes which are required to calculate the expected activation of orbited materials were developed. The decreased computer code used to predict the activation of trapped protons of materials placed in the expected orbits of LDEF and Spacelab II. Techniques for unfolding the fluxes of activating particles from the measured activation of orbited materials are examined.

  17. Health expectancy indicators.

    PubMed Central

    Robine, J. M.; Romieu, I.; Cambois, E.

    1999-01-01

    An outline is presented of progress in the development of health expectancy indicators, which are growing in importance as a means of assessing the health status of populations and determining public health priorities. PMID:10083720

  18. Health-adjusted life expectancy in Canada.

    PubMed

    Bushnik, Tracey; Tjepkema, Michael; Martel, Laurent

    2018-04-18

    Over the past century, life expectancy at birth in Canada has risen substantially. However, these gains in the quantity of life say little about gains in the quality of life. Health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE), an indicator of quality of life, was estimated for the household and institutional populations combined every four years from 1994/1995 to 2015. Health status was measured by the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 instrument in two national population health surveys, and was used to adjust life expectancy. The percentage of the population living in health-related institutions was estimated based on the Census of Population. Attribute-deleted HALE was calculated to determine how various aspects of health status contributed to the differences between life expectancy and HALE. HALE has increased in Canada. Greater gains among males have narrowed the gap between males and females. The ratio of HALE to life expectancy changed little for males, and a marginal improvement was observed for females aged 65 or older. Mobility problems and pain, the latter mainly among females, accounted for an increased share of the burden of ill health over time. Exclusion of the institutional population significantly increased the estimates of HALE and yielded higher ratios of HALE to life expectancy. Although people are living longer, the share of years spent in good functional health has remained fairly constant. Data for both the household and institutional populations are necessary for a complete picture of health expectancy in Canada.

  19. Prior expectations facilitate metacognition for perceptual decision.

    PubMed

    Sherman, M T; Seth, A K; Barrett, A B; Kanai, R

    2015-09-01

    The influential framework of 'predictive processing' suggests that prior probabilistic expectations influence, or even constitute, perceptual contents. This notion is evidenced by the facilitation of low-level perceptual processing by expectations. However, whether expectations can facilitate high-level components of perception remains unclear. We addressed this question by considering the influence of expectations on perceptual metacognition. To isolate the effects of expectation from those of attention we used a novel factorial design: expectation was manipulated by changing the probability that a Gabor target would be presented; attention was manipulated by instructing participants to perform or ignore a concurrent visual search task. We found that, independently of attention, metacognition improved when yes/no responses were congruent with expectations of target presence/absence. Results were modeled under a novel Bayesian signal detection theoretic framework which integrates bottom-up signal propagation with top-down influences, to provide a unified description of the mechanisms underlying perceptual decision and metacognition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. The control of meal size in human subjects: a role for expected satiety, expected satiation and premeal planning.

    PubMed

    Brunstrom, Jeffrey M

    2011-05-01

    Unlike energy expenditure, energy intake occurs during discrete events: snacks and meals. The prevailing view is that meal size is governed by physiological and psychological events that promote satiation towards the end of a meal. This review explores an alternative and perhaps controversial proposition. Specifically that satiation plays a secondary role, and that meal size (kJ) is controlled by decisions about portion size, before a meal begins. Recently, techniques have been developed that enable us to quantify 'expected satiation' and 'expected satiety' (respectively, the fullness and the respite from hunger that foods are expected to confer). When compared on a kJ-for-kJ basis, these expectations differ markedly across foods. Moreover, in self-selected meals, these measures are remarkably good predictors of the energy content of food that ends up on our plate, even more important than palatability. Expected satiation and expected satiety are influenced by the physical characteristics of a food (e.g. perceived volume). However, they are also learned. Indeed, there is now mounting evidence for 'expected-satiation drift', a general tendency for a food to have higher expected satiation as it increases in familiarity. Together, these findings show that important elements of control (discrimination and learning/adaptation) are clearly evident in plans around portion size. Since most meals are eaten in their entirety, understanding the nature of these controls should be given high priority.

  1. Patient expectations from an emergency medical service.

    PubMed

    Qidwai, Waris; Ali, Syed Sohail; Baqir, Muhammad; Ayub, Semi

    2005-01-01

    Patient expectation survey at the Emergency Medical Services can improve patient satisfaction. A need was established to conduct such a survey in order to recommend its use as a quality improvement tool. The study was conducted on patients visiting the Emergency Medical Services, Aga Khan University, Karachi. A questionnaire was used to collect information on the demographic profile, and expectations of patients. The ethical requirements for conducting the study were met. A hundred patients were surveyed. The majority was relatively young, married men and women, well educated and better socio-economically placed. The majority of the patients expected a waiting time and a consultation time of less than 30 minutes and 20 minutes, respectively. The majority of respondents expected and agreed to be examined by a trainee but there were reluctant to be examined by the students. There was an expectation that the consultant will examine patients and not advice the attending team over the phone. The majority of the patients expected intravenous fluid therapy. There was a desire to have patient attendant present during the consultation process. The majority of the patients expected to pay less than three thousand rupees for the visit. An expectation exists for investigations and hospitalization. Involvement of patients in decisions concerning their treatment and written feedback on their visit was expected. We have documented the need and value of patient expectation survey at the Emergency Medical Services department. The use of such a tool is recommended in order to improve the satisfaction levels of patients visiting such facilities.

  2. Nuclear thermal rocket nozzle testing and evaluation program

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

    Davidian, K.O.; Kacynski, K.J.

    Performance characteristics of the Nuclear Thermal Rocket can be enhanced through the use of unconventional nozzles as part of the propulsion system. In this report, the Nuclear Thermal Rocket nozzle testing and evaluation program being conducted at the NASA Lewis Research Center is outlined and the advantages of a plug nozzle are described. A facility description, experimental designs and schematics are given. Results of pretest performance analyses show that high nozzle performance can be attained despite substantial nozzle length reduction through the use of plug nozzles as compared to a convergent-divergent nozzle. Pretest measurement uncertainty analyses indicate that specific impulsemore » values are expected to be within plus or minus 1.17%.« less

  3. SCW Pressure-Channel Nuclear Reactor Some Design Features

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pioro, Igor L.; Khan, Mosin; Hopps, Victory; Jacobs, Chris; Patkunam, Ruban; Gopaul, Sandeep; Bakan, Kurtulus

    Concepts of nuclear reactors cooled with water at supercritical pressures were studied as early as the 1950s and 1960s in the USA and Russia. After a 30-year break, the idea of developing nuclear reactors cooled with SuperCritical Water (SCW) became attractive again as the ultimate development path for water cooling. The main objectives of using SCW in nuclear reactors are: 1) to increase the thermal efficiency of modern Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) from 30-35% to about 45-48%, and 2) to decrease capital and operational costs and hence decrease electrical energy costs (˜1000 US/kW or even less). SCW NPPs will have much higher operating parameters compared to modern NPPs (pressure about 25 MPa and outlet temperature up to 625°C), and a simplified flow circuit, in which steam generators, steam dryers, steam separators, etc., can be eliminated. Also, higher SCW temperatures allow direct thermo-chemical production of hydrogen at low cost, due to increased reaction rates. Pressure-tube or pressure-channel SCW nuclear reactor concepts are being developed in Canada and Russia for some time. Some design features of the Canadian concept related to fuel channels are discussed in this paper. The main conclusion is that the development of SCW pressure-tube nuclear reactors is feasible and significant benefits can be expected over other thermal-energy systems.

  4. Sibling Status Effects: Adult Expectations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baskett, Linda Musun

    1985-01-01

    This study attempted to determine what expectations or beliefs adults might hold about a child based on his or her sibling status alone. Ratings on 50 adjective pairs for each of three sibling status types, only, oldest, and youngest child, were assessed in relation to adult expectations, birth order, and parental status of rater. (Author/DST)

  5. The reciprocal relationships among parents' expectations, adolescents' expectations, and adolescents' achievement: a two-wave longitudinal analysis of the NELS data.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yanyan; Haddad, Eileen; Torres, Bernadeth; Chen, Chuansheng

    2011-04-01

    Previous research has consistently demonstrated the importance of parents' expectations and adolescents' expectations on adolescents' academic achievement. Less is known, however, about the reciprocal relationships among these constructs. To address this issue, we analyzed two waves of data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) using longitudinal cross-lagged path models. The sample consisted of 14,376 students (51.1% females; 6.5% Asian, 11.1% Hispanic, 9.2% African American, and 73.2% White). Results indicated that there was a reciprocal relationship between parents' expectations and adolescents' expectations (i.e., they had mutual influence on each other). Moreover, there was a reciprocal relationship between expectations (both parents' and adolescents') and adolescents' academic achievement. Multiple-group analyses of gender and ethnicity revealed that the effects of parents' expectations on students' expectations were stronger among males than among females. With respect to ethnic differences, the effects of adolescents' expectations were weakest on parents' expectations among African Americans as compared to the other ethnic groups (i.e., Asian, Hispanic and White). Implications of these findings are discussed.

  6. Pasta nucleosynthesis: Molecular dynamics simulations of nuclear statistical equilibrium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caplan, M. E.; Schneider, A. S.; Horowitz, C. J.; Berry, D. K.

    2015-06-01

    Background: Exotic nonspherical nuclear pasta shapes are expected in nuclear matter at just below saturation density because of competition between short-range nuclear attraction and long-range Coulomb repulsion. Purpose: We explore the impact nuclear pasta may have on nucleosynthesis during neutron star mergers when cold dense nuclear matter is ejected and decompressed. Methods: We use a hybrid CPU/GPU molecular dynamics (MD) code to perform decompression simulations of cold dense matter with 51 200 and 409 600 nucleons from 0.080 fm-3 down to 0.00125 fm-3 . Simulations are run for proton fractions YP= 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30, and 0.40 at temperatures T = 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 MeV. The final composition of each simulation is obtained using a cluster algorithm and compared to a constant density run. Results: Size of nuclei in the final state of decompression runs are in good agreement with nuclear statistical equilibrium (NSE) models for temperatures of 1 MeV while constant density runs produce nuclei smaller than the ones obtained with NSE. Our MD simulations produces unphysical results with large rod-like nuclei in the final state of T =0.5 MeV runs. Conclusions: Our MD model is valid at higher densities than simple nuclear statistical equilibrium models and may help determine the initial temperatures and proton fractions of matter ejected in mergers.

  7. The ethics of life expectancy.

    PubMed

    Small, Robin

    2002-08-01

    Some ethical dilemmas in health care, such as over the use of age as a criterion of patient selection, appeal to the notion of life expectancy. However, some features of this concept have not been discussed. Here I look in turn at two aspects: one positive--our expectation of further life--and the other negative--the loss of potential life brought about by death. The most common method of determining this loss, by counting only the period of time between death and some particular age, implies that those who die at ages not far from that one are regarded as losing very little potential life, while those who die at greater ages are regarded as losing none at all. This approach has methodological advantages but ethical disadvantages, in that it fails to correspond to our strong belief that anyone who dies is losing some period of life that he or she would otherwise have had. The normative role of life expectancy expressed in the 'fair innings' attitude arises from a particular historical situation: not the increase of life expectancy in modern societies, but a related narrowing in the distribution of projected life spans. Since life expectancy is really a representation of existing patterns of mortality, which in turn are determined by many influences, including the present allocation of health resources, it should not be taken as a prediction, and still less as a statement of entitlement.

  8. Financial expectations of first-year veterinary students.

    PubMed

    Lim, Christine C; Schulhofer-Wohl, Sam; Root Kustritz, Margaret V; Molgaard, Laura K; Lee, David

    2015-07-15

    To assess student awareness of the financial costs of pursuing a veterinary education, to determine student expectations for financial returns of a veterinary career, and to identify associations between student debt and factors such as future career plans or personality type. Survey. First-year veterinary students at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2013, prior to the first day of class, all incoming first-year students received an email invitation to complete an online survey. The survey contained questions about demographics, current financial situation, current debt, expected debt at graduation, expected annual income following graduation, intent to pursue specialty training, and Myers-Briggs personality type. 72 of 102 (71%) students completed the survey; 65 respondents answered all relevant questions and provided usable data. Student responses for expected debt at graduation were comparable to national averages for veterinary college graduates; responses for expected annual income following graduation were lower than averages for University of Minnesota veterinary college graduates and national averages. However, students predicted even lower annual income if they did not attend veterinary college. Expected debt and expected annual income were not correlated with factors such as personality type or future career plans. Results indicated that first-year veterinary students were aware of the financial costs of their veterinary education and had realistic expectations for future salaries. For typical veterinary students, attending veterinary college appeared to be financially worthwhile, given lower expected earnings otherwise.

  9. Marijuana Primes, Marijuana Expectancies, and Arithmetic Efficiency*

    PubMed Central

    Hicks, Joshua A.; Pedersen, Sarah L.; McCarthy, Denis M.; Friedman, Ronald S.

    2009-01-01

    Objective: Previous research has shown that primes associated with alcohol influence behavior consistent with specific alcohol expectancies. The present study examined whether exposure to marijuana-related primes and marijuana expectancies interact to produce similar effects. Specifically, the present study examined whether marijuana primes and marijuana expectancies regarding cognitive and behavioral impairment interact to influence performance on an arithmetic task. Method: Two independent samples (N = 260) of undergraduate students (both marijuana users and nonusers) first completed measures of marijuana-outcome expectancies associated with cognitive and behavioral impairment and with general negative effects (Sample 2). Later in the semester, participants were exposed to marijuana-related (or neutral) primes and then completed an arithmetic task. Results: Results from Sample 1 indicated that participants who were exposed to marijuana-themed magazine covers performed more poorly on the arithmetic task if they expected that marijuana would lead to cognitive and behavioral impairment. Results from Sample 2 indicated that, for marijuana users, cognitive and behavioral impairment expectancies, but not expectancies regarding general negative effects, similarly moderated arithmetic performance for participants exposed to marijuana-related words. Conclusions: Results support the hypothesis that the implicit activation of specific marijuana-outcome expectancies can influence cognitive processes. Implications for research on marijuana are discussed. PMID:19371490

  10. 229Thorium-doped calcium fluoride for nuclear laser spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Dessovic, P; Mohn, P; Jackson, R A; Winkler, G; Schreitl, M; Kazakov, G; Schumm, T

    2014-03-12

    The (229)thorium isotope presents an extremely low-energy isomer state of the nucleus which is expected around 7.8 eV, in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) regime. This unique system may bridge between atomic and nuclear physics, enabling coherent manipulation and precision spectroscopy of nuclear quantum states using laser light. It has been proposed to implant (229)thorium into VUV transparent crystal matrices to facilitate laser spectroscopy and possibly realize a solid-state nuclear clock. In this work, we validate the feasibility of this approach by computer modelling of thorium doping into calcium fluoride single crystals. Using atomistic modelling and full electronic structure calculations, we find a persistent large band gap and no additional electronic levels emerging in the middle of the gap due to the presence of the dopant, which should allow direct optical interrogation of the nuclear transition.Based on the electronic structure, we estimate the thorium nuclear quantum levels within the solid-state environment. Precision laser spectroscopy of these levels will allow the study of a broad range of crystal field effects, transferring Mössbauer spectroscopy into the optical regime.

  11. Role Of Expectancy Manipulation In Systematic Desensitization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, H. Alan

    1973-01-01

    Expectancy, relaxation, and hierarchy content were manipulated. Findings did not support the hypothesis that expectancy was the only factor in desensitization, but did clarify the role of expectancy vis-a-vis the counterconditioning elements typically discussed in the literature. (Author)

  12. Older widow's expectations of home care nurses.

    PubMed

    Porter, Eileen J

    2005-01-01

    The concept of expectations has been integral to research on home care satisfaction, but little is known about expectations of home care. The aim of this longitudinal phenomenological study was to describe part of the personal-social context of older widows' experience of home care-that of holding expectations of home care nurses. Data were drawn from interviews over three years with the 11 women who had home care nurses. The context of the home care experience was featured by leaning on helpers more at this stage and by expecting the nurse to do what the nurse is supposed to do, with its five parts including expecting the nurse to know how to do what needs to be done. Findings exemplified conceptual overlap among standard realms of expectations, such as behaviors and outcomes, and revealed the relevance of such data in appraisals of home care quality.

  13. A Descriptive Study of Teenage Expectant Fathers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barret, Robert L.; Robinson, Bryan E.

    1982-01-01

    Reports demographic data on 26 adolescent expectant fathers and information about their relationships with the expectant mothers and their families. Results indicated that young fathers maintained positive relationships with their girlfriend's family, maintained contact with the expectant mother, and desired to meet certain responsibilities toward…

  14. Expectancy violations promote learning in young children

    PubMed Central

    Stahl, Aimee E.; Feigenson, Lisa

    2018-01-01

    Children, including infants, have expectations about the world around them, and produce reliable responses when these expectations are violated. However, little is known about how such expectancy violations affect subsequent cognition. Here we tested the hypothesis that violations of expectation enhance children’s learning. In four experiments we compared 3- to 6-year-old children’s ability to learn novel words in situations that defied versus accorded with their core knowledge of object behavior. In Experiments 1 and 2 we taught children novel words following one of two types of events. One event violated expectations about the spatiotemporal or featural properties of objects (e.g., an object appeared to magically change locations). The other event was almost identical, but did not violate expectations (e.g., an object was visibly moved from one location to another). In both experiments we found that children robustly learned when taught after the surprising event, but not following the expected event. In Experiment 3 we ruled out two alternative explanations for our results. Finally, in Experiment 4, we asked whether surprise affects children’s learning in a targeted or a diffuse way. We found that surprise only enhanced children’s learning about the entity that had behaved surprisingly, and not about unrelated objects. Together, these experiments show that core knowledge – and violations of expectations generated by core knowledge – shapes new learning. PMID:28254617

  15. Strong expectations cancel locality effects: evidence from Hindi.

    PubMed

    Husain, Samar; Vasishth, Shravan; Srinivasan, Narayanan

    2014-01-01

    Expectation-driven facilitation (Hale, 2001; Levy, 2008) and locality-driven retrieval difficulty (Gibson, 1998, 2000; Lewis & Vasishth, 2005) are widely recognized to be two critical factors in incremental sentence processing; there is accumulating evidence that both can influence processing difficulty. However, it is unclear whether and how expectations and memory interact. We first confirm a key prediction of the expectation account: a Hindi self-paced reading study shows that when an expectation for an upcoming part of speech is dashed, building a rarer structure consumes more processing time than building a less rare structure. This is a strong validation of the expectation-based account. In a second study, we show that when expectation is strong, i.e., when a particular verb is predicted, strong facilitation effects are seen when the appearance of the verb is delayed; however, when expectation is weak, i.e., when only the part of speech "verb" is predicted but a particular verb is not predicted, the facilitation disappears and a tendency towards a locality effect is seen. The interaction seen between expectation strength and distance shows that strong expectations cancel locality effects, and that weak expectations allow locality effects to emerge.

  16. Strong Expectations Cancel Locality Effects: Evidence from Hindi

    PubMed Central

    Husain, Samar; Vasishth, Shravan; Srinivasan, Narayanan

    2014-01-01

    Expectation-driven facilitation (Hale, 2001; Levy, 2008) and locality-driven retrieval difficulty (Gibson, 1998, 2000; Lewis & Vasishth, 2005) are widely recognized to be two critical factors in incremental sentence processing; there is accumulating evidence that both can influence processing difficulty. However, it is unclear whether and how expectations and memory interact. We first confirm a key prediction of the expectation account: a Hindi self-paced reading study shows that when an expectation for an upcoming part of speech is dashed, building a rarer structure consumes more processing time than building a less rare structure. This is a strong validation of the expectation-based account. In a second study, we show that when expectation is strong, i.e., when a particular verb is predicted, strong facilitation effects are seen when the appearance of the verb is delayed; however, when expectation is weak, i.e., when only the part of speech “verb” is predicted but a particular verb is not predicted, the facilitation disappears and a tendency towards a locality effect is seen. The interaction seen between expectation strength and distance shows that strong expectations cancel locality effects, and that weak expectations allow locality effects to emerge. PMID:25010700

  17. Mexican immigrant mothers' expectations for children's health services.

    PubMed

    Clark, Lauren; Redman, Richard W

    2007-10-01

    Women of Mexican descent living in the United States raise children who use health care services. What do immigrant Mexican mothers expect from children's health care services? And how do their expectations for children's health services compare to acculturated Mexican American mothers' expectations? This focused ethnographic study, based on repeated interviews with 28 mothers of varying acculturation levels, describes their expectations and experiences with children's health care services in the United States. Findings support a shared core of expectations for both Mexican immigrant and Mexican American mothers, and differences in health care access and financing, time spent in health care encounters, and cultural and linguistic expectations for care. Health care providers can use this information to approach Mexican-descent mothers and children with their expectations in mind, and craft a negotiated plan of care congruent with their expectations.

  18. 77 FR 41811 - In the Matter of Tennessee Valley Authority Watts Bar Nuclear Plant EA-12-021; Confirmatory Order...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-16

    ... expectations will be reinforced through the use of fleet wide posters and communications. Communications will.... Posters will be installed on or before October 1, 2012. c. TVA will revise the existing Nuclear Power... August 1, 2012. b. These expectations will be reinforced through the use of fleet wide posters and...

  19. Nuclear matter from effective quark-quark interaction.

    PubMed

    Baldo, M; Fukukawa, K

    2014-12-12

    We study neutron matter and symmetric nuclear matter with the quark-meson model for the two-nucleon interaction. The Bethe-Bruckner-Goldstone many-body theory is used to describe the correlations up to the three hole-line approximation with no extra parameters. At variance with other nonrelativistic realistic interactions, the three hole-line contribution turns out to be non-negligible and to have a substantial saturation effect. The saturation point of nuclear matter, the compressibility, the symmetry energy, and its slope are within the phenomenological constraints. Since the interaction also reproduces fairly well the properties of the three-nucleon system, these results indicate that the explicit introduction of the quark degrees of freedom within the considered constituent quark model is expected to reduce the role of three-body forces.

  20. Measuring Generalized Expectancies for Negative Mood Regulation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Catanzaro, Salvatore J.; Mearns, Jack

    Research has suggested the utility of studying individual differences in the regulation of negative mood states. Generalized response expectancies for negative mood regulation were defined as expectancies that some overt behavior or cognition would alleviate negative mood states as they occur across situations. The Generalized Expectancy for…

  1. Focusing on situation-specific expectations in major depression as basis for behavioural experiments - Development of the Depressive Expectations Scale.

    PubMed

    Kube, Tobias; D'Astolfo, Lisa; Glombiewski, Julia A; Doering, Bettina K; Rief, Winfried

    2017-09-01

    Dysfunctional expectations are considered to be core features of various mental disorders. The aim of the study was to develop the Depressive Expectations Scale (DES) as a depression-specific measure for the assessment of dysfunctional expectations. Whereas previous research primarily focused on general cognitions and attitudes, the DES assesses 25 future-directed expectations (originally 75 items) which are situation-specific and falsifiable. To evaluate the psychometric properties of the DES, the scale was completed by 175 participants with and without severe depressive symptoms in an online survey. Participants additionally completed the Patient Health Questionnaire modules for depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7). People experiencing depressive symptoms were informed about the study with the help of self-help organizations. Reliability analyses indicated excellent internal consistency of the scale. An exploratory factor analyses revealed four factors: social rejection, social support, mood regulation, and ability to perform. The DES sum score strongly correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms. The DES sum score also significantly correlated with symptoms of generalized anxiety. The DES was shown to have excellent reliability; validity analyses were promising. As the DES items are situation-specific and falsifiable, they can be tested by the individual using behavioural experiments and may therefore facilitate cognitive restructuring. Thus, a structured assessment of patients' expectation with help of the DES can provide a basis for interventions within cognitive-behavioural treatment of depression. Assessing situation-specific expectations in patients experiencing depressive symptoms can provide a basis for the conduction of behavioural experiments to test patients' expectations. For the use of behavioural experiments, therapists should choose those dysfunctional expectations which a patient strongly agrees on. To modify patients' expectations, they

  2. Do juries meet our expectations?

    PubMed

    Arkes, Hal R; Mellers, Barbara A

    2002-12-01

    Surveys of public opinion indicate that people have high expectations for juries. When it comes to serious crimes, most people want errors of convicting the innocent (false positives) or acquitting the guilty (false negatives) to fall well below 10%. Using expected utility theory, Bayes' Theorem, signal detection theory, and empirical evidence from detection studies of medical decision making, eyewitness testimony, and weather forecasting, we argue that the frequency of mistakes probably far exceeds these "tolerable" levels. We are not arguing against the use of juries. Rather, we point out that a closer look at jury decisions reveals a serious gap between what we expect from juries and what probably occurs. When deciding issues of guilt and/or punishing convicted criminals, we as a society should recognize and acknowledge the abundance of error.

  3. When feeling bad is expected to be good: emotion regulation and outcome expectancies in social conflicts.

    PubMed

    Tamir, Maya; Ford, Brett Q

    2012-08-01

    According to the instrumental approach to emotion regulation, people may want to experience even unpleasant emotions to attain instrumental benefits. Building on value-expectancy models of self-regulation, we tested whether people want to feel bad in certain contexts specifically because they expect such feelings to be useful to them. In two studies, participants were more likely to try to increase their anger before a negotiation when motivated to confront (vs. collaborate with) a negotiation partner. Participants motivated to confront (vs. collaborate with) their partner expected anger to be more useful to them, and this expectation in turn, led them to try to increase their anger before negotiating. The subsequent experience of anger, following random assignment to emotion inductions (Study 1) or engagement in self-selected emotion regulation activities (Study 2), led participants to be more successful at getting others to concede to their demands, demonstrating that emotional preferences have important pragmatic implications.

  4. Electronic Cigarette Expectancies in Smokers with Psychological Distress.

    PubMed

    Miller, Mollie E; Tidey, Jennifer W; Rohsenow, Damaris J; Higgins, Stephen T

    2017-01-01

    Very few studies have evaluated perceptions of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among smokers with mental illness. This study assessed expectancies about the effects of smoking combustible cigarettes or using ENDS among current smokers with and without severe psychological distress (SPD). We used a crowdsourcing system to survey 268 smokers on their expectancies for the effects of combustible cigarettes and ENDS. Positive expectancies assessed included negative affect reduction, stimulation, positive social effects and weight control, and negative expectancies included negative physical effects, negative psychosocial effects and future health concerns. Smokers with SPD had higher positive expectancies for weight control and social effects of both products compared to those without such distress, and higher expectancies for stimulation from combustible cigarettes compared to ENDS. All participants had significantly lower negative expectancies for ENDS compared to combustible cigarettes, with no significant differences between the groups. Smokers with SPD may be more vulnerable toward ENDS use, as they are for combustible cigarette use, due to greater positive expectancies of the products. Challenging positive expectancies may increase the efficacy of tobacco control efforts in this vulnerable population.

  5. Are Grade Expectations Rational? A Classroom Experiment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hossain, Belayet; Tsigaris, Panagiotis

    2015-01-01

    This study examines students' expectations about their final grade. An attempt is made to determine whether students form expectations rationally. Expectations in economics, rational or otherwise, carry valuable information and have important implications in terms of both teaching effectiveness and the role of grades as an incentive structure for…

  6. A roadmap for nuclear energy technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sofu, Tanju

    2018-01-01

    The prospects for the future use of nuclear energy worldwide can best be understood within the context of global population growth, urbanization, rising energy need and associated pollution concerns. As the world continues to urbanize, sustainable development challenges are expected to be concentrated in cities of the lower-middle-income countries where the pace of urbanization is fastest. As these countries continue their trajectory of economic development, their energy need will also outpace their population growth adding to the increased demand for electricity. OECD IEA's energy system deployment pathway foresees doubling of the current global nuclear capacity by 2050 to reduce the impact of rapid urbanization. The pending "retirement cliff" of the existing U.S. nuclear fleet, representing over 60 percent of the nation's emission-free electricity, also poses a large economic and environmental challenge. To meet the challenge, the U.S. DOE has developed the vision and strategy for development and deployment of advanced reactors. As part of that vision, the U.S. government pursues programs that aim to expand the use of nuclear power by supporting sustainability of the existing nuclear fleet, deploying new water-cooled large and small modular reactors to enable nuclear energy to help meet the energy security and climate change goals, conducting R&D for advanced reactor technologies with alternative coolants, and developing sustainable nuclear fuel cycle strategies. Since the current path relying heavily on water-cooled reactors and "once-through" fuel cycle is not sustainable, next generation nuclear energy systems under consideration aim for significant advances over existing and evolutionary water-cooled reactors. Among the spectrum of advanced reactor options, closed-fuel-cycle systems using reactors with fast-neutron spectrum to meet the sustainability goals offer the most attractive alternatives. However, unless the new public-private partnership models emerge

  7. ADHD and marijuana use expectancies in young adulthood

    PubMed Central

    Harty, Seth C.; Pedersen, Sarah L.; Gnagy, Elizabeth M.; Pelham, William E.; Molina, Brooke S. G.

    2015-01-01

    Objective This study examined mean level differences in marijuana expectancies and the differential associations between expectancies and marijuana use for individuals with and without a history of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Background Substance use expectancies are a widely studied risk factor for alcohol and other drug use. The relations between marijuana use expectancies and self-reported marijuana use have not been examined in young adults with ADHD, a population shown to be at risk for marijuana use. Method Participants were 306 (190 ADHD and 116 nonADHD) young adults (M age = 20.06, SD = 2.03) from the Pittsburgh ADHD Longitudinal Study (PALS) who provided data about marijuana use and marijuana use expectancies. Results Individuals in the ADHD group reported lower levels of social enhancement, tension reduction, and cognitive and behavioral impairment expectancies compared to individuals in the nonADHD group. Positive and negative marijuana use expectancies were associated with marijuana use frequency in the whole sample and statistically significant ADHD group by expectancy interactions were found. Sexual enhancement expectancies were more strongly associated with marijuana use frequency among individuals with ADHD histories while cognitive behavioral impairment expectancies were more strongly associated with marijuana use frequency among individuals without ADHD. Conclusions Marijuana use expectancies may be acquired, and operate differently, for individuals with and without ADHD histories. Although future research is needed to test this speculation, these differences may be associated with ADHD-related difficulties in higher order cognitive processes that affect the encoding and utilization of expectations regarding marijuana’s effects. PMID:26548364

  8. Nuclear physics experiments with low cost instrumentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliveira Bastos, Rodrigo; Adelar Boff, Cleber; Melquiades, Fábio Luiz

    2016-11-01

    One of the difficulties in modern physics teaching is the limited availability of experimental activities. This is particularly true for teaching nuclear physics in high school or college. The activities suggested in the literature generally symbolise real phenomenon, using simulations. It happens because the experimental practices mostly include some kind of expensive radiation detector and an ionising radiation source that requires special care for handling and storage, being subject to a highly bureaucratic regulation in some countries. This study overcomes these difficulties and proposes three nuclear physics experiments using a low-cost ion chamber which construction is explained: the measurement of 222Rn progeny collected from the indoor air; the measurement of the range of alpha particles emitted by the 232Th progeny, present in lantern mantles and in thoriated welding rods, and by the air filter containing 222Rn progeny; and the measurement of 220Rn half-life collected from the emanation of the lantern mantles. This paper presents the experimental procedures and the expected results, indicating that the experiments may provide support for nuclear physics classes. These practices may outreach wide access to either college or high-school didactic laboratories, and the apparatus has the potential for the development of new teaching activities for nuclear physics.

  9. Air pollution shortens life expectancy and health expectancy for older adults: the case of China.

    PubMed

    Wen, Ming; Gu, Danan

    2012-11-01

    Outdoor air pollution is one of the most worrying environmental threats China faces today. Comprehensive and quantitative analyses of the health consequences of air pollution in China are lacking. This study reports age- and sex-specific life expectancy and health expectancies (HEs) corresponding to different levels of air pollution based on associations between air pollution and individual risks for a host of health conditions and mortality net of individual- and community-level confounders. This is a multilevel prospective cohort study based a nationally representative sample of Chinese elders. The main outcome measures in this study include life expectancy estimated from mortality and HEs based on five health conditions including activity of daily living, instrumental activity of daily living, cognitive status, self-rated health, and chronic conditions. Net of the controls, exposure to outdoor air pollution corresponded to subsequent reductions of life expectancy and HEs for all five health conditions. These detrimental pollution effects were stronger for women. The gap in life expectancy between areas with good air quality and moderately heavily polluted areas was 3.78 years for women of age 65 and 0.93 years for men. The differences in HEs at age 65 were also large, ranging from 1.47 years for HE for good self-rated health in men to 5.20 years for activity of daily living disability-free HE in women. Air pollution has devastating health impacts on Chinese elders reducing longevity and shortening HEs. Women are more vulnerable than men. More strict air policy should be implemented to pursue sustainable development in China.

  10. The falsification of Chiral Nuclear Forces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruiz Arriola, E.; Amaro, J. E.; Navarro Perez, R.

    2017-03-01

    Predictive power in theoretical nuclear physics has been a major concern in the study of nuclear structure and reactions. The Effective Field Theory (EFT) based on chiral expansions provides a model independent hierarchy for many body forces at long distances but their predictive power may be undermined by the regularization scheme dependence induced by the counterterms and encoding the short distances dynamics which seem to dominate the uncertainties. We analyze several examples including zero energy NN scattering or perturbative counterterm-free peripheral scattering where one would expect these methods to work best and unveil relevant systematic discrepancies when a fair comparison to the Granada-2013 NN-database and partial wave analysis (PWA) is undertaken. Work supported by Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad and European FEDER funds (grant FIS2014-59386-P), the Agencia de Innovacion y Desarrollo de Andalucia (grant No. FQM225), the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics under Award No. DE-SC0008511 (NUCLEI SciDAC Collaboration)

  11. Expectancies as a Determinant of Interference Phenomena

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hasher, Lynn; Greenberg, Michael

    1977-01-01

    One version, by Lockhart, Craik, and Jacoby, of a levels-of-processing model of memory asserts the importance of the role of expectancies about forthcoming information in determining the elaborateness of a memory trace. Confirmed expectancies result in less-elaborated memory traces; disconfirmed expectancies result in elaborate memory traces.…

  12. Broken Expectations: Violation of Expectancies, Not Novelty, Captures Auditory Attention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vachon, Francois; Hughes, Robert W.; Jones, Dylan M.

    2012-01-01

    The role of memory in behavioral distraction by auditory attentional capture was investigated: We examined whether capture is a product of the novelty of the capturing event (i.e., the absence of a recent memory for the event) or its violation of learned expectancies on the basis of a memory for an event structure. Attentional capture--indicated…

  13. Expect the Best.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Omotani, Barbara J.; Omotani, Les

    1996-01-01

    School leaders can create an environment that supports highly effective beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors in teachers. Effective teachers believe every student has abundant, innate potential. Instead of watering down standards and expectations, they modify three key variables (time, grouping, and methodology) to help specific students achieve…

  14. Driver Expectations When Navigating Complex Interchanges

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-10-01

    The purpose of this project was to develop a method for determining driver expectations at interchanges and to use that method to determine how these expectations affect driver behavior at interchanges that vary in level of complexity, including prov...

  15. Seismic risk management solution for nuclear power plants

    DOE PAGES

    Coleman, Justin; Sabharwall, Piyush

    2014-12-01

    Nuclear power plants should safely operate during normal operations and maintain core-cooling capabilities during off-normal events, including external hazards (such as flooding and earthquakes). Management of external hazards to expectable levels of risk is critical to maintaining nuclear facility and nuclear power plant safety. Seismic risk is determined by convolving the seismic hazard with seismic fragilities (capacity of systems, structures, and components). Seismic isolation (SI) is one protective measure showing promise to minimize seismic risk. Current SI designs (used in commercial industry) reduce horizontal earthquake loads and protect critical infrastructure from the potentially destructive effects of large earthquakes. The benefitmore » of SI application in the nuclear industry is being recognized and SI systems have been proposed in American Society of Civil Engineer Standard 4, ASCE-4, to be released in the winter of 2014, for light water reactors facilities using commercially available technology. The intent of ASCE-4 is to provide criteria for seismic analysis of safety related nuclear structures such that the responses to design basis seismic events, computed in accordance with this standard, will have a small likelihood of being exceeded. The U.S. nuclear industry has not implemented SI to date; a seismic isolation gap analysis meeting was convened on August 19, 2014, to determine progress on implementing SI in the U.S. nuclear industry. The meeting focused on the systems and components that could benefit from SI. As a result, this article highlights the gaps identified at this meeting.« less

  16. Use of Groundwater Lifetime Expectancy for the Performance Assessment of Deep Geologic Radioactive Waste Repositories.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cornaton, F.; Park, Y.; Normani, S.; Sudicky, E.; Sykes, J.

    2005-12-01

    Long-term solutions for the disposal of toxic wastes usually involve isolation of the wastes in a deep subsurface geologic environment. In the case of spent nuclear fuel, the safety of the host repository depends on two main barriers: the engineered barrier and the natural geological barrier. If radionuclide leakage occurs from the engineered barrier, the geological medium represents the ultimate barrier that is relied upon to ensure safety. Consequently, an evaluation of radionuclide travel times from the repository to the biosphere is critically important in a performance assessment analysis. In this study, we develop a travel time framework based on the concept of groundwater lifetime expectancy as a safety indicator. Lifetime expectancy characterizes the time radionuclides will spend in the subsurface after their release from the repository and prior to discharging into the biosphere. The probability density function of lifetime expectancy is computed throughout the host rock by solving the backward-in-time solute transport equation subject to a properly posed set of boundary conditions. It can then be used to define optimal repository locations. In a second step, the risk associated with selected sites can be evaluated by simulating an appropriate contaminant release history. The proposed methodology is applied in the context of a typical Canadian Shield environment. Based on a statistically-generated three-dimension network of fracture zones embedded in the granitic host rock, the sensitivity and the uncertainty of lifetime expectancy to the hydraulic and dispersive properties of the fracture network, including the impact of conditioning via their surface expressions, is computed in order to demonstrate the utility of the methodology.

  17. Remarkable experiences of the nuclear tests in residents near the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site: analysis based on the questionnaire surveys.

    PubMed

    Kawano, Noriyuki; Ohtaki, Megu

    2006-02-01

    The main objective of this paper is to identify salient experiences of those who were exposed to radiation by the nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Tests Site (SNTS). In 2002, our research team of the Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, started to conduct some field research by means of a questionnaire survey. Through this, we expected to examine the health condition of the residents near the SNTS, identify their experiences from the nuclear tests, and understand the exposure path. This attempt at clarifying the reality of radiation exposure at Semipalatinsk through the use of a survey research method is the first of its kind. Among the responses to our survey, the present paper focuses mainly upon responses to the questions concerning the experiences of the nuclear tests. It deals mainly with direct experiences of nuclear tests of the residents characteristic to Semipalatinsk, including some new experiences hitherto unnoticed. The present paper touches upon their concrete direct experiences of flash, bomb blast, heat, rain and dust. We also discuss distinct experiences in Semipalatinsk such as evacuation, through the additional use of their testimonies. The data have been compared with the results obtained in a similar survey made in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For the data analysis, a statistical method called logistic multiple linear regression analysis has been used.

  18. Correlated electron-nuclear dissociation dynamics: classical versus quantum motion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schaupp, Thomas; Albert, Julian; Engel, Volker

    2017-01-01

    We investigate the coupled electron-nuclear dynamics in a model system which undergoes dissociation. In choosing different initial conditions, the cases of adiabatic and non-adiabatic dissociation are realized. We treat the coupled electronic and nuclear motion in the complete configuration space so that classically, no surface hopping procedures have to be incorporated in the case that more than a single adiabatic electronic state is populated during the fragmentation. Due to the anharmonic interaction potential, it is expected that classical mechanics substantially deviate from quantum mechanics. However, we provide examples where the densities and fragmentation yields obtained from the two treatments are in astonishingly strong agreement in the case that one starts in the electronic ground state initially. As expected, larger deviations are found if one starts in electronically excited states where trajectories are sampled from the more spatially extended electronic wave function. In that case, higher initial energies are accessed, and the motion proceeds in regions with increasing degree of anharmonicity. Contribution to the Topical Issue "Dynamics of Molecular Systems (MOLEC 2016)", edited by Alberto Garcia-Vela, Luis Banares and Maria Luisa Senent.

  19. Illusory expectations can affect retrieval-monitoring accuracy.

    PubMed

    McDonough, Ian M; Gallo, David A

    2012-03-01

    The present study investigated how expectations, even when illusory, can affect the accuracy of memory decisions. Participants studied words presented in large or small font for subsequent memory tests. Replicating prior work, judgments of learning indicated that participants expected to remember large words better than small words, even though memory for these words was equivalent on a standard test of recognition memory and subjective judgments. Critically, we also included tests that instructed participants to selectively search memory for either large or small words, thereby allowing different memorial expectations to contribute to performance. On these tests we found reduced false recognition when searching memory for large words relative to small words, such that the size illusion paradoxically affected accuracy measures (d' scores) in the absence of actual memory differences. Additional evidence for the role of illusory expectations was that (a) the accuracy effect was obtained only when participants searched memory for the aspect of the stimuli corresponding to illusory expectations (size instead of color) and (b) the accuracy effect was eliminated on a forced-choice test that prevented the influence of memorial expectations. These findings demonstrate the critical role of memorial expectations in the retrieval-monitoring process. 2012 APA, all rights reserved

  20. Bridging the "Expectation Gap" Using Student Preceptors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koerner, Michael

    2017-01-01

    An "Expectation Gap" can exist between what teachers expect of their students and what effort students expect to and are willing to expend. In order to get students and teachers on the same learning page, this Gap needs remedied. One successful means of bridging the Gap is the use of Student Preceptors.

  1. Perception of potential nuclear disaster: the relation of likelihood and consequence estimates of risk.

    PubMed

    Mehta, M D; Simpson-Housley, P

    1994-12-01

    This study examined the correlations of ratings of expectation of a future disaster in a nuclear power plant and estimation of its consequences in a random sample of 150 adults who lived within two kilometers of a nuclear power plant. Analysis suggested a significant positive but low relation. This finding indicates that risk perception might be explored using constellations of beliefs and attitudes toward hazards without invoking personality characteristics like trait anxiety or demographic variables such as gender.

  2. Pain Expectancies, Pain, and Functional Self-Efficacy Expectancies as Determinants of Disability in Patients with Chronic Low Back Disorders.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lackner, Jeffrey M.; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Tested the predictive power of self-efficacy expectations of physical capabilities, expectations of pain, and expectations of reinjury on physical function in chronic back pain patients. Before assessment of function, patients rated their abilities to perform essential job tasks--functional self-efficacy (FSE)--and the likelihood working would…

  3. Electronic Cigarette Expectancies in Smokers with Psychological Distress

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Mollie E.; Tidey, Jennifer W.; Rohsenow, Damaris J.; Higgins, Stephen T.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Very few studies have evaluated perceptions of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among smokers with mental illness. This study assessed expectancies about the effects of smoking combustible cigarettes or using ENDS among current smokers with and without severe psychological distress (SPD). Methods We used a crowdsourcing system to survey 268 smokers on their expectancies for the effects of combustible cigarettes and ENDS. Positive expectancies assessed included negative affect reduction, stimulation, positive social effects and weight control, and negative expectancies included negative physical effects, negative psychosocial effects and future health concerns. Results Smokers with SPD had higher positive expectancies for weight control and social effects of both products compared to those without such distress, and higher expectancies for stimulation from combustible cigarettes compared to ENDS. All participants had significantly lower negative expectancies for ENDS compared to combustible cigarettes, with no significant differences between the groups. Conclusions Smokers with SPD may be more vulnerable toward ENDS use, as they are for combustible cigarette use, due to greater positive expectancies of the products. Challenging positive expectancies may increase the efficacy of tobacco control efforts in this vulnerable population. PMID:28653023

  4. Taxation and life expectancy in Western Europe.

    PubMed

    Bagger, P J

    2004-06-01

    With the exception of Denmark, life expectancy in Western Europe has shown a significant increase over the last decades. During that period of time overall taxation has increased in most of the countries, especially in Denmark. We, therefore, examined whether taxation could influence life expectancy in Western Europe. We used information on the sum of income tax and employees' social contribution in percentage of gross wage earnings from the OECD database and data on disability adjusted life expectancy at birth from the World Health Organization database. We arbitrarily only included countries with populations in excess of 4 millions and thereby excluded smaller countries where tax exemption is part of the national monetary policy. We found that disability adjusted life expectancy at birth was inversely correlated to the total tax burden in Western Europe. We speculate whether a threshold exists where high taxes exert a negative influence on life expectancy despite increased welfare spending. The study suggests that tax burden should be considered among the multiple factors influencing life expectancy.

  5. Instrumentation and control upgrade plan for Browns Ferry nuclear plant

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

    Belew, M.R.; Langley, D.T.; Torok, R.C.

    1992-01-01

    A comprehensive upgrade of the instrumentation and control (I C) systems at a power plant represents a formidable project for any utility. For a nuclear plant, the extra safety and reliability requirements along with regulatory constraints add further complications and cost. The need for the upgrade must, therefore, be very compelling, and the process must be well planned from the start. This paper describes the steps taken to initiate the I C upgrade process for Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) Browns Ferry 2 nuclear plant. It explains the impetus for the upgrade, the expected benefits, and the process by which systemmore » upgrades will be selected and implemented.« less

  6. Mental health treatment outcome expectancies in Burundi.

    PubMed

    Irankunda, Pacifique; Heatherington, Laurie

    2017-02-01

    Best practices in global mental health stress the importance of understanding local values and beliefs. Research demonstrates that expectancies about the effectiveness of a given treatment significantly predicts outcome, beyond the treatment effect itself. To help inform the development of mental health interventions in Burundi, we studied expectancies about the effectiveness of four treatments: spiritual healing, traditional healing, medication, and selected evidence-based psychosocial treatments widely used in the US. Treatment expectancies were assessed for each of three key syndromes identified by previous research: akabonge (a set of depression-like symptoms), guhahamuka (a set of trauma-related symptoms), and ibisigo (a set of psychosis-like symptoms) . In individual interviews or written surveys in French or Kirundi with patients ( N = 198) awaiting treatment at the clinic, we described each disorder and the treatments in everyday language, asking standard efficacy expectations questions about each ("Would it work?" "Why or why not?"). Findings indicated uniformly high expectancies about the efficacy of spiritual treatment, relatively high expectancies for western evidence-based treatments (especially cognitive behavior therapy [CBT] for depression-like symptoms), lower expectancies for medicine, and especially low expectancies for traditional healing (except for traditional healing for psychosis-like symptoms). There were significant effects of gender but not of education level. Qualitative analyses of explanations provide insight into the basis of people's beliefs, their explanations about why a given treatment would or would not work varied by type of disorder, and reflected beliefs about underlying causes. Implications for program development and future research are discussed.

  7. Test Expectancy and Memory for Important Information

    PubMed Central

    Middlebrooks, Catherine D.; Murayama, Kou; Castel, Alan D.

    2016-01-01

    Prior research suggests that learners study and remember information differently depending upon the type of test they expect to later receive. The current experiments investigate how testing expectations impact the study of and memory for valuable information. Participants studied lists of words ranging in value from 1–10 points with the goal being to maximize their score on a later memory test. Half of the participants were told to expect a recognition test after each list, while the other half were told to expect a recall test. After several lists of receiving tests congruent with expectations, participants studying for a recognition test instead received an unexpected recall test. In Experiment 1, participants who had studied for a recognition test recalled less of the valuable information than participants anticipating the recall format. These participants continued to attend less to item value on future (expected) recall tests than participants who had only ever experienced recall testing. When the recognition tests were made more demanding in Experiment 2, value-based recall improved relative to Experiment 1: though memory for the valuable information remained superior when participants studied with the expectation of having to recall the information, there were no longer significant differences after accounting for recall testing experience. Thus, recall-based testing encouraged strategic, value-based encoding and enhanced retrieval of important information, while recognition testing in some cases limited value-based study and memory. These results extend prior work concerning the impact of testing expectations on memory, offering further insight into how people study important information. PMID:28095010

  8. Perceptual grouping effects on cursor movement expectations.

    PubMed

    Dorneich, Michael C; Hamblin, Christopher J; Lancaster, Jeff A; Olofinboba, Olu

    2014-05-01

    Two studies were conducted to develop an understanding of factors that drive user expectations when navigating between discrete elements on a display via a limited degree-of-freedom cursor control device. For the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle spacecraft, a free-floating cursor with a graphical user interface (GUI) would require an unachievable level of accuracy due to expected acceleration and vibration conditions during dynamic phases of flight. Therefore, Orion program proposed using a "caged" cursor to "jump" from one controllable element (node) on the GUI to another. However, nodes are not likely to be arranged on a rectilinear grid, and so movements between nodes are not obvious. Proximity between nodes, direction of nodes relative to each other, and context features may all contribute to user cursor movement expectations. In an initial study, we examined user expectations based on the nodes themselves. In a second study, we examined the effect of context features on user expectations. The studies established that perceptual grouping effects influence expectations to varying degrees. Based on these results, a simple rule set was developed to support users in building a straightforward mental model that closely matches their natural expectations for cursor movement. The results will help designers of display formats take advantage of the natural context-driven cursor movement expectations of users to reduce navigation errors, increase usability, and decrease access time. The rules set and guidelines tie theory to practice and can be applied in environments where vibration or acceleration are significant, including spacecraft, aircraft, and automobiles.

  9. [Consequences for military medicine of new nuclear weapons developments].

    PubMed

    Vogler, H

    1985-01-15

    The development and production of qualitatively new nuclear weapons (e.g. neutron weapons) has consequences also for the medical protection under conditions of war. In the present paper the peculiarities of these new systems of arms as well as the profile of injured persons which is to be expected after use of neutron weapons are analysed and general conclusions for the medical service are drawn.

  10. Expectations in patients with total knee arthroplasty.

    PubMed

    Tekin, Burcu; Unver, Bayram; Karatosun, Vasfi

    2012-01-01

    The primary objective of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is to decrease pain and restore functional knee joint. Current hypotheses indicate higher knee flexion is required in terms of life style, culture and expectations in Eastern communities. Therefore, society-specific features related to life style and cultural habits are needed. The objective of this study was to investigate the expectations of patients undergoing TKA. The study included 131 patients (18 male, 113 female; mean age: 66.2 ± 8.3 years) who underwent cemented TKA due to knee osteoarthritis. All patients were operated by the same surgeon using the same implant and surgical technique. Patients were evaluated using the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score, a 15-item clinical knee assessment questionnaire and the HSS knee arthroplasty expectation questionnaire. Mean HSS score for the right knee was 89.2 ± 10.5 and for the left knee was 89.6 ± 9.4. The two most expected outcomes were improvements in pain (99.2%) and gait (96.2%) and the two least expected outcomes were improvements in psychological well-being (22.9%) and communicative skills (35.1%). Expectations were not affected by education and working conditions. Patients' most expected outcomes were improvement in pain and restoration of function (gait, climbing stairs and no need of assistive devices), similar to Western and American communities.

  11. Experienced and potential medical tourists' service quality expectations.

    PubMed

    Guiry, Michael; Scott, Jeannie J; Vequist, David G

    2013-01-01

    The paper's aim is to compare experienced and potential US medical tourists' foreign health service-quality expectations. Data were collected via an online survey involving 1,588 US consumers engaging or expressing an interest in medical tourism. The sample included 219 experienced and 1,369 potential medical tourists. Respondents completed a SERVQUAL questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to determine significant differences between experienced and potential US medical tourists' service-quality expectations. For all five service-quality dimensions (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy) experienced medical tourists had significantly lower expectations than potential medical tourists. Experienced medical tourists also had significantly lower service-quality expectations than potential medical tourists for 11 individual SERVQUAL items. Results suggest using experience level to segment medical tourists. The study also has implications for managing medical tourist service-quality expectations at service delivery point and via external marketing communications. Managing medical tourists' service quality expectations is important since expectations can significantly influence choice processes, their experience and post-consumption behavior. This study is the first to compare experienced and potential US medical tourist service-quality expectations. The study establishes a foundation for future service-quality expectations research in the rapidly growing medical tourism industry.

  12. Focusing Your E-Recruitment Efforts to Meet the Expectations of College-Bound Students. E-Expectations 2010

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noel-Levitz, Inc, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Early in 2010, the E-Expectations research group surveyed more than 1,000 college-bound high school students, polling them on their online behaviors and expectations, as well as other key enrollment-related topics. Highlights of the study include: (1) 1 in 4 students reported removing a school from their prospective list because of a bad…

  13. Use of groundwater lifetime expectancy for the performance assessment of a deep geologic waste repository: 1. Theory, illustrations, and implications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cornaton, F. J.; Park, Y.-J.; Normani, S. D.; Sudicky, E. A.; Sykes, J. F.

    2008-04-01

    Long-term solutions for the disposal of toxic wastes usually involve isolation of the wastes in a deep subsurface geologic environment. In the case of spent nuclear fuel, if radionuclide leakage occurs from the engineered barrier, the geological medium represents the ultimate barrier that is relied upon to ensure safety. Consequently, an evaluation of radionuclide travel times from a repository to the biosphere is critically important in a performance assessment analysis. In this study, we develop a travel time framework based on the concept of groundwater lifetime expectancy as a safety indicator. Lifetime expectancy characterizes the time that radionuclides will spend in the subsurface after their release from the repository and prior to discharging into the biosphere. The probability density function of lifetime expectancy is computed throughout the host rock by solving the backward-in-time solute transport adjoint equation subject to a properly posed set of boundary conditions. It can then be used to define optimal repository locations. The risk associated with selected sites can be evaluated by simulating an appropriate contaminant release history. The utility of the method is illustrated by means of analytical and numerical examples, which focus on the effect of fracture networks on the uncertainty of evaluated lifetime expectancy.

  14. How gender-expectancy affects the processing of "them".

    PubMed

    Doherty, Alice; Conklin, Kathy

    2017-04-01

    How sensitive is pronoun processing to expectancies based on real-world knowledge and language usage? The current study links research on the integration of gender stereotypes and number-mismatch to explore this question. It focuses on the use of them to refer to antecedents of different levels of gender-expectancy (low-cyclist, high-mechanic, known-spokeswoman). In a rating task, them is considered increasingly unnatural with greater gender-expectancy. However, participants might not be able to differentiate high-expectancy and gender-known antecedents online because they initially search for plural antecedents (e.g., Sanford & Filik), and they make all-or-nothing gender inferences. An eye-tracking study reveals early differences in the processing of them with antecedents of high gender-expectancy compared with gender-known antecedents. This suggests that participants have rapid access to the expected gender of the antecedent and the level of that expectancy.

  15. Strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime : focus on the civilian nuclear fuel cycle.

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

    Saltiel, David H.; Pregenzer, Arian Leigh

    2005-04-01

    Leaders around the world and across the ideological spectrum agree that the global nonproliferation regime is facing a serious test. The emergence of sophisticated terrorist networks, black markets in nuclear technology, and technological leaps associated with globalization have conspired to threaten one of the most successful examples of international cooperation in history. The rampant proliferation of nuclear weapons that was predicted at the start of the nuclear age has been largely held in check and the use of those weapons avoided. Nonetheless, with the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the threat of nuclearmore » proliferation seems more serious than ever. Although experts readily concede that there exist many pathways to proliferation, the threat posed by the misuse of the civilian nuclear fuel cycle has received considerable recent attention. While the connection between nuclear energy and nonproliferation has been a topic of discussion since the dawn of the nuclear age, world events have brought the issue to the forefront once again. United States President George W. Bush and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohammad ElBaradei are among those who have highlighted proliferation risks associated with civilian nuclear power programs and called for revitalizing the nuclear nonproliferation regime to address new threats. From the possibility of diversion or theft of nuclear material or technology, to the use of national civilian programs as a cover for weapons programs - what some have called latent proliferation - the fuel cycle appears to many to represent a glaring proliferation vulnerability. Just as recognition of these risks is not new, neither is recognition of the many positive benefits of nuclear energy. In fact, a renewed interest in exploiting these benefits has increased the urgency of addressing the risks. Global energy demand is expected to at least double by the

  16. Prototyping and validating requirements of radiation and nuclear emergency plan simulator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamid, AHA.; Rozan, MZA.; Ibrahim, R.; Deris, S.; Selamat, A.

    2015-04-01

    Organizational incapability in developing unrealistic, impractical, inadequate and ambiguous mechanisms of radiological and nuclear emergency preparedness and response plan (EPR) causing emergency plan disorder and severe disasters. These situations resulting from 65.6% of poor definition and unidentified roles and duties of the disaster coordinator. Those unexpected conditions brought huge aftermath to the first responders, operators, workers, patients and community at large. Hence, in this report, we discuss prototyping and validating of Malaysia radiation and nuclear emergency preparedness and response plan simulation model (EPRM). A prototyping technique was required to formalize the simulation model requirements. Prototyping as systems requirements validation was carried on to endorse the correctness of the model itself against the stakeholder's intensions in resolving those organizational incapability. We have made assumptions for the proposed emergency preparedness and response model (EPRM) through the simulation software. Those assumptions provided a twofold of expected mechanisms, planning and handling of the respective emergency plan as well as in bringing off the hazard involved. This model called RANEPF (Radiation and Nuclear Emergency Planning Framework) simulator demonstrated the training emergency response perquisites rather than the intervention principles alone. The demonstrations involved the determination of the casualties' absorbed dose range screening and the coordination of the capacity planning of the expected trauma triage. Through user-centred design and sociotechnical approach, RANEPF simulator was strategized and simplified, though certainly it is equally complex.

  17. What Respondents Really Expect from Researchers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kolar, Tomaz; Kolar, Iztok

    2008-01-01

    This article addresses the issue of falling response rates in telephone surveys. To better understand and maintain respondent goodwill, concepts of psychological contract and respondent expectations are introduced and explored. Results of the qualitative study show that respondent expectations are not only socially contingent but also…

  18. Patient-reported healthcare expectations in inflammatory bowel diseases.

    PubMed

    Pittet, Valérie; Vaucher, Carla; Froehlich, Florian; Maillard, Michel H; Michetti, Pierre

    2018-01-01

    Patient-reported experience is an important component of a holistic approach to quality of care. Patients' expectations of treatments and global disease management may indicate their illness representations and their satisfaction and hopes regarding quality of care. To study expectations of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Two focus groups were conducted with 14 patients to explore their expectations about treatments and disease management. From qualitative content analyses of focus group discussions, we built a 22-item expectations questionnaire that was sent to 1756 patients of the Swiss IBD cohort. Answers were collected on a visual analog scale from 0 to 100, and medians (interquartile range [IQR]) calculated. Factor analysis identified main expectation dimensions, and multivariate analyses were performed to describe associations with patient characteristics. Of 1094 patients (62%) included in the study, 54% were female, 54% had Crohn's disease, 35% had tertiary education, and 72% were employed. Expectation dimensions comprised realistic, predictive, and ideal expectations and were linked to information, communication, daily care, and disease recognition. Half (11 of 22) of the expectations were ranked as very high (median score > 70), the 2 most important being good coordination between general practitioners and specialists (median score: 89, IQR: 71-96) and information on treatment adverse events (89, IQR: 71-96). Women had overall higher levels of expectations than did men. Expectations were not associated with psychosocial measures, except those related to disease recognition, and most of them were highly associated with increased concerns on disease constraints and uncertainty. Patients have high expectations for information and communication among caregivers, the levels varying by gender and region. Patients also appear to request more active participation in their disease management.

  19. Elementary diagrams in nuclear and neutron matter

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

    Wiringa, R.B.

    1995-08-01

    Variational calculations of nuclear and neutron matter are currently performed using a diagrammatic cluster expansion with the aid of nonlinear integral equations for evaluating expectation values. These are the Fermi hypernetted chain (FHNC) and single-operator chain (SOC) equations, which are a way of doing partial diagram summations to infinite order. A more complete summation can be made by adding elementary diagrams to the procedure. The simplest elementary diagrams appear at the four-body cluster level; there is one such E{sub 4} diagram in Bose systems, but 35 diagrams in Fermi systems, which gives a level of approximation called FHNC/4. We developedmore » a novel technique for evaluating these diagrams, by computing and storing 6 three-point functions, S{sub xyz}(r{sub 12}, r{sub 13}, r{sub 23}), where xyz (= ccd, cce, ddd, dde, dee, or eee) denotes the exchange character at the vertices 1, 2, and 3. All 35 Fermi E{sub 4} diagrams can be constructed from these 6 functions and other two-point functions that are already calculated. The elementary diagrams are known to be important in some systems like liquid {sup 3}He. We expect them to be small in nuclear matter at normal density, but they might become significant at higher densities appropriate for neutron star calculations. This year we programmed the FHNC/4 contributions to the energy and tested them in a number of simple model cases, including liquid {sup 3}He and Bethe`s homework problem. We get reasonable, but not exact agreement with earlier published work. In nuclear and neutron matter with the Argonne v{sub 14} interaction these contributions are indeed small corrections at normal density and grow to only 5-10 MeV/nucleon at 5 times normal density.« less

  20. Expectancy of Therapeutic Gain: An Empirical and Conceptual Critique

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilkins, Wallace

    1973-01-01

    The client's expectancy of improvement is regarded as an explanatory construct accounting, in part, for actual psychotherapeutic improvement. Issues involving the conditions under which expectancy effects have been demonstrated, the circular definition of expectancy, the attribution of causality to expectancy, expectancy versus prediction, and the…

  1. Disconfirmed hedonic expectations produce perceptual contrast, not assimilation.

    PubMed

    Zellner, Debra A; Strickhouser, Dinah; Tornow, Carina E

    2004-01-01

    In studies of hedonic ratings, contrast is the usual result when expectations about test stimuli are produced through the presentation of context stimuli, whereas assimilation is the usual result when expectations about test stimuli are produced through labeling, advertising, or the relaying of information to the subject about the test stimuli. Both procedures produce expectations that are subsequently violated, but the outcomes are different. The present studies demonstrate that both assimilation and contrast can occur even when expectations are produced by verbal labels and the degree of violation of the expectation is held constant. One factor determining whether assimilation or contrast occurs appears to be the certainty of the expectation. Expectations that convey certainty are produced by methods that lead to social influence on subjects' ratings, producing assimilation. When social influence is not a factor and subjects give judgments influenced only by the perceived hedonic value of the stimulus, contrast is the result.

  2. Factors that impact expectations before total knee arthroplasty.

    PubMed

    Hepinstall, Matthew S; Rutledge, John R; Bornstein, Lindsey J; Mazumdar, Madhu; Westrich, Geoffrey H

    2011-09-01

    This study examined the effect of patient attributes on expectations before total knee arthroplasty (TKA). A total of 1943 patients completed an Expectations Survey before TKA. Demographics, surgical history, baseline Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and Lower Extremity Activity Scale score were obtained. On univariate analysis, expectations (mean score, 77.6) correlated with SF-36 General Health, age, SF-36 Vitality, KOOS Quality-of-Life, and Lower Extremity Activity Scale. Living alone and history of joint arthroplasty were associated with significantly lower expectations, whereas male sex and white race were associated with higher expectations. On multivariate regression analysis, age, living situation, history of joint arthroplasty, SF-36 General Health, and KOOS Quality-of-Life remained significant predictors of expectations. Our results suggest that high, possibly unrealistic, expectations of TKA are common and should be moderated to maintain patient satisfaction. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Marijuana and Cocaine Effect Expectancies and Drug Use Patterns.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schafer, John; Brown, Sandra A.

    1991-01-01

    Content analyzed self-reports from 704 college students and used results to develop Marijuana Effect Expectancy Questionnaire and Cocaine Effect Expectancy Questionnaire. Identified six marijuana expectancies and five cocaine expectancies. Drug effect expectancies distinguished between patterns of nonuse and varying degrees of use of these two…

  4. A Call for Sobriety: Sixteenth-Century Educationalists and Humanist Conviviality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Verbeke, Demmy

    2013-01-01

    Michel Jeanneret's "A Feast of Words. Banquets and Table Talk in the Renaissance" (1987; English translation published in 1991) highlighted the celebration by Renaissance humanists of food and drink as catalysts of intellectual exchange. The author convincingly argued that Renaissance banquets served as a paradigm for the humanist body…

  5. Expectations of millennial nurse graduates transitioning into practice.

    PubMed

    Andrews, Diane Randall

    2013-01-01

    Identified as Millennials, nurses born after 1980 are anticipated to redefine the employer-employee relationship as one based on the employee's wants and needs. The purpose of this study is to portray the expectations of Millennial student nurses immediately before graduation. Understanding these expectations may provide insight for leaders who are responsible for crafting a successful transition experience. Successful transition and decreased turnover are important elements of cost management for the nursing enterprise. A qualitative descriptive design was used to collect data from 14 students enrolled in a traditional BSN academic nursing program approximately 2 months prior to graduation. Upon completion of private, confidential semistructured interviews, data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed. Demographic data were compiled and interview data summarized according to identified themes. Three overarching themes emerged: the expectation that transition would be stressful, the expectation that there would be a safety net of support, and the expectation to be valued and respected as a professional. Revealing was the expectation of supportive relationships and a collaborative approach to patient care. Failure to meet those expectations may result in turnover as Millennials seek opportunities that meet their expectations.

  6. Grade Expectations: Redux

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miley, William M.; Gonsalves, Sonia

    2004-01-01

    We surveyed undergraduate students taking upper level psychology courses about their course and grade expectations as an extension of the work of Gaultney and Cann (2001) with introductory psychology students. More students believed success in a course was measured by good grades rather than by mastery of new material. They wanted effort to play a…

  7. Longitudinal analyses of adoptive parents' expectations and depressive symptoms.

    PubMed

    Foli, Karen J; Lim, Eunjung; South, Susan C

    2017-12-01

    Grounded in a theoretical model specific to adoptive parents, we examined the relationship between parental expectations and depressive symptoms across time. Assessments of 129 adoptive parents of 64 children were performed at three time points before and after placement of an adopted child with the family: 4-6 weeks pre-placement and 4-6 weeks and 5-6 months post-placement. Expectations were assessed in four dimensions: expectations of self as parents, of the child, of family and friends, and of society. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale. Associations between parental expectations and depressive symptoms were analyzed, and longitudinal multilevel modeling was conducted to explore influences on expectations over time. Parental expectations changed from pre- to post-placement. With the exception of expectations of self as parent, adoptive parents' pre-adoption expectations were affirmed in the post-adoption time periods. In each expectation dimension, higher affirmation of expectations was correlated with decreased depressive symptoms before and after placement of a child. While parental expectations are not unique to adoptive parents, the essence and characteristics of certain expectations are unique to these parents. When working with adoptive parents, nurses who care for families should assess expectations both pre- and post-placement with awareness of their relationship to depressive symptoms. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Patients' and parents' expectations of orthodontic treatment.

    PubMed

    Hiemstra, Renske; Bos, Annemieke; Hoogstraten, Johan

    2009-12-01

    To investigate the expectations of children and their primary care-givers towards orthodontic treatment and to compare the results with those of a UK sample. A questionnaire survey of children and their primary care-givers attending for their first consultation. The Department of Orthodontics at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), the Netherlands. A total of 168 subjects (84 patients and 84 parents) completed the questionnaire. The children were aged 10 to 14 years. The responses of the children and parents and differences between boys and girls were examined using parametric statistical methods. The data from the Dutch sample were compared with a similar UK sample. Patients and parents shared similar expectations of orthodontic treatment, with the exception of expectations of having a brace fitted at the first appointment, orthodontic treatment involving headgear, any problems with orthodontic treatment, duration of orthodontic treatment and concerning reactions from the public. Among the child participants, boys and girls only differed in their expectations of orthodontic treatment involving jaw surgery. Differences between Dutch and English participants were found regarding the first visit, type of orthodontic treatment, reactions from the public, and pain and problems with orthodontic treatment. Since the expectations of patients and their parents differ on several aspects, effective communication between the orthodontist, patient and parent is considered to be essential. Our hypothesis that Dutch patients' and parents' expectations of orthodontic treatment differ from the expectations of English patients and parents was supported.

  9. Patient expectations for surgery: are they being met?

    PubMed

    Jones, K R; Burney, R E; Christy, B

    2000-06-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine patient expectations for the outcomes of three elective surgical procedures, the extent to which patient expectations for surgery were met, the reasons for unmet expectations, and the factors that might predict unmet expectations. Better understanding of these questions might help identify targeted interventions to better prepare patients for specific health care experiences. In a longitudinal, prospective design, a convenience sample of 445 patients (age range, 18 to 86 years) at a general surgery clinic at a major academic medical center was included--177 patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair, 146 undergoing parathyroidectomy, and 122 undergoing cholecystectomy. Patients completed both standardized and newly developed condition-specific health survey instruments. Preoperative interviews were administered, followed by mailed surveys 2 months after surgery. Between 9% and 27% of the respondents reported unmet expectations, with significant variation by condition; reasons included perceived lack of symptom relief, surgical complications, and process of care issues. Patients undergoing parathyroidectomy had a greater probability of unmet expectations. Both feeling prepared for surgery and improved postoperative symptom relief and role functioning reduced the probability of unmet expectations. To reduce the level of unmet expectations, patients need to be prepared both for the surgical experience and for what to expect in the recovery phase. This is especially true for complex illnesses such as primary hyperparathyroidism. Innovative educational strategies to ensure adequate preparation for surgery will be needed, and attention will need to be paid to latent, unstated process measures, if unmet expectations are to be reduced.

  10. International Variations in Measuring Customer Expectations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Calvert, Philip J.

    2001-01-01

    Discussion of customer expectations of library service quality and SERVQUAL as a measurement tool focuses on two studies: one that compared a survey of Chinese university students' expectations of service quality to New Zealand students; and one that investigated national culture as a source of attitudes to customer service. (Author/LRW)

  11. Grief Experiences and Expectance of Suicide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wojtkowiak, Joanna; Wild, Verena; Egger, Jos

    2012-01-01

    Suicide is generally viewed as an unexpected cause of death. However, some suicides might be expected to a certain extent, which needs to be further studied. The relationships between expecting suicide, feeling understanding for the suicide, and later grief experiences were explored. In total, 142 bereaved participants completed the Grief…

  12. Parents' Role in Adolescents' Educational Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rimkute, Laura; Hirvonen, Riikka; Tolvanen, Asko; Aunola, Kaisa; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

    2012-01-01

    The present study examined the extent to which mothers' and fathers' expectations for their offspring's future education, their level of education, and adolescents' academic achievement predict adolescents' educational expectations. To investigate this, 230 adolescents were examined twice while they were in comprehensive school (in the 7th and 9th…

  13. Test expectancy affects metacomprehension accuracy.

    PubMed

    Thiede, Keith W; Wiley, Jennifer; Griffin, Thomas D

    2011-06-01

    Theory suggests that the accuracy of metacognitive monitoring is affected by the cues used to judge learning. Researchers have improved monitoring accuracy by directing attention to more appropriate cues; however, this is the first study to more directly point students to more appropriate cues using instructions regarding tests and practice tests. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the accuracy metacognitive monitoring was affected by the nature of the test expected. Students (N= 59) were randomly assigned to one of two test expectancy groups (memory vs. inference). Then after reading texts, judging learning, completed both memory and inference tests. Test performance and monitoring accuracy were superior when students received the kind of test they had been led to expect rather than the unexpected test. Tests influence students' perceptions of what constitutes learning. Our findings suggest that this could affect how students prepare for tests and how they monitoring their own learning. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

  14. First-Time Mothers' Expectations of Parenthood: What Happens When Optimistic Expectations Are Not Matched by Later Experiences?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harwood, Kate; McLean, Neil; Durkin, Kevin

    2007-01-01

    Becoming a parent is a major developmental transition of adulthood. Individuals often have optimistic expectations about parenthood, yet this transition also presents a number of challenges. The authors investigated whether new parents have overly optimistic expectations about parenthood and, if they do, how this influences their adjustment to…

  15. Maintaining High Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Roger; Williams, Sherry

    2014-01-01

    Author and husband, Roger Williams, is hearing and signs fluently, and author and wife, Sherry Williams, is deaf and uses both speech and signs, although she is most comfortable signing. As parents of six children--deaf and hearing--they are determined to encourage their children to do their best, and they always set their expectations high. They…

  16. Emergency Health Preparedness: Expectations for Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winkelman, Jack L.

    Specific issues relevant to the emergency health preparedness of schools and the key roles and expectations applicable to teachers are outlined. It is noted that, while issues of legal liability relevant to teachers are complex, teachers are expected to: (1) anticipate possible risk or harm involved in activities; (2) give adequate warning of…

  17. LUNA: Nuclear astrophysics underground

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

    Best, A.

    Underground nuclear astrophysics with LUNA at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso spans a history of 20 years. By using the rock overburden of the Gran Sasso mountain chain as a natural cosmic-ray shield very low signal rates compared to an experiment on the surface can be tolerated. The cross sectons of important astrophysical reactions directly in the stellar energy range have been successfully measured. In this proceeding we give an overview over the key accomplishments of the experiment and an outlook on its future with the expected addition of an additional accelerator to the underground facilities, enabling the coveragemore » of a wider energy range and the measurement of previously inaccessible reactions.« less

  18. Gender-Biased Expectations of Altruism in Adolescents

    PubMed Central

    Salgado, Mauricio

    2018-01-01

    Research suggests that women, but not men, manifest gender-biased expectations of altruism: while women expect other women to be more altruistic, men expect women to be as generous as men. Do adolescents expect women and men to behave differently regarding altruism? I analyse adolescents' gender beliefs about altruism using a modified Dictator Game. Results indicate that adolescents believe that others of same gender are more altruistic than others of the opposite gender. I also found that adolescents' agreement with the existence of different societal roles for men and women moderates the relationship between gender and gender beliefs. Although it was expected that adolescents who agree with different gender roles would expect women to be more generous, surprisingly, the results presented here confirm this only for male adolescents, but in the opposite direction: the more male adolescents agree with the existence of different gender roles, the more they seem to believe that men are more generous than women. Meanwhile, female adolescents believe that women are more altruistic unconditionally. Thus, the previously documented bias seems to be already in place during adolescence, above and beyond other confounding factors. Adolescents' in-group bias, and their socialization into different cultural values regarding gender roles are discussed as potential explanatory mechanisms for these gender beliefs. PMID:29692749

  19. What do patients expect from treatment with Dental Implants? Perceptions, expectations and misconceptions: a multicenter study.

    PubMed

    Yao, Jie; Li, Ming; Tang, Hua; Wang, Peng-Lai; Zhao, Yu-Xiao; McGrath, Colman; Mattheos, Nikos

    2017-03-01

    While research in terms of patient-centered care in implant therapy is growing, few studies have investigated patients' initial perceptions prior to consultation with the implant dentist. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to capture patients' initial information level, perceptions, as well as expectations from the implant therapy. A 34-item questionnaire was developed to investigate patients' preoperative information, perceptions and expectations from treatment with Dental Implants. The study was conducted in three locations (Hong Kong, SiChuan and JiangSu) during 2014-2015 with 277 patients. The main information source about implant therapy was the dentist or hygienist for less than half of the patients (n = 113, 42%). About 62.8% of participants considered that they were in general informed about implants, but only 17.7% felt confident with the information they had. More than 30% of the sample appeared to maintain dangerous misperceptions about Dental Implants: "Dental Implants require less care than natural teeth"; "Treatment with Dental Implants is appropriate for all patients with missing teeth"; "Dental Implants last longer than natural teeth"; and "Treatments with Dental Implants have no risks or complications." Patients were divided when asked whether "Dental Implants are as functional as natural teeth" (agreement frequency = 52.7%). Expectations from treatment outcome were commonly high, while there was a significant correlation between the overall mean of perception scores and outcome expectation scores (r = 0.32, P < 0.001). Overall, younger subjects (<45 years) and those with higher education level (bachelor and postgraduate) tended to present more realistic perceptions and lower outcome expectations. The majority of patients in this study presented relatively realistic perceptions. However, an alarming portion of the sample presented with inaccurate perceptions and unrealistic expectations, which the dental team would need to diagnose

  20. Development of High Fidelity, Fuel-Like Thermal Simulators for Non-Nuclear Testing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bragg-Sitton, S. M.; Farmer, J.; Dixon, D.; Kapernick, R.; Dickens, R.; Adams, M.

    2007-01-01

    Non-nuclear testing can be a valuable tool in development of a space nuclear power or propulsion system. In a non-nuclear test bed, electric heaters are used to simulate the heat from nuclear fuel. Work at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center seeks to develop high fidelity thermal simulators that not only match the static power profile that would be observed in an operating, fueled nuclear reactor, but to also match the dynamic fuel pin performance during feasible transients. Comparison between the fuel pins and thermal simulators is made at the fuel clad surface, which corresponds to the sheath surface in the thermal simulator. Static and dynamic fuel pin performance was determined using SINDA-FLUINT analysis, and the performance of conceptual thermal simulator designs was compared to the expected nuclear performance. Through a series of iterative analysis, a conceptual high fidelity design will be developed, followed by engineering design, fabrication, and testing to validate the overall design process. Although the resulting thermal simulator will be designed for a specific reactor concept, establishing this rigorous design process will assist in streamlining the thermal simulator development for other reactor concepts.

  1. Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository prompts heated congressional hearing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2011-11-01

    Although the final report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future is not expected until January 2012, the tentative conclusions of the commission's draft report were dissected during a recent joint hearing by two subcommittees of the House of Representatives' Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Among the more heated issues debated at the hearing was the fate of the stalled Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada. The Blue Ribbon Commission's (BRC) draft report includes recommendations for managing nuclear waste and for developing one or more permanent deep geological repositories and interim storage facilities, but the report does not address the future of Yucca Mountain. The BRC charter indicates that the commission is to "conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle." However, the draft report states that the commission was not asked to consider, and therefore did not address, several key issues. "We have not rendered an opinion on the suitability of the Yucca Mountain site or on the request to withdraw the license application for Yucca Mountain," the draft report states.

  2. Adolescent pregnancy: do expectations affect intentions?

    PubMed

    Stevens-Simon, Catherine; Sheeder, Jeanelle; Beach, Roberta; Harter, Susan

    2005-09-01

    To establish the relationship between expectations about the effects of childbearing on specific aspects of life and the strength of the desire to remain nonpregnant during adolescence. We hypothesized that the absence of negative childbearing expectations is associated with an increase in the odds that sexually active, inadequately contracepting teenage girls are cognitively susceptible to conception. A racially and ethnically diverse group of 351 nulligravida, inadequately contracepting teenagers was studied. Participants responded to 60 items that asked about their expectation about the effects of becoming pregnant and not doing so. Analyses were performed to determine the factorial structure of the childbearing expectations items and their relationship to cognitive susceptibility to conception, defined as the lack of desire to remain nonpregnant. The analysis yielded a 9-factor solution for the childbearing expectations items. All 9 sub-scales exhibited acceptable reliability coefficients, stable factor patterns, and correlated significantly with the desire to remain nonpregnant. A dose-dependent relationship suggestive of causality was also apparent. In stepwise regression the sub-scales that assessed the anticipated effect of childbearing on future plans, self-esteem, and boyfriend relations remained significant and accounted for 56% of the variance in the desire to remain nonpregnant. The lengthy research instrument was reduced to an 8-item screening tool without loss of psychometric integrity or explanatory power. Childbearing expectations reflect distinct concepts and account for a significant portion of the variance in the desire to remain nonpregnant during adolescence. Thus the 8-item screening tool we validated might be used to formulate a differential diagnosis for the enigmatic behavior of teens who say they do not "want" to become pregnant but do not "mind" doing so enough to try to avoid conceiving by default.

  3. Clinical expectations: what facilitators expect from ESL students on clinical placement.

    PubMed

    San Miguel, Caroline; Rogan, Fran

    2012-03-01

    Many nursing students for whom English is a second language (ESL) face challenges related to communication on clinical placement and although clinical facilitators are not usually trained language assessors, they are often in a position of needing to assess ESL students' clinical language performance. Little is known, however, about the particular areas of clinical performance facilitators focus on when they are assessing ESL students. This paper discusses the results of a study of facilitators' written assessment comments about the clinical performance of a small group of ESL nursing students over a two and a half year period. These comments were documented on students' clinical assessment forms at the end of each placement. The results provide a more detailed insight into facilitators' expectations of students' language performance and the particular challenges faced by ESL students and indicate that facilitators have clear expectations of ESL students regarding communication, learning styles and professional demeanour. These findings may help both ESL students and their facilitators better prepare for clinical placement. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Nuclear pulse. II - Ensuring delivery of the doomsday signal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Broad, W. J.

    1981-06-01

    The ability of the communications systems on which U.S. strategic forces depend to survive the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects of a nuclear blast in the upper atmosphere is examined. It is shown that the Bell system telephone network, Autovon, on which much military communication presently depends, is especially vulnerable to EMP; while satellite and microwave communications networks are expected to be more resistant to attack. Satellites are, though, vulnerable to killer-satellite attack. Much promise is seen in the conversion of ground communications links to fiber-optic form, which is inherently highly resistant to EMP. A nuclear bomb detonated 200 miles above Nebraska would affect communications equipment throughout the contiguous U.S. with peak fields of 500,000 volts/meter.

  5. Nuclear Physical Uncertainties in Modeling X-Ray Bursts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Regis, Eric; Amthor, A. Matthew

    2017-09-01

    Type I x-ray bursts occur when a neutron star accretes material from the surface of another star in a compact binary star system. For certain accretion rates and material compositions, much of the nuclear material is burned in short, explosive bursts. Using a one-dimensional stellar model, Kepler, and a comprehensive nuclear reaction rate library, ReacLib, we have simulated chains of type I x-ray bursts. Unfortunately, there are large remaining uncertainties in the nuclear reaction rates involved, since many of the isotopes reacting are unstable and have not yet been studied experimentally. Some individual reactions, when varied within their estimated uncertainty, alter the light curves dramatically. This limits our ability to understand the structure of the neutron star. Previous studies have looked at the effects of individual reaction rate uncertainties. We have applied a Monte Carlo method ``-simultaneously varying a set of reaction rates'' -in order to probe the expected uncertainty in x-ray burst behaviour due to the total uncertainty in all nuclear reaction rates. Furthermore, we aim to discover any nonlinear effects due to the coupling between different reaction rates. Early results show clear non-linear effects. This research was made possible by NSF-DUE Grant 1317446, BUScholars Program.

  6. A High Accuracy Measurement of the Nuclear Decay of 235mU and Search for the Nuclear Decay of 229mTh

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ponce, Francisco

    Among all nuclear decays, there exist two isomeric states with very low-energy that belong to . {229}Th (7.8 ± 0.5 eV) and . {235}U (76.8 ± 0.5 eV) . Of particular interest is . {229}Th, because the decay energy is in the ultraviolet, and therefore in the range of modern tunable lasers. The isomer can potentially be used as the basis for a nuclear clock that is expected to be two orders of magnitude more precise than atomic clocks. However, the . {229m}Th nuclear decay energy is not sufficiently well known to design the necessary laser system for a nuclear clock. This work describes the development of a new technique using superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) detectors to directly measure the nuclear decay of low-energy isomers with a high level of accuracy. The strength of the technique is demonstrated by measuring the decay energy of the . {235}U isomer at 76.737 ± 0.018 eV. Over an order of magnitude more accurate than the current literature value. The technique is then applied to detect the transition in . {229m}Th directly and measure its energy with comparable accuracy. These experiments are unsuccessful and are discussed in light of the recent measurement of the . {229m}Th half-life of 7 ± \\SI{1}{\\micro\\second}.

  7. Nuclear matter effects on J/ψ production in asymmetric Cu + Au collisions at \\(\\sqrt{s_{\\mathrm{NN}}} = 200\\) GeV

    DOE PAGES

    Adare, A.; Aidala, C.; Ajitanand, N. N.; ...

    2014-12-18

    We report on J/ψ production from asymmetric Cu+Au heavy-ion collisions at \\(\\sqrt{s_{\\mathrm{NN}}} = 200\\) GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at both forward (Cu-going direction) and backward (Au-going direction) rapidities. The nuclear modification of J/ψ yields in Cu+Au collisions in the Au-going direction is found to be comparable to that in Au+Au collisions when plotted as a function of the number of participating nucleons. In the Cu-going direction, J/ψ production shows a stronger suppression. This difference is comparable in magnitude and has the same sign as the difference expected from shadowing effects due to stronger low-x gluon suppression inmore » the larger Au nucleus. Thus, the relative suppression is opposite to that expected from hot nuclear matter dissociation, since a higher energy density is expected in the Au-going direction.« less

  8. Adoption? Adaptation? Evaluating the Formation of Educational Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrew, Megan; Hauser, Robert M.

    2011-01-01

    Sociologists have long used educational expectations to understand the complex mental processes underlying individuals' educational decision making. Yet, little research evaluates how students actually formulate their educational expectations. Status attainment theory asserts that students adopt their educational expectations early based on family…

  9. The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Adolescent Social Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loeb, Emily; Hessel, Elenda T.; Allen, Joseph

    2016-01-01

    Adolescents' negative social expectations of their peers were examined as long-term predictors of problematic self-reported social functioning. Early adolescent negative expectations were hypothesized to predict risk-averse functioning in late adolescence that would ultimately contribute to confirmation of those expectations. Utilizing…

  10. Effects of expectation congruency on event-related potentials (ERPs) to facial expressions depend on cognitive load during the expectation phase.

    PubMed

    Lin, Huiyan; Schulz, Claudia; Straube, Thomas

    2016-10-01

    Previous studies have shown that event-related potentials (ERPs) to facial expressions are modulated by expectation (congruency) and that the ERP effects of expectation congruency are altered by cognitive tasks during the expectation phase. However, it is as yet unknown whether the congruency ERP effects can be modulated by the amount of cognitive load during the expectation phase. To address this question, electroencephalogram (EEG) was acquired when participants viewed fearful and neutral facial expressions. Before the presentation of facial expressions, a cue indicating the expression of a face and subsequently, an expectation interval without any cues were presented. Facial expressions were congruent with the cues in 75% of all trials. During the expectation interval, participants had to solve a cognitive task, in which several letters were presented for target letter detection. The letters were all the same under low load, but differed under high load. Event-related potential (ERP) results showed that the amount of cognitive load during the expectation phase altered the congruency effect in N2 and EPN amplitudes for fearful faces. Congruent as compared to incongruent fearful expressions elicited larger N2 and smaller EPN amplitudes under low load, but these congruency effects were not observed under high load. For neutral faces, a congruency effect in late positive potential (LPP) amplitudes was modulated by cognitive load during the expectation phase. The LPP was more positive for incongruent as compared to congruent faces under low load, but the congruency effect was not evident under high load. The findings indicate that congruency effects on ERPs are modulated by the amount of cognitive load the expectation phase and that this modulation is altered by facial expression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. A Theory of False Cognitive Expectancies in Airline Pilots

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cortes, Antonio I.

    The Theory of False Cognitive Expectancies was developed by studying high reliability flight operations. Airline pilots depend extensively on cognitive expectancies to perceive, understand, and predict actions and events. Out of 1,363 incident reports submitted by airline pilots to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Aviation Safety Reporting System over a year's time, 110 reports were found to contain evidence of 127 false cognitive expectancies in pilots. A comprehensive taxonomy was developed with six categories of interest. The dataset of 127 false expectancies was used to initially code tentative taxon values for each category. Intermediate coding through constant comparative analysis completed the taxonomy. The taxonomy was used for the advanced coding of chronological context-dependent visualizations of expectancy factors, known as strands, which depict the major factors in the creation and propagation of each expectancy. Strands were mapped into common networks to detect highly represented expectancy processes. Theoretical integration established 11 sources of false expectancies, the most common expectancy errors, and those conspicuous factors worthy of future study. The most prevalent source of false cognitive expectancies within the dataset was determined to be unconscious individual modeling based on past events. Integrative analyses also revealed relationships between expectancies and flight deck automation, unresolved discrepancies, and levels of situation awareness. Particularly noteworthy were the findings that false expectancies can combine in three possible permutations to diminish situation awareness and examples of how false expectancies can be unwittingly transmitted from one person to another. The theory resulting from this research can enhance the error coding process used during aircraft line oriented safety audits, lays the foundation for developing expectancy management training programs, and will allow researchers to proffer

  12. The prospect of nuclear energy in Türkiye especially after Fukushima accident

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Şahin, Sümer

    2014-09-01

    Türkiye considers since mid-50's to use nuclear electricity, but Government and bureaucracy have continuously postponed reactor construction. However, since 2010 the case has gained a real shape. Official agreement has been signed for the construction of 4 units of Russian VVER type reactors with installed power of 4×1200 MWel. It is expected that they will begin to deliver electricity early 20's. Further negotiations are being conducted with Japanese Mitsubashi and French AREVA. The target is to have nuclear electricity by 2023 at the 100th anniversary of Turkish Republic. Turkish Nuclear Energy Strategy aims; • Decrease country's dependency on foreign suppliers of energy sources • Provide fuel supply mix diversification • Utilization of environmentally friendly energy production technologies Possess advanced and prestigious power generation technologies.

  13. Increasing hope by addressing clients' outcome expectations.

    PubMed

    Swift, Joshua K; Derthick, Annie O

    2013-09-01

    Addressing clients' outcome expectations is an important clinical process that can lead to a strong therapeutic alliance, more positive treatment outcomes, and decreased rates of premature termination from psychotherapy. Five interventions designed to foster appropriate outcome expectations are discussed, including presenting a convincing treatment rationale, increasing clients' faith in their therapists, expressing faith in clients, providing outcome education, and comparing progress with expectations. Clinical examples and research support are provided for each. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

  14. Cyber Norms for Civilian Nuclear Power Plants

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

    Spirito, Christopher

    The international community agrees that the safe operation of civilian nuclear infrastructure is in every population’s best interest. One challenge each government must address is defining and agreeing to a set of acceptable norms of behavior in cyberspace as they relate to these facilities. The introduction of digital systems and networking technologies into these environments has led to the possibility that control and supporting computer systems are now accessible and exploitable, especially where interconnections to global information and communications technology (ICT) networks exist. The need for norms of behavior in cyberspace includes what is expected of system architects and cybermore » defenders as well as adversaries who should abide by rules of engagement even while conducting acts that violate national and international laws. The goal of this paper is to offer three behavioral cyber norms to improve the overall security of the ICT and Operational Technology (OT) networks and systems that underlie the operations of nuclear facilities. These norms of behavior will be specifically defined with the goals of reducing the threats associated to the theft of nuclear materials, accidental release of radiation and sabotage of nuclear processes. These norms would also include instances where an unwitting attacker or intelligence collection entity inadvertently makes their way into a nuclear facility network or system and can recognize they are in a protected zone and an approach to ensuring that these zones are not exploitable by bad actors to place their sensitive cyber effect delivery systems.« less

  15. Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Emrich, William J.

    2008-01-01

    To support a potential future development of a nuclear thermal rocket engine, a state-of-the-art non nuclear experimental test setup has been constructed to evaluate the performance characteristics of candidate fuel element materials and geometries in representative environments. The test device simulates the environmental conditions (minus the radiation) to which nuclear rocket fuel components could be subjected during reactor operation. Test articles mounted in the simulator are inductively heated in such a manner as to accurately reproduce the temperatures and heat fluxes normally expected to occur as a result of nuclear fission while at the same time being exposed to flowing hydrogen. This project is referred to as the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environment Simulator or NTREES. The NTREES device is located at the Marshall Space flight Center in a laboratory which has been modified to accommodate the high powers required to heat the test articles to the required temperatures and to handle the gaseous hydrogen flow required for the tests. Other modifications to the laboratory include the installation of a nitrogen gas supply system and a cooling water supply system. During the design and construction of the facility, every effort was made to comply with all pertinent regulations to provide assurance that the facility could be operated in a safe and efficient manner. The NTREES system can currently supply up to 50 kW of inductive heating to the fuel test articles, although the facility has been sized to eventually allow test article heating levels of up to several megawatts.

  16. Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES)

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

    Emrich, William J. Jr.

    2008-01-21

    To support a potential future development of a nuclear thermal rocket engine, a state-of-the-art non nuclear experimental test setup has been constructed to evaluate the performance characteristics of candidate fuel element materials and geometries in representative environments. The test device simulates the environmental conditions (minus the radiation) to which nuclear rocket fuel components could be subjected during reactor operation. Test articles mounted in the simulator are inductively heated in such a manner as to accurately reproduce the temperatures and heat fluxes normally expected to occur as a result of nuclear fission while at the same time being exposed to flowingmore » hydrogen. This project is referred to as the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environment Simulator or NTREES. The NTREES device is located at the Marshall Space flight Center in a laboratory which has been modified to accommodate the high powers required to heat the test articles to the required temperatures and to handle the gaseous hydrogen flow required for the tests. Other modifications to the laboratory include the installation of a nitrogen gas supply system and a cooling water supply system. During the design and construction of the facility, every effort was made to comply with all pertinent regulations to provide assurance that the facility could be operated in a safe and efficient manner. The NTREES system can currently supply up to 50 kW of inductive heating to the fuel test articles, although the facility has been sized to eventually allow test article heating levels of up to several megawatts.« less

  17. Quantum dynamics of nuclear spins and spin relaxation in organic semiconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mkhitaryan, V. V.; Dobrovitski, V. V.

    2017-06-01

    We investigate the role of the nuclear-spin quantum dynamics in hyperfine-induced spin relaxation of hopping carriers in organic semiconductors. The fast-hopping regime, when the carrier spin does not rotate much between subsequent hops, is typical for organic semiconductors possessing long spin coherence times. We consider this regime and focus on a carrier random-walk diffusion in one dimension, where the effect of the nuclear-spin dynamics is expected to be the strongest. Exact numerical simulations of spin systems with up to 25 nuclear spins are performed using the Suzuki-Trotter decomposition of the evolution operator. Larger nuclear-spin systems are modeled utilizing the spin-coherent state P -representation approach developed earlier. We find that the nuclear-spin dynamics strongly influences the carrier spin relaxation at long times. If the random walk is restricted to a small area, it leads to the quenching of carrier spin polarization at a nonzero value at long times. If the random walk is unrestricted, the carrier spin polarization acquires a long-time tail, decaying as 1 /√{t } . Based on the numerical results, we devise a simple formula describing the effect quantitatively.

  18. Why Contextual Preference Reversals Maximize Expected Value

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Contextual preference reversals occur when a preference for one option over another is reversed by the addition of further options. It has been argued that the occurrence of preference reversals in human behavior shows that people violate the axioms of rational choice and that people are not, therefore, expected value maximizers. In contrast, we demonstrate that if a person is only able to make noisy calculations of expected value and noisy observations of the ordinal relations among option features, then the expected value maximizing choice is influenced by the addition of new options and does give rise to apparent preference reversals. We explore the implications of expected value maximizing choice, conditioned on noisy observations, for a range of contextual preference reversal types—including attraction, compromise, similarity, and phantom effects. These preference reversal types have played a key role in the development of models of human choice. We conclude that experiments demonstrating contextual preference reversals are not evidence for irrationality. They are, however, a consequence of expected value maximization given noisy observations. PMID:27337391

  19. The Role of Expectations in Game-Based Training.

    PubMed

    Kreutzer, Christine; Bowers, Clint

    2015-01-01

    The present work seeks to examine the importance of expectancies in computer-mediated treatment and training programs. Two studies examining the role of patient and trainee expectations are presented. Study 1 investigated how expectations of a training game for military surgical teams influence training performance outcomes. The findings have implications for the administration of game-based treatment and training systems. Study 2 explored how pre-treatment expectancies influence post-treatment reactions to a game-based intervention for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Results indicate that self-efficacy plays a mediating role in the relationship between expectancies and reactions. Together, these studies offer implications regarding the critical role of attitudes towards game-based training and treatment mechanisms.

  20. Scientists and artists: ""Hey! You got art in my science! You got science on my art

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

    Elfman, Mary E; Hayes, Birchard P; Michel, Kelly D

    The pairing of science and art has proven to be a powerful combination since the Renaissance. The combination of these two seemingly disparate disciplines ensured that even complex scientific theories could be explored and effectively communicated to both the subject matter expert and the layman. In modern times, science and art have frequently been considered disjoint, with objectives, philosophies, and perspectives often in direct opposition to each other. However, given the technological advances in computer science and high fidelity 3-D graphics development tools, this marriage of art and science is once again logically complimentary. Art, in the form of computermore » graphics and animation created on supercomputers, has already proven to be a powerful tool for improving scientific research and providing insight into nuclear phenomena. This paper discusses the power of pairing artists with scientists and engineers in order to pursue the possibilities of a widely accessible lightweight, interactive approach. We will use a discussion of photo-realism versus stylization to illuminate the expected beneficial outcome of such collaborations and the societal advantages gained by a non-traditional pa11nering of these two fields.« less

  1. Grade Expectations: Rationality and Overconfidence

    PubMed Central

    Magnus, Jan R.; Peresetsky, Anatoly A.

    2018-01-01

    Confidence and overconfidence are essential aspects of human nature, but measuring (over)confidence is not easy. Our approach is to consider students' forecasts of their exam grades. Part of a student's grade expectation is based on the student's previous academic achievements; what remains can be interpreted as (over)confidence. Our results are based on a sample of about 500 second-year undergraduate students enrolled in a statistics course in Moscow. The course contains three exams and each student produces a forecast for each of the three exams. Our models allow us to estimate overconfidence quantitatively. Using these models we find that students' expectations are not rational and that most students are overconfident, in agreement with the general literature. Less obvious is that overconfidence helps: given the same academic achievement students with larger confidence obtain higher exam grades. Female students are less overconfident than male students, their forecasts are more rational, and they are also faster learners in the sense that they adjust their expectations more rapidly. PMID:29375449

  2. Evolution of childbirth expectations in Spanish pregnant women.

    PubMed

    Peñacoba-Puente, Cecilia; Carmona-Monge, Francisco Javier; Marín-Morales, Dolores; Écija Gallardo, Carmen

    2016-02-01

    To analyze the change of childbirth expectations over the course of pregnancy as well as their relation to socio-demographic and clinical variables. The study of expectations in pregnant women is gaining more interest from a biopsychosocial approach because of its consequences on pregnant women's wellbeing. To our knowledge there are no previous studies analyzing the evolution of childbirth expectations over the course of pregnancy. Longitudinal study (first trimester and third trimester). Women were evaluated for childbirth expectations in their first trimester (n=285) and third trimester (n=122) of pregnancy. They also completed questionnaires collecting socio-demographic information. Childbirth expectations appear to remain more or less stable over the course of pregnancy, although they tend to become slightly negative at the end of gestation, specifically referring to personal control and delivery circumstances. Multiparity and planned pregnancy are associated with higher positive expectations. It seems essential to explore and to try to adjust childbirth expectations to more realistic ones, in order for them to be fulfilled. Midwives and other maternity healthcare providers play a key role in this regard. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Dissociable influences of opiates and expectations on pain

    PubMed Central

    Atlas, Lauren Y.; Whittington, Robert A.; Lindquist, Martin A.; Wielgosz, Joe; Sonty, Nomita; Wager, Tor D.

    2012-01-01

    Placebo treatments and opiate drugs are thought to have common effects on the opioid system and pain-related brain processes. This has created excitement about the potential for expectations to modulate drug effects themselves. If drug effects differ as a function of belief, this would challenge the assumptions underlying the standard clinical trial. We conducted two studies to directly examine the relationship between expectations and opioid analgesia. We administered the opioid agonist remifentanil to human subjects during experimental thermal pain and manipulated participants’ knowledge of drug delivery using an open-hidden design. This allowed us to test drug effects, expectancy (knowledge) effects, and their interactions on pain reports and pain-related responses in the brain. Remifentanil and expectancy both reduced pain, but drug effects on pain reports and fMRI activity did not interact with expectancy. Regions associated with pain processing showed drug-induced modulation during both Open and Hidden conditions, with no differences in drug effects as a function of expectation. Instead, expectancy modulated activity in frontal cortex, with a separable time course from drug effects. These findings reveal that opiates and placebo treatments both influence clinically relevant outcomes and operate without mutual interference. PMID:22674280

  4. Conditions inside Water Pooled in a Failed Nuclear Waste Container and its Effect on Radionuclide Release

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamdan, L. K.; Walton, J. C.; Woocay, A.

    2009-12-01

    Nuclear power use is expected to expand in the future, as part of the global clean energy initiative, to meet the world’s surging energy demand, and attenuate greenhouse gas emissions, which are mainly caused by fossil fuels. As a result, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of metric tons of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) will accumulate. SNF disposal has major environmental (radiation exposure) and security (nuclear proliferation) concerns. Storage in unsaturated zone geological repositories is a reasonable solution for dealing with SNF. One of the key factors that determine the performance of the geological repository is the release of radionuclides from the engineered barrier system. Over time, the nuclear waste containers are expected to fail gradually due to general and localized corrosions and eventually infiltrating water will have access to the nuclear waste. Once radionuclides are released, they will be transported by water, and make their way to the accessible environment. Physical and chemical disturbances in the environment over the container will lead to different corrosion rates, causing different times and locations of penetration. One possible scenario for waste packages failure is the bathtub model, where penetrations occur on the top of the waste package and water pools inside it. In this paper the bathtub-type failed waste container is considered. We shed some light on chemical and physical processes that take place in the pooled water inside a partially failed waste container (bathtub category), and the effects of these processes on radionuclide release. Our study considers two possibilities: temperature stratification of the pooled water versus mixing process. Our calculations show that temperature stratification of the pooled water is expected when the waste package is half (or less) filled with water. On the other hand, when the waste package is fully filled (or above half) there will be mixing in the upper part of water. The effect of

  5. The Bases of Teacher Expectancies: A Meta-Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dusek, Jerome B.; Joseph, Gail

    1983-01-01

    A meta-analysis of 77 studies on teacher expectancies led to the following conclusions: student attractiveness, conduct, cumulative folder information, race, and social class were related to teacher expectancies. Student gender and the number of parents at home were not related to teacher expectancies. (Author/LC)

  6. The effects of alcohol expectancy priming on group bonding.

    PubMed

    Moltisanti, Allison J; Below, Maureen C; Brandon, Karen O; Goldman, Mark S

    2013-12-01

    According to alcohol expectancy theory, drinking-related information is stored in memory and, when cue activated, influences alcohol-related behavior. Priming of alcohol cues and expectancies has been shown to elicit both drinking and nonconsumptive behavior associated with alcohol consumption, such as willingness to meet with a stranger and aggression. These social influence effects have been shown to be moderated by individual differences in alcohol expectancies. In the present study, we tested whether an alcohol prime would facilitate social group bonding even in the absence of consumption, and whether such group bonding would be moderated by individually held social expectancies. One hundred twenty undergraduates (75% female) completed an alcohol expectancy measure prior to participation. Participants were primed with either alcohol or neutral beverage words and completed a collaborative group activity followed by questionnaires measuring perceived group cohesion. Several interactions were found between condition and expectancy reflecting that those in the alcohol prime condition with higher social alcohol expectancies reported greater cohesion on task-related, but not emotion-related, group measures. These findings underscore the complexity of the impact of expectancy and social behavior on drinking: the priming of alcohol expectancies may activate aspects of pro-social behavior, which may influence drinking, which in turn may feedback to positively reinforce social expectancies.

  7. Outcome Expectancies and Risk Behaviors in Maltreated Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nickoletti, Patrick; Taussig, Heather N.

    2006-01-01

    This study examined positive and negative outcome expectancies for risk behaviors, and their association with engagement in risk behaviors, in a sample of 149 maltreated adolescents. "Outcome Expectancies" are evaluative social cognitions about what will occur as a consequence of one's actions. Risk behaviors and outcome expectancies for substance…

  8. Expectancy-Value and Children's Science Achievement: Parents Matter

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Julie A.; Strunk, Kamden K.

    2017-01-01

    This longitudinal study explored the ways parents' and teachers' expectancy for success influences 3rd-5th children's expectancy for success and achievement in science. Guided by an open-systems perspective and functional (Ballantine & Roberts, 2007) and expectancy-value (Eccles, 2005, 2007) theories, we focused on school related socialization…

  9. Expectancy Theory Modeling

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-08-01

    accomplish the task, (2) the instrumentality of task performance for job outcomes, and (3) the instrumentality of outcomes for need satisfaction . We...in this discussion: effort, performance , outcomes, and needs. In order to present briefly the conventional approach to the Vroom models, another...Presumably, this is the final event in the sequence of effort, performance , outcome, and need satisfaction . The actual research reported in expectancy

  10. Expectant management of veterans with early-stage prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Filson, Christopher P; Shelton, Jeremy B; Tan, Hung-Jui; Kwan, Lorna; Skolarus, Ted A; Saigal, Christopher S; Litwin, Mark S

    2016-02-15

    For certain men with low-risk prostate cancer, aggressive treatment results in marginal survival benefits while exposing them to urinary and sexual side effects. Nevertheless, expectant management has been underused. In the current study, the authors evaluated the association between various factors and expectant management use among veterans diagnosed with prostate cancer. The authors identified men diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008. The outcome of interest was use of expectant management, based on documentation captured through an in-depth chart review. Multivariable regression models were fit to examine associations between use of expectant management and patient demographics, cancer severity, and facility characteristics. The authors assessed variation across 21 tertiary care regions and 52 facilities by generating predicted probabilities for receipt of expectant management. Expectant management was more common among patients aged ≥75 years (40% vs 27% for those aged < 55 years; odds ratio, 2.57) and those with low-risk tumors (49% vs 20% for patients with high-risk tumors; odds ratio, 5.35). There was no association noted between patient comorbidity and receipt of expectant management (P = .90). There were also no associations found between facility factors and use of expectant management (all P>.05). Among ideal candidates for expectant management, receipt of expectant management varied considerably across individual facilities (0%-85%; P<.001). Patient age and tumor risk were found to be more strongly associated with use of expectant management than patient comorbidity. Although use of expectant management appears broadly appropriate, there was variation in expectant management noted between hospitals that was apparently not attributable to facility factors. Research determining the basis of this variation, with a focus on providers, will be critical to help optimize prostate cancer treatment for veterans. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

  11. Gender difference in health expectancy trends in Greenland.

    PubMed

    Mairey, Isabelle; Bjerregaard, Peter; Brønnum-Hansen, Henrik

    2014-12-01

    The population of Greenland comprises almost 31,000 Inuit Greenlanders aged 20-65. The purpose of this study was to estimate trends in expected life years between age 20 and 65 in good and poor health, and to compare changes between men and women since the mid-1990s. Partial life expectancy was calculated and combined with prevalence data on self-rated health, longstanding illness and musculoskeletal diseases derived from health surveys carried out in 1993-94, 1999-2001 and 2005-10. Trends for men and women were compared and changes were decomposed into contributions from changes in mortality and disability. Partial life expectancy increased by 2.2 years for men and 0.8 years for women during the entire period. However, expected lifetime in self-rated good health decreased by 3.3 years for men and by 4.6 years for women (p<0.01). For men, life expectancy without longstanding illness increased by 4.7 years (p<0.001). The increase for women by 1.4 years was non-significant (p=0.29). Expected lifetime without musculoskeletal diseases increased significantly by 4.5 years for men and by 1.9 years for women. The development of expected lifetime without longstanding illness supports the theory of compression of morbidity, but as the trend direction differs according to which measure for health is used, a definite conclusion cannot be drawn. The different rate of development of partial life expectancy and expected lifetime in good health between men and women is remarkable, and has reduced the gender gap. The results call for special concern about the women's health in Greenland. © 2014 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

  12. Prototyping and validating requirements of radiation and nuclear emergency plan simulator

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

    Hamid, AHA., E-mail: amyhamijah@nm.gov.my; Faculty of Computing, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia; Rozan, MZA.

    2015-04-29

    Organizational incapability in developing unrealistic, impractical, inadequate and ambiguous mechanisms of radiological and nuclear emergency preparedness and response plan (EPR) causing emergency plan disorder and severe disasters. These situations resulting from 65.6% of poor definition and unidentified roles and duties of the disaster coordinator. Those unexpected conditions brought huge aftermath to the first responders, operators, workers, patients and community at large. Hence, in this report, we discuss prototyping and validating of Malaysia radiation and nuclear emergency preparedness and response plan simulation model (EPRM). A prototyping technique was required to formalize the simulation model requirements. Prototyping as systems requirements validation wasmore » carried on to endorse the correctness of the model itself against the stakeholder’s intensions in resolving those organizational incapability. We have made assumptions for the proposed emergency preparedness and response model (EPRM) through the simulation software. Those assumptions provided a twofold of expected mechanisms, planning and handling of the respective emergency plan as well as in bringing off the hazard involved. This model called RANEPF (Radiation and Nuclear Emergency Planning Framework) simulator demonstrated the training emergency response perquisites rather than the intervention principles alone. The demonstrations involved the determination of the casualties’ absorbed dose range screening and the coordination of the capacity planning of the expected trauma triage. Through user-centred design and sociotechnical approach, RANEPF simulator was strategized and simplified, though certainly it is equally complex.« less

  13. Opposing Effects of Expectancy and Somatic Focus on Pain

    PubMed Central

    Wager, Tor D.

    2012-01-01

    High-pain expectancy increases pain and pain-related brain activity, creating a cycle of psychologically maintained pain. Though these effects are robust, little is known about how expectancy works and what psychological processes either support or mitigate its effects. To address this, we independently manipulated pain expectancy and “top-down” attention to the body, and examined their effects on both a performance-based measure of body-focus and heat-induced pain. Multi-level mediation analyses showed that high-pain expectancy substantially increased pain, replicating previous work. However, attention to the body reduced pain, partially suppressing the effects of expectancy. Furthermore, increased body-focus had larger pain-reducing effects when pain expectancy was high, suggesting that attempts to focus on external distractors are counterproductive in this situation. Overall, the results show that attention to the body cannot explain pain-enhancing expectancy effects, and that focusing on sensory/discriminative aspects of pain might be a useful pain-regulation strategy when severe pain is expected. PMID:22723896

  14. What Parents Expect of Urban Alternative Schools and How These Schools Address Parents' Expectations to Make Needed Changes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibson, Shirley Kaye

    2010-01-01

    Several studies have examined parent expectations of schools in general (Gewertz, 2008; Carney-Hall, 2008; Keller, 2008; Stelmach, 2005; Boal, 2004; Lawson 2003; Wherry, 2003; Cheney, 2002; Bomotti, 1996; Epstein & Hollifield, 1996). Other studies have more specifically addressed parents' expectations of urban schools and their reasons for…

  15. Safety system augmentation at Russian nuclear power plants

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

    Scerbo, J.A.; Satpute, S.N.; Donkin, J.Y.

    1996-12-31

    This paper describes the design and procurement of a Class IE DC power supply system to upgrade plant safety at the Kola Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Kola NPP is located above the Arctic circle at Polyarnie Zorie, Murmansk, Russia. Kola NPP consists of four units. Units 1 and 2 have VVER-440/230 type reactors: Units 3 and 4 have VVER-440/213 type reactors. The VVER-440 reactor design is similar to the pressurized water reactor design used in the US. This project provided redundant, Class 1E DC station batteries and DC switchboards for Kola NPP, Units 1 and 2. The new DC powermore » supply system was designed and procured in compliance with current nuclear design practices and requirements. Technical issues that needed to be addressed included reconciling the requirements in both US and Russian codes and satisfying the requirements of the Russian nuclear regulatory authority. Close interface with ATOMENERGOPROEKT (AEP), the Russian design organization, KOLA NPP plant personnel, and GOSATOMNADZOR (GAN), the Russian version of US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was necessary to develop a design that would assure compliance with current Russian design requirements. Hence, this project was expected to serve as an example for plant upgrades at other similar VVER-440 nuclear plants. In addition to technical issues, the project needed to address language barriers and the logistics of shipping equipment to a remote section of the Former Soviet Union (FSU). This project was executed by Burns and Roe under the sponsorship of the US DOE as part of the International Safety Program (INSP). The INSP is a comprehensive effort, in cooperation with partners in other countries, to improve nuclear safety worldwide. A major element within the INSP is the improvement of the safety of Soviet-designed nuclear reactors.« less

  16. Fluorescent nuclear track detectors for alpha radiation microdosimetry.

    PubMed

    Kouwenberg, J J M; Wolterbeek, H T; Denkova, A G; Bos, A J J

    2018-06-07

    While alpha microdosimetry dates back a couple of decades, the effects of localized energy deposition of alpha particles are often still unclear since few comparative studies have been performed. Most modern alpha microdosimetry studies rely for large parts on simulations, which negatively impacts both the simplicity of the calculations and the reliability of the results. A novel microdosimetry method based on the Fluorescent Nuclear Track Detector, a versatile tool that can measure individual alpha particles at sub-micron resolution, yielding accurate energy, fluence and dose rate measurements, was introduced to address these issues. Both the detectors and U87 glioblastoma cell cultures were irradiated using an external Am241 alpha source. The alpha particle tracks measured with a Fluorescent Nuclear Track Detector were used together with high resolution 3D cell geometries images to calculate the nucleus dose distribution in the U87 glioblastoma cells. The experimentally obtained microdosimetry parameters were thereafter applied to simulations of 3D U87 cells cultures (spheroids) with various spatial distributions of isotopes to evaluate the effect of the nucleus dose distribution on the expected cell survival. The new experimental method showed good agreement with the analytically derived nucleus dose distributions. Small differences (< 5%) in the relative effectiveness were found for isotopes in the cytoplasm and on the cell membrane versus external irradiation, while isotopes located in the nucleus or on the nuclear membrane showed a substantial increase in relative effectiveness (33 - 51%). The ease-of-use, good accuracy and use of experimentally derived characteristics of the radiation field make this method superior to conventional simulation-based microdosimetry studies. Considering the uncertainties found in alpha radionuclide carriers in-vivo and in-vitro, together with the large contributions from the relative biological effectiveness and the oxygen

  17. Importance of risk communication during and after a nuclear accident.

    PubMed

    Perko, Tanja

    2011-07-01

    Past nuclear accidents highlight communication as one of the most important challenges in emergency management. In the early phase, communication increases awareness and understanding of protective actions and improves the population response. In the medium and long term, risk communication can facilitate the remediation process and the return to normal life. Mass media play a central role in risk communication. The recent nuclear accident in Japan, as expected, induced massive media coverage. Media were employed to communicate with the public during the contamination phase, and they will play the same important role in the clean-up and recovery phases. However, media also have to fulfill the economic aspects of publishing or broadcasting, with the "bad news is good news" slogan that is a well-known phenomenon in journalism. This article addresses the main communication challenges and suggests possible risk communication approaches to adopt in the case of a nuclear accident. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

  18. Educating Danish School Leaders to Meet New Expectations?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moos, Lejf

    2011-01-01

    There is no shared understanding of what school leaders are expected to do. Schools have many external as well as internal stakeholders and each of them has different expectations as to leadership practice. Thus school leadership is a "fluid signifier". This article first outlines external expectations that school leaders are faced with…

  19. Therapeutic Expectancies and Treatment Outcome: A Quantitative Review.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berman, Jeffrey S.

    All available research in which a therapeutic expectancy was directly assessed and than related to a measure of outcome was reviewed. The review revealed that across all studies both client and therapist expectancies appear related to improvement; however, in the better-designed research a differential pattern emerges in which client expectancy no…

  20. Predicting nuclear gene coalescence from mitochondrial data: the three-times rule.

    PubMed

    Palumbi, S R; Cipriano, F; Hare, M P

    2001-05-01

    Coalescence theory predicts when genetic drift at nuclear loci will result in fixation of sequence differences to produce monophyletic gene trees. However, the theory is difficult to apply to particular taxa because it hinges on genetically effective population size, which is generally unknown. Neutral theory also predicts that evolution of monophyly will be four times slower in nuclear than in mitochondrial genes primarily because genetic drift is slower at nuclear loci. Variation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) within and between species has been studied extensively, but can these mtDNA data be used to predict coalescence in nuclear loci? Comparison of neutral theories of coalescence of mitochondrial and nuclear loci suggests a simple rule of thumb. The "three-times rule" states that, on average, most nuclear loci will be monophyletic when the branch length leading to the mtDNA sequences of a species is three times longer than the average mtDNA sequence diversity observed within that species. A test using mitochondrial and nuclear intron data from seven species of whales and dolphins suggests general agreement with predictions of the three-times rule. We define the coalescence ratio as the mitochondrial branch length for a species divided by intraspecific mtDNA diversity. We show that species with high coalescence ratios show nuclear monophyly, whereas species with low ratios have polyphyletic nuclear gene trees. As expected, species with intermediate coalescence ratios show a variety of patterns. Especially at very high or low coalescence ratios, the three-times rule predicts nuclear gene patterns that can help detect the action of selection. The three-times rule may be useful as an empirical benchmark for evaluating evolutionary processes occurring at multiple loci.