Dissolving variables in connectionist combinatory logic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnden, John; Srinivas, Kankanahalli

1990-01-01

A connectionist system which can represent and execute combinator expressions to elegantly solve the variable binding problem in connectionist networks is presented. This system is a graph reduction machine utilizing graph representations and traversal mechanisms similar to ones described in the BoltzCONS system of Touretzky (1986). It is shown that, as combinators eliminate variables by introducing special functions, these functions can be connectionistically implemented without reintroducing variable binding. This approach 'dissolves' an important part of the variable binding problem, in that a connectionist system still has to manipulate complex data structures, but those structures and their manipulations are rendered more uniform.

CALL FOR PAPERS: Special issue on the random search problem: trends and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Luz, Marcos G. E.; Grosberg, Alexander Y.; Raposo, Ernesto P.; Viswanathan, Gandhi M.

2008-11-01

This is a call for contributions to a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical dedicated to the subject of the random search problem. The motivation behind this special issue is to summarize in a single comprehensive publication, the main aspects (past and present), latest developments, different viewpoints and the directions being followed in this multidisciplinary field. We hope that such a special issue could become a particularly valuable reference for the broad scientific community working with the general random search problem. The Editorial Board has invited Marcos G E da Luz, Alexander Y Grosberg, Ernesto P Raposo and Gandhi M Viswanathan to serve as Guest Editors for the special issue. The general question of how to optimize the search for specific target objects in either continuous or discrete environments when the information available is limited is of significant importance in a broad range of fields. Representative examples include ecology (animal foraging, dispersion of populations), geology (oil recovery from mature reservoirs), information theory (automated researchers of registers in high-capacity database), molecular biology (proteins searching for their sites, e.g., on DNA ), etc. One reason underlying the richness of the random search problem relates to the `ignorance' of the locations of the randomly located `targets'. A statistical approach to the search problem can deal adequately with incomplete information and so stochastic strategies become advantageous. The general problem of how to search efficiently for randomly located target sites can thus be quantitatively described using the concepts and methods of statistical physics and stochastic processes. Scope Thus far, to the best of our knowledge, no recent textbook or review article in a physics journal has appeared on this topic. This makes a special issue with review and research articles attractive to those interested in acquiring a general introduction to the field. The subject can be approached from the perspective of different fields: ecology, networks, transport problems, molecular biology, etc. The study of the problem is particularly suited to the concepts and methods of statistical physics and stochastic processes; for example, fractals, random walks, anomalous diffusion. Discrete landscapes can be approached via graph theory, random lattices and complex networks. Such topics are regularly discussed in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical. All such aspects of the problem fall within the scope and focus of this special issue on the random search problem: trends and perspectives. Editorial policy All contributions to the special issue will be refereed in accordance with the refereeing policy of the journal. In particular, all research papers will be expected to be original work reporting substantial new results. The issue will also contain a number of review articles by invitation only. The Guest Editors reserve the right to judge whether a contribution fits the scope of the special issue. Guidelines for preparation of contributions We aim to publish the special issue in August 2009. To realize this, the DEADLINE for contributed papers is 15 January 2009. There is a page limit of 15 printed pages (approximately 9000 words) per contribution. For papers exceeding this limit, the Guest Editors reserve the right to request a reduction in length. Further advice on document preparation can be found at www.iop.org/Journals/jphysa. Contributions to the special issue should if possible be submitted electronically by web upload at www.iop.org/Journals/jphysa, or by email to jphysa@iop.org, quoting 'J. Phys. A Special Issue— Random Search Problem'. Please state whether the paper has been invited or is contributed. Submissions should ideally be in standard LaTeX form. Please see the website for further information on electronic submissions. Authors unable to submit electronically may send hard-copy contributions to: Publishing Administrators, Journal of Physics A, Institute of Physics Publishing, Dirac House, Temple Back, Bristol BS1 6BE, UK, enclosing electronic code on CD if available and quoting 'J. Phys. A Special Issue—Random Search Problem'. All contributions should be accompanied by a read-me file or covering letter giving the postal and e-mail addresses for correspondence. The Publishing Office should be notified of any subsequent change of address. This special issue will be published in the paper and online version of the journal. The corresponding author of each contribution will receive a complimentary copy of the issue.

Chromosome structures: reduction of certain problems with unequal gene content and gene paralogs to integer linear programming.

PubMed

Lyubetsky, Vassily; Gershgorin, Roman; Gorbunov, Konstantin

2017-12-06

Chromosome structure is a very limited model of the genome including the information about its chromosomes such as their linear or circular organization, the order of genes on them, and the DNA strand encoding a gene. Gene lengths, nucleotide composition, and intergenic regions are ignored. Although highly incomplete, such structure can be used in many cases, e.g., to reconstruct phylogeny and evolutionary events, to identify gene synteny, regulatory elements and promoters (considering highly conserved elements), etc. Three problems are considered; all assume unequal gene content and the presence of gene paralogs. The distance problem is to determine the minimum number of operations required to transform one chromosome structure into another and the corresponding transformation itself including the identification of paralogs in two structures. We use the DCJ model which is one of the most studied combinatorial rearrangement models. Double-, sesqui-, and single-operations as well as deletion and insertion of a chromosome region are considered in the model; the single ones comprise cut and join. In the reconstruction problem, a phylogenetic tree with chromosome structures in the leaves is given. It is necessary to assign the structures to inner nodes of the tree to minimize the sum of distances between terminal structures of each edge and to identify the mutual paralogs in a fairly large set of structures. A linear algorithm is known for the distance problem without paralogs, while the presence of paralogs makes it NP-hard. If paralogs are allowed but the insertion and deletion operations are missing (and special constraints are imposed), the reduction of the distance problem to integer linear programming is known. Apparently, the reconstruction problem is NP-hard even in the absence of paralogs. The problem of contigs is to find the optimal arrangements for each given set of contigs, which also includes the mutual identification of paralogs. We proved that these problems can be reduced to integer linear programming formulations, which allows an algorithm to redefine the problems to implement a very special case of the integer linear programming tool. The results were tested on synthetic and biological samples. Three well-known problems were reduced to a very special case of integer linear programming, which is a new method of their solutions. Integer linear programming is clearly among the main computational methods and, as generally accepted, is fast on average; in particular, computation systems specifically targeted at it are available. The challenges are to reduce the size of the corresponding integer linear programming formulations and to incorporate a more detailed biological concept in our model of the reconstruction.

[Geriatric assessment. Development, status quo and perspectives].

PubMed

Lüttje, D; Varwig, D; Teigel, B; Gilhaus, B

2011-08-01

Multimorbidity is typical for geriatric patients. Problems not identified in time may lead to increased hospitalisation or prolonged hospital stay. Problems of multimorbidity are not covered by most guidelines or clinical pathways. The geriatric assessment supports standard clinical and technical assessment. Geriatric identification screening is basic for general practitioners and in emergency rooms to filter those patients bearing a special risk. Geriatric basic assessment covers most of the problems relevant for people in old age, revealing even problems that had so far been hidden. It permits to structure a comprehensive and holistic therapeutic approach and to evaluate the targets of treatment relevant for independent living and well-being. This results in reduction of morbidity and mortality. Assessment tools focusing on pain, nutrition and frailty should be added to the standardized geriatric basic assessment in Germany.

Emotional/Behavioral difficulties and mental health service contacts of students in special education for non-mental health problems.

PubMed

Pastor, Patricia N; Reuben, Cynthia A

2009-02-01

Emotional/behavioral difficulties and mental health (MH) service contacts of 3 groups of youth were compared: students in special education for non-MH problems, students in special education for MH problems, and youth not in special education. Parents reported the characteristics, special education placement, emotional/behavioral difficulties, and MH service contacts of 25,122 youth aged 6-17 years in the National Health Interview Survey. Two thirds of students in special education received special education services for non-MH problems. Among students in special education for non-MH problems, 17% had serious emotional/behavioral difficulties compared with 51% of students in special education for MH problems and 4% of youth not in special education. MH service contacts were examined only for youth whose difficulties significantly interfered with their ability to function in or out of school. Among youth with serious difficulties, the percentage of youth without a recent MH service contact was greater for students in special education for non-MH problems (40%) and youth not in special education (47%) compared with students in special education for MH problems (13%). Compared with youth not in special education, students in special education for non-MH problems were 4 times more likely to have serious emotional/behavioral difficulties but were just as likely as youth not in special education to lack a recent MH service contact. Study findings provide a national context for considering the MH screening/evaluation needs of students receiving special education for non-MH problems.

Pearls of mandibular trauma management.

PubMed

Koshy, John C; Feldman, Evan M; Chike-Obi, Chuma J; Bullocks, Jamal M

2010-11-01

Mandibular trauma is a common problem seen by plastic surgeons. When fractures occur, they have the ability to affect the patient's occlusion significantly, cause infection, and lead to considerable pain. Interventions to prevent these sequelae require either closed or open forms of reduction and fixation. Physicians determining how to manage these injuries should take into consideration the nature of the injury, background information regarding the patient's health, and the patient's comorbidities. Whereas general principles guide the management of the majority of injuries, special consideration must be paid to the edentulous patient, complex and comminuted fractures, and pediatric patients. These topics are discussed in this article, with a special emphasis on pearls of mandibular trauma management.

Pearls of Mandibular Trauma Management

PubMed Central

Koshy, John C.; Feldman, Evan M.; Chike-Obi, Chuma J.; Bullocks, Jamal M.

2010-01-01

Mandibular trauma is a common problem seen by plastic surgeons. When fractures occur, they have the ability to affect the patient's occlusion significantly, cause infection, and lead to considerable pain. Interventions to prevent these sequelae require either closed or open forms of reduction and fixation. Physicians determining how to manage these injuries should take into consideration the nature of the injury, background information regarding the patient's health, and the patient's comorbidities. Whereas general principles guide the management of the majority of injuries, special consideration must be paid to the edentulous patient, complex and comminuted fractures, and pediatric patients. These topics are discussed in this article, with a special emphasis on pearls of mandibular trauma management. PMID:22550460

Physical Examination of the Female Cancer Patient with Sexual Concerns: What Oncologists and Patients Should Expect from Consultation with a Specialist

PubMed Central

Lindau, Stacy Tessler; Abramsohn, Emily M.; Baron, Shirley R.; Florendo, Judith; Haefner, Hope K.; Jhingran, Anuja; Kennedy, Vanessa; Krane, Mukta K.; Kushner, David M.; McComb, Jennifer; Merritt, Diane F.; Park, Julie E.; Siston, Amy; Straub, Margaret; Streicher, Lauren

2015-01-01

Sexual concerns are prevalent in women with cancer or cancer history and are a factor in patient decision-making about cancer treatment and risk-reduction options. Physical examination of the female cancer patient with sexual concerns, regardless of the type or site of her cancer, is an essential and early component of a comprehensive evaluation and effective treatment plan. Specialized practices are emerging that focus specifically on evaluation and treatment of women with cancer and sexual function problems. As part of a specialized evaluation, oncologists and their patients should expect a thorough physical examination to identify or rule out physical causes of sexual problems or dysfunction. This review provides oncology professionals with a description of the physical examination of the female cancer patient with sexual function concerns. This description aims to inform anticipatory guidance for the patient and to assist in interpreting specialists’ findings and recommendations. In centers or regions where specialized care is not yet available, this review can also be used by oncology practices to educate and support health care providers interested in expanding their practices to treat women with cancer and sexual function concerns. PMID:26784536

Topological charge quantization via path integration: An application of the Kustaanheimo-Stiefel transformation

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

Inomata, A.; Junker, G.; Wilson, R.

1993-08-01

The unified treatment of the Dirac monopole, the Schwinger monopole, and the Aharonov-Bahn problem by Barut and Wilson is revisited via a path integral approach. The Kustaanheimo-Stiefel transformation of space and time is utilized to calculate the path integral for a charged particle in the singular vector potential. In the process of dimensional reduction, a topological charge quantization rule is derived, which contains Dirac's quantization condition as a special case. 32 refs.

Wicked Problems in Special and Inclusive Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, David

2017-01-01

This special paper provides a critical overview of wicked problems in special and inclusive education. Practically, this paper provides a strategic framework for future special issues in the "Journal of Special Educational Needs". Critical attention is also given to the concept of a wicked problem when applied to research in special and…

Lateral conduction effects on heat-transfer data obtained with the phase-change paint technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maise, G.; Rossi, M. J.

1974-01-01

A computerized tool, CAPE, (Conduction Analysis Program using Eigenvalues) has been developed to account for lateral heat conduction in wind tunnel models in the data reduction of the phase-change paint technique. The tool also accounts for the effects of finite thickness (thin wings) and surface curvature. A special reduction procedure using just one time of melt is also possible on leading edges. A novel iterative numerical scheme was used, with discretized spatial coordinates but analytic integration in time, to solve the inverse conduction problem involved in the data reduction. A yes-no chart is provided which tells the test engineer when various corrections are large enough so that CAPE should be used. The accuracy of the phase-change paint technique in the presence of finite thickness and lateral conduction is also investigated.

Proceedings of REMR Workshop on Research Priorities for Drainage System and Relief Well Problems. Repair, Evaluation, Maintenance, and Rehabilitation Research Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-01

were checked by means of a cone penetrometer. Because of concerns that clogging would occur in the ran- dom zones, a special filter cloth sock was...that surrounded the pipes was dirty Figure 3. Old 24-in. BCCMP from toe drain; perforations are essentially plugged due to incrustation 46 Figure 4...associated deposits of ferric hydroxide have resulted in discolored water, unpalatable taste and odors , and reductions in flow through pipes. Additionally

Preventive education to cope with the drug problems of Latin America.

PubMed

Massun, E

1990-01-01

Insufficient resources, services, staff, facilities and attention at the policymaking level are devoted to demand reduction measures, especially preventive education for young persons. Instead, emphasis is placed on and disproportionate resources are allocated to supply reduction measures and activities such as suppressing and/or limiting the availability of illicit drugs. Prevention policy constitutes a viable approach to solving the problem of illicit drug trafficking and consumption. The crux of the problem is not the availability of illicit drugs, but the demand of consumers for the substances. Preventive education for the young is an indispensable ingredient of effective prevention policy. The school environment can be instrumental in developing systematic and lasting preventive education. An essential condition, which, according to the author, is lacking in Latin America, is that educators should be provided with the training and training tools needed to enable them to perform properly as agents of prevention policy. A number of recommendations to reduce illicit drug demand and consumption through prevention are made, including giving priority to a comprehensive and systematically applied prevention policy focusing on the young and involving an educational approach and tools that are progressive and highly specialized, as well as research that is intensified and of better quality.

The evolution of Israeli public policy for drug-using backpackers.

PubMed

Bonny-Noach, Hagit

2018-05-04

Over the past 20 years, the young-adult backpacking trip has emerged as a significant social phenomenon in Israeli society. This has received attention from scholars specializing in anthropology and tourism research, but only a few analytical studies exist on the drug policy processes and few provide Israeli social and health perspectives. The interaction of policymakers, media, and health deviancy is an important focus of inquiry. This study charts the establishment of a drug policy for Israeli backpackers. It covers the period from the emergence of the problem in the early 1990s until the present. This study employs content analysis of newspaper articles and official documents, protocols, and reports written by policymakers and professionals. The latter were mostly produced by the Israel Anti-Drug Authority (IADA) and the Special Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse (SCDAA) in the Israeli Knesset. These are the two major Israeli agencies responsible for drug policy. Three periods in the establishment of backpacker drug policy can be identified. First period - until late 1995: No drug problem was recognized. The subject was not part of the public agenda. Even so, many backpackers were actually taking drugs. Second Period - late 1995 to 2000: The Israeli media started to report intensively on backpacker drug use. The issue then flared up into a significant 'social problem' demanding health and social solutions. In this phase, policymakers capitalized on a window of opportunity, and formulated a policy emphasizing prevention. Third period - from 2001 until the present: A sea change in institutional attitude occurred. In this period, drug-policy emphasis shifted from prevention to therapeutic-treatment approaches. As a result, harm reduction and unique treatment strategies were developed. Policymakers should continue to improve health prevention, treatment, and harm reduction resources. It is recommended that the Ministry of Health set up consultation centers at clinics for travelers. These would provide support and assistance to backpackers before, during, and after their trips. The attention that Israel's drug policy for backpackers gives to prevention, treatment, and harm reduction is the first of its kind and unique. It can therefore serve as a model for other countries.

Use of asymptotic methods in vibration analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashley, H.

1978-01-01

The derivation of dynamic differential equations, suitable for studying the vibrations of rotating, curved, slender structures was examined, and the Hamiltonian procedure was advocated for this purpose. Various reductions of the full system are displayed, which govern the vibrating troposkien when various order of magnitude restrictions are placed on important parameters. Possible advantages of the WKB asymptotic method for solving these classes of problems are discussed. A special case of this method is used illustratively to calculate eigenvalues and eigenfunctions for a flat turbine blade with small flexural stiffness.

Large-Scale Calculations for Material Sciences Using Accelerators to Improve Time- and Energy-to-Solution

DOE PAGES

Eisenbach, Markus

2017-01-01

A major impediment to deploying next-generation high-performance computational systems is the required electrical power, often measured in units of megawatts. The solution to this problem is driving the introduction of novel machine architectures, such as those employing many-core processors and specialized accelerators. In this article, we describe the use of a hybrid accelerated architecture to achieve both reduced time to solution and the associated reduction in the electrical cost for a state-of-the-art materials science computation.

[Institutional Prevalence and Context of Severe Sleep Disorders in Psychosomatic Rehabilitation].

PubMed

Linden, Michael

2015-07-01

In cases of burnout, chronic fatigue, depression, somatization, overtaxation, or impairment in wellbeing and work capacity, the cause can be sleep problems. Goal of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of sleep problems in psychosomatic inpatients. Included were 1325 unselected patients from a psychosomatic rehabilitation hospital. They filled in the SCL-90, the PSQI and were assessed in respect to their clinical, social and occupational status. At admission 13.4% of patients had a PSQI score of 5 at maximum (no sleep problem), 34.6% 6 to 10 (moderate sleep problem) und 52.1% over 10 (severe sleep problem). At discharge there was a reduction of sleep problems with 32.7% of patients over 10. Sleep problems were significantly associated with more severe mental problems, older age, women, lower socioeconomic status, and also incapacity to work or early retirement. Mental disorders can cause sleep problems and sleep problems mental disorders and incapacity to work, with a negative interaction. The high rate of severe sleep problems in rehabilitation patients shows that this problem is in need of special diagnostic and therapeutic attention. Also, the equipment of hospitals and the qualification of therapists should allow adequate care. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Efficient quantum transmission in multiple-source networks.

PubMed

Luo, Ming-Xing; Xu, Gang; Chen, Xiu-Bo; Yang, Yi-Xian; Wang, Xiaojun

2014-04-02

A difficult problem in quantum network communications is how to efficiently transmit quantum information over large-scale networks with common channels. We propose a solution by developing a quantum encoding approach. Different quantum states are encoded into a coherent superposition state using quantum linear optics. The transmission congestion in the common channel may be avoided by transmitting the superposition state. For further decoding and continued transmission, special phase transformations are applied to incoming quantum states using phase shifters such that decoders can distinguish outgoing quantum states. These phase shifters may be precisely controlled using classical chaos synchronization via additional classical channels. Based on this design and the reduction of multiple-source network under the assumption of restricted maximum-flow, the optimal scheme is proposed for specially quantized multiple-source network. In comparison with previous schemes, our scheme can greatly increase the transmission efficiency.

Physical examination of the female cancer patient with sexual concerns: What oncologists and patients should expect from consultation with a specialist.

PubMed

Lindau, Stacy Tessler; Abramsohn, Emily M; Baron, Shirley R; Florendo, Judith; Haefner, Hope K; Jhingran, Anuja; Kennedy, Vanessa; Krane, Mukta K; Kushner, David M; McComb, Jennifer; Merritt, Diane F; Park, Julie E; Siston, Amy; Straub, Margaret; Streicher, Lauren

2016-05-01

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE Sexual concerns are prevalent in women with cancer or cancer history and are a factor in patient decision making about cancer treatment and risk-reduction options. Physical examination of the female cancer patient with sexual concerns, regardless of the type or site of her cancer, is an essential and early component of a comprehensive evaluation and effective treatment plan. Specialized practices are emerging that focus specifically on evaluation and treatment of women with cancer and sexual function problems. As part of a specialized evaluation, oncologists and their patients should expect a thorough physical examination to identify or rule out physical causes of sexual problems or dysfunction. This review provides oncology professionals with a description of the physical examination of the female cancer patient with sexual function concerns. This description aims to inform anticipatory guidance for the patient and to assist in interpreting specialists' findings and recommendations. In centers or regions where specialized care is not yet available, this review can also be used by oncology practices to educate and support health care providers interested in expanding their practices to treat women with cancer and sexual function concerns. CA Cancer J Clin 2016;66:241-263. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 American Cancer Society, Inc.

The Potential Role of Perceived Support for Reduction of Special Education Teachers' Burnout

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langher, Viviana; Caputo, Andrea; Ricci, Maria Elisabetta

2017-01-01

Teacher burnout is conceived as a general concern in special education because of the emotionally demanding work context. This study explored the potential role of perceived support for reduction of burnout in a sample of 276 special education teachers working in lower (n=130) and higher (n=146) secondary schools. Participants completed the…

A Linear Kernel for Co-Path/Cycle Packing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhi-Zhong; Fellows, Michael; Fu, Bin; Jiang, Haitao; Liu, Yang; Wang, Lusheng; Zhu, Binhai

Bounded-Degree Vertex Deletion is a fundamental problem in graph theory that has new applications in computational biology. In this paper, we address a special case of Bounded-Degree Vertex Deletion, the Co-Path/Cycle Packing problem, which asks to delete as few vertices as possible such that the graph of the remaining (residual) vertices is composed of disjoint paths and simple cycles. The problem falls into the well-known class of 'node-deletion problems with hereditary properties', is hence NP-complete and unlikely to admit a polynomial time approximation algorithm with approximation factor smaller than 2. In the framework of parameterized complexity, we present a kernelization algorithm that produces a kernel with at most 37k vertices, improving on the super-linear kernel of Fellows et al.'s general theorem for Bounded-Degree Vertex Deletion. Using this kernel,and the method of bounded search trees, we devise an FPT algorithm that runs in time O *(3.24 k ). On the negative side, we show that the problem is APX-hard and unlikely to have a kernel smaller than 2k by a reduction from Vertex Cover.

Tenth NASTRAN User's Colloquium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The development of the NASTRAN computer program, a general purpose finite element computer code for structural analysis, was discussed. The application and development of NASTRAN is presented in the following topics: improvements and enhancements; developments of pre and postprocessors; interactive review system; the use of harmonic expansions in magnetic field problems; improving a dynamic model with test data using Linwood; solution of axisymmetric fluid structure interaction problems; large displacements and stability analysis of nonlinear propeller structures; prediction of bead area contact load at the tire wheel interface; elastic plastic analysis of an overloaded breech ring; finite element solution of torsion and other 2-D Poisson equations; new capability for elastic aircraft airloads; usage of substructuring analysis in the get away special program; solving symmetric structures with nonsymmetric loads; evaluation and reduction of errors induced by Guyan transformation.

A Corresponding Lie Algebra of a Reductive homogeneous Group and Its Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yu-Feng; Wu, Li-Xin; Rui, Wen-Juan

2015-05-01

With the help of a Lie algebra of a reductive homogeneous space G/K, where G is a Lie group and K is a resulting isotropy group, we introduce a Lax pair for which an expanding (2+1)-dimensional integrable hierarchy is obtained by applying the binormial-residue representation (BRR) method, whose Hamiltonian structure is derived from the trace identity for deducing (2+1)-dimensional integrable hierarchies, which was proposed by Tu, et al. We further consider some reductions of the expanding integrable hierarchy obtained in the paper. The first reduction is just right the (2+1)-dimensional AKNS hierarchy, the second-type reduction reveals an integrable coupling of the (2+1)-dimensional AKNS equation (also called the Davey-Stewartson hierarchy), a kind of (2+1)-dimensional Schrödinger equation, which was once reobtained by Tu, Feng and Zhang. It is interesting that a new (2+1)-dimensional integrable nonlinear coupled equation is generated from the reduction of the part of the (2+1)-dimensional integrable coupling, which is further reduced to the standard (2+1)-dimensional diffusion equation along with a parameter. In addition, the well-known (1+1)-dimensional AKNS hierarchy, the (1+1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation are all special cases of the (2+1)-dimensional expanding integrable hierarchy. Finally, we discuss a few discrete difference equations of the diffusion equation whose stabilities are analyzed by making use of the von Neumann condition and the Fourier method. Some numerical solutions of a special stationary initial value problem of the (2+1)-dimensional diffusion equation are obtained and the resulting convergence and estimation formula are investigated. Supported by the Innovation Team of Jiangsu Province hosted by China University of Mining and Technology (2014), the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 11371361, the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2013XK03), and the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province under Grant No. ZR2013AL016

The integrated control concept and its relevance to current integrated pest management in California fresh market grapes.

PubMed

Bentley, Walter J

2009-12-01

The foundation of an integrated pest management program involves valid treatment thresholds, accurate and simple monitoring methods, effective natural controls, selective pesticides and trained individuals who can implement the concept. The Integrated Control Concept written by Stern, Smith, van den Bosch and Hagen elucidated each of these points in an alfalfa ecosystem. Alfalfa hay (Medicago sativa L.) has a low per acre value, requires little hand labor and is primarily marketed in the USA. In contrast, fresh market table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) has a high per acre value, requires frequent hand labor operations, suffers unacceptable cosmetic damage and is marketed throughout both the USA and the world. Each of the components of a working IPM program is present in table grape production. Marketing grapes to foreign countries presents special problems with pests considered invasive and where residue tolerances for some selective insecticides are lacking. However, fresh market grape farmers are still able to deal with these special problems and utilize an IPM program that has resulted in a 42% reduction in broad-spectrum insecticide use from 1995 to 2007. (c) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry.

Efficient Quantum Transmission in Multiple-Source Networks

PubMed Central

Luo, Ming-Xing; Xu, Gang; Chen, Xiu-Bo; Yang, Yi-Xian; Wang, Xiaojun

2014-01-01

A difficult problem in quantum network communications is how to efficiently transmit quantum information over large-scale networks with common channels. We propose a solution by developing a quantum encoding approach. Different quantum states are encoded into a coherent superposition state using quantum linear optics. The transmission congestion in the common channel may be avoided by transmitting the superposition state. For further decoding and continued transmission, special phase transformations are applied to incoming quantum states using phase shifters such that decoders can distinguish outgoing quantum states. These phase shifters may be precisely controlled using classical chaos synchronization via additional classical channels. Based on this design and the reduction of multiple-source network under the assumption of restricted maximum-flow, the optimal scheme is proposed for specially quantized multiple-source network. In comparison with previous schemes, our scheme can greatly increase the transmission efficiency. PMID:24691590

A complete and partial integrability technique of the Lorenz system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bougoffa, Lazhar; Al-Awfi, Saud; Bougouffa, Smail

2018-06-01

In this paper we deal with the well-known nonlinear Lorenz system that describes the deterministic chaos phenomenon. We consider an interesting problem with time-varying phenomena in quantum optics. Then we establish from the motion equations the passage to the Lorenz system. Furthermore, we show that the reduction to the third order non linear equation can be performed. Therefore, the obtained differential equation can be analytically solved in some special cases and transformed to Abel, Dufing, Painlevé and generalized Emden-Fowler equations. So, a motivating technique that permitted a complete and partial integrability of the Lorenz system is presented.

Ceramic applications in the advanced Stirling automotive engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomazic, W. A.; Cairelli, J. E.

1977-01-01

The ideal cycle, its application to a practical machine, and the specific advantages of high efficiency, low emissions, multi-fuel capability, and low noise of the stirling engine are discussed. Certain portions of the Stirling engine must operate continuously at high temperature. Ceramics offer the potential of cost reduction and efficiency improvement for advanced engine applications. Potential applications for ceramics in Stirling engines, and some of the special problems pertinent to using ceramics in the Stirling engine are described. The research and technology program in ceramics which is planned to support the development of advanced Stirling engines is outlined.

A Multiple Period Problem in Distributed Energy Management Systems Considering CO2 Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muroda, Yuki; Miyamoto, Toshiyuki; Mori, Kazuyuki; Kitamura, Shoichi; Yamamoto, Takaya

Consider a special district (group) which is composed of multiple companies (agents), and where each agent responds to an energy demand and has a CO2 emission allowance imposed. A distributed energy management system (DEMS) optimizes energy consumption of a group through energy trading in the group. In this paper, we extended the energy distribution decision and optimal planning problem in DEMSs from a single period problem to a multiple periods one. The extension enabled us to consider more realistic constraints such as demand patterns, the start-up cost, and minimum running/outage times of equipment. At first, we extended the market-oriented programming (MOP) method for deciding energy distribution to the multiple periods problem. The bidding strategy of each agent is formulated by a 0-1 mixed non-linear programming problem. Secondly, we proposed decomposing the problem into a set of single period problems in order to solve it faster. In order to decompose the problem, we proposed a CO2 emission allowance distribution method, called an EP method. We confirmed that the proposed method was able to produce solutions whose group costs were close to lower-bound group costs by computational experiments. In addition, we verified that reduction in computational time was achieved without losing the quality of solutions by using the EP method.

Efficient Implementations of the Quadrature-Free Discontinuous Galerkin Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lockard, David P.; Atkins, Harold L.

1999-01-01

The efficiency of the quadrature-free form of the dis- continuous Galerkin method in two dimensions, and briefly in three dimensions, is examined. Most of the work for constant-coefficient, linear problems involves the volume and edge integrations, and the transformation of information from the volume to the edges. These operations can be viewed as matrix-vector multiplications. Many of the matrices are sparse as a result of symmetry, and blocking and specialized multiplication routines are used to account for the sparsity. By optimizing these operations, a 35% reduction in total CPU time is achieved. For nonlinear problems, the calculation of the flux becomes dominant because of the cost associated with polynomial products and inversion. This component of the work can be reduced by up to 75% when the products are approximated by truncating terms. Because the cost is high for nonlinear problems on general elements, it is suggested that simplified physics and the most efficient element types be used over most of the domain.

Combined Delivery of Consolidating Pulps to the Remote Sites of Deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golik, V. I.; Efremenkov, A. B.

2017-07-01

The problems of modern mining production include limitation of the scope of application of environmental and resource-saving technologies with application of consolidating pulps when developing the sites of the ore field remote from the stowing complexes which leads to the significant reduction of the performance indicators of underground mining of metallic ores. Experimental approach to the problem solution is characterized by the proof of technological capability and efficiency of the combined vibration-pneumatic-gravity-flowing method of pulps delivery at the distance exceeding the capacity of current delivery methods as it studies the vibration phenomenon in industrial special structure pipeline. The results of the full-scale experiment confirm the theoretical calculations of the capability of consolidating stowing delivery of common composition at the distance exceeding the capacity of usual pneumatic-gravity-flowing delivery method due to reduction of the friction-induced resistance of the consolidating stowing to the movement along the pipeline. The parameters of the interaction of the consolidating stowing components improve in the process of its delivery via the pipeline resulting in the stowing strength increase, completeness of subsurface use improves, the land is saved for agricultural application and the environmental stress is relieved.

Quality improvement for integrated management of patients with type 2 diabetes (PRIHTA project stage 1).

PubMed

Paccagnella, Agostino; Mauri, Alessandra; Spinella, Nello

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study was to show how a different collaborative relationship with family doctors and increasingly specialized diabetologists could lead to a 50% reduction in recurrent appointments due to procedural errors and a 50% reduction in the average waiting times for a specialist medical visit. A qualitative and quantitative definition of the problem was made using the Lean Six Sigma method: (Define); process indicators were observed that might interfere with the objectives of this study (Measure); descriptive statistics were used to confirm the validity and significance of the results (Analyze); and finally strategies were established to intervene on these variables (Improve). Four groups of action led to optimization of the objectives: (1) establishing clinical protocols for primary care physicians for treating hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes and hyperglycemia; (2) increasing the autonomy of nursing care staff; (3) reorganizing the appointments booking office; and (4) making diabetes clinics more specialized. Thanks to this project, primary care physicians have rediscovered their role and defined their diagnostic-therapeutic function under a shared scientific protocol. The model presented in this study provides scope for reflection on the role of the diabetologist, proposing an "alternative" that concerns only the care of patients with metabolic decompensation.

Strategies for an effective tobacco harm reduction policy in Indonesia

PubMed Central

Nurwidya, Fariz; Takahashi, Fumiyuki; Baskoro, Hario; Hidayat, Moulid; Yunus, Faisal; Takahashi, Kazuhisa

2014-01-01

Tobacco consumption is a major causative agent for various deadly diseases such as coronary artery disease and cancer. It is the largest avoidable health risk in the world, causing more problems than alcohol, drug use, high blood pressure, excess body weight or high cholesterol. As countries like Indonesia prepare to develop national policy guidelines for tobacco harm reduction, the scientific community can help by providing continuous ideas and a forum for sharing and distributing information, drafting guidelines, reviewing best practices, raising funds, and establishing partnerships. We propose several strategies for reducing tobacco consumption, including advertisement interference, cigarette pricing policy, adolescent smoking prevention policy, support for smoking cessation therapy, special informed consent for smokers, smoking prohibition in public spaces, career incentives, economic incentives, and advertisement incentives. We hope that these strategies would assist people to avoid starting smoking or in smoking cessation. PMID:25518881

[Miraculous low carbohydrate or carbophobic diets: evidence-based nursing perspective].

PubMed

Casado Dones, María José; Fraile Villar, María Isabel; Juárez Bonilla, Mónica; Moreno González, Cristina; Martín Rodríguez, María

2016-01-01

Given the obesity epidemic in Western society today, as well as its influence on population's health as a risk factor for the most pressing health problems, diet treatment to control overweight ought to be considered as a priority in the specialized and primary health nursing care. A review of some supposedly miraculous diets, based on drastic reduction of consumed carbohydrates, as well as the available scientific evidence show that such diets pose a health hazard besides being ineffective to control excess weight in the short- and long-term. The negative consequences of a reduction of the percentage of consumed carbohydrates, thus resulting in an increase of proteins in the diet are set forth. Besides, suitable recommendations for patients to get loss weight are presented in an effective and safe manner. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[Ecological security of wastewater treatment processes: a review].

PubMed

Yang, Sai; Hua, Tao

2013-05-01

Though the regular indicators of wastewater after treatment can meet the discharge requirements and reuse standards, it doesn't mean the effluent is harmless. From the sustainable point of view, to ensure the ecological and human security, comprehensive toxicity should be considered when discharge standards are set up. In order to improve the ecological security of wastewater treatment processes, toxicity reduction should be considered when selecting and optimizing the treatment processes. This paper reviewed the researches on the ecological security of wastewater treatment processes, with the focus on the purposes of various treatment processes, including the processes for special wastewater treatment, wastewater reuse, and for the safety of receiving waters. Conventional biological treatment combined with advanced oxidation technologies can enhance the toxicity reduction on the base of pollutants removal, which is worthy of further study. For the process aimed at wastewater reuse, the integration of different process units can complement the advantages of both conventional pollutants removal and toxicity reduction. For the process aimed at ecological security of receiving waters, the emphasis should be put on the toxicity reduction optimization of process parameters and process unit selection. Some suggestions for the problems in the current research and future research directions were put forward.

Special Diabetes Program for Indians: Retention in Cardiovascular Risk Reduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manson, Spero M.; Jiang, Luohua; Zhang, Lijing; Beals, Janette; Acton, Kelly J.; Roubideaux, Yvette

2011-01-01

Purpose: This study examined the associations between participant and site characteristics and retention in a multisite cardiovascular disease risk reduction project. Design and Methods: Data were derived from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Healthy Heart Demonstration Project, an intervention to reduce cardiovascular risk among American…

The consequences of the economic crisis in radiology.

PubMed

2015-12-01

The effects of the economic crisis have led to complex problems in radiology. The crisis has led to a reduction in the turnover of imaging equipment. This reflects on the quantity and quality of output, an aspect which is worsened by the contraction of the radiology market, late payments on supplies, and competitive procurement of medical goods centralized on a regional or national level. Many local and national institutions have operated with significant reductions of reimbursement for procedures, forcing a reorganization of facilities, manpower, and equipment. The reduction in operating margins of the industry has resulted in a reduction of invested capital for projects of industrial R&D and direct or indirect sponsorship. The quality of care will be affected with less comfortable conditions, reduction of local availability of radiologists, and failure to invest in lower dose equipment to control population medical radiation exposure. The crisis resulted in a reduction in the number of graduates in medicine and scholarships for specialization induced by linear cuts will result in a drastic reduction of radiological specialists. This will favour the development of teleradiology services, with the risk of accelerating the demedicalisation of radiology departments, and isolation of the professionals. • The economic crisis has led to reduction in the turnover of imaging equipment. • The economic crisis has led to reductions of reimbursement for procedures. • The economic crisis has led to reductions in operating margins of the industry. • The economic crisis has led to contraction of quantity and quality of output. • The economic crisis resulted in demedicalisation of radiology departments and isolation of professionals.

Mental Health Services and Public Safety: Substance Abuse Outpatient Visits Were Associated with Reduced Crime Rates in a Swedish Cohort.

PubMed

Durbeej, Natalie; Palmstierna, Tom; Rosendahl, Ingvar; Berman, Anne H; Kristiansson, Marianne; Gumpert, Clara Hellner

2015-01-01

Substance abuse is related to offending and substance abuse treatment has been associated with reductions in criminal behavior. This cohort study aimed to explore the relationship between participation in substance abuse interventions and general criminal recidivism among offenders with a combination of mental health problems and substance use problems. In total, 150 Swedish offenders with self-reported mental health and substance use problems were followed for approximately three years with regard to participation in substance abuse interventions and criminal recidivism. Participants with at least three planned visits to specialized outpatient substance abuse clinics had a substantially reduced risk of reoffending as compared to those with fewer than three such visits (HR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.29-0.77). For those with at least three planned visits, general criminal recidivism was reduced by 75% during periods of participation in outpatient visits, as compared to periods of non-participation (HR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.11-0.60). For offenders with mental health problems and substance use problems, outpatient substance abuse interventions could be regarded as important from a clinical risk management perspective, and be encouraged.

Mental Health Services and Public Safety: Substance Abuse Outpatient Visits Were Associated with Reduced Crime Rates in a Swedish Cohort

PubMed Central

Durbeej, Natalie; Palmstierna, Tom; Rosendahl, Ingvar; Berman, Anne H.; Kristiansson, Marianne; Gumpert, Clara Hellner

2015-01-01

Substance abuse is related to offending and substance abuse treatment has been associated with reductions in criminal behavior. This cohort study aimed to explore the relationship between participation in substance abuse interventions and general criminal recidivism among offenders with a combination of mental health problems and substance use problems. In total, 150 Swedish offenders with self-reported mental health and substance use problems were followed for approximately three years with regard to participation in substance abuse interventions and criminal recidivism. Participants with at least three planned visits to specialized outpatient substance abuse clinics had a substantially reduced risk of reoffending as compared to those with fewer than three such visits (HR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.29–0.77). For those with at least three planned visits, general criminal recidivism was reduced by 75% during periods of participation in outpatient visits, as compared to periods of non-participation (HR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.11–0.60). For offenders with mental health problems and substance use problems, outpatient substance abuse interventions could be regarded as important from a clinical risk management perspective, and be encouraged. PMID:26356604

Dynamic emulation modelling for the optimal operation of water systems: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castelletti, A.; Galelli, S.; Giuliani, M.

2014-12-01

Despite sustained increase in computing power over recent decades, computational limitations remain a major barrier to the effective and systematic use of large-scale, process-based simulation models in rational environmental decision-making. Whereas complex models may provide clear advantages when the goal of the modelling exercise is to enhance our understanding of the natural processes, they introduce problems of model identifiability caused by over-parameterization and suffer from high computational burden when used in management and planning problems. As a result, increasing attention is now being devoted to emulation modelling (or model reduction) as a way of overcoming these limitations. An emulation model, or emulator, is a low-order approximation of the process-based model that can be substituted for it in order to solve high resource-demanding problems. In this talk, an overview of emulation modelling within the context of the optimal operation of water systems will be provided. Particular emphasis will be given to Dynamic Emulation Modelling (DEMo), a special type of model complexity reduction in which the dynamic nature of the original process-based model is preserved, with consequent advantages in a wide range of problems, particularly feedback control problems. This will be contrasted with traditional non-dynamic emulators (e.g. response surface and surrogate models) that have been studied extensively in recent years and are mainly used for planning purposes. A number of real world numerical experiences will be used to support the discussion ranging from multi-outlet water quality control in water reservoir through erosion/sedimentation rebalancing in the operation of run-off-river power plants to salinity control in lake and reservoirs.

The contribution of housing and neighbourhood conditions to educational inequalities in non-communicable diseases in Europe: findings from the European Social Survey (2014) special module on the social determinants of health.

PubMed

McNamara, Courtney L; Balaj, Mirza; Thomson, Katie H; Eikemo, Terje A; Bambra, Clare

2017-02-01

Social gradients have been found across European populations, where less affluent groups are more often affected by poor housing and neighbourhood conditions. While poor housing and neighbourhood quality have been associated with a range of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), these conditions have rarely been applied to the examination of socioeconomic differences in NCDs. This study therefore asks ‘to what extent does adjusting for poor housing and neighbourhood conditions reduce inequalities in NCDs among men and women in Europe’? Our analysis used pooled-data from 20 European countries for women (n= 12 794) and men (n= 11 974), aged 25–75, from round 7 of the European Social Survey. Fourteen NCDs were investigated: heart/circulatory problems, high blood pressure, back pain, arm/hand pain, foot/leg pain, allergies, breathing problems, stomach/digestion problems, skin conditions, diabetes, severe headaches, cancer, obesity and depression. We used binary logistic regression models, stratified by gender, and adjusted rate ratios to examine whether educational inequalities in NCDs were reduced after controlling for poor housing and neighbourhood quality. Overall, we find that adjusting for poor housing and neighbourhood quality reduces inequalities in NCDs. While reductions were relatively small for some NCDs–for high blood pressure, reductions were found in the range of 0–4.27% among women—for other conditions reductions were more considerable. Controlling for both housing and neighbourhood conditions for example, reduced inequalities by 16–24% for severe headaches and 14–30% for breathing problems. Social gradients in poor housing and neighbourhood quality could be an important contributor to educational inequalities in some NCDs. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Advanced Risk Reduction Tool (ARRT) Special Case Study Report: Science and Engineering Technical Assessments (SETA) Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirsch, Paul J.; Hayes, Jane; Zelinski, Lillian

2000-01-01

This special case study report presents the Science and Engineering Technical Assessments (SETA) team's findings for exploring the correlation between the underlying models of Advanced Risk Reduction Tool (ARRT) relative to how it identifies, estimates, and integrates Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) activities. The special case study was conducted under the provisions of SETA Contract Task Order (CTO) 15 and the approved technical approach documented in the CTO-15 Modification #1 Task Project Plan.

Electric load management and energy conservation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kheir, N. A.

1976-01-01

Electric load management and energy conservation relate heavily to the major problems facing power industry at present. The three basic modes of energy conservation are identified as demand reduction, increased efficiency and substitution for scarce fuels. Direct and indirect load management objectives are to reduce peak loads and have future growth in electricity requirements in such a manner to cause more of it to fall off the system's peak. In this paper, an overview of proposed and implemented load management options is presented. Research opportunities exist for the evaluation of socio-economic impacts of energy conservation and load management schemes specially on the electric power industry itself.

Stability of discrete time recurrent neural networks and nonlinear optimization problems.

PubMed

Singh, Jayant; Barabanov, Nikita

2016-02-01

We consider the method of Reduction of Dissipativity Domain to prove global Lyapunov stability of Discrete Time Recurrent Neural Networks. The standard and advanced criteria for Absolute Stability of these essentially nonlinear systems produce rather weak results. The method mentioned above is proved to be more powerful. It involves a multi-step procedure with maximization of special nonconvex functions over polytopes on every step. We derive conditions which guarantee an existence of at most one point of local maximum for such functions over every hyperplane. This nontrivial result is valid for wide range of neuron transfer functions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multichannel quench-flow microreactor chip for parallel reaction monitoring.

PubMed

Bula, Wojciech P; Verboom, Willem; Reinhoudt, David N; Gardeniers, Han J G E

2007-12-01

This paper describes a multichannel silicon-glass microreactor which has been utilized to investigate the kinetics of a Knoevenagel condensation reaction under different reaction conditions. The reaction is performed on the chip in four parallel channels under identical conditions but with different residence times. A special topology of the reaction coils overcomes the common problem arising from the difference in pressure drop of parallel channels having different length. The parallelization of reaction coils combined with chemical quenching at specific locations results in a considerable reduction in experimental effort and cost. The system was tested and showed good reproducibility in flow properties and reaction kinetic data generation.

A VLSI architecture for performing finite field arithmetic with reduced table look-up

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, I. S.; Truong, T. K.; Reed, I. S.

1986-01-01

A new table look-up method for finding the log and antilog of finite field elements has been developed by N. Glover. In his method, the log and antilog of a field element is found by the use of several smaller tables. The method is based on a use of the Chinese Remainder Theorem. The technique often results in a significant reduction in the memory requirements of the problem. A VLSI architecture is developed for a special case of this new algorithm to perform finite field arithmetic including multiplication, division, and the finding of an inverse element in the finite field.

Risk factors in the development of behaviour difficulties among students with special educational needs and disabilities: A multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Oldfield, Jeremy; Humphrey, Neil; Hebron, Judith

2017-06-01

Students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are more likely to exhibit behaviour difficulties than their typically developing peers. The aim of this study was to identify specific risk factors that influence variability in behaviour difficulties among individuals with SEND. The study sample comprised 4,228 students with SEND, aged 5-15, drawn from 305 primary and secondary schools across England. Explanatory variables were measured at the individual and school levels at baseline, along with a teacher-reported measure of behaviour difficulties (assessed at baseline and at 18-month follow-up). Hierarchical linear modelling of data revealed that differences between schools accounted for between 13% (secondary) and 15.4% (primary) of the total variance in the development of students' behaviour difficulties, with the remainder attributable to individual differences. Statistically significant risk markers for these problems across both phases of education were being male, eligibility for free school meals, being identified as a bully, and lower academic achievement. Additional risk markers specific to each phase of education at the individual and school levels are also acknowledged. Behaviour difficulties are affected by risks across multiple ecological levels. Addressing any one of these potential influences is therefore likely to contribute to the reduction in the problems displayed. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Attributions for Problem Behavior as Described by Turkish Teachers of Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erbas, Dilek; Turan, Yasemin; Aslan, Yesim Gulec; Dunlap, Glen

2010-01-01

The purpose of this survey study was to determine Turkish teachers' attributions of problem behaviors. The participants' (special education teachers) attributions of problem behaviors varied with some teachers showing agreement with a behavioral perspective while others attributed the occurrence of problem behaviors to other factors (e.g., poor…

A bicriteria heuristic for an elective surgery scheduling problem.

PubMed

Marques, Inês; Captivo, M Eugénia; Vaz Pato, Margarida

2015-09-01

Resource rationalization and reduction of waiting lists for surgery are two main guidelines for hospital units outlined in the Portuguese National Health Plan. This work is dedicated to an elective surgery scheduling problem arising in a Lisbon public hospital. In order to increase the surgical suite's efficiency and to reduce the waiting lists for surgery, two objectives are considered: maximize surgical suite occupation and maximize the number of surgeries scheduled. This elective surgery scheduling problem consists of assigning an intervention date, an operating room and a starting time for elective surgeries selected from the hospital waiting list. Accordingly, a bicriteria surgery scheduling problem arising in the hospital under study is presented. To search for efficient solutions of the bicriteria optimization problem, the minimization of a weighted Chebyshev distance to a reference point is used. A constructive and improvement heuristic procedure specially designed to address the objectives of the problem is developed and results of computational experiments obtained with empirical data from the hospital are presented. This study shows that by using the bicriteria approach presented here it is possible to build surgical plans with very good performance levels. This method can be used within an interactive approach with the decision maker. It can also be easily adapted to other hospitals with similar scheduling conditions.

Development of the competitive business in the context of environmental legislation in Croatia.

PubMed

Matesić, Mirjana; Kalambura, Sanja; Bacun, Dubravka

2014-03-01

Environmental protection has a key role in the context of crisis management. It is not just about development of the industry of environmental protection and implementation of new ways of management in innovative solutions in solving problems. Important area of improvement is also revision of environmental legislation aiming at simplification and reduction of costs of procedures for the business. This paper discusses problems of business sector in Croatia related to transposition of demanding environmental EU regulation, it suggests improvements such as simplification of special waste management systems, of environmental impact assessments processes, environmental permitting etc. The paper considers revision of environmental protection not by lowering environmental standards, but by introducing transparent and compromising models between business and environmental protection, based on sustainable development, with control mechanisms which don't impact functioning of business sector (and its competitiveness), therefore allowing successful protection of environment and its renewable and non-renewable resources.

Psychological science's contributions to a sustainable environment: extending our reach to a grand challenge of society.

PubMed

Kazdin, Alan E

2009-01-01

Climate change and degradation of the environment are global problems associated with many other challenges (e.g., population increases, reduction of glaciers, and loss of critical habitats). Psychological science can play a critical role in addressing these problems by fostering a sustainable environment. Multiple strategies for fostering a sustainable environment could draw from the diversity of topics and areas of specialization within psychology. Psychological research on fostering environmentally sustainable behaviors is rather well developed, as illustrated by interventions focusing on education of the public, message framing, feedback, decision making, the media, incentives and disincentives, and social marketing. Other sciences and professions as well as religion and ethics are actively involved in fostering a sustainable environment. Psychology ought to be more involved directly, systematically, and visibly to draw on our current knowledge and to have palpable impact. We would serve the world very well and in the process our discipline and profession.

Trends in parent-reported emotional and behavioral problems among children using special education services.

PubMed

Pastor, Patricia N; Reuben, Cynthia A

2015-06-01

This report describes trends in health conditions reported by parents as the limitations leading to special education services for their children. Data are reported for children ages 6-17 (N=182,998) surveyed in households in the 2001-2012 National Health Interview Survey. Between 2001 and 2012, the overall percentage of U.S. children ages 6-17 who were receiving special education services increased from 7.2% to 8.7%. Between 2001 and 2012, the leading causes of activity limitations among children receiving special education services included emotional or behavioral problems, which increased from 36% to 43%; speech problems, which increased from 16% to 22%; and learning disability, which decreased from 41% to 27%. There were no significant trends in any of the other conditions considered as possible sources of activity limitations. Emotional and behavioral problems have become the most frequently reported source of activity limitations among children receiving special education services.

Problem-Solving Model for Decision Making with High-Incidence Disabilities: The Minneapolis Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marston, Doug; Muyskens, Paul; Lau, Matthew; Canter, Andrea

2003-01-01

This article describes the problem-solving model (PSM) used in the Minneapolis Public Schools to guide decisions regarding intervention in general education, special education referral, and evaluation for special education eligibility for high-incidence disabilities. Program evaluation indicates students received special education services earlier…

Recent advances in reduction methods for nonlinear problems. [in structural mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, A. K.

1981-01-01

Status and some recent developments in the application of reduction methods to nonlinear structural mechanics problems are summarized. The aspects of reduction methods discussed herein include: (1) selection of basis vectors in nonlinear static and dynamic problems, (2) application of reduction methods in nonlinear static analysis of structures subjected to prescribed edge displacements, and (3) use of reduction methods in conjunction with mixed finite element models. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of reduction methods in nonlinear problems. Also, a number of research areas which have high potential for application of reduction methods are identified.

A Review of Youth Employment Problems, Programs & Policies: Volume 2. Special Needs and Concentrated Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vice President's Task Force on Youth Employment, Washington, DC.

This series of nine reports reviews available information on the special needs and concentrated problems of youth employment. (It constitutes the second of a three-volume compendium; other volumes examine causes and dimensions of youth employment problems and analyze program experience--see note.) The effects of discrimination on minority youth…

45 CFR 1620.3 - Establishing priorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... other efforts to solve particular problems in the area served; (10) Whether legal efforts will result in... recipient, including all significant segments of that population with special legal problems or special... particular legal problems to the individual clients of the recipient; (8) The susceptibility of particular...

OIL SPILL RESPONSE SCENARIOS FOR REMOTE ARCTIC ENVIRONMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Special problems occur during oil spill cleanup in remote inland areas in cold climates. In Alaska these problems result from the harsh climate, the unusual terrain features, and the special problems of spills along swift rivers. The analysis begins with a description of the envi...

Obesity with Comorbid Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women: A Narrative Review to Inform Dietetics Practice.

PubMed

Gordon, Barbara; Shorter, Barbara; Isoldi, Kathy Keenan; Moldwin, Robert M

2017-06-01

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common problem among women; clinical treatment guidelines include weight reduction as a strategy for controlling urinary leakage. The purpose of this review was to gather evidence on the association between obesity and SUI and to ascertain whether there are any special considerations for implementing medical nutrition therapy with community-dwelling, obese, adult females with comorbid SUI. Five key findings emerged: epidemiologic studies consistently report statistically significant associations between obesity and SUI, randomized control trials found that weight loss appears to ameliorate SUI symptoms, the SUI-activity link may affect weight management, there is a potential interplay between SUI and the obesity-sleep connection, and dietary components are associated with the exacerbation of urinary symptoms. The pathogenesis of SUI and obesity-related contributions to urinary leakage is included in the introductory discussion. Lastly, insights on special considerations for implementing nutrition interventions with this population are offered. Copyright © 2017 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Special Education in East Germany under Communist Domination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sengstock, Wayne L.; Ruttgardt, Sieglind Ellger

1995-01-01

This article describes the development of special education in East Germany from the close of World War II through the cold war period, and examines the problems and challenges currently facing special education in a reunified Germany. These include a lack of infrastructure, economic needs, staffing problems, and needed curriculum changes. (DB)

Special Medical Problems of Athletes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Couch, Joan M.

1987-01-01

This article addresses the situations in which athletes with special needs and considerations participate in sports. The health problems discussed are diabetes mellitus, exercise-induced asthma, exercise-induced anaphylaxis, and epilepsy. (MT)

Harm Reduction as “Continuum Care” in Alcohol Abuse Disorder

PubMed Central

Maremmani, Icro; Cibin, Mauro; Pani, Pier Paolo; Rossi, Alessandro; Turchetti, Giuseppe

2015-01-01

Alcohol abuse is one of the most important risk factors for health and is a major cause of death and morbidity. Despite this, only about one-tenth of individuals with alcohol abuse disorders receive therapeutic intervention and specific rehabilitation. Among the various dichotomies that limit an effective approach to the problem of alcohol use disorder treatment, one of the most prominent is integrated treatment versus harm reduction. For years, these two divergent strategies have been considered to be opposite poles of different philosophies of intervention. One is bound to the search for methods that aim to lead the subject to complete abstinence; the other prioritizes a progressive decline in substance use, with maximum reduction in the damage that is correlated with curtailing that use. Reduction of alcohol intake does not require any particular setting, but does require close collaboration between the general practitioner, specialized services for addiction, alcohology services and psychiatry. In patients who reach that target, significant savings in terms of health and social costs can be achieved. Harm reduction is a desirable target, even from an economic point of view. At the present state of neuroscientific knowledge, it is possible to go one step further in the logic that led to the integration of psychosocial and pharmacological approaches, by attempting to remove the shadows of social judgment that, at present, are aiming for a course of treatment that is directed towards absolute abstention. PMID:26610535

On the suitability of different representations of solid catalysts for combinatorial library design by genetic algorithms.

PubMed

Gobin, Oliver C; Schüth, Ferdi

2008-01-01

Genetic algorithms are widely used to solve and optimize combinatorial problems and are more often applied for library design in combinatorial chemistry. Because of their flexibility, however, their implementation can be challenging. In this study, the influence of the representation of solid catalysts on the performance of genetic algorithms was systematically investigated on the basis of a new, constrained, multiobjective, combinatorial test problem with properties common to problems in combinatorial materials science. Constraints were satisfied by penalty functions, repair algorithms, or special representations. The tests were performed using three state-of-the-art evolutionary multiobjective algorithms by performing 100 optimization runs for each algorithm and test case. Experimental data obtained during the optimization of a noble metal-free solid catalyst system active in the selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with propene was used to build up a predictive model to validate the results of the theoretical test problem. A significant influence of the representation on the optimization performance was observed. Binary encodings were found to be the preferred encoding in most of the cases, and depending on the experimental test unit, repair algorithms or penalty functions performed best.

Education Finance Reform. Voices for Illinois Children Special Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagle, Ami; Kim, Robert

This special report reviews problems in Illinois' education funding system and discusses potential solutions to these problems. The report notes that the fundamental problem with the current education finance system is an over-reliance on local property taxes. Although property taxes are a relatively stable and lucrative revenue source,…

Toward a Comprehensive Rural Development Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knutson, Ronald D.; And Others

Rural development is broader than just agriculture. Farm policy cannot solve rural community problems. Rural problems are sufficiently unique to require special emphasis and special programs. Since rural development has a broader focus than the local community, its problems need to be addressed by all levels of government as well as the private…

But I've Tried Everything! A Special Educator's Guide to Working with Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Eleanor W.

Intended for special education teachers, the idea book for involving parents in the individualized education program process is presented. Barriers interferring with parent participation and suggestions for overcoming them are addressed in nine areas: communication problems, transportation problems, babysitting problems, lack of time, lack of…

Surgeon specialization and operative mortality in United States: retrospective analysis

PubMed Central

Dalton, Maurice; Cutler, David M; Birkmeyer, John D; Chandra, Amitabh

2016-01-01

Objective To measure the association between a surgeon’s degree of specialization in a specific procedure and patient mortality. Design Retrospective analysis of Medicare data. Setting US patients aged 66 or older enrolled in traditional fee for service Medicare. Participants 25 152 US surgeons who performed one of eight procedures (carotid endarterectomy, coronary artery bypass grafting, valve replacement, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, lung resection, cystectomy, pancreatic resection, or esophagectomy) on 695 987 patients in 2008-13. Main outcome measure Relative risk reduction in risk adjusted and volume adjusted 30 day operative mortality between surgeons in the bottom quarter and top quarter of surgeon specialization (defined as the number of times the surgeon performed the specific procedure divided by his/her total operative volume across all procedures). Results For all four cardiovascular procedures and two out of four cancer resections, a surgeon’s degree of specialization was a significant predictor of operative mortality independent of the number of times he or she performed that procedure: carotid endarterectomy (relative risk reduction between bottom and top quarter of surgeons 28%, 95% confidence interval 0% to 48%); coronary artery bypass grafting (15%, 4% to 25%); valve replacement (46%, 37% to 53%); abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (42%, 29% to 53%); lung resection (28%, 5% to 46%); and cystectomy (41%, 8% to 63%). In five procedures (carotid endarterectomy, valve replacement, lung resection, cystectomy, and esophagectomy), the relative risk reduction from surgeon specialization was greater than that from surgeon volume for that specific procedure. Furthermore, surgeon specialization accounted for 9% (coronary artery bypass grafting) to 100% (cystectomy) of the relative risk reduction otherwise attributable to volume in that specific procedure. Conclusion For several common procedures, surgeon specialization was an important predictor of operative mortality independent of volume in that specific procedure. When selecting a surgeon, patients, referring physicians, and administrators assigning operative workload may want to consider a surgeon’s procedure specific volume as well as the degree to which a surgeon specializes in that procedure. PMID:27444190

First-Year Special Educators: The Influence of School and Classroom Context Factors on Their Accomplishments and Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Cynthia C.; Kilgore, Karen L.; Winn, Judith A.; Otis-Wilborn, Amy; Hou, Wei; Garvan, Cynthia W.

2009-01-01

Despite a history of research in general education on novice teachers, researchers have only recently begun to investigate the experiences of beginning special educators. Many of these studies describe problems encountered, noting the high attrition rate among beginning special education teachers and emphasizing the importance of keeping qualified…

The Military Assistance Command-Vietnam Studies and Observations Group-A Case Study in Special Operations Campaigning

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-10

viewed as the panacea for all military problems. Politicians view SOF as a low risk minimalist investment that produces results; even for problems...of published work that has been dedicated to discussing special operations theory as an element of military strategy. A good starting point to...utility. Doctrine As a starting point for framing understanding of special operations, Joint Publication (JP) 3-05 Special Operations, provides the basis

[Addiction therapy. Limits, problems, perspectives].

PubMed

Kalapos, Miklós Péter

2014-01-01

In health care, tending is a process, which offers for the patients a continuous watching on, a control, a treatment, and the prevention of worsening of their medical status as well as the reduction of their complaints. In the article, some fundamental segments of tending in addictology are reviewed, particularly paying attention to whom, how, where and how long to take care. On the basis of literature, the author stresses whatever method is used to treat addict patients it is more beneficial to society than the avoidance of any intervention due to the negligence of the problem. Addictology has lost a lot from its power in Hungary. The author recommends the introduction of the methods of health quality assurance to decrease the effect of negative trends seen in addictology. The paper also deals with special patient groups including homeless clients, adolescents, elderly and pregnant patients as well as health care professionals. The author critically mentions the double communication of society, the dual-face character of politics and has the opinion that competences are not clear making the situation confused. As a mistake of the point of view is it regarded that the addictological problems are classified as to belonging to the authority of psychiatry. It is emphasized that multidisciplinary approach is needed to understand the problem and to treat the client. General screening for addictological diseases does not seem possible in the light of low capacity of the system, but the screening of adolescents and pregnant women is definitely recommended. And finally, a financial support for medicines to prevent craving, a moratorium for the continuous changing of rules and law, the sponsoring of harm reduction programs as well as a better utilization of opportunities offered by local drug coordinating boards are proposed.

Behavioral phenotype in adults with Prader-Willi syndrome.

PubMed

Sinnema, Margje; Einfeld, Stewart L; Schrander-Stumpel, Constance T R M; Maaskant, Marian A; Boer, Harm; Curfs, Leopold M G

2011-01-01

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is characterized by temper tantrums, impulsivity, mood fluctuations, difficulty with change in routine, skinpicking, stubbornness and aggression. Many studies on behavior in PWS are limited by sample size, age range, a lack of genetically confirmed diagnosis of PWS and inconsistent assessment of behavior. The aim of this study was to explore systematically the relation between behavioral problems and age groups, genetic subtypes and BMI categories in an adult PWS population. Participants were contacted via the Dutch Prader-Willi Parent Association and through physicians specialized in persons with ID. Behaviors were studied using the Developmental Behavior Checklist for Adults (DBC-A). The forms were completed by the main caregivers of 98 adults with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of PWS. Differences between age groups were statistically significant (ANOVA, p=0.03). DBC-A total scores were higher in the consecutive age groups, with the most behavioral problems in the oldest age groups. Differences between genetic subtypes were also statistically significant (ANOVA, p<0.01). Persons with mUPD had higher total scores on the DBC-A than persons with a deletion. Those with a Type I deletion showed higher total DBC-A scores than persons with a Type II deletion. There were no statistically significant differences in DBC-A total scores between the different BMI categories. Individuals with a BMI<25 had higher scores on the self-absorbed subscale compared to persons with a BMI between 25 and 30. Unlike previous descriptions of the behavioral phenotype in adults with PWS, we did not find a reduction in behavioral problems in older adults. Therefore, special attention should be paid to behavioral problems as part of general management of adults with PWS. Longitudinal studies are warranted to gain more insight into the natural history and course of behavioral problems in adults and older people with PWS over the long term and possible risk and preventive factors. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavior Problem Syndromes in Educable Mentally Handicapped Greek Children: A Parent and Teacher Estimation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stasinos, Demetrios P.

This study examines, first, the problem behavior syndrome in 58 educable mentally handicapped (EMH) children attending special state schools in Greece, and secondly the relationship between those syndromes and sex and special schooling of these individuals. Children's four problem behavior syndromes, i.e., antisocial behavior, excessive…

Language and Narrative Skills in Young Children with Special Health Care Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ergül, Cevriye

2012-01-01

Problem Statement: Previous studies showed that children with special health care needs are at increased risk for future linguistic problems and deficits in narrative abilities. Despite this evidence of increased risk, there has been limited research on the impact of young children's health problems on specific aspects of linguistic development.…

An Examination of Special Focus Facility Nursing Homes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castle, Nicholas G.; Engberg, John

2010-01-01

Purpose: Nursing facilities that are determined to have a greater number of quality problems, more serious problems than average, and a demonstrated pattern of quality problems are included in the Special Focus Facility (SFF) initiative. The purpose of this research was to provide descriptive information on these SFFs and to examine the quality…

New Python-based methods for data processing

PubMed Central

Sauter, Nicholas K.; Hattne, Johan; Grosse-Kunstleve, Ralf W.; Echols, Nathaniel

2013-01-01

Current pixel-array detectors produce diffraction images at extreme data rates (of up to 2 TB h−1) that make severe demands on computational resources. New multiprocessing frameworks are required to achieve rapid data analysis, as it is important to be able to inspect the data quickly in order to guide the experiment in real time. By utilizing readily available web-serving tools that interact with the Python scripting language, it was possible to implement a high-throughput Bragg-spot analyzer (cctbx.spotfinder) that is presently in use at numerous synchrotron-radiation beamlines. Similarly, Python interoperability enabled the production of a new data-reduction package (cctbx.xfel) for serial femto­second crystallography experiments at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). Future data-reduction efforts will need to focus on specialized problems such as the treatment of diffraction spots on interleaved lattices arising from multi-crystal specimens. In these challenging cases, accurate modeling of close-lying Bragg spots could benefit from the high-performance computing capabilities of graphics-processing units. PMID:23793153

Towards zero-threshold optical gain using charged semiconductor quantum dots

DOE PAGES

Wu, Kaifeng; Park, Young -Shin; Lim, Jaehoon; ...

2017-10-16

Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots are attractive materials for the realization of solution-processable lasers. However, their applications as optical-gain media are complicated by a non-unity degeneracy of band-edge states, because of which multiexcitons are required to achieve the lasing regime. This increases the lasing thresholds and leads to very short optical gain lifetimes limited by nonradiative Auger recombination. Here, we show that these problems can be at least partially resolved by employing not neutral but negatively charged quantum dots. By applying photodoping to specially engineered quantum dots with impeded Auger decay, we demonstrate a considerable reduction of the optical gain thresholdmore » due to suppression of ground-state absorption by pre-existing carriers. Moreover, by injecting approximately one electron per dot on average, we achieve a more than twofold reduction in the amplified spontaneous emission threshold, bringing it to the sub-single-exciton level. Furthermore, these measurements indicate the feasibility of ‘zero-threshold’ gain achievable by completely blocking the band-edge state with two electrons.« less

Towards zero-threshold optical gain using charged semiconductor quantum dots

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

Wu, Kaifeng; Park, Young -Shin; Lim, Jaehoon

Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots are attractive materials for the realization of solution-processable lasers. However, their applications as optical-gain media are complicated by a non-unity degeneracy of band-edge states, because of which multiexcitons are required to achieve the lasing regime. This increases the lasing thresholds and leads to very short optical gain lifetimes limited by nonradiative Auger recombination. Here, we show that these problems can be at least partially resolved by employing not neutral but negatively charged quantum dots. By applying photodoping to specially engineered quantum dots with impeded Auger decay, we demonstrate a considerable reduction of the optical gain thresholdmore » due to suppression of ground-state absorption by pre-existing carriers. Moreover, by injecting approximately one electron per dot on average, we achieve a more than twofold reduction in the amplified spontaneous emission threshold, bringing it to the sub-single-exciton level. Furthermore, these measurements indicate the feasibility of ‘zero-threshold’ gain achievable by completely blocking the band-edge state with two electrons.« less

Listen-Identify-Brainstorm-Reality-Test-Encourage (LIBRE) Problem-Solving Model: Addressing Special Education Teacher Attrition through a Cognitive-Behavioral Approach to Teacher Induction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerra, Norma S.; Hernandez, Art; Hector, Alison M.; Crosby, Shane

2015-01-01

Special education teacher attrition rates continue to challenge the profession. A cognitive-behavioral problem-solving approach was used to examine three alternative certification program special education teachers' professional development through a series of 41 interviews conducted over a 2-year period. Beginning when they were novice special…

Issues and Needs in Rural Early Childhood Special Education Services in Florida: A Delphi Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Keith E.; Correa, Vivian I.

A Delphi Technique was used to examine the problems of early childhood special education programs in rural Florida. Two rounds of questionnaires were completed by a panel of early childhood special education administrators and teachers from 14 of Florida's 27 rural counties. In response to the questionnaires, the panel developed 51 problem-related…

Retention and application of Skylab experiences to future programs. [a postflight review of technical programs.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillespie, V. G.; Kelly, R. O.

1974-01-01

The problems encountered and special techniques and procedures developed on the Skylab program are described along with the experiences and practical benefits obtained for dissemination and use on future programs. Three major topics are discussed: electrical problems, mechanical problems, and special techniques. Special techniques and procedures are identified that were either developed or refined during the Skylab program. These techniques and procedures came from all manufacturing and test phases of the Skylab program and include both flight and GSE items from component level to sophisticated spaceflight systems.

Use of ion conductors in the pyrochemical reduction of oxides

DOEpatents

Miller, William E.; Tomczuk, Zygmunt

1994-01-01

An electrochemical process and electrochemical cell for reducing a metal oxide are provided. First the oxide is separated as oxygen gas using, for example, a ZrO.sub.2 oxygen ion conductor anode and the metal ions from the reduction salt are reduced and deposited on an ion conductor cathode, for example, sodium ion reduced on a .beta.-alumina sodium ion conductor cathode. The generation of and separation of oxygen gas avoids the problem with chemical back reaction of oxygen with active metals in the cell. The method also is characterized by a sequence of two steps where an inert cathode electrode is inserted into the electrochemical cell in the second step and the metallic component in the ion conductor is then used as the anode to cause electrochemical reduction of the metal ions formed in the first step from the metal oxide where oxygen gas formed at the anode. The use of ion conductors serves to isolate the active components from chemically reacting with certain chemicals in the cell. While applicable to a variety of metal oxides, the invention has special importance for reducing CaO to Ca.degree. used for reducing UO.sub.2 and PuO.sub.2 to U and Pu.

Authentic Assessment of Special Learners: Problem or Promise?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choate, Joyce S.; Evans, Susan S.

1992-01-01

This article outlines differences between traditional assessment and authentic assessment procedures, discusses problems with each type of assessment in relation to special learners, and offers certain cautions that must be observed when implementing authentic assessment. (JDD)

Teaching Handwriting to Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities: A Problem-Solving Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Datchuk, Shawn

2015-01-01

Problems with handwriting can negatively impact the writing of students with learning disabilities. In this article, an example is provided of a fourth-grade special education teacher's efforts to assist a new student by using a problem-solving approach to help determine an efficient course of action for special education teachers who are trying…

The Retention of Mexican American Students in Higher Education with Special Reference to Bicultural and Bilingual Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerra, Manuel H.; And Others

The problem of retaining Mexican American students in institutions of higher education is reviewed in these 5 papers: "The Retention of Mexican American Students in Higher Education with Special Reference to Bicultural and Bilingual Problems" by Manuel H. Guerra; "Mexicanismo vs. Retention: Implications of Retaining Mexican American…

Sports Medicine Concerns in Special Olympics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Low, Leslie J.; Sherrill, Claudine

1988-01-01

The article provides information on medical problems (including seizures, nutrition, atlantoaxia instability, and congenital heart disorders), and guidelines for training (including weight management, acclimation, heat related problems, and warm-up) for volunteers working with mentally retarded participants in Special Olympics. (DB)

Socio-Emotional Problems Experienced by Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mekonnen, Mulat; Hannu, Savolainen; Elina, Lehtomäki; Matti, Kuorelahti

2015-01-01

This study compares the socio-emotional problems experienced by deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students with those of hearing students in Ethiopia. The research involved a sample of 103 grade 4 students attending a special school for the deaf, a special class for the deaf and a regular school. Socio-emotional problems were measured using Goodman's…

77 FR 64808 - Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-23

..., special studies, or methodological studies. The average burden for these special study/pretest respondents... is requested. NHANES programs produce descriptive statistics which measure the health and nutrition...

Transformation of general binary MRF minimization to the first-order case.

PubMed

Ishikawa, Hiroshi

2011-06-01

We introduce a transformation of general higher-order Markov random field with binary labels into a first-order one that has the same minima as the original. Moreover, we formalize a framework for approximately minimizing higher-order multi-label MRF energies that combines the new reduction with the fusion-move and QPBO algorithms. While many computer vision problems today are formulated as energy minimization problems, they have mostly been limited to using first-order energies, which consist of unary and pairwise clique potentials, with a few exceptions that consider triples. This is because of the lack of efficient algorithms to optimize energies with higher-order interactions. Our algorithm challenges this restriction that limits the representational power of the models so that higher-order energies can be used to capture the rich statistics of natural scenes. We also show that some minimization methods can be considered special cases of the present framework, as well as comparing the new method experimentally with other such techniques.

ADVANTG An Automated Variance Reduction Parameter Generator, Rev. 1

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

Mosher, Scott W.; Johnson, Seth R.; Bevill, Aaron M.

2015-08-01

The primary objective of ADVANTG is to reduce both the user effort and the computational time required to obtain accurate and precise tally estimates across a broad range of challenging transport applications. ADVANTG has been applied to simulations of real-world radiation shielding, detection, and neutron activation problems. Examples of shielding applications include material damage and dose rate analyses of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Spallation Neutron Source and High Flux Isotope Reactor (Risner and Blakeman 2013) and the ITER Tokamak (Ibrahim et al. 2011). ADVANTG has been applied to a suite of radiation detection, safeguards, and special nuclear materialmore » movement detection test problems (Shaver et al. 2011). ADVANTG has also been used in the prediction of activation rates within light water reactor facilities (Pantelias and Mosher 2013). In these projects, ADVANTG was demonstrated to significantly increase the tally figure of merit (FOM) relative to an analog MCNP simulation. The ADVANTG-generated parameters were also shown to be more effective than manually generated geometry splitting parameters.« less

[Penetration of external thermal perturbations into homeothermic organisms, part I (author's transl)].

PubMed

Theves, B

1978-03-20

The general importance of the mean surface curvature for heat conduction problems is explained and a special symmetry with constant mean curvature on the isothermal surfaces is defined. The applicability for the body shapes of homeothermic organisms is demonstrated and the partial differential equation of heat conduction for this case is derived. The definition: heat release = real heat production + convective pseudoproduction eliminates the term of convective heat transfer through the blood stream and allows the reduction to a mere heat conduction problem. Formulas for the heat loss to the environment and for steady state temperature profiles are given. In case of sudden change of heat loss the partial differential equation is solved and a formula is derived, using dimensionless coordinates of time and distance. The mean surface curvature has strongest influence to the interior temperature field. The solution shows clearly the importance of thermal inertia of the homeothermic organism, for the external temperature wave penetrates into the body with a long phase displacement in time.

Surgeon specialization and operative mortality in United States: retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Sahni, Nikhil R; Dalton, Maurice; Cutler, David M; Birkmeyer, John D; Chandra, Amitabh

2016-07-21

 To measure the association between a surgeon's degree of specialization in a specific procedure and patient mortality.  Retrospective analysis of Medicare data.  US patients aged 66 or older enrolled in traditional fee for service Medicare.  25 152 US surgeons who performed one of eight procedures (carotid endarterectomy, coronary artery bypass grafting, valve replacement, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, lung resection, cystectomy, pancreatic resection, or esophagectomy) on 695 987 patients in 2008-13.  Relative risk reduction in risk adjusted and volume adjusted 30 day operative mortality between surgeons in the bottom quarter and top quarter of surgeon specialization (defined as the number of times the surgeon performed the specific procedure divided by his/her total operative volume across all procedures).  For all four cardiovascular procedures and two out of four cancer resections, a surgeon's degree of specialization was a significant predictor of operative mortality independent of the number of times he or she performed that procedure: carotid endarterectomy (relative risk reduction between bottom and top quarter of surgeons 28%, 95% confidence interval 0% to 48%); coronary artery bypass grafting (15%, 4% to 25%); valve replacement (46%, 37% to 53%); abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (42%, 29% to 53%); lung resection (28%, 5% to 46%); and cystectomy (41%, 8% to 63%). In five procedures (carotid endarterectomy, valve replacement, lung resection, cystectomy, and esophagectomy), the relative risk reduction from surgeon specialization was greater than that from surgeon volume for that specific procedure. Furthermore, surgeon specialization accounted for 9% (coronary artery bypass grafting) to 100% (cystectomy) of the relative risk reduction otherwise attributable to volume in that specific procedure.  For several common procedures, surgeon specialization was an important predictor of operative mortality independent of volume in that specific procedure. When selecting a surgeon, patients, referring physicians, and administrators assigning operative workload may want to consider a surgeon's procedure specific volume as well as the degree to which a surgeon specializes in that procedure. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A national profile of the health care experiences and family impact of autism spectrum disorder among children in the United States, 2005-2006.

PubMed

Kogan, Michael D; Strickland, Bonnie B; Blumberg, Stephen J; Singh, Gopal K; Perrin, James M; van Dyck, Peter C

2008-12-01

We sought to examine the health care experiences of children with autism spectrum disorder and the impact of autism spectrum disorder on the family and to assess whether having a medical home is associated with less family impact. We used the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs to compare 2088 children with special health care needs, aged 3 to 17 years, reported by their parents to have autism spectrum disorder, with children with special health care needs with "other emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems" (excluding autism spectrum disorder; n=9534) and 26751 other children with special health care needs. We used weighted logistic regression to examine unmet needs for specific health care and support services, delayed care, no usual care source or personal physician, difficulty receiving referrals, and financial, employment, or time problems because of child's care. Nationally, an estimated 535000 children have special health care needs and autism spectrum disorder, a prevalence of 86 per 10000 children aged 3 to 17 years. Among children with special health care needs, 5.6% have autism spectrum disorder. Compared with other children with special health care needs without emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems, children with special health care needs with autism spectrum disorder were more likely to have unmet needs for specific health care services, family support services, delayed or foregone care, difficulty receiving referrals, and care that is not family centered. Children with special health care needs with autism spectrum disorder were more likely to live in families that report financial problems, need additional income for the child's medical care, reduce or stop work because of the child's condition, spend >or=10 hours per week providing or coordinating care, and paid more than $1000 in the previous year for the child's care. The financial impacts of autism spectrum disorder were significantly more burdensome when children with special health care needs did not have a medical home. Children with special health care needs with autism spectrum disorder are significantly more likely to have problems regarding access to care and unmet needs, and their families have greater financial, employment, and time burdens compared with other children with special health care needs. Receipt of primary care in a medical home may reduce these burdens.

46 CFR 154.1862 - Posting of speed reduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Posting of speed reduction. 154.1862 Section 154.1862... STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Operations § 154.1862 Posting of speed reduction. If a speed reduction is specially approved by the Commandant under § 154.409, the master shall...

46 CFR 154.1862 - Posting of speed reduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Posting of speed reduction. 154.1862 Section 154.1862... STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Operations § 154.1862 Posting of speed reduction. If a speed reduction is specially approved by the Commandant under § 154.409, the master shall...

Model and on-orbit study of the International space station contamination processes by jets of its orientation thrusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yarygin, V. N.; Gerasimov, Yu I.; Krylov, A. N.; Prikhodko, V. G.; Skorovarov, A. Yu; Yarygin, I. V.

2017-11-01

The main objective of this paper is to describe the current state of research for the problem of the International Space Station contamination by plumes of its orientation thrusters. Results of experiments carried out at the Institute of Thermophysics SB RAS modeling space vehicles orientation thruster’s plumes are presented and experimental setup is discussed. A novel approach to reduction of contamination by thrusters with the help of special gas-dynamic protective devices mounted at the exit part of the nozzle is suggested. The description and results of on-orbit experiment at the International Space Station are given. Results show good agreement for model and on-orbit experiments validating our approach.

Practical sliced configuration spaces for curved planar pairs

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

Sacks, E.

1999-01-01

In this article, the author presents a practical configuration-space computation algorithm for pairs of curved planar parts, based on the general algorithm developed by Bajaj and the author. The general algorithm advances the theoretical understanding of configuration-space computation, but is too slow and fragile for some applications. The new algorithm solves these problems by restricting the analysis to parts bounded by line segments and circular arcs, whereas the general algorithm handles rational parametric curves. The trade-off is worthwhile, because the restricted class handles most robotics and mechanical engineering applications. The algorithm reduces run time by a factor of 60 onmore » nine representative engineering pairs, and by a factor of 9 on two human-knee pairs. It also handles common special pairs by specialized methods. A survey of 2,500 mechanisms shows that these methods cover 90% of pairs and yield an additional factor of 10 reduction in average run time. The theme of this article is that application requirements, as well as intrinsic theoretical interest, should drive configuration-space research.« less

Language Comprehension and the Acquisition of Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freedle, Roy O., Ed.; Carroll, John B., Ed.

Thirteen papers given by language specialists are presented. These analyze special linguistic (semantic) problems that occur when interconnected strings of sentences constitute data base; they also analyze special psychological problems (of memory, inference, and motivation) that occur when human subjects are exposed to discourse materials in…

Stress In An Oncologist's Life: Present But Not Insurmountable : (Students Should Not Be Discouraged Choosing Oncology as Their Future Specialisation).

PubMed

Nowakowski, Jonatan; Borowiec, Grazyna; Zwierz, Izabela; Jagodzinski, Wojciech; Tarkowski, Radoslaw

2017-03-01

Burnout is a serious problem facing the majority of oncologists. Many medical students may regard oncology as depressive part of medicine. This false picture may discourage them from choosing oncology as their future specialization. To learn problems experienced by oncologists and to answer the students' question: is it dangerous to choose oncology? We conducted an anonymous survey among 69 oncologists. Young doctors (up to 5 years of service) accounted for 31 %, specialists 69 %, with a median length of practice of 14 years. The most frequently reported symptoms included irritability (84 %) and tension (74 %). Forty-five percent reported headaches, 25 % sleep disorders, 51 % negative impact on their personal lives. Excessive bureaucratization, overwork, and haste, with the disparity between undertaken effort and compensation were the most common sources of stress. Stress reduction methods were as follows: their relationship with family and/or friends (69 %), reading books/watching movies (66 %), emotional distance from their problems (63 %), and contact with nature (62 %). Ninety-six percent of physicians were satisfied with their choice of pursuing work with cancer patients. However, as many as 49 % of oncologists experienced moments of doubt regarding their sense of vocation. Students and young doctors considering pursuing an oncological speciality should not be discouraged by the likely degree of sacrifice or burden, but rather aim to develop effective ways to reduce stress, along with remembering one's own health needs. This could be valuable part of both pregradual and postgradual medical education, worth to become part of medical curricula.

30 CFR 1210.352 - Special forms and reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... INTERIOR Natural Resources Revenue FORMS AND REPORTS Geothermal Resources § 1210.352 Special forms and... conformity with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 and other applicable laws. [56 FR...

Effects of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on Child Behavior Problems

PubMed Central

Waasdorp, Tracy E.; Leaf, Philip J.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a universal prevention strategy currently implemented in >16 000 schools across the United States. SWPBIS intends to reduce students’ behavior problems by altering staff behaviors and developing systems and supports to meet children’s behavioral needs. The current study reports intervention effects on child behaviors and adjustment from an effectiveness trial of SWPBIS. METHODS: The sample of 12 344 elementary school children was 52.9% male, 45.1% African American, and 46.1% Caucasian. Approximately 49% received free or reduced-priced meals, and 12.9% received special education services at baseline. The trial used a group randomized controlled effectiveness design implemented in 37 elementary schools. Multilevel analyses were conducted on teachers’ ratings of children’s behavior problems, concentration problems, social-emotional functioning, prosocial behavior, office discipline referrals, and suspensions at 5 time points over the course of 4 school years. RESULTS: The multilevel results indicated significant effects of SWPBIS on children’s behavior problems, concentration problems, social-emotional functioning, and prosocial behavior. Children in SWPBIS schools also were 33% less likely to receive an office discipline referral than those in the comparison schools. The effects tended to be strongest among children who were first exposed to SWPBIS in kindergarten. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide support for the hypothesized reduction in behavior problems and improvements in prosocial behavior and effective emotion regulation after training in SWPBIS. The SWPBIS framework appears to be a promising approach for reducing problems and promoting adjustment among elementary school children. PMID:23071207

Efforts to support special-needs soldiers serving in the Israeli defense forces.

PubMed

Bodner, Ehud; Iancu, Iulian; Sarel, Amiram; Einat, Haim

2007-11-01

Providing treatment and support to special-needs populations can decrease psychopathology and suicide rates. Because service in the military is an important socializing force in Israeli society and most Israelis serve, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) makes special efforts to identify, treat, and support soldiers with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive problems. This column describes the IDF's efforts for three groups of soldiers with special needs, with a focus on those with the most severe problems who receive support throughout their service to address psychopathology and suicidality. Suicide rates for the IDF population and for the three groups are reported.

Do All Roads Lead to Rome? ("or" Reductions for Dummy Travelers)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilpelainen, Pekka

2010-01-01

Reduction is a central ingredient of computational thinking, and an important tool in algorithm design, in computability theory, and in complexity theory. Reduction has been recognized to be a difficult topic for students to learn. Previous studies on teaching reduction have concentrated on its use in special courses on the theory of computing. As…

Technologies as Rural Special Education Problem Solvers--A Status Report and Successful Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helge, Doris

Rural schools can help solve their special education problems by using advanced technology to provide instructional support (computer managed instruction, satellite television, library searches, resource networks, on-line testing), instructional applications (computer assisted instruction, reading machines, mobile vans, instructional television),…

Special Needs Education: A Case of Name Calling?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Vocational Journal, 1975

1975-01-01

Negative labelling harms by lumping together students with diverse learning problems; instead of diagnosing and treating their problems scientifically, students are stereotyped and relegated to watered down curricula and poor instruction, says one speaker. Other reports on vocational education's response to students special needs are briefly…

On the Special Problems in Creating Group Cohesion Within the Prison Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juda, Daniel P.

1983-01-01

Describes attempts to form a communication group among male and female inmates. The failure of this effort is discussed with emphasis on the special problems and needs of groups in prisons and the lack of insight among the institution's administration and staff. (JAC)

Optimization of parameters of special asynchronous electric drives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karandey, V. Yu; Popov, B. K.; Popova, O. B.; Afanasyev, V. L.

2018-03-01

The article considers the solution of the problem of parameters optimization of special asynchronous electric drives. The solution of the problem will allow one to project and create special asynchronous electric drives for various industries. The created types of electric drives will have optimum mass-dimensional and power parameters. It will allow one to realize and fulfill the set characteristics of management of technological processes with optimum level of expenses of electric energy, time of completing the process or other set parameters. The received decision allows one not only to solve a certain optimizing problem, but also to construct dependences between the optimized parameters of special asynchronous electric drives, for example, with the change of power, current in a winding of the stator or rotor, induction in a gap or steel of magnetic conductors and other parameters. On the constructed dependences, it is possible to choose necessary optimum values of parameters of special asynchronous electric drives and their components without carrying out repeated calculations.

Special effects of gust loads on military aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houbolt, John C.

1994-01-01

In the operation of airplanes, atmospheric turbulence creates a broad spectrum of problems. The nature of these problems is presented in this paper. Those that are common to both the commercial carriers and to the military fleet are discussed first. Attention is then focused on the problems that are of special concern in military operations. An aim is to bring out the need for continued effort in the gust research area.

Special Education and the Hispanic Child. Proceedings from the Annual Colloquium on Hispanic Issues (2nd, New York, New York, February 5-6, 1981). ERIC/CUE Urban Diversity Series Number 74, August 1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Herminio, Ed.

This collection of papers examines contemporary issues and problems in bilingual special education. The first paper, by Lizette A. Cantres, discusses Federal and State laws and regulations related to bilingual special education, with respect to litigation in the case of "Jose P." The problems of assessment of bilingual children under a…

Breast reduction (mammoplasty) - slideshow

MedlinePlus

... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/presentations/100189.htm Breast reduction (mammoplasty) - series—Indications To use the sharing features ... Lickstein, MD, FACS, specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery, Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Review provided by ...

Medicaid’s Role in Financing Health Care for Children With Behavioral Health Care Needs in the Special Education System: Implications of the Deficit Reduction Act

PubMed Central

Mandell, David S.; Machefsky, Aliza; Rubin, David; Feudtner, Chris; Pita, Susmita; Rosenbaum, Sara

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND Recent changes to Medicaid policy may have unintended consequences in the education system. This study estimated the potential financial impact of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) on school districts by calculating Medicaid-reimbursed behavioral health care expenditures for school-aged children in general and children in special education in particular. METHODS Medicaid claims and special education records of youth ages 6 to 18 years in Philadelphia, PA, were merged for calendar year 2002. Behavioral health care volume, type, and expenditures were compared between Medicaid-enrolled children receiving and not receiving special education. RESULTS Significant overlap existed among the 126,533 children who were either Medicaid enrolled (114,257) or received special education (27,620). Medicaid-reimbursed behavioral health care was used by 21% of children receiving special education (37% of those Medicaid enrolled) and 15% of other Medicaid-enrolled children. Total expenditures were $197.8 million, 40% of which was spent on the 5728 children in special education and 60% of which was spent on 15,092 other children. CONCLUSIONS Medicaid-reimbursed behavioral health services disproportionately support special education students, with expenditures equivalent to 4% of Philadelphia’s $2 billion education budget. The results suggest that special education programs depend on Medicaid-reimbursed services, the financing of which the DRA may jeopardize. PMID:18808472

Medicaid's role in financing health care for children with behavioral health care needs in the special education system: implications of the Deficit Reduction Act.

PubMed

Mandell, David S; Machefsky, Aliza; Rubin, David; Feudtner, Chris; Pati, Susmita; Pita, Susmita; Rosenbaum, Sara

2008-10-01

Recent changes to Medicaid policy may have unintended consequences in the education system. This study estimated the potential financial impact of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) on school districts by calculating Medicaid-reimbursed behavioral health care expenditures for school-aged children in general and children in special education in particular. Medicaid claims and special education records of youth ages 6 to 18 years in Philadelphia, PA, were merged for calendar year 2002. Behavioral health care volume, type, and expenditures were compared between Medicaid-enrolled children receiving and not receiving special education. Significant overlap existed among the 126,533 children who were either Medicaid enrolled (114,257) or received special education (27,620). Medicaid-reimbursed behavioral health care was used by 21% of children receiving special education (37% of those Medicaid enrolled) and 15% of other Medicaid-enrolled children. Total expenditures were $197.8 million, 40% of which was spent on the 5728 children in special education and 60% of which was spent on 15,092 other children. Medicaid-reimbursed behavioral health services disproportionately support special education students, with expenditures equivalent to 4% of Philadelphia's $2 billion education budget. The results suggest that special education programs depend on Medicaid-reimbursed services, the financing of which the DRA may jeopardize.

Transport coefficients for the shear dynamo problem at small Reynolds numbers.

PubMed

Singh, Nishant K; Sridhar, S

2011-05-01

We build on the formulation developed in S. Sridhar and N. K. Singh [J. Fluid Mech. 664, 265 (2010)] and present a theory of the shear dynamo problem for small magnetic and fluid Reynolds numbers, but for arbitrary values of the shear parameter. Specializing to the case of a mean magnetic field that is slowly varying in time, explicit expressions for the transport coefficients α(il) and η(il) are derived. We prove that when the velocity field is nonhelical, the transport coefficient α(il) vanishes. We then consider forced, stochastic dynamics for the incompressible velocity field at low Reynolds number. An exact, explicit solution for the velocity field is derived, and the velocity spectrum tensor is calculated in terms of the Galilean-invariant forcing statistics. We consider forcing statistics that are nonhelical, isotropic, and delta correlated in time, and specialize to the case when the mean field is a function only of the spatial coordinate X(3) and time τ; this reduction is necessary for comparison with the numerical experiments of A. Brandenburg, K. H. Rädler, M. Rheinhardt, and P. J. Käpylä [Astrophys. J. 676, 740 (2008)]. Explicit expressions are derived for all four components of the magnetic diffusivity tensor η(il)(τ). These are used to prove that the shear-current effect cannot be responsible for dynamo action at small Re and Rm, but for all values of the shear parameter. © 2011 American Physical Society

LAVH for large uteri by various strategies.

PubMed

Chang, Wen-Chun; Huang, Su-Cheng; Sheu, Bor-Ching; Torng, Pao-Ling; Hsu, Wen-Chiung; Chen, Szu-Yu; Chang, Daw-Yuan

2008-01-01

To study if there are specific problems in laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) for a certain weight of bulky uteri and the strategies to overcome such problems. One hundred and eighty-one women with myoma or adenomyosis, weighing 350-1,590 g, underwent LAVH between August 2002 and December 2005. Key surgical strategies were special sites for trocar insertion, uterine artery or adnexal collateral pre-ligation, laparoscopic and transvaginal volume reduction technique. The basic clinical and operative parameters were recorded for analysis. Based on significant differences in the operative time and estimated blood loss, the patients were divided into medium uteri weighing 350-749 g, n=138 (76%), and large uteri weighing > or =750 g, n=43 (24%). There was no significant difference in terms of age, body mass index, preoperative diagnoses, complications and duration of hospital stay among groups. The operative time and estimated blood loss increased with larger uterine size (p<0.001). The operative time (196+/-53, 115-395 min), estimated blood loss (234+/-200, 50-1,000 ml) and frequency of excessive bleeding (14%) or transfusion (5%) were significantly greater, but in acceptable ranges, for those with large uteri. Conversion to laparotomy was required in a patient (2%) with a large uterus, and the overall conversion rate was 0.6%. There was no re-operation or surgical mortality. Using various combinations of special strategies, most experienced gynecologic surgeons can conduct LAVH for most large uteri with minimal rates of complications and conversion to laparotomy.

Transport coefficients for the shear dynamo problem at small Reynolds numbers

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

Singh, Nishant K.; Joint Astronomy Programme, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012; Sridhar, S.

2011-05-15

We build on the formulation developed in S. Sridhar and N. K. Singh [J. Fluid Mech. 664, 265 (2010)] and present a theory of the shear dynamo problem for small magnetic and fluid Reynolds numbers, but for arbitrary values of the shear parameter. Specializing to the case of a mean magnetic field that is slowly varying in time, explicit expressions for the transport coefficients {alpha}{sub il} and {eta}{sub iml} are derived. We prove that when the velocity field is nonhelical, the transport coefficient {alpha}{sub il} vanishes. We then consider forced, stochastic dynamics for the incompressible velocity field at low Reynoldsmore » number. An exact, explicit solution for the velocity field is derived, and the velocity spectrum tensor is calculated in terms of the Galilean-invariant forcing statistics. We consider forcing statistics that are nonhelical, isotropic, and delta correlated in time, and specialize to the case when the mean field is a function only of the spatial coordinate X{sub 3} and time {tau}; this reduction is necessary for comparison with the numerical experiments of A. Brandenburg, K. H. Raedler, M. Rheinhardt, and P. J. Kaepylae [Astrophys. J. 676, 740 (2008)]. Explicit expressions are derived for all four components of the magnetic diffusivity tensor {eta}{sub ij}({tau}). These are used to prove that the shear-current effect cannot be responsible for dynamo action at small Re and Rm, but for all values of the shear parameter.« less

Identification and Addressing Reduction-Related Misconceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gal-Ezer, Judith; Trakhtenbrot, Mark

2016-01-01

Reduction is one of the key techniques used for problem-solving in computer science. In particular, in the theory of computation and complexity (TCC), mapping and polynomial reductions are used for analysis of decidability and computational complexity of problems, including the core concept of NP-completeness. Reduction is a highly abstract…

The 3 faces of clinical reasoning: Epistemological explorations of disparate error reduction strategies.

PubMed

Monteiro, Sandra; Norman, Geoff; Sherbino, Jonathan

2018-06-01

There is general consensus that clinical reasoning involves 2 stages: a rapid stage where 1 or more diagnostic hypotheses are advanced and a slower stage where these hypotheses are tested or confirmed. The rapid hypothesis generation stage is considered inaccessible for analysis or observation. Consequently, recent research on clinical reasoning has focused specifically on improving the accuracy of the slower, hypothesis confirmation stage. Three perspectives have developed in this line of research, and each proposes different error reduction strategies for clinical reasoning. This paper considers these 3 perspectives and examines the underlying assumptions. Additionally, this paper reviews the evidence, or lack of, behind each class of error reduction strategies. The first perspective takes an epidemiological stance, appealing to the benefits of incorporating population data and evidence-based medicine in every day clinical reasoning. The second builds on the heuristic and bias research programme, appealing to a special class of dual process reasoning models that theorizes a rapid error prone cognitive process for problem solving with a slower more logical cognitive process capable of correcting those errors. Finally, the third perspective borrows from an exemplar model of categorization that explicitly relates clinical knowledge and experience to diagnostic accuracy. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Use of ion conductors in the pyrochemical reduction of oxides

DOEpatents

Miller, W.E.; Tomczuk, Z.

1994-02-01

An electrochemical process and electrochemical cell for reducing a metal oxide are provided. First the oxide is separated as oxygen gas using, for example, a ZrO[sub 2] oxygen ion conductor anode and the metal ions from the reduction salt are reduced and deposited on an ion conductor cathode, for example, sodium ion reduced on a [beta]-alumina sodium ion conductor cathode. The generation of and separation of oxygen gas avoids the problem with chemical back reaction of oxygen with active metals in the cell. The method also is characterized by a sequence of two steps where an inert cathode electrode is inserted into the electrochemical cell in the second step and the metallic component in the ion conductor is then used as the anode to cause electrochemical reduction of the metal ions formed in the first step from the metal oxide where oxygen gas formed at the anode. The use of ion conductors serves to isolate the active components from chemically reacting with certain chemicals in the cell. While applicable to a variety of metal oxides, the invention has special importance for reducing CaO to Ca[sup o] used for reducing UO[sub 2] and PuO[sub 2] to U and Pu. 2 figures.

Special Education in Nigeria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abang, Theresa B.

1992-01-01

This article discusses the special education system in Nigeria, focusing on integration; training of special educators; medical, health, and welfare services for children with disabilities; recreational facilities; employment opportunities; national planning; and problems and successes. (JDD)

Consumer Education: A Teaching-Learning Unit on the Rights and Responsibilities of all Consumers and Special Problems of Elderly Consumers, Poor Consumers, Handicapped Consumers, Non-English Speaking Consumers and Nonreaders, Minors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee Univ., Knoxville.

To help high school students understand the role of consumers in the everyday world, the teaching guide presents objectives and activities related to seven consumer topics. Topics are rights and responsibilities of all consumers, common transportation concerns of consumers with special problems, and problems which particularly affect consumers who…

Special raster scanning for reduction of charging effects in scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Oho, Eisaku

2014-01-01

A special raster scanning (SRS) method for reduction of charging effects is developed for the field of SEM. Both a conventional fast scan (horizontal direction) and an unusual scan (vertical direction) are adopted for acquiring raw data consisting of many sub-images. These data are converted to a proper SEM image using digital image processing techniques. About sharpness of the image and reduction of charging effects, the SRS is compared with the conventional fast scan (with frame-averaging) and the conventional slow scan. Experimental results show the effectiveness of SRS images. By a successful combination of the proposed scanning method and low accelerating voltage (LV)-SEMs, it is expected that higher-quality SEM images can be more easily acquired by the considerable reduction of charging effects, while maintaining the resolution. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PIV Measurements of Turbulent Pipe Flow with Drag-Reducing Megasupramolecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huynh, David; McMullen, Ryan; McKeon, Beverley; Lhota, Redmond; Wei, Ming-Hsin; Kornfield, Julia

2016-11-01

Toms (1948) was the first to observe that dissolving small amounts of high-molecular weight (HMW) polymers into a liquid can drastically reduce turbulent drag. Ever since, studying polymers in turbulence has been of great fundamental interest, as it can potentially provide insight into the self-sustaining mechanisms of wall turbulence. HMW polymers commonly employed for drag-reduction studies are plagued by chain scission due to the high shear rates accompanying turbulent flow at practical Reynolds numbers (Re); this shear degradation reduces the length of the polymer molecules, diminishing their effectiveness for drag-reduction. However, Wei et al. (2015) have recently developed "megasupramolecules" that perform comparably to traditional HMW polymers and circumvent the shear degradation problem by using end-associating polymers that can break and reassociate reversibly. Particle image velocimetry is used in specialized turbulent pipe flow experiments in the range Re 7.5x104-1.2x105 to investigate and compare the drag and turbulence characteristics of the (Newtonian) baseline, traditional HMW polymer solutions, and megrasupramolecules. The support of The Dow Corporation is gratefully acknowledged.

[Obstacles and perspectives of new antimicrobial concepts within research and development].

PubMed

Kloß, Florian; Gerbach, Sina

2018-05-01

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has developed into a serious problem for the healthcare sector worldwide. Research on fundamentally novel antibiotics has been insufficient for decades and only a few new compounds have reached the market. Thus, the pressure to implement novel and effective concepts for the reduction of infections through problematic pathogens has dramatically increased. This demand has been recognized by politicians and comprehensive national and international funding programs have been launched. A major role of many funding lines is the investigation and development of therapeutics exerting a novel mechanism of action and/or minimizing the frequency of resistance. In addition to the actual clinical pipeline, this article lists selected examples from research and early development with a special focus on antibiotics. Moreover, alternative approaches like antivirulence and phage therapy as well as immunomodulation are summarized. AMR is no longer solely a healthcare policy, but is of societal significance as a whole. A consolidation of infrastructures and public-private partnerships, a reduction of regulatory obstacles and a continuous pursuit of innovations for antimicrobial therapy are urgently needed.

Combined theoretical and experimental analysis of processes determining cathode performance in solid oxide fuel cells.

PubMed

Kuklja, M M; Kotomin, E A; Merkle, R; Mastrikov, Yu A; Maier, J

2013-04-21

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are under intensive investigation since the 1980's as these devices open the way for ecologically clean direct conversion of the chemical energy into electricity, avoiding the efficiency limitation by Carnot's cycle for thermochemical conversion. However, the practical development of SOFC faces a number of unresolved fundamental problems, in particular concerning the kinetics of the electrode reactions, especially oxygen reduction reaction. We review recent experimental and theoretical achievements in the current understanding of the cathode performance by exploring and comparing mostly three materials: (La,Sr)MnO3 (LSM), (La,Sr)(Co,Fe)O3 (LSCF) and (Ba,Sr)(Co,Fe)O3 (BSCF). Special attention is paid to a critical evaluation of advantages and disadvantages of BSCF, which shows the best cathode kinetics known so far for oxides. We demonstrate that it is the combined experimental and theoretical analysis of all major elementary steps of the oxygen reduction reaction which allows us to predict the rate determining steps for a given material under specific operational conditions and thus control and improve SOFC performance.

Critical Issues in the Understanding of Young Elementary School Students at Risk for Problems in Written Expression: Introduction to the Special Series.

PubMed

Coker, David L; Kim, Young-Suk Grace

In this introduction to the special series "Critical Issues in the Understanding of Young Elementary School Students at Risk for Problems in Written Expression," we consider some of the contextual factors that have changed since a similar special issue was published in the Journal of Learning Disabilities in 2002. We also explore how the five articles included in this special series address the following important themes: early writing development, identification of students with writing difficulties, and effective interventions for struggling writers. In conclusion, we envision future directions to advance the field.

Desperately Seeking Special Ed Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Kevin

2008-01-01

It's no secret that the dearth of special education teachers has created huge headaches for district human resources departments, especially in suburban and rural areas. In addition to insufficient numbers of candidates applying for special education jobs, retention of special education teachers is an ever-greater problem, as research indicates…

Towards Improving Content and Instruction of the "TESOL/TEFL for Special Needs" Course: An Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdallah, Mahmoud M. S.

2017-01-01

Action research (AR)--as a participatory, problem-oriented methodology--has been employed recently in Egypt to resolve complicated classroom and learning problems, and provide context-based solutions. Simultaneously, new "special education" courses have been included recently in the university bylaws of Egyptian colleges of education.…

Special Problems of the Elderly.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, Kathleen V.

Within the next 40 years, people age 65 and over will comprise 20% of the population, yet problems facing this older generation and their families are just coming to the attention of researchers and the public. Accordingly, this literature review focuses on the special needs of older adults and their families. After an introductory overview, the…

Future Primary and Preschool Pedagogy Specialization Students' Mathematical Problem Solving Competency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marchis, Iuliana

2013-01-01

Developing the problem solving competency is one of the main goals of school education, as it is a very important competency in someone's everyday life and career as well. Mathematics is highly appropriate for developing this competence. This research studies future Primary and Preschool Pedagogy specialization students' mathematical problem…

Reduction of diabetes-related distress predicts improved depressive symptoms: A secondary analysis of the DIAMOS study.

PubMed

Reimer, André; Schmitt, Andreas; Ehrmann, Dominic; Kulzer, Bernhard; Hermanns, Norbert

2017-01-01

Depressive symptoms in people with diabetes are associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes. Although successful psychosocial treatment options are available, little is known about factors that facilitate treatment response for depression in diabetes. This prospective study aims to examine the impact of known risk factors on improvement of depressive symptoms with a special interest in the role of diabetes-related distress. 181 people with diabetes participated in a randomized controlled trial. Diabetes-related distress was assessed using the Problem Areas In Diabetes (PAID) scale; depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were used to assess associations between risk factors for depression (independent variables) and improvement of depressive symptoms (dependent variable). Reliable change indices were established as criteria of meaningful reductions in diabetes distress and depressive symptoms. A reliable reduction of diabetes-related distress (15.43 points in the PAID) was significantly associated with fourfold increased odds for reliable improvement of depressive symptoms (OR = 4.25, 95% CI: 2.05-8.79; P<0.001). This result was corroborated using continuous measures of diabetes distress and depressive symptoms, showing that greater reduction of diabetes-related distress independently predicted greater improvement in depressive symptoms (ß = -0.40; P<0.001). Higher age had a positive (Odds Ratio = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.21-3.43; P<0.01) and type 2 diabetes had a negative effect on the meaningful reduction of depressive symptoms (Odds Ratio = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.04-0.35; P<0.001). The reduction of diabetes distress is a statistical predictor of improvement of depressive symptoms. Diabetes patients with comorbid depressive symptomatology might benefit from treatments to reduce diabetes-related distress.

Special issue on quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators Special issue on quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bender, Carl M.; Fring, Andreas; Guenther, Uwe; Jones, Hugh F.

2012-01-01

This is a call for contributions to a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical dedicated to quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators. The main motivation behind this special issue is to gather together recent results, developments and open problems in this rapidly evolving field of research in a single comprehensive volume. We expect that such a special issue will become a valuable reference for the broad scientific community working in mathematical and theoretical physics. The issue will be open to all contributions containing new results on non-Hermitian theories which are explicitly PT-symmetric and/or pseudo-Hermitian or quasi-Hermitian. The main novelties in the past years in this area have been many experimental observations, realizations, and applications of PT symmetric Hamiltonians in optics and microwave cavities. We especially invite contributions on the theoretical interpretations of these recent PT-symmetric experiments and on theoretical proposals for new experiments. Editorial policy The Guest Editors for this issue are Carl Bender, Andreas Fring, Uwe Guenther and Hugh Jones. The areas and topics for this issue include, but are not limited to: spectral problems novel properties of complex optical potentials PT-symmetry related threshold lasers and spectral singularities construction of metric operators scattering theory supersymmetric theories Lie algebraic and Krein-space methods random matrix models classical and semi-classical models exceptional points in model systems operator theoretic approaches microwave cavities aspects of integrability and exact solvability field theories with indefinite metric All contributions will be refereed and processed according to the usual procedure of the journal. Papers should report original and significant research that has not already been published. Guidelines for preparation of contributions The deadline for contributed papers will be 31 March 2012. This deadline will allow the special issue to appear before the end of November 2012. There is a nominal page limit of 15 printed pages per contribution (invited review papers can be longer). For papers exceeding this limit, the Guest Editors reserve the right to request a reduction in length. Further advice on publishing your work in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical may be found at iopscience.iop.org/jphysa. Contributions to the special issue should be submitted by web upload via authors.iop.org/, or by email to jphysa@iop.org, quoting 'JPhysA Special issue on quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators'. Submissions should ideally be in standard LaTeX form. Please see the website for further information on electronic submissions. All contributions should be accompanied by a read-me file or covering letter giving the postal and e-mail addresses for correspondence. The Publishing Office should be notified of any subsequent change of address. The special issue will be published in the print and online versions of the journal.

Special issue on quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators Special issue on quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bender, Carl M.; Fring, Andreas; Guenther, Uwe; Jones, Hugh F.

2012-01-01

This is a call for contributions to a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical dedicated to quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators. The main motivation behind this special issue is to gather together recent results, developments and open problems in this rapidly evolving field of research in a single comprehensive volume. We expect that such a special issue will become a valuable reference for the broad scientific community working in mathematical and theoretical physics. The issue will be open to all contributions containing new results on non-Hermitian theories which are explicitly PT-symmetric and/or pseudo-Hermitian or quasi-Hermitian. The main novelties in the past years in this area have been many experimental observations, realizations, and applications of PT symmetric Hamiltonians in optics and microwave cavities. We especially invite contributions on the theoretical interpretations of these recent PT-symmetric experiments and on theoretical proposals for new experiments. Editorial policy The Guest Editors for this issue are Carl Bender, Andreas Fring, Uwe Guenther and Hugh Jones. The areas and topics for this issue include, but are not limited to: spectral problems novel properties of complex optical potentials PT-symmetry related threshold lasers and spectral singularities construction of metric operators scattering theory supersymmetric theories Lie algebraic and Krein-space methods random matrix models classical and semi-classical models exceptional points in model systems operator theoretic approaches microwave cavities aspects of integrability and exact solvability field theories with indefinite metric All contributions will be refereed and processed according to the usual procedure of the journal. Papers should report original and significant research that has not already been published. Guidelines for preparation of contributions The deadline for contributed papers will be 31 March 2012. This deadline will allow the special issue to appear before the end of November 2012. There is a nominal page limit of 15 printed pages per contribution (invited review papers can be longer). For papers exceeding this limit, the Guest Editors reserve the right to request a reduction in length. Further advice on publishing your work in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical may be found at iopscience.iop.org/jphysa. Contributions to the special issue should be submitted by web upload via authors.iop.org, or by email to jphysa@iop.org, quoting 'JPhysA Special issue on quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators'. Submissions should ideally be in standard LaTeX form. Please see the website for further information on electronic submissions. All contributions should be accompanied by a read-me file or covering letter giving the postal and e-mail addresses for correspondence. The Publishing Office should be notified of any subsequent change of address. The special issue will be published in the print and online versions of the journal.

How to reduce avoidable admissions due to acute diabetes complications?: interrelation between primary and specialized attention in a diabetes unit.

PubMed

García-Talavera Espín, N V; López-Ruiz, A; Nuñez Sánchez, Ma Á; Meoro Avilés, A; Sánchez Cañizares, C; Romero López-Reinoso, H; López Olivar, Ma D; Lapaz Jorge, Ma Á; Guirao Sastre, J Ma; San Eustaquio Tudanca, F; Soriano Palao, J

2012-01-01

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is a serious health problem. In the year 2030 it will affect 366 million people around the world. Evaluate the effectiveness of a mixed intervention and reducing the amount and seriousness of acute complications in diabetics from our Health Area. Protocols of action as well as information documents were produced. Diabetes Unit coordinated educational activities in the different support levels of the Area VII of Murcia. Information talks were provided for the people in charge of the Diabetes Unit in every Care Center and Service of the Health Area. Personalized training was provided for patients treated in the different Care levels. The study comprised three stages. Information leaflets were spread and talks offered to the patient regarding in house handling of hypo and hyper glycemia. A reduction of 39% of the emergencies due to acute non complicated diabetes was achieved, as well as a reduction of 47.6% of hospital admissions. There was a reduction of 67.8% of the amount of total hospital stays for the group of patients under 35 years who were admitted into the hospital due to type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus that didn't show any complications (GRD295). There was a reduction of more than thirty percent in the emergencies due to acute decompensations in the disease and a significant reduction in the avoidable hospital stays in the young adult, thus improving the patients' life quality and reducing the social cost of the diabetic patient.

Special Education Teacher Burnout and ACT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emery, Debra W.; Vandenberg, Brian

2010-01-01

Special educators are a high risk group, prone to low job satisfaction, low self-efficacy, and increased stress and burnout. The attrition rate of special educators is particularly high, contributing to an overall shortage of qualified teachers throughout the United States. While the problems of special educators are widely discussed in the…

Rethinking Special Education for a New Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finn, Chester E., Jr., Ed.; Rotherham, Andrew J., Ed.; Hokanson, Charles R., Jr., Ed.

This book scrutinizes the education now being received by 6 million U.S. children with disabilities. It identifies the problems that currently beset special education, analyzes their causes, and suggests solutions. Chapters include: (1) "The Evolution of the Federal Role" (Tyce Palmaffy); (2) "Time To Make Special Education 'Special' Again" (Wade…

The Problem Is Education Not "Special Education"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fellner, Gene

2015-01-01

In his article, "Urban special education policy and the lived experience of stigma in a high school science classroom," Chris Hale persuasively argues that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and subsequent special education policies have largely failed to serve special education students who are stigmatized by their deficit…

46 CFR 280.9 - Special rules for last year of ODS agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Special rules for last year of ODS agreement. 280.9... LINER OPERATORS § 280.9 Special rules for last year of ODS agreement. (a) Reduction in payment of ODS. ODS payable during the last year of any ODS agreement shall be reduced, as provided in paragraph (b...

Does Prevention Pay? Costs and Potential Cost-savings of School Interventions Targeting Children with Mental Health Problems.

PubMed

Wellander, Lisa; Wells, Michael B; Feldman, Inna

2016-06-01

In Sweden, the local government is responsible for funding schools in their district. One funding initiative is for schools to provide students with mental health problems with additional support via extra teachers, personal assistants, and special education classes. There are evidence-based preventive interventions delivered in schools, which have been shown to decrease the levels of students' mental health problems. However, little is known about how much the local government currently spends on students' mental health support and if evidence-based interventions could be financially beneficial. The aim of this study was to estimate the costs of providing additional support for students' mental health problems and the potential cost-offsets, defined as reduced school-based additional support, if two evidence-based school interventions targeting children's mental health problems were implemented in routine practice. This study uses data on the additional support students with mental health problems received in schools. Data was collected from one school district for students aged 6 to 16 years. We modeled two Swedish school interventions, Comet for Teachers and Social and Emotional Training (SET), which both had evidence of reducing mental health problems. We used a cost-offset analysis framework, assuming both interventions were fully implemented throughout the whole school district. Based on the published studies, the expected effects and the costs of the interventions were calculated. We defined the cost-offsets as the amount of predicted averted additional support for students with ongoing mental health problems who might no longer require receiving services such as one-on-one time with an extra teacher, a personal assistant, or to be placed in a special education classroom. A cost-offset analysis, from a payer's perspective (the local government responsible for school financing), was conducted comparing the costs of both interventions with the potential cost-savings due to a reduction in the prevalence of mental health problems and averted additional support required. The school district was comprised of 6,256 students, with 310 students receiving additional support for their mental health problems. Of these, 143 received support in their original school due to either having ADHD (n = 111), psychosocial problems (n = 26), or anxiety/depression (n = 6). The payers' total cost of additional support was 2,637,850 Euro per school year (18,447 Euro per student). The cost of running both interventions for the school district was 953,643 Euro for one year, while the potential savings for these interventions were estimated to be 627,150 Euro. The estimated effects showed that there would be a reduction of students needing additional support (25 for ADHD, eight for psychosocial problems, and one for anxiety/depression), and the payer would receive a return on their invested resources in less than two years (1.5 years) after implementation. Preventive school interventions can both improve some children's mental health problems and be financially beneficial for the payer. However, they are still limited in their scope of reducing all students' mental health statuses to below clinical cut-offs; therefore, the preventive school interventions should be used as a supplement, but not a replacement, to current practices. The findings have political and societal implications, in that payers can reallocate their funds toward preventive measures targeting students' mental health problems, while reducing the costs. When evaluating public health actions, it is necessary to consider their economic impact. The resources are scarce and the decision makers need knowledge on how to allocate their resources in an efficient way. Cost-offset analysis is seen as one way for decision makers to comprehend research findings; however, such analyses tend to not include the full benefits of the interventions, and actual impacts need to be fully evaluated in routine implementation.

Technology for NPP decantate treatment realized at Kola NPP

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

Stakhiv, Michael; Avezniyazov, Slava; Savkin, Alexander

2007-07-01

At Moscow SIA 'Radon' jointly with JSC 'Alliance Gamma', the technology for NPP Decantate Treatment was developed, tested and realized at Kola NPP. This technology consists of dissolving the salt residue and subsequent treatment by ozonization, separation of the deposits formed from ozonization and selective cleaning by ferro-cyanide sorbents. The nonactive salt solution goes to an industrial waste disposal site or a repository specially developed at NPP sites for 'exempt waste' products by IAEA classification. This technology was realized at Kola NPP in December 2006 year. At this time more than 1000 m{sup 3} of decantates log time stored aremore » treated. It allows solving very old problem to empty decantates' tanks at NPPs in environmentally safe manner and with high volume reduction factor. (authors)« less

Prospects, Promise and Problems on the Road to Effective Vaccines and Related Therapies for Substance Abuse

PubMed Central

Brimijoin, Stephen; Shen, Xiaoyun; Orson, Frank; Kosten, Thomas

2013-01-01

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This review addresses potential new treatments for stimulant drugs of abuse, especially cocaine. Clinical trials of vaccines against cocaine and nicotine have been completed with the generally encouraging result that subjects showing high titers of anti-drug antibody experience a reduction in drug reward, which may aid in cessation. New vaccine technologies including gene transfer of highly optimized monoclonal antibodies are likely to improve such outcomes further. In the special case of cocaine abuse, a metabolic enzyme is emerging as an alternative or added therapeutic intervention, which would also involve gene transfer. Such approaches still require extensive studies of safety and efficacy, but they may eventually contribute to a robust form of in vivo drug interception that greatly reduces risks of addiction relapse. PMID:23496671

26 CFR 25.2702-6 - Reduction in taxable gifts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 14 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Reduction in taxable gifts. 25.2702-6 Section... AND GIFT TAXES GIFT TAX; GIFTS MADE AFTER DECEMBER 31, 1954 Special Valuation Rules § 25.2702-6 Reduction in taxable gifts. (a) Transfers of retained interests in trust—(1) Inter vivos transfers. If an...

Present status of the 4-m ILMT data reduction pipeline: application to space debris detection and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, Bikram; Delchambre, Ludovic; Hickson, Paul; Akhunov, Talat; Bartczak, Przemyslaw; Kumar, Brajesh; Surdej, Jean

2018-04-01

The 4-m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) located at the ARIES Observatory (Devasthal, India) has been designed to scan at a latitude of +29° 22' 26" a band of sky having a width of about half a degree in the Time Delayed Integration (TDI) mode. Therefore, a special data-reduction and analysis pipeline to process online the large amount of optical data being produced has been dedicated to it. This requirement has led to the development of the 4-m ILMT data reduction pipeline, a new software package built with Python in order to simplify a large number of tasks aimed at the reduction of the acquired TDI images. This software provides astronomers with specially designed data reduction functions, astrometry and photometry calibration tools. In this paper we discuss the various reduction and calibration steps followed to reduce TDI images obtained in May 2015 with the Devasthal 1.3m telescope. We report here the detection and characterization of nine space debris present in the TDI frames.

AN ASSESSMENT OF MCNP WEIGHT WINDOWS

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

J. S. HENDRICKS; C. N. CULBERTSON

2000-01-01

The weight window variance reduction method in the general-purpose Monte Carlo N-Particle radiation transport code MCNPTM has recently been rewritten. In particular, it is now possible to generate weight window importance functions on a superimposed mesh, eliminating the need to subdivide geometries for variance reduction purposes. Our assessment addresses the following questions: (1) Does the new MCNP4C treatment utilize weight windows as well as the former MCNP4B treatment? (2) Does the new MCNP4C weight window generator generate importance functions as well as MCNP4B? (3) How do superimposed mesh weight windows compare to cell-based weight windows? (4) What are the shortcomingsmore » of the new MCNP4C weight window generator? Our assessment was carried out with five neutron and photon shielding problems chosen for their demanding variance reduction requirements. The problems were an oil well logging problem, the Oak Ridge fusion shielding benchmark problem, a photon skyshine problem, an air-over-ground problem, and a sample problem for variance reduction.« less

Impact of neurosurgeon specialization on patient outcomes for intracranial and spinal surgery: a retrospective analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 1998-2009.

PubMed

McCutcheon, Brandon A; Hirshman, Brian R; Gabel, Brandon C; Heffner, Michael W; Marcus, Logan P; Cole, Tyler S; Chen, Clark C; Chang, David C; Carter, Bob S

2018-05-01

OBJECTIVE The subspecialization of neurosurgical practice is an ongoing trend in modern neurosurgery. However, it remains unclear whether the degree of surgeon specialization is associated with improved patient outcomes. The authors hypothesized that a trend toward increased neurosurgeon specialization was associated with improved patient morbidity and mortality rates. METHODS The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used (1998-2009). Patients were included in a spinal analysis cohort for instrumented spine surgery involving the cervical spine ( International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] codes 81.31-81.33, 81.01-81.03, 84.61-84.62, and 84.66) or lumbar spine (codes 81.04-81.08, 81.34-81.38, 84.64-84.65, and 84.68). A cranial analysis cohort consisted of patients receiving a parenchymal excision or lobectomy operation (codes 01.53 and 01.59). Surgeon specialization was measured using unique surgeon identifiers in the NIS and defined as the proportion of a surgeon's total practice dedicated to cranial or spinal cases. RESULTS A total of 46,029 and 231,875 patients were identified in the cranial and spinal analysis cohorts, respectively. On multivariate analysis in the cranial analysis cohort (after controlling for overall surgeon volume, patient demographic data/comorbidities, hospital characteristics, and admitting source), each percentage-point increase in a surgeon's cranial specialization (that is, the proportion of cranial cases) was associated with a 0.0060 reduction in the log odds of patient mortality (95% CI 0.0034-0.0086) and a 0.0042 reduction in the log odds of morbidity (95% CI 0.0032-0.0052). This resulted in a 15% difference in the predicted probability of mortality for neurosurgeons at the 75th versus the 25th percentile of cranial specialization. In the spinal analysis cohort, each percentage-point increase in a surgeon's spinal specialization was associated with a 0.0122 reduction in the log odds of mortality (95% CI 0.0074-0.0170) and a 0.0058 reduction in the log odds of morbidity (95% CI 0.0049-0.0067). This resulted in a 26.8% difference in the predicted probability of mortality for neurosurgeons at the 75th versus the 25th percentile of spinal specialization. CONCLUSIONS For both spinal and cranial surgery patient cohorts derived from the NIS database, increased surgeon specialization was significantly and independently associated with improved mortality and morbidity rates, even after controlling for overall case volume.

29 CFR 778.311 - Flat rate for special job performed in overtime hours.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Flat rate for special job performed in overtime hours. 778... COMPENSATION Special Problems Lump Sum Attributed to Overtime § 778.311 Flat rate for special job performed in... paid a flat rate for a special job performed during overtime hours, without regard to the time actually...

Special Education Teacher Perception of Administrative Supports That Encourage, Decrease Burnout, and Reduce Attrition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beebe, Jay

2017-01-01

The field of special education is facing a shortage of teachers. A shortage of special education teachers is an example of a pressing issue within education. The problem is that teacher attrition rates are among the highest within special education. Many special education teachers are leaving the profession after a few years of teaching for varied…

The Voices of Special Educators: How Do Special Educators Teach English Language Learners Who Are Receiving Special Education Services?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuBois, Elizabeth Ann

2017-01-01

Disproportionality in special education has been examined from various perspectives over a 50-year period. English Language Learner (ELL) students have been included in the discussion among researchers in the past two decades as a disproportionate number of ELL students are referred to special education. Though the problem of disproportionality…

32 CFR 48.406 - Withdrawal and reduction of percentage or amount of participation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... is received by the Finance Center controlling his pay record. (For special rules covering... cost, after such reduction in survivor annuity, will be computed from the applicable cost table at the...

Reduction of radiation exposure during radiography for scoliosis

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

Gray, J.E.; Hoffman, A.D.; Peterson, H.A.

1983-01-01

To reduce the radiation exposure received by young scoliosis patients during treatment, six changes in technique were instituted: (1) a posteroanterior projection, (2) specially designed leaded acrylic filters, (3) a high-speed screen-film system, (4) a specially designed cassette-holder and grid, (5) a breast-shield, and (6) additional filtration in the x-ray tube the thyroid, breast, and abdominal areas were made on an Alderson phantom. They revealed an eightfold reduction in abdominal exposure for both the posteroanterior and the lateral radiographys. There was a twentyfold reduction in exposure to the thyroid for the posteroanterior radiography from 100 to less than five milliroentgensmore » and for the lateral radiograph there was a 100-fold reduction from 618 to six milliroentgens. For the breasts there was a sixty-ninefold reduction from 344 to less than five milliroentgens for the posteroanterior radiography and a fifty-fivefold reduction from 277 to less than five milliroentgens for the lateral radiograph. These reductions in exposure were obtained without significant loss in the quality of the radiographs and in most instances with an improvement in the over-all quality of the radiograph due to the more uniform exposure.« less

Metric dimensional reduction at singularities with implications to Quantum Gravity

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

Stoica, Ovidiu Cristinel, E-mail: holotronix@gmail.com

2014-08-15

A series of old and recent theoretical observations suggests that the quantization of gravity would be feasible, and some problems of Quantum Field Theory would go away if, somehow, the spacetime would undergo a dimensional reduction at high energy scales. But an identification of the deep mechanism causing this dimensional reduction would still be desirable. The main contribution of this article is to show that dimensional reduction effects are due to General Relativity at singularities, and do not need to be postulated ad-hoc. Recent advances in understanding the geometry of singularities do not require modification of General Relativity, being justmore » non-singular extensions of its mathematics to the limit cases. They turn out to work fine for some known types of cosmological singularities (black holes and FLRW Big-Bang), allowing a choice of the fundamental geometric invariants and physical quantities which remain regular. The resulting equations are equivalent to the standard ones outside the singularities. One consequence of this mathematical approach to the singularities in General Relativity is a special, (geo)metric type of dimensional reduction: at singularities, the metric tensor becomes degenerate in certain spacetime directions, and some properties of the fields become independent of those directions. Effectively, it is like one or more dimensions of spacetime just vanish at singularities. This suggests that it is worth exploring the possibility that the geometry of singularities leads naturally to the spontaneous dimensional reduction needed by Quantum Gravity. - Highlights: • The singularities we introduce are described by finite geometric/physical objects. • Our singularities are accompanied by dimensional reduction effects. • They affect the metric, the measure, the topology, the gravitational DOF (Weyl = 0). • Effects proposed in other approaches to Quantum Gravity are obtained naturally. • The geometric dimensional reduction obtained opens new ways for Quantum Gravity.« less

Negative Peer Influence in Special Needs Classes--A Risk for Students with Problem Behaviour?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Christoph Michael

2010-01-01

Children and adolescents with aggressive and delinquent behaviours are often educated in special needs classes with others who exhibit the same kind of challenging behaviour. Beside the opportunities provided by this approach there are also risks, as several studies point to the problem of negative peer influence among this student population.…

Some Statistical Characteristics of Special Education for Children with Disabilities in North-East India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalita, Jumi; Sarmah, Pranita

2012-01-01

It is estimated that of approximately 150-250 million children with disabilities across the world, a large number have difficulties related to problems in the central nervous system (CNS). This paper considers school dropout rates of children with special educational needs associated with CNS problems from a study of educational institutions in…

Teaching Mathematical Problem Solving to Middle School Students in Math, Technology Education, and Special Education Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bottge, Brian A.; Heinrichs, Mary; Mehta, Zara Dee; Rueda, Enrique; Hung, Ya-Hui; Danneker, Jeanne

2004-01-01

This study compared two approaches for teaching sixth-grade middle school students to solve math problems in math, technology education, and special education classrooms. A total of 17 students with disabilities and 76 students without disabilities were taught using either enhanced anchored instruction (EAI) or text-based instruction coupled with…

International Perspectives on Problem-Based Learning: Contexts, Cultures, Challenges, and Adaptations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hmelo-Silver, Cindy E.

2012-01-01

The theme of this special issue is timely as the world becomes increasingly flat and globally connected (Friedman, 2007). By focusing on an international perspective in problem-based learning (PBL), it puts culture squarely in the center, whether it is a national or disciplinary culture. The articles in this special issue represent Thailand, South…

An Oral Language Based Reading Remedial Program for Special Education Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langdon, Tom

A problem was addressed within the context of the action based research practicum model. The problem was junior high school special education students who read at or below the 10th percentile when compared to age appropriate peers on standardized achievement instruments; and who have had all manner of reading interventions and yet continue to fall…

[Psychology and psychosomatics of the orthodontic treatment].

PubMed

Fábián, Gábor; Bálint, Mária; Fábían, Tibor Károly

2005-06-01

Psychosomatic problems related to orthodontic treatment are a special group of oral psychosomatic disorders. The most frequent complaints are related to aesthetics and occlusion. Most of the patients are children, adolescence or young adults, with special emotional problems. Authors reviewed the most important knowledge related to this specific field, but some general aspects of oral psychosomatics are also discussed.

Broadcasting and Social Action. A Handbook for Station Executives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohn, Marcus, Ed.

A number of commercial and non-commercial stations have recognized their special responsibility to attempt to help society find a solution to the problems of minority groups. In this handbook, 51 case studies of special programing on the problems of minority groups are presented. The entry for each program gives the name of the station from which…

Reachability Analysis in Probabilistic Biological Networks.

PubMed

Gabr, Haitham; Todor, Andrei; Dobra, Alin; Kahveci, Tamer

2015-01-01

Extra-cellular molecules trigger a response inside the cell by initiating a signal at special membrane receptors (i.e., sources), which is then transmitted to reporters (i.e., targets) through various chains of interactions among proteins. Understanding whether such a signal can reach from membrane receptors to reporters is essential in studying the cell response to extra-cellular events. This problem is drastically complicated due to the unreliability of the interaction data. In this paper, we develop a novel method, called PReach (Probabilistic Reachability), that precisely computes the probability that a signal can reach from a given collection of receptors to a given collection of reporters when the underlying signaling network is uncertain. This is a very difficult computational problem with no known polynomial-time solution. PReach represents each uncertain interaction as a bi-variate polynomial. It transforms the reachability problem to a polynomial multiplication problem. We introduce novel polynomial collapsing operators that associate polynomial terms with possible paths between sources and targets as well as the cuts that separate sources from targets. These operators significantly shrink the number of polynomial terms and thus the running time. PReach has much better time complexity than the recent solutions for this problem. Our experimental results on real data sets demonstrate that this improvement leads to orders of magnitude of reduction in the running time over the most recent methods. Availability: All the data sets used, the software implemented and the alignments found in this paper are available at http://bioinformatics.cise.ufl.edu/PReach/.

Special school teachers require more goal-oriented collaboration with psychiatric professionals in Northern Finland.

PubMed

Pönkkö, Maija-Leena; Taanila, Anja; Ebeling, Hanna

2003-03-01

The problems of children and adolescents have increased in number and severity during the last years. The purpose of this study was to elicit the views of special school teachers in the Oulu Province in Finland concerning their pupils' problems and the need, use and adequacy of relevant psychiatric services. The information was collected from the Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District in 1998 in Finland and responses were obtained from the 37 (97.4%) special schools. The data were analysed using the content analysis method. Special-needs pupils had various behavioural and emotional problems that made it difficult for them to learn and for the teachers to teach. According to the teachers, the major obstacles in the process of helping special-needs pupils were the delayed admission for treatment and the lack of information necessary for the pupils' school work and goal-oriented aftercare, although there were also favourable experiences of functional co-operation and availability of useful information. Some schools lacked a reliable network for helping pupilsand supporting teachers. The Finnish legislation on basic education obliges the providers of education to provide rehabilitation in connection with special education and to arrange relevant development, counselling and support services. The rehabilitation of special-need pupils and the collaboration between school and mental health authorities is not optimally realised in spite of the legislation.

Better approximation guarantees for job-shop scheduling

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

Goldberg, L.A.; Paterson, M.; Srinivasan, A.

1997-06-01

Job-shop scheduling is a classical NP-hard problem. Shmoys, Stein & Wein presented the first polynomial-time approximation algorithm for this problem that has a good (polylogarithmic) approximation guarantee. We improve the approximation guarantee of their work, and present further improvements for some important NP-hard special cases of this problem (e.g., in the preemptive case where machines can suspend work on operations and later resume). We also present NC algorithms with improved approximation guarantees for some NP-hard special cases.

The application of generalized, cyclic, and modified numerical integration algorithms to problems of satellite orbit computation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chesler, L.; Pierce, S.

1971-01-01

Generalized, cyclic, and modified multistep numerical integration methods are developed and evaluated for application to problems of satellite orbit computation. Generalized methods are compared with the presently utilized Cowell methods; new cyclic methods are developed for special second-order differential equations; and several modified methods are developed and applied to orbit computation problems. Special computer programs were written to generate coefficients for these methods, and subroutines were written which allow use of these methods with NASA's GEOSTAR computer program.

A Qualitative Exploration of the Perceptions of a Special Education Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Marc

2013-01-01

Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been used as a format for encouraging formal collaboration among teachers. The topic of the completed study is the perceptions of special education teachers regarding how special education PLCs meet formal collaboration needs, particularly in terms of isolation. The problem is that special education…

Inquiry-Based Instruction for Students with Special Needs in School Based Agricultural Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Easterly, R. G., III; Myers, Brian E.

2011-01-01

Educating students with special needs in school based agricultural education (SBAE) is a problem that should be addressed. While many students in SBAE classes have special needs, contradicting research exists establishing the best method of instruction for students with special needs. Inquiry-based instruction shows some promise, but little is…

A Qualitative Case Study of Expert Special Educators Effectively Negotiating Their Job Demands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortogero, Shawna P.

2013-01-01

This qualitative case study explored how three expert secondary special education teachers in Hawaii constructed their perceived roles and successfully negotiated their job demands. There is a strong connection between role problems and special education teachers leaving the profession. The special education teacher shortage has a direct impact on…

Children with Special Educational Needs in the Netherlands: Number, Characteristics and School Career

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Veen, Ineke; Smeets, Ed; Derriks, Mechtild

2010-01-01

Background: Several barriers are hampering the provision of adequate education to students with special educational needs in mainstream primary schools. It is not clear how many and which students in the Netherlands are considered children with special educational needs. The problems that make teachers consider children to have special educational…

Experimental determination of pore shapes using phase retrieval from q -space NMR diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demberg, Kerstin; Laun, Frederik Bernd; Bertleff, Marco; Bachert, Peter; Kuder, Tristan Anselm

2018-05-01

This paper presents an approach to solving the phase problem in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) diffusion pore imaging, a method that allows imaging the shape of arbitrary closed pores filled with an NMR-detectable medium for investigation of the microstructure of biological tissue and porous materials. Classical q -space imaging composed of two short diffusion-encoding gradient pulses yields, analogously to diffraction experiments, the modulus squared of the Fourier transform of the pore image which entails an inversion problem: An unambiguous reconstruction of the pore image requires both magnitude and phase. Here the phase information is recovered from the Fourier modulus by applying a phase retrieval algorithm. This allows omitting experimentally challenging phase measurements using specialized temporal gradient profiles. A combination of the hybrid input-output algorithm and the error reduction algorithm was used with dynamically adapting support (shrinkwrap extension). No a priori knowledge on the pore shape was fed to the algorithm except for a finite pore extent. The phase retrieval approach proved successful for simulated data with and without noise and was validated in phantom experiments with well-defined pores using hyperpolarized xenon gas.

Experimental determination of pore shapes using phase retrieval from q-space NMR diffraction.

PubMed

Demberg, Kerstin; Laun, Frederik Bernd; Bertleff, Marco; Bachert, Peter; Kuder, Tristan Anselm

2018-05-01

This paper presents an approach to solving the phase problem in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) diffusion pore imaging, a method that allows imaging the shape of arbitrary closed pores filled with an NMR-detectable medium for investigation of the microstructure of biological tissue and porous materials. Classical q-space imaging composed of two short diffusion-encoding gradient pulses yields, analogously to diffraction experiments, the modulus squared of the Fourier transform of the pore image which entails an inversion problem: An unambiguous reconstruction of the pore image requires both magnitude and phase. Here the phase information is recovered from the Fourier modulus by applying a phase retrieval algorithm. This allows omitting experimentally challenging phase measurements using specialized temporal gradient profiles. A combination of the hybrid input-output algorithm and the error reduction algorithm was used with dynamically adapting support (shrinkwrap extension). No a priori knowledge on the pore shape was fed to the algorithm except for a finite pore extent. The phase retrieval approach proved successful for simulated data with and without noise and was validated in phantom experiments with well-defined pores using hyperpolarized xenon gas.

Thermodynamic criteria for estimating the kinetic parameters of catalytic reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitrichev, I. I.; Zhensa, A. V.; Kol'tsova, E. M.

2017-01-01

Kinetic parameters are estimated using two criteria in addition to the traditional criterion that considers the consistency between experimental and modeled conversion data: thermodynamic consistency and the consistency with entropy production (i.e., the absolute rate of the change in entropy due to exchange with the environment is consistent with the rate of entropy production in the steady state). A special procedure is developed and executed on a computer to achieve the thermodynamic consistency of a set of kinetic parameters with respect to both the standard entropy of a reaction and the standard enthalpy of a reaction. A problem of multi-criterion optimization, reduced to a single-criterion problem by summing weighted values of the three criteria listed above, is solved. Using the reaction of NO reduction with CO on a platinum catalyst as an example, it is shown that the set of parameters proposed by D.B. Mantri and P. Aghalayam gives much worse agreement with experimental values than the set obtained on the basis of three criteria: the sum of the squares of deviations for conversion, the thermodynamic consistency, and the consistency with entropy production.

Solid Waste Reduction--A Hands-on Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiessinger, Diane

1991-01-01

This lesson plan uses grocery shopping to demonstrate the importance of source reduction in the handling of solid waste problems. Students consider different priorities in shopping (convenience, packaging, and waste reduction) and draw conclusions about the relationship between packaging techniques and solid waste problems. (MCO)

The Effect of Weight Reduction on the Blood and Urine Measurements of College Wrestlers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Segurson, Jack

It has been suggested that the weight reduction practices of wrestlers results in kidney and liver problems. To observe the effect of wrestlers' weight reduction, diagnostic tests for kidney and liver problems were done on the blood and urine samples of 22 college wrestlers over the course of a wrestling season. Results obtained after reduction to…

Harm Reduction for the Prevention of Youth Gambling Problems: Lessons Learned From Adolescent High-Risk Behavior Prevention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickson, Laurie M.; Derevensky, Jeffrey L.; Gupta, Rina

2004-01-01

Despite the growing popularity of the harm reduction approach in the field of adolescent alcohol and substance abuse, a harm reduction approach to prevention and treatment of youth problem gambling remains largely unexplored. This article poses the question of whether the harm reduction paradigm is a promising approach to the prevention of…

Special Libraries, Problems and Cooperative Potentials; Prepared for the National Advisory Commission on Libraries. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Havlik, Robert J.; And Others

A three part approach was taken in this situation report on the role of the special libraries in the United States. First, several background papers were prepared about the definition and state-of-the-art of the field of special librarianship. These papers are: (1) Shera, Jesse H., "Special Libraries--Why 'Special'?, (2) Ash, Lee,…

Specialty functions singularity mechanics problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarigul, Nesrin

1989-01-01

The focus is in the development of more accurate and efficient advanced methods for solution of singular problems encountered in mechanics. At present, finite element methods in conjunction with special functions, boolean sum and blending interpolations are being considered. In dealing with systems which contain a singularity, special finite elements are being formulated to be used in singular regions. Further, special transition elements are being formulated to couple the special element to the mesh that models the rest of the system, and to be used in conjunction with 1-D, 2-D and 3-D elements within the same mesh. Computational simulation with a least squares fit is being utilized to construct special elements, if there is an unknown singularity in the system. A novel approach is taken in formulation of the elements in that: (1) the material properties are modified to include time, temperature, coordinate and stress dependant behavior within the element; (2) material properties vary at nodal points of the elements; (3) a hidden-symbolic computation scheme is developed and utilized in formulating the elements; and (4) special functions and boolean sum are utilized in order to interpolate the field variables and their derivatives along the boundary of the elements. It may be noted that the proposed methods are also applicable to fluids and coupled problems.

Gravitational Many-Body Problem

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

Makino, J.

2008-04-29

In this paper, we briefly review some aspects of the gravitational many-body problem, which is one of the oldest problems in the modern mathematical science. Then we review our GRAPE project to design computers specialized to this problem.

Towards Building a Computer Aided Education System for Special Students Using Wearable Sensor Technologies

PubMed Central

Mehmood, Raja Majid; Lee, Hyo Jong

2017-01-01

Human computer interaction is a growing field in terms of helping people in their daily life to improve their living. Especially, people with some disability may need an interface which is more appropriate and compatible with their needs. Our research is focused on similar kinds of problems, such as students with some mental disorder or mood disruption problems. To improve their learning process, an intelligent emotion recognition system is essential which has an ability to recognize the current emotional state of the brain. Nowadays, in special schools, instructors are commonly use some conventional methods for managing special students for educational purposes. In this paper, we proposed a novel computer aided method for instructors at special schools where they can teach special students with the support of our system using wearable technologies. PMID:28208734

Effect of Tutorial Giving on The Topic of Special Theory of Relativity in Modern Physics Course Towards Students’ Problem-Solving Ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartatiek; Yudyanto; Haryoto, Dwi

2017-05-01

A Special Theory of Relativity handbook has been successfully arranged to guide students tutorial activity in the Modern Physics course. The low of students’ problem-solving ability was overcome by giving the tutorial in addition to the lecture class. It was done due to the limited time in the class during the course to have students do some exercises for their problem-solving ability. The explicit problem-solving based tutorial handbook was written by emphasizing to this 5 problem-solving strategies: (1) focus on the problem, (2) picture the physical facts, (3) plan the solution, (4) solve the problem, and (5) check the result. This research and development (R&D) consisted of 3 main steps: (1) preliminary study, (2) draft I. product development, and (3) product validation. The developed draft product was validated by experts to measure the feasibility of the material and predict the effect of the tutorial giving by means of questionnaires with scale 1 to 4. The students problem-solving ability in Special Theory of Relativity showed very good qualification. It implied that the tutorial giving with the help of tutorial handbook increased students problem-solving ability. The empirical test revealed that the developed handbook was significantly affected in improving students’ mastery concept and problem-solving ability. Both students’ mastery concept and problem-solving ability were in middle category with gain of 0.31 and 0.41, respectively.

Identification and addressing reduction-related misconceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gal-Ezer, Judith; Trakhtenbrot, Mark

2016-07-01

Reduction is one of the key techniques used for problem-solving in computer science. In particular, in the theory of computation and complexity (TCC), mapping and polynomial reductions are used for analysis of decidability and computational complexity of problems, including the core concept of NP-completeness. Reduction is a highly abstract technique that involves revealing close non-trivial connections between problems that often seem to have nothing in common. As a result, proper understanding and application of reduction is a serious challenge for students and a source of numerous misconceptions. The main contribution of this paper is detection of such misconceptions, analysis of their roots, and proposing a way to address them in an undergraduate TCC course. Our observations suggest that the main source of the misconceptions is the false intuitive rule "the bigger is a set/problem, the harder it is to solve". Accordingly, we developed a series of exercises for proactive prevention of these misconceptions.

Access to Specialty Medical Care for Children with Mental Retardation, Autism, and Other Special Health Care Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krauss, Marty Wyngaarden; Gulley, Stephen; Sciegaj, Mark; Wells, Nora

2003-01-01

Analysis of a national survey indicates that more than a third of children with autism, a fifth with mental retardation, and a fifth with other types of special health care needs had problems obtaining needed care from specialty doctors in the preceding year. The most common problems included getting referrals and finding providers with…

47 CFR 95.206 - (R/C Rule 6) Are there any special restrictions on the location of my R/C station?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES Radio Control (R/C) Radio... operated in such a manner as to raise environmental problems, under § 1.1307 of this chapter, you must... order to resolve or mitigate any potential interference problem with the Arecibo Observatory. If the...

47 CFR 95.206 - (R/C Rule 6) Are there any special restrictions on the location of my R/C station?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES Radio Control (R/C) Radio... operated in such a manner as to raise environmental problems, under § 1.1307 of this chapter, you must... order to resolve or mitigate any potential interference problem with the Arecibo Observatory. If the...

Men in Limbo: Former Students with Special Educational Needs Caught between Economic Independence and Social Security Dependence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skjong, Gerd; Myklebust, Jon Olav

2016-01-01

Individuals in their mid-thirties are expected to be employed and economically independent. However, people with disabilities and health problems--for example, former students with special educational needs (SEN)--may have problems in this domain of adult life. In Norway, individuals with SEN frequently rely on social security and support measures…

Function-Based Intervention for an Adolescent with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Bermuda: Moving across Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turton, Amina M.; Umbreit, John; Liaupsin, Carl J.; Bartley, Judith

2007-01-01

Saida, a 16-year-old girl in Bermuda, attended a special alternative high school program for students with serious behavior problems. She had been receiving special education for her behavioral problems since the age of 5. Saida regularly used profanity in response to teacher directives, particularly in social studies class. A functional…

SPECIAL PROBLEMS PRESENTED BY SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF OFFENDERS, MINORITY GROUPS, FEMALES, LOW-INCOME GROUPS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CUNNINGHAM, GLORIA

THE IDEA OF A "BORN CRIMINAL" OR A CLASS OF CRIMINALS IS ERRONEOUS. SOME CITIZENS MAINTAIN THIS ATTITUDE AND THEREFORE LACK COMMUNITY CONCERN OR INVOLVEMENT, THEREBY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF RESOURCES AND COOPERATING COMMUNITY UNITS THAT A PROBATION OFFICER CAN DRAW ON. ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH RESOURCES IS THAT, EVEN WHERE THEY DO EXIST, THEY…

An AIDS Prevention Program for Adolescents with Special Learning Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Nancy A.; And Others

1992-01-01

An AIDS risk assessment and intervention targeted special needs adolescents. Students completed questionnaires, and health professionals provided risk reduction education and counseling. A classroom curriculum based on student knowledge was developed. Teachers considered the classroom curriculum effective in increasing knowledge levels and…

Differential Effects of Formal and Informal Gambling on Symptoms of Problem Gambling During Voluntary Self-Exclusion.

PubMed

McCormick, Amanda V; Cohen, Irwin M; Davies, Garth

2018-01-18

Voluntary self-exclusion (VSE) programs enable problem gamblers to engage in a break from casino-based gambling. The current study analyzed the effects of a VSE program in British Columbia, Canada on problem gambling symptoms and the comparative reductions in problem gambling symptoms when participants abstained from gambling, continued to participate in non-casino based gambling, or attempted to violate their exclusion contract. 269 participants completed two telephone interviews over a 6-month period. Participants were administered the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Substantial reductions in PGSI scores were observed after 6 months. Program violators had significantly smaller PGSI Difference Scores by Time 2 compared to those who continued to gamble outside of the casino and those who completely abstained from all gambling. There were no significant differences between those who gambled informally and those who abstained. A multiple regression identified that while access to counselling and length of enrollment also contributed to the reduction in PGSI scores, violation attempts were most strongly associated with smaller reductions in symptoms of problem gambling. These results imply that some gamblers can successfully engage in non-casino based forms of gambling and still experience reductions in symptoms of problem gambling. Future analyses will explore characteristics associated with group membership that may help to identify which participants can successfully engage in non-casino based gambling without re-triggering symptoms of problem gambling.

Introduction to the special issue Hermann Weyl and the philosophy of the 'New Physics'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Bianchi, Silvia; Catren, Gabriel

2018-02-01

This Special Issue Hermann Weyl and the Philosophy of the 'New Physics' has two main objectives: first, to shed fresh light on the relevance of Weyl's work for modern physics and, second, to evaluate the importance of Weyl's work and ideas for contemporary philosophy of physics. Regarding the first objective, this Special Issue emphasizes aspects of Weyl's work (e.g. his work on spinors in n dimensions) whose importance has recently been emerging in research fields across both mathematical and experimental physics, as well as in the history and philosophy of physics. Regarding the second objective, this Special Issue addresses the relevance of Weyl's ideas regarding important open problems in the philosophy of physics, such as the problem of characterizing scientific objectivity and the problem of providing a satisfactory interpretation of fundamental symmetries in gauge theories and quantum mechanics. In this Introduction, we sketch the state of the art in Weyl studies and we summarize the content of the contributions to the present volume.

Solution of the symmetric eigenproblem AX=lambda BX by delayed division

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thurston, G. A.; Bains, N. J. C.

1986-01-01

Delayed division is an iterative method for solving the linear eigenvalue problem AX = lambda BX for a limited number of small eigenvalues and their corresponding eigenvectors. The distinctive feature of the method is the reduction of the problem to an approximate triangular form by systematically dropping quadratic terms in the eigenvalue lambda. The report describes the pivoting strategy in the reduction and the method for preserving symmetry in submatrices at each reduction step. Along with the approximate triangular reduction, the report extends some techniques used in the method of inverse subspace iteration. Examples are included for problems of varying complexity.

Preparing Special Educators for Work in Rural Areas: Two Field-Based Programs That Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minner, Sam; Prater, Greg

In response to a problem in recruiting and retaining special education teachers on the Navajo Reservation, the Rural Special Education Project (RSEP) was designed to prepare special education teachers to deliver quality services to Navajo children with handicapping conditions. The RSEP is a partnership between Northern Arizona University and the…

Special discontinuities in nonlinearly elastic media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chugainova, A. P.

2017-06-01

Solutions of a nonlinear hyperbolic system of equations describing weakly nonlinear quasitransverse waves in a weakly anisotropic elastic medium are studied. The influence of small-scale processes of dissipation and dispersion is investigated. The small-scale processes determine the structure of discontinuities (shocks) and a set of discontinuities with a stationary structure. Among the discontinuities with a stationary structure, there are special ones that, in addition to relations following from conservation laws, satisfy additional relations required for the existence of their structure. In the phase plane, the structure of such discontinuities is represented by an integral curve joining two saddles. Special discontinuities lead to nonunique self-similar solutions of the Riemann problem. Asymptotics of non-self-similar problems for equations with dissipation and dispersion are found numerically. These asymptotics correspond to self-similar solutions of the problems.

Special Education Students Improve Academic Performance through Problem-Based Learning and Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeman, S.; Kintsch, A.

2003-12-01

Boulder High School Special Education students work in teams on donated wireless computers to solve problems created by global climate change. Their text is Richard Somerville's The Forgiving Air. They utilize Wheeling Jesuit University's remote sensing web site and private computer bulletin board. Their central source for problem-based learning (PBL) is www.cotf.edu, NASA's Classroom of the Future Global Change web site. As a result, students not only improve their abilities to write, read, do math and research, speak, and work as team members, they also improve self-esteem, resilience, and willingness to take more challenging classes. Two special education students passed AP exams, Calculus and U.S. Government, last spring and Jay Matthews of Newsweek rates Boulder High as 201st of the nation's top 1000 high schools.

An analysis of teacher’s preparation in implementing 2013 revision edition curriculum on mathematics specialization learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susilo, T.; Suryawan, A.

2018-05-01

This study aimed to determine the pedagogical competence of teachers, the readiness of planning and implementation of learning related to the implementation 2013 revised edition curriculum on mathematics specialization learning for senior high schools Wonogiri. Informants in this study there are 6 high school mathematics teachers X and XI class who teach in the school district Wonogiri. Data were collected using questionnaire method, interview, observation and documentation. Qualitative data analysis is done interactively through 4 paths: data collection, data reduction, data display, drawing conclusion. The results showed that high school mathematics teacher class X and XI in school district of Wonogiri City. The results show that most high school mathematics teachers in grade X and XI are ready to implement the 2013 revised edition curriculum and a few have not been able to implement due to internal or external factors. High school math teachers at Wonogiri district who are ready to face the 2013 revised edition curriculum have applied 10 teacher pedagogic competency indicators according to Regulation of the national education ministry Number 16 Year 2007 in learning. The readiness and implementation of mathematics learning is in line with the demands of the 2013 revised edition curriculum. Based on the teachers who are not ready, data on issues that arise in the implementation of the 2013 revised edition curriculum. Especially the problems in learning, namely mismatch of Core Competence (KI) and Basic Competence (KD) in teacher manual, material disregard in student handbook and lack of examples of problems that exist in teacher manual.

Introduction: Unsolved Problems on Noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oriols, X.; Ciliberto, S.

2016-05-01

This paper is an introduction to the special issue of the 7th Int. Conf. on Unsolved Problems on Noise (UPoN) that took place at Casa Convalescència in Barcelona (Spain) in July 2015. The aim of the UPoN conferences is to provide a forum for researchers working on different fields of noise, fluctuations and variability, where they present their scientific problems which resist solutions. The papers of this Special Issue reflect the interdisciplinary topics (physics, biology, circuits, financial markets, psychology, technology, etc) presented at the UPoN conference. Noise is not only a hindrance to signal detection, but it is indeed a valuable source of information (not present in the signal) that help us to get a deeper understanding on how Nature works. This special issue of the 7th International Conference on Unsolved Problems on Noise (UPoN) is dedicated to Laszlo Kish in the occasion of his 60th birthday. He organized the first edition of these UPoN conferences in Szeged (Hungary) in 1996. Many of us have greatly benefited from his ‘volcanic imagination in tackling new problems from unconventional points of views’.

5 CFR 530.323 - Setting pay when a special rate is discontinued or decreased.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of a rate range within a schedule); or (2) The reduction in the scope of coverage of the special rate... retention under 5 CFR part 536, the employee's rate of pay is set in the highest applicable rate range at...

[Special mechanisms for reducing life span of cells and organisms, initiated by some weak external signals].

PubMed

Bychkovskaia, I B; Fedortseva, R F

2014-01-01

The study presents the results of many-years research conducted using biological objects of different organization level. It demonstrates special species-nonspecific form of weak external signals negative effect to cells life expectancy reduction caused by program damage of cells populations. This effect is detected after weak radiation, radio-chemical and thermal influences. It leads to faster extinction of postmitotic populations which can be a reason for life expectancy reduction of multicellular organisms. A possibility of such effect inheritance in the asexual and sexual reproduction is shown. Epigenetic mechanisms of this phenomenon are assumed.

Distinguishing Disability: Parents, Privilege, and Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ong-Dean, Colin

2009-01-01

Students in special education programs can have widely divergent experiences. For some, special education amounts to a dumping ground where schools unload their problem students, while for others, it provides access to services and accommodations that drastically improve chances of succeeding in school and beyond. "Distinguishing…

Digital Networked Information Society and Public Health: Problems and Promises of Networked Health Communication of Lay Publics.

PubMed

Kim, Jeong-Nam

2018-01-01

This special issue of Health Communication compiles 10 articles to laud the promise and yet confront the problems in the digital networked information society related to public health. We present this anthology of symphony and cacophony of lay individuals' communicative actions in a digital networked information society. The collection of problems and promise of the new digital world may be a cornerstone joining two worlds-pre- and postdigital network society-and we hope this special issue will help better shape our future states of public health.

Fast online generalized multiscale finite element method using constraint energy minimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Eric T.; Efendiev, Yalchin; Leung, Wing Tat

2018-02-01

Local multiscale methods often construct multiscale basis functions in the offline stage without taking into account input parameters, such as source terms, boundary conditions, and so on. These basis functions are then used in the online stage with a specific input parameter to solve the global problem at a reduced computational cost. Recently, online approaches have been introduced, where multiscale basis functions are adaptively constructed in some regions to reduce the error significantly. In multiscale methods, it is desired to have only 1-2 iterations to reduce the error to a desired threshold. Using Generalized Multiscale Finite Element Framework [10], it was shown that by choosing sufficient number of offline basis functions, the error reduction can be made independent of physical parameters, such as scales and contrast. In this paper, our goal is to improve this. Using our recently proposed approach [4] and special online basis construction in oversampled regions, we show that the error reduction can be made sufficiently large by appropriately selecting oversampling regions. Our numerical results show that one can achieve a three order of magnitude error reduction, which is better than our previous methods. We also develop an adaptive algorithm and enrich in selected regions with large residuals. In our adaptive method, we show that the convergence rate can be determined by a user-defined parameter and we confirm this by numerical simulations. The analysis of the method is presented.

Stochastic model of the NASA/MSFC ground facility for large space structures with uncertain parameters: The maximum entropy approach, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsia, Wei Shen

1989-01-01

A validated technology data base is being developed in the areas of control/structures interaction, deployment dynamics, and system performance for Large Space Structures (LSS). A Ground Facility (GF), in which the dynamics and control systems being considered for LSS applications can be verified, was designed and built. One of the important aspects of the GF is to verify the analytical model for the control system design. The procedure is to describe the control system mathematically as well as possible, then to perform tests on the control system, and finally to factor those results into the mathematical model. The reduction of the order of a higher order control plant was addressed. The computer program was improved for the maximum entropy principle adopted in Hyland's MEOP method. The program was tested against the testing problem. It resulted in a very close match. Two methods of model reduction were examined: Wilson's model reduction method and Hyland's optimal projection (OP) method. Design of a computer program for Hyland's OP method was attempted. Due to the difficulty encountered at the stage where a special matrix factorization technique is needed in order to obtain the required projection matrix, the program was successful up to the finding of the Linear Quadratic Gaussian solution but not beyond. Numerical results along with computer programs which employed ORACLS are presented.

Reduction of vitamin A deficiency and anemia in pregnancy after implementing proposed prenatal nutritional assistance.

PubMed

Barbosa Chagas, C; Ramalho, A; de Carvalho Padilha, P; Delia Libera, B; Saunders, C

2011-01-01

Micronutrient deficiency is an unquestionable public health problem, specially anemia and vitamin A deficiency (VAD). This is due to the collective dimension of these carencies, which reflects on morbimortality rates in the maternal and infant group. to evaluate the impact of a proposal for prenatal nutritional assistance, comparing the prevalence of anemia and VAD, in pre-intervention (GI) and intervention (GII) groups. this is a prospective intervention study in a cohort of pregnant women. The GI group was made up of 225 the GII group of 208 pregnant adults and their respective newborns, attended a Public Maternity Ward in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Concentration of hemoglobin was used to diagnose anemia and a standardized interview to diagnose night blindness (XN). after adjusting for confounding variables, through logistic regression, the protective effect of intervention at the onset of anemia (OR = 0.420; IC 95% = 0.251-0.702), with a significant reduction in prevalence, of 28.4% in the GI to 16.8% in the GII, also observed at the onset of XN (OR = 0.377; IC95% = 0.187- 0.759), with a reduction in prevalence of 18.7 % in the GI to 6.2% in the GII. Nutritional intervention has a beneficial effect on maternal health, reducing nutritional deficiencies most prevalent during pregnancy and the impact of these on the obstetric ailment.

5 CFR 353.302 - Retention protections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Retention protections. 353.302 Section 353.302 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS RESTORATION... protections. An injured employee enjoys no special protection in a reduction in force. Separation by reduction...

47 CFR 101.305 - Discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service. 101.305 Section 101.305 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES FIXED MICROWAVE SERVICES Miscellaneous Common Carrier Provisions § 101.305...

47 CFR 101.305 - Discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service. 101.305 Section 101.305 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES FIXED MICROWAVE SERVICES Miscellaneous Common Carrier Provisions § 101.305...

47 CFR 101.305 - Discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service. 101.305 Section 101.305 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES FIXED MICROWAVE SERVICES Miscellaneous Common Carrier Provisions § 101.305...

47 CFR 101.305 - Discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service. 101.305 Section 101.305 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES FIXED MICROWAVE SERVICES Miscellaneous Common Carrier Provisions § 101.305...

47 CFR 101.305 - Discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service. 101.305 Section 101.305 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES FIXED MICROWAVE SERVICES Miscellaneous Common Carrier Provisions § 101.305...

Impact of Family Functioning on Classroom Problem Behavior of Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoutjesdijk, Regina; Scholte, Evert M.; Swaab, Hanna

2016-01-01

This study examined the relation between family functioning and classroom problem behavior of children with emotional and behavioral disorders receiving special educational support. To this end, the Teachers' Report Form and the Family Questionnaire were completed for 84 children (M age of 9.8 years) 2 times with a time lag of 11 months.…

The Use of Wireless Technology to Augment Problem-Based Learning in Special Education Preservice Teacher Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackbourn, J. M.; Fillingim, Jennifer G.; McCelland, Susan; Elrod, G. Franklin; Medley, Meagan B.; Kritsonis, Mary Alice; Ray, Jan

2008-01-01

This study examines the use of wireless laptop technology to support the application of problem-based learning (PBL) in a special education methods course. This field based course used a progressive disclosure process in weekly seminars to address issues posed in a case study. Eight scenarios, all related to the case, were presented to upper level…

Drug Crisis: Schools Fight Back with Innovative Programs. Education U.S.A. Special Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, J. William

An indepth study of the drug issue and problem in American schools is presented in this Education U.S.A. Special Report by the National School Public Relations Association. Dealing with what is and what is not being accomplished, the report probes the extent of the drug problem; reasons for its existence; the scare tactics of overkill versus the…

Industrial Protection Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

This should be simple to manage at meal time. Diabetics , or persons with food tolerance or food allergy problems, may require special diets and/or...other industries. 5) Number and kinds of medical problems requiring special diets , medicines, etc. (for example, diabetes ), by person. Late Planners...are palatability and cost. Balanced diets are not necessary, since the food is intended for only a limited survival period. Select foods that require

Photolytic AND Catalytic Destruction of Organic Waste Water Pollutants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torosyan, V. F.; Torosyan, E. S.; Kryuchkova, S. O.; Gromov, V. E.

2017-01-01

The system: water supply source - potable and industrial water - wastewater - sewage treatment - water supply source is necessary for water supply and efficient utilization of water resources. Up-to-date technologies of waste water biological treatment require for special microorganisms, which are technologically complex and expensive but unable to solve all the problems. Application of photolytic and catalytically-oxidizing destruction is quite promising. However, the most reagents are strong oxidizers in catalytic oxidation of organic substances and can initiate toxic substance generation. Methodic and scientific approaches to assess bread making industry influence on the environment have been developed in this paper in order to support forecasting and taking technological decisions concerning reduction of this influence. Destructive methods have been tested: ultra violet irradiation and catalytic oxidation for extraction of organic compounds from waste water by natural reagents.

Doppler frequency in interplanetary radar and general relativity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcvittie, G. C.

1972-01-01

The change of frequency of an interplanetary radar signal sent from the earth to another planet or to a space probe is worked out according to general relativity. The Schwarzschild spacetime is employed and its null geodesics control the motion of the signals. Exact Doppler frequency formulas are derived for one-way and two-way radar in terms of an arbitrary Schwarzschild radial coordinate. A reduction to the special relativity case is used to interpret the formulas in terms of the relative radial velocity of emitter and target. The general relativity corrections are worked out approximately for each of three possible Schwarzschild radial coordinates, and a numerical example is given. The amount of the correction is different according as one or the other of the Schwarzschild coordinates is identified with the radius vector deduced from classical celestial mechanics. The identification problem is discussed.

Space Shuttle stability and control flight test techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooke, D. R.

1980-01-01

A unique approach for obtaining vehicle aerodynamic characteristics during entry has been developed for the Space Shuttle. This is due to the high cost of Shuttle testing, the need to open constraints for operational flights, and the fact that all flight regimes are flown starting with the first flight. Because of uncertainties associated with predicted aerodynamic coefficients, nine flight conditions have been identified at which control problems could occur. A detailed test plan has been developed for testing at these conditions and is presented. Due to limited testing, precise computer initiated maneuvers are implemented. These maneuvers are designed to optimize the vehicle motion for determining aerodynamic coefficients. Special sensors and atmospheric measurements are required to provide stability and control flight data during an entire entry. The techniques employed in data reduction are proven programs developed and used at NASA/DFRC.

Case-control studies of the efficacy of cancer screening: overcoming bias from nonrandom patterns of screening.

PubMed

Weiss, Noel S; Dhillon, Preet K; Etzioni, Ruth

2004-07-01

A case-control study of the efficacy of cancer screening, like any other case-control study, must deal with potential confounding. There are 2 categories of confounding variables that pose special problems for studies of screening: (1) age and calendar time resulting from different temporal distributions of screening between cases and controls irrespective of whether the screening test leads to a reduction in mortality; and (2) the administration of other screening tests for the cancer in question when it is not clear whether the result of the other test had a bearing on the decision to order the test under study. We describe circumstances in which confounding from these sources can be dealt with satisfactorily by means of restriction or adjustment, and other circumstances in which it cannot. Copyright 2004 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins

Teaching Reductive Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armoni, Michal; Gal-Ezer, Judith

2005-01-01

When dealing with a complex problem, solving it by reduction to simpler problems, or problems for which the solution is already known, is a common method in mathematics and other scientific disciplines, as in computer science and, specifically, in the field of computability. However, when teaching computational models (as part of computability)…

Examining the Effectiveness of the Corrective Reading Program for Special Education and Non-Special Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCutcheon, Catherine A.

2013-01-01

The traditional classroom educational approach has been unsuccessful in helping special education and non-special education students who are not proficient readers. The problem addressed in this study was that a large number of American children are experiencing difficulty learning to read. One possible way to help students learn to read is…

77 FR 13566 - Notice of Availability for Exclusive, Non-Exclusive, or Partially-Exclusive Licensing of an...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-07

... invention set forth in ``Radiation Detector System for Locating and Identifying Special Nuclear Material in..., or Partially-Exclusive Licensing of an Invention Concerning a Radiation Detector System for Locating and Identifying Special Nuclear Material in Moving Vehicles AGENCY: Defense Threat Reduction Agency...

Report on Education Legislation: 1990 Session of the General Assembly.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh.

Summaries of special provisions and ratified bills are presented in this report on educational legislation conducted by the 1990 session of the North Carolina General Assembly. Contents include legislation pertaining to education budget expansions and reductions and summaries of special provisions and ratified bills. Legislative outcomes include…

30 CFR 1210.352 - Special forms and reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Special forms and reports. 1210.352 Section 1210.352 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL... the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 and other applicable laws. [56 FR 57286, Nov...

30 CFR 1210.352 - Special forms and reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Special forms and reports. 1210.352 Section 1210.352 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL... the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 and other applicable laws. [56 FR 57286, Nov...

30 CFR 1210.352 - Special forms and reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Special forms and reports. 1210.352 Section 1210.352 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF NATURAL RESOURCES REVENUE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATURAL... the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 and other applicable laws. [56 FR 57286, Nov...

Adolescents’ Use of Care for Behavioral and Emotional Problems: Types, Trends, and Determinants

PubMed Central

Reijneveld, Sijmen A.; Wiegersma, P. Auke; Ormel, Johan; Verhulst, Frank C.; Vollebergh, Wilma A. M.; Jansen, Danielle E. M. C.

2014-01-01

Objective While adolescents use various types of care for behavioral and emotional problems, evidence on age trends and determinants per type is scarce. We aimed to assess use of care by adolescents because of behavioral and emotional problems, overall and by type, and its determinants, for ages 10–19 years. Methods We obtained longitudinal data on 2,230 adolescents during ages 10–19 from four measurements regarding use of general care and specialized care (youth social care and mental healthcare) in the preceding 6 months, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Youth Self-Report, and child and family characteristics. We analyzed data by multilevel logistic regression. Results Overall rates of use increased from 20.1% at age 10/11 to 32.2% at age 19: general care was used most. At age 10/11 use was higher among boys, at age 19 among girls. Use of general care increased for both genders, whereas use of specialized care increased among girls but decreased among boys. This differential change was associated with CBCL externalizing and internalizing problems, school problems, family socioeconomic status, and parental divorce. Preceding CBCL problems predicted more use: most for mental health care and least for general care. Moreover, general care was used more frequently by low and medium socioeconomic status families, with odds ratios (95%-confidence intervals): 1.52 (1.23;1.88) and 1.40 (1.17;1.67); youth social care in case of parental divorce, 2.07 (1.36;3.17); and of special education, 2.66 (1.78;3.95); and mental healthcare in case of special education, 2.66 (1.60;4.51). Discussion Adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems use general care most frequently. Overall use increases with age. Determinants of use vary per type. PMID:24699408

Adolescents' use of care for behavioral and emotional problems: types, trends, and determinants.

PubMed

Reijneveld, Sijmen A; Wiegersma, P Auke; Ormel, Johan; Verhulst, Frank C; Vollebergh, Wilma A M; Jansen, Danielle E M C

2014-01-01

While adolescents use various types of care for behavioral and emotional problems, evidence on age trends and determinants per type is scarce. We aimed to assess use of care by adolescents because of behavioral and emotional problems, overall and by type, and its determinants, for ages 10-19 years. We obtained longitudinal data on 2,230 adolescents during ages 10-19 from four measurements regarding use of general care and specialized care (youth social care and mental healthcare) in the preceding 6 months, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Youth Self-Report, and child and family characteristics. We analyzed data by multilevel logistic regression. Overall rates of use increased from 20.1% at age 10/11 to 32.2% at age 19: general care was used most. At age 10/11 use was higher among boys, at age 19 among girls. Use of general care increased for both genders, whereas use of specialized care increased among girls but decreased among boys. This differential change was associated with CBCL externalizing and internalizing problems, school problems, family socioeconomic status, and parental divorce. Preceding CBCL problems predicted more use: most for mental health care and least for general care. Moreover, general care was used more frequently by low and medium socioeconomic status families, with odds ratios (95%-confidence intervals): 1.52 (1.23;1.88) and 1.40 (1.17;1.67); youth social care in case of parental divorce, 2.07 (1.36;3.17); and of special education, 2.66 (1.78;3.95); and mental healthcare in case of special education, 2.66 (1.60;4.51). Adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems use general care most frequently. Overall use increases with age. Determinants of use vary per type.

Recent research in network problems with applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, G. L.

1980-01-01

The capabilities of network codes and their extensions are surveyed in regard to specially structured integer programming problems which are solved by using the solutions of a series of ordinary network problems.

Special Education in Early Childhood. A Burning Issues Series Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Diego County Office of Education, CA.

The National Preschool Coordination Project's (NPCP) Interstate Coordination Committee identified problems in finding and providing special education services for preschool migrant children. They propose training for parents and migrant staff and coordination among agencies to improve services. The NPCP Subcommittee on Special Education identified…

Special Education Finance in California. Technical Appendices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Laura; Warren, Paul; Murphy, Patrick; Ugo, Iwunze; Pathak, Aditi

2016-01-01

This document presents the technical appendices that accompany the full report, "Special Education Finance in California." The appendices include: (1) Problems with AB 602 and Other State Funding Programs for Special Education; (2) Additional Figures for Analysis of Distribution of Students with Disabilities; (3) Using Supplemental and…

Specialized Community-Based Care: An Evidence-Based Analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Specialized community-based care (SCBC) refers to services that manage chronic illness through formalized links between primary and specialized care. Objectives The objectives of this evidence-based analysis (EBA) were as follows: to summarize the literature on SCBC, also known as intermediate care to synthesize the evidence from previous Medical Advisory Secretariat (now Health Quality Ontario) EBAs on SCBC for heart failure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic wounds to examine the role of SCBC in family practice Results Part 1: Systematic Review of Intermediate Care Seven systematic reviews on intermediate care since 2008 were identified. The literature base is complex and difficult to define. There is evidence to suggest that intermediate care is effective in improving outcomes; however, the effective interventions are still uncertain. Part 2: Synthesis of Evidence in Intermediate Care Mortality • Heart failure Significant reduction in patients receiving SCBC • COPD Nonsignificant reduction in patients receiving SCBC Hospitalization • Heart failure Nonsignificant reduction in patients receiving SCBC • COPD Significant reduction in patients receiving SCBC Emergency Department Visits • Heart failure Nonsignificant reduction in patients receiving SCBC • COPD Significant reduction in patients receiving SCBC Disease-Specific Patient Outcomes • COPD Nonsignificant improvement in lung function in patients receiving SCBC • Diabetes Significant reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and systolic blood pressure in patients receiving SCBC • Chronic wounds Significant increase in the proportion of healed wounds in patients receiving SCBC Quality of Life • Heart failure Trend toward improvement in patients receiving SCBC • COPD Significant improvement in patients receiving SCBC Part 3: Intermediate Care in Family Practice—Evidence-Based Analysis Five randomized controlled trials were identified comparing SCBC to usual care in family practice. Inclusion criteria were 1) the presence of multiple chronic conditions, and 2) interventions that included 2 or more health care professions. The GRADE quality of the evidence was assessed as low for all outcomes due to the inconsistency and indirectness of the results. Limitations This review did not look at disease-specific studies on intermediate care in family practice. Conclusions Specialized community-based care effectively improves outcomes in patients with heart failure, COPD, and diabetes. The effectiveness of SCBC in family practice is unclear. PMID:23226812

State-of-the-art of the Space Shuttle External Tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronquillo, L.

The designation, structure and environment of the External Tank (ET) of the Space Shuttle as well as plans for increasing the facilities and tooling to meet the required production rate capability of 40 or more ETs per year in 1992 are described. Special attention is given to the weight reduction of ET, since 1.0 lb of weight saved on the empty structure translates into about 0.9 lb of additional payload. To determine the potentiality of the weight reduction, structural tests were conducted. It was found that the tank could function properly with interior support structures reduced, and selected stringers eliminated. It is reported that an alternate sprayable polyisocyanurate foam capable of replacing a foam insulation over ablator bilayer thermoprotective composite on the aft-dome of the tank was developed: a commercially available material was modified to adhere to the -423 F aluminum substrate in the 2000 F engine-plume radiant-heat environment. It is mentioned that the weight savings program which started in Oct. 1975 saved 6000 lb by Jan. 1979. To reduce weld testing time and gain 100 times the accuracy, an electromechanical check system was developed. Problems of using robots are discussed.

[Alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption among youngsters: review of the international literature].

PubMed

Pinsky, Ilana; El Jundi, Sami A R J

2008-12-01

Problems related to alcohol consumption are frequent, especially among the youth population. We analyzed advertisement as one of several modifiable factors with impact over alcohol consumption. The authors carried out a literature review within Medline, SciELO, PsychoInfo and Google Scholar databases between 1990 and 2008, retrieving studies with different approaches of the alcohol advertisement impact on consumption. Besides, a ' snowball' technique was applied to identify the most proficuous authors on the matter. Over a hundred papers were initially selected. The overall set of papers indicate that factors such as exposition to the advertising and attractiveness of the alcoholic beverage advertising are related with greater expectation of future consumption and with a higher and precocious consumption of alcohol, specially among adolescents and young adults. Despite methodological difficulties, recent econometrical studies indicate that reduction and/or banishment of advertising would decrease alcohol consumption. We also consider issues about the neurophysiology of decision making process and the freedom of choice in the context of exposition to advertisements. The current knowledge on the matter strongly suggests that a reduction of the exposition to alcohol advertisements impacts on its consumption, mainly among young populations.

A Recruitment Program for Critical Shortage Elementary Level Special Education Teachers and Related Service Personnel.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teas, Brenda

A county (Harris County, Texas) education agency, along with Special Education Directors and Personnel Officers from the county's 24 school districts, identified problems in recruiting special education teachers and such related service personnel as psychologists, psychological associates, educational diagnosticians, speech therapists, art…

Special Education for Mentally Handicapped Pupils--A Teaching Manual. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Christine

This book describes the state of special education for students with mental disabilities in Pakistan and attempts to introduce beginning teachers to special education practice. The general nature and causes of mental disabilities are discussed, including emotional problems, genetic factors, and brain damage. Teaching methods are described,…

Predictors of the Placement of Cognitively Impaired Residents on Special Care Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riter, Robert N.; Fries, Brant E.

1992-01-01

Examined nursing homes that have both special care units and traditional units to determine factors that cause homes to place cognitively impaired residents on specialized units. Wandering, other problem behaviors, and Medicaid status were not significant predictors of placement. Logistic regression results indicated that functional status was…

Artificial Intelligence Applications in Special Education: How Feasible? Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofmeister, Alan M.; Ferrara, Joseph M.

The research project investigated whether expert system tools have become sophisticated enough to be applied efficiently to problems in special education. (Expert systems are a development of artificial intelligence that combines the computer's capacity for storing specialized knowledge with a general set of rules intended to replicate the…

Early Childhood Special Education for Children with Visual Impairments: Problems and Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kesiktas, A. Dolunay

2009-01-01

Studies showing developmental delays in infants and children with visual impairments have triggered early childhood special education studies for this population. Early childhood special education guidelines for visually impaired infants and children range from individualized services to personnel preparation issues while all display certain…

A Cooperative Transportation Model for Occupational or Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Daniel J.

1976-01-01

Demonstrates the application of a mathematical model to the problem of cooperative busing across school districts for transportation to regional centers for occupational or special education. (Author)

Assessment of the effectiveness of a small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement on reducing anaemia and stunting in refugee populations in the Horn of Africa: Secondary data analysis.

PubMed

Style, Sarah; Tondeur, Melody; Grijalva-Eternod, Carlos; Pringle, Josephine; Kassim, Ismail; Wilkinson, Caroline; Oman, Allison; Dolan, Carmel; Spiegel, Paul; Seal, Andrew

2017-01-01

Stunting and micronutrient malnutrition are persistent public health problems in refugee populations. UNHCR and its partner organisations implement blanket supplementary feeding programmes using a range of special nutritional products as one approach to address these issues. The evidence base for the efficacy and effectiveness of a small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement, Nutributter®, in reducing stunting and anaemia is limited. Secondary data analysis was used to assess the effectiveness of Nutributter® distribution on anaemia and stunting in children aged 6-23 months (programme target group) and 6-59 months (the standard age group sampled in routine nutrition surveys). Analysis was conducted using routine pre and post-intervention cross-sectional nutrition survey data collected between 2008-2011 in five refugee camps in Kenya and Djibouti. Changes in total anaemia (Haemoglobin<110g/L), anaemia categories (mild, moderate and severe), and stunting (height-for-age z-score <-2) were explored using available data on the Nutributter® programme and contextual factors. A significant reduction in the prevalence of anaemia in children aged 6-23 months and 6-59 months was seen in four of five, and in all five camps, respectively (p<0.05). Reductions ranged from 12.4 to 23.0, and 18.3 to 29.3 percentage points in each age group. Improvements were largely due to reductions in moderate and severe anaemia and occurred where the prevalence of acute malnutrition was stable or increasing. No change in stunting was observed in four of five camps. The replicability of findings across five sites strongly suggests that Nutributter® distribution was associated with a reduction in anaemia, but not stunting, among refugee children in the Horn of Africa. Benefits were not restricted to the 6-23 month target group targeted by the nutrition programme. However, even following this intervention anaemia remained a serious public health problem and additional work to define and evaluate an effective intervention package is warranted.

Assessment of the effectiveness of a small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement on reducing anaemia and stunting in refugee populations in the Horn of Africa: Secondary data analysis

PubMed Central

Style, Sarah; Tondeur, Melody; Grijalva-Eternod, Carlos; Pringle, Josephine; Kassim, Ismail; Wilkinson, Caroline; Oman, Allison; Dolan, Carmel; Spiegel, Paul

2017-01-01

Stunting and micronutrient malnutrition are persistent public health problems in refugee populations. UNHCR and its partner organisations implement blanket supplementary feeding programmes using a range of special nutritional products as one approach to address these issues. The evidence base for the efficacy and effectiveness of a small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement, Nutributter®, in reducing stunting and anaemia is limited. Secondary data analysis was used to assess the effectiveness of Nutributter® distribution on anaemia and stunting in children aged 6–23 months (programme target group) and 6–59 months (the standard age group sampled in routine nutrition surveys). Analysis was conducted using routine pre and post-intervention cross-sectional nutrition survey data collected between 2008–2011 in five refugee camps in Kenya and Djibouti. Changes in total anaemia (Haemoglobin<110g/L), anaemia categories (mild, moderate and severe), and stunting (height-for-age z-score <-2) were explored using available data on the Nutributter® programme and contextual factors. A significant reduction in the prevalence of anaemia in children aged 6–23 months and 6–59 months was seen in four of five, and in all five camps, respectively (p<0.05). Reductions ranged from 12.4 to 23.0, and 18.3 to 29.3 percentage points in each age group. Improvements were largely due to reductions in moderate and severe anaemia and occurred where the prevalence of acute malnutrition was stable or increasing. No change in stunting was observed in four of five camps. The replicability of findings across five sites strongly suggests that Nutributter® distribution was associated with a reduction in anaemia, but not stunting, among refugee children in the Horn of Africa. Benefits were not restricted to the 6–23 month target group targeted by the nutrition programme. However, even following this intervention anaemia remained a serious public health problem and additional work to define and evaluate an effective intervention package is warranted. PMID:28591166

On the numerical treatment of selected oscillatory evolutionary problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardone, Angelamaria; Conte, Dajana; D'Ambrosio, Raffaele; Paternoster, Beatrice

2017-07-01

We focus on evolutionary problems whose qualitative behaviour is known a-priori and exploited in order to provide efficient and accurate numerical schemes. For classical numerical methods, depending on constant coefficients, the required computational effort could be quite heavy, due to the necessary employ of very small stepsizes needed to accurately reproduce the qualitative behaviour of the solution. In these situations, it may be convenient to use special purpose formulae, i.e. non-polynomially fitted formulae on basis functions adapted to the problem (see [16, 17] and references therein). We show examples of special purpose strategies to solve two families of evolutionary problems exhibiting periodic solutions, i.e. partial differential equations and Volterra integral equations.

Generalized Reduction of Problem Behavior of Young Children with Autism: Building Trans-Situational Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schindler, Holly Reed; Horner, Robert H.

2005-01-01

The effects of functional communication training on the generalized reduction of problem behavior with three 4- to 5-year-old children with autism and problem behavior were evaluated. Participants were assessed in primary teaching settings and in three secondary, generalization settings. Through baseline analysis, lower effort interventions in the…

Assessment of vehicle safety problems for special driving populations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-02-16

The report describes vehicle safety problems reported in interviews with 460 physically limited drivers and 41 physically limited non-drivers. The problems reported involved operation of primary and secondary controls, operating other vehicle mechani...

Teachers' perceptions of remediation possibilities of Dutch students in special education.

PubMed

Bakker, Joep T A; Bosman, Anna M T

2006-12-01

Research suggests that referral practices of teachers in regular education are not only affected by the level of learning difficulties but also by student behaviour and the level of students' parental involvement in education. It was hypothesized that teachers maintain a notion of the 'ideal' student, who has relatively good academic skills, is well behaved and has highly involved parents. The main question of this study was whether special-education teachers' perceptions regarding remediation possibilities are similarly affected by student behaviour and the level of students' parental involvement. Nineteen experienced Dutch school teachers in special education each evaluated four students: two with relatively high and two with relatively low academic performance. Three questionnaires to assess learning difficulties, behavioural problems and the level of parental involvement were developed. Teachers' perceptions of remediation possibilities were related to the severity of the learning difficulties and academic skill. Academic skill, in turn, was strongly related to the perception of the children's behavioural problems and parental involvement, which, in turn, links the perception of remediation possibilities indirectly to children's behavioural problems and parental involvement. Special education teachers may also hold an image of the 'ideal' student. Students with high academic achievement levels are perceived as having fewer behavioural problems and more highly involved parents than students with low academic achievement levels. Whether this is due to justified or unjustified teachers' perceptions is a matter for future research. What is important is that stereotyping of students (justly or not) poses a serious problem for the Dutch reintegration policy.

Prescribed curvature tensor in locally conformally flat manifolds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pina, Romildo; Pieterzack, Mauricio

2018-01-01

A global existence theorem for the prescribed curvature tensor problem in locally conformally flat manifolds is proved for a special class of tensors R. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a metric g ¯ , conformal to Euclidean g, are determined such that R ¯ = R, where R ¯ is the Riemannian curvature tensor of the metric g ¯ . The solution to this problem is given explicitly for special cases of the tensor R, including the case where the metric g ¯ is complete on Rn. Similar problems are considered for locally conformally flat manifolds.

26 CFR 1.823-8 - Special transitional underwriting loss; cross reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES Mutual Insurance Companies (other Than Life and Certain Marine Insurance Companies and Other Than Fire Or Flood Insurance Companies Which Operate on Basis of... 821(f) provides, for any company subject to the tax imposed by section 821(a), a special reduction in...

26 CFR 1.823-8 - Special transitional underwriting loss; cross reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Mutual Insurance Companies (other Than Life and Certain Marine Insurance Companies and Other Than Fire Or Flood Insurance Companies Which Operate on Basis..., section 821(f) provides, for any company subject to the tax imposed by section 821(a), a special reduction...

26 CFR 1.823-8 - Special transitional underwriting loss; cross reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Mutual Insurance Companies (other Than Life and Certain Marine Insurance Companies and Other Than Fire Or Flood Insurance Companies Which Operate on Basis..., section 821(f) provides, for any company subject to the tax imposed by section 821(a), a special reduction...

26 CFR 1.823-8 - Special transitional underwriting loss; cross reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Mutual Insurance Companies (other Than Life and Certain Marine Insurance Companies and Other Than Fire Or Flood Insurance Companies Which Operate on Basis..., section 821(f) provides, for any company subject to the tax imposed by section 821(a), a special reduction...

26 CFR 1.823-8 - Special transitional underwriting loss; cross reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Mutual Insurance Companies (other Than Life and Certain Marine Insurance Companies and Other Than Fire Or Flood Insurance Companies Which Operate on Basis..., section 821(f) provides, for any company subject to the tax imposed by section 821(a), a special reduction...

Mindfulness in Teacher Education: A Constructivist Approach to Stress Reduction for Teacher Candidates and Their Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartigan, Barbara F.

2017-01-01

Mindfulness in teacher education, and especially early childhood special education, offers new teachers self-help methodologies that can relieve their personal stress while passing along these same strategies to the special education students in their classrooms. This study explores a constructivist approach to learning mindfulness in teacher…

A method for the measurement and analysis of ride vibrations of transportation systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Catherines, J. J.; Clevenson, S. A.; Scholl, H. F.

1972-01-01

The measurement and recording of ride vibrations which affect passenger comfort in transportation systems and the subsequent data-reduction methods necessary for interpreting the data present exceptional instrumentation requirements and necessitate the use of computers for specialized analysis techniques. A method is presented for both measuring and analyzing ride vibrations of the type encountered in ground and air transportation systems. A portable system for measuring and recording low-frequency, low-amplitude accelerations and specialized data-reduction procedures are described. Sample vibration measurements in the form of statistical parameters representative of typical transportation systems are also presented to demonstrate the utility of the techniques.

Unraveling the Mystery of the Origin of Mathematical Problems: Using a Problem-Posing Framework with Prospective Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Contreras, Jose

2007-01-01

In this article, I model how a problem-posing framework can be used to enhance our abilities to systematically generate mathematical problems by modifying the attributes of a given problem. The problem-posing model calls for the application of the following fundamental mathematical processes: proving, reversing, specializing, generalizing, and…

Modeling and reduction with applications to semiconductor processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, Andrew Joseph

This thesis consists of several somewhat distinct but connected parts, with an underlying motivation in problems pertaining to control and optimization of semiconductor processing. The first part (Chapters 3 and 4) addresses problems in model reduction for nonlinear state-space control systems. In 1993, Scherpen generalized the balanced truncation method to the nonlinear setting. However, the Scherpen procedure is not easily computable and has not yet been applied in practice. We offer a method for computing a working approximation to the controllability energy function, one of the main objects involved in the method. Moreover, we show that for a class of second-order mechanical systems with dissipation, under certain conditions related to the dissipation, an exact formula for the controllability function can be derived. We then present an algorithm for a numerical implementation of the Morse-Palais lemma, which produces a local coordinate transformation under which a real-valued function with a non-degenerate critical point is quadratic on a neighborhood of the critical point. Application of the algorithm to the controllabilty function plays a key role in computing the balanced representation. We then apply our methods and algorithms to derive balanced realizations for nonlinear state-space models of two example mechanical systems: a simple pendulum and a double pendulum. The second part (Chapter 5) deals with modeling of rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) for growth of silicon thin films, via first-principles and empirical analysis. We develop detailed process-equipment models and study the factors that influence deposition uniformity, such as temperature, pressure, and precursor gas flow rates, through analysis of experimental and simulation results. We demonstrate that temperature uniformity does not guarantee deposition thickness uniformity in a particular commercial RTCVD reactor of interest. In the third part (Chapter 6) we continue the modeling effort, specializing to a control system for RTCVD heat transfer. We then develop and apply ad-hoc versions of prominent model reduction approaches to derive reduced models and perform a comparative study.

Photocatalytic reduction of CO₂: from molecules to semiconductors.

PubMed

Yui, Tatsuto; Tamaki, Yusuke; Sekizawa, Keita; Ishitani, Osamu

2011-01-01

We are facing three serious problems related to fossil resources, i.e., shortage of energy, shortage of carbon resources, and the global worming problem. Development of practical systems for converting CO₂ to useful chemicals using solar light, i.e., photocatalytic CO₂ reduction systems, should be one of the best solutions for these problems. In this article, we review photocatalytic CO₂ reduction systems, which are classified in two categories: (1) homogeneous reaction systems mainly using transition metal complexes, and (2) heterogeneous systems mainly using inorganic semiconductor as a light absorber.

Automatic variance reduction for Monte Carlo simulations via the local importance function transform

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

Turner, S.A.

1996-02-01

The author derives a transformed transport problem that can be solved theoretically by analog Monte Carlo with zero variance. However, the Monte Carlo simulation of this transformed problem cannot be implemented in practice, so he develops a method for approximating it. The approximation to the zero variance method consists of replacing the continuous adjoint transport solution in the transformed transport problem by a piecewise continuous approximation containing local biasing parameters obtained from a deterministic calculation. He uses the transport and collision processes of the transformed problem to bias distance-to-collision and selection of post-collision energy groups and trajectories in a traditionalmore » Monte Carlo simulation of ``real`` particles. He refers to the resulting variance reduction method as the Local Importance Function Transform (LIFI) method. He demonstrates the efficiency of the LIFT method for several 3-D, linearly anisotropic scattering, one-group, and multigroup problems. In these problems the LIFT method is shown to be more efficient than the AVATAR scheme, which is one of the best variance reduction techniques currently available in a state-of-the-art Monte Carlo code. For most of the problems considered, the LIFT method produces higher figures of merit than AVATAR, even when the LIFT method is used as a ``black box``. There are some problems that cause trouble for most variance reduction techniques, and the LIFT method is no exception. For example, the author demonstrates that problems with voids, or low density regions, can cause a reduction in the efficiency of the LIFT method. However, the LIFT method still performs better than survival biasing and AVATAR in these difficult cases.« less

Some Pitfalls in Special Relativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chai, An-Ti

1973-01-01

The problem of observing a collision between two spaceships is utilized to illustrate the misuse of time dilation and length contraction, and the incorrect description of space-time coordinates in special relativity. (Author/DF)

15 CFR 700.5 - Special priorities assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Overview § 700.5 Special priorities assistance. (a) The DPAS is designed to be largely self-executing. However, from time-to-time production or delivery problems will...

15 CFR 700.5 - Special priorities assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Overview § 700.5 Special priorities assistance. (a) The DPAS is designed to be largely self-executing. However, from time-to-time production or delivery problems will...

15 CFR 700.5 - Special priorities assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Overview § 700.5 Special priorities assistance. (a) The DPAS is designed to be largely self-executing. However, from time-to-time production or delivery problems will...

15 CFR 700.5 - Special priorities assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Overview § 700.5 Special priorities assistance. (a) The DPAS is designed to be largely self-executing. However, from time-to-time production or delivery problems will...

15 CFR 700.5 - Special priorities assistance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Overview § 700.5 Special priorities assistance. (a) The DPAS is designed to be largely self-executing. However, from time-to-time production or delivery problems will...

Air Pollution Control and Waste Management

EPA Science Inventory

This special issue addresses air pollution control and waste management, two environmental problems that are usually considered separately. Indeed, one of the challenges of environmental protection is that problems are addressed in 'media-specific' ways. In reality, these problem...

Special Education Teacher Preparation in Classroom Management: Implications for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Regina M.; Reschly, Daniel J.

2010-01-01

Special education teachers' skills with classroom organization and behavior management affect the emergence and persistence of behavior problems as well as the success of inclusive practice for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Adequate special education teacher preparation and strong classroom organization and behavior…

Rural Special Education Quarterly, Volume 5, Nos. 1-4, Spring-Fall 1984, Winter 1985.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rural Special Education Quarterly, 1985

1985-01-01

Four newsletter issues examine aspects of rural special education. Issue number one considers the generic problems or solutions in rural special education leadership, the need for innovative preservice preparation for rural educators, preservice training for Native American professionals and paraprofessionals, a model for rural early intervention,…

Important Issues in Rural Education: A Collection of ERIC/CRESS Fact Sheets and Mini Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seager, D. D.; And Others

The two mini reviews and two fact sheets contained in this collection synthesize basic information regarding four issues in rural education: special education, transportation, early childhood education, and reading achievement. Solutions to the special education problems of child identification, parent involvement, delivery of special education…

A Socio-Cultural Analysis of Practitioner Perspectives on Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice in Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Roxanne F.; Davis, Carol A.; Blum, Grace; Greenway, Rosanne; Hackett, Jacob; Kidwell, James; Liberty, Lisa; McCollow, Megan; Patish, Yelena; Pierce, Jennifer; Schulze, Maggie; Smith, Maya M.; Peck, Charles A.

2016-01-01

Despite the central role "evidence-based practice" (EBP) plays in special education agendas for both research and policy, it is widely recognized that achieving "implementation" of EBPs remains an elusive goal. In an effort to better understand this problem, we interviewed special education practitioners in four school…

An Ethnographic Study of Special Education Services in a Rural Area of Mexico.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Argus-Calvo, Beverley; And Others

1996-01-01

Overviews the current status of special education programs in Mexico in general and in Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua) and surrounding rural areas. Two special education administrators employed in the Ciudad Juarez school system discuss problems associated with teacher training and lack of administrative support, and the importance of parental and…

The State of Special Education in Catholic Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFiore, Leonard

2006-01-01

Catholic educators in recent years have worked to increase their schools' capacity to provide special education services to more students. The expansion of federal programs to support students with special needs has aided in dealing with this issue, but it has also exacerbated problems. The exacerbation comes from the increased focus on both the…

An Investigation into Pre-Service Special Education Teachers' Mathematical Skills, Self-Efficacy, and Teaching Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinton, Vanessa; Flores, Margaret; Burton, Megan; Curtis, Rebecca

2015-01-01

The purpose of this mixed method study was to investigate future special education teachers' preparation for effectively teaching mathematics. During the last semester of their program, pre-service special education teachers completed elementary level mathematics computation and problem solving assessments, a mathematics efficacy beliefs survey,…

A Phenomenological Study of Mentoring Policies and Practices on Special Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith-Washington, Vannessa A.

2017-01-01

High teacher attrition rates adversely affect beginning special education teachers remaining on the job many of whom lack teaching experience. With high rates, replacements are needed, especially in the field of special education where new teachers leave at higher rates than general education teachers. The general problem is that limited…

Problems Faced by Preservice Special Education Teachers in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Hiary, Ghaleb M.; Almakanin, Hisham A.; Tabbal, Suha A.

2015-01-01

One of the most important factors in the success of educating children with special needs is the quality of the special education teacher. While teachers are responsible for a plethora of duties, it is important that teacher preparation programs provide adequate training to ensure teachers are well prepared for the teaching profession. However,…

To Think Like a Teacher: Cases for Special Education Interns and Novice Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goor, Mark B.; Santos, Karen E.

This book is intended to facilitate the development of reflective problem solving in preservice and novice special educators through the presentation of cases illustrating issues commonly experienced in student teaching and beginning employment experiences in special education settings. Each of the eight chapters begins with a brief introduction…

Using Virtual Technology to Enhance Field Experiences for Pre-Service Special Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billingsley, Glenna M.; Scheuermann, Brenda K.

2014-01-01

Teacher educators of pre-service teachers of students with special needs face challenges in providing the unique knowledge and skills required of highly qualified special education teachers. The emerging use of various forms of virtual technology, however, offers realistic solutions to these problems. This systematic review of literature examines…

Conquering the Physics GRE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahn, Yoni; Anderson, Adam

2018-03-01

Preface; How to use this book; Resources; 1. Classical mechanics; 2. Electricity and magnetism; 3. Optics and waves; 4. Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics; 5. Quantum mechanics and atomic physics; 6. Special relativity; 7. Laboratory methods; 8. Specialized topics; 9. Special tips and tricks for the Physics GRE; Sample exams and solutions; References; Equation index; Subject index; Problems index.

Ethical and Legal Landmines: Causal Inference in Special Education Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadeh, Shanna; Sullivan, Amanda L.

2017-01-01

In this article, we discuss conflict between law and science relative to the presumption in special education law that multidisciplinary teams and others identify the causes of problems giving rise to special education needs. First, we explain eligibility criteria, highlighting ambiguities therein and why criteria constitute a mandate for causal…

African American Learners in Special Education: A Closer Look at Milwaukee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obiakor, Festus E.; Harris, Mateba K.; Offor, MaxMary T.; Beachum, Floyd D.

2010-01-01

Problems facing African American students with special needs are numerous and complex. Although processes and procedures are in place to properly serve these students, far too many become ensnared in webs of bureaucracy and benign neglect. This article examines African American students? experiences with special education in Milwaukee Public…

According to the Opinions of Teachers of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: What Are the Sexual Problems of Students with Special Education Needs? How Should Sexual Education Be Provided for Them?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girgin-Büyükbayraktar, Çagla; Konuk-Er, Rukiye; Kesici, Sahin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to determine what sexual problems that individuals with special educations needs have and how to provide sexual education for these students, depending on the opinions of the teachers of mentally handicapped individuals. The qualitative research technique was employed in this research. Purposeful sampling method was…

Social work role in developing and managing employee assistance programs in health care settings.

PubMed

Foster, Z; Hirsch, S; Zaske, K

1991-01-01

The hospital setting presents special needs for an Employee Assistance Program and special complications for sponsorship, development, and maintenance. What has been learned, how certain problems can be solved or avoided, how responsibility and accountability can be negotiated are presented by a team that has successfully established such a program at a large metropolitan medical center. In addition to successes, some unsolved problems are identified for further study.

Force Reduction Impacts on Resourcing Army Operational Requirements

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-10

scenarios involving parametric changes to demand for and supply of manpower and equipment from the institutional Army. This type of mission- based ...i SPECIAL REPORT Force Reduction Impacts on Resourcing Army Operational Requirements By Dynamics Research Corporation In Partial... Research .................................................................................................. 12 2.1.2 Identifying and Collecting Unit

Robust impact of social anxiety in relation to coping motives and expectancies, barriers to quitting, and cessation-related problems.

PubMed

Buckner, Julia D; Zvolensky, Michael J; Jeffries, Emily R; Schmidt, Norman B

2014-08-01

Although social anxiety is related to smoking and nicotine dependence, few researchers have sought to identify factors that contribute to these relations. The current study examined whether social anxiety was associated with cognitive vulnerability factors related to smoking: perceived barriers for quitting, cessation-related problems, negative-affect-reduction-outcome expectancies, and negative-affect-reduction motives. Further, we tested whether social anxiety was robustly related to these factors after controlling for cigarettes smoked per day, gender, alcohol-use frequency, lifetime cannabis-use status, panic attack frequency, anxiety sensitivity, and negative affectivity. The sample consisted of 580 (38.6% female) treatment-seeking smokers. Social anxiety was associated with perceived barriers for quitting, cessation-related problems, negative-affect-reduction-outcome expectancies, and negative-affect-reduction motives. After controlling for covariates, social anxiety was robustly related to perceived barriers for quitting, cessation-related problems, and negative-affect-reduction-outcome expectancies. Social anxiety was robustly related to negative-affect-reduction motives among men, but not women. Results indicate that social anxiety is robustly related to cognitive vulnerability factors associated with poorer cessation outcomes, suggesting that social anxiety may be an important therapeutic target during smoking cessation.

The Extension-Reduction Strategy: Activating Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloyer, Cliff W.

2004-01-01

A mathematical problem is solved using the extension-reduction or build it up-tear it down tactic. This technique is implemented in reviving students' earlier knowledge to enable them to apply this knowledge to solving new problems.

Trends in Advertising Typography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moriarty, Sandra Ernst

1982-01-01

Reviews advertising typography in general interest, special interest, and trade magazines and concludes that special interest magazine ads are making the most effort to be fashionable, but also have the greatest chance of having functional problems. (FL)

Operant Conditioning: A Tool for Special Physical Educators in the 1980s.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, John M.; French, Ron

1982-01-01

The usefulness of operant conditioning for the special physical educator in managing behavior problems is pointed out, and steps to follow in applying operant conditioning techniques are outlined. (SB)

Fecal impaction

MedlinePlus

... problems Examine you carefully. Recommend changes in your diet, how to use laxatives and stool softeners, special exercises, lifestyle changes, and other special techniques to retrain your bowel. Follow you closely to make sure the program works for you.

Reduction of diabetes-related distress predicts improved depressive symptoms: A secondary analysis of the DIAMOS study

PubMed Central

Schmitt, Andreas; Ehrmann, Dominic; Kulzer, Bernhard; Hermanns, Norbert

2017-01-01

Objective Depressive symptoms in people with diabetes are associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes. Although successful psychosocial treatment options are available, little is known about factors that facilitate treatment response for depression in diabetes. This prospective study aims to examine the impact of known risk factors on improvement of depressive symptoms with a special interest in the role of diabetes-related distress. Methods 181 people with diabetes participated in a randomized controlled trial. Diabetes-related distress was assessed using the Problem Areas In Diabetes (PAID) scale; depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were used to assess associations between risk factors for depression (independent variables) and improvement of depressive symptoms (dependent variable). Reliable change indices were established as criteria of meaningful reductions in diabetes distress and depressive symptoms. Results A reliable reduction of diabetes-related distress (15.43 points in the PAID) was significantly associated with fourfold increased odds for reliable improvement of depressive symptoms (OR = 4.25, 95% CI: 2.05–8.79; P<0.001). This result was corroborated using continuous measures of diabetes distress and depressive symptoms, showing that greater reduction of diabetes-related distress independently predicted greater improvement in depressive symptoms (ß = -0.40; P<0.001). Higher age had a positive (Odds Ratio = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.21–3.43; P<0.01) and type 2 diabetes had a negative effect on the meaningful reduction of depressive symptoms (Odds Ratio = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.04–0.35; P<0.001). Conclusions The reduction of diabetes distress is a statistical predictor of improvement of depressive symptoms. Diabetes patients with comorbid depressive symptomatology might benefit from treatments to reduce diabetes-related distress. PMID:28700718

Effects of teacher assistance teams on special education referrals in elementary schools.

PubMed

Short, R J; Talley, R C

1996-12-01

School-based problem-solving teams recently have received much attention as a possible support for children who are at risk for school failure and for over-referral to special education. However, no controlled studies of the effects of such teams on numbers of referrals for special education or for proportion of appropriate referrals for special education have been conducted. The lack of adequate research concerning school-based problem-solving teams, coupled with the widespread promotion of their use, suggests that further study of such teams is important. In this study, we investigated the effect of one team model, Teacher Assistance Teams, on special education referrals in elementary schools of a large urban district. To address limitations of previous research, schools with such teams were compared with those without across several years of implementation. Analysis yielded a significant decrease in referrals in both groups of schools but no significant differences between groups. These findings may be explained by the context in which both groups of schools functioned.

[The problems of professional competence in the complementary professional forensic medical expertise programs of advanced training and professional requalification].

PubMed

Shadymov, A B; Fominykh, S A; Dik, V P

This article reports the results of the analysis of the new tendencies and normatives of the working legislation in the field of additional professional education in the speciality of «forensic medical expertise» and the application of the competency-based approach to the training of specialists in the framework of professional requalification and advanced training programs. Special attention is given to the problems of organization of the educational process and the elaboration of additional training programs based on the competency approach to the training of specialists at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Law with the professor V.N. Kryukov Course of Advanced Professional Training and Professional Requalification of Specialists at the state budgetary educational Institution of higher professional education «Altai State Medical University», Russian Ministry of Health. The study revealed the problems pertaining to the development of professional competencies in the framework of educational programs for the professional requalification and advanced training in the speciality «forensic medical expertise». The authors propose the legally substantiated approaches to the solution of these problems.

Financial and employment problems in families of children with special health care needs: implications for research and practice.

PubMed

Looman, Wendy S; O'Conner-Von, Susan K; Ferski, Gabriela J; Hildenbrand, Debra A

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to financial burden among families of children with special needs and to identify specific provider-level activities associated with decreased risk for such burden. Data for secondary analysis are from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN). Logistic regression analysis of state-level data was conducted to identify significant predictors of financial and employment problems among families of children with SHCN in Minnesota. Children with more severe conditions and whose family members provided health care at home were more likely to have parents report financial and employment problems due to the child's condition. On the other hand, families whose health care providers communicated well with other service providers and who helped them feel like partners in their child's care were significantly less likely to report financial and employment problems. Pediatric nurses and nurse practitioners can use these findings as they work with families for optimal family outcomes. Advocacy and policy implications at state and federal levels also are discussed.

An optimized absorbing potential for ultrafast, strong-field problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Youliang; Esry, B. D.

2018-05-01

Theoretical treatments of strong-field physics have long relied on the numerical solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The most effective such treatments utilize a discrete spatial representation—a grid. Since most strong-field observables relate to the continuum portion of the wave function, the boundaries of the grid—which act as hard walls and thus cause reflection—can substantially impact the observables. Special care thus needs to be taken. While there exist a number of attempts to solve this problem—e.g., complex absorbing potentials and masking functions, exterior complex scaling, and coordinate scaling—none of them are completely satisfactory. The first of these is arguably the most popular, but it consumes a substantial fraction of the computing resources in any given calculation. Worse, this fraction grows with the dimensionality of the problem. In addition, no systematic way to design such a potential has been used in the strong-field community. In this work, we address these issues and find a much better solution. By comparing with previous widely used absorbing potentials, we find a factor of 3–4 reduction in the absorption range, given the same level of absorption over a specified energy interval.

Reduced-order dynamic output feedback control of uncertain discrete-time Markov jump linear systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morais, Cecília F.; Braga, Márcio F.; Oliveira, Ricardo C. L. F.; Peres, Pedro L. D.

2017-11-01

This paper deals with the problem of designing reduced-order robust dynamic output feedback controllers for discrete-time Markov jump linear systems (MJLS) with polytopic state space matrices and uncertain transition probabilities. Starting from a full order, mode-dependent and polynomially parameter-dependent dynamic output feedback controller, sufficient linear matrix inequality based conditions are provided for the existence of a robust reduced-order dynamic output feedback stabilising controller with complete, partial or none mode dependency assuring an upper bound to the ? or the ? norm of the closed-loop system. The main advantage of the proposed method when compared to the existing approaches is the fact that the dynamic controllers are exclusively expressed in terms of the decision variables of the problem. In other words, the matrices that define the controller realisation do not depend explicitly on the state space matrices associated with the modes of the MJLS. As a consequence, the method is specially suitable to handle order reduction or cluster availability constraints in the context of ? or ? dynamic output feedback control of discrete-time MJLS. Additionally, as illustrated by means of numerical examples, the proposed approach can provide less conservative results than other conditions in the literature.

Shaped, lead-loaded acrylic filters for patient exposure reduction and image-quality improvement

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

Gray, J.E.; Stears, J.G.; Frank, E.D.

1983-03-01

Shaped filters that are constructed of lead-loaded acrylic material for use in patient radiography are discussed. Use of the filters will result in improved overall image quality with significant exposure reduction to the patient (approximately a 2X reduction in breast exposure and a 3X reduction in thyroid gland exposure). Detailed drawings of the shaped filters for scoliosis radiography, cervical spine radiography, and for long film changers in special procedures are provided. The use of the scoliosis filters is detailed and includes phantom and patient radiographs and dose reduction information.

Clinical experience with fibrin glue in cardiac surgery.

PubMed

Köveker, G; de Vivie, E R; Hellberg, K D

1981-10-01

Cardiac surgery is often associated with hemostatic abnormalities leading to severe bleeding. Special problems are to be expected, if prosthetic material has to be implanted. Preclotting of Dacron prostheses with blood is well established but failures are sometimes encountered. Several years ago a new hemostatic sealing system (fibrin glue) was introduced into therapy. Since 1978 fibrin glue has been applied in 176 patients. The indications were: 1. sealing of woven Dacron prostheses, 2. bleeding from suture-holes (Gore-Tex), 3. diffuse myocardial bleeding and 4. prevention of kinking of coronary artery grafts. In 32 patients with an aortoventriculoplasty operation using Dacron the "blood preclotting" and "fibrin sealing" methods were compared. In the fibrin glue group there was a significant reduction in postoperative blood loss as well as a shortening of the operation time (period of protamin administration to skin closure). No fibrinolytic dissolution of the fibrin layer on the prostheses was observed.

Design considerations in clustering nuclear rocket engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sager, Paul H.

1992-01-01

An initial investigation of the design considerations in clustering nuclear rocket engines for space transfer vehicles has been made. The clustering of both propulsion modules (which include start tanks) and nuclear rocket engines installed directly to a vehicle core tank appears to be feasible. Special provisions to shield opposite run tanks and the opposite side of a core tank - in the case of the boost pump concept - are required; the installation of a circumferential reactor side shield sector appears to provide an effective solution to this problem. While the time response to an engine-out event does not appear to be critical, the gimbal displacement required appears to be important. Since an installation of three engines offers a substantial reduction in gimbal requirements for engine-out and it may be possible to further enhance mission reliability with the greater number of engines, it is recommended that a cluster of four engines be considered.

Increasing round trip efficiency of hybrid Li-air battery with bifunctional catalysts

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

Huang, K; Li, YF; Xing, YC

2013-07-30

Previously it was shown that Pt as cathode catalyst ha's a large overpotential during charge in rechargeable hybrid Li-air battery with sulfuric acid catholyte. This article demonstrates that a bifunctional catalyst composed of Pt and IrO2 supported on carbon nanotubes can address this problem. The specially designed and synthesized bifunctional catalyst showed significant overpotential reduction and achieved a round trip energy efficiency of 81% after 10 cycles, higher than many achieved in aprotic Li-O-2 batteries. The hybrid Li-air battery was discharged and recharged for 20 cycles at 0.2 mA/cm(2), showing a fairly stable cell performance. A specific capacity of 306more » mAh/g and a specific energy of 1110 Wh/kg were obtained for the hybrid Li-air battery in terms of acid weight. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

Implementation, capabilities, and benchmarking of Shift, a massively parallel Monte Carlo radiation transport code

DOE PAGES

Pandya, Tara M.; Johnson, Seth R.; Evans, Thomas M.; ...

2015-12-21

This paper discusses the implementation, capabilities, and validation of Shift, a massively parallel Monte Carlo radiation transport package developed and maintained at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It has been developed to scale well from laptop to small computing clusters to advanced supercomputers. Special features of Shift include hybrid capabilities for variance reduction such as CADIS and FW-CADIS, and advanced parallel decomposition and tally methods optimized for scalability on supercomputing architectures. Shift has been validated and verified against various reactor physics benchmarks and compares well to other state-of-the-art Monte Carlo radiation transport codes such as MCNP5, CE KENO-VI, and OpenMC. Somemore » specific benchmarks used for verification and validation include the CASL VERA criticality test suite and several Westinghouse AP1000 ® problems. These benchmark and scaling studies show promising results.« less

Study on the poisoning effect-of non-vanadium catalysts by potassium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Huanmu; Liu, Ying; Yu, Xiaowei; Lin, Yasi

2018-02-01

The poisoning effect of catalyst by alkali metals is one of the problems in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO by NH3. Serious deactivation by alkali poisoning have been proved to take place in the commercial vanadium catalyst. Recently, non-vanadium catalysts such as copper oxides, manganese oxides, chromium oxides and cerium oxides have attracted special attentions in SCR application. However, their tolerance in the presence of alkali metals is still doubtful. In this paper, copper oxides, manganese oxides, chromium oxides and cerium oxides supported on TiO2 nanoparticle was prepared by impregnating method. Potassium nitrate was chosen as the precursor of poisoner. Catalytic activities of these catalysts were evaluated before and after the addition of potassium. Some characterization methods including X-ray diffraction and temperature programmed desorption was utilized to reveal the main reason of alkali deactivation.

Point-nonpoint effluent trading in watersheds: A review and critique

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

Jarvie, M.; Solomon, B.

1998-03-01

The 1990s have been characterized as the decade of market incentives in US environmental policy-making. Not only is their use expanding for air pollution control, but the US Environmental Protection Agency is now also encouraging the use of market instruments for control of effluents within watersheds. After reviewing general guidelines and principles for effluent trading, this study considers the special problems of point-nonpoint (p-n) sources, the most common focus of effluent trading to date. Four case studies of p-n trading are discussed, which illustrate the promise of the policy. Although only two of these four case study programs have involvedmore » actual effluent trades thus far, they all have resulted in more cost-effective reductions of water pollution. Overall use of effluent trading to date has been modest, and suggestions are made for improvement of this innovative policy.« less

Design considerations in clustering nuclear rocket engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sager, Paul H.

1992-07-01

An initial investigation of the design considerations in clustering nuclear rocket engines for space transfer vehicles has been made. The clustering of both propulsion modules (which include start tanks) and nuclear rocket engines installed directly to a vehicle core tank appears to be feasible. Special provisions to shield opposite run tanks and the opposite side of a core tank - in the case of the boost pump concept - are required; the installation of a circumferential reactor side shield sector appears to provide an effective solution to this problem. While the time response to an engine-out event does not appear to be critical, the gimbal displacement required appears to be important. Since an installation of three engines offers a substantial reduction in gimbal requirements for engine-out and it may be possible to further enhance mission reliability with the greater number of engines, it is recommended that a cluster of four engines be considered.

Some variance reduction methods for numerical stochastic homogenization

PubMed Central

Blanc, X.; Le Bris, C.; Legoll, F.

2016-01-01

We give an overview of a series of recent studies devoted to variance reduction techniques for numerical stochastic homogenization. Numerical homogenization requires that a set of problems is solved at the microscale, the so-called corrector problems. In a random environment, these problems are stochastic and therefore need to be repeatedly solved, for several configurations of the medium considered. An empirical average over all configurations is then performed using the Monte Carlo approach, so as to approximate the effective coefficients necessary to determine the macroscopic behaviour. Variance severely affects the accuracy and the cost of such computations. Variance reduction approaches, borrowed from other contexts in the engineering sciences, can be useful. Some of these variance reduction techniques are presented, studied and tested here. PMID:27002065

Working memory facilitates insight instead of hindering it: Comment on DeCaro, Van Stockum, and Wieth (2016).

PubMed

Chuderski, Adam; Jastrzębski, Jan

2017-12-01

The "nothing-special" account of insight predicts positive correlations of insight problem solving and working memory capacity (WMC), whereas the "special-process" account expects no, or even negative, correlations. In the latter vein, DeCaro, Van Stockum Jr., and Wieth (2016) have recently reported weak negative WMC correlations with 2 constraint relaxation matchstick problems and 3 insight problems, and thus they claim that WM hinders insight. Here, we report on 3 studies that investigated WMC and various matchstick and classical problems (including 1 study that precisely replicated DeCaro et al.'s procedure). All 3 studies yielded moderate positive correlations of WMC with both the constraint relaxation and the classical problems. WMC explained 10% variance in problem solving, no matter what problems were used or how they were applied. Thus, DeCaro et al.'s claim that WM hinders insight is unwarranted. The opposite is true: WM facilitates insight. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

A study of the influence of air-knife tilting on coating thickness in hot-dip galvanizing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Tae-Seok; Kwon, Young-Doo; Kwon, Soon-Bum

2009-09-01

Gas wiping is a decisive operation in hot-dip galvanizing process. In special, it has a crucial influence on the thickness and uniformity in coating film, but may be subsequently responsible for the problem of splashing. The progress of industry demands continuously the reduction of production costs which may relate directly with the increase of coating speed, and the speed up of coating results in the increase of stagnation pressure in gas wiping system in final. It is known that the increase of stagnation pressure may accompany a harmful problem of splashing in general. Together with these, also, from the view point of energy consumption, it is necessary to design a nozzle optimally. And there is known that the downward tilting of nozzle using in air knife system is effective to prevent in somewhat the harmful problem of splashing. In these connections, first, we design a nozzle with constant expansion rate. Next, for the case of actual coating conditions in field, the effects of tilting of the constant expansion rate nozzle are investigated by numerical analysis. Under the present numerical conditions, it was turned out that the nozzle of constant expansion rate of p = having a downward jet angle of 5° is the most effective to diminish the onset of splashing, while the influence of small tilting of the nozzle on impinging wall pressure itself is not so large.

ERGC: an efficient referential genome compression algorithm

PubMed Central

Saha, Subrata; Rajasekaran, Sanguthevar

2015-01-01

Motivation: Genome sequencing has become faster and more affordable. Consequently, the number of available complete genomic sequences is increasing rapidly. As a result, the cost to store, process, analyze and transmit the data is becoming a bottleneck for research and future medical applications. So, the need for devising efficient data compression and data reduction techniques for biological sequencing data is growing by the day. Although there exists a number of standard data compression algorithms, they are not efficient in compressing biological data. These generic algorithms do not exploit some inherent properties of the sequencing data while compressing. To exploit statistical and information-theoretic properties of genomic sequences, we need specialized compression algorithms. Five different next-generation sequencing data compression problems have been identified and studied in the literature. We propose a novel algorithm for one of these problems known as reference-based genome compression. Results: We have done extensive experiments using five real sequencing datasets. The results on real genomes show that our proposed algorithm is indeed competitive and performs better than the best known algorithms for this problem. It achieves compression ratios that are better than those of the currently best performing algorithms. The time to compress and decompress the whole genome is also very promising. Availability and implementation: The implementations are freely available for non-commercial purposes. They can be downloaded from http://engr.uconn.edu/∼rajasek/ERGC.zip. Contact: rajasek@engr.uconn.edu PMID:26139636

Model and controller reduction of large-scale structures based on projection methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gildin, Eduardo

The design of low-order controllers for high-order plants is a challenging problem theoretically as well as from a computational point of view. Frequently, robust controller design techniques result in high-order controllers. It is then interesting to achieve reduced-order models and controllers while maintaining robustness properties. Controller designed for large structures based on models obtained by finite element techniques yield large state-space dimensions. In this case, problems related to storage, accuracy and computational speed may arise. Thus, model reduction methods capable of addressing controller reduction problems are of primary importance to allow the practical applicability of advanced controller design methods for high-order systems. A challenging large-scale control problem that has emerged recently is the protection of civil structures, such as high-rise buildings and long-span bridges, from dynamic loadings such as earthquakes, high wind, heavy traffic, and deliberate attacks. Even though significant effort has been spent in the application of control theory to the design of civil structures in order increase their safety and reliability, several challenging issues are open problems for real-time implementation. This dissertation addresses with the development of methodologies for controller reduction for real-time implementation in seismic protection of civil structures using projection methods. Three classes of schemes are analyzed for model and controller reduction: nodal truncation, singular value decomposition methods and Krylov-based methods. A family of benchmark problems for structural control are used as a framework for a comparative study of model and controller reduction techniques. It is shown that classical model and controller reduction techniques, such as balanced truncation, modal truncation and moment matching by Krylov techniques, yield reduced-order controllers that do not guarantee stability of the closed-loop system, that is, the reduced-order controller implemented with the full-order plant. A controller reduction approach is proposed such that to guarantee closed-loop stability. It is based on the concept of dissipativity (or positivity) of linear dynamical systems. Utilizing passivity preserving model reduction together with dissipative-LQG controllers, effective low-order optimal controllers are obtained. Results are shown through simulations.

Pelvic Support Problems

MedlinePlus

... pelvic exam, or special tests. Treatments include special pelvic muscle exercises called Kegel exercises. A mechanical support device called a pessary helps some women. Surgery and medicines are other treatments. NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

The Use of Mindfulness to Enhance a Special Educator's Self-Efficacy: A Qualitative Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kynaston, Kristina

2017-01-01

The problem addressed in this study was that few special educators have strategies to cope with the stressors of teaching, building self-efficacy, and managing classroom behavior. Special educators who work with students who have disabilities have unique needs when it comes to behavior management, building classroom community, and increasing…

Cultivating and Keeping Committed Special Education Teachers: What Principals and District Leaders Can Do

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billingsley, Bonnie S.

2005-01-01

This book highlights the problems that drive many special educators out of teaching and outlines practical recommendations that leaders can use to increase retention. Drawing on field experience as well as research findings, the author provides a comprehensive framework for supporting special educators. This book provides effective ways to: (1)…

Cultural, Socio-Economic and Political Influences on Special Education in Nigeria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obiakor, Festus E.

The paper describes the present state of education in Nigeria with emphasis on the cultural, socio-economic, and political influences affecting special education. After a brief summary of education in Nigeria since independence (1960), the paper looks at problems identified in special education and at Section 8, that portion of the National Policy…

The Perceptions of General Education Teachers about the Over-Representation of Black Students in Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grice, David Roland

2012-01-01

Statement of the Problem: There is an over-representation of Black students in special education. Black students are typically referred for special education consideration by the end of the fourth grade. One effort to reduce the large number of referrals in Connecticut was "Courageous Conversations About Race." Courageous Conversations…

Factors That Influence Special Education Teachers' Career Decisions in a Rural School District in Southern Indiana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemons, Theresa

2013-01-01

Attrition of special education teachers is a national problem resulting in lost monetary resources, school climate discontinuity, and lower student achievement. Within a small, rural district in southern Indiana, special education teacher attrition has risen since 2008 and continues to rise. District administrators want to retain teachers to…

INFORME: Un Proyecto Especial para Estudiantes Muy Especiales (Report: A Special Project for Very Special Students).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrera, Rosa

1996-01-01

Discusses a special education program for children with lower intelligence quotients and emotional problems, to study introductory level Spanish with a teacher whose native language is Spanish. In addition to language content, the classes included instruction in social science. The program assisted these children in improving their knowledge of…

Revisiting the Trajectories of Special Teacher Education in China through Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yan; Mu, Guanglun Michael

2014-01-01

The preparation, recruitment, work, and career of teachers are important in education. This is no exemption for special education. However, the shortage of qualified teachers serving students with disabilities has long been an international problem. In China, both the quantity and the quality of special education teachers are of concern. This…

Study of the Special Education Initial Referral and Placement Process in MCPS Elementary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, Jan E.; Frechtling, Joy A.

The study examined procedures utilized in 28 elementary schools in Montgomery County (Maryland) when a student is found to have academic or behavioral problems that make functioning in the regular classroom difficult. The study examined one part of special education--how the school system initially identifies students for special services. The…

Project TOMORROW. Special Projects in Vocational Education for Youth and Adults with Special Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huffman, Harry; And Others

Project TOMORROW is designed to provide better vocational education for Colorado youth and adults who have special problems, including social and economic disadvantagement, participation in student unrest, disinterest in education, dropping out of school, lack of motivation, and drug use. Phase 1 of the project (1970-1971) sought to help a number…

Emerging Areas of Inquiry: Special Education Teacher Induction. Induction Insights. Supporting Special Education Teachers - Teacher Educators [TEII-8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development, 2010

2010-01-01

General education induction has received substantial attention from policymakers, researchers, and school district practitioners. Yet, the literature base has been described as fragmented, with methodological problems that often make it difficult to draw clear implications. The special education induction literature base is even less developed.…

Microbially Mediated Kinetic Sulfur Isotope Fractionation: Reactive Transport Modeling Benchmark

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wanner, C.; Druhan, J. L.; Cheng, Y.; Amos, R. T.; Steefel, C. I.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.

2014-12-01

Microbially mediated sulfate reduction is a ubiquitous process in many subsurface systems. Isotopic fractionation is characteristic of this anaerobic process, since sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) favor the reduction of the lighter sulfate isotopologue (S32O42-) over the heavier isotopologue (S34O42-). Detection of isotopic shifts have been utilized as a proxy for the onset of sulfate reduction in subsurface systems such as oil reservoirs and aquifers undergoing uranium bioremediation. Reactive transport modeling (RTM) of kinetic sulfur isotope fractionation has been applied to field and laboratory studies. These RTM approaches employ different mathematical formulations in the representation of kinetic sulfur isotope fractionation. In order to test the various formulations, we propose a benchmark problem set for the simulation of kinetic sulfur isotope fractionation during microbially mediated sulfate reduction. The benchmark problem set is comprised of four problem levels and is based on a recent laboratory column experimental study of sulfur isotope fractionation. Pertinent processes impacting sulfur isotopic composition such as microbial sulfate reduction and dispersion are included in the problem set. To date, participating RTM codes are: CRUNCHTOPE, TOUGHREACT, MIN3P and THE GEOCHEMIST'S WORKBENCH. Preliminary results from various codes show reasonable agreement for the problem levels simulating sulfur isotope fractionation in 1D.

Computational approach to Thornley's problem by bivariate operational calculus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazhlekova, E.; Dimovski, I.

2012-10-01

Thornley's problem is an initial-boundary value problem with a nonlocal boundary condition for linear onedimensional reaction-diffusion equation, used as a mathematical model of spiral phyllotaxis in botany. Applying a bivariate operational calculus we find explicit representation of the solution, containing two convolution products of special solutions and the arbitrary initial and boundary functions. We use a non-classical convolution with respect to the space variable, extending in this way the classical Duhamel principle. The special solutions involved are represented in the form of fast convergent series. Numerical examples are considered to show the application of the present technique and to analyze the character of the solution.

Numerical reconstruction of tsunami source using combined seismic, satellite and DART data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krivorotko, Olga; Kabanikhin, Sergey; Marinin, Igor

2014-05-01

Recent tsunamis, for instance, in Japan (2011), in Sumatra (2004), and at the Indian coast (2004) showed that a system of producing exact and timely information about tsunamis is of a vital importance. Numerical simulation is an effective instrument for providing such information. Bottom relief characteristics and the initial perturbation data (a tsunami source) are required for the direct simulation of tsunamis. The seismic data about the source are usually obtained in a few tens of minutes after an event has occurred (the seismic waves velocity being about five hundred kilometres per minute, while the velocity of tsunami waves is less than twelve kilometres per minute). A difference in the arrival times of seismic and tsunami waves can be used when operationally refining the tsunami source parameters and modelling expected tsunami wave height on the shore. The most suitable physical models related to the tsunamis simulation are based on the shallow water equations. The problem of identification parameters of a tsunami source using additional measurements of a passing wave is called inverse tsunami problem. We investigate three different inverse problems of determining a tsunami source using three different additional data: Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) measurements, satellite wave-form images and seismic data. These problems are severely ill-posed. We apply regularization techniques to control the degree of ill-posedness such as Fourier expansion, truncated singular value decomposition, numerical regularization. The algorithm of selecting the truncated number of singular values of an inverse problem operator which is agreed with the error level in measured data is described and analyzed. In numerical experiment we used gradient methods (Landweber iteration and conjugate gradient method) for solving inverse tsunami problems. Gradient methods are based on minimizing the corresponding misfit function. To calculate the gradient of the misfit function, the adjoint problem is solved. The conservative finite-difference schemes for solving the direct and adjoint problems in the approximation of shallow water are constructed. Results of numerical experiments of the tsunami source reconstruction are presented and discussed. We show that using a combination of three different types of data allows one to increase the stability and efficiency of tsunami source reconstruction. Non-profit organization WAPMERR (World Agency of Planetary Monitoring and Earthquake Risk Reduction) in collaboration with Informap software development department developed the Integrated Tsunami Research and Information System (ITRIS) to simulate tsunami waves and earthquakes, river course changes, coastal zone floods, and risk estimates for coastal constructions at wave run-ups and earthquakes. The special scientific plug-in components are embedded in a specially developed GIS-type graphic shell for easy data retrieval, visualization and processing. This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project No. 12-01-00773 'Theory and Numerical Methods for Solving Combined Inverse Problems of Mathematical Physics') and interdisciplinary project of SB RAS 14 'Inverse Problems and Applications: Theory, Algorithms, Software'.

Dissecting Choral Speech: Properties of the Accompanist Critical to Stuttering Reduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiefte, Michael; Armson, Joy

2008-01-01

The effects of choral speech and altered auditory feedback (AAF) on stuttering frequency were compared to identify those properties of choral speech that make it a more effective condition for stuttering reduction. Seventeen adults who stutter (AWS) participated in an experiment consisting of special choral speech conditions that were manipulated…

The myth and reality of Gray's paradox: implication of dolphin drag reduction for technology.

PubMed

Fish, Frank E

2006-06-01

The inconsistency for the calculated high drag on an actively swimming dolphin and underestimated muscle power available resulted in what has been termed Gray's paradox. Although Gray's paradox was flawed, it has been the inspiration for a variety of drag reduction mechanisms. This review examines the present state of knowledge of drag reduction specific to dolphins. Streamlining and special behaviors provide the greatest drag reduction for dolphins. Mechanisms to control flow by maintaining a completely laminar boundary layer over the body have not been demonstrated for dolphins.

Present and Future Problems of Airplane Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackeret, J

1941-01-01

Some of the problems considered in this report include: thermodynamics of surface friction, application of thick wing sections, special applications of controllable propellers, and gas turbines for aircraft.

[Community coordination of dental care needs in a home medical care support ward and at home].

PubMed

Sumi, Yasunori; Ozawa, Nobuyoshi; Miura, Hiroko; Miura, Hisayuki; Toba, Kenji

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the current statuses and problems of dental home care patients by surveying the oral care status and needs of patients in the home medical care support ward at the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology. Patients that required continuous oral management even after discharge from the hospital were referred to local dental clinics to receive home dental care. We investigated the suitability and problems associated with such care, and identified the dental care needs of home patients and the status of local care coordination, including those in hospitals. The subjects were 82 patients. We ascertained their general condition and oral status, and also investigated the problems associated with patients judged to need specialized oral care by a dentist during oral treatment. Patients who required continuous specialized oral care after discharge from hospital were referred to dental clinics that could provide regular care, and the problems at the time of referral were identified. Dry mouth was reported by many patients. A large number of patients also needed specialized dental treatment such as the removal of dental calculus or tooth extraction. Problems were seen in oral function, with 38 of the patients (46%) unable to gargle and 23 (28%) unable to hold their mouths open. About half of the patients also had dementia, and communication with these patients was difficult. Of the 43 patients who were judged to need continuing oral care after discharge from hospital, their referral to a dental clinic for regular care was successful for 22 (51%) patients and unsuccessful for 21 (49%) patients. The reasons for unsuccessful referrals included the fact that the family, patient, nurse, or caregiver did not understand the need for specialized oral care. The present results suggest the need for specialized oral treatment in home medical care. These findings also suggest that coordinating seamless dental care among primary physicians, intermediates, and transferring care after hospital discharge to regular dentists is difficult.

Choosing a Career in Psychiatry

MedlinePlus

... medical and surgical patients who may have psychiatric problems or who have difficulty coping with their illness. Because modern psychiatry places special emphasis on the relationship between mind and body, students pay special attention to issues of stress and ...

System Complexity Reduction via Feature Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deng, Houtao

2011-01-01

This dissertation transforms a set of system complexity reduction problems to feature selection problems. Three systems are considered: classification based on association rules, network structure learning, and time series classification. Furthermore, two variable importance measures are proposed to reduce the feature selection bias in tree…

Excellence through Special Education? Lessons from the Finnish School Reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kivirauma, Joel; Ruoho, Kari

2007-05-01

The present article focuses on connections between part-time special education and the good results of Finnish students in PISA studies. After a brief summary of the comprehensive school system and special education in Finland, PISA results are analysed. The analysis shows that the relative amount of special education targeted at language problems is highest in Finland among those countries from which comparative statistics are available. The writers argue that this preventive language-oriented part-time special education is an important factor behind the good PISA results.

Reduction theorems for optimal unambiguous state discrimination of density matrices

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

Raynal, Philippe; Luetkenhaus, Norbert; Enk, Steven J. van

2003-08-01

We present reduction theorems for the problem of optimal unambiguous state discrimination of two general density matrices. We show that this problem can be reduced to that of two density matrices that have the same rank n and are described in a Hilbert space of dimensions 2n. We also show how to use the reduction theorems to discriminate unambiguously between N mixed states (N{>=}2)

The Students Decision Making in Solving Discount Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdillah; Nusantara, Toto; Subanji; Susanto, Hery; Abadyo

2016-01-01

This research is reviewing students' process of decision making intuitively, analytically, and interactively. The research done by using discount problem which specially created to explore student's intuition, analytically, and interactively. In solving discount problems, researcher exploring student's decision in determining their attitude which…

10 CFR 440.17 - Policy Advisory Council.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...: (1) Has special qualifications and sensitivity with respect to solving the problems of low-income persons, including the weatherization and energy conservation problems of these persons; (2) Is broadly...

[IMSS in numbers. Consumption of alcohol and psyhoactive substances].

PubMed

2005-01-01

One of the main public health problems in the world are alcohol and drug abuse. Health impact of addictions is clearly evidenced by the increasing numbers of suicides, depression, domestic violence, accidents and injuries. The mental and behavioral problems derived by the abuse of alcohol and psychoactive drugs are under reported. From 1991 to 2003 around 13,000 cases for problems due to alcohol abuse were reported annually in Family Medicine services, nearly 4000 cases in specialized services and an average of 20,000 cases were attended in the emergency areas of the social security system in Mexico (IMSS). The data indicates that this health problems are becoming evident in young populations under 25 years old and the trend is increasing. Professional resources that are specialized in the treatment of such behavioral problems are not sufficient and the institution faces an upcoming health threat that demands prevention programs and a more integrated health care programs.

Specialized computer system to diagnose critical lined equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yemelyanov, V. A.; Yemelyanova, N. Y.; Morozova, O. A.; Nedelkin, A. A.

2018-05-01

The paper presents data on the problem of diagnosing the lining condition at the iron and steel works. The authors propose and describe the structure of the specialized computer system to diagnose critical lined equipment. The relative results of diagnosing lining condition by the basic system and the proposed specialized computer system are presented. To automate evaluation of lining condition and support in making decisions regarding the operation mode of the lined equipment, the specialized software has been developed.

Elements of active vibration control for rotating machinery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ulbrich, Heinz

1990-01-01

The success or failure of active vibration control is determined by the availability of suitable actuators, modeling of the entire system including all active elements, positioning of the actuators and sensors, and implementation of problem-adapted control concepts. All of these topics are outlined and their special problems are discussed in detail. Special attention is given to efficient modeling of systems, especially for considering the active elements. Finally, design methods for and the application of active vibration control on rotating machinery are demonstrated by several real applications.

Some variance reduction methods for numerical stochastic homogenization.

PubMed

Blanc, X; Le Bris, C; Legoll, F

2016-04-28

We give an overview of a series of recent studies devoted to variance reduction techniques for numerical stochastic homogenization. Numerical homogenization requires that a set of problems is solved at the microscale, the so-called corrector problems. In a random environment, these problems are stochastic and therefore need to be repeatedly solved, for several configurations of the medium considered. An empirical average over all configurations is then performed using the Monte Carlo approach, so as to approximate the effective coefficients necessary to determine the macroscopic behaviour. Variance severely affects the accuracy and the cost of such computations. Variance reduction approaches, borrowed from other contexts in the engineering sciences, can be useful. Some of these variance reduction techniques are presented, studied and tested here. © 2016 The Author(s).

Waves on the Free Surface Described by Linearized Equations of Hydrodynamics with Localized Right-Hand Sides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobrokhotov, S. Yu.; Nazaikinskii, V. E.

2018-01-01

A linearized system of equations of hydrodynamics with time-dependent spatially localized right-hand side placed both on the free surface (and on the bottom of the basin) and also in the layer of the liquid is considered in a layer of variable depth with a given basic plane-parallel flow. A method of constructing asymptotic solutions of this problem is suggested; it consists of two stages: (1) a reduction of the three-dimensional problem to a two-dimensional inhomogeneous pseudodifferential equation on the nonperturbed free surface of the liquid, (2) a representation of the localized right-hand side in the form of a Maslov canonical operator on a special Lagrangian manifold and the subsequent application of a generalization to evolution problems of an approach, which was recently suggested in the paper [A. Yu. Anikin, S. Yu. Dobrokhotov, V. E. Nazaikinskii, and M. Rouleux, Dokl. Ross. Akad. Nauk 475 (6), 624-628 (2017); Engl. transl.: Dokl. Math. 96 (1), 406-410 (2017)], to solving stationary problems with localized right-hand sides and its combination with "nonstandard" characteristics. A method of calculation (generalizing long-standing results of Dobrokhotov and Zhevandrov) of an analog of the Kelvin wedge and the wave fields inside the wedge and in its neighborhood is suggested, which uses the consideration that this method is the projection to the extended configuration space of a Lagrangian manifold formed by the trajectories of the Hamiltonian vector field issuing from the intersection of the set of zeros of the extended Hamiltonian of the problem with conormal bundle to the graph of the vector function defining the trajectory of motion of an equivalent source on the surface of the liquid.

Effects of Training on Pre-Service Special Educators' Abilities to Co-Teach Math Vocabulary in Preparation for Inclusion Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Paulette Proctor; Pollingue, Alice B.; Hearrington, Doug; Holmes, Arthur

2014-01-01

New special education teachers often struggle to teach children the mathematics vocabulary necessary to understand and effectively solve math word problems. The authors designed and implemented a pilot program to prepare pre-service teachers majoring in special education to implement the Camelot Learning Math Intervention Program (CLMIP). We met…

Special Education Costs and the Impact on Illinois School District Financial Operations. MacArthur/Spencer Series Number 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Robert; And Others

This study began as a cost study of special education programs in Illinois public education. An attempt was made to determine if the burden of extraordinary, nonreimbursed costs for special education programs was divided equally or unequally among school districts in Illinois. However, two problems with the data source were discovered. Illinois…

Attrition and Retention of Special Education Teachers in an Urban High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Wendy

2012-01-01

Attrition is a problem among special education teachers in an urban high school in a southern part of the United States. A high school special education department served as the local setting. The department was unique due to a high teacher attrition rate and high percentage of teachers with less than five years of teaching experience. The purpose…

The Disproportionate Representation of Minorities in Rural Special Education Programs and What Can Be Done about It.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahalane, Benita H.

Overrepresentation of minorities in special education has been a problem for 25 years and was targeted by the Office of Civil Rights as an initiative in 1993. One rural southeastern state examined its special education process from referral to placement to determine if procedures significantly overidentified or underidentified a particular racial…

Why Are All the Black Kids Still in Special Education? Revisiting the Issue of Disproportionate Representation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shealey, Monika Williams; Lue, Martha Scott

2006-01-01

The overrepresentation of students of color in special education continues to be a prevalent, disturbing, and heavily debated problem in this country. What remains is the reality that a large number of African American students continue to be referred and placed in special education programs. On the heels of 2 reports commissioned by the National…

Issues Regarding the Retention of Special Education Teachers with a Focus on the Principal's Role

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rank, Kim

2017-01-01

Recruitment and retention of special education teachers is a growing problem in the education field. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) from 2014, 50% of special education teachers will leave the education profession during their first five years of teaching. In order to strengthen school teaching teams, knowledgeable…

[Adoption in China of children with special needs: the "green passage"].

PubMed

Oliván Gonzalvo, G

2007-10-01

Requests of international adoption in China can be processed by the ordinary way and by the so-called way "green passage" (GP). All the children for adoption by the GP have special needs because to suffer from congenital malformations, chronic diseases or development disabilities that will need medical or surgical treatment and a specialized monitoring in the adoptive country. The medical literature warns that the preadoptive medical records from China do not offer absolute guarantee of veracity. This problem has been observed in adoptions by the ordinary way of children diagnosed like healthy, but also it can happen in children for adoption by the GP. The clinical cases of three children with special needs recently assigned to Spanish families are presented. We think that in all the assignations of children with special needs from China, the Adoption Organizations must offer to the families the complete medical records, the certified results of the laboratory tests and the pictures so that, of exclusive and absolutely confidential manner, they consult with specialized doctors in order to obtain the highest information of the health problems and to value the medical prognosis before taking a decision on the acceptance of the adoption.

Development and Evaluation of a Short Anger Management Group for Special Education Teachers in Greece: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vassilopoulos, Stephanos P.; Brouzos, Andreas; Moberly, Nicholas J.; Tsiligiannis, Georgia

2015-01-01

This study investigated the efficacy of a psychoeducational group for Greek special education teachers, all but one of whom reported experiencing anger in class. An anger management program was designed, which included a short, four-session package to be given within two weeks. The results of a pretest-posttest comparison revealed reductions in…

Creativity: Incubation as a Special Case of Reminiscence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorsel, Thomas N.

1979-01-01

Similarities between features of incubation in creative problem solving and reminiscence are pointed out and the author suggests that incubation may merely be a special type of reminiscence. Note: For related information, see EC 120 232-238. (CL)

Preface of the special issue quantum foundations: information approach

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

This special issue is based on the contributions of a group of top experts in quantum foundations and quantum information and probability. It enlightens a number of interpretational, mathematical and experimental problems of quantum theory. PMID:27091161

The Child Welfare Agency as School Consultant

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schild, Judith S.; And Others

1976-01-01

Describes the School Consultation Program offered by the Jewish Children's Bureau (JCB) to the special education personnel of four elementary schools in a suburban school district. Discusses problems and special techniques of applying child welfare to school consultation. (JH)

Attaining Success for Beginning Special Education Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCabe, Marjorie; And Others

1993-01-01

Three case studies are presented that highlight problem scenarios relating to beginning special education intern teachers and explain how the teachers attained success. The cases focus on classroom management, adaptation of the core curriculum, and knowledge of instructional practices. (JDD)

47 CFR 95.861 - Interference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PERSONAL RADIO...-219 MHz Service system, the licensees of both systems must cooperate and resolve the problem by... CTS(s) or RTU(s) causing the problem(s) must discontinue operation. (f) The boundary of the 218-219...

47 CFR 95.861 - Interference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PERSONAL RADIO...-219 MHz Service system, the licensees of both systems must cooperate and resolve the problem by... CTS(s) or RTU(s) causing the problem(s) must discontinue operation. (f) The boundary of the 218-219...

Specialized computer architectures for computational aerodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, D. K.

1978-01-01

In recent years, computational fluid dynamics has made significant progress in modelling aerodynamic phenomena. Currently, one of the major barriers to future development lies in the compute-intensive nature of the numerical formulations and the relative high cost of performing these computations on commercially available general purpose computers, a cost high with respect to dollar expenditure and/or elapsed time. Today's computing technology will support a program designed to create specialized computing facilities to be dedicated to the important problems of computational aerodynamics. One of the still unresolved questions is the organization of the computing components in such a facility. The characteristics of fluid dynamic problems which will have significant impact on the choice of computer architecture for a specialized facility are reviewed.

Parent Perspectives of Applying Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Strategies to Special Education.

PubMed

Burke, Meghan M; Chan, Neilson; Neece, Cameron L

2017-06-01

Parents of children with (versus without) intellectual and developmental disabilities report greater stress; such stress may be exacerbated by dissatisfaction with school services, poor parent-school partnerships, and the need for parent advocacy. Increasingly, mindfulness interventions have been used to reduce parent stress. However, it is unclear whether parents apply mindfulness strategies during the special education process to reduce school-related stress. To investigate whether mindfulness may reduce school-related stress, interviews were conducted with 26 parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who completed a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention. Participants were asked about their stress during meetings with the school, use of mindfulness strategies in communicating with the school, and the impact of such strategies. The majority of parent participants reported: special education meetings were stressful; they used mindfulness strategies during IEP meetings; and such strategies affected parents' perceptions of improvements in personal well-being, advocacy, family-school relationships, and access to services for their children. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Floral ontogeny in legume genera Petalostylis, Labichea, and Dialium (Caesalpinioideae: Cassieae), a series in floral reduction.

PubMed

Tucker, S

1998-02-01

Floral ontogeny of taxa of two subtribes (Labicheinae, Dialiinae) of caesalpinioid tribe Cassieae, characterized by reduced number of floral organs, was compared. All three taxa studied are distichous; Petalostylis labicheoides flowers are solitary in leaf axils, Labichea lanceolata has few-flowered racemes, and Dialium guineense has numerous-flowered cymes. The first sepal primordium in each is initiated abaxially and nonmedianly. Order of organogenesis in Petalostylis is: five sepals bidirectionally, five petals and carpel simultaneously, then five stamens bidirectionally, starting abaxially. The order in Labichea is: five sepals helically (one lagging in time), five petals unidirectionally starting abaxially, the carpel and petals concurrently, then two stamens successively, starting laterally. Order in Dialium is: five sepals bidirectionally, the single petal adaxially, and lastly the carpel and two stamens concurrently. Specializations include (1) reduction of the five sepals to four by fusion in Petalostylis and Labichea; (2) reduction of petal number to one in Dialium; (3) reduction of stamen number to two in Labichea and Dialium, and reduction of functional stamens to three in Petalostylis; and (4) an elaborate, late-developing style in Petalostylis. Floral asymmetry, another specialization, characterizes Labichea, expressed by dissimilar stamens, while the other genera have zygomorphic flowers. Floral ontogenies are compared with other taxa of Cassieae.

[Cardiovascular medicine in the German diagnosis-related group--(G-DRG) system 2005].

PubMed

Fürstenberg, T; Bunzemeier, H; Roeder, N; Reinecke, H

2005-05-01

The German diagnosis-related Group (G-DRG) System has recently been published in its third version. From 2005 on, this system will be the definite measure for the budgets of nearly all german hospitals. The preliminary phase with no budget reduction or redistribution being made and in which an inappropriate classification system had no negative impact on reimbursement has, thus, come to an end. At present, many hospitals are struggling in an economic competition about the independence or maintenance of the hospital or several sub-departments. The changes in the classification system with regard to a marked increase in the number of G DRGs, a modified grouping-logic, more properly determined reductions and extra charges for low and high outlier as well as the introduction of further additional charges contribute thereby to a better covering of services and treatments of cardiovascular patients. However, while many of the known problems have been eliminated, there are still weaknesses in the G-DRG System even concerning cardiovascular medicine. The G-DRG System has to be adapted continuously with consultation of the clinical expertise of the respective medical societies. The most important new aspects and changes in the G-DRG System 2005 and the accompanied execution regulations are explained with special view on cardiology.

Simulation of Sound Waves Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method for Fluid Flow: Benchmark Cases for Outdoor Sound Propagation

PubMed Central

Salomons, Erik M.; Lohman, Walter J. A.; Zhou, Han

2016-01-01

Propagation of sound waves in air can be considered as a special case of fluid dynamics. Consequently, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for fluid flow can be used for simulating sound propagation. In this article application of the LBM to sound propagation is illustrated for various cases: free-field propagation, propagation over porous and non-porous ground, propagation over a noise barrier, and propagation in an atmosphere with wind. LBM results are compared with solutions of the equations of acoustics. It is found that the LBM works well for sound waves, but dissipation of sound waves with the LBM is generally much larger than real dissipation of sound waves in air. To circumvent this problem it is proposed here to use the LBM for assessing the excess sound level, i.e. the difference between the sound level and the free-field sound level. The effect of dissipation on the excess sound level is much smaller than the effect on the sound level, so the LBM can be used to estimate the excess sound level for a non-dissipative atmosphere, which is a useful quantity in atmospheric acoustics. To reduce dissipation in an LBM simulation two approaches are considered: i) reduction of the kinematic viscosity and ii) reduction of the lattice spacing. PMID:26789631

Simulation of Sound Waves Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method for Fluid Flow: Benchmark Cases for Outdoor Sound Propagation.

PubMed

Salomons, Erik M; Lohman, Walter J A; Zhou, Han

2016-01-01

Propagation of sound waves in air can be considered as a special case of fluid dynamics. Consequently, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for fluid flow can be used for simulating sound propagation. In this article application of the LBM to sound propagation is illustrated for various cases: free-field propagation, propagation over porous and non-porous ground, propagation over a noise barrier, and propagation in an atmosphere with wind. LBM results are compared with solutions of the equations of acoustics. It is found that the LBM works well for sound waves, but dissipation of sound waves with the LBM is generally much larger than real dissipation of sound waves in air. To circumvent this problem it is proposed here to use the LBM for assessing the excess sound level, i.e. the difference between the sound level and the free-field sound level. The effect of dissipation on the excess sound level is much smaller than the effect on the sound level, so the LBM can be used to estimate the excess sound level for a non-dissipative atmosphere, which is a useful quantity in atmospheric acoustics. To reduce dissipation in an LBM simulation two approaches are considered: i) reduction of the kinematic viscosity and ii) reduction of the lattice spacing.

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

Sauter, Nicholas K., E-mail: nksauter@lbl.gov; Hattne, Johan; Grosse-Kunstleve, Ralf W.

The Computational Crystallography Toolbox (cctbx) is a flexible software platform that has been used to develop high-throughput crystal-screening tools for both synchrotron sources and X-ray free-electron lasers. Plans for data-processing and visualization applications are discussed, and the benefits and limitations of using graphics-processing units are evaluated. Current pixel-array detectors produce diffraction images at extreme data rates (of up to 2 TB h{sup −1}) that make severe demands on computational resources. New multiprocessing frameworks are required to achieve rapid data analysis, as it is important to be able to inspect the data quickly in order to guide the experiment in realmore » time. By utilizing readily available web-serving tools that interact with the Python scripting language, it was possible to implement a high-throughput Bragg-spot analyzer (cctbx.spotfinder) that is presently in use at numerous synchrotron-radiation beamlines. Similarly, Python interoperability enabled the production of a new data-reduction package (cctbx.xfel) for serial femtosecond crystallography experiments at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). Future data-reduction efforts will need to focus on specialized problems such as the treatment of diffraction spots on interleaved lattices arising from multi-crystal specimens. In these challenging cases, accurate modeling of close-lying Bragg spots could benefit from the high-performance computing capabilities of graphics-processing units.« less

[Life-cycles, psychopathology and suicidal behaviour].

PubMed

Osváth, Péter

2012-12-01

According to modern psychological theories the human life implies continuous development, the efficient solution of age-specific problems is necessary to the successful transition of age-periods. The phases of transition are very vulnerable against the accidental stressors and negative life-events. Thus the problem-solving capacity may run out, which impairs chance of the successful coping with stressful events. It may result in some negative consequences, such as different psychopathological symptoms (depression, anxiety, psychosis) or even suicidal behaviour. For that reason we have to pay special attention to the symptoms of psychological crisis and the presuicidal syndrome. In certain life-cycle transitions (such as adolescent, middle or elderly age) the personality has special vulnerability to the development of psychological and psychopathological problems. In this article the most important features of life-cycles and psychopathological symptoms are reviewed. The developmental and age-specific characteristics have special importance in understanding the background of the actual psychological crisis and improving the efficacy of the treatment. Using the complex bio-psycho-socio-spiritual approach not only the actual psychopatological problems, but the individual psychological features can be recognised. Thus the effective treatment relieves not only the actual symptoms, but will increase the chance for solving further crises.

Comparison of Special Group Experiences in Establishing Independent Motor Carrier Businesses : Volume 2. Main Text.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-08-01

The report examines the experiences and special problems of minority trucking firms. The firms are classified as unregulated local truckers, unregulated owner-operators, and regulated interstate common carriers. Random samples are developed for minor...

Special Report. States Doubt Clean Air Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Science and Technology, 1974

1974-01-01

This special report reviews air quality control plans formulated by each state. Comparisons of these plans and discussions on the degree of implementation achieved by state governments are presented. Problems surrounding the establishment and implementation of EPA approved plans are discussed. (JP)

Comparison of Special Group Experiences in Establishing Independent Motor Carrier Businesses : Volume 1. Executive Summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-08-01

The report summarizes the experiences and special problems of minority trucking firms. The firms are classified as unregulated local truckers, unregulated owner-operators, and regulated interstate common carriers. Although the general findings reflec...

5 CFR 530.301 - Purpose and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... RATES AND SYSTEMS (GENERAL) Special Rate Schedules for Recruitment and Retention General Provisions....S.C. 5305, which authorizes the establishment of special rates of pay for Federal employees in executive agencies to address significant recruitment or retention problems. This subpart also contains...

Special accident investigation studies : the role of alcohol/drug involvement

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1972-10-01

The NHTSA is sponsoring special accident investigation studies on the alcohol/drug involvement problem in the cities of Albuquerque, Baltimore, and Boston. These studies are in coordination with-ongoing ASAP projects in each of the three cities. The ...

Problem Solving in the PISA and TIMSS 2003 Assessments. Technical Report. NCES 2007-049

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dossey, John A.; McCrone, Sharon S.; O'Sullivan, Christine

2006-01-01

In 2003, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) included a special focus on problem-solving. This report reviews the problem-solving aspects of each study in order to compare and contrast the nature of problem solving in each assessment. The report's authors develop…

Women's Health Checkup

MedlinePlus

Regular health exams and tests can help find problems before they start. They also can help find problems early, ... special exams and screenings. During your checkup, your health care provider will usually do: A pelvic exam - ...

Discrete-continuous variable structural synthesis using dual methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmit, L. A.; Fleury, C.

1980-01-01

Approximation concepts and dual methods are extended to solve structural synthesis problems involving a mix of discrete and continuous sizing type of design variables. Pure discrete and pure continuous variable problems can be handled as special cases. The basic mathematical programming statement of the structural synthesis problem is converted into a sequence of explicit approximate primal problems of separable form. These problems are solved by constructing continuous explicit dual functions, which are maximized subject to simple nonnegativity constraints on the dual variables. A newly devised gradient projection type of algorithm called DUAL 1, which includes special features for handling dual function gradient discontinuities that arise from the discrete primal variables, is used to find the solution of each dual problem. Computational implementation is accomplished by incorporating the DUAL 1 algorithm into the ACCESS 3 program as a new optimizer option. The power of the method set forth is demonstrated by presenting numerical results for several example problems, including a pure discrete variable treatment of a metallic swept wing and a mixed discrete-continuous variable solution for a thin delta wing with fiber composite skins.

Orientation and Mobility Training in Special Education Curriculum for Social Adjustment Problems of Visually Impaired Children in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malik, Shazia; Abd Manaf, Umi Kalthom; Ahmad, Nor Aniza; Ismail, Maimunah

2018-01-01

The study is aimed at investigating the impact of orientation and mobility (O&M) training as a part of the special education curriculum on the social adjustment of visually impaired children. The population consisted of visually impaired children between the ages of (5-15), studying at different special education institutes in Pakistan was the…

Factors that May Contribute to the Placement of Latino English Language Learners in Special Education: Perceptions of Directors of Special Education in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvarez, Dante

2010-01-01

The problem: Research indicates that Latino English language learners in California are placed in special education classes at a higher rate than other states. The factors that determine placement of Latino English learners such as language barriers, transiency, poverty, and teacher training may create challenges for Directors of Special…

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is Slow in Providing Special Education Services to All Handicapped Indian Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comptroller General of the U.S., Washington, DC.

Many handicapped Indian children in Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools are not receiving the benefits of special education services due to problems caused by poor leadership and a lack of emphasis on the program. Because of the late and incomplete evaluation of students, too few special education teachers have been hired, and funds that should…

The Identification by Teachers of Special Educational Needs in Primary School Pupils and Factors Associated with Referral to Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smeets, Ed; Roeleveld, Jaap

2016-01-01

This paper addresses the identification of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream primary schools by their teachers. Data were analysed from two consecutive measurement occasions of a large cohort study in the Netherlands. The types and severity of pupils' problems, and their school careers were studied. Around 25% of the pupils…

Children--The Effect of Rural Residence on Dental Unmet Need for Children with Special Health Care Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Asheley Cockrell; Slifkin, Rebecca T.; Mayer, Michelle L.

2006-01-01

Background: Unmet need for dental care is the most prevalent unmet health care need among children with special health care needs (CSHCN), even though these children are at a greater risk for dental problems. The combination of rural residence and special health care needs may leave rural CSHCN particularly vulnerable to high levels of unmet…

29 CFR 785.37 - Home to work on special one-day assignment in another city.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Home to work on special one-day assignment in another city... another city. A problem arises when an employee who regularly works at a fixed location in one city is given a special 1-day work assignment in another city. For example, an employee who works in Washington...

29 CFR 785.37 - Home to work on special one-day assignment in another city.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Home to work on special one-day assignment in another city... another city. A problem arises when an employee who regularly works at a fixed location in one city is given a special 1-day work assignment in another city. For example, an employee who works in Washington...

Gaussian processes with built-in dimensionality reduction: Applications to high-dimensional uncertainty propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathy, Rohit; Bilionis, Ilias; Gonzalez, Marcial

2016-09-01

Uncertainty quantification (UQ) tasks, such as model calibration, uncertainty propagation, and optimization under uncertainty, typically require several thousand evaluations of the underlying computer codes. To cope with the cost of simulations, one replaces the real response surface with a cheap surrogate based, e.g., on polynomial chaos expansions, neural networks, support vector machines, or Gaussian processes (GP). However, the number of simulations required to learn a generic multivariate response grows exponentially as the input dimension increases. This curse of dimensionality can only be addressed, if the response exhibits some special structure that can be discovered and exploited. A wide range of physical responses exhibit a special structure known as an active subspace (AS). An AS is a linear manifold of the stochastic space characterized by maximal response variation. The idea is that one should first identify this low dimensional manifold, project the high-dimensional input onto it, and then link the projection to the output. If the dimensionality of the AS is low enough, then learning the link function is a much easier problem than the original problem of learning a high-dimensional function. The classic approach to discovering the AS requires gradient information, a fact that severely limits its applicability. Furthermore, and partly because of its reliance to gradients, it is not able to handle noisy observations. The latter is an essential trait if one wants to be able to propagate uncertainty through stochastic simulators, e.g., through molecular dynamics codes. In this work, we develop a probabilistic version of AS which is gradient-free and robust to observational noise. Our approach relies on a novel Gaussian process regression with built-in dimensionality reduction. In particular, the AS is represented as an orthogonal projection matrix that serves as yet another covariance function hyper-parameter to be estimated from the data. To train the model, we design a two-step maximum likelihood optimization procedure that ensures the orthogonality of the projection matrix by exploiting recent results on the Stiefel manifold, i.e., the manifold of matrices with orthogonal columns. The additional benefit of our probabilistic formulation, is that it allows us to select the dimensionality of the AS via the Bayesian information criterion. We validate our approach by showing that it can discover the right AS in synthetic examples without gradient information using both noiseless and noisy observations. We demonstrate that our method is able to discover the same AS as the classical approach in a challenging one-hundred-dimensional problem involving an elliptic stochastic partial differential equation with random conductivity. Finally, we use our approach to study the effect of geometric and material uncertainties in the propagation of solitary waves in a one dimensional granular system.

Anatomy: a must for teaching the next generation.

PubMed

Older, J

2004-04-01

Teaching anatomy to both undergraduate medical students and medical graduates is in the midst of a downward spiral. The traditional anatomy education based on topographical structural anatomy taught by didactic lectures and complete dissection of the body with personal tuition, has been replaced by a multiple range of special study modules, problem-based workshops, computers, plastic models and many other teaching tools. In some centres, dissected cadaver-based anatomy is no longer taught. Changing the undergraduate medical curriculum in the UK has taken place without any research into the key aspects of knowledge necessary or comparing methods of teaching. There is no agreement on a common national core curriculum and as a result, numerous new curricula have been introduced. No external audit or validation is carried out, so medical schools have been free to teach and assess their own work themselves. There is a great divergence in medical schools across the UK and Ireland in teaching medicine in general and anatomy in particular. Published data on the impact of these changes is scant. The reduction in undergraduate teaching and knowledge of anatomy has caused great concern, not only for undergraduates but also to postgraduate students, especially in surgery. This, together with a change in basic surgical training, a marked reduction in demonstrator posts and a change in examination standards, has set up a system that is allowing young men and women with a poor knowledge of anatomy to become surgeons. There should be a full public debate at every level; the Royal Colleges, specialist associations, the Universities, Government, both health and education. This debate should highlight areas of concern, explore in depth and define a minimal core curriculum for anatomy. Teaching must be enhanced with a critical look at both teachers and methods. The dominance of research must be reassessed to establish an equitable cohabitation with teaching. The place of basic science, especially anatomy in basic surgical teaching, must be examined. A thorough knowledge of anatomy should be required in the new MRCS-UK. This should be mandatory as a preliminary to higher surgical training. The teaching of anatomy in surgical specialities must be improved. Does the dissecting room still have a place in educating our under- and postgraduate students? Yes--a sound knowledge of anatomy is essential if the medical practitioner is going to accurately define and successfully treat the problem presented by the patient. The dissected cadaver remains the most powerful means of presenting and learning anatomy as a dynamic basis for solving problems. The cadaver must not be dismissed as obsolete. Dissection has survived the most rigorous test of pedagological fitness--the test of time. The student--cadaver--patient encounter is paramount in medical education.

Gaussian processes with built-in dimensionality reduction: Applications to high-dimensional uncertainty propagation

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

Tripathy, Rohit, E-mail: rtripath@purdue.edu; Bilionis, Ilias, E-mail: ibilion@purdue.edu; Gonzalez, Marcial, E-mail: marcial-gonzalez@purdue.edu

2016-09-15

Uncertainty quantification (UQ) tasks, such as model calibration, uncertainty propagation, and optimization under uncertainty, typically require several thousand evaluations of the underlying computer codes. To cope with the cost of simulations, one replaces the real response surface with a cheap surrogate based, e.g., on polynomial chaos expansions, neural networks, support vector machines, or Gaussian processes (GP). However, the number of simulations required to learn a generic multivariate response grows exponentially as the input dimension increases. This curse of dimensionality can only be addressed, if the response exhibits some special structure that can be discovered and exploited. A wide range ofmore » physical responses exhibit a special structure known as an active subspace (AS). An AS is a linear manifold of the stochastic space characterized by maximal response variation. The idea is that one should first identify this low dimensional manifold, project the high-dimensional input onto it, and then link the projection to the output. If the dimensionality of the AS is low enough, then learning the link function is a much easier problem than the original problem of learning a high-dimensional function. The classic approach to discovering the AS requires gradient information, a fact that severely limits its applicability. Furthermore, and partly because of its reliance to gradients, it is not able to handle noisy observations. The latter is an essential trait if one wants to be able to propagate uncertainty through stochastic simulators, e.g., through molecular dynamics codes. In this work, we develop a probabilistic version of AS which is gradient-free and robust to observational noise. Our approach relies on a novel Gaussian process regression with built-in dimensionality reduction. In particular, the AS is represented as an orthogonal projection matrix that serves as yet another covariance function hyper-parameter to be estimated from the data. To train the model, we design a two-step maximum likelihood optimization procedure that ensures the orthogonality of the projection matrix by exploiting recent results on the Stiefel manifold, i.e., the manifold of matrices with orthogonal columns. The additional benefit of our probabilistic formulation, is that it allows us to select the dimensionality of the AS via the Bayesian information criterion. We validate our approach by showing that it can discover the right AS in synthetic examples without gradient information using both noiseless and noisy observations. We demonstrate that our method is able to discover the same AS as the classical approach in a challenging one-hundred-dimensional problem involving an elliptic stochastic partial differential equation with random conductivity. Finally, we use our approach to study the effect of geometric and material uncertainties in the propagation of solitary waves in a one dimensional granular system.« less

Diffusion algorithms and data reduction routine for onsite real-time launch predictions for the transport of Delta-Thor exhaust effluents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, J. B.

1976-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Marshall Space Flight Center multilayer diffusion algorithms have been specialized for the prediction of the surface impact for the dispersive transport of the exhaust effluents from the launch of a Delta-Thor vehicle. This specialization permits these transport predictions to be made at the launch range in real time so that the effluent monitoring teams can optimize their monitoring grids. Basically, the data reduction routine requires only the meteorology profiles for the thermodynamics and kinematics of the atmosphere as an input. These profiles are graphed along with the resulting exhaust cloud rise history, the centerline concentrations and dosages, and the hydrogen chloride isopleths.

Talk aloud problem solving: Exploration of acquisition and frequency building in science text

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dembek, Ginny

Discovering new ways to help students attain higher levels of scientific knowledge and to think critically is a national goal (Educate to Innovate campaign). Despite the best intentions, many students struggle to achieve a basic level of science knowledge (NAEP, 2011). The present study examined Talk Aloud Pair Problem Solving and frequency building with five students who were diagnosed with a disability and receive specialized reading instruction in a special education setting. Acquisition was obtained through scripted lessons and frequency building or practice strengthened the student's verbal repertoire making the problem solving process a durable behavior. Overall, students all demonstrated improvements in problem solving performance when compared to baseline. Students became more significantly accurate in performance and maintenance in learning was demonstrated. Generalization probes indicated improvement in student performance. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

ON BOUGUER ANOMALIES IN THE OCEAN (Ob Anomaliyakh Buge na Okeanakh),

DTIC Science & Technology

The paper deals with the problems of the accepted interpretation of the Bouguer reduction for the sea. The only thing which to some extent could...justify the introduction of the Bouguer reduction at sea is a certain smoothing out of the effect exerted by the relief forms of the oceanic bottom in...the Bouguer reduction at sea is associated with the problem of specific processing of the material for its various types of interpretation. Bouguer

Special Ed Boondoggle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, Richard; Bernard, John; Johannesdottir, Gudrun

1999-01-01

The United States identifies a far larger percentage of students for special-education services than do other developed countries, including Israel, Canada, Germany, France, Britain, Japan, and Korea. Looming behind the U.S. figures are the possibility of lawsuits, mounting paperwork, student discipline problems, lower expectations for student…

Impact of regional special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) initiatives on county infrastructure.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-10-01

In response to fiscal constraints on transportation funding and the need to address transportation problems and create regional solutions, Georgia is proposing a 1% regional Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). To accommodate this initiat...

Special Education Placement Factors for Latino Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraemer, Robert J.

2010-01-01

The disproportionate representation of minority students in special education programs has been a problem for over forty years. Factors contributing to minority overrepresentation include the lack of primary prevention, inappropriate language and educational assessment, over-referral of minority students for suspected learning difficulties,…

Ending Discrimination in Special Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grossman, Herbert

This book discusses the forces that create and perpetuate discrimination in special education and provides suggestions for eliminating discriminatory practices. Chapter 1, "The Problem," describes the enormous disparities between the school experiences and educational outcomes of poor, non-European American, immigrant, refugee, rural, and limited…

Conversion of a Rhotrix to a "Coupled Matrix"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sani, B.

2008-01-01

In this note, a method of converting a rhotrix to a special form of matrix termed a "coupled matrix" is proposed. The special matrix can be used to solve various problems involving n x n and (n - 1) x (n - 1) matrices simultaneously.

Special Problems of People with Diabetes and Visual Impairment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenthal, J. L.

1993-01-01

This article addresses the types of visual impairment caused by diabetes and the unique problems that people with diabetes and visual impairment face. Diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic optic neuropathy are discussed as causes of visual impairment, and specific problems in basic living are identified, including diet,…

Problem-Posing Research in Mathematics Education: Looking Back, Looking Around, and Looking Ahead

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silver, Edward A.

2013-01-01

In this paper, I comment on the set of papers in this special issue on mathematical problem posing. I offer some observations about the papers in relation to several key issues, and I suggest some productive directions for continued research inquiry on mathematical problem posing.

A Mathematical Optimization Problem in Bioinformatics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heyer, Laurie J.

2008-01-01

This article describes the sequence alignment problem in bioinformatics. Through examples, we formulate sequence alignment as an optimization problem and show how to compute the optimal alignment with dynamic programming. The examples and sample exercises have been used by the author in a specialized course in bioinformatics, but could be adapted…

Approaching messy problems: strategies for environmental analysis

Treesearch

L. M. Reid; R. R. Ziemer; T. E. Lisle

1996-01-01

Environmental problems are never neatly defined. Instead, each is a tangle of interacting processes whose manifestation and interpretation are warped by the vagaries of time, weather, expectation, and economics. Each problem involves livelihoods, values, and numerous specialized disciplines. Nevertheless, federal agencies in the Pacific Northwest have been given the...

The Problems of Human Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations, New York, NY.

Presented is a summary of considerations Specialized Agencies within the United Nations have given to the problems of the human environment. Uppermost are the problems of pollution--air, water, noise, marine, radiation, food, pesticide--as well as those of economic and social concern, environmental health, and misuse of the environment. Agencies…

Population: The U.S. Problem--The World Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kegan, Lawrence R., Ed.

1972-01-01

Population problems in both the United States and throughout the world are summarized and analyzed, pictorially and narratively, in this special newspaper supplement to "The New York Times", April 30, 1972. Part I presents the U. S. problem, with the following contributions: excerpts from President Richard Nixon's message to Congress on…

Communities of Practice: A New Approach to Solving Complex Educational Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cashman, J.; Linehan, P.; Rosser, M.

2007-01-01

Communities of Practice offer state agency personnel a promising approach for engaging stakeholder groups in collaboratively solving complex and, often, persistent problems in special education. Communities of Practice can help state agency personnel drive strategy, solve problems, promote the spread of best practices, develop members'…

Research in nonlinear structural and solid mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccomb, H. G., Jr. (Compiler); Noor, A. K. (Compiler)

1980-01-01

Nonlinear analysis of building structures and numerical solution of nonlinear algebraic equations and Newton's method are discussed. Other topics include: nonlinear interaction problems; solution procedures for nonlinear problems; crash dynamics and advanced nonlinear applications; material characterization, contact problems, and inelastic response; and formulation aspects and special software for nonlinear analysis.

Inclusive Education--Empirical Experience from Serbia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovacevic, Jasmina; Macesic-Petrovic, Dragana

2012-01-01

This descriptive study finds out the problems most frequently facing the children with special needs in regular schooling. The sample included 500 teachers in elementary schools from Serbia. The results point out the problems in inclusive education. Most educational problems occur in relations and communications with their peers in typical…

Applying Graph Theory to Problems in Air Traffic Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farrahi, Amir Hossein; Goldbert, Alan; Bagasol, Leonard Neil; Jung, Jaewoo

2017-01-01

Graph theory is used to investigate three different problems arising in air traffic management. First, using a polynomial reduction from a graph partitioning problem, it is shown that both the airspace sectorization problem and its incremental counterpart, the sector combination problem are NP-hard, in general, under several simple workload models. Second, using a polynomial time reduction from maximum independent set in graphs, it is shown that for any fixed e, the problem of finding a solution to the minimum delay scheduling problem in traffic flow management that is guaranteed to be within n1-e of the optimal, where n is the number of aircraft in the problem instance, is NP-hard. Finally, a problem arising in precision arrival scheduling is formulated and solved using graph reachability. These results demonstrate that graph theory provides a powerful framework for modeling, reasoning about, and devising algorithmic solutions to diverse problems arising in air traffic management.

Skin problems of the stump in lower limb amputees: 1. A clinical study.

PubMed

Meulenbelt, Henk E J; Geertzen, Jan H B; Jonkman, Marcel F; Dijkstra, Pieter U

2011-03-01

Use of a prosthesis in lower limb amputees can lead to skin problems of the amputation stump. However, little is known about the epidemiology and type of problems experienced. We conducted a cross-sectional survey consisting of a questionnaire and a clinical assessment of the amputation stump. The aims of the study were to estimate the prevalence of skin problems of the amputation stump, to evaluate the impact of these skin problems and to evaluate differences between clinically observed skin problems and skin problems reported by the amputee. Participants (n = 124) were recruited from among lower limb amputees who visited an orthopaedic workshop. The prevalence of skin problems was 36%. Problems identified were: reduction in prosthesis use, and reduction in walking distance without a break. Significantly more skin problems were reported than observed (p = 0.011). Cold skin and excessive perspiration in particular were significantly more reported than observed.

Applying Graph Theory to Problems in Air Traffic Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farrahi, Amir H.; Goldberg, Alan T.; Bagasol, Leonard N.; Jung, Jaewoo

2017-01-01

Graph theory is used to investigate three different problems arising in air traffic management. First, using a polynomial reduction from a graph partitioning problem, it isshown that both the airspace sectorization problem and its incremental counterpart, the sector combination problem are NP-hard, in general, under several simple workload models. Second, using a polynomial time reduction from maximum independent set in graphs, it is shown that for any fixed e, the problem of finding a solution to the minimum delay scheduling problem in traffic flow management that is guaranteed to be within n1-e of the optimal, where n is the number of aircraft in the problem instance, is NP-hard. Finally, a problem arising in precision arrival scheduling is formulated and solved using graph reachability. These results demonstrate that graph theory provides a powerful framework for modeling, reasoning about, and devising algorithmic solutions to diverse problems arising in air traffic management.

Do we really understand quantum mechanics? Strange correlations, paradoxes, and theorems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laloë, F.

2001-06-01

This article presents a general discussion of several aspects of our present understanding of quantum mechanics. The emphasis is put on the very special correlations that this theory makes possible: They are forbidden by very general arguments based on realism and local causality. In fact, these correlations are completely impossible in any circumstance, except for very special situations designed by physicists especially to observe these purely quantum effects. Another general point that is emphasized is the necessity for the theory to predict the emergence of a single result in a single realization of an experiment. For this purpose, orthodox quantum mechanics introduces a special postulate: the reduction of the state vector, which comes in addition to the Schrödinger evolution postulate. Nevertheless, the presence in parallel of two evolution processes of the same object (the state vector) may be a potential source for conflicts; various attitudes that are possible to avoid this problem are discussed in this text. After a brief historical introduction, recalling how the very special status of the state vector has emerged in quantum mechanics, various conceptual difficulties are introduced and discussed. The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) theorem is presented with the help of a botanical parable, in a way that emphasizes how deeply the EPR reasoning is rooted into what is often called "scientific method." In another section the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger argument, the Hardy impossibilities, as well as the Bell-Kochen-Specker theorem are introduced in simple terms. The final two sections attempt to give a summary of the present situation: One section discusses nonlocality and entanglement as we see it presently, with brief mention of recent experiments; the last section contains a (nonexhaustive) list of various attitudes that are found among physicists, and that are helpful to alleviate the conceptual difficulties of quantum mechanics.

Behavioural and Emotional Problems in Children and Educational Outcomes: A Dynamic Panel Data Analysis.

PubMed

Khanam, Rasheda; Nghiem, Son

2018-05-01

This study investigates the effects of behavioural and emotional problems in children on their educational outcomes using data from the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Children (LSAC). We contribute to the extant literature using a dynamic specification to test the hypothesis of knowledge accumulation. Further, we apply the system generalised method of moments (GMM) estimator to minimise biases due to unobserved factors. We find that mental disorders in children has a negative effect on the National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test scores. Among all mental disorders, having emotional problems is found to be the most influential with one standard deviation (SD) increase in emotional problems being associated with 0.05 SD reduction in NAPLAN reading, writing and spelling; 0.04 SD reduction in matrix reasoning and grammar; and 0.03 SD reduction in NAPLAN numeracy.

INTRODUCTION OF MANY-PARTICLE VARIABLES FOR THE TREATMENT OF SPECIAL TRANSLATIONALLY INVARIANT MANY-BODY PROBLEMS

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

Mobius, P.

1960-05-01

An attempt is raade to treat special translationally invariant many-body problems by coordinate transformations introducing many-particle variables. These are adapted coordinates of such kind that the condition of translational invariance and the Pauli principle can be satisfied automatically. They are homogeneous functions of the particle coordinates obeying certain differential equations. The Schrodinger equation is transformed into these variables. There exist examples of systems of interacting particles which can be separated exactly in the many-particle variables but not in the particle coordinates. (auth)

Mine countermeasures (MCM) sensor technology drivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skinner, David P.

1995-06-01

In recent years, MCM has moved to the forefront of the Navy's attention. This paper describes the general problems that drive the technology requirements of classical sea mine countermeasure (MCM) sensors for those working outside of this specialized area. Sensor requirements for MCM are compared with those for antisubmarine warfare. This highlights the unique environmental issues and crucial false target problems. The elimination of false targets, not mine detection, is the principal driver of MCM sensor requirements and places special emphasis on the technologies needed for the sequential operations of detection, classification, and identification.

Some socio-economic factors affecting infant and child mortality with special reference to Indonesia.

PubMed

Kristanto, B

1983-06-01

A review of the literature on the socioeconomic factors affecting infant and child mortality is presented, with special reference to Indonesia. Four main factors are identified: parents' education, parents' occupation, urban-rural residence, and housing conditions. The author suggests that, in fact, problems related to health and sanitation are the main causes of infant and child mortality. Also important are problems related to poverty, income, and income distribution. It is suggested that the solution is to be found in general socioeconomic development.

A weak Galerkin generalized multiscale finite element method

DOE PAGES

Mu, Lin; Wang, Junping; Ye, Xiu

2016-03-31

In this study, we propose a general framework for weak Galerkin generalized multiscale (WG-GMS) finite element method for the elliptic problems with rapidly oscillating or high contrast coefficients. This general WG-GMS method features in high order accuracy on general meshes and can work with multiscale basis derived by different numerical schemes. A special case is studied under this WG-GMS framework in which the multiscale basis functions are obtained by solving local problem with the weak Galerkin finite element method. Convergence analysis and numerical experiments are obtained for the special case.

A weak Galerkin generalized multiscale finite element method

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

Mu, Lin; Wang, Junping; Ye, Xiu

In this study, we propose a general framework for weak Galerkin generalized multiscale (WG-GMS) finite element method for the elliptic problems with rapidly oscillating or high contrast coefficients. This general WG-GMS method features in high order accuracy on general meshes and can work with multiscale basis derived by different numerical schemes. A special case is studied under this WG-GMS framework in which the multiscale basis functions are obtained by solving local problem with the weak Galerkin finite element method. Convergence analysis and numerical experiments are obtained for the special case.

Fundamentals and Special Problems of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) (Les Aspects Fondamentaux et les Problemes Specifiques aux Radars a Ouverture Synthetique (SAR)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-08-01

limits of these topics will be included. Digital SAR processing is for SAR indispensible. Theories and special algorithms will be given along with basic...traitement num~rique est indispensable aux SAP,. Des theories et des algorithmes sp~cifiques; seront proposes, ainsi que des configurations de processeur...equation If N independent pixel values are added than fol- lows from the laws of probability theory that the ra mean value of the sum is identical with

Gender, aging, health and society.

PubMed

Dhar, H L

2001-10-01

There are more women than men at any elderly age group. Depression and osteoporosis are the commonest problems in elderly subjects. Some problems specific to males are hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction and enlargement of prostrate and to females are post-menopausal disturbances, urinary incontinence and breast and lung cancer. However, problems of special concern in both male and female elderly are malnutrition, falls and cognitive dysfunction. Men and women in general suffer from the same sorts of health problems but the frequency of these problems as well as the speed of the onset of death distinguishes them. Infact cultural and social forces act to separate the sexes in their personal health ethos and their sick propensity. The impact of old age on women is different from that of men because of differences in their status and role in society. This is specially so because proportion of widows in 60+ age group is considerably higher than that of widowers. Sexuality is often overlooked as a health status particularly in elderly women. Clinicians should recognise the importance of sexual functions to the overall health of older persons particularly women. Religious participation and involvement are associated with positive mental and physical health. Family life is the key to the health of elders specially older men. Lack of social support increases the risk of mortality and supportive relationships are associated with lower illness rates, faster recovery rates and higher levels of health care behavior.

Cognitive and Linguistic Predictors of Mathematical Word Problems with and without Irrelevant Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Amber Y.; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify cognitive and linguistic predictors of word problems with versus without irrelevant information. The sample was 701 2nd-grade students who received no specialized intervention on word problems. In the fall, they were assessed on initial arithmetic and word-problem skill as well as language ability, working…

Differential Outcomes of Sleep Problems in Children with and Without Special Health Care Needs: Australian Population Study.

PubMed

Quach, Jon; Mensah, Fiona K; Hiscock, Harriet

2016-06-01

In a nationally representative sample of Australian children at ages 4 to 5, 6 to 7, 8 to 9, 10 to 11, and 12 to 13 years, we aim to examine the (1) prevalence of sleep problems in children with and without special health care needs (SHCN); (2) association of sleep problems with child behavior, health-related quality of life, learning and parent mental health outcomes; and (3) whether associations between sleep problems and outcomes among children with SHCN are larger in magnitude than among children without SHCN. Biennial data from 5 waves of the Growing Up in Australia Study. Child SHCN as defined by the Children Special Health Care Needs Screener and parent report of child sleep problem. Child: parent-reported health-related quality of life; parent-reported and teacher-reported behavior; nonverbal and verbal cognition and teacher-reported learning. Parent: self-report mental health. Logistic and linear regression, adjusted for family socioeconomic position. Children with SHCN were more likely to have sleep problems, odds ranging from 2.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-2.5) at 4 to 5 years to 3.9 (95% CI, 3.0-5.2) at 8 to 9 years. Compared with children who had neither condition, those with either sleep problems or SHCN had similarly poor child and maternal outcomes. Children with both SHCN and sleep problems had the poorest outcomes at every age (all p < .001). Tests of interaction found sleep problems are more strongly associated with poorer behavior and health-related quality of life among children with SHCN than those without during the preschool and early school years. Sleep problems in children with SHCN are common and are associated with poorer child and maternal outcomes. These associations are stronger for poorer behavior and health-related quality of life among children with SHCN than those without during the preschool and early school years.

System for Conservation of Specially Protected Natural Areas as Sustainable Urban Development Element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kryakhtunov, A.; Pelymskaya, O.; Chernykh, E.

2017-11-01

The article is devoted to the problem of the conservation of specially protected natural territories. The research topic is especially interesting for urban areas that provide sustainable urban development. The authors consider the main aspects of the sustainable settlement development and substantiate the direct dependence of the evolution of territories in the implementation of urban development activities with the ecological framework of a city. The object of the study is a specially protected natural area located in Western Siberia in the city of Tyumen, the Tyumen region. As a result of the analysis, the main problems of preservation of the nature monument of regional importance were revealed as well as a set of measures and management decisions regarding the conservation of the forest park.

Underwater disaster victim identification: the process and the problems.

PubMed

Winskog, Calle

2012-06-01

An underwater disaster may involve a crime scene investigation which should be handled as if it were located above water and include a detailed description and documentation of items, belongings and findings. The environment, however, creates special circumstances, each with specific problems that are not encountered during land investigations. Risks associated with underwater recovery cannot be overestimated and underwater disaster recovery diving should not be performed without special training and careful pre-dive planning. Handling of cadavers in an underwater recovery operation also requires special training and a systematic approach to victim recovery. Environmental circumstances, local judicial requirements, religious and cultural issues and the scope of the disaster are only some of the factors that have to be considered before commencing any aquatic disaster victim recovery operation.

An analysis of spectral envelope-reduction via quadratic assignment problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

George, Alan; Pothen, Alex

1994-01-01

A new spectral algorithm for reordering a sparse symmetric matrix to reduce its envelope size was described. The ordering is computed by associating a Laplacian matrix with the given matrix and then sorting the components of a specified eigenvector of the Laplacian. In this paper, we provide an analysis of the spectral envelope reduction algorithm. We described related 1- and 2-sum problems; the former is related to the envelope size, while the latter is related to an upper bound on the work involved in an envelope Cholesky factorization scheme. We formulate the latter two problems as quadratic assignment problems, and then study the 2-sum problem in more detail. We obtain lower bounds on the 2-sum by considering a projected quadratic assignment problem, and then show that finding a permutation matrix closest to an orthogonal matrix attaining one of the lower bounds justifies the spectral envelope reduction algorithm. The lower bound on the 2-sum is seen to be tight for reasonably 'uniform' finite element meshes. We also obtain asymptotically tight lower bounds for the envelope size for certain classes of meshes.

Tarps

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Soil fumigant applications can qualify for buffer zone reduction credits if applicators use tarps that are highly impermeable to pesticide chemicals. There are special tarp requirements for the active ingredient dimethyl disulfide (DMDS).

47 CFR 95.406 - (CB Rule 6) Are there any special restrictions on the location of my CB station?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES Citizens Band (CB) Radio... operated in such a manner as to raise environmental problems, under § 1.1307 of this chapter, you must...

47 CFR 95.406 - (CB Rule 6) Are there any special restrictions on the location of my CB station?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES Citizens Band (CB) Radio... operated in such a manner as to raise environmental problems, under § 1.1307 of this chapter, you must...

Life Skills Activities for Secondary Students with Special Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mannix, Darlene

This resource for life skills activities for adolescents with special needs covers aspects of interpersonal relationships, communication skills, academic and school skills, practical living skills, vocational skills, problem-solving skills, and lifestyle choices. Included are 190 illustrated activity sheets with related exercises, discussion…

Exceptional Pupils. Special Education Bulletin Number 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana State Dept. of Public Instruction, Indianapolis. Div. of Special Education.

An introduction to exceptional children precedes a discussion of each of the following areas of exceptionality; giftedness, mental retardation, physical handicaps and special health problems, blindness and partial vision, aural handicaps, speech handicaps, emotional disturbance, and learning disabilities. Each chapter is followed by a bibliography…

Recursive least squares method of regression coefficients estimation as a special case of Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borodachev, S. M.

2016-06-01

The simple derivation of recursive least squares (RLS) method equations is given as special case of Kalman filter estimation of a constant system state under changing observation conditions. A numerical example illustrates application of RLS to multicollinearity problem.

The Challenges of Inclusion and Collaboration: Understanding the Needs of Novice Special Education Teachers. Induction Insights. Supporting Special Education Teachers - Administrators [AII-01

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center to Inform Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development, 2010

2010-01-01

Learning to interact with other adults in a positive and productive manner is an important dimension of learning to teach. Novice special education teachers rely on others for support as they navigate the school culture, learn policies and procedures, and work to solve problems. Although interactions with adults can be helpful, they also can be…

Reasons for drinking in relation to problem drinking behavior in a sample of Japanese high school students.

PubMed

Yokoyama, K; Nishikitani, M; Araki, S

1999-01-01

To clarify reasons for drinking in relation to problem drinking behavior, 494 male students, aged 15 to 18 years old and attending high schools in Tokyo, Japan, were examined by self-rating questionnaires including the Kuriharna Alcoholism Screening Test (KAST). Three hundred and forty-two students (69%) completed the questionnaires, of whom 143 indicated that they were current drinkers of alcohol (42% of respondents). Of the 143,16 (11%) reported, through the KAST, experience of problem drinking behavior. A factor analysis of 36 reasons for drinking identified 5 factors: Escapism, Sociability, Tension Reduction, Acting Like a Man, and Enjoyment/Home. A logistic regression analysis showed that drinking because of Escapism, Sociability, and Tension Reduction was significantly related to problem drinking behavior. Also, there was significant correlation between the 3 factors and the number of KAST items experienced by the 143 respondents. Our findings suggest that the factors of Escapism, Sociability, and Tension Reduction lead to problem drinking in Japanese high school students.

REACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL REDUCTANTS AS A FUNCTION OF REDOX ZONATION

EPA Science Inventory

The incorporation of reductive transformations into fate models continues to be a challenging problem. The occurrence of chemical reductants in anaerobic sediments and aquifers is a result of the reduction of inorganic, electron acceptors coupled to the microbial oxidation of org...

ERGC: an efficient referential genome compression algorithm.

PubMed

Saha, Subrata; Rajasekaran, Sanguthevar

2015-11-01

Genome sequencing has become faster and more affordable. Consequently, the number of available complete genomic sequences is increasing rapidly. As a result, the cost to store, process, analyze and transmit the data is becoming a bottleneck for research and future medical applications. So, the need for devising efficient data compression and data reduction techniques for biological sequencing data is growing by the day. Although there exists a number of standard data compression algorithms, they are not efficient in compressing biological data. These generic algorithms do not exploit some inherent properties of the sequencing data while compressing. To exploit statistical and information-theoretic properties of genomic sequences, we need specialized compression algorithms. Five different next-generation sequencing data compression problems have been identified and studied in the literature. We propose a novel algorithm for one of these problems known as reference-based genome compression. We have done extensive experiments using five real sequencing datasets. The results on real genomes show that our proposed algorithm is indeed competitive and performs better than the best known algorithms for this problem. It achieves compression ratios that are better than those of the currently best performing algorithms. The time to compress and decompress the whole genome is also very promising. The implementations are freely available for non-commercial purposes. They can be downloaded from http://engr.uconn.edu/∼rajasek/ERGC.zip. rajasek@engr.uconn.edu. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Behaviorism: part of the problem or part of the solution.

PubMed Central

Holland, J G

1978-01-01

The form frequently taken by behavior-modification programs is analyzed in terms of the parent science, Behaviorism. Whereas Behaviorism assumes that behavior is the result of contingencies, and that lasting behavior change involves changing the contingencies that give rise to and support the behavior, most behavior-modification programs merely arrange special contingencies in a special environment to eliminate the "problem" behavior. Even when the problem behavior is as widespread as alcoholism and crime, behavior modifiers focus on "fixing" the alcoholic and the criminal, not on changing the societal contingencies that prevail outside the therapeutic environment and continue to produce alcoholics and criminals. The contingencies that shape this method of dealing with behavioral problems are also analyzed, and this analysis leads to a criticism of the current social structure as a behavior control system. Although applied behaviorists have frequently focused on fixing individuals, the science of Behaviorism provides the means to analyze the structures, the system, and the forms of societal control that produce the "problems". PMID:649524

Identification of related gene/protein names based on an HMM of name variations.

PubMed

Yeganova, L; Smith, L; Wilbur, W J

2004-04-01

Gene and protein names follow few, if any, true naming conventions and are subject to great variation in different occurrences of the same name. This gives rise to two important problems in natural language processing. First, can one locate the names of genes or proteins in free text, and second, can one determine when two names denote the same gene or protein? The first of these problems is a special case of the problem of named entity recognition, while the second is a special case of the problem of automatic term recognition (ATR). We study the second problem, that of gene or protein name variation. Here we describe a system which, given a query gene or protein name, identifies related gene or protein names in a large list. The system is based on a dynamic programming algorithm for sequence alignment in which the mutation matrix is allowed to vary under the control of a fully trainable hidden Markov model.

The crack-inclusion interaction problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, X.-H.; Erdogan, F.

1986-01-01

The general plane elastostatic problem of interaction between a crack and an inclusion is considered. The Green's functions for a pair of dislocations and a pair of concentrated body forces are used to generate the crack and the inclusion. Integral equations are obtained for a line crack and an elastic line inclusion having an arbitrary relative orientation and size. The nature of stress singularity around the end points of rigid and elastic inclusions is described and three special cases of this intersection problem are studied. The problem is solved for an arbitrary uniform stress state away from the crack-inclusion region. The nonintersecting crack-inclusion problem is considered for various relative size, orientation, and stiffness parameters, and the stress intensity factors at the ends of the inclusion and the crack are calculated. For the crack-inclusion intersection case, special stress intensity factors are defined and are calculated for various values of the parameters defining the relative size and orientation of the crack and the inclusion and the stiffness of the inclusion.

The crack-inclusion interaction problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xue-Hui, L.; Erdogan, F.

1984-01-01

The general plane elastostatic problem of interaction between a crack and an inclusion is considered. The Green's functions for a pair of dislocations and a pair of concentrated body forces are used to generate the crack and the inclusion. Integral equations are obtained for a line crack and an elastic line inclusion having an arbitrary relative orientation and size. The nature of stress singularity around the end points of rigid and elastic inclusions is described and three special cases of this intersection problem are studied. The problem is solved for an arbitrary uniform stress state away from the crack-inclusion region. The nonintersecting crack-inclusion problem is considered for various relative size, orientation, and stiffness parameters, and the stress intensity factors at the ends of the inclusion and the crack are calculated. For the crack-inclusion intersection case, special stress intensity factors are defined and are calculated for various values of the parameters defining the relative size and orientation of the crack and the inclusion and the stiffness of the inclusion.

Project identification for methane reduction options

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

Kerr, T.

1996-12-31

This paper discusses efforts directed at reduction in emission of methane to the atmosphere. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, which on a 20 year timeframe may present a similar problem to carbon dioxide. In addition, methane causes additional problems in the form of smog and its longer atmospheric lifetime. The author discusses strategies for reducing methane emission from several major sources. This includes landfill methane recovery, coalbed methane recovery, livestock methane reduction - in the form of ruminant methane reduction and manure methane recovery. The author presents examples of projects which have implemented these ideas, the economics of themore » projects, and additional gains which come from the projects.« less

A survey of mixed finite element methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brezzi, F.

1987-01-01

This paper is an introduction to and an overview of mixed finite element methods. It discusses the mixed formulation of certain basic problems in elasticity and hydrodynamics. It also discusses special techniques for solving the discrete problem.

Integrating nutrition services into primary care

PubMed Central

Crustolo, Anne Marie; Kates, Nick; Ackerman, Sari; Schamehorn, Sherri

2005-01-01

PROBLEM BEING ADDRESSED Nutrition services can have an important role in prevention and management of many conditions seen by family physicians, but access to these services in primary care is limited. OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAM To integrate specialized nutrition services into the offices of family physicians in Hamilton, Ont, in order to improve patient access to those services, to expand the range of problems seen in primary care, and to increase collaboration between family physicians and registered dietitians. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Registered dietitians were integrated into the offices of 80 family physicians. In collaboration with physicians, they assessed, treated, and consulted on a variety of nutrition-related problems. A central management team coordinated the dietitians’ activities. CONCLUSION Registered dietitians can augment and complement family physicians’ activities in preventing, assessing, and treating nutrition-related problems. This model of shared care can be applied to integrating other specialized services into primary care practices. PMID:16805083

Boundary value problem for the solution of magnetic cutoff rigidities and some special applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edmonds, Larry

1987-01-01

Since a planet's magnetic field can sometimes provide a spacecraft with some protection against cosmic ray and solar flare particles, it is important to be able to quantify this protection. This is done by calculating cutoff rigidities. An alternate to the conventional method (particle trajectory tracing) is introduced, which is to treat the problem as a boundary value problem. In this approach trajectory tracing is only needed to supply boundary conditions. In some special cases, trajectory tracing is not needed at all because the problem can be solved analytically. A differential equation governing cutoff rigidities is derived for static magnetic fields. The presense of solid objects, which can block a trajectory and other force fields are not included. A few qualititative comments, on existence and uniqueness of solutions, are made which may be useful when deciding how the boundary conditions should be set up. Also included are topics on axially symmetric fields.

Elasto visco-plastic flow with special attention to boundary conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shimazaki, Y.; Thompson, E. G.

1981-01-01

A simple but nontrivial steady-state creeping elasto visco-plastic (Maxwell fluid) radial flow problem is analyzed, with special attention given to the effects of the boundary conditions. Solutions are obtained through integration of a governing equation on stress using the Runge-Kutta method for initial value problems and finite differences for boundary value problems. A more general approach through the finite element method, an approach that solves for the velocity field rather than the stress field and that is applicable to a wide range of problems, is presented and tested using the radial flow example. It is found that steady-state flows of elasto visco-plastic materials are strongly influenced by the state of stress of material as it enters the region of interest. The importance of this boundary or initial condition in analyses involving materials coming into control volumes from unusual stress environments is emphasized.

The Problem of Ensuring Reliability of Gas Turbine Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nozhnitsky, Yu A.

2018-01-01

Requirements to advanced engines for civil aviation are discussing. Some significant problems of ensuring reliability of advanced gas turbine engines are mentioned. Special attention is paid to successful utilization of new materials and critical technologies. Also the problem of excluding failure of engine part due to low cycle or high cycle fatigue is discussing.

Urban Education: Its Conceptual and Functional Domains.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Edmund G.

Because of the heavy concentration of low ethnic status minorities dwelling in cities, urban education has been equated with the problems of low status persons. However, there are problems that are peculiar to education as it is influenced by urban development that go beyond the problems of special ethnic, low status minority groups. The problems…

Problem Posing at All Levels in the Calculus Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perrin, John Robert

2007-01-01

This article explores the use of problem posing in the calculus classroom using investigative projects. Specially, four examples of student work are examined, each one differing in originality of problem posed. By allowing students to explore actual questions that they have about calculus, coming from their own work or class discussion, or…

Comprehensive Substance Abuse Services for Homeless Persons with Alcohol and Other Drug Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, Michael W., Jr.; Braucht, G. Nicholas

Homeless people with alcohol and other drug problems present the traditional substance abuse services delivery provider with special challenges. This paper discusses the optimal designs of comprehensive treatment services for homeless persons with alcohol and other drug problems. Most importantly, the homeless must have immediate access to a safe…

Problem of landfilling environments pollution by heavy metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zilenina, V. G.; Ulanova, O. V.; Begunova, L. A.

2017-10-01

The article discusses the problems of snow and soil pollution by heavy metals. The results of physical and chemical special features of the deposit environment are given. Also, the results of snow mantle research in Irkutsk are described. The problem of manganese degradation from electrochemical cells disposed in the SMW areas is being discussed.

Trial-Based Functional Analysis and Functional Communication Training in an Early Childhood Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Joseph M.; Bloom, Sarah E.; Irvin, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Problem behavior is common in early childhood special education classrooms. Functional communication training (FCT; Carr & Durand, 1985) may reduce problem behavior but requires identification of its function. The trial-based functional analysis (FA) is a method that can be used to identify problem behavior function in schools. We conducted…

Do resettlement variables predict psychiatric treatment outcomes in a sample of asylum-seeking survivors of torture?

PubMed

Whitsett, David; Sherman, Martin F

2017-12-01

Mental health clinicians who work with asylum seekers provide services to patients who face stressful everyday living conditions. However, little is known about how these problems potentially impact psychiatric treatment within these populations. The purpose of this study was thus to examine whether resettlement factors predict outcomes of a mental health intervention for a sample of asylum-seeking survivors of torture. The study included data from a US outpatient clinic that specialized in treating asylum-seeking survivors of torture. Patients (primarily from Iraq, Afghanistan and African Countries) were evaluated on demographic factors at intake and psychiatric symptoms throughout the course of treatment. Patients experienced significant reductions in depression, anxiety and trauma symptoms, although symptoms still remained near or above clinical thresholds. Stable, uncrowded housing conditions significantly predicted lower depression, anxiety and trauma symptoms at follow-up. These findings support the hypotheses that individuals seeking asylum within the United States who have survived torture can benefit from psychiatric treatment and emphasize the importance of stable living conditions in improving treatment effectiveness. This suggests the need for further research on social predictors of treatment outcomes, as well as the need for clinicians and policymakers to target improved housing as a potentially important tool to reduce psychiatric problems related to torture and forced migration.

Measuring systems of hard to get objects: problems with analysis of measurement results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilewska, Grazyna

2005-02-01

The problem accessibility of metrological parameters features of objects appeared in many measurements. Especially if it is biological object which parameters very often determined on the basis of indirect research. Accidental component predominate in forming of measurement results with very limited access to measurement objects. Every measuring process has a lot of conditions limiting its abilities to any way processing (e.g. increase number of measurement repetition to decrease random limiting error). It may be temporal, financial limitations, or in case of biological object, small volume of sample, influence measuring tool and observers on object, or whether fatigue effects e.g. at patient. It's taken listing difficulties into consideration author worked out and checked practical application of methods outlying observation reduction and next innovative methods of elimination measured data with excess variance to decrease of mean standard deviation of measured data, with limited aomunt of data and accepted level of confidence. Elaborated methods wee verified on the basis of measurement results of knee-joint width space got from radiographs. Measurements were carried out by indirectly method on the digital images of radiographs. Results of examination confirmed legitimacy to using of elaborated methodology and measurement procedures. Such methodology has special importance when standard scientific ways didn't bring expectations effects.

Identification of input variables for feature based artificial neural networks-saccade detection in EOG recordings.

PubMed

Tigges, P; Kathmann, N; Engel, R R

1997-07-01

Though artificial neural networks (ANN) are excellent tools for pattern recognition problems when signal to noise ratio is low, the identification of decision relevant features for ANN input data is still a crucial issue. The experience of the ANN designer and the existing knowledge and understanding of the problem seem to be the only links for a specific construction. In the present study a backpropagation ANN based on modified raw data inputs showed encouraging results. Investigating the specific influences of prototypical input patterns on a specially designed ANN led to a new sparse and efficient input data presentation. This data coding obtained by a semiautomatic procedure combining existing expert knowledge and the internal representation structures of the raw data based ANN yielded a list of feature vectors, each representing the relevant information for saccade identification. The feature based ANN produced a reduction of the error rate of nearly 40% compared with the raw data ANN. An overall correct classification of 92% of so far unknown data was realized. The proposed method of extracting internal ANN knowledge for the production of a better input data representation is not restricted to EOG recordings, and could be used in various fields of signal analysis.

Analysis of the GRNs Inference by Using Tsallis Entropy and a Feature Selection Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopes, Fabrício M.; de Oliveira, Evaldo A.; Cesar, Roberto M.

An important problem in the bioinformatics field is to understand how genes are regulated and interact through gene networks. This knowledge can be helpful for many applications, such as disease treatment design and drugs creation purposes. For this reason, it is very important to uncover the functional relationship among genes and then to construct the gene regulatory network (GRN) from temporal expression data. However, this task usually involves data with a large number of variables and small number of observations. In this way, there is a strong motivation to use pattern recognition and dimensionality reduction approaches. In particular, feature selection is specially important in order to select the most important predictor genes that can explain some phenomena associated with the target genes. This work presents a first study about the sensibility of entropy methods regarding the entropy functional form, applied to the problem of topology recovery of GRNs. The generalized entropy proposed by Tsallis is used to study this sensibility. The inference process is based on a feature selection approach, which is applied to simulated temporal expression data generated by an artificial gene network (AGN) model. The inferred GRNs are validated in terms of global network measures. Some interesting conclusions can be drawn from the experimental results, as reported for the first time in the present paper.

Editorial: 2nd Special Issue on behavior change, health, and health disparities.

PubMed

Higgins, Stephen T

2015-11-01

This Special Issue of Preventive Medicine (PM) is the 2nd that we have organized on behavior change, health, and health disparities. This is a topic of fundamental importance to improving population health in the U.S. and other industrialized countries that are trying to more effectively manage chronic health conditions. There is broad scientific consensus that personal behavior patterns such as cigarette smoking, other substance abuse, and physical inactivity/obesity are among the most important modifiable causes of chronic disease and its adverse impacts on population health. As such behavior change needs to be a key component of improving population health. There is also broad agreement that while these problems extend across socioeconomic strata, they are overrepresented among more economically disadvantaged populations and contribute directly to the growing problem of health disparities. Hence, behavior change represents an essential step in curtailing that unsettling problem as well. In this 2nd Special Issue, we devote considerable space to the current U.S. prescription opioid addiction epidemic, a crisis that was not addressed in the prior Special Issue. We also continue to devote attention to the two largest contributors to preventable disease and premature death, cigarette smoking and physical inactivity/obesity as well as risks of co-occurrence of these unhealthy behavior patterns. Across each of these topics we included contributions from highly accomplished policy makers and scientists to acquaint readers with recent accomplishments as well as remaining knowledge gaps and challenges to effectively managing these important chronic health problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human Aspects of High Tech in Special Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bichteler, Julie

1986-01-01

This investigation of library employees who spend significant portion of time in online computer interaction provides information on intellectual, psychological, social, and physical aspects of their work. Long- and short-term effects of special libraries are identified and solutions to "technostress" problems are suggested. (16…

Special Education and Programs for Disadvantaged Children and Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tannenbaum, Abraham J. Ed.

Nine conference papers consider the application of knowledge and methods known to special education to the instruction of disadvantaged children. Edmund W. Gordon views the disadvantaged population; Frank B. Wilderson discusses behavior disorders in children from deprived backgrounds; Harriet Green Kopp describes problems of perception and…

Serving Mildly Handicapped Students in Technology Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Michael L.; And Others

1985-01-01

Examines ways of meeting the needs of special education students in technology education. Discusses activity-oriented instruction, adding relevance to the instruction, the development of problem-solving and communication skills, the use of peer tutors, involving a special educator in industrial arts classes, safety concerns, and available…

Exploring into Teacher's Specialized Practicality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tian, Lian-jin

2010-01-01

Teacher specialization is a subject with very strong practicality as regards its essence. This paper analyzes the main problems of the existing teacher professionalism, poses and argues the 3 hypotheses of teacher professionalism. Around the reality of teacher professionalism, the author brings forward and establishes a new teacher evaluation…

Reductions in Medication-Related Hospitalizations in Older Adults with Medication Management by Hospital and Community Pharmacists: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

PubMed

Pellegrin, Karen L; Krenk, Les; Oakes, Sheena Jolson; Ciarleglio, Anita; Lynn, Joanne; McInnis, Terry; Bairos, Alistair W; Gomez, Lara; McCrary, Mercedes Benitez; Hanlon, Alexandra L; Miyamura, Jill

2017-01-01

To evaluate the association between a system of medication management services provided by specially trained hospital and community pharmacists (Pharm2Pharm) and rates and costs of medication-related hospitalization in older adults. Quasi-experimental interrupted time series design comparing intervention and nonintervention hospitals using a mixed-effects analysis that modeled the intervention as a time-dependent variable. Sequential implementation of Pharm2Pharm at six general nonfederal acute care hospitals in Hawaii with more than 50 beds in 2013 and 2014. All five other such hospitals served as a contemporaneous comparison group. Adult inpatients who met criteria for being at risk for medication problems (N = 2,083), 62% of whom were aged 65 or older. A state-wide system of medication management services provided by specially trained hospital and community pharmacists serving high-risk individuals from hospitalization through transition to home and for up to 1 year after discharge. Medication-related hospitalization rate per 1,000 admissions of individuals aged 65 and older, adjusted for case mix; estimate of costs of hospitalizations and actual costs of pharmacist services. The predicted, case mix-adjusted medication-related hospitalization rate of individuals aged 65 and older was 36.5% lower in the Pharm2Pharm hospitals after implementation than in the nonintervention hospitals (P = .01). The estimated annualized cost of avoided admissions was $6.6 million. The annual cost of the pharmacist services for all Pharm2Pharm participants was $1.8 million. The Pharm2Pharm model was associated with an estimated 36% reduction in the medication-related hospitalization rate for older adults and a 2.6:1 return on investment, highlighting the value of pharmacists as drug therapy experts in geriatric care. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The American Geriatrics Society.

Prospects of development of land driverless trucks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakhmutov, S.; Saykin, A.; Endachev, D.; Evgrafov, V.; Shagurin, A.; Kulikov, I.; Fedoseev, K.

2018-02-01

The paper is dedicated to the problem of creation and efficient use of driverless trucks. It also contains general analysis of foreign experience and development trends. The concept of FSUE “NAMI” for development of a platoon of driverless trucks for cargo transportation between specialized terminals on public roads is provided. A road train with virtual couplings where the lead vehicle has a driver and the rest are driverless is proposed as a base for the driverless platoon. The platoon is formed by such road trains, which ensures extended functional features, including the possibility to form platoons of road trains from different logistics centers and with different destinations, quick reforming of the platoon in the logistics centers, possibility to split the platoon when driving on public roads, higher precision of control over the platoon during driving, etc. It is also shown that in order to improve the efficiency of cargo transportation, driverless cargo platforms (trucks) shall be designed without a cabin. The paper also considers the ways to reduce the price of driverless trucks by creating a special road infrastructure, which will allow transfer of the most expensive subsystems of driverless vehicles to such infrastructure. Upon that, the following subsystems will remain within the driverless chassis: navigation, communication, chassis control and ADAS. It is noted that creation of such infrastructure will require high investments, therefore, gradual implementation of such systems is seen as rational. It is shown that the most appropriate area for these purposes is transregional cargo transportation. It is noted that the economic reasons for implementation of the proposed concept are as follows: significant reduction of the number of drivers; significant simplification of the driverless platform control system and reduction of the price of subsystems; no need for the driver’s cabin within the driverless platform; fuel economy when driving within a platoon. Power unit options for driverless cargo platforms are investigated and the reasons for selection of a particular power unit are given.

Random deflections of a string on an elastic foundation.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, J. L., Jr.

1972-01-01

The paper is concerned with the problem of a taut string on a random elastic foundation subjected to random loads. The boundary value problem is transformed into an initial value problem by the method of invariant imbedding. Fokker-Planck equations for the random initial value problem are formulated and solved in some special cases. The analysis leads to a complete characterization of the random deflection function.

Primary School Students' Strategies in Early Algebra Problem Solving Supported by an Online Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Marja; Kolovou, Angeliki; Robitzsch, Alexander

2013-01-01

In this study we investigated the role of a dynamic online game on students' early algebra problem solving. In total 253 students from grades 4, 5, and 6 (10-12 years old) used the game at home to solve a sequence of early algebra problems consisting of contextual problems addressing covarying quantities. Special software monitored the…

[New intensifying screens in clinical radiology. II. Examinations in clinical practice].

PubMed

Freyschmidt, J; Saure, D; Hagemann, G

1976-09-01

A clinically applicable procedure for testing new intensifying rare earth screens, as well as the special Siemens' screen is described. The results are related to universal screens. The film-screen combination alpha 4XD (gadolinium oxysulphide with normal, green sensitive film) results in a reduction of radiation dose to half with detail comparable with universal screens. The Siemens' special screen has similar advantages. Screens with a higher intensification factor and reduction of the mAs to one sixth results in loss of detail. This does not necessarily reduce their clinical use if they are used for appropriate purposes. The results of this clinically orientated technique agreed well with physically objective methods using lead grids. The advantages of the new screens are discussed in terms of their practical application.

Performance Analysis of Evolutionary Algorithms for Steiner Tree Problems.

PubMed

Lai, Xinsheng; Zhou, Yuren; Xia, Xiaoyun; Zhang, Qingfu

2017-01-01

The Steiner tree problem (STP) aims to determine some Steiner nodes such that the minimum spanning tree over these Steiner nodes and a given set of special nodes has the minimum weight, which is NP-hard. STP includes several important cases. The Steiner tree problem in graphs (GSTP) is one of them. Many heuristics have been proposed for STP, and some of them have proved to be performance guarantee approximation algorithms for this problem. Since evolutionary algorithms (EAs) are general and popular randomized heuristics, it is significant to investigate the performance of EAs for STP. Several empirical investigations have shown that EAs are efficient for STP. However, up to now, there is no theoretical work on the performance of EAs for STP. In this article, we reveal that the (1+1) EA achieves 3/2-approximation ratio for STP in a special class of quasi-bipartite graphs in expected runtime [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] are, respectively, the number of Steiner nodes, the number of special nodes, and the largest weight among all edges in the input graph. We also show that the (1+1) EA is better than two other heuristics on two GSTP instances, and the (1+1) EA may be inefficient on a constructed GSTP instance.

Institutional Solutions to the ``Two-Body Problem"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knezek, P.

2005-05-01

The Committee on the Status of Women (CSWA), in conjunction with the Employment Committee (EC), will hold a special session that will focus on institutional approaches to solving the ``two-body problem". In step with the national employment trend, for the majority of astronomers with partners, those partners work outside the home. This is particularly true for female astronomers, who generally are married to professionals (and often to other astronomers). Academic and professional institutions that employ the majority of astronomers are now beginning to recognize the importance of addressing what has come to be known as the ``two-body" problem in order to attract and retain the best scientists. A few of those institutions are making pioneering efforts to create pro-active approaches to the issue of dual-career couples. The special session will feature two or three speakers involved with the administration at institutions with pro-active policies. This special session will be coupled with the normal afternoon CSWA session, which will focus on the other side of the issue - how dual-career couples have successfully approached the issue at institutions that do NOT have proactive policies.

Minimally invasive treatment of pilon fractures with a low profile plate: preliminary results in 17 cases.

PubMed

Borens, Olivier; Kloen, Peter; Richmond, Jeffrey; Roederer, Goetz; Levine, David S; Helfet, David L

2009-05-01

To determine the results of "biologic fixation" with a minimally invasive plating technique using a newly designed low profile "Scallop" plate in the treatment of pilon fractures. Retrospective case series. A tertiary referral center. Seventeen patients were treated between 1999 and 2001 for a tibial plafond fracture at the Hospital for Special Surgery with a newly designed low-profile plate. Eleven of the fractures (65%) were high-energy injuries. Two fractures were open. Staged surgical treatment with open reduction and fixation of the fibular fracture and application of an external fixator was performed in 12 cases. As soon as the soft tissues and swelling allowed, i.e. skin wrinkling, the articular surface was reconstructed and simply reduced, if necessary through an small incision, and the articular block was fixed to the diaphysis using a medially placed, percutaneously introduced flat scallop plate. In the remaining five cases the operation was performed in one session. Time to healing and complications including delayed union, non-union, instrument failure, loss of fixation, infection, quality of reduction and number of reoperations were evaluated. Quality of results and outcome were graded using the ankle-hindfoot-scale and a modified rating system. All patients went on to bony union at an average time of 14 weeks. There were no plate failures or loss of fixation/reduction. Two superficial wound-healing problems resolved with local wound care. At an average follow up of 17 months (range 6-29 months) eight patients (47%) had an excellent result; seven (41%) had a fair result whereas two (12%) had a poor result. The average ankle-hindfoot-score was 86.1 (range 61-100). Four patients have had the hardware removed and one of them is awaiting an ankle arthrodesis. Based on these initial results, it appears that a minimally invasive surgical technique including new low profile plate can decrease soft tissue problems while leading to fracture healing and obtaining results comparable with other more recent series. We believe that this new "Scallop Plate" is effective for the treatment of pilon fractures and should be used in conjunction with a staged procedure in the acute trauma setting.

Drought early warning and risk management in a changing environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulwarty, R. S.

2011-12-01

Drought has long been recognized as falling into the category of incremental but long-term and cumulative environmental changes, also termed slow-onset or creeping events. These event types would include: air and water quality decline, desertification processes, deforestation and forest fragmentation, loss of biodiversity and habitats, and nitrogen overloading, among others. Climate scientists continue to struggle with recognizing the onset of drought and scientists and policy makers continue to debate the basis (i.e., criteria) for declaring an end to a drought. Risk-based management approaches to drought planning at the national and regional levels have been recommended repeatedly over the years but their prototyping, testing and operational implementation have been limited. This presentation will outline two avenues for disaster risk reduction in the context of drought (1) integrated early warning information systems, and (2) linking disaster risk reduction to climate change adaptation strategies. Adaptation involves not only using operational facilities and infrastructure to cope with the immediate problems but also leaving slack or reserve for coping with multiple stress problems that produce extreme impacts and surprise. Increasing the 'anticipatability' of an event, involves both monitoring of key indicators from appropriate baseline data, and observing early warning signs that assumptions in risk management plans are failing and critical transitions are occurring. Illustrative cases will be drawn from the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters (2011), the UN Global Assessment of Disaster Risk Reduction (2011) and implementation activities in which the author has been engaged. Most drought early warning systems have tended to focus on the development and use of physical system indicators and forecasts of trends and thresholds. We show that successful early warning systems that meet expectations of risk management also have explicit foci on (1) integrating physical and social vulnerability indicators across timescales, (2) analytical capacity to generate local scenarios of risk using both analogs and projections, (3) the communication of risk-based information, and (4) the support and governance of a collaborative framework for early warning structures across spatial scales.

Problem and pro-social behavior among Nigerian children with intellectual disability: the implication for developing policy for school based mental health programs

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background School based mental health programs are absent in most educational institutions for intellectually disabled children and adolescents in Nigeria and co-morbid behavioral problems often complicate intellectual disability in children and adolescents receiving special education instructions. Little is known about prevalence and pattern of behavioral problems existing co-morbidly among sub-Saharan African children with intellectual disability. This study assessed the prevalence and pattern of behavioral problems among Nigerian children with intellectual disability and also the associated factors. Method Teachers' rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to screen for behavioral problems among children with intellectual disability in a special education facility in south eastern Nigeria. Socio-demographic questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic information of the children. Results A total of forty four (44) children with intellectual disability were involved in the study. Twenty one (47.7%) of the children were classified as having behavioral problems in the borderline and abnormal categories on total difficulties clinical scale of SDQ using the cut-off point recommended by Goodman. Mild mental retardation as compared to moderate, severe and profound retardation was associated with highest total difficulties mean score. Males were more likely to exhibit conduct and hyperactivity behavioral problems compared to the females. The inter-clinical scales correlations of teachers' rated SDQ in the studied population also showed good internal consistency (Cronbach Alpha = 0.63). Conclusion Significant behavioral problems occur co-morbidly among Nigerian children with intellectual disability receiving special education instructions and this could impact negatively on educational learning and other areas of functioning. There is an urgent need for establishing school-based mental health program and appropriate screening measure in this environment. These would afford early identification of intellectually disabled children with behavioral problems and appropriate referral for clinical evaluation and interventions. The need to focus policy making attention on hidden burden of intellectual disability in sub-Saharan African children is essential. PMID:20465841

The Cost of Class Size Reduction: Advice for Policymakers. RAND Graduate School Dissertation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reichardt, Robert E.

This dissertation provides information to state-level policymakers that will help them avoid two implementation problems seen in the past in California's class-size-reduction (CSR) reform. The first problem was that flat, per student reimbursement did not adequately cover costs in districts with larger pre-CSR class-sizes or smaller schools. The…

Semisupervised kernel marginal Fisher analysis for face recognition.

PubMed

Wang, Ziqiang; Sun, Xia; Sun, Lijun; Huang, Yuchun

2013-01-01

Dimensionality reduction is a key problem in face recognition due to the high-dimensionality of face image. To effectively cope with this problem, a novel dimensionality reduction algorithm called semisupervised kernel marginal Fisher analysis (SKMFA) for face recognition is proposed in this paper. SKMFA can make use of both labelled and unlabeled samples to learn the projection matrix for nonlinear dimensionality reduction. Meanwhile, it can successfully avoid the singularity problem by not calculating the matrix inverse. In addition, in order to make the nonlinear structure captured by the data-dependent kernel consistent with the intrinsic manifold structure, a manifold adaptive nonparameter kernel is incorporated into the learning process of SKMFA. Experimental results on three face image databases demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm.

Proposals for Solutions to Problems Related to the Use of F-34 (SFP) and High Sulphur Diesel on Ground Equipment Using Advanced Reduction Emission Technologies (Propositions de solutions aux problemes lies a l’utilisation de F-34 (SFP) et de diesel a haute teneur en soufre pour le materiel terrestre disposant de technologies avancees de reduction des emissions)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

In a two - stage process the urea decomposes to ammonia (NH3) which then reacts with the nitrogen oxides (NOx) and leads to formation of nitrogen and...Sulphur Fuel (HSF) is a potential problem to NATO forces when vehicles and equipment are fitted with advanced emission reduction devices that require Low...worldwide available, standard fuel (F-34) and equipment capable of using such high sulphur fuels (HSF). Recommendations • Future equipment fitted with

Lean Six Sigma Application in Rear Combination Automotive Lighting Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sodkomkham, Thanwarhat; Chutima, Parames

2016-05-01

The case study company produces various front and rear lightings for automobiles and motorcycles. Currently, it faces two problems, i.e. high defective rate and high inventory. Lean Six Sigma was applied as a tool to solve the first problem, whereas the other problem was managed by changing the production concept from push to pull. The results showed that after applying all new settings to the process, the defect rate was reduced from 36,361 DPPM to 3,029 DPPM. In addition, after the implementation of the Kanban system, the company achieved substantial improvement in lead time reduction by 44%, in-process inventory reduction by 42%, finished good inventory reduction by 50%, and finished good area increased by 16%.

Use of Nucleic Acid-Based Tools for Monitoring Biostimulation and Bioaugmentation

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

dechlorination is a promising process for biodegradation of chlorinated solvents. The successful field evaluation and implementation of the reductive...These specialized bacteria use the chlorinated ethenes as electron acceptors and gain energy for growth from the reductive dechlorination reactions...protocol addresses the use of MBTs to quantitatively assess the Dhc population at chlorinated ethene sites and aims at providing guidance to evaluate

Medicaid's Role in Financing Health Care for Children with Behavioral Health Care Needs in the Special Education System: Implications of the Deficit Reduction Act

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandell, David S.; Machefsky, Aliza; Rubin, David; Feudtner, Chris; Pita, Susmita; Rosenbaum, Sara

2008-01-01

Background: Recent changes to Medicaid policy may have unintended consequences in the education system. This study estimated the potential financial impact of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) on school districts by calculating Medicaid-reimbursed behavioral health care expenditures for school-aged children in general and children in special…

FIEStool: Automated data reduction for FIber-fed Echelle Spectrograph (FIES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stempels, Eric; Telting, John

2017-08-01

FIEStool automatically reduces data obtained with the FIber-fed Echelle Spectrograph (FIES) at the Nordic Optical Telescope, a high-resolution spectrograph available on a stand-by basis, while also allowing the basic properties of the reduction to be controlled in real time by the user. It provides a Graphical User Interface and offers bias subtraction, flat-fielding, scattered-light subtraction, and specialized reduction tasks from the external packages IRAF (ascl:9911.002) and NumArray. The core of FIEStool is instrument-independent; the software, written in Python, could with minor modifications also be used for automatic reduction of data from other instruments.

Minority Produced Television: Problems of Policy and Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clyde, Robert W.; McDermott, Joseph T.

1970-01-01

The authors treat some of the special problems faced in evaluating a black-produced television series. Black-Voices was a weekly offering of KTCA-TV in Minneapolis, owned and operated by the Twin Cities Area Educational Television Corporation." (Editor)

Special Education in Hawaii--Some Current Problems. Report No. 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayashi, Junie

The report examines the Hawaii Department of Education's procedures and criteria in the identification and evaluation of handicapped children, as well as difficulties encountered in recruiting and maintaining qualified special services evaluation personnel. An introductory chapter notes the legislative authority for the study; provisions of Public…

Environmental Correlates to Behavioral Health Outcomes in Alzheimer's Special Care Units

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeisel, John; Silverstein, Nina M.; Hyde, Joan; Levkoff, Sue; Lawton, M. Powell; Holmes, William

2003-01-01

Purpose: We systematically measured the associations between environmental design features of nursing home special care units and the incidence of aggression, agitation, social withdrawal, depression, and psychotic problems among persons living there who have Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder. Design and Methods: We developed and tested a…

29 CFR 778.318 - Productive and nonproductive hours of work.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Special Problems Effect of Failure to Count Or Pay for Certain Working Hours § 778.318 Productive and... Act; such nonproductive working hours must be counted and paid for. (b) Compensation payable for... which such nonproductive hours are properly counted as working time but no special hourly rate is...

Special Education Disproportionality: A Review of Response to Intervention and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartledge, Gwendolyn; Kea, Cathy D.; Watson, Martreece; Oif, Alana

2016-01-01

Special education disproportionality for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students persists as a controversial and intractable problem in our educational systems. Response to intervention (RtI) and culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP), both independently and collectively are considered to offer promise for mitigating conditions of…

Science Education for Students with Special Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villanueva, Mary Grace; Taylor, Jonte; Therrien, William; Hand, Brian

2012-01-01

Students with special needs tend to show significantly lower achievement in science than their peers. Reasons for this include severe difficulties with academic skills (i.e. reading, math and writing), behaviour problems and limited prior understanding of core concepts background knowledge. Despite this bleak picture, much is known on how to…

An "Heretical" Method for Teaching Foreign Languages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bar-Lev, Zev

This article presents an output-printed, lexically-based communicative teaching method. Specially designed to impart spontaneous speaking abilities for special students, it is a possible solution to broader problems of foreign language teaching. It is based on the assumption that acquisition-sequence is crucial to successful classroom study, but…

Web-Based Certification Courses: The Future of Teacher Preparation in Special Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Ling; Bender, William N.; Fore, Cecil, III

2003-01-01

This article describes development and implementation of the Western Carolina University Teacher Support Program, a multi-component Web-based special education teacher development course. The program is intended to reduce stress and burnout, improve retention, develop problem solving strategies, and improve the effectiveness of teachers.…

Issues in Retrospective Conversion for a Small Special Collection: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hieb, Fern

1997-01-01

Small special collections present unique problems for retrospective conversion of catalogs to machine-readable form. Examines retrospective conversion using the Moravian Music Foundation as a case study. Discusses advantages to automation, options for conversion process, quantifying conversion effort, costs, in-house conversion, national standards…

Opinion on Recent Developments and the Future of Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauffman, James M.

2015-01-01

Three encouraging trends in special education are greater focus on instruction, emphasis on positive approaches to problem behavior, and greater reliance on scientific evidence. Next steps involving instruction should include research on modifications of instruction needed to accommodate learners with disabilities and on the place in which these…

A "Situational" and "Coorientational" Measure of Specialized Magazine Editors' Perceptions of Readers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffers, Dennis W.

A study was undertaken of specialized magazine editors' perceptions of audience characteristics as well as the perceived role of their publications. Specifically, the study examines the relationship between the editors' perceptions of reader problem recognition, level of involvement, constraint recognition, and possession of reference criteria and…

A Special Issue: Geomathematics in practice: Case studies from earth- and environmental sciences - Proceedings of the Croatian-Hungarian Geomathematical Congress, Hungary 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatvani, István Gábor; Horváth, Janina

2016-01-01

The present paper aims to introduce the current problems of geomathematics along with giving on overview on the papers published in the special issue covering the Croatian-Hungarian Geomathematical Congress of 2015 in Hungary.

Introduction to the Toxin Reviews Special Issue "Aspergillus, Aflatoxin, Cyclopiazonic Acid, and Biological Control"

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This special issue of Toxin Reviews, “Aspergillus, Aflatoxin, CPA and Biological Control of Aflatoxin", is different from previous publications because it focuses on solving the problem of mycotoxin contamination through the use of biological control strains of Aspergillus, which is applicable to th...

Turkish Special Education Teachers' Implementation of Functional Analysis in Classroom Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erbas, Dilek; Yucesoy, Serife; Turan, Yasemin; Ostrosky, Michaelene M.

2006-01-01

Three Turkish special education teachers conducted a functional analysis to identify variables that might initiate or maintain the problem behaviors of three children with developmental disabilities. The analysis procedures were conducted in natural classroom settings. In Phase 1, following initial training in functional analysis procedures, the…

Risk Mechanisms in Development: Some Conceptual and Methodological Considerations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Thomas G.; Rutter, Michael

1996-01-01

Comments on problems raised in this special issue, focusing on the distinctive aspects of the risk research reported. Highlights issues like sample characteristics, measurement strategies, specificity of risk factors, and risk mechanisms. Discusses the challenges of integrating alternative models of risk, with special references to research into…

Shear-Resistant Drag Reduction Polymers. Part 1. Molecular Investigations of Polymer Drag Reduction and the Development of Laboratory Screening Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-14

systems was established and the influence of such variables on PAA drag reduction was evaluated using these flow systems. Guar gum , alleged to be a...studies of the shear resistance of two polymer systems, polyacrylic acid and guar gum (neither of which turned out to have the required characteristics...PAA is twice as efficient as that of guar gum . The outcome of this testing is of special importance, because there has been a common belief in guar gum

Combustion theory for liquids with a free surface. 3: Special problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Milkov, S. N.; Sukhov, G. S.; Yarin, L. P.

1986-01-01

Two special problems concerning the combustion of liquids with a free surface, i.e., flame quenching during the mixing of a burning liquid inside a container and liquid burnout from a porous layer, are analyzed using a quasi-one-dimensional model. The critical parameters corresponding to the quenching of a burning fluid with a free surface are determined. Determinations are also made of the limiting pressure gradients corresponding to the transition from the combustion mode where the liquid evaporates from the surface of a porous layer to the mode where the phase transition surface lies inside the porous layer.

Divergent conservation laws in hyperbolic thermoelasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murashkin, E. V.; Radayev, Y. N.

2018-05-01

The present study is devoted to the problem of formulation of conservation laws in divergent form for hyperbolic thermoelastic continua. The field formalism is applied to study the problem. A natural density of thermoelastic action and the corresponding variational least action principle are formulated. A special form of the first variation of the action is employed to obtain 4-covariant divergent conservation laws. Differential field equations and constitutive laws are derived from a special form of the first variation of the action integral. The objectivity of constitutive equations is provided by the rotationally invariant forms of the Lagrangian employed.

Passive haemagglutination test for antibodies against rabies virus*

PubMed Central

Gough, P. M.; Dierks, R. E.

1971-01-01

All the procedures now available for the measurement of rabies virus antibodies in serum have certain disadvantages. The serum neutralization test (SN), whether carried out by assay in mice or by the plaque-reduction technique, requires several days before the titrations are completed, necessitates special facilities for keeping large numbers of animals and tissue-culture plates, and is relatively expensive. A complement-fixation test is very insensitive, giving low titres in comparison with SN tests, and a haemagglutination-inhibition procedure is complicated by the presence of nonspecific reactions. A rabies passive haemagglutination technique (RPHA), developed to overcome many of these problems, is described. Titres obtained with human sera by the RPHA procedure correlated well with those obtained by SN tests. Both IgG and IgM classes of antibodies were measured by the RPHA procedure; however, it appeared to be more sensitive for detecting IgM than was the SN test and, therefore, gave higher titres for this class of immunoglobulins. PMID:5317009

Mindfulness programming for parents and teachers of children with ADHD.

PubMed

Miller, Carlin J; Brooker, Brianne

2017-08-01

Parents and teachers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at-risk for a range of suboptimal psychosocial outcomes, including mental health difficulties and heightened stress, problems perhaps ameliorated through mindfulness-based programming. To show pilot data from an investigation of the outcomes of a purpose-built mindfulness training for parents and teachers of children with ADHD (N = 26). The program represents a purpose-driven modification of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) curriculum. Namely, we reduced participant time commitment and added psychoeducation about ADHD with brief parent training. The measurement protocol included measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness. Following the 8-week program, parents and teachers reported reduced perceived stress, reduced self-reported anxiety, and improvements in some facets of mindfulness. The work highlights the promise of specialized mindfulness-based interventions in promoting positive psychosocial outcomes in specific at-risk groups, such as the carers of children with ADHD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two innovative solutions based on fibre concrete blocks designed for building substructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pazderka, J.; Hájek, P.

2017-09-01

Using of fibers in a high-strength concrete allows reduction of the dimensions of small precast concrete elements, which opens up new ways of solution for traditional construction details in buildings. The paper presents two innovative technical solutions for building substructure: The special shaped plinth block from fibre concrete and the fibre concrete elements for new technical solution of ventilated floor. The main advantages of plinth block from fibre concrete blocks (compared with standard plinth solutions) is: easier and faster assembly, higher durability and thanks to the air cavity between the vertical part of the block, the building substructure reduced moisture level of structures under the waterproofing layer and a comprehensive solution to the final surface of building plinth as well as the surface of adjacent terrain. The ventilated floor based on fibre concrete precast blocks is an attractive structural alternative for tackling the problem of increased moisture in masonry in older buildings, lacking a functional waterproof layer in the substructure.

DSRC 2--Industry-oriented compression of FASTQ files.

PubMed

Roguski, Lukasz; Deorowicz, Sebastian

2014-08-01

Modern sequencing platforms produce huge amounts of data. Archiving them raises major problems but is crucial for reproducibility of results, one of the most fundamental principles of science. The widely used gzip compressor, used for reduction of storage and transfer costs, is not a perfect solution, so a few specialized FASTQ compressors were proposed recently. Unfortunately, they are often impractical because of slow processing, lack of support for some variants of FASTQ files or instability. We propose DSRC 2 that offers compression ratios comparable with the best existing solutions, while being a few times faster and more flexible. DSRC 2 is freely available at http://sun.aei.polsl.pl/dsrc. The package contains command-line compressor, C and Python libraries for easy integration with existing software and technical documentation with examples of usage. sebastian.deorowicz@polsl.pl Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[The impact of smoking in movies on children and adolescents. A systematic review].

PubMed

Maruska, K; Hanewinkel, R

2010-02-01

In accordance with the conclusion of the US National Cancer Institute to consider smoking in films, in addition to other factors, as one risk factor for the initiation of smoking among children and adolescents, the World Health Organization has invited its member states to implement rules for limiting smoking depictions in films. Results of methodically high-value longitudinal and experimental studies which provide empirical evidence for the association between smoking depictions in films and smoking among children and adolescents are presented. Interpretation of this association as causal according to Hill criteria is discussed. In this systematic review, future personal and structural preventive interventions to address this problem in Germany are presented and discussed. Of special importance is the enhancement of both parental competence in media education as well as media literacy in children and adolescents. Rating films depicting smoking as approved for adults only could yield the largest effect, since it leads to an enduring reduction of exposure.

Exploiting symmetries in the modeling and analysis of tires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K.; Andersen, Carl M.; Tanner, John A.

1987-01-01

A simple and efficient computational strategy for reducing both the size of a tire model and the cost of the analysis of tires in the presence of symmetry-breaking conditions (unsymmetry in the tire material, geometry, or loading) is presented. The strategy is based on approximating the unsymmetric response of the tire with a linear combination of symmetric and antisymmetric global approximation vectors (or modes). Details are presented for the three main elements of the computational strategy, which include: use of special three-field mixed finite-element models, use of operator splitting, and substantial reduction in the number of degrees of freedom. The proposed computational stategy is applied to three quasi-symmetric problems of tires: linear analysis of anisotropic tires, through use of semianalytic finite elements, nonlinear analysis of anisotropic tires through use of two-dimensional shell finite elements, and nonlinear analysis of orthotropic tires subjected to unsymmetric loading. Three basic types of symmetry (and their combinations) exhibited by the tire response are identified.

The evolution of practice changes in the use of special observations.

PubMed

Ray, Richard; Perkins, Evelyn; Meijer, Barbara

2011-04-01

In acute psychiatric settings, it is common practice to increase the intensity of observations of patients who present with self-injurious thoughts, who are at risk of injuring others, or who exhibit behaviors that adversely impact the overall milieu. These intense observations are intrusive and may result in untoward stimulation of the patient. Nurses at an urban academic medical center addressed the problem of intrusive and overstimulating levels of observation by developing two practice changes using intuitive knowledge combined with input from current nursing literature. The first change was designed to move from observation to engagement. The second change was designed to decrease patient agitation related to intense observation. This article discusses the potential adverse consequences associated with the use of intense levels of observation and describes two protocols that have contributed to a reduction in the use of seclusion and restraints, as well as staff members' reported perceptions of feeling safer and experiencing improved job satisfaction. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The affordable care act and long-term care: comprehensive reform or just tinkering around the edges?

PubMed

Miller, Edward Alan

2012-01-01

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes several provisions that aim to improve prevailing deficiencies in the nation's long-term care system. But just how effective is the ACA likely to be in addressing these challenges? Will it result in meaningful or marginal reform? This special issue of Journal of Aging & Social Policy seeks to answer these questions. The most prominent long-term care provision is the now-suspended Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act. Others include incentives and options for expanding home- and community-based care, a number of research and demonstration projects in the areas of chronic care coordination and the dually eligible, and nursing home quality reforms. There are also elements that seek to improve workforce recruitment and retention, in addition to benefit improvements and spending reductions under Medicare. This article reviews the basic problems plaguing the long-term care sector and the provisions within the ACA meant to address them. It also includes a brief overview of issue content.

The 3D elliptic restricted three-body problem: periodic orbits which bifurcate from limiting restricted problems. Complex instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ollé, Mercè; Pacha, Joan R.

1999-11-01

In the present work we use certain isolated symmetric periodic orbits found in some limiting Restricted Three-Body Problems to obtain, by numerical continuation, families of symmetric periodic orbits of the more general Spatial Elliptic Restricted Three Body Problem. In particular, the Planar Isosceles Restricted Three Body Problem, the Sitnikov Problem and the MacMillan problem are considered. A stability study for the periodic orbits of the families obtained - specially focused to detect transitions to complex instability - is also made.

Closed solutions to a differential-difference equation and an associated plate solidification problem.

PubMed

Layeni, Olawanle P; Akinola, Adegbola P; Johnson, Jesse V

2016-01-01

Two distinct and novel formalisms for deriving exact closed solutions of a class of variable-coefficient differential-difference equations arising from a plate solidification problem are introduced. Thereupon, exact closed traveling wave and similarity solutions to the plate solidification problem are obtained for some special cases of time-varying plate surface temperature.

Does Solving Insight-Based Problems Differ from Solving Learning-Based Problems? Some Evidence from an ERP Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leikin, Roza; Waisman, Ilana; Leikin, Mark

2016-01-01

We asked: "What are the similarities and differences in mathematical processing associated with solving learning-based and insight-based problems?" To answer this question, the ERP research procedure was employed with 69 male adolescent subjects who solved specially designed insight-based and learning-based tests. Solutions of…