First Results of Venus Express Spacecraft Observations with Wettzell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calves, Guifre Molera; Wagner, Jan; Neidhardt, Alexander; Kronschnabl, Gerhard; Ayucar, Miguel Perez; Cimo, Giuseppe; Pogrebenko, Sergei

2010-01-01

The ESA Venus Express spacecraft was observed at X-band with the Wettzell radio telescope in October-December 2009 in the framework of an assessment study of the possible contribution of the European VLBI Network to the upcoming ESA deep space missions. A major goal of these observations was to develop and test the scheduling, data capture, transfer, processing, and analysis pipeline. Recorded data were transferred from Wettzell to Metsahovi for processing, and the processed data were sent from Mets ahovi to JIVE for analysis. A turnover time of 24 hours from observations to analysis results was achieved. The high dynamic range of the detections allowed us to achieve a milliHz level of spectral resolution accuracy and to extract the phase of the spacecraft signal carrier line. Several physical parameters can be determined from these observational results with more observational data collected. Among other important results, the measured phase fluctuations of the carrier line at different time scales can be used to determine the influence of the solar wind plasma density fluctuations on the accuracy of the astrometric VLBI observations.

Mars Science Laboratory relative humidity observations: Initial results.

PubMed

Harri, A-M; Genzer, M; Kemppinen, O; Gomez-Elvira, J; Haberle, R; Polkko, J; Savijärvi, H; Rennó, N; Rodriguez-Manfredi, J A; Schmidt, W; Richardson, M; Siili, T; Paton, M; Torre-Juarez, M De La; Mäkinen, T; Newman, C; Rafkin, S; Mischna, M; Merikallio, S; Haukka, H; Martin-Torres, J; Komu, M; Zorzano, M-P; Peinado, V; Vazquez, L; Urqui, R

2014-09-01

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) made a successful landing at Gale crater early August 2012. MSL has an environmental instrument package called the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) as a part of its scientific payload. REMS comprises instrumentation for the observation of atmospheric pressure, temperature of the air, ground temperature, wind speed and direction, relative humidity (REMS-H), and UV measurements. We concentrate on describing the REMS-H measurement performance and initial observations during the first 100 MSL sols as well as constraining the REMS-H results by comparing them with earlier observations and modeling results. The REMS-H device is based on polymeric capacitive humidity sensors developed by Vaisala Inc., and it makes use of transducer electronics section placed in the vicinity of the three humidity sensor heads. The humidity device is mounted on the REMS boom providing ventilation with the ambient atmosphere through a filter protecting the device from airborne dust. The final relative humidity results appear to be convincing and are aligned with earlier indirect observations of the total atmospheric precipitable water content. The water mixing ratio in the atmospheric surface layer appears to vary between 30 and 75 ppm. When assuming uniform mixing, the precipitable water content of the atmosphere is ranging from a few to six precipitable micrometers. Atmospheric water mixing ratio at Gale crater varies from 30 to 140 ppmMSL relative humidity observation provides good dataHighest detected relative humidity reading during first MSL 100 sols is RH75.

Mars Science Laboratory relative humidity observations: Initial results

PubMed Central

Harri, A-M; Genzer, M; Kemppinen, O; Gomez-Elvira, J; Haberle, R; Polkko, J; Savijärvi, H; Rennó, N; Rodriguez-Manfredi, JA; Schmidt, W; Richardson, M; Siili, T; Paton, M; Torre-Juarez, M De La; Mäkinen, T; Newman, C; Rafkin, S; Mischna, M; Merikallio, S; Haukka, H; Martin-Torres, J; Komu, M; Zorzano, M-P; Peinado, V; Vazquez, L; Urqui, R

2014-01-01

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) made a successful landing at Gale crater early August 2012. MSL has an environmental instrument package called the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) as a part of its scientific payload. REMS comprises instrumentation for the observation of atmospheric pressure, temperature of the air, ground temperature, wind speed and direction, relative humidity (REMS-H), and UV measurements. We concentrate on describing the REMS-H measurement performance and initial observations during the first 100 MSL sols as well as constraining the REMS-H results by comparing them with earlier observations and modeling results. The REMS-H device is based on polymeric capacitive humidity sensors developed by Vaisala Inc., and it makes use of transducer electronics section placed in the vicinity of the three humidity sensor heads. The humidity device is mounted on the REMS boom providing ventilation with the ambient atmosphere through a filter protecting the device from airborne dust. The final relative humidity results appear to be convincing and are aligned with earlier indirect observations of the total atmospheric precipitable water content. The water mixing ratio in the atmospheric surface layer appears to vary between 30 and 75 ppm. When assuming uniform mixing, the precipitable water content of the atmosphere is ranging from a few to six precipitable micrometers. Key Points Atmospheric water mixing ratio at Gale crater varies from 30 to 140 ppm MSL relative humidity observation provides good data Highest detected relative humidity reading during first MSL 100 sols is RH75% PMID:26213667

Observations by a university anatomy teacher and a suggestion for curricular change: integrative anatomy for undergraduates.

PubMed

Darda, David M

2010-01-01

The observation that anatomical course offerings have decreased in undergraduate biology curricula is supported by a survey of undergraduate institutions in the state of Washington. This reduction, due partially to increased emphasis in other areas of the biology curriculum, along with the lack of anatomy prerequisites for admission to most medical and dental schools, has resulted in many biology majors who have little or no exposure to the anatomical sciences. This is a disservice to our students who need to understand organismal form and function to better connect our rapidly expanding knowledge of life at the cell and molecular level to our understanding of the role of organisms in ecosystems and as the primary target of natural selection in evolutionary change. Undergraduate anatomical courses can also serve as an extension of the anatomy curriculum in professional healthcare programs, where anatomical sciences are also experiencing a reduced allocation of instructional time. Given the importance of anatomical knowledge along with the many demands and constraints on biology curricula, what can we do? One suggestion, a course in integrative anatomy for undergraduates, is proposed and discussed. Copyright 2010 American Association of Anatomists.

Depression and Oxidative Stress: Results From a Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

PubMed Central

Palta, Priya; Samuel, Laura J.; Miller, Edgar R.; Szanton, Sarah L.

2014-01-01

Objective To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis that quantitatively tests and summarizes the hypothesis that depression results in elevated oxidative stress and lower antioxidant levels. Methods We performed a meta-analysis of studies that reported an association between depression and oxidative stress and/or antioxidant status markers. PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for articles published from January 1980 through December 2012. A random-effects model, weighted by inverse variance, was performed to pool standard deviation (Cohen’s d) effect size estimates across studies for oxidative stress and antioxidant status measures, separately. Results Twenty-three studies with 4980 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Depression was most commonly measured using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria. A Cohen’s d effect size of 0.55 (95% confidence interval = 0.47–0.63) was found for the association between depression and oxidative stress, indicating a roughly 0.55 of 1-standard-deviation increase in oxidative stress among individuals with depression compared with those without depression. The results of the studies displayed significant heterogeneity (I2 = 80.0%, p < .001). A statistically significant effect was also observed for the association between depression and antioxidant status markers (Cohen’s d = −0.24, 95% confidence interval = −0.33 to −0.15). Conclusions This meta-analysis observed an association between depression and oxidative stress and antioxidant status across many different studies. Differences in measures of depression and markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status markers could account for the observed heterogeneity. These findings suggest that well-established associations between depression and poor heath outcomes may be mediated by high oxidative stress. PMID:24336428

A remote sensing applications update: Results of interviews with Earth Observations Commercialization Program (EOCAP) participants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcvey, Sally

1991-01-01

Earth remote sensing is a uniquely valuable tool for large-scale resource management, a task whose importance will likely increase world-wide through the foreseeable future. NASA research and engineering have virtually created the existing U.S. system, and will continue to push the frontiers, primarily through Earth Observing System (EOS) instruments, research, and data and information systems. It is the researchers' view that the near-term health of remote sensing applications also deserves attention; it seems important not to abandon the system or its clients. The researchers suggest that, like its Landsat predecessor, a successful Earth Observing System program is likely to reinforce pressure to 'manage' natural resources, and consequently, to create more pressure for Earth Observations Commercialization (EOCAP) type applications. The current applications programs, though small, are valuable because of their technical and commercial results, and also because they support a community whose contributions will increase along with our ability to observe the Earth from space.

Types of suggestibility: Relationships among compliance, indirect, and direct suggestibility.

PubMed

Polczyk, Romuald; Pasek, Tomasz

2006-10-01

It is commonly believed that direct suggestibility, referring to overt influence, and indirect suggestibility, in which the intention to influence is hidden, correlate poorly. This study demonstrates that they are substantially related, provided that they tap similar areas of influence. Test results from 103 students, 55 women and 48 men, were entered into regression analyses. Indirect suggestibility, as measured by the Sensory Suggestibility Scale for Groups, and compliance, measured by the Gudjonsson Compliance Scale, were predictors of direct suggestibility, assessed with the Barber Suggestibility Scale. Spectral analyses showed that indirect suggestibility is more related to difficult tasks on the BSS, but compliance is more related to easy tasks on this scale.

CHEERS Results on Mrk 573: A Study of Deep Chandra Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paggi, Alessandro; Wang, Junfeng; Fabbiano, Giuseppina; Elvis, Martin; Karovska, Margarita

2012-09-01

We present results on Mrk 573 obtained as part of the CHandra survey of Extended Emission-line Regions in nearby Seyfert galaxies (CHEERS). Previous studies showed that this source features a biconical emission in the soft X-ray band closely related to the narrow-line region as mapped by the [O III] emission line and the radio emission, though on a smaller scale; we investigate the properties of soft X-ray emission from this source with new deep Chandra observations. Making use of the subpixel resolution of the Chandra/ACIS image and point-spread function deconvolution, we resolve and study substructures in each ionizing cone. The two cone spectra are fitted with a photoionization model, showing a mildly photoionized phase diffused over the bicone. Thermal collisional gas at about ~1.1 keV and ~0.8 keV appears to be located between the nucleus and the "knots" resolved in radio observations, and between the "arcs" resolved in the optical images, respectively; this can be interpreted in terms of shock interaction with the host galactic plane. The nucleus shows a significant flux decrease across the observations indicating variability of the active galactic nucleus (AGN), with the nuclear region featuring a higher ionization parameter with respect to the bicone region. The long exposure allows us to find extended emission up to ~7 kpc from the nucleus along the bicone axis. Significant emission is also detected in the direction perpendicular to the ionizing cones, disagreeing with the fully obscuring torus prescribed in the AGN unified model and suggesting instead the presence of a clumpy structure.

Depression and oxidative stress: results from a meta-analysis of observational studies.

PubMed

Palta, Priya; Samuel, Laura J; Miller, Edgar R; Szanton, Sarah L

2014-01-01

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis that quantitatively tests and summarizes the hypothesis that depression results in elevated oxidative stress and lower antioxidant levels. We performed a meta-analysis of studies that reported an association between depression and oxidative stress and/or antioxidant status markers. PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for articles published from January 1980 through December 2012. A random-effects model, weighted by inverse variance, was performed to pool standard deviation (Cohen's d) effect size estimates across studies for oxidative stress and antioxidant status measures, separately. Twenty-three studies with 4980 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Depression was most commonly measured using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria. A Cohen's d effect size of 0.55 (95% confidence interval = 0.47-0.63) was found for the association between depression and oxidative stress, indicating a roughly 0.55 of 1-standard-deviation increase in oxidative stress among individuals with depression compared with those without depression. The results of the studies displayed significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 80.0%, p < .001). A statistically significant effect was also observed for the association between depression and antioxidant status markers (Cohen's d = -0.24, 95% confidence interval = -0.33 to -0.15). This meta-analysis observed an association between depression and oxidative stress and antioxidant status across many different studies. Differences in measures of depression and markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status markers could account for the observed heterogeneity. These findings suggest that well-established associations between depression and poor heath outcomes may be mediated by high oxidative stress.

A nutrition and conditioning intervention for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: observations and suggestions.

PubMed

Gentil, Paulo

2015-01-01

Bodybuilding is full of myths and practices that are contrary to the scientific literature, which can lead to health problems. Adopting a scientifically designed approach is very important, as it may help bodybuilders to achieve better results while preserving their health. However, I have some criticism regarding some practices adopted in the referred article as ad libitum ingestion of sugar-free cordial and flavored tea and the performance of the exercise in fasted state, as it seems to bring no benefit and have some potential problems. Some suggestion are made in order to preserve FFM, like changing training split and exercise selection; increasing carbohydrate ingestion and decreasing protein intake; changing the resistance training stimuli and reducing the volume of aerobic exercises and increase its intensity.

Dissociative tendencies and individual differences in high hypnotic suggestibility.

PubMed

Terhune, Devin Blair; Cardeña, Etzel; Lindgren, Magnus

2011-03-01

Inconsistencies in the relationship between dissociation and hypnosis may result from heterogeneity among highly suggestible individuals, in particular the existence of distinct highly suggestible subtypes that are of relevance to models of psychopathology and the consequences of trauma. This study contrasted highly suggestible subtypes high or low in dissociation on measures of hypnotic responding, cognitive functioning, and psychopathology. Twenty-one low suggestible (LS), 19 low dissociative highly suggestible (LDHS), and 11 high dissociative highly suggestible (HDHS) participants were administered hypnotic suggestibility scales and completed measures of free recall, working memory capacity, imagery, fantasy-proneness, psychopathology, and exposure to stressful life events. HDHS participants were more responsive to positive and negative hallucination suggestions and experienced greater involuntariness during hypnotic responding. They also exhibited impaired working memory capacity, elevated pathological fantasy and dissociative symptomatology, and a greater incidence of exposure to stressful life events. In contrast, LDHS participants displayed superior object visual imagery. These results provide further evidence for two highly suggestible subtypes: a dissociative subtype characterised by deficits in executive functioning and a predisposition to psychopathology, and a subtype that exhibits superior imagery and no observable deficits in functioning.

Modifications to the Water Vapor Continuum in the Microwave Suggested by Ground-Based 150-GHz Observations

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

Turner, D. D.; Cadeddu, M. P.; Lohnert, U.

2009-10-01

Abstract—Ground-based observations from two different radiometers are used to evaluate commonly used microwave/ millimeter-wave propagation models at 150 GHz. This frequency has strong sensitivity to changes in precipitable water vapor (PWV) and cloud liquid water. The observations were collected near Hesselbach, Germany, as part of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program’s support of the General Observing Period and the Convective and Orographic Precipitation Study. The observations from the two radiometers agree well with each other, with a slope of 0.993 and a mean bias of 0.12 K. The observations demonstrate that the relative sensitivity of the different absorption models to PWVmore » in clear-sky conditions at 150 GHz is significant and that four models differ significantly from the observed brightness temperature. These models were modified to get agreement with the 150-GHz observations, where the PWV ranged from 0.35 to 2.88 cm. The models were modified by adjusting the strength of the foreign- and self-broadened water vapor continuum coefficients, where the magnitude was model dependent. In all cases, the adjustment to the two components of the water vapor continuum was in opposite directions (i.e., increasing the contribution from the foreign-broadened component while decreasing contribution from the self-broadened component or vice versa). While the original models had significant disagreements relative to each other, the resulting modified models show much better agreement relative to each other throughout the microwave spectrum. The modified models were evaluated using independent observations at 31.4 GHz.« less

Recent results from the SIMECA code and VLTI observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meilland, A.; Stee, Ph.

We present recent results on active hot stars using the first VLTI/MIDI and VLTI/AMBER observations, and the SIMECA code developed by Stee (1994). α Arae was the first classical Be star observed with MIDI (June 2003) and AMBER (February 2005). The size of its circumstellar envelope was measured and thanks to the spectrally-resolved interferometric AMBER observations, we were able, for the first time to evidence the Keplerian rotation of the circumstellar disc. MWC 297 is one of the brightest Herbig Be star, and it was then observed during the first commissioning run of AMBER in May 2004. The data obtained were good enough to allow us to infer the accretion disc extension, as well as to put strong constraints on the stellar wind geometry and kinematics.

Latitude Dependence of Low-Altitude O+ Ion Upflow: Statistical Results From FAST Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, K.; Chen, K. W.; Jiang, Y.; Chen, W. J.; Huang, L. F.; Fu, S.

2017-09-01

We introduce a statistical model to explain the latitudinal dependence of the occurrence rate and energy flux of the ionospheric escaping ions, taking advantage of advances in the spatial coverage and accuracy of FAST observations. We use a weighted piecewise Gaussian function to fit the dependence, because two probability peaks are located in the dayside polar cusp source region and the nightside auroral oval zone source region. The statistical results show that (1) the Gaussian Mixture Model suitably describes the dayside polar cusp upflows, and the dayside and the nightside auroral oval zone upflows. (2) The magnetic latitudes of the ionospheric upflow source regions expand toward the magnetic equator as Kp increases, from 81° magnetic latitude (MLAT) (cusp upflows) and 63° MLAT (auroral oval upflows) during quiet times to 76° MLAT and 61° MLAT, respectively. (3) The dayside polar cusp region provides only 3-5% O+ upflows among all the source regions, which include the dayside auroral oval zone, dayside polar cusp, nightside auroral oval zone, and even the polar cap. However, observations show that more than 70% of upflows occur in the auroral oval zone and that the occurrence probability increases at the altitudes of 3500-4200 km, which is considered to be the lower altitude boundary of ion beams. This observed result suggests that soft electron precipitation and transverse wave heating are the most efficient ion energization/acceleration mechanisms at the altitudes of FAST orbit, and that the parallel acceleration caused by field-aligned potential drops becomes effective above that altitude.

Repertoire Analysis of Antibody CDR-H3 Loops Suggests Affinity Maturation Does Not Typically Result in Rigidification

PubMed Central

Jeliazkov, Jeliazko R.; Sljoka, Adnan; Kuroda, Daisuke; Tsuchimura, Nobuyuki; Katoh, Naoki; Tsumoto, Kouhei; Gray, Jeffrey J.

2018-01-01

Antibodies can rapidly evolve in specific response to antigens. Affinity maturation drives this evolution through cycles of mutation and selection leading to enhanced antibody specificity and affinity. Elucidating the biophysical mechanisms that underlie affinity maturation is fundamental to understanding B-cell immunity. An emergent hypothesis is that affinity maturation reduces the conformational flexibility of the antibody’s antigen-binding paratope to minimize entropic losses incurred upon binding. In recent years, computational and experimental approaches have tested this hypothesis on a small number of antibodies, often observing a decrease in the flexibility of the complementarity determining region (CDR) loops that typically comprise the paratope and in particular the CDR-H3 loop, which contributes a plurality of antigen contacts. However, there were a few exceptions and previous studies were limited to a small handful of cases. Here, we determined the structural flexibility of the CDR-H3 loop for thousands of recent homology models of the human peripheral blood cell antibody repertoire using rigidity theory. We found no clear delineation in the flexibility of naïve and antigen-experienced antibodies. To account for possible sources of error, we additionally analyzed hundreds of human and mouse antibodies in the Protein Data Bank through both rigidity theory and B-factor analysis. By both metrics, we observed only a slight decrease in the CDR-H3 loop flexibility when comparing affinity matured antibodies to naïve antibodies, and the decrease was not as drastic as previously reported. Further analysis, incorporating molecular dynamics simulations, revealed a spectrum of changes in flexibility. Our results suggest that rigidification may be just one of many biophysical mechanisms for increasing affinity. PMID:29545810

Traces on sky. Unexpected results of regular observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Churyumov, K. I.; Steklov, A. F.; Vidmachenko, A. P.; Dashkiev, N. G.; Steklov, E. A.

2016-08-01

If the fireball's track has noticeable angular size, it can be seen even in the daytime. After the flight, bolide remains a noticeable trace of a dust, dark against the light sky. If such a dust trail illuminated by the rays of the Sun, which had just hid behind the horizon (or even in the moonlight), it is visible as bright lanes in the night sky or in twilight. That's why we call it the twilight bolides. Usually, astronomical observations using of meteor patrols, carried out at night after the evening astronomical twilight. But from March 2013 to October 2015, the authors have obtained several thousands of different tracks in the sky over Kiev. Therefore, we have identified a special class of twilight observations of fireballs. We register the traces of invading to atmosphere of meteoroids of natural and artificial origin. At the same time, observe the traces of fireballs at the day-time are also possible. But they are less effective than in the twilight. Night observations of bright meteoric tracks can usually observe some seconds. While traces of the twilight bolides we observed from some minutes up to two hours, before they be scattered by atmospheric currents. It opens the great prospects for low-cost direct experiments probing of these tracks by using, for example, the astronomical aviation. We propose the twilight tracks are classified into the following types: AMT - aero-meteorological tracks, AST - aero-space, ATT - aero-technical, and NST - not yet classified tracks of unknown nature. During the short period of our observations (from March 2013 to 2016), was fixed falling at least a dozen fragments of cometary nuclei, at least five of sufficiently large and dozens of smaller fragments of meteoroids. The results of our observations also showed that during the morning and evening twilight over Kiev clearly visible the plume of aerosols of technical nature from the plants, factories and other production facilities.

Placebo-suggestion modulates conflict resolution in the Stroop Task.

PubMed

Magalhães De Saldanha da Gama, Pedro A; Slama, Hichem; Caspar, Emilie A; Gevers, Wim; Cleeremans, Axel

2013-01-01

Here, we ask whether placebo-suggestion (without any form of hypnotic induction) can modulate the resolution of cognitive conflict. Naïve participants performed a Stroop Task while wearing an EEG cap described as a "brain wave" machine. In Experiment 1, participants were made to believe that the EEG cap would either enhance or decrease their color perception and performance on the Stroop task. In Experiment 2, participants were explicitly asked to imagine that their color perception and performance would be enhanced or decreased (non-hypnotic imaginative suggestion). We observed effects of placebo-suggestion on Stroop interference on accuracy: interference was decreased with positive suggestion and increased with negative suggestion compared to baseline. Intra-individual variability was also increased under negative suggestion compared to baseline. Compliance with the instruction to imagine a modulation of performance, on the other hand, did not influence accuracy and only had a negative impact on response latencies and on intra-individual variability, especially in the congruent condition of the Stroop Task. Taken together, these results demonstrate that expectations induced by a placebo-suggestion can modulate our ability to resolve cognitive conflict, either facilitating or impairing response accuracy depending on the suggestion's contents. Our results also demonstrate a dissociation between placebo-suggestion and non-hypnotic imaginative suggestion.

Placebo-Suggestion Modulates Conflict Resolution in the Stroop Task

PubMed Central

Caspar, Emilie A.; Gevers, Wim; Cleeremans, Axel

2013-01-01

Here, we ask whether placebo-suggestion (without any form of hypnotic induction) can modulate the resolution of cognitive conflict. Naïve participants performed a Stroop Task while wearing an EEG cap described as a “brain wave” machine. In Experiment 1, participants were made to believe that the EEG cap would either enhance or decrease their color perception and performance on the Stroop task. In Experiment 2, participants were explicitly asked to imagine that their color perception and performance would be enhanced or decreased (non-hypnotic imaginative suggestion). We observed effects of placebo-suggestion on Stroop interference on accuracy: interference was decreased with positive suggestion and increased with negative suggestion compared to baseline. Intra-individual variability was also increased under negative suggestion compared to baseline. Compliance with the instruction to imagine a modulation of performance, on the other hand, did not influence accuracy and only had a negative impact on response latencies and on intra-individual variability, especially in the congruent condition of the Stroop Task. Taken together, these results demonstrate that expectations induced by a placebo-suggestion can modulate our ability to resolve cognitive conflict, either facilitating or impairing response accuracy depending on the suggestion’s contents. Our results also demonstrate a dissociation between placebo-suggestion and non-hypnotic imaginative suggestion. PMID:24130735

The variables V477 Peg and MW Com observation results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahý, V.; Gajtanska, M.; Hanisko, P.; Krišták, L.

2018-04-01

The paper deals with our results of the photometric observations of two variable stars and with basic interprettions of our results. We have observed the V477 Pegassi and MW Comae systems. We have obtained their light curves in the integral light and in the B, V, R and I filters. The color indices have been computed and there have been realized the models of the both systems by the usage of the BM3 software. These models are presented in our study too.

JIRAM infrared observations of Jupiter Aurorae: results of the first year.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mura, A.; Adriani, A.; Altieri, F.; Dinelli, B. M.; Moriconi, M. L.; Migliorini, A.; Bolton, S. J.; Connerney, J. E. P.; Cicchetti, A.; Noschese, R.; Sindoni, G.; Tosi, F.; Filacchione, G.; Fabiano, F.; Piccioni, G.; Turrini, D.; Amoroso, M.; Plainaki, C.; Olivieri, A.; Gerard, J.-C.

2017-09-01

JIRAM (Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper) is an imaging spectrometer on board the Juno spacecraft, specifically designed to observe the aurorae of Jupiter. Here we show results on JIRAM's data after one year of observations. The footprints of Io, Europa and Ganymede have also been observed and characterized.

Results of Joint Observations of Jupiter's Atmosphere by Juno and a Network of Earth-Based Observing Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orton, Glenn; Momary, Thomas; Bolton, Scott; Levin, Steven; Hansen, Candice; Janssen, Michael; Adriani, Alberto; Gladstone, G. Randall; Bagenal, Fran; Ingersoll, Andrew

2017-04-01

The Juno mission has promoted and coordinated a network of Earth-based observations, including both Earth-proximal and ground-based facilities, to extend and enhance observations made by the Juno mission. The spectral region and timeline of all of these observations are summarized in the web site: https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/planned-observations. Among the earliest of these were observation of Jovian auroral phenomena at X-ray, ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths and measurements of Jovian synchrotron radiation from the Earth simultaneously with the measurement of properties of the upstream solar wind. Other observations of significance to the magnetosphere measured the mass loading from Io by tracking its observed volcanic activity and the opacity of its torus. Observations of Jupiter's neutral atmosphere included observations of reflected sunlight from the near-ultraviolet through the near-infrared and thermal emission from 5 μm through the radio region. The point of these measurements is to relate properties of the deep atmosphere that are the focus of Juno's mission to the state of the "weather layer" at much higher atmospheric levels. These observations cover spectral regions not included in Juno's instrumentation, provide spatial context for Juno's often spatially limited coverage of Jupiter, and they describe the evolution of atmospheric features in time that are measured only once by Juno. We will summarize the results of measurements during the approach phase of the mission that characterized the state of the atmosphere, as well as observations made by Juno and the supporting campaign during Juno's perijoves 1 (2016 August 27), 3 (2016 December 11), 4 (2017 February 2) and possibly "early" results from 5 (2017 March 27). Besides a global network of professional astronomers, the Juno mission also benefited from the enlistment of a network of dedicated amateur astronomers who provided a quasi-continuous picture of the evolution of features observed by

Enhancing business intelligence by means of suggestive reviews.

PubMed

Qazi, Atika; Raj, Ram Gopal; Tahir, Muhammad; Cambria, Erik; Syed, Karim Bux Shah

2014-01-01

Appropriate identification and classification of online reviews to satisfy the needs of current and potential users pose a critical challenge for the business environment. This paper focuses on a specific kind of reviews: the suggestive type. Suggestions have a significant influence on both consumers' choices and designers' understanding and, hence, they are key for tasks such as brand positioning and social media marketing. The proposed approach consists of three main steps: (1) classify comparative and suggestive sentences; (2) categorize suggestive sentences into different types, either explicit or implicit locutions; (3) perform sentiment analysis on the classified reviews. A range of supervised machine learning approaches and feature sets are evaluated to tackle the problem of suggestive opinion mining. Experimental results for all three tasks are obtained on a dataset of mobile phone reviews and demonstrate that extending a bag-of-words representation with suggestive and comparative patterns is ideal for distinguishing suggestive sentences. In particular, it is observed that classifying suggestive sentences into implicit and explicit locutions works best when using a mixed sequential rule feature representation. Sentiment analysis achieves maximum performance when employing additional preprocessing in the form of negation handling and target masking, combined with sentiment lexicons.

First Observations of the Magnetic Field inside the Pillars of Creation: Results from the BISTRO Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattle, Kate; Ward-Thompson, Derek; Hasegawa, Tetsuo; Bastien, Pierre; Kwon, Woojin; Lai, Shih-Ping; Qiu, Keping; Furuya, Ray; Berry, David; JCMT BISTRO Survey Team

2018-06-01

We present the first high-resolution, submillimeter-wavelength polarimetric observations of—and thus direct observations of the magnetic field morphology within—the dense gas of the Pillars of Creation in M16. These 850 μm observations, taken as part of the B-Fields in Star-forming Region Observations Survey (BISTRO) using the POL-2 polarimeter on the Submillimeter Common-User Bolometer Array 2 (SCUBA-2) camera on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), show that the magnetic field runs along the length of the Pillars, perpendicular to and decoupled from the field in the surrounding photoionized cloud. Using the Chandrasekhar–Fermi method we estimate a plane-of-sky magnetic field strength of 170–320 μG in the Pillars, consistent with their having been formed through the compression of gas with initially weak magnetization. The observed magnetic field strength and morphology suggests that the magnetic field may be slowing the Pillars’ evolution into cometary globules. We thus hypothesize that the evolution and lifetime of the Pillars may be strongly influenced by the strength of the coupling of their magnetic field to that of their parent photoionized cloud—i.e., that the Pillars’ longevity results from magnetic support.

Evidence suggesting possible SCA1 gene involvement in schizophrenia

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

Diehl, S.R.; Wange, S.; Sun, C.

Several findings suggest a possible role for the SCA1 gene on chromosome 6p in some cases of schizophrenia. First, linkage analyses in Irish pedigrees provided LOD scores up to 3.0 for one model tested using microsatellites closely linked to SCA1. Reanalysis of these data using affected sibpair methods yielded a significant result (p = 0.01) for one marker. An attempt to replicate this linkage finding was made using 44 NIMH families (206 individuals, 80 affected) and 12 Utah families (120 individuals, 49 affected). LOD scores were negative in these new families, even allowing for heterogeneity, as were results using affectedmore » sibpair methods. However, one Utah family provided a LOD score of 1.3. We also screened the SCA1 trinucleotide repeat to search for expansions characteristic of this disorder in these families and in 38 additional unrelated schizophrenics. We found 1 schizophrenic with 41 repeats, which is substantially larger than the maximum size of 36 repeats observed in previous studies of several hundred controls. We are now assessing whether the distribution of SCA1 repeats differs significantly in schizophrenia versus controls. Recent reports suggest possible anticipation in schizophrenia (also characteristic of SCA1) and a few cases of psychiatric symptoms suggesting schizophrenia have been observed in the highly related disorder DRPLA (SCA2), which is also based on trinucleotide repeat expansion. These findings suggest that further investigations of this gene and chromosome region may be a priority.« less

Volatile Transport on Pluto: First Results from the 2013 Observing Season

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buratti, B. J.; Dalba, P. A.; Hicks, M.; Chu, D.; O'Neill, A.; Chesley, J. P.

2013-12-01

With the New Horizons spacecraft due to encounter Pluto in slightly less than two years, close scrutiny of this dwarf ice planet has begun in earnest. Ground-based observations are especially critical for context and for a larger temporal excursion. Seasonal transport of volatiles should occur on Pluto, and this transport should be detectable through changes in its rotational light curve, once all variations due to viewing geometry have been modeled. Giving the steady increase observed in Pluto's atmospheric pressure over the past two decades, associated sublimation of frost from the surface has likely occurred, as predicted by volatile transport models. Rotational light curves of Pluto through time have been created for static frost models based on images from the Hubble Space Telescope. These models, which account for changes in viewing geometry, have been compared with observed light curves obtained between 1950 and 2013. No evidence for transport was evident prior to 2000. Observations from 2002 (Buie et al., 2010, Astron. J. 139, 1128) and 2007-2008 (Hicks et al. 2008, B.A.A.S. 40, 460) suggest changes in the frost pattern on Pluto's surface. New observations of Pluto's light curve from the 2013 season from Table Mountain Observatory show no evidence for the large transport of volatiles on Pluto's surface. Our data are the first measurement of a large opposition surge on Pluto similar to that seen on other icy bodies. Both Buie et al. (2010) and our observations from the 2012-2013 seasons show that Pluto is becoming more red in color. This observation makes sense if nitrogen is being removed from the surface to uncover a red, photolyzed substrate of methane. Funded by NASA.

The effect of observing session duration on OPUS-RS results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dincer Dogru, A.; Ugur Sanli, D.; Hayal, Adem G.; Berber, Mustafa

2016-04-01

Online GPS positioning software has now a widespread interest among practitioners and researchers. Researchers rescently use online software to monitor natural hazards such as landslides. The fact that this software usually employs continuously operating GPS stations of the International GNSS Service (IGS) as reference stations in the processing, the community of world-wide users is growing day by day. In the monitoring of landslides, rapid static mode of a GPS surveying is usually preferred because it is possible to have wider field coverage with only a few minutes of data and low cost ground markers. Results comparable to static positioning can be obtained with careful network design and processing strategies. Some online software such as OPUS-RS developed by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) of the USA provides rapid static positioning engine that processes GPS data from sessions of only a few minutes. 15-minute is the recommended/standard observing session duration for OPUS-RS processing. In this study, using the CORS data operating in the US, we carried out some tests in which the observing session duration is changed from 8 through 118 minutes, and observed the accuracy change on the OPUS-RS solutions. Then we compared the results with the accuracy levels given for 15-min solutions by the NGS. We determined that there is the effect of changing observing session duration on the obtained results, and we report them in this study.

Initial Results from Fitting Resolved Modes using HMI Intensity Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korzennik, Sylvain G.

2017-08-01

The HMI project recently started processing the continuum intensity images following global helioseismology procedures similar to those used to process the velocity images. The spatial decomposition of these images has produced time series of spherical harmonic coefficients for degrees up to l=300, using a different apodization than the one used for velocity observations. The first 360 days of observations were processed and made available. I present initial results from fitting these time series using my state of the art fitting methodology and compare the derived mode characteristics to those estimated using co-eval velocity observations.

Enhancing Business Intelligence by Means of Suggestive Reviews

PubMed Central

Qazi, Atika

2014-01-01

Appropriate identification and classification of online reviews to satisfy the needs of current and potential users pose a critical challenge for the business environment. This paper focuses on a specific kind of reviews: the suggestive type. Suggestions have a significant influence on both consumers' choices and designers' understanding and, hence, they are key for tasks such as brand positioning and social media marketing. The proposed approach consists of three main steps: (1) classify comparative and suggestive sentences; (2) categorize suggestive sentences into different types, either explicit or implicit locutions; (3) perform sentiment analysis on the classified reviews. A range of supervised machine learning approaches and feature sets are evaluated to tackle the problem of suggestive opinion mining. Experimental results for all three tasks are obtained on a dataset of mobile phone reviews and demonstrate that extending a bag-of-words representation with suggestive and comparative patterns is ideal for distinguishing suggestive sentences. In particular, it is observed that classifying suggestive sentences into implicit and explicit locutions works best when using a mixed sequential rule feature representation. Sentiment analysis achieves maximum performance when employing additional preprocessing in the form of negation handling and target masking, combined with sentiment lexicons. PMID:25054188

Solar System Observations with Spitzer Space Telescope: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruikshank, Dale P.

2005-01-01

The programs of observations of Solar System bodies conducted in the first year of the operation of the Spitzer Space Telescope as part of the Guaranteed Observing Time allocations are described. Initial results include the determination of the albedos of a number of Kuiper Belt objects and Centaurs from observations of their flux densities at 24 and 70 microns, and the detection of emission bands in the spectra of several distant asteroids (Trojans) around 10 and 25 microns. The 10 Kuiper Belt objects observed to date have albedos in the range 0.08 - 0.15, significantly higher than the earlier estimated 0.04. An additional KBO [(55565) 2002 AW(sub l97)] has an albedo of 0.17 plus or minus 0.03. The emission bands in the asteroid spectra are indicative of silicates, but specific minerals have not yet been identified. The Centaur/comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 has a nucleus surface albedo of 0.025 plus or minus 0.01, and its dust production rate was calculated from the properties of the coma. Several other investigations are in progress as the incoming data are processed and analyzed.

Diurnal Variations of Dust from Mars Climate Sounder Observations: Initial Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleinboehl, A.

2017-12-01

Over the recent years, research on the Martian atmosphere has been focusing increasingly on aerosols. One recent focus has been on detached dust layers (DDL) as they have a significant radiative impact on the atmosphere. The dust distribution in the Martian atmosphere is affected by transport processes like lifting, advection, and sedimentation. However, lifting and sedimentation processes are only poorly understood, and the formation mechanism of DDLs is unclear. Significant variations in the occurrence of DDLs have been observed in comparisons of nearly co-located daytime and nighttime dust extinction measurements by the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS). However, the detailed behavior of changes in the vertical profile of dust over the course of a day has largely been unexplored. To date, aerosol studies by MCS have been limited to observations around 3 am and 3 pm local time due to the sun-synchronous orbit of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), from which MCS is operated. MCS nominally observes in the direction of the MRO orbit track. Since Sep. 2010 the MCS instrument has been performing frequent sideways scans to obtain measurements at various local times. These special measurements yield nearly global coverage while sampling local times within a few hours of the nominal local time determined by the MRO orbit track. Of particular interest is the behavior at latitudes where cross-track measurements intersect with in-track measurements such that the same airmass is sampled 3 times in intervals of 2 hours at mid-latitudes. Here I present initial analyses of dust vertical profiles retrieved from these MCS observations during the dusty season of the Martian year. Dust opacities tend to be highest within 25 km of the surface and decreasing above. Numerous sets of profiles have been identified in the southern mid-latitudes in which this dust opacity slope is lofted by several kilometers in altitude between 4 pm and 6 pm local time. The behavior is largely restricted to

Generalizing observational study results: applying propensity score methods to complex surveys.

PubMed

Dugoff, Eva H; Schuler, Megan; Stuart, Elizabeth A

2014-02-01

To provide a tutorial for using propensity score methods with complex survey data. Simulated data and the 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Using simulation, we compared the following methods for estimating the treatment effect: a naïve estimate (ignoring both survey weights and propensity scores), survey weighting, propensity score methods (nearest neighbor matching, weighting, and subclassification), and propensity score methods in combination with survey weighting. Methods are compared in terms of bias and 95 percent confidence interval coverage. In Example 2, we used these methods to estimate the effect on health care spending of having a generalist versus a specialist as a usual source of care. In general, combining a propensity score method and survey weighting is necessary to achieve unbiased treatment effect estimates that are generalizable to the original survey target population. Propensity score methods are an essential tool for addressing confounding in observational studies. Ignoring survey weights may lead to results that are not generalizable to the survey target population. This paper clarifies the appropriate inferences for different propensity score methods and suggests guidelines for selecting an appropriate propensity score method based on a researcher's goal. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

NICER observations of highly magnetized neutron stars: Initial results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enoto, Teruaki; Arzoumanian, Zaven; Gendreau, Keith C.; Nynka, Melania; Kaspi, Victoria; Harding, Alice; Guver, Tolga; Lewandowska, Natalia; Majid, Walid; Ho, Wynn C. G.; NICER Team

2018-01-01

The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) was launched on June 3, 2017, and attached to the International Space Station. The large effective area of NICER in soft X-rays makes it a powerful tool not only for its primary science objective (diagnostics of the nuclear equation state) but also for studying neutron stars of various classes. As one of the NICER science working groups, the Magnetars and Magnetospheres (M&M) team coordinates monitoring and target of opportunity (ToO) observations of magnetized neutron stars, including magnetars, high-B pulsars, X-ray dim isolated neutron stars, and young rotation-powered pulsars. The M&M working group has performed simultaneous X-ray and radio observations of the Crab and Vela pulsars, ToO observations of the active anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61, and a monitoring campaign for the transient magnetar SGR 0501+4516. Here we summarize the current status and initial results of the M&M group.

Using suggestion to model different types of automatic writing.

PubMed

Walsh, E; Mehta, M A; Oakley, D A; Guilmette, D N; Gabay, A; Halligan, P W; Deeley, Q

2014-05-01

Our sense of self includes awareness of our thoughts and movements, and our control over them. This feeling can be altered or lost in neuropsychiatric disorders as well as in phenomena such as "automatic writing" whereby writing is attributed to an external source. Here, we employed suggestion in highly hypnotically suggestible participants to model various experiences of automatic writing during a sentence completion task. Results showed that the induction of hypnosis, without additional suggestion, was associated with a small but significant reduction of control, ownership, and awareness for writing. Targeted suggestions produced a double dissociation between thought and movement components of writing, for both feelings of control and ownership, and additionally, reduced awareness of writing. Overall, suggestion produced selective alterations in the control, ownership, and awareness of thought and motor components of writing, thus enabling key aspects of automatic writing, observed across different clinical and cultural settings, to be modelled. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Plasma observations near Saturn - Initial results from Voyager 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridge, H. S.; Bagenal, F.; Belcher, J. W.; Lazarus, A. J.; Mcnutt, R. L.; Sullivan, J. D.; Gazis, P. R.; Hartle, R. E.; Ogilvie, K. W.; Scudder, J. D.

1982-01-01

Results of plasma measurements made by Voyager 2 in the vicinity of Saturn are discussed and compared with those made by Pioneer 11 and Voyager 1 in a more limited range of latitudes. The initial bow shock crossing on the inbound trajectory closely agreed with the shock position inferred from the external ram pressure in the solar wind, although boundaries on the outbound pass were much further out than expected. Magnetospheric plasma observations reveal the presence of (1) shocked solar wind plasma in the magnetosheath between 30 and 22 Saturn radii; (2) a variable density region between 17 Saturn radii and the magnetopause; (3) an extended thick plasma sheet between 17 and 7 Saturn radii; and (4) an inner plasma torus probably originating from local sources. The ratio of heavy to light ions was observed to vary with distance to the equatorial plane in the dayside magnetosphere, with the heavy ions, probably O(+), more closely confined to the equatorial plane. The plasma data also account for the observed inner boundary of the neutral hydrogen torus discovered by Voyager 1.

Reanalysis of the Viking results suggests perchlorate and organics at mid-latitudes on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarro-Gonzalez, R.; Vargas, E.; de La Rosa, J.; Raga, A. C.; McKay, C.

2010-12-01

The most comprehensive search for organics in the Martian soil was performed by the Viking Landers. Martian soil was subjected to a thermal volatilization process in order to vaporize and break organic molecules, and the resultant gases and volatiles were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Only water at 0.1-1.0 wt% was detected with traces of chloromethane at 15 ppb in the Viking Landing site 1, and water at 0.05-1.0 wt% and carbon dioxide at 50-700 ppm with traces of dichloromethane at 0.04-40 ppb in the Viking Landing site 2. The abundance ratio of the 35Cl and 37Cl isotopes in these chlorohydrocarbons was 3:1, corresponding to the terrestrial isotopic abundance. Therefore, these chlorohydrocarbons were considered to be terrestrial contaminants although they had not been detected at those levels in the blank runs. Recently, perchlorate was discovered in the Martian Arctic soil by the Phoenix Lander. Here we show that when Mars-like soils from the Atacama Desert with 32±6 ppm of organic carbon are mixed with 1 wt% magnesium perchlorate and heated nearly all the organics present are decomposed to water and carbon dioxide, but a small amount are chlorinated forming 1.6 ppm of chloromethane and 0.02 ppm of dichloromethane at 500○C. A chemical kinetics model was developed to predict the degree of oxidation and chlorination of organics in the Viking oven. The isotopic distribution of 35Cl and 37Cl for Mars is not known. Studies on Earth indicate that there is no isotopic fractionation of chlorine in the mantle or crust, despite the fact that it is significantly depleted on the planet as compare to solar abundances. The 37Cl/35Cl isotopic ratio in carbonaceous chondrites is similar to the Earth’s value, which suggests that the terrestrial planets, including Mars, were all formed from a similar reservoir of chlorine species in the presolar nebulae and that there was no further isotopic fractionation during the Earth’s differentiation or late

Performing both propensity score and instrumental variable analyses in observational studies often leads to discrepant results: a systematic review.

PubMed

Laborde-Castérot, Hervé; Agrinier, Nelly; Thilly, Nathalie

2015-10-01

Propensity score (PS) and instrumental variable (IV) are analytical techniques used to adjust for confounding in observational research. More and more, they seem to be used simultaneously in studies evaluating health interventions. The present review aimed to analyze the agreement between PS and IV results in medical research published to date. Review of all published observational studies that evaluated a clinical intervention using simultaneously PS and IV analyses, as identified in MEDLINE and Web of Science. Thirty-seven studies, most of them published during the previous 5 years, reported 55 comparisons between results from PS and IV analyses. There was a slight/fair agreement between the methods [Cohen's kappa coefficient = 0.21 (95% confidence interval: 0.00, 0.41)]. In 23 cases (42%), results were nonsignificant for one method and significant for the other, and IV analysis results were nonsignificant in most situations (87%). Discrepancies are frequent between PS and IV analyses and can be interpreted in various ways. This suggests that researchers should carefully consider their analytical choices, and readers should be cautious when interpreting results, until further studies clarify the respective roles of the two methods in observational comparative effectiveness research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pan-STARRRS Status and Geo Observations Results

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

Earth Orbiting asteroids which may pose a threat. The final design includes four 1.8m telescopes each equipped with a giga- pixel camera and is...are relative to the rotation of the earth, the mount is commanded utilizing “stare mode” for all GEO observations. The belt is surveyed by...integration time the geo belt is observed M number of times. In order to detect an object it must be observed N number of times out of the possible M

Generalizing Observational Study Results: Applying Propensity Score Methods to Complex Surveys

PubMed Central

DuGoff, Eva H; Schuler, Megan; Stuart, Elizabeth A

2014-01-01

ObjectiveTo provide a tutorial for using propensity score methods with complex survey data. Data SourcesSimulated data and the 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Study DesignUsing simulation, we compared the following methods for estimating the treatment effect: a naïve estimate (ignoring both survey weights and propensity scores), survey weighting, propensity score methods (nearest neighbor matching, weighting, and subclassification), and propensity score methods in combination with survey weighting. Methods are compared in terms of bias and 95 percent confidence interval coverage. In Example 2, we used these methods to estimate the effect on health care spending of having a generalist versus a specialist as a usual source of care. Principal FindingsIn general, combining a propensity score method and survey weighting is necessary to achieve unbiased treatment effect estimates that are generalizable to the original survey target population. ConclusionsPropensity score methods are an essential tool for addressing confounding in observational studies. Ignoring survey weights may lead to results that are not generalizable to the survey target population. This paper clarifies the appropriate inferences for different propensity score methods and suggests guidelines for selecting an appropriate propensity score method based on a researcher’s goal. PMID:23855598

Initial Results Derived from JEM-GLIMS Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, M.; Ushio, T.; Morimoto, T.; Kobayashi, N.; Takahashi, Y.; Suzuki, M.; Yamazaki, A.; Inan, U.; Linscott, I.; Hobara, Y.

2012-12-01

measured by two radio receivers. JEM-GIMS was successfully launched by H-IIB rocket at 02:06:18 UT on July 21, 2012 and transported to ISS by the HTV-3 cargo transfer spaceship. HTV-3 successfully arrived at ISS on July 27 and our JEM-GLIMS instruments will be installed at JEM-EF on August 9. For the period from September 15 to 21 we will carry out the initial checkout operation, and finally we will start continuous TLE observations from the middle of October. At the presentation we will show the test results obtained during the checkout operations and will present the initial results derived from JEM-GLIMS lightning/TLE observations.

EarthScope's USArray: A Decade of Observations and Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodward, R.; Busby, R. W.; Hafner, K.; Gridley, J. M.; Schultz, A.; Frassetto, A.; Simpson, D. W.

2013-12-01

EarthScope's USArray observatory provides unprecedented observations of geophysical targets across the contiguous United States through the systematic deployment of seismic, magnetotelluric, and atmospheric instruments. In addition, USArray includes tightly integrated data management and outreach activities. The seismic and atmospheric components of USArray consist of a Transportable Array (TA), Flexible Array (FA), and Reference Network. The TA has now occupied approximately 1700 sites spanning the entire contiguous 48 states, at 70 km inter-station spacing. These stations have provided broadband seismic, barometric pressure and atmospheric infrasound observations. The pool of instruments that comprise the FA have been deployed by numerous individual investigators in dense arrays to investigate local and regional features over time periods ranging from days to years. The Reference Network provides a permanent, stationary foundation for the TA and FA, with approximately 100 broadband stations deployed across the contiguous US at roughly 300 km spacing. The magnetotelluric (MT) component of USArray has provided both fixed and campaign-style long-period magnetotelluric observations at hundreds of locations across the US. Many of the field activities of USArray engaged both students and the public in important ways and this has been a significant component of USArray outreach. The TA alone has engaged well over one hundred students in site reconnaissance activities and placed seismic stations on the property of roughly a thousand different landowners. All data collected by USArray are openly available, most in real time. Many of the observations have also been incorporated into a variety of data products that have been developed to facilitate use of USArray by many different audiences. The scientific community has used USArray data to achieve a wide range of results--some that were anticipated when the facility was proposed and some that were completely unanticipated

Personalized and not general suggestion produces false autobiographical memories and suggestion-consistent behavior.

PubMed

Scoboria, Alan; Mazzoni, Giuliana; Jarry, Josée L; Bernstein, Daniel M

2012-01-01

Suggesting false childhood events produces false autobiographical beliefs, memories and suggestion-consistent behavior. The mechanisms by which suggestion affects behavior are not understood, and whether false beliefs and memories are necessary for suggestions to impact behavior remains unexplored. We examined the relative effects of providing a personalized suggestion (suggesting that an event occurred to the person in the past), and/or a general suggestion (suggesting that an event happened to others in the past). Participants (N=122) received a personalized suggestion, a general suggestion, both or neither, about childhood illness due to spoiled peach yogurt. The personalized suggestion resulted in false beliefs, false memories, and suggestion-consistent behavioral intentions immediately after the suggestion. One week or one month later participants completed a taste test that involved eating varieties of crackers and yogurts. The personalized suggestion led to reduced consumption of only peach yogurt, and those who reported a false memory showed the most eating suppression. This effect on behavior was equally strong after one week and one month, showing a long lived influence of the personalized suggestion. The general suggestion showed no effects. Suggestions that convey personal information about a past event produce false autobiographical memories, which in turn impact behavior. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surfzone Currents Over Irregular Bathymetry: Drifter Observations and Numerical Model Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, W. E.; Slinn, D. N.; Guza, R. T.

2002-12-01

Surfzone currents on alongshore variable bathymetry were observed with recently developed GPS-tracked drifters and numerically modeled with the time-dependent, nonlinear shallow water equations. These currents, forced by alongshore inhomogeneous pressure and radiation stress gradients, contain flow features difficult to resolve with fixed instrument arrays, such as rips, eddies, and meanders. Drifters were repeatedly released and recovered near Scripps Beach, La Jolla, California, in July 2000, 2001, and 2002. The most recent deployment of 10 drifters yielded about 32 hours of drifter data for each 5 hour deployment day. Offshore wave heights were moderate, between 0.3-1.0 m. The bathymetry, measured over a 600-700 m alongshore span with a GPS- and sonar-equipped jetski (2001 and 2002 deployments), was alongshore inhomogeneous primarily where an irregularly shaped bar-trough feature spanned the surf zone. The model simulations suggest that the alongshore inhomogeneous bathymetry strongly influences the location and strength of the observed flow features. Research supported by the California Sea Grant College Program and the Office of Naval Research.

Plasma observations near saturn: initial results from voyager 2.

PubMed

Bridge, H S; Bagenal, F; Belcher, J W; Lazarus, A J; McNutt, R L; Sullivan, J D; Gazis, P R; Hartle, R E; Ogilvie, K W; Scudder, J D; Sittler, E C; Eviatar, A; Siscoe, G L; Goertz, C K; Vasyliunas, V M

1982-01-29

Results of measurements of plasma electrons and poitive ions made during the Voyager 2 encounter with Saturn have been combined with measurements from Voyager 1 and Pioneer 11 to define more clearly the configuration of plasma in the Saturnian magnetosphere. The general morphology is well represented by four regions: (i) the shocked solar wind plasma in the magnetosheath, observed between about 30 and 22 Saturn radii (RS) near the noon meridian; (ii) a variable density region between approximately 17 RS and the magnetopause; (iii) an extended thick plasma sheet between approximately 17 and approximately 7 RS symmetrical with respect to Saturn's equatorial plane and rotation axis; and (iv) an inner plasma torus that probably originates from local sources and extends inward from L approximately 7 to less than L approximately 2.7 (L is the magnetic shell parameter). In general, the heavy ions, probably O(+), are more closely confined to the equatorial plane than H(+), so that the ratio of heavy to light ions varies along the trajectory according to the distance of the spacecraft from the equatorial plane. The general configuration of the plasma sheet at Saturn found by Voyager 1 is confirmed, with some notable differences and additions. The "extended plasma sheet," observed between L approximately 7 and L approximately 15 by Voyager 1 is considerably thicker as observed by Voyager 2. Inward of L approximately 4, the plasma sheet collapses to a thin region about the equatorial plane. At the ring plane crossing, L approximately 2.7, the observations are consistent with a density of O(+) of approximately 100 per cubic centimeter, with a temperature of approximately 10 electron volts. The location of the bow shock and magnetopause crossings were consistent with those previously observed. The entire magnetosphere was larger during the outbound passage of Voyager 2 than had been previously observed; however, a magnetosphere of this size or larger is expected approximately 3

HST observations of Chiron: preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

BENEDETTI Rossi, Gustavo; Sicardy, Bruno; Buie, Marc W.; Braga-Ribas, Felipe; Ortiz, Jose-Luis; Duffard, Rene; camargo, julio; Vieira-Martins, Roberto; Gratadour, Damien; Dumas, Christophe

2016-10-01

Chiron is a Centaur object, with a radius of approximately 110km. It is orbiting between Saturn and Uranus, and may be a Transneptunian Object (TNO) that has been recently (less than 10 My) scattered by gravitational perturbations from Uranus, just like its "twin brother" Chariklo. On June 3rd, 2013, a stellar occultation by Chariklo of a R=12.4 magnitude star was observed from seven sites in South America, which led to the detection of a total of twelve secondary events, revealing the presence of two narrow and dense rings (see more details at Braga-Ribas F. et al., Nature, 2014).Up to now, planetary rings have been detected exclusively around the four giant planets of our Solar System and Chariklo. In spite of hundreds of occultations by asteroids and several space missions, no other small bodies have shown the presence of rings. However, two recent papers (Ruprecht et al. 2015 and Ortiz et. al 2015) report secondary events from stellar occultations by Chiron that have been interpreted either as a dust shell or a ring system. Using the Hubble Space Telescope we obtained direct images of Chiron surroundings to search for rings, jets and/or small satellites. First results will be presented.

Kinematic Characteristics of Meteor Showers by Results of the Combined Radio-Television Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narziev, Mirhusen

2016-07-01

One of the most important tasks of meteor astronomy is the study of the distribution of meteoroid matter in the solar system. The most important component to address this issue presents the results of measurements of the velocities, radiants, and orbits of both showers and sporadic meteors. Radiant's and orbits of meteors for different sets of data obtained as a result of photographic, television, electro-optical, video, Fireball Network and radar observations have been measured repeatedly. However, radiants, velocities and orbits of shower meteors based on the results of combined radar-optical observations have not been sufficiently studied. In this paper, we present a methods for computing the radiants, velocities, and orbits of the combined radar-TV meteor observations carried out at HisAO in 1978-1980. As a result of the two-year cycle of simultaneous TV-radar observations 57 simultaneous meteors have been identified. Analysis of the TV images has shown that some meteor trails appeared as dashed lines. Among the simultaneous meteors of d-Aquariids 10 produced such dashed images, and among the Perseids there were only 7. Using a known method, for such fragmented images of simultaneous meteors - together with the measured radar distance, trace length, and time interval between the segments - allowed to determine meteor velocity using combined method. In addition, velocity of the same meteors was measured using diffraction and radar range-time methods based on the results of radar observation. It has been determined that the mean values of meteoroid velocity based on the combined radar-TV observations are greater in 1 ÷ 3 km / c than the averaged velocity values measured using only radar methods. Orbits of the simultaneously observed meteors with segmented photographic images were calculated on the basis of the average velocity observed using the combined radar-TV method. The measured results of radiants velocities and orbital elements of individual meteors

Results from Joint Observations of Jupiter's Atmosphere by Juno and a Network of Earth-Based Observing Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orton, G. S.; Bolton, S. J.; Levin, S.; Hansen, C. J.; Janssen, M. A.; Adriani, A.; Gladstone, R.; Bagenal, F.; Ingersoll, A. P.; Momary, T.; Payne, A.

2016-12-01

The Juno mission has promoted and coordinated a network of Earth-based observations, including both space- and ground-based facilities, to extend and enhance observations made by the Juno mission. The spectral region and timeline of all of these observations are summarized in the web site: https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/planned-observations. Among the earliest of these were observation of Jovian auroral phenomena at X-ray, ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths and measurements of Jovian synchrotron radiation from the Earth simultaneously with the measurement of properties of the upstream solar wind described elsewhere in this meeting. Other observations of significance to the magnetosphere measured the mass loading from Io by tracking its observed volcanic activity and the opacity of its torus. Observations of Jupiter's neutral atmosphere included observations of reflected sunlight from the near-ultraviolet through the near-infrared and thermal emission from 5 microns through the radio region. The point of these measurements is to relate properties of the deep atmosphere that are the focus of Juno's mission to the state of the "weather layer" at much higher atmospheric levels. These observations cover spectral regions not included in Juno's instrumentation, provide spatial context for Juno's often spatially limited coverage of Jupiter, and they describe the evolution of atmospheric features in time that are measured only once by Juno. We will summarize the results of measurements during the approach phase of the mission that characterized the state of the atmosphere, as well as observations made by Juno and the supporting campaign during Juno's perijoves 1 (August 27), 2 (October 19), 3 (November 2), 4 (November 15), and 5 (November 30). The Juno mission also benefited from the enlistment of a network of dedicated amateur astronomers who, besides providing input needed for public operation of the JunoCam visible camera, tracked the evolution of features in Jupiter

Differential frontal-parietal phase synchrony during hypnosis as a function of hypnotic suggestibility.

PubMed

Terhune, Devin Blair; Cardeña, Etzel; Lindgren, Magnus

2011-10-01

Spontaneous dissociative alterations in awareness and perception among highly suggestible individuals following a hypnotic induction may result from disruptions in the functional coordination of the frontal-parietal network. We recorded EEG and self-reported state dissociation in control and hypnosis conditions in two sessions with low and highly suggestible participants. Highly suggestible participants reliably experienced greater state dissociation and exhibited lower frontal-parietal phase synchrony in the alpha2 frequency band during hypnosis than low suggestible participants. These findings suggest that highly suggestible individuals exhibit a disruption of the frontal-parietal network that is only observable following a hypnotic induction. Copyright © 2011 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Interrogative suggestibility in patients with conversion disorders.

PubMed

Foong, J; Lucas, P A; Ron, M A

1997-09-01

We tested the hypothesis that increased interrogative suggestibility may contribute to the shaping and maintaining of conversions symptoms. Interrogative suggestibility was measured in 12 patients with conversion disorder and 10 control patients with confirmed neurological disease matched for age, premorbid intelligence, and as closely as possible in terms of their neurological symptoms to the patients with conversion disorder. Our observations do not support the contention that individual differences in interrogative suggestibility are of importance in the etiology of conversion disorders.

Mobbing Experiences of Instructors: Causes, Results, and Solution Suggestions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celep, Cevat; Konakli, Tugba

2013-01-01

In this study, it was aimed to investigate possible mobbing problems in universities, their causes and results, and to attract attention to precautions that can be taken. Phenomenology as one of the qualitative research methods was used in the study. Sample group of the study was selected through the criteria sampling method and eight instructors…

Application of the ex-Gaussian function to the effect of the word blindness suggestion on Stroop task performance suggests no word blindness

PubMed Central

Parris, Benjamin A.; Dienes, Zoltan; Hodgson, Timothy L.

2013-01-01

The aim of the present paper was to apply the ex-Gaussian function to data reported by Parris et al. (2012) given its utility in studies involving the Stroop task. Parris et al. showed an effect of the word blindness suggestion when Response-Stimulus Interval (RSI) was 500 ms but not when it was 3500 ms. Analysis revealed that: (1) The effect of the suggestion on interference is observed in μ, supporting converging evidence indicating the suggestion operates over response competition mechanisms; and, (2) Contrary to Parris et al. an effect of the suggestion was observed in μ when RSI was 3500 ms. The reanalysis of the data from Parris et al. (2012) supports the utility of ex-Gaussian analysis in revealing effects that might otherwise be thought of as absent. We suggest that word reading itself is not suppressed by the suggestion but instead that response conflict is dealt with more effectively. PMID:24065947

Application of the ex-Gaussian function to the effect of the word blindness suggestion on Stroop task performance suggests no word blindness.

PubMed

Parris, Benjamin A; Dienes, Zoltan; Hodgson, Timothy L

2013-01-01

The aim of the present paper was to apply the ex-Gaussian function to data reported by Parris et al. (2012) given its utility in studies involving the Stroop task. Parris et al. showed an effect of the word blindness suggestion when Response-Stimulus Interval (RSI) was 500 ms but not when it was 3500 ms. Analysis revealed that: (1) The effect of the suggestion on interference is observed in μ, supporting converging evidence indicating the suggestion operates over response competition mechanisms; and, (2) Contrary to Parris et al. an effect of the suggestion was observed in μ when RSI was 3500 ms. The reanalysis of the data from Parris et al. (2012) supports the utility of ex-Gaussian analysis in revealing effects that might otherwise be thought of as absent. We suggest that word reading itself is not suppressed by the suggestion but instead that response conflict is dealt with more effectively.

Results from the First Two Observing Seasons of PIQUE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gundersen, Joshua; Barkats, Denis; Hedman, Matt; Staggs, Suzanne; Winstein, Bruce

2001-04-01

We report on the first two seasons of the Princeton IQU Experiment (PIQUE). PIQUE is a ground-based telescope designed to measure the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). During the first season (1/19/00-4/2/00), PIQUE measured the Q Stokes parameter on a ring at declination of 89 degrees from the roof of the Physics Department at Princeton University using a 90 GHz correlation polarimeter with a full-width-half maximum beam of 0.24 degrees. PIQUE's observations from the first season yielded a new limit on the polarization of the CMB in the multipole range 100results from these observations will be presented.

Plasma observations near Jupiter - Initial results from Voyager 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridge, H. S.; Belcher, J. W.; Lazarus, A. J.; Sullivan, J. D.; Bagenal, F.; Mcnutt, R. L., Jr.; Ogilvie, K. W.; Scudder, J. D.; Sittler, E. D.; Vasyliunas, V. M.

1979-01-01

A preliminary report is presented of the results obtained by the Voyager 2 plasma experiment during the encounter of Voyager 2 with Jupiter from about 100 Jupiter radii before periapsis to about 300 Jupiter radii after periapsis, the instrument being identical to that on Voyager 1. The discussion covers the following: (1) the crossings of the bow shock and magnetopause observed on the inbound and outbound passes; (2) the radial variation of plasma properties in the magnetosphere; (3) variations in plasma properties near Ganymede; (4) corotation and composition of the plasma in the dayside magnetosphere; and (5) plasma sheet crossings observed on the inbound and outbound passes. From the planetary spin modulation of the plasma-electron intensity it is inferred that the plasma sheet is centered at the dipole magnetic equator out to a distance of 40-50 Jupiter radii and deviates from it toward the rotational equator at larger distances.

Evaluating the Impact of Database Heterogeneity on Observational Study Results

PubMed Central

Madigan, David; Ryan, Patrick B.; Schuemie, Martijn; Stang, Paul E.; Overhage, J. Marc; Hartzema, Abraham G.; Suchard, Marc A.; DuMouchel, William; Berlin, Jesse A.

2013-01-01

Clinical studies that use observational databases to evaluate the effects of medical products have become commonplace. Such studies begin by selecting a particular database, a decision that published papers invariably report but do not discuss. Studies of the same issue in different databases, however, can and do generate different results, sometimes with strikingly different clinical implications. In this paper, we systematically study heterogeneity among databases, holding other study methods constant, by exploring relative risk estimates for 53 drug-outcome pairs and 2 widely used study designs (cohort studies and self-controlled case series) across 10 observational databases. When holding the study design constant, our analysis shows that estimated relative risks range from a statistically significant decreased risk to a statistically significant increased risk in 11 of 53 (21%) of drug-outcome pairs that use a cohort design and 19 of 53 (36%) of drug-outcome pairs that use a self-controlled case series design. This exceeds the proportion of pairs that were consistent across databases in both direction and statistical significance, which was 9 of 53 (17%) for cohort studies and 5 of 53 (9%) for self-controlled case series. Our findings show that clinical studies that use observational databases can be sensitive to the choice of database. More attention is needed to consider how the choice of data source may be affecting results. PMID:23648805

Brief Report: Simulations Suggest Heterogeneous Category Learning and Generalization in Children with Autism is a Result of Idiosyncratic Perceptual Transformations.

PubMed

Mercado, Eduardo; Church, Barbara A

2016-08-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) sometimes have difficulties learning categories. Past computational work suggests that such deficits may result from atypical representations in cortical maps. Here we use neural networks to show that idiosyncratic transformations of inputs can result in the formation of feature maps that impair category learning for some inputs, but not for other closely related inputs. These simulations suggest that large inter- and intra-individual variations in learning capacities shown by children with ASD across similar categorization tasks may similarly result from idiosyncratic perceptual encoding that is resistant to experience-dependent changes. If so, then both feedback- and exposure-based category learning should lead to heterogeneous, stimulus-dependent deficits in children with ASD.

Suggestibility and suggestive modulation of the Stroop effect.

PubMed

Kirsch, Irving

2011-06-01

Although the induction of a hypnotic state does not seem necessary for suggestive modulation of the Stroop effect, this important phenomenon has seemed to be dependent on the subject's level of hypnotic suggestibility. Raz and Campbell's (2011) study indicates that suggestion can modulate the Stroop effect substantially in very low suggestible subjects, as well as in those who are highly suggestible. This finding casts doubt on the presumed mechanism by which suggestive modulation is brought about. Research aimed at uncovering the means by which low suggestible individuals are able to modulate the Stroop effect would be welcome, as would assessment of this effect in moderately suggestible people. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reanalysis of the Viking results suggests perchlorate and organics at midlatitudes on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarro-González, Rafael; Vargas, Edgar; de la Rosa, José; Raga, Alejandro C.; McKay, Christopher P.

2010-12-01

The most comprehensive search for organics in the Martian soil was performed by the Viking Landers. Martian soil was subjected to a thermal volatilization process to vaporize and break organic molecules, and the resultant gases and volatiles were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Only water at 0.1-1.0 wt% was detected, with traces of chloromethane at 15 ppb, at Viking landing site 1, and water at 0.05-1.0 wt% and carbon dioxide at 50-700 ppm, with traces of dichloromethane at 0.04-40 ppb, at Viking landing site 2. These chlorohydrocarbons were considered to be terrestrial contaminants, although they had not been detected at those levels in the blank runs. Recently, perchlorate was discovered in the Martian Arctic soil by the Phoenix Lander. Here we show that when Mars-like soils from the Atacama Desert containing 32 ± 6 ppm of organic carbon are mixed with 1 wt% magnesium perchlorate and heated, nearly all the organics present are decomposed to water and carbon dioxide, but a small amount is chlorinated, forming 1.6 ppm of chloromethane and 0.02 ppm of dichloromethane at 500°C. A chemical kinetics model was developed to predict the degree of oxidation and chlorination of organics in the Viking oven. Reinterpretation of the Viking results therefore suggests ≤0.1% perchlorate and 1.5-6.5 ppm organic carbon at landing site 1 and ≤0.1% perchlorate and 0.7-2.6 ppm organic carbon at landing site 2. The detection of organics on Mars is important to assess locations for future experiments to detect life itself.

Magnetic field observations near Mercury: Preliminary results from Mariner 10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ness, N. F.; Behannon, K. W.; Lepping, R. P.; Whang, Y. C.; Schatten, K. H.

1974-01-01

Results are presented from a preliminary analysis of data obtained near Mercury by the NASA/GSFC Magnetic Field Experiment on Mariner 10. A very well developed, detached bow shock wave, which developed as the super-Alfvenic solar wind interacted with the planet Mercury was observed. A magnetosphere-like region, with maximum field strength of 98 gamma at closest approach (704 km altitude) was also observed, and was contained within boundaries similar to the terrestrial magnetopause. The obstacle deflecting the solar wind flow was global in size, but the origin of the enhanced magnetic field was not established. The most plausible explanation, considering the complete body of data, favored the conclusion that Mercury has an intrinsic magnetic field.

Testing for variation in taxonomic extinction probabilities: a suggested methodology and some results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conroy, M.J.; Nichols, J.D.

1984-01-01

Several important questions in evolutionary biology and paleobiology involve sources of variation in extinction rates. In all cases of which we are aware, extinction rates have been estimated from data in which the probability that an observation (e.g., a fossil taxon) will occur is related both to extinction rates and to what we term encounter probabilities. Any statistical method for analyzing fossil data should at a minimum permit separate inferences on these two components. We develop a method for estimating taxonomic extinction rates from stratigraphic range data and for testing hypotheses about variability in these rates. We use this method to estimate extinction rates and to test the hypothesis of constant extinction rates for several sets of stratigraphic range data. The results of our tests support the hypothesis that extinction rates varied over the geologic time periods examined. We also present a test that can be used to identify periods of high or low extinction probabilities and provide an example using Phanerozoic invertebrate data. Extinction rates should be analyzed using stochastic models, in which it is recognized that stratigraphic samples are random varlates and that sampling is imperfect

Short-Term Chromospheric Variability in alpha Tauri (K5 III): Results from IUE Time Series Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuntz, Manfred; Deeney, Bryan D.; Brown, Alexander; Stencel, Robert E.

1996-01-01

We evaluate time series observations of chromospheric lines (Mg II, Mg I, and C II) for the K giant alpha Tau obtained using the IUE LWP camera at high dispersion. These observations cover a time span of about 2 weeks in 1994 February-March and were designed to resolve variations occurring within hours, days, and weeks. We consider the observational results in relation to theoretical acoustic heating models, motivated by the fact that alpha Tau may exhibit a basal (i.e., minimum) level of chromospheric activity. The data reveal flux variations between the extremes of 8% in Mg II h+k and 15% in each emission component. These variations occur on timescales as short as 8 hr but not on timescales longer than approx.3 days. For the h and k components, flux variations occurring on a timescale as short as 1.5 hr are also found. These changes are often not correlated (and are sometimes even anticorrelated), leading to remarkable differences in the h/k ratios. We argue that these results are consistent with the presence of strong acoustic shocks, which can lead to variable Mg II line emission when only a small number of strong shocks are propagating through the atmosphere. We deduce the electron density in the C II lambda 2325 line formation region to be log(base e) of N. approx. equals 9.0, in agreement with previous studies. Our data provide evidence that the Mg II basal flux limit for K giants might be a factor of 4 higher than suggested by Rutten et al.

Initial pioneer venus magnetic field results: dayside observations.

PubMed

Russell, C T; Elphic, R C; Slavin, J A

1979-02-23

Initial observations by the Pioneer Venus mangnetometer in the sunlit ionosphere reveal a dynamic ionosphere, very responsive to external solar-wind conditions. The localtions of the bow shock and ionosphere are variable. The strength of the magnetic field just olutside the ionopause is in approximate pressure balance with the thermal plasma of the ionosphere and changes markedly from day, to day in response to changes in solar wind pressure. The field strength in the ionosphere is also variable from day to day. The field is often weak, at most a few gammas, but reaching many tens of gammas for periods of the order of seconds. These field enchantments are interpreted as due to the passage of spacecraft through flux ropes consisting of bundles of twisted field lines surrounded by the ionospheric plasma. The helicity of the flux varies through the flux tube, with lows pitch angles on the inside and very lage angles in the low-field outer edges of the ropes. These ropes may have external or internal sources. Consistent with previous results, the average position of the bow shock is much closer to the planet than would be expected if the solar wnd were completely deflected by the planet. In total, these observations indicate that the solar wind plays a significant role in the physics of the Venus ionosphere.

Ionospheric scintillation observations over Kenyan region - Preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olwendo, O. J.; Xiao, Yu; Ming, Ou

2016-11-01

Ionospheric scintillation refers to the rapid fluctuations in the amplitude and phase of a satellite signal as it passes through small-scale plasma density irregularities in the ionosphere. By analyzing ionospheric scintillation observation datasets from satellite signals such as GPS signals we can study the morphology of ionospheric bubbles. At low latitudes, the diurnal behavior of scintillation is driven by the formation of large-scale equatorial density depletions which form one to two hours after sunset via the Rayleigh-Taylor instability mechanism near the magnetic equator. In this work we present ionospheric scintillation activity over Kenya using data derived from a newly installed scintillation monitor developed by CRIRP at Pwani University (39.78°E, 3.24°S) during the period August to December, 2014. The results reveal the scintillation activity mainly occurs from post-sunset to post-midnight hours, and ceases around 04:00 LT. We also found that the ionospheric scintillation tends to appear at the southwest and northwest of the station. These locations coincide with the southern part of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly crest over Kenya region. The occurrence of post-midnight L-band scintillation events which are not linked to pre-midnight scintillation observations raises fundamental question on the mechanism and source of electric fields driving the plasma depletion under conditions of very low background electron density.

An international observational study suggests that artificial intelligence for clinical decision support optimizes anemia management in hemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Barbieri, Carlo; Molina, Manuel; Ponce, Pedro; Tothova, Monika; Cattinelli, Isabella; Ion Titapiccolo, Jasmine; Mari, Flavio; Amato, Claudia; Leipold, Frank; Wehmeyer, Wolfgang; Stuard, Stefano; Stopper, Andrea; Canaud, Bernard

2016-08-01

Managing anemia in hemodialysis patients can be challenging because of competing therapeutic targets and individual variability. Because therapy recommendations provided by a decision support system can benefit both patients and doctors, we evaluated the impact of an artificial intelligence decision support system, the Anemia Control Model (ACM), on anemia outcomes. Based on patient profiles, the ACM was built to recommend suitable erythropoietic-stimulating agent doses. Our retrospective study consisted of a 12-month control phase (standard anemia care), followed by a 12-month observation phase (ACM-guided care) encompassing 752 patients undergoing hemodialysis therapy in 3 NephroCare clinics located in separate countries. The percentage of hemoglobin values on target, the median darbepoetin dose, and individual hemoglobin fluctuation (estimated from the intrapatient hemoglobin standard deviation) were deemed primary outcomes. In the observation phase, median darbepoetin consumption significantly decreased from 0.63 to 0.46 μg/kg/month, whereas on-target hemoglobin values significantly increased from 70.6% to 76.6%, reaching 83.2% when the ACM suggestions were implemented. Moreover, ACM introduction led to a significant decrease in hemoglobin fluctuation (intrapatient standard deviation decreased from 0.95 g/dl to 0.83 g/dl). Thus, ACM support helped improve anemia outcomes of hemodialysis patients, minimizing erythropoietic-stimulating agent use with the potential to reduce the cost of treatment. Copyright © 2016 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Classification of hadith into positive suggestion, negative suggestion, and information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faraby, Said Al; Riviera Rachmawati Jasin, Eliza; Kusumaningrum, Andina; Adiwijaya

2018-03-01

As one of the Muslim life guidelines, based on the meaning of its sentence(s), a hadith can be viewed as a suggestion for doing something, or a suggestion for not doing something, or just information without any suggestion. In this paper, we tried to classify the Bahasa translation of hadith into the three categories using machine learning approach. We tried stemming and stopword removal in preprocessing, and TF-IDF of unigram, bigram, and trigram as the extracted features. As the classifier, we compared between SVM and Neural Network. Since the categories are new, so in order to compare the results of the previous pipelines, we created a baseline classifier using simple rule-based string matching technique. The rule-based algorithm conditions on the occurrence of words such as “janganlah, sholatlah, and so on” to determine the category. The baseline method achieved F1-Score of 0.69, while the best F1-Score from the machine learning approach was 0.88, and it was produced by SVM model with the linear kernel.

The functional anatomy of suggested limb paralysis.

PubMed

Deeley, Quinton; Oakley, David A; Toone, Brian; Bell, Vaughan; Walsh, Eamonn; Marquand, Andre F; Giampietro, Vincent; Brammer, Michael J; Williams, Steven C R; Mehta, Mitul A; Halligan, Peter W

2013-02-01

Suggestions of limb paralysis in highly hypnotically suggestible subjects have been employed to successfully model conversion disorders, revealing similar patterns of brain activation associated with attempted movement of the affected limb. However, previous studies differ with regard to the executive regions involved during involuntary inhibition of the affected limb. This difference may have arisen as previous studies did not control for differences in hypnosis depth between conditions and/or include subjective measures to explore the experience of suggested paralysis. In the current study we employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the functional anatomy of left and right upper limb movements in eight healthy subjects selected for high hypnotic suggestibility during (i) hypnosis (NORMAL) and (ii) attempted movement following additional left upper limb paralysis suggestions (PARALYSIS). Contrast of left upper limb motor function during NORMAL relative to PARALYSIS conditions revealed greater activation of contralateral M1/S1 and ipsilateral cerebellum, consistent with the engagement of these regions in the completion of movements. By contrast, two significant observations were noted in PARALYSIS relative to NORMAL conditions. In conjunction with reports of attempts to move the paralysed limb, greater supplementary motor area (SMA) activation was observed, a finding consistent with the role of SMA in motor intention and planning. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, BA 24) was also significantly more active in PARALYSIS relative to NORMAL conditions - suggesting that ACC (BA 24) may be implicated in involuntary, as well as voluntary inhibition of prepotent motor responses. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SPECTROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS OF AN EVOLVING FLARE RIBBON SUBSTRUCTURE SUGGESTING ORIGIN IN CURRENT SHEET WAVES

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

Brannon, S. R.; Longcope, D. W.; Qiu, J.

2015-09-01

We present imaging and spectroscopic observations from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph of the evolution of the flare ribbon in the SOL2014-04-18T13:03 M-class flare event, at high spatial resolution and time cadence. These observations reveal small-scale substructure within the ribbon, which manifests as coherent quasi-periodic oscillations in both position and Doppler velocities. We consider various alternative explanations for these oscillations, including modulation of chromospheric evaporation flows. Among these, we find the best support for some form of wave localized to the coronal current sheet, such as a tearing mode or Kelvin–Helmholtz instability.

Early Results from NICER Observations of Accreting Neutron Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakrabarty, Deepto; Ozel, Feryal; Arzoumanian, Zaven; Gendreau, Keith C.; Bult, Peter; Cackett, Ed; Chenevez, Jerome; Fabian, Andy; Guillot, Sebastien; Guver, Tolga; Homan, Jeroen; Keek, Laurens; Lamb, Frederick; Ludlam, Renee; Mahmoodifar, Simin; Markwardt, Craig B.; Miller, Jon M.; Psaltis, Dimitrios; Strohmayer, Tod E.; Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A.; Wolff, Michael T.

2018-01-01

The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) offers significant new capabilities for the study of accreting neuton stars relative to previous X-ray missions including large effective area, low background, and greatly improved low-energy response. The NICER Burst and Accretion Working Group has designed a 2 Ms observation program to study a number of phenomena in accreting neutron stars including type-I X-ray bursts, superbursts, accretion-powered pulsations, quasi-periodic oscillations, and accretion disk reflection spectra. We present some early results from the first six months of the NICER mission.

Ethical challenges in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease observational studies and trials: results of the Barcelona summit

PubMed Central

Molinuevo, José L.; Cami, Jordi; Carné, Xavier; Carrillo, Maria C.; Georges, Jean; Isaac, Maria B.; Khachaturian, Zaven; Kim, Scott Y. H.; Morris, John C.; Pasquier, Florence; Ritchie, Craig; Sperling, Reisa; Karlawish, Jason

2016-01-01

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is among the most significant healthcare burdens. Disappointing results from clinical trials in late-stage AD persons combined with hopeful results from trials in persons with early-stage suggest that research in the preclinical stage of AD is necessary to define an optimal therapeutic success window. We review the justification for conducting trials in the preclinical stage and highlight novel ethical challenges that arise and are related to determining appropriate risk-benefit ratios and disclosing individuals’ biomarker status. We propose that to conduct clinical trials with these participants, we need to improve public understanding of AD using unified vocabulary, resolve the acceptable risk-benefit ratio in asymptomatic participants and disclose or not biomarker status with attention to study type (observational studies versus clinical trials). Overcoming these challenges will justify clinical trials in preclinical AD at the societal level and aid to the development of societal and legal support for trial participants. PMID:26988427

Brief Report: Simulations Suggest Heterogeneous Category Learning and Generalization in Children with Autism Is a Result of Idiosyncratic Perceptual Transformations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercado, Eduardo, III; Church, Barbara A.

2016-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) sometimes have difficulties learning categories. Past computational work suggests that such deficits may result from atypical representations in cortical maps. Here we use neural networks to show that idiosyncratic transformations of inputs can result in the formation of feature maps that impair…

A suggested mechanism for aluminum biotoxicity.

PubMed

Forbes, W F; Agwani, N

1994-11-21

Following earlier work on the relevance of silica (SiO2) and fluoride (F) to the biotoxicity of aluminum (Al), it is shown that relatively high risks of a measure of mental impairment are frequently associated with relatively low SiO2 and F in the drinking water available in different parts of Ontario. Also, because of a negative association between SiO2 and F concentrations in the treated water available in different municipalities, a low SiO2 concentration can account for the observed association involving high F concentrations, and low F concentrations can similarly account for associations involving high SiO2 concentrations. In the light of these observations, the biotoxic effects at low Al concentrations can be explained by assuming that interactions occur with membranes. Such interactions may be less likely at higher SiO2 and F concentrations, because at these concentrations, interactions between Al-, SiO2- and F-containing species are more important. Generally, the various associations with a measure of mental impairment can be explained on the assumption that F exerts a protective effect against the biotoxic effects of Al, as does SiO2 under certain conditions, but the effects of SiO2 only become important at higher SiO2 concentrations. The results from this and other studies suggest that the neurotoxic effects of Al depend on other water constituents. The results also indicate that absorption through the lung or skin, rather than through the stomach or the bowel, can better explain the reported associations.

Magnetic Field Observations near Mercury: Preliminary Results from Mariner 10.

PubMed

Ness, N F; Behannon, K W; Lepping, R P; Whang, Y C; Schatten, K H

1974-07-12

Results are presented from a preliminary analysis of data obtained near Mercury on 29 March 1974 by the NASA-GSFC magnetic field experiment on Mariner 10. Rather unexpectedly, a very well-developed, detached bow shock wave, which develops as the super-Alfvénic solar wind interacts with the planet, has been observed. In addition, a magnetosphere-like region, with maximum field strength of 98 gammas at closest approach (704 kilometers altitude), has been observed, contained within boundaries similar to the terrestrial magnetopause. The obstacle deflecting the solar wind flow is global in size, but the origin of the enhanced magnetic field has not yet been uniquely established. The field may be intrinsic to the planet and distorted by interaction with the solar wind. It may also be associated with a complex induction process whereby the planetary interior-atmosphere-ionosphere interacts with the solar wind flow to generate the observed field by a dynamo action. The complete body of data favors the preliminary conclusion that Mercury has an intrinsic magnetic field. If this is correct, it represents a major scientific discovery in planetary magnetism and will have considerable impact on studies of the origin of the solar system.

Results From the First 118 GHz Passive Microwave Observations Over Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McAllister, R.; Gallaher, D. W.; Gasiewski, A. J.; Periasamy, L.; Belter, R.; Hurowitz, M.; Hosack, W.; Sanders, B. T.

2017-12-01

Cooperation between the University of Colorado (Center for Environmental Technology, National Snow and Ice Data Center, and Colorado Space Grant Consortium) and the private corporation Orbital Micro Systems (OMS) has resulted in a highly miniturized passive microwave sensor. This sensor was successfully flown over Antarctica in onboard NASA's DC-8 in Operation Ice Bridge (OIB) in October / November of 2016. Data was collected from the "MiniRad" 8 channel miniaturized microwave sensor, which operated as both a sounder and an imager. The non-calibrated observation included both high and low altitude observations over clouds, sea, ice, ice sheets, and mountains as well as terrain around Tierra del Fuego. Sample results and their significance will be discussed. The instrument is in a form factor suitable for deployment in cubesats and will be launched into orbit next year. Commercial deployments by OMS in a constellation configuration will shortly follow.

Evaluation of Observation-Fused Regional Air Quality Model Results for Population Air Pollution Exposure Estimation

PubMed Central

Chen, Gang; Li, Jingyi; Ying, Qi; Sherman, Seth; Perkins, Neil; Rajeshwari, Sundaram; Mendola, Pauline

2014-01-01

In this study, Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model was applied to predict ambient gaseous and particulate concentrations during 2001 to 2010 in 15 hospital referral regions (HRRs) using a 36-km horizontal resolution domain. An inverse distance weighting based method was applied to produce exposure estimates based on observation-fused regional pollutant concentration fields using the differences between observations and predictions at grid cells where air quality monitors were located. Although the raw CMAQ model is capable of producing satisfying results for O3 and PM2.5 based on EPA guidelines, using the observation data fusing technique to correct CMAQ predictions leads to significant improvement of model performance for all gaseous and particulate pollutants. Regional average concentrations were calculated using five different methods: 1) inverse distance weighting of observation data alone, 2) raw CMAQ results, 3) observation-fused CMAQ results, 4) population-averaged raw CMAQ results and 5) population-averaged fused CMAQ results. It shows that while O3 (as well as NOx) monitoring networks in the HRR regions are dense enough to provide consistent regional average exposure estimation based on monitoring data alone, PM2.5 observation sites (as well as monitors for CO, SO2, PM10 and PM2.5 components) are usually sparse and the difference between the average concentrations estimated by the inverse distance interpolated observations, raw CMAQ and fused CMAQ results can be significantly different. Population-weighted average should be used to account spatial variation in pollutant concentration and population density. Using raw CMAQ results or observations alone might lead to significant biases in health outcome analyses. PMID:24747248

Deepening Sleep by Hypnotic Suggestion

PubMed Central

Cordi, Maren J.; Schlarb, Angelika A.; Rasch, Björn

2014-01-01

Study Objectives: Slow wave sleep (SWS) plays a critical role in body restoration and promotes brain plasticity; however, it markedly declines across the lifespan. Despite its importance, effective tools to increase SWS are rare. Here we tested whether a hypnotic suggestion to “sleep deeper” extends the amount of SWS. Design: Within-subject, placebo-controlled crossover design. Setting: Sleep laboratory at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. Participants: Seventy healthy females 23.27 ± 3.17 y. Intervention: Participants listened to an auditory text with hypnotic suggestions or a control tape before napping for 90 min while high-density electroencephalography was recorded. Measurements and Results: After participants listened to the hypnotic suggestion to “sleep deeper” subsequent SWS was increased by 81% and time spent awake was reduced by 67% (with the amount of SWS or wake in the control condition set to 100%). Other sleep stages remained unaffected. Additionally, slow wave activity was significantly enhanced after hypnotic suggestions. During the hypnotic tape, parietal theta power increases predicted the hypnosis-induced extension of SWS. Additional experiments confirmed that the beneficial effect of hypnotic suggestions on SWS was specific to the hypnotic suggestion and did not occur in low suggestible participants. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of hypnotic suggestions to specifically increase the amount and duration of slow wave sleep (SWS) in a midday nap using objective measures of sleep in young, healthy, suggestible females. Hypnotic suggestions might be a successful tool with a lower risk of adverse side effects than pharmacological treatments to extend SWS also in clinical and elderly populations. Citation: Cordi MJ, Schlarb AA, Rasch B. Deepening sleep by hypnotic suggestion. SLEEP 2014;37(6):1143-1152. PMID:24882909

A comparison among observations and earthquake simulator results for the allcal2 California fault model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tullis, Terry. E.; Richards-Dinger, Keith B.; Barall, Michael; Dieterich, James H.; Field, Edward H.; Heien, Eric M.; Kellogg, Louise; Pollitz, Fred F.; Rundle, John B.; Sachs, Michael K.; Turcotte, Donald L.; Ward, Steven N.; Yikilmaz, M. Burak

2012-01-01

In order to understand earthquake hazards we would ideally have a statistical description of earthquakes for tens of thousands of years. Unfortunately the ∼100‐year instrumental, several 100‐year historical, and few 1000‐year paleoseismological records are woefully inadequate to provide a statistically significant record. Physics‐based earthquake simulators can generate arbitrarily long histories of earthquakes; thus they can provide a statistically meaningful history of simulated earthquakes. The question is, how realistic are these simulated histories? This purpose of this paper is to begin to answer that question. We compare the results between different simulators and with information that is known from the limited instrumental, historic, and paleoseismological data.As expected, the results from all the simulators show that the observational record is too short to properly represent the system behavior; therefore, although tests of the simulators against the limited observations are necessary, they are not a sufficient test of the simulators’ realism. The simulators appear to pass this necessary test. In addition, the physics‐based simulators show similar behavior even though there are large differences in the methodology. This suggests that they represent realistic behavior. Different assumptions concerning the constitutive properties of the faults do result in enhanced capabilities of some simulators. However, it appears that the similar behavior of the different simulators may result from the fault‐system geometry, slip rates, and assumed strength drops, along with the shared physics of stress transfer.This paper describes the results of running four earthquake simulators that are described elsewhere in this issue of Seismological Research Letters. The simulators ALLCAL (Ward, 2012), VIRTCAL (Sachs et al., 2012), RSQSim (Richards‐Dinger and Dieterich, 2012), and ViscoSim (Pollitz, 2012) were run on our most recent all‐California fault

Lunar occultation of Saturn. IV - Astrometric results from observations of the satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunham, D. W.; Elliot, J. L.

1978-01-01

The method of determining local lunar limb slopes, and the consequent time scale needed for diameter studies, from accurate occultation timings at two nearby telescopes is described. Results for photoelectric observations made at Mauna Kea Observatory during the occultation of Saturn's satellites on March 30, 1974, are discussed. Analysis of all observations of occultations of Saturn's satellites during 1974 indicates possible errors in the ephemerides of Saturn and its satellites.

Testing increases suggestibility for narrative-based misinformation but reduces suggestibility for question-based misinformation.

PubMed

LaPaglia, Jessica A; Chan, Jason C K

2013-01-01

A number of recent studies have found that recalling details of an event following its occurrence can increase people's suggestibility to later presented misinformation. However, several other studies have reported the opposite result, whereby earlier retrieval can reduce subsequent eyewitness suggestibility. In the present study, we investigated whether differences in the way misinformation is presented can modulate the effects of testing on suggestibility. Participants watched a video of a robbery and some were questioned about the event immediately afterwards. Later, participants were exposed to misinformation in a narrative (Experiment 1) or in questions (Experiment 2). Consistent with previous studies, we found that testing increased suggestibility when misinformation was presented via a narrative. Remarkably, when misinformation was presented in questions, testing decreased suggestibility. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Initial Checkout Results of the Compact Infrared Camera (circ) for Earth Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, E.; Katayama, H.; Sakai, M.; Nakajima, Y.; Kimura, T.; Nakau, K.; Tonooka, H.

2015-04-01

Compact Infrared Camera (CIRC) is a technology-demonstration instrument equipped with an uncooled infrared array detector (microbolometer) for space application. CIRC is the first microbolometer sensor without a calibration function in orbit, like a shutter system or an onboard blackbody. The main objective of the CIRC is to detect wildfires, which are major and chronic disasters affecting various countries of Southeast Asia, particularly considering the effects of global warming and climate change. The CIRC achieves a small size (approximately 200 mm), light mass (approximately 3 kg), and low electrical power consumption (<20 W) by employing athermal optics and a shutterless system. The CIRC can be consequently mounted on multiple satellites to enable highfrequency observation. Installation of CIRCs on the ALOS-2 and on the JEM/CALET is expected to increase observation frequency. We present the initial check-out results of the CIRC onboard ALOS-2. Since the initial check-out phase (July 4-14, 2014), the CIRC has acquired the images of Earth. CIRC was demonstrated to function according to its intended design. After the early calibration validation phase, which confirmed the temperature accuracy of observed data, CIRC data has been available to the public January 2015 onward. We also introduce a few observational results about wildfire, volcanoes, and heat-island.

Ergodicity convergence test suggests telomere motion obeys fractional dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kepten, E.; Bronshtein, I.; Garini, Y.

2011-04-01

Anomalous diffusion, observed in many biological processes, is a generalized description of a wide variety of processes, all obeying the same law of mean-square displacement. Identifying the basic mechanisms of these observations is important for deducing the nature of the biophysical systems measured. We implement a previously suggested method for distinguishing between fractional Langevin dynamics, fractional Brownian motion, and continuous time random walk based on the ergodic nature of the data. We apply the method together with the recently suggested P-variation test and the displacement correlation to the lately measured dynamics of telomeres in the nucleus of mammalian cells and find strong evidence that the telomeres motion obeys fractional dynamics. The ergodic dynamics are observed experimentally to fit fractional Brownian or Langevin dynamics.

Observation VLBI Session RAPL02. the Results of the Data Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuprikov, A. A.

Results of processing of data of a VLBI experiment titled RAPL02 are presented. These observations were made in 2011 February with 5 antennas. All 3 antennas of Petersberg's Institute of Applied Astronomy (IAA) were used in this session. These were antennae in Svetloe, in Zelenchuck, and in Badary. Additionally, a 22-m antenna in Puschino as well as a 32-m antenna in Medicina (Italy) were also included into observations. The raw data correlation was made at the software correlator of Astro Space Center. The secondary data processing was made for 3 quasars, 3C273, 3C279, and 3C286.

Magnetic Field Observations near Venus: Preliminary Results from Mariner 10.

PubMed

Ness, N F; Behannon, K W; Lepping, R P; Whang, Y C; Schatten, K H

1974-03-29

The NASA-GSFC magnetic field experiment on Mariner 10 is the first flight of a dual magnetometer system conceived to permit accurate measurements of weak magnetic fields in space in the presence of a significant and variable spacecraft magnetic field. Results from a preliminary analysis of a limted data set are summarized in this report, which is restricted primarily to Venus encounter. A detached bow shock wave that develops as the super Alfvénic solar wind interacts with the Venusian atmosphere has been observed. However, the unique coincidence of trajectory position and interplanetary field orientation at the time of bow shock crossing led to a very disturbed shock profile with considerably enhanced upstream magnetic fluctuations. At present it is not possible to ascertain the nature and characteristics of the obstacle responsible for deflecting the solar wind flow. Far downstream disturbances associated with the solar wind wake have been observed.

Hypnosis, suggestion, and suggestibility: an integrative model.

PubMed

Lynn, Steven Jay; Laurence, Jean-Roch; Kirsch, Irving

2015-01-01

This article elucidates an integrative model of hypnosis that integrates social, cultural, cognitive, and neurophysiological variables at play both in and out of hypnosis and considers their dynamic interaction as determinants of the multifaceted experience of hypnosis. The roles of these variables are examined in the induction and suggestion stages of hypnosis, including how they are related to the experience of involuntariness, one of the hallmarks of hypnosis. It is suggested that studies of the modification of hypnotic suggestibility; cognitive flexibility; response sets and expectancies; the default-mode network; and the search for the neurophysiological correlates of hypnosis, more broadly, in conjunction with research on social psychological variables, hold much promise to further understanding of hypnosis.

SOAR remote observing: tactics and early results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cecil, Gerald N.; Crain, J. Adam

2004-09-01

Travel from North America to the 4.1m SOAR telescope atop Cerro Pachon exceeds $1000, and takes >16 hours door to door (20+ hours typically). SOAR aims to exploit best seeing, requiring dynamic scheduling that is impossible to accomplish when catering to peripatetic astronomers. According to technical arguments at www.peakoil.org, we are near the peak rate of depleting world petroleum, so can expect travel costs to climb sharply. With the telecom bubble's glut of optical fiber, we can transmit data more efficiently than astronomers and "observe remotely". With data compression, less than half of the 6 Mbps bandwidth shared currently by SOAR and CTIO is enough to enable a high-fidelity observing presence for SOAR partners in North America, Brazil, and Chile. We discuss access from home by cable modem/DSL link.

Results of solar observations by the CORONAS-F payload

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, V. D.; Sobelman, I. I.; Zhitnik, I. A.; Kuzin, S. V.; Kotov, Yu. D.; Charikov, Yu. E.; Kuznetsov, S. N.; Mazets, E. P.; Nusinov, A. A.; Pankov, A. M.; Sylwester, J.

2011-05-01

The CORONAS-F mission experiments and results have been reviewed. The observations with the DIFOS multi-channel photometer in a broad spectral range from 350 to 1500 nm have revealed the dependence of the relative amplitudes of p-modes of the global solar oscillations on the wavelength that agrees perfectly well with the earlier data obtained in a narrower spectral ranges. The SPIRIT EUV observations have enabled the study of various manifestations of solar activity and high-temperature events on the Sun. The data from the X-ray spectrometer RESIK, gamma spectrometer HELICON, flare spectrometer IRIS, amplitude-temporal spectrometer AVS-F, and X-ray spectrometer RPS-1 have been used to analyze the X- and gamma-ray emission from solar flares and for diagnostics of the flaring plasma. The absolute and relative content of various elements (such as potassium, argon, and sulfur) of solar plasma in flares has been determined for the first time with the X-ray spectrometer RESIK. The Solar Cosmic Ray Complex monitored the solar flare effects in the Earth's environment. The UV emission variations recorded during solar flares in the vicinity of the 120-nm wavelength have been analyzed and the amplitude of relative variations has been determined.

The Effects of Suggestibility on Relaxation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rickard, Henry C.; And Others

1985-01-01

Selected undergraduates (N=32) on the basis of Creative Imagination Scale scores and randomly assigned high and low suggestibility subjects to progressive relaxation (PR) and suggestions of relaxation (SR) training modes. Results revealed a significant pre-post relaxation effect, and main efffects for both suggestibility and training mode. (NRB)

Of blind men and elephants: suggesting SDM-MASS as a compound measure for shared decision making integrating patient, physician and observer views.

PubMed

Geiger, Friedemann; Kasper, Jürgen

2012-01-01

Shared decision making (SDM) between patient and physician is an interpersonal process. Most SDM measures use the view of one party (patient, physician or observer) as a proxy to capture this process although these views typically diverge. This study suggests the compound measure SDM(MASS) (SDM Meeting its concept's ASSumptions) integrating these three perspectives in one single index. SDM(MASS) was derived theoretically and compared empirically to unilateral perspectives of patients, physicians and observers by application to a data set of 10 physicians (40 consultations) receiving an SDM training. The constituting parts of SDM(MASS) were highly reliable (Cronbach's alpha .94; interrater reliability .74-.87). Unilateral appraisal of training effects was divergent. SDM(MASS) revealed no effect. SDM(MASS) combines noteworthy information about SDM processes from different viewpoints and thereby delivers plausible assessments. It could overcome immanent shortcomings of unilateral approaches. However, it is a complex measure needing further validation. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Observer Use of Standardized Observation Protocols in Consequential Observation Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Courtney A.; Yi, Qi; Jones, Nathan D.; Lewis, Jennifer M.; McLeod, Monica; Liu, Shuangshuang

2014-01-01

Evidence from a handful of large-scale studies suggests that although observers can be trained to score reliably using observation protocols, there are concerns related to initial training and calibration activities designed to keep observers scoring accurately over time (e.g., Bell, et al, 2012; BMGF, 2012). Studies offer little insight into how…

Spacelab Science Results Study. Volume 1; External Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naumann, Robert J. (Compiler)

1999-01-01

Some of the 36 Spacelab missions were more or less dedicated to specific scientific disciplines, while other carried a eclectic mixture of experiments ranging from astrophysics to life sciences. However, the experiments can be logically classified into two general categories; those that make use of the Shuttle as an observing platform for external phenomena (including those which use the Shuttle in an interactive mode) and those which use the Shuttle as a microgravity laboratory. This first volume of this Spacelab Science Results study will be devoted to experiments of the first category. The disciplines included are Astrophysics, Solar Physics, Space Plasma Physics, Atmospheric Sciences, and Earth Sciences. Because of the large number of microgravity investigations, Volume 2 will be devoted to Microgravity Sciences, which includes Fluid Physics, Combustion Science, Materials Science, and Biotechnology, and Volume 3 will be devoted to Space Life Sciences, which studies the response and adaptability of living organisms to the microgravity environment.

'Cape capture': Geologic data and modeling results suggest the holocene loss of a Carolina Cape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thieler, E.R.; Ashton, A.D.

2011-01-01

For more than a century, the origin and evolution of the set of cuspate forelands known as the Carolina Capes-Hatteras, Lookout, Fear, and Romain-off the eastern coast of the United States have been discussed and debated. The consensus conceptual model is not only that these capes existed through much or all of the Holocene transgression, but also that their number has not changed. Here we describe bathymetric, lithologic, seismic, and chronologic data that suggest another cape may have existed between Capes Hatteras and Lookout during the early to middle Holocene. This cape likely formed at the distal end of the Neuse-Tar-Pamlico fiuvial system during the early Holocene transgression, when this portion of the shelf was fiooded ca. 9 cal (calibrated) kyr B.P., and was probably abandoned by ca. 4 cal kyr B.P., when the shoreline attained its present general configuration. Previously proposed mechanisms for cape formation suggest that the large-scale, rhythmic pattern of the Carolina Capes arose from a hydrodynamic template or the preexisting geologic framework. Numerical modeling, however, suggests that the number and spacing of capes can be dynamic, and that a coast can self-organize in response to a high-angle-wave instability in shoreline shape. In shoreline evolution model simulations, smaller cuspate forelands are subsumed by larger neighbors over millennial time scales through a process of 'cape capture.' The suggested former cape in Raleigh Bay represents the first interpreted geological evidence of dynamic abandonment suggested by the self-organization hypothesis. Cape capture may be a widespread process in coastal environments with large-scale rhythmic shoreline features; its preservation in the sedimentary record will vary according to geologic setting, physical processes, and sea-level history. ?? 2011 Geological Society of America.

HST Observations of the Uranian Ring Plane Crossing: Early Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showalter, Mark R.; Lissauer, J. J.; French, R. G.; Hamilton, D. P.; Nicholson, P. D.; de Pater, I.

2007-10-01

Between early May and mid-August 2007, Earth was on the north side of the Uranian ring plane while the Sun was still shining on the rings’ southern face. This has provided an exceedingly rare opportunity to view the ring system via transmitted light. The ɛ ring, which typically out-shines every other component of the inner ring-moon system, has been rendered essentially invisible. We have been conducting regular imaging of the Uranian system throughout this period with the Wide Field/Planetary Camera on HST to address numerous scientific goals. (1) To search the inner Uranian system for the "shepherding” moons long believed to confine the narrow rings; (2) to study the packing density of the main rings via direct observations of their vertical thickness; (3) to search for the inner dust rings that appeared in a few Voyager images; (4) to determine the vertical thickness of the faint outer rings μ and ν (5) to obtain the most sensitive determinations of the outer rings’ colors and try to understand why ring ν is red but ring μ is blue; (6) to search for additional outer dust rings under optimal viewing geometry; and (7) to continue monitoring the seemingly chaotic orbital variations of the inner Uranian moons, particularly Mab. HST observations span mid-May to mid-September. We will present our initial results from this observing program.

Academic success or failure in nursing students: results of a retrospective observational study.

PubMed

Lancia, Loreto; Petrucci, Cristina; Giorgi, Fabio; Dante, Angelo; Cifone, Maria Grazia

2013-12-01

Nursing student academic failure is a phenomenon of growing international interest, not only because of its economic impact but also because it negatively affects the availability of future nurses in different healthcare systems. To recruit the students with the highest probability of academic success, an open challenge for universities is to recruit students who have previously demonstrated superior scholastic aptitudes that appear to be associated with a greater likelihood of academic success. Documenting the relationship between the selection methods used when selecting nursing students and academic failure will contribute to the international debate concerning the optimisation of the selection strategies. The principal aim of this study was to investigate the role in predicting nursing student academic success of (1) the upper-secondary diploma grades and (2) the score obtained by students in the nursing degree program admission test. A retrospective observational study was conducted. Five cohorts of nursing students, matriculated in consecutive academic years from 2004 to 2008, in an Italian bachelor's degree program were observed retrospectively. Overall, 61.2% of the 1006 considered students concluded their degree within the legal duration allowed for the nursing degree. Students who failed were those who had lowest grades associated with their upper-secondary diploma coursework (p=0.000) and were male (p=0.000). The grades associated with the upper-secondary diploma coursework, unlike the admission test score, correlates positively with the final degree grade and the average value of degree program examination scores. No correlation was found between the upper-secondary diploma coursework grades and the scores obtained in the test for the nursing degree program admission test (r=-0.037). These results suggest that upper-secondary diploma coursework grades are a parameter that should receive great consideration, especially in cases where there are planned

Ayahuasca-assisted therapy for addiction: results from a preliminary observational study in Canada.

PubMed

Thomas, Gerald; Lucas, Philippe; Capler, N Rielle; Tupper, Kenneth W; Martin, Gina

2013-03-01

This paper reports results from a preliminary observational study of ayahuasca-assisted treatment for problematic substance use and stress delivered in a rural First Nations community in British Columbia, Canada. The "Working with Addiction and Stress" retreats combined four days of group counselling with two expert-led ayahuasca ceremonies. This study collected pre-treatment and six months follow-up data from 12 participants on several psychological and behavioral factors related to problematic substance use, and qualitative data assessing the personal experiences of the participants six months after the retreat. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvements were demonstrated for scales assessing hopefulness, empowerment, mindfulness, and quality of life meaning and outlook subscales. Self-reported alcohol, tobacco and cocaine use declined, although cannabis and opiate use did not; reported reductions in problematic cocaine use were statistically significant. All study participants reported positive and lasting changes from participating in the retreats. This form of ayahuasca-assisted therapy appears to be associated with statistically significant improvements in several factors related to problematic substance use among a rural aboriginal population. These findings suggest participants may have experienced positive psychological and behavioral changes in response to this therapeutic approach, and that more rigorous research of ayahuasca-assisted therapy for problematic substance use is warranted.

The 2014 March 29 X-Flare: Results from the Best-Ever Flare Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, P.

2014-12-01

An X1 class solar flare occurred on 2014 March 29, peaking at 17:48 UT, and producing a filament eruption and EUV wave. It was observed as part of a Sac Peak-IRIS-Hinode observing program, delivering unprecedented coverage at all layers of the solar atmosphere. This talk will summarize new results obtained for this flare, with a particular focus on spectroscopic results obtained from IRIS and Hinode/EIS. Topics include mass flows prior and during the filament eruption, dynamics of 10 MK plasma during the flare rise phase, and the evolution of the flare ribbons

Cassini Observations of Saturn's Magnetotail Region: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sittler, E. C.; Arridge, C.; Rymer, A.; Coates, A.; Krupp, N.; Blanc, M.; Richardson, J.; Andre, N.; Thomsen, M.; Tokar, R. L.;

Brine formation via deliquescence by salts found near Don Juan Pond, Antarctica: Laboratory experiments and field observational results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gough, R. V.; Wong, J.; Dickson, J. L.; Levy, J. S.; Head, J. W.; Marchant, D. R.; Tolbert, M. A.

2017-10-01

The observed darkening of water tracks near Don Juan Pond (DJP) as well as the formation of wet patches elsewhere in the McMurdo Dry Valleys is attributed at least partially to deliquescence, a process by which salts absorb atmospheric water vapor and form brine, coupled with liquid-phase growth when the atmospheric relative humidity exceeds the water activity. Here we perform laboratory experiments to investigate the temperature and relative humidity conditions necessary for deliquescence to occur in calcium chloride-rich sediments collected from the DJP watershed. We use a Raman microscope equipped with an environmental cell to study both deliquescence and efflorescence (recrystallization) of the soluble salt component of DJP soils between -30 and +15 °C. In this temperature range, we find that the soluble salt component of the DJP sediments begins to deliquesce between 19 and 46% RH, slightly higher than the deliquescence relative humidity of the primary pure component, calcium chloride. We find a limited hysteresis between deliquescence and efflorescence, but much greater supersaturation of the salt brine can occur at temperatures above 0 °C. The relative humidity conditions were varied either slowly (over ∼8 h) to observe near-equilibrium phases or rapidly (over <1 h) to better mimic Antarctic conditions and no differences in deliquescence relative humidity or efflorescence relative humidity were noted. The results of this work can help predict when deliquescence could be actively occurring in the soils near Don Juan Pond and explain darkening of the salt pan after a high humidity period. In tandem with field data, our experimental results suggest that brines can be generated near Don Juan Pond via deliquescence frequently during the southern summer and autumn. Additionally, the soluble salts may persist in the aqueous phase continuously for several months during the southern summer. This work also suggests that salt deliquescence could be impacting the

Ion cyclotron instability at Io: Hybrid simulation results compared to in situ observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šebek, Ondřej; Trávníček, Pavel M.; Walker, Raymond J.; Hellinger, Petr

2016-08-01

We present analysis of global three-dimensional hybrid simulations of Io's interaction with Jovian magnetospheric plasma. We apply a single-species model with simplified neutral-plasma chemistry and downscale Io in order to resolve the ion kinetic scales. We consider charge exchange, electron impact ionization, and photoionization by using variable rates of these processes to investigate their impact. Our results are in a good qualitative agreement with the in situ magnetic field measurements for five Galileo flybys around Io. The hybrid model describes ion kinetics self-consistently. This allows us to assess the distribution of temperature anisotropies around Io and thereby determine the possible triggering mechanism for waves observed near Io. We compare simulated dynamic spectra of magnetic fluctuations with in situ observations made by Galileo. Our results are consistent with both the spatial distribution and local amplitude of magnetic fluctuations found in the observations. Cyclotron waves, triggered probably by the growth of ion cyclotron instability, are observed mainly downstream of Io and on the flanks in regions farther from Io where the ion pickup rate is relatively low. Growth of the ion cyclotron instability is governed mainly by the charge exchange rate.

Earth observations and photography experiment: Summary of significant results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

El-Baz, F.

1978-01-01

Observation and photographic data from the Apollo Soyuz Test Project are analyzed. The discussion is structured according to the fields of investigation including: geology, desert studies, oceanography, hydrology, and meteorology. The data were obtained by: (1) visual observations of selected Earth features, (2) hand-held camera photography to document observations, and (3) stereo mapping photography of areas of significant scientific interest.

Results of Observational Studies: Analysis of Findings from the Nurses’ Health Study

PubMed Central

Tai, Vicky; Grey, Andrew; Bolland, Mark J.

2014-01-01

Background The role of observational studies in informing clinical practice is debated, and high profile examples of discrepancies between the results of observational studies and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have intensified that debate. We systematically reviewed findings from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), one of the longest and largest observational studies, to assess the number and strength of the associations reported and to determine if they have been confirmed in RCTs. Methods We reviewed NHS publication abstracts from 1978–2012, extracted information on associations tested, and graded the strength of the reported effect sizes. We searched PubMed for RCTs or systematic reviews for 3 health outcomes commonly reported in NHS publications: breast cancer, ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and osteoporosis. NHS results were compared with RCT results and deemed concordant when the difference in effect sizes between studies was ≤0.15. Findings 2007 associations between health outcomes and independent variables were reported in 1053 abstracts. 58.0% (1165/2007) were statistically significant, and 22.2% (445/2007) were neutral (no association). Among the statistically significant results that reported a numeric odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR), 70.5% (706/1002) reported a weak association (OR/RR 0.5–2.0), 24.5% (246/1002) a moderate association (OR/RR 0.25–0.5 or 2.0–4.0) and 5.0% (50/1002) a strong association (OR/RR ≤0.25 or ≥4.0). 19 associations reported in NHS publications for breast cancer, IHD and osteoporosis have been tested in RCTs, and the concordance between NHS and RCT results was low (≤25%). Conclusions NHS publications contain a large number of analyses, the majority of which reported statistically significant but weak associations. Few of these associations have been tested in RCTs, and where they have, the agreement between NHS results and RCTs is poor. PMID:25330007

Review on optical constants of Titan aerosols: Experimental results and modeling/observational data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brassé, Coralie; Muñoz, Olga; Coll, Patrice; Raulin, François

2014-05-01

During the last years many studies have been performed to improve the experimental database of optical constants of Titan aerosols. Indeed, the determination of the optical constants of these particles is essential to quantify their capacity to absorb and to scatter solar radiation, and thus to evaluate their role on Titan's radiative balance and climate. The study of optical properties is also crucial to analyze and to better interpret many of Titan's observational data, in particular those acquired during the Cassini-Huygens mission. One way to determine Titan aerosols optical constant is to measure the optical constants of analogues of Titan complex organic material synthesized in the laboratory, usually named Titan's tholins (Sagan and Khare, 1979). But the optical constants depend on the chemical composition, the size and the shape of particles (Raulin et al., 2012). Those three parameters result from the experimental conditions such as energy source, gas mixing ratio, gas pressure, flow rate and irradiation time (Cable et al., 2012). Besides the determination of the refractive index in the laboratory, there are others methods using theoretical models or observational data. Nevertheless, theoretical models are based on laboratory data or/and observational data. The visible - near infrared spectral region of optical constants has been widely studied with laboratory analogues. Comparison of the obtained results suggest that tholins synthesized by Tran et al. (2003) and Majhoub et al. (2012) are the best representative of Titan aerosols with regards to their refractive indexes in this spectral region. The mid-infrared spectral range has been studied only by Imanaka et al. (2012) and slightly by Tran et al. (2003). In that spectral range, Titan tholins do not exhibit the features displayed by Kim and Courtin (2013) from Titan's observations. For spectral region of wavelengths smaller than 0.20µm or higher than 25µm, only the data from Khare et al. (1984) are

Lacosamide in patients with gliomas and uncontrolled seizures: results from an observational study.

PubMed

Rudà, Roberta; Pellerino, Alessia; Franchino, Federica; Bertolotti, Cinzia; Bruno, Francesco; Mo, Francesca; Migliore, Enrica; Ciccone, Gianni; Soffietti, Riccardo

2018-01-01

To report the efficacy and tolerability of lacosamide as an add-on treatment in patients with gliomas and uncontrolled seizures despite conventional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). We conducted an observational study on 71 patients to describe patterns of response to lacosamide and the association between clinico-pathological factors and seizure control. We observed at 3, 6 and 9 months a seizure reduction ≥ 50% in 74.6, 76 and 86.2% of patients and a seizure freedom in 42.2, 43 and 50%, respectively. The median number of seizures in the 3 months before treatment was 13, and decreased to 3 between baseline and 6 months, and to 0.5 between 6 and 9 months. The best seizure response was observed at 3 months (62%). Sixty per cent of patients displayed the maximum seizure control with doses of lacosamide of 100-250 mg/day, while 21% needed doses up to 400 mg/day. Seizure reduction ≥ 50% and seizure freedom were higher in patients who received lacosamide as first add-on compared to those who received a later adjunctive therapy. A reduction ≥ 50% of seizures was observed in a proportion of patients with progressive disease on MRI. Age > 45 years (OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.02-0.63, p = 0.013) was a significant predictor of seizure freedom at 9 months on multivariate analysis. The study suggests that lacosamide, when added to any baseline AEDs, is effective in obtaining a high seizure reduction and seizure freedom regardless of the tumor activity and response to antineoplastic therapies.

Optical observations of MAXI J1820+070 suggest it is a black hole X-ray binary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baglio, M. Cristina; Russell, Dave M.; Lewis, Fraser

2018-03-01

We report on optical observations of the newly discovered transient MAXI J1820+070 (ATel #11399, #11400, #11403, #11404, #11406). We performed optical (g', i') observations of the field with the Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) 1-m robotic telescope located at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Chile, on March 13th, 2018 (MJD 58190.38) obtaining one 200-second integration image of the field for each filter.

Water vapour tomography using GPS phase observations: Results from the ESCOMPTE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilsson, T.; Gradinarsky, L.; Elgered, G.

2007-10-01

Global Positioning System (GPS) tomography is a technique for estimating the 3-D structure of the atmospheric water vapour using data from a dense local network of GPS receivers. Several current methods utilize estimates of slant wet delays between the GPS satellites and the receivers on the ground, which are difficult to obtain with millimetre accuracy from the GPS observations. We present results of applying a new tomographic method to GPS data from the Expériance sur site pour contraindre les modèles de pollution atmosphérique et de transport d'emissions (ESCOMPTE) experiment in southern France. This method does not rely on any slant wet delay estimates, instead it uses the GPS phase observations directly. We show that the estimated wet refractivity profiles estimated by this method is on the same accuracy level or better compared to other tomographic methods. The results are in agreement with earlier simulations, for example the profile information is limited above 4 km.

ATM observations - X-ray results. [solar coronal structure from Skylab experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaiana, G. S.; Zombeck, M.; Krieger, A. S.; Timothy, A. F.

1976-01-01

Preliminary results of the solar X-ray observations from Skylab are reviewed which indicate a highly structured nature for the corona, with closed magnetic-loop structures over a wide range of size scales. A description of the S-054 experiments is provided, and values are given for the parameters - including size, density, and temperature - describing a variety of typical coronal features. The structure and evolution of active regions, coronal holes, and bright points are discussed.

LSD enhances suggestibility in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Carhart-Harris, R L; Kaelen, M; Whalley, M G; Bolstridge, M; Feilding, A; Nutt, D J

2015-02-01

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) has a history of use as a psychotherapeutic aid in the treatment of mood disorders and addiction, and it was also explored as an enhancer of mind control. The present study sought to test the effect of LSD on suggestibility in a modern research study. Ten healthy volunteers were administered with intravenous (i.v.) LSD (40-80 μg) in a within-subject placebo-controlled design. Suggestibility and cued mental imagery were assessed using the Creative Imagination Scale (CIS) and a mental imagery test (MIT). CIS and MIT items were split into two versions (A and B), balanced for 'efficacy' (i.e. A ≈ B) and counterbalanced across conditions (i.e. 50 % completed version 'A' under LSD). The MIT and CIS were issued 110 and 140 min, respectively, post-infusion, corresponding with the peak drug effects. Volunteers gave significantly higher ratings for the CIS (p = 0.018), but not the MIT (p = 0.11), after LSD than placebo. The magnitude of suggestibility enhancement under LSD was positively correlated with trait conscientiousness measured at baseline (p = 0.0005). These results imply that the influence of suggestion is enhanced by LSD. Enhanced suggestibility under LSD may have implications for its use as an adjunct to psychotherapy, where suggestibility plays a major role. That cued imagery was unaffected by LSD implies that suggestions must be of a sufficient duration and level of detail to be enhanced by the drug. The results also imply that individuals with high trait conscientiousness are especially sensitive to the suggestibility-enhancing effects of LSD.

First results of mapping sporadic E with a passive observing network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rice, D. D.; Sojka, J. J.; Eccles, J. V.; Raitt, J. W.; Brady, J. J.; Hunsucker, R. D.

2011-12-01

Sporadic E (Es) can have dramatic effects on communications in the HF and low VHF range, producing over-the-horizon propagation for signals normally restricted to line-of-sight, and sometimes blocking F region propagation of signals in the lower HF range. Measuring the E region winds believed to produce Es is difficult, and no practical means of predicting Es occurrence currently exists other than statistical models. We describe a low-cost observing network based on software-controlled receivers that continuously watches for Es in near-real time using oblique HF propagation from existing transmitters. Results from an 11-day pilot campaign in July 2008 demonstrated that even a limited number of receivers in the network can readily determine the presence and extent of Es patches. These observations indicate that Es often develops quickly over regions of several hundred kilometers rather than gradually drifting across an area. These widespread Es “blooms” have been observed near winter solstice and occasionally at other times of the year; their lifetime depends on the season but can be several hours during the summer. The current network allows the extent of Es in portions of North America to be evaluated: the geographical distribution of Es and bounds on the density of the layer are inferred from its effects on the ionospheric maximum usable frequency (MUF). This study demonstrates quantitatively that Es mapping can provide information about Es layer geographical growth and decay. The observed sudden widespread Es blooms are space weather events that can have significant impact on HF/lower VHF communications and propagation model predictions.

Results of Spectral Corona Observations in Solar Activity Cycles 17-24

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aliev, A. Kh.; Guseva, S. A.; Tlatov, A. G.

2017-12-01

The results of the work of the global observation network are considered, and a comparative analysis of the data of various coronal observatories is performed. The coronal activity index has been reconstructed for the period 1939-2016 based on the data of various observatories in Kislovodsk system. For this purpose, the corona daily intensity maps from the Sacramento Peak and Lomnický Štít observatories according to the Solar-Geophysical Data journal have been digitized; they supplement the data of other observatories. The homogeneity and continuity of the corona observations at the Kislovodsk station, including activity cycle 24, is confirmed. Unfortunately, the only observatory at present that continues observation of the spectral corona in Fe XIV 5303 Å and Fe XIV 6374 Å lines is the Kislovodsk astronomical station Mountain Astronomical Station (MAS) of the Central Astronomical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences (Pulkovo). The data on the combined corona in 5303 Å line are analyzed. It is shown that there is a high correlation of the intensity index of green corona with solar radiation measurements in the vacuum UV region. Data on the beginning of the new 25th activity cycle in the corona at high latitudes are presented.

MOND simulation suggests an origin for some peculiarities in the Local Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bílek, M.; Thies, I.; Kroupa, P.; Famaey, B.

2018-06-01

Context. The Milky Way (MW) and Andromeda (M 31) galaxies possess rotating planes of satellites. The formation of these planes has not been explained satisfactorily so far. It has been suggested that the MW and M 31 satellites are ancient tidal dwarf galaxies; this might explain their configuration. This suggestion gained support by an analytic backward-calculation of the relative MW-M 31 orbit in the MOND modified dynamics paradigm. The result implied that the galaxies experienced a close flyby 7-11 Gyr ago. Aims: Here we explore the Local Group history in MOND in more detail using a simplified first-ever self-consistent simulation. We describe the features induced by the encounter in the simulation and identify possible real counterparts of these features. Methods: The initial conditions were set to eventually roughly reproduce the observed MW and M 31 masses, effective radii, separation, relative velocity, and disk inclinations. We used the publicly available adaptive-mesh-refinement code Phantom of RAMSES. Results: Matter was transferred from the MW to M 31 along a tidal tail in the simulation. The encounter induced the formation of several structures resembling the peculiarities of the Local Group. Most notably are that 1) a rotating planar structure formed around M 31 from the transferred material. It had a size similar to the observed satellite plane and was oriented edge-on to the simulated MW, just as the real plane. 2) The same structure also resembled the tidal features observed around M 31 by its size and morphology. 3) A warp in the MW developed with an amplitude and orientation similar to that observed. 4) A cloud of particles formed around the simulated MW, with the extent of the actual MW satellite system. The encounter did not end by merging in a Hubble time. The simulated stellar disks also thickened as a result of the encounter. Conclusions: The simulation demonstrated that MOND might explain many peculiarities of the Local Group; this needs to

Theories of Suggestion.

PubMed

Brown, W

1928-02-01

The word "suggestion" has been used in educational, scientific and medical literature in slightly different senses. In psychological medicine the use of suggestion has developed out of the earlier use of hypnotic influence.Charcot defined hypnosis as an artificial hysteria, Bernheim as an artificially increased suggestibility. The two definitions need to be combined to give an adequate account of hypnosis. Moreover, due allowance should be made for the factors of dissociation and of rapport in hypnotic phenomena.The relationships between dissociation, suggestibility, and hypnotizability.Theories of suggestion propounded by Pierre Janet, Freud, McDougall, Pawlow and others. Ernest Jones's theory of the nature of auto-suggestion. Janet explains suggestion in terms of ideo-motor action in which the suggested idea, because of the inactivity of competing ideas, produces its maximum effect. Freud explains rapport in terms of the sex instinct "inhibited in its aim" (transference) and brings in his distinction of "ego" and "ego-ideal" (or "super-ego") to supplement the theory. Jones explains auto-suggestion in terms of narcissism. McDougall explains hypnotic suggestion in terms of the instinct of self-abasement. But different instincts may supply the driving power to produce suggestion-effects in different circumstances. Such instincts as those of self-preservation (fear) and gregariousness may play their part. Auto-suggestion as a therapeutic factor is badly named. It supplements, but does not supplant the will, and makes complete volition possible.

The influence of suggestibility on memory.

PubMed

Nicolas, Serge; Collins, Thérèse; Gounden, Yannick; Roediger, Henry L

2011-06-01

We provide a translation of Binet and Henri's pioneering 1894 paper on the influence of suggestibility on memory. Alfred Binet (1857-1911) is famous as the author who created the IQ test that bears his name, but he is almost unknown as the psychological investigator who generated numerous original experiments and fascinating results in the study of memory. His experiments published in 1894 manipulated suggestibility in several ways to determine effects on remembering. Three particular modes of suggestion were employed to induce false recognitions: (1) indirect suggestion by a preconceived idea; (2) direct suggestion; and (3) collective suggestion. In the commentary we suggest that Binet and Henri's (1894) paper written over 115 years ago is still highly relevant even today. In particular, Binet's legacy lives on in modern research on misinformation effects in memory, in studies of conformity, and in experiments on the social contagion of memory. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric CO2 observations and models suggest strong carbon uptake by forests in New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinkamp, Kay; Mikaloff Fletcher, Sara E.; Brailsford, Gordon; Smale, Dan; Moore, Stuart; Keller, Elizabeth D.; Baisden, W. Troy; Mukai, Hitoshi; Stephens, Britton B.

2017-01-01

A regional atmospheric inversion method has been developed to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of CO2 sinks and sources across New Zealand for 2011-2013. This approach infers net air-sea and air-land CO2 fluxes from measurement records, using back-trajectory simulations from the Numerical Atmospheric dispersion Modelling Environment (NAME) Lagrangian dispersion model, driven by meteorology from the New Zealand Limited Area Model (NZLAM) weather prediction model. The inversion uses in situ measurements from two fixed sites, Baring Head on the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island (41.408° S, 174.871° E) and Lauder from the central South Island (45.038° S, 169.684° E), and ship board data from monthly cruises between Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. A range of scenarios is used to assess the sensitivity of the inversion method to underlying assumptions and to ensure robustness of the results. The results indicate a strong seasonal cycle in terrestrial land fluxes from the South Island of New Zealand, especially in western regions covered by indigenous forest, suggesting higher photosynthetic and respiratory activity than is evident in the current a priori land process model. On the annual scale, the terrestrial biosphere in New Zealand is estimated to be a net CO2 sink, removing 98 (±37) Tg CO2 yr-1 from the atmosphere on average during 2011-2013. This sink is much larger than the reported 27 Tg CO2 yr-1 from the national inventory for the same time period. The difference can be partially reconciled when factors related to forest and agricultural management and exports, fossil fuel emission estimates, hydrologic fluxes, and soil carbon change are considered, but some differences are likely to remain. Baseline uncertainty, model transport uncertainty, and limited sensitivity to the northern half of the North Island are the main contributors to flux uncertainty.

‘Cape capture’: Geologic data and modeling results suggest the Holocene loss of a Carolina Cape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thieler, E. Robert; Ashton, Andrew D.

2011-01-01

For more than a century, the origin and evolution of the set of cuspate forelands known as the Carolina Capes—Hatteras, Lookout, Fear, and Romain—off the eastern coast of the United States have been discussed and debated. The consensus conceptual model is not only that these capes existed through much or all of the Holocene transgression, but also that their number has not changed. Here we describe bathymetric, lithologic, seismic, and chronologic data that suggest another cape may have existed between Capes Hatteras and Lookout during the early to middle Holocene. This cape likely formed at the distal end of the Neuse-Tar-Pamlico fluvial system during the early Holocene transgression, when this portion of the shelf was flooded ca. 9 cal (calibrated) kyr B.P., and was probably abandoned by ca. 4 cal kyr B.P., when the shoreline attained its present general configuration. Previously proposed mechanisms for cape formation suggest that the large-scale, rhythmic pattern of the Carolina Capes arose from a hydrodynamic template or the preexisting geologic framework. Numerical modeling, however, suggests that the number and spacing of capes can be dynamic, and that a coast can self-organize in response to a high-angle-wave instability in shoreline shape. In shoreline evolution model simulations, smaller cuspate forelands are subsumed by larger neighbors over millennial time scales through a process of ‘cape capture.’ The suggested former cape in Raleigh Bay represents the first interpreted geological evidence of dynamic abandonment suggested by the self-organization hypothesis. Cape capture may be a widespread process in coastal environments with large-scale rhythmic shoreline features; its preservation in the sedimentary record will vary according to geologic setting, physical processes, and sea-level history.

Prevalence and Psychosocial Correlates of Symptoms Suggestive of Painful Bladder Syndrome: Results from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) Survey

PubMed Central

Link, Carol L.; Pulliam, Samantha J.; Hanno, Philip M.; Hall, Susan A.; Eggers, Paul W.; Kusek, John W.; McKinlay, John B.

2009-01-01

Purpose The objective is to estimate the prevalence of symptoms suggestive of Painful Bladder Syndrome (PBS) defined as pain increasing as the bladder fills and/or pain relieved by urination for at least three months and its association with socio-demographics (gender, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status), lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity) and psychosocial variables (sexual, physical, emotional abuse experienced as a child or as an adult, worry, trouble paying for basics, depression). Materials and Methods The data used come from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) survey, an epidemiologic study of 5506 randomly selected adults aged 30-79 of three race/ethnic groups (Black, Hispanic, White). Results The overall prevalence of symptoms suggestive of PBS is two percent (1.3% in men and 2.6% in women) with increased prevalence in middle aged adults and those of lower socioeconomic status. Symptoms suggestive of PBS are more common in those who have experienced abuse, in those who are worried about someone close to them, and in those who are having trouble paying for basics. This pattern holds even after adjusting for depression. Conclusions PBS is associated with a number of lifestyle and psychosocial correlates. This suggests that the management of patients with PBS (physical symptoms) may benefit from a multi-faceted approach of combining medical and psychological, and cognitive treatment. PMID:18554658

Theories of Suggestion

PubMed Central

Brown, William

1928-01-01

The word “suggestion” has been used in educational, scientific and medical literature in slightly different senses. In psychological medicine the use of suggestion has developed out of the earlier use of hypnotic influence. Charcot defined hypnosis as an artificial hysteria, Bernheim as an artificially increased suggestibility. The two definitions need to be combined to give an adequate account of hypnosis. Moreover, due allowance should be made for the factors of dissociation and of rapport in hypnotic phenomena. The relationships between dissociation, suggestibility, and hypnotizability. Theories of suggestion propounded by Pierre Janet, Freud, McDougall, Pawlow and others. Ernest Jones's theory of the nature of auto-suggestion. Janet explains suggestion in terms of ideo-motor action in which the suggested idea, because of the inactivity of competing ideas, produces its maximum effect. Freud explains rapport in terms of the sex instinct “inhibited in its aim” (transference) and brings in his distinction of “ego” and “ego-ideal” (or “super-ego”) to supplement the theory. Jones explains auto-suggestion in terms of narcissism. McDougall explains hypnotic suggestion in terms of the instinct of self-abasement. But different instincts may supply the driving power to produce suggestion-effects in different circumstances. Such instincts as those of self-preservation (fear) and gregariousness may play their part. Auto-suggestion as a therapeutic factor is badly named. It supplements, but does not supplant the will, and makes complete volition possible. PMID:19986306

Photographic zenith tube of the Zvenigorod INASAN Observatory - Processing method and observation results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yurov, E. A.

1992-10-01

A method for the reduction of PZT plates which has been used at the Zvenigorod INASAN Observatory since 1986 is described. The formulas used for computing the coordinates of the stellar image in the focal plane at the midpoint of the exposure are correct to 0.0024 arcsec. Observations from February 1986 to October 1988 are compared with data of BIH and IERS, and the results of the comparison are used to compute the amplitudes of the annual terms of nonpolar variations in the observed latitudes and Delta(UTI).

Open to Suggestion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Reading, 1987

1987-01-01

Offers (1) suggestions for improving college students' study skills; (2) a system for keeping track of parent, teacher, and community contacts; (3) suggestions for motivating students using tic tac toe; (4) suggestions for using etymology to improve word retention; (5) a word search grid; and (6) suggestions for using postcards in remedial reading…

Combined Radio and Space-Based Solar Observations: From Techniques to New Results - Preface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontar, Eduard P.; Nindos, Alexander

2018-06-01

The phenomena observed at the Sun have a variety of unique radio signatures that can be used to diagnose the processes in the solar atmosphere. The insights provided by radio observations are further enhanced when they are combined with observations from space-based telescopes. This Topical collection demonstrates the power of combination methodology at work and provides new results on i) type I solar radio bursts and thermal emission to study active regions; ii) type II and IV bursts to better understand the structure of coronal mass ejections; and iii) non-thermal gyro-synchrotron and/or type III bursts to improve the characterisation of particle acceleration in solar flares. The ongoing improvements in time, frequency, and spatial resolutions of ground-based telescopes reveal new levels in the complexity of solar phenomena and pose new questions.

Results of observations of the dust distribution in the F-corona of the sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shestakova, L. I.; Demchenko, B. I.

2016-03-01

The results of modeling of the distribution of dust in the circumsolar zone are presented. The dust distribution was retrieved from observations of the line-of-sight velocities in the F-corona to the distances of 7-11 solar radii during the total eclipses of the Sun in different years: on July 31, 1981; August 11, 1991; March 29, 2006; and August 1, 2008. Comparison of the results has shown that the dust composition varies from year to year and the dust is dynamically nonuniform. In addition to the dust related to the zodiacal cloud and concentrating to the ecliptic plane, the dust of retrograde motion and the ejections and accretion in the polar regions are observed. From the results of observations of eclipses on July 31, 1981, August 11, 1991, and August 1, 2008, the east-west asymmetry in a sign of the line-of-sight velocities was detected: they are negative to the east of the Sun and positive to the west. Such distribution of the velocities is indicative of the nearecliptic orbital dust motion, whose direction coincides with that of the motion of the planets. In the course of the eclipse of March 29, 2006, almost no dynamical connection with the zodiacal cloud was found. At the same time, the direction, where the observed velocities are largest in value and opposite in sign on opposite sides of the Sun, was determined, which provides evidence of the orbital motion deviating from the ecliptic plane. The results of observations in 2006 reveal a clear genetic connection of the observed orbital motion of dust with the parent comets of the Kreutz family found near the Sun close to the eclipse date. The velocities observed near the symmetry line in the plane of the sky grow by absolute value with increasing the elongation, which may take place, if the line of sight croßses an empty zone that is free of dust. The modeling of the data of observations near the symmetry plane allowed the parameters of the dust distribution near the sublimation zone to be obtained. In

Are You Suggesting That's My Hand? The Relation Between Hypnotic Suggestibility and the Rubber Hand Illusion.

PubMed

Walsh, E; Guilmette, D N; Longo, M R; Moore, J W; Oakley, D A; Halligan, P W; Mehta, M A; Deeley, Q

2015-01-01

Hypnotic suggestibility (HS) is the ability to respond automatically to suggestions and to experience alterations in perception and behavior. Hypnotically suggestible participants are also better able to focus and sustain their attention on an experimental stimulus. The present study explores the relation between HS and susceptibility to the rubber hand illusion (RHI). Based on previous research with visual illusions, it was predicted that higher HS would lead to a stronger RHI. Two behavioral output measures of the RHI, an implicit (proprioceptive drift) and an explicit (RHI questionnaire) measure, were correlated against HS scores. Hypnotic suggestibility correlated positively with the implicit RHI measure contributing to 30% of the variation. However, there was no relation between HS and the explicit RHI questionnaire measure, or with compliance control items. High hypnotic suggestibility may facilitate, via attentional mechanisms, the multisensory integration of visuoproprioceptive inputs that leads to greater perceptual mislocalization of a participant's hand. These results may provide insight into the multisensory brain mechanisms involved in our sense of embodiment.

Some results on radiation belt electrons from observations of satellite-borne semiconductor electron detector

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

Cheng Doug-yuan; Wu Ji-ping

1987-04-01

This paper presents some results from observations of a Chinese satellite-borne semiconductor electron detector. Data analysis yields typical values of electron fluxes in the central region of the inner radiation belt. The omnidirectional fluxes of electrons having energies greater than 0.5 MeV and 1.0 MeV are 1.9 x 10/sup 8/ and 6.7 x 10/sup 7/ elec./s-cm/sup 2/, respectively. The electron-flux profile on a typical orbit as a function of time is also given. In addition, the omnidirectional fluxes at the synchronous altitude for the two electron-energy levels mentioned are 2.43 x 10/sup 6/ and 4.25 x 10/sup 5/ elec./s-cm/sup 2/.more » The diurnal variations of electrons in the outer radiation belt observed at the synchronous altitude are also given. The results agree with those observed abroad.« less

Public availability of results of observational studies evaluating an intervention registered at ClinicalTrials.gov.

PubMed

Baudart, Marie; Ravaud, Philippe; Baron, Gabriel; Dechartres, Agnes; Haneef, Romana; Boutron, Isabelle

2016-01-28

Observational studies are essential for assessing safety. The aims of this study were to evaluate whether results of observational studies evaluating an intervention with safety outcome(s) registered at ClinicalTrials.gov were published and, if not, whether they were available through posting on ClinicalTrials.gov or the sponsor website. We identified a cohort of observational studies with safety outcome(s) registered on ClinicalTrials.gov after October 1, 2007, and completed between October 1, 2007, and December 31, 2011. We systematically searched PubMed for a publication, as well as ClinicalTrials.gov and the sponsor website for results. The main outcomes were the time to the first publication in journals and to the first public availability of the study results (i.e. published or posted on ClinicalTrials.gov or the sponsor website). For all studies with results publicly available, we evaluated the completeness of reporting (i.e. reported with the number of events per arm) of safety outcomes. We identified 489 studies; 334 (68%) were partially or completely funded by industry. Results for only 189 (39%, i.e. 65% of the total target number of participants) were published at least 30 months after the study completion. When searching other data sources, we obtained the results for 53% (n = 158; i.e. 93% of the total target number of participants) of unpublished studies; 31% (n = 94) were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov and 21% (n = 64) on the sponsor website. As compared with non-industry-funded studies, industry-funded study results were less likely to be published but not less likely to be publicly available. Of the 242 studies with a primary outcome recorded as a safety issue, all these outcomes were adequately reported in 86% (114/133) when available in a publication, 91% (62/68) when available on ClinicalTrials.gov, and 80% (33/41) when available on the sponsor website. Only 39% of observational studies evaluating an intervention with safety outcome

Suggested posthypnotic amnesia in psychiatric patients and normals.

PubMed

Frischholz, Edward J; Lipman, Laurie S; Braun, Bennett G; Sachs, Roberta

2015-01-01

The present study examined both quantitative and qualitative hypnotizability differences among four psychiatric patient groups (dissociative disorder (n = 17), schizophrenic (n = 13), mood disorder (n = 14), and anxiety disorder (n = 14) patients), and normals (college students (n = 63)). Dissociative disorder patients earned significantly higher corrected total scores on the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (mean = 7.94), than all other groups. Likewise, dissociative disorder patients initially recalled significantly fewer items when the posthypnotic amnesia suggestion was in effect (mean = .41) and reversed significantly more items when the suggestion was canceled (mean = 3.82) than all other groups. In contrast, schizophrenic patients recalled significantly fewer items when the amnesia suggestion was in effect (mean = 1.85) and reversed significantly fewer items when it was canceled (mean = .77) than the remaining groups. This qualitative difference between schizophrenic patients and the other groups on the suggested posthypnotic amnesia item was observed even though there were no significant quantitative differences between groups in overall hypnotic responsivity.

Landform elevation suggests ecohydrologic footprints in subsurface geomorphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watts, A. C.; Watts, D.; Kaplan, D. A.; Mclaughlin, D. L.; Heffernan, J. B.; Martin, J. B.; Murray, A.; Osborne, T.; Cohen, M. J.; Kobziar, L. N.

2012-12-01

Many landscapes exhibit patterns in their arrangement of biota, or in their surface geomorphology as a result of biotic activity. Examples occur around the globe and include northern peatlands, Sahelian savannas, and shallow marine reefs. Such self-organized patterning is strongly suggestive of coupled, reciprocal feedbacks (i.e. locally positive, and distally negative) among biota and their environment. Much research on patterned landscapes has concerned emergent biogeomorphologic surfaces such as those found in peatlands, or the influence of biota on soil formation or transport. Our research concerns ecohydrologic feedbacks hypothesized to produce patterned occurrence of depressions in a subtropical limestone karst landscape. Our findings show strong evidence of self-organized patterning, in the form of overdispersed dissolution basins. Distributions of randomized bedrock elevation measurements on the landscape are bimodal, with means clustered about either higher- or lower-elevation modes. Measurements on the thin mantle of soil overlying this landscape, however, display reduced bimodality and mode separation. These observations indicate abiotic processes in diametric opposition to the biogenic forces which may be responsible for generating landscape pattern. Correlograms show higher spatial autocorrelation among soil measurements compared to bedrock measurements, and measurements of soil-layer thickness show high negative correlation with bedrock elevation. Our results are consistent with predictions of direct ecohydrologic feedbacks that would produce patterned "footprints" directly on bedrock, and of abiotic processes operating to obfuscate this pattern. The study suggests new steps to identify biogeochemical mechanisms for landscape patterning: an "ecological drill" by which plant communities modify geology.

Results from the First Observing Season of PIQUE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedman, M. M.; Barkats, D.; Gundersen, J. O.; Staggs, S. T.; Winstein, B.

2000-12-01

The Princeton IQU Experiment (PIQUE) is a ground-based telescope designed to measure the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). Between 19 January 2000 and 2 April 2000, this telescope observed one of the Stokes parameters (Q) on the ring at δ = 89o from the roof of Jadwin Hall, Princeton, NJ. The telescope had a beam full-width-half-maximum of 0.24o and the detector was a single correlation polarimeter operating at 90 GHz. These observations have yielded a new limit on the polarization of the CMB in the multipole range 100 < l < 600. This work was supported by NIST precision measurement grant #60NANB8D0061 and by NSF grant #PHY9600015. Additional support was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Guggenheim Foundation through their fellowships for STS and BW respectively.

Integrating the Desegregated School: Some Observations and Suggestions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virag, Wayne F.

The problem of the desegregation process in public schools, beginning with the Supreme Court decision Brown v the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, is that it is conceived of as an artificial climate imposed by ratios and busing rather than a learning situation wherein ethnocentricity is developed as a positive attribute. Integration, however,…

The Effect of Memory Trace Strength on Suggestibility.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pezdek, Kathy; Roe, Chantal

1995-01-01

Examined the conditions under which children's memory is resistant to suggestibility versus vulnerable to suggestibility. Results suggest that children have more accurate memory for an event that occurred to them frequently, and that they are less vulnerable to suggestive influences such as biased interviewing procedures than they would be for an…

Effects of Counselor Facilitative Level on Client Suggestibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Harry B.; Rowe, Wayne

1977-01-01

University students (N=48) were individually tested for suggestibility in one of three conditions. Results indicated subjects of higher rated experimenters would demonstrate more suggestibility than subjects of lower rated experimenters. Results did not indicate that subject interaction with lower rated experimenters would elicit less…

Balancing the Evidence: How to Reconcile the Results of Observational Studies vs. Randomized Clinical Trials in Dialysis.

PubMed

Shen, Jenny I; Lum, Erik L; Chang, Tara I

2016-09-01

Because large randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in dialysis have been relatively scarce, evidence-based dialysis care has depended heavily on the results of observational studies. However, when results from RCTs appear to contradict the findings of observational studies, nephrologists are left to wonder which type of study they should believe. In this editorial, we explore the key differences between observational studies and RCTs in the context of such seemingly conflicting studies in dialysis. Confounding is the major limitation of observational studies, whereas low statistical power and problems with external validity are more likely to limit the findings of RCTs. Differences in the specification of the population, exposure, and outcomes can also contribute to different results among RCTs and observational studies. Rigorous methods are required regardless of what type of study is conducted, and readers should not automatically assume that one type of study design is superior to the other. Ultimately, dialysis care requires both well-designed, well-conducted observational studies and RCTs to move the field forward. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Balancing the Evidence: How to Reconcile the Results of Observational Studies vs. Randomized Clinical Trials in Dialysis

PubMed Central

Shen, Jenny I.; Lum, Erik L.; Chang, Tara I.

2016-01-01

Because large randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in dialysis have been relatively scarce, evidence-based dialysis care has depended heavily on the results of observational studies. However, when results from RCTs appear to contradict the findings of observational studies, nephrologists are left to wonder which type of study they should believe. In this editorial we explore the key differences between observational studies and RCTs in the context of such seemingly conflicting studies in dialysis. Confounding is the major limitation of observational studies, while low statistical power and problems with external validity are more likely to limit the findings of RCTs. Differences in the specification of the population, exposure, and outcomes can also contribute to different results among RCTs and observational studies. Rigorous methods are required regardless of what type of study is conducted, and readers should not automatically assume that one type of study design is superior to the other. Ultimately, dialysis care requires both well-designed, well-conducted observational studies and RCTs to move the field forward. PMID:27207819

Genetics of the Shimokita macaque population suggest an ancient bottleneck.

PubMed

Kawamoto, Yoshi; Tomari, Ken-ichiro; Kawai, Shizuka; Kawamoto, Sakie

2008-01-01

The macaque population of the Shimokita Peninsula represents the northernmost distribution of this species and is isolated from other populations in the Tohoku region of Japan. A previous protein-based study revealed a high level of genetic variability in this population and considerable differentiation from other populations. In order to reassess the genetic features of the Shimokita macaques, we examined 11 autosomal microsatellite loci and three Y chromosomal microsatellite loci. We observed considerable differentiation from other Japanese populations of macaques, but in contrast to the previous results, we observed significantly lower genetic variability in this population. There was a weak indication of a population bottleneck, suggesting a decay over time from an excess of heterozygotes that might be expected in the initial stages of a bottleneck. This may indicate that an ancient bottleneck occurred during the warm period after the last glacial period rather than a recent bottleneck due to hunting in modern times. The frequencies of private alleles were exceptionally high in the Shimokita population, suggesting that the difference in variability as determined in various studies was due to accidental sampling of marker loci with low power to resolve genetic variations in the protein-based studies. The assessments of interpopulation differentiation as determined using autosomal and Y chromosomal markers were highly correlated, and using both types of markers the Shimokita population was found to be the most differentiated of the study populations, probably due to infrequent gene flow with surrounding populations.

The relationships between suggestibility, influenceability, and relaxability.

PubMed

Polczyk, Romuald; Frey, Olga; Szpitalak, Malwina

2013-01-01

This research explores the relationships between relaxability and various aspects of suggestibility and influenceability. The Jacobson Progressive Muscle Relaxation procedure was used to induce relaxation. Tests of direct suggestibility, relating to the susceptibility of overt suggestions, and indirect suggestibility, referring to indirect hidden influence, as well as self-description questionnaires on suggestibility and the tendency to comply were used. Thayer's Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List, measuring various kinds of activation and used as a pre- and posttest, determined the efficacy of the relaxation procedure. Indirect, direct, and self-measured suggestibility proved to be positively related to the ability to relax, measured by Thayer's subscales relating to emotions. Compliance was not related to relaxability. The results are discussed in terms of the aspects of relaxation training connected with suggestibility.

Observations and modeling of northern mid-latitude recurring slope lineae (RSL) suggest recharge by a present-day martian briny aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stillman, David E.; Michaels, Timothy I.; Grimm, Robert E.; Hanley, Jennifer

2016-02-01

Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are narrow (0.5-5 m) dark features on Mars that incrementally lengthen down steep slopes, fade in colder seasons, and recur annually. These features have been identified from the northern to southern mid-latitudes. Here, we describe how observations of northern mid-latitude RSL in northern Chryse Planitia and southwestern Acidalia Planitia (CAP) suggest that brines start flowing before northern spring equinox and continue for more than half a Mars-year (490 ± 40 sols, spanning solar longitude 337° ± 11°-224° ± 20°). All CAP RSL are found on the steep slopes of craters and their source zones are at or below the elevation of the surrounding plains. Spacecraft-derived surface temperature observations cannot resolve individual RSL, so thermal modeling was used to determine that CAP RSL have a freezing temperature of 238-252 K, freeze and melt diurnally, and flow only occurs within the top ∼8 cm of the regolith. Furthermore, we calculate that a typical CAP RSL has a water budget of 1.5-5.6 m3/m of headwall. Therefore, such a large water budget makes annual recharge via atmospheric or subsurface diffusion sources unlikely. Alternatively, we hypothesize that the most plausible RSL source is a briny aquifer with a freezing temperature less than or equal to the mean annual CAP surface temperature (220-225 K). The annual cycle is as follows: in late autumn, the shallowest part of the brine feeding the source zone freezes, forming an ice dam. As spring approaches, temperatures rise and the dam is breached. Brine is discharged and the RSL initially lengthens rapidly (>1.86 m/sol), the lengthening rate then slows considerably, to ∼0.25 m/sol. Eventually, the losses equal the discharge rate and the RSL reaches its equilibrium phase. As brine flows in the RSL some of the water is lost to the atmosphere, therefore the freezing temperature of the brine within the RSL is higher (238-252 K) as the brine transitions to a super-eutectic salt

Results of geomagnetic observations in Central Africa by Portuguese explorers during 1877 1885

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaquero, José M.; Trigo, Ricardo M.

2006-08-01

In this short contribution, geomagnetic measurements in Central Africa made by Capelo and Ivens - two Portuguese explorers - during the years 1877 and 1885 are provided. We show the scarce number of geomagnetic observation in Africa compiled until now. These Portuguese explorers performed a considerable amount of measurements of geomagnetic declination (44 measurements), inclination (50) and horizontal component (50) of the geomagnetic field. We compared the results attained by these keen observers with those derived from the global geomagnetic model by Jackson et al. [Jackson, A., Jonkers, A.,Walker, M., 2000. Four centuries of geomagnetic secular variation from historical records. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 358, 957-990].

Suggestibility and negative priming: two replication studies.

PubMed

David, Daniel; Brown, Richard J

2002-07-01

Research suggests that inhibiting the effect of irrelevant stimuli on subsequent thought and action (cognitive inhibition) may be an important component of suggestibility. Two small correlation studies were conducted to address the relationship between different aspects of suggestibility and individual differences in cognitive inhibition, operationalized as the degree of negative priming generated by to-be-ignored stimuli in a semantic categorization task. The first study found significant positive correlations between negative priming, hypnotic suggestibility, and creative imagination; a significant negative correlation was obtained between negative priming and interrogative suggestibility, demonstrating the discriminant validity of the study results. The second study replicated the correlation between negative priming and hypnotic suggestibility, using a different suggestibility measurement procedure that assessed subjective experience and hypnotic involuntariness as well as objective responses to suggestions. These studies support the notion that the ability to engage in cognitive inhibition may be an important component of hypnotic responsivity and maybe of other forms of suggestibility.

GALACTIC COSMIC RAYS IN THE LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM: VOYAGER 1 OBSERVATIONS AND MODEL RESULTS

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

Cummings, A. C.; Stone, E. C.; Heikkila, B. C.

Since 2012 August Voyager 1 has been observing the local interstellar energy spectra of Galactic cosmic-ray nuclei down to 3 MeV nuc{sup -1} and electrons down to 2.7 MeV. The H and He spectra have the same energy dependence between 3 and 346 MeV nuc{sup -1}, with a broad maximum in the 10–50 MeV nuc{sup -1} range and a H/He ratio of 12.2 ± 0.9. The peak H intensity is ∼15 times that observed at 1 AU, and the observed local interstellar gradient of 3–346 MeV H is -0.009 ± 0.055% AU{sup -1}, consistent with models having no local interstellarmore » gradient. The energy spectrum of electrons ( e {sup -} + e {sup +}) with 2.7–74 MeV is consistent with E {sup -1.30±0.05} and exceeds the H intensity at energies below ∼50 MeV. Propagation model fits to the observed spectra indicate that the energy density of cosmic-ray nuclei with >3 MeV nuc{sup -1} and electrons with >3 MeV is 0.83–1.02 eV cm{sup -3} and the ionization rate of atomic H is in the range of 1.51–1.64 × 10{sup -17} s{sup -1}. This rate is a factor >10 lower than the ionization rate in diffuse interstellar clouds, suggesting significant spatial inhomogeneity in low-energy cosmic rays or the presence of a suprathermal tail on the energy spectrum at much lower energies. The propagation model fits also provide improved estimates of the elemental abundances in the source of Galactic cosmic rays.« less

An 'Observational Large Ensemble' to compare observed and modeled temperature trend uncertainty due to internal variability.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poppick, A. N.; McKinnon, K. A.; Dunn-Sigouin, E.; Deser, C.

2017-12-01

Initial condition climate model ensembles suggest that regional temperature trends can be highly variable on decadal timescales due to characteristics of internal climate variability. Accounting for trend uncertainty due to internal variability is therefore necessary to contextualize recent observed temperature changes. However, while the variability of trends in a climate model ensemble can be evaluated directly (as the spread across ensemble members), internal variability simulated by a climate model may be inconsistent with observations. Observation-based methods for assessing the role of internal variability on trend uncertainty are therefore required. Here, we use a statistical resampling approach to assess trend uncertainty due to internal variability in historical 50-year (1966-2015) winter near-surface air temperature trends over North America. We compare this estimate of trend uncertainty to simulated trend variability in the NCAR CESM1 Large Ensemble (LENS), finding that uncertainty in wintertime temperature trends over North America due to internal variability is largely overestimated by CESM1, on average by a factor of 32%. Our observation-based resampling approach is combined with the forced signal from LENS to produce an 'Observational Large Ensemble' (OLENS). The members of OLENS indicate a range of spatially coherent fields of temperature trends resulting from different sequences of internal variability consistent with observations. The smaller trend variability in OLENS suggests that uncertainty in the historical climate change signal in observations due to internal variability is less than suggested by LENS.

On Suggestibility and Placebo: A Follow-Up Study.

PubMed

Lifshitz, Michael; Sheiner, Eli O; Olson, Jay A; Thériault, Rémi; Raz, Amir

2017-04-01

Identifying what makes some people respond well to placebos remains a major challenge. Here, we attempt to replicate an earlier study in which we found a relationship between hypnotic suggestibility and subjective ratings of relaxation following the ingestion of a placebo sedative (Sheiner, Lifshitz, & Raz, 2016). To assess the reliability of this effect, we tested 34 participants using a similar design. Participants ingested a placebo capsule in one of two conditions: (1) relaxation, wherein we described the capsule as a herbal sedative, or (2) control, wherein we described the capsule as inert. To index placebo response, we collected measures of blood pressure and heart rate, as well as self-report ratings of relaxation and drowsiness. Despite using a similar experimental design as in our earlier study, we were unable to replicate the correlation between hypnotic suggestibility and placebo response. Furthermore, whereas in our former experiment we observed a change in subjective ratings of relaxation but no change in physiological measures, here we found that heart rate dropped in the relaxation condition while subjective ratings remained unchanged. Even within a consistent context of relaxation, therefore, our present results indicate that placebos may induce effects that are fickle, tenuous, and unreliable. Although we had low statistical power, our findings tentatively accord with the notion that placebo response likely involves a complex, multifaceted interaction between traits, expectancies, and contexts.

Preliminary Results from an Assimilation of TOMS Aerosol Observations Into the GOCART Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

daSilva, Arlindo; Weaver, Clark J.; Ginoux, Paul; Torres, Omar; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

At NASA Goddard we are developing a global aerosol data assimilation system that combines advances in remote sensing and modeling of atmospheric aerosols. The goal is to provide high resolution, 3-D aerosol distributions to the research community. Our first step is to develop a simple assimilation system for Saharan mineral aerosol. The Goddard Chemistry and Aerosol Radiation model (GOCART) provides accurate 3-D mineral aerosol size distributions that compare well with TOMS satellite observations. Surface, mobilization, wet and dry deposition, convective and long-range transport are all driven by assimilated fields from the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System, GEOS-DAS. Our version of GOCART transports sizes from.08-10 microns and only simulates Saharan dust. TOMS radiance observations in the ultra violet provide information on the mineral and carbonaceous aerosol fields. We use two main observables in this study: the TOMS aerosol index (AI) which is directly related to the ratio of the 340 and 380 radiances and the 380 radiance. These are sensitive to the aerosol optical thickness, the single scattering albedo and the height of the aerosol layer. The Goddard Aerosol Assimilation System (GAAS) uses the Data Assimilation Office's Physical-space Statistical Analysis System (PSAS) to combine TOMS observations and GOCART model first guess fields. At this initial phase we only assimilate observations into the the GOCART model over regions of Africa and the Atlantic where mineral aerosols dominant and carbonaceous aerosols are minimal, Our preliminary results during summer show that the assimilation with TOMS data modifies both the aerosol mass loading and the single scattering albedo. Assimilated aerosol fields will be compared with assimilated aerosol fields from GOCART and AERONET observations over Cape Verde.

Observations of Mercury's Surface-Bounded Exosphere from Orbit: Results from the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer aboard the MESSENGER Spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClintock, W. E.; Burger, M. H.; Cassidy, T. A.; Killen, R. M.; Merkel, A. W.; Sarantos, M.; Solomon, S. C.; Vervack, R. J., Jr.

2015-12-01

The Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS), on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft, conducted orbital observations of Mercury's dayside and nightside exosphere from 29 March 2011 to the end of the mission on 30 April 2015. Over slightly more than four Earth-years, MASCS measured emission profiles versus altitude for calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), and magnesium (Mg) at a daily cadence. These species exhibit different spatial distributions, suggesting distinct source processes. MASCS observed seasonal variations in all three species that are remarkably repeatable from one Mercury year to the next, and did so consistently during the entire 17-Mercury-year duration of the orbital phase of the mission. Whereas MASCS has characterized the seasonal variation, it has provided, at best, only weak evidence for the episodic behavior observed in ground-based studies of Na. Joint analyses of MASCS observations and surface precipitation patterns for energetic particles inferred from observations by the Energetic Particle Spectrometer (EPS) and the Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer (FIPS) on MESSENGER have not yielded clear correlations. This lack of correlation may be due in part to the MASCS observational geometries. MASCS has conducted a number of searches for other, weakly emitting species. Hydrogen data from the orbital phase are consistent with profiles observed during MESSENGER's flybys of Mercury. Oxygen detections have proven elusive, and the previously reported observation with a brightness of 4 R may only be an upper limit. Ongoing analysis of weak species data suggests that additional species are present.

Fluxes of Greenhouse Gases from the Baltimore-Washington Area: Results from WINTER 2015 Aircraft Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickerson, R. R.; Ren, X.; Shepson, P. B.; Salmon, O. E.; Brown, S. S.; Thornton, J. A.; Whetstone, J. R.; Salawitch, R. J.; Sahu, S.; Hall, D.; Grimes, C.; Wong, T. M.

2015-12-01

Urban areas are responsible for a major component of the anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Quantification of urban GHG fluxes is important for establishing scientifically sound and cost-effective policies for mitigating GHGs. Discrepancies between observations and model simulations of GHGs suggest uncharacterized sources in urban environments. In this work, we analyze and quantify fluxes of CO2, CH4, CO (and other trace species) from the Baltimore-Washington area based on the mass balance approach using the two-aircraft observations conducted in February-March 2015. Estimated fluxes from this area were 110,000±20,000 moles s-1 for CO2, 700±330 moles s-1 for CH4, and 535±188 moles s-1 for CO. This implies that methane is responsible for ~20% of the climate forcing from these cities. Point sources of CO2 from four regional power plants and one point source of CH4 from a landfill were identified and the emissions from these point sources were quantified based on the aircraft observation and compared to the emission inventory data. Methane fluxes from the Washington area were larger than from the Baltimore area, indicating a larger leakage rate in the Washington area. The ethane-to-methane ratios, with a mean of 3.3%, in the limited canister samples collected during the flights indicate that natural gas leaks and the upwind oil and natural gas operations are responsible for a substantial fraction of the CH4 flux. These observations will be compared to models using Ensemble Kalman Filter Assimilation techniques.

Remote sensing requirements as suggested by watershed model sensitivity analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salomonson, V. V.; Rango, A.; Ormsby, J. P.; Ambaruch, R.

1975-01-01

A continuous simulation watershed model has been used to perform sensitivity analyses that provide guidance in defining remote sensing requirements for the monitoring of watershed features and processes. The results show that out of 26 input parameters having meaningful effects on simulated runoff, 6 appear to be obtainable with existing remote sensing techniques. Of these six parameters, 3 require the measurement of the areal extent of surface features (impervious areas, water bodies, and the extent of forested area), two require the descrimination of land use that can be related to overland flow roughness coefficient or the density of vegetation so as to estimate the magnitude of precipitation interception, and one parameter requires the measurement of distance to get the length over which overland flow typically occurs. Observational goals are also suggested for monitoring such fundamental watershed processes as precipitation, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration. A case study on the Patuxent River in Maryland shows that runoff simulation is improved if recent satellite land use observations are used as model inputs as opposed to less timely topographic map information.

If ionospheric and geomagnetic disturbances observed before strong earthquakes may result from simultaneous impact of space weather on all geospheres including solid earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khachikyan, Galina

2016-07-01

It is revealed in previous decades that ionospheric disturbances precede strong earthquakes, thus, the ionospheric precursors of strong earthquakes are now under developing [Pulinets and Boyarchuk, 2004]. Simultaneously, it is revealed that strong earthquakes may be preceded by geomagnetic disturbances as well, as a result, the geomagnetic variations, for example, in the ULF band, are considered now as precursory signals [Fraser-Smith, 1990, doi/10.1029/GL017i009p01465]. At the same time, there is currently no reliable theory nor for ionospheric or to magnetic precursors of earthquakes. Moreover, several researches have reexamined some of above results and concluded that observed magnetic disturbances before strong earthquakes could be generated by other sources, such as global magnetic activity [e.g. Campbell, 2009, doi/10.1029/2008JA013932], and that ionospheric anomalies can also be an effect of the increase of the global magnetic activity [e. g. Masci and Thomas, 2015, doi:10.1002/2015RS005734]. Taking into account such conclusions, one may suggest that the observed ionospheric and geomagnetic disturbances before strong earthquakes might be due to simultaneous influence of a space weather on the complicated surrounding system including the solid earth. This report presents some statistical results to prove such suggestion. In particular, it is shown [Khachikyan et al., 2012, doi:10.4236/ijg.2012.35109] that maximal possible earthquake magnitude (seismic potential) can be determined, in first approximation, on the base of geomagnetic Z-component measured in the Geocentric Solar Magnetosphere (GSM) coordinate system, in which the space weather impact on the earth's environment, due to reconnection of the solar wind magnetic field with the earth's magnetic field, is more ordered.

Recalling a witnessed event increases eyewitness suggestibility: the reversed testing effect.

PubMed

Chan, Jason C K; Thomas, Ayanna K; Bulevich, John B

2009-01-01

People's later memory of an event can be altered by exposure to misinformation about that event. The typical misinformation paradigm, however, does not include a recall test prior to the introduction of misinformation, contrary to what real-life eyewitnesses encounter when they report to a 911 operator or crime-scene officer. Because retrieval is a powerful memory enhancer (the testing effect), recalling a witnessed event prior to receiving misinformation about it should reduce eyewitness suggestibility. We show, however, that immediate cued recall actually exacerbates the later misinformation effect for both younger and older adults. The reversed testing effect we observed was based on two mechanisms: First, immediate cued recall enhanced learning of the misinformation; second, the initially recalled details became particularly susceptible to interference from later misinformation, a finding suggesting that even human episodic memory may undergo a reconsolidation process. These results show that real-life eyewitness memory may be even more susceptible to misinformation than is currently envisioned.

BJUT at TREC 2015 Contextual Suggestion Track

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-20

BJUT at TREC 2015 Contextual Suggestion Track Weitong Chen1,2,3, Hanchen Li1,2,3, Zhen Yang1,2,3,⇤ 1. College of Computer Science, Beijing University...CTISCP, Beijing 100124, China ⇤yangzhen@bjut.edu.cn Abstract In this paper we described our efforts for TREC contextual suggestion task. Our goal of this...experiments to evaluate the proposed framework on TREC 2015 Contextual Suggestion data set, and, as would be expected, the results demonstrate its generality

Measuring Children's Suggestibility in Forensic Interviews.

PubMed

Volpini, Laura; Melis, Manuela; Petralia, Stefania; Rosenberg, Melina D

2016-01-01

According to the scientific literature, childrens' cognitive development is not complete until adolescence. Therefore, the problems inherent in children serving as witnesses are crucial. In preschool-aged children, false memories may be identified because of misinformation and insight bias. Additionally, they are susceptible of suggestions. The aim of this study was to verify the levels of suggestibility in children between three and 5 years of age. Ninety-two children were examined (44 male, 48 female; M = 4.5 years, SD = 9.62). We used the correlation coefficient (Pearson's r) and the averages variance by SPSS statistical program. The results concluded that: younger children are almost always more susceptible to suggestibility. The dimension of immediate recall was negatively correlates with that of total suggestibility (r = -0.357 p < 0.001). Social compliance and source monitoring errors contribute to patterns of suggestibility, because older children shift their answers more often (r = 0.394 p < 0.001). Younger children change their answers more times (r = -0.395 p < 0.001). © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Observing Tropical Cyclones from the Global Hawk: HAMSR Results from GRIP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambrigtsen, B.; Brown, S.; Behrangi, A.

2011-12-01

The Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) recently acquired by NASA was flown for the first time in 2010 in a hurricane field campaign, the NASA Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) experiment. One of the primary payloads was the High Altitude MMIC Sounding Radiometer (HAMSR) developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. HAMSR is a cloud penetrating microwave sounder that provides a picture of the state of the atmosphere, such as the thermodynamic environment around hurricanes and the convective structure in the inner core. We show results from GRIP, including analysis of observations of Hurricane Karl during 13 hours during a period of rapid intensification.

Hypnosis, hypnotic suggestibility, memory, and involvement in films.

PubMed

Maxwell, Reed; Lynn, Steven Jay; Condon, Liam

2015-05-01

Our research extends studies that have examined the relation between hypnotic suggestibility and experiential involvement and the role of an hypnotic induction in enhancing experiential involvement (e.g., absorption) in engaging tasks. Researchers have reported increased involvement in reading (Baum & Lynn, 1981) and music-listening (Snodgrass & Lynn, 1989) tasks during hypnosis. We predicted a similar effect for film viewing: greater experiential involvement in an emotional (The Champ) versus a non-emotional (Scenes of Toronto) film. We tested 121 participants who completed measures of absorption and trait dissociation and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility and then viewed the two films after either an hypnotic induction or a non-hypnotic task (i.e., anagrams). Experiential involvement varied as a function of hypnotic suggestibility and film clip. Highly suggestible participants reported more state depersonalization than less suggestible participants, and depersonalization was associated with negative affect; however, we observed no significant correlation between hypnotic suggestibility and trait dissociation. Although hypnosis had no effect on memory commission or omission errors, contrary to the hypothesis that hypnosis facilitates absorption in emotionally engaging tasks, the emotional film was associated with more commission and omission errors compared with the non-emotional film. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New results of the spectral observations of CP stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polosukhina, N. S.; Shavrina, A. V.; Drake, N. A.; Kudryavtsev, D. O.; Smirnova, M. A.

2010-04-01

The lithium problem in Ap-CP stars has been, for a long time, a subject of debate. Individual characteristics of CP stars, such as high abundance of the rare-earth elements presence of magnetic fields, complicate structure of the surface distribution of chemical elements, rapid oscillations of some CP-stars, make the detection of the lithium lines and the determination of the lithium abundance, a difficult task. During the International Meeting in Slovakia in 1996, the lithium problem in Ap-CP stars was discussed. The results of the Li study carried out in CrAO Polosukhina (1973-1976), the works of Hack & Faraggiana (1963), Wallerstein & Hack (1964), Faraggiana et al. (1992-1996) formed the basis of the International project ‘Lithium in the cool CP-stars with magnetic fields’. The main goal of the project was, using systematical observations of Ap-CP stars with phase rotation in the spectral regions of the resonance doublet Li I 6708 Å and subordinate 6104 Å lithium lines with different telescopes, to create a database, which will permit to explain the physical origin of anomalous Li abundance in the atmospheres of these stars.

Modern Geodynamics of South Yenisei Ridge to Result of the GPS/GLONASS Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tatarinov, Viktor; Kaftan, Vladimir; Tatarinova, Tatiana; Manevich, Alexander

2017-12-01

Yenisei Ridge is located at the junction of major tectonic structures - Siberian Platform and West Siberian Plate. Its southern part is characterized by stable tectonic regime, the average speed of uplift according to geological data is 0.2-0.3 mm per year with the total amplitude of 400-500 m. However, the speed of modern movements of the Earth’s crust is by more than an order of magnitude higher due to the temporary effect of large-scale geodynamic movements. The Yenisei river divides the area into two parts. The left bank is characterized by predominantly negative vertical movements and the right bank by positive ones. The major tectonic disturbances occur in the areas of the Muratovsky, Atamanovsky, Pravoberezhny and Bolshetelsky submeridional faults. It was investigated the dynamics of changes in the lengths of ΔL baselines for separate epochs of observations. In 2010-2013 the absolute values of ΔL were significantly lower than for the periods 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. For the entire observation period the average value of the differences of the line lengths is 3.8 mm. This suggests that in general the area experienced strain during the period 2010-2015. Maps of the Earth’s surface dilatation zones (deformation rate) showed that the maximum deformations were recorded in the area of Muratovsky and Atamanovsky faults located at the junction of Siberian Platform and West Siberian plate.

FIRST, a fibered aperture masking instrument: Results of the Lick observing campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bordwell, Baylee; Duchene, Gaspard; Huby, Elsa; Goebel, Sean; Marchis, Franck; Perrin, Guy; Lacour, Sylvestre; Kotani, Takayuki; Gates, Elinor L.; Choquet, Elodie

2015-01-01

FIRST is a prototype instrument aimed at achieving high dynamic range and angular resolution in ground-based images at visible wavelengths near the diffraction limit. FIRST utilizes an aperture masking-like technique that makes use of single-mode fibers and pupil remapping to maximize the area of the telescope mirror in use. While located at Lick observatory in 2011 and 2012, FIRST observed 25 binary systems with the Shane 3m telescope, with separations ranging from 20 to 200 mas, comparable to the 50 mas diffraction limit for our central wavelength. Huby et al. (2013) has reported results for the Capella system that established the utility of FIRST for characterizing stellar binaries using the directly measured spectral flux ratio. Using an improved data analysis pipeline, we obtained closure phase measurements for a majority of the targets observed at Lick, and derived angular separations and spectral flux ratios. From the spectral flux ratios we obtained spectra for the companions over at least 600-850 nm with R~300. Finally, by obtaining results for many binary systems we have better constrained the current performance of FIRST, which has an exciting future ahead at its current location behind SCExAO at the Subaru 8.2 m telescope, where it will eventually become available for general use by the astronomical community.

Clarification of the memory artefact in the assessment of suggestibility.

PubMed

Willner, P

2008-04-01

The Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS) assesses suggestibility by asking respondents to recall a short story, followed by exposure to leading questions and pressure to change their responses. Suggestibility, as assessed by the GSS, appears to be elevated in people with intellectual disabilities (ID). This has been shown to reflect to some extent the fact that people with ID have poor recall of the story; however, there are discrepancies in this relationship. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a closer match between memory and suggestibility would be found using a measure of recognition memory rather than free recall. Three modifications to the procedure were presented to users of a learning disabilities day service. In all three experiments, a measure of forced-choice recognition memory was built into the suggestibility test. In experiments 1 and 2, the GSS was presented using either divided presentation (splitting the story into two halves, with memory and suggestibility tests after each half) or multiple presentation (the story was presented three times before presentation of the memory and suggestibility tests). Participants were tested twice, once with the standard version of the test and once with one of the modified versions. In experiment 3, an alternative suggestibility scale (ASS3) was created, based on real events in a learning disabilities day service. The ASS3 was presented to one group of participants who had been present at the events, and a second group who attended a different day service, to whom the events were unfamiliar. As observed previously, suggestibility was not closely related to free recall performance: recall was increased equally by all three manipulations, but they produced, respectively, no effect, a modest effect and a large effect on suggestibility. However, the effects on suggestibility were closely related to performance on the forced-choice recognition memory task: divided presentation of the GSS2 had no

Upper Stratospheric Temperature Climatology Derived from SAGE II Observations: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, P.-H.; Cunnold, D. M.; Wang, H. J.; Chu, W. P.; Thomason, L. W.

2002-01-01

This study shows that the temperature information in the upper stratosphere can be derived from the SAGE II 385-mn observations. The preliminary results indicate that the zonal mean temperature increases with altitude below 50 km and decreases above 50 km. At 50 km, a regional maximum of 263 K is located in the tropics, and a minimum of 261 K occurs in the subtropics in both hemispheres. The derived long-term temperature changes from 1985 to 1997 reveal a statistically significant negative trend of -2 to -2.5 K/decade in the tropical upper stratosphere and about -2 K/decade in the subtropics near the stratopause. At latitudes poleward of 50, the results show a statistically significant positive trend of about 1 K/decade in the upper stratosphere. The preliminary results also show large annual temperature oscillations in the extratropics with a maximum amplitude of approx. 8 K located at about 44 km near 50 in both hemispheres during local summer. In addition, the semiannual oscillation is found to be a maximum in the tropics with a peak amplitude of approx. 3.3 K located at about 42 km during the equinox.

Short-Arc Orbit Determination Results and Space Debris Test Observation of the OWL-Net

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, J.; Jo, J.; Yim, H.

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute had developed the Optical Wide-field patroL-Network (OWL-Net) for maintaining the domestic Low Earth Orbit satellites’ ephemeris and monitoring Geostationary Earth Orbit region. It also can be used to observe space debris. The orbit determination process was planned with batch least square orbit estimator for every week. The optical tracking window is very narrow, several times per week. Sequentialbatch type estimation strategy was attempted for more reliable orbit prediction. We compared the test operation results with Two Line Elements and CPF files to validate the system. This results can be used to estimate the performance of the OWL-Net operations. And also we had observation of the Astro-H debris. We got the dozens of photometric data of the Astro-H debris main part for a few seconds with the chopper system.

Results of Joint Observations of Jupiter's Atmosphere by Juno and a Network of Earth-Based Observing Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orton, G. S.; Momary, T.; Tabataba-Vakili, F.; Bolton, S.; Levin, S.; Adriani, A.; Gladstone, G. R.; Hansen, C. J.; Janssen, M.

2017-09-01

Well over sixty investigator/instrument investigations are actively engaged in the support of the Juno mission. These observations range from X-ray to the radio wavelengths and involve both space- and ground-based astronomical facilities. These observations enhance and expand Juno measurements by (1) providing a context that expands the area covered by often narrow spatial coverage of Juno's instruments, (2) providing a temporal context that shows how phenomena evolve over Juno's 53-day orbit period, (3) providing observations in spectral ranges not covered by Juno's instruments, and (4) monitoring the behavior of external influences to Jupiter's magnetosphere. Intercommunication between the Juno scientists and the support program is maintained by reference to a Google table that describes the observation and its current status, as well as by occasional group emails. A non-interactive version of this invitation-only site is mirrored in a public site. Several sets of these supporting observations are described at this meeting.

Doppler signals observed during high temperature thermal ablation are the result of boiling.

PubMed

Nahirnyak, Volodymyr M; Moros, Eduardo G; Novák, Petr; Suzanne Klimberg, V; Shafirstein, Gal

2010-01-01

To elucidate the causation mechanism of Spectral Doppler ultrasound signals (DUS) observed during high temperature thermal ablation and evaluate their potential for image-guidance. Sixteen ex vivo ablations were performed in fresh turkey breast muscle, eight with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) devices, and eight with a conductive interstitial thermal therapy (CITT) device. Temperature changes in the ablation zone were measured with thermocouples located at 1 to 10 mm away from the ablation probes. Concomitantly, DUS were recorded using a standard diagnostic ultrasound scanner. Retrospectively, sustained observations of DUS were correlated with measured temperatures. Sustained DUS was arbitrarily defined as the Doppler signals lasting more than 10 s as observed in the diagnostic ultrasound videos captured from the scanner. For RFA experiments, minimum average temperature (T1 +/- SD) at which sustained DUS were observed was 97.2 +/- 7.3 degrees C, while the maximum average temperature (T2 +/- SD) at which DUS were not seen was 74.3 +/- 9.1 degrees C. For CITT ablation, T1 and T2 were 95.7 +/- 5.9 degrees C and 91.6 +/- 7.2 degrees C, respectively. It was also observed, especially during CITT ablation, that temperatures remained relatively constant during Doppler activity. The value of T1 was near the standard boiling point of water (99.61 degrees C) while T2 was below it. Together, T1 and T2 support the conclusion that DUS during high temperature thermal ablation are the result of boiling (phase change). This conclusion is also supported by the nearly constant temperature histories maintained at locations from which DUS emanated.

[Therapy and suggestion].

PubMed

Barrucand, D; Paille, F

1986-12-01

Therapy and suggestion are closely related. That is clear for the ancient time: primitive medicine gives a good place to the Word. In plant, animal or mineral remedies, the suggestion is clearly preponderant. Towards the end of the 19th century, the "Ecole de Nancy" sets up a real theory of the suggestion, and Bernheim, its leader, bases hypnosis, then psychotherapy on this concept. Thereafter Coué will bring up the "conscious autosuggestion". Today, despite the progress of scientific medicine, the part of suggestion is still very important in medical therapy (with or without drugs), or in chirurgical therapy; this part is also very important in psychotherapies, whatever has been said in this field. This has to be known and used consciously in the doctor-patient relation, which is always essential in the therapeutic effectiveness.

Plasma observations near jupiter: initial results from voyager 2.

PubMed

Bridge, H S; Belcher, J W; Lazarus, A J; Sullivan, J D; Bagenal, F; McNutt, R L; Ogilvie, K W; Scudder, J D; Sittler, E C; Vasyliunas, V M; Goertz, C K

1979-11-23

The first of at least nine bow shock crossings observed on the inbound pass of Voyager 2 occurred at 98.8 Jupiter radii (R(J)) with final entry into the magnetosphere at 62 R(J). On both the inbound and outbound passes the plasma showed a tendency to move in the direction of corotation, as was observed on the inbound pass of Voyager 1. Positive ion densities and electron intensities observed by Voyager 2 are comparable within a factor of 2 to those seen by Voyager 1 at the same radial distance from Jupiter; the composition of the magnetospheric plasma is again dominated by heavy ions with a ratio of mass density relative to hydrogen of about 100/1. A series of dropouts of plasma intensity near Ganymede may be related to a complex interaction between Ganymede and the magnetospheric plasma. From the planetary spin modulation of the intensity of plasma electrons it is inferred that the plasma sheet is centered at the dipole magnetic equator out to a distance of 40 to 50 R(J) and deviates from it toward the rotational equator at larger distances. The longitudinal excursion of the plasma sheet lags behind the rotating dipole by a phase angle that increases with increasing radial distance.

Hypnotic suggestibility, cognitive inhibition, and dissociation.

PubMed

Dienes, Zoltán; Brown, Elizabeth; Hutton, Sam; Kirsch, Irving; Mazzoni, Giuliana; Wright, Daniel B

2009-12-01

We examined two potential correlates of hypnotic suggestibility: dissociation and cognitive inhibition. Dissociation is the foundation of two of the major theories of hypnosis and other theories commonly postulate that hypnotic responding is a result of attentional abilities (including inhibition). Participants were administered the Waterloo-Stanford Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form C. Under the guise of an unrelated study, 180 of these participants also completed: a version of the Dissociative Experiences Scale that is normally distributed in non-clinical populations; a latent inhibition task, a spatial negative priming task, and a memory task designed to measure negative priming. The data ruled out even moderate correlations between hypnotic suggestibility and all the measures of dissociation and cognitive inhibition overall, though they also indicated gender differences. The results are a challenge for existing theories of hypnosis.

NuSTAR Results and Future Plans for Magnetar and Rotation-Powered Pulsar Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

An, H.; Kaspi, V. M.; Archibald, R.; Bachetti, M.; Bhalerao, V.; Bellm, E. C.; Beloborodov, A. M.; Boggs, S. E.; Chakrabarty, D.; Christensen, F. E.;

Responding to hypnotic and nonhypnotic suggestions: performance standards, imaginative suggestibility, and response expectancies.

PubMed

Meyer, Eric C; Lynn, Steven Jay

2011-07-01

This study examined the relative impact of hypnotic inductions and several other variables on hypnotic and nonhypnotic responsiveness to imaginative suggestions. The authors examined how imaginative suggestibility, response expectancies, motivation to respond to suggestions, and hypnotist-induced performance standards affected participants' responses to both hypnotic and nonhypnotic suggestions and their suggestion-related experiences. Suggestions were administered to 5 groups of participants using a test-retest design: (a) stringent performance standards; (b) lenient performance standards; (c) hypnosis test-retest; (d) no-hypnosis test-retest; and (e) no-hypnosis/hypnosis control. The authors found no support for the influence of a hypnotic induction or performance standards on responding to suggestions but found considerable support for the role of imaginative suggestibility and response expectancies in predicting responses to both hypnotic and nonhypnotic suggestions.

PHOTOMETRY OF VARIABLE STARS FROM DOME A, ANTARCTICA: RESULTS FROM THE 2010 OBSERVING SEASON

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

Wang, Lingzhi; Zhu, Zonghong; Macri, Lucas M.

We present results from a season of observations with the Chinese Small Telescope ARray, obtained over 183 days of the 2010 Antarctic winter. We carried out high-cadence time-series aperture photometry of 9125 stars with i ∼< 15.3 mag located in a 23 deg{sup 2} region centered on the south celestial pole. We identified 188 variable stars, including 67 new objects relative to our 2008 observations, thanks to broader synoptic coverage, a deeper magnitude limit, and a larger field of view. We used the photometric data set to derive site statistics from Dome A. Based on two years of observations, wemore » find that extinction due to clouds at this site is less than 0.1 and 0.4 mag during 45% and 75% of the dark time, respectively.« less

Reduced change blindness suggests enhanced attention to detail in individuals with autism.

PubMed

Smith, Hayley; Milne, Elizabeth

2009-03-01

The phenomenon of change blindness illustrates that a limited number of items within the visual scene are attended to at any one time. It has been suggested that individuals with autism focus attention on less contextually relevant aspects of the visual scene, show superior perceptual discrimination and notice details which are often ignored by typical observers. In this study we investigated change blindness in autism by asking participants to detect continuity errors deliberately introduced into a short film. Whether the continuity errors involved central/marginal or social/non-social aspects of the visual scene was varied. Thirty adolescent participants, 15 with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and 15 typically developing (TD) controls participated. The participants with ASD detected significantly more errors than the TD participants. Both groups identified more errors involving central rather than marginal aspects of the scene, although this effect was larger in the TD participants. There was no difference in the number of social or non-social errors detected by either group of participants. In line with previous data suggesting an abnormally broad attentional spotlight and enhanced perceptual function in individuals with ASD, the results of this study suggest enhanced awareness of the visual scene in ASD. The results of this study could reflect superior top-down control of visual search in autism, enhanced perceptual function, or inefficient filtering of visual information in ASD.

Observations by a University Anatomy Teacher and a Suggestion for Curricular Change: Integrative Anatomy for Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darda, David M.

2010-01-01

The observation that anatomical course offerings have decreased in undergraduate biology curricula is supported by a survey of undergraduate institutions in the state of Washington. This reduction, due partially to increased emphasis in other areas of the biology curriculum, along with the lack of anatomy prerequisites for admission to most…

Suicidality and interrogative suggestibility.

PubMed

Pritchard-Boone, Lea; Range, Lillian M

2005-01-01

All people are subject to memory suggestibility, but suicidal individuals may be especially so. The link between suicidality and suggestibility is unclear given mixed findings and methodological weaknesses of past research. To test the link between suicidality and interrogative suggestibility, 149 undergraduates answered questions about suicidal thoughts and reasons for living, and participated in a direct suggestibility procedure. As expected, suggestibility correlated with suicidality but accounted for little overall variance (4%). Mental health professionals might be able to take advantage of client suggestibility by directly telling suicidal persons to refrain from suicidal thoughts or actions.

The ILAN sprite campaigns in Israel: results from 7 years of observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yair, Yoav; Rubanenko, Lior; Katzenelson, Dor; Rosenthal, Neta; Mezuman, Keren; Price, Colin

2014-05-01

The ILAN (Imaging of Lightning And Nocturnal flashes, http://ilanteam.com/) campaigns have been conducted since 2004 from Israel, observing winter thunderstorms in the eastern Mediterranean. We searched for transient luminous events using the standard commercial CCD cameras (Watec N100, 902H2 Ultimate) and the UFO-capture software for event detection, commonly used by other TLE- research groups in Europe and Japan. Winter thunderstorms mostly occur in conjunction with the passage of cold fronts in Cyprus lows, and thus TLEs are best observed when the storms are 200-300 km west of the Israeli coastline, above the Mediterranean Sea. We present statistical analysis of 505 sprites observed in 7 winter campaigns from 2006/7-2012/13. Results show a clear peak in the frequency of sprite detections, with maximum values (above 40% of events) between 00:30-02:50 LST (Local Standard Time, UT+2). This distribution is very different from that of lightning in the region, which peaks ~ 05:00 LST over the sea (Altaratz et al., 2001), hinting at the different temporal behavior of +CG flashes, known to be the major producers of sprites. The morphological distribution of 339 sprites is dominated by column sprites (49.3%) with angels (33.0%) and carrots (25.7%) being less frequent. This is similar to reports of winter sprites over the Sea of Japan (Matsudo et al., 2007). Other shapes (trees, wishbones, etc.; Bór, 2013) appear quite rarely. Single element events constitute 16.8% of observations, with 83.2% containing 2 elements or more. Clusters of homogenous types are slightly more frequent than mixed ones (55%). In some rare cases we observed 12-23 elements in a single sprite. The number of elements and the temporal distribution of different sprite types will be presented and compared with the properties of the parent thunderstorms. Altaratz, O., Levin Z. and Y. Yair, 2001: Winter thunderstorms in Israel - a study with lightning location systems and weather radar. Month. Weath. Rev

The impact of hypnotic suggestibility in clinical care settings

PubMed Central

Montgomery, Guy H.; Schnur, Julie B.; David, Daniel

2013-01-01

Hypnotic suggestibility has been described as a powerful predictor of outcomes associated with hypnotic interventions. However, there have been no systematic approaches to quantifying this effect across the literature. The present meta-analysis evaluates the magnitude of the effect of hypnotic suggestibility on hypnotic outcomes in clinical settings. PsycINFO and PubMed were searched from their inception through July 2009. Thirty-four effects from ten studies and 283 participants are reported. Results revealed a statistically significant overall effect size in the small to medium range (r = 0.24; 95% Confidence Interval = −0.28 to 0.75), indicating that greater hypnotic suggestibility led to greater effects of hypnosis interventions. Hypnotic suggestibility accounted for 6% of the variance in outcomes. Smaller sample size studies, use of the SHCS, and pediatric samples tended to result in larger effect sizes. Results question the usefulness of assessing hypnotic suggestibility in clinical contexts. PMID:21644122

Observational results of a multi-telescope campaign in search of interstellar urea [(NH{sub 2}){sub 2}CO

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

Remijan, Anthony J.; Snyder, Lewis E.; Kuo, Hsin-Lun

In this paper, we present the results of an observational search for gas phase urea [(NH{sub 2}){sub 2}CO] observed toward the Sgr B2(N-LMH) region. We show data covering urea transitions from ∼100 GHz to 250 GHz from five different observational facilities: the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland-Association (BIMA) Array, the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA), the NRAO 12 m telescope, the IRAM 30 m telescope, and the Swedish-ESO Submillimeter Telescope (SEST). The results show that the features ascribed to urea can be reproduced across the entire observed bandwidth and all facilities by best-fit column density, temperature, and source size parameters whichmore » vary by less than a factor of two between observations merely by adjusting for telescope-specific parameters. Interferometric observations show that the emission arising from these transitions is cospatial and compact, consistent with the derived source sizes and emission from a single species. Despite this evidence, the spectral complexity of both (NH{sub 2}){sub 2}CO and of Sgr B2(N) makes the definitive identification of this molecule challenging. We present observational spectra, laboratory data, and models, and discuss our results in the context of a possible molecular detection of urea.« less

Results of magnetic field measurements performed with the 6-m telescope. IV. Observations in 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanyuk, I. I.; Semenko, E. A.; Kudryavtsev, D. O.; Moiseeva, A. V.; Yakunin, I. A.

2017-10-01

We present the results of measurements of magnetic fields, radial velocities and rotation velocities for 92 objects, mainly main-sequence chemically peculiar stars. Observations were performed at the 6-m BTA telescope using Main Stellar Spectrograph with a Zeeman analyzer. In 2010, twelve new magnetic stars were discovered: HD 17330, HD 29762, HD 49884, HD 54824, HD 89069, HD 96003, HD 113894, HD 118054, HD 135679, HD 138633, HD 138777, BD +53.1183. The presence of a field is suspected in HD 16705, HD 35379 and HD 35881. Observations of standard stars without a magnetic field confirm the absence of systematic errors which can introduce distortions into the measurements of longitudinal field. The paper gives comments on the results of investigation of each star.

Personalized query suggestion based on user behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wanyu; Hao, Zepeng; Shao, Taihua; Chen, Honghui

Query suggestions help users refine their queries after they input an initial query. Previous work mainly concentrated on similarity-based and context-based query suggestion approaches. However, models that focus on adapting to a specific user (personalization) can help to improve the probability of the user being satisfied. In this paper, we propose a personalized query suggestion model based on users’ search behavior (UB model), where we inject relevance between queries and users’ search behavior into a basic probabilistic model. For the relevance between queries, we consider their semantical similarity and co-occurrence which indicates the behavior information from other users in web search. Regarding the current user’s preference to a query, we combine the user’s short-term and long-term search behavior in a linear fashion and deal with the data sparse problem with Bayesian probabilistic matrix factorization (BPMF). In particular, we also investigate the impact of different personalization strategies (the combination of the user’s short-term and long-term search behavior) on the performance of query suggestion reranking. We quantify the improvement of our proposed UB model against a state-of-the-art baseline using the public AOL query logs and show that it beats the baseline in terms of metrics used in query suggestion reranking. The experimental results show that: (i) for personalized ranking, users’ behavioral information helps to improve query suggestion effectiveness; and (ii) given a query, merging information inferred from the short-term and long-term search behavior of a particular user can result in a better performance than both plain approaches.

ASCA Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helfand, David J.

1998-01-01

This recently expired grant has supported the work of the PI, his students, and his collaborators on a variety of ASCA projects over the past four years. Annual reports have summarized much of the work accomplished; here we provide a brief review of the work resulting from this effort, and a summary of the personnel who have benefited from the grant's support. Starburst Galaxies with Extreme X-ray Luminosities This project began as a careful examination of the claims of Boller et al. (1992) that there were dozens of "normal" galaxies in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey that had X-ray luminosities in excess of 1042 erg sec, higher than that seen in the hundreds of non-AGN galaxies observed with Einstein. If true, this suggested that X-ray emission associated with star formation activity might have a significant contribution to make to the still unexplained cosmic X-ray background (XRB). Since some of our earlier work with the Einstein Observatory Deep Surveys had suggested a similar possibility and several sets of authors over the years had modelled the starburst XRB contribution, these claims were worth pursuing. Our work expanded the examination beyond the RASS to include earlier claims of high-luminosity galaxies powered by starburst emission (selected in this case on the basis of the far-IR luminosities). The result of extensive followup observations under several programs using ROSAT, ASCA, and ground-based facilities was to show that nearly all of these objects in fact have hidden AGN at their cores, and that their luminosities are not in any way extraordinary.

Earth's colour unchanged since 1967: results from earthshine observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thejll, Peter; Flynn, Chris; Gleisner, Hans; Schwarz, Henriette

2014-05-01

The colour of Earthlight is a function of atmospheric, surface and ocean conditions because each scatters light in a characteristic way. The colour of Earth can in principle be determined and monitored from satellites - but geostationary satellites do not observe in multiple visual bands, and low Earth orbit platforms do not provide instantaneous colour pictures of the terrestrial disc. Observations of the dark side of the Moon - illuminated by earthlight - can be used to determine the terrestrial colour, and was done accurately in 1967 with astronomical photometric techniques. Until now, such techniques have not been re-applied. We report on multi-band visual photometry of the earthshine in 2011/2012. Scattered light in the atmosphere and the equipment is a difficult issue to circumvent - but for a unique pair of observations in the Johnson B and V bands we have a situation where scattered light cancels closely and thus we can estimate the Johnson B-V colours of the earthshine itself. By arguing on the basis of changes in reflected sunlight we can estimate the colour of the earthlight striking the Moon - and hence the colour of the Earth at that particular time. We find good agreement with the a measurement performed 47 years previously, and broad agreement with historic measurements from the 1920s and 30s. This similarity has fundamental consequences for the climate system feedback mechanisms, discussed in this poster.

Do author-suggested reviewers rate submissions more favorably than editor-suggested reviewers? A study on atmospheric chemistry and physics.

PubMed

Bornmann, Lutz; Daniel, Hans-Dieter

2010-10-14

Ratings in journal peer review can be affected by sources of bias. The bias variable investigated here was the information on whether authors had suggested a possible reviewer for their manuscript, and whether the editor had taken up that suggestion or had chosen a reviewer that had not been suggested by the authors. Studies have shown that author-suggested reviewers rate manuscripts more favorably than editor-suggested reviewers do. Reviewers' ratings on three evaluation criteria and the reviewers' final publication recommendations were available for 552 manuscripts (in total 1145 reviews) that were submitted to Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, an interactive open access journal using public peer review (authors' and reviewers' comments are publicly exchanged). Public peer review is supposed to bring a new openness to the reviewing process that will enhance its objectivity. In the statistical analysis the quality of a manuscript was controlled for to prevent favorable reviewers' ratings from being attributable to quality instead of to the bias variable. Our results agree with those from other studies that editor-suggested reviewers rated manuscripts between 30% and 42% less favorably than author-suggested reviewers. Against this backdrop journal editors should consider either doing without the use of author-suggested reviewers or, if they are used, bringing in more than one editor-suggested reviewer for the review process (so that the review by author-suggested reviewers can be put in perspective).

Plasma observations near jupiter: initial results from voyager 1.

PubMed

Bridge, H S; Belcher, J W; Lazarus, A J; Sullivan, J D; McNutt, R L; Bagenal, F; Scudder, J D; Sittler, E C; Siscoe, G L; Vasyliunas, V M; Goertz, C K; Yeates, C M

1979-06-01

Extensive measurements of low-energy positive ions and electrons were made throughout the Jupiter encounter of Voyager 1. The bow shock and magneto-pause were crossed several times at distances consistent with variations in the upstream solar wind pressure measured on Voyager 2. During the inbound pass, the number density increased by six orders of magnitude between the innermost magnetopause crossing at approximately 47 Jupiter radii and near closest approach at approximately 5 Jupiter radii; the plasma flow during this period was predominately in the direction of corotation. Marked increases in number density were observed twice per planetary rotation, near the magnetic equator. Jupiterward of the Io plasma torus, a cold, corotating plasma was observed and the energylcharge spectra show well-resolved, heavy-ion peaks at mass-to-charge ratios A/Z* = 8, 16, 32, and 64.

Plasma observations near Jupiter - Initial results from Voyager 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridge, H. S.; Belcher, J. W.; Lazarus, A. J.; Sullivan, J. D.; Mcnutt, R. L.; Bagenal, F.; Scudder, J. D.; Sittler, E. C.; Siscoe, G. L.; Vasyliunas, V. M.

1979-01-01

Extensive measurements of low-energy positive ions and electrons were made throughout the Jupiter encounter of Voyager 1. The bow shock and magnetopause were crossed several times at distances consistent with variations in the upstream solar wind pressure measured on Voyager 2. During the inbound pass, the number density increased by six orders of magnitude between the innermost magnetopause crossing at approximately 47 Jupiter radii and near closest approach at approximately 5 Jupiter radii; the plasma flow during this period was predominately in the direction of corotation. Marked increases in number density were observed twice per planetary rotation, near the magnetic equator. Jupiterward of the Io plasma torus, a cold, corotating plasma was observed and the energy/charge spectra show well-resolved, heavy-ion peaks at mass-to-charge ratios equal to 8, 16, 32, and 64.

Are Dysphoric Individuals More Suggestible or Less Suggestible Than Nondysphoric Individuals?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacFarland, Wendy L.; Morris, Steven J.

1998-01-01

Dysphoric individuals are shown to be susceptible to interrogative suggestion, whether in the form of leading questions or interrogative pressure. The association of a clinically relevant condition of dysphoria (depression) with relatively high levels of suggestibility was investigated in a college student population (N=139). Applicability to…

Hubble Tarantula Treasury Project: Unraveling Tarantula's Web. I. Observational Overview and First Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sabbi, E.; Anderson, J.; Lennon, D. J.; van der Marel, R. P.; Aloisi, A.; Boyer, Martha L.; Cignoni, M.; De Marchi, G.; De Mink, S. E.; Evans, C. J.;

Observations of interstellar zinc

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jura, M.; York, D.

1981-01-01

The International Ultraviolet Explorer observations of interstellar zinc toward 10 stars are examined. It is found that zinc is at most only slightly depleted in the interstellar medium; its abundance may serve as a tracer of the true metallicity in the gas. The local interstellar medium has abundances that apparently are homogeneous to within a factor of two, when integrated over paths of about 500 pc, and this result is important for understanding the history of nucleosynthesis in the solar neighborhood. The intrinsic errors in detecting weak interstellar lines are analyzed and suggestions are made as to how this error limit may be lowered to 5 mA per target observation.

Results from EDDAatCOSY: Spin Observables in Proton-Proton Elastic Scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohdjeß, Heiko

2003-07-01

Elastic proton-proton scattering as one of the fundamental hadronic reactions has been studied with the internal target experiment EDDA at the Cooler-Synchrotron COSY/Jülich. A precise measurement of differential cross section, analyzing power and three spin-correlation parameters over a large angular (θc.m. ≈ 35° - 90°) and energy (Tp ≈ 0.5 - 2.5 GeV) range has been carried out in the past years. By taking scattering data during the acceleration of the COSY beam, excitation functions were measured in small energy steps and consistent normalization with respect to luminosity and polarization. The experiment uses internal fiber targets and a polarized hydrogen atomic-beam target in conjunction with a double-layered, cylindrical scintillator hodoscope for particle detection. The results on differential cross sections and analyzing powers have been published and helped to improve phase shift solutions. Recently data taking with polarized beam and target has been completed. Preliminary results for the spin-correlation parameters A NN, ASS, and ASL are presented. The observable ASS has been measured the first time above 800 MeV and our results are in sharp contrast to phase-shift predictions at higher energies. Our analysis shows that some of the ambiguities in the direct reconstruction of scattering amplitudes which also show up as differences between available phase-shift solutions, will be reduced by these new measurements.

Gravity Changes and Internal Processes: Some Results Obtained from Observations at Three Volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jentzsch, Gerhard; Weise, Adelheid; Rey, Carlos; Gerstenecker, Carl

Temporal gravity changes provide information about mass and/or density variations within and below the volcano edifice. Three active volcanoes have been under investigation; each of them related to a plate boundary: Mayon/Luzon/Philippines, Merapi/Java/Indonesia, and Galeras/Colombia. The observed gravity changes are smaller than previously expected but significant. For the three volcanoes under investigation, and within the observation period, mainly the increase of gravity is observed, ranging from 1,000 nm-2 to 1,600 nms-2. Unexpectedly, the gravity increase is confined to a rather small area with radii of 5 to 8 km around the summit. At Mayon and Merapi the parallel GPS measurements yield no significant elevation changes. This is crucial for the interpretation, as the internal pressure variations do not lead to significant deformation at the surface. Thus the classical Mogi-model for a shallow extending magma reservoir cannot apply. To confine the possible models, the attraction due to changes of groundwater level or soil moisture is estimated along the slope of Merapi exemplarily by 2-D modelling. Mass redistribution or density changes were evaluated within the vent as well as deeper fluid processes to explain the gravity variations; the results are compared to the model incorporating the additional effect of elastic deformation.

The effect of women's suggestive clothing on men's behavior and judgment: a field study.

PubMed

Guéguen, Nicolas

2011-10-01

Numerous studies have shown that men overestimate the sexual intent of women based on their clothing style; however, this hypothesis has not been assessed empirically in a natural setting. This small field study measured the time it took for men to approach two female confederates sitting in a tavern, one wearing suggestive clothes and one wearing more conservative clothes. The behavior of 108 men was observed over 54 periods on 16 different nights in two different taverns. The time it took for the men to approach after initial eye contact was significantly shorter in the suggestive clothing condition. The men were also asked by male confederates to rate the likelihood of having a date with the women, and having sex on the first date. The men rated their chances to have a date and to have sex significantly higher in the suggestive clothing condition. Results are discussed with respect to men's possible misinterpretation that women's clothing indicates sexual interest, and the risks associated with the misinterpretation.

Do Author-Suggested Reviewers Rate Submissions More Favorably than Editor-Suggested Reviewers? A Study on Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

PubMed Central

Bornmann, Lutz; Daniel, Hans-Dieter

2010-01-01

Background Ratings in journal peer review can be affected by sources of bias. The bias variable investigated here was the information on whether authors had suggested a possible reviewer for their manuscript, and whether the editor had taken up that suggestion or had chosen a reviewer that had not been suggested by the authors. Studies have shown that author-suggested reviewers rate manuscripts more favorably than editor-suggested reviewers do. Methodology/Principal Findings Reviewers' ratings on three evaluation criteria and the reviewers' final publication recommendations were available for 552 manuscripts (in total 1145 reviews) that were submitted to Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, an interactive open access journal using public peer review (authors' and reviewers' comments are publicly exchanged). Public peer review is supposed to bring a new openness to the reviewing process that will enhance its objectivity. In the statistical analysis the quality of a manuscript was controlled for to prevent favorable reviewers' ratings from being attributable to quality instead of to the bias variable. Conclusions/Significance Our results agree with those from other studies that editor-suggested reviewers rated manuscripts between 30% and 42% less favorably than author-suggested reviewers. Against this backdrop journal editors should consider either doing without the use of author-suggested reviewers or, if they are used, bringing in more than one editor-suggested reviewer for the review process (so that the review by author-suggested reviewers can be put in perspective). PMID:20976226

Nursing care complexity in a psychiatric setting: results of an observational study.

PubMed

Petrucci, C; Marcucci, G; Carpico, A; Lancia, L

2014-02-01

For nurses working in mental health service settings, it is a priority to perform patient assessments to identify patients' general and behavioural risks and nursing care complexity using objective criteria, to meet the demand for care and to improve the quality of service by reducing health threat conditions to the patients' selves or to others (adverse events). This study highlights that there is a relationship between the complexity of psychiatric patient care, which was assigned a numerical value after the nursing assessment, and the occurrence of psychiatric adverse events in the recent histories of the patients. The results suggest that nursing supervision should be enhanced for patients with high care complexity scores. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Physical mapping of repetitive DNA suggests 2n reduction in Amazon turtles Podocnemis (Testudines: Podocnemididae)

PubMed Central

Cavalcante, Manoella Gemaque; Bastos, Carlos Eduardo Matos Carvalho; Nagamachi, Cleusa Yoshiko; Pieczarka, Julio Cesar; Vicari, Marcelo Ricardo; Noronha, Renata Coelho Rodrigues

2018-01-01

Cytogenetic studies show that there is great karyotypic diversity in order Testudines (2n = 26–68), and that this may be mainly attributed to the presence/absence of microchromosomes. Members of the Podocnemididae family have the smallest diploid numbers of this order (2n = 26–28), which may be a derived condition of the group. Diverse studies suggest that repetitive-DNA-rich sites generally act as hotspots for double-strand breaks and chromosomal reorganization. In this context, we used fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to map telomeric sequences (TTAGGG)n, 45S rDNA, and the genes encoding histones H1 and H3 in two species of genus Podocnemis. We also observed conservation of the 45S rDNA and H1 histone sequences (probable case of conserved synteny), but multiple conserved and non-conserved clusters of H3 genes, which colocalized with the interstitial telomeric sequences in the Podocnemis genome. Our results suggest that fusions have occurred between macro and microchromosomes or between microchromosomes, leading to the observed reduction in diploid number in the family Podocnemididae. PMID:29813087

Physical mapping of repetitive DNA suggests 2n reduction in Amazon turtles Podocnemis (Testudines: Podocnemididae).

PubMed

Cavalcante, Manoella Gemaque; Bastos, Carlos Eduardo Matos Carvalho; Nagamachi, Cleusa Yoshiko; Pieczarka, Julio Cesar; Vicari, Marcelo Ricardo; Noronha, Renata Coelho Rodrigues

2018-01-01

Cytogenetic studies show that there is great karyotypic diversity in order Testudines (2n = 26-68), and that this may be mainly attributed to the presence/absence of microchromosomes. Members of the Podocnemididae family have the smallest diploid numbers of this order (2n = 26-28), which may be a derived condition of the group. Diverse studies suggest that repetitive-DNA-rich sites generally act as hotspots for double-strand breaks and chromosomal reorganization. In this context, we used fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to map telomeric sequences (TTAGGG)n, 45S rDNA, and the genes encoding histones H1 and H3 in two species of genus Podocnemis. We also observed conservation of the 45S rDNA and H1 histone sequences (probable case of conserved synteny), but multiple conserved and non-conserved clusters of H3 genes, which colocalized with the interstitial telomeric sequences in the Podocnemis genome. Our results suggest that fusions have occurred between macro and microchromosomes or between microchromosomes, leading to the observed reduction in diploid number in the family Podocnemididae.

Accuracy and Availability of Egnos - Results of Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felski, Andrzej; Nowak, Aleksander; Woźniak, Tomasz

2011-01-01

According to SBAS concept the user should receive timely the correct information about the system integrity and corrections to the pseudoranges measurements, which leads to better accuracy of coordinates. In theory the whole system is permanently monitored by RIMS stations, so it is impossible to deliver the faulty information to the user. The quality of the system is guaranteed inside the border of the system coverage however in the east part of Poland lower accuracy and availability of the system is still observed. This was the impulse to start an observation and analysis of real accuracy and availability of EGNOS service in the context of support air-operations in local airports and as the supplementation in hydrographic operations on the Polish Exclusive Zone. A registration has been conducted on three PANSA stations situated on airports in Warsaw, Krakow and Rzeszow and on PNA station in Gdynia. Measurements on PANSA stations have been completed permanently during each whole month up to end of September 2011. These stations are established on Septentrio PolaRx2e receivers and have been engaged into EGNOS Data Collection Network performed by EUROCONTROL. The advantage of these registrations is the uniformity of receivers. Apart from these registrations additional measurements in Gdynia have been provided with different receivers, mainly dedicated sea-navigation: CSI Wireless 1, NOVATEL OEMV, Sperry Navistar, Crescent V-100 and R110 as well as Magellan FX420. The main object of analyses was the accuracy and availability of EGNOS service in each point and for different receivers. Accuracy has been analyzed separately for each coordinate. Finally the temporarily and spatial correlations of coordinates, its availability and accuracy has been investigated. The findings prove that present accuracy of EGNOS service is about 1,5m (95%), but availability of the service is controversial. The accuracy of present EGNOS service meets the parameters of APV I and even APV II

Observed galaxy number counts on the lightcone up to second order: I. Main result

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

Bertacca, Daniele; Maartens, Roy; Clarkson, Chris, E-mail: daniele.bertacca@gmail.com, E-mail: roy.maartens@gmail.com, E-mail: chris.clarkson@gmail.com

2014-09-01

We present the galaxy number overdensity up to second order in redshift space on cosmological scales for a concordance model. The result contains all general relativistic effects up to second order that arise from observing on the past light cone, including all redshift effects, lensing distortions from convergence and shear, and contributions from velocities, Sachs-Wolfe, integrated SW and time-delay terms. This result will be important for accurate calculation of the bias on estimates of non-Gaussianity and on precision parameter estimates, introduced by nonlinear projection effects.

False Memories for Suggestions: The Impact of Conceptual Elaboration

PubMed Central

Zaragoza, Maria S.; Mitchell, Karen J.; Payment, Kristie; Drivdahl, Sarah

2010-01-01

Relatively little attention has been paid to the potential role that reflecting on the meaning and implications of suggested events (i.e., conceptual elaboration) might play in promoting the creation of false memories. Two experiments assessed whether encouraging repeated conceptual elaboration, would, like perceptual elaboration, increase false memory for suggested events. Results showed that conceptual elaboration of suggested events more often resulted in high confidence false memories (Experiment 1) and false memories that were accompanied by the phenomenal experience of remembering them (Experiment 2) than did surface-level processing. Moreover, conceptual elaboration consistently led to higher rates of false memory than did perceptual elaboration. The false memory effects that resulted from conceptual elaboration were highly dependent on the organization of the postevent interview questions, such that conceptual elaboration only increased false memory beyond surface level processing when participants evaluated both true and suggested information in relation to the same theme or dimension. PMID:21103451

An integrated observational site for monitoring pre-earthquake processes in Peloponnese, Greece. Preliminary results.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsinganos, Kanaris; Karastathis, Vassilios K.; Kafatos, Menas; Ouzounov, Dimitar; Tselentis, Gerassimos; Papadopoulos, Gerassimos A.; Voulgaris, Nikolaos; Eleftheriou, Georgios; Mouzakiotis, Evangellos; Liakopoulos, Spyridon; Aspiotis, Theodoros; Gika, Fevronia; E Psiloglou, Basil

2017-04-01

We are presenting the first results of developing a new integrated observational site in Greece to study pre-earthquake processes in Peloponnese, lead by the National Observatory of Athens. We have developed a prototype of multiparameter network approach using an integrated system aimed at monitoring and thorough studies of pre-earthquake processes at the high seismicity area of the Western Hellenic Arc (SW Peloponnese, Greece). The initial prototype of the new observational systems consists of: (1) continuous real-time monitoring of Radon accumulation in the ground through a network of radon sensors, consisting of three gamma radiation detectors [NaI(Tl) scintillators], (2) nine-station seismic array installed to detect and locate events of low magnitude (less than 1.0 R) in the offshore area of the Hellenic arc, (3) real-time weather monitoring systems (air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, pressure) and (4) satellite thermal radiation from AVHRR/NOAA-18 polar orbit sensing. The first few moths of operations revealed a number of pre-seismic radon variation anomalies before several earthquakes (M>3.6). The radon increases systematically before the larger events. For example a radon anomaly was predominant before the event of Sep 28, M 5.0 (36.73°N, 21.87°E), 18 km ESE of Methoni. The seismic array assists in the evaluation of current seismicity and may yield identification of foreshock activity. Thermal anomalies in satellite images are also examined as an additional tool for evaluation and verification of the Radon increase. According to the Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (LAIC) concept, atmospheric thermal anomalies observed before large seismic events are associated with the increase of Radon concentration on the ground. Details about the integrating ground and space observations, overall performance of the observational sites, future plans in advancing the cooperation in observations will be discussed.

The impact of hypnotic suggestibility in clinical care settings.

PubMed

Montgomery, Guy H; Schnur, Julie B; David, Daniel

2011-07-01

Hypnotic suggestibility has been described as a powerful predictor of outcomes associated with hypnotic interventions. However, there have been no systematic approaches to quantifying this effect across the literature. This meta-analysis evaluates the magnitude of the effect of hypnotic suggestibility on hypnotic outcomes in clinical settings. PsycINFO and PubMed were searched from their inception through July 2009. Thirty-four effects from 10 studies and 283 participants are reported. Results revealed a statistically significant overall effect size in the small to medium range (r = .24; 95% Confidence Interval = -0.28 to 0.75), indicating that greater hypnotic suggestibility led to greater effects of hypnosis interventions. Hypnotic suggestibility accounted for 6% of the variance in outcomes. Smaller sample size studies, use of the SHCS, and pediatric samples tended to result in larger effect sizes. The authors question the usefulness of assessing hypnotic suggestibility in clinical contexts.

The Life of Suggestions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearce, Cathie

2010-01-01

Using the notion of a suggestion, or rather charting the life of suggestions, this article considers the happenings of chance and embodiment as the "problems that got away." The life of suggestions helps us to ask how connectivities are made, how desire functions, and how "immanence" rather than "transcendence" can open up the politics and ethics…

Mapping Department of Defense laboratory results to Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC).

PubMed

Lau, Lee Min; Banning, Pam D; Monson, Kent; Knight, Elva; Wilson, Pat S; Shakib, Shaun C

2005-01-01

The Department of Defense (DoD) has used a common application, Composite Health Care System (CHCS), throughout all DoD facilities. However, the master files used to encode patient data in CHCS are not identical across DoD facilities. The encoded data is thus not interoperable from one DoD facility to another. To enable data interoperability in the next-generation system, CHCS II, and for the DoD to exchange laboratory results with external organizations such as the Veterans Administration (VA), the disparate master file codes for laboratory results are mapped to Logical Observation Identifier Names and Codes (LOINC) wherever possible. This paper presents some findings from our experience mapping DoD laboratory results to LOINC.

Results of NASA's First Autonomous Formation Flying Experiment: Earth Observing-1 (EO-1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David C.; Hawkins, Albin; Bauer, Frank H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

NASA's first autonomous formation flying mission completed its primary goal of demonstrating an advanced technology called enhanced formation flying. To enable this technology, the Guidance, Navigation, and Control center at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) implemented a universal 3-axis formation flying algorithm in an autonomous executive flight code onboard the New Millennium Program's (NMP) Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) spacecraft. This paper describes the mathematical background of the autonomous formation flying algorithm and the onboard flight design and presents the validation results of this unique system. Results from functionality assessment through fully autonomous maneuver control are presented as comparisons between the onboard EO-1 operational autonomous control system called AutoCon(tm), its ground-based predecessor, and a standalone algorithm.

Prostitution advertisements suggest association of transvestism and masochism.

PubMed

Chivers, M; Blanchard, R

1996-01-01

Previous research and clinical observation have suggested that the sexual interest of many transvestites include involvement in sadomasochistic sexual acts. Through data gathered via prostitution advertisements in print media, we tested the hypothesis that prostitutes welcoming cross-dressing client would be primarily those describing themselves as dominant. The specialty of the prostitute was recorded by coding the advertisements for the presence or absence of the features of dominance, submissiveness, acceptance of cross-dressing clients, and whether the prostitute was a biological male presenting as a woman or quasi-woman. The findings showed that 20% of prostitutes describing themselves as dominant welcomed cross-dressing clients, whereas none of the other subgroups of prostitutes mentioned cross-dressing clients in their advertisements. These findings reinforce other lines of indirect evidence suggesting that, in heterosexual men, the presence of masochism increases the likelihood of transvestism, and vice versa.

Final Results From the Circumarctic Lakes Observation Network (CALON) Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinkel, K. M.; Arp, C. D.; Eisner, W. R.; Frey, K. E.; Grosse, G.; Jones, B. M.; Kim, C.; Lenters, J. D.; Liu, H.; Townsend-Small, A.

2015-12-01

Since 2012, the physical and biogeochemical properties of ~60 lakes in northern Alaska have been investigated under CALON, a project to document landscape-scale variability of Arctic lakes in permafrost terrain. The network has ten nodes along two latitudinal transects extending inland 200 km from the Arctic Ocean. A meteorological station is deployed at each node and six representative lakes instrumented and continuously monitored, with winter and summer visits for synoptic assessment of lake conditions. Over the 4-year period, winter and summer climatology varied to create a rich range of lake responses over a short period. For example, winter 2012-13 was very cold with a thin snowpack producing thick ice across the region. Subsequent years had relatively warm winters, yet regionally variable snow resulted in differing gradients of ice thickness. Ice-out timing was unusually late in 2014 and unusually early in 2015. Lakes are typically well-mixed and largely isothermal, with minor thermal stratification occurring in deeper lakes during calm, sunny periods in summer. Lake water temperature records and morphometric data were used to estimate the ground thermal condition beneath 28 lakes. Application of a thermal equilibrium steady-state model suggests a talik penetrating the permafrost under many larger lakes, but lake geochemical data do not indicate a significant contribution of subpermafrost groundwater. Biogeochemical data reveal distinct spatial and seasonal variability in chlorophyll biomass, chromophoric dissolved organic carbon (CDOM), and major cations/anions. Generally, waters sampled beneath ice in April had distinctly higher concentrations of inorganic solutes and methane compared with August. Chlorophyll concentrations and CDOM absorption were higher in April, suggesting significant biological/biogeochemical activity under lake ice. Lakes are a positive source of methane in summer, and some also emit nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide. As part of the

Observational Learning of Quantity Conservation and Piagetian Generalization Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charbonneau, Claude; And Others

1976-01-01

Twenty first-graders observed an adult model perform a quantity conservation task. The children were then tested on a series of generalization tasks immediately, after one week, and after three months. The results suggested that the social experience of observation appeared to activate a cognitive restructuring of the children's mental operations.…

Sensor Web Interoperability Testbed Results Incorporating Earth Observation Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frye, Stuart; Mandl, Daniel J.; Alameh, Nadine; Bambacus, Myra; Cappelaere, Pat; Falke, Stefan; Derezinski, Linda; Zhao, Piesheng

2007-01-01

This paper describes an Earth Observation Sensor Web scenario based on the Open Geospatial Consortium s Sensor Web Enablement and Web Services interoperability standards. The scenario demonstrates the application of standards in describing, discovering, accessing and tasking satellites and groundbased sensor installations in a sequence of analysis activities that deliver information required by decision makers in response to national, regional or local emergencies.

The Action Observation System when Observing Hand Actions in Autism and Typical Development.

PubMed

Pokorny, Jennifer J; Hatt, Naomi V; Colombi, Costanza; Vivanti, Giacomo; Rogers, Sally J; Rivera, Susan M

2015-06-01

Social impairments in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may be in part due to difficulty perceiving and recognizing the actions of others. Evidence from imitation studies, which involves both observation and execution of an action, suggests differences, in individuals with ASD, between the ability to imitate goal-directed actions involving objects (transitive actions) and the ability to imitate actions that do not involve objects (intransitive actions). In the present study, we examined whether there were differences in how ASD adolescents encoded transitive and intransitive actions compared to typically developing (TD) adolescents, by having participants view videos of a hand reaching across a screen toward an object or to where an object would be while functional magnetic resonance images were collected. Analyses focused on areas within the action observation network (AON), which is activated during the observation of actions performed by others. We hypothesized that the AON would differentiate transitive from intransitive actions only in the ASD group. However, results revealed that object presence modulated activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and supramarginal gyrus of the TD group, a differentiation that was not seen in the ASD group. Furthermore, there were no significant group differences between the TD and ASD groups in any of the conditions. This suggests that there is not a global deficit of the AON in individuals with ASD while observing transitive and intransitive actions. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Observations of interstellar zinc

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

York, D. G.; Jura, M.

1982-01-01

IUE observations toward 10 stars have shown that zinc is not depleted in the interstellar medium by more than a factor of two, suggesting that its abundance may serve as a tracer of the true metallicity in the gas. A result pertinent to the history of nucleosynthesis in the solar neighborhood is that the local interstellar medium has abundances that appear to be homogeneous to within a factor of two, when integrated over paths of about 500 pc.

Passive Microwave Observation of Soil Water Infiltration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Thomas J.; Schmugge, Thomas J.; Rawls, Walter J.; ONeill, Peggy E.; Parlange, Marc B.

1997-01-01

Infiltration is a time varying process of water entry into soil. Experiments were conducted here using truck based microwave radiometers to observe small plots during and following sprinkler irrigation. Experiments were conducted on a sandy loam soil in 1994 and a silt loam in 1995. Sandy loam soils typically have higher infiltration capabilities than clays. For the sandy loam the observed brightness temperature (TB) quickly reached a nominally constant value during irrigation. When the irrigation was stopped the TB began to increase as drainage took place. The irrigation rates in 1995 with the silt loam soil exceeded the saturated conductivity of the soil. During irrigation the TB values exhibited a pattern that suggests the occurrence of coherent reflection, a rarely observed phenomena under natural conditions. These results suggested the existence of a sharp dielectric boundary (wet over dry soil) that was increasing in depth with time.

"Slow-scanning" in Ground-based Mid-infrared Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohsawa, Ryou; Sako, Shigeyuki; Miyata, Takashi; Kamizuka, Takafumi; Okada, Kazushi; Mori, Kiyoshi; Uchiyama, Masahito S.; Yamaguchi, Junpei; Fujiyoshi, Takuya; Morii, Mikio; Ikeda, Shiro

2018-04-01

Chopping observations with a tip-tilt secondary mirror have conventionally been used in ground-based mid-infrared observations. However, it is not practical for next generation large telescopes to have a large tip-tilt mirror that moves at a frequency larger than a few hertz. We propose an alternative observing method, a "slow-scanning" observation. Images are continuously captured as movie data, while the field of view is slowly moved. The signal from an astronomical object is extracted from the movie data by a low-rank and sparse matrix decomposition. The performance of the "slow-scanning" observation was tested in an experimental observation with Subaru/COMICS. The quality of a resultant image in the "slow-scanning" observation was as good as in a conventional chopping observation with COMICS, at least for a bright point-source object. The observational efficiency in the "slow-scanning" observation was better than that in the chopping observation. The results suggest that the "slow-scanning" observation can be a competitive method for the Subaru telescope and be of potential interest to other ground-based facilities to avoid chopping.

Towards diverse visual suggestions on Flickr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feki, Ghada; Ben Ammar, Anis; Ben Amar, Chokri

2017-03-01

With the great popularity of the photo sharing site Flickr, the research community is involved to produce innovative applications in order to enhance different Flickr services. In this paper, we present a new process for diverse visual suggestions generation on Flickr. We unify the social aspect of Flickr and the richness of Wikipedia to produce an important number of meanings illustrated by the diverse visual suggestions which can integrate the diversity aspect into the Flickr search. We conduct an experimental study to illustrate the effect of the fusion of the Wikipedia and Flickr knowledge on the diversity rate among the Flickr search and reveal the evolution of the diversity aspect through the returned images among the different results of search engines.

Contact allergy to rubber accelerators remains prevalent: retrospective results from a tertiary clinic suggesting an association with facial dermatitis.

PubMed

Schwensen, J F; Menné, T; Johansen, J D; Thyssen, J P

2016-10-01

Chemicals used for the manufacturing of rubber are known causes of allergic contact dermatitis on the hands. Recent European studies have suggested a decrease in thiuram contact allergy. Moreover, while an association with hand dermatitis is well established, we have recently observed several clinical cases with allergic facial dermatitis to rubber. To evaluate temporal trends of contact allergy to rubber accelerators from the European baseline series in a tertiary patch test clinic in Denmark, and examine associations with anatomical locations of dermatitis. Patch test and clinical data collected in a Danish tertiary dermatology clinic in Gentofte, Herlev, Copenhagen between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2014 were analysed. The following rubber accelerators or mixtures in petrolatum from the European baseline patch test series were included: thiuram mix 1.0%, mercaptobenzothiazole 2.0% and mercapto mix 1.0%. The overall prevalence of contact allergy to rubber accelerators was 3.1% with no significant change during the study period (P trend = 0.667). Contact allergy to thiuram mix was the most prevalent and was significantly associated with occupational contact dermatitis, hand dermatitis, age >40 years and facial dermatitis in adjusted binary logistic regression analysis. Current clinical relevance of contact allergy to thiuram mix was 59.3%. Patients with contact allergy to mercapto mix and mercaptobenzothiazole had a concomitant reaction to thiuram mix in 35.2% (19/54) and 35.4% (17/48) of the cases respectively. Contact allergy to rubber accelerators remains prevalent. Clinicians should be aware of the hitherto unexplored clinical association with facial dermatitis. © 2016 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Application of the suggestion system in the improvement of the production process and product quality control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gołaś, H.; Mazur, A.; Gruszka, J.; Szafer, P.

2016-08-01

The elaboration is a case study and the research was carried out in the company Alco-Mot Ltd., which employs 120 people. The company specializes in the production of lead poles for industrial and traction batteries using gravity casting. The elements embedded in the cast are manufactured on a machining centre, which provides the stability of the process and of the dimensions of the product as well as a very short production time. As a result of observation and analysis the authors have developed a concept for the implementation of a dynamic suggestion system in ALCO-MOT, including, among others, a standard for actions in the implementation of the suggestion system, as well as clear guidelines for the processing and presentation of the activities undertaken in the time between the establishment of the concept (suggestions) and the benefits analysis after the proposed solutions have been implemented. The authors also present how suggestions proposed by ALCO-MOT staff contributed to the improvement of the processes of production and quality control. Employees offered more than 30 suggestions, of which more than a half are being implemented now and further actions are being prepared for implementation. The authors will present the results of improvements in, for example, tool replacement time, scrap reduction. The authors will present how kaizen can improve the production and quality control processes. They will present how the production and quality control processes looked before and after the implementation of employee suggestions.

The First Detection of [O IV] from an Ultraluminous X-ray Source with Spitzer. I. Observational Results for Holmberg II ULX

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berghea, C. T.; Dudik, R. P.; Weaver, K. A.; Kallman, T. R.

2009-01-01

We presen the first Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) observations of the [O IV] 25.89 um emission line detected from the ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) in Holmberg II. This line is a well established signature of high excitation usually associated with AGN. Its detection suggests that the ULX has a strong impact on the surrounding gas. A Spitzer high resolution spectral map shows that the [O IV] is coincident with the X-ray position of the ULX. The ratios of the [O IV] to lower ionization lines are similar to those observed in AGN, suggesting that a strong UV and X-ray source is responsible for the, photoionization. The best XMM-Newton data is used to model the X-ray band which is then extrapolated into the UV. We perform infrared and ultraviolet photometry, and use its previously published optical and radio data to construct the full SED for the ULX and its companion. The preferred model to describe the SED includes an accretion disk which dominates the soft X-rays but contributes little at UV and optical wavelengths. The optical counterpart is consistent with a B supergiant as previously suggested in other studies. The bolometric luminosity of the ULX suggests the presence of an intermediate-mass black hole with mass >85 M for sub-Eddington accretion or, alternatively, a stellar-mass black hole that is accreting at super-Eddington rates. In a follow-up second paper we perform detailed photoionization modeling of the infrared lines in order to constrain the bolometric luminosity of the ULX.

The effect of posthypnotic suggestion, hypnotic suggestibility, and goal intentions on adherence to medical instructions.

PubMed

Carvalho, Claudia; Mazzoni, Giuliana; Kirsch, Irving; Meo, Maria; Santandrea, Maura

2008-04-01

The effects of implementation intentions and posthypnotic suggestion were investigated in 2 studies. In Experiment 1, participants with high levels of hypnotic suggestibility were instructed to take placebo pills as part of an investigation of how to best enhance compliance with medical instruction. In Experiment 2, participants with high, medium, and low levels of hypnotic suggestibility were asked to run in place, take their pulse rate before, and send an e-mail report to the experimenter each day. Experiment 1 revealed enhanced adherence as a function of both implementation intentions and posthypnotic suggestion. Experiment 2 failed to find any significant main effects but found a significant interaction between suggestibility and the effects of posthypnotic suggestion. Posthypnotic suggestion enhanced adherence among high suggestible participants but lowered it among low suggestibles.

Results of Instrument Observations and Adaptive Prediction of Thermoabrasion of Banks of the Vilyui Reservoir

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

Velikin, S. A.; Sobol', I. S.; Sobol', S. V.

2013-11-15

Quantitative data derived from observations of reformation of the thermoabrasive banks of the Viliyui Reservoir in Yakutia during the service period from 1972 through 2011, and results of analytical prediction of bank formations over the next 20 years for purposes of monitoring the ecological safety of this water body are presented.

Field Extension of Real Values of Physical Observables in Classical Theory can Help Attain Quantum Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hai; Kumar, Asutosh; Cho, Minhyung; Wu, Junde

2018-04-01

Physical quantities are assumed to take real values, which stems from the fact that an usual measuring instrument that measures a physical observable always yields a real number. Here we consider the question of what would happen if physical observables are allowed to assume complex values. In this paper, we show that by allowing observables in the Bell inequality to take complex values, a classical physical theory can actually get the same upper bound of the Bell expression as quantum theory. Also, by extending the real field to the quaternionic field, we can puzzle out the GHZ problem using local hidden variable model. Furthermore, we try to build a new type of hidden-variable theory of a single qubit based on the result.

[A systematic social observation tool: methods and results of inter-rater reliability].

PubMed

Freitas, Eulilian Dias de; Camargos, Vitor Passos; Xavier, César Coelho; Caiaffa, Waleska Teixeira; Proietti, Fernando Augusto

2013-10-01

Systematic social observation has been used as a health research methodology for collecting information from the neighborhood physical and social environment. The objectives of this article were to describe the operationalization of direct observation of the physical and social environment in urban areas and to evaluate the instrument's reliability. The systematic social observation instrument was designed to collect information in several domains. A total of 1,306 street segments belonging to 149 different neighborhoods in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were observed. For the reliability study, 149 segments (1 per neighborhood) were re-audited, and Fleiss kappa was used to access inter-rater agreement. Mean agreement was 0.57 (SD = 0.24); 53% had substantial or almost perfect agreement, and 20.4%, moderate agreement. The instrument appears to be appropriate for observing neighborhood characteristics that are not time-dependent, especially urban services, property characterization, pedestrian environment, and security.

Psychophysiological changes following auditory subliminal suggestions for activation and deactivation.

PubMed

Borgeat, F; Goulet, J

1983-06-01

This study was to measure eventual psychophysiological changes resulting from auditory subliminal activation or deactivation suggestions. 18 subjects were alternately exposed to a control situation and to 25-dB activating and deactivating suggestions masked by a 40-dB white noise. Physiological measures (EMG, heart rate, skin-conductance levels and responses, and skin temperature) were recorded while subjects listened passively to the suggestions, during a stressing task that followed and after that task. Multivariate analysis of variance showed a significant effect of the activation subliminal suggestions during and following the stressing task. This result is discussed as indicating effects of consciously unrecognized perceptions on psychophysiological responses.

Great New Insights from Failed Experiments, Unanticipated Results and Embracing Controversial Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nuth, Joseph A., III; Johnson, Natasha M.; Ferguson, Frank T.; Rietmeijer, Frans J. M.; Hill, Hugh G. M.

2015-01-01

Experimental data and observations, whether telescopic or analytical, are never wrong, though data derived from such sources can be misinterpreted or applied inappropriately to derive conclusions that are incorrect. Given that nature always behaves according to the laws of physics and chemistry, rather than according to currently popular models and theories, experimental results should always be considered correct even when the results are far from those that one might initially expect. We discuss a number of cases where the results of experiments, even one carried out as a simple calibration measure, produced wildly different results that generally required many years of effort or contemplation to understand. On the positive side, exploration of the circumstances that produced the errant results often led to new and interesting insights concerning processes that might occur in natural environments and that were well worth the effort involved. Specifically, we show how an experiment that "failed" due to a broken conductor led to experiments that made the first refractory oxide solids containing mass independently fractionated oxygen isotopes and to 1998 predictions of the oxygen isotopic composition of the sun that were confirmed by the analysis of Genesis samples in 2011. We describe a calibration experiment that unexpectedly produced single magnetic domain iron particles. We discuss how tracking down a persistent source of "contamination" in experiments intended to produce amorphous iron and magnesium silicate smokes led to a series of studies on the synthesis of carbonaceous grain coatings that turn out to be very efficient Fischer-Tropsch catalysts and have great potential for trapping the planetary noble gases found in meteorites. We describe how models predicting the instability of silicate grains in circumstellar environments spurred new measurements of the vapor pressure of SiO partially based on previous experiments showing unexpected but systematic non

Suggestibility under Pressure: Theory of Mind, Executive Function, and Suggestibility in Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karpinski, Aryn C.; Scullin, Matthew H.

2009-01-01

Eighty preschoolers, ages 3 to 5 years old, completed a 4-phase study in which they experienced a live event and received a pressured, suggestive interview about the event a week later. Children were also administered batteries of theory of mind and executive function tasks, as well as the Video Suggestibility Scale for Children (VSSC), which…

Solar-induced Fluorescence as a Proxy for Canopy Photosynthesis in a Temperate Deciduous Forest: Comparisons between Observations and Model Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, X.; Lee, J. E.; Berry, J. A.; Tang, J.; Mustard, J. F.; Van der Tol, C.; Kellner, J. R.; Silva, C. E.

2015-12-01

Photosynthesis in the terrestrial ecosystems contributes to the largest carbon flux in the global carbon cycle. The use of solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) as a proxy of photosynthesis at the ecosystem scale (Gross Primary Production, GPP) is a critical emerging technology. Satellite measurements of SIF were found to be significantly correlated with GPP, and several ground campaigns suggested that SIF could improve the GPP estimation. However, it remains unclear to what extent this relationship is due to absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) and/or light use efficiency (LUE). In addition, models that simulate SIF have not been rigorously validated. Here we present the first time-series of near-surface measurement of canopy-scale SIF at 760nm in temperate deciduous forests during year 2013-2014. SIF correlated with GPP estimated with eddy covariance at diurnal and seasonal scales (r2=0.82 and 0.73, respectively), as well as with APAR diurnally and seasonally (r2=0.90 and 0.80, respectively). SIF/APAR is significantly positively correlated with LUE and is higher during cloudy days than sunny days. Weekly tower-based SIF agreed with SIF from GOME-2 (The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2, r2 = 0.82). We further compared SIF observations with those simulated by Soil Canopy Observation Photochemistry and Energy fluxes (SCOPE) model. We found that key parameters in SCOPE including Vcmax, LAI, chlorophyll content, and viewing angles determine the agreement between observations and model. Our results provide support to the use of SIF to estimate canopy photosynthetic activities, and present a framework of validating fluorescence simulated by canopy radiative transfer models.

Structural and functional correlates of hypnotic depth and suggestibility.

PubMed

McGeown, William Jonathan; Mazzoni, Giuliana; Vannucci, Manila; Venneri, Annalena

2015-02-28

This study explores whether self-reported depth of hypnosis and hypnotic suggestibility are associated with individual differences in neuroanatomy and/or levels of functional connectivity. Twenty-nine people varying in suggestibility were recruited and underwent structural, and after a hypnotic induction, functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest. We used voxel-based morphometry to assess the correlation of grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) against the independent variables: depth of hypnosis, level of relaxation and hypnotic suggestibility. Functional networks identified with independent components analysis were regressed with the independent variables. Hypnotic depth ratings were positively correlated with GM volume in the frontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Hypnotic suggestibility was positively correlated with GM volume in the left temporal-occipital cortex. Relaxation ratings did not correlate significantly with GM volume and none of the independent variables correlated with regional WM volume measures. Self-reported deeper levels of hypnosis were associated with less connectivity within the anterior default mode network. Taken together, the results suggest that the greater GM volume in the medial frontal cortex and ACC, and lower connectivity in the DMN during hypnosis facilitate experiences of greater hypnotic depth. The patterns of results suggest that hypnotic depth and hypnotic suggestibility should not be considered synonyms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rhabdomyolysis in Ebola Virus Disease. Results of an Observational Study in a Treatment Center in Guinea.

PubMed

Cournac, Jean Marie; Karkowski, Ludovic; Bordes, Julien; Aletti, Marc; Duron, Sandrine; Janvier, Frédéric; Foissaud, Vincent; Savini, Hélène; de Greslan, Thierry; Rousseau, Claire; Billhot, Magali; Gagnon, Nicolas; Mac Nab, Christine; Dubrous, Philippe; Moroge, Sophie; Broto, Helene; Cotte, Jean; Maugey, Nancy; Cordier, Pierre-Yves; Sagui, Emmanuel; Merens, Audrey; Rapp, Christophe; Quentin, Benoit; Granier, Hervé; Carmoi, Thierry; Cellarier, Gilles

2016-01-01

The pathogenesis of Ebola virus disease (EVD) remains unclear. The sporadic nature of Ebola outbreaks and their occurrence in resource-limited settings have precluded the acquisition of extensive clinical and laboratory data. Rhabdomyolysis during EVD has been suggested to occur in previous studies showing increased aspartate aminotransferase-alanine aminotransferase ratios, but, to date, has not been confirmed with creatine kinase (CK) assays. We performed an observational study of 38 patients admitted to an Ebola treatment center from January to April 2015. CK values from patients with confirmed EVD were compared with those in patients without confirmed EVD. A panel of other analyses were also performed. In patients with EVD, characteristics were compared between survivors and nonsurvivors. High levels of CK were more frequent in patients with EVD than in those without (P = .002), and rhabdomyolysis was more frequent (59% vs 19%, respectively; P = .03). CK levels >5000 U/L were observed in 36% of patients with EVD. Also in patients with EVD, fatal outcome was significantly associated with higher creatinine and bilirubin levels, international normalized ratio, and viral load. Rhabdomyolysis is a frequent disorder in EVD and seems to be more common than in other viral infections. It may contribute to the renal failure observed in nonsurviving patients. More studies are needed to determine the impact of rhabdomyolysis on EVD outcome. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

College football, elections, and false-positive results in observational research

PubMed Central

Fowler, Anthony; Montagnes, B. Pablo

2015-01-01

A recent, widely cited study [Healy AJ, Malhotra N, Mo CH (2010) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107(29):12804–12809] finds that college football games influence voting behavior. Victories within 2 weeks of an election reportedly increase the success of the incumbent party in presidential, senatorial, and gubernatorial elections in the home county of the team. We reassess the evidence and conclude that there is likely no such effect, despite the fact that Healy et al. followed the best practices in social science and used a credible research design. Multiple independent sources of evidence suggest that the original finding was spurious—reflecting bad luck for researchers rather than a shortcoming of American voters. We fail to estimate the same effect when we leverage situations where multiple elections with differing incumbent parties occur in the same county and year. We also find that the purported effect of college football games is stronger in counties where people are less interested in college football, just as strong when the incumbent candidate does not run for reelection, and just as strong in other parts of the state outside the home county of the team. Lastly, we detect no effect of National Football League games on elections, despite their greater popularity. We conclude with recommendations for evaluating surprising research findings and avoiding similar false-positive results. PMID:26504202

College football, elections, and false-positive results in observational research.

PubMed

Fowler, Anthony; Montagnes, B Pablo

2015-11-10

A recent, widely cited study [Healy AJ, Malhotra N, Mo CH (2010) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107(29):12804-12809] finds that college football games influence voting behavior. Victories within 2 weeks of an election reportedly increase the success of the incumbent party in presidential, senatorial, and gubernatorial elections in the home county of the team. We reassess the evidence and conclude that there is likely no such effect, despite the fact that Healy et al. followed the best practices in social science and used a credible research design. Multiple independent sources of evidence suggest that the original finding was spurious-reflecting bad luck for researchers rather than a shortcoming of American voters. We fail to estimate the same effect when we leverage situations where multiple elections with differing incumbent parties occur in the same county and year. We also find that the purported effect of college football games is stronger in counties where people are less interested in college football, just as strong when the incumbent candidate does not run for reelection, and just as strong in other parts of the state outside the home county of the team. Lastly, we detect no effect of National Football League games on elections, despite their greater popularity. We conclude with recommendations for evaluating surprising research findings and avoiding similar false-positive results.

Single baseline GLONASS observations with VLBI: data processing and first results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tornatore, V.; Haas, R.; Duev, D.; Pogrebenko, S.; Casey, S.; Molera Calvés, G.; Keimpema, A.

2011-07-01

Several tests to observe signals transmitted by GLONASS (GLObal NAvigation Satellite System) satellites have been performed using the geodetic VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) technique. The radio telescopes involved in these experiments were Medicina (Italy) and Onsala (Sweden), both equipped with L-band receivers. Observations at the stations were performed using the standard Mark4 VLBI data acquisition rack and Mark5A disk-based recorders. The goals of the observations were to develop and test the scheduling, signal acquisition and processing routines to verify the full tracking pipeline, foreseeing the cross-correlation of the recorded data on the baseline Onsala-Medicina. The natural radio source 3c286 was used as a calibrator before the starting of the satellite observation sessions. Delay models, including the tropospheric and ionospheric corrections, which are consistent for both far- and near-field sources are under development. Correlation of the calibrator signal has been performed using the DiFX software, while the satellite signals have been processed using the narrow band approach with the Metsaehovi software and analysed with a near-field delay model. Delay models both for the calibrator signals and the satellites signals, using the same geometrical, tropospheric and ionospheric models, are under investigation to make a correlation of the satellite signals possible.

Titan: Preliminary results on surface properties and photometry from VIMS observations of the early flybys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buratti, B.J.; Sotin, Christophe; Brown, R.H.; Hicks, M.D.; Clark, R.N.; Mosher, J.A.; McCord, T.B.; Jaumann, R.; Baines, K.H.; Nicholson, P.D.; Momary, T.; Simonelli, D.P.; Sicardy, B.

2006-01-01

Cassini observations of the surface of Titan offer unprecedented views of its surface through atmospheric windows in the 1-5 ??m region. Images obtained in windows for which the haze opacity is low can be used to derive quantitative photometric parameters such as albedo and albedo distribution, and physical properties such as roughness and particle characteristics. Images from the early Titan flybys, particularly T0, Ta, and T5 have been analyzed to create albedo maps in the 2.01 and 2.73 ??m windows. We find the average normal reflectance at these two wavelengths to be 0.15??0.02 and 0.035??0.003, respectively. Titan's surface is bifurcated into two albedo regimes, particularly at 2.01 ??m. Analysis of these two regimes to understand the physical character of the surface was accomplished with a macroscopic roughness model. We find that the two types of surface have substantially different roughness, with the low-albedo surface exhibiting mean slope angles of ???18??, and the high-albedo terrain having a much more substantial roughness with a mean slope angle of ???34??. A single-scattering phase function approximated by a one-term Henyey-Greenstein equation was also fit to each unit. Titan's surface is back-scattering (g???0.3-0.4), and does not exhibit substantially different backscattering behavior between the two terrains. Our results suggest that two distinct geophysical domains exist on Titan: a bright region cut by deep drainage channels and a relatively smooth surface. The two terrains are covered by a film or a coating of particles perhaps precipitated from the satellite's haze layer and transported by eolian processes. Our results are preliminary: more accurate values for the surface albedo and physical parameters will be derived as more data is gathered by the Cassini spacecraft and as a more complete radiative transfer model is developed from both Cassini orbiter and Huygens Lander measurements. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New observations, new theoretical results and controversies regarding PC 3-5 waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, K.

Observations and theories of medium- to long-period (Pc 3-5) magnetic pulsations excited by magnetospheric particles are described. Satellite observations indicate that most pulsations can be classified into two groups according to their magnetic field polarization. One group has a transverse magnetic perturbation and the other strongly compressional perturbation. Despite this difference in polarization they share common characteristics, including large azimuthal wave number, westward propagation, and antisymmetric field-aligned structure. Recent theories describe these observations in a unified framework. It has been pointed out that trapped energetic ions play an important role in determining the instability threshold and the mode structure of the pulsations. Observations and theories of energetic particle response to the excited pulsations are also described.

Hypernovae: Observational aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danziger, I. J.

2001-05-01

Following the discovery of a supernova SN 1998bw very probably associated with the γ-ray burst source GRB980425 the term ``hypernova'' has been re-defined to embrace SNe of high energy associated with GRB's. Here we discuss in some detail the observed and inferred properties of SN 1998bw and its relation to other previously observed SNe to which it may be related. A brief account is given of other relatively nearby SNe where a possible association with GRB's has been suggested ex post facto. There are also cases where less direct but suggestive evidence for a SN/GRB association has been adduced for well observed GRB events and their associated afterglow. These are also referred to. Our conclusion is that observationally we are still near the beginning of understanding which types of SNe give rise to GRB's and how frequently they occur. Nevertheless objects such as SN1998bw surely give rise to young supernova remnants with high velocity oxygen-enriched filaments. .

Incoming Shortwave Fluxes at the Surface--A Comparison of GCM Results with Observations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.

1994-01-01

Evidence is presented that the exam surface net radiation calculated in general circulation models at continental surfaces is mostly due to excess incoming shortwave fluxes. Based on long-term observations from 22 worldwide inland stations and results from four general circulation models the overestimate in models of 20% (11 W m2) in net radiation on an annual basis compares with 6% (9 W m2) for shortwave fluxes for the same 22 locations, or 9% (18 W m2) for a larger set of 93 stations (71 having shortwave fluxes only). For annual fluxes, these differences appear to be significant.

Open channel noise. I. Noise in acetylcholine receptor currents suggests conformational fluctuations.

PubMed

Sigworth, F J

1985-05-01

The random passage of ions through an open channel is expected to result in shot noise fluctuations in the channel current. The patch-clamp technique now allows fluctuations of this size to be observed in single-channel currents. In the experiments reported here the acetylcholine-induced currents in cultured rat muscle cells were analyzed; fluctuations were found that were considerably larger than expected for shot noise. A low-frequency component, which was fitted with a Lorentzian, was examined in detail; it appears to arise from fluctuations in channel conductance of approximately 3% on a time scale of 1 ms. The characteristic relaxation time is voltage dependent and temperature dependent (Q10 approximately equal to 3) suggesting that the fluctuations arise from conformational fluctuations in the channel protein.

The TETRA-II Experiment to Observe Terrestrial Gamma Flashes at Ground Level - Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherry, M. L.; Adams, C.; Al-Nussirat, S.; Bai, S.; Banadaki, Y.; Bitzer, P. M.; Hoffmann, J.; Khosravi, E.; Legault, M.; Orang, M.; Pleshinger, D. J.; Rodriguez, R.; Smith, D.; Trepanier, J. C.; Sunda-Meya, A.; Zimmer, N.

2017-12-01

An upgraded version of the TGF and Energetic Thunderstorm Rooftop Array (TETRA-II) consists of an array of BGO scintillators to detect bursts of gamma rays from thunderstorms at ground level in four separate locations: the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; the campus of the University of Puerto Rico at Utuado, Puerto Rico; the Centro Nacional de Metrologia de Panama (CENAMEP) in Panama City, Panama; and the Severe Weather Institute and Radar & Lightning Laboratories in Huntsville, Alabama. The original TETRA-I array of NaI scintillators at Louisiana State University detected 37 millisecond-scale bursts of gamma rays at energies 50 keV-2 MeV associated with nearby (< 8 km) thunderstorms. TETRA-II began operation in May 2016 and now has approximately an order of magnitude greater sensitivity than TETRA-I. The ability to observe ground-level Terrestrial Gamma Flashes from close to the source allows a unique analysis of the storm cells producing these events. A brief description of the TETRA-I observations, a description of TETRA-II, and preliminary results of the first events observed by TETRA-II will be presented including frequency and time history of events, spectral information, and correlation with local radar and radio data.

Effects of microgravity on muscle and cerebral cortex: a suggested interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Amelio, F.; Fox, R. A.; Wu, L. C.; Daunton, N. G.; Corcoran, M. L.

The ``slow'' antigravity muscle adductor longus was studied in rats after 14 days of spaceflight (SF). The techniques employed included standard methods for light microscopy, neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy. Light and electron microscopy revealed myofiber atrophy, segmental necrosis and regenerative myofibers. Regenerative myofibers were N-CAM immunoreactive (N-CAM-IR). The neuromuscular junctions showed axon terminals with a decrease or absence of synaptic vesicles, degenerative changes, vacant axonal spaces and changes suggestive of axonal sprouting. No alterations of muscle spindles was seen either by light or electron microscopy. These observations suggest that muscle regeneration and denervation and synaptic remodeling at the level of the neuromuscular junction may take place during spaceflight. In a separate study, GABA immunoreactivity (GABA-IR) was evaluated at the level of the hindlimb representation of the rat somatosensory cortex after 14 days of hindlimb unloading by tail suspension (``simulated'' microgravity). A reduction in number of GABA-immunoreactive cells with respect to the control animals was observed in layer Va and Vb. GABA-IR terminals were also reduced in the same layers, particularly those terminals surrounding the soma and apical dendrites of pyramidal cells in layer Vb. On the basis of previous morphological and behavioral studies of the neuromuscular system after spaceflight and hindlimb suspension it is suggested that after limb unloading there are alterations of afferent signaling and feedback information from intramuscular receptors to the cerebral cortex due to modifications in the reflex organization of hindlimb muscle groups. We propose that the changes observed in GABA immunoreactivity of cells and terminals is an expression of changes in their modulatory activity to compensate for the alterations in the afferent information.

Satellite observation of lake ice as a climate indicator - Initial results from statewide monitoring in Wisconsin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wynne, Randolph H.; Lillesand, Thomas M.

1993-01-01

The research reported herein focused on the general hypothesis that satellite remote sensing of large-area, long-term trends in lake ice phenology (formation and breakup) is a robust, integrated measure of regional and global climate change. To validate this hypothesis, we explored the use of data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) to discriminate the presence and extent of lake ice during the winter of 1990-1991 on the 45 lakes and reservoirs in Wisconsin with a surface area greater than 1,000 hectares. Our results suggest both the feasibility of using the AVHRR to determine the date of lake ice breakup as well as the strong correlation (R= -0.87) of the date so derived with local surface-based temperature measurements. These results suggest the potential of using current and archival satellite data to monitor changes in the date of lake ice breakup as a means of detecting regional 'signals' of greenhouse warming.

Planck intermediate results: XXIX. All-sky dust modelling with Planck, IRAS, and WISE observations

DOE PAGES

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Alves, M. I. R.; ...

2016-02-09

In this paper, we present all-sky modelling of the high resolution Planck, IRAS, and WISE infrared (IR) observations using the physical dust model presented by Draine & Li in 2007 (DL, ApJ, 657, 810). We study the performance and results of this model, and discuss implications for future dust modelling. The present work extends the DL dust modelling carried out on nearby galaxies using Herschel and Spitzer data to Galactic dust emission. We employ the DL dust model to generate maps of the dust mass surface density Σ Md, the dust optical extinction A V, and the starlight intensity heatingmore » the bulk of the dust, parametrized by U min. The DL model reproduces the observed spectral energy distribution (SED) satisfactorily over most of the sky, with small deviations in the inner Galactic disk and in low ecliptic latitude areas, presumably due to zodiacal light contamination. In the Andromeda galaxy (M31), the present dust mass estimates agree remarkably well (within 10%) with DL estimates based on independent Spitzer and Herschel data. We compare the DL optical extinction A V for the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) with optical estimates for approximately 2 × 10 5 quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) observed inthe Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The DL A V estimates are larger than those determined towards QSOs by a factor of about 2, which depends on U min. The DL fitting parameter U min, effectively determined by the wavelength where the SED peaks, appears to trace variations in the far-IR opacity of the dust grains per unit A V, and not only in the starlight intensity. These results show that some of the physical assumptions of the DL model will need to be revised. To circumvent the model deficiency, we propose an empirical renormalization of the DL A V estimate, dependent of U min, which compensates for the systematic differences found with QSO observations. This renormalization, made to match the A V estimates towards QSOs, also brings into agreement the DL A

Preliminary Results from Recent Simultaneous Chandra/HST Observations of Jupiter Auroral Zones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elsner, R.; Gladstone, R.; Waite, H.; Majeed, T.; Ford, P.; Grodent, D.; Bwardwaj, A.; Howell, R.; Cravens, T.; MacDowell, R.

2003-01-01

Jupiter was observed by the Chandra X-ray Observatory in late February, 2003, for 144 ks, using both the ACIS-S and HRC-I imaging x-ray cameras. Five orbits of HST STIS observations of the planet's northern auroral zone were obtained during the ACIS-S observations. These data are providing a wealth of information about Jupiter's auroral activity, including the first x-ray spectra from the x-ray hot spots inside the auroral ovals. We will also discuss the approximately 45 minute quasi-periodicity in the auroral x-ray emission - which correlates well with simultaneous observations of radio bursts by the Ulysses spacecraft - and a possible phase relation between the emission from the northern and southern x-ray aurora.

Prevalence and psychosocial correlates of symptoms suggestive of painful bladder syndrome: results from the Boston area community health survey.

PubMed

Link, Carol L; Pulliam, Samantha J; Hanno, Philip M; Hall, Susan A; Eggers, Paul W; Kusek, John W; McKinlay, John B

2008-08-01

We estimated the prevalence of symptoms suggestive of painful bladder syndrome defined as pain increasing as the bladder fills and/or pain relieved by urination for at least 3 months, and its association with sociodemographics (gender, age, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status), lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity) and psychosocial variables (sexual, physical, emotional abuse experienced as a child or as an adult, worry, trouble paying for basics, depression). The data used come from the Boston Area Community Health Survey, an epidemiological study of 5,506 randomly selected adults 30 to 79 years old of 3 race/ethnic groups (black, Hispanic, white). The overall prevalence of symptoms suggestive of painful bladder syndrome was 2% (1.3% in men and 2.6% in women) with increased prevalence in middle-aged adults and those of lower socioeconomic status. Symptoms suggestive of painful bladder syndrome were more common in those who experienced abuse, in those who were worried about someone close to them and in those who were having trouble paying for basics. This pattern held even after adjusting for depression. Painful bladder syndrome is associated with a number of lifestyle and psychosocial correlates. This suggests that the treatment of patients with painful bladder syndrome (physical symptoms) may benefit from a multifaceted approach of combining medical, psychological and cognitive treatment.

Crustal dynamics project observations: 1982 results and plans for 1983

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frey, H.

1983-01-01

The 1982 Crustal Dynamics Project observations by fixed and mobile SLR and VLBI systems are reviewed. Plate motion measurements between North America and Europe were conducted by both techniques and SLR measurements were also made between North America, the Pacific, Australia and South American plates. Regional deformation measurements by VLBI and SLR systems were restricted to the western United States in 1982, including a number of important intercomparison baseline measured by both techniques. In 1983 the observing program grows significantly, with new SLR systems in Mexico, Easter Island, the Pacific and Italy. New VLBI systems will include a dedicated VLBI site at Weltzell, in Germany. Two highly mobile SLR and two highly mobile VLBI systems will greatly increase the regional deformation measurements in California and through the Basin and Range, where more than 25 sites will be occupied in 1983.

Revisiting the Role of Bad News in Maintaining Human Observing Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fantino, Edmund; Silberberg, Alan

2010-01-01

Results from studies of observing responses have suggested that stimuli maintain observing owing to their special relationship to primary reinforcement (the conditioned- reinforcement hypothesis), and not because they predict the availability and nonavailability of reinforcement (the information hypothesis). The present article first reviews a…

Psychophysiological responses to subliminal auditory suggestions for activation.

PubMed

Borgeat, F; Boissonneault, J; Chaloult, L; Elie, R

1989-12-01

The aim of this study was to characterize further the experimental procedure proposed by Borgeat and Goulet in 1983. Subliminal activation auditory suggestions were expected to increase heart rate and skin conductance in presence of a stressing task. 20 subjects were alternately exposed to activating or neutral (random numbers) 25-dB suggestions masked by a 40-dB white noise. Analyses of variance and covariance indicated an effect of the activating suggestions on heart rate but not on skin conductance. Partly confirming previous results, the data support the reliability of heart rate and the importance of a stressing factor to reveal the effects of preconscious or subliminal stimulations.

Localized zinc distribution in shark vertebrae suggests differential deposition during ontogeny and across vertebral structures.

PubMed

Raoult, Vincent; Howell, Nicholas; Zahra, David; Peddemors, Victor M; Howard, Daryl L; de Jonge, Martin D; Buchan, Benjamin L; Williamson, Jane E

2018-01-01

The development of shark vertebrae and the possible drivers of inter- and intra-specific differences in vertebral structure are poorly understood. Shark vertebrae are used to examine life-history traits related to trophic ecology, movement patterns, and the management of fisheries; a better understanding of their development would be beneficial to many fields of research that rely on these calcified structures. This study used Scanning X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy to observe zinc distribution within vertebrae of ten shark species from five different orders. Zinc was mostly localised within the intermedialis and was generally detected at levels an order of magnitude lower in the corpus calcareum. In most species, zinc concentrations were higher pre-birth mark, indicating a high rate of pre-natal zinc deposition. These results suggest there are inter-specific differences in elemental deposition within vertebrae. Since the deposition of zinc is physiologically-driven, these differences suggest that the processes of growth and deposition are potentially different in the intermedialis and corpus calcareum, and that caution should be taken when extrapolating information such as annual growth bands from one structure to the other. Together these results suggest that the high inter-specific variation in vertebral zinc deposition and associated physiologies may explain the varying effectiveness of ageing methodologies applied to elasmobranch vertebrae.

Preliminary JIRAM results from Juno polar observations: 1. Methodology and analysis applied to the Jovian northern polar region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinelli, B. M.; Fabiano, F.; Adriani, A.; Altieri, F.; Moriconi, M. L.; Mura, A.; Sindoni, G.; Filacchione, G.; Tosi, F.; Migliorini, A.; Grassi, D.; Piccioni, G.; Noschese, R.; Cicchetti, A.; Bolton, S. J.; Connerney, J. E. P.; Atreya, S. K.; Bagenal, F.; Gladstone, G. R.; Hansen, C. J.; Kurth, W. S.; Levin, S. M.; Mauk, B. H.; McComas, D. J.; Gèrard, J.-C.; Turrini, D.; Stefani, S.; Amoroso, M.; Olivieri, A.

2017-05-01

During the first orbit around Jupiter of the NASA/Juno mission, the Jovian Auroral Infrared Mapper (JIRAM) instrument observed the auroral regions with a large number of measurements. The measured spectra show both the emission of the H3+ ion and of methane in the 3-4 μm spectral region. In this paper we describe the analysis method developed to retrieve temperature and column density (CD) of the H3+ ion from JIRAM spectra in the northern auroral region. The high spatial resolution of JIRAM shows an asymmetric aurora, with CD and temperature ovals not superimposed and not exactly located where models and previous observations suggested. On the main oval averaged H3+ CDs span between 1.8 × 1012 cm-2 and 2.8 × 1012 cm-2, while the retrieved temperatures show values between 800 and 950 K. JIRAM indicates a complex relationship among H3+ CDs and temperatures on the Jupiter northern aurora.

In-situ observation of Martian neutral exosphere: Results from MENCA aboard Indian Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhardwaj, Anil; Pratim Das, Tirtha; Dhanya, M. B.; Thampi, Smitha V.

2016-07-01

Till very recently, the only in situ measurements of the Martian upper atmospheric composition was from the mass spectrometer experiments aboard the two Viking landers, which covered the altitude region from 120 to 200 km. Hence, the exploration by the Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA) aboard the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft of ISRO and the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS) experiment aboard the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile ENvironment (MAVEN) mission of NASA are significant steps to further understand the Martian neutral exosphere and its variability. MENCA is a quadrupole based neutral mass spectrometer which observes the radial distribution of the Martian neutral exosphere. The analysis of the data from MENCA has revealed unambiguous detection of the three major constituents, which are amu 44 (CO2), amu 28 (contributions from CO and N2) and amu 16 (atomic O), as well as a few minor species. Since MOM is in a highly elliptical orbit, the MENCA observations pertain to different local times, in the low-latitude region. Examples of such observations would be presented, and compared with NGIMS results. Emphasis would be given to the observations pertaining to high solar zenith angles and close to perihelion period. During the evening hours, the transition from CO2 to O dominated region is observed near 270 km, which is significantly different from the previous observations corresponding to sub-solar point and SZA of ~45°. The mean evening time exospheric temperature derived using these observations is 271±5 K. These are the first observations corresponding to the Martian evening hours, which would help to provide constraints to the thermal escape models.

Preliminary results on the apparent size of the sources of type III bursts observed at low frequencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alvarez, H.

1976-01-01

We present preliminary results on the apparent angular size of the sources of four type III bursts observed between 3500 and 50 kHz from the IMP-6 spacecraft. The observations were made with a dipole rotating in the plane of the ecliptic where the sources are assumed to be. The apparent angular sizes obtained are unexpectedly large. We discuss different explanations for the results. It seems that the scattering of radio waves by electron density inhomogeneities is the most likely cause. We report a temporal increase of the apparent angular size of the source during the burst lifetime for some bursts. From its characteristics it appears to be a real effect.

Complete Columbian mammoth mitogenome suggests interbreeding with woolly mammoths

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Late Pleistocene North America hosted at least two divergent and ecologically distinct species of mammoth: the periglacial woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) and the subglacial Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi). To date, mammoth genetic research has been entirely restricted to woolly mammoths, rendering their genetic evolution difficult to contextualize within broader Pleistocene paleoecology and biogeography. Here, we take an interspecific approach to clarifying mammoth phylogeny by targeting Columbian mammoth remains for mitogenomic sequencing. Results We sequenced the first complete mitochondrial genome of a classic Columbian mammoth, as well as the first complete mitochondrial genome of a North American woolly mammoth. Somewhat contrary to conventional paleontological models, which posit that the two species were highly divergent, the M. columbi mitogenome we obtained falls securely within a subclade of endemic North American M. primigenius. Conclusions Though limited, our data suggest that the two species interbred at some point in their evolutionary histories. One potential explanation is that woolly mammoth haplotypes entered Columbian mammoth populations via introgression at subglacial ecotones, a scenario with compelling parallels in extant elephants and consistent with certain regional paleontological observations. This highlights the need for multi-genomic data to sufficiently characterize mammoth evolutionary history. Our results demonstrate that the use of next-generation sequencing technologies holds promise in obtaining such data, even from non-cave, non-permafrost Pleistocene depositional contexts. PMID:21627792

[Suggestions to improve dentist-endodontist collaboration].

PubMed

Zabalegui, B; Zabalegui, I; Flores, L

1989-01-01

Referrals from the general dentist to the endodontist are in some occasions complicated with lack of proper communication among dentist-patient-specialist, resulting in the loss of confidence or even the patient. Suggestions to improve this communication are discussed, which will provide the patient a higher confidence in the indicated endodontic treatment and a better dental service. It will also enhance the prestige of the general dentists' and specialists' practice.

Transfer Paths of Research Results to the Practice: Observations From the Receiving End

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Findikakis, A. N.

2005-12-01

A non-scientific poll of fellow practicing professionals suggests that there is a range of opinions regarding the effectiveness of different ways of becoming acquainted with and using the results of academic research in their practice. Journal articles remain the dominant path for transferring research results to the profession, even though accessing them is becoming more difficult with time. Driven primarily by cost considerations personal and corporate subscriptions seem to be on the decline. Libraries are one of the first victims of cost cutting measures in the industry. Even though the availability of journal articles in electronic form facilitates their availability, their prices are prohibitive. This is especially true during when a professional is searching for a solution to a problem and may have to review several papers on the subject. One colleague suggested that the professional organizations and other publishers of research articles could learn from the experience of the music industry, by lowering the cost of downloading individual papers to something like a dollar per article, recovering thus their production costs through the increase in the volume of purchased articles. The posting on the internet of special reports and dissertations by research institutions is viewed as very useful by those working in practice. The distribution through the internet of reports by federal organizations conducting or sponsoring research, such as the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is greatly appreciated by the practicing professionals. The use of leading researchers as consultants provides a direct path for bringing research results to the practice, but it is limited to a small number of cases where bringing in a consultant can be justified. Short courses are viewed as an effective way of familiarizing professionals with the latest research findings on specific subjects. The notes distributed in such courses are considered

Belief in the paranormal and suggestion in the seance room.

PubMed

Wiseman, Richard; Greening, Emma; Smith, Matthew

2003-08-01

In Experiment 1, participants took part in a fake seance. An actor suggested that a table was levitating when, in fact, it remained stationary. After the seance, approximately one third of participants incorrectly reported that the table had moved. Results also showed a significant relationship between the reported movement of the table and belief in the paranormal, with a greater percentage of believers than disbelievers, reporting that the table had moved. Experiment 2 varied whether the suggestion was consistent, or inconsistent, with participants' belief in the paranormal. Results again showed that believers were more susceptible to suggestion than disbelievers, but only when the suggestion was consistent with their belief in the paranormal. Approximately one fifth of participants believed that the fake seances contained genuine paranormal phenomena.

Evaluation of observation-driven evaporation algorithms: results of the WACMOS-ET project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miralles, Diego G.; Jimenez, Carlos; Ershadi, Ali; McCabe, Matthew F.; Michel, Dominik; Hirschi, Martin; Seneviratne, Sonia I.; Jung, Martin; Wood, Eric F.; (Bob) Su, Z.; Timmermans, Joris; Chen, Xuelong; Fisher, Joshua B.; Mu, Quiaozen; Fernandez, Diego

2015-04-01

Terrestrial evaporation (ET) links the continental water, energy and carbon cycles. Understanding the magnitude and variability of ET at the global scale is an essential step towards reducing uncertainties in our projections of climatic conditions and water availability for the future. However, the requirement of global observational data of ET can neither be satisfied with our sparse global in-situ networks, nor with the existing satellite sensors (which cannot measure evaporation directly from space). This situation has led to the recent rise of several algorithms dedicated to deriving ET fields from satellite data indirectly, based on the combination of ET-drivers that can be observed from space (e.g. radiation, temperature, phenological variability, water content, etc.). These algorithms can either be based on physics (e.g. Priestley and Taylor or Penman-Monteith approaches) or be purely statistical (e.g., machine learning). However, and despite the efforts from different initiatives like GEWEX LandFlux (Jimenez et al., 2011; Mueller et al., 2013), the uncertainties inherent in the resulting global ET datasets remain largely unexplored, partly due to a lack of inter-product consistency in forcing data. In response to this need, the ESA WACMOS-ET project started in 2012 with the main objectives of (a) developing a Reference Input Data Set to derive and validate ET estimates, and (b) performing a cross-comparison, error characterization and validation exercise of a group of selected ET algorithms driven by this Reference Input Data Set and by in-situ forcing data. The algorithms tested are SEBS (Su et al., 2002), the Penman- Monteith approach from MODIS (Mu et al., 2011), the Priestley and Taylor JPL model (Fisher et al., 2008), the MPI-MTE model (Jung et al., 2010) and GLEAM (Miralles et al., 2011). In this presentation we will show the first results from the ESA WACMOS-ET project. The performance of the different algorithms at multiple spatial and temporal

Phone use while driving: results from an observational survey.

PubMed

Wundersitz, L N

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to quantify the level of handheld phone use when driving in South Australia. The study also sought to investigate any driver, site, and vehicle characteristics associated with handheld phone use to inform countermeasure development and publicity campaigns. An on-road observational survey of handheld phone use was undertaken as part of a larger restraint use survey. The survey was conducted at 61 sites in metropolitan Adelaide and rural regions within South Australia on weekdays and a weekend in 2009. A total of 64 (0.6%) of the 11,524 drivers observed during the survey were using handheld phones. Handheld phone usage rates ranged from 0.8 percent in metropolitan Adelaide to 0.3 percent in the rural region of The Riverland. Of all driver, site, and vehicle characteristics examined, the only statistically significant difference in handheld phone usage was for the number of vehicle occupants. The odds of a driver using a handheld phone while traveling alone was over 4 times higher than for a driver traveling with passengers. The level of handheld phone use among drivers in South Australia appears to be low relative to other jurisdictions. The level of enforcement activity and severity of penalties do not offer a clear explanation for the higher levels of compliance with phone laws. Given the rate of increase in phone technology, it is important to conduct regular roadside surveys of phone use among drivers to monitor trends in usage over time.

Limits of quantitation - Yet another suggestion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, Jill; Wysoczanski, Artur; Voigtman, Edward

2014-06-01

The work presented herein suggests that the limit of quantitation concept may be rendered substantially less ambiguous and ultimately more useful as a figure of merit by basing it upon the significant figure and relative measurement error ideas due to Coleman, Auses and Gram, coupled with the correct instantiation of Currie's detection limit methodology. Simple theoretical results are presented for a linear, univariate chemical measurement system with homoscedastic Gaussian noise, and these are tested against both Monte Carlo computer simulations and laser-excited molecular fluorescence experimental results. Good agreement among experiment, theory and simulation is obtained and an easy extension to linearly heteroscedastic Gaussian noise is also outlined.

Metacognition of agency is reduced in high hypnotic suggestibility.

PubMed

Terhune, Devin B; Hedman, Love R A

2017-11-01

A disruption in the sense of agency is the primary phenomenological feature of response to hypnotic suggestions but its cognitive basis remains elusive. Here we tested the proposal that distorted volition during response to suggestions arises from poor metacognition pertaining to the sources of one's control. Highly suggestible and control participants completed a motor task in which performance was reduced through surreptitious manipulations of cursor lag and stimuli speed. Highly suggestible participants did not differ from controls in performance or metacognition of performance, but their sense of agency was less sensitive to cursor lag manipulations, suggesting reduced awareness that their control was being manipulated. These results indicate that highly suggestible individuals have aberrant metacognition of agency and may be a valuable population for studying distortions in the sense of agency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ULF foreshock under radial IMF: THEMIS observations and global kinetic simulation Vlasiator results compared

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmroth, Minna; Rami, Vainio; Archer, Martin; Hietala, Heli; Afanasiev, Alexandr; Kempf, Yann; Hoilijoki, Sanni; von Alfthan, Sebastian

2015-04-01

For decades, a certain type of ultra low frequency waves with a period of about 30 seconds have been observed in the Earth's quasi-parallel foreshock. These waves, with a wavelength of about an Earth radius, are compressive and propagate with an average angle of 20 degrees with respect of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The latter property has caused trouble to scientists as the growth rate for the instability causing the waves is maximized along the magnetic field. So far, these waves have been characterized by single or multi-spacecraft methods and 2-dimensional hybrid-PIC simulations, which have not fully reproduced the wave properties. Vlasiator is a newly developed, global hybrid-Vlasov simulation, which solves the six-dimensional phase space utilising the Vlasov equation for protons, while electrons are a charge-neutralising fluid. The outcome of the simulation is a global reproduction of ion-scale physics in a holistic manner where the generation of physical features can be followed in time and their consequences can be quantitatively characterised. Vlasiator produces the ion distribution functions and the related kinetic physics in unprecedented detail, in the global scale magnetospheric scale with a resolution of a couple of hundred kilometres in the ordinary space and 20 km/s in the velocity space. We run Vlasiator under a radial IMF in five dimensions consisting of the three-dimensional velocity space embedded in the ecliptic plane. We observe the generation of the 30-second ULF waves, and characterize their evolution and physical properties in time. We compare the results both to THEMIS observations and to the quasi-linear theory. We find that Vlasiator reproduces the foreshock ULF waves in all reported observational aspects, i.e., they are of the observed size in wavelength and period, they are compressive and propagate obliquely to the IMF. In particular, we discuss the issues related to the long-standing question of oblique propagation.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: DUNES survey observational results (Eiroa+, 2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eiroa, C.; Marshall, J. P.; Mora, A.; Montesinos, B.; Absil, O.; Augereau, J.-C.; Bayo, A.; Bryden, G.; Danchi, W.; Del Burgo, C.; Ertel, S.; Fridlund, M.; Heras, A. M.; Krivov, A. V.; Launhardt, R.; Liseau, R.; Loehne, T.; Maldonado, J.; Pilbratt, G. L.; Roberge, A.; Rodmann, J.; Sanz-Forcada, J.; Solano, E.; Stapelfeldt, K.; Thebault, P.; Wolf, S.; Ardila, D.; Arevalo, M.; Beichmann, C.; Faramaz, V.; Gonzalez-Garcia, B. M.; Gutierrez, R.; Lebreton, J.; Martinez-Arnaiz, R.; Meeus, G.; Montes, D.; Olofsson, G.; Su, K. Y. L.; White, G. J.; Barrado, D.; Fukagawa, M.; Gruen, E.; Kamp, I.; Lorente, R.; Morbidelli, A.; Mueller, S.; Mutschke, H.; Nakagawa, T.; Ribas, I.; Walker, H.

2013-05-01

The on-line tabular material contains a complete description of the DUNES objects, providing absolute parameters of the stars, the photometry used to build their spectral energy distributions, the Herschel/PACS fluxes, the photospheric predictions at the PACS wavelengths, the significance of the potential excesses and additional information concerning the stars with extended emission, the offsets of the stellar positions as measured in the optical and in the PACS100 images, the AORs (Astronomical Observation Request number) of the observations and the on-source integration times. (11 data files).

Suggested Interactivity: Seeking Perceived Affordances for Information Visualization.

PubMed

Boy, Jeremy; Eveillard, Louis; Detienne, Françoise; Fekete, Jean-Daniel

2016-01-01

In this article, we investigate methods for suggesting the interactivity of online visualizations embedded with text. We first assess the need for such methods by conducting three initial experiments on Amazon's Mechanical Turk. We then present a design space for Suggested Interactivity (i. e., visual cues used as perceived affordances-SI), based on a survey of 382 HTML5 and visualization websites. Finally, we assess the effectiveness of three SI cues we designed for suggesting the interactivity of bar charts embedded with text. Our results show that only one cue (SI3) was successful in inciting participants to interact with the visualizations, and we hypothesize this is because this particular cue provided feedforward.

Hotel Employees' Japanese Language Experiences: Implications and Suggestions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makita-Discekici, Yasuko

1998-01-01

Analyzes the Japanese language learning experiences of 13 hotel employees in Guam. Results of the study present implications and suggestions for a Japanese language program for the hotel industry. The project began as a result of hotel employees frustrations when they were unable to communicate effectively with their Japanese guests. (Auth/JL)

Preliminary Results of NASA's First Autonomous Formation Flying Experiment: Earth Observing-1 (EO-1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David; Hawkins, Albin

2001-01-01

NASA's first autonomous formation flying mission is completing a primary goal of demonstrating an advanced technology called enhanced formation flying. To enable this technology, the Guidance, Navigation, and Control center at the Goddard Space Flight Center has implemented an autonomous universal three-axis formation flying algorithm in executive flight code onboard the New Millennium Program's (NMP) Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) spacecraft. This paper describes the mathematical background of the autonomous formation flying algorithm and the onboard design and presents the preliminary validation results of this unique system. Results from functionality assessment and autonomous maneuver control are presented as comparisons between the onboard EO-1 operational autonomous control system called AutoCon(tm), its ground-based predecessor, and a stand-alone algorithm.

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Development and preliminary results of point source observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Ryan P.

2009-06-01

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) is a six meter diameter telescope designed to measure the millimeter sky with arcminute angular resolution. The instrument is currently conducting its third season of observations from Cerro Toco in the Chilean Andes. The primary science goal of the experiment is to expand our understanding of cosmology by mapping the temperature fluctuations of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) at angular scales corresponding to multipoles up to [cursive l] ~ 10000. The primary receiver for current ACT observations is the Millimeter Bolometer Array Camera (MBAC). The instrument is specially designed to observe simultaneously at 148 GHz, 218 GHz and 277 GHz. To accomplish this, the camera has three separate detector arrays, each containing approximately 1000 detectors. After discussing the ACT experiment in detail, a discussion of the development and testing of the cold readout electronics for the MBAC is presented. Currently, the ACT collaboration is in the process of generating maps of the microwave sky using our first and second season observations. The analysis used to generate these maps requires careful data calibration to produce maps of the arcminute scale CMB temperature fluctuations. Tests and applications of several elements of the ACT calibrations are presented in the context of the second season observations. Scientific exploration has already begun on preliminary maps made using these calibrations. The final portion of this thesis is dedicated to discussing the point sources observed by the ACT. A discussion of the techniques used for point source detection and photometry is followed by a presentation of our current measurements of point source spectral indices.

Shock-produced olivine glass: First observation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jeanloz, R.; Ahrens, T.J.; Lally, J.S.; Nord, G.L.; Christie, J.M.; Heuer, A.H.

1977-01-01

Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations of an experimentally shock-deformed single crystal of natural peridot, (Mg0.88Fe 0.12SiO4 recovered from peak pressures of about 56 ?? 109 pascals revealed the presence of amorphous zones located within crystalline regions with a high density of tangled dislocations. This is the first reported observation ofolivine glass. The shocked sample exhibits a wide variation in the degree of shock deformation on a small scale, and the glass appears to be intimately associated with the highest density of dislocations. This study suggests that olivine glass may be formed as a result of shock at pressures above about 50 to 55 ?? 109 pascals and that further TEM observations of naturally shocked olivines may demonstrate the presence of glass.

Observational learning without a model is influenced by the observer's possibility to act: evidence from the Simon task.

PubMed

Iani, Cristina; Rubichi, Sandro; Ferraro, Luca; Nicoletti, Roberto; Gallese, Vittorio

2013-07-01

We assessed whether observational learning in perceptual-motor tasks is affected by the visibility of an action producing perceived environmental effects and by the observer's possibility to act during observation. To this end, we conducted three experiments in which participants were required to observe a spatial compatibility task in which only the effects of computer-generated responses were visible before executing a Simon task. In Experiment 1, we compared the effects of a passively observed practice with either a spatially compatible or incompatible stimulus-response (S-R) association. In Experiment 2, during the observed spatially incompatible practice participants were prevented from potentially acting, either because a plexiglas barrier separated the participant from the response device rendering it out of reach; or because the participant's hands were tied; or the device affording a response was absent. In Experiment 3, the plexiglas presented an opening that could allow the participant to potentially reach and interact with it. As when the practice is physically performed, we found an elimination of the Simon effect following a spatially incompatible observed practice, suggesting that participants learned an incompatible S-R association by observing and transferred this knowledge to the subsequent Simon task. No evidence of transfer of learning was found when, during passive observation, the participant's hands were tied, or a barrier prevented him/her from potentially interacting with the device, or no response device was present. Differently, a transfer-of-learning effect was observed when the barrier presented an opening. These results suggest that learning can derive from the mere observation of action effects, even when an action is not visible, as long as the observer has the potential to act. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RESULTS OF OBSERVATIONS ON ATMOSPHERIC OZONE BY THE INFRARED METHOD, DEDUCED FROM DATA OBTAINED IN AROSA (SWITZERLAND),

DTIC Science & Technology

Vertical distributions of the atmospheric ozone have been deduced from the infrared observations made in Arosa from Janaury 1957 to November 1958. The results are used to find certain correlations. (Author)

The Effects of Three Methods of Observation on Couples in Interactional Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Linda J.; Merkel, William T.

1988-01-01

Assessed the effects of three different methods of observation of couples (one-way mirror, audio recording, and video recording) on 30 volunteer, nonclinical married couples. Results suggest that types of observation do not produce significantly different effects on nonclinical couples. (Author/ABL)

BeppoSAX Observations of MKN 110

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicastro, Fabrizio; Oliversen, Ronald J. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Mkn 110 is a bright, nearby Seyfert 1 galaxy, which underwent a long optical monitoring campaign, during the past 12 years. Optical observations show that Mkn 110 vary, both in flux and spectral shape. The intensity and width of its Broad Emission Lines (BELs) also vary, from typical Seyfert 1, to typical Narrow Line Seyfert 1 (NLSyl) values, so suggesting that this could be the first supermassive black holes where accretion state related transitions, as frequently observed in stellar-size black holes, have finally been observed. To verify these suggestions we asked to monitor Mkn 110 with BeppoSAX with three 50 ksec observations six months apart. The goal of the proposal was to observe spectral variations in X-ray, already suggested by previous, existing ROSAT (Roentgen Satellite) and ASCA (Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics) observations of the same source. The first of these three SAX (Satellite per Astronomia X) observations was taken on May 2000, and lacks the Low-Energy instrument (0.1-2 keV is the band in which NLSy1 and Sy1 X-ray spectra differ most).

More screen operation than calling: the results of observing cyclists' behaviour while using mobile phones.

PubMed

de Waard, Dick; Westerhuis, Frank; Lewis-Evans, Ben

2015-03-01

Operating a mobile telephone while riding a bicycle is fairly common practice in the Netherlands, yet it is unknown if this use is stable or increasing. As such, whether the prevalence of mobile phone use while cycling has changed over the past five years was studied via on-road observation. In addition the impact of mobile phone use on lateral position, i.e. distance from the front wheel to the curb, was also examined to see if it compared to the results seen in previous experimental studies. Bicyclists were observed at six different locations and their behaviour was scored. It was found that compared to five years ago the use of mobile phones while cycling has changed, not in frequency, but in how cyclists were operating their phones. As found in 2008, three percent of the bicyclists were observed to be operating a phone, but a shift from calling (0.7% of cyclists observed) to operating (typing, texting, 2.3% of cyclists) was found. In 2008 nearly the complete opposite usage was observed: 2.2% of the cyclists were calling and 0.6% was texting. Another finding was that effects on lateral position were similar to those seen in experimental studies in that cyclists using a phone maintained a cycling position which was further away from the curb. It was also found that when at an intersection, cyclist's operating their phone made less head movements to the right than cyclists who were just cycling. This shift from calling to screen operation, when combined with the finding related to reduced head movements at intersections, is worrying and potentially dangerous. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The double stapling technique for low anterior resection. Results, modifications, and observations.

PubMed Central

Griffen, F D; Knight, C D; Whitaker, J M; Knight, C D

1990-01-01

Since the introduction of the end-to-end anastomosis (EEA) stapler for rectal reconstruction, we have used a modification of the conventional technique in which the lower rectal segment is closed with the linear stapler (TA-55) and the anastomosis is performed using the EEA instrument across the linear staple line (double stapling technique). Our experience with this procedure includes stapled colorectal anastomoses in 75 patients and is the basis for the report. This review presents the details and advantages of the technique and the results. Complications include two patients with anastomotic leak (2.7%), and two with stenosis that required treatment (2.7%). Protective colostomy was not done in this series. There were no deaths. Our experience and that of others suggests that this modification of the EEA technique can allow a lower anastomosis in some patients, and that it can be done with greater safety and facility. Images Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. Fig. 6. PMID:2357137

Impact of acquisition and interpretation on total inter-observer variability in echocardiography: results from the quality assurance program of the STAAB cohort study.

PubMed

Morbach, Caroline; Gelbrich, Götz; Breunig, Margret; Tiffe, Theresa; Wagner, Martin; Heuschmann, Peter U; Störk, Stefan

2018-02-14

Variability related to image acquisition and interpretation is an important issue of echocardiography in clinical trials. Nevertheless, there is no broadly accepted standard method for quality assessment of echocardiography in clinical research reports. We present analyses based on the echocardiography quality-assurance program of the ongoing STAAB cohort study (characteristics and course of heart failure stages A-B and determinants of progression). In 43 healthy individuals (mean age 50 ± 14 years; 18 females), duplicate echocardiography scans were acquired and mutually interpreted by one of three trained sonographers and an EACVI certified physician, respectively. Acquisition (AcV), interpretation (InV), and inter-observer variability (IOV; i.e., variability between the acquisition-interpretation sequences of two different observers), were determined for selected M-mode, B-mode, and Doppler parameters. We calculated Bland-Altman upper 95% limits of absolute differences, implying that 95% of measurement differences were smaller/equal to the given value: e.g. LV end-diastolic volume (mL): 25.0, 25.0, 27.9; septal e' velocity (cm/s): 3.03, 1.25, 3.58. Further, 90, 85, and 80% upper limits of absolute differences were determined for the respective parameters. Both, acquisition and interpretation, independently and sizably contributed to IOV. As such, separate assessment of AcV and InV is likely to aid in echocardiography training and quality-assurance. Our results further suggest to routinely determine IOV in clinical trials as a comprehensive measure of imaging quality. The derived 95, 90, 85, and 80% upper limits of absolute differences are suggested as reproducibility targets of future studies, thus contributing to the international efforts of standardization in quality-assurance.

Concordance of Results from Randomized and Observational Analyses within the Same Study: A Re-Analysis of the Women's Health Initiative Limited-Access Dataset.

PubMed

Bolland, Mark J; Grey, Andrew; Gamble, Greg D; Reid, Ian R

2015-01-01

Observational studies (OS) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) often report discordant results. In the Women's Health Initiative Calcium and Vitamin D (WHI CaD) RCT, women were randomly assigned to CaD or placebo, but were permitted to use personal calcium and vitamin D supplements, creating a unique opportunity to compare results from randomized and observational analyses within the same study. WHI CaD was a 7-year RCT of 1g calcium/400IU vitamin D daily in 36,282 post-menopausal women. We assessed the effects of CaD on cardiovascular events, death, cancer and fracture in a randomized design- comparing CaD with placebo in 43% of women not using personal calcium or vitamin D supplements- and in a observational design- comparing women in the placebo group (44%) using personal calcium and vitamin D supplements with non-users. Incidence was assessed using Cox proportional hazards models, and results from the two study designs deemed concordant if the absolute difference in hazard ratios was ≤0.15. We also compared results from WHI CaD to those from the WHI Observational Study(WHI OS), which used similar methodology for analyses and recruited from the same population. In WHI CaD, for myocardial infarction and stroke, results of unadjusted and 6/8 covariate-controlled observational analyses (age-adjusted, multivariate-adjusted, propensity-adjusted, propensity-matched) were not concordant with the randomized design results. For death, hip and total fracture, colorectal and total cancer, unadjusted and covariate-controlled observational results were concordant with randomized results. For breast cancer, unadjusted and age-adjusted observational results were concordant with randomized results, but only 1/3 other covariate-controlled observational results were concordant with randomized results. Multivariate-adjusted results from WHI OS were concordant with randomized WHI CaD results for only 4/8 endpoints. Results of randomized analyses in WHI CaD were concordant

Prioritizing Arctic Observations with Limited Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, B.; Starkweather, S.

2012-12-01

U.S. Federal agencies recently completed a five-year research plan for the Arctic including plans to enhance efforts toward an Arctic Observing Network (AON). Following on numerous national and international planning efforts, the five-year plan identifies nine priority areas including enhancing observing system design, assessing priorities of local residents, and improving data access. AON progress to date has been realized through bottom-up funding decisions and some top-down design optimization approaches, which have resulted in valuable yet ad hoc progress towards Arctic research imperatives. We suggest that advancing AON beyond theoretical design and ad hoc efforts with the engagement of multiple U.S. Federal agencies will require a structured, input-based planning approach to prioritization that recognizes budget realities. Completing a long list of worthy observing efforts appears to be unsustainable and inadequate in responding to the rapid changes taking place in the Arctic. Society would be better served by more rapid implementation of sustained, long-term observations focused on those climate feedbacks with the greatest potential negative impacts. Several emerging theoretical frameworks have pointed to the need to enhance iterative, capacity-building dialog between observationalists, modelers, and stakeholders as a way to identify these broadest potential benefits. We concur and suggest that those dialogs need to be facilitated and sustained over long periods. Efforts to isolate observational programs from process research are, we believe, impeding progress. At the same time, we note that bottom-up funding decisions, while useful for prioritizing process research, are less appropriate to building observing systems.

Storm-wave-induced seabed deformation: Results from in situ observation in the Yellow River subaqueous delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Y.; Wang, Z. Mr; Liu, X.; Shan, H.

2017-12-01

Submarine landslides move large volumes of sediment and are often hazardous to offshore installations. Current research into submarine landslides mainly relies on marine surveying techniques. In contrast, in situ observations of the submarine landslide process, specifically seabed deformation, are sparse, and therefore restrict our understanding of submarine landslide mechanisms and the establishment of a disaster warning scheme. The submarine landslide monitoring (SLM) system, which has been designed to partly overcome these pitfalls, can monitor storm-wave-induced submarine landslides in situ and over a long time period. The SLM system comprises two parts: (1) a hydrodynamic monitoring tripod for recording hydrodynamic data and (2) a shape accel array for recording seabed deformation at different depths. This study recorded the development of the SLM system and the results of in situ observation in the Yellow River Delta, China, during the boreal winter of 2014-2015. The results show an abrupt small-scale storm-wave-induced seabed shear deformation; the shear interface is in at least 1.5-m depth and the displacement of sediments at 1.23-m depth is more than 13 mm. The performance of the SLM system confirms the feasibility and stability of this approach. Further, the in situ observations, as well as the laboratory tests, helped reveal the profound mechanism of storm-wave-induced seabed deformation.

Observed antiprotons and energy dependent confinement of cosmic rays: A conflict?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, S. A.

1985-01-01

In the frame work of energy dependent confinement for cosmic rays, the energy spectrum inside the source is flatter than that observed. Antiproton observation suggests large amount of matter is being traversed by cosmic rays in some sources. As a result, secondary particles are produced in abundance. Their spectra was calculated and it is shown that the energy dependent confinement model is in conflict with some observations.

fNIRS suggests increased effort during executive access in ecstasy polydrug users.

PubMed

Roberts, C A; Montgomery, C

2015-05-01

Ecstasy use is associated with cognitive impairment, believed to result from damage to 5-HT axons. Neuroimaging techniques to investigate executive dysfunction in ecstasy users provide a more sensitive measure of cognitive impairment than behavioural indicators. The present study assessed executive access to semantic memory in ecstasy polydrug users and non-users. Twenty ecstasy polydrug users and 20 non-user controls completed an oral variant of the Chicago Word Fluency Test (CWFT), whilst the haemodynamic response to the task was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). There were no between-group differences in many background measures including measures of sleep and mood state (anxiety, arousal, hedonic tone). No behavioural differences were observed on the CWFT. However, there were significant differences in oxy-Hb level change at several voxels relating to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and right medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) during the CWFT, indicating increased cognitive effort in ecstasy users relative to controls. Regression analyses showed that frequency of ecstasy use, total lifetime dose and amount used in the last 30 days was significant predictors of oxy-Hb increase at several voxels after controlling for alcohol and cannabis use indices. The results suggest that ecstasy users show increased activation in the PFC as a compensatory mechanism, to achieve equivalent performance to non-users. These findings are in agreement with much of the literature in the area which suggests that ecstasy may be a selective serotonin neurotoxin in humans.

Results of the Baikal Experiment on Observations of Macroscopic Nonlocal Correlations in Reverse Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korotaev, S. M.; Serdyuk, V. O.; Kiktenko, E. O.; Budnev, N. M.; Gorohov, J. V.

Although the general theory macroscopic quantum entanglement of is still in its infancy, consideration of the matter in the framework of action-at-a distance electrodynamics predicts for the random dissipative processes observability of the advanced nonlocal correlations (time reversal causality). These correlations were really revealed in our previous experiments with some large-scale heliogeophysical processes as the source ones and the lab detectors as the probe ones. Recently a new experiment has been performing on the base of Baikal Deep Water Neutrino Observatory. The thick water layer is an excellent shield against any local impacts on the detectors. The first annual series 2012/2013 has demonstrated that detector signals respond to the heliogeophysical (external) processes and causal connection of the signals directed downwards: from the Earth surface to the Baikal floor. But this nonlocal connection proved to be in reverse time. In addition advanced nonlocal correlation of the detector signal with the regional source-process: the random component of hydrological activity in the upper layer was revealed and the possibility of its forecast on nonlocal correlations was demonstrated. But the strongest macroscopic nonlocal correlations are observed at extremely low frequencies, that is at periods of several months. Therefore the above results should be verified in a longer experiment. We verify them by data of the second annual series 2013/2014 of the Baikal experiment. All the results have been confirmed, although some quantitative parameters of correlations and time reversal causal links turned out different due to nonstationarity of the source-processes. A new result is displaying of the advanced response of nonlocal correlation detector to the earthquake. This opens up the prospect of the earthquake forecast on the new physical principle, although further confirmation in the next events is certainly needed. The continuation of the Baikal experiment with

Observability of nonlinear dynamics: normalized results and a time-series approach.

PubMed

Aguirre, Luis A; Bastos, Saulo B; Alves, Marcela A; Letellier, Christophe

2008-03-01

This paper investigates the observability of nonlinear dynamical systems. Two difficulties associated with previous studies are dealt with. First, a normalized degree observability is defined. This permits the comparison of different systems, which was not generally possible before. Second, a time-series approach is proposed based on omnidirectional nonlinear correlation functions to rank a set of time series of a system in terms of their potential use to reconstruct the original dynamics without requiring the knowledge of the system equations. The two approaches proposed in this paper and a former method were applied to five benchmark systems and an overall agreement of over 92% was found.

Observations of Phobos by the Mars Express radar MARSIS: Description of the detection techniques and preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cicchetti, A.; Nenna, C.; Plaut, J. J.; Plettemeier, D.; Noschese, R.; Cartacci, M.; Orosei, R.

2017-11-01

The Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) (Picardi et al., 2005) is a synthetic aperture low frequency radar altimeter, onboard the ESA Mars Express orbiter, launched in June 2003. It is the first and so far the only spaceborne radar that has observed the Martian moon Phobos. Radar echoes were collected on different flyby trajectories. The primary aim of sounding Phobos is to prove the feasibility of deep sounding, into its subsurface. MARSIS is optimized for deep penetration investigations and is capable of transmitting at four different bands between 1.3 MHz and 5.5 MHz with a 1 MHz bandwidth. Unfortunately the instrument was originally designed to operate exclusively on Mars, assuming that Phobos would not be observed. Following this assumption, a protection mechanism was implemented in the hardware (HW) to maintain a minimum time separation between transmission and reception phases of the radar. This limitation does not have any impact on Mars observation but it prevented the observation of Phobos. In order to successfully operate the instrument at Phobos, a particular configuration of the MARSIS onboard software (SW) parameters, called ;Range Ambiguity,; was implemented to override the HW protection zone, ensuring at the same time a high level of safety of the instrument. This paper describes the principles of MARSIS onboard processing, and the procedure through which the parameters of the processing software were tuned to observe targets below the minimum distance allowed by hardware. Some preliminary results of data analysis will be shown, with the support of radar echo simulations. A qualitative comparison between the simulated results and the actual data, does not support the detection of subsurface reflectors.

Computational Investigations of Trichoderma Reesei Cel7A Suggest New Routes for Enzyme Activity Improvements

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

Beckham, G. T.; Payne, C. M.; Bu, L.

2012-01-01

The Trichoderma reesei Family 7 cellulase (Cel7A) is a key industrial enzyme in the production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. It is a multi-modular enzyme with a Family 1 carbohydrate-binding module, a flexible O-glycosylated linker, and a large catalytic domain. We have used simulation to elucidate new functions for the 3 sub-domains, which suggests new routes to increase the activity of this central enzyme. These findings include new roles for glycosylation, which we have shown can be used to tune the binding affinity. We have also examined the structures of the catalytically-active complex of Cel7A and its non-processive counterpart, Cel7B,more » engaged on cellulose, which suggests allosteric mechanisms involved in chain binding when these cellulases are complexed on cellulose. Our computational results also suggest that product inhibition varies significantly between Cel7A and Cel7B, and we offer a molecular-level explanation for this observation. Finally, we discuss simulations of the absolute and relative binding free energy of cellulose ligands and various mutations along the CD tunnel, which will affect processivity and the ability of Cel7A (and related enzymes) to digest cellulose. These results highlight new considerations in protein engineering for processive and non-processive cellulases for production of lignocellulosic biofuels.« less

Glass-to-cryogenic-liquid transitions in aqueous solutions suggested by crack healing

PubMed Central

Kim, Chae Un; Tate, Mark W.; Gruner, Sol M.

2015-01-01

Observation of theorized glass-to-liquid transitions between low-density amorphous (LDA) and high-density amorphous (HDA) water states had been stymied by rapid crystallization below the homogeneous water nucleation temperature (∼235 K at 0.1 MPa). We report optical and X-ray observations suggestive of glass-to-liquid transitions in these states. Crack healing, indicative of liquid, occurs when LDA ice transforms to cubic ice at 160 K, and when HDA ice transforms to the LDA state at temperatures as low as 120 K. X-ray diffraction study of the HDA to LDA transition clearly shows the characteristics of a first-order transition. Study of the glass-to-liquid transitions in nanoconfined aqueous solutions shows them to be independent of the solute concentrations, suggesting that they represent an intrinsic property of water. These findings support theories that LDA and HDA ice are thermodynamically distinct and that they are continuously connected to two different liquid states of water. PMID:26351671

Results from the Prototype GLOBE at Night Worldwide Light Pollution Observation Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Constance E.; Pompea, S. M.; Isbell, D.; Orellana, D.; Blurton, C.; Henderson, S.

2006-06-01

Students, families, and educators worldwide participated in GLOBE at Night - an international event designed to observe and record the visible stars as a means of measuring light pollution in a given location. Participation was open to anyone - anywhere in the world - who could get outside and look skyward during the week of March 22-29, 2006. Our goal was 5000 observations from around the world in this prototype program.The hands-on learning activities associated with the program were designed to extend the traditional classroom and school day with a week of nighttime observations involving teachers, students and their families. By locating specific constellations in the sky, students from around the world learned how the lights in their community contribute to light pollution. Students explored the different light sources in their community learning the relationship between science, technology and society, and they reported their observations online through a central database allowing for authentic worldwide research and analysis. The observations made during GLOBE at Night helped students and scientists together assess how the quality of the night sky varies around the world as well as the level of energy wastage associated with poorly-shielded lights.For more information, visit http://www.globe.gov/globeatnight.GLOBE at Night is a collaboration between The GLOBE Program, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), Centro de Apoyo a la Didactica de la Astronomia (CADIAS) in Chile , Windows to the Universe, and Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI).

Do all Planetary Nebulae result from Common Envelopes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Marco, O.; Moe, M.; Herwig, F.; Politano, M.

2005-12-01

The common envelope interaction is responsible for evolved close binaries. Some of these binaries reside in the middle of planetary nebulae (PN). Conventional wisdom has it that only about 10% of all PN contain close binary central stars. Recent observational results, however, strongly suggest that most or even all PN are in close binary systems. Interestingly, our population synthesis calculations predict that the number of post-common envelope PN is in agreement with the total number of PN in the Galaxy. On the other hand, if all stars (single and in binaries) with mass between ˜1-8 M⊙ eject a PN, there would be 10-20 times many more PN in the galaxy than observed. This theoretical result is in agreement with the observations in suggesting that binary interactions play a functional rather than marginal role in the creation of PN. FH acknowledges funds from the U.S. Dept. of Energy, under contract W-7405-ENG-36 to Los Alamos National Laboratory. MP gratefully acknowledges NSF grant AST-0328484 to Marquette University.

The distribution of P-values in medical research articles suggested selective reporting associated with statistical significance.

PubMed

Perneger, Thomas V; Combescure, Christophe

2017-07-01

Published P-values provide a window into the global enterprise of medical research. The aim of this study was to use the distribution of published P-values to estimate the relative frequencies of null and alternative hypotheses and to seek irregularities suggestive of publication bias. This cross-sectional study included P-values published in 120 medical research articles in 2016 (30 each from the BMJ, JAMA, Lancet, and New England Journal of Medicine). The observed distribution of P-values was compared with expected distributions under the null hypothesis (i.e., uniform between 0 and 1) and the alternative hypothesis (strictly decreasing from 0 to 1). P-values were categorized according to conventional levels of statistical significance and in one-percent intervals. Among 4,158 recorded P-values, 26.1% were highly significant (P < 0.001), 9.1% were moderately significant (P ≥ 0.001 to < 0.01), 11.7% were weakly significant (P ≥ 0.01 to < 0.05), and 53.2% were nonsignificant (P ≥ 0.05). We noted three irregularities: (1) high proportion of P-values <0.001, especially in observational studies, (2) excess of P-values equal to 1, and (3) about twice as many P-values less than 0.05 compared with those more than 0.05. The latter finding was seen in both randomized trials and observational studies, and in most types of analyses, excepting heterogeneity tests and interaction tests. Under plausible assumptions, we estimate that about half of the tested hypotheses were null and the other half were alternative. This analysis suggests that statistical tests published in medical journals are not a random sample of null and alternative hypotheses but that selective reporting is prevalent. In particular, significant results are about twice as likely to be reported as nonsignificant results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Results from the X-ray and Optical Follow-up Observations of the Swift BAT AGN Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mushotzky, R.

2008-01-01

I will present results from the x-ray and optical follow-up observations of the Swift BAT ACN survey. I will discuss the nature of obscuration in these objects, the relationship to optical properties and the change of properties with luminosity and galaxy type and how they will influence the design of XO.

Results of Observations over Jupiter's Galilean Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chigladze, Revaz; Tateshvili, Maia

The work describes the polarization properties of the light reflected from the surfaces of Galileo Jupiter's satellites, with their physical characteristics studied based on their analysis. Europe turned out to have the most homogeneous, and Callisto has the least homogeneous. Time variations are the most typical to satellite Io what must be the result of the volcanic actions on the satellite surface.

Results of Observations of Occultations of Stars by Main-Belt and Trojan Asteroids, and the Promise of Gaia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunham, David W.; Herald, David Russell; Preston, Steven; Loader, Brian; Bixby Dunham, Joan

2016-10-01

For 40 years, the sizes and shapes of scores of asteroids have been determined from observations of asteroidal occultations, and many hundreds of high-precision positions of the asteroids relative to stars have been measured. Earlier this year, the 3000th observation of an asteroidal occultation was documented. Some of the first evidence for satellites of asteroids was obtained from the early efforts; now, the orbits and sizes of some satellites discovered by other means have been refined from occultation observations. Also, several close binary stars have been discovered, and the angular diameters of some stars have been measured from analysis of these observations. The International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA) coordinates this activity worldwide, from predicting and publicizing the events, to accurately timing the occultations from as many stations as possible, and publishing and archiving the observations. The first observations were timed visually, but now nearly all observations are either video-recorded, or recorded with CCD drift scans, allowing small magnitude-drop events to be recorded, and resulting in more consistent results. Techniques have been developed allowing one or two observers to set up multiple stations with small telescopes, video cameras, and timers, thereby recording many chords, even across a whole asteroid; some examples will be shown.Later this year, the first release of Gaia data will allow us to greatly improve the vast star catalog that we use for both predicting and analyzing these events. Although the first asteroidal data will wait until the 4th Gaia release, before that, we can greatly improve the orbits of asteroids that have occulted 3 or more stars in the past so that we can start computing the paths of future occultations by them to few km accuracy. In a couple of years, we'll be able to realistically predict one to two orders of magnitude more events than we can now, allowing efforts to be concentrated on smaller

Ultraviolet Observations of M-Type Symbiotic Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michalitsianos, Andrew G.

The significant differences revealed in high dispersion short wavelength spectra of two M-type symbiotic stars RW Hya (gM2 + pec) and RX Pup (M5 + pec) observed previously with IUE emphasizes the need for high resolution observations of a wide range of similar objects. The anomalies observed in high excitation lines in RX Pup of He II, N III], N IV], O III], C III], C IV and Si III] that show split line profiles, multiple component Doppler displaced components, and broadened blue wing emission structure in N III] and N IV] suggest motion in circumstellar material. In contrast, high dispersion UV spectra of RW Hya reveal narrow high excitation emission lines that give no suggestion of macroscopic motions in the circumstellar gas. We wish to extend observations of a selected number of symbiotic stars observed previously but in low resolution, to high dispersion in order to determine if particular M-type symbiotic stars exhibit anomalies in their line profile. As such, symbiotic stars exhibiting velocity structure in emission lines may form a subset of objects that are characterized by mass motions in their circumstellar envelops that create high excitation emission. UV line and continuum emission from other M-type symbiotics may arise from mainly photo-excitation processes that results from the intense radiation field associated with the hot secondary companion.

Monitoring universal protocol compliance through real-time clandestine observation by medical students results in performance improvement.

PubMed

Logan, Catherine A; Cressey, Brienne D; Wu, Roger Y; Janicki, Adam J; Chen, Cyril X; Bolourchi, Meena L; Hodnett, Jessica L; Stratigis, John D; Mackey, William C; Fairchild, David G

2012-01-01

To measure universal protocol compliance through real-time, clandestine observation by medical students compared with chart audit reviews, and to enable medical students the opportunity to become conscious of the importance of medical errors and safety initiatives. With endorsement from Tufts Medical Center's (TMC's) Chief Medical Officer and Surgeon-in-Chief, 8 medical students performed clandestine observation audits of 98 cases from April to August 2009. A compliance checklist was based on TMC's presurgical checklist. Our initial results led to interventions to improve our universal protocol procedures, including modifications to the operating room white board and presurgical checklist, and specific feedback to surgical departments. One year later, 6 medical students performed observations of 100 cases from June to August 2010. Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, which is an academic medical center and the principal teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. An operating room coordinator placed the medical students into 1 of our 25 operating rooms with students entering under the premise of observing the anesthesiologist for clinical education. The observations were performed Monday to Friday between 7 am and 4 pm. Although observations were not randomized, no single service or type of surgery was targeted for observation. A broad range of departments was observed. In 8.2% of cases, the surgical site was unmarked. A Time Out occurred in 89.7% of cases. The entire surgical team was attentive during the time out in 82% of cases. The presurgical checklist was incomplete before incision in 13 cases. Images were displayed in 82% of cases. The operating room "white board" was filled out completely in 49% of cases. Team introductions occurred in 13 cases. One year later, compliance increased in all Universal Protocol dimensions. Direct, real-time observation by medical students provides an accurate and granular assessment of compliance with

Plasma observations near saturn: initial results from voyager 1.

PubMed

Bridge, H S; Belcher, J W; Lazarus, A J; Olbert, S; Sullivan, J D; Bagenal, F; Gazis, P R; Hartle, R E; Ogilvie, K W; Scudder, J D; Sittler, E C; Eviatar, A; Siscoe, G L; Goertz, C K; Vasyliunas, V M

1981-04-10

Extensive measurements of low-energy plasma electrons and positive ions were made during the Voyager 1 encounter with Saturn and its satellites. The magnetospheric plasma contains light and heavy ions, probably hydrogen and nitrogen or oxygen; at radial distances between 15 and 7 Saturn-radii (Rs) on the inbound trajectory, the plasma appears to corotate with a velocity within 20 percent of that expected for rigid corotation. The general morphology of Saturn's magnetosphere is well represented by a plasma sheet that extends from at least 5 to 17 Rs, is symmetrical with respect to Saturn's equatorial plane and rotation axis, and appears to be well ordered by the magnetic shell parameter L (which represents the equatorial distance of a magnetic field line measured in units of Rs). Within this general configuration, two distinct structures can be identified: a central plasma sheet observed from L = 5 to L = 8 in which the density decreases rapidly away from the equatorial plane, and a more extended structure from L = 7 to beyond 18 Rs in which the density profile is nearly flat for a distance +/- 1.8 Rs off the plane and falls rapidly thereafter. The encounter with Titan took place inside the magnetosphere. The data show a clear signature characteristic of the interaction between a subsonic corotating magnetospheric plasma and the atmospheric or ionospheric exosphere of Titan. Titan appears to be a significant source of ions for the outer magnetosphere. The locations of bow shock crossings observed inbound and outbound indicate that the shape of the Saturnian magnetosphere is similar to that of Earth and that the position of the stagnation point scales approximately as the inverse one-sixth power of the ram pressure.

Effects of the Crustal Magnetic Fields and Changes in the IMF Orientation on the Magnetosphere of Mars: MAVEN Observations and LATHYS Results.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanelli, N. J.; Modolo, R.; Leblanc, F.; Chaufray, J. Y.; Hess, S.; Brain, D.; Connerney, J. E. P.; Halekas, J. S.; McFadden, J. P.; Jakosky, B. M.

2017-12-01

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution MissioN (MAVEN) is currently probing the very complex and dynamic Martian environment. Although the main structures resulting from the interaction between the solar wind (SW) and the induced magnetosphere of Mars can be described using a steady state picture, time-dependent physical processes play a key role modifying the response of this obstacle. These processes are the consequence of temporal variabilities in the internal and/or external electromagnetic fields and plasma properties. For instance, the rotation of the crustal magnetic fields (CF) constantly modifies the intrinsic magnetic field topology relative to the SW magnetized plasma flow. Moreover, changes in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientation are convected by the SW and also affect the structure of the magnetosphere.In this work we analyze magnetic field and plasma measurements provided by MAVEN on 23 December 2014 between 06:00 UT and 14:20 UT. During this time interval the spacecraft sampled the Martian magnetosphere twice, with highly similar trajectories. MAVEN measurements suggest that the external conditions remained approximately constant when the spacecraft was inside the magnetosphere for the first time. In contrast, MAVEN observed changes in the IMF orientation before visiting the magnetosphere for the second time. To investigate the response of the Martian plasma environment to the rotation of the CF and the change of the background magnetic field orientation, we perform numerical simulations making use of the LatHyS three dimensional multispecies hybrid model. These simulations include the rotation of the CF and use MAVEN observations to set the external SW conditions and the variation of the IMF. The simulation results are compared with the MAVEN MAG and Solar Wind Ion Analyzer observations obtained in the Martian magnetosphere and show a good agreement. Model results also show that the position of the bow shock varies locally

The Complete Local-Volume Groups Sample (CLoGS): Early results from X-ray and radio observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vrtilek, Jan M.; O'Sullivan, Ewan; David, Laurence P.; Giacintucci, Simona; Kolokythas, Konstantinos

2017-08-01

Although the group environment is the dominant locus of galaxy evolution (in contrast to rich clusters, which contain only a few percent of galaxies), there has been a lack of reliable, representative group samples in the local Universe. In particular, X-ray selected samples are strongly biased in favor of the X-ray bright, centrally-concentrated cool-core systems. In response, we have designed the Complete Local-Volume Groups Sample (CLoGS), an optically-selected statistically-complete sample of 53 groups within 80 Mpc which is intended to overcome the limitations of X-ray selected samples and serve as a representative survey of groups in the local Universe. We have supplemented X-ray data from Chandra and XMM (70% complete to date, using both archival and new observations, with a 26-group high richness subsample 100% complete) with GMRT radio continuum observations (at 235 and 610 MHz, complete for the entire sample). CLoGS includes groups with a wide variety of properties in terms of galaxy population, hot gas content, and AGN power. We here describe early results from the survey, including the range of AGN activity observed in the dominant galaxies, the relative fraction of cool-core and non-cool-core groups in our sample, and the degree of disturbance observed in the IGM.

Spectral heterogeneity on Phobos and Deimos: HiRISE observations and comparisons to Mars Pathfinder results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, N.; Stelter, R.; Ivanov, A.; Bridges, N.T.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; McEwen, A.S.

2011-01-01

The High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) onboard Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has been used to observe Phobos and Deimos at spatial scales of around 6 and 20 m/px, respectively. HiRISE (McEwen et al.; JGR, 112, CiteID E05S02, DOI: 10.1029/2005JE002605, 2007) has provided, for the first time, high-resolution colour images of the surfaces of the Martian moons. When processed, by the production of colour ratio images for example, the data show considerable small-scale heterogeneity, which might be attributable to fresh impacts exposing different materials otherwise largely hidden by a homogenous regolith. The bluer material that is draped over the south-eastern rim of the largest crater on Phobos, Stickney, has been perforated by an impact to reveal redder material and must therefore be relatively thin. A fresh impact with dark crater rays has been identified. Previously identified mass-wasting features in Stickney and Limtoc craters stand out strongly in colour. The interior deposits in Stickney appear more inhomogeneous than previously suspected. Several other local colour variations are also evident. Deimos is more uniform in colour but does show some small-scale inhomogeneity. The bright streamers (Thomas et al.; Icarus, 123, 536556,1996) are relatively blue. One crater to the south-west of Voltaire and its surroundings appear quite strongly reddened with respect to the rest of the surface. The reddening of the surroundings may be the result of ejecta from this impact. The spectral gradients at optical wavelengths observed for both Phobos and Deimos are quantitatively in good agreement with those found by unresolved photometric observations made by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP; Thomas et al.; JGR, 104, 90559068, 1999). The spectral gradients of the blue and red units on Phobos bracket the results from IMP. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plasmoid growth and expulsion revealed by two-point ARTEMIS observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, S.; Angelopoulos, V.; Runov, A.; kiehas, S.

2012-12-01

On 12 October 2011, the two ARTEMIS probes, in lunar orbit ~7 RE north of the neutral sheet, sequentially observed a tailward-moving, expanding plasmoid. Their observations reveal a multi-layered plasma sheet composed of tailward-flowing hot plasma within the plasmoid proper enshrouded by earthward-flowing, less energetic plasma. Prior observations of similar earthward flow structures ahead of or behind plasmoids have been interpreted as earthward outflow from a continuously active distant-tail neutral line (DNL) opposite an approaching plasmoid. However, no evidence of active DNL reconnection was observed by the probes as they traversed the plasmoid's leading and trailing edges, penetrating to slightly above its core. We suggest an alternate interpretation: compression of the ambient plasma by the tailward-moving plasmoid propels the plasma lobeward and earthward, i.e., over and above the plasmoid. Using the propagation velocity obtained from timing analysis, we estimate the average plasmoid size to be 9 RE and its expansion rate to be ~ 7 RE/min at the observation locations. The velocity inside the plasmoid proper was found to be non-uniform; the core likely moves as fast as 500 km/s, yet the outer layers move more slowly (and reverse direction), possibly resulting in the observed expansion. The absence of lobe reconnection, in particular on the earthward side, suggests that plasmoid formation and expulsion result from closed plasma sheet field line reconnection.

29 CFR 785.45 - Suggestion systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Suggestion systems. 785.45 Section 785.45 Labor Regulations..., Medical Attention, Civic and Charitable Work, and Suggestion Systems § 785.45 Suggestion systems... general suggestion system is not working time, but if employees are permitted to work on suggestions...

29 CFR 785.45 - Suggestion systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Suggestion systems. 785.45 Section 785.45 Labor Regulations..., Medical Attention, Civic and Charitable Work, and Suggestion Systems § 785.45 Suggestion systems... general suggestion system is not working time, but if employees are permitted to work on suggestions...

29 CFR 785.45 - Suggestion systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Suggestion systems. 785.45 Section 785.45 Labor Regulations..., Medical Attention, Civic and Charitable Work, and Suggestion Systems § 785.45 Suggestion systems... general suggestion system is not working time, but if employees are permitted to work on suggestions...

29 CFR 785.45 - Suggestion systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Suggestion systems. 785.45 Section 785.45 Labor Regulations..., Medical Attention, Civic and Charitable Work, and Suggestion Systems § 785.45 Suggestion systems... general suggestion system is not working time, but if employees are permitted to work on suggestions...

Fertility depression among cheese‐making Penicillium roqueforti strains suggests degeneration during domestication

PubMed Central

Ropars, Jeanne; Lo, Ying‐Chu; Dumas, Emilie; Snirc, Alodie; Begerow, Dominik; Rollnik, Tanja; Lacoste, Sandrine; Dupont, Joëlle; Giraud, Tatiana; López‐Villavicencio, Manuela

2016-01-01

Genetic differentiation occurs when gene flow is prevented, due to reproductive barriers or asexuality. Investigating the early barriers to gene flow is important for understanding the process of speciation. Here, we therefore investigated reproductive isolation between different genetic clusters of the fungus Penicillium roqueforti, used for maturing blue cheeses, and also occurring as food spoiler or in silage. We investigated premating and postmating fertility between and within three genetic clusters (two from cheese and one from other substrates), and we observed sexual structures under scanning electron microscopy. All intercluster types of crosses showed some fertility, suggesting that no intersterility has evolved between domesticated and wild populations despite adaptation to different environments and lack of gene flow. However, much lower fertility was found in crosses within the cheese clusters than within the noncheese cluster, suggesting reduced fertility of cheese strains, which may constitute a barrier to gene flow. Such degeneration may be due to bottlenecks during domestication and/or to the exclusive clonal replication of the strains in industry. This study shows that degeneration has occurred rapidly and independently in two lineages of a domesticated species. Altogether, these results inform on the processes and tempo of degeneration and speciation. PMID:27470007

Suggested Best Practice for seismic monitoring and characterization of non-conventional reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malin, P. E.; Bohnhoff, M.; terHeege, J. H.; Deflandre, J. P.; Sicking, C.

2017-12-01

High rates of induced seismicity and gas leakage in non-conventional production have become a growing issue of public concern. It has resulted in calls for independent monitoring before, during and after reservoir production. To date no uniform practice for it exists and few reservoirs are locally monitored at all. Nonetheless, local seismic monitoring is a pre-requisite for detecting small earthquakes, increases of which can foreshadow damaging ones and indicate gas leaks. Appropriately designed networks, including seismic reflection studies, can be used to collect these and Seismic Emission Tomography (SET) data, the latter significantly helping reservoir characterization and exploitation. We suggest a Step-by-Step procedure for implementing such networks. We describe various field kits, installations, and workflows, all aimed at avoiding damaging seismicity, as indicators of well stability, and improving reservoir exploitation. In Step 1, a single downhole seismograph is recommended for establishing baseline seismicity before development. Subsequent Steps are used to decide cost-effective ways of monitoring treatments, production, and abandonment. We include suggestions for monitoring of disposal and underground storage. We also describe how repeated SET observations improve reservoir management as well as regulatory monitoring. Moreover, SET acquisition can be included at incremental cost in active surveys or temporary passive deployments.

Effect of preoperative suggestion on postoperative gastrointestinal motility.

PubMed Central

Disbrow, E A; Bennett, H L; Owings, J T

1993-01-01

Autonomic behavior is subject to direct suggestion. We found that patients undergoing major operations benefit more from instruction than from information and reassurance. We compared the return of intestinal function after intra-abdominal operations in 2 groups of patients: the suggestion group received specific instructions for the early return of gastrointestinal motility, and the control group received an equal-length interview offering reassurance and nonspecific instructions. The suggestion group had a significantly shorter average time to the return of intestinal motility, 2.6 versus 4.1 days. Time to discharge was 6.5 versus 8.1 days. Covariates including duration of operation, amount of intraoperative bowel manipulation, and amount of postoperative narcotics were also examined using the statistical model analysis of covariance. An average savings of $1,200 per patient resulted from this simple 5-minute intervention. In summary, the use of specific physiologically active suggestions given preoperatively in a beleivable manner can reduce the morbidity associated with an intra-abdominal operation by reducing the duration of ileus. PMID:8342264

The Impact of Ensemble Kalman Filter Assimilation of Near-Surface Observations on the Predictability of Atmospheric Conditions over Complex Terrain: Results from Recent MATERHORN Field Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Z.; Zhang, H.

2013-12-01

. With the near-surface observations and sounding data obtained during the MATERHORN fall 2012 field experiment, a month-long cycled EnKF analysis and forecast was produced with the WRF model and an advanced EnKF data assimilation system. Results are compared with the WRF near real-time forecasting during the same month and a set of analysis with 3DVAR data assimilation. Overall evaluation suggests some useful insights on the impacts of different data assimilation methods, surface and soil states, terrain representation on the predictability of atmospheric conditions over mountainous terrain. Details will be presented. References [1] Pu, Z., H. Zhang, and J. A. Anderson,. 'Ensemble Kalman filter assimilation of near-surface observations over complex terrain: Comparison with 3DVAR for short-range forecasts.' Tellus A, vol. 65,19620. 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/tellusa.v65i0. 19620.

Synthetic observations of protostellar multiple systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lomax, O.; Whitworth, A. P.

2018-04-01

Observations of protostars are often compared with synthetic observations of models in order to infer the underlying physical properties of the protostars. The majority of these models have a single protostar, attended by a disc and an envelope. However, observational and numerical evidence suggests that a large fraction of protostars form as multiple systems. This means that fitting models of single protostars to observations may be inappropriate. We produce synthetic observations of protostellar multiple systems undergoing realistic, non-continuous accretion. These systems consist of multiple protostars with episodic luminosities, embedded self-consistently in discs and envelopes. We model the gas dynamics of these systems using smoothed particle hydrodynamics and we generate synthetic observations by post-processing the snapshots using the SPAMCART Monte Carlo radiative transfer code. We present simulation results of three model protostellar multiple systems. For each of these, we generate 4 × 104 synthetic spectra at different points in time and from different viewing angles. We propose a Bayesian method, using similar calculations to those presented here, but in greater numbers, to infer the physical properties of protostellar multiple systems from observations.

The vela pulsar: results from the first year of FERMI lat observations

DOE PAGES

Abdo, A. A.; Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; ...

2010-03-18

Here, we report on analysis of timing and spectroscopy of the Vela pulsar using 11 months of observations with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The intrinsic brightness of Vela at GeV energies combined with the angular resolution and sensitivity of the LAT allows us to make the most detailed study to date of the energy-dependent light curves and phase-resolved spectra, using a LAT-derived timing model. The light curve consists of two peaks (P1 and P2) connected by bridge emission containing a third peak (P3). We have confirmed the strong decrease of the P1/P2 ratiomore » with increasing energy seen with EGRET and previous Fermi LAT data, and observe that P1 disappears above 20 GeV. The increase with energy of the mean phase of the P3 component can be followed with much greater detail, showing that P3 and P2 are present up to the highest energies of pulsation. We find significant pulsed emission at phases outside the main profile, indicating that magnetospheric emission exists over 80% of the pulsar period. With increased high-energy counts the phase-averaged spectrum is seen to depart from a power law with simple exponential cutoff, and is better fit with a more gradual cutoff. The spectra in fixed-count phase bins are well fit with power laws with exponential cutoffs, revealing a strong and complex phase dependence of the cutoff energy, especially in the peaks. Finally, by combining these results with predictions of the outer magnetosphere models that map emission characteristics to phase, it will be possible to probe the particle acceleration and the structure of the pulsar magnetosphere with unprecedented detail.« less

Understanding Recent Variability in the Arctic Sea Ice Cover -- Synthesis of Model Results and Observations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

ARCTIC SEA ICE RESEARCH The effects of global warming on the Arctic Ocean finally gained the American public’s full attention in early 2007 with the...Arctic (Brass, 2002). The observed global warming trend is most pronounced in the higher latitudes due to an effect known as the snow/ice-albedo...due to increased melting thus exposing greater areas of lower albedo land and open water areas. The effect of global warming will result in a

Observational Signatures of Parametric Instability at 1AU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowen, T. A.; Bale, S. D.; Badman, S.

2017-12-01

Observations and simulations of inertial compressive turbulence in the solar wind are characterized by density structures anti-correlated with magnetic fluctuations parallel to the mean field. This signature has been interpreted as observational evidence for non-propagating pressure balanced structures (PBS), kinetic ion acoustic waves, as well as the MHD slow mode. Recent work, specifically Verscharen et al. (2017), has highlighted the unexpected fluid like nature of the solar wind. Given the high damping rates of parallel propagating compressive fluctuations, their ubiquity in satellite observations is surprising and suggests the presence of a driving process. One possible candidate for the generation of compressive fluctuations in the solar wind is the parametric instability, in which large amplitude Alfvenic fluctuations decay into parallel propagating compressive waves. This work employs 10 years of WIND observations in order to test the parametric decay process as a source of compressive waves in the solar wind through comparing collisionless damping rates of compressive fluctuations with growth rates of the parametric instability. Preliminary results suggest that generation of compressive waves through parametric decay is overdamped at 1 AU. However, the higher parametric decay rates expected in the inner heliosphere likely allow for growth of the slow mode-the remnants of which could explain density fluctuations observed at 1AU.

Concordance of Results from Randomized and Observational Analyses within the Same Study: A Re-Analysis of the Women’s Health Initiative Limited-Access Dataset

PubMed Central

Bolland, Mark J.; Grey, Andrew; Gamble, Greg D.; Reid, Ian R.

2015-01-01

Background Observational studies (OS) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) often report discordant results. In the Women’s Health Initiative Calcium and Vitamin D (WHI CaD) RCT, women were randomly assigned to CaD or placebo, but were permitted to use personal calcium and vitamin D supplements, creating a unique opportunity to compare results from randomized and observational analyses within the same study. Methods WHI CaD was a 7-year RCT of 1g calcium/400IU vitamin D daily in 36,282 post-menopausal women. We assessed the effects of CaD on cardiovascular events, death, cancer and fracture in a randomized design- comparing CaD with placebo in 43% of women not using personal calcium or vitamin D supplements- and in a observational design- comparing women in the placebo group (44%) using personal calcium and vitamin D supplements with non-users. Incidence was assessed using Cox proportional hazards models, and results from the two study designs deemed concordant if the absolute difference in hazard ratios was ≤0.15. We also compared results from WHI CaD to those from the WHI Observational Study(WHI OS), which used similar methodology for analyses and recruited from the same population. Results In WHI CaD, for myocardial infarction and stroke, results of unadjusted and 6/8 covariate-controlled observational analyses (age-adjusted, multivariate-adjusted, propensity-adjusted, propensity-matched) were not concordant with the randomized design results. For death, hip and total fracture, colorectal and total cancer, unadjusted and covariate-controlled observational results were concordant with randomized results. For breast cancer, unadjusted and age-adjusted observational results were concordant with randomized results, but only 1/3 other covariate-controlled observational results were concordant with randomized results. Multivariate-adjusted results from WHI OS were concordant with randomized WHI CaD results for only 4/8 endpoints. Conclusions Results of

MAGIC: First Observational Results and Perspectives for Future Developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hengstebeck, T.; Kalekin, O.; Merck, M.; Mirzoyan, R.; Pavel, N.; Schweizer, T.; Shayduk, M.; MAGIC Collaboration

The MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov) telescope was designed to close the energy gap (~ 10-250 GeV) between ground based and satellite gamma detectors. It is situated on the Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma, Canary Islands at altitude of 2200 m. The main subjects of the investigations with the telescope are: Gamma Ray Bursts, Supernova Remnants, Plerions, Pulsars, Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs), unidentied EGRET sources, Dark matter and Quantum gravity. More details about physics with a low threshold gamma ray telescope one can nd in [2]. The telescope hardware installation was nished in October 2003. Since that time the observations of the dierent classes of objects have been carried out but the experiment is still in the commission phase.

US and Turkish preschoolers' observational knowledge of astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saçkes, Mesut; McCormick Smith, Mandy; Cabe Trundle, Kathy

2016-01-01

The purpose of this cross-cultural study was to describe and compare US and Turkish children's observational knowledge of the day and night cycle and to identify similarities predicted by framework theory. Fifty-six (27 US and 29 Turkish) young children (ages 48-60 months) participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were individually conducted, digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results demonstrate that preschoolers from the two cultures are able to make comparable informal observations of the sky, and their observational knowledge includes many similarities, with one exception, as predicted by framework theory. US children were more likely to perform better than the Turkish children on the question about the time of observation for the moon. Although science concepts and skills are better represented in US early childhood education programs than the Turkish program, the results suggest that this advantage did not translate into performance differences between US and Turkish children.

Hi-C Observations of Penumbral Bright Dots: Comparison with the IRIS Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alpert, S. E.; Tiwari, S. K.; Moore, R. L.; Savage, S. L.; Winebarger, A. R.

2014-01-01

We observed bright dots (BDs) in a sunspot penumbra by using data acquired by the High Resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C). The sizes of these BDs are on the order of 1 arcsecond (1') and are therefore hard to identify using the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly's (AIA) 0.6' pixel -1 resolution. These BDs become readily apparent with Hi-C's 0.1' pixel -1 resolution. Tian et al. (2014) found penumbral BDs in the transition region (TR) by using the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). However, only a few of their dots could be associated with any enhanced brightness in AIA channels. In this work, we examine the characteristics of the penumbral BDs observed by Hi-C in a sunspot penumbra, including their sizes, lifetimes, speeds, and intensity. We also attempt to relate these BDs to the IRIS BDs. There are fewer Hi-C BDs in the penumbra than seen by IRIS, though different sunspots were studied and Hi-C had a short observation time. We use 193 A Hi-C data from July 11, 2012 which observed from 18:52:00 UT{18:56:00 UT and supplement it with data from AIA's 193 A passband to see the complete lifetime of the dots that were born before and/or lasted longer than Hi-C's 5-minute observation period. We use additional AIA passbands and compare the light curves of the BDs at different temperatures to test whether the Hi-C BDs are TR BDs. We find that most Hi-C BDs show clear movement, and of those that do, they move in a radial direction, toward or away from the sunspot umbra, sometimes doing both. BDs interact with other BDs, combining to fade away or brighten. The BDs that do not interact with other BDs tend to move less and last longer. We examine the properties of the Hi-C BDs and compare them with the IRIS BDs. Our BDs are similar to the exceptional values of the IRIS BDs: they move slower on average and their sizes and lifetimes are on the higher end of the distributions of IRIS BDs. We infer that our penumbral BDs are some of the larger BDs observed by IRIS.

Children's Memory for Their Mother's Murder: Accuracy, Suggestibility, and Resistance to Suggestion.

PubMed

McWilliams, Kelly; Narr, Rachel; Goodman, Gail S; Ruiz, Sandra; Mendoza, Macaria

2013-01-31

From its inception, child eyewitness memory research has been guided by dramatic legal cases that turn on the testimony of children. Decades of scientific research reveal that, under many conditions, children can provide veracious accounts of traumatic experiences. Scientific studies also document factors that lead children to make false statements. In this paper we describe a legal case in which children testified about their mother's murder. We discuss factors that may have influenced the accuracy of the children's eyewitness memory. Children's suggestibility and resistance to suggestion are illustrated. Expert testimony, based on scientific research, can aid the trier of fact when children provide crucial evidence in criminal investigations and courtroom trials about tragic events.

Turbulence feature modifications from high to low wind conditions: results from the CCT observations at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiavon, Mario; Mazzola, Mauro; Tampieri, Francesco; Pietro Viola, Angelo; Choi, Taejin

2017-04-01

The turbulence features in the quasi neutral surface layer are investigated as the intensity of the wind decreases, i.e. as the forcing due to the shear decreases. In this aim, a 5-year (2012-2016) set of observations of meteorological and micro-meteorological parameters acquired on the Climate Change Tower (CCT) in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard Islands, is used. The 34-m high tower, operated by the Italian National Council of Research (CNR) is equipped with four slow response wind and temperature probes and three fast response sonic anemometers and is located on heterogeneous terrain. One of the fast sensors was installed by KOPRI since 2012. The observations are averaged over 10 and 30 minutes intervals. The analysis addresses the share of the mean turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) among the along-wind, cross-wind and vertical velocity variances (respectively < u2 >, < v2 >, < w2 >), with attention to the parameterizations of the boundary layer commonly used in NWP models: the classical Mellor-Yamada (1982) scheme with the return-to-isotropy term by Rotta(1951) and its modifications, and the recent approach by Zilitinkevich and coworkers (2013). The results show that the share of TKE among the vertical < w2 > and the total horizontal variance < u2 > + < v2 > is weakly dependent on the wind velocity while the share of the total horizontal variance between the along-wind and cross-wind components depends on wind speed. At high velocity (and large wind shear) a clear anisotropy , with < u2 >≈ 2 < v2 >, is observed, quite consistent with literature (Tampieri, 2017, pag. 69). As the velocity decreases, the ratio < u2 > /(< u2 > + < v2 >) displays a wide flat distribution between 0.2 and 0.8 with median values corresponding approximately to horizontal isotropy: < u2 >≈< v2 >. These features can be parameterized using suitable coefficients, function of the wind intensity in the equations for the TKE share, capturing the average behaviour of the flow. A further investigation

[Preliminary results of an open-label observational study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Prolia used in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis].

PubMed

Ershova, O B; Lesniak, O M; Belova, K Iu; Nazarova, A V; Manovitskaia, A V; Musaeva, T M; Musraev, R M; Nurlygaianov, R Z; Rozhinskaia, L Ia; Skripnikova, I A; Toroptsova, N V

2014-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Denosumab (Prolia), a first-line osteoporosis (OP) medication that is a fully human monoclonal antibody to the receptor activator of nuclear factor xB ligand (RANKL), within an open-label observational study. Patients aged 50 years or older with postmenopausal OP, who were treated with Prolia in clinical practice, were examined. The concentrations of the bone resorption (BR) marker of C-terminal telopeptide and other laboratory indicators (total serum calcium, total alkaline phosphatase, and creatinine) were measured following 3 months. Adverse drug reactions were recorded. Three months after initiation of the investigation, there was a significant decrease in the BR marker C-terminal telopeptide (by 89%; p<0.0001). There were rare adverse reactions: hypocalcemia in 3 (5.9%) patients, arthralgias in 2 (3.9%), and eczema in 1 (1.9%). There were neither serious adverse events nor study withdrawal cases. The preliminary results of the open-label study of Prolia in postmenopausal OP suggest that the significantly lower BR activity determines the efficacy of this drug and its high safety.

Results from CoMStOC - The Coronal Magnetic Structures Observing Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmelz, J. T.; Holman, G. D.

1991-01-01

The Coronal Magnetic Structures Observing Campaign (CoMStOC) was designed to measure the magnetic field strength and determine its structure in the solar corona. Simultaneous soft X-ray and microwave observations were taken by the Solar Maximum Mission's X-ray Polychromator (XRP) and the Very Large Array (VLA) on four days in the campaign period (Nov 25 to Dec 21, 1987). XRP maps in soft X-ray resonance lines formed at different coronal temperatures provide accurate temperature and emission measure diagnostics. VLA maps at several frequencies in the 20 cm and 6 cm bands yield information on microwave structure, spectrum and polarization. The combined data set separates contributions from the two dominant microwave emission mechanisms, thermal bremsstrahlung and gyroresonance. Where gyroresonance dominates, the coronal magnetic field strength has been determined with the aid of theoretical modeling.

Results from CoMStOC - The Coronal Magnetic Structures Observing Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmelz, J. T.; Holman, G. D.

The Coronal Magnetic Structures Observing Campaign (CoMStOC) was designed to measure the magnetic field strength and determine its structure in the solar corona. Simultaneous soft X-ray and microwave observations were taken by the Solar Maximum Mission's X-ray Polychromator (XRP) and the Very Large Array (VLA) on four days in the campaign period (Nov 25 to Dec 21, 1987). XRP maps in soft X-ray resonance lines formed at different coronal temperatures provide accurate temperature and emission measure diagnostics. VLA maps at several frequencies in the 20 cm and 6 cm bands yield information on microwave structure, spectrum and polarization. The combined data set separates contributions from the two dominant microwave emission mechanisms, thermal bremsstrahlung and gyroresonance. Where gyroresonance dominates, the coronal magnetic field strength has been determined with the aid of theoretical modeling.

Bannerclouds observed at Mount Zugspitze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wirth, V.; Kristen, M.; Leschner, M.; Reuder, J.; Schween, J. H.

2011-10-01

Systematic observations of banner clouds at Mount Zugspitze in the Bavarian Alps are presented and discussed. One set of observations draws on daily time lapse movies, which were taken over several years at this mountain. Identifying banner clouds with the help of these movies and using simultaneous observations of standard variables at the summit of the mountain provides climatological information regarding the banner clouds. In addition, a week-long measurement campaign with an entire suite of instruments was carried through yielding a comprehensive set of data for two specific banner cloud events. The duration of banner cloud events has a long-tailed distribution with a mean of about 40 min. The probability of occurrence has both a distinct diurnal and seasonal cycle, with a maximum in the afternoon and in the warm season, respectively. These cycles appear to correspond closely to analogous cycles of relative humidity, which maximizes in the late afternoon and during the warm season. In addition, the dependence of banner cloud occurrence on wind speed is weak. Both results suggest that moisture conditions are a key factor for banner cloud occurrence. The distribution of wind direction during banner cloud events slightly deviates from climatology, suggesting an influence from the specific Zugspitz orography. The two banner cloud events during the campaign have a number of common features: the windward and the leeward side are characterized by a different wind regime, however, with mean upward flow on both sides; the leeward air is both moister and warmer than the windward air; the background atmosphere has an inversion just above the summit of Mt. Zugspitze; the lifting condensation level is an increasing function with altitude. The results are discussed, and it is argued that they are consistent with previous Large Eddy Simulations using idealized orography.

Very high energy observations of the Galactic Centre: recent results and perspectives with CTA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terrier, Regis

2016-07-01

The central 300 pc of our Galaxy are a major laboratory for high energy astrophysics. They harbor the closest supermassive black hole (SMBH) and are the site of a sustained star formation activity. The energy released by the supernovae on the ambient medium must be very strong. Similarly, albeit extremely faint nowadays, the SMBH must have experienced episodes of intense activity in the past which can influence significantly the central regions and beyond, e.g. powering the Fermi bubbles. I review observational results at very high energies from the central region and discuss their implications and the questions they leave open. I discuss the perspectives CTA offers for Galactic Centre astrophysics.

Children's and adults' reactions to magical and ordinary suggestion: are suggestibility and magical thinking psychologically close relatives?

PubMed

Subbotsky, Eugene

2007-11-01

In Experiment 1, 6- and 9-year-old children and adults were asked to imagine various types of objects. The experimenter then attempted to change the image of those objects in participants' minds by either suggesting that the objects may change against the participants' will, or by asking participants to change the objects as a favor to the experimenter. Two types of suggestive causation were employed: Magical-suggestion (a magic spell was cast with the aim of changing the imagined objects) and ordinary-suggestion (participants were told that the objects in their minds could alter against their will). Ordinary-suggestion was as effective as magical-suggestion in changing the participants' imagined objects. For adults, a direct request for compliance produced a stronger effect than did magical suggestion. This effect was not found in children. In Experiment 2, the two types of suggestion were tested on an alternative type of imagined objects. Adult participants were asked to imagine their futures. It was then proposed that (a) a magic spell could be cast on their futures with the aim of changing them either for the worse or for the better (magical-suggestion), or (b) changing a numerical pattern on a computer screen could change their futures (ordinary-suggestion). All participants denied that changing a numerical pattern on a computer screen could affect their lives, yet in their actions they demonstrated an element of belief in this possibility. As in Experiment 1, in Experiment 2 ordinary suggestion was as effective as magical suggestion. The hypothesis of an historic contiguity between magical causality and ordinary suggestion is discussed.

Multi-Wavelength Interferometric Observations of YSO Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragland, Sam; Akeson, R.; Armandroff, T.; Colavita, M.; Cotton, W.; Danchi, W.; Hillenbrand, L.; Millan-Gabet, R.; Ridgway, S. T.; Traub, W.; Wizinowich, P.

2010-01-01

We initiated a multi-color interferometric study of YSO disks in the K, L and N bands using the Keck Interferometer. The initial results on two Herbig Ae/Be stars will be presented. Our observations are sensitive to the radial distribution of temperature in the inner region of the YSO disks. The geometric models show that the apparent size increases linearly with wavelength, suggesting that the disk is extended with a temperature gradient. We will discuss our results in conjunction with the previous measurements of these targets.

Observations of molecular hydrogen (H2) mixing ratio and stable isotopic composition at the Cabauw tall tower; very depleted source signature suggests microbial H2 production in Dutch pasture soil.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batenburg, Anneke; Popa, Elena; Vermeulen, Alex; van den Bulk, Pim; Jongejan, Piet; Fisher, Rebecca; Lowry, Dave; Nisbet, Euan; Röckmann, Thomas

2017-04-01

obtain a realistic picture of the uncertainty of the result. This showed a wide distribution with more than 99 % of the values below -400 ‰, suggesting that the H2 cycle at Cabauw is under the influence of a source mix that is much more D-depleted than currently accepted values for fossil fuel combustion. Since microbial production of very D-depleted H2 has been observed previously at Cabauw, we consider it likely that this contributes to the low apparent source signature. A comparison of the samples from different sampling heights shows that there is a significant shift to lower δD(H2) values at the lower sampling levels. This shows that the uptake of H2 by the soil, which preferentially removes "light" H2, is relatively weak at the site. It also points again to local to regional microbial production of H2, and possibly to differences between national vehicle fleets.

40 CFR Figure C-1 to Subpart C of... - Suggested Format for Reporting Test Results for Methods for SO 2, CO, O 3, NO 2

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Results for Methods for SO 2, CO, O 3, NO 2 C Figure C-1 to Subpart C of Part 53 Protection of Environment... Pt. 53, Subpt. C, Fig. C-1 Figure C-1 to Subpart C of Part 53—Suggested Format for Reporting Test... Difference Table C-1 spec. Pass or fail Low 1 ____ ppm 2 to ____ ppm 3 4 5 6 Medium 1 ____ ppm 2 to ____ ppm...

40 CFR Figure C-1 to Subpart C of... - Suggested Format for Reporting Test Results for Methods for SO 2, CO, O 3, NO 2

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Results for Methods for SO 2, CO, O 3, NO 2 C Figure C-1 to Subpart C of Part 53 Protection of Environment... Pt. 53, Subpt. C, Fig. C-1 Figure C-1 to Subpart C of Part 53—Suggested Format for Reporting Test... Difference Table C-1 spec. Pass or fail Low 1 ____ ppm 2 to ____ ppm 3 4 5 6 Medium 1 ____ ppm 2 to ____ ppm...

40 CFR Figure C-1 to Subpart C of... - Suggested Format for Reporting Test Results for Methods for SO 2, CO, O 3, NO 2

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Results for Methods for SO 2, CO, O 3, NO 2 C Figure C-1 to Subpart C of Part 53 Protection of Environment... Pt. 53, Subpt. C, Fig. C-1 Figure C-1 to Subpart C of Part 53—Suggested Format for Reporting Test... Difference Table C-1 spec. Pass or fail Low 1 ____ ppm 2 to ____ ppm 3 4 5 6 Medium 1 ____ ppm 2 to ____ ppm...

40 CFR Figure C-1 to Subpart C of... - Suggested Format for Reporting Test Results for Methods for SO 2, CO, O 3, NO 2

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Results for Methods for SO 2, CO, O 3, NO 2 C Figure C-1 to Subpart C of Part 53 Protection of Environment... Pt. 53, Subpt. C, Fig. C-1 Figure C-1 to Subpart C of Part 53—Suggested Format for Reporting Test... Difference Table C-1 spec. Pass or fail Low 1 ____ ppm 2 to ____ ppm 3 4 5 6 Medium 1 ____ ppm 2 to ____ ppm...

Insolation Effects on Lunar Hydrogen: Observation from the LRO LEND and LOLA Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClanahan, T. P.; Mitrofanov, I. G.; Boynton, W. V.; Chin, G.; Droege, G.; Evans, L. G.; Garvin, J.; Harshman, K.; Livak, M. M.; Malakhov, A.;

Earth Observation in Support of Sustainable Urban Planning: Results of the Dragon-3 Monitor Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartalis, C.; Polydoros, A.; Mavrakou, T.; Asimakopoulos, D. N.

2016-08-01

Sustainable urban planning increasingly demands innovative concepts and techniques to obtain up-to-date and area-wide information on the characteristics and development of the urban system. In this paper, a thorough and conclusive presentation is made in terms of the results of the DRAGON-3 MONITOR project as based on the use of Earth Observation. Results refer in particular to a set of EO based dynamic urban indicators (i.e. urban form and expansion, land use/land cover changes, land surface temperature distribution, the presence and strength of urban heat island) with the capacity to describe the state, dynamic changes and interaction of the land and thermal environment in urban areas. Furthermore results are assessed in terms of their potential to operationally support sustainable urban planning and bridge the gap between EO scientists and urban planners. Constraints related to the spatial resolution and revisit time of satellite sensors are discussed as they influence the accuracy and applicability of the indicators. Methodologies to improve the applicability of the indicators are also discussed along with the presentation of the respective results.

Observations of Scorpius X-1 with IUE - Ultraviolet results from a multiwavelength campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vrtilek, S. D.; Raymond, J. C.; Penninx, W.; Verbunt, F.; Hertz, P.

1991-01-01

IUE UV results are presented for the low-mass X-ray binary Sco X-1. Models that predict UV continuum emission from the X-ray-heated surface from the companion star and from an X-ray illuminated accretion disk are adjusted for parameters intrinsic to Sco X-1, and fitted to the data. X-ray heating is found to be the dominant source of UV emission; the mass-accretion rate increases monotonically along the 'Z-shaped' curve in an X-ray color-color diagram. UV emission lines from He, C, N, O, and Si were detected; they all increase in intensity from the HB to the FB state. A model in which emission lines are due to outer-disk photoionization by the X-ray source is noted to give good agreement with line fluxes observed in each state.

Training, Quality Assurance Factors, and Tools Investigation: a Work Report and Suggestions on Software Quality Assurance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Pen-Nan

1991-01-01

Previously, several research tasks have been conducted, some observations were obtained, and several possible suggestions have been contemplated involving software quality assurance engineering at NASA Johnson. These research tasks are briefly described. Also, a brief discussion is given on the role of software quality assurance in software engineering along with some observations and suggestions. A brief discussion on a training program for software quality assurance engineers is provided. A list of assurance factors as well as quality factors are also included. Finally, a process model which can be used for searching and collecting software quality assurance tools is presented.

Posthypnotic suggestion alters conscious color perception in an automatic manner.

PubMed

Kallio, Sakari; Koivisto, Mika

2013-01-01

The authors studied whether a posthypnotic suggestion to see a brief, masked target as gray can change the color experience of a hypnotic virtuoso. The visibility of the target was manipulated by varying the delay between the target and the mask that followed it. The virtuoso's subjective reports indicated that her conscious color experience was altered already at short delays between the target and the subsequent mask. The virtuoso's objectively measured pattern of responding under posthypnotic suggestion could not be mimicked either by control participants nor the virtuoso herself. Due to posthypnotic amnesia, the virtuoso was unaware of suggestions given during hypnosis. Importantly, the virtuoso could not alter her color perception without a hypnotic suggestion. These results suggest that hypnosis can affect even a highly automatic process such as color perception.

XMM-Newton RGS observations of the Cat's Eye Nebula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerrero, M. A.; Toalá, J. A.; Chu, Y.-H.; Gruendl, R. A.

2015-02-01

We present an analysis of XMM-Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) observations of the planetary nebula (PN) NGC 6543. These observations render it the second PN with high-resolution X-ray spectroscopic observations after BD +30°3639. The observations consist of 26 pointings, 14 of which included RGS observations for a total integration time of 435 ks. Many of these observations, however, were severely affected by high-background levels, and the net useful exposure time is drastically reduced to 25 ks. Only the O vii triplet at 22 Å is unambiguously detected in the RGS spectrum of NGC 6543. We find this spectrum consistent with an optically thin plasma at 0.147 keV (1.7 MK) and nebular abundances. Unlike BD +30°3639, the X-ray emission from NGC 6543 does not reveal overabundances of C and Ne. The results suggest that the N/O ratio of the hot plasma is consistent with that of the stellar wind, that is, it is lower than the nebular N/O ratio, but this result is not conclusive.

Study on workloads of human care worker with the introduction of IT system - the characteristics of work loads by observational research and the suggestions for KAIZEN.

PubMed

Mizuno, Yuki; Yoshikawa, Toru; Matsuda, Fumiko; Takeuchi, Yuriko; Motegi, Nobuyuki; Ikegami, Thor; Sakai, Kazuhiro

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristic of workloads on human care worker with the introduction of IT system, and suggested the support measures for KAIZEN in Japan. The investigation method is workflow line and hearing with a focus on work observation. The objects were 8 human care workers of the acute hospital that introduced an electronic system. By the introduction of the electronic chart, the nurse station sojourn time decreased, sickroom sojourn time increased, and time about direct nursing care to a patient increased. In addition, access to patient information became easy, and the offer of the health care service based on correct information came to be possible in real time. By The point of workflow line, it was effect that moving lengths decreased in order to install the electronic chart in patients' rooms. Though, it was a problem that it hasn't formed where to place the instruments such as sphygmomanometer, clinical thermometer and others.

Second-Year Results from the Circumarctic Lakes Observation Network (CALON) Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinkel, K. M.; Arp, C. D.; Beck, R. A.; Eisner, W. R.; Frey, K. E.; Gaglioti, B.; Grosse, G.; Jones, B. M.; Kim, C.; Lenters, J. D.; Liu, H.; Townsend-Small, A.

2013-12-01

temperatures in small shallow lakes and more southern latitudes. Most lakes are well-mixed and largely isothermal, with short periods of thermal stratification occurring in deeper lakes during calm, sunny periods. Over the ice-free season, the majority of the available energy from net radiation goes into evaporation, followed by sensible heat flux and warming of bottom sediments. Thermal bands of MODIS and Landsat imagery were fused using a spatio-temporal cokriging method to generate daily surface temperature estimates at Landsat spatial resolution. The close correspondence between satellite-derived and in situ measured near-surface lake temperature suggests that this approach yields viable results. Biogeochemical and inorganic geochemical constituents measured include dissolved greenhouse gas concentrations (CO2, CH4, and N2O), inorganic N, DON and DOC, alkalinity, chlorophyll-a, major ions, and CDOM. The greatest difference in the dissolved CH4:CO2 ratio in summer was longitudinal, with several lakes in western Alaskan Arctic exhibiting CH4 concentrations hundreds of times more supersaturated than air. Stable isotope analyses of CH4 (δ13C and δ2H) show that several of these lakes have natural gas methane sources. Methane concentrations under ice (April) were several thousand times higher than in open-water conditions (August). Data collected during this 4-year project are archived at A-CADIS.

Seismic &Infrasound Integrated Array "Apatity". Techniques, data processing, first results of observations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinogradov, Y.; Baryshnikov, A.

2003-04-01

, was registered by infrasound part of SISIA "Apatity". Their sources were at distances from 38 to 220 km. The result of observations during the first 1 year enabled us to estimate frequency range and main directions of arrivals of acoustic waves and noise level in the place of observations. In accordance with the results and relief a 4-rays wind-noise-reducing pipe array would be install at all 3 sensors at May 2003, for improvement the delectability during windy conditions. A schemes of the SISIA "Apatity", data transmitting and processing and samples of detected signals are shown in the presentation.

Effects of subliminally presented auditory suggestions of itching on scratching behavior.

PubMed

Mitchell, C W

1995-02-01

This study investigated effects of masked verbal suggestions of itching, utilizing a design closely analogous to commercially available subliminal audiotapes. Students participated in 1 of 3 groups (n = 21): an experimental group listened to an audiotape with music masking suggestions of itching, Control Group 1 listened to an audiotape with music only, and Control Group 2 listened to suggestions of itching presented supraliminally. Dependent variables included both behavioral and self-report measures of itching. There was no evidence of influence from subliminal suggestion; however, results assessing the influence of supraliminally presented suggestions were mixed for self-report and behavioral measures.

Observations and Numerical Models of Solar Coronal Heating Associated with Spicules

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

Pontieu, B. De; Martinez-Sykora, J.; Moortel, I. De

Spicules have been proposed as significant contributors to the mass and energy balance of the corona. While previous observations have provided a glimpse of short-lived transient brightenings in the corona that are associated with spicules, these observations have been contested and are the subject of a vigorous debate both on the modeling and the observational side. Therefore, it remains unclear whether plasma is heated to coronal temperatures in association with spicules. We use high-resolution observations of the chromosphere and transition region (TR) with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph and of the corona with the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board themore » Solar Dynamics Observatory to show evidence of the formation of coronal structures associated with spicular mass ejections and heating of plasma to TR and coronal temperatures. Our observations suggest that a significant fraction of the highly dynamic loop fan environment associated with plage regions may be the result of the formation of such new coronal strands, a process that previously had been interpreted as the propagation of transient propagating coronal disturbances. Our observations are supported by 2.5D radiative MHD simulations that show heating to coronal temperatures in association with spicules. Our results suggest that heating and strong flows play an important role in maintaining the substructure of loop fans, in addition to the waves that permeate this low coronal environment.« less

Hot Binaries: Observational Results

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

interferométrico sobre binarias calientes y estrellas múltiples, desde las primeras inter- ferometŕıas oculares hasta recientes catastros de “speckle” y...óptica adaptativa. Se discute la multiplicidad fraccionaria de cúmulos, campos y “runaway” de estrellas O. ABSTRACT Interferometric work on hot binary

Representational constraints on children's suggestibility.

PubMed

Ceci, Stephen J; Papierno, Paul B; Kulkofsky, Sarah

2007-06-01

In a multistage experiment, twelve 4- and 9-year-old children participated in a triad rating task. Their ratings were mapped with multidimensional scaling, from which euclidean distances were computed to operationalize semantic distance between items in target pairs. These children and age-mates then participated in an experiment that employed these target pairs in a story, which was followed by a misinformation manipulation. Analyses linked individual and developmental differences in suggestibility to children's representations of the target items. Semantic proximity was a strong predictor of differences in suggestibility: The closer a suggested distractor was to the original item's representation, the greater was the distractor's suggestive influence. The triad participants' semantic proximity subsequently served as the basis for correctly predicting memory performance in the larger group. Semantic proximity enabled a priori counterintuitive predictions of reverse age-related trends to be confirmed whenever the distance between representations of items in a target pair was greater for younger than for older children.

Population-based familial aggregation of eosinophilic esophagitis suggests a genetic contribution.

PubMed

Allen-Brady, Kristina; Firszt, Rafael; Fang, John C; Wong, Jathine; Smith, Ken R; Peterson, Kathryn A

2017-10-01

Prior familial clustering studies have observed an increased risk of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) mostly among first-degree relatives, suggesting a genetic contribution to EoE, and twin studies have suggested a powerful contribution from environmental factors. This study sought to clarify the contribution of genetic factors to EoE through estimation of familial aggregation and risk of EoE in extended relatives. The Utah Population Database, a population-based genealogy resource linked to electronic medical records for health care systems across the state of Utah, was used to identify EoE cases and age, sex, and birthplace-matched controls at a 5:1 ratio. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds of EoE among relatives of EoE probands compared with the odds of EoE among relatives of controls. There were 4,423 EoE cases and 24,322 controls. The population-attributable risk of EoE was 31% (95% CI, 28% to 34%), suggesting a relatively strong genetic contribution. Risks of EoE were significantly increased among first-degree relatives (odds ratio [OR], 7.19; 95% CI, 5.65-9.14), particularly first-degree relatives of EoE cases diagnosed <18 years of age (OR, 16.3; 95% CI, 9.4-28.3); second-degree relatives (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.49-2.65); and first cousins (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.03-1.77), providing evidence of a genetic contribution. However, spouses of EoE probands were observed to be at increased risk of EoE (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.31-6.25), suggesting either positive assortative mating or a shared environmental contribution to EoE. This study supports a significant genetic contribution to EoE as evidenced by increased risk of EoE in distant relatives. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multi-Wavelength Observations of Asteroid 2100 Ra-Shalom: Visible, Infrared, and Thermal Spectroscopy Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Beth Ellen; Shepard, M.; Bus, S. J.; Vilas, F.; Rivkin, A. S.; Lim, L.; Lederer, S.; Jarvis, K.; Shah, S.; McConnochie, T.

2004-01-01

The August 2003 apparition of asteroid 2100 Ra-Shalom brought together a collaboration of observers with the goal of obtaining rotationally resolved multiwavelength spectra at each of 5 facilities: infrared spectra at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (Clark and Shepard), radar images at Arecibo (Shepard and Clark), thermal infrared spectra at Palomar (Lim, McConnochie and Bell), visible spectra at McDonald Observatory (Vilas, Lederer and Jarvis), and visible lightcurves at Ondrojev Observatory (Pravec). The radar data was to be used to develop a high spatial resolution physical model to be used in conjunction with spectral data to investigate compositional and textural properties on the near surface of Ra Shalom as a function of rotation phase. This was the first coordinated multi-wavelength investigation of any Aten asteroid. There are many reasons to study near-Earth asteroid (NEA) 2100 Ra-Shalom: 1) It has a controversial classification (is it a C- or K-type object)? 2) There would be interesting dynamical ramifications if Ra-Shalom is a K-type because most K-types come from the Eos family and there are no known dynamical pathways from Eos to the Aten population. 3) The best available spectra obtained previously may indicate a heterogeneous surface (most asteroids appear to be fairly homogeneous). 4) Ra-Shalom thermal observations obtained previously indicated a lack of regolith, minimizing the worry of space weathering effects in the spectra. 5) Radar observations obtained previously hinted at interesting surface structures. 6) Ra-Shalom is one of the largest Aten objects. And 7) Ra-Shalom is on a short list of proposed NEAs for spacecraft encounters and possible sample returns. Preliminary results from the visible, infrared, and thermal spectroscopy measurements will be presented here.

The role of suggestibility in determinations of Miranda abilities: a study of the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales.

PubMed

Rogers, Richard; Harrison, Kimberly S; Rogstad, Jill E; LaFortune, Kathryn A; Hazelwood, Lisa L

2010-02-01

Traditionally, high levels of suggestibility have been widely assumed to be linked with diminished Miranda abilities, especially in relationship to the voluntariness of waivers. The current investigation examined suggestibility on the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales in a multisite study of pretrial defendants. One important finding was the inapplicability of British norms to American jurisdictions. Moreover, suggestibility appeared unrelated to Miranda comprehension, reasoning, and detainees' perceptions of police coercion. In testing rival hypotheses, defendants with high compliance had significantly lower Miranda comprehension and ability to reason about exercising Miranda rights than their counterparts with low compliance. Implications of these findings to forensic practice are examined.

40 CFR Figure C-1 to Subpart C of... - Suggested Format for Reporting Test Results for Methods for SO 2, CO, O 3, NO 2

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Results for Methods for SO 2, CO, O 3, NO 2 C Figure C-1 to Subpart C of Part 53 Protection of Environment... Pt. 53, Subpt. C, Fig. C-1 Figure C-1 to Subpart C of Part 53—Suggested Format for Reporting Test... Difference Table C-1 spec. Pass or fail Low 1 ____ pPM 2 to ____ pPM 3 4 5 6 Medium 1 ____ pPM 2 to ____ pPM...

Early Results from the First Year of Observations by the Atacama B-mode Search (ABS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, Sara M.; ABS Collaboration

2013-06-01

The Atacama B-mode Search (ABS) instrument, which began observation in February of 2012, is a crossed-Dragone telescope located at an elevation of 5100 m in the Atacama Desert in Chile. The primary scientific goal of ABS is to measure the B-mode polarization spectrum of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) from multipole moments of about l=50 to l=500, a range that includes the primordial B-mode peak. Unlike most current polarization experiments, ABS features a cryogenic telescope and a warm half-wave plate used to modulate the polarization of the incoming light. The ABS focal plane array consists of 240 pixels designed for observation at 150 GHz by the TRUCE collaboration. Each pixel has its own individual, single-moded feedhorn and contains two transition-edge sensor (TES) bolometers sensitive to orthogonal polarizations. The detectors are read out using time domain multiplexing so that the thermal loading of the readout electronics does not heat the focal plane. I will present early results from the first year of ABS data.

Paleomagnetism of Cretaceous limestones from western Tarim basin suggests negligible latitudinal offset yet significant clockwise rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, X.; Gilder, S.; Chen, Y.; Cogné, J. P.; Courtillot, V. E.; Cai, J.

2017-12-01

Large northward translation of central Asian crustal blocks has been reported from paleomagnetism of Cretaceous and Tertiary terrestrial sediments. This motion was initially taken as evidence of deformation occurred in the Asian interior as a result of indentation of the Indian Plate. However, because the amount of motion is far greater than geological observations, accuracy of the paleomagnetic record has become a controversial issue. To solve the problem, it has been shown that the latitudinal offset can be entirely attributed to inclination shallowing during deposition and compaction processes (Tan et al., 2003; Tauxe and Kent, 2004). On the other hand, coeval volcanic rocks from central Asia did record steeper paleomagnetic inclinations than terrestrial rocks (Gilder et al., 2003). To extend the effort of solving the controversy, we report paleomagnetic results of Cretaceous limestones from western Tarim basin. Our results show that the majority of our collections have been overprinted. Fortunately, a special type of limestones preserved stable characteristic remanence. Fold tests suggest a primary origin of the magnetization. Comparison of the paleomagnetic direction with the coeval expected direction from reference poles indicates a negligible amount of northward movement consistent with previous result of inclination correction based on magnetic fabrics, and a pattern of clockwise rotation symmetric with the style observed in the western flank of the Pamir ranges. Rock magnetic data will also be presented to support the accurate paleomagnetic record.

An Observation-based Assessment of Instrument Requirements for a Future Precipitation Process Observing System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, E.; L'Ecuyer, T. S.; Wood, N.; Smalley, M.; Kulie, M.; Hahn, W.

2017-12-01

Global models exhibit substantial biases in the frequency, intensity, duration, and spatial scales of precipitation systems. Much of this uncertainty stems from an inadequate representation of the processes by which water is cycled between the surface and atmosphere and, in particular, those that govern the formation and maintenance of cloud systems and their propensity to form the precipitation. Progress toward improving precipitation process models requires observing systems capable of quantifying the coupling between the ice content, vertical mass fluxes, and precipitation yield of precipitating cloud systems. Spaceborne multi-frequency, Doppler radar offers a unique opportunity to address this need but the effectiveness of such a mission is heavily dependent on its ability to actually observe the processes of interest in the widest possible range of systems. Planning for a next generation precipitation process observing system should, therefore, start with a fundamental evaluation of the trade-offs between sensitivity, resolution, sampling, cost, and the overall potential scientific yield of the mission. Here we provide an initial assessment of the scientific and economic trade-space by evaluating hypothetical spaceborne multi-frequency radars using a combination of current real-world and model-derived synthetic observations. Specifically, we alter the field of view, vertical resolution, and sensitivity of a hypothetical Ka- and W-band radar system and propagate those changes through precipitation detection and intensity retrievals. The results suggest that sampling biases introduced by reducing sensitivity disproportionately affect the light rainfall and frozen precipitation regimes that are critical for warm cloud feedbacks and ice sheet mass balance, respectively. Coarser spatial resolution observations introduce regime-dependent biases in both precipitation occurrence and intensity that depend on cloud regime, with even the sign of the bias varying within a

Gravitational-wave astronomy: observational results and their impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shawhan, Peter S.

2010-04-01

The successful construction and operation of highly sensitive gravitational-wave detectors is an achievement to be proud of, but the detection of actual signals is still around the corner. Even so, null results from recent searches have told us some interesting things about the objects that live in our universe, so it can be argued that the era of gravitational-wave astronomy has already begun. In this paper I review several of these results and discuss what we have learned from them. I then look into the not-so-distant future and predict some ways in which the detection of gravitational-wave signals will shape our knowledge of astrophysics and transform the field.

Observer performance in diagnosing osteoporosis by dental panoramic radiographs: results from the osteoporosis screening project in dentistry (OSPD).

PubMed

Taguchi, A; Asano, A; Ohtsuka, M; Nakamoto, T; Suei, Y; Tsuda, M; Kudo, Y; Inagaki, K; Noguchi, T; Tanimoto, K; Jacobs, R; Klemetti, E; White, S C; Horner, K

2008-07-01

erosion were 83.5, 48.7, 48.3, and 85.7%, respectively. The mean PPV and NPV were significantly higher in the 36 observers with sufficient intra-observer agreement than in the 24 observers with insufficient intra-observer agreement. Our results reconfirm the efficacy of cortical erosion findings in identifying postmenopausal women at risk for osteoporosis, among observers with sufficient intra-observer agreement. Information gathered from radiographic examination is at least as useful as that gathered from the OST index.

Wave-induced boundary-layer separation: A case study comparing airborne observations and results from a mesoscale model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strauss, L.; Serafin, S.; Grubišić, V.

2012-04-01

Wave-induced boundary-layer separation (BLS) results from the adverse-pressure gradient forces that are exerted on the atmospheric boundary-layer by internal gravity waves in flow over orography. BLS has received significant attention in recent years, particularly so, because it is a key ingredient in the formation of atmospheric rotors. Traditionally depicted as horizontal eddies in the lee of mountain ranges, rotors originate from the interaction between internal gravity waves and the atmospheric boundary-layer. Our study focuses on the first observationally documented case of wave-induced BLS, which occurred on 26 Jan 2006 in the lee of the Medicine Bow Mountains in SE Wyoming (USA). Observations from the University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) aircraft, in particular, the remote sensing measurements with the Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR), reveal strong wave activity, downslope winds in excess of 30 m/s, and near-surface flow reversal in the lee of the mountain range. The fine resolution of WCR data (on the order of 40x40 m2 for two-dimensional velocity fields) exhibits fine-scale vortical structures ("subrotors") which are embedded within the main rotor zone. Our case study intends to complete the characterisation of the observed boundary-layer separation event. Modelling of the event with the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecast Model (WRF) provides insight into the mesoscale triggers of wave-induced BLS and turbulence generation. Indeed, the mesoscale model underpins the expected concurrence of the essential processes (gravity waves, wave breaking, downslope windstorms, etc.) leading to BLS. To exploit the recorded in situ and radar data to their full extent, a quantitative evaluation of the structure and intensity of turbulence is conducted by means of a power spectral analysis of the vertical wind component, measured along the flight track. An intercomparison of observational and modelling results serves the purpose of model verification and can shed some more

Impact of Langmuir Turbulence on Upper Ocean Response to Hurricane Edouard: Model and Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blair, A.; Ginis, I.; Hara, T.; Ulhorn, E.

2017-12-01

Tropical cyclone intensity is strongly affected by the air-sea heat flux beneath the storm. When strong storm winds enhance upper ocean turbulent mixing and entrainment of colder water from below the thermocline, the resulting sea surface temperature cooling may reduce the heat flux to the storm and weaken the storm. Recent studies suggest that this upper ocean turbulence is strongly affected by different sea states (Langmuir turbulence), which are highly complex and variable in tropical cyclone conditions. In this study, the upper ocean response under Hurricane Edouard (2014) is investigated using a coupled ocean-wave model with and without an explicit sea state dependent Langmuir turbulence parameterization. The results are compared with in situ observations of sea surface temperature and mixed layer depth from AXBTs, as well as satellite sea surface temperature observations. Overall, the model results of mixed layer deepening and sea surface temperature cooling under and behind the storm are consistent with observations. The model results show that the effects of sea state dependent Langmuir turbulence can be significant, particularly on the mixed layer depth evolution. Although available observations are not sufficient to confirm such effects, some observed trends suggest that the sea state dependent parameterization might be more accurate than the traditional (sea state independent) parameterization.

Coupling survey data with drift model results suggests that local spawning is important for Calanus finmarchicus production in the Barents Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kvile, Kristina Øie; Fiksen, Øyvind; Prokopchuk, Irina; Opdal, Anders Frugård

2017-01-01

The copepod Calanus finmarchicus is an important part of the diet for several large fish stocks feeding in the Atlantic waters of the Barents Sea. Determining the origin of the new generation copepodites present on the Barents Sea shelf in spring can shed light on the importance of local versus imported production of C. finmarchicus biomass in this region. In this study, we couple large-scale spatiotemporal survey data (> 30 years in both Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea areas) with drift trajectories from a hydrodynamic model to back-calculate and map the spatial distribution of C. finmarchicus from copepod to egg, allowing us to identify potential adult spawning areas. Assuming the adult stage emerges from overwintering in the Norwegian Sea, our results suggest that copepodites sampled at the Barents Sea entrance are a mix of locally spawned individuals and long-distance-travellers advected northwards along the Norwegian shelf edge. However, copepodites sampled farther east in the Barents Sea (33°30‧E) are most likely spawned on the Barents Sea shelf, potentially from females that have overwintered locally. Our results support that C. finmarchicus dynamics in the Barents Sea are not, at least in the short-term, solely driven by advection from the Norwegian Sea, but that local production may be more important than commonly believed.

Thermodynamic Spectrum of Solar Flares Based on SDO/EVE Observations: Techniques and First Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Yuming; Zhou, Zhenjun; Zhang, Jie; Liu, Kai; Liu, Rui; Shen, Chenglong; Chamberlin, Phillip C.

2016-01-01

The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/EUV Variability Experiment (EVE) provides rich information on the thermodynamic processes of solar activities, particularly on solar flares. Here, we develop a method to construct thermodynamic spectrum (TDS) charts based on the EVE spectral lines. This tool could potentially be useful for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) astronomy to learn about the eruptive activities on distant astronomical objects. Through several cases, we illustrate what we can learn from the TDS charts. Furthermore, we apply the TDS method to 74 flares equal to or greater than the M5.0 class, and reach the following statistical results. First, EUV peaks are always behind the soft X-ray (SXR) peaks and stronger flares tend to have faster cooling rates. There is a power-law correlation between the peak delay times and the cooling rates, suggesting a coherent cooling process of flares from SXR to EUV emissions. Second, there are two distinct temperature drift patterns, called Type I and Type II. For Type I flares, the enhanced emission drifts from high to low temperature like a quadrilateral, whereas for Type II flares the drift pattern looks like a triangle. Statistical analysis suggests that Type II flares are more impulsive than Type I flares. Third, for late-phase flares, the peak intensity ratio of the late phase to the main phase is roughly correlated with the flare class, and the flares with a strong late phase are all confined. We believe that the re-deposition of the energy carried by a flux rope, which unsuccessfully erupts out, into thermal emissions is responsible for the strong late phase found in a confined flare. Furthermore, we show the signatures of the flare thermodynamic process in the chromosphere and transition region in the TDS charts. These results provide new clues to advance our understanding of the thermodynamic processes of solar flares and associated solar eruptions, e.g., coronal mass ejections.

THERMODYNAMIC SPECTRUM OF SOLAR FLARES BASED ON SDO/EVE OBSERVATIONS: TECHNIQUES AND FIRST RESULTS

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

Wang, Yuming; Zhou, Zhenjun; Liu, Kai

2016-03-15

The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/EUV Variability Experiment (EVE) provides rich information on the thermodynamic processes of solar activities, particularly on solar flares. Here, we develop a method to construct thermodynamic spectrum (TDS) charts based on the EVE spectral lines. This tool could potentially be useful for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) astronomy to learn about the eruptive activities on distant astronomical objects. Through several cases, we illustrate what we can learn from the TDS charts. Furthermore, we apply the TDS method to 74 flares equal to or greater than the M5.0 class, and reach the following statistical results. First, EUV peaks are always behind the soft X-raymore » (SXR) peaks and stronger flares tend to have faster cooling rates. There is a power-law correlation between the peak delay times and the cooling rates, suggesting a coherent cooling process of flares from SXR to EUV emissions. Second, there are two distinct temperature drift patterns, called Type I and Type II. For Type I flares, the enhanced emission drifts from high to low temperature like a quadrilateral, whereas for Type II flares the drift pattern looks like a triangle. Statistical analysis suggests that Type II flares are more impulsive than Type I flares. Third, for late-phase flares, the peak intensity ratio of the late phase to the main phase is roughly correlated with the flare class, and the flares with a strong late phase are all confined. We believe that the re-deposition of the energy carried by a flux rope, which unsuccessfully erupts out, into thermal emissions is responsible for the strong late phase found in a confined flare. Furthermore, we show the signatures of the flare thermodynamic process in the chromosphere and transition region in the TDS charts. These results provide new clues to advance our understanding of the thermodynamic processes of solar flares and associated solar eruptions, e.g., coronal mass ejections.« less

Suggestion in Education: The Historical Path of Suggestopedia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindeman, Mary L.

Although techniques of autosuggestion in personal development have a long history in some Eastern cultures, suggestibility as a character trait first came into focus in the West with the "animal magnetism" of Franz Mesmer. The uncovering of the nature and phenomena of hypnosis resulted in a steady and enduring interest in this state of…

[The effect of suggestibility on eyewitness identifications: A comparison between showups and lineups].

PubMed

Miura, Hiroshi; Itoh, Yuji

2016-04-01

There are two types of eyewitness-identification procedures: showups and lineups. Although the false-identification rate of showups was considered to be higher than that of lineups, experimental research has not always supported the superiority of lineups. Further, suggestibility of showups is believed to produce higher false-identification rates, but no experimental study has manipulated suggestibility. In this study, we manipulated suggestibility; 258 participants performed photo identification in a showup or lineup. The results revealed that the correct-identification rate was higher in the showups than the lineups, and the rate of dangerous false identification for the innocent suspect did not differ between showups and lineups. In lineups alone, the false-identification rate of the high-suggestibility.condition was marginally higher than that of the low-suggestibility condition. The results indicate that suggestibility, which results from the preconception that the perpetrator must exist in the photos, increases false identifications in relative judgments, such as in lineups.

Interrogative suggestibility in opiate users.

PubMed

Murakami, A; Edelmann, R J; Davis, P E

1996-09-01

The present study investigated interrogative suggestibility in opiate users. A group of patients undergoing a methadone detoxification programme in an in-patient drug treatment unit (Detox group, n = 21), and a group of residents who had come off drugs and were no longer suffering from withdrawal syndrome (Rehab group, n = 19) were compared on interrogative suggestibility and various other psychological factors. Significant differences were found between the two groups, with the Detox group having more physical and psychological problems, and a higher total suggestibility score in comparison with the Rehab group. These findings are discussed in relation to the context of police interrogations and the reliability of confessions made by suspects and witnesses dependent on opiates.

Comparing synthetic imagery with real imagery for visible signature analysis: human observer results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Culpepper, Joanne B.; Richards, Noel; Madden, Christopher S.; Winter, Neal; Wheaton, Vivienne C.

2017-10-01

Synthetic imagery could potentially enhance visible signature analysis by providing a wider range of target images in differing environmental conditions than would be feasible to collect in field trials. Achieving this requires a method for generating synthetic imagery that is both verified to be realistic and produces the same visible signature analysis results as real images. Is target detectability as measured by image metrics the same for real images and synthetic images of the same scene? Is target detectability as measured by human observer trials the same for real images and synthetic images of the same scene, and how realistic do the synthetic images need to be? In this paper we present the results of a small scale exploratory study on the second question: a photosimulation experiment conducted using digital photographs and synthetic images generated of the same scene. Two sets of synthetic images were created: a high fidelity set created using an image generation tool, E-on Vue, and a low fidelity set created using a gaming engine, Unity 3D. The target detection results obtained using digital photographs were compared with those obtained using the two sets of synthetic images. There was a moderate correlation between the high fidelity synthetic image set and the real images in both the probability of correct detection (Pd: PCC = 0.58, SCC = 0.57) and mean search time (MST: PCC = 0.63, SCC = 0.61). There was no correlation between the low fidelity synthetic image set and the real images for the Pd, but a moderate correlation for MST (PCC = 0.67, SCC = 0.55).

Rocket observation of soft energetic particles at the magnetic equator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldberg, R. A.

1974-01-01

Results from a rocket-borne ion mass spectrometer flown near the magnetic equator at 0108 LMT, March 10, 1970, exhibit an unusual background current above 200 km. This current is observed to increase 3.5 orders of magnitude between 200 and 260 km before maximizing to a fixed value from 260 km to the 295 km apogee of the flight. Properties of the background combined with laboratory measurements have permitted probable identification of the background source as 2-20 keV electrons or protons. Maximum electron fluxes have been estimated to be of the order 10 to the 10th power particles/sq cm-sec-ster in accord with ISIS-1 satellite measurements at higher altitudes. The background was not observed on an earlier flight at 1938 LMT, suggesting the particles to be trapped in a blet which drifted below 300 km between the two flights. The low altitude penetration of these fluxes may have been related to the great magnetic storm of March 8. Simultaneous measurements of the thermal ion distribution are compared with these results and qualitatively suggest that the soft energetic particles are responsible for an observed O2(+) and NO(+) enhancement.

Ocean Carbon States: Data Mining in Observations and Numerical Simulations Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latto, R.; Romanou, A.

2017-12-01

Advanced data mining techniques are rapidly becoming widely used in Climate and Earth Sciences with the purpose of extracting new meaningful information from increasingly larger and more complex datasets. This is particularly important in studies of the global carbon cycle, where any lack of understanding of its combined physical and biogeochemical drivers is detrimental to our ability to accurately describe, understand, and predict CO2 concentrations and their changes in the major carbon reservoirs. The analysis presented here evaluates the use of cluster analysis as a means of identifying and comparing spatial and temporal patterns extracted from observational and model datasets. As the observational data is organized into various regimes, which we will call "ocean carbon states", we gain insight into the physical and/or biogeochemical processes controlling the ocean carbon cycle as well as how well these processes are simulated by a state-of-the-art climate model. We find that cluster analysis effectively produces realistic, dynamic regimes that can be associated with specific processes at different temporal scales for both observations and the model. In addition, we show how these regimes can be used to illustrate and characterize the model biases in the model air-sea flux of CO2. These biases are attributed to biases in salinity, sea surface temperature, wind speed, and nitrate, which are then used to identify the physical processes that are inaccurately reproduced by the model. In this presentation, we provide a proof-of-concept application using simple datasets, and we expand to more complex ones, using several physical and biogeochemical variable pairs, thus providing considerable insight into the mechanisms and phases of the ocean carbon cycle over different temporal and spatial scales.

Dinosaur Peptides Suggest Mechanisms of Protein Survival

PubMed Central

San Antonio, James D.; Schweitzer, Mary H.; Jensen, Shane T.; Kalluri, Raghu; Buckley, Michael; Orgel, Joseph P. R. O.

2011-01-01

Eleven collagen peptide sequences recovered from chemical extracts of dinosaur bones were mapped onto molecular models of the vertebrate collagen fibril derived from extant taxa. The dinosaur peptides localized to fibril regions protected by the close packing of collagen molecules, and contained few acidic amino acids. Four peptides mapped to collagen regions crucial for cell-collagen interactions and tissue development. Dinosaur peptides were not represented in more exposed parts of the collagen fibril or regions mediating intermolecular cross-linking. Thus functionally significant regions of collagen fibrils that are physically shielded within the fibril may be preferentially preserved in fossils. These results show empirically that structure-function relationships at the molecular level could contribute to selective preservation in fossilized vertebrate remains across geological time, suggest a ‘preservation motif’, and bolster current concepts linking collagen structure to biological function. This non-random distribution supports the hypothesis that the peptides are produced by the extinct organisms and suggests a chemical mechanism for survival. PMID:21687667

Dinosaur peptides suggest mechanisms of protein survival.

PubMed

San Antonio, James D; Schweitzer, Mary H; Jensen, Shane T; Kalluri, Raghu; Buckley, Michael; Orgel, Joseph P R O

2011-01-01

Eleven collagen peptide sequences recovered from chemical extracts of dinosaur bones were mapped onto molecular models of the vertebrate collagen fibril derived from extant taxa. The dinosaur peptides localized to fibril regions protected by the close packing of collagen molecules, and contained few acidic amino acids. Four peptides mapped to collagen regions crucial for cell-collagen interactions and tissue development. Dinosaur peptides were not represented in more exposed parts of the collagen fibril or regions mediating intermolecular cross-linking. Thus functionally significant regions of collagen fibrils that are physically shielded within the fibril may be preferentially preserved in fossils. These results show empirically that structure-function relationships at the molecular level could contribute to selective preservation in fossilized vertebrate remains across geological time, suggest a 'preservation motif', and bolster current concepts linking collagen structure to biological function. This non-random distribution supports the hypothesis that the peptides are produced by the extinct organisms and suggests a chemical mechanism for survival.

Dinosaur Peptides Suggest Mechanisms of Protein Survival

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

San Antonio, James D.; Schweitzer, Mary H.; Jensen, Shane T.

Eleven collagen peptide sequences recovered from chemical extracts of dinosaur bones were mapped onto molecular models of the vertebrate collagen fibril derived from extant taxa. The dinosaur peptides localized to fibril regions protected by the close packing of collagen molecules, and contained few acidic amino acids. Four peptides mapped to collagen regions crucial for cell-collagen interactions and tissue development. Dinosaur peptides were not represented in more exposed parts of the collagen fibril or regions mediating intermolecular cross-linking. Thus functionally significant regions of collagen fibrils that are physically shielded within the fibril may be preferentially preserved in fossils. These results showmore » empirically that structure-function relationships at the molecular level could contribute to selective preservation in fossilized vertebrate remains across geological time, suggest a 'preservation motif', and bolster current concepts linking collagen structure to biological function. This non-random distribution supports the hypothesis that the peptides are produced by the extinct organisms and suggests a chemical mechanism for survival.« less

Exposure to suggestion and creation of false auditory memories.

PubMed

Vernon, B; Nelson, E

2000-02-01

The experiment investigated the possibility of creating false auditory memory through exposure to suggestion. Research by Loftus and others has indicated that, through suggestion, false memories can be created. Participants viewed a short film and were given a 9-item questionnaire. Eight questions were used as filler while one question asked respondents to recall a phrase one character had said. Although the character actually said nothing, 23 of 30 respondents recalled having heard him speak and specifically recalled his words. This statistically significant result shows that auditory memories can also be created.

First Results of Exoplanet Observations with the Gran Telescopio Canarias: Narrow-Band Transit Photometry Capable of Detecting Super-Earth-size Planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, Eric B.; Colon, K. D.; Blake, C.; Lee, B.; Mahadevan, S.

2010-01-01

We present the first exoplanet observations from the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) using the OSIRIS tunable filter imager. Our narrow-band transit follow-up observations set a new record for ground-based, narrow-band photometric precision of an exoplanet transit. The demonstrated precision would allow the detection of a transiting super-Earth-sized planet at near-infrared wavelengths. Such high-precision follow-up observations could significantly improve measurements of the size and orbit of transiting super-Earth and Earth-like planets to be discovered by the CoRoT and Kepler space missions (Colon & Ford 2009). OSIRIS is one of two first light instruments for the GTC and features a tunable filter imaging mode. We observed the planet's host star along with several nearby reference stars during each transit, rapidly alternating observations between multiple narrow band-passes. The GTC's large aperture results in small photon noise and minimal scintillation noise, so care must be taken to minimize other potential systematic noise sources. The use of a narrow bandpass (2nm) reduces the effects of differential extinction, and we chose bandpasses that minimize atmospheric absorption and variability. We measure the flux of the target star relative to an ensemble of reference stars, using an aperture photometry algorithm adapted to allow for: 1) the center of the band-pass varying across the field and resulting in sky rings, and 2) a significant defocus to reduce flat fielding uncertainties and increase observing efficiency. We present results from the first tunable filter observations of an exoplanet transit and outline the exciting prospects for future GTC/OSIRIS observations to study super-Earth planets and the atmospheres of giant planets via occultation photometry. Based on observations made with the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), installed in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, in the island of La Palma.

SETI observational program in Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raúl Colomb, F.; Cristina Martín, M.; Lemarchand, Guillermo A.

Due to the scarce SETI research in the Southern Hemisphere, we decided to begin an observation of a series of southern stars at 21 cm and 18 cm, using the facilities of the Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía (IAR). One of the two 30 m radiotelescopes was used since October 1986, for a search of narrow frequency (2.2 kHz resolution) band signal in the direction of nearby stars. We have selected for this plan 78 stars between -40° and -90° of declination and distances less than 50 l.y. In this paper we present the first results of this program at HI and OH line. We describe a 320 h parasitic program at OH line using the data of Comet Halley observations. Following a suggestion of Dr I. Almár we began in November 1987, a series of observations around the SETI Ellipsoid originated in the SN1987A at 18 cm. We describe the observations around the stars HD21899 and HD100623, following a suggestion of Alexei Arkhipov. We have initiated contacts with The Planetary Society to expand our SETI activities. It is our hope that at the time of this Symposium we can announce the details of this agreement, which could include the construction of a 8.4 million channel ultranarrowband spectrum analyzer, designed by Professor Paul Horowitz of Harvard University. This agreement was announced on 8 October 1988 at The Planetary Society Toronto SETI Conference. The 8.4 million channel spectrum analyzer called META II, was built during 1989, at Harvard University by J. C. Olalde and E. Hurrell, under the supervision of Professor Paul Horowitz. META II was officially dedicated on 12 October 1990 and is in operation with the antenna 2 of the Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía.

Career Path Suggestion using String Matching and Decision Trees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagpal, Akshay; P. Panda, Supriya

2015-05-01

High school and college graduates seemingly are often battling for the courses they should major in order to achieve their target career. In this paper, we worked on suggesting a career path to a graduate to reach his/her dream career given the current educational status. Firstly, we collected the career data of professionals and academicians from various career fields and compiled the data set by using the necessary information from the data. Further, this was used as the basis to suggest the most appropriate career path for the person given his/her current educational status. Decision trees and string matching algorithms were employed to suggest the appropriate career path for a person. Finally, an analysis of the result has been done directing to further improvements in the model.

Observations of Cygnus X-2 with IUE: Ultraviolet results from a multiwavelength campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vrtilek, S. D.; Raymond, J. C.; Garcia, M. R.; Verbunt, F.; Hasinger, Guenther; Kuerster, M.

1989-01-01

The observations of the low-mass x ray binary, Cyg X-2, taken with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) in a campaign conducted in June and October of 1988 are reported. A direct relationship between the strength of the UV continuum and line emission and the placement of the x ray spectrum in one of three branches of the so-called Z-shaped curve is found by comparison with simultaneous x ray observations. All three previously known x ray spectral states are detected; the UV continuum and line emission increase monotonically along the Z with the least emission in the horizontal branch, and the most in the flaring branch. Emission lines due to HeII, CIV, NIII, NIV, NV, SiIV, and MgII are observed.

Observer Agreement for Measurements in Videolaryngostroboscopy.

PubMed

Brunings, Jan Wouter; Vanbelle, Sophie; Akkermans, Annemarie; Heemskerk, Nienke M M; Kremer, Bernd; Stokroos, Robert J; Baijens, Laura W J

2017-11-06

This study evaluated the levels of intraobserver and interobserver agreement for measurements of visuoperceptual variables in videolaryngostroboscopic examinations and compared the observers' behavior during independent versus consensus panel rating. This is a retrospective study. This study was conducted in a single-center tertiary care facility. Sixty-four patients with dysphonia of heterogeneous etiology were included. All subjects underwent a standardized videolaryngostroboscopic examination. Two experienced and trained observers scored exactly the same examinations, first independently and then on a consensus panel. Specific visuoperceptual variables and the clinical diagnosis (as recommended by the Committee on Phoniatrics and the Phonosurgery Committee of the European Laryngological Society and advised by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) were scored. Descriptive and kappa statistics were used. In general, intraobserver agreement was better than agreement between observers for measurements of several variables. The intrapanel observer agreement levels were slightly higher than the intraobserver agreement levels on the independent rating task. When rating on the consensus panel, the observers deviated considerably from the scores they had previously given on the independent rating task. Observer agreement in videolaryngostroboscopic assessment has important implications not only for the diagnosis and treatment of dysphonic patients but also for the interpretation of the results of scientific studies using videolaryngostroboscopic outcome parameters. The identification of factors that can influence the levels of observer agreement can provide a better understanding of the rating process and its limitations. The results of this study suggest that future research could achieve better agreement levels by rating the visuoperceptual variables in a panel setting. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Unique concurrent observations of whistler mode hiss, chorus, and triggered emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Poorya; Gołkowski, Mark; Turner, Drew L.

2017-06-01

We present a unique 2 h ground-based observation of concurrent magnetospheric hiss, chorus, VLF triggered emissions as well as ELF/VLF signals generated locally by the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility. Eccentricity of observed wave polarization is used as a criteria to identify magnetospheric emissions and estimate their ionospheric exit points. The observations of hiss and chorus in the unique background of coherent HAARP ELF/VLF waves and triggered emissions allow for more accurate characterization of hiss and chorus properties than in typical ground-based observations. Eccentricity and azimuth results suggest a moving ionospheric exit point associated with a single ducted path at L 5. The emissions exhibit dynamics in time suggesting an evolution of a magnetospheric source from hiss generation to chorus generation or a moving plasmapause location. We introduce a frequency band-limited autocorrelation method to quantify the relative coherency of the emissions. A range of coherency was observed from high order of coherency in local HAARP transmissions and their echoes to lower coherency in natural chorus and hiss emissions.

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.

Selective insectivory at Toro-Semliki, Uganda: comparative analyses suggest no 'savanna' chimpanzee pattern.

PubMed

Webster, Timothy H; McGrew, William C; Marchant, Linda F; Payne, Charlotte L R; Hunt, Kevin D

2014-06-01

Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) insectivory across Africa is ubiquitous. Insects provide a significant nutritional payoff and may be important for chimpanzees in dry, open habitats with narrow diets. We tested this hypothesis at Semliki, Uganda, a long-term dry study site. We evaluated prospects for insectivory by measuring insect abundance along de novo transects and trails, monitoring social insect colonies, and surveying available raw materials for elementary technology. We determined the frequency and nature of insectivory through behavioral observation and fecal analysis. We then compared our results with those from 15 other long-term chimpanzee study sites using a cluster analysis. We found that Semliki chimpanzees are one of the most insectivorous populations studied to date in terms of frequency of consumption, but they are very selective in their insectivory, regularly consuming only weaver ants (Oecophylla longinoda) and honey and bees from hives of Apis mellifera. This selectivity obtains despite having a full range of typical prey species available in harvestable quantities. We suggest that Semliki chimpanzees may face ecological time constraints and therefore bias their predation toward prey taxa that can be quickly consumed. Geographical proximity correlated with the results of the cluster analysis, while rainfall, a relatively gross measure of environment, did not. Because broad taxonomic groups of insects were used in analyses, prey availability was unlikely to have a strong effect on this pattern. Instead, we suggest that transmission of cultural knowledge may play a role in determining chimpanzee prey selection across Africa. Further study is needed to test these hypotheses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term active-layer dynamics: results of 22 years of field observations in Northern Hemisphere permafrost regions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiklomanov, N. I.; Nelson, F. E.; Streletskiy, D. A.; Klene, A. E.; Biskaborn, B. K.

2016-12-01

The uppermost layer of seasonal thawing above permafrost (the active layer) is an important regulator of energy and mass fluxes between the surface and the atmosphere in the polar regions. Active layer monitoring is an important component of efforts to assess the effects of global change in permafrost environments. The Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) program, established in the early 1990s, is designed to observe temporal and spatial variability of the active layer and its response to changes and variations in climatic conditions. The CALM network is an integral part of the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P), operating under the auspices of the Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS) /Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Standardized thaw depth observations in the Northern Hemisphere are available for more than 200 GTN-P/CALM sites in the Northern Hemisphere. At each of the sites spatially distributed ALT measurements have been conducted annually by mechanical probing. The locations of sites represent generalized surface and subsurface conditions characteristic of broader regions. The data are assimilated and distributed though the CALM (www.gwu.edu/ calm) and GTN-P (gtnpdatabase.org) online databases. In this presentation we use data from approximately 20 years of continuous observations to examine temporal trends in active-layer thickness for several representative Arctic regions. Results indicate substantial interannual fluctuations in active-layer thickness, primarily in response to variations in air temperature. Decadal trends in ALT vary by region. A progressive increase in ALT has been observed in the Nordic countries, the Russian European North, West Siberia, East Siberia, the Russian Far East, and the Interior of Alaska. North American Arctic sites show no apparent thaw depth trend over 22-years of record. However, combined active layer, ground temperature and heave/subsidence observations conducted in northern Alaska

New Variable Stars Discovered by Data Mining Images Taken During Recent Asteroid Photometric Observations. Results from the Year 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papini, R.; Franco, L.; Marchini, A.; Salvaggio, F.

2015-12-01

During the past year the authors observed several asteroids for the purpose of determining the rotational period. Typically, this task requires a time series images acquisition on a single field for all the night, weather permitting, for a few nights although not consecutive. Routinely checking this "goldmine," allowed us to discover 14 variable stars not yet listed in catalogs or databases. While the most of the new variables are eclipsing binaries (GSC 01394-01889, GSC 00853-00371, CSS_J171124.7-004042, GSC05065-00218, UCAC4-386-142199, UCAC4 398-127457, UCAC4 384-148138, UCAC4 398-127590, UCAC4-383-155837, GSC-05752-01113, GSC 05765-01271), a few belong to RR Lyrae class (UCAC4 388-136835, 2MASS J20060657-1230376, UCAC4 386-142583). Since asteroid work is definitely time-consuming, follow-up is quite a difficult task for a small group. Further observations of these new variables are therefore strongly encouraged in order to better characterize these stars, especially RR Lyrae ones whose data combined with those taken during professional surveys seem to suggest the presence of a Blazhko effect.

Complications of local anaesthesia. An observational study.

PubMed

Brand, H S; Bekker, W; Baart, J A

2009-11-01

Local anaesthesia is increasingly used by dental hygienists. As little is known about the incidence of adverse effects during and after the administration of local anaesthetics, we evaluated side-effects associated with local anaesthesia. A prospective observational study was conducted using standard criteria among a group of 103 patients receiving mandibular block anaesthesia. Physical reactions like clenching fists (14.5%), moaning (12.6%) and turning pale (7.8%) were frequently observed. Patients (3.8%) showed a painful reaction because of needle contact with a nerve or the periosteum. Systemic complications were not observed. After the injection, 41.7% said they felt tense during the administration; 4.9% of the patients reported swallowing problems and 3.9% a tachycardia. These results suggest that administration of local anaesthesia has a small risk of adverse events. Complications, if they occur, seem minor and transient in nature.

Preliminary Results From Observing The Fast Stardust Sample Return Capsule Entry In Earth's Atmosphere On January 15, 2006.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenniskens, P.; Jordan, D.; Kontinos, D.; Wright, M.; Olejniczak, J.; Raiche, G.; Wercinski, P.; Schilling, E.; Taylor, M.; Rairden, R.; Stenbaek-Nielsen, H.; McHarg, M. G.; Abe, S.; Winter, M.

2006-08-01

In order for NASA's Stardust mission to return a comet sample to Earth, the probe was put in an orbit similar to that of Near Earth Asteroids. As a result, the reentry in Earth's atmosphere on January 15, 2006, was the fastest entry ever for a NASA spacecraft, with a speed of 12.8 km/s, similar to that of natural fireballs. A new thermal protection material, PICA, was used to protect the sample, a material that may have a future as thermal protection for the Crew Return Vehicle or for future planetary missions. An airborne and ground-based observing campaign, the "Stardust Hyperseed MAC", was organized to observe the reentry under good observing conditions, with spectroscopic and imaging techniques commonly used for meteor observations (http:// reentry.arc.nasa.gov). A spectacular video of the reentry was obtained. The spectroscopic observations measure how much light was generated in the shock wave, how that radiation added to heating the surface, how the PICA ablated as a function of altitude, and how the carbon reacted with the shock wave to form CN, a possible marker of prebiotic chemistry in natural meteors. In addition, the observations measured a transient signal of zinc and potassium early in the trajectory, from the ablation of a white paint layer that had been applied to the heat shield for thermal control. Implications for sample return and the exploration of atmospheres in future planetary missions will be discussed.

Observations of chromospheric lines from OSO-8

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grossmann-Doerth, U.; Kneer, F.; Uexkuell, M.; Artzner, G. E.; Vial, J. C.

1980-01-01

Results of OSO-8 measurements of the line profiles of the solar Lyman alpha, Ca II K and Mg II k lines are presented. Observations were obtained with the Laboratoire de Physique Stellaire et Planetaire spectrometer at spectral resolutions of 0.25 and 0.060 A for Lyman alpha and 0.025 A for the Mg II and Ca II lines. The Lyman alpha profiles are found to be highly variable according to spatial position with the intensities of the three lines well correlated, and confirm previous observations of the quiet solar chromosphere. Data suggest that the quiet chromosphere is a dynamical phenomenon whose description in terms of a static model atmosphere is only qualitatively valid at best.

Encephalopathy in acute liver failure resulting from acetaminophen intoxication: New observations with potential therapy

PubMed Central

Brusilow, Saul W; Cooper, Arthur J.L.

2011-01-01

Objective Hyperammonemia is a major contributing factor to the encephalopathy associated with liver disease. It is now generally accepted that hyperammonemia leads to toxic levels of glutamine in astrocytes. However, the mechanism by which excessive glutamine is toxic to astrocytes is controversial. Nevertheless, there is strong evidence that glutamine-induced osmotic swelling, especially in acute liver failure (ALF), is a contributing factor – the osmotic gliopathy theory. The object of the current communication is to present evidence for the osmotic gliopathy theory in a hyperammonemic patient who overdosed on acetaminophen. Design Case report. Setting Johns Hopkins Hospital. Patient A 22-year old white female who, 36 hours prior to admission, ingested 15 grams of acetaminophen was admitted to the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Physical examination was unremarkable; her mental status was within normal limits and remained so until approximately 72 hours after ingestion when she became confused, irritable and agitated. Interventions She was intubated, ventilated and placed on lactulose. Shortly thereafter she was non-communicative, unresponsive to painful stimuli and exhibited decerebrate posturing. A clinical diagnosis of cerebral edema and increased intracranial pressure (ICP) was made. She improved very slowly until 180 hours after ingestion when she moved all extremities. She woke up shortly thereafter. Measurements and main results Despite the fact that hyperammonemia is a major contributing factor to the encephalopathy observed in ALF the patient’s plasma ammonia peaked when she exhibited no obvious neurological deficit. Thereafter, her plasma ammonia decreased precipitously in parallel with a worsening neurological status. She was deeply encephalopathic during a period when her liver function and plasma ammonia had normalized. Plasma glutamine levels in this patient were high, but began to normalize several hours after plasma ammonia had returned to normal. The

Absolute magnitudes and slope parameters for 250,000 asteroids observed by Pan-STARRS PS1 - Preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vereš, Peter; Jedicke, Robert; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Denneau, Larry; Granvik, Mikael; Bolin, Bryce; Chastel, Serge; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Burgett, William S.; Chambers, Kenneth C.; Flewelling, Heather; Kaiser, Nick; Magnier, Eugen A.; Morgan, Jeff S.; Price, Paul A.; Tonry, John L.; Waters, Christopher

2015-11-01

We present the results of a Monte Carlo technique to calculate the absolute magnitudes (H) and slope parameters (G) of ∼240,000 asteroids observed by the Pan-STARRS1 telescope during the first 15 months of its 3-year all-sky survey mission. The system's exquisite photometry with photometric errors ≲ 0.04mag , and well-defined filter and photometric system, allowed us to derive accurate H and G even with a limited number of observations and restricted range in phase angles. Our Monte Carlo method simulates each asteroid's rotation period, amplitude and color to derive the most-likely H and G, but its major advantage is in estimating realistic statistical + systematic uncertainties and errors on each parameter. The method was tested by comparison with the well-established and accurate results for about 500 asteroids provided by Pravec et al. (Pravec, P. et al. [2012]. Icarus 221, 365-387) and then applied to determining H and G for the Pan-STARRS1 asteroids using both the Muinonen et al. (Muinonen, K. et al. [2010]. Icarus 209, 542-555) and Bowell et al. (Bowell, E. et al. [1989]. Asteroids III, Chapter Application of Photometric Models to Asteroids. University of Arizona Press, pp. 524-555) phase functions. Our results confirm the bias in MPC photometry discovered by Jurić et al. (Jurić, M. et al. [2002]. Astrophys. J. 124, 1776-1787).

Some recent experimental results related to nuclear chirality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timár, J.; Kuti, I.; Sohler, D.; Starosta, K.; Koike, T.; Paul, E. S.

2014-09-01

Detailed band structures of three chiral-candidate nuclei, 134Pr, 132La and 103Rh have been studied. The aim of the study was twofold. First, to try to explore the reasons behind the contradiction between the theoretically predicted chirality in these nuclei and the recently observed fingerprints that suggest non-chiral interpretation for the previous chiral candidate band doublets. Second, to search for multiple chiral bands of different types in these nuclei. In 134Pr a new πh11/2vh11/2 band has been observed besides the previously known chiral-candidate πh11/2vh11/2 doublet. This new band and the yrare πh11/2vh11/2 band show the expected features of a chiral doublet structure. This fact combined with the observed similarity between the band structures of 134Pr and 132La suggests that chirality might exist in these nuclei. The detailed study of the 103Rh band structure resulted in the observation of two new chiral-doublet looking structures besides the previously known one. This is indicative of possible existence of multiple chiral doublet structure in this nucleus.

Latest results from the GreenHouse gas Observations of the Stratosphere and Troposphere (GHOST) airborne shortwave infrared spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humpage, Neil; Boesch, Hartmut; Palmer, Paul; Vick, Andy

2017-04-01

GHOST is a novel, compact shortwave infrared grating spectrometer, designed for remote sensing of tropospheric columns of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from an airborne platform. GHOST observes solar radiation at medium to high spectral resolution which has been reflected by the surface, using similar methods to those used by polar orbiting satellites such as the JAXA GOSAT mission, the NASA OCO-2 mission and the forthcoming Copernicus Sentinel 5-Precursor. By using an original design comprising optical fibre inputs along with a single diffraction grating and detector array, GHOST is able to observe CO2 absorption bands centred around 1.61 μm and 2.06 μm (the same wavelength regions used by OCO-2 and GOSAT) whilst simultaneously measuring CH4 absorption at 1.65 μm (also observed by GOSAT), and both CH4 and CO at 2.30 μm (to be observed by Sentinel 5-P once launched later in 2017). The overlapping spectral ranges and comparable spectral resolutions mean that GHOST has unique potential for providing validation opportunities for these platforms, particularly over the ocean where ground-based validation measurements are not available. Here we present the latest results from the spectral analysis, using an optimal estimation based retrieval method, of CO2 and CH4 from GHOST flight spectra for the 1.6 μm band which utilise recently updated laboratory calibration measurements. GHOST took part in two science flights on board the NASA Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle based at the Armstrong Flight Research Centre in Edwards, California, in March 2015. These flights involved long approximately north-south transects over the eastern Pacific Ocean. In addition to observing spatial trends in GHG column concentrations over a regional scale, the second of these flights (on 10th March) allows inter-comparisons of GHOST retrievals with observations from OCO-2 and GOSAT, which both passed directly over the Global Hawk during clear sky conditions. We will show results from these

Individual Differences in the Rubber Hand Illusion Are Related to Sensory Suggestibility.

PubMed

Marotta, Angela; Tinazzi, Michele; Cavedini, Clelia; Zampini, Massimiliano; Fiorio, Mirta

2016-01-01

In the rubber hand illusion (RHI), watching a rubber hand being stroked in synchrony with one's own hidden hand may induce a sense of ownership over the rubber hand. The illusion relies on bottom-up multisensory integration of visual, tactile, and proprioceptive information, and on top-down processes through which the rubber hand is incorporated into pre-existing representations of the body. Although the degree of illusory experience varies largely across individuals, the factors influencing individual differences are unknown. We investigated whether sensory suggestibility might modulate susceptibility to the RHI. Sensory suggestibility is a personality trait related to how individuals react to sensory information. Because of its sensory nature, this trait could be relevant for studies using the RHI paradigm. Seventy healthy volunteers were classified by Sensory Suggestibility Scale (SSS) scores as having high or low suggestibility and assigned to either a high- (High-SSS) or a low-suggestibility (Low-SSS) group. Two components of the RHI were evaluated in synchronous and asynchronous stroking conditions: subjective experience of sense of ownership over the rubber hand via a 9-statement questionnaire, and proprioceptive drift as measured with a ruler. The High-SSS group was generally more susceptible to the subjective component; in the synchronous condition, they rated the statement assessing the sense of ownership higher than the Low-SSS group. The scores for this statement significantly correlated with the total SSS score, indicating that the higher the sensory suggestibility, the stronger the sense of ownership. No effect of sensory suggestibility on proprioceptive drift was observed, suggesting that the effect is specific for the subjective feeling of ownership. This study demonstrates that sensory suggestibility may contribute to participants' experience of the illusion and should be considered when using the RHI paradigm.

Individual Differences in the Rubber Hand Illusion Are Related to Sensory Suggestibility

PubMed Central

Marotta, Angela; Tinazzi, Michele; Cavedini, Clelia; Zampini, Massimiliano

2016-01-01

In the rubber hand illusion (RHI), watching a rubber hand being stroked in synchrony with one’s own hidden hand may induce a sense of ownership over the rubber hand. The illusion relies on bottom-up multisensory integration of visual, tactile, and proprioceptive information, and on top-down processes through which the rubber hand is incorporated into pre-existing representations of the body. Although the degree of illusory experience varies largely across individuals, the factors influencing individual differences are unknown. We investigated whether sensory suggestibility might modulate susceptibility to the RHI. Sensory suggestibility is a personality trait related to how individuals react to sensory information. Because of its sensory nature, this trait could be relevant for studies using the RHI paradigm. Seventy healthy volunteers were classified by Sensory Suggestibility Scale (SSS) scores as having high or low suggestibility and assigned to either a high- (High-SSS) or a low-suggestibility (Low-SSS) group. Two components of the RHI were evaluated in synchronous and asynchronous stroking conditions: subjective experience of sense of ownership over the rubber hand via a 9-statement questionnaire, and proprioceptive drift as measured with a ruler. The High-SSS group was generally more susceptible to the subjective component; in the synchronous condition, they rated the statement assessing the sense of ownership higher than the Low-SSS group. The scores for this statement significantly correlated with the total SSS score, indicating that the higher the sensory suggestibility, the stronger the sense of ownership. No effect of sensory suggestibility on proprioceptive drift was observed, suggesting that the effect is specific for the subjective feeling of ownership. This study demonstrates that sensory suggestibility may contribute to participants’ experience of the illusion and should be considered when using the RHI paradigm. PMID:27977783

Banner clouds observed at Mount Zugspitze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wirth, V.; Kristen, M.; Leschner, M.; Reuder, J.; Schween, J. H.

2012-04-01

Systematic observations of banner clouds at Mount Zugspitze in the Bavarian Alps are presented and discussed. One set of observations draws on daily time lapse movies, which were taken over several years at this mountain. Identifying banner clouds with the help of these movies and using simultaneous observations of standard variables at the summit of the mountain provides climatological information regarding the banner clouds. In addition, a week-long measurement campaign with an entire suite of instruments was carried through yielding a comprehensive set of data for two specific banner cloud events. The duration of banner cloud events has a long-tailed distribution with a mean of about 40 min. The probability of occurrence has both a distinct diurnal and a distinct seasonal cycle, with a maximum in the afternoon and in the warm season, respectively. These cycles appear to correspond closely to analogous cycles of relative humidity, which maximize in the late afternoon and during the warm season. In addition, the dependence of banner cloud occurrence on wind speed is weak. Both results suggest that moisture conditions are a key factor for banner cloud occurrence. The distribution of wind direction during banner cloud events slightly deviates from climatology, suggesting an influence from the specific Zugspitz orography. The two banner cloud events during the campaign have a number of common features: the windward and the leeward side are characterized by different wind regimes, however, with mean upward flow on both sides; the leeward air is both moister and warmer than the windward air; the background atmosphere has an inversion just above the summit of Mt. Zugspitze; the lifting condensation level increases with altitude. The results are discussed, and it is argued that they are consistent with previous Large Eddy Simulations using idealized orography.

ANALYSES OF RESPONSE–STIMULUS SEQUENCES IN DESCRIPTIVE OBSERVATIONS

PubMed Central

Samaha, Andrew L; Vollmer, Timothy R; Borrero, Carrie; Sloman, Kimberly; Pipkin, Claire St. Peter; Bourret, Jason

2009-01-01

Descriptive observations were conducted to record problem behavior displayed by participants and to record antecedents and consequences delivered by caregivers. Next, functional analyses were conducted to identify reinforcers for problem behavior. Then, using data from the descriptive observations, lag-sequential analyses were conducted to examine changes in the probability of environmental events across time in relation to occurrences of problem behavior. The results of the lag-sequential analyses were interpreted in light of the results of functional analyses. Results suggested that events identified as reinforcers in a functional analysis followed behavior in idiosyncratic ways: after a range of delays and frequencies. Thus, it is possible that naturally occurring reinforcement contingencies are arranged in ways different from those typically evaluated in applied research. Further, these complex response–stimulus relations can be represented by lag-sequential analyses. However, limitations to the lag-sequential analysis are evident. PMID:19949537

Physician-patient communication about overactive bladder: Results of an observational sociolinguistic study

PubMed Central

Hahn, Steven R.; Bradt, Pamela; Hewett, Kathleen A.; Ng, Daniel B.

2017-01-01

Introduction Overactive bladder (OAB) and urinary incontinence are common problems that have significant impact on quality of life (QOL). Less than half of sufferers seek help from their physicians; many who do are dissatisfied with treatment and their physicians’ understanding of their problems. Little is known about the sociolinguistic characteristics of physician-patient communication about OAB in community practice. Methods An IRB-approved observational sociolinguistic study of dialogues between patients with OAB and treating physicians was conducted. Study design included semi-structured post-visit interviews, post-visit questionnaires, and follow-up phone calls. Conversations were analyzed using techniques from interactional sociolinguistics. Results Communication was physician- rather than patient-centered. Physicians spoke the majority of words and 83% of questions were closed-ended. The impact of OAB on QOL and concerns about and adherence to treatment were infrequently addressed by physicians, who were poorly aligned with patients in their understanding. These topics were addressed more frequently when open-ended questions successfully eliciting elaborated responses were used in ask-tell-ask or ask-tell sequences. Discussion Clinical dialogue around OAB is physician-centered; topics critical to managing OAB are infrequently and inadequately addressed. The use of patient-centered communication is correlated with more discussion of critical topics, and thus, more effective management of OAB. PMID:29140974

Observational Requirements for Underway Observations from Research Vessels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, S. R.; Van Waes, M.

2016-02-01

Identifying observational requirements to build and sustain a global ocean observing system requires input from the user community. Research vessels are an essential and versatile component of the observing system. The authors will present results from a survey of the marine climate and oceanographic community that solicited observational requirements for research vessels. The goal of the survey is to determine priorities for underway instrumentation to be run on NOAA vessels operated by the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) to support secondary users of the NOAA fleet. Secondary users are defined as persons that do not routinely participate in cruises on NOAA vessels, but have a research or operational need for underway observations from these vessels. Secondary applications of underway data from NOAA vessels include, but are not limited to, evaluation of analyses/forecast from ocean and atmospheric models, developing satellite retrieval algorithms, and validating observations from remote sensing systems (e.g., satellites, aircraft). For this survey, underway observations are defined as digital data generated by environmental sensor systems permanently installed on the vessel and routinely maintained by the operator. The survey also assessed the need for access to these observations in real-time versus delayed-mode. The authors will discuss how these survey results can be used to inform NOAA management on the requirements for underway observations during future NOAA vessel deployments. Although originally designed to assess requirements for NOAA vessels, the international response to the survey makes the results applicable to research vessel operations around the world.

X-ray observations of characteristic structures and time variations from the solar corona - Preliminary results from Skylab.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaiana, G. S.; Davis, J. M.; Giacconi, R.; Krieger, A. S.; Silk, J. K.; Timothy, A. F.; Zombeck, M.

1973-01-01

Examples taken from the S-054 X-ray telescope observations made during the first Skylab mission show the hot coronal plasma tracing the configuration of the magnetic fields. The high spectral resolution and sensitivity of the instrument has enabled the following two facts to be more firmly established: (1) that the 'quiet homogeneous corona' is in fact highly structured and that the structures observed appear to be the results of dispersed active region magnetic fields; and (2) that numerous bright points are distributed randomly on the disk. Their presence at high latitudes may play a role in solar cycle models. In addition, the capability of Skylab for studying time evolution has enabled the restructuring of coronal features to be seen at times of high activity, indicating a restructuring of the coronal magnetic fields.

Constraining storm-scale forecasts of deep convective initiation with surface weather observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madaus, Luke

Successfully forecasting when and where individual convective storms will form remains an elusive goal for short-term numerical weather prediction. In this dissertation, the convective initiation (CI) challenge is considered as a problem of insufficiently resolved initial conditions and dense surface weather observations are explored as a possible solution. To better quantify convective-scale surface variability in numerical simulations of discrete convective initiation, idealized ensemble simulations of a variety of environments where CI occurs in response to boundary-layer processes are examined. Coherent features 1-2 hours prior to CI are found in all surface fields examined. While some features were broadly expected, such as positive temperature anomalies and convergent winds, negative temperature anomalies due to cloud shadowing are the largest surface anomaly seen prior to CI. Based on these simulations, several hypotheses about the required characteristics of a surface observing network to constrain CI forecasts are developed. Principally, these suggest that observation spacings of less than 4---5 km would be required, based on correlation length scales. Furthermore, it is anticipated that 2-m temperature and 10-m wind observations would likely be more relevant for effectively constraining variability than surface pressure or 2-m moisture observations based on the magnitudes of observed anomalies relative to observation error. These hypotheses are tested with a series of observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs) using a single CI-capable environment. The OSSE results largely confirm the hypotheses, and with 4-km and particularly 1-km surface observation spacing, skillful forecasts of CI are possible, but only within two hours of CI time. Several facets of convective-scale assimilation, including the need for properly-calibrated localization and problems from non-Gaussian ensemble estimates of the cloud field are discussed. Finally, the characteristics

Observations and Modeling of Transition Region and Coronal Heating Associated with Spicules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Pontieu, B.; Martinez-Sykora, J.; De Moortel, I.; Chintzoglou, G.; McIntosh, S. W.

2017-12-01

Spicules have been proposed as significant contributorsto the coronal energy and mass balance. While previous observationshave provided a glimpse of short-lived transient brightenings in thecorona that are associated with spicules, these observations have beencontested and are the subject of a vigorous debate both on the modelingand the observational side so that it remains unclear whether plasmais heated to coronal temperatures in association with spicules. We use high-resolution observations of the chromosphere and transition region with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) and ofthe corona with the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard theSolar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) to show evidence of the formation of coronal structures as a result of spicular mass ejections andheating of plasma to transition region and coronaltemperatures. Our observations suggest that a significant fraction of the highly dynamic loop fan environment associated with plage regions may be the result of the formation of such new coronal strands, a process that previously had been interpreted as the propagation of transient propagating coronal disturbances (PCD)s. Our observationsare supported by 2.5D radiative MHD simulations that show heating tocoronal temperatures in association with spicules. Our results suggest that heating and strong flows play an important role in maintaining the substructure of loop fans, in addition to the waves that permeate this low coronal environment. Our models also matches observations ofTR counterparts of spicules and provides an elegant explanation forthe high apparent speeds of these "network jets".

INTERFEROMETRIC MONITORING OF GAMMA-RAY BRIGHT AGNs. I. THE RESULTS OF SINGLE-EPOCH MULTIFREQUENCY OBSERVATIONS

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

Lee, Sang-Sung; Wajima, Kiyoaki; Algaba, Juan-Carlos

2016-11-01

We present results of single-epoch very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of gamma-ray bright active galactic nuclei (AGNs) using the Korean VLBI Network (KVN) at the 22, 43, 86, and 129 GHz bands, which are part of a KVN key science program, Interferometric Monitoring of Gamma-Ray Bright AGNs. We selected a total of 34 radio-loud AGNs of which 30 sources are gamma-ray bright AGNs with flux densities of >6 × 10{sup −10} ph cm{sup −2} s{sup −1}. Single-epoch multifrequency VLBI observations of the target sources were conducted during a 24 hr session on 2013 November 19 and 20. All observed sources weremore » detected and imaged at all frequency bands, with or without a frequency phase transfer technique, which enabled the imaging of 12 faint sources at 129 GHz, except for one source. Many of the target sources are resolved on milliarcsecond scales, yielding a core-jet structure, with the VLBI core dominating the synchrotron emission on a milliarcsecond scale. CLEAN flux densities of the target sources are 0.43–28 Jy, 0.32–21 Jy, 0.18–11 Jy, and 0.35–8.0 Jy in the 22, 43, 86, and 129 GHz bands, respectively. Spectra of the target sources become steeper at higher frequency, with spectral index means of −0.40, −0.62, and −1.00 in the 22–43 GHz, 43–86 GHz and 86–129 GHz bands, respectively, implying that the target sources become optically thin at higher frequencies (e.g., 86–129 GHz).« less

International Nanny Association (INA) Survey: Results and Observations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Glenn W.; And Others

This document reports the findings of a survey of 145 members of the International Nanny Association (INA). Survey results showed that 82.8 percent of respondents attended college, while 21.4 percent received bachelor's or master's degrees. Many of the nannies had taken classes or training in child care. Most nannies found their job placement…

Effects of information type on children's interrogative suggestibility: is Theory-of-Mind involved?

PubMed

Hünefeldt, Thomas; Rossi-Arnaud, Clelia; Furia, Augusta

2009-08-01

This research was aimed at learning more about the different psychological mechanisms underlying children's suggestibility to leading questions, on the one hand, and children's suggestibility to negative feedback, on the other, by distinguishing between interview questions concerning different types of information. Results showed that, unlike the developmental pattern of children's suggestibility to leading questions, the developmental pattern of children's suggestibility to negative feedback differed depending on whether the interview questions concerned external facts (physical states and events) or internal facts (mental states and events). This difference was not manifested in response to questions concerning central versus peripheral facts. Results are interpreted in terms of the hypothesis that children's suggestibility to negative feedback is differently affected by "Theory-of-Mind" abilities than children's suggestibility to leading questions. Further research is needed in order to test this hypothesis.

Impulsivity, self-control, and hypnotic suggestibility.

PubMed

Ludwig, V U; Stelzel, C; Krutiak, H; Prunkl, C E; Steimke, R; Paschke, L M; Kathmann, N; Walter, H

2013-06-01

Hypnotic responding might be due to attenuated frontal lobe functioning after the hypnotic induction. Little is known about whether personality traits linked with frontal functioning are associated with responsiveness to hypnotic suggestions. We assessed whether hypnotic suggestibility is related to the traits of self-control and impulsivity in 154 participants who completed the Brief Self-Control Scale, the Self-Regulation Scale, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility (HGSHS:A). BIS-11 non-planning impulsivity correlated positively with HGSHS:A (Bonferroni-corrected). Furthermore, in the best model emerging from a stepwise multiple regression, both non-planning impulsivity and self-control positively predicted hypnotic suggestibility, and there was an interaction of BIS-11 motor impulsivity with gender. For men only, motor impulsivity tended to predict hypnotic suggestibility. Hypnotic suggestibility is associated with personality traits linked with frontal functioning, and hypnotic responding in men and women might differ. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrophysiological correlates of observational learning in children.

PubMed

Rodriguez Buritica, Julia M; Eppinger, Ben; Schuck, Nicolas W; Heekeren, Hauke R; Li, Shu-Chen

2016-09-01

Observational learning is an important mechanism for cognitive and social development. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying observational learning in children are not well understood. In this study, we used a probabilistic reward-based observational learning paradigm to compare behavioral and electrophysiological markers of individual and observational reinforcement learning in 8- to 10-year-old children. Specifically, we manipulated the amount of observable information as well as children's similarity in age to the observed person (same-aged child vs. adult) to examine the effects of similarity in age on the integration of observed information in children. We show that the feedback-related negativity (FRN) during individual reinforcement learning reflects the valence of outcomes of own actions. Furthermore, we found that the feedback-related negativity during observational reinforcement learning (oFRN) showed a similar distinction between outcome valences of observed actions. This suggests that the oFRN can serve as a measure of observational learning in middle childhood. Moreover, during observational learning children profited from the additional social information and imitated the choices of their own peers more than those of adults, indicating that children have a tendency to conform more with similar others (e.g. their own peers) compared to dissimilar others (adults). Taken together, our results show that children can benefit from integrating observable information and that oFRN may serve as a measure of observational learning in children. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Observations and Laboratory Data of Planetary Organics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roush, Ted L.

2002-01-01

Many efforts are underway to search for evidence of prebiotic materials in the outer solar system. Current and planned Mars missions obtain remote sensing observations that can be used to address the potential presence of prebiotic materials. Additional missions to, and continuing earth-based observations of, more distant solar system objects will also provide remote sensing observations that can be used to address the potential presence of prebiotic materials. I will present an overview of on-going observations, associated laboratory investigations of candidate materials, and theoretical modeling of observational data. In the past the room temperature reflectance spectra of many residues created from HC-bearing gases and solids have been reported. The results of an investigation of what effect temperatures more representative of outer solar system surfaces (50-140K) have on the reflectance spectra of these residues, and the associated interpretations, will be presented. The relatively organic-rich Tagish Lake Meteorite has been suggested as a spectral analog for Dtype asteroids. Using a new approach that relies upon iterative use of Hapke theory and Kraniers-Kronig analysis the optical constants of TLM were estimated. The approach and results of the analysis will be presented. Use of optical constants in scattering theories, such as the Hapke theory, provide the ability to determine quantitative estimates of the relative abundances and grain sizes of candidate surface components. This approach has been applied to interpret the reflectance spectra of several outer solar system surfaces. A summary will be provided describing the results of such modeling efforts.

Real-Time RFI Mitigation in Pulsar Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramey, Emily; Joslyn, Nick; Prestage, Richard; Whitehead, Mark; Lam, Michael Timothy; Blattner, Tim; Hawkins, Luke; Viou, Cedric; Masson, Jessica

2018-01-01

As the use of wireless technology has increased around the world, Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) has become more and more of a problem for radio astronomers. Preventative measures exist to limit the presence of RFI, and programs exist to remove it from saved data, but the routine use of algorithms to detect and remove RFI as an observation is occurring is much less common. Such a method would be incredibly useful for observations in which the data must undergo several rounds of processing before being saved, as in pulsar timing studies. Strategies for real-time mitigation have been discussed and tested with simulated data (Buch et al., 2016), but ideally the results of any approach would be validated by a detailed comparison of the final data products - for pulsar timing, the variance in the pulse times of arrival (TOAs) - with and without mitigation applied. The goal of this project is to develop an RFI mitigation approach based on the previously suggested strategies and test this program on actual data from the observation of pulsar J1713+0747. We use a Median Absolute Deviation (MAD) filter to identify interference in the observation and replace the compromised data with random Gaussian noise to match a characteristic radio signal from space. In order to verify our results, we analyze the pulsar’s TOAs obtained both from the mitigated data and from the unmitigated data processed through offline RFI removal software. Comparing the two, our preliminary findings indicate that our program is able to improve the quality of timing results from the observation.

Hypnotic suggestion: opportunities for cognitive neuroscience.

PubMed

Oakley, David A; Halligan, Peter W

2013-08-01

Hypnosis uses the powerful effects of attention and suggestion to produce, modify and enhance a broad range of subjectively compelling experiences and behaviours. For more than a century, hypnotic suggestion has been used successfully as an adjunctive procedure to treat a wide range of clinical conditions. More recently, hypnosis has attracted a growing interest from a cognitive neuroscience perspective. Recent studies using hypnotic suggestion show how manipulating subjective awareness in the laboratory can provide insights into brain mechanisms involved in attention, motor control, pain perception, beliefs and volition. Moreover, they indicate that hypnotic suggestion can create informative analogues of clinical conditions that may be useful for understanding these conditions and their treatments.

Observing Community Residences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Steven J.; Bogdan, Robert

The document offers guidelines effectively monitoring the quality of care provided in community residences serving people with disabilities. An initial section offers suggestions on observation and evaluation procedures. The remainder of the document lists possible questions to be asked in 19 areas: location, building and yard, relations with the…

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-24

ISS036-E-011843 (24 June 2013) --- Gravity waves and sunglint on Lake Superior are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 36 crew member on the International Space Station. From the vantage point of the space station, crew members frequently observe Earth atmospheric and surface phenomena in ways impossible to view from the ground. Two such phenomena?gravity waves and sunglint?are illustrated in this photograph of northeastern Lake Superior. The Canadian Shield of southern Ontario (bottom) is covered with extensive green forest canopy typical of early summer. Offshore, and to the west and southwest of Pukaskwa National Park several distinct sets of parallel cloud bands are visible. Gravity waves are produced when moisture-laden air encounters imbalances in air density, such as might be expected when cool air flows over warmer air; this can cause the flowing air to oscillate up and down as it moves, causing clouds to condense as the air rises (cools) and evaporate away as the air sinks (warms). This produces parallel bands of clouds oriented perpendicular to the wind direction. The orientation of the cloud bands visible in this image, parallel to the coastlines, suggests that air flowing off of the land surfaces to the north is interacting with moist, stable air over the lake surface, creating gravity waves. The second phenomenon?sunglint?effects the water surface around and to the northeast of Isle Royale (upper right). Sunglint is caused by light reflection off a water surface; some of the reflected light travels directly back towards the observer, resulting in a bright mirror-like appearance over large expanses of water. Water currents and changes in surface tension (typically caused by presence of oils or surfactants) alter the reflective properties of the water, and can be highlighted by sunglint. For example, surface water currents are visible to the east of Isle Royale that are oriented similarly to the gravity waves ? suggesting that they too

Hemoglobins of the opossum (Didelphis marsupialis). II. Polymorphism; electrophoretic and chromatographic observations.

PubMed

Bethlenfalvay, N C; Brown, G L; Waterman, M R

1976-12-01

Eighty-five adult opossums (Didelphis marsupialis) were examined for variation of hemaglobin by means of electrophoresis and column chromatography. A single hemoglobin was found in 83 animals while two hemoglobins were observed in two animals. The results of the chromatography studies suggested that the polymorphism was due to primary sequence differences in the alpha chain. Attempts to confirm this result by hybridization with human or canine hemoglobins were unsuccessful. The polymorphism was found not to be due to size differences and further investigation into its genetic basis was suggested.

Impacts of climate change on river discharge in the northern Tien Shan: Results from the long-term observations and modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahgedanova, Maria; Afzal, Muhammad; Usmanova, Zamira; Kapitsa, Vasilii; Mayr, Elisabeth; Hagg, Wilfried; Severskiy, Igor; Zhumabayev, Dauren

2017-04-01

The study presents results of investigation of the observed and projected changes in discharge of seven snow- and glacier-nourished rivers of the northern Tien Shan (south-eastern Kazakhstan). The observed trends were assessed using the long-term (40-60 years) homogeneous daily records of discharge from the gauging stations located in the mountains and unaffected by human activities including water abstraction. Positive trends in discharge were registered at most sites between the 1950s and 2010s with the strongest increase in summer and autumn particularly in 2000-2010s in line with the positive temperature trends. The observed increase was most prominent in the catchments with a higher proportion of glacierized area. At the Ulken Almatinka and Kishi Almatinka rivers, where 16% and 12% of the catchment areas are glacierized, positive trends in summer and autumn discharge exceeded 1% per year. The strongest increase was observed in September indicating that melting period extends in the early autumn. In September-November, the number of days with extreme discharge values, defined as daily values exceeding 95th percentile (calculated for each meteorological season), increased at all rivers. Future changes in discharge were modelled using HBV-ETH hydrological model and four climate change scenarios derived using regional climate model PRECIS with 25 km spatial resolution driven by HadGEM GCM for RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5 scenarios and HadCM3Q0 and ECHAM5 GCM for A1B scenario. A range of glacier change scenarios was considered. All climate experiments project increase in temperature with the strongest warming projected by the HadGEM-driven simulation for RCP 8.5 scenario and HadCM3Q0-driven simulation for A1B scenario. The projected changes in precipitation varied between models and seasons, however, most experiments did not show significant trends in precipitation within the studied catchments. The exception is a simulation driven by HadGEM GCM for 8.5 RCP scenario which

Observed touch on a non-human face is not remapped onto the human observer's own face.

PubMed

Beck, Brianna; Bertini, Caterina; Scarpazza, Cristina; Làdavas, Elisabetta

2013-01-01

Visual remapping of touch (VRT) is a phenomenon in which seeing a human face being touched enhances detection of tactile stimuli on the observer's own face, especially when the observed face expresses fear. This study tested whether VRT would occur when seeing touch on monkey faces and whether it would be similarly modulated by facial expressions. Human participants detected near-threshold tactile stimulation on their own cheeks while watching fearful, happy, and neutral human or monkey faces being concurrently touched or merely approached by fingers. We predicted minimal VRT for neutral and happy monkey faces but greater VRT for fearful monkey faces. The results with human faces replicated previous findings, demonstrating stronger VRT for fearful expressions than for happy or neutral expressions. However, there was no VRT (i.e. no difference between accuracy in touch and no-touch trials) for any of the monkey faces, regardless of facial expression, suggesting that touch on a non-human face is not remapped onto the somatosensory system of the human observer.

Observed Touch on a Non-Human Face Is Not Remapped onto the Human Observer's Own Face

PubMed Central

Beck, Brianna; Bertini, Caterina; Scarpazza, Cristina; Làdavas, Elisabetta

2013-01-01

Visual remapping of touch (VRT) is a phenomenon in which seeing a human face being touched enhances detection of tactile stimuli on the observer's own face, especially when the observed face expresses fear. This study tested whether VRT would occur when seeing touch on monkey faces and whether it would be similarly modulated by facial expressions. Human participants detected near-threshold tactile stimulation on their own cheeks while watching fearful, happy, and neutral human or monkey faces being concurrently touched or merely approached by fingers. We predicted minimal VRT for neutral and happy monkey faces but greater VRT for fearful monkey faces. The results with human faces replicated previous findings, demonstrating stronger VRT for fearful expressions than for happy or neutral expressions. However, there was no VRT (i.e. no difference between accuracy in touch and no-touch trials) for any of the monkey faces, regardless of facial expression, suggesting that touch on a non-human face is not remapped onto the somatosensory system of the human observer. PMID:24250781

Corticospinal excitability during the observation of social behavior.

PubMed

Bucchioni, Giulia; Cavallo, Andrea; Ippolito, Davide; Marton, Gianluca; Castiello, Umberto

2013-03-01

Evidence suggests that the observation of an action induces in the observers an enhancement of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) recorded by the observer's muscles corresponding to those involved in the observed action. Although this is a well-studied phenomenon, it remains still unclear how the viewer's motor facilitation is influenced by the social content characterizing the observed scene. In the present study we investigated the facilitation of the corticospinal system during the observation of either an action that does not imply a social interaction (i.e., an actor throwing a ball against a wall), or an action which implies a social interaction (i.e., an actor passing a ball to a partner). Results indicate that MEPs amplitude is enhanced during the observation of a social rather than an individual action. We contend that the increase in MEPs activation might reflect an enhancement of the simulative activity stemming from the mirror system during the observation of social interactions. Altogether these findings show that the human corticospinal system is sensitive to social interactions and may support the role of the mirror neurons system in social cognition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity analysis of observed reflectivity to ice particle surface roughness using MISR satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, A.; Hioki, S.; Wang, Y.; Yang, P.; Di Girolamo, L.

2016-12-01

Previous studies found that including ice particle surface roughness in forward light scattering calculations significantly reduces the differences between observed and simulated polarimetric and radiometric observations. While it is suggested that some degree of roughness is desirable, the appropriate degree of surface roughness to be assumed in operational cloud property retrievals and the sensitivity of retrieval products to this assumption remains uncertain. In an effort to extricate this ambiguity, we will present a sensitivity analysis of space-borne multi-angle observations of reflectivity, to varying degrees of surface roughness. This process is two fold. First, sampling information and statistics of Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) sensor data aboard the Terra platform, will be used to define the most coming viewing observation geometries. Using these defined geometries, reflectivity will be simulated for multiple degrees of roughness using results from adding-doubling radiative transfer simulations. Sensitivity of simulated reflectivity to surface roughness can then be quantified, thus yielding a more robust retrieval system. Secondly, sensitivity of the inverse problem will be analyzed. Spherical albedo values will be computed by feeding blocks of MISR data comprising cloudy pixels over ocean into the retrieval system, with assumed values of surface roughness. The sensitivity of spherical albedo to the inclusion of surface roughness can then be quantified, and the accuracy of retrieved parameters can be determined.

Mechanisms of eyewitness suggestibility: tests of the explanatory role hypothesis.

PubMed

Rindal, Eric J; Chrobak, Quin M; Zaragoza, Maria S; Weihing, Caitlin A

2017-10-01

In a recent paper, Chrobak and Zaragoza (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 142(3), 827-844, 2013) proposed the explanatory role hypothesis, which posits that the likelihood of developing false memories for post-event suggestions is a function of the explanatory function the suggestion serves. In support of this hypothesis, they provided evidence that participant-witnesses were especially likely to develop false memories for their forced fabrications when their fabrications helped to explain outcomes they had witnessed. In three experiments, we test the generality of the explanatory role hypothesis as a mechanism of eyewitness suggestibility by assessing whether this hypothesis can predict suggestibility errors in (a) situations where the post-event suggestions are provided by the experimenter (as opposed to fabricated by the participant), and (b) across a variety of memory measures and measures of recollective experience. In support of the explanatory role hypothesis, participants were more likely to subsequently freely report (E1) and recollect the suggestions as part of the witnessed event (E2, source test) when the post-event suggestion helped to provide a causal explanation for a witnessed outcome than when it did not serve this explanatory role. Participants were also less likely to recollect the suggestions as part of the witnessed event (on measures of subjective experience) when their explanatory strength had been reduced by the presence of an alternative explanation that could explain the same outcome (E3, source test + warning). Collectively, the results provide strong evidence that the search for explanatory coherence influences people's tendency to misremember witnessing events that were only suggested to them.

ESO Large Program on physical studies of Trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs: Final results of the visible spectrophotometric observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fornasier, S.; Doressoundiram, A.; Tozzi, G. P.; Barucci, M. A.; Boehnhardt, H.; de Bergh, C.; Delsanti, A.; Davies, J.; Dotto, E.

2004-07-01

The Large Program on physical studies of TNOs and Centaurs, started at ESO Cerro Paranal on April 2001, has recently been concluded. This project was devoted to the investigation of the surface properties of these icy bodies through photometric and spectroscopic observations. In this paper we present the latest results on these pristine bodies obtained from the spectrophotometric investigation in the visible range. The newly obtained spectrophotometric data on 3 Centaurs and 5 TNOs, coming from 2 observing runs at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), show a large variety of spectral characteristics, comprising both gray and red objects in the two different populations. A very broad and weak absorption feature, centered around 7000 Å , has been revealed in the spectrum of the gray TNO 2003 AZ84. This absorption is very similar to a feature observed on low albedo main belt asteroids and attributed to the action of the aqueous alteration process on minerals. This process was previously also claimed as the most plausible explanation for some peculiar visible absorption bands observed on 2000 EB173 and 2000 GN171 in the framework of the Large Program (Lazzarin et al. \\cite{Lazzarin03}; de Bergh et al. \\cite{Bergh04}). This detection seems to reinforce the hypothesis that aqueous alteration might have taken place also at such large heliocentric distances. We also report the results of a spectroscopic investigation performed outside the Large Program on the very interesting TNO 2000 GN171 during part of its rotational period. This object, previously observed twice in the framework of the Large Program, had shown during the early observations a very peculiar absorption band tentatively attributed to aqueous alteration processes. As this feature was not confirmed in a successive spectrum, we recently repeated the investigations of 2000 GN171, finding out that it has an heterogeneous composition. Finally an analysis of the visible spectral slopes is reported for all the data

Who Should Be Investigated for Haematuria? Results of a Contemporary Prospective Observational Study of 3556 Patients.

PubMed

Tan, Wei Shen; Feber, Andrew; Sarpong, Rachael; Khetrapal, Pramit; Rodney, Simon; Jalil, Rumana; Mostafid, Hugh; Cresswell, Joanne; Hicks, James; Rane, Abhay; Henderson, Alastair; Watson, Dawn; Cherian, Jacob; Williams, Norman; Brew-Graves, Chris; Kelly, John D

2018-07-01

There remains a lack of consensus among guideline relating to which patients require investigation for haematuria. We determined the incidence of urinary tract cancer in a prospective observational study of 3556 patients referred for investigation of haematuria across 40 hospitals between March 2016 and June 2017 (DETECT 1; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02676180) and the appropriateness of age at presentation in cases with visible (VH) and nonvisible (NVH) haematuria. The overall incidence of urinary tract cancer was 10.0% (bladder cancer 8.0%, renal parenchymal cancer 1.0%, upper tract transitional cell carcinoma 0.7%, and prostate cancer 0.3%). Patients with VH were more likely to have a diagnosis of urinary tract cancer compared with NVH patients (13.8% vs 3.1%). Older patients, male gender, and smoking history were independently associated with urinary tract cancer diagnosis. Of bladder cancers diagnosed following NVH, 59.4% were high-risk cancers, with 31.3% being muscle invasive. The incidence of cancer in VH patients <45 yr of age was 3.5% (n=7) and 1.0% (n=4) in NVH patients <60 yr old. Our results suggest that patients with VH should be investigated regardless of age. Although the risk of urinary tract cancer in NVH patients is low, clinically significant cancers are detected below the age threshold for referral for investigation. This study highlights the requirement to investigate all patients with visible blood in the urine and an age threshold of ≥60 yr, as recommended in some guidelines, as the investigation of nonvisible blood in the urine will miss a significant number of urinary tract cancers. Patient preference is important, and evidence that patients are willing to submit to investigation should be considered in reaching a consensus recommendation for the investigation of haematuria. International consensus to guide that patients will benefit from investigation should be developed. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Felsic highland crust on Venus suggested by Galileo Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashimoto, George L.; Roos-Serote, Maarten; Sugita, Seiji; Gilmore, Martha S.; Kamp, Lucas W.; Carlson, Robert W.; Baines, Kevin H.

2008-12-01

We evaluated the spatial variation of Venusian surface emissivity at 1.18 μm wavelength and that of near-surface atmospheric temperature using multispectral images obtained by the Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) on board the Galileo spacecraft. The Galileo NIMS observed the nightside thermal emission from the surface and the deep atmosphere of Venus, which is attenuated by scattering from the overlying clouds. To analyze the NIMS data, we used a radiative transfer model based on the adding method. Although there is still an uncertainty in the results owing to the not well known parameters of the atmosphere, our analysis revealed that the horizontal temperature variation in the near-surface atmosphere is no more than +/-2 K on the Venusian nightside and also suggests that the majority of lowlands likely has higher emissivity compared to the majority of highlands. One interpretation for the latter result is that highland materials are generally composed of felsic rocks. Since formation of a large body of granitic magmas requires water, the presence of granitic terrains would imply that Venus may have had an ocean and a mechanism to recycle water into the mantle in the past.

Clinical signs suggestive of pharyngeal dysphagia in preschool children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Benfer, Katherine A; Weir, Kelly A; Bell, Kristie L; Ware, Robert S; Davies, Peter S W; Boyd, Roslyn N

2015-03-01

This study aimed to determine the discriminative validity, reproducibility, and prevalence of clinical signs suggestive of pharyngeal dysphagia according to gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy (CP). It was a cross-sectional population-based study of 130 children diagnosed with CP at 18-36 months (mean=27.4, 81 males) and 40 children with typical development (TD, mean=26.2, 18 males). Sixteen signs suggestive of pharyngeal phase impairment were directly observed in a videoed mealtime by a speech pathologist, and reported by parents on a questionnaire. Gross motor function was classified using the Gross Motor Function Classification System. The study found that 67.7% of children had clinical signs, and this increased with poorer gross motor function (OR=1.7, p<0.01). Parents reported clinical signs in 46.2% of children, with 60% agreement with direct clinical mealtime assessment (kappa=0.2, p<0.01). The most common signs on direct assessment were coughing (44.7%), multiple swallows (25.2%), gurgly voice (20.3%), wet breathing (18.7%) and gagging (11.4%). 37.5% of children with TD had clinical signs, mostly observed on fluids. Dysphagia cut-points were modified to exclude a single cough on fluids, with a modified prevalence estimate proposed as 50.8%. Clinical signs suggestive of pharyngeal dysphagia are common in children with CP, even those with ambulatory CP. Parent-report on 16 specific signs remains a feasible screening method. While coughing was consistently identified by clinicians, it may not reflect children's regular performance, and was not sufficiently discriminative in children aged 18-36 months. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advice for Advisors: Suggestions and Observations from Lawrence to the Present

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

battalion’s weapons arrived about four days prior to the start of range week. Over 750 brand - new weapons from Bulgaria arrived; due to construction...ING. The commandos graduated from school, returned to Al-Qa’im, and were proudly wearing their berets. They had brand new AK-47s and Glock 19...within all of the 504th ING, only about 10 had pistols. Now we had commandos, often very young soldiers, with pistols, new AK-47s, and brand new red

Mass-balance measurements in Alaska and suggestions for simplified observation programs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trabant, D.C.; March, R.S.

1999-01-01

US Geological Survey glacier fieldwork in Alaska includes repetitious measurements, corrections for leaning or bending stakes, an ability to reliably measure seasonal snow as deep as 10 m, absolute identification of summer surfaces in the accumulation area, and annual evaluation of internal accumulation, internal ablation, and glacier-thickness changes. Prescribed field measurement and note-taking techniques help eliminate field errors and expedite the interpretative process. In the office, field notes are transferred to computerized spread-sheets for analysis, release on the World Wide Web, and archival storage. The spreadsheets have error traps to help eliminate note-taking and transcription errors. Rigorous error analysis ends when mass-balance measurements are extrapolated and integrated with area to determine glacier and basin mass balances. Unassessable errors in the glacier and basin mass-balance data reduce the value of the data set for correlations with climate change indices. The minimum glacier mass-balance program has at least three measurement sites on a glacier and the measurements must include the seasonal components of mass balance as well as the annual balance.

Observational goals for Max '91 to identify the causative agent for impulsive bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batchelor, D. A.

1989-01-01

Recent studies of impulsive hard x ray and microwave bursts suggest that a propagating causative agent with a characteristic velocity of the order of 1000 km/s is responsible for these bursts. The results of these studies are summarized and observable distinguishing characteristics of the various possible agents are highlighted, with emphasis on key observational goals for the Max '91 campaigns. The most likely causative agents suggested by the evidence are shocks, thermal conduction fronts, and propagating modes of magnetic reconnection in flare plasmas. With new instrumentation planned for Max '91, high spatial resolution observations of hard x ray sources have the potential to identify the agent by revealing detailed features of source spatial evolution. Observations with the Very Large Array and other radio imaging instruments are of great importance, as well as detailed modeling of coronal loop structures to place limits on their density and temperature profiles. With the combined hard x ray and microwave imaging observations, aided by loop model results, the simplest causative agent to rule out would be the propagating modes of magnetic reconnection. To fit the observational evidence, reconnection modes would need to travel at approximately the same velocity (the Alfven velocity) in different coronal structures that vary in length by a factor of 10(exp 3). Over such a vast range in loop lengths, it is difficult to believe that the Alfven velocity is constant. Thermal conduction fronts would be suggested by sources that expand along the direction of B and exhibit relatively little particle precipitation. Particle acceleration due to shocks could produce more diverse radially expanding source geometries with precipitation at loop footprints.

Preliminary JIRAM results from Juno polar observations: 3. Evidence of diffuse methane presence in the Jupiter auroral regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moriconi, M. L.; Adriani, A.; Dinelli, B. M.; Fabiano, F.; Altieri, F.; Tosi, F.; Filacchione, G.; Migliorini, A.; Gérard, J. C.; Mura, A.; Grassi, D.; Sindoni, G.; Piccioni, G.; Noschese, R.; Cicchetti, A.; Bolton, S. J.; Connerney, J. E. P.; Atreya, S. K.; Bagenal, F.; Gladstone, G. R.; Hansen, C.; Kurth, W. S.; Levin, S. M.; Mauk, B. H.; McComas, D. J.; Turrini, D.; Stefani, S.; Olivieri, A.; Amoroso, M.

2017-05-01

Throughout the first orbit of the NASA Juno mission around Jupiter, the Jupiter InfraRed Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) targeted the northern and southern polar regions several times. The analyses of the acquired images and spectra confirmed a significant presence of methane (CH4) near both poles through its 3.3 μm emission overlapping the H3+ auroral feature at 3.31 μm. Neither acetylene (C2H2) nor ethane (C2H6) have been observed so far. The analysis method, developed for the retrieval of H3+ temperature and abundances and applied to the JIRAM-measured spectra, has enabled an estimate of the effective temperature for methane peak emission and the distribution of its spectral contribution in the polar regions. The enhanced methane inside the auroral oval regions in the two hemispheres at different longitude suggests an excitation mechanism driven by energized particle precipitation from the magnetosphere.

Exercise Performance and Corticospinal Excitability during Action Observation

PubMed Central

Wrightson, James G.; Twomey, Rosie; Smeeton, Nicholas J.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Observation of a model performing fast exercise improves simultaneous exercise performance; however, the precise mechanism underpinning this effect is unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the speed of the observed exercise influenced both upper body exercise performance and the activation of a cortical action observation network (AON). Method: In Experiment 1, 10 participants completed a 5 km time trial on an arm-crank ergometer whilst observing a blank screen (no-video) and a model performing exercise at both a typical (i.e., individual mean cadence during baseline time trial) and 15% faster than typical speed. In Experiment 2, 11 participants performed arm crank exercise whilst observing exercise at typical speed, 15% slower and 15% faster than typical speed. In Experiment 3, 11 participants observed the typical, slow and fast exercise, and a no-video, whilst corticospinal excitability was assessed using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Results: In Experiment 1, performance time decreased and mean power increased, during observation of the fast exercise compared to the no-video condition. In Experiment 2, cadence and power increased during observation of the fast exercise compared to the typical speed exercise but there was no effect of observation of slow exercise on exercise behavior. In Experiment 3, observation of exercise increased corticospinal excitability; however, there was no difference between the exercise speeds. Conclusion: Observation of fast exercise improves simultaneous upper-body exercise performance. However, because there was no effect of exercise speed on corticospinal excitability, these results suggest that these improvements are not solely due to changes in the activity of the AON. PMID:27014037

PKS 2155-304 in July 2006: H.E.S.S. results and simultaneous multi-wavelength observations

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

Lenain, Jean-Philippe; Boisson, Catherine; Sol, Helne

2008-12-24

The high-frequency-peaked BL Lac PKS 2155-304 is one of the brightest and best-studied VHE {gamma}-ray sources in the southern hemisphere. The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) has monitored PKS 2155-304 in 2006 and a multi-wavelength campaign involving X-ray, optical and radio observatories was triggered by the detection of an active state in July 2006, followed by the detection of two extraordinary flares on July, 28th and 30th, with peak fluxes {approx}100 times the usual values. We present results from the spectral and flux variability analysis of the VHE and simultaneous X-ray observations with Chandra during the second flare, as wellmore » as the detailed evolution of the VHE flux of PKS 2155-304 observed by H.E.S.S. in 2006. A study of flux correlations in the different frequency ranges during the second flare and the adjacent nights is discussed. We also present an interpretation of the active state of PKS 2155-304 in the framework of synchrotron self-Compton emission.« less

"Lies, damned lies ..." and observational studies in comparative effectiveness research.

PubMed

Albert, Richard K

2013-06-01

A new federal initiative has allocated $1.1 billion to comparative effectiveness research, and many have emphasized the importance of including observational studies in this effort. The rationale for using observational studies to assess comparative effectiveness is based on concerns that randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are not "real world" because they enroll homogeneous patient populations, measure study outcomes that are not important to patients, use protocols that are overly complex, are conducted in specialized centers, and use study treatments that are not consistent with usual care, and that RCTs are not always feasible because of a lack of equipoise, the need to assess delayed endpoints, and concerns that they take years to complete and are expensive. This essay questions the validity of each of these proposed limitations, summarizes concerns raised about the accuracy of results generated by observational studies, provides some examples of discrepancies between results of observational studies and RCTs that pertain to pulmonary and critical care, and suggests that using observational studies for comparative effectiveness research may increase rather than decrease the cost of health care and may harm patients.

Early Response of Mouse Joint Tissues to Noninvasive Knee Injury Suggests Treatment Targets

PubMed Central

Wu, P.; Holguin, N.; Silva, M. J.; Fu, M.; Liao, W.; Sandell, L. J.

2015-01-01

Objective Joint trauma can lead to a spectrum of acute lesions, including cartilage degradation, ligament or meniscus tears, and synovitis, all potentially associated with osteoarthritis. The goal of this study was to generate and validate a murine model of knee joint trauma following non-invasive controlled injurious compression in vivo and to investigate early molecular events. Methods The right knees of 8-week old mice were placed in a hyperflexed position and subjected to compressive joint loading at one of three peak forces (3, 6, 9 N) for 60 cycles in a single loading period and harvested at 5, 9 and 14 days post loading (n=3–5 mice for each time point and for each loading). The left knees were not loaded and served as the contralateral controls. Histological, immunohistochemical and ELISA analyses were performed to evaluate acute pathologic features in chondrocyte viability, cartilage matrix metabolism, synovial reaction, and serum COMP levels. Results Acute joint pathology was associated with increased injurious loads. All loading regimens induced chondrocyte apoptosis, cartilage matrix degradation, disruption of cartilage collagen fibril arrangement, and increased levels of serum COMP. We also observed that 6N loading induced mild synovitis by day 5 whereas at 9 N, with tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament, severe posttraumatic synovitis and ectopic cartilage formation were observed. Conclusion We have established and analyzed some early events in a murine model of knee joint trauma with different degrees of over-loading in vivo. These results suggest that immediate therapies particularly targeted to apoptosis and synovial cell proliferation could affect the acute posttraumatic reaction to potentially limit chronic consequences and osteoarthritis. PMID:24470303

Placebo-mediated, Naloxone-sensitive suggestibility of short-term memory performance.

PubMed

Stern, Jair; Candia, Victor; Porchet, Roseline I; Krummenacher, Peter; Folkers, Gerd; Schedlowski, Manfred; Ettlin, Dominik A; Schönbächler, Georg

2011-03-01

Physiological studies of placebo-mediated suggestion have been recently performed beyond their traditional clinical context of pain and analgesia. Various neurotransmitter systems and immunological modulators have been used in successful placebo suggestions, including Dopamine, Cholecystokinin and, most extensively, opioids. We adhered to an established conceptual framework of placebo research and used the μ-opioid-antagonist Naloxone to test the applicability of this framework within a cognitive domain (e.g. memory) in healthy volunteers. Healthy men (n=62, age 29, SD=9) were required to perform a task-battery, including standardized and custom-designed memory tasks, to test short-term recall and delayed recognition. Tasks were performed twice, before and after intravenous injection of either NaCl (0.9%) or Naloxone (both 0.15 mg/kg), in a double-blind setting. While one group was given neutral information (S-), the other was told that it might receive a drug with suspected memory-boosting properties (S+). Objective and subjective indexes of memory performance and salivary cortisol (as a stress marker) were recorded during both runs and differences between groups were assessed. Short-term memory recall, but not delayed recognition, was objectively increased after placebo-mediated suggestion in the NaCl-group. Naloxone specifically blocked the suggestion effect without interfering with memory performance. These results were not affected when changes in salivary cortisol levels were considered. No reaction time changes, recorded to uncover unspecific attentional impairment, were seen. Placebo-mediated suggestion produced a training-independent, objective and Naloxone-sensitive increase in memory performance. These results indicate an opioid-mediated placebo effect within a circumscribed cognitive domain in healthy volunteers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavioral and brain pattern differences between acting and observing in an auditory task

PubMed Central

Karanasiou, Irene S; Papageorgiou, Charalabos; Tsianaka, Eleni I; Matsopoulos, George K; Ventouras, Errikos M; Uzunoglu, Nikolaos K

2009-01-01

Background Recent research has shown that errors seem to influence the patterns of brain activity. Additionally current notions support the idea that similar brain mechanisms are activated during acting and observing. The aim of the present study was to examine the patterns of brain activity of actors and observers elicited upon receiving feedback information of the actor's response. Methods The task used in the present research was an auditory identification task that included both acting and observing settings, ensuring concurrent ERP measurements of both participants. The performance of the participants was investigated in conditions of varying complexity. ERP data were analyzed with regards to the conditions of acting and observing in conjunction to correct and erroneous responses. Results The obtained results showed that the complexity induced by cue dissimilarity between trials was a demodulating factor leading to poorer performance. The electrophysiological results suggest that feedback information results in different intensities of the ERP patterns of observers and actors depending on whether the actor had made an error or not. The LORETA source localization method yielded significantly larger electrical activity in the supplementary motor area (Brodmann area 6), the posterior cingulate gyrus (Brodmann area 31/23) and the parietal lobe (Precuneus/Brodmann area 7/5). Conclusion These findings suggest that feedback information has a different effect on the intensities of the ERP patterns of actors and observers depending on whether the actor committed an error. Certain neural systems, including medial frontal area, posterior cingulate gyrus and precuneus may mediate these modulating effects. Further research is needed to elucidate in more detail the neuroanatomical and neuropsychological substrates of these systems. PMID:19154586

[Tarantism in Spain in the eighteen century: latrodectism and suggestion].

PubMed

Corral-Corral, I; Corral-Corral, C

2016-10-16

Tarantism is the disease caused by the bite of the tarantula, in which the music tarantella triggers an involuntary dance. It is known in Italy since the sixteenth century. To analyze the tarantism reported in Spain at the end of the eighteenth century, with special attention to its neurological aspects, and to propose its medical and psychopathological explanation. An epidemic of people affected by the tarantula bite occurred in Spain in 1782. Spanish doctors described appropriately the clinical effects, identical to those produced by the bite of the spider black widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus), which was at that time identified as a tarantula. The cases reported by Francisco Xavier Cid cured with the involuntary dance triggered by the tarantella, as was described in Italy since the sixteenth century. Our interpretation is that this curative effect of dance in Spain was induced by suggestion. In Spanish patients there were no behavioral disturbances, periodic recurrences or collective involvement as those reported by Italian authors, which suggest an hysterical phenomenon, probably a continuation of the dancing mania of the Middle Age. Tarantism reported in Spain in the eighteenth century includes two different phenomena: the systemic symptoms produced by the tarantula bite, which is actually latrodectism, and the curative effect of the tarantella, explained by suggestion. The psychiatric disturbances, with a hysterical nature, falsely associated to the tarantula bite, observed in Italy, were not present among the Spanish cases of tarantism in the eighteenth century.

Building false memories without suggestions.

PubMed

Foster, Jeffrey L; Garry, Maryanne

2012-01-01

People can come to remember doing things they have never done. The question we asked in this study is whether people can systematically come to remember performing actions they never really did, in the absence of any suggestion from the experimenter. People built LEGO vehicles, performing some steps but not others. For half the people, all the pieces needed to assemble each vehicle were laid out in order in front of them while they did the building; for the other half, the pieces were hidden from view. The next day, everyone returned for a surprise recognition test. People falsely and confidently remembered having carried out steps they did not; those who saw all the pieces while they built each vehicle were more likely to correctly remember performing steps they did perform but equally likely to falsely remember performing steps they did not. We explain our results using the source monitoring framework: People used the relationships between actions to internally generate the missing, related actions, later mistaking that information for genuine experience.

Rain observations in tropical storm Cora

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilheit, T. T.; Chang, A. T. C.; King, J. L.; Rodgers, E. B.; Nieman, R. A.; Krupp, B. M.; Siddalingaiah, H.; Diesen, B. C.; Stratigos, J.

1979-01-01

Passive microwave observations were made in tropical storm Cora at 19.35 and 94GHz. These observations suggest that 94GHz is appropriate for mapping the extent of rain over either land or ocean backgrounds and that some rainfall intensity measurement is also possible.

Cross-cultural and cross-ecotype production of a killer whale 'excitement' call suggests universality.

PubMed

Rehn, Nicola; Filatova, Olga A; Durban, John W; Foote, Andrew D

2011-01-01

Facial and vocal expressions of emotion have been found in a number of social mammal species and are thought to have evolved to aid social communication. There has been much debate about whether such signals are culturally inherited or are truly biologically innate. Evidence for the innateness of such signals can come from cross-cultural studies. Previous studies have identified a vocalisation (the V4 or 'excitement' call) associated with high arousal behaviours in a population of killer whales in British Columbia, Canada. In this study, we compared recordings from three different socially and reproductively isolated ecotypes of killer whales, including five vocal clans of one ecotype, each clan having discrete culturally transmitted vocal traditions. The V4 call was found in recordings of each ecotype and each vocal clan. Nine independent observers reproduced our classification of the V4 call from each population with high inter-observer agreement. Our results suggest the V4 call may be universal in Pacific killer whale populations and that transmission of this call is independent of cultural tradition or ecotype. We argue that such universality is more consistent with an innate vocalisation than one acquired through social learning and may be linked to its apparent function of motivational expression.

Cross-cultural and cross-ecotype production of a killer whale `excitement' call suggests universality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehn, Nicola; Filatova, Olga A.; Durban, John W.; Foote, Andrew D.

2011-01-01

Facial and vocal expressions of emotion have been found in a number of social mammal species and are thought to have evolved to aid social communication. There has been much debate about whether such signals are culturally inherited or are truly biologically innate. Evidence for the innateness of such signals can come from cross-cultural studies. Previous studies have identified a vocalisation (the V4 or `excitement' call) associated with high arousal behaviours in a population of killer whales in British Columbia, Canada. In this study, we compared recordings from three different socially and reproductively isolated ecotypes of killer whales, including five vocal clans of one ecotype, each clan having discrete culturally transmitted vocal traditions. The V4 call was found in recordings of each ecotype and each vocal clan. Nine independent observers reproduced our classification of the V4 call from each population with high inter-observer agreement. Our results suggest the V4 call may be universal in Pacific killer whale populations and that transmission of this call is independent of cultural tradition or ecotype. We argue that such universality is more consistent with an innate vocalisation than one acquired through social learning and may be linked to its apparent function of motivational expression.

Suggestions from Student Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Womack, Sid T.

Teachers and administrators can help simplify the adjustment of student teachers to the classroom by being aware of student teacher concerns and problem areas. Asked to voice concerns and suggestions for future students, two groups of students at a Texas university and an Oklahoma university cited discipline, stress and fatigue, and relations with…

Virtual Visits and Patient-Centered Care: Results of a Patient Survey and Observational Study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Virtual visits are clinical interactions in health care that do not involve the patient and provider being in the same room at the same time. The use of virtual visits is growing rapidly in health care. Some health systems are integrating virtual visits into primary care as a complement to existing modes of care, in part reflecting a growing focus on patient-centered care. There is, however, limited empirical evidence about how patients view this new form of care and how it affects overall health system use. Objective Descriptive objectives were to assess users and providers of virtual visits, including the reasons patients give for use. The analytic objective was to assess empirically the influence of virtual visits on overall primary care use and costs, including whether virtual care is with a known or a new primary care physician. Methods The study took place in British Columbia, Canada, where virtual visits have been publicly funded since October 2012. A survey of patients who used virtual visits and an observational study of users and nonusers of virtual visits were conducted. Comparison groups included two groups: (1) all other BC residents, and (2) a group matched (3:1) to the cohort. The first virtual visit was used as the intervention and the main outcome measures were total primary care visits and costs. Results During 2013-2014, there were 7286 virtual visit encounters, involving 5441 patients and 144 physicians. Younger patients and physicians were more likely to use and provide virtual visits (P<.001), with no differences by sex. Older and sicker patients were more likely to see a known provider, whereas the lowest socioeconomic groups were the least likely (P<.001). The survey of 399 virtual visit patients indicated that virtual visits were liked by patients, with 372 (93.2%) of respondents saying their virtual visit was of high quality and 364 (91.2%) reporting their virtual visit was “very” or “somewhat” helpful to resolve their

Ceres Evolution: From Thermodynamic Modeling and Now Dawn Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCord, T. B.; Combe, J. P.; Castillo, J. C.; Raymond, C. A.; De Sanctis, M. C.; Jaumann, R.; Ammannito, E.; Russell, C. T.

2015-12-01

Thermodynamic modeling indicated that Ceres has experienced planetary processes, including extensive melting of its ~25% water and differentiation, (McCord and Sotin, JGR, 2005; Castillo and McCord, Icarus, 2009). Early telescopic studies showed Ceres' surface to be spectrally similar to carboneous-chondrite-like material, i.e., aqueously altered silicates darkened by carbon, with a water-OH-related absorption near 3.06 µm. Later observations improved the spectra and suggested more specific interpretations: Structural water in clay minerals, phyllosilicates, perhaps ammoniated, iron-rich clays, carbonates, brucite, all implying extensive aqueous alteration, perhaps in the presence of CO2. Telescopic observations and thermodynamic models predicted Dawn would find a very different body compared to Vesta (e.g. McCord et al., SSR, 2011), as current Dawn observations are confirming. Ceres' original water ice should have melted early in its evolution, with the resulting differentiation and mineralization strongly affecting Ceres' composition, size and shape over time. The ocean should have become very salty and perhaps may still be liquid in places. The surface composition from telescopes seems to reflect this complex history. The mineralization with repeated mixing of the crust with the early liquid interior and with in-fall from space would create a complex surface that will present an interpretation challenge for Dawn. The Dawn spacecraft is currently collecting observations of Ceres' landforms, elemental and mineralogical/molecular composition and gravity field from orbit. Early results suggest a heavily cratered but distorted and lumpy body with features and composition consistent with internal activity, perhaps recent or current, associated with water and perhaps other volatiles. We will present and interpret the latest Dawn Ceres findings and how they affect our earlier understanding of Ceres evolution from modeling and telescope observations.

Synchrony and motor mimicking in chimpanzee observational learning

PubMed Central

Fuhrmann, Delia; Ravignani, Andrea; Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Whiten, Andrew

2014-01-01

Cumulative tool-based culture underwrote our species' evolutionary success, and tool-based nut-cracking is one of the strongest candidates for cultural transmission in our closest relatives, chimpanzees. However the social learning processes that may explain both the similarities and differences between the species remain unclear. A previous study of nut-cracking by initially naïve chimpanzees suggested that a learning chimpanzee holding no hammer nevertheless replicated hammering actions it witnessed. This observation has potentially important implications for the nature of the social learning processes and underlying motor coding involved. In the present study, model and observer actions were quantified frame-by-frame and analysed with stringent statistical methods, demonstrating synchrony between the observer's and model's movements, cross-correlation of these movements above chance level and a unidirectional transmission process from model to observer. These results provide the first quantitative evidence for motor mimicking underlain by motor coding in apes, with implications for mirror neuron function. PMID:24923651

Synchrony and motor mimicking in chimpanzee observational learning.

PubMed

Fuhrmann, Delia; Ravignani, Andrea; Marshall-Pescini, Sarah; Whiten, Andrew

2014-06-13

Cumulative tool-based culture underwrote our species' evolutionary success, and tool-based nut-cracking is one of the strongest candidates for cultural transmission in our closest relatives, chimpanzees. However the social learning processes that may explain both the similarities and differences between the species remain unclear. A previous study of nut-cracking by initially naïve chimpanzees suggested that a learning chimpanzee holding no hammer nevertheless replicated hammering actions it witnessed. This observation has potentially important implications for the nature of the social learning processes and underlying motor coding involved. In the present study, model and observer actions were quantified frame-by-frame and analysed with stringent statistical methods, demonstrating synchrony between the observer's and model's movements, cross-correlation of these movements above chance level and a unidirectional transmission process from model to observer. These results provide the first quantitative evidence for motor mimicking underlain by motor coding in apes, with implications for mirror neuron function.

π-π Interaction among violanthrone molecules: observation, enhancement, and resulting charge transport properties.

PubMed

Shi, Min-Min; Chen, Yi; Nan, Ya-Xiong; Ling, Jun; Zuo, Li-Jian; Qiu, Wei-Ming; Wang, Mang; Chen, Hong-Zheng

2011-02-03

To investigate the relationship between π-π stacking and charge transport property of organic semiconductors, a highly soluble violanthrone derivative, 16,17-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)anthra[9,1,2-cde-]benzo[rst]pentaphene-5,10-dione (3), is designed and synthesized. The π-π stacking behavior and the aggregation of compound 3 in both solution and thin film were studied in detail by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). When (1)H NMR spectroscopy and theoretical modeling results were combined, the arrangements of compound 3 molecules in the aggregates are demonstrated, where the dipole moments of the two adjacent molecules are nearly reversed to achieve efficient intermolecular π-π overlapping. Furthermore, it is interesting to find that the π-π stacking of compound 3, in both solution and thin films, can be enhanced by introducing a poor solvent n-hexane into the dilute chloroform solution. The resulting film exhibits more red-shifted absorption and higher crystallinity than the film made from pure chloroform solvent, suggesting that π-π interactions in the solid state are intensified by the poor solvent. Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) with compound 3 film as the transportation layer were fabricated. It is disclosed that the compound 3 film obtained from the chloroform/n-hexane mixed solvents exhibits 1 order of magnitude higher hole mobility than that from the pure chloroform solvent because of the enhanced π-π interactions and the higher crystallinity in the former film. This work provided us valuable information in the improvement of electronic and optoelectronic performances of organic semiconductors by tuning their aggregate structures.

VLA Observation of Seyfert Galaxy MRK 6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, C.; Baum, S. A.; O'Dea, C.; Colbert, E. J. M.

1997-12-01

We have obtained deep radio observation of the Seyfert 1.5 galaxy Mrk6 with all VLA configurations at 6 and 20 cm. We confirm the existence of two pairs of diffuse low surface brightness radio lobes at different scales and orientations. The larger pair of lobes extend ( ~ 40" or 20 kpc) ~ 30(deg) NW-SE, and is evidence of starburst-driven superwind as suggested in Baum et. al (1993). The outer lobes are roughly perpendicular to a set of inner lobes which extend ( ~ 4" or 2 kpc) E-W and are in turn perpendicular to the inner jets imaged by Kukula et. al (1996). Both pairs of lobes appear to have shell-like structures, as implied by the observed anti-symmetric emission morphology which might be due to limb brightening as a result of increasing optical depth at the line of sight. The width of each structure is comparable to the length of the next smaller structure suggesting a "self-similar" (and possibly dynamical) relationship between these structures. These nested "bubble-like" structures with different orientations pose a challenge to the current paradigm of energy transport in Seyfert galaxies.

Einstein X-ray observations of Herbig Ae/Be stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Damiani, F.; Micela, G.; Sciortino, S.; Harnden, F. R., Jr.

1994-01-01

We have investigated the X-ray emission from Herbig Ae/Be stars, using the full set of Einstein Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC) observations. Of a total of 31 observed Herbig stars, 11 are confidently identified with X-ray sources, with four additonal dubious identifications. We have used maximum likelihood luminosity functions to study the distribution of X-ray luminosity, and we find that Be stars are significantly brighter in X-rays than Ae stars and that their X-ray luminosity is independent of projected rotational velocity v sin i. The X-ray emission is instead correlated with stellar bolometric luminosity and with effective temperature, and also with the kinetic luminosity of the stellar wind. These results seem to exclude a solar-like origin for the X-ray emission, a possibility suggested by the most recent models of Herbig stars' structure, and suggest an analogy with the X-ray emission of O (and early B) stars. We also observe correlations between X-ray luminosity and the emission at 2.2 microns (K band) and 25 microns, which strengthen the case for X-ray emission of Herbig stars originating in their circumstellar envelopes.

Nine-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Final Maps and Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, C. L.; Larson, D.; Weiland, J. L.; Jaorsik, N.; Hinshaw, G.; Odegard, N.; Smith, K. M.; Hill, R. S.; Gold, B.; Halpern, M;

Evidentiality and suggestibility: a new research venue.

PubMed

Aydin, Cağla; Ceci, Stephen J

2009-01-01

Recent research suggests that acquisition of mental-state language may influence conceptual development. We examine this possibility by investigating the conceptual links between evidentiality in language and suggestibility. Young children are disproportionately suggestible and tend to change their reports or memories when questioned. The authors discuss the extent to which components of mental-state understanding, specifically representational understanding and understanding origins of knowledge, are implicated in improvements in resistance to suggestions and comprehending evidentiality. The authors also review social-psychological evidence that has implications for evidential understanding. Integration of the literature on both topics is followed by suggestions for new research directions.

Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia—Results of treatment with clarithromycin versus corticosteroids—Observational study

PubMed Central

Langfort, Renata; Bestry, Iwona; Skoczylas, Agnieszka; Szczepulska-Wójcik, Ewa; Rudziński, Piotr; Chorostowska-Wynimko, Joanna; Roszkowski-Śliż, Kazimierz

2017-01-01

Background Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) is a clinicopathological syndrome of unknown origin. Corticosteroids are the standard treatment, but clarithromycin (CAM) is also effective. The aim of this observational retrospective study was to compare the results of CAM versus prednisone (PRE) treatment in patients with biopsy-proven OP without respiratory insufficiency. Material and methods In a 15-year period, 40 patients were treated with CAM (500 mg twice daily orally for 3 months) and 22 with PRE (mean initial dose of 0.67 ± 0.24 mg/kg/d for a mean of 8.59 ± 3.05 months). Results The clinical presentation, laboratory, and radiological findings did not differ markedly between patients treated with CAM and PRE, with the exception of a higher frequency of sweats (55% vs. 23%; p < 0.015), ground glass opacities (95% vs. 50%; p <0.0001) and nodular lesions (45% vs. 18%; p = 0.036) in the CAM group. A complete response was achieved in 35(88%) patients treated with CAM and in all treated with PRE. Patients treated with PRE relapsed more frequently than those treated with CAM (54.5% vs. 10%; p < 0.0001). Corticosteroid-related adverse events were noticed in 8(6.5%) patients (with one death), but CAM caused only one (2.5%) allergic reaction. A FVC >80% identified patients who might be successfully treated with CAM with a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 88.57% (AUC 0.869; 95% CI 0.684–1; p = 0.008); the figures for the FEV1 were >70%, a sensitivity of 60%, and a specificity of 91.43% (AUC 0.809; 95%CI 0.609–1; p = 0.027). Conclusions CAM can be used to treat COP patients in whom the pulmonary function parameters are within normal limits. Such therapy is shorter, better tolerated, and associated with fewer adverse events and relapses than is PRE. However, the therapy is ineffective in some patients. PMID:28945804

Does the Nature of the Experience Influence Suggestibility? A Study of Children's Event Memory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gobbo, Camilla; Mega, Carolina; Pipe, Margaret-Ellen

2002-01-01

Two experiments examined effects of event modality on young children's memory and suggestibility. Findings indicated that 5-year-olds were more accurate than 3-year-olds and those participating in the event were more accurate than those either observing or listening to a narrative. Assessment method, level of event learning, delay to testing, and…

Bipolar cloud-to-ground lightning flash observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saba, Marcelo M. F.; Schumann, Carina; Warner, Tom A.; Helsdon, John H.; Schulz, Wolfgang; Orville, Richard E.

2013-10-01

lightning is usually defined as a lightning flash where the current waveform exhibits a polarity reversal. There are very few reported cases of cloud-to-ground (CG) bipolar flashes using only one channel in the literature. Reports on this type of bipolar flashes are not common due to the fact that in order to confirm that currents of both polarities follow the same channel to the ground, one necessarily needs video records. This study presents five clear observations of single-channel bipolar CG flashes. High-speed video and electric field measurement observations are used and analyzed. Based on the video images obtained and based on previous observations of positive CG flashes with high-speed cameras, we suggest that positive leader branches which do not participate in the initial return stroke of a positive cloud-to-ground flash later generate recoil leaders whose negative ends, upon reaching the branch point, traverse the return stroke channel path to the ground resulting in a subsequent return stroke of opposite polarity.