Memory mechanisms supporting syntactic comprehension

PubMed Central

Waters, Gloria

2013-01-01

Efforts to characterize the memory system that supports sentence comprehension have historically drawn extensively on short-term memory as a source of mechanisms that might apply to sentences. The focus of these efforts has changed significantly in the past decade. As a result of changes in models of short-term working memory (ST-WM) and developments in models of sentence comprehension, the effort to relate entire components of an ST-WM system, such as those in the model developed by Baddeley (Nature Reviews Neuroscience 4: 829–839, 2003) to sentence comprehension has largely been replaced by an effort to relate more specific mechanisms found in modern models of ST-WM to memory processes that support one aspect of sentence comprehension—the assignment of syntactic structure (parsing) and its use in determining sentence meaning (interpretation) during sentence comprehension. In this article, we present the historical background to recent studies of the memory mechanisms that support parsing and interpretation and review recent research into this relation. We argue that the results of this research do not converge on a set of mechanisms derived from ST-WM that apply to parsing and interpretation. We argue that the memory mechanisms supporting parsing and interpretation have features that characterize another memory system that has been postulated to account for skilled performance—long-term working memory. We propose a model of the relation of different aspects of parsing and interpretation to ST-WM and long-term working memory. PMID:23319178

Uncovering Multivariate Structure in Classroom Observations in the Presence of Rater Errors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCaffrey, Daniel F.; Yuan, Kun; Savitsky, Terrance D.; Lockwood, J. R.; Edelen, Maria O.

2015-01-01

We examine the factor structure of scores from the CLASS-S protocol obtained from observations of middle school classroom teaching. Factor analysis has been used to support both interpretations of scores from classroom observation protocols, like CLASS-S, and the theories about teaching that underlie them. However, classroom observations contain…

Measuring Sense of Community: A Methodological Interpretation of the Factor Structure Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, N. Andrew; Speer, Paul W.; Hughey, Joseph

2006-01-01

Instability in the factor structure of the Sense of Community Index (SCI) was tested as a methodological artifact. Confirmatory factor analyses, tested with two data sets, supported neither the proposed one-factor nor the four-factor (needs fulfillment, group membership, influence, and emotional connection) SCI. Results demonstrated that the SCI…

ARE TORNADO-LIKE MAGNETIC STRUCTURES ABLE TO SUPPORT SOLAR PROMINENCE PLASMA?

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

Luna, M.; Moreno-Insertis, F.; Priest, E.

Recent high-resolution and high-cadence observations have surprisingly suggested that prominence barbs exhibit apparent rotating motions suggestive of a tornado-like structure. Additional evidence has been provided by Doppler measurements. The observations reveal opposite velocities for both hot and cool plasma on the two sides of a prominence barb. This motion is persistent for several hours and has been interpreted in terms of rotational motion of prominence feet. Several authors suggest that such barb motions are rotating helical structures around a vertical axis similar to tornadoes on Earth. One of the difficulties of such a proposal is how to support cool prominencemore » plasma in almost-vertical structures against gravity. In this work we model analytically a tornado-like structure and try to determine possible mechanisms to support the prominence plasma. We have found that the Lorentz force can indeed support the barb plasma provided the magnetic structure is sufficiently twisted and/or significant poloidal flows are present.« less

Gravitational Lenses and the Structure and Evolution of Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kockanek, Christopher; Oliversen, Ronald J. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This grant has supported papers which present a new direction in the theory and interpretation of gravitational lenses. During the second year we have focused more closely on the relationship of baryons and dark matter.

Ukrainian-Speaking Migrants’ Concerning the Use of Interpreters in Healthcare Service: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Hadziabdic, Emina

2016-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate Ukrainian-speaking migrants’ attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare service in order to test a developed questionnaire and recruitment strategy. A descriptive survey using a 51-item structured self-administered questionnaire of 12 Ukrainian-speaking migrants’ and analyzed by the descriptive statistics. The findings were to have an interpreter as an objective communication and practical aid with personal qualities such as a good knowledge of languages and translation ability. In contrast, the clothes worn by the interpreter and the interpreter’s religion were not viewed as important aspects. The findings support the method of a developed questionnaire and recruitment strategy, which in turn can be used in a larger planned investigation of the same topic in order to arrange a good interpretation situation in accordance with persons’ desire irrespective of countries’ different rules in healthcare policies regarding interpretation. PMID:27014391

Oblique Collision of the Leeward Antilles, Offshore Venezuela: Linking Onshore and Offshore Data from BOLIVAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beardsley, A. G.; Avé Lallemant, H. G.; Levander, A.; Clark, S. A.

2006-12-01

The kinematic history of the Leeward Antilles (offshore Venezuela) can be characterized with the integration of onshore outcrop data and offshore seismic reflection data. Deformation structures and seismic interpretation show that oblique convergence and wrench tectonics have controlled the diachronous deformation identified along the Caribbean - South America plate boundary. Field studies of structural features in outcrop indicate one generation of ductile deformation (D1) structures and three generations of brittle deformation (F1 - F3) structures. The earliest deformation (D1/F1) began ~ 110 Ma with oblique convergence between the Caribbean plate and South American plate. The second generation of deformation (F2) structures initiated in the Eocene with the extensive development of strike-slip fault systems along the diffuse plate boundary and the onset of wrench tectonics within a large-scale releasing bend. The most recent deformation (F3) has been observed in the west since the Miocene where continued dextral strike-slip motion has led to the development of a major restraining bend between the Caribbean plate transform fault and the Oca - San Sebastian - El Pilar fault system. Deformation since the late Cretaceous has been accompanied by a total of 135° clockwise rotation. Interpretation of 2D marine reflection data indicates similar onshore and offshore deformation trends. Seismic lines that approximately parallel the coastline (NW-SE striking) show syndepositional normal faulting during F1/F2 and thrust faulting associated with F3. On seismic lines striking NNE-SSW, we interpret inversion of F2 normal faults with recent F3 deformation. We also observe both normal and thrust faults related to F3. The thick sequence of recent basin sedimentation (Miocene - Recent), interpreted from the seismic data, supports the ongoing uplift and erosion of the islands; as suggested by fluid inclusion analysis. Overall, there appears to be a strong correlation between onshore micro- and mesoscopic deformational structures and offshore macro-scale structural features seen in the reflection data. The agreement of features supports our regional deformation and rotation model along the Caribbean - South America obliquely convergent plate boundary.

Shallow Refraction and Rg Analysis at the Source Physics Experiment Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowe, C. A.; Carmichael, J. D.; Patton, H. J.; Snelson, C. M.; Coblentz, D. D.; Larmat, C. S.; Yang, X.

2014-12-01

We present analyses of the two-dimensional (2D) seismic structure beneath Source Physics Experiments (SPE) geophone lines that extended 100 to 2000 m from the source borehole with 100 m spacing. With seismic sources provided only at one end of the geophone lines, standard refraction profiling methods are unable to resolve the seismic velocity structures unambiguously. In previous work we have shown overall agreement between body-wave refraction modeling and Rg dispersion curves for the least complex of the five lines, Line 2, leading us to offer a simplified1D model for this line. A more detailed inspection of Line 2 supports a 2D re-interpretation of the structure on this line. We observe variation along the length of the line, as evidenced by abrupt and consistent changes in the behavior of surface waves at higher frequencies. We interpret this as a manifestation of significant material or structural heterogeneity in the shallowest strata. This interpretation is consistent with P-wave and Rg attenuation observations. Planned additional sources, both at the distal ends of the profiles and intermittently within their lengths, will provide significant enhancement to our ability to resolve this complicated shallow structure.

MR imaging of knees having isolated and combined ligament injuries.

PubMed

Rubin, D A; Kettering, J M; Towers, J D; Britton, C A

1998-05-01

Although clinical evaluation and MR imaging both accurately reveal injuries in knees with isolated ligament tears, physical examination becomes progressively less reliable when multiple lesions exist. We investigated the accuracy of MR imaging of knees having varying degrees and numbers of ligament injuries. We prospectively interpreted the MR images of 340 consecutive injured knees and compared these interpretations with the results of subsequent arthroscopy or open surgery, which served as the gold standard. Our interpretations of MR images focused on five soft-tissue supporting structures (the two cruciate ligaments, the two collateral ligaments, and the patellar tendon) and the two menisci. Patients were divided into three groups: no ligament injuries, single ligament injuries, and multiple ligament injuries. Using MR imaging, we found overall sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing ligament tears to be 94% and 99%, respectively, when no or one ligament was torn and 88% and 84%, respectively, when two or more supporting structures were torn. The difference in specificity was statistically significant (p < .0001). Sensitivity for diagnosing meniscal tears decreased as the number of injured structures increased, but the relationship achieved statistical significance (p = .001) only for the medial meniscus. For all categories of injury, MR imaging was more accurate than clinical evaluation, statistics for which were taken from the orthopedic literature. In knees with multiple ligament injuries, the diagnostic specificity of MR imaging for ligament tears decreases, as does the sensitivity for medial meniscal tears.

Automated Subscores for TOEFL iBT[R] Independent Essays. Research Report. ETS RR-11-39

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Attali, Yigal

2011-01-01

The e-rater[R] automated essay scoring system is used operationally in the scoring of TOEFL iBT[R] independent essays. Previous research has found support for a 3-factor structure of the e-rater features. This 3-factor structure has an attractive hierarchical linguistic interpretation with a word choice factor, a grammatical convention within a…

An Evaluation of the Texas Functional Living Scale's Latent Structure and Subscales.

PubMed

González, David Andrés; Soble, Jason R; Marceaux, Janice C; McCoy, Karin J M

2017-02-01

Performance-based functional assessment is a critical component of neuropsychological practice. The Texas Functional Living Scale (TFLS) has promise given its brevity, nationally representative norms, and co-norming with Wechsler scales. However, its subscale structure has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the TFLS in a mixed clinical sample (n = 197). Reliability and convergent and discriminant validity coefficients were calculated with neurocognitive testing and collateral reports and factor analysis was performed. The Money and Calculation subscale had the best psychometric properties of the subscales. The evidence did not support solitary interpretation of the Time subscale. A three-factor latent structure emerged representing memory and semantic retrieval, performance and visual scanning, and financial calculation. This study added psychometric support for interpretation of the TFLS total score and some of its subscales. Study limitations included sample characteristics (e.g., gender ratio) and low power for collateral report analyses. Published by Oxford University Press 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Exploration of the Structure of the High Temperature Phase of the Hexagonal RMnO3 System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, T.; Tyson, T. A.; Zhang, H.; Yu, T.; Page, K.; Ghose, S.

Temperature dependent structural studies of the high temperature phase of hexagonal RMnO3 systems have been conducted. Both long range and local structural probes have been utilized. Discussions of the appropriate space groups and local distortions relevant to length scale will be given. Ab initio MD simulations are used to interpret the observations. This work is supported by DOE Grant DE-FG02-07ER46402.

Visualization of volumetric seismic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spickermann, Dela; Böttinger, Michael; Ashfaq Ahmed, Khawar; Gajewski, Dirk

2015-04-01

Mostly driven by demands of high quality subsurface imaging, highly specialized tools and methods have been developed to support the processing, visualization and interpretation of seismic data. 3D seismic data acquisition and 4D time-lapse seismic monitoring are well-established techniques in academia and industry, producing large amounts of data to be processed, visualized and interpreted. In this context, interactive 3D visualization methods proved to be valuable for the analysis of 3D seismic data cubes - especially for sedimentary environments with continuous horizons. In crystalline and hard rock environments, where hydraulic stimulation techniques may be applied to produce geothermal energy, interpretation of the seismic data is a more challenging problem. Instead of continuous reflection horizons, the imaging targets are often steep dipping faults, causing a lot of diffractions. Without further preprocessing these geological structures are often hidden behind the noise in the data. In this PICO presentation we will present a workflow consisting of data processing steps, which enhance the signal-to-noise ratio, followed by a visualization step based on the use the commercially available general purpose 3D visualization system Avizo. Specifically, we have used Avizo Earth, an extension to Avizo, which supports the import of seismic data in SEG-Y format and offers easy access to state-of-the-art 3D visualization methods at interactive frame rates, even for large seismic data cubes. In seismic interpretation using visualization, interactivity is a key requirement for understanding complex 3D structures. In order to enable an easy communication of the insights gained during the interactive visualization process, animations of the visualized data were created which support the spatial understanding of the data.

The enigma of the dorsolateral pons as a migraine generator

PubMed Central

Borsook, D; Burstein, R

2013-01-01

In this editorial, we integrate improved understanding of functional and structural brain stem anatomy with lessons learned from other disciplines on brainstem function to provide an alternative interpretation to the data used to support the brainstem migraine generator theory. PMID:22798640

Factor Analyses and Score Validity of the Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale in an Adolescent Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelis, Sharon M.; Rae, Gordon; Liddell, Christine

2006-01-01

The factor structure of the Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale (FEICS) is tested in a sample of Irish adolescents. Participants were 661 adolescents with a mean age of 15.9 years (SD = 1.26). Interpretation of both the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the FEICS show support for the two-factor structure of the FEICS…

Not all are desired: providers' views on interpreters' emotional support for patients.

PubMed

Hsieh, Elaine; Hong, Soo Jung

2010-11-01

This study examines (a) providers' expectations and concerns for interpreters' emotional support, and (b) the complexity and dilemma for interpreters to offer emotional support in health care settings. We recruited 39 providers from 5 specialties to participate in in-depth interviews or focus groups. Grounded theory was used for data analysis to identify providers' expectations and concerns for interpreters' emotional support. From the providers' perspective, interpreters' emotional support: (a) is embodied through their physical presence, (b) is to be both a human being but also a professional, (c) represents the extension of the providers' care, and (d) imposes potential risks to quality of care. Emotional support in bilingual health care is accomplished through the alliance of providers and interpreters, complementing each other to support patients' emotional needs. Interpreters should be vigilant about how their emotional support may impact the provider-patient relationship and the providers' therapeutic objectives. Interpreters should be aware that providers also rely on them to provide emotional support, which highlights the importance of giving medical talk and rapport-building talk equal attention in medical encounters. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of validity theory and methodology to patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs): building an argument for validity.

PubMed

Hawkins, Melanie; Elsworth, Gerald R; Osborne, Richard H

2018-07-01

Data from subjective patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are now being used in the health sector to make or support decisions about individuals, groups and populations. Contemporary validity theorists define validity not as a statistical property of the test but as the extent to which empirical evidence supports the interpretation of test scores for an intended use. However, validity testing theory and methodology are rarely evident in the PROM validation literature. Application of this theory and methodology would provide structure for comprehensive validation planning to support improved PROM development and sound arguments for the validity of PROM score interpretation and use in each new context. This paper proposes the application of contemporary validity theory and methodology to PROM validity testing. The validity testing principles will be applied to a hypothetical case study with a focus on the interpretation and use of scores from a translated PROM that measures health literacy (the Health Literacy Questionnaire or HLQ). Although robust psychometric properties of a PROM are a pre-condition to its use, a PROM's validity lies in the sound argument that a network of empirical evidence supports the intended interpretation and use of PROM scores for decision making in a particular context. The health sector is yet to apply contemporary theory and methodology to PROM development and validation. The theoretical and methodological processes in this paper are offered as an advancement of the theory and practice of PROM validity testing in the health sector.

Exploring the shallow structure of the San Ramón thrust fault in Santiago, Chile (∼33.5° S), using active seismic and electric methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz, D.; Maksymowicz, A.; Vargas, G.; Vera, E.; Contreras-Reyes, E.; Rebolledo, S.

2014-01-01

The crustal-scale west-vergent San Ramón thrust fault system at the foot of the main Andean Cordillera in central Chile is a geologically active structure with Quaternary manifestations of complex surface rupture along fault segments in the eastern border of Santiago city. From the comparison of geophysical and geological observations, we assessed the subsurface structure pattern affecting sedimentary cover and rock-substratum topography across fault scarps, which is critic for evaluating structural modeling and associated seismic hazard along this kind of faults. We performed seismic profiles with an average length of 250 m, using an array of twenty-four geophones (GEODE), and 25 shots per profile, supporting high-resolution seismic tomography for interpreting impedance changes associated to deformed sedimentary cover. The recorded traveltime refractions and reflections were jointly inverted by using a 2-D tomographic approach, which resulted in variations across the scarp axis in both velocities and reflections interpreted as the sedimentary cover-rock substratum topography. Seismic anisotropy observed from tomographic profiles is consistent with sediment deformation triggered by west-vergent thrust tectonics along the fault. Electrical soundings crossing two fault scarps supported subsurface resistivity tomographic profiles, which revealed systematic differences between lower resistivity values in the hanging wall with respect to the footwall of the geological structure, clearly limited by well-defined east-dipping resistivity boundaries. The latter can be interpreted in terms of structurally driven fluid content-change between the hanging wall and the footwall of a permeability boundary associated with the San Ramón fault. The overall results are consistent with a west-vergent thrust structure dipping ∼55° E at subsurface levels in piedmont sediments, with local complexities being probably associated to fault surface rupture propagation, fault-splay and fault segment transfer zones.

Origin and development of plasma membrane derived invaginations in Vinca rosea l.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahlberg, P.; Walkinshaw, C.; Olson, K.

1971-01-01

The occurrence, morphology, and possible ontogeny of plasma-membrane-related structures are described which can develop into invaginations or intravacuolar formations. An underlying study of meristematic tissues from the shoot of Vinca rosea supports the interpretation that endocytosis does occur in plant cells and that it is appropriate to refer to these structures as endocytoses. The function of these invaginations or their content remains to be elucidated.

Elucidating the electronic structure of supported gold nanoparticles and its relevance to catalysis by means of hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Reinecke, Benjamin N.; Kuhl, Kendra P.; Ogasawara, Hirohito; ...

2015-12-31

We report on the electronic structure of Au (gold) nanoparticles supported onto TiO 2 with a goal of elucidating the most important effects that contribute to their high catalytic activity. We synthesize and characterize with high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) 3.4, 5.3, and 9.5 nm diameter TiO 2-supported Au nanoparticles with nearly spherical shape and measure their valence band using Au 5d subshell sensitive hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) conducted at Spring-8. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations of various Au surface structures, we interpret the observed changes in the Au 5d valence band structure as a functionmore » of size in terms of an increasing percentage of Au atoms at corners/edges for decreasing particle size. Finally, this work elucidates how Au coordination number impacts the electronic structure of Au nanoparticles, ultimately giving rise to their well-known catalytic activity.« less

Colliding with the Speed of Light, Using Low-Energy Photon-Photon Collision Study the Nature of Matter and the universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Meggie

2013-03-01

Our research discovered logical inconsistence in physics and mathematics. Through reviewing the entire history of physics and mathematics we gained new understanding about our earlier assumptions, which led to a new interpretation of the wave function and quantum physics. We found the existing experimental data supported a 4-dimensional fractal structure of matter and the universe, we found the formation of wave, matter and the universe through the same process started from a single particle, and the process itself is a fractal that contributed to the diversity of matter. We also found physical evidence supporting a not-continuous fractal space structure. The new understanding also led to a reinterpretation of nuclear collision theories, based on this we succeeded a room-temperature low-energy photon-photon collision (RT-LE-PPC), this method allowed us to observe a topological disconnected fractal structure and succeeded a simulation of the formation of matter and the universe which provided evidences for the nature of light and matter and led to a quantum structure interpretation, and we found the formation of the universe started from two particles. However this work cannot be understood with current physics theories due to the logical problems in the current physics theories.

Morphologic interpretation of fertile structures in glossopterid gymnosperms

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schopf, J.M.

1976-01-01

The problem of determining affinity among glossopterid gymnosperms is beset by deficiencies in preservation, natural dissociation of parts, and scarcity of features assuredly critical for morphologic comprarison. The glossopterids probably are not a very heterogeneous group of plants, but this is difficult to prove. The Gondwana glacial "hiatus" has resulted in the omission of a critical chapter glossopterid evolution. As a consequence, morphologic features and phyletic probabilities must be evaluated on a much more hypothetical basis than would otherwise be justified. Confusion has arisen from the lack of morphologic terms that permit clear discussion of a newly evolved type of reproductive structure in glossopterids. The structure, here designated a "fertiliger", consists of a leafy bract, a partially adnate stalk, and a fertile head or capitulum. Seven types of fertile structures are discussed, all of which are bilaterally symmetrical and have different features on dorsiventral surfaces. I regard all fertiligers as ovulate but this interpretation may bot be acceptable to some workers; others may not accept dorsiventral organization of the capitulum as being fundamental. Among glossopterids, however, in spite of differences in preservation that may seem to support a variant interpretation, these ovulate fertiligers are the distinctive features that show general consistency. A single fertile bract bearing several capitula, as exemplified by Lidgettonia, is called a compound fertiliger. Staminate structures (microsporophylls) of glossopterids are separately classified as Eretmonia, Glossotheca, and possibly as other taxa. Only the manner of sporangial attachment is not entirely clear. It seems likely the staminate parts have previously been confused with scale leaves and are actually coextensive in distribution with the glossopterids. A tentative phyletic model suggests the distant derivation of glossopterids from middle Carboniferous cordaiteans. Many details must be speculative due to the lack of a pertinent fossil record, but this interpretation accounts for some features that have no counterpart in pteridosperms. Permineralized ovules from Antarctica provide general support for this working hypothesis, but specific evidence is lacking. Furthermore, it seems unlikely angiosperms originated from glossopterids; it is more reasonable to consider the glossopterids as possible distant ancestors of the Gnetales. ?? 1976.

Some aspects of geological information contained in LANDSAT images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dejesusparada, N. (Principal Investigator); Liu, C. C.; Vitorello, I.; Meneses, P. R.

1980-01-01

The characteristics of MSS images and methods of interpretation are analyzed from a geological point of view. The supportive role of LANDSAT data are illustrated in several examples of surface expressions of geological features, such as synclines and anticlines, spectral characteristics of lithologic units, and circular impact structures.

Representations for Semantic Learning Webs: Semantic Web Technology in Learning Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dzbor, M.; Stutt, A.; Motta, E.; Collins, T.

2007-01-01

Recent work on applying semantic technologies to learning has concentrated on providing novel means of accessing and making use of learning objects. However, this is unnecessarily limiting: semantic technologies will make it possible to develop a range of educational Semantic Web services, such as interpretation, structure-visualization, support…

A review of cognitive biases in youth depression: attention, interpretation and memory.

PubMed

Platt, Belinda; Waters, Allison M; Schulte-Koerne, Gerd; Engelmann, Lina; Salemink, Elske

2017-04-01

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in childhood and adolescence. Although data consistently show it is associated with self-reported negative cognitive styles, less is known about the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Cognitive biases in attention, interpretation and memory represent plausible mechanisms and are known to characterise adult depression. We provide the first structured review of studies investigating the nature and causal role of cognitive biases in youth depression. Key questions are (i) do cognitive biases characterise youth depression? (ii) are cognitive biases a vulnerability factor for youth depression? and (iii) do cognitive biases play a causal role in youth depression? We find consistent evidence for positive associations between attention and interpretation biases and youth depression. Stronger biases in youth with an elevated risk of depression support cognitive-vulnerability models. Preliminary evidence from cognitive bias modification paradigms supports a causal role of attention and interpretation biases in youth depression but these paradigms require testing in clinical samples before they can be considered treatment tools. Studies of memory biases in youth samples have produced mixed findings and none have investigated the causal role of memory bias. We identify numerous areas for future research in this emerging field.

Genetic structure of farmer-managed varieties in clonally-propagated crops.

PubMed

Scarcelli, N; Tostain, S; Vigouroux, Y; Luong, V; Baco, M N; Agbangla, C; Daïnou, O; Pham, J L

2011-08-01

The relative role of sexual reproduction and mutation in shaping the diversity of clonally propagated crops is largely unknown. We analyzed the genetic diversity of yam-a vegetatively-propagated crop-to gain insight into how these two factors shape its diversity in relation with farmers' classifications. Using 15 microsatellite loci, we analyzed 485 samples of 10 different yam varieties. We identified 33 different genotypes organized in lineages supported by high bootstrap values. We computed the probability that these genotypes appeared by sexual reproduction or mutation within and between each lineage. This allowed us to interpret each lineage as a product of sexual reproduction that has evolved by mutation. Moreover, we clearly noted a similarity between the genetic structure and farmers' classifications. Each variety could thus be interpreted as being the product of sexual reproduction having evolved by mutation. This highly structured diversity of farmer-managed varieties has consequences for the preservation of yam diversity.

Reliability, validity, and interpretation of the dependence scale in mild to moderately severe Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Lenderking, William R; Wyrwich, Kathleen W; Stolar, Marilyn; Howard, Kellee A; Leibman, Chris; Buchanan, Jacqui; Lacey, Loretto; Kopp, Zoe; Stern, Yaakov

2013-12-01

The Dependence Scale (DS) was designed to measure dependence on others among patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objectives of this research were primarily to strengthen the psychometric evidence for the use of the DS in AD studies. Patients with mild to moderately severe AD were examined in 3 study databases. Within each data set, internal consistency, validity, and responsiveness were examined, and structural equation models were fit. The DS has strong psychometric properties. The DS scores differed significantly across known groups and demonstrated moderate to strong correlations with measures hypothesized to be related to dependence (|r| ≥ .31). Structural equation modeling supported the validity of the DS concept. An anchor-based DS responder definition to interpret a treatment benefit over time was identified. The DS is a reliable, valid, and interpretable measure of dependence associated with AD and is shown to be related to--but provides information distinct from--cognition, functioning, and behavior.

Use of an automated decision support tool optimizes clinicians' ability to interpret and appropriately respond to structured self-monitoring of blood glucose data.

PubMed

Rodbard, Helena W; Schnell, Oliver; Unger, Jeffrey; Rees, Christen; Amstutz, Linda; Parkin, Christopher G; Jelsovsky, Zhihong; Wegmann, Nathan; Axel-Schweitzer, Matthias; Wagner, Robin S

2012-04-01

We evaluated the impact of an automated decision support tool (DST) on clinicians' ability to identify glycemic abnormalities in structured self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) data and then make appropriate therapeutic changes based on the glycemic patterns observed. In this prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter study, 288 clinicians (39.6% family practice physicians, 37.9% general internal medicine physicians, and 22.6% nurse practitioners) were randomized to structured SMBG alone (STG; n = 72); structured SMBG with DST (DST; n = 72); structured SMBG with an educational DVD (DVD; n = 72); and structured SMBG with DST and the educational DVD (DST+DVD; n = 72). Clinicians analyzed 30 patient cases (type 2 diabetes), identified the primary abnormality, and selected the most appropriate therapy. A total of 222 clinicians completed all 30 patient cases with no major protocol deviations. Significantly more DST, DVD, and DST+DVD clinicians correctly identified the glycemic abnormality and selected the most appropriate therapeutic option compared with STG clinicians: 49, 51, and 55%, respectively, vs. 33% (all P < 0.0001) with no significant differences among DST, DVD, and DST+DVD clinicians. Use of structured SMBG, combined with the DST, the educational DVD, or both, enhances clinicians' ability to correctly identify significant glycemic patterns and make appropriate therapeutic decisions to address those patterns. Structured testing interventions using either the educational DVD or the DST are equally effective in improving data interpretation and utilization. The DST provides a viable alternative when comprehensive education is not feasible, and it may be integrated into medical practices with minimal training.

Mesoscopic structure conditions the emergence of cooperation on social networks

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

Lozano, S.; Arenas, A.; Sanchez, A.

We study the evolutionary Prisoner's Dilemma on two social networks substrates obtained from actual relational data. We find very different cooperation levels on each of them that cannot be easily understood in terms of global statistical properties of both networks. We claim that the result can be understood at the mesoscopic scale, by studying the community structure of the networks. We explain the dependence of the cooperation level on the temptation parameter in terms of the internal structure of the communities and their interconnections. We then test our results on community-structured, specifically designed artificial networks, finding a good agreement withmore » the observations in both real substrates. Our results support the conclusion that studies of evolutionary games on model networks and their interpretation in terms of global properties may not be sufficient to study specific, real social systems. Further, the study allows us to define new quantitative parameters that summarize the mesoscopic structure of any network. In addition, the community perspective may be helpful to interpret the origin and behavior of existing networks as well as to design structures that show resilient cooperative behavior.« less

Internal structure, fault rocks, and inferences regarding deformation, fluid flow, and mineralization in the seismogenic Stillwater normal fault, Dixie Valley, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Caine, Jonathan S.; Bruhn, R.L.; Forster, C.B.

2010-01-01

Outcrop mapping and fault-rock characterization of the Stillwater normal fault zone in Dixie Valley, Nevada are used to document and interpret ancient hydrothermal fluid flow and its possible relationship to seismic deformation. The fault zone is composed of distinct structural and hydrogeological components. Previous work on the fault rocks is extended to the map scale where a distinctive fault core shows a spectrum of different fault-related breccias. These include predominantly clast-supported breccias with angular clasts that are cut by zones containing breccias with rounded clasts that are also clast supported. These are further cut by breccias that are predominantly matrix supported with angular and rounded clasts. The fault-core breccias are surrounded by a heterogeneously fractured damage zone. Breccias are bounded between major, silicified slip surfaces, forming large pod-like structures, systematically oriented with long axes parallel to slip. Matrix-supported breccias have multiply brecciated, angular and rounded clasts revealing episodic deformation and fluid flow. These breccias have a quartz-rich matrix with microcrystalline anhedral, equant, and pervasively conformable mosaic texture. The breccia pods are interpreted to have formed by decompression boiling and rapid precipitation of hydrothermal fluids whose flow was induced by coseismic, hybrid dilatant-shear deformation and hydraulic connection to a geothermal reservoir. The addition of hydrothermal silica cement localized in the core at the map scale causes fault-zone widening, local sealing, and mechanical heterogeneities that impact the evolution of the fault zone throughout the seismic cycle. ?? 2010.

Driving with roadmaps and dashboards: using information resources to structure the decision models in service organizations.

PubMed

Chorpita, Bruce F; Bernstein, Adam; Daleiden, Eric L

2008-03-01

This paper illustrates the application of design principles for tools that structure clinical decision-making. If the effort to implement evidence-based practices in community services organizations is to be effective, attention must be paid to the decision-making context in which such treatments are delivered. Clinical research trials commonly occur in an environment characterized by structured decision making and expert supports. Technology has great potential to serve mental health organizations by supporting these potentially important contextual features of the research environment, through organization and reporting of clinical data into interpretable information to support decisions and anchor decision-making procedures. This article describes one example of a behavioral health reporting system designed to facilitate clinical and administrative use of evidence-based practices. The design processes underlying this system-mapping of decision points and distillation of performance information at the individual, caseload, and organizational levels-can be implemented to support clinical practice in a wide variety of settings.

Brief Self-Efficacy Scales for use in Weight-Loss Trials: Preliminary Evidence of Validity

PubMed Central

Wilson, Kathryn E.; Harden, Samantha M.; Almeida, Fabio A.; You, Wen; Hill, Jennie L.; Goessl, Cody; Estabrooks, Paul A.

2015-01-01

Self-efficacy is a commonly included cognitive variable in weight-loss trials, but there is little uniformity in its measurement. Weight-loss trials frequently focus on physical activity (PA) and eating behavior, as well as weight loss, but no survey is available that offers reliable measurement of self-efficacy as it relates to each of these targeted outcomes. The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of brief, pragmatic self-efficacy scales specific to PA, healthful eating and weight-loss (4 items each). An adult sample (n=1790) from 28 worksites enrolled in a worksite weight-loss program completed the self-efficacy scale, as well as measures of PA, dietary fat intake, and weight, at baseline, 6-, and 12-months. The hypothesized factor structure was tested through confirmatory factor analysis, which supported the expected factor structure for three latent self-efficacy factors, specific to PA, healthful eating, and weight-loss. Measurement equivalence/invariance between relevant demographic groups, and over time was also supported. Parallel growth processes in self-efficacy factors and outcomes (PA, fat intake, and weight) support the predictive validity of score interpretations. Overall, this initial series of psychometric analyses supports the interpretation that scores on these scales reflect self-efficacy for PA, healthful eating, and weight-loss. The use of this instrument in large-scale weight-loss trials is encouraged. PMID:26619093

Non-Western interpreters' experiences of trauma: the protective role of culture following exposure to oppression.

PubMed

Johnson, Howard; Thompson, Andrew; Downs, Maria

2009-08-01

Many people flee their countries of origin after suffering severe trauma and there is a need to explore how socio-cultural factors are implicated in the experience of both trauma and posttraumatic growth. Interpreters who have been through a trauma are in a unique position to be able to reflect on cultural context. This study explored how interpreters working in the UK who had formerly suffered trauma in their country of origin, and who identified themselves as coping well, managed their experience of trauma. The qualitative method Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used. Nine interpreters were interviewed following a semi-structured guide and the resulting transcripts were analysed according to IPA principles. Three key themes emerged from the data that were labelled as: trauma in the context of wider shared oppression; resisting and responding; and cultural protection and growth. Many participants described their lives prior to arriving in the UK as involving a collective traumatisation as a result of being a victim of oppression related to their cultural identity. The participants described the importance of staying connected to their culture. Giving and providing social support, religious practices, and the role of interpreter facilitated remaining connected. A sense of shared victimisation provided a protective backdrop from which the participants could make sense of the personal traumas they had experienced. The role of interpreting was important as it helped maintain cultural identity. The findings are discussed in relation to theories of both PTSD and Posttraumatic Growth. The results have implications for the work of clinicians supporting non-Western people who have been traumatised.

Computer assisted diagnosis in renal nuclear medicine: rationale, methodology and interpretative criteria for diuretic renography

PubMed Central

Taylor, Andrew T; Garcia, Ernest V

2014-01-01

The goal of artificial intelligence, expert systems, decision support systems and computer assisted diagnosis (CAD) in imaging is the development and implementation of software to assist in the detection and evaluation of abnormalities, to alert physicians to cognitive biases, to reduce intra and inter-observer variability and to facilitate the interpretation of studies at a faster rate and with a higher level of accuracy. These developments are needed to meet the challenges resulting from a rapid increase in the volume of diagnostic imaging studies coupled with a concurrent increase in the number and complexity of images in each patient data. The convergence of an expanding knowledge base and escalating time constraints increases the likelihood of physician errors. Errors are even more likely when physicians interpret low volume studies such as 99mTc-MAG3 diuretic scans where imagers may have had limited training or experience. Decision support systems include neural networks, case-based reasoning, expert systems and statistical systems. iRENEX (renal expert) is an expert system for diuretic renography that uses a set of rules obtained from human experts to analyze a knowledge base of both clinical parameters and quantitative parameters derived from the renogram. Initial studies have shown that the interpretations provided by iRENEX are comparable to the interpretations of a panel of experts. iRENEX provides immediate patient specific feedback at the time of scan interpretation, can be queried to provide the reasons for its conclusions and can be used as an educational tool to teach trainees to better interpret renal scans. iRENEX also has the capacity to populate a structured reporting module and generate a clear and concise impression based on the elements contained in the report; adherence to the procedural and data entry components of the structured reporting module assures and documents procedural competency. Finally, although the focus is CAD applied to diuretic renography, this review offers a window into the rationale, methodology and broader applications of computer assisted diagnosis in medical imaging. PMID:24484751

Anomalous Structural Disorder in Supported Pt Nanoparticles

DOE PAGES

Vila, Fernando D.; Rehr, John J.; Nuzzo, Ralph G.; ...

2017-07-02

Supported Pt nanocatalysts generally exhibit anomalous behavior, including negative thermal expansion and large structural disorder. Finite temperature DFT/MD simulations reproduce these properties, showing that they are largely explained by a combination of thermal vibrations and low-frequency disorder. We show in this paper that a full interpretation is more complex and that the DFT/MD mean-square relative displacements (MSRD) can be further separated into vibrational disorder, “dynamic structural disorder” (DSD), and long-time equilibrium fluctuations of the structure dubbed “anomalous structural disorder” (ASD). We find that the vibrational and DSD components behave normally, increasing linearly with temperature while the ASD decreases, reflecting themore » evolution of mean nanoparticle geometry. Finally, as a consequence the usual procedure of fitting the MSRD to normal vibrations plus temperature-independent static disorder results in unphysical bond strengths and Grüneisen parameters.« less

Working Memory and the Revision of Syntactic and Discourse Ambiguities

PubMed Central

Evans, William S.; Caplan, David; Ostrowski, Adam; Michaud, Jennifer; Guarino, Anthony; Waters, Gloria

2015-01-01

Two hundred participants, 50 in each of four age ranges (19 – 29; 30 – 49, 50 – 69, 70 – 90) were tested for short term working memory, speed of processing and on-line processing of three types of sentences in which an initially assigned syntactic structure and/or semantic interpretation had to be revised. Self-paced reading times were longer for the segments which signaled the need for revision, and there were interactions of age and sentence type and of speed of processing and sentence type, but not of working memory and sentence type, on reading times for these segments. The results provide evidence that working memory does not support the processes that revise the structure and interpretation of sentences and discourse. PMID:25485458

Analysis of ERTS imagery of Wyoming and its application to evaluation of Wyoming's natural resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houston, R. S. (Principal Investigator); Marrs, R. W.

1972-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The Wyoming ERTS investigation has been hindered only slightly by incomplete ERTS data sets and lack of coverage. Efforts to map cultural development, vegetation distributions, and various geomorphologic features are underway. Tectonic analysis of the Rock Springs area has isolated two linear features that may be very significant with regard to the regional structure of central Wyoming. Studies of the fracture systems of the Wind River Mountains are being completed. The fracture map, constructed from ERTS-1 interpretations, contains a great deal of structural information which was previously unavailable. Mapping of the Precambrian metasedimentary and metavolcanic terrain of the Granite Mountains is nearing completion, and interpretation of ERTS supporting aircraft data has revealed deposits of iron formation.

Integration, Reflection, Interpretation: Realizing the Goals of a General Education Capstone Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Nancy Page

2006-01-01

For the past 23 years, students at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona have benefited from its Interdisciplinary General Education Program (IGE)--a sequential, interdisciplinary general education program that culminates in a capstone course. IGE's history and structure support a strong culture of assessment. The program, founded in…

Using Plot Twists to Engage Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Laura E.; Dietiker, Leslie

2018-01-01

One way to recognize how mathematical lessons can be stimulating for children is to interpret them as stories. If mathematical lessons follow a structure similar to that of a story, they can build anticipation, create surprise, and even generate intrigue (Egan 1988). To support the design of mathematical lessons with these types of aesthetic…

"No No, You Cannot Say that!" Perceptions and Experiences of Parents of Preschool Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsson, Ingrid; Roll-Pettersson, Lise

2012-01-01

Using semi-structured interviews this study investigated the personal experiences of parents of pre-school children with intellectual disabilities within the Swedish social support system. Thirteen parents of 10 children participated. Interview transcripts were qualitatively analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three themes…

A Cross-Cultural Validation of Stage Development: A Rasch Re-Analysis of Longitudinal Socio-Moral Reasoning Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boom, Jan; Wouters, Hans; Keller, Monika

2007-01-01

Kohlberg's characterization of moral development as displaying an invariant hierarchical order of structurally consistent stages is losing ground. However, by applying Rasch analysis, Dawson recently gave new interpretation and support to his characterization of stage development. Using Rasch models, we replicated and strengthened her findings in…

Factor Structure of the Quality of Life Scale for Mental Disorders in Patients With Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Chiu, En-Chi; Lee, Shu-Chun

2018-06-01

The Quality of Life for Mental Disorders (QOLMD) scale was designed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with mental illness, especially schizophrenia. The QOLMD contains 45 items, which are divided into eight domains. However, the factor structure of the QOLMD has not been evaluated, which restricts the interpretations of the results of this scale. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structures (i.e., unidimensionality, eight-factor structure, and second-order model) of the QOLMD in patients with schizophrenia. Two hundred thirty-eight outpatients with schizophrenia participated. We first conducted confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the unidimensionality of each domain. After the unidimensionality of the eight individual domains was supported, we examined the eight-factor structure and second-order model. The results of unidimensionality showed sufficient model fit in all of the domains with the exception of the autonomy domain. A good model fit was confirmed for the autonomy domain after deleting two of the original items. The eight-factor structure for the 43-item QOLMD showed an acceptable model fit, although the second-order model showed poor model fit. Our results supported the unidimensionality and eight-factor structure of the 43-item QOLMD. The sum score for each of the domains may be used to reflect its domain-specific function. We recommend using the 43-item QOLMD to capture the multiple domains of HRQOL. However, the second-order model showed an unsatisfactory model fit. Furthermore, caution is advised when interpreting overall HRQOL using the total score for the eight domains.

Pahranagat Shear System, Lincoln County, Nevada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liggett, M. A. (Principal Investigator); Ehrenspreck, H. E.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. A structural model which relates strike-slip deformation to Basin Range extensional tectonics was formulated on the basis of analysis and interpreatation of ERTS-1 MSS imagery over southern Lincoln County, Nevada. Study of published geologic data and field reconnaissance of key areas has been conducted to support the ERTS-1 data interpretation. The structural model suggests that a left-lateral strike-slip fault zone, called the Pahranagat Shear System, formed as a transform fault separating two areas of east-west structural extension.

Army Sustainability Modelling Analysis and Reporting Tool Phase 1: User Manual and Results Interpretation Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-01

force structure liability analysis tool, designed to forecast the dynamics of personnel and equipment populations over time for a particular scenario...it is intended that it will support analysis of the sustainability of planned Army force structures against a range of possible scenarios, as well as...the force options testing process. A-SMART Phase 1 has been limited to the development of personnel, major equipment and supplies/strategic lift

Putative fossilized fungi from the lithified volcaniclastic apron of Gran Canaria, Spain.

PubMed

Ivarsson, Magnus; Broman, Curt; Holmström, Sara J M; Ahlbom, Marianne; Lindblom, Sten; Holm, Nils G

2011-09-01

We report the discovery of fossilized filamentous structures in samples of the lithified, volcaniclastic apron of Gran Canaria, which were obtained during Leg 157 of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP). These filamentous structures are 2-15 μm in diameter and several hundred micrometers in length and are composed of Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Na, Ti, and C. Chitin was detected in the filamentous structures by staining with wheat germ agglutinin dye conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate (WGA-FITC), which suggests that they are fossilized fungal hyphae. The further elucidation of typical filamentous fungal morphological features, such as septa, hyphal bridges, and anastomosis and their respective sizes, support this interpretation. Characteristic structures that we interpreted as fossilized spores were also observed in association with the putative hyphae. The fungal hyphae were found in pyroxene phenocrysts and in siderite pseudomorphs of a basalt breccia. The fungal colonization of the basalt clasts occurred after the brecciation but prior to the final emplacement and lithification of the sediment at ∼16-14 Ma. The siderite appears to have been partially dissolved by the presence of fungal hyphae, and the fungi preferentially colonized Fe-rich carbonates over Fe-poor carbonates (aragonite). Our findings indicate that fungi may be an important geobiological agent in subseafloor environments and an important component of the deep subseafloor biosphere, and that hydrothermal environments associated with volcanism can support a diverse ecosystem, including eukaryotes.

Comparison of the Predictive Performance and Interpretability of Random Forest and Linear Models on Benchmark Data Sets.

PubMed

Marchese Robinson, Richard L; Palczewska, Anna; Palczewski, Jan; Kidley, Nathan

2017-08-28

The ability to interpret the predictions made by quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) offers a number of advantages. While QSARs built using nonlinear modeling approaches, such as the popular Random Forest algorithm, might sometimes be more predictive than those built using linear modeling approaches, their predictions have been perceived as difficult to interpret. However, a growing number of approaches have been proposed for interpreting nonlinear QSAR models in general and Random Forest in particular. In the current work, we compare the performance of Random Forest to those of two widely used linear modeling approaches: linear Support Vector Machines (SVMs) (or Support Vector Regression (SVR)) and partial least-squares (PLS). We compare their performance in terms of their predictivity as well as the chemical interpretability of the predictions using novel scoring schemes for assessing heat map images of substructural contributions. We critically assess different approaches for interpreting Random Forest models as well as for obtaining predictions from the forest. We assess the models on a large number of widely employed public-domain benchmark data sets corresponding to regression and binary classification problems of relevance to hit identification and toxicology. We conclude that Random Forest typically yields comparable or possibly better predictive performance than the linear modeling approaches and that its predictions may also be interpreted in a chemically and biologically meaningful way. In contrast to earlier work looking at interpretation of nonlinear QSAR models, we directly compare two methodologically distinct approaches for interpreting Random Forest models. The approaches for interpreting Random Forest assessed in our article were implemented using open-source programs that we have made available to the community. These programs are the rfFC package ( https://r-forge.r-project.org/R/?group_id=1725 ) for the R statistical programming language and the Python program HeatMapWrapper [ https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.495163 ] for heat map generation.

Validation of educational assessments: a primer for simulation and beyond.

PubMed

Cook, David A; Hatala, Rose

2016-01-01

Simulation plays a vital role in health professions assessment. This review provides a primer on assessment validation for educators and education researchers. We focus on simulation-based assessment of health professionals, but the principles apply broadly to other assessment approaches and topics. Validation refers to the process of collecting validity evidence to evaluate the appropriateness of the interpretations, uses, and decisions based on assessment results. Contemporary frameworks view validity as a hypothesis, and validity evidence is collected to support or refute the validity hypothesis (i.e., that the proposed interpretations and decisions are defensible). In validation, the educator or researcher defines the proposed interpretations and decisions, identifies and prioritizes the most questionable assumptions in making these interpretations and decisions (the "interpretation-use argument"), empirically tests those assumptions using existing or newly-collected evidence, and then summarizes the evidence as a coherent "validity argument." A framework proposed by Messick identifies potential evidence sources: content, response process, internal structure, relationships with other variables, and consequences. Another framework proposed by Kane identifies key inferences in generating useful interpretations: scoring, generalization, extrapolation, and implications/decision. We propose an eight-step approach to validation that applies to either framework: Define the construct and proposed interpretation, make explicit the intended decision(s), define the interpretation-use argument and prioritize needed validity evidence, identify candidate instruments and/or create/adapt a new instrument, appraise existing evidence and collect new evidence as needed, keep track of practical issues, formulate the validity argument, and make a judgment: does the evidence support the intended use? Rigorous validation first prioritizes and then empirically evaluates key assumptions in the interpretation and use of assessment scores. Validation science would be improved by more explicit articulation and prioritization of the interpretation-use argument, greater use of formal validation frameworks, and more evidence informing the consequences and implications of assessment.

The cancer precision medicine knowledge base for structured clinical-grade mutations and interpretations.

PubMed

Huang, Linda; Fernandes, Helen; Zia, Hamid; Tavassoli, Peyman; Rennert, Hanna; Pisapia, David; Imielinski, Marcin; Sboner, Andrea; Rubin, Mark A; Kluk, Michael; Elemento, Olivier

2017-05-01

This paper describes the Precision Medicine Knowledge Base (PMKB; https://pmkb.weill.cornell.edu ), an interactive online application for collaborative editing, maintenance, and sharing of structured clinical-grade cancer mutation interpretations. PMKB was built using the Ruby on Rails Web application framework. Leveraging existing standards such as the Human Genome Variation Society variant description format, we implemented a data model that links variants to tumor-specific and tissue-specific interpretations. Key features of PMKB include support for all major variant types, standardized authentication, distinct user roles including high-level approvers, and detailed activity history. A REpresentational State Transfer (REST) application-programming interface (API) was implemented to query the PMKB programmatically. At the time of writing, PMKB contains 457 variant descriptions with 281 clinical-grade interpretations. The EGFR, BRAF, KRAS, and KIT genes are associated with the largest numbers of interpretable variants. PMKB's interpretations have been used in over 1500 AmpliSeq tests and 750 whole-exome sequencing tests. The interpretations are accessed either directly via the Web interface or programmatically via the existing API. An accurate and up-to-date knowledge base of genomic alterations of clinical significance is critical to the success of precision medicine programs. The open-access, programmatically accessible PMKB represents an important attempt at creating such a resource in the field of oncology. The PMKB was designed to help collect and maintain clinical-grade mutation interpretations and facilitate reporting for clinical cancer genomic testing. The PMKB was also designed to enable the creation of clinical cancer genomics automated reporting pipelines via an API. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

The cancer precision medicine knowledge base for structured clinical-grade mutations and interpretations

PubMed Central

Huang, Linda; Fernandes, Helen; Zia, Hamid; Tavassoli, Peyman; Rennert, Hanna; Pisapia, David; Imielinski, Marcin; Sboner, Andrea; Rubin, Mark A; Kluk, Michael

2017-01-01

Objective: This paper describes the Precision Medicine Knowledge Base (PMKB; https://pmkb.weill.cornell.edu), an interactive online application for collaborative editing, maintenance, and sharing of structured clinical-grade cancer mutation interpretations. Materials and Methods: PMKB was built using the Ruby on Rails Web application framework. Leveraging existing standards such as the Human Genome Variation Society variant description format, we implemented a data model that links variants to tumor-specific and tissue-specific interpretations. Key features of PMKB include support for all major variant types, standardized authentication, distinct user roles including high-level approvers, and detailed activity history. A REpresentational State Transfer (REST) application-programming interface (API) was implemented to query the PMKB programmatically. Results: At the time of writing, PMKB contains 457 variant descriptions with 281 clinical-grade interpretations. The EGFR, BRAF, KRAS, and KIT genes are associated with the largest numbers of interpretable variants. PMKB’s interpretations have been used in over 1500 AmpliSeq tests and 750 whole-exome sequencing tests. The interpretations are accessed either directly via the Web interface or programmatically via the existing API. Discussion: An accurate and up-to-date knowledge base of genomic alterations of clinical significance is critical to the success of precision medicine programs. The open-access, programmatically accessible PMKB represents an important attempt at creating such a resource in the field of oncology. Conclusion: The PMKB was designed to help collect and maintain clinical-grade mutation interpretations and facilitate reporting for clinical cancer genomic testing. The PMKB was also designed to enable the creation of clinical cancer genomics automated reporting pipelines via an API. PMID:27789569

Creating Shareable Clinical Decision Support Rules for a Pharmacogenomics Clinical Guideline Using Structured Knowledge Representation.

PubMed

Linan, Margaret K; Sottara, Davide; Freimuth, Robert R

2015-01-01

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) guidelines contain drug-gene relationships, therapeutic and clinical recommendations from which clinical decision support (CDS) rules can be extracted, rendered and then delivered through clinical decision support systems (CDSS) to provide clinicians with just-in-time information at the point of care. Several tools exist that can be used to generate CDS rules that are based on computer interpretable guidelines (CIG), but none have been previously applied to the PGx domain. We utilized the Unified Modeling Language (UML), the Health Level 7 virtual medical record (HL7 vMR) model, and standard terminologies to represent the semantics and decision logic derived from a PGx guideline, which were then mapped to the Health eDecisions (HeD) schema. The modeling and extraction processes developed here demonstrate how structured knowledge representations can be used to support the creation of shareable CDS rules from PGx guidelines.

Neural correlates of early-closure garden-path processing: Effects of prosody and plausibility.

PubMed

den Ouden, Dirk-Bart; Dickey, Michael Walsh; Anderson, Catherine; Christianson, Kiel

2016-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to investigate neural correlates of early-closure garden-path sentence processing and use of extrasyntactic information to resolve temporary syntactic ambiguities. Sixteen participants performed an auditory picture verification task on sentences presented with natural versus flat intonation. Stimuli included sentences in which the garden-path interpretation was plausible, implausible because of a late pragmatic cue, or implausible because of a semantic mismatch between an optionally transitive verb and the following noun. Natural sentence intonation was correlated with left-hemisphere temporal activation, but also with activation that suggests the allocation of more resources to interpretation when natural prosody is provided. Garden-path processing was associated with upregulation in bilateral inferior parietal and right-hemisphere dorsolateral prefrontal and inferior frontal cortex, while differences between the strength and type of plausibility cues were also reflected in activation patterns. Region of interest (ROI) analyses in regions associated with complex syntactic processing are consistent with a role for posterior temporal cortex supporting access to verb argument structure. Furthermore, ROI analyses within left-hemisphere inferior frontal gyrus suggest a division of labour, with the anterior-ventral part primarily involved in syntactic-semantic mismatch detection, the central part supporting structural reanalysis, and the posterior-dorsal part showing a general structural complexity effect.

Treating Metaphor Interpretation Deficits Subsequent to Right Hemisphere Brain Damage: Preliminary Results

PubMed Central

Lundgren, Kristine; Brownell, Hiram; Cayer-Meade, Carol; Milione, Janet; Kearns, Kevin

2012-01-01

Purpose This investigation sought to determine whether a structured intervention focused on improving use of semantic associations could improve patients’ ability to provide oral interpretations of metaphors following Right Hemisphere Damage (RHD). Methods Principles of single subject experimental design provided the basis for the study. Five patients received either 10 or 20 baseline assessments of oral metaphor interpretation and, as a control, assessments of line orientation skill. They then received approximately 10 one-hour sessions of structured intervention to improve oral metaphor interpretation followed by post-training assessments and a 3 month follow up. Results Patients’ performances revealed evidence of good response to training as shown by patients' ability to reach criterion on all intervention tasks and by their significant improvement on oral metaphor interpretation. There was relatively little improvement on the line orientation task. Discussion The results of this study support the clinical usefulness of this new approach to treating communication deficits associated with RHD due to stroke, even years post-onset. There are, however, questions that remain unanswered. For example, additional data will be needed to gauge how a patient’s severity of impairment relates to the potential for improvement, to chart the durability and scope of improvement associated with the training, and to determine the type of visuospatial ability needed for using this type of pictorial material. PMID:22837588

Factor Structure, Construct Validity and Reliability of the Seeking of Noetic Goals (SONG) and Purpose in Life (PIL) Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reker, Gary T.; Cousins, J. B.

1979-01-01

In this study with 240 introductory psychology students, ten interpretable independent dimensions of satisfaction with life were extracted with six factors that loaded on the PIL and four that loaded on the SONG, supporting Crumbaugh's assertion that the SONG is a complementary scale to the PIL. (Author/SJL)

Vibrational-Rotational Spectroscopy For Planetary Atmospheres, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mumma, M. J. (Editor); Fox, K. (Editor); Hornstein, J. (Editor)

1982-01-01

Comprehensive information on the composition and dynamics of the varied planetary atmospheres is summarized. New observations resulted in new demands for supporting laboratory studies. Spectra observed from spacecraft used to interpret planetary atmospheric structure measurements, to aid in greenhouse and cloud physics calculations, and to plan future experiments are discussed. Current findings and new ideas of physicists, chemists, and planetry astronomers relating to the knowledge of the structure of things large and small, of planets and of molecules are summarized.

Butting in vs. being a friend: cultural differences and similarities in the evaluation of imposed social support.

PubMed

Dutton, Yulia E Chentsova

2012-01-01

Imposed social support can be more harmful than helpful due to its potential to threaten the recipient's autonomy. These findings may reflect cultural contexts that foster autonomy (e.g., European American [EA]). Imposed social support may be interpreted more positively in cultural contexts that place emphasis on mutual responsibility for solving problems (e.g., Russian [RU]). We compared EA (n = 128) and RU (n = 125) young adults' reports of recent episodes of support. EAs were more likely than RUs to be satisfied with these interactions, a difference mediated by levels of nondirective support. Cultural differences emerged in interpretations of support. Unsolicited support from family was interpreted more positively by RUs than by EAs. Thus, although nondirective support contributed to support satisfaction across cultural groups, cultural context influenced young adults' interpretations of imposed support.

Reply to Comments on "the Cenozoic Fold-and-Thrust Belt of Eastern Sardinia: Evidences from the Integration of Field Data With Numerically Balanced Geological Cross Section" by Arragoni et al. (2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvini, F.; Arragoni, S.; Cianfarra, P.; Maggi, M.

2017-10-01

The comment by Berra et al. (2017) on the evidence of Alpine tectonics in Eastern Sardinia proposed by Arragoni et al. (2016) is based on the sedimentological interpretations of few local outcrops in a marginal portion of the study area. The Cenozoic Alpine fold-and-thrust setting, which characterizes this region, presents flat-over-flat shear planes acting along originally stratigraphic contacts, where stratigraphic continuity is obviously maintained. The ramp sectors present steeply dipping bedding attitudes, and there is no need to invoke and to force prograding clinoforms with unrealistic angles to justify them. The balanced geological cross section proposed by Arragoni et al. (2016) is fully supported by robust newly collected structural data and is compatible with the overall tectonic setting, while the interpretation proposed by Berra et al. (2017) lacks a detailed structural investigation. We believe that the partial application of the techniques available to modern geology may lead to incorrect interpretations, thus representing an obstacle for the progress of knowledge in the Earth sciences.

Structure and Evolution of the Lunar Procellarum Region as Revealed by GRAIL Gravity Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews-Hanna, Jeffrey C.; Besserer, Jonathan; Head, James W., III; Howett, Carly J. A.; Kiefer, Walter S.; Lucey, Paul J.; McGovern, Patrick J.; Melosh, H. Jay; Neumann, Gregory A.; Phillips, Roger J.;

Structure and evolution of the lunar Procellarum region as revealed by GRAIL gravity data.

PubMed

Andrews-Hanna, Jeffrey C; Besserer, Jonathan; Head, James W; Howett, Carly J A; Kiefer, Walter S; Lucey, Paul J; McGovern, Patrick J; Melosh, H Jay; Neumann, Gregory A; Phillips, Roger J; Schenk, Paul M; Smith, David E; Solomon, Sean C; Zuber, Maria T

2014-10-02

The Procellarum region is a broad area on the nearside of the Moon that is characterized by low elevations, thin crust, and high surface concentrations of the heat-producing elements uranium, thorium, and potassium. The region has been interpreted as an ancient impact basin approximately 3,200 kilometres in diameter, although supporting evidence at the surface would have been largely obscured as a result of the great antiquity and poor preservation of any diagnostic features. Here we use data from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to examine the subsurface structure of Procellarum. The Bouguer gravity anomalies and gravity gradients reveal a pattern of narrow linear anomalies that border Procellarum and are interpreted to be the frozen remnants of lava-filled rifts and the underlying feeder dykes that served as the magma plumbing system for much of the nearside mare volcanism. The discontinuous surface structures that were earlier interpreted as remnants of an impact basin rim are shown in GRAIL data to be a part of this continuous set of border structures in a quasi-rectangular pattern with angular intersections, contrary to the expected circular or elliptical shape of an impact basin. The spatial pattern of magmatic-tectonic structures bounding Procellarum is consistent with their formation in response to thermal stresses produced by the differential cooling of the province relative to its surroundings, coupled with magmatic activity driven by the greater-than-average heat flux in the region.

Families with Limited English Proficiency Receive Less Information and Support in Interpreted ICU Family Conferences

PubMed Central

Thornton, J. Daryl; Pham, Kiemanh; Engelberg, Ruth A.; Jackson, J. Carey; Curtis, J. Randall

2009-01-01

Objective Family communication is important for delivering high quality end-of-life care in the ICU, yet little research has been conducted to describe and evaluate clinician-family communication with non-English speaking family members. We assessed clinician-family communication during ICU family conferences involving interpreters and compared it to conferences without interpreters. Design Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting Family conferences in the ICU’s of four hospitals during which discussions about withdrawing life support or delivery of bad news were likely to occur. Participants 70 family members from 10 interpreted conferences and 214 family members from 51 non-interpreted conferences. Nine different physicians led interpreted conferences and 36 different physicians led non-interpreted conferences. Measurements All 61 conferences were audiotaped. We measured the duration of time that families, interpreters, and clinicians spoke during the conference and we tallied the number of supportive statements issued by clinicians in each conference. Results The mean conference time was 26.3 ± 13 minutes for interpreted and 32±15 minutes for non-interpreted conferences (p=0.25). The duration of clinician speech was 10.9 ± 5.8 minutes for interpreted conferences and 19.6 ± 10.2 minutes for non-interpreted conferences (p=0.001). The amount of clinician speech as a proportion of total speech time was 42.7% in interpreted conferences and 60.5% in non-interpreted conferences (p=0.004). Interpreter speech accounted for 7.9 ± 4.4 minutes and 32% of speech in interpreter conferences. Interpreted conferences contained fewer clinician statements providing support for families, including valuing families’ input (p=0.01), easing emotional burdens (p<0.01), and active listening (p<0.01). Conclusions This study suggests that families with non-English speaking members may be at increased risk of receiving less information about their loved one’s critical illness as well as less emotional support from their clinicians. Future studies should identify ways to improve communication with, and support for, non-English speaking families of critically ill patients. PMID:19050633

Diradicals acting through diamagnetic phenylene vinylene bridges: Raman spectroscopy as a probe to characterize spin delocalization

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

González, Sandra Rodríguez; Nieto-Ortega, Belén; González Cano, Rafael C.

2014-04-28

We present a complete Raman spectroscopic study in two structurally well-defined diradical species of different lengths incorporating oligo p-phenylene vinylene bridges between two polychlorinated triphenylmethyl radical units, a disposition that allows sizeable conjugation between the two radicals through and with the bridge. The spectroscopic data are interpreted and supported by quantum chemical calculations. We focus the attention on the Raman frequency changes, interpretable in terms of: (i) bridge length (conjugation length); (ii) bridge conformational structure; and (iii) electronic coupling between the terminal radical units with the bridge and through the bridge, which could delineate through-bond spin polarization, or spin delocalization.more » These items are addressed by using the “oligomer approach” in conjunction with pressure and temperature dependent Raman spectroscopic data. In summary, we have attempted to translate the well-known strategy to study the electron (charge) structure of π−conjugated molecules by Raman spectroscopy to the case of electron (spin) interactions via the spin delocalization mechanism.« less

An introductory review on gravitational-deformation induced structures, fabrics and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaboyedoff, Michel; Penna, Ivanna; Pedrazzini, Andrea; Baroň, Ivo; Crosta, Giovanni B.

2013-10-01

Recent studies have pointed out a similarity between tectonics and slope tectonic-induced structures. Numerous studies have demonstrated that structures and fabrics previously interpreted as of purely geodynamical origin are instead the result of large slope deformation, and this led in the past to erroneous interpretations. Nevertheless, their limit seems not clearly defined, but it is somehow transitional. Some studies point out continuity between failures developing at surface with upper crust movements. In this contribution, the main studies which examine the link between rock structures and slope movements are reviewed. The aspects regarding model and scale of observation are discussed together with the role of pre-existing weaknesses in the rock mass. As slope failures can develop through progressive failure, structures and their changes in time and space can be recognized. Furthermore, recognition of the origin of these structures can help in avoiding misinterpretations of regional geology. This also suggests the importance of integrating different slope movement classifications based on distribution and pattern of deformation and the application of structural geology techniques. A structural geology approach in the landslide community is a tool that can greatly support the hazard quantification and related risks, because most of the physical parameters, which are used for landslide modeling, are derived from geotechnical tests or the emerging geophysical approaches.

Possibility of heliotropical response from inclination of columnar stromatolites, Socheong island, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

KONG, Dal Yong; LEE, Seong Joo; Golubic, Stjepko

2014-05-01

Socheong island is a unique island containing Precambrian stromatolites in South Korea. Most of Socheong stromatolites are domes and columns, occurring as 10 cm to 1 meter thick stromatolite beds. Lower parts of stromatolite beds are predominantly composed of domal stromatolites, while columns increase toward the upper level of stromatolite beds. In many of stromatolite beds, inclined columns are easily identifiable, which is generally considered as a result of heliotropism. From general lithology, sedimentary structures, inclined angles and distributional pattern, and structural deformation of sedimentary rocks of Socheong island, the inclination of Socheong stromatolites could be better interpreted as a secondary structural deformation probably after formation of stromatolite columns, rather than as a result of heliotropism. However, at this moment, we do not clearly reject heliotropism interpretation for inclined columns of Socheong stromatolites. This is because the original position of stromatolite columns were also lost if structural deformation would have affected throughout the whole sedimentary rocks of Socheong island. [Acknowledgments] This research was financially supported by the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage.

Validity evidence as a key marker of quality of technical skill assessment in OTL-HNS.

PubMed

Labbé, Mathilde; Young, Meredith; Nguyen, Lily H P

2018-01-13

Quality monitoring of assessment practices should be a priority in all residency programs. Validity evidence is one of the main hallmarks of assessment quality and should be collected to support the interpretation and use of assessment data. Our objective was to identify, synthesize, and present the validity evidence reported supporting different technical skill assessment tools in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OTL-HNS). We performed a secondary analysis of data generated through a systematic review of all published tools for assessing technical skills in OTL-HNS (n = 16). For each tool, we coded validity evidence according to the five types of evidence described by the American Educational Research Association's interpretation of Messick's validity framework. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted. All 16 tools included in our analysis were supported by internal structure and relationship to variables validity evidence. Eleven articles presented evidence supporting content. Response process was discussed only in one article, and no study reported on evidence exploring consequences. We present the validity evidence reported for 16 rater-based tools that could be used for work-based assessment of OTL-HNS residents in the operating room. The articles included in our review were consistently deficient in evidence for response process and consequences. Rater-based assessment tools that support high-stakes decisions that impact the learner and programs should include several sources of validity evidence. Thus, use of any assessment should be done with careful consideration of the context-specific validity evidence supporting score interpretation, and we encourage deliberate continual assessment quality-monitoring. NA. Laryngoscope, 2018. © 2018 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

The shallow structure of Solfatara Volcano, Italy, revealed by dense, wide-aperture seismic profiling.

PubMed

Bruno, Pier Paolo G; Maraio, Stefano; Festa, Gaetano

2017-12-12

Two active-source, high-resolution seismic profiles were acquired in the Solfatara tuff cone in May and November 2014, with dense, wide-aperture arrays. Common Receiver Surface processing was crucial in improving signal-to-noise ratio and reflector continuity. These surveys provide, for the first time, high-resolution seismic images of the Solfatara crater, depicting a ~400 m deep asymmetrical crater filled by volcanoclastic sediments and rocks and carved within an overall non-reflective pre-eruptive basement showing features consistent with the emplacement of shallow intrusive bodies. Seismic reflection data were interpreted using the trace complex attributes and clearly display several steep and segmented collapse faults, generally having normal kinematics and dipping toward the crater centre. Fault/fracture planes are imaged as sudden amplitude drops that generate narrow low-similarity and high-dip attributes. Uprising fluids degassed by a magmatic source are the most probable cause of the small-scale amplitude reduction. Seismic data also support the interpretation of the shallow structure of the Solfatara crater as a maar. Our results provides a solid framework to constrain the near-surface geological interpretation of such a complex area, which improves our understanding of the temporal changes of the structure in relation with other geophysical and geochemical measurements.

Treatment of metaphor interpretation deficits subsequent to traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Brownell, Hiram; Lundgren, Kristine; Cayer-Meade, Carol; Milione, Janet; Katz, Douglas I; Kearns, Kevin

2013-01-01

To improve oral interpretation of metaphors by patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Both single subject experimental design and group analysis. Patients' homes. Eight adult patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury sustained 3 to 20 years before testing. The Metaphor Training Program consisted typically of 10 baseline sessions, 3 to 9 1-hour sessions of structured intervention, and 10 posttraining baseline sessions. Training used extensive practice with simple graphic displays to illustrate semantic associations. Quality of orally produced metaphor interpretation and accuracy of line orientation judgments served as dependent measures obtained during baseline, training, posttraining, and at a 3- to 4-month follow-up. Untrained line orientation judgments provided a control measure. Group data showed significant improvement in metaphor interpretation but not in line orientation. Six of 8 patients individually demonstrated significant improvement in metaphor interpretation. Gains persisted for 3 of the 6 patients at the 3- to 4-month follow-up. The Metaphor Training Program can improve cognitive-communication performance for individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Results support the potential for treating patients' residual cognitive-linguistic deficits.

The Ufa indenter: stratigraphic and geophysic evidences for an actual indentation of the Southern Urals by the East European craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefort, Jean-Pierre; Danukalova, Guzel

2014-07-01

Study of the altitudes of the lowest part of the Upper Cretaceous-Eocene and Aktschagylian-Quaternary stratigraphic ensembles known on the western slope of the Southern Urals evidences the existence of an East-West elongated dome which follows the N53° latitude. This ridge is superimposed at depth with the remnants of the Sernovodsk-Abdulino Aulacogen and with the Belaya tear fault, which support the existence of a recent rejuvenation of these old structures. North of these disruptions the Southern Urals display a clear bent towards the East. Detailed microstructural studies show that this curvature is associated with a typical stress pattern which suggests the existence of an indentation of the fold belt by the East European craton. The hypothesis of an Ufa indenter is not supported by an equivalent East-West deep fault north of the bend. However, a long N100° magnetic anomaly, interpreted as a shear zone, suggests that the indenter is a reality. Quaternary uplift and crustal thickening at its front as well as seismological data support our interpretation. It is not stressed that the curvature of the Urals observed at 56° latitude results solely from this recent indentation. It is only assumed that the actual indentation is rejuvenating a former unevenness which existed before in the East European craton. Study of the inner part of the indenter shows that this type of structure is not necessarily rigid and undeformed. Some of the structures described on the URSEIS deep seismic line could be much younger than previously expected.

The future of crystallography in drug discovery

PubMed Central

Zheng, Heping; Hou, Jing; Zimmerman, Matthew D; Wlodawer, Alexander; Minor, Wladek

2014-01-01

Introduction X-ray crystallography plays an important role in structure-based drug design (SBDD), and accurate analysis of crystal structures of target macromolecules and macromolecule–ligand complexes is critical at all stages. However, whereas there has been significant progress in improving methods of structural biology, particularly in X-ray crystallography, corresponding progress in the development of computational methods (such as in silico high-throughput screening) is still on the horizon. Crystal structures can be overinterpreted and thus bias hypotheses and follow-up experiments. As in any experimental science, the models of macromolecular structures derived from X-ray diffraction data have their limitations, which need to be critically evaluated and well understood for structure-based drug discovery. Areas covered This review describes how the validity, accuracy and precision of a protein or nucleic acid structure determined by X-ray crystallography can be evaluated from three different perspectives: i) the nature of the diffraction experiment; ii) the interpretation of an electron density map; and iii) the interpretation of the structural model in terms of function and mechanism. The strategies to optimally exploit a macromolecular structure are also discussed in the context of ‘Big Data’ analysis, biochemical experimental design and structure-based drug discovery. Expert opinion Although X-ray crystallography is one of the most detailed ‘microscopes’ available today for examining macromolecular structures, the authors would like to re-emphasize that such structures are only simplified models of the target macromolecules. The authors also wish to reinforce the idea that a structure should not be thought of as a set of precise coordinates but rather as a framework for generating hypotheses to be explored. Numerous biochemical and biophysical experiments, including new diffraction experiments, can and should be performed to verify or falsify these hypotheses. X-ray crystallography will find its future application in drug discovery by the development of specific tools that would allow realistic interpretation of the outcome coordinates and/or support testing of these hypotheses. PMID:24372145

A decision support system and rule-based algorithm to augment the human interpretation of the 12-lead electrocardiogram.

PubMed

Cairns, Andrew W; Bond, Raymond R; Finlay, Dewar D; Guldenring, Daniel; Badilini, Fabio; Libretti, Guido; Peace, Aaron J; Leslie, Stephen J

The 12-lead Electrocardiogram (ECG) has been used to detect cardiac abnormalities in the same format for more than 70years. However, due to the complex nature of 12-lead ECG interpretation, there is a significant cognitive workload required from the interpreter. This complexity in ECG interpretation often leads to errors in diagnosis and subsequent treatment. We have previously reported on the development of an ECG interpretation support system designed to augment the human interpretation process. This computerised decision support system has been named 'Interactive Progressive based Interpretation' (IPI). In this study, a decision support algorithm was built into the IPI system to suggest potential diagnoses based on the interpreter's annotations of the 12-lead ECG. We hypothesise semi-automatic interpretation using a digital assistant can be an optimal man-machine model for ECG interpretation. To improve interpretation accuracy and reduce missed co-abnormalities. The Differential Diagnoses Algorithm (DDA) was developed using web technologies where diagnostic ECG criteria are defined in an open storage format, Javascript Object Notation (JSON), which is queried using a rule-based reasoning algorithm to suggest diagnoses. To test our hypothesis, a counterbalanced trial was designed where subjects interpreted ECGs using the conventional approach and using the IPI+DDA approach. A total of 375 interpretations were collected. The IPI+DDA approach was shown to improve diagnostic accuracy by 8.7% (although not statistically significant, p-value=0.1852), the IPI+DDA suggested the correct interpretation more often than the human interpreter in 7/10 cases (varying statistical significance). Human interpretation accuracy increased to 70% when seven suggestions were generated. Although results were not found to be statistically significant, we found; 1) our decision support tool increased the number of correct interpretations, 2) the DDA algorithm suggested the correct interpretation more often than humans, and 3) as many as 7 computerised diagnostic suggestions augmented human decision making in ECG interpretation. Statistical significance may be achieved by expanding sample size. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Small-scale structural heterogeneity and well-communication problems in the Granny Creek oil field of West Virginia

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

Zheng, L.; Wilson, T.H.; Shumaker, R.C.

1993-08-01

Seismic interpretations of the Granny Creek oil field in West Virginia suggest the presence of numerous small-scale fracture zones and faults. Seismic disruptions interpreted as faults and/or fracture zones are represented by abrupt reflection offsets, local amplitude reductions, and waveform changes. These features are enhanced through reprocessing, and the majority of the improvements to the data result from the surface consistent application of zero-phase deconvolution. Reprocessing yields a 20% improvement of resolution. Seismic interpretations of these features as small faults and fracture zones are supported by nearby offset vertical seismic profiles and by their proximity to wells between which directmore » communication occurs during waterflooding. Four sets of faults are interpreted based on subsurface and seismic data. Direct interwell communication is interpreted to be associated only with a northeast-trending set of faults, which are believed to have detached structural origins. Subsequent reactivation of deeper basement faults may have opened fractures along this trend. These faults have a limited effect on primary production, but cause many well-communication problems and reduce secondary production. Seismic detection of these zones is important to the economic and effective design of secondary recovery operations, because direct well communication often results in significant reduction of sweep efficiency during waterflooding. Prior information about the location of these zones would allow secondary recovery operations to avoid potential problem areas and increase oil recovery.« less

Fungal colonization of an Ordovician impact-induced hydrothermal system

PubMed Central

Ivarsson, Magnus; Broman, Curt; Sturkell, Erik; Ormö, Jens; Siljeström, Sandra; van Zuilen, Mark; Bengtson, Stefan

2013-01-01

Impacts are common geologic features on the terrestrial planets throughout the solar system, and on at least Earth and Mars impacts have induced hydrothermal convection. Impact-generated hydrothermal systems have been suggested to possess the same life supporting capability as hydrothermal systems associated with volcanic activity. However, evidence of fossil microbial colonization in impact-generated hydrothermal systems is scarce in the literature. Here we report of fossilized microorganisms in association with cavity-grown hydrothermal minerals from the 458 Ma Lockne impact structure, Sweden. Based on morphological characteristics the fossilized microorganisms are interpreted as fungi. We further infer the kerogenization of the microfossils, and thus the life span of the fungi, to be contemporaneous with the hydrothermal activity and migration of hydrocarbons in the system. Our results from the Lockne impact structure show that hydrothermal systems associated with impact structures can support colonization by microbial life. PMID:24336641

Fungal colonization of an Ordovician impact-induced hydrothermal system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivarsson, Magnus; Broman, Curt; Sturkell, Erik; Ormö, Jens; Siljeström, Sandra; van Zuilen, Mark; Bengtson, Stefan

2013-12-01

Impacts are common geologic features on the terrestrial planets throughout the solar system, and on at least Earth and Mars impacts have induced hydrothermal convection. Impact-generated hydrothermal systems have been suggested to possess the same life supporting capability as hydrothermal systems associated with volcanic activity. However, evidence of fossil microbial colonization in impact-generated hydrothermal systems is scarce in the literature. Here we report of fossilized microorganisms in association with cavity-grown hydrothermal minerals from the 458 Ma Lockne impact structure, Sweden. Based on morphological characteristics the fossilized microorganisms are interpreted as fungi. We further infer the kerogenization of the microfossils, and thus the life span of the fungi, to be contemporaneous with the hydrothermal activity and migration of hydrocarbons in the system. Our results from the Lockne impact structure show that hydrothermal systems associated with impact structures can support colonization by microbial life.

Fungal colonization of an Ordovician impact-induced hydrothermal system.

PubMed

Ivarsson, Magnus; Broman, Curt; Sturkell, Erik; Ormö, Jens; Siljeström, Sandra; van Zuilen, Mark; Bengtson, Stefan

2013-12-16

Impacts are common geologic features on the terrestrial planets throughout the solar system, and on at least Earth and Mars impacts have induced hydrothermal convection. Impact-generated hydrothermal systems have been suggested to possess the same life supporting capability as hydrothermal systems associated with volcanic activity. However, evidence of fossil microbial colonization in impact-generated hydrothermal systems is scarce in the literature. Here we report of fossilized microorganisms in association with cavity-grown hydrothermal minerals from the 458 Ma Lockne impact structure, Sweden. Based on morphological characteristics the fossilized microorganisms are interpreted as fungi. We further infer the kerogenization of the microfossils, and thus the life span of the fungi, to be contemporaneous with the hydrothermal activity and migration of hydrocarbons in the system. Our results from the Lockne impact structure show that hydrothermal systems associated with impact structures can support colonization by microbial life.

Validation of Arabic and English versions of the ARSMA-II Acculturation Rating Scale.

PubMed

Jadalla, Ahlam; Lee, Jerry

2015-02-01

To translate and adapt the Acculturation Rating Scale of Mexican-Americans II (ARSMA-II) for Arab Americans. A multistage translation process followed by a pilot and a large study. The translated and adapted versions, Acculturation Rating Scale for Arabic Americans-II Arabic and English (ARSAA-IIA, ARSAA-IIE), were validated in a sample of 297 Arab Americans. Factor analyses with principal axis factoring extractions and direct oblimin rotations were used to identify the underlying structure of ARSAA-II. Factor analysis confirmed the underlying structure of ARSAA-II and produced two interpretable factors labeled as 'Attraction to American Culture' (AAmC) and 'Attraction to Arabic Culture' (AArC). The Cronbach's alphas of AAmC and AArC were .89 and .85 respectively. Findings support ARSAA-II A & E to assess acculturation among Arab Americans. The emergent factors of ARSAA-II support the theoretical structure of the original ARSMA-II tool and show high internal consistency.

Factorial invariance of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms across three veteran samples.

PubMed

McDonald, Scott D; Beckham, Jean C; Morey, Rajendra; Marx, Christine; Tupler, Larry A; Calhoun, Patrick S

2008-06-01

Research generally supports a 4-factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. However, few studies have established factor invariance by comparing multiple groups. This study examined PTSD symptom structure using the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS) across three veteran samples: treatment-seeking Vietnam-era veterans, treatment-seeking post-Vietnam-era veterans, and Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veteran research participants. Confirmatory factor analyses of DTS items demonstrated that a 4-factor structural model of the DTS (reexperiencing, avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal) was superior to five alternate models, including the conventional 3-factor model proposed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Results supported factor invariance across the three veteran cohorts, suggesting that cross-group comparisons are interpretable. Implications and applications for DSM-IV nosology and the validity of symptom measures are discussed.

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

Howard, T. A.; DeForest, C. E., E-mail: howard@boulder.swri.edu

We present a data-driven narrative of the launch and early evolution of the magnetic structure that gave rise to the coronal mass ejection (CME) on 2008 December 12. The structure formed on December 7 and launched early on December 12. We interpret this structure as a flux rope based on prelaunch morphology, postlaunch magnetic measurements, and the lack of large-scale magnetic reconnection signatures at launch. We ascribe three separate onset mechanisms to the complete disconnection of the flux rope from the Sun. It took 19 hr for the flux rope to be fully removed from the Sun, by which timemore » the segment that first disconnected was around 40 R {sub ☉} away. This implies that the original flux rope was stretched or broken; we provide evidence for a possible bisection. A transient dark arcade was observed on the Sun that was later obscured by a bright arcade, which we interpret as the strapping field stretching and magnetically reconnecting as it disconnected from the coronal field. We identify three separate structures in coronagraph images to be manifestations of the same original flux rope, and we describe the implications for CME interpretation. We cite the rotation in the central flux rope vector of the magnetic clouds observed in situ by ACE/Wind and STEREO-B as evidence of the kink instability of the eastern segment of the flux rope. Finally, we discuss possible alternative narratives, including multiple prelaunch magnetic structures and the nonflux rope scenario. Our results support the view that, in at least some CMEs, flux rope formation occurs before launch.« less

Documenting the information content of images.

PubMed Central

Bidgood, W. D.

1997-01-01

A standards-based message and terminology architecture has been specified to enable large-scale open and non-proprietary interchange of imaging-procedure descriptions and image-interpretation reports providing semantically-rich linkage of linguistic and non-linguistic information. The DICOM Structured Reporting Supplement, now available for trial use, embodies this interdependent message/terminology architecture. A DICOM structured report object is a self-describing information structure that can be tailored to support diverse clinical observation reporting applications by utilization of templates and context-dependent terminology from an external message/terminology mapping resource such as the SNOMED DICOM Microglossary (SDM), HL7 Vocabulary, or Terminology Resource for Message Standards (TeRMS). PMID:9357661

Expedient range enhanced 3-D robot colour vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarvis, R. A.

1983-01-01

Computer vision has been chosen, in many cases, as offering the richest form of sensory information which can be utilized for guiding robotic manipulation. The present investigation is concerned with the problem of three-dimensional (3D) visual interpretation of colored objects in support of robotic manipulation of those objects with a minimum of semantic guidance. The scene 'interpretations' are aimed at providing basic parameters to guide robotic manipulation rather than to provide humans with a detailed description of what the scene 'means'. Attention is given to overall system configuration, hue transforms, a connectivity analysis, plan/elevation segmentations, range scanners, elevation/range segmentation, higher level structure, eye in hand research, and aspects of array and video stream processing.

Working memory, long-term memory, and medial temporal lobe function

PubMed Central

Jeneson, Annette; Squire, Larry R.

2012-01-01

Early studies of memory-impaired patients with medial temporal lobe (MTL) damage led to the view that the hippocampus and related MTL structures are involved in the formation of long-term memory and that immediate memory and working memory are independent of these structures. This traditional idea has recently been revisited. Impaired performance in patients with MTL lesions on tasks with short retention intervals, or no retention interval, and neuroimaging findings with similar tasks have been interpreted to mean that the MTL is sometimes needed for working memory and possibly even for visual perception itself. We present a reappraisal of this interpretation. Our main conclusion is that, if the material to be learned exceeds working memory capacity, if the material is difficult to rehearse, or if attention is diverted, performance depends on long-term memory even when the retention interval is brief. This fundamental notion is better captured by the terms subspan memory and supraspan memory than by the terms short-term memory and long-term memory. We propose methods for determining when performance on short-delay tasks must depend on long-term (supraspan) memory and suggest that MTL lesions impair performance only when immediate memory and working memory are insufficient to support performance. In neuroimaging studies, MTL activity during encoding is influenced by the memory load and correlates positively with long-term retention of the material that was presented. The most parsimonious and consistent interpretation of all the data is that subspan memoranda are supported by immediate memory and working memory and are independent of the MTL. PMID:22180053

Analysis of stress-strain state of support ring of vertical steel tank RVS-20000

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chepur, P. V.; Tarasenko, A. A.; Gruchenkova, A. A.

2018-05-01

The refined finite element model of the joint of a fixed roof with a support ring for a large-size vertical steel tank RVS-20000 is executed. It considers the real geometry of metal shell plates - in accordance with the TP-704-1-60 design, geometric and physical nonlinearity, and features of the non-axisymmetric design loading scheme of the structure. Dependences of the SSS parameters of the support joint design on the size of the subsidence zone of the outer contour of the RVS-20000 bottom are obtained. It is established that at the value of subsidence zone coefficient n ≤ 1, a region of critical values occurs, exceeding which leads to the appearance of unacceptable plastic deformations of metal structures. The authors performed interpretation of the postprocessing of the finite element analysis, as a result of which the dependences of the parameters of the stress-strain state on the value of the zone of warping were obtained. The graphs of the dependence of the values of strains and stresses of the metal structure of the support ring on the size of the subsidence zone along the arc of the outer contour of the bottom are presented.

Utilizing potential field data to support delineation of groundwater aquifers in the southern Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elawadi, Eslam; Mogren, Saad; Ibrahim, Elkhedr; Batayneh, Awni; Al-Bassam, Abdulaziz

2012-06-01

In this paper potential field data are interpreted to map the undulation of the basement surface, which represents the bottom of the water bearing zones, and to delineate the tectonic framework that controls the groundwater flow and accumulation in the southern Red Sea coastal area of Saudi Arabia. The interpretation reveals that the dominant structural trend is a NW (Red Sea) trend that resulted in a series of faulted tilted blocks. These tilted blocks are dissected by another cross-cut NE trend which shapes and forms a series of fault-bounded small basins. These basins and the bounded structural trends control and shape the flow direction of the groundwater in the study area, i.e. they act as groundwater conduits. Furthermore, the present results indicate that volcanic intrusions are present as subsurface flows, which hinder the groundwater exploration and drilling activities in most of the area; in some localities these volcanic flows crop out at the surface and cover the groundwater bearing formations. Furthermore, the gravity and magnetic data interpretation indicates the possible existence of a large structural basin occupying the southeastern side of the study area. This basin is bounded with NW and NE trending faults and is expected to be a good host for groundwater aquifers; thus it is a promising site for hydrogeological investigation.

Tectonic evolution and extension at the Møre Margin - Offshore mid-Norway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theissen-Krah, S.; Zastrozhnov, D.; Abdelmalak, M. M.; Schmid, D. W.; Faleide, J. I.; Gernigon, L.

2017-11-01

Lithospheric stretching is the key process in forming extensional sedimentary basins at passive rifted margins. This study explores the stretching factors, resulting extension, and structural evolution of the Møre segment on the Mid-Norwegian continental margin. Based on the interpretation of new and reprocessed high-quality seismic, we present updated structural maps of the Møre margin that show very thick post-rift sediments in the central Møre Basin and extensive sill intrusion into the Cretaceous sediments. A major shift in subsidence and deposition occurred during mid-Cretaceous. One transect across the Møre continental margin from the Slørebotn Subbasin to the continent-ocean boundary is reconstructed using the basin modelling software TecMod. We test different initial crustal configurations and rifting events and compare our structural reconstruction results to stretching factors derived both from crustal thinning and the classical backstripping/decompaction approach. Seismic interpretation in combination with structural reconstruction modelling does not support the lower crustal bodies as exhumed and serpentinised mantle. Our extension estimate along this transect is 188 ± 28 km for initial crustal thickness varying between 30 and 40 km.

The Effect of Water and Confinement on Self-Assembly of Imidazolium Based Ionic Liquids at Mica Interfaces

PubMed Central

Cheng, H.-W.; Dienemann, J.-N.; Stock, P.; Merola, C.; Chen, Y.-J.; Valtiner, M.

2016-01-01

Tuning chemical structure and molecular layering of ionic liquids (IL) at solid interfaces offers leverage to tailor performance of ILs in applications such as super-capacitors, catalysis or lubrication. Recent experimental interpretations suggest that ILs containing cations with long hydrophobic tails form well-ordered bilayers at interfaces. Here we demonstrate that interfacial bilayer formation is not an intrinsic quality of hydrophobic ILs. In contrast, bilayer formation is triggered by boundary conditions including confinement, surface charging and humidity present in the IL. Therefore, we performed force versus distance profiles using atomic force microscopy and the surface forces apparatus. Our results support models of disperse low-density bilayer formation in confined situations, at high surface charging and/or in the presence of water. Conversely, interfacial structuring of long-chain ILs in dry environments and at low surface charging is disordered and dominated by bulk structuring. Our results demonstrate that boundary conditions such as charging, confinement and doping by impurities have decisive influence on structure formation of ILs at interfaces. As such, these results have important implications for understanding the behavior of solid/IL interfaces as they significantly extend previous interpretations. PMID:27452615

The Effect of Water and Confinement on Self-Assembly of Imidazolium Based Ionic Liquids at Mica Interfaces.

PubMed

Cheng, H-W; Dienemann, J-N; Stock, P; Merola, C; Chen, Y-J; Valtiner, M

2016-07-25

Tuning chemical structure and molecular layering of ionic liquids (IL) at solid interfaces offers leverage to tailor performance of ILs in applications such as super-capacitors, catalysis or lubrication. Recent experimental interpretations suggest that ILs containing cations with long hydrophobic tails form well-ordered bilayers at interfaces. Here we demonstrate that interfacial bilayer formation is not an intrinsic quality of hydrophobic ILs. In contrast, bilayer formation is triggered by boundary conditions including confinement, surface charging and humidity present in the IL. Therefore, we performed force versus distance profiles using atomic force microscopy and the surface forces apparatus. Our results support models of disperse low-density bilayer formation in confined situations, at high surface charging and/or in the presence of water. Conversely, interfacial structuring of long-chain ILs in dry environments and at low surface charging is disordered and dominated by bulk structuring. Our results demonstrate that boundary conditions such as charging, confinement and doping by impurities have decisive influence on structure formation of ILs at interfaces. As such, these results have important implications for understanding the behavior of solid/IL interfaces as they significantly extend previous interpretations.

Physical Concepts and Mathematical Symbols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grelland, Hans Herlof

2007-12-01

According to traditional empiricist philosophy of science, concepts and meaning grow out of sense experience, and the mathematical structure of a physical theory is nothing but a formalisation of a given meaning-content. This view seems to work well in classical mechanics. But it breaks down in quantum physics, where we have a self-supported mathematical structure which resists any conceptual or pictorial interpretation in the traditional sense. Thus, traditional empiricism is flawed. Quantum physics teaches us that mathematics is a language in itself which extends beyond ordinary language. To understand the meaning of this extended language, we have to explore how new concepts and intuitions grow out of mathematics, not the other way around. The symbolic structure is prior to its meaning. This point of view is called linguistic empiricism, to stress that the connection with experience is still crucial. As cases, I compare the concept of stiffness in classical mechanics and the concept of electron density in quantum mechanics. The last case demonstrates that the wave function has a richer interpretation than the probabilistic one concerning measurement of position.

Topographic attributes as a guide for automated detection or highlighting of geological features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viseur, Sophie; Le Men, Thibaud; Guglielmi, Yves

2015-04-01

Photogrammetry or LIDAR technology combined with photography allow geoscientists to obtain 3D high-resolution numerical representations of outcrops, generally termed as Digital Outcrop Models (DOM). For over a decade, these 3D numerical outcrops serve as support for precise and accurate interpretations of geological features such as fracture traces or plans, strata, facies mapping, etc. These interpretations have the benefit to be directly georeferenced and embedded into the 3D space. They are then easily integrated into GIS or geomodeler softwares for modelling in 3D the subsurface geological structures. However, numerical outcrops generally represent huge data sets that are heavy to manipulate and hence to interpret. This may be particularly tedious as soon as several scales of geological features must be investigated or as geological features are very dense and imbricated. Automated tools for interpreting geological features from DOMs would be then a significant help to process these kinds of data. Such technologies are commonly used for interpreting seismic or medical data. However, it may be noticed that even if many efforts have been devoted to easily and accurately acquire 3D topographic point clouds and photos and to visualize accurate 3D textured DOMs, few attentions have been paid to the development of algorithms for automated detection of the geological structures from DOMs. The automatic detection of objects on numerical data generally assumes that signals or attributes computed from this data allows the recognition of the targeted object boundaries. The first step consists then in defining attributes that highlight the objects or their boundaries. For DOM interpretations, some authors proposed to use differential operators computed on the surface such as normal or curvatures. These methods generally extract polylines corresponding to fracture traces or bed limits. Other approaches rely on the PCA technology to segregate different topographic plans. This approach assume that structural or sedimentary features coincide with topographic surface parts. In this work, several topographic attributes are proposed to highlight geological features on outcrops. Among them, differential operators are used but also combined and processed to display particular topographic shapes. Moreover, two kinds of attributes are used: unsupervised and supervised attributes. The supervised attributes integrate an a priori knowledge about the objects to extract (e.g.: a preferential orientation of fracture surfaces, etc.). This strategy may be compared to the one used for seismic interpretation. Indeed, many seismic attributes have been proposed to highlight geological structures hardly observable due to data noise. The same issue exist with topographic data: plants, erosions, etc. generate noise that make interpretation sometimes hard. The proposed approach has been applied on real case studies to show how it could help the interpretation of geological features. The obtained 'topographic attributes' are shown and discussed.

Biological Databases for Behavioral Neurobiology

PubMed Central

Baker, Erich J.

2014-01-01

Databases are, at their core, abstractions of data and their intentionally derived relationships. They serve as a central organizing metaphor and repository, supporting or augmenting nearly all bioinformatics. Behavioral domains provide a unique stage for contemporary databases, as research in this area spans diverse data types, locations, and data relationships. This chapter provides foundational information on the diversity and prevalence of databases, how data structures support the various needs of behavioral neuroscience analysis and interpretation. The focus is on the classes of databases, data curation, and advanced applications in bioinformatics using examples largely drawn from research efforts in behavioral neuroscience. PMID:23195119

Interactive map communication: pilot study of the visual perceptions and preferences of public health practitioners.

PubMed

Koenig, A; Samarasundera, E; Cheng, T

2011-08-01

To conduct a pilot study into the comprehension and visualisation preferences of geographic information by public health practitioners (PHPs), particularly in the context of interactive, Internet-based atlases. Structured human-computer interaction interviews. Seven academia-based PHPs were interviewed as information service users based on a structured questionnaire to assess their understanding of geographic representations of morbidity data, and identify their visualisation preferences in a geographic information systems environment. Awareness of area-based deprivation indices and the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007 health and disability domain was near-universal. However, novice users of disease maps had difficulties in interpreting data classifications, in understanding supplementary information in the form of box plots and histograms, and in making use of links between interactive tabular and cartographic information. Choices for colour plans when viewing maps showed little agreement between users, although pre-viewing comments showed preferences for red-blue diverging schema. PHPs new to geographic information would benefit from enhanced interpretive support documentation to meet their needs when using Internet-based, interactive public health atlases, which are rarely provided at such sites. Technical, software-related support alone is insufficient. Increased interaction between PHPs and mapmakers would be beneficial to maximise the potential of the current growth in interactive, electronic atlases, and improve geographic information support for public health decision-making and informing the wider public. Copyright © 2011 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal tests of competing factor structures for the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: traits, ephemeral artifacts, and stable response styles.

PubMed

Marsh, Herbert W; Scalas, L Francesca; Nagengast, Benjamin

2010-06-01

Self-esteem, typically measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), is one of the most widely studied constructs in psychology. Nevertheless, there is broad agreement that a simple unidimensional factor model, consistent with the original design and typical application in applied research, does not provide an adequate explanation of RSE responses. However, there is no clear agreement about what alternative model is most appropriate-or even a clear rationale for how to test competing interpretations. Three alternative interpretations exist: (a) 2 substantively important trait factors (positive and negative self-esteem), (b) 1 trait factor and ephemeral method artifacts associated with positively or negatively worded items, or (c) 1 trait factor and stable response-style method factors associated with item wording. We have posited 8 alternative models and structural equation model tests based on longitudinal data (4 waves of data across 8 years with a large, representative sample of adolescents). Longitudinal models provide no support for the unidimensional model, undermine support for the 2-factor model, and clearly refute claims that wording effects are ephemeral, but they provide good support for models positing 1 substantive (self-esteem) factor and response-style method factors that are stable over time. This longitudinal methodological approach has not only resolved these long-standing issues in self-esteem research but also has broad applicability to most psychological assessments based on self-reports with a mix of positively and negatively worded items.

Biomechanical paradigm and interpretation of female pelvic floor conditions before a treatment

PubMed Central

Lucente, Vincent; van Raalte, Heather; Murphy, Miles; Egorov, Vladimir

2017-01-01

Background Further progress in restoring a woman’s health may be possible if a patient with a damaged pelvic floor could undergo medical imaging and biomechanical diagnostic tests. The results of such tests could contribute to the analysis of multiple treatment options and suggest the optimal one for that patient. Aim To develop a new approach for the biomechanical characterization of vaginal conditions, muscles, and connective tissues in the female pelvic floor. Methods Vaginal tactile imaging (VTI) allows biomechanical assessment of the soft tissue along the entire length of the anterior, posterior, and lateral vaginal walls at rest, with manually applied deflection pressures and with muscle contraction, muscle relaxation, and Valsalva maneuver. VTI allows a large body of measurements to evaluate individual variations in tissue elasticity, support defects, as well as pelvic muscle function. Presuming that 1) the female pelvic floor organs are suspended by ligaments against which muscles contract to open or close the outlets and 2) damaged ligaments weaken the support and may reduce the force of muscle contraction, we made an attempt to characterize multiple pelvic floor structures from VTI data. Results All of the 138 women enrolled in the study were successfully examined with the VTI. The study subjects have had normal pelvic support or pelvic organ prolapse (stages I–IV). The average age of this group of subjects was 60±15 years. We transposed a set of 31 VTI parameters into a quantitative characterization of pelvic muscles and ligamentous structures. Interpretation of the acquired VTI data for normal pelvic floor support and prolapse conditions is proposed based on biomechanical assessment of the functional anatomy. Conclusion Vaginal tactile imaging allows biomechanical characterization of female pelvic floor structures and tissues in vivo, which may help to optimize treatment of the diseased conditions such as prolapse, incontinence, atrophy, and some forms of pelvic pain. PMID:28831274

Supporting Parents' Pain Care Involvement With Their Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Qualitative Interpretive Description.

PubMed

Bettle, Amanda; Latimer, Margot; Fernandez, Conrad; Hughes, Jean

Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia experience pain from the disease, treatment, and procedures. Parents can be effective in managing their child's pain, but little is systematically known about how they do this. Appreciative inquiry was used to frame the study within a strengths-based lens and interpretive descriptive methods were used to describe pain sources, parents' pain care role, and key structures supporting parents pain care involvement. Eight paediatric oncology clinic nurses and 10 parents participated. Six key themes per group were identified. Parent themes included establishing therapeutic relationships, relearning how to care for my child, overcoming challenges and recognizing pain, learning parent specific strategies, empowering to take active pain care role, and maintaining relationships. Nurse themes included establishing therapeutic relationships, preparing parents to care for their child, facilitating pain assessment, teaching parents best pain care, empowering parents, and maintaining relationships. These findings can be used to guide clinical practice and future research.

Integrating Reflection Seismic, Gravity and Magnetic Data to Reveal the Structure of Crystalline Basement: Implications for Understanding Rift Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenhart, Antje; Jackson, Christopher A.-L.; Bell, Rebecca E.; Duffy, Oliver B.; Fossen, Haakon; Gawthorpe, Robert L.

2016-04-01

Numerous rifts form above crystalline basement containing pervasive faults and shear zones. However, the compositional and mechanical heterogeneity within crystalline basement and the geometry and kinematics of discrete and pervasive basement fabrics are poorly understood. Furthermore, the interpretation of intra-crustal structures beneath sedimentary basins is often complicated by limitations in the depth of conventional seismic imaging, the commonly acoustically transparent nature of basement, limited well penetrations, and complex overprinting of multiple tectonic events. Yet, a detailed knowledge of the structural and lithological complexity of crystalline basement rocks is crucial to improve our understanding of how rifts evolve. Potential field methods are a powerful but perhaps underutilised regional tool that can decrease interpretational uncertainty based solely on seismic reflection data. We use petrophysical data, high-resolution 3D reflection seismic volumes, gridded gravity and magnetic data, and 2D gravity and magnetic modelling to constrain the structure of crystalline basement offshore western Norway. Intra-basement structures are well-imaged on seismic data due to relatively shallow burial of the basement beneath a thin (<3.5 km) sedimentary cover. Variations in basement composition were interpreted from detailed seismic facies analysis and mapping of discrete intra-basement reflections. A variety of data filtering and isolation techniques were applied to the original gravity and magnetic data in order to enhance small-scale field variations, to accentuate formation boundaries and discrete linear trends, and to isolate shallow and deep crustal anomalies. In addition, 2D gravity and magnetic data modelling was used to verify the seismic interpretation and to further constrain the configuration of the upper and lower crust. Our analysis shows that the basement offshore western Norway is predominantly composed of Caledonian allochthonous nappes overlying large-scale anticlines of Proterozoic rocks of the Western Gneiss Region. Major Devonian extensional brittle faults, detachments and shear zones transect those tectono-stratigraphic units. Results from structural analysis of enhanced gravity and magnetic data indicate the presence of distinct intra-basement bodies and structural lineaments at different scales and depth levels which correlate with our seismic data interpretation and can be linked to their onshore counterparts exposed on mainland Norway. 2D forward models of gravity and magnetic data further support our interpretation and quantitatively constrain variations in magnetic and density properties of principal basement units. We conclude that: i) enhanced gravity and magnetic data are a powerful tool to constrain the geometry of individual intra-basement bodies and to detect structural lineaments not imaged in seismic data; ii) insights from this study can be used to evaluate the role of pre-existing basement structures on the evolution of rift basins; and iii) the integration of a range of geophysical datasets is crucial to improve our understanding of the deep subsurface.

Rethinking policy perspectives on childhood stunting: time to formulate a structural and multifactorial strategy.

PubMed

Subramanian, S V; Mejía-Guevara, Iván; Krishna, Aditi

2016-05-01

Stunting and chronic undernutrition among children in South Asia remain a major unresolved global health issue. There are compelling intrinsic and moral reasons to ensure that children attain their optimal growth potential facilitated via promotion of healthy living conditions. Investments in efforts to ensure that children's growth is not faltered also have substantial instrumental benefits in terms of cognitive and economic development. Using the case of India, we critique three prevailing approaches to reducing undernutrition among children: an over-reliance on macroeconomic growth as a potent policy instrument, a disproportionate focus on interpreting undernutrition as a demand-side problem and an over-reliance on unintegrated single-factorial (one at a time) approaches to policy and research. Using existing evidence, we develop a case for support-led policy approach with a focus on integrated and structural factors to addressing the problem of undernutrition among children in India. Key messages Eliminating child undernutrition is important from an intrinsic perspective and offers considerable instrumental benefits to individual and society. Evidence suggests that an exclusive reliance on a growth-mediated strategy to eliminate stunting needs to be reconsidered, suggesting the need for a substantial support-led strategy. Interpreting and addressing undernutrition as a demand-side problem with proximal single-factorial interventions is futile. There is an urgent need to develop interventions that address the broader structural and upstream causes of child undernutrition. © 2016 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Weighted Feature Significance: A Simple, Interpretable Model of Compound Toxicity Based on the Statistical Enrichment of Structural Features

PubMed Central

Huang, Ruili; Southall, Noel; Xia, Menghang; Cho, Ming-Hsuang; Jadhav, Ajit; Nguyen, Dac-Trung; Inglese, James; Tice, Raymond R.; Austin, Christopher P.

2009-01-01

In support of the U.S. Tox21 program, we have developed a simple and chemically intuitive model we call weighted feature significance (WFS) to predict the toxicological activity of compounds, based on the statistical enrichment of structural features in toxic compounds. We trained and tested the model on the following: (1) data from quantitative high–throughput screening cytotoxicity and caspase activation assays conducted at the National Institutes of Health Chemical Genomics Center, (2) data from Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutagenicity assays conducted by the U.S. National Toxicology Program, and (3) hepatotoxicity data published in the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances. Enrichments of structural features in toxic compounds are evaluated for their statistical significance and compiled into a simple additive model of toxicity and then used to score new compounds for potential toxicity. The predictive power of the model for cytotoxicity was validated using an independent set of compounds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tested also at the National Institutes of Health Chemical Genomics Center. We compared the performance of our WFS approach with classical classification methods such as Naive Bayesian clustering and support vector machines. In most test cases, WFS showed similar or slightly better predictive power, especially in the prediction of hepatotoxic compounds, where WFS appeared to have the best performance among the three methods. The new algorithm has the important advantages of simplicity, power, interpretability, and ease of implementation. PMID:19805409

Crystal structure and electronic properties of a thiolate-protected Au24 nanocluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Anindita; Li, Tao; Li, Gao; Nobusada, Katsuyuki; Zeng, Chenjie; Rosi, Nathaniel L.; Jin, Rongchao

2014-05-01

Solving the total structures of gold nanoclusters is of critical importance for understanding their electronic, optical and catalytic properties. Herein, we report the X-ray structure of a charge-neutral Au24(SCH2Ph-tBu)20 nanocluster. This structure features a bi-tetrahedral Au8 kernel protected by four tetrameric staple-like motifs. Electronic structure analysis is further carried out and the optical absorption spectrum is interpreted. The Au24(SCH2Ph-tBu)20, Au23(S-c-C6H11)16 and Au25(SCH2CH2Ph)18 nanoclusters constitute the first crystallographically characterized ``trio''.Solving the total structures of gold nanoclusters is of critical importance for understanding their electronic, optical and catalytic properties. Herein, we report the X-ray structure of a charge-neutral Au24(SCH2Ph-tBu)20 nanocluster. This structure features a bi-tetrahedral Au8 kernel protected by four tetrameric staple-like motifs. Electronic structure analysis is further carried out and the optical absorption spectrum is interpreted. The Au24(SCH2Ph-tBu)20, Au23(S-c-C6H11)16 and Au25(SCH2CH2Ph)18 nanoclusters constitute the first crystallographically characterized ``trio''. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental and supporting Fig. S1-S3. CCDC NUMBER(1000102). For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c4nr01350f

A natural language interface plug-in for cooperative query answering in biological databases.

PubMed

Jamil, Hasan M

2012-06-11

One of the many unique features of biological databases is that the mere existence of a ground data item is not always a precondition for a query response. It may be argued that from a biologist's standpoint, queries are not always best posed using a structured language. By this we mean that approximate and flexible responses to natural language like queries are well suited for this domain. This is partly due to biologists' tendency to seek simpler interfaces and partly due to the fact that questions in biology involve high level concepts that are open to interpretations computed using sophisticated tools. In such highly interpretive environments, rigidly structured databases do not always perform well. In this paper, our goal is to propose a semantic correspondence plug-in to aid natural language query processing over arbitrary biological database schema with an aim to providing cooperative responses to queries tailored to users' interpretations. Natural language interfaces for databases are generally effective when they are tuned to the underlying database schema and its semantics. Therefore, changes in database schema become impossible to support, or a substantial reorganization cost must be absorbed to reflect any change. We leverage developments in natural language parsing, rule languages and ontologies, and data integration technologies to assemble a prototype query processor that is able to transform a natural language query into a semantically equivalent structured query over the database. We allow knowledge rules and their frequent modifications as part of the underlying database schema. The approach we adopt in our plug-in overcomes some of the serious limitations of many contemporary natural language interfaces, including support for schema modifications and independence from underlying database schema. The plug-in introduced in this paper is generic and facilitates connecting user selected natural language interfaces to arbitrary databases using a semantic description of the intended application. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach with a practical example.

The structure of the market for physicians' services.

PubMed Central

McLean, R A

1980-01-01

In this paper, structural equations for the supply of and the demand for general practitioners' services are derived. Two variants of the model, based on alternative specifications of the role of health insurance, are tested, using data drawn from the American Medical Association's Eighth Periodic Survey of Physicians (PSP8). While results of the estimation require the rejection of the hypothesis that the market for general practitioners' service is perfectly competitive, the elasticities of demand implied are quite high. Estimates of the supply relationships support the presence of "backward bending" supplies of physicians' services, but this finding should be interpreted cautiously. PMID:7204064

High-throughput interpretation of gene structure changes in human and nonhuman resequencing data, using ACE

PubMed Central

Majoros, William H.; Campbell, Michael S.; Holt, Carson; DeNardo, Erin K.; Ware, Doreen; Allen, Andrew S.; Yandell, Mark; Reddy, Timothy E.

2017-01-01

Abstract Motivation: The accurate interpretation of genetic variants is critical for characterizing genotype–phenotype associations. Because the effects of genetic variants can depend strongly on their local genomic context, accurate genome annotations are essential. Furthermore, as some variants have the potential to disrupt or alter gene structure, variant interpretation efforts stand to gain from the use of individualized annotations that account for differences in gene structure between individuals or strains. Results: We describe a suite of software tools for identifying possible functional changes in gene structure that may result from sequence variants. ACE (‘Assessing Changes to Exons’) converts phased genotype calls to a collection of explicit haplotype sequences, maps transcript annotations onto them, detects gene-structure changes and their possible repercussions, and identifies several classes of possible loss of function. Novel transcripts predicted by ACE are commonly supported by spliced RNA-seq reads, and can be used to improve read alignment and transcript quantification when an individual-specific genome sequence is available. Using publicly available RNA-seq data, we show that ACE predictions confirm earlier results regarding the quantitative effects of nonsense-mediated decay, and we show that predicted loss-of-function events are highly concordant with patterns of intolerance to mutations across the human population. ACE can be readily applied to diverse species including animals and plants, making it a broadly useful tool for use in eukaryotic population-based resequencing projects, particularly for assessing the joint impact of all variants at a locus. Availability and Implementation: ACE is written in open-source C ++ and Perl and is available from geneprediction.org/ACE Contact: myandell@genetics.utah.edu or tim.reddy@duke.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary information is available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:28011790

High-throughput interpretation of gene structure changes in human and nonhuman resequencing data, using ACE.

PubMed

Majoros, William H; Campbell, Michael S; Holt, Carson; DeNardo, Erin K; Ware, Doreen; Allen, Andrew S; Yandell, Mark; Reddy, Timothy E

2017-05-15

The accurate interpretation of genetic variants is critical for characterizing genotype-phenotype associations. Because the effects of genetic variants can depend strongly on their local genomic context, accurate genome annotations are essential. Furthermore, as some variants have the potential to disrupt or alter gene structure, variant interpretation efforts stand to gain from the use of individualized annotations that account for differences in gene structure between individuals or strains. We describe a suite of software tools for identifying possible functional changes in gene structure that may result from sequence variants. ACE ('Assessing Changes to Exons') converts phased genotype calls to a collection of explicit haplotype sequences, maps transcript annotations onto them, detects gene-structure changes and their possible repercussions, and identifies several classes of possible loss of function. Novel transcripts predicted by ACE are commonly supported by spliced RNA-seq reads, and can be used to improve read alignment and transcript quantification when an individual-specific genome sequence is available. Using publicly available RNA-seq data, we show that ACE predictions confirm earlier results regarding the quantitative effects of nonsense-mediated decay, and we show that predicted loss-of-function events are highly concordant with patterns of intolerance to mutations across the human population. ACE can be readily applied to diverse species including animals and plants, making it a broadly useful tool for use in eukaryotic population-based resequencing projects, particularly for assessing the joint impact of all variants at a locus. ACE is written in open-source C ++ and Perl and is available from geneprediction.org/ACE. myandell@genetics.utah.edu or tim.reddy@duke.edu. Supplementary information is available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Electronic and magnetic structure of ultra-thin Ni films grown on W(110)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calloni, A.; Bussetti, G.; Berti, G.; Yivlialin, R.; Camera, A.; Finazzi, M.; Duò, L.; Ciccacci, F.

2016-12-01

We studied the electronic structure of thin Ni films grown on a W(110) single crystal, as a function of the Ni thickness, by means of angle-resolved photoemission and inverse photoemission spectroscopy, also with spin resolution. The results are discussed in the light of the different stages characterizing the transition from the pseudomorphic bcc to the fully relaxed fcc phase. A clear spin polarization is detected as soon as a bulk-like electronic structure is observed. In these conditions, we characterized the exchange splitting of the occupied bands at the Γbar and Mbar points of the surface Brillouin zone, providing further experimental support to previous interpretations of photoemission spectra from bulk Ni.

Structural model of the San Bernardino basin, California, from analysis of gravity, aeromagnetic, and seismicity data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, M.; Matti, J.; Jachens, R.

2004-01-01

The San Bernardino basin is an area of Quaternary extension between the San Jacinto and San Andreas Fault zones in southern California. New gravity data are combined with aeromagnetic data to produce two- and three-dimensional models of the basin floor. These models are used to identify specific faults that have normal displacements. In addition, aeromagnetic maps of the basin constrain strike-slip offset on many faults. Relocated seismicity, focal mechanisms, and a seismic reflection profile for the basin area support interpretations of the gravity and magnetic anomalies. The shape of the basin revealed by our interpretations is different from past interpretations, broadening its areal extent while confining the deepest parts to an area along the modern San Jacinto fault, west of the city of San Bernardino. Through these geophysical observations and related geologic information, we propose a model for the development of the basin. The San Jacinto fault-related strike-slip displacements started on fault strands in the basin having a stepping geometry thus forming a pull-apart graben, and finally cut through the graben in a simpler, bending geometry. In this model, the San Bernardino strand of the San Andreas Fault has little influence on the formation of the basin. The deep, central part of the basin resembles classic pull-apart structures and our model describes a high level of detail for this structure that can be compared to other pull-apart structures as well as analog and numerical models in order to better understand timing and kinematics of pull-apart basin formation. Copyright 2004 by the American Geophysical Union.

Structural model of the San Bernardino basin, California, from analysis of gravity, aeromagnetic, and seismicity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Megan; Matti, Jonathan; Jachens, Robert

2004-04-01

The San Bernardino basin is an area of Quaternary extension between the San Jacinto and San Andreas Fault zones in southern California. New gravity data are combined with aeromagnetic data to produce two- and three-dimensional models of the basin floor. These models are used to identify specific faults that have normal displacements. In addition, aeromagnetic maps of the basin constrain strike-slip offset on many faults. Relocated seismicity, focal mechanisms, and a seismic reflection profile for the basin area support interpretations of the gravity and magnetic anomalies. The shape of the basin revealed by our interpretations is different from past interpretations, broadening its areal extent while confining the deepest parts to an area along the modern San Jacinto fault, west of the city of San Bernardino. Through these geophysical observations and related geologic information, we propose a model for the development of the basin. The San Jacinto fault-related strike-slip displacements started on fault strands in the basin having a stepping geometry thus forming a pull-apart graben, and finally cut through the graben in a simpler, bending geometry. In this model, the San Bernardino strand of the San Andreas Fault has little influence on the formation of the basin. The deep, central part of the basin resembles classic pull-apart structures and our model describes a high level of detail for this structure that can be compared to other pull-apart structures as well as analog and numerical models in order to better understand timing and kinematics of pull-apart basin formation.

Interpretive repertoires as mirrors on society and as tools for action: reflections on Zeyer and Roth's A mirror of society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milne, Catherine

2009-12-01

I respond to Zeyer and Roth's (Cultural Studies of Science Education, 2009) paper on their use of interpretive repertoire analysis to explicate Swiss middle school students' dialogic responses to environmental issues. I focus on the strategy of interpretive repertoire analysis, making sense of the stance Zeyer and Roth take with this analysis by synthesizing their argument and comparing their analysis with other researchers that have also used this analytic tool. Interpretive repertoires are discourse resources, including mores, tropes, and metaphors that can be evoked by speakers in support of a tenuous claim. So interpretive repertoires have rhetorical character and function. Interpretive repertoire analysis requires looking for patterns in the contradictions in the speech of a collective of participants that can be codified as interpretive repertoires. Interpretive repertoires provide insight into macro-structures that frame, and are used to justify participants' behavior. My response to Zeyer and Roth's argument might also be thought to be contradictory but I think defensible. In this paper, I outline why I am excited by the possibilities I can image for this type of analysis in areas of science education research. However, I also felt the need to identify possible limitations of Zeyer and Roth's exclusive focus on environmental issues to the neglect of other issues, such as those associated with gender, embedded in participants' discourse. I argue that a critical and historical focus, in conjunction with interpretive repertoire analysis, offer a rich strategy for analysis in science education research, especially in the study of macrostructures, such as gender, race, identity and power.

Assessing the suitability of fractional polynomial methods in health services research: a perspective on the categorization epidemic.

PubMed

Williams, Jennifer Stewart

2011-07-01

To show how fractional polynomial methods can usefully replace the practice of arbitrarily categorizing data in epidemiology and health services research. A health service setting is used to illustrate a structured and transparent way of representing non-linear data without arbitrary grouping. When age is a regressor its effects on an outcome will be interpreted differently depending upon the placing of cutpoints or the use of a polynomial transformation. Although it is common practice, categorization comes at a cost. Information is lost, and accuracy and statistical power reduced, leading to spurious statistical interpretation of the data. The fractional polynomial method is widely supported by statistical software programs, and deserves greater attention and use.

Kink-style detachment folding in Bachu fold belt of central Tarim Basin, China: geometry and seismic interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bo, Zhang; Jinjiang, Zhang; Shuyu, Yan; Jiang, Liu; Jinhai, Zhang; Zhongpei, Zhang

2010-05-01

The phenomenon of Kink banding is well known throughout the engineering and geophysical sciences. Associated with layered structures compressed in a layer-parallel direction, it arises for example in stratified geological systems under tectonic compression. Our work documented it is also possible to develop super large-scale kink-bands in sedimentary sequences. We interpret the Bachu fold uplift belt of the central Tarim basin in western China to be composed of detachment folds flanked by megascopic-scale kink-bands. Those previous principal fold models for the Bachu uplift belt incorporated components of large-scale thrust faulting, such as the imbricate fault-related fold model and the high-angle, reverse-faulted detachment fold model. Based on our observations in the outcrops and on the two-dimension seismic profiles, we interpret that first-order structures in the region are kink-band style detachment folds to accommodate regional shortening, and thrust faulting can be a second-order deformation style occurring on the limb of the detachment folds or at the cores of some folds to accommodate the further strain of these folds. The belt mainly consists of detachment folds overlying a ductile decollement layer. The crests of the detachment folds are bounded by large-scale kink-bands, which are zones of angularly folded strata. These low-signal-tonoise, low-reflectivity zones observed on seismic profiles across the Bachu belt are poorly imaged sections, which resulted from steeply dipping bedding in the kink-bands. The substantial width (beyond 200m) of these low-reflectivity zones, their sub-parallel edges in cross section, and their orientations at a high angle to layering between 50 and 60 degrees, as well as their conjugate geometry, support a kink-band interpretation. The kink-band interpretation model is based on the Maximum Effective Moment Criteria for continuous deformation, rather than Mohr-Column Criteria for brittle fracture. Seismic modeling is done to identify the characteristics and natures of seismic waves within the kink-band and its fold structure, which supplies the further evidences for the kink-band interpretation in the region.

The development of a standardised diet history tool to support the diagnosis of food allergy.

PubMed

Skypala, Isabel J; Venter, Carina; Meyer, Rosan; deJong, Nicolette W; Fox, Adam T; Groetch, Marion; Oude Elberink, J N; Sprikkelman, Aline; Diamandi, Louiza; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber J

2015-01-01

The disparity between reported and diagnosed food allergy makes robust diagnosis imperative. The allergy-focussed history is an important starting point, but published literature on its efficacy is sparse. Using a structured approach to connect symptoms, suspected foods and dietary intake, a multi-disciplinary task force of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology developed paediatric and adult diet history tools. Both tools are divided into stages using traffic light labelling (red, amber and green). The red stage requires the practitioner to gather relevant information on symptoms, atopic history, food triggers, foods eaten and nutritional issues. The amber stage facilitates interpretation of the responses to the red-stage questions, thus enabling the practitioner to prepare to move forward. The final green stage provides a summary template and test algorithm to support continuation down the diagnostic pathway. These tools will provide a standardised, practical approach to support food allergy diagnosis, ensuring that all relevant information is captured and interpreted in a robust manner. Future work is required to validate their use in diverse age groups, disease entities and in different countries, in order to account for differences in health care systems, food availability and dietary norms.

Simulation of FRET dyes allows quantitative comparison against experimental data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinartz, Ines; Sinner, Claude; Nettels, Daniel; Stucki-Buchli, Brigitte; Stockmar, Florian; Panek, Pawel T.; Jacob, Christoph R.; Nienhaus, Gerd Ulrich; Schuler, Benjamin; Schug, Alexander

2018-03-01

Fully understanding biomolecular function requires detailed insight into the systems' structural dynamics. Powerful experimental techniques such as single molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) provide access to such dynamic information yet have to be carefully interpreted. Molecular simulations can complement these experiments but typically face limits in accessing slow time scales and large or unstructured systems. Here, we introduce a coarse-grained simulation technique that tackles these challenges. While requiring only few parameters, we maintain full protein flexibility and include all heavy atoms of proteins, linkers, and dyes. We are able to sufficiently reduce computational demands to simulate large or heterogeneous structural dynamics and ensembles on slow time scales found in, e.g., protein folding. The simulations allow for calculating FRET efficiencies which quantitatively agree with experimentally determined values. By providing atomically resolved trajectories, this work supports the planning and microscopic interpretation of experiments. Overall, these results highlight how simulations and experiments can complement each other leading to new insights into biomolecular dynamics and function.

Internal Characteristics of Phobos and Deimos from Spectral Properties and Density: Relationship to Landforms and Comparison with Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murchie, S. L.; Fraeman, A. A.; Arvidson, R. E.; Rivkin, A. S.; Morris, R. V.

2013-01-01

Compositional interpretations of new spectral measurements of Phobos and Deimos from Mars Express/OMEGA and MRO/CRISM and density measurements from encounters by multiple spacecraft support refined estimates of the moons' porosity and internal structure. Phobos' estimated macroporosity of 12-20% is consistent with a fractured but coherent interior; Deimos' estimated macroporosity of 23-44% is more consistent with a loosely consolidated interior. These internal differences are reflected in differences in surface morphology: Phobos exhibits a globally coherent pattern of grooves, whereas Deimos has a surface dominated instead by fragmental debris. Comparison with other asteroids .110 km in diameter shows that this correspondence between landforms and inferred internal structure is part of a pervasive pattern: asteroids interpreted to have coherent interiors exhibit pervasive, organized ridge or groove systems, whereas loosely consolidated asteroids have landforms dominated by fragmental debris and/or retain craters >1.3 body radii in diameter suggesting a porous, compressible interior.

Analysis of Challenges for Management Education in India Using Total Interpretive Structural Modelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahajan, Ritika; Agrawal, Rajat; Sharma, Vinay; Nangia, Vinay

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify challenges for management education in India and explain their nature, significance and interrelations using total interpretive structural modelling (TISM), an innovative version of Warfield's interpretive structural modelling (ISM). Design/methodology/approach: The challenges have been drawn from…

Location of geologic structures from interpretation of ERTS-1 imagery, Carbon County, Wyoming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marrs, R. W.; Barton, R.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Possible geologic structures in the basin sediments of Carbon County and vicinity were located by interpretation of ERTS-1 imagery. These same structures are not evident on existing conventional geologic maps of the area. Subsequent field checks confirmed much of the geologic interpretation, but revealed that two apparent closed structures identified on the ERTS-1 imagery were actually topographic pseudostructures in flat or homoclinal sediments. Stereoscopic coverage (where available) allows the interpreter to avoid such misinterpretations.

Connecting Structure-Property and Structure-Function Relationships across the Disciplines of Chemistry and Biology: Exploring Student Perceptions.

PubMed

Kohn, Kathryn P; Underwood, Sonia M; Cooper, Melanie M

2018-06-01

While many university students take science courses in multiple disciplines, little is known about how they perceive common concepts from different disciplinary perspectives. Structure-property and structure-function relationships have long been considered important explanatory concepts in the disciplines of chemistry and biology, respectively. Fourteen university students concurrently enrolled in introductory chemistry and biology courses were interviewed to explore their perceptions regarding 1) the meaning of structure, properties, and function; 2) the presentation of these concepts in their courses; and 3) how these concepts might be related. Findings suggest that the concepts of structure and properties were interpreted similarly between chemistry and biology, but students more closely associated the discussion of structure-property relationships with their chemistry courses and structure-function with biology. Despite receiving little in the way of instructional support, nine students proposed a coherent conceptual relationship, indicating that structure determines properties, which determine function. Furthermore, students described ways in which they connected and benefited from their understanding. Though many students are prepared to make these connections, we would encourage instructors to engage in cross-disciplinary conversations to understand the shared goals and disciplinary distinctions regarding these important concepts in an effort to better support students unable to construct these connections for themselves.

New Interpretations of the Rayn Anticlines in the Arabian Basin Inferred from Gravity Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AlMogren, S. M.; Mukhopadhyay, M.

2014-12-01

The Ryan Anticlines comprise of a regularly-spaced set of super-giant anticlines oriented NNW, developed due to E-W compression in the Arabian Basin. Most prominent of these being: the Ghawar Anticline, followed by the Summan, Khurais Anticlines and Qatar Arch. Gravity anomaly is largely characteristic for both Ryan Anticlines and its smaller size version the Jinadriah Anticline in the Riyadh Salt Basin. It displays a bipolar gravity field - a zone of gravity high running along the fold axis that is flanked by asymmetric gravity lows. Available structural models commonly infer structural uplift for the median gravity high but ignore the flanking lows. Here we interpret the bipolar gravity anomaly due primarily to such anticline structures, while, the flanking gravity lows are due to greater sediment thickness largely compacted and deformed over the basement depressions. Further complexities are created due to the salt layer and its migration at the lower horizons of sediment strata. Such diagnostic gravity anomaly pattern is taken here as an evidence for basement tectonics due to prevailing crustal dynamics in the Arabian Basin. Density inversion provides details on the subsurface density variation due to the folding and structural configuration for the sediment layers, including the salt layer, affected by basement deformation. This interpretation is largely supported by gravity forward and inversion models given in the present study what is partly constrained by the available seismic, MT and deep resistivity lines and surface geologic mapping. Most of the oil-gas fields in this part of the Arabian Basin are further known for salt diapirism. In this study the gravity interpretation help in identification of salt diapirism directly overlying the basement is firstly given here for Jinadriah Anticline; that is next extended to a regional geologic cross-section traversing the Ryan Anticlines to infer probable subsurface continuation of salt diapirs directly overlying the metamorphosed basement, sediment deformation pattern skirting the anticlines as well as their relationship of faulting to basement tectonics.

Investigating the Surface Structure of γ-Al 2 O 3 Supported WO X Catalysts by High Field 27 Al MAS NMR and Electronic Structure Calculations

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

Wan, Chuan; Hu, Mary Y.; Jaegers, Nicholas R.

The metal-support interaction in γ-Al2O3 supported WOX catalysts is investigated by a combination of high field quantitative single pulse (SP) 27Al MAS NMR spectroscopy, 2D MQMAS, 1H-27Al CP/MAS, and electronic structure calculations. NMR allows the observation of at least seven different Al sites, including a pentahedral Al site, three different tetrahedral Al sites, and three octahedral Al sites. It is found that the penta-coordinated Al (AlP) site density decreases monotonically with an increased WOX loading while the octahedral Al (AlO) site density increases concurrently. This suggests that the Alp sites are the preferred surface anchoring positions for the WOX species.more » Importantly, the AlP site isotropic chemical shift observed for the unsupported γ-Al2O3 at about 38 ppm migrates into the octahedral region with a new isotropic chemical shift value appearing near 7 ppm when the Alp site is anchored by WOX species. Density functional theory (DFT) computational modeling of the NMR parameters on proposed cluster models is carried out to accurately interpret the dramatic chemical shift changes from which the detailed anchoring mechanisms are obtained. It is found that tungsten dimers and monomers are the preferred supported surface species on γ-Al2O3, wherein one monomeric and several dimeric structures are identified as the most likely surface anchoring structures.« less

Structure of single-supported DMPC lipid bilayer membranes as a function of hydration level studied by neutron reflectivity and Atomic Force Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miskowiec, A.; Schnase, P.; Bai, M.; Taub, H.; Hansen, F. Y.; Dubey, M.; Singh, S.; Majewski, J.

2012-02-01

We have recently been investigating the diffusion of water on single-supported DMPC lipid bilayer membranes at different levels of hydration, using high-resolution quasielastic neutron scattering (QNS). To aid in the interpretation of these QNS studies, we have conducted neutron reflectivity (NR) measurements on SPEAR at LANSCE to characterize the structure of similarly prepared samples. Protonated DMPC membranes were deposited onto SiO2-coated Si(100) substrates and characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) at different levels of hydration. We find reasonable agreement between the membrane thickness determined by NR and AFM at room temperature. We also find consistency between the scattering length density (SLD) profile in the vicinity of the upper leaflet of the supported DMPC membrane and that found in a molecular dynamics simulation of a freestanding membrane at 303 K. However, the fit to the reflectivity curve can be improved by modifying the SLD profile near the leaflet closest to the SiO2 surface.

STAR- A SIMPLE TOOL FOR AUTOMATED REASONING SUPPORTING HYBRID APPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (DEC VAX VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borchardt, G. C.

1994-01-01

The Simple Tool for Automated Reasoning program (STAR) is an interactive, interpreted programming language for the development and operation of artificial intelligence (AI) application systems. STAR provides an environment for integrating traditional AI symbolic processing with functions and data structures defined in compiled languages such as C, FORTRAN and PASCAL. This type of integration occurs in a number of AI applications including interpretation of numerical sensor data, construction of intelligent user interfaces to existing compiled software packages, and coupling AI techniques with numerical simulation techniques and control systems software. The STAR language was created as part of an AI project for the evaluation of imaging spectrometer data at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Programming in STAR is similar to other symbolic processing languages such as LISP and CLIP. STAR includes seven primitive data types and associated operations for the manipulation of these structures. A semantic network is used to organize data in STAR, with capabilities for inheritance of values and generation of side effects. The AI knowledge base of STAR can be a simple repository of records or it can be a highly interdependent association of implicit and explicit components. The symbolic processing environment of STAR may be extended by linking the interpreter with functions defined in conventional compiled languages. These external routines interact with STAR through function calls in either direction, and through the exchange of references to data structures. The hybrid knowledge base may thus be accessed and processed in general by either side of the application. STAR is initially used to link externally compiled routines and data structures. It is then invoked to interpret the STAR rules and symbolic structures. In a typical interactive session, the user enters an expression to be evaluated, STAR parses the input, evaluates the expression, performs any file input/output required, and displays the results. The STAR interpreter is written in the C language for interactive execution. It has been implemented on a VAX 11/780 computer operating under VMS, and the UNIX version has been implemented on a Sun Microsystems 2/170 workstation. STAR has a memory requirement of approximately 200K of 8 bit bytes, excluding externally compiled functions and application-dependent symbolic definitions. This program was developed in 1985.

STAR- A SIMPLE TOOL FOR AUTOMATED REASONING SUPPORTING HYBRID APPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (UNIX VERSION)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borchardt, G. C.

1994-01-01

The Simple Tool for Automated Reasoning program (STAR) is an interactive, interpreted programming language for the development and operation of artificial intelligence (AI) application systems. STAR provides an environment for integrating traditional AI symbolic processing with functions and data structures defined in compiled languages such as C, FORTRAN and PASCAL. This type of integration occurs in a number of AI applications including interpretation of numerical sensor data, construction of intelligent user interfaces to existing compiled software packages, and coupling AI techniques with numerical simulation techniques and control systems software. The STAR language was created as part of an AI project for the evaluation of imaging spectrometer data at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Programming in STAR is similar to other symbolic processing languages such as LISP and CLIP. STAR includes seven primitive data types and associated operations for the manipulation of these structures. A semantic network is used to organize data in STAR, with capabilities for inheritance of values and generation of side effects. The AI knowledge base of STAR can be a simple repository of records or it can be a highly interdependent association of implicit and explicit components. The symbolic processing environment of STAR may be extended by linking the interpreter with functions defined in conventional compiled languages. These external routines interact with STAR through function calls in either direction, and through the exchange of references to data structures. The hybrid knowledge base may thus be accessed and processed in general by either side of the application. STAR is initially used to link externally compiled routines and data structures. It is then invoked to interpret the STAR rules and symbolic structures. In a typical interactive session, the user enters an expression to be evaluated, STAR parses the input, evaluates the expression, performs any file input/output required, and displays the results. The STAR interpreter is written in the C language for interactive execution. It has been implemented on a VAX 11/780 computer operating under VMS, and the UNIX version has been implemented on a Sun Microsystems 2/170 workstation. STAR has a memory requirement of approximately 200K of 8 bit bytes, excluding externally compiled functions and application-dependent symbolic definitions. This program was developed in 1985.

A rule based computer aided design system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Premack, T.

1986-01-01

A Computer Aided Design (CAD) system is presented which supports the iterative process of design, the dimensional continuity between mating parts, and the hierarchical structure of the parts in their assembled configuration. Prolog, an interactive logic programming language, is used to represent and interpret the data base. The solid geometry representing the parts is defined in parameterized form using the swept volume method. The system is demonstrated with a design of a spring piston.

Axiomatic Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-01

which, it seems to us, can be naturally interpreted as directly supporting this contention is reported in Hochstein and Shapley (1976a, b ), Levick ...are certainly positive aspects in many of these methodologies and, in particular, in what they are trying to obtain. To b * effective, however, a...statement about control structures Thus if y • A(x); we can say Where (y,x) are INTEGERS, A is a constant FUNCTION; in addition, if 2 « C( b ); we

Behavioral and Organizational Considerations in the Design of Information Systems and Processes for Planning and Decision Support,

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

analysis and display capability provided by management information systems to include interpretation and aggregation of information and values such as...accomplishment of these) 2. analysis of the issue d) systems analysis and modeling (determination of the structure of the decision situation, the...existingltrtie2) Surveying lsata i situation’ alternatives I altraivDsad Is this alternative -" altrnav acceptable? ANALYSIS o NOYES SHave a sufficient

A bridge between cultures: interpreters' perspectives of consultations with migrant oncology patients.

PubMed

Butow, Phyllis N; Lobb, Elizabeth; Jefford, Michael; Goldstein, David; Eisenbruch, Maurice; Girgis, Afaf; King, Madeleine; Sze, Ming; Aldridge, Lynley; Schofield, Penelope

2012-02-01

Migration is increasing worldwide. In previous research into people with cancer from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, interpreter accuracy, professionalism and continuity have emerged as key concerns for patients. Little is known about interpreters' perceptions of their role and the challenges they face. This study aimed to obtain their perspective. Thirty interpreters (Greek n = 7, Chinese n = 11, and Arabic n = 12) participated in four focus groups which were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed for themes using N-Vivo software. Skills as an interpreter were broadly perceived as conveying information accurately, being confidential and impartial. Three broad dilemmas faced by interpreters emerged: accuracy versus understanding; translating only versus cultural advocacy and sensitivity; and professionalism versus providing support. Some saw themselves as merely an accurate conduit of information, while others saw their role in broader terms, encompassing patient advocacy, cultural brokerage and provision of emotional support. Perceived challenges in their role included lack of continuity, managing their own emotions especially after bad news consultations, and managing diverse patient and family expectations. Training and support needs included medical terminology, communication and counselling skills and debriefing. Interpreters suggested that oncologists check on interpreter/patient's language or dialect compatibility; use lay language and short sentences; and speak in the first person. Resolving potential conflicts between information provision and advocacy is an important area of cross-cultural communication research. Further training and support is required to enhance interpreters' competence in managing delicate situations from a professional, cultural and psychological perspective; and to assist doctors to collaborate with interpreters to ensure culturally competent communication. Ultimately, this will improve interpreters' well-being and patient care.

Presence of global and local α-relaxations in an alkyl phosphate glass former

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Tao; Jin, Xiao; Saini, Manoj K.; Liu, Ying Dan; Ngai, K. L.; Wang, Li-Min

2017-10-01

The dynamics of a molecular glass former, tributyl phosphate (TBP), with an alkyl phosphate structure (three alkyl branches emanating from a polar core of PO4) is studied in the supercooled regime by dielectric and thermal (or enthalpic) relaxations. The dielectric fragility index md and the stretching exponent βd of the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts correlation function are determined. Analyses of the enthalpic relaxation data by the Tool-Narayanaswamy-Moynihan-Hodge formalism yield the enthalpic fragility index mH and stretching exponent βH. The large difference between the dielectric md and the enthalpic mH, as well as between βd and βH, is a remarkable finding. The differences are interpreted by the formation of molecular self-assemblies. The interpretation is supported by the quite comparable fragility determined by viscosity and the enthalpic relaxation. The Kirkwood factor calculated at low temperatures is also consistent with the interpretation. The results suggest that the enthalpic relaxation involving the motions of all parts of TBP is global, while the dielectric relaxation detects the local rotation, which might originate from the rotation of the dipole moment of the core. The presence of two structural α-relaxations, one global and one local, with a large difference in dynamics is revealed for the first time in a molecular glass former.

Two analogy strategies: the cases of mind metaphors and introspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, Eugen

2018-04-01

Analogical reasoning is often employed in problem-solving and metaphor interpretation. This paper submits that, as a default, analogical reasoning addressing these different tasks employs different mapping strategies. In problem-solving, it employs analogy-maximising strategies (like structure mapping, Gentner, D., & Markman, A. B. (1997). Structure mapping in analogy and similarity. American Psychologist, 52, 45-56); in metaphor interpretation, analogy-minimising strategies (like ATT-Meta, Barnden, J. A. (2015). Open-ended elaborations in creative metaphor. In T. R. Besold, M. Schorlemmer, & A. Smaill (Eds.), Computational creativity research: Towards creative machines (pp. 217-242). Berlin: Springer). The two strategies interact in analogical reasoning with conceptual metaphors. This interaction leads to predictable fallacies. The paper supports these hypotheses through case-studies on "mind" metaphors from ordinary discourse, and abstract problem-solving in the philosophy of mind, respectively. It shows that (1) default metaphorical interpretations for vision- and space-cognition metaphors can be derived with a variant of the analogy-minimising ATT-Meta approach, (2) philosophically influential introspective conceptions of the mind can be derived with conceptual metaphors only through an analogy-maximising strategy, and (3) the interaction of these strategies leads to hitherto unrecognised fallacies in analogical reasoning with metaphors. This yields a debunking explanation of introspective conceptions.

Probable calcified metaphytes in the latest Proterozoic Nama Group, Namibia: origin, diagenesis, and implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, S. W.; Knoll, A. H.; Germs, G. J.

1991-01-01

Samples from the Huns Limestone Member, Urusis Formation, Nama Group, at two adjacent localities in southern Namibia contain thin foliose to arched, sheet-like carbonate crusts that are 100-500 micrometers thick and up to 5 cm in lateral dimension. Morphologic, petrographic, and geochemical evidence supports the interpretation of these delicate crusts as biogenic, most likely the remains of calcified encrusting metaphytes. The original sediments of the fossiliferous samples contained aragonitic encrusting algae, botryoidal aragonite cements, and an aragonite mud groundmass. Spherulites within the precursor mud could represent bacterially induced mineral growths or the concretions of marine rivularian cyanobacteria. Original textures were severely disrupted during the diagenetic transition of aragonite to low-magnesian calcite, but some primary structures remain discernible as ghosts in the neomorphic mosaic. Gross morphology, original aragonite mineralogy, and hypobasal calcification indicate that the crusts are similar to late Paleozoic phylloid algae and extant peyssonnelid red algae. Structures interpreted as possible conceptacles also suggest possible affinities with the Corallinaceae. Two species of Cloudina, interpreted as the remains of a shelly metazoan, are also known from limestones in the Nama Group. It is possible, therefore, that skeletalization in metaphytes and animals arose nearly simultaneously near the end of the Proterozoic Eon.

Structure and Filling Characteristics of Paleokarst Reservoirs in the Northern Tarim Basin, Revealed by Outcrop, Core and Borehole Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Fei; Lu, Xinbian; Zheng, Songqing; Zhang, Hongfang; Rong, Yuanshuai; Yang, Debin; Liu, Naigui

2017-06-01

The Ordovician paleokarst reservoirs in the Tahe oilfield, with burial depths of over 5300 m, experienced multiple phases of geologic processes and exhibit strong heterogeneity. Core testing can be used to analyse the characteristics of typical points at the centimetre scale, and seismic datasets can reveal the macroscopic outlines of reservoirs at the >10-m scale. However, neither method can identify caves, cave fills and fractures at the meter scale. Guided by outcrop investigations and calibrations based on core sample observations, this paper describes the interpretation of high longitudinal resolution borehole images, the identification of the characteristics of caves, cave fills (sedimentary, breccia and chemical fills) and fractures in single wells, and the identification of structures and fill characteristics at the meter scale in the strongly heterogeneous paleokarst reservoirs. The paleogeomorphology, a major controlling factor in the distribution of paleokarst reservoirs, was also analysed. The results show that one well can penetrate multiple cave layers of various sizes and that the caves are filled with multiple types of fill. The paleogeomorphology can be divided into highlands, slopes and depressions, which controlled the structure and fill characteristics of the paleokarst reservoirs. The results of this study can provide fundamental meter-scale datasets for interpreting detailed geologic features of deeply buried paleocaves, can be used to connect core- and seismic-scale interpretations, and can provide support for the recognition and development of these strongly heterogeneous reservoirs.

Reframing the Interpretation of Sex Worker Health: A Behavioral–Structural Approach

PubMed Central

Tuminez, Astrid S.

2011-01-01

Expanding sexually transmitted infection (STI) epidemics in many parts of Asia increase the importance of effective human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/STI prevention programs for female sex workers. Designing sex worker health research and programs demands a well-stated conceptual approach, especially when one is interpreting the relationship between local policy environments and sex worker health. However, the core principles of the 2 most common conceptual approaches used in sex worker health programs—abolitionism and empowerment—have frequently divergent assumptions and implications. The abolitionist approach sees major aspects of the sex industry as fundamentally coercive and exploitative of women and supports dismantling all or parts of the sex sector. The empowerment approach strengthens sex workers’ agency and rights in order to build collective self-efficacy and have women invested in implementing their own HIV/STI prevention programs. This review compares these approaches using implication analysis and empirical cases from Asia. The misperception of an unresolvable gap between the 2 approaches ignores common ground that forms the basis of a new behavioral–structural conceptual framework. Explicitly accounting for the interaction between female sex worker behaviors and larger structures and policies, a behavioral–structural approach may provide a solid foundation for sex work research and programs. PMID:22043033

Directionality Effects in Simultaneous Language Interpreting: The Case of Sign Language Interpreters in the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Dijk, Rick; Boers, Eveline; Christoffels, Ingrid; Hermans, Daan

2011-01-01

The quality of interpretations produced by sign language interpreters was investigated. Twenty-five experienced interpreters were instructed to interpret narratives from (a) spoken Dutch to Sign Language of the Netherlands (SLN), (b) spoken Dutch to Sign Supported Dutch (SSD), and (c) SLN to spoken Dutch. The quality of the interpreted narratives…

Constraints on interpretations structural trap in 4 dimensions

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

Kelsch, K.D.; Kowalik, W.S.; Kluth, C.F.

1995-04-01

Interpretation of the geometry of the structural hydrocarbon trap continues to be one of the fundamental risks in exploration for, and production of, hydrocarbons. New geometric and computer tools are being developed to improve those interpretations by allowing the incremental restoration of structures in three dimensions. This adds powerful constraints on the structural interpretation because it requires that the interpretation be rational and consistent not only for the structure in the line of one cross section at the present time, but also for all moments during its development in 3 dimensions. It is possible to gather information, such as juxtapositionmore » of different reservoir units through time to evaluate the development of seals or leaks with respect to trap formation and to maturation and migration of hydrocarbons. In addition, software is available to produce interactive 3D images of the data that allow the interpreter to see the 4D restoration as it proceeds, but also to change the viewing orientation. This allows the interpreter to {open_quotes}move{close_quotes} through the restoration and examine areas critical for the interpretation as the restoration proceeds while viewing in 3D. While some of these tools are still under development, we have applied them successfully to model and real data sets.« less

Morphotectonic architecture of the Transantarctic Mountains rift flank between the Royal Society Range and the Churchill Mountains based on geomorphic analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Demyanick, Elizabeth; Wilson, Terry J.

2007-01-01

Extensional forces within the Antarctic Plate have produced the Transantarctic Mountains rift-flank uplift along the West Antarctic rift margin. Large-scale linear morphologic features within the mountains are controlled by bedrock structure and can be recognized and mapped from satellite imagery and digital elevation models (DEMs). This study employed the Antarctic Digital Database DEM to obtain slope steepness and aspect maps of the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) between the Royal Society Range and the Churchill Mountains, allowing definition of the position and orientation of the morphological axis of the rift-flank. The TAM axis, interpreted as a fault-controlled escarpment formed by coast-parallel retreat, provides a marker for the orientation of the faulted boundary between the TAM and the rift system. Changes in position and orientation of the TAM axis suggests the rift flank is segmented into tectonic blocks bounded by relay ramps and transverse accommodation zones. The transverse boundaries coincide with major outlet glaciers, supporting interpretation of rift structures between them. The pronounced morphological change across Byrd Glacier points to control by structures inherited from the Ross orogen.

Factor analysis of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory: structure and validity.

PubMed

Bohac, D L; Malec, J F; Moessner, A M

1997-07-01

Principal-components (PC) factor analysis of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory (MPAI) was conducted using a sample of outpatients (n = 189) with acquired brain injury (ABI) to evaluate whether outcome after ABI is multifactorial or unifactorial in nature. An eight-factor model was derived which explained 64-4% of the total variance. The eight factors were interpreted as representing Activities of Daily Living, Social Initiation, Cognition, Impaired-Self-awareness/Distress, Social Skills/ Support, Independence, Visuoperceptual, and Psychiatric, respectively. Validation of the Cognition factor was supported when factor scores were correlated with various neuropsychological measures. In addition, 117 patient self-rating total scores were used to evaluate the Impaired Self-awareness/Distress factor. An inverse relationship was observed, supporting this factor's ability to capture the two-dimensional phenomena of diminished self-awareness or enhanced emotional distress. A new subscale structure is suggested, that may allow greater clinical utility in understanding how ABI manifests in patients, and may provide clinicians with a better structure for implementing treatment strategies to address specific areas of impairment and disability for specific patients. Additionally, more precise measurement of treatment outcomes may be afforded by this reorganization.

Wrench tectonics in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

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

Ibrahim, M.; Mohamed, A.S.

1995-08-01

Recent studies of the geodynamics and tectonic history of the Arabian plate throughout geologic time have revealed that Wrench forces played an important role in the structural generation and deformation of Petroleum basins and reservoirs of the United Arab Emirates. The tectonic analysis of Abu Dhabi revealed that basin facies evolution were controlled by wrench tectonics, examples are the Pre-Cambrian salt basin, the Permo-Triassic and Jurassic basins. In addition, several sedimentary patterns were strongly influenced by wrench tectonics, the Lower Cretaceous Shuaiba platform margin and associated reservoirs is a good example. Wrench faults, difficult to identify by conventional methods, weremore » examined from a regional perspective and through careful observation and assessment of many factors. Subsurface structural mapping and geoseismic cross-sections supported by outcrop studies and geomorphological features revealed a network of strike slip faults in Abu Dhabi. Structural modelling of these wench forces including the use of strain ellipses was applied both on regional and local scales. This effort has helped in reinterpreting some structural settings, some oil fields were interpreted as En Echelon buckle folds associated with NE/SW dextral wrench faults. Several flower structures were interpreted along NW/SE sinistral wrench faults which have significant hydrocarbon potential. Synthetic and Antithetic strike slip faults and associated fracture systems have played a significant role in field development and reservoir management studies. Four field examples were discussed.« less

New band structures in Neutron-Rich Mo and Ru Isotopes

DOE PAGES

Hamilton, J. H.; Luoa, Y. X.; Zhu, S. J.; ...

2009-01-01

Rotational bands in 110,112Ru and 108Mo have been investigated by means of γ-γ-γ and γ-γ(θ) coincidences of prompt γ rays emitted in the spontaneous fission of 252Cf. New ΔI = 1 negative parity doublet bands are found. These bands in 110,112Ru and 108Mo have all the properties expected for chiral vibrations. Microscopic calculations that combine the TAC meanfield with random phase approximation support this interpretation.

Toxicity Evaluation of Engineered Nanomaterials: Risk Evaluation Tools (Phase 3 Studies)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

report. The second modeling approach was on quantitative structure activity relationships ( QSARs ). A manuscript entitled “Connecting the dots: Towards...expands rapidly. We proposed two types of mechanisms of toxic action supported by the nano- QSAR model , which collectively govern the toxicity of the...interpretative nano- QSAR model describing toxicity of 18 nano-metal oxides to a HaCaT cell line as a model for dermal exposure. In result, by the comparison of

BOREAS TE-22 Allometric Forest Survey Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shugart, H. H.; Nielsen, Eric; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Papagno, Andrea (Editor)

2000-01-01

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmospheric Study (BOREAS) TE-22 (Terrestrial Ecology) team collected data sets in support of its efforts to characterize and interpret information on the forest structure of boreal vegetation in the Southern and Northern Study Areas (SSA and NSA) during the 1994 growing season. The data are stored in tabular ASCII files. The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884), or from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

Improving Interpretation of Cardiac Phenotypes and Enhancing Discovery With Expanded Knowledge in the Gene Ontology

PubMed Central

Roncaglia, Paola; Howe, Douglas G.; Laulederkind, Stanley J.F.; Khodiyar, Varsha K.; Berardini, Tanya Z.; Tweedie, Susan; Foulger, Rebecca E.; Osumi-Sutherland, David; Campbell, Nancy H.; Huntley, Rachael P.; Talmud, Philippa J.; Blake, Judith A.; Breckenridge, Ross; Riley, Paul R.; Lambiase, Pier D.; Elliott, Perry M.; Clapp, Lucie; Tinker, Andrew; Hill, David P.

2018-01-01

Background: A systems biology approach to cardiac physiology requires a comprehensive representation of how coordinated processes operate in the heart, as well as the ability to interpret relevant transcriptomic and proteomic experiments. The Gene Ontology (GO) Consortium provides structured, controlled vocabularies of biological terms that can be used to summarize and analyze functional knowledge for gene products. Methods and Results: In this study, we created a computational resource to facilitate genetic studies of cardiac physiology by integrating literature curation with attention to an improved and expanded ontological representation of heart processes in the Gene Ontology. As a result, the Gene Ontology now contains terms that comprehensively describe the roles of proteins in cardiac muscle cell action potential, electrical coupling, and the transmission of the electrical impulse from the sinoatrial node to the ventricles. Evaluating the effectiveness of this approach to inform data analysis demonstrated that Gene Ontology annotations, analyzed within an expanded ontological context of heart processes, can help to identify candidate genes associated with arrhythmic disease risk loci. Conclusions: We determined that a combination of curation and ontology development for heart-specific genes and processes supports the identification and downstream analysis of genes responsible for the spread of the cardiac action potential through the heart. Annotating these genes and processes in a structured format facilitates data analysis and supports effective retrieval of gene-centric information about cardiac defects. PMID:29440116

Improving Interpretation of Cardiac Phenotypes and Enhancing Discovery With Expanded Knowledge in the Gene Ontology.

PubMed

Lovering, Ruth C; Roncaglia, Paola; Howe, Douglas G; Laulederkind, Stanley J F; Khodiyar, Varsha K; Berardini, Tanya Z; Tweedie, Susan; Foulger, Rebecca E; Osumi-Sutherland, David; Campbell, Nancy H; Huntley, Rachael P; Talmud, Philippa J; Blake, Judith A; Breckenridge, Ross; Riley, Paul R; Lambiase, Pier D; Elliott, Perry M; Clapp, Lucie; Tinker, Andrew; Hill, David P

2018-02-01

A systems biology approach to cardiac physiology requires a comprehensive representation of how coordinated processes operate in the heart, as well as the ability to interpret relevant transcriptomic and proteomic experiments. The Gene Ontology (GO) Consortium provides structured, controlled vocabularies of biological terms that can be used to summarize and analyze functional knowledge for gene products. In this study, we created a computational resource to facilitate genetic studies of cardiac physiology by integrating literature curation with attention to an improved and expanded ontological representation of heart processes in the Gene Ontology. As a result, the Gene Ontology now contains terms that comprehensively describe the roles of proteins in cardiac muscle cell action potential, electrical coupling, and the transmission of the electrical impulse from the sinoatrial node to the ventricles. Evaluating the effectiveness of this approach to inform data analysis demonstrated that Gene Ontology annotations, analyzed within an expanded ontological context of heart processes, can help to identify candidate genes associated with arrhythmic disease risk loci. We determined that a combination of curation and ontology development for heart-specific genes and processes supports the identification and downstream analysis of genes responsible for the spread of the cardiac action potential through the heart. Annotating these genes and processes in a structured format facilitates data analysis and supports effective retrieval of gene-centric information about cardiac defects. © 2018 The Authors.

Structure and Evolution of Insect Sperm: New Interpretations in the Age of Phylogenomics.

PubMed

Dallai, Romano; Gottardo, Marco; Beutel, Rolf Georg

2016-01-01

This comprehensive review of the structure of sperm in all orders of insects evaluates phylogenetic implications, with the background of a phylogeny based on transcriptomes. Sperm characters strongly support several major branches of the phylogeny of insects-for instance, Cercophora, Dicondylia, and Psocodea-and also different infraordinal groups. Some closely related taxa, such as Trichoptera and Lepidoptera (Amphiesmenoptera), differ greatly in sperm structure. Sperm characters are very conservative in some groups (Heteroptera, Odonata) but highly variable in others, including Zoraptera, a small and morphologically uniform group with a tremendously accelerated rate of sperm evolution. Unusual patterns such as sperm dimorphism, the formation of bundles, or aflagellate and immotile sperm have evolved independently in several groups.

Availability, use, and cultivation of support networks as predictors of the well-being of middle-aged and older Chinese: a panel study.

PubMed

Chong, Alice Ming Lin; Cheung, Chau-kiu; Woo, Jean; Kwan, Alex Yui-Huen

2012-01-01

To examine the impact of the availability, use, and cultivation of a support network on the well-being of community-dwelling, middle-aged, and older Chinese. A total of 2,970 Hong Kong Chinese aged 40-74 years were interviewed using a structured questionnaire in 2004. Out of the original group of interviewees, 2,120 (71.4%) were interviewed again in 2005. Structural equation modeling revealed a good fit of the model employing Wave 1 support network data and demographic characteristics to predict Wave 2 well-being. As hypothesized, the availability of important social ties and the cultivation of one's support networks were found to predict well-being one year later, but not the use of support networks to meet emotional, financial, or companion needs after controlling for demographic variables and baseline well-being. Cultivating support networks can be interpreted as positive and active coping. Such cultivation is in line with what socioemotional selectivity theory predicts; specifically, when people age, they become more selective and concentrate on strengthening their relationship with those they are emotionally close to. We argue that network cultivation deserves more attention in theory, practice, and research to strengthen the resilience and adaptability of individuals approaching and experiencing old age.

Culture, role conflict and caregiver stress: The lived experiences of family cancer caregivers in Nairobi.

PubMed

Githaiga, Jennifer Nyawira

2017-10-01

This article explores the experiences of a small group of Nairobi women caring for a family cancer patient at home. On the basis of literature on women as caregivers in Africa, and on other literature more broadly, it was anticipated that issues around generational roles, gender and women's cultural role would be relevant. Seven women participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews, while thirteen women participated in four mini focus groups. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings underscore the socio-cultural complexities of caregiving as a basis for evidence-based culturally appropriate structures to support family caregivers.

Sedimentary textures formed by aqueous processes, Erebus crater Meridiani Planum, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grotzinger, J.; Bell, J.; Herkenhoff, K.; Johnson, J.; Knoll, A.; McCartney, E.; McLennan, S.; Metz, J.; Moore, J.; Squyres, S.; Sullivan, R.; Ahronson, O.; Arvidson, R.; Joliff, B.; Golombek, M.; Lewis, K.; Parker, T.; Soderblom, J.

2006-01-01

New observations at Erebus crater (Olympia outcrop) by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity between sols 671 and 735 (a sol is a martian day) indicate that a diverse suite of primary and penecontemporaneous sedimentary structures is preserved in sulfate-rich bedrock. Centimeter-scale trough (festoon) cross-lamination is abundant, and is better expressed and thicker than previously described examples. Postdepositional shrinkage cracks in the same outcrop are interpreted to have formed in response to desiccation. Considered collectively, this suite of sedimentary structures provides strong support for the involvement of liquid water during accumulation of sedimentary rocks at Meridiani Planum. ?? 2006 Geological Society of America.

A Comparison of Materials Issues for Cermet and Graphite-Based NTP Fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Mark E.; Schnitzler, Bruce G.

2013-01-01

This paper compares material issues for cermet and graphite fuel elements. In particular, two issues in NTP fuel element performance are considered here: ductile to brittle transition in relation to crack propagation, and orificing individual coolant channels in fuel elements. Their relevance to fuel element performance is supported by considering material properties, experimental data, and results from multidisciplinary fluid/thermal/structural simulations. Ductile to brittle transition results in a fuel element region prone to brittle fracture under stress, while outside this region, stresses lead to deformation and resilience under stress. Poor coolant distribution between fuel element channels can increase stresses in certain channels. NERVA fuel element experimental results are consistent with this interpretation. An understanding of these mechanisms will help interpret fuel element testing results.

An investigation of African American and European American students' perception of teaching behavior.

PubMed

Cauley, Bridget; Immekus, Jason C; Pössel, Patrick

2017-12-01

Teaching behaviors are associated with a range of student academic and mental health outcomes. Substantial academic, school disciplinary, and mental health disparities across African American and European American students suggest that diverse students may view and interpret teaching behaviors differently. The Teaching Behavior Questionnaire measures students' perceptions of teaching behaviors. The purpose of the current study was to examine the scale's factor structure among European American high school students using exploratory factor analysis and, subsequently, cross-validate using confirmatory factor analysis based on African American student data. Results supported reconceptualizing the scale according to a three-factor model in both groups. Implications related to the interpretation and use of scores are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supporting Fourth Graders' Ability to Interpret Graphs through Real-Time Graphing Technology: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deniz, Hasan; Dulger, Mehmet F.

2012-01-01

This study examined to what extent inquiry-based instruction supported with real-time graphing technology improves fourth grader's ability to interpret graphs as representations of physical science concepts such as motion and temperature. This study also examined whether there is any difference between inquiry-based instruction supported with…

Multispecies coexistence of trees in tropical forests: spatial signals of topographic niche differentiation increase with environmental heterogeneity.

PubMed

Brown, C; Burslem, D F R P; Illian, J B; Bao, L; Brockelman, W; Cao, M; Chang, L W; Dattaraja, H S; Davies, S; Gunatilleke, C V S; Gunatilleke, I A U N; Huang, J; Kassim, A R; Lafrankie, J V; Lian, J; Lin, L; Ma, K; Mi, X; Nathalang, A; Noor, S; Ong, P; Sukumar, R; Su, S H; Sun, I F; Suresh, H S; Tan, S; Thompson, J; Uriarte, M; Valencia, R; Yap, S L; Ye, W; Law, R

2013-08-07

Neutral and niche theories give contrasting explanations for the maintenance of tropical tree species diversity. Both have some empirical support, but methods to disentangle their effects have not yet been developed. We applied a statistical measure of spatial structure to data from 14 large tropical forest plots to test a prediction of niche theory that is incompatible with neutral theory: that species in heterogeneous environments should separate out in space according to their niche preferences. We chose plots across a range of topographic heterogeneity, and tested whether pairwise spatial associations among species were more variable in more heterogeneous sites. We found strong support for this prediction, based on a strong positive relationship between variance in the spatial structure of species pairs and topographic heterogeneity across sites. We interpret this pattern as evidence of pervasive niche differentiation, which increases in importance with increasing environmental heterogeneity.

MIST: An Open Source Environmental Modelling Programming Language Incorporating Easy to Use Data Parallelism.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellerby, Tim

2014-05-01

Model Integration System (MIST) is open-source environmental modelling programming language that directly incorporates data parallelism. The language is designed to enable straightforward programming structures, such as nested loops and conditional statements to be directly translated into sequences of whole-array (or more generally whole data-structure) operations. MIST thus enables the programmer to use well-understood constructs, directly relating to the mathematical structure of the model, without having to explicitly vectorize code or worry about details of parallelization. A range of common modelling operations are supported by dedicated language structures operating on cell neighbourhoods rather than individual cells (e.g.: the 3x3 local neighbourhood needed to implement an averaging image filter can be simply accessed from within a simple loop traversing all image pixels). This facility hides details of inter-process communication behind more mathematically relevant descriptions of model dynamics. The MIST automatic vectorization/parallelization process serves both to distribute work among available nodes and separately to control storage requirements for intermediate expressions - enabling operations on very large domains for which memory availability may be an issue. MIST is designed to facilitate efficient interpreter based implementations. A prototype open source interpreter is available, coded in standard FORTRAN 95, with tools to rapidly integrate existing FORTRAN 77 or 95 code libraries. The language is formally specified and thus not limited to FORTRAN implementation or to an interpreter-based approach. A MIST to FORTRAN compiler is under development and volunteers are sought to create an ANSI-C implementation. Parallel processing is currently implemented using OpenMP. However, parallelization code is fully modularised and could be replaced with implementations using other libraries. GPU implementation is potentially possible.

Support for learning goes beyond academic support: Voices of students with Asperger's disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Bolic Baric, Vedrana; Hellberg, Kristina; Kjellberg, Anette; Hemmingsson, Helena

2016-02-01

The purpose of this study was to describe and explore the experiences of support at school among young adults with Asperger's disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and also to examine what support they, in retrospect, described as influencing learning. Purposive sampling was used to enroll participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 young adults aged between 20 and 29 years. A qualitative analysis, based on interpreting people's experiences, was conducted by grouping and searching for patterns in data. The findings indicate that the participants experienced difficulties at school that included academic, social, and emotional conditions, all of which could influence learning. Support for learning included small groups, individualized teaching methods, teachers who cared, and practical and emotional support. These clusters together confirm the overall understanding that support for learning aligns academic and psychosocial support. In conclusion, academic support combined with psychosocial support at school seems to be crucial for learning among students with Asperger's disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. © The Author(s) 2015.

Disorders of sex development: Mothers' experiences of support.

PubMed

Chivers, Clare; Burns, Jan; Deiros Collado, Martha

2017-10-01

An increasing body of research has sought to determine the impact of Disorders of Sex Development (DSD) on the family of the affected child. Little is currently understood about the support needs of the family and how well these needs are met. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse semi-structured interviews with eight mothers of children with DSD about their experiences of support. Four master themes emerged which encapsulated (a) the stages in their child's development when mothers most needed support, (b) the importance of developing an understanding of the child's condition, (c) the lack of acknowledgement of the emotional needs of the parent and (d) the importance of having close and trusted networks for support. Continuity and availability of support were considered important and while all participants prioritised maintaining privacy about the condition, a minority felt that this impacted the level of support they received. Key time points for support were identified and while some felt that they were well supported others felt that the support available did not meet their emotional needs. Clinical implications and directions for future research were considered.

a Kml-Based Approach for Distributed Collaborative Interpretation of Remote Sensing Images in the Geo-Browser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, L.; Zhu, X.; Guo, W.; Xiang, L.; Chen, X.; Mei, Y.

2012-07-01

Existing implementations of collaborative image interpretation have many limitations for very large satellite imageries, such as inefficient browsing, slow transmission, etc. This article presents a KML-based approach to support distributed, real-time, synchronous collaborative interpretation for remote sensing images in the geo-browser. As an OGC standard, KML (Keyhole Markup Language) has the advantage of organizing various types of geospatial data (including image, annotation, geometry, etc.) in the geo-browser. Existing KML elements can be used to describe simple interpretation results indicated by vector symbols. To enlarge its application, this article expands KML elements to describe some complex image processing operations, including band combination, grey transformation, geometric correction, etc. Improved KML is employed to describe and share interpretation operations and results among interpreters. Further, this article develops some collaboration related services that are collaboration launch service, perceiving service and communication service. The launch service creates a collaborative interpretation task and provides a unified interface for all participants. The perceiving service supports interpreters to share collaboration awareness. Communication service provides interpreters with written words communication. Finally, the GeoGlobe geo-browser (an extensible and flexible geospatial platform developed in LIESMARS) is selected to perform experiments of collaborative image interpretation. The geo-browser, which manage and visualize massive geospatial information, can provide distributed users with quick browsing and transmission. Meanwhile in the geo-browser, GIS data (for example DEM, DTM, thematic map and etc.) can be integrated to assist in improving accuracy of interpretation. Results show that the proposed method is available to support distributed collaborative interpretation of remote sensing image

The Caudal Skeleton of the Zebrafish, Danio rerio, from a Phylogenetic Perspective: A Polyural Interpretation of Homologous Structures

PubMed Central

Wiley, Edward O.; Fuiten, Allison M.; Doosey, Michael H.; Lohman, Brian K.; Merkes, Christopher; Azuma, Mizuki

2016-01-01

The structure of the caudal skeleton of extant teleost fishes has been interpreted in two different ways. In a diural interpretation, a caudal skeleton is composed of two centra articulated with one to six hypurals. Most subsequent authors have followed this interpretation. In contrast, a polyural interpretation considers the teleost fin to be derived from a fully metameristic ancestral bauplan originally composed of a one-to-one relationship between neural arches, centra (when present), and hypurals. Three different interpretations of the identity and homology of skeletal components of the caudal skeleton of the teleost fish Danio rerio have been proposed, two from a diural perspective and one from a polyural perspective. We examine each caudal skeletal component of Danio rerio from both a developmental and phylogenetic perspective. We propose that a polyural interpretation of structures is consistent with the current interpretation of the basal neopterygian caudal fin for this model organism rather than the older diural interpretation that does not take into account the metamerism observed in caudal structures during development. The polyural interpretation suggests several shared evolutionary innovations of major clades that would remain undiscovered under the older diural naming paradigm and makes the terminology of the parts of the caudal fin of Danio rerio strictly comparable to more basal fishes. PMID:28250540

Quality-assurance plan for water-resources activities of the U. S. Geological Survey in Montana--1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moreland, Joe A.

1991-01-01

As the Nation's principal earth-science information agency, the U.S. Geological Survey has developed a worldwide reputation for collecting accurate data and producing factual, impartial interpretive reports. To ensure continued confidence in the pro- ducts, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey has implemented a policy that all scientific work will be performed in accordance with a centrally managed quality-assurance program. The formal policy for quality assurance within the Montana District was established and documented in USGS Open-File Report 91-194. This report has been revised to reflect changes in personnel and organi- zational structure that have occurred since 1991. Quality assurance is formalized by describing organization and operational responsibilities, the quality-assurance policy, and the quality- assurance responsibilities for performing District functions. The District conducts its work through offices in Helena, Billings, Kalispell, and Fort Peck. Data-collection programs and interpretive studies are conducted by three operating sections and four support units. Discipline specialists provide technical advice and assistance. Management advisors provide guidance on various personnel issues and support functions.

Quality-assurance plan for water-resources activities of the U.S. Geological Survey in Montana--1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moreland, Joe A.

1995-01-01

As the Nation's principal earth-science information agency, the U.S. Geological Survey has developed a worldwide reputation for collecting accurate data and producing factual, impartial interpretive reports. To ensure continued confidence in the pro- ducts, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey has implemented a policy that all scientific work will be performed in accordance with a centrally managed quality-assurance program. The formal policy for quality assurance within the Montana District was established and documented in USGS Open-File Report 91-194. This report has been revised to reflect changes in personnel and organi- zational structure that have occurred since 1991. Quality assurance is formalized by describing organization and operational responsibilities, the quality-assurance policy, and the quality- assurance responsibilities for performing District functions. The District conducts its work through offices in Helena, Billings, Kalispell, and Fort Peck. Data-collection programs and interpretive studies are conducted by three operating sections and four support units. Discipline specialists provide technical advice and assistance. Management advisors provide guidance on various personnel issues and support functions.

Unraveling the Posterolateral Corner of the Knee.

PubMed

Rosas, Humberto G

2016-10-01

Although rare, posterolateral corner (PLC) injuries can result in sustained instability and failed cruciate ligament reconstruction if they are not diagnosed. The anatomy of the PLC was once thought to be perplexing and esoteric-in part because of the varying nomenclature applied to this region in the literature, which added unnecessary complexity. More recently, three major structures have been described as the primary stabilizers of the PLC on the basis of biomechanical study findings: the lateral collateral ligament, popliteus tendon, and popliteofibular ligament. An understanding of the anatomic relationships of these structures with each other and with the surrounding osseous structures is invaluable for improving the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the detection of PLC injuries and allowing a structured and systematic approach when interpreting the imaging findings. The majority of PLC injuries do not occur in isolation and are part of a more complex injury pattern that typically involves other vital supporting structures such as the cruciate ligaments, menisci, and medial ligamentous structures. Therefore, imaging has an ever-increasing role in the recognition of these injuries, as the clinical findings may be difficult to interpret adequately owing to synchronous injuries that dominate the physical examination findings. Furthermore, the diagnosis of acute high-grade PLC injuries is critical because early and aggressive treatment, for which surgical reconstruction is often required, leads to improved long-term outcomes and the prevention of persistent instability that would otherwise result in varus thrust gait, chronic pain, and accelerated cartilage damage. © RSNA, 2016.

Evolutionary origin of the Asteraceae capitulum: Insights from Calyceraceae.

PubMed

Pozner, Raúl; Zanotti, Christian; Johnson, Leigh A

2012-01-01

Phylogenies based on molecular data are revealing that generalizations about complex morphological structures often obscure variation and developmental patterns important for understanding the evolution of forms, as is the case for inflorescence morphology within the well-supported MGCA clade (Menyanthaceae + Goodeniaceae + Calyceraceae + Asteraceae). While the basal families share a basic thyrsic/thyrsoid structure of their inflorescences, Asteraceae possesses a capitulum that is widely interpreted as a racemose, condensed inflorescence. Elucidating the poorly known inflorescence structure of Calyceraceae, sister to Asteraceae, should help clarify how the Asteraceae capitulum evolved from thyrsic/thyrsoid inflorescences. The early development and structure of the inflorescence of eight species (five genera) of Calyceraceae were studied by SEM, and patterns of evolutionary change were interpreted via phylogenetic character mapping. The basic inflorescence structure of Calyceraceae is a cephalioid (a very condensed botryoid/thyrsoid). Optimization of inflorescence characters on a DNA sequence-derived tree suggests that the Asteraceae capitulum derives from a simple cephalioid through two morphological changes: loss of the terminal flower and suppression of the cymose branching pattern in the peripheral branches. Widely understood as a condensed raceme, the Asteraceae capitulum is the evolutionary result of a very reduced, condensed thyrsoid. Starting from that point, evolution worked separately only on the racemose developmental control/pattern within Asteraceae and mainly on the cymose developmental control/pattern within Calyceraceae, producing head-like inflorescences in both groups but with very different diversification potential. We also discuss possible remnants of the ancestral cephalioid structure in some Asteraceae.

Understanding molecular structure from molecular mechanics.

PubMed

Allinger, Norman L

2011-04-01

Molecular mechanics gives us a well known model of molecular structure. It is less widely recognized that valence bond theory gives us structures which offer a direct interpretation of molecular mechanics formulations and parameters. The electronic effects well-known in physical organic chemistry can be directly interpreted in terms of valence bond structures, and hence quantitatively calculated and understood. The basic theory is outlined in this paper, and examples of the effects, and their interpretation in illustrative examples is presented.

Social challenges and supports from the perspective of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities.

PubMed

Müller, Eve; Schuler, Adriana; Yates, Gregory B

2008-03-01

The study describes the perspectives of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities (ASDs) regarding social challenges and supports. Eighteen adults with ASDs were individually interviewed. They were asked to describe their experiences navigating their social worlds, and recommend effective social supports and strategies for improving social connectedness. Qualitative analyses of the interview transcripts revealed a number of common experiences including a profound sense of isolation, difficulty initiating social interactions, challenges relating to communication, longing for greater intimacy, desire to contribute to one's community, and effort to develop greater social/self-awareness. Commonly recommended social supports included external supports (e.g. activities based on shared interests, highly structured or scripted social activities, and small groups or dyads); communication supports (e.g. alternative modes of communication, explicit communication, and instruction in interpreting and using social cues); and self-initiated strategies for handling social anxiety (e.g. creative/improvisational outlets, physical activity, spiritual practice/organized religion, and time spent alone).

Deep seismic reflection evidence for ancient subduction and collision zones within the continental lithosphere of northwestern Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balling, N.

2000-12-01

Deep seismic profiling experiments in the region of NW Europe (including BABEL in the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea, Mobil Search in the Skagerrak and MONA LISA in the North Sea) have demonstrated the existence of seismic reflectors in the mantle lithosphere beneath the Baltic Shield, the Tornquist Zone and the North Sea basins. Different sets of reflectors are observed, notably dipping and sub-horizontal. Dipping, distinct reflectivity, which may be followed from Moho/Moho offsets into the deeper parts of the continental lithosphere, is of special interest because of its tectonic and geodynamic significance. Such reflectivity, observed in several places, dipping 15-35° and covering a depth range of 30-90 km, constrained by surface geological information and radiometric age data, is interpreted to represent fossil, ancient subduction and collison zones. Subduction slabs with remnant oceanic basaltic crust transformed into eclogite is assumed, in particular, to generate deep seismic reflectivity. Deep seismic evidence is presented for subduction, crustal accretion and collision processes with inferred ages from 1.9 to 1.1 Ga from the main structural provinces within the Baltic Shield including Svecofennian, Transscandinavian Igneous Belt, Gothian and Sveconorwegian. Along the southwestern border of Baltica (in the southeastern North Sea) south-dipping crustal and sub-crustal reflectivity is observed down to a depth of about 90 km, close to the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. These structures are interpreted to reveal a lithosphere-scale Caledonian (ca. 440 Ma) suture zone resulting from the closure of the Tornquist Sea/Thor Ocean and the amalgamation of Baltica and Eastern Avalonia. These results demonstrate that deep structures within the continental lithosphere, originating from early crust-forming plate tectonic processes, may survive for a very long time and form seismic marker reflectivity of great value in geotectonic interpretation and reconstructions. Furthermore, the depth of dipping reflectivity from ancient structures, such as subduction slabs, significantly contributes information about the thickness of the coherent lithosphere. The seismic observations and our interpretations support plate tectonic and structural models, suggesting crustal growth and amalgamation of tectonic units in the Baltic Shield and along its southwestern margin generally from the northeast (in present-day orientation) towards the southwest and west, likely to result in regional deep structural and tectonic age zonations.

Interpretation of aeromagnetic data in the Jameson Land Basin, central East Greenland: Structures and related mineralized systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brethes, Anaïs; Guarnieri, Pierpaolo; Rasmussen, Thorkild Maack; Bauer, Tobias Erich

2018-01-01

This paper provides a detailed interpretation of several aeromagnetic datasets over the Jameson Land Basin in central East Greenland. The interpretation is based on texture and lineament analysis of magnetic data and derivatives of these, in combination with geological field observations. Numerous faults and Cenozoic intrusions were identified and a chronological interpretation of the events responsible for the magnetic features is proposed built on crosscutting relationships and correlated with absolute ages. Lineaments identified in enhanced magnetic data are compared with structures controlling the mineralized systems occurring in the area and form the basis for the interpretations presented in this paper. Several structures associated with base metal mineralization systems that were known at a local scale are here delineated at a larger scale; allowing the identification of areas displaying favorable geological settings for mineralization. This study demonstrates the usefulness of high-resolution airborne magnetic data for detailed structural interpretation and mineral exploration in geological contexts such as the Jameson Land Basin.

Syntactic Prediction in Language Comprehension: Evidence From Either…or

PubMed Central

Staub, Adrian; Clifton, Charles

2006-01-01

Readers’ eye movements were monitored as they read sentences in which two noun phrases or two independent clauses were connected by the word or (NP-coordination and S-coordination, respectively). The word either could be present or absent earlier in the sentence. When either was present, the material immediately following or was read more quickly, across both sentence types. In addition, there was evidence that readers misanalyzed the S-coordination structure as an NP-coordination structure only when either was absent. The authors interpret the results as indicating that the word either enabled readers to predict the arrival of a coordination structure; this predictive activation facilitated processing of this structure when it ultimately arrived, and in the case of S-coordination sentences, enabled readers to avoid the incorrect NP-coordination analysis. The authors argue that these results support parsing theories according to which the parser can build predictable syntactic structure before encountering the corresponding lexical input. PMID:16569157

Surface structure. Subatomic resolution force microscopy reveals internal structure and adsorption sites of small iron clusters.

PubMed

Emmrich, Matthias; Huber, Ferdinand; Pielmeier, Florian; Welker, Joachim; Hofmann, Thomas; Schneiderbauer, Maximilian; Meuer, Daniel; Polesya, Svitlana; Mankovsky, Sergiy; Ködderitzsch, Diemo; Ebert, Hubert; Giessibl, Franz J

2015-04-17

Clusters built from individual iron atoms adsorbed on surfaces (adatoms) were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) with subatomic resolution. Single copper and iron adatoms appeared as toroidal structures and multiatom clusters as connected structures, showing each individual atom as a torus. For single adatoms, the toroidal shape of the AFM image depends on the bonding symmetry of the adatom to the underlying structure [twofold for copper on copper(110) and threefold for iron on copper(111)]. Density functional theory calculations support the experimental data. The findings correct our previous work, in which multiple minima in the AFM signal were interpreted as a reflection of the orientation of a single front atom, and suggest that dual and triple minima in the force signal are caused by dimer and trimer tips, respectively. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Factor structure of the CES-D and measurement invariance across gender in Mainland Chinese adolescents.

PubMed

Wang, Mengcheng; Armour, Cherie; Wu, Yan; Ren, Fen; Zhu, Xiongzhao; Yao, Shuqiao

2013-09-01

The primary aim was to examine the depressive symptom structure of Mainland China adolescents using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were simultaneously conducted to determine the structure of the CES-D in a large scale, representative adolescent samples recruited from Mainland China. Multigroup CFA (N = 5059, 48% boys, mean = 16.55±1.06) was utilized to test the factorial invariance of the depressive symptom structure, which was generated by EFA and confirmed by CFA across gender. The CES-D can be interpreted in terms of 3 symptom dimensions. Additionally, factorial invariance of the new proposed model across gender was supported at all assuming different degrees of invariance. Mainland Chinese adolescents have specific depressive symptom structure, which is consistent across gender. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

Vila, Fernando D.; Rehr, John J.; Nuzzo, Ralph G.

Supported Pt nanocatalysts generally exhibit anomalous behavior, including negative thermal expansion and large structural disorder. Finite temperature DFT/MD simulations reproduce these properties, showing that they are largely explained by a combination of thermal vibrations and low-frequency disorder. We show in this paper that a full interpretation is more complex and that the DFT/MD mean-square relative displacements (MSRD) can be further separated into vibrational disorder, “dynamic structural disorder” (DSD), and long-time equilibrium fluctuations of the structure dubbed “anomalous structural disorder” (ASD). We find that the vibrational and DSD components behave normally, increasing linearly with temperature while the ASD decreases, reflecting themore » evolution of mean nanoparticle geometry. Finally, as a consequence the usual procedure of fitting the MSRD to normal vibrations plus temperature-independent static disorder results in unphysical bond strengths and Grüneisen parameters.« less

Early Life on Earth and the Search for Extraterrestrial Biosignatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oehler, Dorothy Z.; House, Christopher

2014-01-01

In the last 2 years, scientists within the ARES Directorate at JSC have applied the technology of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) to individual organic structures preserved in Archean (approximately 3 billion years old) sediments on Earth. These organic structures are among the oldest on Earth that may be microfossils - structurally preserved remnants of ancient microbes. The SIMS work was done to determine the microfossils' stable carbon isotopic composition (delta C-13 values). This is the first time that such ancient, potential microfossils have been successfully analyzed for their individual delta C-13 values. The results support the interpretation that these structures are remnants of early life on Earth and that they may represent planktonic organisms that were widely distributed in the Earth's earliest oceans. This study has been accepted for publication in the journal Geology.

Quantitative structure-antifungal activity relationships of some benzohydrazides against Botrytis cinerea.

PubMed

Reino, José L; Saiz-Urra, Liane; Hernandez-Galan, Rosario; Aran, Vicente J; Hitchcock, Peter B; Hanson, James R; Gonzalez, Maykel Perez; Collado, Isidro G

2007-06-27

Fourteen benzohydrazides have been synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea. The best antifungal activity was observed for the N',N'-dibenzylbenzohydrazides 3b-d and for the N-aminoisoindoline-derived benzohydrazide 5. A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study has been developed using a topological substructural molecular design (TOPS-MODE) approach to interpret the antifungal activity of these synthetic compounds. The model described 98.3% of the experimental variance, with a standard deviation of 4.02. The influence of an ortho substituent on the conformation of the benzohydrazides was investigated by X-ray crystallography and supported by QSAR study. Several aspects of the structure-activity relationships are discussed in terms of the contribution of different bonds to the antifungal activity, thereby making the relationships between structure and biological activity more transparent.

The Tectonics and Evolution of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaula, William M.

1997-01-01

This shift corresponded to a focusing of research on Venus. Some work included comparison with other planets. Venus research is being continued. The research can be summarized under five headings: (1) Planet formation; (2) Thermal and Compositional Evolution; (3) Tectonic structures and processes; (4) Determination and interpretation of gravity; and (5) Analyses of Ishtar Terra. Thirty-four publications were produced. References to publications supporting the summary are by year and letter: e.g., (1990 c,d) for the emphasis on the terminal phases in formation studies.

Naval Expeditionary Logistics. Enabling Operational Maneuver From the Sea

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-01-01

of the core objectives of the President’s national security strategy is to "enhance our [the nation’s] security with effective diplomacy and with... effect on logistics requirements, and some interpretations of OMFTS assume that the concept applies to a future force much lighter than today’s. Others...addition to, or in lieu of, today’s capabilities? The answer has a profound effect on the future combat service support structure of both the Marine

Evidence based abreactive ego state therapy for PTSD.

PubMed

Barabasz, Arreed

2013-07-01

A single 5-6 hours manualized abreactive ego state therapy session has recently been subjected to two placebo-controlled investigations meeting evidence-based criteria. Ego state therapy was found to be a highly effective and durable treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Apparently, ego state therapy works because it is emotion focused, activates sub-cortical structures, and because the supportive, interpretive therapist reconstructs the patient's personality to be resilient and adaptive. In this article the author reviews the treatment procedures and presents the findings of both studies.

Interface Problems: Structural Constraints on Interpretation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frazier, Lyn; Clifton, Charles; Rayner, Keith; Deevy, Patricia; Koh, Sungryong; Bader, Markus

2005-01-01

Five experiments investigated the interpretation of quantified noun phrases in relation to discourse structure. They demonstrated, using questionnaire and on-line reading techniques, that readers in English prefer to give a quantified noun phrase in (VP-external) subject position a presuppositional interpretation, in which the noun phrase limits…

Revealing the structural nature of the Cd isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrett, P. E.; Diaz Varela, A.; Green, K. L.; Jamieson, D. S.; Jigmeddorj, B.; Wood, J. L.; Yates, S. W.

2015-10-01

The even-even Cd isotopes have provided fertile ground for the investigation of collectivity in nuclei. Soon after the development of the Bohr model, the stable Cd isotopes were identified as nearly harmonic vibrators based on their excitation energy patterns. The measurements of enhanced B (E 2) values appeared to support this interpretation. Shape co-existing rotational-like intruder bands were discovered, and mixing between the configurations was invoked to explain the deviation of the decay pattern of multiphonon vibrational states. Very recently, a detailed analysis of the low-lying levels of 110Cd combining results of the (n ,n' γ) reaction and high-statistics β decay, provided strong evidence that the mixing between configurations is weak, except for the ground-state band and ``Kπ =0+ '' intruder band. The analysis of the levels in 110Cd has now been extended to 3 MeV, and combined with data for 112Cd and previous Coulomb excitation data for 114Cd, enables a detailed map of the E 2 collectivity in these nuclei, demanding a complete re-interpretation of the structure of the stable Cd isotopes.

Mapping the temperature-dependent conformational landscapes of the dynamic enzymes cyclophilin A and urease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorne, Robert; Keedy, Daniel; Warkentin, Matthew; Fraser, James; Moreau, David; Atakisi, Hakan; Rau, Peter

Proteins populate complex, temperature-dependent ensembles of conformations that enable their function. Yet in X-ray crystallographic studies, roughly 98% of structures have been determined at 100 K, and most refined to only a single conformation. A combination of experimental methods enabled by studies of ice formation and computational methods for mining low-density features in electron density maps have been applied to determine the evolution of the conformational landscapes of the enzymes cyclophilin A and urease between 300 K and 100 K. Minority conformations of most side chains depopulate on cooling from 300 to ~200 K, below which subsequent conformational evolution is quenched. The characteristic temperatures for this depopulation are highly heterogeneous throughout each enzyme. The temperature-dependent ensemble of the active site flap in urease has also been mapped. These all-atom, site-resolved measurements and analyses rule out one interpretation of the protein-solvent glass transition, and give an alternative interpretation of a dynamical transition identified in site-averaged experiments. They demonstrate a powerful approach to structural characterization of the dynamic underpinnings of protein function. Supported by NSF MCB-1330685.

Trans- and cis-stilbene isolated in cryogenic argon and xenon matrices.

PubMed

Ünsalan, Ozan; Kuş, Nihal; Jarmelo, Susana; Fausto, Rui

2015-02-05

Monomers of trans- (TS) and cis-stilbene (CS) were isolated in cryogenic argon and xenon matrices, and their infrared (IR) spectra were fully assigned and interpreted. The interpretation of the vibrational spectra received support from theoretical calculations undertaken at the DFT(B3LYP)/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. In situ broadband UV irradiation of the matrix-isolated CS led to its isomerization to TS, which appeared in the photolysed matrices in both non-planar and planar configurations. The non-planar species was found to convert into the more stable planar form upon subsequent annealing of the matrices at higher temperature. TS was found to be photostable under the used experimental conditions. The structure of the non-planar TS form was assigned based on the comparison of its observed IR spectrum with those theoretically predicted for different conformations of TS. Chemometrics was used to make this assignment. Additional reasoning on the structure of the studied stilbenes is presented taking as basis results of the Natural Bond Orbital analysis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new interpretation of seismic tomography in the southern Dead Sea basin using neural network clustering techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braeuer, Benjamin; Bauer, Klaus

2015-11-01

The Dead Sea is a prime location to study the structure and development of pull-apart basins. We analyzed tomographic models of Vp, Vs, and Vp/Vs using self-organizing map clustering techniques. The method allows us to identify major lithologies by their petrophysical signatures. Remapping the clusters into the subsurface reveals the distribution of basin sediments, prebasin sedimentary rocks, and crystalline basement. The Dead Sea basin shows an asymmetric structure with thickness variation from 5 km in the west to 13 km in the east. Most importantly, we identified a distinct, well-defined body under the eastern part of the basin down to 18 km depth. Considering its geometry and petrophysical signature, this unit is interpreted as a buried counterpart of the shallow prebasin sediments encountered outside of the basin and not as crystalline basement. The seismicity distribution supports our results, where events are concentrated along boundaries of the basin and the deep prebasin sedimentary body. Our results suggest that the Dead Sea basin is about 4 km deeper than assumed from previous studies.

Computational Lipidomics and Lipid Bioinformatics: Filling In the Blanks.

PubMed

Pauling, Josch; Klipp, Edda

2016-12-22

Lipids are highly diverse metabolites of pronounced importance in health and disease. While metabolomics is a broad field under the omics umbrella that may also relate to lipids, lipidomics is an emerging field which specializes in the identification, quantification and functional interpretation of complex lipidomes. Today, it is possible to identify and distinguish lipids in a high-resolution, high-throughput manner and simultaneously with a lot of structural detail. However, doing so may produce thousands of mass spectra in a single experiment which has created a high demand for specialized computational support to analyze these spectral libraries. The computational biology and bioinformatics community has so far established methodology in genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics but there are many (combinatorial) challenges when it comes to structural diversity of lipids and their identification, quantification and interpretation. This review gives an overview and outlook on lipidomics research and illustrates ongoing computational and bioinformatics efforts. These efforts are important and necessary steps to advance the lipidomics field alongside analytic, biochemistry, biomedical and biology communities and to close the gap in available computational methodology between lipidomics and other omics sub-branches.

Automated segmentation and recognition of the bone structure in non-contrast torso CT images using implicit anatomical knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, X.; Hayashi, T.; Han, M.; Chen, H.; Hara, T.; Fujita, H.; Yokoyama, R.; Kanematsu, M.; Hoshi, H.

2009-02-01

X-ray CT images have been widely used in clinical diagnosis in recent years. A modern CT scanner can generate about 1000 CT slices to show the details of all the human organs within 30 seconds. However, CT image interpretations (viewing 500-1000 slices of CT images manually in front of a screen or films for each patient) require a lot of time and energy. Therefore, computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems that can support CT image interpretations are strongly anticipated. Automated recognition of the anatomical structures in CT images is a basic pre-processing of the CAD system. The bone structure is a part of anatomical structures and very useful to act as the landmarks for predictions of the other different organ positions. However, the automated recognition of the bone structure is still a challenging issue. This research proposes an automated scheme for segmenting the bone regions and recognizing the bone structure in noncontrast torso CT images. The proposed scheme was applied to 48 torso CT cases and a subjective evaluation for the experimental results was carried out by an anatomical expert following the anatomical definition. The experimental results showed that the bone structure in 90% CT cases have been recognized correctly. For quantitative evaluation, automated recognition results were compared to manual inputs of bones of lower limb created by an anatomical expert on 10 randomly selected CT cases. The error (maximum distance in 3D) between the recognition results and manual inputs distributed from 3-8 mm in different parts of the bone regions.

Interpretation of gravity and magnetic data with geological constraints for 3D structure of the Thuringian Basin, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prutkin, Ilya; Vajda, Peter; Jahr, Thomas; Bleibinhaus, Florian; Novák, Pavel; Tenzer, Robert

2017-01-01

We apply a novel method for the separation of potential field sources and their 3D inversion at the regional study area of Thuringian Basin in central Germany. The gravity and magnetic data are separated into long, medium and short wavelengths and then inverted separately. The main goal is to study uniqueness of the solution and its stability in all numerical steps of the interpretation process and to demonstrate, how geological constraints can diminish the degree of non-uniqueness by the interpretation of the gravity and magnetic anomalies. Our numerical experiments with medium wavelengths reveal that if we explain negative anomalies with the topography of near-surface layers, the obtained solution is not supported by borehole data. These negative anomalies are thus explained by restricted bodies (granitic intrusions) at the depths from 4 down to 10 km. These bodies are located above a density interface with topography at the depth of approximately 10 km. The 3D inversion of magnetic data (at short wavelengths) allows investigating a detailed structure of the upper boundary of the crystalline basement: two uplifts in the depths between 2.0 and 0.7 km are found. By using the residual negative anomalies we further study the salt tectonics, showing that the geometry of a salt pillow with a thickness of approximately 200 m closely agrees with borehole data.

"I Just Don't Fit Anywhere": Support Experiences and Future Support Needs of Individuals with Asperger Syndrome in Middle Adulthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, Gemma M.; Totsika, Vasiliki; Nash, Susie; Hastings, Richard P.

2012-01-01

The experiences of individuals in middle adulthood with Asperger syndrome have been the subject of little previous research, especially in terms of their experience of support services. In the present research, 11 adults with Asperger syndrome were interviewed. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to interpret the interviews.…

Predicting inpatient clinical order patterns with probabilistic topic models vs conventional order sets.

PubMed

Chen, Jonathan H; Goldstein, Mary K; Asch, Steven M; Mackey, Lester; Altman, Russ B

2017-05-01

Build probabilistic topic model representations of hospital admissions processes and compare the ability of such models to predict clinical order patterns as compared to preconstructed order sets. The authors evaluated the first 24 hours of structured electronic health record data for > 10 K inpatients. Drawing an analogy between structured items (e.g., clinical orders) to words in a text document, the authors performed latent Dirichlet allocation probabilistic topic modeling. These topic models use initial clinical information to predict clinical orders for a separate validation set of > 4 K patients. The authors evaluated these topic model-based predictions vs existing human-authored order sets by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, precision, and recall for subsequent clinical orders. Existing order sets predict clinical orders used within 24 hours with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.81, precision 16%, and recall 35%. This can be improved to 0.90, 24%, and 47% ( P  < 10 -20 ) by using probabilistic topic models to summarize clinical data into up to 32 topics. Many of these latent topics yield natural clinical interpretations (e.g., "critical care," "pneumonia," "neurologic evaluation"). Existing order sets tend to provide nonspecific, process-oriented aid, with usability limitations impairing more precise, patient-focused support. Algorithmic summarization has the potential to breach this usability barrier by automatically inferring patient context, but with potential tradeoffs in interpretability. Probabilistic topic modeling provides an automated approach to detect thematic trends in patient care and generate decision support content. A potential use case finds related clinical orders for decision support. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

Predicting inpatient clinical order patterns with probabilistic topic models vs conventional order sets

PubMed Central

Goldstein, Mary K; Asch, Steven M; Mackey, Lester; Altman, Russ B

2017-01-01

Objective: Build probabilistic topic model representations of hospital admissions processes and compare the ability of such models to predict clinical order patterns as compared to preconstructed order sets. Materials and Methods: The authors evaluated the first 24 hours of structured electronic health record data for > 10 K inpatients. Drawing an analogy between structured items (e.g., clinical orders) to words in a text document, the authors performed latent Dirichlet allocation probabilistic topic modeling. These topic models use initial clinical information to predict clinical orders for a separate validation set of > 4 K patients. The authors evaluated these topic model-based predictions vs existing human-authored order sets by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, precision, and recall for subsequent clinical orders. Results: Existing order sets predict clinical orders used within 24 hours with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.81, precision 16%, and recall 35%. This can be improved to 0.90, 24%, and 47% (P < 10−20) by using probabilistic topic models to summarize clinical data into up to 32 topics. Many of these latent topics yield natural clinical interpretations (e.g., “critical care,” “pneumonia,” “neurologic evaluation”). Discussion: Existing order sets tend to provide nonspecific, process-oriented aid, with usability limitations impairing more precise, patient-focused support. Algorithmic summarization has the potential to breach this usability barrier by automatically inferring patient context, but with potential tradeoffs in interpretability. Conclusion: Probabilistic topic modeling provides an automated approach to detect thematic trends in patient care and generate decision support content. A potential use case finds related clinical orders for decision support. PMID:27655861

Structural interpretation of aeromagnetic data for the Wadi El Natrun area, northwestern desert, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibraheem, Ismael M.; Elawadi, Eslam A.; El-Qady, Gad M.

2018-03-01

The Wadi El Natrun area in Egypt is located west of the Nile Delta on both sides of the Cairo-Alexandria desert road, between 30°00‧ and 30°40‧N latitude, and 29°40‧ and 30°40‧E longitude. The name refers to the NW-SE trending depression located in the area and containing lakes that produce natron salt. In spite of the area is promising for oil and gas exploration as well as agricultural projects, Geophysical studies carried out in the area is limited to the regional seismic surveys accomplished by oil companies. This study presents the interpretation of the airborne magnetic data to map the structure architecture and depth to the basement of the study area. This interpretation was facilitated by applying different data enhancement and processing techniques. These techniques included filters (regional-residual separation), derivatives and depth estimation using spectral analysis and Euler deconvolution. The results were refined using 2-D forward modeling along three profiles. Based on the depth estimation techniques, the estimated depth to the basement surface, ranges from 2.25 km to 5.43 km while results of the two-dimensional forward modeling show that the depth of the basement surface ranges from 2.2 km to 4.8 km. The dominant tectonic trends in the study area at deep levels are NW (Suez Trend), NNW, NE, and ENE (Syrian Arc System trend). The older ENE trend, which dominates the northwestern desert is overprinted in the study area by relatively recent NW and NE trends, whereas the tectonic trends at shallow levels are NW, ENE, NNE (Aqaba Trend), and NE. The predominant structure trend for both deep and shallow structures is the NW trend. The results of this study can be used to better understand deep-seated basement structures and to support decisions with regard to the development of agriculture, industrial areas, as well as oil and gas exploration in northern Egypt.

Closed coronal structures. V - Gasdynamic models of flaring loops and comparison with SMM observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peres, G.; Serio, S.; Vaiana, G.; Acton, L.; Leibacher, J.; Rosner, R.; Pallavicini, R.

1983-01-01

A time-dependent one-dimensional code incorporating energy, momentum and mass conservation equations, and taking the entire solar atmospheric structure into account, is used to investigate the hydrodynamic response of confined magnetic structures to strong heating perturbations. Model calculation results are compared with flare observations which include the light curves of spectral lines formed over a wide range of coronal flare temperatures, as well as determinations of Doppler shifts for the high temperature plasma. It is shown that the numerical simulation predictions are in good overall agreement with the observed flare coronal plasma evolution, correctly reproducing the temporal profile of X-ray spectral lines and their relative intensities. The predicted upflow velocities support the interpretation of the blueshifts as due to evaporation of chromospheric material.

The presence of cutan limits the interpretation of cuticular chemistry and structure: Ficus elastica leaf as an example.

PubMed

Guzmán-Delgado, Paula; Graça, José; Cabral, Vanessa; Gil, Luis; Fernández, Victoria

2016-06-01

Plant cuticles have been traditionally classified on the basis of their ultrastructure, with certain chemical composition assumptions. However, the nature of the plant cuticle may be misinterpreted in the prevailing model, which was established more than 150 years ago. Using the adaxial leaf cuticle of Ficus elastica, a study was conducted with the aim of analyzing cuticular ultrastructure, chemical composition and the potential relationship between structure and chemistry. Gradual chemical extractions and diverse analytical and microscopic techniques were performed on isolated leaf cuticles of two different stages of development (i.e. young and mature leaves). Evidence for the presence of cutan in F. elastica leaf cuticles has been gained after chemical treatments and tissue analysis by infrared spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Significant calcium, boron and silicon concentrations were also measured in the cuticle of this species. Such mineral elements which are often found in plant cell walls may play a structural role and their presence in isolated cuticles further supports the interpretation of the cuticle as the most external region of the epidermal cell wall. The complex and heterogeneous nature of the cuticle, and constraints associated with current analytical procedures may limit the chance for establishing a relationship between cuticle chemical composition and structure also in relation to organ ontogeny. © 2016 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

[Investigation on Mobile Phone Based Thermal Imaging System and Its Preliminary Application].

PubMed

Li, Fufeng; Chen, Feng; Liu, Jing

2015-03-01

The technical structure of a low-cost thermal imaging system (TIM) lunched on a mobile phone was investigated, which consists of a thermal infrared module and mobile phone and application software. The designing strategies and technical factors toward realizing various TIM array performances are interpreted, including sensor cost and Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference (NETD). In the software algorithm, a mechanism for scene-change detection was implemented to optimize the efficiency of non-uniformity correction (NUC). The performance experiments and analysis indicate that the NETD of the system can be smaller than 150 mK when the integration time is larger than 16 frames. Furthermore, a practical application for human temperature monitoring during physical exercise is proposed and interpreted. The measurement results support the feasibility and facility of the system in the medical application.

Decoding the future from past experience: learning shapes predictions in early visual cortex.

PubMed

Luft, Caroline D B; Meeson, Alan; Welchman, Andrew E; Kourtzi, Zoe

2015-05-01

Learning the structure of the environment is critical for interpreting the current scene and predicting upcoming events. However, the brain mechanisms that support our ability to translate knowledge about scene statistics to sensory predictions remain largely unknown. Here we provide evidence that learning of temporal regularities shapes representations in early visual cortex that relate to our ability to predict sensory events. We tested the participants' ability to predict the orientation of a test stimulus after exposure to sequences of leftward- or rightward-oriented gratings. Using fMRI decoding, we identified brain patterns related to the observers' visual predictions rather than stimulus-driven activity. Decoding of predicted orientations following structured sequences was enhanced after training, while decoding of cued orientations following exposure to random sequences did not change. These predictive representations appear to be driven by the same large-scale neural populations that encode actual stimulus orientation and to be specific to the learned sequence structure. Thus our findings provide evidence that learning temporal structures supports our ability to predict future events by reactivating selective sensory representations as early as in primary visual cortex. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

The structural phase diagram and oxygen equilibrium partial pressure of YBa 2Cu 3O 6+ x studied by neutron powder diffraction and gas volumetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersen, N. H.; Lebech, B.; Poulsen, H. F.

1990-12-01

An experimental technique based on neutron powder diffraction and gas volumetry is presented and used to study the structural phase diagram of YBa 2Cu 3O 6+ x under equilibrium conditions in an extended part of ( x, T)-phase (0.15< x<0.92 and 25° C< T<725°C). Our experimental observations lend strong support to a recent two-dimensional anisotropic next-nearest-neighbour Ising model calculation (the ASYNNNI model) of the basal plane oxygen ordering based of first principle interaction parameters. Simultaneous measurements of the oxygen equilibrium partial pressure show anomalies, one of which proves the thermodynamic stability of the orthorhombic OII double cell structure. Striking similarity with predictions of recent model calculations support that another anomaly may be interpreted to result from local one-dimensional fluctuations in the distribution of oxygen atoms in the basal plane of tetragonal YBCO. Our pressure data also indicate that x=0.92 is a maximum obtainable oxygen concentration for oxygen pressures below 760 Torr.

Integrated exploration for low-temperature geothermal resources in the Honey Lake basin, California

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

Schimschal, U.

An integrated exploration study is presented to locate low-temperature geothermal reservoirs in the Honey Lake area of northern California. Regional studies to locate the geothermal resources included gravity, infrared, water-temperature, and water-quality analyses. Five anomalies were mapped from resistivity surveys. Additional study of three anomalies by temperature-gradient and seismic methods was undertaken to define structure and potential of the geothermal resource. The gravity data show a graben structure in the area. Seismic reflection data, indicate faults associated with surface-resistivity and temperature-gradient data. The data support the interpretation that the shallow reservoirs are replenished along the fault zones by deeply circulatingmore » heated meteoric waters.« less

Lunar apennine-hadley region: geological inplications of Earth-based radar and infrared measurements.

PubMed

Zisk, S H; Carr, M H; Masursky, H; Shorthill, R W; Thompson, T W

1971-08-27

Recently completed high-resolution radar maps of the moon contain information on the decimeter-scale structure of the surface. When this information is combined with eclipse thermal-enhancement data and with high-resolution Lunar Orbiter photography, the surface morphology is revealed in some detail. A geological history for certain features and subareas can be developed, which provides one possible framework for the interpretation of the findings from the Apollo 15 landing. Frequency of decimeter-and meter-size blocks in and around lunar craters, given by the remote-sensed data, supports a multilayer structure in the Palus Putredinis mare region, as well as a great age for the bordering Apennine Mountains scarp.

Lunar Apennine-Hadley region: Geological implications of earth-based radar and infrared measurements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zisk, S.H.; Carr, M.H.; Masursky, H.; Shorthill, R.W.; Thompson, T.W.

1971-01-01

Recently completed high-resolution radar maps of the moon contain information on the decimeter-scale structure of the surface. When this information is combined with eclipse thermal-enhancement data and with high-resolution Lunar Orbiter photography, the surface morphology is revealed in some detail. A geological history for certain features and subareas can be developed, which provides one possible framework for the interpretation of the findings from the Apollo 15 landing. Frequency of decimeter- and meter-size blocks in and around lunar craters, given by the remote-sensed data, supports a multilayer structure in the Palus Putredinis mare region, as well as a great age for the bordering Apennins Mountains scarp.

Integrated exploration for low-temperature geothermal resources in the Honey Lake Basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schimschal, U.

1991-01-01

An integrated exploration study is presented to locate low-temperature geothermal reservoirs in the Honey Lake area of northern California. Regional studies to locate the geothermal resources included gravity, infra-red, water-temperature, and water-quality analyses. Five anomalies were mapped from resistivity surveys. Additional study of three anomalies by temperature-gradient and seismic methods was undertaken to define structure and potential of the geothermal resource. The gravity data show a graben structure in the area. Seismic reflection data indicate faults associated with surface-resistivity and temperature-gradient data. The data support the interpretation that the shallow reservoirs are replenished along the fault zones by deeply circulating heated meteoric waters. -Author

Parametric effects of syntactic-semantic conflict in Broca's area during sentence processing.

PubMed

Thothathiri, Malathi; Kim, Albert; Trueswell, John C; Thompson-Schill, Sharon L

2012-03-01

The hypothesized role of Broca's area in sentence processing ranges from domain-general executive function to domain-specific computation that is specific to certain syntactic structures. We examined this issue by manipulating syntactic structure and conflict between syntactic and semantic cues in a sentence processing task. Functional neuroimaging revealed that activation within several Broca's area regions of interest reflected the parametric variation in syntactic-semantic conflict. These results suggest that Broca's area supports sentence processing by mediating between multiple incompatible constraints on sentence interpretation, consistent with this area's well-known role in conflict resolution in other linguistic and non-linguistic tasks. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Disease Prediction based on Functional Connectomes using a Scalable and Spatially-Informed Support Vector Machine

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Takanori; Kessler, Daniel; Scott, Clayton; Angstadt, Michael; Sripada, Chandra

2014-01-01

Substantial evidence indicates that major psychiatric disorders are associated with distributed neural dysconnectivity, leading to strong interest in using neuroimaging methods to accurately predict disorder status. In this work, we are specifically interested in a multivariate approach that uses features derived from whole-brain resting state functional connectomes. However, functional connectomes reside in a high dimensional space, which complicates model interpretation and introduces numerous statistical and computational challenges. Traditional feature selection techniques are used to reduce data dimensionality, but are blind to the spatial structure of the connectomes. We propose a regularization framework where the 6-D structure of the functional connectome (defined by pairs of points in 3-D space) is explicitly taken into account via the fused Lasso or the GraphNet regularizer. Our method only restricts the loss function to be convex and margin-based, allowing non-differentiable loss functions such as the hinge-loss to be used. Using the fused Lasso or GraphNet regularizer with the hinge-loss leads to a structured sparse support vector machine (SVM) with embedded feature selection. We introduce a novel efficient optimization algorithm based on the augmented Lagrangian and the classical alternating direction method, which can solve both fused Lasso and GraphNet regularized SVM with very little modification. We also demonstrate that the inner subproblems of the algorithm can be solved efficiently in analytic form by coupling the variable splitting strategy with a data augmentation scheme. Experiments on simulated data and resting state scans from a large schizophrenia dataset show that our proposed approach can identify predictive regions that are spatially contiguous in the 6-D “connectome space,” offering an additional layer of interpretability that could provide new insights about various disease processes. PMID:24704268

What characteristics do service users with intellectual disability value in direct support staff within residential forensic services?

PubMed

Clarkson, Rachael; Murphy, Glynis H; Coldwell, Jon B; Dawson, David L

2009-12-01

This study explores the perceptions of a group of adults with intellectual disability regarding direct support staff. Semi-structured interviews relating to experiences of direct support staff were developed from two focus groups. These interviews were conducted with 11 adults with intellectual disability residing within a forensic inpatient service. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) revealed two superordinate themes; namely, staff relationship factors and positive and negative attributes of staff. The participants valued relationships with staff based on qualities such as honesty, trust, and a caring, nurturing manner that enabled individuals to feel safe. Staff characteristics such as immaturity, inexperience, and a short temper appeared to lead to feelings of discontentment amongst the participants. The implications of the findings are discussed in relation to clinical practice, staff recruitment, and training.

The Recovery Process When Participating in Cancer Support and Rehabilitation Programs in Sweden

PubMed Central

Melin-Johansson, Christina; Öhlén, Joakim; Koinberg, Ingalill; Berg, Linda; Nolbris, Margaretha Jenholt

2015-01-01

The aim was to illuminate the meaning of participating in support and rehabilitation programs described by people diagnosed with cancer. Nineteen persons were interviewed in focus groups and face-to-face. Data were analyzed with a qualitative phenomenological hermeneutical method for researching lived experiences. Interpretation proceeded through three phases: naïve reading, structural analysis, and comprehensive understanding. Three themes were disclosed: receiving support for recovery when being most vulnerable, recapturing capabilities through supportive activities, and searching to find stability and well-being in a changed life situation. Participating in the programs was an existential transition from living in an unpredictable situation that was turned into something meaningful. Recovery did not mean the return to a state of normality; rather, it meant a continuing recovery from cancer treatments and symptoms involving recapturing capabilities and searching for a balance in a forever changed life. This study provides new insights about the experiences of participating in cancer support and rehabilitation programs. PMID:28462312

Modeling Temporal Behavior in Large Networks: A Dynamic Mixed-Membership Model

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

Rossi, R; Gallagher, B; Neville, J

Given a large time-evolving network, how can we model and characterize the temporal behaviors of individual nodes (and network states)? How can we model the behavioral transition patterns of nodes? We propose a temporal behavior model that captures the 'roles' of nodes in the graph and how they evolve over time. The proposed dynamic behavioral mixed-membership model (DBMM) is scalable, fully automatic (no user-defined parameters), non-parametric/data-driven (no specific functional form or parameterization), interpretable (identifies explainable patterns), and flexible (applicable to dynamic and streaming networks). Moreover, the interpretable behavioral roles are generalizable, computationally efficient, and natively supports attributes. We applied ourmore » model for (a) identifying patterns and trends of nodes and network states based on the temporal behavior, (b) predicting future structural changes, and (c) detecting unusual temporal behavior transitions. We use eight large real-world datasets from different time-evolving settings (dynamic and streaming). In particular, we model the evolving mixed-memberships and the corresponding behavioral transitions of Twitter, Facebook, IP-Traces, Email (University), Internet AS, Enron, Reality, and IMDB. The experiments demonstrate the scalability, flexibility, and effectiveness of our model for identifying interesting patterns, detecting unusual structural transitions, and predicting the future structural changes of the network and individual nodes.« less

GlycoWorkbench: a tool for the computer-assisted annotation of mass spectra of glycans.

PubMed

Ceroni, Alessio; Maass, Kai; Geyer, Hildegard; Geyer, Rudolf; Dell, Anne; Haslam, Stuart M

2008-04-01

Mass spectrometry is the main analytical technique currently used to address the challenges of glycomics as it offers unrivalled levels of sensitivity and the ability to handle complex mixtures of different glycan variations. Determination of glycan structures from analysis of MS data is a major bottleneck in high-throughput glycomics projects, and robust solutions to this problem are of critical importance. However, all the approaches currently available have inherent restrictions to the type of glycans they can identify, and none of them have proved to be a definitive tool for glycomics. GlycoWorkbench is a software tool developed by the EUROCarbDB initiative to assist the manual interpretation of MS data. The main task of GlycoWorkbench is to evaluate a set of structures proposed by the user by matching the corresponding theoretical list of fragment masses against the list of peaks derived from the spectrum. The tool provides an easy to use graphical interface, a comprehensive and increasing set of structural constituents, an exhaustive collection of fragmentation types, and a broad list of annotation options. The aim of GlycoWorkbench is to offer complete support for the routine interpretation of MS data. The software is available for download from: http://www.eurocarbdb.org/applications/ms-tools.

Using the prisms of gender and rank to interpret research collaboration power dynamics.

PubMed

Gaughan, Monica; Bozeman, Barry

2016-08-01

Collaboration is central to modern scientific inquiry, and increasingly important to the professional experiences of academic scientists. While the effects of collaboration have been widely studied, much less is understood about the motivations to collaborate and collaboration dynamics that generate scientific outcomes. A particular interest of this study is to understand how collaboration experiences differ between women and men, and the attributions used to explain these differences. We use a multi-method study of university Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics faculty research collaborators. We employ 177 anonymous open-ended responses to a web-based survey, and 60 semi-structured interviews of academic scientists in US research universities. We find similarities and differences in collaborative activity between men and women. Open-ended qualitative textual analysis suggests that some of these differences are attributed to power dynamics - both general ones related to differences in organizational status, and in power dynamics related specifically to gender. In analysis of semi-structured interviews, we find that both status and gender were used as interpretive frames for collaborative behavior, with more emphasis placed on status than gender differences. Overall, the findings support that gender structures some part of the collaborative experience, but that status hierarchy exerts more clear effects.

Availability, Use, and Cultivation of Support Networks as Predictors of the Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Chinese: A Panel Study

PubMed Central

Chong, Alice Ming Lin; Cheung, Chau-kiu; Woo, Jean; Kwan, Alex Yui-Huen

2012-01-01

Objectives. To examine the impact of the availability, use, and cultivation of a support network on the well-being of community-dwelling, middle-aged, and older Chinese. Methods. A total of 2,970 Hong Kong Chinese aged 40–74 years were interviewed using a structured questionnaire in 2004. Out of the original group of interviewees, 2,120 (71.4%) were interviewed again in 2005. Results. Structural equation modeling revealed a good fit of the model employing Wave 1 support network data and demographic characteristics to predict Wave 2 well-being. As hypothesized, the availability of important social ties and the cultivation of one's support networks were found to predict well-being one year later, but not the use of support networks to meet emotional, financial, or companion needs after controlling for demographic variables and baseline well-being. Discussion. Cultivating support networks can be interpreted as positive and active coping. Such cultivation is in line with what socioemotional selectivity theory predicts; specifically, when people age, they become more selective and concentrate on strengthening their relationship with those they are emotionally close to. We argue that network cultivation deserves more attention in theory, practice, and research to strengthen the resilience and adaptability of individuals approaching and experiencing old age. PMID:22645494

The Band Structure of Polymers: Its Calculation and Interpretation. Part 3. Interpretation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duke, B. J.; O'Leary, Brian

1988-01-01

In this article, the third part of a series, the results of ab initio polymer calculations presented in part 2 are discussed. The electronic structure of polymers, symmetry properties of band structure, and generalizations are presented. (CW)

Historical and cultural aspects of the provision of care at an indigenous healthcare service facility.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Aridiane Alves; Arantes, Cássia Irene Spinelli; Gualda, Dulce Maria Rosa; Rossi, Lídia Aparecida

2017-06-01

This case study aimed to interpret the underlying historical and cultural aspects of the provision of care at an indigenous healthcare service facility. This is an interpretive, case study-type research with qualitative approach, which was conducted in 2012 at the Indigenous Health Support Center (CASAI) of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Data were collected by means systematic observation, documentary analyses and semi-structured interviews with ten health professionals. Data review was performed according to an approach based on social anthropology and health anthropology. The anthropological concepts of social code and ethnocentrism underpinned the interpretation of outcomes. Two categories were identified: CASAI, a space between streets and village; Ethnocentrism and indigenous health care. Healthcare practice and current social code are influenced by each other. The street social code prevails in the social environment under study. The institutional organization and professionals' appreciation of the indigenous biological body are decisive to provision of care under the streets social code perspective. Professionals' concepts evidence ethnocentrism in healthcare. Workers, however, try to adopt a relativized view vis-à-vis indigenous people at CASAI.

Paleoenvironmental interpretation of section of Rosario Formation in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

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

Tellez-Duarte, M.A.; Ferman-Almada, J.L.

In contrast to previous interpretations of the Rosario Formation in other parts of Baja California, a stratigraphic section 6 km north of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, contains evidences for deposition in shallow waters during a regressive event in a steep slope basin. Among the sedimentary evidence, the section shows a coarse, shoaling-upward sequence, with high-angle cross-stratification and planar bed lamination. Load structures with a westward orientation were found only at the base. The fossils assemblages support the same shoaling-upward interpretation as the sedimentary evidence, with ammonoids and deposit feeder trace fossils (such as Chondrites) at the bottom to mollusks andmore » suspension feeder trace fossils (such as Scolicia and Ophiomorpha, characteristic of shallower waters) at the top. This sedimentologic and paleontologic evidence suggests nearshore to beach coastal deposits. The contact between the section and a discontinuous thin limestone bed at the top of the section shows an unconformity. The absence of well-preserved fossils makes this limestone difficult to date, but the lithology is similar to that of Paleocene Sepultura Formation limestones.« less

Cultural safety and midwifery care for Aboriginal women - A phenomenological study.

PubMed

Brown, Angela E; Middleton, Philippa F; Fereday, Jennifer A; Pincombe, Jan I

2016-04-01

Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander(1) women face considerable health disparity in relation to their maternity health outcomes when compared to non-Aboriginal women. Culture and culturally appropriate care can contribute to positive health outcomes for Aboriginal women. How midwives provide culturally appropriate care and how the care is experienced by the women is central to this study. To explore the lived experiences of midwives providing care in the standard hospital care system to Aboriginal women at a large tertiary teaching hospital. An interpretive Heideggerian phenomenological approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen volunteer midwives which were transcribed, analysed and presented informed by van Manen's approach. Thematic analysis revealed six main themes: "Finding ways to connect with the women", "building support networks - supporting with and through Aboriginal cultural knowledge", "managing the perceived barriers to effective care", "perceived equity is treating women the same", "understanding culture" and "assessing cultural needs - urban versus rural/remote Aboriginal cultural needs". The midwives in this study have shared their stories of caring for Aboriginal women. They have identified communication and building support with Aboriginal health workers and families as important. They have identified perceived barriers to the provision of care, and misunderstanding around the interpretation of cultural safety in practice was found. Suggestions are made to support midwives in their practice and improve the experiences for Aboriginal women. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mirroring of fast solar flare electrons on a downstream corotating interaction region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, K. A.; Sommers, J.; Lin, R. P.; Pick, M.; Chaizy, P.; Murphy, N.; Smith, E. J.; Phillips, J. L.

1995-01-01

We discuss an example of confinement of fast solar electrons by a discrete solar wind-interplanetary magnetic field structure on February 22, 1991. The structure is about 190,000 km in width and is clearly defined by changes in the direction of the magnetic field at the Ulysses spacecraft. This structure carries electrons moving toward the Sun as well as away from the Sun. A loss cone in the angular distribution of the fast electrons shows that mirroring, presumably magnetic, takes place downstream from the spacecraft. Following passage of this narrow structure, the return flux vanishes for 21 min after which time the mirroring resumes and persists for several hours. We identify the enhanced magnetic field region lying downstream from the Ulysses spacecraft that is responsible for the mirroring to be a corotating stream interaction region. Backstreaming suprathermal electron measurements by the Los Alamos National Laboratory plasma experiment on the Ulysses spacecraft support this interpretation.

Nursing Clinical Instructor Experiences of Empowerment in Rwanda: Applying Kanter's and Spreitzer's Theories.

PubMed

Thuss, Mary; Babenko-Mould, Yolanda; Andrusyszyn, Mary-Anne; Laschinger, Heather K S

2016-10-15

The purpose of this study was to explore Rwandan nursing clinical instructors' (CIs) experiences of structural and psychological empowerment. CIs play a vital role in students' development by facilitating learning in health care practice environments. Quality nursing education hinges on the CI's ability to enact a professional role. A descriptive qualitative method was used to obtain an understanding of CIs empowerment experiences in practice settings. Kanter's Theory of Structural Power in Organizations and Spreitzer's Psychological Empowerment Theory were used as theoretical frameworks to interpret experiences. Interview data from 21 CIs were used to complete a secondary analysis. Most participants perceived the structural components of informal power, resources, and support while formal power and opportunity were limited, diminishing their sense of structural empowerment. Psychological empowerment for CIs stemmed from a sense of competence, meaning, impact and self-determination they had for their teaching roles and responsibilities in the practice setting.

Mathematical support for surveying measurements in order to obtain the draft tube three-dimensional model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gridan, Maria-Roberta; Herban, Sorin; Grecea, Oana

2017-07-01

Nowadays, the engineering companies and contractors are facing challenges never experienced before. They are being charged with - and being held liable for - the health of the structures they create and maintain. To surmount these challenges, engineers need to be able to measure structural movements up to millimetre level accuracy. Accurate and timely information on the status of a structure is highly valuable to engineers. It enables them to compare the real world behaviour of a structure against the design and theoretical models. When empowered by such data, engineers can effectively and cost efficiently measure and maintain the health of vital infrastructure. This paper presents the interpretation of the draft tube topographical measurements in order to obtain its 3D model. Based on the documents made available by the beneficiary and the data obtained in situ, the modernization conclusions were presented.

Sparse regularization for EIT reconstruction incorporating structural information derived from medical imaging.

PubMed

Gong, Bo; Schullcke, Benjamin; Krueger-Ziolek, Sabine; Mueller-Lisse, Ullrich; Moeller, Knut

2016-06-01

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) reconstructs the conductivity distribution of a domain using electrical data on its boundary. This is an ill-posed inverse problem usually solved on a finite element mesh. For this article, a special regularization method incorporating structural information of the targeted domain is proposed and evaluated. Structural information was obtained either from computed tomography images or from preliminary EIT reconstructions by a modified k-means clustering. The proposed regularization method integrates this structural information into the reconstruction as a soft constraint preferring sparsity in group level. A first evaluation with Monte Carlo simulations indicated that the proposed solver is more robust to noise and the resulting images show fewer artifacts. This finding is supported by real data analysis. The structure based regularization has the potential to balance structural a priori information with data driven reconstruction. It is robust to noise, reduces artifacts and produces images that reflect anatomy and are thus easier to interpret for physicians.

Precast concrete unit assessment through GPR survey and FDTD modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campo, Davide

2017-04-01

Precast concrete elements are widely used within United Kingdom house building offering ease in assembly and added values as structural integrity, sound and thermal insulation; most common concrete components include walls, beams, floors, panels, lintels, stairs, etc. The lack of respect of the manufacturer instruction during assembling, however, may induce cracking and short/long term loss of bearing capacity. GPR is a well-established not destructive technique employed in the assessment of structural elements because of real-time imaging, quickness of data collecting and ability to discriminate finest structural details. In this work, GPR has been used to investigate two different precast elements: precast reinforced concrete planks constituting the roof slab of a school and precast wood-cement blocks with insulation material pre-fitted used to build a perimeter wall of a private building. Visible cracks affected both constructions. For the assessment surveys, a GSSI 2.0 GHz GPR antenna has been used because of the high resolution required and the small size of the antenna case (155 by 90 by 105mm) enabling scanning up to 45mm from any obstruction. Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) numerical modelling was also performed to build a scenario of the expected GPR signal response for a preliminary real-time interpretation and to help solve uncertainties due to complex reflection patterns: simulated radargrams were built using Reflex Software v. 8.2, reproducing the same GPR pulse used for the surveys in terms of wavelet, nominal frequency, sample frequency and time window. Model geometries were derived from the design projects available both for the planks and the blocks; the electromagnetic properties of the materials (concrete, reinforcing bars, air-filled void, insulation and wooden concrete) were inferred from both values reported in literature and a preliminary interpretation of radargrams where internal layer interfaces were clearly recognizable and univocally interpretable. Simulated and real radargrams comparison demonstrated that, in both cases, manufacturer instructions were not fully respected and confirmed GPR as a fast and effective structural assessment technique with the support of FDTD modelling as data interpretation validating method when complex reflection patterns are observed. GPR findings will be then used to address the intrusive coring necessary to evaluate the compressive strength of the concrete and, in synergy with the intrusive survey results, to plan properly corrective actions to ensure the stability of the structures and guarantee the usability.

Experimental taphonomy of giant sulphur bacteria: implications for the interpretation of the embryo-like Ediacaran Doushantuo fossils.

PubMed

Cunningham, J A; Thomas, C-W; Bengtson, S; Marone, F; Stampanoni, M; Turner, F R; Bailey, J V; Raff, R A; Raff, E C; Donoghue, P C J

2012-05-07

The Ediacaran Doushantuo biota has yielded fossils interpreted as eukaryotic organisms, either animal embryos or eukaryotes basal or distantly related to Metazoa. However, the fossils have been interpreted alternatively as giant sulphur bacteria similar to the extant Thiomargarita. To test this hypothesis, living and decayed Thiomargarita were compared with Doushantuo fossils and experimental taphonomic pathways were compared with modern embryos. In the fossils, as in eukaryotic cells, subcellular structures are distributed throughout cell volume; in Thiomargarita, a central vacuole encompasses approximately 98 per cent cell volume. Key features of the fossils, including putative lipid vesicles and nuclei, complex envelope ornament, and ornate outer vesicles are incompatible with living and decay morphologies observed in Thiomargarita. Microbial taphonomy of Thiomargarita also differed from that of embryos. Embryo tissues can be consumed and replaced by bacteria, forming a replica composed of a three-dimensional biofilm, a stable fabric for potential fossilization. Vacuolated Thiomargarita cells collapse easily and do not provide an internal substrate for bacteria. The findings do not support the hypothesis that giant sulphur bacteria are an appropriate interpretative model for the embryo-like Doushantuo fossils. However, sulphur bacteria may have mediated fossil mineralization and may provide a potential bacterial analogue for other macroscopic Precambrian remains.

Experimental taphonomy of giant sulphur bacteria: implications for the interpretation of the embryo-like Ediacaran Doushantuo fossils

PubMed Central

Cunningham, J. A.; Thomas, C.-W.; Bengtson, S.; Marone, F.; Stampanoni, M.; Turner, F. R.; Bailey, J. V.; Raff, R. A.; Raff, E. C.; Donoghue, P. C. J.

2012-01-01

The Ediacaran Doushantuo biota has yielded fossils interpreted as eukaryotic organisms, either animal embryos or eukaryotes basal or distantly related to Metazoa. However, the fossils have been interpreted alternatively as giant sulphur bacteria similar to the extant Thiomargarita. To test this hypothesis, living and decayed Thiomargarita were compared with Doushantuo fossils and experimental taphonomic pathways were compared with modern embryos. In the fossils, as in eukaryotic cells, subcellular structures are distributed throughout cell volume; in Thiomargarita, a central vacuole encompasses approximately 98 per cent cell volume. Key features of the fossils, including putative lipid vesicles and nuclei, complex envelope ornament, and ornate outer vesicles are incompatible with living and decay morphologies observed in Thiomargarita. Microbial taphonomy of Thiomargarita also differed from that of embryos. Embryo tissues can be consumed and replaced by bacteria, forming a replica composed of a three-dimensional biofilm, a stable fabric for potential fossilization. Vacuolated Thiomargarita cells collapse easily and do not provide an internal substrate for bacteria. The findings do not support the hypothesis that giant sulphur bacteria are an appropriate interpretative model for the embryo-like Doushantuo fossils. However, sulphur bacteria may have mediated fossil mineralization and may provide a potential bacterial analogue for other macroscopic Precambrian remains. PMID:22158954

Interactive visualization to advance earthquake simulation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kellogg, L.H.; Bawden, G.W.; Bernardin, T.; Billen, M.; Cowgill, E.; Hamann, B.; Jadamec, M.; Kreylos, O.; Staadt, O.; Sumner, D.

2008-01-01

The geological sciences are challenged to manage and interpret increasing volumes of data as observations and simulations increase in size and complexity. For example, simulations of earthquake-related processes typically generate complex, time-varying data sets in two or more dimensions. To facilitate interpretation and analysis of these data sets, evaluate the underlying models, and to drive future calculations, we have developed methods of interactive visualization with a special focus on using immersive virtual reality (VR) environments to interact with models of Earth's surface and interior. Virtual mapping tools allow virtual "field studies" in inaccessible regions. Interactive tools allow us to manipulate shapes in order to construct models of geological features for geodynamic models, while feature extraction tools support quantitative measurement of structures that emerge from numerical simulation or field observations, thereby enabling us to improve our interpretation of the dynamical processes that drive earthquakes. VR has traditionally been used primarily as a presentation tool, albeit with active navigation through data. Reaping the full intellectual benefits of immersive VR as a tool for scientific analysis requires building on the method's strengths, that is, using both 3D perception and interaction with observed or simulated data. This approach also takes advantage of the specialized skills of geological scientists who are trained to interpret, the often limited, geological and geophysical data available from field observations. ?? Birkhaueser 2008.

Joint interpretation of seismic tomography and new magnetotelluric results provide evidence for support of high topography in the Southern Rocky Mountains and High Plains of eastern Colorado, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feucht, D. W.; Sheehan, A. F.; Bedrosian, P.

2015-12-01

A recent magnetotelluric (MT) survey in central Colorado, USA, when interpreted alongside existing seismic tomography, reveals potential mechanisms of support for high topography both regionally and locally. Broadband and long period magnetotelluric data were collected at twenty-three sites along a 330 km E-W profile across the Southern Rocky Mountains and High Plains of central North America as part of the Deep RIFT Electrical Resistivity (DRIFTER) experiment. Remote-reference data processing yielded high quality MT data over a period range of 100 Hz to 10,000 seconds. A prominent feature of the regional geo-electric structure is the Denver Basin, which contains a thick package of highly conductive shales and porous sandstone aquifers. One-dimensional forward modeling was performed on stations within the Denver Basin to estimate depth to the base of this shallow conductor. Those estimates were then used to place a horizontal penalty cut in the model mesh of a regularized two-dimensional inversion. Two-dimensional modeling of the resistivity structure reveals two major anomalous regions in the lithosphere: 1) a high conductivity region in the crust under the tallest peaks of the Rocky Mountains and 2) a lateral step increase in lithospheric resistivity beneath the plains. The Rocky Mountain crustal anomaly coincides with low seismic wave speeds and enhanced heat flow and is thus interpreted as evidence of partial melt and/or high temperature fluids emplaced in the crust by tectonic activity along the Rio Grande Rift. The lateral variation in the mantle lithosphere, while co-located with a pronounced step increase in seismic velocity, appears to be a gradational boundary in resistivity across eastern Colorado and could indicate a small degree of compositional modification at the edge of the North American craton. These inferred conductivity mechanisms, namely crustal melt and modification of mantle lithosphere, likely contribute to high topography locally in the Rocky Mountains and regionally in the High Plains.

Upper mantle structure under western Saudi Arabia from Rayleigh wave tomography and the origin of Cenozoic uplift and volcanism on the Arabian Shield

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

Park, Y; Nyblade, A; Rodgers, A

2007-11-09

The shear velocity structure of the shallow upper mantle beneath the Arabian Shield has been modeled by inverting new Rayleigh wave phase velocity measurements between 45 and 140 s together with previously published Rayleigh wave group velocity measurement between 10 and 45 s. For measuring phase velocities, we applied a modified array method that minimizes the distortion of raypaths by lateral heterogeneity. The new shear velocity model shows a broad low velocity region in the lithospheric mantle across the Shield and a low velocity region at depths {ge} 150 km localized along the Red Sea coast and Makkah-Madinah-Nafud (MMN) volcanicmore » line. The velocity reduction in the upper mantle corresponds to a temperature anomaly of {approx}250-330 K. These finding, in particular the region of continuous low velocities along the Red Sea and MMN volcanic line, do not support interpretations for the origin of the Cenozoic plateau uplift and volcanism on the Shield invoking two separate plumes. When combined with images of the 410 and 660 km discontinuities beneath the southern part of the Arabian Shield, body wave tomographic models, a S-wave polarization analysis, and SKS splitting results, our new model supports an interpretation invoking a thermal upwelling of warm mantle rock originating in the lower mantle under Africa that crosses through the transition zone beneath Ethiopia and moves to the north and northwest under the eastern margin of the Red Sea and the Arabian Shield. In this interpretation, the difference in mean elevation between the Platform and Shield can be attributed to isostatic uplift caused by heating of the lithospheric mantle under the Shield, with significantly higher region along the Red Sea possibly resulting from a combination of lithosphere thinning and dynamic uplift.« less

Applications of three-dimensional modeling in electromagnetic exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pellerin, Louise Donna

Numerical modeling is used in geophysical exploration to understand physical mechanisms of a geophysical method, compare different exploration techniques, and interpret field data. Exploring the physics of a geophysical response enhances the geophysicist's insight, resulting in better survey design and interpretation. Comparing exploration methods numerically can eliminate the use of a technique that cannot resolve the exploration target. Interpreting field data to determine the structure of the earth is the ultimate goal of the exploration geophysicist. Applications of three-dimensional (3-D) electromagnetic (EM) modeling in mining, geothermal and environmental exploration demonstrate the importance of numerical modeling as a geophysical tool. Detection of a confined, conductive target with a vertical electric source (VES) can be an effective technique if properly used. The vertical magnetic field response is due solely to multi-dimensional structures, and current channeling is the dominant mechanism. A VES is deployed in a bore hole, hence the orientation of the hole is critical to the response. A deviation of more than a degree from the vertical can result in a host response that overwhelms the target response. Only the in-phase response at low frequencies can be corrected to a purely vertical response. The geothermal system studied consists of a near-surface clay cap and a deep reservoir. The magnetotelluric (MT), controlled-source audio magnetotelluric (CSAMT), long-offset time-domain electromagnetic (LOTEM) and central-loop transient electromagnetic (TEM) methods are appraised for their ability to detect the reservoir and delineate the cap. The reservoir anomaly is supported by boundary charges and therefore is detectable only with deep sounding electric field measurement MT and LOTEM. The cap is easily delineated with all techniques. For interpretation I developed an approximate 3-D inversion that refines a 1-D interpretation by removing lateral distortions. An iterative inverse procedure invokes EM reciprocity while operating on a localized portion of the survey area thereby greatly reducing the computational requirements. The scheme is illustrated with three synthetic data sets representative of problems in environmental geophysics.

Creating a Professional Ladder for Interpreters for Improvement of Care.

PubMed

Marshall, Lori; Fischer, Anna; Noyes Soeller, Allison; Cordova, Richard; Gutierrez, Yvonne R; Alford, Luis

2016-01-01

Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), a metropolitan academic medical center, recognized limitations in how the professional interpreters from the Diversity Services Department were used to support effective patient-provider communication across the organization. Given the importance of mitigating language and communication barriers, CHLA sought to minimize clinical and structural barriers to health care for limited English proficiency populations through a comprehensive restructuring of the Diversity Services Department. This approach entailed a new delivery model for hospital language assistance and cultural consultancy resources. The intervention focused on restructuring the Diversity Services Department, redefining priorities, reallocating resources, and redefining the roles of the language staff positions in the department. The language staff role was redesigned to fit a four-level professional career ladder modeled after the professional career ladders commonly used in hospitals for the RN role and other professional disciplines. The approach involved creating new levels of language specialist, each with progressive requirements for performance, leadership, and accountability for patient care outcomes. Language staff in the inpatient, clinic, and emergency department settings worked alongside nurses, physicians, and other disciplines to care for a specific set of patients. The result of this work was a positive culture change resulting in service efficiencies, care improvements, and improved access to language services. A professional career ladder for language staff contributed to improving the quality and access of language services and advancing the interpreting profession by incorporating care coordination support, vital document translation, and cultural consultancy.

Quantitative analysis of a transpressional system, El Biod Arch, Ghadames Basin, Algeria

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

Moore, S.R.; Krantz, R.W.; Akkache, K.

1996-12-31

Trap definition within the northern extension of the Hassi Touareg - Rhourde El Baguel fault zone in the western Ghadames Basin of Algeria is difficult due to complex structural geometries. The fault zone consists of a narrow system of discontinuous. locally en echelon faults. Although north-trending to the south, the zone curves to a northeast trend to the north. Reserves associated with the southern portion of the system total 1500 MMBOR and 2 TCFG. Several lines of evidence support a strike-slip component of motion for the northern segment. Horizontal slickensides have been described in cores taken from wells within themore » fault trend. Fracture patterns measured from logs taken within the NE-SW fault trend show clusters expected for right-lateral Reidel shears. Although complicated by all evaporate sequence at mid-level in the stratigraphic section, we interpret downward converging faults imaged on recent 2D seismic as positive flower profiles. Map patterns are also interpreted as right-lateral, recognizing that the 2D grid cannot resolve all of the structural complexity. To confirm the component of strike-slip fault displacement, we applied a new quantitative method relating map view structural orientations to the shear magnitude, the degree of convergence or divergence, and the magnitudes of horizontal and vertical strains. Strike-slip to convergence ratios ranging from 2:1 to 3:1 were measured in the study area. Higher ratios (10:1) measured above the salt may indicate a detachment. These ratios also fit the regional tectonic pattern: to the south, where the fault zone trends due north, structural geometries support dip-slip inversion indicative of east-west shortening. Applying the same shortening vector to the northeast-trending part of the zone suggests oblique right-lateral motion, with a strike-slip to convergence ratio of 2:1.« less

Quantitative analysis of a transpressional system, El Biod Arch, Ghadames Basin, Algeria

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

Moore, S.R.; Krantz, R.W.; Akkache, K.

1996-01-01

Trap definition within the northern extension of the Hassi Touareg - Rhourde El Baguel fault zone in the western Ghadames Basin of Algeria is difficult due to complex structural geometries. The fault zone consists of a narrow system of discontinuous. locally en echelon faults. Although north-trending to the south, the zone curves to a northeast trend to the north. Reserves associated with the southern portion of the system total 1500 MMBOR and 2 TCFG. Several lines of evidence support a strike-slip component of motion for the northern segment. Horizontal slickensides have been described in cores taken from wells within themore » fault trend. Fracture patterns measured from logs taken within the NE-SW fault trend show clusters expected for right-lateral Reidel shears. Although complicated by all evaporate sequence at mid-level in the stratigraphic section, we interpret downward converging faults imaged on recent 2D seismic as positive flower profiles. Map patterns are also interpreted as right-lateral, recognizing that the 2D grid cannot resolve all of the structural complexity. To confirm the component of strike-slip fault displacement, we applied a new quantitative method relating map view structural orientations to the shear magnitude, the degree of convergence or divergence, and the magnitudes of horizontal and vertical strains. Strike-slip to convergence ratios ranging from 2:1 to 3:1 were measured in the study area. Higher ratios (10:1) measured above the salt may indicate a detachment. These ratios also fit the regional tectonic pattern: to the south, where the fault zone trends due north, structural geometries support dip-slip inversion indicative of east-west shortening. Applying the same shortening vector to the northeast-trending part of the zone suggests oblique right-lateral motion, with a strike-slip to convergence ratio of 2:1.« less

Knowledge is (not) power: healthy eating and physical activity for African-American women.

PubMed

Barnett, Tracey Marie; Praetorius, Regina T

2015-01-01

African-American women are more likely to be overweight or obese as compared to other ethnic groups. The purpose of this Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis (QIMS) was to explore the experiences that African-American women encounter when trying to eat healthily and maintain physical activity to inform practice and research. The QIMS included studies from various disciplines to understand the experiences of African-American women with eating healthily and being physically active. Five themes were identified: family; structured support; translating knowledge into behavior modifications; barriers to physical activity; and God is my healer. These themes enhance understanding of what African-American women know, their support system(s), and how cultural barriers impact nutrition and physical activity.

PyORBIT: A Python Shell For ORBIT

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

Jean-Francois Ostiguy; Jeffrey Holmes

2003-07-01

ORBIT is code developed at SNS to simulate beam dynamics in accumulation rings and synchrotrons. The code is structured as a collection of external C++ modules for SuperCode, a high level interpreter shell developed at LLNL in the early 1990s. SuperCode is no longer actively supported and there has for some time been interest in replacing it by a modern scripting language, while preserving the feel of the original ORBIT program. In this paper, we describe a new version of ORBIT where the role of SuperCode is assumed by Python, a free, well-documented and widely supported object-oriented scripting language. Wemore » also compare PyORBIT to ORBIT from the standpoint of features, performance and future expandability.« less

Fuzzy support vector machine: an efficient rule-based classification technique for microarrays.

PubMed

Hajiloo, Mohsen; Rabiee, Hamid R; Anooshahpour, Mahdi

2013-01-01

The abundance of gene expression microarray data has led to the development of machine learning algorithms applicable for tackling disease diagnosis, disease prognosis, and treatment selection problems. However, these algorithms often produce classifiers with weaknesses in terms of accuracy, robustness, and interpretability. This paper introduces fuzzy support vector machine which is a learning algorithm based on combination of fuzzy classifiers and kernel machines for microarray classification. Experimental results on public leukemia, prostate, and colon cancer datasets show that fuzzy support vector machine applied in combination with filter or wrapper feature selection methods develops a robust model with higher accuracy than the conventional microarray classification models such as support vector machine, artificial neural network, decision trees, k nearest neighbors, and diagonal linear discriminant analysis. Furthermore, the interpretable rule-base inferred from fuzzy support vector machine helps extracting biological knowledge from microarray data. Fuzzy support vector machine as a new classification model with high generalization power, robustness, and good interpretability seems to be a promising tool for gene expression microarray classification.

Dispersed metal cluster catalysts by design. Synthesis, characterization, structure, and performance

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

Arslan, Ilke; Dixon, David A.; Gates, Bruce C.

2015-09-30

To understand the class of metal cluster catalysts better and to lay a foundation for the prediction of properties leading to improved catalysts, we have synthesized metal catalysts with well-defined structures and varied the cluster structures and compositions systematically—including the ligands bonded to the metals. These ligands include supports and bulky organics that are being tuned to control both the electron transfer to or from the metal and the accessibility of reactants to influence catalytic properties. We have developed novel syntheses to prepare these well-defined catalysts with atomic-scale control the environment by choice and placement of ligands and applied state-of-themore » art spectroscopic, microscopic, and computational methods to determine their structures, reactivities, and catalytic properties. The ligands range from nearly flat MgO surfaces to enveloping zeolites to bulky calixarenes to provide controlled coverages of the metal clusters, while also enforcing unprecedented degrees of coordinative unsaturation at the metal site—thereby facilitating bonding and catalysis events at exposed metal atoms. With this wide range of ligand properties and our arsenal of characterization tools, we worked to achieve a deep, fundamental understanding of how to synthesize robust supported and ligand-modified metal clusters with controlled catalytic properties, thereby bridging the gap between active site structure and function in unsupported and supported metal catalysts. We used methods of organometallic and inorganic chemistry combined with surface chemistry for the precise synthesis of metal clusters and nanoparticles, characterizing them at various stages of preparation and under various conditions (including catalytic reaction conditions) and determining their structures and reactivities and how their catalytic properties depend on their compositions and structures. Key characterization methods included IR, NMR, and EXAFS spectroscopies to identify ligands on the metals and their reactions; EXAFS spectroscopy and high-resolution STEM to determine cluster framework structures and changes resulting from reactant treatment and locations of metal atoms on support surfaces; X-ray diffraction crystallography to determine full structures of cluster-ligand combinations in the absence of a support, and TEM with tomographic methods to observe individual metal atoms and determine three-dimensional structures of catalysts. Electronic structure calculations were used to verify and interpret spectra and extend the understanding of reactivity beyond what is measurable experimentally.« less

The criterion and discriminant validity of the Referential Thinking (REF) scale.

PubMed

Startup, Mike; Sakrouge, Rebecca; Mason, Oliver J

2010-03-01

The Referential Thinking (REF) scale was designed to be a comprehensive self-report measure of both simple and guilty ideas of reference in the general population. One aim of the present study was to test the proposed interpretations of REF scores by comparing REF scores with ratings of delusions among psychotic patients. A 2nd aim was to test whether REF scores are better predicted by the severity of patients' delusions of reference (DoRs) than by the severity of their auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs), thus supporting the scores' ability to discriminate between proneness to the 2 different symptoms. The REF scale was completed by 56 healthy controls and 53 acutely psychotic patients. The severity of the patients' DoRs and AVHs were assessed in structured clinical interviews. REF scores differed significantly not only between the patients and controls but also between patients with versus without DoRs. REF scores correlated significantly with the severity of the patients' DoRs but not their AVHs. The interpretation of REF scores as a measure of proneness to simple and guilty ideas of reference was supported. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Exchanging narratives-A qualitative study of peer support among surgical lung cancer patients.

PubMed

Borregaard, Britt; Ludvigsen, Mette Spliid

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine how hospitalised, surgical lung cancer patients experience talking to a former patient, and how the former patient experiences the role as supportive. During hospitalisation, patients often create a community in which they can engage with fellow patients. The exchange of experiences with others in a similar situation might increase opportunities for support and complement nursing care, but there is a need for more evidence and understanding on the topic. The methodological framework is based on the French philosopher Paul Ricoeur's text interpretation theory. Qualitative interviews were conducted with nine patients, including a peer informant, using a narrative structure. The analysis was conducted on three levels: (i) naïve reading, (ii) structural analysis and (iii) critical interpretation . Four themes were developed from the analysis of the interviews: Exchanging emotional thoughts is easier with a peer; Talking to a peer reduces loneliness; Being ambiguous about a relationship with fellow patients; and Being the main person in the conversation with a peer. Sharing stories about having similar symptoms and undergoing similar journeys predominated, and the key feature of the contact between patients was the commonality of their stories. Telling one's story to a former patient, and thereby creating a joint, common story, is the essence of this study. The support received in this process can be empowering because knowledge of the illness experience is shared and increased. This can help create new coping strategies. The contact with a former patient offered a way to confirm one's thoughts and to find a way out of the illness perspective, by seeing how the former patient had recovered. The nursing field faces challenges in the relational aspect of caring because of ever greater efficient and shortened hospital stays; therefore, the peer support concept is becoming increasingly relevant. Patient peers offer each other their own perspectives, and it is important to raise awareness of the value of this and incorporate it into patient stays in hospital. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Benefits of Sign Language Interpreting and Text Alternatives for Deaf Students' Classroom Learning

PubMed Central

Marschark, Marc; Leigh, Greg; Sapere, Patricia; Burnham, Denis; Convertino, Carol; Stinson, Michael; Knoors, Harry; Vervloed, Mathijs P. J.; Noble, William

2006-01-01

Four experiments examined the utility of real-time text in supporting deaf students' learning from lectures in postsecondary (Experiments 1 and 2) and secondary classrooms (Experiments 3 and 4). Experiment 1 compared the effects on learning of sign language interpreting, real-time text (C-Print), and both. Real-time text alone led to significantly higher performance by deaf students than the other two conditions, but performance by deaf students in all conditions was significantly below that of hearing peers who saw lectures without any support services. Experiment 2 compared interpreting and two forms of real-time text, C-Print and Communication Access Real-Time Translation, at immediate testing and after a 1-week delay (with study notes). No significant differences among support services were obtained at either testing. Experiment 3 also failed to reveal significant effects at immediate or delayed testing in a comparison of real-time text, direct (signed) instruction, and both. Experiment 4 found no significant differences between interpreting and interpreting plus real-time text on the learning of either new words or the content of television programs. Alternative accounts of the observed pattern of results are considered, but it is concluded that neither sign language interpreting nor real-time text have any inherent, generalized advantage over the other in supporting deaf students in secondary or postsecondary settings. Providing deaf students with both services simultaneously does not appear to provide any generalized benefit, at least for the kinds of materials utilized here. PMID:16928778

Benefits of sign language interpreting and text alternatives for deaf students' classroom learning.

PubMed

Marschark, Marc; Leigh, Greg; Sapere, Patricia; Burnham, Denis; Convertino, Carol; Stinson, Michael; Knoors, Harry; Vervloed, Mathijs P J; Noble, William

2006-01-01

Four experiments examined the utility of real-time text in supporting deaf students' learning from lectures in postsecondary (Experiments 1 and 2) and secondary classrooms (Experiments 3 and 4). Experiment 1 compared the effects on learning of sign language interpreting, real-time text (C-Print), and both. Real-time text alone led to significantly higher performance by deaf students than the other two conditions, but performance by deaf students in all conditions was significantly below that of hearing peers who saw lectures without any support services. Experiment 2 compared interpreting and two forms of real-time text, C-Print and Communication Access Real-Time Translation, at immediate testing and after a 1-week delay (with study notes). No significant differences among support services were obtained at either testing. Experiment 3 also failed to reveal significant effects at immediate or delayed testing in a comparison of real-time text, direct (signed) instruction, and both. Experiment 4 found no significant differences between interpreting and interpreting plus real-time text on the learning of either new words or the content of television programs. Alternative accounts of the observed pattern of results are considered, but it is concluded that neither sign language interpreting nor real-time text have any inherent, generalized advantage over the other in supporting deaf students in secondary or postsecondary settings. Providing deaf students with both services simultaneously does not appear to provide any generalized benefit, at least for the kinds of materials utilized here.

A Forensic Examination of Online Search Facility URL Record Structures.

PubMed

Horsman, Graeme

2018-05-29

The use of search engines and associated search functions to locate content online is now common practice. As a result, a forensic examination of a suspect's online search activity can be a critical aspect in establishing whether an offense has been committed in many investigations. This article offers an analysis of online search URL structures to support law enforcement and associated digital forensics practitioners interpret acts of online searching during an investigation. Google, Bing, Yahoo!, and DuckDuckGo searching functions are examined, and key URL attribute structures and metadata have been documented. In addition, an overview of social media searching covering Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube is offered. Results show the ability to extract embedded metadata from search engine URLs which can establish online searching behaviors and the timing of searches. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Omics-based interpretation of synergism in a soil-derived cellulose-degrading microbial community

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yizhuang; Pope, Phillip B.; Li, Shaochun; Wen, Bo; Tan, Fengji; Cheng, Shu; Chen, Jing; Yang, Jinlong; Liu, Feng; Lei, Xuejing; Su, Qingqing; Zhou, Chengran; Zhao, Jiao; Dong, Xiuzhu; Jin, Tao; Zhou, Xin; Yang, Shuang; Zhang, Gengyun; Yang, Huangming; Wang, Jian; Yang, Ruifu; Eijsink, Vincent G. H.; Wang, Jun

2014-01-01

Reaching a comprehensive understanding of how nature solves the problem of degrading recalcitrant biomass may eventually allow development of more efficient biorefining processes. Here we interpret genomic and proteomic information generated from a cellulolytic microbial consortium (termed F1RT) enriched from soil. Analyses of reconstructed bacterial draft genomes from all seven uncultured phylotypes in F1RT indicate that its constituent microbes cooperate in both cellulose-degrading and other important metabolic processes. Support for cellulolytic inter-species cooperation came from the discovery of F1RT microbes that encode and express complimentary enzymatic inventories that include both extracellular cellulosomes and secreted free-enzyme systems. Metabolic reconstruction of the seven F1RT phylotypes predicted a wider genomic rationale as to how this particular community functions as well as possible reasons as to why biomass conversion in nature relies on a structured and cooperative microbial community. PMID:24924356

Isomer-delayed γ -ray spectroscopy of A =159 -164 midshell nuclei and the variation of K -forbidden E 1 transition hindrance factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Z.; Walker, P. M.; Podolyák, Zs.; Regan, P. H.; Berry, T. A.; Söderström, P.-A.; Watanabe, H.; Ideguchi, E.; Simpson, G. S.; Nishimura, S.; Wu, Q.; Xu, F. R.; Browne, F.; Doornenbal, P.; Lorusso, G.; Rice, S.; Sinclair, L.; Sumikama, T.; Wu, J.; Xu, Z. Y.; Aoi, N.; Baba, H.; Bello Garrote, F. L.; Benzoni, G.; Daido, R.; Dombrádi, Zs.; Fang, Y.; Fukuda, N.; Gey, G.; Go, S.; Gottardo, A.; Inabe, N.; Isobe, T.; Kameda, D.; Kobayashi, K.; Kobayashi, M.; Komatsubara, T.; Kojouharov, I.; Kubo, T.; Kurz, N.; Kuti, I.; Li, Z.; Matsushita, M.; Michimasa, S.; Moon, C.-B.; Nishibata, H.; Nishizuka, I.; Odahara, A.; Şahin, E.; Sakurai, H.; Schaffner, H.; Suzuki, H.; Takeda, H.; Tanaka, M.; Taprogge, J.; Vajta, Zs.; Yagi, A.; Yokoyama, R.

2017-09-01

Excited states have been studied in 159Sm, 161Sm, 162Sm (Z =62 ), 163Eu (Z =63 ), and 164Gd (Z =64 ), populated by isomeric decay following 238U projectile fission at RIBF, RIKEN. The isomer half-lives range from 50 ns to 2.6 μ s . In comparison with other published data, revised interpretations are proposed for 159Sm and 163Eu. The first data for excited states in 161Sm are presented, where a 2.6-μ s isomer is assigned a three-quasiparticle, Kπ=17 /2- structure. The interpretation is supported by multi-quasiparticle Nilsson-BCS calculations, including the blocking of pairing correlations. A consistent set of reduced E 1 hindrance factors is obtained. Limited evidence is also reported for isomeric decay in 163Sm, 164Eu, and 165Eu.

A defect in holographic interpretations of tensor networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czech, Bartlomiej; Nguyen, Phuc H.; Swaminathan, Sivaramakrishnan

2017-03-01

We initiate the study of how tensor networks reproduce properties of static holographic space-times, which are not locally pure anti-de Sitter. We consider geometries that are holographically dual to ground states of defect, interface and boundary CFTs and compare them to the structure of the requisite MERA networks predicted by the theory of minimal updates. When the CFT is deformed, certain tensors require updating. On the other hand, even identical tensors can contribute differently to estimates of entanglement entropies. We interpret these facts holographically by associating tensor updates to turning on non-normalizable modes in the bulk. In passing, we also clarify and complement existing arguments in support of the theory of minimal updates, propose a novel ansatz called rayed MERA that applies to a class of generalized interface CFTs, and analyze the kinematic spaces of the thin wall and AdS3-Janus geometries.

Space Technology - Game Changing Development NASA Facts: Autonomous Medical Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, David E.

2018-01-01

The AMO (Autonomous Medical Operations) Project is working extensively to train medical models on the reliability and confidence of computer-aided interpretation of ultrasound images in various clinical settings, and of various anatomical structures. AI (Artificial Intelligence) algorithms recognize and classify features in the ultrasound images, and these are compared to those features that clinicians use to diagnose diseases. The acquisition of clinically validated image assessment and the use of the AI algorithms constitutes fundamental baseline for a Medical Decision Support System that will advise crew on long-duration, remote missions.

Doping of TiO 2 Polymorphs for Altered Optical and Photocatalytic Properties

DOE PAGES

Nie, Xiliang; Zhuo, Shuping; Maeng, Gloria; ...

2009-01-01

Tmore » his paper reviews recent investigations of the influence of dopants on the optical properties of iO 2 polymorphs. he common undoped polymorphs of iO 2 are discussed and compared. he results of recent doping efforts are tabulated, and discussed in the context of doping by elements of the same chemical group. Dopant effects on the band gap and photocatalytic activity are interpreted with reference to a simple qualitative picture of the iO 2 electronic structure, which is supported with first-principles calculations.« less

Trilobite spines and beetle horns: sexual selection in the Palaeozoic?

PubMed Central

Knell, Robert J; Fortey, Richard A

2005-01-01

Raphiophorid trilobites commonly bore median cephalic protuberances such as spines or bulbs, showing a remarkable variety of form. It is unlikely that their primary function was for protection or in hydrodynamics. A case is made that they were secondary sexual features, by comparison with similar morphological structures developed on rhinoceros beetles and other arthropods. This interpretation is supported by four lines of evidence: their ontogeny, their diversity, the existence of plausible examples of sexual dimorphs in some cases and the fact that they show positive allometry. PMID:17148165

Trilobite spines and beetle horns: sexual selection in the Palaeozoic?

PubMed

Knell, Robert J; Fortey, Richard A

2005-06-22

Raphiophorid trilobites commonly bore median cephalic protuberances such as spines or bulbs, showing a remarkable variety of form. It is unlikely that their primary function was for protection or in hydrodynamics. A case is made that they were secondary sexual features, by comparison with similar morphological structures developed on rhinoceros beetles and other arthropods. This interpretation is supported by four lines of evidence: their ontogeny, their diversity, the existence of plausible examples of sexual dimorphs in some cases and the fact that they show positive allometry.

STAR - A computer language for hybrid AI applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borchardt, G. C.

1986-01-01

Constructing Artificial Intelligence application systems which rely on both symbolic and non-symbolic processing places heavy demands on the communication of data between dissimilar languages. This paper describes STAR (Simple Tool for Automated Reasoning), a computer language for the development of AI application systems which supports the transfer of data structures between a symbolic level and a non-symbolic level defined in languages such as FORTRAN, C and PASCAL. The organization of STAR is presented, followed by the description of an application involving STAR in the interpretation of airborne imaging spectrometer data.

Why is hydrofluoric acid a weak acid?

PubMed

Ayotte, Patrick; Hébert, Martin; Marchand, Patrick

2005-11-08

The infrared vibrational spectra of amorphous solid water thin films doped with HF at 40 K reveal a strong continuous absorbance in the 1000-3275 cm(-1) range. This so-called Zundel continuum is the spectroscopic hallmark for aqueous protons. The extensive ionic dissociation of HF at such low temperature suggests that the reaction enthalpy remains negative down to 40 K. These observations support the interpretation that dilute HF aqueous solutions behave as weak acids largely due to the large positive reaction entropy resulting from the structure making character of the hydrated fluoride ion.

Visualization of RNA structure models within the Integrative Genomics Viewer.

PubMed

Busan, Steven; Weeks, Kevin M

2017-07-01

Analyses of the interrelationships between RNA structure and function are increasingly important components of genomic studies. The SHAPE-MaP strategy enables accurate RNA structure probing and realistic structure modeling of kilobase-length noncoding RNAs and mRNAs. Existing tools for visualizing RNA structure models are not suitable for efficient analysis of long, structurally heterogeneous RNAs. In addition, structure models are often advantageously interpreted in the context of other experimental data and gene annotation information, for which few tools currently exist. We have developed a module within the widely used and well supported open-source Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV) that allows visualization of SHAPE and other chemical probing data, including raw reactivities, data-driven structural entropies, and data-constrained base-pair secondary structure models, in context with linear genomic data tracks. We illustrate the usefulness of visualizing RNA structure in the IGV by exploring structure models for a large viral RNA genome, comparing bacterial mRNA structure in cells with its structure under cell- and protein-free conditions, and comparing a noncoding RNA structure modeled using SHAPE data with a base-pairing model inferred through sequence covariation analysis. © 2017 Busan and Weeks; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

In situ Analysis of Organic Matter in Martian Soil: Laboratory Measurements Under Martian Operating Conditions Supporting Treatment and Interpretation of SAM GC-MS Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millan, M.; Szopa, C.; Coll, P.; Buch, A.; Cabane, M.; Coscia, D.; Glavin, D. P.; Freissinet, C.

2014-07-01

This work presents laboratory measurements under martian operating conditions in comparison with the SAM GC-MS data provided by the Curiosity rover. Their treatment and interpretation supports the in situ analysis of organic matter on Mars.

Explicating Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Michael T.

2016-01-01

How we choose to use a term depends on what we want to do with it. If "validity" is to be used to support a score interpretation, validation would require an analysis of the plausibility of that interpretation. If validity is to be used to support score uses, validation would require an analysis of the appropriateness of the proposed…

Uncertainty in structural interpretation: Lessons to be learnt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond, Clare E.

2015-05-01

Uncertainty in the interpretation of geological data is an inherent element of geology. Datasets from different sources: remotely sensed seismic imagery, field data and borehole data, are often combined and interpreted to create a geological model of the sub-surface. The data have limited resolution and spatial distribution that results in uncertainty in the interpretation of the data and in the subsequent geological model(s) created. Methods to determine the extent of interpretational uncertainty of a dataset, how to capture and express that uncertainty, and consideration of uncertainties in terms of risk have been investigated. Here I review the work that has taken place and discuss best practice in accounting for uncertainties in structural interpretation workflows. Barriers to best practice are reflected on, including the use of software packages for interpretation. Experimental evidence suggests that minimising interpretation error through the use of geological reasoning and rules can help decrease interpretation uncertainty; through identification of inadmissible interpretations and in highlighting areas of uncertainty. Understanding expert thought processes and reasoning, including the use of visuospatial skills, during interpretation may aid in the identification of uncertainties, and in the education of new geoscientists.

Evaluating ecological equivalence of created marshes: comparing structural indicators with stable isotope indicators of blue crab trophic support

USGS Publications Warehouse

Llewellyn, Chris; LaPeyre, Megan K.

2010-01-01

This study sought to examine ecological equivalence of created marshes of different ages using traditional structural measures of equivalence, and tested a relatively novel approach using stable isotopes as a measure of functional equivalence. We compared soil properties, vegetation, nekton communities, and δ13C and δ15N isotope values of blue crab muscle and hepatopancreas tissue and primary producers at created (5-24 years old) and paired reference marshes in SW Louisiana. Paired contrasts indicated that created and reference marshes supported equivalent plant and nekton communities, but differed in soil characteristics. Stable isotope indicators examining blue crab food web support found that the older marshes (8 years+) were characterized by comparable trophic diversity and breadth compared to their reference marshes. Interpretation of results for the youngest site was confounded by the fact that the paired reference, which represented the desired end goal of restoration, contained a greater diversity of basal resources. Stable isotope techniques may give coastal managers an additional tool to assess functional equivalency of created marshes, as measured by trophic support, but may be limited to comparisons of marshes with similar vegetative communities and basal resources, or require the development of robust standardization techniques.

Tectonics and volcanism on Mars: a compared remote sensing analysis with earthly geostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baggio, Paolo; Ancona, M. A.; Callegari, I.; Pinori, S.; Vercellone, S.

1999-12-01

The recent knowledge on Mars' lithosphere evolution does not find yet sufficient analogies with the Earth's tectonic models. The Viking image analysis seems to be even now frequently, rather fragmentary, and do not permits to express any coherent relationships among the different detected phenomena. Therefore, today it is impossible to support any reliable kinematic hypothesis. The Remote-Sensing interpretation is addressed to a Viking image mosaic of the known Tharsis Montes region and particularly focused on the Arsia Mons volcano. Several previously unknown lineaments, not directly linked to volcano-tectonics, were detected. Their mutual relationships recall transcurrent kinematics that could be related to similar geostructural models known in the Earth plate tectonic dynamics. Several concordant relationships between the Arsia Mons volcano and the brittle extensive tectonic features of earthly Etnean district (Sicily, South Italy), interpreted on Landsat TM images, were pointed out. These analogies coupled with the recently confirmed strato- volcano topology of Tharsis Montes (Head and Wilson), the layout distribution of the effusive centers (Arsia, Pavonis and Ascraeus Montes), the new tectonic lineaments and the morphological features, suggest the hypothesis of a plate tectonic volcanic region. The frame could be an example in agreement with the most recent interpretation of Mars (Sleep). A buried circular body, previously incorrectly interpreted as a great landslide event from the western slope of Arsia Mons volcano, seems really to be a more ancient volcanic structure (Arsia Mons Senilis), which location is in evident relation with the interpreted new transcurrent tectonic system.

Modeling the mesozoic-cenozoic structural evolution of east texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearson, Ofori N.; Rowan, Elisabeth L.; Miller, John J.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently assessed the undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources within Jurassic and Cretaceous strata of the onshore coastal plain and State waters of the U.S. Gulf Coast. Regional 2D seismic lines for key parts of the Gulf Coast basin were interpreted in order to examine the evolution of structural traps and the burial history of petroleum source rocks. Interpretation and structural modeling of seismic lines from eastern Texas provide insights into the structural evolution of this part of the Gulf of Mexico basin. Since completing the assessment, the USGS has acquired additional regional seismic lines in east Texas; interpretation of these new lines, which extend from the Texas-Oklahoma state line to the Gulf Coast shoreline, show how some of the region's prominent structural elements (e.g., the Talco and Mount Enterprise fault zones, the East Texas salt basin, and the Houston diapir province) vary along strike. The interpretations also indicate that unexplored structures may lie beneath the current drilling floor. Structural restorations based upon interpretation of these lines illustrate the evolution of key structures and show the genetic relation between structural growth and movement of the Jurassic Louann Salt. 1D thermal models that integrate kinetics and burial histories were also created for the region's two primary petroleum source rocks, the Oxfordian Smackover Formation and the Cenomanian-Turonian Eagle Ford Shale. Integrating results from the thermal models with the structural restorations provides insights into the distribution and timing of petroleum expulsion from the Smackover Formation and Eagle Ford Shale in eastern Texas.

The journey of recovery and empowerment embraced by nature - clients' perspectives on nature-based rehabilitation in relation to the role of the natural environment.

PubMed

Pálsdóttir, Anna María; Persson, Dennis; Persson, Birgitta; Grahn, Patrik

2014-07-14

This paper presents findings from real life situations, a longitudinal single case study on the role of natural environments in nature-based rehabilitation (NBR) for individuals with stress-related mental disorders, at the Alnarp Rehabilitation Garden in Sweden. A sample of 43 former clients voluntarily participated in semi-structured interview, and the data were analyzed according to interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Three main superordinate themes were identified as the three phases of NBR-Prelude, Recuperating and Empowerment-explaining and illuminating the role of the natural environments in each phase. An explanatory model of NBR in this context is presented including the three phases of NBR, IRP supportive occupations and a pyramid of supporting environments. A new component of supportive environments was identified and herby named, Social quietness, an important component facilitating personal and intimate engagement with the natural environments.

Women's experiences of coping with pregnancy termination for fetal abnormality.

PubMed

Lafarge, Caroline; Mitchell, Kathryn; Fox, Pauline

2013-07-01

Pregnancy termination for fetal abnormality (TFA) can have significant psychological consequences. Most previous research has been focused on measuring the psychological outcomes of TFA, and little is known about the coping strategies involved. In this article, we report on women's coping strategies used during and after the procedure. Our account is based on experiences of 27 women who completed an online survey. We analyzed the data using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Coping comprised four structures, consistent across time points: support, acceptance, avoidance, and meaning attribution. Women mostly used adaptive coping strategies but reported inadequacies in aftercare, which challenged their resources. The study's findings indicate the need to provide sensitive, nondirective care rooted in the acknowledgment of the unique nature of TFA. Enabling women to reciprocate for emotional support, promoting adaptive coping strategies, highlighting the potential value of spending time with the baby, and providing long-term support (including during subsequent pregnancies) might promote psychological adjustment to TFA.

Medical knowledge packages and their integration into health-care information systems and the World Wide Web.

PubMed

Adlassnig, Klaus-Peter; Rappelsberger, Andrea

2008-01-01

Software-based medical knowledge packages (MKPs) are packages of highly structured medical knowledge that can be integrated into various health-care information systems or the World Wide Web. They have been established to provide different forms of clinical decision support such as textual interpretation of combinations of laboratory rest results, generating diagnostic hypotheses as well as confirmed and excluded diagnoses to support differential diagnosis in internal medicine, or for early identification and automatic monitoring of hospital-acquired infections. Technically, an MKP may consist of a number of inter-connected Arden Medical Logic Modules. Several MKPs have been integrated thus far into hospital, laboratory, and departmental information systems. This has resulted in useful and widely accepted software-based clinical decision support for the benefit of the patient, the physician, and the organization funding the health care system.

The Journey of Recovery and Empowerment Embraced by Nature — Clients’ Perspectives on Nature-Based Rehabilitation in Relation to the Role of the Natural Environment

PubMed Central

Pálsdóttir, Anna María; Persson, Dennis; Persson, Birgitta; Grahn, Patrik

2014-01-01

This paper presents findings from real life situations, a longitudinal single case study on the role of natural environments in nature-based rehabilitation (NBR) for individuals with stress-related mental disorders, at the Alnarp Rehabilitation Garden in Sweden. A sample of 43 former clients voluntarily participated in semi-structured interview, and the data were analyzed according to interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Three main superordinate themes were identified as the three phases of NBR—Prelude, Recuperating and Empowerment—explaining and illuminating the role of the natural environments in each phase. An explanatory model of NBR in this context is presented including the three phases of NBR, IRP supportive occupations and a pyramid of supporting environments. A new component of supportive environments was identified and herby named, Social quietness, an important component facilitating personal and intimate engagement with the natural environments. PMID:25026080

Structural interpretation from horizontal seismic sections

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

Brown, A.R.

1983-03-01

The interpreter of a 3D survey must use a data volume. Horizontal slices through a data volume, called Seiscrop sections, have unique properties and structural interpretation from them is fast, convenient, and effective. An event on a Seiscrop section displays local strike, a property which permits direct contouring of a structural surface without any timing and posting. The width of an event on a Seiscrop section is a composition of the frequency of the data and the structural dip. Event terminations indicate faults or other discontinuities when they are transverse to structural strike. Faults parallel to structural strike are muchmore » less evident on a single Seiscrop section but become apparent with the relative movement of events from section to section. In practical mapping, we normally contour one fault block before proceeding to the next with the correlation between them being established from the vertical sections. With dual polarity variable area displays, the interpreter can perceive five amplitude levels and normally picks the edge of a trough. With color amplitude Seiscrop sections, it is possible to pick on the crest of any event. With color phase sections the interpreter can pick at any arbitrary but consistent point on the seismic waveform. Subtle structural features are commonly revealed on horizontal sections which may never have been noticed if working from vertical sections alone.« less

Reservoir and Source Rock Identification Based on Geologycal, Geophysics and Petrophysics Analysis Study Case: South Sumatra Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anggit Maulana, Hiska; Haris, Abdul

2018-05-01

Reservoir and source rock Identification has been performed to deliniate the reservoir distribution of Talangakar Formation South Sumatra Basin. This study is based on integrated geophysical, geological and petrophysical data. The aims of study to determine the characteristics of the reservoir and source rock, to differentiate reservoir and source rock in same Talangakar formation, to find out the distribution of net pay reservoir and source rock layers. The method of geophysical included seismic data interpretation using time and depth structures map, post-stack inversion, interval velocity, geological interpretations included the analysis of structures and faults, and petrophysical processing is interpret data log wells that penetrating Talangakar formation containing hydrocarbons (oil and gas). Based on seismic interpretation perform subsurface mapping on Layer A and Layer I to determine the development of structures in the Regional Research. Based on the geological interpretation, trapping in the form of regional research is anticline structure on southwest-northeast trending and bounded by normal faults on the southwest-southeast regional research structure. Based on petrophysical analysis, the main reservoir in the field of research, is a layer 1,375 m of depth and a thickness 2 to 8.3 meters.

Integration of Well & Core Data of Carbonate Reservoirs with Surface Seismic in Garraf Oil Field, Southern Iraq

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mhuder, J. J.; Muhlhl, A. A.; Basra Geologiests

2013-05-01

The Garraf Field is situated in Southern Iraq in Nasiriya area, is located in Mesopotamian basin. The carbonate facies are dominant in main reservoirs in Garraf field (Mishrif and Yammama Formations) which is Cretaceous in age. The structure of the reservoir in this field are low relief gentle anticlinal structure aligned in NW to SE direction, and No fault were observed and interpreted in 3D seismic section. 3D seismic survey by Iraqi Oil Exploration Company No 2 was successfully conducted on the Garraf field at 2008-2009 using recording system SERCEL 408UL and Vibrators Nomad 65. Bin size: 25*25, Fold: 36, SP Interval: 50m, Lines Interval: 300m, 3 wells were drilled Ga (1, 2, 3) and it used for seismic to well tie in Petrel. Data analysis was conducted for each reservoirs for Lithological and sedimentological studies were based on core and well data .The study showed That the Mishrif Formation deposited in a broad carbonate platform with shallowing upward regressive succession and The depositional environment is extending from outer marine to shallow middle-inner shelf settings with restricted lagoons as supported by the present of Miliolid fossils. The fragmented rudist biostromes accumulated in the middle shelf. No rudist reef is presence in the studied cores. While the Major sequences are micritic limestone of lagoonal and oolitic/peloidal grainstone sandy shoal separated by mudstone of Yamama formation. Sedimentation feature are seen on seismic attributes and it is help for understanding of sedimentation environment and suitable structure interpretation. There is good relationship between Acustic Impedance and porosity, Acustic Impedance reflects porosity or facies change of carbonate rather than fluid content. Data input used for 3D Modeling include 3D seismic and AI data, petrophysical analysis, core and thin section description. 3D structure modeling were created base on the geophysical data interpretation and Al analysis. Data analysis for Al data were run as secondary input for 3D properties modeling.

[Social support network and health of elderly individuals with chronic pneumopathies].

PubMed

Mesquita, Rafael Barreto de; Morano, Maria Tereza Aguiar Pessoa; Landim, Fátima Luna Pinheiro; Collares, Patrícia Moreira Costa; Pinto, Juliana Maria de Sousa

2012-05-01

This study sought to analyze characteristics of the social support network of the elderly with chronic pneumopathies, establishing links with health maintenance/rehabilitation. The assumptions of Social Network Analysis (SNA) methodology were used, addressing the social support concept. A questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, both applied to 16 elderly people attended by a public hospital in Fortaleza-CE, were used for data collection. Quantitative data were processed using the UCINET 6.123, NetDraw 2.38 and Microsoft Excel software programs. In the qualitative analysis, the body of material was subjected to interpretations based on relevant and current theoretical references. Each informant brought an average of 10.37 individuals into the network. Among the 3 types of social support, there was a predominance of informational support given by health professionals. The importance of reciprocity in providing/receiving social support was also noted, as well as the participation of health professionals and the family functioning as social support. The conclusion reached was that the network of the elderly with pneumopathies is not cohesive, being restricted to the personal network of each individual, and that even so, the informants recognize and are satisfied with the social support it provides.

Prediction of activation patterns preceding hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia using machine learning with structured sparsity.

PubMed

de Pierrefeu, Amicie; Fovet, Thomas; Hadj-Selem, Fouad; Löfstedt, Tommy; Ciuciu, Philippe; Lefebvre, Stephanie; Thomas, Pierre; Lopes, Renaud; Jardri, Renaud; Duchesnay, Edouard

2018-04-01

Despite significant progress in the field, the detection of fMRI signal changes during hallucinatory events remains difficult and time-consuming. This article first proposes a machine-learning algorithm to automatically identify resting-state fMRI periods that precede hallucinations versus periods that do not. When applied to whole-brain fMRI data, state-of-the-art classification methods, such as support vector machines (SVM), yield dense solutions that are difficult to interpret. We proposed to extend the existing sparse classification methods by taking the spatial structure of brain images into account with structured sparsity using the total variation penalty. Based on this approach, we obtained reliable classifying performances associated with interpretable predictive patterns, composed of two clearly identifiable clusters in speech-related brain regions. The variation in transition-to-hallucination functional patterns not only from one patient to another but also from one occurrence to the next (e.g., also depending on the sensory modalities involved) appeared to be the major difficulty when developing effective classifiers. Consequently, second, this article aimed to characterize the variability within the prehallucination patterns using an extension of principal component analysis with spatial constraints. The principal components (PCs) and the associated basis patterns shed light on the intrinsic structures of the variability present in the dataset. Such results are promising in the scope of innovative fMRI-guided therapy for drug-resistant hallucinations, such as fMRI-based neurofeedback. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Interaction techniques for radiology workstations: impact on users' productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moise, Adrian; Atkins, M. Stella

2004-04-01

As radiologists progress from reading images presented on film to modern computer systems with images presented on high-resolution displays, many new problems arise. Although the digital medium has many advantages, the radiologist"s job becomes cluttered with many new tasks related to image manipulation. This paper presents our solution for supporting radiologists" interpretation of digital images by automating image presentation during sequential interpretation steps. Our method supports scenario based interpretation, which group data temporally, according to the mental paradigm of the physician. We extended current hanging protocols with support for "stages". A stage reflects the presentation of digital information required to complete a single step within a complex task. We demonstrated the benefits of staging in a user study with 20 lay subjects involved in a visual conjunctive search for targets, similar to a radiology task of identifying anatomical abnormalities. We designed a task and a set of stimuli which allowed us to simulate the interpretation workflow from a typical radiology scenario - reading a chest computed radiography exam when a prior study is also available. The simulation was possible by abstracting the radiologist"s task and the basic workstation navigation functionality. We introduced "Stages," an interaction technique attuned to the radiologist"s interpretation task. Compared to the traditional user interface, Stages generated a 14% reduction in the average interpretation.

AERIAL PHOTO INTERPRETATION FOR SITE CHARACTERIZATION, ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER (EPIC)

EPA Science Inventory

The Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center (EPIC) is a field station of the Landscape Ecology Branch (LEB), Environmental Sciences Division - Las Vegas, Office of Research and Development EPIC provides remote sensing technical support to help the Agency achieve its mult...

Exploring positive pathways to care for members of the UK Armed Forces receiving treatment for PTSD: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Murphy, Dominic; Hunt, Elizabeth; Luzon, Olga; Greenberg, Neil

2014-01-01

Objective To examine the factors which facilitate UK military personnel with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to engage in help-seeking behaviours. Methods The study recruited active service personnel who were attending mental health services, employed a qualitative design, used semi-structured interview schedules to collect data, and explored these data using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Results Five themes emerged about how participants were able to access help; having to reach a crisis point before accepting the need for help, overcoming feelings of shame, the importance of having an internal locus of control, finding a psychological explanation for their symptoms and having strong social support. Conclusions This study reported that for military personnel who accessed mental health services, there were a number of factors that supported them to do so. In particular, factors that combated internal stigma, such as being supported to develop an internal locus of control, appeared to be critical in supporting military personnel to engage in help-seeking behaviour. PMID:24624262

Upper mantle structure of central and West Antarctica from array analysis of Rayleigh wave phase velocities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heeszel, David S.; Wiens, Douglas A.; Anandakrishnan, Sridhar; Aster, Richard C.; Dalziel, Ian W. D.; Huerta, Audrey D.; Nyblade, Andrew A.; Wilson, Terry J.; Winberry, J. Paul

2016-03-01

The seismic velocity structure of Antarctica is important, both as a constraint on the tectonic history of the continent and for understanding solid Earth interactions with the ice sheet. We use Rayleigh wave array analysis methods applied to teleseismic data from recent temporary broadband seismograph deployments to image the upper mantle structure of central and West Antarctica. Phase velocity maps are determined using a two-plane wave tomography method and are inverted for shear velocity using a Monte Carlo approach to estimate three-dimensional velocity structure. Results illuminate the structural dichotomy between the East Antarctic Craton and West Antarctica, with West Antarctica showing thinner crust and slower upper mantle velocity. West Antarctica is characterized by a 70-100 km thick lithosphere, underlain by a low-velocity zone to depths of at least 200 km. The slowest anomalies are beneath Ross Island and the Marie Byrd Land dome and are interpreted as upper mantle thermal anomalies possibly due to mantle plumes. The central Transantarctic Mountains are marked by an uppermost mantle slow-velocity anomaly, suggesting that the topography is thermally supported. The presence of thin, higher-velocity lithosphere to depths of about 70 km beneath the West Antarctic Rift System limits estimates of the regionally averaged heat flow to less than 90 mW/m2. The Ellsworth-Whitmore block is underlain by mantle with velocities that are intermediate between those of the West Antarctic Rift System and the East Antarctic Craton. We interpret this province as Precambrian continental lithosphere that has been altered by Phanerozoic tectonic and magmatic activity.

Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Secondary Traumatization in Interpreters for Refugees: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Kindermann, David; Schmid, Carolin; Derreza-Greeven, Cassandra; Huhn, Daniel; Kohl, Rupert Maria; Junne, Florian; Schleyer, Maritta; Daniels, Judith K; Ditzen, Beate; Herzog, Wolfgang; Nikendei, Christoph

2017-01-01

A substantial proportion of refugees, fleeing persecution, torture, and war, are estimated to suffer from psychological traumatization. After being sheltered in reception centers, the refugees come in close contact with different occupational groups, e.g., physicians, social workers, and interpreters. Previous studies ascertained that such interpreters themselves often suffer from primary psychological traumatization. Moreover, through translating refugees' potentially traumatic depictions, the interpreters are in danger of developing a so-called secondary traumatization. The present study aimed (1) to analyze the prevalence rates of primary traumatization in interpreters, (2) to assess the prevalence of secondary traumatization, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, (3) to examine the association between secondary traumatization symptoms and resilience factors in terms of sense of coherence, social support, and attachment style, and (4) to test whether these resilience factors mediate the relationship between primary and secondary traumatization. Participating interpreters (n = 64) were assessed for past exposure to potentially traumatic events as well as symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), secondary traumatization, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and subjective stress levels. Furthermore, we conducted psychometric surveys to measure interpreters' sense of coherence, degree of social support, and attachment style as potential predictors. (1) 9% of the interpreters fulfilled all criteria for PTSD and a further 33% had subclinical PTSD; (2) a secondary traumatization was present in 21% of the examined interpreters - of these, 6% showed very high total scores indicating a severe secondary traumatization; furthermore, we found higher scores for depression, anxiety, and stress as compared to representative population samples, especially for females; (3) a present sense of coherence, an existing social support network, and a secure or preoccupied attachment style correlated significantly with low scores for secondary traumatization; and (4) a significant correlation emerged between primary and secondary traumatization (r = 0.595, p < 0.001); a mediation analysis revealed that this effect is partially mediated by secure attachment. A substantial proportion of interpreters working with refugees suffer from primary as well as secondary traumatization. However, high scores for sense of coherence and social support, male gender, and especially a secure attachment style were identified as resilience factors for secondary traumatization. The results may have implications for the selection, training, and supervision of interpreters. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Application of Neuroimaging to Social Inequity and Language Disparity: A Cautionary Examination

PubMed Central

Ellwood-Lowe, Monica E.; Sacchet, Matthew D.; Gotlib, Ian H.

2016-01-01

In the nascent field of the cognitive neuroscience of socioeconomic status (SES), researchers are using neuroimaging to examine how growing up in poverty affects children's neurocognitive development, particularly their language abilities. In this review we highlight difficulties inherent in the frequent use of reverse inference to interpret SES-related abnormalities in brain regions that support language. While there is growing evidence suggesting that SES moderates children's developing brain structure and function, no studies to date have elucidated explicitly how these neural findings are related to variations in children's language abilities, or precisely what it is about SES that underlies or contributes to these differences. This issue is complicated by the fact that SES is confounded with such linguistic factors as cultural language use, first language, and bilingualism. Thus, SES-associated differences in brain regions that support language may not necessarily indicate differences in neurocognitive abilities. In this review we consider the multidimensionality of SES, discuss studies that have found SES-related differences in structure and function in brain regions that support language, and suggest future directions for studies in the area of cognitive neuroscience of SES that are less reliant on reverse inference. PMID:27744097

Geologic and mineral and water resources investigations in western Colorado using ERTS-1 data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knepper, D. H., Jr. (Compiler)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Geologic interpretation of ERTS-1 imagery is dependent on recognition of the distribution, continuity, trend, and geometry of key surface features. In the examination of ERTS-1 imagery, lithology must be interpreted largely from the geomorphic expression of the terrain. ERTS-1 imagery is extremely useful in detecting local structures. Most mapped structures are topographically-expressed. Consequently, ERTS-1 imagery acquired during mid-winter, when the solar illumination angle is low, provides the largest amount of structural information. Stereoscopic analyses of ERTS-1 images significantly aid geologic interpretation. Positive transparencies of ERTS-1 images (1:1,000,000) commonly contain more geologic information than can be adequately annotated during geologic interpretation.

Directionality effects in simultaneous language interpreting: the case of sign language interpreters in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Van Dijk, Rick; Boers, Eveline; Christoffels, Ingrid; Hermans, Daan

2011-01-01

The quality of interpretations produced by sign language interpreters was investigated. Twenty-five experienced interpreters were instructed to interpret narratives from (a) spoken Dutch to Sign Language of The Netherlands (SLN), (b) spoken Dutch to Sign Supported Dutch (SSD), and (c) SLN to spoken Dutch. The quality of the interpreted narratives was assessed by 5 certified sign language interpreters who did not participate in the study. Two measures were used to assess interpreting quality: the propositional accuracy of the interpreters' interpretations and a subjective quality measure. The results showed that the interpreted narratives in the SLN-to-Dutch interpreting direction were of lower quality (on both measures) than the interpreted narratives in the Dutch-to-SLN and Dutch-to-SSD directions. Furthermore, interpreters who had begun acquiring SLN when they entered the interpreter training program performed as well in all 3 interpreting directions as interpreters who had acquired SLN from birth.

Estimating and Interpreting Latent Variable Interactions: A Tutorial for Applying the Latent Moderated Structural Equations Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maslowsky, Julie; Jager, Justin; Hemken, Douglas

2015-01-01

Latent variables are common in psychological research. Research questions involving the interaction of two variables are likewise quite common. Methods for estimating and interpreting interactions between latent variables within a structural equation modeling framework have recently become available. The latent moderated structural equations (LMS)…

A numerical study of defect detection in a plaster dome ceiling using structural acoustics.

PubMed

Bucaro, J A; Romano, A J; Valdivia, N; Houston, B H; Dey, S

2009-07-01

A numerical study is carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of using measured surface displacements resulting from acoustic speaker excitation to detect and localize flaws in a domed, plaster ceiling. The response of the structure to an incident acoustic pressure is obtained at four frequencies between 100 and 400 Hz using a parallel h-p structural acoustic finite element-based code. Three ceiling conditions are modeled: the pristine ceiling considered rigidly attached to the domed-shape support, partial detachment of a segment of the plaster layer from the support, and an interior pocket of plaster deconsolidation modeled as a heavy fluid. Spatial maps of the normal displacement resulting from speaker excitation are interpreted with the help of predictions based on static analysis. It is found that acoustic speaker excitation can provide displacement levels readily detected by commercially available laser Doppler vibrometer systems. Further, it is concluded that for 1 in. thick plaster layers, detachment sizes as small as 4 cm are detectable by direct observation of the measured displacement maps. Finally, spatial structure differences are observed in the displacement maps beneath the two defect types, which may provide a wavenumber-based feature useful for distinguishing plaster detachment from other defects such as deconsolidation.

Healthcare workplace conversations on race and the perspectives of physicians of African descent.

PubMed

Nunez-Smith, Marcella; Curry, Leslie A; Berg, David; Krumholz, Harlan M; Bradley, Elizabeth H

2008-09-01

Although experts recommend that healthcare organizations create forums for honest dialogue about race, there is little insight into the physician perspectives that may influence these conversations across the healthcare workforce. To identify the range of perspectives that might contribute to workplace silence on race and affect participation in race-related conversations within healthcare settings. In-person, in-depth, racially concordant qualitative interviews. Twenty-five physicians of African descent practicing in the 6 New England states. Line-by-line independent coding and group negotiated consensus to develop codes structure using constant comparative method. Five themes characterize perspectives of participating physicians of African descent that potentially influence race-related conversations at work: 1) Perceived race-related healthcare experiences shape how participating physicians view healthcare organizations and their professional identities prior to any formal medical training; 2) Protecting racial/ethnic minority patients from healthcare discrimination is a top priority for participating physicians; 3) Participating physicians often rely on external support systems for race-related issues, rather than support systems inside the organization; 4) Participating physicians perceive differences between their interpretations of potentially offensive race-related work experiences and their non-minority colleagues' interpretations of the same experiences; and 5) Participating physicians are uncomfortable voicing race-related concerns at work. Creating a healthcare work environment that successfully supports diversity is as important as recruiting diversity across the workforce. Developing constructive ways to discuss race and race relations among colleagues in the workplace is a key step towards creating a supportive environment for employees and patients from all backgrounds.

Healthcare Workplace Conversations on Race and the Perspectives of Physicians of African Descent

PubMed Central

Curry, Leslie A.; Berg, David; Krumholz, Harlan M.; Bradley, Elizabeth H.

2008-01-01

Background Although experts recommend that healthcare organizations create forums for honest dialogue about race, there is little insight into the physician perspectives that may influence these conversations across the healthcare workforce. Objective To identify the range of perspectives that might contribute to workplace silence on race and affect participation in race-related conversations within healthcare settings. Design In-person, in-depth, racially concordant qualitative interviews. Participants Twenty-five physicians of African descent practicing in the 6 New England states. Approach Line-by-line independent coding and group negotiated consensus to develop codes structure using constant comparative method. Main Results Five themes characterize perspectives of participating physicians of African descent that potentially influence race-related conversations at work: 1) Perceived race-related healthcare experiences shape how participating physicians view healthcare organizations and their professional identities prior to any formal medical training; 2) Protecting racial/ethnic minority patients from healthcare discrimination is a top priority for participating physicians; 3) Participating physicians often rely on external support systems for race-related issues, rather than support systems inside the organization; 4) Participating physicians perceive differences between their interpretations of potentially offensive race-related work experiences and their non-minority colleagues’ interpretations of the same experiences; and 5) Participating physicians are uncomfortable voicing race-related concerns at work. Conclusions Creating a healthcare work environment that successfully supports diversity is as important as recruiting diversity across the workforce. Developing constructive ways to discuss race and race relations among colleagues in the workplace is a key step towards creating a supportive environment for employees and patients from all backgrounds. PMID:18618190

Geometries of geoelectrical structures in central Tibetan Plateau from INDEPTH magnetotelluric data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vozar, J.; Jones, A. G.; Le Pape, F.

2012-12-01

Magnetotelluric (MT) data collected on N-S profiles crossing the Banggong-Nujiang Suture (BNS), which separates the Qiangtang and Lhasa Terranes in central Tibet, as a part of InterNational DEep Profiling of Tibet and the Himalaya project (INDEPTH) are modeled by 2D, 3D inversion codes and 1D petro-physical package LitMod. The modeling exhibits regional resistive and conductive structures correlated with ShuangHu Suture, Tanggula Mountains and strike-slip faults like BengCo-Jiali fault in the south. The BNS is not manifested in the geoelectrical models as a strong crustal regional structure. The strike direction azimuth of mid and lower crustal structures estimated from horizontal slices from 3D modeling (N110°E) is slightly different from one estimated by 2D strike analysis (N100°E). Orientation of crustal structures is perpendicular to convergence direction in this area. The deepest lower crustal conductors are correlated to areas with maximum Moho depth obtained from satellite gravity data. The anisotropic 2D modeling reveals that lower crustal conductor in Lhasa Terrane is anisotropic. This anisotropy can be interpreted as a proof for crustal channel flow below Lhasa Terrane. But same Lhasa lower crust conductor from isotropic 3D modeling can be interpreted more likely as 3D lower Indian crust structure, located to the east from line 500, than geoelectrical anisotropic crustal flow. From deep electromagnetic sounding, supported by independent integrated petro-physical investigation, we can estimate the next upper-mantle conductive layer at depths from 200 km to 250 km below the Lhasa Terrane and less resistive Tibetan lithosphere below the Qiangtang Terrane with conductive upper-mantle in depths about 120 km.

Structure and dynamics of human communication at the beginning of life.

PubMed

Papousek, H; Papousek, M

1986-01-01

Although the beginning of postpartum social integration and communication has been long viewed as relevant to psychiatric theories, early parent-infant communication has become a matter of scientific investigation only recently. The present survey explains the significance of an approach based upon the general systems theory and explores to what extent the early parent-infant interaction can function as a didactic system to support the development of thought and speech. Evidence of this function has been found in those forms of parental behavior that escape the parent's conscious awareness and control, as exemplified in the vocal communication with presyllabic infants. Parents unknowingly adjust the structure and dynamics of speech to the constraints of infant capacities, detach prosodic musicality from lexical structure, and use it in particularly expressive forms for the delivery of the first prototypical messages. In this and other similar ways, parents offer an abundance of learning situations in which infants can try out various integrative operations. A biological rather than cultural provenience of the support of communicative development indicates a potential relevance for the interpretation of speech evolution. In addition to qualities of the vocal tract and to complex symbolic capacities in humans, the early intuitive support of communicative development and its playful character are suggested as species-specific determinants of speech evolution. Implications for clinical research are suggested.

Semantic Clinical Guideline Documents

PubMed Central

Eriksson, Henrik; Tu, Samson W.; Musen, Mark

2005-01-01

Decision-support systems based on clinical practice guidelines can support physicians and other health-care personnel in the process of following best practice consistently. A knowledge-based approach to represent guidelines makes it possible to encode computer-interpretable guidelines in a formal manner, perform consistency checks, and use the guidelines directly in decision-support systems. Decision-support authors and guideline users require guidelines in human-readable formats in addition to computer-interpretable ones (e.g., for guideline review and quality assurance). We propose a new document-oriented information architecture that combines knowledge-representation models with electronic and paper documents. The approach integrates decision-support modes with standard document formats to create a combined clinical-guideline model that supports on-line viewing, printing, and decision support. PMID:16779037

Reservoir characterization and seal integrity of Jemir field in Niger Delta, Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adagunodo, Theophilus Aanuoluwa; Sunmonu, Lukman Ayobami; Adabanija, Moruffdeen Adedapo

2017-05-01

Ignoring fault seal and depending solely on reservoir parameters and estimated hydrocarbon contacts can lead to extremely unequal division of reserves especially in oil fields dominated by structural traps where faults play an important role in trapping of hydrocarbons. These faults may be sealing or as conduit to fluid flow. In this study; three-dimensional seismic and well log data has been used to characterize the reservoirs and investigate the seal integrity of fault plane trending NW-SE and dip towards south in Jemir field, Niger-Delta for enhanced oil recovery. The petrophysical and volumetric analysis of the six reservoirs that were mapped as well as structural interpretation of the faults were done both qualitatively and quantitatively. In order to know the sealing potential of individual hydrocarbon bearing sand, horizon-fault intersection was done, volume of shale was determined, thickness of individual bed was estimated, and quality control involving throw analysis was done. Shale Gouge Ratio (SGR) and Hydrocarbon Column Height (HCH) (supportable and structure-supported) were also determined to assess the seal integrity of the faults in Jemir field. The petrophysical analysis indicated the porosity of traps on Jemir field ranged from 0.20 to 0.29 and the volumetric analyses showed that the Stock Tank Original Oil in Place varied between 5.5 and 173.4 Mbbl. The SGR ranged from leaking (<20%) to sealing (>60%) fault plane suggesting poor to moderate sealing. The supportable HCH of Jemir field ranged from 98.3 to 446.2 m while its Structure-supported HCH ranged from 12.1 to 101.7 m. The porosities of Jemir field are good enough for hydrocarbon production as exemplified by its oil reserve estimates. However, improper sealing of the fault plane might enhance hydrocarbon leakage.

Teaching Real Data Interpretation with Models (TRIM): Analysis of Student Dialogue in a Large-Enrollment Cell and Developmental Biology Course

PubMed Central

Zagallo, Patricia; Meddleton, Shanice; Bolger, Molly S.

2016-01-01

We present our design for a cell biology course to integrate content with scientific practices, specifically data interpretation and model-based reasoning. A 2-yr research project within this course allowed us to understand how students interpret authentic biological data in this setting. Through analysis of written work, we measured the extent to which students’ data interpretations were valid and/or generative. By analyzing small-group audio recordings during in-class activities, we demonstrated how students used instructor-provided models to build and refine data interpretations. Often, students used models to broaden the scope of data interpretations, tying conclusions to a biological significance. Coding analysis revealed several strategies and challenges that were common among students in this collaborative setting. Spontaneous argumentation was present in 82% of transcripts, suggesting that data interpretation using models may be a way to elicit this important disciplinary practice. Argumentation dialogue included frequent co-construction of claims backed by evidence from data. Other common strategies included collaborative decoding of data representations and noticing data patterns before making interpretive claims. Focusing on irrelevant data patterns was the most common challenge. Our findings provide evidence to support the feasibility of supporting students’ data-interpretation skills within a large lecture course. PMID:27193288

NOXclass: prediction of protein-protein interaction types.

PubMed

Zhu, Hongbo; Domingues, Francisco S; Sommer, Ingolf; Lengauer, Thomas

2006-01-19

Structural models determined by X-ray crystallography play a central role in understanding protein-protein interactions at the molecular level. Interpretation of these models requires the distinction between non-specific crystal packing contacts and biologically relevant interactions. This has been investigated previously and classification approaches have been proposed. However, less attention has been devoted to distinguishing different types of biological interactions. These interactions are classified as obligate and non-obligate according to the effect of the complex formation on the stability of the protomers. So far no automatic classification methods for distinguishing obligate, non-obligate and crystal packing interactions have been made available. Six interface properties have been investigated on a dataset of 243 protein interactions. The six properties have been combined using a support vector machine algorithm, resulting in NOXclass, a classifier for distinguishing obligate, non-obligate and crystal packing interactions. We achieve an accuracy of 91.8% for the classification of these three types of interactions using a leave-one-out cross-validation procedure. NOXclass allows the interpretation and analysis of protein quaternary structures. In particular, it generates testable hypotheses regarding the nature of protein-protein interactions, when experimental results are not available. We expect this server will benefit the users of protein structural models, as well as protein crystallographers and NMR spectroscopists. A web server based on the method and the datasets used in this study are available at http://noxclass.bioinf.mpi-inf.mpg.de/.

High resolution seismic-reflection imaging of shallow deformation beneath the northeast margin of the Manila high at Big Lake, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Odum, J.K.; Stephenson, W.J.; Williams, R.A.; Worley, D.M.; Guccione, M.J.; Van Arsdale, R.B.

2001-01-01

The Manila high, an elliptical area 19 km long (N-S) by 6 km wide (E-W) located west-southwest of Big Lake. Arkansas, has less than 3 m of topographic relief. Geomorphic, stratigraphic and chronology data indicate that Big Lake formed during at least two periods of Holocene uplift and subsequent damming of the south-flowing Little River. Age data of an organic mat located at the base of an upper lacustrine deposit indicates an abrupt, possibly tectonic, formation of the present Big Lake between AD 1640 and 1950. We acquired 7 km of high-resolution seismic-reflection data across the northeastern margin of the Manila high to examine its near-surface bedrock structure and possible association with underlying structures such as the Blytheville arch. Sense of displacement and character of imaged faults support interpretations for either a northwest trending, 1.5 km-wide, block of uplifted strata or a series of parallel northeast-trending faults that bound horst and graben structures. We interpret deformation of the Manila high to result from faulting generated by the reactivation of right-lateral strike-slip fault motion along this portion of the Blytheville arch. The most recent uplift of the Manila high may have occurred during the December 16, 1811, New Madrid earthquake. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Drawing them in: professional perspectives on the complexities of engaging 'culturally diverse' young people with sexual and reproductive health promotion and care in Sydney, Australia.

PubMed

Botfield, Jessica R; Newman, Christy E; Zwi, Anthony B

2017-04-01

Young people from minority ethnic, migrant and refugee backgrounds are widely recognised as being under-served by mainstream sexual and reproductive healthcare in developed economy nations. This paper documents the views of professionals in Australia on the complexities of, and best practice approaches to, engaging members of this group with sexual and reproductive health promotion and care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 purposively selected key informants (health service providers, policymakers, academics and community advocates). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded in NVivo10 using interpretive thematic analysis. Principles of 'cultural competence' were employed to structure the interpretation of findings. Five key themes reveal pivotal aspects of how professionals work in, and make sense of, this complex field. These may be summarised as: (1) appreciating the complexities of cultural diversity; (2) recognising structural barriers and disincentives to engagement; (3) normalising sexual health; (4) balancing 'youth-friendly' and 'culturally-competent' priorities; and (5) going beyond simple translation. As migration to Australia continues to diversify the population, an integrated, national approach to the design and delivery of sexual and reproductive health promotion and care would be of value, along with training and support for those involved. Implications may have resonance for other countries similarly engaged in facilitating the successful settlement of migrants and refugees.

Structural and vibrational study of 2-MethoxyEthylAmmonium Nitrate (2-OMeEAN): Interpretation of experimental results with ab initio molecular dynamics

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

Campetella, M.; Caminiti, R.; Bencivenni, L.

2016-07-14

In this work we report an analysis of the bulk phase of 2-methoxyethylammonium nitrate based on ab initio molecular dynamics. The structural and dynamical features of the ionic liquid have been characterized and the computational findings have been compared with the experimental X-ray diffraction patterns, with infrared spectroscopy data, and with the results obtained from molecular dynamics simulations. The experimental infrared spectrum was interpreted with the support of calculated vibrational density of states as well as harmonic frequency calculations of selected gas phase clusters. Particular attention was addressed to the high frequency region of the cation (ω > 2000 cm{supmore » −1}), where the vibrational motions involve the NH{sub 3}+ group responsible for hydrogen bond formation, and to the frequency range 1200-1400 cm{sup −1} where the antisymmetric stretching mode (ν{sub 3}) of nitrate is found. Its multiple absorption lines in the liquid arise from the removal of the degeneracy present in the D{sub 3h} symmetry of the isolated ion. Our ab initio molecular dynamics leads to a rationalization of the frequency shifts and splittings, which are inextricably related to the structural modifications induced by a hydrogen bonding environment. The DFT calculations lead to an inhomogeneous environment.« less

Arabic-speaking migrants' attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare: a postal cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Hadziabdic, Emina; Albin, Björn; Hjelm, Katarina

2014-02-03

Good communication is an important prerequisite for equal treatment in a healthcare encounter. One way to overcome language barriers when patients and healthcare staff do not share the same language is to use a professional interpreter. Few previous studies have been found investigating the use of interpreters, and just one previous study from the perspective of European migrants, which showed that they perceived interpreters as a communication aid and a guide in the healthcare system as regards information and practical matters. No previous study has gathered quantitative information to focus on non-European migrants' attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare encounters. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate Arabic-speaking individuals' attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare in order to: (i) understand how persons' expectations and concerns regarding interpreters may vary, both within and across cultural/linguistic populations; (ii) understand the consequences of diverse opinions/expectations for planning responsive services; and (iii) confirm findings from previous qualitative studies. A postal cross-sectional study using a structured self-administered 51-item questionnaire was used to describe and document aspects of Arabic-speaking individuals' attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare. The sample of 53 Arabic-speaking migrants was recruited from three different places. Participants were mostly born in Iraq and had a high level of education and were almost equally divided between genders. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics. The main findings were that most of the participants perceived the interpreter's role as being a communication aid and a practical aid, interpreting literally and objectively. Trust in the professional interpreter was related to qualification as an interpreter and personal contact with face-to-face interaction. The qualities of the desired professional interpreter were: a good knowledge of languages and medical terminology, translation ability, and sharing the same origin, dialect and gender as the patient. This study confirmed previous qualitative findings from European migrant groups with a different cultural and linguistic background. The study supports the importance of planning a good interpretation situation in accordance with individuals' desire, irrespective of the migrant's linguistic and cultural background, and using interpreters who interpret literally and objectively, who are highly trained with language skills in medical terminology, and with a professional attitude to promote communication, thus increasing cost-effective, high-quality individualized healthcare.

Adequate proverb interpretation is associated with performance on the independent living scales.

PubMed

Ahmed, Fayeza S; Miller, L Stephen

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine proverb interpretation performance and functional independence in older adults. From the limited literature on proverb interpretation in aging and its conceptualization as an executive function, it was hypothesized that proverb interpretation would be related to functional independence similar to other executive functions. Tests of proverb interpretation, additional executive functions, and functional ability were administered to nondemented older adults. Results showed that proverb interpretation accounted for a significant amount of unique variance of functional ability scores. This supports including a measure of proverb interpretation to the assessment of older adults.

Supervisory process from a supportive-expressive relational psychodynamic approach.

PubMed

Diener, Marc J; Mesrie, Vicky

2015-06-01

Substantial theoretical and empirical focus has been placed on detailing the processes that therapists use in psychotherapy. Relatively limited investigation, however, has been conducted into the utility of the various techniques and processes that supervisors use in facilitating the development of trainee competence to conduct psychotherapy. The present article explores 2 sets of supervisory techniques/processes that can be used to assist novice therapists in the development of clinical skills from a supportive-expressive (Luborsky, 1984) relational (Greenberg & Mitchell, 1983) psychodynamic approach: (a) providing systematic and structured training in interpretation, and (b) facilitating trainee use of countertransference. We detail the theoretical underpinnings and research findings for each supervisory process, followed by presentation of vignettes illustrating supervisor-supervisee interactions that demonstrate the use of these processes. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Intentions and actions in molecular self-assembly: perspectives on students' language use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höst, Gunnar E.; Anward, Jan

2017-04-01

Learning to talk science is an important aspect of learning to do science. Given that scientists' language frequently includes intentions and purposes in explanations of unobservable objects and events, teachers must interpret whether learners' use of such language reflects a scientific understanding or inaccurate anthropomorphism and teleology. In the present study, a framework consisting of three 'stances' (Dennett, 1987) - intentional, design and physical - is presented as a powerful tool for analysing students' language use. The aim was to investigate how the framework can be differentiated and used analytically for interpreting students' talk about a molecular process. Semi-structured group discussions and individual interviews about the molecular self-assembly process were conducted with engineering biology/chemistry (n = 15) and biology/chemistry teacher students (n = 6). Qualitative content analysis of transcripts showed that all three stances were employed by students. The analysis also identified subcategories for each stance, and revealed that intentional language with respect to molecular movement and assumptions about design requirements may be potentially problematic areas. Students' exclusion of physical stance explanations may indicate literal anthropomorphic interpretations. Implications for practice include providing teachers with a tool for scaffolding their use of metaphorical language and for supporting students' metacognitive development as scientific language users.

The Relationships of Subparallel Synthetic Faults and Pre-existing Structures in the Central Malawi Rift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, S.; Mendez, K.; Beresh, S. C. M.; Mynatt, W. G.; Elifritz, E. A.; Laó-Dávila, D. A.; Atekwana, E. A.; Abdelsalam, M. G.; Chindandali, P. R. N.; Chisenga, C.; Gondwe, S.; Mkumbura, M.; Kalaguluka, D.; Kalindekafe, L.; Salima, J.

2017-12-01

The objective of our research is to explore the evolution of synthetic fault systems in continental rifts. It has been suggested that during the rifting process border faults may become locked and strain is then accommodated within the hanging wall. The Malawi Rift provides an opportunity to study the evolution of these faults within a young (8 Ma), active and magma-poor continental rift. Two faults in central Malawi may show the transference of strain into the hanging wall. These faults are the older Chirobwe-Ntcheu with a length of 115 km and a scarp height of 300-1000 m and the younger Bilila-Mtakataka with a length of 130 km and a scarp height of 4-320 m. We used high-resolution aeromagnetic data and 30m resolution Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation models (DEM) to provide a 3D spatial characterization of the fault system. Additionally 10cm resolution DEMs were created using unmanned aerial system (UAS) derived aerial photography and Structure from Motion to document the regional Precambrian foliation and joint patterns. Moreover, displacement profiles where extracted from the SRTM-DEM data to compare the segmentation and linkage of the outer and inner faults. Our preliminary results show that the strike of each fault is approximately NW-SE which follows the strike of the Precambrian fabric. The magnetic fabric has a strike of NW-SE in the south changing to NE-SW in the north suggesting that the faults are controlled in part by an inherited Precambrian fabric. The displacement profile of the inner Bilila-Mtakataka fault is asymmetric and displays five fault segments supporting the interpretation that this is a relatively young fault. The expected results of this study are information about segmentation and displacement of each fault and their relationship to one another. The results from the aeromagnetic data utilizing Source Parameter Imaging to produce an approximate depth to basement which will support the displacement profiles derived from the SRTM. Additionally the basement fabrics and faults will be delineated using a combination of aeromagnetic and SRTM data to show the relationship between the surface expression and the expression at depth of the fault scarp. Finally, all remote sensing interpretations are compared to our structural field mapping to confirm our interpretations.

Interactive Visualization to Advance Earthquake Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kellogg, Louise H.; Bawden, Gerald W.; Bernardin, Tony; Billen, Magali; Cowgill, Eric; Hamann, Bernd; Jadamec, Margarete; Kreylos, Oliver; Staadt, Oliver; Sumner, Dawn

2008-04-01

The geological sciences are challenged to manage and interpret increasing volumes of data as observations and simulations increase in size and complexity. For example, simulations of earthquake-related processes typically generate complex, time-varying data sets in two or more dimensions. To facilitate interpretation and analysis of these data sets, evaluate the underlying models, and to drive future calculations, we have developed methods of interactive visualization with a special focus on using immersive virtual reality (VR) environments to interact with models of Earth’s surface and interior. Virtual mapping tools allow virtual “field studies” in inaccessible regions. Interactive tools allow us to manipulate shapes in order to construct models of geological features for geodynamic models, while feature extraction tools support quantitative measurement of structures that emerge from numerical simulation or field observations, thereby enabling us to improve our interpretation of the dynamical processes that drive earthquakes. VR has traditionally been used primarily as a presentation tool, albeit with active navigation through data. Reaping the full intellectual benefits of immersive VR as a tool for scientific analysis requires building on the method’s strengths, that is, using both 3D perception and interaction with observed or simulated data. This approach also takes advantage of the specialized skills of geological scientists who are trained to interpret, the often limited, geological and geophysical data available from field observations.

Teacher Effectiveness Examined as a System: Interpretive Structural Modeling and Facilitation Sessions with U.S. and Japanese Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgakopoulos, Alexia

2009-01-01

This study challenges narrow definitions of teacher effectiveness and uses a systems approach to investigate teacher effectiveness as a multi-dimensional, holistic phenomenon. The methods of Nominal Group Technique and Interpretive Structural Modeling were used to assist U.S. and Japanese students separately construct influence structures during…

Nitrogen K-edge x-ray absorption near edge structure of pyrimidine-containing nucleotides in aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimada, Hiroyuki; Minami, Hirotake; Okuizumi, Naoto; Sakuma, Ichiro; Ukai, Masatoshi; Fujii, Kentaro; Yokoya, Akinari; Fukuda, Yoshihiro; Saitoh, Yuji

2015-05-01

X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) was measured at energies around the N K-edge of the pyrimidine-containing nucleotides, cytidine 5'-monophosphate (CMP), 2'-deoxythymidine 5'-monophosphate (dTMP), and uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP), in aqueous solutions and in dried films under various pH conditions. The features of resonant excitations below the N K-edge in the XANES spectra for CMP, dTMP, and UMP changed depending on the pH of the solutions. The spectral change thus observed is systematically explained by the chemical shift of the core-levels of N atoms in the nucleobase moieties caused by structural changes due to protonation or deprotonation at different proton concentrations. This interpretation is supported by the results of theoretical calculations using density functional theory for the corresponding nucleobases in the neutral and protonated or deprotonated forms.

Nitrogen K-edge x-ray absorption near edge structure of pyrimidine-containing nucleotides in aqueous solution

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

Shimada, Hiroyuki, E-mail: hshimada@cc.tuat.ac.jp; Minami, Hirotake; Okuizumi, Naoto

2015-05-07

X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) was measured at energies around the N K-edge of the pyrimidine-containing nucleotides, cytidine 5′-monophosphate (CMP), 2′-deoxythymidine 5′-monophosphate (dTMP), and uridine 5′-monophosphate (UMP), in aqueous solutions and in dried films under various pH conditions. The features of resonant excitations below the N K-edge in the XANES spectra for CMP, dTMP, and UMP changed depending on the pH of the solutions. The spectral change thus observed is systematically explained by the chemical shift of the core-levels of N atoms in the nucleobase moieties caused by structural changes due to protonation or deprotonation at different proton concentrations.more » This interpretation is supported by the results of theoretical calculations using density functional theory for the corresponding nucleobases in the neutral and protonated or deprotonated forms.« less

Negative input for grammatical errors: effects after a lag of 12 weeks.

PubMed

Saxton, Matthew; Backley, Phillip; Gallaway, Clare

2005-08-01

Effects of negative input for 13 categories of grammatical error were assessed in a longitudinal study of naturalistic adult-child discourse. Two-hour samples of conversational interaction were obtained at two points in time, separated by a lag of 12 weeks, for 12 children (mean age 2;0 at the start). The data were interpreted within the framework offered by Saxton's (1997, 2000) contrast theory of negative input. Corrective input was associated with subsequent improvements in the grammaticality of child speech for three of the target structures. No effects were found for two forms of positive input: non-contingent models, where the adult produces target structures in non-error-contingent contexts; and contingent models, where grammatical forms follow grammatical child usages. The findings lend support to the view that, in some cases at least, the structure of adult-child discourse yields information on the bounds of grammaticality for the language-learning child.

An OpenEarth Framework (OEF) for Integrating and Visualizing Earth Science Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreland, J. L.; Nadeau, D. R.; Baru, C.; Crosby, C. J.

2009-12-01

The integration of data is essential to make transformative progress in understanding the complex processes operating at the Earth’s surface and within its interior. While our current ability to collect massive amounts of data, develop structural models, and generate high-resolution dynamics models is well developed, our ability to quantitatively integrate these data and models into holistic interpretations of Earth systems is poorly developed. We lack the basic tools to realize a first-order goal in Earth science of developing integrated 4D models of Earth structure and processes using a complete range of available constraints, at a time when the research agenda of major efforts such as EarthScope demand such a capability. Among the challenges to 3D data integration are data that may be in different coordinate spaces, units, value ranges, file formats, and data structures. While several file format standards exist, they are infrequently or incorrectly used. Metadata is often missing, misleading, or relegated to README text files along side the data. This leaves much of the work to integrate data bogged down by simple data management tasks. The OpenEarth Framework (OEF) being developed by GEON addresses these data management difficulties. The software incorporates file format parsers, data interpretation heuristics, user interfaces to prompt for missing information, and visualization techniques to merge data into a common visual model. The OEF’s data access libraries parse formal and de facto standard file formats and map their data into a common data model. The software handles file format quirks, storage details, caching, local and remote file access, and web service protocol handling. Heuristics are used to determine coordinate spaces, units, and other key data features. Where multiple data structure, naming, and file organization conventions exist, those heuristics check for each convention’s use to find a high confidence interpretation of the data. When no convention or embedded data yields a suitable answer, the user is prompted to fill in the blanks. The OEF’s interaction libraries assist in the construction of user interfaces for data management. These libraries support data import, data prompting, data introspection, the management of the contents of a common data model, and the creation of derived data to support visualization. Finally, visualization libraries provide interactive visualization using an extended version of NASA WorldWind. The OEF viewer supports visualization of terrains, point clouds, 3D volumes, imagery, cutting planes, isosurfaces, and more. Data may be color coded, shaded, and displayed above, or below the terrain, and always registered into a common coordinate space. The OEF architecture is open and cross-platform software libraries are available separately for use with other software projects, while modules from other projects may be integrated into the OEF to extend its features. The OEF is currently being used to visualize data from EarthScope-related research in the Western US.

Seismic images of a tectonic subdivision of the Greenville Orogen beneath lakes Ontario and Erie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Forsyth, D. A.; Milkereit, B.; Davidson, A.; Hanmer, S.; Hutchinson, Deborah R.; Hinze, W. J.; Mereu, R.F.

1994-01-01

New seismic data from marine air-gun and Vibroseis profiles in Lake Ontario and Lake Erie provide images of subhorizontal Phanerozoic sediments underlain by a remarkable series of easterly dipping reflections that extends from the crystalline basement to the lower crust. These reflections are interpreted as structural features of crustal-scale subdivisions within the Grenville Orogen. Broadly deformed, imbricated, and overlapping thrust sheets within the western Central Metasedimentary Belt are succeeded to the west by a complex zone of easterly dipping, apparent thrust faults that are interpreted as a southwest subsurface extension of the boundary zone between the Central Metasedimentary Belt and the Central Gneiss Belt. The interpreted Central Metasedimentary Belt boundary zone has a characteristic magnetic anomaly that provides a link from the adjacent ends of lakes Ontario and Erie to structures exposed 150 km to the north. Less reflective, west-dipping events are interpreted as structures within the eastern Central Gneiss Belt. The seismic interpretation augments current tectonic models that suggest the exposed ductile structures formed at depth as a result of crustal shortening along northwest-verging thrust faults. Relatively shallow reflections across the boundary region suggest local, Late Proterozoic extensional troughs containing post-Grenville sediments, preserved possibly as a result of pre-Paleozoic reactivation of basement structures.

Computer based interpretation of infrared spectra-structure of the knowledge-base, automatic rule generation and interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehrentreich, F.; Dietze, U.; Meyer, U.; Abbas, S.; Schulz, H.

1995-04-01

It is a main task within the SpecInfo-Project to develop interpretation tools that can handle a great deal more of the complicated, more specific spectrum-structure-correlations. In the first step the empirical knowledge about the assignment of structural groups and their characteristic IR-bands has been collected from literature and represented in a computer readable well-structured form. Vague, verbal rules are managed by introduction of linguistic variables. The next step was the development of automatic rule generating procedures. We had combined and enlarged the IDIOTS algorithm with the algorithm by Blaffert relying on set theory. The procedures were successfully applied to the SpecInfo database. The realization of the preceding items is a prerequisite for the improvement of the computerized structure elucidation procedure.

Interpretation Analysis as a Competitive Event.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nading, Robert M.

Interpretation analysis is a new and interesting event on the forensics horizon which appears to be attracting an ever larger number of supporters. This event, developed by Larry Lambert of Ball State University in 1989, requires a student to perform all three disciplines of forensic competition (interpretation, public speaking, and limited…

Pluralism, Relativism, and the Question of Evidence in Shakespearean Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mebane, John S.

1996-01-01

Argues for a revision of relativism in literary interpretation that supports, rather than undermines, efforts to explore the possibility of judgments of relative plausibility. Illustrates norms of interpretation and canons of evidence with examples drawn from interpretations of Shakespearean plays. Allays fears that any form of relativism…

The Deep Double Game: Oral Interpretation To Enhance Reading Comprehension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanases, Steven Z.; Barton, Jim

Supported by a rationale for activities in the language arts/English curriculum, this paper demonstrates methods of introducing students to current approaches to oral interpretation of literature. The paper argues that through planning, rehearsing, and reflecting on oral interpretations of literature, readers become increasingly aware of…

Arabic-speaking migrants’ attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare: a postal cross-sectional survey

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Good communication is an important prerequisite for equal treatment in a healthcare encounter. One way to overcome language barriers when patients and healthcare staff do not share the same language is to use a professional interpreter. Few previous studies have been found investigating the use of interpreters, and just one previous study from the perspective of European migrants, which showed that they perceived interpreters as a communication aid and a guide in the healthcare system as regards information and practical matters. No previous study has gathered quantitative information to focus on non-European migrants’ attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare encounters. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate Arabic-speaking individuals’ attitudes, opinions, preferences and past experiences concerning the use of interpreters in healthcare in order to: (i) understand how persons’ expectations and concerns regarding interpreters may vary, both within and across cultural/linguistic populations; (ii) understand the consequences of diverse opinions/expectations for planning responsive services; and (iii) confirm findings from previous qualitative studies. Method A postal cross-sectional study using a structured self-administered 51-item questionnaire was used to describe and document aspects of Arabic-speaking individuals’ attitudes to the use of interpreters in healthcare. The sample of 53 Arabic-speaking migrants was recruited from three different places. Participants were mostly born in Iraq and had a high level of education and were almost equally divided between genders. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics. Results The main findings were that most of the participants perceived the interpreter’s role as being a communication aid and a practical aid, interpreting literally and objectively. Trust in the professional interpreter was related to qualification as an interpreter and personal contact with face-to-face interaction. The qualities of the desired professional interpreter were: a good knowledge of languages and medical terminology, translation ability, and sharing the same origin, dialect and gender as the patient. Conclusion This study confirmed previous qualitative findings from European migrant groups with a different cultural and linguistic background. The study supports the importance of planning a good interpretation situation in accordance with individuals’ desire, irrespective of the migrant’s linguistic and cultural background, and using interpreters who interpret literally and objectively, who are highly trained with language skills in medical terminology, and with a professional attitude to promote communication, thus increasing cost-effective, high-quality individualized healthcare. PMID:24484628

Proposal of a novel method for observing the breast by high-resolution ultrasound imaging: understanding the normal breast structure and its application in an observational method for detecting deviations.

PubMed

Izumori, Ayumi; Horii, Rie; Akiyama, Futoshi; Iwase, Takuji

2013-01-01

With the recent advances in modalities for diagnostic imaging of the breast, it is now essential to detect isoechoic masses and small nonmass lesions, to which little attention has so far been paid using ultrasound (US) of the breast. It will be possible with the observation method to understand normal breast structural images and anatomy. We elucidated the detailed histological architecture of the normal breast, information indispensable for diagnostic US of the breast. Verification of the above hypotheses was carried out using the breasts of 11 patients who underwent total mastectomy at our clinic. Isoechoic structures with fat are lobules, all ducts, and surrounding stroma that support the ducts; intervening hyperechoic areas are edematous stroma and fat-containing stroma that support the breast. By taking an isoechoic structure that reflects the course of the ducts as the basic structure for observation, the boundary between the lobes can be inferred. Detection of deviations from the normal structure using the method for interpreting three-dimensional ultrasound images of mammary lobes is a radical new approach for diagnosing breast cancer. This technique is very simple and amenable to standardization once one understands the underlying theory. Furthermore, it is useful as a screening method as well as for easy detection of faint minute lesions that can only be detected by magnetic resonance imaging or second-look targeted US.

Education and Outreach at the Earthscope National Office: 2012 Update on Activities and Broader Impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semken, S. C.; Arrowsmith, R.; Fouch, M. J.; Garnero, E. J.; Taylor, W. L.; Bohon, W.; Pacheco, H. A.; Schwab, P.; Baumback, D.; Pettis, L.; Colunga, J.; Robinson, S.; Dick, C.

2012-12-01

The EarthScope Program (www.earthscope.org) funded by the National Science Foundation fosters interdisciplinary exploration of the geologic structure and evolution of the North American continent by means of seismology, geodesy, magnetotellurics, in-situ fault-zone sampling, geochronology, and high-resolution topographic measurements. EarthScope scientific data and findings are transforming the study of Earth structure and processes throughout the planet. These data enhance the understanding and mitigation of hazards and inform environmental and economic applications of geoscience. The EarthScope Program also offers significant resources and opportunities for education and outreach (E&O) in the Earth system sciences. The EarthScope National Office (ESNO) at Arizona State University serves all EarthScope stakeholders, including researchers, educators, students, and the general public. ESNO continues to actively support and promote E&O with programmatic activities such as a regularly updated presence on the web and social media, newsletters, biannual national conferences, workshops for E&O providers and informal educators (interpreters), collaborative interaction with other Earth science organizations, continuing education for researchers, promotion of place-based education, and support for regional K-12 teacher professional-development programs led by EarthScope stakeholders. EarthScope E&O, coordinated by ESNO, leads the compilation and dissemination of the data, findings, and legacy of the epic EarthScope Program. In this presentation we offer updated reports and outcomes from ESNO E&O activities, including web and social-media upgrades, the Earth Science E&O Provider Summit for partnering organizations, the Central Appalachian Interpretive Workshop for informal Earth science educators, the U.S. Science and Engineering Fair, and collaborative efforts with partner organizations. The EarthScope National Office is supported by the National Science Foundation under grants EAR-1101100 and EAR-1216301. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

'Determined to breastfeed': A case study of exclusive breastfeeding using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

PubMed

Charlick, Samantha J; Fielder, Andrea; Pincombe, Jan; McKellar, Lois

2017-08-01

Given the significant benefits of breastfeeding, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months. Despite numerous strategies aimed at increasing the percentage of babies who are exclusively breastfed, Australia currently has one of the lowest six-month exclusive breastfeeding rates in the developed world. Notably, most research focuses on the early postnatal period (birth-two months) yet the largest decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates is observed between two and six months. This study aimed to understand what enabled a first-time mother to continue exclusively breastfeeding between two and six months in Australia. The qualitative approach known as interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to explore how the new mother understood her exclusive breastfeeding journey. Data was collected retrospectively through a face-to-face, semi-structured interview, then transcribed in full and analyzed using IPA's approach to data analysis. Three main themes were identified as self-determination to achieve exclusive breastfeeding, the influence of social norms in Australian culture, and the impact social supports have on maintaining exclusive breastfeeding. For this mother, her self-determination to exclusively breastfeed, along with positive social support, outweighed the impact of perceived social norms and negative pressure from significant others to stop exclusive breastfeeding. This qualitative reflection contributes to an understanding of the individual in the breastfeeding journey, uncovering nuances around exclusive breastfeeding that may be helpful in providing support for mothers and direction for further research. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing the structure of a hydrological model using Genetic Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selle, Benny; Muttil, Nitin

2011-01-01

SummaryGenetic Programming is able to systematically explore many alternative model structures of different complexity from available input and response data. We hypothesised that Genetic Programming can be used to test the structure of hydrological models and to identify dominant processes in hydrological systems. To test this, Genetic Programming was used to analyse a data set from a lysimeter experiment in southeastern Australia. The lysimeter experiment was conducted to quantify the deep percolation response under surface irrigated pasture to different soil types, watertable depths and water ponding times during surface irrigation. Using Genetic Programming, a simple model of deep percolation was recurrently evolved in multiple Genetic Programming runs. This simple and interpretable model supported the dominant process contributing to deep percolation represented in a conceptual model that was published earlier. Thus, this study shows that Genetic Programming can be used to evaluate the structure of hydrological models and to gain insight about the dominant processes in hydrological systems.

Nuclear Structure in 78Ge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forney, Anne M.; Walters, W. B.; Sethi, J.; Chiara, C. J.; Harker, J.; Janssens, R. V. F.; Zhu, S.; Carpenter, M.; Alcorta, M.; Gürdal, G.; Hoffman, C. R.; Kay, B. P.; Kondev, F. G.; Lauristen, T.; Lister, C. J.; McCutchan, E. A.; Rogers, A. M.; Seweryniak, D.

2017-01-01

Owing to the importance of the structure of 76Ge in interpreting double β decay studies, the structures of adjacent nuclei have been of considerable interest. Recently reported features for the structures of 72,74,76Ge indicate both shape coexistence and triaxiality. New data for the excited states of 78Ge will be reported arising from Gammasphere studies of multinucleon transfer reactions between a 76Ge beam and thick heavy targets at the ATLAS facility at Argonne National Laboratory. The previously known yrast band is extended to higher spins, candidate levels for a triaxial sequence have been observed, and the associated staggering determined. The staggering in 78Ge found in this work is not in agreement with theoretical work. Candidates for negative-parity states and seniority-four states will be discussed. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. DOE under DE-AC02-06CH11357 and DE-FG02-94ER40834. Resources of ANL's ATLAS setup, a DOE Office of Science user facility, were used.

X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy in bioinorganic chemistry: Application to M–O2 systems

PubMed Central

Sarangi, Ritimukta

2012-01-01

Metal K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) has been extensively applied to bioinorganic chemistry to obtain geometric structure information on metalloprotein and biomimetic model complex active sites by analyzing the higher energy extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) region of the spectrum. In recent years, focus has been on developing methodologies to interpret the lower energy K-pre-edge and rising-edge regions (XANES) and using it for electronic structure determination in complex bioinorganic systems. In this review, the evolution and progress of 3d-transition metal K-pre-edge and rising-edge methodology development is presented with particular focus on applications to bioinorganic systems. Applications to biomimetic transition metal–O2 intermediates (M = Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) are reviewed, which demonstrate the power of the method as an electronic structure determination technique and its impact in understanding the role of supporting ligands in tuning the electronic configuration of transition metal–O2 systems. PMID:23525635

Segmentation, modeling and classification of the compact objects in a pile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gupta, Alok; Funka-Lea, Gareth; Wohn, Kwangyoen

1990-01-01

The problem of interpreting dense range images obtained from the scene of a heap of man-made objects is discussed. A range image interpretation system consisting of segmentation, modeling, verification, and classification procedures is described. First, the range image is segmented into regions and reasoning is done about the physical support of these regions. Second, for each region several possible three-dimensional interpretations are made based on various scenarios of the objects physical support. Finally each interpretation is tested against the data for its consistency. The superquadric model is selected as the three-dimensional shape descriptor, plus tapering deformations along the major axis. Experimental results obtained from some complex range images of mail pieces are reported to demonstrate the soundness and the robustness of our approach.

Constraints on Fault Damage Zone Properties and Normal Modes from a Dense Linear Array Deployment along the San Jacinto Fault Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allam, A. A.; Lin, F. C.; Share, P. E.; Ben-Zion, Y.; Vernon, F.; Schuster, G. T.; Karplus, M. S.

2016-12-01

We present earthquake data and statistical analyses from a month-long deployment of a linear array of 134 Fairfield three-component 5 Hz seismometers along the Clark strand of the San Jacinto fault zone in Southern California. With a total aperture of 2.4km and mean station spacing of 20m, the array locally spans the entire fault zone from the most intensely fractured core to relatively undamaged host rock on the outer edges. We recorded 36 days of continuous seismic data at 1000Hz sampling rate, capturing waveforms from 751 local events with Mw>0.5 and 43 teleseismic events with M>5.5, including two 600km deep M7.5 events along the Andean subduction zone. For any single local event on the San Jacinto fault, the central stations of the array recorded both higher amplitude and longer duration waveforms, which we interpret as the result of damage-related low-velocity structure acting as a broad waveguide. Using 271 San Jacinto events, we compute the distributions of three quantities for each station: maximum amplitude, mean amplitude, and total energy (the integral of the envelope). All three values become statistically lower with increasing distance from the fault, but in addition show a nonrandom zigzag pattern which we interpret as normal mode oscillations. This interpretation is supported by polarization analysis which demonstrates that the high-amplitude late-arriving energy is strongly vertically polarized in the central part of the array, consistent with Love-type trapped waves. These results, comprising nearly 30,000 separate coseismic waveforms, support the consistent interpretation of a 450m wide asymmetric damage zone, with the lowest velocities offset to the northeast of the mapped surface trace by 100m. This asymmetric damage zone has important implications for the earthquake dynamics of the San Jacinto and especially its ability to generate damaging multi-segment ruptures.

A Simulator for the Respiratory Tree in Healthy Subjects Derived from Continued Fractions Expansions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muntean, Ionuţ; Ionescu, Clara; Naşcu, Ioan

2009-04-01

Taking into account the self-similar recurrent geometrical structure of the human respiratory tree, the total respiratory impedance can be represented using an electrical equivalent of a ladder network model. In this paper, the parameters of the respiratory tree are employed in simulation, based on clinical insight and morphology. Once the transfer function of the total input impedance model is calculated, it is further interpreted in its continued fraction expansion form. The purpose is to compare the ladder network structure with the continuous fraction expansion form of the impedance. The results are supporting the theory of fractional-order impedance appearance (also known as constant-phase behaviour) and help understanding the mathematical and morphological basis for constructing a physiology-based simulator of the human lungs.

The Work of Recovery on Two Assertive Community Treatment Teams

PubMed Central

Salyers, Michelle P.; Stull, Laura G.; Rollins, Angela L.; Hopper, Kim

2011-01-01

The compatibility of recovery work with the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model has been debated; and little is known about how to best measure the work of recovery. Two ACT teams with high and low recovery orientation were identified by expert consensus and compared on a number of dimensions. Using an interpretive, qualitative approach to analyze interview and observation data, teams differed in the extent to which the environment, team structure, staff attitudes, and processes of working with consumers supported principles of recovery orientation. We present a model of recovery work and discuss implications for research and practice. PMID:20839045

Implications of new gravity data for Baikal Rift zone structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruppel, C.; Kogan, M. G.; Mcnutt, M. K.

1993-01-01

Newly available, 2D Bouguer gravity anomaly data from the Baikal Rift zone, Siberia, indicate that this discrete, intracontinental rift system is regionally compensated by an elastic plate about 50 km thick. However, spectral and spatial domain analyses and isostatic anomaly calculations show that simple elastic plate theory does not offer an adequate explanation for compensation in the rift zone, probably because of significant lateral variations in plate strength and the presence of subsurface loads. Our results and other geophysical observations support the interpretation that the Baikal Rift zone is colder than either the East African or Rio Grande rift.

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

Sharma, Anupam Deep, E-mail: dr.anupamdeep@yahoo.com; Sinha, M. M.

Perovskite oxides find wide range of applications like oxygen sensors, catalyst support, high frequency capacitors, high temperature superconducting microwave devices, solid state oxide fuel cell (SOFC) etc. LaAlO{sub 3} is one of such type of prominent perovskite oxides and very prominent material for protonic conductions. Therefore knowledge of the thermal properties of LaAlO{sub 3} is most significant. Hence in the present study we have studied phonon density of states and specific heat of LaAlO{sub 3} in cubic structure by applying lattice dynamical theoretical model. The calculated results are interpreted with existing experimental or theoretical results.

Age profiles in elephant and mammoth bone assemblages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haynes, Gary

1985-11-01

Age profiles of modern African elephant ( Loxodonta africana) populations are significantly affected by drought conditions that cause local die-offs. Subadult animals die in proportions that may be nearly twice what is recorded in live populations. Such biasing of death sample age profiles might also have occurred during late Pleistocene die-offs of Mammuthus. This comparative study of modern and fossil proboscidean age structures supports a tentative interpretation that late Pleistocene extinction of Mammuthus (at least in the southwestern United States) resulted from severe drought conditions, at which Clovis hunters were witnesses, but not necessarily frequent participants.

Experiences of refugees and asylum seekers in general practice: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Bhatia, Ravi; Wallace, Paul

2007-01-01

Background There has been much debate regarding the refugee health situation in the UK. However most of the existing literature fails to take account of the opinions of refugees themselves. This study was established to determine the views of asylum seekers and refugees on their overall experiences in primary care and to suggest improvements to their care. Methods Qualitative study of adult asylum seekers and refugees who had entered the UK in the last 10 years. The study was set in Barnet Refugee Walk in Service, London. 11 Semi structured interviews were conducted and analysed using framework analysis. Results Access to GPs may be more difficult for failed asylum seekers and those without support from refugee agencies or family. There may be concerns amongst some in the refugee community regarding the access to and confidentiality of professional interpreters. Most participants stated their preference for GPs who offered advice rather than prescriptions. The stigma associated with refugee status in the UK may have led to some refugees altering their help seeking behaviour. Conclusion The problem of poor access for those with inadequate support may be improved by better education and support for GPs in how to provide for refugees. Primary Care Trusts could also supply information to newly arrived refugees on how to access services. GPs should be aware that, in some situations, professional interpreters may not always be desired and that instead, it may be advisable to reach a consensus as to who should be used as an interpreter. A better doctor-patient experience resulting from improvements in access and communication may help to reduce the stigma associated with refugee status and lead to more appropriate help seeking behaviour. Given the small nature of our investigation, larger studies need to be conducted to confirm and to quantify these results. PMID:17711587

Dynamics of internetwork chromospheric fibrils: Basic properties and magnetohydrodynamic kink waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mooroogen, K.; Morton, R. J.; Henriques, V.

2017-11-01

Aims: Current observational instruments are now providing data with the necessary temporal and spatial cadences required to examine highly dynamic, fine-scale magnetic structures in the solar atmosphere. Using the spectroscopic imaging capabilities of the Swedish Solar Telescope, we aim to provide the first investigation on the nature and dynamics of elongated absorption features (fibrils) observed in Hα in the internetwork. Methods: We observe and identify a number of internetwork fibrils, which form away from the kilogauss, network magnetic flux, and we provide a synoptic view on their behaviour. The internetwork fibrils are found to support wave-like behaviour, which we interpret as magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) kink waves. The properties of these waves, that is, amplitude, period, and propagation speed, are measured from time-distance diagrams and we attempt to exploit them via magneto-seismology in order to probe the variation of plasma properties along the wave-guides. Results: We found that the Internetwork (IN) fibrils appear, disappear, and re-appear on timescales of tens of minutes, suggesting that they are subject to repeated heating. No clear photospheric footpoints for the fibrils are found in photospheric magnetograms or Hα wing images. However, we suggest that they are magnetised features as the majority of them show evidence of supporting propagating MHD kink waves, with a modal period of 120 s. Additionally, one IN fibril is seen to support a flow directed along its elongated axis, suggesting a guiding field. The wave motions are found to propagate at speeds significantly greater than estimates for typical chromospheric sound speeds. Through their interpretation as kink waves, the measured speeds provide an estimate for local average Alfvén speeds. Furthermore, the amplitudes of the waves are also found to vary as a function of distance along the fibrils, which can be interpreted as evidence of stratification of the plasma in the neighbourhood of the IN fibril.

Abstraction in perceptual symbol systems.

PubMed Central

Barsalou, Lawrence W

2003-01-01

After reviewing six senses of abstraction, this article focuses on abstractions that take the form of summary representations. Three central properties of these abstractions are established: ( i ) type-token interpretation; (ii) structured representation; and (iii) dynamic realization. Traditional theories of representation handle interpretation and structure well but are not sufficiently dynamical. Conversely, connectionist theories are exquisitely dynamic but have problems with structure. Perceptual symbol systems offer an approach that implements all three properties naturally. Within this framework, a loose collection of property and relation simulators develops to represent abstractions. Type-token interpretation results from binding a property simulator to a region of a perceived or simulated category member. Structured representation results from binding a configuration of property and relation simulators to multiple regions in an integrated manner. Dynamic realization results from applying different subsets of property and relation simulators to category members on different occasions. From this standpoint, there are no permanent or complete abstractions of a category in memory. Instead, abstraction is the skill to construct temporary online interpretations of a category's members. Although an infinite number of abstractions are possible, attractors develop for habitual approaches to interpretation. This approach provides new ways of thinking about abstraction phenomena in categorization, inference, background knowledge and learning. PMID:12903648

Quaternary tectonics from seismic interpretation and its potential relation with deep geothermal fluids in the Marche (Central Italy).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chicco, Jessica; Invernizzi, Chiara; Pierantoni, Pietro Paolo; Costa, Mario

2017-04-01

Knowledge of the structural features is fundamental in evaluating geothermal exchange potential and in modelling geothermal systems. In particular, faults and fractures play an important role for the circulation of fluids in the crust, and structural setting can influence groundwater flow, its regime, chemistry and electrical conductivity. In this context, data coming from accurate studies of groundwater physical properties in the Marche region (Central Italy), concerning electrical conductivity above all, revealed some anomalies in several localities that could be ascribed to a strong structural control. Data acquisition and interpretation of some SW-NE seismic reflection profiles crossing the Apennine chain to the Adriatic sea and kindly provided by ENI S.p.A, highlight important deep Plio-Quaternary structures connected with minor surface ones and to hydrogeological conditions. Seismic profiles interpretation allowed to reconstruct the structural setting and to identify the recent evolution of the Apennine Marche sector in more detail with respect to what is already known. In fact, some high angle structures affecting the whole sedimentary sequence and routing at high depth were labelled. These are NW-SE sub-parallel transpressive structures bounded by SW and NE-dipping high-angle reverse faults reaching > 10 km depth (positive flower structures), and probably involving the upper crust basement. Three main alignments were identified from W to the coast line. In some cases, flower nucleation gives rise to the lifting and counter-clockwise rotation of the Pre-Pliocene substratum blocks, with the upwelling and outcropping of Upper Miocene (Messinian) evaporite deposits along the axial zone of the transpressive structural highs. Noting the analyses of groundwater properties coming from wells placed in proximity of these structures or located along the analysed seismic profiles, anomalies in electrical conductivity are relevant. The activity of the deep rooting structures observed in the seismic profiles and the high degree of fracturing that accompanies these complex and recent fault systems can facilitate the exchange between deep and superficial fluids. In other cases, like in coastal structural high, it can have a role in preventing the sea water ingression. This significant consideration can be supported also by the direct relation of electrical conductivity with the amount of rainfall revealed from studied piezometers along the carbonate Marche ridge. It should be explained through a specific behaviour (typical of carbonate aquifers, known as the "piston-flow phase") which implies an increase of groundwater mineralization as a result of transmission of the hydraulic pressure from the saturated zone, through fractures as important way for fluids circulation. Ultimately, we suggest that the structural control could be an important factor in influencing both the surface and the groundwater flow behaviours, and then convective component of the heat transport in the studied area.

Predicting domain-domain interaction based on domain profiles with feature selection and support vector machines

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Protein-protein interaction (PPI) plays essential roles in cellular functions. The cost, time and other limitations associated with the current experimental methods have motivated the development of computational methods for predicting PPIs. As protein interactions generally occur via domains instead of the whole molecules, predicting domain-domain interaction (DDI) is an important step toward PPI prediction. Computational methods developed so far have utilized information from various sources at different levels, from primary sequences, to molecular structures, to evolutionary profiles. Results In this paper, we propose a computational method to predict DDI using support vector machines (SVMs), based on domains represented as interaction profile hidden Markov models (ipHMM) where interacting residues in domains are explicitly modeled according to the three dimensional structural information available at the Protein Data Bank (PDB). Features about the domains are extracted first as the Fisher scores derived from the ipHMM and then selected using singular value decomposition (SVD). Domain pairs are represented by concatenating their selected feature vectors, and classified by a support vector machine trained on these feature vectors. The method is tested by leave-one-out cross validation experiments with a set of interacting protein pairs adopted from the 3DID database. The prediction accuracy has shown significant improvement as compared to InterPreTS (Interaction Prediction through Tertiary Structure), an existing method for PPI prediction that also uses the sequences and complexes of known 3D structure. Conclusions We show that domain-domain interaction prediction can be significantly enhanced by exploiting information inherent in the domain profiles via feature selection based on Fisher scores, singular value decomposition and supervised learning based on support vector machines. Datasets and source code are freely available on the web at http://liao.cis.udel.edu/pub/svdsvm. Implemented in Matlab and supported on Linux and MS Windows. PMID:21034480

A qualitative study exploring community pharmacists' awareness of, and contribution to, self-care support in the management of long-term conditions in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Ogunbayo, Oladapo J; Schafheutle, Ellen I; Cutts, Christopher; Noyce, Peter R

2015-01-01

Self-care support refers to activities aimed at educating, training and empowering patients with skills and ability to manage [and monitor] their long-term conditions (LTCs). While self-care support by health care professionals has emerged as a distinct concept in the management of LTCs, evidence of community pharmacy's contribution is sparse. The aim was to explore community pharmacy's contribution to self-care support of LTCs. The objectives were to explore how community pharmacists conceptualize self-care support of LTCs and how they operationalize the core elements of this in their practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with community pharmacists in England (n = 12) and Scotland (n = 12). A framework consisting of the core elements of self-care support (information and advice; skills training and support; technology; support networks; and collaborative care planning) was developed from the literature and was used to structure the interviews and analysis. Analysis was done thematically using the interpretative phenomenological analysis technique. The three main themes that emerged were conceptualization; operationalization of the core elements; and barriers to providing self-care support. Participants conceptualized self-care of LTCs as patients taking responsibility for their own health, performing activities that improved their LTCs and that enabled them to become more independent in managing their LTCs. Their views on self-care support did not reflect this conceptual understanding but was described primarily as providing patients with information and advice rather than actively supporting them. Participants' views of operationalizing the core elements of self-care support was found to be medicines focused, opportunistic and dependent on the services they provided, rather than being patient-centered and proactive. The barriers to providing self-care support of LTCs in community pharmacy were described as priority accorded to dispensing activities, the structure of the community pharmacy contract, lack of incentives to provide self-care support and patients' expectations and lack of awareness of community pharmacy's role in LTCs management. Community pharmacists' theoretical understanding of self-care was not reflected in the ways that they portrayed their contributions to self-care support. The current ways in which community pharmacy delivers its services for patient care may need to be re-configured in order to fit into the holistic self-care support paradigm. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interpreting genetics in the context of eating disorders: Evidence of disease, not diversity

PubMed Central

Easter, Michele

2013-01-01

How is genetic involvement interpreted for disorders whose medicalisation is contested? Framing psychiatric and behavioral disorders in terms of genetics is expected to make them seem “more medical.” Yet, genetic etiology can also be used to frame behavior as acceptable human variation, rather than a medical problem (e.g., sexual orientation). I analyze responses to the idea of a genetic component in anorexia and bulimia nervosa (AN/BN) via semi-structured interviews with a sample of 50 women diagnosed with an eating disorder (25 recovered). All but three volunteered that genetics would medicalise AN/BN, by (1) making eating disorders seem more like “real” diseases; (2) implying a need for professional treatment; or (3) for biologically-based treatment. Results also indicate several “counter-logics,” by which genetic framing could support non-medical definitions of AN/BN. I argue that genetic framing reduces perceived individual responsibility, which can support definitions of behavior as either a reflection of disease (which entails intervention) or a reflection of normal human diversity (which does not). In the context of public skepticism as to the “reality” of AN/BN, genetic involvement was taken as evidence of disease in ongoing negotiations about the medical and moral status of people with eating disorders. PMID:24286479

Interpretive computer simulator for the NASA Standard Spacecraft Computer-2 (NSSC-2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, R. S.; Noland, M. S.

1979-01-01

An Interpretive Computer Simulator (ICS) for the NASA Standard Spacecraft Computer-II (NSSC-II) was developed as a code verification and testing tool for the Annular Suspension and Pointing System (ASPS) project. The simulator is written in the higher level language PASCAL and implented on the CDC CYBER series computer system. It is supported by a metal assembler, a linkage loader for the NSSC-II, and a utility library to meet the application requirements. The architectural design of the NSSC-II is that of an IBM System/360 (S/360) and supports all but four instructions of the S/360 standard instruction set. The structural design of the ICS is described with emphasis on the design differences between it and the NSSC-II hardware. The program flow is diagrammed, with the function of each procedure being defined; the instruction implementation is discussed in broad terms; and the instruction timings used in the ICS are listed. An example of the steps required to process an assembly level language program on the ICS is included. The example illustrates the control cards necessary to assemble, load, and execute assembly language code; the sample program to to be executed; the executable load module produced by the loader; and the resulting output produced by the ICS.

Soft X-ray studies on MST: Measuring the effects of toroidicity on tearing mode phase and installation of a multi-energy camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanmeter, Patrick; Reusch, Lisa; Franz, Paolo; Sarff, John; Goetz, John; Delgado-Aparicio, Louis; den Hartog, Daniel

2017-10-01

The soft X-ray tomography (SXT) system on MST uses four cameras in a double-filter configuration to measure the emitted brightness along forty distinct lines of sight. These measurements can then be inverted to determine the emissivity, which depends on physical properties such as temperature, density, and impurity content. The SXR emissivity should correspond to the structure of the magnetic field; however, there is a discrepancy between the phase of the emissivity inversions and magnetic field reconstructions when using the typical cylindrical approximation to interpret the signal from the toroidal magnetics array. This discrepancy was measured for two distinct plasma conditions using all four SXT cameras, with results supporting the interpretation that it emerges from physical effects of the toroidal geometry. In addition, a new soft x-ray measurement system based on the PILATUS3 photon counting detector will be installed on MST. Emitted photons are counted by an array of pixels with individually adjustable energy cutoffs giving the device more spectral information than the double-filter system. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences program under Award Numbers DE-FC02-05ER54814 and DE-SC0015474.

Monitoring dam structural health from space: Insights from novel InSAR techniques and multi-parametric modeling applied to the Pertusillo dam Basilicata, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milillo, Pietro; Perissin, Daniele; Salzer, Jacqueline T.; Lundgren, Paul; Lacava, Giusy; Milillo, Giovanni; Serio, Carmine

2016-10-01

The availability of new constellations of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors is leading to important advances in infrastructure monitoring. These constellations offer the advantage of reduced revisit times, providing low-latency data that enable analysis that can identify infrastructure instability and dynamic deformation processes. In this paper we use COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) and TerraSAR-X (TSX) data to monitor seasonal induced deformation at the Pertusillo dam (Basilicata, Italy) using multi-temporal SAR data analysis. We analyzed 198 images spanning 2010-2015 using a coherent and incoherent PS approach to merge COSMO-SkyMed adjacent tracks and TerraSAR-X acquisitions, respectively. We used hydrostatic-seasonal-temporal (HST) and hydrostatic-temperature-temporal (HTT) models to interpret the non-linear deformation at the dam wall using ground measurements together with SAR time-series analysis. Different look geometries allowed us to characterize the horizontal deformation field typically observed at dams. Within the limits of our models and the SAR acquisition sampling we found that most of the deformation at the Pertusillo dam can be explained by taking into account only thermal seasonal dilation and hydrostatic pressure. The different models show slightly different results when interpreting the aging term at the dam wall. The results highlight how short-revisit SAR satellites in combination with models widely used in the literature for interpreting pendulum and GPS data can be used for supporting structural health monitoring and provide valuable information to ground users directly involved in field measurements.

Icelandic Morphosyntax and Argument Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Jim

2012-01-01

This dissertation is about the elements that build verbs, the elements that introduce arguments, and how these elements interact to determine the interpretation of arguments and events. A theory of argument structure is a theory how arguments are introduced syntactically, interpreted semantically, and marked morphologically, and how this…

Improving interpretation of publically reported statistics on health and healthcare: the Figure Interpretation Assessment Tool (FIAT-Health).

PubMed

Gerrits, Reinie G; Kringos, Dionne S; van den Berg, Michael J; Klazinga, Niek S

2018-03-07

Policy-makers, managers, scientists, patients and the general public are confronted daily with figures on health and healthcare through public reporting in newspapers, webpages and press releases. However, information on the key characteristics of these figures necessary for their correct interpretation is often not adequately communicated, which can lead to misinterpretation and misinformed decision-making. The objective of this research was to map the key characteristics relevant to the interpretation of figures on health and healthcare, and to develop a Figure Interpretation Assessment Tool-Health (FIAT-Health) through which figures on health and healthcare can be systematically assessed, allowing for a better interpretation of these figures. The abovementioned key characteristics of figures on health and healthcare were identified through systematic expert consultations in the Netherlands on four topic categories of figures, namely morbidity, healthcare expenditure, healthcare outcomes and lifestyle. The identified characteristics were used as a frame for the development of the FIAT-Health. Development of the tool and its content was supported and validated through regular review by a sounding board of potential users. Identified characteristics relevant for the interpretation of figures in the four categories relate to the figures' origin, credibility, expression, subject matter, population and geographical focus, time period, and underlying data collection methods. The characteristics were translated into a set of 13 dichotomous and 4-point Likert scale questions constituting the FIAT-Health, and two final assessment statements. Users of the FIAT-Health were provided with a summary overview of their answers to support a final assessment of the correctness of a figure and the appropriateness of its reporting. FIAT-Health can support policy-makers, managers, scientists, patients and the general public to systematically assess the quality of publicly reported figures on health and healthcare. It also has the potential to support the producers of health and healthcare data in clearly communicating their data to different audiences. Future research should focus on the further validation of the tool in practice.

Children's and Adults' Interpretation of Covariation Data: Does Symmetry of Variables Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saffran, Andrea; Barchfeld, Petra; Sodian, Beate; Alibali, Martha W.

2016-01-01

In a series of 3 experiments, the authors investigated the influence of symmetry of variables on children's and adults' data interpretation. They hypothesized that symmetrical (i.e., present/present) variables would support correct interpretations more than asymmetrical (i.e., present/absent) variables. Participants were asked to judge covariation…

Truth and Evidence in Validity Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borsboom, Denny; Markus, Keith A.

2013-01-01

According to Kane (this issue), "the validity of a proposed interpretation or use depends on how well the evidence supports" the claims being made. Because truth and evidence are distinct, this means that the validity of a test score interpretation could be high even though the interpretation is false. As an illustration, we discuss the case of…

Factor Structure of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality in US and Indian Samples with Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Johnstone, Brick; Bhushan, Braj; Hanks, Robin; Yoon, Dong Pil; Cohen, Daniel

2016-04-01

The aim of this paper was to determine the factor structure of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) based on a sample of individuals from diverse cultures (i.e., USA, India), ethnicities (i.e., Caucasian, African-American, South Asian), and religions (i.e., Christian, Muslim, Hindu). A total of 109 individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) were included. Participants completed the BMMRS as part of a broader study on spirituality, religion, prosocial behaviors, and neuropsychological function. A principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization identified a six-factor solution accounting for 72% of the variance in scores. Five of the factors were deemed to be interpretable and were labeled based on face validity as: (1) Positive Spirituality/Religious Practices; (2) Positive Congregational Support; (3) Negative Spirituality/Negative Congregational Support; (4) Organizational Religion; and (5) Forgiveness. The results were generally consistent with previous studies, suggesting the existence of universal religious, spiritual, and congregational support factors across different cultures and faith traditions. For health outcomes research, it is suggested that the BMMRS factors may be best conceptualized as measuring the following general domains: (a) emotional connectedness with a higher power (i.e., spirituality, positive/negative); (b) culturally based behavioral practices (i.e., religion); and (c) social support (i.e., positive/negative). The results indicate that factor relationships may differ among spiritual, religious, and congregational support variables according to culture and/or religious tradition.

ISS Solar Array Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, James P.; Martin, Keith D.; Thomas, Justin R.; Caro, Samuel

2010-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Solar Array Management (SAM) software toolset provides the capabilities necessary to operate a spacecraft with complex solar array constraints. It monitors spacecraft telemetry and provides interpretations of solar array constraint data in an intuitive manner. The toolset provides extensive situational awareness to ensure mission success by analyzing power generation needs, array motion constraints, and structural loading situations. The software suite consists of several components including samCS (constraint set selector), samShadyTimers (array shadowing timers), samWin (visualization GUI), samLock (array motion constraint computation), and samJet (attitude control system configuration selector). It provides high availability and uptime for extended and continuous mission support. It is able to support two-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) array positioning and supports up to ten simultaneous constraints with intuitive 1D and 2D decision support visualizations of constraint data. Display synchronization is enabled across a networked control center and multiple methods for constraint data interpolation are supported. Use of this software toolset increases flight safety, reduces mission support effort, optimizes solar array operation for achieving mission goals, and has run for weeks at a time without issues. The SAM toolset is currently used in ISS real-time mission operations.

An Automated, High-Throughput Method for Interpreting the Tandem Mass Spectra of Glycosaminoglycans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Jiana; Jonathan Amster, I.

2018-05-01

The biological interactions between glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and other biomolecules are heavily influenced by structural features of the glycan. The structure of GAGs can be assigned using tandem mass spectrometry (MS2), but analysis of these data, to date, requires manually interpretation, a slow process that presents a bottleneck to the broader deployment of this approach to solving biologically relevant problems. Automated interpretation remains a challenge, as GAG biosynthesis is not template-driven, and therefore, one cannot predict structures from genomic data, as is done with proteins. The lack of a structure database, a consequence of the non-template biosynthesis, requires a de novo approach to interpretation of the mass spectral data. We propose a model for rapid, high-throughput GAG analysis by using an approach in which candidate structures are scored for the likelihood that they would produce the features observed in the mass spectrum. To make this approach tractable, a genetic algorithm is used to greatly reduce the search-space of isomeric structures that are considered. The time required for analysis is significantly reduced compared to an approach in which every possible isomer is considered and scored. The model is coded in a software package using the MATLAB environment. This approach was tested on tandem mass spectrometry data for long-chain, moderately sulfated chondroitin sulfate oligomers that were derived from the proteoglycan bikunin. The bikunin data was previously interpreted manually. Our approach examines glycosidic fragments to localize SO3 modifications to specific residues and yields the same structures reported in literature, only much more quickly.

Why style matters - uncertainty and structural interpretation in thrust belts.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, Rob; Bond, Clare; Watkins, Hannah

2016-04-01

Structural complexity together with challenging seismic imaging make for significant uncertainty in developing geometric interpretations of fold and thrust belts. Here we examine these issues and develop more realistic approaches to building interpretations. At all scales, the best tests of the internal consistency of individual interpretations come from structural restoration (section balancing), provided allowance is made for heterogeneity in stratigraphy and strain. However, many existing balancing approaches give misleading perceptions of interpretational risk - both on the scale of individual fold-thrust (trap) structures and in regional cross-sections. At the trap-scale, idealised models are widely cited - fault-bend-fold, fault-propagation folding and trishear. These make entirely arbitrary choices for fault localisation and layer-by-layer deformation: precise relationships between faults and fold geometry are generally invalidated by real-world conditions of stratigraphic variation and distributed strain. Furthermore, subsurface predictions made using these idealisations for hydrocarbon exploration commonly fail the test of drilling. Rarely acknowledged, the geometric reliability of seismic images depends on the assigned seismic velocity model, which in turn relies on geological interpretation. Thus iterative approaches are required between geology and geophysics. The portfolio of commonly cited outcrop analogues is strongly biased to examples that simply conform to idealised models - apparently abnormal structures are rarely described - or even photographed! Insight can come from gravity-driven deep-water fold-belts where part of the spectrum of fold-thrust complexity is resolved through seismic imaging. This imagery shows deformation complexity in fold forelimbs and backlimbs. However, the applicability of these, weakly lithified systems to well-lithified successions (e.g. carbonates) of many foreland thrust belts remains conjectural. Examples of lithified systems will be drawn from the foothills of the Colombian Andes and the Papuan fold-belt. These show major forelimb structures with segmented steep-limbs containing substantial oil-columns, suggesting forelimb complexity in lithified sections maybe more common than predicted by idealised models. As with individual fold-thrust structures, regional cross-sections are commonly open to multiple interpretations. To date the over-reliance on comparative approaches with a narrow range of published studies (e.g. Canadian cordilleran foothills) has biased global interpretations of thrust systems. Perhaps the most significant issues relate to establishing a depth to detachment - specifically the involvement of basement at depth - especially the role of pre-existing (rift-originated) faults and their inversion. Not only do these choices impact on the local interpretation, the inferred shortening values, obtained by comparing restored section-lengths, can be radically different. Further issues arise for emergent, syn-depositional thrust systems where sedimentation prohibits flat-on-flat thrusting in favour of continuously ramping thrust trajectories. Inappropriate adoption of geometries gathered from buried (duplex) systems can create geometric interpretations that are tectono-stratigraphically invalid. This presentation illustrates these topics using a variety of thrust systems with the aim of promoting discussion on developing better interpretative strategies than those adopted hitherto.

Factorial invariance of pediatric patient self-reported fatigue across age and gender: a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis approach utilizing the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale.

PubMed

Varni, James W; Beaujean, A Alexander; Limbers, Christine A

2013-11-01

In order to compare multidimensional fatigue research findings across age and gender subpopulations, it is important to demonstrate measurement invariance, that is, that the items from an instrument have equivalent meaning across the groups studied. This study examined the factorial invariance of the 18-item PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale items across age and gender and tested a bifactor model. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) was performed specifying a three-factor model across three age groups (5-7, 8-12, and 13-18 years) and gender. MG-CFA models were proposed in order to compare the factor structure, metric, scalar, and error variance across age groups and gender. The analyses were based on 837 children and adolescents recruited from general pediatric clinics, subspecialty clinics, and hospitals in which children were being seen for well-child checks, mild acute illness, or chronic illness care. A bifactor model of the items with one general factor influencing all the items and three domain-specific factors representing the General, Sleep/Rest, and Cognitive Fatigue domains fit the data better than oblique factor models. Based on the multiple measures of model fit, configural, metric, and scalar invariance were found for almost all items across the age and gender groups, as was invariance in the factor covariances. The PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale demonstrated strict factorial invariance for child and adolescent self-report across gender and strong factorial invariance across age subpopulations. The findings support an equivalent three-factor structure across the age and gender groups studied. Based on these data, it can be concluded that pediatric patients across the groups interpreted the items in a similar manner regardless of their age or gender, supporting the multidimensional factor structure interpretation of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale.

Thermal history and differential exhumation across the Eastern Musgrave Province, South Australia: Insights from low-temperature thermochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glorie, Stijn; Agostino, Kate; Dutch, Rian; Pawley, Mark; Hall, James; Danišík, Martin; Evans, Noreen J.; Collins, Alan S.

2017-04-01

Multi-method geo- and thermochronological data obtained for Palaeo- and Mesoproterozoic granitoids traversing the main structural architecture of the eastern Musgrave Province within South Australia reveal multiphase cooling histories. Apatite U-Pb dating on six samples yield consistent ages of 1075-1025 Ma, suggesting a thermal reset coinciding with mantle-derived magmatism of the greater Warakurna Large Igneous Province ( 1080-1040 Ma). Apatite fission track (AFT) analysis indicate that four discrete thermal events affected the study area, inducing cooling through the AFT partial annealing zone ( 60-120 °C), supported by apatite and zircon (U-Th-Sm)/He data. Late Neoproterozoic cooling from deep crustal levels to temperatures < 200 °C was discerned, which is thought to be related to exhumation and denudation during the Petermann Orogeny. Subsequent cooling events at 450-400 Ma (Silurian-Devonian) and 310-290 Ma (Late Carboniferous) are interpreted to represent exhumation associated with the Alice Springs Orogeny. The latter event exhumed the sampled plutons to shallow crustal depths. An additional Triassic - early Jurassic thermal event, likely recording elevated geothermal gradients at that time, was observed throughout the study area, however, more data is needed to further support this interpretation. The high sample density across the structural architecture of the study area furthermore reveals patterns of fault reactivation and resulting differential exhumation, indicating shallower exhumation levels in the centre and deeper exhumation towards the margins of the sampled transect. The observed differential exhumation patterns match with existing seismic data and fit a model of an inverted graben system for the Phanerozoic evolution of the eastern Musgraves. The results highlight a complex Phanerozoic thermal history for the eastern Musgraves and help to elucidate the poorly appreciated tectonic evolution of inland Australia. This study further demonstrates how high-density sample transects across structural architecture can assess the relative crustal level and associated preservation of the thermal history record within fault-reactivated terranes.

Structure, function, and behaviour of computational models in systems biology

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Systems Biology develops computational models in order to understand biological phenomena. The increasing number and complexity of such “bio-models” necessitate computer support for the overall modelling task. Computer-aided modelling has to be based on a formal semantic description of bio-models. But, even if computational bio-models themselves are represented precisely in terms of mathematical expressions their full meaning is not yet formally specified and only described in natural language. Results We present a conceptual framework – the meaning facets – which can be used to rigorously specify the semantics of bio-models. A bio-model has a dual interpretation: On the one hand it is a mathematical expression which can be used in computational simulations (intrinsic meaning). On the other hand the model is related to the biological reality (extrinsic meaning). We show that in both cases this interpretation should be performed from three perspectives: the meaning of the model’s components (structure), the meaning of the model’s intended use (function), and the meaning of the model’s dynamics (behaviour). In order to demonstrate the strengths of the meaning facets framework we apply it to two semantically related models of the cell cycle. Thereby, we make use of existing approaches for computer representation of bio-models as much as possible and sketch the missing pieces. Conclusions The meaning facets framework provides a systematic in-depth approach to the semantics of bio-models. It can serve two important purposes: First, it specifies and structures the information which biologists have to take into account if they build, use and exchange models. Secondly, because it can be formalised, the framework is a solid foundation for any sort of computer support in bio-modelling. The proposed conceptual framework establishes a new methodology for modelling in Systems Biology and constitutes a basis for computer-aided collaborative research. PMID:23721297

Amplitude interpretation and visualization of three-dimensional reflection data

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

Enachescu, M.E.

1994-07-01

Digital recording and processing of modern three-dimensional surveys allow for relative good preservation and correct spatial positioning of seismic reflection amplitude. A four-dimensional seismic reflection field matrix R (x,y,t,A), which can be computer visualized (i.e., real-time interactively rendered, edited, and animated), is now available to the interpreter. The amplitude contains encoded geological information indirectly related to lithologies and reservoir properties. The magnitude of the amplitude depends not only on the acoustic impedance contrast across a boundary, but is also strongly affected by the shape of the reflective boundary. This allows the interpreter to image subtle tectonic and structural elements notmore » obvious on time-structure maps. The use of modern workstations allows for appropriate color coding of the total available amplitude range, routine on-screen time/amplitude extraction, and late display of horizon amplitude maps (horizon slices) or complex amplitude-structure spatial visualization. Stratigraphic, structural, tectonic, fluid distribution, and paleogeographic information are commonly obtained by displaying the amplitude variation A = A(x,y,t) associated with a particular reflective surface or seismic interval. As illustrated with several case histories, traditional structural and stratigraphic interpretation combined with a detailed amplitude study generally greatly enhance extraction of subsurface geological information from a reflection data volume. In the context of three-dimensional seismic surveys, the horizon amplitude map (horizon slice), amplitude attachment to structure and [open quotes]bright clouds[close quotes] displays are very powerful tools available to the interpreter.« less

Integration of seismic-reflection and well data to assess the potential impact of stratigraphic and structural features on sustainable water supply from the Floridan aquifer system, Broward County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cunningham, Kevin J.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey and Broward County water managers commenced a 3.5-year cooperative study in July 2012 to refine the geologic and hydrogeologic framework of the Floridan aquifer system (FAS) in Broward County. A lack of advanced stratigraphic knowledge of the physical system and structural geologic anomalies (faults and fractures originating from tectonics and karst-collapse structures) within the FAS pose a risk to the sustainable management of the resource. The principal objective of the study is to better define the regional stratigraphic and structural setting of the FAS in Broward County. The objective will be achieved through the acquisition, processing, and interpretation of new seismic-reflection data along several canals in Broward County. The interpretation includes integration of the new seismic-reflection data with existing seismic-reflection profiles along Hillsboro Canal in Broward County and within northeast Miami-Dade County, as well as with data from nearby FAS wellbores. The scope of the study includes mapping the geologic, hydrogeologic, and seismic-reflection framework of the FAS, and identifying stratigraphic and structural characteristics that could either facilitate or preclude the sustainable use of the FAS as an alternate water supply or a treated effluent repository. In addition, the investigation offers an opportunity to: (1) improve existing groundwater flow models, (2) enhance the understanding of the sensitivity of the groundwater system to well-field development and upconing of saline fluids, and (3) support site selection for future FAS projects, such as Class I wells that would inject treated effluent into the deep Boulder Zone.

Artificial Intelligence and Semantics through the Prism of Structural, Post-Structural and Transcendental Approaches.

PubMed

Gasparyan, Diana

2016-12-01

There is a problem associated with contemporary studies of philosophy of mind, which focuses on the identification and convergence of human and machine intelligence. This is the problem of machine emulation of sense. In the present study, analysis of this problem is carried out based on concepts from structural and post-structural approaches that have been almost entirely overlooked by contemporary philosophy of mind. If we refer to the basic definitions of "sign" and "meaning" found in structuralism and post-structuralism, we see a fundamental difference between the capabilities of a machine and the human brain engaged in the processing of a sign. This research will exemplify and provide additional evidence to support distinctions between syntactic and semantic aspects of intelligence, an issue widely discussed by adepts of contemporary philosophy of mind. The research will demonstrate that some aspect of a number of ideas proposed in relation to semantics and semiosis in structuralism and post-structuralism are similar to those we find in contemporary analytical studies related to the theory and philosophy of artificial intelligence. The concluding part of the paper offers an interpretation of the problem of formalization of sense, connected to its metaphysical (transcendental) properties.

Geometries of geoelectrical structures in central Tibetan Plateau from INDEPTH magnetotelluric data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vozar, Jan; Jones, Alan G.; Le Pape, Florian

2013-04-01

Magnetotelluric (MT) data collected on N-S profiles crossing the Banggong-Nujiang Suture, which separates the Qiangtang and Lhasa Terranes in central Tibet, as a part of InterNational DEep Profiling of Tibet and the Himalaya project (INDEPTH) are modeled by 2D and 3D inversion codes. The 2D deep MT model of line 500 confirms previous observations concluding that the region is characterized to first-order by a resistive upper crust and a conductive, partially melted, middle to lower crust that extends from the Lhasa Terrane to the Qiangtang Terrane with varying depth. The same conductive structure setting, but in shallower depths is also present on the eastern 400 line. From deep electromagnetic sounding, supported by independent 1D integrated petro-physical investigation, we can estimate the next upper-mantle conductive layer at depths from 200 km to 250 km below the Lhasa Terrane and less resistive Tibetan lithosphere below the Qiangtang Terrane with conductive upper-mantle in depths about 120 km. The anisotropic 2D modeling reveals lower crustal anisotropy in Lhasa Terrane, which can interpreted as crustal channel flow. The 3D inversion models of all MT data from central Tibet show dominant 2D regional strike of mid and lower crustal structures equal N110E. This orientation is parallel to Shuanghu suture, BengCo Jiali strike-slip fault system and perpendicular to convergence direction. The lower crust conductor in central Lhasa Terrane can be interpreted more likely as 3D lower Indian crust structure, located to the east from line 500, than geoelectrical anisotropic crustal flow.

Psychometrically Improved, Abbreviated Versions of Three Classic Measures of Impulsivity and Self-Control

PubMed Central

Morean, Meghan E.; DeMartini, Kelly S.; Leeman, Robert F.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; Anticevic, Alan; Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra; Krystal, John H.; O’Malley, Stephanie S.

2014-01-01

Self-reported impulsivity confers risk factor for substance abuse. However, the psychometric properties of many self-report impulsivity measures have been questioned, thereby undermining the interpretability of study findings using these measures. To better understand these measurement limitations and to suggest a path to assessing self-reported impulsivity with greater psychometric stability, we conducted a comprehensive psychometric evaluation of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), the Behavioral Inhibition and Activation Scales (BIS/BAS), and the Brief Self Control Scale (BSCS) using data from 1,449 individuals who participated in substance use research. For each measure, we evaluated: 1) latent factor structure, 2) measurement invariance, 3) test-criterion relationships between the measures, and 4) test-criterion relations with drinking and smoking outcomes. Notably, we could not replicate the originally published latent structure for the BIS, BIS/BAS, or BSCS or any previously published alternative factor structures (English language). Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, we identified psychometrically improved, abbreviated versions of each measure (i.e., 8-item, 2 factor BIS-11 [RMSEA = .06, CFI = .95]; 13-item, 4 factor BIS/BAS [RMSEA = .04, CFI = .96]; 7-item, 2 factor BSCS [RMSEA = .05, CFI = .96]). These versions evidenced: 1) stable, replicable factor structures, 2) scalar measurement invariance, ensuring our ability to make statistically interpretable comparisons across subgroups of interest (e.g., sex, race, drinking/smoking status), and 3) test-criterion relationships with each other and with drinking/smoking. This study provides strong support for using these psychometrically improved impulsivity measures, which improve data quality directly through better scale properties and indirectly through reducing response burden. PMID:24885848

Junior doctors' experiences of personal illness: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Fox, Fiona E; Doran, Natasha J; Rodham, Karen J; Taylor, Gordon J; Harris, Michael F; O'Connor, Michael

2011-12-01

Professional status and working arrangements can inhibit doctors from acknowledging and seeking care for their own ill health. Research identifies that a culture of immunity to illness within the medical profession takes root during training. What happens when trainee doctors become unwell during their formative period of education and training? What support do they receive and how do they perceive that the experience of ill health affects their training trajectory? These research questions were developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers and health professionals, who adopted a qualitative approach to investigate the experiences of personal illness among trainees in their Foundation Programme (FP) years. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight FP trainees from the Severn Deanery in southwest England who had experienced significant illness. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to conduct and analyse the interviews, resulting in a comprehensive list of master themes. This paper reports an interpretative analysis of the themes of Support, Illness Experience, Crossing the Line, Medical Culture, Stigma and Disclosure. Ineffective communication within the medical education and employment system underpins many of the difficulties encountered by trainees who are unwell. Coping style plays a key role in predicting how trainees experience support during and after their illness, although this may be influenced by their particular diagnoses. The barriers to disclosure of their illnesses are discussed within the context of mobilising and maintaining support. Concern about the impact of missing training as a result of ill health appears to be significant in the transmitting of an ethos of invulnerability within the medical culture. Suggestions to improve support procedures for trainees who are unwell include the provision of greater flexibility within the rotation system along with independent pastoral support. Promoting the importance of disclosing significant illness as early as possible might go some way towards challenging the culture of invulnerability to illness that prevails among doctors. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

On the decoupling of relaxation modes in a molecular liquid caused by isothermal introduction of 2 nm structural inhomogeneities.

PubMed

Ueno, Kazuhide; Angell, C Austen

2011-12-08

To support a new interpretation of the origin of the dynamic heterogeneity observed pervasively in fragile liquids as they approach their glass transition temperatures T(g), we demonstrate that the introduction of ~2 nm structural inhomogeneities into a homogeneous glass former leads to a decoupling of diffusion from viscosity similar to that observed during the cooling of orthoterphenyl (OTP) below T(A,) where Arrhenius behavior is lost. Further, the decoupling effect grows stronger as temperature decreases (and viscosity increases). The liquid is cresol, and the ~2 nm inhomogeneities are cresol-soluble asymmetric derivatized tetrasiloxy-based (polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)) molecules. The decoupling is the phenomenon predicted by Onsager in discussing the approach to a liquid-liquid phase separation with decreasing temperature. In the present case the observations support the notion of a polyamorphic transition in fragile liquids that is hidden below the glass transition. A similar decoupling can be expected as a globular protein is dissolved in dilute aqueous solutions or in protic ionic liquids. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Free Vibration Response Comparison of Composite Beams with Fluid Structure Interaction

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

fluid damping to vibrating structures when in contact with a fluid medium such as water . The added mass effect changes the dynamic responses of the...200 words) The analysis of the dynamic response of a vibrating structure in contact with a fluid medium can be interpreted as an added mass effect...INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK v ABSTRACT The analysis of the dynamic response of a vibrating structure in contact with a fluid medium can be interpreted as

Geologic framework, structure, and hydrogeologic characteristics of the Knippa Gap area in eastern Uvalde and western Medina Counties, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Allan K.; Pedraza, Diana E.; Morris, Robert R.

2013-01-01

By using data that were compiled and collected for this study and previous studies, a revised map was constructed depicting the geologic framework, structure, and hydrogeologic characteristics of the Knippa Gap area in eastern Uvalde and western Medina Counties, Tex. The map also shows the interpreted structural dip directions and interpreted location of a structural low (trough) in the area known as the Knippa Gap.

An Interpreted Language and System for the Visualization of Unstructured Meshes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moran, Patrick J.; Gerald-Yamasaki, Michael (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

We present an interpreted language and system supporting the visualization of unstructured meshes and the manipulation of shapes defined in terms of mesh subsets. The language features primitives inspired by geometric modeling, mathematical morphology and algebraic topology. The adaptation of the topology ideas to an interpreted environment, along with support for programming constructs such, as user function definition, provide a flexible system for analyzing a mesh and for calculating with shapes defined in terms of the mesh. We present results demonstrating some of the capabilities of the language, based on an implementation called the Shape Calculator, for tetrahedral meshes in R^3.

Interpretations of evidence for large Pleistocene paleolakes in the Bonneville basin, western North America: COMMENT on: Bonneville basin shoreline records of large lake intervals during marine isotope stage 3 and the last glacial maximum, by Nishizawa et al. (2013)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oviatt, Charles G.; Chan, Margorie A.; Jewell, Paul W.; Bills, Bruce G.; Madsen, David B.; Miller, David

2014-01-01

Nishizawa et al. (2013) argue in support of three large paleolakes in the Bonneville basin during Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3). If true, that would be an important contribution to paleoclimate investigations. However, the key evidence in support of their argument consists of four radiocarbon ages that are out of stratigraphic order and near the practical and theoretical limit of the dating method. The interpretation of three large MIS 3 lakes conflicts with some of their own data, as well as with independently derived stratigraphic information from the basin. Nishizawa et al. (2013) also interpret a series of radiocarbon ages of mollusk samples as indicating previously undocumented lake transgressions a few thousand years older than basal radiocarbon ages of wood samples. We believe that these interpretations are in error, and arise largely from reliance on radiocarbon ages from carbonate material. Lake records constrained by ages of non-carbonate organic materials, along with compelling stratigraphic information from unconformities and buried soils, argue for not changing interpretations of Lake Bonneville history until more supporting information for older lakes at relatively high altitudes is found.

[Social representation of family support for diabetic patients in users of a family medicine unit in Chalco, State of Mexico].

PubMed

Rodríguez, Alejandra; Camacho, Esteban Jaime; Escoto, María Del Consuelo; Contreras, Georgina; Casas, Donovan

2014-08-27

The goal of this study is to compare and interpret the meaning of family support for diabetic patients and their families using social representations according to a structural approach of Abric's theory. The study was carried out in a Family Medicine Center of the Chalco Municipality in Mexico State. The population studied comprised ten diabetic patient-family pairs. The first part of the study was a simple word association test that aimed to find terms or statements related to the concept of "family support", as well as its frequency of appearance and range of association. Once the terms or statements were obtained, they were categorized according to their "support" capabilities. A semi-structured interview for each category was conducted as well as a graphic analysis of Friedman's meanings. The discourse of diabetic patients was compared to that of the families in order to find similarities and differences. Evocation of terms was done in the first part of the study, and it was found that the emotional domain was central to the discourse. However, in the second part of the study, when categorization and analysis of discourse is performed, there are differences in the centrality of terms and statements. The family tends to center in the active domain, whereas the patient centers in the emotional domain. This study brings up the emotional needs of the patient as essential components of support efforts. This promotes reflection about changing strategies in the design of public healthcare programs in that they may include family support from the viewpoint of otherness.

Interpretive style and intolerance of uncertainty in individuals with anxiety disorders: a focus on generalized anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Anderson, Kristin G; Dugas, Michel J; Koerner, Naomi; Radomsky, Adam S; Savard, Pierre; Turcotte, Julie

2012-12-01

Interpretations of negative, positive, and ambiguous situations were examined in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), other anxiety disorders (ANX), and no psychiatric condition (CTRL). Additionally, relationships between specific beliefs about uncertainty (Uncertainty Has Negative Behavioral and Self-Referent Implications [IUS-NI], and Uncertainty Is Unfair and Spoils Everything [IUS-US]) and interpretations were explored. The first hypothesis (that the clinical groups would report more concern for negative, positive, and ambiguous situations than would the CTRL group) was supported. The second hypothesis (that the GAD group would report more concern for ambiguous situations than would the ANX group) was not supported; both groups reported similar levels of concern for ambiguous situations. Exploratory analyses revealed no differences between the GAD and ANX groups in their interpretations of positive and negative situations. Finally, the IUS-US predicted interpretations of negative and ambiguous situations in the full sample, whereas the IUS-NI did not. Clinical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural interpretation and physical property estimates based on COAST 2012 seismic reflection profiles offshore central Washington, Cascadia subduction zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, S. I.; Tobin, H. J.; Everson, E. D.; Fortin, W.; Holbrook, W. S.; Kent, G.; Keranen, K. M.

2014-12-01

The Cascadia subduction zone has a history of large magnitude earthquakes, but a near-total lack of plate interface seismicity, making the updip limit of the seismogenic zone difficult to locate. In addition, the central Cascadia accretionary prism is characterized by an extremely low wedge taper angle, landward vergent initial thrusting, and a flat midslope terrace between the inner and outer wedges, unlike most other accretionary prisms (e.g. the Nankai Trough, Japan). The Cascadia Open Access Seismic Transect (COAST) lines were shot by R/V Marcus Langseth in July of 2012 off central Washington to image this subduction zone. Two trench-parallel and nine trench-perpendicular lines were collected. In this study, we present detailed seismic interpretation of both time- and depth-migrated stacked profiles, focused on elucidating the deposition and deformation of both pre- and syn-tectonic sediment in the trench and slope. Distribution and timing of sediments and their deformation is used to unravel the evolution of the wedge through time. Initially, interpretation of the time-sections is carried out to support the building of tomographic velocity models to aid in the pre-stack depth migration (PSDM) of selected lines. In turn, we use PSDM velocity models to estimate porosity and pore pressure conditions at the base of the wedge and across the basal plate interface décollement where possible, using established velocity-porosity transforms. Interpretation in this way incorporates both accurate structural relationships and robust porosity models to document wedge development and present-day stress state, in particular regions of potential overpressure. Results shed light on the origin and evolution of the mid-slope terrace and the low taper angle for the forearc wedge. This work may shed light ultimately on the position of the potential updip limit of the seismogenic zone beneath the wedge.

Improving preventive health care in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary care settings.

PubMed

Bailie, Jodie; Matthews, Veronica; Laycock, Alison; Schultz, Rosalie; Burgess, Christopher P; Peiris, David; Larkins, Sarah; Bailie, Ross

2017-07-14

Like other colonised populations, Indigenous Australians experience poorer health outcomes than non-Indigenous Australians. Preventable chronic disease is the largest contributor to the health differential between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, but recommended best-practice preventive care is not consistently provided to Indigenous Australians. Significant improvement in health care delivery could be achieved through identifying and minimising evidence-practice gaps. Our objective was to use clinical audit data to create a framework of the priority evidence-practice gaps, strategies to address them, and drivers to support these strategies in the delivery of recommended preventive care. De-identified preventive health clinical audit data from 137 primary health care (PHC) centres in five jurisdictions were analysed (n = 17,108 audited records of well adults with no documented major chronic disease; 367 system assessments; 2005-2014), together with stakeholder survey data relating to interpretation of these data, using a mixed-methods approach (n = 152 responses collated in 2015-16). Stakeholders surveyed included clinicians, managers, policy officers, continuous quality improvement (CQI) facilitators and academics. Priority evidence-practice gaps and associated barriers, enablers and strategies to address the gaps were identified and reported back through two-stages of consultation. Further analysis and interpretation of these data were used to develop a framework of strategies and drivers for health service improvement. Stakeholder identified priorities were: following-up abnormal test results; completing cardiovascular risk assessments; timely recording of results; recording enquiries about living conditions, family relationships and substance use; providing support for clients identified with emotional wellbeing risk; enhancing systems to enable team function and continuity of care. Drivers identified for improving care in these areas included: strong Indigenous participation in the PHC service; appropriate team structure and function to support preventive care; meaningful use of data to support quality of care and CQI; and corporate support functions and structures. The framework should be useful for guiding development and implementation of barrier-driven, tailored interventions for primary health care service delivery and policy contexts, and for guiding further research. While specific strategies to improve the quality of preventive care need to be tailored to local context, these findings reinforce the requirement for multi-level action across the system. The framework and findings may be useful for similar purposes in other parts of the world, with appropriate attention to context in different locations.

Framing of Uncertainty in Scientific Publications: Towards Recommendations for Decision Support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillaume, J. H. A.; Helgeson, C.; Elsawah, S.; Jakeman, A. J.; Kummu, M.

2016-12-01

Uncertainty is recognised as an essential issue in environmental decision making and decision support. As modellers, we notably use a variety of tools and techniques within an analysis, for example related to uncertainty quantification and model validation. We also address uncertainty by how we present results. For example, experienced modellers are careful to distinguish robust conclusions from those that need further work, and the precision of quantitative results is tailored to their accuracy. In doing so, the modeller frames how uncertainty should be interpreted by their audience. This is an area which extends beyond modelling to fields such as philosophy of science, semantics, discourse analysis, intercultural communication and rhetoric. We propose that framing of uncertainty deserves greater attention in the context of decision support, and that there are opportunities in this area for fundamental research, synthesis and knowledge transfer, development of teaching curricula, and significant advances in managing uncertainty in decision making. This presentation reports preliminary results of a study of framing practices. Specifically, we analyse the framing of uncertainty that is visible in the abstracts from a corpus of scientific articles. We do this through textual analysis of the content and structure of those abstracts. Each finding that appears in an abstract is classified according to the uncertainty framing approach used, using a classification scheme that was iteratively revised based on reflection and comparison amongst three coders. This analysis indicates how frequently the different framing approaches are used, and provides initial insights into relationships between frames, how the frames relate to interpretation of uncertainty, and how rhetorical devices are used by modellers to communicate uncertainty in their work. We propose initial hypotheses for how the resulting insights might influence decision support, and help advance decision making to better address uncertainty.

The Importance of Being Interpreted: Grounded Words and Children’s Relational Reasoning

PubMed Central

Son, Ji Y.; Smith, Linda B.; Goldstone, Robert L.; Leslie, Michelle

2012-01-01

Although young children typically have trouble reasoning relationally, they are aided by the presence of “relational” words (e.g., Gentner and Rattermann, 1991). They also reason well about commonly experienced event structures (e.g., Fivush, 1984). To explore what makes a word “relational” and therefore helpful in relational reasoning, we hypothesized that these words activate well-understood event structures. Furthermore, the activated schema must be open enough (without too much specificity) that it can be applied analogically to novel problems. Four experiments examine this hypothesis by exploring: how training with a label influence the schematic interpretation of a scene, what kinds of scenes are conducive to schematic interpretation, and whether children must figure out the interpretation themselves to benefit from the act of interpreting a scene as an event. Experiment 1 shows the superiority of schema-evoking words over words that do not connect to schematized experiences. Experiments 2 and 3 further reveal that these words must be applied to perceptual instances that require cognitive effort to connect to a label rather than unrelated or concretely related instances in order to draw attention to relational structure. Experiment 4 provides evidence that even when children do not work out an interpretation for themselves, just the act of interpreting an ambiguous scene is potent for relational generalization. The present results suggest that relational words (and in particular their meanings) are created from the act of interpreting a perceptual situation in the context of a word. PMID:22408628

Deep resistivity structure of Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Asch, Theodore H.; Rodriguez, Brian D.; Sampson, Jay A.; Wallin, Erin L.; Williams, Jackie M.

2006-01-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) at their Nevada Site Office are addressing groundwater contamination resulting from historical underground nuclear testing through the Environmental Management program and, in particular, the Underground Test Area project. One issue of concern is the nature of the somewhat poorly constrained pre Tertiary geology and its effects on ground-water flow in the area adjacent to a nuclear test. Ground water modelers would like to know more about the hydrostratigraphy and geologic structure to support a hydrostratigraphic framework model that is under development for the Yucca Flat Corrective Action Unit (CAU). During 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey, supported by the DOE and NNSA-NSO, collected and processed data from 51 magnetotelluric (MT) and audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) stations at the Nevada Test Site in and near Yucca Flat to assist in characterizing the pre-Tertiary geology in that area. The primary purpose was to refine the character, thickness, and lateral extent of pre Tertiary confining units. In particular, a major goal has been to define the upper clastic confining unit (late Devonian - Mississippian-age siliciclastic rocks assigned to the Eleana Formation and Chainman Shale) in the Yucca Flat area. The MT and AMT data have been released in separate USGS Open File Reports. The Nevada Test Site magnetotelluric data interpretation presented in this report includes the results of detailed two-dimensional (2 D) resistivity modeling for each profile (including alternative interpretations) and gross inferences on the three dimensional (3 D) character of the geology beneath each station. The character, thickness, and lateral extent of the Chainman Shale and Eleana Formation that comprise the Upper Clastic Confining Unit are generally well determined in the upper 5 km. Inferences can be made regarding the presence of the Lower Clastic Confining Unit at depths below 5 km. Large fault structures such as the CP Thrust fault, the Carpetbag fault, and the Yucca fault that cross Yucca Flat are also discernable as are other smaller faults. The subsurface electrical resistivity distribution and inferred geologic structures determined by this investigation should help constrain the hydrostratigraphic framework model that is under development.

Impact Cratering Processes as Understood Through Martian and Terrestrial Analog Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caudill, C. M.; Osinski, G. R.; Tornabene, L. L.

2016-12-01

Impact ejecta deposits allow an understanding of subsurface lithologies, volatile content, and other compositional and physical properties of a planetary crust, yet development and emplacement of these deposits on terrestrial bodies throughout the solar system is still widely debated. Relating relatively well-preserved Martian ejecta to terrestrial impact deposits is an area of active research. In this study, we report on the mapping and geologic interpretation of 150-km diameter Bakhuysen Crater, Mars, which is likely large enough to have produced a significant volume of melt, and has uniquely preserved ejecta deposits. Our mapping supports the current formation hypothesis for Martian crater-related pitted material, where pits are likened to collapsed degassing features identified at the Ries and Haughton terrestrial impact structures. As hot impact melt-bearing ejecta deposits are emplaced over volatile-saturated material during crater formation, a rapid degassing of the underlying layer results in lapilli-like fluid and gas flow pipes which may eventually lead to collapse features on the surface. At the Haughton impact structure, degassing pipes are related to crater fracture and fault systems; this is analogous to structure and collapse pits mapped in Bakhuysen Crater. Based on stratigraphic superposition, surface and flow texture, and morphological and thermophysical mapping of Bakhuysen, we interpret the top-most ejecta unit to be likely melt-bearing and analogous to terrestrial impact deposits (e.g., Ries suevites). Furthermore, we suggest that Chicxulub is an apt terrestrial comparison based on its final diameter and the evidence of a ballistically-emplaced and volatile-entrained initial ejecta. This is significant as Bakhuysen ejecta deposits may provide insight into larger impact structures where limited exposures make studies difficult. This supports previous work which suggests that given similarities in volatile content and subsurface stratigraphy, mechanisms of multi-unit ejecta emplacement extend to impact cratering processes on comparable rocky bodies. The widespread pitted material, ejecta rampart and lobe formations, and distal debris flows associated with Bakhuysen impactite emplacement further indicates a volatile-rich Martian crust during its formation.

Asymmetrical transfer effects of cognitive bias modification: Modifying attention to threat influences interpretation of emotional ambiguity, but not vice versa.

PubMed

Bowler, J O; Hoppitt, L; Illingworth, J; Dalgleish, T; Ononaiye, M; Perez-Olivas, G; Mackintosh, B

2017-03-01

It is well established that attention bias and interpretation bias each have a key role in the development and continuation of anxiety. How the biases may interact with one another in anxiety is, however, poorly understood. Using cognitive bias modification techniques, the present study examined whether training a more positive interpretation bias or attention bias resulted in transfer of effects to the untrained cognitive domain. Differences in anxiety reactivity to a real-world stressor were also assessed. Ninety-seven first year undergraduates who had self-reported anxiety were allocated to one of four groups: attention bias training (n = 24), interpretation bias training (n = 26), control task training (n = 25) and no training (n = 22). Training was computer-based and comprised eight sessions over four weeks. Baseline and follow-up measures of attention and interpretation bias, anxiety and depression were taken. A significant reduction in threat-related attention bias and an increase in positive interpretation bias occurred in the attention bias training group. The interpretation bias training group did not exhibit a significant change in attention bias, only interpretation bias. The effect of attention bias training on interpretation bias was significant as compared with the two control groups. There were no effects on self-report measures. The extent to which interpretive training can modify attentional processing remains unclear. Findings support the idea that attentional training might have broad cognitive consequences, impacting downstream on interpretive bias. However, they do not fully support a common mechanism hypothesis, as interpretive training did not impact on attentional bias. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Two Solar Tornadoes Observed with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zihao; Tian, Hui; Peter, Hardi; Su, Yang; Samanta, Tanmoy; Zhang, Jingwen; Chen, Yajie

2018-01-01

The barbs or legs of some prominences show an apparent motion of rotation, which are often termed solar tornadoes. It is under debate whether the apparent motion is a real rotating motion, or caused by oscillations or counter-streaming flows. We present analysis results from spectroscopic observations of two tornadoes by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph. Each tornado was observed for more than 2.5 hr. Doppler velocities are derived through a single Gaussian fit to the Mg II k 2796 Å and Si IV 1393 Å line profiles. We find coherent and stable redshifts and blueshifts adjacent to each other across the tornado axes, which appears to favor the interpretation of these tornadoes as rotating cool plasmas with temperatures of 104 K–105 K. This interpretation is further supported by simultaneous observations of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory, which reveal periodic motions of dark structures in the tornadoes. Our results demonstrate that spectroscopic observations can provide key information to disentangle different physical processes in solar prominences.

From Family Involvement to Family Inclusion in Nursing Home Settings: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis

PubMed Central

Puurveen, Gloria; Baumbusch, Jennifer; Gandhi, Preet

2018-01-01

The provision of care work by families plays an integral role in the quality of life of older adults living in a nursing home setting. This critical interpretive synthesis examines family members’ perceptions of their roles and responsibilities in nursing home settings and interrogates the structural and relational barriers and enablers to family involvement as they relate to fostering an inclusive environment. Electronic databases and published literature were searched for empirical studies that were conducted in a nursing home setting and described involvement from the perspective of family members. Thirty-two articles published between 2006 and 2016 were included in the review. Although involvement comprised a variety of roles and responsibilities, it was grounded in family–resident relationships, influenced by family–staff relationships, and deeply affected by broader sociopolitical factors. We conclude that involvement should be understood as a democratic process with supporting policies and programs to encourage family inclusion in facility life. PMID:29455580

Job satisfaction among neonatal nurses.

PubMed

Archibald, Cynthia

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the job satisfaction of nurses who work in intensive care nurseries. The design used a convenience sample of eight nurses with an average of 11 years of active and current experience as neonatal intensive care nurses. METHOD/DATA COLLECTION: Human rights were protected according to the institutional guidelines. Data collection included semi-structured, intensive face-to-face interviews, observation, and field notes. The interviews were tape recorded and transcribed. Collaizzi's (1978) interpretation method was used to interpret and analyze the data using significant statements, formulated meanings, and clustering. Each participant was allowed to review the typed interview as one means of credibility. Analysis of the described experiences revealed that nurses were able to identify enough satisfying situations that compelled them to continue working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). These rewards included compensation, team spirit, support from physicians, and advocacy. Knowledge of the factors that contribute to nurses' job satisfaction can provide a useful framework to implement policies to improve working conditions for nurses.

Technology, Educator Intention, and Relationships in Virtual Learning Spaces: A Qualitative Metasynthesis.

PubMed

Gdanetz, Lorraine M; Hamer, Mika K; Thomas, Eileen; Tarasenko, Lindsey M; Horton-Deutsch, Sara; Jones, Jacqueline

2018-04-01

A main concern that remains with the continued growth of online nursing education programs is the way educator and student relationships can be affected by new technologies. This interpretive study aims to gain an understanding of how technology influences the development of interpersonal relationships between the student and faculty in a virtual learning environment. Using an established structured approach to qualitative metasynthesis, a search was conducted using PubMed, EBSCO, CINAHL, Medline, ProQuest, Ovid Nursing databases, and Google Scholar, focused on caring and relational aspects of online nursing education. Technology alters communication, thereby positioning the intentionality of the educator at the heart of interpersonal relationship development in virtual learning spaces. This interpretive synthesis of prior qualitative research supports the development of a framework for online nursing courses, the need for continuing education of nursing faculty, the value of caring intentions, and enhancement of the educator's technological proficiency. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(4):197-202.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Deficit-Lesion Correlations in Syntactic Comprehension in Aphasia

PubMed Central

Caplan, David; Michaud, Jennifer; Hufford, Rebecca; Makris, Nikos

2015-01-01

The effects of lesions on syntactic comprehension were studied in thirty one people with aphasia (PWA). Participants were tested for the ability to parse and interpret four types of syntactic structures and elements -- passives, object extracted relative clauses, reflexives and pronouns – in three tasks – object manipulation, sentence picture matching with full sentence presentation and sentence picture matching with self-paced listening presentation. Accuracy, end-of-sentence RT and self-paced listening times for each word were measured. MR scans were obtained and analyzed for total lesion volume and for lesion size in 48 cortical areas. Lesion size in several areas of the left hemisphere was related to accuracy in particular sentence types in particular tasks and to self-paced listening times for critical words in particular sentence types. The results support a model of brain organization that includes areas that are specialized for the combination of particular syntactic and interpretive operations and the use of the meanings produced by those operations to accomplish task-related operations. PMID:26688433

Deficit-lesion correlations in syntactic comprehension in aphasia.

PubMed

Caplan, David; Michaud, Jennifer; Hufford, Rebecca; Makris, Nikos

2016-01-01

The effects of lesions on syntactic comprehension were studied in thirty-one people with aphasia (PWA). Participants were tested for the ability to parse and interpret four types of syntactic structures and elements - passives, object extracted relative clauses, reflexives and pronouns - in three tasks - object manipulation, sentence picture matching with full sentence presentation and sentence picture matching with self-paced listening presentation. Accuracy, end-of-sentence RT and self-paced listening times for each word were measured. MR scans were obtained and analyzed for total lesion volume and for lesion size in 48 cortical areas. Lesion size in several areas of the left hemisphere was related to accuracy in particular sentence types in particular tasks and to self-paced listening times for critical words in particular sentence types. The results support a model of brain organization that includes areas that are specialized for the combination of particular syntactic and interpretive operations and the use of the meanings produced by those operations to accomplish task-related operations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Burial preservation of trace fossils as indicator of storm deposition

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

Martin, A.J.

Positive semirelief epichnia (ridgelike trace fossils on the top surface of a bed) commonly represent burrow structures, perhaps originally supported by a mucoidal matrix, that have been infilled by sediment. The preservation of these structures, in addition to other trace fossils on a bed superface, suggests an instantaneous burial event and a minimum of concomitant erosion. This supposition can be verified by an absence of paucity of biogenic sedimentary structures accompanied by certain physical sedimentary structures (laminated shell hashes, graded bedding, fissile shales) in strata directly overlying bioturbated surfaces. The main process involved in this burial preservation (the rapid burialmore » of biogenic sedimentary structures with minimum erosion) are probably storm-generated in most instances. Sediments would be deposited primarily in the suspension mode, and mean storm wave base would be slightly above the sediment-water interface. This burial preservation model is most applicable to relatively small stratigraphic intervals (several centimeters or decimeters) representing deposition on an open-marine shelf. Positive semirelief epichnia, interpreted as burrow system infilling, from the Cincinnatian Series (Upper Ordovician) of Ohio and Indiana are used to illustrate these concepts.« less

'I just don't fit anywhere': support experiences and future support needs of individuals with Asperger syndrome in middle adulthood.

PubMed

Griffith, Gemma M; Totsika, Vasiliki; Nash, Susie; Hastings, Richard P

2012-09-01

The experiences of individuals in middle adulthood with Asperger syndrome have been the subject of little previous research, especially in terms of their experience of support services. In the present research, 11 adults with Asperger syndrome were interviewed. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to interpret the interviews. Four themes emerged from the analysis: living with Asperger syndrome; employment issues; experiences with mainstream support; and future steps towards supporting adults with Asperger syndrome. The findings highlighted the anxiety, depression, and communication difficulties that people with Asperger syndrome may experience. Much of the available support is perceived as unsuitable for individuals with Asperger syndrome. All participants wanted to remain as independent as possible, and believed an individualized approach to support would be greatly beneficial. Recommendations are made for future practice to help support adults with Asperger syndrome.

Electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey at the Giribaile site (upper Guadalquivir valley; southern Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez, J.; Rey, J.; Gutiérrez, L. M.; Novo, A.; Ortiz, A. J.; Alejo, M.; Galdón, J. M.

2015-12-01

The Giribaile archaeological site is one of the most important Iberian enclaves of the Alto Guadalquivir (Southern Spain). However, to date, only minimal excavation work has been performed at the site. Evaluation requires a preliminary, non-destructive general analysis to determine high-interest areas. This stage required a geophysical survey. Specifically, a 100 m2 grid was selected, where an initial campaign of nine electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) profiles was performed, where each profile was 111 m in length; these profiles were previously located using a detailed topographical survey. A total of 112 electrodes were used for each profile, spaced at 1 m apart with a Wenner-Schlumberger configuration. Secondly, 201 GPR profiles were created using a 500 MHz antenna. The 100 m long profiles were spaced 0.5 m apart and parallel to one another. The present research analyses the efficiency of each of these geophysical tools in supporting archaeological research. Using these methodologies, the position, morphology, and depth of different buried structures can be determined. 3D interpretation of the geophysical survey in 100 × 100 m grid allowed to differentiate structures square and rectangular, interesting buildings in a semicircle (interpreted as ovens) plus delineate different streets. From the geophysical survey follows the Carthaginian presence inside this ancient Iberian enclave.

Development and Evaluation of Methods for Structured Recording of Heart Murmur Findings Using SNOMED-CT® Post-Coordination

PubMed Central

Green, Julie M.; Wilcke, Jeffrey R.; Abbott, Jonathon; Rees, Loren P.

2006-01-01

Objective: This study evaluated an existing SNOMED-CT® model for structured recording of heart murmur findings and compared it to a concept-dependent attributes model using content from SNOMED-CT. Methods: The authors developed a model for recording heart murmur findings as an alternative to SNOMED-CT's use of Interprets and Has interpretation. A micro-nomenclature was then created to support each model using subset and extension mechanisms described for SNOMED-CT. Each micro-nomenclature included a partonomy of cardiac cycle timing values. A mechanism for handling ranges of values was also devised. One hundred clinical heart murmurs were recorded using purpose-built recording software based on both models. Results: Each micro-nomenclature was extended through the addition of the same list of concepts. SNOMED role grouping was required in both models. All 100 clinical murmurs were described using each model. The only major differences between the two models were the number of relationship rows required for storage and the hierarchical assignments of concepts within the micro-nomenclatures. Conclusion: The authors were able to capture 100 clinical heart murmurs with both models. Requirements for implementing the two models were virtually identical. In fact, data stored using these models could be easily interconverted. There is no apparent penalty for implementing either approach. PMID:16501179

The application of neuroimaging to social inequity and language disparity: A cautionary examination.

PubMed

Ellwood-Lowe, Monica E; Sacchet, Matthew D; Gotlib, Ian H

2016-12-01

In the nascent field of the cognitive neuroscience of socioeconomic status (SES), researchers are using neuroimaging to examine how growing up in poverty affects children's neurocognitive development, particularly their language abilities. In this review we highlight difficulties inherent in the frequent use of reverse inference to interpret SES-related abnormalities in brain regions that support language. While there is growing evidence suggesting that SES moderates children's developing brain structure and function, no studies to date have elucidated explicitly how these neural findings are related to variations in children's language abilities, or precisely what it is about SES that underlies or contributes to these differences. This issue is complicated by the fact that SES is confounded with such linguistic factors as cultural language use, first language, and bilingualism. Thus, SES-associated differences in brain regions that support language may not necessarily indicate differences in neurocognitive abilities. In this review we consider the multidimensionality of SES, discuss studies that have found SES-related differences in structure and function in brain regions that support language, and suggest future directions for studies in the area of cognitive neuroscience of SES that are less reliant on reverse inference. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Geography Teachers' Interpretation of a Curriculum Reform Initiative: The Case of the Lesotho Environmental Education Support Project (LEESP)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raselimo, Mohaeka; Wilmot, Di

2013-01-01

This article addresses how teachers in a specific developing world context interpreted a curriculum reform initiative. It is located within a broader interpretive study that investigated the integration of Environmental Education into the formal education system of Lesotho with particular reference to secondary school geography. More specifically…

Conceptual framework of knowledge management for ethical decision-making support in neonatal intensive care.

PubMed

Frize, Monique; Yang, Lan; Walker, Robin C; O'Connor, Annette M

2005-06-01

This research is built on the belief that artificial intelligence estimations need to be integrated into clinical social context to create value for health-care decisions. In sophisticated neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), decisions to continue or discontinue aggressive treatment are an integral part of clinical practice. High-quality evidence supports clinical decision-making, and a decision-aid tool based on specific outcome information for individual NICU patients will provide significant support for parents and caregivers in making difficult "ethical" treatment decisions. In our approach, information on a newborn patient's likely outcomes is integrated with the physician's interpretation and parents' perspectives into codified knowledge. Context-sensitive content adaptation delivers personalized and customized information to a variety of users, from physicians to parents. The system provides structuralized knowledge translation and exchange between all participants in the decision, facilitating collaborative decision-making that involves parents at every stage on whether to initiate, continue, limit, or terminate intensive care for their infant.

Studies of Water Diffusion on Single-Supported Bilayer Lipid Membranes by Quasielastic Neutron Scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, M.; Miskowiec, A.; Wang, S.-K.; Taub, H.; Jenkins, T.; Tyagi, M.; Neumann, D. A.; Hansen, F. Y.

2010-03-01

Bilayer lipid membranes supported on a solid surface are attractive model systems for understanding the structure and dynamics of more complex biological membranes that form the outer boundary of living cells. We have recently demonstrated the feasibility of using quasielastic neutron scattering to study on a ˜1 ns time scale the diffusion of water bound to single-supported bilayer lipid membranes. Two different membrane samples characterized by AFM were investigated: protonated DMPC + D2O and tail-deuterated DMPC + H2O. Both fully hydrated membranes were deposited onto SiO2-coated Si(100) substrates. Measurements of elastic neutron intensity as a function of temperature on the High Flux Backscattering Spectrometer at NIST reveal features in the diffusive motion of water that have not been observed previously using multilayer membrane stacks. On slow cooling, the elastic intensity shows sharp step-like increases in the temperature range 265 to 272 K that we tentatively interpret as successive mobile-to-immobile transitions of water bound to the membrane.

Structurally Driven Enhancement of Resonant Tunneling and Nanomechanical Properties in Diamond-like Carbon Superlattices.

PubMed

Dwivedi, Neeraj; McIntosh, Ross; Dhand, Chetna; Kumar, Sushil; Malik, Hitendra K; Bhattacharyya, Somnath

2015-09-23

We report nitrogen-induced enhanced electron tunnel transport and improved nanomechanical properties in band gap-modulated nitrogen doped DLC (N-DLC) quantum superlattice (QSL) structures. The electrical characteristics of such superlattice devices revealed negative differential resistance (NDR) behavior. The interpretation of these measurements is supported by 1D tight binding calculations of disordered superlattice structures (chains), which include bond alternation in sp(3)-hybridized regions. Tandem theoretical and experimental analysis shows improved tunnel transport, which can be ascribed to nitrogen-driven structural modification of the N-DLC QSL structures, especially the increased sp(2) clustering that provides additional conduction paths throughout the network. The introduction of nitrogen also improved the nanomechanical properties, resulting in enhanced elastic recovery, hardness, and elastic modulus, which is unusual but is most likely due to the onset of cross-linking of the network. Moreover, the materials' stress of N-DLC QSL structures was reduced with the nitrogen doping. In general, the combination of enhanced electron tunnel transport and nanomechanical properties in N-DLC QSL structures/devices can open a platform for the development of a new class of cost-effective and mechanically robust advanced electronic devices for a wide range of applications.

Crystal structure, matrix-isolation FTIR, and UV-induced conformational isomerization of 3-quinolinecarboxaldehyde.

PubMed

Kuş, Nihal; Henriques, Marta Sofia; Paixão, José António; Lapinski, Leszek; Fausto, Rui

2014-09-25

The crystal structure of 3-quinolinecarboxaldehyde (3QC) has been solved, and the compound has been shown to crystallize in the space group P21/c (monoclinic) with a = 6.306(4), b = 18.551(11), c = 6.999(4) Å, β = 106.111(13)°, and Z = 4. The crystals were found to exhibit pseudomerohedral twinning with a twin law corresponding to a two-fold rotation around the monoclinic (100) reciprocal lattice axis (or [4 0 1] in direct space). Individual molecules adopt the syn conformation in the crystal, with the oxygen atom of the aldehyde substituent directed toward the same side of the ring nitrogen atom. In the gas phase, the compound exists in two nearly isoenergetic conformers (syn and anti), which could be successfully trapped in solid argon at 10 K, and their infrared spectra are registered and interpreted. Upon in situ irradiation of matrix-isolated 3QC with UV light (λ > 315 nm), significant reduction of the population of the less stable anti conformer was observed, while that of the conformational ground state (syn conformer) increased, indicating occurrence of the anti → syn isomerization. Upon irradiation at higher energy (λ > 235 nm), the syn → anti reverse photoreaction was observed. Interpretation of the structural, spectroscopic, and photochemical experimental data received support from quantum chemical theoretical results obtained at both DFT/B3LYP (including TD-DFT investigation of excited states) and MP2 levels, using the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set.

Ontology-based image navigation: exploring 3.0-T MR neurography of the brachial plexus using AIM and RadLex.

PubMed

Wang, Kenneth C; Salunkhe, Aditya R; Morrison, James J; Lee, Pearlene P; Mejino, José L V; Detwiler, Landon T; Brinkley, James F; Siegel, Eliot L; Rubin, Daniel L; Carrino, John A

2015-01-01

Disorders of the peripheral nervous system have traditionally been evaluated using clinical history, physical examination, and electrodiagnostic testing. In selected cases, imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance (MR) neurography may help further localize or characterize abnormalities associated with peripheral neuropathies, and the clinical importance of such techniques is increasing. However, MR image interpretation with respect to peripheral nerve anatomy and disease often presents a diagnostic challenge because the relevant knowledge base remains relatively specialized. Using the radiology knowledge resource RadLex®, a series of RadLex queries, the Annotation and Image Markup standard for image annotation, and a Web services-based software architecture, the authors developed an application that allows ontology-assisted image navigation. The application provides an image browsing interface, allowing users to visually inspect the imaging appearance of anatomic structures. By interacting directly with the images, users can access additional structure-related information that is derived from RadLex (eg, muscle innervation, muscle attachment sites). These data also serve as conceptual links to navigate from one portion of the imaging atlas to another. With 3.0-T MR neurography of the brachial plexus as the initial area of interest, the resulting application provides support to radiologists in the image interpretation process by allowing efficient exploration of the MR imaging appearance of relevant nerve segments, muscles, bone structures, vascular landmarks, anatomic spaces, and entrapment sites, and the investigation of neuromuscular relationships. RSNA, 2015

Ontology-based Image Navigation: Exploring 3.0-T MR Neurography of the Brachial Plexus Using AIM and RadLex

PubMed Central

Salunkhe, Aditya R.; Morrison, James J.; Lee, Pearlene P.; Mejino, José L. V.; Detwiler, Landon T.; Brinkley, James F.; Siegel, Eliot L.; Rubin, Daniel L.; Carrino, John A.

2015-01-01

Disorders of the peripheral nervous system have traditionally been evaluated using clinical history, physical examination, and electrodiagnostic testing. In selected cases, imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance (MR) neurography may help further localize or characterize abnormalities associated with peripheral neuropathies, and the clinical importance of such techniques is increasing. However, MR image interpretation with respect to peripheral nerve anatomy and disease often presents a diagnostic challenge because the relevant knowledge base remains relatively specialized. Using the radiology knowledge resource RadLex®, a series of RadLex queries, the Annotation and Image Markup standard for image annotation, and a Web services–based software architecture, the authors developed an application that allows ontology-assisted image navigation. The application provides an image browsing interface, allowing users to visually inspect the imaging appearance of anatomic structures. By interacting directly with the images, users can access additional structure-related information that is derived from RadLex (eg, muscle innervation, muscle attachment sites). These data also serve as conceptual links to navigate from one portion of the imaging atlas to another. With 3.0-T MR neurography of the brachial plexus as the initial area of interest, the resulting application provides support to radiologists in the image interpretation process by allowing efficient exploration of the MR imaging appearance of relevant nerve segments, muscles, bone structures, vascular landmarks, anatomic spaces, and entrapment sites, and the investigation of neuromuscular relationships. ©RSNA, 2015 PMID:25590394

Anatomical guidance for functional near-infrared spectroscopy: AtlasViewer tutorial

PubMed Central

Aasted, Christopher M.; Yücel, Meryem A.; Cooper, Robert J.; Dubb, Jay; Tsuzuki, Daisuke; Becerra, Lino; Petkov, Mike P.; Borsook, David; Dan, Ippeita; Boas, David A.

2015-01-01

Abstract. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an optical imaging method that is used to noninvasively measure cerebral hemoglobin concentration changes induced by brain activation. Using structural guidance in fNIRS research enhances interpretation of results and facilitates making comparisons between studies. AtlasViewer is an open-source software package we have developed that incorporates multiple spatial registration tools to enable structural guidance in the interpretation of fNIRS studies. We introduce the reader to the layout of the AtlasViewer graphical user interface, the folder structure, and user files required in the creation of fNIRS probes containing sources and detectors registered to desired locations on the head, evaluating probe fabrication error and intersubject probe placement variability, and different procedures for estimating measurement sensitivity to different brain regions as well as image reconstruction performance. Further, we detail how AtlasViewer provides a generic head atlas for guiding interpretation of fNIRS results, but also permits users to provide subject-specific head anatomies to interpret their results. We anticipate that AtlasViewer will be a valuable tool in improving the anatomical interpretation of fNIRS studies. PMID:26157991

Interpretive Structural Model of Key Performance Indicators for Sustainable Maintenance Evaluatian in Rubber Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amrina, E.; Yulianto, A.

2018-03-01

Sustainable maintenance is a new challenge for manufacturing companies to realize sustainable development. In this paper, an interpretive structural model is developed to evaluate sustainable maintenance in the rubber industry. The initial key performance indicators (KPIs) is identified and derived from literature and then validated by academic and industry experts. As a result, three factors of economic, social, and environmental dividing into a total of thirteen indicators are proposed as the KPIs for sustainable maintenance evaluation in rubber industry. Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) methodology is applied to develop a network structure model of the KPIs consisting of three levels. The results show the economic factor is regarded as the basic factor, the social factor as the intermediate factor, while the environmental factor indicated to be the leading factor. Two indicators of social factor i.e. labor relationship, and training and education have both high driver and dependence power, thus categorized as the unstable indicators which need further attention. All the indicators of environmental factor and one indicator of social factor are indicated as the most influencing indicator. The interpretive structural model hoped can aid the rubber companies in evaluating sustainable maintenance performance.

An application of the geophysical methods and ALS DTM for the identification of the geological structure in the Kraśnik region - Lublin Upland, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamiński, Mirosław

2017-11-01

The purpose of the study was the assessment of the viability of selected geophysical methods and the Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) for the identification and interpretation of the geological structure. The studied area is covered with a dense forest. For this reason, the ALS numerical terrain model was applied for the analysis of the topography. Three geophysical methods were used: gravimetric, in the form of a semi-detailed gravimetric photograph, Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES), and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT). The numerical terrain model enabled the identification of Jurassic limestone outcrops and interpretation of the directions of the faults network. The geological interpretation of the digitally processed gravimetric data enabled the determination of the spatial orientation of the synclines and anticlines axes and of the course directions of main faults. Vertical Electrical Sounding carried along the section line perpendicular to the Gościeradów anticline axis enabled the interpretation of the lithology of this structure and identification of its complex tectonic structure. The shallow geophysical surveys using the ERT method enabled the estimation of the thickness of Quaternary formations deposited unconformably on the highly eroded Jurassic limestone outcrop. The lithology of Quaternary, Cretaceous and Jurassic rocks was also interpreted.

Protein crystallography for non-crystallographers, or how to get the best (but not more) from published macromolecular structures

PubMed Central

Wlodawer, Alexander; Minor, Wladek; Dauter, Zbigniew; Jaskolski, Mariusz

2015-01-01

The number of macromolecular structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank now exceeds 45 000, with the vast majority determined using crystallographic methods. Thousands of studies describing such structures have been published in the scientific literature, and 14 Nobel prizes in chemistry or medicine have been awarded to protein crystallographers. As important as these structures are for understanding the processes that take place in living organisms and also for practical applications such as drug design, many non-crystallographers still have problems with critical evaluation of the structural literature data. This review attempts to provide a brief outline of technical aspects of crystallography and to explain the meaning of some parameters that should be evaluated by users of macromolecular structures in order to interpret, but not over-interpret, the information present in the coordinate files and in their description. A discussion of the extent of the information that can be gleaned from the coordinates of structures solved at different resolution, as well as problems and pitfalls encountered in structure determination and interpretation are also covered. PMID:18034855

ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER (EPIC)

EPA Science Inventory

The Environmental Sciences Division (ESD) in the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) of the Office of Research and Development provides remote sensing technical support including aerial photograph acquisition and interpretation to the EPA Program Offices, ORD Laboratorie...

Interpreters Talk a Lot, Among Other Things

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barik, Henri C.

1972-01-01

Exploratory study designed to provide a general overview of the simultaneous interpretation process. Based on an unpublished doctoral dissertation supported by a Public Health Service Research Grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. (VM)

An investigation on task-technology fit of mobile nursing information systems for nursing performance.

PubMed

Hsiao, Ju-Ling; Chen, Rai-Fu

2012-05-01

This study investigates factors affecting the fit between nursing tasks and mobile nursing information systems and the relationships between the task-technology fit of mobile nursing information systems and nurse performance from the perspective of task-technology fit. Survey research recruited nursing staffs as subjects from selected case hospital. A total of 310 questionnaires were sent out, and 219 copies were obtained, indicating a valid response rate of 70.6%. Collected data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique. Our study found that dependence tasks have positive effects on information acquisition (γ=0.234, P<.05) and information identification (γ=0.478, P<.001), and independent tasks have significant effects on information acquisition (γ=0.213, P<.05). Therefore, the introduction of mobile nursing information systems in assisting nursing practices can help facilitate both independent and dependent nursing tasks. Our study discovered that the supporting functions of mobile nursing information systems have positive effects on information integration and interpretation (γ=0.365, P<.001), as well as information acquisition (γ=0.253, P<.05). The service supports of mobile nursing information systems have positive effects on information acquisition (γ=0.318, P<.001) and information integration and interpretation (γ=0.143, P<.01). Furthermore, information identification (β=.055, P<.05), information acquisition (β=.176, P<.001), and information integration and interpretation (β=.706, P<.001) provided using mobile nursing information systems have positive effects on nursing performance, indicating 83.2% of totally explained variance. As shown, the use of mobile nursing information systems could provide nursing staffs with real-time and accurate information to increase efficiency and effectiveness in patient-care duties, further improving nursing performance.

Supported metallocene catalysts by surface organometallic chemistry. Synthesis, characterization, and reactivity in ethylene polymerization of oxide-supported mono- and biscyclopentadienyl zirconium alkyl complexes: establishment of structure/reactivity relationships.

PubMed

Jezequel, M; Dufaud, V; Ruiz-Garcia, M J; Carrillo-Hermosilla, F; Neugebauer, U; Niccolai, G P; Lefebvre, F; Bayard, F; Corker, J; Fiddy, S; Evans, J; Broyer, J P; Malinge, J; Basset, J M

2001-04-18

The reactions of CpZr(CH(3))(3), 1, and Cp(2)Zr(CH(3))(2), 2, with partially dehydroxylated silica, silica-alumina, and alumina surfaces have been carried out with careful identification of the resulting surface organometallic complexes in order to probe the relationship between catalyst structure and polymerization activity. The characterization of the supported complexes has been achieved in most cases by in situ infrared spectroscopy, surface microanalysis, qualitative and quantitative analysis of evolved gases during surface reactions with labeled surface, solid state (1)H and (13)C NMR using (13)C-enriched compounds, and EXAFS. 1 and 2 react with silica(500) and silica-alumina(500) by simple protonolysis of one Zr-Me bond by surface silanols with formation of a single well-defined neutral compound. In the case of silica-alumina, a fraction of the supported complexes exhibits some interactions with electronically unsaturated surface aluminum sites. 1 and 2 also react with the hydroxyl groups of gamma-alumina(500), leading to several surface structures. Correlation between EXAFS and (13)C NMR data suggests, in short, two main surface structures having different environments for the methyl group: [Al](3)-OZrCp(CH(3))(2) and [Al](2)-OZrCp(CH(3))(mu-CH(3))-[Al] for the monoCp series and [Al](2)-OZrCp(2)(CH(3)) and [Al]-OZrCp(2)(mu-CH(3))-[Al] for the bisCp series. Ethylene polymerization has been carried out with all the supported complexes under various reaction conditions. Silica-supported catalysts in the absence of any cocatalyst exhibited no activity whatsoever for ethylene polymerization. When the oxide contained Lewis acidic sites, the resulting surface species were active. The activity, although improved by the presence of additional cocatalysts, remained very low by comparison with that of the homogeneous metallocene systems. This trend has been interpreted on the basis of various possible parameters, including the (p-pi)-(d-pi) back-donation of surface oxygen atoms to the zirconium center.

Structured Sparse Principal Components Analysis With the TV-Elastic Net Penalty.

PubMed

de Pierrefeu, Amicie; Lofstedt, Tommy; Hadj-Selem, Fouad; Dubois, Mathieu; Jardri, Renaud; Fovet, Thomas; Ciuciu, Philippe; Frouin, Vincent; Duchesnay, Edouard

2018-02-01

Principal component analysis (PCA) is an exploratory tool widely used in data analysis to uncover the dominant patterns of variability within a population. Despite its ability to represent a data set in a low-dimensional space, PCA's interpretability remains limited. Indeed, the components produced by PCA are often noisy or exhibit no visually meaningful patterns. Furthermore, the fact that the components are usually non-sparse may also impede interpretation, unless arbitrary thresholding is applied. However, in neuroimaging, it is essential to uncover clinically interpretable phenotypic markers that would account for the main variability in the brain images of a population. Recently, some alternatives to the standard PCA approach, such as sparse PCA (SPCA), have been proposed, their aim being to limit the density of the components. Nonetheless, sparsity alone does not entirely solve the interpretability problem in neuroimaging, since it may yield scattered and unstable components. We hypothesized that the incorporation of prior information regarding the structure of the data may lead to improved relevance and interpretability of brain patterns. We therefore present a simple extension of the popular PCA framework that adds structured sparsity penalties on the loading vectors in order to identify the few stable regions in the brain images that capture most of the variability. Such structured sparsity can be obtained by combining, e.g., and total variation (TV) penalties, where the TV regularization encodes information on the underlying structure of the data. This paper presents the structured SPCA (denoted SPCA-TV) optimization framework and its resolution. We demonstrate SPCA-TV's effectiveness and versatility on three different data sets. It can be applied to any kind of structured data, such as, e.g., -dimensional array images or meshes of cortical surfaces. The gains of SPCA-TV over unstructured approaches (such as SPCA and ElasticNet PCA) or structured approach (such as GraphNet PCA) are significant, since SPCA-TV reveals the variability within a data set in the form of intelligible brain patterns that are easier to interpret and more stable across different samples.

Structural and geophysical interpretation of Roatan Island, Honduras, Western Caribbean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutton, Daniel Scott

Roatan Island is the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras. These islands form an emergent crest off the Caribbean coast of Honduras called the Bonacca Ridge. The Bartlett Trough to the north and subsequent Bonacca Ridge were likely formed due to the transform fault system of the Motagua-Swan Islands Fault System. This fault system forms the tectonic plate boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates. Although the timing and kinematics are poorly constrained, the Bay Islands and the Bonacca Ridge were likely uplifted due to transpression along this left-lateral strike-slip system. With limited regional exposures along the adjacent tectonic boundary, this study aimed to present a structural interpretation for Roatan. This new interpretation is further explained through regional considerations for a suggested geologic history of the northwestern Caribbean. In order to better constrain the kinematics of uplift and exhumation of Roatan Island, structural, gravity, and magnetic surveys were conducted. Principal attention was directed to the structural relationship between the geologic units and their relationship to one another through deformation. Resulting geologic cross-sections from this study present the metamorphic basement exposed throughout the island to be in a normal structural order consisting of biotite schist and gneiss, with overlying units of chlorite schist, carbonate, and conglomerate. These units have relatively concordant strike and dip measurements, consistent with resultant magnetic survey readings. Additionally, large and irregular bodies of amphibolite and serpentinite throughout the island are interpreted to have been emplaced as mafic and ultra-mafic intrusions in weakness zones along Early Paleogene transform system fault planes. The interpretation and suggested geologic history from this study demonstrate the importance of transpressive tectonics both local to Roatan and regionally throughout geologic history. Consideration of this interpretation will help to further constrain regional studies over the northwestern Caribbean.

Use of declarative statements in creating and maintaining computer-interpretable knowledge bases for guideline-based care.

PubMed

Tu, Samson W; Hrabak, Karen M; Campbell, James R; Glasgow, Julie; Nyman, Mark A; McClure, Robert; McClay, James; Abarbanel, Robert; Mansfield, James G; Martins, Susana M; Goldstein, Mary K; Musen, Mark A

2006-01-01

Developing computer-interpretable clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to provide decision support for guideline-based care is an extremely labor-intensive task. In the EON/ATHENA and SAGE projects, we formulated substantial portions of CPGs as computable statements that express declarative relationships between patient conditions and possible interventions. We developed query and expression languages that allow a decision-support system (DSS) to evaluate these statements in specific patient situations. A DSS can use these guideline statements in multiple ways, including: (1) as inputs for determining preferred alternatives in decision-making, and (2) as a way to provide targeted commentaries in the clinical information system. The use of these declarative statements significantly reduces the modeling expertise and effort required to create and maintain computer-interpretable knowledge bases for decision-support purpose. We discuss possible implications for sharing of such knowledge bases.

Deep structure of the continental margin and basin off Greater Kabylia, Algeria - New insights from wide-angle seismic data modeling and multichannel seismic interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aïdi, Chafik; Beslier, Marie-Odile; Yelles-Chaouche, Abdel Karim; Klingelhoefer, Frauke; Bracene, Rabah; Galve, Audrey; Bounif, Abdallah; Schenini, Laure; Hamai, Lamine; Schnurle, Philippe; Djellit, Hamou; Sage, Françoise; Charvis, Philippe; Déverchère, Jacques

2018-03-01

During the Algerian-French SPIRAL survey aimed at investigating the deep structure of the Algerian margin and basin, two coincident wide-angle and reflection seismic profiles were acquired in central Algeria, offshore Greater Kabylia, together with gravimetric, bathymetric and magnetic data. This 260 km-long offshore-onshore profile spans the Balearic basin, the central Algerian margin and the Greater Kabylia block up to the southward limit of the internal zones onshore. Results are obtained from modeling and interpretation of the combined data sets. The Algerian basin offshore Greater Kabylia is floored by a thin oceanic crust ( 4 km) with P-wave velocities ranging between 5.2 and 6.8 km/s. In the northern Hannibal High region, the atypical 3-layer crustal structure is interpreted as volcanic products stacked over a thin crust similar to that bordering the margin and related to Miocene post-accretion volcanism. These results support a two-step back-arc opening of the west-Algerian basin, comprising oceanic crust accretion during the first southward stage, and a magmatic and probably tectonic reworking of this young oceanic basement during the second, westward, opening phase. The structure of the central Algerian margin is that of a narrow ( 70 km), magma-poor rifted margin, with a wider zone of distal thinned continental crust than on the other margin segments. There is no evidence for mantle exhumation in the sharp ocean-continent transition, but transcurrent movements during the second opening phase may have changed its initial geometry. The Plio-Quaternary inversion of the margin related to ongoing convergence between Africa and Eurasia is expressed by a blind thrust system under the margin rising toward the surface at the slope toe, and by an isostatic disequilibrium resulting from opposite flexures of two plates decoupled at the continental slope. This disequilibrium is likely responsible for the peculiar asymmetrical shape of the crustal neck that may thus be a characteristic feature of inverted rifted margins.

Crustal structure and evolution of the Arctic Caledonides: Results from controlled-source seismology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aarseth, Iselin; Mjelde, Rolf; Breivik, Asbjørn Johan; Minakov, Alexander; Faleide, Jan Inge; Flueh, Ernst; Huismans, Ritske S.

2017-10-01

The continuation of the Caledonides into the Barents Sea has long been a subject of discussion, and two major orientations of the Caledonian deformation fronts have been suggested: NNW-SSE striking and NE-SW striking. A regional NW-SE oriented ocean bottom seismic profile across the western Barents Sea was acquired in 2014. In this paper we map the crust and upper mantle structure along this profile in order to discriminate between different interpretations of Caledonian structural trends and orientation of rift basins in the western Barents Sea. Modeling of P-wave travel times has been done using a ray-tracing method, and combined with gravity modeling. The results show high P-wave velocities (4 km/s) close to the seafloor, as well as localized sub-horizontal high velocity zones (6.0 km/s and 6.9 km/s) at shallow depths which are interpreted as magmatic sills. Refractions from the top of the crystalline basement together with reflections from the Moho give basement velocities from 6.0 km/s at the top to 6.7 km/s at the base of the crust. P-wave travel time modeling of the OBS profile indicate an eastwards increase in velocities from 6.4 km/s to 6.7 km/s at the base of the crystalline crust, and the western part of the profile is characterized by a higher seismic reflectivity than the eastern part. This change in seismic character is consistent with observations from vintage reflection seismic data and is interpreted as a Caledonian suture extending through the Barents Sea, separating Barentsia and Baltica. Local deepening of Moho (from 27 km to 33 km depth) creates ;root structures; that can be linked to the Caledonian compressional deformation or a suture zone imprinted in the lower crust. Our model supports a separate NE-SW Caledonian trend extending into the central Barents Sea, branching off from the northerly trending Svalbard Caledonides, implying the existence of Barentsia as an independent microcontinent between Laurentia and Baltica.

Some Esoteric Aspects of SEM that Its Practitioners Should Want to Know

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rozeboom, William W.

2009-01-01

The topic of this article is the interpretation of structural equation modeling (SEM) solutions. Its purpose is to augment structural modeling's metatheoretic resources while enhancing awareness of how problematic is the causal significance of SEM-parameter solutions. Part I focuses on the nonuniqueness and consequent dubious interpretability of…

Extracellular matrix control of mammary gland morphogenesis and tumorigenesis: insights from imaging

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

Ghajar, Cyrus M; Bissell, Mina J

2008-10-23

The extracellular matrix (ECM), once thought to solely provide physical support to a tissue, is a key component of a cell's microenvironment responsible for directing cell fate and maintaining tissue specificity. It stands to reason, then, that changes in the ECM itself or in how signals from the ECM are presented to or interpreted by cells can disrupt tissue organization; the latter is a necessary step for malignant progression. In this review, we elaborate on this concept using the mammary gland as an example. We describe how the ECM directs mammary gland formation and function, and discuss how a cell'smore » inability to interpret these signals - whether as a result of genetic insults or physicochemical alterations in the ECM - disorganizes the gland and promotes malignancy. By restoring context and forcing cells to properly interpret these native signals, aberrant behavior can be quelled and organization re-established. Traditional imaging approaches have been a key complement to the standard biochemical, molecular, and cell biology approaches used in these studies. Utilizing imaging modalities with enhanced spatial resolution in live tissues may uncover additional means by which the ECM regulates tissue structure, on different length scales, through its pericellular organization (short-scale) and by biasing morphogenic and morphostatic gradients (long-scale).« less

Drastic reduction of adsorption of CO and H2 on (111)-type Pd layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poppa, H.; Soria, F.

1983-01-01

Clean surfaces of (111)-type Pd layers, grown from the vapor phase on Mo(110) at room temperature, were used to study the adsorption of CO and H2 by temperature-programmed desorption, Auger electron spectroscopy, and low-energy electron diffraction. Mild annealing of the as-grown layers during a single desorption cycle (to about 600 K) drastically reduces the adsorption for both adsorbates. Low-dose argon-ion bombardment introduces surface imperfections which restore a high adsorption probability. The results are interpreted in terms of particular (111)-type surface structures that persist tp layer thicknesses of about four monolayers; the results raise questions with respect to the surface structure of supported thin epitaxial islands and particles of Pd and possibly also with respect to conventional methods of preparing bulk surfaces of Pd for adsorption studies.

Linking experiences with emotions and the development of interpretive repertoires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McRae, Norah I.

2010-03-01

In this paper I consider the case of one student, Todd Alexander, through analyzing the transcripts of his interviews between him and his teacher (Wolff-Michael Roth). I examine the role that emotions play in the development of the interpretive repertoires that Todd employed as he talked about his scientific and his religious beliefs. I identify how lived experiences support the development of emotions and what educational conditions are necessary to allow for appropriate lived experiences. In so doing we might be able to support educational conditions that result in interpretive repertoires that allow for acceptance of multiple perspectives with a moral grounding, leading to students who are well positioned to be valuable contributors to society.

Informal care and the self-management partnership: implications for Australian health policy and practice.

PubMed

Essue, Beverley M; Jowsey, Tanisha; Jeon, Yun-Hee; Mirzaei, Masoud; Pearce-Brown, Carmen L; Aspin, Clive; Usherwood, Tim P

2010-11-01

The Serious and Continuing Illness Policy and Practice Study (SCIPPS) aims to improve the care and support for patients with chronic illness and their family carers. Here we describe the carers' contribution to the self-management partnership and discuss the policy and practice implications that are relevant to improving the support available for informal care in Australia. A secondary analysis of SCIPPS data. Fourteen carers of patients between 45 and 85 years with chronic heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes were conveniently sampled from western Sydney and the Australian Capital Territory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Key roles that carers perform in the self-management partnership included: home helper; lifestyle coach; advocate; technical care manager; and health information interpreter. Two negative consequences of juggling these roles included: self-neglect and conflict. Rigid eligibility criteria limit carers' access to essential support programs which underestimates and undervalues their contributions to the self-management partnership. Support services should focus on the development of practical skills to perform the caregiving roles. In addition, health professionals require support to work more effectively with carers to minimise the conflict that can overshadow the care and self-management partnership.

Social Interpretation Bias in Children and Adolescents with Anxiety Disorders: Psychometric Examination of the Self-report of Ambiguous Social Situations for Youth (SASSY) Scale.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Araceli; Rozenman, Michelle; Langley, Audra K; Kendall, Philip C; Ginsburg, Golda S; Compton, Scott; Walkup, John T; Birmaher, Boris; Albano, Anne Marie; Piacentini, John

2017-06-01

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health problems in youth, and faulty interpretation bias has been positively linked to anxiety severity, even within anxiety-disordered youth. Quick, reliable assessment of interpretation bias may be useful in identifying youth with certain types of anxiety or assessing changes on cognitive bias during intervention. This study examined the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Self-report of Ambiguous Social Situations for Youth (SASSY) scale, a self-report measure developed to assess interpretation bias in youth. Participants (N=488, age 7 to 17) met diagnostic criteria for Social Phobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and/or Separation Anxiety Disorder. An exploratory factor analysis was performed on baseline data from youth participating in a large randomized clinical trial. Exploratory factor analysis yielded two factors (Accusation/Blame, Social Rejection). The SASSY full scale and Social Rejection factor demonstrated adequate internal consistency, convergent validity with social anxiety, and discriminant validity as evidenced by non-significant correlations with measures of non-social anxiety. Further, the SASSY Social Rejection factor accurately distinguished children and adolescents with Social Phobia from those with other anxiety disorders, supporting its criterion validity, and revealed sensitivity to changes with treatment. Given the relevance to youth with social phobia, pre- and post-intervention data were examined for youth social phobia to test sensitivity to treatment effects; results suggested that SASSY scores reduced for treatment responders. Findings suggest the potential utility of the SASSY Social Rejection factor as a quick, reliable, and efficient way of assessing interpretation bias in anxious youth, particularly as related to social concerns, in research and clinical settings.

Processing demands upon cognitive, linguistic, and articulatory functions promote grey matter plasticity in the adult multilingual brain: Insights from simultaneous interpreters.

PubMed

Elmer, Stefan; Hänggi, Jürgen; Jäncke, Lutz

2014-05-01

Until now, considerable effort has been made to determine structural brain characteristics related to exceptional multilingual skills. However, at least one important question has not yet been satisfactorily addressed in the previous literature, namely whether and to which extent the processing demands upon cognitive, linguistic, and articulatory functions may promote grey matter plasticity in the adult multilingual brain. Based on the premise that simultaneous interpretation is a highly demanding linguistic task that places strong demands on executive and articulatory functions, here we compared grey matter volumes between professional simultaneous interpreters (SI) and multilingual control subjects. Thereby, we focused on a specific set of a-priori defined bilateral brain regions that have previously been shown to support neurocognitional aspects of language control and linguistic functions in the multilingual brain. These regions are the cingulate gyrus, caudate nucleus, frontal operculum (pars triangularis and opercularis), inferior parietal lobe (IPL) (supramarginal and angular gyrus), and the insula. As a main result, we found reduced grey matter volumes in professional SI, compared to multilingual controls, in the left middle-anterior cingulate gyrus, bilateral pars triangularis, left pars opercularis, bilateral middle part of the insula, and in the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG). Interestingly, grey matter volume in left pars triangularis, right pars opercularis, middle-anterior cingulate gyrus, and in the bilateral caudate nucleus was negatively correlated with the cumulative number of interpreting hours. Hence, we provide first evidence for an expertise-related grey matter architecture that may reflect a composite of brain characteristics that were still present before interpreting training and training-related changes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using 3D visualization and seismic attributes to improve structural and stratigraphic resolution of reservoirs

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

Kerr, J.; Jones, G.L.

1996-01-01

Recent advances in hardware and software have given the interpreter and engineer new ways to view 3D seismic data and well bore information. Recent papers have also highlighted the use of various statistics and seismic attributes. By combining new 3D rendering technologies with recent trends in seismic analysis, the interpreter can improve the structural and stratigraphic resolution of hydrocarbon reservoirs. This paper gives several examples using 3D visualization to better define both the structural and stratigraphic aspects of several different structural types from around the world. Statistics, 3D visualization techniques and rapid animation are used to show complex faulting andmore » detailed channel systems. These systems would be difficult to map using either 2D or 3D data with conventional interpretation techniques.« less

Using 3D visualization and seismic attributes to improve structural and stratigraphic resolution of reservoirs

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

Kerr, J.; Jones, G.L.

1996-12-31

Recent advances in hardware and software have given the interpreter and engineer new ways to view 3D seismic data and well bore information. Recent papers have also highlighted the use of various statistics and seismic attributes. By combining new 3D rendering technologies with recent trends in seismic analysis, the interpreter can improve the structural and stratigraphic resolution of hydrocarbon reservoirs. This paper gives several examples using 3D visualization to better define both the structural and stratigraphic aspects of several different structural types from around the world. Statistics, 3D visualization techniques and rapid animation are used to show complex faulting andmore » detailed channel systems. These systems would be difficult to map using either 2D or 3D data with conventional interpretation techniques.« less

Simulation of target interpretation based on infrared image features and psychology principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Wei; Chen, Yu-hua; Gao, Hong-sheng; Wang, Zhan-feng; Wang, Ji-jun; Su, Rong-hua; Huang, Yan-ping

2009-07-01

It's an important and complicated process in target interpretation that target features extraction and identification, which effect psychosensorial quantity of interpretation person to target infrared image directly, and decide target viability finally. Using statistical decision theory and psychology principle, designing four psychophysical experiment, the interpretation model of the infrared target is established. The model can get target detection probability by calculating four features similarity degree between target region and background region, which were plotted out on the infrared image. With the verification of a great deal target interpretation in practice, the model can simulate target interpretation and detection process effectively, get the result of target interpretation impersonality, which can provide technique support for target extraction, identification and decision-making.

Interpretive medicine: Supporting generalism in a changing primary care world.

PubMed

Reeve, Joanne

2010-01-01

Patient-centredness is a core value of general practice; it is defined as the interpersonal processes that support the holistic care of individuals. To date, efforts to demonstrate their relationship to patient outcomes have been disappointing, whilst some studies suggest values may be more rhetoric than reality. Contextual issues influence the quality of patient-centred consultations, impacting on outcomes. The legitimate use of knowledge, or evidence, is a defining aspect of modern practice, and has implications for patient-centredness. Based on a critical review of the literature, on my own empirical research, and on reflections from my clinical practice, I critique current models of the use of knowledge in supporting individualised care. Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM), and its implementation within health policy as Scientific Bureaucratic Medicine (SBM), define best evidence in terms of an epistemological emphasis on scientific knowledge over clinical experience. It provides objective knowledge of disease, including quantitative estimates of the certainty of that knowledge. Whilst arguably appropriate for secondary care, involving episodic care of selected populations referred in for specialist diagnosis and treatment of disease, application to general practice can be questioned given the complex, dynamic and uncertain nature of much of the illness that is treated. I propose that general practice is better described by a model of Interpretive Medicine (IM): the critical, thoughtful, professional use of an appropriate range of knowledges in the dynamic, shared exploration and interpretation of individual illness experience, in order to support the creative capacity of individuals in maintaining their daily lives. Whilst the generation of interpreted knowledge is an essential part of daily general practice, the profession does not have an adequate framework by which this activity can be externally judged to have been done well. Drawing on theory related to the recognition of quality in interpretation and knowledge generation within the qualitative research field, I propose a framework by which to evaluate the quality of knowledge generated within generalist, interpretive clinical practice. I describe three priorities for research in developing this model further, which will strengthen and preserve core elements of the discipline of general practice, and thus promote and support the health needs of the public.

Climate model simulations of the mid-Pliocene: Earth's last great interval of global warmth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dolan, A.M.; Haywood, A.M.; Dowsett, H.J.

2012-01-01

Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project Workshop; Reston, Virginia, 2–4 August 2011 The Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP), supported by the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping (PRISM) project and Powell Center, is an integral part of a third iteration of the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project (PMIP3). PlioMIP's aim is to systematically compare structurally different climate models. This is done in the context of the mid-Pliocene (~3.3–3.0 million years ago), a geological interval when the global annual mean temperature was similar to predictions for the next century.

Mapping the hinterland: Data issues in open science.

PubMed

Grand, Ann; Wilkinson, Clare; Bultitude, Karen; Winfield, Alan F T

2016-01-01

Open science is a practice in which the scientific process is shared completely and in real time. It offers the potential to support information flow, collaboration and dialogue among professional and non-professional participants. Using semi-structured interviews and case studies, this research investigated the relationship between open science and public engagement. This article concentrates on three particular areas of concern that emerged: first, how to effectively contextualise and narrate information to render it accessible, as opposed to simply available; second, concerns about data quantity and quality; and third, concerns about the skills required for effective contextualisation, mapping and interpretation of information. © The Author(s) 2014.

Mapping the hinterland: Data issues in open science

PubMed Central

Grand, Ann; Wilkinson, Clare; Bultitude, Karen; Winfield, Alan F. T.

2016-01-01

Open science is a practice in which the scientific process is shared completely and in real time. It offers the potential to support information flow, collaboration and dialogue among professional and non-professional participants. Using semi-structured interviews and case studies, this research investigated the relationship between open science and public engagement. This article concentrates on three particular areas of concern that emerged: first, how to effectively contextualise and narrate information to render it accessible, as opposed to simply available; second, concerns about data quantity and quality; and third, concerns about the skills required for effective contextualisation, mapping and interpretation of information. PMID:24769860

Dynamical interpretation of conditional patterns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adrian, R. J.; Moser, R. D.; Moin, P.

1988-01-01

While great progress is being made in characterizing the 3-D structure of organized turbulent motions using conditional averaging analysis, there is a lack of theoretical guidance regarding the interpretation and utilization of such information. Questions concerning the significance of the structures, their contributions to various transport properties, and their dynamics cannot be answered without recourse to appropriate dynamical governing equations. One approach which addresses some of these questions uses the conditional fields as initial conditions and calculates their evolution from the Navier-Stokes equations, yielding valuable information about stability, growth, and longevity of the mean structure. To interpret statistical aspects of the structures, a different type of theory which deals with the structures in the context of their contributions to the statistics of the flow is needed. As a first step toward this end, an effort was made to integrate the structural information from the study of organized structures with a suitable statistical theory. This is done by stochastically estimating the two-point conditional averages that appear in the equation for the one-point probability density function, and relating the structures to the conditional stresses. Salient features of the estimates are identified, and the structure of the one-point estimates in channel flow is defined.

Processing structure in language and music: a case for shared reliance on cognitive control.

PubMed

Slevc, L Robert; Okada, Brooke M

2015-06-01

The relationship between structural processing in music and language has received increasing interest in the past several years, spurred by the influential Shared Syntactic Integration Resource Hypothesis (SSIRH; Patel, Nature Neuroscience, 6, 674-681, 2003). According to this resource-sharing framework, music and language rely on separable syntactic representations but recruit shared cognitive resources to integrate these representations into evolving structures. The SSIRH is supported by findings of interactions between structural manipulations in music and language. However, other recent evidence suggests that such interactions also can arise with nonstructural manipulations, and some recent neuroimaging studies report largely nonoverlapping neural regions involved in processing musical and linguistic structure. These conflicting results raise the question of exactly what shared (and distinct) resources underlie musical and linguistic structural processing. This paper suggests that one shared resource is prefrontal cortical mechanisms of cognitive control, which are recruited to detect and resolve conflict that occurs when expectations are violated and interpretations must be revised. By this account, musical processing involves not just the incremental processing and integration of musical elements as they occur, but also the incremental generation of musical predictions and expectations, which must sometimes be overridden and revised in light of evolving musical input.

Progress in Visualizing Atomic Size Effects with DFT-Chemical Pressure Analysis: From Isolated Atoms to Trends in AB5 Intermetallics.

PubMed

Berns, Veronica M; Engelkemier, Joshua; Guo, Yiming; Kilduff, Brandon J; Fredrickson, Daniel C

2014-08-12

The notion of atomic size poses an important challenge to chemical theory: empirical evidence has long established that atoms have spatial requirements, which are summarized in tables of covalent, ionic, metallic, and van der Waals radii. Considerations based on these radii play a central role in the design and interpretation of experiments, but few methods are available to directly support arguments based on atomic size using electronic structure methods. Recently, we described an approach to elucidating atomic size effects using theoretical calculations: the DFT-Chemical Pressure analysis, which visualizes the local pressures arising in crystal structures from the interactions of atomic size and electronic effects. Using this approach, a variety of structural phenomena in intermetallic phases have already been understood in terms that provide guidance to new synthetic experiments. However, the applicability of the DFT-CP method to the broad range of the structures encountered in the solid state is limited by two issues: (1) the difficulty of interpreting the intense pressure features that appear in atomic core regions and (2) the need to divide space among pairs of interacting atoms in a meaningful way. In this article, we describe general solutions to these issues. In addressing the first issue, we explore the CP analysis of a test case in which no core pressures would be expected to arise: isolated atoms in large boxes. Our calculations reveal that intense core pressures do indeed arise in these virtually pressure-less model systems and allow us to trace the issue to the shifts in the voxel positions relative to atomic centers upon expanding and contracting the unit cell. A compensatory grid unwarping procedure is introduced to remedy this artifact. The second issue revolves around the difficulty of interpreting the pressure map in terms of interatomic interactions in a way that respects the size differences of the atoms and avoids artificial geometrical constraints. In approaching this challenge, we have developed a scheme for allocating the grid pressures to contacts inspired by the Hirshfeld charge analysis. Here, each voxel is allocated to the contact between the two atoms whose free atom electron densities show the largest values at that position. In this way, the differing sizes of atoms are naturally included in the division of space without resorting to empirical radii. The use of the improved DFT-CP method is illustrated through analyses of the applicability of radius ratio arguments to Laves phase structures and the structural preferences of AB5 intermetallics between the CaCu5 and AuBe5 structure types.

Structural validity of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition: Confirmatory factor analyses with the 16 primary and secondary subtests.

PubMed

Canivez, Gary L; Watkins, Marley W; Dombrowski, Stefan C

2017-04-01

The factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V; Wechsler, 2014a) standardization sample (N = 2,200) was examined using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) with maximum likelihood estimation for all reported models from the WISC-V Technical and Interpretation Manual (Wechsler, 2014b). Additionally, alternative bifactor models were examined and variance estimates and model-based reliability estimates (ω coefficients) were provided. Results from analyses of the 16 primary and secondary WISC-V subtests found that all higher-order CFA models with 5 group factors (VC, VS, FR, WM, and PS) produced model specification errors where the Fluid Reasoning factor produced negative variance and were thus judged inadequate. Of the 16 models tested, the bifactor model containing 4 group factors (VC, PR, WM, and PS) produced the best fit. Results from analyses of the 10 primary WISC-V subtests also found the bifactor model with 4 group factors (VC, PR, WM, and PS) produced the best fit. Variance estimates from both 16 and 10 subtest based bifactor models found dominance of general intelligence (g) in accounting for subtest variance (except for PS subtests) and large ω-hierarchical coefficients supporting general intelligence interpretation. The small portions of variance uniquely captured by the 4 group factors and low ω-hierarchical subscale coefficients likely render the group factors of questionable interpretive value independent of g (except perhaps for PS). Present CFA results confirm the EFA results reported by Canivez, Watkins, and Dombrowski (2015); Dombrowski, Canivez, Watkins, and Beaujean (2015); and Canivez, Dombrowski, and Watkins (2015). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Living kidney donation: considerations and decision-making.

PubMed

Agerskov, Hanne; Bistrup, Claus; Ludvigsen, Mette Spliid; Pedersen, Birthe D

2014-06-01

When possible, renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage kidney disease. Technological developments in immunology have made it possible to perform kidney transplants between donors and recipients despite antibodies against the donor organ. This allows for a wider range of relationships between recipient and donor. We investigated experiences of, and reflections on, kidney donation among genetic and non-genetic living donors before first consultation at the transplant centre. The aim was to investigate early experiences in the process of becoming a living kidney donor (LKD). The study was conducted within a phenomenological-hermeneutic theoretical framework. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews with 18 potential donors. Data were interpreted and discussed in accordance with the Ricoeur's text interpretation theory on the three levels of naïve reading, structural analysis and critical interpretation and discussion. Two themes emerged: the decision-making process and dilemmas in decision-making. The study identifies that the decision about donation was made in relation to one's own life, family situation and in relation to the recipient-considerations that demonstrate that a range of dilemmas can occur during the decision-making process. The desire to help was prominent and was of significance in decision-making. The study provides insight and knowledge for the health care professionals to meet and involve donors' narratives in reflections about and modifications to clinical nursing practice. It is essential that health care professionals have an understanding and appreciation of the experiences and concerns among LKDs, and this can help in planning and providing individual nursing care and support to donors. © 2014 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

Development of Trust in an Online Breast Cancer Forum: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Lovatt, Melanie; Bath, Peter A; Ellis, Julie

2017-05-23

Online health forums provide peer support for a range of medical conditions including life-threatening and terminal illnesses. Trust is an important component of peer-to-peer support, although relatively little is known about how trust forms within online health forums. The aim of this paper is to examine how trust develops and influences sharing among users of an online breast cancer forum. An interpretive qualitative approach was adopted. Data were collected from forum posts from 135 threads on 9 boards on the UK charity, Breast Cancer Care (BCC). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 BCC forum users. Both datasets were analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke's approach and combined to triangulate analysis. Trust operates in 3 dimensions, structural, relational, and temporal, and these intersect with each other and do not operate in isolation. The structural dimension relates to how the affordances and formal rules of the site affected trust. The relational dimension refers to how trust was necessarily experienced in interactions with other forum users: it emerged within relationships and was a social phenomenon. The temporal dimension relates to how trust changed over time and was influenced by the length of time users spent on the forum. Trust is a process that changes over time and which is influenced by structural features of the forum, as well as informal but collectively understood relational interactions among forum users. The study provides a better understanding of how the intersecting structural, relational, and temporal aspects that support the development of trust facilitate sharing in online environments. These findings will help organizations developing online health forums. ©Melanie Lovatt, Peter A Bath, Julie Ellis. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 23.05.2017.

Development of Trust in an Online Breast Cancer Forum: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Lovatt, Melanie

2017-01-01

Background Online health forums provide peer support for a range of medical conditions including life-threatening and terminal illnesses. Trust is an important component of peer-to-peer support, although relatively little is known about how trust forms within online health forums. Objective The aim of this paper is to examine how trust develops and influences sharing among users of an online breast cancer forum. Methods An interpretive qualitative approach was adopted. Data were collected from forum posts from 135 threads on 9 boards on the UK charity, Breast Cancer Care (BCC). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 BCC forum users. Both datasets were analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s approach and combined to triangulate analysis. Results Trust operates in 3 dimensions, structural, relational, and temporal, and these intersect with each other and do not operate in isolation. The structural dimension relates to how the affordances and formal rules of the site affected trust. The relational dimension refers to how trust was necessarily experienced in interactions with other forum users: it emerged within relationships and was a social phenomenon. The temporal dimension relates to how trust changed over time and was influenced by the length of time users spent on the forum. Conclusions Trust is a process that changes over time and which is influenced by structural features of the forum, as well as informal but collectively understood relational interactions among forum users. The study provides a better understanding of how the intersecting structural, relational, and temporal aspects that support the development of trust facilitate sharing in online environments. These findings will help organizations developing online health forums. PMID:28536093

Analysis of the process of representing clinical statements for decision-support applications: a comparison of openEHR archetypes and HL7 virtual medical record.

PubMed

González-Ferrer, A; Peleg, M; Marcos, M; Maldonado, J A

2016-07-01

Delivering patient-specific decision-support based on computer-interpretable guidelines (CIGs) requires mapping CIG clinical statements (data items, clinical recommendations) into patients' data. This is most effectively done via intermediate data schemas, which enable querying the data according to the semantics of a shared standard intermediate schema. This study aims to evaluate the use of HL7 virtual medical record (vMR) and openEHR archetypes as intermediate schemas for capturing clinical statements from CIGs that are mappable to electronic health records (EHRs) containing patient data and patient-specific recommendations. Using qualitative research methods, we analyzed the encoding of ten representative clinical statements taken from two CIGs used in real decision-support systems into two health information models (openEHR archetypes and HL7 vMR instances) by four experienced informaticians. Discussion among the modelers about each case study example greatly increased our understanding of the capabilities of these standards, which we share in this educational paper. Differing in content and structure, the openEHR archetypes were found to contain a greater level of representational detail and structure while the vMR representations took fewer steps to complete. The use of openEHR in the encoding of CIG clinical statements could potentially facilitate applications other than decision-support, including intelligent data analysis and integration of additional properties of data items from existing EHRs. On the other hand, due to their smaller size and fewer details, the use of vMR potentially supports quicker mapping of EHR data into clinical statements.

Nondestructive Evaluation of Hardwood Logs Using Automated Interpretation of CT Images

Treesearch

Daniel L. Schmoldt; Dongping Zhu; Richard W. Conners

1993-01-01

Computed tomography (CT) imaging is being used to examine the internal structure of hardwood logs. The following steps are used to automatically interpret CT images: (1) preprocessing to remove unwanted portions of the image, e.g., annual ring structure, (2) image-by-image segmentation to produce relatively homogeneous image areas, (3) volume growing to create volumes...

Understanding students' explanations of biological phenomena: Conceptual frameworks or p-prims?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Southerland, Sherry A.; Abrams, Eleanor; Cummins, Catherine L.; Anzelmo, Julie

2001-07-01

This study explores two differing perspectives of the nature of students' biological knowledge structures, conceptual frameworks, and p-prims. Students from four grade levels and from three regions of the United States were asked to explain a variety of biological phenomena. Students' responses to the interview probes were analyzed to describe 1) patterns in the nature of students' explanations across grade levels and interview probes, and 2) the consistency of students' explanations across individual interview probes and across the range of probes. The results were interpreted from both perspectives of knowledge structures. While definitive assertions supporting either perspective could not be made, each hypothesis was explored. Although the more prevalent description of student conceptions within a broader conceptual framework could not be discounted, the p-prim of need as a rationale for change was also found to offer a useful description of knowledge frameworks for this content area. The difficulties endemic to the use of biology for the study of basic knowledge structures are also discussed.

DataWarrior: an open-source program for chemistry aware data visualization and analysis.

PubMed

Sander, Thomas; Freyss, Joel; von Korff, Modest; Rufener, Christian

2015-02-23

Drug discovery projects in the pharmaceutical industry accumulate thousands of chemical structures and ten-thousands of data points from a dozen or more biological and pharmacological assays. A sufficient interpretation of the data requires understanding, which molecular families are present, which structural motifs correlate with measured properties, and which tiny structural changes cause large property changes. Data visualization and analysis software with sufficient chemical intelligence to support chemists in this task is rare. In an attempt to contribute to filling the gap, we released our in-house developed chemistry aware data analysis program DataWarrior for free public use. This paper gives an overview of DataWarrior's functionality and architecture. Exemplarily, a new unsupervised, 2-dimensional scaling algorithm is presented, which employs vector-based or nonvector-based descriptors to visualize the chemical or pharmacophore space of even large data sets. DataWarrior uses this method to interactively explore chemical space, activity landscapes, and activity cliffs.

In situ assessment of structural timber elements of a historic building by infrared thermography and ultrasonic velocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandemir-Yucel, A.; Tavukcuoglu, A.; Caner-Saltik, E. N.

2007-01-01

The infrared thermography (IRT) and the ultrasonic velocity measurements (UVM) promise to be particularly important to assess the state of deterioration and the adequacy of the boundary and microclimatic conditions for timber elements. These non-destructive methods supported by laboratory analyses of timber samples were conducted on a 13th century monument, Aslanhane Mosque in Ankara, Turkey. The combined interpretation of the results was done to assess the condition of structural timber elements in terms of their state of preservation, the dampness problems and the recent incompatible repairs affecting them. Results indicated that moist areas in the structure were associated with roof drainage problems and the repairs undertaken with cement-based mortars and plasters and oil-based paints. Juxtaposition of the IRT and UVM together with laboratory analyses was found to be useful to assess the soundness of timber, enhanced the accuracy and effectiveness of the survey and facilitated to build up the urgent and long-term conservation programs.

Neutron Crystal Structure of RAS GTPase Puts in Question the Protonation State of the GTP γ-Phosphate*

PubMed Central

Knihtila, Ryan; Holzapfel, Genevieve; Weiss, Kevin; Meilleur, Flora; Mattos, Carla

2015-01-01

RAS GTPase is a prototype for nucleotide-binding proteins that function by cycling between GTP and GDP, with hydrogen atoms playing an important role in the GTP hydrolysis mechanism. It is one of the most well studied proteins in the superfamily of small GTPases, which has representatives in a wide range of cellular functions. These proteins share a GTP-binding pocket with highly conserved motifs that promote hydrolysis to GDP. The neutron crystal structure of RAS presented here strongly supports a protonated γ-phosphate at physiological pH. This counters the notion that the phosphate groups of GTP are fully deprotonated at the start of the hydrolysis reaction, which has colored the interpretation of experimental and computational data in studies of the hydrolysis mechanism. The neutron crystal structure presented here puts in question our understanding of the pre-catalytic state associated with the hydrolysis reaction central to the function of RAS and other GTPases. PMID:26515069

Neutron crystal structure of RAS GTPase puts in question the protonation state of the GTP γ-phosphate

DOE PAGES

Knihtila, Ryan; Holzapfel, Genevieve; Weiss, Kevin; ...

2015-10-29

RAS GTPase is a prototype for nucleotide-binding proteins that function by cycling between GTP and GDP, with hydrogen atoms playing an important role in the GTP hydrolysis mechanism. It is one of the most well studied proteins in the superfamily of small GTPases, which has representatives in a wide range of cellular functions. These proteins share a GTP-binding pocket with highly conserved motifs that promote hydrolysis to GDP. The neutron crystal structure of RAS presented here strongly supports a protonated gamma-phosphate at physiological pH. This counters the notion that the phosphate groups of GTP are fully deprotonated at the startmore » of the hydrolysis reaction, which has colored the interpretation of experimental and computational data in studies of the hydrolysis mechanism. As a result, the neutron crystal structure presented here puts in question our understanding of the pre-catalytic state associated with the hydrolysis reaction central to the function of RAS and other GTPases.« less

Litho-structural analysis of eastern part of Ilesha schist belt, Southwestern Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fagbohun, Babatunde Joseph; Adeoti, Blessing; Aladejana, Olabanji Odunayo

2017-09-01

The Ilesha schist belt is an excellent example of high strain shear belt within basement complex of southwestern Nigeria which is part of the larger West African Shield. The Ilesha schist belt is characterised by metasediment-metavolcanic, migmatite-gneiss and older granite rocks and the occurrence of a Shear zone which has been traced to and correlated with the central Hoggar Neoproterozoic shear zone as part of the Trans-Saharan Belt. Although the area is interesting in terms of geologic-tectonic setting, however, detailed geological assessment and structural interpretation of features in this area is lacking due accessibility problem. For these reasons we applied principal component analysis (PCA) and band ratio (BR) techniques on Landsat 8 OLI data for lithological discrimination while for structural interpretation, filtering techniques of edge enhancement and edge detection was applied on digital elevation model (DEM) acquired by shuttle radar topographic mission (SRTM) sensor. The PCA outperform BR for discrimination between quartzite and granite which are the most exposed rock units in the area. For structural interpretation, DEM was used to generate shaded relief model and edge maps which enable detailed structural interpretation. Geologic fieldwork was further conducted to validate structures and units identified from image processing. Based image interpretation, three deformation events were identified. The first event (D1) which is majorly a ductile deformation produced foliations and folds whose axial planes trend in NNE-SSW. The second event (D2) resulted in reactivation and rotation of the D1 structures particularly the folds in the NE-SW. The third event (D3) produced a transgressive deformation starting with the ductile deformation resulting in the development of sigmoidal structures oriented in NE-SW to E-W direction and the brittle deformation occurring at later stages producing fractures oriented in the E-W to NE-SW directions. These results have important implications in terms of regional tectonics and geological mapping as well as in land-use planning and other areas such as hydrogeology or geotechnics.

Deformation of ``Villafranchian'' lacustrine sediments in the Chisone Valley (Western Alps, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collo, Giovanni; Giardino, Marco

1997-09-01

The Chisone Valley is located in the internal NW Alps, in the Pinerolese District, an area characterized by present low to medium seismicity. Fine-grained sediments (sand, silt and clay with interbedded gravel) crop out in the lower Chisone Valley: they were first interpreted as glaciolacustrine deposits, and then as a lacustrine infilling of the valley floor probably due to differential uplifting of the valley mouth. Review of this data, together with new field and palynological observations, lead us to refer the lacustrine deposits to approximately the Lower Pleistocene (Villafranchian). In many outcrops, the lacustrine deposits show strong soft-sediment deformation such as convolute laminations, water-escape structures and disrupted beds, some of them associated with folds and faults (cm to dm in size); only two sites show metric to decametric folds and faults trending E-W and N-S. Detailed structural analysis conducted along a recently exposed section (Rio Gran Dubbione site) shows several soft-sediment deformation features on the limbs of mesoscale folds. Because of their intimate structural association, the origin of these minor structures seems to be connected to synsedimentary activity on reverse and normal faults (m to dm in size) affecting the lacustrine deposits in the same locality. Soft-sediment deformation features can be interpreted as possible paleoseismites. If so, the present seismicity of the Pinerolese District, which is the major area of such activity in NW Italy, cannot be considered an isolated episode in the geological evolution of the region; even if there is no supporting evidence for continuous seismicity, the deformations in the lacustrine sediments of the Chisone Valley testify to Early Pleistocene seismic activity, probably related to the recent tectonic evolution of the internal side of the NW Alps.

3-D visualisation and interpretation of seismic attributes extracted from large 3-D seismic datasets: Subregional and prospect evaluation, deepwater Nigeria

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

Sola, M.; Haakon Nordby, L.; Dailey, D.V.

High resolution 3-D visualization of horizon interpretation and seismic attributes from large 3-D seismic surveys in deepwater Nigeria has greatly enhanced the exploration team`s ability to quickly recognize prospective segments of subregional and prospect specific scale areas. Integrated workstation generated structure, isopach and extracted horizon consistent, interval and windowed attributes are particularly useful in illustrating the complex structural and stratigraphical prospectivity of deepwater Nigeria. Large 3-D seismic volumes acquired over 750 square kilometers can be manipulated within the visualization system with attribute tracking capability that allows for real time data interrogation and interpretation. As in classical seismic stratigraphic studies, patternmore » recognition is fundamental to effective depositions facies interpretation and reservoir model construction. The 3-D perspective enhances the data interpretation through clear representation of relative scale, spatial distribution and magnitude of attributes. In deepwater Nigeria, many prospective traps rely on an interplay between syndepositional structure and slope turbidite depositional systems. Reservoir systems in many prospects appear to be dominated by unconfined to moderately focused slope feeder channel facies. These units have spatially complex facies architecture with feeder channel axes separated by extensive interchannel areas. Structural culminations generally have a history of initial compressional folding with late in extensional collapse and accommodation faulting. The resulting complex trap configurations often have stacked reservoirs over intervals as thick as 1500 meters. Exploration, appraisal and development scenarios in these settings can be optimized by taking full advantage of integrating high resolution 3-D visualization and seismic workstation interpretation.« less

3-D visualisation and interpretation of seismic attributes extracted from large 3-D seismic datasets: Subregional and prospect evaluation, deepwater Nigeria

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

Sola, M.; Haakon Nordby, L.; Dailey, D.V.

High resolution 3-D visualization of horizon interpretation and seismic attributes from large 3-D seismic surveys in deepwater Nigeria has greatly enhanced the exploration team's ability to quickly recognize prospective segments of subregional and prospect specific scale areas. Integrated workstation generated structure, isopach and extracted horizon consistent, interval and windowed attributes are particularly useful in illustrating the complex structural and stratigraphical prospectivity of deepwater Nigeria. Large 3-D seismic volumes acquired over 750 square kilometers can be manipulated within the visualization system with attribute tracking capability that allows for real time data interrogation and interpretation. As in classical seismic stratigraphic studies, patternmore » recognition is fundamental to effective depositions facies interpretation and reservoir model construction. The 3-D perspective enhances the data interpretation through clear representation of relative scale, spatial distribution and magnitude of attributes. In deepwater Nigeria, many prospective traps rely on an interplay between syndepositional structure and slope turbidite depositional systems. Reservoir systems in many prospects appear to be dominated by unconfined to moderately focused slope feeder channel facies. These units have spatially complex facies architecture with feeder channel axes separated by extensive interchannel areas. Structural culminations generally have a history of initial compressional folding with late in extensional collapse and accommodation faulting. The resulting complex trap configurations often have stacked reservoirs over intervals as thick as 1500 meters. Exploration, appraisal and development scenarios in these settings can be optimized by taking full advantage of integrating high resolution 3-D visualization and seismic workstation interpretation.« less

Electronic Interactions of Size-Selected Oxide Clusters on Metallic and Thin Film Oxide Supports

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

Xue, Meng; Nakayama, Miki; Liu, Ping

The interfacial electronic structure of various size-selected metal oxide nanoclusters (M 3O x; M = Mo, Nb, Ti) on Cu(111) and a thin film of Cu 2O supports were investigated in this paper by a combination of experimental methods and density functional theory (DFT). These systems explore electron transfer at the metal–metal oxide interface which can modify surface structure, metal oxidation states, and catalytic activity. Electron transfer was probed by measurements of surface dipoles derived from coverage dependent work function measurements using two-photon photoemission (2PPE) and metal core level binding energy spectra from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The measured surfacemore » dipoles are negative for all clusters on Cu(111) and Cu 2O/Cu(111), but those on the Cu 2O surface are much larger in magnitude. In addition, sub-stoichiometric or “reduced” clusters exhibit smaller surface dipoles on both the Cu(111) and Cu 2O surfaces. Negative surface dipoles for clusters on Cu(111) suggest Cu → cluster electron transfer, which is generally supported by DFT-calculated Bader charge distributions. For Cu 2O/Cu(111), calculations of the surface electrostatic potentials show that the charge distributions associated with cluster adsorption structures or distortions at the cluster–Cu 2O–Cu(111) interface are largely responsible for the observed negative surface dipoles. Changes observed in the XPS spectra for the Mo 3d, Nb 3d, and Ti 2p core levels of the clusters on Cu(111) and Cu 2O/Cu(111) are interpreted with help from the calculated Bader charges and cluster adsorption structures, the latter providing information about the presence of inequivalent cation sites. Finally, the results presented in this work illustrate how the combined use of different experimental probes along with theoretical calculations can result in a more realistic picture of cluster–support interactions and bonding.« less

Electronic Interactions of Size-Selected Oxide Clusters on Metallic and Thin Film Oxide Supports

DOE PAGES

Xue, Meng; Nakayama, Miki; Liu, Ping; ...

2017-09-13

The interfacial electronic structure of various size-selected metal oxide nanoclusters (M 3O x; M = Mo, Nb, Ti) on Cu(111) and a thin film of Cu 2O supports were investigated in this paper by a combination of experimental methods and density functional theory (DFT). These systems explore electron transfer at the metal–metal oxide interface which can modify surface structure, metal oxidation states, and catalytic activity. Electron transfer was probed by measurements of surface dipoles derived from coverage dependent work function measurements using two-photon photoemission (2PPE) and metal core level binding energy spectra from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The measured surfacemore » dipoles are negative for all clusters on Cu(111) and Cu 2O/Cu(111), but those on the Cu 2O surface are much larger in magnitude. In addition, sub-stoichiometric or “reduced” clusters exhibit smaller surface dipoles on both the Cu(111) and Cu 2O surfaces. Negative surface dipoles for clusters on Cu(111) suggest Cu → cluster electron transfer, which is generally supported by DFT-calculated Bader charge distributions. For Cu 2O/Cu(111), calculations of the surface electrostatic potentials show that the charge distributions associated with cluster adsorption structures or distortions at the cluster–Cu 2O–Cu(111) interface are largely responsible for the observed negative surface dipoles. Changes observed in the XPS spectra for the Mo 3d, Nb 3d, and Ti 2p core levels of the clusters on Cu(111) and Cu 2O/Cu(111) are interpreted with help from the calculated Bader charges and cluster adsorption structures, the latter providing information about the presence of inequivalent cation sites. Finally, the results presented in this work illustrate how the combined use of different experimental probes along with theoretical calculations can result in a more realistic picture of cluster–support interactions and bonding.« less

Evaluation of forensic DNA mixture evidence: protocol for evaluation, interpretation, and statistical calculations using the combined probability of inclusion.

PubMed

Bieber, Frederick R; Buckleton, John S; Budowle, Bruce; Butler, John M; Coble, Michael D

2016-08-31

The evaluation and interpretation of forensic DNA mixture evidence faces greater interpretational challenges due to increasingly complex mixture evidence. Such challenges include: casework involving low quantity or degraded evidence leading to allele and locus dropout; allele sharing of contributors leading to allele stacking; and differentiation of PCR stutter artifacts from true alleles. There is variation in statistical approaches used to evaluate the strength of the evidence when inclusion of a specific known individual(s) is determined, and the approaches used must be supportable. There are concerns that methods utilized for interpretation of complex forensic DNA mixtures may not be implemented properly in some casework. Similar questions are being raised in a number of U.S. jurisdictions, leading to some confusion about mixture interpretation for current and previous casework. Key elements necessary for the interpretation and statistical evaluation of forensic DNA mixtures are described. Given the most common method for statistical evaluation of DNA mixtures in many parts of the world, including the USA, is the Combined Probability of Inclusion/Exclusion (CPI/CPE). Exposition and elucidation of this method and a protocol for use is the focus of this article. Formulae and other supporting materials are provided. Guidance and details of a DNA mixture interpretation protocol is provided for application of the CPI/CPE method in the analysis of more complex forensic DNA mixtures. This description, in turn, should help reduce the variability of interpretation with application of this methodology and thereby improve the quality of DNA mixture interpretation throughout the forensic community.

Distribution of palaeosols and deposits in the temporal evolution of a semiarid fluvial distributary system (Bauru Group, Upper Cretaceous, SE Brazil)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basilici, Giorgio; Bo, Patrick Führ Dal'; de Oliveira, Emerson Ferreira

2016-07-01

The stratigraphic and sedimentological knowledge of the Bauru Group (Upper Cretaceous, SE Brazil) is still generally insufficient and controversial. A sedimentological and palaeopedological study allowed to interpret the south-eastern portion of the Bauru Group according to the model of a fluvial distributary system. This work has two objectives: (1) to include palaeosols in the interpretation of a fluvial distributary system and (2) to give detailed information on the sedimentological and stratigraphic features of the SE portion of the Bauru Group in order to support biostratigraphical, taphonomic and palaeoecological studies. In the south-eastern portion of the Bauru Group, three genetic stratigraphic units were described and interpreted, here informally called lower, intermediate and upper units. The lower unit is constituted of muddy sandstone salt flat deposits and sandstone sheet deltas deposits and is interpreted as a basinal part of a fluvial distributary system. The intermediate unit is formed of very fine to fine-grained sandstone-filled ribbon channel and sandy sheet-shaped beds, suggesting a distal or medial portion of a fluvial distributary system. The upper unit does not match with the present models of the fluvial distributary system because mostly constituted of moderately developed, well-drained, medium- to fine-grained sandstone palaeosols, which testify pauses of sedimentation to the order of 104 years. Preserved features of sedimentary structures suggest that the parent material was formed by occasional catastrophic unconfined flows. This unit may represent the most distal portion of a fluvial distributary system generated by retrogradation of the alluvial system due to aridification of the climate. The upper unit may be interpreted also as proximal portion of fluvial distributary system if considering the coarser-grained and the well-drained palaeosols. However, the absence of channel deposits makes this interpretation unconvincing.

Theory of mind in utterance interpretation: the case from clinical pragmatics.

PubMed

Cummings, Louise

2015-01-01

The cognitive basis of utterance interpretation is an area that continues to provoke intense theoretical debate among pragmatists. That utterance interpretation involves some type of mind-reading or theory of mind (ToM) is indisputable. However, theorists are divided on the exact nature of this ToM-based mechanism. In this paper, it is argued that the only type of ToM-based mechanism that can adequately represent the cognitive basis of utterance interpretation is one which reflects the rational, intentional, holistic character of interpretation. Such a ToM-based mechanism is supported on conceptual and empirical grounds. Empirical support for this view derives from the study of children and adults with pragmatic disorders. Specifically, three types of clinical case are considered. In the first case, evidence is advanced which indicates that individuals with pragmatic disorders exhibit deficits in reasoning and the use of inferences. These deficits compromise the ability of children and adults with pragmatic disorders to comply with the rational dimension of utterance interpretation. In the second case, evidence is presented which suggests that subjects with pragmatic disorders struggle with the intentional dimension of utterance interpretation. This dimension extends beyond the recognition of communicative intentions to include the attribution of a range of cognitive and affective mental states that play a role in utterance interpretation. In the third case, evidence is presented that children and adults with pragmatic disorders struggle with the holistic character of utterance interpretation. This serves to distort the contexts in which utterances are processed for their implicated meanings. The paper concludes with some thoughts about the role of theorizing in relation to utterance interpretation.

Theory of mind in utterance interpretation: the case from clinical pragmatics

PubMed Central

Cummings, Louise

2015-01-01

The cognitive basis of utterance interpretation is an area that continues to provoke intense theoretical debate among pragmatists. That utterance interpretation involves some type of mind-reading or theory of mind (ToM) is indisputable. However, theorists are divided on the exact nature of this ToM-based mechanism. In this paper, it is argued that the only type of ToM-based mechanism that can adequately represent the cognitive basis of utterance interpretation is one which reflects the rational, intentional, holistic character of interpretation. Such a ToM-based mechanism is supported on conceptual and empirical grounds. Empirical support for this view derives from the study of children and adults with pragmatic disorders. Specifically, three types of clinical case are considered. In the first case, evidence is advanced which indicates that individuals with pragmatic disorders exhibit deficits in reasoning and the use of inferences. These deficits compromise the ability of children and adults with pragmatic disorders to comply with the rational dimension of utterance interpretation. In the second case, evidence is presented which suggests that subjects with pragmatic disorders struggle with the intentional dimension of utterance interpretation. This dimension extends beyond the recognition of communicative intentions to include the attribution of a range of cognitive and affective mental states that play a role in utterance interpretation. In the third case, evidence is presented that children and adults with pragmatic disorders struggle with the holistic character of utterance interpretation. This serves to distort the contexts in which utterances are processed for their implicated meanings. The paper concludes with some thoughts about the role of theorizing in relation to utterance interpretation. PMID:26379602

Magnetically Controlled Upper Ionosphere of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majeed, T.; Al Aryani, O.; Al Mutawa, S.; Bougher, S. W.; Haider, S. A.

2017-12-01

The electron density (Ne) profiles measured by the Mars Express spacecraft over regions of strong crustal magnetic fields have shown anomalous characteristics of the topside plasma distribution with variable scale heights. One of such Ne profiles is located at 82oS and 180oE whose topside ionosphere is extended up to an altitude of 700 km. The crustal magnetic field at this southern site is nearly vertical and open to the access of solar wind plasma through magnetic reconnection with the interplanetary magnetic field. This can lead to the acceleration of electrons and ions during the daytime ionosphere. The downward accelerated electrons with energies >200 eV can penetrate deep into the Martian upper ionosphere along vertical magnetic field lines and cause heating, excitation and ionization of the background atmosphere. The upward acceleration of ions resulting from energy input by precipitating electrons can lead to enhance ion escape rate and modify scale heights of the topside ionosphere. We have developed a 1-D chemical diffusive model from 100 km to 400 km to interpret the Martian ionospheric structure at 82oS latitude. The primary source of ionization in the model is due to solar EUV radiation. An extra ionization source due to precipitating electrons of 0.25 keV, peaking near an altitude of 145 km is added in the model to reasonably reproduce the measured ionospheric structure below an altitude of 180 km. The behavior of the topside ionosphere can be interpreted by the vertical plasma transport caused by precipitating electrons. The vertical transport of plasma in our model is simulated by vertical ion velocities, whose values can be interpreted as drift velocities along magnetic field lines. We find that the variation of the topside Ne scale heights is sensitive to the magnitudes of upward and downward drifts with an imposed outward flux boundary condition at the top of the model. The model requires an upward flux of more than 107 ions cm-2 s-1 for both O2+ and O+, and drift speeds of 200 m/s to interpret the measured topside ionospheric structure for altitudes >180 km. The magnitudes of outward ion fluxes and drift velocities are compared with those simulated by existing models. The model results will be presented in comparison with the measured electron density profile. This work is supported by MBRSC, Dubai, UAE.

Barents Sea Crustal and Upper Mantle Structure from Deep Seismic and Potential Field Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aarseth, I.; Mjelde, R.; Breivik, A. J.; Minakov, A.; Huismans, R. S.; Faleide, J. I.

2016-12-01

The Barents Sea basement comprises at least two different domains; the Caledonian in the west and the Timanian in the east. Contrasting interpretations have been published recently, as the transition between these two domains is not well constrained. Interpretations of new high-quality magnetic data covering most of the SW Barents Sea challenged previous studies of the Late Paleozoic basin configurations in the western and central Barents Sea. Two major directions of Caledonian structures have been proposed by different authors: N-S and SW-NE. Two regional ocean bottom seismic (OBS) profiles, crossing these two major directions, were acquired in 2014.The primary goal in this project is to locate the main Caledonian suture in the western Barents Sea, as well as the possible Barentsia-Baltica suture postulated further eastwards. High velocity anomalies associated with Caledonian eclogites are particularly interesting as they may be related to Caledonian suture zones. The collapse of the Caledonian mountain range predominantly along these suture zones is expected to be closely linked to the deposition of Devonian erosional products, and subsequent rifting is likely to be influenced by inheritance of Caledonian trends. P-wave travel-time modelling is done by use of a combined ray-tracing and inversion scheme, and gravity modelling has been used to support the seismic model. The results indicate high P-wave velocities (mostly over 4 km/s) close to the seafloor as well as high velocity (around 6 km/s) zones at shallow depths which are interpreted as volcanic sills. The crustal transect reveals areas of complex geology and velocity inversions. Strong reflections from within the crystalline crust indicate a heterogeneous basement terrain. Gravity modelling agrees with this, as several blocks with variable densities had to be introduced in order to reproduce the observed gravity anomalies. Refractions from the top of the crystalline basement together with reflections from the Moho gives basement velocities from 6.2 km/s at the top to 6.7 km/s at the base of the crust. In the middle of the profile, a rapid deepening of Moho creates a root structure that may be interpreted in terms of a Caledonian suture zone, with the crustal root representing a remnant of the continental collision.

Assessment of DSM-5 Section II Personality Disorders With the MMPI-2-RF in a Nonclinical Sample.

PubMed

Sellbom, Martin; Smith, Alexander

2017-01-01

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008 / 2011 ) is frequently used in clinical practice. However, there has been a dearth of literature on how well this instrument can assess symptoms associated with personality disorders (PDs). This investigation examined a range of hypothesized MMPI-2-RF scales in predicting PD symptoms. We evaluated these associations in a sample of 397 university students who had been administered the MMPI-2-RF and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders-Personality Questionnaire (First, Gibbon, Spitzer, Williams, & Benjamin, 1997 ). Zero-order correlation analyses and negative binomial regression models indicated that a wide range of MMPI-2-RF scale hypotheses were supported; however, the least support was available for predicting schizoid and obsessive-compulsive PDs. Implications for MMPI-2-RF interpretation and PD diagnosis are discussed.

The experiences of Cypriot hearing adults with Deaf parents in family, school, and society.

PubMed

Hadjikakou, Kika; Christodoulou, Despina; Hadjidemetri, Eleni; Konidari, Maria; Nicolaou, Nicoletta

2009-01-01

This paper investigates the personal experiences of hearing adults with signing Deaf parents in their families, school, and society. In order to obtain relevant information, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Cypriot hearing adults with Deaf parents between the ages of 21 and 30 years with different occupation, sex, and educational background. It was found that most of the participants developed a bicultural identity, undertook the interpreter and protector role in their family, and interacted well with their parents, despite the lack of in-depth communication that they noted. The positive role of the extended family was acknowledged. The prejudices of Cypriot hearing people against the Deaf people were identified, as well as the lack of state support toward the Deaf community. This study has implications for Deaf parents, and professionals working, planning, and implementing social, psychological, and educational support services to Deaf-parented families.

Reflective questions in health counseling.

PubMed

Poskiparta, M; Kettunen, T; Liimatainen, L

1998-09-01

This study explores questions that nurses ask patients in order to awaken reflection on their health behavior in health counseling. Thirty-eight counseling situations were videotaped in a hospital. The data were analyzed using conversation analysis which was adapted for the purpose of this study. Nonverbal communication supported speech and was interpreted alongside it. This study found that nurses used only a few reflective questions, most of which were future-oriented or introduced hypotheses. In a nonreflective discussion, nurses used only check-up and alternative questions to get information about patients' illnesses and health care measures. Findings indicated that reflective conversation began with check-up questions about patients' immediate situation, followed by questions about patients' feelings in the past, present, or future. On the third level of questioning, the structure might vary between embedded questions, check-up, alternative, or feeling questions. Nonverbal communication supported the discussion. Reflective questions tended to ensure patient-centered conversation and might improve the effectiveness of health counselling.

Advice and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Citizen-Science Environmental Health Assessments.

PubMed

Barzyk, Timothy M; Huang, Hongtai; Williams, Ronald; Kaufman, Amanda; Essoka, Jonathan

2018-05-11

Citizen science provides quantitative results to support environmental health assessments (EHAs), but standardized approaches do not currently exist to translate findings into actionable solutions. The emergence of low-cost portable sensor technologies and proliferation of publicly available datasets provides unparalleled access to supporting evidence; yet data collection, analysis, interpretation, visualization, and communication are subjective approaches that must be tailored to a decision-making audience capable of improving environmental health. A decade of collaborative efforts and two citizen science projects contributed to three lessons learned and a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) that address the complexities of environmental health and interpersonal relations often encountered in citizen science EHAs. Each project followed a structured step-by-step process in order to compare and contrast methods and approaches. These lessons and FAQs provide advice to translate citizen science research into actionable solutions in the context of a diverse range of environmental health issues and local stakeholders.

Intrinsic spin-orbit torque in a single-domain nanomagnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalitsov, A.; Nikolaev, S. A.; Velev, J.; Chshiev, M.; Mryasov, O.

2017-12-01

We present theoretical studies of the intrinsic spin-orbit torque (SOT) in a single-domain ferromagnetic layer with Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) using the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism for a tight-binding Hamiltonian. We find that, in the case of a small electric field, the intrinsic SOT to first order in SOC has only the field-like torque symmetry and can be interpreted as the longitudinal spin current induced by the charge current and Rashba field. We analyze the results in terms of the material-related parameters of the electronic structure, such as the band filling, bandwidth, exchange splitting, and the Rashba SOC strength. On the basis of these numerical and analytical results, we discuss the magnitude and sign of SOT. Our results suggest that the different sign of SOT in identical ferromagnets with different supporting layers, e.g., Co/Pt and Co/Ta, can be attributed to electrostatic doping of the ferromagnetic layer by the support.

Emplotting Hikikomori: Japanese Parents' Narratives of Social Withdrawal.

PubMed

Rubinstein, Ellen

2016-12-01

Hikikomori, often glossed as "social withdrawal," emerged as a sociomedical condition among Japanese youth at the end of the twentieth century, and it continues to fascinate and concern the public. Explanatory frameworks for hikikomori abound, with different stakeholders attributing it to individual psychopathology, poor parenting, and/or a lack of social support structures. This article takes an interpretive approach to hikikomori by exploring parents' narrative constructions of hikikomori children in support group meetings and in-depth interviews. I argue that some parents were able to find hope in hikikomori by 'emplotting' their children's experiences into a larger narrative about onset, withdrawal, and recovery, which helped them remain invested in the present by maintaining a sense of possibility about the future. Contrary to literature that examines hikikomori as an epidemic of isolated individuals, I demonstrate how parents play a key role in hikikomori through meaning-making activities that have the potential to shape their children's experiences of withdrawal.

Hope, Interpreter Self-efficacy, and Social Impacts: Assessment of the NNOCCI Training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraser, J.; Swim, J.

2012-12-01

Conservation educators at informal science learning centers are well-positioned to teach climate science and motivate action but have resisted the topic. Our research demonstrates their resist is due to self-doubt about climate science facts and the belief they will encounter negative audience feedback. Further, this self-doubt and self-silencing is emotional taxing. As a result we have developed a National Network for Ocean Climate Change Interpretation's (NNOCCI) program that addresses educators' needs for technical training and emotional scaffolding to help them fully engage with this work. The evaluation of this program sought to understand how to support educators interested in promoting public literacy on climate change through engagement with a structured training program aimed at increased the efficacy of interpreters through teaching strategic framing strategies. The program engaged educator dyads from informal science learning sites to attend an online and in-person program that initiated a new community of practice focused on sharing techniques and tools for ocean climate change interpretation. The presentation will summarize a model for embedded assessment across all aspects of a program and how social vectors, based upon educators' interpersonal and professional relationships, impact the understanding of an educator's work across their life-world. This summary will be followed by results from qualitative front-end research that demonstrated the psychologically complex emotional conditions that describe the experience of being an environmental educator. The project evaluators will then present results from their focus groups and social network analysis to demonstrate how training impacted in-group relationships, skill development, and the layered social education strategies that help communities engage with the content. Results demonstrated that skill training increased educator's hope--in the form of increased perceived agency and plans for educational objectives. Subsequent to the program, educators experienced socially supportive feedback from colleagues and peers and increased actions to engage the public in productive discussions about climate change at informal science learning venues. The front-end and formative assessment of this program suggests new strategies for measuring interpreter training, and a way of thinking holistically about an educator's impact in their community. The results challenge the concept that interpretation is limited to the workplace and suggest that the increased likelihood of effectiveness in interpretation across all social vectors is more likely to result in changed public understanding of climate science in ways that will promote public action toward remediation strategies.Emotions before and after study circlet; Personal hope scale was rescaled to range from 1 "strongly disagree"; 4 "strongly agree"; Distress, Anxiety vs. hopeful and Energized vs. Overwhelmed range from 1 "not at all" to 4 "very much."

Hepatitis C education and support in Australian prisons: preliminary findings of a nationwide survey.

PubMed

Dyer, Jade; Tolliday, Lyn

2009-04-01

Rates of hepatitis C infection are up to 60 times higher in correctional facilities than in the general population, yet prisoners have limited access to many methods of blood-borne virus prevention. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the efficiency of hepatitis C education and support services available in custodial settings, from the perspective of health educators and policy makers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 health professionals, from all states and territories of Australia, who were involved in the management or provision of hepatitis C education or support to prisoners. Results were interpreted using thematic analysis. Participant reports regarding the provision of hepatitis C education and support services varied considerably between prisons and across states. Interviewees identified successful services and barriers to improvement, including limited time, insufficient funding and frequent personnel changes. Many prisons were believed to have unique needs and educators from external agencies were not always aware of the medical procedures or methods of harm reduction available in particular facilities. Interviewee perceptions indicated that the delivery of hepatitis C education and support services in Australian custodial settings is marred by inconsistency. However, both education programs and psychological support services could be developed by external agencies wishing to reduce the impact of hepatitis C within the prison system.

"It Takes a Network": Building National Capacity for Climate Change Interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spitzer, W.

2014-12-01

Since 2007, the New England Aquarium has led a national effort to increase the capacity of informal science venues to effectively communicate about climate change. We are now leading the NSF-funded National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI), partnering with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, FrameWorks Institute, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and National Aquarium, with evaluation conducted by the New Knowledge Organization, Pennsylvania State University, and Ohio State University. More than 1,500 informal science venues (science centers, museums, aquariums, zoos, nature centers, national parks) are visited annually by 61% of the U.S. population. These visitors expect reliable information about environmental issues and solutions. NNOCCI enables teams of informal science interpreters across the country to serve as "communication strategists" - beyond merely conveying information they can influence public perceptions, given their high level of commitment, knowledge, public trust, social networks, and visitor contact. Beyond providing in-depth training, we have found that our "alumni network" is assuming an increasingly important role in achieving our goals: 1. Ongoing learning - Training must be ongoing given continuous advances in climate and social science research. 2. Implementation support - Social support is critical as interpreters move from learning to practice, given complex and potentially contentious subject matter. 3. Leadership development - We rely on a national cadre of interpretive leaders to conduct workshops, facilitate study circle trainings, and support alumni. 4. Coalition building - A peer network helps to build and maintain connections with colleagues, and supports further dissemination through the informal science community. We are experimenting with a variety of online and face to face strategies to support the growing alumni network. Our goals are to achieve a systemic national impact, embed our work within multiple ongoing regional and national climate change education networks, and leave an enduring legacy.

[Interpreting Historic Sites & the Built Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yellis, Ken, Ed.

1985-01-01

This issue focuses on the interpretation of built environments, from Washington Irving's 19th century home in Tarrytown, New York, to structures in contemporary Chicago. Barbara Carson, Margaret Piatt, and Renee Friedman discuss the interpretation of interior and exterior spaces and explain how to teach history with objects instead of teaching the…

Revisiting Interpretation of Canonical Correlation Analysis: A Tutorial and Demonstration of Canonical Commonality Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nimon, Kim; Henson, Robin K.; Gates, Michael S.

2010-01-01

In the face of multicollinearity, researchers face challenges interpreting canonical correlation analysis (CCA) results. Although standardized function and structure coefficients provide insight into the canonical variates produced, they fall short when researchers want to fully report canonical effects. This article revisits the interpretation of…

Alarms about structural alerts.

PubMed

Alves, Vinicius; Muratov, Eugene; Capuzzi, Stephen; Politi, Regina; Low, Yen; Braga, Rodolpho; Zakharov, Alexey V; Sedykh, Alexander; Mokshyna, Elena; Farag, Sherif; Andrade, Carolina; Kuz'min, Victor; Fourches, Denis; Tropsha, Alexander

2016-08-21

Structural alerts are widely accepted in chemical toxicology and regulatory decision support as a simple and transparent means to flag potential chemical hazards or group compounds into categories for read-across. However, there has been a growing concern that alerts disproportionally flag too many chemicals as toxic, which questions their reliability as toxicity markers. Conversely, the rigorously developed and properly validated statistical QSAR models can accurately and reliably predict the toxicity of a chemical; however, their use in regulatory toxicology has been hampered by the lack of transparency and interpretability. We demonstrate that contrary to the common perception of QSAR models as "black boxes" they can be used to identify statistically significant chemical substructures (QSAR-based alerts) that influence toxicity. We show through several case studies, however, that the mere presence of structural alerts in a chemical, irrespective of the derivation method (expert-based or QSAR-based), should be perceived only as hypotheses of possible toxicological effect. We propose a new approach that synergistically integrates structural alerts and rigorously validated QSAR models for a more transparent and accurate safety assessment of new chemicals.

Strong Coupling Superconductivity in the Vicinity of the Structural Quantum Critical Point in (CaxSr1-x)3Rh4Sn13

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Wing Chi; Cheung, Yiu Wing; Saines, Paul J.; Imai, Masaki; Matsumoto, Takuya; Michioka, Chishiro; Yoshimura, Kazuyoshi; Goh, Swee K.

The family of the superconducting quasiskutterudites (CaxSr1-x)3Rh4Sn13 features a structural quantum critical point at xc = 0 . 9 , around which a dome-shaped variation of the superconducting transition temperature Tc is found. In this talk, we present the specific heat data for the normal and the superconducting states of the entire series straddling the quantum critical point. Our analysis indicates a significant lowering of the effective Debye temperature on approaching xc, which we interpret as a result of phonon softening accompanying the structural instability. Furthermore, a remarkably large enhancement of 2 Δ /kBTc and ΔC / γTc beyond the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer values is found in the vicinity of the structural quantum critical point. Reference: Wing Chi Yu et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. (in press, 2015) This work was supported by the CUHK (Startup Grant, Direct Grant No. 4053071), UGC Hong Kong (ECS/24300214), Grants-in-Aid from MEXT (22350029 and 23550152), and Glasstone Bequest, Oxford.

Hydrostatic pressure effects on the structural and electronicproperties of carbon nanotubes

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

Capaz,Rodrigo B.; Spataru, Catalin D.; Tangney, Paul

2004-03-15

We study the structural and electronic properties ofisolated single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) under hydrostatic pressureusing a combination of theoretical techniques: continuum elasticitymodels, classical molecular dynamics simulations, tight-bindingelectronic structure methods, and first-principles total energycalculations within the density-functional and pseudopotentialframeworks. For pressures below a certain critica pressure Pc, the SWNTs'structure remains cylindrical and the Kohn-Sham energy gaps ofsemiconducting SWNTs have either positive or negative pressurecoefficients depending on the value of (n,m) with a distinct "family" (ofthe same n-m) behavior. The diameter and chirality dependence of thepressure coefficients can be described by a simple analytical expression.At Pc, molecular-dynamics simulations predict that isolated SWNTsmore » undergoa pressure-induced symmetry-breaking transformation from a cylindricalshape to a collapsed geometry. This transition is described by a simpleelastic model as arising from the competition between the bond-bendingand PV terms in the enthalpy. The good agreement between calculated andexperimental values of Pc provides a strong support to the "collapse"interpretation of the experimental transitions in bundles.« less

Predicted Errors In Children's Early Sentence Comprehension

PubMed Central

Gertner, Yael; Fisher, Cynthia

2012-01-01

Children use syntax to interpret sentences and learn verbs; this is syntactic bootstrapping. The structure-mapping account of early syntactic bootstrapping proposes that a partial representation of sentence structure, the set of nouns occurring with the verb, guides initial interpretation and provides an abstract format for new learning. This account predicts early successes, but also telltale errors: Toddlers should be unable to tell transitive sentences from other sentences containing two nouns. In testing this prediction, we capitalized on evidence that 21-month-olds use what they have learned about noun order in English sentences to understand new transitive verbs. In two experiments, 21-month-olds applied this noun-order knowledge to two-noun intransitive sentences, mistakenly assigning different interpretations to “The boy and the girl are gorping!” and “The girl and the boy are gorping!”. This suggests that toddlers exploit partial representations of sentence structure to guide sentence interpretation; these sparse representations are useful, but error-prone. PMID:22525312

Seismic interpretation of the deep structure of the Wabash Valley Fault System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bear, G.W.; Rupp, J.A.; Rudman, A.J.

1997-01-01

Interpretations of newly available seismic reflection profiles near the center of the Illinois Basin indicate that the Wabash Valley Fault System is rooted in a series of basement-penetrating faults. The fault system is composed predominantly of north-northeast-trending high-angle normal faults. The largest faults in the system bound the 22-km wide 40-km long Grayville Graben. Structure contour maps drawn on the base of the Mount Simon Sandstone (Cambrian System) and a deeper pre-Mount Simon horizon show dip-slip displacements totaling at least 600 meters across the New Harmony fault. In contrast to previous interpretations, the N-S extent of significant fault offsets is restricted to a region north of 38?? latitude and south of 38.35?? latitude. This suggests that the graben is not a NE extension of the structural complex composed of the Rough Creek Fault System and the Reelfoot Rift as previously interpreted. Structural complexity on the graben floor also decreases to the south. Structural trends north of 38?? latitude are offset laterally across several large faults, indicating strike-slip motions of 2 to 4 km. Some of the major faults are interpreted to penetrate to depths of 7 km or more. Correlation of these faults with steep potential field gradients suggests that the fault positions are controlled by major lithologic contacts within the basement and that the faults may extend into the depth range where earthquakes are generated, revealing a potential link between specific faults and recently observed low-level seismicity in the area.

Graph-based urban scene analysis using symbolic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moissinac, Henri; Maitre, Henri; Bloch, Isabelle

1995-07-01

A framework is presented for the interpretation of a urban landscape based on the analysis of aerial pictures. This method has been designed for the use of a priori knowledge provided by a geographic map in order to improve the image analysis stage. A coherent final interpretation of the studied area is proposed. It relies on a graph based data structure to modelize the urban landscape, and on a global uncertainty management to evaluate the final confidence we can have in the results presented. This structure and uncertainty management tend to reflect the hierarchy of the available data and the interpretation levels.

Along-strike thickness variations of décollement levels controlling lateral changes in fold-and-thrust belts: the Barbastro-Balaguer Anticline (Southern Pyrenees)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santolaria, Pablo; Calvín, Pablo; Pueyo, Emilio L.; Soto, Ruth; Ayala, Concepción; Casas, Antonio; Oliván, Carlota; Luzón, Aránzazu

2017-04-01

The subsurface vertical and lateral distribution of two evaporitic levels (Middle-Upper Triassic and Eocene) is here studied to better understand their role as a controlling factor on the geometry and kinematics of the central part of the South Pyrenean deformation front. Field work with hundreds of bedding attitudes, 5 exploration boreholes (up to 5000 m deep), the residual Bouguer anomaly and the interpretation of 27 seismic reflection profiles (approximately 440 km of sections) crossing the different allochthonous units and the adjacent Ebro foreland basin have been analysed in this work. Subsoil information is crucial because part of the studied area is extensively covered by the Oligocene-Miocene molasse that prevents any direct observation of the structure underneath to be done. Interpreted key horizons and faults have been identified from the lithological description of partially reinterpreted lithological well data and surface geology. Lithological well data has been anchored to seismic profiles by means of sonic log data. Kingdom software has been used to perform the 2D interpretation of seismic reflection profiles, supported by 2.5D gravity modelling, in a georeferenced workspace and then, surfaces of key horizons and faults were built and assembled together in a 3D model. The studied area is characterized from north to south by several minor thrust sheets, detached on the Middle-Upper Triassic décollement, which represents the basal décollement of the Pyrenees. Some of them can be linked with the South Pyrenean Frontal Thrust (SPFT) and others have structural continuation towards the NW. The SPFT displays a N160E trend and its hanging wall progressively deepens towards the west. To the east, this structure locally crops out. On the other hand, the footwall geometry of the SPBT shows very distinct features; the western part (External Sierras sector) displays a single ramp with moderate-high angle (20-30°) while the eastern part (linking zone to the Marginal Ranges) depicts mainly a ramp-flat geometry. Southwards, on the autochthonous deformation zone, the Barbastro-Balaguer Anticline (BBA) structure, which core is constituted by Eocene evaporites, seems to mimic the geometry of the SPFT. It displays a lateral change, from east to west, in both its orientation (N110E to N160E) and geometry (anticline to backthrust structure) probably linked to an important lateral thickness variation (as deduce from the residual anomaly map) of the Eocene evaporites that display a significant accumulation in the east and thin drastically and even disappear to the west. There, its distal pinch out is interpreted to promote the nucleation of the BBA backthrust. The distribution of the Eocene evaporites in the subsurface and the lateral changes in thickness are suggested to be significant factors during the late stages of the emplacement of the SPFT and associated structures.

Applications of remote sensor data to geologic and economic analysis on the Bonanza Test Site, Colorado

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeves, R. G. (Compiler)

1972-01-01

Recent studies conducted in the Bonanza Test Site, Colorado, area indicated that: (1) more geologic structural information is available from remote sensing data than from conventional techniques; (2) greater accuracy results from using remote sensing data; (3) all major structural features were detected; (4) of all structural interpretations, about 75% were correct; and (5) interpretation of remote sensing data will not supplant field work, but it enables field work to be done much more efficiently.

Moving-Bank Multiple Model Adaptive Estimation and Control Applied to a Large Flexible Space Structure

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

was determined from the difference between the 24-state matrix product, HtP (t’)HT, and the six-state matrix product, HfPf (tT)HT’. For this...The true position for node 7, which represents the rigid body position of the structure, is not damped and can be interpreted as a rigid body...application, considering the same issues as explored in this research. Continue with a physical interpretation of the structure positions for determining the

Kohler's Insight Revisited.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windholtz, George

1985-01-01

Psychology textbooks frequently present Wolfgang Kohler's two-stick experiment with chimpanzees as having demonstrated insight in learning. Studies that replicated Kohler's work support his findings but not his interpretation in terms of insightful solution. The uncritical inclusion of Kohler's insight interpretation in texts is not warranted in…

Integrated modeling: a look back

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, Clark

2015-09-01

This paper discusses applications and implementation approaches used for integrated modeling of structural systems with optics over the past 30 years. While much of the development work focused on control system design, significant contributions were made in system modeling and computer-aided design (CAD) environments. Early work appended handmade line-of-sight models to traditional finite element models, such as the optical spacecraft concept from the ACOSS program. The IDEAS2 computational environment built in support of Space Station collected a wider variety of existing tools around a parametric database. Later, IMOS supported interferometer and large telescope mission studies at JPL with MATLAB modeling of structural dynamics, thermal analysis, and geometric optics. IMOS's predecessor was a simple FORTRAN command line interpreter for LQG controller design with additional functions that built state-space finite element models. Specialized language systems such as CAESY were formulated and prototyped to provide more complex object-oriented functions suited to control-structure interaction. A more recent example of optical modeling directly in mechanical CAD is used to illustrate possible future directions. While the value of directly posing the optical metric in system dynamics terms is well understood today, the potential payoff is illustrated briefly via project-based examples. It is quite likely that integrated structure thermal optical performance (STOP) modeling could be accomplished in a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) tool set. The work flow could be adopted, for example, by a team developing a small high-performance optical or radio frequency (RF) instrument.

Social anxiety disorder diagnostic criteria perform equally across age, comorbid diagnosis, and performance/interaction subtypes.

PubMed

Crome, Erica; Baillie, Andrew

2015-01-01

The prevalence of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is frequently higher in younger age groups and people with other anxiety or mood disorders; however, it is unclear whether these groups have a higher risk for developing SAD or are simply more likely to endorse diagnostic criteria than other people with similar levels of social anxiety. Explicitly testing the assumption all people respond to structured diagnostic interviews in comparable ways (measurement invariance) is essential in ensuring systematic response biases do not create spurious group differences. This research aims to systematically test whether age, comorbidity status, or types of social fears affect responses to a structured diagnostic interview. Responses from 1755 participants in a large-scale survey of mental health in Australia screening into the social phobia/SAD section of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview were used. Three series of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses for categorical data systematically tested for increasingly strict levels of measurement invariance. Overall, patterns of responding to diagnostic criteria were comparable across the groups, supporting assumptions of measurement invariance. Establishment of invariance supports the interpretation of differences between age, comorbidity status, and types of social situations feared as genuine differences in experience as opposed to measurement biases.

Personality in general and clinical samples: Measurement invariance of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire.

PubMed

Eigenhuis, Annemarie; Kamphuis, Jan H; Noordhof, Arjen

2017-09-01

A growing body of research suggests that the same general dimensions can describe normal and pathological personality, but most of the supporting evidence is exploratory. We aim to determine in a confirmatory framework the extent to which responses on the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) are identical across general and clinical samples. We tested the Dutch brief form of the MPQ (MPQ-BF-NL) for measurement invariance across a general population subsample (N = 365) and a clinical sample (N = 365), using Multiple Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) and Multiple Group Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (MGESEM). As an omnibus personality test, the MPQ-BF-NL revealed strict invariance, indicating absence of bias. Unidimensional per scale tests for measurement invariance revealed that 10% of items appeared to contain bias across samples. Item bias only affected the scale interpretation of Achievement, with individuals from the clinical sample more readily admitting to put high demands on themselves than individuals from the general sample, regardless of trait level. This formal test of equivalence provides strong evidence for the common structure of normal and pathological personality and lends further support to the clinical utility of the MPQ. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Growth of language-related brain areas after foreign language learning.

PubMed

Mårtensson, Johan; Eriksson, Johan; Bodammer, Nils Christian; Lindgren, Magnus; Johansson, Mikael; Nyberg, Lars; Lövdén, Martin

2012-10-15

The influence of adult foreign-language acquisition on human brain organization is poorly understood. We studied cortical thickness and hippocampal volumes of conscript interpreters before and after three months of intense language studies. Results revealed increases in hippocampus volume and in cortical thickness of the left middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus for interpreters relative to controls. The right hippocampus and the left superior temporal gyrus were structurally more malleable in interpreters acquiring higher proficiency in the foreign language. Interpreters struggling relatively more to master the language displayed larger gray matter increases in the middle frontal gyrus. These findings confirm structural changes in brain regions known to serve language functions during foreign-language acquisition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Role of Visual "Literacy" in Film Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Messaris, Paul

The term "visual literacy" generally refers to the interpretation of the formal structure of film or television and carries with it the notion that the interpreter has knowledge of the use of camera angles, lighting, flashbacks, and so forth. However, many visual conventions encountered in movies or television may be interpreted even by…

Facet-Specific Adsorption of Tripeptides at Aqueous Au Interfaces: Open Questions in Reconciling Experiment and Simulation.

PubMed

Hughes, Zak E; Kochandra, Raji; Walsh, Tiffany R

2017-04-18

The adsorption of three homo-tripeptides, HHH, YYY, and SSS, at the aqueous Au interface is investigated, using molecular dynamics simulations. We find that consideration of surface facet effects, relevant to experimental conditions, opens up new questions regarding interpretations of current experimental findings. Our well-tempered metadynamics simulations predict the rank ordering of the tripeptide binding affinities at aqueous Au(111) to be YYY > HHH > SSS. This ranking differs with that obtained from existing experimental data which used surface-immobilized Au nanoparticles as the target substrate. The influence of Au facet on these experimental findings is then considered, via our binding strength predictions of the relevant amino acids at aqueous Au(111) and Au(100)(1 × 1). The Au(111) interface supports an amino acid ranking of Tyr > HisA ≃ HisH > Ser, matching that of the tripeptides on Au(111), while the ranking on Au(100) is HisA > Ser ≃ Tyr ≃ HisH, with only HisA showing non-negligible binding. The substantial reduction in Tyr amino acid affinity for Au(100) vs Au(111) offers one possible explanation for the experimentally observed weaker adsorption of YYY on the nanoparticle-immobilized substrate compared with HHH. In a separate set of simulations, we predict the structures of the adsorbed tripeptides at the two aqueous Au facets, revealing facet-dependent differences in the adsorbed conformations. Our findings suggest that Au facet effects, where relevant, may influence the adsorption structures and energetics of biomolecules, highlighting the possible influence of the structural model used to interpret experimental binding data.

Addressing the Irreducible Needs of Interprofessional Education: Creating and Sustaining an Institutional Commons for Health Professions Training.

PubMed

Earnest, Mark A; Pfeifle, Andrea L

2016-06-01

Leaders in health professions education schools and programs are under pressure to respond to new accreditation requirements for interprofessional education (IPE). The work of creating and sustaining an IPE program at an academic health center is in many ways analogous to the challenge of creating and sustaining a "commons"-a set of resources shared by many, but owned by none. In this Commentary, the authors borrow from the work of Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrum to describe the "design principles" necessary to build and maintain the set of common resources needed to successfully implement and sustain an IPE program. They interpret these principles in the context of their own experiences implementing IPE programs and recommend three institutional structural elements necessary to build and sustain an IPE program: (1) a representative governance body, (2) an accountable director or leader, and (3) a structure supporting vertical and horizontal communication and authority.

Combining state-of-the-art experiment and ab initio calculations for a better understanding of the interplay between valence, magnetism and structure in Eu compounds at high pressure

DOE PAGES

Souza-Neto, N. M.; Haskel, D.; dos Reis, R. D.; ...

2016-07-26

Here, we describe how first principle calculations can play a key role in the interpretation of X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra for a better understanding of emergent phenomena in condensed matter physics at high applied pressure. Eu compounds are used as case study to illustrate the advantages of this methodology, ranging from studies of electronic charge transfer probed by quadrupolar and dipolar contributions, to accurately determining electronic valence, and to inform about the influence of pressure on RKKY interactions and magnetism. This description should help advance studies where the pressure dependence of XANESmore » and XMCD data must be tackled with the support of theoretical calculations for a proper understanding of the electronic properties of materials.« less

Introduction to the geologic and geophysical studies of Fort Irwin, California: Chapter A in Geology and geophysics applied to groundwater hydrology at Fort Irwin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buesch, David C.

2014-01-01

Geologic and geophysical investigations in the vicinity of Fort Irwin National Training Center, California, have been completed in support of groundwater investigations, and are presented in eight chapters of this report. A generalized surficial geologic map along with field and borehole investigations conducted during 2010–11 provide a lithostratigraphic and structural framework for the area during the Cenozoic. Electromagnetic properties of resistivity were measured in the laboratory on hand and core samples, and compared to borehole geophysical resistivity data. These data were used in conjunction with ground-based time-domain and airborne data and interpretations to provide a framework for the shallow lithologic units and structure. Gravity and aeromagnetic maps cover areas ~4 to 5 times that of Fort Irwin. Each chapter includes hydrogeologic applications of the data or model results.

Seismic structure and lithospheric rheology from deep crustal xenoliths, central Montana, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahan, K. H.; Schulte-Pelkum, V.; Blackburn, T. J.; Bowring, S. A.; Dudas, F. O.

2012-10-01

Improved resolution of lower crustal structure, composition, and physical properties enhances our understanding and ability to model tectonic processes. The cratonic core of Montana and Wyoming, USA, contains some of the most enigmatic lower crust known in North America, with a high seismic velocity layer contributing to as much as half of the crustal column. Petrological and physical property data for xenoliths in Eocene volcanic rocks from central Montana provide new insight into the nature of the lower crust in this region. Inherent heterogeneity in xenoliths derived from depths below ˜30 km support a composite origin for the deep layer. Possible intralayer velocity steps may complicate the seismic definition of the crust/mantle boundary and interpretations of crustal thickness, particularly when metasomatized upper mantle is considered. Mafic mineral-dominant crustal xenoliths and published descriptions of mica-bearing peridotite and pyroxenite xenoliths suggest a strong lower crust overlying a potentially weaker upper mantle.

The 3-D geological model around Chang'E-3 landing site based on lunar penetrating radar Channel 1 data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Yuefeng; Zhu, Peimin; Zhao, Na; Xiao, Long; Garnero, Edward; Xiao, Zhiyong; Zhao, Jiannan; Qiao, Le

2017-07-01

High-frequency lunar penetrating radar (LPR) data from an instrument on the lunar rover Yutu, from the Chang'E-3 (CE-3) robotic lander, were used to build a three-dimensional (3-D) geological model of the lunar subsurface structure. The CE-3 landing site is in the northern Mare Imbrium. More than five significant reflection horizons are evident in the LPR profile, which we interpret as different period lava flow sequences deposited on the lunar surface. The most probable directions of these flows were inferred from layer depths, thicknesses, and other geological information. Moreover, the apparent Imbrian paleoregolith homogeneity in the profile supports the suggestion of a quiescent period of lunar surface evolution. Similar subsurface structures are found at the NASA Apollo landing sites, indicating that the cause and time of formation of the imaged phenomena may be similar between the two distant regions.

Upheaval Dome, Utah, USA: Impact origin confirmed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchner, Elmar; Kenkmann, Thomas

2008-03-01

Upheaval Dome is a unique circular structure on the ColoradoPlateau in SE Utah, the origin of which has been controversiallydiscussed for decades. It has been interpreted as a crypto volcanicfeature, a salt diapir, a pinched-off salt diapir, and an erodedimpact crater. While recent structural mapping, modeling, andanalyses of deformation mechanisms strongly support an impactorigin, ultimate proof, namely the documentation of unambiguousshock features, has yet to be successfully provided. In thisstudy, we document, for the first time, shocked quartz grainsfrom this crater in sandstones of the Jurassic Kayenta Formation.The investigated grains contain multiple sets of decorated planardeformation features. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)reveals that the amorphous lamellae are annealed and exhibitdense tangles of dislocations as well as trails of fluid inclusions.The shocked quartz grains were found in the periphery of thecentral uplift in the northeastern sector of the crater, whichmost likely represents the cross range crater sector.

Field Geophysics at SAGE: Strategies for Effective Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braile, L. W.; Baldridge, W. S.; Jiracek, G. R.; Biehler, S.; Ferguson, J. F.; Pellerin, L.; McPhee, D. K.; Bedrosian, P. A.; Snelson, C. M.; Hasterok, D. P.

2011-12-01

SAGE (Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience) is a unique program of education and research in geophysical field methods for undergraduate and graduate students from any university and for professionals. The core program is held for 4 weeks each summer in New Mexico and for an additional week in the following academic year in San Diego for U.S. undergraduates supported by the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. Since SAGE was initiated in 1983, 730 students have participated in the program. NSF REU funding for SAGE began in 1990 and 319 REU students have completed SAGE through 2011. The primary objectives of SAGE are to teach the major geophysical exploration methods (seismic, gravity, magnetics, electromagnetics); apply these methods to the solution of specific problems (environmental, archaeological, hydrologic, geologic structure and stratigraphy); gain experience in processing, modeling and interpretation of geophysical data; and integrate the geophysical models and interpretations with geology. Additional objectives of SAGE include conducting research on the Rio Grande rift of northern New Mexico, and providing information on geophysics careers and professional development experiences to SAGE participants. Successful education, field and research strategies that we have implemented over the years include: 1. learn by doing; 2. mix lecture/discussion, field work, data processing and analysis, modeling and interpretation, and presentation of results; 3. a two-tier team approach - method/technique oriented teams and interpretation/integration teams (where each team includes persons representing different methods), provides focus, in-depth study, opportunity for innovation, and promotes teamwork and a multi-disciplinary approach; 4. emphasis on presentations/reports - each team (and all team members) make presentation, each student completes a written report; 5. experiment design discussion - students help design field program and consider issues - safety, constraints, data quality/quantity, research objective, educational experience, survey parameters, why multidisciplinary?, etc.; 6. knowledge of multiple geophysical field methods (each student works with all methods); 7. information on geophysics careers and networking provided by industry visitors; 8. measures of success of the program include high rate of continuation to graduate school and careers in geophysics, support and feedback from industry participants and visitors, student evaluations at end of program, presentations at professional meetings, publications, and faculty evaluation of student work.

Collectivity, Distributivity, and the Interpretation of Plural Numerical Expressions in Child and Adult Language

PubMed Central

Musolino, Julien

2013-01-01

Sentences containing plural numerical expressions (e.g., two boys) can give rise to two interpretations (collective and distributive), arising from the fact that their representation admits of a part-whole structure. We present the results of a series of experiments designed to explore children’s understanding of this distinction and its implications for the acquisition of linguistic expressions with number words. We show that preschoolers access both interpretations, indicating that they have the requisite linguistic and conceptual machinery to generate the corresponding representations. Furthermore, they can shift their interpretation in response to structural and lexical manipulations. However, they are not fully adult-like: unlike adults, they are drawn to the distributive interpretation, and are not yet aware of the lexical semantics of each and together, which should favor one or another interpretation. This research bridges a gap between a well-established body of work in cognitive psychology on the acquisition of number words and more recent work investigating children’s knowledge of the syntactic and semantic properties of sentences featuring numerical expressions. PMID:24223477

Collectivity, Distributivity, and the Interpretation of Plural Numerical Expressions in Child and Adult Language.

PubMed

Syrett, Kristen; Musolino, Julien

2013-01-01

Sentences containing plural numerical expressions (e.g., two boys ) can give rise to two interpretations (collective and distributive), arising from the fact that their representation admits of a part-whole structure. We present the results of a series of experiments designed to explore children's understanding of this distinction and its implications for the acquisition of linguistic expressions with number words. We show that preschoolers access both interpretations, indicating that they have the requisite linguistic and conceptual machinery to generate the corresponding representations. Furthermore, they can shift their interpretation in response to structural and lexical manipulations. However, they are not fully adult-like: unlike adults, they are drawn to the distributive interpretation, and are not yet aware of the lexical semantics of each and together , which should favor one or another interpretation. This research bridges a gap between a well-established body of work in cognitive psychology on the acquisition of number words and more recent work investigating children's knowledge of the syntactic and semantic properties of sentences featuring numerical expressions.

Biophysical basis for the geometry of conical stromatolites.

PubMed

Petroff, Alexander P; Sim, Min Sub; Maslov, Andrey; Krupenin, Mikhail; Rothman, Daniel H; Bosak, Tanja

2010-06-01

Stromatolites may be Earth's oldest macroscopic fossils; however, it remains controversial what, if any, biological processes are recorded in their morphology. Although the biological interpretation of many stromatolite morphologies is confounded by the influence of sedimentation, conical stromatolites form in the absence of sedimentation and are, therefore, considered to be the most robust records of biophysical processes. A qualitative similarity between conical stromatolites and some modern microbial mats suggests a photosynthetic origin for ancient stromatolites. To better understand and interpret ancient fossils, we seek a quantitative relationship between the geometry of conical stromatolites and the biophysical processes that control their growth. We note that all modern conical stromatolites and many that formed in the last 2.8 billion years display a characteristic centimeter-scale spacing between neighboring structures. To understand this prominent-but hitherto uninterpreted-organization, we consider the role of diffusion in mediating competition between stromatolites. Having confirmed this model through laboratory experiments and field observation, we find that organization of a field of stromatolites is set by a diffusive time scale over which individual structures compete for nutrients, thus linking form to physiology. The centimeter-scale spacing between modern and ancient stromatolites corresponds to a rhythmically fluctuating metabolism with a period of approximately 20 hr. The correspondence between the observed spacing and the day length provides quantitative support for the photosynthetic origin of conical stromatolites throughout geologic time.

Preliminary Aeromagnetic Map of Joshua Tree National Park and Vicinity, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langenheim, V.E.; Hill, P.L.

2010-01-01

This aeromagnetic map of Joshua Tree National Park and vicinity is intended to promote further understanding of the geology and structure in the region by serving as a basis for geophysical interpretations and by supporting geological mapping, water-resource investigations, and various topical studies. Local spatial variations in the Earth's magnetic field (evident as anomalies on aeromagnetic maps) reflect the distribution of magnetic minerals, primarily magnetite, in the underlying rocks. In many cases the volume content of magnetic minerals can be related to rock type, and abrupt spatial changes in the amount of magnetic minerals commonly mark lithologic or structural boundaries. Bodies of mafic and ultramafic rocks tend to produce the most intense magnetic anomalies, but such generalizations must be applied with caution because rocks with more felsic compositions, or even some sedimentary units, also can cause measurable magnetic anomalies. The database includes two ASCII files containing new aeromagnetic data and two ASCII files with point locations of the local maximum horizontal gradient derived from the aeromagnetic data. This metadata file describes the horizontal gradient locations derived from new and existing aeromagnetic data. This aeromagnetic map identifies magnetic features as a basis for geophysical interpretations; the gradients help define the edges of magnetic sources. This database updates geophysical information originally presented in smaller-scale formats and includes detailed aeromagnetic data collected by EON Geosciences, Inc.

Growth Mechanism of Pumpkin-Shaped Vaterite Hierarchical Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Guobin; Xu, Yifei; Wang, Mu

2015-03-01

CaCO3-based biominerals possess sophisticated hierarchical structures and promising mechanical properties. Recent researches imply that vaterite may play an important role in formation of CaCO3-based biominerals. However, as a less common polymorph of CaCO3, the growth mechanism of vaterite remains not very clear. Here we report the growth of a pumpkin-shaped vaterite hierarchical structure with a six-fold symmetrical axis and lamellar microstructure. We demonstrate that the growth is controlled by supersaturation and the intrinsic crystallographic anisotropy of vaterite. For the scenario of high supersaturation, the nucleation rate is higher than the lateral extension rate, favoring the ``double-leaf'' spherulitic growth. Meanwhile, nucleation occurs preferentially in < 11 2 0 > as determined by the crystalline structure of vaterite, modulating the grown products with a hexagonal symmetry. The results are beneficial for an in-depth understanding of the biomineralization of CaCO3. The growth mechanism may also be applicable to interpret the formation of similar hierarchical structures of other materials. The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from National Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51172104 and 50972057) and National Key Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2010CB630705).

Symmetry-lowering lattice distortion at the spin reorientation in MnBi single crystals

DOE PAGES

McGuire, Michael A.; Cao, Huibo; Chakoumakos, Bryan C.; ...

2014-11-18

Here we report structural and physical properties determined by measurements on large single crystals of the anisotropic ferromagnet MnBi. The findings support the importance of magnetoelastic effects in this material. X-ray diffraction reveals a structural phase transition at the spin reorientation temperature T SR = 90 K. The distortion is driven by magneto-elastic coupling, and upon cooling transforms the structure from hexagonal to orthorhombic. Heat capacity measurements show a thermal anomaly at the crystallographic transition, which is suppressed rapidly by applied magnetic fields. Effects on the transport and anisotropic magnetic properties of the single crystals are also presented. Increasing anisotropymore » of the atomic displacement parameters for Bi with increasing temperature above T SR is revealed by neutron diffraction measurements. It is likely that this is directly related to the anisotropic thermal expansion in MnBi, which plays a key role in the spin reorientation and magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Finally, the identification of the true ground state crystal structure reported here may be important for future experimental and theoretical studies of this permanent magnet material, which have to date been performed and interpreted using only the high temperature structure.« less

Fast and objective detection and analysis of structures in downhole images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wedge, Daniel; Holden, Eun-Jung; Dentith, Mike; Spadaccini, Nick

2017-09-01

Downhole acoustic and optical televiewer images, and formation microimager (FMI) logs are important datasets for structural and geotechnical analyses for the mineral and petroleum industries. Within these data, dipping planar structures appear as sinusoids, often in incomplete form and in abundance. Their detection is a labour intensive and hence expensive task and as such is a significant bottleneck in data processing as companies may have hundreds of kilometres of logs to process each year. We present an image analysis system that harnesses the power of automated image analysis and provides an interactive user interface to support the analysis of televiewer images by users with different objectives. Our algorithm rapidly produces repeatable, objective results. We have embedded it in an interactive workflow to complement geologists' intuition and experience in interpreting data to improve efficiency and assist, rather than replace the geologist. The main contributions include a new image quality assessment technique for highlighting image areas most suited to automated structure detection and for detecting boundaries of geological zones, and a novel sinusoid detection algorithm for detecting and selecting sinusoids with given confidence levels. Further tools are provided to perform rapid analysis of and further detection of structures e.g. as limited to specific orientations.

Teaching Real Data Interpretation with Models (TRIM): Analysis of Student Dialogue in a Large-Enrollment Cell and Developmental Biology Course.

PubMed

Zagallo, Patricia; Meddleton, Shanice; Bolger, Molly S

2016-01-01

We present our design for a cell biology course to integrate content with scientific practices, specifically data interpretation and model-based reasoning. A 2-yr research project within this course allowed us to understand how students interpret authentic biological data in this setting. Through analysis of written work, we measured the extent to which students' data interpretations were valid and/or generative. By analyzing small-group audio recordings during in-class activities, we demonstrated how students used instructor-provided models to build and refine data interpretations. Often, students used models to broaden the scope of data interpretations, tying conclusions to a biological significance. Coding analysis revealed several strategies and challenges that were common among students in this collaborative setting. Spontaneous argumentation was present in 82% of transcripts, suggesting that data interpretation using models may be a way to elicit this important disciplinary practice. Argumentation dialogue included frequent co-construction of claims backed by evidence from data. Other common strategies included collaborative decoding of data representations and noticing data patterns before making interpretive claims. Focusing on irrelevant data patterns was the most common challenge. Our findings provide evidence to support the feasibility of supporting students' data-interpretation skills within a large lecture course. © 2016 P. Zagallo et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Interpretation bias in Cluster-C and borderline personality disorders.

PubMed

Arntz, Arnoud; Weertman, Anoek; Salet, Sjoerd

2011-08-01

Cognitive therapy (CT) assumes that personality disorders (PDs) are characterized by interpretational biases that maintain the disorder. Changing interpretations is therefore a major aim of CT of PDs. This study tested whether Borderline PD (BPD), Avoidant and Dependent PD (AV/DEPD), and Obsessive-Compulsive PD (OCPD) are characterized by specific interpretations. Among the 122 participants there were 55 PD patients (17 BPD, 30 AV/DEPD, 29 OCPD diagnoses), 26 axis-1 patients, and 41 nonpatients. Participants put themselves into 10 scripts of negative events and noted feelings, thoughts and behaviors that came to mind. Next, they chose between hypothesized BPD-specific, AV/DEPD-specific, and OCPD-specific interpretations of each event (forced choice). Lastly, participants rated belief in each interpretation. Regression analyses revealed that forced choices and belief ratings supported the CT-model of BPD and AV/DEP: interpretations were specific. The alleged OCPD-beliefs were however not specifically related to OCPD, with relatively high popularity in axis-1 patients and nonpatients. The open responses were classified by judges blind for diagnoses, with the following results. BPD was characterized by low levels of solution-focused and healthy-flexible/accepting responses, and higher levels of criticizing others and malevolent interpretations of others. AV/DEPD was characterized by lower levels of solution-focused responses, and higher levels of self-criticism, negative emotions, guilt and fear of judgment, as well as lower levels of other-criticism. OCPD only showed trends for lower healthy responses, and higher compulsiveness and worry. It is concluded that the assumptions of CT are supported for BPD and AV/DEPD, but not - at least not on the explicit interpretational level - for OCPD. CT of OCPD might need a slightly different approach. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blending Simulation-Based Learning and Interpretative Pedagogy for Undergraduate Leadership Competency Development.

PubMed

McPherson, Charmaine; MacDonald, Cathy

2017-01-01

Effective leadership is an essential component guiding nursing activity and influencing health systems, health workers, and patient outcomes. Despite this evidence, undergraduate nursing programs may not be adequately preparing graduates to effectively engage in leadership practice. This article describes an educational innovation designed to support prelicensure leadership competency development. The authors blended simulation-based learning (SBL) with an interpretative pedagogical frame in a senior nursing leadership course at a primarily undergraduate university. The innovation involves a break from traditional nursing educational pedagogy by bringing SBL into the leadership classroom. Using interpretative pedagogy to purposefully create different relationships in the learning space supported deeper personal and professional transformation for the students. Nurse educators must purposefully design leadership curricula using active educational strategies that adequately prepare nurses for complex health systems. Integrating SBL within an interpretative pedagogy for leadership development moves students from merely knowing theory to informed and effective action. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(1):49-54.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

HERB: A production system for programming with hierarchical expert rule bases: User's manual, HERB Version 1. 0

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

Hummel, K.E.

1987-12-01

Expert systems are artificial intelligence programs that solve problems requiring large amounts of heuristic knowledge, based on years of experience and tradition. Production systems are domain-independent tools that support the development of rule-based expert systems. This document describes a general purpose production system known as HERB. This system was developed to support the programming of expert systems using hierarchically structured rule bases. HERB encourages the partitioning of rules into multiple rule bases and supports the use of multiple conflict resolution strategies. Multiple rule bases can also be placed on a system stack and simultaneously searched during each interpreter cycle. Bothmore » backward and forward chaining rules are supported by HERB. The condition portion of each rule can contain both patterns, which are matched with facts in a data base, and LISP expressions, which are explicitly evaluated in the LISP environment. Properties of objects can also be stored in the HERB data base and referenced within the scope of each rule. This document serves both as an introduction to the principles of LISP-based production systems and as a user's manual for the HERB system. 6 refs., 17 figs.« less

Radiology reporting-from Hemingway to HAL?

PubMed

Brady, Adrian P

2018-04-01

The job of the diagnostic radiologist is two-fold: identifying and interpreting the information available from diagnostic imaging studies and communicating that interpretation meaningfully to the referring clinician. However skilled our interpretive abilities, our patients are not well served if we fail to convey our conclusions effectively. Despite the central importance of communication skills to the work of radiologists, trainees rarely receive significant formal training in reporting skills, and much of the training given simply reflects the trainer's personal preferences. Studies have shown a preference among referrers for reports in a structured form, with findings given in a standard manner, followed by a conclusion. The technical competence to incorporate structured report templates into PACS/RIS systems is growing, "...and radiology societies (including the European Society of Radiology (ESR)) are active in producing and validating templates for a wide range of modalities and clinical circumstances. While some radiologists may prefer prose format reports, and much literature has been produced addressing "dos and don'ts" for such prose reports, it seems likely that structured reporting will become the norm in the near future. Benefits will include homogenisation and standardisation of reports, certainty that significant information has not been omitted, and capacity for data-mining of structured reports for research and teaching purposes. • The radiologist's job includes interpretation of imaging studies AND communication. • Traditionally, communication has taken the form of a prose report. • Referrers have been shown to prefer reports in a structured format. • Structured reports have many advantages over traditional prose reports. • It is likely that structured reports represent the future standard.

Experience of nursing staff facing the hospitalization of burned children.

PubMed

Inocencio Soares, Nataly Tsumura; Grubisich Mendes Tacla, Mauren Teresa

2014-01-01

To present the experiences of nursing staff working with hospitalized burned children. Qualitative study. Data were obtained from semi-structured interviews applied to 16 people of the nursing team (12 professional technicians and 4) working at a burn treatment center. For the analysis, the Method information Interpretation of the Senses was used. The theoretical basis used to support the discussion of the study was proposed by Geertz's interpretive anthropology. The narratives showed that the process of care to burned children is stressful for the participants because they are psychologically involved with the tragic story of a patient who suffered burns, and therefore with the clinical situation. This allows for the development of empathy. On the other hand there cultural involvement facing and accepting the consequences of what happened to the patient, due to the change of body image stigma that the child will suffer hamper the re-socialization of the child after discharge. The nursing team is affected in various ways during the care of hospitalized burned children. There is need for educational programs for their preparation in the care of these patients.

Crustal structure in the Falcón Basin area, northwestern Venezuela, from seismic and gravimetric evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezada, Maximiliano J.; Schmitz, Michael; Jácome, María Inés; Rodríguez, Josmat; Audemard, Franck; Izarra, Carlos; The Bolivar Active Seismic Working Group

2008-05-01

The Falcón Basin in northwestern Venezuela has a complex geological history driven by the interactions between the South American and Caribbean plates. Igneous intrusive bodies that outcrop along the axis of the basin have been associated with crustal thinning, and gravity modeling has shown evidence for a significantly thinned crust beneath the basin. In this study, crustal scale seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection data derived from onshore/offshore active seismic experiments are interpreted and forward-modeled to generate a P-wave velocity model for a ˜450 km long profile. The final model shows thinning of the crust beneath the Falcón Basin where depth to Moho decreases to 27 km from a value of 40 km about 100 km to the south. A deeper reflected phase on the offshore section is interpreted to be derived from the downgoing Caribbean slab. Velocity values were converted to density and the resulting gravimetric response was shown to be consistent with the regional gravity anomaly. The crustal thinning proposed here supports a rift origin for the Falcón Basin.

An interpretative phenomenological analysis of an improvisational music therapy program for cancer patients.

PubMed

Pothoulaki, Maria; MacDonald, Raymond; Flowers, Paul

2012-01-01

Although there are an increasing number of qualitative studies investigating the benefits of music therapy interventions in cancer care settings, few studies have adopted a phenomenological approach to explore how and why such interventions work. The aim of this study was to explore the psychological processes involved in an improvisational music therapy program for cancer patients. Nine individuals took part in an improvisational music therapy program and participated in semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed as a theoretical and methodological framework for the analysis of the interviews. Recurrent themes revealed a variety of social and psychological benefits related to the experience of music therapy, such as facilitating peer support and group interaction, increasing self-confidence, relaxation, the generation of positive feelings, stress relief and feelings of enhanced communication through music. There was also an emphasis upon the importance of social interaction and communication. This paper highlights a number of key benefits connected with music therapy for patients with cancer and the effectiveness of IPA in applied health psychology research.

Single-Layer graphene growth on crystalline Ni(111) and Ni(110) and the fate of Carbon on crystalline Ni(100).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araujo, Paulo; Mafra, Daniela; Reina, Alfonso; Shin, Young Cheol; Kim, Ki Kang; Dresselhaus, Mildred; Kong, Jing

The growth of large area single-layer graphene (1-LG) is studied using ambient pressure CVD on single crystal Ni(111), Ni(110) and Ni(100). By varying both the furnace temperature in the range of 700 - 1100oC and the gas flow through the growth chamber, a uniform growth of high-quality 1-LG is obtained for Ni(111) and Ni(110), but only multilayer graphene (M-LG) growth could be obtained for Ni(100). The experimental results are interpreted to obtain the optimum combination of temperature and gas flow, and the results reported in this manuscript are interpreted through different thermodynamic mechanisms, such as diffusion, segregation and adsorption, which dictate the formation of different carbon structures over the different crystallographic directions of Ni. Characterization with optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and optical transmission accordingly support the experimental findings. DOE Award Number DE-SC0001088, College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Alabama, NRF Award Number 2015R1C1A1A02037083 and NSF-DMR 1507806.

Application of LANDSAT data to delimitation of avalanche hazards in Montane Colorado

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knepper, D. H., Jr. (Principal Investigator)

1977-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Many avalanche hazard zones can be identified on LANDSAT imagery, but not consistently over a large region. Therefore, regional avalanche hazard mapping, using LANDSAT imagery, must draw on additional sources of information. A method was devised that depicts three levels of avalanche hazards according to three corresponding levels of certainty that active avalanches occur. The lowest level, potential avalanche hazards, was defined by delineating slopes steep enough to support avalanches at elevations where snowfall was likely to be sufficient to produce a thick snowpack. The intermediate level of avalanche hazard was interpreted as avalanche hazard zones. These zones have direct and indirect indicators of active avalanche activity and were interpreted from LANDSAT imagery. The highest level of known or active avalanche hazards was compiled from existing maps. Some landslides in Colorado were identified and, to a degree, delimited on LANDSAT imagery, but the conditions of their identification were highly variable. Because of local topographic, geologic, structural, and vegetational variations, there was no unique landslide spectral appearance.

Nature and Analysis of Material Evidence Relevant to Archaeoastronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruggles, Clive L. N.

Since it emerged as a "subdiscipline" in its own right in the 1960s and 1970s, archaeoastronomy has advanced from seeking to explain cultural phenomena in exclusively astronomical terms to one where putative astronomical connections play a small part - albeit in some cases a critical one - in broader interpretations properly embedded in the wider cultural context. Broadly speaking, the archaeological evidence available to the archaeoastronomer consists of material expressions of perceived relationships with objects and events in the sky. The main types of material evidence considered by the majority of archaeoastronomers are structural orientations, light-and-shadow effects, and symbol counts. Advances in both theory and method have rendered obsolete the "green vs brown" categorization of the 1980s, and few would now disagree that the credibility of any interpretation needs to be assessed in terms of social theory, the strength of the material evidence in its support, and the quality of the corroborating evidence from history and/or ethnography, as available. The debate continues as to how best to balance these different components in different instances.

Preliminary atlas of active shallow tectonic deformation in the Puget Lowland, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnett, Elizabeth A.; Haugerud, Ralph A.; Sherrod, Brian L.; Weaver, Craig S.; Pratt, Thomas L.; Blakely, Richard J.

2010-01-01

This atlas presents an up-to-date map compilation of the geological and geophysical observations that underpin interpretations of active, surface-deforming faults in the Puget Lowland, Washington. Shallow lowland faults are mapped where observations of deformation from paleoseismic, seismic-reflection, and potential-field investigations converge. Together, results from these studies strengthen the identification and characterization of regional faults and show that as many as a dozen shallow faults have been active during the Holocene. The suite of maps presented in our atlas identifies sites that have evidence of deformation attributed to these shallow faults. For example, the paleoseismic-investigations map shows where coseismic surface rupture and deformation produced geomorphic scarps and deformed shorelines. Other maps compile results of seismic-reflection and potential-field studies that demonstrate evidence of deformation along suspected fault structures in the subsurface. Summary maps show the fault traces derived from, and draped over, the datasets presented in the preceding maps. Overall, the atlas provides map users with a visual overview of the observations and interpretations that support the existence of active, shallow faults beneath the densely populated Puget Lowland.

The ambiguity of symbols in the structure of healing.

PubMed

Laderman, C

1987-01-01

In his article, 'The Effectiveness of Symbols,' Lévi-Strauss contends that the details of a Cuna birth incantation evoke specific physiological responses from parturient women, aiding them through difficult labors. His argument, which analyzes the incantation as a text divorced from its social setting, has drawn criticism from students of Cuna society on a number of substantive points, primarily centering around the difficulties that the special linguistic form of ritual language would present to a non-adept. If the patient lacks a thorough comprehension of the mythic details, how can the incantation change her physiological processes? In an attempt to evaluate the effect of myth upon a woman in labor, this article calls upon Cuna and Malay ethnographic data, and presents a Malay birth incantation as interpreted by the ritual practitioner who recited it. Following a discussion of the non-semantic aspects of the incantation and the extent to which the patient shares the interpretation of the healer in both the Malay and Cuna societies, recent biomedical studies are cited in support of hypotheses concerning the physiological and biochemical effects of myth in the management of childbirth.

Psychological pathway to suicidal ideation among people living with HIV/AIDS in China: A structural equation model.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Wang, Yuanyuan; Xiao, Chenchang; Yao, Xing; Yang, Yinmei; Yan, Hong; Li, Shiyue

2017-11-29

People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) have higher rates of suicide than does the general population. It is critical to interpret the intricate relationships among various psychological variables that increase the risk of suicidal ideation among PLWHA in China. An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from Jul to Aug 2016 in Nanjing, China, using a self-reporting questionnaire. A total of 465 PLWHA participated. Sociodemographic, psychological variables and suicide information about the participants were collected. Structural equation modeling (SEM)-path analysis was used to analyze the cross-sectional data. The final structural equation model had a highly satisfactory fit. Among PLWHA, perceived stigma had the greatest accumulated total effect on suicidal ideation, with both a direct effect and indirect effect through self-esteem and depression. Additionally, self-esteem had the second greatest total effect on suicidal ideation and was influenced by social support. Depression contributed directly to suicidal ideation and partly mediated the association of perceived stigma and self-esteem with suicidal ideation. These findings suggest that self-esteem and depression, particularly perceived stigma, play important roles in suicidal ideation among PLWHA. Enhancing personal self-esteem or social support might also reduce perceived stigma and may be an important target for intervention to decrease suicidal ideation among PLWHA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

30 CFR 75.1708-1 - Surface structures; fireproof construction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Surface structures; fireproof construction. 75... Surface structures; fireproof construction. Structures of fireproof construction is interpreted to mean structures with fireproof exterior surfaces. ...

Emergency mental health nursing for self-harming refugees and asylum seekers.

PubMed

Procter, Nicholas G

2005-09-01

This article describes the structure and function of emergency mental health nursing practice for self-harming refugees and asylum seekers on Temporary Protection Visas. Emergency nurses working in accident and emergency departments or as part of crisis intervention teams will see self-harming refugees and asylum seekers at the very point of their distress. This clinical paper is intended to support nurses in their practice should they encounter an adult asylum seeker needing emergency mental health care. Practical strategies are highlighted to help mental health nurses assess, care, and comfort refugees and asylum seekers in this predicament. Mental health nurses should, where possible, work closely with asylum seekers, their support workers, and accredited interpreters and translators to ensure the appropriate use of language when dealing with mental and emotional health issues without further isolating the asylum seeker from appropriate services. To help strengthen continuity and integration of mental health supports for refugees and asylum seekers, well-resourced care must be experienced as coherent and connected. A coherent, interdisciplinary and team-orientated approach will synthesize different viewpoints to shape clinical practice and create workable solutions in local situations.

Patients' perspectives and experiences concerning barriers to accessing information about bilateral prophylactic mastectomy.

PubMed

Glassey, Rachael; O'Connor, Moira; Ives, Angela; Saunders, Christobel; kConFab Investigators; O'Sullivan, Sarah; Hardcastle, Sarah J

2018-05-11

To explore the barriers and experiences of accessing information for women who have received genetic risk assessment/testing results for breast cancer (BC) and are considering a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy (BPM) and, exploring participants' preferences concerning information and support needs. A qualitative retrospective study guided by interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilised. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with forty-six women who were either considering BPM or had already undergone the surgery. Three themes identified barriers to accessing information; difficulties accessing information, inconsistent information and clinical focus/medicalized information. A fourth theme - preferences of information and support needs, identified three subthemes; these were, psychological support, clearly defined processes and photos of mastectomies/reconstruction surgeries. Barriers to accessing information appeared to be widespread. A lack of integrated services contributed to inconsistent information, and medicalized terminology/clinical focus of consultations further complicated understanding. Preferences for information include clearly defined processes, so women know the pathways after confirmation of familial BC risk. Clinical implications include a multidisciplinary team approach, and a protocol that reflects current practice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Governance of professional nursing practice in a hospital setting: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

dos Santos, José Luís Guedes; Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini

2015-01-01

To elaborate an interpretative model for the governance of professional nursing practice in a hospital setting. A mixed methods study with concurrent triangulation strategy, using data from a cross-sectional study with 106 nurses and a Grounded Theory study with 63 participants. The quantitative data were collected through the Brazilian Nursing Work Index - Revised and underwent descriptive statistical analysis. Qualitative data were obtained from interviews and analyzed through initial, selective and focused coding. Based on the results obtained with the Brazilian Nursing Work Index - Revised, it is possible to state that nurses perceived that they had autonomy, control over the environment, good relationships with physicians and organizational support for nursing governance. The governance of the professional nursing practice is based on the management of nursing care and services carried out by the nurses. To perform these tasks, nurses aim to get around the constraints of the organizational support and develop management knowledge and skills. It is important to reorganize the structures and processes of nursing governance, especially the support provided by the organization for the management practices of nurses.

Regulation of adhesion behavior of murine macrophage using supported lipid membranes displaying tunable mannose domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaindl, T.; Oelke, J.; Pasc, A.; Kaufmann, S.; Konovalov, O. V.; Funari, S. S.; Engel, U.; Wixforth, A.; Tanaka, M.

2010-07-01

Highly uniform, strongly correlated domains of synthetically designed lipids can be incorporated into supported lipid membranes. The systematic characterization of membranes displaying a variety of domains revealed that the equilibrium size of domains significantly depends on the length of fluorocarbon chains, which can be quantitatively interpreted within the framework of an equivalent dipole model. A mono-dispersive, narrow size distribution of the domains enables us to treat the inter-domain correlations as two-dimensional colloidal crystallization and calculate the potentials of mean force. The obtained results demonstrated that both size and inter-domain correlation can precisely be controlled by the molecular structures. By coupling α-D-mannose to lipid head groups, we studied the adhesion behavior of the murine macrophage (J774A.1) on supported membranes. Specific adhesion and spreading of macrophages showed a clear dependence on the density of functional lipids. The obtained results suggest that such synthetic lipid domains can be used as a defined platform to study how cells sense the size and distribution of functional molecules during adhesion and spreading.

Meeting stroke survivors' perceived needs: a qualitative study of a community-based exercise and education scheme.

PubMed

Reed, Mary; Harrington, Rachel; Duggan, Aine; Wood, Victorine A

2010-01-01

A qualitative study using a phenomenological approach, to explore stroke survivors' needs and their perceptions of whether a community stroke scheme met these needs. Semi-structured in-depth interviews of 12 stroke survivors, purposively selected from participants attending a new community stroke scheme. Interpretative phenomenological analysis of interviews by two researchers independently. Participants attending the community stroke scheme sought to reconstruct their lives in the aftermath of their stroke. To enable this they needed internal resources of confidence and sense of purpose to 'create their social self', and external resources of 'responsive services' and an 'informal support network', to provide direction and encouragement. Participants felt the community stroke scheme met some of these needs through exercise, goal setting and peer group interaction, which included social support and knowledge acquisition. Stroke survivors need a variety of internal and external resources so that they can rebuild their lives positively post stroke. A stroke-specific community scheme, based on exercise, life-centred goal setting, peer support and knowledge acquisition, is an external resource that can help with meeting some of the stroke survivor's needs.

Experiences of caring for a family member with Parkinson's disease: a meta-synthesis.

PubMed

Theed, Rachael; Eccles, Fiona; Simpson, Jane

2017-10-01

The aim of this qualitative meta-synthesis was to search and then synthesise family caregivers' experiences of providing care to individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). A systematic search resulted in the identification of 11 qualitative studies. Noblit and Hare's seven-stage approach was used to provide a higher-order interpretation of how family caregivers' experienced the effects of taking on a caregiving role. The process of reciprocal translation resulted in four overarching themes: (1) the need to carry on as usual - 'the caregiver must continue with his life'; (2) the importance of support in facilitating coping - 'I'm still going back to the support group'; (3) the difficult balancing act between caregiving and caregiver needs - 'I cannot get sick because I'm a caregiver'; (4) conflicts in seeking information and knowledge - 'maybe better not to know'. The themes reflected different aspects of family caregivers' lives that were affected as a result of caring for a relative diagnosed with PD and these raise challenges for more simplistic theories of family caring and appropriate support structures. The findings also highlight several recommendations for clinical practice.

[Decision Support for the Therapy Planning for Young Refugees and Asylum-Seekers with Posttraumatic Disorders].

PubMed

Reher, Cornelia; Metzner, Franka

2016-12-01

Decision Support for the Therapy Planning for Young Refugees and Asylum-Seekers with Posttraumatic Disorders Due to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and § 6 of the Asylum Seekers' Benefit Act, there are legal and ethical obligations for the care of minor refugees suffering from trauma-related disorders. In Germany, psychotherapeutic care of adolescent refugees is provided by specialized treatment centers and Child and Adolescent psychiatries with specialized consultation-hours for refugees. Treatment of minor refugees is impeded by various legal and organizational barriers. Many therapists have reservations and uncertainties regarding an appropriate therapy for refugees due to a lack of experience. This means that only a fraction of the young refugees with trauma-related disorders find an ambulatory therapist. In a review of international literature, empirical findings on (interpreter-aided) diagnostics and therapy of young refugees were presented. Practical experiences on therapeutic work with traumatized young refugees were summarized in a decision tree for therapy planning in the ambulatory setting. The decision tree was developed to support therapists in private practices by structuring the therapy process.

D Integrated Methodologies for the Documentation and the Virtual Reconstruction of AN Archaeological Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balletti, C.; Guerra, F.; Scocca, V.; Gottardi, C.

2015-02-01

Highly accurate documentation and 3D reconstructions are fundamental for analyses and further interpretations in archaeology. In the last years the integrated digital survey (ground-based survey methods and UAV photogrammetry) has confirmed its main role in the documentation and comprehension of excavation contexts, thanks to instrumental and methodological development concerning the on site data acquisition. The specific aim of the project, reported in this paper and realized by the Laboratory of Photogrammetry of the IUAV University of Venice, is to check different acquisition systems and their effectiveness test, considering each methodology individually or integrated. This research focuses on the awareness that the integration of different survey's methodologies can as a matter of fact increase the representative efficacy of the final representations; these are based on a wider and verified set of georeferenced metric data. Particularly the methods' integration allows reducing or neutralizing issues related to composite and complex objects' survey, since the most appropriate tools and techniques can be chosen considering the characteristics of each part of an archaeological site (i.e. urban structures, architectural monuments, small findings). This paper describes the experience in several sites of the municipality of Sepino (Molise, Italy), where the 3d digital acquisition of cities and structure of monuments, sometimes hard to reach, was realized using active and passive techniques (rage-based and image based methods). This acquisition was planned in order to obtain not only the basic support for interpretation analysis, but also to achieve models of the actual state of conservation of the site on which some reconstructive hypotheses can be based on. Laser scanning data were merged with Structure from Motion techniques' clouds into the same reference system, given by a topographical and GPS survey. These 3d models are not only the final results of the metric survey, but also the starting point for the whole reconstruction of the city and its urban context, from the research point of view. This reconstruction process will concern even some areas that have not yet been excavated, where the application of procedural modelling can offer an important support to the reconstructive hypothesis.

Standards for Clinical Grade Genomic Databases.

PubMed

Yohe, Sophia L; Carter, Alexis B; Pfeifer, John D; Crawford, James M; Cushman-Vokoun, Allison; Caughron, Samuel; Leonard, Debra G B

2015-11-01

Next-generation sequencing performed in a clinical environment must meet clinical standards, which requires reproducibility of all aspects of the testing. Clinical-grade genomic databases (CGGDs) are required to classify a variant and to assist in the professional interpretation of clinical next-generation sequencing. Applying quality laboratory standards to the reference databases used for sequence-variant interpretation presents a new challenge for validation and curation. To define CGGD and the categories of information contained in CGGDs and to frame recommendations for the structure and use of these databases in clinical patient care. Members of the College of American Pathologists Personalized Health Care Committee reviewed the literature and existing state of genomic databases and developed a framework for guiding CGGD development in the future. Clinical-grade genomic databases may provide different types of information. This work group defined 3 layers of information in CGGDs: clinical genomic variant repositories, genomic medical data repositories, and genomic medicine evidence databases. The layers are differentiated by the types of genomic and medical information contained and the utility in assisting with clinical interpretation of genomic variants. Clinical-grade genomic databases must meet specific standards regarding submission, curation, and retrieval of data, as well as the maintenance of privacy and security. These organizing principles for CGGDs should serve as a foundation for future development of specific standards that support the use of such databases for patient care.

Spatial Offsets in Flare-CME Current Sheets

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

Raymond, John C.; Giordano, Silvio; Ciaravella, Angela, E-mail: jraymond@cfa.harvard.edu

Magnetic reconnection plays an integral part in nearly all models of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The reconnection heats and accelerates the plasma, produces energetic electrons and ions, and changes the magnetic topology to form magnetic flux ropes and to allow CMEs to escape. Structures that appear between flare loops and CME cores in optical, UV, EUV, and X-ray observations have been identified as current sheets and have been interpreted in terms of the nature of the reconnection process and the energetics of the events. Many of these studies have used UV spectral observations of high temperature emissionmore » features in the [Fe xviii] and Si xii lines. In this paper, we discuss several surprising cases in which the [Fe xviii] and Si xii emission peaks are spatially offset from each other. We discuss interpretations based on asymmetric reconnection, on a thin reconnection region within a broader streamer-like structure, and on projection effects. Some events seem to be easily interpreted as the projection of a sheet that is extended along the line of sight that is viewed an angle, but a physical interpretation in terms of asymmetric reconnection is also plausible. Other events favor an interpretation as a thin current sheet embedded in a streamer-like structure.« less

Finite element modelling and updating of a lively footbridge: The complete process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Živanović, Stana; Pavic, Aleksandar; Reynolds, Paul

2007-03-01

The finite element (FE) model updating technology was originally developed in the aerospace and mechanical engineering disciplines to automatically update numerical models of structures to match their experimentally measured counterparts. The process of updating identifies the drawbacks in the FE modelling and the updated FE model could be used to produce more reliable results in further dynamic analysis. In the last decade, the updating technology has been introduced into civil structural engineering. It can serve as an advanced tool for getting reliable modal properties of large structures. The updating process has four key phases: initial FE modelling, modal testing, manual model tuning and automatic updating (conducted using specialist software). However, the published literature does not connect well these phases, although this is crucial when implementing the updating technology. This paper therefore aims to clarify the importance of this linking and to describe the complete model updating process as applicable in civil structural engineering. The complete process consisting the four phases is outlined and brief theory is presented as appropriate. Then, the procedure is implemented on a lively steel box girder footbridge. It was found that even a very detailed initial FE model underestimated the natural frequencies of all seven experimentally identified modes of vibration, with the maximum error being almost 30%. Manual FE model tuning by trial and error found that flexible supports in the longitudinal direction should be introduced at the girder ends to improve correlation between the measured and FE-calculated modes. This significantly reduced the maximum frequency error to only 4%. It was demonstrated that only then could the FE model be automatically updated in a meaningful way. The automatic updating was successfully conducted by updating 22 uncertain structural parameters. Finally, a physical interpretation of all parameter changes is discussed. This interpretation is often missing in the published literature. It was found that the composite slabs were less stiff than originally assumed and that the asphalt layer contributed considerably to the deck stiffness.

Semantic Support and Parallel Parsing in Chinese

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Yufen; Boland, Julie E.

2015-01-01

Two eye-tracking experiments were conducted using written Chinese sentences that contained a multi-word ambiguous region. The goal was to determine whether readers maintained multiple interpretations throughout the ambiguous region or selected a single interpretation at the point of ambiguity. Within the ambiguous region, we manipulated the…

Developing Interpretive Power in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosebery, Ann S.; Warren, Beth; Tucker-Raymond, Eli

2016-01-01

Early career teachers rarely receive sustained support for addressing issues of diversity and equity in their science teaching. This paper reports on design research to create a 30 hour professional development seminar focused on cultivating the interpretive power of early career teachers who teach science to students from historically…

Direct space-time observation of pulse tunneling in an electromagnetic band gap

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

Doiron, Serge; Hache, Alain; Winful, Herbert G.

2007-08-15

We present space-time-resolved measurements of electromagnetic pulses tunneling through a coaxial electromagnetic band gap structure. The results show that during the tunneling process the field distribution inside the barrier is an exponentially decaying standing wave whose amplitude increases and decreases as it slowly follows the temporal evolution of the input pulse. At no time is a pulse maximum found inside the barrier, and hence the transmitted peak is not the incident peak that has propagated to the exit. The results support the quasistatic interpretation of tunneling dynamics and confirm that the group delay is not the traversal time of themore » input pulse peak.« less

Distance geometry protocol to generate conformations of natural products to structurally interpret ion mobility-mass spectrometry collision cross sections.

PubMed

Stow, Sarah M; Goodwin, Cody R; Kliman, Michal; Bachmann, Brian O; McLean, John A; Lybrand, Terry P

2014-12-04

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) allows the separation of ionized molecules based on their charge-to-surface area (IM) and mass-to-charge ratio (MS), respectively. The IM drift time data that is obtained is used to calculate the ion-neutral collision cross section (CCS) of the ionized molecule with the neutral drift gas, which is directly related to the ion conformation and hence molecular size and shape. Studying the conformational landscape of these ionized molecules computationally provides interpretation to delineate the potential structures that these CCS values could represent, or conversely, structural motifs not consistent with the IM data. A challenge in the IM-MS community is the ability to rapidly compute conformations to interpret natural product data, a class of molecules exhibiting a broad range of biological activity. The diversity of biological activity is, in part, related to the unique structural characteristics often observed for natural products. Contemporary approaches to structurally interpret IM-MS data for peptides and proteins typically utilize molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to sample conformational space. However, MD calculations are computationally expensive, they require a force field that accurately describes the molecule of interest, and there is no simple metric that indicates when sufficient conformational sampling has been achieved. Distance geometry is a computationally inexpensive approach that creates conformations based on sampling different pairwise distances between the atoms within the molecule and therefore does not require a force field. Progressively larger distance bounds can be used in distance geometry calculations, providing in principle a strategy to assess when all plausible conformations have been sampled. Our results suggest that distance geometry is a computationally efficient and potentially superior strategy for conformational analysis of natural products to interpret gas-phase CCS data.

Distance Geometry Protocol to Generate Conformations of Natural Products to Structurally Interpret Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Collision Cross Sections

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) allows the separation of ionized molecules based on their charge-to-surface area (IM) and mass-to-charge ratio (MS), respectively. The IM drift time data that is obtained is used to calculate the ion-neutral collision cross section (CCS) of the ionized molecule with the neutral drift gas, which is directly related to the ion conformation and hence molecular size and shape. Studying the conformational landscape of these ionized molecules computationally provides interpretation to delineate the potential structures that these CCS values could represent, or conversely, structural motifs not consistent with the IM data. A challenge in the IM-MS community is the ability to rapidly compute conformations to interpret natural product data, a class of molecules exhibiting a broad range of biological activity. The diversity of biological activity is, in part, related to the unique structural characteristics often observed for natural products. Contemporary approaches to structurally interpret IM-MS data for peptides and proteins typically utilize molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to sample conformational space. However, MD calculations are computationally expensive, they require a force field that accurately describes the molecule of interest, and there is no simple metric that indicates when sufficient conformational sampling has been achieved. Distance geometry is a computationally inexpensive approach that creates conformations based on sampling different pairwise distances between the atoms within the molecule and therefore does not require a force field. Progressively larger distance bounds can be used in distance geometry calculations, providing in principle a strategy to assess when all plausible conformations have been sampled. Our results suggest that distance geometry is a computationally efficient and potentially superior strategy for conformational analysis of natural products to interpret gas-phase CCS data. PMID:25360896