Numerical assessment of the influence of different joint hysteretic models over the seismic behaviour of Moment Resisting Steel Frames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giordano, V.; Chisari, C.; Rizzano, G.; Latour, M.

2017-10-01

The main aim of this work is to understand how the prediction of the seismic performance of moment-resisting (MR) steel frames depends on the modelling of their dissipative zones when the structure geometry (number of stories and bays) and seismic excitation source vary. In particular, a parametric analysis involving 4 frames was carried out, and, for each one, the full-strength beam-to-column connections were modelled according to 4 numerical approaches with different degrees of sophistication (Smooth Hysteretic Model, Bouc-Wen, Hysteretic and simple Elastic-Plastic models). Subsequently, Incremental Dynamic Analyses (IDA) were performed by considering two different earthquakes (Spitak and Kobe). The preliminary results collected so far pointed out that the influence of the joint modelling on the overall frame response is negligible up to interstorey drift ratio values equal to those conservatively assumed by the codes to define conventional collapse (0.03 rad). Conversely, if more realistic ultimate interstorey drift values are considered for the q-factor evaluation, the influence of joint modelling can be significant, and thus may require accurate modelling of its cyclic behavior.

Low-temperature behavior of core-softened models: water and silica behavior.

PubMed

Jagla, E A

2001-06-01

A core-softened model of a glass forming fluid is numerically studied in the limit of very low temperatures. The model shows two qualitatively different behaviors depending on the strength of the attraction between particles. For no or low attraction, the changes of density as a function of pressure are smooth, although hysteretic due to mechanical metastabilities. For larger attraction, sudden changes of density upon compressing and decompressing occur. This global mechanical instability is correlated to the existence of a thermodynamic first-order amorphous-amorphous transition. The two different behaviors obtained correspond qualitatively to the different phenomenology observed in silica and water.

Self-action of propagating and standing Lamb waves in the plates exhibiting hysteretic nonlinearity: Nonlinear zero-group velocity modes.

PubMed

Gusev, Vitalyi E; Lomonosov, Alexey M; Ni, Chenyin; Shen, Zhonghua

2017-09-01

An analytical theory accounting for the influence of hysteretic nonlinearity of micro-inhomogeneous plate material on the Lamb waves near the S 1 zero group velocity point is developed. The theory predicts that the main effect of the hysteretic quadratic nonlinearity consists in the modification of the frequency and the induced absorption of the Lamb modes. The effects of the nonlinear self-action in the propagating and standing Lamb waves are expected to be, respectively, nearly twice and three times stronger than those in the plane propagating acoustic waves. The theory is restricted to the simplest hysteretic nonlinearity, which is influencing only one of the Lamé moduli of the materials. However, possible extensions of the theory to the cases of more general hysteretic nonlinearities are discussed as well as the perspectives of its experimental testing. Applications include nondestructive evaluation of micro-inhomogeneous and cracked plates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hysteretic magnetoresistance and unconventional anomalous Hall effect in the frustrated magnet TmB 4

DOE PAGES

Sunku, Sai Swaroop; Kong, Tai; Ito, Toshimitsu; ...

2016-05-11

We study TmB 4, a frustrated magnet on the Archimedean Shastry-Sutherland lattice, through magnetization and transport experiments. The lack of anisotropy in resistivity shows that TmB4 is an electronically three-dimensional system. The magnetoresistance (MR) is hysteretic at low temperature even though a corresponding hysteresis in magnetization is absent. The Hall resistivity shows unconventional anomalous Hall effect (AHE) and is linear above saturation despite a large MR. In conclusion, we propose that complex structures at magnetic domain walls may be responsible for the hysteretic MR and may also lead to the AHE.

Multilevel radiative thermal memory realized by the hysteretic metal-insulator transition of vanadium dioxide

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

Ito, Kota, E-mail: kotaito@mosk.tytlabs.co.jp; Nishikawa, Kazutaka; Iizuka, Hideo

Thermal information processing is attracting much interest as an analog of electronic computing. We experimentally demonstrated a radiative thermal memory utilizing a phase change material. The hysteretic metal-insulator transition of vanadium dioxide (VO{sub 2}) allows us to obtain a multilevel memory. We developed a Preisach model to explain the hysteretic radiative heat transfer between a VO{sub 2} film and a fused quartz substrate. The transient response of our memory predicted by the Preisach model agrees well with the measured response. Our multilevel thermal memory paves the way for thermal information processing as well as contactless thermal management.

Fast, Low-Power, Hysteretic Level-Detector Circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arditti, Mordechai

1993-01-01

Circuit for detection of preset levels of voltage or current intended to replace standard fast voltage comparator. Hysteretic analog/digital level detector operates at unusually low power with little sacrifice of speed. Comprises low-power analog circuit and complementary metal oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) digital circuit connected in overall closed feedback loop to decrease rise and fall times, provide hysteresis, and trip-level control. Contains multiple subloops combining linear and digital feedback. Levels of sensed signals and hysteresis level easily adjusted by selection of components to suit specific application.

COMPARING SIMULATED AND EXPERIMENTAL HYSTERETIC TWO- PHASE TRANSIENT FLUID FLOW PHENOMENA

EPA Science Inventory

A hysteretic model for two-phase permeability (k)-saturation (S)-pressure (P) relations is outlined that accounts for effects of nonwetting fluid entrapment. The model can be employed in unsaturated fluid flow computer codes to predict temporal and spatial fluid distributions. Co...

Analysis of Fixed Duty Cycle Hysteretic Flyback Converter for Firing Set Applications.

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

Love, Thomas Michael

2017-05-01

This paper analyzes several performance aspects of the fixed-duty-cycle, hysteretic flyback converter topology typically used in firing sets. Topologies with and without active pulse-by-pulse current limiting are considered, and closed-form expressions in terms of basic operating parameters are derived.

INDIRECT INTELLIGENT SLIDING MODE CONTROL OF A SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY ACTUATED FLEXIBLE BEAM USING HYSTERETIC RECURRENT NEURAL NETWORKS.

PubMed

Hannen, Jennifer C; Crews, John H; Buckner, Gregory D

2012-08-01

This paper introduces an indirect intelligent sliding mode controller (IISMC) for shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, specifically a flexible beam deflected by a single offset SMA tendon. The controller manipulates applied voltage, which alters SMA tendon temperature to track reference bending angles. A hysteretic recurrent neural network (HRNN) captures the nonlinear, hysteretic relationship between SMA temperature and bending angle. The variable structure control strategy provides robustness to model uncertainties and parameter variations, while effectively compensating for system nonlinearities, achieving superior tracking compared to an optimized PI controller.

Proposed differential-frequency-readout system by hysteretic Josephson junctions

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

Wang, L.Z.; Duncan, R.V.

1992-10-01

The Josephson relation {ital V}={ital nh}{nu}/2{ital e} has been verified experimentally to 3 parts in 10{sup 19} (A. K. Jain, J. E. Lukens, and J.-S. Tsai, Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1165 (1987)). Motivated by this result, we propose a differential-frequency-readout system by two sets of hysteretic Josephson junctions rf biased at millimeter wavelengths. Because of the Josephson relation, the proposed differential-frequency-readout system is not limited by photon fluctuation, which limits most photon-detection schemes. In the context of the Stewart-McCumber model (W. C. Stewart, Appl. Phys. Lett. 12, 277 (1968); D. E. McCumber, J. Appl. Phys. 39, 3113 (1968)) of Josephsonmore » junctions, we show theoretically that the differential frequency of the two milliwave biases can be read out by the proposed system to unprecedented accuracy. The stability of the readout scheme is also discussed. The measurement uncertainty of the readout system resulting from the intrinsic thermal noise in the hysteretic junctions is shown to be insignificant. The study of two single junctions can be extended to two sets of Josephson junctions connected in series (series array) in this measurement scheme provided that junctions are separated by at least 10 {mu}m (D. W. Jillie, J. E. Lukens, and Y. H. Kao, Phys. Rev. Lett. 38, 915 (1977)). The sensitivity for the differential frequency detection may be increased by biasing both series arrays to a higher constant-voltage step.« less

Hysteretic phenomena in GFET: Comprehensive theory and experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurchak, Anatolii I.; Morozovska, Anna N.; Strikha, Maksym V.

2017-07-01

We propose a comprehensive analytical theory for the description of versatile hysteretic phenomena in a graphene field effect transistor (GFET). Our theory account for the existence of the three most important rival factors, such as external dipoles on graphene free surface, localized states at the graphene-substrate interface, and the bound polarization charge coming from a ferroelectric substrate. In particular, we demonstrated that the absorbed dipole molecules (e.g., dissociated or highly polarized water molecules) can cause hysteretic form of carrier concentration as a function of gate voltage and corresponding dependence of graphene conductivity in GFET on the substrate of different types, including the most common SiO2 and ferroelectric ones. It was shown that the increase in the gate voltage sweeping rate leads to the complete vanishing of hysteresis for GFET on SiO2 substrate as well as for GFET on ferroelectric substrate for applied electric fields E less than the critical value Ec. For E > Ec, the cross-over from the anti-hysteresis to hysteresis take place. The carriers' trapping from the graphene channel by the interface states describes the "anti-hysteresis" in GFET on PZT substrate well enough. These results well correlate with the available experimental data up to the quantitative agreement. So, the obtained analytical results predict new and clarify existing effects in GFET. They describe quantitatively the physical principles of GFET operation and can become the first necessary step to transform the state-of-art from almost empirical to analytical level, because they can be directly applied to describe the basic characteristics of advanced non-volatile ultra-fast memory devices using GFET on versatile substrates.

Electric polarization observed in single crystals of multiferroic Lu 2 MnCoO 6

DOE PAGES

Chikara, Shalinee; Singleton, John; Bowlan, John M.; ...

2016-05-17

We report electric polarization and magnetization measurements in single crystals of double perovskite Lu 2MnCoO 6 using pulsed magnetic fields and optical second harmonic generation in dc magnetic fields. We observe well-resolved magnetic field-induced changes in the electric polarization in single crystals and thereby resolve the question about whether multiferroic behavior is intrinsic to these materials or is an extrinsic feature of polycrystals. We find electric polarization along the crystalline b axis, that is suppressed by applying a magnetic fields along the c axis, and advance a model for the origin of magnetoelectric coupling. We furthermore map the phase diagrammore » using both capacitance and electric polarization to identify regions of ordering and regions of magnetoelectric hysteresis. This compound is a rare example of coupled hysteretic behavior in the magnetic and electric properties. Furthermore, the ferromagneticlike magnetic hysteresis loop that couples to hysteretic electric polarization can be attributed not to ordinary ferromagnetic domains, but to the rich physics of magnetic frustration of Ising-like spins in the axial next-nearest-neighbor interaction model.« less

On the theory of hysteretic magnetostriction of soft ferrogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubarev, Andrey; Chirikov, Dmitry; Stepanov, Gennady; Borin, Dmitry; Lopez-Lopez, M. T.

2018-05-01

The paper deals with theoretical study of hysteretic magnetostriction of soft ferrogels - composite materials, consisting of the micron-sized magnetizable particles embedded into gel matrices. It is supposed that initially, before application of an external magnetic field, the particles are homogeneously and isotropically distributed in an elastic matrix. The theoretical explanation of the hysteresis phenomena is based on the conception that, under the field action, the particles rearrange into the linear chain-like aggregates. The typical length of the chains is determined by the competition between the force of magnetic attraction of the particles and the force of elastic deformation of the matrix.

Amplitude-dependent internal friction, hysteretic nonlinearity, and nonlinear oscillations in a magnesite resonator.

PubMed

Nazarov, V E; Kolpakov, A B; Radostin, A V

2012-07-01

The results of experimental and theoretical studies of low-frequency nonlinear acoustics phenomena (amplitude-dependent loss, resonance frequency shifts, and a generation of second and third harmonics) in a magnesite rod resonator are presented. Acceleration and velocity oscillograms of vibrations of the free boundary of the resonator caused by harmonic excitations were measured and analyzed. A theoretical description of the observed amplitude dependences was carried out within the framework of the phenomenological state equations that contain either of the two types of hysteretic nonlinearity (elastic and inelastic). The type of hysteresis and parameters of acoustic nonlinearity of magnesite were established from comparing the experimental measurements with the theoretical dependences. The values of the parameters were anomalously high even when compared to those of other strongly nonlinear polycrystalline materials such as granite, marble, limestone, sandstone, etc.

Classification of Prairie basins by their hysteretic connected functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shook, K.; Pomeroy, J. W.

2017-12-01

Diagnosing climate change impacts in the post-glacial landscapes of the North American Prairies through hydrological modelling is made difficult by drainage basin physiography. The region is cold, dry and flat with poorly developed stream networks, and so the basin area that is hydrologically connected to the stream outlet varies with basin depressional storage. The connected area controls the contributing area for runoff reaching the stream outlet. As depressional storage fills, ponds spill from one to another; the chain of spilling ponds allows water to flow over the landscape and increases the connected area of the basin. As depressional storage decreases, the connected fraction drops dramatically. Detailed, fine-scale models and remote sensing have shown that the relationship between connected area and the depressional storage is hysteretic in Prairie basins and that the nature of hysteresis varies with basin physiography. This hysteresis needs to be represented in hydrological models to calculate contributing area, and therefore streamflow hydrographs. Parameterisations of the hysteresis are needed for large-scale models used for climate change diagnosis. However, use of parameterisations of hysteresis requires guidance on how to represent them for a particular basin. This study shows that it is possible to relate the shape of hysteretic functions as determined by detailed models to the overall physiography of the basin, such as the fraction of the basin below the outlet, and remote sensing estimates of depressional storage, using the size distribution and location of maximum ponded water areas. By classifying basin physiography, the hysteresis of connected area - storage relationships can be estimated for basins that do not have high-resolution topographic data, and without computationally-expensive high-resolution modelling.

Assessing catchment connectivity using hysteretic loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keesstra, Saskia; Masselink, Rens; Goni, Mikel; Campo, Miguel Angel; Gimenez, Rafael; Casali, Javier; Seeger, Manuel

2015-04-01

Sediment connectivity is a concept which can explain the origin, pathways and sinks of sediments within landscapes. This information is valuable for land managers to be able to take appropriate action at the correct place. Hysteresis between sediment and water discharge can give important information about the sources , pathways and conditions of sediment that arrives at the outlet of a catchment. "Hysteresis" happens when the sediment concentration associated with a certain flow rate is different depending on the direction in which the analysis is performed -towards the increase or towards the diminution of the flow. This phenomenon to some extent reflects the way in which the runoff generation processes are conjugated with those of the production and transport of sediments, hence the usefulness of hysteresis as a diagnostic hydrological parameter. However, the complexity of the phenomena and factors which determine hysteresis make its interpretation uncertain or, at the very least, problematic. Many types of hysteretic loops have been described as well as the cause for the shape of the loop, mainly describing the origin of the sediments. In this study, several measures to objectively classify hysteretic loops in an automated way were developed. These were consecutively used to classify several hundreds of loops from several agricultural catchments in Northern Spain. The data set for this study comes from four experimental watersheds in Navarre (Spain), owned and maintained by the Government of Navarre. These experimental watersheds have been monitored and studied since 1996 (La Tejería and Latxaga) and 2001 (Oskotz "principal", Op, and Oskotz "woodland", Ow). La Tejería and Latxaga watersheds, located in the Central Western part of Navarre, are roughly similar to each other regarding size (approximately 200 ha), geology (marls and sandstones), soils (fine texture topsoil), climate (humid sub Mediterranean) and land use (80-90% cultivated with winter grain crops

Global adaptive control for uncertain nonaffine nonlinear hysteretic systems.

PubMed

Liu, Yong-Hua; Huang, Liangpei; Xiao, Dongming; Guo, Yong

2015-09-01

In this paper, the global output tracking is investigated for a class of uncertain nonlinear hysteretic systems with nonaffine structures. By combining the solution properties of the hysteresis model with the novel backstepping approach, a robust adaptive control algorithm is developed without constructing a hysteresis inverse. The proposed control scheme is further modified to tackle the bounded disturbances by adaptively estimating their bounds. It is rigorously proven that the designed adaptive controllers can guarantee global stability of the closed-loop system. Two numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed control schemes. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unraveling complex nonlinear elastic behaviors in rocks using dynamic acousto-elasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riviere, J.; Guyer, R.; Renaud, G.; TenCate, J. A.; Johnson, P. A.

2012-12-01

In comparison with standard nonlinear ultrasonic methods like frequency mixing or resonance based measurements that allow one to extract average, bulk variations of modulus and attenuation versus strain level, dynamic acousto-elasticity (DAE) allows to obtain the elastic behavior over the entire dynamic cycle, detailing the full nonlinear behavior under tension and compression, including hysteresis and memory effects. This method consists of exciting a sample in Bulk-mode resonance at strains of 10-7 to 10-5 and simultaneously probing with a sequence of high frequency, low amplitude pulses. Time of flight and amplitudes of these pulses, respectively related to nonlinear elastic and dissipative parameters, can be plotted versus vibration strain level. Despite complex nonlinear signatures obtained for most rocks, it can be shown that for low strain amplitude (< 10-6), the nonlinear classical theory issued from a Taylor decomposition can explain the harmonic content. For higher strain, harmonic content becomes richer and the material exhibits more hysteretic behaviors, i.e. strain rate dependencies. Such observations have been made in the past (e.g., Pasqualini et al., JGR 2007), but not with the extreme detail of elasticity provided by DAE. Previous quasi-static measurements made in Berea sandstone (Claytor et al, GRL 2009), show that the hysteretic behavior disappears when the protocol is performed at a very low strain-rate (static limit). Therefore, future work will aim at linking quasi-static and dynamic observations, i.e. the frequency or strain-rate dependence, in order to understand underlying physical phenomena.

Studying the hysteretic behaviour of unconsolidated sediments using an electroencephalography apparatus: a laboratory study.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruggeri, Paolo; Jougnot, Damien; Chavarriaga, Ricardo; Brandner, Catherine; del Rocio Millán Ruiz, José; Linde, Niklas

2015-04-01

In soil science, the hysteretic nature of the water retention curve plays an important role in describing a soil's propensity to retain water and conduct fluid flow. However, hysteresis effects remain difficult to study and to quantify. Geophysical methods provide suitable and non-invasive tools that could be used for this purpose. For example, the degree of water saturation in a soil can be determined by measuring its electrical resistivity, while a water flux through a soil generates a measureable electrical potential difference (streaming potential). The objective of this work is to study the hysteretic behaviour of unconsolidated sediments during repeated drainage and imbibition cycles under well-constrained laboratory conditions. Monitoring was performed using a 32-electrode electroencephalography (EEG) apparatus (Biosemi) coupled with a current injection system. We used a 150 cm high sand-filled column in which we monitored self-potential (SP) signals using 15 electrodes in direct contact with the medium (so-called "naked" electrodes), and 15 electrodes that were inserted in small porous pots that were filled with water of the same conductivity and chloride concentration as the water saturating the sand (so-called "chamber" electrodes). For both electrode types, the electrodes were placed between 5 and 145 cm height with an electrode spacing of 10 cm. Pressure (10 tensiometers) and mass, together with the temperature and the relative humidity in the room, were constantly monitored for the entire duration of the experiments. We performed ten cycles of drainage and imbibition by changing the water level of an external reservoir connected to the column. Each drainage and imbibition cycle took approximately 25 and 17 hours, respectively, for a total duration of the experiment of 24 days. After each imbibition and drainage cycle, we performed complex conductivity measurements by injecting a known electric current at two electrodes using a sine wave with varying

Identification of Bouc-Wen hysteretic parameters based on enhanced response sensitivity approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Li; Lu, Zhong-Rong

2017-05-01

This paper aims to identify parameters of Bouc-Wen hysteretic model using time-domain measured data. It follows a general inverse identification procedure, that is, identifying model parameters is treated as an optimization problem with the nonlinear least squares objective function. Then, the enhanced response sensitivity approach, which has been shown convergent and proper for such kind of problems, is adopted to solve the optimization problem. Numerical tests are undertaken to verify the proposed identification approach.

Hysteretic behavior using the explicit material point method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sofianos, Christos D.; Koumousis, Vlasis K.

2018-05-01

The material point method (MPM) is an advancement of particle in cell method, in which Lagrangian bodies are discretized by a number of material points that hold all the properties and the state of the material. All internal variables, stress, strain, velocity, etc., which specify the current state, and are required to advance the solution, are stored in the material points. A background grid is employed to solve the governing equations by interpolating the material point data to the grid. The derived momentum conservation equations are solved at the grid nodes and information is transferred back to the material points and the background grid is reset, ready to handle the next iteration. In this work, the standard explicit MPM is extended to account for smooth elastoplastic material behavior with mixed isotropic and kinematic hardening and stiffness and strength degradation. The strains are decomposed into an elastic and an inelastic part according to the strain decomposition rule. To account for the different phases during elastic loading or unloading and smoothening the transition from the elastic to inelastic regime, two Heaviside-type functions are introduced. These act as switches and incorporate the yield function and the hardening laws to control the whole cyclic behavior. A single expression is thus established for the plastic multiplier for the whole range of stresses. This overpasses the need for a piecewise approach and a demanding bookkeeping mechanism especially when multilinear models are concerned that account for stiffness and strength degradation. The final form of the constitutive stress rate-strain rate relation incorporates the tangent modulus of elasticity, which now includes the Heaviside functions and gathers all the governing behavior, facilitating considerably the simulation of nonlinear response in the MPM framework. Numerical results are presented that validate the proposed formulation in the context of the MPM in comparison with finite

Fragility and hysteretic creep in frictional granular jamming.

PubMed

Bandi, M M; Rivera, M K; Krzakala, F; Ecke, R E

2013-04-01

The granular jamming transition is experimentally investigated in a two-dimensional system of frictional, bidispersed disks subject to quasistatic, uniaxial compression without vibrational disturbances (zero granular temperature). Three primary results are presented in this experimental study. First, using disks with different static friction coefficients (μ), we experimentally verify numerical results that predict jamming onset at progressively lower packing fractions with increasing friction. Second, we show that the first compression cycle measurably differs from subsequent cycles. The first cycle is fragile-a metastable configuration with simultaneous jammed and unjammed clusters-over a small packing fraction interval (φ(1)<φ<φ(2)) and exhibits simultaneous exponential rise in pressure and exponential decrease in disk displacements over the same packing fraction interval. This fragile behavior is explained through a percolation mechanism of stressed contacts where cluster growth exhibits spatial correlation with disk displacements and contributes to recent results emphasizing fragility in frictional jamming. Control experiments show that the fragile state results from the experimental incompatibility between the requirements for zero friction and zero granular temperature. Measurements with several disk materials of varying elastic moduli E and friction coefficients μ show that friction directly controls the start of the fragile state but indirectly controls the exponential pressure rise. Finally, under repetitive loading (compression) and unloading (decompression), we find the system exhibits pressure hysteresis, and the critical packing fraction φ(c) increases slowly with repetition number. This friction-induced hysteretic creep is interpreted as the granular pack's evolution from a metastable to an eventual structurally stable configuration. It is shown to depend on the quasistatic step size Δφ, which provides the only perturbative mechanism in the

Numerical Simulation of Hysteretic Live Load Effect in a Soil-Steel Bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobótka, Maciej

2014-03-01

The paper presents numerical simulation of hysteretic live load effect in a soil-steel bridge. The effect was originally identified experimentally by Machelski [1], [2]. The truck was crossing the bridge one way and the other in the full-scale test performed. At the same time, displacements and stress in the shell were measured. The major conclusion from the research was that the measured quantities formed hysteretic loops. A numerical simulation of that effect is addressed in the present work. The analysis was performed using Flac finite difference code. The methodology of solving the mechanical problems implemented in Flac enables us to solve the problem concerning a sequence of load and non-linear mechanical behaviour of the structure. The numerical model incorporates linear elastic constitutive relations for the soil backfill, for the steel shell and the sheet piles, being a flexible substructure for the shell. Contact zone between the shell and the soil backfill is assumed to reflect elastic-plastic constitutive model. Maximum shear stress in contact zone is limited by the Coulomb condition. The plastic flow rule is described by dilation angle ψ = 0. The obtained results of numerical analysis are in fair agreement with the experimental evidence. The primary finding from the performed simulation is that the slip in the interface can be considered an explanation of the hysteresis occurrence in the charts of displacement and stress in the shell.

Calorie restriction hysteretically primes aging Saccharomyces cerevisiae toward more effective oxidative metabolism.

PubMed

Tahara, Erich B; Cunha, Fernanda M; Basso, Thiago O; Della Bianca, Bianca E; Gombert, Andreas K; Kowaltowski, Alicia J

2013-01-01

Calorie restriction (CR) is an intervention known to extend the lifespan of a wide variety of organisms. In S. cerevisiae, chronological lifespan is prolonged by decreasing glucose availability in the culture media, a model for CR. The mechanism has been proposed to involve an increase in the oxidative (versus fermentative) metabolism of glucose. Here, we measured wild-type and respiratory incompetent (ρ(0)) S. cerevisiae biomass formation, pH, oxygen and glucose consumption, and the evolution of ethanol, glycerol, acetate, pyruvate and succinate levels during the course of 28 days of chronological aging, aiming to identify metabolic changes responsible for the effects of CR. The concomitant and quantitative measurements allowed for calculations of conversion factors between different pairs of substrates and products, maximum specific substrate consumption and product formation rates and maximum specific growth rates. Interestingly, we found that the limitation of glucose availability in CR S. cerevisiae cultures hysteretically increases oxygen consumption rates many hours after the complete exhaustion of glucose from the media. Surprisingly, glucose-to-ethanol conversion and cellular growth supported by glucose were not quantitatively altered by CR. Instead, we found that CR primed the cells for earlier, faster and more efficient metabolism of respiratory substrates, especially ethanol. Since lifespan-enhancing effects of CR are absent in respiratory incompetent ρ(0) cells, we propose that the hysteretic effect of glucose limitation on oxidative metabolism is central toward chronological lifespan extension by CR in this yeast.

Thermally activated hysteresis in high quality graphene/h-BN devices

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

Cadore, A. R., E-mail: alissoncadore@gmail.com, E-mail: lccampos@fisica.ufmg.br; Mania, E.; Lacerda, R. G.

2016-06-06

We report on gate hysteresis of resistance in high quality graphene/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) devices. We observe a thermally activated hysteretic behavior in resistance as a function of the applied gate voltage at temperatures above 375 K. In order to investigate the origin of the hysteretic phenomenon, we compare graphene/h-BN heterostructure devices with SiO{sub 2}/Si back gate electrodes to devices with graphite back gate electrodes. The gate hysteretic behavior of the resistance is present only in devices with an h-BN/SiO{sub 2} interface and is dependent on the orientation of the applied gate electric field and sweep rate. We describe a phenomenologicalmore » model which captures all of our findings based on charges trapped at the h-BN/SiO{sub 2} interface. Such hysteretic behavior in graphene resistance must be considered in high temperature applications for graphene devices and may open new routes for applications in digital electronics and memory devices.« less

Observation procedure, observer gender, and behavior valence as determinants of sampling error in a behavior assessment analogue

PubMed Central

Farkas, Gary M.; Tharp, Roland G.

1980-01-01

Several factors thought to influence the representativeness of behavioral assessment data were examined in an analogue study using a multifactorial design. Systematic and unsystematic methods of observing group behavior were investigated using 18 male and 18 female observers. Additionally, valence properties of the observed behaviors were inspected. Observers' assessments of a videotape were compared to a criterion code that defined the population of behaviors. Results indicated that systematic observation procedures were more accurate than unsystematic procedures, though this factor interacted with gender of observer and valence of behavior. Additionally, males tended to sample more representatively than females. A third finding indicated that the negatively valenced behavior was overestimated, whereas the neutral and positively valenced behaviors were accurately assessed. PMID:16795631

Hysteretic growth and decay of a waterspout column

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naumov, Igor V.; Herrada, Miguel A.; Sharifullin, Bulat R.; Shtern, Vladimir N.

2018-02-01

This work explores a model waterspout: a flow of water and sunflower oil driven by the rotating lid in a sealed vertical cylindrical container. The experiments reveal the hysteretic growth and decay of a water column. The numerical simulations uncover vortex breakdown (VB) in the water and oil flows. As the rotation speeds up, (1) a VB water cell emerges near the bottom center, (2) it expands and occupies almost the entire water volume except a thin layer adjusted to the interface, (3) a VB oil cell emerges and disappears above the interface-axis intersection, (4) the interface rises near the axis, descends at the periphery, and shifts from the sidewall to the bottom, (5) the water touches the lid near the axis and forms a column, extending from the bottom up to the lid. As the rotation decelerates, the process reverses, but the flow states differ from those for the direct process at same rotation speeds. It is argued that the hysteresis is a capillary phenomenon and occurs because the interface-wall contact angle differs in the direct and reverse processes.

Observation of current reversal in the scanning tunneling spectra of fullerene-like WS2 nanoparticles.

PubMed

Azulay, Doron; Kopnov, Frieda; Tenne, Reshef; Balberg, Isaac; Millo, Oded

2006-04-01

Current-voltage characteristics measured using STM on fullerene-like WS2 nanoparticles show zero-bias current and contain segments in which the tunneling current flows opposite to the applied bias voltage. In addition, negative differential conductance peaks emerge in these reversed current segments, and the characteristics are hysteretic with respect to the change in the voltage sweep direction. Such unusual features resemble those appearing in cyclic voltammograms, but are uniquely observed here in tunneling spectra measured in vacuum, as well as in ambient and dry atmosphere conditions. This behavior is attributed to tunneling-driven electrochemical processes.

Multiaxial behavior of foams - Experiments and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maheo, Laurent; Guérard, Sandra; Rio, Gérard; Donnard, Adrien; Viot, Philippe

2015-09-01

Cellular materials are strongly related to pressure level inside the material. It is therefore important to use experiments which can highlight (i) the pressure-volume behavior, (ii) the shear-shape behavior for different pressure level. Authors propose to use hydrostatic compressive, shear and combined pressure-shear tests to determine cellular materials behavior. Finite Element Modeling must take into account these behavior specificities. Authors chose to use a behavior law with a Hyperelastic, a Viscous and a Hysteretic contributions. Specific developments has been performed on the Hyperelastic one by separating the spherical and the deviatoric part to take into account volume change and shape change characteristics of cellular materials.

Flowing Active Liquids in a Pipe: Hysteretic Response of Polar Flocks to External Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morin, Alexandre; Bartolo, Denis

2018-04-01

We investigate the response of colloidal flocks to external fields. We first show that individual colloidal rollers align with external flows, as would a classical spin with magnetic fields. Assembling polar active liquids from colloidal rollers, we experimentally demonstrate their hysteretic response: Confined colloidal flocks can proceed against external flows. We theoretically explain this collective robustness, using an active hydrodynamic description, and show how orientational elasticity and confinement protect the direction of collective motion. Finally, we exploit the intrinsic bistability of confined active flows to devise self-sustained microfluidic oscillators.

Hydrogels with a Memory: Dual-Responsive, Organometallic Poly(ionic liquid)s with Hysteretic Volume-Phase Transition

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

We report on the synthesis and structure–property relations of a novel, dual-responsive organometallic poly(ionic liquid) (PIL), consisting of a poly(ferrocenylsilane) backbone of alternating redox-active, silane-bridged ferrocene units and tetraalkylphosphonium sulfonate moieties in the side groups. This PIL is redox responsive due to the presence of ferrocene in the backbone and also exhibits a lower critical solution temperature (LCST)-type thermal responsive behavior. The LCST phase transition originates from the interaction between water molecules and the ionic substituents and shows a concentration-dependent, tunable transition temperature in aqueous solution. The PIL’s LCST-type transition temperature can also be influenced by varying the redox state of ferrocene in the polymer main chain. As the polymer can be readily cross-linked and is easily converted into hydrogels, it represents a new dual-responsive materials platform. Interestingly, the as-formed hydrogels display an unusual, strongly hysteretic volume-phase transition indicating useful thermal memory properties. By employing the dispersing abilities of this cationic PIL, CNT-hydrogel composites were successfully prepared. These hybrid conductive composite hydrogels showed bi-stable states and tunable resistance in heating–cooling cycles. PMID:28654756

Modeling of hysteretic Schottky diode-like conduction in Pt/BiFeO3/SrRuO3 switches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, E.; Jiménez, D.; Tsurumaki-Fukuchi, A.; Blasco, J.; Yamada, H.; Suñé, J.; Sawa, A.

2014-08-01

The hysteresis current-voltage (I-V) loops in Pt/BiFeO3/SrRuO3 structures are simulated using a Schottky diode-like conduction model with sigmoidally varying parameters, including series resistance correction and barrier lowering. The evolution of the system is represented by a vector in a 3D parameter space describing a closed trajectory with stationary states. It is shown that the hysteretic behavior is not only the result of a Schottky barrier height (SBH) variation arising from the BiFeO3 polarization reversal but also a consequence of the potential drop distribution across the device. The SBH modulation is found to be remarkably lower (<0.07 eV) than previously reported (>0.5 eV). It is also shown that the p-type semiconducting nature of BiFeO3 can explain the large ideality factors (>6) required to simulate the I-V curves as well as the highly asymmetric set and reset voltages (4.7 V and -1.9 V) exhibited by our devices.

Observational Assessment of Preschool Disruptive Behavior, Part II: validity of the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS).

PubMed

Wakschlag, Lauren S; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J; Hill, Carri; Danis, Barbara; Leventhal, Bennett L; Keenan, Kate; Egger, Helen L; Cicchetti, Domenic; Burns, James; Carter, Alice S

2008-06-01

To examine the validity of the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS), a new observational method for assessing preschool disruptive behavior. A total of 327 behaviorally heterogeneous preschoolers from low-income environments comprised the validation sample. Parent and teacher reports were used to identify children with clinically significant disruptive behavior. The DB-DOS assessed observed disruptive behavior in two domains, problems in Behavioral Regulation and Anger Modulation, across three interactional contexts: Examiner Engaged, Examiner Busy, and Parent. Convergent and divergent validity of the DB-DOS were tested in relation to parent and teacher reports and independently observed behavior. Clinical validity was tested in terms of criterion and incremental validity of the DB-DOS for discriminating disruptive behavior status and impairment, concurrently and longitudinally. DB-DOS scores were significantly associated with reported and independently observed behavior in a theoretically meaningful fashion. Scores from both DB-DOS domains and each of the three DB-DOS contexts contributed uniquely to discrimination of disruptive behavior status, concurrently and predictively. Observed behavior on the DB-DOS also contributed incrementally to prediction of impairment over time, beyond variance explained by meeting DSM-IV disruptive behavior disorder symptom criteria based on parent/teacher report. The multidomain, multicontext approach of the DB-DOS is a valid method for direct assessment of preschool disruptive behavior. This approach shows promise for enhancing accurate identification of clinically significant disruptive behavior in young children and for characterizing subtypes in a manner that can directly inform etiological and intervention research.

Hysteretic Four-Step Spin Crossover within a Three-Dimensional Porous Hofmann-like Material

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

Clements, John E.; Price, Jason R.; Neville, Suzanne M.

Materials that display multiple stepped spin crossover (SCO) transitions with accompanying hysteresis present the opportunity for ternary, quaternary, and quinary electronic switching and data storage but are rare in existence. Herein, we present the first report of a four-step hysteretic SCO framework. Single-crystal structure analysis of a porous 3D Hofmann-like material showed long-range ordering of spin states: HS, HS 0.67LS 0.33, HS 0.5LS 0.5, HS 0.33LS 0.67, and LS. These detailed structural studies provide insight into how multistep SCO materials can be rationally designed through control of host–host and host–guest interactions.

Hysteretic Flux Response and Nondegenerate Gain of Flux-Driven Josephson Parametric Amplifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pogorzalek, Stefan; Fedorov, Kirill G.; Zhong, Ling; Goetz, Jan; Wulschner, Friedrich; Fischer, Michael; Eder, Peter; Xie, Edwar; Inomata, Kunihiro; Yamamoto, Tsuyoshi; Nakamura, Yasunobu; Marx, Achim; Deppe, Frank; Gross, Rudolf

2017-08-01

Josephson parametric amplifiers (JPAs) have become key devices in quantum science and technology with superconducting circuits. In particular, they can be utilized as quantum-limited amplifiers or as a source of squeezed microwave fields. Here, we report on the detailed measurements of five flux-driven JPAs exhibiting a hysteretic dependence of the resonant frequency on the applied magnetic flux. We model the measured characteristics by numerical simulations based on the two-dimensional potential landscape of the dc superconducting quantum interference devices, which provide the JPA nonlinearity for a nonzero screening parameter βL>0 and demonstrate excellent agreement between the numerical results and the experimental data. Furthermore, we study the nondegenerate response of different JPAs and accurately describe the experimental results with our theory.

Interplay between media and social influence in the collective behavior of opinion dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colaiori, Francesca; Castellano, Claudio

2015-10-01

Messages conveyed by media act as a major drive in shaping attitudes and inducing opinion shift. On the other hand, individuals are strongly affected by peer pressure while forming their own judgment. We solve a general model of opinion dynamics where individuals either hold one of two alternative opinions or are undecided and interact pairwise while exposed to an external influence. As media pressure increases, the system moves from pluralism to global consensus; four distinct classes of collective behavior emerge, crucially depending on the outcome of direct interactions among individuals holding opposite opinions. Observed nontrivial behaviors include hysteretic phenomena and resilience of minority opinions. Notably, consensus could be unachievable even when media and microscopic interactions are biased in favor of the same opinion: The unfavored opinion might even gain the support of the majority.

Interplay between media and social influence in the collective behavior of opinion dynamics.

PubMed

Colaiori, Francesca; Castellano, Claudio

2015-10-01

Messages conveyed by media act as a major drive in shaping attitudes and inducing opinion shift. On the other hand, individuals are strongly affected by peer pressure while forming their own judgment. We solve a general model of opinion dynamics where individuals either hold one of two alternative opinions or are undecided and interact pairwise while exposed to an external influence. As media pressure increases, the system moves from pluralism to global consensus; four distinct classes of collective behavior emerge, crucially depending on the outcome of direct interactions among individuals holding opposite opinions. Observed nontrivial behaviors include hysteretic phenomena and resilience of minority opinions. Notably, consensus could be unachievable even when media and microscopic interactions are biased in favor of the same opinion: The unfavored opinion might even gain the support of the majority.

Propagation of flexural waves in inhomogeneous plates exhibiting hysteretic nonlinearity: Nonlinear acoustic black holes.

PubMed

Gusev, Vitalyi E; Ni, Chenyin; Lomonosov, Alexey; Shen, Zhonghua

2015-08-01

Theory accounting for the influence of hysteretic nonlinearity of micro-inhomogeneous material on flexural wave in the plates of continuously varying thickness is developed. For the wedges with thickness increasing as a power law of distance from its edge strong modifications of the wave dynamics with propagation distance are predicted. It is found that nonlinear absorption progressively disappearing with diminishing wave amplitude leads to complete attenuation of acoustic waves in most of the wedges exhibiting black hole phenomenon. It is also demonstrated that black holes exist beyond the geometrical acoustic approximation. Applications include nondestructive evaluation of micro-inhomogeneous materials and vibrations damping. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The hysteretic evapotranspiration—Vapor pressure deficit relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Quan; Manzoni, Stefano; Katul, Gabriel; Porporato, Amilcare; Yang, Dawen

2014-02-01

Diurnal hysteresis between evapotranspiration (ET) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was reported in many ecosystems, but justification for its onset and magnitude remains incomplete with biotic and abiotic factors invoked as possible explanations. To place these explanations within a holistic framework, the occurrence of hysteresis was theoretically assessed along a hierarchy of model systems where both abiotic and biotic components are sequentially added. Lysimeter evaporation (E) measurements and model calculations using the Penman equation were used to investigate the effect of the time lag between net radiation and VPD on the hysteresis in the absence of any biotic effects. Modulations from biotic effects on the ET-VPD hysteresis were then added using soil-plant-atmosphere models of different complexities applied to a grassland ecosystem. The results suggest that the hysteresis magnitude depends on the radiation-VPD lag, while the plant and soil water potentials are both key factors modulating the hysteretic ET-VPD relation as soil moisture declines. In particular, larger hysteresis magnitude is achieved at less negative leaf water potential, root water potential, and soil water potential. While plant hydraulic capacitance affects the leaf water potential-ET relation, it has negligible effects on the ET-VPD hysteresis. Therefore, the genesis and magnitude of the ET-VPD hysteresis are controlled directly by both abiotic factors such as soil water availability, biotic factors (leaf and root water potentials, which in turn depend on soil moisture), and the time lag between radiation and VPD.

Hysteretic dynamics of active particles in a periodic orienting field

PubMed Central

Romensky, Maksym; Scholz, Dimitri; Lobaskin, Vladimir

2015-01-01

Active motion of living organisms and artificial self-propelling particles has been an area of intense research at the interface of biology, chemistry and physics. Significant progress in understanding these phenomena has been related to the observation that dynamic self-organization in active systems has much in common with ordering in equilibrium condensed matter such as spontaneous magnetization in ferromagnets. The velocities of active particles may behave similar to magnetic dipoles and develop global alignment, although interactions between the individuals might be completely different. In this work, we show that the dynamics of active particles in external fields can also be described in a way that resembles equilibrium condensed matter. It follows simple general laws, which are independent of the microscopic details of the system. The dynamics is revealed through hysteresis of the mean velocity of active particles subjected to a periodic orienting field. The hysteresis is measured in computer simulations and experiments on unicellular organisms. We find that the ability of the particles to follow the field scales with the ratio of the field variation period to the particles' orientational relaxation time, which, in turn, is related to the particle self-propulsion power and the energy dissipation rate. The collective behaviour of the particles due to aligning interactions manifests itself at low frequencies via increased persistence of the swarm motion when compared with motion of an individual. By contrast, at high field frequencies, the active group fails to develop the alignment and tends to behave like a set of independent individuals even in the presence of interactions. We also report on asymptotic laws for the hysteretic dynamics of active particles, which resemble those in magnetic systems. The generality of the assumptions in the underlying model suggests that the observed laws might apply to a variety of dynamic phenomena from the motion of

10 CFR 26.33 - Behavioral observation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Behavioral observation. 26.33 Section 26.33 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Program Elements § 26.33 Behavioral observation. Licensees and other entities shall ensure that the individuals who are subject to this subpart are subject to...

10 CFR 26.33 - Behavioral observation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Behavioral observation. 26.33 Section 26.33 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Program Elements § 26.33 Behavioral observation. Licensees and other entities shall ensure that the individuals who are subject to this subpart are subject to...

10 CFR 26.33 - Behavioral observation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Behavioral observation. 26.33 Section 26.33 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Program Elements § 26.33 Behavioral observation. Licensees and other entities shall ensure that the individuals who are subject to this subpart are subject to...

10 CFR 26.33 - Behavioral observation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Behavioral observation. 26.33 Section 26.33 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Program Elements § 26.33 Behavioral observation. Licensees and other entities shall ensure that the individuals who are subject to this subpart are subject to...

10 CFR 26.33 - Behavioral observation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Behavioral observation. 26.33 Section 26.33 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Program Elements § 26.33 Behavioral observation. Licensees and other entities shall ensure that the individuals who are subject to this subpart are subject to...

Hysteretic Models Considering Axial-Shear-Flexure Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceresa, Paola; Negrisoli, Giorgio

2017-10-01

Most of the existing numerical models implemented in finite element (FE) software, at the current state of the art, are not capable to describe, with enough reliability, the interaction between axial, shear and flexural actions under cyclic loading (e.g. seismic actions), neglecting crucial effects for predicting the nature of the collapse of reinforced concrete (RC) structural elements. Just a few existing 3D volume models or fibre beam models can lead to a quite accurate response, but they are still computationally inefficient for typical applications in earthquake engineering and also characterized by very complex formulation. Thus, discrete models with lumped plasticity hinges may be the preferred choice for modelling the hysteretic behaviour due to cyclic loading conditions, in particular with reference to its implementation in a commercial software package. These considerations lead to this research work focused on the development of a model for RC beam-column elements able to consider degradation effects and interaction between the actions under cyclic loading conditions. In order to develop a model for a general 3D discrete hinge element able to take into account the axial-shear-flexural interaction, it is necessary to provide an implementation which involves a corrector-predictor iterative scheme. Furthermore, a reliable constitutive model based on damage plasticity theory is formulated and implemented for its numerical validation. Aim of this research work is to provide the formulation of a numerical model, which will allow implementation within a FE software package for nonlinear cyclic analysis of RC structural members. The developed model accounts for stiffness degradation effect and stiffness recovery for loading reversal.

Butyrylcholinesterase for protection from organophosphorus poisons; catalytic complexities and hysteretic behavior

PubMed Central

Masson, Patrick; Lockridge, Oksana

2009-01-01

Butyrylcholinesterase is a promiscuous enzyme that displays complex kinetic behavior. It is toxicologically important because it detoxifies organophosphorus poisons (OP) by making a covalent bond with the OP. The OP and the butyrylcholinesterase are both inactivated in the process. Inactivation of butyrylcholinesterase has no adverse effects. However inactivation of acetylcholinesterase in nerve synapses can be lethal. OP-inhibited butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase can be reactivated with oximes provided the OP has not aged. Strategies for preventing the toxicity of OP include a) treatment with an OP scavenger, b) reaction of nonaged enzyme with oximes, c) reactivation of aged enzyme, d) slowing down aging with peripheral site ligands, and e) design of mutants that rapidly hydrolyze OP. Option (a) has progressed through phase I clinical trials with human butyrylcholinesterase. Option (b) is in routine clinical use. The others are at the basic research level. Butyrylcholinesterase displays complex kinetic behavior including activation by positively charged esters, ability to hydrolyze amides, and a lag time (hysteresis) preceding hydrolysis of benzoylcholine and N-methyl indoxyl acetate. Mass spectrometry has identified new OP binding motifs on tyrosine and lysine in proteins that have no active site serine. It is proposed, but not yet proven, that low dose exposure involves OP modification of proteins that have no active site serine. PMID:20004171

On the representativeness of behavior observation samples in classrooms.

PubMed

Tiger, Jeffrey H; Miller, Sarah J; Mevers, Joanna Lomas; Mintz, Joslyn Cynkus; Scheithauer, Mindy C; Alvarez, Jessica

2013-01-01

School consultants who rely on direct observation typically conduct observational samples (e.g., 1 30-min observation per day) with the hopes that the sample is representative of performance during the remainder of the day, but the representativeness of these samples is unclear. In the current study, we recorded the problem behavior of 3 referred students for 4 consecutive school days between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. using duration recording in consecutive 10-min sessions. We then culled 10-min, 20-min, 30-min, and 60-min observations from the complete record and compared these observations to the true daily mean to assess their accuracy (i.e., how well individual observations represented the daily occurrence of target behaviors). The results indicated that when behavior occurred with low variability, the majority of brief observations were representative of the overall levels; however, when behavior occurred with greater variability, even 60-min observations did not accurately capture the true levels of behavior. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Modeling the hysteretic moisture and temperature responses of soil carbon decomposition resulting from organo-mineral interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, J.; Riley, W. J.

2017-12-01

Most existing soil carbon cycle models have modeled the moisture and temperature dependence of soil respiration using deterministic response functions. However, empirical data suggest abundant variability in both of these dependencies. We here use the recently developed SUPECA (Synthesizing Unit and Equilibrium Chemistry Approximation) theory and a published dynamic energy budget based microbial model to investigate how soil carbon decomposition responds to changes in soil moisture and temperature under the influence of organo-mineral interactions. We found that both the temperature and moisture responses are hysteretic and cannot be represented by deterministic functions. We then evaluate how the multi-scale variability in temperature and moisture forcing affect soil carbon decomposition. Our results indicate that when the model is run in scenarios mimicking laboratory incubation experiments, the often-observed temperature and moisture response functions can be well reproduced. However, when such response functions are used for model extrapolation involving more transient variability in temperature and moisture forcing (as found in real ecosystems), the dynamic model that explicitly accounts for hysteresis in temperature and moisture dependency produces significantly different estimations of soil carbon decomposition, suggesting there are large biases in models that do not resolve such hysteresis. We call for more studies on organo-mineral interactions to improve modeling of such hysteresis.

Magnetic Hysteresis in Nanocomposite Films Consisting of a Ferromagnetic AuCo Alloy and Ultrafine Co Particles

PubMed Central

Chinni, Federico; Spizzo, Federico; Montoncello, Federico; Mattarello, Valentina; Maurizio, Chiara; Mattei, Giovanni; Del Bianco, Lucia

2017-01-01

One fundamental requirement in the search for novel magnetic materials is the possibility of predicting and controlling their magnetic anisotropy and hence the overall hysteretic behavior. We have studied the magnetism of Au:Co films (~30 nm thick) with concentration ratios of 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2, grown by magnetron sputtering co-deposition on natively oxidized Si substrates. They consist of a AuCo ferromagnetic alloy in which segregated ultrafine Co particles are dispersed (the fractions of Co in the AuCo alloy and of segregated Co increase with decreasing the Au:Co ratio). We have observed an unexpected hysteretic behavior characterized by in-plane anisotropy and crossed branches in the loops measured along the hard magnetization direction. To elucidate this phenomenon, micromagnetic calculations have been performed for a simplified system composed of two exchange-coupled phases: a AuCo matrix surrounding a Co cluster, which represents an aggregate of particles. The hysteretic features are qualitatively well reproduced provided that the two phases have almost orthogonal anisotropy axes. This requirement can be plausibly fulfilled assuming a dominant magnetoelastic character of the anisotropy in both phases. The achieved conclusions expand the fundamental knowledge on nanocomposite magnetic materials, offering general guidelines for tuning the hysteretic properties of future engineered systems. PMID:28773075

Temperature behavior of the magnetoresistance hysteresis in a granular high-temperature superconductor: Magnetic flux compression in the intergrain medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semenov, S. V.; Balaev, D. A.

2018-07-01

Granular high-temperature superconductors (HTSs) are characterized by the hysteretic behavior of magnetoresistance. This phenomenon is attributed to the effective field in the intergrain medium of a granular HTS. At the grain boundaries, which are, in fact, weak Josephson couplings, the dissipation is observed. The effective field in the intergrain medium is a superposition of the external field and the field induced by magnetic moments of HTS grains. Meanwhile, analysis of the field width of the R(H) magnetoresistance hysteresis ΔH = Hdec - Hinc at Hdec = const, where Hinc and Hdec are increasing and decreasing branches of the R(H) hysteretic dependence, shows that the effective field in the intergrain medium exceeds by far both the external field and the field induced by magnetic moments of HTS grains. This situation suggests the magnetic flux compression in the intergrain medium because of the small length of grain boundaries, which amounts to ∼1 nm, i.e., is comparable with the coherence length and corresponds to Josephson tunneling in HTS materials. In this work, using the previously developed approach, we examine experimental data on the magnetoresistance and magnetization hysteresis in the granular YBa2Cu3O7 HTS compound in the range from 77 K to the critical temperature. According to the results obtained, the degree of magnetic flux compression determined by the parameter α in the expression for the effective field Beff(H) = H - 4π M(H) α in the intergrain medium remains constant over the investigated temperature range. All the features of the observed evolution of the R(H) hysteretic dependences are explained well within the proposed approach when the expression for Beff(H) contains the experimental M(H) magnetization data and the parameter α of about 20-25. The latter is indicative of the dominant effect of magnetic flux compression in the intergrain medium on the transport properties of granular HTS materials.

Cyclic Behavior of Mortarless Brick Joints with Different Interlocking Shapes

PubMed Central

Liu, Hongjun; Liu, Peng; Lin, Kun; Zhao, Sai

2016-01-01

The framed structure infilled with a mortarless brick (MB) panel exhibits considerable in-plane energy dissipation because of the relative sliding between bricks and good out-of-plane stability resulting from the use of interlocking mechanisms. The cyclic behaviors of MB are investigated experimentally in this study. Two different types of bricks, namely non-interlocking mortarless brick (N-IMB) and interlocking mortarless brick (IMB), are examined experimentally. The cyclic behavior of all of the joints (N-IMB and IMB) are investigated in consideration of the effects of interlocking shapes, loading compression stress levels and loading cycles. The hysteretic loops of N-IMB and IMB joints are obtained, according to which a mechanical model is developed. The Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion is employed to describe the shear failure modes of all of the investigated joints. A typical frictional behavior is observed for the N-IMB joints, and a significant stiffening effect is observed for the IMB joints during their sliding stage. The friction coefficients of all of the researched joints increase with the augmentation of the compression stress level and improvement of the smoothness of the interlocking surfaces. An increase in the loading cycle results in a decrease in the friction coefficients of all of the joints. The degradation rate (DR) of the friction coefficients increases with the reduction in the smoothness of the interlocking surface. PMID:28773291

Observation and Recording Effects on Group Therapy Client Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berman, Alan L.; Decker, Robert E.

This study assesses the effect of visual versus audio observation/recording on both client and therapist verbal and non-verbal behavior in ongoing therapy. Three co-led, therapy groups were studied over six weekly sessions under counterbalanced observation conditions. Measures of verbal behavior, verbal productivity, and non-verbal behavior were…

Interactions Between Mineral Surfaces, Substrates, Enzymes, and Microbes Result in Hysteretic Temperature Sensitivities and Microbial Carbon Use Efficiencies and Weaker Predicted Carbon-Climate Feedbacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, W. J.; Tang, J.

2014-12-01

We hypothesize that the large observed variability in decomposition temperature sensitivity and carbon use efficiency arises from interactions between temperature, microbial biogeochemistry, and mineral surface sorptive reactions. To test this hypothesis, we developed a numerical model that integrates the Dynamic Energy Budget concept for microbial physiology, microbial trait-based community structure and competition, process-specific thermodynamically ­­based temperature sensitivity, a non-linear mineral sorption isotherm, and enzyme dynamics. We show, because mineral surfaces interact with substrates, enzymes, and microbes, both temperature sensitivity and microbial carbon use efficiency are hysteretic and highly variable. Further, by mimicking the traditional approach to interpreting soil incubation observations, we demonstrate that the conventional labile and recalcitrant substrate characterization for temperature sensitivity is flawed. In a 4 K temperature perturbation experiment, our fully dynamic model predicted more variable but weaker carbon-climate feedbacks than did the static temperature sensitivity and carbon use efficiency model when forced with yearly, daily, and hourly variable temperatures. These results imply that current earth system models likely over-estimate the response of soil carbon stocks to global warming.

Parent-Collected Behavioral Observations: An Empirical Comparison of Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nadler, Cy B.; Roberts, Mark W.

2013-01-01

Treatments for disruptive behaviors are often guided by parent reports on questionnaires, rather than by multiple methods of assessment. Professional observations and clinic analogs exist to complement questionnaires, but parents can also collect useful behavioral observations to inform and guide treatment. Two parent observation methods of child…

Inelastic behavior of structural components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hussain, N.; Khozeimeh, K.; Toridis, T. G.

1980-01-01

A more accurate procedure was developed for the determination of the inelastic behavior of structural components. The actual stress-strain curve for the mathematical of the structure was utilized to generate the force-deformation relationships for the structural elements, rather than using simplified models such as elastic-plastic, bilinear and trilinear approximations. relationships were generated for beam elements with various types of cross sections. In the generational of these curves, stress or load reversals, kinematic hardening and hysteretic behavior were taken into account. Intersections between loading and unloading branches were determined through an iterative process. Using the inelastic properties obtained, the plastic static response of some simple structural systems composed of beam elements was computed. Results were compared with known solutions, indicating a considerable improvement over response predictions obtained by means of simplified approximations used in previous investigations.

Observations of captive Rocky Mountain mule deer behavior

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

Halford, D.K.; Arthur, W.J. III; Alldredge, A.W.

1987-01-31

Observations were made near Fort Collins, Colorado on the behavior of a captive herd of Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus). Comparisons in general behavior patterns were made between captive and wild deer. Similar behavior was exhibited by captive and wild deer. Captive deer (as well as other species) may be useful for study of certain behavioral aspects of their wild counterparts.

Effects of Different Observational Systems and Time Sequences Upon Non-Participant Observers' Behavioral Ratings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wodarski, John S.; And Others

Four different observational systems and two time sequences were employed to determine the extent to which they would yield different incidences of anti-social behavior. Two videotapes, randomly chosen from a pool of 30 tapes, were utilized. These illustrated the behaviors of anti-social children in a natural setting. Six observers were reliably…

Positive exchange-bias and giant vertical hysteretic shift in La0.3Sr0.7FeO3/SrRuO3 bilayers

PubMed Central

Rana, Rakesh; Pandey, Parul; Singh, R. P.; Rana, D. S.

2014-01-01

The exchange-bias effects in the mosaic epitaxial bilayers of the itinerant ferromagnet (FM) SrRuO3 and the antiferromagnetic (AFM) charge-ordered La0.3Sr0.7FeO3 were investigated. An uncharacteristic low-field positive exchange bias, a cooling-field driven reversal of positive to negative exchange-bias and a layer thickness optimised unusual vertical magnetization shift were all novel facets of exchange bias realized for the first time in magnetic oxides. The successive magnetic training induces a transition from positive to negative exchange bias regime with changes in domain configurations. These observations are well corroborated by the hysteretic loop asymmetries which display the modifications in the AFM spin correlations. These exotic features emphasize the key role of i) mosaic disorder induced subtle interplay of competing AFM-superexchange and FM double exchange at the exchange biased interface and, ii) training induced irrecoverable alterations in the AFM spin structure. PMID:24569516

Observations of Student Behavior in Collaborative Learning Groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Jeffrey P.; Brissenden, Gina; Lindell, Rebecca S.; Slater, Timothy F.; Wallace, Joy

In an effort to determine how our students were responding to the use of collaborative learning groups in our large enrollment introductory astronomy (ASTRO 101) courses, we systematically observed the behavior of 270 undergraduate students working in 48 self-formed groups. Their observed behaviors were classified as: (i) actively engaged; (ii) watching actively; (iii) watching passively; and (iv) disengaged. We found that male behavior is consistent regardless of the sex-composition of the groups. However, females were categorized as watching passively and or disengaged significantly more frequently when working in groups that contained uneven numbers of males and females. This case study observation suggests that faculty who use collaborative learning groups might find that the level of student participation in collaborative group learning activities can depend on the sex-composition of the group.

Jefferson Teamwork Observation Guide (JTOG): An Instrument to Observe Teamwork Behaviors.

PubMed

Lyons, Kevin J; Giordano, Carolyn; Speakman, Elizabeth; Smith, Kellie; Horowitz, June A

2016-01-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) is becoming an integral part of the education of health professions students. However, teaching students to become successful members of interprofessional teams is complex, and it is important for students to learn the combinations of skills necessary for teams to function effectively. There are many instruments available to measure many features related to IPE. However, these instruments are often too cumbersome to use in an observational situation since they tend to be lengthy and contain many abstract characteristics that are difficult to identify. The Jefferson Teamwork Observation Guide (JTOG) is a short tool that was created for students early in their educational program to observe teams in action with a set of guidelines to help them focus their observation on behaviors indicative of good teamwork. The JTOG was developed over a 2-year period based on student and clinician feedback and the input of experts in IPE. While initially developed as a purely educational tool for prelicensure students, it is becoming clear that it is an easy-to-use instrument that assesses the behavior of clinicians in practice.

Observing Animal Behavior at the Zoo: A Learning Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, Debra B.

2003-01-01

Undergraduate students in a learning laboratory course initially chose a species to study; researched that species' physical and behavioral characteristics; then learned skills necessary to select, operationalize, observe, and record animal behavior accurately. After their classroom preparation, students went to a local zoo to observe the behavior…

Mechanical characterization and force-displacement hysteretic curves from in-plane cyclic tests on strong masonry infills.

PubMed

Morandi, Paolo; Hak, Sanja; Magenes, Guido

2018-02-01

This article contains information related to a recent study "Performance-based interpretation of in-plane cyclic tests on RC frames with strong masonry infills" (Morandi et al., 2017 [1]). Motivated by the necessity to improve the knowledge of the in-plane seismic response of rigid strong masonry infills, a wide experimental campaign based on in-plane cyclic tests on full-scale RC infilled frame specimens, supplemented with a complete characterization of the materials, has been conducted at the laboratory of the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture of the University of Pavia. The masonry is constituted by vertically perforated 35 cm thick clay units with tongue and groove and dry head-joints and general-purpose mortar bed-joints. The paper reports the results of the mechanical characterization and of the force-displacement hysteretic curves from the in-plane cyclic tests.

Magnetism in Pristine Pi-conjugated Polymers

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-07

highly regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene)s and subsequently a ferromagnetic hysteretic behavior at low temperature (< 20K) in these polymers...and subsequently a ferromagnetic hysteretic behavior at low temperature (T < 20k) in these polymers. Concomitantly nanoscopic doughnut structures...the reproducibility, of this very new magneto-optic material . Ferromagnetism in polythiophenes A   first   and   very   important

The hysteretic evapotranspiration - vapor pressure deficit relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Q.; Manzoni, S.; Katul, G. G.; Porporato, A. M.; Yang, D.

2013-12-01

Diurnal hysteresis between evapotranspiration (ET) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was reported in many ecosystems but justification for its onset and magnitude remain incomplete with biotic and abiotic factors invoked as possible explanations. To place these explanations within a mathematical framework, ';rate-dependent' hysteresis originating from a phase angle difference between periodic input and output time series is first considered. Lysimeter evaporation (E) measurements from wet bare soils and model calculations using the Penman equation demonstrate that the E-VPD hysteresis emerges without any biotic effects due to a phase angle difference (or time lag) between net radiation the main driver of E, and VPD. Modulations originating from biotic effects on the ET-VPD hysteresis were then considered. The phase angle difference representation earlier employed was mathematically transformed into a storage problem and applied to the soil-plant system. The transformed system shows that soil moisture storage within the root zone can produce an ET-VPD hysteresis prototypical of those generated by phase-angle differences. To explore the interplay between all the lags in the soil-plant-atmosphere system and phase angle differences among forcing and response variables, a detailed soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) model was developed and applied to a grassland ecosystem. The results of the SPAC model suggest that the hysteresis magnitude depends on the radiation-VPD lag. The soil moisture dry-down simulations also suggest that modeled root water potential and leaf water potential are both better indicators of the hysteresis magnitude than soil moisture, suggesting that plant water status is the main factor regulating the hysteretic relation between ET and VPD. Hence, the genesis and magnitude of the ET-VPD hysteresis are controlled directly by both biotic factors and abiotic factors such as time lag between radiation and VPD originating from boundary layer processes

Teacher and TA Ratings of Preschoolers' Externalizing Behavior: Agreement and Associations with Observed Classroom Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolcott, Catherine Sanger; Williford, Amanda P.

2015-01-01

The present study investigated teachers' and teacher aides' (TAs) agreement in their ratings of preschoolers' externalizing behavior and their associations with observed classroom behavior for a sample of children at risk of developing a disruptive behavior disorder. One hundred twenty-two teachers rated 360 students' externalizing behavior in the…

Linking Informant Discrepancies to Observed Variations in Young Children's Disruptive Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Los Reyes, Andres; Henry, David B.; Tolan, Patrick H.; Wakschlag, Lauren S.

2009-01-01

Prior work has not tested the basic theoretical notion that informant discrepancies in reports of children's behavior exist, in part, because different informants observe children's behavior in different settings. We examined patterns of observed preschool disruptive behavior across varying social contexts in the laboratory and whether they…

The formation of hysteretic magnetic properties in amorphous alloys of various classes upon thermomagmetic treatment in a transverse magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kekalo, I. B.; Mogil'nikov, P. S.

2016-06-01

In this paper, we have studied the effects of the thermomagnetic treatment in a transverse magnetic field (TMaT⊥) on the permeability of the amorphous alloy Co69Fe3.7Cr3.8Si12.5B11 with such a low saturation magnetostriction ( λ s 10-7) that, in the ribbons of this alloy rolled into a toroid, a sharp longitudinal magnetic texture is observed ( K sq > 0.90). It has been revealed that the permeability μ4 ( H = 4 mOe, f = 1 kHz) as a function of the annealing temperature or time of holding at a temperature is described by a curve with a maximum. This maximum is observed at a coefficient of the squareness of the hysteresis loop K sq,m in the range of 0.2 ≤ K sq,m ≤ 0.4. The regimes of the TMaT have been determined that provide optimum values of the permeability μ4 (15000) without a loss of the ductile state of the ribbons of this alloy. Based on the example of an iron-based alloy of composition Fe57Co31Si2.9B9.1 with λs = 35 × 10-6, it has been shown that the formation of the hysteretic magnetic properties upon the TMaT⊥ depends substantially on the magnitude of the magnetostriction and the Curie temperature of the amorphous alloys.

Sequence Directionality Dramatically Affects LCST Behavior of Elastin-Like Polypeptides.

PubMed

Li, Nan K; Roberts, Stefan; Quiroz, Felipe Garcia; Chilkoti, Ashutosh; Yingling, Yaroslava G

2018-04-30

Elastin-like polypeptides (ELP) exhibit an inverse temperature transition or lower critical solution temperature (LCST) transition phase behavior in aqueous solutions. In this paper, the thermal responsive properties of the canonical ELP, poly(VPGVG), and its reverse sequence poly(VGPVG) were investigated by turbidity measurements of the cloud point behavior, circular dichroism (CD) measurements, and all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to gain a molecular understanding of mechanism that controls hysteretic phase behavior. It was shown experimentally that both poly(VPGVG) and poly(VGPVG) undergo a transition from soluble to insoluble in aqueous solution upon heating above the transition temperature ( T t ). However, poly(VPGVG) resolubilizes upon cooling below its T t , whereas the reverse sequence, poly(VGPVG), remains aggregated despite significant undercooling below the T t . The results from MD simulations indicated that a change in sequence order results in significant differences in the dynamics of the specific residues, especially valines, which lead to extensive changes in the conformations of VPGVG and VGPVG pentamers and, consequently, dissimilar propensities for secondary structure formation and overall structure of polypeptides. These changes affected the relative hydrophilicities of polypeptides above T t , where poly(VGPVG) is more hydrophilic than poly(VPGVG) with more extended conformation and larger surface area, which led to formation of strong interchain hydrogen bonds responsible for stabilization of the aggregated phase and the observed thermal hysteresis for poly(VGPVG).

Behavior States Are Real and Observable.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guess, Doug; Roberts, Sally; Rues, Jane

2000-01-01

This article critiques the research methodology used by Mudford, Hogg, and Roberts (1999) that resulted in a failure to achieve inter-observer agreement on adults with mental retardation when using an experimental, 13-category behavior state code. Arguments are provided on why their videotape study does not meet requirements of acceptable…

Assessing catchment connectivity using hysteretic loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Jason; Masselink, Rens; Goni, Mikel; Gimenez, Rafael; Casali, Javier; Seeger, Manuel; Keesstra, Saskia

2017-04-01

Storm events mobilize large proportions of sediments in catchment systems. Therefore understanding catchment sediment dynamics throughout the continuity of storms and how initial catchment states act as controls on the transport of sediment to catchment outlets is important for effective catchment management. Sediment connectivity is a concept which can explain the origin, pathways and sinks of sediments within catchments (Baartman et al., 2013; Parsons et al., 2015; Masselink et al., 2016a,b; Mekonnen et al., 2016). However, sediment connectivity alone does not provide a practicable mechanism by which the catchment's initial state - and thus the location of entrained sediment in the sediment transport cascade - can be characterized. Studying the dynamic relationship between water discharge (Q) and suspended sediment (SS) at the catchment outlet can provide a valuable research tool to infer the likely source areas and flow pathways contributing to sediment transport because the relationship can be characterized by predictable hysteresis patterns. Hysteresis is observed when the sediment concentration associated with a certain flow rate is different depending on the direction in which the analysis is performed - towards the increase or towards the diminution of the flow. However, the complexity of the phenomena and factors which determine the hysteresis make its interpretation ambiguous. Previous work has described various types of hysteretic loops as well as the cause for the shape of the loop, mainly pointing to the origin of the sediments. The data set for this study comes from four experimental watersheds in Navarre (Spain), owned and maintained by the Government of Navarre. These experimental watersheds have been monitored and studied since 1996 (La Tejería and Latxaga) and 2001 (Oskotz principal and Oskotz woodland). La Tejería and Latxaga watersheds are similar to each other regarding size (approximately 200 ha), geology (marls and sandstones), soils (fine

Crayfish Behavior: Observing Arthropods to Learn about Science & Scientific Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rop, Charles J.

2010-01-01

This is a set of animal behavior investigations in which students will practice scientific inquiry as they observe crayfish, ask questions, and discuss territoriality, social interactions, and other behaviors. In doing this, they hone their skills of observation, learn to record and analyze data, control for variables, write hypotheses, make…

Hysteretic and intermittent regimes in the subcritical bifurcation of a quasi-one-dimensional system of interacting particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dessup, Tommy; Coste, Christophe; Saint Jean, Michel

2016-01-01

In this article, we study the effects of white Gaussian additive thermal noise on a subcritical pitchfork bifurcation. We consider a quasi-one-dimensional system of particles that are transversally confined, with short-range (non-Coulombic) interactions and periodic boundary conditions in the longitudinal direction. In such systems, there is a structural transition from a linear order to a staggered row, called the zigzag transition. There is a finite range of transverse confinement stiffnesses for which the stable configuration at zero temperature is a localized zigzag pattern surrounded by aligned particles, which evidences the subcriticality of the bifurcation. We show that these configurations remain stable for a wide temperature range. At zero temperature, the transition between a straight line and such localized zigzag patterns is hysteretic. We have studied the influence of thermal noise on the hysteresis loop. Its description is more difficult than at T =0 K since thermally activated jumps between the two configurations always occur and the system cannot stay forever in a unique metastable state. Two different regimes have to be considered according to the temperature value with respect to a critical temperature Tc(τobs) that depends on the observation time τobs. An hysteresis loop is still observed at low temperature, with a width that decreases as the temperature increases toward Tc(τobs) . In contrast, for T >Tc(τobs) the memory of the initial condition is lost by stochastic jumps between the configurations. The study of the mean residence times in each configuration gives a unique opportunity to precisely determine the barrier height that separates the two configurations, without knowing the complete energy landscape of this many-body system. We also show how to reconstruct the hysteresis loop that would exist at T =0 K from high-temperature simulations.

Relating Mechanical Behavior and Microstructural Observations in Calcite Fault Gouge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carpenter, B. M.; Di Stefano, G.; Viti, C.; Collettini, C.

2013-12-01

Many important earthquakes, magnitude 5-7, nucleate and/or propagate through carbonate-dominated lithologies. Additionally, the presence of precipitated calcite in (cement) and near (vein fill) faults indicates that the mechanical behavior of carbonate-dominated material likely plays an important role in shallow- and mid-crustal faulting. We report on laboratory experiments designed to explore the mechanical behavior of calcite and relate that behavior to post experiment microstructural observations. We sheared powdered gouge of Carrara Marble, >98% CaCO3, at constant normal stresses between 1 and 50 MPa under saturated conditions at room temperature. We performed velocity-stepping tests, 0.1-1000 μm/s, to evaluate frictional stability, and slide-hold-slide tests, 1-10,000 seconds, to measure the amount of frictional healing. Small subsets of experiments were performed under different environmental conditions and shearing velocities to better elucidate physicochemical processes and their role in the mechanical behavior of calcite fault gouge. All experimental samples were collected for SEM analysis. We find that the frictional healing rate is 7X higher under saturated conditions than under nominally dry conditions. We also observe a divergence between the rates of creep relaxation (increasing) and frictional healing (decreasing) as shear velocity is increased from 1 to 3000 μm/s. Our highest healing rates are observed at our lowest normal stresses. We observe a frictional strength of μ = 0.64, consistent with previous data under similar conditions. Furthermore, although we observe velocity-weakening frictional behavior in both the saturated and dry cases, rate- and-state friction parameters are distinctly different for each case. Our combined observations of rapid healing and of velocity-weakening frictional behavior indicate that faults where calcite-dominated gouge is present are likely to be seismic and have the ability to regain their strength quickly

Training Programs for Observers of Behavior; A Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spool, Mark D.

1978-01-01

This review covers the past 25 years of research literature on training observers of behavior, specifically in the areas of interviewing, reducing rater bias, interpersonal perception and observation as a research tool. The focus is on determining the most successful training methods and their theoretical bases. (Author/SJL)

Comparison between self-reported and observed food handling behaviors among Latinas.

PubMed

Dharod, Jigna Morarji; Pérez-Escamilla, Rafael; Paciello, Stefania; Bermúdez-Millán, Angela; Venkitanarayanan, Kumar; Damio, Grace

2007-08-01

The study was conducted to compare and identify the magnitude of differences between self-reported and observed food safety behaviors among women preparing a chicken and salad dish at home. The observed food safety practices also were compared according to sociodemographic variables and prior food safety education. Sixty Puerto Rican women who were the main meal preparers for their households were recruited in Hartford, Conn. Three household visits were made to (i) deliver food ingredients to prepare the chicken and salad meal, (ii) conduct household observation, and (iii) conduct a self-reported survey. The difference between self-reported and observed behaviors varied across food handling and sanitation behaviors. There was a high level of inaccuracy for socially desirable behaviors such as hand washing; the vast majority of participants reported practicing these behaviors but they were not observed doing so. Cutting board washing also was considerably overreported, questioning the validity of these self-reported data for regression analyses. There was a significant association (P < 0.05) between proper thawing method and prior food safety education, use of cutting board and higher income, and washing tomatoes and having a positive attitude towards food safety. Results revealed that overreporting errors must be considered when analyzing and/or interpreting data derived from self-reported food safety consumer surveys and that food safety education and positive food safety attitudes are associated with recommended food safety behaviors.

Pedestrian crossing behavior, an observational study in the city of Ushuaia, Argentina.

PubMed

Poó, Fernando Martín; Ledesma, Ruben Daniel; Trujillo, Roberto

2018-04-03

Pedestrian crashes are a critical problem in Latin American countries. However, little research has been published about pedestrians and even less about their behaviors in a naturalistic context. The objective of the present research was to explore risky pedestrian crossing behaviors in traffic intersections in an argentine city (Ushuaia). It is focused in different stages of the crossing process, traffic code violations, and other potentially risky behaviors such as distractions. A high frequency of risky behaviors among pedestrians was expected. Moreover, according to previous findings, it was hypothesized that men and younger pedestrians would show riskier behaviors. Participants were 802 pedestrians (53.9% females) observed at several intersections (with and without traffic lights) in the city of Ushuaia. Behaviors were codified following a standardized observation protocol. Observers documented information on behavior previous to, during, and after crossing. Gender and age were also registered. Data were gathered through video recording. Frequency analyses of observed behaviors were conducted for the total sample, as well as by gender and by age group. A general crossing risk index was calculated to facilitate comparisons between the genders and age groups. We conducted an analysis of variance to evaluate gender and age differences for this index. A high proportion of risky behaviors were observed among pedestrians. The majority of pedestrian waited in the street (as opposed to on the sidewalk) before crossing, did not comply with traffic lights, or crossed outside the crosswalk. A large number of pedestrians were distracted while crossing. Men presented higher scores on risky behaviors than women. No differences were observed by age group. The high level of risk behaviors during the different stages of street crossing is worrisome and reinforces the idea that pedestrians are responsible for many of the conflicts with motorists. Many of the risky behaviors

Observing Children's Stress Behaviors in a Kindergarten Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Lori A.

2009-01-01

This study used qualitative methods to determine whether kindergarten children exhibited stress behaviors during the academic work period of the day. Sixteen children (8 male, 8 female) ages 5-6 years were observed. The data consisted of classroom observations by the researcher, open-ended interviews with teachers, artifacts collected from the…

Behavioral and TMS Markers of Action Observation Might Reflect Distinct Neuronal Processes.

PubMed

Hétu, Sébastien; Taschereau-Dumouchel, Vincent; Meziane, Hadj Boumediene; Jackson, Philip L; Mercier, Catherine

2016-01-01

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies have shown that observing an action induces muscle-specific changes in corticospinal excitability. From a signal detection theory standpoint, this pattern can be related to sensitivity, which here would measure the capacity to distinguish between two action observation conditions. In parallel to these TMS studies, action observation has also been linked to behavioral effects such as motor priming and interference. It has been hypothesized that behavioral markers of action observation could be related to TMS markers and thus represent a potentially cost-effective mean of assessing the functioning of the action-perception system. However, very few studies have looked at possible relationships between these two measures. The aim of this study was to investigate if individual differences in sensitivity to action observation could be related to the behavioral motor priming and interference effects produced by action observation. To this end, 14 healthy participants observed index and little finger movements during a TMS task and a stimulus-response compatibility task. Index muscle displayed sensitivity to action observation, and action observation resulted in significant motor priming+interference, while no significant effect was observed for the little finger in both task. Nevertheless, our results indicate that the sensitivity measured in TMS was not related to the behavioral changes measured in the stimulus-response compatibility task. Contrary to a widespread assumption, the current results indicate that individual differences in physiological and behavioral markers of action observation may be unrelated. This could have important impacts on the potential use of behavioral markers in place of more costly physiological markers of action observation in clinical settings.

Microstructure and magnetic behavior of Mn doped GeTe chalcogenide semiconductors based phase change materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, Adam Abdalla Elbashir; Cheng, Xiaomin; Abuelhassan, Hassan H.; Miao, Xiang Shui

2017-06-01

Phase-change materials (PCMs) are the most promising candidates to be used as an active media in the universal data storage and spintronic devices, due to their large differences in physical properties of the amorphous-crystalline phase transition behavior. In the present study, the microstructure, magnetic and electrical behaviors of Ge0.94Mn0.06Te thin film were investigated. The crystallographic structure of Ge0.94Mn0.06Te thin film was studied sing X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HR-TEM). The XRD pattern showed that the crystallization structure of the film was rhombohedral phase for GeTe with a preference (202) orientation. The HR-TEM image of the crystalline Ge0.94Mn0.06Te thin film demonstrated that, there were two large crystallites and small amorphous areas. The magnetization as a function of the magnetic field analyses of both amorphous and crystalline states showed the ferromagnetic hysteretic behaviors. Then, the hole carriers concentration of the film was measured and it found to be greater than 1021 cm-3 at room temperature. Moreover, the anomalous of Hall Effect (AHE) was clearly observed for the measuring temperatures 5, 10 and 50 K. The results demonstrated that the magnitude of AHE decreased when the temperature was increasing.

Correction of Hysteretic Respiratory Motion in SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging: Simulation and Patient Studies

PubMed Central

Dasari, Paul K. R.; Könik, Arda; Pretorius, P. Hendrik; Johnson, Karen L.; Segars, William P.; Shazeeb, Mohammed. S.; King, Michael A.

2017-01-01

Purpose Amplitude based respiratory gating is known to capture the extent of respiratory motion (RM) accurately but results in residual motion in the presence of respiratory hysteresis. In our previous study, we proposed and developed a novel approach to account for respiratory hysteresis by applying the Bouc-Wen (BW) model of hysteresis to external surrogate signals of anterior / posterior motion of the abdomen and chest with respiration. In this work using simulated and clinical SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) studies, we investigate the effects of respiratory hysteresis and evaluate the benefit of correcting it using the proposed BW model in comparison with the abdomen signal typically employed clinically. Methods The MRI navigator data acquired in free breathing human volunteers were used in the specially modified 4-D NCAT phantoms to allow simulating three types of respiratory patterns: monotonic, mild-hysteresis, and strong-hysteresis with normal myocardial uptake, and perfusion defects in the anterior, lateral, inferior, and septal locations of the mid-ventricular wall. Clinical scans were performed using a 99mTc-Sestamibi MPI protocol while recording respiratory signals from thoracic and abdomen regions using a Visual Tracking System (VTS). The performance of the correction using the respiratory signals was assessed through polar map analysis in phantom and ten clinical studies selected on the basis of having substantial RM. Results In phantom studies, simulations illustrating normal myocardial uptake showed significant differences (p<0.001) in the uniformity of the polar maps between the RM uncorrected and corrected. No significant differences were seen in the polar map uniformity across the RM corrections. Studies simulating perfusion defects showed significantly decreased errors (p<0.001) in defect severity and extent for the RM corrected compared to the uncorrected. Only for the strong-hysteretic pattern was there a significant difference (p<0

Observations of instability, hysteresis, and oscillation in low-Reynolds-number flow past polymer gels.

PubMed

Eggert, Matthew D; Kumar, Satish

2004-10-01

We perform a set of experiments to study the nonlinear nature of an instability that arises in low-Reynolds-number flow past polymer gels. A layer of a viscous liquid is placed on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) gel in a parallel-plate rheometer which is operated in stress-controlled mode. As the shear stress on the top plate increases, the apparent viscosity stays relatively constant until a transition stress where it sharply increases. If the stress is held at a level slightly above the transition stress, the apparent viscosity oscillates with time. If the stress is increased to a value above the transition stress and then decreased back to zero, the apparent viscosity shows hysteretic behavior. If the stress is instead decreased to a constant value and held there, the apparent viscosity is different from its pretransition value and exhibits sustained oscillations. This can happen even if the stress is held at values below the transition stress. Our observations suggest that the instability studied here is subcritical and leads to a flow that is oscillatory and far from viscometric. The phenomena reported here may be useful in applications such as microfluidics, membrane separations, and polymer processing. They may also provide insight into the rheological behavior of complex fluids that undergo flow-induced gelation.

Memristive behavior in BaTiO 3 thin films integrated with semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singamaneni, Srinivasa Rao; Prater, John; Narayan, Jay

BaTiO3 has been studied for emerging non-volatile memory applications. However, most of the previous work has focused on this material when it was deposited on insulting oxide substrates such as SrTiO3. Unfortunately, this substrate is not suitable for CMOS-based microelectronics applications. This motivated us to carry out the present work. We have studied the resistive switching behavior in BaTiO3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (BTO/LSMO) heterostructures integrated with Si (100) using pulsed laser deposition1,2. I-V measurements were conducted on BTO (500nm)/LSMO (25nm) devices at 200K, with the compliance current of 10mA. Here, Pt was used as a top electrode and LSMO served as bottom electrode. A few important observations are noted: (a) broad hysteresis in forward and reverse voltage sweeps -ideal for memory applications, (b) the ratio of high resistance to low resistance state is ~600 -important for switching devices, (c) the device is stable at least up to 50 cycles. However, we found that hysteretic behavior was collapsed after 36 cycles upon oxygen annealing of the device at 1 atmospheric pressure, 200o C for 1 hour, inferring the important role of oxygen vacancies in the resistive switching behavior of BTO/LSMO device. The comprehensive experimental data will be presented and discussed.1,2.

Development of an Observational Rating Schedule for Preschool Children's Peer-Group Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Jo Lynn; Boger, Robert P.

The feasiblity of an observational rating scale which would provide objective, reliable and quantifiable measures of social and affective behavior was investigated. The Observation of Socialization Behavior (OSB), focusing on peer-group behavior of pre-school children and designed for use in unstructured situations was developed. Two forms of the…

Observed Parenting Behavior with Teens: Measurement Invariance and Predictive Validity Across Race

PubMed Central

Skinner, Martie L.; MacKenzie, Elizabeth P.; Haggerty, Kevin P.; Hill, Karl G.; Roberson, Kendra C.

2011-01-01

Previous reports supporting measurement equality between European American and African American families have often focused on self-reported risk factors or observed parent behavior with young children. This study examines equality of measurement of observer ratings of parenting behavior with adolescents during structured tasks; mean levels of observed parenting; and predictive validity of teen self-reports of antisocial behaviors and beliefs using a sample of 163 African American and 168 European American families. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses supported measurement invariance across ethnic groups for 4 measures of observed parenting behavior: prosocial rewards, psychological costs, antisocial rewards, and problem solving. Some mean-level differences were found: African American parents exhibited lower levels of prosocial rewards, higher levels of psychological costs, and lower problem solving when compared to European Americans. No significant mean difference was found in rewards for antisocial behavior. Multigroup structural equation models suggested comparable relationships across race (predictive validity) between parenting constructs and youth antisocial constructs (i.e., drug initiation, positive drug attitudes, antisocial attitudes, problem behaviors) in all but one of the tested relationships. This study adds to existing evidence that family-based interventions targeting parenting behaviors can be generalized to African American families. PMID:21787057

Systematic observation of play behavior in autistic children.

PubMed

Black, M; Freeman, B J; Montgomery, J

1975-12-01

The play behavior, defined as interaction with peers and objects, of five autistic children was systematically observed in four environments, i.e., a stark environment, a theraplay unit, a playroom, and an outside play deck. The preliminary results suggested that (1) with some children environment has little or no effect on their play behavior; (2) with multiple objects, autistic children frequently related to the objects rather than to their peers; (3) object play was most frequently at the manipulative stage and often included repetitive and negative behavior; (4) within a confined space with no objects present, autistic children frequently engaged in solitary repetitive behavior; and (5) within a confined space designed to facilitate a movement flow (theraplay), autistic children modeled and imitated and were involved in gross motor play together.

On the Representativeness of Behavior Observation Samples in Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tiger, Jeffrey H.; Miller, Sarah J.; Mevers, Joanna Lomas; Mintz, Joslyn Cynkus; Scheithauer, Mindy C.; Alvarez, Jessica

2013-01-01

School consultants who rely on direct observation typically conduct observational samples (e.g., 1 30-min observation per day) with the hopes that the sample is representative of performance during the remainder of the day, but the representativeness of these samples is unclear. In the current study, we recorded the problem behavior of 3 referred…

Periodic reference tracking control approach for smart material actuators with complex hysteretic characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Zhiyong; Hao, Lina; Song, Bo; Yang, Ruiguo; Cao, Ruimin; Cheng, Yu

2016-10-01

Micro/nano positioning technologies have been attractive for decades for their various applications in both industrial and scientific fields. The actuators employed in these technologies are typically smart material actuators, which possess inherent hysteresis that may cause systems behave unexpectedly. Periodic reference tracking capability is fundamental for apparatuses such as scanning probe microscope, which employs smart material actuators to generate periodic scanning motion. However, traditional controller such as PID method cannot guarantee accurate fast periodic scanning motion. To tackle this problem and to conduct practical implementation in digital devices, this paper proposes a novel control method named discrete extended unparallel Prandtl-Ishlinskii model based internal model (d-EUPI-IM) control approach. To tackle modeling uncertainties, the robust d-EUPI-IM control approach is investigated, and the associated sufficient stabilizing conditions are derived. The advantages of the proposed controller are: it is designed and represented in discrete form, thus practical for digital devices implementation; the extended unparallel Prandtl-Ishlinskii model can precisely represent forward/inverse complex hysteretic characteristics, thus can reduce modeling uncertainties and benefits controllers design; in addition, the internal model principle based control module can be utilized as a natural oscillator for tackling periodic references tracking problem. The proposed controller was verified through comparative experiments on a piezoelectric actuator platform, and convincing results have been achieved.

Agreement among Classroom Observers of Children's Stylistic Learning Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, Helen Hamlet; McDermott, Paul A.; Schaefer, Barbara A.

1998-01-01

Investigates the interobserver agreement of the Learning Behavior Scale (LBS) by educators (n=16) observing students in special-education classes (n=72). No significant observer effect was found. Moreover, the LBS produced comparable levels of differential learning styles for assessments of individual children. (Author/MKA)

Colossal Magnetoelectric Effect with Competing Multiferroic and Weak-Ferromagnetic Phases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Young Jai; Zhang, Chenglin; Lee, Nara; Cheong, Sang-Wook

2011-03-01

From our investigation of magnetoelectric properties of Eu 0.75 Y0.25 Mn O3 , where a multiferroic phase competes with a weak ferromagnetic phase in magnetic fields, we found intriguing hysteretic behaviors of physical properties with variation of temperature and magnetic field. These hysteretic behaviors arise from the kinetic arrest/de-arrest processes of the first order magnetic transition, resulting in freezing or melting of a magnetoelectric glass state with the coexistence of two competing phases. We note that most of large magnetoelectric coupling effects in multiferroics are associated with the large change of polarization with magnetic fields, but the control of ferromagnetic-type magnetization by applying electric fields is most relevant to technological applications, which is scarcely observed. This important issue of mutual controllability is achieved in Eu 0.75 Y0.25 Mn O3 utilizing dynamical modulations of the coexistence of two contraindicative phases, highly susceptible to the external perturbations such as electric and magnetic fields.

Observing Parent Behavior: Reconciling Theoretical Concepts with Empirical Reality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ge, Xiaojia

Using data from the Iowa Youth and Families Project, this longitudinal study investigated the predictive validity of different dimensions of observed parent behavior on adolescent externalizing (aggression, hostility) and internalizing (depression, anxiety) problems over a 2-year period. In addition, the study examined how observer ratings…

[The BASYS observation system for the analysis of aggressive behavior in classroom-settings].

PubMed

Wettstein, Alexander

2012-01-01

Educational or therapeutic measures of aggressive student behavior are often based on the judgments of teachers. However, empirical studies show that the objectivity of these judgments is generally low. In order to assess aggressive behavior in classroom settings, we developed a context-sensitive observational system. The observation system exists in a version for teachers in action as well as a version for the uninvolved observer. The teacher version allows categorizing aggressive behavior while teaching. The aim is to differentiate the perception and the judgments of teachers, so that the judgments can serve as trustable diagnostic information. The version for an independent observer, in addition, contains categories to collect information about the context in which aggressions take place. The behavior observation system was tested in four field-studies in regular and special classes. The empirical results show that, after training, teachers were able to make objective observations, and that aggressive behavior depends to a large extent on situational factors. The system allows identification of problematic people-environment relationships and the derivation of intervention measures.

Observed Parent Behaviors as Time-Varying Moderators of Problem Behaviors Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Treble-Barna, Amery; Zang, Huaiyu; Zhang, Nanhua; Taylor, H. Gerry; Stancin, Terry; Yeates, Keith Owen; Wade, Shari L.

2016-01-01

Parent behaviors moderate the adverse consequences of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, it is unknown how these moderating effects change over time. This study examined the moderating effect of observed parent behaviors over time since injury on the relation between TBI and behavioral outcomes. Participants included children, ages…

Characteristics and causal factors of hysteresis in the hydrodynamics of a large floodplain system: Poyang Lake (China)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X. L.; Zhang, Q.; Werner, A. D.; Tan, Z. Q.

2017-10-01

A previous modeling study of the lake-floodplain system of Poyang Lake (China) revealed complex hysteretic relationships between stage, storage volume and surface area. However, only hypothetical causal factors were presented, and the reasons for the occurrence of both clockwise and counterclockwise hysteretic functions were unclear. The current study aims to address this by exploring further Poyang Lake's hysteretic behavior, including consideration of stage-flow relationships. Remotely sensed imagery is used to validate the water surface areas produced by hydrodynamic modeling. Stage-area relationships obtained using the two methods are in strong agreement. The new results reveal a three-phase hydrological regime in stage-flow relationships, which assists in developing improved physical interpretation of hysteretic stage-area relationships for the lake-floodplain system. For stage-area relationships, clockwise hysteresis is the result of classic floodplain hysteretic processes (e.g., restricted drainage of the floodplain during recession), whereas counterclockwise hysteresis derives from the river hysteresis effect (i.e., caused by backwater effects). The river hysteresis effect is enhanced by the time lag between the peaks of catchment inflow and Yangtze discharge (i.e., the so-called Yangtze River blocking effect). The time lag also leads to clockwise hysteresis in the relationship between Yangtze River discharge and lake stage. Thus, factors leading to hysteresis in other rivers, lakes and floodplains act in combination within Poyang Lake to create spatial variability in hydrological hysteresis. These effects dominate at different times, in different parts of the lake, and during different phases of the lake's water level fluctuations, creating the unique hysteretic hydrological behavior of Poyang Lake.

Observed Parent Behaviors as Time-Varying Moderators of Problem Behaviors Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Young Children

PubMed Central

Treble-Barna, Amery; Zang, Huaiyu; Zhang, Nanhua; Taylor, H. Gerry; Stancin, Terry; Yeates, Keith Owen; Wade, Shari L.

2016-01-01

Parent behaviors moderate the adverse consequences of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, it is unknown how these moderating effects change over time. This study examined the moderating effect of observed parent behaviors over time since injury on the relation between TBI and behavioral outcomes. Participants included children, ages 3–7 years, hospitalized for moderate (n = 52) or severe (n = 20) TBI or orthopedic injury (OI; n = 95). Parent–child dyads were videotaped during structured task and free play conditions and parents completed child behavior ratings. Linear mixed models using a lagged, time-varying moderator analysis examined the relationship of observed parent behaviors at the baseline, 6-month, and 12-month assessments to child behavior problems at 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months post injury, after controlling for pre-injury levels of child behavior problems. The effect of TBI on behavior was exacerbated by less favorable parent behaviors, and buffered by more favorable parent behaviors, in children with severe TBI over the first 12 months post injury. By 18 months post injury, however, the moderating effect of parent behaviors diminished such that children with severe TBI showed more behavior problems relative to children with moderate TBI or OI regardless of parent behaviors or in response to parent behaviors that were initially protective. The results suggest that the moderating effects of the family environment are complex and likely vary in relation to both recovery and developmental factors, with potentially important implications for targets and timing of intervention. PMID:27786528

Magnetic Behavior of Ni-Fe Core-Shell and Alloy Nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathy, Jagnyaseni; Vargas, Jose; Spinu, Leonard; Wiley, John

2013-03-01

Template assisted synthesis was used to fabricate a series of Ni-Fe core-shell and alloy nanowires. By controlling reaction conditions as well as pore structure, both systems could be targeted and magnetic properties followed as a function of architectures. In the core-shell structure coercivity increases with decrease in shell thickness while for the alloys, coercivity squareness improve with increase pore diameter. Details on the systematic studies of these materials will be presented in terms of hysteretic measurements, including first order reversal curves (FORC), and FMR data. Magnetic variation as a function of structure and nanowire aspect ratios will be presented and the origins of these behaviors discussed. Advanced Material Research Institute

Providers' response to child eating behaviors: A direct observation study.

PubMed

Tovar, Alison; Vaughn, Amber E; Fallon, Megan; Hennessy, Erin; Burney, Regan; Østbye, Truls; Ward, Dianne S

2016-10-01

Child care providers play an important role in feeding young children, yet little is known about children's influence on providers' feeding practices. This qualitative study examines provider and child (18 months -4 years) feeding interactions. Trained data collectors observed 200 eating occasions in 48 family child care homes and recorded providers' responses to children's meal and snack time behaviors. Child behaviors initiating provider feeding practices were identified and practices were coded according to higher order constructs identified in a recent feeding practices content map. Analysis examined the most common feeding practices providers used to respond to each child behavior. Providers were predominately female (100%), African-American (75%), and obese (77%) and a third of children were overweight/obese (33%). Commonly observed child behaviors were: verbal and non-verbal refusals, verbal and non-verbal acceptance, being "all done", attempts for praise/attention, and asking for seconds. Children's acceptance of food elicited more autonomy supportive practices vs. coercive controlling. Requests for seconds was the most common behavior, resulting in coercive controlling practices (e.g., insisting child eat certain food or clean plate). Future interventions should train providers on responding to children's behaviors and helping children become more aware of internal satiety and hunger cues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Observed child and parent toothbrushing behaviors and child oral health

PubMed Central

COLLETT, BRENT R.; HUEBNER, COLLEEN E.; SEMINARIO, ANA LUCIA; WALLACE, ERIN; GRAY, KRISTEN E.; SPELTZ, MATTHEW L.

2018-01-01

Background Parent-led toothbrushing effectively reduces early childhood caries. Research on the strategies that parents use to promote this behavior is, however, lacking. Aim To examine associations between parent–child toothbrushing interactions and child oral health using a newly developed measure, the Toothbrushing Observation System (TBOS). Design One hundred children ages 18–60 months and their parents were video-recorded during toothbrushing interactions. Using these recordings, six raters coded parent and child behaviors and the duration of toothbrushing. We examined the reliability of the coding system and associations between observed parent and child behaviors and three indices of oral health: caries, gingival health, and history of dental procedures requiring general anesthesia. Results Reliabilities were moderate to strong for TBOS child and parent scores. Parent TBOS scores and longer duration of parent-led toothbrushing were associated with fewer decayed, missing or filled tooth surfaces and lower incidence of gingivitis and procedures requiring general anesthesia. Associations between child TBOS scores and dental outcomes were modest, suggesting the relative importance of parent versus child behaviors at this early age. Conclusions Parents’ child behavior management skills and the duration of parent-led toothbrushing were associated with better child oral health. These findings suggest that parenting skills are an important target for future behavioral oral health interventions. PMID:26148197

Mirror neuron system and observational learning: behavioral and neurophysiological evidence.

PubMed

Lago-Rodriguez, Angel; Lopez-Alonso, Virginia; Fernández-del-Olmo, Miguel

2013-07-01

Three experiments were performed to study observational learning using behavioral, perceptual, and neurophysiological data. Experiment 1 investigated whether observing an execution model, during physical practice of a transitive task that only presented one execution strategy, led to performance improvements compared with physical practice alone. Experiment 2 investigated whether performing an observational learning protocol improves subjects' action perception. In experiment 3 we evaluated whether the type of practice performed determined the activation of the Mirror Neuron System during action observation. Results showed that, compared with physical practice, observing an execution model during a task that only showed one execution strategy does not provide behavioral benefits. However, an observational learning protocol allows subjects to predict more precisely the outcome of the learned task. Finally, intersperse observation of an execution model with physical practice results in changes of primary motor cortex activity during the observation of the motor pattern previously practiced, whereas modulations in the connectivity between primary and non primary motor areas (PMv-M1; PPC-M1) were not affected by the practice protocol performed by the observer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scale-dependent coupling of hysteretic capillary pressure, trapping, and fluid mobilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doster, F.; Celia, M. A.; Nordbotten, J. M.

2012-12-01

Many applications of multiphase flow in porous media, including CO2-storage and enhanced oil recovery, require mathematical models that span a large range of length scales. In the context of numerical simulations, practical grid sizes are often on the order of tens of meters, thereby de facto defining a coarse model scale. Under particular conditions, it is possible to approximate the sub-grid-scale distribution of the fluid saturation within a grid cell; that reconstructed saturation can then be used to compute effective properties at the coarse scale. If both the density difference between the fluids and the vertical extend of the grid cell are large, and buoyant segregation within the cell on a sufficiently shorte time scale, then the phase pressure distributions are essentially hydrostatic and the saturation profile can be reconstructed from the inferred capillary pressures. However, the saturation reconstruction may not be unique because the parameters and parameter functions of classical formulations of two-phase flow in porous media - the relative permeability functions, the capillary pressure -saturation relationship, and the residual saturations - show path dependence, i.e. their values depend not only on the state variables but also on their drainage and imbibition histories. In this study we focus on capillary pressure hysteresis and trapping and show that the contribution of hysteresis to effective quantities is dependent on the vertical length scale. By studying the transition from the two extreme cases - the homogeneous saturation distribution for small vertical extents and the completely segregated distribution for large extents - we identify how hysteretic capillary pressure at the local scale induces hysteresis in all coarse-scale quantities for medium vertical extents and finally vanishes for large vertical extents. Our results allow for more accurate vertically integrated modeling while improving our understanding of the coupling of capillary

Fatigue and environmental behavior of long fiber thermoplastic (LFT) composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goel, Ashutosh

In the present work we have characterized the mechanical behavior of long fiber thermoplastic (LFT) composites (21% E-glass fiber/polypropylene) under different conditions. We start by comparing the elastic modulus of LFT predicted by a microstructure-based approach called Object Oriented Finite (OOF) element method, and compare the result with prediction from various models commonly used in the literature and the experimental value. The predictions from the models used currently in the literature did not agree well with the experimental value due to the assumptions inherent in the models. The prediction by OOF was the closest to the experimental value because of the microstructure based approach which takes into account the fiber distribution and orientation during the finite element calculation. This was followed by characterization of fatigue behavior of LFT. Samples tested along longitudinal direction showed a higher fatigue life than the transverse samples because of the preferred orientation of the fibers along the longitudinal direction developed during the processing of LFT by extrusion-compression molding process. Fatigue life decreased with increase in frequency. Hysteretic energy loss and temperature rise were measured; they depended on the stress amplitude as well as the cyclic frequency. LFT composite showed a lower temperature rise compared to neat PP because LFT has higher thermal conductivity than neat PP and thus faster heat dissipation to the surroundings occur. The hysteretic heating also led to decrease in the modulus of LFT as a function of number of cycles. The last part of the work was to study the effect of ultraviolet (UV) exposure on the microstructure and mechanical properties of LFT. Microscopic observations revealed that the damage due to UV was confined only to the surface region in the form of surface cracking and exposure of fibers to the surface in the case of LFT. FTIR and nanoindentation results showed that there was a large

Observation of creep behavior of cellulose electro-active paper (EAPap) actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Joo-Hyung; Lee, Sang-Woo; Yun, Gyu-Young; Yang, Chulho; Kim, Heung Soo; Kim, Jaehwan

2009-03-01

Understanding of creep effects on actuating mechanisms is important to precisely figure out the behavior of material. Creep behaviors of cellulose based Electro-Active Paper (EAPap) were studied under different constant loading conditions. We found the structural modification of microfibrils in EAPap after creep test. Structural differences of as-prepared and after creep tested samples were compared by SEM measurements. From the measured creep behaviors by different loading conditions, two different regions of induced strain and current were clearly observed as the measurement time increased. It is consider that local defects may occur and becomes micro-dimple or micro-crack formations in lower load cases as localized deformation proceeds, while the shrinkage of diameter of elongated fibers was observed only at the high level of loading. Therefore, cellulose nanofibers may play a role to be against the creep load and prevent the localized structural deformations. The results provide useful creep behavior and mechanism to understand the mechanical behavior of thin visco-elastic EAPap actuator.

Observed child and parent toothbrushing behaviors and child oral health.

PubMed

Collett, Brent R; Huebner, Colleen E; Seminario, Ana Lucia; Wallace, Erin; Gray, Kristen E; Speltz, Matthew L

2016-05-01

Parent-led toothbrushing effectively reduces early childhood caries. Research on the strategies that parents use to promote this behavior is, however, lacking. To examine associations between parent-child toothbrushing interactions and child oral health using a newly developed measure, the Toothbrushing Observation System (TBOS). One hundred children ages 18-60 months and their parents were video-recorded during toothbrushing interactions. Using these recordings, six raters coded parent and child behaviors and the duration of toothbrushing. We examined the reliability of the coding system and associations between observed parent and child behaviors and three indices of oral health: caries, gingival health, and history of dental procedures requiring general anesthesia. Reliabilities were moderate to strong for TBOS child and parent scores. Parent TBOS scores and longer duration of parent-led toothbrushing were associated with fewer decayed, missing or filled tooth surfaces and lower incidence of gingivitis and procedures requiring general anesthesia. Associations between child TBOS scores and dental outcomes were modest, suggesting the relative importance of parent versus child behaviors at this early age. Parents' child behavior management skills and the duration of parent-led toothbrushing were associated with better child oral health. These findings suggest that parenting skills are an important target for future behavioral oral health interventions. © 2015 BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Validity of an observation method for assessing pain behavior in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Cook, Karon F; Roddey, Toni S; Bamer, Alyssa M; Amtmann, Dagmar; Keefe, Francis J

2013-09-01

Pain is a common and complex experience for individuals who live with multiple sclerosis (MS) and it interferes with physical, psychological, and social function. A valid and reliable tool for quantifying observed pain behaviors in MS is critical to understand how pain behaviors contribute to pain-related disability in this clinical population. To evaluate the reliability and validity of a pain behavioral observation protocol in individuals who have MS. Community-dwelling volunteers with MS (N=30), back pain (N=5), or arthritis (N=8) were recruited based on clinician referrals, advertisements, fliers, web postings, and participation in previous research. Participants completed the measures of pain severity, pain interference, and self-reported pain behaviors and were videotaped doing typical activities (e.g., walking and sitting). Two coders independently recorded frequencies of pain behaviors by category (e.g., guarding and bracing) and interrater reliability statistics were calculated. Naïve observers reviewed videotapes of individuals with MS and rated their pain. The Spearman's correlations were calculated between pain behavior frequencies and self-reported pain and pain ratings by naïve observers. Interrater reliability estimates indicated the reliability of pain codes in the MS sample. Kappa coefficients ranged from moderate (sighing=0.40) to substantial agreements (guarding=0.83). These values were comparable with those obtained in the combined back pain and arthritis sample. Concurrent validity was supported by correlations with self-reported pain (0.46-0.53) and with self-reports of pain behaviors (0.58). Construct validity was supported by a finding of 0.87 correlation between total pain behaviors observed by coders and mean pain ratings by naïve observers. Results support the use of the pain behavior observation protocol for assessing pain behaviors of individuals with MS. Valid assessments of pain behaviors of individuals with MS could lead to

Validity of an Observation Method for Assessing Pain Behavior in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Cook, Karon F.; Roddey, Toni S.; Bamer, Alyssa M.; Amtmann, Dagmar; Keefe, Francis J

2012-01-01

Context Pain is a common and complex experience for individuals who live with multiple sclerosis (MS) that interferes with physical, psychological and social function. A valid and reliable tool for quantifying observed pain behaviors in MS is critical to understanding how pain behaviors contribute to pain-related disability in this clinical population. Objectives To evaluate the reliability and validity of a pain behavioral observation protocol in individuals who have MS. Methods Community-dwelling volunteers with multiple sclerosis (N=30), back pain (N=5), or arthritis (N=8) were recruited based on clinician referrals, advertisements, fliers, web postings, and participation in previous research. Participants completed measures of pain severity, pain interference, and self-reported pain behaviors and were videotaped doing typical activities (e.g., walking, sitting). Two coders independently recorded frequencies of pain behaviors by category (e.g., guarding, bracing) and inter-rater reliability statistics were calculated. Naïve observers reviewed videotapes of individuals with MS and rated their pain. Spearman correlations were calculated between pain behavior frequencies and self-reported pain and pain ratings by naïve observers. Results Inter-rater reliability estimates indicated the reliability of pain codes in the MS sample. Kappa coefficients ranged from moderate agreement (sighing = 0.40) to substantial agreement (guarding = 0.83). These values were comparable to those obtained in the combined back pain and arthritis sample. Concurrent validity was supported by correlations with self-reported pain (0.46-0.53) and with self-reports of pain behaviors (0.58). Construct validity was supported by finding of 0.87 correlation between total pain behaviors observed by coders and mean pain ratings by naïve observers. Conclusion Results support use of the pain behavior observation protocol for assessing pain behaviors of individuals with MS. Valid assessments of pain

Development of Creative Behavior Observation Form: A Study on Validity and Reliability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dere, Zeynep; Ömeroglu, Esra

2018-01-01

This study, Creative Behavior Observation Form was developed to assess creativity of the children. While the study group on the reliability and validity of Creative Behavior Observation Form was being developed, 257 children in total who were at the ages of 5-6 were used as samples with stratified sampling method. Content Validity Index (CVI) and…

Effect of an observer's presence on facial behavior during dyadic communication.

PubMed

Yamamoto, K; Suzuki, N

2012-06-01

In everyday life, people communicate not only with another person but also in front of other people. How do people behave during communication when observed by others? Effects of an observer (presence vs absence) and interpersonal relationship (friends vs strangers vs alone) on facial behavior were examined. Participants viewed film clips that elicited positive affect (film presentation) and discussed their impressions about the clips (conversation). Participants rated their subjective emotions and social motives. Durations of smiles, gazes, and utterances of each participant were coded. The presence of an observer did not affect facial behavior during the film presentation, but did affect gazes during conversation. Whereas the presence of an observer seemed to facilitate affiliation in pairs of strangers, communication between friends was exclusive and not affected by an observer.

Bias magnetic field and test period dependences of direct and converse magnetoelectric hysteresis of tri-layered magnetoelectric composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yun; Li, Xiao-Hong; Wang, Jian-Feng; Zhou, Hao-Miao; Cao, Dan; Jiao, Zhi-Wei; Xu, Long; Li, Qi-Hao

2018-04-01

The direct and converse magnetoelectric hysteresis behavior for a tri-layered composite has been comparatively investigated and significant similarities have been observed. The results show that both the direct and converse magnetoelectric hysteresis is deeply affected by the bias magnetic field and test period. The test time hysteresis caused by a fast varying bias magnetic field can be reduced by prolonging the test period. The observed coercive field, remanence, and ratio of remanence of the direct and converse magnetoelectric effects with the test period obey an exponential decay law. A hysteretic nonlinear magnetoelectric theoretical model for the symmetrical tri-layered structure has been proposed based on a nonlinear constitutive model and pinning effect. The numerical calculation shows that the theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental results. These findings not only provide insight into the examination and practical applications of magnetoelectric materials, but also propose a theoretical frame for studying the hysteretic characteristics of the magnetoelectric effect.

Factors Associated with South Korean Early Childhood Educators' Observed Behavior Support Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Yeon Ha; Stormont, Melissa

2012-01-01

This study was an exploratory study of 34 South Korean early childhood educators' strategies for addressing behavior problems in natural settings. Factors related to teachers' strategy implementation were also explored. Four specific teacher behaviors were observed: precorrection, behavioral-specific praise, redirection, and reprimand/punishment.…

Singular behavior of jet substructure observables

DOE PAGES

Larkoski, Andrew J.; Moult, Ian

2016-01-20

Jet substructure observables play a central role at the Large Hadron Collider for identifying the boosted hadronic decay products of electroweak scale resonances. The complete description of these observables requires understanding both the limit in which hard substructure is resolved, as well as the limit of a jet with a single hard core. In this paper we study in detail the perturbative structure of two prominent jet substructure observables, N-subjettiness and the energy correlation functions, as measured on background QCD jets. In particular, we focus on the distinction between the limits in which two-prong structure is resolved or unresolved. Dependingmore » on the choice of subjet axes, we demonstrate that at fixed order, N-subjettiness can manifest myriad behaviors in the unresolved region: smooth tails, end-point singularities, or singularities in the physical region. The energy correlation functions, by contrast, only have non-singular perturbative tails extending to the end point. We discuss the effect of hadronization on the various observables with Monte Carlo simulation and demonstrate that the modeling of these effects with non-perturbative shape functions is highly dependent on the N-subjettiness axes definitions. Lastly, our study illustrates those regions of phase space that must be controlled for high-precision jet substructure calculations, and emphasizes how such calculations can be facilitated by designing substructure observables with simple singular structures.« less

Problem behaviors of low-income children with language delays: an observation study.

PubMed

Qi, Cathy Huaqing; Kaiser, Ann P

2004-06-01

Children from low-income families are at increased risk for significant behavioral and language problems. Early identification of these problems is essential for effective intervention. The purpose of the present study was to use multiple behavioral assessments to examine the behavioral profiles of sixty 3- and 4-year-old children from low-income families enrolled in Head Start programs and to compare the behavior characteristics of 32 children with language delays with those of 28 children with typical language development. Teachers completed the Child Behavior Checklist/Caregiver-Teacher Report Form/2-5 (CTRF; T. M. Achenbach, 1997) and the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS; F. M. Gresham and S. N. Elliott, 1990), and children were observed in the classrooms during structured and unstructured activities. Children with language delays exhibited more problem behaviors and poorer social skills on some of the observational measures than did children with typical language development, as predicted, but not on all.

Collisions, Cannibals, and the Memory of Long-lost Bed Forms: The Hyster(et)ical Story Revealed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jerolmack, D. J.; Martin, R. L.

2015-12-01

Sandy river-bed morphology often lags changes in water discharge, producing hysteresis in the relation between discharge and bed-form geometry. While this effect is well known, its origins are not. In this talk we present experimental and field results that reveal these origins. We show that the primary mechanism of bed form growth in a rising flood is merger induced by collisions, which occur due to a dispersion in migration rates. At the start of a flood the bed forms are small and transport rate is high, so growth is rapid. Conversely, on the falling limb of a flood the bed forms are large while the transport rate is small. If the flood recedes rapidly enough, the large bed forms cease migrating and small, secondary bed forms emerge on their backs. These smaller features cannibalize the original, relict structures which slowly diffuse away. (We do not distinguish between ripples and dunes, the data do not indicate any reason to do so, and we therefore recuse ourselves from discussing that tiring topic.). The timescale of decay is much larger than growth, leaving a memory of peak-flood conditions that may persist until the next flood. Thus, the timescales of both growth (Tg) and decay (Td) are related to a simple bed form turnover time - the time to displace a bed form's volume by transport - however, the turnover time is different for growth vs. decay. This reveals three different regimes for the response of bed forms to a flood: (1) a slow flood with a timescale Tf > Td > Tg is quasi-steady, i.e., bed forms grow and shrink with no lag between morphology and flow; (2) an intermediate flood with Td > Tf > Tg exhibits quasi-steady growth, but decay lags the flow; and (3) a fast flood with Td > Tg > Tf produces a lag between morphology and flow over the entire hydrograph. Regimes 2 and 3 produce hysteretical behavior, with 3 being the most extreme. We discuss the implications of these results for: predicting stage-discharge relations, anticipating and understanding

Observing behavior in a computer game.

PubMed Central

Case, D A; Ploog, B O; Fantino, E

1990-01-01

Contingencies studied in lever-pressing procedures were incorporated into a popular computer game, "Star Trek," played by college students. One putative reinforcer, the opportunity to destroy Klingon invaders, was scheduled independently of responding according to a variable-time schedule that alternated unpredictably with equal periods of Klingon unavailability (mixed variable time, extinction schedule of reinforcement). Two commands ("observing responses") each produced stimuli that were either correlated or uncorrelated with the two components. In several variations of the basic game, an S-, or bad news, was not as reinforcing as an S+, or good news. In addition, in other conditions for the same subjects observing responses were not maintained better by bad news than by an uninformative stimulus. In both choices, more observing tended to be maintained by an S- for response-independent Klingons when its information could be (and was) used to advantage with respect to other types of reinforcement in the situation (Parts 1 and 2) than when the information could not be so used (Part 3). The findings favor the conditioned reinforcement hypothesis of observing behavior over the uncertainty-reduction hypothesis. This extends research to a more natural setting and to multialternative concurrent schedules of events of seemingly intrinsic value. PMID:2103581

Observing preschoolers' social-emotional behavior: structure, foundations, and prediction of early school success.

PubMed

Denham, Susanne A; Bassett, Hideko Hamada; Thayer, Sara K; Mincic, Melissa S; Sirotkin, Yana S; Zinsser, Katherine

2012-01-01

Social-emotional behavior of 352 3- and 4-year-olds attending private child-care and Head Start programs was observed using the Minnesota Preschool Affect Checklist, Revised (MPAC-R). Goals of the investigation included (a) using MPAC-R data to extract a shortened version, MPAC-R/S, comparing structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and stability of both versions; and, using the shortened measure, to examine (b) age, gender, and risk status differences in social-emotional behaviors; (c) contributions of emotion knowledge and executive function to social-emotional behaviors; and (d) contributions of social-emotional behaviors to early school adjustment and kindergarten academic success. Results show that reliability of MPAC-R/S was as good, or better, than the MPAC-R. MPAC-R/S structure, at both times of observation, included emotionally negative/aggressive, emotionally regulated/prosocial, and emotionally positive/productive behaviors; MPAC-R structure was similar but less replicable over time. Age, gender, and risk differences were found. Children's emotion knowledge contributed to later emotionally regulated/prosocial behavior. Finally, preschool emotionally negative/aggressive behaviors were associated with concurrent and kindergarten school success, and there was evidence of social-emotional behavior mediating relations between emotion knowledge or executive function, and school outcomes. The importance of portable, empirically supported observation measures of social-emotional behaviors is discussed along with possible applications, teacher utilization, and implementation barriers.

The Effects of Perceived Normative Pressure and Observability of Behavior on Intention to Perform Sun Protection and Nutrition Behaviors on Behalf of Young Children among Parents

PubMed Central

Lewis, Nehama

2012-01-01

This paper describes research on two normative concepts thought to impact health behaviors: injunctive and descriptive norms. The study tests whether the extent to which the same health behavior is enacted in an observable or non-observable setting will lead to variation in normative influence on parent intention. In on-line experiments conducted in winter 2009, 467 participants were randomized to a behavioral scenario in which the health behavior was described as occurring in an observable or non-observable setting. For sun protection behaviors, observability primed the influence of descriptive norms on intention. For nutrition behaviors, observability primed the influence of injunctive norms on intention. Across both conditions, observability of the behavioral scenario increased the strength of the association between norms and intention. PMID:24610959

Developing the System for Observing Behavioral Ecology for Youth in Schools Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenz, Kent A.; van der Mars, Hans; Kulinna, Pamela H.; Ainsworth, Barbara E.; Hovell, Melbourne F.

2017-01-01

Background: Behavioral support may be effective in increasing physical activity (PA) in school settings. However, there are no data collection systems to concurrently record PA and behavioral support. This paper describes the development and validation of the System for Observing Behavioral Ecology for Youth in Schools (SOBEYS)--an instrument used…

Hysteretic characteristics of 1/λ⁴ scattering of light during adsorption and desorption of water in porous Vycor glass with nanopores.

PubMed

Ogawa, Shigeo; Nakamura, Jiro

2013-10-01

Porous Vycor glass with nanopores is transparent in the visible region and is often used in colorimetric chemical sensing when impregnated with selectively reacting reagents. However, it has some disadvantages in sensing, since changes in the humidity of ambient air strongly affect its transmission. In this work, by combining a humidity-controlled thermostatic chamber and an ultraviolet-visible and near-infrared spectrophotometer through fiber optics, we analyzed the effect of increasing and decreasing humidity in the ambient air on the transparency change of the nanoporous glass. The transparency response in the visible region to changes in humidity is analyzed to correlate the turbidity response of the glass with the amount of water in it. The turbidity is found to be dependent on the inverse fourth power of the wavelength (1/λ⁴), which implies that Rayleigh-type scattering takes place for both adsorption and desorption of water. We show that measures of the extent of the optical inhomogeneity that causes the scattering, such as the effective radius of scatterers and their number density, exhibit a pronounced hysteretic characteristic for the imbibition and drainage of water, while the absorption inherent to imbibed water also shows another type of hysteresis that is quite similar to the sorption isotherms of water. On the basis of the above observations, we show that the transitory white turbidity of nanoporous glasses during changes in humidity can be consistently interpreted and quantitatively analyzed by a simple Rayleigh scattering mechanism.

Observed and Self-Reported Pesticide Protective Behaviors of Latino Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers

PubMed Central

Walton, AnnMarie Lee; LePrevost, Catherine; Wong, Bob; Linnan, Laura; Sanchez-Birkhead, Ana; Mooney, Kathi

2016-01-01

Agricultural pesticide exposure has potential adverse health effects for farmworkers that may be reduced by pesticide protective behaviors (PPBs). The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Worker Protection Standard (WPS) requires PPBs be taught to farmworkers prior to field work. Studies to date have not utilized observational methods to evaluate the degree to which PPBs are practiced by Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the United States. The purpose of this study was to describe, compare, and contrast observed and self-reported PPBs used by Latino farmworkers; both PPBs that the WPS requires be taught and other PPBs were included. Observed and self-reported data were collected from 71 Latino farmworkers during the 2014 tobacco growing season in North Carolina. Participants were consistent in reporting and using long pants and closed shoes in the field most of the time. In addition, gloves, hats/bandanas, and water-resistant outerwear were frequently observed, although they are not required to be taught by the WPS. Farmworkers reported more long-sleeve (p = .028) and glove use (p = .000) than what was observed. It was uncommon to observe washing behavior before eating or drinking, even when washing supplies were available. Washing behaviors were significantly overreported for hand (p = .000; (p = .000) and face (p = .000; (p = .058) washing before eating and drinking in the field. This study documents that protective clothing behaviors that the WPS requires be taught, plus a few others are commonly practiced by Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers, but washing behaviors in the field are not. Targeted strategies to improve washing behaviors in the field are needed. PMID:26918841

Observed Emotional and Behavioral Indicators of Motivation Predict School Readiness in Head Start Graduates

PubMed Central

Berhenke, Amanda; Miller, Alison L.; Brown, Eleanor; Seifer, Ronald; Dickstein, Susan

2011-01-01

Emotions and behaviors observed during challenging tasks are hypothesized to be valuable indicators of young children's motivation, the assessment of which may be particularly important for children at risk for school failure. The current study demonstrated reliability and concurrent validity of a new observational assessment of motivation in young children. Head Start graduates completed challenging puzzle and trivia tasks during their kindergarten year. Children's emotion expression and task engagement were assessed based on their observed facial and verbal expressions and behavioral cues. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that observed persistence and shame predicted teacher ratings of children's academic achievement, whereas interest, anxiety, pride, shame, and persistence predicted children's social skills and learning-related behaviors. Children's emotional and behavioral responses to challenge thus appeared to be important indicators of school success. Observation of such responses may be a useful and valid alternative to self-report measures of motivation at this age. PMID:21949599

Observed Emotional and Behavioral Indicators of Motivation Predict School Readiness in Head Start Graduates.

PubMed

Berhenke, Amanda; Miller, Alison L; Brown, Eleanor; Seifer, Ronald; Dickstein, Susan

2011-01-01

Emotions and behaviors observed during challenging tasks are hypothesized to be valuable indicators of young children's motivation, the assessment of which may be particularly important for children at risk for school failure. The current study demonstrated reliability and concurrent validity of a new observational assessment of motivation in young children. Head Start graduates completed challenging puzzle and trivia tasks during their kindergarten year. Children's emotion expression and task engagement were assessed based on their observed facial and verbal expressions and behavioral cues. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that observed persistence and shame predicted teacher ratings of children's academic achievement, whereas interest, anxiety, pride, shame, and persistence predicted children's social skills and learning-related behaviors. Children's emotional and behavioral responses to challenge thus appeared to be important indicators of school success. Observation of such responses may be a useful and valid alternative to self-report measures of motivation at this age.

Revisiting hydraulic hysteresis based on long-term monitoring of hydraulic states in lysimeters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hannes, M.; Wollschläger, U.; Wöhling, T.; Vogel, H.-J.

2016-05-01

Hysteretic processes have been recognized for decades as an important characteristic of soil hydraulic behavior. Several studies confirmed that wetting and drying periods cannot be described by a simple functional relationship, and that some nonequilibrium of the water retention characteristics has to be taken into account. A large number of models describing the hysteresis of the soil water retention characteristic were successfully tested on soil cores under controlled laboratory conditions. However, its relevance under field conditions under natural forcings has rarely been investigated. In practice, the modeling of field soils usually neglects the hysteretic nature of soil hydraulic properties. In this study, long-term observations of water content and matric potential in lysimeters of the lysimeter network TERENO-SoilCan are presented, clearly demonstrating the hysteretic behavior of field soils. We propose a classification into three categories related to different time scales. Based on synthetic and long-term monitoring data, three different models of hysteresis were applied to data sets showing different degrees of hysteresis. We found no single model to be superior to the others. The model ranking depended on the degree of hysteresis. All models were able to reflect the general structure of hysteresis in most cases but failed to reproduce the detailed trajectories of state variables especially under highly transient conditions. As an important result we found that the temporal dynamics of wetting and drying significantly affects these trajectories which should be accounted for in future model concepts.

Microwave Memristive-like Nonlinearity in a Dielectric Metamaterial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Hongya; Zhou, Ji; Lan, Chuwen; Guo, Yunsheng; Bi, Ke

2014-06-01

Memristor exhibit interesting and valuable circuit properties and have thus become the subject of increasing scientific interest. Scientists wonder if they can conceive a microwave memristor that behaves as a memristor operating with electromagnetic fields. Here, we report a microwave memristive-like nonlinear phenomenon at room temperature in dielectric metamaterials consisting of CaTiO3-ZrO2 ceramic dielectric cubes. Hysteretic transmission-incident field power loops (similar to the hysteretic I-V loop of memristor which is the fingerprint of memristor) with various characteristics were systematically observed in the metamaterials, which exhibited designable microwave memristive-like behavior. The effect is attributed to the decreasing permittivity of the dielectric cubes with the increasing temperature generated by the interaction between the electromagnetic waves and the dielectric cubes. This work demonstrates the feasibility of fabrication transient photonic memristor at microwave frequencies with metamaterials.

Live Versus Televised Observations of Social Behavior in Preschool Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulson, F. Leon

1972-01-01

An investigation to compare systematic behavioral observations made live with those made on television was conducted. The study was designed to answer three questions: (1) Is there a difference in the agreement between observers (Os) when both view an event Live and when both view the same event on Television? (2) Is there a difference in…

Social norms of accompanied young children and observed crossing behaviors.

PubMed

Rosenbloom, Tova; Sapir-Lavid, Yael; Hadari-Carmi, Ofri

2009-01-01

Social norms for accompanied young children and crossing behaviors were examined in two studies conducted in an Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Israel. In Study 1, road behaviors of young children crossing with and without accompaniment and older children were observed, and the actual social norm for accompanied school children younger than 9-years-old was examined. In Study 2, the perceived norm of accompaniment was tested by questionnaires. Young children who crossed without accompaniment exhibited poorer crossing skills compared to older children and to young children crossing with accompaniment. In the four locations observed, the actual accompaniment rate ranged between 15%-60%. The perceived social norm for child accompaniment was lower than the actual norm. The discussion refers to both theoretical issues and their practical implications.

Local interaction simulation approach to modelling nonclassical, nonlinear elastic behavior in solids.

PubMed

Scalerandi, Marco; Agostini, Valentina; Delsanto, Pier Paolo; Van Den Abeele, Koen; Johnson, Paul A

2003-06-01

Recent studies show that a broad category of materials share "nonclassical" nonlinear elastic behavior much different from "classical" (Landau-type) nonlinearity. Manifestations of "nonclassical" nonlinearity include stress-strain hysteresis and discrete memory in quasistatic experiments, and specific dependencies of the harmonic amplitudes with respect to the drive amplitude in dynamic wave experiments, which are remarkably different from those predicted by the classical theory. These materials have in common soft "bond" elements, where the elastic nonlinearity originates, contained in hard matter (e.g., a rock sample). The bond system normally comprises a small fraction of the total material volume, and can be localized (e.g., a crack in a solid) or distributed, as in a rock. In this paper a model is presented in which the soft elements are treated as hysteretic or reversible elastic units connected in a one-dimensional lattice to elastic elements (grains), which make up the hard matrix. Calculations are performed in the framework of the local interaction simulation approach (LISA). Experimental observations are well predicted by the model, which is now ready both for basic investigations about the physical origins of nonlinear elasticity and for applications to material damage diagnostics.

Advancing the discussion about systematic classroom behavioral observation, a product review of Tenny, J. (2010). eCOVE observation software. Pacific City, OR: eCOVE Software, LLC.

PubMed

Froiland, John Mark; Smith, Liana

2014-05-01

Applied child psychologists and behavioral consultants often use systematic behavioral observations to inform the psychological assessment and intervention development process for children referred for attention and hyperactivity problems. This article provides a review of the 2010 version of the eCOVE classroom observation software in terms of its utility in tracking the progress of children with attention and hyperactive behaviors and its use in evaluating teacher behaviors that may impede or promote children's attention and positive behavior. The eCOVE shows promise as an efficient tool for psychologists and behavioral consultants who want to evaluate the effects of interventions for children with symptoms of ADHD, ODD, mood disorders and learning disorders; however, some research-based improvements for future models are suggested. The reviewers also share their firsthand experience in using eCOVE to evaluate teacher and student behavior exhibited on a television show about teaching urban high school students and during a movie about an eccentric new kindergarten teacher. Rich examples are provided of using strategic behavioral observations to reveal how to improve the classroom environment so as to facilitate attention, motivation and positive behavior among youth. Broader implications for enhancing the use of systematic behavioral observations in the assessment of children and adolescents with attention disorders and related behavioral problems are discussed. Key issues are examined such as the use of behavioral observations during psychological consultation to prevent the previously found gender bias in referrals for ADHD. Using behavioral observations to enhance differential diagnosis is also discussed.

An Ultrathin Single Crystalline Relaxor Ferroelectric Integrated on a High Mobility Semiconductor.

PubMed

Moghadam, Reza M; Xiao, Zhiyong; Ahmadi-Majlan, Kamyar; Grimley, Everett D; Bowden, Mark; Ong, Phuong-Vu; Chambers, Scott A; Lebeau, James M; Hong, Xia; Sushko, Peter V; Ngai, Joseph H

2017-10-11

The epitaxial growth of multifunctional oxides on semiconductors has opened a pathway to introduce new functionalities to semiconductor device technologies. In particular, the integration of gate materials that enable nonvolatile or hysteretic functionality in field-effect transistors could lead to device technologies that consume less power or allow for novel modalities in computing. Here we present electrical characterization of ultrathin single crystalline SrZr x Ti 1-x O 3 (x = 0.7) films epitaxially grown on a high mobility semiconductor, Ge. Epitaxial films of SrZr x Ti 1-x O 3 exhibit relaxor behavior, characterized by a hysteretic polarization that can modulate the surface potential of Ge. We find that gate layers as thin as 5 nm corresponding to an equivalent-oxide thickness of just 1.0 nm exhibit a ∼2 V hysteretic window in the capacitance-voltage characteristics. The development of hysteretic metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with nanoscale gate thicknesses opens new vistas for nanoelectronic devices.

Assessing the Student-Instructional Setting Interface Using an Eco-Behavioral Observation System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendrickson, Jo M.

1992-01-01

An eco-behavioral observation system was developed for use with students with behavior disorders or emotional disturbances. Discussed are the ecosystem definition, the student-instructional setting interface, and the assessment procedure, including evaluation of the quality of academic responding, program evaluation, staff development, and…

Observations of the Middle School Environment: The Context for Student Behavior beyond the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rusby, Julie C.; Crowley, Ryann; Sprague, Jeffrey; Biglan, Anthony

2011-01-01

This article describes the use of an observation system to measure middle school staff practices, environment characteristics, and student behavior in the school common areas. Data were collected at baseline from 18 middle schools participating in a randomized controlled trial of school-wide Positive Behavior Support. The observations were…

Associations between informant ratings of personality disorder traits, self-reports of personality, and directly observed behavior.

PubMed

Kaurin, Aleksandra; Sauerberger, Kyle S; Funder, David C

2018-03-02

Diagnoses of personality disorders (PD) must rely on judgments of observers-either clinicians or acquaintances-because personality disorders are primarily defined in terms of maladaptive interpersonal behavior. Little is known, however, about how closely acquaintances' judgments of PD traits relate to self-reports of theoretically relevant Big Five traits or directly observed behavioral outcomes in interpersonal situations. The present study examines associations between judgments of the 10 PD traits provided by close acquaintances, self-reports of PD-relevant Big Five personality traits, and observed interpersonal behaviors across three different three-person laboratory interactions (i.e., unstructured chat, cooperative task, competitive game). The sample consisted of 256 undergraduate students (130 females; M age  = 19.83, SD = 1.25). Four unacquainted observers independently rated participants' behaviors from video recordings. In line with previous work, informant reports of PD traits demonstrate strong convergent validity with relevant self-reported Big Five traits (as identified by Lynam & Widiger, 2001). Directly observed behavior is meaningfully associated with acquaintances' judgments and self-reports of PD-relevant traits, and the associations between these judgments and behavior are strongest for traits associated with histrionic and schizoid PD. Vector correlations between behavioral profiles associated with informant and self-reports show that both assessments have similar behavioral correlates. Associations between PD trait ratings and behavior appeared to differ as a function of gender, with males showing more and stronger correlations. Informants' ratings of PD traits are impressively accurate, converging both with self-reports of relevant traits and directly observed interpersonal behavior. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of PDs and associated traits can be augmented by information from multiple acquaintances who have the

Experimental observation of edge transport in graphene nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinikar, Amogh; Sai, T. Phanindra; Bhattacharyya, Semonti; Agarwala, Adhip; Biswas, Tathagata; Sarker, Sanjoy K.; Krishnamurthy, H. R.; Jain, Manish; Shenoy, Vijay B.; Ghosh, Arindam

The zizzag edges of graphene, whether single or few layers, host zero energy gapless states and are perfect 1D ballistic conductors. Conclusive observations of electrical conduction through edge states has been elusive. We report the observation of edge bound transport in atomic-scale constrictions of single and multilayer suspended graphene created stochastically by nanomechanical exfoliation of graphite. We observe that the conductance is quantized in near multiples of e2/h. Non-equilibrium transport shows a split zero bias anomaly and, the magneto-conductance is hysteretic; indicating that the electron transport is through spin polarized edge states in the presence of electron-electron interaction. Atomic force microscope scans on the graphite surface post exfoliation reveal that the final constriction is usually a single layer graphene with a constricting angle of 30o. Tearing along crystallographic angles suggests the tears occur along zigzag and armchair configurations with high fidelity of the edge morphology. We acknowledge the financial support from the DST, Government of India. SS acknowledges support from the NSF (DMR-1508680).

Comparison of food safety cognitions and self-reported food-handling behaviors with observed food safety behaviors of young adults.

PubMed

Abbot, J M; Byrd-Bredbenner, C; Schaffner, D; Bruhn, C M; Blalock, L

2009-04-01

Developing tailored and effective food safety education for young adults is critical given their future roles as caregivers likely to be preparing food for populations who may be at greater risk for foodborne disease (FBD). The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between food safety self-reported food-handling behaviors and cognitions of young adults to observed food-handling behaviors. Participants were 153 young adults (mean age 20.74+/-1.30 s.d.) attending a major American university. Each prepared a meal under observation in a controlled laboratory setting, permitted researchers to observe their home kitchen and completed an online survey assessing food safety knowledge, behavior and psychosocial measures. Descriptive statistics were generated for participants' self-reported food-handling behaviors, psychosocial characteristics, knowledge, food preparation observations and home kitchen observations. Determinants of compliance with safe food-handling procedures while preparing a meal and home food storage/rotation practices were identified using backward regression models. Participants engaged in less than half of the recommended safe food-handling practices evaluated and correctly answered only two-thirds of the food safety knowledge items. They reported positive food safety beliefs and high food safety self-efficacy. Self-reported compliance with cross-contamination prevention, disinfection procedures and knowledge of groups at greatest risk for FBD were the best measures for predicting compliance with established safe food-handling practices. Food safety education directed toward young adults should focus on increasing awareness of FBD and knowledge of proper cross-contamination prevention procedures to help promote better compliance with actual safe food handling.

Association of environmental indicators with teen alcohol use and problem behavior: Teens' observations vs. objectively-measured indicators.

PubMed

Byrnes, Hilary F; Miller, Brenda A; Morrison, Christopher N; Wiebe, Douglas J; Woychik, Marcie; Wiehe, Sarah E

2017-01-01

Most prior studies use objectively measured data (e.g., census-based indicators) to assess contextual risks. However, teens' observations might be more important for their risk behavior. 1) determine relationships between observed and objective indicators of contextual risks 2) determine relations of observed and objective indicators with teen alcohol use and problem behavior. Teens aged 14-16 (N=170) carried GPS-enabled smartphones for one month, with locations documented. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) measured teens' observations via texts regarding risk behaviors and environmental observations. Objective indicators of alcohol outlets and disorganization were spatially joined to EMAs based on teens' location at the time of the texts. Observed and objective disorganization, and objective indicators of alcohol outlets were related to alcohol use. Observed disorganization was related to problem behavior, while objective indicators were unrelated. Findings suggest the importance of considering teens' observations of contextual risk for understanding influences on risk behavior and suggest future directions for research and prevention strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association of Environmental Indicators with Teen Alcohol Use and Problem Behavior: Teens’ Observations vs. Objectively-Measured Indicators

PubMed Central

Byrnes, Hilary F.; Miller, Brenda A.; Morrison, Christopher N.; Wiebe, Douglas J.; Woychik, Marcie; Wiehe, Sarah E.

2017-01-01

Most prior studies use objectively measured data (e.g., census-based indicators) to assess contextual risks. However, teens’ observations might be more important for their risk behavior. Objectives: 1) determine relationships between observed and objective indicators of contextual risks 2) determine relations of observed and objective indicators with teen alcohol use and problem behavior. Teens aged 14–16 (N=170) carried GPS-enabled smartphones for one month, with locations documented. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) measured teens’ observations via texts regarding risk behaviors and environmental observations. Objective indicators of alcohol outlets and disorganization were spatially joined to EMAs based on teens’ location at the time of the texts. Observed and objective disorganization, and objective indicators of alcohol outlets were related to alcohol use. Observed disorganization was related to problem behavior, while objective indicators were unrelated. Findings suggest the importance of considering teens’ observations of contextual risk for understanding influences on risk behavior and suggest future directions for research and prevention strategies. PMID:28061392

Microwave Memristive-like Nonlinearity in a Dielectric Metamaterial

PubMed Central

Wu, Hongya; Zhou, Ji; Lan, Chuwen; Guo, Yunsheng; Bi, Ke

2014-01-01

Memristor exhibit interesting and valuable circuit properties and have thus become the subject of increasing scientific interest. Scientists wonder if they can conceive a microwave memristor that behaves as a memristor operating with electromagnetic fields. Here, we report a microwave memristive-like nonlinear phenomenon at room temperature in dielectric metamaterials consisting of CaTiO3-ZrO2 ceramic dielectric cubes. Hysteretic transmission-incident field power loops (similar to the hysteretic I-V loop of memristor which is the fingerprint of memristor) with various characteristics were systematically observed in the metamaterials, which exhibited designable microwave memristive-like behavior. The effect is attributed to the decreasing permittivity of the dielectric cubes with the increasing temperature generated by the interaction between the electromagnetic waves and the dielectric cubes. This work demonstrates the feasibility of fabrication transient photonic memristor at microwave frequencies with metamaterials. PMID:24975455

Building Alliances with (In)Voluntary Clients: A Study Focused on Therapists' Observable Behaviors.

PubMed

Sotero, Luciana; Cunha, Diana; da Silva, José Tomás; Escudero, Valentín; Relvas, Ana Paula

2017-12-01

This study aimed to compare therapists' observable behaviors to promote alliances with involuntary and voluntary clients during brief family therapy. The therapists' contributions to fostering alliances were rated in sessions 1 and 4 using videotapes of 29 families who were observed in brief therapy. Using the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances, trained raters searched for specific therapist behaviors that contributed to or detracted from the four alliance dimensions: engagement in the therapeutic process, an emotional connection with the therapist, safety within the therapeutic system, and a shared sense of purpose within the family. The results showed that when working with involuntary clients, therapists presented more behaviors to foster the clients' engagement and to promote a shared sense of purpose within the family. However, in the fourth session, the therapists in both groups contributed to the alliance in similar ways. The results are discussed in terms of (a) the therapists' alliance-building behaviors, (b) the specificities of each client group, and (c) the implications for clinical practice, training, and research. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

Observe, simplify, titrate, model, and synthesize: A paradigm for analyzing behavior

PubMed Central

Alberts, Jeffrey R.

2013-01-01

Phenomena in behavior and their underlying neural mechanisms are exquisitely complex problems. Infrequently do we reflect on our basic strategies of investigation and analysis, or formally confront the actual challenges of achieving an understanding of the phenomena that inspire research. Philip Teitelbaum is distinct in his elegant approaches to understanding behavioral phenomena and their associated neural processes. He also articulated his views on effective approaches to scientific analyses of brain and behavior, his vision of how behavior and the nervous system are patterned, and what constitutes basic understanding. His rubrics involve careful observation and description of behavior, simplification of the complexity, analysis of elements, and re-integration through different forms of synthesis. Research on the development of huddling behavior by individual and groups of rats is reviewed in a context of Teitelbaum’s rubrics of research, with the goal of appreciating his broad and positive influence on the scientific community. PMID:22481081

A simulation of atomic force microscope microcantilever in the tapping mode utilizing couple stress theory.

PubMed

Abbasi, Mohammad

2018-04-01

The nonlinear vibration behavior of a Tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM) microcantilever under acoustic excitation force has been modeled and investigated. In dynamic AFM, the tip-surface interactions are strongly nonlinear, rapidly changing and hysteretic. First, the governing differential equation of motion and boundary conditions for dynamic analysis are obtained using the modified couple stress theory. Afterwards, closed-form expressions for nonlinear frequency and effective nonlinear damping ratio are derived utilizing perturbation method. The effect of tip connection position on the vibration behavior of the microcantilever are also analyzed. The results show that nonlinear frequency is size dependent. According to the results, an increase in the equilibrium separation between the tip and the sample surface reduces the overall effect of van der Waals forces on the nonlinear frequency, but its effect on the effective nonlinear damping ratio is negligible. The results also indicate that both the change in the distance between tip and cantilever free end and the reduction of tip radius have significant effects on the accuracy and sensitivity of the TM-AFM in the measurement of surface forces. The hysteretic behavior has been observed in the near resonance frequency response due to softening and hardening of the forced vibration response. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Frame of Reference Rater Training Issues: Recall, Time and Behavior Observation Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roch, Sylvia G.; O'Sullivan, Brian J.

2003-01-01

Graduate students were trained as raters either using frame of reference (FOR, n=220, behavior observation training (BOT, n=21), or performance appraisal (controls, n=21). They rated videotaped lecturers twice. FOR increased number of behaviors recalled; FOR and BOT improved recall quality. FOR improved rating accuracy even after 2 weeks.…

The influence of student characteristics on the dependability of behavioral observation data.

PubMed

Briesch, Amy M; Volpe, Robert J; Ferguson, Tyler David

2014-06-01

Although generalizability theory has been used increasingly in recent years to investigate the dependability of behavioral estimates, many of these studies have relied on use of general education populations as opposed to those students who are most likely to be referred for assessment due to problematic classroom behavior (e.g., inattention, disruption). The current study investigated the degree to which differences exist in terms of the magnitude of both variance component estimates and dependability coefficients between students nominated by their teachers for Tier 2 interventions due to classroom behavior problems and a general classroom sample (i.e., including both nominated and non-nominated students). The academic engagement levels of 16 (8 nominated, 8 non-nominated) middle school students were measured by 4 trained observers using momentary time-sampling procedures. A series of G and D studies were then conducted to determine whether the 2 groups were similar in terms of the (a) distribution of rating variance and (b) number of observations needed to achieve an adequate level of dependability. Results suggested that the behavior of students in the teacher-nominated group fluctuated more across time and that roughly twice as many observations would therefore be required to yield similar levels of dependability compared with the combined group. These findings highlight the importance of constructing samples of students that are comparable to those students with whom the measurement method is likely to be applied when conducting psychometric investigations of behavioral assessment tools. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Behaviors observed during S− in a simple discrimination learning task1

PubMed Central

Rand, Judith F.

1977-01-01

Key pecking of pigeons was reinforced with food in the presence of a horizontal line and never reinforced in the presence of a vertical line. Highly stereotyped behaviors, as well as key pecking, were observed and recorded in the presence of both stimuli. Results showed that a high proportion of time spent in the presence of the horizontal line was occupied by key pecking, a high proportion of time in the presence of the vertical line was occupied by stereotyped nonkey-pecking behaviors, and intermediate proportions of time spent in the presence of intermediate stimuli were occupied by each class of behavior during generalization tests. Similar running rates (number of key pecks divided by observed key-pecking time) were obtained in the presence of all stimuli, indicating that changes in time rather than tempo accounted for the changes in overall rates of key pecking. An exception occurred in responding to the horizontal line as differential performance was developing. In addition to an increase in time spent key pecking, increased running rates occurred in seven of eight birds, suggesting that both time allocation and tempo play a role in behavioral contrast of overall rates of key pecking. ImagesFig. 2a.Fig. 2b. PMID:16811968

Magneto electric effects in BaTiO3-CoFe2O4 bulk composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Shivani; Caltun, O. F.; Sreenivas, K.

2012-11-01

Influence of a static magnetic field (HDC) on the hysteresis and remanence in the longitudinal and transverse magneto electric voltage coefficients (MEVC) observed in [BaTiO3]1-x-[CoFe2O4]x bulk composites are analyzed. Remanence in MEVC at zero bias (HDC=0) is stronger in the transverse configuration over the longitudinal case. The observed hysteretic behavior in MEVC vs. HDC is correlated with the changes observed in the magnetostriction characteristics (λ and dλ/dH) reported for [BaTiO3]1-x-[CoFe2O4]x bulk composites.

Observed fearlessness and positive parenting interact to predict childhood callous-unemotional behaviors among low-income boys

PubMed Central

Waller, Rebecca; Shaw, Daniel S.; Hyde, Luke W.

2016-01-01

Background Callous-unemotional behaviors identify children at risk for severe and chronic antisocial behavior. Research is needed to establish pathways from temperament and parenting factors that give rise to callous-unemotional behaviors, including interactions of positive versus harsh parenting with child fearlessness. Methods Multi-method data, including parent reports and observations of parent and child behavior, were drawn from a prospective, longitudinal sample of low-income boys (N=310) with assessments at 18, 24, and 42 months, and at ages 10–12 years old. Results Parent-reported callous-unemotional, oppositional, and attention-deficit factors were separable at 42 months. Callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at ages 10–12, accounting for earlier oppositional and attention-deficit behaviors and self-reported child delinquency at ages 10–12. Observations of fearlessness at 24 months predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months, but only when parents exhibited low observed levels of positive parenting. The interaction of fearlessness and low positive parenting indirectly predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at 10–12 via callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months. Conclusions Early fearlessness interacts with low positive parenting to predict early callous-unemotional behaviors, with lasting effects of this person-by-context interaction on callous-unemotional behaviors into late-childhood. PMID:27917472

Observed fearlessness and positive parenting interact to predict childhood callous-unemotional behaviors among low-income boys.

PubMed

Waller, Rebecca; Shaw, Daniel S; Hyde, Luke W

2017-03-01

Callous-unemotional behaviors identify children at risk for severe and chronic antisocial behavior. Research is needed to establish pathways from temperament and parenting factors that give rise to callous-unemotional behaviors, including interactions of positive versus harsh parenting with child fearlessness. Multimethod data, including parent reports and observations of parent and child behavior, were drawn from a prospective, longitudinal sample of low-income boys (N = 310) with assessments at 18, 24, and 42 months, and at ages 10-12 years old. Parent-reported callous-unemotional, oppositional, and attention-deficit factors were separable at 42 months. Callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at ages 10-12, accounting for earlier oppositional and attention-deficit behaviors and self-reported child delinquency at ages 10-12. Observations of fearlessness at 24 months predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months, but only when parents exhibited low observed levels of positive parenting. The interaction of fearlessness and low positive parenting indirectly predicted callous-unemotional behaviors at 10-12 via callous-unemotional behaviors at 42 months. Early fearlessness interacts with low positive parenting to predict early callous-unemotional behaviors, with lasting effects of this person-by-context interaction on callous-unemotional behaviors into late childhood. © 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

How Do Observational Scales Correlate the Ratings of Children's Behavior during Pediatric Procedural Sedation?

PubMed Central

Moura, Larissa da Silva

2016-01-01

Background. There is little information regarding the ability of observational scales to properly assess children's behavior during procedural sedation. Aim. To evaluate the characteristics of the Houpt scales, the Ohio State University Behavioral Rating Scale (OSUBRS) and the Venham Behavior Rating Scale when applied to preschool children undergoing conscious dental sedation. Design. This study included 27 children, 4–6 years old with early childhood caries that participated in a clinical trial (NCT02284204) that investigated two sedative regimes using oral midazolam/ketamine. Dental appointments were video-recorded; five calibrated observers assessed 1,209 minutes of video recording to score the children's behavior, following the instructions of the investigated scales. Data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and Spearman correlation tests (P < 0.05). Results. The Houpt overall behavior and the Venham scale were highly correlated (rho = −0.87; P < 0.001). OSUBRS scores were better correlated with Houpt overall behavior and Venham ratings, when compared to Houpt scores in the categories for movement and crying. Conclusions. The Houpt overall behavior and the Venham scores are global scales that properly measure children's behavior during dental sedation. Continuous assessment with OSUBRS through videos has a chance to give more precise data, while the Houpt categories can easily demonstrate children's behavior during procedures. PMID:28116299

The Effects of Safety Discrimination Training and Frequent Safety Observations on Safety-Related Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Matthew A.; Alvero, Alicia M.

2012-01-01

The intent of the present study was to assess the effects of discrimination training only and in combination with frequent safety observations on five participants' safety-related behavior in a simulated office setting. The study used a multiple-baseline design across safety-related behaviors. Across all participants and behavior, safety improved…

The Effects of Training, Feedback, and Participant Involvement in Behavioral Safety Observations on Office Ergonomic Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sasson, Joseph R.; Austin, John

2005-01-01

Eleven computer terminal operators participated in an experiment that assessed effects of several interventions aimed at increasing safe ergonomic performance. All participants received ergonomics training and performance feedback while six of them collected observations of safe behavior among the remaining five participants. Effects of…

Mother-Child Interactions and Childhood OCD: Effects of CBT on Mother and Child Observed Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlup, Barbara; Farrell, Lara; Barrett, Paula

2011-01-01

This waitlist-controlled study investigates the impact of a group-based cognitive-behavioral therapy with family involvement (CBT-F) on observed mother and child behaviors in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Forty-four children and adolescents with OCD and their mothers were observed during family discussions before and after…

Alternating Renewal Process Models for Behavioral Observation: Simulation Methods, Software, and Validity Illustrations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pustejovsky, James E.; Runyon, Christopher

2014-01-01

Direct observation recording procedures produce reductive summary measurements of an underlying stream of behavior. Previous methodological studies of these recording procedures have employed simulation methods for generating random behavior streams, many of which amount to special cases of a statistical model known as the alternating renewal…

Preschool Children's Observed Disruptive Behavior: Variations across Sex, Interactional Context, and Disruptive Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Sarah A. O.; Carter, Alice S.; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J.; Hill, Carri; Danis, Barbara; Keenan, Kate; Wakschlag, Lauren S.

2012-01-01

Sex differences in disruptive behavior and sensitivity to social context are documented, but the intersection between them is rarely examined empirically. This report focuses on sex differences in observed disruptive behavior across interactional contexts and diagnostic status. Preschoolers (n = 327) were classified as nondisruptive (51%),…

Magnetic ordering-induced multiferroic behavior in [CH 3NH 3][Co(HCOO) 3] metal-organic framework.

DOE PAGES

Gomez-Aguirre, Lilian Claudia; Zapf, Vivien S.; Pato-Doldan, Breogan; ...

2015-12-30

Here, we present the first example of magnetic ordering-induced multiferroic behavior in a metal–organic framework magnet. This compound is [CH 3NH 3][Co(HCOO) 3] with a perovskite-like structure. The A-site [CH 3NH 3] + cation strongly distorts the framework, allowing anisotropic magnetic and electric behavior and coupling between them to occur. This material is a spin canted antiferromagnet below 15.9 K with a weak ferromagnetic component attributable to Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya (DM) interactions and experiences a discontinuous hysteretic magnetic-field-induced switching along [010] and a more continuous hysteresis along [101]. Coupling between the magnetic and electric order is resolved when the field is appliedmore » along this [101]: a spin rearrangement occurs at a critical magnetic field in the ac plane that induces a change in the electric polarization along [101] and [10-1]. The electric polarization exhibits an unusual memory effect, as it remembers the direction of the previous two magnetic-field pulses applied. The data are consistent with an inverse-DM mechanism for multiferroic behavior.« less

Evolution of magnetic properties in the vicinity of the Verwey transition in Fe3O4 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, X. H.; Liu, W.; Zhang, Z. D.

2017-09-01

We have systematically studied the evolution of magnetic properties, especially the coercivity and the remanence ratio in the vicinity of the Verwey transition temperature (TV), of high-quality epitaxial Fe3O4 thin films grown on MgO (001), MgAl2O4 (MAO) (001), and SrTiO3 (STO) (001) substrates. We observed rapid change of magnetization, coercivity, and remanence ratio at TV, which are consistent with the behaviors of resistivity versus temperature [ρ (T )] curves for the different thin films. In particular, we found quite different magnetic behaviors for the thin films on MgO from those on MAO and STO, in which the domain size and the strain state play very important roles. The coercivity is mainly determined by the domain size but the demagnetization process is mainly dependent on the strain state. Furthermore, we observed a reversal of remanence ratio at TV with thickness for the thin films grown on MgO: from a rapid enhancement for 40-nm- to a sharp drop for 200-nm-thick film, and the critical thickness is about 80 nm. Finally, we found an obvious hysteretic loop of coercivity (or remanence ratio) with temperature around TV, corresponding to the hysteretic loop of the ρ (T ) curve, in Fe3O4 thin film grown on MgO.

Transitional behavior of different energy protons based on Van Allen Probes observations

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

Yue, Chao; Bortnik, Jacob; Chen, Lunjin

Understanding the dynamical behavior of ~1 eV to 50 keV ions and identifying the energies at which the morphologies transit are important in that they involve the relative intensities and distributions of the large-scale electric and magnetic fields, the outflow, and recombination rates. However, there have been only few direct observational investigations of the transition in drift behaviors of different energy ions before the Van Allen Probes era. In this paper, we statistically analyze ~1 eV to 50 keV hydrogen (H +) differential flux distributions near geomagnetic equator by using Van Allen Probes observations to investigate the H + dynamicsmore » under the regulation of large-scale electric and magnetic fields. Our survey clearly indicates three types of H + behaviors within different energy ranges, which is consistent with previous theory predictions. Finally, using simple electric and magnetic field models in UBK coordinates, we have further constrained the source regions of different energy ions and their drift directions.« less

Transitional behavior of different energy protons based on Van Allen Probes observations

DOE PAGES

Yue, Chao; Bortnik, Jacob; Chen, Lunjin; ...

2016-12-09

Understanding the dynamical behavior of ~1 eV to 50 keV ions and identifying the energies at which the morphologies transit are important in that they involve the relative intensities and distributions of the large-scale electric and magnetic fields, the outflow, and recombination rates. However, there have been only few direct observational investigations of the transition in drift behaviors of different energy ions before the Van Allen Probes era. In this paper, we statistically analyze ~1 eV to 50 keV hydrogen (H +) differential flux distributions near geomagnetic equator by using Van Allen Probes observations to investigate the H + dynamicsmore » under the regulation of large-scale electric and magnetic fields. Our survey clearly indicates three types of H + behaviors within different energy ranges, which is consistent with previous theory predictions. Finally, using simple electric and magnetic field models in UBK coordinates, we have further constrained the source regions of different energy ions and their drift directions.« less

Fine Scale Baleen Whale Behavior Observed Via Tagging Over Daily Time Scales

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Fine Scale Baleen Whale Behavior Observed Via Tagging...followed over time scales of days from an oceanographic vessel so that environmental sampling can be conducted in proximity to the tagged whale ...characterize the relationship between diel variability in the foraging behavior of baleen whales (North Atlantic right whales and sei whales ) and the

Measures of Reliability in Behavioral Observation: The Advantage of "Real Time" Data Acquisition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollenbeck, Albert R.; Slaby, Ronald G.

Two observers who were using an electronic digital data acquisition system were spot checked for reliability at random times over a four month period. Between-and within-observer reliability was assessed for frequency, duration, and duration-per-event measures of four infant behaviors. The results confirmed the problem of observer drift--the…

Tropical behavior of mesospheric ozone as observed by SMM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aikin, A. C.; Kendig, D. J.

1992-01-01

The seasonal behavior of low latitude mesospheric ozone, as observed by the SMM satellite solar occultation experiment, is detailed for the 1985-1989 period. Annual as well as semi-annual waves are observed in the 50-70 km altitude region. In the latitude range of +/- 30 deg the ozone phase and amplitude are functions of temperature and seasonal changes in solar flux. Temperature is the controlling factor for the equatorial region and seasonal changes in solar flux become more dominant at latitudes outside the equatorial zone (greater than +/- 15 deg). There is a hemispheric asymmetry in the ozone annual wave in the 20-30 deg region, with Northern Hemispheric ozone having a larger amplitude than Southern Hemispheric ozone.

Observer Error when Measuring Safety-Related Behavior: Momentary Time Sampling versus Whole-Interval Recording

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Matthew A.; Skourides, Andreas; Alvero, Alicia M.

2012-01-01

Interval recording procedures are used by persons who collect data through observation to estimate the cumulative occurrence and nonoccurrence of behavior/events. Although interval recording procedures can increase the efficiency of observational data collection, they can also induce error from the observer. In the present study, 50 observers were…

Thermomechanical Response of Self-Assembled Nanoparticle Membranes

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

Wang, Yifan; Chan, Henry; Narayanan, Badri

2017-07-21

Monolayers composed of colloidal nanoparticles, with a thickness of less than 10 nm, have remarkable mechanical moduli and can suspend over micrometer-sized holes to form free-standing membranes. In this paper, we discuss experiment's and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations characterizing the thermomechanical properties of these self-assembled nanoparticle membranes. These membranes remain strong and resilient up to temperatures much higher than previous simulation predictions and exhibit an unexpected hysteretic behavior during the first heating cooling cycle. We show this hysteretic behavior can be explained by an asymmetric ligand configuration from the self assembly process and can be controlled by changing the ligandmore » coverage or cross-linking the ligand molecules. Finally, we show the screening effect of water molecules on the ligand interactions can strongly affect the moduli and thermomechanical behavior.« less

The Development of Spectroscopic Techniques to Study Defects in Thin Film Silicon-Dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zvanut, Mary Ellen

This dissertation research concerns the study of defects in thin film sputtered SiO_2 which is used as an optical coating material. The capacitance-voltage and current-voltage techniques typically used in microelectronics investigations were used to examine the concentration, location, and kinetics of charge in an aluminum-sputtered oxide-native oxide-silicon capacitor. The response of the capacitor to low field bias stress reveals a hysteretic trapping behavior similar to that observed in microelectronic grade oxide films. In an effort to understand this phenomenon, a band-to-trap tunneling model was developed based on the assumption that the defect involved exhibits a delta function spatial distribution and an extended energy distribution. The central feature of this model, defect relaxation, provides a physical explanation for the hysteretic trapping behavior. Analysis yields that the trap is located spatially within 2 nm of the Si/SiO _2 interface and energetically less than 5 eV from the SiO_2 conduction band edge. The relaxation energy associated with the capture of an electron at the trap is 0.1-2.2 eV. Correlation of the electrical measurements executed for this investigation with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) data obtained by Dr. P. Caplan provides structural information about the defect involved with the hysteretic trapping phenomenon. EPR results obtained before and after subjecting an oxide-silicon structure to corona discharge suggest that the trapping center is an E^ ' defect. The technique of band-to-trap tunneling spectroscopy combined with the EPR experiments provides the first reported trap depth associated with the capture of a hole at an E^' center located near the silicon surface of an oxide/silicon system.

American black bear denning behavior: Observations and applications using remote photography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bridges, A.S.; Fox, J.A.; Olfenbuttel, C.; Vaughan, M.B.

2004-01-01

Researchers examining American black bear (Ursus americanus) denning behavior have relied primarily on den-site visitation and radiotelemetry to gather data. Repeated den-site visits are time-intensive and may disturb denning bears, possibly causing den abandonment, whereas radiotelemetry is sufficient only to provide gross data on den emergence. We used remote cameras to examine black bear denning behavior in the Allegheny Mountains of western Virginia during March-May 2003. We deployed cameras at 10 den sites and used 137 pictures of black bears. Adult female black bears exhibited greater extra-den activity than we expected prior to final den emergence, which occurred between April 12 and May 6, 2003. Our technique provided more accurate den-emergence estimation than previously published methodologies. Additionally, we observed seldom-documented behaviors associated with den exits and estimated cub age at den emergence. Remote cameras can provide unique insights into denning ecology, and we describe their potential application to reproductive, survival, and behavioral research.

Behavioral observation differentiates the effects of an intervention to promote sleep in premature infants: a pilot study.

PubMed

Lacina, Linda; Casper, Tammy; Dixon, Melodie; Harmeyer, Joann; Haberman, Beth; Alberts, Jeffrey R; Simakajornboon, Narong; Visscher, Marty O

2015-02-01

Sleep and ongoing cycling of sleep states are required for neurosensory processing, learning, and brain plasticity. Many aspects of neonatal intensive care environments such as handling for routine and invasive procedures, bright lighting, and noise can create stress, disrupt behavior, and interfere with sleep in prematurely born infants. The study empirically investigated whether a 30-minute observation of infant sleep states and behavior could differentiate an intervention to promote sleep in premature infants with feeding difficulties relative to conventional care (standard positioning, standard crib mattress [SP]). We included an intervention to determine the ability of the method to discriminate treatments and generate a benchmark for future improvements. The intervention, a conformational positioner (CP), is contoured around the infant to provide customized containment and boundaries. To more fully verify the 30-minute observational sleep results, standard polysomnography was conducted simultaneously and sleep outcomes for the 2 modalities were compared. In a randomized crossover clinical trial, 25 infants, 31.5 ± 0.6 weeks' gestational age and 38.4 ± 0.6 weeks at the study, with gastrointestinal conditions or general feeding difficulties used each intervention during an overnight neonatal intensive care unit sleep study. Infant sleep states and behaviors were observed during two 30-minute periods--that is, on the positioner and mattress--using the naturalistic observation of newborn behavior. Two certified developmental care nurses assessed sleep state, self-regulatory, and stress behaviors during 2-minute intervals and summed over 30 minutes. Sleep characteristics from standard polysomnography were measured at the time of behavior observations. Infants on CP spent significantly less time in alert, active awake, or crying states by observation compared with SP. Surgical subjects spent more time awake, active awake, or crying and displayed a higher number

Cyclic Behavior of Low Rise Concrete Shear Walls Containing Recycled Coarse and Fine Aggregates.

PubMed

Qiao, Qiyun; Cao, Wanlin; Qian, Zhiwei; Li, Xiangyu; Zhang, Wenwen; Liu, Wenchao

2017-12-07

In this study, the cyclic behaviors of low rise concrete shear walls using recycled coarse or fine aggregates were investigated. Eight low rise Recycled Aggregates Concrete (RAC) shear wall specimens were designed and tested under a cyclic loading. The following parameters were varied: replacement percentages of recycled coarse or fine aggregates, reinforcement ratio, axial force ratio and X-shaped rebars brace. The failure characteristics, hysteretic behavior, strength and deformation capacity, strain characteristics and stiffness were studied. Test results showed that the using of the Recycled Coarse Aggregates (RCA) and its replacement ratio had almost no influence on the mechanical behavior of the shear wall; however, the using of Recycled Fine Aggregates (RFA) had a certain influence on the ductility of the shear wall. When the reinforcement ratio increased, the strength and ductility also increased. By increasing the axial force ratio, the strength increased but the ductility decreased significantly. The encased brace had a significant effect on enhancing the RAC shear walls. The experimental maximum strengths were evaluated with existing design codes, it was indicated that the strength evaluation of the low rise RAC shear walls can follow the existing design codes of the conventional concrete shear walls.

Emulating Real-Life Situations with a Play Task to Observe Parenting Skills and Child Behaviors

PubMed Central

Rusby, Julie C.; Metzler, Carol W.; Sanders, Matthew R.; Crowley, Ryann

2015-01-01

Play tasks that use standardized procedures and materials are a practical way to assess parenting skills, child behaviors, and the ways in which parents and children interact. We describe a systematic process for developing the Parent–Child Play Task (PCPT) to assess mother–child interactions for a randomized controlled trial on a video-based parenting program. Participants are 307 mothers and their 3-through 6-year-old children who present oppositional and disruptive behavior challenges. The validity of the PCPT was investigated by testing (a) the extent to which the tasks elicit the specific parent and child behaviors of interest, (b) the consistency of individuals’ behavior across the play tasks, and (c) the concurrent associations of the PCPT observed child behaviors and mother reports of child behavior. The different tasks elicited the mother and child behaviors that they were designed to elicit. Behavior consistency across tasks for individual mothers and children was fair to good, with the exception of two task-specific behaviors. Mothers’ guidance (provision of instructions to foster a skill) during the teaching task and children’s interruptions while mother was busy during the questionnaire task were highly task specific. Modest associations were found between observed children’s noncompliance and inappropriate behaviors, and mother-reported conduct problems and oppositional behaviors. Implications for clinical and research assessments are discussed. PMID:25689090

Quality of Parent-Adolescent Conversations about Sex and Adolescent Sexual Behavior: An Observational Study

PubMed Central

Rogers, Adam A.; Ha, Thao; Stormshak, Elizabeth A.; Dishion, Thomas J.

2015-01-01

PURPOSE Studies suggest that the quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex uniquely predicts adolescent sexual behavior. Previous studies have relied predominantly on self-report data. Observational methods, which are not susceptible to self-report biases, may be useful in examining the associations between the quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex and adolescent sexual behavior more objectively. METHOD With a sample of adolescents (N = 55, 58% male, 44% White, Mage = 15.8) and their parents, we used hierarchical logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between the observed quality of parent-adolescent communication about dating and sex and the likelihood of adolescents’ sexual intercourse. RESULTS The quality of parent-adolescent communication about dating and sex predicted sexual behavior. Specifically, lecturing was associated with a higher likelihood of adolescents having had sexual intercourse. CONCLUSIONS The quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex is a unique correlate of adolescent sexual behavior and warrants further investigation. Thus, it serves as a potential target of preventive interventions that aim to foster adolescent sexual health behaviors. PMID:26206438

Hysteretic Tricolor Electrochromic Systems Based on the Dynamic Redox Properties of Unsymmetrically Substituted Dihydrophenanthrenes and Biphenyl-2,2'-Diyl Dications: Efficient Precursor Synthesis by a Flow Microreactor Method

PubMed Central

Ishigaki, Yusuke; Suzuki, Takanori; Nishida, Jun-ichi; Nagaki, Aiichiro; Takabayashi, Naofumi; Kawai, Hidetoshi; Fujiwara, Kenshu; Yoshida, Jun-ichi

2011-01-01

A series of biphenyl-2,2'-diylbis(diarylmethanol)s 3, which have two kinds of aryl groups at the bay region, were efficiently obtained by integrated flow microreactor synthesis. The diols 3NO/NX are the precursors of unsymmetric biphenylic dications 2NO/NX2+, which are transformed into the corresponding dihydrophenanthrenes 1NO/NX via 2NO/NX+• upon reduction, when they exhibit two-stage color changes. On the other hand, the steady-state concentration of the intermediate 2NO/NX+• is negligible during the oxidation of 1NO/NX to 2NO/NX2+, which reflects unique tricolor electrochromicity with a hysteretic pattern of color change [color 1→color 2→color 3→color 1]. PMID:28824114

Video surveillance captures student hand hygiene behavior, reactivity to observation, and peer influence in Kenyan primary schools.

PubMed

Pickering, Amy J; Blum, Annalise G; Breiman, Robert F; Ram, Pavani K; Davis, Jennifer

2014-01-01

In-person structured observation is considered the best approach for measuring hand hygiene behavior, yet is expensive, time consuming, and may alter behavior. Video surveillance could be a useful tool for objectively monitoring hand hygiene behavior if validated against current methods. Student hand cleaning behavior was monitored with video surveillance and in-person structured observation, both simultaneously and separately, at four primary schools in urban Kenya over a study period of 8 weeks. Video surveillance and in-person observation captured similar rates of hand cleaning (absolute difference <5%, p = 0.74). Video surveillance documented higher hand cleaning rates (71%) when at least one other person was present at the hand cleaning station, compared to when a student was alone (48%; rate ratio  = 1.14 [95% CI 1.01-1.28]). Students increased hand cleaning rates during simultaneous video and in-person monitoring as compared to single-method monitoring, suggesting reactivity to each method of monitoring. This trend was documented at schools receiving a handwashing with soap intervention, but not at schools receiving a sanitizer intervention. Video surveillance of hand hygiene behavior yields results comparable to in-person observation among schools in a resource-constrained setting. Video surveillance also has certain advantages over in-person observation, including rapid data processing and the capability to capture new behavioral insights. Peer influence can significantly improve student hand cleaning behavior and, when possible, should be exploited in the design and implementation of school hand hygiene programs.

Is Structured Observation a Valid Technique to Measure Handwashing Behavior? Use of Acceleration Sensors Embedded in Soap to Assess Reactivity to Structured Observation

PubMed Central

Ram, Pavani K.; Halder, Amal K.; Granger, Stewart P.; Jones, Therese; Hall, Peter; Hitchcock, David; Wright, Richard; Nygren, Benjamin; Islam, M. Sirajul; Molyneaux, John W.; Luby, Stephen P.

2010-01-01

Structured observation is often used to evaluate handwashing behavior. We assessed reactivity to structured observation in rural Bangladesh by distributing soap containing acceleration sensors and performing structured observation 4 days later. Sensors recorded the number of times soap was moved. In 45 participating households, the median number of sensor soap movements during the 5-hour time block on pre-observation days was 3.7 (range 0.3–10.6). During the structured observation, the median number of sensor soap movements was 5.0 (range 0–18.0), a 35% increase, P = 0.0004. Compared with the same 5-hour time block on pre-observation days, the number of sensor soap movements increased during structured observation by ≥ 20% in 62% of households, and by ≥ 100% in 22% of households. The increase in sensor soap movements during structured observation, compared with pre-observation days, indicates substantial reactivity to the presence of the observer. These findings call into question the validity of structured observation for measurement of handwashing behavior. PMID:21036840

Is structured observation a valid technique to measure handwashing behavior? Use of acceleration sensors embedded in soap to assess reactivity to structured observation.

PubMed

Ram, Pavani K; Halder, Amal K; Granger, Stewart P; Jones, Therese; Hall, Peter; Hitchcock, David; Wright, Richard; Nygren, Benjamin; Islam, M Sirajul; Molyneaux, John W; Luby, Stephen P

2010-11-01

Structured observation is often used to evaluate handwashing behavior. We assessed reactivity to structured observation in rural Bangladesh by distributing soap containing acceleration sensors and performing structured observation 4 days later. Sensors recorded the number of times soap was moved. In 45 participating households, the median number of sensor soap movements during the 5-hour time block on pre-observation days was 3.7 (range 0.3-10.6). During the structured observation, the median number of sensor soap movements was 5.0 (range 0-18.0), a 35% increase, P = 0.0004. Compared with the same 5-hour time block on pre-observation days, the number of sensor soap movements increased during structured observation by ≥ 20% in 62% of households, and by ≥ 100% in 22% of households. The increase in sensor soap movements during structured observation, compared with pre-observation days, indicates substantial reactivity to the presence of the observer. These findings call into question the validity of structured observation for measurement of handwashing behavior.

A Big-Data-based platform of workers' behavior: Observations from the field.

PubMed

Guo, S Y; Ding, L Y; Luo, H B; Jiang, X Y

2016-08-01

Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) has been used in construction to observe, analyze and modify workers' behavior. However, studies have identified that BBS has several limitations, which have hindered its effective implementation. To mitigate the negative impact of BBS, this paper uses a case study approach to develop a Big-Data-based platform to classify, collect and store data about workers' unsafe behavior that is derived from a metro construction project. In developing the platform, three processes were undertaken: (1) a behavioral risk knowledge base was established; (2) images reflecting workers' unsafe behavior were collected from intelligent video surveillance and mobile application; and (3) images with semantic information were stored via a Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). The platform was implemented during the construction of the metro-system and it is demonstrated that it can effectively analyze semantic information contained in images, automatically extract workers' unsafe behavior and quickly retrieve on HDFS as well. The research presented in this paper can enable construction organizations with the ability to visualize unsafe acts in real-time and further identify patterns of behavior that can jeopardize safety outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantum Memristors with Superconducting Circuits

PubMed Central

Salmilehto, J.; Deppe, F.; Di Ventra, M.; Sanz, M.; Solano, E.

2017-01-01

Memristors are resistive elements retaining information of their past dynamics. They have garnered substantial interest due to their potential for representing a paradigm change in electronics, information processing and unconventional computing. Given the advent of quantum technologies, a design for a quantum memristor with superconducting circuits may be envisaged. Along these lines, we introduce such a quantum device whose memristive behavior arises from quasiparticle-induced tunneling when supercurrents are cancelled. For realistic parameters, we find that the relevant hysteretic behavior may be observed using current state-of-the-art measurements of the phase-driven tunneling current. Finally, we develop suitable methods to quantify memory retention in the system. PMID:28195193

Acute illness-induced behavioral alterations are similar to those observed during withdrawal from acute alcohol exposure

PubMed Central

Richey, Laura; Doremus-Fitzwater, Tamara L.; Buck, Hollin M.; Deak, Terrence

2012-01-01

Exposure to an immunogen results in a constellation of behavioral changes collectively referred to as “sickness behaviors,” with alterations in cytokine expression previously shown to contribute to this sickness response. Since behaviors observed during ethanol withdrawal are strikingly similar to sickness behaviors, we hypothesized that behavioral manifestations of ethanol withdrawal might be an expression of sickness behaviors induced by ethanol-related changes in peripheral and/or central cytokine expression. Accordingly, behaviors exhibited during a modified social investigation test were first characterized in male rats following an acute injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100 μg/kg). Subsequently, behavioral changes after either a high (4-g/kg; Experiment 2) or low dose (0.5 g/kg; Experiment 3) of ethanol were also examined in the same social investigation test, as well as in the forced-swim test (FST; Experiment 4). Results from these experiments demonstrated similar reductions in both exploration and social investigatory behavior during acute illness and ethanol withdrawal, while a seemingly paradoxical decrease in immobility was observed in the FST during acute ethanol withdrawal. In follow-up studies, neither indomethacin (Experiment 5) nor interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (Experiment 6) pre-exposure reversed the ethanol withdrawal-induced behavioral changes observed in this social investigation test. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that the behavioral sequelae of acute illness and ethanol withdrawal are similar in nature, while antagonist studies suggest that these behavioral alterations are not reversed by blockade of IL-1 receptors or inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. Though a direct mechanistic link between cytokines and the expression of acute ethanol withdrawal-related behaviors has yet to be found, future studies examining the involvement of brain cytokines as potential mediators of ethanol effects are greatly needed. PMID

Fire-danger rating and observed wildfire behavior in the Northeastern United States.

Treesearch

Donald A. Haines; William A. Main; Albert J. Simard

1986-01-01

Compares the 1978 National Fire-Danger Rating System and its 20 fuel models, along with other danger rating systems, with observed fire behavior and rates the strengths and weaknesses of models and systems.

Fathers' challenging parenting behavior prevents social anxiety development in their 4-year-old children: a longitudinal observational study.

PubMed

Majdandžić, Mirjana; Möller, Eline L; de Vente, Wieke; Bögels, Susan M; van den Boom, Dymphna C

2014-02-01

Recent models on parenting propose different roles for fathers and mothers in the development of child anxiety. Specifically, it is suggested that fathers' challenging parenting behavior, in which the child is playfully encouraged to push her limits, buffers against child anxiety. In this longitudinal study, we explored whether the effect of challenging parenting on children's social anxiety differed between fathers and mothers. Fathers and mothers from 94 families were separately observed with their two children (44 % girls), aged 2 and 4 years at Time 1, in three structured situations involving one puzzle task and two games. Overinvolved and challenging parenting behavior were coded. Child social anxiety was measured by observing the child's response to a stranger at Time 1, and half a year later at Time 2, and by parental ratings. In line with predictions, father's challenging parenting behavior predicted less subsequent observed social anxiety of the 4-year-old child. Mothers' challenging behavior, however, predicted more observed social anxiety of the 4-year-old. Parents' overinvolvement at Time 1 did not predict change in observed social anxiety of the 4-year-old child. For the 2-year-old child, maternal and paternal parenting behavior did not predict subsequent social anxiety, but early social anxiety marginally did. Parent-rated social anxiety was predicted by previous parental ratings of social anxiety, and not by parenting behavior. Challenging parenting behavior appears to have favorable effects on observed 4-year-old's social anxiety when displayed by the father. Challenging parenting behavior emerges as an important focus for future research and interventions.

Pain behaviors observed during six common procedures: results from Thunder Project II.

PubMed

Puntillo, Kathleen A; Morris, Ann B; Thompson, Carol L; Stanik-Hutt, Julie; White, Cheri A; Wild, Lorie R

2004-02-01

Patients frequently display behaviors during procedures that may be pain related. Clinicians often rely on the patient's demonstration of behaviors as a cue to presence of pain. The purpose of this study was to identify specific pain-related behaviors and factors that predict the degree of behavioral responses during the following procedures: turning, central venous catheter insertion, wound drain removal, wound care, tracheal suctioning, and femoral sheath removal. Prospective, descriptive study. Multiple units in 169 hospitals in United States, Canada, England, and Australia. A total of 5,957 adult patients who underwent one of the six procedures. None. A 30-item behavior observation tool was used to note patients' behaviors before and during a procedure. By comparing behaviors exhibited before and during the procedure as well as behaviors in those with and without procedural pain (as noted on a 0-10 numeric rating scale), we identified specific procedural pain behaviors: grimacing, rigidity, wincing, shutting of eyes, verbalization, moaning, and clenching of fists. On average, there were significantly more behaviors exhibited by patients with vs. without procedural pain (3.5 vs. 1.8 behaviors; t = 38.3, df = 5072.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-1.8). Patients with procedural pain were at least three times more likely to have increased behavioral responses than patients without procedural pain. A simultaneous regression model determined that 33% of the variance in amount of pain behaviors exhibited during a procedure was explained by three factors: degree of procedural pain intensity, degree of procedural distress, and undergoing the turning procedure. Because of the strong relationship between procedural pain and behavioral responses, clinicians can use behavioral responses of verbal and nonverbal patients to plan for, implement, and evaluate analgesic interventions.

Are parent-reported outcomes for self-directed or telephone-assisted behavioral family intervention enhanced if parents are observed?

PubMed

Morawska, Alina; Sanders, Matthew R

2007-05-01

The study examined the effects of conducting observations as part of a broader assessment of families participating in behavior family intervention (BFI). It was designed to investigate whether the observations improve intervention outcomes. Families were randomly assigned to different levels of BFI or a waitlist control condition and subsequently randomly assigned to either observation or no-observation conditions. This study demonstrated significant intervention and observation effects. Mothers in more intensive BFI reported more improvement in their child's behavior and their own parenting. Observed mothers reported lower intensity of child behavior problems and more effective parenting styles. There was also a trend for less anger among mothers who were observed and evidence of an observation-intervention interaction for parental anger, with observed mothers in more intensive intervention reporting less anger compared to those not observed. Implications for clinical and research intervention contexts are discussed.

Superconductivity of a Sn film controlled by an array of Co nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Zhiyuan; Ye, Zuxin; Rathnayaka, Daya; Lyuksyutov, Igor; Wu, Wenhao; Naugle, Donald

2012-02-01

Superconducting properties of a hybrid structure composed of ferromagnetic Co nanowire arrays and a superconducting Sn film have been investigated. Ordered Co nanowires arrays with 60 nm, 150 nm and 200 nm diameter were electroplated into the pores of self organized anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes. Hysteretic dependence of the Sn film superconducting properties on applied magnetic field and critical current enhancement at moderate fields has been observed. This behavior strongly depends on the ratio of the Sn film thickness to the Co nanowire diameter.

Superconductivity of a Sn film controlled by an array of Co nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Z.; Ye, Z.; Rathnayaka, K. D. D.; Lyuksyutov, I. F.; Wu, W.; Naugle, D. G.

2012-09-01

Superconducting properties of a hybrid structure composed of ferromagnetic Co nanowire arrays and a superconducting Sn film have been investigated. Ordered Co nanowires arrays with 60 nm, 150 nm and 200 nm diameter were electroplated into the pores of self organized Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) membranes. Hysteretic dependence of the Sn film superconducting properties on applied magnetic field and critical current enhancement at moderate fields has been observed. This behavior strongly depends on the ratio of the Sn film thickness to the Co nanowire diameter.

Video Surveillance Captures Student Hand Hygiene Behavior, Reactivity to Observation, and Peer Influence in Kenyan Primary Schools

PubMed Central

Pickering, Amy J.; Blum, Annalise G.; Breiman, Robert F.; Ram, Pavani K.; Davis, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Background In-person structured observation is considered the best approach for measuring hand hygiene behavior, yet is expensive, time consuming, and may alter behavior. Video surveillance could be a useful tool for objectively monitoring hand hygiene behavior if validated against current methods. Methods Student hand cleaning behavior was monitored with video surveillance and in-person structured observation, both simultaneously and separately, at four primary schools in urban Kenya over a study period of 8 weeks. Findings Video surveillance and in-person observation captured similar rates of hand cleaning (absolute difference <5%, p = 0.74). Video surveillance documented higher hand cleaning rates (71%) when at least one other person was present at the hand cleaning station, compared to when a student was alone (48%; rate ratio  = 1.14 [95% CI 1.01–1.28]). Students increased hand cleaning rates during simultaneous video and in-person monitoring as compared to single-method monitoring, suggesting reactivity to each method of monitoring. This trend was documented at schools receiving a handwashing with soap intervention, but not at schools receiving a sanitizer intervention. Conclusion Video surveillance of hand hygiene behavior yields results comparable to in-person observation among schools in a resource-constrained setting. Video surveillance also has certain advantages over in-person observation, including rapid data processing and the capability to capture new behavioral insights. Peer influence can significantly improve student hand cleaning behavior and, when possible, should be exploited in the design and implementation of school hand hygiene programs. PMID:24676389

Quality of Parent-Adolescent Conversations About Sex and Adolescent Sexual Behavior: An Observational Study.

PubMed

Rogers, Adam A; Ha, Thao; Stormshak, Elizabeth A; Dishion, Thomas J

2015-08-01

Studies suggest that the quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex uniquely predicts adolescent sexual behavior. Previous studies have relied predominantly on self-report data. Observational methods, which are not susceptible to self-report biases, may be useful in examining the associations between the quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex and adolescent sexual behavior more objectively. With a sample of adolescents (N = 55, 58% male, 44% white, Mage = 15.8) and their parents, we used hierarchical logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between the observed quality of parent-adolescent communication about dating and sex and the likelihood of adolescents' sexual intercourse. The quality of parent-adolescent communication about dating and sex predicted sexual behavior. Specifically, lecturing was associated with a higher likelihood of adolescents having had sexual intercourse. The quality of parent-adolescent communication about sex is a unique correlate of adolescent sexual behavior and warrants further investigation. Thus, it serves as a potential target of preventive interventions that aim to foster adolescent sexual health behaviors. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Observation and Quantification of Mating Behavior in the Pinewood Nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.

PubMed

Zhu, Najie; Bai, Liqun; Schütz, Stefan; Liu, Baojun; Liu, Zhenyu; Zhang, Xingyao; Yu, Hongshi; Hu, Jiafu

2016-12-25

A method for observing and quantifying the mating behavior of the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, was established under a stereomicroscope. To improve the mating efficiency of B. Xylophilus and to increase the chances of mating observation, virgin adults were cultured and used for the investigation. Eggs were obtained by keeping the nematodes in water and allowing the females to lay eggs for 10 min. The second-stage juveniles (J2) were synchronized by incubating the eggs for 24 h at 25 °C in the dark, and the early J4 were obtained by culturing the J2 with grey mold, Botrytis cinerea, for another 52 h. At this time point, most J4 nematodes could be clearly distinguished as being male or female using their genital morphology. The male and female J4 were collected and cultured separately in two different Petri dishes for 24 h to get virgin adult nematodes. A virgin male and a virgin female were paired in a drop of water in the well of a concave slide. The mating behavior was filmed with a video recorder under a stereomicroscope. The whole period of the mating process was 82.8 ±3.91 min (mean ±SE) and could be divided into 4 different phases: searching, contacting, copulating, and lingering. The mean minutes of duration were 21.8 ± 2.0, 28.0 ± 1.9, 25.8 ± 0.7 and 7.2 ± 0.5, respectively. Eleven sub-behaviors were described: cruising, approaching, encountering, touching, hooping, locating, attaching, ejaculating, separating, quiescence, and roaming. Interestingly, obvious intra-sexual competition was observed when one female was grouped with 3 males or one male with 3 females. This protocol is useful and valuable, not only in investigating the mating behavior of B. xylophilus, but also in acting as a reference for ethological studies of other nematodes.

Microstructure and Tensile Properties of BN/SiC Coated Hi-Nicalon, and Sylramic SiC Fiber Preforms. Revised

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatt, Ramakrishna T.; Chen, Yuan L.; Morscher, Gregory N.

2002-01-01

Batch to batch and within batch variations, and the influence of fiber architecture on room temperature physical and tensile properties of BN/SiC coated Hi-Nicalon and Sylramic SiC fiber preform specimens were determined. The three fiber architectures studied were plain weave (PW), 5-harness satin (5HS), and 8-harness satin (8HS). Results indicate that the physical properties vary up to 10 percent within a batch, and up to 20 percent between batches of preforms. Load-reload (Hysteresis) and acoustic emission methods were used to analyze damage accumulation occurring during tensile loading. Early acoustic emission activity, before observable hysteretic behavior, indicates that the damage starts with the formation of nonbridged tunnel cracks. These cracks then propagate and intersect the load bearing "0 deg" fibers giving rise to hysteretic behavior. For the Hi-Nicalon preform specimens, the onset of "0 deg" bundle cracking stress and strain appeared to be independent of the fiber architecture. Also, the "0 deg" fiber bundle cracking strain remained nearly the same for the preform specimens of both fiber types. TEM analysis indicates that the CVI BN interface coating is mostly amorphous and contains carbon and oxygen impurities, and the CVI SiC coating is crystalline. No reaction exists between the CVI BN and SiC coating.

Biological sex and social setting affects pain intensity and observational coding of other people's pain behaviors.

PubMed

Vigil, Jacob M; Coulombe, Patrick

2011-09-01

This experiment examines the impact of biological sex and audience composition on laboratory-induced ischemic pain intensity and observational coding of other people's pain behaviors. Situational context was manipulated by varying the sex and number of audience stimuli in the laboratory setting during the pain task and during observational evaluations of other people's pain suffering. The analyses revealed sex differences in felt pain intensity and observable pain behaviors, with male subjects reporting lower pain intensity and evidencing fewer pain behaviors than female subjects on average. Follow-up analyses revealed that, after controlling for social anxiety, audience composition was linked to felt pain intensity, and this relation was moderated by participant sex and audience sex, such that only male subjects showed decreased pain intensity with increasing number of female audience members. Sex differences were also found in the rating of other people's pain behaviors, with male observers rating the pain of others lower than female observers. Composition of the audience influenced observers' pain ratings such that the presence of more male subjects in the audience correlated with lower observer ratings, whereas the presence of more female subjects correlated with higher observer ratings. This is the first study to show that the sex and the composition of the social context in which pain is experienced affects the intensity of felt pain and the evaluation of other people's pain suffering. Implications of the findings for measuring and interpreting pain suffering in male and female patients by male and female treatment providers in health care settings are discussed. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Threshold Switching Characteristics of Nb/NbO 2 /TiN Vertical Devices

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

Wang, Yuhan; Comes, Ryan B.; Wolf, Stuart A.

2016-01-01

Nb/NbO2/TiN vertical structures were synthesized in-situ and patterned to devices with different contact areas. The devices exhibited threshold resistive switching with minimal hysteresis and a small EThreshold (60~90 kV/cm). The switching behavior was unipolar, and demonstrated good repeatability. A less sharp but still sizable change in the device resistance was observed up to 150 °C. It was found that the resistive switching without Nb capping layer exhibited the hysteretic behavior and much larger EThreshold (~250 kV/cm) likely due to a 2-3 nm surface Nb2O5 layer. The stable threshold switching behavior well above room temperature shows the potential applications of thismore » device as an electronic switch.« less

One (rating) from many (observations): Factors affecting the individual assessment of voice behavior in groups.

PubMed

Podsakoff, Nathan P; Maynes, Timothy D; Whiting, Steven W; Podsakoff, Philip M

2015-07-01

This article reports an investigation into how individuals form perceptions of overall voice behavior in group contexts. More specifically, the authors examine the effect of the proportion of group members exhibiting voice behavior in the group, the frequency of voice events in the group, and the measurement item referent (group vs. individual) on an individual's ratings of group voice behavior. In addition, the authors examine the effect that measurement item referent has on the magnitude of the relationship observed between an individual's ratings of group voice behavior and perceptions of group performance. Consistent with hypotheses, the results from 1 field study (N = 220) and 1 laboratory experiment (N = 366) indicate that: (a) When group referents were used, raters relied on the frequency of voice events (and not the proportion of group members exhibiting voice) to inform their ratings of voice behavior, whereas the opposite was true when individual-referent items were used, and (b) the magnitude of the relationship between observers' ratings of group voice behavior and their perceptions of group performance was higher when raters used group-referent, as opposed to an individual-referent, items. The authors discuss the implications of their findings for scholars interested in studying behavioral phenomena occurring in teams, groups, and work units in organizational behavior research. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The Observer Effect and Its Impact on Staff Behavior in an Acquired Brain Injury Neurobehavioral Treatment Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guercio, John M.; Dixon, Mark R.

2011-01-01

Staff in three neurobehavioral residential settings (5 in each residence for a total of 15 staff) were trained on specific positive interaction behaviors in a multiple baseline design. Staff in each of the residences were provided with recommended behaviors for interacting with residents through an observational procedure where they observed and…

An Observational Investigation of Behavioral Contagion in Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): Indications for Contagious Scent-Marking

PubMed Central

Massen, Jorg J. M.; Šlipogor, Vedrana; Gallup, Andrew C.

2016-01-01

Behavioral contagion is suggested to promote group coordination that may facilitate activity transitions, increased vigilance, and state matching. Apart from contagious yawning, however, very little attention has been given to this phenomenon, and studies on contagious yawning in primates have so far only focused on Old World monkeys and apes. Here we studied behavioral contagion in common marmosets, a species for which group coordination and vigilance are paramount. In particular, we investigated the contagiousness of yawning, stretching, scratching, tongue protrusion, gnawing, and scent-marking. We coded these behaviors from 14 adult marmosets, from two different social groups. During testing sessions, animals were separated into groups of four individuals for 20-min observation periods, across three distinct diurnal time points (morning, midday, and afternoon) to test for circadian patterns. We observed almost no yawning (0.12 yawns/h) and very little stretching behavior. For all other behaviors, which were more common, we found several temporal and inter-individual differences (i.e., sex, age, dominance status) predictive of these responses. Moreover, we found that gnawing and scent-marking, which almost always co-occurred as a fixed-action pattern, were highly temporally clustered within observation sessions. We discuss the relative absence of yawning in marmosets as well as the possible function of contagious scent-marking, and provide suggestions for future research into the proximate and ultimate functions of these behaviors in marmosets. PMID:27563294

An observation tool for instructor and student behaviors to measure in-class learner engagement: a validation study

PubMed Central

Alimoglu, Mustafa K.; Sarac, Didar B.; Alparslan, Derya; Karakas, Ayse A.; Altintas, Levent

2014-01-01

Background Efforts are made to enhance in-class learner engagement because it stimulates and enhances learning. However, it is not easy to quantify learner engagement. This study aimed to develop and validate an observation tool for instructor and student behaviors to determine and compare in-class learner engagement levels in four different class types delivered by the same instructor. Methods Observer pairs observed instructor and student behaviors during lectures in large class (LLC, n=2) with third-year medical students, lectures in small class (LSC, n=6) and case-based teaching sessions (CBT, n=4) with fifth-year students, and problem-based learning (PBL) sessions (~7 hours) with second-year students. The observation tool was a revised form of STROBE, an instrument for recording behaviors of an instructor and four randomly selected students as snapshots for 5-min cycles. Instructor and student behaviors were scored 1–5 on this tool named ‘in-class engagement measure (IEM)’. The IEM scores were parallel to the degree of behavior's contribution to active student engagement, so higher scores were associated with more in-class learner engagement. Additionally, the number of questions asked by the instructor and students were recorded. A total of 203 5-min observations were performed (LLC 20, LSC 85, CBT 50, and PBL 48). Results Interobserver agreement on instructor and student behaviors was 93.7% (κ=0.87) and 80.6% (κ=0.71), respectively. Higher median IEM scores were found in student-centered and problem-oriented methods such as CBT and PBL. A moderate correlation was found between instructor and student behaviors (r=0.689). Conclusions This study provides some evidence for validity of the IEM scores as a measure of student engagement in different class types. PMID:25308966

Bonabeau model on a fully connected graph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malarz, K.; Stauffer, D.; Kułakowski, K.

2006-03-01

Numerical simulations are reported on the Bonabeau model on a fully connected graph, where spatial degrees of freedom are absent. The control parameter is the memory factor f. The phase transition is observed at the dispersion of the agents power hi. The critical value fC shows a hysteretic behavior with respect to the initial distribution of hi. fC decreases with the system size; this decrease can be compensated by a greater number of fights between a global reduction of the distribution width of hi. The latter step is equivalent to a partial forgetting.

Direct Observation of Teacher and Student Behavior in School Settings: Trends, Issues and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Timothy J.; Scott, Terrance M.; Wehby, Joseph H.; Wills, Howard P.

2014-01-01

Across the modern history of the field of special education and emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD), direct observation of student and educator behavior has been an essential component of the diagnostic process, student progress monitoring, and establishing functional and statistical relationships within research. This article provides an…

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

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

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

Focused Observation and Feedback of Nonverbal Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Judd F.; Bradley, Banks T.

A feedback and analysis instrument measuring nonverbal teacher behavior is presented which focuses on fourteen specific behaviors. Data obtained from the instrument may be analyzed for each of the behaviors and developed into a quantified ratio of those categories tending to signal positive influence by the teacher toward the pupil and those…

Maternal mind-mindedness during infancy, general parenting sensitivity and observed child feeding behavior: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Farrow, Claire; Blissett, Jackie

2014-01-01

Maternal mind-mindedness, or the tendency to view the child as a mental agent, has been shown to predict sensitive and responsive parenting behavior. As yet the role of mind-mindedness has not been explored in the context of feeding interactions. This study evaluates the relations between maternal mind-mindedness at 6 months of infant age and subsequently observed maternal sensitivity and feeding behaviors with children at age 1 year. Maternal mind-mindedness was greater in mothers who had breast-fed compared to formula-fed. Controlling for breast-feeding, mind-mindedness at 6 months was correlated with observations of more sensitive and positive feeding behaviors at 1 year of age. Mind-mindedness was also associated with greater general maternal sensitivity in play and this general parenting sensitivity mediated the effect of mind-mindedness on more sensitive and positive feeding behaviors. Interventions to promote maternal tendency to consider their child's mental states may encourage more adaptive parental feeding behaviors.

Characteristic interpersonal behavior in dependent and avoidant personality disorder can be observed within very short interaction sequences.

PubMed

Leising, Daniel; Sporberg, Doreen; Rehbein, Diana

2006-08-01

We present a behavior observation study of interpersonal behavior in 96 female subjects, who had been screened for the presence of dependent, avoidant, narcissistic and histrionic personality disorder features. Each subject took part in three short role-plays, taken from assertiveness training. Afterwards, both the subject and her role-play partner judged, how assertive the subject had been. Although observation time was very short, dependent and avoidant subjects could be easily identified from their overly submissive behavior in the role-plays. Histrionic and narcissistic subjects did not show distinctive interpersonal behavior. Contrary to a common belief, higher scores on some personality disorder (PD) scales were positively related to cross-situational variability of behavior. Results are discussed with regard to their implications for clinical diagnostics, therapy and the methodology of personality disorder research in general.

Dangerous student car drop-off behaviors and child pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions: An observational study.

PubMed

Rothman, Linda; Howard, Andrew; Buliung, Ron; Macarthur, Colin; Macpherson, Alison

2016-07-03

The objective of this study was to examine the association between dangerous student car drop-off behaviors and historical child pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions (PMVCs) near elementary schools in Toronto, Canada. Police-reported child PMVCs during school travel times from 2000 to 2011 were mapped within 200 m of 118 elementary schools. Observers measured dangerous student morning car drop-off behaviors and number of children walking to school during one day in 2011. A composite score of school social disadvantage was obtained from the Toronto District School Board. Built environment and traffic features were mapped and included as covariates. A multivariate Poisson regression was used to model the rates of PMVC/number of children walking and dangerous student car drop-off behaviors, adjusting for the built environment and social disadvantage. There were 45 child PMVCs, with 29 (64%) sustaining minor injuries resulting in emergency department visits. The mean collision rate was 2.9/10,000 children walking/year (SD = 6.7). Dangerous drop-off behaviors were observed in 104 schools (88%). In the multivariate analysis, each additional dangerous drop-off behavior was associated with a 45% increase in collision rates (incident rate ratio [IRR] = 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02, 2.07). Higher speed roads (IRR = 1.27, 95% CI, 1.13, 1.44) and social disadvantage (IRR = 2.99, 95% CI, 1.03, 8.68) were associated with higher collision rates. Dangerous student car drop-off behaviors were associated with historical nonfatal child PMVC rates during school travel times near schools. Some caution must be taken in interpreting these results due small number of events and limitations in the data collection, because collision data were collected historically over a 12-year period, whereas driving behavior was only observed on a single day in 2011. Targeted multifaceted intervention approaches related to the built environment, enforcement, and education could address

Observed Emotional and Behavioral Indicators of Motivation Predict School Readiness in Head Start Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berhenke, Amanda; Miller, Alison L.; Brown, Eleanor; Seifer, Ronald; Dickstein, Susan

2011-01-01

Emotions and behaviors observed during challenging tasks are hypothesized to be valuable indicators of young children's motivation, the assessment of which may be particularly important for children at risk for school failure. The current study demonstrated reliability and concurrent validity of a new observational assessment of motivation in…

Quantum Memristors with Superconducting Circuits

DOE PAGES

Salmilehto, J.; Deppe, F.; Di Ventra, M.; ...

2017-02-14

Memristors are resistive elements retaining information of their past dynamics. They have garnered substantial interest due to their potential for representing a paradigm change in electronics, information processing and unconventional computing. Given the advent of quantum technologies, a design for a quantum memristor with superconducting circuits may be envisaged. Along these lines, we introduce such a quantum device whose memristive behavior arises from quasiparticle-induced tunneling when supercurrents are cancelled. Here in this paper, for realistic parameters, we find that the relevant hysteretic behavior may be observed using current state-of-the-art measurements of the phase-driven tunneling current. Finally, we develop suitable methodsmore » to quantify memory retention in the system.« less

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

Salmilehto, J.; Deppe, F.; Di Ventra, M.

Memristors are resistive elements retaining information of their past dynamics. They have garnered substantial interest due to their potential for representing a paradigm change in electronics, information processing and unconventional computing. Given the advent of quantum technologies, a design for a quantum memristor with superconducting circuits may be envisaged. Along these lines, we introduce such a quantum device whose memristive behavior arises from quasiparticle-induced tunneling when supercurrents are cancelled. Here in this paper, for realistic parameters, we find that the relevant hysteretic behavior may be observed using current state-of-the-art measurements of the phase-driven tunneling current. Finally, we develop suitable methodsmore » to quantify memory retention in the system.« less

Feedforward Controller of Ill-Conditioned Hysteresis Using Singularity-Free Prandtl–Ishlinskii Model

PubMed Central

Tan, U-Xuan; Latt, Win Tun; Shee, Cheng Yap; Riviere, Cameron N.; Ang, Wei Tech

2009-01-01

Piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, and shape memory alloy actuators are gaining importance in high-frequency precision applications constrained by space. Their intrinsic hysteretic behavior makes control difficult. The Prandtl–Ishlinskii (PI) operator can model hysteresis well, albeit a major inadequacy: the inverse operator does not exist when the hysteretic curve gradient is not positive definite, i.e., ill condition occurs when slope is negative. An inevitable tradeoff between modeling accuracy and inversion stability exists. The hysteretic modeling improves with increasing number of play operators. But as the piecewise continuous interval of each operator reduces, the model tends to be ill-conditioned, especially at the turning points. Similar ill-conditioned situation arises when these actuators move heavy loads or operate at high frequency. This paper proposes an extended PI operator to map hysteresis to a domain where inversion is well behaved. The inverse weights are then evaluated to determine the inverse hysteresis model for the feedforward controller. For illustration purpose, a piezoelectric actuator is used. PMID:19936032

Methodological considerations for observational coding of eating and feeding behaviors in children and their families.

PubMed

Pesch, Megan H; Lumeng, Julie C

2017-12-15

Behavioral coding of videotaped eating and feeding interactions can provide researchers with rich observational data and unique insights into eating behaviors, food intake, food selection as well as interpersonal and mealtime dynamics of children and their families. Unlike self-report measures of eating and feeding practices, the coding of videotaped eating and feeding behaviors can allow for the quantitative and qualitative examinations of behaviors and practices that participants may not self-report. While this methodology is increasingly more common, behavioral coding protocols and methodology are not widely shared in the literature. This has important implications for validity and reliability of coding schemes across settings. Additional guidance on how to design, implement, code and analyze videotaped eating and feeding behaviors could contribute to advancing the science of behavioral nutrition. The objectives of this narrative review are to review methodology for the design, operationalization, and coding of videotaped behavioral eating and feeding data in children and their families, and to highlight best practices. When capturing eating and feeding behaviors through analysis of videotapes, it is important for the study and coding to be hypothesis driven. Study design considerations include how to best capture the target behaviors through selection of a controlled experimental laboratory environment versus home mealtime, duration of video recording, number of observations to achieve reliability across eating episodes, as well as technical issues in video recording and sound quality. Study design must also take into account plans for coding the target behaviors, which may include behavior frequency, duration, categorization or qualitative descriptors. Coding scheme creation and refinement occur through an iterative process. Reliability between coders can be challenging to achieve but is paramount to the scientific rigor of the methodology. Analysis approach

A structured observation of behavioral self-regulation and its contribution to kindergarten outcomes.

PubMed

Ponitz, Claire Cameron; McClelland, Megan M; Matthews, J S; Morrison, Frederick J

2009-05-01

The authors examined a new assessment of behavioral regulation and contributions to achievement and teacher-rated classroom functioning in a sample (N = 343) of kindergarteners from 2 geographical sites in the United States. Behavioral regulation was measured with the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders (HTKS) task, a structured observation requiring children to perform the opposite of a dominant response to 4 different oral commands. Results revealed considerable variability in HTKS scores. Evidence for construct validity was found in positive correlations with parent ratings of attentional focusing and inhibitory control and teacher ratings of classroom behavioral regulation. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that higher levels of behavioral regulation in the fall predicted stronger levels of achievement in the spring and better teacher-rated classroom self-regulation (all ps < .01) but not interpersonal skills. Evidence for domain specificity emerged, in which gains in behavioral regulation predicted gains in mathematics but not in language and literacy over the kindergarten year (p < .01) after site, child gender, and other background variables were controlled. Discussion focuses on the importance of behavioral regulation for successful adjustment to the demands of kindergarten. Copyright 2009 APA, all rights reserved

Estimation of hysteretic losses for MgB2 tapes under the operating conditions of a generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargas-Llanos, Carlos Roberto; Zermeño, Víctor M. R.; Sanz, Santiago; Trillaud, Frederic; Grilli, Francesco

2016-03-01

Hysteretic losses in the MgB2 wound superconducting coils of a 550 kW synchronous hybrid scaled generator were estimated as part of the European project SUPRAPOWER led by the Spanish Fundación Tecnalia Research & Innovation. Particular interest was given to the losses caused by the magnetic flux ripples in the rotor coils originating from the conventional stator during nominal operation. To compute these losses, a 2D finite element analysis was conducted and Maxwell’s equations written in the H-formulation were solved considering the nonlinear material properties of the conductor materials. The modeled tapes are made of multiple MgB2 filaments embedded in a Ni matrix and soldered to a high purity copper strip and insulated with Dacron braid. Three geometrical models of single tape cross sections of decreasing complexity were studied: (1) the first model reproduced closely the actual cross section obtained from tape micrographs. (2) The second model was obtained from the computed elasto-plastic deformation of a round Ni wire. (3) The third model was based on a simplified cross section with the superconducting filaments bundled in a single elliptical bulky structure. The last geometry allowed the validation of the modeling technique by comparing numerical losses with results from well-established analytical expressions. Additionally, the following cases of filament transpositions of the multi-filamentary tape were studied: no transposition, partial and full transposition; thereby improving understanding of the relevance of the tape fabrication process on the magnitude of the determination of ac losses. Finally, choosing the right level of geometrical detail, the following operational regimes of the machine and its impact on individual superconducting tape losses in the rotor were studied: bias-dc current, ramping current under ramping background field and magnetic flux ripples under dc background current and field.

Ethnic Differences in Nonverbal Pain Behaviors Observed in Older Adults with Dementia.

PubMed

Ford, Brianne; Snow, A Lynn; Herr, Keela; Tripp-Reimer, Toni

2015-10-01

Research supports using nonverbal pain behaviors to identify pain in persons with dementia. It is unknown whether variations exist among ethnic groups in the expression of nonverbal pain behaviors in this special population. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine ethnic differences in the presentation and intensity of nonverbal pain behaviors among African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic older adults with dementia when screened for pain by certified nursing assistants. Six certified nursing assistants were trained to review and score 28 video recordings of subjects with dementia for nonverbal pain behaviors using the Non-Communicative Patient's Pain Assessment Instrument. Chi-square was used to examine differences among ethnic groups with regard to the display of nonverbal pain behaviors, and ANOVA was used to evaluate differences in the intensity of overall pain across ethnic groups. Of the 168 assessments, pain words (28%), pain noises (29.8%), and pain faces (28%) were observed most often as indicators of pain. Rubbing, bracing, and restlessness were rarely noted. Chi-square analysis revealed ethnic differences in the expression of pain words (χ(2) = 19.167, p < .001). No significant differences were noted across ethnic groups with regards to overall pain intensity. These findings are the first to examine ethnic differences in nonverbal pain behaviors for older adults with dementia. However, future work should examine assessment tendencies of providers in a larger, more diverse sample. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. All rights reserved.

Oxygen vacancy effect on dielectric and hysteretic properties of zigzag ferroelectric iron dioxide nanoribbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zriouel, S.; Taychour, B.; Yahyaoui, F. El; Drissi, L. B.

2017-07-01

Zigzag FeO2 nanoribbon defected by the removal of oxygen atoms is simulated using Monte Carlo simulations. All possible arrangements of positions and number of oxygen vacancy are investigated. Temperature dependence of polarization, dielectric susceptibility, internal energy, specific heat and dielectric hysteresis loops are all studied. Results show the presence of second order phase transition and Q - type behavior. Dielectric properties dependence on ribbon's edge, positions and number of oxygen vacancy are discussed in detail. Moreover, single and square hysteresis loops are observed whatever the number of oxygen vacancy in the system.

Observed Gender Differences in African American Mother-Child Relationships and Child Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandara, Jelani; Murray, Carolyn B.; Telesford, James M.; Varner, Fatima A.; Richman, Scott B.

2012-01-01

African American mother-child dyads (N = 99) were observed interacting on a collaborative puzzle exercise. Raters blind to the purpose of the study rated the dyads on several mother and child behaviors. Mothers of daughters were rated as more empathetic, encouraging, warm, and accepting and less negative than mothers of sons. Male children were…

Drinking behavior in nursery pigs: determining the accuracy between an automatic water meter versus human observers.

PubMed

Meiszberg, A M; Johnson, A K; Sadler, L J; Carroll, J A; Dailey, J W; Krebs, N

2009-12-01

Assimilating accurate behavioral events over a long period can be labor-intensive and relatively expensive. If an automatic device could accurately record the duration and frequency for a given behavioral event, it would be a valuable alternative to the traditional use of human observers for behavioral studies. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the accuracy in the time spent at the waterer and the number of visits to the waterer by individually housed nursery pigs between human observers scoring video files using Observer software (OBS) and an automatic water meter Hobo (WM, control) affixed onto the waterline. Eleven PIC USA genotype gilts (22 +/- 2 d of age; 6.5 +/- 1.4 kg of BW) were housed individually in pens with ad libitum access to a corn-based starter ration and one nipple waterer. Behavior was collected on d 0 (day of weaning), 7, and 14 of the trial using 1 color camera positioned over 4 attached pens and a RECO-204 DVR at 1 frame per second. For the OBS method, 2 experienced observers recorded drinking behavior from the video files, which was defined as when the gilt placed her mouth over the nipple waterer. Data were analyzed using nonparametric methods and the general linear model and regression procedures in SAS. The experimental unit was the individual pen housing 1 gilt. The GLM model included the method of observation (WM vs. OBS) and time (24 h) as variables, and the gilt nested within method was used as the error term. Gilts consumed more water (P = 0.04) on d 14 than on d 0. The time of day affected (P < 0.001) the number of visits and the time spent at the waterer regardless of the method. However, the OBS method underestimated (P < 0.001) the number of visits to the waterer (3.48 +/- 0.33 visits/h for OBS vs. 4.94 +/- 0.33 for WM) and overestimated (P < 0.001) the time spent at the waterer (22.6 +/- 1.46 s/h for OBS vs. 13.9 +/- 1.43 for WM) compared with WM. The relationship between the 2 methods for prediction of time

Drinking behavior in nursery pigs: Determining the accuracy between an automatic water meter versus human observers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Assimilating accurate behavioral events over a long period can be labor intensive and relatively expensive. If an automatic device could accurately record the duration and frequency for a given behavioral event, it would be a valuable alternative to the traditional use of human observers for behavio...

Microstructure and Tensile Properties of BN/SiC Coated Hi-Nicalon, and Sylramic SiC Fiber Preforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatt, Ramakrishna T.; Chen, Yuan L.; Morscher, Gregory N.

2001-01-01

Batch to batch and within batch variations, and the influence of fiber architecture on room temperature physical and tensile properties of BN/SiC coated Hi-Nicalon and Sylramic SiC fiber preform specimens were determined. The three fiber architectures studied were plain weave (PW), 5-harness satin (5HS) and 8-harness satin (8HS) Results indicate that the physical properties vary up to 10 percent within a batch, and up to 20 percent between batches of preforms. Load-reload (Hysteresis) and acoustic emission methods were used to analyze damage accumulation occurring during tensile loading. Early acoustic emission activity, before observable hysteretic behavior, indicates that the damage starts with the formation of nonbridged tunnel cracks. These cracks then propagate and intersect the load bearing "0" fibers giving rise to hysteretic behavior, For the Hi-Nicalon preform specimens, the onset of "0" bundle cracking stress and strain appeared to be independent of the fiber architecture. Also, the "0" fiber bundle cracking strain remained nearly the same for the preform specimens of both fiber types. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) analysis indicates that the Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI) Boron Nitride (BN) interface coating is mostly amorphous and contains carbon and oxygen impurities, and the CVI SiC coating is crystalline. No reaction exists between the CVI BN and SiC coating.

The Effects of the Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) System on Sensitivity in Mother-Infant Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nugent, J. Kevin; Bartlett, Jessica Dym; Von Ende, Adam; Valim, Clarissa

2017-01-01

The Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) system is a neurobehavioral observation tool designed to sensitize parents to infants' capacities and individuality and to enhance the parent-infant relationship by strengthening parents' confidence and practical skills in caring for their children. The NBO's focus on relationship building is intended for…

An Observational Analysis of Coaching Behaviors for Career Development Event Teams: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Anna L.; Bowling, Amanda M.; Sharpless, Justin D.

2016-01-01

School Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) teachers can use coaching behaviors, along with their agricultural content knowledge to help their Career Development Event (CDE) teams succeed. This mixed methods, collective case study observed three SBAE teachers preparing multiple CDEs throughout the CDE season. The teachers observed had a previous…

Low temperature magneto-morphological characterisation of coronene and the resolution of previously observed unexplained phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potticary, Jason; Boston, Rebecca; Vella-Zarb, Liana; Few, Alex; Bell, Christopher; Hall, Simon R.

2016-12-01

The polyaromatic hydrocarbon coronene has been the molecule of choice for understanding the physical properties of graphene for over a decade. The modelling of the latter by the former was considered to be valid, as since it was first synthesised in 1932, the physical behaviour of coronene has been determined extremely accurately. We recently discovered however, an unforeseen polymorph of coronene, which exists as an enantiotrope with the previously observed crystal structure. Using low-temperature magnetisation and crystallographic measurements, we show here for the first time that the electronic and magnetic properties of coronene depend directly on the temperature at which it is observed, with hysteretic behaviour exhibited between 300 K and 100 K. Furthermore we determine that this behaviour is a direct result of the appearance and disappearance of the newly-discovered polymorph during thermal cycling. Our results not only highlight the need for theoretical models of graphene to take into account this anomalous behaviour at low temperatures, but also explain puzzling experimental observations of coronene dating back over 40 years.

Maternal factors and experiences associated with observed parenting behavior in mothers attending a residential parenting program.

PubMed

Treyvaud, Karli; Rogers, Susan; Matthews, Jan; Allen, Beverley

2010-01-01

Parents experiencing early parenting difficulties often seek support through parenting programs. Characteristics of mothers seeking parenting support and information at an early parenting center in Victoria, Australia and the relationships between these factors and parenting behavior were explored using an observational measure of parent-child interaction. Participants were 43 mothers and children attending a 5-day residential parenting program at the Queen Elizabeth Centre. Maternal and sociodemographic data as well as an observational mother-child interaction task from the Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training Parent Child Interaction Teaching scale were completed and scored on the first day of the program. Certain maternal factors and experiences were associated with observed parenting behavior. Poorer maternal sleeping quality, unplanned pregnancy and preterm birth were all associated with less optimal parenting behavior in certain domains. Findings are discussed with reference to the impact of past experiences around pregnancy and birth as well as the current context and well-being of mothers attending early parenting centers. Copyright © 2010 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Hysteretic photochromic switching of Eu-Mg defects in GaN links the shallow transient and deep ground states of the Mg acceptor.

PubMed

Singh, A K; O'Donnell, K P; Edwards, P R; Lorenz, K; Kappers, M J; Boćkowski, M

2017-02-03

Although p-type activation of GaN by Mg underpins a mature commercial technology, the nature of the Mg acceptor in GaN is still controversial. Here, we use implanted Eu as a 'spectator ion' to probe the lattice location of Mg in doubly doped GaN(Mg):Eu. Photoluminescence spectroscopy of this material exemplifies hysteretic photochromic switching (HPS) between two configurations, Eu0 and Eu1(Mg), of the same Eu-Mg defect, with a hyperbolic time dependence on 'switchdown' from Eu0 to Eu1(Mg). The sample temperature and the incident light intensity at 355 nm tune the characteristic switching time over several orders of magnitude, from less than a second at 12.5 K, ~100 mW/cm 2 to (an estimated) several hours at 50 K, 1 mW/cm 2 . Linking the distinct Eu-Mg defect configurations with the shallow transient and deep ground states of the Mg acceptor in the Lany-Zunger model, we determine the energy barrier between the states to be 27.7(4) meV, in good agreement with the predictions of theory. The experimental results further suggest that at low temperatures holes in deep ground states are localized on N atoms axially bonded to Mg acceptors.

Observed parenting behaviors interact with a polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene to predict the emergence of oppositional defiant and callous-unemotional behaviors at age 3 years.

PubMed

Willoughby, Michael T; Mills-Koonce, Roger; Propper, Cathi B; Waschbusch, Daniel A

2013-11-01

Using the Durham Child Health and Development Study, this study (N = 171) tested whether observed parenting behaviors in infancy (6 and 12 months) and toddlerhood/preschool (24 and 36 months) interacted with a child polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene to predict oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors at age 3 years. Child genotype interacted with observed harsh and intrusive (but not sensitive) parenting to predict ODD and CU behaviors. Harsh-intrusive parenting was more strongly associated with ODD and CU for children with a methionine allele of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene. CU behaviors were uniquely predicted by harsh-intrusive parenting in infancy, whereas ODD behaviors were predicted by harsh-intrusive parenting in both infancy and toddlerhood/preschool. The results are discussed from the perspective of the contributions of caregiving behaviors as contributing to distinct aspects of early onset disruptive behavior.

How accurately do drivers evaluate their own driving behavior? An on-road observational study.

PubMed

Amado, Sonia; Arıkan, Elvan; Kaça, Gülin; Koyuncu, Mehmet; Turkan, B Nilay

2014-02-01

Self-assessment of driving skills became a noteworthy research subject in traffic psychology, since by knowing one's strenghts and weaknesses, drivers can take an efficient compensatory action to moderate risk and to ensure safety in hazardous environments. The current study aims to investigate drivers' self-conception of their own driving skills and behavior in relation to expert evaluations of their actual driving, by using naturalistic and systematic observation method during actual on-road driving session and to assess the different aspects of driving via comprehensive scales sensitive to different specific aspects of driving. 19-63 years old male participants (N=158) attended an on-road driving session lasting approximately 80min (45km). During the driving session, drivers' errors and violations were recorded by an expert observer. At the end of the driving session, observers completed the driver evaluation questionnaire, while drivers completed the driving self-evaluation questionnaire and Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ). Low to moderate correlations between driver and observer evaluations of driving skills and behavior, mainly on errors and violations of speed and traffic lights was found. Furthermore, the robust finding that drivers evaluate their driving performance as better than the expert was replicated. Over-positive appraisal was higher among drivers with higher error/violation score and with the ones that were evaluated by the expert as "unsafe". We suggest that the traffic environment might be regulated by increasing feedback indicators of errors and violations, which in turn might increase the insight into driving performance. Improving self-awareness by training and feedback sessions might play a key role for reducing the probability of risk in their driving activity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parent-rated externalizing behavior in preschoolers: the predictive utility of structured interviews, teacher reports, and classroom observations.

PubMed

Doctoroff, Greta L; Arnold, David H

2004-12-01

This study investigated multiple forms of home and school assessment as predictors of parent-rated behavior problems across a preschool year. Participants were a community sample of 79 preschool children, their parents, and their teachers. Parent ratings of behavior problems were obtained toward the beginning of the school year and approximately 6 months later. Behavior problems were also assessed early in the school year using parent structured interviews, teacher-rating scales, and classroom observations of problem and prosocial behavior. Consistent with hypotheses, each assessment method significantly predicted year-end parent ratings of behavior problems, even above initial ratings.

Influence of phase connectivity on the relationship among capillary pressure, fluid saturation, and interfacial area in two-fluid-phase porous medium systems

DOE PAGES

McClure, James E.; Berrill, Mark A.; Gray, William G.; ...

2016-09-02

Here, multiphase flow in porous medium systems is typically modeled using continuum mechanical representations at the macroscale in terms of averaged quantities. These models require closure relations to produce solvable forms. One of these required closure relations is an expression relating fluid pressures, fluid saturations, and, in some cases, the interfacial area between the fluid phases, and the Euler characteristic. An unresolved question is whether the inclusion of these additional morphological and topological measures can lead to a non-hysteretic closure relation compared to the hysteretic forms that are used in traditional models, which typically do not include interfacial areas, ormore » the Euler characteristic. We develop a lattice-Boltzmann (LB) simulation approach to investigate the equilibrium states of a two-fluid-phase porous medium system, which include disconnected now- wetting phase features. The proposed approach is applied to a synthetic medium consisting of 1,964 spheres arranged in a random, non-overlapping, close-packed manner, yielding a total of 42,908 different equilibrium points. This information is evaluated using a generalized additive modeling approach to determine if a unique function from this family exists, which can explain the data. The variance of various model estimates is computed, and we conclude that, except for the limiting behavior close to a single fluid regime, capillary pressure can be expressed as a deterministic and non-hysteretic function of fluid saturation, interfacial area between the fluid phases, and the Euler characteristic. This work is unique in the methods employed, the size of the data set, the resolution in space and time, the true equilibrium nature of the data, the parameterizations investigated, and the broad set of functions examined. The conclusion of essentially non-hysteretic behavior provides support for an evolving class of two-fluid-phase flow in porous medium systems models.« less

Influence of phase connectivity on the relationship among capillary pressure, fluid saturation, and interfacial area in two-fluid-phase porous medium systems

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

McClure, James E.; Berrill, Mark A.; Gray, William G.

Here, multiphase flow in porous medium systems is typically modeled using continuum mechanical representations at the macroscale in terms of averaged quantities. These models require closure relations to produce solvable forms. One of these required closure relations is an expression relating fluid pressures, fluid saturations, and, in some cases, the interfacial area between the fluid phases, and the Euler characteristic. An unresolved question is whether the inclusion of these additional morphological and topological measures can lead to a non-hysteretic closure relation compared to the hysteretic forms that are used in traditional models, which typically do not include interfacial areas, ormore » the Euler characteristic. We develop a lattice-Boltzmann (LB) simulation approach to investigate the equilibrium states of a two-fluid-phase porous medium system, which include disconnected now- wetting phase features. The proposed approach is applied to a synthetic medium consisting of 1,964 spheres arranged in a random, non-overlapping, close-packed manner, yielding a total of 42,908 different equilibrium points. This information is evaluated using a generalized additive modeling approach to determine if a unique function from this family exists, which can explain the data. The variance of various model estimates is computed, and we conclude that, except for the limiting behavior close to a single fluid regime, capillary pressure can be expressed as a deterministic and non-hysteretic function of fluid saturation, interfacial area between the fluid phases, and the Euler characteristic. This work is unique in the methods employed, the size of the data set, the resolution in space and time, the true equilibrium nature of the data, the parameterizations investigated, and the broad set of functions examined. The conclusion of essentially non-hysteretic behavior provides support for an evolving class of two-fluid-phase flow in porous medium systems models.« less

Observation of sandhill cranes' (Grus canadensis) flight behavior in heavy fog

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirsch, Eileen M.; Wellik, Mike J.; Suarez, Manuel J.; Diehl, Robert H.; Lutes, Jim; Woyczik, Wendy; Krapfl, Jon; Sojda, Richard S.

2015-01-01

The behaviors of birds flying in low visibility conditions remain poorly understood. We had the opportunity to monitor Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) flying in heavy fog with very low visibility during a comprehensive landscape use study of refuging cranes in the Horicon Marsh in southeastern Wisconsin. As part of the study, we recorded flight patterns of cranes with a portable marine radar at various locations and times of day, and visually counted cranes as they departed the roost in the morning. We compared flight patterns during a fog event with those recorded during clear conditions. In good visibility, cranes usually departed the night roost shortly after sunrise and flew in relatively straight paths toward foraging areas. In fog, cranes departed the roost later in the day, did not venture far from the roost, engaged in significantly more circling flight, and returned to the roost site rather than proceeding to foraging areas. We also noted that compared to mornings with good visibility, cranes flying in fog called more frequently than usual. The only time in this 2-year study that observers heard young of the year calling was during the fog event. The observed behavior of cranes circling and lingering in an area while flying in poor visibility conditions suggests that such situations may increase chances of colliding with natural or anthropogenic obstacles in the vicinity.

Communicative Coping Behavior Checklist: Observation of Persons With Dementia in the Home Environment.

PubMed

Saunders, Pamela A; Ruth, Julia; Latella, Lauren; Talisman, Nicholas

2016-08-01

Communication contributes to increased stress, mortality, and decreased quality of life (QOL) for persons with dementia (PWD) and caregivers. PWD use communicative coping behaviors (CCBs) to manage the demands of the disease. However, most assessments neither look for nor give credit to communication behaviors. This is the first study to examine CCBs in the home environment as measured by the Communicative Coping Behavior Checklist (CCBC). This cross-sectional quantitative study included 26 dementia and 18 cognitively normal control dyads. Raters observed their partners' CCBs at home, over several weeks and completed the CCBC. We analyzed the endorsement rates (how often behaviors were observed by a rater) of emotion and activity-focused CCBs in dementia and control dyads. The primary outcome was rate of CCB endorsement. Secondary outcomes included dementia diagnosis, cognitive status, depressive mood, life satisfaction (SWL) and QOL. Dementia dyads endorsed 11 of 23 CCBs significantly more than control dyads. Action-focused CCBs (p < .001) were more frequent than emotion-focused CCBs (p = .004) in dementia dyads. Specific CCBs such as humor correlated with higher caregiver QOL (p = .019) and PWD's SWL (p = .003). Another CCB, general humor, correlated with lower PWD's SWL (p = .024). This was the first study to examine CCBs in the home environment comparing dementia and control dyads. Higher endorsement rates of action-focused than emotion-focused CCBs were seen in dementia dyads. We conclude that attention to CCBs during treatment and care will improve QOL and SWL of PWD and caregivers. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Observing Preschoolers' Social-Emotional Behavior: Structure, Foundations, and Prediction of Early School Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denham, Susanne A.; Bassett, Hideko Hamada; Thayer, Sara K.; Mincic, Melissa S.; Sirotkin, Yana S.; Zinsser, Katherine

2012-01-01

Social-emotional behavior of 352 3- and 4-year-olds attending private childcare and Head Start programs was observed using the Minnesota Preschool Affect Checklist, Revised (MPAC-R). Goals of the investigation included (a) using MPAC-R data to extract a shortened version, MPAC-R/S, comparing structure, internal consistency, test-retest…

Observation of multicellular spinning behavior of Proteus mirabilis by atomic force microscopy and multifunctional microscopy.

PubMed

Liu, Yanxia; Deng, Yuanxin; Luo, Shuxiu; Deng, Yu; Guo, Linming; Xu, Weiwei; Liu, Lei; Liu, Junkang

2014-01-01

This study aimed to observe the multicellular spinning behavior of Proteus mirabilis by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and multifunctional microscopy in order to understand the mechanism underlying this spinning movement and its biological significance. Multifunctional microscopy with charge-coupled device (CCD) and real-time AFM showed changes in cell structure and shape of P. mirabilis during multicellular spinning movement. Specifically, the morphological characteristics of P. mirabilis, multicellular spinning dynamics, and unique movement were observed. Our findings indicate that the multicellular spinning behavior of P. mirabilis may be used to collect nutrients, perform colonization, and squeeze out competitors. The movement characteristics of P. mirabilis are vital to the organism's biological adaptability to the surrounding environment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Arctic daily temperature and precipitation extremes: Observed and simulated physical behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glisan, Justin Michael

Simulations using a six-member ensemble of Pan-Arctic WRF (PAW) were produced on two Arctic domains with 50-km resolution to analyze precipitation and temperature extremes for various periods. The first study used a domain developed for the Regional Arctic Climate Model (RACM). Initial simulations revealed deep atmospheric circulation biases over the northern Pacific Ocean, manifested in pressure, geopotential height, and temperature fields. Possible remedies to correct these large biases, such as modifying the physical domain or using different initial/boundary conditions, were unsuccessful. Spectral (interior) nudging was introduced as a way of constraining the model to be more consistent with observed behavior. However, such control over numerical model behavior raises concerns over how much nudging may affect unforced variability and extremes. Strong nudging may reduce or filter out extreme events, since the nudging pushes the model toward a relatively smooth, large-scale state. The question then becomes---what is the minimum spectral nudging needed to correct biases while not limiting the simulation of extreme events? To determine this, we use varying degrees of spectral nudging, using WRF's standard nudging as a reference point during January and July 2007. Results suggest that there is a marked lack of sensitivity to varying degrees of nudging. Moreover, given that nudging is an artificial forcing applied in the model, an important outcome of this work is that nudging strength apparently can be considerably smaller than WRF's standard strength and still produce reliable simulations. In the remaining studies, we used the same PAW setup to analyze daily precipitation extremes simulated over a 19-year period on the CORDEX Arctic domain for winter and summer. We defined these seasons as the three-month period leading up to and including the climatological sea ice maximum and minimum, respectively. Analysis focused on four North American regions defined using

The effect of observers on behavior and the brain during aggressive encounters.

PubMed

Desjardins, Julie K; Becker, Lisa; Fernald, Russell D

2015-10-01

What effect does an audience have on an animal's behavior and where is this influence registered in the brain? To answer these questions, we analyzed male cichlid fish fighting in the presence of audiences of various compositions and measured expression of immediate early genes in the brain as a proxy for neural activity. We hypothesized their behavior would change depending on who was watching them. We measured behavioral responses from both the "watchers" and the "watched" during aggressive encounters and found that males fighting in the presence of an audience were more aggressive than males fighting without an audience. Depending on the nature of the audience, immediate early gene expression in key brain nuclei was differentially influenced. Both when an audience of larger males watched fighting males, and when they were watching larger males fighting, nuclei in the brain considered homologous with mammalian nuclei known to be associated with anxiety showed increased activity. When males were in the presence of any audience or when males saw any other males fighting, nuclei in the brain known to be involved in reproduction and aggression were differentially activated relative to control animals. In all cases, there was a close relationship between patterns of brain gene expression between fighters and observers. This suggests that the network of brain regions known as the social behavior network, common across vertebrates, are activated not only in association with the expression of social behavior but also by the reception of social information. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of observers on behavior and the brain during aggressive encounters

PubMed Central

Desjardins, Julie K.; Becker, Lisa; Fernald, Russell D.

2015-01-01

What effect does an audience have on an animal’s behavior and where is this influence registered in the brain? To answer these questions, we analyzed male cichlid fish fighting in the presence of audiences of various compositions and measured expression of immediate early genes in the brain as a proxy for neural activity. We hypothesized their behavior would change depending on who was watching them. We measured behavioral responses from both the “watchers” and the “watched” during aggressive encounters and found that males fighting in the presence of an audience were more aggressive than males fighting without an audience. Depending on the nature of the audience, immediate early gene expression in key brain nuclei was differentially influenced. Both when an audience of larger males watched fighting males, and when they were watching larger males fighting, nuclei in the brain considered homologous with mammalian nuclei known to be associated with anxiety showed increased activity. When males were in the presence of any audience or when males saw any other males fighting, nuclei in the brain known to be involved in reproduction and aggression were differentially activated relative to control animals. In all cases, there was a close relationship between patterns of brain gene expression between fighters and observers. This suggests that the network of brain regions known as the social behavior network, common across vertebrates, are activated not only in association with the expression of social behavior but also by the reception of social information. PMID:26097004

Food Handling Behaviors Observed in Consumers When Cooking Poultry and Eggs.

PubMed

Maughan, Curtis; Chambers, Edgar; Godwin, Sandria; Chambers, Delores; Cates, Sheryl; Koppel, Kadri

2016-06-01

Previous research has shown that many consumers do not follow recommended food safety practices for cooking poultry and eggs, which can lead to exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter. Past research has been done primarily through surveys and interviews, rather than observations. The objective of this project was to determine through observations whether consumers follow food safety guidelines. Consumers (n = 101) divided among three locations (Manhattan, KS; Kansas City, MO area; and Nashville, TN) were observed as they prepared a baked whole chicken breast, a pan-fried ground turkey patty, a fried egg, and scrambled eggs. The end point temperature for the cooked products was taken (outside the view of consumers) within 30 s after the consumers indicated they were finished cooking. Thermometer use while cooking was low, although marginally higher than that of some previous studies: only 37% of consumers used a thermometer for chicken breasts and only 22% for turkey patties. No one used a thermometer for fried or scrambled eggs. Only 77% of the chicken and 69% of the turkey was cooked to a safe temperature (165°F [74°C]), and 77% of scrambled and 49% of fried eggs reached a safe temperature (160°F [71°C]). Safe hand washing was noted in only 40% of respondents after handling the chicken breast and 44% after handling the ground turkey patty. This value decreased to 15% after handling raw eggs for fried eggs and to 17% for scrambled eggs. These results show that there is a high prevalence of unsafe behaviors (undercooking and poor hand washing technique) when cooking poultry and eggs and a great need for improvement in consumer behavior with poultry and eggs.

Observed Family Interactions among Subtypes of Eating Disorders Using Structural Analysis of Social Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphrey, Laura Lynn

1989-01-01

Compared observations of family interactions among anorexic, bulimic-anorexic, bulimic, and normal families (N=74 families) consisting of father, mother, and teenage daughter. Benjamin's structural analysis of social behavior methodology differentiated clinical from normal families. Found unique patterns among subtypes of eating disorders which…

Preisach modeling of temperature-dependent ferroelectric response of piezoceramics at sub-switching regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ochoa, Diego Alejandro; García, Jose Eduardo

2016-04-01

The Preisach model is a classical method for describing nonlinear behavior in hysteretic systems. According to this model, a hysteretic system contains a collection of simple bistable units which are characterized by an internal field and a coercive field. This set of bistable units exhibits a statistical distribution that depends on these fields as parameters. Thus, nonlinear response depends on the specific distribution function associated with the material. This model is satisfactorily used in this work to describe the temperature-dependent ferroelectric response in PZT- and KNN-based piezoceramics. A distribution function expanded in Maclaurin series considering only the first terms in the internal field and the coercive field is proposed. Changes in coefficient relations of a single distribution function allow us to explain the complex temperature dependence of hard piezoceramic behavior. A similar analysis based on the same form of the distribution function shows that the KNL-NTS properties soften around its orthorhombic to tetragonal phase transition.

Preliminary Development of a Unified Viscoplastic Constitutive Model for Alloy 617 with Special Reference to Long Term Creep Behavior

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

Sham, Sam; Walker, Kevin P.

The expected service life of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant is 60 years. Structural analyses of the Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX) will require the development of unified viscoplastic constitutive models that address the material behavior of Alloy 617, a construction material of choice, over a wide range of strain rates. Many unified constitutive models employ a yield stress state variable which is used to account for cyclic hardening and softening of the material. For low stress values below the yield stress state variable these constitutive models predict that no inelastic deformation takes place which is contrary to experimental results. Themore » ability to model creep deformation at low stresses for the IHX application is very important as the IHX operational stresses are restricted to very small values due to the low creep strengths at elevated temperatures and long design lifetime. This paper presents some preliminary work in modeling the unified viscoplastic constitutive behavior of Alloy 617 which accounts for the long term, low stress, creep behavior and the hysteretic behavior of the material at elevated temperatures. The preliminary model is presented in one-dimensional form for ease of understanding, but the intent of the present work is to produce a three-dimensional model suitable for inclusion in the user subroutines UMAT and USERPL of the ABAQUS and ANSYS nonlinear finite element codes. Further experiments and constitutive modeling efforts are planned to model the material behavior of Alloy 617 in more detail.« less

Behavioral Observation and Microbiological Analysis of Older Adult Consumers' Cross-Contamination Practices in a Model Domestic Kitchen.

PubMed

Evans, Ellen W; Redmond, Elizabeth C

2018-04-01

The incidence of foodborne illness is higher in older adults because of their increased susceptibility; therefore, food safety practices are important. However, inadequate knowledge and negative attitudes toward food safety have been reported, which may increase use of unsafe food handling practices. Data on the actual food safety behaviors of older adults are lacking. In this study, food safety practices of older adults were observed and linked to microbiological analysis of kitchen surfaces to identify suspected routes of contamination. Older adults (≥60 years, n = 100) prepared a set meal in a model domestic kitchen sanitized according to a validated protocol to ensure minimal and consistent microbiological loads. Food safety behaviors were observed using ceiling-mounted cameras and recorded using a predetermined behavioral checklist. Surface microbiological contamination also was determined after food preparation. Overall, older adults frequently implemented unsafe food handling practices; 90% failed to implement adequate hand decontamination immediately after handling raw chicken. For older adults who used a larger number of adequate hand decontamination attempts, microbiological contamination levels in the kitchen following the food preparation session were significantly lower ( P < 0.001). The novel utilization of behavioral observation in conjunction with microbiological analysis facilitated identification of potentially unsafe food handling practices as suspected routes of microbiological cross-contamination in a model domestic kitchen. Findings indicate the potential impact on domestic food safety of unsafe food handling practices used by older adult consumers. This innovative approach revealed that a large proportion of older adults implement behaviors resulting in microbiological cross-contamination that may increase the risk of foodborne illness in the home.

Direct observation of mother-child communication in pediatric cancer: assessment of verbal and non-verbal behavior and emotion.

PubMed

Dunn, Madeleine J; Rodriguez, Erin M; Miller, Kimberly S; Gerhardt, Cynthia A; Vannatta, Kathryn; Saylor, Megan; Scheule, C Melanie; Compas, Bruce E

2011-06-01

To examine the acceptability and feasibility of coding observed verbal and nonverbal behavioral and emotional components of mother-child communication among families of children with cancer. Mother-child dyads (N=33, children ages 5-17 years) were asked to engage in a videotaped 15-min conversation about the child's cancer. Coding was done using the Iowa Family Interaction Rating Scale (IFIRS). Acceptability and feasibility of direct observation in this population were partially supported: 58% consented and 81% of those (47% of all eligible dyads) completed the task; trained raters achieved 78% agreement in ratings across codes. The construct validity of the IFIRS was demonstrated by expected associations within and between positive and negative behavioral/emotional code ratings and between mothers' and children's corresponding code ratings. Direct observation of mother-child communication about childhood cancer has the potential to be an acceptable and feasible method of assessing verbal and nonverbal behavior and emotion in this population.

Movement Processes as Observable Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Wilma M.

The operations for achieving skill in motor performance are perceiving, patterning, adapting, refining, varying, improvising, and composing. These operations are readily observable in physical education classes. An observation record containing the seven catagories was used to classify teacher feedback to students. The teachers observed were…

The German version of the Anorectic Behavior Observation Scale (ABOS).

PubMed

Salbach-Andrae, Harriet; Klinkowski, Nora; Holzhausen, Martin; Frieler, Katja; Bohnekamp, Inga; Thiels, Cornelia; Bender, Caroline; Vandereycken, Walter

2009-05-01

To assess the performance of the German version of the Anorectic Behavior Observation Scale (ABOS) as a parent-report screening instrument for eating disorders (ED) in their children. Parents of 101 ED female patients (80 with Anorexia Nervosa; 21 with Bulimia Nervosa) and of 121 age- and socioeconomic status (SES)-matched female controls completed the ABOS. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original three-factor structure model of the ABOS. Cronbach's alpha coefficients indicated good internal consistency for the three factors and the total score in the total sample. The best cut-off point (100% sensitivity and specificity) in the German version was >or=23. The ABOS may be a useful additional instrument for assessing ED.

Hysteresis in Mental Workload and Task Performance: The Influence of Demand Transitions and Task Prioritization.

PubMed

Jansen, Reinier J; Sawyer, Ben D; van Egmond, René; de Ridder, Huib; Hancock, Peter A

2016-12-01

We examine how transitions in task demand are manifested in mental workload and performance in a dual-task setting. Hysteresis has been defined as the ongoing influence of demand levels prior to a demand transition. Authors of previous studies predominantly examined hysteretic effects in terms of performance. However, little is known about the temporal development of hysteresis in mental workload. A simulated driving task was combined with an auditory memory task. Participants were instructed to prioritize driving or to prioritize both tasks equally. Three experimental conditions with low, high, and low task demands were constructed by manipulating the frequency of lane changing. Multiple measures of subjective mental workload were taken during experimental conditions. Contrary to our prediction, no hysteretic effects were found after the high- to low-demand transition. However, a hysteretic effect in mental workload was found within the high-demand condition, which degraded toward the end of the high condition. Priority instructions were not reflected in performance. Online assessment of both performance and mental workload demonstrates the transient nature of hysteretic effects. An explanation for the observed hysteretic effect in mental workload is offered in terms of effort regulation. An informed arrival at the scene is important in safety operations, but peaks in mental workload should be avoided to prevent buildup of fatigue. Therefore, communication technologies should incorporate the historical profile of task demand. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

A Two-Dimensional Manganese Gallium Nitride Surface Structure Showing Ferromagnetism at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Ma, Yingqiao; Chinchore, Abhijit V; Smith, Arthur R; Barral, María Andrea; Ferrari, Valeria

2018-01-10

Practical applications of semiconductor spintronic devices necessitate ferromagnetic behavior at or above room temperature. In this paper, we demonstrate a two-dimensional manganese gallium nitride surface structure (MnGaN-2D) which is atomically thin and shows ferromagnetic domain structure at room temperature as measured by spin-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Application of small magnetic fields proves that the observed magnetic domains follow a hysteretic behavior. Two initially oppositely oriented MnGaN-2D domains are rotated into alignment with only 120 mT and remain mostly in alignment at remanence. The measurements are further supported by first-principles theoretical calculations which reveal highly spin-polarized and spin-split surface states with spin polarization of up to 95% for manganese local density of states.

Enriched Imperialist Competitive Algorithm for system identification of magneto-rheological dampers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talatahari, Siamak; Rahbari, Nima Mohajer

2015-10-01

In the current research, the imperialist competitive algorithm is dramatically enhanced and a new optimization method dubbed as Enriched Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (EICA) is effectively introduced to deal with high non-linear optimization problems. To conduct a close examination of its functionality and efficacy, the proposed metaheuristic optimization approach is actively employed to sort out the parameter identification of two different types of hysteretic Bouc-Wen models which are simulating the non-linear behavior of MR dampers. Two types of experimental data are used for the optimization problems to minutely examine the robustness of the proposed EICA. The obtained results self-evidently demonstrate the high adaptability of EICA to suitably get to the bottom of such non-linear and hysteretic problems.

Giant self-biased magnetoelectric coupling in co-fired textured layered composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Yongke; Zhou, Yuan; Priya, Shashank

2013-02-01

Co-fired magnetostrictive/piezoelectric/magnetostrictive laminate structure with silver inner electrode was synthesized and characterized. We demonstrate integration of textured piezoelectric microstructure with the cost-effective low-temperature co-fired layered structure to achieve strong magnetoelectric coupling. Using the co-fired composite, a strategy was developed based upon the hysteretic response of nickel-copper-zinc ferrite magnetostrictive materials to achieve peak magnetoelectric response at zero DC bias, referred as self-biased magnetoelectric response. Fundamental understanding of self-bias phenomenon in composites with single phase magnetic material was investigated by quantifying the magnetization and piezomagnetic changes with applied DC field. We delineate the contribution arising from the interfacial strain and inherent magnetic hysteretic behavior of copper modified nickel-zinc ferrite towards self-bias response.

Remnants of semiclassical bistability in the few-photon regime of cavity QED.

PubMed

Kerckhoff, Joseph; Armen, Michael A; Mabuchi, Hideo

2011-11-21

Broadband homodyne detection of the light transmitted by a Fabry-Perot cavity containing a strongly-coupled (133)Cs atom is used to probe the dynamic optical response in a regime where semiclassical theory predicts bistability but strong quantum corrections should apply. While quantum fluctuations destabilize true equilibrium bistability, our observations confirm the existence of metastable states with finite lifetimes and a hysteretic response is apparent when the optical drive is modulated on comparable timescales. Our experiment elucidates remnant semiclassical behavior in the attojoule (~10 photon) regime of single-atom cavity QED, of potential significance for ultra-low power photonic signal processing. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Sequential observation of infant regulated and dysregulated behavior following soothing and stimulating maternal behavior during feeding

PubMed Central

Brown, Lisa F.; Pridham, Karen A.; Brown, Roger

2014-01-01

Purpose To describe maternal behaviors occurring before infant regulated or dysregulated behavior at three times in early infancy and examine behavioral patterns over time with their prematurely born infants. Method & Design Video-recordings of 37 dyads were coded on infant regulated and dysregulated behaviors following maternal soothing and stimulating behaviors. Results At each time, infants showed more regulation after maternal soothing than after maternal stimulating. Further study is merited. Practice Implications Knowing infant regulation and dysregulation following categories of maternal behavior could help mothers anticipate infant regulatory or dysregulatory behavior in response to their own behavior and identify supportive caregiving strategies. PMID:24417766

An Observational Study of Antibiotic Prescribing Behavior and the Hawthorne Effect

PubMed Central

Mangione-Smith, Rita; Elliott, Marc N; McDonald, Laurie; McGlynn, Elizabeth A

2002-01-01

Objectives To assess whether prospective, observational study procedures, including questionnaires and audio recording, are associated with different patterns of physician diagnostic decision making and antibiotic prescribing. Data Sources/Setting (1) Survey data from a prospective observational study of treatment patterns for children with acute upper respiratory illnesses (10/96–3/97) and (2) retrospective medical record abstraction data of nonobserved encounters for the same problems occurring during (10/96–3/97) and one year after (10/97–3/98) the observational study period. Ten pediatricians in two community practices were studied. Study Design Patterns of diagnoses recorded in the medical record and antibiotics ordered for visits occurring outside of the observational study (same time period and one year later) were compared with the pattern of diagnoses and antibiotics ordered during the observational study. Data Collection/Extraction Methods For the observational study (10/96–2/97), diagnosis and treatment choices were obtained from questionnaires completed by physicians immediately following the visit. For the nonstudy encounters (10/96–3/97 and 10/97–3/98), data were abstracted from medical records one year after the observational study was completed. Principal Findings The proportion of viral cases in which an antibiotic was prescribed was 29 percentage points lower for the observational study compared to the retrospective analysis (p <.05). In one of two study sites, the proportion of cases assigned a bacterial diagnosis was 29 percentage points lower in the observational study period compared to the retrospective study (p <.05). Conclusions Observational study procedures including questionnaires and audio recording can affect antibiotic prescribing behavior. Future observational studies aimed at examining the frequency of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing should measure and adjust for the Hawthorne effect; without such adjustments, the

State memory in solution gated epitaxial graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butko, A. V.; Butko, V. Y.; Lebedev, S. P.; Lebedev, A. A.; Davydov, V. Y.; Smirnov, A. N.; Eliseyev, I. A.; Dunaevskiy, M. S.; Kumzerov, Y. A.

2018-06-01

We studied electrical transport in transistors fabricated on a surface of high quality epitaxial graphene with density of defects as low as 5·1010 cm-2 and observed quasistatic hysteresis with a time constant in a scale of hours. This constant is in a few orders of magnitude greater than the constant previously reported in CVD graphene. The hysteresis observed here can be described as a shift of ∼+2V of the Dirac point measured during a gate voltage increase from the position of the Dirac point measured during a gate voltage decrease. This hysteresis can be characterized as a nonvolatile quasistatic state memory effect in which the state of the gated graphene is determined by its initial state prior to entering the hysteretic region. Due to this effect the difference in resistance of the gated graphene measured in the hysteretic region at the same applied voltages can be as high as 70%. The observed effect can be explained by assuming that charge carriers in graphene and oppositely charged molecular ions from the solution form quasistable interfacial complexes at the graphene interface. These complexes likely preserve the initial state by preventing charge carriers in graphene from discharging in the hysteretic region.

Measuring Changes in Social Communication Behaviors: Preliminary Development of the Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grzadzinski, Rebecca; Carr, Themba; Colombi, Costanza; McGuire, Kelly; Dufek, Sarah; Pickles, Andrew; Lord, Catherine

2016-01-01

Psychometric properties and initial validity of the Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC), a measure of treatment-response for social-communication behaviors, are described. The BOSCC coding scheme is applied to 177 video observations of 56 young children with ASD and minimal language abilities. The BOSCC has high to excellent…

ADHD and working memory: the impact of central executive deficits and exceeding storage/rehearsal capacity on observed inattentive behavior.

PubMed

Kofler, Michael J; Rapport, Mark D; Bolden, Jennifer; Sarver, Dustin E; Raiker, Joseph S

2010-02-01

Inattentive behavior is considered a core and pervasive feature of ADHD; however, an alternative model challenges this premise and hypothesizes a functional relationship between working memory deficits and inattentive behavior. The current study investigated whether inattentive behavior in children with ADHD is functionally related to the domain-general central executive and/or subsidiary storage/rehearsal components of working memory. Objective observations of children's attentive behavior by independent observers were conducted while children with ADHD (n = 15) and typically developing children (n = 14) completed counterbalanced tasks that differentially manipulated central executive, phonological storage/rehearsal, and visuospatial storage/rehearsal demands. Results of latent variable and effect size confidence interval analyses revealed two conditions that completely accounted for the attentive behavior deficits in children with ADHD: (a) placing demands on central executive processing, the effect of which is evident under even low cognitive loads, and (b) exceeding storage/rehearsal capacity, which has similar effects on children with ADHD and typically developing children but occurs at lower cognitive loads for children with ADHD.

Investigating Crickets: Observing Animal Exploratory Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, G. M.

2008-01-01

For curriculum content-related reasons, inquiry activities can be difficult in classrooms unless the activities are approached in a manner that makes variations among student group findings understandable in the context of the study. Studies of individual animals and plant reactions to stimuli, such as insect exploratory behavior, allow the…

The socio-behavioral development of children with symptoms of attachment disorder: An observational study of teacher sensitivity in special education.

PubMed

Spilt, Jantine L; Vervoort, Eleonora; Koenen, Anne-Katrien; Bosmans, Guy; Verschueren, Karine

2016-09-01

Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) have serious socio-behavioral problems and often rely on socially abnormal, aggressive, and manipulative forms of communication. Little is known, however, about the influence of teachers on the socio-behavioral development of children with symptoms of RAD. This longitudinal study examined the influence of teacher sensitivity on the socio-behavioral development of children with symptoms of RAD across one school year. The sample included 85 Belgian children and 70 teachers from special education schools. In the previous school year, teachers rated Inhibited and Disinhibited RAD symptoms. In the next school year, teacher Sensitivity was observed in interactions with individual children in the first trimester. Teacher-rated Overt aggression, Relational aggression, and Prosocial behavior was assessed in the first, second, and third trimester. We found no effects of Sensitivity on Prosocial behavior. Also, no effects were found for children with Disinhibited RAD symptoms. For children with Inhibited RAD symptoms, increases in Overt and Relational aggression were observed when Sensitivity was low, whereas decreases were observed when Sensitivity was high. The results suggest that teacher sensitivity is associated with the socio-behavioral development of children with Inhibited RAD symptoms but not with the socio-behavioral development of children with Disinhibited RAD symptoms. Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) exhibit socio-behavioral problems that hinder their school adjustment. These socio-behavioral problems appear relatively stable and it is not known what influence special education teachers might have on the development of these problems across a school year. This study suggests that teacher sensitivity is associated with changes in the socio-behavioral development of children with Inhibited RAD symptoms. Whereas high sensitivity was associated with improvements, low sensitivity appeared to exaggerate

Development of the Observation Scale for Aggressive Behavior (OSAB) for Dutch forensic psychiatric inpatients with an antisocial personality disorder.

PubMed

Hornsveld, Ruud H J; Nijman, Henk L I; Hollin, Clive R; Kraaimaat, Floor W

2007-01-01

The Observation Scale for Aggressive Behavior (OSAB) has been developed to evaluate inpatient treatment programs designed to reduce aggressive behavior in Dutch forensic psychiatric patients with an antisocial personality disorder, who are "placed at the disposal of the government". The scale should have the sensitivity to measure changes in the possible determinants of aggressive behavior, such as limited control of displayed negative emotions (irritation, anger or rage) and a general deficiency of social skills. In developing the OSAB 40 items were selected from a pool of 82 and distributed among the following a priori scales: Irritation/anger, Anxiety/gloominess, Aggressive behavior, Antecedent (to aggressive behavior), Sanction (for aggressive behavior) and Social behavior. The internal consistency of these subscales was good, the inter-rater reliability was moderate to good, and the test-retest reliability over a two to three week period was moderate to good. The correlation between the subscales Irritation/anger, Anxiety/gloominess, Aggressive behavior, Antecedent, Sanction was substantial and significant, but the anticipated negative correlation between these subscales and the Social behavior subscale could not be shown. Relationships between the corresponding subscales of the OSAB and the FIOS, used to calculate concurrent validity, yielded relatively high correlations. The validity of the various OSAB subscales could be further supported by significant correlations with the PCL-R and by significant but weak correlations with corresponding subscales of the self-report questionnaires. The Observation Scale for Aggressive Behavior (OSAB) seems to measure aggressive behavior in Dutch forensic psychiatric inpatients with an antisocial personality disorder reliably and validly. Contrary to expectations, a negative relationship was not found between aggressive and social behavior in either the OSAB or FIOS, which were used for calculating concurrent validity.

Classwide Efficacy of INSIGHTS: Observed Teacher Practices and Student Behaviors in Kindergarten and First Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cappella, Elise; O'Connor, Erin E.; McCormick, Meghan P.; Turbeville, Ashley R.; Collins, Ashleigh J.; McClowry, Sandee G.

2015-01-01

We investigate the classwide efficacy of INSIGHTS, a universal social-emotional learning intervention for early elementary grades, on observed teacher practices and student behaviors. Twenty-two elementary schools (87% free/reduced lunch) were randomly assigned to INSIGHTS or an attention-control condition. Kindergarten and first-grade classrooms…

Adolescents' Observations of Parent Pain Behaviors: Preliminary Measure Validation and Test of Social Learning Theory in Pediatric Chronic Pain.

PubMed

Stone, Amanda L; Walker, Lynn S

2017-01-01

Evaluate psychometric properties of a measure of adolescents’ observations of parental pain behaviors and use this measure to test hypotheses regarding pain-specific social learning. We created a proxy-report of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Behavior–Short Form (PPB) for adolescents to report on parental pain behaviors, which we labeled the PPB-Proxy. Adolescents (n = 138, mean age = 14.20) with functional abdominal pain completed the PPB-Proxy and a parent completed the PPB. Adolescents and their parents completed measures of pain and disability during the adolescent’s clinic visit for abdominal pain. Adolescents subsequently completed a 7-day pain diary period. The PPB-Proxy moderately correlated with the PPB, evidencing that adolescents observe and can report on parental pain behaviors. Both the PPB-Proxy and PPB significantly correlated with adolescents’ pain-related disability. Parental modeling of pain behaviors could represent an important target for assessment and treatment in pediatric chronic pain patients.

Behavior of the Si/SiO2 interface observed by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maserjian, J.; Zamani, N.

1982-01-01

Thin-oxide (40-50 A) metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) structures are shown to exhibit, before large levels of electron tunnel injection, the near-ideal behavior predicted for a uniform trapezoidal barrier with thick-oxide properties. The oscillatory field dependence caused by electron-wave interference at the Si/SiO2 interface suggests an abrupt, one-monolayer barrier transition (approximately 2.5 A) consistent with earlier work. After tunnel injection of 10 to the 17th - 5 x 10 to the 18th electrons/sq cm, the barrier undergoes appreciable degradation, leading to enhanced tunneling conductance. Reproducible behavior is observed among different samples. This effect is found to be consistent with the generation of positive states in the region of the oxide near the Si/SiO2 interface (less than 20 A), where the tunneling electrons emerge into the oxide conduction band.

Clinical observations of a Cantonese cognitive-behavioral treatment program for Chinese immigrants.

PubMed

Shen, Edward K; Alden, Lynn E; Söchting, Ingrid; Tsang, Pheobe

2006-01-01

In this article, the authors describe our clinical observations about the process of delivering a Cantonese-language cognitive- behavioral therapy program to treat depression in Hong Kong immigrants to Vancouver, Canada. Our experiences indicated that standard referral and assessment procedures were not optimal for this population. Other factors that required consideration were how to convert Cantonese terms for dysphoric affect into English equivalents and how to implement cognitive modification strategies when dealing with culture-syntonic beliefs about social relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Intermittency between avalanche regimes on grain piles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arran, M. I.; Vriend, N. M.

2018-06-01

We experimentally investigate discrete avalanches of grains, driven by a low inflow rate, on an erodible pile in a channel. We observe intermittency between one regime, in which avalanches are quasiperiodic and system spanning, and another, in which they pass at irregular intervals and have a power-law size distribution. Observations are robust to changes of inflow rate and grain type and require no tuning of external parameters. We demonstrate that the state of the pile's surface determines whether avalanche fronts propagate to the end of the channel or stop partway down, and we introduce a toy model for the latter case that reproduces the observed power-law size distribution. We suggest direct applications to avalanches of pharmaceutical and geophysical grains, and the possibility of reconciling the "self-organized criticality" predicted by several authors with the hysteretic behavior described by others.

Measuring Changes in Social Communication Behaviors: Preliminary Development of the Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC).

PubMed

Grzadzinski, Rebecca; Carr, Themba; Colombi, Costanza; McGuire, Kelly; Dufek, Sarah; Pickles, Andrew; Lord, Catherine

2016-07-01

Psychometric properties and initial validity of the Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC), a measure of treatment-response for social-communication behaviors, are described. The BOSCC coding scheme is applied to 177 video observations of 56 young children with ASD and minimal language abilities. The BOSCC has high to excellent inter-rater and test-retest reliability and shows convergent validity with measures of language and communication skills. The BOSCC Core total demonstrates statistically significant amounts of change over time compared to a no change alternative while the ADOS CSS over the same period of time did not. This work is a first step in the development of a novel outcome measure for social-communication behaviors with applications to clinical trials and longitudinal studies.

Anomalous surface potential behavior observed in InN by photoassisted Kelvin probe force microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiaoxiao; Wei, Jiandong; Wang, Xinqiang; Wang, Ping; Li, Shunfeng; Waag, Andreas; Li, Mo; Zhang, Jian; Ge, Weikun; Shen, Bo

2017-05-01

Lattice-polarity dependence of InN surface photovoltage has been identified by an anomalous surface potential behavior observed via photoassisted Kelvin probe force microscopy. Upon above bandgap light illumination in the ambient atmosphere, the surface photovoltage of the In-polar InN shows a pronounced decrease, while that of the N-polar one keeps almost constant. Those different behaviors between N-polar and In-polar surfaces are attributed to a polarity-related surface reactivity, which is found not to be influenced by Mg-doping. These findings provide a simple and non-destructive approach to determine the lattice polarity and allow us to suggest that the In-polar InN, especially that with buried p-type conduction, should be chosen for sensing application.

The Observation of Manual Grasp Actions Affects the Control of Speech: A Combined Behavioral and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentilucci, Maurizio; Campione, Giovanna Cristina; Volta, Riccardo Dalla; Bernardis, Paolo

2009-01-01

Does the mirror system affect the control of speech? This issue was addressed in behavioral and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) experiments. In behavioral experiment 1, participants pronounced the syllable /da/ while observing (1) a hand grasping large and small objects with power and precision grasps, respectively, (2) a foot interacting…

The benefits of simply observing: mindful attention modulates the link between motivation and behavior.

PubMed

Papies, Esther K; Pronk, Tila M; Keesman, Mike; Barsalou, Lawrence W

2015-01-01

Mindful attention, a central component of mindfulness meditation, can be conceived as becoming aware of one's thoughts and experiences and being able to observe them as transient mental events. Here, we present a series of studies demonstrating the effects of applying this metacognitive perspective to one's spontaneous reward responses when encountering attractive stimuli. Taking a grounded cognition perspective, we argue that reward simulations in response to attractive stimuli contribute to appetitive behavior and that motivational states and traits enhance these simulations. Directing mindful attention at these thoughts and seeing them as mere mental events should break this link, such that motivational states and traits no longer affect reward simulations and appetitive behavior. To test this account, we trained participants to observe their thoughts in reaction to appetitive stimuli as mental events, using a brief procedure designed for nonmeditators. Across 3 experiments, we found that adopting the mindful attention perspective reduced the effects of motivational states and traits on appetitive behavior in 2 domains, in both the laboratory and the field. Specifically, after applying mindful attention, participants' sexual motivation no longer made opposite-sex others seem more attractive and thus desirable as partners. Similarly, participants' levels of hunger no longer boosted the attractiveness of unhealthy foods, resulting in healthier eating choices. We discuss these results in the context of mechanisms and applications of mindful attention and explore how mindfulness and mindful attention can be conceptualized in psychological research more generally. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

An Interview with Joe McMann: Lessons Learned from Fifty Years of Observing Hardware and Human Behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McMann, Joe

2011-01-01

Pica Kahn conducted "An Interview with Joe McMann: Lessons Learned in Human and Hardware Behavior" on August 16, 2011. With more than 40 years of experience in the aerospace industry, McMann has gained a wealth of knowledge. This presentation focused on lessons learned in human and hardware behavior. During his many years in the industry, McMann observed that the hardware development process was intertwined with human influences, which impacted the outcome of the product.

Designing virtual audiences for fear of public speaking training - an observation study on realistic nonverbal behavior.

PubMed

Poeschl, Sandra; Doering, Nicola

2012-01-01

Virtual Reality technology offers great possibilities for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy of fear of public speaking: Clients can be exposed to virtual fear-triggering stimuli (exposure) and are able to role-play in virtual environments, training social skills to overcome their fear. Usually, prototypical audience behavior (neutral, social and anti-social) serves as stimulus in virtual training sessions, although there is significant lack of theoretical basis on typical audience behavior. The study presented deals with the design of a realistic virtual presentation scenario. An audience (consisting of n=18 men and women) in an undergraduate seminar was observed during three frontal lecture sessions. Behavior frequency of four nonverbal dimensions (eye contact, facial expression, gesture, and posture) was rated by means of a quantitative content analysis. Results show audience behavior patterns which seem to be typical in frontal lecture contexts, like friendly and neutral face expressions. Additionally, combined and even synchronized behavioral patterns between participants who sit next to each other (like turning to the neighbor and start talking) were registered. The gathered data serve as empirical design basis for a virtual audience to be used in virtual training applications that stimulate the experiences of the participants in a realistic manner, thereby improving the experienced presence in the training application.

Role of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmitters in behavioral alterations observed in rodent model of hepatic encephalopathy.

PubMed

Dhanda, Saurabh; Sandhir, Rajat

2015-06-01

The present study was designed to evaluate the role of biogenic amines in behavioral alterations observed in rat model of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) following bile duct ligation (BDL). Male Wistar rats subjected to BDL developed biliary fibrosis after four weeks which was supported by altered liver function tests, increased ammonia levels and histological staining (Sirius red). Animals were assessed for their behavioral performance in terms of cognitive, anxiety and motor functions. The levels of dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), epinephrine and norepinephrine (NE) were estimated in different regions of brain viz. cortex, hippocampus, striatum and cerebellum using HPLC along with activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO). Cognitive assessment of BDL rats revealed a progressive decline in learning, memory formation, retrieval, exploration of novel environment and spontaneous locomotor activity along with decrease in 5-HT and NE levels. This was accompanied by an increase in MAO activity. Motor functions of BDL rats were also altered which were evident from decrease in the time spent on the rotating rod and higher foot faults assessed using narrow beam walk task. A global decrease was observed in the DA content along with an increase in MAO activity. Histopathological studies using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and cresyl violet exhibited marked neuronal degeneration, wherein neurons appeared more pyknotic, condensed and damaged. The results reveal that dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways are disturbed in chronic liver failure post-BDL which may be responsible for behavioral impairments observed in HE. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanical behaviors of multi-filament twist superconducting strand under tensile and cyclic loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xu; Li, Yingxu; Gao, Yuanwen

2016-01-01

The superconducting strand, serving as the basic unit cell of the cable-in-conduit-conductors (CICCs), is a typical multi-filament twist composite which is always subjected to a cyclic loading under the operating condition. Meanwhile, the superconducting material Nb3Sn in the strand is sensitive to strain frequently relating to the performance degradation of the superconductivity. Therefore, a comprehensive study on the mechanical behavior of the strand helps understanding the superconducting performance of the strained Nb3Sn strands. To address this issue, taking the LMI (internal tin) strand as an example, a three-dimensional structural finite element model, named as the Multi-filament twist model, of the strand with the real configuration of the LMI strand is built to study the influences of the plasticity of the component materials, the twist of the filament bundle, the initial thermal residual stress and the breakage and its evolution of the filaments on the mechanical behaviors of the strand. The effective properties of superconducting filament bundle with random filament breakage and its evolution versus strain are obtained based on the damage theory of fiber-reinforced composite materials proposed by Curtin and Zhou. From the calculation results of this model, we find that the occurrence of the hysteresis loop in the cyclic loading curve is determined by the reverse yielding of the elastic-plastic materials in the strand. Both the initial thermal residual stress in the strand and the pitch length of the filaments have significant impacts on the axial and hysteretic behaviors of the strand. The damage of the filaments also affects the axial mechanical behavior of the strand remarkably at large axial strain. The critical current of the strand is calculated by the scaling law with the results of the Multi-filament twist model. The predicted results of the Multi-filament twist model show an acceptable agreement with the experiment.

Development, Characterization and Piezoelectric Fatigue Behavior of Lead-Free Perovskite Piezoelectric Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patterson, Eric Andrew

Much recent research has focused on the development lead-free perovskite piezoelectrics as environmentally compatible alternatives to lead zirconate titanate (PZT). Two main categories of lead free perovskite piezoelectric ceramic systems were investigated as potential replacements to lead zirconate titanate (PZT) for actuator devices. First, solid solutions based on Li, Ta, and Sb modified (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 (KNN) lead-free perovskite systems were created using standard solid state methods. Secondly, Bi-based materials a variety of compositions were explored for (1-x)(Bi 0.5Na0.5)TiO3-xBi(Zn0.5Ti0.5)O 3 (BNT-BZT) and Bi(Zn0.5Ti0.5)O3-(Bi 0.5K0.5)TiO3-(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO 3 (BZT-BKT-BNT). It was shown that when BNT-BKT is combined with increasing concentrations of Bi(Zn1/2i1/2)O3 (BZT), a transition from normal ferroelectric behavior to a material with large electric field induced strains was observed. The higher BZT containing compositions are characterized by large hysteretic strains(> 0.3%) with no negative strains that might indicate domain switching. This work summarizes and analyzes the fatigue behavior of the new generation of Pb-free piezoelectric materials. In piezoelectric materials, fatigue is observed as a degradation in the electromechanical properties under the application of a bipolar or unipolar cyclic electrical load. In Pb-based materials such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), fatigue has been studied in great depth for both bulk and thin film applications. In PZT, fatigue can result from microcracking or electrode effects (especially in thin films). Ultimately, however, it is electronic and ionic point defects that are the most influential mechanism. Therefore, this work also analyzes the fatigue characteristics of bulk polycrystalline ceramics of the modified-KNN and BNT-BKT-BZT compositions developed. The defect chemistry that underpins the fatigue behavior will be examined and the results will be compared to the existing body of work on PZT. It will

Using Generalizability Theory to Examine Sources of Variance in Observed Behaviors within High School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abry, Tashia; Cash, Anne H.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.

2014-01-01

Generalizability theory (GT) offers a useful framework for estimating the reliability of a measure while accounting for multiple sources of error variance. The purpose of this study was to use GT to examine multiple sources of variance in and the reliability of school-level teacher and high school student behaviors as observed using the tool,…

The Dominance Behavioral System and Psychopathology: Evidence from Self-Report, Observational, and Biological Studies

PubMed Central

Johnson, Sheri L.; Leedom, Liane J.; Muhtadie, Luma

2012-01-01

The dominance behavioral system (DBS) can be conceptualized as a biologically-based system which guides dominance motivation, dominant and subordinate behavior, and responsivity to perceptions of power and subordination. A growing body of research suggests that problems with the DBS are evident across a broad range of psychopathologies. We begin by describing psychological, social, and biological correlates of the dominance behavioral system (DBS). Extensive research suggests that externalizing disorders, mania-proneness, and narcissistic traits are related to heightened dominance motivation and behaviors. Mania and narcissistic traits also appear related to inflated self-perceptions of power. Anxiety and depression are related to subordination and submissiveness, as well as a desire to avoid subordination. Models of the DBS have received support from research with humans and animals; from self-report, observational, and biological methods; and using naturalistic and experimental paradigms. Limitations of available research include the relative lack of longitudinal studies using multiple measures of the DBS and the absence of relevant studies using diagnosed samples to study narcissistic personality disorder and bipolar disorder. We provide suggestions for future research on the DBS and psychopathology, including investigations of whether the DBS can be used to differentiate specific disorder outcomes; the need for more sophisticated biological research; and the value of longitudinal dynamical research. Implications of using the DBS as a tool in clinical assessment and treatment are discussed. PMID:22506751

Sources of Information and Behavioral Patterns in Online Health Forums: Observational Study

PubMed Central

Friede, Tim; Grabowski, Jens; Koschack, Janka; Makedonski, Philip; Himmel, Wolfgang

2014-01-01

Background Increasing numbers of patients are raising their voice in online forums. This shift is welcome as an act of patient autonomy, reflected in the term “expert patient”. At the same time, there is considerable concern that patients can be easily misguided by pseudoscientific research and debate. Little is known about the sources of information used in health-related online forums, how users apply this information, and how they behave in such forums. Objective The intent of the study was to identify (1) the sources of information used in online health-related forums, and (2) the roles and behavior of active forum visitors in introducing and disseminating this information. Methods This observational study used the largest German multiple sclerosis (MS) online forum as a database, analyzing the user debate about the recently proposed and controversial Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) hypothesis. After extracting all posts and then filtering relevant CCSVI posts between 01 January 2008 and 17 August 2012, we first identified hyperlinks to scientific publications and other information sources used or referenced in the posts. Employing k-means clustering, we then analyzed the users’ preference for sources of information and their general posting habits. Results Of 139,912 posts from 11,997 threads, 8628 posts discussed or at least mentioned CCSVI. We detected hyperlinks pointing to CCSVI-related scientific publications in 31 posts. In contrast, 2829 different URLs were posted to the forum, most frequently referring to social media, such as YouTube or Facebook. We identified a total of 6 different roles of hyperlink posters including Social Media Fans, Organization Followers, and Balanced Source Users. Apart from the large and nonspecific residual category of the “average user”, several specific behavior patterns were identified, such as the small but relevant groups of CCSVI-Focused Responders or CCSVI Activators. Conclusions The bulk

Prestressed curved actuators: characterization and modeling of their piezoelectric behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mossi, Karla M.; Ounaies, Zoubeida; Smith, Ralph C.; Ball, Brian

2003-08-01

Pre-stressed curved actuators consist of a piezoelectric ceramic (lead zirconate titanate or PZT) sandwiched between various substrates and other top layers. In one configuration, the substrates are stainless steel with a top layer made with aluminum (THUNDER). In another configuration, the substrates and top are based on fiberglass and carbon composite layers (Lipca-C2). Due to their enhanced strain capabilities, these pre-stressed piezoelectric devices are of interest in a variety of aerospace applications. Their performance as a function of electric field, temperature and frequency is needed in order to optimize their operation. During the processing steps, a mismatch between the properties of the various layers leads to pre-stressing of the PZT layer. These internal stresses, combined with restricted lateral motion, are shown to enhance the axial displacement. The goal is to gain an understanding of the resulting piezoelectric behavior over a range of voltages, and frequencies. A nonlinear model, which quantifies the displacements generated in THUNDER actuators in response to applied voltages for a variety of boundary conditions, is developed. The model utilizes a hysteretic electric field-polarization relationship and predicts displacements based on the geometry and physical characteristics of the actuator components. The accuracy of the model and associated numerical method is demonstrated through comparison with experimental data.

Observations of summer roosting and foraging behavior of a hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) in southern New Hampshire.

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

Veillieux, J. P.; Moosman, P. R.; Reynolds, D. S.

Few data are available that describe the roosting and foraging ecology of the Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus), and no such data are available for the northeastern United States. We captured a juvenile Hoary Bat in south-central New Hampshire during July of 2007 and monitored its roosting behavior for ten days and its foraging behavior for one night. The bat roosted with two other bats, which we presumed were its mother and sibling. These bats roosted exclusively in Tsuga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock Tree) and tended to roost near tree tops in the forest canopy. The radiotagged bat used at least sixmore » roost trees and changed roost location eight times during the ten-day observation period. Although roost-tree fidelity was low, all roost trees were located within a maximum circular area of 0.5 ha. The bat foraged over an estimated 156-ha area of mostly forest habitat (68%), with additional open habitats (15%) and wetlands (17%). These data are the first observations of roosting and foraging behaviors by the Hoary Bat in the northeastern region of its geographic range.« less

Observation of High School Students' Food Handling Behaviors: Do They Improve following a Food Safety Education Intervention?

PubMed

Diplock, Kenneth J; Dubin, Joel A; Leatherdale, Scott T; Hammond, David; Jones-Bitton, Andria; Majowicz, Shannon E

2018-06-01

Youth are a key audience for food safety education. They often engage in risky food handling behaviors, prepare food for others, and have limited experience and knowledge of safe food handling practices. Our goal was to investigate the effectiveness of an existing food handler training program for improving safe food handling behaviors among high school students in Ontario, Canada. However, because no schools agreed to provide control groups, we evaluated whether behaviors changed following delivery of the intervention program and whether changes were sustained over the school term. We measured 32 food safety behaviors, before the intervention and at 2-week and 3-month follow-up evaluations by in-person observations of students ( n = 119) enrolled in grade 10 and 12 Food and Nutrition classes ( n = 8) and who individually prepared recipes. We examined within-student changes in behaviors across the three time points, using mixed effects regression models to model trends in the total food handling score (of a possible 32 behaviors) and subscores for "clean" (17 behaviors), "separate" (14 behaviors), and "cook" (1 behavior), adjusting for student characteristics. At baseline, students ( n = 108) averaged 49.1% (15.7 of 32 behaviors; standard deviation = 5.8) correct food handling behaviors, and only 5.5% (6) of the 108 students used a food thermometer to check the doneness of the chicken (the "cook" behavior). All four behavior score types increased significantly ∼2 weeks postintervention and remained unchanged ∼3 months later. Student characteristics (e.g., having taken a prior food handling course) were not significant predictors of the total number of correctly performed food handling behaviors or of the "clean" or "separate" behaviors, working or volunteering in a food service establishment was the only characteristic significantly associated with food thermometer use (i.e., "cook"). Despite the significant increase in correct behaviors, students continued to

Associations of group level popularity with observed behavior and influence in a dyadic context.

PubMed

Lansu, Tessa A M; Cillessen, Antonius H N

2015-12-01

This study examined the association between popularity in the peer group and adolescents' behavior in a dyadic context. After collecting peer nominations for popularity, 218 early adolescents (M(age) = 11.0 years) in 109 randomly composed same-sex dyads participated in a discussion task where they planned a party for their classroom. From digital recordings of the sessions, each participant's influence, involvement, skillful leadership, coercive resource control, submissiveness, positivity, and negativity were observed. Analyses with the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) demonstrated that for girls high group level popularity was associated with a socially sensitive interaction style and influence in the dyadic context. For both boys and girls, the interaction partner's group level popularity negatively predicted their use of coercive resource control strategies and negative behavior in the dyad. For girls, in addition, the interaction partner's group level popularity also positively predicted their submissiveness and negatively predicted their task influence. These results indicate that, in particular for girls, adolescents' group level popularity plays an important role in the behavior of both peers in a cooperative dyadic context. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The development and validation of the Dormitory Observation Report: a behavioral rating instrument for juvenile delinquents in residential care.

PubMed

Veneziano, Louis; Veneziano, Carol

2002-09-01

In order to provide an objective measure of problematic behavioral patterns among juvenile delinquents in residential facilities, the Dormitory Observation Report (DOR) was developed. The DOR assesses 11 dimensions of problematic behavioral patterns (e.g., physical assaultiveness, manipulativeness), as well as three dimensions of desirable behavioral patterns expected in an institutional setting (e.g., independent functioning, personal hygiene, care of surroundings). Empirical study regarding the reliability and validity of the DOR are reported, and the results are discussed in terms of the theoretical and practical implications of this instrument. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prediction of the Possibility a Right-Turn Driving Behavior at Intersection Leads to an Accident by Detecting Deviation of the Situation from Usual when the Behavior is Observed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, Toshinori; Yamada, Keiichi

Deviation of driving behavior from usual could be a sign of human error that increases the risk of traffic accidents. This paper proposes a novel method for predicting the possibility a driving behavior leads to an accident from the information on the driving behavior and the situation. In a previous work, a method of predicting the possibility by detecting the deviation of driving behavior from usual one in that situation has been proposed. In contrast, the method proposed in this paper predicts the possibility by detecting the deviation of the situation from usual one when the behavior is observed. An advantage of the proposed method is the number of the required models is independent of the variety of the situations. The method was applied to a problem of predicting accidents by right-turn driving behavior at an intersection, and the performance of the method was evaluated by experiments on a driving simulator.

Direct Observation of Markovian Behavior of the Mechanical Unfolding of Individual Proteins

PubMed Central

Cao, Yi; Kuske, Rachel; Li, Hongbin

2008-01-01

Single-molecule force-clamp spectroscopy is a valuable tool to analyze unfolding kinetics of proteins. Previous force-clamp spectroscopy experiments have demonstrated that the mechanical unfolding of ubiquitin deviates from the generally assumed Markovian behavior and involves the features of glassy dynamics. Here we use single molecule force-clamp spectroscopy to study the unfolding kinetics of a computationally designed fast-folding mutant of the small protein GB1, which shares a similar β-grasp fold as ubiquitin. By treating the mechanical unfolding of polyproteins as the superposition of multiple identical Poisson processes, we developed a simple stochastic analysis approach to analyze the dwell time distribution of individual unfolding events in polyprotein unfolding trajectories. Our results unambiguously demonstrate that the mechanical unfolding of NuG2 fulfills all criteria of a memoryless Markovian process. This result, in contrast with the complex mechanical unfolding behaviors observed for ubiquitin, serves as a direct experimental demonstration of the Markovian behavior for the mechanical unfolding of a protein and reveals the complexity of the unfolding dynamics among structurally similar proteins. Furthermore, we extended our method into a robust and efficient pseudo-dwell-time analysis method, which allows one to make full use of all the unfolding events obtained in force-clamp experiments without categorizing the unfolding events. This method enabled us to measure the key parameters characterizing the mechanical unfolding energy landscape of NuG2 with improved precision. We anticipate that the methods demonstrated here will find broad applications in single-molecule force-clamp spectroscopy studies for a wide range of proteins. PMID:18375518

Exploring the body through reflexology: Physical behaviors observed during application.

PubMed

Esmel-Esmel, Neus; Tomás-Esmel, Eudald; Aparicio Rollan, Yolanda; Pérez Cáceres, Irene; Montes-Muñoz, Ma Jesús; Jimenez-Herrera, Maria

2016-11-01

Recent studies on reflexology describe the appearance of different application-associated effects, attributed to a self-regulatory mechanism related to treatment efficacy. On the other hand, sleep is a physiological process of vital importance for health. Its main value lies in restoring the natural balance between neuronal centers. Among its associated behavioral characteristics are spontaneous movements and eye movements. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects that occur during application of reflexology and that are not described in the literature. This is a descriptive observational study with a quantitative methodology. Abivariate anlysis has been conductec through chi-square test or Anova as apropiate. A total of 111 clients of a therapy center in Tarragona have participated in the study. They were assigned into four groups (musculoskeletal, stress, anxiety, mantenance). Reflexology was administered and observered the manifestations that occured during the session. The findings have identified four categories of effects, of which there was no previous reference. These effects can be related to any of the stages of sleep. This study shows that reflexology promotes its application for different effects, such as eye movements and spontaneous movements. These data reveal the need to investigate these effects and their impact on health as well as their possible relationship with sleep. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrological hysteresis and its value for assessing process consistency in catchment conceptual models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fovet, O.; Ruiz, L.; Hrachowitz, M.; Faucheux, M.; Gascuel-Odoux, C.

2015-01-01

While most hydrological models reproduce the general flow dynamics, they frequently fail to adequately mimic system-internal processes. In particular, the relationship between storage and discharge, which often follows annual hysteretic patterns in shallow hard-rock aquifers, is rarely considered in modelling studies. One main reason is that catchment storage is difficult to measure, and another one is that objective functions are usually based on individual variables time series (e.g. the discharge). This reduces the ability of classical procedures to assess the relevance of the conceptual hypotheses associated with models. We analysed the annual hysteric patterns observed between stream flow and water storage both in the saturated and unsaturated zones of the hillslope and the riparian zone of a headwater catchment in French Brittany (Environmental Research Observatory ERO AgrHys (ORE AgrHys)). The saturated-zone storage was estimated using distributed shallow groundwater levels and the unsaturated-zone storage using several moisture profiles. All hysteretic loops were characterized by a hysteresis index. Four conceptual models, previously calibrated and evaluated for the same catchment, were assessed with respect to their ability to reproduce the hysteretic patterns. The observed relationship between stream flow and saturated, and unsaturated storages led us to identify four hydrological periods and emphasized a clearly distinct behaviour between riparian and hillslope groundwaters. Although all the tested models were able to produce an annual hysteresis loop between discharge and both saturated and unsaturated storage, the integration of a riparian component led to overall improved hysteretic signatures, even if some misrepresentation remained. Such a system-like approach is likely to improve model selection.

CODEMamb - an observational communication behavior assessment tool for use in ambulatory dementia care.

PubMed

Knebel, Maren; Haberstroh, Julia; Kümmel, Anne; Pantel, Johannes; Schröder, Johannes

2016-12-01

Communication improves well-being and quality of life for both people with dementia and their professional and family caregivers. Individualized communication, as required in informed consent procedures and psychosocial interventions, can improve quality of life, especially in ambulatory settings. However, few valid and reliable instruments exist that enable communication to be assessed and communication and behavioral resources to be identified. We, therefore, extended and adapted the newly developed observational instrument CODEM for use in ambulatory settings (CODEM amb ). Reliability and validity of the new instrument were studied in a total of 171 patients, whereby principal component analysis revealed three important factors: relationship aspects, verbal communication behavior and nonverbal communication behavior. CODEM amb [Formula: see text]s internal consistency, interrater and retest reliability were satisfactory to excellent. Convergent validity indices, as shown by examining correlations with similar but not identical constructs (CERAD-NP verbal subscales), were medium-high, while the divergent validity index (constructional praxis) was relatively low. The relationship to peer-rating remained nonsignificant. Criterion validity was investigated in groups of patients in accordance with their cognitive status. As expected, verbal communication abilities deteriorate faster than the relationship aspects of communication as the disease progresses. In summary, CODEM amb is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to collect important information with the ultimate aim of supporting communication with people with dementia.

Ferromagnetic and photocatalytic behaviors observed in Ca-doped BiFeO3 nanofibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Yan-Nan; Wang, Huan-Chun; Luo, Yi-Dong; Shen, Yang; Lin, Yuan-Hua

2013-04-01

Ca-doped BiFeO3 nanofibres have been fabricated by electrospinning method. Our results indicate that phase transition from space group R3c to C222 can be observed by the Ca doping. These BiFeO3 nanofibres show obvious room temperature ferromagnetic behaviors, and saturation magnetization can be enhanced with the Ca-doping concentration increasing, which could be correlated with the variation of the ratio of Fe2+/Fe3+ valence state. The BiFeO3 nanofibres show obvious photocatalytic performance and can be improved by the Ca-doping.

Electronic Health Record Challenges, Workarounds, and Solutions Observed in Practices Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care.

PubMed

Cifuentes, Maribel; Davis, Melinda; Fernald, Doug; Gunn, Rose; Dickinson, Perry; Cohen, Deborah J

2015-01-01

This article describes the electronic health record (EHR)-related experiences of practices striving to integrate behavioral health and primary care using tailored, evidenced-based strategies from 2012 to 2014; and the challenges, workarounds and initial health information technology (HIT) solutions that emerged during implementation. This was an observational, cross-case comparative study of 11 diverse practices, including 8 primary care clinics and 3 community mental health centers focused on the implementation of integrated care. Practice characteristics (eg, practice ownership, federal designation, geographic area, provider composition, EHR system, and patient panel characteristics) were collected using a practice information survey and analyzed to report descriptive information. A multidisciplinary team used a grounded theory approach to analyze program documents, field notes from practice observation visits, online diaries, and semistructured interviews. Eight primary care practices used a single EHR and 3 practices used 2 different EHRs, 1 to document behavioral health and 1 to document primary care information. Practices experienced common challenges with their EHRs' capabilities to 1) document and track relevant behavioral health and physical health information, 2) support communication and coordination of care among integrated teams, and 3) exchange information with tablet devices and other EHRs. Practices developed workarounds in response to these challenges: double documentation and duplicate data entry, scanning and transporting documents, reliance on patient or clinician recall for inaccessible EHR information, and use of freestanding tracking systems. As practices gained experience with integration, they began to move beyond workarounds to more permanent HIT solutions ranging in complexity from customized EHR templates, EHR upgrades, and unified EHRs. Integrating behavioral health and primary care further burdens EHRs. Vendors, in cooperation with

Home safety practices in an urban low-income population: level of agreement between parental self-report and observed behaviors.

PubMed

Lee, Lois K; Walia, Taranjeev; Forbes, Peter W; Osganian, Stavroula K; Samuels, Ronald; Cox, Joanne E; Mooney, David P

2012-12-01

Home-related injuries are overrepresented in children from low-income households. The objectives of this study were to determine frequencies of home safety behaviors and the level of agreement between parental self-report and observed safety practices in low-income homes. In a prospective, interventional home injury prevention study of 49 low-income families with children <5 years old, a trained home visitor administered baseline parental home safety behavior questionnaires and assessments. There was high agreement between caregiver self-report and home visitor observation for lack of cabinet latch (99%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 88%-99%) and stair gate use (100%, 95% CI = 88-100%). There was lower agreement for the safe storage of cleaning supplies (62%, 95% CI = 46%-75%), sharps (74%, 95% CI = 59%-85%), and medicines/vitamins (83%, 95% CI = 69%-92%) because of the overreporting of safe practices. Self-reports of some home safety behaviors are relatively accurate, but certain practices may need to be verified by direct assessment.

The Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) System as a Form of Intervention and Support for New Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nugent, J. Kevin

2015-01-01

The period covering the first 3 months of life consists of a series of pivotal, life-changing transitions for the infant, for the parents, and for the emerging parent-child relationship. The Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) system is a relationship-based tool that offers individualized information to parents about their baby's communication…

RXTE Observations of A1744-361: Correlated Spectral and Timing Behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhattacharyya, Sudip; Strohmayer, Tod E.; Swank, Jean H.; Markwardt, Craig B.

2007-01-01

We analyze Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) Proportional Counter Array (PCA) data of the transient low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) system A1744-361. We explore the X-ray intensity and spectral evolution of the source, perform timing analysis, and find that A1744-361 is a weak LMXB, that shows atoll behavior at high intensity states. The color-color diagram indicates that this LMXB was observed in a low intensity spectrally hard (low-hard) state and in a high intensity banana state. The low-hard state shows a horizontal pattern in the color-color diagram, and the previously reported dipper QPO appears only during this state. We also perform energy spectral analyses, and report the first detection of broad iron emission line and iron absorption edge from A1744-361.

Observed Macro- and Micro-Level Parenting Behaviors During Preadolescent Family Interactions as Predictors of Adjustment in Emerging Adults With and Without Spina Bifida

PubMed Central

Amaro, Christina M.; Devine, Katie A.; Psihogios, Alexandra M.; Murphy, Lexa K.; Holmbeck, Grayson N.

2015-01-01

Objective To examine observed autonomy-promoting and -inhibiting parenting behaviors during preadolescence as predictors of adjustment outcomes in emerging adults with and without spina bifida (SB). Methods Demographic and videotaped interaction data were collected from families with 8/9-year-old children with SB (n = 68) and a matched group of typically developing youth (n = 68). Observed interaction data were coded with macro- and micro-coding schemes. Measures of emerging adulthood adjustment were collected 10 years later (ages 18/19 years; n = 50 and n = 60 for SB and comparison groups, respectively). Results Autonomy-promoting (behavioral control, autonomy-relatedness) and -inhibiting (psychological control) observed preadolescent parenting behaviors prospectively predicted emerging adulthood adjustment, particularly within educational, social, and emotional domains. Interestingly, high parent undermining of relatedness predicted better educational and social adjustment in the SB sample. Conclusions Parenting behaviors related to autonomy have long-term consequences for adjustment in emerging adults with and without SB. PMID:24864277

Mothers' reports of play dates and observation of school playground behavior of children having high-functioning autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Frankel, Frederick D; Gorospe, Clarissa M; Chang, Ya-Chih; Sugar, Catherine A

2011-05-01

Children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are generally included with typically developing peers at school. They have difficulties interacting with peers on the school playground. Previous literature suggests that having play dates in the home may be related to better peer acceptance at school. This study examines the relationship between mother-reported play date frequency and amount of conflict, and peer interaction observed on the school playground for a sample of 27 boys and 4 girls meeting structured interview and observation criteria for ASD. Measures of intellectual functioning, adaptive behavior, and social skills were included in a stepwise regression analysis to account for their impact on relationships between maternal play date reports, general peer acceptance at school (as rated by the child's teacher) and observations of school playground behavior. Results revealed that children with autism spectrum disorders who had more play dates in their home tended to spend a greater amount of time engaged in behaviors such as mutual offering of objects, conversing and other turn-taking activities with peers on the school playground. They also received more positive responses to their overtures from peers. These relationships remained highly significant even after accounting for other demographic, general social, and cognitive variables. The present results suggest that play date frequency is strongly related to school playground behavior. Owing to the design of this study, future research must assess whether play dates in the home promote better peer relationships on the playground or the reverse. In either case, the assessment of play dates, as well as observation of spontaneous unsupervised social interactions, are important outcome measures to consider in social skills interventions for children with high-functioning ASD. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2010 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental

Mothers’ Reports of Play Dates and Observation of School Playground Behavior of Children Having High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Frankel, Frederick D.; Gorospe, Clarissa M.; Chang, Ya-Chih; Sugar, Catherine A.

2010-01-01

Background Children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are generally included with typically developing peers at school. They have difficulties interacting with peers on the school play ground. Previous literature suggests that having play dates in the home may be related to better peer acceptance at school. Methods This study examines the relationship between mother-reported play date frequency and amount of conflict, and peer interaction observed on the school playground for a sample of 27 boys and 4 girls meeting structured interview and observation criteria for ASD. Measures of intellectual functioning, adaptive behavior, and social skills were included in a stepwise regression analysis to account for their impact on relationships between maternal play date reports, general peer acceptance at school (as rated by the child’s teacher) and observations of school playground behavior. Results Results revealed that children with autism spectrum disorders who had more play dates in their home tended to spend a greater amount of time engaged in behaviors such as mutual offering of objects, conversing and other turn taking activities with peers on the school playground. They also received more positive responses to their overtures from peers. These relationships remained highly significant even after accounting for other demographic, general social, and cognitive variables. Conclusions The present results suggest that play date frequency is strongly related to school playground behavior. Due to the design of this study, future research must assess whether play dates in the home promote better peer relationships on the playground or the reverse. In either case, the assessment of play dates, as well as observation of spontaneous unsupervised social interactions are important outcome measures to consider in social skills interventions for children with high functioning ASD. PMID:20860756

Deep-water feeding and behavioral plasticity in Manta birostris revealed by archival tags and submersible observations.

PubMed

Stewart, Joshua D; Hoyos-Padilla, Edgar Mauricio; Kumli, Katherine R; Rubin, Robert D

2016-10-01

Foraging drives many fundamental aspects of ecology, and an understanding of foraging behavior aids in the conservation of threatened species by identifying critical habitats and spatial patterns relevant to management. The world's largest ray, the oceanic manta (Manta birostris) is poorly studied and threatened globally by targeted fisheries and incidental capture. Very little information is available on the natural history, ecology and behavior of the species, complicating management efforts. This study provides the first data on the diving behavior of the species based on data returned from six tagged individuals, and an opportunistic observation from a submersible of a manta foraging at depth. Pop-off archival satellite tags deployed on mantas at the Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico recorded seasonal shifts in diving behavior, likely related to changes in the location and availability of zooplankton prey. Across seasons, mantas spent a large proportion of their time centered around the upper limit of the thermocline, where zooplankton often aggregate. Tag data reveal a gradual activity shift from surface waters to 100-150m across the tagging period, possibly indicating a change in foraging behavior from targeting surface-associated zooplankton to vertical migrators. The depth ranges accessed by mantas in this study carry variable bycatch risks from different fishing gear types. Consequently, region-specific data on diving behavior can help inform local management strategies that reduce or mitigate bycatch of this vulnerable species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Frequency and phase synchronization in large groups: Low dimensional description of synchronized clapping, firefly flashing, and cricket chirping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ott, Edward; Antonsen, Thomas M.

2017-05-01

A common observation is that large groups of oscillatory biological units often have the ability to synchronize. A paradigmatic model of such behavior is provided by the Kuramoto model, which achieves synchronization through coupling of the phase dynamics of individual oscillators, while each oscillator maintains a different constant inherent natural frequency. Here we consider the biologically likely possibility that the oscillatory units may be capable of enhancing their synchronization ability by adaptive frequency dynamics. We propose a simple augmentation of the Kuramoto model which does this. We also show that, by the use of a previously developed technique [Ott and Antonsen, Chaos 18, 037113 (2008)], it is possible to reduce the resulting dynamics to a lower dimensional system for the macroscopic evolution of the oscillator ensemble. By employing this reduction, we investigate the dynamics of our system, finding a characteristic hysteretic behavior and enhancement of the quality of the achieved synchronization.

Physical activity, sedentary behavior time and lipid levels in the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Luxembourg study.

PubMed

Crichton, Georgina E; Alkerwi, Ala'a

2015-08-11

Recently attention has been drawn to the health impacts of time spent engaging in sedentary behaviors. While many studies have investigated general physical activity (PA) in relation to blood lipid levels, the current study aimed to examine the intensity of activity, including sedentary behavior time, and time spent engaging in moderate and intense PA, with concentrations of HDL and LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Participants comprised 1331 individuals, aged 18 to 70 years, from the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Luxembourg (ORISCAV-LUX) study, who underwent objective cardiovascular health assessments and completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Time spent engaging in sedentary behaviors (screen time on a workday and a day off, and total sitting time on a work day), and moderate and intense PA, were related to levels of HDL and LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Analyses were conducted in the whole sample, and then with stratification according to BMI (normal weight versus overweight/obese). Both lower screen time during days off and higher intense PA time were significantly associated with higher HDL-cholesterol after full adjustment for socio-demographic factors, dietary factors and smoking (both p < 0.05). In normal weight individuals, consistent positive relations between triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol with all sedentary behavior time variables were observed (all p < 0.05; adjusted for age, education, gender). There were no statistically significant associations between any intensity level of PA or sedentary behavior time variable and lipid levels in those overweight or obese. Spending less time in sedentary behaviors, and engaging in medium levels of intense physical activity may be associated with a more favorable blood lipid profile, particularly with regard to levels of HDL and triglycerides.

Understanding Observational Learning: An Interbehavioral Approach

PubMed Central

Fryling, Mitch J; Johnston, Cristin; Hayes, Linda J

2011-01-01

Observational learning is an important area in the field of psychology and behavior science more generally. Given this, it is essential that behavior analysts articulate a sound theory of how behavior change occurs through observation. This paper begins with an overview of seminal research in the area of observational learning, followed by a consideration of common behavior analytic conceptualizations of these findings. The interbehavioral perspective is then outlined, shedding light on some difficulties with the existing behavior analytic approaches. The implications of embracing the interbehavioral perspective for understanding the most complex sorts of behavior, including those involved in observational learning are considered. PMID:22532764

A new hysteresis model based on force-displacement characteristics of magnetorheological fluid actuators subjected to squeeze mode operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Peng; Bai, Xian-Xu; Qian, Li-Jun; Choi, Seung-Bok

2017-06-01

This paper presents a new hysteresis model based on the force-displacement characteristics of magnetorheological (MR) fluid actuators (or devices) subjected to squeeze mode operation. The idea of the proposed model is originated from experimental observation of the field-dependent hysteretic behavior of MR fluids, which shows that from a view of rate-independence of hysteresis, a gap width-dependent hysteresis is occurred in the force-displacement relationship instead of the typical relationship of the force-velocity. To effectively and accurately portray the hysteresis behavior, the gap width-dependent hysteresis elements, the nonlinear viscous effect and the inertial effect are considered for the formulation of the hysteresis model. Then, a model-based feedforward force tracking control scheme is established through an observer which can estimate the virtual displacement. The effectiveness of the proposed hysteresis model is validated through the identification and prediction of the damping force of MR fluids in the squeeze mode. In addition, it is shown that superior force tracking performance of the feedforward control associated with the proposed hysteresis mode is evaluated by adopting several tracking trajectories.

The Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR): A Method for the Naturalistic Observation of Daily Social Behavior

PubMed Central

Mehl, Matthias R.

2016-01-01

This article reviews the Electronically Activated Recorder or EAR as an ambulatory ecological momentary assessment tool for the real-world observation of daily behavior. Technically, the EAR is an audio recorder that intermittently records snippets of ambient sounds while participants go about their lives. Conceptually, it is a naturalistic observation method that yields an acoustic log of a person’s day as it unfolds. The power of the EAR lies in unobtrusively collecting authentic real-life observational data. In preserving a high degree of naturalism at the level of the raw recordings, it resembles ethnographic methods; through its sampling and coding, it enables larger empirical studies. The article provides an overview of the EAR method, reviews its validity, utility, and limitations, and discusses it in the context of current developments in ambulatory assessment, specifically the emerging field of mobile sensing. PMID:28529411

The Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR): A Method for the Naturalistic Observation of Daily Social Behavior.

PubMed

Mehl, Matthias R

2017-04-01

This article reviews the Electronically Activated Recorder or EAR as an ambulatory ecological momentary assessment tool for the real-world observation of daily behavior. Technically, the EAR is an audio recorder that intermittently records snippets of ambient sounds while participants go about their lives. Conceptually, it is a naturalistic observation method that yields an acoustic log of a person's day as it unfolds. The power of the EAR lies in unobtrusively collecting authentic real-life observational data. In preserving a high degree of naturalism at the level of the raw recordings, it resembles ethnographic methods; through its sampling and coding, it enables larger empirical studies. The article provides an overview of the EAR method, reviews its validity, utility, and limitations, and discusses it in the context of current developments in ambulatory assessment, specifically the emerging field of mobile sensing.

Study of the dislocation contribution to the internal friction background of gold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baur, J.; Benoit, W.

1987-04-01

The dislocation contribution to the internal friction (IF) background is studied in annealed gold samples containing various dilute concentrations of platinum impurities. The measurements are performed in the kHz frequency range in order to determine the loss mechanism responsible for the high IF background observed at these low frequencies. To this end, the IF background was systematically measured as a function of frequency, vibration amplitude, temperature, and impurity concentration. The experimental results show that the high dislocation contribution observed in annealed samples is strain-amplitude independent for amplitudes in the range 10-7 to 2×10-6, but rapidly decreases for amplitudes smaller than 10-7. In particular, the dislocation contribution tends to zero when the strain amplitude tends to zero. Furthermore, this contribution is frequency independent. These observations demonstrate that the dislocation contribution cannot be explained by relaxations. In particular, this contribution cannot be attributed to a viscous damping of the dislocation motion. On the contrary, the experiments show that the IF background due to dislocations must be explained by hysteretic and athermal motions of dislocations interacting with point defects. However, these hysteretic motions are not due to breakaway of dislocations from pinning points distributed along their length. The experimental results can be explained by the presence of point defects close to the dislocations, but not on them. The mechanical energy loss is attributed to hysteretic motions of dislocations between potential minima created by point defects.

The observation of manual grasp actions affects the control of speech: a combined behavioral and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation study.

PubMed

Gentilucci, Maurizio; Campione, Giovanna Cristina; Dalla Volta, Riccardo; Bernardis, Paolo

2009-12-01

Does the mirror system affect the control of speech? This issue was addressed in behavioral and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) experiments. In behavioral experiment 1, participants pronounced the syllable /da/ while observing (1) a hand grasping large and small objects with power and precision grasps, respectively, (2) a foot interacting with large and small objects and (3) differently sized objects presented alone. Voice formant 1 was higher when observing power as compared to precision grasp, whereas it remained unaffected by observation of the different types of foot interaction and objects alone. In TMS experiment 2, we stimulated hand motor cortex, while participants observed the two types of grasp. Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs) of hand muscles active during the two types of grasp were greater when observing power than precision grasp. In experiments 3-5, TMS was applied to tongue motor cortex of participants silently pronouncing the syllable /da/ and simultaneously observing power and precision grasps, pantomimes of the two types of grasps, and differently sized objects presented alone. Tongue MEPs were greater when observing power than precision grasp either executed or pantomimed. Finally, in TMS experiment 6, the observation of foot interaction with large and small objects did not modulate tongue MEPs. We hypothesized that grasp observation activated motor commands to the mouth as well as to the hand that were congruent with the hand kinematics implemented in the observed type of grasp. The commands to the mouth selectively affected postures of phonation organs and consequently basic features of phonological units.

A small towed beamforming array to identify vocalizing resident killer whales ( Orcinus orca) concurrent with focal behavioral observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Patrick J.; Tyack, Peter L.

Investigations of communication systems benefit from concurrent observation of vocal and visible behaviors of individual animals. A device has been developed to identify individual vocalizing resident killer whales ( Orcinus orca) during focal behavioral observations. The device consists of a 2-m, 15-element hydrophone array, which is easily towed behind a small vessel, on-board multi-channel recorders, and real-time signal processing equipment. Acoustic data from the hydrophones are digitized and processed using broadband frequency-domain beamforming to yield frequency-azimuth (FRAZ) and "directo-gram" displays of arriving sounds. Based upon statistical analysis of independent portions of typical killer whale calls, the precision of the angle-of-arrival estimate ranges from ±0° to ±2.5° with a mean precision of ±1.5°. Echolocation clicks also are resolved precisely with a typical -6 dB mainlobe width of ±2.0°. Careful positioning of the array relative to the animals minimizes the effects of depth ambiguities and allows identification of individual sources in many circumstances. Several strategies for identifying vocalizing individuals are discussed and an example of a successful identification is described. Use of the array with resident killer whales did not interfere with vessel maneuverability, animal tracking, or behavioral sampling of focal individuals. This localization technique has promise for advancing the abilities of researchers to conduct unbiased behavioral and acoustic sampling of individual free-ranging cetaceans.

Multiple thermal transitions and anisotropic thermal expansions of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ya'akobovitz, Assaf

2016-10-01

Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VA-CNTs) hold the potential to play an instrumental role in a wide variety of applications in micro- and nano-devices and composites. However, their successful large-scale implementation in engineering systems requires a thorough understanding of their material properties, including their thermal behavior, which was the focus of the current study. Thus, the thermal expansion of as-grown VA-CNT microstructures was investigated while increasing the temperature from room temperature to 800 °C and then cooling it down. First thermal transition was observed at 191 ± 68 °C during heating, and an additional thermal transition was observed at 523 ± 138 °C during heating and at similar temperatures during cooling. Each thermal transition was characterized by a significant change in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), which can be related to a morphological change in the VA-CNT microstructures. Measurements of the CTEs in the lateral directions revealed differences in the lateral thermal behaviors of the top, middle, and bottom portions of the VA-CNT microstructures, again indicating that their morphology dominates their thermal characteristics. A hysteretic behavior was observed, as the measured values of CTEs were altered due to the applied thermal loads and the height of the microstructures was slightly higher compared to its initial value. These findings provide an insight into the anisotropic thermal behavior of VA-CNT microstructures and shed light on the relationship between their morphology and thermal behavior.

Simulation of current-voltage curves for inverted planar structure perovskite solar cells using equivalent circuit model with inductance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cojocaru, Ludmila; Uchida, Satoshi; Jayaweera, Piyankarage V. V.; Kaneko, Shoji; Toyoshima, Yasutake; Nakazaki, Jotaro; Kubo, Takaya; Segawa, Hiroshi

2017-02-01

Physical modeling of hysteretic behavior in current-voltage (I-V) curves of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is necessary for further improving their power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). The reduction of hysteresis in inverted planar structure PSCs (p-PSCs) has been achieved by using a [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) layer. In the cases, the opposite trend of the I-V hysteresis has been observed where the forward scan shows slightly higher efficiency than the reverse scan. In this paper, an equivalent circuit model with inductance is proposed. This model consists of a Schottky diode involving a parasitic inductance focusing PCBM/Al(Ca) interface and accurately represents the opposite trend of the I-V hysteresis of the p-PSC with an inverted structure.

Behaviors of Teachers and Their Students in Schools with and without an Achievement Gap: An Observational Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratcliff, Nancy J.; Carroll, Kimberly L.; Jones, Cathy R.; Costner, Richard H.; Sheehan, Heather C.; Hunt, Gilbert H.

2017-01-01

This research shares findings from a year-long observational study to determine if there were significant differences in the identified behaviors of teachers and students in fourth and seventh grade classrooms in schools with an achievement gap versus those with no achievement gap. Specific research questions addressed types of instructional…

Fear no colors? Observer clothing color influences lizard escape behavior.

PubMed

Putman, Breanna J; Drury, Jonathan P; Blumstein, Daniel T; Pauly, Gregory B

2017-01-01

Animals often view humans as predators, leading to alterations in their behavior. Even nuanced aspects of human activity like clothing color affect animal behavior, but we lack an understanding of when and where such effects will occur. The species confidence hypothesis posits that birds are attracted to colors found on their bodies and repelled by non-body colors. Here, we extend this hypothesis taxonomically and conceptually to test whether this pattern is applicable in a non-avian reptile and to suggest that species should respond less fearfully to their sexually-selected signaling color. Responses to clothing color could also be impacted by habituation to humans, so we examine whether behavior varied between areas with low and high human activity. We quantified the effects of four T-shirt colors on flight initiation distances (FID) and on the ease of capture in western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis), and we accounted for detectability against the background environment. We found no differences in lizard behavior between sites. However, lizards tolerated the closest approaches and were most likely to be captured when approached with the T-shirt that resembled their sexually-selected signaling color. Because changes in individual behavior affect fitness, choice of clothing color by people, including tourists, hikers, and researchers, could impact wildlife populations and research outcomes.

Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) Observations Suggest Widespread Occurrence and Complex Behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stillman, D. E.; Grimm, R. E.; Wagstaff, K.; Bue, B. D.; Michaels, T. I.

2017-12-01

. Thus, our presentation will exhibit the complex behaviors of RSL and compare these behaviors to wet, dry, and hybrid formation mechanisms. Overall, a formation mechanism that is consistent with all the observations remains elusive.

Cultural adaptation of patient and observational outcome measures: a methodological example using the COMFORT behavioral rating scale.

PubMed

Andersen, Randi Dovland; Jylli, Leena; Ambuel, Bruce

2014-06-01

There is little empirical evidence regarding the translation and cultural adaptation of self-report and observational outcome measures. Studies that evaluate and further develop existing practices are needed. This study explores the use of cognitive interviews in the translation and cultural adaptation of observational measures, using the COMFORT behavioral scale as an example, and demonstrates a structured approach to the analysis of data from cognitive interviews. The COMFORT behavioral scale is developed for assessment of distress and pain in a pediatric intensive care setting. Qualitative, descriptive methodological study. One general public hospital trust in southern Norway. N=12. Eight nurses, three physicians and one nurse assistant, from different wards and with experience caring for children. We translated the COMFORT behavior scale into Norwegian before conducting individual cognitive interviews. Participants first read and then used the translated version of the COMFORT behavioral scale to assess pain based on a 3-min film vignette depicting an infant in pain/distress. Two cognitive interview techniques were applied: Thinking Aloud (TA) during the assessment and Verbal Probing (VP) afterwards. In TA the participant verbalized his/her thought process while completing the COMFORT behavioral scale. During VP the participant responded to specific questions related to understanding of the measure, information recall and the decision process. We audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed interviews using a structured qualitative method (cross-case analysis based on predefined categories and development of a results matrix). Our analysis revealed two categories of problems: (1) Scale problems, warranting a change in the wording of the scale, including (a) translation errors, (b) content not understood as intended, and (c) differences between the original COMFORT scale and the revised COMFORT behavioral scale; and (2) Rater-context problems caused by (a

Dynamic behaviors of growth cones extending in the corpus callosum of living cortical brain slices observed with video microscopy.

PubMed

Halloran, M C; Kalil, K

1994-04-01

During development, axons of the mammalian corpus callosum must navigate across the midline to establish connections with corresponding targets in the contralateral cerebral cortex. To gain insight into how growth cones of callosal axons respond to putative guidance cues along this CNS pathway, we have used time-lapse video microscopy to observe dynamic behaviors of individual callosal growth cones extending in living brain slices from neonatal hamster sensorimotor cortex. Crystals of the lipophilic dye 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (Dil) were inserted into the cortex in vivo to label small populations of callosal axons and their growth cones. Subsequently, 400 microns brain slices that included the injection site, the corpus callosum, and the target cortex were placed in culture and viewed under low-light-level conditions with a silicon-intensified target (SIT) camera. Time-lapse video observations revealed striking differences in growth cone behaviors in different regions of the callosal pathway. In the tract, which is defined as the region of the callosal pathway from the injection site to the corresponding target cortex, growth cones advanced rapidly, displaying continual lamellipodial shape changes and filopodial exploration. Forward advance was sometimes interrupted by brief pauses or retraction. Growth cones in the target cortex had almost uniform compact shapes that were consistently smaller than those in the tract. In cortex, axons adhered to straight radial trajectories and their growth cones extended at only half the speed of those in the tract. Growth cones in subtarget regions of the callosum beneath cortical targets displayed complex behaviors characterized by long pauses, extension of transitory branches, and repeated cycles of collapse, withdrawal, and resurgence. Video observations suggested that extension of axons into cortical targets could occur by interstitial branching from callosal axons rather than by

Understanding Observational Learning: An Interbehavioral Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fryling, Mitch J.; Johnston, Cristin; Hayes, Linda J.

2011-01-01

Observational learning is an important area in the field of psychology and behavior science more generally. Given this, it is essential that behavior analysts articulate a sound theory of how behavior change occurs through observation. This paper begins with an overview of seminal research in the area of observational learning, followed by a…

Observable indicators and behaviors for the identification of problem gamblers in venue environments

PubMed Central

Delfabbro, Paul; Thomas, Anna

2016-01-01

Background and aims In many jurisdictions, where gambling services are provided, regulatory codes require gambling operators to apply a duty of care toward patrons. A common feature of these provisions is some expectation that venue staff identify and assist patrons who might be experiencing problems with their gambling. The effectiveness of such measures is, however, predicated on the assumption that there are reliable and observable indicators that might be used to allow problem gamblers to be distinguished from other gamblers. Methods In this study, we consolidate the findings from two large Australian studies (n = 505 and n = 680) of regular gamblers that were designed to identify reliable and useful indicators for identifying problem gambling in venues. Results It was found that problem gamblers are much more likely to report potentially visible emotional reactions, unusual social behaviors, and very intense or frenetic gambling behavior. Discussion and conclusions This study shows that there are a range of indicators that could potentially be used to identify people experiencing problems in venues, but that decisions are most likely to be accurate if based on an accumulation of a diverse range of indicators. PMID:27670713

Power spectra and auto correlation analysis of hyperfine-induced long period oscillations in the tunneling current of coupled quantum dots

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

Harack, B.; Leary, A.; Coish, W. A.

2013-12-04

We outline power spectra and auto correlation analysis performed on temporal oscillations in the tunneling current of coupled vertical quantum dots. The current is monitored for ∼2325 s blocks as the magnetic field is stepped through a high bias feature displaying hysteresis and switching: hallmarks of the hyperfine interaction. Quasi-periodic oscillations of ∼2 pA amplitude and of ∼100 s period are observed in the current inside the hysteretic feature. Compared to the baseline current outside the hysteretic feature the power spectral density is enhanced by up to three orders of magnitude and the auto correlation displays clear long lived oscillationsmore » about zero.« less

Magnetically multiplexed heating of single domain nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christiansen, M. G.; Senko, A. W.; Chen, R.; Romero, G.; Anikeeva, P.

2014-05-01

Selective hysteretic heating of multiple collocated types of single domain magnetic nanoparticles (SDMNPs) by alternating magnetic fields (AMFs) may offer a useful tool for biomedical applications. The possibility of "magnetothermal multiplexing" has not yet been realized, in part due to prevalent use of linear response theory to model SDMNP heating in AMFs. Dynamic hysteresis modeling suggests that specific driving conditions play an underappreciated role in determining optimal material selection strategies for high heat dissipation. Motivated by this observation, magnetothermal multiplexing is theoretically predicted and empirically demonstrated by selecting SDMNPs with properties that suggest optimal hysteretic heat dissipation at dissimilar AMF driving conditions. This form of multiplexing could effectively offer multiple channels for minimally invasive biological signaling applications.

Sequential analysis of child pain behavior and maternal responses: an observational study.

PubMed

Langer, Shelby L; Romano, Joan; Brown, Jonathon D; Nielson, Heather; Ou, Bobby; Rauch, Christina; Zullo, Lirra; Levy, Rona L

2017-09-01

This laboratory-based study examined lagged associations between child pain behavior and maternal responses as a function of maternal catastrophizing (CAT). Mothers completed the parent version of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Children participated in a validated water ingestion procedure to induce abdominal discomfort with mothers present. Video recordings of their interactions were edited into 30-second segments and coded by 2 raters for presence of child pain behavior, maternal solicitousness, and nontask conversation. Kappa reliabilities ranged from 0.83 to 0.95. Maternal CAT was positively associated with child pain behavior and maternal solicitousness, P values <0.05. In lagged analyses, child pain behavior during a given segment (T) was positively associated with child pain behavior during the subsequent segment (T + 1), P <0.05. Maternal CAT moderated the association between (1) child pain behavior at T and maternal solicitousness at T + 1, and (2) solicitousness at T and child pain behavior at T + 1, P values <0.05. Mothers higher in CAT responded solicitously at T + 1 irrespective of their child's preceding pain behavior, and their children exhibited pain behavior at T + 1 irrespective of the mother's preceding solicitousness. Mothers lower in CAT were more likely to respond solicitously at T + 1 after child pain behavior, and their children were more likely to exhibit pain behavior at T + 1 after maternal solicitousness. These findings indicate that high CAT mothers and their children exhibit inflexible patterns of maternal solicitousness and child pain behavior, and that such families may benefit from interventions to decrease CAT and develop more adaptive responses.

The relation between child feeding problems as measured by parental report and mealtime behavior observation: A pilot study.

PubMed

van Dijk, Marijn; Bruinsma, Eke; Hauser, M Paulina

2016-04-01

Because feeding problems have clear negative consequences for both child and caretakers, early diagnosis and intervention are important. Parent-report questionnaires can contribute to early identification, because they are efficient and typically offer a 'holistic' perspective of the child's eating in different contexts. In this pilot study, we aim to explore the concurrent validity of a short screening instrument (the SEP, which is the Dutch MCH-FS) in one of its target populations (a group of premature children) by comparing the total score with the observed behavior of the child and caretaker during a regular home meal. 28 toddlers (aged 9-18 months) and their caretakers participated in the study. Video-observations of the meals were coded for categories of eating behavior and parent-child interaction. The results show that the total SEP-score correlates with food refusal, feeding efficiency, and self-feeding, but not with negative affect and parental instructions. This confirms that the SEP has a certain degree of concurrent validity in the sense that its total score is associated with specific 'benchmark' feeding behaviors: food refusal, feeding efficiency and autonomy. Future studies with larger samples are needed to generalize the findings from this pilot to a broader context. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioral observations of positive and negative valence systems in early childhood predict physiological measures of emotional processing three years later.

PubMed

Kessel, Ellen M; Kujawa, Autumn; Goldstein, Brandon; Hajcak, Greg; Bufferd, Sara J; Dyson, Margaret; Klein, Daniel N

2017-07-01

The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) constructs of Positive Valence Systems (PVS) and Negative Valence Systems (NVS) are presumed to manifest behaviorally through early-emerging temperamental negative affectivity (NA) and positive affectivity (PA). The late positive potential (LPP) is a physiological measure of attention towards both negative and positive emotional stimuli; however, its associations with behavioral aspects of PVS and NVS have yet to be examined. In a community sample of children (N = 340), we examined longitudinal relationships between observational measures of temperamental PA and NA assessed at age 6, and the LPP to both pleasant and unpleasant images assessed at age 9. Lower PA at age 6 predicted reduced LPP amplitudes to pleasant, but not unpleasant, images. NA as a composite measure was not related to the LPP, but specific associations were observed with facets of NA: greater fear predicted an enhanced LPP to unpleasant images, whereas greater sadness predicted a reduced LPP to unpleasant images. We were unable to evaluate concurrent associations between behavioral observations of temperament and the LPP, and effect sizes were modest. Results support correspondence between behavioral and physiological measures of emotional processing across development, and provide evidence of discriminant validity in that PA was specifically related to the LPP to pleasant images, while facets of NA were specifically linked to the LPP to unpleasant images. Distinct associations of temperamental sadness and fear with the LPP highlight the importance of further evaluating subconstructs of NVS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fear no colors? Observer clothing color influences lizard escape behavior

PubMed Central

Drury, Jonathan P.; Blumstein, Daniel T.; Pauly, Gregory B.

2017-01-01

Animals often view humans as predators, leading to alterations in their behavior. Even nuanced aspects of human activity like clothing color affect animal behavior, but we lack an understanding of when and where such effects will occur. The species confidence hypothesis posits that birds are attracted to colors found on their bodies and repelled by non-body colors. Here, we extend this hypothesis taxonomically and conceptually to test whether this pattern is applicable in a non-avian reptile and to suggest that species should respond less fearfully to their sexually-selected signaling color. Responses to clothing color could also be impacted by habituation to humans, so we examine whether behavior varied between areas with low and high human activity. We quantified the effects of four T-shirt colors on flight initiation distances (FID) and on the ease of capture in western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis), and we accounted for detectability against the background environment. We found no differences in lizard behavior between sites. However, lizards tolerated the closest approaches and were most likely to be captured when approached with the T-shirt that resembled their sexually-selected signaling color. Because changes in individual behavior affect fitness, choice of clothing color by people, including tourists, hikers, and researchers, could impact wildlife populations and research outcomes. PMID:28792983

Associations Between Behavioral Inhibition and Children's Social Problem Solving Behavior During Social Exclusion.

PubMed

Walker, Olga L; Henderson, Heather A; Degnan, Kathryn A; Penela, Elizabeth C; Fox, Nathan A

2014-08-01

The current study examined the associations between the early childhood temperament of behavioral inhibition and children's displays of social problem-solving (SPS) behavior during social exclusion. During toddlerhood (ages 2-3), maternal report and behavioral observations of behavioral inhibition were collected. At age 7, children's SPS behaviors were observed during a laboratory social exclusion task based on the commonly used Cyberball game. Results showed that behavioral inhibition was positively associated with displayed social withdrawal and negatively associated with assertive behavior during the observed social exclusion task at 7 years of age. These results add to our understanding of inhibited children's SPS behaviors during social exclusion and provide evidence for the associations between toddler temperament and children's social behavior during middle childhood.

High temperature superconductor step-edge Josephson junctions using Ti-Ca-Ba-Cu-O

DOEpatents

Ginley, David S.; Hietala, Vincent M.; Hohenwarter, Gert K. G.; Martens, Jon S.; Plut, Thomas A.; Tigges, Chris P.; Vawter, Gregory A.; Zipperian, Thomas E.

1994-10-25

A process for formulating non-hysteretic and hysteretic Josephson junctions using HTS materials which results in junctions having the ability to operate at high temperatures while maintaining high uniformity and quality. The non-hysteretic Josephson junction is formed by step-etching a LaAlO.sub.3 crystal substrate and then depositing a thin film of TlCaBaCuO on the substrate, covering the step, and forming a grain boundary at the step and a subsequent Josephson junction. Once the non-hysteretic junction is formed the next step to form the hysteretic Josephson junction is to add capacitance to the system. In the current embodiment, this is accomplished by adding a thin dielectric layer, LaA1O.sub.3, followed by a cap layer of a normal metal where the cap layer is formed by first depositing a thin layer of titanium (Ti) followed by a layer of gold (Au). The dielectric layer and the normal metal cap are patterned to the desired geometry.

Ionospheric and satellite observations for studying the dynamic behavior of typhoons and the detection of severe storms and tsunamis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, R. J.; Smith, R. E.

1978-01-01

Atmospheric acoustic-gravity waves associated with severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, typhoons (hurricanes) and tsunamis can be studied through the coupling between the ionosphere and the troposphere. Reverse ray tracing computations of acoustic-gravity waves observed by an ionospheric Doppler sounder array show that wave sources are in the nearby storm systems and that the waves are excited prior to the storms. Results show that ionospheric observations, together with satellite observations, can contribute to the understanding of the dynamical behavior of typhoons, severe storms and tsunamis.

Habit and Behavioral Intentions as Predictors of Social Behavior.

PubMed

Landis, Dan; Triandis, Harry C; Adamopoulos, John

1978-12-01

This research assessed the relative impact of habit and behavioral intentions in predicting classroom teacher behavior, using a model proposed by Triandis. Responses from a behavioral differential, as well as two hours of classroom observations, were taken on 77 male and female black and white junior high school teachers. The classroom observation technique (STOIC) obtained the frequencies of emitted behaviors (both verbal and nonverbal), categorized by race and sex of the target child. Results indicated that habit was a more potent predictor of classroom behavior than intentions. However, a post-hoc analysis supported the notion that intentions become important when the habit component can be suppressed.

Manifestations of personality in Online Social Networks: self-reported Facebook-related behaviors and observable profile information.

PubMed

Gosling, Samuel D; Augustine, Adam A; Vazire, Simine; Holtzman, Nicholas; Gaddis, Sam

2011-09-01

Despite the enormous popularity of Online Social Networking sites (OSNs; e.g., Facebook and Myspace), little research in psychology has been done on them. Two studies examining how personality is reflected in OSNs revealed several connections between the Big Five personality traits and self-reported Facebook-related behaviors and observable profile information. For example, extraversion predicted not only frequency of Facebook usage (Study 1), but also engagement in the site, with extraverts (vs. introverts) showing traces of higher levels of Facebook activity (Study 2). As in offline contexts, extraverts seek out virtual social engagement, which leaves behind a behavioral residue in the form of friends lists and picture postings. Results suggest that, rather than escaping from or compensating for their offline personality, OSN users appear to extend their offline personalities into the domains of OSNs.

Observation of the Quantum Anomalous Hall Insulator to Anderson Insulator Quantum Phase Transition and its Scaling Behavior.

PubMed

Chang, Cui-Zu; Zhao, Weiwei; Li, Jian; Jain, J K; Liu, Chaoxing; Moodera, Jagadeesh S; Chan, Moses H W

2016-09-16

Fundamental insight into the nature of the quantum phase transition from a superconductor to an insulator in two dimensions, or from one plateau to the next or to an insulator in the quantum Hall effect, has been revealed through the study of its scaling behavior. Here, we report on the experimental observation of a quantum phase transition from a quantum-anomalous-Hall insulator to an Anderson insulator in a magnetic topological insulator by tuning the chemical potential. Our experiment demonstrates the existence of scaling behavior from which we extract the critical exponent for this quantum phase transition. We expect that our work will motivate much further investigation of many properties of quantum phase transition in this new context.

In-plane nuclear field formation investigated in single self-assembled quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, S.; Matsusaki, R.; Kaji, R.; Adachi, S.

2018-02-01

We studied the formation mechanism of the in-plane nuclear field in single self-assembled In0.75Al0.25As /Al0.3Ga0.7As quantum dots. The Hanle curves with an anomalously large width and hysteretic behavior at the critical transverse magnetic field were observed in many single quantum dots grown in the same sample. In order to explain the anomalies in the Hanle curve indicating the formation of a large nuclear field perpendicular to the photo-injected electron spin polarization, we propose a new model based on the current phenomenological model for dynamic nuclear spin polarization. The model includes the effects of the nuclear quadrupole interaction and the sign inversion between in-plane and out-of-plane components of nuclear g factors, and the model calculations reproduce successfully the characteristics of the observed anomalies in the Hanle curves.

Dynamic response of an artificial square spin ice

DOE PAGES

Jungfleisch, M. B.; Zhang, W.; Iacocca, E.; ...

2016-03-02

Magnetization dynamics in an artficial square spin-ice lattice made of Ni80Fe20 with magnetic field applied in the lattice plane is investigated by broadband ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The experimentally observed dispersion shows a rich spectrum of modes corresponding to different magnetization states. These magnetization states are determined by exchange and dipolar interaction between individual islands, as is confirmed by a semianalytical model. In the low field regime below 400 Oe a hysteretic behavior in the mode spectrum is found. Micromagnetic simulations reveal that the origin of the observed spectra is due to the initialization of different magnetization states of individual nanomagnets.more » Our results indicate that it might be possible to determine the spin-ice state by resonance experiments and are a first step towards the understanding of artificial geometrically frustrated magnetic systems in the high-frequency regime.« less

Dynamic response of an artificial square spin ice

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

Jungfleisch, M. B.; Zhang, W.; Iacocca, E.

Magnetization dynamics in an artficial square spin-ice lattice made of Ni80Fe20 with magnetic field applied in the lattice plane is investigated by broadband ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The experimentally observed dispersion shows a rich spectrum of modes corresponding to different magnetization states. These magnetization states are determined by exchange and dipolar interaction between individual islands, as is confirmed by a semianalytical model. In the low field regime below 400 Oe a hysteretic behavior in the mode spectrum is found. Micromagnetic simulations reveal that the origin of the observed spectra is due to the initialization of different magnetization states of individual nanomagnets.more » Our results indicate that it might be possible to determine the spin-ice state by resonance experiments and are a first step towards the understanding of artificial geometrically frustrated magnetic systems in the high-frequency regime.« less

Activity in primary motor cortex during action observation covaries with subsequent behavioral changes in execution.

PubMed

Aridan, Nadav; Mukamel, Roy

2016-11-01

Observing someone else perform a movement facilitates motor planning, execution, and motor memory formation. Rate, an important feature in the execution of repeated movements, has been shown to vary following movement observation although the underlying neural mechanisms are unclear. In the current study, we examined how the rate of self-paced index finger pressing is implicitly modified following passive observation of a similar action performed at a different rate. Fifty subjects performed a finger pressing sequence with their right hand at their own pace before and after passive observation of either a 1-min video depicting the task performed at 3 Hz by someone else or a black screen. An additional set of 15 subjects performed the task in an MRI scanner. Across all 50 subjects, the spontaneous execution rate prior to video observation had a bimodal distribution with modes around 2 and 4 Hz. Following video observation, the slower subjects performed the task at an increased rate. In the 15 subjects who performed the task in the MRI scanner, we found positive correlation between fMRI signal in the left primary motor strip during passive video observation and subsequent behavioral changes in task performance rate. We conclude that observing someone else perform an action at a higher rate implicitly increases the spontaneous rate of execution, and that this implicit induction is mediated by activity in the contralateral primary motor cortex.

Effect of Processing Conditions on the Anelastic Behavior of Plasma Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, Vaishak

2011-12-01

Plasma sprayed ceramic materials contain an assortment of micro-structural defects, including pores, cracks, and interfaces arising from the droplet based assemblage of the spray deposition technique. The defective architecture of the deposits introduces a novel "anelastic" response in the coatings comprising of their non-linear and hysteretic stress-strain relationship under mechanical loading. It has been established that this anelasticity can be attributed to the relative movement of the embedded defects under varying stresses. While the non-linear response of the coatings arises from the opening/closure of defects, hysteresis is produced by the frictional sliding among defect surfaces. Recent studies have indicated that anelastic behavior of coatings can be a unique descriptor of their mechanical behavior and related to the defect configuration. In this dissertation, a multi-variable study employing systematic processing strategies was conducted to augment the understanding on various aspects of the reported anelastic behavior. A bi-layer curvature measurement technique was adapted to measure the anelastic properties of plasma sprayed ceramic. The quantification of anelastic parameters was done using a non-linear model proposed by Nakamura et.al. An error analysis was conducted on the technique to know the available margins for both experimental as well as computational errors. The error analysis was extended to evaluate its sensitivity towards different coating microstructure. For this purpose, three coatings with significantly different microstructures were fabricated via tuning of process parameters. Later the three coatings were also subjected to different strain ranges systematically, in order to understand the origin and evolution of anelasticity on different microstructures. The last segment of this thesis attempts to capture the intricacies on the processing front and tries to evaluate and establish a correlation between them and the anelastic

Observed assertive and intrusive maternal feeding behaviors increase child adiposity123

PubMed Central

Ozbeki, Tina N; Appugliese, Danielle P; Kaciroti, Niko; Corwyn, Robert F; Bradley, Robert H

2012-01-01

Background: Few studies have examined observed maternal feeding behaviors and their potential association with child adiposity. The association between maternal prompting to eat and child adiposity has been inconsistent. Objectives: This study sought to identify factors associated with maternal feeding behaviors and to test the hypothesis that more maternal prompts to eat, more assertive prompts, and more intrusiveness are associated with greater child adiposity. Design: Children (n = 1218) and their mothers were videotaped eating a standardized snack at ages 15, 24, and 36 mo. Maternal prompts to eat, the percentage of prompts that were assertive, and intrusiveness were coded. Adjusted regression analyses evaluated predictors of prompts, the percentage of assertive prompts, and intrusiveness and the relation of each of these factors with child adiposity (weight-for-length z score at 15 mo and BMI z score at 24 and 36 mo) after control for the child's race-ethnicity and sex, family income-to-needs ratio, and maternal education, weight status, and depressive symptoms. Results: At 36 mo, mothers gave an average of 9.3 prompts; 61% of prompts were assertive, and 48% of mothers were intrusive. Lower maternal education and minority race-ethnicity were associated with a greater percentage of assertive prompts and intrusiveness. A greater percentage of assertive prompts and intrusiveness, but not total prompts, was associated with higher child adiposity. Conclusions: Assertive prompting and an intrusive style had small but significant associations with greater child adiposity. Future work should focus on maternal motivations for assertive and intrusive feeding styles and mechanisms through which these feeding styles might increase child adiposity. PMID:22277552

Observation of non-Fermi liquid behavior in hole-doped Eu2Ir2O7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, A.; Sannigrahi, J.; Giri, S.; Majumdar, S.

2017-12-01

The Weyl semimetallic compound Eu2Ir2O7 and its hole-doped derivatives (which are achieved by substituting trivalent Eu by divalent Sr) are investigated through transport, magnetic, and calorimetric studies. The metal-insulator transition (MIT) temperature is found to get substantially reduced with hole doping, and for 10% Sr doping the composition is metallic down to temperature as low as 5 K. These doped compositions are found to violate the Mott-Ioffe-Regel condition for minimum electrical conductivity and show a distinct signature of non-Fermi liquid behavior at low temperature. The MIT in the doped compounds does not correlate with the magnetic transition point, and Anderson-Mott-type disorder-induced localization may be attributed to the ground-state insulating phase. The observed non-Fermi liquid behavior can be understood on the basis of disorder-induced distribution of the spin-orbit-coupling parameter, which is markedly different in the case of Ir4 + and Ir5 + ions.

Mechanical modeling of self-expandable stent fabricated using braiding technology.

PubMed

Kim, Ju Hyun; Kang, Tae Jin; Yu, Woong-Ryeol

2008-11-14

The mechanical behavior of a stent is one of the important factors involved in ensuring its opening within arterial conduits. This study aimed to develop a mechanical model for designing self-expandable stents fabricated using braiding technology. For this purpose, a finite element model was constructed by developing a preprocessing program for the three-dimensional geometrical modeling of the braiding structure inside stents, and validated for various stents with different braiding structures. The constituent wires (Nitinol) in the braided stents were assumed to be superelastic material and their mechanical behavior was incorporated into the finite element software through a user material subroutine (VUMAT in ABAQUS) employing a one-dimensional superelastic model. For the verification of the model, several braided stents were manufactured using an automated braiding machine and characterized focusing on their compressive behavior. It was observed that the braided stents showed a hysteresis between their loading and unloading behavior when a compressive load was applied to the braided tube. Through the finite element analysis, it was concluded that the current mechanical model can appropriately predict the mechanical behavior of braided stents including such hysteretic behavior, and that the hysteresis was caused by the slippage between the constituent wires and their superelastic property.

Controlling Hysteresis in Superconducting Weak Links and μ-Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Nikhil; Winkelmann, C. B.; Biswas, Sourav; Courtois, H.; Gupta, Anjan K.

We have fabricated and studied the current-voltage characteristics of a number of niobium film based weak-link devices and μ-SQUIDs showing a critical current and two re-trapping currents. We have proposed a new understanding for the re-trapping currents in terms of thermal instabilities in different portions of the device. We also find that the superconducting proximity effect and the phase-slip processes play an important role in dictating the temperature dependence of the critical current in the non-hysteretic regime. The proximity effect helps in widening the temperature range of hysteresis-free characteristics. Finally we demonstrate control on temperature-range with hysteresis-free characteristics in two ways: 1) By using a parallel shunt resistor in close vicinity of the device, and 2) by reducing the weak-link width. Thus we get non-hysteretic behavior down to 1.3 K temperature in some of the studied devices. We acknowledge the financial support from CSIR, India as well as CNRS-Institute Neel, Grenoble, France.

Observation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kripalani, Lakshmi A.

2016-01-01

The adult who is inexperienced in the art of observation may, even with the best intentions, react to a child's behavior in a way that hinders instead of helping the child's development. Kripalani outlines the need for training and practice in observation in order to "understand the needs of the children and...to understand how to remove…

Frustrated magnetism in the spin–chain metal Yb 2Fe 12P 7

DOE PAGES

Baumbach, Ryan E.; Hamlin, James J.; Janoschek, Marc; ...

2016-01-08

Here, magnetization measurements for magnetic fieldsmore » $${{\\mu}_{0}}H$$ up to 60 T are reported for the noncentrosymmetric spin–chain metal Yb 2Fe 12P 7. These measurements reveal behavior that is consistent with Ising-like spin chain magnetism that produces pronounced spin degeneracy. In particular, we find that although a Brillouin field dependence is observed in M( H) for $$H\\bot ~c$$ with a saturation moment that is close to the expected value for free ions of Yb 3+, non-Brillouin-like behavior is seen for $$H~\\parallel ~c$$ with an initial saturation moment that is nearly half the free ion value. In addition, hysteretic behavior that extends above the ordering temperature $${{T}_{\\text{M}}}$$ is seen for $$H~\\parallel ~c$$ but not for $$H~\\bot ~c$$ , suggesting out-of-equilibrium physics. This point of view is strengthened by the observation of a spin reconfiguration in the ordered state for $$H~\\parallel ~c$$ which is only seen for $$T\\leqslant {{T}_{\\text{M}}}$$ and after polarizing the spins. Together with the heat capacity data, these results suggest that the anomalous low temperature phenomena that were previously reported are driven by spin degeneracy that is related to the Ising-like one dimensional chain-like configuration of the Yb ions.« less

Comparing Parent-Child Interactions in the Clinic and at Home: An Exploration of the Validity of Clinical Behavior Observations Using Sequential Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shriver, Mark D.; Frerichs, Lynae J.; Williams, Melissa; Lancaster, Blake M.

2013-01-01

Direct observation is often considered the "gold standard" for assessing the function, frequency, and intensity of problem behavior. Currently, the literature investigating the construct validity of direct observation conducted in the clinic setting reveals conflicting results. Previous studies on the construct validity of clinic-based…

Measurement of Child Behavior via Classroom Observations in the Good Behavior Game Professional Development Models Randomized Control Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurki, Anja; Wang, Wei; Li, Yibing; Poduska, Jeanne

2013-01-01

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a classroom-based behavior management strategy aimed at reducing aggressive/disruptive behavior and socializing children into the role of student. GBG, delivered in first and second grades, has been shown to reduce rates of substance abuse and other deleterious outcomes into young adulthood (Brown, C.H. et al 2007,…

Manifestations of Personality in Online Social Networks: Self-Reported Facebook-Related Behaviors and Observable Profile Information

PubMed Central

Augustine, Adam A; Vazire, Simine; Holtzman, Nicholas; Gaddis, Sam

2011-01-01

Abstract Despite the enormous popularity of Online Social Networking sites (OSNs; e.g., Facebook and Myspace), little research in psychology has been done on them. Two studies examining how personality is reflected in OSNs revealed several connections between the Big Five personality traits and self-reported Facebook-related behaviors and observable profile information. For example, extraversion predicted not only frequency of Facebook usage (Study 1), but also engagement in the site, with extraverts (vs. introverts) showing traces of higher levels of Facebook activity (Study 2). As in offline contexts, extraverts seek out virtual social engagement, which leaves behind a behavioral residue in the form of friends lists and picture postings. Results suggest that, rather than escaping from or compensating for their offline personality, OSN users appear to extend their offline personalities into the domains of OSNs. PMID:21254929

Numerical Modeling of Nonlinear Thermodynamics in SMA Wires

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

Reynolds, D R; Kloucek, P

We present a mathematical model describing the thermodynamic behavior of shape memory alloy wires, as well as a computational technique to solve the resulting system of partial differential equations. The model consists of conservation equations based on a new Helmholtz free energy potential. The computational technique introduces a viscosity-based continuation method, which allows the model to handle dynamic applications where the temporally local behavior of solutions is desired. Computational experiments document that this combination of modeling and solution techniques appropriately predicts the thermally- and stress-induced martensitic phase transitions, as well as the hysteretic behavior and production of latent heat associatedmore » with such materials.« less

Observed Personality in Childhood: Psychometric and Behavioral Genetic Evidence of Two Broad Personality Factors

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhe; Chen, Nan; Petrill, Stephen A.; Deater-Deckard, Kirby

2014-01-01

We examined broad dimensions of children’s personalities (total n = 1056; age = 3.5 to 12 years) based on observers’ perceptions following a few hours of structured interaction. Siblings’ behaviors during a two-hour cognitive assessment in the home were rated separately by two different observers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses clearly revealed a two-factor solution in three different samples. There was correspondence between parent-rated temperament and the observer-rated factors. Cross-sectional analyses indicated lower Plasticity among older children and higher Stability among older children. Sex differences were negligible. Plasticity and Stability were correlated in the .2 to .3 range. Most of the sibling similarity in the Plasticity was due to additive genetic influences, whereas most sibling similarity in Stability was attributable to shared environmental influences. The findings implicate a biometric factor structure to childhood personality that fits well with emerging bio-social theories of personality development. PMID:24932065

[Closing-in phenomena observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease--analysis of drawing behavior and eye movements].

PubMed

Midorikawa, Y; Fukatsu, R; Takahata, N

1996-01-01

'Closing-in' symptom is defined as a tendency to close-in on the model while performing constructive tasks. This unique symptom is one of the constructional apraxia often observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is considered to be involved in visuospatial dysfunctions. However, little is known about the nature of the symptom and pathophysiology underlying the symptom. In this study, we examined drawing behavior, eye movements of AD (n = 19), multi-infarct dementia (n = 8) and age matched healthy subjects (n = 10). 1) In AD, contrary to age matched healthy subjects, the patients drew slowly with apparent difficulty and drawing behavior was disorganized. The copied figures were incomplete and often fragmented. The spatial relationships of the parts were lost each other during copying a Necker's cube. 2) The characteristic eye movements were observed in AD patients with apraxia, and closing-in symptom. These were consisted of gaze apraxia, and disorders of visual attention appeared similar to Bàlint's syndrome. 3) The eye movements of the AD patients with closing-in symptoms were classified into wandering of fixation, locking of fixation, and mixed types. The 'closing-in' symptoms in copied figures were classified into three types, overlap, adherent, and near types. Then, the wandering type was seen both in near and adherent types, whereas the fixation type was only found in the overlap type. 4) SPECTs showed reduced RI activities in the parieto-occipital and in the frontal regions of AD patients with apraxia and closing-in symptoms. Our results suggest that AD patients may have a difficulty to create abstract space from concrete space. This may also imply regression to a primitive undifferentiated stage where gnostic and practic behavior is not differentiated in terms of space appreciation.

Relation between Kitaev magnetism and structure in α -RuCl3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glamazda, A.; Lemmens, P.; Do, S.-H.; Kwon, Y. S.; Choi, K.-Y.

2017-05-01

Raman scattering has been employed to investigate lattice and magnetic excitations of the honeycomb Kitaev material α -RuCl3 and its Heisenberg counterpart CrCl3. Our phonon Raman spectra give evidence for a first-order structural transition from a monoclinic to a rhombohedral structure for both compounds. Significantly, only α -RuCl3 features a large thermal hysteresis, consistent with the formation of a wide phase of coexistence. In the related temperature interval of 70 -170 K, we observe a hysteretic behavior of magnetic excitations as well. The stronger magnetic response in the rhombohedral compared to the monoclinic phase evidences a coupling between the crystallographic structure and low-energy magnetic response. Our results demonstrate that the Kitaev magnetism concomitant with fractionalized excitations is susceptible to small variations of bonding geometry.

High temperature superconductor step-edge Josephson junctions using Ti-Ca-Ba-Cu-O

DOEpatents

Ginley, D.S.; Hietala, V.M.; Hohenwarter, G.K.G.; Martens, J.S.; Plut, T.A.; Tigges, C.P.; Vawter, G.A.; Zipperian, T.E.

1994-10-25

A process is disclosed for formulating non-hysteretic and hysteretic Josephson junctions using HTS materials which results in junctions having the ability to operate at high temperatures while maintaining high uniformity and quality. The non-hysteretic Josephson junction is formed by step-etching a LaAlO[sub 3] crystal substrate and then depositing a thin film of TlCaBaCuO on the substrate, covering the step, and forming a grain boundary at the step and a subsequent Josephson junction. Once the non-hysteretic junction is formed the next step to form the hysteretic Josephson junction is to add capacitance to the system. In the current embodiment, this is accomplished by adding a thin dielectric layer, LaA1O[sub 3], followed by a cap layer of a normal metal where the cap layer is formed by first depositing a thin layer of titanium (Ti) followed by a layer of gold (Au). The dielectric layer and the normal metal cap are patterned to the desired geometry. 8 figs.

Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses.

PubMed

Bonino, Angela Yarnell; Leibold, Lori J

2017-01-23

Collecting reliable behavioral data from toddlers and preschoolers is challenging. As a result, there are significant gaps in our understanding of human auditory development for these age groups. This paper describes an observer-based procedure for measuring hearing sensitivity with a two-interval, two-alternative forced-choice paradigm. Young children are trained to perform a play-based, motor response (e.g., putting a block in a bucket) whenever they hear a target signal. An experimenter observes the child's behavior and makes a judgment about whether the signal was presented during the first or second observation interval; the experimenter is blinded to the true signal interval, so this judgment is based solely on the child's behavior. These procedures were used to test 2 to 4 year-olds (n = 33) with no known hearing problems. The signal was a 1,000 Hz warble tone presented in quiet, and the signal level was adjusted to estimate a threshold corresponding to 71%-correct detection. A valid threshold was obtained for 82% of children. These results indicate that the two-interval procedure is both feasible and reliable for use with toddlers and preschoolers. The two-interval, observer-based procedure described in this paper is a powerful tool for evaluating hearing in young children because it guards against response bias on the part of the experimenter.

Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Observed Autism Symptom Severity during School Recess: A Preliminary Randomized, Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Jeffrey J.; Fujii, Cori; Renno, Patricia; Van Dyke, Marilyn

2014-01-01

This study compared cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and treatment-as-usual (TAU) in terms of effects on observed social communication-related autism symptom severity during unstructured play time at school for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Thirteen children with ASD (7-11 years old) were randomly assigned to 32 sessions of CBT…

Does Observed Controlling Teaching Behavior Relate to Students' Motivation in Physical Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Meyer, Jotie; Tallir, Isabel B.; Soenens, Bart; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Aelterman, Nathalie; Van den Berghe, Lynn; Speleers, Lise; Haerens, Leen

2014-01-01

Self-determination theory (SDT) has served as a theoretical framework for considerable research on teaching behavior and student motivation. The majority of studies have focused on need-supportive teaching behavior at the expense of need-thwarting teaching behavior (i.e., the "dark side" of teaching). The goal of the present study was to…

Analyzing and Modifying Coaching Behaviors by Means of Computer Aided Observation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Partridge, David; Franks, Ian M.

1996-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of the Coaching Analysis Instrument (CAI), which collects data and provides feedback on coaches' verbal behaviors as they organize and instruct athletes during practices. Practice sessions were videotaped and analyzed. CAI results helped modify the coaches' behaviors in positive ways. (SM)

Direct Measures in Environmental Education Evaluation: Behavioral Intentions versus Observable Actions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camargo, Camilo; Shavelson, Richard

2009-01-01

The objective of many environmental education programs is to promote pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors in students. However, evaluation of these programs has focused on asking participants what they think (attitudes) and what they do (behaviors) regarding the environment problems through self-report questionnaires and interviews. These…

Profiles of observed infant anger predict preschool behavior problems: Moderation by life stress

PubMed Central

Brooker, Rebecca J.; Buss, Kristin A.; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Aksan, Nazan; Davidson, Richard J.; Goldsmith, H. Hill

2014-01-01

Using both traditional composites and novel profiles of anger, we examined associations between infant anger and preschool behavior problems in a large, longitudinal data set (N = 966). We also tested the role of life stress as a moderator of the link between early anger and the development of behavior problems. Although traditional measures of anger were largely unrelated to later behavior problems, profiles of anger that dissociated typical from atypical development predicted behavior problems during preschool. Moreover, the relation between infant anger profiles and preschool behavior problems was moderated such that, when early life stress was low, infants with atypical profiles of early anger showed more preschool behavior problems than did infants with normative anger profiles. However, when early life stress was high, infants with atypical and normative profiles of infant anger did not differ in preschool behavior problems. We conclude that a discrete emotions approach including latent profile analysis is useful for elucidating biological and environmental developmental pathways to early problem behaviors. PMID:25151247

Teacher Observations for Diagnostic Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Russell W., Jr.

Teachers at the primary level should resume the neglected practice of diagnostic teaching. This means that the teacher should observe all aspects of a student's cognitive behavior in the teaching/learning act and then plan instructional strategies for subsequent lessons. Some significant cognitive behaviors observable in diagnostic teaching are…

Negative Behavior Factors in the Employment Interview: Interviewer Opinions and Observations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaughn, Jeanette W.; Darsey, Nancy

1987-01-01

Determined types of behavior occurring most often in campus interviews and to which types interviewers react negatively. Lack of confidence, failure to ask key questions, nervous mannerisms, talkativeness, and failure to elaborate on answers were the most common behaviors. Poor attitude and dishonesty were among traits viewed most negatively.(SKC)

Corticospinal Excitability during the Observation of Social Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bucchioni, Giulia; Cavallo, Andrea; Ippolito, Davide; Marton, Gianluca; Castiello, Umberto

2013-01-01

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…

Observations on the behavior of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in the presence of operating seismic exploration vessels in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea

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

Ljungblad, D.K.; Wuersig, B.; Swartz, S.L.

1985-10-01

The response of bowhead whales to active geophysical vessels was observed during the course of 4 field experiments conducted in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea, September 1984. Conspicuous short-term behavioral changes were observed when active vessels approached to within 10km of bowheads, with the strongest responses occurring when whales were within 5km of active vessels. Behavioral responses included shorter surfacing and dive times, fewer blows per surfacing, and longer blow intervals. Total avoidance responses occured at vessel distances of 1.25km, 7.2km, 3.5km and 3.5km with associated measured sound levels from the seismic airgun arrays of 152dB, 164dB, 178dB and 163dB, respectively.

TEACH: An Ethogram-Based Method to Observe and Record Teaching Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kline, Michelle Ann

2017-01-01

Teaching has attracted growing research attention in studies of human and animal behavior as a crucial behavior that coevolved with human cultural capacities. However, the synthesis of data on teaching across species and across human populations has proven elusive because researchers use a variety of definitions and methods to approach the topic.…

The association between parent early adult drug use disorder and later observed parenting practices and child behavior problems: testing alternate models.

PubMed

Bailey, Jennifer A; Hill, Karl G; Guttmannova, Katarina; Oesterle, Sabrina; Hawkins, J David; Catalano, Richard F; McMahon, Robert J

2013-05-01

This study tested the association between parent illicit drug use disorder (DUD) in early adulthood and observed parenting practices at ages 27-28 and examined the following 3 theoretically derived models explaining this link: (a) a disrupted parent adult functioning model,(b) a preexisting parent personality factor model, and (c) a disrupted adolescent family process model. Associations between study variables and child externalizing problems also were examined. Longitudinal data linking 2 generations were drawn from the Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) and The SSDP Intergenerational Project (TIP), and included 167 parents and their 2- to 8-year-old child. Path modeling revealed that parent DUD in early adulthood predicted later observed low-skilled parenting, which was related to child externalizing problems. The preexisting parent personality factor model was supported. Parent negative emotionality accounted for the association between parent early adult DUD and later parenting practices. Parent negative emotionality also was related directly to child externalizing behavior. Limited support for the disrupted transition to adulthood model was found. The disrupted adolescent family process model was not supported. Results suggest that problem drug use that occurs early in adulthood may affect later parenting skills, independent of subsequent parent drug use. Findings highlight the importance of parent negative emotionality in influencing his or her own problem behavior, interactions with his or her child, and his or her child's problem behavior. Prevention and treatment programs targeting young adult substance use, poor parenting practices, and child behavior problems should address parent personality factors that may contribute to these behaviors.

The Association between Parent Early Adult Drug Use Disorder and Later Observed Parenting Practices and Child Behavior Problems: Testing Alternate Models

PubMed Central

Bailey, Jennifer A.; Hill, Karl G.; Guttmannova, Katarina; Oesterle, Sabrina; Hawkins, J. David; Catalano, Richard F.; McMahon, Robert J.

2012-01-01

This study tested the association between parent illicit drug use disorder (DUD) in early adulthood and observed parenting practices at ages 27 – 28 and examined the following three, theoretically-derived models explaining this link: a) a disrupted parent adult functioning model, b) a pre-existing parent personality factor model, c) a disrupted adolescent family process model. Associations between study variables and child externalizing problems also were examined. Longitudinal data linking two generations were drawn from the Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) and The SSDP Intergenerational Project (TIP), and included 167 parents and their 2- to 8-year-old child. Path modeling revealed that parent DUD in early adulthood predicted later observed low-skilled parenting, which was related to child externalizing problems. The pre-existing parent personality factor model was supported. Parent negative emotionality accounted for the association between parent early adult DUD and later parenting practices. Parent negative emotionality also was related directly to child externalizing behavior. Limited support for the disrupted transition to adulthood model was found. The disrupted adolescent family process model was not supported. Results suggest that problem drug use that occurs early in adulthood may affect later parenting skills, independent of subsequent parent drug use. Findings highlight the importance of parent negative emotionality in influencing their own problem behavior, their interactions with their child, and their child’s problem behavior. Prevention and treatment programs targeting young adult substance use, poor parenting practices, and child behavior problems should address parent personality factors that may contribute to these behaviors. PMID:22799581

Tailored Buckling Microlattices as Reusable Light-Weight Shock Absorbers.

PubMed

Frenzel, Tobias; Findeisen, Claudio; Kadic, Muamer; Gumbsch, Peter; Wegener, Martin

2016-07-01

Structures and materials absorbing mechanical (shock) energy commonly exploit either viscoelasticity or destructive modifications. Based on a class of uniaxial light-weight geometrically nonlinear mechanical microlattices and using buckling of inner elements, either a sequence of snap-ins followed by irreversible hysteretic - yet repeatable - self-recovery or multistability is achieved, enabling programmable behavior. Proof-of-principle experiments on three-dimensional polymer microstructures are presented. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Examining the Role of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender on Social and Behavioral Ratings within the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Ashley J.; Long, Kristin A.; Tommet, Douglas C.; Jones, Richard N.

2017-01-01

The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) is widely used to assess symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Given well-documented differences in social behaviors across cultures, this study examined whether item-level biases exist in ADOS scores across sociodemographic groups (race, ethnicity, and gender). We examined a subset of ten…

Observed and perceived parental overprotection in relation to psychosocial adjustment in preadolescents with a physical disability: the mediational role of behavioral autonomy.

PubMed

Holmbeck, Grayson N; Johnson, Sharon Z; Wills, Karen E; McKernon, Wendy; Rose, Brigid; Erklin, Shannon; Kemper, Therese

2002-02-01

The purpose of this study was to tes a mediational model of associations between parental overprotectiveness (OP), behavioral autonomy. and psychosocial adjustment in 68 families with 8- and 9-year-old preadolescents with spipa bifida and a demographically matched sample of 68 families with able-bodied children. Measures included questionnaire and observational assessments of parental OP; parent and child reports of behavioral autonomy; and parent, child, and teacher reports of preadolescent adjustment. On the basis of both questionnaire and observational measures of OP, mothers and fathers of children with spina bifida were significantly more overprotective than their counterparts in the able-bodied sample, although this group difference was partially mediated by children's cognitive ability. Across samples, mothers were more likely to be overprotective than fathers. Both questionnaire and observational measures of parental OP were associated with lower levels of preadolescent decision-making autonomy as well as with parents being less willing to grant autonomy to their offspring in the future. For the questionnaire measure of OP, and only for the spina bifida sample. the mediational model was supported such that parental OP was associated with less behavioral autonomy, which was, in turn, associated with more externalizing problems. Findings are discussed in relation to the literature on parenting, autonomy development, and pediatric psychology.

Τhe observational and empirical thermospheric CO2 and NO power do not exhibit power-law behavior; an indication of their reliability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varotsos, C. A.; Efstathiou, M. N.

2018-03-01

In this paper we investigate the evolution of the energy emitted by CO2 and NO from the Earth's thermosphere on a global scale using both observational and empirically derived data. In the beginning, we analyze the daily power observations of CO2 and NO received from the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) equipment on the NASA Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite for the entire period 2002-2016. We then perform the same analysis on the empirical daily power emitted by CO2 and NO that were derived recently from the infrared energy budget of the thermosphere during 1947-2016. The tool used for the analysis of the observational and empirical datasets is the detrended fluctuation analysis, in order to investigate whether the power emitted by CO2 and by NO from the thermosphere exhibits power-law behavior. The results obtained from both observational and empirical data do not support the establishment of the power-law behavior. This conclusion reveals that the empirically derived data are characterized by the same intrinsic properties as those of the observational ones, thus enhancing the validity of their reliability.

Mars south polar spring and summer behavior observed by TES: seasonal cap evolution controlled by frost grain size

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kieffer, Hugh H.; Titus, Timothy N.; Mullins, Kevin F.; Christensen, Philip R.

2000-01-01

Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) observations of the recession phase of Mars' south polar cap are used to quantitatively map this recession in both thermal and visual appearance. Geographically nonuniform behavior interior to the cap is characterized by defining several small regions which exemplify the range of behavior. For most of the cap, while temperatures remain near the CO2 frost point, albedos slowly increase with the seasonal rise of the Sun, then drop rapidly as frost patches disappear over a period of ∼20 days. A “Cryptic” region remains dark and mottled throughout its cold period. TES observations are compared with first-order theoretical spectra of solid CO2 frost with admixtures of dust and H2O. The TES spectra indicate that the Cryptic region has much larger grained solid CO2 than the rest of the cap and that the solid CO2 here may be in the form of a slab. The Mountains of Mitchel remain cold and bright well after other areas at comparable latitude, apparently as a result of unusually small size of the CO2 frost grains; we found little evidence for a significant presence of H2O. Although CO2 grain size may be the major difference between these regions, incorporated dust is also required to match the observations; a self-cleaning process carries away the smaller dust grains. Comparisons with Viking observations indicate little difference in the seasonal cycle 12 Martian years later. The observed radiation balance indicates CO2 sublimation budgets of up to 1250 kg m−2. Regional atmospheric dust is common; localized dust clouds are seen near the edge of the cap prior to the onset of a regional dust storm and interior to the cap during the storm.

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.

Development of pile foundation bias factors using observed behavior of platforms during Hurricane Andrew

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

Aggarwal, R.K.; Litton, R.W.; Cornell, C.A.

1996-12-31

The performance of more than 3,000 offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico was observed during the passage of Hurricane Andrew in August 1992. This event provided an opportunity to test the procedures used for platform analysis and design. A global bias was inferred for overall platform capacity and loads in the Andrew Joint Industry Project (JIP) Phase 1. It was predicted that the pile foundations of several platforms should have failed, but did not. These results indicated that the biases specific to foundation failure modes may be higher than those of jacket failure modes. The biases in predictions ofmore » foundation failure modes were therefore investigated further in this study. The work included capacity analysis and calibration of predictions with the observed behavior for 3 jacket platforms and 3 caissons using Bayesian updating. Bias factors for two foundation failure modes, lateral shear and overturning, were determined for each structure. Foundation capacity estimates using conventional methods were found to be conservatively biased overall.« less

Managerial Behaviors of Elementary School Teachers and Student On-Task Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Jane McCarthy

The classroom management techniques of elementary school teachers were observed to determine their effectiveness in promoting desirable on-task behavior on the part of pupils. Seven approaches to class management were used as a framework for observation--authoritarian, behavior modification, common sense, group process, instructional emphasis,…

Behaviors and Motivations observed in the Zooniverse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gay, P. L.; Brown, S.; Huang, A. D.; Lehan, C.; Moon Zoo Team

2010-12-01

Today, the total number of astronomers and geophysicists working in academia is dwarfed by the legions of citizen scientists who are flocking to citizen science programs like Moon Zoo, StarDust@Home, Solar Storm Watch, and Be a Martian. Through the Zooniverse collection of projects (including Moon Zoo and Solar Storm Watch), more than 2-dozen peer-reviewed science papers have been generated. These everyday people are, in their spare time, accomplishing necessary tasks and proving themselves to be a vital part of the research pipeline. While it is now understood they can make meaningful contributions to research, the questions of why they are contributing, and how they interact with the projects are still being investigated. In this presentation, preliminary results of a two-part study of Zooniverse user motivations and behaviors are presented. Motivations: We present the results of two sets of studies: detailed research into the motivations of Galaxy Zoo users during the Galaxy Zoo 1 and 2 projects and preliminary results into the investigations of Moon Zoo users. From Galaxy Zoo, we know that the largest primary motivation for people participating in Galaxy Zoo is the desire to contribute to science. At the time of this writing, interviews are being prepared to see if Moon Zoo users have similar motivations to Galaxy Zoo users, and to understand the personal context in which they make their contributions. Behaviors: As users explore the Zooniverse, they have the opportunity to participate in multiple science projects, to consume educational content, to take advantage of tutorials, and to be part of a community on the forums. Preliminary results examining how users moved between different science projects during the duration of Galaxy Zoo 2, and how they are moving between content and classifications in Galaxy Zoo Hubble and Moon Zoo are presented.

Plant origin of Okinawan propolis: honeybee behavior observation and phytochemical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumazawa, Shigenori; Nakamura, Jun; Murase, Masayo; Miyagawa, Mariko; Ahn, Mok-Ryeon; Fukumoto, Shuichi

2008-08-01

Propolis is a natural resinous product collected by honeybees from certain plants. It has gained popularity as a food and alternative medicine. Poplar and Baccharis are well known as the source plants of European and Brazilian propolis, respectively. However, the propolis from Okinawa, Japan, contains some prenylflavonoids not seen in other regions such as Europe and Brazil, suggesting that the plant origin of Okinawan propolis is a particular plant that grows in Okinawa. To identify the plant origin of Okinawan propolis, we observed the behavior of honeybees as they collected material from plants and caulked it inside the hive. Honeybees scraped resinous material from the surface of plant fruits of Macaranga tanarius and brought it back to their hive to use it as propolis. We collected samples of the plant and propolis, and compared their constituents by high-performance liquid chromatography with a photo-diode array detector. We also compared their 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical scavenging activity. The chemical constituents and biological activity of the ethanol extracts of the plant did not differ from those of propolis. This indicates directly that the plant origin of Okinawan propolis is M. tanarius.

Food safety behaviors observed in celebrity chefs across a variety of programs.

PubMed

Maughan, Curtis; Chambers, Edgar; Godwin, Sandria

2017-03-01

Consumers obtain information about foodborne illness prevention from many sources, including television media. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a variety of cooking shows with celebrity chefs to understand their modeling of food safety behaviors. Cooking shows (100 episodes) were watched from 24 celebrity chefs preparing meat dishes. A tabulation of food safety behaviors was made for each show using a checklist. Proper modeling of food safety behaviors was limited, with many incidences of errors. For example, although all chefs washed their hands at the beginning of cooking at least one dish, 88% did not wash (or were not shown washing) their hands after handling uncooked meat. This was compounded with many chefs who added food with their hands (79%) or ate while cooking (50%). Other poor behaviors included not using a thermometer (75%), using the same cutting board to prepare ready-to-eat items and uncooked meat (25%), and other hygiene issues such as touching hair (21%) or licking fingers (21%). This study suggests that there is a need for improvement in demonstrated and communicated food safety behaviors among professional chefs. It also suggests that public health professionals must work to mitigate the impact of poorly modeled behaviors. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Designing Health Websites Based on Users’ Web-Based Information-Seeking Behaviors: A Mixed-Method Observational Study

PubMed Central

Pang, Patrick Cheong-Iao; Verspoor, Karin; Pearce, Jon

2016-01-01

Background Laypeople increasingly use the Internet as a source of health information, but finding and discovering the right information remains problematic. These issues are partially due to the mismatch between the design of consumer health websites and the needs of health information seekers, particularly the lack of support for “exploring” health information. Objective The aim of this research was to create a design for consumer health websites by supporting different health information–seeking behaviors. We created a website called Better Health Explorer with the new design. Through the evaluation of this new design, we derive design implications for future implementations. Methods Better Health Explorer was designed using a user-centered approach. The design was implemented and assessed through a laboratory-based observational study. Participants tried to use Better Health Explorer and another live health website. Both websites contained the same content. A mixed-method approach was adopted to analyze multiple types of data collected in the experiment, including screen recordings, activity logs, Web browsing histories, and audiotaped interviews. Results Overall, 31 participants took part in the observational study. Our new design showed a positive result for improving the experience of health information seeking, by providing a wide range of information and an engaging environment. The results showed better knowledge acquisition, a higher number of page reads, and more query reformulations in both focused and exploratory search tasks. In addition, participants spent more time to discover health information with our design in exploratory search tasks, indicating higher engagement with the website. Finally, we identify 4 design considerations for designing consumer health websites and health information–seeking apps: (1) providing a dynamic information scope; (2) supporting serendipity; (3) considering trust implications; and (4) enhancing interactivity

Designing Health Websites Based on Users' Web-Based Information-Seeking Behaviors: A Mixed-Method Observational Study.

PubMed

Pang, Patrick Cheong-Iao; Chang, Shanton; Verspoor, Karin; Pearce, Jon

2016-06-06

Laypeople increasingly use the Internet as a source of health information, but finding and discovering the right information remains problematic. These issues are partially due to the mismatch between the design of consumer health websites and the needs of health information seekers, particularly the lack of support for "exploring" health information. The aim of this research was to create a design for consumer health websites by supporting different health information-seeking behaviors. We created a website called Better Health Explorer with the new design. Through the evaluation of this new design, we derive design implications for future implementations. Better Health Explorer was designed using a user-centered approach. The design was implemented and assessed through a laboratory-based observational study. Participants tried to use Better Health Explorer and another live health website. Both websites contained the same content. A mixed-method approach was adopted to analyze multiple types of data collected in the experiment, including screen recordings, activity logs, Web browsing histories, and audiotaped interviews. Overall, 31 participants took part in the observational study. Our new design showed a positive result for improving the experience of health information seeking, by providing a wide range of information and an engaging environment. The results showed better knowledge acquisition, a higher number of page reads, and more query reformulations in both focused and exploratory search tasks. In addition, participants spent more time to discover health information with our design in exploratory search tasks, indicating higher engagement with the website. Finally, we identify 4 design considerations for designing consumer health websites and health information-seeking apps: (1) providing a dynamic information scope; (2) supporting serendipity; (3) considering trust implications; and (4) enhancing interactivity. Better Health Explorer provides strong

The Observed Behavior of the Bias in MODIS-retrieved Cloud Droplet Effective Radius through MISR-MODIS Data Fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, D.; Di Girolamo, L.; Liang, L.; Zhao, G.

2017-12-01

Listed as one of the Essential Climate Variables by the Global Climate Observing System, the effective radius (Re) of the cloud drop size distribution plays an important role in the energy and water cycles of the Earth system. Re is retrieved from several passive sensors, such as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), based on a visible and near-infrared bi-spectral technique that had its foundation more than a quarter century ago. This technique makes a wide range of assumptions, including 1-D radiative transfer, assumed single-mode drop size distribution, and cloud horizontal and vertical homogeneity. It is well known that deviations from these assumptions lead to bias in the retrieved Re. Recently, an effort to characterize the bias in MODIS-retrieved Re through MISR-MODIS data fusion revealed biases in the zonal-mean values of MODIS-retrieved Re that varied from 2 to 11 µm, depending on latitude (Liang et al., 2015). Here, in a push towards bias-correction of MODIS-retrieved Re, we further examine the bias with MISR-MODIS data fusion as it relates to other observed cloud properties, such as cloud-top height and the spatial variability of the radiance field, sun-view geometry, and the driving meteorology had from reanalysis data. Our results show interesting relationships in Re bias behavior with these observed properties, revealing that while Re bias do show a certain degree of dependence on some properties, no single property dominates the behavior in MODIS-retrieved Re bias.

A sustainable building promotes pro-environmental behavior: an observational study on food disposal.

PubMed

Wu, David W-L; DiGiacomo, Alessandra; Kingstone, Alan

2013-01-01

In order to develop a more sustainable society, the wider public will need to increase engagement in pro-environmental behaviors. Psychological research on pro-environmental behaviors has thus far focused on identifying individual factors that promote such behavior, designing interventions based on these factors, and evaluating these interventions. Contextual factors that may also influence behavior at an aggregate level have been largely ignored. In the current study, we test a novel hypothesis--whether simply being in a sustainable building can elicit environmentally sustainable behavior. We find support for our hypothesis: people are significantly more likely to correctly choose the proper disposal bin (garbage, compost, recycling) in a building designed with sustainability in mind compared to a building that was not. Questionnaires reveal that these results are not due to self-selection biases. Our study provides empirical support that one's surroundings can have a profound and positive impact on behavior. It also suggests the opportunity for a new line of research that bridges psychology, design, and policy-making in an attempt to understand how the human environment can be designed and used as a subtle yet powerful tool to encourage and achieve aggregate pro-environmental behavior.

A Sustainable Building Promotes Pro-Environmental Behavior: An Observational Study on Food Disposal

PubMed Central

Wu, David W.–L.; DiGiacomo, Alessandra; Kingstone, Alan

2013-01-01

In order to develop a more sustainable society, the wider public will need to increase engagement in pro-environmental behaviors. Psychological research on pro-environmental behaviors has thus far focused on identifying individual factors that promote such behavior, designing interventions based on these factors, and evaluating these interventions. Contextual factors that may also influence behavior at an aggregate level have been largely ignored. In the current study, we test a novel hypothesis – whether simply being in a sustainable building can elicit environmentally sustainable behavior. We find support for our hypothesis: people are significantly more likely to correctly choose the proper disposal bin (garbage, compost, recycling) in a building designed with sustainability in mind compared to a building that was not. Questionnaires reveal that these results are not due to self-selection biases. Our study provides empirical support that one's surroundings can have a profound and positive impact on behavior. It also suggests the opportunity for a new line of research that bridges psychology, design, and policy-making in an attempt to understand how the human environment can be designed and used as a subtle yet powerful tool to encourage and achieve aggregate pro-environmental behavior. PMID:23326521

Citation Behaviors Observed in Japanese EFL Students' Argumentative Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamimura, Taeko

2014-01-01

Effective use of outside source texts is one of the key components of successful academic writing. This study aims at clarifying Japanese university EFL students' citation behaviors in producing argumentative writing. Twenty-six Japanese university EFL students wrote an argumentative essay. Their essays were analyzed quantitatively by six…

Focused Observation and Feedback of Nonverbal Behavior: A Report of the Development of an Instrument Designed for Analysis of Teacher Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Banks; And Others

A systematic procedure for obtaining objective data of nonverbal teaching behaviors focusing on specific behaviors is presented. Teacher behaviors, recorded on video-tape, are studied and evaluated for the following nonverbal behaviors: (1) use of proximity control in maintaining discipline; (2) emphasis on the need for eye contact as a speaker;…

Formation of structural steady states in lamellar/sponge phase-separating fluids under shear flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panizza, P.; Courbin, L.; Cristobal, G.; Rouch, J.; Narayanan, T.

2003-05-01

We investigate the effect of shear flow on a lamellar-sponge phase-separating fluid when subjected to shear flow. We show the existence of two different steady states (droplets and ribbons structures) whose nature does not depend on the way to reach the two-phase unstable region of the phase diagram (temperature quench or stirring). The transition between ribbons and droplets is shear thickening and its nature strongly depends on what dynamical variable is imposed. If the stress is fixed, flow visualization shows the existence of shear bands at the transition, characteristic of coexistence in the cell between ribbons and droplets. In this shear-banding region, the viscosity oscillates. When the shear rate is fixed, no shear bands are observed. Instead, the transition exhibits a hysteretic behavior leading to a structural bi-stability of the phase-separating fluid under flow.

Probing quantum and classical turbulence analogy in von Kármán liquid helium, nitrogen, and water experiments

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

Saint-Michel, B.; Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, IRPHE UMR 7342, 13384 Marseille; Herbert, E.

2014-12-15

We report measurements of the dissipation in the Superfluid helium high REynold number von Kármán flow experiment for different forcing conditions. Statistically steady flows are reached; they display a hysteretic behavior similar to what has been observed in a 1:4 scale water experiment. Our macroscopical measurements indicate no noticeable difference between classical and superfluid flows, thereby providing evidence of the same dissipation scaling laws in the two phases. A detailed study of the evolution of the hysteresis cycle with the Reynolds number supports the idea that the stability of the steady states of classical turbulence in this closed flow ismore » partly governed by the dissipative scales. It also supports the idea that the normal and the superfluid components at these temperatures (1.6 K) are locked down to the dissipative length scale.« less

Slanted snaking of localized Faraday waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradenas, Bastián; Araya, Isidora; Clerc, Marcel G.; Falcón, Claudio; Gandhi, Punit; Knobloch, Edgar

2017-06-01

We report on an experimental, theoretical, and numerical study of slanted snaking of spatially localized parametrically excited waves on the surface of a water-surfactant mixture in a Hele-Shaw cell. We demonstrate experimentally the presence of a hysteretic transition to spatially extended parametrically excited surface waves when the acceleration amplitude is varied, as well as the presence of spatially localized waves exhibiting slanted snaking. The latter extend outside the hysteresis loop. We attribute this behavior to the presence of a conserved quantity, the liquid volume trapped within the meniscus, and introduce a universal model based on symmetry arguments, which couples the wave amplitude with such a conserved quantity. The model captures both the observed slanted snaking and the presence of localized waves outside the hysteresis loop, as demonstrated by numerical integration of the model equations.

Observation of Communication by Physical Education Teachers: Detecting Patterns in Verbal Behavior

PubMed Central

García-Fariña, Abraham; Jiménez-Jiménez, F.; Anguera, M. Teresa

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the verbal behavior of primary school physical education teachers in a natural classroom setting in order to investigate patterns in social constructivist communication strategies before and after participation in a training program designed to familiarize teachers with these strategies. The participants were three experienced physical education teachers interacting separately with 65 students over a series of classes. Written informed consent was obtained from all the students' parents or legal guardians. An indirect observation tool (ADDEF) was designed specifically for the study within the theoretical framework, and consisted of a combined field format, with three dimensions, and category systems. Each dimension formed the basis for building a subsequent system of exhaustive and mutually exclusive categories. Twenty-nine sessions, grouped into two separate modules, were coded using the Atlas.ti 7 program, and a total of 1991 units (messages containing constructivist discursive strategies) were recorded. Analysis of intraobserver reliability showed almost perfect agreement. Lag sequential analysis, which is a powerful statistical technique based on the calculation of conditional and unconditional probabilities in prospective and retrospective lags, was performed in GSEQ5 software to search for verbal behavior patterns before and after the training program. At both time points, we detected a pattern formed by requests for information combined with the incorporation of students' contributions into the teachers' discourse and re-elaborations of answers. In the post-training phase, we detected new and stronger patterns in certain sessions, indicating that programs combining theoretical and practical knowledge can effectively increase teachers' repertoire of discursive strategies and ultimately promote active engagement in learning. This has important implications for the evaluation and development of teacher effectiveness in

Observation of Communication by Physical Education Teachers: Detecting Patterns in Verbal Behavior.

PubMed

García-Fariña, Abraham; Jiménez-Jiménez, F; Anguera, M Teresa

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the verbal behavior of primary school physical education teachers in a natural classroom setting in order to investigate patterns in social constructivist communication strategies before and after participation in a training program designed to familiarize teachers with these strategies. The participants were three experienced physical education teachers interacting separately with 65 students over a series of classes. Written informed consent was obtained from all the students' parents or legal guardians. An indirect observation tool (ADDEF) was designed specifically for the study within the theoretical framework, and consisted of a combined field format, with three dimensions, and category systems. Each dimension formed the basis for building a subsequent system of exhaustive and mutually exclusive categories. Twenty-nine sessions, grouped into two separate modules, were coded using the Atlas.ti 7 program, and a total of 1991 units (messages containing constructivist discursive strategies) were recorded. Analysis of intraobserver reliability showed almost perfect agreement. Lag sequential analysis, which is a powerful statistical technique based on the calculation of conditional and unconditional probabilities in prospective and retrospective lags, was performed in GSEQ5 software to search for verbal behavior patterns before and after the training program. At both time points, we detected a pattern formed by requests for information combined with the incorporation of students' contributions into the teachers' discourse and re-elaborations of answers. In the post-training phase, we detected new and stronger patterns in certain sessions, indicating that programs combining theoretical and practical knowledge can effectively increase teachers' repertoire of discursive strategies and ultimately promote active engagement in learning. This has important implications for the evaluation and development of teacher effectiveness in

Effects of exposure to a mobile phone on sexual behavior in adult male rabbit: an observational study.

PubMed

Salama, N; Kishimoto, T; Kanayama, H-o; Kagawa, S

2010-01-01

The accumulating effects of exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by a conventional mobile phone (MP) on male sexual behaviour have not yet been analyzed. Therefore, we studied these effects in 18 male rabbits that were randomly divided into phone and control groups. Six female teasers were taken successively to the male's cage and the copulatory behavior was recorded. Serum total testosterone, dopamine and cortisol were evaluated. The animals of the phone group were exposed to MPs (800 MHz) in a standby position for 8 h daily for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, the copulatory behavior and hormonal assays were re-evaluated. Mounts without ejaculation were the main mounts in the phone group and its duration and frequency increased significantly compared with the controls, whereas the reverse was observed in its mounts with ejaculation. Ejaculation frequency dropped significantly, biting/grasping against teasers increased notably and mounting latency in accumulated means from the first to the fourth teasers were noted in the phone group. The hormonal assays did not show any significant differences between the study groups. Therefore, the pulsed radiofrequency emitted by a conventional MP, which was kept on a standby position, could affect the sexual behavior in the rabbit.

Detection of driver engagement in secondary tasks from observed naturalistic driving behavior.

PubMed

Ye, Mengqiu; Osman, Osama A; Ishak, Sherif; Hashemi, Bita

2017-09-01

Distracted driving has long been acknowledged as one of the leading causes of death or injury in roadway crashes. The focus of past research has been mainly on the impact of different causes of distraction on driving behavior. However, only a few studies attempted to address how some driving behavior attributes could be linked to the cause of distraction. In essence, this study takes advantage of the rich SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) database to develop a model for detecting the likelihood of a driver's involvement in secondary tasks from distinctive attributes of driving behavior. Five performance attributes, namely speed, longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, yaw rate, and throttle position were used to describe the driving behavior. A model was developed for each of three selected secondary tasks: calling, texting, and passenger interaction. The models were developed using a supervised feed-forward Artificial Neural Network (ANN) architecture to account for the effect of inherent nonlinearity in the relationships between driving behavior and secondary tasks. The results show that the developed ANN models were able to detect the drivers' involvement in calling, texting, and passenger interaction with an overall accuracy of 99.5%, 98.1%, and 99.8%, respectively. These results show that the selected driving performance attributes were effective in detecting the associated secondary tasks with driving behavior. The results are very promising and the developed models could potentially be applied in crash investigations to resolve legal disputes in traffic accidents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vortex-Induced Vibrations of a Flexibly-Mounted Cyber-Physical Rectangular Plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onoue, Kyohei; Strom, Benjamin; Song, Arnold; Breuer, Kenneth

2013-11-01

We have developed a cyber-physical system to explore the vortex-induced vibration (VIV) behavior of a flat plate mounted on a virtual spring damper support. The plate is allowed to oscillate about its mid-chord and the measured angular position, velocity, and torque are used as inputs to a feedback control system that provides a restoring torque and can simulate a wide range of structural dynamic behavior. A series of experiments were carried out using different sized plates, and over a range of freestream velocities, equilibrium angles of attack, and simulated stiffness and damping. We observe a synchronization phenomenon over a wide range of parameter space, wherein the plate oscillates at moderate to large amplitude with a frequency dictated by the natural structural frequency of the system. Additionally, the existence of bistable states is reflected in the hysteretic response of the system. The cyber-physical damping extracts energy from the flow and the efficiency of this harvesting mechanism is characterized over a range of dimensionless stiffness and damping parameters. This research is funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).

Superconducting nanowires as nonlinear inductive elements for qubits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ku, Jaseung; Manucharyan, Vladimir; Bezryadin, Alexey

2011-03-01

We report microwave transmission measurements of superconducting Fabry-Perot resonators, having a superconducting nanowire placed at a supercurrent antinode. As the plasma oscillation is excited, the supercurrent is forced to flow through the nanowire. The microwave transmission of the resonator-nanowire device shows a nonlinear resonance behavior, significantly dependent on the amplitude of the supercurrent oscillation. We show that such amplitude-dependent response is due to the nonlinearity of the current-phase relationship of the nanowire. The results are explained within a nonlinear oscillator model of the Duffing oscillator, in which the nanowire acts as a purely inductive element, in the limit of low temperatures and low amplitudes. The low-quality factor sample exhibits a ``crater'' at the resonance peak at higher driving power, which is due to dissipation. We observe a hysteretic bifurcation behavior of the transmission response to frequency sweep in a sample with a higher quality factor. The Duffing model is used to explain the Duffing bistability diagram. NSF DMR-1005645, DOE DO-FG02-07ER46453.

Novel observations of larval fire survival, feeding behavior, and host plant use in the regal fritillary, Speyeria idalia (Drury) (Nymphalidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCullough, Kelsey; Albanese, Gene; Haukos, David A.

2017-01-01

Speyeria idalia is a prairie specialist that has experienced dramatic population declines throughout its range. Speyeria idalia is nearly extirpated from the eastern portion of its former range; however, populations within Kansas are relatively stable. We made several previously undescribed field observations of late-instar larvae and post-diapause female S. idalia in northeastern Kansas during 2014–2016. We report finding late-instar larvae at locations that were burned within weeks of detection. The observations of larvae shortly following a burn suggests that S. idalia larvae are capable of surviving fire and contradicts our current knowledge of this species. Additionally, we describe a feeding behavior characteristic of late-instar larvae. Larvae observed in the field and lab stripped leaves of host plants leaving only stems. This strip-style feeding behavior provided unique feeding evidence that was valuable to detecting the presence of larvae in the field. Finally, we documented larvae and post-diapause, egg depositing females using Viola sororia. The use of this relatively widespread and common plant by S. idalia populations in the Central Great Plains has only been implicitly documented but may have important conservation implications. These novel observations further our knowledge of the ecology of this imperiled species and provide timely information that may improve research and conservation management efforts directed toward S. idalia populations.

A comparison of the effects of hard rock and easy listening on the frequency of observed inappropriate behaviors: control of environmental antecedents in a large public area.

PubMed

Harris, C S; Bradley, R J; Titus, S K

1992-01-01

Observation of clients at a state mental health hospital by direct care staff indicated that they appeared to act in more inappropriate ways when "hard rock" or "rap" music was played in an open courtyard than when "easy listening" or "country" music was played. A study was conducted to compare the inappropriate behavior of clients when hard rock and rap music were played (21 days), followed by easy listening and country and western music (21 days). This comparison was followed by a reversal phase in which hard rock and rap music were again played (18 days). The behaviors of the clients were observed and recorded via a controlled methodology. The results demonstrated that more inappropriate behavior was observed under conditions in which hard rock and rap music were played than when easy listening and country western music were played. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Relationships between frequency of driving under the influence of cannabis, self-reported reckless driving and risk-taking behavior observed in a driving simulator.

PubMed

Bergeron, Jacques; Paquette, Martin

2014-06-01

The role of cannabis consumption in traffic crashes is unclear and the causal link between cannabis and collisions is still to be demonstrated. While cannabis use is very likely to impair driving ability, there is as yet no overwhelming evidence that cannabis use in isolation contributes more to collisions than other characteristics inherent to cannabis users. As noted in a growing body of literature, individuals driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) seem to exhibit a general reckless driving style putting them at higher risk to be involved in traffic crashes. This study aims at investigating the relationship between self-reported DUIC and reckless driving by means of self-reported measures and direct observations made in a driving simulator. Participants (n=72) were required to be between 18 and 25 years of age, to hold a valid driver's license, and to drive at least twice a week. They completed standard driving simulation tasks recreating everyday on-road trivial conditions. Results show that people admitting that they commit more real-life dangerous driving behaviors reached higher maximum speed and demonstrated more reckless driving behaviors on the driving simulation tasks. Self-reported DUIC is associated with a risky driving style including a broad range of reckless on-road behaviors and support the problem driving behavior theory. Moreover, beyond confounding factors, both self-report DUIC and observed dangerous behaviors are associated with real-life traffic violations. Since DUIC appears to be related to an overall reckless style of driving, it is proposed that public safety policies should be more holistic, simultaneously targeting multiple on-road dangerous behaviors for intervention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Behavior Management in Preschool Classrooms: Insights Revealed through Systematic Observation and Interview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritz, Mariah; Noltemeyer, Amity; Davis, Darrel; Green, Jennifer

2014-01-01

This mixed methods study examined behavior management strategies used by preschool teachers to address student noncompliance in the classroom. Specifically, the study aimed to (1) examine the methods that preschool teachers are currently using to respond to noncompliant behavior in their classrooms, (2) measure the frequency with which each…

Behavior of Solar Cycles 23 and 24 Revealed by Microwave Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gopalswamy, N.; Yashiro, S.; Maekelae, P.; Michalek, G.; Shibasaki, K.; Hathaway, D. H.

2012-01-01

Using magnetic and microwave butterfly diagrams, we compare the behavior of solar polar regions to show that (1) the polar magnetic field and the microwave brightness temperature during solar minimum substantially diminished during the cycle 23/24 minimum compared to the 22/23 minimum. (2) The polar microwave brightness temperature (Tb) seems to be a good proxy for the underlying magnetic field strength (B). The analysis indicates a relationship, B = 0.0067Tb - 70, where B is in G and Tb in K. (3) Both the brightness temperature and the magnetic field strength show north-south asymmetry most of the time except for a short period during the maximum phase. (4) The rush-to-the-pole phenomenon observed in the prominence eruption (PE) activity seems to be complete in the northern hemisphere as of 2012 March. (5) The decline of the microwave brightness temperature in the north polar region to the quiet-Sun levels and the sustained PE activity poleward of 60degN suggest that solar maximum conditions have arrived at the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere continues to exhibit conditions corresponding to the rise phase of solar cycle 24. Key words: Sun: chromosphere Sun: coronal mass ejections (CMEs) Sun: filaments, prominences Sun: photosphere Sun: radio radiation Sun: surface magnetism

Applying signal-detection theory to the study of observer accuracy and bias in behavioral assessment.

PubMed

Lerman, Dorothea C; Tetreault, Allison; Hovanetz, Alyson; Bellaci, Emily; Miller, Jonathan; Karp, Hilary; Mahmood, Angela; Strobel, Maggie; Mullen, Shelley; Keyl, Alice; Toupard, Alexis

2010-01-01

We evaluated the feasibility and utility of a laboratory model for examining observer accuracy within the framework of signal-detection theory (SDT). Sixty-one individuals collected data on aggression while viewing videotaped segments of simulated teacher-child interactions. The purpose of Experiment 1 was to determine if brief feedback and contingencies for scoring accurately would bias responding reliably. Experiment 2 focused on one variable (specificity of the operational definition) that we hypothesized might decrease the likelihood of bias. The effects of social consequences and information about expected behavior change were examined in Experiment 3. Results indicated that feedback and contingencies reliably biased responding and that the clarity of the definition only moderately affected this outcome.

Shedding light on the different behavior of ionic and nonionic surfactants in emulsion polymerization: from atomistic simulations to experimental observations.

PubMed

Magi Meconi, Giulia; Ballard, Nicholas; Asua, José M; Zangi, Ronen

2017-12-06

Although surfactants are known to play a vital role in polymerization reactions carried out in dispersed media, many aspects of their use are poorly understood, perhaps none more so than the vastly different action of ionic and nonionic surfactants in emulsion polymerization. In this work, we combine experimental measurements of emulsion polymerization of styrene with atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to better understand the behavior of surfactants at monomer/polymer-water interfaces. In a batch emulsion polymerization of styrene, the nonionic surfactant Disponil AFX 1080 leads to two nucleation periods, in contrast to the behavior observed for the ionic surfactant SDS. This can be explained by the absorption of the nonionic surfactant into the organic phase at the early stages of the polymerization reaction which is then released as the reaction progresses. Indeed, we find that the partition coefficient of the surfactant between the organic phase and water increases with the amount of monomer in the former, and preferential partitioning is detected to organic phases containing at least 55% styrene. Results from molecular dynamics simulations confirm that spontaneous dissolution of the non-ionic surfactant into a styrene-rich organic phase occurs above a critical concentration of the surfactant adsorbed at the interface. Above this critical concentration, a linear correlation between the amount of surfactant adsorbed at the interface and that absorbed inside the organic phase is observed. To facilitate this absorption into a completely hydrophobic medium, water molecules accompany the intruding surfactants. Similar simulations but with the ionic surfactant instead did not result in any absorption of the surfactant into a neat styrene phase, likely because of its strongly hydrophilic head group. The unusual partitioning behavior of nonionic surfactants explains a number of observable features of emulsion polymerization reactions which use nonionic

Differential effects of an adult observer's presence on sex-typed play behavior: A comparison between gender-schematic and gender-aschematic preschool children.

PubMed

Wilansky-Traynor, Pamela; Lobel, Thalma E

2008-08-01

The present study examined the differential effect of an adult observer's presence on the sex-typed play behavior of gender schematic and aschematic preschoolers. A total of 116 Israeli preschoolers (M age = 64.9 months) participated in the study. Children were classified as either gender schematic or aschematic based upon responses to a computerized measure of different sex stereotype components. Children's play behavior with gender typical and atypical, attractive and unattractive, toys was videotaped. An observer was present for half the children's play and absent for the other half's play. Observation status affected the aschematic, but not the schematic, children's play with gender typical toys. For example, observed aschematic boys spent a greater percent of time playing with the unattractive masculine toys compared to unobserved aschematic boys. This difference was not apparent for schematic boys. Additionally, a difference found for schematic boys was not apparent in schematic girls, i.e., when unobserved, schematic boys tended to spend a greater percent of time playing with the unattractive masculine toy than aschematic boys. Further, some differences were found for unattractive, and not attractive, toys. For instance, observed aschematic boys spent a greater percent of time playing with the unattractive masculine toy than did the unobserved aschematic boys. This gap was not found for the attractive masculine toy. Results are discussed with reference to the accessibility and complexity of gender schemas.

Observing the Communication Behavior of Deaf-Blind Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tweedie, David

1974-01-01

Reviewed are observational techniques for rating the communication of deaf-blind multihandicapped children, and reported is an initial study of the diagnostic observational competency of 75 speech pathologists at 5 levels of training and experience. (LC)

The Influence of Student Characteristics on the Dependability of Behavioral Observation Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Briesch, Amy M.; Volpe, Robert J.; Ferguson, Tyler David

2014-01-01

Although generalizability theory has been used increasingly in recent years to investigate the dependability of behavioral estimates, many of these studies have relied on use of general education populations as opposed to those students who are most likely to be referred for assessment due to problematic classroom behavior (e.g., inattention,…

Observation of copper atoms behavior in a vacuum arc discharge using laser spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sung, Y. M.; Hayashi, Y.; Okraku-Yirenkyi, Y.; Otsubo, M.; Honda, C.; Sakoda, T.

2003-01-01

In order to investigate the most important parameters influencing the breaking characteristic of a vacuum circuit breaker (VCB), the behavior of copper (Cu) particles emitted from electrodes designed as an imitation of a vacuum valve of the VCB was observed. The temporal-spatial intensity distributions due to Cu particles in an excited state or a neutral state were measured using the laser induced fluorescence (LIF) technique and a charge coupled device camera attached with a special filter. The diffusion velocity of a Cu atom was also investigated by evaluating a Doppler shift of the LIF signal. The results showed that most Cu particles were emitted from the anode and were in an excited state or an ionized state during an arc discharge. Also, Cu particles were distributed between electrodes even after the discharge chocked, and its diffusion velocity in the direction of the cathode from the anode was about 2.6 km/s.

Peer Observation of Rounds Leads to Collegial Discussion of Teaching.

PubMed

Pierce, J Rush; Rendón, Patrick; Rao, Deepti

2018-01-01

Faculty in the Division of Hospital Medicine provide most of the clinical teaching for learners at our institution. The majority of these faculty are Assistant Professors with limited formal instruction in clinical teaching. Previous Divisional strategies to improve clinical teaching ability included discussion of effective teaching behaviors, developing written expectations for teaching faculty, and instituting seminars on effective clinical teaching. Heretofore, the Division had not utilized a direct observation exercise. We developed a direct observation exercise to encourage discussion of teaching techniques and contemplation of change. Using a social learning model, we developed a peer-to-peer observation followed by a nonevaluative discussion. We created a tool for describing teaching behaviors in 5 domains that were similar to or different from the usual behavior of the observing peer: learner presentations, team leadership, bedside teaching, professionalism, and other. After the observation, the observing and observed faculty met to discuss observed teaching behaviors. Both faculty members discussed and then recorded any teaching behaviors that they planned to adopt or change. We implemented this intervention in a 22-member Academic Division of Hospital Medicine at a tertiary care medical center in the United States. A high proportion were junior faculty and graduates of our residency program. We reviewed records of 28 of 31 observations that were completed during the initial 9-month period of implementation and later surveyed faculty. The exercise resulted in planned changes in teaching behaviors that included instituting new methods to improve teaching team leadership, triaging of patients seen on rounds, faculty behaviors during oral presentations, giving real-time feedback, use of technology and humor, demonstrating physical examination findings, and modeling professional behaviors. Faculty later reported adoption of new teaching behaviors that were

Observational learning by individuals with autism: a review of teaching strategies.

PubMed

Plavnick, Joshua B; Hume, Kara A

2014-05-01

Observational learning is the process used to explain the acquisition of novel behaviors or performance of previously acquired behaviors under novel conditions after observing the behavior of another person and the consequences that follow the behavior. Many learners with autism do not attend to environmental stimuli at a level sufficient to learn a range of prosocial behaviors through observation of others. Modeling, group or dyadic instruction, and explicit observation training can improve the extent to which individuals with autism learn through observation. This article reviews previous research that involved observational learning by individuals with autism and outlines future research that could benefit instructional practices.

Searching for behavioral indicators of welfare in zoos: uncovering anticipatory behavior.

PubMed

Watters, Jason V

2014-01-01

A current focus of zoo-based research aims to identify indicators of animal welfare. Reliable behavioral indicators of welfare are highly desirable as behavioral observation is non invasive and requires little in the way of specialized equipment and other costly resources-save for observer time. Anticipatory behavior is an indicator of an animal's sensitivity to reward and as such, it is a real-time indicator of animals' own perceptions of their well-being. In fact, anticipatory behavior may generate a positive affective state and thus be at least a brief manifestation of good welfare itself. The husbandry conditions of most captive animals are such that food acquisition and other positive outcomes are highly scheduled and easily signaled. These conditions promote the development of anticipatory behavior, yet little research has either documented or interpreted this behavior in zoo and aquarium animals. This commentary suggests that anticipatory behavior could be a useful tool for assessing welfare and calls upon zoo and aquarium researchers to begin to develop this tool by describing the behavior and the circumstances that lead to its modulation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Quantum memristor in a superconducting circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmilehto, Juha; Sanz, Mikel; di Ventra, Massimiliano; Solano, Enrique

Memristors, resistive elements that retain information of their past, have garnered interest due to their paradigm-changing potential in information processing and electronics. The emergent hysteretic behaviour allows for novel architectural applications and has recently been classically demonstrated in a simplified superconducting setup using the phase-dependent conductance in the tunnel-junction-microscopic model. In this contribution, we present a truly quantum model for a memristor constructed using established elements and techniques in superconducting nanoelectronics, and explore the parameters for feasible operation as well as refine the methods for quantifying the memory retention. In particular, the memristive behaviour is shown to arise from quasiparticle-induced tunneling in the full dissipative model and can be observed in the phase-driven tunneling current. The relevant hysteretic behaviour should be observable using current state-of-the-art measurements for detecting quasiparticle excitations. Our theoretical findings constitute the first quantum memristor in a superconducting circuit and act as the starting point for designing further circuit elements that have non-Markovian characteristics The authors acknowledge support from the CCQED EU project and the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

Behavioral family intervention for children with developmental disabilities and behavioral problems.

PubMed

Roberts, Clare; Mazzucchelli, Trevor; Studman, Lisa; Sanders, Matthew R

2006-06-01

The outcomes of a randomized clinical trial of a new behavioral family intervention, Stepping Stones Triple P, for preschoolers with developmental and behavior problems are presented. Forty-eight children with developmental disabilities participated, 27 randomly allocated to an intervention group and 20 to a wait-list control group. Parents completed measures of parenting style and stress, and independent observers assessed parent-child interactions. The intervention was associated with fewer child behavior problems reported by mothers and independent observers, improved maternal and paternal parenting style, and decreased maternal stress. All effects were maintained at 6-month follow-up.

Bridging the Gap: Direct Behavior Rating-Single Item Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Faith G.; Crovello, Nicholas; Swenson, Nicole

2017-01-01

Direct Behavior Ratings (DBRs) are behavioral assessment methods that combine the benefits of systematic direct observation and behavior rating scales. That is, DBRs involve the observation of operationally defined target behaviors during a prespecified observation period and the evaluation of those behaviors via brief ratings. In this way, DBR is…

Extending the Direct Behavior Rating: An Examination of Schoolwide Behavior Ratings and Academic Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruhn, Allison; Barron, Sheila; Fernando, Josephine; Balint-Langel, Kinga

2018-01-01

Direct behavior ratings have been identified as a practical and feasible alternative to direct observation of behavior for monitoring behavioral progress. Despite the evidence of usability, there have been calls for further examination of direct behavior ratings using different behaviors and scales. To this end, we examined the ratings of…

Observed positive parenting behaviors and youth genotype: evidence for gene-environment correlations and moderation by parent personality traits.

PubMed

Oppenheimer, Caroline W; Hankin, Benjamin L; Jenness, Jessica L; Young, Jami F; Smolen, Andrew

2013-02-01

Gene-environment correlations (rGE) have been demonstrated in behavioral genetic studies, but rGE have proven elusive in molecular genetic research. Significant gene-environment correlations may be difficult to detect because potential moderators could reduce correlations between measured genetic variants and the environment. Molecular genetic studies investigating moderated rGE are lacking. This study examined associations between child catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype and aspects of positive parenting (responsiveness and warmth), and whether these associations were moderated by parental personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) among a general community sample of third, sixth, and ninth graders (N = 263) and their parents. Results showed that parent personality traits moderated the rGE association between youths' genotype and coded observations of positive parenting. Parents with low levels of neuroticism and high levels of extraversion exhibited greater sensitive responsiveness and warmth, respectively, to youth with the valine/valine genotype. Moreover, youth with this genotype exhibited lower levels of observed anger. There was no association between the catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype and parenting behaviors for parents high on neuroticism and low on extraversion. Findings highlight the importance of considering moderating variables that may influence child genetic effects on the rearing environment. Implications for developmental models of maladaptive and adaptive child outcomes, and interventions for psychopathology, are discussed within a developmental psychopathology framework.

Observed positive parenting behaviors and youth genotype: Evidence for gene–environment correlations and moderation by parent personality traits

PubMed Central

OPPENHEIMER, CAROLINE W.; HANKIN, BENJAMIN L.; JENNESS, JESSICA L.; YOUNG, JAMI F.; SMOLEN, ANDREW

2013-01-01

Gene–environment correlations (rGE) have been demonstrated in behavioral genetic studies, but rGE have proven elusive in molecular genetic research. Significant gene–environment correlations may be difficult to detect because potential moderators could reduce correlations between measured genetic variants and the environment. Molecular genetic studies investigating moderated rGE are lacking. This study examined associations between child catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype and aspects of positive parenting (responsiveness and warmth), and whether these associations were moderated by parental personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) among a general community sample of third, sixth, and ninth graders (N = 263) and their parents. Results showed that parent personality traits moderated the rGE association between youths’ genotype and coded observations of positive parenting. Parents with low levels of neuroticism and high levels of extraversion exhibited greater sensitive responsiveness and warmth, respectively, to youth with the valine/valine genotype. Moreover, youth with this genotype exhibited lower levels of observed anger. There was no association between the catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype and parenting behaviors for parents high on neuroticism and low on extraversion. Findings highlight the importance of considering moderating variables that may influence child genetic effects on the rearing environment. Implications for developmental models of maladaptive and adaptive child outcomes, and interventions for psychopathology, are discussed within a developmental psychopathology framework. PMID:23398761

Few differences in diet and health behaviors and perceptions were observed in adult urban Native American Indians by tribal association, gender, and age grouping.

PubMed

Carter, Tina L; Morse, Kristin L; Giraud, David W; Driskell, Judy A

2008-12-01

Diet and health behaviors and perceptions of adult urban Native American Indians in a large Midwestern city were evaluated for differences by tribal association, gender, and age grouping. The hypothesis was that human behavior is influenced by tribal association, gender, and age grouping in the subject population. The subjects included 33 men and 32 women, with 26 being Sioux; 22 Omaha; and 17 a combination of other tribes. The descriptive survey included two interviewer-administered 24-hour recalls. The majority of subjects were overweight or obese. Significant differences (P< .05) were observed in vitamin A and calcium intakes by tribal association. Men reported consuming significantly more (P< .05) kilocalories, vitamin C, and sodium. Over half the subjects consumed more than the recommended 20% to 35% kcal from fat, >or=10% kcal from saturated fat, and >or=300 mg cholesterol/d. Less than Estimated Average Requirements for vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron were consumed by 31%, 59%, and 6%, respectively; 79% consumed less than Adequate Intakes for calcium. Ninety-two percent consumed more than the Tolerable Upper Intake Level for sodium. Few differences were observed in the kilocalorie, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and sodium intakes of these Native American Indians by tribal association, gender, or age grouping. Significant differences in percentages consuming alcohol were observed by gender (P< .05) and by age grouping (P< .01). A significant difference (P< .01) was observed by gender regarding the subjects' perceptions of their being alcoholics. Overall, few differences were observed in diet and health behaviors and perceptions of adult urban Native American Indians by tribal association, gender, and age grouping.

Magnetic vortex nucleation/annihilation in artificial-ferrimagnet microdisks

DOE PAGES

Lapa, Pavel N.; Ding, Junjia; Phatak, Charudatta; ...

2017-08-28

The topological nature of magnetic-vortex state gives rise to peculiar magnetization reversal observed in magnetic microdisks. Interestingly, magnetostatic and exchange energies which drive this reversal can be effectively controlled in artificial ferrimagnet heterostructures composed of rare-earth and transition metals. [Py(t)/Gd(t)] 25 (t=1 or 2 nm) superlattices demonstrate a pronounced change of the magnetization and exchange stiffness in a 10–300 K temperature range as well as very small magnetic anisotropy. Due to these properties, the magnetization of cylindrical microdisks composed of these artificial ferrimagnets can be transformed from the vortex to uniformly-magnetized states in a permanent magnetic field by changing themore » temperature. We explored the behavior of magnetization in 1.5-µm [Py(t)/Gd(t)] 25 (t=1 or 2 nm) disks at different temperatures and magnetic fields and observed that due to the energy barrier separating vortex and uniformly-magnetized states, the vortex nucleation and annihilation occur at different temperatures. This causes the temperature dependences of the Py/Gd disks magnetization to demonstrate unique hysteretic behavior in a narrow temperature range. It was discovered that for the [Py(2 nm)/Gd(2 nm)] 25 microdisks the vortex can be metastable at a certain temperature range.« less

Magnetic vortex nucleation/annihilation in artificial-ferrimagnet microdisks

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

Lapa, Pavel N.; Ding, Junjia; Phatak, Charudatta

The topological nature of magnetic-vortex state gives rise to peculiar magnetization reversal observed in magnetic microdisks. Interestingly, magnetostatic and exchange energies which drive this reversal can be effectively controlled in artificial ferrimagnet heterostructures composed of rare-earth and transition metals. [Py(t)/Gd(t)] 25 (t=1 or 2 nm) superlattices demonstrate a pronounced change of the magnetization and exchange stiffness in a 10–300 K temperature range as well as very small magnetic anisotropy. Due to these properties, the magnetization of cylindrical microdisks composed of these artificial ferrimagnets can be transformed from the vortex to uniformly-magnetized states in a permanent magnetic field by changing themore » temperature. We explored the behavior of magnetization in 1.5-µm [Py(t)/Gd(t)] 25 (t=1 or 2 nm) disks at different temperatures and magnetic fields and observed that due to the energy barrier separating vortex and uniformly-magnetized states, the vortex nucleation and annihilation occur at different temperatures. This causes the temperature dependences of the Py/Gd disks magnetization to demonstrate unique hysteretic behavior in a narrow temperature range. It was discovered that for the [Py(2 nm)/Gd(2 nm)] 25 microdisks the vortex can be metastable at a certain temperature range.« less

Classroom Observation Techniques. IDEA Paper No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acheson, Keith A.

Techniques for observing the classroom behavior of teachers and students are examined. These techniques provide a framework for analyzing and understanding classroom interaction, for making decisions about what should be happening, and for changing instructional behavior when it is necessary. The observation methods allow collection, analysis, and…

Depressive Symptoms and Perceptions of Child Difficulty Are Associated with Less Responsive Feeding Behaviors in an Observational Study of Low-Income Mothers.

PubMed

Elias, Cindy V; Power, Thomas G; Beck, Ashley E; Goodell, L Suzanne; Johnson, Susan L; Papaioannou, Maria A; Hughes, Sheryl O

2016-12-01

Maternal depressive symptoms and perceptions of child difficulty are associated with negative effects on general development and cognitive functioning in children. The study examined associations between maternal depressive symptoms, perceptions of child difficulty, and maternal feeding behaviors in a population at elevated risk for childhood obesity. Participants were 138 low-income black and Hispanic mothers and their children (ages 3-5) participating in an observational study of mealtimes among Head Start families. Three dinnertime observations were conducted over 2 weeks on each family and audio/videotaped for coding. Coding included eating influence attempts and other food- and nonfood-related interactions exhibited by the mother during dinner. Mothers completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms and perceptions of child difficulty. Linear regressions were conducted, examining associations between maternal depressive symptoms, perceptions of child difficulty, and coded parent feeding behaviors. Mothers reporting higher levels of depressive symptoms used more verbal pressure to get their child to eat during meals, were more likely to discourage child independence, and less likely to enforce table manners. Mothers reporting higher perceptions of child difficulty were less likely to have nonfood-related discussions during meals and to try to get the child to eat a different food. This study is one of the first to investigate associations between maternal depression, perceptions of child difficulty, and mother's feeding behaviors during meals using observational methodology. These results may help researchers identify specific parental characteristics and feeding practices on which to intervene when developing tailored intervention programs for reducing childhood obesity.

Cooperative Games and Children's Positive Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finlinson, Abbie Reynolds; Austin, Ann M. Berghout; Pfister, Roxane

2000-01-01

Examined impact of cooperative and competitive games on 4-year-olds' behavior over 6 weeks. Found that more positive behaviors were observed during cooperative games than competitive games, and more negative behaviors were observed during competitive games, but only during the first week of competitive games. Found that teachers' warmth and…

Comparing the predictive capacity of observed in-session resistance to self-reported motivation in cognitive behavioral therapy.

PubMed

Westra, Henny A

2011-02-01

Self-report measures of motivation for changing anxiety have been weakly and inconsistently related to outcome in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). While clients may not be able to accurately report their motivation, ambivalence about change may nonetheless be expressed in actual therapy sessions as opposition to the direction set by the therapist (i.e., resistance). In the context of CBT for generalized anxiety disorder, the present study compared the ability of observed in-session resistance in CBT session 1 and two self-report measures of motivation for changing anxiety (the Change Questionnaire & the Client Motivational for Therapy Scale) to (1) predict client and therapist rated homework compliance (2) predict post-CBT and one-year post-treatment worry reduction, and (3) differentiate those who received motivational interviewing prior to CBT from those who received no pre-treatment. Observed in-session resistance performed very well on each index, compared to the performance of self-reported motivation which was inconsistent and weaker relative to observed resistance. These findings strongly support both clinician sensitivity to moments of client resistance in actual therapy sessions as early as session 1, and the inclusion of observational process measures in CBT research. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Further Insight into the Effectiveness of a Behavioral Teacher Program Targeting ADHD Symptoms Using Actigraphy, Classroom Observations and Peer Ratings.

PubMed

Veenman, Betty; Luman, Marjolein; Oosterlaan, Jaap

2017-01-01

Objective: The Positivity and Rules program (PR program), a low-level behavioral teacher program targeting symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has shown positive effects on teacher-rated ADHD symptoms and social functioning. This study aimed to assess whether program effects could be confirmed by instruments assessing classroom behavior other than teacher-ratings, given teachers' involvement with the training. Methods: Participants were 114 primary school children (age = 6-13) displaying ADHD symptoms in the classroom, who were randomly assigned to the treatment ( n = 58) or control group ( n = 65). ADHD symptoms were measured using classroom observations and actigraphy, and peer acceptance was measured using peer ratings. Intention-to-treat multilevel analyses were conducted to assess program effects. Results: No beneficial program effects were found for any of the measures. Conclusion: The earlier beneficial program effects on both ADHD symptoms and social functioning reported by teachers, may be explained by a change in the perception of teachers rather than changes in the child's behavior. Other methodological explanations are also discussed, such as differences between instruments in the sensitivity to program-related changes. The current study underlines the importance of using different measures of classroom behavior to study program effects. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT02518711.

Further Insight into the Effectiveness of a Behavioral Teacher Program Targeting ADHD Symptoms Using Actigraphy, Classroom Observations and Peer Ratings

PubMed Central

Veenman, Betty; Luman, Marjolein; Oosterlaan, Jaap

2017-01-01

Objective: The Positivity and Rules program (PR program), a low-level behavioral teacher program targeting symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has shown positive effects on teacher-rated ADHD symptoms and social functioning. This study aimed to assess whether program effects could be confirmed by instruments assessing classroom behavior other than teacher-ratings, given teachers’ involvement with the training. Methods: Participants were 114 primary school children (age = 6–13) displaying ADHD symptoms in the classroom, who were randomly assigned to the treatment (n = 58) or control group (n = 65). ADHD symptoms were measured using classroom observations and actigraphy, and peer acceptance was measured using peer ratings. Intention-to-treat multilevel analyses were conducted to assess program effects. Results: No beneficial program effects were found for any of the measures. Conclusion: The earlier beneficial program effects on both ADHD symptoms and social functioning reported by teachers, may be explained by a change in the perception of teachers rather than changes in the child’s behavior. Other methodological explanations are also discussed, such as differences between instruments in the sensitivity to program-related changes. The current study underlines the importance of using different measures of classroom behavior to study program effects. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT02518711 PMID:28744244

Unipolar memristive Switching in Bulk Negative Temperature Coefficient Thermosensitive Ceramics

PubMed Central

Wu, Hongya; Cai, Kunpeng; Zhou, Ji; Li, Bo; Li, Longtu

2013-01-01

A memristive phenomenon was observed in macroscopic bulk negative temperature coefficient nickel monoxide (NiO) ceramic material. Current-voltage characteristics of memristors, pinched hysteretic loops were systematically observed in the Ag/NiO/Ag cell. A thermistor-based model for materials with negative temperature coefficient was proposed to explain the mechanism of the experimental phenomena. Most importantly, the results demonstrate the potential for a realization of memristive systems based on macroscopic bulk materials. PMID:24255717

Stability and social-behavioral consequences of toddlers' inhibited temperament and parenting behaviors.

PubMed

Rubin, Kenneth H; Burgess, Kim B; Hastings, Paul D

2002-01-01

A prospective longitudinal design was employed to ascertain whether different types of behavioral inhibition (i.e., traditional, peer-social) were stable from toddler to preschool age, and whether inhibited temperament and/or parenting style would predict children's subsequent social and behavioral problems. At Time 1, 108 toddlers (54 males, 54 females) and their mothers were observed in the Traditional Inhibition Paradigm and in a toddler-peer session; then at age 4 years, 88 children were observed with unfamiliar peers, and maternal ratings of psychological functioning were obtained. How mothers and their toddlers interacted was also observed. Results revealed meaningful connections between toddler inhibition, maternal intrusive control and derision, and nonsocial behaviors at age 4. Both forms of toddler inhibition predicted socially reticent behavior during free play at 4 years. If mothers demonstrated relatively high frequencies of intrusive control and/or derisive comments, then the association between their toddlers' peer inhibition and 4-year social reticence was significant and positive; whereas if mothers were neither intrusive nor derisive, then toddlers' peer inhibition and 4-year reticence were not significantly associated. Thus, maternal behaviors moderated the relation between toddlers' peer inhibition and preschoolers' social reticence.

The role of H2O in controlling the eruptive behavior observed during 2008 Chaitén eruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forte, Pablo; Castro, Jonathan

2016-04-01

Although highly explosive and with the capacity of producing impacts in a world-wide scale, the underlying mechanisms driving rhyolitic eruptions are not yet fully understood. The lower frequency of these events in comparison to intermediate composition and mafic magmatic eruptions has hampered observation-based studies of rhyolite activity in last century. But in 2008, the eruption of Chaitén volcano (Southern Chile), gave us the first view of a rhyolitic eruptive cycle, start to finish. After an initial explosive phase that lasted for 10 days, the vigour of the eruption decreased and gave way to an effusive phase that was characterized by the emplacement of a dome complex. Surprisingly, a transitional phase between them was identified, with the simultaneous occurrence of explosive and effusive activity (Pallister et al. 2013). During the eruption, vast amounts of glassy rhyolite bombs with H2O contents ranging from 0.1 to 1.58 wt. % H2O were produced (Castro et al. 2012). It is already well known that H2O is one of the main players involved in the evolution of rhyolitic systems and in the occurrence of explosive volcanic eruptions (eg. Zhang et al. 2007). In this study, we conducted 90 high-temperature, 1 atm experiments in order to constrain degassing systematics and resultant foaming/fragmentation behavior of magma residing in the last hundred meters of Chaitén's volcanic conduit. By using cylindrical cores (4 x 10 mm) drilled from obsidian bombs and lava dome samples, isothermal experiments were performed at temperatures between 740° and 1030°C among the whole range of H2O contents measured in the deposits. Due to the experimental design developed, the complete evolution of the experiments was possible to monitor through a sapphire window with high-speed and conventional video cameras. Post-experiment video analysis has revealed 3 types of behaviors of the samples: a) expansion followed by equilibrium (constant volume), b) expansion followed by shrinking

Unobtrusive measures in behavioral assessment

PubMed Central

Kazdin, Alan E.

1979-01-01

A major distinguishing characteristic of behavioral assessment is the direct assessment of overt behavior. Direct assessment is assumed to provide a sample of behavior that reflects client performance in the situation in which behavior is assessed, even if the assessment procedures were not implemented. Yet, in the majority of investigations, behavioral assessment procedures are obtrusive, i.e., subjects are aware that their behavior is being assessed. The potential problem with obtrusive assessment is that it may be reactive, i.e., affect how subjects perform. Recent research has demonstrated that obtrusive observations often are reactive and that behaviors assessed under obtrusive and unobtrusive conditions bear little relation. From methodological and applied perspectives, additional attention needs to be given to unobtrusive measures of behavior change. The present paper illustrates unobtrusive measures in behavior modification including direct observations, archival records, and physical traces of performance. In addition, validation and assessment problems, questions about the obtrusiveness of the measures, and ethical issues are discussed. PMID:16795622

Application of Nonlinear Elastic Resonance Spectroscopy For Damage Detection In Concrete: An Interesting Story

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

Byers, Loren W.; Ten Cate, James A.; Johnson, Paul A.

2012-06-28

Nonlinear resonance ultrasound spectroscopy experiments conducted on concrete cores, one chemically and mechanically damaged by alkali-silica reactivity, and one undamaged, show that this material displays highly nonlinear wave behavior, similar to many other damaged materials. They find that the damaged sample responds more nonlinearly, manifested by a larger resonant peak and modulus shift as a function of strain amplitude. The nonlinear response indicates that there is a hysteretic influence in the stress-strain equation of state. Further, as in some other materials, slow dynamics are present. The nonlinear response they observe in concrete is an extremely sensitive indicator of damage. Ultimately,more » nonlinear wave methods applied to concrete may be used to guide mixing, curing, or other production techniques, in order to develop materials with particular desired qualities such as enhanced strength or chemical resistance, and to be used for damage inspection.« less

Falling Barometer--Failing Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scagliotta, Edward G.

1980-01-01

Observations of 127 boys with behavior problems (ages 9 to 13) were made to study the correlation between air pressure and adverse behavior in the Ss. Results showed that, with each change in barometric pressure, there was an obvious change in the Ss' behavior. (PHR)

Longwave infrared observation of urban landscapes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goward, S. N.

1981-01-01

An investigation is conducted regarding the feasibility to develop improved methods for the identification and analysis of urban landscapes on the basis of a utilization of longwave infrared observations. Attention is given to landscape thermal behavior, urban thermal properties, modeled thermal behavior of pavements and buildings, and observed urban landscape thermal emissions. The differential thermal behavior of buildings, pavements, and natural areas within urban landscapes is found to suggest that integrated multispectral solar radiant reflectance and terrestrial radiant emissions data will significantly increase potentials for analyzing urban landscapes. In particular, daytime satellite observations of the considered type should permit better identification of urban areas and an analysis of the density of buildings and pavements within urban areas. This capability should enhance the utility of satellite remote sensor data in urban applications.

Interactions Between Teacher and Students in a Physical Education Setting Observation of Students' Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pieron, Maurice; Haan, Jean-Marie

An investigation was made into the dependency of student behaviors on teacher behaviors in a physical education setting. It was assumed that the interaction between students and teachers as well as the time spent in skill-practice play a prominent role in learning. An effort was made to determine if students' behavior profiles differ in male,…

Observing Two Important Teaching Variables.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gustafson, John A.

1986-01-01

Two behaviors essential to good teaching, teacher expectation and teacher flexibility, have been incorporated into the observation system used in the student teacher program at the University of New Mexico. The importance of these behaviors in teaching and in evaluating student teachers is discussed. (MT)

Owner observations regarding cat scratching behavior: an internet-based survey.

PubMed

Wilson, Colleen; Bain, Melissa; DePorter, Theresa; Beck, Alexandra; Grassi, Vanessa; Landsberg, Gary

2016-10-01

This study was performed to examine aspects of the cat, environment and scratching post that might influence scratching behavior, in an effort to determine how inappropriate scratching behavior might be refocused on acceptable targets. An internet survey, posted on several public websites, gathered details about scratching behavior, as described by owners in their home environments, from 4331 respondents over a 4 month period. Responses from 39 different countries were analyzed, mostly from the USA, Canada and the UK. Owners offered traditionally recommended scratching substrates including rope, cardboard, carpet and wood. Rope was most frequently used when offered, although carpet was offered most commonly. Most owners provided at least one scratching post; cats scratched the preferred substrate more often when the post was a simple upright type or a cat tree with two or more levels and at least 3 ft high. Narrower posts (base width ⩽3 ft) were used more often than wider posts (base width ⩾5 ft). Intact or neutered cats (males and females) were as likely to scratch inappropriately, and inappropriate scratching decreased with age. Geriatric cats between the ages of 10 and 14 years preferred carpet substrate most frequently; all other ages preferred rope first. Inappropriate scratching decreased as the different types/styles of posts increased in the home. Inappropriate scratching did not increase if the number of cats or dogs increased in the household. Declawed cats were preventatively declawed most often to prevent household item destruction. Although cats can have individual preferences, our data provide a starting point for veterinarians recommending scratching posts to clients. © The Author(s) 2015.

Use of Interview and Observation to Clarify Reported Practices of Head Start Staff Concerning Problem Behavior: Implications for Programs and Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snell, Martha E.; Voorhees, Mary D.; Berlin, Rebecca A.; Stanton-Chapman, Tina L.; Hadden, Sarah; McCarty, Jane

2012-01-01

This study used interviews and classroom observation to follow up a survey of 78 Head Start staff from five programs in the mid-Atlantic region. The purpose of the study was to collect additional details about administrator and staff needs in regard to addressing children's challenging behavior in order to design a PBS in-service intervention.…

What We Observe Is Biased by What Other People Tell Us: Beliefs about the Reliability of Gaze Behavior Modulate Attentional Orienting to Gaze Cues

PubMed Central

Wiese, Eva; Wykowska, Agnieszka; Müller, Hermann J.

2014-01-01

For effective social interactions with other people, information about the physical environment must be integrated with information about the interaction partner. In order to achieve this, processing of social information is guided by two components: a bottom-up mechanism reflexively triggered by stimulus-related information in the social scene and a top-down mechanism activated by task-related context information. In the present study, we investigated whether these components interact during attentional orienting to gaze direction. In particular, we examined whether the spatial specificity of gaze cueing is modulated by expectations about the reliability of gaze behavior. Expectations were either induced by instruction or could be derived from experience with displayed gaze behavior. Spatially specific cueing effects were observed with highly predictive gaze cues, but also when participants merely believed that actually non-predictive cues were highly predictive. Conversely, cueing effects for the whole gazed-at hemifield were observed with non-predictive gaze cues, and spatially specific cueing effects were attenuated when actually predictive gaze cues were believed to be non-predictive. This pattern indicates that (i) information about cue predictivity gained from sampling gaze behavior across social episodes can be incorporated in the attentional orienting to social cues, and that (ii) beliefs about gaze behavior modulate attentional orienting to gaze direction even when they contradict information available from social episodes. PMID:24722348

Simultaneous observations of reaction kinetics, creep behavior, and AE activities during syndeformational antigorite dehydration at high pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubo, T.; Iwasato, T.; Higo, Y.; Kato, T.; Kaneshima, S.; Uehara, S.; Koizumi, S.; Imamura, M.; Tange, Y.

2015-12-01

Intermediate-depth earthquakes are seismic activities in Wadati-Benioff zone at depths from 60 km to 300 km, where subducting plates deform plastically rather than brittle failure. Although it has been reported that unstable faulting occurred during antigorite dehydration even at higher pressures than ~2 GPa (e.g., Jung et al., 2009), the recent study by Chernak and Hirth (2011) revealed that the syndefromational antigorite dehydration does not produces stick-slip instabilities but stable fault slip. In the present study, we newly developed an AE monitoring system for high-pressure reaction-deformation processes combined with D-DIA and synchrotron monochromatic X-ray to observe reaction kinetics, creep behaviors, and AE activities simultaneously. We applied this technique to investigate shear instability during syndeformational antigorite dehydration. High-pressure deformation experiments were conducted up to ~8 GPa, ~1050 K, and strain rates of 3.4-9.2 x 10-5 s-1 in compression using a D-DIA type apparatus installed at BL-04B1, SPring-8. 50 keV mono X-ray were used to measure reaction kinetics and stress-strain data. To monitor shear instabilities by detecting AEs, six piezoelectric devices were positioned between first and second stage anvils of MA 6-6 type system. We used three kinds of starting materials of polycrystalline antigorite, fine-grained forsterite polycrystal, and two-phase mixtures of antigorite and San Carlos olivine (10%, 30%, and 50%atg). Clear contrasts were observed in AE activities between forsterite and antigorite samples. AE activities detected within the forsterite polycrystal suggested (semi) brittle behaviors at low pressures during the cold compression stage.
Almost no AEs were detected within the antigorite samples during any stages of cold compression, ramping, deformation, and syndeformational dehydration although localized deformation textures were observed in recovered samples. Instead, we detected some AEs outside the sample

Evolution of water repellency of organic growing media used in Horticulture and consequences on hysteretic behaviours of the water retention curve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michel, Jean-Charles; Qi, Guifang; Charpentier, Sylvain; Boivin, Pascal

2010-05-01

Most of growing media used in horticulture (particularly peat substrates) shows hysteresis phenomena during desiccation and rehydration cycles, which greatly affects their hydraulic properties. The origins of these properties have often been related to one or several of the specific mechanisms such as the non-geometrical uniformity of the pores (also called ‘ink bottle' effect), presence of trapped air, shrinkage-swelling phenomena, and changes in water repellency. However, recent results showed that changes in wettability during desiccation and rehydration could be considered as one of the main factors leading to hysteretic behaviour in these materials with high organic matter contents (Naasz et al., 2008). The general objective was to estimate the evolutions of changes in water repellency on the water retention properties and associated hysteresis phenomena in relation to the intensity and the number of drying/wetting cycles. For this, simultaneous shrinkage/swelling and water retention curves were obtained using method previously developed for soil shrinkage analysis by Boivin (2006) that we have adapted for growing media and to their physical behaviours during rewetting. The experiment was performed in a climatic chamber at 20°C. A cylinder with the growing medium tested was placed on a porous ceramic disk which is used to control the pressure and to full/empty water of the sample. The whole of the device was then placed on a balance to record the water loss/storage with time; whereas linear displacement transducers were used to measure the changes in sample height and diameter upon drying and wetting in the axial and radial directions. Ceramic cups (2 cm long and 0.21 cm diameter) connected to pressure transducers were inserted in the middle of the samples to record the water pressure head. In parallell, contact angles were measured by direct droplet method at different steps during the drying/rewetting cycles. First results obtained on weakly decomposed

The Influence of Daily Stress on Sedentary Behavior: Group and Person (N of 1) Level Results of a 1-Year Observational Study.

PubMed

Diaz, Keith M; Thanataveerat, Anusorn; Parsons, Faith E; Yoon, Sunmoo; Cheung, Ying Kuen; Alcantara, Carmela; Duran, Andrea T; Ensari, Ipek; Krupka, David J; Schwartz, Joseph E; Burg, Matthew M; Davidson, Karina W

2018-05-24

The purpose of this study, which used mobile technologies to continuously collect data over 1 year, was to examine the association of psychological stress with objectively measured sedentary behavior in adults at both the group (e.g. nomothetic approach) and individual (e.g. idiographic approach) level. Data were collected in an observational study of healthy adults (n=79) residing in the New York City metro area who were studied for 365 days from 2014-2015. Sedentary behavior was objectively measured via accelerometry. A smartphone-based electronic diary was used to assess level of stress ("Overall, how stressful was your day?"; 0-10 scale) and sources of stress. The end-of-day stress rating was not associated with total sedentary time (B= -1.34, p=0.767) at the group-level. When specific sources of stress were evaluated at the group-level, argument-related stress was associated with increased sedentariness; while running late- and work-related stress were associated with decreased sedentariness. There was a substantial degree of inter-individual variability in the relationship of stress with sedentary behavior. Both the level and sources of stress were associated with increased sedentariness for some, decreased sedentariness for others, and had no effect for many (within-person variance p-value <0.001). These findings suggest that the influence of stress on sedentary behavior varies by source of stress and from person-to-person. A precision medicine approach may be warranted to target reductions in sedentary time; although further studies are needed to confirm the observed findings in light of study limitations including a small sample size and enrollment of participants from a single, urban metropolitan area.

Hysteresis, regime shifts, and non-stationarity in aquifer recharge-storage-discharge systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klammler, Harald; Jawitz, James; Annable, Michael; Hatfield, Kirk; Rao, Suresh

2016-04-01

Based on physical principles and geological information we develop a parsimonious aquifer model for Silver Springs, one of the largest karst springs in Florida. The model structure is linear and time-invariant with recharge, aquifer head (storage) and spring discharge as dynamic variables at the springshed (landscape) scale. Aquifer recharge is the hydrological driver with trends over a range of time scales from seasonal to multi-decadal. The freshwater-saltwater interaction is considered as a dynamic storage mechanism. Model results and observed time series show that aquifer storage causes significant rate-dependent hysteretic behavior between aquifer recharge and discharge. This leads to variable discharge per unit recharge over time scales up to decades, which may be interpreted as a gradual and cyclic regime shift in the aquifer drainage behavior. Based on field observations, we further amend the aquifer model by assuming vegetation growth in the spring run to be inversely proportional to stream velocity and to hinder stream flow. This simple modification introduces non-linearity into the dynamic system, for which we investigate the occurrence of rate-independent hysteresis and of different possible steady states with respective regime shifts between them. Results may contribute towards explaining observed non-stationary behavior potentially due to hydrological regime shifts (e.g., triggered by gradual, long-term changes in recharge or single extreme events) or long-term hysteresis (e.g., caused by aquifer storage). This improved understanding of the springshed hydrologic response dynamics is fundamental for managing the ecological, economic and social aspects at the landscape scale.

Analyses of Response-Stimulus Sequences in Descriptive Observations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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…

Observing Behavior and Atypically Restricted Stimulus Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dube, William V.; Dickson, Chata A.; Balsamo, Lyn M.; O'Donnell, Kristin Lombard; Tomanari, Gerson Y.; Farren, Kevin M.; Wheeler, Emily E.; McIlvane, William J.

2010-01-01

Restricted stimulus control refers to discrimination learning with atypical limitations in the range of controlling stimuli or stimulus features. In the study reported here, 4 normally capable individuals and 10 individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) performed two-sample delayed matching to sample. Sample-stimulus observing was recorded…

Magnetoresistance measurements in Ferro -- Antiferromagnetic bilayers based on the Ca-doped lanthanum manganite system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez, M. E.; Marin, L.; Ramirez, G.; Prieto, P.

2011-03-01

We studied the isothermal magnetic field dependence of the resistance behavior in ferromagnetic--antiferromagnetic interface based on the Ca-doped lanthanum manganite system at temperatures below Neel temperature of the antiferromagnetic layer. We studied the influence of the thickness of the AF-layer, tAF , and F-layer, tF , on the ZFC and FC magnetoresistance (MR) in La 2/3 Ca 1/3 Mn O3 (tF) / La 1/3 Ca 2(3 Mn O3 (tAF) bilayers. HFC was 400 Oe and the applied magnetic field, H. We systematically varied the tF and tAF thickness, maintaining constant the total bilayer thickness (d = tF +tAF) . We found that MR has hysteretic behavior as observed in [ La 2/3 Ca 1/3 Mn O3 (tF) / La 1/3 Ca 2(3 Mn O3 (tAF) ]N superlattices, but; MR increases with the increasing field from H=0 to a maximum and then decreases continuously. This behavior also appears for negative fields in both ZFC and FC loops. The position and magnitude of the maximum is not symmetric with respect to the axis H=0. Work supported by CENM-COLCIENCIAS contract RC-0043-(2005).

Caregiver Cognition and Behavior in Day-Care Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holloway, Susan D.

A study examined the relationship between change in daycare children's classroom behavior and the teacher's socialization behavior. Various behaviors of 69 children in 24 classrooms were observed and coded in the fall and spring of the school year. Observers coded teacher behavior according to the Caregiver Interaction Scale, which assesses…

Procedures for Classroom Observations: 1973-1974. Technical Report #19.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miley, Alan

This report describes classroom observation techniques used to record the behavior of educational specialists (teachers) and students in a kindergarten and a first grade classroom of the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP). Classroom behavior was observed and recorded daily during the 1973-1974 school year. Each student was observed three…

Profiles of Observed Infant Anger Predict Preschool Behavior Problems: Moderation by Life Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooker, Rebecca J.; Buss, Kristin A.; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Aksan, Nazan; Davidson, Richard J.; Goldsmith, H. Hill

2014-01-01

Using both traditional composites and novel profiles of anger, we examined associations between infant anger and preschool behavior problems in a large, longitudinal data set (N = 966). We also tested the role of life stress as a moderator of the link between early anger and the development of behavior problems. Although traditional measures of…

Effectiveness of outpatient cognitive-behavioral therapy for adolescents under routine care conditions on behavioral and emotional problems rated by parents and patients: an observational study.

PubMed

Walter, Daniel; Dachs, Lydia; Faber, Martin; Goletz, Hildegard; Goertz-Dorten, Anja; Hautmann, Christopher; Kinnen, Claudia; Rademacher, Christiane; Schuermann, Stephanie; Metternich-Kaizman, Tanja Wolff; Doepfner, Manfred

2018-01-01

Few studies have examined the effectiveness of outpatient cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) delivered in routine care settings for children and adolescents with mental disorders. This observational study examined changes in behavioral and emotional problems of adolescents with mental disorders during routine outpatient CBT delivered at a university outpatient clinic and compared them with a historical control group of youths who received academic tutoring of comparable length and intensity. Assessments were made at the start and end of treatment (pre- and post-assessment) using parent ratings of the German versions of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and self-ratings of the Youth Self-Report (YSR) scale. For the main analysis, 677 adolescents aged 11‒21 years had complete data. Changes from pre- to post-assessment showed significant reductions in mental health problems on both parent- and self-ratings. Pre- to post-effect sizes (Cohen's d) were small-to-medium for the total sample (d = 0.23 to d = 0.62) and medium-to-large for those adolescents rated in the clinical range on each (sub)scale at the start of treatment (d = 0.65 to d = 1.48). We obtained medium net effect sizes (d = 0.69) for the CBCL and YSR total scores when patients in the clinical range were compared to historical controls. However, a substantial part of the sample remained in the clinical range at treatment end. The results suggest that CBT is effective for adolescents with mental disorders when administered under routine care conditions but must be interpreted conservatively due to the lack of a direct control condition.

Measuring Attitudes That Bias Teacher Observation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marston, Paul T.; Clements, Richard O.

It was hypothesized that individual differences in observer attitudes might affect the way observers code teacher behavior. A questionnaire assessing educational attitudes was given to 22 subjects who were trained on 3 classroom observation systems: the Flanders Interaction Analysis, the Classroom Observation Scales, and the Classroom Observation…

Comparison of direct observational methods for measuring stereotypic behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Gardenier, Nicole Ciotti; MacDonald, Rebecca; Green, Gina

2004-01-01

We compared partial-interval recording (PIR) and momentary time sampling (MTS) estimates against continuous measures of the actual durations of stereotypic behavior in young children with autism or pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified. Twenty-two videotaped samples of stereotypy were scored using a low-tech duration recording method, and relative durations (i.e., proportions of observation periods consumed by stereotypy) were calculated. Then 10, 20, and 30s MTS and 10s PIR estimates of relative durations were derived from the raw duration data. Across all samples, PIR was found to grossly overestimate the relative duration of stereotypy. Momentary time sampling both over- and under-estimated the relative duration of stereotypy, but with much smaller errors than PIR (Experiment 1). These results were replicated across 27 samples of low, moderate and high levels of stereotypy (Experiment 2).

The role of teacher behavior management in the development of disruptive behaviors: an intervention study with the good behavior game.

PubMed

Leflot, Geertje; van Lier, Pol A C; Onghena, Patrick; Colpin, Hilde

2010-08-01

The role of teacher behavior management for children's disruptive behavior development (hyperactive and oppositional behavior) was investigated using a universal classroom preventive intervention study. Five-hundred seventy children were followed from second to third grade of elementary school. Observations of teacher behavior management and children's on-task and off-task classroom behavior and peer reports of hyperactive and oppositional behavior were available. Results showed that the reduced use of negative remarks of intervention teachers predicted children's increase in on-task behavior and decrease in talking-out behavior. These improved children's classroom behaviors in turn mediated the impact of the intervention on the development of hyperactive and oppositional behavior over the studied period. These results were similar for girls and boys. The results underscore the role of teachers' classroom management strategies in improving children's classroom behavior, which, in turn is an important component in the reduction of disruptive behavior development.

Observational Learning by Individuals with Autism: A Review of Teaching Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plavnick, Joshua B.; Hume, Kara A.

2014-01-01

Observational learning is the process used to explain the acquisition of novel behaviors or performance of previously acquired behaviors under novel conditions after observing the behavior of another person and the consequences that follow the behavior. Many learners with autism do not attend to environmental stimuli at a level sufficient to learn…

Cyclic behavior, development, and characteristics of a ductile hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer (DHFRP) for reinforced concrete members

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hampton, Francis Patrick

Reinforced concrete (R/C) structures especially pavements and bridge decks that constitute vital elements of the infrastructure of all industrialized societies are deteriorating prematurely. Structural repair and upgrading of these structural elements have become a more economical option for constructed facilities especially in the United States and Canada. One method of retrofitting concrete structures is the use of advanced materials. Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials typically are in the form of fabric sheets or reinforcing bars. While the strength and stiffness of the FRP is high, composites are inherently brittle, with limited or no ductility. Conventional FRP systems cannot currently meet ductility demand, and therefore, may fail in a catastrophic failure mode. The primary goal of this research was to develop an optimized prototype 10-mm diameter DHFRP bar. The behavior of the bar under full load reversals to failure was investigated. However, this bar first needed to be designed and manufactured in the Fibrous Materials Research at Drexel University. Material properties were determined through testing to categorize the strength properties of the DHFRP. Similitude was used to demonstrate the scaling of properties from the original model bars. The four most important properties of the DHFRP bars are sufficient strength and stiffness, significant ductility for plasticity to develop in the R/C section, and sufficient bond strength for the R/C section to develop its full strength. Once these properties were determined the behavior of reinforced concrete members was investigated. This included the testing of prototype-size beams under monotonic loading and model and prototype beam-columns under reverse cyclic loading. These tests confirmed the large ductility exhibited by the DHFRP. Also the energy absorption capacity of the bar was demonstrated by the hysteretic behavior of the beam-columns. Displacement ductility factors in the range of 3

Photochemical modeling of the Antarctic stratosphere: Observational constraints from the airborne Antarctic ozone experiment and implications for ozone behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Jose M.; Sze, Nien-Dak; Ko, Malcolm K. W.

1988-01-01

The rapid decrease in O3 column densities observed during Antarctic spring has been attributed to several chemical mechanisms involving nitrogen, bromine, or chlorine species, to dynamical mechanisms, or to a combination of the above. Chlorine-related theories, in particular, predict greatly elevated concentrations of ClO and OClO and suppressed abundances of NO2 below 22 km. The heterogeneous reactions and phase transitions proposed by these theories could also impact the concentrations of HCl, ClNO3 and HNO3 in this region. Observations of the above species have been carried out from the ground by the National Ozone Expedition (NOZE-I, 1986, and NOZE-II, 1987), and from aircrafts by the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE) during the austral spring of 1987. Observations of aerosol concentrations, size distribution and backscattering ratio from AAOE, and of aerosol extinction coefficients from the SAM-II satellite can also be used to deduce the altitude and temporal behavior of surfaces which catalyze heterogeneous mechanisms. All these observations provide important constraints on the photochemical processes suggested for the spring Antarctic stratosphere. Results are presented for the concentrations and time development of key trace gases in the Antarctic stratosphere, utilizing the AER photochemical model. This model includes complete gas-phase photochemistry, as well as heterogeneous reactions. Heterogeneous chemistry is parameterized in terms of surface concentrations of aerosols, collision frequencies between gas molecules and aerosol surfaces, concentrations of HCl/H2O in the frozen particles, and probability of reaction per collision (gamma). Values of gamma are taken from the latest laboratory measurements. The heterogeneous chemistry and phase transitions are assumed to occur between 12 and 22 km. The behavior of trace species at higher altitudes is calculated by the AER 2-D model without heterogeneous chemistry. Calculations are performed for

Tolerance and sensitization to inhaled 1,1,1-trichloroethane in mice: results from open-field behavior and a functional observational battery.

PubMed

Bowen, Scott E; Balster, Robert L