Objective Assessment of Isotretinoin-Associated Cheilitis: Isotretinoin Cheilitis Grading Scale

PubMed Central

Ornelas, Jennifer; Rosamilia, Lorraine; Larsen, Larissa; Foolad, Negar; Wang, Quinlu; Li, Chin-Shang; Sivamani, Raja K.

2016-01-01

Importance Isotretinoin remains an effective treatment for severe acne. Despite its effectiveness, it includes many side effects, of which cheilitis is the most common. Objective To develop an objective grading scale for assessment of isotretinoin-associated cheilitis, Design Cross-sectional clinical grading study. Setting UC Davis Dermatology clinic. Participants Subjects were older than 18 years old and actively treated with oral isotretinoin. Exposures Oral Isotretinoin. Main outcomes and Measures We developed an isotretinoin cheilitis grading scale (ICGS) incorporating the following four characteristics: erythema, scale/crust, fissures, and inflammation of the commissures. Three board-certified dermatologists independently graded photographs of the subjects. Results The Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (KCC) for the ICGS was 0.88 (p<0.0001). The Kendall’s coefficient was ≥ 0.72 (p<0.0001) for each of the four characteristics included in the grading scale. An image-based measurement for lip roughness statistically significantly correlated with the lip scale/crusting assessment (r = 0.52, p <0.05). Conclusion and Relevance The ICGS is reproducible and relatively simple to use. It can be incorporated as an objective tool to aid in the assessment of isotretinoin associated cheilitis. PMID:26395167

Sensorimotor dysfunction of grasping in schizophrenia: a side effect of antipsychotic treatment?

PubMed Central

Nowak, D A; Connemann, B J; Alan, M; Spitzer, M

2006-01-01

Background Antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia is frequently associated with extrapyramidal side effects. Objective behavioural measures to evaluate the severity of extrapyramidal side effects in the clinical setting do not exist. Objectives This study was designed to investigate grasping movements in five drug naive and 13 medicated subjects with schizophrenia and to compare their performance with that of 18 healthy control subjects. Deficits of grip force performance were correlated with clinical scores of both parkinson‐like motor disability and psychiatric symptom severity Methods Participants performed vertical arm movements with a handheld instrumented object and caught a weight that was dropped into a handheld cup either expectedly from the opposite hand or unexpectedly from the experimenter's hand. The scaling of grip force and the temporospatial coupling between grip and load force profiles was analysed. The psychiatric symptom severity was assessed by the positive and negative symptom score of schizophrenia and the brief psychiatric rating scale. Extrapyramidal symptoms were assessed by the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale. Results Drug naive subjects with schizophrenia performed similar to healthy controls. In contrast, medicated subjects with schizophrenia exhibited excessive grip force scaling and impaired coupling between grip and load force profiles. These performance deficits were strongly correlated with the severity of both extrapyramidal side effects related to antipsychotic therapy and negative symptoms related to the underlying pathology. Conclusions These data provide preliminary evidence that deficits of sensorimotor performance in schizophrenia are, at least in part, related to the side effects of antipsychotic treatment. The investigation of grasping movements may provide a sensitive measure to objectively evaluate extrapyramidal side effects related to antipsychotic therapy. PMID:16614027

DISCO: An object-oriented system for music composition and sound design

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

Kaper, H. G.; Tipei, S.; Wright, J. M.

2000-09-05

This paper describes an object-oriented approach to music composition and sound design. The approach unifies the processes of music making and instrument building by using similar logic, objects, and procedures. The composition modules use an abstract representation of musical data, which can be easily mapped onto different synthesis languages or a traditionally notated score. An abstract base class is used to derive classes on different time scales. Objects can be related to act across time scales, as well as across an entire piece, and relationships between similar objects can replicate traditional music operations or introduce new ones. The DISCO (Digitalmore » Instrument for Sonification and Composition) system is an open-ended work in progress.« less

Multi-Scale and Object-Oriented Analysis for Mountain Terrain Segmentation and Geomorphological Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marston, B. K.; Bishop, M. P.; Shroder, J. F.

2009-12-01

Digital terrain analysis of mountain topography is widely utilized for mapping landforms, assessing the role of surface processes in landscape evolution, and estimating the spatial variation of erosion. Numerous geomorphometry techniques exist to characterize terrain surface parameters, although their utility to characterize the spatial hierarchical structure of the topography and permit an assessment of the erosion/tectonic impact on the landscape is very limited due to scale and data integration issues. To address this problem, we apply scale-dependent geomorphometric and object-oriented analyses to characterize the hierarchical spatial structure of mountain topography. Specifically, we utilized a high resolution digital elevation model to characterize complex topography in the Shimshal Valley in the Western Himalaya of Pakistan. To accomplish this, we generate terrain objects (geomorphological features and landform) including valley floors and walls, drainage basins, drainage network, ridge network, slope facets, and elemental forms based upon curvature. Object-oriented analysis was used to characterize object properties accounting for object size, shape, and morphometry. The spatial overlay and integration of terrain objects at various scales defines the nature of the hierarchical organization. Our results indicate that variations in the spatial complexity of the terrain hierarchical organization is related to the spatio-temporal influence of surface processes and landscape evolution dynamics. Terrain segmentation and the integration of multi-scale terrain information permits further assessment of process domains and erosion, tectonic impact potential, and natural hazard potential. We demonstrate this with landform mapping and geomorphological assessment examples.

“Real-Time” Cosmology with Extragalactic Proper Motions: the Secular Aberration Drift and Evolution of Large-Scale Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Truebenbach, Alexandra; Darling, Jeremy

2018-01-01

We present the VLBA Extragalactic Proper Motion Catalog, a catalog of extragalactic proper motions created using archival VLBI data and our own VLBA astrometry. The catalog contains 713 proper motions, with average uncertainties of ~ 24 microarcsec/yr, including 40 new or improved proper motion measurements using relative astrometry with the VLBA. We detect the secular aberration drift – the apparent motion of extragalactic objects caused by the solar system's acceleration around the Galactic Center – at 6.3 sigma significance with an amplitude of 1.69 +/- 0.27 microarcsec/yr and an apex consistent with the Galactic Center (275.2 +/- 10.0 deg, -29.4 +/- 8.8 deg). Our dipole model detects the aberration drift at a higher significance than some previous studies (e.g., Titov & Lambert 2013), but at a lower amplitude than expected or previously measured. We then use the correlated relative proper motions of extragalactic objects to place upper limits on the rate of large-scale structure collapse (e.g., Quercellini et al. 2009; Darling 2013). Pairs of small separation objects that are in gravitationally interacting structures such as filaments of large-scale structure will show a net decrease in angular separation (> - 15.5 microarcsec/yr) as they move towards each other, while pairs of large separation objects that are gravitationally unbound and move with the Hubble expansion will show no net change in angular separation. With our catalog, we place a 3 sigma limit on the rate of convergence of large-scale structure of -11.4 microarcsec/yr for extragalactic objects within 100 comoving Mpc of each other. We also confirm that large separation objects (> 800 comoving Mpc) move with the Hubble flow to within ~ 2.2 microarcsec/yr. In the future, we plan to incorporate the upcoming Gaia proper motions into our catalog to achieve a higher precision measurement of the average relative proper motion of gravitationally interacting extragalactic objects and to refine our measurement of the collapse of large-scale structure. This research was performed with support from the NSF grant AST-1411605.Darling, J. 2013, AJ, 777, L21; Quercellini et al. 2009. Phys. Rev. Lett., 102, 151302; Titov, O. & Lambert, S. 2013, A&A, 559, A95

The Brief Impairment Scale (Bis): A Multidimensional Scale of Functional Impairment for Children and Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bird, Hector R.; Canino, Glorisa J.; Davies, Mark; Ramirez, Rafael; Chavez, Ligia; Duarte, Cristiane; Shen, Sa

2005-01-01

Objective: This article provides the results of the psychometric testing of the Brief Impairment Scale (BIS). The BIS is a 23-item instrument that evaluates three domains of functioning: interpersonal relations, school/work functioning, and self-care/self-fulfilment. It capitalizes on the strengths of existing global measures while addressing some…

Experience and Sentence Processing: Statistical Learning and Relative Clause Comprehension

PubMed Central

Wells, Justine B.; Christiansen, Morten H.; Race, David S.; Acheson, Daniel J.; MacDonald, Maryellen C.

2009-01-01

Many explanations of the difficulties associated with interpreting object relative clauses appeal to the demands that object relatives make on working memory. MacDonald and Christiansen (2002) pointed to variations in reading experience as a source of differences, arguing that the unique word order of object relatives makes their processing more difficult and more sensitive to the effects of previous experience than the processing of subject relatives. This hypothesis was tested in a large-scale study manipulating reading experiences of adults over several weeks. The group receiving relative clause experience increased reading speeds for object relatives more than for subject relatives, whereas a control experience group did not. The reading time data were compared to performance of a computational model given different amounts of experience. The results support claims for experience-based individual differences and an important role for statistical learning in sentence comprehension processes. PMID:18922516

Objective assessment of isotretinoin-associated cheilitis: Isotretinoin Cheilitis Grading Scale.

PubMed

Ornelas, Jennifer; Rosamilia, Lorraine; Larsen, Larissa; Foolad, Negar; Wang, Quinlu; Li, Chin-Shang; Sivamani, Raja K

2016-01-01

Isotretinoin remains an effective treatment for severe acne. Despite its effectiveness, it includes many side effects, of which cheilitis is the most common. To develop an objective grading scale for assessment of isotretinoin-associated cheilitis. Cross-sectional clinical grading study. UC Davis Dermatology clinic. Subjects were older than 18 years old and actively treated with oral isotretinoin. Oral Isotretinoin. We developed an Isotretinoin Cheilitis Grading Scale (ICGS) incorporating the following four characteristics: erythema, scale/crust, fissures and inflammation of the commissures. Three board-certified dermatologists independently graded photographs of the subjects. The Kendall's coefficient of concordance (KCC) for the ICGS was 0.88 (p < 0.0001). The Kendall's coefficient was ≥0.72 (p < 0.0001) for each of the four characteristics included in the grading scale. An image-based measurement for lip roughness statistically significantly correlated with the lip scale/crusting assessment (r = 0.52, p < 0.05). The ICGS is reproducible and relatively simple to use. It can be incorporated as an objective tool to aid in the assessment of isotretinoin associated cheilitis.

Spectral saliency via automatic adaptive amplitude spectrum analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaodong; Dai, Jialun; Zhu, Yafei; Zheng, Haiyong; Qiao, Xiaoyan

2016-03-01

Suppressing nonsalient patterns by smoothing the amplitude spectrum at an appropriate scale has been shown to effectively detect the visual saliency in the frequency domain. Different filter scales are required for different types of salient objects. We observe that the optimal scale for smoothing amplitude spectrum shares a specific relation with the size of the salient region. Based on this observation and the bottom-up saliency detection characterized by spectrum scale-space analysis for natural images, we propose to detect visual saliency, especially with salient objects of different sizes and locations via automatic adaptive amplitude spectrum analysis. We not only provide a new criterion for automatic optimal scale selection but also reserve the saliency maps corresponding to different salient objects with meaningful saliency information by adaptive weighted combination. The performance of quantitative and qualitative comparisons is evaluated by three different kinds of metrics on the four most widely used datasets and one up-to-date large-scale dataset. The experimental results validate that our method outperforms the existing state-of-the-art saliency models for predicting human eye fixations in terms of accuracy and robustness.

A multi-objective constraint-based approach for modeling genome-scale microbial ecosystems.

PubMed

Budinich, Marko; Bourdon, Jérémie; Larhlimi, Abdelhalim; Eveillard, Damien

2017-01-01

Interplay within microbial communities impacts ecosystems on several scales, and elucidation of the consequent effects is a difficult task in ecology. In particular, the integration of genome-scale data within quantitative models of microbial ecosystems remains elusive. This study advocates the use of constraint-based modeling to build predictive models from recent high-resolution -omics datasets. Following recent studies that have demonstrated the accuracy of constraint-based models (CBMs) for simulating single-strain metabolic networks, we sought to study microbial ecosystems as a combination of single-strain metabolic networks that exchange nutrients. This study presents two multi-objective extensions of CBMs for modeling communities: multi-objective flux balance analysis (MO-FBA) and multi-objective flux variability analysis (MO-FVA). Both methods were applied to a hot spring mat model ecosystem. As a result, multiple trade-offs between nutrients and growth rates, as well as thermodynamically favorable relative abundances at community level, were emphasized. We expect this approach to be used for integrating genomic information in microbial ecosystems. Following models will provide insights about behaviors (including diversity) that take place at the ecosystem scale.

Relationships of dead wood patterns with biophysical characteristics and ownership according to scale in Coastal Oregon, USA

Treesearch

Rebecca S.H. Kennedy; Thomas A. Spies; Matthew J. Gregory

2008-01-01

Dead wood patterns and dynamics vary with biophysical factors, disturbance history, ownership, and management practices; the relative importance of these factors is poorly understood, especially at landscape to regional scales. This study examined current dead wood amounts in the Coastal Province of Oregon, USA, at multiple spatial scales. Objectives were to: (1)...

Assessing Anger Expression: Construct Validity of Three Emotion Expression-Related Measures

PubMed Central

Jasinski, Matthew J.; Lumley, Mark A.; Latsch, Deborah V.; Schuster, Erik; Kinner, Ellen; Burns, John W.

2016-01-01

Self-report measures of emotional expression are common, but their validity to predict objective emotional expression, particularly of anger, is unclear. We tested the validity of the Anger Expression Inventory (AEI; Spielberger et al., 1985)), Emotional Approach Coping Scale (EAC; Stanton, Kirk, Cameron & Danoff-Burg, 2000), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20; Bagby, Taylor, & Parker, 1994) to predict objective anger expression in 95 adults with chronic back pain. Participants attempted to solve a difficult computer maze by following the directions of a confederate who treated them rudely and unjustly. Participants then expressed their feelings for 4 minutes. Blinded raters coded the videos for anger expression, and a software program analyzed expression transcripts for anger-related words. Analyses related each questionnaire to anger expression. The AEI anger-out scale predicted greater anger expression, as expected, but AEI anger-in did not. The EAC emotional processing scale predicted less anger expression, but the EAC emotional expression scale was unrelated to anger expression. Finally, the TAS-20 predicted greater anger expression. Findings support the validity of the AEI anger-out scale but raise questions about the other measures. The assessment of emotional expression by self-report is complex and perhaps confounded by general emotional experience, the specificity or generality of the emotion(s) assessed, and self-awareness limitations. Performance-based or clinician-rated measures of emotion expression are needed. PMID:27248355

Testing strong-field gravity with tidal Love numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardoso, Vitor; Franzin, Edgardo; Maselli, Andrea; Pani, Paolo; Raposo, Guilherme

2017-04-01

The tidal Love numbers (TLNs) encode the deformability of a self-gravitating object immersed in a tidal environment and depend significantly both on the object's internal structure and on the dynamics of the gravitational field. An intriguing result in classical general relativity is the vanishing of the TLNs of black holes. We extend this result in three ways, aiming at testing the nature of compact objects: (i) we compute the TLNs of exotic compact objects, including different families of boson stars, gravastars, wormholes, and other toy models for quantum corrections at the horizon scale. In the black-hole limit, we find a universal logarithmic dependence of the TLNs on the location of the surface. (ii) We compute the TLNs of black holes beyond vacuum general relativity, including Einstein-Maxwell, Brans-Dicke, and Chern-Simons gravity. (iii) We assess the ability of present and future gravitational-wave detectors to measure the TLNs of these objects, including the first analysis of TLNs with LISA. Both LIGO, ET, and LISA can impose interesting constraints on boson stars, while LISA is able to probe even extremely compact objects. We argue that the TLNs provide a smoking gun of new physics at the horizon scale and that future gravitational-wave measurements of the TLNs in a binary inspiral provide a novel way to test black holes and general relativity in the strong-field regime.

Task-specific modulation of adult humans' tool preferences: number of choices and size of the problem.

PubMed

Silva, Kathleen M; Gross, Thomas J; Silva, Francisco J

2015-03-01

In two experiments, we examined the effect of modifications to the features of a stick-and-tube problem on the stick lengths that adult humans used to solve the problem. In Experiment 1, we examined whether people's tool preferences for retrieving an out-of-reach object in a tube might more closely resemble those reported with laboratory crows if people could modify a single stick to an ideal length to solve the problem. Contrary to when adult humans have selected a tool from a set of ten sticks, asking people to modify a single stick to retrieve an object did not generally result in a stick whose length was related to the object's distance. Consistent with the prior research, though, the working length of the stick was related to the object's distance. In Experiment 2, we examined the effect of increasing the scale of the stick-and-tube problem on people's tool preferences. Increasing the scale of the task influenced people to select relatively shorter tools than had selected in previous studies. Although the causal structures of the tasks used in the two experiments were identical, their results were not. This underscores the necessity of studying physical cognition in relation to a particular causal structure by using a variety of tasks and methods.

The MUSIC of Galaxy Clusters - III. Properties, evolution and Y-M scaling relation of protoclusters of galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sembolini, Federico; De Petris, Marco; Yepes, Gustavo; Foschi, Emma; Lamagna, Luca; Gottlöber, Stefan

2014-06-01

In this work, we study the properties of protoclusters of galaxies by employing the MultiDark SImulations of galaxy Clusters (MUSIC) set of hydrodynamical simulations, featuring a sample of 282 resimulated clusters with available merger trees up to z = 4. We study the characteristics and redshift evolution of the mass and the spatial distribution for all the protoclusters, which we define as the most massive progenitors of the clusters identified at z = 0. We extend the study of the baryon content to redshifts larger than 1 also in terms of gas and stars budgets: no remarkable variations with redshift are discovered. Furthermore, motivated by the proven potential of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich surveys to blindly search for faint distant objects, we compute the scaling relation between total object mass and integrated Compton y-parameter. We find that the slope of this scaling law is steeper than what expected for a self-similarity assumption among these objects, and it increases with redshift mainly when radiative processes are included. We use three different criteria to account for the dynamical state of the protoclusters, and find no significant dependence of the scaling parameters on the level of relaxation. We exclude the dynamical state as the cause of the observed deviations from self-similarity in protoclusters.

Role of character strengths in outcome after mild complicated to severe traumatic brain injury: a positive psychology study.

PubMed

Hanks, Robin A; Rapport, Lisa J; Waldron-Perrine, Brigid; Millis, Scott R

2014-11-01

To examine the effects of character strengths on psychosocial outcomes after mild complicated to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Prospective study with consecutive enrollment. A Midwestern rehabilitation hospital. Persons with mild complicated to severe TBI (N=65). Not applicable. Community Integration Measure, Disability Rating Scale, Modified Cumulative Illness Rating Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Values in Action Inventory of Strengths, and Wechsler Test of Adult Reading. Character virtues and strengths were moderately associated with subjective outcomes, such that there were fewer and less strong associations between character virtues/strengths and objective outcomes than subjective outcomes. Specifically, positive attributes were associated with greater life satisfaction and perceived community integration. Fewer and less strong associations were observed for objective well-being; however, character strengths and virtues showed unique value in predicting physical health and disability. Positive affectivity was not meaningfully related to objective outcomes, but it was significantly related to subjective outcomes. In contrast, negative affectivity was related to objective but not subjective outcomes. Given the strength of the associations between positive aspects of character or ways of perceiving the world and positive feelings about one's current life situation, treatments focused on facilitating these virtues and strengths in persons who have experienced TBI may result in better perceived outcomes and potentially subsequently lower comorbidities. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A New Functional Health Literacy Scale for Japanese Young Adults Based on Item Response Theory.

PubMed

Tsubakita, Takashi; Kawazoe, Nobuo; Kasano, Eri

2017-03-01

Health literacy predicts health outcomes. Despite concerns surrounding the health of Japanese young adults, to date there has been no objective assessment of health literacy in this population. This study aimed to develop a Functional Health Literacy Scale for Young Adults (funHLS-YA) based on item response theory. Each item in the scale requires participants to choose the most relevant term from 3 choices in relation to a target item, thus assessing objective rather than perceived health literacy. The 20-item scale was administered to 1816 university students and 1751 responded. Cronbach's α coefficient was .73. Difficulty and discrimination parameters of each item were estimated, resulting in the exclusion of 1 item. Some items showed different difficulty parameters for male and female participants, reflecting that some aspects of health literacy may differ by gender. The current 19-item version of funHLS-YA can reliably assess the objective health literacy of Japanese young adults.

Teachers' Concepts of Spatial Scale: An international comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, M. Gail; Paechter, Manuela; Yen, Chiung-Fen; Gardner, Grant; Taylor, Amy; Tretter, Thomas

2013-09-01

Metric scale is an important concept taught as part of science curricula across different countries. This study explored metric and relative (body-length) scale concepts of inservice (N = 92) and preservice (N = 134) teachers from Austria, and Taiwan, and their concepts were compared with those of teachers from the USA. Participants completed three assessments: the Scale Anchoring Objects (SAO), Scale of Objects Questionnaire (SOQ), and a subsample of participants were interviewed with the Learning Scale Interview. A Rasch analysis was conducted with the SAO and SOQ and results showed that the Rasch model held for these assessments, indicating that there is an underlying common dimension to understanding scale. Further analyses showed that accuracy of knowledge of scale measured by the SAO and SOQ was not related to professional experience. There were significant differences in teachers' accuracy of scale concepts by nationality. This was true for both metric and body-length SAO assessments. Post hoc comparisons showed that the Austrian and Taiwanese participants were significantly more accurate than the US sample on the SAO and SOQ. The Austrian participants scored significantly higher than the US and the Taiwanese participants. The results of the interviews showed that the Taiwanese experienced teacher participants were more likely to report learning size and scale through in-school experiences than the Austrian or the US participants. US teachers reported learning size and scale most often through participating in hobbies and sports, Taiwanese teachers reported learning scale through sports and reading, and Austrian teachers most often noted that they learned about scale through travel.

Interactions between a fractal tree-like object and hydrodynamic turbulence: flow structure and characteristic mixing length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meneveau, C. V.; Bai, K.; Katz, J.

2011-12-01

The vegetation canopy has a significant impact on various physical and biological processes such as forest microclimate, rainfall evaporation distribution and climate change. Most scaled laboratory experimental studies have used canopy element models that consist of rigid vertical strips or cylindrical rods that can be typically represented through only one or a few characteristic length scales, for example the diameter and height for cylindrical rods. However, most natural canopies and vegetation are highly multi-scale with branches and sub-branches, covering a wide range of length scales. Fractals provide a convenient idealization of multi-scale objects, since their multi-scale properties can be described in simple ways (Mandelbrot 1982). While fractal aspects of turbulence have been studied in several works in the past decades, research on turbulence generated by fractal objects started more recently. We present an experimental study of boundary layer flow over fractal tree-like objects. Detailed Particle-Image-Velocimetry (PIV) measurements are carried out in the near-wake of a fractal-like tree. The tree is a pre-fractal with five generations, with three branches and a scale reduction factor 1/2 at each generation. Its similarity fractal dimension (Mandelbrot 1982) is D ~ 1.58. Detailed mean velocity and turbulence stress profiles are documented, as well as their downstream development. We then turn attention to the turbulence mixing properties of the flow, specifically to the question whether a mixing length-scale can be identified in this flow, and if so, how it relates to the geometric length-scales in the pre-fractal object. Scatter plots of mean velocity gradient (shear) and Reynolds shear stress exhibit good linear relation at all locations in the flow. Therefore, in the transverse direction of the wake evolution, the Boussinesq eddy viscosity concept is appropriate to describe the mixing. We find that the measured mixing length increases with increasing streamwise locations. Conversely, the measured eddy viscosity and mixing length decrease with increasing elevation, which differs from eddy viscosity and mixing length behaviors of traditional boundary layers or canopies studied before. In order to find an appropriate length for the flow, several models based on the notion of superposition of scales are proposed and examined. One approach is based on spectral distributions. Another more practical approach is based on length-scale distributions evaluated using fractal geometry tools. These proposed models agree well with the measured mixing length. The results indicate that information about multi-scale clustering of branches as it occurs in fractals has to be incorporated into models of the mixing length for flows through canopies with multiple scales. The research is supported by National Science Foundation grant ATM-0621396 and AGS-1047550.

Natural Scales in Geographical Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menezes, Telmo; Roth, Camille

2017-04-01

Human mobility is known to be distributed across several orders of magnitude of physical distances, which makes it generally difficult to endogenously find or define typical and meaningful scales. Relevant analyses, from movements to geographical partitions, seem to be relative to some ad-hoc scale, or no scale at all. Relying on geotagged data collected from photo-sharing social media, we apply community detection to movement networks constrained by increasing percentiles of the distance distribution. Using a simple parameter-free discontinuity detection algorithm, we discover clear phase transitions in the community partition space. The detection of these phases constitutes the first objective method of characterising endogenous, natural scales of human movement. Our study covers nine regions, ranging from cities to countries of various sizes and a transnational area. For all regions, the number of natural scales is remarkably low (2 or 3). Further, our results hint at scale-related behaviours rather than scale-related users. The partitions of the natural scales allow us to draw discrete multi-scale geographical boundaries, potentially capable of providing key insights in fields such as epidemiology or cultural contagion where the introduction of spatial boundaries is pivotal.

X-ray fluctuation timescale and Black Hole mass relation in AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wandel, Amri; Malkan, Mathew

We analyze the fluctuations in the X-ray flux of 20 AGN (mainly Seyfert 1 galaxies) monitored by RXTE and XMM-Newton with a sampling frequency ranging from hours to years, using structure function (SF) analysis. We derive SFs over four orders of magnitude in the time domain (0.03-300 days). Most objects show a characteristic time scale, where the SF flattens or changes slope. For 10 objects with published power-spectral density (PSD) the break time scales in the SF and PSD are similar and show a good correlation. We also find a significant correlation between the SF timescale and the mass of the central black hole, determined for most objects by reverberation mapping.

The effect of macromolecular crowding on mobility of biomolecules, association kinetics and gene expression in living cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabaka, Marcin; Kalwarczyk, Tomasz; Szymanski, Jedrzej; Hou, Sen; Hołyst, Robert

2014-09-01

We discuss a quantitative influence of macromolecular crowding on biological processes: motion, bimolecular reactions, and gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. We present scaling laws relating diffusion coefficient of an object moving in a cytoplasm of cells to a size of this object and degree of crowding. Such description leads to the notion of the length scale dependent viscosity characteristic for all living cells. We present an application of the length-scale dependent viscosity model to the description of motion in the cytoplasm of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic living cells. We compare the model with all recent data on diffusion of nanoscopic objects in HeLa, and E. coli cells. Additionally a description of the mobility of molecules in cell nucleus is presented. Finally we discuss the influence of crowding on the bimolecular association rates and gene expression in living cells.

Sidney Blatt's Object Relations Inventory: Contributions and Future Directions.

PubMed

Huprich, Steven K; Auerbach, John S; Porcerelli, John H; Bupp, Lindsey L

2016-01-01

In this article, we provide a historical overview of the Object Relations Inventory (ORI) and related methods for the assessment of object relations constructed by Sidney Blatt and colleagues (e.g., Blatt, Bers, & Schaffer, 1992 ; Blatt, Wein, Chevron, & Quinlan, 1979 ; Diamond, Kaslow, Coonerty, & Blatt, 1990 ). We clarify terminology that has been used inconsistently in the literature, especially by way of differentiating the methods used to collect descriptions of significant figures, such as the ORI and its predecessor, the Parental Description (PD) task, and the rating scales that Blatt and colleagues constructed to rate those descriptions. We provide a tabular summary of empirical studies of the measure and offer a critical review of those aspects of the instrument that require further empirical investigation and methodological rigor.

Model-based occluded object recognition using Petri nets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Chuan; Hura, Gurdeep S.

1998-09-01

This paper discusses the use of Petri nets to model the process of the object matching between an image and a model under different 2D geometric transformations. This transformation finds its applications in sensor-based robot control, flexible manufacturing system and industrial inspection, etc. A description approach for object structure is presented by its topological structure relation called Point-Line Relation Structure (PLRS). It has been shown how Petri nets can be used to model the matching process, and an optimal or near optimal matching can be obtained by tracking the reachability graph of the net. The experiment result shows that object can be successfully identified and located under 2D transformation such as translations, rotations, scale changes and distortions due to object occluded partially.

Exploring the construct validity of the social cognition and object relations scale in a clinical sample.

PubMed

Stein, Michelle B; Slavin-Mulford, Jenelle; Sinclair, S Justin; Siefert, Caleb J; Blais, Mark A

2012-01-01

The Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale-Global rating method (SCORS-G; Stein, Hilsenroth, Slavin-Mulford, & Pinsker, 2011; Westen, 1995) measures the quality of object relations in narrative material. This study employed a multimethod approach to explore the structure and construct validity of the SCORS-G. The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT; Murray, 1943) was administered to 59 patients referred for psychological assessment at a large Northeastern U.S. hospital. The resulting 301 TAT narratives were rated using the SCORS-G method. The 8 SCORS variables were found to have high interrater reliability and good internal consistency. Principal components analysis revealed a 3-component solution with components tapping emotions/affect regulation in relationships, self-image, and aspects of cognition. Next, the construct validity of the SCORS-G components was explored using measures of intellectual and executive functioning, psychopathology, and normal personality. The 3 SCORS-G components showed unique and theoretically meaningful relationships across these broad and diverse psychological measures. This study demonstrates the value of using a standardized scoring method, like the SCORS-G, to reveal the rich and complex nature of narrative material.

Attachment Patterns in the Psychotherapy Relationship: Development of the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallinckrodt, Brent; And Others

1995-01-01

Describes development of an instrument, the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale (CATS). CATS factors correlated in expected directions with survey measures of object relations, client-rated working alliance, social self-efficacy, and adult attachment. Cluster analysis revealed four types of client attachment. Discusses implications of attachment…

Family disruption, economic hardship and psychological distress in schizophrenia: can they be measured?

PubMed

Madianos, M; Economou, M; Dafni, O; Koukia, E; Palli, A; Rogakou, E

2004-11-01

This study examined the dimensions of burden perceived by key-relatives of patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorder by the development of an instrument, the Family Burden Scale (FBS) and the underlying predictors. One hundred and seventy one primary caregivers, living with 158 patients suffering from chronic psychotic illness and maintained on community basis in Athens area, were interviewed by the use of FBS supplemented by the Family Atmosphere Scale and GHQ. Construction procedure and factor analysis of FBS produced a scale of 23 items in four factors, three of them measuring objective and the fourth one, subjective burden. The scale was also proved to be reliable and valid. Forty-five percent of primary caregivers reported high levels of burden. Psychological impairment (high GHQ scores) was related with high levels of burden and negative family atmosphere. Previous admissions and duration of illness were also found to predict burden. The results suggest that FBS differentiates objective from subjective burden. Psychological well being of carers is affected by the dimensions of perceived burden.

Estimation of surface heat and moisture fluxes over a prairie grassland. II - Two-dimensional time filtering and site variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crosson, William L.; Smith, Eric A.

1992-01-01

The behavior of in situ measurements of surface fluxes obtained during FIFE 1987 is examined by using correlative and spectral techniques in order to assess the significance of fluctuations on various time scales, from subdiurnal up to synoptic, intraseasonal, and annual scales. The objectives of this analysis are: (1) to determine which temporal scales have a significant impact on areal averaged fluxes and (2) to design a procedure for filtering an extended flux time series that preserves the basic diurnal features and longer time scales while removing high frequency noise that cannot be attributed to site-induced variation. These objectives are accomplished through the use of a two-dimensional cross-time Fourier transform, which serves to separate processes inherently related to diurnal and subdiurnal variability from those which impact flux variations on the longer time scales. A filtering procedure is desirable before the measurements are utilized as input with an experimental biosphere model, to insure that model based intercomparisons at multiple sites are uncontaminated by input variance not related to true site behavior. Analysis of the spectral decomposition indicates that subdiurnal time scales having periods shorter than 6 hours have little site-to-site consistency and therefore little impact on areal integrated fluxes.

A new, female-specific irritability rating scale

PubMed Central

Born, Leslie; Koren, Gideon; Lin, Elizabeth; Steiner, Meir

2008-01-01

Objective Irritability is a prominent symptom in the spectrum of female-specific mood disorders, and in some women, irritability is serious enough to disrupt their lives and warrant treatment. The objective of this research was to develop a new, female-specific state measure of irritability. Methods We constructed self-rating and observer rating scales using items derived from spontaneous descriptions of irritability by women with mood disturbances related to the menstrual cycle, childbearing or menopause. Following a pretest, the scales were shortened to the core items of irritability (annoyance, anger, tension, hostility, sensitivity to noise and touch) and tested on a new cohort of patients. Results The 14-item Self-Rating Scale and the 5-item Observer Rating Scale showed evidence for internal consistency (Self-Rating: n = 36 patients, Cronbach's α = 0.9257, mean interitem correlation = 0.4690; Observer Rating: Cronbach's α = 0.7418, mean interitem correlation = 0.3616), Self-Rating test–retest reliability (n = 29 patients, rs = 0.704, p = 0.01) and interrater reliability (n = 20 patients; τb = 1.000, p = 0.001). Conclusion This new, female-specific scale for rating irritability has the potential to further the evaluation of this prominent symptom cluster and increase specificity in clinical assessments of emotional disturbances related to reproductive cyclicity in women. PMID:18592028

An Objective Instrument for Assessment of Erikson's Developmental Conflicts. Presentation Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Speisman, Joseph C.; And Others

An objective measure of Erikson's ego-identity construct is being developed. The total scale includes seven relatively independent subscales designed to reflect the residuals (part conflicts) of Erikson's psychosocial stages of development. An initial item pool of 194 items has been reduced to 113 items by means of judgemental and statistical…

Pilot-Scale Treatment of Virginia Canyon Mine Drainage in Idaho Springs, Colorado, USA Using Octolig®

EPA Science Inventory

Water quality data from the pilot study are compared to the specific project objectives to evaluate performance of the treatment technology relative to the needs of EPA Region 8. Project objectives included meeting site-specific water quality criteria for Al, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn;...

Textbook Presentations of Weight: Conceptual Difficulties and Language Ambiguities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taibu, Rex; Rudge, David; Schuster, David

2015-01-01

The term "weight" has multiple related meanings in both scientific and everyday usage. Even among experts and in textbooks, weight is ambiguously defined as either the gravitational force on an object or operationally as the magnitude of the force an object exerts on a measuring scale. This poses both conceptual and language difficulties…

Consensus Conference Follow-up: Inter-rater Reliability Assessment of the Best Evidence in Emergency Medicine (BEEM) Rater Scale, a Medical Literature Rating Tool for Emergency Physicians

PubMed Central

Worster, Andrew; Kulasegaram, Kulamakan; Carpenter, Christopher R.; Vallera, Teresa; Upadhye, Suneel; Sherbino, Jonathan; Haynes, R. Brian

2011-01-01

Background Studies published in general and specialty medical journals have the potential to improve emergency medicine (EM) practice, but there can be delayed awareness of this evidence because emergency physicians (EPs) are unlikely to read most of these journals. Also, not all published studies are intended for or ready for clinical practice application. The authors developed “Best Evidence in Emergency Medicine” (BEEM) to ameliorate these problems by searching for, identifying, appraising, and translating potentially practice-changing studies for EPs. An initial step in the BEEM process is the BEEM rater scale, a novel tool for EPs to collectively evaluate the relative clinical relevance of EM-related studies found in more than 120 journals. The BEEM rater process was designed to serve as a clinical relevance filter to identify those studies with the greatest potential to affect EM practice. Therefore, only those studies identified by BEEM raters as having the highest clinical relevance are selected for the subsequent critical appraisal process and, if found methodologically sound, are promoted as the best evidence in EM. Objectives The primary objective was to measure inter-rater reliability (IRR) of the BEEM rater scale. Secondary objectives were to determine the minimum number of EP raters needed for the BEEM rater scale to achieve acceptable reliability and to compare performance of the scale against a previously published evidence rating system, the McMaster Online Rating of Evidence (MORE), in an EP population. Methods The authors electronically distributed the title, conclusion, and a PubMed link for 23 recently published studies related to EM to a volunteer group of 134 EPs. The volunteers answered two demographic questions and rated the articles using one of two randomly assigned seven-point Likert scales, the BEEM rater scale (n = 68) or the MORE scale (n = 66), over two separate administrations. The IRR of each scale was measured using generalizability theory. Results The IRR of the BEEM rater scale ranged between 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.86 to 0.93) to 0.92 (95% CI = 0.89 to 0.94) across administrations. Decision studies showed a minimum of 12 raters is required for acceptable reliability of the BEEM rater scale. The IRR of the MORE scale was 0.82 to 0.84. Conclusions The BEEM rater scale is a highly reliable, single-question tool for a small number of EPs to collectively rate the relative clinical relevance within the specialty of EM of recently published studies from a variety of medical journals. It compares favorably with the MORE system because it achieves a high IRR despite simply requiring raters to read each article’s title and conclusion. PMID:22092904

Variations in synoptic-scale eddy activity during the life cycles of persistent flow anomalies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dole, Randall M.; Neilley, Peter P.

1991-01-01

The objective of the study was to identify how synoptic-scale eddy activity varies throughout the life cycles of major scale flow anomalies. In particular, composite analyses of various measures of synoptic-scale eddy activity are constructed, with the composites obtained relative to the onset and termination times of cases typically associated with either blocking or abnormally intense zonal flows. The potential mechanisms that are likely to contribute to the observed changes in eddy behavior are discussed.

Knowledge deficit, attitude and behavior scales association to objective measures of sun exposure and sunburn in a Danish population based sample

PubMed Central

Søndergaard, Jens; Nielsen, Jesper Bo; Christensen, Karl Bang; Allen, Martin; Olsen, Anja; Bentzen, Joan

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop new scales measuring knowledge and attitude about UVR and sun related behavior, and to examine their association to sun related behavior objectively measured by personal dosimetry. During May-August 2013, 664 Danes wore a personal electronic UV-dosimeter for one week that measured their UVR exposure. Afterwards, they answered a questionnaire on sun-related items. We applied descriptive analysis, linear and logistic regression analysis to evaluate the associations between the questionnaire scales and objective UVR measures. Perceiving protection as routine and important were positively correlated with protective behavior. Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma, perceived benefits and importance of protection behavior was also correlated with use of protection. ‘Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma and Perceived barrier towards sun avoidance between 12 and 15’ were both associated with increased risk of sunburn. Attitude towards tan was associated to both outdoor time and exposure as well as use of protection, but not to sunburn. The results regarding Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma associated to UVR exposure and Perceived barrier towards sun avoidance between 12 and 15 emphasize the importance of awareness of melanoma risk and the priority of the skin cancer prevention advice. Shifting activities to outside the suns peak-hours could be an approach for structural and campaign preventive measures. Knowledge of items predicting exposure to UVR, use of protection and sunburn are important for planning of preventive interventions and melanoma research. PMID:28542543

Knowledge deficit, attitude and behavior scales association to objective measures of sun exposure and sunburn in a Danish population based sample.

PubMed

Køster, Brian; Søndergaard, Jens; Nielsen, Jesper Bo; Christensen, Karl Bang; Allen, Martin; Olsen, Anja; Bentzen, Joan

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop new scales measuring knowledge and attitude about UVR and sun related behavior, and to examine their association to sun related behavior objectively measured by personal dosimetry. During May-August 2013, 664 Danes wore a personal electronic UV-dosimeter for one week that measured their UVR exposure. Afterwards, they answered a questionnaire on sun-related items. We applied descriptive analysis, linear and logistic regression analysis to evaluate the associations between the questionnaire scales and objective UVR measures. Perceiving protection as routine and important were positively correlated with protective behavior. Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma, perceived benefits and importance of protection behavior was also correlated with use of protection. 'Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma and Perceived barrier towards sun avoidance between 12 and 15' were both associated with increased risk of sunburn. Attitude towards tan was associated to both outdoor time and exposure as well as use of protection, but not to sunburn. The results regarding Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma associated to UVR exposure and Perceived barrier towards sun avoidance between 12 and 15 emphasize the importance of awareness of melanoma risk and the priority of the skin cancer prevention advice. Shifting activities to outside the suns peak-hours could be an approach for structural and campaign preventive measures. Knowledge of items predicting exposure to UVR, use of protection and sunburn are important for planning of preventive interventions and melanoma research.

Application of the resource-based relative value scale system to pediatrics.

PubMed

Gerstle, Robert S; Molteni, Richard A; Andreae, Margie C; Bradley, Joel F; Brewer, Eileen D; Calabrese, Jamie; Krug, Steven E; Liechty, Edward A; Linzer, Jeffrey F; Pillsbury, Julia M; Tuli, Sanjeev Y

2014-06-01

The majority of public and private payers in the United States currently use the Medicare Resource-Based Relative Value Scale as the basis for physician payment. Many large group and academic practices have adopted this objective system of physician work to benchmark physician productivity, including using it, wholly or in part, to determine compensation. The Resource-Based Relative Value Scale survey instrument, used to value physician services, was designed primarily for procedural services, leading to current concerns that American Medical Association/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) surveys may undervalue nonprocedural evaluation and management services. The American Academy of Pediatrics is represented on the RUC, the committee charged with maintaining accurate physician work values across specialties and age groups. The Academy, working closely with other primary care and subspecialty societies, actively pursues a balanced RUC membership and a survey instrument that will ensure appropriate work relative value unit assignments, thereby allowing pediatricians to receive appropriate payment for their services relative to other services.

The Health Behavior Checklist: Factor structure in community samples and validity of a revised good health practices scale.

PubMed

Hampson, Sarah E; Edmonds, Grant W; Goldberg, Lewis R

2017-01-01

This study examined the factor structure and predictive validity of the commonly used multidimensional Health Behavior Checklist. A three-factor structure was found in two community samples that included men and women. The new 16-item Good Health Practices scale and the original Wellness Maintenance scale were the only Health Behavior Checklist scales to be related to cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. While the other Health Behavior Checklist scales require further validation, the Good Health Practices scale could be used where more objective or longer measures are not feasible.

The Abuse-Related Beliefs Questionnaire for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ginzburg, Karni; Arnow, Bruce; Hart, Stacey; Gardner, William; Koopman, Cheryl; Classen, Catherine C.; Giese-Davis, Janine; Spiegel, David

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of a new measure, the Abuse-Related Beliefs Questionnaire (ARBQ), designed to assess abuse-related beliefs among adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Study 1 examined the structure of the scale, and Study 2 evaluated its reliability and validity. Method: One hundred and seventy female…

Accelerometry-based gait analysis, an additional objective approach to screen subjects at risk for falling.

PubMed

Senden, R; Savelberg, H H C M; Grimm, B; Heyligers, I C; Meijer, K

2012-06-01

This study investigated whether the Tinetti scale, as a subjective measure for fall risk, is associated with objectively measured gait characteristics. It is studied whether gait parameters are different for groups that are stratified for fall risk using the Tinetti scale. Moreover, the discriminative power of gait parameters to classify elderly according to the Tinetti scale is investigated. Gait of 50 elderly with a Tinneti>24 and 50 elderly with a Tinetti≤24 was analyzed using acceleration-based gait analysis. Validated algorithms were used to derive spatio-temporal gait parameters, harmonic ratio, inter-stride amplitude variability and root mean square (RMS) from the accelerometer data. Clear differences in gait were found between the groups. All gait parameters correlated with the Tinetti scale (r-range: 0.20-0.73). Only walking speed, step length and RMS showed moderate to strong correlations and high discriminative power to classify elderly according to the Tinetti scale. It is concluded that subtle gait changes that have previously been related to fall risk are not captured by the subjective assessment. It is therefore worthwhile to include objective gait assessment in fall risk screening. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation to Brazil of the Obesity-related Problems Scale

PubMed Central

Brasil, Andreia Mara Brolezzi; Brasil, Fábio; Maurício, Angélica Aparecida; Vilela, Regina Maria

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To validate a reliable version of the Obesity-related Problems Scale in Portuguese to use it in Brazil. Methods The Obesity-related Problems Scale was translated and transculturally adapted. Later it was simultaneously self-applied with a 12-item version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0), to 50 obese patients and 50 non-obese individuals, and applied again to half of them after 14 days. Results The Obesity-related Problems scale was able to differentiate obese from non-obese individuals with higher accuracy than WHODAS 2.0, correlating with this scale and with body mass index. The factor analysis determined a two-dimensional structure, which was confirmed with χ2/df=1.81, SRMR=0.05, and CFI=0.97. The general a coefficient was 0.90 and the inter-item intra-class correlation, in the reapplication, ranged from 0.75 to 0.87. Conclusion The scale proved to be valid and reliable for use in the Brazilian population, without the need to exclude items. PMID:29091155

Effect of Atomoxetine on Executive Function Impairments in Adults with ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Thomas E.; Holdnack, James; Saylor, Keith; Adler, Lenard; Spencer, Thomas; Williams, David W.; Padival, Anoop K.; Schuh, Kory; Trzepacz, Paula T.; Kelsey, Douglas

2011-01-01

Objective: To assess the effect of atomoxetine on ADHD-related executive functions over a 6-month period using the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale (BADDS) for Adults, a normed, 40-item, self-report scale in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Method: In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, adults with ADHD…

Performance of Rehabilitated Lightweight Aggregate Asphalt Concrete Pavements Under Wet and Heated Model Mobile Load Simulator Trafficking: A Comparative Study with the TxMLS

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

One-third-scale Model Mobile Load Simulator Mk3 (MMLS3) tests were conducted on US 281 in Jacksboro, Texas, adjacent to the full-scale Texas Mobile Load Simulator (TxMLS). The objectives were to investigate the moisture susceptibility and relative pe...

Comparing riparian and catchment influences on stream habitat in a forested, montane landscape.

Treesearch

K.M. Burnett; G.H. Reeves

2006-01-01

The goal of this study was to understand relationships between salmon habitat and landscape characteristics, summarized at multiple spatial scales, in a montane basin where forestry is the dominant land use. Specific study objectives were to (1) examine differences among spatial scales for landscape characteristics described with relatively coarse-resolution data, (2)...

Diagnostic Group Differences in Parent and Teacher Ratings on the BRIEF and Conners' Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Jeremy R.; Riccio, Cynthia A.

2007-01-01

Objective: Behavioral rating scales are common instruments used in evaluations of ADHD and executive function. It is important to explore how different diagnostic groups perform on these measures, as this information can be used to provide criterion-related validity evidence for the measures. Method: Data from 92 children and adolescents were used…

Measurement Properties of the Motivation for Youth Treatment Scale with a Residential Group Home Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Matthew C.; Hurley, Kristin Duppong; Tomlinson, M. Michele Athay; Stevens, Amy L.

2013-01-01

Background: A client's motivation to receive services is significantly related to seeking services, remaining in services, and improved outcomes. The Motivation for Youth Treatment Scale (MYTS) is one of the few brief measures used to assess motivation for mental health treatment. Objective: To investigate if the psychometric properties of the…

Hackneyed, Acned, or Just Plain Good: Perceiving Quality in Young Adult Fiction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agee, Hugh

A rating scale was developed by Stephen Dunning for evaluating adolescent literature objectively. The distinguishing features of the scale's five categories are designed to produce a numerical score between 5 and 25 (each category a 1-to-5 ranking for poor/excellent quality), indicating the relative worth of a specific literary work. The first…

A multi-scale assessment of forest primary production across the eastern USA using Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) and MODIS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Youngsang

As evidence of global warming continues to increase, being able to predict the relationship between forest growth rate and climate factors will be vital to maintain the sustainability and productivity of forests. Comprehensive analyses of forest primary production across the eastern US were conducted using remotely sensed MODIS and field-based FIA datasets. This dissertation primarily explored spatial patterns of gross and net carbon uptake in the eastern USA, and addressed three objectives. 1) Examine the use of pixel- and plot-scale screening variables to validate MODIS GPP predictions with Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) NPP measures. 2) Assess the net primary production (NPP) from MODIS and FIA at increasing levels of spatial aggregation using a hexagonal tiling system. 3) Assess the carbon use efficiency (CUE) calculated using a direct ratio of MODIS NPP to MODIS GPP and a standardized ratio of FIA NPP to MODIS GPP. The first objective was analyzed using total of 54,969 MODIS pixels and co-located FIA plots to validate MODIS GPP estimates. Eight SVs were used to test six hypotheses about the conditions under which MODIS GPP would be most strongly validated. SVs were assessed in terms of the tradeoff between improved relations and reduced number of samples. MODIS seasonal variation and FIA tree density were the two most efficient SVs followed by basic quality checks for each data set. The sequential application of SVs provided an efficient dataset of 17,090 co-located MODIS pixels and FIA plots, that raised the Pearson's correlation coefficient from 0.01 for the complete dataset of 54,969 plots to 0.48 for this screened subset of 17,090 plots. The second objective was addressed by aggregating data over increasing spatial extents so as to not lose plot- and pixel-level information. These data were then analyzed to determine the optimal scale with which to represent the spatial pattern of NPP. The results suggested an optimal scale of 390 km2. At that scale MODIS and FIA were most strongly correlated while maximizing the number of observation. The maps conveyed both local-scale spatial structure from FIA and broad-scale climatic trends from MODIS. The third objective examined whether carbon use efficiency (CUE) was constant or variable in relation to forest types, and to geographic and climatic variables. The results indicated that while CUEs exhibited unclear patterns by forest types, CUEs are variable to other environmental variables. CUEs are most strongly related to the climatic factors of precipitation followed by temperature. More complex and weaker relationships were found for the geographic factors of latitude and altitude, as they reflected a combination of phenomenological driving forces. The results of the three objectives will help us to identify factors that control carbon cycles and to quantify forest productivity. This will help improve our knowledge about how forest primary productivity may change in relation to ongoing climate change.

Measuring Pharmacy Student Attitudes toward Prayer: The Student Prayer Attitude Scale (SPAS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pace, Adam C.; Greene, Joy; Deweese, Joseph E.; Brown, Dana A.; Cameron, Ginger; Nesbit, James M.; Wensel, Terri

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop and validate an instrument to assess the attitude of student pharmacists toward prayer in general and in particular as it relates to their academic performance. To fulfill the study objective, faculty from seven colleges of pharmacy located at Christian universities collaboratively developed the Student…

Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity, and Related Risk Factors among College Men and Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrell, Jesse S.; Lofgren, Ingrid E.; Burke, Joanne D.; Reilly, Ruth A.

2012-01-01

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to characterize the prevalence of overweight/obesity, metabolic syndrome (MbS) and its criteria, and nutrient intakes of college-age men and women via a large-scale screening. Participants and Methods: From August 2005 to July 2008, 2,722 subjects were recruited for the ongoing, cross-sectional…

TESTING THE ASTEROSEISMIC SCALING RELATIONS FOR RED GIANTS WITH ECLIPSING BINARIES OBSERVED BY KEPLER

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

Gaulme, P.; McKeever, J.; Jackiewicz, J.

2016-12-01

Given the potential of ensemble asteroseismology for understanding fundamental properties of large numbers of stars, it is critical to determine the accuracy of the scaling relations on which these measurements are based. From several powerful validation techniques, all indications so far show that stellar radius estimates from the asteroseismic scaling relations are accurate to within a few percent. Eclipsing binary systems hosting at least one star with detectable solar-like oscillations constitute the ideal test objects for validating asteroseismic radius and mass inferences. By combining radial velocity (RV) measurements and photometric time series of eclipses, it is possible to determine themore » masses and radii of each component of a double-lined spectroscopic binary. We report the results of a four-year RV survey performed with the échelle spectrometer of the Astrophysical Research Consortium’s 3.5 m telescope and the APOGEE spectrometer at Apache Point Observatory. We compare the masses and radii of 10 red giants (RGs) obtained by combining radial velocities and eclipse photometry with the estimates from the asteroseismic scaling relations. We find that the asteroseismic scaling relations overestimate RG radii by about 5% on average and masses by about 15% for stars at various stages of RG evolution. Systematic overestimation of mass leads to underestimation of stellar age, which can have important implications for ensemble asteroseismology used for Galactic studies. As part of a second objective, where asteroseismology is used for understanding binary systems, we confirm that oscillations of RGs in close binaries can be suppressed enough to be undetectable, a hypothesis that was proposed in a previous work.« less

DeepSkeleton: Learning Multi-Task Scale-Associated Deep Side Outputs for Object Skeleton Extraction in Natural Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Wei; Zhao, Kai; Jiang, Yuan; Wang, Yan; Bai, Xiang; Yuille, Alan

2017-11-01

Object skeletons are useful for object representation and object detection. They are complementary to the object contour, and provide extra information, such as how object scale (thickness) varies among object parts. But object skeleton extraction from natural images is very challenging, because it requires the extractor to be able to capture both local and non-local image context in order to determine the scale of each skeleton pixel. In this paper, we present a novel fully convolutional network with multiple scale-associated side outputs to address this problem. By observing the relationship between the receptive field sizes of the different layers in the network and the skeleton scales they can capture, we introduce two scale-associated side outputs to each stage of the network. The network is trained by multi-task learning, where one task is skeleton localization to classify whether a pixel is a skeleton pixel or not, and the other is skeleton scale prediction to regress the scale of each skeleton pixel. Supervision is imposed at different stages by guiding the scale-associated side outputs toward the groundtruth skeletons at the appropriate scales. The responses of the multiple scale-associated side outputs are then fused in a scale-specific way to detect skeleton pixels using multiple scales effectively. Our method achieves promising results on two skeleton extraction datasets, and significantly outperforms other competitors. Additionally, the usefulness of the obtained skeletons and scales (thickness) are verified on two object detection applications: Foreground object segmentation and object proposal detection.

Denitrification potential of riparian soils in relation to multiscale spatial environmental factors: a case study of a typical watershed, China.

PubMed

Wei, Jianbing; Feng, Hao; Cheng, Quanguo; Gao, Shiqian; Liu, Haiyan

2017-02-01

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that environmental regulators of riparian zone soil denitrification potential differ according to spatial scale within a watershed; consequently, a second objective was to provide spatial strategies for conserving and restoring the purification function of runoff in riparian ecosystems. The results show that soil denitrification in riparian zones was more heterogeneous at the profile scale than at the cross-section and landscape scales. At the profile scale, biogeochemical factors (including soil total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and nitrate-nitrogen) were the major direct regulators of the spatial distribution of soil denitrification enzyme activity (DEA). At the cross-section scale, factors included distance from river bank and vegetation density, while landscape-scale factors, including topographic index, elevation, and land use types, indirectly regulated the spatial distribution of DEA. At the profile scale, soil DEA was greatest in the upper soil layers. At the cross-section scale, maximum soil DEA occurred in the mid-part of the riparian zone. At the landscape scale, soil DEA showed an increasing trend towards downstream sites, except for those in urbanized areas.

Borderline pathology and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI): an evaluation of criterion and concurrent validity.

PubMed

Stein, Michelle B; Pinsker-Aspen, Janet H; Hilsenroth, Mark J

2007-02-01

In this study, we examined how patients diagnosed with borderline pathology (BP) would respond on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) Borderline (BOR) scales in relation to patients without BP pathology. In addition, we examined whether the PAI BOR scales would be related to variables on the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale (SCORS; Hilsenroth, Stein, & Pinsker, 2004; Westen, 1995) derived from early memory narratives. Results indicate that outpatients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. [DSM-IV]; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnosis of BP scored significantly higher on the PAI BOR Total (BOR-Total) score, Identity Problems, and Self- Harm scales in comparison to a Non-BP clinical sample. The overall correct classification rate for the presence or absence of BP using the BOR Total scale (T >or= 70) was 73%. In addition, there were several significant relationships between dimensional PAI BOR scales and the presence versus absence of DSM-IV BP. Moreover, both the BOR-Total and Affect Instability scales were significantly related to the SCORS variable Complexity of Representations. We provide clinical examples to illustrate these research findings in an applied manner.

Characterization of Mixed Wettability at Different Scales and its Impact on Oil Recovery Efficiency

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

Sharma, Mukul M.; Hirasaki, George J.

The objectives of this project was to: (1) quantify the pore scale mechanisms that determine the wettability state of a reservoir, (2) study the effect of crude oil, brine and mineral compositions in the establishment of mixed wet states, (3) clarify the effect of mixed - wettability on oil displacement efficiency in waterfloods, (4) develop a new tracer technique to measure wettability, fluid distributions, residual saturation's and relative permeabilities, and (5) develop methods for properly incorporating wettability in up-scaling from pore to core to reservoir scales.

Virtual Surveyor based Object Extraction from Airborne LiDAR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habib, Md. Ahsan

Topographic feature detection of land cover from LiDAR data is important in various fields - city planning, disaster response and prevention, soil conservation, infrastructure or forestry. In recent years, feature classification, compliant with Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) methodology has been gaining traction in remote sensing and geographic information science (GIS). In OBIA, the LiDAR image is first divided into meaningful segments called object candidates. This results, in addition to spectral values, in a plethora of new information such as aggregated spectral pixel values, morphology, texture, context as well as topology. Traditional nonparametric segmentation methods rely on segmentations at different scales to produce a hierarchy of semantically significant objects. Properly tuned scale parameters are, therefore, imperative in these methods for successful subsequent classification. Recently, some progress has been made in the development of methods for tuning the parameters for automatic segmentation. However, researchers found that it is very difficult to automatically refine the tuning with respect to each object class present in the scene. Moreover, due to the relative complexity of real-world objects, the intra-class heterogeneity is very high, which leads to over-segmentation. Therefore, the method fails to deliver correctly many of the new segment features. In this dissertation, a new hierarchical 3D object segmentation algorithm called Automatic Virtual Surveyor based Object Extracted (AVSOE) is presented. AVSOE segments objects based on their distinct geometric concavity/convexity. This is achieved by strategically mapping the sloping surface, which connects the object to its background. Further analysis produces hierarchical decomposition of objects to its sub-objects at a single scale level. Extensive qualitative and qualitative results are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of this hierarchical segmentation approach.

Propulsion Physics Using the Chameleon Density Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robertson, Glen A.

2011-01-01

To grow as a space faring race, future spaceflight systems will require a new theory of propulsion. Specifically one that does not require mass ejection without limiting the high thrust necessary to accelerate within or beyond our solar system and return within a normal work period or lifetime. The Chameleon Density Model (CDM) is one such model that could provide new paths in propulsion toward this end. The CDM is based on Chameleon Cosmology a dark matter theory; introduced by Khrouy and Weltman in 2004. Chameleon as it is hidden within known physics, where the Chameleon field represents a scalar field within and about an object; even in the vacuum. The CDM relates to density changes in the Chameleon field, where the density changes are related to matter accelerations within and about an object. These density changes in turn change how an object couples to its environment. Whereby, thrust is achieved by causing a differential in the environmental coupling about an object. As a demonstration to show that the CDM fits within known propulsion physics, this paper uses the model to estimate the thrust from a solid rocket motor. Under the CDM, a solid rocket constitutes a two body system, i.e., the changing density of the rocket and the changing density in the nozzle arising from the accelerated mass. Whereby, the interactions between these systems cause a differential coupling to the local gravity environment of the earth. It is shown that the resulting differential in coupling produces a calculated value for the thrust near equivalent to the conventional thrust model used in Sutton and Ross, Rocket Propulsion Elements. Even though imbedded in the equations are the Universe energy scale factor, the reduced Planck mass and the Planck length, which relates the large Universe scale to the subatomic scale.

Factorial validity of the Delta Healthy Eating Attitudes Scale related to diet quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to establish factorial validity of decisional balance (DB), self-efficacy (SE) and social support (SS) psychosocial constructs and convergent validity related to diet quality. A sample (N=319) of predominantly African American women from the Mississippi Communities fo...

Complexity Measures, Task Type, and Analytic Evaluations of Speaking Proficiency in a School-Based Assessment Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gan, Zhengdong

2012-01-01

This study, which is part of a large-scale study of using objective measures to validate assessment rating scales and assessment tasks in a high-profile school-based assessment initiative in Hong Kong, examined how grammatical complexity measures relate to task type and analytic evaluations of students' speaking proficiency in a classroom-based…

Assessment of a Solar System Walk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LoPresto, Michael C.; Murrell, Steven R.; Kirchner, Brian

2010-01-01

The idea of sending students and the general public on a walk through a scale model of the solar system in an attempt to instill an appreciation of the relative scales of the sizes of the objects compared to the immense distances between them is certainly not new. A good number of such models exist, including one on the National Mall in…

Development and Evaluation of the Arabic Filial Piety Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khalaila, Rabia

2010-01-01

Objective: To examine the validity and reliability of a new Arabic Filial Piety scale (AFPS) for use with informal Arab caregivers. Background: Filial piety, a term used to describe a set of family values in relation to parental care. This is the first measure of this construct for use with Arab populations in Israel. Method: A random sample of…

Assessing Progress toward Accreditation Related Objectives: Evidence regarding the Use of Self-Efficacy as an Outcome in the Advanced Concentration Research Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holden, Gary; Barker, Kathleen; Rosenberg, Gary; Onghena, Patrick

2007-01-01

Objective: Assessing the achievement of social work educational outcomes is a requirement of the Council on Social Work Education's Educational Policy and Standards (EPAS). The Evaluation Self-Efficacy Scale (ESE) was created to assess student progress in advanced concentration courses focused on evaluation and thereby provide data regarding…

Assessment of Error in Synoptic-Scale Diagnostics Derived from Wind Profiler and Radiosonde Network Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mace, Gerald G.; Ackerman, Thomas P.

1996-01-01

A topic of current practical interest is the accurate characterization of the synoptic-scale atmospheric state from wind profiler and radiosonde network observations. We have examined several related and commonly applied objective analysis techniques for performing this characterization and considered their associated level of uncertainty both from a theoretical and a practical standpoint. A case study is presented where two wind profiler triangles with nearly identical centroids and no common vertices produced strikingly different results during a 43-h period. We conclude that the uncertainty in objectively analyzed quantities can easily be as large as the expected synoptic-scale signal. In order to quantify the statistical precision of the algorithms, we conducted a realistic observing system simulation experiment using output from a mesoscale model. A simple parameterization for estimating the uncertainty in horizontal gradient quantities in terms of known errors in the objectively analyzed wind components and temperature is developed from these results.

[RS estimation of inventory parameters and carbon storage of moso bamboo forest based on synergistic use of object-based image analysis and decision tree].

PubMed

Du, Hua Qiang; Sun, Xiao Yan; Han, Ning; Mao, Fang Jie

2017-10-01

By synergistically using the object-based image analysis (OBIA) and the classification and regression tree (CART) methods, the distribution information, the indexes (including diameter at breast, tree height, and crown closure), and the aboveground carbon storage (AGC) of moso bamboo forest in Shanchuan Town, Anji County, Zhejiang Province were investigated. The results showed that the moso bamboo forest could be accurately delineated by integrating the multi-scale ima ge segmentation in OBIA technique and CART, which connected the image objects at various scales, with a pretty good producer's accuracy of 89.1%. The investigation of indexes estimated by regression tree model that was constructed based on the features extracted from the image objects reached normal or better accuracy, in which the crown closure model archived the best estimating accuracy of 67.9%. The estimating accuracy of diameter at breast and tree height was relatively low, which was consistent with conclusion that estimating diameter at breast and tree height using optical remote sensing could not achieve satisfactory results. Estimation of AGC reached relatively high accuracy, and accuracy of the region of high value achieved above 80%.

Understanding the core-halo relation of quantum wave dark matter from 3D simulations.

PubMed

Schive, Hsi-Yu; Liao, Ming-Hsuan; Woo, Tak-Pong; Wong, Shing-Kwong; Chiueh, Tzihong; Broadhurst, Tom; Hwang, W-Y Pauchy

2014-12-31

We examine the nonlinear structure of gravitationally collapsed objects that form in our simulations of wavelike cold dark matter, described by the Schrödinger-Poisson (SP) equation with a particle mass ∼10(-22)  eV. A distinct gravitationally self-bound solitonic core is found at the center of every halo, with a profile quite different from cores modeled in the warm or self-interacting dark matter scenarios. Furthermore, we show that each solitonic core is surrounded by an extended halo composed of large fluctuating dark matter granules which modulate the halo density on a scale comparable to the diameter of the solitonic core. The scaling symmetry of the SP equation and the uncertainty principle tightly relate the core mass to the halo specific energy, which, in the context of cosmological structure formation, leads to a simple scaling between core mass (Mc) and halo mass (Mh), Mc∝a(-1/2)Mh(1/3), where a is the cosmic scale factor. We verify this scaling relation by (i) examining the internal structure of a statistical sample of virialized halos that form in our 3D cosmological simulations and by (ii) merging multiple solitons to create individual virialized objects. Sufficient simulation resolution is achieved by adaptive mesh refinement and graphic processing units acceleration. From this scaling relation, present dwarf satellite galaxies are predicted to have kiloparsec-sized cores and a minimum mass of ∼10(8)M⊙, capable of solving the small-scale controversies in the cold dark matter model. Moreover, galaxies of 2×10(12)M⊙ at z=8 should have massive solitonic cores of ∼2×10(9)M⊙ within ∼60  pc. Such cores can provide a favorable local environment for funneling the gas that leads to the prompt formation of early stellar spheroids and quasars.

FLARE: A New User Facility for Laboratory Studies of Multiple-Scale Physics of Magnetic Reconnection and Related Phenomena in Heliophysics and Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, H.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Goodman, A.; Prager, S.; Daughton, W.; Cutler, R.; Fox, W.; Hoffmann, F.; Kalish, M.; Kozub, T.; Jara-Almonte, J.; Myers, C.; Ren, Y.; Sloboda, P.; Yamada, M.; Yoo, J.; Bale, S. D.; Carter, T.; Dorfman, S.; Drake, J.; Egedal, J.; Sarff, J.; Wallace, J.

2017-10-01

The FLARE device (Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments; flare.pppl.gov) is a new laboratory experiment under construction at Princeton with first plasmas expected in the fall of 2017, based on the design of Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX; mrx.pppl.gov) with much extended parameter ranges. Its main objective is to provide an experimental platform for the studies of magnetic reconnection and related phenomena in the multiple X-line regimes directly relevant to space, solar, astrophysical and fusion plasmas. The main diagnostics is an extensive set of magnetic probe arrays, simultaneously covering multiple scales from local electron scales ( 2 mm), to intermediate ion scales ( 10 cm), and global MHD scales ( 1 m). Specific example space physics topics which can be studied on FLARE will be discussed.

Subjective and Objective Measures of Dryness Symptoms in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome: Capturing the Discrepancy.

PubMed

Bezzina, Oriana M; Gallagher, Peter; Mitchell, Sheryl; Bowman, Simon J; Griffiths, Bridget; Hindmarsh, Victoria; Hargreaves, Ben; Price, Elizabeth J; Pease, Colin T; Emery, Paul; Lanyon, Peter; Bombardieri, Michele; Sutcliffe, Nurhan; Pitzalis, Costantino; Hunter, John; Gupta, Monica; McLaren, John; Cooper, Anne M; Regan, Marian; Giles, Ian P; Isenberg, David A; Saravanan, Vadivelu; Coady, David; Dasgupta, Bhaskar; McHugh, Neil J; Young-Min, Steven A; Moots, Robert J; Gendi, Nagui; Akil, Mohammed; MacKay, Kirsten; Ng, W Fai; Robinson, Lucy J

2017-11-01

To develop a novel method for capturing the discrepancy between objective tests and subjective dryness symptoms (a sensitivity scale) and to explore predictors of dryness sensitivity. Archive data from the UK Primary Sjögren's Syndrome Registry (n = 688) were used. Patients were classified on a scale from -5 (stoical) to +5 (sensitive) depending on the degree of discrepancy between their objective and subjective symptoms classes. Sensitivity scores were correlated with demographic variables, disease-related factors, and symptoms of pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Patients were on average relatively stoical for both types of dryness symptoms (mean ± SD ocular dryness -0.42 ± 2.2 and -1.24 ± 1.6 oral dryness). Twenty-seven percent of patients were classified as sensitive to ocular dryness and 9% to oral dryness. Hierarchical regression analyses identified the strongest predictor of ocular dryness sensitivity to be self-reported pain and that of oral dryness sensitivity to be self-reported fatigue. Ocular and oral dryness sensitivity can be classified on a continuous scale. The 2 symptom types are predicted by different variables. A large number of factors remain to be explored that may impact symptom sensitivity in primary Sjögren's syndrome, and the proposed method could be used to identify relatively sensitive and stoical patients for future studies. © 2016, The Authors. Arthritis Care & Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American College of Rheumatology.

An eigenfunction method for reconstruction of large-scale and high-contrast objects.

PubMed

Waag, Robert C; Lin, Feng; Varslot, Trond K; Astheimer, Jeffrey P

2007-07-01

A multiple-frequency inverse scattering method that uses eigenfunctions of a scattering operator is extended to image large-scale and high-contrast objects. The extension uses an estimate of the scattering object to form the difference between the scattering by the object and the scattering by the estimate of the object. The scattering potential defined by this difference is expanded in a basis of products of acoustic fields. These fields are defined by eigenfunctions of the scattering operator associated with the estimate. In the case of scattering objects for which the estimate is radial, symmetries in the expressions used to reconstruct the scattering potential greatly reduce the amount of computation. The range of parameters over which the reconstruction method works well is illustrated using calculated scattering by different objects. The method is applied to experimental data from a 48-mm diameter scattering object with tissue-like properties. The image reconstructed from measurements has, relative to a conventional B-scan formed using a low f-number at the same center frequency, significantly higher resolution and less speckle, implying that small, high-contrast structures can be demonstrated clearly using the extended method.

Label reading, numeracy and Food&Nutrition involvement.

PubMed

Mulders, Maria Dgh; Corneille, O; Klein, O

2018-06-07

The purpose of this study was to investigate objective performance on a nutrition label comprehension task, and the influence of numeracy and food-related involvement on this performance level. A pilot study (n = 45) was run to prepare the scales in French. For the main study (n = 101), participants provided demographic information and answered the nutrition label survey, the short numeracy scale and two different food-related involvement scales (i.e. the food involvement scale and the nutrition involvement scale). Both studies were conducted online, and consent was obtained from all participants. Participants answered correctly only two-thirds of the nutrition label task items. Numeracy and food involvement scores were positively correlated with performance on this task. Finally, food involvement interacted with numeracy. Specifically, people scoring low in numeracy performed generally more poorly on the task, but if they had high food involvement scores, their performance increased. This suggests that high food-related motivation may compensate for poor numeracy skills when dealing with nutrition labels. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

It’s Out of My Hands! Grasping Capacity May Not Influence Perceived Object Size

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Linkenauger, Witt, and Proffitt (2011) found that the perceived size of graspable objects was scaled by perceived grasping capacity. However, it is possible that this effect occurred because object size was estimated on the same trial as grasping capacity. This may have led to a conflation of estimates of perceived action capacity and spatial properties. In 5 experiments, we tested Linkenauger et al.’s claim that right-handed observers overestimate the grasping capacity of their right hand relative to their left hand, and that this, in turn, leads them to underestimate the size of objects to-be-grasped in their right hand relative to their left hand. We replicated the finding that right handers overestimate the size and grasping capacity of their right hand relative to their left hand. However, when estimates of object size and grasping capacity were made in separate tasks, objects grasped in the right hand were not underestimated relative to those grasped in the left hand. Further, when grasping capacity was physically restricted, observers appropriately recalibrated their perception of their maximum grasp but estimates of object size were unaffected. Our results suggest that changes in action capacity may not influence perceived object size if sources of conflation are controlled for. PMID:28191987

New trends in cosmology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canuto, V. M.

1978-01-01

A review of big-bang cosmology is presented, emphasizing the big-bang model, hypotheses on the origin of galaxies, observational tests of the big-bang model that may be possible with the Large Space Telescope, and the scale-covariant theory of gravitation. Detailed attention is given to the equations of general relativity, the redshift-distance relation for extragalactic objects, expansion of the universe, the initial singularity, the discovery of the 3-K blackbody radiation, and measurements of the amount of deuterium in the universe. The curvature of the expanding universe is examined along with the magnitude-redshift relation for quasars and galaxies. Several models for the origin of galaxies are evaluated, and it is suggested that a model of galaxy formation via the formation of black holes is consistent with the model of an expanding universe. Scale covariance is discussed, a scale-covariant theory is developed which contains invariance under scale transformation, and it is shown that Dirac's (1937) large-numbers hypothesis finds a natural role in this theory by relating the atomic and Einstein units.

Logarithmic r-θ mapping for hybrid optical neural network filter for multiple objects recognition within cluttered scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kypraios, Ioannis; Young, Rupert C. D.; Chatwin, Chris R.; Birch, Phil M.

2009-04-01

θThe window unit in the design of the complex logarithmic r-θ mapping for hybrid optical neural network filter can allow multiple objects of the same class to be detected within the input image. Additionally, the architecture of the neural network unit of the complex logarithmic r-θ mapping for hybrid optical neural network filter becomes attractive for accommodating the recognition of multiple objects of different classes within the input image by modifying the output layer of the unit. We test the overall filter for multiple objects of the same and of different classes' recognition within cluttered input images and video sequences of cluttered scenes. Logarithmic r-θ mapping for hybrid optical neural network filter is shown to exhibit with a single pass over the input data simultaneously in-plane rotation, out-of-plane rotation, scale, log r-θ map translation and shift invariance, and good clutter tolerance by recognizing correctly the different objects within the cluttered scenes. We record in our results additional extracted information from the cluttered scenes about the objects' relative position, scale and in-plane rotation.

Scene segmentation by spike synchronization in reciprocally connected visual areas. I. Local effects of cortical feedback.

PubMed

Knoblauch, Andreas; Palm, Günther

2002-09-01

To investigate scene segmentation in the visual system we present a model of two reciprocally connected visual areas using spiking neurons. Area P corresponds to the orientation-selective subsystem of the primary visual cortex, while the central visual area C is modeled as associative memory representing stimulus objects according to Hebbian learning. Without feedback from area C, a single stimulus results in relatively slow and irregular activity, synchronized only for neighboring patches (slow state), while in the complete model activity is faster with an enlarged synchronization range (fast state). When presenting a superposition of several stimulus objects, scene segmentation happens on a time scale of hundreds of milliseconds by alternating epochs of the slow and fast states, where neurons representing the same object are simultaneously in the fast state. Correlation analysis reveals synchronization on different time scales as found in experiments (designated as tower, castle, and hill peaks). On the fast time scale (tower peaks, gamma frequency range), recordings from two sites coding either different or the same object lead to correlograms that are either flat or exhibit oscillatory modulations with a central peak. This is in agreement with experimental findings, whereas standard phase-coding models would predict shifted peaks in the case of different objects.

High prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder symptoms in patients seeking rhinoplasty.

PubMed

Picavet, Valerie A; Prokopakis, Emmanuel P; Gabriëls, Lutgardis; Jorissen, Mark; Hellings, Peter W

2011-08-01

Nasal aesthetic deformities may be associated with significant body image dissatisfaction. The only diagnostic category in the current list of psychiatric disorders that directly addresses these concerns is body dysmorphic disorder. This large-scale study determined the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder and its symptoms in patients seeking rhinoplasty and evaluated the clinical profile of these patients. Two hundred twenty-six patients were given questionnaires including demographic characteristics, visual analogue scales for nasal shape, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale modified for body dysmorphic disorder to assess severity of symptoms, a generic quality-of-life questionnaire, and the Derriford Appearance Scale 59, to assess appearance-related disruption of everyday living. Independent observers scored the nasal shape. Thirty-three percent of patients showed at least moderate symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder. Aesthetic goals (p < 0.001), revision rhinoplasty (p = 0.003), and psychiatric history (p = 0.031) were associated with more severe symptoms. There was no correlation between the objective and subjective scoring of the nasal shape. Yale-Brown scale modified for body dysmorphic disorder scores correlated inversely with the subjective nasal scoring (n = 210, p < 0.001), without relation to the objective deformity of the nose. Body dysmorphic disorder symptoms significantly reduced the generic quality of life (n = 160, p < 0.001) and led to significant appearance-related disruption of everyday living (n = 161, p < 0.001). The prevalence of moderate to severe body dysmorphic disorder symptoms in an aesthetic rhinoplasty population is high. Patients undergoing revision rhinoplasty and with psychiatric history are particularly at risk. Body dysmorphic disorder symptoms significantly reduce the quality of life and cause significant appearance-related disruption of everyday living. Risk, III.

Parallel and distributed computation for fault-tolerant object recognition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wechsler, Harry

1988-01-01

The distributed associative memory (DAM) model is suggested for distributed and fault-tolerant computation as it relates to object recognition tasks. The fault-tolerance is with respect to geometrical distortions (scale and rotation), noisy inputs, occulsion/overlap, and memory faults. An experimental system was developed for fault-tolerant structure recognition which shows the feasibility of such an approach. The approach is futher extended to the problem of multisensory data integration and applied successfully to the recognition of colored polyhedral objects.

Object-based classification of global undersea topography and geomorphological features from the SRTM30_PLUS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dekavalla, Maria; Argialas, Demetre

2017-07-01

The analysis of undersea topography and geomorphological features provides necessary information to related disciplines and many applications. The development of an automated knowledge-based classification approach of undersea topography and geomorphological features is challenging due to their multi-scale nature. The aim of the study is to develop and evaluate an automated knowledge-based OBIA approach to: i) decompose the global undersea topography to multi-scale regions of distinct morphometric properties, and ii) assign the derived regions to characteristic geomorphological features. First, the global undersea topography was decomposed through the SRTM30_PLUS bathymetry data to the so-called morphometric objects of discrete morphometric properties and spatial scales defined by data-driven methods (local variance graphs and nested means) and multi-scale analysis. The derived morphometric objects were combined with additional relative topographic position information computed with a self-adaptive pattern recognition method (geomorphons), and auxiliary data and were assigned to characteristic undersea geomorphological feature classes through a knowledge base, developed from standard definitions. The decomposition of the SRTM30_PLUS data to morphometric objects was considered successful for the requirements of maximizing intra-object and inter-object heterogeneity, based on the near zero values of the Moran's I and the low values of the weighted variance index. The knowledge-based classification approach was tested for its transferability in six case studies of various tectonic settings and achieved the efficient extraction of 11 undersea geomorphological feature classes. The classification results for the six case studies were compared with the digital global seafloor geomorphic features map (GSFM). The 11 undersea feature classes and their producer's accuracies in respect to the GSFM relevant areas were Basin (95%), Continental Shelf (94.9%), Trough (88.4%), Plateau (78.9%), Continental Slope (76.4%), Trench (71.2%), Abyssal Hill (62.9%), Abyssal Plain (62.4%), Ridge (49.8%), Seamount (48.8%) and Continental Rise (25.4%). The knowledge-based OBIA classification approach was considered transferable since the percentages of spatial and thematic agreement between the most of the classified undersea feature classes and the GSFM exhibited low deviations across the six case studies.

Groups of galaxies in the Center for Astrophysics redshift survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramella, Massimo; Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, John P.

1989-01-01

By applying the Huchra and Geller (1982) objective group identification algorithm to the Center for Astrophysics' redshift survey, a catalog of 128 groups with three or more members is extracted, and 92 of these are used as a statistical sample. A comparison of the distribution of group centers with the distribution of all galaxies in the survey indicates qualitatively that groups trace the large-scale structure of the region. The physical properties of groups may be related to the details of large-scale structure, and it is concluded that differences among group catalogs may be due to the properties of large-scale structures and their location relative to the survey limits.

Relation of Symptom-Induced Impairment with Other Illness Parameters in Clinic-Referred Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadow, Kenneth D.; Kaat, Aaron J.; Lecavalier, Luc

2013-01-01

Objective: To examine the relation of caregiver ratings of psychiatric symptom-induced impairment with number and severity of symptoms and informant agreement in consecutive child psychiatry outpatient referrals. Methods: Parents and teachers completed a broadband "DSM-IV"-referenced rating scale with disorder-specific impairment for 636…

Attitudes of High School Teachers to Educational Research Using Classification-Tree Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akcoltekin, Alpturk; Engin, Ali Osman; Sevgin, Hikmet

2017-01-01

Purpose: The main objective is to investigate high school teachers' attitudes relating to educational research with respect to demographic variables. Research Methods: The study is based on the relational screening model. Data was obtained through an adapted scale to determine high school teachers' attitudes toward educational research. The study…

Relations between Media, Perceived Social Support and Personal Well-Being in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarriera, Jorge Castella; Abs, Daniel; Casas, Ferran; Bedin, Livia Maria

2012-01-01

This paper's main objective is to show relations between interest in media, perceived social support and adolescents' personal well-being. For this purpose, 1,589 Brazilian adolescents answered a questionnaire containing Cummins' Personal Well-Being, Vaux's Social Support Appraisals and Casas' interest in media scales. The media in study are: The…

The relative influence of geographic location and reach-scale habitat on benthic invertebrate assemblages in six ecoregions

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this study was to determine the relative influence of reach-specific habitat variables and geographic location on benthic invertebrate assemblages within six ecoregions across the Western USA. This study included 417 sites from six ecoregions. A total of 301 ta...

Mixed methods evaluation of well-being benefits derived from a heritage-in-health intervention with hospital patients

PubMed Central

Paddon, Hannah L.; Thomson, Linda J.M.; Menon, Usha; Lanceley, Anne E.; Chatterjee, Helen J.

2013-01-01

Background This study sought to determine the effects of a heritage-in-health intervention on well-being. Benefits of arts-in-health interventions are relatively well-documented yet little robust research has been conducted using heritage-in-health interventions, such as those involving museum objects. Methods Hospital patients (n = 57) participated in semi-structured, 30–40 minute facilitated interview sessions, discussing and handling museum objects comprising selections of six artefacts and specimens loaned from archaeology, art, geology and natural history collections. Well-being measures (Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale, Visual Analogue Scales) evaluated the sessions while inductive and deductive thematic analysis investigated psycho-educational features accounting for changes. Results Comparison of pre- and post-session quantitative measures showed significant increases in well-being and happiness. Qualitative investigation revealed thinking and meaning-making opportunities for participants engaged with objects. Conclusions Heritage-in-health sessions enhanced positive mood and social interaction, endorsing the need for provision of well-being-related museum and gallery activities for socially excluded or vulnerable healthcare audiences. PMID:25621005

From sixty-two interviews on 'the worst and the best episode of your life'. Relationships between internal working models and a grammatical scale of subject-object affective connections.

PubMed

Seganti, A; Carnevale, G; Mucelli, R; Solano, L; Target, M

2000-06-01

The authors address the issue of inferring unconscious internal working models of interaction through language. After reviewing Main's seminal work of linguistic assessment through the 'adult attachment interview', they stress the idea of adults' internal working models (IWMs) as information-processing devices, which give moment-to-moment sensory orientation in the face of any past or present, animate or inanimate object. They propose that a selective perception of the objects could match expected with actual influence of objects on the subject's self, through very simple 'parallel-processed' categories of internal objects. They further hypothesise that the isomorphism between internal working models of interaction and grammatical connections between subjects and objects within a clause could be a key to tracking positive and negative images of self and other during discourse. An experiment is reported applying the authors' 'scale of subject/object affective connection' to the narratives of sixty-two subjects asked to write about the 'worst' and 'best' episodes of their lives. Participants had previously been classified using Hazan & Shaver's self-reported 'attachment types' (avoidant, anxious and secure) categorising individuals' general expectations in relation to others. The findings were that the subject/object distribution of positive and negative experience, through verbs defined for this purpose as either performative or state verbs, did significantly differ between groups. In addition, different groups tended, during the best episodes, significantly to invert the trend of positive/negative subject/object distribution shown during the worst episode. Results are discussed in terms of a psychoanalytic theory of improvement through co-operative elaboration of negative relational issues.

Association between Social Anxiety and Visual Mental Imagery of Neutral Scenes: The Moderating Role of Effortful Control.

PubMed

Moriya, Jun

2017-01-01

According to cognitive theories, verbal processing attenuates emotional processing, whereas visual imagery enhances emotional processing and contributes to the maintenance of social anxiety. Individuals with social anxiety report negative mental images in social situations. However, the general ability of visual mental imagery of neutral scenes in individuals with social anxiety is still unclear. The present study investigated the general ability of non-emotional mental imagery (vividness, preferences for imagery vs. verbal processing, and object or spatial imagery) and the moderating role of effortful control in attenuating social anxiety. The participants ( N = 231) completed five questionnaires. The results showed that social anxiety was not necessarily associated with all aspects of mental imagery. As suggested by theories, social anxiety was not associated with a preference for verbal processing. However, social anxiety was positively correlated with the visual imagery scale, especially the object imagery scale, which concerns the ability to construct pictorial images of individual objects. Further, it was negatively correlated with the spatial imagery scale, which concerns the ability to process information about spatial relations between objects. Although object imagery and spatial imagery positively and negatively predicted the degree of social anxiety, respectively, these effects were attenuated when socially anxious individuals had high effortful control. Specifically, in individuals with high effortful control, both object and spatial imagery were not associated with social anxiety. Socially anxious individuals might prefer to construct pictorial images of individual objects in natural scenes through object imagery. However, even in individuals who exhibit these features of mental imagery, effortful control could inhibit the increase in social anxiety.

Seasonal-Scale Optimization of Conventional Hydropower Operations in the Upper Colorado System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bier, A.; Villa, D.; Sun, A.; Lowry, T. S.; Barco, J.

2011-12-01

Sandia National Laboratories is developing the Hydropower Seasonal Concurrent Optimization for Power and the Environment (Hydro-SCOPE) tool to examine basin-wide conventional hydropower operations at seasonal time scales. This tool is part of an integrated, multi-laboratory project designed to explore different aspects of optimizing conventional hydropower operations. The Hydro-SCOPE tool couples a one-dimensional reservoir model with a river routing model to simulate hydrology and water quality. An optimization engine wraps around this model framework to solve for long-term operational strategies that best meet the specific objectives of the hydrologic system while honoring operational and environmental constraints. The optimization routines are provided by Sandia's open source DAKOTA (Design Analysis Kit for Optimization and Terascale Applications) software. Hydro-SCOPE allows for multi-objective optimization, which can be used to gain insight into the trade-offs that must be made between objectives. The Hydro-SCOPE tool is being applied to the Upper Colorado Basin hydrologic system. This system contains six reservoirs, each with its own set of objectives (such as maximizing revenue, optimizing environmental indicators, meeting water use needs, or other objectives) and constraints. This leads to a large optimization problem with strong connectedness between objectives. The systems-level approach used by the Hydro-SCOPE tool allows simultaneous analysis of these objectives, as well as understanding of potential trade-offs related to different objectives and operating strategies. The seasonal-scale tool will be tightly integrated with the other components of this project, which examine day-ahead and real-time planning, environmental performance, hydrologic forecasting, and plant efficiency.

Psychometric Analysis of the Barber Suggestibility Scale in a Clinical Population.

PubMed

Pellicer Asensio, Xavier; Fusté Escolano, Adela; Ruiz Rodríguez, José

2018-04-01

The aim of the study was to administer the Barber suggestibility scale to a clinical population in Spain and to examine its psychometric properties therein. The reliability and factor structure of the adapted scale was compared with that of the original (American) scale and with data from two other versions (British and Puerto Rican samples). Sex differences in suggestibility were also analyzed. The Barber suggestibility scale was administered (without preliminaries) to a sample of 283 patients (130 women, 153 men) with a range of diagnoses: anxiety disorder (33.9%), substance-related and addictive disorder (25.8%), mood disorder (12.7%), somatic symptom disorder (4.6%), trauma- and stress-related disorder (3.5%), and other disorders (19.5%). Results indicated a higher degree of suggestibility among women, with the effect size being low (d = 0.26) for the objective subscale and moderate (d = 0.55) for the subjective subscale. Therefore, normative scores were reported by sex for both subscales. As a whole, the present clinical sample showed higher suggestibility than has been reported previously for nonclinical populations (p < 0.001; d = 1.56). Reliability indices (Cronbach's alpha and split-half/Spearman-Brown) for the present adaptation in a clinical population indicated acceptable internal consistency (range 0.70-0.82). Applied to a clinical sample the Barber suggestibility scale showed a three-factor structure for the objective subscale and a more complex structure for the subjective subscale. These results suggest that the Barber suggestibility scale is a suitable instrument for assessing the degree of suggestibility in persons with a clinical disorder.

Effects of spatial resolution and landscape structure on land cover characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Wenli

This dissertation addressed problems in scaling, problems that are among the main challenges in remote sensing. The principal objective of the research was to investigate the effects of changing spatial scale on the representation of land cover. A second objective was to determine the relationship between such effects, characteristics of landscape structure and scaling procedures. Four research issues related to spatial scaling were examined. They included: (1) the upscaling of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI); (2) the effects of spatial scale on indices of landscape structure; (3) the representation of land cover databases at different spatial scales; and (4) the relationships between landscape indices and land cover area estimations. The overall bias resulting from non-linearity of NDVI in relation to spatial resolution is generally insignificant as compared to other factors such as influences of aerosols and water vapor. The bias is, however, related to land surface characteristics. Significant errors may be introduced in heterogeneous areas where different land cover types exhibit strong spectral contrast. Spatially upscaled SPOT and TM NDVIs have information content comparable with the AVHRR-derived NDVI. Indices of landscape structure and spatial resolution are generally related, but the exact forms of the relationships are subject to changes in other factors including the basic patch unit constituting a landscape and the proportional area of foreground land cover under consideration. The extent of agreement between spatially aggregated coarse resolution land cover datasets and full resolution datasets changes with the properties of the original datasets, including the pixel size and class definition. There are close relationships between landscape structure and class areas estimated from spatially aggregated land cover databases. The relationships, however, do not permit extension from one area to another. Inversion calibration across different geographic/ecological areas is, therefore, not feasible. Different rules govern the land cover area changes across resolutions when different upscaling methods are used. Special attention should be given to comparison between land cover maps derived using different methods.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Cognitive Functioning from the Perspective of Parents of School-Aged Children with Asperger's Syndrome Utilizing the PedsQL[TM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Limbers, Christine A.; Heffer, Robert W.; Varni, James W.

2009-01-01

HRQOL as a multidimensional construct has not been previously investigated in children with Asperger's Syndrome. The objective of the present study was to examine the initial feasibility, reliability, and validity of the PedsQL[TM] 4.0 Generic Core Scales and PedsQL[TM] Cognitive Functioning Scale parent proxy-report versions in school-aged…

The validity of a simple outcome measure to assess stuttering therapy.

PubMed

Huinck, Wendy; Rietveld, Toni

2007-01-01

The validity of a simple and not time-consuming self-assessment (SA) Scale was tested to establish progress after or during stuttering therapy. The scores on the SA scale were related to (1) objective measures (percentage of stuttered syllables, and syllables per minute) and (2) (self-)evaluation tests (self-evaluation questionnaires and perceptual evaluations or judgments of disfluency, naturalness and comfort by naïve listeners). Data were collected from two groups of stutterers at four measurement times: pretherapy, posttherapy, 12 months after therapy and 24 months after therapy. The first group attended the Comprehensive Stuttering Program: an integrated program based on fluency shaping techniques, and the second group participated in a Dutch group therapy: the Doetinchem Method that focuses on emotions and cognitions related to stuttering. Results showed similar score patterns on the SA scale, the self-evaluation questionnaires, the objective measures over time, and significant correlations between the SA scale and syllables per minute, percentage of stuttered syllables, Struggle subscale of the Perceptions of Stuttering Inventory and judged fluency on the T1-T2 difference scores. We concluded that the validity of the SA measure was proved and therefore encourage the use of such an instrument when (stuttering) treatment efficacy is studied.

Scaling of plasma-body interactions in low Earth orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capon, C. J.; Brown, M.; Boyce, R. R.

2017-04-01

This paper derives the generalised set of dimensionless parameters that scale the interaction of an unmagnetised multi-species plasma with an arbitrarily charged object - the application in this work being to the interaction of the ionosphere with Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) objects. We find that a plasma with K ion species can be described by 1 + 4 K independent dimensionless parameters. These parameters govern the deflection and coupling of ion species k , the relative electrical shielding of the body, electron energy, and scaling of temporal effects. The general shielding length λ ϕ is introduced, which reduces to the Debye length in the high-temperature (weakly coupled) limit. The ability of the scaling parameters to predict the self-similar transformations of single and multi-species plasma interactions is demonstrated numerically using pdFOAM, an electrostatic Particle-in-Cell—Direct Simulation Monte Carlo code. The presented scaling relationships represent a significant generalisation of past work, linking low and high voltage plasma phenomena. Further, the presented parameters capture the scaling of multi-species plasmas with multiply charged ions, demonstrating previously unreported scaling relationship transformations. The implications of this work are not limited to LEO plasma-body interactions but apply to processes governed by the Vlasov-Maxwell equations and represent a framework upon which to incorporate the scaling of additional phenomena, e.g., magnetism and charging.

Binary optical filters for scale invariant pattern recognition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, Max B.; Downie, John D.; Hine, Butler P.

1992-01-01

Binary synthetic discriminant function (BSDF) optical filters which are invariant to scale changes in the target object of more than 50 percent are demonstrated in simulation and experiment. Efficient databases of scale invariant BSDF filters can be designed which discriminate between two very similar objects at any view scaled over a factor of 2 or more. The BSDF technique has considerable advantages over other methods for achieving scale invariant object recognition, as it also allows determination of the object's scale. In addition to scale, the technique can be used to design recognition systems invariant to other geometric distortions.

PARSEC-SCALE SHOCKS IN THE KILOPARSEC-SCALE JET OF CENTAURUS A

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

Tingay, S. J.; Lenc, E.

2009-09-15

High angular resolution very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of Centaurus A have been undertaken that allow access to a wide field of view, encompassing both the well-studied parsec-scale jet and the inner part of the kiloparsec-scale jet. The VLBI observations have detected compact regions of synchrotron emission in the kiloparsec-scale jet that coincide with three stationary features identified from previous VLA monitoring observations. Each of these stationary features is associated with strong localized X-ray emission. The VLBI results strengthen arguments made by previous authors suggesting that the stationary features may be the result of stellar objects or gas cloudsmore » traversing the jet flow, intercepting the jet and causing strong shocks. The VLBI data show that the most strongly shocked regions in these features are resolved but have extents no larger than a few pc, reducing the required mass of the typical intercepting object by a factor of {approx}10 relative to previous estimates, making explanations based on high mass-loss stars or low-density gas clouds more plausible.« less

Psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS): secondary analysis of the Mexican Health and Aging Study.

PubMed

López-Ortega, Mariana; Torres-Castro, Sara; Rosas-Carrasco, Oscar

2016-12-09

The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) has been widely used and has proven to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing satisfaction with life in diverse population groups, however, research on satisfaction with life and validation of different measuring instruments in Mexican adults is still lacking. The objective was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in a representative sample of Mexican adults. This is a methodological study to evaluate a satisfaction with life scale in a sample of 13,220 Mexican adults 50 years of age or older from the 2012 Mexican Health and Aging Study. The scale's reliability (internal consistency) was analysed using Cronbach's alpha and inter-item correlations. An exploratory factor analysis was also performed. Known-groups validity was evaluated comparing good-health and bad-health participants. Comorbidity, perceived financial situation, self-reported general health, depression symptoms, and social support were included to evaluate the validity between these measures and the total score of the scale using Spearman's correlations. The analysis of the scale's reliability showed good internal consistency (α = 0.74). The exploratory factor analysis confirmed the existence of a unique factor structure that explained 54% of the variance. SWLS was related to depression, perceived health, financial situation, and social support, and these relations were all statistically significant (P < .01). There was significant difference in life satisfaction between the good- and bad-health groups. Results show good internal consistency and construct validity of the SWLS. These results are comparable with results from previous studies. Meeting the study's objective to validate the scale, the results show that the Spanish version of the SWLS is a reliable and valid measure of satisfaction with life in the Mexican context.

Objective and Subjective Burden of Informal Caregivers 4 Years After a Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Results From the PariS-TBI Study.

PubMed

Bayen, Eléonore; Jourdan, Claire; Ghout, Idir; Darnoux, Emmanuelle; Azerad, Sylvie; Vallat-Azouvi, Claire; Weiss, Jean-Jacques; Aegerter, Philippe; Pradat-Diehl, Pascale; Joël, Marie-Eve; Azouvi, Philippe

2016-01-01

Prospective assessment of informal caregiver (IC) burden 4 years after the traumatic brain injury of a relative. Longitudinal cohort study (metropolitan Paris, France). Home dwelling adults (N = 98) with initially severe traumatic brain injury and their primary ICs. Informal caregiver objective burden (Resource Utilization in Dementia measuring Informal Care Time [ICT]), subjective burden (Zarit Burden Inventory), monetary self-valuation of ICT (Willingness-to-pay, Willingness-to-accept). Informal caregivers were women (81%) assisting men (80%) of mean age of 37 years. Fifty-five ICs reported no objective burden (ICT = 0) and no/low subjective burden (average Zarit Burden Inventory = 12.1). Forty-three ICs reported a major objective burden (average ICT = 5.6 h/d) and a moderate/severe subjective burden (average Zarit Burden Inventory = 30.3). In multivariate analyses, higher objective burden was associated with poorer Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended scores, with more severe cognitive disorders (Neurobehavioral Rating Scale-revised) and with no coresidency status; higher subjective burden was associated with poorer Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended scores, more Neurobehavioral Rating Scale-revised disorders, drug-alcohol abuse, and involvement in litigation. Economic valuation showed that on average, ICs did not value their ICT as free and preferred to pay a mean Willingness-to-pay = &OV0556;17 per hour to be replaced instead of being paid for providing care themselves (Willingness-to-accept = &OV0556;12). Four years after a severe traumatic brain injury, 44% of ICs experienced a heavy multidimensional burden.

PHOTOVOLTAICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT 1998. REPORT ON THE WORKSHOP PHOTOVOLTAICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT 1999

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

FTHENAKIS,V.; ZWEIBEL,K.; MOSKOWITZ,P.

1999-02-01

The objective of the workshop ``Photovoltaics and the Environment'' was to bring together PV manufacturers and industry analysts to define EH and S issues related to the large-scale commercialization of PV technologies.

The Relationship between Spiritual Well-Being and Health-Related Quality of Life in College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anye, Ernest Tamanji; Gallien, Tara L.; Bian, Hui; Moulton, Michael

2013-01-01

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between spiritual well-being (SWB) and various aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQL) of college students. Participants and Methods: Two hundred twenty-five participants were surveyed during October 2010 to assess SWB and HRQL using the Spiritual Well-Being Scale and questions from the…

The validated sun exposure questionnaire: association of objective and subjective measures of sun exposure in a Danish population-based sample.

PubMed

Køster, B; Søndergaard, J; Nielsen, J B; Allen, M; Olsen, A; Bentzen, J

2017-02-01

Few questionnaires used in monitoring sun-related behaviour have been tested for validity. We established the criteria validity of a questionnaire developed for monitoring population sun-related behaviour. During May-August 2013, 664 Danes wore a personal electronic ultraviolet radiation (UVR) dosimeter for 1 week that measured their outdoor time and dose of erythemal UVR exposure. In the following week, they answered a questionnaire on their sun-related behaviour in the measurement week. Outdoor time measured by dosimetry correlated strongly with both outdoor time and the developed exposure scale measured in the questionnaire. Exposure measured in standard erythema dose (SED) by dosimetry correlated strongly with the exposure scale. In a linear regression model of UVR (SED) received, 41% of the variation was explained by skin type, age, week of participation and exposure scale, with exposure scale as the main contributor. The weekly sunburn fraction correlated strongly with the number of ambient sun hours (r = 0·73, P < 0·001). This criteria-validated questionnaire provides evidence of the exposure that the questionnaire aimed to measure. The evidence provided showed a strong link between the objectively measured behaviour and the behaviour measured by this survey construct. The questionnaire is the first validated tool to measure the UVR exposure in a national population-based sample. © 2016 The Authors. British Journal of Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.

Chronic Stress and Fatigue-Related Quality of Life after Mild-to-Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

PubMed Central

Bay, Esther; de-Leon, Marita B.

2010-01-01

Objective To determine relationships between chronic stress, fatigue-related quality of life (QOL-F) and related covariates after mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Observational and cross-sectional Participants A total of 84 community-dwelling individuals with mild-to-moderate TBI recruited from multiple out-patient rehabilitation clinics assessed on average 15 months after injury. Method Data were collected with self-report surveys and chart abstraction. Measures Neurofunctional Behavioral Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale-14, Impact of Events Scale, McGill Pain Short-form Scale, and modified version of the Fatigue Impact Scale. Results Fatigue-related quality of life was associated with somatic symptoms, perceived situational stress, but not with event-related stress (PTSD symptoms) related to index TBI, pre-injury demographic, or post-injury characteristics. Somatic symptoms and chronic situational stress accounted for 42% of the variance in QOL (F). Conclusions QOL (F) in community-dwelling individuals with mild-to- moderate TBI is associated with chronic situational stress and somatic symptoms. Symptom management strategies may need to include general stress management to reduce fatigue burden and improve quality of life. PMID:21169862

Multiple degree of freedom object recognition using optical relational graph decision nets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casasent, David P.; Lee, Andrew J.

1988-01-01

Multiple-degree-of-freedom object recognition concerns objects with no stable rest position with all scale, rotation, and aspect distortions possible. It is assumed that the objects are in a fairly benign background, so that feature extractors are usable. In-plane distortion invariance is provided by use of a polar-log coordinate transform feature space, and out-of-plane distortion invariance is provided by linear discriminant function design. Relational graph decision nets are considered for multiple-degree-of-freedom pattern recognition. The design of Fisher (1936) linear discriminant functions and synthetic discriminant function for use at the nodes of binary and multidecision nets is discussed. Case studies are detailed for two-class and multiclass problems. Simulation results demonstrate the robustness of the processors to quantization of the filter coefficients and to noise.

Solid object visualization of 3D ultrasound data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Thomas R.; Bailey, Michael J.

2000-04-01

Visualization of volumetric medical data is challenging. Rapid-prototyping (RP) equipment producing solid object prototype models of computer generated structures is directly applicable to visualization of medical anatomic data. The purpose of this study was to develop methods for transferring 3D Ultrasound (3DUS) data to RP equipment for visualization of patient anatomy. 3DUS data were acquired using research and clinical scanning systems. Scaling information was preserved and the data were segmented using threshold and local operators to extract features of interest, converted from voxel raster coordinate format to a set of polygons representing an iso-surface and transferred to the RP machine to create a solid 3D object. Fabrication required 30 to 60 minutes depending on object size and complexity. After creation the model could be touched and viewed. A '3D visualization hardcopy device' has advantages for conveying spatial relations compared to visualization using computer display systems. The hardcopy model may be used for teaching or therapy planning. Objects may be produced at the exact dimension of the original object or scaled up (or down) to facilitate matching the viewers reference frame more optimally. RP models represent a useful means of communicating important information in a tangible fashion to patients and physicians.

Milder form of heat-related symptoms and thermal sensation: a study in a Mediterranean climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantavou, Katerina G.; Lykoudis, Spyridon P.; Nikolopoulos, Georgios K.

2016-06-01

Mild heat-related health effects and their potential association with meteorological and personal parameters in relation to subjective and objective thermal sensation were investigated. Micrometeorological measurements and questionnaire surveys were conducted in an urban Mediterranean environment during a warm, cool, and a transitional season. The participants were asked to indicate their thermal sensation based on a seven-point scale and report whether they were experiencing any of the following symptoms: headache, dizziness, breathing difficulties, and exhaustion. Two thermal indices, Actual Sensation Vote (ASV) and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), were estimated in order to obtain an objective measure of individuals' thermal sensation. Binary logistic regression was applied to identify risk parameters while cluster analysis was used to determine thresholds of air temperature, ASV and UTCI related to health effects. Exhaustion was the most frequent symptom reported by the interviewees. Females and smokers were more likely to report heat-related symptoms than males and nonsmokers. Based on cluster analysis, 35 °C could be a cutoff point for the manifestation of heat-related symptoms during summer. The threshold for ASV was 0.85 corresponding to "warm" thermal sensation and for UTCI was about 30.85 °C corresponding to "moderate heat stress" according to the Mediterranean assessment scale.

Exercise stereotypes and health-related outcomes in French people living with HIV: development and validation of an HIV Exercise Stereotypes Scale (HIVESS).

PubMed

Gray, Laura; Falzon, Charlène; Bergamaschi, Alessandro; Schuft, Laura; Durant, Jacques; Rosenthal, Eric; Pradier, Christian; Duracinsky, Martin; Rouanet, Isabelle; Colson, Serge S; d'Arripe-Longueville, Fabienne

2016-11-14

The main objective of the current study was to develop and validate a French exercise stereotype scale for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in order to gain visibility to the possible barriers and facilitators for exercise in PLHIV and thus enhance their quality of life. A series of four complementary studies was carried out with a total sample of 524 participants to: (a) develop a preliminary version of the HIV Exercise Stereotype Scale (HIVESS) (Stage 1), (b) confirm the factorial structure of the instrument (Stage 2), (c) evaluate the stability of the instrument (Stage 3), and (d) examine the construct and divergent validity of the scale (Stage 4). Results provided support for a 14-item scale with three sub-scales reporting stereotypes related to exercise benefits, exercise risks and lack of capacity for exercise with Cronbach's alphas of .77, .69 and .76 respectively. Results showed good factorial structure, strong reliability and indicators of convergent validity relating to self-efficacy, exercise and quality of life. The HIVESS presented satisfactory psychometric properties, constitutes a reliable and valid instrument to measure exercise stereotypes among PLHIV and has applications for future research and clinical practice.

Distributed Storage Inverter and Legacy Generator Integration Plus Renewables Solution for Microgrids

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

Reactive kVAR Kilo Watts kW Lithium Ion Li Ion Lithium-Titanate Oxide nLTO Natural gas NG Performance Objectives PO Photovoltaic PV Power ...cloud covered) periods. The demonstration features a large (relative to the overall system power requirements) photovoltaic solar array, whose inverter...microgrid with less expensive power storage instead of large scale energy storage and that the renewable energy with small-scale power storage can

Sleep enhances a spatially mediated generalization of learned values

PubMed Central

Tolat, Anisha; Spiers, Hugo J.

2015-01-01

Sleep is thought to play an important role in memory consolidation. Here we tested whether sleep alters the subjective value associated with objects located in spatial clusters that were navigated to in a large-scale virtual town. We found that sleep enhances a generalization of the value of high-value objects to the value of locally clustered objects, resulting in an impaired memory for the value of high-valued objects. Our results are consistent with (a) spatial context helping to bind items together in long-term memory and serve as a basis for generalizing across memories and (b) sleep mediating memory effects on salient/reward-related items. PMID:26373834

Object-Based Random Forest Classification of Land Cover from Remotely Sensed Imagery for Industrial and Mining Reclamation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Y.; Luo, M.; Xu, L.; Zhou, X.; Ren, J.; Zhou, J.

2018-04-01

The RF method based on grid-search parameter optimization could achieve a classification accuracy of 88.16 % in the classification of images with multiple feature variables. This classification accuracy was higher than that of SVM and ANN under the same feature variables. In terms of efficiency, the RF classification method performs better than SVM and ANN, it is more capable of handling multidimensional feature variables. The RF method combined with object-based analysis approach could highlight the classification accuracy further. The multiresolution segmentation approach on the basis of ESP scale parameter optimization was used for obtaining six scales to execute image segmentation, when the segmentation scale was 49, the classification accuracy reached the highest value of 89.58 %. The classification accuracy of object-based RF classification was 1.42 % higher than that of pixel-based classification (88.16 %), and the classification accuracy was further improved. Therefore, the RF classification method combined with object-based analysis approach could achieve relatively high accuracy in the classification and extraction of land use information for industrial and mining reclamation areas. Moreover, the interpretation of remotely sensed imagery using the proposed method could provide technical support and theoretical reference for remotely sensed monitoring land reclamation.

Is the impact of fatigue related to walking capacity and perceived ability in persons with multiple sclerosis? A multicenter study.

PubMed

Dalgas, U; Langeskov-Christensen, M; Skjerbæk, A; Jensen, E; Baert, I; Romberg, A; Santoyo Medina, C; Gebara, B; Maertens de Noordhout, B; Knuts, K; Béthoux, F; Rasova, K; Severijns, D; Bibby, B M; Kalron, A; Norman, B; Van Geel, F; Wens, I; Feys, P

2018-04-15

The relationship between fatigue impact and walking capacity and perceived ability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is inconclusive in the existing literature. A better understanding might guide new treatment avenues for fatigue and/or walking capacity in patients with MS. To investigate the relationship between the subjective impact of fatigue and objective walking capacity as well as subjective walking ability in MS patients. A cross-sectional multicenter study design was applied. Ambulatory MS patients (n = 189, age: 47.6 ± 10.5 years; gender: 115/74 women/men; Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): 4.1 ± 1.8 [range: 0-6.5]) were tested at 11 sites. Objective tests of walking capacity included short walking tests (Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW), 10-Metre Walk Test (10mWT) at usual and fastest speed and the timed up and go (TUG)), and long walking tests (2- and 6-Minute Walk Tests (MWT). Subjective walking ability was tested applying the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12). Fatigue impact was measured by the self-reported modified fatigue impact scale (MFIS) consisting of a total score (MFIS total ) and three subscales (MFIS physical , MFIS cognitive and MFIS psychosocial ). Uni- and multivariate regression analysis were performed to evaluate the relation between walking and fatigue impact. MFIS total was negatively related with long (6MWT, r = -0.14, p = 0.05) and short composite (TUG, r = -0.22, p = 0.003) walking measures. MFIS physical showed a significant albeit weak relationship to walking speed in all walking capacity tests (r = -0.22 to -0.33, p < .0001), which persisted in the multivariate linear regression analysis. Subjective walking ability (MSWS-12) was related to MFIS total (r = 0.49, p < 0.0001), as well as to all other subscales of MFIS (r = 0.24-0.63, p < 0.001), showing stronger relationships than objective measures of walking. The physical impact of fatigue is weakly related to objective walking capacity, while general, physical, cognitive and psychosocial fatigue impact are weakly to moderately related to subjective walking ability, when analysed in a large heterogeneous sample of MS patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Problems of allometric scaling analysis: examples from mammalian reproductive biology.

PubMed

Martin, Robert D; Genoud, Michel; Hemelrijk, Charlotte K

2005-05-01

Biological scaling analyses employing the widely used bivariate allometric model are beset by at least four interacting problems: (1) choice of an appropriate best-fit line with due attention to the influence of outliers; (2) objective recognition of divergent subsets in the data (allometric grades); (3) potential restrictions on statistical independence resulting from phylogenetic inertia; and (4) the need for extreme caution in inferring causation from correlation. A new non-parametric line-fitting technique has been developed that eliminates requirements for normality of distribution, greatly reduces the influence of outliers and permits objective recognition of grade shifts in substantial datasets. This technique is applied in scaling analyses of mammalian gestation periods and of neonatal body mass in primates. These analyses feed into a re-examination, conducted with partial correlation analysis, of the maternal energy hypothesis relating to mammalian brain evolution, which suggests links between body size and brain size in neonates and adults, gestation period and basal metabolic rate. Much has been made of the potential problem of phylogenetic inertia as a confounding factor in scaling analyses. However, this problem may be less severe than suspected earlier because nested analyses of variance conducted on residual variation (rather than on raw values) reveals that there is considerable variance at low taxonomic levels. In fact, limited divergence in body size between closely related species is one of the prime examples of phylogenetic inertia. One common approach to eliminating perceived problems of phylogenetic inertia in allometric analyses has been calculation of 'independent contrast values'. It is demonstrated that the reasoning behind this approach is flawed in several ways. Calculation of contrast values for closely related species of similar body size is, in fact, highly questionable, particularly when there are major deviations from the best-fit line for the scaling relationship under scrutiny.

Individual Differences in Numeracy and Cognitive Reflection, with Implications for Biases and Fallacies in Probability Judgment.

PubMed

Liberali, Jordana M; Reyna, Valerie F; Furlan, Sarah; Stein, Lilian M; Pardo, Seth T

2012-10-01

Despite evidence that individual differences in numeracy affect judgment and decision making, the precise mechanisms underlying how such differences produce biases and fallacies remain unclear. Numeracy scales have been developed without sufficient theoretical grounding, and their relation to other cognitive tasks that assess numerical reasoning, such as the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), has been debated. In studies conducted in Brazil and in the USA, we administered an objective Numeracy Scale (NS), Subjective Numeracy Scale (SNS), and the CRT to assess whether they measured similar constructs. The Rational-Experiential Inventory, inhibition (go/no-go task), and intelligence were also investigated. By examining factor solutions along with frequent errors for questions that loaded on each factor, we characterized different types of processing captured by different items on these scales. We also tested the predictive power of these factors to account for biases and fallacies in probability judgments. In the first study, 259 Brazilian undergraduates were tested on the conjunction and disjunction fallacies. In the second study, 190 American undergraduates responded to a ratio-bias task. Across the different samples, the results were remarkably similar. The results indicated that the CRT is not just another numeracy scale, that objective and subjective numeracy scales do not measure an identical construct, and that different aspects of numeracy predict different biases and fallacies. Dimensions of numeracy included computational skills such as multiplying, proportional reasoning, mindless or verbatim matching, metacognitive monitoring, and understanding the gist of relative magnitude, consistent with dual-process theories such as fuzzy-trace theory.

Individual Differences in Numeracy and Cognitive Reflection, with Implications for Biases and Fallacies in Probability Judgment

PubMed Central

LIBERALI, JORDANA M.; REYNA, VALERIE F.; FURLAN, SARAH; STEIN, LILIAN M.; PARDO, SETH T.

2013-01-01

Despite evidence that individual differences in numeracy affect judgment and decision making, the precise mechanisms underlying how such differences produce biases and fallacies remain unclear. Numeracy scales have been developed without sufficient theoretical grounding, and their relation to other cognitive tasks that assess numerical reasoning, such as the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), has been debated. In studies conducted in Brazil and in the USA, we administered an objective Numeracy Scale (NS), Subjective Numeracy Scale (SNS), and the CRT to assess whether they measured similar constructs. The Rational–Experiential Inventory, inhibition (go/no-go task), and intelligence were also investigated. By examining factor solutions along with frequent errors for questions that loaded on each factor, we characterized different types of processing captured by different items on these scales. We also tested the predictive power of these factors to account for biases and fallacies in probability judgments. In the first study, 259 Brazilian undergraduates were tested on the conjunction and disjunction fallacies. In the second study, 190 American undergraduates responded to a ratio-bias task. Across the different samples, the results were remarkably similar. The results indicated that the CRT is not just another numeracy scale, that objective and subjective numeracy scales do not measure an identical construct, and that different aspects of numeracy predict different biases and fallacies. Dimensions of numeracy included computational skills such as multiplying, proportional reasoning, mindless or verbatim matching, metacognitive monitoring, and understanding the gist of relative magnitude, consistent with dual-process theories such as fuzzy-trace theory. PMID:23878413

Statistical Analyses of Satellite Cloud Object Data From CERES. Part 4; Boundary-layer Cloud Objects During 1998 El Nino

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xu, Kuan-Man; Wong, Takmeng; Wielicki, Bruce A.; Parker, Lindsay

2006-01-01

Three boundary-layer cloud object types, stratus, stratocumulus and cumulus, that occurred over the Pacific Ocean during January-August 1998, are identified from the CERES (Clouds and the Earth s Radiant Energy System) single scanner footprint (SSF) data from the TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) satellite. This study emphasizes the differences and similarities in the characteristics of each cloud-object type between the tropical and subtropical regions and among different size categories and among small geographic areas. Both the frequencies of occurrence and statistical distributions of cloud physical properties are analyzed. In terms of frequencies of occurrence, stratocumulus clouds dominate the entire boundary layer cloud population in all regions and among all size categories. Stratus clouds are more prevalent in the subtropics and near the coastal regions, while cumulus clouds are relatively prevalent over open ocean and the equatorial regions, particularly, within the small size categories. The largest size category of stratus cloud objects occurs more frequently in the subtropics than in the tropics and has much larger average size than its cumulus and stratocumulus counterparts. Each of the three cloud object types exhibits small differences in statistical distributions of cloud optical depth, liquid water path, TOA albedo and perhaps cloud-top height, but large differences in those of cloud-top temperature and OLR between the tropics and subtropics. Differences in the sea surface temperature (SST) distributions between the tropics and subtropics influence some of the cloud macrophysical properties, but cloud microphysical properties and albedo for each cloud object type are likely determined by (local) boundary-layer dynamics and structures. Systematic variations of cloud optical depth, TOA albedo, cloud-top height, OLR and SST with cloud object sizes are pronounced for the stratocumulus and stratus types, which are related to systematic variations of the strength of inversion with cloud object sizes, produced by large-scale subsidence. The differences in cloud macrophysical properties over small regions are significantly larger than those of cloud microphysical properties and TOA albedo, suggesting a greater control of (local) large-scale dynamics and other factors on cloud object properties. When the three cloud object types are combined, the relative population among the three types is the most important factor for determining the cloud object properties in a Pacific transect where the transition of boundary-layer cloud types takes place.

Trends in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Infant Mortality Rates in the United States, 1989–2006

PubMed Central

Rossen, Lauren M.; Schoendorf, Kenneth C.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We sought to measure overall disparities in pregnancy outcome, incorporating data from the many race and ethnic groups that compose the US population, to improve understanding of how disparities may have changed over time. Methods. We used Birth Cohort Linked Birth–Infant Death Data Files from US Vital Statistics from 1989–1990 and 2005–2006 to examine multigroup indices of racial and ethnic disparities in the overall infant mortality rate (IMR), preterm birth rate, and gestational age–specific IMRs. We calculated selected absolute and relative multigroup disparity metrics weighting subgroups equally and by population size. Results. Overall IMR decreased on the absolute scale, but increased on the population-weighted relative scale. Disparities in the preterm birth rate decreased on both the absolute and relative scales, and across equally weighted and population-weighted indices. Disparities in preterm IMR increased on both the absolute and relative scales. Conclusions. Infant mortality is a common bellwether of general and maternal and child health. Despite significant decreases in disparities in the preterm birth rate, relative disparities in overall and preterm IMRs increased significantly over the past 20 years. PMID:24028239

Objective Versus Subjective Measures of Executive Functions: Predictors of Participation and Quality of Life in Parkinson Disease?

PubMed

Vlagsma, Thialda T; Koerts, Janneke; Tucha, Oliver; Dijkstra, Hilde T; Duits, Annelien A; van Laar, Teus; Spikman, Jacoba M

2017-11-01

To determine whether objective (neuropsychological tests) and subjective measures (questionnaires) of executive functions (EFs) are associated in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), and to determine to what extent level of participation and quality of life (QoL) of patients with PD can be predicted by these measures of EFs. Correlational research design (case-control and prediction design). Departments of neuropsychology of 3 medical centers. A sample (N=136) of patients with PD (n=42) and their relatives, and controls without PD (n=94). Not applicable. A test battery measuring EFs. In addition, patients, their relatives, and controls completed the Dysexecutive Questionnaire, Brock Adaptive Functioning Questionnaire, and Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale - time management questionnaires measuring complaints about EFs. Participation and QoL were measured with the Impact on Participation and Autonomy scale and the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39, respectively. Patients with PD showed impairments in EFs on objective tests and reported significantly more complaints about EFs than did controls without PD. No associations were found between patients' performances on objective and subjective measures of EFs. However, both objective and subjective measures predicted patients' level of participation. In addition, subjective measures of EFs predicted QoL in patients with PD. These findings show that objective and subjective measures of EFs are not interchangeable and that both approaches predict level of participation and QoL in patients with PD. However, within this context, sex needs to be taken into account. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of an IRT Polytomous Model for Measuring Health Related Quality of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tejada, Antonio J. Rojas; Rojas, Oscar M. Lozano

2005-01-01

Background: The Item Response Theory (IRT) has advantages for measuring Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) as opposed to the Classical Tests Theory (CTT). Objectives: To present the results of the application of a polytomous model based on IRT, specifically, the Rating Scale Model (RSM), to measure HRQOL with the EORTC QLQ-C30. Methods: 103…

Single-field consistency relations of large scale structure part III: test of the equivalence principle

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

Creminelli, Paolo; Gleyzes, Jérôme; Vernizzi, Filippo

2014-06-01

The recently derived consistency relations for Large Scale Structure do not hold if the Equivalence Principle (EP) is violated. We show it explicitly in a toy model with two fluids, one of which is coupled to a fifth force. We explore the constraints that galaxy surveys can set on EP violation looking at the squeezed limit of the 3-point function involving two populations of objects. We find that one can explore EP violations of order 10{sup −3}÷10{sup −4} on cosmological scales. Chameleon models are already very constrained by the requirement of screening within the Solar System and only a verymore » tiny region of the parameter space can be explored with this method. We show that no violation of the consistency relations is expected in Galileon models.« less

[Sense of coherence and subjective overload, anxiety and depression in caregivers of elderly relatives].

PubMed

López-Martínez, Catalina; Frías-Osuna, Antonio; Del-Pino-Casado, Rafael

2017-11-23

To analyze the relationship between the sense of coherence and subjective overload, anxiety and depression in caregivers of dependent elderly relatives. Cross-sectional study in an area of the province of Jaén (Andalusia, Spain) with a probabilistic sample of 132 caregivers of dependent elderly. sense of coherence (Life Orientation Questionnaire), subjective burden (Caregiver Strain Index), anxiety and depression (Goldberg Scale), objective burden (Dedication to Care Scale), sex and kinship. Main analyses: bivariate analysis using the Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate analysis using multiple linear regression. Most of the caregivers studied were women (86.4%), daughter or son of the care recipient (74.2%) and shared home with the latter (69.7%). When controlling for objective burden, sex and kinship, we found that the sense of coherence was inversely related to subjective burden (β = -0.46; p <0.001), anxiety (β = -0.57; p = 0.001) and depression (β = -0.66; p <0.001). The sense of coherence might be an important protective factor of subjective burden, anxiety and depression in caregivers of dependent elderly relatives. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of a Health-Related Quality of Life Instrument for Individuals with Adult-Onset Hearing Loss

PubMed Central

Stika, Carren J.; Hays, Ron D.

2016-01-01

Objective Self-reports of “hearing handicap” are available, but a comprehensive measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for individuals with adult-onset hearing loss (AOHL) does not exist. Our objective was to develop and evaluate a multidimensional HRQOL instrument for individuals with AOHL. Design The Impact of Hearing Loss Inventory Tool (IHEAR-IT) was developed using results of focus groups, a literature review, Advisory Expert Panel input, and cognitive interviews. Study Sample The 73-item field-test instrument was completed by 409 adults (22-91 years old) with varying degrees of AOHL and from different areas of the US. Results Multitrait scaling analysis supported four multi-item scales and five individual items. Internal consistency reliabilities ranged from 0.93 to 0.96 for the scales. Construct validity was supported by correlations between the IHEAR-IT scales and scores on the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, Version 2.0 (SF-36v2) Mental Composite Summary (r’s = 0.32 – 0.64) and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly/Adults (HHIE/HHIA) (r’s > −0.70). Conclusions The field test provide initial support for the reliability and construct validity of the IHEAR-IT for evaluating HRQOL of individuals with AOHL. Further research is needed to evaluate the responsiveness to change of the IHEAR-IT scales and identify items for a short-form. PMID:27104754

Factors Associated with Metabolic Syndrome and Related Medical Costs by the Scale of Enterprise in Korea

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MS) and to analyze the relationship between the risk factors of MS and medical cost of major diseases related to MS in Korean workers, according to the scale of the enterprise. Methods Data was obtained from annual physical examinations, health insurance qualification and premiums, and health insurance benefits of 4,094,217 male and female workers who underwent medical examinations provided by the National Health Insurance Corporation in 2009. Logistic regression analyses were used to the identify risk factors of MS and multiple regression was used to find factors associated with medical expenditures due to major diseases related to MS. Result The study found that low-income workers were more likely to work in small-scale enterprises. The prevalence rate of MS in males and females, respectively, was 17.2% and 9.4% in small-scale enterprises, 15.9% and 8.9% in medium-scale enterprises, and 15.9% and 5.5% in large-scale enterprises. The risks of MS increased with age, lower income status, and smoking in small-scale enterprise workers. The medical costs increased in workers with old age and past smoking history. There was also a gender difference in the pattern of medical expenditures related to MS. Conclusions Health promotion programs to manage metabolic syndrome should be developed to focus on workers who smoke, drink, and do little exercise in small scale enterprises. PMID:24472134

Toolbox for Evaluating Residents as Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coverdale, John H.; Ismail, Nadia; Mian, Ayesha; Dewey, Charlene

2010-01-01

Objective: The authors review existing assessment tools related to evaluating residents' teaching skills and teaching effectiveness. Methods: PubMed and PsycInfo databases were searched using combinations of keywords including "residents," "residents as teachers," "teaching skills," and "assessments" or "rating scales." Results: Eleven evaluation…

Rotation And Scale Invariant Object Recognition Using A Distributed Associative Memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wechsler, Harry; Zimmerman, George Lee

1988-04-01

This paper describes an approach to 2-dimensional object recognition. Complex-log conformal mapping is combined with a distributed associative memory to create a system which recognizes objects regardless of changes in rotation or scale. Recalled information from the memorized database is used to classify an object, reconstruct the memorized version of the object, and estimate the magnitude of changes in scale or rotation. The system response is resistant to moderate amounts of noise and occlusion. Several experiments, using real, gray scale images, are presented to show the feasibility of our approach.

Spatiotemporal Thinking in the Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shipley, T. F.; Manduca, C. A.; Ormand, C. J.; Tikoff, B.

2011-12-01

Reasoning about spatial relations is a critical skill for geoscientists. Within the geosciences different disciplines may reason about different sorts of relationships. These relationships may span vastly different spatial and temporal scales (from the spatial alignment in atoms in crystals to the changes in the shape of plates). As part of work in a research center on spatial thinking in STEM education, we have been working to classify the spatial skills required in geology, develop tests for each spatial skill, and develop the cognitive science tools to promote the critical spatial reasoning skills. Research in psychology, neurology and linguistics supports a broad classification of spatial skills along two dimensions: one versus many objects (which roughly translates to object- focused and navigation focused skills) and static versus dynamic spatial relations. The talk will focus on the interaction of space and time in spatial cognition in the geosciences. We are working to develop measures of skill in visualizing spatiotemporal changes. A new test developed to measure visualization of brittle deformations will be presented. This is a skill that has not been clearly recognized in the cognitive science research domain and thus illustrates the value of interdisciplinary work that combines geosciences with cognitive sciences. Teaching spatiotemporal concepts can be challenging. Recent theoretical work suggests analogical reasoning can be a powerful tool to aid student learning to reason about temporal relations using spatial skills. Recent work in our lab has found that progressive alignment of spatial and temporal scales promotes accurate reasoning about temporal relations at geological time scales.

Textbook presentations of weight: Conceptual difficulties and language ambiguities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taibu, Rex; Rudge, David; Schuster, David

2015-06-01

The term "weight" has multiple related meanings in both scientific and everyday usage. Even among experts and in textbooks, weight is ambiguously defined as either the gravitational force on an object or operationally as the magnitude of the force an object exerts on a measuring scale. This poses both conceptual and language difficulties for learners, especially for accelerating objects where the scale reading is different from the gravitational force. But while the underlying physical constructs behind the two referents for the term weight (and their relation to each other) are well understood scientifically, it is unclear how the concept of weight should be introduced to students and how the language ambiguities should be dealt with. We investigated treatments of weight in a sample of twenty introductory college physics textbooks, analyzing and coding their content based on the definition adopted, how the distinct constructs were dealt with in various situations, terminologies used, and whether and how language issues were handled. Results indicate that language-related issues, such as different, inconsistent, or ambiguous uses of the terms weight, "apparent weight," and "weightlessness," were prevalent both across and within textbooks. The physics of the related constructs was not always clearly presented, particularly for accelerating bodies such as astronauts in spaceships, and the language issue was rarely addressed. Our analysis of both literature and textbooks leads us to an instructional position which focuses on the physics constructs before introducing the term weight, and which explicitly discusses the associated language issues.

Can therapeutic Thai massage improve upper limb muscle strength in Parkinson's disease? An objective randomized-controlled trial.

PubMed

Miyahara, Yuka; Jitkritsadakul, Onanong; Sringean, Jirada; Aungkab, Nicharee; Khongprasert, Surasa; Bhidayasiri, Roongroj

2018-04-01

Muscle weakness is a frequent complaint amongst Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. However, evidence-based therapeutic options for this symptom are limited. We objectively measure the efficacy of therapeutic Thai massage (TTM) on upper limb muscle strength, using an isokinetic dynamometer. A total of 60 PD patients with muscle weakness that is not related to their 'off' periods or other neurological causes were equally randomized to TTM intervention (n = 30), consisting of six TTM sessions over a 3-week period, or standard medical care (no intervention, n = 30). Primary outcomes included peak extension and flexion torques. Scale-based outcomes, including Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and visual analogue scale for pain (VAS) were also performed. From baseline to end of treatment, patients in the intervention group showed significant improvement on primary objective outcomes, including peak flexion torque (F = 30.613, p  < .001) and peak extension torque (F = 35.569, p  < .001) and time to maximal flexion speed (F = 14.216, p  = .001). Scale-based assessments mirrored improvements in the objective outcomes with a significant improvement from baseline to end of treatment of the UPDRS-bradykinesia of a more affected upper limb (F = 9.239, p  = .005), and VAS (F = 69.864, p  < .001) following the TTM intervention, compared to the control group. No patients reported adverse events in association with TTM. Our findings provide objective evidence that TTM used in combination with standard medical therapies is effective in improving upper limb muscle strength in patients with PD. Further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of TTM on other motor and non-motor symptoms in PD.

Provider Expectations for Recovery Scale: Refining a measure of provider attitudes

PubMed Central

Salyers, Michelle P.; Brennan, Madeline; Kean, Jacob

2014-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to refine and test the psychometric properties of a scale to measure provider attitudes about recovery. Methods This was a secondary data analysis that combined survey data from 1,128 mental health providers from 3 state hospitals, 6 community mental health centers, and 1 VA Medical Center. Rasch analyses were used to examine item-level functioning to reduce the scale to a briefer, unidimensional construct. Convergent validity was assessed through correlations with related measures. Results The Provider Expectations for Recovery scale had strong internal consistency, was related to education and setting in expected ways, and was associated with lower levels of burnout and higher levels of job satisfaction. Conclusions and Implications for Practice A 10-item scale of Provider Expectations for Recovery appears to be a useful tool to measure an important construct in recovery-oriented care. The process of refining the measure also highlights potential factors in how providers view recovery. PMID:23834613

Study on model design and dynamic similitude relations of vibro-acoustic experiment for elastic cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Ao; Lu, Bo; Yang, Dangguo; Wang, Xiansheng; Wu, Junqiang; Zhou, Fangqi

2018-05-01

Coupling between aero-acoustic noise and structural vibration under high-speed open cavity flow-induced oscillation may bring about severe random vibration of the structure, and even cause structure to fatigue destruction, which threatens the flight safety. Carrying out the research on vibro-acoustic experiments of scaled down model is an effective means to clarify the effects of high-intensity noise of cavity on structural vibration. Therefore, in allusion to the vibro-acoustic experiments of cavity in wind tunnel, taking typical elastic cavity as the research object, dimensional analysis and finite element method were adopted to establish the similitude relations of structural inherent characteristics and dynamics for distorted model, and verifying the proposed similitude relations by means of experiments and numerical simulation. Research shows that, according to the analysis of scale-down model, the established similitude relations can accurately simulate the structural dynamic characteristics of actual model, which provides theoretic guidance for structural design and vibro-acoustic experiments of scaled down elastic cavity model.

Work related injuries in small scale commercial fishing

PubMed Central

Marshall, S; Kucera, K; Loomis, D; McDonald, M; Lipscomb, H

2004-01-01

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of work related injury in a group of small scale, independent commercial fishers. Design: Cross sectional survey (baseline instrument of a prospective cohort study). Setting and subjects: Commercial fishers in eastern North Carolina. Results: A cohort of 219 commercial fishers was established and 215 subjects completed an injury questionnaire. The main types of fishing conducted by the cohort were finfishing (159/215) and crabbing (154/215). Of the 215 fishers, 83 reported that they had suffered an injury event in the previous 12 months, a retrospective recall incidence proportion of 38.6 per 100 workers (95% confidence interval 32.1 to 45.1). The 83 injury events resulted in 94 injuries; 47% were penetrating wounds and 24% were strains/sprains. Half of injuries were to the hand/wrist/digits and 13% were to the back. Of the penetrating wounds, 87% were to the hand/wrist/digits, 32% became infected, and 80% were caused by contact with finfish, shellfish, or other marine animal. Of the strains/sprains, 48% were to the back and 26% were to the shoulder. Seventy percent of strains/sprains were caused by moving heavy objects, mainly either while hauling in nets, pots, or lines or loading/unloading the boat. Conclusion: In this group of small scale, independent fishers, the most common reported injuries were penetrating wounds to the hand/wrist/digits from marine animals and strains/sprains to the back while moving heavy objects. PMID:15314048

Museum activities in dementia care: Using visual analog scales to measure subjective wellbeing.

PubMed

Johnson, Joana; Culverwell, Alison; Hulbert, Sabina; Robertson, Mitch; Camic, Paul M

2017-07-01

Introduction Previous research has shown that people with dementia and caregivers derive wellbeing-related benefits from viewing art in a group, and that facilitated museum object handling is effective in increasing subjective wellbeing for people with a range of health conditions. The present study quantitatively compared the impact of two museum-based activities and a social activity on the subjective wellbeing of people with dementia and their caregivers. Methods A quasi-experimental crossover design was used. People with early to middle stage dementia and caregivers ( N = 66) participated in museum object handling, a refreshment break, and art viewing in small groups. Visual analog scales were used to rate subjective wellbeing pre and post each activity. Results Mixed-design analysis of variances indicated wellbeing significantly increased during the session, irrespective of the order in which the activities were presented. Wellbeing significantly increased from object handling and art viewing for those with dementia and caregivers across pooled orders, but did not in the social activity of a refreshment break. An end-of-intervention questionnaire indicated that experiences of the session were positive. Conclusion Results provide a rationale for considering museum activities as part of a broader psychosocial, relational approach to dementia care and support the use of easy to administer visual analog scales as a quantitative outcome measure. Further partnership working is also supported between museums and healthcare professionals in the development of nonclinical, community-based programs for this population.

On the Scaling Behavior of Reliability-Resilience-Vulnerability ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Risk indices such as reliability-resilience-vulnerability (R-R-V) have been proposed to assess watershed health. In this study, the spatial scaling behavior of R-R-V indices has been explored for five agricultural watersheds in the midwestern United States. The study was conducted using two different measures of spatial scale: (i) the ratio of contributing upland area to area required for channel initiation (FA), and (ii) Strahler stream order. It was found that R-R-V indices do change with spatial scale, but a representative watershed-specific threshold FA value exists for these indices to achieve stable values. Scaling with Strahler stream order is feasible if the watershed possesses a tree-like stream network. As an example of anthropogenic influences, this study also examined the role of BMPs placed within an agricultural watershed via a cost-effective optimization scheme on the evolution of R-R-V values with scale. While the placement of BMPs acheived reductions in concentrations and/or loads of constituents, they may not significantly change watershed risk measures, but are likely to cause significant reduction in vulnerability. If primarily upland BMPs are placed in a diffuse manner throughout the watershed, there might not be a significant change in the scaling behavior of R-R-V values. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effect of spatial scale on risk-based watershed health assessment. A related objective is to examine wh

Cosmological consistency tests of gravity theory and cosmic acceleration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishak-Boushaki, Mustapha B.

2017-01-01

Testing general relativity at cosmological scales and probing the cause of cosmic acceleration are among the important objectives targeted by incoming and future astronomical surveys and experiments. I present our recent results on consistency tests that can provide insights about the underlying gravity theory and cosmic acceleration using cosmological data sets. We use statistical measures, the rate of cosmic expansion, the growth rate of large scale structure, and the physical consistency of these probes with one another.

A systematic comparison of different object-based classification techniques using high spatial resolution imagery in agricultural environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Manchun; Ma, Lei; Blaschke, Thomas; Cheng, Liang; Tiede, Dirk

2016-07-01

Geographic Object-Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA) is becoming more prevalent in remote sensing classification, especially for high-resolution imagery. Many supervised classification approaches are applied to objects rather than pixels, and several studies have been conducted to evaluate the performance of such supervised classification techniques in GEOBIA. However, these studies did not systematically investigate all relevant factors affecting the classification (segmentation scale, training set size, feature selection and mixed objects). In this study, statistical methods and visual inspection were used to compare these factors systematically in two agricultural case studies in China. The results indicate that Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machines (SVM) are highly suitable for GEOBIA classifications in agricultural areas and confirm the expected general tendency, namely that the overall accuracies decline with increasing segmentation scale. All other investigated methods except for RF and SVM are more prone to obtain a lower accuracy due to the broken objects at fine scales. In contrast to some previous studies, the RF classifiers yielded the best results and the k-nearest neighbor classifier were the worst results, in most cases. Likewise, the RF and Decision Tree classifiers are the most robust with or without feature selection. The results of training sample analyses indicated that the RF and adaboost. M1 possess a superior generalization capability, except when dealing with small training sample sizes. Furthermore, the classification accuracies were directly related to the homogeneity/heterogeneity of the segmented objects for all classifiers. Finally, it was suggested that RF should be considered in most cases for agricultural mapping.

Effects of transference work in the context of therapeutic alliance and quality of object relations.

PubMed

Høglend, Per; Hersoug, Anne Grete; Bøgwald, Kjell-Petter; Amlo, Svein; Marble, Alice; Sørbye, Øystein; Røssberg, Jan Ivar; Ulberg, Randi; Gabbard, Glen O; Crits-Christoph, Paul

2011-10-01

Transference interpretation is considered as a core active ingredient in dynamic psychotherapy. In common clinical theory, it is maintained that more mature relationships, as well as a strong therapeutic alliance, may be prerequisites for successful transference work. In this study, the interaction between quality of object relations, transference interpretation, and alliance is estimated. One hundred outpatients seeking psychotherapy for depression, anxiety, and personality disorders were randomly assigned to 1 year of weekly sessions of dynamic psychotherapy with transference interpretation or to the same type and duration of treatment, but without the use of transference interpretation. Quality of Object Relations (QOR)-lifelong pattern was evaluated before treatment (P. Høglend, 1994). The Working Alliance Inventory (A. O. Horvath & L. S. Greenberg, 1989; T. J. Tracey & A. M. Kokotovic, 1989) was rated in Session 7. The primary outcome variable was the Psychodynamic Functioning Scales (P. Høglend et al., 2000), measured at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 1 year after treatment termination. A significant Treatment Group × Quality of Object Relations × Alliance interaction was present, indicating that alliance had a significantly different impact on effects of transference interpretation, depending on the level of QOR. The impact of transference interpretation on psychodynamic functioning was more positive within the context of a weak therapeutic alliance for patients with low quality of object relations. For patients with more mature object relations and high alliance, the authors observed a negative effect of transference work. The specific effects of transference work was influenced by the interaction of object relations and alliance, but in the direct opposite direction of what is generally maintained in mainstream clinical theory.

Objective detection and forecasting of Clear-Air Turbulence (CAT): A status report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, John L.

1988-01-01

Clear-air turbulence has become the largest single cause of weather-related injuries occurring in commercial carriers at cruising altitudes. A technique for objective operational CAT detection (the SCATR index) has been formulated. Its physical basis ties CAT to total energy dissipation as a response to meso- and synoptic-scale dynamical processes associated with upper-level jet stream/frontal zones. Early case studies using properly analyzed routine RAOB rawinsonde sounding data have shown promise.

Validation of the mothers object relations scales in 2–4 year old children and comparison with the child–parent relationship scale

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The quality of the parent–child relationship has an important effect on a wide range of child outcomes. The evaluation of interventions to promote healthy parenting and family relationships is dependent on outcome measures which can quantify the quality of parent–child relationships. Between the Mothers’ Object Relations – Short Form (MORS-SF) scale for babies and the Child–parent Relationship Scale (C-PRS) there is an age gap where no validated scales are available. We report the development and testing of an adaptation of the MORS-SF; the MORS (Child) scale and its use in children from the age of 2 years to 4 years. This scale aims to capture the nature of the parent–child relationship in a form which is short enough to be used in population surveys and intervention evaluations. Methods Construct and criterion validity, item salience and internal consistency were assessed in a sample of 166 parents of children aged 2–4 years old and compared with that of the C-PRS. The performance of the MORS (Child) as part of a composite measure with the HOME inventory was compared with that of the C-PRS using data collected in a randomised controlled trial and the national evaluation of Sure Start. Results MORS (Child) performed well in children aged 2–4 with high construct and criterion validity, item salience and internal consistency. One item in the C-PRS failed to load on either subscale and parents found this scale slightly more difficult to complete than the MORS (Child). The two measures performed very similarly in a factor analysis with the HOME inventory producing almost identical loadings. Conclusions Adapting the MORS-SF for children aged 2–4 years old produces a scale to assess parent–child relationships that is easy to use and outperforms the more commonly used C-PRS in several respects. PMID:23518176

Patients' perceptions of memory functioning before and after surgical intervention to treat medically refractory epilepsy.

PubMed

Lineweaver, Tara T; Naugle, Richard I; Cafaro, Alyce M; Bingaman, William; Lüders, Hans O

2004-12-01

One risk associated with epilepsy surgery is memory loss, but perhaps more important is how patients perceive changes in their memories. This longitudinal study evaluated changes in memory self-reports and investigated how self-reports relate to changes on objective memory measures in temporal or extratemporal epilepsy patients who underwent surgery. Objective memory (Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised) and subjective memory self-reports (Memory Assessment Clinics Self-Rating Scale) were individually assessed for 136 patients approximately 6 months before and 6 months after surgery. A measure of depressive affect (Beck Depression Inventory-2nd Edition) was used to control variance attributable to emotional distress. Despite a lack of significant correlational relationships between objective and subjective memory for the entire sample, significant correlations between objective memory scores and self-reports did emerge for a subset of patients who evidenced memory decline. Differences also were found in the subjective memory ratings of temporal lobe versus extratemporal patients. Temporal lobe patients rated their memories more negatively than did extratemporal patients and were more likely to report significant improvements in their memory after surgery. In general, patients were not accurate when rating their memories compared to other adults. However, patients with significant declines in their memories were sensitive to actual changes in their memories over time relative to their own personal baselines.

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

PubMed

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

2011-07-01

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

Validity and reliability of the Delta Healthy Eating Attitudes Scale

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to evaluate psychometric properties of an instrument developed to measure psychosocial factors related to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for a nutrition intervention in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD). Social Cognitive Theory constructs social support (SS), s...

Constraining self-interacting dark matter with scaling laws of observed halo surface densities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondarenko, Kyrylo; Boyarsky, Alexey; Bringmann, Torsten; Sokolenko, Anastasia

2018-04-01

The observed surface densities of dark matter halos are known to follow a simple scaling law, ranging from dwarf galaxies to galaxy clusters, with a weak dependence on their virial mass. Here we point out that this can not only be used to provide a method to determine the standard relation between halo mass and concentration, but also to use large samples of objects in order to place constraints on dark matter self-interactions that can be more robust than constraints derived from individual objects. We demonstrate our method by considering a sample of about 50 objects distributed across the whole halo mass range, and by modelling the effect of self-interactions in a way similar to what has been previously done in the literature. Using additional input from simulations then results in a constraint on the self-interaction cross section per unit dark matter mass of about σ/mχlesssim 0.3 cm2/g. We expect that these constraints can be significantly improved in the future, and made more robust, by i) an improved modelling of the effect of self-interactions, both theoretical and by comparison with simulations, ii) taking into account a larger sample of objects and iii) by reducing the currently still relatively large uncertainties that we conservatively assign to the surface densities of individual objects. The latter can be achieved in particular by using kinematic observations to directly constrain the average halo mass inside a given radius, rather than fitting the data to a pre-selected profile and then reconstruct the mass. For a velocity-independent cross-section, our current result is formally already somewhat smaller than the range 0.5‑5 cm2/g that has been invoked to explain potential inconsistencies between small-scale observations and expectations in the standard collisionless cold dark matter paradigm.

UPDATED MASS SCALING RELATIONS FOR NUCLEAR STAR CLUSTERS AND A COMPARISON TO SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES

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

Scott, Nicholas; Graham, Alister W.

2013-02-15

We investigate whether or not nuclear star clusters and supermassive black holes (SMBHs) follow a common set of mass scaling relations with their host galaxy's properties, and hence can be considered to form a single class of central massive object (CMO). We have compiled a large sample of galaxies with measured nuclear star cluster masses and host galaxy properties from the literature and fit log-linear scaling relations. We find that nuclear star cluster mass, M {sub NC}, correlates most tightly with the host galaxy's velocity dispersion: log M {sub NC} = (2.11 {+-} 0.31)log ({sigma}/54) + (6.63 {+-} 0.09), butmore » has a slope dramatically shallower than the relation defined by SMBHs. We find that the nuclear star cluster mass relations involving host galaxy (and spheroid) luminosity and stellar and dynamical mass, intercept with but are in general shallower than the corresponding black hole scaling relations. In particular, M {sub NC}{proportional_to}M {sup 0.55{+-}0.15} {sub Gal,dyn}; the nuclear cluster mass is not a constant fraction of its host galaxy or spheroid mass. We conclude that nuclear stellar clusters and SMBHs do not form a single family of CMOs.« less

Large-scale weakly supervised object localization via latent category learning.

PubMed

Chong Wang; Kaiqi Huang; Weiqiang Ren; Junge Zhang; Maybank, Steve

2015-04-01

Localizing objects in cluttered backgrounds is challenging under large-scale weakly supervised conditions. Due to the cluttered image condition, objects usually have large ambiguity with backgrounds. Besides, there is also a lack of effective algorithm for large-scale weakly supervised localization in cluttered backgrounds. However, backgrounds contain useful latent information, e.g., the sky in the aeroplane class. If this latent information can be learned, object-background ambiguity can be largely reduced and background can be suppressed effectively. In this paper, we propose the latent category learning (LCL) in large-scale cluttered conditions. LCL is an unsupervised learning method which requires only image-level class labels. First, we use the latent semantic analysis with semantic object representation to learn the latent categories, which represent objects, object parts or backgrounds. Second, to determine which category contains the target object, we propose a category selection strategy by evaluating each category's discrimination. Finally, we propose the online LCL for use in large-scale conditions. Evaluation on the challenging PASCAL Visual Object Class (VOC) 2007 and the large-scale imagenet large-scale visual recognition challenge 2013 detection data sets shows that the method can improve the annotation precision by 10% over previous methods. More importantly, we achieve the detection precision which outperforms previous results by a large margin and can be competitive to the supervised deformable part model 5.0 baseline on both data sets.

Economies of scale: The physics basis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bejan, A.; Almerbati, A.; Lorente, S.

2017-01-01

Why is size so important? Why are "economies of scale" a universal feature of all flow systems, animate, inanimate, and human made? The empirical evidence is clear: the bigger are more efficient carriers (per unit) than the smaller. This natural tendency is observed across the board, from animal design to technology, logistics, and economics. In this paper, we rely on physics (thermodynamics) to determine the relation between the efficiency and size. Here, the objective is to predict a natural phenomenon, which is universal. It is not to model a particular type of device. The objective is to demonstrate based on physics that the efficiencies of diverse power plants should increase with size. The analysis is performed in two ways. First is the tradeoff between the "external" irreversibilities due to the temperature differences that exist above and below the temperature range occupied by the circuit executed by the working fluid. Second is the allocation of the fluid flow irreversibility between the hot and cold portions of the fluid flow circuit. The implications of this report in economics and design science (scaling up, scaling down) and the necessity of multi-scale design with hierarchy are discussed.

CONSISTENT SCALING LAWS IN ANELASTIC SPHERICAL SHELL DYNAMOS

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

Yadav, Rakesh K.; Gastine, Thomas; Christensen, Ulrich R.

2013-09-01

Numerical dynamo models always employ parameter values that differ by orders of magnitude from the values expected in natural objects. However, such models have been successful in qualitatively reproducing properties of planetary and stellar dynamos. This qualitative agreement fuels the idea that both numerical models and astrophysical objects may operate in the same asymptotic regime of dynamics. This can be tested by exploring the scaling behavior of the models. For convection-driven incompressible spherical shell dynamos with constant material properties, scaling laws had been established previously that relate flow velocity and magnetic field strength to the available power. Here we analyzemore » 273 direct numerical simulations using the anelastic approximation, involving also cases with radius-dependent magnetic, thermal, and viscous diffusivities. These better represent conditions in gas giant planets and low-mass stars compared to Boussinesq models. Our study provides strong support for the hypothesis that both mean velocity and mean magnetic field strength scale as a function of the power generated by buoyancy forces in the same way for a wide range of conditions.« less

Karolinska Scales of Personality, cognition and psychotic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.

PubMed

Nilsson, Björn Mikael; Holm, Gunnar; Ekselius, Lisa

2016-01-01

Studies on both personality dimensions and cognition in schizophrenia are scarce. The objective of the present study was to examine personality traits and the relation to cognitive function and psychotic symptoms in a sample of patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. In total 23 patients with schizophrenia and 14 controls were assessed with the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP). A broad cognitive test programme was used, including the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales, the Finger-Tapping Test, the Trail Making Test, the Verbal Fluency Test, the Benton Visual Retention Test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test . Compared with controls, the patients exhibited prominent elevations on KSP scales measuring anxiety proneness and neuroticism (P = 0.000005-0.0001), on the Detachment scale (P < 0.00009) and lower value on the Socialization scale (P < 0.0002). The patients also scored higher on the Inhibition of Aggression, Suspicion, Guilt and Irritability scales (P = 0.002-0.03) while the remaining five scales did not differ between patients and controls. KSP anxiety-related scales correlated with the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) general psychopathology subscale. Cognitive test results were uniformly lower in the patient group and correlated with PANSS negative symptoms subscale. There was no association between KSP scale scores and PANSS positive or negative symptoms. The patients revealed a highly discriminative KSP test profile with elevated scores in neuroticism- and psychoticism-related scales as compared to controls. Results support previous findings utilizing other personality inventories in patients with schizophrenia. Cognitive test performance correlated inversely with negative symptoms.

Pilot Testing a Cognitive-Behavioral Protocol on Psychosocial Predictors of Exercise, Nutrition, Weight, and Body Satisfaction Changes in a College-Level Health-Related Fitness Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annesi, James J.; Howton, Amy; Johnson, Ping H.; Porter, Kandice J.

2015-01-01

Objective: Small-scale pilot testing of supplementing a required college health-related fitness course with a cognitive-behavioral exercise-support protocol (The Coach Approach). Participants: Three classes were randomly assigned to Usual processes (n = 32), Coach Approach-supplemented: Mid-size Groups (n = 32), and Coach Approach-supplemented:…

Self-evaluated and Close Relative-Evaluated Epworth Sleepiness Scale vs. Multiple Sleep Latency Test in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

PubMed Central

Li, Yun; Zhang, Jihui; Lei, Fei; Liu, Hong; Li, Zhe; Tang, Xiangdong

2014-01-01

Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine (1) the agreement in Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) evaluated by patients and their close relatives (CRs), and (2) the correlation of objective sleepiness as measured by multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) with self-evaluated and close relative-evaluated ESS. Methods: A total of 85 consecutive patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (70 males, age 46.7 ± 12.9 years old) with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 5 events per hour (mean 38.9 ± 26.8/h) were recruited into this study. All participants underwent an overnight polysomnographic assessment (PSG), MSLT, and ESS rated by both patients and their CRs. Mean sleep latency < 8 min on MSLT was considered objective daytime sleepiness. Results: Self-evaluated global ESS score (ESSG) was closely correlated with evaluation by CRs (r = 0.79, p < 0.001); the mean ESSG score evaluated by patients did not significantly differ from that evaluated by CRs (p > 0.05). However, Bland- Altman plot showed individual differences between self-evaluated and CR-evaluated ESS scores, with a 95%CI of -9.3 to 7.0. The mean sleep latency on MSLT was significantly associated with CR-evaluated ESSG (r = -0.23, p < 0.05); significance of association with self-evaluated ESSG was marginal (r = -0.21, p = 0.05). Conclusions: CR-evaluated ESS has a good correlation but also significant individual disagreement with self-evaluated ESS in Chinese patients with OSA. CR-evaluated ESS performs as well as, if not better than, self-evaluated ESS in this population when referring to MSLT. Citation: Li Y; Zhang J; Lei F; Liu H; Li Z; Tang X. Self-evaluated and close relative-evaluated Epworth Sleepiness Scale vs. multiple sleep latency test in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med 2014;10(2):171-176. PMID:24533000

Rotigotine for nocturnal hypokinesia in Parkinson's disease: Quantitative analysis of efficacy from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial using an axial inertial sensor.

PubMed

Bhidayasiri, Roongroj; Sringean, Jirada; Chaiwong, Suchapit; Anan, Chanawat; Penkeaw, Nuntiwat; Leaknok, Amarinee; Boonpang, Kamolwan; Saksornchai, Karn; Rattanachaisit, Watchara; Thanawattano, Chusak; Jagota, Priya

2017-11-01

Nocturnal hypokinesia is a common symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD), negatively affecting quality of life of both patients and caregivers. However, evidence-based treatment strategies are limited. To evaluate the efficacy of rotigotine transdermal patch, using a wearable sensor, in the management of nocturnal immobility. 34 PD subjects with nocturnal immobility were randomized to receive rotigotine transdermal patch (mean ± SD of 10.46 ± 4.63 mg/24 h, n = 17) or placebo patch (n = 17). Treatment was titrated to an optimal dose over 1-8 weeks, then maintained for 4 weeks. Primary endpoints were objective parameters assessing axial rotation measured using an axial inertial sensor (the NIGHT-Recorder) over two nights at the patients' home. Scale-based assessments were also performed. There was a significant difference, in favor of rotigotine, in change from baseline score in the number of turns in bed (ANCOVA, p = 0.001), and degree of axial turn (p = 0.042). These objective improvements were mirrored by significantly greater improvements in clinical scale-based assessments, including the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) total scores (p = 0.009), UPDRS-motor scores (p < 0.001), UPDRS-axial scores (p = 0.01), the Modified Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (p < 0.001), the Nocturnal Akinesia Dystonia and Cramp Scale (p = 0.003) and the eight-item PD Questionnaire (PDQ-8) scores (p = 0.01) from baseline to end of treatment in patients given rotigotine compared to placebo. We show that the rotigotine patch provides a significant improvement in nocturnal symptoms as assessed using both objective measures and clinical rating scales. The study demonstrates the feasibility of using wearable sensors to record objective outcomes in PD-related clinical trials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spared Ability to Perceive Direction of Locomotor Heading and Scene-Relative Object Movement Despite Inability to Perceive Relative Motion

PubMed Central

Vaina, Lucia M.; Buonanno, Ferdinando; Rushton, Simon K.

2014-01-01

Background All contemporary models of perception of locomotor heading from optic flow (the characteristic patterns of retinal motion that result from self-movement) begin with relative motion. Therefore it would be expected that an impairment on perception of relative motion should impact on the ability to judge heading and other 3D motion tasks. Material/Methods We report two patients with occipital lobe lesions whom we tested on a battery of motion tasks. Patients were impaired on all tests that involved relative motion in plane (motion discontinuity, form from differences in motion direction or speed). Despite this they retained the ability to judge their direction of heading relative to a target. A potential confound is that observers can derive information about heading from scale changes bypassing the need to use optic flow. Therefore we ran further experiments in which we isolated optic flow and scale change. Results Patients’ performance was in normal ranges on both tests. The finding that ability to perceive heading can be retained despite an impairment on ability to judge relative motion questions the assumption that heading perception proceeds from initial processing of relative motion. Furthermore, on a collision detection task, SS and SR’s performance was significantly better for simulated forward movement of the observer in the 3D scene, than for the static observer. This suggests that in spite of severe deficits on relative motion in the frontoparlel (xy) plane, information from self-motion helped identification objects moving along an intercept 3D relative motion trajectory. Conclusions This result suggests a potential use of a flow parsing strategy to detect in a 3D world the trajectory of moving objects when the observer is moving forward. These results have implications for developing rehabilitation strategies for deficits in visually guided navigation. PMID:25183375

Decreased attention to object size information in scale errors performers.

PubMed

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

2017-05-01

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

Using relative survival measures for cross-sectional and longitudinal benchmarks of countries, states, and districts: the BenchRelSurv- and BenchRelSurvPlot-macros

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The objective of screening programs is to discover life threatening diseases in as many patients as early as possible and to increase the chance of survival. To be able to compare aspects of health care quality, methods are needed for benchmarking that allow comparisons on various health care levels (regional, national, and international). Objectives Applications and extensions of algorithms can be used to link the information on disease phases with relative survival rates and to consolidate them in composite measures. The application of the developed SAS-macros will give results for benchmarking of health care quality. Data examples for breast cancer care are given. Methods A reference scale (expected, E) must be defined at a time point at which all benchmark objects (observed, O) are measured. All indices are defined as O/E, whereby the extended standardized screening-index (eSSI), the standardized case-mix-index (SCI), the work-up-index (SWI), and the treatment-index (STI) address different health care aspects. The composite measures called overall-performance evaluation (OPE) and relative overall performance indices (ROPI) link the individual indices differently for cross-sectional or longitudinal analyses. Results Algorithms allow a time point and a time interval associated comparison of the benchmark objects in the indices eSSI, SCI, SWI, STI, OPE, and ROPI. Comparisons between countries, states and districts are possible. Exemplarily comparisons between two countries are made. The success of early detection and screening programs as well as clinical health care quality for breast cancer can be demonstrated while the population’s background mortality is concerned. Conclusions If external quality assurance programs and benchmark objects are based on population-based and corresponding demographic data, information of disease phase and relative survival rates can be combined to indices which offer approaches for comparative analyses between benchmark objects. Conclusions on screening programs and health care quality are possible. The macros can be transferred to other diseases if a disease-specific phase scale of prognostic value (e.g. stage) exists. PMID:23316692

Large-scale load tests and data base of spread footings on sand

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-05-01

The objective of the experiment is to develop and evaluate the relative merit of warning signs and other devices, used singly or in combination, in improving traffic flow and safety in the presence of a variety of different types of roadside friction...

Treatment of adolescents with depression: the effect of transference interventions in a randomized controlled study of dynamic psychotherapy

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Depression in adolescents seems to be a growing problem that causes mental suffering and prevents young people from joining the workforce. There is also a high risk of relapse during adult life. There is emerging evidence for the effect of psychodynamic psychotherapy in adolescents. In-session relational intervention (that is, transference intervention) is a key component of psychodynamic psychotherapy. However, whether depressed adolescents profit most from psychodynamic psychotherapy with or without transference interventions has not been stated. Object The effect of transference interventions in depressed adolescents and the moderator moderating effect of quality of object relations, personality disorder and gender will be explored. Methods and study design The First Experimental Study of Transference Work–In Teenagers (FEST–IT) will be a randomized clinical trial with a dismantling design. The study is aimed to explore the effects of transference work in psychodynamic psychotherapy for adolescents with depression. One hundred patients ages 16 to 18 years old will be randomized to one of two treatment groups, in both of which general psychodynamic techniques will be used. The patients will be treated over 28 weeks with either a moderate level of transference intervention or no transference intervention. Follow-up will be at 1 year after treatment termination. The outcome measures will be the Psychodynamic Functioning Scales (PFS), Inventory of Interpersonal Problems–Circumplex Version (IIP-C), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and the total mean score of Symptom Checklist–90 (Global Severity Index; GSI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Montgomery Åsberg Rating Scale (MADRS). The quality of adolescents’ relationships will be a central focus of the study, and the Adolescent Relationship Scales (ARS) and Differentiation–Relatedness Scale (DRS) will also be used. Change will be assessed using linear-mixed models. Gender personality disorder (PD) and quality of object relations (QOR) will be the preselected putative moderators. Discussion The object of this clinical trial is to explore the effect of transference interventions in psychodynamic psychotherapy in adolescents with a major depressive disorder. Using a randomized and dismantling design, we hope that the study will add more specific knowledge to the evidence base. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01531101 First Experimental Study of Transference work Work–In Teenagers (FEST-IT) PMID:22950546

Semi-automated extraction of landslides in Taiwan based on SPOT imagery and DEMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisank, Clemens; Hölbling, Daniel; Friedl, Barbara; Chen, Yi-Chin; Chang, Kang-Tsung

2014-05-01

The vast availability and improved quality of optical satellite data and digital elevation models (DEMs), as well as the need for complete and up-to-date landslide inventories at various spatial scales have fostered the development of semi-automated landslide recognition systems. Among the tested approaches for designing such systems, object-based image analysis (OBIA) stepped out to be a highly promising methodology. OBIA offers a flexible, spatially enabled framework for effective landslide mapping. Most object-based landslide mapping systems, however, have been tailored to specific, mainly small-scale study areas or even to single landslides only. Even though reported mapping accuracies tend to be higher than for pixel-based approaches, accuracy values are still relatively low and depend on the particular study. There is still room to improve the applicability and objectivity of object-based landslide mapping systems. The presented study aims at developing a knowledge-based landslide mapping system implemented in an OBIA environment, i.e. Trimble eCognition. In comparison to previous knowledge-based approaches, the classification of segmentation-derived multi-scale image objects relies on digital landslide signatures. These signatures hold the common operational knowledge on digital landslide mapping, as reported by 25 Taiwanese landslide experts during personal semi-structured interviews. Specifically, the signatures include information on commonly used data layers, spectral and spatial features, and feature thresholds. The signatures guide the selection and implementation of mapping rules that were finally encoded in Cognition Network Language (CNL). Multi-scale image segmentation is optimized by using the improved Estimation of Scale Parameter (ESP) tool. The approach described above is developed and tested for mapping landslides in a sub-region of the Baichi catchment in Northern Taiwan based on SPOT imagery and a high-resolution DEM. An object-based accuracy assessment is conducted by quantitatively comparing extracted landslide objects with landslide polygons that were visually interpreted by local experts. The applicability and transferability of the mapping system are evaluated by comparing initial accuracies with those achieved for the following two tests: first, usage of a SPOT image from the same year, but for a different area within the Baichi catchment; second, usage of SPOT images from multiple years for the same region. The integration of the common knowledge via digital landslide signatures is new in object-based landslide studies. In combination with strategies to optimize image segmentation this may lead to a more objective, transferable and stable knowledge-based system for the mapping of landslides from optical satellite data and DEMs.

Practical statistics in pain research.

PubMed

Kim, Tae Kyun

2017-10-01

Pain is subjective, while statistics related to pain research are objective. This review was written to help researchers involved in pain research make statistical decisions. The main issues are related with the level of scales that are often used in pain research, the choice of statistical methods between parametric or nonparametric statistics, and problems which arise from repeated measurements. In the field of pain research, parametric statistics used to be applied in an erroneous way. This is closely related with the scales of data and repeated measurements. The level of scales includes nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio scales. The level of scales affects the choice of statistics between parametric or non-parametric methods. In the field of pain research, the most frequently used pain assessment scale is the ordinal scale, which would include the visual analogue scale (VAS). There used to be another view, however, which considered the VAS to be an interval or ratio scale, so that the usage of parametric statistics would be accepted practically in some cases. Repeated measurements of the same subjects always complicates statistics. It means that measurements inevitably have correlations between each other, and would preclude the application of one-way ANOVA in which independence between the measurements is necessary. Repeated measures of ANOVA (RMANOVA), however, would permit the comparison between the correlated measurements as long as the condition of sphericity assumption is satisfied. Conclusively, parametric statistical methods should be used only when the assumptions of parametric statistics, such as normality and sphericity, are established.

Development of a Walking-Safety Scale for Older Adults, Part II: Interrater and Test–Retest Agreement of the GEM Scale

PubMed Central

Rousseau, Jacqueline; Kaegi, Christine; Boudreault, Renée; Nadeau, Sylvie

2008-01-01

Purpose: The GEM scale is an objective assessment tool, specifically developed for older adults, to evaluate walking safety using standardized tasks. The purpose of this study was to estimate the interrater and test–retest agreement of the GEM scale. Method: Participants (n = 41; ≥ 65 years) were recruited from geriatric units and assessed independently and simultaneously by three raters on two occasions using the GEM scale. Kappa coefficients and percentage agreement were calculated for each item of the scale. Results: A majority of walking items (n = 22) showed fair to substantial interrater agreement (κ ≥ 0.25) and substantial to almost perfect test–retest agreement (κ ≥ 0.60). Mean percentage agreement was high for both interrater and test–retest agreement (79% ± 15% and 83% ± 16% respectively). Moreover, detailed analyses demonstrated that the relatively low agreement of some items resulted from changes in the performance of some participants and the low variability of scores. Although some walking items showed less agreement, the final decision regarding the participants’ ability to walk safely resulted in moderate to substantial interrater and test–retest agreement. Conclusion: The GEM scale is a new assessment tool that can now be used with estimated interrater and test–retest properties to allow therapists to objectively evaluate walking safety among the elderly. PMID:20145760

Mapping gray-scale image to 3D surface scanning data by ray tracing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Peng; Jones, Peter R. M.

1997-03-01

The extraction and location of feature points from range imaging is an important but difficult task in machine vision based measurement systems. There exist some feature points which are not able to be detected from pure geometric characteristics, particularly in those measurement tasks related to the human body. The Loughborough Anthropometric Shadow Scanner (LASS) is a whole body surface scanner based on structured light technique. Certain applications of LASS require accurate location of anthropometric landmarks from the scanned data. This is sometimes impossible from existing raw data because some landmarks do not appear in the scanned data. Identification of these landmarks has to resort to surface texture of the scanned object. Modifications to LASS were made to allow gray-scale images to be captured before or after the object was scanned. Two-dimensional gray-scale image must be mapped to the scanned data to acquire the 3D coordinates of a landmark. The method to map 2D images to the scanned data is based on the colinearity conditions and ray-tracing method. If the camera center and image coordinates are known, the corresponding object point must lie on a ray starting from the camera center and connecting to the image coordinate. By intersecting the ray with the scanned surface of the object, the 3D coordinates of a point can be solved. Experimentation has demonstrated the feasibility of the method.

Length scale effects of friction in particle compaction using atomistic simulations and a friction scaling model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stone, T. W.; Horstemeyer, M. F.

2012-09-01

The objective of this study is to illustrate and quantify the length scale effects related to interparticle friction under compaction. Previous studies have shown as the length scale of a specimen decreases, the strength of a single crystal metal or ceramic increases. The question underlying this research effort continues the thought—If there is a length scale parameter related to the strength of a material, is there a length scale parameter related to friction? To explore the length scale effects of friction, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using an embedded atom method potential were performed to analyze the compression of two spherical FCC nickel nanoparticles at different contact angles. In the MD model study, we applied a macroscopic plastic contact formulation to determine the normal plastic contact force at the particle interfaces and used the average shear stress from the MD simulations to determine the tangential contact forces. Combining this information with the Coulomb friction law, we quantified the MD interparticle coefficient of friction and showed good agreement with experimental studies and a Discrete Element Method prediction as a function of contact angle. Lastly, we compared our MD simulation friction values to the tribological predictions of Bhushan and Nosonovsky (BN), who developed a friction scaling model based on strain gradient plasticity and dislocation-assisted sliding that included a length scale parameter. The comparison revealed that the BN elastic friction scaling model did a much better job than the BN plastic scaling model of predicting the coefficient of friction values obtained from the MD simulations.

Hierachical Object Recognition Using Libraries of Parameterized Model Sub-Parts.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

SketchI Structure Hierarchy Constrained Search 20. AUISTR ACT (Ce.ntU..w se reveres. 01411 at 00 OW 4MI 9smtilp Me"h aindo" This thesis describes the... theseU hierarchies to achieve robust recognition based on effective organization and indexing schemes for model libraries. The goal of the system is to...with different relative scaling, rotation, or translation than in the models. The approach taken in this thesis is to develop an object shape

Motility of catalytic nanoparticles through self-generated forces.

PubMed

Paxton, Walter F; Sen, Ayusman; Mallouk, Thomas E

2005-11-04

Small-scale synthetic motors capable of generating their own motive forces by exploiting the chemical free energy of their environment represent an important step in developing practical nanomachines. Catalytic particles are capable of generating concentration and other gradients that can be used to self-propel small objects. However, the autonomous movement of catalytic nanoparticles by self-generated forces is a relatively unexplored area in colloid and interfacial chemistry. This paper explores the potential of catalytically self-generated forces for propulsion of small objects through fluids.

Venus Monitoring Camera (VMC/VEx) 1 micron emissivity and Magellan microwave properties of crater-related radar-dark parabolas and other terrains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basilevsky, A. T.; Shalygina, O. S.; Bondarenko, N. V.; Shalygin, E. V.; Markiewicz, W. J.

2017-09-01

The aim of this work is a comparative study of several typical radar-dark parabolas, the neighboring plains and some other geologic units seen in the study areas which include craters Adivar, Bassi, Bathsheba, du Chatelet and Sitwell, at two depths scales: the upper several meters of the study object available through the Magellan-based microwave (at 12.6 cm wavelength) properties (microwave emissivity, Fresnel reflectivity, large-scale surface roughness, and radar cross-section), and the upper hundreds microns of the object characterized by the 1 micron emissivity resulted from the analysis of the near infra-red (NIR) irradiation of the night-side of the Venusian surface measured by the Venus Monitoring Camera (VMC) on-board of Venus Express (VEx).

Effects of scale-dependent non-Gaussianity on cosmological structures

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

LoVerde, Marilena; Miller, Amber; Shandera, Sarah

2008-04-15

The detection of primordial non-Gaussianity could provide a powerful means to test various inflationary scenarios. Although scale-invariant non-Gaussianity (often described by the f{sub NL} formalism) is currently best constrained by the CMB, single-field models with changing sound speed can have strongly scale-dependent non-Gaussianity. Such models could evade the CMB constraints but still have important effects at scales responsible for the formation of cosmological objects such as clusters and galaxies. We compute the effect of scale-dependent primordial non-Gaussianity on cluster number counts as a function of redshift, using a simple ansatz to model scale-dependent features. We forecast constraints on these modelsmore » achievable with forthcoming datasets. We also examine consequences for the galaxy bispectrum. Our results are relevant for the Dirac-Born-Infeld model of brane inflation, where the scale dependence of the non-Gaussianity is directly related to the geometry of the extra dimensions.« less

Subjective and objective traumatic death: distinct roles in developing complicated grief and depression among older adults in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Tang, Suqin; Chow, Amy Y M

2017-03-01

Symptoms of complicated grief are associated with a traumatic death. However, the subjective experience of whether or not the death was considered traumatic has not been substantially explored. This study first examined the difference between objective and subjective traumatic death, and then investigated their respective impacts on complicated grief and depressive symptoms following bereavement among older adults in Hong Kong. Participants were 187 Hong Kong adults aged 65 years or above who had lost a family member within the past five years. Demographic information, the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and the anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were utilized. The subjective traumatic level of the death did not differ between the objective traumatic and non-traumatic death as defined by nature of death (t = -1.554, p = 0.122). Higher subjective traumatic levels and younger age of the deceased, were positively related to complicated grief symptoms, F (10, 161) = 14.222, p < 0.001, R 2 = 0.469. Higher subjective traumatic levels and older age of the bereaved were positively associated with symptoms of depression, F (10, 160) = 2.855, p = 0.003, R 2 = 0.151. However, objective traumatic death was found to have no relation to either complicated grief or depressive symptoms. Subjective and objective traumatic death may be two distinct concepts, and the subjective experience of the death as a trauma may be a more important factor that contributes to complicated grief and depressive symptoms.

Martian planetwide crater distributions - Implications for geologic history and surface processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soderblom, L. A.; Condit, C. D.; West, R. A.; Herman, B. M.; Kreidler, T. J.

1974-01-01

Three different diameter size ranges are considered in connection with the Martian crater distribution, taking into account small craters from 0.6 to 1.2 km, intermediate-sized craters from 4 to 10 km, and large craters with diameters exceeding 20 km. One of the objectives of the investigation reported is to establish the effects of eolian processes in the modification of craters in the different size ranges. Another objective is concerned with a description of the genetic relationships among the three size ranges of craters. Observables related to the relative age of geologic provinces are to be separated from observables related to geographic variations in eolian transport and deposition. Lunar and Martian cratering histories are compared as a basis for establishing relative and absolute time scales for the geological evolution of Mars.

Explorations into Pedagogy within Mathematics Classrooms: Insights from Contemporary Inquiries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walshaw, Margaret

2013-01-01

Pedagogy within mathematics classrooms is of keen interest in any educational discussion. On a wider scale, pedagogical practice that produces desirable outcomes is considered a major instrument for achieving national objectives. Circumstance and setting may vary, but the question relating to how mathematics teachers construct their practice is as…

Teacher Stress: Perceived and Objective Sources, and Quality of Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mykletun, Reidar J.

1984-01-01

A study of 912 Norwegian comprehensive school teachers, using a 74-item job stress rating scale to identify stressors in teachers' work and the General Health Questionnaire as an index of quality of life, identified nine stress factors, including work overload, pupils' misbehavior, change, organizational climate/staff relations. (MH)

Visual reconciliation of alternative similarity spaces in climate modeling

Treesearch

J Poco; A Dasgupta; Y Wei; William Hargrove; C.R. Schwalm; D.N. Huntzinger; R Cook; E Bertini; C.T. Silva

2015-01-01

Visual data analysis often requires grouping of data objects based on their similarity. In many application domains researchers use algorithms and techniques like clustering and multidimensional scaling to extract groupings from data. While extracting these groups using a single similarity criteria is relatively straightforward, comparing alternative criteria poses...

The Relationship between ADHD Symptoms, Mood Instability, and Self-Reported Offending

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gudjonsson, Gisli H.; Sigurdsson, Jon Fridrik; Adalsteinsson, Tomas F.; Young, Susan

2013-01-01

Objective: To investigate the relative importance of ADHD symptoms, mood instability, and antisocial personality disorder traits in predicting self-reported offending. Method: A total of 295 Icelandic students completed two scales of offending behavior and measures of ADHD symptoms, mood instability, and antisocial personality traits. Results:…

A Critical Analysis of the Child and Adolescent Wellness Scale (CAWS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weller-Clarke, Alandra

2006-01-01

Current practice for assessing children and adolescents rely on objectively scored deficit-based models and/or informal assessments to determine how maladaptive behaviors affect performance. Social-emotional assessment instruments are used in schools and typically provide information related to behavioral and emotional deficits, but provide little…

Integrating watershed- and farm-scale modeling framework for targeting critical source areas while maintaining farm economic viability

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Quantitative risk assessments of pollution and data related to the effectiveness of mitigating best management practices (BMPs) are important aspects of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution control efforts, particularly those driven by specific water quality objectives and by measurable improvement goals...

Techniques for Generating Objects in a Three-Dimensional CAD System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goss, Larry D.

1987-01-01

Discusses coordinate systems, units of measure, scaling and levels as they relate to a database generated by a computer in a spatial rather than planer location. Describes geometric-oriented input, direct coordinates, transformations, annotation, editing and patterns. Stresses that hand drafting emulation is a short-sighted approach to…

Multi-Method Assessment of ADHD Characteristics in Preschool Children: Relations between Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Darcey M.; Lonigan, Christopher J.

2012-01-01

Several forms of assessment tools, including behavioral rating scales and objective tests such as the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), can be used to measure inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors associated with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, research with school-age children has shown that the correlations…

Method and apparatus for predicting the direction of movement in machine vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawton, Teri B. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A computer-simulated cortical network is presented. The network is capable of computing the visibility of shifts in the direction of movement. Additionally, the network can compute the following: (1) the magnitude of the position difference between the test and background patterns; (2) localized contrast differences at different spatial scales analyzed by computing temporal gradients of the difference and sum of the outputs of paired even- and odd-symmetric bandpass filters convolved with the input pattern; and (3) the direction of a test pattern moved relative to a textured background. The direction of movement of an object in the field of view of a robotic vision system is detected in accordance with nonlinear Gabor function algorithms. The movement of objects relative to their background is used to infer the 3-dimensional structure and motion of object surfaces.

Improving Healthcare Transition Planning and Health-Related Independence for Youth with ASD and their Families

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

volunteers) recruited Objective 5: Develop and test focus group & individual interview guide; train staff on protocol and procedure • Caregiver and young...and individual items will then be evaluated and revised based on finds from cognitive interviewing and full-scale pretesting . 15. SUBJECT TERMS...first modality assessed caregiver perspectives on health-related transitioning using focus groups . The second modality included individual interviews

The Novel Object and Unusual Name (NOUN) Database: A collection of novel images for use in experimental research.

PubMed

Horst, Jessica S; Hout, Michael C

2016-12-01

Many experimental research designs require images of novel objects. Here we introduce the Novel Object and Unusual Name (NOUN) Database. This database contains 64 primary novel object images and additional novel exemplars for ten basic- and nine global-level object categories. The objects' novelty was confirmed by both self-report and a lack of consensus on questions that required participants to name and identify the objects. We also found that object novelty correlated with qualifying naming responses pertaining to the objects' colors. The results from a similarity sorting task (and a subsequent multidimensional scaling analysis on the similarity ratings) demonstrated that the objects are complex and distinct entities that vary along several featural dimensions beyond simply shape and color. A final experiment confirmed that additional item exemplars comprised both sub- and superordinate categories. These images may be useful in a variety of settings, particularly for developmental psychology and other research in the language, categorization, perception, visual memory, and related domains.

An Integrated Knowledge Framework to Characterize and Scaffold Size and Scale Cognition (FS2C)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magana, Alejandra J.; Brophy, Sean P.; Bryan, Lynn A.

2012-09-01

Size and scale cognition is a critical ability associated with reasoning with concepts in different disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As such, researchers and educators have identified the need for young learners and their educators to become scale-literate. Informed by developmental psychology literature and recent findings in nanoscale science and engineering education, we propose an integrated knowledge framework for characterizing and scaffolding size and scale cognition called the FS2C framework. Five ad hoc assessment tasks were designed informed by the FS2C framework with the goal of identifying participants' understandings of size and scale. Findings identified participants' difficulties to discern different sizes of microscale and nanoscale objects and a low level of sophistication on identifying scale worlds among participants. Results also identified that as bigger the difference between the sizes of the objects is, the more difficult was for participants to identify how many times an object is bigger or smaller than another one. Similarly, participants showed difficulties to estimate approximate sizes of sub-macroscopic objects as well as a difficulty for participants to estimate the size of very large objects. Participants' accurate location of objects on a logarithmic scale was also challenging.

Relationship of maximum strength to weightlifting performance.

PubMed

Stone, Michael H; Sands, William A; Pierce, Kyle C; Carlock, Jon; Cardinale, Marco; Newton, Robert U

2005-06-01

The primary objective was to assess the relationship of maximum strength to weightlifting ability using established scaling methods. The secondary objective was to compare men and women weightlifters on strength and weightlifting ability. Two correlational observations were carried out using Pearson's r. In the first observation (N = 65) the relationship of dynamic maximum strength (one-repetition maximum (1RM) squat) was compared with weightlifting ability; in the second observation (N = 16), isometric maximum strength (midthigh pull) was studied. Scaling methods for equating maximum strength and weightlifting results were used (load x (Ht), load x kg, load x lbm(-1), allometric, and Sinclair formula) to assess the association between measures of maximum strength and weightlifting performance. Using scaled values; correlations between maximum strength and weightlifting results were generally strong in both observations (e.g., using allometric scaling for the 1RM squat vs the 1RM snatch: r = 0.84, N = 65). Men were stronger than women (e.g., 1RM squat, N = 65: men = 188.1 +/- 48.6 kg; women = 126.7 +/- 28.3 kg); differences generally held when scaling was applied (e.g., 1RM squat scaled with the Sinclair formula: men = 224.7 +/- 36.5 kg; women = 144.2 +/- 25.4 kg). When collectively considering scaling methods, maximum strength is strongly related to weightlifting performance independent of body mass and height differences. Furthermore, men are stronger than women even when body mass and height are obviated by scaling methods.

Political repression and its psychological effects on Honduran children.

PubMed

Munczek, D S; Tuber, S

1998-12-01

This paper, based on an exploratory study in Honduras, examines the psychological effects of political disappearance and assassination on surviving child family members. There are few, if any, comparative field studies of non-immigrant, non-refugee or non-clinical populations of children with forcibly disappeared and assassinated parents. In Latin America, violent state power has been exercised in a number of ways, including physical intimidation, jailing, murder and "disappearance". This research compares 16 Honduran children who have experienced the loss of a parent through forced disappearance with 11 Honduran children who suffered a similar loss from a political assassination. Surviving parents or caretakers of these children were also interviewed. Differences between children of the disappeared and assassinated were analyzed using a Rorschach object relations scale, post-traumatic stress and symptom and behavior scales and interviews with the children and the surviving parents. Both groups of children have symptoms of traumatic stress, depression, anxiety and aggressive feelings. Children of both groups remain symptomatic for many years after their loss and children with disappeared parents present more unconscious emotional disturbance in the Rorschach object relations scale than children with assassinated parents. The lack of physical, emotional and legal resolution in forced disappearance appears to impede mourning and a return to age-appropriate concerns.

Optical Detection and Sizing of Single Nano-Particles Using Continuous Wetting Films

PubMed Central

Hennequin, Yves; McLeod, Euan; Mudanyali, Onur; Migliozzi, Daniel; Ozcan, Aydogan; Dinten, Jean-Marc

2013-01-01

The physical interaction between nano-scale objects and liquid interfaces can create unique optical properties, enhancing the signatures of the objects with sub-wavelength features. Here we show that the evaporation on a wetting substrate of a polymer solution containing sub-micrometer or nano-scale particles creates liquid micro-lenses that arise from the local deformations of the continuous wetting film. These micro-lenses have properties similar to axicon lenses that are known to create beams with a long depth of focus. This enhanced depth of focus allows detection of single nanoparticles using a low magnification microscope objective lens, achieving a relatively wide field-of-view, while also lifting the constraints on precise focusing onto the object plane. Hence, by creating these liquid axicon lenses through spatial deformations of a continuous thin wetting film, we transfer the challenge of imaging individual nano-particles to detecting the light focused by these lenses. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the detection and sizing of single nano-particles (100 and 200 nm), CpGV granuloviruses as well as Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria over a wide field of view of e.g., 5.10×3.75 mm2 using a ×5 objective lens with a numerical aperture of 0.15. In addition to conventional lens-based microscopy, this continuous wetting film based approach is also applicable to lensfree computational on-chip imaging, which can be used to detect single nano-particles over a large field-of-view of e.g., >20-30 mm2. These results could be especially useful for high-throughput field-analysis of nano-scale objects using compact and cost-effective microscope designs. PMID:23889001

Moving objects with clumsy fingers: how predictive is grip force control in patients with impaired manual sensibility?

PubMed

Nowak, Dennis A; Hermsdörfer, Joachim; Marquardt, Christian; Topka, Helge

2003-03-01

Anticipatory grip force adjustments to movement-induced load fluctuations of a hand-held object suggest that motion planning is based on an internal forward model of both the external object properties and the dynamics of the own motor apparatus. However, the central nervous system also refers to real time sensory feedback from the grasping digits in order to achieve a highly economical coupling between grip force and the actual loading requirements. We analyzed grip force control during vertical point-to-point arm movements with a hand-held instrumented object in 9 patients with moderately impaired tactile sensibility of the grasping digits due to chronic median nerve compression (n = 3), axonal (n = 3) and demyelinating sensory polyneuropathy (n = 3) in comparison to 9 healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects. Point-to-point arm movements started and ended with the object being held stationary at rest. Load force changes arose from inertial loads related to the movement. A maximum of load force occurred early in upward and near the end of downward movements. Compared to healthy controls, patients with impaired manual sensibility generated similar static grip forces during stationary holding of the object and similar force ratios between maximum grip and load force. These findings reflect effective grip force scaling in relation to the movement-induced loads despite reduced afferent feedback from the grasping digits. For both groups the maxima of grip and load force coincided very closely in time, indicating that the temporal regulation of the grip force profile with the load profile was processed with a similar high precision. In addition, linear regression analyses between grip and load forces during movement-related load increase and load decrease phases revealed a similar precise temporo-spatial coupling between grip and load forces for patients and controls. Our results suggest that the precise and anticipatory adjustment of the grip force profile to the load force profile arising from voluntary arm movements with a hand-held object is centrally mediated and less under sensory feedback control. As suggested by previous investigations, the efficient scaling of the grip force magnitude in relation to the movement-induced loads may be intact when deficits of tactile sensibility from the grasping fingers are moderate.

Laboratory Scale Coal And Biomass To Drop-In Fuels (CBDF) Production And Assessment

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

Lux, Kenneth; Imam, Tahmina; Chevanan, Nehru

This Final Technical Report describes the work and accomplishments of the project entitled, “Laboratory Scale Coal and Biomass to Drop-In Fuels (CBDF) Production and Assessment.” The main objective of the project was to fabricate and test a lab-scale liquid-fuel production system using coal containing different percentages of biomass such as corn stover and switchgrass at a rate of 2 liters per day. The system utilizes the patented Altex fuel-production technology, which incorporates advanced catalysts developed by Pennsylvania State University. The system was designed, fabricated, tested, and assessed for economic and environmental feasibility relative to competing technologies.

Everyday Scale Errors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ware, Elizabeth A.; Uttal, David H.; DeLoache, Judy S.

2010-01-01

Young children occasionally make "scale errors"--they attempt to fit their bodies into extremely small objects or attempt to fit a larger object into another, tiny, object. For example, a child might try to sit in a dollhouse-sized chair or try to stuff a large doll into it. Scale error research was originally motivated by parents' and…

Quantile equivalence to evaluate compliance with habitat management objectives

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cade, Brian S.; Johnson, Pamela R.

2011-01-01

Equivalence estimated with linear quantile regression was used to evaluate compliance with habitat management objectives at Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge based on monitoring data collected in upland (5,781 ha; n = 511 transects) and riparian and meadow (2,856 ha, n = 389 transects) habitats from 2005 to 2008. Quantiles were used because the management objectives specified proportions of the habitat area that needed to comply with vegetation criteria. The linear model was used to obtain estimates that were averaged across 4 y. The equivalence testing framework allowed us to interpret confidence intervals for estimated proportions with respect to intervals of vegetative criteria (equivalence regions) in either a liberal, benefit-of-doubt or conservative, fail-safe approach associated with minimizing alternative risks. Simple Boolean conditional arguments were used to combine the quantile equivalence results for individual vegetation components into a joint statement for the multivariable management objectives. For example, management objective 2A required at least 809 ha of upland habitat with a shrub composition ≥0.70 sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), 20–30% canopy cover of sagebrush ≥25 cm in height, ≥20% canopy cover of grasses, and ≥10% canopy cover of forbs on average over 4 y. Shrub composition and canopy cover of grass each were readily met on >3,000 ha under either conservative or liberal interpretations of sampling variability. However, there were only 809–1,214 ha (conservative to liberal) with ≥10% forb canopy cover and 405–1,098 ha with 20–30%canopy cover of sagebrush ≥25 cm in height. Only 91–180 ha of uplands simultaneously met criteria for all four components, primarily because canopy cover of sagebrush and forbs was inversely related when considered at the spatial scale (30 m) of a sample transect. We demonstrate how the quantile equivalence analyses also can help refine the numerical specification of habitat objectives and explore specification of spatial scales for objectives with respect to sampling scales used to evaluate those objectives.

Using Accelerometers to Measure Physical Activity in Large-Scale Epidemiologic Studies: Issues and Challenges

PubMed Central

Lee, I-Min; Shiroma, Eric J

2013-01-01

Background Current guidelines for aerobic activity require that adults carry out ≥150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity physical activity, with a large body of epidemiologic evidence showing this level of activity to decrease the incidence of many chronic diseases. Less is known about whether light-intensity activities also have such benefits, and whether sedentary behavior is an independent predictor of increased risks of these chronic diseases, as imprecise assessments of these behaviours and cross-sectional study designs have limited knowledge to date. Methods Recent technological advances in assessment methods have made the use of movement sensors, such as the accelerometer, feasible for use in longitudinal, large-scale epidemiologic studies. Several such studies are collecting sensor-assessed, objective measures of physical activity with the aim of relating these to the development of clinical endpoints. This is a relatively new area of research; thus, in this paper, we use the Women’s Health Study (WHS) as a case study to illustrate challenges related to data collection, data processing, and analyses of the vast amount of data collected. Results The WHS plans to collect 7 days of accelerometer-assessed physical activity and sedentary behavior in ~18,000 women aged ≥62 years. Several logistical challenges exist in collecting data; nonetheless as of 31 August 2013, 11,590 women have already provided some data. Additionally, the WHS experience on data reduction and data analyses can help inform other similar large-scale epidemiologic studies. Conclusions Important data on the health effects of light-intensity activity and sedentary behaviour will emerge from large-scale epidemiologic studies collecting objective assessments of these behaviours. PMID:24297837

Scaling relations for watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fehr, E.; Kadau, D.; Araújo, N. A. M.; Andrade, J. S., Jr.; Herrmann, H. J.

2011-09-01

We study the morphology of watersheds in two and three dimensional systems subjected to different degrees of spatial correlations. The response of these objects to small, local perturbations is also investigated with extensive numerical simulations. We find the fractal dimension of the watersheds to generally decrease with the Hurst exponent, which quantifies the degree of spatial correlations. Moreover, in two dimensions, our results match the range of fractal dimensions 1.10≤df≤1.15 observed for natural landscapes. We report that the watershed is strongly affected by local perturbations. For perturbed two and three dimensional systems, we observe a power-law scaling behavior for the distribution of areas (volumes) enclosed by the original and the displaced watershed and for the distribution of distances between outlets. Finite-size effects are analyzed and the resulting scaling exponents are shown to depend significantly on the Hurst exponent. The intrinsic relation between watershed and invasion percolation, as well as relations between exponents conjectured in previous studies with two dimensional systems, are now confirmed by our results in three dimensions.

Transplantation of autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the subarachnoid space for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a safety analysis of 14 patients

PubMed Central

Li, Xiao-yan; Liang, Zhan-hua; Han, Chao; Wei, Wen-juan; Song, Chun-li; Zhou, Li-na; Liu, Yang; Li, Ying; Ji, Xiao-fei; Liu, Jing

2017-01-01

There is a small amount of clinical data regarding the safety and feasibility of autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cell transplantation into the subarachnoid space for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The objectives of this retrospective study were to assess the safety and efficacy of peripheral blood mononuclear cell transplantation in 14 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients to provide more objective data for future clinical trials. After stem cell mobilization and collection, autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (1 × 109) were isolated and directly transplanted into the subarachnoid space of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. The primary outcome measure was incidence of adverse events. Secondary outcome measures were electromyography 1 week before operation and 4 weeks after operation, Functional Independence Measurement, Berg Balance Scale, and Dysarthria Assessment Scale 1 week preoperatively and 1, 2, 4 and 12 weeks postoperatively. There was no immediate or delayed transplant-related cytotoxicity. The number of leukocytes, serum alanine aminotransferase and creatinine levels, and body temperature were within the normal ranges. Radiographic evaluation showed no serious transplant-related adverse events. Muscle strength grade, results of Functional Independence Measurement, Berg Balance Scale, and Dysarthria Assessment Scale were not significantly different before and after treatment. These findings suggest that peripheral blood mononuclear cell transplantation into the subarachnoid space for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is safe, but its therapeutic effect is not remarkable. Thus, a large-sample investigation is needed to assess its efficacy further. PMID:28469667

An automated approach for extracting Barrier Island morphology from digital elevation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wernette, Phillipe; Houser, Chris; Bishop, Michael P.

2016-06-01

The response and recovery of a barrier island to extreme storms depends on the elevation of the dune base and crest, both of which can vary considerably alongshore and through time. Quantifying the response to and recovery from storms requires that we can first identify and differentiate the dune(s) from the beach and back-barrier, which in turn depends on accurate identification and delineation of the dune toe, crest and heel. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a multi-scale automated approach for extracting beach, dune (dune toe, dune crest and dune heel), and barrier island morphology. The automated approach introduced here extracts the shoreline and back-barrier shoreline based on elevation thresholds, and extracts the dune toe, dune crest and dune heel based on the average relative relief (RR) across multiple spatial scales of analysis. The multi-scale automated RR approach to extracting dune toe, dune crest, and dune heel based upon relative relief is more objective than traditional approaches because every pixel is analyzed across multiple computational scales and the identification of features is based on the calculated RR values. The RR approach out-performed contemporary approaches and represents a fast objective means to define important beach and dune features for predicting barrier island response to storms. The RR method also does not require that the dune toe, crest, or heel are spatially continuous, which is important because dune morphology is likely naturally variable alongshore.

Experimental results for 2D magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MR-EIT) using magnetic flux density in one direction.

PubMed

Birgül, Ozlem; Eyüboğlu, B Murat; Ider, Y Ziya

2003-11-07

Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MR-EIT) is an emerging imaging technique that reconstructs conductivity images using magnetic flux density measurements acquired employing MRI together with conventional EIT measurements. In this study, experimental MR-EIT images from phantoms with conducting and insulator objects are presented. The technique is implemented using the 0.15 T Middle East Technical University MRI system. The dc current method used in magnetic resonance current density imaging is adopted. A reconstruction algorithm based on the sensitivity matrix relation between conductivity and only one component of magnetic flux distribution is used. Therefore, the requirement for object rotation is eliminated. Once the relative conductivity distribution is found, it is scaled using the peripheral voltage measurements to obtain the absolute conductivity distribution. Images of several insulator and conductor objects in saline filled phantoms are reconstructed. The L2 norm of relative error in conductivity values is found to be 13%, 17% and 14% for three different conductivity distributions.

[Depression Literacy - German Translation and Testing of the Depression Literacy Scale].

PubMed

Freitag, Simone; Stolzenburg, Susanne; Schomerus, Georg; Schmidt, Silke

2017-12-13

Objective Translation and psychometric testing of a German adaptation of the Australian Depression Literacy Scale. Methods Translation of the Depression Literacy Scale by Griffith et al. (2004) into German and testing for depression literacy in a sample of 229 people with depressive syndrome. Results The investigated sample had a mean age of 49.4 years (18 - 80 years). On average, 51 % of the 22 questions were correctly answered. The scale showed a satisfactory internal consistency with α = .74. The first-time application of the translated D-Lit German scale showed significant differences in subgroup analyzes of sex, age, and education. Hence, women, younger persons and persons with a higher school education reported higher values on the Depression Literacy Scale. Conclusion The translation of the Depression Literacy Scale (D-Lit German) resulted in an easy-to-understand and applicable questionnaire. Items relating to therapeutic and drug-related treatments of depressen were more difficult to answer. The D-Lit scale proved to be a reliable and economic instrument for the investigation of depression literacy. Future studies should include depression literacy in investigations on the demands and help-seeking behaviour of people with depression. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Spanish version of Bus Drivers' Job Demands Scale (BDJD-24).

PubMed

Boada-Grau, Joan; Prizmic-Kuzmica, Aldo-Javier; González-Fernández, Marcos-David; Vigil-Colet, Andreu

2013-01-01

Karasek and Theorell's Job Demands-Control Model argues that adverse health-related outcomes, both psychological and physiological, arise from a combination of high job demand and a low level of job control. The objective was to adapt Meijman and Kompier's Bus Drivers' Job Demands Scale (BDJD-24), which enables us to assess the job demands of bus drivers, to Spanish. The final version of the Spanish adaptation was applied to a sample made up of 287 bus drivers living in Spain (80.1% men and 19.9% women), whose average age was 40.44 (SD= 11.78). The results yielded a three-factor structure for the scale used: Time Pressure, Safety, and Passengers. These findings confirm that the Spanish version replicates the factor structure of the original English scale. The reliability of the three subscales was acceptable, ranging from .75 to .84. Furthermore, the subscales were also related to different external correlates and to other scales and showed good convergent and criterion validity. The present instrument can be used to evaluate job demands of bus drivers, as its psychometrics are substantially sound.

Mobile medical apps for patient education: a graded review of available dermatology apps.

PubMed

Masud, Aisha; Shafi, Shahram; Rao, Babar K

2018-02-01

The utilization of mobile applications (apps) as educational resources for patients highlights the need for an objective method of evaluating the quality of health care-related mobile apps. In this study, a quantified rubric was developed to objectively grade publicly available dermatology mobile apps with the primary focus of patient education. The rubric included 5 criteria thought to be most important in evaluating the adequacy of these apps in relaying health information to patients: educational objectives, content, accuracy, design, and conflict of interest. A 4-point scale was applied to each criterion. The use of this objective rubric could have implications in the evaluation and recommendation of mobile health care apps as a vital educational resource for patients.

Directionally hiding objects and creating illusions above a carpet-like device by reflection holography

PubMed Central

Cheng, Qiluan; Wu, Kedi; Shi, Yile; Wang, Hui; Wang, Guo Ping

2015-01-01

Realization of a perfect invisibility cloak still challenges the current fabricating technologies. Most experiments, if not all, are hence focused on carpet cloaks because of their relatively low requirements to material properties. Nevertheless, present invisibility carpets are used to hide beneath objects. Here, we report a carpet-like device to directionally conceal objects and further to create illusions above it. The device is fabricated through recording a reflection hologram of objects and is used to produce a time-reversed signal to compensate for the information of the objects and further to create light field of another object so as to realize both functions of hiding the objects and creating illusions, respectively. The carpet-like device can work for macroscopic objects at visible wavelength as the distance between objects and device is at decimeter scale. Our carpet-like device to realizing invisibility and creating illusions may provide a robust way for crucial applications of magic camouflaging and anti-detection etc. PMID:25716451

Directionally hiding objects and creating illusions above a carpet-like device by reflection holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Qiluan; Wu, Kedi; Shi, Yile; Wang, Hui; Wang, Guo Ping

2015-02-01

Realization of a perfect invisibility cloak still challenges the current fabricating technologies. Most experiments, if not all, are hence focused on carpet cloaks because of their relatively low requirements to material properties. Nevertheless, present invisibility carpets are used to hide beneath objects. Here, we report a carpet-like device to directionally conceal objects and further to create illusions above it. The device is fabricated through recording a reflection hologram of objects and is used to produce a time-reversed signal to compensate for the information of the objects and further to create light field of another object so as to realize both functions of hiding the objects and creating illusions, respectively. The carpet-like device can work for macroscopic objects at visible wavelength as the distance between objects and device is at decimeter scale. Our carpet-like device to realizing invisibility and creating illusions may provide a robust way for crucial applications of magic camouflaging and anti-detection etc.

Refining a health-related quality of life assessment strategy for solid organ transplant patients.

PubMed

Feurer, Irene D; Moore, Derek E; Speroff, Theodore; Liu, Hongxia; Payne, Jerita; Harrison, Connie; Pinson, C Wright

2004-01-01

The psychometric properties of generic health-related quality of life (HRQOL) assessment instruments were evaluated to identify a reliable, valid, and non-redundant battery to measure longitudinal outcomes in organ transplant patients. Objective functional performance and subjective HRQOL were assessed in 371 solid organ (liver, heart, kidney, lung) transplant patients using the Karnofsky scale, the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36), and Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS). The surveys' internal-consistency reliability, criterion-related validity, and redundancy were tested. The SF-36 mental (MCS) and physical components (PCS), and PAIS summary scales were internally consistent (all alpha > or = 0.83). Four out of seven PAIS scales (vocational, domestic, sexual, social) were collectively associated with the PCS (R = 0.65, P < 0.001), as was functional performance (r = 0.52, P < 0.001). Three PAIS scales (family, social, psychological distress) were associated with the MCS (R = 0.72, P < 0.001). Only the PAIS healthcare orientation (satisfaction) scale was not associated with the SF-36((R)). The relationship between functional performance and the PCS is stronger (r = 0.52, P < 0.001) than with the MCS (r = 0.25, P < 0.001) and the PAIS global score (r = 0.37, P < 0.001). The SF-36 and PAIS are internally consistent and exhibit divergent criterion-related validity but, with the exception of the PAIS healthcare orientation scale, are statistically redundant. The advantages of the SF-36 include wider use, more norms, and a lesser response burden. A transplant-specific patient satisfaction inventory was indicated and was developed.

A NDVI assisted remote sensing image adaptive scale segmentation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hong; Shen, Jinxiang; Ma, Yanmei

2018-03-01

Multiscale segmentation of images can effectively form boundaries of different objects with different scales. However, for the remote sensing image which widely coverage with complicated ground objects, the number of suitable segmentation scales, and each of the scale size is still difficult to be accurately determined, which severely restricts the rapid information extraction of the remote sensing image. A great deal of experiments showed that the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) can effectively express the spectral characteristics of a variety of ground objects in remote sensing images. This paper presents a method using NDVI assisted adaptive segmentation of remote sensing images, which segment the local area by using NDVI similarity threshold to iteratively select segmentation scales. According to the different regions which consist of different targets, different segmentation scale boundaries could be created. The experimental results showed that the adaptive segmentation method based on NDVI can effectively create the objects boundaries for different ground objects of remote sensing images.

High-z objects and cold dark matter cosmogonies - Constraints on the primordial power spectrum on small scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kashlinsky, A.

1993-01-01

Modified cold dark matter (CDM) models were recently suggested to account for large-scale optical data, which fix the power spectrum on large scales, and the COBE results, which would then fix the bias parameter, b. We point out that all such models have deficit of small-scale power where density fluctuations are presently nonlinear, and should then lead to late epochs of collapse of scales M between 10 exp 9 - 10 exp 10 solar masses and (1-5) x 10 exp 14 solar masses. We compute the probabilities and comoving space densities of various scale objects at high redshifts according to the CDM models and compare these with observations of high-z QSOs, high-z galaxies and the protocluster-size object found recently by Uson et al. (1992) at z = 3.4. We show that the modified CDM models are inconsistent with the observational data on these objects. We thus suggest that in order to account for the high-z objects, as well as the large-scale and COBE data, one needs a power spectrum with more power on small scales than CDM models allow and an open universe.

Effectiveness evaluation of objective and subjective weighting methods for aquifer vulnerability assessment in urban context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo, Madhumita; Sahoo, Satiprasad; Dhar, Anirban; Pradhan, Biswajeet

2016-10-01

Groundwater vulnerability assessment has been an accepted practice to identify the zones with relatively increased potential for groundwater contamination. DRASTIC is the most popular secondary information-based vulnerability assessment approach. Original DRASTIC approach considers relative importance of features/sub-features based on subjective weighting/rating values. However variability of features at a smaller scale is not reflected in this subjective vulnerability assessment process. In contrast to the subjective approach, the objective weighting-based methods provide flexibility in weight assignment depending on the variation of the local system. However experts' opinion is not directly considered in the objective weighting-based methods. Thus effectiveness of both subjective and objective weighting-based approaches needs to be evaluated. In the present study, three methods - Entropy information method (E-DRASTIC), Fuzzy pattern recognition method (F-DRASTIC) and Single parameter sensitivity analysis (SA-DRASTIC), were used to modify the weights of the original DRASTIC features to include local variability. Moreover, a grey incidence analysis was used to evaluate the relative performance of subjective (DRASTIC and SA-DRASTIC) and objective (E-DRASTIC and F-DRASTIC) weighting-based methods. The performance of the developed methodology was tested in an urban area of Kanpur City, India. Relative performance of the subjective and objective methods varies with the choice of water quality parameters. This methodology can be applied without/with suitable modification. These evaluations establish the potential applicability of the methodology for general vulnerability assessment in urban context.

Clinical characteristics and objective living conditions in relation to quality of life among community-based individuals of schizophrenia in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Yeung, Frederick Ka Ching; Chan, Sunny Ho Wan

2006-11-01

Quality of life (QOL) has gained importance as an outcome measure for people with schizophrenia living in the community following deinstitutionalization. This study aims at exploring the effects of clinical characteristics and objective living conditions on QOL. In this study, 201 community-based individuals with schizophrenia were recruited from five different types of objective living conditions comprising long stay care home, halfway house, supported hostel/housing, living with family, and living alone. Clinical characteristics including cognitive abilities, symptom levels, and community/social functioning were assessed by the Allen Cognitive Level Screen, the Scales for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms and Positive Symptoms, and the Chinese version of the Multnomah Community Ability Scale respectively. The outcome measure of QOL was measured by the Chinese version of the WHO Quality of Life Measure. Analysis of covariance showed significant differences in community/social functioning, cognitive abilities, and negative symptoms; but not in QOL under different objective living conditions. Further simultaneous multiple regressions found out that community/social functioning was the robust significant predictor of QOL. Yet caution should be noted in making the conclusion with the objective living condition of long stay care home, as it provides a protective element for the perseverance of QOL.

[Object-oriented segmentation and classification of forest gap based on QuickBird remote sensing image.

PubMed

Mao, Xue Gang; Du, Zi Han; Liu, Jia Qian; Chen, Shu Xin; Hou, Ji Yu

2018-01-01

Traditional field investigation and artificial interpretation could not satisfy the need of forest gaps extraction at regional scale. High spatial resolution remote sensing image provides the possibility for regional forest gaps extraction. In this study, we used object-oriented classification method to segment and classify forest gaps based on QuickBird high resolution optical remote sensing image in Jiangle National Forestry Farm of Fujian Province. In the process of object-oriented classification, 10 scales (10-100, with a step length of 10) were adopted to segment QuickBird remote sensing image; and the intersection area of reference object (RA or ) and intersection area of segmented object (RA os ) were adopted to evaluate the segmentation result at each scale. For segmentation result at each scale, 16 spectral characteristics and support vector machine classifier (SVM) were further used to classify forest gaps, non-forest gaps and others. The results showed that the optimal segmentation scale was 40 when RA or was equal to RA os . The accuracy difference between the maximum and minimum at different segmentation scales was 22%. At optimal scale, the overall classification accuracy was 88% (Kappa=0.82) based on SVM classifier. Combining high resolution remote sensing image data with object-oriented classification method could replace the traditional field investigation and artificial interpretation method to identify and classify forest gaps at regional scale.

Information and Communication Technology for French and English Speaking Postsecondary Students with Disabilities: What Are Their Needs and How Well Are These Being Met?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fichten, Catherine S.; Nguyen, Mai N.; Asuncion, Jennison V.; Barile, Maria; Budd, Jillian; Amsel, Rhonda; Libman, Eva

2010-01-01

This study evaluates how well information and communication technology (ICT) related needs of students with various disabilities are met at school, at home, and in e-learning contexts. Results are based on the POSITIVES Scale, a 26 item objective measure of how well the ICT related needs of these students are met. The sample consists of 131…

Cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy clusters: X-ray scaling relations and their evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Truong, N.; Rasia, E.; Mazzotta, P.; Planelles, S.; Biffi, V.; Fabjan, D.; Beck, A. M.; Borgani, S.; Dolag, K.; Gaspari, M.; Granato, G. L.; Murante, G.; Ragone-Figueroa, C.; Steinborn, L. K.

2018-03-01

We analyse cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy clusters to study the X-ray scaling relations between total masses and observable quantities such as X-ray luminosity, gas mass, X-ray temperature, and YX. Three sets of simulations are performed with an improved version of the smoothed particle hydrodynamics GADGET-3 code. These consider the following: non-radiative gas, star formation and stellar feedback, and the addition of feedback by active galactic nuclei (AGN). We select clusters with M500 > 1014 M⊙E(z)-1, mimicking the typical selection of Sunyaev-Zeldovich samples. This permits to have a mass range large enough to enable robust fitting of the relations even at z ˜ 2. The results of the analysis show a general agreement with observations. The values of the slope of the mass-gas mass and mass-temperature relations at z = 2 are 10 per cent lower with respect to z = 0 due to the applied mass selection, in the former case, and to the effect of early merger in the latter. We investigate the impact of the slope variation on the study of the evolution of the normalization. We conclude that cosmological studies through scaling relations should be limited to the redshift range z = 0-1, where we find that the slope, the scatter, and the covariance matrix of the relations are stable. The scaling between mass and YX is confirmed to be the most robust relation, being almost independent of the gas physics. At higher redshifts, the scaling relations are sensitive to the inclusion of AGNs which influences low-mass systems. The detailed study of these objects will be crucial to evaluate the AGN effect on the ICM.

Multi-scale assimilation of remotely sensed snow observations for hydrologic estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreadis, K.; Lettenmaier, D.

2008-12-01

Data assimilation provides a framework for optimally merging model predictions and remote sensing observations of snow properties (snow cover extent, water equivalent, grain size, melt state), ideally overcoming limitations of both. A synthetic twin experiment is used to evaluate a data assimilation system that would ingest remotely sensed observations from passive microwave and visible wavelength sensors (brightness temperature and snow cover extent derived products, respectively) with the objective of estimating snow water equivalent. Two data assimilation techniques are used, the Ensemble Kalman filter and the Ensemble Multiscale Kalman filter (EnMKF). One of the challenges inherent in such a data assimilation system is the discrepancy in spatial scales between the different types of snow-related observations. The EnMKF represents the sample model error covariance with a tree that relates the system state variables at different locations and scales through a set of parent-child relationships. This provides an attractive framework to efficiently assimilate observations at different spatial scales. This study provides a first assessment of the feasibility of a system that would assimilate observations from multiple sensors (MODIS snow cover and AMSR-E brightness temperatures) and at different spatial scales for snow water equivalent estimation. The relative value of the different types of observations is examined. Additionally, the error characteristics of both model and observations are discussed.

Measurement in Sensory Modulation: The Sensory Processing Scale Assessment

PubMed Central

Miller, Lucy J.; Sullivan, Jillian C.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE. Sensory modulation issues have a significant impact on participation in daily life. Moreover, understanding phenotypic variation in sensory modulation dysfunction is crucial for research related to defining homogeneous groups and for clinical work in guiding treatment planning. We thus evaluated the new Sensory Processing Scale (SPS) Assessment. METHOD. Research included item development, behavioral scoring system development, test administration, and item analyses to evaluate reliability and validity across sensory domains. RESULTS. Items with adequate reliability (internal reliability >.4) and discriminant validity (p < .01) were retained. Feedback from the expert panel also contributed to decisions about retaining items in the scale. CONCLUSION. The SPS Assessment appears to be a reliable and valid measure of sensory modulation (scale reliability >.90; discrimination between group effect sizes >1.00). This scale has the potential to aid in differential diagnosis of sensory modulation issues. PMID:25184464

Predictors of depressive symptoms among Hispanic women in South Florida.

PubMed

Vermeesch, Amber L; Gonzalez-Guarda, Rosa M; Hall, Rosemary; McCabe, Brian E; Cianelli, Rosina; Peragallo, Nilda P

2013-11-01

U.S. Hispanics, especially women, experience a disproportionate amount of disease burden for depression. This disparity among Hispanic women necessitates examination of factors associated with depression. The objective of this study was to use an adaptation of the Stress Process Model to test whether self-esteem mediated the relationship between Hispanic stress and depressive symptoms. Data for this secondary analysis were from a previous randomized-control HIV prevention trial. Participants were 548 Hispanic women (19-52 years). Data collection measures included the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Hispanic Stress Scale. The bootstrap method in Mplus 6 was used to test mediation. Results indicated that self-esteem was inversely related to depression, and Hispanic stress was found to be positively related to depression. Self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between stress and depression. Strategies to improve/maintain self-esteem should be considered in future interventions for Hispanic women with depression.

Recent development of feature extraction and classification multispectral/hyperspectral images: a systematic literature review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiyoko, A.; Dharma, I. G. W. S.; Haryanto, T.

2017-01-01

Multispectral data and hyperspectral data acquired from satellite sensor have the ability in detecting various objects on the earth ranging from low scale to high scale modeling. These data are increasingly being used to produce geospatial information for rapid analysis by running feature extraction or classification process. Applying the most suited model for this data mining is still challenging because there are issues regarding accuracy and computational cost. This research aim is to develop a better understanding regarding object feature extraction and classification applied for satellite image by systematically reviewing related recent research projects. A method used in this research is based on PRISMA statement. After deriving important points from trusted sources, pixel based and texture-based feature extraction techniques are promising technique to be analyzed more in recent development of feature extraction and classification.

An Island of Stability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, John R.

2004-01-01

The concept of energy arises in all disciplines of science, from ecosystems and species niches to gravity and motion. Most students have difficulty understanding the relative sense of energy, however. Unless students are studying thermal energy and using the kelvin scale, the energy of an object or system is always with respect to some baseline or…

Evaluating the Consistency of Scales Used in Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Assessment of College-Aged Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saleh, Ayman; Fuchs, Catherine; Taylor, Warren D.; Niarhos, Frances

2018-01-01

Objective: Neurocognitive evaluations are commonly integrated with clinical assessment to evaluate adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Study goal is to identify measures most strongly related to ADHD diagnosis and to determine their utility in screening processes. Participants: 230 students who were evaluated at the Vanderbilt…

The Relationship between Satisfaction with Life, ADHD Symptoms, and Associated Problems among University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gudjonsson, Gisli H.; Sigurdsson, Jon Fridrik; Eyjolfsdottir, Gudrun Agusta; Smari, Jakob; Young, Susan

2009-01-01

Objective: To ascertain whether ADHD symptoms, and associated problems, are negatively related to subjective well-being. Method: The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) was completed by 369 university students, along with the Reasoning & Rehabilitation (R&R) ADHD Training Evaluation (RATE), the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of…

Efficacy of flea beetle control of leafy spurge in Montana and South Dakota

Treesearch

Jack L. Butler; Matthew S. Parker; John T. Murphy

2006-01-01

Black (Aphthona lacertosa and Aphthona czwalinae) and brown (Aphthona nigriscutis) flea beetles are among the more successful biological control agents used in the control and management of leafy spurge on a relatively large scale in the Northern Great Plains. The objectives of this study were to document leafy...

College Students' Motivation to Achieve and Maintain a Healthy Weight

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furia, Andrea C.; Lee, Rebecca E.; Strother, Myra L.; Huang, Terry T-K.

2009-01-01

Objectives: To develop and refine a scale of motivational factors related to healthy weight achievement and maintenance and to examine differences by gender and weight status. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 300 university students aged 18-24 years. Results: Factor analysis yielded 6 factors--Intrinsic (Cronbach's alpha = 0.73): affective…

HIV-related stigma and health-related quality of life among children living with HIV in Sweden.

PubMed

Rydström, Lise-Lott; Wiklander, Maria; Navér, Lars; Ygge, Britt-Marie; Eriksson, Lars E

2016-01-01

The relationship between HIV-related stigma and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among children living with HIV infection is unknown. The objectives of this study were to describe HIV-related stigma and HRQoL among children with perinatal HIV living in Sweden, and to investigate the relationship between these two factors in the same infection group. In a cross-sectional nationwide survey, HIV-related stigma was measured with the 8-item HIV Stigma Scale for Children. HRQoL was measured with the 37-item DISABKIDS Chronic Generic Module. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the relationship between HIV-related stigma and HRQoL. Fifty-eight children participated, age 9-18 years (mean = 13.9). The HIV stigma general scale showed a mean score of 17.6 (SD = 5.0; possible range 8-32). DISABKIDS Chronic Generic Module general scale showed a mean score of 80.7 (SD = 14.1; possible range 0-100). HIV-related stigma was negatively associated with HRQoL (standardized β = -0.790, p = .017). The results indicate that children's concerns related to disclosure of their HIV infection seem to be common (i.e. 75% agreed) which, together with the negative association between ratings of HIV-relatively stigma and HRQoL, might indicate that disclosure concerns would be a relevant target for interventions to decrease HIV-related stigma and increase HRQoL.

Compact objects at the heart of outflows in large and small systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sell, Paul Harrison

2013-12-01

This thesis focuses on studying and assessing high-energy feedback generated by both stellar mass and supermassive compact objects. From these two perspectives, I help bridge the gap in understanding how jets and winds can transform their much larger environments in thousands to millions of years, astronomically short timescales. I have acquired X-ray and optical data that aim to elucidate the role these objects play in powering parsec-scale shockwaves in the ISM and in driving kiloparsec-scale outflows in galaxies. I present Chandra X-ray imaging, Hubble Space Telescope imaging, and WIYN Hydra multi-object optical spectroscopic observations. The data reveal the morphologies of the systems and constrain on a range of interesting parameters: power, outflow velocity, density, accretion efficiency, and timescale. My analysis provides perspective on the importance of black holes, both large and small, and neutron stars for driving outflows into the interstellar and intergalactic medium. On kiloparsec scales, I explore the nature of what appear to be merging or recently merging post-starburst galaxies with very high-velocity winds. This work is part of a multiwavelength effort to characterize the niche these galaxies fill in the larger scheme of galaxy evolution. My focus is on the accretion activity of the coalescing supermassive black holes in their cores. This work leads us to compare the relative importance of a massive starburst to the supermassive black holes in the cores of the galaxies. On parsec scales, I present case studies of two prominent microquasars, Galactic X-ray binaries with jets, Circinus X-1 and Cygnus X-1. In the case of Circinus X-1, I present very deep follow-up observations of parsec-scale shock plumes driven by a powerful, bipolar jet. In the case of Cygnus X-1, I present follow-up observations to probe a recently discovered outflow near the binary. I calculate robust, physically motivated limits on the total power needed to drive the outflows in both of these systems.

Unsupervised and self-mapping category formation and semantic object recognition for mobile robot vision used in an actual environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madokoro, H.; Tsukada, M.; Sato, K.

2013-07-01

This paper presents an unsupervised learning-based object category formation and recognition method for mobile robot vision. Our method has the following features: detection of feature points and description of features using a scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT), selection of target feature points using one class support vector machines (OC-SVMs), generation of visual words using self-organizing maps (SOMs), formation of labels using adaptive resonance theory 2 (ART-2), and creation and classification of categories on a category map of counter propagation networks (CPNs) for visualizing spatial relations between categories. Classification results of dynamic images using time-series images obtained using two different-size robots and according to movements respectively demonstrate that our method can visualize spatial relations of categories while maintaining time-series characteristics. Moreover, we emphasize the effectiveness of our method for category formation of appearance changes of objects.

Parametric embedding for class visualization.

PubMed

Iwata, Tomoharu; Saito, Kazumi; Ueda, Naonori; Stromsten, Sean; Griffiths, Thomas L; Tenenbaum, Joshua B

2007-09-01

We propose a new method, parametric embedding (PE), that embeds objects with the class structure into a low-dimensional visualization space. PE takes as input a set of class conditional probabilities for given data points and tries to preserve the structure in an embedding space by minimizing a sum of Kullback-Leibler divergences, under the assumption that samples are generated by a gaussian mixture with equal covariances in the embedding space. PE has many potential uses depending on the source of the input data, providing insight into the classifier's behavior in supervised, semisupervised, and unsupervised settings. The PE algorithm has a computational advantage over conventional embedding methods based on pairwise object relations since its complexity scales with the product of the number of objects and the number of classes. We demonstrate PE by visualizing supervised categorization of Web pages, semisupervised categorization of digits, and the relations of words and latent topics found by an unsupervised algorithm, latent Dirichlet allocation.

The Achievement of Therapeutic Objectives Scale: Interrater Reliability and Sensitivity to Change in Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy and Cognitive Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valen, Jakob; Ryum, Truls; Svartberg, Martin; Stiles, Tore C.; McCullough, Leigh

2011-01-01

This study examined interrater reliability and sensitivity to change of the Achievement of Therapeutic Objectives Scale (ATOS; McCullough, Larsen, et al., 2003) in short-term dynamic psychotherapy (STDP) and cognitive therapy (CT). The ATOS is a process scale originally developed to assess patients' achievements of treatment objectives in STDP,…

Relationship between Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-second version and psychiatric disorders in youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions in Switzerland.

PubMed

Leenarts, L E W; Dölitzsch, C; Schmeck, K; Fegert, J M; Grisso, T; Schmid, M

2016-09-30

There is growing evidence that it is important to have well-standardized procedures for identifying the mental health needs of youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions. One of the most widely used tools for mental health screening in the juvenile justice system is the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-second version (MAYSI-2). To contribute to the body of research examining the utility of the MAYSI-2 as a mental health screening tool; the first objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between the MAYSI-2 and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) in a sample of Swiss youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions using a cross-sectional design. Secondly, as the sample was drawn from the French-, German- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland, the three languages were represented in the total sample and consequently differences between the language regions were analyzed as well. The third objective was to examine gender differences in this relationship. Participants were 297 boys and 149 girls (mean age = 16.2, SD = 2.5) recruited from 64 youth welfare and juvenile justice institutions in Switzerland. The MAYSI-2 was used to screen for mental health or behavioral problems that could require further evaluation. Psychiatric classification was based on the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to predict (cluster of) psychiatric disorders from MAYSI-2 scales. The regression analyses revealed that the MAYSI-2 scales generally related well to their corresponding homotypic (cluster of) psychiatric disorders. For example, the alcohol/drug use scale identified the presence of any substance use disorder and the suicide ideation scale identified youths reporting suicide ideation or suicide attempts. Several MAYSI-2 scales were also related to heterotypic (cluster of) psychiatric disorders. For example, the MAYSI-2 scale alcohol/drug use, was positively related to any disruptive disorder. Furthermore, the results revealed gender differences in the relationship between the MAYSI-2 and K-SADS-PL (e.g., in the boys' subsample no MAYSI-2 scale was significantly related to any affective disorder; whereas, in the girls' subsample the MAYSI-2 scales depressed-anxious and somatic complaints were significantly related to any affective disorder). Overall, The MAYSI-2 seems to serve well as a first-stage screen to identify service needs for youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions in Switzerland. Its effectiveness to identify the presence of (cluster of) psychiatric disorders differs between genders.

Internal Lymphedema Correlates with Subjective and Objective Measures of Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Jackson, Leanne K; Ridner, Sheila H; Deng, Jie; Bartow, Carmin; Mannion, Kyle; Niermann, Ken; Gilbert, Jill; Dietrich, Mary S; Cmelak, Anthony J; Murphy, Barbara A

2016-09-01

Tumor/treatment-related internal lymphedema (IL) and/or external lymphedema (EL) are associated with functional deficits and increased symptom burden in head and neck cancer patients (HNCP). Previously, we noted association between EL/IL and patient-reported dysphagia using the Vanderbilt Head and Neck Symptom Survey (VHNSS) version 1.0. To determine the relationship between IL/EL and subjective and objective measures of swallowing function. Eighty-one HNCP completed: (1) VHNSS version 2.0, including 13 swallowing/nutrition-related questions grouped into three clusters: swallow solids (ss), swallow liquids (sl), and nutrition(nt); (2) physical assessment of EL using Foldi scale; (3) endoscopic assessment of IL using Patterson scale (n = 56); and (4) modified barium swallow study rated by dysphagia outcome and severity scale (DOSS) and in conjunction with a swallow evaluation by National Outcomes Measurement System (NOMS). Examinations were performed at varied time points to assess lymphedema spectrum, from baseline (n = 15, 18.1%) to 18 months post-therapy (n = 20, 24.1%). VHNSS swallow/nutrition items scores correlated with NOMS/DOSS ratings (p < 0.001). Highest correlation was with NOMS: ss (-0.73); sl (-0.61); nt (-0.56). VHNSS swallow/nutrition scores correlated with maximum grade of swelling for any single structure on Patterson scale: ss (0.43; p = 0.001); sl (0.38; p = 0.004); nt (0.41; p = 0.002). IL of aryepiglottic/pharyngoepiglottic folds, epiglottis, and pyriform sinus were most strongly correlated with VHNSS and NOMS ratings. NOMS/DOSS ratings correlated with EL (> = -0.34; p < 0.01). No meaningful correlations exist between VHNSS swallow/nutrition items and EL (< ± 0.15, p > 0.20). IL correlated with subjective and objective measures of swallow dysfunction. Longitudinal analysis of trajectory and impact of IL/EL on dysphagia is ongoing.

Children of psychotic mothers. An evaluation of 1-year-olds on a test of object permanence.

PubMed

Gamer, E; Gallant, D; Grunebaum, H

1976-03-01

Fifteen 1-year-old infants at high risk for later psychopathologic behavior were tested on the Piaget Object Scale. Their performance was compared to that of a matched group of controls at low risk. Results indicate a trend in the high-risk group toward lowered object scale performance. Affective styles were found to vary between the groups. The high-risk infants, particularly those with low scores on the object scale, demonstrated more intense anxiety.

Do massive compact objects without event horizon exist in infinite derivative gravity?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koshelev, Alexey S.; Mazumdar, Anupam

2017-10-01

Einstein's general theory of relativity is plagued by cosmological and black-hole type singularities Recently, it has been shown that infinite derivative, ghost free, gravity can yield nonsingular cosmological and mini-black hole solutions. In particular, the theory possesses a mass-gap determined by the scale of new physics. This paper provides a plausible argument, not a no-go theorem, based on the Area-law of gravitational entropy that within infinite derivative, ghost free, gravity nonsingular compact objects in the static limit need not have horizons.

The promise and limitations of cash transfer programs for HIV prevention.

PubMed

Fieno, John; Leclerc-Madlala, Suzanne

2014-01-01

As the search for more effective HIV prevention strategies continues, increased attention is being paid to the potential role of cash transfers in prevention programming in sub-Saharan Africa. To date, studies testing the impact of both conditional and unconditional cash transfers on HIV-related behaviours and outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa have been relatively small-scale and their potential feasibility, costs and benefits at scale, among other things, remain largely unexplored. This article examines elements of a successful cash transfer program from Latin America and discusses challenges inherent in scaling-up such programs. The authors attempt a cost simulation of a cash transfer program for HIV prevention in South Africa comparing its cost and relative effectiveness--in number of HIV infections averted--against other prevention interventions. If a cash transfer program were to be taken to scale, the intervention would not have a substantial effect on decreasing the force of the epidemic in middle- and low-income countries. The integration of cash transfer programs into other sectors and linking them to a broader objective such as girls' educational attainment may be one way of addressing doubts raised by the authors regarding their value for HIV prevention.

Genome-wide Linkage Scan of Antisocial Behavior, Depression and Impulsive Substance Use in the UCSF Family Alcoholism Study

PubMed Central

Gizer, Ian R.; Ehlers, Cindy L.; Vieten, Cassandra; Feiler, Heidi S.; Gilder, David A.; Wilhelmsen, Kirk C.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE Epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that rates of antisocial behavior, depression, and impulsive substance use are increased among individuals diagnosed with alcohol dependence relative to those who are not. Thus, the present study conducted genome-wide linkage scans of antisocial behavior, depression, and impulsive substance use in the University of California at San Francisco Family Alcoholism Study. METHODS Antisocial behavior, depressive symptoms, and impulsive substance use were assessed using three scales from the MMPI-2, the Antisocial Practices content scale (ASP), the Depression content scale (DEP), and the revised MacAndrew Alcoholism scale (MAC-R). Linkage analyses were conducted using a variance components approach. RESULTS Suggestive evidence of linkage to three genomic regions independent of alcohol and cannabis dependence diagnostic status was observed: the ASP scale showed evidence of linkage to chromosome 13 at 11 cM, the MAC-R scale showed evidence of linkage to chromosome 15 at 47 cM, and all 3 scales showed evidence of linkage to chromosome 17 at 57–58 cM. CONCLUSIONS Each of these regions has shown prior evidence of linkage and association to substance dependence as well as other psychiatric disorders such as mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, and schizophrenia thus suggesting potentially broad relations between these regions and psychopathology. PMID:22517380

Soil organic matter dynamics and CO2 fluxes in relation to landscape scale processes: linking process understanding to regional scale carbon mass-balances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Oost, Kristof; Nadeu, Elisabet; Wiaux, François; Wang, Zhengang; Stevens, François; Vanclooster, Marnik; Tran, Anh; Bogaert, Patrick; Doetterl, Sebastian; Lambot, Sébastien; Van wesemael, Bas

2014-05-01

In this paper, we synthesize the main outcomes of a collaborative project (2009-2014) initiated at the UCL (Belgium). The main objective of the project was to increase our understanding of soil organic matter dynamics in complex landscapes and use this to improve predictions of regional scale soil carbon balances. In a first phase, the project characterized the emergent spatial variability in soil organic matter storage and key soil properties at the regional scale. Based on the integration of remote sensing, geomorphological and soil analysis techniques, we quantified the temporal and spatial variability of soil carbon stock and pool distribution at the local and regional scales. This work showed a linkage between lateral fluxes of C in relation with sediment transport and the spatial variation in carbon storage at multiple spatial scales. In a second phase, the project focused on characterizing key controlling factors and process interactions at the catena scale. In-situ experiments of soil CO2 respiration showed that the soil carbon response at the catena scale was spatially heterogeneous and was mainly controlled by the catenary variation of soil physical attributes (soil moisture, temperature, C quality). The hillslope scale characterization relied on advanced hydrogeophysical techniques such as GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar), EMI (Electromagnetic induction), ERT (Electrical Resistivity Tomography), and geophysical inversion and data mining tools. Finally, we report on the integration of these insights into a coupled and spatially explicit model and its application. Simulations showed that C stocks and redistribution of mass and energy fluxes are closely coupled, they induce structured spatial and temporal patterns with non negligible attached uncertainties. We discuss the main outcomes of these activities in relation to sink-source behavior and relevance of erosion processes for larger-scale C budgets.

Work-related measures of Physical and Behavioral Health Function: Test-Retest Reliability

PubMed Central

Marino, Molly Elizabeth; Meterko, Mark; Marfeo, Elizabeth E.; McDonough, Christine M.; Jette, Alan M.; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Rasch, Elizabeth K.; Brandt, Diane E.; Chan, Leighton

2015-01-01

Background The Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for potential use by the US Social Security Administration to assess work-related function, currently consists of five multi-item scales assessing physical function and four multi-item scales assessing behavioral health function; the WD-FAB scales are administered as Computerized Adaptive Tests (CATs). Objective The goal of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the WD-FAB Physical Function and Behavioral Health CATs. Methods We administered the WD-FAB scales twice, 7–10 days apart, to a sample of 376 working age adults and 316 adults with work-disability. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to measure the consistency of the scores between the two administrations. Standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC90) were also calculated to measure the scales precision and sensitivity. Results For the Physical Function CAT scales, the ICCs ranged from 0.76–0.89 in the working age adult sample, and 0.77–0.86 in the sample of adults with work-disability. ICCs for the Behavioral Health CAT scales ranged from 0.66–0.70 in the working age adult sample, and 0.77–0.80 in the adults with work-disability. The SEM ranged from 3.25–4.55 for the Physical Function scales and 5.27–6.97 for the Behavioral Health function scales. For all scales in both samples, the MDC90 ranged from 7.58–16.27. Conclusion Both the Physical Function and Behavioral Health CATs of the WD-FAB demonstrated good test-retest reliability in adults with work-disability and general adult samples, a critical requirement for assessing work related functioning in disability applicants and in other contexts. PMID:25991419

Large-eddy Simulation of Stratocumulus-topped Atmospheric Boundary Layers with Dynamic Subgrid-scale Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Senocak, Inane

2003-01-01

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the dynamic procedure in LES of stratocumulus topped atmospheric boundary layer and assess the relative importance of subgrid-scale modeling, cloud microphysics and radiation modeling on the predictions. The simulations will also be used to gain insight into the processes leading to cloud top entrainment instability and cloud breakup. In this report we document the governing equations, numerical schemes and physical models that are employed in the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model (GCEM3D). We also present the subgrid-scale dynamic procedures that have been implemented in the GCEM3D code for the purpose of the present study.

Computing multiple aggregation levels and contextual features for road facilities recognition using mobile laser scanning data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Bisheng; Dong, Zhen; Liu, Yuan; Liang, Fuxun; Wang, Yongjun

2017-04-01

In recent years, updating the inventory of road infrastructures based on field work is labor intensive, time consuming, and costly. Fortunately, vehicle-based mobile laser scanning (MLS) systems provide an efficient solution to rapidly capture three-dimensional (3D) point clouds of road environments with high flexibility and precision. However, robust recognition of road facilities from huge volumes of 3D point clouds is still a challenging issue because of complicated and incomplete structures, occlusions and varied point densities. Most existing methods utilize point or object based features to recognize object candidates, and can only extract limited types of objects with a relatively low recognition rate, especially for incomplete and small objects. To overcome these drawbacks, this paper proposes a semantic labeling framework by combing multiple aggregation levels (point-segment-object) of features and contextual features to recognize road facilities, such as road surfaces, road boundaries, buildings, guardrails, street lamps, traffic signs, roadside-trees, power lines, and cars, for highway infrastructure inventory. The proposed method first identifies ground and non-ground points, and extracts road surfaces facilities from ground points. Non-ground points are segmented into individual candidate objects based on the proposed multi-rule region growing method. Then, the multiple aggregation levels of features and the contextual features (relative positions, relative directions, and spatial patterns) associated with each candidate object are calculated and fed into a SVM classifier to label the corresponding candidate object. The recognition performance of combining multiple aggregation levels and contextual features was compared with single level (point, segment, or object) based features using large-scale highway scene point clouds. Comparative studies demonstrated that the proposed semantic labeling framework significantly improves road facilities recognition precision (90.6%) and recall (91.2%), particularly for incomplete and small objects.

Taking a Hands-On Approach: Apparent Grasping Ability Scales the Perception of Object Size

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linkenauger, Sally A.; Witt, Jessica K.; Proffitt, Dennis R.

2011-01-01

We examined whether the apparent size of an object is scaled to the morphology of the relevant body part with which one intends to act on it. To be specific, we tested if the visually perceived size of graspable objects is scaled to the extent of apparent grasping ability for the individual. Previous research has shown that right-handed…

From proactive personality to organizational citizenship behavior: mediating role of harmony.

PubMed

Gan, Yiqun; Cheung, Fanny M

2010-06-01

The objective of the present study was to examine the moderating role of interpersonal harmony in the relation of proactive personality with organizational citizenship behavior. 158 employees in Chinese state-owned companies completed the Proactive Personality Scale (Bateman & Crant, 1993), Harmony scale, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior Questionnaire. Proactive personality had insignificant correlation with job dedication. The correlation between interpersonal facilitation and proactive personality was significant but quite low. Results of the hierarchical regression analyses indicated that when demographic variables were controlled, Harmony had significant moderating effects on the relations of proactive behavior and job dedication/interpersonal facilitation. In the high Harmony group, the correlation between proactive personality and organizational citizenship behavior was significant; whereas in the low Harmony group, this correlation was not significant.

FR-type radio sources in COSMOS: relation of radio structure to size, accretion modes and large-scale environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vardoulaki, Eleni; Faustino Jimenez Andrade, Eric; Delvecchio, Ivan; Karim, Alexander; Smolčić, Vernesa; Magnelli, Benjamin; Bertoldi, Frank; Schinnener, Eva; Sargent, Mark; Finoguenov, Alexis; VLA COSMOS Team

2018-01-01

The radio sources associated with active galactic nuclei (AGN) can exhibit a variety of radio structures, from simple to more complex, giving rise to a variety of classification schemes. The question which still remains open, given deeper surveys revealing new populations of radio sources, is whether this plethora of radio structures can be attributed to the physical properties of the host or to the environment. Here we present an analysis on the radio structure of radio-selected AGN from the VLA-COSMOS Large Project at 3 GHz (JVLA-COSMOS; Smolčić et al.) in relation to: 1) their linear projected size, 2) the Eddington ratio, and 3) the environment their hosts lie within. We classify these as FRI (jet-like) and FRII (lobe-like) based on the FR-type classification scheme, and compare them to a sample of jet-less radio AGN in JVLA-COSMOS. We measure their linear projected sizes using a semi-automatic machine learning technique. Their Eddington ratios are calculated from X-ray data available for COSMOS. As environmental probes we take the X-ray groups (hundreds kpc) and the density fields (~Mpc-scale) in COSMOS. We find that FRII radio sources are on average larger than FRIs, which agrees with literature. But contrary to past studies, we find no dichotomy in FR objects in JVLA-COSMOS given their Eddington ratios, as on average they exhibit similar values. Furthermore our results show that the large-scale environment does not explain the observed dichotomy in lobe- and jet-like FR-type objects as both types are found on similar environments, but it does affect the shape of the radio structure introducing bents for objects closer to the centre of an X-ray group.

Zooming into local active galactic nuclei: the power of combining SDSS-IV MaNGA with higher resolution integral field unit observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wylezalek, Dominika; Schnorr Müller, Allan; Zakamska, Nadia L.; Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa; Greene, Jenny E.; Müller-Sánchez, Francisco; Kelly, Michael; Liu, Guilin; Law, David R.; Barrera-Ballesteros, Jorge K.; Riffel, Rogemar A.; Thomas, Daniel

2017-05-01

Ionized gas outflows driven by active galactic nuclei (AGN) are ubiquitous in high-luminosity AGN with outflow speeds apparently correlated with the total bolometric luminosity of the AGN. This empirical relation and theoretical work suggest that in the range Lbol ˜ 1043-45 erg s-1 there must exist a threshold luminosity above which the AGN becomes powerful enough to launch winds that will be able to escape the galaxy potential. In this paper, we present pilot observations of two AGN in this transitional range that were taken with the Gemini North Multi-Object Spectrograph integral field unit (IFU). Both sources have also previously been observed within the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-IV (SDSS) Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey. While the MaNGA IFU maps probe the gas fields on galaxy-wide scales and show that some regions are dominated by AGN ionization, the new Gemini IFU data zoom into the centre with four times better spatial resolution. In the object with the lower Lbol we find evidence of a young or stalled biconical AGN-driven outflow where none was obvious at the MaNGA resolution. In the object with the higher Lbol we trace the large-scale biconical outflow into the nuclear region and connect the outflow from small to large scales. These observations suggest that AGN luminosity and galaxy potential are crucial in shaping wind launching and propagation in low-luminosity AGN. The transition from small and young outflows to galaxy-wide feedback can only be understood by combining large-scale IFU data that trace the galaxy velocity field with higher resolution, small-scale IFU maps.

FACTOR ANALYSIS OF A SOCIAL SKILLS SCALE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

PubMed

Wang, H-Y; Lin, C-K

2015-10-01

The objective of this study was to develop a social skills scale for high school students in Taiwan. This study adopted stratified random sampling. A total of 1,729 high school students were included. The students ranged in age from 16 to 18 years. A Social Skills Scale was developed for this study and was designed for classroom teachers to fill out. The test-retest reliability of this scale was tested by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine construct validity. The Social Skills Scale had good overall test-retest reliability of .92, and the internal consistency of the five subscales was above .90. The results of the factor analysis showed that the Social Skills Scale covered the five domains of classroom learning skills, communication skills, individual initiative skills, interaction skills, and job-related social skills, and the five factors explained 68.34% of the variance. Thus, the Social Skills Scale had good reliability and validity and would be applicable to and could be promoted for use in schools.

Can I Count on Getting Better? Association between Math Anxiety and Poorer Understanding of Medical Risk Reductions.

PubMed

Rolison, Jonathan J; Morsanyi, Kinga; O'Connor, Patrick A

2016-10-01

Lower numerical ability is associated with poorer understanding of health statistics, such as risk reductions of medical treatment. For many people, despite good numeracy skills, math provokes anxiety that impedes an ability to evaluate numerical information. Math-anxious individuals also report less confidence in their ability to perform math tasks. We hypothesized that, independent of objective numeracy, math anxiety would be associated with poorer responding and lower confidence when calculating risk reductions of medical treatments. Objective numeracy was assessed using an 11-item objective numeracy scale. A 13-item self-report scale was used to assess math anxiety. In experiment 1, participants were asked to interpret the baseline risk of disease and risk reductions associated with treatment options. Participants in experiment 2 were additionally provided a graphical display designed to facilitate the processing of math information and alleviate effects of math anxiety. Confidence ratings were provided on a 7-point scale. Individuals of higher objective numeracy were more likely to respond correctly to baseline risks and risk reductions associated with treatment options and were more confident in their interpretations. Individuals who scored high in math anxiety were instead less likely to correctly interpret the baseline risks and risk reductions and were less confident in their risk calculations as well as in their assessments of the effectiveness of treatment options. Math anxiety predicted confidence levels but not correct responding when controlling for objective numeracy. The graphical display was most effective in increasing confidence among math-anxious individuals. The findings suggest that math anxiety is associated with poorer medical risk interpretation but is more strongly related to confidence in interpretations. © The Author(s) 2015.

Ball-scale based hierarchical multi-object recognition in 3D medical images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bağci, Ulas; Udupa, Jayaram K.; Chen, Xinjian

2010-03-01

This paper investigates, using prior shape models and the concept of ball scale (b-scale), ways of automatically recognizing objects in 3D images without performing elaborate searches or optimization. That is, the goal is to place the model in a single shot close to the right pose (position, orientation, and scale) in a given image so that the model boundaries fall in the close vicinity of object boundaries in the image. This is achieved via the following set of key ideas: (a) A semi-automatic way of constructing a multi-object shape model assembly. (b) A novel strategy of encoding, via b-scale, the pose relationship between objects in the training images and their intensity patterns captured in b-scale images. (c) A hierarchical mechanism of positioning the model, in a one-shot way, in a given image from a knowledge of the learnt pose relationship and the b-scale image of the given image to be segmented. The evaluation results on a set of 20 routine clinical abdominal female and male CT data sets indicate the following: (1) Incorporating a large number of objects improves the recognition accuracy dramatically. (2) The recognition algorithm can be thought as a hierarchical framework such that quick replacement of the model assembly is defined as coarse recognition and delineation itself is known as finest recognition. (3) Scale yields useful information about the relationship between the model assembly and any given image such that the recognition results in a placement of the model close to the actual pose without doing any elaborate searches or optimization. (4) Effective object recognition can make delineation most accurate.

Size-weight illusion and anticipatory grip force scaling following unilateral cortical brain lesion.

PubMed

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

2011-04-01

The prediction of object weight from its size is an important prerequisite of skillful object manipulation. Grip and load forces anticipate object size during early phases of lifting an object. A mismatch between predicted and actual weight when two different sized objects have the same weight results in the size-weight illusion (SWI), the small object feeling heavier. This study explores whether lateralized brain lesions in patients with or without apraxia alter the size-weight illusion and impair anticipatory finger force scaling. Twenty patients with left brain damage (LBD, 10 with apraxia, 10 without apraxia), ten patients with right brain damage (RBD), and matched control subjects lifted two different-sized boxes in alternation. All subjects experienced a similar size-weight illusion. The anticipatory force scaling of all groups was in correspondence with the size cue: higher forces and force rates were applied to the big box and lower forces and force rates to the small box during the first lifts. Within few lifts, forces were scaled to actual object weight. Despite the lack of significant differences at group level, 5 out of 20 LBD patients showed abnormal predictive scaling of grip forces. They differed from the LBD patients with normal predictive scaling by a greater incidence of posterior occipito-parietal lesions but not by a greater incidence of apraxia. The findings do not support a more general role for the motor-dominant left hemisphere, or an influence of apraxia per se, in the scaling of finger force according to object properties. However, damage in the vicinity of the parietal-occipital junction may be critical for deriving predictions of weight from size. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the Risk Posed by Potential Earth Impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesley, Steven R.; Chodas, Paul W.; Milani, Andrea; Valsecchi, Giovanni B.; Yeomans, Donald K.

2002-10-01

Predictions of future potential Earth impacts by near-Earth objects (NEOs) have become commonplace in recent years, and the rate of these detections is likely to accelerate as asteroid survey efforts continue to mature. In order to conveniently compare and categorize the numerous potential impact solutions being discovered we propose a new hazard scale that will describe the risk posed by a particular potential impact in both absolute and relative terms. To this end, we measure each event in two ways, first without any consideration of the event's time proximity or its significance relative to the so-called background threat, and then in the context of the expected risk from other objects over the intervening years until the impact. This approach is designed principally to facilitate communication among astronomers, and it is not intended for public communication of impact risks. The scale characterizes impacts across all impact energies, probabilities and dates, and it is useful, in particular, when dealing with those cases which fall below the threshold of public interest. The scale also reflects the urgency of the situation in a natural way and thus can guide specialists in assessing the computational and observational effort appropriate for a given situation. In this paper we describe the metrics introduced, and we give numerous examples of their application. This enables us to establish in rough terms the levels at which events become interesting to various parties.

Optimal Information Extraction of Laser Scanning Dataset by Scale-Adaptive Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zang, Y.; Yang, B.

2018-04-01

3D laser technology is widely used to collocate the surface information of object. For various applications, we need to extract a good perceptual quality point cloud from the scanned points. To solve the problem, most of existing methods extract important points based on a fixed scale. However, geometric features of 3D object come from various geometric scales. We propose a multi-scale construction method based on radial basis function. For each scale, important points are extracted from the point cloud based on their importance. We apply a perception metric Just-Noticeable-Difference to measure degradation of each geometric scale. Finally, scale-adaptive optimal information extraction is realized. Experiments are undertaken to evaluate the effective of the proposed method, suggesting a reliable solution for optimal information extraction of object.

Scaling of human body composition to stature: new insights into body mass index 123

PubMed Central

Heymsfield, Steven B; Gallagher, Dympna; Mayer, Laurel; Beetsch, Joel; Pietrobelli, Angelo

2009-01-01

Background Although Quetelet first reported in 1835 that adult weight scales to the square of stature, limited or no information is available on how anatomical body compartments, including adipose tissue (AT), scale to height. Objective We examined the critical underlying assumptions of adiposity–body mass index (BMI) relations and extended these analyses to major anatomical compartments: skeletal muscle (SM), bone, residual mass, weight (AT+SM+bone), AT-free mass, and organs (liver, brain). Design This was a cross-sectional analysis of 2 body-composition databases: one including magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) estimates of evaluated components in adults (total n = 411; organs = 76) and the other a larger DXA database (n = 1346) that included related estimates of fat, fat-free mass, and bone mineral mass. Results Weight, primary lean components (SM, residual mass, AT-free mass, and fat-free mass), and liver scaled to height with powers of ≈2 (all P < 0.001); bone and bone mineral mass scaled to height with powers > 2 (2.31–2.48), and the fraction of weight as bone mineral mass was significantly (P < 0.001) correlated with height in women. AT scaled weakly to height with powers of ≈2, and adiposity was independent of height. Brain mass scaled to height with a power of 0.83 (P = 0.04) in men and nonsignificantly in women; the fraction of weight as brain was inversely related to height in women (P = 0.002). Conclusions These observations suggest that short and tall subjects with equivalent BMIs have similar but not identical body composition, provide new insights into earlier BMI-related observations and thus establish a foundation for height-normalized indexes, and create an analytic framework for future studies. PMID:17616766

Incorporating Green Infrastructure into Water Resources Management Plans to Address Water Quality Impairments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piscopo, A. N.; Detenbeck, N. E.

2017-12-01

Managers of urban watersheds with excessive nutrient loads are more frequently turning to green infrastructure (GI) to manage their water quality impairments. The effectiveness of GI is dependent on a number of factors, including (1) the type and placement of GI within the watershed, (2) the specific nutrients to be treated, and (3) the uncertainty in future climates. Although many studies have investigated the effectiveness of individual GI units for different types of nutrients, relatively few have considered the effectiveness of GI on a watershed scale, the scale most relevant to management plans. At the watershed scale, endless combinations of GI type and location are possible, each with different effectiveness in reducing nutrient loads, minimizing costs, and maximizing co-benefits such as reducing runoff. To efficiently generate management plan options that balance the tradeoffs between these objectives, we simulate candidate options using EPA's Stormwater Management Model for multiple future climates and determine the Pareto optimal set of solution options using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. Our approach is demonstrated for an urban watershed in Rockville, Maryland.

Analysis of the Yukawa gravitational potential in f (R ) gravity. II. Relativistic periastron advance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Laurentis, Mariafelicia; De Martino, Ivan; Lazkoz, Ruth

2018-05-01

Alternative theories of gravity may serve to overcome several shortcomings of the standard cosmological model but, in their weak field limit, general relativity must be recovered so as to match the tight constraints at the Solar System scale. Therefore, testing such alternative models at scales of stellar systems could give a unique opportunity to confirm or rule them out. One of the most straightforward modifications is represented by analytical f (R )-gravity models that introduce a Yukawa-like modification to the Newtonian potential thus modifying the dynamics of particles. Using the geodesics equations, we have illustrated the amplitude of these modifications. First, we have integrated numerically the equations of motion showing the orbital precession of a particle around a massive object. Second, we have computed an analytic expression for the periastron advance of systems having their semimajor axis much shorter than the Yukawa-scale length. Finally, we have extended our results to the case of a binary system composed of two massive objects. Our analysis provides a powerful tool to obtain constraints on the underlying theory of gravity using current and forthcoming data sets.

A distance-limited sample of massive molecular outflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maud, L. T.; Moore, T. J. T.; Lumsden, S. L.; Mottram, J. C.; Urquhart, J. S.; Hoare, M. G.

2015-10-01

We have observed 99 mid-infrared-bright, massive young stellar objects and compact H II regions drawn from the Red MSX source survey in the J = 3-2 transition of 12CO and 13CO, using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. 89 targets are within 6 kpc of the Sun, covering a representative range of luminosities and core masses. These constitute a relatively unbiased sample of bipolar molecular outflows associated with massive star formation. Of these, 59, 17 and 13 sources (66, 19 and 15 per cent) are found to have outflows, show some evidence of outflow, and have no evidence of outflow, respectively. The time-dependent parameters of the high-velocity molecular flows are calculated using a spatially variable dynamic time-scale. The canonical correlations between the outflow parameters and source luminosity are recovered and shown to scale with those of low-mass sources. For coeval star formation, we find the scaling is consistent with all the protostars in an embedded cluster providing the outflow force, with massive stars up to ˜30 M⊙ generating outflows. Taken at face value, the results support the model of a scaled-up version of the accretion-related outflow-generation mechanism associated with discs and jets in low-mass objects with time-averaged accretion rates of ˜10-3 M⊙ yr-1 on to the cores. However, we also suggest an alternative model, in which the molecular outflow dynamics are dominated by the entrained mass and are unrelated to the details of the acceleration mechanism. We find no evidence that outflows contribute significantly to the turbulent kinetic energy of the surrounding dense cores.

Integration of multi-disciplinary geospatial data for delineating agroecosystem uniform management zones.

PubMed

Liu, Huanjun; Huffman, Ted; Liu, Jiangui; Li, Zhe; Daneshfar, Bahram; Zhang, Xinle

2015-01-01

Understanding agricultural ecosystems and their complex interactions with the environment is important for improving agricultural sustainability and environmental protection. Developing the necessary understanding requires approaches that integrate multi-source geospatial data and interdisciplinary relationships at different spatial scales. In order to identify and delineate landscape units representing relatively homogenous biophysical properties and eco-environmental functions at different spatial scales, a hierarchical system of uniform management zones (UMZ) is proposed. The UMZ hierarchy consists of seven levels of units at different spatial scales, namely site-specific, field, local, regional, country, continent, and globe. Relatively few studies have focused on the identification of the two middle levels of units in the hierarchy, namely the local UMZ (LUMZ) and the regional UMZ (RUMZ), which prevents true eco-environmental studies from being carried out across the full range of scales. This study presents a methodology to delineate LUMZ and RUMZ spatial units using land cover, soil, and remote sensing data. A set of objective criteria were defined and applied to evaluate the within-zone homogeneity and between-zone separation of the delineated zones. The approach was applied in a farming and forestry region in southeastern Ontario, Canada, and the methodology was shown to be objective, flexible, and applicable with commonly available spatial data. The hierarchical delineation of UMZs can be used as a tool to organize the spatial structure of agricultural landscapes, to understand spatial relationships between cropping practices and natural resources, and to target areas for application of specific environmental process models and place-based policy interventions.

The PedsQL multidimensional fatigue scale in pediatric obesity: feasibility, reliability and validity.

PubMed

Varni, James W; Limbers, Christine A; Bryant, William P; Wilson, Don P

2010-01-01

The PedsQL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory) is a modular instrument designed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and disease-specific symptoms in children and adolescents. The PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale was designed as a child self-report and parent proxy-report generic symptom-specific instrument to measure fatigue in pediatric patients. The objective of the present study was to determine the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale in pediatric obesity. The 18-item PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (General Fatigue, Sleep/Rest Fatigue, and Cognitive Fatigue domains) and the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales were completed by 41 pediatric patients with a physician-diagnosis of obesity and 43 parents from a hospital-based Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic. The PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale evidenced minimal missing responses (1.6%, child report; 0.5%, parent report), achieved excellent reliability for the Total Fatigue Scale Score (alpha = 0.90 child report, 0.90 parent report), distinguished between pediatric patients with obesity and healthy children, and was significantly correlated with the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales supporting construct validity. Pediatric patients with obesity experienced fatigue comparable with pediatric patients receiving cancer treatment, demonstrating the relative severity of their fatigue symptoms. The results demonstrate the measurement properties of the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale in pediatric obesity. The findings suggest that the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale may be utilized in the standardized evaluation of fatigue in pediatric patients with obesity.

Reframing the action and perception dissociation in DF: haptics matters, but how?

PubMed

Whitwell, Robert L; Buckingham, Gavin

2013-02-01

Goodale and Milner's (1992) "vision-for-action" and "vision-for-perception" account of the division of labor between the dorsal and ventral "streams" has come to dominate contemporary views of the functional roles of these two pathways. Nevertheless, some lines of evidence for the model remain controversial. Recently, Thomas Schenk reexamined visual form agnosic patient DF's spared anticipatory grip scaling to object size, one of the principal empirical pillars of the model. Based on this new evidence, Schenk rejects the original interpretation of DF's spared ability that was based on segregated processing of object size and argues that DF's spared grip scaling relies on haptic feedback to calibrate visual egocentric cues that relate the posture of the hand to the visible edges of the goal-object. However, a careful consideration of the tasks that Schenk employed reveals some problems with his claim. We suspect that the core issues of this controversy will require a closer examination of the role that cognition plays in the operation of the dorsal and ventral streams in healthy controls and in patient DF.

Optimisation and Validation of the ARAMIS Digital Image Correlation System for Use in Large-scale High-strain-rate Events

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

enamel paint. Under extreme plastic deformation, the relative deformation of the coating could cause the coating to separate resulting in loss of...point for one to be found. If a discontinuity, such as a crack , occurs through the object separating speckle pattern, then the strain data will only

Early Alert of Academically At-Risk Students: An Open Source Analytics Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jayaprakash, Sandeep M.; Moody, Erik W.; Lauría, Eitel J. M.; Regan, James R.; Baron, Joshua D.

2014-01-01

The Open Academic Analytics Initiative (OAAI) is a collaborative, multi-year grant program aimed at researching issues related to the scaling up of learning analytics technologies and solutions across all of higher education. The paper describes the goals and objectives of the OAAI, depicts the process and challenges of collecting, organizing and…

Survey of the Importance of Professional Behaviors among Medical Students, Residents, and Attending Physicians

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morreale, Mary K.; Balon, Richard; Arfken, Cynthia L.

2011-01-01

Objective: The authors compared the importance of items related to professional behavior among medical students rotating through their psychiatry clerkship, psychiatry residents, and attending psychiatrists. Method: The authors sent an electronic survey with 43 items (rated on the scale 1: Not at All Important; to 5: Very Important) to medical…

Measurement Properties of Psychosocial and Environmental Measures Associated with Fruit and Vegetable Intake among Middle School Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granner, Michelle L.; Evans, Alexandra E.

2012-01-01

Objective: To assess the measurement properties of several scales modified or created to assess factors related to fruit and vegetable intake within a young adolescent population. Design: Cross-sectional with data collected via self-report. Setting: Data were collected in regularly scheduled classes in the school setting. Participants: African…

Shaken but not stirred: Multiscale habitat suitability modeling of sympatric marten species (Martes martes and Martes foina) in the northern Iberian Peninsula

Treesearch

Maria Vergara; Samuel A. Cushman; Fermin Urra; Aritz Ruiz-Gonzalez

2016-01-01

Multispecies and multiscale habitat suitability models (HSM) are important to identify the environmental variables and scales influencing habitat selection and facilitate the comparison of closely related species with different ecological requirements. Objectives This study explores the multiscale relationships of habitat suitability for the pine (Martes...

Transition from Sensorimotor Stage 5 to Stage 6 by Down Syndrome Children: A Response to Gibson.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mervis, Carolyn B.; Cardoso-Martins, Claudia

1984-01-01

The study compared longitudinally performance of six Down syndrome and six nonretarded children on Object Permanence and Means-Ends Relations Scales. Results indicated that Down syndrome children progressed from Sensorimotor Stage 5 to Stage 6 at the same rate as nonretarded children, once Down's Ss slower developmental pace was considered.…

Maternal Attitudinal Inflexibility: Longitudinal Relations with Mother-Infant Disrupted Interaction and Childhood Hostile-Aggressive Behavior Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Najmi, Sadia; Bureau, Jean-Francois; Chen, Diyu; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen

2009-01-01

Objective: The Personal Attitude Scale (PAS; Hooley, 2000) is a method that is under development for identifying individuals high in Expressed Emotion based on personality traits of inflexibility, intolerance, and norm-forming. In the current study, the goal was to measure the association between this maternal attitudinal inflexibility, early…

Psychometric testing of the modified Care Dependency Scale among hospitalized school-aged children in Germany.

PubMed

Tork, Hanan; Lohrmann, Christa; Dassen, Theo

2008-03-01

The objectives of this study were to examine the psychometric properties of the modified Care Dependency Scale in a pediatric setting and to explore the extent of dependency of school-aged children regarding their self-care. The data were collected from 130 hospitalized children, aged 6-12 years. The reliability was determined by Cronbach's alpha, which showed a high level of consistency. The subsequent inter-rater reliability revealed moderate-to-substantial agreement. The criterion-related validity was tested by comparing the sum scores of the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics and the Visual Analog Scale. Factor analysis was used to investigate the construct validity and resulted in a one-factor solution. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics is a valid and reliable measure that offers a comprehensive assessment from a nursing perspective and enables nurses to help children acquire independence.

Pain perception of children undergoing nasendoscopy for investigation of voice and resonance disorders.

PubMed

Hay, Imogen; Oates, Jennifer; Giannini, Alessandra; Berkowitz, Robert; Rotenberg, Brian

2009-05-01

The primary objective of this descriptive and correlational study was to determine the level of pain and discomfort perceived by children undergoing nasendoscopy for investigation of voice and resonance disorders. The secondary objective was to explore whether gender, age, previous experience of painful or distressing medical procedures, and previous experience of nasendoscopy influenced the perception of pain during nasendoscopy. Twenty-three children self-reported the degree of pain perceived during nasendoscopy using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale. Parents also used this scale to rate their child's perceived pain. Otolaryngologists and speech pathologists rated the intensity and frequency of observed pain-related behaviors using the Child-Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale-Revised and the Procedure Behavior Checklist. Children perceived the procedure, on average, to be moderately painful, as did their parents. Only two children reported perceiving no pain during the procedure. The most frequently observed pain-related behaviors were muscle tension (86.96%), physical resistance (69.57%), requiring physical restraint (60.87%), crying (43.48%), and expressions of verbal pain (39.13%). No significant correlations were found between self-reported pain or observed pain and the variables of age, gender, previous experience of nasendoscopy, and previous experience of painful or distressing medical procedures, although children aged 4-7 years reported significantly more pain than children aged 8-18 years. Most children perceive nasendoscopy to be painful to some degree. This perceived pain occurred in conjunction with several observable pain-related behaviors that have the potential to interfere with the success of the procedure.

THE SAMI GALAXY SURVEY: TOWARD A UNIFIED DYNAMICAL SCALING RELATION FOR GALAXIES OF ALL TYPES

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

Cortese, L.; Glazebrook, K.; Mould, J.

2014-11-10

We take advantage of the first data from the Sydney-AAO Multi-object Integral field Galaxy Survey to investigate the relation between the kinematics of gas and stars, and stellar mass in a comprehensive sample of nearby galaxies. We find that all 235 objects in our sample, regardless of their morphology, lie on a tight relation linking stellar mass (M {sub *}) to internal velocity quantified by the S {sub 0.5} parameter, which combines the contribution of both dispersion (σ) and rotational velocity (V {sub rot}) to the dynamical support of a galaxy (S{sub 0.5}=√(0.5 V{sub rot}{sup 2}+σ{sup 2})). Our results aremore » independent of the baryonic component from which σ and V {sub rot} are estimated, as the S {sub 0.5} of stars and gas agree remarkably well. This represents a significant improvement compared to the canonical M {sub *} versus V {sub rot} and M {sub *} versus σ relations. Not only is no sample pruning necessary, but also stellar and gas kinematics can be used simultaneously, as the effect of asymmetric drift is taken into account once V {sub rot} and σ are combined. Our findings illustrate how the combination of dispersion and rotational velocities for both gas and stars can provide us with a single dynamical scaling relation valid for galaxies of all morphologies across at least the stellar mass range 8.5 « less

Control of fluxes in metabolic networks

PubMed Central

Basler, Georg; Nikoloski, Zoran; Larhlimi, Abdelhalim; Barabási, Albert-László; Liu, Yang-Yu

2016-01-01

Understanding the control of large-scale metabolic networks is central to biology and medicine. However, existing approaches either require specifying a cellular objective or can only be used for small networks. We introduce new coupling types describing the relations between reaction activities, and develop an efficient computational framework, which does not require any cellular objective for systematic studies of large-scale metabolism. We identify the driver reactions facilitating control of 23 metabolic networks from all kingdoms of life. We find that unicellular organisms require a smaller degree of control than multicellular organisms. Driver reactions are under complex cellular regulation in Escherichia coli, indicating their preeminent role in facilitating cellular control. In human cancer cells, driver reactions play pivotal roles in malignancy and represent potential therapeutic targets. The developed framework helps us gain insights into regulatory principles of diseases and facilitates design of engineering strategies at the interface of gene regulation, signaling, and metabolism. PMID:27197218

Self-Inversion of the Image of a Small-Scale Opaque Object in the Process of Focusing of the Illuminating Beam in an Absorbing Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bubis, E. L.; Lozhrkarev, V. V.; Stepanov, A. N.; Smirnov, A. I.; Martynov, V. O.; Mal'shakova, O. A.; Silin, D. E.; Gusev, S. A.

2017-03-01

We describe the process of adaptive self-inversion of an image (nonlinear switching) of smallscale opaque object, when the amplitude-modulated laser beam, which illuminates it, is focused in a weakly absorbing medium. It is shown that, despite the nonlocal character of the process, which is due to thermal nonlinearity, the brightness-inverse image is characterized by acceptable quality and a high conversion coefficient. It is shown that the coefficient of conversion of the original image to the inverse one depends on the ratio of the object dimensions and the size of the illuminating beam, and decreases sharply for relatively large objects. The obtained experimental data agree with the numerical calculations. Inversion of the images of several model objects and microdefects in a nonlinear KDP crystal is demonstrated.

The Familial Risk and HLA Susceptibility among Narcolepsy Patients in Hong Kong Chinese

PubMed Central

Chen, Lei; Fong, S.Y.Y.; Lam, Ching W.; Tang, Nelson L.S.; Ng, Margaret H. L.; Li, Albert M.; Ho, C.K.W.; Cheng, Suk-Hang; Lau, Kin-Mang; Wing, Yun Kwok

2007-01-01

Study Objectives: To explore the familial aggregation and HLA susceptibility of narcolepsy in Hong Kong Chinese by objective sleep measurements and HLA typing. Design: Case control design Participants: Twelve narcoleptic probands, 34 first-degree relatives, and 30 healthy controls. Interventions: N/A Measurements and Results: Each subject underwent a standardized nocturnal polysomnogram (PSG), followed by a daytime multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). HLA typing was performed for all subjects. One relative (2.9%) was diagnosed as suffering from narcolepsy with cataplexy. Nearly 30% of the relatives fulfilled the criteria of narcolepsy spectrum disorder (shortened mean sleep latency [MSL] and/or the presence of sleep onset REM periods [SOREMPs]). When using the population data for comparison, the relative risk of narcolepsy in first-degree relatives was 85.3. The odds ratio of narcolepsy spectrum disorder in first-degree relatives was 5.8 (95% CI: 1.2 – 29.3) when compared to healthy controls. There existed 6 multiplex families, in which all 10 relatives with narcolepsy spectrum disorders, including all 3 relatives with multiple SOREMPs, were positive for HLA DQB1*0602. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a definitive familial aggregation of narcolepsy, narcolepsy spectrum disorders, and possibly cataplexy in Hong Kong Chinese. This familial aggregation supported an inherited basis for narcolepsy spectrum. The tight co-segregation of HLA DQB1*0602 and narcolepsy spectrum disorders might suggest that HLA typing, especially DQB1*0602, at least partly confer the familial risk of narcolepsy. In addition, our study suggested that the subjective questionnaire measurements including Ullanlinna Narcolepsy Scale and Epworth Sleepiness Scale were unable to detect the presence of narcolepsy spectrum disorders among the relatives. A stringent objective measurement-based design for family studies is suggested for future study. Further studies are indicated for the determination of the mode and molecular level of narcolepsy transmission. Citation: Chen L; Fong SYY; Lam CW et al. The familial risk and HLA susceptibility among narcolepsy patients in Hong Kong Chinese. SLEEP 2007;30(7):851-858. PMID:17682655

Full-color digitized holography for large-scale holographic 3D imaging of physical and nonphysical objects.

PubMed

Matsushima, Kyoji; Sonobe, Noriaki

2018-01-01

Digitized holography techniques are used to reconstruct three-dimensional (3D) images of physical objects using large-scale computer-generated holograms (CGHs). The object field is captured at three wavelengths over a wide area at high densities. Synthetic aperture techniques using single sensors are used for image capture in phase-shifting digital holography. The captured object field is incorporated into a virtual 3D scene that includes nonphysical objects, e.g., polygon-meshed CG models. The synthetic object field is optically reconstructed as a large-scale full-color CGH using red-green-blue color filters. The CGH has a wide full-parallax viewing zone and reconstructs a deep 3D scene with natural motion parallax.

New clinical grading scales and objective measurement for conjunctival injection.

PubMed

Park, In Ki; Chun, Yeoun Sook; Kim, Kwang Gi; Yang, Hee Kyung; Hwang, Jeong-Min

2013-08-05

To establish a new clinical grading scale and objective measurement method to evaluate conjunctival injection. Photographs of conjunctival injection with variable ocular diseases in 429 eyes were reviewed. Seventy-three images with concordance by three ophthalmologists were classified into a 4-step and 10-step subjective grading scale, and used as standard photographs. Each image was quantified in four ways: the relative magnitude of the redness component of each red-green-blue (RGB) pixel; two different algorithms based on the occupied area by blood vessels (K-means clustering with LAB color model and contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization [CLAHE] algorithm); and the presence of blood vessel edges, based on the Canny edge-detection algorithm. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were calculated to summarize diagnostic accuracies of the four algorithms. The RGB color model, K-means clustering with LAB color model, and CLAHE algorithm showed good correlation with the clinical 10-step grading scale (R = 0.741, 0.784, 0.919, respectively) and with the clinical 4-step grading scale (R = 0.645, 0.702, 0.838, respectively). The CLAHE method showed the largest AUC, best distinction power (P < 0.001, ANOVA, Bonferroni multiple comparison test), and high reproducibility (R = 0.996). CLAHE algorithm showed the best correlation with the 10-step and 4-step subjective clinical grading scales together with high distinction power and reproducibility. CLAHE algorithm can be a useful for method for assessment of conjunctival injection.

Integrating scales of seagrass monitoring to meet conservation needs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neckles, Hilary A.; Kopp, Blaine S.; Peterson, Bradley J.; Pooler, Penelope S.

2012-01-01

We evaluated a hierarchical framework for seagrass monitoring in two estuaries in the northeastern USA: Little Pleasant Bay, Massachusetts, and Great South Bay/Moriches Bay, New York. This approach includes three tiers of monitoring that are integrated across spatial scales and sampling intensities. We identified monitoring attributes for determining attainment of conservation objectives to protect seagrass ecosystems from estuarine nutrient enrichment. Existing mapping programs provided large-scale information on seagrass distribution and bed sizes (tier 1 monitoring). We supplemented this with bay-wide, quadrat-based assessments of seagrass percent cover and canopy height at permanent sampling stations following a spatially distributed random design (tier 2 monitoring). Resampling simulations showed that four observations per station were sufficient to minimize bias in estimating mean percent cover on a bay-wide scale, and sample sizes of 55 stations in a 624-ha system and 198 stations in a 9,220-ha system were sufficient to detect absolute temporal increases in seagrass abundance from 25% to 49% cover and from 4% to 12% cover, respectively. We made high-resolution measurements of seagrass condition (percent cover, canopy height, total and reproductive shoot density, biomass, and seagrass depth limit) at a representative index site in each system (tier 3 monitoring). Tier 3 data helped explain system-wide changes. Our results suggest tiered monitoring as an efficient and feasible way to detect and predict changes in seagrass systems relative to multi-scale conservation objectives.

Development and validation of the Hospitality Axiological Scale for Humanization of Nursing Care

PubMed Central

Galán González-Serna, José María; Ferreras-Mencia, Soledad; Arribas-Marín, Juan Manuel

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to develop and validate a scale to evaluate nursing attitudes in relation to hospitality for the humanization of nursing care. Participants: the sample consisted of 499 nursing professionals and undergraduate students of the final two years of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Method: the instrument has been developed and validated to evaluate the ethical values related to hospitality using a methodological approach. Subsequently, a model was developed to measure the dimensions forming the construct hospitality. Results: the Axiological Hospitality Scale showed a high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s Alpha=0.901. The validation of the measuring instrument was performed using factorial, exploratory and confirmatory analysis techniques with high goodness of fit measures. Conclusions: the developed instrument showed an adequate validity and a high internal consistency. Based on the consistency of its psychometric properties, it is possible to affirm that the scale provides a reliable measurement of the hospitality. It was also possible to determine the dimensions or sources that embrace it: respect, responsibility, quality and transpersonal care. PMID:28793127

Validity of a Protocol for Adult Self-Report of Dyslexia and Related Difficulties

PubMed Central

Snowling, Margaret; Dawes, Piers; Nash, Hannah; Hulme, Charles

2012-01-01

Background There is an increased prevalence of reading and related difficulties in children of dyslexic parents. In order to understand the causes of these difficulties, it is important to quantify the risk factors passed from parents to their offspring. Method 417 adults completed a protocol comprising a 15-item questionnaire rating reading and related skills and a scale assessing ADHD symptoms; 344 completed reading, nonword reading and spelling tests. Results A confirmatory factor analysis with four factors (Reading, Word Finding, Attention and Hyperactivity) provided a reasonable fit to the data. The Reading Factor showed robust correlations with measured literacy skills. Adults who reported as dyslexic, or rated their reading difficulties as more severe, gained lower scores on objective measures of literacy skills. Although the sensitivity of the new scale was acceptable, it tended to miss some cases of low literacy. Conclusions Self-report scales of reading and of attention difficulties are useful for identifying adults with reading and attention difficulties which may confer risks on their children of related problems. It is important for research following children at family risk of dyslexia to be aware of these effects. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:22271419

Validity of a protocol for adult self-report of dyslexia and related difficulties.

PubMed

Snowling, Margaret; Dawes, Piers; Nash, Hannah; Hulme, Charles

2012-02-01

There is an increased prevalence of reading and related difficulties in children of dyslexic parents. In order to understand the causes of these difficulties, it is important to quantify the risk factors passed from parents to their offspring. 417 adults completed a protocol comprising a 15-item questionnaire rating reading and related skills and a scale assessing ADHD symptoms; 344 completed reading, nonword reading and spelling tests. A confirmatory factor analysis with four factors (Reading, Word Finding, Attention and Hyperactivity) provided a reasonable fit to the data. The Reading Factor showed robust correlations with measured literacy skills. Adults who reported as dyslexic, or rated their reading difficulties as more severe, gained lower scores on objective measures of literacy skills. Although the sensitivity of the new scale was acceptable, it tended to miss some cases of low literacy. Self-report scales of reading and of attention difficulties are useful for identifying adults with reading and attention difficulties which may confer risks on their children of related problems. It is important for research following children at family risk of dyslexia to be aware of these effects. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Adaptive learning compressive tracking based on Markov location prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xingyu; Fu, Dongmei; Yang, Tao; Shi, Yanan

2017-03-01

Object tracking is an interdisciplinary research topic in image processing, pattern recognition, and computer vision which has theoretical and practical application value in video surveillance, virtual reality, and automatic navigation. Compressive tracking (CT) has many advantages, such as efficiency and accuracy. However, when there are object occlusion, abrupt motion and blur, similar objects, and scale changing, the CT has the problem of tracking drift. We propose the Markov object location prediction to get the initial position of the object. Then CT is used to locate the object accurately, and the classifier parameter adaptive updating strategy is given based on the confidence map. At the same time according to the object location, extract the scale features, which is able to deal with object scale variations effectively. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has better tracking accuracy and robustness than current advanced algorithms and achieves real-time performance.

Development and validation of a measure of pediatric oral health-related quality of life: the POQL

PubMed Central

Huntington, Noelle L; Spetter, Dante; Jones, Judith A.; Rich, Sharon E.; Garcia, Raul I.; Spiro, Avron

2011-01-01

Objective To develop a brief measure of oral health-related quality of life in children and demonstrate its reliability and validity in a diverse population. Methods We administered the initial 20-item POQL to children (Child Self-Report) and parents (Parent Report on Child) from diverse populations in both school-based and clinic-based settings. Clinical oral health status was measured on a subset of children. We used factor analysis to determine the underlying scales and then reduced the measure to 10 items based on several considerations. Multitrait analysis on the resulting 10-item POQL was used to reaffirm the discrimination of scales and assess the measure’s internal consistency and interscale correlations. We established discriminant and convergent validity with clinical status, perceived oral health and responses on the PedsQL and determined sensitivity to change with children undergoing ECC surgical repair. Results Factor analysis returned a four-scale solution for the initial items – Physical Functioning, Role Functioning, Social Functioning and Emotional Functioning. The reduced items represented the same four scales – two each on Physical and Role and three each on Social and Emotional. Good reliability and validity were shown for the POQL as a whole and for each of the scales. Conclusions The POQL is a valid and reliable measure of oral health-related quality of life for use in pre-school and school-aged children, with high utility for both clinical assessments and large-scale population studies. PMID:21972458

Criterion-related validity of perceived exertion scales in healthy children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Iván; Zambrano, Lysien; Manterola, Carlos

2016-04-01

Physiological parameters used to measure exercise intensity are oxygen uptake and heart rate. However, perceived exertion (PE) is a scale that has also been frequently applied. The objective of this study is to establish the criterion-related validity of PE scales in children during an incremental exercise test. Seven electronic databases were used. Studies aimed at assessing criterion-related validity of PE scales in healthy children during an incremental exercise test were included. Correlation coefficients were transformed into z-values and assessed in a meta-analysis by means of a fixed effects model if I2 was below 50% or a random effects model, if it was above 50%. wenty-five articles that studied 1418 children (boys: 49.2%) met the inclusion criteria. Children's average age was 10.5 years old. Exercise modalities included bike, running and stepping exercises. The weighted correlation coefficient was 0.835 (95% confidence interval: 0.762-0.887) and 0.874 (95% confidence interval: 0.794-0.924) for heart rate and oxygen uptake as reference criteria. The production paradigm and scales that had not been adapted to children showed the lowest measurement performance (p < 0.05). Measuring PE could be valid in healthy children during an incremental exercise test. Child-specific rating scales showed a better performance than those that had not been adapted to this population. Further studies with better methodological quality should be conducted in order to confirm these results. Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.

Typhoon survivors' subjective wellbeing-A different view of responses to natural disaster.

PubMed

Hamama-Raz, Yaira; Palgi, Yuval; Leshem, Elazar; Ben-Ezra, Menachem; Lavenda, Osnat

2017-01-01

Subjective well-being was evaluated three weeks after Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines. Based on the Conservation of Resources theory, which focuses on the role of resources in understanding adjustment following trauma, data was collected on lost resources. In line with the Conservation of Resources theory, four categories of resources were defined: objects-residential property; condition-gender health state and witness to injury; personal-coping strategies; energy-relationships. Eight hundred thirty-four people from the Philippines filled out self-report measures using an online interview system regarding: socio demographics data, subjective well-being, using the Delighted Terrible Faces Scale (DTS), disaster related experiences, coping strategies, personal relationships, obtained through support sources (close family, relatives and friends, community) and assessing problems with those relationships after Haiyan. Subjective well-being was predicted by the following classes of resources: objects (home damage) condition (self-rated health and witness to injury), personal (positive reframing and self-blame coping strategies) and energy resources (relations and problems in relations). The results imply the important role individual's resources (i.e. objects, personal characteristics, conditions, and energies) might play in promoting subjective well-being, following natural disaster.

Meshing complex macro-scale objects into self-assembling bricks

PubMed Central

Hacohen, Adar; Hanniel, Iddo; Nikulshin, Yasha; Wolfus, Shuki; Abu-Horowitz, Almogit; Bachelet, Ido

2015-01-01

Self-assembly provides an information-economical route to the fabrication of objects at virtually all scales. However, there is no known algorithm to program self-assembly in macro-scale, solid, complex 3D objects. Here such an algorithm is described, which is inspired by the molecular assembly of DNA, and based on bricks designed by tetrahedral meshing of arbitrary objects. Assembly rules are encoded by topographic cues imprinted on brick faces while attraction between bricks is provided by embedded magnets. The bricks can then be mixed in a container and agitated, leading to properly assembled objects at high yields and zero errors. The system and its assembly dynamics were characterized by video and audio analysis, enabling the precise time- and space-resolved characterization of its performance and accuracy. Improved designs inspired by our system could lead to successful implementation of self-assembly at the macro-scale, allowing rapid, on-demand fabrication of objects without the need for assembly lines. PMID:26226488

Domains of quality of life: results of a three-stage Delphi consensus procedure among patients, family of patients, clinicians, scientists and the general public.

PubMed

Pietersma, Suzanne; de Vries, Marieke; van den Akker-van Marle, M Elske

2014-06-01

Our key objective is to identify the core domains of health-related quality of life (QoL). Health-related QoL utility scales are commonly used in economic evaluations to assess the effectiveness of health-care interventions. However, health-care interventions are likely to affect QoL in a broader sense than is quantifiable with traditional scales. Therefore, measures need to go beyond these scales. Unfortunately, there is no consensus in the scientific literature on the essential domains of QoL. We conducted a three-stage online Delphi consensus procedure to identify the key domains of health-related QoL. Five stakeholder groups (i.e., patients, family of patients, clinicians, scientists and general public) were asked, on three consecutive occasions, what they perceive as the most important domains of health-related QoL. An analysis of existing (health-related) QoL and well-being measurements formed the basis of the Delphi-procedure. In total, 42 domains of QoL were judged, covering physical, mental and social aspects. All participants rated 'self-acceptance', 'self-esteem' and 'good social contacts' as essential. Strikingly, mental and social domains are perceived as more essential than physical domains across stakeholders groups. In traditionally used health-related QoL utility measures, physical domains like 'mobility' are prominently present. The Delphi-procedure shows that health-related QoL (utility) scales need to put sufficient emphasis on mental and social domains to capture aspects of QoL that are essential to people.

[Validation of the Scale of Hope in Terminal Illness for relatives brief version (SHTI-b). Validity and reliability analysis.

PubMed

Villacieros, M; Bermejo, J C; Hassoun, H

2017-12-29

Bermejo and Villacieros' Scale of Hope in Terminal Disease (SHTD) specifically collects meanings of hope facing terminal disease, including considerations relating to psycho-emotional support and that have a transcendental sense. The objective of this paper is to validate the SHTD abbreviated and rephrased to adapt all the items to a single domain. Starting from the published SHTD, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was carried out with a sample of 177 valid questionnaires. In a second study, with another sample of 180 valid questionnaires, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and a correlation analysis with other measurements of spiritual wellbeing (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Sp) and hope (Herth Hope Index) were done. A bidimensional model with satisfactory goodness of fit index values was obtained (GFI = 0.991; CFI = 0.984; SRMR = 0.08; RMSEA = 0.057); the Relations of Transcendence factor obtained a Cronbach's alpha of 0.872 and Personal Relations an alpha of 0.762. The correlations of the SHTI-rb with external measures were: r = 0.527with FACIT; r = 0.266 with HHI; r = 0.667 with the Spirituality subscale of FACIT; and r = 0.348 with the Interrelation factor of HHI. The Relations of Transcendence subscale correlated with both Layout and Expectation and Interrelation of HHI (r = 0.162 and r = 0.329 respectively), while the scale of Personal Relations only correlated with Interrelation of HHI (r = 0.244). The Scale of Hope in Terminal Illness for relatives (brief version) is a valid and reliable specific instrument for terminal patients.

Patient DF's visual brain in action: Visual feedforward control in visual form agnosia.

PubMed

Whitwell, Robert L; Milner, A David; Cavina-Pratesi, Cristiana; Barat, Masihullah; Goodale, Melvyn A

2015-05-01

Patient DF, who developed visual form agnosia following ventral-stream damage, is unable to discriminate the width of objects, performing at chance, for example, when asked to open her thumb and forefinger a matching amount. Remarkably, however, DF adjusts her hand aperture to accommodate the width of objects when reaching out to pick them up (grip scaling). While this spared ability to grasp objects is presumed to be mediated by visuomotor modules in her relatively intact dorsal stream, it is possible that it may rely abnormally on online visual or haptic feedback. We report here that DF's grip scaling remained intact when her vision was completely suppressed during grasp movements, and it still dissociated sharply from her poor perceptual estimates of target size. We then tested whether providing trial-by-trial haptic feedback after making such perceptual estimates might improve DF's performance, but found that they remained significantly impaired. In a final experiment, we re-examined whether DF's grip scaling depends on receiving veridical haptic feedback during grasping. In one condition, the haptic feedback was identical to the visual targets. In a second condition, the haptic feedback was of a constant intermediate width while the visual target varied trial by trial. Despite this incongruent feedback, DF still scaled her grip aperture to the visual widths of the target blocks, showing only normal adaptation to the false haptically-experienced width. Taken together, these results strengthen the view that DF's spared grasping relies on a normal mode of dorsal-stream functioning, based chiefly on visual feedforward processing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Danish Barriers Questionnaire-II: preliminary validation in cancer pain patients.

PubMed

Jacobsen, Ramune; Møldrup, Claus; Christrup, Lona; Sjøgren, Per; Hansen, Ole Bo

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Danish version of the Barriers Questionnaire-II (DBQ-II). The validated Norwegian version of the DBQ-II was translated into Danish. Cancer patients for the study were recruited from specialized pain management facilities. Thirty-three patients responded to the DBQ-II, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Brief Pain Inventory pain severity scale. A factor analysis of the DBQ-II resulted in six scales. Scale one, Fatalism, consisted of three items addressing fatalistic beliefs regarding cancer pain management. Scale two, Immune System, consisted of three items addressing the belief that pain medications harm the immune system. Scale three, Monitor, consisted of three items addressing the fear that pain medicine masks changes in one's body. Scale four, Communication, consisted of five items addressing the concern that reports of pain distract the physician from treating the cancer, and the belief that "good" patients do not complain. Scale five, Addiction, consisted of two items addressing the fear of becoming addicted to pain medication. Finally, scale six, Tolerance, consisted of three items addressing the fear of getting tolerant to analgesic effect of pain medicine. Items related to medication side effects were analyzed as separate units. The DBQ-II total had an internal consistency of 0.87. The DBQ-II total score was related to measures of pain relief and anxiety. The DBQ-II seems to be a reliable and valid measure of the barriers to pain management among Danish cancer patients.

Sensory Function and Chronic Pain in Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Scherder, Rogier J.; Kant, Neeltje; Wolf, Evelien T.; Pijnenburg, Bas C. M.

2018-01-01

Objective To examine whether hypoesthesia and chronic pain are related in patients with MS. Methods Sixty-seven MS patients with pain and 80 persons without MS were included. Sensory functioning was tested by bedside neurological examination. Touch, joint position (dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway), temperature sense, and pain (spinothalamic tract) were tested. Pain intensity was measured by the Colored Analogue Scale (CAS Intensity) and the Faces Pain Scale (FPS); pain affect was also measured by CAS Affect and Number of Words Chosen-Affective (NWC-A). Mood was assessed with the SCL-90 anxiety and depression subscales and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results A significant negative relationship was found between pain intensity and the function of the dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway, but not with the spinothalamic tract. Conclusion In addition to the already known relation between hyperesthesia and pain, hypoesthesia for touch and joint position also seems to be related to chronic pain in MS patients. PMID:29849839

Mixing Dynamics of Supercritical Droplets and Jets (Revised To Include Appendices)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

al [26] explain that a cauliflower head contains branches or parts, which when removed and compared with the whole are very much the same, only...similar curve with the notion defined in relation to the cauliflower , there is a power law relation between the number of pieces, P, and the reduction...to a cauliflower , are self-similar only to within a narrow range of scales. Our objective here is to measure the fiactal dimension of the interface

Dynamics of flexible fibers and vesicles in Poiseuille flow at low Reynolds number.

PubMed

Farutin, Alexander; Piasecki, Tomasz; Słowicka, Agnieszka M; Misbah, Chaouqi; Wajnryb, Eligiusz; Ekiel-Jeżewska, Maria L

2016-09-21

The dynamics of flexible fibers and vesicles in unbounded planar Poiseuille flow at low Reynolds number is shown to exhibit similar basic features, when their equilibrium (moderate) aspect ratio is the same and vesicle viscosity contrast is relatively high. Tumbling, lateral migration, accumulation and shape evolution of these two types of flexible objects are analyzed numerically. The linear dependence of the accumulation position on relative bending rigidity, and other universal scalings are derived from the local shear flow approximation.

A feasibility study: Use of actigraph to monitor and follow-up sleep/wake patterns in individuals attending community pharmacy with sleeping disorders.

PubMed

Noor, Zaswiza Mohamad; Smith, Alesha J; Smith, Simon S; Nissen, Lisa M

2016-01-01

Community pharmacists are in a suitable position to give advice and provide appropriate services related to sleep disorders to individuals who are unable to easily access sleep clinics. An intervention with proper objective measure can be used by the pharmacist to assist in consultation. The study objectives are to evaluate: (1) The effectiveness of a community pharmacy-based intervention in managing sleep disorders and (2) the role of actigraph as an objective measure to monitor and follow-up individuals with sleeping disorders. The intervention care group (ICG) completed questionnaires to assess sleep scale scores (Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESS] and Insomnia Severity Index [ISI]), wore a wrist actigraph, and completed a sleep diary. Sleep parameters (sleep efficiency in percentage [SE%], total sleep time, sleep onset latency, and number of nocturnal awakenings) from actigraphy sleep report were used for consultation and to validate sleep diary. The usual care group (UCG) completed similar questionnaires but received standard care. Pre- and post-mean scores for sleep scales and sleep parameters were compared between and within groups. A significant difference was observed when comparing pre- and post-mean scores for ISI in the ICG, but not for ESS. For SE%, an increase was found in the number of subjects rated as "good sleepers" at post-assessment in the ICG. ISI scores offer insights into the development of a community pharmacy-based intervention for sleeping disorders, particularly in those with symptoms of insomnia. It also demonstrates that actigraph could provide objective sleep/wake data to assist community pharmacists during the consultation.

Scan-To Output Validation: Towards a Standardized Geometric Quality Assessment of Building Information Models Based on Point Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonduel, M.; Bassier, M.; Vergauwen, M.; Pauwels, P.; Klein, R.

2017-11-01

The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) for existing buildings based on point clouds is increasing. Standardized geometric quality assessment of the BIMs is needed to make them more reliable and thus reusable for future users. First, available literature on the subject is studied. Next, an initial proposal for a standardized geometric quality assessment is presented. Finally, this method is tested and evaluated with a case study. The number of specifications on BIM relating to existing buildings is limited. The Levels of Accuracy (LOA) specification of the USIBD provides definitions and suggestions regarding geometric model accuracy, but lacks a standardized assessment method. A deviation analysis is found to be dependent on (1) the used mathematical model, (2) the density of the point clouds and (3) the order of comparison. Results of the analysis can be graphical and numerical. An analysis on macro (building) and micro (BIM object) scale is necessary. On macro scale, the complete model is compared to the original point cloud and vice versa to get an overview of the general model quality. The graphical results show occluded zones and non-modeled objects respectively. Colored point clouds are derived from this analysis and integrated in the BIM. On micro scale, the relevant surface parts are extracted per BIM object and compared to the complete point cloud. Occluded zones are extracted based on a maximum deviation. What remains is classified according to the LOA specification. The numerical results are integrated in the BIM with the use of object parameters.

Impact of Data Placement on Resilience in Large-Scale Object Storage Systems

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

Carns, Philip; Harms, Kevin; Jenkins, John

Distributed object storage architectures have become the de facto standard for high-performance storage in big data, cloud, and HPC computing. Object storage deployments using commodity hardware to reduce costs often employ object replication as a method to achieve data resilience. Repairing object replicas after failure is a daunting task for systems with thousands of servers and billions of objects, however, and it is increasingly difficult to evaluate such scenarios at scale on realworld systems. Resilience and availability are both compromised if objects are not repaired in a timely manner. In this work we leverage a high-fidelity discrete-event simulation model tomore » investigate replica reconstruction on large-scale object storage systems with thousands of servers, billions of objects, and petabytes of data. We evaluate the behavior of CRUSH, a well-known object placement algorithm, and identify configuration scenarios in which aggregate rebuild performance is constrained by object placement policies. After determining the root cause of this bottleneck, we then propose enhancements to CRUSH and the usage policies atop it to enable scalable replica reconstruction. We use these methods to demonstrate a simulated aggregate rebuild rate of 410 GiB/s (within 5% of projected ideal linear scaling) on a 1,024-node commodity storage system. We also uncover an unexpected phenomenon in rebuild performance based on the characteristics of the data stored on the system.« less

Spanish adaptation of the Creative Potential and Practised Creativity scale (CPPC-17) in the workplace and inside the organization.

PubMed

Boada-Grau, Joan; Sánchez-García, José-Carlos; Prizmic-Kuzmica, Aldo-Javier; Vigil-Colet, Andreu

2014-01-01

This study follows the theoretical framework put forward by Hinton on creative potential and practised creativity. The objective was to adapt the 17-item Creative Potential and Practised Creativity scale into Spanish and examine its psychometric properties. The study sample was made up of 975 Spanish employees (48.5% men and 51.5% women). After performing a confirmatory factor analysis, the findings revealed a three-factor structure: Creative potential, Practised creativity and Perception of organizational support. Furthermore, appropriate reliability was found for all three factors as well as initial evidence of construct validity in relation to certain external correlates and a series of scales measuring workaholism, irritation, burnout and personality. The present scale may prove ideal for adequately identifying Creative potential, Practised creativity and Perceived organizational support.

Thermal Analysis of Unusual Local-scale Features on the Surface of Vesta

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tosi, F.; Capria, M. T.; DeSanctis, M. C.; Capaccioni, F.; Palomba, E.; Zambon, F.; Ammannito, E.; Blewett, D. T.; Combe, J.-Ph.; Denevi, B. W.;

Determination of development factors of the construction market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlova, Olga

2017-10-01

Field of housing construction constantly needs measures of business climate improvement. Provision of housing for citizens remains relatively low. Recently, state has been developing a new set of measures for shared-equity construction improvement. This area has a particular significance and scales for our country. Number of defrauded shareholders in the past allows estimate scales of losses both in the form of unfinished objects in the past and reputation losses of this direction of construction. This article proposes measures which are designed to form an informational base for forecasts of the development of construction and provide a positive result from the applied measures.

Life of Pennzane and 815Z-Lubricated Instrument Bearings Cleaned with Non-CFC Solvents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loewenthal, Stuart; Jones, William; Predmore, Roamer

1999-01-01

This report takes the form of two papers: (1) "Life of Pennzane and 815Z-Lubricated Instrument Bearings cleaned with Non-CFC Solvents" and (2) a published paper, entitled "Instrument bearing life with NON-CFC cleaners". Abstract for paper # 1 : Bearings used in spacecraft mechanisms have historically been cleaned with chlorofluorocarbon CFC-1 13 (Freon) solvents and lubricated with a perfluorinated polyalkylether (PFPE) oils like 815-Z. Little full-scale bearing life test data exists to evaluate the effects of the newer class environmental-friendly bearing cleaners or improved synthetic hydrocarbon space oils like Pennzane. To address the lack of data, a cooperative, bearing life test program was initiated between NASA, Lockheed Martin and MPB. The objective was to obtain comparative long-term, life test data for flight-quality bearings, cleaned with non-CFC solvents versus CFC-1 13 under flight-like conditions with two space oils. A goal was to gain a better understanding of the lubricant surface chemistry effects with such solvents. A second objective was to obtain well-controlled, full-scale bearing life test data with a relatively new synthetic oil (Pennzane), touted as an improvement to Bray 815Z, an oil with considerable space flight history. The second paper, which serves as an attachment, is abstracted below: Bearings used in spacecraft mechanisms have historically been cleaned with chlorofluorocarbon CFC-113 (Freon) solvents and lubricated with a perfluorinated polyalkylether (PFPE) oils like 815-Z. Little full-scale bearing life test data exists to evaluate the effects of the newer class environmental-friendly bearing cleaners or improved synthetic hydrocarbon space oils like Pennzane. To address the lack of data, a cooperative, bearing life test program was initiated between NASA, Lockheed Martin and MPB. The objective was to obtain comparative long-term, life test data for flight-quality bearings, cleaned with non-CFC solvents versus CFC-1 13 under flight-like conditions with two space oils. A goal was to gain a better understanding of the lubricant surface chemistry effects with such solvents. A second objective was to obtain well-controlled, full-scale bearing life test data with a relatively new synthetic oil (Pennzane), touted as an improvement to Bray 815Z, an oil with considerable space flight history.

Incremental validity of the MMPI-2-RF over-reporting scales and RBS in assessing the veracity of memory complaints.

PubMed

Gervais, Roger O; Ben-Porath, Yossef S; Wygant, Dustin B; Sellbom, Martin

2010-06-01

The Response Bias Scale (RBS) has been found to be a better predictor of over-reported memory complaints than Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) F, Back Infrequency (Fb), Infrequency-Psychopathology (Fp), and FBS scales. The MMPI-2-Restructured Form (RF) validity scales were designed to meet or exceed the sensitivity of their MMPI-2 counterparts to symptom over-reporting. This study examined the incremental validity of MMPI-2-RF validity scales and RBS in assessing memory complaints. The MMPI-2-RF over-reporting validity scales were more strongly associated with mean Memory Complaints Inventory scores than their MMPI-2 counterparts (d = 0.22 to 0.49). RBS showed the strongest relationship with memory complaints. Regression analyses demonstrated the incremental validity of the MMPI-2-RF Infrequent Responses, Infrequent Psychopathology Responses, Infrequent Somatic Responses, and FBS-r scales relative to MMPI-2 F, Fp, and FBS in predicting memory complaints. This is consistent with the development objectives of the MMPI-2-RF validity scales as more efficient and sensitive measures of symptom over-reporting.

Weather assessment and forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Data management program activities centered around the analyses of selected far-term Office of Applications (OA) objectives, with the intent of determining if significant data-related problems would be encountered and if so what alternative solutions would be possible. Three far-term (1985 and beyond) OA objectives selected for analyses as having potential significant data problems were large-scale weather forecasting, local weather and severe storms forecasting, and global marine weather forecasting. An overview of general weather forecasting activities and their implications upon the ground based data system is provided. Selected topics were specifically oriented to the use of satellites.

A Comparative Analysis of Three Monocular Passive Ranging Methods on Real Infrared Sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondžulić, Boban P.; Mitrović, Srđan T.; Barbarić, Žarko P.; Andrić, Milenko S.

2013-09-01

Three monocular passive ranging methods are analyzed and tested on the real infrared sequences. The first method exploits scale changes of an object in successive frames, while other two use Beer-Lambert's Law. Ranging methods are evaluated by comparing with simultaneously obtained reference data at the test site. Research is addressed on scenarios where multiple sensor views or active measurements are not possible. The results show that these methods for range estimation can provide the fidelity required for object tracking. Maximum values of relative distance estimation errors in near-ideal conditions are less than 8%.

The formation of giant low surface brightness galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, Yehuda; Silk, Joseph; Wyse, Rosemary F. G.

1992-01-01

It is demonstrated that the initial structure of galaxies can be strongly affected by their large-scale environments. In particular, rare (about 3 sigma) massive galaxies in voids will have normal bulges, but unevolved, extended disks; it is proposed that the low surface brightness objects Malin I and Malin II are prototypes of this class of object. The model predicts that searches for more examples of 'crouching giants' should be fruitful, but that such galaxies do not provide a substantial fraction of mass in the universe. The identification of dwarf galaxies is relatively unaffected by their environment.

Salient Point Detection in Protrusion Parts of 3D Object Robust to Isometric Variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirloo, Mahsa; Ebrahimnezhad, Hosein

2018-03-01

In this paper, a novel method is proposed to detect 3D object salient points robust to isometric variations and stable against scaling and noise. Salient points can be used as the representative points from object protrusion parts in order to improve the object matching and retrieval algorithms. The proposed algorithm is started by determining the first salient point of the model based on the average geodesic distance of several random points. Then, according to the previous salient point, a new point is added to this set of points in each iteration. By adding every salient point, decision function is updated. Hence, a condition is created for selecting the next point in which the iterative point is not extracted from the same protrusion part so that drawing out of a representative point from every protrusion part is guaranteed. This method is stable against model variations with isometric transformations, scaling, and noise with different levels of strength due to using a feature robust to isometric variations and considering the relation between the salient points. In addition, the number of points used in averaging process is decreased in this method, which leads to lower computational complexity in comparison with the other salient point detection algorithms.

Small scale photo probability sampling and vegetation classification in southeast Arizona as an ecological base for resource inventory. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, J. R. (Principal Investigator)

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The broad scale vegetation classification was developed for a 3,200 sq mile area in southeastern Arizona. The 31 vegetation types were derived from association tables which contained information taken at about 500 ground sites. The classification provided an information base that was suitable for use with small scale photography. A procedure was developed and tested for objectively comparing photo images. The procedure consisted of two parts, image groupability testing and image complexity testing. The Apollo and ERTS photos were compared for relative suitability as first stage stratification bases in two stage proportional probability sampling. High altitude photography was used in common at the second stage.

Giant molecular cloud scaling relations: the role of the cloud definition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khoperskov, S. A.; Vasiliev, E. O.; Ladeyschikov, D. A.; Sobolev, A. M.; Khoperskov, A. V.

2016-01-01

We investigate the physical properties of molecular clouds in disc galaxies with different morphologies: a galaxy without prominent structure, a spiral barred galaxy and a galaxy with flocculent structure. Our N-body/hydrodynamical simulations take into account non-equilibrium H2 and CO chemical kinetics, self-gravity, star formation and feedback processes. For the simulated galaxies, the scaling relations of giant molecular clouds, or so-called Larson's relations, are studied for two types of cloud definition (or extraction method): the first is based on total column density position-position (PP) data sets and the second is indicated by the CO (1-0) line emission used in position-position-velocity (PPV) data. We find that the cloud populations obtained using both cloud extraction methods generally have similar physical parameters, except that for the CO data the mass spectrum of clouds has a tail with low-mass objects M ˜ 103-104 M⊙. Owing toa varying column density threshold, the power-law indices in the scaling relations are significantly changed. In contrast, the relations are invariant to the CO brightness temperature threshold. Finally, we find that the mass spectra of clouds for PPV data are almost insensitive to the galactic morphology, whereas the spectra for PP data demonstrate significant variation.

Urban energy consumption and related carbon emission estimation: a study at the sector scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Weiwei; Chen, Chen; Su, Meirong; Chen, Bin; Cai, Yanpeng; Xing, Tao

2013-12-01

With rapid economic development and energy consumption growth, China has become the largest energy consumer in the world. Impelled by extensive international concern, there is an urgent need to analyze the characteristics of energy consumption and related carbon emission, with the objective of saving energy, reducing carbon emission, and lessening environmental impact. Focusing on urban ecosystems, the biggest energy consumer, a method for estimating energy consumption and related carbon emission was established at the urban sector scale in this paper. Based on data for 1996-2010, the proposed method was applied to Beijing in a case study to analyze the consumption of different energy resources (i.e., coal, oil, gas, and electricity) and related carbon emission in different sectors (i.e., agriculture, industry, construction, transportation, household, and service sectors). The results showed that coal and oil contributed most to energy consumption and carbon emission among different energy resources during the study period, while the industrial sector consumed the most energy and emitted the most carbon among different sectors. Suggestions were put forward for energy conservation and emission reduction in Beijing. The analysis of energy consumption and related carbon emission at the sector scale is helpful for practical energy saving and emission reduction in urban ecosystems.

Translation and validation of the Cancer-Related Fatigue Scale in Greek in a sample of patients with advanced prostate cancer

PubMed Central

Kaite, Charis; Constantinou, Marianna; Kouta, Christiana

2016-01-01

Objective To translate and validate the Cancer-Related Fatigue (CRF) Scale in the Greek language. Design A cross-sectional descriptive design was used in order to translate and validate the CRF Scale in Greek. Factor analyses were performed to understand the psychometric properties of the scale and to establish construct, criterion and convergent validity. Setting Outpatients' oncology clinics of two public hospitals in Cyprus. Participants 148 patients with advanced prostate cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Results The Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS) had good stability (test–retest reliability r=0.79, p<0.001) and good internal consistency (Cronbach's α coefficient for all 15 items α=0.916). Furthermore, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy (KMO value) was found to be 0.743 and considered to be satisfactory (>0.5). The correlations between the CFS physical scale (CFS-FS scale) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 physical subscales were found to be significant (r=−0.715). The same occurred between CFS cognitive and EORTC cognitive subscale (r=−0.579). Overall, the criterion validity was verified. The same occurs for the convergent validity of the CFS since all correlations with the Global Health Status (q29–q30) were found to be significant. Conclusions This is the first validation study of the CRF Scale in Greek and warrant of its use in the assessment of prostate cancer patient's related fatigue. However, further testing and validation is needed in the early stages of the disease and in patients in later chemotherapy cycles. PMID:27913557

Lower cognitive performance in healthy G2019S LRRK2 mutation carriers

PubMed Central

Thaler, Avner; Mirelman, Anat; Gurevich, Tanya; Simon, Ely; Orr-Urtreger, Avi; Marder, Karen; Bressman, Susan

2012-01-01

Objective: To assess cognitive abilities of healthy first-degree relatives of Ashkenazi patients with Parkinson disease (PD), carriers of the G2019S mutation in the LRRK2 gene. Methods: In this observational study, 60 consecutive healthy first-degree relatives (aged 50.9 ± 6.2 years; 48% male; 30 G2019S carriers) were assessed using a computerized cognitive program, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment questionnaire, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III, and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: G2019S carriers scored significantly lower on the computerized executive function index (p = 0.04) and on specific executive function tasks (Stroop test, p = 0.007). Conclusion: Carrying the LRRK2 G2019S mutation was associated with lower executive performance in a population at risk for PD. PMID:22914834

The relationship between earthquake exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder in 2013 Lushan earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yan; Lu, Yi

2018-01-01

The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between earthquake exposure and the incidence of PTSD. A stratification random sample survey was conducted to collect data in the Longmenshan thrust fault after Lushan earthquake three years. We used the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13) and the Earthquake Experience Scale. Subjects in this study included 3944 school student survivors in local eleven schools. The prevalence of probable PTSD is relatively higher, when the people was trapped in the earthquake, was injured in the earthquake or have relatives who died in the earthquake. It concluded that researchers need to pay more attention to the children and adolescents. The government should pay more attention to these people and provide more economic support.

Treatment of adolescents with depression: the effect of transference interventions in a randomized controlled study of dynamic psychotherapy.

PubMed

Ulberg, Randi; Hersoug, Anne Grete; Høglend, Per

2012-09-06

Depression in adolescents seems to be a growing problem that causes mental suffering and prevents young people from joining the workforce. There is also a high risk of relapse during adult life. There is emerging evidence for the effect of psychodynamic psychotherapy in adolescents. In-session relational intervention (that is, transference intervention) is a key component of psychodynamic psychotherapy. However, whether depressed adolescents profit most from psychodynamic psychotherapy with or without transference interventions has not been stated. The effect of transference interventions in depressed adolescents and the moderator moderating effect of quality of object relations, personality disorder and gender will be explored. The First Experimental Study of Transference Work-In Teenagers (FEST-IT) will be a randomized clinical trial with a dismantling design. The study is aimed to explore the effects of transference work in psychodynamic psychotherapy for adolescents with depression. One hundred patients ages 16 to 18 years old will be randomized to one of two treatment groups, in both of which general psychodynamic techniques will be used. The patients will be treated over 28 weeks with either a moderate level of transference intervention or no transference intervention. Follow-up will be at 1 year after treatment termination. The outcome measures will be the Psychodynamic Functioning Scales (PFS), Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex Version (IIP-C), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and the total mean score of Symptom Checklist-90 (Global Severity Index; GSI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Montgomery Åsberg Rating Scale (MADRS). The quality of adolescents' relationships will be a central focus of the study, and the Adolescent Relationship Scales (ARS) and Differentiation-Relatedness Scale (DRS) will also be used. Change will be assessed using linear-mixed models. Gender personality disorder (PD) and quality of object relations (QOR) will be the preselected putative moderators. The object of this clinical trial is to explore the effect of transference interventions in psychodynamic psychotherapy in adolescents with a major depressive disorder. Using a randomized and dismantling design, we hope that the study will add more specific knowledge to the evidence base. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01531101First Experimental Study of Transference work Work-In Teenagers (FEST-IT).

Assessing fire risk in the wildland-urban interface.

Treesearch

Robert G. Haight; David T. Cleland; Roger B. Hammer; Volker B. Radeloff; T. Scott Rupp

2004-01-01

Identifying areas of the wildland-urban interface (WUI) that are prone to severe wildfire is an important step in prioritizing fire prevention and preparedness projects. Our objective is to determine at a regional scale the relative risk of severe wildfire in WUI areas and the numbers of people and houses in high-risk areas. For a study area in northern lower Michigan...

One Size Doesn't Fit All: New Continua of Figure Drawings and Their Relation to Ideal Body Image

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novella, Jocelyn; Gosselin, Jennifer T.; Danowski, Debbie

2015-01-01

Objective: This study introduces a new figure drawing measure, the Presentation of Images on a Continuum Scale (PICS), which includes continua of bodies from thin to obese and thin to muscular for both men and women. Participants: Participants were undergraduate students from a private, Catholic university in Connecticut. The data were collected…

Measures of self-efficacy and norms for low-fat milk consumption are reliable and related to beverage consumption among 5th graders at school lunch

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective was to determine the reliability and validity of scales measuring low-fat milk consumption self-efficacy and norms during school lunch among a cohort of 5th graders. Two hundred seventy-five students completed lunch food records and a psychosocial questionnaire measuring self-efficacy ...

Reading Fluency as a Predictor of Reading Proficiency in Low-Performing, High-Poverty Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Scott K.; Smolkowski, Keith; Katz, Rachell; Fien, Hank; Seeley, John R.; Kame'enui, Edward J.; Beck, Carrie Thomas

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine oral reading fluency (ORF) in the context of a large-scale federal reading initiative conducted in low performing, high poverty schools. The objectives were to (a) investigate the relation between ORF and comprehensive reading tests, (b) examine whether slope of performance over time on ORF predicted…

Assessing fire risk in the wildland-urban interface

Treesearch

Robert G. Haight; David T. Cleland; Roger B. Hammer; Volker C. Radeloff; T. Scott Rupp

2004-01-01

Identifying areas of the wildland-urban interface (WUI) that are prone to severe wildfire is an important step in prioritizing fire prevention and preparedness projects. Our objective is to determine at a regional scale the relative risk of severe wildfire in WUI areas and the numbers of people and houses in high-risk areas. For a study area in northern lower Michigan...

Development of an Educational Video to Improve HIV-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Prevention among Company Workers in Ecuador

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

del Carmen Cabezas, María; Fornasini, Marco; Barmettler, David; Ortuño, Diego; Borja, Teresa; Albert, Adelin

2015-01-01

Objective: To develop and assess an innovative educational video package for improving HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices among company workers in Ecuador. Methods: The design and development of the HIV prevention educational video was based on the results of a large-scale survey conducted in 115 companies (commerce, manufacturing and real…

When the world collapses: changed worldview and social reconstruction in a traumatized community

PubMed Central

Biruski, Dinka Corkalo; Ajdukovic, Dean; Stanic, Ajana Löw

2014-01-01

Background Traumatic experience can affect the individual's basic beliefs about the world as a predictable and safe place. One of the cornerstones in recovery from trauma is reestablishment of safety, connectedness, and the shattered schema of a worldview. Objective This study explored the role of negatively changed worldview in the relationship between war-related traumatization and readiness for social reconstruction of intergroup relations in a post-conflict community measured by three processes: intergroup rapprochement, rebuilding trust, and need for apology. It was hypothesized that more traumatized people are less supportive of social reconstruction and that this relationship is mediated by the changed worldview. Method The study included a community random sample of 333 adults in the city of Vukovar, Croatia, that was most devastated during the 1991–1995 war. Six instruments were administered: Stressful Events Scale, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Changed Worldview Scale, and three scales measuring the post-conflict social reconstruction processes: Intergroup Rapprochement, Intergroup Trust and Need for Apology. Results Mediation analyses showed that the worldview change fully mediated between traumatization and all three aspects of social reconstruction. Conclusions In a population exposed to war traumatization the worldview change mediates post-conflict social recovery of community relations. PMID:25279101

Developing a taxonomy of science concepts based on a scale of empirical distance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Brian L.

1990-01-01

The term ‘concept’ is used in different ways within educational literature and has at least two different, although related, referents in relation to science knowledge, namely, public knowledge and private understandings. A taxonomic structure for ‘science concepts’ (public knowledge) has been developed to provide a rationale for the choice of phenomena to be used in the investigation of students’ ‘concepts’ and also to act as a frame of reference for generating insights about the data to be collected. Furthermore, it may be a useful heuristic to predict other science concepts likely to be highly problematic in school teaching situations and thus worthy of detailed research. The taxonomy, called a ‘Scale of Empirical Distance’ (SED), enables science concepts to be mapped according to their degree of closeness to concrete realities. The scale shows a recognition of the empirical basis of science concepts and the role of human senses in the perception of the material world even though “absolute objectivity of observation is not a possible ideal of science” as Harre (1972) has noted. The scale uses two binary variables, namely, ‘visual’ and ‘tactile’, to generate four categories of science concepts ranging on a continuum from concrete to abstract. Some concepts related to ‘matter’ will be classified and discussed.

The learning effect of intraoperative video-enhanced surgical procedure training.

PubMed

van Det, M J; Meijerink, W J H J; Hoff, C; Middel, L J; Koopal, S A; Pierie, J P E N

2011-07-01

The transition from basic skills training in a skills lab to procedure training in the operating theater using the traditional master-apprentice model (MAM) lacks uniformity and efficiency. When the supervising surgeon performs parts of a procedure, training opportunities are lost. To minimize this intervention by the supervisor and maximize the actual operating time for the trainee, we created a new training method called INtraoperative Video-Enhanced Surgical Training (INVEST). Ten surgical residents were trained in laparoscopic cholecystectomy either by the MAM or with INVEST. Each trainee performed six cholecystectomies that were objectively evaluated on an Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) global rating scale. Absolute and relative improvements during the training curriculum were compared between the groups. A questionnaire evaluated the trainee's opinion on this new training method. Skill improvement on the OSATS global rating scale was significantly greater for the trainees in the INVEST curriculum compared to the MAM, with mean absolute improvement 32.6 versus 14.0 points and mean relative improvement 59.1 versus 34.6% (P=0.02). INVEST significantly enhances technical and procedural skill development during the early learning curve for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Trainees were positive about the content and the idea of the curriculum.

Objective Assessment of Vergence after Treatment of Concussion-Related CI: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Scheiman, Mitchell; Talasan, Henry; Mitchell, Gladys L; Alvarez, Tara L.

2016-01-01

Purpose To evaluate changes in objective measures of disparity vergence after office-based vision therapy (OBVT) for concussion-related convergence insufficiency (CI), and determine the feasibility of using this objective assessment as an outcome measure in a clinical trial. Methods This was a prospective, observational trial. All participants were treated with weekly OBVT with home reinforcement. Participants included two adolescents and three young adults with concussion-related, symptomatic CI. The primary outcome measure was average peak velocity for 4-degree symmetrical convergence steps. Other objective outcome measures of disparity vergence included time to peak velocity, latency, accuracy, settling time, and main sequence. We also evaluated saccadic eye movements using the same outcome measures. Changes in clinical measures (near point of convergence, positive fusional vergence at near, Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS) score) were evaluated. Results There were statistically significant and clinically meaningful changes in all clinical measures for convergence. Four of the five subjects met clinical success criteria. For the objective measures, we found a statistically significant increase in peak velocity, response accuracy to 4° symmetrical convergence and divergence step stimuli and the main sequence ratio for convergence step stimuli. Objective saccadic eye movements (5° and 10°) appeared normal pre-OBVT, and did not show any significant change after treatment. Conclusions This is the first report of the use of objective measures of disparity vergence as outcome measures for concussion-related convergence insufficiency. These measures provide additional information that is not accessible with clinical tests about underlying physiological mechanisms leading to changes in clinical findings and symptoms. The study results also demonstrate that patients with concussion can tolerate the visual demands (over 200 vergence and versional eye movements) during the 25-minute testing time and suggest that these measures could be used in a large-scale randomized clinical trial of concussion-related CI as outcome measures. PMID:27464574

Objective Assessment of Vergence after Treatment of Concussion-Related CI: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Scheiman, Mitchell M; Talasan, Henry; Mitchell, G Lynn; Alvarez, Tara L

2017-01-01

To evaluate changes in objective measures of disparity vergence after office-based vision therapy (OBVT) for concussion-related convergence insufficiency (CI) and determine the feasibility of using this objective assessment as an outcome measure in a clinical trial. This was a prospective, observational trial. All participants were treated with weekly OBVT with home reinforcement. Participants included two adolescents and three young adults with concussion-related, symptomatic CI. The primary outcome measure was average peak velocity for 4° symmetrical convergence steps. Other objective outcome measures of disparity vergence included time to peak velocity, latency, accuracy, settling time, and main sequence. We also evaluated saccadic eye movements using the same outcome measures. Changes in clinical measures (near point of convergence, positive fusional vergence at near, Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey [CISS] score) were evaluated. There were statistically significant and clinically meaningful changes in all clinical measures for convergence. Four of the five subjects met clinical success criteria. For the objective measures, we found a statistically significant increase in peak velocity, response accuracy to 4° symmetrical convergence and divergence step stimuli, and the main sequence ratio for convergence step stimuli. Objective saccadic eye movements (5 and 10°) appeared normal pre-OBVT and did not show any significant change after treatment. This is the first report of the use of objective measures of disparity vergence as outcome measures for concussion-related convergence insufficiency. These measures provide additional information that is not accessible with clinical tests about underlying physiological mechanisms leading to changes in clinical findings and symptoms. The study results also demonstrate that patients with concussion can tolerate the visual demands (over 200 vergence and versional eye movements) during the 25-minute testing time and suggest that these measures could be used in a large-scale randomized clinical trial of concussion-related CI as outcome measures.

A possible closure relation for heat transport in the solar wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feldman, W. C.; Asbridge, J. R.; Bame, S. J.; Gosling, J. T.; Lemons, D. S.

1979-01-01

The objective of the present paper is to search for an empirical closure relation for solar wind heat transport that applies to a microscopic scale. This task is approached by using the quasi-linear wave-particle formalism proposed by Perkins (1973) as a guide to derive an equation relating the relative drift speed between core-electron and proton populations to local bulk flow conditions. The resulting relationship, containing one free parameter, is found to provide a good characterization of Los Alamos Imp electron data measuring during the period from March 1971 through August 1974. An empirical closure relation is implied by this result because of the observed proportionality between heat flux and relative drift speed.

Primary caregivers of schizophrenia outpatients: burden and predictor variables.

PubMed

Grandón, Pamela; Jenaro, Cristina; Lemos, Serafín

2008-04-15

This article explores family burden in relation to relatives' coping strategies and social networks, as well as in relation to the patients' severity of positive and negative symptoms. Data on the severity of symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia [PANSS]), social functioning (Social Functioning Scale [SFS]), caregivers burden (Interview on Objective and Subjective Family Burden or Entrevista de Carga Familiar Objetiva y Subjetiva [ECFOS]), coping skills (Family Coping Questionnaire [FCQ]), and social support (Social Network Questionnaire [SNQ]) were gathered from a randomized sample of 101 Chilean outpatients and their primary caregivers, mostly mothers. Low levels of burden were typically found, with the exception of moderate levels on general concerns for the ill relative. A hierarchical regression analysis with four blocks showed that clinical characteristics, such as higher frequency of relapses, more positive symptoms and lower independence-performance, together with lower self-control attributed to the patient, decrease in social interests, and less affective support, predict burden. The results support the relevance of psychoeducational interventions where families' needs are addressed.

Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Emergent Literacy: Different Facets of Inattention Relate Uniquely to Preschoolers’ Reading-Related Skills

PubMed Central

Sims, Darcey M.; Lonigan, Christopher J.

2012-01-01

Objective Although extant studies indicate that there is a strong association between Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and reading ability in elementary school children, knowledge regarding the relation between inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors and emergent literacy in preschool children is less established. This study examined the unique and overlapping relations between measures that assess inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity and emergent literacy skills in preschool children. Method Participants included 204 preschool children (Mean age = 56 months; 50.9% female; 79.8% European American). Behavioral rating scales were completed by teachers and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and the Test of Preschool Early Literacy were completed by the preschoolers. Results Across measures, inattention was a unique correlate of emergent literacy skills whereas hyperactivity/impulsivity was not. Both rating scales and the CPT indices of inattention were uniquely associated with emergent literacy skills. Conclusions These results suggest that these measures are assessing different manifestations of inattention that are both unique correlates of early reading skills. PMID:23186142

(Semi-)Automated landform mapping of the alpine valley Gradental (Austria) based on LiDAR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strasser, T.; Eisank, C.

2012-04-01

Alpine valleys are typically characterised as complex, hierarchical structured systems with rapid landform changes. Detection of landform changes can be supported by automated geomorphological mapping. Especially, the analysis over short time scales require a method for standardised, unbiased geomorphological map reproduction, which is delivered by automated mapping techniques. In general, digital geomorphological mapping is a challenging task, since knowledge about landforms with respect to their natural boundaries as well as their hierarchical and scaling relationships, has to be integrated in an objective way. A combination of very-high spatial resolution data (VHSR) such as LiDAR and new methods like object based image analysis (OBIA) allow for a more standardised production of geomorphological maps. In OBIA the processing units are spatially configured objects that are created by multi-scale segmentation. Therefore, not only spectral information can be used for assigning the objects to geomorphological classes, but also spatial and topological properties can be exploited. In this study we focus on the detection of landforms, especially bedrock sediment deposits (alluvion, debris cone, talus, moraine, rockglacier), as well as glaciers. The study site Gradental [N 46°58'29.1"/ E 12°48'53.8"] is located in the Schobergruppe (Austria, Carinthia) and is characterised by heterogenic geology conditions and high process activity. The area is difficult to access and dominated by steep slopes, thus hindering a fast and detailed geomorphological field mapping. Landforms are identified using aerial and terrestrial LiDAR data (1 m spatial resolution). These DEMs are analysed by an object based hierarchical approach, which is structured in three main steps. The first step is to define occurring landforms by basic land surface parameters (LSPs), topology and hierarchy relations. Based on those definitions a semantic model is created. Secondly, a multi-scale segmentation is performed on a three-band LSP that integrates slope, aspect and plan curvature, which expresses the driving forces of geomorphological processes. In the third step, the generated multi-level object structures are classified in order to produce the geomorphological map. The classification rules are derived from the semantic model. Due to landform type-specific scale dependencies of LSPs, the values of LSPs used in the classification are calculated in a multi-scale manner by constantly enlarging the size of the moving window. In addition, object form properties (density, compactness, rectangular fit) are utilised as additional information for landform characterisation. Validation of classification is performed by intersecting a visually interpreted reference map with the classification output map and calculating accuracy matrices. Validation shows an overall accuracy of 78.25 % and a Kappa of 0.65. The natural borders of landforms can be easily detected by the use of slope, aspect and plan curvature. This study illustrates the potential of OBIA for a more standardised and automated mapping of surface units (landforms, landcover). Therefore, the presented methodology features a prospective automated geomorphological mapping approach for alpine regions.

The X-ray Power Density Spectrum of the Seyfert 2 Galaxy NGC 4945: Analysis and Application of the Method of Light Curve Simulations

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

Mueller, Martin; /SLAC

2010-12-16

The study of the power density spectrum (PDS) of fluctuations in the X-ray flux from active galactic nuclei (AGN) complements spectral studies in giving us a view into the processes operating in accreting compact objects. An important line of investigation is the comparison of the PDS from AGN with those from galactic black hole binaries; a related area of focus is the scaling relation between time scales for the variability and the black hole mass. The PDS of AGN is traditionally modeled using segments of power laws joined together at so-called break frequencies; associations of the break time scales, i.e.,more » the inverses of the break frequencies, with time scales of physical processes thought to operate in these sources are then sought. I analyze the Method of Light Curve Simulations that is commonly used to characterize the PDS in AGN with a view to making the method as sensitive as possible to the shape of the PDS. I identify several weaknesses in the current implementation of the method and propose alternatives that can substitute for some of the key steps in the method. I focus on the complications introduced by uneven sampling in the light curve, the development of a fit statistic that is better matched to the distributions of power in the PDS, and the statistical evaluation of the fit between the observed data and the model for the PDS. Using archival data on one AGN, NGC 3516, I validate my changes against previously reported results. I also report new results on the PDS in NGC 4945, a Seyfert 2 galaxy with a well-determined black hole mass. This source provides an opportunity to investigate whether the PDS of Seyfert 1 and Seyfert 2 galaxies differ. It is also an attractive object for placement on the black hole mass-break time scale relation. Unfortunately, with the available data on NGC 4945, significant uncertainties on the break frequency in its PDS remain.« less

A concept for performance management for Federal science programs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whalen, Kevin G.

2017-11-06

The demonstration of clear linkages between planning, funding, outcomes, and performance management has created unique challenges for U.S. Federal science programs. An approach is presented here that characterizes science program strategic objectives by one of five “activity types”: (1) knowledge discovery, (2) knowledge development and delivery, (3) science support, (4) inventory and monitoring, and (5) knowledge synthesis and assessment. The activity types relate to performance measurement tools for tracking outcomes of research funded under the objective. The result is a multi-time scale, integrated performance measure that tracks individual performance metrics synthetically while also measuring progress toward long-term outcomes. Tracking performance on individual metrics provides explicit linkages to root causes of potentially suboptimal performance and captures both internal and external program drivers, such as customer relations and science support for managers. Functionally connecting strategic planning objectives with performance measurement tools is a practical approach for publicly funded science agencies that links planning, outcomes, and performance management—an enterprise that has created unique challenges for public-sector research and development programs.

The PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale in type 1 diabetes: feasibility, reliability, and validity.

PubMed

Varni, James W; Limbers, Christine A; Bryant, William P; Wilson, Don P

2009-08-01

The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL, Mapi Research Trust, Lyon, France; www.pedsql.org) is a modular instrument designed to measure health-related quality of life and disease-specific symptoms in children and adolescents. The PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale was designed as a child self-report and parent proxy-report generic symptom-specific instrument to measure fatigue in pediatric patients. The objective of the present study was to determine the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale in type 1 diabetes. The 18-item PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (General Fatigue, Sleep/Rest Fatigue, and Cognitive Fatigue domains) and the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales were administered to 83 pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes and 84 parents. The PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale evidenced minimal missing responses (0.3% child report and 0.3% parent report), achieved excellent reliability for the Total Fatigue Scale score (alpha= 0.92 child report, 0.94 parent report), distinguished between pediatric patients with diabetes and healthy children, and was significantly correlated with the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales supporting construct validity. Pediatric patients with diabetes experienced fatigue that was comparable to pediatric patients with cancer on treatment, demonstrating the relative severity of their fatigue symptoms. The results demonstrate the measurement properties of the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale in type 1 diabetes. The findings suggest that the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale may be utilized in the standardized evaluation of fatigue in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes.

Studies on combined model based on functional objectives of large scale complex engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuting, Wang; Jingchun, Feng; Jiabao, Sun

2018-03-01

As various functions were included in large scale complex engineering, and each function would be conducted with completion of one or more projects, combined projects affecting their functions should be located. Based on the types of project portfolio, the relationship of projects and their functional objectives were analyzed. On that premise, portfolio projects-technics based on their functional objectives were introduced, then we studied and raised the principles of portfolio projects-technics based on the functional objectives of projects. In addition, The processes of combined projects were also constructed. With the help of portfolio projects-technics based on the functional objectives of projects, our research findings laid a good foundation for management of large scale complex engineering portfolio management.

Landscape object-based analysis of wetland plant functional types: the effects of spatial scale, vegetation classes and classifier methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dronova, I.; Gong, P.; Wang, L.; Clinton, N.; Fu, W.; Qi, S.

2011-12-01

Remote sensing-based vegetation classifications representing plant function such as photosynthesis and productivity are challenging in wetlands with complex cover and difficult field access. Recent advances in object-based image analysis (OBIA) and machine-learning algorithms offer new classification tools; however, few comparisons of different algorithms and spatial scales have been discussed to date. We applied OBIA to delineate wetland plant functional types (PFTs) for Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China and Ramsar wetland conservation site, from 30-m Landsat TM scene at the peak of spring growing season. We targeted major PFTs (C3 grasses, C3 forbs and different types of C4 grasses and aquatic vegetation) that are both key players in system's biogeochemical cycles and critical providers of waterbird habitat. Classification results were compared among: a) several object segmentation scales (with average object sizes 900-9000 m2); b) several families of statistical classifiers (including Bayesian, Logistic, Neural Network, Decision Trees and Support Vector Machines) and c) two hierarchical levels of vegetation classification, a generalized 3-class set and more detailed 6-class set. We found that classification benefited from object-based approach which allowed including object shape, texture and context descriptors in classification. While a number of classifiers achieved high accuracy at the finest pixel-equivalent segmentation scale, the highest accuracies and best agreement among algorithms occurred at coarser object scales. No single classifier was consistently superior across all scales, although selected algorithms of Neural Network, Logistic and K-Nearest Neighbors families frequently provided the best discrimination of classes at different scales. The choice of vegetation categories also affected classification accuracy. The 6-class set allowed for higher individual class accuracies but lower overall accuracies than the 3-class set because individual classes differed in scales at which they were best discriminated from others. Main classification challenges included a) presence of C3 grasses in C4-grass areas, particularly following harvesting of C4 reeds and b) mixtures of emergent, floating and submerged aquatic plants at sub-object and sub-pixel scales. We conclude that OBIA with advanced statistical classifiers offers useful instruments for landscape vegetation analyses, and that spatial scale considerations are critical in mapping PFTs, while multi-scale comparisons can be used to guide class selection. Future work will further apply fuzzy classification and field-collected spectral data for PFT analysis and compare results with MODIS PFT products.

To the horizon and beyond: Weak lensing of the CMB and binary inspirals into horizonless objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kesden, Michael

This thesis examines two predictions of general relativity: weak lensing and gravitational waves. The cosmic microwave background (CMB) is gravitationally lensed by the large-scale structure between the observer and the last- scattering surface. This weak lensing induces non-Gaussian correlations that can be used to construct estimators for the deflection field. The error and bias of these estimators are derived and used to analyze the viability of lensing reconstruction for future CMB experiments. Weak lensing also affects the one-point probability distribution function of the CMB. The skewness and kurtosis induced by lensing and the Sunayev- Zel'dovich (SZ) effect are calculated as functions of the angular smoothing scale of the map. While these functions offer the advantage of easy computability, only the skewness from lensing-SZ correlations can potentially be detected, even in the limit of the largest amplitude fluctuations allowed by observation. Lensing estimators are also essential to constrain inflation, the favored explanation for large-scale isotropy and the origin of primordial perturbations. B-mode polarization is considered to be a "smoking-gun" signature of inflation, and lensing estimators can be used to recover primordial B-modes from lensing-induced contamination. The ability of future CMB experiments to constrain inflation is assessed as functions of survey size and instrumental sensitivity. A final application of lensing estimators is to constrain a possible cutoff in primordial density perturbations on near-horizon scales. The paucity of independent modes on such scales limits the statistical certainty of such a constraint. Measurements of the deflection field can be used to constrain at the 3s level the existence of a cutoff large enough to account for current CMB observations. A final chapter of this thesis considers an independent topic: the gravitational-wave (GW) signature of a binary inspiral into a horizonless object. If the supermassive objects at galactic centers lack the horizons of traditional black holes, inspiraling objects could emit GWs after passing within their surfaces. The GWs produced by such an inspiral are calculated, revealing distinctive features potentially observable by future GW observatories.

Color object detection using spatial-color joint probability functions.

PubMed

Luo, Jiebo; Crandall, David

2006-06-01

Object detection in unconstrained images is an important image understanding problem with many potential applications. There has been little success in creating a single algorithm that can detect arbitrary objects in unconstrained images; instead, algorithms typically must be customized for each specific object. Consequently, it typically requires a large number of exemplars (for rigid objects) or a large amount of human intuition (for nonrigid objects) to develop a robust algorithm. We present a robust algorithm designed to detect a class of compound color objects given a single model image. A compound color object is defined as having a set of multiple, particular colors arranged spatially in a particular way, including flags, logos, cartoon characters, people in uniforms, etc. Our approach is based on a particular type of spatial-color joint probability function called the color edge co-occurrence histogram. In addition, our algorithm employs perceptual color naming to handle color variation, and prescreening to limit the search scope (i.e., size and location) for the object. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm is insensitive to object rotation, scaling, partial occlusion, and folding, outperforming a closely related algorithm based on color co-occurrence histograms by a decisive margin.

Effects of visual cues of object density on perception and anticipatory control of dexterous manipulation.

PubMed

Crajé, Céline; Santello, Marco; Gordon, Andrew M

2013-01-01

Anticipatory force planning during grasping is based on visual cues about the object's physical properties and sensorimotor memories of previous actions with grasped objects. Vision can be used to estimate object mass based on the object size to identify and recall sensorimotor memories of previously manipulated objects. It is not known whether subjects can use density cues to identify the object's center of mass (CM) and create compensatory moments in an anticipatory fashion during initial object lifts to prevent tilt. We asked subjects (n = 8) to estimate CM location of visually symmetric objects of uniform densities (plastic or brass, symmetric CM) and non-uniform densities (mixture of plastic and brass, asymmetric CM). We then asked whether subjects can use density cues to scale fingertip forces when lifting the visually symmetric objects of uniform and non-uniform densities. Subjects were able to accurately estimate an object's center of mass based on visual density cues. When the mass distribution was uniform, subjects could scale their fingertip forces in an anticipatory fashion based on the estimation. However, despite their ability to explicitly estimate CM location when object density was non-uniform, subjects were unable to scale their fingertip forces to create a compensatory moment and prevent tilt on initial lifts. Hefting object parts in the hand before the experiment did not affect this ability. This suggests a dichotomy between the ability to accurately identify the object's CM location for objects with non-uniform density cues and the ability to utilize this information to correctly scale their fingertip forces. These results are discussed in the context of possible neural mechanisms underlying sensorimotor integration linking visual cues and anticipatory control of grasping.

Validity and Reliability of Persian Version of HIV/AIDS Related Stigma Scale for People Living With HIV/AIDS in Iran

PubMed Central

Pourmarzi, Davoud; Khoramirad, Ashraf; Ahmari Tehran, Hoda; Abedini, Zahra

2015-01-01

Objective: To assess the perceived HIV/AIDS related stigma a comprehensive and well developed stigma instrument is necessary. This study aimed to assess validity and reliability of the Persian version of HIV/AIDS related stigma scale which was developed by Kang et al for people living with HIV/AIDS in Iran. Materials and methods: Thescale was forward translatedby two bilingual academic members then both translations were discussed by expert team. Back-translation was done by two other bilingual translators then we carried out discussion with both of them. To evaluate understandability the scale was administered to 10 Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Final Persian version was administered to 80 PLWHA in Qom, Iran in 2014. Test–retest reliability was assessed in a sample of 20 PLWHA after a week by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for overall scale was 0.85. Also Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the five subscales were as follows: social rejection (9 items, α = 0.84), negative self-worth (4 items, α = 0.70), perceived interpersonal insecurity (2 items, α = 0.57), financial insecurity (3 items, α = 0.70), discretionary disclosure (2 items, α = 0.83). Test–retest reliability was also approved with ICC = 0.78. Correlation between items and their hypothesized subscale is greater than 0.5. Correlation between an item and its own subscale was significantly higher than its correlation with other subscales. Conclusion: This study demonstrate that the Persian version of HIV/AIDS related stigma scale is valid and reliable to assess HIV/AIDS related stigma perceived by people living whit HIV/AIDS in Iran. PMID:27047562

Comparison of SF-36 vitality scale and Fatigue Symptom Inventory in assessing cancer-related fatigue.

PubMed

Brown, Linda F; Kroenke, Kurt; Theobald, Dale E; Wu, Jingwei

2011-08-01

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is an important symptom in clinical practice and research. The best way to measure it, however, remains unsettled. The SF-36 vitality scale, a general measure of energy/fatigue, is a frequently cited measure. With only four items, however, its ability to adequately represent multiple CRF facets has been questioned. The 13-item Fatigue Symptom Inventory (FSI) was developed to assess multidimensional aspects of CRF. Our objectives were to assess the convergent validity and to compare the sensitivity to change of the two scales. We administered both scales at 1 month (n = 68) and 6 months (n = 96) to a subset of heterogeneous patients receiving treatment in 16 cancer centers who were enrolled in a clinical trial of pain and depression. Distributions of standardized response means (SRMs) were compared to assess sensitivity to change. Results of both scales were compared to scores on a single fatigue item from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Mean scores for both the FSI and the vitality scale demonstrated clinically significant fatigue in the sample. The vitality scale was strongly correlated with all three FSI scales (r = -0.68 to -0.77). The vitality and FSI scales also correlated strongly with the PHQ fatigue item. Moreover, distributions of SRMs for both scales were approximately normal. Both the FSI and the vitality scale are supported as valid measures of CRF. Both demonstrated sensitivity to change across a range of effect sizes. The vitality scale may be an excellent choice when brevity is paramount; the FSI may be more appropriate when tapping specific dimensions is warranted.

Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) and the Continental-scale International Project (GCIP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vane, Deborah

1993-01-01

A discussion of the objectives of the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) and the Continental-scale International Project (GCIP) is presented in vugraph form. The objectives of GEWEX are as follows: determine the hydrological cycle by global measurements; model the global hydrological cycle; improve observations and data assimilation; and predict response to environmental change. The objectives of GCIP are as follows: determine the time/space variability of the hydrological cycle over a continental-scale region; develop macro-scale hydrologic models that are coupled to atmospheric models; develop information retrieval schemes; and support regional climate change impact assessment.

Could Objective Tests Be Used to Measure Fatigue in Patients With Advanced Cancer?

PubMed

Schvartsman, Gustavo; Park, Minjeong; Liu, Diane D; Yennu, Sriram; Bruera, Eduardo; Hui, David

2017-08-01

Assessment of cancer-related fatigue is currently based on patient-reported outcomes. We asked whether objective assessments, such as muscle strength and nutritional markers, can be used as surrogate measures of cancer-related fatigue. We examined the association among three fatigue scales, muscle strength, and nutritional markers in patients with advanced cancer. In this prospective study, we enrolled hospitalized cancer patients who had been seen in palliative care consultation at MD Anderson Cancer Center. We assessed fatigue using three fatigue scales-the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30)-and determined their association with objective assessments, including handgrip strength, maximal inspiratory pressure, lean body mass, phase angle, and albumin. Spearman's correlation test was used to assess associations. Among 222 patients, the mean age was 55 years; 59% were women. The median overall survival was 106 days. The total BFI score had weak association with handgrip strength (ρ = -0.18, P = 0.007) and no association with the remaining objective measures. ESAS fatigue and EORTC fatigue showed similar findings. Total BFI had moderate-to-strong association with ESAS (ρ = 0.54, P < 0.0001) and EORTC (ρ = 0.60, P < 0.0001) fatigue. Our study showed that subjective assessment of fatigue based on patient-reported outcomes correlates only weakly with muscle strength and nutritional markers; thus, patient-reported outcomes remain the gold standard for fatigue assessment. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Iron Deficiency Anemia and Cognitive Function in Infancy

PubMed Central

Carter, R. Colin; Jacobson, Joseph L.; Burden, Matthew J.; Armony-Sivan, Rinat; Dodge, Neil C.; Angelilli, Mary Lu; Lozoff, Betsy; Jacobson, Sandra W.

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVES This study examined effects of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) on specific domains of infant cognitive function and the role of IDA-related socioemotional deficits in mediating and/or moderating these effects. METHODS Infants were recruited during routine 9-month visits to an inner-city clinic. IDA was defined as hemoglobin level <110 g/L with ≥2 abnormal iron deficiency indicators (mean corpuscular volume, red cell distribution width, zinc protoporphyrin, transferrin saturation, and ferritin). At 9 and 12 months, the Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence (FTII); A-not-B task; Emotionality, Activity, and Sociability Temperament Survey; and Behavior Rating Scale were administered. Analyses were adjusted for potential confounders, including age and sociodemographic variables. RESULTS Twenty-eight infants met criteria for IDA, 28 had nonanemic iron deficiency (NA ID) and 21 had iron sufficiency (IS). There was a linear effect for object permanence at 9 months: infants with IDA were least likely to exhibit object permanence, IS most likely, and NA ID intermediate. Infants with IDA and those with hemoglobin level ≤105 g/L showed poorer recognition memory on the FTII than infants without IDA. The Behavior Rating Scale orientation/engagement measure partially mediated these effects. Stronger effects of IDA on these outcomes were seen in infants who scored more poorly on the socioemotional measures. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate poorer object permanence and short-term memory encoding and/or retrieval in infants with IDA at 9 months. These cognitive effects were attributable, in part, to IDA-related deficits in socioemotional function. Children with poor socioemotional performance seem to be more vulnerable to the effects of IDA on cognitive function. PMID:20660551

Effects of age on the soccer-specific cognitive-motor performance of elite young soccer players: Comparison between objective measurements and coaches’ evaluation

PubMed Central

Chauvin, Alan; Chassot, Steve; Chenevière, Xavier; Taube, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

The cognitive-motor performance (CMP), defined here as the capacity to rapidly use sensory information and transfer it into efficient motor output, represents a major contributor to performance in almost all sports, including soccer. Here, we used a high-technology system (COGNIFOOT) which combines a visual environment simulator fully synchronized with a motion capture system. This system allowed us to measure objective real-time CMP parameters (passing accuracy/speed and response times) in a large turf-artificial grass playfield. Forty-six (46) young elite soccer players (including 2 female players) aged between 11 and 16 years who belonged to the same youth soccer academy were tested. Each player had to pass the ball as fast and as accurately as possible towards visual targets projected onto a large screen located 5.32 meters in front of him (a short pass situation). We observed a linear age-related increase in the CMP: the passing accuracy, speed and reactiveness of players improved by 4 centimeters, 2.3 km/h and 30 milliseconds per year of age, respectively. These data were converted into 5 point-scales and compared to the judgement of expert coaches, who also used a 5 point-scale to evaluate the same CMP parameters but based on their experience with the players during games and training. The objectively-measured age-related CMP changes were also observed in expert coaches’ judgments although these were more variable across coaches and age categories. This demonstrates that high-technology systems like COGNIFOOT can be used in complement to traditional approaches of talent identification and to objectively monitor the progress of soccer players throughout a cognitive-motor training cycle. PMID:28953958

Effects of age on the soccer-specific cognitive-motor performance of elite young soccer players: Comparison between objective measurements and coaches' evaluation.

PubMed

Hicheur, Halim; Chauvin, Alan; Chassot, Steve; Chenevière, Xavier; Taube, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

The cognitive-motor performance (CMP), defined here as the capacity to rapidly use sensory information and transfer it into efficient motor output, represents a major contributor to performance in almost all sports, including soccer. Here, we used a high-technology system (COGNIFOOT) which combines a visual environment simulator fully synchronized with a motion capture system. This system allowed us to measure objective real-time CMP parameters (passing accuracy/speed and response times) in a large turf-artificial grass playfield. Forty-six (46) young elite soccer players (including 2 female players) aged between 11 and 16 years who belonged to the same youth soccer academy were tested. Each player had to pass the ball as fast and as accurately as possible towards visual targets projected onto a large screen located 5.32 meters in front of him (a short pass situation). We observed a linear age-related increase in the CMP: the passing accuracy, speed and reactiveness of players improved by 4 centimeters, 2.3 km/h and 30 milliseconds per year of age, respectively. These data were converted into 5 point-scales and compared to the judgement of expert coaches, who also used a 5 point-scale to evaluate the same CMP parameters but based on their experience with the players during games and training. The objectively-measured age-related CMP changes were also observed in expert coaches' judgments although these were more variable across coaches and age categories. This demonstrates that high-technology systems like COGNIFOOT can be used in complement to traditional approaches of talent identification and to objectively monitor the progress of soccer players throughout a cognitive-motor training cycle.

Modeling Wettability Alteration using Chemical EOR Processes in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

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

Mojdeh Delshad; Gary A. Pope; Kamy Sepehrnoori

2007-09-30

The objective of our search is to develop a mechanistic simulation tool by adapting UTCHEM to model the wettability alteration in both conventional and naturally fractured reservoirs. This will be a unique simulator that can model surfactant floods in naturally fractured reservoir with coupling of wettability effects on relative permeabilities, capillary pressure, and capillary desaturation curves. The capability of wettability alteration will help us and others to better understand and predict the oil recovery mechanisms as a function of wettability in naturally fractured reservoirs. The lack of a reliable simulator for wettability alteration means that either the concept that hasmore » already been proven to be effective in the laboratory scale may never be applied commercially to increase oil production or the process must be tested in the field by trial and error and at large expense in time and money. The objective of Task 1 is to perform a literature survey to compile published data on relative permeability, capillary pressure, dispersion, interfacial tension, and capillary desaturation curve as a function of wettability to aid in the development of petrophysical property models as a function of wettability. The new models and correlations will be tested against published data. The models will then be implemented in the compositional chemical flooding reservoir simulator, UTCHEM. The objective of Task 2 is to understand the mechanisms and develop a correlation for the degree of wettability alteration based on published data. The objective of Task 3 is to validate the models and implementation against published data and to perform 3-D field-scale simulations to evaluate the impact of uncertainties in the fracture and matrix properties on surfactant alkaline and hot water floods.« less

Quantification of soil structure based on Minkowski functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, H.-J.; Weller, U.; Schlüter, S.

2010-10-01

The structure of soils and other geologic media is a complex three-dimensional object. Most of the physical material properties including mechanical and hydraulic characteristics are immediately linked to the structure given by the pore space and its spatial distribution. It is an old dream and still a formidable challenge to relate structural features of porous media to their functional properties. Using tomographic techniques, soil structure can be directly observed at a range of spatial scales. In this paper we present a scale-invariant concept to quantify complex structures based on a limited set of meaningful morphological functions. They are based on d+1 Minkowski functionals as defined for d-dimensional bodies. These basic quantities are determined as a function of pore size or aggregate size obtained by filter procedures using mathematical morphology. The resulting Minkowski functions provide valuable information on the size of pores and aggregates, the pore surface area and the pore topology having the potential to be linked to physical properties. The theoretical background and the related algorithms are presented and the approach is demonstrated for the pore structure of an arable soil and the pore structure of a sand both obtained by X-ray micro-tomography. We also analyze the fundamental problem of limited resolution which is critical for any attempt to quantify structural features at any scale using samples of different size recorded at different resolutions. The results demonstrate that objects smaller than 5 voxels are critical for quantitative analysis.

Associations between displayed alcohol references on Facebook and problem drinking among college students

PubMed Central

Moreno, Megan A; Christakis, Dimitri A; Egan, Katie G; Brockman, Libby N; Becker, Tara

2011-01-01

Objective Alcohol screening is uncommon among college students; however, many students display references to alcohol on Facebook. The objective of this study was to examine associations between displayed alcohol use and intoxication/problem drinking (I/PD) references on Facebook and self-reported problem drinking using a clinical scale. Design Content analysis and cross-sectional survey Setting www.Facebook.com Participants Undergraduate students from two state universities between the ages of 18 and 20 with public Facebook profiles Main exposures Profiles were categorized into one of three distinct categories: Non-Displayers, Alcohol Displayers and Intoxication/Problem Drinking (I/PD) Displayers. Outcome measures An online survey measured problem drinking using the AUDIT scale. Analyses examined associations between alcohol display category and 1) AUDIT problem drinking category using logistic regression, 2) AUDIT score using negative binomial regression, and 3) alcohol-related injury using Fisher’s exact test. Results Of 307 profiles identified, 224 participants completed the survey (73% response rate). The average age was 18.8 years, 122 (54%) were female, 152 (68%) were Caucasian, and approximately half were from each university. Profile owners who displayed I/PD were more likely (OR=4.4 [95% CI 2.0-9.4]) to score in the problem drinking category of the AUDIT scale, had 64% (IRR=1.64 [95% CI: 1.27-11.0] higher AUDIT scores overall and were more likely to report an alcohol-related injury in the past year (p=0.002). Conclusions Displayed references to I/PD were positively associated with AUDIT scores suggesting problem drinking as well as alcohol-related injury. Results suggest that clinical criteria for problem drinking can be applied to Facebook alcohol references. PMID:21969360

The formation of cosmic structure in a texture-seeded cold dark matter cosmogony

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gooding, Andrew K.; Park, Changbom; Spergel, David N.; Turok, Neil; Gott, Richard, III

1992-01-01

The growth of density fluctuations induced by global texture in an Omega = 1 cold dark matter (CDM) cosmogony is calculated. The resulting power spectra are in good agreement with each other, with more power on large scales than in the standard inflation plus CDM model. Calculation of related statistics (two-point correlation functions, mass variances, cosmic Mach number) indicates that the texture plus CDM model compares more favorably than standard CDM with observations of large-scale structure. Texture produces coherent velocity fields on large scales, as observed. Excessive small-scale velocity dispersions, and voids less empty than those observed may be remedied by including baryonic physics. The topology of the cosmic structure agrees well with observation. The non-Gaussian texture induced density fluctuations lead to earlier nonlinear object formation than in Gaussian models and may also be more compatible with recent evidence that the galaxy density field is non-Gaussian on large scales. On smaller scales the density field is strongly non-Gaussian, but this appears to be primarily due to nonlinear gravitational clustering. The velocity field on smaller scales is surprisingly Gaussian.

Persistent Symptoms and Objectively Measured Balance Performance Among OEF/OIF Veterans With Remote Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Hebert, Jeffrey R; Forster, Jeri E; Stearns-Yoder, Kelly A; Penzenik, Molly E; Brenner, Lisa A

2018-01-30

To investigate linear relationships between dizziness, fatigue, and depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and objectively measured balance performance in Veterans with remote mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Academic laboratory; Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Thirty Veterans (28 men) who served in Iraq/Afghanistan and whose most recent mTBI was sustained more than 6 months prior to enrollment. Cross-sectional, observational trial. The Computerized Dynamic Posturography-Sensory Organization Test (CDP-SOT) and the Community Balance and Mobility (CB&M) scale measured balance. Dizziness (Dizziness Handicap Inventory), fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale), depression-related symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II), and PTSD-related symptoms (PTSD Checklist 5) were also measured. Objectively measured balance, CDP-SOT composite, was impaired (mean score of 67.9). CDP-SOT scores correlated with dizziness (r = -0.53; P = .002), fatigue (r = -0.38; P = .03), depression (r = -0.55; P = .001), and PTSD symptoms (r = -0.53; P = .002). Dizziness, time since most recent mTBI, and PTSD symptoms and depression combined explained significant variability in CDP-SOT scores (R = 0.46; P = .003), as did fatigue depression and PTSD symptoms (R = 0.33; P = .01). Impaired balance was identified among the cohort. Findings suggest that dizziness, fatigue, depression and PTSD, and time since most recent mTBI may influence balance performance. Additional research is needed to identify the potentially interrelated natural histories of these co-occurring symptoms.

Validation of the Early Functional Abilities scale: An assessment of four dimensions in early recovery after traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Poulsen, Ingrid; Kreiner, Svend; Engberg, Aase W

2018-02-13

The Early Functional Abilities scale assesses the restoration of brain function after brain injury, based on 4 dimensions. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the validity, objectivity, reliability and measurement precision of the Early Functional Abilities scale by Rasch model item analysis. A secondary objective was to examine the relationship between the Early Functional Abilities scale and the Functional Independence Measurement™, in order to establish the criterion validity of the Early Functional Abilities scale and to compare the sensitivity of measurements using the 2 instruments. The Rasch analysis was based on the assessment of 408 adult patients at admission to sub-acute rehabilitation in Copenhagen, Denmark after traumatic brain injury. The Early Functional Abilities scale provides valid and objective measurement of vegetative (autonomic), facio-oral, sensorimotor and communicative/cognitive functions. Removal of one item from the sensorimotor scale confirmed unidimensionality for each of the 4 subscales, but not for the entire scale. The Early Functional Abilities subscales are sensitive to differences between patients in ranges in which the Functional Independence Measurement™ has a floor effect. The Early Functional Abilities scale assesses the early recovery of important aspects of brain function after traumatic brain injury, but is not unidimensional. We recommend removal of the "standing" item and calculation of summary subscales for the separate dimensions.

Translation and validation of Portuguese of a questionnaire for evaluation of psychosomatic symptoms in adults with atopic dermatitis*

PubMed Central

Boleira, Manuela; Lupi, Omar; Pires, Gisele Vianna; Dias, Gabriela; Seba, Amanda Jaccobson; Guimarães, Daniel Boleira Sieiro

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND atopic dermatitis is directly related to psychological stress, reduced quality of life and psychosomatic symptoms. The Psychosomatic Scale for Atopic Dermatitis is the only questionnaire developed specifically for assessment of psychosomatization in atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVES the objective of this study was to cross-culturally adapt and validate a Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Psychosomatic Scale for Atopic Dermatitis. METHODS adaptation consisted of independent translation and backtranslation by three bilingual translators, followed by a pre-test. The Psychosomatic Scale for Atopic Dermatitis and the Dermatology Life Quality Index were self-administered to 47 patients with atopic dermatitis. Disease severity was evaluated using the Eczema Area and Severity Index. Factor analysis was used to identify the dimensions of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Psychosomatic Scale for Atopic Dermatitis. Internal consistency and convergence validity were also analyzed. Reproducibility was assessed using the Kappa coefficient. RESULTS factor analysis revealed a two-dimensional structure: stress/laziness/insecurity (I) and maladjustment/social relationships (II), explaining 54.4% of total variance. All dimensions revealed excellent internal consistency. External construct validity was confirmed by positive correlations between the Psychosomatic Scale for Atopic Dermatitis and the Dermatology Life Quality Index. Test-retest reliability was excellent, with k>0.7 for all questions. CONCLUSIONS the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Psychosomatic Scale for Atopic Dermatitis demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties and can be used for the evaluation of psychosomatic symptoms in patients with atopic dermatitis and as a tool in clinical and epidemiological research. PMID:25184916

Patient-reported Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales in pediatric patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and comorbid psychiatric disorders: feasibility, reliability, and validity.

PubMed

Limbers, Christine A; Ripperger-Suhler, Jane; Heffer, Robert W; Varni, James W

2011-06-01

The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales as a patient self-reported health-related quality of life measurement instrument in pediatric patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and physician-diagnosed comorbid psychiatric disorders being seen in a pediatric psychiatric clinic. The secondary objective was to evaluate parent proxy-reported PedsQL in this population. One hundred seventy-nine children with ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders ages 5 to 18 years and 181 parents completed the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales and parents also completed the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scales. Known-groups discriminant validity comparisons were made between the sample of pediatric patients with ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders and healthy, cancer, and type 1 diabetes samples. The PedsQL evidenced minimal missing responses for patient self-report and parent proxy-report (0.2% and 0.5%, respectively), demonstrated no significant floor or ceiling effects, and achieved excellent reliability for the Total Scale Score (α = 0.85 patient self-report, 0.92 parent proxy-report). Pediatric patients with ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders and their parents reported statistically significantly worse PedsQL scores than healthy children, with large effect sizes across all domains, supporting known-groups discriminant validity. Pediatric patients with ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders and their parents reported worse PedsQL scores compared to pediatric patients with cancer and diabetes with the exception of physical health, in which pediatric cancer patients manifested lower physical health, indicating the relative severe impact of ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders. More severe ADHD symptoms were generally associated with more impaired PedsQL scores, supporting construct validity. These data demonstrate the feasibility, reliability, and validity of patient self-reported PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales in this high risk population of pediatric patients and highlight the profound negative impact of ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders on generic health-related quality of life, comparable to or worse than serious pediatric chronic physical diseases. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An algorithm of adaptive scale object tracking in occlusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Congmei

2017-05-01

Although the correlation filter-based trackers achieve the competitive results both on accuracy and robustness, there are still some problems in handling scale variations, object occlusion, fast motions and so on. In this paper, a multi-scale kernel correlation filter algorithm based on random fern detector was proposed. The tracking task was decomposed into the target scale estimation and the translation estimation. At the same time, the Color Names features and HOG features were fused in response level to further improve the overall tracking performance of the algorithm. In addition, an online random fern classifier was trained to re-obtain the target after the target was lost. By comparing with some algorithms such as KCF, DSST, TLD, MIL, CT and CSK, experimental results show that the proposed approach could estimate the object state accurately and handle the object occlusion effectively.

Observational and numerical studies of extreme frontal scale contraction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koch, Steven E.

1995-01-01

The general objective of this effort is to increase understanding of how frontal scale contraction processes may create and sustain intense mesoscale precipitation along intensifying cold fronts. The five-part project (an expansion of the originally proposed two-part project) employed conventional meteorological data, special mesoscale data, remote sensing measurements, and various numerical models. First an idealized hydrostatic modeling study of the scale contraction effects of differential cloud cover on low-level frontal structure and dynamics was completed and published in a peer-reviewed journal. The second objective was to complete and publish the results from a three dimensional numerical model simulation of a cold front in which differential sensible heating related to cloud coverage patterns was apparently crucial in the formation of a severe frontal squall line. The third objective was to use a nonhydrostatic model to examine the nonlinear interactions between the transverse circulation arising from inhomogeneous cloud cover, the adiabatic frontal circulation related to semi-geostrophic forcing, and diabatic effects related to precipitation processes, in the development of a density current-like microstructure at the leading edge of cold fronts. Although the development of a frontal model that could be used to initialize such a primitive equation model was begun, we decided to focus our efforts instead on a project that could be successfully completed in this short time, due to the lack of prospects for continued NASA funding beyond this first year (our proposal was not accepted for future funding). Thus, a fourth task was added, which was to use the nonhydrostatic model to test tentative hypotheses developed from the most detailed observations ever obtained on a density current (primarily sodar and wind profiler data). These simulations were successfully completed, the findings were reported at a scientific conference, and the results have recently been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. The fifth objective was to complete the analysis of data collected during the Cooperative Oklahoma Profiler Studies (COPS-91) field project, which was supported by NASA. The analysis of the mesoscale surface and sounding data, Doppler radar imagery, and other remote sensing data from multi frequency wind profiler, microwave radiometer, and the Radio Acoustic Sounding System has been completed. This study is a unique investigation of processes that caused the contraction of a cold front to a microscale zone exhibiting an undular bore-like structure. Results were reported at a scientific conference and are being prepared for publication. In summary, considerable progress has been achieved under NASA funding in furthering our understanding of frontal scale contraction and density current - gravity wave interaction processes, and in utilizing models and remotely sensed data in such studies.

Horvitz-Thompson survey sample methods for estimating large-scale animal abundance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Samuel, M.D.; Garton, E.O.

1994-01-01

Large-scale surveys to estimate animal abundance can be useful for monitoring population status and trends, for measuring responses to management or environmental alterations, and for testing ecological hypotheses about abundance. However, large-scale surveys may be expensive and logistically complex. To ensure resources are not wasted on unattainable targets, the goals and uses of each survey should be specified carefully and alternative methods for addressing these objectives always should be considered. During survey design, the impoflance of each survey error component (spatial design, propofiion of detected animals, precision in detection) should be considered carefully to produce a complete statistically based survey. Failure to address these three survey components may produce population estimates that are inaccurate (biased low), have unrealistic precision (too precise) and do not satisfactorily meet the survey objectives. Optimum survey design requires trade-offs in these sources of error relative to the costs of sampling plots and detecting animals on plots, considerations that are specific to the spatial logistics and survey methods. The Horvitz-Thompson estimators provide a comprehensive framework for considering all three survey components during the design and analysis of large-scale wildlife surveys. Problems of spatial and temporal (especially survey to survey) heterogeneity in detection probabilities have received little consideration, but failure to account for heterogeneity produces biased population estimates. The goal of producing unbiased population estimates is in conflict with the increased variation from heterogeneous detection in the population estimate. One solution to this conflict is to use an MSE-based approach to achieve a balance between bias reduction and increased variation. Further research is needed to develop methods that address spatial heterogeneity in detection, evaluate the effects of temporal heterogeneity on survey objectives and optimize decisions related to survey bias and variance. Finally, managers and researchers involved in the survey design process must realize that obtaining the best survey results requires an interactive and recursive process of survey design, execution, analysis and redesign. Survey refinements will be possible as further knowledge is gained on the actual abundance and distribution of the population and on the most efficient techniques for detection animals.

Assessment of Cognitively Stimulating Activity in a Spanish Population.

PubMed

Morales Ortiz, Manuel; Fernández, Aaron

2018-05-01

Theoretical models of active ageing and cognitive reserve emphasize the importance of leading an active life to delay age-related cognitive deterioration and maintain good levels of well-being and personal satisfaction in the elderly. The objective of this research was to construct a scale to measure cognitively stimulating activities (CSA) in the Spanish language. The sample consisted of a total of 453 older persons. The scale was constructed from a list of 28 items and validated using structural equation models. The scale obtained showed a negative correlation with age and a positive correlation with education and physical activity. Using hierarchical regression models, CSAs were found to have a significant effect on attention when controlling for the effect of age and education. Likewise, a significant interaction between age and CSA was found on the measure of episodic memory. The validated CSA scale will enable the relationships between changes in cognitive functions and stimulating activities to be studied.

Presenting an Approach for Conducting Knowledge Architecture within Large-Scale Organizations

PubMed Central

Varaee, Touraj; Habibi, Jafar; Mohaghar, Ali

2015-01-01

Knowledge architecture (KA) establishes the basic groundwork for the successful implementation of a short-term or long-term knowledge management (KM) program. An example of KA is the design of a prototype before a new vehicle is manufactured. Due to a transformation to large-scale organizations, the traditional architecture of organizations is undergoing fundamental changes. This paper explores the main strengths and weaknesses in the field of KA within large-scale organizations and provides a suitable methodology and supervising framework to overcome specific limitations. This objective was achieved by applying and updating the concepts from the Zachman information architectural framework and the information architectural methodology of enterprise architecture planning (EAP). The proposed solution may be beneficial for architects in knowledge-related areas to successfully accomplish KM within large-scale organizations. The research method is descriptive; its validity is confirmed by performing a case study and polling the opinions of KA experts. PMID:25993414

Motivational Differences in Seeking Out Evaluative Categorization Information.

PubMed

Smallman, Rachel; Becker, Brittney

2017-07-01

Previous research shows that people draw finer evaluative distinctions when rating liked versus disliked objects (e.g., wanting a 5-point scale to evaluate liked cuisines and a 3-point scale to rate disliked cuisines). Known as the preference-categorization effect, this pattern may exist not only in how individuals form evaluative distinctions but also in how individuals seek out evaluative information. The current research presents three experiments that examine motivational differences in evaluative information seeking (rating scales and attributes). Experiment 1 found that freedom of choice (the ability to avoid undesirable stimuli) and sensitivity to punishment (as measured by the Behavior Inhibition System/Behavioral Approach System [BIS/BAS] scale) influenced preferences for desirable and undesirable evaluative information in a health-related decision. Experiment 2 examined choice optimization, finding that maximizers prefer finer evaluative information for both liked and disliked options in a consumer task. Experiment 3 found that this pattern generalizes to another type of evaluative categorization, attributes.

Presenting an Approach for Conducting Knowledge Architecture within Large-Scale Organizations.

PubMed

Varaee, Touraj; Habibi, Jafar; Mohaghar, Ali

2015-01-01

Knowledge architecture (KA) establishes the basic groundwork for the successful implementation of a short-term or long-term knowledge management (KM) program. An example of KA is the design of a prototype before a new vehicle is manufactured. Due to a transformation to large-scale organizations, the traditional architecture of organizations is undergoing fundamental changes. This paper explores the main strengths and weaknesses in the field of KA within large-scale organizations and provides a suitable methodology and supervising framework to overcome specific limitations. This objective was achieved by applying and updating the concepts from the Zachman information architectural framework and the information architectural methodology of enterprise architecture planning (EAP). The proposed solution may be beneficial for architects in knowledge-related areas to successfully accomplish KM within large-scale organizations. The research method is descriptive; its validity is confirmed by performing a case study and polling the opinions of KA experts.

Measuring Implementation Fidelity in a Community-Based Parenting Intervention

PubMed Central

Breitenstein, Susan M.; Fogg, Louis; Garvey, Christine; Hill, Carri; Resnick, Barbara; Gross, Deborah

2012-01-01

Background Establishing the feasibility and validity of implementation fidelity monitoring strategies is an important methodological step in implementing evidence-based interventions on a large scale. Objectives The objective of the study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Fidelity Checklist, a measure designed to assess group leader adherence and competence delivering a parent training intervention (the Chicago Parent Program) in child care centers serving low-income families. Method The sample included 9 parent groups (12 group sessions each), 12 group leaders, and 103 parents. Independent raters reviewed 106 audiotaped parent group sessions and coded group leaders’ fidelity on the Adherence and Competence Scales of the Fidelity Checklist. Group leaders completed self-report adherence checklists and a measure of parent engagement in the intervention. Parents completed measures of consumer satisfaction and child behavior. Results High interrater agreement (Adherence Scale = 94%, Competence Scale = 85%) and adequate intraclass correlation coefficients (Adherence Scale = .69, Competence Scale = .91) were achieved for the Fidelity Checklist. Group leader adherence changed over time, but competence remained stable. Agreement between group leader self-report and independent ratings on the Adherence Scale was 85%; disagreements were more frequently due to positive bias in group leader self-report. Positive correlations were found between group leader adherence and parent attendance and engagement in the intervention and between group leader competence and parent satisfaction. Although child behavior problems improved, improvements were not related to fidelity. Discussion The results suggest that the Fidelity Checklist is a feasible, reliable, and valid measure of group leader implementation fidelity in a group-based parenting intervention. Future research will be focused on testing the Fidelity Checklist with diverse and larger samples and generalizing to other group-based interventions using a similar intervention model. PMID:20404777

Viewing and Editing Earth Science Metadata MOBE: Metadata Object Browser and Editor in Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chase, A.; Helly, J.

2002-12-01

Metadata is an important, yet often neglected aspect of successful archival efforts. However, to generate robust, useful metadata is often a time consuming and tedious task. We have been approaching this problem from two directions: first by automating metadata creation, pulling from known sources of data, and in addition, what this (paper/poster?) details, developing friendly software for human interaction with the metadata. MOBE and COBE(Metadata Object Browser and Editor, and Canonical Object Browser and Editor respectively), are Java applications for editing and viewing metadata and digital objects. MOBE has already been designed and deployed, currently being integrated into other areas of the SIOExplorer project. COBE is in the design and development stage, being created with the same considerations in mind as those for MOBE. Metadata creation, viewing, data object creation, and data object viewing, when taken on a small scale are all relatively simple tasks. Computer science however, has an infamous reputation for transforming the simple into complex. As a system scales upwards to become more robust, new features arise and additional functionality is added to the software being written to manage the system. The software that emerges from such an evolution, though powerful, is often complex and difficult to use. With MOBE the focus is on a tool that does a small number of tasks very well. The result has been an application that enables users to manipulate metadata in an intuitive and effective way. This allows for a tool that serves its purpose without introducing additional cognitive load onto the user, an end goal we continue to pursue.

Studying the Surfaces of the Icy Galilean Satellites With JIMO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prockter, L.; Schenk, P.; Pappalardo, R.

2003-12-01

The Geology subgroup of the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) Science Definition Team (SDT) has been working with colleagues within the planetary science community to determine the key outstanding science goals that could be met by the JIMO mission. Geological studies of the Galilean satellites will benefit from the spacecraft's long orbital periods around each satellite, lasting from one to several months. This mission plan allows us to select the optimal viewing conditions to complete global compositional and morphologic mapping at high resolution, and to target geologic features of key scientific interest at very high resolution. Community input to this planning process suggests two major science objectives, along with corresponding measurements proposed to meet them. Objective 1: Determine the origins of surface features and their implications for geological history and evolution. This encompasses investigations of magmatism (intrusion, extrusion, and diapirism), tectonism (isostatic compensation, and styles of faulting, flexure and folding), impact cratering (morphology and distribution), and gradation (erosion and deposition) processes (impact gardening, sputtering, mass wasting and frosts). Suggested measurements to meet this goal include (1) two dimensional global topographic mapping sufficient to discriminate features at a spatial scale of 10 m, and with better than or equal to 1 m relative vertical accuracy, (2) nested images of selected target areas at a range of resolutions down to the submeter pixel scale, (3) global (albedo) mapping at better than or equal to 10 m/pixel, and (4) multispectral global mapping in at least 3 colors at better than or equal to 100 m/pixel, with some subsets at better than 30 m/pixel. Objective 2. Identify and characterize potential landing sites for future missions. A primary component to the success of future landed missions is full characterization of potential sites in terms of their relative age, geological interest, and engineering safety. Measurement requirements suggested to meet this goal (in addition to the requirements of Objective 1) include the acquisition of super-high resolution images of selected target areas (with intermediate context imaging) down to 25 cm/pixel scale. The Geology subgroup passed these recommendations to the full JIMO Science Definition Team, to be incorporated into the final science recommendations for the JIMO mission.

A novel fruit shape classification method based on multi-scale analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gui, Jiangsheng; Ying, Yibin; Rao, Xiuqin

2005-11-01

Shape is one of the major concerns and which is still a difficult problem in automated inspection and sorting of fruits. In this research, we proposed the multi-scale energy distribution (MSED) for object shape description, the relationship between objects shape and its boundary energy distribution at multi-scale was explored for shape extraction. MSED offers not only the mainly energy which represent primary shape information at the lower scales, but also subordinate energy which represent local shape information at higher differential scales. Thus, it provides a natural tool for multi resolution representation and can be used as a feature for shape classification. We addressed the three main processing steps in the MSED-based shape classification. They are namely, 1) image preprocessing and citrus shape extraction, 2) shape resample and shape feature normalization, 3) energy decomposition by wavelet and classification by BP neural network. Hereinto, shape resample is resample 256 boundary pixel from a curve which is approximated original boundary by using cubic spline in order to get uniform raw data. A probability function was defined and an effective method to select a start point was given through maximal expectation, which overcame the inconvenience of traditional methods in order to have a property of rotation invariants. The experiment result is relatively well normal citrus and serious abnormality, with a classification rate superior to 91.2%. The global correct classification rate is 89.77%, and our method is more effective than traditional method. The global result can meet the request of fruit grading.

Career-Success Scale – A new instrument to assess young physicians' academic career steps

PubMed Central

Buddeberg-Fischer, Barbara; Stamm, Martina; Buddeberg, Claus; Klaghofer, Richard

2008-01-01

Background Within the framework of a prospective cohort study of Swiss medical school graduates, a Career-Success Scale (CSS) was constructed in a sample of young physicians choosing different career paths in medicine. Furthermore the influence of personality factors, the participants' personal situation, and career related factors on their career success was investigated. Methods 406 residents were assessed in terms of career aspired to, and their career progress. The Career-Success Scale, consisting of 7 items, was developed and validated, addressing objective criteria of academic career advancement. The influence of gender and career aspiration was investigated by a two-factorial analysis of variance, the relationships between personality factors, personal situation, career related factors and the Career-Success Scale by a multivariate linear regression analysis. Results The unidimensional Career-Success Scale has an internal consistency of 0.76. It is significantly correlated at the bivariate level with gender, instrumentality, and all career related factors, particularly with academic career and received mentoring. In multiple regression, only gender, academic career, surgery as chosen specialty, and received mentoring are significant predictors. The highest values were observed in participants aspiring to an academic career, followed by those pursuing a hospital career and those wanting to run a private practice. Independent of the career aspired to, female residents have lower scores than their male colleagues. Conclusion The Career-Success Scale proved to be a short, reliable and valid instrument to measure career achievements. As mentoring is an independent predictor of career success, mentoring programs could be an important instrument to specifically enhance careers of female physicians in academia. PMID:18518972

Career-success scale - a new instrument to assess young physicians' academic career steps.

PubMed

Buddeberg-Fischer, Barbara; Stamm, Martina; Buddeberg, Claus; Klaghofer, Richard

2008-06-02

Within the framework of a prospective cohort study of Swiss medical school graduates, a Career-Success Scale (CSS) was constructed in a sample of young physicians choosing different career paths in medicine. Furthermore the influence of personality factors, the participants' personal situation, and career related factors on their career success was investigated. 406 residents were assessed in terms of career aspired to, and their career progress. The Career-Success Scale, consisting of 7 items, was developed and validated, addressing objective criteria of academic career advancement. The influence of gender and career aspiration was investigated by a two-factorial analysis of variance, the relationships between personality factors, personal situation, career related factors and the Career-Success Scale by a multivariate linear regression analysis. The unidimensional Career-Success Scale has an internal consistency of 0.76. It is significantly correlated at the bivariate level with gender, instrumentality, and all career related factors, particularly with academic career and received mentoring. In multiple regression, only gender, academic career, surgery as chosen specialty, and received mentoring are significant predictors. The highest values were observed in participants aspiring to an academic career, followed by those pursuing a hospital career and those wanting to run a private practice. Independent of the career aspired to, female residents have lower scores than their male colleagues. The Career-Success Scale proved to be a short, reliable and valid instrument to measure career achievements. As mentoring is an independent predictor of career success, mentoring programs could be an important instrument to specifically enhance careers of female physicians in academia.

[Empathy, social cognition and subjective quality of life in schizophrenia].

PubMed

Martín Contero, M C; Secades Villa, R; López Goñi, J J; Tirapu Ustarroz, J

2017-08-31

People diagnosed with schizophrenia present empathy deficits that have been related to their poor psychosocial functioning. The objectives were: 1) analyse the relation between empathy, social cognition and quality of life in subjects diagnosed with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders; 2) eva¬luate these variables according to the severity of the features. Forty-one patients, divided into two groups according to the level of severity, were included. A battery of tests was applied: Interpersonal Reactivi¬ty Index (IRI), GEOPTE scale of social cognition for psychosis, World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment: Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), Clini¬cal Global Impression scale (CGI), Scale for the As¬sessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) and Negative Symptoms (SANS). There was a direct relationship between per¬sonal anxiety and fantasy sub-scales of the IRI and the GEOPTE scale, and an inverse relationship with seve¬ral dimensions of quality of life of the WHOQOL-BREF. The GEOPTE scale had an inverse relation with all the dimensions of quality of life evaluated. The mildly sick group obtained scores that were significantly lower in fantasy (15.44 vs. 20.12; p=0.001) and significantly hig¬her in psychological health (58.63 vs. 45.40; p=0.017) and environment (67.00 vs. 53.68; p=0.006). A relationship is found between empathy, social condition and perceived quality of life in people diagnosed with schizophrenia on programs of psycho-social rehabilitation. Similarly, the existence of relevant differences in these variables according to the level of severity of the clinical features is underscored.

Utilizing a scale model solar system project to visualize important planetary science concepts and develop technology and spatial reasoning skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kortenkamp, Stephen J.; Brock, Laci

2016-10-01

Scale model solar systems have been used for centuries to help educate young students and the public about the vastness of space and the relative sizes of objects. We have adapted the classic scale model solar system activity into a student-driven project for an undergraduate general education astronomy course at the University of Arizona. Students are challenged to construct and use their three dimensional models to demonstrate an understanding of numerous concepts in planetary science, including: 1) planetary obliquities, eccentricities, inclinations; 2) phases and eclipses; 3) planetary transits; 4) asteroid sizes, numbers, and distributions; 5) giant planet satellite and ring systems; 6) the Pluto system and Kuiper belt; 7) the extent of space travel by humans and robotic spacecraft; 8) the diversity of extrasolar planetary systems. Secondary objectives of the project allow students to develop better spatial reasoning skills and gain familiarity with technology such as Excel formulas, smart-phone photography, and audio/video editing.During our presentation we will distribute a formal description of the project and discuss our expectations of the students as well as present selected highlights from preliminary submissions.

Bright Localized Near-Infrared Emission at 1-4 AU in the AB Aurigae Disk Revealed by IOTA Closure Phases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millan-Gabet, R.; Monnier, J. D.; Berger, J.-P.; Traub, W. A.; Schloerb, F. P.; Pedretti, E.; Benisty, M.; Carleton, N. P.; Haguenauer, P.; Kern, P.; Labeye, P.; Lacasse, M. G.; Malbet, F.; Perraut, K.; Pearlman, M.; Thureau, N.

2006-07-01

We report on the detection of localized off-center emission at 1-4 AU in the circumstellar environment of the young stellar object AB Aurigae. We used closure-phase measurements in the near-infrared that were made at the long-baseline interferometer IOTA, the first obtained on a young stellar object using this technique. When probing sub-AU scales, all closure phases are close to zero degrees, as expected given the previously determined size of the AB Aurigae inner-dust disk. However, a clear closure-phase signal of -3.5d +/- 0.5d is detected on one triangle containing relatively short baselines, requiring a high degree of non-point symmetry from emission at larger (AU-sized) scales in the disk. We have not identified any alternative explanation for these closure-phase results, and we demonstrate that a ``disk hot spot'' model can fit our data. We speculate that such detected asymmetric near-infrared emission might arise as a result of localized viscous heating due to a gravitational instability in the AB Aurigae disk, or to the presence of a close stellar companion or accreting substellar object.

Determinants of occupational injury for US home health aides reporting one or more work-related injuries.

PubMed

Hamadi, Hanadi; Probst, Janice C; Khan, Mahmud M; Bellinger, Jessica; Porter, Candace

2017-08-04

Home health aides (HHAs) work in a high-risk industry and experience high rates of work-related injury that have been significantly associated with reduction in workers and organisational productivity, quality and performance. The main objective of the study was to examine how worker environment and ergonomic factors affect HHA risk for reporting occupational injuries. We used cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2007 National Home Health and Hospice Aide Survey (NHHAS). The study sample consisted of a nationally represented sample of home health aides (n=3.377) with a 76.6% response rate. We used two scales 1 : a Work Environment Scale and 2 an Ergonomic Scale. Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to describe HHA work-related injury across individual, job and organisational factors. To measure scale reliability, Cronbach's alphas were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine predictors of reported occupational injury. In terms of Work Environment Scale, the injury risk was decreased in HHAs who did not consistently care for the same patients (OR=0.96, 95% CI: 0.53 to 1.73). In terms of Ergonomic Scale, the injury risk was decreased only in HHAs who reported not needing any other devices for job safety (OR=0.30, 95% (CI): 0.15 to 0.61). No other Work Environment or Ergonomic Scale factors were associated with HHAs' risk of injury. This study has great implications on a subcategory of the workforce that has a limited amount of published work and studies, as of today, as well as an anticipated large demand for them. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Spectral reflectance measurements of plant soil combinations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macleod, N. H.

1972-01-01

Field and laboratory observations of plant and soil reflectance spectra were made to develop an understanding of the reflectance of solar energy by plants and soils. A related objective is the isolation of factors contributing to the image formed by multispectral scanners and return beam vidicons carried by ERTS or film-filter combinations used in the field or on aircraft. A set of objective criteria are to be developed for identifying plant and soil types and their changing condition through the seasons for application of space imagery to resource management. This is because the global scale of earth observations satellites requires objective rather than subjective techniques, particularly where ground truth is either not available or too costly to acquire. As the acquiring of ground truth for training sets may be impractical in many cases, attempts have been made to identify objectively standard responses which could be used for image interpretation.

The spatiotemporal association of non-prescription retail sales with cases during the 2009 influenza pandemic in Great Britain

PubMed Central

Todd, Stacy; Diggle, Peter J; White, Peter J; Fearne, Andrew; Read, Jonathan M

2014-01-01

Objective To assess whether retail sales of non-prescription products can be used for syndromic surveillance and whether it can detect influenza activity at different spatial scales. A secondary objective was to assess whether changes in purchasing behaviour were related to public health advice or levels of media or public interest. Setting The UK. Participants National and regional influenza case estimates and retail sales from a major British supermarket. Outcome measures Weekly, seasonally adjusted sales of over-the-counter symptom remedies and non-pharmaceutical products; recommended as part of the advice offered by public health agencies; were compared with weekly influenza case estimates. Comparisons were made at national and regional spatial resolutions. We also compared sales to national measures of contemporaneous media output and public interest (Internet search volume) related to the pandemic. Results At a national scale there was no significant correlation between retail sales of symptom remedies and cases for the whole pandemic period in 2009. At the regional scale, a minority of regions showed statistically significant positive correlations between cases and sales of adult ‘cold and flu’ remedies and cough remedies (3.2%, 5/156, 3.8%, 6/156), but a greater number of regions showed a significant positive correlation between cases and symptomatic remedies for children (35.6%, 55/156). Significant positive correlations between cases and sales of thermometers and antiviral hand gels/wash were seen at both spatial scales (Cor 0.477 (95% CI 0.171 to 0.699); 0.711 (95% CI 0.495 to 0.844)). We found no significant association between retail sales and media reporting or Internet search volume. Conclusions This study provides evidence that the British public responded appropriately to health messaging about hygiene. Non-prescription retail sales at a national level are not useful for the detection of cases. However, at finer spatial scales, in particular age-groups, retail sales may help augment existing surveillance and merit further study. PMID:24780494

Development of a School Bus Fuel System Integrity Compliance Procedure. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrow, G. W.; Johnson, N. B.

This report presents a program that derived a compliance test procedure for school buses with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or greater. The objective of this program was to evaluate Fuel System Integrity (FMVSS 301) in relation to school buses, conduct a limited state-of-the-art survey and run full-scale dynamic tests to produce an…

Proceedings of the second US-USSR symposium: air pollution effects on vegetation including forest ecosystems

Treesearch

Reginald D. Noble; Juri L Martin; Keith F., eds. Jensen; Keith F. Jensen

1989-01-01

To commemorate the 10th year of cooperation between the US-USSR in the field of environmental protection, a symposium was organized, the major objectives of which were to acquaint US-USSR scientists with project accomplishments; to promote understanding of the nature of environmental problems that relate to air pollution effect on vegetation on a more global scale; to...

How Do Student Teachers' Beliefs Change When the New Ecological Paradigm Is Grounded into a Local Context Related to the Balinese Subak Landscape Heritage?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putu, Surata Sang

2017-01-01

The objective of this research is to assess global and local environmental views of student teachers using the new ecological paradigm (NEP) and the local ecological paradigm (LEP) scales. Ninety-two undergraduate students from Universitas Mahasaraswati Denpasar, Indonesia were requested to rate and write individual arguments to each item of the…

Scale Model of a Soil Aggregate and Associated Organisms: A Teaching Tool for Soil Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruns, Mary Ann; Byrne, Loren B.

2004-01-01

Soil is a complex habitat for diverse biota. A significant challenge in teaching soil ecology is our inability to observe organisms as they live and interact in the soil. The objective of this article is to describe an interactive class project to help students visualize the sizes of different groups of soil organisms and to relate these to soil…

Multiscale skeletal representation of images via Voronoi diagrams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marston, R. E.; Shih, Jian C.

1995-08-01

Polygonal approximations to skeletal or stroke-based representations of 2D objects may consume less storage and be sufficient to describe their shape for many applications. Multi- scale descriptions of object outlines are well established but corresponding methods for skeletal descriptions have been slower to develop. In this paper we offer a method of generating scale-based skeletal representation via the Voronoi diagram. The method has the advantages of less time complexity, a closer relationship between the skeletons at each scale and better control over simplification of the skeleton at lower scales. This is because the algorithm starts by generating the skeleton at the coarsest scale first, then it produces each finer scale, in an iterative manner, directly from the level below. The skeletal approximations produced by the algorithm also benefit from a strong relationship with the object outline, due to the structure of the Voronoi diagram.

Intelligence, temperament, and personality are related to over- or under-reporting of affective symptoms by patients with euthymic mood disorder.

PubMed

Kim, Eun Young; Hwang, Samuel Suk-Hyun; Lee, Nam Young; Kim, Se Hyun; Lee, Hyun Jeong; Kim, Yong Sik; Ahn, Yong Min

2013-06-01

Many patients with mood disorders report subjective indicators of depression that are inconsistent with clinicians' objective ratings. This study used the self-report Beck Depressive Inventory (BDI) and the observer-rated Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) to evaluate the extent to which temperament, personality traits, and clinical characteristics accounted for discrepancies between self-reports and clinician ratings of depressive symptoms in patients experiencing the euthymic period of a mood disorder. The sample consisted of 100 individuals with bipolar disorder (n=72) or major depressive disorder (n=28). The HAMD and Young Mania Rating Scale were administered, and participants completed the BDI and Barratt Impulsivity Scale. Intelligence was assessed with the Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Patients completed the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire and the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory. The BDI and HAMD were significantly but modestly correlated with each other (r=0.319, p<0.001). Lower intelligence and a less conscientious personality were independent contributors to differences between Z-scores for the BDI and the HAMD. Higher impulsivity and a more anxious temperament were also observed in the group that self-reported more symptoms than were noted by clinicians. Generalizability of results can be limited in ethnic difference. Subjective and objective assessments of the depressive symptoms of patients with mood disorders in a euthymic mood state are frequently discordant. Clinicians should consider the subjective aspects of depressive symptoms along with objective information about the influence of intelligence and personality on patients' self-reports. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Invariance of visual operations at the level of receptive fields

PubMed Central

Lindeberg, Tony

2013-01-01

The brain is able to maintain a stable perception although the visual stimuli vary substantially on the retina due to geometric transformations and lighting variations in the environment. This paper presents a theory for achieving basic invariance properties already at the level of receptive fields. Specifically, the presented framework comprises (i) local scaling transformations caused by objects of different size and at different distances to the observer, (ii) locally linearized image deformations caused by variations in the viewing direction in relation to the object, (iii) locally linearized relative motions between the object and the observer and (iv) local multiplicative intensity transformations caused by illumination variations. The receptive field model can be derived by necessity from symmetry properties of the environment and leads to predictions about receptive field profiles in good agreement with receptive field profiles measured by cell recordings in mammalian vision. Indeed, the receptive field profiles in the retina, LGN and V1 are close to ideal to what is motivated by the idealized requirements. By complementing receptive field measurements with selection mechanisms over the parameters in the receptive field families, it is shown how true invariance of receptive field responses can be obtained under scaling transformations, affine transformations and Galilean transformations. Thereby, the framework provides a mathematically well-founded and biologically plausible model for how basic invariance properties can be achieved already at the level of receptive fields and support invariant recognition of objects and events under variations in viewpoint, retinal size, object motion and illumination. The theory can explain the different shapes of receptive field profiles found in biological vision, which are tuned to different sizes and orientations in the image domain as well as to different image velocities in space-time, from a requirement that the visual system should be invariant to the natural types of image transformations that occur in its environment. PMID:23894283

Matching shapes with self-intersections: application to leaf classification.

PubMed

Mokhtarian, Farzin; Abbasi, Sadegh

2004-05-01

We address the problem of two-dimensional (2-D) shape representation and matching in presence of self-intersection for large image databases. This may occur when part of an object is hidden behind another part and results in a darker section in the gray level image of the object. The boundary contour of the object must include the boundary of this part which is entirely inside the outline of the object. The Curvature Scale Space (CSS) image of a shape is a multiscale organization of its inflection points as it is smoothed. The CSS-based shape representation method has been selected for MPEG-7 standardization. We study the effects of contour self-intersection on the Curvature Scale Space image. When there is no self-intersection, the CSS image contains several arch shape contours, each related to a concavity or a convexity of the shape. Self intersections create contours with minima as well as maxima in the CSS image. An efficient shape representation method has been introduced in this paper which describes a shape using the maxima as well as the minima of its CSS contours. This is a natural generalization of the conventional method which only includes the maxima of the CSS image contours. The conventional matching algorithm has also been modified to accommodate the new information about the minima. The method has been successfully used in a real world application to find, for an unknown leaf, similar classes from a database of classified leaf images representing different varieties of chrysanthemum. For many classes of leaves, self-intersection is inevitable during the scanning of the image. Therefore the original contributions of this paper is the generalization of the Curvature Scale Space representation to the class of 2-D contours with self-intersection, and its application to the classification of Chrysanthemum leaves.

The association of sociodemographic and objectively-assessed disease variables with fatigue in systemic sclerosis: an analysis of 785 Canadian Scleroderma Research Group Registry patients.

PubMed

Levis, Brooke; Kwakkenbos, Linda; Hudson, Marie; Baron, Murray; Thombs, Brett D

2017-02-01

Fatigue is prevalent among patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). To date, studies investigating fatigue in SSc have been hampered by the instruments used to measure fatigue in SSc and have included patient-reported rather than objectively-rated measures of disease. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) scale is a validated measure for assessing fatigue in SSc that, compared to other instruments, provides good coverage of the full range of the fatigue spectrum. The objective of this study was to assess sociodemographic and objectively-rated disease-related associates of fatigue, as measured by the FACIT-F, in a large sample of patients with SSc. Fatigue was assessed using the FACIT-F scale. Disease severity was assessed using Medsger's severity scale. Multivariable linear regression was performed to assess the independent associations between sociodemographic and medical variables and fatigue. Among 785 patients, the mean FACIT-F score was 32.2 (SD = 12.1). Being age 40-49 (reference = 60+; standardized regression coefficient (β) = -0.11), less than post-secondary education (β = 0.07), having more medical comorbidities (β = -0.11) and more severe muscle (β = -0.10), gastrointestinal (β = -0.15), lung (β = -0.13), and general system disease severity (β = -0.13) were independently associated with more fatigue (p < 0.05). Fatigue in SSc was independently associated with more severe disease. These data contribute to a better understanding of fatigue in SSc and help inform patient-centered research in SSc.

Diet Quality and Satisfaction with Life, Family Life, and Food-Related Life across Families: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study with Mother-Father-Adolescent Triads.

PubMed

Schnettler, Berta; Lobos, Germán; Miranda-Zapata, Edgardo; Denegri, Marianela; Ares, Gastón; Hueche, Clementina

2017-10-29

Family is a major determinant of children's and adolescents' eating behavior. The objectives of the present study were to assess diet quality, eating habits, satisfaction with life, family life, and food-related life in mother-father-adolescent triads, and to identify profiles of families according to family members' diet quality. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 300 two-parent families with one child over the age of 10 in the city of Temuco (Chile), including the Adapted Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFoL) scale, Satisfaction with Family Life (SWFaL) scales, and questions relating to their eating habits. Positive relationships were found between the diet quality of the family members, particularly between mothers and adolescents. Three family profiles with different diet qualities were identified: "families with an unhealthy diet" (39.3%), "families in which mothers and adolescents have healthy diets, but the fathers' diets require changes" (14.3%), and "families that require changes in their diet" (46.4%). These findings stress the key role of mothers in determining family diet quality and suggest a positive relationship between diet quality and satisfaction with life.

Diet Quality and Satisfaction with Life, Family Life, and Food-Related Life across Families: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study with Mother-Father-Adolescent Triads

PubMed Central

Lobos, Germán; Miranda-Zapata, Edgardo; Denegri, Marianela; Ares, Gastón; Hueche, Clementina

2017-01-01

Family is a major determinant of children’s and adolescents’ eating behavior. The objectives of the present study were to assess diet quality, eating habits, satisfaction with life, family life, and food-related life in mother–father–adolescent triads, and to identify profiles of families according to family members’ diet quality. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 300 two-parent families with one child over the age of 10 in the city of Temuco (Chile), including the Adapted Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFoL) scale, Satisfaction with Family Life (SWFaL) scales, and questions relating to their eating habits. Positive relationships were found between the diet quality of the family members, particularly between mothers and adolescents. Three family profiles with different diet qualities were identified: “families with an unhealthy diet” (39.3%), “families in which mothers and adolescents have healthy diets, but the fathers’ diets require changes” (14.3%), and “families that require changes in their diet” (46.4%). These findings stress the key role of mothers in determining family diet quality and suggest a positive relationship between diet quality and satisfaction with life. PMID:29109387

Probing gravity theory and cosmic acceleration using (in)consistency tests between cosmological data sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishak-Boushaki, Mustapha B.

2018-06-01

Testing general relativity at cosmological scales and probing the cause of cosmic acceleration are among important objectives targeted by incoming and future astronomical surveys and experiments. I present our recent results on (in)consistency tests that can provide insights about the underlying gravity theory and cosmic acceleration using cosmological data sets. We use new statistical measures that can detect discordances between data sets when present. We use an algorithmic procedure based on these new measures that is able to identify in some cases whether an inconsistency is due to problems related to systematic effects in the data or to the underlying model. Some recent published tensions between data sets are also examined using our formalism, including the Hubble constant measurements, Planck and Large-Scale-Structure. (Work supported in part by NSF under Grant No. AST-1517768).

Stress associated with hospitalization in patients with COPD: the role of social support and health related quality of life

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The objective of this study was to determine stress levels during hospitalization in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). We wanted to relate stress to previous level of quality of life and patients’ Social Support. Methods 80 patients (70.43; SD = 8.13 years old) with COPD were assessed by means of: Hospital Stress Rating Scale, Nottingham Health Profile, St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire and Social Support Scale. Results COPD patients’ stress levels are lower than expected independently from the severity or number of previous hospitalizations. Linear regression analysis shows the predictive value of Quality of Life and Social Support on stress level during hospitalization (p < 0.0001). Conclusion HRQOL and social support can be associated with stress during hospitalization. PMID:23227860

Morphology and astrometry of Infrared-Faint Radio Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Middelberg, Enno; Norris, Ray; Randall, Kate; Mao, Minnie; Hales, Christopher

2008-10-01

Infrared-Faint Radio Sources, or IFRS, are an unexpected class of object discovered in the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey, ATLAS. They are compact 1.4GHz radio sources with no visible counterparts in co-located (relatively shallow) Spitzer infrared and optical images. We have detected two of these objects with VLBI, indicating the presence of an AGN. These observations and our ATLAS data indicate that IFRS are extended on scales of arcseconds, and we wish to image their morphologies to obtain clues about their nature. These observations will also help us to select optical counterparts from very deep, and hence crowded, optical images which we have proposed. With these data in hand, we will be able to compare IFRS to known object types and to apply for spectroscopy to obtain their redshifts.

“Gratitude Is With Me All the Time”: How Gratitude Relates to Wisdom

PubMed Central

König, Susanne

2014-01-01

Objectives. This study investigated the relationship of gratitude to wisdom. Both constructs are conceptually related to self-reflectivity, but they differ in their emphasis on extrapersonal resources. Previous wisdom research has focused mainly on intrapersonal capacities. Method. In Study 1, 47 wisdom nominees and 47 control participants were interviewed about their most difficult and best life event and filled out a questionnaire on sources of gratitude. Study 2 was a quantitative study (N = 443) of the relationship between a wisdom scale and scale measures and individual sources of gratitude. Results. Significantly more wisdom nominees expressed feelings of gratitude spontaneously in their interview. Wisdom nominees reported gratitude for their life in general, religion, and partner more often than control participants. In Study 2, wisdom was related to all gratitude scales and to similar sources of gratitude as in Study 1. Both studies found gender differences in gratitude but not wisdom. Discussion. Two important implications of these findings are that wisdom entails an appreciation of life and its experiences, especially the growth opportunities that may result from negative events, and that there may be substantial differences between male and female pathways to wisdom. PMID:24326079

Scaling of Performance in Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine Combustors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hulka, James

2008-01-01

The objectives are: a) Re-introduce to you the concept of scaling; b) Describe the scaling research conducted in the 1950s and early 1960s, and present some of their conclusions; c) Narrow the focus to scaling for performance of combustion devices for liquid propellant rocket engines; and d) Present some results of subscale to full-scale performance from historical programs. Scaling is "The ability to develop new combustion devices with predictable performance on the basis of test experience with old devices." Scaling can be used to develop combustion devices of any thrust size from any thrust size. Scaling is applied mostly to increase thrust. Objective is to use scaling as a development tool. - Move injector design from an "art" to a "science"

The BARRIERS scale -- the barriers to research utilization scale: A systematic review

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A commonly recommended strategy for increasing research use in clinical practice is to identify barriers to change and then tailor interventions to overcome the identified barriers. In nursing, the BARRIERS scale has been used extensively to identify barriers to research utilization. Aim and objectives The aim of this systematic review was to examine the state of knowledge resulting from use of the BARRIERS scale and to make recommendations about future use of the scale. The following objectives were addressed: To examine how the scale has been modified, to examine its psychometric properties, to determine the main barriers (and whether they varied over time and geographic locations), and to identify associations between nurses' reported barriers and reported research use. Methods Medline (1991 to September 2009) and CINHAL (1991 to September 2009) were searched for published research, and ProQuest® digital dissertations were searched for unpublished dissertations using the BARRIERS scale. Inclusion criteria were: studies using the BARRIERS scale in its entirety and where the sample was nurses. Two authors independently assessed the study quality and extracted the data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Results Sixty-three studies were included, with most using a cross-sectional design. Not one study used the scale for tailoring interventions to overcome identified barriers. The main barriers reported were related to the setting, and the presentation of research findings. Overall, identified barriers were consistent over time and across geographic locations, despite varying sample size, response rate, study setting, and assessment of study quality. Few studies reported associations between reported research use and perceptions of barriers to research utilization. Conclusions The BARRIERS scale is a nonspecific tool for identifying general barriers to research utilization. The scale is reliable as reflected in assessments of internal consistency. The validity of the scale, however, is doubtful. There is no evidence that it is a useful tool for planning implementation interventions. We recommend that no further descriptive studies using the BARRIERS scale be undertaken. Barriers need to be measured specific to the particular context of implementation and the intended evidence to be implemented. PMID:20420696

Acoustic Sensor Network for Relative Positioning of Nodes

PubMed Central

De Marziani, Carlos; Ureña, Jesus; Hernandez, Álvaro; Mazo, Manuel; García, Juan Jesús; Jimenez, Ana; Rubio, María del Carmen Pérez; Álvarez, Fernando; Villadangos, José Manuel

2009-01-01

In this work, an acoustic sensor network for a relative localization system is analyzed by reporting the accuracy achieved in the position estimation. The proposed system has been designed for those applications where objects are not restricted to a particular environment and thus one cannot depend on any external infrastructure to compute their positions. The objects are capable of computing spatial relations among themselves using only acoustic emissions as a ranging mechanism. The object positions are computed by a multidimensional scaling (MDS) technique and, afterwards, a least-square algorithm, based on the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm (LMA), is applied to refine results. Regarding the position estimation, all the parameters involved in the computation of the temporary relations with the proposed ranging mechanism have been considered. The obtained results show that a fine-grained localization can be achieved considering a Gaussian distribution error in the proposed ranging mechanism. Furthermore, since acoustic sensors require a line-of-sight to properly work, the system has been tested by modeling the lost of this line-of-sight as a non-Gaussian error. A suitable position estimation has been achieved even if it is considered a bias of up to 25 of the line-of-sight measurements among a set of nodes. PMID:22291520

BULGES OF NEARBY GALAXIES WITH SPITZER: SCALING RELATIONS IN PSEUDOBULGES AND CLASSICAL BULGES

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

Fisher, David B.; Drory, Niv, E-mail: dbfisher@astro.as.utexas.ed

2010-06-20

We investigate scaling relations of bulges using bulge-disk decompositions at 3.6 {mu}m and present bulge classifications for 173 E-Sd galaxies within 20 Mpc. Pseudobulges and classical bulges are identified using Sersic index, Hubble Space Telescope morphology, and star formation activity (traced by 8 {mu}m emission). In the near-IR pseudobulges have n{sub b} < 2 and classical bulges have n{sub b} >2, as found in the optical. Sersic index and morphology are essentially equivalent properties for bulge classification purposes. We confirm, using a much more robust sample, that the Sersic index of pseudobulges is uncorrelated with other bulge structural properties, unlikemore » for classical bulges and elliptical galaxies. Also, the half-light radius of pseudobulges is not correlated with any other bulge property. We also find a new correlation between surface brightness and pseudobulge luminosity; pseudobulges become more luminous as they become more dense. Classical bulges follow the well-known scaling relations between surface brightness, luminosity, and half-light radius that are established by elliptical galaxies. We show that those pseudobulges (as indicated by Sersic index and nuclear morphology) that have low specific star formation rates are very similar to models of galaxies in which both a pseudobulge and classical bulge exist. Therefore, pseudobulge identification that relies only on structural indicators is incomplete. Our results, especially those on scaling relations, imply that pseudobulges are very different types of objects than elliptical galaxies.« less

Multi-hybrid method for investigation of EM scattering from inhomogeneous object above a dielectric rough surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jie; Guo, LiXin; He, Qiong; Wei, Bing

2012-10-01

An iterative strategy combining Kirchhoff approximation^(KA) with the hybrid finite element-boundary integral (FE-BI) method is presented in this paper to study the interactions between the inhomogeneous object and the underlying rough surface. KA is applied to study scattering from underlying rough surfaces, whereas FE-BI deals with scattering from the above target. Both two methods use updated excitation sources. Huygens equivalence principle and an iterative strategy are employed to consider the multi-scattering effects. This hybrid FE-BI-KA scheme is an improved and generalized version of previous hybrid Kirchhoff approximation-method of moments (KA-MoM). This newly presented hybrid method has the following advantages: (1) the feasibility of modeling multi-scale scattering problems (large scale underlying surface and small scale target); (2) low memory requirement as in hybrid KA-MoM; (3) the ability to deal with scattering from inhomogeneous (including coated or layered) scatterers above rough surfaces. The numerical results are given to evaluate the accuracy of the multi-hybrid technique; the computing time and memory requirements consumed in specific numerical simulation of FE-BI-KA are compared with those of MoM. The convergence performance is analyzed by studying the iteration number variation caused by related parameters. Then bistatic scattering from inhomogeneous object of different configurations above dielectric Gaussian rough surface is calculated and the influences of dielectric compositions and surface roughness on the scattering pattern are discussed.

Image object recognition based on the Zernike moment and neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Jianwei; Wang, Ling; Huang, Fukan; Zhou, Liangzhu

1998-03-01

This paper first give a comprehensive discussion about the concept of artificial neural network its research methods and the relations with information processing. On the basis of such a discussion, we expound the mathematical similarity of artificial neural network and information processing. Then, the paper presents a new method of image recognition based on invariant features and neural network by using image Zernike transform. The method not only has the invariant properties for rotation, shift and scale of image object, but also has good fault tolerance and robustness. Meanwhile, it is also compared with statistical classifier and invariant moments recognition method.

Orientation of airborne laser scanning point clouds with multi-view, multi-scale image blocks.

PubMed

Rönnholm, Petri; Hyyppä, Hannu; Hyyppä, Juha; Haggrén, Henrik

2009-01-01

Comprehensive 3D modeling of our environment requires integration of terrestrial and airborne data, which is collected, preferably, using laser scanning and photogrammetric methods. However, integration of these multi-source data requires accurate relative orientations. In this article, two methods for solving relative orientation problems are presented. The first method includes registration by minimizing the distances between of an airborne laser point cloud and a 3D model. The 3D model was derived from photogrammetric measurements and terrestrial laser scanning points. The first method was used as a reference and for validation. Having completed registration in the object space, the relative orientation between images and laser point cloud is known. The second method utilizes an interactive orientation method between a multi-scale image block and a laser point cloud. The multi-scale image block includes both aerial and terrestrial images. Experiments with the multi-scale image block revealed that the accuracy of a relative orientation increased when more images were included in the block. The orientations of the first and second methods were compared. The comparison showed that correct rotations were the most difficult to detect accurately by using the interactive method. Because the interactive method forces laser scanning data to fit with the images, inaccurate rotations cause corresponding shifts to image positions. However, in a test case, in which the orientation differences included only shifts, the interactive method could solve the relative orientation of an aerial image and airborne laser scanning data repeatedly within a couple of centimeters.

Orientation of Airborne Laser Scanning Point Clouds with Multi-View, Multi-Scale Image Blocks

PubMed Central

Rönnholm, Petri; Hyyppä, Hannu; Hyyppä, Juha; Haggrén, Henrik

2009-01-01

Comprehensive 3D modeling of our environment requires integration of terrestrial and airborne data, which is collected, preferably, using laser scanning and photogrammetric methods. However, integration of these multi-source data requires accurate relative orientations. In this article, two methods for solving relative orientation problems are presented. The first method includes registration by minimizing the distances between of an airborne laser point cloud and a 3D model. The 3D model was derived from photogrammetric measurements and terrestrial laser scanning points. The first method was used as a reference and for validation. Having completed registration in the object space, the relative orientation between images and laser point cloud is known. The second method utilizes an interactive orientation method between a multi-scale image block and a laser point cloud. The multi-scale image block includes both aerial and terrestrial images. Experiments with the multi-scale image block revealed that the accuracy of a relative orientation increased when more images were included in the block. The orientations of the first and second methods were compared. The comparison showed that correct rotations were the most difficult to detect accurately by using the interactive method. Because the interactive method forces laser scanning data to fit with the images, inaccurate rotations cause corresponding shifts to image positions. However, in a test case, in which the orientation differences included only shifts, the interactive method could solve the relative orientation of an aerial image and airborne laser scanning data repeatedly within a couple of centimeters. PMID:22454569

Personality features, dissociation, self-stigma, hope, and the complex treatment of depressive disorder

PubMed Central

Prasko, Jan; Ociskova, Marie; Grambal, Ales; Sigmundova, Zuzana; Kasalova, Petra; Marackova, Marketa; Holubova, Michaela; Vrbova, Kristyna; Latalova, Klara; Slepecky, Milos

2016-01-01

Objective Identifying the predictors of response to psychiatric and psychotherapeutic treatments may be useful for increasing treatment efficacy in pharmacoresistant depressive patients. The goal of this study was to examine the influence of dissociation, hope, personality trait, and selected demographic factors in treatment response of this group of patients. Methods Pharmacoresistant depressive inpatients were enrolled in the study. All patients completed Clinical Global Impression – both objective and subjective form (CGI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) at baseline and after 6 weeks of combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy (group cognitive-behavioral or group psychodynamic) treatment as an outcome measures. The Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI), Dissociative Experience Scale (DES), Adult Dispositional Hope Scale (ADHS), and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-R) were completed at the start of the treatment with the intention to find the predictors of treatment efficacy. Results The study included 72 patients who were hospitalized for the pharmacoresistant major depression; 63 of them completed the study. The mean scores of BDI-II, BAI, subjCGI, and objCGI significantly decreased during the treatment. BDI-II relative change statistically significantly correlated with the total ISMI score, Discrimination Experience (ISMI subscale), and Harm Avoidance (TCI-R personality trait). According to stepwise regression, the strongest factors connected to BDI-II relative change were the duration of the disorder and Discrimination Experience (domain of ISMI). ObjCGI relative change significantly correlated with the level of dissociation (DES), the total ISMI score, hope in ADHS total score, and Self-Directedness (TCI-R). According to stepwise regression, the strongest factor connected to objCGI relative change was Discrimination Experience (domain of ISMI). The existence of comorbid personality disorder did not influence the treatment response. Conclusion According to the results of the present study, patients with pharmacoresistant depressive disorders, who have had more experience with discrimination because of their mental struggles, showed a poorer response to treatment. PMID:27785031

Changes in Differentiation-Relatedness During Psychoanalysis.

PubMed

Calamaras, Martha R; Reviere, Susan L; Gallagher, Kathryn E; Kaslow, Nadine J

2016-01-01

This study sought to determine (a) if the Differentiation-Relatedness Scale of Self and Object Representations (D-RS), a coding model used with the Object Relations Inventory (Blatt, Wein, Chevron, & Quinlan, 1979 ) could be reliably applied to transcripts of psychoanalyses, and (b) if levels of differentiation-relatedness improve over the course of psychoanalysis. Participants were 4 creative writers who underwent psychoanalysis as part of a longitudinal research project focused on the processes and outcomes of psychoanalysis. Transcripts from the beginning and termination phases of psychoanalysis were coded by 2 independent raters for global, low, and high levels of self and other differentiation-relatedness and compared. There was good interrater agreement, suggesting that, like other forms of narrative material, psychoanalysis transcripts can be reliably rated for levels of object relations. Analysands showed an increase in global levels of differentiation-relatedness from a predominance of emergent ambivalent constancy (M = 6.2) at the beginning of analysis to consolidated, constant representations of self and other (M = 7.5) at the end of analysis. These preliminary findings contribute significantly to the empirical literature with regard to the measurement of self and object representations and change in these representations over the course of psychoanalysis.

Principal axes estimation using the vibration modes of physics-based deformable models.

PubMed

Krinidis, Stelios; Chatzis, Vassilios

2008-06-01

This paper addresses the issue of accurate, effective, computationally efficient, fast, and fully automated 2-D object orientation and scaling factor estimation. The object orientation is calculated using object principal axes estimation. The approach relies on the object's frequency-based features. The frequency-based features used by the proposed technique are extracted by a 2-D physics-based deformable model that parameterizes the objects shape. The method was evaluated on synthetic and real images. The experimental results demonstrate the accuracy of the method, both in orientation and the scaling estimations.

IMPACT OF THE GERIATRIC MEDICATION GAME® ON NURSING STUDENTS EMPATHY AND ATTITUDES TOWARD OLDER ADULTS

PubMed Central

Kiersma, Mary E.; Yehle, Karen S.; Plake, Kimberly S.

2014-01-01

Background Nurses should be well-prepared to improve and address health-related needs of older adults, but students may have difficulty understanding and empathizing, as they may not yet have personally experienced aging-related challenges. Simulation games can be used to help students understand the experiences of others, but limited information is available on the impact of simulation experiences on student empathy. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the impact of participation in an aging simulation game on nursing students’ empathy and attitudes toward older adults as well as their understanding of patients’ experiences in the healthcare system. Design This study used a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design. Setting A school of nursing in the Midwestern United States. Participants The convenience sample included 58 sophomore-level baccalaureate nursing students. Methods Students played the role of an older adult during a 3-hour laboratory aging simulation game, the Geriatric Medication Game® (GMG). Students completed the (1) Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale (KCES, 15 items, 7-point Likert-type), (2) Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Health Professions Students (JSE-HPS, 20 items, 7-point Likert-type), and (3) Aging Simulation Experience Survey (13 items, 7-point Likert-type) pre- and post-game to assess study objectives. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests (were performed in SPSS v.21.0, as the data were normally distributed. Results Students’ empathy (N=58) toward older adults significantly improved overall (KCES p=0.015, JSE-HPS p<0.001). Improvements also were seen on seven out of 13 questions related to attitudes and healthcare understanding (p<0.05). In the post-test, students agreed that they experienced frustration and impatience during the GMG. Conclusions Students may not be aware of older adults’ feelings and experiences prior to experiencing aging-related changes themselves. Simulation activities, such as the GMG, can be a useful mechanism for addressing empathy and caring during student education. PMID:24912741

The Importance of Measuring Strength-of-Preference Scores for Health Care Options in Preference-Sensitive Care

PubMed Central

Crump, R. Trafford; Llewellyn-Thomas, Hilary A.

2012-01-01

Objective The objective was to determine whether a paired-comparison/leaning scale method: a) could feasibly be used to elicit strength-of-preference scores for elective health care options in large community-based survey settings; and b) could reveal preferential sub-groups that would have been overlooked if only a categorical-response format had been used. Study Design Medicare beneficiaries in four different regions of the United States were interviewed in person. Participants considered 8 clinical scenarios, each with 2 to 3 different health care options. For each scenario, participants categorically selected their favored option, then indicated how strongly they favored that option relative to the alternative on a paired-comparison bi-directional Leaning Scale. Results Two hundred and two participants were interviewed. For 7 of the 8 scenarios, a clear majority (> 50%) indicated that, overall, they categorically favored one option over the alternative(s). However, the bi-directional strength-of-preference Leaning Scale scores revealed that, in 4 scenarios, for half of those participants, their preference for the favored option was actually “weak” or “neutral”. Conclusion Investigators aiming to assess population-wide preferential attitudes towards different elective health care scenarios should consider gathering ordinal-level strength-of-preference scores and could feasibly use the paired-comparison/bi-directional Leaning Scale to do so. PMID:22494579

Diagnosis and prevention of norm at Eugene Island 341-A

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

Shuler, P.J.; Baudoin, D.A.; Weintritt, D.J.

1995-12-01

We conducted a field study at Eugene Island 341-A to develop guidelines for the cost-effective prevention of NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials). The specific objectives of this study are to: determine the root cause of the NORM problem at this facility, using a wide variety of diagnostic techniques. consider available engineering options to prevent NORM from forming. determine the most cost-effective engineering solution. An overall objective is to Generalize the results and diagnostic techniques developed for Eugene Island 341-A to other production facilities, especially in the Gulf of Mexico. This study shows that the NORM problem at Eugene Island 34more » 1-A stems from mixing incompatible produced waters at the surface. Wells completed in Sand Block A have a water with relatively high barium concentration, those in Sand Block B and C are high in sulfate, When these waters mix (starting in the production headers), barium sulfate forms. Radium that is present in the produced brines co-precipitates with the barium, thus creating a radioactive barium sulfate scale deposit (NORM). The barium sulfate (and hence NORM) can be prevented by improving the current scale inhibition program. Keys to an effective program are the continual, reliable injection of an appropriate scale inhibitor at an effective dosage, ahead of the point where scaling conditions begin.« less

Tracking Psychosocial Health in Adults with Epilepsy—Estimates from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey

PubMed Central

Kobau, R; Cui, W; Kadima, N; Zack, MM; Sajatovic, M; Kaiboriboon, K; Jobst, B

2015-01-01

Objective This study provides population-based estimates of psychosocial health among U.S. adults with epilepsy from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey. Methods Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the prevalence of the following measures of psychosocial health among adults with and those without epilepsy: 1) the Kessler-6 scale of Serious Psychological Distress; 2) cognitive limitation; the extent of impairments associated with psychological problems; and work limitation; 3) Social participation; and 4) the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Global Health scale. Results Compared with adults without epilepsy, adults with epilepsy, especially those with active epilepsy, reported significantly worse psychological health, more cognitive impairment, difficulty in participating in some social activities, and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Conclusions These disparities in psychosocial health in U.S. adults with epilepsy serve as baseline national estimates of their HRQOL, consistent with Healthy People 2020 national objectives on HRQOL. PMID:25305435

Study on dynamic multi-objective approach considering coal and water conflict in large scale coal group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Qing; Lu, Li

2018-01-01

In the process of coal mining, destruction and pollution of groundwater in has reached an imminent time, and groundwater is not only related to the ecological environment, but also affect the health of human life. Similarly, coal and water conflict is still one of the world's problems in large scale coal mining regions. Based on this, this paper presents a dynamic multi-objective optimization model to deal with the conflict of the coal and water in the coal group with multiple subordinate collieries and arrive at a comprehensive arrangement to achieve environmentally friendly coal mining strategy. Through calculation, this paper draws the output of each subordinate coal mine. And on this basis, we continue to adjust the environmental protection parameters to compare the coal production at different collieries at different stages under different attitude of the government. At last, the paper conclude that, in either case, it is the first arrangement to give priority to the production of low-drainage, high-yield coal mines.

[Caregiving consequences in mental disorders--definitions and instruments of assessment].

PubMed

Ciałkowska-Kuźmińska, Magdalena; Kiejna, Andrzej

2010-01-01

Severe mental illnesses have far-reaching consequences for both patients and their relatives. This paper reviews literature on the measures of caregiving consequences. Authors provide a condensed knowledge and research results in the area of caregiving consequences, especially both subjective and objective caregivers' burden. The consequences of care apply to carers' social and leisure activities, financial status, health condition. The burden of care has three fundamental causes: the reorganisation of mental health services, a social isolation of patients and their families and the lack of systemic support for caregivers. The problem of caregiving consequences has been investigated in several studies. In order to identify factors, which have impact on caregiver distress, a variety instruments have been developed. This paper focuses on questionnaires useful for the systematic assessment of both objective and subjective burden: Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire (IEQ), Perceived Family Burden Scale (PFBS), Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS), Experience of Caregiving Inventory (ECI), Family Problems Questionnaire (FPQ). The mentioned instruments proved to be a reliable instrument for measuring caregiver consequences in mental healthcare.

Toward Soil Spatial Information Systems (SSIS) for global modeling and ecosystem management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baumgardner, Marion F.

1995-01-01

The general objective is to conduct research to contribute toward the realization of a world soils and terrain (SOTER) database, which can stand alone or be incorporated into a more complete and comprehensive natural resources digital information system. The following specific objectives are focussed on: (1) to conduct research related to (a) translation and correlation of different soil classification systems to the SOTER database legend and (b) the inferfacing of disparate data sets in support of the SOTER Project; (2) to examine the potential use of AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) data for delineating meaningful soils and terrain boundaries for small scale soil survey (range of scale: 1:250,000 to 1:1,000,000) and terrestrial ecosystem assessment and monitoring; and (3) to determine the potential use of high dimensional spectral data (220 reflectance bands with 10 m spatial resolution) for delineating meaningful soils boundaries and conditions for the purpose of detailed soil survey and land management.

Children's affective reactions and coping under threat of missile attack: a semiprojective assessment procedure.

PubMed

Zeidner, M; Klingman, A; Itskowitz, R

1993-06-01

This study reports on 170 Israeli school children at risk for missile attack during the Persian Gulf War. The Bar-Ilan Picture Test for Children (Itskowitz & Strauss, 1982, 1986) was specially adapted to the war situation specifically to measure children's affective reactions and coping strategies. Children with a greater sense of control and social support, and more complex defenses, tended to demonstrate better coping strategies. Children who were less defensive showed higher levels of anxiety under stress. Children scoring higher in social support showed greater perceived control over their immediate environment and more verbal expressivity with respect to the crisis situation. Girls scored higher than boys on emotional and verbal expressiveness. These data, elicited through semiprojective procedures, are consistent with much of the prior research based mainly on objective scales or self-report questionnaires. Overall, the results lend additional validity to the nexus of relations (largely established through conventional objective scales) between resources, coping, and outcomes in a naturalistic stressor situation.

Individual differences in infant fearfulness and cognitive performance: a testing, performance, or competence effect?

PubMed

Rieser-Danner, Loretta A

2003-02-01

The author conducted 2 studies to examine the relations between infant fear and cognitive testing performance in 12-month-old infants. In Study 1, fear was assessed by using 2 standard temperament questionnaires and a laboratory-based, standardized stranger approach. Individual differences in cognitive development were assessed using the Object Permanence Scale of the Infant Psychological Development Scales (I. C. Uzgiris & J. M. Hunt, 1975). All 3 assessments of fear significantly predicted object permanence performance, with correlations ranging from -.32 to -.35. In Study 2, fear was assessed via a maternal report questionnaire, and habituation performance was assessed via a basic-level categorization task. Familiarity with the examiner and with the testing environment was manipulated to test for a familiarity influence on performance. Testing revealed individual differences in both fear and habituation. Results suggest that highly fearful infants required more trials to habituate and were less likely to meet the habituation criterion than infants who were less fearful. Methodological and conceptual implications of these results are discussed.

Control of fluxes in metabolic networks.

PubMed

Basler, Georg; Nikoloski, Zoran; Larhlimi, Abdelhalim; Barabási, Albert-László; Liu, Yang-Yu

2016-07-01

Understanding the control of large-scale metabolic networks is central to biology and medicine. However, existing approaches either require specifying a cellular objective or can only be used for small networks. We introduce new coupling types describing the relations between reaction activities, and develop an efficient computational framework, which does not require any cellular objective for systematic studies of large-scale metabolism. We identify the driver reactions facilitating control of 23 metabolic networks from all kingdoms of life. We find that unicellular organisms require a smaller degree of control than multicellular organisms. Driver reactions are under complex cellular regulation in Escherichia coli, indicating their preeminent role in facilitating cellular control. In human cancer cells, driver reactions play pivotal roles in malignancy and represent potential therapeutic targets. The developed framework helps us gain insights into regulatory principles of diseases and facilitates design of engineering strategies at the interface of gene regulation, signaling, and metabolism. © 2016 Basler et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Humans and Deep Networks Largely Agree on Which Kinds of Variation Make Object Recognition Harder.

PubMed

Kheradpisheh, Saeed R; Ghodrati, Masoud; Ganjtabesh, Mohammad; Masquelier, Timothée

2016-01-01

View-invariant object recognition is a challenging problem that has attracted much attention among the psychology, neuroscience, and computer vision communities. Humans are notoriously good at it, even if some variations are presumably more difficult to handle than others (e.g., 3D rotations). Humans are thought to solve the problem through hierarchical processing along the ventral stream, which progressively extracts more and more invariant visual features. This feed-forward architecture has inspired a new generation of bio-inspired computer vision systems called deep convolutional neural networks (DCNN), which are currently the best models for object recognition in natural images. Here, for the first time, we systematically compared human feed-forward vision and DCNNs at view-invariant object recognition task using the same set of images and controlling the kinds of transformation (position, scale, rotation in plane, and rotation in depth) as well as their magnitude, which we call "variation level." We used four object categories: car, ship, motorcycle, and animal. In total, 89 human subjects participated in 10 experiments in which they had to discriminate between two or four categories after rapid presentation with backward masking. We also tested two recent DCNNs (proposed respectively by Hinton's group and Zisserman's group) on the same tasks. We found that humans and DCNNs largely agreed on the relative difficulties of each kind of variation: rotation in depth is by far the hardest transformation to handle, followed by scale, then rotation in plane, and finally position (much easier). This suggests that DCNNs would be reasonable models of human feed-forward vision. In addition, our results show that the variation levels in rotation in depth and scale strongly modulate both humans' and DCNNs' recognition performances. We thus argue that these variations should be controlled in the image datasets used in vision research.

Multiscale approach to contour fitting for MR images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rueckert, Daniel; Burger, Peter

1996-04-01

We present a new multiscale contour fitting process which combines information about the image and the contour of the object at different levels of scale. The algorithm is based on energy minimizing deformable models but avoids some of the problems associated with these models. The segmentation algorithm starts by constructing a linear scale-space of an image through convolution of the original image with a Gaussian kernel at different levels of scale, where the scale corresponds to the standard deviation of the Gaussian kernel. At high levels of scale large scale features of the objects are preserved while small scale features, like object details as well as noise, are suppressed. In order to maximize the accuracy of the segmentation, the contour of the object of interest is then tracked in scale-space from coarse to fine scales. We propose a hybrid multi-temperature simulated annealing optimization to minimize the energy of the deformable model. At high levels of scale the SA optimization is started at high temperatures, enabling the SA optimization to find a global optimal solution. At lower levels of scale the SA optimization is started at lower temperatures (at the lowest level the temperature is close to 0). This enforces a more deterministic behavior of the SA optimization at lower scales and leads to an increasingly local optimization as high energy barriers cannot be crossed. The performance and robustness of the algorithm have been tested on spin-echo MR images of the cardiovascular system. The task was to segment the ascending and descending aorta in 15 datasets of different individuals in order to measure regional aortic compliance. The results show that the algorithm is able to provide more accurate segmentation results than the classic contour fitting process and is at the same time very robust to noise and initialization.

Deformable M-Reps for 3D Medical Image Segmentation.

PubMed

Pizer, Stephen M; Fletcher, P Thomas; Joshi, Sarang; Thall, Andrew; Chen, James Z; Fridman, Yonatan; Fritsch, Daniel S; Gash, Graham; Glotzer, John M; Jiroutek, Michael R; Lu, Conglin; Muller, Keith E; Tracton, Gregg; Yushkevich, Paul; Chaney, Edward L

2003-11-01

M-reps (formerly called DSLs) are a multiscale medial means for modeling and rendering 3D solid geometry. They are particularly well suited to model anatomic objects and in particular to capture prior geometric information effectively in deformable models segmentation approaches. The representation is based on figural models , which define objects at coarse scale by a hierarchy of figures - each figure generally a slab representing a solid region and its boundary simultaneously. This paper focuses on the use of single figure models to segment objects of relatively simple structure. A single figure is a sheet of medial atoms, which is interpolated from the model formed by a net, i.e., a mesh or chain, of medial atoms (hence the name m-reps ), each atom modeling a solid region via not only a position and a width but also a local figural frame giving figural directions and an object angle between opposing, corresponding positions on the boundary implied by the m-rep. The special capability of an m-rep is to provide spatial and orientational correspondence between an object in two different states of deformation. This ability is central to effective measurement of both geometric typicality and geometry to image match, the two terms of the objective function optimized in segmentation by deformable models. The other ability of m-reps central to effective segmentation is their ability to support segmentation at multiple levels of scale, with successively finer precision. Objects modeled by single figures are segmented first by a similarity transform augmented by object elongation, then by adjustment of each medial atom, and finally by displacing a dense sampling of the m-rep implied boundary. While these models and approaches also exist in 2D, we focus on 3D objects. The segmentation of the kidney from CT and the hippocampus from MRI serve as the major examples in this paper. The accuracy of segmentation as compared to manual, slice-by-slice segmentation is reported.

Deformable M-Reps for 3D Medical Image Segmentation

PubMed Central

Pizer, Stephen M.; Fletcher, P. Thomas; Joshi, Sarang; Thall, Andrew; Chen, James Z.; Fridman, Yonatan; Fritsch, Daniel S.; Gash, Graham; Glotzer, John M.; Jiroutek, Michael R.; Lu, Conglin; Muller, Keith E.; Tracton, Gregg; Yushkevich, Paul; Chaney, Edward L.

2013-01-01

M-reps (formerly called DSLs) are a multiscale medial means for modeling and rendering 3D solid geometry. They are particularly well suited to model anatomic objects and in particular to capture prior geometric information effectively in deformable models segmentation approaches. The representation is based on figural models, which define objects at coarse scale by a hierarchy of figures – each figure generally a slab representing a solid region and its boundary simultaneously. This paper focuses on the use of single figure models to segment objects of relatively simple structure. A single figure is a sheet of medial atoms, which is interpolated from the model formed by a net, i.e., a mesh or chain, of medial atoms (hence the name m-reps), each atom modeling a solid region via not only a position and a width but also a local figural frame giving figural directions and an object angle between opposing, corresponding positions on the boundary implied by the m-rep. The special capability of an m-rep is to provide spatial and orientational correspondence between an object in two different states of deformation. This ability is central to effective measurement of both geometric typicality and geometry to image match, the two terms of the objective function optimized in segmentation by deformable models. The other ability of m-reps central to effective segmentation is their ability to support segmentation at multiple levels of scale, with successively finer precision. Objects modeled by single figures are segmented first by a similarity transform augmented by object elongation, then by adjustment of each medial atom, and finally by displacing a dense sampling of the m-rep implied boundary. While these models and approaches also exist in 2D, we focus on 3D objects. The segmentation of the kidney from CT and the hippocampus from MRI serve as the major examples in this paper. The accuracy of segmentation as compared to manual, slice-by-slice segmentation is reported. PMID:23825898

Burnout Syndrome Among Medical Practitioners Across India: A Questionnaire-Based Survey

PubMed Central

Langade, Deepak; Sidhwa, Yazad F; Hishikar, Namita A; Gharpure, Amit S; Wankhade, Kalpana; Langade, Jayshree; Joshi, Kedar

2016-01-01

Background and objectives Excessive and prolonged work-related stress has always been a cause for burnout among healthcare professionals. This has led to emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. This survey was conducted to assess the burnout among medical practitioners using the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory (aMBI) and Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-12) scales. Materials and methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 482 registered medical practitioners across India. A questionnaire consisting of 25 socio-demographic and occupational questions related to aMBI and BCSQ-12 scales was used to assess the burnout. The distribution of responses for each variable was examined using frequencies and percentages among the subgroups to find out the burnout levels of various components of the scales. Results High burnout levels were uniformly recorded for the entire population. For the aMBI, 45.02% (n = 217) and 65.98% (n = 318) of the participants scored high on the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scales, respectively, whereas 87.14% (n = 420) scored low on the personal accomplishment scale and 62.86% (n = 303) and 11.41% (n = 55) had medium and low scores on the satisfaction with the medical practice scale. The BCSQ-12 scale showed the mean values of 15.89, 11.56, and 10.28 on a scale of 28 for overload, lack of development, and neglect subtypes, respectively, whereas, satisfaction with the financial compensation item showed a mean value of 3.79 on a scale of seven. All these values indicate high levels of burnout. Conclusion The results suggest high levels of burnout in all domains of aMBI and BCSQ-12 scales in all the occupational and socio-demographic groups of medical practitioners and warrant immediate actions to address this issue. PMID:27833826

On Multiscale Modeling: Preserving Energy Dissipation Across the Scales with Consistent Handshaking Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pineda, Evan J.; Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Arnold, Steven M.; Waas, Anthony M.

2013-01-01

A mesh objective crack band model was implemented within the generalized method of cells micromechanics theory. This model was linked to a macroscale finite element model to predict post-peak strain softening in composite materials. Although a mesh objective theory was implemented at the microscale, it does not preclude pathological mesh dependence at the macroscale. To ensure mesh objectivity at both scales, the energy density and the energy release rate must be preserved identically across the two scales. This requires a consistent characteristic length or localization limiter. The effects of scaling (or not scaling) the dimensions of the microscale repeating unit cell (RUC), according to the macroscale element size, in a multiscale analysis was investigated using two examples. Additionally, the ramifications of the macroscale element shape, compared to the RUC, was studied.

On estimating scale invariance in stratocumulus cloud fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seze, Genevieve; Smith, Leonard A.

1990-01-01

Examination of cloud radiance fields derived from satellite observations sometimes indicates the existence of a range of scales over which the statistics of the field are scale invariant. Many methods were developed to quantify this scaling behavior in geophysics. The usefulness of such techniques depends both on the physics of the process being robust over a wide range of scales and on the availability of high resolution, low noise observations over these scales. These techniques (area perimeter relation, distribution of areas, estimation of the capacity, d0, through box counting, correlation exponent) are applied to the high resolution satellite data taken during the FIRE experiment and provides initial estimates of the quality of data required by analyzing simple sets. The results of the observed fields are contrasted with those of images of objects with known characteristics (e.g., dimension) where the details of the constructed image simulate current observational limits. Throughout when cloud elements and cloud boundaries are mentioned; it should be clearly understood that by this structures in the radiance field are meant: all the boundaries considered are defined by simple threshold arguments.

Valuing Treatments for Parkinson Disease Incorporating Process Utility: Performance of Best-Worst Scaling, Time Trade-Off, and Visual Analogue Scales.

PubMed

Weernink, Marieke G M; Groothuis-Oudshoorn, Catharina G M; IJzerman, Maarten J; van Til, Janine A

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare treatment profiles including both health outcomes and process characteristics in Parkinson disease using best-worst scaling (BWS), time trade-off (TTO), and visual analogue scales (VAS). From the model comprising of seven attributes with three levels, six unique profiles were selected representing process-related factors and health outcomes in Parkinson disease. A Web-based survey (N = 613) was conducted in a general population to estimate process-related utilities using profile-based BWS (case 2), multiprofile-based BWS (case 3), TTO, and VAS. The rank order of the six profiles was compared, convergent validity among methods was assessed, and individual analysis focused on the differentiation between pairs of profiles with methods used. The aggregated health-state utilities for the six treatment profiles were highly comparable for all methods and no rank reversals were identified. On the individual level, the convergent validity between all methods was strong; however, respondents differentiated less in the utility of closely related treatment profiles with a VAS or TTO than with BWS. For TTO and VAS, this resulted in nonsignificant differences in mean utilities for closely related treatment profiles. This study suggests that all methods are equally able to measure process-related utility when the aim is to estimate the overall value of treatments. On an individual level, such as in shared decision making, BWS allows for better prioritization of treatment alternatives, especially if they are closely related. The decision-making problem and the need for explicit trade-off between attributes should determine the choice for a method. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Reach and catchment-scale characteristics are relatively uninfluential in explaining the occurrence of stream fish species.

PubMed

Wuellner, M R; Bramblett, R G; Guy, C S; Zale, A V; Roberts, D R; Johnson, J

2013-05-01

The objectives of this study were (1) to determine whether the presence or absence of prairie fishes can be modelled using habitat and biotic characteristics measured at the reach and catchment scales and (2) to identify which scale (i.e. reach, catchment or a combination of variables measured at both scales) best explains the presence or absence of fishes. Reach and catchment information from 120 sites sampled from 1999 to 2004 were incorporated into tree classifiers for 20 prairie fish species, and multiple criteria were used to evaluate models. Fewer than six models were considered significant when modelling individual fish occurrences at the reach, catchment or combined scale, and only one species was successfully modelled at all three scales. The scarcity of significant models is probably related to the rigorous criteria by which these models were evaluated as well as the prevalence of tolerant, generalist fishes in these stochastic and intermittent streams. No significant differences in the amount of reduced deviance, mean misclassification error rates (MER), and mean improvement in MER metrics was detected among the three scales. Results from this study underscore the importance of continued habitat assessment at smaller scales to further understand prairie-fish occurrences as well as further evaluations of modelling methods to examine habitat relationships for tolerant, ubiquitous species. Incorporation of such suggestions in the future may help provide more accurate models that will allow for better management and conservation of prairie-fish species. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2013 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Scale dependant compensational stacking of channelized sedimentary deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Straub, K. M.; Hajek, E. A.

2010-12-01

Compensational stacking, the tendency for sediment transport system to preferentially fill topographic lows, thus smoothing out topographic relief is a concept used in the interpretation of the stratigraphic record. Recently, a metric was developed to quantify the strength of compensation in sedimentary basins by comparing observed stacking patterns to what would be expected from simple, uncorrelated stacking. This method uses the rate of decay of spatial variability in sedimentation between picked depositional horizons with increasing vertical stratigraphic averaging distance. We explore how this metric varies as a function of stratigraphic scale using data from physical experiments, stratigraphy exposed in outcrops and numerical models. In an experiment conducted at Tulane University’s Sediment Dynamics Laboratory, the topography of a channelized delta formed by weakly cohesive sediment was monitored along flow-perpendicular transects at a high temporal resolution relative to channel kinematics. Over the course of this experiment a uniform relative subsidence pattern, designed to isolate autogenic processes, resulted in the construction of a stratigraphic package that is 25 times as thick as the depth of the experimental channels. We observe a scale-dependence on the compensational stacking of deposits set by the system’s avulsion time-scale. Above the avulsion time-scale deposits stack purely compensationally, but below this time-scale deposits stack somewhere between randomly and deterministically. The well-exposed Ferris Formation (Cretaceous/Paleogene, Hanna Basin, Wyoming, USA) also shows scale-dependant stratigraphic organization which appears to be set by an avulsion time-scale. Finally, we utilize simple object-based models to illustrate how channel avulsions influence compensation in alluvial basins.

A Novel Optical/digital Processing System for Pattern Recognition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boone, Bradley G.; Shukla, Oodaye B.

1993-01-01

This paper describes two processing algorithms that can be implemented optically: the Radon transform and angular correlation. These two algorithms can be combined in one optical processor to extract all the basic geometric and amplitude features from objects embedded in video imagery. We show that the internal amplitude structure of objects is recovered by the Radon transform, which is a well-known result, but, in addition, we show simulation results that calculate angular correlation, a simple but unique algorithm that extracts object boundaries from suitably threshold images from which length, width, area, aspect ratio, and orientation can be derived. In addition to circumventing scale and rotation distortions, these simulations indicate that the features derived from the angular correlation algorithm are relatively insensitive to tracking shifts and image noise. Some optical architecture concepts, including one based on micro-optical lenslet arrays, have been developed to implement these algorithms. Simulation test and evaluation using simple synthetic object data will be described, including results of a study that uses object boundaries (derivable from angular correlation) to classify simple objects using a neural network.

Relation of intelligence to ego functioning in an adult psychiatric population.

PubMed

Allen, J G; Coyne, L; David, E

1986-01-01

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) IQs and clinical ratings of 10 ego functions in a diagnostically heterogeneous sample of 60 adult psychiatric inpatients were correlated. With severity of pathology statistically controlled, higher intelligence was associated with more adequate ego functioning in several spheres: primary autonomous functions, thought processes, object relations, and mastery-competence. There were also some clinically meaningful differences between the Verbal and Performance IQs in the pattern of correlations. Extending Hartmann's original views, the authors employ an ethological framework to conceptualize intelligence in relation to the ego's role in adaptation, emphasizing that intelligence is an important-albeit neglected-aspect of ego functioning.

A trust-based recommendation method using network diffusion processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ling-Jiao; Gao, Jian

2018-09-01

A variety of rating-based recommendation methods have been extensively studied including the well-known collaborative filtering approaches and some network diffusion-based methods, however, social trust relations are not sufficiently considered when making recommendations. In this paper, we contribute to the literature by proposing a trust-based recommendation method, named CosRA+T, after integrating the information of trust relations into the resource-redistribution process. Specifically, a tunable parameter is used to scale the resources received by trusted users before the redistribution back to the objects. Interestingly, we find an optimal scaling parameter for the proposed CosRA+T method to achieve its best recommendation accuracy, and the optimal value seems to be universal under several evaluation metrics across different datasets. Moreover, results of extensive experiments on the two real-world rating datasets with trust relations, Epinions and FriendFeed, suggest that CosRA+T has a remarkable improvement in overall accuracy, diversity and novelty. Our work takes a step towards designing better recommendation algorithms by employing multiple resources of social network information.

Cross-Domain Multi-View Object Retrieval via Multi-Scale Topic Models.

PubMed

Hong, Richang; Hu, Zhenzhen; Wang, Ruxin; Wang, Meng; Tao, Dacheng

2016-09-27

The increasing number of 3D objects in various applications has increased the requirement for effective and efficient 3D object retrieval methods, which attracted extensive research efforts in recent years. Existing works mainly focus on how to extract features and conduct object matching. With the increasing applications, 3D objects come from different areas. In such circumstances, how to conduct object retrieval becomes more important. To address this issue, we propose a multi-view object retrieval method using multi-scale topic models in this paper. In our method, multiple views are first extracted from each object, and then the dense visual features are extracted to represent each view. To represent the 3D object, multi-scale topic models are employed to extract the hidden relationship among these features with respected to varied topic numbers in the topic model. In this way, each object can be represented by a set of bag of topics. To compare the objects, we first conduct topic clustering for the basic topics from two datasets, and then generate the common topic dictionary for new representation. Then, the two objects can be aligned to the same common feature space for comparison. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, experiments are conducted on two datasets. The 3D object retrieval experimental results and comparison with existing methods demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Group Decision Support System to Aid the Process of Design and Maintenance of Large Scale Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-23

from a fuzzy set of user requirements. The overall objective of the project is to develop a system combining the characteristics of a compact computer... AHP ) for hierarchical prioritization. 4) Individual Evaluation and Selection of Alternatives - Allows the decision maker to individually evaluate...its concept of outranking relations. The AHP method supports complex decision problems by successively decomposing and synthesizing various elements

The mental functioning axis of the psychodynamic diagnostic manual: an adolescent case study.

PubMed

Porcerelli, John H; Cogan, Rosemary; Bambery, Michael

2011-03-01

We describe the assessment of a troubled adolescent boy to demonstrate the use of the Shedler-Westen Assessment Profile for Adolescents (Westen, Dutra, & Shedler, 2005) and the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale-Global (Westen, 1995) to formulate the Mental Functioning for Children and Adolescents Axis (MCA) of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM Task Force, 2006). The assessment made possible a meaningful psychodynamic therapy.

Optical Interferometric Micrometrology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abel, Phillip B.; Lauer, James R.

1989-01-01

Resolutions in angstrom and subangstrom range sought for atomic-scale surface probes. Experimental optical micrometrological system built to demonstrate calibration of piezoelectric transducer to displacement sensitivity of few angstroms. Objective to develop relatively simple system producing and measuring translation, across surface of specimen, of stylus in atomic-force or scanning tunneling microscope. Laser interferometer used to calibrate piezoelectric transducer used in atomic-force microscope. Electronic portion of calibration system made of commercially available components.

Soil maps as data input for soil erosion models: errors related to map scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dijk, Paul; Sauter, Joëlle; Hofstetter, Elodie

2010-05-01

Soil erosion rates depend in many ways on soil and soil surface characteristics which vary in space and in time. To account for spatial variations of soil features, most distributed soil erosion models require data input derived from soil maps. Ideally, the level of spatial detail contained in the applied soil map should correspond to the objective of the modelling study. However, often the model user has only one soil map available which is then applied without questioning its suitability. The present study seeks to determine in how far soil map scale can be a source of error in erosion model output. The study was conducted on two different spatial scales, with for each of them a convenient soil erosion model: a) the catchment scale using the physically-based Limbourg Soil Erosion Model (LISEM), and b) the regional scale using the decision-tree expert model MESALES. The suitability of the applied soil map was evaluated with respect to an imaginary though realistic study objective for both models: the definition of erosion control measures at strategic locations at the catchment scale; the identification of target areas for the definition of control measures strategies at the regional scale. Two catchments were selected to test the sensitivity of LISEM to the spatial detail contained in soil maps: one catchment with relatively little contrast in soil texture, dominated by loess-derived soil (south of the Alsace), and one catchment with strongly contrasted soils at the limit between the Alsatian piedmont and the loess-covered hills of the Kochersberg. LISEM was run for both catchments using different soil maps ranging in scale from 1/25 000 to 1/100 000 to derive soil related input parameters. The comparison of the output differences was used to quantify the map scale impact on the quality of the model output. The sensitivity of MESALES was tested on the Haut-Rhin county for which two soil maps are available for comparison: 1/50 000 and 1/100 000. The order of resulting target areas (communes) was compared to evaluate the error induced by using the coarser soil data at 1/100 000. Results shows that both models are sensitive to the soil map scale used for model data input. A low sensitivity was found for the catchment with relatively homogeneous soil textures and the use of 1/100 000 soil maps seems allowed. The results for the catchment with strong soil texture variations showed significant differences depending on soil map scale on 75% of the catchment area. Here, the use of 1/100 000 soil map will indeed lead to wrong erosion diagnostics and will hamper the definition of a sound erosion control strategy. The regional scale model MESALES proved to be very sensitive to soil information. The two soil related model parameters (crusting sensitivity, and soil erodibility) reacted very often in the same direction therewith amplifying the change in the final erosion hazard class. The 1/100 000 soil map yielded different results on 40% of the sloping area compared to the 1/50 000 map. Significant differences in the order of target areas were found as well. The present study shows that the degree of sensitivity of the model output to soil map scale is rather variable and depends partly on the spatial variability of soil texture within the study area. Soil (textural) diversity needs to be accounted for to assure a fruitful use of soil erosion models. In some situations this might imply that additional soil data need to be collected in the field to refine the available soil map.

Causal relations among events and states in dynamic geographical phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Zhaoqiang; Feng, Xuezhi; Xuan, Wenling; Chen, Xiuwan

2007-06-01

There is only a static state of the real world to be recorded in conventional geographical information systems. However, there is not only static information but also dynamic information in geographical phenomena. So that how to record the dynamic information and reveal the relations among dynamic information is an important issue in a spatio-temporal information system. From an ontological perspective, we can initially divide the spatio-temporal entities in the world into continuants and occurrents. Continuant entities endure through some extended (although possibly very short) interval of time (e.g., houses, roads, cities, and real-estate). Occurrent entities happen and are then gone (e.g., a house repair job, road construction project, urban expansion, real-estate transition). From an information system perspective, continuants and occurrents that have a unique identity in the system are referred to as objects and events, respectively. And the change is represented implicitly by static snapshots in current spatial temporal information systems. In the previous models, the objects can be considered as the fundamental components of the system, and the change is modeled by considering time-varying attributes of these objects. In the spatio-temporal database, the temporal information that is either interval or instant is involved and the underlying data structures and indexes for temporal are considerable investigated. However, there is the absence of explicit ways of considering events, which affect the attributes of objects or the state. So the research issue of this paper focuses on how to model events in conceptual models of dynamic geographical phenomena and how to represent the causal relations among events and the objects or states. Firstly, the paper reviews the conceptual modeling in a temporal GIS by researchers. Secondly, this paper discusses the spatio-temporal entities: objects and events. Thirdly, this paper investigates the causal relations amongst events and states. The qualitative spatiotemporal change is an important issue in the dynamic geographic-scale phenomena. In real estate transition, the events and states are needed to be represented explicitly. In our modeling the evolution of a dynamic system, it can not avoid fetching in the view of causality. The object's transition is represented by the state of object. Event causes the state of objects changing and causes other events happen. Events connect with objects closely. The basic causal relations are the state-event and event-state relationships. Lastly, the paper concludes with the overview about the causal relations amongst events and states. And this future work is pointed.

Relationship between psychological inflexibility and experiential avoidance and internet addiction: Mediating effects of mental health problems.

PubMed

Chou, Wei-Po; Lee, Kun-Hua; Ko, Chih-Hung; Liu, Tai-Ling; Hsiao, Ray C; Lin, Hsiu-Fen; Yen, Cheng-Fang

2017-11-01

Internet addiction became a major mental health problem in college student. Our objective was to examine the relationship between psychological inflexibility and experiential avoidance (PIEA) and Internet addiction (IA) and the mediating effects of mental health problem indicators. 500 college students (238 men and 262 women) participated in this study. The level of PIEA was examined using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II. The severity of IA was assessed using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale. The levels of depression, anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity, and hostility were evaluated using the Symptom Checklist-90 item-Revised Scale. The relationship among PIEA, mental health problems, and IA was examined using structural equation modeling. The severity of PIEA was positively associated with the severity of IA as well as positively associated with the severity of mental health problems. In addition, the severity of mental health problem indicators was positively associated with the severity of IA. These results provide the severity of PIEA is directly related to the severity of IA and indirectly related to the severity of IA through increasing the severity of mental health problems. The PIEA should be one of the target objectives when administer cognitive-behavioral therapy to college students with IA and mental health problems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurement of alienation among adolescents: construct validity of three scales on powerlessness, meaninglessness and social isolation.

PubMed

Rayce, Signe Boe; Kreiner, Svend; Damsgaard, Mogens Trab; Nielsen, Tine; Holstein, Bjørn Evald

2017-01-01

Psychological alienation is an important concept in the study of adolescents' health and behavior but no gold standard for measuring alienation among adolescents exists. There is a need for new scales with high validity for use in adolescent health and social research. The purpose of the present study was to develop and validate alienation scales in accordance with Seeman's conceptualization of alienation focusing on three independent variants specifically relevant in adolescent health research: powerlessness, meaninglessness and social isolation. Cross-sectional data from 3083 adolescents aged 13 to 15 years from the Danish contribution to the cross-national study Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) were used. We identified and developed items, addressed content and face validity through interviews, and examined the criterion-related construct validity of the scales using graphical loglinear Rasch models (GLLRM). The three scales each comprised three to five face valid items. The powerlessness scale reflected the adolescent's expectancy as to whether his/her behavior can determine the outcome or reinforcement he/she seeks. The meaninglessness scale reflected the expectancy as to whether satisfactory predictions regarding the effects of one's behavior are possible. Finally, the social isolation scale reflected whether the adolescent had a low expectancy for inclusion and social acceptance. All scales contained some uniform local dependency and differential item functioning. However, only to a limited degree, which could be accounted for using GLLRM. Thus the scales fitted GLLRMs and can therefore be considered to be essentially construct valid and essentially objective. The three alienation scales appear to be content and face valid and fulfill the psychometric properties of a good construct valid reflective scale. This suggests that the scales may be appropriate in future large-scale surveys to examine the relation between alienation and a range of adolescent health outcomes such as health, behavior and wellbeing.

Getting the most out of additional guidance information in deformable image registration by leveraging multi-objective optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alderliesten, Tanja; Bosman, Peter A. N.; Bel, Arjan

2015-03-01

Incorporating additional guidance information, e.g., landmark/contour correspondence, in deformable image registration is often desirable and is typically done by adding constraints or cost terms to the optimization function. Commonly, deciding between a "hard" constraint and a "soft" additional cost term as well as the weighting of cost terms in the optimization function is done on a trial-and-error basis. The aim of this study is to investigate the advantages of exploiting guidance information by taking a multi-objective optimization perspective. Hereto, next to objectives related to match quality and amount of deformation, we define a third objective related to guidance information. Multi-objective optimization eliminates the need to a-priori tune a weighting of objectives in a single optimization function or the strict requirement of fulfilling hard guidance constraints. Instead, Pareto-efficient trade-offs between all objectives are found, effectively making the introduction of guidance information straightforward, independent of its type or scale. Further, since complete Pareto fronts also contain less interesting parts (i.e., solutions with near-zero deformation effort), we study how adaptive steering mechanisms can be incorporated to automatically focus more on solutions of interest. We performed experiments on artificial and real clinical data with large differences, including disappearing structures. Results show the substantial benefit of using additional guidance information. Moreover, compared to the 2-objective case, additional computational cost is negligible. Finally, with the same computational budget, use of the adaptive steering mechanism provides superior solutions in the area of interest.

RR Lyrae period luminosity relations with Spitzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neeley, Jillian R.; Marengo, Massimo; CRRP Team

2017-01-01

RR Lyrae variable stars have long been known to be valuable distance indicators, but only recently has a well defined period luminosity relationship been utilized at infrared wavelengths. In my thesis, I am combining Spitzer Space Telescope data of RR Lyrae stars obtained as part of the Carnegie RR Lyrae Program with ground based NIR data to characterize the period-luminosity-metallicity (PLZ) relation and provide an independent Population II calibration of the cosmic distance scale. I will discuss the ongoing efforts to calibrate this relation using objects such as M4 and NGC 6441 and how the first data release from the Gaia mission impacts our findings. I will also compare my preliminary empirical relations to theoretical PLZ relations derived from stellar pulsation models.

Determination of silica deposition rates and thresholds applied towards protection of injection reservoirs

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

Geothermal Development Associates; Don Michels Associates

1999-07-01

This program was instituted to quantify certain aspects of silica scaling deposition processes at the Miravalles Geothermal Field, Costa Rica. The program objective was to identify the highest temperature at which silica scale will develop from partially evaporated and significantly cooled geothermal liquid under operating conditions. Integral to the study objective was the quantification of certain aspects of silica deposition processes at the Miravalles Geothermal Field, Costa Rica. There, the objective was to reduce the scaling risk associated with adding a bottoming-cycle to generate more electricity from the liquids already being produced.

Associations Between Parental SES and Children's Health-Related Quality of Life: The Role of Objective and Subjective Social Status.

PubMed

Kim, Kay W; Wallander, Jan L; Peskin, Melissa; Cuccaro, Paula; Elliott, Marc N; Schuster, Mark A

2018-06-01

We examined (1) the relationship that parental objective social status (OSS) and subjective social status (SSS) have with children's health-related quality of life (HRQOL), (2) whether SSS mediates the association between OSS and HRQOL, and (3) whether these associations differ among Black, Latino, and White children. Data came from 4,824 Black, Latino, and White 5th graders in the Healthy PassagesTM study. OSS was measured as parent educational attainment and net equivalent household income. SSS was measured by parent rating of community and national standing on the MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status. Child HRQOL was measured with child report on the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) physical and psychosocial scales. Structural equation modeling path analysis was conducted using Mplus version 7.4. The data supported the hypothesized measurement and structural models. Whereas parental OSS was positively related to psychosocial HRQOL for all three racial/ethnic groups and to physical HRQOL for Latino children, parental SSS was not related to either for any of the racial/ethnic groups. Therefore, mediation by SSS was not supported for any group. OSS was confirmed to have stronger association with children's HRQOL than parental SSS. This is in contrast to some research on adults, raising the questions of how best to assess SSS relevant to children and at what point in development SSS may influence children's health and well-being. The persistent relationship found between parental OSS and child health suggests that efforts to improve low socioeconomic resources in families may contribute to improve children's health.

The Korean Spinal Neurosurgery Society ; Are We Reimbursed Properly for Spinal Neurosurgical Practices under the Korean Resource Based Relative Value Scale Service?

PubMed Central

Kwon, Woo-Keun; Kim, Joo Han; Moon, Hong Joo; Park, Youn-Kwan

2017-01-01

Objectives The Korean Resource Based Relative Value Scale (K-RBRVS) was introduced in 2001 as an alternative of the previous medical fee schedule. Unfortunately, most neurosurgeons are unfamiliar with the details of the K-RBRVS and how it affects the reimbursement rates for the surgical procedures we perform. We summarize the K-RBRVS in brief, and discuss on how the relative value (RV) of the spinal neurosurgical procedures have changed since the introduction in 2001. Methods We analyzed the change of spinal procedure RVs since 2001, and compared it with the change of values in the brain neurosurgical procedures. RVs of 88 neurospinal procedures on the list of K-RBRVS were analyzed, while 24 procedures added during annual revisions were excluded. Results During the past 15 years, RVs for spinal procedures have increased 62.8%, which is not so different with the cumulative increase of consumer prices during this time period or the increase rate of 92.3% for brain surgeries. When comparing the change of RVs in more complex procedures between spinal and brain neurosurgery, the increase rate was 125.3% and 133%, respectively. Conclusion More effort of the society of spinal surgeons seems to be needed to get adequate reimbursement, as there have been some discrimination compared to brain surgeons in the increase of RVs. And considering the relative underestimation of spinal neurosurgeons’ labor, more objective measures of neurospinal surgeons’ work and productivity should be developed for impartial reimbursement. PMID:28061492

Development and Validation of the Chinese Making Sense of Adversity Scale: Acculturative Stressors as an Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Jia-Yan; Wong, Daniel Fu Keung; Chan, Kin Sun; Chan, Cecilia Lai Wan

2008-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study is to develop and validate the Chinese Making Sense of Adversity Scale (CMSAS) to measure the cognitive coping strategies that Chinese people adopt to make sense of adversity. Method: A 12-item CMSAS was developed by in-depth interview and item analysis. The scale was validated with a sample of 627 Chinese…

Full-Scale Accelerated Testing of Multi-axial Geogrid Stabilized Flexible Pavements

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

costs and reduced budgets, transportation officials are often tasked with applying innovative solutions to pavement design and construction projects... pavement designers . 1.2 Objective The objective of this effort was to construct and traffic full-scale flexible pavement sections to provide...Development Center (ERDC) constructed the full-scale test section as designed by Tensar under shelter in its Hangar 2 Pavement Test Facility. During

Through the big bang: Continuing Einstein's equations beyond a cosmological singularity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koslowski, Tim A.; Mercati, Flavio; Sloan, David

2018-03-01

All measurements are comparisons. The only physically accessible degrees of freedom (DOFs) are dimensionless ratios. The objective description of the universe as a whole thus predicts only how these ratios change collectively as one of them is changed. Here we develop a description for classical Bianchi IX cosmology implementing these relational principles. The objective evolution decouples from the volume and its expansion degree of freedom. We use the relational description to investigate both vacuum dominated and quiescent Bianchi IX cosmologies. In the vacuum dominated case the relational dynamical system predicts an infinite amount of change of the relational DOFs, in accordance with the well known chaotic behaviour of Bianchi IX. In the quiescent case the relational dynamical system evolves uniquely though the point where the decoupled scale DOFs predict the big bang/crunch. This is a non-trivial prediction of the relational description; the big bang/crunch is not the end of physics - it is instead a regular point of the relational evolution. Describing our solutions as spacetimes that satisfy Einstein's equations, we find that the relational dynamical system predicts two singular solutions of GR that are connected at the hypersurface of the singularity such that relational DOFs are continuous and the orientation of the spatial frame is inverted.

A Steeper than Linear Disk Mass-Stellar Mass Scaling Relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascucci, Ilaria; SLICK, EOS

2017-01-01

The disk mass is among the most important input parameter of planet formation models as it determines the number and masses of the planets that can form. I will present an ALMA 887 micron survey of the disk population around objects from 2 to 0.03Msun in the nearby 2 Myr-old Chamaeleon I star-forming region. Assuming isothermal and optically thin emission, we convert the 887 micron flux densities into dust disk masses (Mdust) and show that the Mdust-Mstar scaling relation is steeper than linear. By re-analyzing all millimeter data available for nearby regions in a self-consistent way, we find that the 1-3 Myr-old regions of Taurus, Lupus, and Chamaeleon I share the same Mdust-Mstar relation, while the 10 Myr-old Upper Sco association has an even steeper relation. Theoretical models of grain growth, drift, and fragmentation reproduce this trend and suggest that disks are in the fragmentation-limited regime. In this regime millimeter grains will be located closer in around lower-mass stars, a prediction that can be tested with deeper and higher spatial resolution ALMA observations.

Born-Infeld inspired modifications of gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beltrán Jiménez, Jose; Heisenberg, Lavinia; Olmo, Gonzalo J.; Rubiera-Garcia, Diego

2018-01-01

General Relativity has shown an outstanding observational success in the scales where it has been directly tested. However, modifications have been intensively explored in the regimes where it seems either incomplete or signals its own limit of validity. In particular, the breakdown of unitarity near the Planck scale strongly suggests that General Relativity needs to be modified at high energies and quantum gravity effects are expected to be important. This is related to the existence of spacetime singularities when the solutions of General Relativity are extrapolated to regimes where curvatures are large. In this sense, Born-Infeld inspired modifications of gravity have shown an extraordinary ability to regularise the gravitational dynamics, leading to non-singular cosmologies and regular black hole spacetimes in a very robust manner and without resorting to quantum gravity effects. This has boosted the interest in these theories in applications to stellar structure, compact objects, inflationary scenarios, cosmological singularities, and black hole and wormhole physics, among others. We review the motivations, various formulations, and main results achieved within these theories, including their observational viability, and provide an overview of current open problems and future research opportunities.

Precision grip responses to unexpected rotational perturbations scale with axis of rotation.

PubMed

De Gregorio, Michael; Santos, Veronica J

2013-04-05

It has been established that rapid, pulse-like increases in precision grip forces ("catch-up responses") are elicited by unexpected translational perturbations and that response latency and strength scale according to the direction of linear slip relative to the hand as well as gravity. To determine if catch-up responses are elicited by unexpected rotational perturbations and are strength-, axis-, and/or direction-dependent, we imposed step torque loads about each of two axes which were defined relative to the subject's hand: the distal-proximal axis away from and towards the subject's palm, and the grip axis which connects the two fingertips. Precision grip responses were dominated initially by passive mechanics and then by active, unimodal catch-up responses. First dorsal interosseous activity, marking the start of the catch-up response, began 71-89 ms after the onset of perturbation. The onset latency, shape, and duration (217-231 ms) of the catch-up response were not affected by the axis, direction, or magnitude of the rotational perturbation, while strength was scaled by axis of rotation and slip conditions. Rotations about the grip axis that tilted the object away from the palm and induced rotational slip elicited stronger catch-up responses than rotations about the distal-proximal axis that twisted the object between the digits. To our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate grip responses to unexpected torque loads and to show characteristic, yet axis-dependent, catch-up responses for conditions other than pure linear slip. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

VLBA Observations of Low Luminosity Flat Spectrum Radio Galaxies and BL Lac Objects: Polarisation Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondi, M.; Dallacasa, D.; Stanghellini, C.; Marchã, M. J. M.

We obtained two-epoch VLBA observations at 5 GHz of a list of radio galaxies drawn from the 200 mJy sample (Marcha et al. 1996). The objects selected for milli-arcsecond scale observations are classified, on the basis of their optical spectroscopic and polarimetric properties, as BL Lac objects, normal weak line radio galaxies, broad line radio galaxies, and transition objects (those with intermediate properties). We present preliminary results on the radio polarization properties, on the milli-arcsecond scale, of objects with different optical properties and discuss structural variations detected from the two epochs.

Development and Validation of a Nausea Severity Scale for Assessment of Nausea in Children with Abdominal Pain-Related Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders.

PubMed

Russell, Alexandra C; Stone, Amanda L; Wang, Andi; Walker, Lynn S

2018-06-01

The objective of this study was to develop a pediatric measure of chronic nausea severity, the Nausea Severity Scale (NSS), and evaluate its reliability and validity in youth with abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders (AP-FGID). Pediatric patients (aged 11⁻17 years-old, n = 236) presenting to an outpatient clinic for evaluation of abdominal pain completed the NSS, Children's Somatization Inventory (CSI), Functional Disability Inventory (FDI), Abdominal Pain Index (API), Patient-Report Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), Anxiety and Depression Scales and the Pediatric Rome III Questionnaire for FGIDs. The NSS demonstrated good concurrent, discriminant, and construct validity, as well as good internal consistency. One-third (34%) of AP-FGID patients reported experiencing nausea "most" or "every day" in the previous two weeks. The severity of nausea was higher in females than males and correlated significantly with the severity of somatic symptoms, functional disability, anxiety, and depression. The NSS is a valid and reliable measure of nausea in children with AP-FGID.

The Arabic scale of death anxiety: some results from east and west.

PubMed

Abdel-Khalek, Ahmed M; Lester, David; Maltby, John; Tomás-Sábado, Joaquin

2009-01-01

The twofold objectives of the present study were (a) to examine sex-related differences on the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety (ASDA) in seven Arabic and Western countries, and (b) to compare the mean ASDA scores among Arabic samples (Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Syria) with Western samples (Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States). A total sample of 2978 volunteer undergraduates participated in this study. They resided in their countries of origin and responded to the scale in their respective native-speaking languages. Sex-related differences on the ASDA were statistically significant in all countries (except the United Kingdom), with women having higher mean scores than their male peers. It was found that all the Arab samples, except the Lebanese men, had significantly higher mean ASDA scores than their Western counterparts. These differences might be explained either in the light of higher emotionally responsiveness of the Arab samples, differences in individualism and collectivism and in secularism in the countries, and the lower per capita income in the Arab countries except in Kuwait.

Iron deficiency anemia and cognitive function in infancy.

PubMed

Carter, R Colin; Jacobson, Joseph L; Burden, Matthew J; Armony-Sivan, Rinat; Dodge, Neil C; Angelilli, Mary Lu; Lozoff, Betsy; Jacobson, Sandra W

2010-08-01

This study examined effects of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) on specific domains of infant cognitive function and the role of IDA-related socioemotional deficits in mediating and/or moderating these effects. Infants were recruited during routine 9-month visits to an inner-city clinic. IDA was defined as hemoglobin level <110 g/L with > or =2 abnormal iron deficiency indicators (mean corpuscular volume, red cell distribution width, zinc protoporphyrin, transferrin saturation, and ferritin). At 9 and 12 months, the Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence (FTII); A-not-B task; Emotionality, Activity, and Sociability Temperament Survey; and Behavior Rating Scale were administered. Analyses were adjusted for potential confounders, including age and sociodemographic variables. Twenty-eight infants met criteria for IDA, 28 had nonanemic iron deficiency (NA ID) and 21 had iron sufficiency (IS). There was a linear effect for object permanence at 9 months: infants with IDA were least likely to exhibit object permanence, IS most likely, and NA ID intermediate. Infants with IDA and those with hemoglobin level < or =105 g/L showed poorer recognition memory on the FTII than infants without IDA. The Behavior Rating Scale orientation/engagement measure partially mediated these effects. Stronger effects of IDA on these outcomes were seen in infants who scored more poorly on the socioemotional measures. These data indicate poorer object permanence and short-term memory encoding and/or retrieval in infants with IDA at 9 months. These cognitive effects were attributable, in part, to IDA-related deficits in socioemotional function. Children with poor socioemotional performance seem to be more vulnerable to the effects of IDA on cognitive function.

Fast large-scale object retrieval with binary quantization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Shifu; Zeng, Dan; Shen, Wei; Zhang, Zhijiang; Tian, Qi

2015-11-01

The objective of large-scale object retrieval systems is to search for images that contain the target object in an image database. Where state-of-the-art approaches rely on global image representations to conduct searches, we consider many boxes per image as candidates to search locally in a picture. In this paper, a feature quantization algorithm called binary quantization is proposed. In binary quantization, a scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) feature is quantized into a descriptive and discriminative bit-vector, which allows itself to adapt to the classic inverted file structure for box indexing. The inverted file, which stores the bit-vector and box ID where the SIFT feature is located inside, is compact and can be loaded into the main memory for efficient box indexing. We evaluate our approach on available object retrieval datasets. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach is fast and achieves excellent search quality. Therefore, the proposed approach is an improvement over state-of-the-art approaches for object retrieval.

PROPERTIES IMPORTANT TO MIXING FOR WTP LARGE SCALE INTEGRATED TESTING

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

Koopman, D.; Martino, C.; Poirier, M.

2012-04-26

Large Scale Integrated Testing (LSIT) is being planned by Bechtel National, Inc. to address uncertainties in the full scale mixing performance of the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Testing will use simulated waste rather than actual Hanford waste. Therefore, the use of suitable simulants is critical to achieving the goals of the test program. External review boards have raised questions regarding the overall representativeness of simulants used in previous mixing tests. Accordingly, WTP requested the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to assist with development of simulants for use in LSIT. Among the first tasks assigned to SRNL wasmore » to develop a list of waste properties that matter to pulse-jet mixer (PJM) mixing of WTP tanks. This report satisfies Commitment 5.2.3.1 of the Department of Energy Implementation Plan for Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 2010-2: physical properties important to mixing and scaling. In support of waste simulant development, the following two objectives are the focus of this report: (1) Assess physical and chemical properties important to the testing and development of mixing scaling relationships; (2) Identify the governing properties and associated ranges for LSIT to achieve the Newtonian and non-Newtonian test objectives. This includes the properties to support testing of sampling and heel management systems. The test objectives for LSIT relate to transfer and pump out of solid particles, prototypic integrated operations, sparger operation, PJM controllability, vessel level/density measurement accuracy, sampling, heel management, PJM restart, design and safety margin, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Verification and Validation (V and V) and comparison, performance testing and scaling, and high temperature operation. The slurry properties that are most important to Performance Testing and Scaling depend on the test objective and rheological classification of the slurry (i.e., Newtonian or non-Newtonian). The most important properties for testing with Newtonian slurries are the Archimedes number distribution and the particle concentration. For some test objectives, the shear strength is important. In the testing to collect data for CFD V and V and CFD comparison, the liquid density and liquid viscosity are important. In the high temperature testing, the liquid density and liquid viscosity are important. The Archimedes number distribution combines effects of particle size distribution, solid-liquid density difference, and kinematic viscosity. The most important properties for testing with non-Newtonian slurries are the slurry yield stress, the slurry consistency, and the shear strength. The solid-liquid density difference and the particle size are also important. It is also important to match multiple properties within the same simulant to achieve behavior representative of the waste. Other properties such as particle shape, concentration, surface charge, and size distribution breadth, as well as slurry cohesiveness and adhesiveness, liquid pH and ionic strength also influence the simulant properties either directly or through other physical properties such as yield stress.« less

Deep graphs—A general framework to represent and analyze heterogeneous complex systems across scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Traxl, Dominik; Boers, Niklas; Kurths, Jürgen

2016-06-01

Network theory has proven to be a powerful tool in describing and analyzing systems by modelling the relations between their constituent objects. Particularly in recent years, a great progress has been made by augmenting "traditional" network theory in order to account for the multiplex nature of many networks, multiple types of connections between objects, the time-evolution of networks, networks of networks and other intricacies. However, existing network representations still lack crucial features in order to serve as a general data analysis tool. These include, most importantly, an explicit association of information with possibly heterogeneous types of objects and relations, and a conclusive representation of the properties of groups of nodes as well as the interactions between such groups on different scales. In this paper, we introduce a collection of definitions resulting in a framework that, on the one hand, entails and unifies existing network representations (e.g., network of networks and multilayer networks), and on the other hand, generalizes and extends them by incorporating the above features. To implement these features, we first specify the nodes and edges of a finite graph as sets of properties (which are permitted to be arbitrary mathematical objects). Second, the mathematical concept of partition lattices is transferred to the network theory in order to demonstrate how partitioning the node and edge set of a graph into supernodes and superedges allows us to aggregate, compute, and allocate information on and between arbitrary groups of nodes. The derived partition lattice of a graph, which we denote by deep graph, constitutes a concise, yet comprehensive representation that enables the expression and analysis of heterogeneous properties, relations, and interactions on all scales of a complex system in a self-contained manner. Furthermore, to be able to utilize existing network-based methods and models, we derive different representations of multilayer networks from our framework and demonstrate the advantages of our representation. On the basis of the formal framework described here, we provide a rich, fully scalable (and self-explanatory) software package that integrates into the PyData ecosystem and offers interfaces to popular network packages, making it a powerful, general-purpose data analysis toolkit. We exemplify an application of deep graphs using a real world dataset, comprising 16 years of satellite-derived global precipitation measurements. We deduce a deep graph representation of these measurements in order to track and investigate local formations of spatio-temporal clusters of extreme precipitation events.

Deep graphs-A general framework to represent and analyze heterogeneous complex systems across scales.

PubMed

Traxl, Dominik; Boers, Niklas; Kurths, Jürgen

2016-06-01

Network theory has proven to be a powerful tool in describing and analyzing systems by modelling the relations between their constituent objects. Particularly in recent years, a great progress has been made by augmenting "traditional" network theory in order to account for the multiplex nature of many networks, multiple types of connections between objects, the time-evolution of networks, networks of networks and other intricacies. However, existing network representations still lack crucial features in order to serve as a general data analysis tool. These include, most importantly, an explicit association of information with possibly heterogeneous types of objects and relations, and a conclusive representation of the properties of groups of nodes as well as the interactions between such groups on different scales. In this paper, we introduce a collection of definitions resulting in a framework that, on the one hand, entails and unifies existing network representations (e.g., network of networks and multilayer networks), and on the other hand, generalizes and extends them by incorporating the above features. To implement these features, we first specify the nodes and edges of a finite graph as sets of properties (which are permitted to be arbitrary mathematical objects). Second, the mathematical concept of partition lattices is transferred to the network theory in order to demonstrate how partitioning the node and edge set of a graph into supernodes and superedges allows us to aggregate, compute, and allocate information on and between arbitrary groups of nodes. The derived partition lattice of a graph, which we denote by deep graph, constitutes a concise, yet comprehensive representation that enables the expression and analysis of heterogeneous properties, relations, and interactions on all scales of a complex system in a self-contained manner. Furthermore, to be able to utilize existing network-based methods and models, we derive different representations of multilayer networks from our framework and demonstrate the advantages of our representation. On the basis of the formal framework described here, we provide a rich, fully scalable (and self-explanatory) software package that integrates into the PyData ecosystem and offers interfaces to popular network packages, making it a powerful, general-purpose data analysis toolkit. We exemplify an application of deep graphs using a real world dataset, comprising 16 years of satellite-derived global precipitation measurements. We deduce a deep graph representation of these measurements in order to track and investigate local formations of spatio-temporal clusters of extreme precipitation events.

A Conflict Management Scale for Pharmacy

PubMed Central

Gregory, Paul A.; Martin, Craig

2009-01-01

Objectives To develop and establish the validity and reliability of a conflict management scale specific to pharmacy practice and education. Methods A multistage inventory-item development process was undertaken involving 93 pharmacists and using a previously described explanatory model for conflict in pharmacy practice. A 19-item inventory was developed, field tested, and validated. Results The conflict management scale (CMS) demonstrated an acceptable degree of reliability and validity for use in educational or practice settings to promote self-reflection and self-awareness regarding individuals' conflict management styles. Conclusions The CMS provides a unique, pharmacy-specific method for individuals to determine and reflect upon their own conflict management styles. As part of an educational program to facilitate self-reflection and heighten self-awareness, the CMS may be a useful tool to promote discussions related to an important part of pharmacy practice. PMID:19960081

Wing force and surface pressure data from a hover test of a 0.658-scale V-22 rotor and wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felker, Fort F.; Shinoda, Patrick R.; Heffernan, Ruth M.; Sheehy, Hugh F.

1990-01-01

A hover test of a 0.658-scale V-22 rotor and wing was conducted in the 40 x 80 foot wind tunnel at Ames Research Center. The principal objective of the test was to measure the surface pressures and total download on a large scale V-22 wing in hover. The test configuration consisted of a single rotor and semispan wing on independent balance systems. A large image plane was used to represent the aircraft plane of symmetry. Wing flap angles ranging from 45 to 90 degrees were examined. Data were acquired for both directions of the rotor rotation relative to the wing. Steady and unsteady wing surface pressures, total wing forces, and rotor performance data are presented for all of the configurations that were tested.

A numerical resolution study of high order essentially non-oscillatory schemes applied to incompressible flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinan, E.; Shu, Chi-Wang

1994-01-01

High order essentially non-oscillatory (ENO) schemes, originally designed for compressible flow and in general for hyperbolic conservation laws, are applied to incompressible Euler and Navier-Stokes equations with periodic boundary conditions. The projection to divergence-free velocity fields is achieved by fourth-order central differences through fast Fourier transforms (FFT) and a mild high-order filtering. The objective of this work is to assess the resolution of ENO schemes for large scale features of the flow when a coarse grid is used and small scale features of the flow, such as shears and roll-ups, are not fully resolved. It is found that high-order ENO schemes remain stable under such situations and quantities related to large scale features, such as the total circulation around the roll-up region, are adequately resolved.

A numerical resolution study of high order essentially non-oscillatory schemes applied to incompressible flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinan, E.; Shu, Chi-Wang

1992-01-01

High order essentially non-oscillatory (ENO) schemes, originally designed for compressible flow and in general for hyperbolic conservation laws, are applied to incompressible Euler and Navier-Stokes equations with periodic boundary conditions. The projection to divergence-free velocity fields is achieved by fourth order central differences through Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT) and a mild high-order filtering. The objective of this work is to assess the resolution of ENO schemes for large scale features of the flow when a coarse grid is used and small scale features of the flow, such as shears and roll-ups, are not fully resolved. It is found that high-order ENO schemes remain stable under such situations and quantities related to large-scale features, such as the total circulation around the roll-up region, are adequately resolved.

Higher-Order Neural Networks Applied to 2D and 3D Object Recognition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spirkovska, Lilly; Reid, Max B.

1994-01-01

A Higher-Order Neural Network (HONN) can be designed to be invariant to geometric transformations such as scale, translation, and in-plane rotation. Invariances are built directly into the architecture of a HONN and do not need to be learned. Thus, for 2D object recognition, the network needs to be trained on just one view of each object class, not numerous scaled, translated, and rotated views. Because the 2D object recognition task is a component of the 3D object recognition task, built-in 2D invariance also decreases the size of the training set required for 3D object recognition. We present results for 2D object recognition both in simulation and within a robotic vision experiment and for 3D object recognition in simulation. We also compare our method to other approaches and show that HONNs have distinct advantages for position, scale, and rotation-invariant object recognition. The major drawback of HONNs is that the size of the input field is limited due to the memory required for the large number of interconnections in a fully connected network. We present partial connectivity strategies and a coarse-coding technique for overcoming this limitation and increasing the input field to that required by practical object recognition problems.

Comparison of Hand Function Between Children With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus and Children Without Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

PubMed

Atay, Canan; Kaya Mutlu, Ebru; Taskiran, Hanifegul; Ozgen, Ilker Tolga

2018-01-01

This study compared the hand function of children between the ages of 8 and 12 years with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) with that of children without diabetes. The Modified Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test and the Purdue Pegboard Test were used to assess hand function. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 was used for evaluating health-related quality of life. Duration of writing was found to be significantly longer on the dominant side of the T1DM group compared with the children without T1DM. The durations of card turning, moving large, light objects, and large, heavy objects on the nondominant side of the T1DM group were also found to be significantly longer than those in the children without T1DM. The total scale score of health-related quality of life was significantly lower in the T1DM group compared with the children without T1DM. T1DM affects hand function, particularly the dominant side for writing and nondominant side for card turning and moving large objects.

Deriving photometric redshifts using fuzzy archetypes and self-organizing maps - II. Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speagle, Joshua S.; Eisenstein, Daniel J.

2017-07-01

With an eye towards the computational requirements of future large-scale surveys such as Euclid and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) that will require photometric redshifts (photo-z's) for ≳ 109 objects, we investigate a variety of ways that 'fuzzy archetypes' can be used to improve photometric redshifts and explore their respective statistical interpretations. We characterize their relative performance using an idealized LSST ugrizY and Euclid YJH mock catalogue of 10 000 objects spanning z = 0-6 at Y = 24 mag. We find most schemes are able to robustly identify redshift probability distribution functions that are multimodal and/or poorly constrained. Once these objects are flagged and removed, the results are generally in good agreement with the strict accuracy requirements necessary to meet Euclid weak lensing goals for most redshifts between 0.8 ≲ z ≲ 2. These results demonstrate the statistical robustness and flexibility that can be gained by combining template-fitting and machine-learning methods and provide useful insights into how astronomers can further exploit the colour-redshift relation.

A common visual metric for approximate number and density

PubMed Central

Dakin, Steven C.; Tibber, Marc S.; Greenwood, John A.; Kingdom, Frederick A. A.; Morgan, Michael J.

2011-01-01

There is considerable interest in how humans estimate the number of objects in a scene in the context of an extensive literature on how we estimate the density (i.e., spacing) of objects. Here, we show that our sense of number and our sense of density are intertwined. Presented with two patches, observers found it more difficult to spot differences in either density or numerosity when those patches were mismatched in overall size, and their errors were consistent with larger patches appearing both denser and more numerous. We propose that density is estimated using the relative response of mechanisms tuned to low and high spatial frequencies (SFs), because energy at high SFs is largely determined by the number of objects, whereas low SF energy depends more on the area occupied by elements. This measure is biased by overall stimulus size in the same way as human observers, and by estimating number using the same measure scaled by relative stimulus size, we can explain all of our results. This model is a simple, biologically plausible common metric for perceptual number and density. PMID:22106276

Polish adaptation of three self-report measures of job stressors: the Interpersonal Conflict at Work Scale, the Quantitative Workload Inventory and the Organizational Constraints Scale.

PubMed

Baka, Łukasz; Bazińska, Róża

2016-01-01

The objective of the present study was to test the psychometric properties, reliability and validity of three job stressor measures, namely, the Interpersonal Conflict at Work Scale, the Organizational Constraints Scale and the Quantitative Workload Inventory. The study was conducted on two samples (N = 382 and 3368) representing a wide range of occupations. The estimation of internal consistency with Cronbach's α and the test-retest method as well as both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were the main statistical methods. The internal consistency of the scales proved satisfactory, ranging from 0.80 to 0.90 for Cronbach's α test and from 0.72 to 0.86 for the test-retest method. The one-dimensional structure of the three measurements was confirmed. The three scales have acceptable fit to the data. The one-factor structures and other psychometric properties of the Polish version of the scales seem to be similar to those found in the US version of the scales. It was also proved that the three job stressors are positively related to all the job strain measures. The Polish versions of the three analysed scales can be used to measure the job stressors in Polish conditions.

Polish adaptation of three self-report measures of job stressors: the Interpersonal Conflict at Work Scale, the Quantitative Workload Inventory and the Organizational Constraints Scale

PubMed Central

Baka, Łukasz; Bazińska, Róża

2016-01-01

Aim. The objective of the present study was to test the psychometric properties, reliability and validity of three job stressor measures, namely, the Interpersonal Conflict at Work Scale, the Organizational Constraints Scale and the Quantitative Workload Inventory. Method. The study was conducted on two samples (N = 382 and 3368) representing a wide range of occupations. The estimation of internal consistency with Cronbach's α and the test–retest method as well as both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were the main statistical methods. Results. The internal consistency of the scales proved satisfactory, ranging from 0.80 to 0.90 for Cronbach's α test and from 0.72 to 0.86 for the test–retest method. The one-dimensional structure of the three measurements was confirmed. The three scales have acceptable fit to the data. The one-factor structures and other psychometric properties of the Polish version of the scales seem to be similar to those found in the US version of the scales. It was also proved that the three job stressors are positively related to all the job strain measures. Conclusions. The Polish versions of the three analysed scales can be used to measure the job stressors in Polish conditions. PMID:26652317

Speech disorders did not correlate with age at onset of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Dias, Alice Estevo; Barbosa, Maira Tonidandel; Limongi, João Carlos Papaterra; Barbosa, Egberto Reis

2016-02-01

Speech disorders are common manifestations of Parkinson´s disease. Objective To compare speech articulation in patients according to age at onset of the disease. Methods Fifty patients was divided into two groups: Group I consisted of 30 patients with age at onset between 40 and 55 years; Group II consisted of 20 patients with age at onset after 65 years. All patients were evaluated based on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores, Hoehn and Yahr scale and speech evaluation by perceptual and acoustical analysis. Results There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding neurological involvement and speech characteristics. Correlation analysis indicated differences in speech articulation in relation to staging and axial scores of rigidity and bradykinesia for middle and late-onset. Conclusions Impairment of speech articulation did not correlate with age at onset of disease, but was positively related with disease duration and higher scores in both groups.

A large-scale computer facility for computational aerodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, F. R.; Ballhaus, W. F., Jr.

1985-01-01

As a result of advances related to the combination of computer system technology and numerical modeling, computational aerodynamics has emerged as an essential element in aerospace vehicle design methodology. NASA has, therefore, initiated the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation (NAS) Program with the objective to provide a basis for further advances in the modeling of aerodynamic flowfields. The Program is concerned with the development of a leading-edge, large-scale computer facility. This facility is to be made available to Government agencies, industry, and universities as a necessary element in ensuring continuing leadership in computational aerodynamics and related disciplines. Attention is given to the requirements for computational aerodynamics, the principal specific goals of the NAS Program, the high-speed processor subsystem, the workstation subsystem, the support processing subsystem, the graphics subsystem, the mass storage subsystem, the long-haul communication subsystem, the high-speed data-network subsystem, and software.

Dissecting random and systematic differences between noisy composite data sets.

PubMed

Diederichs, Kay

2017-04-01

Composite data sets measured on different objects are usually affected by random errors, but may also be influenced by systematic (genuine) differences in the objects themselves, or the experimental conditions. If the individual measurements forming each data set are quantitative and approximately normally distributed, a correlation coefficient is often used to compare data sets. However, the relations between data sets are not obvious from the matrix of pairwise correlations since the numerical value of the correlation coefficient is lowered by both random and systematic differences between the data sets. This work presents a multidimensional scaling analysis of the pairwise correlation coefficients which places data sets into a unit sphere within low-dimensional space, at a position given by their CC* values [as defined by Karplus & Diederichs (2012), Science, 336, 1030-1033] in the radial direction and by their systematic differences in one or more angular directions. This dimensionality reduction can not only be used for classification purposes, but also to derive data-set relations on a continuous scale. Projecting the arrangement of data sets onto the subspace spanned by systematic differences (the surface of a unit sphere) allows, irrespective of the random-error levels, the identification of clusters of closely related data sets. The method gains power with increasing numbers of data sets. It is illustrated with an example from low signal-to-noise ratio image processing, and an application in macromolecular crystallography is shown, but the approach is completely general and thus should be widely applicable.

Validation of the Dutch version of the Swallowing Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (DSWAL-QoL) and the adjusted DSWAL-QoL (aDSWAL-QoL) using item analysis with the Rasch model: a pilot study.

PubMed

Simpelaere, Ingeborg S; Van Nuffelen, Gwen; De Bodt, Marc; Vanderwegen, Jan; Hansen, Tina

2017-04-07

The Swallowing Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (SWAL-QoL) is considered the gold standard for assessing health-related QoL in oropharyngeal dysphagia. The Dutch translation (DSWAL-QoL) and its adjusted version (aDSWAL-QoL) have been validated using classical test theory (CTT). However, these scales have not been tested against the Rasch measurement model, which is required to establish the structural validity and objectivity of the total scale and subscale scores. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of these scales using item analysis according to the Rasch model. Item analysis with the Rasch model was performed using RUMM2030 software with previously collected data from a validation study of 108 patients. The assessment included evaluations of overall model fit, reliability, unidimensionality, threshold ordering, individual item and person fits, differential item functioning (DIF), local item dependency (LID) and targeting. The analysis could not establish the psychometric properties of either of the scales or their subscales because they did not fit the Rasch model, and multidimensionality, disordered thresholds, DIF, and/or LID were found. The reliability and power of fit were high for the total scales (PSI = 0.93) but low for most of the subscales (PSI < 0.70). The targeting of persons and items was suboptimal. The main source of misfit was disordered thresholds for both the total scales and subscales. Based on the results of the analysis, adjustments to improve the scales were implemented as follows: disordered thresholds were rescaled, misfit items were removed and items were split for DIF. However, the multidimensionality and LID could not be resolved. The reliability and power of fit remained low for most of the subscales. This study represents the first analyses of the DSWAL-QoL and aDSWAL-QoL with the Rasch model. Relying on the DSWAL-QoL and aDSWAL-QoL total and subscale scores to make conclusions regarding dysphagia-related HRQoL should be treated with caution before the structural validity and objectivity of both scales have been established. A larger and well-targeted sample is recommended to derive definitive conclusions about the items and scales. Solutions for the psychometric weaknesses suggested by the model and practical implications are discussed.

Variables Affecting Secondary School Students' Willingness to Eat Genetically Modified Food Crops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maes, Jasmien; Bourgonjon, Jeroen; Gheysen, Godelieve; Valcke, Martin

2017-04-01

A large-scale cross-sectional study (N = 4002) was set up to determine Flemish secondary school students' willingness to eat genetically modified food (WTE) and to link students' WTE to previously identified key variables from research on the acceptance of genetic modification (GM). These variables include subjective and objective knowledge about genetics and biotechnology, perceived risks and benefits of GM food crops, trust in information from different sources about GM, and food neophobia. Differences between WTE-related variables based on students' grade level, educational track, and gender were analyzed. The students displayed a rather indecisive position toward GM food and scored weakly on a genetics and biotechnology knowledge test. WTE correlated most strongly with perceived benefits and subjective and objective knowledge. The results have clear implications for education, as they reiterate the need to strengthen students' scientific knowledge base and to introduce a GM-related debate at a much earlier stage in their school career.

Advancing Development and Greenhouse Gas Reductions in Vietnam's Wind Sector

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

Bilello, D.; Katz, J.; Esterly, S.

2014-09-01

Clean energy development is a key component of Vietnam's Green Growth Strategy, which establishes a target to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from domestic energy activities by 20-30 percent by 2030 relative to a business-as-usual scenario. Vietnam has significant wind energy resources, which, if developed, could help the country reach this target while providing ancillary economic, social, and environmental benefits. Given Vietnam's ambitious clean energy goals and the relatively nascent state of wind energy development in the country, this paper seeks to fulfill two primary objectives: to distill timely and useful information to provincial-level planners, analysts, and project developers asmore » they evaluate opportunities to develop local wind resources; and, to provide insights to policymakers on how coordinated efforts may help advance large-scale wind development, deliver near-term GHG emission reductions, and promote national objectives in the context of a low emission development framework.« less

Variables Affecting Secondary School Students' Willingness to Eat Genetically Modified Food Crops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maes, Jasmien; Bourgonjon, Jeroen; Gheysen, Godelieve; Valcke, Martin

2018-06-01

A large-scale cross-sectional study ( N = 4002) was set up to determine Flemish secondary school students' willingness to eat genetically modified food (WTE) and to link students' WTE to previously identified key variables from research on the acceptance of genetic modification (GM). These variables include subjective and objective knowledge about genetics and biotechnology, perceived risks and benefits of GM food crops, trust in information from different sources about GM, and food neophobia. Differences between WTE-related variables based on students' grade level, educational track, and gender were analyzed. The students displayed a rather indecisive position toward GM food and scored weakly on a genetics and biotechnology knowledge test. WTE correlated most strongly with perceived benefits and subjective and objective knowledge. The results have clear implications for education, as they reiterate the need to strengthen students' scientific knowledge base and to introduce a GM-related debate at a much earlier stage in their school career.

Interpretation of the function of the striate cortex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garner, Bernardette M.; Paplinski, Andrew P.

2000-04-01

Biological neural networks do not require retraining every time objects move in the visual field. Conventional computer neural networks do not share this shift-invariance. The brain compensates for movements in the head, body, eyes and objects by allowing the sensory data to be tracked across the visual field. The neurons in the striate cortex respond to objects moving across the field of vision as is seen in many experiments. It is proposed, that the neurons in the striate cortex allow continuous angle changes needed to compensate for changes in orientation of the head, eyes and the motion of objects in the field of vision. It is hypothesized that the neurons in the striate cortex form a system that allows for the translation, some rotation and scaling of objects and provides a continuity of objects as they move relative to other objects. The neurons in the striate cortex respond to features which are fundamental to sight, such as orientation of lines, direction of motion, color and contrast. The neurons that respond to these features are arranged on the cortex in a way that depends on the features they are responding to and on the area of the retina from which they receive their inputs.

a Region-Based Multi-Scale Approach for Object-Based Image Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavzoglu, T.; Yildiz Erdemir, M.; Tonbul, H.

2016-06-01

Within the last two decades, object-based image analysis (OBIA) considering objects (i.e. groups of pixels) instead of pixels has gained popularity and attracted increasing interest. The most important stage of the OBIA is image segmentation that groups spectrally similar adjacent pixels considering not only the spectral features but also spatial and textural features. Although there are several parameters (scale, shape, compactness and band weights) to be set by the analyst, scale parameter stands out the most important parameter in segmentation process. Estimating optimal scale parameter is crucially important to increase the classification accuracy that depends on image resolution, image object size and characteristics of the study area. In this study, two scale-selection strategies were implemented in the image segmentation process using pan-sharped Qickbird-2 image. The first strategy estimates optimal scale parameters for the eight sub-regions. For this purpose, the local variance/rate of change (LV-RoC) graphs produced by the ESP-2 tool were analysed to determine fine, moderate and coarse scales for each region. In the second strategy, the image was segmented using the three candidate scale values (fine, moderate, coarse) determined from the LV-RoC graph calculated for whole image. The nearest neighbour classifier was applied in all segmentation experiments and equal number of pixels was randomly selected to calculate accuracy metrics (overall accuracy and kappa coefficient). Comparison of region-based and image-based segmentation was carried out on the classified images and found that region-based multi-scale OBIA produced significantly more accurate results than image-based single-scale OBIA. The difference in classification accuracy reached to 10% in terms of overall accuracy.

Social withdrawal at 1 year is associated with emotional and behavioural problems at 3 and 5 years: the Eden mother-child cohort study.

PubMed

Guedeney, Antoine; Pingault, Jean-Baptiste; Thorr, Antoine; Larroque, Beatrice

2014-12-01

The objective of the study was to examine how social withdrawal in infants aged 12 months predicted emotional and behavioural problems at ages 3 and 5 years. The sample included 1,586 infants from the French Eden Mother-Child Cohort Study who had a measure of social withdrawal with the Alarm Distress BaBy scale at age 1 year; among these children, emotional and behavioural difficulties were rated by mothers using the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ) at 3 years for 1,257 (79 %) children and at 5 years for 1,123 (72 %) children. Social withdrawal behaviour at age 1 year was significantly associated with the SDQ behavioural disorder scale at 3 years, independently of a host of familial and child temperament confounders. The association with the relational disorder, prosocial and total difficulty scales was close to significance at 3 years after taking into account familial and temperament confounders. Social withdrawal significantly predicted the three aforementioned scales when measured at 5 years. No significant predictivity of the emotional scale and hyperactivity scale was detected at any age. This study made with a large longitudinal sample confirms the negative effects on development of social withdrawal behaviour, shedding light on the unfolding of behavioural disorders and relational difficulties in children; this calls for early detection of sustained social withdrawal behaviour, as it seems to hamper emotional development.

Development and psychometric characteristics of the SCI-QOL Pressure Ulcers scale and short form

PubMed Central

Kisala, Pamela A.; Tulsky, David S.; Choi, Seung W.; Kirshblum, Steven C.

2015-01-01

Objective To develop a self-reported measure of the subjective impact of pressure ulcers on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) as part of the SCI quality of life (SCI-QOL) measurement system. Design Grounded-theory based qualitative item development methods, large-scale item calibration testing, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and item response theory-based psychometric analysis. Setting Five SCI Model System centers and one Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in the United States. Participants Adults with traumatic SCI. Main Outcome Measures SCI-QOL Pressure Ulcers scale. Results 189 individuals with traumatic SCI who experienced a pressure ulcer within the past 7 days completed 30 items related to pressure ulcers. CFA confirmed a unidimensional pool of items. IRT analyses were conducted. A constrained Graded Response Model with a constant slope parameter was used to estimate item thresholds for the 12 retained items. Conclusions The 12-item SCI-QOL Pressure Ulcers scale is unique in that it is specifically targeted to individuals with spinal cord injury and at every stage of development has included input from individuals with SCI. Furthermore, use of CFA and IRT methods provide flexibility and precision of measurement. The scale may be administered in its entirety or as a 7-item “short form” and is available for both research and clinical practice. PMID:26010965

Spontaneous alterations of regional brain activity in patients with adult generalized anxiety disorder

PubMed Central

Xia, Likun; Li, Shumei; Wang, Tianyue; Guo, Yaping; Meng, Lihong; Feng, Yunping; Cui, Yu; Wang, Fan; Ma, Jian; Jiang, Guihua

2017-01-01

Objective We aimed to examine how spontaneous brain activity might be related to the pathophysiology of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Patients and methods Using resting-state functional MRI, we examined spontaneous regional brain activity in 31 GAD patients (mean age, 36.87±9.16 years) and 36 healthy control participants (mean age, 39.53±8.83 years) matched for age, education, and sex from December 2014 to October 2015. We performed a two-sample t-test on the voxel-based analysis of the regional homogeneity (ReHo) maps. We used Pearson correlation analysis to compare scores from the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, State–Trait Anxiety Scale-Trait Scale, and mean ReHo values. Results We found abnormal spontaneous activity in multiple regions of brain in GAD patients, especially in the sensorimotor cortex and emotional regions. GAD patients showed decreased ReHo values in the right orbital middle frontal gyrus, left anterior cingulate cortex, right middle frontal gyrus, and bilateral supplementary motor areas, with increased ReHo values in the left middle temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, and right superior occipital gyrus. The ReHo value of the left middle temporal gyrus correlated positively with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale scores. Conclusion These results suggest that altered local synchronization of spontaneous brain activity may be related to the pathophysiology of GAD. PMID:28790831

Development and psychometric evaluation of a health-related quality of life instrument for individuals with adult-onset hearing loss.

PubMed

Stika, Carren J; Hays, Ron D

2015-07-01

Self-reports of 'hearing handicap' are available, but a comprehensive measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for individuals with adult-onset hearing loss (AOHL) does not exist. Our objective was to develop and evaluate a multidimensional HRQOL instrument for individuals with AOHL. The Impact of Hearing Loss Inventory Tool (IHEAR-IT) was developed using results of focus groups, a literature review, advisory expert panel input, and cognitive interviews. The 73-item field-test instrument was completed by 409 adults (22-91 years old) with varying degrees of AOHL and from different areas of the USA. Multitrait scaling analysis supported four multi-item scales and five individual items. Internal consistency reliabilities ranged from 0.93 to 0.96 for the scales. Construct validity was supported by correlations between the IHEAR-IT scales and scores on the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, version 2.0 (SF-36v2) mental composite summary (r = 0.32-0.64) and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly/Adults (HHIE/HHIA) (r ≥ -0.70). The field test provides initial support for the reliability and construct validity of the IHEAR-IT for evaluating HRQOL of individuals with AOHL. Further research is needed to evaluate the responsiveness to change of the IHEAR-IT scales and identify items for a short-form.

Correlation between the reason for referral, clinical, and objective assessment of the risk for dysphagia.

PubMed

Mancopes, Renata; Gonçalves, Bruna Franciele da Trindade; Costa, Cintia Conceição; Favero, Talita Cristina; Drozdz, Daniela Rejane Constantino; Bilheri, Diego Fernando Dorneles; Schumacher, Stéfani Fernanda

2014-01-01

To correlate the reason for referral to speech therapy service at a university hospital with the results of clinical and objective assessment of risk for dysphagia. This is a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective analytical and quantitative study. The data were gathered from the database, and the information used was the reason for referral to speech therapy service, results of clinical assessment of the risk for dysphagia, and also from swallowing videofluoroscopy. There was a mean difference between the variables of the reason for the referral, results of the clinical and objective swallowing assessments, and scale of penetration/aspiration, although the values were not statistically significant. Statistically significant correlation was observed between clinical and objective assessments and the penetration scale, with the largest occurring between the results of objective assessment and penetration scale. There was a correlation between clinical and objective assessments of swallowing and mean difference between the variables of the reason for the referral with their respective assessment. This shows the importance of the association between the data of patient's history and results of clinical evaluation and complementary tests, such as videofluoroscopy, for correct identification of the swallowing disorders, being important to combine the use of severity scales of penetration/aspiration for diagnosis.

Distributed coaxial cable crack sensors for crack mapping in RC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greene, Gary G.; Belarbi, Abdeldjelil; Chen, Genda; McDaniel, Ryan

2005-05-01

New type of distributed coaxial cable sensors for health monitoring of large-scale civil infrastructure was recently proposed and developed by the authors. This paper shows the results and performance of such sensors mounted on near surface of two flexural beams and a large scale reinforced concrete box girder that was subjected to twenty cycles of combined shear and torsion. The main objectives of this health monitoring study was to correlate the sensor's response to strain in the member, and show that magnitude of the signal's reflection coefficient is related to increases in applied load, repeated cycles, cracking, crack mapping, and yielding. The effect of multiple adjacent cracks, and signal loss was also investigated.

Correlates of dimensions of happiness in urban and nonurban settings.

PubMed

Fengler, A P; Little, V C; Danigelis, N L

1983-01-01

The NORC happiness scale, widely used in Administration on Aging (A.O.A.) needs assessment surveys, is a composite of both a negative and a positive dimension. A re-examination of this scale based on a survey of 1400 urban and nonurban elderly indicates that the independence of these two dimensions varies for different residences. Results indicate that a high proportion of urban elderly were bored, depressed, and lonely as well as pleased, proud, excited, and interested in things about them. This group of urban elders was extremely disadvantaged in a wide range of both objective and subjective indices; their apparent inconsistent feeling states may result from a general feeling of relative deprivation.

Conference Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begelman, Mitchell C.

1997-01-01

At the end of three days' spirited discussion of the type 2 Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068, what do we think we understand about this object? New observations, particularly in the infrared and radio are helping to resolve old problems, while drawing attention to new ones. It appears that NGC 1068 is a relatively normal spiral galaxy in which large-scale gravitational disturbances are funneling matter into the nucleus. A collimated outflow disturbs the interstellar medium out to kiloparsec scales, but the nucleus itself is hidden behind an opaque screen. Radio observations have now pierced the screen, and suggest that at the center of it all, a 10-20 million solar mass black hole is accreting at close to its Eddington limit.

Development and validation of a visual grading scale for assessing image quality of AP pelvis radiographic images

PubMed Central

England, Andrew; Cassidy, Simon; Eachus, Peter; Dominguez, Alejandro; Hogg, Peter

2016-01-01

Objective: The aim of this article was to apply psychometric theory to develop and validate a visual grading scale for assessing the visual perception of digital image quality anteroposterior (AP) pelvis. Methods: Psychometric theory was used to guide scale development. Seven phantom and seven cadaver images of visually and objectively predetermined quality were used to help assess scale reliability and validity. 151 volunteers scored phantom images, and 184 volunteers scored cadaver images. Factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were used to assess scale validity and reliability. Results: A 24-item scale was produced. Aggregated mean volunteer scores for each image correlated with the rank order of the visually and objectively predetermined image qualities. Scale items had good interitem correlation (≥0.2) and high factor loadings (≥0.3). Cronbach's alpha (reliability) revealed that the scale has acceptable levels of internal reliability for both phantom and cadaver images (α = 0.8 and 0.9, respectively). Factor analysis suggested that the scale is multidimensional (assessing multiple quality themes). Conclusion: This study represents the first full development and validation of a visual image quality scale using psychometric theory. It is likely that this scale will have clinical, training and research applications. Advances in knowledge: This article presents data to create and validate visual grading scales for radiographic examinations. The visual grading scale, for AP pelvis examinations, can act as a validated tool for future research, teaching and clinical evaluations of image quality. PMID:26943836

Environmental stressors afflicting tailwater stream reaches across the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miranda, Leandro E.; Krogman, R. M.

2014-01-01

The tailwater is the reach of a stream immediately below an impoundment that is hydrologically, physicochemically and biologically altered by the presence and operation of a dam. The overall goal of this study was to gain a nationwide awareness of the issues afflicting tailwater reaches in the United States. Specific objectives included the following: (i) estimate the percentage of reservoirs that support tailwater reaches with environmental conditions suitable for fish assemblages throughout the year, (ii) identify and quantify major sources of environmental stress in those tailwaters that do support fish assemblages and (iii) identify environmental features of tailwater reaches that determine prevalence of key fish taxa. Data were collected through an online survey of fishery managers. Relative to objective 1, 42% of the 1306 reservoirs included in this study had tailwater reaches with sufficient flow to support a fish assemblage throughout the year. The surface area of the reservoir and catchment most strongly delineated reservoirs maintaining tailwater reaches with or without sufficient flow to support a fish assemblage throughout the year. Relative to objective 2, major sources of environmental stress generally reflected flow variables, followed by water quality variables. Relative to objective 3, zoogeography was the primary factor discriminating fish taxa in tailwaters, followed by a wide range of flow and water quality variables. Results for objectives 1–3 varied greatly among nine geographic regions distributed throughout the continental United States. Our results provide a large-scale view of the effects of reservoirs on tailwater reaches and may help guide research and management needs.

Altered Neural Activity during Semantic Object Memory Retrieval in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment as Measured by Event-Related Potentials.

PubMed

Chiang, Hsueh-Sheng; Mudar, Raksha A; Pudhiyidath, Athula; Spence, Jeffrey S; Womack, Kyle B; Cullum, C Munro; Tanner, Jeremy A; Eroh, Justin; Kraut, Michael A; Hart, John

2015-01-01

Deficits in semantic memory in individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have been previously reported, but the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain to be clarified. We examined event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with semantic memory retrieval in 16 individuals with aMCI as compared to 17 normal controls using the Semantic Object Retrieval Task (EEG SORT). In this task, subjects judged whether pairs of words (object features) elicited retrieval of an object (retrieval trials) or not (non-retrieval trials). Behavioral findings revealed that aMCI subjects had lower accuracy scores and marginally longer reaction time compared to controls. We used a multivariate analytical technique (STAT-PCA) to investigate similarities and differences in ERPs between aMCI and control groups. STAT-PCA revealed a left fronto-temporal component starting at around 750 ms post-stimulus in both groups. However, unlike controls, aMCI subjects showed an increase in the frontal-parietal scalp potential that distinguished retrieval from non-retrieval trials between 950 and 1050 ms post-stimulus negatively correlated with the performance on the logical memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-III. Thus, individuals with aMCI were not only impaired in their behavioral performance on SORT relative to controls, but also displayed alteration in the corresponding ERPs. The altered neural activity in aMCI compared to controls suggests a more sustained and effortful search during object memory retrieval, which may be a potential marker indicating disease processes at the pre-dementia stage.

Position, scale, and rotation invariant holographic associative memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fielding, Kenneth H.; Rogers, Steven K.; Kabrisky, Matthew; Mills, James P.

1989-08-01

This paper describes the development and characterization of a holographic associative memory (HAM) system that is able to recall stored objects whose inputs were changed in position, scale, and rotation. The HAM is based on the single iteration model described by Owechko et al. (1987); however, the system described uses a self-pumped BaTiO3 phase conjugate mirror, rather than a degenerate four-wave mixing proposed by Owechko and his coworkers. The HAM system can store objects in a position, scale, and rotation invariant feature space. The angularly multiplexed diffuse Fourier transform holograms of the HAM feature space are characterized as the memory unit; distorted input objects are correlated with the hologram, and the nonlinear phase conjugate mirror reduces cross-correlation noise and provides object discrimination. Applications of the HAM system are presented.

Sizing Up the Situation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

Hailstorm damage to the Space Shuttle's External Tank inspired a NASA innovation with extensive photography applications. In order to measure the defects caused by the storm, Kennedy Space Center used telephoto lenses to zoom in on the tank and view the damage clearly. However, since there was no reference object in the image, the engineers could not determine the scale of the damage. In photographic situations similar to this, an object, such as a ruler, is placed within the field of view. This allows a person to look at a photograph and have a visual indication of the scale of the objects in it. In the External Tank situation, however, this procedure was not possible. As a solution, Kennedy developed the Scaling and Measurement Device for Photographic Images, which provides a non-intrusive means of adding a scale to a photograph. In addition to meeting Kennedy's needs, scaling images is extremely important in crime and accident scene investigations, oil and chemical tank monitoring, and aerial photography. The innovation consists of a tool that attaches directly to a camera or charge coupled device using a standard screw. Two lasers fitted to the device provide parallel beams that are set 1 inch apart. These lasers enable the device to project a pattern into the field of view. When a photograph is taken, the image of the laser pattern appears, along with the image of the object under investigation, allowing the viewer quantifiable information as to the size of the object. The laser beams are accurate to approximately 200 feet. Windows-based software was developed to work with the scaling device tool. The software provides further techniques to measure objects in photographs and digital images. By using the software, any object in the image can be measured diagonally, vertically, and horizontally. The device and its software enable the user to determine two-dimensional measurements within a photograph.

Fractals and foods.

PubMed

Peleg, M

1993-01-01

Fractal geometry and related concepts have had only a very minor impact on food research. The very few reported food applications deal mainly with the characterization of the contours of agglomerated instant coffee particles, the surface morphology of treated starch particles, the microstructure of casein gels viewed as a product limited diffusion aggregation, and the jagged mechanical signatures of crunchy dry foods. Fractal geometry describes objects having morphological features that are scale invariant. A demonstration of the self-similarity of fractal objects can be found in the familiar morphology of cauliflower and broccoli, both foods. Processes regulated by nonlinear dynamics can exhibit a chaotic behavior that has fractal characteristics. Examples are mixing of viscous fluids, turbulence, crystallization, agglomeration, diffusion, and possibly food spoilage.

Un regard international sur la sécurité nucléaire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birkhofer, Adolf

2002-10-01

Safety has always been an important objective in nuclear technology. Starting with a set of sound physical principles and prudent design approaches, safety concepts have gradually been refined and cover now a wide range of provisions related to design, quality and operation. Research, the evaluation of operating experiences and probabilistic risk assessments constitute an essential basis and international co-operation plays a significant role in that context. Concerning future developments a major objective for new reactor concepts, such as the EPR, is to practically exclude a severe core damage accident with large scale consequences outside the plant. To cite this article: A. Birkhofer, C. R. Physique 3 (2002) 1059-1065.

Topographic Response to the Yakutat Block Collision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stock, Joann M.

2000-01-01

The principal objective of this grant and this research were to investigate the topographic development of an active glaciated orogenic belt in southern Alaska as that development relates to patterns of erosion and crustal deformation. A specific objective of the research was to investigate feedbacks between mountain building, orographic affects on climate, and patterns of exhumation and rock uplift. To that end, an orogen-scale analysis of topography was conducted with the aid of digital elevation models, magnitudes and patterns of crustal deformation were compiled from existing literature, present and past climate patterns were constrained using the modern and past distribution of glaciers, and styles, magnitudes, and extent of erosion were constrained with observations from the 1998 field season.

Psychometric properties of HeartQoL, a core heart disease-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire, in Danish implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients.

PubMed

Zangger, Graziella; Zwisler, Ann-Dorthe; Kikkenborg Berg, Selina; Kristensen, Marie S; Grønset, Charlotte N; Uddin, Jamal; Pedersen, Susanne S; Oldridge, Neil B; Thygesen, Lau C

2018-01-01

Background Patient-reported health-related quality of life is increasingly used as an outcome measure in clinical trials and as a performance measure to evaluate quality of care. The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Danish HeartQoL questionnaire, a core heart disease-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire, in implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients. Design This study involved cross-sectional and test-retest study designs. Method Implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients in the cross-sectional study completed the HeartQoL, the Short-Form 36 Health Survey, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The HeartQoL structure, construct-related validity (convergent and discriminative) and reliability (internal consistency) were assessed. HeartQoL reproducibility (test-retest) was assessed in an independent sample of implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients. Results Mokken scale analysis supported the bi-dimensional structure of HeartQoL among 358 implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients. Convergent ( r > 0.72) and discriminative validity were confirmed. The HeartQoL scales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.90). Test-retest reliability (two weeks interval) was assessed in 89 implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients and found to be acceptable for each scale (intra-class correlation > 0.90). Conclusion The Danish HeartQoL questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory key psychometric attributes of validity and reliability in this implantable cardioverter defibrillator population. This study adds support for the HeartQoL as a core heart-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire in a broad group of patients with heart disease including implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients.

Therapeutic drug monitoring for drugs used in the treatment of substance-related disorders: literature review using a therapeutic drug monitoring appropriateness rating scale.

PubMed

Brünen, Sonja; Vincent, Philippe D; Baumann, Pierre; Hiemke, Christoph; Havemann-Reinecke, Ursula

2011-10-01

The efficacy of drugs for the treatment of substance-related disorders is moderate at best. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) could be an instrument to improve outcomes. Because TDM for most of those drugs is not established, the authors reviewed the literature and built a rating scale to detect the potential added value of TDM for these pharmacologic agents. A literature search was performed for acamprosate, bupropion, buprenorphine, clomethiazole, disulfiram, methadone, naltrexone, and varenicline. The rating scale included 22 items and was divided in five categories: efficacy, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, patient characteristics, and cost-effectiveness. Three reference substances with established TDM were similarly assessed for comparison: clozapine, lithium, and nortriptyline. The three reference substances achieved scores of 15, 12, and 14 points, respectively. Drugs for treatment of substance-related disorders achieved 3 to 17 points, 17 for methadone, 11 for buprenorphine, 10 for disulfiram, also 10 for naltrexone for the indication opioid-dependence and 9 for the indication alcohol dependence as well as bupropion, 7 points for acamprosate, 6 points for clomethiazole, and 3 for varenicline. It is concluded that systematic evaluation of drug- and patient-related variables with the new rating scale can estimate the appropriateness of TDM. Because their rating revealed similar scores as the three reference drugs, it is proposed that TDM should be established for bupropion, buprenorphine, disulfiram or a metabolite, methadone, and naltrexone. An objective rating of drug- and patient-related characteristics could help laboratories focus their method development on the most likely drugs to require TDM along with a thorough drug use evaluation.

Personalized objects can optimize the diagnosis of EMCS in the assessment of functional object use in the CRS-R: a double blind, randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Sun, Yuxiao; Wang, Jianan; Heine, Lizette; Huang, Wangshan; Wang, Jing; Hu, Nantu; Hu, Xiaohua; Fang, Xiaohui; Huang, Supeng; Laureys, Steven; Di, Haibo

2018-04-12

Behavioral assessment has been acted as the gold standard for the diagnosis of disorders of consciousness (DOC) patients. The item "Functional Object Use" in the motor function sub-scale in the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) is a key item in differentiating between minimally conscious state (MCS) and emergence from MCS (EMCS). However, previous studies suggested that certain specific stimuli, especially something self-relevant can affect DOC patients' scores of behavioral assessment scale. So, we attempted to find out if personalized objects can improve the diagnosis of EMCS in the assessment of Functional Object Use by comparing the use of patients' favorite objects and other common objects in MCS patients. Twenty-one post-comatose patients diagnosed as MCS were prospectively included. The item "Functional Object Use" was assessed by using personalized objects (e.g., cigarette, paper) and non-personalized objects, which were presented in a random order. The rest assessments were performed following the standard protocol of the CRS-R. The differences between functional uses of the two types of objects were analyzed by the McNemar test. The incidence of Functional Object Use was significantly higher using personalized objects than non-personalized objects in the CRS-R. Five out of the 21 MCS studied patients, who were assessed with non-personalized objects, were re-diagnosed as EMCS with personalized objects (χ 2  = 5, df = 1, p < 0.05). Personalized objects employed here seem to be more effective to elicit patients' responses as compared to non-personalized objects during the assessment of Functional Object Use in DOC patients. Clinical Trials.gov: NCT02988206 ; Date of registration: 2016/12/12.

A representation of place attachment: A study of spatial cognition in Latvia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skilters, Jurgis; Zarina, Liga; Raita, Liva

2017-04-01

Perception of geographical space is reflected in place attachment, i.e., a multidimensional cognitive-affective link between humans and their spatial environment. Place attachment balances emotions, conception of proximity. It is both social and spatial cognitive structure. Place attachment has an impact on people's actions, which in turn reversibly affect the environment in which people live. Place attachment provides emotional regulation for humans linking local - neighborhood-scale and country and world-scale environments. In Latvia a large-scale spatial cognition study has been conducted within participatory research project „Telpas pavasaris" ("Spatial Spring") by foundation Viegli. In the study 1523 respondents reported their associations characterizing certain type of places (e.g., safe place, dangerous place, far place, close place, dear place). The answers were analyzed according to several cognitive-affective categories including modes of experience, emotional valence, geographical distance, and perceptual modality. The current results indicate that socio-cognitive and affective information are primary in respect to purely spatial information (referring to spatial objects or regions and their relations). However, different types of geographical places and spatial objects (natural or artefactual) have to be distinguished and are significant to a different degree. Our results are important for environmental and urban planning because they show the ways how socio-cognitive and affective knowledge shapes the spatial cognition of geographic environment.

Self-stigma and suicidality in patients with neurotic spectrum disorder - a cross sectional study.

PubMed

Latalova, Klara; Prasko, Jan; Kamaradova, Dana; Ociskova, Marie; Cinculova, Andrea; Grambal, Ales; Kubinek, Radim; Mainerova, Barbora; Smoldasova, Jarmila; Tichackova, Anezka; Sigmundova, Zuzana

2014-01-01

Self-stigmatization is a step-by-step process during which the person uncritically accepts the societal negative evaluation and applies it to himself. Relation between self-stigma and suicidality in neurotic disorders is not known. The aim of our study was to find connection between self-stigma and the level of suicidality in neurotic spectrum disorders. It was a cross-sectional study of 198 inpatients with pharmacoresistant neurotic spectrum disorders hospitalized at the psychotherapeutic ward of the Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Olomouc. Patients were diagnosed using the ICD-10 research diagnostic criteria. The assessments included Internalized Stigma Of Mental Illness (ISMI), Beck Depression Inventory-second edition (BDI-II), objective and subjective Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Morin sleep scale, Dissociative Experience Scale (DES) and Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale, item 10 Suicidal Thoughts (MADRS item 10 suicidality) for the assessment. The subjective rate of suicidality and also the objective rate of suicidality were strongly positively correlated with the total score of ISMI. There were also significant correlations with all subscores except for the correlation between the BDI 9 and the sub score Resistance against stigma, which barely missed the level of statistical significance. More attention should be paid to self-stigma in neurotic patients, especially in those with suicidal thoughts and tendencies.

Scale problems in assessment of hydrogeological parameters of groundwater flow models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nawalany, Marek; Sinicyn, Grzegorz

2015-09-01

An overview is presented of scale problems in groundwater flow, with emphasis on upscaling of hydraulic conductivity, being a brief summary of the conventional upscaling approach with some attention paid to recently emerged approaches. The focus is on essential aspects which may be an advantage in comparison to the occasionally extremely extensive summaries presented in the literature. In the present paper the concept of scale is introduced as an indispensable part of system analysis applied to hydrogeology. The concept is illustrated with a simple hydrogeological system for which definitions of four major ingredients of scale are presented: (i) spatial extent and geometry of hydrogeological system, (ii) spatial continuity and granularity of both natural and man-made objects within the system, (iii) duration of the system and (iv) continuity/granularity of natural and man-related variables of groundwater flow system. Scales used in hydrogeology are categorised into five classes: micro-scale - scale of pores, meso-scale - scale of laboratory sample, macro-scale - scale of typical blocks in numerical models of groundwater flow, local-scale - scale of an aquifer/aquitard and regional-scale - scale of series of aquifers and aquitards. Variables, parameters and groundwater flow equations for the three lowest scales, i.e., pore-scale, sample-scale and (numerical) block-scale, are discussed in detail, with the aim to justify physically deterministic procedures of upscaling from finer to coarser scales (stochastic issues of upscaling are not discussed here). Since the procedure of transition from sample-scale to block-scale is physically well based, it is a good candidate for upscaling block-scale models to local-scale models and likewise for upscaling local-scale models to regional-scale models. Also the latest results in downscaling from block-scale to sample scale are briefly referred to.

Stroke Impact Scale 3.0: Reliability and Validity Evaluation of the Korean Version

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objective To establish the reliability and validity the Korean version of the Stroke Impact Scale (K-SIS) 3.0. Methods A total of 70 post-stroke patients were enrolled. All subjects were evaluated for general characteristics, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Modified Barthel Index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The SF-36 and K-SIS 3.0 assessed their health-related quality of life. Statistical analysis after evaluation, determined the reliability and validity of the K-SIS 3.0. Results A total of 70 patients (mean age, 54.97 years) participated in this study. Internal consistency of the SIS 3.0 (Cronbach's alpha) was obtained, and all domains had good co-efficiency, with threshold above 0.70. Test-retest reliability of SIS 3.0 required correlation (Spearman's rho) of the same domain scores obtained on the first and second assessments. Results were above 0.5, with the exception of social participation and mobility. Concurrent validity of K-SIS 3.0 was assessed using the SF-36, and other scales with the same or similar domains. Each domain of K-SIS 3.0 had a positive correlation with corresponding similar domain of SF-36 and other scales (HADS, MMSE, and NIHSS). Conclusion The newly developed K-SIS 3.0 showed high inter-intra reliability and test-retest reliabilities, together with high concurrent validity with the original and various other scales, for patients with stroke. K-SIS 3.0 can therefore be used for stroke patients, to assess their health-related quality of life and treatment efficacy. PMID:28758075

Initial validation of a transdiagnostic compulsivity questionnaire: the Cambridge-Chicago Compulsivity Trait Scale.

PubMed

Chamberlain, Samuel R; Grant, Jon E

2018-05-07

Compulsivity refers to a tendency toward repetitive habitual behaviors. Multiple disorders have compulsive symptoms at their core, including substance use disorders, gambling disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The aim of this study was to validate a scale for the objective, transdiagnostic measurement of compulsivity. The 15-item Cambridge-Chicago Compulsivity Trait Scale (CHI-T) was developed for the rapid but comprehensive measurement of compulsivity. Adults aged 18-29y were recruited using media advertisements, and completed the CHI-T in addition to demographic, clinical, and cognitive assessment. The validity and psychometric properties of the scale were quantified. A total of 112 participants completed the study. The scale yielded a normal distribution with very few outliers. It had excellent psychometric properties, with high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.8), and excellent convergent validity against gold-standard assessments of compulsive symptoms (each p<0.001 for gambling disorder, obsessive-compulsive, and substance use disorder symptoms). Total scores on the scale correlated significantly with less risk-adjustment on the decision-making task (rigid response style), and divergent validity was confirmed against other cognitive domains (response inhibition and executive planning). The above significant findings withstood Bonferroni correction. Factor analysis suggested the existence of two latent factors: one related mainly to reward-seeking and the need for perfection, and the other relating to anxiolytic/soothing features of compulsivity. The CHI-T, a scale designed to measure transdiagnostic compulsivity, appears to show excellent psychometric properties in a normative population and merits further investigation in the context of clinical patient populations, including in treatment trials.

Fourier Plane Image Combination by Feathering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cotton, W. D.

2017-09-01

Astronomical objects frequently exhibit structure over a wide range of scales whereas many telescopes, especially interferometer arrays, only sample a limited range of spatial scales. To properly image these objects, images from a set of instruments covering the range of scales may be needed. These images then must be combined in a manner to recover all spatial scales. This paper describes the feathering technique for image combination in the Fourier transform plane. Implementations in several packages are discussed and example combinations of single dish and interferometric observations of both simulated and celestial radio emission are given.

The role of material flexibility on the drying transition of water between hydrophobic objects: A thermodynamic analysis

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

Altabet, Y. Elia; Debenedetti, Pablo G., E-mail: pdebene@princeton.edu

2014-11-14

Liquid water confined between hydrophobic objects of sufficient size becomes metastable with respect to its vapor at separations smaller than a critical drying distance. Macroscopic thermodynamic arguments predicting this distance have been restricted to the limit of perfectly rigid confining materials. However, no material is perfectly rigid and it is of interest to account for this fact in the thermodynamic analysis. We present a theory that combines the current macroscopic theory with the thermodynamics of elasticity to derive an expression for the critical drying distance for liquids confined between flexible materials. The resulting expression is the sum of the well-knownmore » drying distance for perfectly rigid confining materials and a new term that accounts for flexibility. Thermodynamic arguments show that this new term is necessarily positive, meaning that flexibility increases the critical drying distance. To study the expected magnitude and scaling behavior of the flexible term, we consider the specific case of water and present an example of drying between thin square elastic plates that are simply supported along two opposite edges and free at the remaining two. We find that the flexible term can be the same order of magnitude or greater than the rigid solution for materials of biological interest at ambient conditions. In addition, we find that when the rigid solution scales with the characteristic size of the immersed objects, the flexible term is independent of size and vice versa. Thus, the scaling behavior of the overall drying distance will depend on the relative weights of the rigid and flexible contributions.« less

Ultra Barrier Topsheet Film for Flexible Photovoltaics with 3M Company

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

Funkenbusch, Arnie; Ruth, Charles

2014-12-30

In this DOE sponsored program, 3M achieved the critical UBT features to enable durable flexible high efficiency modules to be produced by a range of customers who have now certified the 3M UBT and are actively developing said flexible modules. The specific objectives and accomplishments of the work under this program were; Scale-up the current Generation-1 UBT from 12” width, as made on 3M’s pilot line, to 1+meter width full-scale manufacturing, while maintaining baseline performance metrics (see table below); This objective was fully met; Validate service life of Generation-1 UBT for the 25+ year lifetime demanded by the photovoltaic market;more » Aggressive testing revealed potential failure modes in the Gen 1 UBT. Deficiencies were identified and corrective action taken in the Gen 2 UBT; Develop a Generation-2 UBT on the pilot line, targeting improved performance relative to baseline, including higher %T (percent transmission), lower water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) with targets based on what the technology needs for 25 year lifetime, proven lifetime of 25 years in solar module construction in the field, and lower cost; Testing of UBT Gen 2 under a wide range of conditions presented in this report failed to reveal any failure mode. Therefore UBT Gen 2 is known to be highly durable. 3M will continue to test towards statistically validating a 25 year lifetime under 3M funding; Transfer Generation-2 UBT from the pilot line to the full-scale manufacturing line within three years; and This objective was fully met.« less

A Parameter Estimation Scheme for Multiscale Kalman Smoother (MKS) Algorithm Used in Precipitation Data Fusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Shugong; Liang, Xu

2013-01-01

A new approach is presented in this paper to effectively obtain parameter estimations for the Multiscale Kalman Smoother (MKS) algorithm. This new approach has demonstrated promising potentials in deriving better data products based on data of different spatial scales and precisions. Our new approach employs a multi-objective (MO) parameter estimation scheme (called MO scheme hereafter), rather than using the conventional maximum likelihood scheme (called ML scheme) to estimate the MKS parameters. Unlike the ML scheme, the MO scheme is not simply built on strict statistical assumptions related to prediction errors and observation errors, rather, it directly associates the fused data of multiple scales with multiple objective functions in searching best parameter estimations for MKS through optimization. In the MO scheme, objective functions are defined to facilitate consistency among the fused data at multiscales and the input data at their original scales in terms of spatial patterns and magnitudes. The new approach is evaluated through a Monte Carlo experiment and a series of comparison analyses using synthetic precipitation data. Our results show that the MKS fused precipitation performs better using the MO scheme than that using the ML scheme. Particularly, improvements are significant compared to that using the ML scheme for the fused precipitation associated with fine spatial resolutions. This is mainly due to having more criteria and constraints involved in the MO scheme than those included in the ML scheme. The weakness of the original ML scheme that blindly puts more weights onto the data associated with finer resolutions is overcome in our new approach.

Factor structure of the Spanish version of the Object-Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire.

PubMed

Campos, Alfredo; Pérez-Fabello, María José

2011-04-01

The reliability and factor structure of the Spanish version of the Object-Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire (OSIVQ) were assessed in a sample of 213 Spanish university graduates. The questionnaire measures three types of processing preferences (verbal, object imagery, and spatial imagery). Principal components analysis with varimax rotation identified three factors, corresponding to the three scales proposed in the original version, explaining 33.1% of the overall variance. Cronbach's alphas were .72, .77, and .81 for the verbal, object imagery, and spatial imagery scales, respectively.

Intelligent Multi-scale Sensors for Damage Identification and Mitigation in Woven Composites for Aerospace Structural Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-15

Bragg grating ( FBG ) sensors within these composite structures allows one to correlate sensor response features to “critical damage events” within the...material. The unique capabilities of this identification strategy are due to the detailed information obtained from the FBG sensors and the... FBG sensors relate to damage states not merely strain amplitudes. The research objectives of this project were therefore to:  demonstrate FBG

Cloud-Based Distributed Control of Unmanned Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

during mission execution. At best, the data is saved onto hard-drives and is accessible only by the local team. Data history in a form available and...following open source technologies: GeoServer, OpenLayers, PostgreSQL , and PostGIS are chosen to implement the back-end database and server. A brief...geospatial map data. 3. PostgreSQL : An SQL-compliant object-relational database that easily scales to accommodate large amounts of data - upwards to

Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). Program Solicitation Number 89.1. FY-1989

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-06

scale testing, such as plasma-arc and oxyacetylene torch test are performed. However, correlations to relate ablation rate from these test data to...helicopter rotor. In phase II, the contractor should construct and demonstrate a working model. 36 A89-010 TITLE: Smooth, Erosion Resistant Coatings ...for Organic Matrix Composites OBJECTIVE: Erosion Resistant Coatings for Organic Matrix Composites for use in Compressor Section of Future Gas Turbine

Global change and conservation triage on National Wildlife Refuges

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Fred A.; Eaton, Mitchell; McMahon, Gerard; Raye Nilius,; Mike Bryant,; Dave Case,; Martin, Julien; Wood, Nathan J.; Laura Taylor,

2015-01-01

National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) in the United States play an important role in the adaptation of social-ecological systems to climate change, land-use change, and other global-change processes. Coastal refuges are already experiencing threats from sea-level rise and other change processes that are largely beyond their ability to influence, while at the same time facing tighter budgets and reduced staff. We engaged in workshops with NWR managers along the U.S. Atlantic coast to understand the problems they face from global-change processes and began a multidisciplinary collaboration to use decision science to help address them. We are applying a values-focused approach to base management decisions on the resource objectives of land managers, as well as those of stakeholders who may benefit from the goods and services produced by a refuge. Two insights that emerged from our workshops were a conspicuous mismatch between the scale at which management can influence outcomes and the scale of environmental processes, and the need to consider objectives related to ecosystem goods and services that traditionally have not been explicitly considered by refuges (e.g., protection from storm surge). The broadening of objectives complicates the decision-making process, but also provides opportunities for collaboration with stakeholders who may have agendas different from those of the refuge, as well as an opportunity for addressing problems across scales. From a practical perspective, we recognized the need to (1) efficiently allocate limited staff time and budgets for short-term management of existing programs and resources under the current refuge design and (2) develop long-term priorities for acquiring or protecting new land/habitat to supplement or replace the existing refuge footprint and thus sustain refuge values as the system evolves over time. Structuring the decision-making problem in this manner facilitated a better understanding of the issues of scale and suggested that a long-term solution will require a significant reassessment of objectives to better reflect the comprehensive values of refuges to society. We discuss some future considerations to integrate these two problems into a single framework by developing novel optimization approaches for dynamic problems that account for uncertainty in future conditions.

The Effect of Child Sexual Abuse on Social Functioning in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

López-Mongay, Daniel; Ahuir, Maribel; Crosas, Josep Mª; Navarro, J Blas; Monreal, José Antonio; Obiols, Jordi E; Palao, Diego

2018-06-01

The objective of this study was to explore social functioning in schizophrenic patients who have suffered child sexual abuse (CSA) in comparison with those who have not suffered from it in a Spanish sample of 50 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The Quality of Life (QOL) Scale, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), and the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) were administered in this study. We found a CSA prevalence of 22% in our sample. Results showed that QOL global scores reduced by 9.34% at a statistically significant level ( p = .037) in sexually abused patients in comparison with those who did not report experiencing sexual abuse. Regression analysis in the QOL scales showed no differences in intrapsychic foundation scores or in the social relations scale. Scores in the instrumental role scale were reduced by 4.42 points in patients with CSA ( p = .009). Neither neuroticism nor extraversion results differ between the trauma group and those who did not suffer trauma. Clinical implications of these results are discussed.

Treatment of duck house wastewater by a pilot-scale sequencing batch reactor system for sustainable duck production.

PubMed

Su, Jung-Jeng; Huang, Jeng-Fang; Wang, Yi-Lei; Hong, Yu-Ya

2018-06-15

The objective of this study is trying to solve water pollution problems related to duck house wastewater by developing a novel duck house wastewater treatment technology. A pilot-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system using different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) for treating duck house wastewater was developed and applied in this study. Experimental results showed that removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand in untreated duck house wastewater was 98.4, 98.4, 87.8, and 72.5% for the different HRTs of 5, 3, 1, and 0.5 d, respectively. In addition, removal efficiency of biochemical oxygen demand in untreated duck house wastewater was 99.6, 99.3, 90.4, and 58.0%, respectively. The pilot-scale SBR system was effective and deemed capable to be applied to treat duck house wastewater. It is feasible to apply an automatic SBR system on site based on the previous case study of the farm-scale automatic SBR systems for piggery wastewater treatment.

Real-time adaptive ramp metering : phase I, MILOS proof of concept (multi-objective, integrated, large-scale, optimized system).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-12-01

Over the last several years, researchers at the University of Arizonas ATLAS Center have developed an adaptive ramp : metering system referred to as MILOS (Multi-Objective, Integrated, Large-Scale, Optimized System). The goal of this project : is ...

Welcome to Wonderland: The Influence of the Size and Shape of a Virtual Hand On the Perceived Size and Shape of Virtual Objects

PubMed Central

Linkenauger, Sally A.; Leyrer, Markus; Bülthoff, Heinrich H.; Mohler, Betty J.

2013-01-01

The notion of body-based scaling suggests that our body and its action capabilities are used to scale the spatial layout of the environment. Here we present four studies supporting this perspective by showing that the hand acts as a metric which individuals use to scale the apparent sizes of objects in the environment. However to test this, one must be able to manipulate the size and/or dimensions of the perceiver’s hand which is difficult in the real world due to impliability of hand dimensions. To overcome this limitation, we used virtual reality to manipulate dimensions of participants’ fully-tracked, virtual hands to investigate its influence on the perceived size and shape of virtual objects. In a series of experiments, using several measures, we show that individuals’ estimations of the sizes of virtual objects differ depending on the size of their virtual hand in the direction consistent with the body-based scaling hypothesis. Additionally, we found that these effects were specific to participants’ virtual hands rather than another avatar’s hands or a salient familiar-sized object. While these studies provide support for a body-based approach to the scaling of the spatial layout, they also demonstrate the influence of virtual bodies on perception of virtual environments. PMID:23874681

A new, objective, quantitative scale for measuring local skin responses following topical actinic keratosis therapy with ingenol mebutate.

PubMed

Rosen, Robert; Marmur, Ellen; Anderson, Lawrence; Welburn, Peter; Katsamas, Janelle

2014-12-01

Local skin responses (LSRs) are the most common adverse effects of topical actinic keratosis (AK) therapy. There is currently no method available that allows objective characterization of LSRs. Here, the authors describe a new scale developed to quantitatively and objectively assess the six most common LSRs resulting from topical AK therapy with ingenol mebutate. The LSR grading scale was developed using a 0-4 numerical rating, with clinical descriptors and representative photographic images for each rating. Good inter-observer grading concordance was demonstrated in peer review during development of the tool. Data on the use of the scale are described from four phase III double-blind studies of ingenol mebutate (n = 1,005). LSRs peaked on days 4 (face/scalp) or 8 (trunk/extremities), with mean maximum composite LSR scores of 9.1 and 6.8, respectively, and a rapid return toward baseline by day 15 in most cases. Mean composite LSR score at day 57 was generally lower than at baseline. The LSR grading scale is an objective tool allowing practicing dermatologists to characterize and compare LSRs to existing and, potentially, future AK therapies.

Enhanced Graphics for Extended Scale Range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, Andrew J.; Chi-Wing Fu, Philip

2012-01-01

Enhanced Graphics for Extended Scale Range is a computer program for rendering fly-through views of scene models that include visible objects differing in size by large orders of magnitude. An example would be a scene showing a person in a park at night with the moon, stars, and galaxies in the background sky. Prior graphical computer programs exhibit arithmetic and other anomalies when rendering scenes containing objects that differ enormously in scale and distance from the viewer. The present program dynamically repartitions distance scales of objects in a scene during rendering to eliminate almost all such anomalies in a way compatible with implementation in other software and in hardware accelerators. By assigning depth ranges correspond ing to rendering precision requirements, either automatically or under program control, this program spaces out object scales to match the precision requirements of the rendering arithmetic. This action includes an intelligent partition of the depth buffer ranges to avoid known anomalies from this source. The program is written in C++, using OpenGL, GLUT, and GLUI standard libraries, and nVidia GEForce Vertex Shader extensions. The program has been shown to work on several computers running UNIX and Windows operating systems.

The psychological impact of facial changes in scleroderma.

PubMed

Amin, Kavit; Clarke, A; Sivakumar, B; Puri, A; Fox, Z; Brough, V; Denton, C P; Peter, E M; Butler, P; Butler, M D

2011-05-01

The physical disabilities associated with scleroderma are well known but the psychological impact of the condition has received less attention. Few studies have examined appearance related issues, most notably of the face. The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychological impact of facial, aesthetic and functional changes in scleroderma. One hundred seventy-one patients with a clinical diagnosis of scleroderma were recruited into the study. Digital photographs were objectively graded into groups based on severity of disfigurement as judged by an observer. Facial movement was recorded using a modified House-Brackmann Grading Scale. Psychological evaluation comprised the Derriford Appearance Scale short-form (DAS), the Noticeability and Worry score and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Severity of disfigurement predicted decreased mouth opening, the extent to which participants judged their appearance as noticeable to others, and the level of appearance-related concern as measured by the DAS24. There was an inverse relationship with age. Facial changes were ranked as the most worrying aspect of the condition. This study shows facial disfigurement impacts on patient with scleroderma independent of functional changes related to systemic disease. The major difficulty is with the perceived noticeably of the condition to other people and the resulting self-consciousness in social encounters. © 2011 Taylor & Francis