ChloroMitoCU: Codon patterns across organelle genomes for functional genomics and evolutionary applications.

PubMed

Sablok, Gaurav; Chen, Ting-Wen; Lee, Chi-Ching; Yang, Chi; Gan, Ruei-Chi; Wegrzyn, Jill L; Porta, Nicola L; Nayak, Kinshuk C; Huang, Po-Jung; Varotto, Claudio; Tang, Petrus

2017-06-01

Organelle genomes are widely thought to have arisen from reduction events involving cyanobacterial and archaeal genomes, in the case of chloroplasts, or α-proteobacterial genomes, in the case of mitochondria. Heterogeneity in base composition and codon preference has long been the subject of investigation of topics ranging from phylogenetic distortion to the design of overexpression cassettes for transgenic expression. From the overexpression point of view, it is critical to systematically analyze the codon usage patterns of the organelle genomes. In light of the importance of codon usage patterns in the development of hyper-expression organelle transgenics, we present ChloroMitoCU, the first-ever curated, web-based reference catalog of the codon usage patterns in organelle genomes. ChloroMitoCU contains the pre-compiled codon usage patterns of 328 chloroplast genomes (29,960 CDS) and 3,502 mitochondrial genomes (49,066 CDS), enabling genome-wide exploration and comparative analysis of codon usage patterns across species. ChloroMitoCU allows the phylogenetic comparison of codon usage patterns across organelle genomes, the prediction of codon usage patterns based on user-submitted transcripts or assembled organelle genes, and comparative analysis with the pre-compiled patterns across species of interest. ChloroMitoCU can increase our understanding of the biased patterns of codon usage in organelle genomes across multiple clades. ChloroMitoCU can be accessed at: http://chloromitocu.cgu.edu.tw/. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Kazusa DNA Research Institute.

Use Contexts and Usage Patterns of Interactive Case Simulation Tools by HIV Healthcare Providers in a Statewide Online Clinical Education Program.

PubMed

Wang, Dongwen

2017-01-01

We analyzed four interactive case simulation tools (ICSTs) from a statewide online clinical education program. Results have shown that ICSTs are increasingly used by HIV healthcare providers. Smart phone has become the primary usage platform for specific ICSTs. Usage patterns depend on particular ICST modules, usage stages, and use contexts. Future design of ICSTs should consider these usage patterns for more effective dissemination of clinical evidence to healthcare providers.

Energy Tracking Software Platform

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

Ryan Davis; Nathan Bird; Rebecca Birx

2011-04-04

Acceleration has created an interactive energy tracking and visualization platform that supports decreasing electric, water, and gas usage. Homeowners have access to tools that allow them to gauge their use and track progress toward a smaller energy footprint. Real estate agents have access to consumption data, allowing for sharing a comparison with potential home buyers. Home builders have the opportunity to compare their neighborhood's energy efficiency with competitors. Home energy raters have a tool for gauging the progress of their clients after efficiency changes. And, social groups are able to help encourage members to reduce their energy bills and helpmore » their environment. EnergyIT.com is the business umbrella for all energy tracking solutions and is designed to provide information about our energy tracking software and promote sales. CompareAndConserve.com (Gainesville-Green.com) helps homeowners conserve energy through education and competition. ToolsForTenants.com helps renters factor energy usage into their housing decisions.« less

Thinking About Multiword Constructions: Usage-Based Approaches to Acquisition and Processing.

PubMed

Ellis, Nick C; Ogden, Dave C

2017-07-01

Usage-based approaches to language hold that we learn multiword expressions as patterns of language from language usage, and that knowledge of these patterns underlies fluent language processing. This paper explores these claims by focusing upon verb-argument constructions (VACs) such as "V(erb) about n(oun phrase)." These are productive constructions that bind syntax, lexis, and semantics. It presents (a) analyses of usage patterns of English VACs in terms of their grammatical form, semantics, lexical constituency, and distribution patterns in large corpora; (b) patterns of VAC usage in child-directed speech and child language acquisition; and (c) investigations of VAC free-association and psycholinguistic studies of online processing. We conclude that VACs are highly patterned in usage, that this patterning drives language acquisition, and that language processing is sensitive to the forms of the syntagmatic construction and their distributional statistics, the contingency of their association with meaning, and spreading activation and prototypicality effects in semantic reference. Language users have rich implicit knowledge of the statistics of multiword sequences. Copyright © 2017 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Smartphone dependence classification using tensor factorization.

PubMed

Choi, Jingyun; Rho, Mi Jung; Kim, Yejin; Yook, In Hye; Yu, Hwanjo; Kim, Dai-Jin; Choi, In Young

2017-01-01

Excessive smartphone use causes personal and social problems. To address this issue, we sought to derive usage patterns that were directly correlated with smartphone dependence based on usage data. This study attempted to classify smartphone dependence using a data-driven prediction algorithm. We developed a mobile application to collect smartphone usage data. A total of 41,683 logs of 48 smartphone users were collected from March 8, 2015, to January 8, 2016. The participants were classified into the control group (SUC) or the addiction group (SUD) using the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale for Adults (S-Scale) and a face-to-face offline interview by a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist (SUC = 23 and SUD = 25). We derived usage patterns using tensor factorization and found the following six optimal usage patterns: 1) social networking services (SNS) during daytime, 2) web surfing, 3) SNS at night, 4) mobile shopping, 5) entertainment, and 6) gaming at night. The membership vectors of the six patterns obtained a significantly better prediction performance than the raw data. For all patterns, the usage times of the SUD were much longer than those of the SUC. From our findings, we concluded that usage patterns and membership vectors were effective tools to assess and predict smartphone dependence and could provide an intervention guideline to predict and treat smartphone dependence based on usage data.

Internet and Cell Phone Usage Patterns among Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenaro, Cristina; Flores, Noelia; Cruz, Maribel; Pérez, Ma Carmen; Vega, Vanessa; Torres, Víctor A.

2018-01-01

Background: The risks and opportunities associated with the use of technologies are of growing research interest. Patterns of technology usage illuminate these opportunities and risks. However, no studies have assessed the usage patterns (frequency, duration, and intensity) and related factors in young people with intellectual disabilities.…

Lamprey: tracking users on the World Wide Web.

PubMed

Felciano, R M; Altman, R B

1996-01-01

Tracking individual web sessions provides valuable information about user behavior. This information can be used for general purpose evaluation of web-based user interfaces to biomedical information systems. To this end, we have developed Lamprey, a tool for doing quantitative and qualitative analysis of Web-based user interfaces. Lamprey can be used from any conforming browser, and does not require modification of server or client software. By rerouting WWW navigation through a centralized filter, Lamprey collects the sequence and timing of hyperlinks used by individual users to move through the web. Instead of providing marginal statistics, it retains the full information required to recreate a user session. We have built Lamprey as a standard Common Gateway Interface (CGI) that works with all standard WWW browsers and servers. In this paper, we describe Lamprey and provide a short demonstration of this approach for evaluating web usage patterns.

Analysis of Synonymous Codon Usage Bias of Zika Virus and Its Adaption to the Hosts

PubMed Central

Wang, Hongju; Liu, Siqing; Zhang, Bo

2016-01-01

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus (arbovirus) in the family Flaviviridae, and the symptoms caused by ZIKV infection in humans include rash, fever, arthralgia, myalgia, asthenia and conjunctivitis. Codon usage bias analysis can reveal much about the molecular evolution and host adaption of ZIKV. To gain insight into the evolutionary characteristics of ZIKV, we performed a comprehensive analysis on the codon usage pattern in 46 ZIKV strains by calculating the effective number of codons (ENc), codon adaptation index (CAI), relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU), and other indicators. The results indicate that the codon usage bias of ZIKV is relatively low. Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis that translational selection plays a role in shaping the codon usage pattern of ZIKV. The results from a correspondence analysis (CA) indicate that other factors, such as base composition, aromaticity, and hydrophobicity may also be involved in shaping the codon usage pattern of ZIKV. Additionally, the results from a comparative analysis of RSCU between ZIKV and its hosts suggest that ZIKV tends to evolve codon usage patterns that are comparable to those of its hosts. Moreover, selection pressure from Homo sapiens on the ZIKV RSCU patterns was found to be dominant compared with that from Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Taken together, both natural translational selection and mutation pressure are important for shaping the codon usage pattern of ZIKV. Our findings contribute to understanding the evolution of ZIKV and its adaption to its hosts. PMID:27893824

Smartphone dependence classification using tensor factorization

PubMed Central

Kim, Yejin; Yook, In Hye; Yu, Hwanjo; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-01-01

Excessive smartphone use causes personal and social problems. To address this issue, we sought to derive usage patterns that were directly correlated with smartphone dependence based on usage data. This study attempted to classify smartphone dependence using a data-driven prediction algorithm. We developed a mobile application to collect smartphone usage data. A total of 41,683 logs of 48 smartphone users were collected from March 8, 2015, to January 8, 2016. The participants were classified into the control group (SUC) or the addiction group (SUD) using the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale for Adults (S-Scale) and a face-to-face offline interview by a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist (SUC = 23 and SUD = 25). We derived usage patterns using tensor factorization and found the following six optimal usage patterns: 1) social networking services (SNS) during daytime, 2) web surfing, 3) SNS at night, 4) mobile shopping, 5) entertainment, and 6) gaming at night. The membership vectors of the six patterns obtained a significantly better prediction performance than the raw data. For all patterns, the usage times of the SUD were much longer than those of the SUC. From our findings, we concluded that usage patterns and membership vectors were effective tools to assess and predict smartphone dependence and could provide an intervention guideline to predict and treat smartphone dependence based on usage data. PMID:28636614

I’ll Be Back: On the Multiple Lives of Users of a Mobile Activity Tracking Application

PubMed Central

Lin, Zhiyuan; Althoff, Tim; Leskovec, Jure

2018-01-01

Mobile health applications that track activities, such as exercise, sleep, and diet, are becoming widely used. While these activity tracking applications have the potential to improve our health, user engagement and retention are critical factors for their success. However, long-term user engagement patterns in real-world activity tracking applications are not yet well understood. Here we study user engagement patterns within a mobile physical activity tracking application consisting of 115 million logged activities taken by over a million users over 31 months. Specifically, we show that over 75% of users return and re-engage with the application after prolonged periods of inactivity, no matter the duration of the inactivity. We find a surprising result that the re-engagement usage patterns resemble those of the start of the initial engagement period, rather than being a simple continuation of the end of the initial engagement period. This evidence points to a conceptual model of multiple lives of user engagement, extending the prevalent single life view of user activity. We demonstrate that these multiple lives occur because the users have a variety of different primary intents or goals for using the app. These primary intents are associated with how long each life lasts and how likely the user is to re-engage for a new life. We find evidence for users being more likely to stop using the app once they achieved their primary intent or goal (e.g., weight loss). However, these users might return once their original intent resurfaces (e.g., wanting to lose newly gained weight). We discuss implications of the multiple life paradigm and propose a novel prediction task of predicting the number of lives of a user. Based on insights developed in this work, including a marker of improved primary intent performance, our prediction models achieve 71% ROC AUC. Overall, our research has implications for modeling user re-engagement in health activity tracking applications and has consequences for how notifications, recommendations as well as gamification can be used to increase engagement. PMID:29780978

Comparing the Self-Report and Measured Smartphone Usage of College Students: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Lee, Heyoung; Ahn, Heejune; Nguyen, Trung Giang; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dae Jin

2017-03-01

Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects.

Breaking Open the Black Box: Isolating the Most Potent Features of a Web and Mobile Phone-Based Intervention for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress.

PubMed

Whitton, Alexis E; Proudfoot, Judith; Clarke, Janine; Birch, Mary-Rose; Parker, Gordon; Manicavasagar, Vijaya; Hadzi-Pavlovic, Dusan

2015-01-01

Internet-delivered mental health (eMental Health) interventions produce treatment effects similar to those observed in face-to-face treatment. However, there is a large degree of variation in treatment effects observed from program to program, and eMental Health interventions remain somewhat of a black box in terms of the mechanisms by which they exert their therapeutic benefit. Trials of eMental Health interventions typically use large sample sizes and therefore provide an ideal context within which to systematically investigate the therapeutic benefit of specific program features. Furthermore, the growth and impact of mobile phone technology within eMental Health interventions provides an opportunity to examine associations between symptom improvement and the use of program features delivered across computer and mobile phone platforms. The objective of this study was to identify the patterns of program usage associated with treatment outcome in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a fully automated, mobile phone- and Web-based self-help program, "myCompass", for individuals with mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and/or stress. The core features of the program include interactive psychotherapy modules, a symptom tracking feature, short motivational messages, symptom tracking reminders, and a diary, with many of these features accessible via both computer and mobile phone. Patterns of program usage were recorded for 231 participants with mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety, and/or stress, and who were randomly allocated to receive access to myCompass for seven weeks during the RCT. Depression, anxiety, stress, and functional impairment were examined at baseline and at eight weeks. Log data indicated that the most commonly used components were the short motivational messages (used by 68.4%, 158/231 of participants) and the symptom tracking feature (used by 61.5%, 142/231 of participants). Further, after controlling for baseline symptom severity, increased use of these alert features was associated with significant improvements in anxiety and functional impairment. Associations between use of symptom tracking reminders and improved treatment outcome remained significant after controlling for frequency of symptom tracking. Although correlations were not statistically significant, reminders received via SMS (ie, text message) were more strongly associated with symptom reduction than were reminders received via email. These findings indicate that alerts may be an especially potent component of eMental Health interventions, both via their association with enhanced program usage, as well as independently. Although there was evidence of a stronger association between symptom improvement and use of alerts via the mobile phone platform, the degree of overlap between use of email and SMS alerts may have precluded identification of alert delivery modalities that were most strongly associated with symptom reduction. Future research using random assignment to computer and mobile delivery is needed to fully determine the most ideal platform for delivery of this and other features of online interventions. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN): 12610000625077; http://www.anzctr.org.au/TrialSearch.aspx? (Archived by WebCite http://www.webcitation.org/6WPqHK0mQ).

Breaking Open the Black Box: Isolating the Most Potent Features of a Web and Mobile Phone-Based Intervention for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

PubMed Central

Proudfoot, Judith; Clarke, Janine; Birch, Mary-Rose; Parker, Gordon; Manicavasagar, Vijaya; Hadzi-Pavlovic, Dusan

2015-01-01

Background Internet-delivered mental health (eMental Health) interventions produce treatment effects similar to those observed in face-to-face treatment. However, there is a large degree of variation in treatment effects observed from program to program, and eMental Health interventions remain somewhat of a black box in terms of the mechanisms by which they exert their therapeutic benefit. Trials of eMental Health interventions typically use large sample sizes and therefore provide an ideal context within which to systematically investigate the therapeutic benefit of specific program features. Furthermore, the growth and impact of mobile phone technology within eMental Health interventions provides an opportunity to examine associations between symptom improvement and the use of program features delivered across computer and mobile phone platforms. Objective The objective of this study was to identify the patterns of program usage associated with treatment outcome in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a fully automated, mobile phone- and Web-based self-help program, “myCompass”, for individuals with mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and/or stress. The core features of the program include interactive psychotherapy modules, a symptom tracking feature, short motivational messages, symptom tracking reminders, and a diary, with many of these features accessible via both computer and mobile phone. Methods Patterns of program usage were recorded for 231 participants with mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety, and/or stress, and who were randomly allocated to receive access to myCompass for seven weeks during the RCT. Depression, anxiety, stress, and functional impairment were examined at baseline and at eight weeks. Results Log data indicated that the most commonly used components were the short motivational messages (used by 68.4%, 158/231 of participants) and the symptom tracking feature (used by 61.5%, 142/231 of participants). Further, after controlling for baseline symptom severity, increased use of these alert features was associated with significant improvements in anxiety and functional impairment. Associations between use of symptom tracking reminders and improved treatment outcome remained significant after controlling for frequency of symptom tracking. Although correlations were not statistically significant, reminders received via SMS (ie, text message) were more strongly associated with symptom reduction than were reminders received via email. Conclusions These findings indicate that alerts may be an especially potent component of eMental Health interventions, both via their association with enhanced program usage, as well as independently. Although there was evidence of a stronger association between symptom improvement and use of alerts via the mobile phone platform, the degree of overlap between use of email and SMS alerts may have precluded identification of alert delivery modalities that were most strongly associated with symptom reduction. Future research using random assignment to computer and mobile delivery is needed to fully determine the most ideal platform for delivery of this and other features of online interventions. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN): 12610000625077; http://www.anzctr.org.au/TrialSearch.aspx? (Archived by WebCite http://www.webcitation.org/6WPqHK0mQ). PMID:26543909

DSN Resource Scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Yeou-Fang; Baldwin, John

2007-01-01

TIGRAS is client-side software, which provides tracking-station equipment planning, allocation, and scheduling services to the DSMS (Deep Space Mission System). TIGRAS provides functions for schedulers to coordinate the DSN (Deep Space Network) antenna usage time and to resolve the resource usage conflicts among tracking passes, antenna calibrations, maintenance, and system testing activities. TIGRAS provides a fully integrated multi-pane graphical user interface for all scheduling operations. This is a great improvement over the legacy VAX VMS command line user interface. TIGRAS has the capability to handle all DSN resource scheduling aspects from long-range to real time. TIGRAS assists NASA mission operations for DSN tracking of station equipment resource request processes from long-range load forecasts (ten years or longer), to midrange, short-range, and real-time (less than one week) emergency tracking plan changes. TIGRAS can be operated by NASA mission operations worldwide to make schedule requests for the DSN station equipment.

Comparing the Self-Report and Measured Smartphone Usage of College Students: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Heyoung; Nguyen, Trung Giang; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dae Jin

2017-01-01

Objective Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. Methods Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. Results The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. Conclusion The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects. PMID:28326119

Gaming Device Usage Patterns Predict Internet Gaming Disorder: Comparison across Different Gaming Device Usage Patterns.

PubMed

Paik, Soo-Hyun; Cho, Hyun; Chun, Ji-Won; Jeong, Jo-Eun; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-12-05

Gaming behaviors have been significantly influenced by smartphones. This study was designed to explore gaming behaviors and clinical characteristics across different gaming device usage patterns and the role of the patterns on Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Responders of an online survey regarding smartphone and online game usage were classified by different gaming device usage patterns: (1) individuals who played only computer games; (2) individuals who played computer games more than smartphone games; (3) individuals who played computer and smartphone games evenly; (4) individuals who played smartphone games more than computer games; (5) individuals who played only smartphone games. Data on demographics, gaming-related behaviors, and scales for Internet and smartphone addiction, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use were collected. Combined users, especially those who played computer and smartphone games evenly, had higher prevalence of IGD, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use disorder. These subjects were more prone to develop IGD than reference group (computer only gamers) (B = 0.457, odds ratio = 1.579). Smartphone only gamers had the lowest prevalence of IGD, spent the least time and money on gaming, and showed lowest scores of Internet and smartphone addiction. Our findings suggest that gaming device usage patterns may be associated with the occurrence, course, and prognosis of IGD.

Gaming Device Usage Patterns Predict Internet Gaming Disorder: Comparison across Different Gaming Device Usage Patterns

PubMed Central

Cho, Hyun; Chun, Ji-Won; Jeong, Jo-Eun; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-01-01

Gaming behaviors have been significantly influenced by smartphones. This study was designed to explore gaming behaviors and clinical characteristics across different gaming device usage patterns and the role of the patterns on Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Responders of an online survey regarding smartphone and online game usage were classified by different gaming device usage patterns: (1) individuals who played only computer games; (2) individuals who played computer games more than smartphone games; (3) individuals who played computer and smartphone games evenly; (4) individuals who played smartphone games more than computer games; (5) individuals who played only smartphone games. Data on demographics, gaming-related behaviors, and scales for Internet and smartphone addiction, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use were collected. Combined users, especially those who played computer and smartphone games evenly, had higher prevalence of IGD, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use disorder. These subjects were more prone to develop IGD than reference group (computer only gamers) (B = 0.457, odds ratio = 1.579). Smartphone only gamers had the lowest prevalence of IGD, spent the least time and money on gaming, and showed lowest scores of Internet and smartphone addiction. Our findings suggest that gaming device usage patterns may be associated with the occurrence, course, and prognosis of IGD. PMID:29206183

Multiple Evolutionary Selections Involved in Synonymous Codon Usages in the Streptococcus agalactiae Genome.

PubMed

Ma, Yan-Ping; Ke, Hao; Liang, Zhi-Ling; Liu, Zhen-Xing; Hao, Le; Ma, Jiang-Yao; Li, Yu-Gu

2016-02-24

Streptococcus agalactiae is an important human and animal pathogen. To better understand the genetic features and evolution of S. agalactiae, multiple factors influencing synonymous codon usage patterns in S. agalactiae were analyzed in this study. A- and U-ending rich codons were used in S. agalactiae function genes through the overall codon usage analysis, indicating that Adenine (A)/Thymine (T) compositional constraints might contribute an important role to the synonymous codon usage pattern. The GC3% against the effective number of codon (ENC) value suggested that translational selection was the important factor for codon bias in the microorganism. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that (i) mutational pressure was the most important factor in shaping codon usage of all open reading frames (ORFs) in the S. agalactiae genome; (ii) strand specific mutational bias was not capable of influencing the codon usage bias in the leading and lagging strands; and (iii) gene length was not the important factor in synonymous codon usage pattern in this organism. Additionally, the high correlation between tRNA adaptation index (tAI) value and codon adaptation index (CAI), frequency of optimal codons (Fop) value, reinforced the role of natural selection for efficient translation in S. agalactiae. Comparison of synonymous codon usage pattern between S. agalactiae and susceptible hosts (human and tilapia) showed that synonymous codon usage of S. agalactiae was independent of the synonymous codon usage of susceptible hosts. The study of codon usage in S. agalactiae may provide evidence about the molecular evolution of the bacterium and a greater understanding of evolutionary relationships between S. agalactiae and its hosts.

Multiple Evolutionary Selections Involved in Synonymous Codon Usages in the Streptococcus agalactiae Genome

PubMed Central

Ma, Yan-Ping; Ke, Hao; Liang, Zhi-Ling; Liu, Zhen-Xing; Hao, Le; Ma, Jiang-Yao; Li, Yu-Gu

2016-01-01

Streptococcus agalactiae is an important human and animal pathogen. To better understand the genetic features and evolution of S. agalactiae, multiple factors influencing synonymous codon usage patterns in S. agalactiae were analyzed in this study. A- and U-ending rich codons were used in S. agalactiae function genes through the overall codon usage analysis, indicating that Adenine (A)/Thymine (T) compositional constraints might contribute an important role to the synonymous codon usage pattern. The GC3% against the effective number of codon (ENC) value suggested that translational selection was the important factor for codon bias in the microorganism. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that (i) mutational pressure was the most important factor in shaping codon usage of all open reading frames (ORFs) in the S. agalactiae genome; (ii) strand specific mutational bias was not capable of influencing the codon usage bias in the leading and lagging strands; and (iii) gene length was not the important factor in synonymous codon usage pattern in this organism. Additionally, the high correlation between tRNA adaptation index (tAI) value and codon adaptation index (CAI), frequency of optimal codons (Fop) value, reinforced the role of natural selection for efficient translation in S. agalactiae. Comparison of synonymous codon usage pattern between S. agalactiae and susceptible hosts (human and tilapia) showed that synonymous codon usage of S. agalactiae was independent of the synonymous codon usage of susceptible hosts. The study of codon usage in S. agalactiae may provide evidence about the molecular evolution of the bacterium and a greater understanding of evolutionary relationships between S. agalactiae and its hosts. PMID:26927064

Vegetation moderates impacts of tourism usage on bird communities along roads and hiking trails.

PubMed

Wolf, Isabelle D; Hagenloh, Gerald; Croft, David B

2013-11-15

Bird communities inhabiting ecosystems adjacent to recreational tracks may be adversely affected by disturbance from passing tourism traffic, vehicle-related mortality, habitat alteration and modified biotic relationships such as the increase of strong competitors. This study investigated the effects of tourist usage of roads vs. hiking trails on bird communities in gorges of the Flinders Ranges, a popular South Australian tourist destination in the arid-lands. High tourist usage along roads decreased the individual abundance and species richness of birds relative to low usage trails. The decrease in species richness, though less pronounced, also occurred at high-usage sites along trails. Changes in the species response to recreational disturbance/impacts varied depending on the ecology of the species. Bigger, more competitive birds with a generalist diet were overrepresented at high-usage sites along roads and trails. Species using microhabitats in lower vegetation layers were more sensitive. However, structural and floristic complexity of vegetation was a more important factor influencing bird abundance than tourist usage. Sites with a better developed shrub and tree layer sustained higher species abundance and richer communities. Importantly, vegetation qualities moderated the negative effect of high usage on the individual abundance of birds along roads, to the extent that such an effect was absent at sites with the best developed shrub and tree layer. To protect avifauna along recreational tracks in arid-lands gorges, we recommend the closure of some gorges or sections for vehicle or any access. Further, open space particularly for camping needs to be minimized as it creates areas of high tourist usage with modified habitat that provides birds with little buffer from disturbance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maintenance Decision Support System, Phase III

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-09-01

The main goal of the project was to address barriers that limit NDOTs ability to implement MDSS and MMS systems. The four project tasks included: Task 1: Develop system for tracking sand and/or deicing material usage: A system that tracks where and w...

Intelligent web image retrieval system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Sungyong; Lee, Chungwoo; Nah, Yunmook

2001-07-01

Recently, the web sites such as e-business sites and shopping mall sites deal with lots of image information. To find a specific image from these image sources, we usually use web search engines or image database engines which rely on keyword only retrievals or color based retrievals with limited search capabilities. This paper presents an intelligent web image retrieval system. We propose the system architecture, the texture and color based image classification and indexing techniques, and representation schemes of user usage patterns. The query can be given by providing keywords, by selecting one or more sample texture patterns, by assigning color values within positional color blocks, or by combining some or all of these factors. The system keeps track of user's preferences by generating user query logs and automatically add more search information to subsequent user queries. To show the usefulness of the proposed system, some experimental results showing recall and precision are also explained.

How parental attitudes affect the risky computer and Internet usage patterns of adolescents: a population-based study in the Bursa District of Turkey.

PubMed

Uncu, Yeşim; Vural, Pinar; Büyükuysal, Cağatay; Alper, Züleyha; Kiliç, Emine Zinnur

2014-12-01

We aimed to evaluate the computer usage patterns of adolescents and to determine the effects of family life and parental attitude on these patterns. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, population-based survey that included 935 children between 11 and 16 years of age who were students in the second level of primary school and their parents as well. The following instruments were used in the survey: student and parent questionnaires on computer usage patterns and the Parental Attitude Research Instrument (PARI) to assess parental attitudes towards child-rearing and family life. Of the study population, the majority of the students had a computer in their homes and spent a lot of time on the Internet. Parental control over the amount of time spent on the Internet and the websites that were visited had sometimes limited and contradictory effects on computer usage among the students. A democratic parental attitude was the best approach. Using the computer as a reward or punishment had a negative impact on the children's computer usage patterns. Although parents are confused concerning the benefits and harms of the Internet for their children and not certain how to manage their children's use of the computer and safe navigation of the Internet, a democratic parental attitude appears to be the best approach for reaching the most beneficial computer usage patterns for students.

Developmental stage related patterns of codon usage and genomic GC content: searching for evolutionary fingerprints with models of stem cell differentiation

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

Background The usage of synonymous codons shows considerable variation among mammalian genes. How and why this usage is non-random are fundamental biological questions and remain controversial. It is also important to explore whether mammalian genes that are selectively expressed at different developmental stages bear different molecular features. Results In two models of mouse stem cell differentiation, we established correlations between codon usage and the patterns of gene expression. We found that the optimal codons exhibited variation (AT- or GC-ending codons) in different cell types within the developmental hierarchy. We also found that genes that were enriched (developmental-pivotal genes) or specifically expressed (developmental-specific genes) at different developmental stages had different patterns of codon usage and local genomic GC (GCg) content. Moreover, at the same developmental stage, developmental-specific genes generally used more GC-ending codons and had higher GCg content compared with developmental-pivotal genes. Further analyses suggest that the model of translational selection might be consistent with the developmental stage-related patterns of codon usage, especially for the AT-ending optimal codons. In addition, our data show that after human-mouse divergence, the influence of selective constraints is still detectable. Conclusion Our findings suggest that developmental stage-related patterns of gene expression are correlated with codon usage (GC3) and GCg content in stem cell hierarchies. Moreover, this paper provides evidence for the influence of natural selection at synonymous sites in the mouse genome and novel clues for linking the molecular features of genes to their patterns of expression during mammalian ontogenesis. PMID:17349061

Tracking data in the office environment.

PubMed

Erickson, Ty B

2010-09-01

Data tracking in the office setting focuses on a narrow spectrum of the entire patient safety arena; however, when properly executed, data tracking increases staff members' awareness of the importance of patient safety. Data tracking is also a high-volume event and thereby continues to loop back on the consciousness of providers in all aspects of their practice. Improvement in date tracking will improve the collateral areas of patient safety such as proper medication usage, legibility of written communication, effective delegation of patient safety initiatives, and a collegial effort at developing teams for safety design processes.

Student Media Usage Patterns and Non-Traditional Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zawacki-Richter, Olaf; Müskens, Wolfgang; Krause, Ulrike; Alturki, Uthman; Aldraiweesh, Ahmed

2015-01-01

A total of 2,338 students at German universities participated in a survey, which investigated media usage patterns of so-called traditional and non-traditional students (Schuetze & Wolter, 2003). The students provided information on the digital devices that they own or have access to, and on their usage of media and e-learning tools and…

40 CFR 63.5880 - How do I determine how much neat resin plus is applied to the line and how much neat gel coat...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... SOURCE CATEGORIES National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Reinforced Plastic... gel coat plus is applied to the line each year. (a) Track formula usage by end product/thickness combinations. (b) Use in-house records to show usage. This may be either from automated systems or manual...

Student Data Privacy, Digital Learning, and Special Education: Challenges at the Intersection of Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stahl, William M.; Karger, Joanne

2016-01-01

The rapid adoption of digital content and delivery systems, each with its own capacity to track, store, and analyze student usage, interactions, and academic outcomes at both a highly detailed and granular level, has emerged as an area of widespread opportunity, but also of concern. The comingling of various student data sets (demographics, usage,…

Tracking the PhD Students' Daily Computer Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sim, Kwong Nui; van der Meer, Jacques

2015-01-01

This study investigated PhD students' computer activities in their daily research practice. Software that tracks computer usage (Manic Time) was installed on the computers of nine PhD students, who were at their early, mid and final stage in doing their doctoral research in four different discipline areas (Commerce, Humanities, Health Sciences and…

Design of a Solar Tracking Interactive Kiosk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Nathaniel R.; Brunskill, Jeffrey C.

2017-01-01

A two-axis solar tracker and its interactive kiosk were designed by an interdisciplinary team of students and faculty. The objective was to develop a publicly accessible kiosk that would facilitate the study of energy usage and production on campus. Tracking is accomplished by an open-loop algorithm, microcontroller, and ham radio rotator. Solar…

Codon usage bias and phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial ND1 gene in pisces, aves, and mammals.

PubMed

Uddin, Arif; Choudhury, Monisha Nath; Chakraborty, Supriyo

2018-01-01

The mitochondrially encoded NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit 1 (MT-ND1) gene is a subunit of the respiratory chain complex I and involved in the first step of the electron transport chain of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). To understand the pattern of compositional properties, codon usage and expression level of mitochondrial ND1 genes in pisces, aves, and mammals, we used bioinformatic approaches as no work was reported earlier. In this study, a perl script was used for calculating nucleotide contents and different codon usage bias parameters. The codon usage bias of MT-ND1 was low but the expression level was high as revealed from high ENC and CAI value. Correspondence analysis (COA) suggests that the pattern of codon usage for MT-ND1 gene is not same across species and that compositional constraint played an important role in codon usage pattern of this gene among pisces, aves, and mammals. From the regression equation of GC12 on GC3, it can be inferred that the natural selection might have played a dominant role while mutation pressure played a minor role in influencing the codon usage patterns. Further, ND1 gene has a discrepancy with cytochrome B (CYB) gene in preference of codons as evident from COA. The codon usage bias was low. It is influenced by nucleotide composition, natural selection, mutation pressure, length (number) of amino acids, and relative dinucleotide composition. This study helps in understanding the molecular biology, genetics, evolution of MT-ND1 gene, and also for designing a synthetic gene.

Motivations and usage patterns of Weibo.

PubMed

Zhang, Lixuan; Pentina, Iryna

2012-06-01

Referred to as "Weibo," microblogging in China has witnessed an exponential growth. In addition to the Twitter-like functionality, Weibo allows rich media uploads into user feeds, provides threaded comments, and offers applications, games, and Weibo medals. This expanded functionality, as well as the observed differences in trending content, suggests potentially different user motivations to join Weibo and their usage patterns compared to Twitter. This pioneering study identifies dominant Weibo user motivations and their effects on usage patterns. We discuss the findings of an online survey of 234 Weibo users and suggest managerial implications and future research directions.

Assessing Homegrown Library Collections: Using Google Analytics to Track Use of Screencasts and Flash-Based Learning Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betty, Paul

2009-01-01

Increasing use of screencast and Flash authoring software within libraries is resulting in "homegrown" library collections of digital learning objects and multimedia presentations. The author explores the use of Google Analytics to track usage statistics for interactive Shockwave Flash (.swf) files, the common file output for screencast and Flash…

New approaches to spatially analyse primary health care usage patterns in rural South Africa.

PubMed

Tanser, F; Hosegood, V; Benzler, J; Solarsh, G

2001-10-01

To develop indices to quantitatively assess and understand the spatial usage patterns of health facilities in the Hlabisa district of South Africa. We mapped and interviewed more than 23 000 homesteads (approximately 200 000 people) in Hlabisa district, South Africa and spatially analysed their modal primary health usage patterns using a geographical information system. We generated contour maps of health service use and quantified the relationship between clinic catchments and distance-defined catchments using inclusion and exclusion error. We propose the distance usage index (DUI) as an overall spatial measure of clinic usage. This index is the sum of the distances from clinic to all client homesteads divided by the sum of the distances from clinic to all homesteads within its distance-defined catchment. The index encompasses inclusion, exclusion, and strength of patient attraction for each clinic. Eighty-seven per cent of homesteads use the nearest clinic. Residents of homesteads travel an average Euclidean distance of 4.72 km to attend clinics. There is a significant logarithmic relationship between distance from clinic and their use by homesteads (r(2)=0.774, P < 0.0001). The DUI values range between 31 and 198% (mean=110%, SD=43.7) for 12 clinics and highlight clinic usage patterns across the district. The DUI is a powerful and informative composite measure of clinic usage. The results of the study have important implications for health care provision in developing countries.

Web usage data mining agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madiraju, Praveen; Zhang, Yanqing

2002-03-01

When a user logs in to a website, behind the scenes the user leaves his/her impressions, usage patterns and also access patterns in the web servers log file. A web usage mining agent can analyze these web logs to help web developers to improve the organization and presentation of their websites. They can help system administrators in improving the system performance. Web logs provide invaluable help in creating adaptive web sites and also in analyzing the network traffic analysis. This paper presents the design and implementation of a Web usage mining agent for digging in to the web log files.

Energy Games - A Grade 5 Competition, The Data Analysis and Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kao, W. H.

2016-12-01

ISF Academy, a K-G12 school in Hong Kong with over 1500 students and currently spanning 3 buildings, is retrofitting the school with an energy tracking system in three phases. The first phase that happened during February to June 2016, has included retrofitting nine Grade 5 classrooms. In this program, the daily energy usage data from these classrooms were shown. The Grade 5 students received feedback on their energy use in real time, as they competed over four months in their homeroom classes to lower their electrical use, and subsequently their carbon footprint. This competition has successfully given the 180 Grade 5 students initiative to decrease their energy use, leading to a significant decrease in energy usage throughout this competition, compared to the baseline recorded in late 2015. The winning classroom's total energy usage was around 30% lower than the average total energy usage, showing that by using energy efficiently, energy usage in a school can be decreased by a lot. The energy tracking system installed and maintained by from Global Design Corporation utilizes uniquely identified current detectors attached to circuit breakers, to monitor electrical use of individual circuits. The detectors monitor the energy used for classroom lighting, fans and plugs, as well as the air conditioners. Further analysis can also be calculated with current data that is collected in the Phase 1 experiment, such as calculating the carbon emissions reduction throughout the school year, providing possible class learning activities and also aiding in future energy use and carbon footprint predictions. This data collected will help refine phase 2 and 3 of the installation, expanding the system to more buildings and also giving insight to the rollout of the system to the whole school when the systems are fully in place. In Phase 2, the energy tracking system would be expanded to all classrooms in the old buildings, while in Phase 3, the system would be expanded the all classrooms throughout the whole campus.

An initial log analysis of usage patterns on a research networking system.

PubMed

Boland, Mary Regina; Trembowelski, Sylvia; Bakken, Suzanne; Weng, Chunhua

2012-08-01

Usage data for research networking systems (RNSs) are valuable but generally unavailable for understanding scientific professionals' information needs and online collaborator seeking behaviors. This study contributes a method for evaluating RNSs and initial usage knowledge of one RNS obtained from using this method. We designed a log for an institutional RNS, defined categories of users and tasks, and analyzed correlations between usage patterns and user and query types. Our results show that scientific professionals spend more time performing deep Web searching on RNSs than generic Google users and we also show that retrieving scientist profiles is faster on an RNS than on Google (3.5 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds) whereas organization-specific browsing on a RNS takes longer than on Google (117.0 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds). Usage patterns vary by user role, e.g., faculty performed more informational queries than administrators, which implies role-specific user support is needed for RNSs. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An Initial Log Analysis of Usage Patterns on a Research Networking System

PubMed Central

Boland, Mary Regina; Trembowelski, Sylvia; Bakken, Suzanne; Weng, Chunhua

2012-01-01

Abstract Usage data for research networking systems (RNSs) are valuable but generally unavailable for understanding scientific professionals’ information needs and online collaborator seeking behaviors. This study contributes a method for evaluating RNSs and initial usage knowledge of one RNS obtained from using this method. We designed a log for an institutional RNS, defined categories of users and tasks, and analyzed correlations between usage patterns and user and query types. Our results show that scientific professionals spend more time performing deep Web searching on RNSs than generic Google users and we also show that retrieving scientist profiles is faster on an RNS than on Google (3.5 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds) whereas organization‐specific browsing on a RNS takes longer than on Google (117.0 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds). Usage patterns vary by user role, e.g., faculty performed more informational queries than administrators, which implies role‐specific user support is needed for RNSs. Clin Trans Sci 2012; Volume 5: 340–347 PMID:22883612

Track finding in ATLAS using GPUs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattmann, J.; Schmitt, C.

2012-12-01

The reconstruction and simulation of collision events is a major task in modern HEP experiments involving several ten thousands of standard CPUs. On the other hand the graphics processors (GPUs) have become much more powerful and are by far outperforming the standard CPUs in terms of floating point operations due to their massive parallel approach. The usage of these GPUs could therefore significantly reduce the overall reconstruction time per event or allow for the usage of more sophisticated algorithms. In this paper the track finding in the ATLAS experiment will be used as an example on how the GPUs can be used in this context: the implementation on the GPU requires a change in the algorithmic flow to allow the code to work in the rather limited environment on the GPU in terms of memory, cache, and transfer speed from and to the GPU and to make use of the massive parallel computation. Both, the specific implementation of parts of the ATLAS track reconstruction chain and the performance improvements obtained will be discussed.

Genome-wide comparative analysis of codon usage bias and codon context patterns among cyanobacterial genomes.

PubMed

Prabha, Ratna; Singh, Dhananjaya P; Sinha, Swati; Ahmad, Khurshid; Rai, Anil

2017-04-01

With the increasing accumulation of genomic sequence information of prokaryotes, the study of codon usage bias has gained renewed attention. The purpose of this study was to examine codon selection pattern within and across cyanobacterial species belonging to diverse taxonomic orders and habitats. We performed detailed comparative analysis of cyanobacterial genomes with respect to codon bias. Our analysis reflects that in cyanobacterial genomes, A- and/or T-ending codons were used predominantly in the genes whereas G- and/or C-ending codons were largely avoided. Variation in the codon context usage of cyanobacterial genes corresponded to the clustering of cyanobacteria as per their GC content. Analysis of codon adaptation index (CAI) and synonymous codon usage order (SCUO) revealed that majority of genes are associated with low codon bias. Codon selection pattern in cyanobacterial genomes reflected compositional constraints as major influencing factor. It is also identified that although, mutational constraint may play some role in affecting codon usage bias in cyanobacteria, compositional constraint in terms of genomic GC composition coupled with environmental factors affected codon selection pattern in cyanobacterial genomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Internet and cell phone usage patterns among young adults with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Jenaro, Cristina; Flores, Noelia; Cruz, Maribel; Pérez, Ma Carmen; Vega, Vanessa; Torres, Víctor A

2018-03-01

The risks and opportunities associated with the use of technologies are of growing research interest. Patterns of technology usage illuminate these opportunities and risks. However, no studies have assessed the usage patterns (frequency, duration, and intensity) and related factors in young people with intellectual disabilities. Questionnaires on Internet and cell phone usage patterns, the Internet Over-Use Scale and the Cell-Phone Over-Use Scale, as well as the Beck Depression Inventory were filled out in one-on-one interviews of 216 youth with intellectual disabilities. Young people with disabilities make more social and recreational rather than educational use of these tools, and show higher rates of excessive use of both technologies than a comparison group of 410 young people without disabilities. Also, their overuse is associated with other unhealthy behaviors. The framework of support needs of people with disabilities should be considered to promote healthy Internet and cell phone use. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Enabling active and healthy ageing decision support systems with the smart collection of TV usage patterns

PubMed Central

Billis, Antonis S.; Batziakas, Asterios; Bratsas, Charalampos; Tsatali, Marianna S.; Karagianni, Maria

2016-01-01

Smart monitoring of seniors behavioural patterns and more specifically activities of daily living have attracted immense research interest in recent years. Development of smart decision support systems to support the promotion of health smart homes has also emerged taking advantage of the plethora of smart, inexpensive and unobtrusive monitoring sensors, devices and software tools. To this end, a smart monitoring system has been used in order to extract meaningful information about television (TV) usage patterns and subsequently associate them with clinical findings of experts. The smart TV operating state remote monitoring system was installed in four elderly women homes and gathered data for more than 11 months. Results suggest that TV daily usage (time the TV is turned on) can predict mental health change. Conclusively, the authors suggest that collection of smart device usage patterns could strengthen the inference capabilities of existing health DSSs applied in uncontrolled settings such as real senior homes. PMID:27284457

Enabling active and healthy ageing decision support systems with the smart collection of TV usage patterns.

PubMed

Billis, Antonis S; Batziakas, Asterios; Bratsas, Charalampos; Tsatali, Marianna S; Karagianni, Maria; Bamidis, Panagiotis D

2016-03-01

Smart monitoring of seniors behavioural patterns and more specifically activities of daily living have attracted immense research interest in recent years. Development of smart decision support systems to support the promotion of health smart homes has also emerged taking advantage of the plethora of smart, inexpensive and unobtrusive monitoring sensors, devices and software tools. To this end, a smart monitoring system has been used in order to extract meaningful information about television (TV) usage patterns and subsequently associate them with clinical findings of experts. The smart TV operating state remote monitoring system was installed in four elderly women homes and gathered data for more than 11 months. Results suggest that TV daily usage (time the TV is turned on) can predict mental health change. Conclusively, the authors suggest that collection of smart device usage patterns could strengthen the inference capabilities of existing health DSSs applied in uncontrolled settings such as real senior homes.

Scalable PGAS Metadata Management on Extreme Scale Systems

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

Chavarría-Miranda, Daniel; Agarwal, Khushbu; Straatsma, TP

Programming models intended to run on exascale systems have a number of challenges to overcome, specially the sheer size of the system as measured by the number of concurrent software entities created and managed by the underlying runtime. It is clear from the size of these systems that any state maintained by the programming model has to be strictly sub-linear in size, in order not to overwhelm memory usage with pure overhead. A principal feature of Partitioned Global Address Space (PGAS) models is providing easy access to global-view distributed data structures. In order to provide efficient access to these distributedmore » data structures, PGAS models must keep track of metadata such as where array sections are located with respect to processes/threads running on the HPC system. As PGAS models and applications become ubiquitous on very large transpetascale systems, a key component to their performance and scalability will be efficient and judicious use of memory for model overhead (metadata) compared to application data. We present an evaluation of several strategies to manage PGAS metadata that exhibit different space/time tradeoffs. We use two real-world PGAS applications to capture metadata usage patterns and gain insight into their communication behavior.« less

The Use of Motion Tracking Technologies in Serious Games to Enhance Rehabilitation in Stroke Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Andrew M.; Liu, Hao; Battersby, Steven; Brown, David; Sherkat, Nasser; Standen, Penny; Walker, Marion

2011-01-01

Stroke is the main cause of long term disability worldwide. Of those surviving, more than half will fail to regain functional usage of their impaired upper limb. Typically stroke upper limb rehabilitation exercises consist of repeated movements, which when tracked can form the basis of inputs to games. This paper discusses two systems utilizing…

Allocation Usage Tracking and Management | High-Performance Computing |

Science.gov Websites

NREL's high-performance computing (HPC) systems, learn how to track and manage your allocations. The alloc_tracker script (/usr/local/bin/alloc_tracker) may be used to see what allocations you have access to, how much of the allocation has been used, how much remains and how many node hours will be forfeited at the

Fuzzy usage pattern in customizing public transport fleet and its maintenance options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husniah, H.; Herdiani, L.; Kusmaya; Supriatna, A. K.

2018-05-01

In this paper we study a two-dimensional maintenance contract for a fleet of public transport, such as buses, shuttle etc. The buses are sold with a two-dimensional warranty. The warranty and the maintenance contract are characterized by two parameters – age and usage – which define a two-dimensional region. However, we use one dimensional approach to model these age and usage of the buses. The under-laying maintenance service contracts is the one which offers policy limit cost to protect a service provider (an agent) from over claim and to pursue the owner to do maintenance under specified cost in house. This in turn gives benefit for both the owner of the buses and the agent of service contract. The decision problem for an agent is to determine the optimal price for each option offered, and for the owner is to select the best contract option. We use a Nash game theory formulation in order to obtain a win-win solution – i.e. the optimal price for the agent and the optimal option for the owner. We further assume that there will be three different usage pattern of the buses, i.e. low, medium, and high pattern of the usage rate. In many situations it is often that we face a blur boundary between the adjacent patterns. In this paper we look for the optimal price for the agent and the optimal option for the owner, which minimizes the expected total cost while considering the fuzziness of the usage rate pattern.

Disk space and load time requirements for eye movement biometric databases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasprowski, Pawel; Harezlak, Katarzyna

2016-06-01

Biometric identification is a very popular area of interest nowadays. Problems with the so-called physiological methods like fingerprints or iris recognition resulted in increased attention paid to methods measuring behavioral patterns. Eye movement based biometric (EMB) identification is one of the interesting behavioral methods and due to the intensive development of eye tracking devices it has become possible to define new methods for the eye movement signal processing. Such method should be supported by an efficient storage used to collect eye movement data and provide it for further analysis. The aim of the research was to check various setups enabling such a storage choice. There were various aspects taken into consideration, like disk space usage, time required for loading and saving whole data set or its chosen parts.

Complex codon usage pattern and compositional features of retroviruses.

PubMed

RoyChoudhury, Sourav; Mukherjee, Debaprasad

2013-01-01

Retroviruses infect a wide range of organisms including humans. Among them, HIV-1, which causes AIDS, has now become a major threat for world health. Some of these viruses are also potential gene transfer vectors. In this study, the patterns of synonymous codon usage in retroviruses have been studied through multivariate statistical methods on ORFs sequences from the available 56 retroviruses. The principal determinant for evolution of the codon usage pattern in retroviruses seemed to be the compositional constraints, while selection for translation of the viral genes plays a secondary role. This was further supported by multivariate analysis on relative synonymous codon usage. Thus, it seems that mutational bias might have dominated role over translational selection in shaping the codon usage of retroviruses. Codon adaptation index was used to identify translationally optimal codons among genes from retroviruses. The comparative analysis of the preferred and optimal codons among different retroviral groups revealed that four codons GAA, AAA, AGA, and GGA were significantly more frequent in most of the retroviral genes inspite of some differences. Cluster analysis also revealed that phylogenetically related groups of retroviruses have probably evolved their codon usage in a concerted manner under the influence of their nucleotide composition.

Analysis of transcriptome data reveals multifactor constraint on codon usage in Taenia multiceps.

PubMed

Huang, Xing; Xu, Jing; Chen, Lin; Wang, Yu; Gu, Xiaobin; Peng, Xuerong; Yang, Guangyou

2017-04-20

Codon usage bias (CUB) is an important evolutionary feature in genomes that has been widely observed in many organisms. However, the synonymous codon usage pattern in the genome of T. multiceps remains to be clarified. In this study, we analyzed the codon usage of T. multiceps based on the transcriptome data to reveal the constraint factors and to gain an improved understanding of the mechanisms that shape synonymous CUB. Analysis of a total of 8,620 annotated mRNA sequences from T. multiceps indicated only a weak codon bias, with mean GC and GC3 content values of 49.29% and 51.43%, respectively. Our analysis indicated that nucleotide composition, mutational pressure, natural selection, gene expression level, amino acids with grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY) and aromaticity (Aromo) and the effective selection of amino-acids all contributed to the codon usage in T. multiceps. Among these factors, natural selection was implicated as the major factor affecting the codon usage variation in T. multiceps. The codon usage of ribosome genes was affected mainly by mutations, while the essential genes were affected mainly by selection. In addition, 21codons were identified as "optimal codons". Overall, the optimal codons were GC-rich (GC:AU, 41:22), and ended with G or C (except CGU). Furthermore, different degrees of variation in codon usage were found between T. multiceps and Escherichia coli, yeast, Homo sapiens. However, little difference was found between T. multiceps and Taenia pisiformis. In this study, the codon usage pattern of T. multiceps was analyzed systematically and factors affected CUB were also identified. This is the first study of codon biology in T. multiceps. Understanding the codon usage pattern in T. multiceps can be helpful for the discovery of new genes, molecular genetic engineering and evolutionary studies.

Collecting conditions usage metadata to optimize current and future ATLAS software and processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinaldi, L.; Barberis, D.; Formica, A.; Gallas, E. J.; Oda, S.; Rybkin, G.; Verducci, M.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

Conditions data (for example: alignment, calibration, data quality) are used extensively in the processing of real and simulated data in ATLAS. The volume and variety of the conditions data needed by different types of processing are quite diverse, so optimizing its access requires a careful understanding of conditions usage patterns. These patterns can be quantified by mining representative log files from each type of processing and gathering detailed information about conditions usage for that type of processing into a central repository.

Using MaxCompiler for the high level synthesis of trigger algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summers, S.; Rose, A.; Sanders, P.

2017-02-01

Firmware for FPGA trigger applications at the CMS experiment is conventionally written using hardware description languages such as Verilog and VHDL. MaxCompiler is an alternative, Java based, tool for developing FPGA applications which uses a higher level of abstraction from the hardware than a hardware description language. An implementation of the jet and energy sum algorithms for the CMS Level-1 calorimeter trigger has been written using MaxCompiler to benchmark against the VHDL implementation in terms of accuracy, latency, resource usage, and code size. A Kalman Filter track fitting algorithm has been developed using MaxCompiler for a proposed CMS Level-1 track trigger for the High-Luminosity LHC upgrade. The design achieves a low resource usage, and has a latency of 187.5 ns per iteration.

The Fermilab Isdn Pilot Project: Experiences and Future Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, D. E.; Lego, A. J.; Clifford, A. E.

Fully operational in June of 1994, the Fermilab ISDN Pilot Project was started to gain insight into the costs and benefits of providing ISDN service to the homes of Fermilab researchers. Fourteen users were chosen from throughout Fermilab, but the number of Fermilab-employed spouses pushed the total user count to 20. Each home was equipped with a basic rate ISDN (BRI) line, a BRI Ethernet half-bridge, and an NT-1. An inter-departmental team coordinated the project. Usage at each home was tracked and frequent surveys were attempted. Lessons learned include: working with Ameritech can be difficult; careful monitoring is essential; and configuration of home computing equipment is very time consuming. Plans include moving entirely to primary rate ISDN hubs, support for different home ISDN equipment and better usage and performance tracking.

Exploring the Relationship between Video Lecture Usage Patterns and Students' Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giannakos, Michail N.; Jaccheri, Letizia; Krogstie, John

2016-01-01

Videos have enhanced the value of teaching and learning, particularly in tertiary education. Recent studies have investigated students' attitudes toward video lectures for educational purposes; however, the relationship between students' attitudes and different usage patterns such as platforms used, video duration, watching period and students'…

Factors motivating and affecting health information exchange usage

PubMed Central

Zhao, Hongwei; Jaspserson, 'Jon; Gamm, Larry D; Ohsfeldt, Robert L

2011-01-01

Objective Health information exchange (HIE) is the process of electronically sharing patient-level information between providers. However, where implemented, reports indicate HIE system usage is low. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with different types of HIE usage. Design Cross-sectional analysis of clinical data from emergency room encounters included in an operational HIE effort linked to system user logs using crossed random-intercept logistic regression. Measurements Independent variables included factors indicative of information needs. System usage was measured as none, basic usage, or a novel pattern of usage. Results The system was accessed for 2.3% of all encounters (6142 out of 271 305). Novel usage patterns were more likely for more complex patients. The odds of HIE usage were lower in the face of time constraints. In contrast to expectations, system usage was lower when the patient was unfamiliar to the facility. Limitations Because of differences between HIE efforts and the fact that not all types of HIE usage (ie, public health) could be included in the analysis, results are limited in terms of generalizablity. Conclusions This study of actual HIE system usage identifies patients and circumstances in which HIE is more likely to be used and factors that are likely to discourage usage. The paper explores the implications of the findings for system redesign, information integration across exchange partners, and for meaningful usage criteria emerging from provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health Act. PMID:21262919

Characterization of codon usage pattern and influencing factors in Japanese encephalitis virus.

PubMed

Singh, Niraj K; Tyagi, Anuj; Kaur, Rajinder; Verma, Ramneek; Gupta, Praveen K

2016-08-02

Recently, several outbreaks of Japanese encephalitis (JE), caused by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), have been reported and it has become cause of concern across the world. In this study, detailed analysis of JEV codon usage pattern was performed. The relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) values along with mean effective number of codons (ENC) value of 55.30 indicated the presence of low codon usages bias in JEV. The effect of mutational pressure on codon usage bias was confirmed by significant correlations of A3s, U3s, G3s, C3s, GC3s, ENC values, with overall nucleotide contents (A%, U%, G%, C%, and GC%). The correlation analysis of A3s, U3s, G3s, C3s, GC3s, with axis values of correspondence analysis (CoA) further confirmed the role of mutational pressure. However, the correlation analysis of Gravy values and Aroma values with A3s, U3s, G3s, C3s, and GC3s, indicated the presence of natural selection on codon usage bias in addition to mutational pressure. The natural selection was further confirmed by codon adaptation index (CAI) analysis. Additionally, relative dinucleotide frequencies, geographical distribution, and evolutionary processes also influenced the codon usage pattern to some extent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Usage Pattern Differences and Similarities of Mobile Electronic Medical Records Among Health Care Providers

PubMed Central

Kim, Junetae; Kim, Jeong Hoon; Kim, Woo Sung

2017-01-01

Background Recently, many hospitals have introduced mobile electronic medical records (mEMRs). Although numerous studies have been published on the usability or usage patterns of mEMRs through user surveys, investigations based on the real data usage are lacking. Objective Asan Medical Center, a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea, implemented an mEMR program in 2010. On the basis of the mEMR usage log data collected over a period of 4.5 years, we aimed to identify a usage pattern and trends in accordance with user occupation and to disseminate the factors that make the mEMR more effective and efficient. Methods The mEMR log data were collected from March 2012 to August 2016. Descriptive analyses were completed according to user occupation, access time, services, and wireless network type. Specifically, analyses targeted were as follows: (1) the status of the mEMR usage and distribution of users, (2) trends in the number of users and usage amount, (3) 24-hour usage patterns, and (4) trends in service usage based on user occupations. Linear regressions were performed to model the relationship between the time, access frequency, and the number of users. The differences between the user occupations were examined using Student t tests for categorical variables. Results Approximately two-thirds of the doctors and nurses used the mEMR. The number of logs studied was 7,144,459. Among 3859 users, 2333 (60.46%) users were nurses and 1102 (28.56%) users were doctors. On average, the mEMR was used 1044 times by 438 users per day. The number of users and amount of access logs have significantly increased since 2012 (P<.001). Nurses used the mEMR 3 times more often than doctors. The use of mEMR by nurses increased by an annual average of 51.5%, but use by doctors decreased by an annual average of 7.7%. For doctors, the peak usage periods were observed during 08:00 to 09:00 and 17:00 to 18:00, which were coincident with the beginning of ward rounds. Conversely, the peak usage periods for the nurses were observed during 05:00 to 06:00, 12:00 to 13:00, and 20:00 to 21:00, which effectively occurred 1 or 2 hours before handover. In more than 80% of all cases, the mEMR was accessed via a nonhospital wireless network. Conclusions The usage patterns of the mEMR differed between doctors and nurses according to their different workflows. In both occupations, mEMR was highly used when personal computer access was limited and the need for patient information was high, such as during ward rounds or handover periods. PMID:29237579

Optimal tyre usage for a Formula One car

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tremlett, A. J.; Limebeer, D. J. N.

2016-10-01

Variations in track temperature, surface conditions and layout have led tyre manufacturers to produce a range of rubber compounds for race events. Each compound has unique friction and durability characteristics. Efficient tyre management over a full race distance is a crucial component of a competitive race strategy. A minimum lap time optimal control calculation and a thermodynamic tyre wear model are used to establish optimal tyre warming and tyre usage strategies. Lap time sensitivities demonstrate that relatively small changes in control strategy can lead to significant reductions in the associated wear metrics. The illustrated methodology shows how vehicle setup parameters can be optimised for minimum tyre usage.

Usage Patterns of Open Genomic Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xia, Jingfeng; Liu, Ying

2013-01-01

This paper uses Genome Expression Omnibus (GEO), a data repository in biomedical sciences, to examine the usage patterns of open data repositories. It attempts to identify the degree of recognition of data reuse value and understand how e-science has impacted a large-scale scholarship. By analyzing a list of 1,211 publications that cite GEO data…

Psychotropic Drug Patterns in a Large ICF/MR Facility: A Ten-Year Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poindexter, Ann R.

1989-01-01

Psychotropic drug-prescribing patterns for 474 adults with mental retardation residing at an intermediate-care facility were examined for a 10-year period. Results indicated a progressive, marked decrease in total psychotropic drug usage and changes in the type of drugs prescribed with overall decline in drug usage. (Author/DB)

Investigating Learner Preparedness for and Usage Patterns of Mobile Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockwell, Glenn

2008-01-01

While the use of mobile devices for language learning has sparked the interest of an increasing number of researchers in recent years (e.g., Aizawa & Kiernan, 2003; Thornton & Houser, 2005), our knowledge of learners' preferences for the mobile platform and their usage patterns remains limited. Are learners prepared to use mobile phones…

Patterns of Usage of a University-Based, Peer-Operated Hotline.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Anna M.; Glenwick, David S.

1992-01-01

Examined usage patterns (i.e., caller and telephone call characteristics) from 1985 through 1989 at a university-based, peer-operated hotline. Collected data on calls to the hotline for the years under examination. Data analysis revealed the importance of examining both sex differences and differences between repeat and nonrepeat callers.…

Temporal Patterns and Dynamics of E-Learning Usage in Medical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panzarasa, Pietro; Kujawski, Bernard; Hammond, Edward J.; Roberts, C. Michael

2016-01-01

Despite the increasing popularity of e-learning systems across a variety of educational programmes, there is relatively little understanding of how students and trainees distribute their learning efforts over time. This study aimed to analyse the usage patterns of an e-learning resource designed to support specialty training. Data were collected…

Codon usage bias in prokaryotic pyrimidine-ending codons is associated with the degeneracy of the encoded amino acids

PubMed Central

Wald, Naama; Alroy, Maya; Botzman, Maya; Margalit, Hanah

2012-01-01

Synonymous codons are unevenly distributed among genes, a phenomenon termed codon usage bias. Understanding the patterns of codon bias and the forces shaping them is a major step towards elucidating the adaptive advantage codon choice can confer at the level of individual genes and organisms. Here, we perform a large-scale analysis to assess codon usage bias pattern of pyrimidine-ending codons in highly expressed genes in prokaryotes. We find a bias pattern linked to the degeneracy of the encoded amino acid. Specifically, we show that codon-pairs that encode two- and three-fold degenerate amino acids are biased towards the C-ending codon while codons encoding four-fold degenerate amino acids are biased towards the U-ending codon. This codon usage pattern is widespread in prokaryotes, and its strength is correlated with translational selection both within and between organisms. We show that this bias is associated with an improved correspondence with the tRNA pool, avoidance of mis-incorporation errors during translation and moderate stability of codon–anticodon interaction, all consistent with more efficient translation. PMID:22581775

[Impact of OSA Therapy on Established Polyphasic Sleep].

PubMed

Kerl, J; Dellweg, D

2018-05-23

 The prevalence of polyphasic sleep (PS) in patients with sleep apnoea (OSA) is investigated in this study. In established PS the possible impact of OSA therapy on sleep behaviour was examined.  Sleep patterns in 24 hours of initial recepted OSA patients were recorded by questionnaire (n = 163). In polyphasic sleepers the sleep patterns were reevaluated after OSA therapy initiation. In additional patients polyphasic therapy usage was investigated by telemonitoring data (n = 487). 39,6 % of the patients had PS. After OSA therapy initiation in 97,0 % of the polyphasic sleepers a monophasic device usage was established while 3,0 % had a polyphasic usage. PS was switched to monophasic sleep in 81,8 % of the patients. 15.2 % had preserved PS without device usage on daytimes. 2,9 % of the telemonitoring patients showed a polyphasic usage pattern. The prevalence of PS in OSA patients is higher than in the general population. PS is converted to monophasic sleep in 81,8 % after OSA therapy initiation. In preserved PS the majority of patients doesn't use the therapy while napping. Polyphasic device usage was 2,9 % in telemonitoring patients and 3,0 % of the controls of this study. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Smartphone Usage Patterns by Canadian Neurosurgery Residents: A National Cross-Sectional Survey.

PubMed

Kameda-Smith, Michelle Masayo; Iorio-Morin, Christian; Winkler-Schwartz, Alexander; Ahmed, Uzair S; Bergeron, David; Bigder, Mark; Dakson, Ayoub; Elliott, Cameron A; Guha, Daipayan; Lavergne, Pascal; Makarenko, Serge; Taccone, Michael S; Tso, Michael; Wang, Bill; Fortin, David

2018-03-01

Smartphones and their apps are used ubiquitously in medical practice. However, in some cases their use can be at odds with current patient data safety regulations such as Canada's Personal Health Information Protection Act of 2004. To assess current practices and inform mobile application development, we sought to better understand mobile device usage patterns among Canadian neurosurgery residents. Through the Canadian Neurosurgery Research Collaborative, an online survey characterizing smartphone ownership and usage patterns was developed and sent to all Canadian neurosurgery resident in April of 2016. Questionnaires were collected and completed surveys analyzed. Of 146 eligible residents, 76 returned completed surveys (52% response rate). Of these 99% of respondents owned a smartphone, with 79% running on Apple's iOS. Four general mobile uses were identified: 1) communication between members of the medical team, 2) decision support, 3) medical reference, and 4) documentation through medical photography. Communication and photography were areas where the most obvious breaches in the Canadian Personal Health Information Protection Act were noted, with 89% of respondents taking pictures of patients' radiologic studies and 75% exchanging them with Short Message System. Hospital policies had no impact on user behaviors. Smartphones are used daily by most neurosurgery residents. Identified usage patterns are associated with perceived gains in efficacy and challenges in privacy and data reliability. We believe creating and improving workflows that address these usage patterns has a greater potential to improve privacy than changing policies and enforcing regulations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A detailed analysis of codon usage patterns and influencing factors in Zika virus.

PubMed

Singh, Niraj K; Tyagi, Anuj

2017-07-01

Recent outbreaks of Zika virus (ZIKV) in Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Southeast Asia have resulted in serious health concerns. To understand more about evolution and transmission of ZIKV, detailed codon usage analysis was performed for all available strains. A high effective number of codons (ENC) value indicated the presence of low codon usage bias in ZIKV. The effect of mutational pressure on codon usage bias was confirmed by significant correlations between nucleotide compositions at third codon positions and ENCs. Correlation analysis between Gravy values, Aroma values and nucleotide compositions at third codon positions also indicated some influence of natural selection. However, the low codon adaptation index (CAI) value of ZIKV with reference to human and mosquito indicated poor adaptation of ZIKV codon usage towards its hosts, signifying that natural selection has a weaker influence than mutational pressure. Additionally, relative dinucleotide frequencies, geographical distribution, and evolutionary processes also influenced the codon usage pattern to some extent.

The Fermilab ISDN Pilot Project: Experiences and future plans

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

Martin, D.E.; Lego, A.J.; Clifford, A.E.

1995-12-31

Fully operational in June of 1994, the Fermilab ISDN Pilot Project was started to gain insight into the costs and benefits of providing ISDN service to the homes of Fermilab researchers. Fourteen users were chosen from throughout Fermilab, but the number of Fermilab-employed spouses pushed the total user count to 20. Each home was equipped with a basic rate ISDN (BRI) line, a BRI Ethernet half-bridge, and an NT-1. An inter-departmental team coordinated the project. Usage at each home was tracked and frequent surveys were attempted. Lessons learned include: working with Ameritech can be difficult; careful monitoring is essential; andmore » configuration of home computing equipment is very time consuming. Plans include moving entirely to primary rate ISDN hubs, support for different home ISDN equipment and better usage and performance tracking.« less

Using Compositional Writing Samples to Explore Student Usage Patterns in a Learning Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kokensparger, Brian Jay

2013-01-01

This study explored relationships between writing sample features and LMS usage patterns for 366 college students who enrolled in Theology courses, junior-level courses cross-listed with theology courses, or Senior Perspective Program courses in the fall semester of 2012. These hybrid courses were managed inside the Canvas(TM) learning management…

Lecture Attendance and Web Based Lecture Technologies: A Comparison of Student Perceptions and Usage Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Konsky, Brian R.; Ivins, Jim; Gribble, Susan J.

2009-01-01

This paper investigates the impact of web based lecture recordings on learning and attendance at lectures. Student opinions regarding the perceived value of the recordings were evaluated in the context of usage patterns and final marks, and compared with attendance data and student perceptions regarding the usefulness of lectures. The availability…

Patterns of Undergraduates' Use of Scholarly Databases in a Large Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mbabu, Loyd Gitari; Bertram, Albert; Varnum, Ken

2013-01-01

Authentication data was utilized to explore undergraduate usage of subscription electronic databases. These usage patterns were linked to the information literacy curriculum of the library. The data showed that out of the 26,208 enrolled undergraduate students, 42% of them accessed a scholarly database at least once in the course of the entire…

Patterns of Internet Usage in the Philippines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Labucay, Iremae D.

2014-01-01

This chapter reports on the patterns of Internet use in the Philippines using survey data gathered by Social Weather Stations (SWS), a social research institute in the Philippines. As of March 2014, Internet usage rose to 35 percent of the population compared to 9 percent in 1998. However, the data indicates the presence of digital divide in…

Understanding Road Usage Patterns in Urban Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Pu; Hunter, Timothy; Bayen, Alexandre M.; Schechtner, Katja; González, Marta C.

2012-12-01

In this paper, we combine the most complete record of daily mobility, based on large-scale mobile phone data, with detailed Geographic Information System (GIS) data, uncovering previously hidden patterns in urban road usage. We find that the major usage of each road segment can be traced to its own - surprisingly few - driver sources. Based on this finding we propose a network of road usage by defining a bipartite network framework, demonstrating that in contrast to traditional approaches, which define road importance solely by topological measures, the role of a road segment depends on both: its betweeness and its degree in the road usage network. Moreover, our ability to pinpoint the few driver sources contributing to the major traffic flow allows us to create a strategy that achieves a significant reduction of the travel time across the entire road system, compared to a benchmark approach.

Comparing Usage Patterns Recorded between an Electronic Reference and an Electronic Monograph Collection: The Differences in Searches and Full-Text Content Viewings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamothe, Alain R.

2012-01-01

This paper presents the results from a quantitative and systematic analysis comparing the online usage of an e-reference and an e-monograph collection. A very strong relationship exists between size and usage: the larger the collection, the greater the usage. An equally strong relationship exists between searches and viewings, meaning that the…

The prevalence and usage of mobile health applications among mental health patients in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Atallah, Nora; Khalifa, Mohamed; El Metwally, Ashraf; Househ, Mowafa

2018-03-01

Mobile health (mHealth) applications provide new methods of engagement with patients and can help patients manage their mental health condition. The main objective of this study is to explore the prevalence of the use of mobile health applications for mental health patients in Saudi Arabia. A total of 376 participants with depression and/or anxiety completed an online survey distributed by social networks which asked questions relating to mobile phone ownership, uses of health applications, and utilization patterns to track mental health related issues. Approximately, 46% of the participants reported running one or two healthcare related applications on their mobile phones. In all age groups, 64% of the participants used their mobile phones to access information related to their own health. Also, 64% of the participants expressed interest in using their own mobile phones to track and follow the progression of their depression and/or anxiety. Developing mobile health applications for Saudi mental health patients is needed since it can offer opportunities for patients, researchers, caregivers, and legislators to work together to improve the state of mental health care in Saudi Arabia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Formal Basis for Safety Case Patterns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denney, Ewen; Pai, Ganesh

2013-01-01

By capturing common structures of successful arguments, safety case patterns provide an approach for reusing strategies for reasoning about safety. In the current state of the practice, patterns exist as descriptive specifications with informal semantics, which not only offer little opportunity for more sophisticated usage such as automated instantiation, composition and manipulation, but also impede standardization efforts and tool interoperability. To address these concerns, this paper gives (i) a formal definition for safety case patterns, clarifying both restrictions on the usage of multiplicity and well-founded recursion in structural abstraction, (ii) formal semantics to patterns, and (iii) a generic data model and algorithm for pattern instantiation. We illustrate our contributions by application to a new pattern, the requirements breakdown pattern, which builds upon our previous work

Somalia: Country Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFerren, Margaret

A survey of the status of language usage in Somalia begins with an overview of the usage patterns of Somali, the official language, and three languages previously used officially: English, Italian, and Arabic. The cultural context that for many years has supported the usage of a single native language for communication and administration is also…

Linguistic Means of Expressing Distance between Interlocutors in Ukrainian.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulatetska, Ludmila

Characteristics and patterns of Ukrainian language usage expressing social distance are analyzed, with examples given from current usage and, to a lesser extent, perspectives drawn from historical usage. It is concluded that Ukrainian has a rich morphological paradigm to express distance, primarily through diminutive morphology, which can…

U. S. research safety vehicle (RSV) phase I program. Volume III. RSV characteristics and performance specifications. Final report, Jan 1974--Apr 1975

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

Andon, J.; Dodson, E.; Khadilkar, A.

1975-06-01

Current passenger car usage patterns and factors influencing usage are analyzed and projections of usage patterns in the mid-1980's are made. Current available data on six categories of vehicle accidents are analyzed and projections made of national accident patterns in the mid-80's; the effect of potential reductions in these projections as a result of safety programs and other factors related to driving safety are estimated. Based on the usage and accident projections, the characteristics of an RSV (weighing under 3,000 lbs C.W.) for operation in the mid-1980 traffic environment are described. A recommended set of specifications for the RSV aremore » developed considering the potential safety payoff accruing to an increased level of safety performance, the need for energy conservation, availability of material resources, and changes in vehicle mix. (An executive summary of this report is presented in Volume I).« less

Synonymous codon usage patterns in different parasitic platyhelminth mitochondrial genomes.

PubMed

Chen, L; Yang, D Y; Liu, T F; Nong, X; Huang, X; Xie, Y; Fu, Y; Zheng, W P; Zhang, R H; Wu, X H; Gu, X B; Wang, S X; Peng, X R; Yang, G Y

2013-02-27

We analyzed synonymous codon usage patterns of the mitochondrial genomes of 43 parasitic platyhelminth species. The relative synonymous codon usage, the effective number of codons (NC) and the frequency of G+C at the third synonymously variable coding position were calculated. Correspondence analysis was used to determine the major variation trends shaping the codon usage patterns. Among the mitochondrial genomes of 19 trematode species, the GC content of third codon positions varied from 0.151 to 0.592, with a mean of 0.295 ± 0.116. In cestodes, the mean GC content of third codon positions was 0.254 ± 0.044. A comparison of the nucleotide composition at 4-fold synonymous sites revealed that, on average, there was a greater abundance of codons ending on U (51.9%) or A (22.7%) than on C (6.3%) or G (19.14%). Twenty-two codons, including UUU, UUA and UUG, were frequently used. In the NC-plot, most of points were distributed well below or around the expected NC curve. In addition to compositional constraints, the degree of hydrophobicity and the aromatic amino acids also influenced codon usage in the mitochondrial genomes of these 43 parasitic platyhelminth species.

Investigation of the performance of trackpoint and touchpads with varied right and left buttons function locations.

PubMed

Wu, Chih-Fu; Lai, Chih-Chun; Liu, Yen-Kou

2013-03-01

This study investigates the relationships of the following 5 factors with commonly-used task patterns: 4 (2 existing and 2 newly-designed) built-in cursor input devices of notebook PCs, usage experiences, genders, sensitivity of cursor movements, and 5 tasks of input applications (including click, drag-drop, click-select, select-drag-drop, and type-select-click). This experiment reveals that there are significant differences among these factors in the operating times and/or error rates of particular tasks. Although somewhat influenced by the task patterns, the results show that the touchpad with the cursor-tracking pad located on the bottom-center and the right and left buttons on the bottom-left beneath the keyboard, which avoids ulnar and radial deviation and hindrance of text-entry-pointer-manipulation switching, leads to higher performance and preference, while the trackpoint leads to lower performance and preference. In addition, the touchpads with sensitivity values of 10 and 12 for cursor movement are preferred over those with the value of 8. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

GONUTS: the Gene Ontology Normal Usage Tracking System

PubMed Central

Renfro, Daniel P.; McIntosh, Brenley K.; Venkatraman, Anand; Siegele, Deborah A.; Hu, James C.

2012-01-01

The Gene Ontology Normal Usage Tracking System (GONUTS) is a community-based browser and usage guide for Gene Ontology (GO) terms and a community system for general GO annotation of proteins. GONUTS uses wiki technology to allow registered users to share and edit notes on the use of each term in GO, and to contribute annotations for specific genes of interest. By providing a site for generation of third-party documentation at the granularity of individual terms, GONUTS complements the official documentation of the Gene Ontology Consortium. To provide examples for community users, GONUTS displays the complete GO annotations from seven model organisms: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Dictyostelium discoideum, Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Danio rerio, Mus musculus and Arabidopsis thaliana. To support community annotation, GONUTS allows automated creation of gene pages for gene products in UniProt. GONUTS will improve the consistency of annotation efforts across genome projects, and should be useful in training new annotators and consumers in the production of GO annotations and the use of GO terms. GONUTS can be accessed at http://gowiki.tamu.edu. The source code for generating the content of GONUTS is available upon request. PMID:22110029

Mobile usage and sleep patterns among medical students.

PubMed

Yogesh, Saxena; Abha, Shrivastava; Priyanka, Singh

2014-01-01

Exposure of humans to radio frequency electromagnetic field (EMF) both during receiving and transmitting the signals has amplified public and scientific debate about possible adverse effects on human health. The study was designed with the objective of assessing the extent of mobile phone use amongst medical students and finding correlation if any between the hours of usage of mobile to sleep pattern and quality. hundred medical students grouped as cases (n = 57) (> 2 hours/day of mobile usage) and control (n = 43) (≤ 2 hours/day of mobile usage) were examined for their sleep quality & pattern by Pittsburg sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Differences between groups were examined with the Mann Whitney "U" test for proportions (Quantitative values) and with Student't' test for continuous variables. The association of variables was analyzed by Spearman Rank's correlation. Probability was set at < 0.05 as significant. Sleep disturbance, latency and day dysfunction was more in cases especially females. A significant association of hours of usage and sleep indices were observed in both genders (males r = 0.25; p = 0.04, females r = 0.31; p = 0.009). Evening usage of mobile phone in cases showed a statistically significant negative association (-0.606; p = 0.042) with Sleep quality (higher PSQI means sleep deprivation). Students using mobile for > 2 hours/day may cause sleep deprivation and day sleepiness affecting cognitive and learning abilities of medical students.

Analysis of 3D Modeling Software Usage Patterns for K-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Yi-Chieh; Liao, Wen-Hung; Chi, Ming-Te; Li, Tsai-Yen

2016-01-01

In response to the recent trend in maker movement, teachers are learning 3D techniques actively and bringing 3D printing into the classroom to enhance variety and creativity in designing lectures. This study investigates the usage pattern of a 3D modeling software, Qmodel Creator, which is targeted at K-12 students. User logs containing…

Use of the "Personal Delivery" System for Assessment of Drug and Alcohol Attitudes and Usage Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crabtree, J. Michael; Myers, Stanley B.

Community data concerning drug and alcohol usage patterns was assessed via a unique "personal delivery" system. The system, which can be used for collecting other community data produced a return rate of 45% and was very economical. This system largely overcomes the main drawback of the mailed questionnaire (low return rate) by (1) having…

Families in a High-Tech Age: Technology Usage Patterns, Work and Family Correlates, and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesley, Noelle

2006-01-01

This study analyzes a couple-level ("N" = 581), longitudinal data set of employees to provide evidence about technology use over time, the factors that predict use, and the potential for a spouse to influence an individual's use. Although longitudinal usage patterns suggest a trend toward adoption and use of e-mail, the Internet, cell phones, and…

Analysis of the synonymous codon usage bias in recently emerged enterovirus D68 strains.

PubMed

Karniychuk, Uladzimir U

2016-09-02

Understanding the codon usage pattern of a pathogen and relationship between pathogen and host's codon usage patterns has fundamental and applied interests. Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is an emerging pathogen with a potentially high public health significance. In the present study, the synonymous codon usage bias of 27 recently emerged, and historical EV-D68 strains was analyzed. In contrast to previously studied enteroviruses (enterovirus 71 and poliovirus), EV-D68 and human host have a high discrepancy between favored codons. Analysis of viral synonymous codon usage bias metrics, viral nucleotide/dinucleotide compositional parameters, and viral protein properties showed that mutational pressure is more involved in shaping the synonymous codon usage bias of EV-D68 than translation selection. Computation of codon adaptation indices allowed to estimate expression potential of the EV-D68 genome in several commonly used laboratory animals. This approach requires experimental validation and may provide an auxiliary tool for the rational selection of laboratory animals to model emerging viral diseases. Enterovirus D68 genome compositional and codon usage data can be useful for further pathogenesis, animal model, and vaccine design studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus codon usage bias.

PubMed

Chen, Ye; Shi, Yuzhen; Deng, Hongjuan; Gu, Ting; Xu, Jian; Ou, Jinxin; Jiang, Zhiguo; Jiao, Yiren; Zou, Tan; Wang, Chong

2014-12-01

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has been responsible for several recent outbreaks of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) and has caused great economic loss in the swine-raising industry. Considering the significance of PEDV, a systemic analysis was performed to study its codon usage patterns. The relative synonymous codon usage value of each codon revealed that codon usage bias exists and that PEDV tends to use codons that end in T. The mean ENC value of 47.91 indicates that the codon usage bias is low. However, we still wanted to identify the cause of this codon usage bias. A correlation analysis between the codon compositions (A3s, T3s, G3s, C3s, and GC3s), the ENC values, and the nucleotide contents (A%, T%, G%, C%, and GC%) indicated that mutational bias plays role in shaping the PEDV codon usage bias. This was further confirmed by a principal component analysis between the codon compositions and the axis values. Using the Gravy, Aroma, and CAI values, a role of natural selection in the PEDV codon usage pattern was also identified. Neutral analysis indicated that natural selection pressure plays a more important role than mutational bias in codon usage bias. Natural selection also plays an increasingly significant role during PEDV evolution. Additionally, gene function and geographic distribution also influence the codon usage bias to a degree. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Patterns of usage for a Web-based clinical information system.

PubMed

Chen, Elizabeth S; Cimino, James J

2004-01-01

Understanding how clinicians are using clinical information systems to assist with their everyday tasks is valuable to the system design and development process. Developers of such systems are interested in monitoring usage in order to make enhancements. System log files are rich resources for gaining knowledge about how the system is being used. We have analyzed the log files of our Web-based clinical information system (WebCIS) to obtain various usage statistics including which WebCIS features are frequently being used. We have also identified usage patterns, which convey how the user is traversing the system. We present our method and these results as well as describe how the results can be used to customize menus, shortcut lists, and patient reports in WebCIS and similar systems.

Vocal communication in a complex multi-level society: constrained acoustic structure and flexible call usage in Guinea baboons.

PubMed

Maciej, Peter; Ndao, Ibrahima; Hammerschmidt, Kurt; Fischer, Julia

2013-09-23

To understand the evolution of acoustic communication in animals, it is important to distinguish between the structure and the usage of vocal signals, since both aspects are subject to different constraints. In terrestrial mammals, the structure of calls is largely innate, while individuals have a greater ability to actively initiate or withhold calls. In closely related taxa, one would therefore predict a higher flexibility in call usage compared to call structure. In the present study, we investigated the vocal repertoire of free living Guinea baboons (Papio papio) and examined the structure and usage of the animals' vocal signals. Guinea baboons live in a complex multi-level social organization and exhibit a largely tolerant and affiliative social style, contrary to most other baboon taxa. To classify the vocal repertoire of male and female Guinea baboons, cluster analyses were used and focal observations were conducted to assess the usage of vocal signals in the particular contexts. In general, the vocal repertoire of Guinea baboons largely corresponded to the vocal repertoire other baboon taxa. The usage of calls, however, differed considerably from other baboon taxa and corresponded with the specific characteristics of the Guinea baboons' social behaviour. While Guinea baboons showed a diminished usage of contest and display vocalizations (a common pattern observed in chacma baboons), they frequently used vocal signals during affiliative and greeting interactions. Our study shows that the call structure of primates is largely unaffected by the species' social system (including grouping patterns and social interactions), while the usage of calls can be more flexibly adjusted, reflecting the quality of social interactions of the individuals. Our results support the view that the primary function of social signals is to regulate social interactions, and therefore the degree of competition and cooperation may be more important to explain variation in call usage than grouping patterns or group size.

Vocal communication in a complex multi-level society: constrained acoustic structure and flexible call usage in Guinea baboons

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To understand the evolution of acoustic communication in animals, it is important to distinguish between the structure and the usage of vocal signals, since both aspects are subject to different constraints. In terrestrial mammals, the structure of calls is largely innate, while individuals have a greater ability to actively initiate or withhold calls. In closely related taxa, one would therefore predict a higher flexibility in call usage compared to call structure. In the present study, we investigated the vocal repertoire of free living Guinea baboons (Papio papio) and examined the structure and usage of the animals’ vocal signals. Guinea baboons live in a complex multi-level social organization and exhibit a largely tolerant and affiliative social style, contrary to most other baboon taxa. To classify the vocal repertoire of male and female Guinea baboons, cluster analyses were used and focal observations were conducted to assess the usage of vocal signals in the particular contexts. Results In general, the vocal repertoire of Guinea baboons largely corresponded to the vocal repertoire other baboon taxa. The usage of calls, however, differed considerably from other baboon taxa and corresponded with the specific characteristics of the Guinea baboons’ social behaviour. While Guinea baboons showed a diminished usage of contest and display vocalizations (a common pattern observed in chacma baboons), they frequently used vocal signals during affiliative and greeting interactions. Conclusions Our study shows that the call structure of primates is largely unaffected by the species’ social system (including grouping patterns and social interactions), while the usage of calls can be more flexibly adjusted, reflecting the quality of social interactions of the individuals. Our results support the view that the primary function of social signals is to regulate social interactions, and therefore the degree of competition and cooperation may be more important to explain variation in call usage than grouping patterns or group size. PMID:24059742

Students with LD in Higher Education: Use and Contribution of Assistive Technology and Website Courses and Their Correlation to Students' Hope and Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heiman, Tali; Shemesh, Dorit Olenik

2012-01-01

This study examined the extent and patterns of usage of web courses, and their contribution to the academic and social perceptions of 964 undergraduate students with and without learning disabilities studying in higher education. Students were asked to complete four questionnaires examining the usage patterns of various adaptive technologies and…

Socio-Psychological Dimensions of Mobile Phone Addiction and Usage Patterns amongst Teenagers in Higher Institutions of Learning in Kwara State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Titilope, Afolayan Oluyinka

2014-01-01

Mobile phone addiction is now a common phenomenon in the 21st century, especially among teenagers due to the unusual cravings in the use of technological devices. In view of this phenomenon, the study examined the socio-psychological dimensions of mobile phone addiction and usage patterns amongst teenagers in three Higher Institutions of Learning…

Wheel load cycle tag for rail : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has determined that there is a research need to collect and analyze statistical usage : data to help ascertain the cumulative load-induced fatigue on rail track segments. The estimation of rail segment burden...

What Explains Doctors’ Usage of Mobile Information and Communication Technologies? A Comparison of US and Portuguese Hospitals

PubMed Central

Martins, Henrique MG; Jones, Matthew R

2005-01-01

Doctors, either as a result of individual initiative or departmental policy, may use a number of different mobile computers. The relationship between device ownership/provision and usage is, however, rarely discussed. This paper therefore presents survey data (N=267) on mobile computer ownership and use by doctors in two Portuguese and two US hospitals, considering both devices owned by individuals and those supplied by the hospital. The results show that ownership is not clearly related to either usage pattern or frequency of use. Providing handheld computers also did not lead to higher number of users, higher frequency of use or significant differences in tasks carried out. Nevertheless, doctors owning handhelds alone or in combination with laptops used them more frequently than those using laptops alone. Differences in usage pattern proportions rather than demographics were a better indication of differences in usage frequencies and the tasks for which MICT devices were being used. PMID:16779089

What explains doctors' usage of Mobile Information and Communication Technologies? A comparison of US and Portuguese hospitals.

PubMed

Martins, Henrique M G; Jones, Matthew R

2005-01-01

Doctors, either as a result of individual initiative or departmental policy, may use a number of different mobile computers. The relationship between device ownership/provision and usage is, however, rarely discussed. This paper therefore presents survey data (N=267) on mobile computer ownership and use by doctors in two Portuguese and two US hospitals, considering both devices owned by individuals and those supplied by the hospital. The results show that ownership is not clearly related to either usage pattern or frequency of use. Providing handheld computers also did not lead to higher number of users, higher frequency of use or significant differences in tasks carried out. Nevertheless, doctors owning handhelds alone or in combination with laptops used them more frequently than those using laptops alone. Differences in usage pattern proportions rather than demographics were a better indication of differences in usage frequencies and the tasks for which MICT devices were being used.

Patterns of Drug Usage Among Vietnam Veterans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Allan H., Jr.; And Others

A factor analysis was performed on an intercorrelation matrix of reported drug usage frequencies for seven drug categories at two consecutive periods of time. Subjects were 1,010 Army Vietnam veterans in pay grade E6 or below, aged 26 years or less. Retrospective reporting identified drug usage prior to a tour of Vietnam and during the tour. Four…

Precision tracking with a single gaseous pixel detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsigaridas, S.; van Bakel, N.; Bilevych, Y.; Gromov, V.; Hartjes, F.; Hessey, N. P.; de Jong, P.; Kluit, R.

2015-09-01

The importance of micro-pattern gaseous detectors has grown over the past few years after successful usage in a large number of applications in physics experiments and medicine. We develop gaseous pixel detectors using micromegas-based amplification structures on top of CMOS pixel readout chips. Using wafer post-processing we add a spark-protection layer and a grid to create an amplification region above the chip, allowing individual electrons released above the grid by the passage of ionising radiation to be recorded. The electron creation point is measured in 3D, using the pixel position for (x, y) and the drift time for z. The track can be reconstructed by fitting a straight line to these points. In this work we have used a pixel-readout-chip which is a small-scale prototype of Timepix3 chip (designed for both silicon and gaseous detection media). This prototype chip has several advantages over the existing Timepix chip, including a faster front-end (pre-amplifier and discriminator) and a faster TDC which reduce timewalk's contribution to the z position error. Although the chip is very small (sensitive area of 0.88 × 0.88mm2), we have built it into a detector with a short drift gap (1.3 mm), and measured its tracking performance in an electron beam at DESY. We present the results obtained, which lead to a significant improvement for the resolutions with respect to Timepix-based detectors.

Personal Care Product Use in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: Implications for Exposure Assessment.

PubMed

Lang, Carly; Fisher, Mandy; Neisa, Angelica; MacKinnon, Leona; Kuchta, Sandra; MacPherson, Susan; Probert, Adam; Arbuckle, Tye E

2016-01-06

Concern regarding the potential for developmental health risks associated with certain chemicals (e.g., phthalates, antibacterials) used in personal care products is well documented; however, current exposure data for pregnant women are limited. The objective of this study was to describe the pattern of personal care product use in pregnancy and the post-partum period. Usage patterns of personal care products were collected at six different time points during pregnancy and once in the postpartum period for a cohort of 80 pregnant women in Ottawa, Canada. The pattern of use was then described and groups of personal care product groups commonly used together were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis. The results showed that product use varied by income and country of birth. General hygiene products were the most commonly used products and were consistently used over time while cosmetic product use declined with advancing pregnancy and post-delivery. Hand soaps and baby products were reported as used more frequently after birth. This study is the first to track personal care product use across pregnancy and into the postpartum period, and suggests that pregnant populations may be a unique group of personal care product users. This information will be useful for exposure assessments.

Personal Care Product Use in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: Implications for Exposure Assessment

PubMed Central

Lang, Carly; Fisher, Mandy; Neisa, Angelica; MacKinnon, Leona; Kuchta, Sandra; MacPherson, Susan; Probert, Adam; Arbuckle, Tye E.

2016-01-01

Concern regarding the potential for developmental health risks associated with certain chemicals (e.g., phthalates, antibacterials) used in personal care products is well documented; however, current exposure data for pregnant women are limited. The objective of this study was to describe the pattern of personal care product use in pregnancy and the post-partum period. Usage patterns of personal care products were collected at six different time points during pregnancy and once in the postpartum period for a cohort of 80 pregnant women in Ottawa, Canada. The pattern of use was then described and groups of personal care product groups commonly used together were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis. The results showed that product use varied by income and country of birth. General hygiene products were the most commonly used products and were consistently used over time while cosmetic product use declined with advancing pregnancy and post-delivery. Hand soaps and baby products were reported as used more frequently after birth. This study is the first to track personal care product use across pregnancy and into the postpartum period, and suggests that pregnant populations may be a unique group of personal care product users. This information will be useful for exposure assessments. PMID:26751460

Biases in rhythmic sensorimotor coordination: effects of modality and intentionality.

PubMed

Debats, Nienke B; Ridderikhoff, Arne; de Boer, Betteco J; Peper, C Lieke E

2013-08-01

Sensorimotor biases were examined for intentional (tracking task) and unintentional (distractor task) rhythmic coordination. The tracking task involved unimanual tracking of either an oscillating visual signal or the passive movements of the contralateral hand (proprioceptive signal). In both conditions the required coordination patterns (isodirectional and mirror-symmetric) were defined relative to the body midline and the hands were not visible. For proprioceptive tracking the two patterns did not differ in stability, whereas for visual tracking the isodirectional pattern was performed more stably than the mirror-symmetric pattern. However, when visual feedback about the unimanual hand movements was provided during visual tracking, the isodirectional pattern ceased to be dominant. Together these results indicated that the stability of the coordination patterns did not depend on the modality of the target signal per se, but on the combination of sensory signals that needed to be processed (unimodal vs. cross-modal). The distractor task entailed rhythmic unimanual movements during which a rhythmic visual or proprioceptive distractor signal had to be ignored. The observed biases were similar as for intentional coordination, suggesting that intentionality did not affect the underlying sensorimotor processes qualitatively. Intentional tracking was characterized by active sensory pursuit, through muscle activity in the passively moved arm (proprioceptive tracking task) and rhythmic eye movements (visual tracking task). Presumably this pursuit afforded predictive information serving the coordination process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An eye tracking study of bloodstain pattern analysts during pattern classification.

PubMed

Arthur, R M; Hoogenboom, J; Green, R D; Taylor, M C; de Bruin, K G

2018-05-01

Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) is the forensic discipline concerned with the classification and interpretation of bloodstains and bloodstain patterns at the crime scene. At present, it is unclear exactly which stain or pattern properties and their associated values are most relevant to analysts when classifying a bloodstain pattern. Eye tracking technology has been widely used to investigate human perception and cognition. Its application to forensics, however, is limited. This is the first study to use eye tracking as a tool for gaining access to the mindset of the bloodstain pattern expert. An eye tracking method was used to follow the gaze of 24 bloodstain pattern analysts during an assigned task of classifying a laboratory-generated test bloodstain pattern. With the aid of an automated image-processing methodology, the properties of selected features of the pattern were quantified leading to the delineation of areas of interest (AOIs). Eye tracking data were collected for each AOI and combined with verbal statements made by analysts after the classification task to determine the critical range of values for relevant diagnostic features. Eye-tracking data indicated that there were four main regions of the pattern that analysts were most interested in. Within each region, individual elements or groups of elements that exhibited features associated with directionality, size, colour and shape appeared to capture the most interest of analysts during the classification task. The study showed that the eye movements of trained bloodstain pattern experts and their verbal descriptions of a pattern were well correlated.

Global Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (CMSP) from Space Based AIS Ship Tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwehr, K. D.; Foulkes, J. A.; Lorenzini, D.; Kanawati, M.

2011-12-01

All nations need to be developing long term integrated strategies for how to use and preserve our natural resources. As a part of these strategies, we must evalutate how communities of users react to changes in rules and regulations of ocean use. Global characterization of the vessel traffic on our Earth's oceans is essential to understanding the existing uses to develop international Coast and Marine Spatial Planning (CMSP). Ship traffic within 100-200km is beginning to be effectively covered in low latitudes by ground based receivers collecting position reports from the maritime Automatic Identification System (AIS). Unfortunately, remote islands, high latitudes, and open ocean Marine Protected Areas (MPA) are not covered by these ground systems. Deploying enough autonomous airborne (UAV) and surface (USV) vessels and buoys to provide adequate coverage is a difficult task. While the individual device costs are plummeting, a large fleet of AIS receivers is expensive to maintain. The global AIS coverage from SpaceQuest's low Earth orbit satellite receivers combined with the visualization and data storage infrastructure of Google (e.g. Maps, Earth, and Fusion Tables) provide a platform that enables researchers and resource managers to begin answer the question of how ocean resources are being utilized. Near real-time vessel traffic data will allow managers of marine resources to understand how changes to education, enforcement, rules, and regulations alter usage and compliance patterns. We will demonstrate the potential for this system using a sample SpaceQuest data set processed with libais which stores the results in a Fusion Table. From there, the data is imported to PyKML and visualized in Google Earth with a custom gx:Track visualization utilizing KML's extended data functionality to facilitate ship track interrogation. Analysts can then annotate and discuss vessel tracks in Fusion Tables.

Socioeconomic factors influencing cosmetic usage patterns.

PubMed

Park, Gyeong-Hun; Nam, Chanhee; Hong, Seungphil; Park, Byungcheol; Kim, Hakrim; Lee, Taewon; Kim, Kyubong; Lee, Jong Hee; Kim, Myung Hwa

2018-05-01

Despite daily exposure to chemicals in cosmetic products, there are few studies on the exposure levels to cosmetics particularly in Asians. We sought to investigate the usage pattern of cosmetics, including eye makeup products, fragrances, color makeups, and hair and nail care products, in Koreans. An online survey of 1,800 participants (908 males and 892 females, aged 15-59 years) from 5 Metropolitan cities (Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan) in Korea was conducted. For overall types of cosmetics, the proportion of users was 7.1% (range: 0.0-46.3%) in males and 30.7% (range: 1.0-82.8%) in females. The most prevalently used product was perfume (46.3%) in males and lipstick (82.8%) in females. In addition, the mean number of application for overall types of cosmetics was 22.7 (range: 4.6-49.4) times per month in male users and 24.8 (range: 4.2-62.0) in female users. The usage pattern was significantly altered according to demographic and socioeconomic factors, including age group, occupation, and income. This work estimated the prevalences and frequencies of use of a wide collection of cosmetics from a large number of Koreans and found that the usage pattern was significantly associated with demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Feature-level analysis of a novel smartphone application for smoking cessation.

PubMed

Heffner, Jaimee L; Vilardaga, Roger; Mercer, Laina D; Kientz, Julie A; Bricker, Jonathan B

2015-01-01

Currently, there are over 400 smoking cessation smartphone apps available, downloaded an estimated 780,000 times per month. No prior studies have examined how individuals engage with specific features of cessation apps and whether use of these features is associated with quitting. Using data from a pilot trial of a novel smoking cessation app, we examined: (i) the 10 most-used app features, and (ii) prospective associations between feature usage and quitting. Participants (n = 76) were from the experimental arm of a randomized, controlled pilot trial of an app for smoking cessation called "SmartQuit," which includes elements of both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Utilization data were automatically tracked during the 8-week treatment phase. Thirty-day point prevalence smoking abstinence was assessed at 60-day follow-up. The most-used features - quit plan, tracking, progress, and sharing - were mostly CBT. Only two of the 10 most-used features were prospectively associated with quitting: viewing the quit plan (p = 0.03) and tracking practice of letting urges pass (p = 0.03). Tracking ACT skill practice was used by fewer participants (n = 43) but was associated with cessation (p = 0.01). In this exploratory analysis without control for multiple comparisons, viewing a quit plan (CBT) as well as tracking practice of letting urges pass (ACT) were both appealing to app users and associated with successful quitting. Aside from these features, there was little overlap between a feature's popularity and its prospective association with quitting. Tests of causal associations between feature usage and smoking cessation are now needed.

Predicting Negative Emotions Based on Mobile Phone Usage Patterns: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Yang, Pei-Ching; Chang, Chia-Chi; Chiang, Jung-Hsien; Chen, Ying-Yeh

2016-01-01

Background Prompt recognition and intervention of negative emotions is crucial for patients with depression. Mobile phones and mobile apps are suitable technologies that can be used to recognize negative emotions and intervene if necessary. Objective Mobile phone usage patterns can be associated with concurrent emotional states. The objective of this study is to adapt machine-learning methods to analyze such patterns for the prediction of negative emotion. Methods We developed an Android-based app to capture emotional states and mobile phone usage patterns, which included call logs (and use of apps). Visual analog scales (VASs) were used to report negative emotions in dimensions of depression, anxiety, and stress. In the system-training phase, participants were requested to tag their emotions for 14 consecutive days. Five feature-selection methods were used to determine individual usage patterns and four machine-learning methods were tested. Finally, rank product scoring was used to select the best combination to construct the prediction model. In the system evaluation phase, participants were then requested to verify the predicted negative emotions for at least 5 days. Results Out of 40 enrolled healthy participants, we analyzed data from 28 participants, including 30% (9/28) women with a mean (SD) age of 29.2 (5.1) years with sufficient emotion tags. The combination of time slots of 2 hours, greedy forward selection, and Naïve Bayes method was chosen for the prediction model. We further validated the personalized models in 18 participants who performed at least 5 days of model evaluation. Overall, the predictive accuracy for negative emotions was 86.17%. Conclusion We developed a system capable of predicting negative emotions based on mobile phone usage patterns. This system has potential for ecological momentary intervention (EMI) for depressive disorders by automatically recognizing negative emotions and providing people with preventive treatments before it escalates to clinical depression. PMID:27511748

Mobile Phone Usage and Students' Perception towards M-Learning: A Case of Undergraduate Students in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iqbal, Shakeel; Khan, Muhammad Naeem; Malik, Imran Riaz

2017-01-01

Mobile phones are increasingly becoming part of the daily life of today's youth. This widespread usage of mobile technology has attracted the attention of researchers and academicians to explore the ways and means of using it in formal and informal education. This study investigates the mobile phone's ownership pattern and usage among…

Changing word usage predicts changing word durations in New Zealand English.

PubMed

Sóskuthy, Márton; Hay, Jennifer

2017-09-01

This paper investigates the emergence of lexicalized effects of word usage on word duration by looking at parallel changes in usage and duration over 130years in New Zealand English. Previous research has found that frequent words are shorter, informative words are longer, and words in utterance-final position are also longer. It has also been argued that some of these patterns are not simply online adjustments, but are incorporated into lexical representations. While these studies tend to focus on the synchronic aspects of such patterns, our corpus shows that word-usage patterns and word durations are not static over time. Many words change in duration and also change with respect to frequency, informativity and likelihood of occurring utterance-finally. Analysis of changing word durations over this time period shows substantial patterns of co-adaptation between word usage and word durations. Words that are increasing in frequency are becoming shorter. Words that are increasing/decreasing in informativity show a change in the same direction in duration (e.g. increasing informativity is associated with increasing duration). And words that are increasingly appearing utterance-finally are lengthening. These effects exist independently of the local effects of the predictors. For example, words that are increasing utterance-finally lengthen in all positions, including utterance-medially. We show that these results are compatible with a number of different views about lexical representations, but they cannot be explained without reference to a production-perception loop that allows speakers to update their representations dynamically on the basis of their experience. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of Order Sets in Inpatient Computerized Provider Order Entry Systems: A Comparative Analysis of Usage Patterns at Seven Sites

PubMed Central

Wright, Adam; Feblowitz, Joshua C.; Pang, Justine E.; Carpenter, James D.; Krall, Michael A.; Middleton, Blackford; Sittig, Dean F.

2012-01-01

Background Many computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems include the ability to create electronic order sets: collections of clinically-related orders grouped by purpose. Order sets promise to make CPOE systems more efficient, improve care quality and increase adherence to evidence-based guidelines. However, the development and implementation of order sets can be expensive and time-consuming and limited literature exists about their utilization. Methods Based on analysis of order set usage logs from a diverse purposive sample of seven sites with commercially- and internally-developed inpatient CPOE systems, we developed an original order set classification system. Order sets were categorized across seven non-mutually exclusive axes: admission/discharge/transfer (ADT), perioperative, condition-specific, task-specific, service-specific, convenience, and personal. In addition, 731 unique subtypes were identified within five axes: four in ADT (S=4), three in perioperative, 144 in condition-specific, 513 in task-specific, and 67 in service-specific. Results Order sets (n=1,914) were used a total of 676,142 times at the participating sites during a one-year period. ADT and perioperative order sets accounted for 27.6% and 24.2% of usage respectively. Peripartum/labor, chest pain/Acute Coronary Syndrome/Myocardial Infarction and diabetes order sets accounted for 51.6% of condition-specific usage. Insulin, angiography/angioplasty and arthroplasty order sets accounted for 19.4% of task-specific usage. Emergency/trauma, Obstetrics/Gynecology/Labor Delivery and anesthesia accounted for 32.4% of service-specific usage. Overall, the top 20% of order sets accounted for 90.1% of all usage. Additional salient patterns are identified and described. Conclusion We observed recurrent patterns in order set usage across multiple sites as well as meaningful variations between sites. Vendors and institutional developers should identify high-value order set types through concrete data analysis in order to optimize the resources devoted to development and implementation. PMID:22819199

Complex Dynamics in Information Sharing Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cronin, Bruce

This study examines the roll-out of an electronic knowledge base in a medium-sized professional services firm over a six year period. The efficiency of such implementation is a key business problem in IT systems of this type. Data from usage logs provides the basis for analysis of the dynamic evolution of social networks around the depository during this time. The adoption pattern follows an "s-curve" and usage exhibits something of a power law distribution, both attributable to network effects, and network position is associated with organisational performance on a number of indicators. But periodicity in usage is evident and the usage distribution displays an exponential cut-off. Further analysis provides some evidence of mathematical complexity in the periodicity. Some implications of complex patterns in social network data for research and management are discussed. The study provides a case study demonstrating the utility of the broad methodological approach.

Inter-track interference mitigation with two-dimensional variable equalizer for bit patterned media recording

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yao; Vijaya Kumar, B. V. K.

2017-05-01

The increased track density in bit patterned media recording (BPMR) causes increased inter-track interference (ITI), which degrades the bit error rate (BER) performance. In order to mitigate the effect of the ITI, signals from multiple tracks can be equalized by a 2D equalizer with 1D target. Usually, the 2D fixed equalizer coefficients are obtained by using a pseudo-random bit sequence (PRBS) for training. In this study, a 2D variable equalizer is proposed, where various sets of 2D equalizer coefficients are predetermined and stored for different ITI patterns besides the usual PRBS training. For data detection, as the ITI patterns are unknown in the first global iteration, the main and adjacent tracks are equalized with the conventional 2D fixed equalizer, detected with Bahl-Cocke-Jelinek-Raviv (BCJR) detector and decoded with low-density parity-check (LDPC) decoder. Then using the estimated bit information from main and adjacent tracks, the ITI pattern for each island of the main track can be estimated and the corresponding 2D variable equalizers are used to better equalize the bits on the main track. This process is executed iteratively by feeding back the main track information. Simulation results indicate that for both single-track and two-track detection, the proposed 2D variable equalizer can achieve better BER and frame error rate (FER) compared to that with the 2D fixed equalizer.

Computer Applications in Teaching and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halley, Fred S.; And Others

Some examples of the usage of computers in teaching and learning are examination generation, automatic exam grading, student tracking, problem generation, computational examination generators, program packages, simulation, and programing skills for problem solving. These applications are non-trivial and do fulfill the basic assumptions necessary…

Safety belt and motorcycle helmet use in Virginia : the Summer 2008 update.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

This survey was conducted at the request of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to track the effectiveness of programmatic efforts carried out to increase safety belt usage in Virginia. The official Virginia safety belt use survey is conducted ...

Codon usage patterns in Nematoda: analysis based on over 25 million codons in thirty-two species

PubMed Central

2006-01-01

Background Codon usage has direct utility in molecular characterization of species and is also a marker for molecular evolution. To understand codon usage within the diverse phylum Nematoda, we analyzed a total of 265,494 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from 30 nematode species. The full genomes of Caenorhabditis elegans and C. briggsae were also examined. A total of 25,871,325 codons were analyzed and a comprehensive codon usage table for all species was generated. This is the first codon usage table available for 24 of these organisms. Results Codon usage similarity in Nematoda usually persists over the breadth of a genus but then rapidly diminishes even within each clade. Globodera, Meloidogyne, Pristionchus, and Strongyloides have the most highly derived patterns of codon usage. The major factor affecting differences in codon usage between species is the coding sequence GC content, which varies in nematodes from 32% to 51%. Coding GC content (measured as GC3) also explains much of the observed variation in the effective number of codons (R = 0.70), which is a measure of codon bias, and it even accounts for differences in amino acid frequency. Codon usage is also affected by neighboring nucleotides (N1 context). Coding GC content correlates strongly with estimated noncoding genomic GC content (R = 0.92). On examining abundant clusters in five species, candidate optimal codons were identified that may be preferred in highly expressed transcripts. Conclusion Evolutionary models indicate that total genomic GC content, probably the product of directional mutation pressure, drives codon usage rather than the converse, a conclusion that is supported by examination of nematode genomes. PMID:26271136

Energy Tracking in Classrooms - A Real Time Experiment with Grade 5 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, H. M.; Ho, F.

2015-12-01

ISF Academy, a K-G12 school in Hong Kong with over 1500 students and currently spanning 3 buildings, is retrofitting the school with an energy tracking system in three phases. The first phase during the fall of 2015 will include retrofitting eight Grade 5 classrooms. This new program will show the daily energy usage data from these classrooms. The Grade 5 students receive feedback on their energy use in real time as they compete over two months in their homeroom classes to lower their electrical use, and subsequently their carbon footprint. This competition style initiative will teach the 180 Grade 5 students about their energy usage in a fun and informative manner. ISF Academy has over 400 air-conditioners and we have already determined that the air conditioners are the largest single use of energy in the school. The energy tracking system installed and maintained by from Global Design Corporation utilizes uniquely identified current detectors attached to circuit breakers, to monitor electrical use of individual circuits. These detectors will also monitor the energy used for classroom lighting, fans and plugs, as well as the air conditioners. The system has been installed and the Grade 5 classrooms averaged between 40 kWh and 120 kWh of usage in May 2015. This data will be used as the baseline for the competition. Further analysis can also be done with the data, such as calculating the carbon emissions reduction throughout the school year, providing possible class learning activities and also aiding in future energy use and carbon footprint predictions. The data collected will help refine phase 2 and 3 of the installation, expanding the system to more buildings and also giving insight to the rollout of the system to the whole school when the systems are fully in place.

Large-Scale Genomic Analysis of Codon Usage in Dengue Virus and Evaluation of Its Phylogenetic Dependence

PubMed Central

Lara-Ramírez, Edgar E.; Salazar, Ma Isabel; López-López, María de Jesús; Salas-Benito, Juan Santiago; Sánchez-Varela, Alejandro

2014-01-01

The increasing number of dengue virus (DENV) genome sequences available allows identifying the contributing factors to DENV evolution. In the present study, the codon usage in serotypes 1–4 (DENV1–4) has been explored for 3047 sequenced genomes using different statistics methods. The correlation analysis of total GC content (GC) with GC content at the three nucleotide positions of codons (GC1, GC2, and GC3) as well as the effective number of codons (ENC, ENCp) versus GC3 plots revealed mutational bias and purifying selection pressures as the major forces influencing the codon usage, but with distinct pressure on specific nucleotide position in the codon. The correspondence analysis (CA) and clustering analysis on relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) within each serotype showed similar clustering patterns to the phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences for DENV1–4. These clustering patterns are strongly related to the virus geographic origin. The phylogenetic dependence analysis also suggests that stabilizing selection acts on the codon usage bias. Our analysis of a large scale reveals new feature on DENV genomic evolution. PMID:25136631

Bicycle Guidelines and Crash Rates on Cycle Tracks in the United States

PubMed Central

Morency, Patrick; Miranda-Moreno, Luis F.; Willett, Walter C.; Dennerlein, Jack T.

2013-01-01

Objectives. We studied state-adopted bicycle guidelines to determine whether cycle tracks (physically separated, bicycle-exclusive paths adjacent to sidewalks) were recommended, whether they were built, and their crash rate. Methods. We analyzed and compared US bicycle facility guidelines published between 1972 and 1999. We identified 19 cycle tracks in the United States and collected extensive data on cycle track design, usage, and crash history from local communities. We used bicycle counts and crash data to estimate crash rates. Results. A bicycle facility guideline written in 1972 endorsed cycle tracks but American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guidelines (1974–1999) discouraged or did not include cycle tracks and did not cite research about crash rates on cycle tracks. For the 19 US cycle tracks we examined, the overall crash rate was 2.3 (95% confidence interval = 1.7, 3.0) per 1 million bicycle kilometers. Conclusions. AASHTO bicycle guidelines are not explicitly based on rigorous or up-to-date research. Our results show that the risk of bicycle–vehicle crashes is lower on US cycle tracks than published crashes rates on roadways. This study and previous investigations support building cycle tracks. PMID:23678920

Spares Management : Optimizing Hardware Usage for the Space Shuttle Main Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulbrandsen, K. A.

1999-01-01

The complexity of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), combined with mounting requirements to reduce operations costs have increased demands for accurate tracking, maintenance, and projections of SSME assets. The SSME Logistics Team is developing an integrated asset management process. This PC-based tool provides a user-friendly asset database for daily decision making, plus a variable-input hardware usage simulation with complex logic yielding output that addresses essential asset management issues. Cycle times on critical tasks are significantly reduced. Associated costs have decreased as asset data quality and decision-making capability has increased.

Software for real-time localization of baleen whale calls using directional sonobuoys: A case study on Antarctic blue whales.

PubMed

Miller, Brian S; Calderan, Susannah; Gillespie, Douglas; Weatherup, Graham; Leaper, Russell; Collins, Kym; Double, Michael C

2016-03-01

Directional frequency analysis and recording (DIFAR) sonobuoys can allow real-time acoustic localization of baleen whales for underwater tracking and remote sensing, but limited availability of hardware and software has prevented wider usage. These software limitations were addressed by developing a module in the open-source software PAMGuard. A case study is presented demonstrating that this software provides greater efficiency and accessibility than previous methods for detecting, localizing, and tracking Antarctic blue whales in real time. Additionally, this software can easily be extended to track other low and mid frequency sounds including those from other cetaceans, pinnipeds, icebergs, shipping, and seismic airguns.

Novel technique for tracking manpower and work packages: a useful tool for the team and management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gill, R.; Gracia, G.; Lupton, R. H.; O'Mullane, W.

2014-08-01

In these times of austerity it is becoming more and more important to justify the need for manpower to management. Additionally, with the fast pace of today's projects the need for tools that facilitate teams to not only plan, but also track their work, are essential. The practice of planning work packages and the associated manpower has been about for a while but little is done to really cross-check that planning against reality. In this paper these elements are brought together through a number of tools that make up the end to end process of planning, tracking and reporting of work package progress and manpower usage.

Research on application of several tracking detectors in APT system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhi

2005-01-01

APT system is the key technology in free space optical communication system, and acquisition and tracking detector is the key component in PAT system. There are several candidate detectors that can be used in PAT system, such as CCD, QAPD and CMOS Imager etc. The characteristics of these detectors are quite different, i.e., the structures and the working schemes. This paper gives thoroughly compare of the usage and working principle of CCD and CMOS imager, and discusses the key parameters like tracking error, noise analyses, power analyses etc. Conclusion is given at the end of this paper that CMOS imager is a good candidate detector for PAT system in free space optical communication system.

Impacts of tourism hotspots on vegetation communities show a higher potential for self-propagation along roads than hiking trails.

PubMed

Wolf, Isabelle D; Croft, David B

2014-10-01

Vegetation communities along recreational tracks may suffer from substantial edge-effects through the impacts of trampling, modified environmental conditions and competition with species that benefit from disturbance. We assessed impacts on trackside vegetation by comparing high and low usage tourism sites at a 1-10 m distance from recreational tracks in a popular arid-lands tourism destination in South Australia. The central aim was quantification of the strengths and spatial extent of tourism impacts along recreational tracks with a qualitative comparison of roads and trails. Track-distance gradients were most prevalent at high usage sites. There, species community composition was altered, total plant cover decreased, non-native species cover increased, plant diversity increased or decreased (depending on the distance) and soil compaction increased towards recreational tracks. Roadside effects were greater and more pervasive than trailside effects. Further, plant diversity did not continuously increase towards the road verge as it did along trails but dropped sharply in the immediate road shoulder which indicated high disturbance conditions that few species were able to tolerate. To our knowledge, we are the first to demonstrate that the access mode to a recreation site influences the potential of certain impacts, such as the increase of non-native species, to self-perpetuate from their points of introduction to disjointed sites with a predisposition to disturbance. Due to this propulsion of impacts, the overall spatial extent of roadside impacts was far greater than initially apparent from assessments at the road verge. We discuss possible means of mitigating these impacts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EOS Aqua Mission Status at Earth Science Constellation MOWG Meeting @ LASP April 13, 2016

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guit, William J.

2016-01-01

This presentation reflects the EOS Aqua mission status, spacecraft subsystem summary, recent and planned activities, inclination adjust maneuvers, propellant usage and lifetime estimate, orbital maintenance maneuvers, conjunction assessment high interest events, ground track error, spacecraft orbital parameters trends and predictions.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS)

EIA Publications

2028-01-01

EIA administers the Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) to a nationally representative sample of housing units. Traditionally, specially trained interviewers collect energy characteristics on the housing unit, usage patterns, and household demographics. Data include energy costs and usage for heating, cooling, appliances and other end uses.

Motivations for play in online games.

PubMed

Yee, Nick

2006-12-01

An empirical model of player motivations in online games provides the foundation to understand and assess how players differ from one another and how motivations of play relate to age, gender, usage patterns, and in-game behaviors. In the current study, a factor analytic approach was used to create an empirical model of player motivations. The analysis revealed 10 motivation subcomponents that grouped into three overarching components (achievement, social, and immersion). Relationships between motivations and demographic variables (age, gender, and usage patterns) are also presented.

Revelation of Influencing Factors in Overall Codon Usage Bias of Equine Influenza Viruses

PubMed Central

Bhatia, Sandeep; Sood, Richa; Selvaraj, Pavulraj

2016-01-01

Equine influenza viruses (EIVs) of H3N8 subtype are culprits of severe acute respiratory infections in horses, and are still responsible for significant outbreaks worldwide. Adaptability of influenza viruses to a particular host is significantly influenced by their codon usage preference, due to an absolute dependence on the host cellular machinery for their replication. In the present study, we analyzed genome-wide codon usage patterns in 92 EIV strains, including both H3N8 and H7N7 subtypes by computing several codon usage indices and applying multivariate statistical methods. Relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis disclosed bias of preferred synonymous codons towards A/U-ended codons. The overall codon usage bias in EIVs was slightly lower, and mainly affected by the nucleotide compositional constraints as inferred from the RSCU and effective number of codon (ENc) analysis. Our data suggested that codon usage pattern in EIVs is governed by the interplay of mutation pressure, natural selection from its hosts and undefined factors. The H7N7 subtype was found less fit to its host (horse) in comparison to H3N8, by possessing higher codon bias, lower mutation pressure and much less adaptation to tRNA pool of equine cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the codon usage analysis of the complete genomes of EIVs. The outcome of our study is likely to enhance our understanding of factors involved in viral adaptation, evolution, and fitness towards their hosts. PMID:27119730

Study of a tracking and data acquisition system for the 1990's. Volume 3: TDAS Communication Mission Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccreary, T.

1983-01-01

A parametric description of the communication channels required between the user spacecraft to be supported and the user ground data systems is developed. Scenarios of mission models, which reflect a range of free flyers vs space platform usage as well as levels of NASA activity and potential support for military missions, and potential channel requirements which identify: (1) bounds on TDAS forward and return link data communication demand, and (2) the additional demand for providing navigation/tracking support are covered.

Anti-Runaway Prevention System with Wireless Sensors for Intelligent Track Skates at Railway Stations.

PubMed

Jiang, Chaozhe; Xu, Yibo; Wen, Chao; Chen, Dilin

2017-12-19

Anti-runaway prevention of rolling stocks at a railway station is essential in railway safety management. The traditional track skates for anti-runaway prevention of rolling stocks have some disadvantages since they are operated and monitored completely manually. This paper describes an anti-runaway prevention system (ARPS) based on intelligent track skates equipped with sensors and real-time monitoring and management system. This system, which has been updated from the traditional track skates, comprises four parts: intelligent track skates, a signal reader, a database station, and a monitoring system. This system can monitor the real-time situation of track skates without changing their workflow for anti-runaway prevention, and thus realize the integration of anti-runaway prevention information management. This system was successfully tested and practiced at Sunjia station in Harbin Railway Bureau in 2014, and the results confirmed that the system showed 100% accuracy in reflecting the usage status of the track skates. The system could meet practical demands, as it is highly reliable and supports long-distance communication.

Anti-Runaway Prevention System with Wireless Sensors for Intelligent Track Skates at Railway Stations

PubMed Central

Jiang, Chaozhe; Xu, Yibo; Chen, Dilin

2017-01-01

Anti-runaway prevention of rolling stocks at a railway station is essential in railway safety management. The traditional track skates for anti-runaway prevention of rolling stocks have some disadvantages since they are operated and monitored completely manually. This paper describes an anti-runaway prevention system (ARPS) based on intelligent track skates equipped with sensors and real-time monitoring and management system. This system, which has been updated from the traditional track skates, comprises four parts: intelligent track skates, a signal reader, a database station, and a monitoring system. This system can monitor the real-time situation of track skates without changing their workflow for anti-runaway prevention, and thus realize the integration of anti-runaway prevention information management. This system was successfully tested and practiced at Sunjia station in Harbin Railway Bureau in 2014, and the results confirmed that the system showed 100% accuracy in reflecting the usage status of the track skates. The system could meet practical demands, as it is highly reliable and supports long-distance communication. PMID:29257108

Evolutionary characterization of Tembusu virus infection through identification of codon usage patterns.

PubMed

Zhou, Hao; Yan, Bing; Chen, Shun; Wang, Mingshu; Jia, Renyong; Cheng, Anchun

2015-10-01

Tembusu virus (TMUV) is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus. As reported, TMUV infection has resulted in significant poultry losses, and the virus may also pose a threat to public health. To characterize TMUV evolutionarily and to understand the factors accounting for codon usage properties, we performed, for the first time, a comprehensive analysis of codon usage bias for the genomes of 60 TMUV strains. The most recently published TMUV strains were found to be widely distributed in coastal cities of southeastern China. Codon preference among TMUV genomes exhibits a low bias (effective number of codons (ENC)=53.287) and is maintained at a stable level. ENC-GC3 plots and the high correlation between composition constraints and principal component factor analysis of codon usage demonstrated that mutation pressure dominates over natural selection pressure in shaping the TMUV coding sequence composition. The high correlation between the major components of the codon usage pattern and hydrophobicity (Gravy) or aromaticity (Aromo) was obvious, indicating that properties of viral proteins also account for the observed variation in TMUV codon usage. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that CQW1 isolated from Chongqing may have evolved from GX2013H or GX2013G isolated from Guangxi, thus indicating that TMUV likely disseminated from southeastern China to the mainland. Moreover, the preferred codons encoding eight amino acids were consistent with the optimal codons for human cells, indicating that TMUV may pose a threat to public health due to possible cross-species transmission (birds to birds or birds to humans). The results of this study not only have theoretical value for uncovering the characteristics of synonymous codon usage patterns in TMUV genomes but also have significant meaning with regard to the molecular evolutionary tendencies of TMUV. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anabolic steroid usage in athletics: facts, fiction, and public relations.

PubMed

Berning, Joseph M; Adams, Kent J; Stamford, Bryant A

2004-11-01

Anecdotal evidence suggests the widespread usage of anabolic steroids among athletes (20-90%), particularly at the professional and elite amateur levels. In contrast, scientific studies indicate that usage is rare and no higher than 6%. Conclusions from scientific studies suggest that anabolic steroid usage declines progressively from high school to college and beyond; however, anecdotal evidence claims the opposite trend. In this clash between "hard" scientific data vs. "soft" anecdotal information, it is natural that professionals would gravitate toward scientifically based conclusions. However, in the case of anabolic steroids (a stigmatized and illegal substance), should word-of-mouth testimony from individuals closest to the issues--those who have participated in and coached sports, those who have served as drug-testing overseers, and journalists who relentlessly track leads and verify sources--be set aside as irrelevant? Not if a complete picture is to emerge. In this review, hard scientific evidence is placed on the table side-by-side with soft anecdotal evidence, without weighting or bias. The purpose is to allow the opportunity for each to illuminate the other and, in so doing, potentially bring us a step closer to determining the true extent of anabolic steroid usage in athletics.

In patients with minimally symptomatic OSA can baseline characteristics and early patterns of CPAP usage predict those who are likely to be longer-term users of CPAP.

PubMed

Turnbull, Christopher D; Bratton, Daniel J; Craig, Sonya E; Kohler, Malcolm; Stradling, John R

2016-02-01

Long-term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) usage varies between individuals. It would be of value to be able to identify those who are likely to benefit from CPAP (and use it long term), versus those who would not, and might therefore benefit from additional help early on. First, we explored whether baseline characteristics predicted CPAP usage in minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients, a group who would be expected to have low usage. Second, we explored if early CPAP usage was predictive of longer-term usage, as has been shown in more symptomatic OSA patients. The MOSAIC trial was a multi-centre randomised controlled trial where minimally symptomatic OSA patients were randomised to CPAP, or standard care, for 6 months. Here we have studied only those patients randomised to CPAP treatment. Baseline characteristics including symptoms, questionnaires [including the Epworth sleepiness score (ESS)] and sleep study parameters were recorded. CPAP usage was recorded at 2-4 weeks after initiation and after 6 months. The correlation and association between baseline characteristics and 6 months CPAP usage was assessed, as was the correlation between 2 and 4 weeks CPAP usage and 6 months CPAP usage. One hundred and ninety-five patients randomised to CPAP therapy had median [interquartile range (IQR)] CPAP usage of 2:49 (0:44, 5:13) h:min/night (h/n) at the 2-4 weeks visit, and 2:17 (0:08, 4:54) h/n at the 6 months follow-up visit. Only male gender was associated with increased long-term CPAP use (male usage 2:56 h/n, female 1:57 h/n; P=0.02). There was a moderate correlation between the usage of CPAP at 2-4 weeks and 6 months, with about 50% of the variability in long-term use being predicted by the short-term use. In patients with minimally symptomatic OSA, our study has shown that male gender (and not OSA severity or symptom burden) is associated with increased long-term use of CPAP at 6 months. Although, in general, early patterns of CPAP usage predicted longer term use, there are patients in whom this is not the case, and patients with low initial usage may need to extend their CPAP trial before a decision about longer-term use is made.

Patterns of safety belt use among drivers killed in fatal crashes in Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-01-01

Safety belt usage or non-usage was noted for drivers fatally injured in motor vehicle accidents in Virginia during fiscal year 1974. Data were obtained from FR300 accident report forms and available corresponding medical examiner's reports, and only ...

Generate Optimized Genetic Rhythm for Enzyme Expression in Non-native systems

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

2016-11-03

Most amino acids are represented by more than one codon, resulting in redundancy in the genetic code. Silent codon substitutions that do not alter the amino acid sequence still have an effect on protein expression. We have developed an algorithm, GoGREEN, to enhance the expression of foreign proteins in a host organism. GoGREEN selects codons according to frequency patterns seen in the gene of interest using the codon usage table from the host organism. GoGREEN is also designed to accommodate gaps in the sequence.This software takes for input (1) the aligned protein sequences for genes the user wishes to express,more » (2) the codon usage table for the host organism, (3) and the DNA sequence for the target protein found in the host organism. The program will select codons based on codon usage patterns for the target DNA sequence. The program will also select codons for “gaps” found in the aligned protein sequences using the codon usage table from the host organism.« less

Online tables of contents for books: effect on usage*

PubMed Central

Morris, Ruth C.

2001-01-01

Objectives: To explore whether the presence of online tables of contents (TOC) in an online catalog affects circulation (checkouts and inhouse usage). Two major questions were posed: (1) did the presence of online tables of contents for books increase use, and, (2) if it did, what factors might cause the increase? Method: A randomized and stratified design was used in tracking usage of 3,957 book titles that were previously divided into two groups: one with TOC and one without TOC. Stratification was done for year of imprint, location, subject, previous use, circulating or non-circulating status, and presence of TOC. The use was tracked by the online catalog statistics in the InnoPac online catalog for fourteen months. Results: The study found that tables of contents do increase usage. It also showed a correlation in the size of the effect based on the currency of the titles. In general, even after adjusting for all of the variables (publication date, location, circulation status, subject, and previous use), the odds of a title being used increased by 45% if the titles had online tables of contents, a statistically significant impact at the 0.05 level. Conclusions: This case-control study presents new information about the impact on circulation and inhouse use when tables of contents for books are added to the online catalog record. The study helps to establish the positive role of tables of contents in online catalogs. The research establishes TOC as a major parameter that can be successfully studied using quantitative methods. The study also provides information professionals with some guidance on when enhancement of TOC is likely to be most effective in increasing the use of existing collections. PMID:11209798

Online tables of contents for books: effect on usage.

PubMed

Morris, R C

2001-01-01

To explore whether the presence of online tables of contents (TOC) in an online catalog affects circulation (checkouts and inhouse usage). Two major questions were posed: (1) did the presence of online tables of contents for books increase use, and, (2) if it did, what factors might cause the increase? A randomized and stratified design was used in tracking usage of 3,957 book titles that were previously divided into two groups: one with TOC and one without TOC. Stratification was done for year of imprint, location, subject, previous use, circulating or non-circulating status, and presence of TOC. The use was tracked by the online catalog statistics in the InnoPac online catalog for fourteen months. The study found that tables of contents do increase usage. It also showed a correlation in the size of the effect based on the currency of the titles. In general, even after adjusting for all of the variables (publication date, location, circulation status, subject, and previous use), the odds of a title being used increased by 45% if the titles had online tables of contents, a statistically significant impact at the 0.05 level. This case-control study presents new information about the impact on circulation and inhouse use when tables of contents for books are added to the online catalog record. The study helps to establish the positive role of tables of contents in online catalogs. The research establishes TOC as a major parameter that can be successfully studied using quantitative methods. The study also provides information professionals with some guidance on when enhancement of TOC is likely to be most effective in increasing the use of existing collections.

NREL Transportation Project to Reduce Fuel Usage

Science.gov Websites

and communication software was developed by NREL researchers to display a vehicle's location automatically and transmit a map of the its location over the Internet. After developing the communication vehicle location and communication technology to track and direct vehicle fleet movements," said the

Tracking Actual Usage: The Attention Metadata Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolpers, Martin; Najjar, Jehad; Verbert, Katrien; Duval, Erik

2007-01-01

The information overload in learning and teaching scenarios is a main hindering factor for efficient and effective learning. New methods are needed to help teachers and students in dealing with the vast amount of available information and learning material. Our approach aims to utilize contextualized attention metadata to capture behavioural…

Extracting patterns of database and software usage from the bioinformatics literature

PubMed Central

Duck, Geraint; Nenadic, Goran; Brass, Andy; Robertson, David L.; Stevens, Robert

2014-01-01

Motivation: As a natural consequence of being a computer-based discipline, bioinformatics has a strong focus on database and software development, but the volume and variety of resources are growing at unprecedented rates. An audit of database and software usage patterns could help provide an overview of developments in bioinformatics and community common practice, and comparing the links between resources through time could demonstrate both the persistence of existing software and the emergence of new tools. Results: We study the connections between bioinformatics resources and construct networks of database and software usage patterns, based on resource co-occurrence, that correspond to snapshots of common practice in the bioinformatics community. We apply our approach to pairings of phylogenetics software reported in the literature and argue that these could provide a stepping stone into the identification of scientific best practice. Availability and implementation: The extracted resource data, the scripts used for network generation and the resulting networks are available at http://bionerds.sourceforge.net/networks/ Contact: robert.stevens@manchester.ac.uk PMID:25161253

Social networking patterns/hazards among teenagers.

PubMed

Machold, C; Judge, G; Mavrinac, A; Elliott, J; Murphy, A M; Roche, E

2012-05-01

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have grown substantially, posing new hazards to teenagers. This study aimed to determine general patterns of Internet usage among Irish teenagers aged 11-16 years, and to identify potential hazards, including; bullying, inappropriate contact, overuse, addiction and invasion of users' privacy. A cross-sectional study design was employed to survey students at three Irish secondary schools, with a sample of 474 completing a questionnaire. 202 (44%) (n = 460) accessed the Internet using a shared home computer. Two hours or less were spent online daily by 285(62%), of whom 450 (98%) were unsupervised. 306 (72%) (n = 425) reported frequent usage of SNSs, 403 (95%) of whom were Facebook users. 42 (10%) males and 51 (12%) females experienced bullying online, while 114 (27%) reported inappropriate contact from others. Concerning overuse and the risk of addiction, 140 (33%) felt they accessed SNSs too often. These patterns among Irish teenagers suggest that SNS usage poses significant dangers, which are going largely unaddressed.

Marijuana usage in relation to harmfulness ratings, perceived likelihood of negative consequences, and defense mechanisms in high school students.

PubMed

Como-Lesko, N; Primavera, L H; Szeszko, P R

1994-08-01

This study investigated high school students' marijuana usage patterns in relation to their harmfulness ratings of 15 licit and illicit drugs, perceived negative consequences from using marijuana, and types of defense mechanisms employed. Subjects were classified into one of five pattern-of-use groups based on marijuana usage: principled nonusers, nonusers, light users, moderate users, and heavy users. Principled nonusers (individuals who have never used marijuana and would not do so if it was legalized) rated marijuana, hashish, cocaine, and alcohol as significantly more harmful than heavy users. A cluster analysis of the drugs' harmfulness ratings best fit a three cluster solution and were named medicinal drugs, recreational drugs, and hard drugs. In general, principled nonusers rated negative consequences from using marijuana as significantly more likely to occur than other groups. Principled nonusers and heavy users utilized reversal from the Defense Mechanism Inventory, which includes repression and denial, significantly more than nonusers, indicating some trait common to the two extreme pattern-of-use groups.

Energy consumption and usage characteristics from field measurements of residential dishwashers, clothes washers and clothes dryers

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

Chang, Y.L.; Grot, R.A.

1980-10-01

The measured energy consumption and usage characteristics for household dishwashers, clothes washers, and clothes dryers for ten townhouses at Twin Rivers, N.J., are presented. Whenever the dishwashers and/or clothes washers were in use, the energy consumption, water consumption, frequency of usage, and water temperature were measured by a data acquisition system. The electrical energy of electric clothes dryers and the gas consumption of gas clothes dryers were measured, as well as their frequency and duration of use, and exhaust temperature. Typical household usage patterns of these major appliances are included.

Codon usage in Chlamydia trachomatis is the result of strand-specific mutational biases and a complex pattern of selective forces

PubMed Central

Romero, Héctor; Zavala, Alejandro; Musto, Héctor

2000-01-01

The patterns of synonymous codon choices of the completely sequenced genome of the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis were analysed. We found that the most important source of variation among the genes results from whether the sequence is located on the leading or lagging strand of replication, resulting in an over representation of G or C, respectively. This can be explained by different mutational biases associated to the different enzymes that replicate each strand. Next we found that most highly expressed sequences are located on the leading strand of replication. From this result, replicational-transcriptional selection can be invoked. Then, when the genes located on the leading strand are studied separately, the correspondence analysis detects a principal trend which discriminates between lowly and highly expressed sequences, the latter displaying a different codon usage pattern than the former, suggesting selection for translation, which is reinforced by the fact that Ks values between orthologous sequences from C.trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae are much smaller in highly expressed genes. Finally, synonymous codon choices appear to be influenced by the hydropathy of each encoded protein and by the degree of amino acid conservation. Therefore, synonymous codon usage in C.trachomatis seems to be the result of a very complex balance among different factors, which rises the problem of whether the forces driving codon usage patterns among microorganisms are rather more complex than generally accepted. PMID:10773076

Codon usage in Chlamydia trachomatis is the result of strand-specific mutational biases and a complex pattern of selective forces.

PubMed

Romero, H; Zavala, A; Musto, H

2000-05-15

The patterns of synonymous codon choices of the completely sequenced genome of the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis were analysed. We found that the most important source of variation among the genes results from whether the sequence is located on the leading or lagging strand of replication, resulting in an over representation of G or C, respectively. This can be explained by different mutational biases associated to the different enzymes that replicate each strand. Next we found that most highly expressed sequences are located on the leading strand of replication. From this result, replicational-transcriptional selection can be invoked. Then, when the genes located on the leading strand are studied separately, the correspondence analysis detects a principal trend which discriminates between lowly and highly expressed sequences, the latter displaying a different codon usage pattern than the former, suggesting selection for translation, which is reinforced by the fact that Ks values between orthologous sequences from C. trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae are much smaller in highly expressed genes. Finally, synonymous codon choices appear to be influenced by the hydropathy of each encoded protein and by the degree of amino acid conservation. Therefore, synonymous codon usage in C.trachomatis seems to be the result of a very complex balance among different factors, which rises the problem of whether the forces driving codon usage patterns among microorganisms are rather more complex than generally accepted.

Mobile Phone Usage and its Health Effects Among Adults in a Semi-Urban Area of Southern India.

PubMed

Stalin, P; Abraham, Sherin Billy; Kanimozhy, K; Prasad, R Vishnu; Singh, Zile; Purty, Anil J

2016-01-01

Worldwide, mobile phone usage has been increased dramatically which could affect the health of the people. India has the second largest number of mobile phone users. However there are only few studies conducted in India to assess its effects on health. To determine the prevalence and pattern of mobile phone usage and to assess the relationship between certain selected health problems and mobile phone usage among adults. Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kottakuppam, a town panchayat in Villupuram district of Coastal Tamil Nadu, Southern India. It is a semi-urban area with a population of about 16,000. Majority of the residents are Muslim by religion and belong to different socio economic status. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. A total of 2121 study participants were interviewed by the pre-final medical students through house-to-house survey using a pretested structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included the variables such as socio demographic profile, mobile phone usage and pattern, selected health problems, perceived benefits and threats and blood pressure. Selected health problems included headache, earache, neck pain, tinnitus, painful fingers, restlessness, morning tiredness, tingling fingers, fatigue, eye symptoms, sleep disturbance and hypertension. Only 2054 were included for data analysis using SPSS 17 version. Proportions were calculated. Chi-square test was used to measure the p-value. The p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The prevalence of mobile phone usage was 70%. Calling facility (94.2%) was used more than the SMS (67.6%). Health problems like headache, earache, tinnitus, painful fingers and restlessness etc., were found to be positively associated with mobile phone usage. There was negative association between hypertension and mobile phone usage. The prevalence of mobile phone usage was high. There was significant association between selected health problems and mobile phone usage. In future, higher studies are required to confirm our findings.

Study of Track Irregularity Time Series Calibration and Variation Pattern at Unit Section

PubMed Central

Jia, Chaolong; Wei, Lili; Wang, Hanning; Yang, Jiulin

2014-01-01

Focusing on problems existing in track irregularity time series data quality, this paper first presents abnormal data identification, data offset correction algorithm, local outlier data identification, and noise cancellation algorithms. And then proposes track irregularity time series decomposition and reconstruction through the wavelet decomposition and reconstruction approach. Finally, the patterns and features of track irregularity standard deviation data sequence in unit sections are studied, and the changing trend of track irregularity time series is discovered and described. PMID:25435869

Radar coordination and resource management in a distributed sensor network using emergent control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weir, B. S.; Sokol, T. M.

2009-05-01

As the list of anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense missions grows, there is an increasing need to coordinate and optimize usage of radar resources across the netted force. Early attempts at this optimization involved top-down control mechanisms whereby sensors accept resource tasking orders from networked tracking elements. These approaches rely heavily on uncertain knowledge of sensor constraints and capabilities. Furthermore, advanced sensor systems may support self-defense missions of the host platform and are therefore unable to relinquish control to an external function. To surmount these issues, the use of bottom-up emergent control techniques is proposed. The information necessary to make quality, network-wide resource allocations is readily available to sensor nodes with access to a netted track picture. By assessing resource priorities relative to the network (versus local) track picture, sensors can understand the contribution of their resources to the netted force. This allows the sensors to apply resources where most needed and remove waste. Furthermore, simple local rules for resource usage, when properly constructed, allow sensors to obtain a globally optimal resource allocation without direct coordination (emergence). These results are robust to partial implementation (i.e., not all nodes upgraded at once) and failures on individual nodes (whether from casualty or reallocation to other sensor missions), and they leave resource control decisions in the hands of the sensor systems instead of an external function. This paper presents independent research and development work on emergent control of sensor resources and the impact to resource allocation and tracking performance.

Enabling freehand lateral scanning of optical coherence tomography needle probes with a magnetic tracking system

PubMed Central

Yeo, Boon Y.; McLaughlin, Robert A.; Kirk, Rodney W.; Sampson, David D.

2012-01-01

We present a high-resolution three-dimensional position tracking method that allows an optical coherence tomography (OCT) needle probe to be scanned laterally by hand, providing the high degree of flexibility and freedom required in clinical usage. The method is based on a magnetic tracking system, which is augmented by cross-correlation-based resampling and a two-stage moving window average algorithm to improve upon the tracker's limited intrinsic spatial resolution, achieving 18 µm RMS position accuracy. A proof-of-principle system was developed, with successful image reconstruction demonstrated on phantoms and on ex vivo human breast tissue validated against histology. This freehand scanning method could contribute toward clinical implementation of OCT needle imaging. PMID:22808429

Nomophobia: A Cross-sectional Study to Assess Mobile Phone Usage Among Dental Students.

PubMed

Prasad, Monika; Patthi, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Gupta, Ritu; Saha, Sabyasachi; Kumar, Jishnu Krishna; Malhi, Ravneet; Pandita, Venisha

2017-02-01

Mobile phones were originally seen as a gadget for communication but currently, the internet enabled mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily life. Their benefits are incomparable but at the same time, they have some negative effects too. To assess the pattern of usage of mobile phones and its effects on the academic performance of students. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 554 students of D. J. College of Dental Sciences and Research through a self-administered questionnaire to collect the data regarding the usage and associated anxiety with mobile phone. About 39.5% students agreed that they score low marks in professional exams if they spend more time on phone. The number of students who frequently checked their cell phone during their classes or while doing clinical work were 24.7% . A total of 24.12% of the students were found to be nomophobic and at risk of being nomophobes were 40.97%. A statistically significant difference was found among preclinical, clinical, interns and postgraduates regarding the usage and effect of mobile phone on them. The pattern of usage of mobile phone among dental students showed alarming indication that students have been addicted to mobile phone which in turn affect their academic performance in a negative way. It would be useful to advise the students about the controlled as well as proper usage of mobile phone.

Practice and Repetition during Exam Preparation in Blended Learning Courses: Correlations with Learning Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andergassen, Monika; Mödritscher, Felix; Neumann, Gustaf

2014-01-01

Learner-centric research on factors influencing learning results has focused, among other things, on student characteristics, demographic data, and usage patterns in learning management systems (LMSs). This paper complements the existing research by investigating potential correlations between learning results and LMS usage during exam…

Iran: Country Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFerren, Margaret

A survey of the status of language usage in Iran begins with an overview of the usage pattern of Persian, the official language spoken by just over half the population, and the competing languages of six ethnic and linguistic minorities: Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Arabic, Gilaki, Luri-Bakhtiari, and Mazandarani. The development of language policy…

Editorial Library: User Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Surace, Cecily J.

This report presents the findings of a survey conducted by the editorial library of the Los Angeles Times to measure usage and satisfaction with library service, provide background information on library user characteristics, collect information on patterns of use of the Times' clipping files, relate data on usage and satisfaction parameters to…

Use of point-of-sale data to track usage patterns of residential pesticides: methodology development.

PubMed

Bekarian, Nyree; Payne-Sturges, Devon; Edmondson, Stuart; Chism, Bill; Woodruff, Tracey J

2006-05-25

Residential-use pesticides have been shown to be a major source of pesticide exposure to people in the United States. However, little is understood about the exposures to household pesticides and the resultant health effects. One reason that little is known about home-use pesticide exposure is the lack of comprehensive data on exposures to pesticides in the home. One method to help ascertain the amount of pesticides present in the home is use of point-of-sale data collected from marketing companies that track product sales to obtain the volume of pesticides sold for home-use. This provides a measure of volume of home-use pesticide. We have constructed a searchable database containing sales data for home-use permethrin-containing pesticides sold by retail stores in the United States from January 1997 through December 2002 in an attempt to develop a tracking method for pesticide. This pilot project was conducted to determine if point-of-sale data would be effective in helping track the purchase of home-use permethrin containing pesticides and if it would stand as a good model for tracking sales of other home-use pesticides. There are several limitations associated with this tracking method, including the availability of sales data, market coverage, and geographic resolution. As a result, a fraction of sales data potentially available for reporting is represented in this database. However, the database is sensitive to the number and type of merchants reporting permethrin sales. Further, analysis of the sale of individual products included in the database indicates that year to year variability has a greater impact on reported permethrin sales than the amount sold by each type of merchant. We conclude that, while nothing could completely replace a detailed exposure assessment to estimate exposures to home-use pesticides, a point-of-sale database is a useful tool in tracking the purchase of these types of pesticides to 1) detect anomalous trends in regional and seasonal pesticide sales warranting further investigation into the potential causes of the trends; 2) determine the most commonly purchased application types; and 3) compare relative trends in sales between indoor and outdoor use products as well as compare trends in sales between different active ingredients.

Use of point-of-sale data to track usage patterns of residential pesticides: methodology development

PubMed Central

Bekarian, Nyree; Payne-Sturges, Devon; Edmondson, Stuart; Chism, Bill; Woodruff, Tracey J

2006-01-01

Background Residential-use pesticides have been shown to be a major source of pesticide exposure to people in the United States. However, little is understood about the exposures to household pesticides and the resultant health effects. One reason that little is known about home-use pesticide exposure is the lack of comprehensive data on exposures to pesticides in the home. One method to help ascertain the amount of pesticides present in the home is use of point-of-sale data collected from marketing companies that track product sales to obtain the volume of pesticides sold for home-use. This provides a measure of volume of home-use pesticide. Methods We have constructed a searchable database containing sales data for home-use permethrin-containing pesticides sold by retail stores in the United States from January 1997 through December 2002 in an attempt to develop a tracking method for pesticide. This pilot project was conducted to determine if point-of-sale data would be effective in helping track the purchase of home-use permethrin containing pesticides and if it would stand as a good model for tracking sales of other home-use pesticides. Results There are several limitations associated with this tracking method, including the availability of sales data, market coverage, and geographic resolution. As a result, a fraction of sales data potentially available for reporting is represented in this database. However, the database is sensitive to the number and type of merchants reporting permethrin sales. Further, analysis of the sale of individual products included in the database indicates that year to year variability has a greater impact on reported permethrin sales than the amount sold by each type of merchant. Conclusion We conclude that, while nothing could completely replace a detailed exposure assessment to estimate exposures to home-use pesticides, a point-of-sale database is a useful tool in tracking the purchase of these types of pesticides to 1) detect anomalous trends in regional and seasonal pesticide sales warranting further investigation into the potential causes of the trends; 2) determine the most commonly purchased application types; and 3) compare relative trends in sales between indoor and outdoor use products as well as compare trends in sales between different active ingredients. PMID:16725037

Habitat used by juvenile lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the North Channel of the St. Clair River (Michigan, USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boase, James C.; Manny, Bruce A.; Donald, Katherine A.L.; Kennedy, Gregory W.; Diana, James S.; Thomas, Michael V.; Chiotti, Justin A.

2014-01-01

Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) occupy the St. Clair River, part of a channel connecting lakes Huron and Erie in the Laurentian Great Lakes. In the North Channel of the St. Clair River, juvenile lake sturgeon (3–7 years old and 582–793 mm in length) were studied to determine movement patterns and habitat usage. Fourteen juveniles were implanted with ultrasonic transmitters and tracked June–August of 2004, 2005 and 2006. Telemetry data, Geographic Information System software, side-scan sonar, video images of the river bottom, scuba diving, and benthic substrate samples were used to determine the extent and composition of habitats they occupied. Juvenile lake sturgeon habitat selection was strongly related to water depth. No fish were found in 700 mm in length selected sand and gravel areas mixed with zebra mussels and areas dominated by zebra mussels, while fish < 700 mm used these habitat types in proportion to their availability.

Compressed multi-block local binary pattern for object tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tianwen; Gao, Yun; Zhao, Lei; Zhou, Hao

2018-04-01

Both robustness and real-time are very important for the application of object tracking under a real environment. The focused trackers based on deep learning are difficult to satisfy with the real-time of tracking. Compressive sensing provided a technical support for real-time tracking. In this paper, an object can be tracked via a multi-block local binary pattern feature. The feature vector was extracted based on the multi-block local binary pattern feature, which was compressed via a sparse random Gaussian matrix as the measurement matrix. The experiments showed that the proposed tracker ran in real-time and outperformed the existed compressive trackers based on Haar-like feature on many challenging video sequences in terms of accuracy and robustness.

Application of geocomposite placed beneath ballast bed to improve ballast quality and track stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horníček, Leoš; Břešt'ovský, Petr; Jasanský, Petr

2017-09-01

The article deals with the application of a stabilization hexagonal geocomposite for the improvement of poor stability of railway tracks caused by undesirable migration of fine soil particles from the subgrade into the ballast bed. The establishment of a test railway section on a single-line track situated near Domazlice and its long-term monitoring programme are described. Evaluation is aimed especially at track geometry parameters, the load-bearing capacity of the ballast bed, elastic rail deflection during train passages and the durability of geocomposite’s physical properties. The data taken from the test section during five measurement campaigns are compared with both adjacent sections. In one of them, only the ballast bed renovation was carried out, whereas in the second one no intervention was performed at all. The usage of a pioneering geosynthetic product in combination with new trends in ballast bed restoration seems to be an innovative as well as effective solution to analogous problematic spots on railway tracks in the Czech Republic.

Comprehensive efficiency analysis of supercomputer resource usage based on system monitoring data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mamaeva, A. A.; Shaykhislamov, D. I.; Voevodin, Vad V.; Zhumatiy, S. A.

2018-03-01

One of the main problems of modern supercomputers is the low efficiency of their usage, which leads to the significant idle time of computational resources, and, in turn, to the decrease in speed of scientific research. This paper presents three approaches to study the efficiency of supercomputer resource usage based on monitoring data analysis. The first approach performs an analysis of computing resource utilization statistics, which allows to identify different typical classes of programs, to explore the structure of the supercomputer job flow and to track overall trends in the supercomputer behavior. The second approach is aimed specifically at analyzing off-the-shelf software packages and libraries installed on the supercomputer, since efficiency of their usage is becoming an increasingly important factor for the efficient functioning of the entire supercomputer. Within the third approach, abnormal jobs – jobs with abnormally inefficient behavior that differs significantly from the standard behavior of the overall supercomputer job flow – are being detected. For each approach, the results obtained in practice in the Supercomputer Center of Moscow State University are demonstrated.

Use and acceptability of unsupported online computerized cognitive behavioral therapy for depression and associations with clinical outcome.

PubMed

de Graaf, L Esther; Huibers, Marcus J H; Riper, Heleen; Gerhards, Sylvia A H; Arntz, Arnoud

2009-08-01

In a recent randomized trial, we were unable to confirm the previously reported high effectiveness of CCBT. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to have a closer look at usage and acceptability (i.e. expectancy, credibility, and satisfaction) of the intervention. Depressed participants (N=200) were given login codes for unsupported online CCBT. A track-and-trace system tracked which components were used. We used a 9-month follow-up period. Uptake was sufficient, but dropout was high. Many usage indices were positively associated with short-term depressive improvement, whereas only homework was related to long-term improvement. Acceptability was good and expectancy could predict long-term, but not short-term outcome. Associations between use of CCBT and improvement are merely correlational. Our sample was too depressed in relation to the scope of the intervention. We relied on online self-report measures. Analyses were exploratory in nature. Although CCBT might be a feasible and acceptable treatment for depression, means to improve treatment adherence are needed for moderately to severely depressed individuals.

Diffusion of Technology: Frequency of Use for Younger and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Olson, Katherine E.; O’Brien, Marita A.; Rogers, Wendy A.; Charness, Neil

2012-01-01

Objectives When we think of technology-savvy consumers, older adults are typically not the first persons that come to mind. The common misconception is that older adults do not want to use or cannot use technology. But for an increasing number of older adults, this is not true (Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2003). Older adults do use technologies similar to their younger counterparts, but perhaps at different usage rates. Previous research has identified that there may be subgroups of older adults, “Silver Surfers”, whose adoption patterns mimic younger adults (Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2003). Much of the previous research on age-related differences in technology usage has only investigated usage broadly -- from a “used” or “not used” standpoint. The present study investigated age-related differences in overall usage of technologies, as well as frequency of technology usage (i.e., never, occasional, or frequent). Methods The data were gathered through a questionnaire from younger adults (N=430) and older adults (N=251) in three geographically separate and ethnically diverse areas of the United States. Results We found that younger adults use a greater breadth of technologies than older adults. However, age-related differences in usage and the frequency of use depend on the technology domain. Conclusion This paper presents technology usage and frequency data to highlight age-related differences and similarities. The results provide insights into older and younger adults’ technology-use patterns, which in turn provide a basis for expectations about knowledge differences. Designers and trainers can benefit from understanding experience and knowledge differences. PMID:22685360

Mobile phone ownership, usage and readiness to use by patients in drug treatment.

PubMed

Milward, Joanna; Day, Edward; Wadsworth, Elle; Strang, John; Lynskey, Michael

2015-01-01

Mobile phone based interventions using text-messages and smartphone apps demonstrate promise for enhancing the treatment of substance use disorders. However, there is limited evidence on the availability of mobile phones among people in substance use treatment, as well as usage patterns, contact preferences and willingness to use phone functions such as geo-location for treatment purposes. A questionnaire was completed by 398 patients enrolled in four UK community drug treatment services. The majority (74%) reported being in treatment for heroin dependence, 9% for alcohol, 4% prescription drugs, 1% amphetamines, 1% club drugs and 1% cannabis. The remaining reported a combination of different drug categories. Eighty-three percent of patients reported owning a mobile phone; 57% of phones were smartphones and 72% of clients had a pay-as-you-go contract. Forty-six percent of phone owners changed their number in the previous year. Eighty-six percent were willing to be contacted by their treatment provider via mobile phone, although 46% thought the use of geo-location to be unacceptable. Mobile phones are widely available among individuals receiving community drug treatment and should be considered as a viable contact method by service providers, particularly text-messaging. However, patients may not have access to sophisticated features such as smartphone apps, and, up to date records of contact numbers must be frequently maintained. Developers need to be sensitive to issues of privacy and invasiveness around geo-location tracking and frequency of contact. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structure preserving clustering-object tracking via subgroup motion pattern segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Zheyi; Zhu, Yixuan; Jiang, Jiao; Weng, Shuqin; Liu, Zhiwen

2018-01-01

Tracking clustering objects with similar appearances simultaneously in collective scenes is a challenging task in the field of collective motion analysis. Recent work on clustering-object tracking often suffers from poor tracking accuracy and terrible real-time performance due to the neglect or the misjudgment of the motion differences among objects. To address this problem, we propose a subgroup motion pattern segmentation framework based on a multilayer clustering structure and establish spatial constraints only among objects in the same subgroup, which entails having consistent motion direction and close spatial position. In addition, the subgroup segmentation results are updated dynamically because crowd motion patterns are changeable and affected by objects' destinations and scene structures. The spatial structure information combined with the appearance similarity information is used in the structure preserving object tracking framework to track objects. Extensive experiments conducted on several datasets containing multiple real-world crowd scenes validate the accuracy and the robustness of the presented algorithm for tracking objects in collective scenes.

Prototype readout electronics and silicon strip detector study for the silicon tracking system at compressed baryonic matter experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasiński, Krzysztof; Szczygieł, Robert; Gryboś, Paweł

2011-10-01

This paper presents the prototype detector readout electronics for the STS (Silicon Tracking System) at CBM (Compressed Baryonic Matter) experiment at FAIR, GSI (Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH) in Germany. The emphasis has been put on the strip detector readout chip and its interconnectivity with detector. Paper discusses the impact of the silicon strip detector and interconnection cable construction on the overall noise of the system and architecture of the TOT02 readout ASIC. The idea and problems of the double-sided silicon detector usage are also presented.

Gender differences in depressive symptom profiles and patterns of psychotropic drug usage in Asian patients with depression: Findings from the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns for Antidepressants study.

PubMed

Park, Seon-Cheol; Lee, Min-Soo; Shinfuku, Naotaka; Sartorius, Norman; Park, Yong Chon

2015-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there were gender-specific depressive symptom profiles or gender-specific patterns of psychotropic agent usage in Asian patients with depression. Clinical data from the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns for Antidepressant study (1171 depressed patients) were used to determine gender differences by analysis of covariates for continuous variables and by logistic regression analysis for discrete variables. In addition, a binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify independent clinical correlates of the gender-specific pattern on psychotropic drug usage. Men were more likely than women to have loss of interest (adjusted odds ratio = 1.379, p = 0.009), fatigue (adjusted odds ratio = 1.298, p = 0.033) and concurrent substance abuse (adjusted odds ratio = 3.793, p = 0.008), but gender differences in other symptom profiles and clinical features were not significant. Men were also more likely than women to be prescribed adjunctive therapy with a second-generation antipsychotic (adjusted odds ratio = 1.320, p = 0.044). However, men were less likely than women to have suicidal thoughts/acts (adjusted odds ratio = 0.724, p = 0.028). Binary logistic regression models revealed that lower age (odds ratio = 0.986, p = 0.027) and current hospitalization (odds ratio = 3.348, p < 0.0001) were independent clinical correlates of use of second-generation antipsychotics as adjunctive therapy for treating depressed Asian men. Unique gender-specific symptom profiles and gender-specific patterns of psychotropic drug usage can be identified in Asian patients with depression. Hence, ethnic and cultural influences on the gender preponderance of depression should be considered in the clinical psychiatry of Asian patients. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

In patients with minimally symptomatic OSA can baseline characteristics and early patterns of CPAP usage predict those who are likely to be longer-term users of CPAP

PubMed Central

Bratton, Daniel J.; Craig, Sonya E.; Kohler, Malcolm; Stradling, John R.

2016-01-01

Background Long-term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) usage varies between individuals. It would be of value to be able to identify those who are likely to benefit from CPAP (and use it long term), versus those who would not, and might therefore benefit from additional help early on. First, we explored whether baseline characteristics predicted CPAP usage in minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients, a group who would be expected to have low usage. Second, we explored if early CPAP usage was predictive of longer-term usage, as has been shown in more symptomatic OSA patients. Methods The MOSAIC trial was a multi-centre randomised controlled trial where minimally symptomatic OSA patients were randomised to CPAP, or standard care, for 6 months. Here we have studied only those patients randomised to CPAP treatment. Baseline characteristics including symptoms, questionnaires [including the Epworth sleepiness score (ESS)] and sleep study parameters were recorded. CPAP usage was recorded at 2–4 weeks after initiation and after 6 months. The correlation and association between baseline characteristics and 6 months CPAP usage was assessed, as was the correlation between 2 and 4 weeks CPAP usage and 6 months CPAP usage. Results One hundred and ninety-five patients randomised to CPAP therapy had median [interquartile range (IQR)] CPAP usage of 2:49 (0:44, 5:13) h:min/night (h/n) at the 2–4 weeks visit, and 2:17 (0:08, 4:54) h/n at the 6 months follow-up visit. Only male gender was associated with increased long-term CPAP use (male usage 2:56 h/n, female 1:57 h/n; P=0.02). There was a moderate correlation between the usage of CPAP at 2–4 weeks and 6 months, with about 50% of the variability in long-term use being predicted by the short-term use. Conclusions In patients with minimally symptomatic OSA, our study has shown that male gender (and not OSA severity or symptom burden) is associated with increased long-term use of CPAP at 6 months. Although, in general, early patterns of CPAP usage predicted longer term use, there are patients in whom this is not the case, and patients with low initial usage may need to extend their CPAP trial before a decision about longer-term use is made. PMID:26904268

Tracking Characteristics of a Triangular-Aperture Mounted Optical Head Slider to Which a Polarized Violet Laser Source Is Applied

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohkubo, Toshifumi; Park, Majung; Hirata, Masakazu; Oumi, Manabu; Nakajima, Kunio

In near-field optical recording, the combination of a triangular aperture and a polarized illuminating light is thought to be one of the most promising breakthroughs for improving both spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. In light of this, we have already fabricated a triangular-aperture mounted optical head slider and demonstrated its superior performance while clarifying the influence of the polarization direction on the spatial resolution in the circumferential direction. When the polarization direction was perpendicular to the bottom side (which is parallel to the slider trailing edge) of the aperture, the highest spatial resolution and signal contrast were obtained, in spite of the usage of a fairly large aperture, indicating the presence of clear readout signal waveforms corresponding down to 100 nm line-and-space (L/S) patterns. In this study, we tried to experimentally clarify the influence of the polarization direction of the illuminating light on an aperture's field spread in the radial direction. In order to concretely evaluate the field spread, we prepared 1-mm-long linearly arranged (in the circumferential direction) L/S patterns on a metal-layered medium, and a piezo-electric actuator combined positioner. Intersecting the aperture at two portions of the tracks, directly acquired signal waveforms could be successfully transformed into the waveforms that would be obtained if the aperture had crossed the track at right angles. The field spreads in the radial direction were estimated to be approximately 250 nm when the polarization direction was perpendicular to the bottom side. In contrast, when the polarization direction was 45 degrees, the stationary field spread in the radial direction was estimated to be approximately 350 - 370 nm. It could be confirmed experimentally that both the highest spatial resolution in the circumferential direction and the smallest field spread in the radial direction were realized with the combination of the triangular aperture and the illuminating polarized light whose direction was perpendicular to the bottom side. Based on these results, the signal-to-noise ratio will be evaluated and discussed in the future with respect to the above-mentioned optimum aperture structure and conditions.

Differential usage of T-cell receptor V beta gene families by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in patients with CD8hi common variable immunodeficiency: evidence of a post-thymic effect.

PubMed Central

Duchmann, R; Jaffe, J; Ehrhardt, R; Alling, D W; Strober, W

1996-01-01

In this study, we report that differences between T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta gene family usage in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are significantly greater in a subgroup of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) and high levels of activated CD8+ T cells (CD8hi CVI) than in controls (P < 0.001). In CD8hi CVI patients, such differences were also significantly greater for V beta 12 than for other V beta families. As the causes of the differential usage of V beta gene families by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are under investigation, it was interesting that the combined differences between V beta gene family usage in the CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subpopulations as a whole were significantly lower than the combined differences between individual V beta gene family usage in either CD4+ or CD8+ T-cell subpopulations (P < 0.001 in both control and CD8hi CVI patients). Further, the pattern of V beta gene family usage in CD4+ T cells was remarkably similar to that in CD8+ T cells in both groups. These data strongly suggest that differences in V beta gene family usage arising from coselection by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I versus MHC class II restriction elements do not fundamentally distort 'basic' V beta gene family usage patterns. They also support the concept that differences in CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell V beta gene family usage, which were increased in CD8hi CVI, can arise from high-affinity interactions between disease-associated antigens or superantigens and T cells in the post-thymic T-cell compartment. Images Figure 6 PMID:8666443

Heat-coping strategies and bedroom thermal satisfaction in New York City.

PubMed

Lee, W Victoria; Shaman, Jeffrey

2017-01-01

There has been little research into the thermal condition of the sleeping environment. Even less well documented and understood is how the sleeping thermal environment is affected by occupant behaviors such as the use of air-conditioning (AC) and electric fans, or window operations. In this paper we present results from a questionnaire survey administered to assess summertime bedroom thermal satisfaction and heat-coping strategies among New York City (NYC) residents. Specifically, we investigated current AC usage in bedrooms and examined alternate cooling strategies, cooling appliance usage patterns, and the motivations that drove these patterns during the 2015 summer. Among survey respondents (n=706), AC was the preferred heat-coping strategy, and for 30% of respondents was the only strategy used. Electric fan use and window opening were deemed ineffective for cooling by many respondents. Indeed, less than a quarter of all respondents ever opened windows to alleviate heat in their bedrooms. In general, people utilized strategies that modify the environment more than the individual person. Unsurprisingly, the frequency and overall use of AC were significantly associated with greater bedroom thermal satisfaction; however, setting AC to a lower temperature provided no additional benefit. In contrast, more frequent use of electric fans was associated with lower thermal satisfaction. In addition, 14.7% of all respondents did not have AC in their sleeping environment and 5.8% were without any AC at home. Despite the high penetration of AC ownership, usage cost was still a major concern for most. This work contributes to a better understanding of bedtime heat-coping strategies, cooling appliance usage patterns, and associated thermal satisfaction in NYC. The findings of this study suggest resident AC usage patterns may not be optimized for thermal satisfaction. Potential alternative cooling approaches could be explored to better balance maximizing thermal comfort while reducing energy consumption and environmental impact. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ACTS: from ATLAS software towards a common track reconstruction software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gumpert, C.; Salzburger, A.; Kiehn, M.; Hrdinka, J.; Calace, N.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

Reconstruction of charged particles’ trajectories is a crucial task for most particle physics experiments. The high instantaneous luminosity achieved at the LHC leads to a high number of proton-proton collisions per bunch crossing, which has put the track reconstruction software of the LHC experiments through a thorough test. Preserving track reconstruction performance under increasingly difficult experimental conditions, while keeping the usage of computational resources at a reasonable level, is an inherent problem for many HEP experiments. Exploiting concurrent algorithms and using multivariate techniques for track identification are the primary strategies to achieve that goal. Starting from current ATLAS software, the ACTS project aims to encapsulate track reconstruction software into a generic, framework- and experiment-independent software package. It provides a set of high-level algorithms and data structures for performing track reconstruction tasks as well as fast track simulation. The software is developed with special emphasis on thread-safety to support parallel execution of the code and data structures are optimised for vectorisation to speed up linear algebra operations. The implementation is agnostic to the details of the detection technologies and magnetic field configuration which makes it applicable to many different experiments.

Algeria: Country Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFerren, Margaret

A survey of the status of language usage in Algeria begins with an overview of the usage patterns of Arabic, the Berber languages, and French. The country's return to Arabic as its official language after independence from France in 1962 is discussed along with the resultant language planning, issues of language of instruction at the elementary,…

Tweeting and Blogging: Moving towards Education 2.0

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Tian; Franklin, Teresa

2015-01-01

This paper reports on an exploratory study that employed Twitter and blogs as instructional Web 2.0 tools to support student learning in an undergraduate-level class. Case study methodology entailing a usage survey, an exit survey, and 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews was sought to examine patterns and characteristics of students' usage of…

Iraq: Country Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFerren, Margaret

A survey of the status of language usage in Iraq begins with an overview of the usage patterns of Arabic and Kurdish, especially in the context of recent political events and the agreement to make Kurdish a second official language in the Kurdish autonomous region, and to allow limited use of Kurdish in instruction and public communication. A…

A Quantitative Analysis of Cognitive Strategy Usage in the Marking of Two GCSE Examinations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suto, W. M. Irenka; Greatorex, Jackie

2008-01-01

Diverse strategies for marking GCSE examinations have been identified, ranging from simple automatic judgements to complex cognitive operations requiring considerable expertise. However, little is known about patterns of strategy usage or how such information could be utilised by examiners. We conducted a quantitative analysis of previous verbal…

Geography and Location Are the Primary Drivers of Office Microbiome Composition

PubMed Central

Chase, John; Fouquier, Jennifer; Zare, Mahnaz; Sonderegger, Derek L.; Knight, Rob; Kelley, Scott T.; Siegel, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT In the United States, humans spend the majority of their time indoors, where they are exposed to the microbiome of the built environment (BE) they inhabit. Despite the ubiquity of microbes in BEs and their potential impacts on health and building materials, basic questions about the microbiology of these environments remain unanswered. We present a study on the impacts of geography, material type, human interaction, location in a room, seasonal variation, and indoor and microenvironmental parameters on bacterial communities in offices. Our data elucidate several important features of microbial communities in BEs. First, under normal office environmental conditions, bacterial communities do not differ on the basis of surface material (e.g., ceiling tile or carpet) but do differ on the basis of the location in a room (e.g., ceiling or floor), two features that are often conflated but that we are able to separate here. We suspect that previous work showing differences in bacterial composition with surface material was likely detecting differences based on different usage patterns. Next, we find that offices have city-specific bacterial communities, such that we can accurately predict which city an office microbiome sample is derived from, but office-specific bacterial communities are less apparent. This differs from previous work, which has suggested office-specific compositions of bacterial communities. We again suspect that the difference from prior work arises from different usage patterns. As has been previously shown, we observe that human skin contributes heavily to the composition of BE surfaces. IMPORTANCE Our study highlights several points that should impact the design of future studies of the microbiology of BEs. First, projects tracking changes in BE bacterial communities should focus sampling efforts on surveying different locations in offices and in different cities but not necessarily different materials or different offices in the same city. Next, disturbance due to repeated sampling, though detectable, is small compared to that due to other variables, opening up a range of longitudinal study designs in the BE. Next, studies requiring more samples than can be sequenced on a single sequencing run (which is increasingly common) must control for run effects by including some of the same samples in all of the sequencing runs as technical replicates. Finally, detailed tracking of indoor and material environment covariates is likely not essential for BE microbiome studies, as the normal range of indoor environmental conditions is likely not large enough to impact bacterial communities. PMID:27822521

Detecting a signal in the noise: monitoring the global spread of novel psychoactive substances using media and other open-source information†

PubMed Central

Young, Matthew M; Dubeau, Chad; Corazza, Ornella

2015-01-01

Objective To determine the feasibility and utility of using media reports and other open-source information collected by the Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN), an event-based surveillance system operated by the Public Health Agency of Canada, to rapidly detect clusters of adverse drug events associated with ‘novel psychoactive substances’ (NPS) at the international level. Methods and Results Researchers searched English media reports collected by the GPHIN between 1997 and 2013 for references to synthetic cannabinoids. They screened the resulting reports for relevance and content (i.e., reports of morbidity and arrest), plotted and compared with other available indicators (e.g., US poison control center exposures). The pattern of results from the analysis of GPHIN reports resembled the pattern seen from the other indicators. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that using media and other open-source information can help monitor the presence, usage, local policy, law enforcement responses, and spread of NPS in a rapid effective way. Further, modifying GPHIN to actively track NPS would be relatively inexpensive to implement and would be highly complementary to current national and international monitoring efforts. © 2015 The Authors. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:26216568

The short-term effects of a routine poisoning campaign on the movements and detectability of a social top-predator.

PubMed

Allen, Benjamin L; Engeman, Richard M; Leung, Luke K-P

2014-02-01

Top-predators can be important components of resilient ecosystems, but they are still controlled in many places to mitigate a variety of economic, environmental and/or social impacts. Lethal control is often achieved through the broad-scale application of poisoned baits. Understanding the direct and indirect effects of such lethal control on subsequent movements and behaviour of survivors is an important pre-requisite for interpreting the efficacy and ecological outcomes of top-predator control. In this study, we use GPS tracking collars to investigate the fine-scale and short-term movements of dingoes (Canis lupus dingo and other wild dogs) in response to a routine poison-baiting program as an example of how a common, social top-predator can respond (behaviourally) to moderate levels of population reduction. We found no consistent control-induced differences in home range size or location, daily distance travelled, speed of travel, temporal activity patterns or road/trail usage for the seven surviving dingoes we monitored immediately before and after a typical lethal control event. These data suggest that the spatial behaviour of surviving dingoes was not altered in ways likely to affect their detectability, and if control-induced changes in dingoes' ecological function did occur, these may not be related to altered spatial behaviour or movement patterns.

Heterogeneous Mobile Phone Ownership and Usage Patterns in Kenya

PubMed Central

Wesolowski, Amy; Eagle, Nathan; Noor, Abdisalan M.; Snow, Robert W.; Buckee, Caroline O.

2012-01-01

The rapid adoption of mobile phone technologies in Africa is offering exciting opportunities for engaging with high-risk populations through mHealth programs, and the vast volumes of behavioral data being generated as people use their phones provide valuable data about human behavioral dynamics in these regions. Taking advantage of these opportunities requires an understanding of the penetration of mobile phones and phone usage patterns across the continent, but very little is known about the social and geographical heterogeneities in mobile phone ownership among African populations. Here, we analyze a survey of mobile phone ownership and usage across Kenya in 2009 and show that distinct regional, gender-related, and socioeconomic variations exist, with particularly low ownership among rural communities and poor people. We also examine patterns of phone sharing and highlight the contrasting relationships between ownership and sharing in different parts of the country. This heterogeneous penetration of mobile phones has important implications for the use of mobile technologies as a source of population data and as a public health tool in sub-Saharan Africa. PMID:22558140

Heterogeneous mobile phone ownership and usage patterns in Kenya.

PubMed

Wesolowski, Amy; Eagle, Nathan; Noor, Abdisalan M; Snow, Robert W; Buckee, Caroline O

2012-01-01

The rapid adoption of mobile phone technologies in Africa is offering exciting opportunities for engaging with high-risk populations through mHealth programs, and the vast volumes of behavioral data being generated as people use their phones provide valuable data about human behavioral dynamics in these regions. Taking advantage of these opportunities requires an understanding of the penetration of mobile phones and phone usage patterns across the continent, but very little is known about the social and geographical heterogeneities in mobile phone ownership among African populations. Here, we analyze a survey of mobile phone ownership and usage across Kenya in 2009 and show that distinct regional, gender-related, and socioeconomic variations exist, with particularly low ownership among rural communities and poor people. We also examine patterns of phone sharing and highlight the contrasting relationships between ownership and sharing in different parts of the country. This heterogeneous penetration of mobile phones has important implications for the use of mobile technologies as a source of population data and as a public health tool in sub-Saharan Africa.

Use of mobile technology in a community mental health setting.

PubMed

Glick, Gretl; Druss, Benjamin; Pina, Jamie; Lally, Cathy; Conde, Mark

2016-10-01

mHealth holds promise in transforming care for people with serious mental illness (SMI) and other disadvantaged populations. However, information about the rates of smartphone ownership and usage of mobile health apps among people with SMI is limited. The objective of this research is to examine the current ownership, usage patterns, and existing barriers to mobile health interventions for people with SMI treated in a public sector community mental health setting and to compare the findings with national usage patterns from the general population. A survey was conducted to determine rates of ownership of smartphone devices among people with SMI. Surveys were administered to 100 patients with SMI at an outpatient psychiatric clinic. Results were compared with respondents to the 2012 Pew Survey of mobile phone usage. A total of 85% of participants reported that they owned a cell phone; of those, 37% reported that they owned a smartphone, as compared with 53% of respondents to the Pew Survey and 44% of socioeconomically disadvantaged respondents to the Pew Survey. While cell phone ownership is common among people with SMI, their adoption of smartphone technology lags behind that of the general population primarily due to cost barriers. Efforts to use mHealth in these populations need to recognize current mobile ownership patterns while planning for anticipated expansion of new technologies to poor populations as cost barriers are reduced in the coming years. © The Author(s) 2015.

The pathway to intelligent implants: osteoblast response to nano silicon-doped hydroxyapatite patterning

PubMed Central

Munir, G.; Koller, G.; Di Silvio, L.; Edirisinghe, M. J.; Bonfield, W.; Huang, J.

2011-01-01

Bioactive hydroxyapatite (HA) with addition of silicon (Si) in the crystal structure (silicon-doped hydroxyapatite (SiHA)) has become a highly attractive alternative to conventional HA in bone replacement owing to the significant improvement in the in vivo bioactivity and osteoconductivity. Nanometre-scaled SiHA (nanoSiHA), which closely resembles the size of bone mineral, has been synthesized in this study. Thus, the silicon addition provides an extra chemical cue to stimulate and enhance bone formation for new generation coatings, and the next stage in metallic implantation design is to further improve cellular adhesion and proliferation by control of cell alignment. Topography has been found to provide a powerful set of signals for cells and form contact guidance. Using the recently developed novel technique of template-assisted electrohydrodynamic atomization (TAEA), patterns of pillars and tracks of various dimensions of nanoSiHA were achieved. Modifying the parameters of TAEA, the resolution of pattern structures was controlled, enabling the topography of a substrate to be modified accordingly. Spray time, flow rate and distance between the needle and substrate were varied to improve the pattern formation of pillars and tracks. The 15 min deposition time provided the most consistent patterned topography with a distance of 50 mm and flow rate of 4 µl min−1. A titanium substrate was patterned with pillars and tracks of varying widths, line lengths and distances under the optimized TAEA processing condition. A fast bone-like apatite formation rate was found on nanoSiHA after immersion in simulated body fluid, thus demonstrating its high in vitro bioactivity. Primary human osteoblast (HOB) cells responded to SiHA patterns by stretching of the filopodia between track and pillar, attaching to the apex of the pillar pattern and stretching between two. HOB cells responded to the track pattern by elongating along and between the track, and the length of HOB cells was proportional to the gaps between track patterns, but this relationship was not observed on the pillar patterns. The study has therefore provided an insight for future design of next generation implant surfaces to control and guide cellular responses, while TAEA patterning provides a controllable technique to provide topography to medical implants. PMID:21208969

Codon usage bias: causative factors, quantification methods and genome-wide patterns: with emphasis on insect genomes.

PubMed

Behura, Susanta K; Severson, David W

2013-02-01

Codon usage bias refers to the phenomenon where specific codons are used more often than other synonymous codons during translation of genes, the extent of which varies within and among species. Molecular evolutionary investigations suggest that codon bias is manifested as a result of balance between mutational and translational selection of such genes and that this phenomenon is widespread across species and may contribute to genome evolution in a significant manner. With the advent of whole-genome sequencing of numerous species, both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, genome-wide patterns of codon bias are emerging in different organisms. Various factors such as expression level, GC content, recombination rates, RNA stability, codon position, gene length and others (including environmental stress and population size) can influence codon usage bias within and among species. Moreover, there has been a continuous quest towards developing new concepts and tools to measure the extent of codon usage bias of genes. In this review, we outline the fundamental concepts of evolution of the genetic code, discuss various factors that may influence biased usage of synonymous codons and then outline different principles and methods of measurement of codon usage bias. Finally, we discuss selected studies performed using whole-genome sequences of different insect species to show how codon bias patterns vary within and among genomes. We conclude with generalized remarks on specific emerging aspects of codon bias studies and highlight the recent explosion of genome-sequencing efforts on arthropods (such as twelve Drosophila species, species of ants, honeybee, Nasonia and Anopheles mosquitoes as well as the recent launch of a genome-sequencing project involving 5000 insects and other arthropods) that may help us to understand better the evolution of codon bias and its biological significance. © 2012 The Authors. Biological Reviews © 2012 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Nomophobia: A Cross-sectional Study to Assess Mobile Phone Usage Among Dental Students

PubMed Central

Patthi, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Gupta, Ritu; Saha, Sabyasachi; Kumar, Jishnu Krishna; Malhi, Ravneet; Pandita, Venisha

2017-01-01

Introduction Mobile phones were originally seen as a gadget for communication but currently, the internet enabled mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily life. Their benefits are incomparable but at the same time, they have some negative effects too. Aim To assess the pattern of usage of mobile phones and its effects on the academic performance of students. Materials and Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 554 students of D. J. College of Dental Sciences and Research through a self-administered questionnaire to collect the data regarding the usage and associated anxiety with mobile phone. Results About 39.5% students agreed that they score low marks in professional exams if they spend more time on phone. The number of students who frequently checked their cell phone during their classes or while doing clinical work were 24.7% . A total of 24.12% of the students were found to be nomophobic and at risk of being nomophobes were 40.97%. A statistically significant difference was found among preclinical, clinical, interns and postgraduates regarding the usage and effect of mobile phone on them. Conclusion The pattern of usage of mobile phone among dental students showed alarming indication that students have been addicted to mobile phone which in turn affect their academic performance in a negative way. It would be useful to advise the students about the controlled as well as proper usage of mobile phone. PMID:28384977

An exploratory study of treated-bed nets in Timor-Leste: patterns of intended and alternative usage

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Timor-Leste Ministry of Health has recently finalized the National Malaria Control Strategy for 2010-2020. A key component of this roadmap is to provide universal national coverage with long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) in support of achieving the primary goal of reducing both morbidity and mortality from malaria by 30% in the first three years, followed by a further reduction of 20% by end of the programme cycle in 2020 [1]. The strategic plan calls for this target to be supported by a comprehensive information, education and communication (IEC) programme; however, there is limited prior research into household and personal usage patterns to assist in the creation of targeted, effective, and socio-culturally specific behaviour change materials. Methods Nine separate focus group discussions (FGDs) were carried out in Dili, Manatuto, and Covalima districts, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, in July 2010. These focus groups primarily explored themes of perceived malaria risk, causes of malaria, net usage patterns within families, barriers to correct and consistent usage, and the daily experience of users (both male and female) in households with at least one net. Comprehensive qualitative analysis utilized open source analysis software. Results The primary determinants of net usage were a widespread perception that nets could or should only be used by pregnant women and young children, and the availability of sufficient sleeping space under a limited number of nets within households. Both nuisance biting and disease prevention were commonly cited as primary motivations for usage, while seasonality was not a significant factor. Long-term net durability and ease of hanging were seen as key attributes in net design preference. Very frequent washing cycles were common, potentially degrading net effectiveness. Finally, extensive re-purposing of nets (fishing, protecting crops) was both reported and observed, and may significantly decrease availability of nighttime sleeping space for all family members if distributed nets do not remain within the household. Conclusions Emphasizing that net usage is acceptable and important for all family members regardless of age or gender, and addressing the complex behavioural economics of alternative net usages could have significant impacts on malaria control efforts in Timor-Leste, as the country's programmes make progress towards universal net coverage. PMID:21777415

Predicting Forearm Physical Exposures During Computer Work Using Self-Reports, Software-Recorded Computer Usage Patterns, and Anthropometric and Workstation Measurements.

PubMed

Huysmans, Maaike A; Eijckelhof, Belinda H W; Garza, Jennifer L Bruno; Coenen, Pieter; Blatter, Birgitte M; Johnson, Peter W; van Dieën, Jaap H; van der Beek, Allard J; Dennerlein, Jack T

2017-12-15

Alternative techniques to assess physical exposures, such as prediction models, could facilitate more efficient epidemiological assessments in future large cohort studies examining physical exposures in relation to work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate two types of models that predict arm-wrist-hand physical exposures (i.e. muscle activity, wrist postures and kinematics, and keyboard and mouse forces) during computer use, which only differed with respect to the candidate predicting variables; (i) a full set of predicting variables, including self-reported factors, software-recorded computer usage patterns, and worksite measurements of anthropometrics and workstation set-up (full models); and (ii) a practical set of predicting variables, only including the self-reported factors and software-recorded computer usage patterns, that are relatively easy to assess (practical models). Prediction models were build using data from a field study among 117 office workers who were symptom-free at the time of measurement. Arm-wrist-hand physical exposures were measured for approximately two hours while workers performed their own computer work. Each worker's anthropometry and workstation set-up were measured by an experimenter, computer usage patterns were recorded using software and self-reported factors (including individual factors, job characteristics, computer work behaviours, psychosocial factors, workstation set-up characteristics, and leisure-time activities) were collected by an online questionnaire. We determined the predictive quality of the models in terms of R2 and root mean squared (RMS) values and exposure classification agreement to low-, medium-, and high-exposure categories (in the practical model only). The full models had R2 values that ranged from 0.16 to 0.80, whereas for the practical models values ranged from 0.05 to 0.43. Interquartile ranges were not that different for the two models, indicating that only for some physical exposures the full models performed better. Relative RMS errors ranged between 5% and 19% for the full models, and between 10% and 19% for the practical model. When the predicted physical exposures were classified into low, medium, and high, classification agreement ranged from 26% to 71%. The full prediction models, based on self-reported factors, software-recorded computer usage patterns, and additional measurements of anthropometrics and workstation set-up, show a better predictive quality as compared to the practical models based on self-reported factors and recorded computer usage patterns only. However, predictive quality varied largely across different arm-wrist-hand exposure parameters. Future exploration of the relation between predicted physical exposure and symptoms is therefore only recommended for physical exposures that can be reasonably well predicted. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Tracking Small Artists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, James C.; Klette, Reinhard; Chen, Chia-Yen

Tracks of small animals are important in environmental surveillance, where pattern recognition algorithms allow species identification of the individuals creating tracks. These individuals can also be seen as artists, presented in their natural environments with a canvas upon which they can make prints. We present tracks of small mammals and reptiles which have been collected for identification purposes, and re-interpret them from an esthetic point of view. We re-classify these tracks not by their geometric qualities as pattern recognition algorithms would, but through interpreting the 'artist', their brush strokes and intensity. We describe the algorithms used to enhance and present the work of the 'artists'.

Mobile Phone Usage and its Health Effects Among Adults in a Semi-Urban Area of Southern India

PubMed Central

Abraham, Sherin Billy; Kanimozhy, K.; Prasad, R. Vishnu; Singh, Zile; Purty, Anil J.

2016-01-01

Introduction Worldwide, mobile phone usage has been increased dramatically which could affect the health of the people. India has the second largest number of mobile phone users. However there are only few studies conducted in India to assess its effects on health. Aim To determine the prevalence and pattern of mobile phone usage and to assess the relationship between certain selected health problems and mobile phone usage among adults. Settings and Design Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kottakuppam, a town panchayat in Villupuram district of Coastal Tamil Nadu, Southern India. It is a semi-urban area with a population of about 16,000. Majority of the residents are Muslim by religion and belong to different socio economic status. Materials and Methods The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. A total of 2121 study participants were interviewed by the pre-final medical students through house-to-house survey using a pretested structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included the variables such as socio demographic profile, mobile phone usage and pattern, selected health problems, perceived benefits and threats and blood pressure. Selected health problems included headache, earache, neck pain, tinnitus, painful fingers, restlessness, morning tiredness, tingling fingers, fatigue, eye symptoms, sleep disturbance and hypertension. Statistical Analysis Used Only 2054 were included for data analysis using SPSS 17 version. Proportions were calculated. Chi-square test was used to measure the p-value. The p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results The prevalence of mobile phone usage was 70%. Calling facility (94.2%) was used more than the SMS (67.6%). Health problems like headache, earache, tinnitus, painful fingers and restlessness etc., were found to be positively associated with mobile phone usage. There was negative association between hypertension and mobile phone usage. Conclusion The prevalence of mobile phone usage was high. There was significant association between selected health problems and mobile phone usage. In future, higher studies are required to confirm our findings. PMID:26894095

Department of Defense Plan to Establish Public Access to the Results of Federally Funded Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

journal articles , data management plans, and will track metrics on compliance and public usage. The current DTIC infrastructure will be modified to...tokens to authors who submit digitally formatted scientific data and articles . DTIC will establish compliance metrics in FY15. DoD will explore...15 10. METRICS , COMPLIANCE and EVALUATION

A Comparison of Educational Statistics and Data Mining Approaches to Identify Characteristics That Impact Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, L. Dee; Soh, Leen-Kiat; Samal, Ashok; Kupzyk, Kevin; Nugent, Gwen

2015-01-01

Learning objects (LOs) are important online resources for both learners and instructors and usage for LOs is growing. Automatic LO tracking collects large amounts of metadata about individual students as well as data aggregated across courses, learning objects, and other demographic characteristics (e.g. gender). The challenge becomes identifying…

The Decline of Print: Ten Years of Print Serial Use in a Small Academic Medical Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosati, Karen Thompson

2006-01-01

Tracking use of print journals over a ten-year period has allowed The University of South Carolina (USC) School of Medicine Library an essential tool for more accurate collection development, for both print and electronic selection. This lengthy study has provided usage statistics for purchasing decisions regarding electronic subscriptions still…

E-Resource Statistics: What to Do when You Have No Money

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Mary

2009-01-01

Libraries are moving toward electronic resource management systems (ERMSs) to track their usage statistics, but these can be expensive to purchase and maintain. For some libraries, an ERMS can be cost-prohibitive, but they still need to justify the renewal of databases and e-journals to their budget officers or determine which e-resources should…

Which Users Should Be the Focus of Mobile Personal Health Records? Analysis of User Characteristics Influencing Usage of a Tethered Mobile Personal Health Record.

PubMed

Lee, Guna; Park, Joong Yeol; Shin, Soo-Yong; Hwang, Jong Su; Ryu, Hyeon Jeong; Lee, Jae Ho; Bates, David W

2016-05-01

This study was conducted to analyze the usage pattern of a hospital-tethered mobile personal health records (m-PHRs) application named My Chart in My Hand (MCMH) and to identify user characteristics that influence m-PHR usage. Access logs to MCMH and its menus were collected for a total of 18 months, from August 2011 to January 2013. Usage patterns between users without a patient identification number (ID) and users with a patient ID were compared. Users with a patient ID were divided into light and heavy user groups by the median number of monthly access. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess MCMH usage pattern by characteristics of MCMH user with a patient ID. The total number of MCMH logins was 105,603, and the median number of accesses was 15 times. Users (n = 7,096) mostly accessed the "My Chart" menu, but "OPD [outpatient department] Service Support" and "Health Management" menus were also frequently used. Patients with chronic diseases, experience of hospital visits including emergency room and OPD, and age group of 0-19 years were more frequently found among users with a patient ID (n = 2,186) (p < 0.001). A similar trend was found in the heavy user group (n = 1,123). Submenus of laboratory result, online appointment, and medication lists that were accessed mostly by users with a patient ID were associated with OPD visit and chronic diseases. This study showed that focuses on patients with chronic disease and more hospital visits and empowerment functions in a tethered m-PHR would be helpful to pursue the extensive use.

Internet-usage patterns of immigrants in the process of intercultural adaptation.

PubMed

Chen, Wenli

2010-08-01

This paper investigates Internet-usage patterns of immigrants, and seeks to identify the correlation between Internet use and intercultural adaptation. The study focuses on mainland Chinese immigrants in Singapore, and was conducted via a nationwide telephone survey. The results show that immigrants tend to change their preferences on Internet use to reflect their residence in the host country. In particular, the longer an immigrant resides in the host country, the less likely they would be to surf their original country's websites and the more likely they would be to communicate with local people via the Internet. More importantly, differences in Internet usage are found to have a significant impact on immigrants' intercultural adaptation. In an online environment, the social communication in the host country is a critical component that can facilitate or impede immigrants' successful adaptation to the host country, whereas ethnic social communication also plays a role at the initial stage of transition.

The responsible use of online social networking: who should mentor medical students.

PubMed

Patel, Pradip D; Roberts, John L; Miller, Karen Hughes; Ziegler, Craig; Ostapchuk, Michael

2012-01-01

As medical students become more active in online social networking (OSN), there are increasing concerns regarding violations of patient privacy and a lack of professionalism. Students need to be mentored, but who is best suited to the task? We hypothesized that residents are closer to students in usage and attitudes toward online communication than are faculty. If so, they would be more credible as mentors. We surveyed faculty (N = 16), 1st-year residents (N = 120), and 3rd-year medical students (N = 130) to compare attitudes about OSN and the online usage patterns. We found residents to be more like students in usage patterns of personal electronic media and in their choice of the mentoring techniques that should be used. Residents say they were not prepared to mentor students without additional guidance but were more confident than faculty members that they had the knowledge to do so.

Use of Design Patterns According to Hand Dominance in a Mobile User Interface

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Samarraie, Hosam; Ahmad, Yusof

2016-01-01

User interface (UI) design patterns for mobile applications provide a solution to design problems and can improve the usage experience for users. However, there is a lack of research categorizing the uses of design patterns according to users' hand dominance in a learning-based mobile UI. We classified the main design patterns for mobile…

Internet use, browsing, and the urban poor: implications for cancer control.

PubMed

Viswanath, K; McCloud, Rachel; Minsky, Sara; Puleo, Elaine; Kontos, Emily; Bigman-Galimore, Cabral; Rudd, Rima; Emmons, Karen M

2013-12-01

Despite the growing penetration of the Internet, little is known about the usage and browsing patterns of those in poverty. We report on a randomized controlled trial that sheds light on the Internet use and browsing patterns among the urban poor. The data come from 312 participants in Boston, Massachusetts, from Click to Connect, a study that examined the impact of an intervention that provided computers, Internet, and training to people from lower socioeconomic position (SEP). Data were gathered through pre- and posttest surveys and Internet use tracking software that generated approximately 13 million network activity files and more than 5.5 million records. Internet use increased among intervention participants, with most of their time spent on social and participatory media sites or Internet portals. Differential patterns of use by gender and race/ethnicity were observed. Purposive searching for health information was low among all participants. Most of the visits to health-related sites were to local hospitals' sites suggesting the influence of possible preexisting relationships and trust. Social networking sites were frequently visited, with three sites enjoying similar popularity among all groups. Our data show that the availability of Internet can lead to significant increase in its use among low SEP groups. Low SEP members used the Internet for participation and engagement, but the sites visited differed by group. Harnessing the power of social networking sites and shareware sites may be a way to increase access to health information.

Internet Use, Browsing, and the Urban Poor: Implications for Cancer Control

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Despite the growing penetration of the Internet, little is known about the usage and browsing patterns of those in poverty. We report on a randomized controlled trial that sheds light on the Internet use and browsing patterns among the urban poor. Methods The data come from 312 participants in Boston, Massachusetts, from Click to Connect, a study that examined the impact of an intervention that provided computers, Internet, and training to people from lower socioeconomic position (SEP). Data were gathered through pre- and posttest surveys and Internet use tracking software that generated approximately 13 million network activity files and more than 5.5 million records. Results Internet use increased among Intervention participants, with most of their time spent on social and participatory media sites or Internet portals. Differential patterns of use by gender and race/ethnicity were observed. Purposive searching for health information was low among all participants. Most of the visits to health-related sites were to local hospitals’ sites suggesting the influence of possible preexisting relationships and trust. Social networking sites were frequently visited, with three sites enjoying similar popularity among all groups. Conclusions Our data show that the availability of Internet can lead to significant increase in its use among low SEP groups. Low SEP members used the Internet for participation and engagement, but the sites visited differed by group. Harnessing the power of social networking sites and shareware sites may be a way to increase access to health information. PMID:24395992

E-Book Usage and the "Choice" Outstanding Academic Book List: Is There a Correlation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter Williams, Karen; Best, Rickey

2006-01-01

In this study, the staff of the library at Auburn University at Montgomery analyzed circulation patterns for electronic books in the fields of Political Science, Public Administration and Law to see if favorable "Choice" reviews can be used to predict usage of electronic books. A comparison of the circulations between print and…

Enhancing Mobility: Integrating New Services into Your Library's Mobile Platform to Increase Traffic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felts, John W., Jr.

2014-01-01

Kimbel Library launched its mobile environment and ran it in full production for several months yet usage patterns were quite low and flat. The library only saw a substantial increase in usage when new, value-added services were integrated into this platform. Upon implementing and integrating discovery services, chat and SMS capabilities, and…

BRILIA: Integrated Tool for High-Throughput Annotation and Lineage Tree Assembly of B-Cell Repertoires.

PubMed

Lee, Donald W; Khavrutskii, Ilja V; Wallqvist, Anders; Bavari, Sina; Cooper, Christopher L; Chaudhury, Sidhartha

2016-01-01

The somatic diversity of antigen-recognizing B-cell receptors (BCRs) arises from Variable (V), Diversity (D), and Joining (J) (VDJ) recombination and somatic hypermutation (SHM) during B-cell development and affinity maturation. The VDJ junction of the BCR heavy chain forms the highly variable complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3), which plays a critical role in antigen specificity and binding affinity. Tracking the selection and mutation of the CDR3 can be useful in characterizing humoral responses to infection and vaccination. Although tens to hundreds of thousands of unique BCR genes within an expressed B-cell repertoire can now be resolved with high-throughput sequencing, tracking SHMs is still challenging because existing annotation methods are often limited by poor annotation coverage, inconsistent SHM identification across the VDJ junction, or lack of B-cell lineage data. Here, we present B-cell repertoire inductive lineage and immunosequence annotator (BRILIA), an algorithm that leverages repertoire-wide sequencing data to globally improve the VDJ annotation coverage, lineage tree assembly, and SHM identification. On benchmark tests against simulated human and mouse BCR repertoires, BRILIA correctly annotated germline and clonally expanded sequences with 94 and 70% accuracy, respectively, and it has a 90% SHM-positive prediction rate in the CDR3 of heavily mutated sequences; these are substantial improvements over existing methods. We used BRILIA to process BCR sequences obtained from splenic germinal center B cells extracted from C57BL/6 mice. BRILIA returned robust B-cell lineage trees and yielded SHM patterns that are consistent across the VDJ junction and agree with known biological mechanisms of SHM. By contrast, existing BCR annotation tools, which do not account for repertoire-wide clonal relationships, systematically underestimated both the size of clonally related B-cell clusters and yielded inconsistent SHM frequencies. We demonstrate BRILIA's utility in B-cell repertoire studies related to VDJ gene usage, mechanisms for adenosine mutations, and SHM hot spot motifs. Furthermore, we show that the complete gene usage annotation and SHM identification across the entire CDR3 are essential for studying the B-cell affinity maturation process through immunosequencing methods.

Synonymous codon usage of genes in polymerase complex of Newcastle disease virus.

PubMed

Kumar, Chandra Shekhar; Kumar, Sachin

2017-06-01

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is pathogenic to both avian and non-avian species but extensively finds poultry as its primary host and causes heavy economic losses in the poultry industry. In this study, a total of 186 polymerase complex comprising of nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), and large polymerase (L) genes of NDV was analyzed for synonymous codon usage. The relative synonymous codon usage and effective number of codons (ENC) values were used to estimate codon usage variation in each gene. Correspondence analysis (COA) was used to study the major trend in codon usage variation. Analyzing the ENC plot values against GC3s (at synonymous third codon position) we concluded that mutational pressure was the main factor determining codon usage bias than translational selection in NDV N, P, and L genes. Moreover, correlation analysis indicated, that aromaticity of N, P, and L genes also influenced the codon usage variation. The varied distribution of pathotypes for N, P, and L gene clearly suggests that change in codon usage for NDV is pathotype specific. The codon usage preference similarity in N, P, and L gene might be detrimental for polymerase complex functioning. The study represents a comprehensive analysis to date of N, P, and L genes codon usage pattern of NDV and provides a basic understanding of the mechanisms for codon usage bias. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Knowledge, access and usage pattern of HINARI by researchers and clinicians in tertiary health institutions in south-west Nigeria.

PubMed

Ajuwon, G A; Olorunsaye, J O

2013-03-01

The digital divide is a global challenge. The Health Internetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) is one of the most successful efforts aimed at bridging the digital divide in access to health information in developing countries. There is a dearth of empirical studies on usage pattern of this resource in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and usage pattern of HINARI by clinicians and researchers in tertiary health institutions in Southwestern Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1150 clinicians and researchers in the 12 tertiary health institutions that had access to HINARI. A standardized, self-completed, 31-item questionnaire was used for data collection. It elicited information on demographic profile, pattern of usage and constraints to use of HINARI. The majority (72.0%) were aware of HINARI however, only 35.1% have had a formal training on how to use it. Sixty-eight percent (68.0%) had ever used HINARI resources and 62.4% of these did so during the month preceding the study. The most frequently used HINARI resources were MEDLINE/PubMed (53.2%), full text journal articles (55.0%), and reference materials (28.5%). Previous users (50.0%) encountered problems in accessing HINARI; with lack of password being the main challenge for access. Knowledge and use of HINARI resources are high. However, clinicians and researchers are not deriving full benefits from HINARI because few had received training on how to use it. A learner-centered training and wide distribution of the HINARI User Name and Password within the institutions is recommended to address this problem.

Improving the process of process modelling by the use of domain process patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koschmider, Agnes; Reijers, Hajo A.

2015-01-01

The use of business process models has become prevalent in a wide area of enterprise applications. But while their popularity is expanding, concerns are growing with respect to their proper creation and maintenance. An obvious way to boost the efficiency of creating high-quality business process models would be to reuse relevant parts of existing models. At this point, however, limited support exists to guide process modellers towards the usage of appropriate model content. In this paper, a set of content-oriented patterns is presented, which is extracted from a large set of process models from the order management and manufacturing production domains. The patterns are derived using a newly proposed set of algorithms, which are being discussed in this paper. The authors demonstrate how such Domain Process Patterns, in combination with information on their historic usage, can support process modellers in generating new models. To support the wider dissemination and development of Domain Process Patterns within and beyond the studied domains, an accompanying website has been set up.

New robust algorithm for tracking cells in videos of Drosophila morphogenesis based on finding an ideal path in segmented spatio-temporal cellular structures.

PubMed

Bellaïche, Yohanns; Bosveld, Floris; Graner, François; Mikula, Karol; Remesíková, Mariana; Smísek, Michal

2011-01-01

In this paper, we present a novel algorithm for tracking cells in time lapse confocal microscopy movie of a Drosophila epithelial tissue during pupal morphogenesis. We consider a 2D + time video as a 3D static image, where frames are stacked atop each other, and using a spatio-temporal segmentation algorithm we obtain information about spatio-temporal 3D tubes representing evolutions of cells. The main idea for tracking is the usage of two distance functions--first one from the cells in the initial frame and second one from segmented boundaries. We track the cells backwards in time. The first distance function attracts the subsequently constructed cell trajectories to the cells in the initial frame and the second one forces them to be close to centerlines of the segmented tubular structures. This makes our tracking algorithm robust against noise and missing spatio-temporal boundaries. This approach can be generalized to a 3D + time video analysis, where spatio-temporal tubes are 4D objects.

Webcam mouse using face and eye tracking in various illumination environments.

PubMed

Lin, Yuan-Pin; Chao, Yi-Ping; Lin, Chung-Chih; Chen, Jyh-Horng

2005-01-01

Nowadays, due to enhancement of computer performance and popular usage of webcam devices, it has become possible to acquire users' gestures for the human-computer-interface with PC via webcam. However, the effects of illumination variation would dramatically decrease the stability and accuracy of skin-based face tracking system; especially for a notebook or portable platform. In this study we present an effective illumination recognition technique, combining K-Nearest Neighbor classifier and adaptive skin model, to realize the real-time tracking system. We have demonstrated that the accuracy of face detection based on the KNN classifier is higher than 92% in various illumination environments. In real-time implementation, the system successfully tracks user face and eyes features at 15 fps under standard notebook platforms. Although KNN classifier only initiates five environments at preliminary stage, the system permits users to define and add their favorite environments to KNN for computer access. Eventually, based on this efficient tracking algorithm, we have developed a "Webcam Mouse" system to control the PC cursor using face and eye tracking. Preliminary studies in "point and click" style PC web games also shows promising applications in consumer electronic markets in the future.

Readout characteristics of a minute aperture-mounted optical head slider flying above a submicron wide metal patterned medium track

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohkubo, Toshifumi; Hirota, Terunao; Oumi, Manabu; Hirata, Masakazu; Nakajima, Kunio

2004-10-01

Advances in a digital network society require both higher densities and higher transfer rates in all sorts of storage devices. In optical recording, the trend toward higher recording density and larger storage capacity requires novel surface recording technologies that would drastically improve recording density. To satisfy these severe requirements, we have already proposed a compact integrated optical head slider assembly for proximity optical recording based on the "near field principle". Using the optical head slider, we have successfully demonstrated readout signals from 200 to 150-nm-long bit patterns at frequency bands up to approximately 10 MHz. However, from the practical point of view, it is quite necessary to evaluate readout signals from patterns of smaller (sub-micron to sub-sub-micron) track width in order to prove high-density recording potential. In this paper, we have investigated tracking accuracy characteristics utilizing sub-micron sized alternate patterns of 1-mm length formed in a straight line in the circumferential direction of the medium. Arranging precisely the head's relative position to these recorded patterns, we have successfully obtained readout signals just crossing the sub-micron line-and-space pattern's boundaries. Assuming that an aperture runs along an accurate trajectory of the arc of a circle, readout signal amplitude variations when crossing the pattern edge at a right angle have precisely predicted. Also, the influences of track width on maximum readout signal intensity and tracking sensitivity are discussed in detail.

Ecological periodic tables for benthic macrofaunal usage of estuarine habitats: Insights from a case study in Tillamook Bay, Oregon, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferraro, Steven P.; Cole, Faith A.

2012-05-01

This study validates the ecological relevance of estuarine habitat types to the benthic macrofaunal community and, together with previous similar studies, suggests they can serve as elements in ecological periodic tables of benthic macrofaunal usage in the bioregion. We compared benthic macrofaunal Bray-Curtis similarity and the means of eight benthic macrofaunal community measures across seven habitat types in Tillamook Bay, Oregon, USA: intertidal eelgrass (Zostera marina), dwarf eelgrass (Zostera japonica), oyster (Crassostrea gigas) ground culture, burrowing mud shrimp (Upogebia pugettensis), burrowing ghost shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis), sand and subtidal. Benthic macrofaunal Bray-Curtis similarity differed among all the habitats except ghost shrimp and sand. The habitat rank order on mean benthic macrofaunal species richness, abundance and biomass was dwarf eelgrass ≈ oyster ≥ mud shrimp ≈ eelgrass > sand ≈ ghost shrimp ≈ subtidal. The benthic macrofaunal habitat usage pattern in Tillamook Bay was, with a few exceptions, similar to that in two other US Pacific Northwest estuaries. The exceptions indicate variants of eelgrass and ghost shrimp habitat that differ in benthic macrofaunal usage perhaps due to differences in the coarseness of the sand fraction of the sediments in which they live. The similarities indicate periodic benthic macrofaunal usage patterns across the other habitat types extend over a wider geographic scale and range of environmental conditions than previously known.

Genome-wide analysis of codon usage bias in Ebolavirus.

PubMed

Cristina, Juan; Moreno, Pilar; Moratorio, Gonzalo; Musto, Héctor

2015-01-22

Ebola virus (EBOV) is a member of the family Filoviridae and its genome consists of a 19-kb, single-stranded, negative sense RNA. EBOV is subdivided into five distinct species with different pathogenicities, being Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) the most lethal species. The interplay of codon usage among viruses and their hosts is expected to affect overall viral survival, fitness, evasion from host's immune system and evolution. In the present study, we performed comprehensive analyses of codon usage and composition of ZEBOV. Effective number of codons (ENC) indicates that the overall codon usage among ZEBOV strains is slightly biased. Different codon preferences in ZEBOV genes in relation to codon usage of human genes were found. Highly preferred codons are all A-ending triplets, which strongly suggests that mutational bias is a main force shaping codon usage in ZEBOV. Dinucleotide composition also plays a role in the overall pattern of ZEBOV codon usage. ZEBOV does not seem to use the most abundant tRNAs present in the human cells for most of their preferred codons. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Introductory Physics Students' Physics and Mathematics Epistemologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scanlon, Erin M.

The purpose of this three study dissertation is to investigate why students are enrolled in introductory physics courses experience difficulties in being successful; one possible source of their difficulties is related to their epistemology. In order to investigate students' epistemologies about mathematics and physics, students were observed solving physics problems in groups during a laboratory course (study 1) and while solving physics and mathematics problems individually during office-hour sessions (study 2). The Epistemological Resources theoretical framework was employed (Hammer & Elby, 2002). Using emergent and a priori epistemological resource operationalizations (Jones, 2015), 25 distinct epistemological resources were identified in study 1. Differences in physics epistemological resource usage between students of varying academic background (as measured by their number of previously completed mathematics and science classes were identified. By employing an external (Jones, 2015) and internal (Scanlon, 2016) a priori epistemological resource coding scheme, a total of 17 distinct epistemological resources were identified in study 2. The data were sampled to compare the mathematics and physics epistemological resource usage of participants with consistent and inconsistent sign usage in an energy conservation physics problem in order to provide a meaningful context for discussion. Participants of the same sign usage group employed epistemological resources similarly. Conversely, participants in different groups had significantly different physics epistemological resource usage patterns. Finally, student epistemological resource usage patterns from the first two studies were compared to course outcomes in order to determine implications for practice (study 3). Educators must be aware of and address the epistemological underpinnings of students' difficulties in introductory physics courses.

Identifying patterns of general practitioner service utilisation and their relationship with potentially preventable hospitalisations in people with diabetes: The utility of a cluster analysis approach.

PubMed

Ha, Ninh Thi; Harris, Mark; Preen, David; Robinson, Suzanne; Moorin, Rachael

2018-04-01

We aimed to characterise use of general practitioners (GP) simultaneously across multiple attributes in people with diabetes and examine its impact on diabetes related potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs). Five-years of panel data from 40,625 adults with diabetes were sourced from Western Australian administrative health records. Cluster analysis (CA) was used to group individuals with similar patterns of GP utilisation characterised by frequency and recency of services. The relationship between GP utilisation cluster and the risk of PPHs was examined using multivariable random-effects negative binomial regression. CA categorised GP utilisation into three clusters: moderate; high and very high usage, having distinct patient characteristics. After adjusting for potential confounders, the rate of PPHs was significantly lower across all GP usage clusters compared with those with no GP usage; IRR = 0.67 (95%CI: 0.62-0.71) among the moderate, IRR = 0.70 (95%CI 0.66-0.73) high and IRR = 0.76 (95%CI 0.72-0.80) very high GP usage clusters. Combination of temporal factors with measures of frequency of use of GP services revealed patterns of primary health care utilisation associated with different underlying patient characteristics. Incorporation of multiple attributes, that go beyond frequency-based approaches may better characterise the complex relationship between use of GP services and diabetes-related hospitalisation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Usage Patterns of a Mobile Palliative Care Application.

PubMed

Zhang, Haipeng; Liu, David; Marks, Sean; Rickerson, Elizabeth M; Wright, Adam; Gordon, William J; Landman, Adam

2018-06-01

Fast Facts Mobile (FFM) was created to be a convenient way for clinicians to access the Fast Facts and Concepts database of palliative care articles on a smartphone or tablet device. We analyzed usage patterns of FFM through an integrated analytics platform on the mobile versions of the FFM application. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the usage data from FFM as a way to better understand user behavior for FFM as a palliative care educational tool. This is an exploratory, retrospective analysis of de-identified analytics data collected through the iOS and Android versions of FFM captured from November 2015 to November 2016. FFM App download statistics from November 1, 2015, to November 1, 2016, were accessed from the Apple and Google development websites. Further FFM session data were obtained from the analytics platform built into FFM. FFM was downloaded 9409 times over the year with 201,383 articles accessed. The most searched-for terms in FFM include the following: nausea, methadone, and delirium. We compared frequent users of FFM to infrequent users of FFM and found that 13% of all users comprise 66% of all activity in the application. Demand for useful and scalable tools for both primary palliative care and specialty palliative care will likely continue to grow. Understanding the usage patterns for FFM has the potential to inform the development of future versions of Fast Facts. Further studies of mobile palliative care educational tools will be needed to further define the impact of these educational tools.

"Who Me? A Cyberteen": Implications of Internet Usage on Realities and Identities of Malaysian Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawanteh, Latiffah; Rahim, Samsudin A.

2000-01-01

Examines the Internet usage pattern of Malaysian adolescents based on a survey of 1,404 adolescents between the ages of 13-16 and focus group discussions. Finds the daily realities of media savvy Malaysian youths are an integration of on-line and off-line relationships, events, information, memberships, chats and online shopping. (RS)

Health Characteristics as Precursors of Substance Abuse in Puerto Rican Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haran, Elizabeth M.; And Others

In a longitudinal study of precursors of drug usage, data collected in 1968 on health variables was related to substance usage patterns obtained in 1975-76. Some 657 young Puerto Ricans were interviewed for this study, drawn from a pool of about 5,000 questionnaired in 1968. The major findings were that the health factors associated with drug…

Learning and Teaching 24/7: Daily Internet Usage Patterns at Nine Australian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spennemann, Dirk H. R.

2007-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to look at the usage of the internet by students, academics and university administrators as part of their normal working day. It investigates whether access to computer facilities and the mode of study have any influence, or whether other factors need to be considered when providing services. Design/methodology/approach:…

The associations among computer-mediated communication, relationships, and well-being.

PubMed

Schiffrin, Holly; Edelman, Anna; Falkenstern, Melissa; Stewart, Cassandra

2010-06-01

Social support provided by interpersonal relationships is one of the most robust correlates of well-being. Self-disclosure serves as a basic building block of these relationships. With the rapid growth of the Internet in recent years, the question remains how self-disclosure, and subsequently relationships and well-being, differ when people communicate over the Internet rather than in person. The purpose of this article is to describe current Internet usage patterns as well as explore the association of Internet usage and well-being. Additionally, it directly compares the perceived benefits of face-to-face communication and computer-mediated communication. A questionnaire was administered to 99 undergraduates to measure Internet usage patterns, communication partners, self-disclosure, extraversion, and subjective well-being. Although Internet communication was found to be common, individuals perceived computer-mediated communication to be less useful than face-to-face communication. In addition, increased Internet usage was associated with decreased well-being. Implications are discussed in terms of a new Internet paradox in which people increasingly use the Internet for communication, although they perceive it to be less beneficial than face-to-face interactions and it is associated with reduced well-being.

Aberrant patterns of visual facial information usage in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Clark, Cameron M; Gosselin, Frédéric; Goghari, Vina M

2013-05-01

Deficits in facial emotion perception have been linked to poorer functional outcome in schizophrenia. However, the relationship between abnormal emotion perception and functional outcome remains poorly understood. To better understand the nature of facial emotion perception deficits in schizophrenia, we used the Bubbles Facial Emotion Perception Task to identify differences in usage of visual facial information in schizophrenia patients (n = 20) and controls (n = 20), when differentiating between angry and neutral facial expressions. As hypothesized, schizophrenia patients required more facial information than controls to accurately differentiate between angry and neutral facial expressions, and they relied on different facial features and spatial frequencies to differentiate these facial expressions. Specifically, schizophrenia patients underutilized the eye regions, overutilized the nose and mouth regions, and virtually ignored information presented at the lowest levels of spatial frequency. In addition, a post hoc one-tailed t test revealed a positive relationship of moderate strength between the degree of divergence from "normal" visual facial information usage in the eye region and lower overall social functioning. These findings provide direct support for aberrant patterns of visual facial information usage in schizophrenia in differentiating between socially salient emotional states. © 2013 American Psychological Association

Live lectures or online videos: students' resource choices in a first-year university mathematics module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, Emma; Meehan, Maria; Parnell, Andrew

2018-05-01

In Maths for Business, a mathematics module for non-mathematics specialists, students are given the choice of completing the module content via short online videos, live lectures or a combination of both. In this study, we identify students' specific usage patterns with both of these resources and discuss their reasons for the preferences they exhibit. In 2015-2016, we collected quantitative data on each student's resource usage (attendance at live lectures and access of online videos) for the entire class of 522 students and employed model-based clustering which identified four distinct resource usage patterns with lectures and/or videos. We also collected qualitative data on students' perceptions of resource usage through a survey administered at the end of the semester, to which 161 students responded. The 161 survey responses were linked to each cluster and analysed using thematic analysis. Perceived benefits of videos include flexibility of scheduling and pace, and avoidance of large, long lectures. In contrast, the main perceived advantages of lectures are the ability to engage in group tasks, to ask questions, and to learn 'gradually'. Students in the two clusters with high lecture attendance achieved, on average, higher marks in the module.

Driver face tracking using semantics-based feature of eyes on single FPGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Ying-Hao; Chen, Ji-An; Ting, Yi-Siang; Kwok, Ngaiming

2017-06-01

Tracking driver's face is one of the essentialities for driving safety control. This kind of system is usually designed with complicated algorithms to recognize driver's face by means of powerful computers. The design problem is not only about detecting rate but also from parts damages under rigorous environments by vibration, heat, and humidity. A feasible strategy to counteract these damages is to integrate entire system into a single chip in order to achieve minimum installation dimension, weight, power consumption, and exposure to air. Meanwhile, an extraordinary methodology is also indispensable to overcome the dilemma of low-computing capability and real-time performance on a low-end chip. In this paper, a novel driver face tracking system is proposed by employing semantics-based vague image representation (SVIR) for minimum hardware resource usages on a FPGA, and the real-time performance is also guaranteed at the same time. Our experimental results have indicated that the proposed face tracking system is viable and promising for the smart car design in the future.

Vascular Access Tracking System: a Web-Based Clinical Tracking Tool for Identifying Catheter Related Blood Stream Infections in Interventional Radiology Placed Central Venous Catheters.

PubMed

Morrison, James; Kaufman, John

2016-12-01

Vascular access is invaluable in the treatment of hospitalized patients. Central venous catheters provide a durable and long-term solution while saving patients from repeated needle sticks for peripheral IVs and blood draws. The initial catheter placement procedure and long-term catheter usage place patients at risk for infection. The goal of this project was to develop a system to track and evaluate central line-associated blood stream infections related to interventional radiology placement of central venous catheters. A customized web-based clinical database was developed via open-source tools to provide a dashboard for data mining and analysis of the catheter placement and infection information. Preliminary results were gathered over a 4-month period confirming the utility of the system. The tools and methodology employed to develop the vascular access tracking system could be easily tailored to other clinical scenarios to assist in quality control and improvement programs.

Mission Status at Aura Science Team MOWG Meeting: EOS Aura

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Dominic

2016-01-01

Presentation at the 24797-16 Earth Observing System (EOS) Aura Science Team Meeting (Mission Operations Work Group (MOWG)) at Rotterdam, Netherlands August 29, 2016. Presentation topics include mission summary, spacecraft subsystems summary, recent and planned activities, spacecraft anomalies, data capture, propellant usage and lifetime estimates, spacecraft maneuvers and ground track history, mission highlights and past spacecraft anomalies and reliability estimates.

Analysis of Eye-Tracking Data with Regards to the Complexity of Flight Deck Information Automation and Management - Inattentional Blindness, System State Awareness, and EFB Usage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dill, Evan T.; Young, Steven D.

2015-01-01

In the constant drive to further the safety and efficiency of air travel, the complexity of avionics-related systems, and the procedures for interacting with these systems, appear to be on an ever-increasing trend. While this growing complexity often yields productive results with respect to system capabilities and flight efficiency, it can place a larger burden on pilots to manage increasing amounts of information and to understand intricate system designs. Evidence supporting this observation is becoming widespread, yet has been largely anecdotal or the result of subjective analysis. One way to gain more insight into this issue is through experimentation using more objective measures or indicators. This study utilizes and analyzes eye-tracking data obtained during a high-fidelity flight simulation study wherein many of the complexities of current flight decks, as well as those planned for the next generation air transportation system (NextGen), were emulated. The following paper presents the findings of this study with a focus on electronic flight bag (EFB) usage, system state awareness (SSA) and events involving suspected inattentional blindness (IB).

Commercial Building Tenant Energy Usage Aggregation and Privacy

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

Livingston, Olga V.; Pulsipher, Trenton C.; Anderson, David M.

A growing number of building owners are benchmarking their building energy use. This requires the building owner to acquire monthly whole-building energy usage information, which can be challenging for buildings in which individual tenants have their own utility meters and accounts with the utility. Some utilities and utility regulators have turned to aggregation of customer energy use data (CEUD) as a way to give building owners whole-building energy usage data while protecting customer privacy. Meter profile aggregation adds a layer of protection that decreases the risk of revealing CEUD as the number of meters aggregated increases. The report statistically characterizesmore » the similarity between individual energy usage patterns and whole-building totals at various levels of meter aggregation.« less

Usage pattern of personal care products in California households.

PubMed

Wu, Xiangmei May; Bennett, Deborah H; Ritz, Beate; Cassady, Diana L; Lee, Kiyoung; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva

2010-11-01

Given the concern over the potential for health risks associated with certain ingredients (e.g., phthalates) in personal care products, usage patterns of ∼30 types of personal care products (e.g., shampoo, sunscreen, fragrance, etc.) were collected in 604 California households through a telephone interview. Preferences in selecting products, e.g., scented or unscented, aerosol, and brand loyalty, were also investigated. Participants were recruited in three age groups, children (mostly preschoolers), their parents, and adults age 55 or older. Use frequencies of various product types varied by sex, age group, race, education, and climatic region. Product use by parent and child from the same household were correlated. Use frequencies of products in the same class (e.g., skincare) were moderately correlated, which may impact aggregate exposures. Use frequencies observed in this study were generally in the same range as those reported in the EPA Exposure Factor Handbook, but we found differences for some individual products. Our study provides additional data on population-based usage patterns of a large collection of commonly used personal care products pertaining to several age groups and socio-demographic strata. This information will be valuable for exposure and risk assessments. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Autonomous Hazard Checks Leave Patterned Rover Tracks on Mars Stereo

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-18

A dance-step pattern is visible in the wheel tracks near the left edge of this scene recorded by NASA Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on Mars on April 1, 2011. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image.

Studying Fin Whales with Seafloor Seismic Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcock, W. S.; Soule, D. C.; Weirathmueller, M.; Thomson, R.

2011-12-01

Baleen whales are found throughout the world's oceans and their welfare captivates the general public. Depending on the species, baleen whales vocalize at frequencies ranging from ~10 Hz to several kilohertz. Passive acoustic studies of whale calls are used to investigate behavior and habitat usage, monitor the recovery of populations from whaling and assess the impacts of anthropogenic sounds. Since airguns are a significant source of sound in the oceans, the research goals of academic seismologists can lead to conflicts with those who advocate for whale conservation while being unwilling to consider the societal benefits of marine geophysical studies. In contrast, studies that monitor earthquakes with ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs) provide an opportunity to enhance studies of baleen whales and improve relationships with environmental advocates. The bandwidth of the typical high-frequency or intermediate-band ocean bottom seismometer overlaps the call frequency of the two largest baleen whale species; blue whales generate sequences of 10- to 20-s-long calls centered at ~16 Hz and fin whales produce long sequences of downswept 1-s-long chirps centered at ~20 Hz. Several studies have demonstrated the potential of OBS networks to monitor calling patterns and determine tracks for fin and blue whales. We will summarize the results from a study to track fin whales near the Endeavour hydrothermal vent fields on the Juan de Fuca Ridge and investigate a potential correlation between the density of whales and enhanced zooplankton found throughout the water column overlying the vent fields. From 2003-2006 an 8-station local seismic network that was designed to monitor hydrothermal earthquakes also recorded ~300,000 fin whale vocalizations, mostly in the fall and winter. Automatic picking and localization techniques that are analogous to those used to analyze earthquakes are employed to determine whale tracks. The tracks are then used to interpret calling patterns in the context of swimming behavior and net migration. Because the fin whale calls are repetitive, they are very amendable to the application of seismic correlation techniques and the double difference location method. While the typical uncertainty for an automatic location within the network is ~500 m, successive calls can be located relative to each other by the double difference method with a precision of ~20 m, which is similar to the length of the whale. As storage capabilities of seafloor instruments increase, OBSs could be made even more useful for marine mammal studies by expanding their upper frequency limit, either by increasing the sampling rate of the hydrophone channel or incorporating a compact standalone hydrophone package on the OBS frame.

Technology acceptance perception for promotion of sustainable consumption.

PubMed

Biswas, Aindrila; Roy, Mousumi

2018-03-01

Economic growth in the past decades has resulted in change in consumption pattern and emergence of tech-savvy generation with unprecedented increase in the usage of social network technology. In this paper, the technology acceptance value gap adapted from the technology acceptance model has been applied as a tool supporting social network technology usage and subsequent promotion of sustainable consumption. The data generated through the use of structured questionnaires have been analyzed using structural equation modeling. The validity of the model and path estimates signifies the robustness of Technology Acceptance value gap in adjudicating the efficiency of social network technology usage in augmentation of sustainable consumption and awareness. The results indicate that subjective norm gap, ease-of-operation gap, and quality of green information gap have the most adversarial impact on social network technology usage. Eventually social networking technology usage has been identified as a significant antecedent of sustainable consumption.

Leisure Patterns among Four-Day Workers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seltzer, Joseph; Wilson, James A.

1980-01-01

Insight into the patterns of leisure time usage may lead to a better understanding of the relationships between work and leisure and other aspects of an individual's life. A five-factor model was developed to explicate individual motivations for leisure pursuits. (JN)

GC-Content of Synonymous Codons Profoundly Influences Amino Acid Usage

PubMed Central

Li, Jing; Zhou, Jun; Wu, Ying; Yang, Sihai; Tian, Dacheng

2015-01-01

Amino acids typically are encoded by multiple synonymous codons that are not used with the same frequency. Codon usage bias has drawn considerable attention, and several explanations have been offered, including variation in GC-content between species. Focusing on a simple parameter—combined GC proportion of all the synonymous codons for a particular amino acid, termed GCsyn—we try to deepen our understanding of the relationship between GC-content and amino acid/codon usage in more details. We analyzed 65 widely distributed representative species and found a close association between GCsyn, GC-content, and amino acids usage. The overall usages of the four amino acids with the greatest GCsyn and the five amino acids with the lowest GCsyn both vary with the regional GC-content, whereas the usage of the remaining 11 amino acids with intermediate GCsyn is less variable. More interesting, we discovered that codon usage frequencies are nearly constant in regions with similar GC-content. We further quantified the effects of regional GC-content variation (low to high) on amino acid usage and found that GC-content determines the usage variation of amino acids, especially those with extremely high GCsyn, which accounts for 76.7% of the changed GC-content for those regions. Our results suggest that GCsyn correlates with GC-content and has impact on codon/amino acid usage. These findings suggest a novel approach to understanding the role of codon and amino acid usage in shaping genomic architecture and evolutionary patterns of organisms. PMID:26248983

Web Usage, Advertising, and Shopping: Relationship Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korgaonkar, Pradeep; Wolin, Lori D.

2002-01-01

Discusses Web sales and explores the differences between heavy, medium, and light Web users in terms of their beliefs about Web advertising, attitudes toward Web advertising, purchasing patterns, and demographics. Suggests marketers need to target Web advertising to particular Web users. (Author/LRW)

A review of electronic journal acquisition, management, and use in health sciences libraries.

PubMed

Burrows, Suzetta

2006-01-01

The paper describes patterns of electronic journal usage in health sciences libraries during the past decade. The paper presents a case study, documenting the pattern of acquisition, management, and usage at the Louis Calder Memorial Library of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Health sciences journals were early to offer electronic alternatives to print. As a result, health sciences libraries, their patrons, and the public at large were early to embrace the new versions and continue to embrace the significant changes in scholarly communication they enable. Although the patterns of electronic journals among health sciences libraries and other special and academic libraries have similarities, they also have differences. Broad studies of electronic journals in non-health sciences libraries have been published, but a retrospective review of electronic journals in health sciences libraries has not.

An NAFP Project: Use of Object Oriented Methodologies and Design Patterns to Refactor Software Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaykhian, Gholam Ali; Baggs, Rhoda

2007-01-01

In the early problem-solution era of software programming, functional decompositions were mainly used to design and implement software solutions. In functional decompositions, functions and data are introduced as two separate entities during the design phase, and are followed as such in the implementation phase. Functional decompositions make use of refactoring through optimizing the algorithms, grouping similar functionalities into common reusable functions, and using abstract representations of data where possible; all these are done during the implementation phase. This paper advocates the usage of object-oriented methodologies and design patterns as the centerpieces of refactoring software solutions. Refactoring software is a method of changing software design while explicitly preserving its external functionalities. The combined usage of object-oriented methodologies and design patterns to refactor should also benefit the overall software life cycle cost with improved software.

Describing Speech Usage in Daily Activities in Typical Adults.

PubMed

Anderson, Laine; Baylor, Carolyn R; Eadie, Tanya L; Yorkston, Kathryn M

2016-01-01

"Speech usage" refers to what people want or need to do with their speech to meet communication demands in life roles. The purpose of this study was to contribute to validation of the Levels of Speech Usage scale by providing descriptive data from a sample of adults without communication disorders, comparing this scale to a published Occupational Voice Demands scale and examining predictors of speech usage levels. This is a survey design. Adults aged ≥25 years without reported communication disorders were recruited nationally to complete an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Levels of Speech Usage scale, questions about relevant occupational and nonoccupational activities (eg, socializing, hobbies, childcare, and so forth), and demographic information. Participants were also categorized according to Koufman and Isaacson occupational voice demands scale. A total of 276 participants completed the questionnaires. People who worked for pay tended to report higher levels of speech usage than those who do not work for pay. Regression analyses showed employment to be the major contributor to speech usage; however, considerable variance left unaccounted for suggests that determinants of speech usage and the relationship between speech usage, employment, and other life activities are not yet fully defined. The Levels of Speech Usage may be a viable instrument to systematically rate speech usage because it captures both occupational and nonoccupational speech demands. These data from a sample of typical adults may provide a reference to help in interpreting the impact of communication disorders on speech usage patterns. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Advanced aircraft service life monitoring method via flight-by-flight load spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hongchul

This research is an effort to understand current method and to propose an advanced method for Damage Tolerance Analysis (DTA) for the purpose of monitoring the aircraft service life. As one of tasks in the DTA, the current indirect Individual Aircraft Tracking (IAT) method for the F-16C/D Block 32 does not properly represent changes in flight usage severity affecting structural fatigue life. Therefore, an advanced aircraft service life monitoring method based on flight-by-flight load spectra is proposed and recommended for IAT program to track consumed fatigue life as an alternative to the current method which is based on the crack severity index (CSI) value. Damage Tolerance is one of aircraft design philosophies to ensure that aging aircrafts satisfy structural reliability in terms of fatigue failures throughout their service periods. IAT program, one of the most important tasks of DTA, is able to track potential structural crack growth at critical areas in the major airframe structural components of individual aircraft. The F-16C/D aircraft is equipped with a flight data recorder to monitor flight usage and provide the data to support structural load analysis. However, limited memory of flight data recorder allows user to monitor individual aircraft fatigue usage in terms of only the vertical inertia (NzW) data for calculating Crack Severity Index (CSI) value which defines the relative maneuver severity. Current IAT method for the F-16C/D Block 32 based on CSI value calculated from NzW is shown to be not accurate enough to monitor individual aircraft fatigue usage due to several problems. The proposed advanced aircraft service life monitoring method based on flight-by-flight load spectra is recommended as an improved method for the F-16C/D Block 32 aircraft. Flight-by-flight load spectra was generated from downloaded Crash Survival Flight Data Recorder (CSFDR) data by calculating loads for each time hack in selected flight data utilizing loads equations. From the comparison of interpolated fatigue life using CSI value and fatigue test results, it is obvious that proposed advanced IAT method via flight-by-flight load spectra is more reliable and accurate than current IAT method. Therefore, the advanced aircraft service life monitoring method based on flight-by-flight load spectra not only monitors the individual aircraft consumed fatigue life for inspection but also ensures the structural reliability of aging aircrafts throughout their service periods.

Cortical encoding and neurophysiological tracking of intensity and pitch cues signaling English stress patterns in native and nonnative speakers.

PubMed

Chung, Wei-Lun; Bidelman, Gavin M

2016-01-01

We examined cross-language differences in neural encoding and tracking of intensity and pitch cues signaling English stress patterns. Auditory mismatch negativities (MMNs) were recorded in English and Mandarin listeners in response to contrastive English pseudowords whose primary stress occurred either on the first or second syllable (i.e., "nocTICity" vs. "NOCticity"). The contrastive syllable stress elicited two consecutive MMNs in both language groups, but English speakers demonstrated larger responses to stress patterns than Mandarin speakers. Correlations between the amplitude of ERPs and continuous changes in the running intensity and pitch of speech assessed how well each language group's brain activity tracked these salient acoustic features of lexical stress. We found that English speakers' neural responses tracked intensity changes in speech more closely than Mandarin speakers (higher brain-acoustic correlation). Findings demonstrate more robust and precise processing of English stress (intensity) patterns in early auditory cortical responses of native relative to nonnative speakers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new method for discovering behavior patterns among animal movements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wang, Y.; Luo, Ze; Takekawa, John Y.; Prosser, Diann J.; Xiong, Y.; Newman, S.; Xiao, X.; Batbayar, N.; Spragens, Kyle A.; Balachandran, S.; Yan, B.

2016-01-01

Advanced satellite tracking technologies enable biologists to track animal movements at fine spatial and temporal scales. The resultant data present opportunities and challenges for understanding animal behavioral mechanisms. In this paper, we develop a new method to elucidate animal movement patterns from tracking data. Here, we propose the notion of continuous behavior patterns as a concise representation of popular migration routes and underlying sequential behaviors during migration. Each stage in the pattern is characterized in terms of space (i.e., the places traversed during movements) and time (i.e. the time spent in those places); that is, the behavioral state corresponding to a stage is inferred according to the spatiotemporal and sequential context. Hence, the pattern may be interpreted predictably. We develop a candidate generation and refinement framework to derive all continuous behavior patterns from raw trajectories. In the framework, we first define the representative spots to denote the underlying potential behavioral states that are extracted from individual trajectories according to the similarity of relaxed continuous locations in certain distinct time intervals. We determine the common behaviors of multiple individuals according to the spatiotemporal proximity of representative spots and apply a projection-based extension approach to generate candidate sequential behavior sequences as candidate patterns. Finally, the candidate generation procedure is combined with a refinement procedure to derive continuous behavior patterns. We apply an ordered processing strategy to accelerate candidate refinement. The proposed patterns and discovery framework are evaluated through conceptual experiments on both real GPS-tracking and large synthetic datasets.

A new method for discovering behavior patterns among animal movements.

PubMed

Wang, Yuwei; Luo, Ze; Takekawa, John; Prosser, Diann; Xiong, Yan; Newman, Scott; Xiao, Xiangming; Batbayar, Nyambayar; Spragens, Kyle; Balachandran, Sivananinthaperumal; Yan, Baoping

Advanced satellite tracking technologies enable biologists to track animal movements at fine spatial and temporal scales. The resultant data present opportunities and challenges for understanding animal behavioral mechanisms. In this paper, we develop a new method to elucidate animal movement patterns from tracking data. Here, we propose the notion of continuous behavior patterns as a concise representation of popular migration routes and underlying sequential behaviors during migration. Each stage in the pattern is characterized in terms of space (i.e., the places traversed during movements) and time (i.e. the time spent in those places); that is, the behavioral state corresponding to a stage is inferred according to the spatiotemporal and sequential context. Hence, the pattern may be interpreted predictably. We develop a candidate generation and refinement framework to derive all continuous behavior patterns from raw trajectories. In the framework, we first define the representative spots to denote the underlying potential behavioral states that are extracted from individual trajectories according to the similarity of relaxed continuous locations in certain distinct time intervals. We determine the common behaviors of multiple individuals according to the spatiotemporal proximity of representative spots and apply a projection-based extension approach to generate candidate sequential behavior sequences as candidate patterns. Finally, the candidate generation procedure is combined with a refinement procedure to derive continuous behavior patterns. We apply an ordered processing strategy to accelerate candidate refinement. The proposed patterns and discovery framework are evaluated through conceptual experiments on both real GPS-tracking and large synthetic datasets.

A new method for discovering behavior patterns among animal movements

PubMed Central

Wang, Yuwei; Luo, Ze; Takekawa, John; Prosser, Diann; Xiong, Yan; Newman, Scott; Xiao, Xiangming; Batbayar, Nyambayar; Spragens, Kyle; Balachandran, Sivananinthaperumal; Yan, Baoping

2016-01-01

Advanced satellite tracking technologies enable biologists to track animal movements at fine spatial and temporal scales. The resultant data present opportunities and challenges for understanding animal behavioral mechanisms. In this paper, we develop a new method to elucidate animal movement patterns from tracking data. Here, we propose the notion of continuous behavior patterns as a concise representation of popular migration routes and underlying sequential behaviors during migration. Each stage in the pattern is characterized in terms of space (i.e., the places traversed during movements) and time (i.e. the time spent in those places); that is, the behavioral state corresponding to a stage is inferred according to the spatiotemporal and sequential context. Hence, the pattern may be interpreted predictably. We develop a candidate generation and refinement framework to derive all continuous behavior patterns from raw trajectories. In the framework, we first define the representative spots to denote the underlying potential behavioral states that are extracted from individual trajectories according to the similarity of relaxed continuous locations in certain distinct time intervals. We determine the common behaviors of multiple individuals according to the spatiotemporal proximity of representative spots and apply a projection-based extension approach to generate candidate sequential behavior sequences as candidate patterns. Finally, the candidate generation procedure is combined with a refinement procedure to derive continuous behavior patterns. We apply an ordered processing strategy to accelerate candidate refinement. The proposed patterns and discovery framework are evaluated through conceptual experiments on both real GPS-tracking and large synthetic datasets. PMID:27217810

Electricity forecasting on the individual household level enhanced based on activity patterns

PubMed Central

Gajowniczek, Krzysztof; Ząbkowski, Tomasz

2017-01-01

Leveraging smart metering solutions to support energy efficiency on the individual household level poses novel research challenges in monitoring usage and providing accurate load forecasting. Forecasting electricity usage is an especially important component that can provide intelligence to smart meters. In this paper, we propose an enhanced approach for load forecasting at the household level. The impacts of residents’ daily activities and appliance usages on the power consumption of the entire household are incorporated to improve the accuracy of the forecasting model. The contributions of this paper are threefold: (1) we addressed short-term electricity load forecasting for 24 hours ahead, not on the aggregate but on the individual household level, which fits into the Residential Power Load Forecasting (RPLF) methods; (2) for the forecasting, we utilized a household specific dataset of behaviors that influence power consumption, which was derived using segmentation and sequence mining algorithms; and (3) an extensive load forecasting study using different forecasting algorithms enhanced by the household activity patterns was undertaken. PMID:28423039

Electricity forecasting on the individual household level enhanced based on activity patterns.

PubMed

Gajowniczek, Krzysztof; Ząbkowski, Tomasz

2017-01-01

Leveraging smart metering solutions to support energy efficiency on the individual household level poses novel research challenges in monitoring usage and providing accurate load forecasting. Forecasting electricity usage is an especially important component that can provide intelligence to smart meters. In this paper, we propose an enhanced approach for load forecasting at the household level. The impacts of residents' daily activities and appliance usages on the power consumption of the entire household are incorporated to improve the accuracy of the forecasting model. The contributions of this paper are threefold: (1) we addressed short-term electricity load forecasting for 24 hours ahead, not on the aggregate but on the individual household level, which fits into the Residential Power Load Forecasting (RPLF) methods; (2) for the forecasting, we utilized a household specific dataset of behaviors that influence power consumption, which was derived using segmentation and sequence mining algorithms; and (3) an extensive load forecasting study using different forecasting algorithms enhanced by the household activity patterns was undertaken.

A New Look at Data Usage by Using Metadata Attributes as Indicators of Data Quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Won, Young-In; Wanchoo, Lalit; Behnke, Jeanne

2016-01-01

This study reviews the key metrics (users, distributed volume, and files) in multiple ways to gain an understanding of the significance of the metadata. Characterizing the usability of data by key metadata elements, such as discipline and study area, will assist in understanding how the user needs have evolved over time. The data usage pattern based on product level provides insight into the level of data quality. In addition, the data metrics by various services, such as the Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol (OPeNDAP) and subsets, address how these services have extended the usage of data. Over-all, this study presents the usage of data and metadata by metrics analyses, which may assist data centers in better supporting the needs of the users.

Les Chansons de la Francophonie Web Site and Its Two Web-Usage-Tracking Systems in an Advanced Listening Comprehension Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinberg, Alysse

2005-01-01

The "Les Chansons de la francophonie" web site is based on French songs and was developed using HTML and JavaScript for the advanced French Comprehension Course at the Second Language Institute of the University of Ottawa. These interactive listening activities include true-false and multiple-choice questions, fill in the blanks,…

SILVAH 5.1: developing interim guidelines for managing oak in Pennsylvania through multi-agency cooperation

Treesearch

Patrick Brose; Susan Stout; Gary Miller; Kurt Gottschalk

2003-01-01

The SILVAH decision-support system developed by numerous researchers at the Forestry Sciences Lab in Irvine, PA, has a proven track record for prescribing appropriate silvicultural treatments for the cherry-maple and northern hardwood forests of the Allegheny Plateau region. However, it has had only limited usage in mixed-oak forests of the same region and virtually no...

Ensuring That Army Infrastructure Meets Strategic Needs

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

alterations and pesticide usage have degraded natural ecosystems so much that few wild bees are left. Farmers who relied on wild bees for pollination...critical habitat, and wetlands , by time and specific location. It will track 10 types of restrictions: no digging, no training, no bivouacking, no...biotechnology, plant pollination, ecotourism, and the harvest of food, animals, and pharmaceuticals from the wild (Pimentel et al., 1997). For - 76

"Just-in-Time" Personal Preparedness: Downloads and Usage Patterns of the American Red Cross Hurricane Application During Hurricane Sandy.

PubMed

Kirsch, Thomas D; Circh, Ryan; Bissell, Richard A; Goldfeder, Matthew

2016-10-01

Personal preparedness is a core activity but has been found to be frequently inadequate. Smart phone applications have many uses for the public, including preparedness. In 2012 the American Red Cross began releasing "disaster" apps for family preparedness and recovery. The Hurricane App was widely used during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Patterns of download of the application were analyzed by using a download tracking tool by the American Red Cross and Google Analytics. Specific variables included date, time, and location of individual downloads; number of page visits and views; and average time spent on pages. As Hurricane Sandy approached in late October, daily downloads peaked at 152,258 on the day of landfall and by mid-November reached 697,585. Total page views began increasing on October 25 with over 4,000,000 page views during landfall compared to 3.7 million the first 3 weeks of October with a 43,980% increase in views of the "Right Before" page and a 76,275% increase in views of the "During" page. The Hurricane App offered a new type of "just-in-time" training that reached tens of thousands of families in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. The app allowed these families to access real-time information before and after the storm to help them prepare and recover. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;page 1 of 6).

Flower tracking in hawkmoths: behavior and energetics.

PubMed

Sprayberry, Jordanna D H; Daniel, Thomas L

2007-01-01

As hovering feeders, hawkmoths cope with flower motions by tracking those motions to maintain contact with the nectary. This study examined the tracking, feeding and energetic performance of Manduca sexta feeding from flowers moving at varied frequencies and in different directions. In general we found that tracking performance decreased as frequency increased; M. sexta tracked flowers moving at 1 Hz best. While feeding rates were highest for stationary flowers, they remained relatively constant for all tested frequencies of flower motion. Calculations of net energy gain showed that energy expenditure to track flowers is minimal compared to energy intake; therefore, patterns of net energy gain mimicked patterns of feeding rate. The direction effects of flower motion were greater than the frequency effects. While M. sexta appeared equally capable of tracking flowers moving in the horizontal and vertical motion axes, they demonstrated poor ability to track flowers moving in the looming axis. Additionally, both feeding rates and net energy gain were lower for looming axis flower motions.

Influence of certain forces on evolution of synonymous codon usage bias in certain species of three basal orders of aquatic insects.

PubMed

Selva Kumar, C; Nair, Rahul R; Sivaramakrishnan, K G; Ganesh, D; Janarthanan, S; Arunachalam, M; Sivaruban, T

2012-12-01

Forces that influence the evolution of synonymous codon usage bias are analyzed in six species of three basal orders of aquatic insects. The rationale behind choosing six species of aquatic insects (three from Ephemeroptera, one from Plecoptera, and two from Odonata) for the present analysis is based on phylogenetic position at the basal clades of the Order Insecta facilitating the understanding of the evolution of codon bias and of factors shaping codon usage patterns in primitive clades of insect lineages and their subtle differences in some of their ecological and environmental requirements in terms of habitat-microhabitat requirements, altitudinal preferences, temperature tolerance ranges, and consequent responses to climate change impacts. The present analysis focuses on open reading frames of the 13 protein-coding genes in the mitochondrial genome of six carefully chosen insect species to get a comprehensive picture of the evolutionary intricacies of codon bias. In all the six species, A and T contents are observed to be significantly higher than G and C, and are used roughly equally. Since transcription hypothesis on codon usage demands A richness and T poorness, it is quite likely that mutation pressure may be the key factor associated with synonymous codon usage (SCU) variations in these species because the mutation hypothesis predicts AT richness and GC poorness in the mitochondrial DNA. Thus, AT-biased mutation pressure seems to be an important factor in framing the SCU variation in all the selected species of aquatic insects, which in turn explains the predominance of A and T ending codons in these species. This study does not find any association between microhabitats and codon usage variations in the mitochondria of selected aquatic insects. However, this study has identified major forces, such as compositional constraints and mutation pressure, which shape patterns of codon usage in mitochondrial genes in the primitive clades of insect lineages.

Genetic and codon usage bias analyses of polymerase genes of equine influenza virus and its relation to evolution.

PubMed

Bera, Bidhan Ch; Virmani, Nitin; Kumar, Naveen; Anand, Taruna; Pavulraj, S; Rash, Adam; Elton, Debra; Rash, Nicola; Bhatia, Sandeep; Sood, Richa; Singh, Raj Kumar; Tripathi, Bhupendra Nath

2017-08-23

Equine influenza is a major health problem of equines worldwide. The polymerase genes of influenza virus have key roles in virus replication, transcription, transmission between hosts and pathogenesis. Hence, the comprehensive genetic and codon usage bias of polymerase genes of equine influenza virus (EIV) were analyzed to elucidate the genetic and evolutionary relationships in a novel perspective. The group - specific consensus amino acid substitutions were identified in all polymerase genes of EIVs that led to divergence of EIVs into various clades. The consistent amino acid changes were also detected in the Florida clade 2 EIVs circulating in Europe and Asia since 2007. To study the codon usage patterns, a total of 281,324 codons of polymerase genes of EIV H3N8 isolates from 1963 to 2015 were systemically analyzed. The polymerase genes of EIVs exhibit a weak codon usage bias. The ENc-GC3s and Neutrality plots indicated that natural selection is the major influencing factor of codon usage bias, and that the impact of mutation pressure is comparatively minor. The methods for estimating host imposed translation pressure suggested that the polymerase acidic (PA) gene seems to be under less translational pressure compared to polymerase basic 1 (PB1) and polymerase basic 2 (PB2) genes. The multivariate statistical analysis of polymerase genes divided EIVs into four evolutionary diverged clusters - Pre-divergent, Eurasian, Florida sub-lineage 1 and 2. Various lineage specific amino acid substitutions observed in all polymerase genes of EIVs and especially, clade 2 EIVs underwent major variations which led to the emergence of a phylogenetically distinct group of EIVs originating from Richmond/1/07. The codon usage bias was low in all the polymerase genes of EIVs that was influenced by the multiple factors such as the nucleotide compositions, mutation pressure, aromaticity and hydropathicity. However, natural selection was the major influencing factor in defining the codon usage patterns and evolution of polymerase genes of EIVs.

Patterns and determinants of communal latrine usage in urban poverty pockets in Bhopal, India.

PubMed

Biran, A; Jenkins, M W; Dabrase, P; Bhagwat, I

2011-07-01

To explore and explain patterns of use of communal latrine facilities in urban poverty pockets. Six poverty pockets with communal latrine facilities representing two management models (Sulabh and municipal) were selected. Sampling was random and stratified by poverty pocket population size. A seventh, community-managed facility was also included. Data were collected by exit interviews with facility users and by interviews with residents from a randomly selected representative sample of poverty pocket households, on social, economic and demographic characteristics of households, latrine ownership, defecation practices, costs of using the facility and distance from the house to the facility. A tally of facility users was kept for 1 day at each facility. Data were analysed using logistic regression modelling to identify determinants of communal latrine usage. Communal latrines differed in their facilities, conditions, management and operating characteristics, and rates of usage. Reported usage rates among non-latrine-owning households ranged from 15% to 100%. There was significant variation in wealth, occupation and household structure across the poverty pockets as well as in household latrine ownership. Households in pockets with municipal communal latrine facilities appeared poorer. Households in pockets with Sulabh-managed communal facilities were significantly more likely to own a household latrine. Determinants of communal facility usage among households without a latrine were access and convenience (distance and opening hours), facility age, cleanliness/upkeep and cost. The ratio of male to female users was 2:1 across all facilities for both adults and children. Provision of communal facilities reduces but does not end the problem of open defecation in poverty pockets. Women appear to be relatively poorly served by communal facilities and, cost is a barrier to use by poorer households. Results suggest improving facility convenience and access and modifying fee structures could lead to increased rates of usage. Attention to possible barriers to usage at household level associated particularly with having school-age children and with pre-school childcare needs may also be warranted. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Pattern Classification of Tropical Cyclone Tracks over the Western North Pacific using a Fuzzy Clustering Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, H.; Ho, C.; Kim, J.

2008-12-01

This study presents the pattern classification of tropical cyclone (TC) tracks over the western North Pacific (WNP) basin during the typhoon season (June through October) for 1965-2006 (total 42 years) using a fuzzy clustering method. After the fuzzy c-mean clustering algorithm to the TC trajectory interpolated into 20 segments of equivalent length, we divided the whole tracks into 7 patterns. The optimal number of the fuzzy cluster is determined by several validity measures. The classified TC track patterns represent quite different features in the recurving latitudes, genesis locations, and geographical pathways: TCs mainly forming in east-northern part of the WNP and striking Korean and Japan (C1); mainly forming in west-southern part of the WNP, traveling long pathway, and partly striking Japan (C2); mainly striking Taiwan and East China (C3); traveling near the east coast of Japan (C4); traveling the distant ocean east of Japan (C5); moving toward South China and Vietnam straightly (C6); and forming in the South China Sea (C7). Atmospheric environments related to each cluster show physically consistent with each TC track patterns. The straight track pattern is closely linked to a developed anticyclonic circulation to the north of the TC. It implies that this ridge acts as a steering flow forcing TCs to move to the northwest with a more west-oriented track. By contrast, recurving patterns occur commonly under the influence of the strong anomalous westerlies over the TC pathway but there definitely exist characteristic anomalous circulations over the mid- latitudes by pattern. Some clusters are closely related to the well-known large-scale phenomena. The C1 and C2 are highly related to the ENSO phase: The TCs in the C1 (C2) is more active during La Niña (El Niño). The TC activity in the C3 is associated with the WNP summer monsoon. The TCs in the C4 is more (less) vigorous during the easterly (westerly) phase of the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation. This study may be applied to the statistical-dynamic long-range forecast model of TC activity as well as the diagnostic study of TC activity.

Development of SPIES (Space Intelligent Eyeing System) for smart vehicle tracing and tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Suzanah; Ariffin Osoman, Muhammad; Guan Liyong, Chua; Zulfadhli Mohd Noor, Mohd; Mohamed, Ikhwan

2016-06-01

SPIES or Space-based Intelligent Eyeing System is an intelligent technology which can be utilized for various applications such as gathering spatial information of features on Earth, tracking system for the movement of an object, tracing system to trace the history information, monitoring driving behavior, security and alarm system as an observer in real time and many more. SPIES as will be developed and supplied modularly will encourage the usage based on needs and affordability of users. SPIES are a complete system with camera, GSM, GPS/GNSS and G-Sensor modules with intelligent function and capabilities. Mainly the camera is used to capture pictures and video and sometimes with audio of an event. Its usage is not limited to normal use for nostalgic purpose but can be used as a reference for security and material of evidence when an undesirable event such as crime occurs. When integrated with space based technology of the Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS), photos and videos can be recorded together with positioning information. A product of the integration of these technologies when integrated with Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) and Geographic Information System (GIS) will produce innovation in the form of information gathering methods in still picture or video with positioning information that can be conveyed in real time via the web to display location on the map hence creating an intelligent eyeing system based on space technology. The importance of providing global positioning information is a challenge but overcome by SPIES even in areas without GNSS signal reception for the purpose of continuous tracking and tracing capability

Media Use Patterns of Young Men: Findings from the Youth Attitude Tracking Study 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-01

advertising avenue for the Military. To use the media most effectively , however, requires knowledge of the attitudes and practices of youths regarding...OPP~ FILE COPY DEFENSE -MANPOWER DATA CENTER MEDIA USE PATTERNS OF YOUNG MEN FINDINGS FROM THE YOUTH ATTITUDE TRACKING STUDY If Market Research...cost- effective military advertising. Understanding media use patterns will provide information to aid in understanding how to target advertising

DSA process window expansion with novel DSA track hardware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harumoto, Masahiko; Stokes, Harold; Tanaka, Yuji; Kaneyama, Koji; Pieczulewski, Chalres; Asai, Masaya; Argoud, Maxime; Servin, Isabelle; Chamiot-Maitral, Gaëlle; Claveau, Guillaume; Tiron, Raluca; Cayrefourcq, Ian

2017-03-01

PS-b-PMMA block copolymer is a well-known DSA material, and there are many DSA patterning methods that make effective the use of such 1st generation materials. Consequently, this variety of patterning methods opens a wide array of possibilities for DSA application[1-4]. Last year, during the inaugural International DSA Symposium, researchers and lithographers concurred on common key issues for DSA patterning methods such as: defect density, LWR, placement error, etc. Defect density was specifically expressed as the biggest obstacle for new processes. Coat-Develop track systems contribute to the DSA pattern fabrication and also influence the DSA pattern performances[4]. In this study, defectivity was investigated using an atmosphere-controlled chamber on the SOKUDO DUO track. As an initial step for expanding the DSA process window, fingerprint patterns were used for various atmospheric conditions during DSA self-assembly annealing. In this study, we will demonstrate an improved DSA process window, and then we will discuss the mechanism for this atmospheric effect.

Satellite (IRLS) tracking of elk

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buechner, H. K.

1972-01-01

The practicability of tracking free roaming animals in natural environments by satellite systems is reported. Satellite systems combine continuous tracking with simultaneous monitoring of physiological and environmental parameters through a combination of radio tracking and biotelemetric ground systems that lead to a better understanding of animal behavior and migration patterns.

Perceptions and attitudes of hospital staff toward paging system and the use of mobile phones.

PubMed

Haroon, Muhammad; Yasin, Faiza; Eckel, Rachael; Walker, Frank

2010-10-01

Our objective was to document the pattern of mobile phone usage by medical staff in a hospital setting, and to explore any perceived benefits (such as improved communications) associated with mobile phones. This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Waterford Regional Hospital, Ireland, where bleep is the official system of communication. All non-consultant hospital doctors, of medical disciplines only, were asked to participate. The questionnaire was designed to explore the pattern and different aspects of mobile phone usage. At the time of study, there were sixty medical junior doctors, and the response rate was 100 percent. All participants used mobile phones while at work, and also for hospital-related work. For 98.3 percent the mobile phone was their main mode of communication while in the hospital. Sixty-two percent (n = 37) made 6-10 calls daily purely for work-related business, and this comprised of ≥ 80 percent of their daily usage of mobile phones. For 98 percent of participants, most phone calls were work-related. Regarding reasons for using mobile phones, all reported that using mobile phone is quicker for communication. Mobile phone usage is very common among the medical personnel, and this is regarded as a more efficient means of communication for mobile staff than the hospital paging system.

Broken rail track detection using smart materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouteiller, Fanny; Grisso, Benjamin L.; Peairs, Daniel M.; Inman, Daniel J.

2006-03-01

Rail lines are subject to many types of damage that, in the worst cases, can cause train derailments. The damage can arise from either manufacturing defects or external factors, possibly even terrorist acts to disrupt the civil infrastructure. Current rail inspection techniques require train traffic to be interrupted while workers and equipment move along the track. Moreover, a technician with rail testing experience is required to analyze the results. This paper focuses on simple proof of concept experiments to determine if impedance based structural health monitoring may be used to detect anomalies in rail tracks, and in particular broken rails. The technique applies a very low voltage (one volt) high frequency wave to a structure, measures its response and determines the location and extent of a rail break. The monitoring device is envisioned to run off of ambient vibration and thermal gradients provided by passing trains and daily thermal cycles, store the energy and utilize the stored energy periodically to inspect the track (according to the track usage schedule). If damage occurs or starts to occur, a warning signal would be transmitted to substation then broadcast to the appropriate operator listing the location and extent of the damage.

SEASTAR: systematic evaluation of alternative transcription start sites in RNA.

PubMed

Qin, Zhiyi; Stoilov, Peter; Zhang, Xuegong; Xing, Yi

2018-05-04

Alternative first exons diversify the transcriptomes of eukaryotes by producing variants of the 5' Untranslated Regions (5'UTRs) and N-terminal coding sequences. Accurate transcriptome-wide detection of alternative first exons typically requires specialized experimental approaches that are designed to identify the 5' ends of transcripts. We developed a computational pipeline SEASTAR that identifies first exons from RNA-seq data alone then quantifies and compares alternative first exon usage across multiple biological conditions. The exons inferred by SEASTAR coincide with transcription start sites identified directly by CAGE experiments and bear epigenetic hallmarks of active promoters. To determine if differential usage of alternative first exons can yield insights into the mechanism controlling gene expression, we applied SEASTAR to an RNA-seq dataset that tracked the reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells. We observed dynamic temporal changes in the usage of alternative first exons, along with correlated changes in transcription factor expression. Using a combined sequence motif and gene set enrichment analysis we identified N-Myc as a regulator of alternative first exon usage in the pluripotent state. Our results demonstrate that SEASTAR can leverage the available RNA-seq data to gain insights into the control of gene expression and alternative transcript variation in eukaryotic transcriptomes.

Testing the effectiveness of exercise videogame bikes among families in the home-setting: a pilot study.

PubMed

Mark, Rachel S; Rhodes, Ryan E

2013-02-01

Interactive stationary bikes provide positive affective experiences and physiological benefits; however, research is limited. This study compared usage of GameBikes to traditional stationary bikes among families in the home following a 6-week randomized, controlled trial design. Parents completed questionnaires featuring constructs of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Usage was tracked by all family members and belief elicitation with GameBike families followed the trial. Usage across the trial was significantly different for children in favor of the GameBike group (t36 = 2.61, P = .01, d = .85). No differences were identified for parents. Significant time effects for parents' (F5,48 = 5.07, P < .01; η2 = .35) and children's (F5,32 = 8.24, P < .01; η2 = .56) usage were found with declines across 6 weeks. Affective attitude was the only significant TPB variable between groups at both time one (t57 = 2.53, P = .01; d = .65) and follow-up (t52 = 2.70, P = .01; d = .74) in favor of the GameBike group. Elicited beliefs were primarily affective-and control-based. The results provide support for use of interactive video games to augment current PA initiatives. Larger-scale trials with longer durations are warranted.

Japan and America: A Comparative Study in Language and Culture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Bernice Z.; Tamura, Kyoko

This is a comparative analysis of the Japanese and American languages and cultures. The following are discussed: verbs, kinship terms, category terms, apologies and thanks, honorifics and postpositional particles, and levels of usage. A final section relates conclusions about linguistic patterns to culture patterns. (AM)

Trends in Correlation-Based Pattern Recognition and Tracking in Forward-Looking Infrared Imagery

PubMed Central

Alam, Mohammad S.; Bhuiyan, Sharif M. A.

2014-01-01

In this paper, we review the recent trends and advancements on correlation-based pattern recognition and tracking in forward-looking infrared (FLIR) imagery. In particular, we discuss matched filter-based correlation techniques for target detection and tracking which are widely used for various real time applications. We analyze and present test results involving recently reported matched filters such as the maximum average correlation height (MACH) filter and its variants, and distance classifier correlation filter (DCCF) and its variants. Test results are presented for both single/multiple target detection and tracking using various real-life FLIR image sequences. PMID:25061840

A review of electronic journal acquisition, management, and use in health sciences libraries

PubMed Central

Burrows, Suzetta

2006-01-01

Purpose: The paper describes patterns of electronic journal usage in health sciences libraries during the past decade. Method: The paper presents a case study, documenting the pattern of acquisition, management, and usage at the Louis Calder Memorial Library of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Results: Health sciences journals were early to offer electronic alternatives to print. As a result, health sciences libraries, their patrons, and the public at large were early to embrace the new versions and continue to embrace the significant changes in scholarly communication they enable. Although the patterns of electronic journals among health sciences libraries and other special and academic libraries have similarities, they also have differences. Broad studies of electronic journals in non–health sciences libraries have been published, but a retrospective review of electronic journals in health sciences libraries has not. PMID:16404472

Scaling up ATLAS Event Service to production levels on opportunistic computing platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benjamin, D.; Caballero, J.; Ernst, M.; Guan, W.; Hover, J.; Lesny, D.; Maeno, T.; Nilsson, P.; Tsulaia, V.; van Gemmeren, P.; Vaniachine, A.; Wang, F.; Wenaus, T.; ATLAS Collaboration

2016-10-01

Continued growth in public cloud and HPC resources is on track to exceed the dedicated resources available for ATLAS on the WLCG. Examples of such platforms are Amazon AWS EC2 Spot Instances, Edison Cray XC30 supercomputer, backfill at Tier 2 and Tier 3 sites, opportunistic resources at the Open Science Grid (OSG), and ATLAS High Level Trigger farm between the data taking periods. Because of specific aspects of opportunistic resources such as preemptive job scheduling and data I/O, their efficient usage requires workflow innovations provided by the ATLAS Event Service. Thanks to the finer granularity of the Event Service data processing workflow, the opportunistic resources are used more efficiently. We report on our progress in scaling opportunistic resource usage to double-digit levels in ATLAS production.

Flow-Signature Analysis of Water Consumption in Nonresidential Building Water Networks Using High-Resolution and Medium-Resolution Smart Meter Data: Two Case Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clifford, Eoghan; Mulligan, Sean; Comer, Joanne; Hannon, Louise

2018-01-01

Real-time monitoring of water consumption activities can be an effective mechanism to achieve efficient water network management. This approach, largely enabled by the advent of smart metering technologies, is gradually being practiced in domestic and industrial contexts. In particular, identifying water consumption habits from flow-signatures, i.e., the specific end-usage patterns, is being investigated as a means for conservation in both the residential and nonresidential context. However, the quality of meter data is bivariate (dependent on number of meters and data temporal resolution) and as a result, planning a smart metering scheme is relatively difficult with no generic design approach available. In this study, a comprehensive medium-resolution to high-resolution smart metering program was implemented at two nonresidential trial sites to evaluate the effect of spatial and temporal data aggregation. It was found that medium-resolution water meter data were capable of exposing regular, continuous, peak use, and diurnal patterns which reflect group wide end-usage characteristics. The high-resolution meter data permitted flow-signature at a personal end-use level. Through this unique opportunity to observe water usage characteristics via flow-signature patterns, newly defined hydraulic-based design coefficients determined from Poisson rectangular pulse were developed to intuitively aid in the process of pattern discovery with implications for automated activity recognition applications. A smart meter classification and siting index was introduced which categorizes meter resolution in terms of their suitable application.

A relationship between eye movement patterns and performance in a precognitive tracking task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Repperger, D. W.; Hartzell, E. J.

1977-01-01

Eye movements made by various subjects in the performance of a precognitive tracking task are studied. The tracking task persented by an antiaircraft artillery (AAA) simulator has an input forcing function represented by a deterministic aircraft fly-by. The performance of subjects is ranked by two metrics. Good, mediocre, and poor trackers are selected for analysis based on performance during the difficult segment of the tracking task and over replications. Using phase planes to characterize both the eye movement patterns and the displayed error signal, a simple metric is developed to study these patterns. Two characterizations of eye movement strategies are defined and quantified. Using these two types of eye strategies, two conclusions are obtained about good, mediocre, and poor trackers. First, the eye tracker who used a fixed strategy will consistently perform better. Secondly, the best fixed strategy is defined as a Crosshair Fixator.

The Scope of Usage-Based Theory

PubMed Central

Ibbotson, Paul

2013-01-01

Usage-based approaches typically draw on a relatively small set of cognitive processes, such as categorization, analogy, and chunking to explain language structure and function. The goal of this paper is to first review the extent to which the “cognitive commitment” of usage-based theory has had success in explaining empirical findings across domains, including language acquisition, processing, and typology. We then look at the overall strengths and weaknesses of usage-based theory and highlight where there are significant debates. Finally, we draw special attention to a set of culturally generated structural patterns that seem to lie beyond the explanation of core usage-based cognitive processes. In this context we draw a distinction between cognition permitting language structure vs. cognition entailing language structure. As well as addressing the need for greater clarity on the mechanisms of generalizations and the fundamental units of grammar, we suggest that integrating culturally generated structures within existing cognitive models of use will generate tighter predictions about how language works. PMID:23658552

Subtyping of Toddlers with ASD Based on Patterns of Social Attention Deficits

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0179 TITLE: Subtyping of Toddlers with ASD Based on Patterns of Social Attention Deficits PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Subtyping of Toddlers with ASD Based on Patterns of Social Attention Deficits 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-13-1-0179...tracking data. 15. SUBJECT TERMS ASD, subgrouping, toddlers , heterogeneity, eye-tracking, visual attention, dyadic orienting, hierarchical

VIPRAM_L1CMS: a 2-Tier 3D Architecture for Pattern Recognition for Track Finding

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

Hoff, J. R.; Joshi, Joshi,S.; Liu, Liu,

In HEP tracking trigger applications, flagging an individual detector hit is not important. Rather, the path of a charged particle through many detector layers is what must be found. Moreover, given the increased luminosity projected for future LHC experiments, this type of track finding will be required within the Level 1 Trigger system. This means that future LHC experiments require not just a chip capable of high-speed track finding but also one with a high-speed readout architecture. VIPRAM_L1CMS is 2-Tier Vertically Integrated chip designed to fulfill these requirements. It is a complete pipelined Pattern Recognition Associative Memory (PRAM) architecture includingmore » pattern recognition, result sparsification, and readout for Level 1 trigger applications in CMS with 15-bit wide detector addresses and eight detector layers included in the track finding. Pattern recognition is based on classic Content Addressable Memories with a Current Race Scheme to reduce timing complexity and a 4-bit Selective Precharge to minimize power consumption. VIPRAM_L1CMS uses a pipelined set of priority-encoded binary readout structures to sparsify and readout active road flags at frequencies of at least 100MHz. VIPRAM_L1CMS is designed to work directly with the Pulsar2b Architecture.« less

Spatial Exposure Analysis for Threatened and Endangered Species from Changing Pesticide Use Pattern in Southern Georgia

EPA Science Inventory

In recent decades, pesticide use patterns and crop distributions have changed; however, because there has not been a significant increase in usage disclosures, it is difficult to estimate the changes in potential exposure zones, this analysis focuses on the intersection of agricu...

PRIVACYGRID: Supporting Anonymous Location Queries in Mobile Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

continued price reduction of location tracking de- vices, location - based services (LBSs) are widely recognized as an important feature of the future computing... location - based services can operate completely anonymously, such as “when I pass a gas station, alert me with the unit price of the gas”. Others can...Anonymous Usage of Location - Based Services Through Spatial and Tempo- ral Cloaking. In Proceedings of the International Con- ference on Mobile

Boosting a Low-Cost Smart Home Environment with Usage and Access Control Rules.

PubMed

Barsocchi, Paolo; Calabrò, Antonello; Ferro, Erina; Gennaro, Claudio; Marchetti, Eda; Vairo, Claudio

2018-06-08

Smart Home has gained widespread attention due to its flexible integration into everyday life. Pervasive sensing technologies are used to recognize and track the activities that people perform during the day, and to allow communication and cooperation of physical objects. Usually, the available infrastructures and applications leveraging these smart environments have a critical impact on the overall cost of the Smart Home construction, require to be preferably installed during the home construction and are still not user-centric. In this paper, we propose a low cost, easy to install, user-friendly, dynamic and flexible infrastructure able to perform runtime resources management by decoupling the different levels of control rules. The basic idea relies on the usage of off-the-shelf sensors and technologies to guarantee the regular exchange of critical information, without the necessity from the user to develop accurate models for managing resources or regulating their access/usage. This allows us to simplify the continuous updating and improvement, to reduce the maintenance effort and to improve residents’ living and security. A first validation of the proposed infrastructure on a case study is also presented.

Mobile Eye Tracking Reveals Little Evidence for Age Differences in Attentional Selection for Mood Regulation

PubMed Central

Isaacowitz, Derek M.; Livingstone, Kimberly M.; Harris, Julia A.; Marcotte, Stacy L.

2014-01-01

We report two studies representing the first use of mobile eye tracking to study emotion regulation across adulthood. Past research on age differences in attentional deployment using stationary eye tracking has found older adults show relatively more positive looking, and seem to benefit more mood-wise from this looking pattern, compared to younger adults. However, these past studies have greatly constrained the stimuli participants can look at, despite real-world settings providing numerous possibilities for what to choose to look at. We therefore used mobile eye tracking to study age differences in attentional selection, as indicated by fixation patterns to stimuli of different valence freely chosen by the participant. In contrast to stationary eye tracking studies of attentional deployment, Study 1 showed that younger and older individuals generally selected similar proportions of valenced stimuli, and attentional selection had similar effects on mood across age groups. Study 2 replicated this pattern with an adult lifespan sample including middle-aged individuals. Emotion regulation-relevant attention may thus differ depending on whether stimuli are freely chosen or not. PMID:25527965

What Clinical Information Is Valuable to Doctors Using Mobile Electronic Medical Records and When?

PubMed

Kim, Junetae; Lee, Yura; Lim, Sanghee; Kim, Jeong Hoon; Lee, Byungtae; Lee, Jae-Ho

2017-10-18

There has been a lack of understanding on what types of specific clinical information are most valuable for doctors to access through mobile-based electronic medical records (m-EMRs) and when they access such information. Furthermore, it has not been clearly discussed why the value of such information is high. The goal of this study was to investigate the types of clinical information that are most valuable to doctors to access through an m-EMR and when such information is accessed. Since 2010, an m-EMR has been used in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, South Korea. The usage logs of the m-EMR by doctors were gathered from March to December 2015. Descriptive analyses were conducted to explore the overall usage patterns of the m-EMR. To assess the value of the clinical information provided, the usage patterns of both the m-EMR and a hospital information system (HIS) were compared on an hourly basis. The peak usage times of the m-EMR were defined as continuous intervals having normalized usage values that are greater than 0.5. The usage logs were processed as an indicator representing specific clinical information using factor analysis. Random intercept logistic regression was used to explore the type of clinical information that is frequently accessed during the peak usage times. A total of 524,929 usage logs from 653 doctors (229 professors, 161 fellows, and 263 residents; mean age: 37.55 years; males: 415 [63.6%]) were analyzed. The highest average number of m-EMR usage logs (897) was by medical residents, whereas the lowest (292) was by surgical residents. The usage amount for three menus, namely inpatient list (47,096), lab results (38,508), and investigation list (25,336), accounted for 60.1% of the peak time usage. The HIS was used most frequently during regular hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). The peak usage time of the m-EMR was early in the morning (6:00 AM to 10:00 AM), and the use of the m-EMR from early evening (5:00 PM) to midnight was higher than during regular business hours. Four factors representing the types of clinical information were extracted through factor analysis. Factors related to patient investigation status and patient conditions were associated with the peak usage times of the m-EMR (P<.01). Access to information regarding patient investigation status and patient conditions is crucial for decision making during morning activities, including ward rounds. The m-EMRs allow doctors to maintain the continuity of their clinical information regardless of the time and location constraints. Thus, m-EMRs will best evolve in a manner that enhances the accessibility of clinical information helpful to the decision-making process under such constraints. ©Junetae Kim, Yura Lee, Sanghee Lim, Jeong Hoon Kim, Byungtae Lee, Jae-Ho Lee. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 18.10.2017.

What Clinical Information Is Valuable to Doctors Using Mobile Electronic Medical Records and When?

PubMed Central

Lim, Sanghee; Kim, Jeong Hoon; Lee, Byungtae

2017-01-01

Background There has been a lack of understanding on what types of specific clinical information are most valuable for doctors to access through mobile-based electronic medical records (m-EMRs) and when they access such information. Furthermore, it has not been clearly discussed why the value of such information is high. Objective The goal of this study was to investigate the types of clinical information that are most valuable to doctors to access through an m-EMR and when such information is accessed. Methods Since 2010, an m-EMR has been used in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, South Korea. The usage logs of the m-EMR by doctors were gathered from March to December 2015. Descriptive analyses were conducted to explore the overall usage patterns of the m-EMR. To assess the value of the clinical information provided, the usage patterns of both the m-EMR and a hospital information system (HIS) were compared on an hourly basis. The peak usage times of the m-EMR were defined as continuous intervals having normalized usage values that are greater than 0.5. The usage logs were processed as an indicator representing specific clinical information using factor analysis. Random intercept logistic regression was used to explore the type of clinical information that is frequently accessed during the peak usage times. Results A total of 524,929 usage logs from 653 doctors (229 professors, 161 fellows, and 263 residents; mean age: 37.55 years; males: 415 [63.6%]) were analyzed. The highest average number of m-EMR usage logs (897) was by medical residents, whereas the lowest (292) was by surgical residents. The usage amount for three menus, namely inpatient list (47,096), lab results (38,508), and investigation list (25,336), accounted for 60.1% of the peak time usage. The HIS was used most frequently during regular hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). The peak usage time of the m-EMR was early in the morning (6:00 AM to 10:00 AM), and the use of the m-EMR from early evening (5:00 PM) to midnight was higher than during regular business hours. Four factors representing the types of clinical information were extracted through factor analysis. Factors related to patient investigation status and patient conditions were associated with the peak usage times of the m-EMR (P<.01). Conclusions Access to information regarding patient investigation status and patient conditions is crucial for decision making during morning activities, including ward rounds. The m-EMRs allow doctors to maintain the continuity of their clinical information regardless of the time and location constraints. Thus, m-EMRs will best evolve in a manner that enhances the accessibility of clinical information helpful to the decision-making process under such constraints. PMID:29046269

Analysis of base and codon usage by rubella virus.

PubMed

Zhou, Yumei; Chen, Xianfeng; Ushijima, Hiroshi; Frey, Teryl K

2012-05-01

Rubella virus (RUBV), a small, plus-strand RNA virus that is an important human pathogen, has the unique feature that the GC content of its genome (70%) is the highest (by 20%) among RNA viruses. To determine the effect of this GC content on genomic evolution, base and codon usage were analyzed across viruses from eight diverse genotypes of RUBV. Despite differences in frequency of codon use, the favored codons in the RUBV genome matched those in the human genome for 18 of the 20 amino acids, indicating adaptation to the host. Although usage patterns were conserved in corresponding genes in the diverse genotypes, within-genome comparison revealed that both base and codon usages varied regionally, particularly in the hypervariable region (HVR) of the P150 replicase gene. While directional mutation pressure was predominant in determining base and codon usage within most of the genome (with the strongest tendency being towards C's at third codon positions), natural selection was predominant in the HVR region. The GC content of this region was the highest in the genome (>80%), and it was not clear if selection at the nucleotide level accompanied selection at the amino acid level. Dinucleotide frequency analysis of the RUBV genome revealed that TpA usage was lower than expected, similar to mammalian genes; however, CpG usage was not suppressed, and TpG usage was not enhanced, as is the case in mammalian genes.

Big data modeling to predict platelet usage and minimize wastage in a tertiary care system.

PubMed

Guan, Leying; Tian, Xiaoying; Gombar, Saurabh; Zemek, Allison J; Krishnan, Gomathi; Scott, Robert; Narasimhan, Balasubramanian; Tibshirani, Robert J; Pham, Tho D

2017-10-24

Maintaining a robust blood product supply is an essential requirement to guarantee optimal patient care in modern health care systems. However, daily blood product use is difficult to anticipate. Platelet products are the most variable in daily usage, have short shelf lives, and are also the most expensive to produce, test, and store. Due to the combination of absolute need, uncertain daily demand, and short shelf life, platelet products are frequently wasted due to expiration. Our aim is to build and validate a statistical model to forecast future platelet demand and thereby reduce wastage. We have investigated platelet usage patterns at our institution, and specifically interrogated the relationship between platelet usage and aggregated hospital-wide patient data over a recent consecutive 29-mo period. Using a convex statistical formulation, we have found that platelet usage is highly dependent on weekday/weekend pattern, number of patients with various abnormal complete blood count measurements, and location-specific hospital census data. We incorporated these relationships in a mathematical model to guide collection and ordering strategy. This model minimizes waste due to expiration while avoiding shortages; the number of remaining platelet units at the end of any day stays above 10 in our model during the same period. Compared with historical expiration rates during the same period, our model reduces the expiration rate from 10.5 to 3.2%. Extrapolating our results to the ∼2 million units of platelets transfused annually within the United States, if implemented successfully, our model can potentially save ∼80 million dollars in health care costs.

Police training in interviewing and interrogation methods: A comparison of techniques used with adult and juvenile suspects.

PubMed

Cleary, Hayley M D; Warner, Todd C

2016-06-01

Despite empirical progress in documenting and classifying various interrogation techniques, very little is known about how police are trained in interrogation methods, how frequently they use various techniques, and whether they employ techniques differentially with adult versus juvenile suspects. This study reports the nature and extent of formal (e.g., Reid Technique, PEACE, HUMINT) and informal interrogation training as well as self-reported technique usage in a diverse national sample (N = 340) of experienced American police officers. Officers were trained in a variety of different techniques ranging from comparatively benign pre-interrogation strategies (e.g., building rapport, observing body language or speech patterns) to more psychologically coercive techniques (e.g., blaming the victim, discouraging denials). Over half the sample reported being trained to use psychologically coercive techniques with both adults and juveniles. The majority (91%) receive informal, "on the job" interrogation training. Technique usage patterns indicate a spectrum of psychological intensity where information-gathering approaches were used most frequently and high-pressure tactics less frequently. Reid-trained officers (56%) were significantly more likely than officers without Reid training to use pre-interrogation and manipulation techniques. Across all analyses and techniques, usage patterns were identical for adult and juvenile suspects, suggesting that police interrogate youth in the same manner as adults. Overall, results suggest that training in specific interrogation methods is strongly associated with usage. Findings underscore the need for more law enforcement interrogation training in general, especially with juvenile suspects, and highlight the value of training as an avenue for reducing interrogation-induced miscarriages of justice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Patterns of youth tobacco and polytobacco usage: The shift to alternative tobacco products.

PubMed

Harrell, Paul T; Naqvi, Syeda Mahrukh H; Plunk, Andrew D; Ji, Ming; Martins, Silvia S

2017-11-01

Despite significant declines in youth cigarette smoking, overall tobacco usage remains over 20% as non-cigarette tobacco product usage is increasingly common and polytobacco use (using 1+ tobacco product) remains steady. The present study was designed to identify patterns of youth tobacco use and examine associations with sociodemographic characteristics and tobacco dependence. The current analysis uses Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to examine the 6,958 tobacco users (n = 2,738 female) in the National Youth Tobacco Survey (2012 and 2013). We used as indicators past month use of tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, hookah, snus, pipes, bidis, and kreteks) and regressed resulting classes on sociodemographic characteristics and tobacco dependence. Nine classes emerged: cigarette smokers (33.4% of sample, also included small probabilities for use of cigars and e-cigarettes), cigar smokers (16.8%, nearly exclusive), smokeless tobacco users (12.3%, also included small probabilities for cigarettes, cigars, snus), hookah smokers (11.8%), tobacco smokers/chewers (10.7%, variety of primarily traditional tobacco products), tobacco/hookah smokers (7.2%), tobacco/snus/e-cig users (3.3%), e-cigarette users (2.9%,), and polytobacco users (1.7%, high probabilities for all products). Compared to cigarette smokers, tobacco/hookah smokers and hookah smokers were more likely to report Hispanic ethnicity. Polytobacco users were more likely to report dependence (AOR:2.77, 95% CI:[1.49-5.18]), whereas e-cigarette users were less likely (AOR:0.49, 95% CI:[0.24-0.97]). Findings are consistent with other research demonstrating shifts in adolescent tobacco product usage towards non-cigarette tobacco products. Continuous monitoring of these patterns is needed to help predict if this shift will ultimately result in improved public health.

Usage patterns of 'over-the-counter' vs. prescription-strength nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in France.

PubMed

Duong, Mai; Salvo, Francesco; Pariente, Antoine; Abouelfath, Abdelilah; Lassalle, Regis; Droz, Cecile; Blin, Patrick; Moore, Nicholas

2014-05-01

Most risks of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are pharmacological, dose and duration dependent. Usage patterns of prescription-only (POM) or 'over-the-counter (OTC)' NSAIDs may influence risks, but are not commonly described. The Echantillon Généraliste de Bénéficiaires database, the permanent 1/97 representative sample from the French national healthcare insurance systems, was queried over 2009-2010 to identify usage patterns, concomitant chronic diseases and cardiovascular medication in OTC and POM NSAID users. Over 2 years, 229 477 of 526 108 patients had at least one NSAID dispensation; 44 484 patients (19%) were dispensed only OTC NSAIDs (93% ibuprofen) and 121 208 (53%) only POM NSAIDs. The OTC users were younger (39.9 vs. 47.4 years old) and more often female (57 vs. 53%); 69% of OTC users and 49% of POM users had only one dispensation. A mean of 14.6 defined daily doses (DDD) were dispensed over 2 years for OTC vs. 53 for POM; 93% OTC vs. 60% POM patients bought ≤ 30 DDD over 2 years, and 1.5 vs. 12% bought ≥ 90 DDD. Chronic comorbidities were found in 19% of OTC users vs. 28% of POM users; 24 vs. 37% had at least one dispensation of a cardiovascular drug over the 2 years. Most of the use of NSAIDs appears to be short term, especially for OTC-type NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen. The validity of risk estimates for NSAIDs extrapolated from clinical trials or from observational studies not including OTC-type usage may need to be revised. © 2013 The British Pharmacological Society.

Analysis of codon usage in beta-tubulin sequences of helminths.

PubMed

von Samson-Himmelstjerna, G; Harder, A; Failing, K; Pape, M; Schnieder, T

2003-07-01

Codon usage bias has been shown to be correlated with gene expression levels in many organisms, including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, the codon usage (cu) characteristics for a set of currently available beta-tubulin coding sequences of helminths were assessed by calculating several indices, including the effective codon number (Nc), the intrinsic codon deviation index (ICDI), the P2 value and the mutational response index (MRI). The P2 value gives a measure of translational pressure, which has been shown to be correlated to high gene expression levels in some organisms, but it has not yet been analysed in that respect in helminths. For all but two of the C. elegans beta-tubulin coding sequences investigated, the P2 value was the only index that indicated the presence of codon usage bias. Therefore, we propose that in general the helminth beta-tubulin sequences investigated here are not expressed at high levels. Furthermore, we calculated the correlation coefficients for the cu patterns of the helminth beta-tubulin sequences compared with those of highly expressed genes in organisms such as Escherichia coli and C. elegans. It was found that beta-tubulin cu patterns for all sequences of members of the Strongylida were significantly correlated to those for highly expressed C. elegans genes. This approach provides a new measure for comparing the adaptation of cu of a particular coding sequence with that of highly expressed genes in possible expression systems.Finally, using the cu patterns of the sequences studied, a phylogenetic tree was constructed. The topology of this tree was very much in concordance with that of a phylogeny based on small subunit ribosomal DNA sequence alignments.

Patient-centered activity monitoring in the self-management of chronic health conditions.

PubMed

Chiauzzi, Emil; Rodarte, Carlos; DasMahapatra, Pronabesh

2015-04-09

As activity tracking devices become smaller, cheaper, and more consumer-accessible, they will be used more extensively across a wide variety of contexts. The expansion of activity tracking and personal data collection offers the potential for patient engagement in the management of chronic diseases. Consumer wearable devices for activity tracking have shown promise in post-surgery recovery in cardiac patients, pulmonary rehabilitation, and activity counseling in diabetic patients, among others. Unfortunately, the data generated by wearable devices is seldom integrated into programmatic self-management chronic disease regimens. In addition, there is lack of evidence supporting sustained use or effects on health outcomes, as studies have primarily focused on establishing the feasibility of monitoring activity and the association of measured activity with short-term benefits. Monitoring devices can make a direct and real-time impact on self-management, but the validity and reliability of measurements need to be established. In order for patients to become engaged in wearable data gathering, key patient-centered issues relating to usefulness in care, motivation, the safety and privacy of information, and clinical integration need to be addressed. Because the successful usage of wearables requires an ability to comprehend and utilize personal health data, the user experience should account for individual differences in numeracy skills and apply evidence-based behavioral science principles to promote continued engagement. Activity monitoring has the potential to engage patients as advocates in their personalized care, as well as offer health care providers real world assessments of their patients' daily activity patterns. This potential will be realized as the voice of the chronic disease patients is accounted for in the design of devices, measurements are validated against existing clinical assessments, devices become part of the treatment 'prescription', behavior change programs are used to engage patients in self-management, and best practices for clinical integration are defined.

A pilot study of an mHealth application for healthcare workers: poor uptake despite high reported acceptability at a rural South African community-based MDR-TB treatment program.

PubMed

Chaiyachati, Krisda H; Loveday, Marian; Lorenz, Stephen; Lesh, Neal; Larkan, Lee-Megan; Cinti, Sandro; Friedland, Gerald H; Haberer, Jessica E

2013-01-01

As the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal addresses a growing multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) epidemic by shifting care and treatment from trained specialty centers to community hospitals, delivering and monitoring MDR-TB therapy has presented new challenges. In particular, tracking and reporting adverse clinical events have been difficult for mobile healthcare workers (HCWs), trained health professionals who travel daily to patient homes to administer and monitor therapy. We designed and piloted a mobile phone application (Mobilize) for mobile HCWs that electronically standardized the recording and tracking of MDR-TB patients on low-cost, functional phones. We assess the acceptability and feasibility of using Mobilize to record and submit adverse events forms weekly during the intensive phase of MDR-TB therapy and evaluate mobile HCW perceptions throughout the pilot period. All five mobile HCWs at one site were trained and provided with phones. Utilizing a mixed-methods evaluation, mobile HCWs' usage patterns were tracked electronically for seven months and analyzed. Qualitative focus groups and questionnaires were designed to understand the impact of mobile phone technology on the work environment. Mobile HCWs submitted nine of 33 (27%) expected adverse events forms, conflicting with qualitative results in which mobile HCWs stated that Mobilize improved adverse events communication, helped their daily workflow, and could be successfully expanded to other health interventions. When presented with the conflict between their expressed views and actual practice, mobile HCWs cited forgetfulness and believed patients should take more responsibility for their own care. This pilot experience demonstrated poor uptake by HCWs despite positive responses to using mHealth. Though our results should be interpreted cautiously because of the small number of mobile HCWs and MDR-TB patients in this study, we recommend carefully exploring the motivations of HCWs and technologic enhancements prior to scaling new mHealth initiatives in resource poor settings.

A potential application to the study of microscopic energy deposition in a solid by means of heavy charged-particle induced photochromic alterations in a tissue-equivalent matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emfietzoglou, D.; Moscovitch, M.

1999-01-01

A theoretical study was carried out to investigate the feasibility of using the radiation-induced colour decay of photochromic molecules embedded in a polymer matrix as a probe for studying the microscopic energy deposition of heavy charged particles (HCPs) in a tissue-equivalent solid. The theoretical treatment makes use of the radial dose distribution function as derived from gas-phase physics, together with the effects of the increase in temperature and of matrix degradation on the colour-decay kinetics of the photochromic molecules, according to empirical models derived for the solid state. Bearing in mind the non-stochastic nature of the model, the use of gas-phase physics at the level of radiation interaction, and the fact that some empirical quantities used have been established macroscopically, all factors which signify that extra caution is required in the interpretation of the results, it is shown that when the optimum information retrieval time (after track formation) is considered the technique may be able to resolve differences in the energy deposition pattern by different HCPs in the nanometre range (1-10 nm; material's mass density ) from the track axis. Most importantly, though, the present study aims to erect a theoretical framework for the possible application of the technique and to highlight those aspects which are likely to be critical to its practical usage, such as particle type and energy range, and spatial scale and magnitude of the expected effect together with its dependence on time, the physical characteristics of the matrix, and the kinetic behaviour of the type of photochromic molecule studied. Furthermore, it establishes a rationale for interpreting the experimentally observed (if available) colour changes in the HCP track in terms of the microscopic distribution of energy deposition in it.

Vertical Movement Patterns and Ontogenetic Niche Expansion in the Tiger Shark, Galeocerdo cuvier

PubMed Central

Afonso, André S.; Hazin, Fábio H. V.

2015-01-01

Sharks are top predators in many marine ecosystems and can impact community dynamics, yet many shark populations are undergoing severe declines primarily due to overfishing. Obtaining species-specific knowledge on shark spatial ecology is important to implement adequate management strategies for the effective conservation of these taxa. This is particularly relevant concerning highly-mobile species that use wide home ranges comprising coastal and oceanic habitats, such as tiger sharks, Galeocerdo cuvier. We deployed satellite tags in 20 juvenile tiger sharks off northeastern Brazil to assess the effect of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on depth and temperature usage. Sharks were tracked for a total of 1184 d and used waters up to 1112 m in depth. The minimum temperature recorded equaled 4°C. All sharks had a clear preference for surface (< 5 m) waters but variability in depth usage was observed as some sharks used mostly shallow (< 60 m) waters whereas others made frequent incursions into greater depths. A diel behavioral shift was detected, with sharks spending considerably more time in surface (< 10 m) waters during the night. Moreover, a clear ontogenetic expansion in the vertical range of tiger shark habitat was observed, with generalized linear models estimating a ~4-fold increase in maximum diving depth from 150- to 300-cm size-classes. The time spent in the upper 5 m of the water column did not vary ontogenetically but shark size was the most important factor explaining the utilization of deeper water layers. Young-of-the-year tiger sharks seem to associate with shallow, neritic habitats but they progressively move into deeper oceanic habitats as they grow larger. Such an early plasticity in habitat use could endow tiger sharks with access to previously unavailable prey, thus contributing to a wider ecological niche. PMID:25629732

Vertical movement patterns and ontogenetic niche expansion in the tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier.

PubMed

Afonso, André S; Hazin, Fábio H V

2015-01-01

Sharks are top predators in many marine ecosystems and can impact community dynamics, yet many shark populations are undergoing severe declines primarily due to overfishing. Obtaining species-specific knowledge on shark spatial ecology is important to implement adequate management strategies for the effective conservation of these taxa. This is particularly relevant concerning highly-mobile species that use wide home ranges comprising coastal and oceanic habitats, such as tiger sharks, Galeocerdo cuvier. We deployed satellite tags in 20 juvenile tiger sharks off northeastern Brazil to assess the effect of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on depth and temperature usage. Sharks were tracked for a total of 1184 d and used waters up to 1112 m in depth. The minimum temperature recorded equaled 4°C. All sharks had a clear preference for surface (< 5 m) waters but variability in depth usage was observed as some sharks used mostly shallow (< 60 m) waters whereas others made frequent incursions into greater depths. A diel behavioral shift was detected, with sharks spending considerably more time in surface (< 10 m) waters during the night. Moreover, a clear ontogenetic expansion in the vertical range of tiger shark habitat was observed, with generalized linear models estimating a ~4-fold increase in maximum diving depth from 150- to 300-cm size-classes. The time spent in the upper 5 m of the water column did not vary ontogenetically but shark size was the most important factor explaining the utilization of deeper water layers. Young-of-the-year tiger sharks seem to associate with shallow, neritic habitats but they progressively move into deeper oceanic habitats as they grow larger. Such an early plasticity in habitat use could endow tiger sharks with access to previously unavailable prey, thus contributing to a wider ecological niche.

Design and pitch scaling for affordable node transition and EUV insertion scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ryoung-han; Ryckaert, Julien; Raghavan, Praveen; Sherazi, Yasser; Debacker, Peter; Trivkovic, Darko; Gillijns, Werner; Tan, Ling Ee; Drissi, Youssef; Blanco, Victor; Bekaert, Joost; Mao, Ming; Larivière, Stephane; McIntyre, Greg

2017-04-01

imec's DTCO and EUV achievement toward imec 7nm (iN7) technology node which is industry 5nm node equivalent is reported with a focus on cost and scaling. Patterning-aware design methodology supports both iArF multiple patterning and EUV under one compliant design rule. FinFET device with contacted poly pitch of 42nm and metal pitch of 32nm with 7.5-track, 6.5-track, and 6-track standard cell library are explored. Scaling boosters are used to provide additional scaling and die cost benefit while lessening pitch shrink burden, and it makes EUV insertion more affordable. EUV pattern fidelity is optimized through OPC, SMO, M3D, mask sizing and SRAF. Processed wafers were characterized and edge-placement-error (EPE) variability is validated for EUV insertion. Scale-ability and cost of ownership of EUV patterning in aligned with iN7 standard cell design, integration and patterning specification are discussed.

A system for learning statistical motion patterns.

PubMed

Hu, Weiming; Xiao, Xuejuan; Fu, Zhouyu; Xie, Dan; Tan, Tieniu; Maybank, Steve

2006-09-01

Analysis of motion patterns is an effective approach for anomaly detection and behavior prediction. Current approaches for the analysis of motion patterns depend on known scenes, where objects move in predefined ways. It is highly desirable to automatically construct object motion patterns which reflect the knowledge of the scene. In this paper, we present a system for automatically learning motion patterns for anomaly detection and behavior prediction based on a proposed algorithm for robustly tracking multiple objects. In the tracking algorithm, foreground pixels are clustered using a fast accurate fuzzy K-means algorithm. Growing and prediction of the cluster centroids of foreground pixels ensure that each cluster centroid is associated with a moving object in the scene. In the algorithm for learning motion patterns, trajectories are clustered hierarchically using spatial and temporal information and then each motion pattern is represented with a chain of Gaussian distributions. Based on the learned statistical motion patterns, statistical methods are used to detect anomalies and predict behaviors. Our system is tested using image sequences acquired, respectively, from a crowded real traffic scene and a model traffic scene. Experimental results show the robustness of the tracking algorithm, the efficiency of the algorithm for learning motion patterns, and the encouraging performance of algorithms for anomaly detection and behavior prediction.

How visual search relates to visual diagnostic performance: a narrative systematic review of eye-tracking research in radiology.

PubMed

van der Gijp, A; Ravesloot, C J; Jarodzka, H; van der Schaaf, M F; van der Schaaf, I C; van Schaik, J P J; Ten Cate, Th J

2017-08-01

Eye tracking research has been conducted for decades to gain understanding of visual diagnosis such as in radiology. For educational purposes, it is important to identify visual search patterns that are related to high perceptual performance and to identify effective teaching strategies. This review of eye-tracking literature in the radiology domain aims to identify visual search patterns associated with high perceptual performance. Databases PubMed, EMBASE, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science were searched using 'visual perception' OR 'eye tracking' AND 'radiology' and synonyms. Two authors independently screened search results and included eye tracking studies concerning visual skills in radiology published between January 1, 1994 and July 31, 2015. Two authors independently assessed study quality with the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument, and extracted study data with respect to design, participant and task characteristics, and variables. A thematic analysis was conducted to extract and arrange study results, and a textual narrative synthesis was applied for data integration and interpretation. The search resulted in 22 relevant full-text articles. Thematic analysis resulted in six themes that informed the relation between visual search and level of expertise: (1) time on task, (2) eye movement characteristics of experts, (3) differences in visual attention, (4) visual search patterns, (5) search patterns in cross sectional stack imaging, and (6) teaching visual search strategies. Expert search was found to be characterized by a global-focal search pattern, which represents an initial global impression, followed by a detailed, focal search-to-find mode. Specific task-related search patterns, like drilling through CT scans and systematic search in chest X-rays, were found to be related to high expert levels. One study investigated teaching of visual search strategies, and did not find a significant effect on perceptual performance. Eye tracking literature in radiology indicates several search patterns are related to high levels of expertise, but teaching novices to search as an expert may not be effective. Experimental research is needed to find out which search strategies can improve image perception in learners.

FAST: A fully asynchronous and status-tracking pattern for geoprocessing services orchestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Huayi; You, Lan; Gui, Zhipeng; Gao, Shuang; Li, Zhenqiang; Yu, Jingmin

2014-09-01

Geoprocessing service orchestration (GSO) provides a unified and flexible way to implement cross-application, long-lived, and multi-step geoprocessing service workflows by coordinating geoprocessing services collaboratively. Usually, geoprocessing services and geoprocessing service workflows are data and/or computing intensive. The intensity feature may make the execution process of a workflow time-consuming. Since it initials an execution request without blocking other interactions on the client side, an asynchronous mechanism is especially appropriate for GSO workflows. Many critical problems remain to be solved in existing asynchronous patterns for GSO including difficulties in improving performance, status tracking, and clarifying the workflow structure. These problems are a challenge when orchestrating performance efficiency, making statuses instantly available, and constructing clearly structured GSO workflows. A Fully Asynchronous and Status-Tracking (FAST) pattern that adopts asynchronous interactions throughout the whole communication tier of a workflow is proposed for GSO. The proposed FAST pattern includes a mechanism that actively pushes the latest status to clients instantly and economically. An independent proxy was designed to isolate the status tracking logic from the geoprocessing business logic, which assists the formation of a clear GSO workflow structure. A workflow was implemented in the FAST pattern to simulate the flooding process in the Poyang Lake region. Experimental results show that the proposed FAST pattern can efficiently tackle data/computing intensive geoprocessing tasks. The performance of all collaborative partners was improved due to the asynchronous mechanism throughout communication tier. A status-tracking mechanism helps users retrieve the latest running status of a GSO workflow in an efficient and instant way. The clear structure of the GSO workflow lowers the barriers for geospatial domain experts and model designers to compose asynchronous GSO workflows. Most importantly, it provides better support for locating and diagnosing potential exceptions.

Long memory in patterns of mobile phone usage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owczarczuk, Marcin

2012-02-01

In this article we show that usage of a mobile phone, i.e. daily series of number of calls made by a customer, exhibits long memory. We use a sample of 4502 postpaid users from a Polish mobile operator and study their two-year billing history. We estimate Hurst exponent by nine estimators: aggregated variance method, differencing the variance, absolute values of the aggregated series, Higuchi's method, residuals of regression, the R/S method, periodogram method, modified periodogram method and Whittle estimator. We also analyze empirically relations between estimators. Long memory implies an inertial effect in clients' behavior which may be used by mobile operators to accelerate usage and gain additional profit.

Tracking Problem Solving by Multivariate Pattern Analysis and Hidden Markov Model Algorithms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, John R.

2012-01-01

Multivariate pattern analysis can be combined with Hidden Markov Model algorithms to track the second-by-second thinking as people solve complex problems. Two applications of this methodology are illustrated with a data set taken from children as they interacted with an intelligent tutoring system for algebra. The first "mind reading" application…

How Does EIA Estimate Energy Consumption and End Uses in U.S. Homes?

EIA Publications

2011-01-01

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) administers the Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) to a nationally representative sample of housing units. Specially trained interviewers collect energy characteristics on the housing unit, usage patterns, and household demographics. This information is combined with data from energy suppliers to these homes to estimate energy costs and usage for heating, cooling, appliances and other end uses information critical to meeting future energy demand and improving efficiency and building design.

Study on online community user motif using web usage mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alphy, Meera; Sharma, Ajay

2016-04-01

The Web usage mining is the application of data mining, which is used to extract useful information from the online community. The World Wide Web contains at least 4.73 billion pages according to Indexed Web and it contains at least 228.52 million pages according Dutch Indexed web on 6th august 2015, Thursday. It’s difficult to get needed data from these billions of web pages in World Wide Web. Here is the importance of web usage mining. Personalizing the search engine helps the web user to identify the most used data in an easy way. It reduces the time consumption; automatic site search and automatic restore the useful sites. This study represents the old techniques to latest techniques used in pattern discovery and analysis in web usage mining from 1996 to 2015. Analyzing user motif helps in the improvement of business, e-commerce, personalisation and improvement of websites.

Strong linkage between active microbial communities and microbial carbon usage in a deglaciated terrain of the High Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, M.; Gyeong, H. R.; Lee, Y. K.

2017-12-01

Soil microorganisms play pivotal roles in ecosystem development and carbon cycling in newly exposed glacier forelands. However, little is known about carbon utilization pattern by metabolically active microbes over the course of ecosystem succession in these nutrient-poor environments. We investigated RNA-based microbial community dynamics and its relation to microbial carbon usage along the chronosequence of a High Arctic glacier foreland. Among microbial taxa surveyed (bacteria, archaea and fungi), bacteria are among the most metabolically active taxa with a dominance of Cyanobacteria and Actinobacteria. There was a strong association between microbial carbon usage and active Actinobacterial communities, suggesting that member of Actinobacteria are actively involved in organic carbon degradation in glacier forelands. Both bacterial community and microbial carbon usage are converged towards later stage of succession, indicating that the composition of soil organic carbon plays important roles in structuring bacterial decomposer communities during ecosystem development.

Social Patterns in Mobile Technology Mediated Collaboration among Members of the Professional Distance Education Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laru, Jari; Jarvela, Sanna

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify social patterns in mobile technology mediated collaboration among distributed members of the professional distance education community. Ten participants worked for 12 weeks designing a master's programme in information sciences. The participants' mobile technology usage activity and interview data were first…

eHealth Literacy: Patient Engagement in Identifying Strategies to Encourage Use of Patient Portals Among Older Adults.

PubMed

Price-Haywood, Eboni G; Harden-Barrios, Jewel; Ulep, Robin; Luo, Qingyang

2017-12-01

Innovations in chronic disease management are growing rapidly as advancements in technology broaden the scope of tools. Older adults are less likely to be willing or able to use patient portals or smartphone apps for health-related tasks. The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of older adults (ages ≥50) with hypertension or diabetes to examine relationships between portal usage, interest in health-tracking tools, and eHealth literacy, and to solicit practical solutions to encourage technology adoption. Among 247 patients surveyed in a large integrated delivery health system between August 2015 and January 2016, eHealth literacy was positively associated with portal usage (OR [95% CI]: 1.3 [1.2-1.5]) and interest in health-tracking tools (1.2 [1.1-1.3]). Portal users compared to nonusers (N = 137 vs.110) had higher rates of interest in using websites/smartphone apps to track blood pressure (55% vs. 36%), weight (53% vs. 35%), exercise (53% vs. 32%), or medication (46% vs 33%, all P < 0.05). Portal users noted cumbersome processes for accessing portals and variations in provider availability for online scheduling and response times to messages. Portal nonusers expressed concerns about data security, lack of personalization, and limited perceived value of using portals. Both groups noted the importance of computer literacy and technical support. Patient stakeholders recommended marketing initiatives that capture patient stories demonstrating real-life applications of what patients can do with digital technology, how to use it, and why it may be useful. Health systems also must screen for eHealth literacy, provide training, promote proxy users, and institute quality assurance that ensures patients' experiences will not vary across the system.

Use of a Computerized Tracking System to Monitor and Provide Feedback on Dietary Goals for Calorie-Restricted Diets: The POUNDS LOST Study

PubMed Central

Anton, Stephen D.; LeBlanc, Eric; Allen, H. Raymond; Karabetian, Christy; Sacks, Frank; Bray, George; Williamson, Donald A.

2012-01-01

The use of self-monitoring as a tool to facilitate behavioral modification is common in many lifestyle-based weight loss interventions. Electronic tracking programs, including computer-based systems and smart phone applications, have been developed to allow individuals to self-monitor their behavior digitally. These programs offer an advantage over traditional self-report modalities in that they can provide users with direct feedback about dietary and/or physical activity adherence levels and thereby assist them in real-time decision making. This article describes the use of an Internet-based computerized tracking system (CTS) that was developed specifically for the POUNDS LOST study, a 2-year randomized controlled trial designed to test the efficacy of four macronutrient diets for weight and fat reduction in healthy, overweight men and women (body mass index range = 25.0–39.9 kg/m2). The CTS served many functions in this study, including data collection, dietary and exercise assessment and feedback, messaging system, and report generation. Across all groups, participants with high usage of the CTS during the initial 8 weeks lost greater amounts of weight than participants with low usage (8.7% versus 5.5% of initial body weight, respectively; p < .001) at week 32. Rates of CTS utilization were highest during the first year of this 2-year intervention, and utilization of the CTS declined steadily over time. The unique features of the CTS combined with technological developments, such as smart phone applications, offer significant potential to improve the user’s self-monitoring experience and adherence to health promotion programs designed specifically for individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes. PMID:23063049

The Impact of Drug Abuse on Tank Crew Cohesion.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

social cohesion ). Examination ef modal scores on the Cohesion Questions indicated that similarity or difference in drug use pattern influenced the...demography, drug use and social cohesion . The AFFIL scores were divided into two groups: Hi AFFEL and Lo AFFIL. The Hi AFFIL group was comprised of...difference in usage pattern, the social cohesion questions were slightly more sensitive to simple similarity in drug use pattern than the job-related

Design and implementation of a remote UAV-based mobile health monitoring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Songwei; Wan, Yan; Fu, Shengli; Liu, Mushuang; Wu, H. Felix

2017-04-01

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) play increasing roles in structure health monitoring. With growing mobility in modern Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications, the health monitoring of mobile structures becomes an emerging application. In this paper, we develop a UAV-carried vision-based monitoring system that allows a UAV to continuously track and monitor a mobile infrastructure and transmit back the monitoring information in real- time from a remote location. The monitoring system uses a simple UAV-mounted camera and requires only a single feature located on the mobile infrastructure for target detection and tracking. The computation-effective vision-based tracking solution based on a single feature is an improvement over existing vision-based lead-follower tracking systems that either have poor tracking performance due to the use of a single feature, or have improved tracking performance at a cost of the usage of multiple features. In addition, a UAV-carried aerial networking infrastructure using directional antennas is used to enable robust real-time transmission of monitoring video streams over a long distance. Automatic heading control is used to self-align headings of directional antennas to enable robust communication in mobility. Compared to existing omni-communication systems, the directional communication solution significantly increases the operation range of remote monitoring systems. In this paper, we develop the integrated modeling framework of camera and mobile platforms, design the tracking algorithm, develop a testbed of UAVs and mobile platforms, and evaluate system performance through both simulation studies and field tests.

Data mining application in customer relationship management for hospital inpatients.

PubMed

Lee, Eun Whan

2012-09-01

This study aims to discover patients loyal to a hospital and model their medical service usage patterns. Consequently, this study proposes a data mining application in customer relationship management (CRM) for hospital inpatients. A recency, frequency, monetary (RFM) model has been applied toward 14,072 patients discharged from a university hospital. Cluster analysis was conducted to segment customers, and it modeled the patterns of the loyal customers' medical services usage via a decision tree. Patients were divided into two groups according to the variables of the RFM model and the group which had significantly high frequency of medical use and expenses was defined as loyal customers, a target market. As a result of the decision tree, the predictable factors of the loyal clients were; length of stay, certainty of selectable treatment, surgery, number of accompanying treatments, kind of patient room, and department from which they were discharged. Particularly, this research showed that when a patient within the internal medicine department who did not have surgery stayed for more than 13.5 days, their probability of being a classified as a loyal customer was 70.0%. To discover a hospital's loyal patients and model their medical usage patterns, the application of data-mining has been suggested. This paper suggests practical use of combining segmentation, targeting, positioning (STP) strategy and the RFM model with data-mining in CRM.

Data Mining Application in Customer Relationship Management for Hospital Inpatients

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Objectives This study aims to discover patients loyal to a hospital and model their medical service usage patterns. Consequently, this study proposes a data mining application in customer relationship management (CRM) for hospital inpatients. Methods A recency, frequency, monetary (RFM) model has been applied toward 14,072 patients discharged from a university hospital. Cluster analysis was conducted to segment customers, and it modeled the patterns of the loyal customers' medical services usage via a decision tree. Results Patients were divided into two groups according to the variables of the RFM model and the group which had significantly high frequency of medical use and expenses was defined as loyal customers, a target market. As a result of the decision tree, the predictable factors of the loyal clients were; length of stay, certainty of selectable treatment, surgery, number of accompanying treatments, kind of patient room, and department from which they were discharged. Particularly, this research showed that when a patient within the internal medicine department who did not have surgery stayed for more than 13.5 days, their probability of being a classified as a loyal customer was 70.0%. Conclusions To discover a hospital's loyal patients and model their medical usage patterns, the application of data-mining has been suggested. This paper suggests practical use of combining segmentation, targeting, positioning (STP) strategy and the RFM model with data-mining in CRM. PMID:23115740

An eye tracking system for monitoring face scanning patterns reveals the enhancing effect of oxytocin on eye contact in common marmosets.

PubMed

Kotani, Manato; Shimono, Kohei; Yoneyama, Toshihiro; Nakako, Tomokazu; Matsumoto, Kenji; Ogi, Yuji; Konoike, Naho; Nakamura, Katsuki; Ikeda, Kazuhito

2017-09-01

Eye tracking systems are used to investigate eyes position and gaze patterns presumed as eye contact in humans. Eye contact is a useful biomarker of social communication and known to be deficient in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Interestingly, the same eye tracking systems have been used to directly compare face scanning patterns in some non-human primates to those in human. Thus, eye tracking is expected to be a useful translational technique for investigating not only social attention and visual interest, but also the effects of psychiatric drugs, such as oxytocin, a neuropeptide that regulates social behavior. In this study, we report on a newly established method for eye tracking in common marmosets as unique New World primates that, like humans, use eye contact as a mean of communication. Our investigation was aimed at characterizing these primates face scanning patterns and evaluating the effects of oxytocin on their eye contact behavior. We found that normal common marmosets spend more time viewing the eyes region in common marmoset's picture than the mouth region or a scrambled picture. In oxytocin experiment, the change in eyes/face ratio was significantly greater in the oxytocin group than in the vehicle group. Moreover, oxytocin-induced increase in the change in eyes/face ratio was completely blocked by the oxytocin receptor antagonist L-368,899. These results indicate that eye tracking in common marmosets may be useful for evaluating drug candidates targeting psychiatric conditions, especially ASDs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Usage patterns and adverse experiences in traditional Korean medicine: results of a survey in South Korea

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Although traditional medicine (TM) in South Korea is included in the national health care system, it is considered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and not mainstream medicine. Therefore, the lack of statistical data regarding the usage and adverse experiences of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) makes difficult to understand the current status of TM. In this study, we aimed to report usage patterns and adverse experiences on TKM targeting consumers in South Korea. Methods A total of 2000 consumers participated in the survey on usage and adverse experiences in 2008. Among the 2,000 participants, 915 (45.8%) had taken herbal medicine or received traditional medicinal therapies; these individuals were further surveyed on the internet or in an interview. Results The usage rate was higher among women and among patients in their 30s. Of the total TKM usage, acupuncture accounted for 36.7%, and herbal medicine accounted for 13.4%. Regarding the frequency of use of TKM, 73.8% of patients reported using TM less than 5 times in 1 year. Of the 915 respondents, 8.2% of individuals had some type of adverse experience resulting from TKM. Adverse experiences were primarily caused by acupuncture and herbal medicines, and they primarily involved diseases of the digestive system and skin. The incidence of adverse experiences was less than 3.7% for acupuncture and 3.8% for herbal medicine. Overall, the incidence rate of adverse experiences for TKM for the entire population was 0.04 per 10,000 individuals. Conclusions The medical usage and occurrence of adverse events on TKM should be surveyed periodically, and the statistical trends should be analysed. The disparity between the survey results for traditional herbal medicines and medical practices, and those for the national pharmacovigilance system or academic reports of adverse experiences should be examined. The national pharmacovigilance system must be improved to compensate for the disparities. Policies and regulations are required to enhance the reporting of adverse experiences not only for herbal medicines but also for traditional medicinal therapies. PMID:24289266

Evaluation of tracking accuracy of the CyberKnife system using a webcam and printed calibrated grid.

PubMed

Sumida, Iori; Shiomi, Hiroya; Higashinaka, Naokazu; Murashima, Yoshikazu; Miyamoto, Youichi; Yamazaki, Hideya; Mabuchi, Nobuhisa; Tsuda, Eimei; Ogawa, Kazuhiko

2016-03-08

Tracking accuracy for the CyberKnife's Synchrony system is commonly evaluated using a film-based verification method. We have evaluated a verification system that uses a webcam and a printed calibrated grid to verify tracking accuracy over three different motion patterns. A box with an attached printed calibrated grid and four fiducial markers was attached to the motion phantom. A target marker was positioned at the grid's center. The box was set up using the other three markers. Target tracking accuracy was evaluated under three conditions: 1) stationary; 2) sinusoidal motion with different amplitudes of 5, 10, 15, and 20 mm for the same cycle of 4 s and different cycles of 2, 4, 6, and 8 s with the same amplitude of 15 mm; and 3) irregular breathing patterns in six human volunteers breathing normally. Infrared markers were placed on the volunteers' abdomens, and their trajectories were used to simulate the target motion. All tests were performed with one-dimensional motion in craniocaudal direction. The webcam captured the grid's motion and a laser beam was used to simulate the CyberKnife's beam. Tracking error was defined as the difference between the grid's center and the laser beam. With a stationary target, mean tracking error was measured at 0.4 mm. For sinusoidal motion, tracking error was less than 2 mm for any amplitude and breathing cycle. For the volunteers' breathing patterns, the mean tracking error range was 0.78-1.67 mm. Therefore, accurate lesion targeting requires individual quality assurance for each patient.

Work-family balance and academic advancement in medical schools.

PubMed

Fox, Geri; Schwartz, Alan; Hart, Katherine M

2006-01-01

This study examines various options that a faculty member might exercise to achieve work-family balance in academic medicine and their consequences for academic advancement. Three data sets were analyzed: an anonymous web-administered survey of part-time tenure track-eligible University of Illinois College of Medicine (UI-COM) faculty members conducted in 2003; exogenous data regarding the entire UI-COM faculty; and tenure rollback ("stop-the-clock") usage by all tenure track-eligible UI-COM faculty from 1994 to 2003. The data reveal a gender split in career-family balance priorities that affect academic advancement among part-time faculty. Women select part-time status for child care; men choose part-time to moonlight. Similarly, among all faculty members seeking tenure rollbacks, women request rollback for child care; men request rollback for other reasons. Among all faculty members, full-time men were more likely to be on the tenure track than any other group. Needs identified by the part-time faculty survey include improved mentoring in track selection, heightened awareness of options, such as tenure rollback, and provision of equitable benefits and opportunities. Policy changes, such as a prorated tenure track, are needed to support a family-friendly culture with flexibility throughout the career lifespan for both men and women medical faculty.

Usage of Plant Food Supplements across Six European Countries: Findings from the PlantLIBRA Consumer Survey

PubMed Central

Garcia-Alvarez, Alicia; Egan, Bernadette; de Klein, Simone; Dima, Lorena; Maggi, Franco M.; Isoniemi, Merja; Ribas-Barba, Lourdes; Raats, Monique M.; Meissner, Eva Melanie; Badea, Mihaela; Bruno, Flavia; Salmenhaara, Maija; Milà-Villarroel, Raimon; Knaze, Viktoria; Hodgkins, Charo; Marculescu, Angela; Uusitalo, Liisa; Restani, Patrizia; Serra-Majem, Lluís

2014-01-01

Background The popularity of botanical products is on the rise in Europe, with consumers using them to complement their diets or to maintain health, and products are taken in many different forms (e.g. teas, juices, herbal medicinal products, plant food supplements (PFS)). However there is a scarcity of data on the usage of such products at European level. Objective To provide an overview of the characteristics and usage patterns of PFS consumers in six European countries. Design Data on PFS usage were collected in a cross-sectional, retrospective survey of PFS consumers using a bespoke frequency of PFS usage questionnaire. Subjects/setting A total sample of 2359 adult PFS consumers from Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom. Data analyses Descriptive analyses were conducted, with all data stratified by gender, age, and country. Absolute frequencies, percentages and 95% confidence intervals are reported. Results Overall, an estimated 18.8% of screened survey respondents used at least one PFS. Characteristics of PFS consumers included being older, well-educated, never having smoked and self-reporting health status as “good or very good”. Across countries, 491 different botanicals were identified in the PFS products used, with Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo), Oenothera biennis (Evening primrose) and Cynara scolymus (Artichoke) being most frequently reported; the most popular dose forms were capsules and pills/tablets. Most consumers used one product and half of all users took single-botanical products. Some results varied across countries. Conclusions The PlantLIBRA consumer survey is unique in reporting on usage patterns of PFS consumers in six European countries. The survey highlights the complexity of measuring the intake of such products, particularly at pan-European level. Incorporating measures of the intake of botanicals in national dietary surveys would provide much-needed data for comprehensive risk and benefit assessments at the European level. PMID:24642692

Geospatial Estimates of Road Salt Usage Across a Gradient of Urbanizing Watersheds in Southern Ontario:Thesis for Masters in Spatial Analysis (MSA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giberson, G. K.; Oswald, C.

2015-12-01

In areas affected by snow, chloride (Cl) salts are widely used as a de-icing agent to improve road conditions. While the improvement in road safety is indisputable, there are environmental consequences to local aquatic ecosystems. In many waterways, Cl concentrations have been increasing since the early 1990s, often exceeding national water quality guidelines. To determine the quantity of Cl that is accumulating in urban and urbanizing watersheds, accurate estimates of road salt usage at the watershed-scale are needed. The complex jurisdictional control over road salt application in southern Ontario lends itself to a geospatial approach for calculating Cl inputs to improve the accuracy of watershed-scale Cl mass balance estimates. This study will develop a geospatial protocol for combining information on road salt applications and road network areas to refine watershed-scale Cl inputs, as well as assess spatiotemporal patterns in road salt application across the southern Ontario study region. The overall objective of this project is to use geospatial methods (predominantly ArcGIS) to develop high-accuracy estimates of road salt usage in urbanizing watersheds in southern Ontario. Specifically, the aims will be to map and summarize the types and areas ("lane-lengths") of roadways in each watershed that have road salt applied to them, to determine the most appropriate source(s) of road salt usage data for each watershed, taking into consideration multiple levels of jurisdiction (e.g. municipal, regional, provincial), to calculate and summarize sub-watershed and watershed-scale road salt usage estimates for multiple years, and to analyze intra-watershed spatiotemporal patterns of road salt usage, especially focusing on impervious surfaces. These analyses will recommend areas of concern exacerbated by high-levels of road salt distribution; recommendations around modifying on-the-ground operations will be the next step in helping to correct these issues.

Temporal dynamics of 2D motion integration for ocular following in macaque monkeys.

PubMed

Barthélemy, Fréderic V; Fleuriet, Jérome; Masson, Guillaume S

2010-03-01

Several recent studies have shown that extracting pattern motion direction is a dynamical process where edge motion is first extracted and pattern-related information is encoded with a small time lag by MT neurons. A similar dynamics was found for human reflexive or voluntary tracking. Here, we bring an essential, but still missing, piece of information by documenting macaque ocular following responses to gratings, unikinetic plaids, and barber-poles. We found that ocular tracking was always initiated first in the grating motion direction with ultra-short latencies (approximately 55 ms). A second component was driven only 10-15 ms later, rotating tracking toward pattern motion direction. At the end the open-loop period, tracking direction was aligned with pattern motion direction (plaids) or the average of the line-ending motion directions (barber-poles). We characterized the dependency on contrast of each component. Both timing and direction of ocular following were quantitatively very consistent with the dynamics of neuronal responses reported by others. Overall, we found a remarkable consistency between neuronal dynamics and monkey behavior, advocating for a direct link between the neuronal solution of the aperture problem and primate perception and action.

L1 track trigger for the CMS HL-LHC upgrade using AM chips and FPGAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedi, Giacomo

2017-08-01

The increase of luminosity at the HL-LHC will require the introduction of tracker information in CMS's Level-1 trigger system to maintain an acceptable trigger rate when selecting interesting events, despite the order of magnitude increase in minimum bias interactions. To meet the latency requirements, dedicated hardware has to be used. This paper presents the results of tests of a prototype system (pattern recognition ezzanine) as core of pattern recognition and track fitting for the CMS experiment, combining the power of both associative memory custom ASICs and modern Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices. The mezzanine uses the latest available associative memory devices (AM06) and the most modern Xilinx Ultrascale FPGAs. The results of the test for a complete tower comprising about 0.5 million patterns is presented, using as simulated input events traversing the upgraded CMS detector. The paper shows the performance of the pattern matching, track finding and track fitting, along with the latency and processing time needed. The pT resolution over pT of the muons measured using the reconstruction algorithm is at the order of 1% in the range 3-100 GeV/c.

Summary of tracking and identification methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blasch, Erik; Yang, Chun; Kadar, Ivan

2014-06-01

Over the last two decades, many solutions have arisen to combine target tracking estimation with classification methods. Target tracking includes developments from linear to non-linear and Gaussian to non-Gaussian processing. Pattern recognition includes detection, classification, recognition, and identification methods. Integrating tracking and pattern recognition has resulted in numerous approaches and this paper seeks to organize the various approaches. We discuss the terminology so as to have a common framework for various standards such as the NATO STANAG 4162 - Identification Data Combining Process. In a use case, we provide a comparative example highlighting that location information (as an example) with additional mission objectives from geographical, human, social, cultural, and behavioral modeling is needed to determine identification as classification alone does not allow determining identification or intent.

Intelligent Paging Based Mobile User Tracking Using Fuzzy Logic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Sajal; Dutta, Raju; Debnath, Soumen; Mukhopadhyay, Asish K.

2010-11-01

In general, a mobile user travels in a predefined path that depends mostly on the user's characteristics. Thus, tracking the locations of a mobile user is one of the challenges for location management. In this paper, we introduce a movement pattern learning strategy system to track the user's movements using adaptive fuzzy logic. Our fuzzy inference system extracts patterns from the historical data record of the cell numbers along with the date and time stamp of the users occupying the cell. Implementation of this strategy has been evaluated with the real time user data which proves the efficiency and accuracy of the model. This mechanism not only reduces user location tracking costs, but also significantly decreases the call-loss rates and average paging delays.

Evaluation of Hands-On Clinical Exam Performance Using Marker-less Video Tracking.

PubMed

Azari, David; Pugh, Carla; Laufer, Shlomi; Cohen, Elaine; Kwan, Calvin; Chen, Chia-Hsiung Eric; Yen, Thomas Y; Hu, Yu Hen; Radwin, Robert

2014-09-01

This study investigates the potential of using marker-less video tracking of the hands for evaluating hands-on clinical skills. Experienced family practitioners attending a national conference were recruited and asked to conduct a breast examination on a simulator that simulates different clinical presentations. Videos were made of the clinician's hands during the exam and video processing software for tracking hand motion to quantify hand motion kinematics was used. Practitioner motion patterns indicated consistent behavior of participants across multiple pathologies. Different pathologies exhibited characteristic motion patterns in the aggregate at specific parts of an exam, indicating consistent inter-participant behavior. Marker-less video kinematic tracking therefore shows promise in discriminating between different examination procedures, clinicians, and pathologies.

A study on PubMed search tag usage pattern: association rule mining of a full-day PubMed query log.

PubMed

Mosa, Abu Saleh Mohammad; Yoo, Illhoi

2013-01-09

The practice of evidence-based medicine requires efficient biomedical literature search such as PubMed/MEDLINE. Retrieval performance relies highly on the efficient use of search field tags. The purpose of this study was to analyze PubMed log data in order to understand the usage pattern of search tags by the end user in PubMed/MEDLINE search. A PubMed query log file was obtained from the National Library of Medicine containing anonymous user identification, timestamp, and query text. Inconsistent records were removed from the dataset and the search tags were extracted from the query texts. A total of 2,917,159 queries were selected for this study issued by a total of 613,061 users. The analysis of frequent co-occurrences and usage patterns of the search tags was conducted using an association mining algorithm. The percentage of search tag usage was low (11.38% of the total queries) and only 2.95% of queries contained two or more tags. Three out of four users used no search tag and about two-third of them issued less than four queries. Among the queries containing at least one tagged search term, the average number of search tags was almost half of the number of total search terms. Navigational search tags are more frequently used than informational search tags. While no strong association was observed between informational and navigational tags, six (out of 19) informational tags and six (out of 29) navigational tags showed strong associations in PubMed searches. The low percentage of search tag usage implies that PubMed/MEDLINE users do not utilize the features of PubMed/MEDLINE widely or they are not aware of such features or solely depend on the high recall focused query translation by the PubMed's Automatic Term Mapping. The users need further education and interactive search application for effective use of the search tags in order to fulfill their biomedical information needs from PubMed/MEDLINE.

A Study on Pubmed Search Tag Usage Pattern: Association Rule Mining of a Full-day Pubmed Query Log

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The practice of evidence-based medicine requires efficient biomedical literature search such as PubMed/MEDLINE. Retrieval performance relies highly on the efficient use of search field tags. The purpose of this study was to analyze PubMed log data in order to understand the usage pattern of search tags by the end user in PubMed/MEDLINE search. Methods A PubMed query log file was obtained from the National Library of Medicine containing anonymous user identification, timestamp, and query text. Inconsistent records were removed from the dataset and the search tags were extracted from the query texts. A total of 2,917,159 queries were selected for this study issued by a total of 613,061 users. The analysis of frequent co-occurrences and usage patterns of the search tags was conducted using an association mining algorithm. Results The percentage of search tag usage was low (11.38% of the total queries) and only 2.95% of queries contained two or more tags. Three out of four users used no search tag and about two-third of them issued less than four queries. Among the queries containing at least one tagged search term, the average number of search tags was almost half of the number of total search terms. Navigational search tags are more frequently used than informational search tags. While no strong association was observed between informational and navigational tags, six (out of 19) informational tags and six (out of 29) navigational tags showed strong associations in PubMed searches. Conclusions The low percentage of search tag usage implies that PubMed/MEDLINE users do not utilize the features of PubMed/MEDLINE widely or they are not aware of such features or solely depend on the high recall focused query translation by the PubMed’s Automatic Term Mapping. The users need further education and interactive search application for effective use of the search tags in order to fulfill their biomedical information needs from PubMed/MEDLINE. PMID:23302604

Di-codon Usage for Gene Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Minh N.; Ma, Jianmin; Fogel, Gary B.; Rajapakse, Jagath C.

Classification of genes into biologically related groups facilitates inference of their functions. Codon usage bias has been described previously as a potential feature for gene classification. In this paper, we demonstrate that di-codon usage can further improve classification of genes. By using both codon and di-codon features, we achieve near perfect accuracies for the classification of HLA molecules into major classes and sub-classes. The method is illustrated on 1,841 HLA sequences which are classified into two major classes, HLA-I and HLA-II. Major classes are further classified into sub-groups. A binary SVM using di-codon usage patterns achieved 99.95% accuracy in the classification of HLA genes into major HLA classes; and multi-class SVM achieved accuracy rates of 99.82% and 99.03% for sub-class classification of HLA-I and HLA-II genes, respectively. Furthermore, by combining codon and di-codon usages, the prediction accuracies reached 100%, 99.82%, and 99.84% for HLA major class classification, and for sub-class classification of HLA-I and HLA-II genes, respectively.

Illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals in the environment--forensic applications of environmental data. Part 1: Estimation of the usage of drugs in local communities.

PubMed

Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara; Dinsdale, Richard M; Guwy, Alan J

2009-06-01

Pharmaceuticals and recently also illicit drugs have been recognised as emerging environmental contaminants due to their potential environmental impact: frequent occurrence, persistence and risk to aquatic life and humans. This manuscript is part one of the two-part study aiming to provide a better understanding and application of environmental data not only for environmental aims but also to meet forensic objectives. An attempt to use wastewater data is made in order to verify patterns of the usage of drugs (in particular illicit) in local communities. The average usage of cocaine in South Wales was estimated at 0.9 g day(-1) 1000 people(-1), which equals 1 tonne of this drug used or disposed of to sewage annually in Wales. The calculated usage of amphetamine denoted 2.5 g day(-1) 1000 people(-1) and is suspected to be an overestimate. Because no analysis of enantiomers of amphetamine was undertaken, no distinction between amphetamine's legal and illicit usage could be made.

Screening for male osteoporosis at an academic medical center: retrospective analysis of DXA usage patterns over 5 years.

PubMed

Ivory, Dedri Markita; Siva, Chokkalingam; Velázquez, Celso; Abdinoor, Abdillahi Abdi

2012-01-01

Recent findings suggest that men have higher mortality rates than women after a hip fracture. Although the risk of osteoporotic fractures in men is increasing, male osteoporosis still remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. In general, male osteoporosis is given low priority by policy makers in public health initiatives. The purpose of this study is to examine the patterns of use and gender distribution of DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan usage at a university medical center in the United States. The total number of DXA scans increased during the study period while the percentage of men studied actually declined. The results of this study may lead to heightened awareness among providers who are caring for male patients at risk for osteoporosis.

Impact of an Onsite Clinic on Utilization of Preventive Services.

PubMed

Ostovari, Mina; Yu, Denny; Yih, Yuehwern; Steele-Morris, Charlotte Joy

2017-07-01

To assess impact of an onsite clinic on healthcare utilization of preventive services for employees of a public university and their dependents. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression and classification tree techniques were used to assess health claim data to identify changes in patterns of healthcare utilization and factors impacting usage of onsite clinic. Utilization of preventive services significantly increased for women and men employees by 9% and 14% one year after implementation of the onsite clinic. Hourly-paid employees, employees without diabetes, employees with spouse opt out or no coverage were more likely to go to the onsite clinic. Adapted framework for assessing performance of onsite clinics based on usage of health informatics would help to identify health utilization patterns and interaction between onsite clinic and offsite health providers.

Research on feature extraction techniques of Hainan Li brocade pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yuping; Chen, Fuqiang; Zhou, Yuhua

2016-03-01

Hainan Li brocade skills has been listed as world non-material cultural heritage preservation, therefore, the research on Hainan Li brocade patterns plays an important role in Li brocade culture inheritance. The meaning of Li brocade patterns was analyzed and the shape feature extraction techniques to original Li brocade patterns were advanced in this paper, based on the contour tracking algorithm. First, edge detection was made on the design patterns, and then the morphological closing operation was used to smooth the image, and finally contour tracking was used to extract the outer contours of Li brocade patterns. The extracted contour features were processed by means of morphology, and digital characteristics of contours are obtained by invariant moments. At last, different patterns of Li brocade design are briefly analyzed according to the digital characteristics. The results showed that the pattern extraction method to Li brocade pattern shapes is feasible and effective according to above method.

Frequency and longitudinal trends of household care product use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moran, Rebecca E.; Bennett, Deborah H.; Tancredi, Daniel J.; Wu, Xiangmei (May); Ritz, Beate; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva

2012-08-01

The use of household cleaning products and air fresheners exposes people to a variety of chemicals, including some that have been shown to be irritants, potential carcinogens and endocrine disrupting compounds. In addition, some react with ambient ozone infiltrating to the indoor environment to form potentially toxic secondary pollutants. Although realistic estimates of usage patterns are necessary for modeling potential exposures in risk assessments, few studies have documented cleaning habits and product usage to characterize how they vary between households and over time. In addition, understanding within-household temporal variability of use is important to assess the reliability of exposure questionnaires used in epidemiological surveys and improve the cost-efficiency of data collection. In the SUPERB (Study of Use of Products and Exposure-Related Behavior) study, frequencies of use of eight types of household cleaning products and air fresheners and the performance of different types of cleaning tasks are collected in three annual telephone and six quarterly web-based surveys. All-purpose and glass cleaners were the products most frequently used among all products surveyed. Use frequencies differed by demographic and other household characteristics for some products. Product usage was internally consistent, with over 75% of pairwise cross-sectional correlations between product types statistically significantly different from zero. In addition, each product type was correlated with at least one cleaning habit. Frequency of cleaning product use and performing cleaning tasks did not vary by season. An examination of intra-household variability showed moderately to highly consistent usage patterns over time, with lower temporal consistency observed among products used more frequently, such as all-purpose cleaners. Frequency of household care product usage was consistent enough that in epidemiologic studies, participants can be classified, for example, into three categories on the basis of a single assessment, with only minimal misclassification.

Quadrupedal Robot Locomotion: A Biologically Inspired Approach and Its Hardware Implementation

PubMed Central

Espinal, A.; Rostro-Gonzalez, H.; Carpio, M.; Guerra-Hernandez, E. I.; Ornelas-Rodriguez, M.; Puga-Soberanes, H. J.; Sotelo-Figueroa, M. A.; Melin, P.

2016-01-01

A bioinspired locomotion system for a quadruped robot is presented. Locomotion is achieved by a spiking neural network (SNN) that acts as a Central Pattern Generator (CPG) producing different locomotion patterns represented by their raster plots. To generate these patterns, the SNN is configured with specific parameters (synaptic weights and topologies), which were estimated by a metaheuristic method based on Christiansen Grammar Evolution (CGE). The system has been implemented and validated on two robot platforms; firstly, we tested our system on a quadruped robot and, secondly, on a hexapod one. In this last one, we simulated the case where two legs of the hexapod were amputated and its locomotion mechanism has been changed. For the quadruped robot, the control is performed by the spiking neural network implemented on an Arduino board with 35% of resource usage. In the hexapod robot, we used Spartan 6 FPGA board with only 3% of resource usage. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed system in both cases. PMID:27436997

Quadrupedal Robot Locomotion: A Biologically Inspired Approach and Its Hardware Implementation.

PubMed

Espinal, A; Rostro-Gonzalez, H; Carpio, M; Guerra-Hernandez, E I; Ornelas-Rodriguez, M; Puga-Soberanes, H J; Sotelo-Figueroa, M A; Melin, P

2016-01-01

A bioinspired locomotion system for a quadruped robot is presented. Locomotion is achieved by a spiking neural network (SNN) that acts as a Central Pattern Generator (CPG) producing different locomotion patterns represented by their raster plots. To generate these patterns, the SNN is configured with specific parameters (synaptic weights and topologies), which were estimated by a metaheuristic method based on Christiansen Grammar Evolution (CGE). The system has been implemented and validated on two robot platforms; firstly, we tested our system on a quadruped robot and, secondly, on a hexapod one. In this last one, we simulated the case where two legs of the hexapod were amputated and its locomotion mechanism has been changed. For the quadruped robot, the control is performed by the spiking neural network implemented on an Arduino board with 35% of resource usage. In the hexapod robot, we used Spartan 6 FPGA board with only 3% of resource usage. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed system in both cases.

Star-Mapping Tools Enable Tracking of Endangered Animals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

Software programmer Jason Holmberg of Portland, Oregon, partnered with a Goddard Space Flight Center astrophysicist to develop a method for tracking the elusive whale shark using the unique spot patterns on the fish s skin. Employing a star-mapping algorithm originally designed for the Hubble Space Telescope, Holmberg created the Shepherd Project, a photograph database and pattern-matching system that can identify whale sharks by their spots and match images contributed to the database by photographers from around the world. The system has been adapted for tracking other rare and endangered animals, including polar bears and ocean sunfish.

The impact of library services in primary care trusts in NHS North West England: a large-scale retrospective quantitative study of online resource usage in relation to types of service.

PubMed

Bell, Katherine; Glover, Steven William; Brodie, Colin; Roberts, Anne; Gleghorn, Colette

2009-06-01

Within NHS North West England there are 24 primary care trusts (PCTs), all with access to different types of library services. This study aims to evaluate the impact the type of library service has on online resource usage. We conducted a large-scale retrospective quantitative study across all PCT staff in NHS NW England using Athens sessions log data. We studied the Athens log usage of 30,381 staff, with 8,273 active Athens accounts and 100,599 sessions from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2007. In 2007, PCTs with outreach librarians achieved 43% penetration of staff with active Athens accounts compared with PCTs with their own library service (28.23%); PCTs with service level agreements (SLAs) with acute hospital library services (22.5%) and with no library service (19.68%). This pattern was also observed when we looked at the average number of Athens user sessions per person, and usage of Dialog Datastar databases and Proquest full text journal collections. Our findings have shown a correlation of e-resource usage and type of library service. Outreach librarians have proved to be an efficient model for promoting and driving up resources usage. PCTs with no library service have shown the lowest level of resource usage.

Smoked aluminum track stations record flying squirrel occurrence

Treesearch

Martin G. Raphael; Cathy A. Taylor; Reginald H. Barrett

1986-01-01

Smoked aluminum track stations are a useful technique for studying patterns of abundance and distribution of northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus). They are easily transported to remote field sites, allow permanent preservation of tracks, and yield frequency-of-occurrence information. A study in Douglas-fir (Pseseudotsuga menziesii...

Data and animal management software for large-scale phenotype screening.

PubMed

Ching, Keith A; Cooke, Michael P; Tarantino, Lisa M; Lapp, Hilmar

2006-04-01

The mouse N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis program at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) uses MouseTRACS to analyze phenotype screens and manage animal husbandry. MouseTRACS is a Web-based laboratory informatics system that electronically records and organizes mouse colony operations, prints cage cards, tracks inventory, manages requests, and reports Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocol usage. For efficient phenotype screening, MouseTRACS identifies mutants, visualizes data, and maps mutations. It displays and integrates phenotype and genotype data using likelihood odds ratio (LOD) plots of genetic linkage between genotype and phenotype. More detailed mapping intervals show individual single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in the context of phenotype. In addition, dynamically generated pedigree diagrams and inventory reports linked to screening results summarize the inheritance pattern and the degree of penetrance. MouseTRACS displays screening data in tables and uses standard charts such as box plots, histograms, scatter plots, and customized charts looking at clustered mice or cross pedigree comparisons. In summary, MouseTRACS enables the efficient screening, analysis, and management of thousands of animals to find mutant mice and identify novel gene functions. MouseTRACS is available under an open source license at http://www.mousetracs.sourceforge.net.

Patterns of Mobile Technology Use in Teaching: The Teacher Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seifert, Tami

2016-01-01

The use of mobile learning spaces is an opportunity to break the boundaries of the classroom and to prepare teacher-educators and pre-service teachers for future school classes. The purpose of this study is to examine the implementation of mobile technology and usage patterns in the mobile technology space among lecturers in a teacher education…

Patterns of Drug Use Among College Students. A Preliminary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mizner, George L.; And Others

Initial data from a survey of drug usage among college students was presented. A large-scale effort was made to produce reliable figures on: (1) drug use patterns; (2) attitudes toward drug use; and (3) incidence of drug use among college students. Questionnaires were answered by 26,000 college students from the Denver-Boulder area, who were…

A Survey of Student Alcohol Use at West Chester State College--Societal Factors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weislogel, Louis F.

Patterns of alcohol usage and related behavior of students at West Chester State College were detemined from a survey of 177 resident students enrolled during the 1978 spring semester. A 34-item questionnaire was used and drinking patterns in terms of preference, frequency, and amount were statistically analyzed in relationship to sex and class…

An Analysis of Disability, Academic Performance, and Seeking Support in One University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dong, Shengli; Lucas, Margaretha S.

2016-01-01

This study focused on the academic performance and use of disability support services (DSS) of students with different types of disabilities who attend a postsecondary education institution. Findings show different patterns of academic success over four semesters as well as different patterns of DSS usage. Students who requested support from DSS…

AR.Drone: security threat analysis and exemplary attack to track persons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samland, Fred; Fruth, Jana; Hildebrandt, Mario; Hoppe, Tobias; Dittmann, Jana

2012-01-01

In this article we illustrate an approach of a security threat analysis of the quadrocopter AR.Drone, a toy for augmented reality (AR) games. The technical properties of the drone can be misused for attacks, which may relate security and/or privacy aspects. Our aim is to sensitize for the possibility of misuses and the motivation for an implementation of improved security mechanisms of the quadrocopter. We focus primarily on obvious security vulnerabilities (e.g. communication over unencrypted WLAN, usage of UDP, live video streaming via unencrypted WLAN to the control device) of this quadrocopter. We could practically verify in three exemplary scenarios that this can be misused by unauthorized persons for several attacks: high-jacking of the drone, eavesdropping of the AR.Drones unprotected video streams, and the tracking of persons. Amongst other aspects, our current research focuses on the realization of the attack of tracking persons and objects with the drone. Besides the realization of attacks, we want to evaluate the potential of this particular drone for a "safe-landing" function, as well as potential security enhancements. Additionally, in future we plan to investigate an automatic tracking of persons or objects without the need of human interactions.

The Influence of Learning Strategies in the Acquisition, Retention, and Transfer of a Visual Tracking Task

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-08-01

Psychology, Psychoanalysis and Neurology X. N. Y.: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1977. Craik , F. I. M., & Lockhart , R. S. Levels of processing : A framework for...Morris, C. D., & Stein, B. S. Some general constraints oil learning and memory research. In F. I. M. Craik & L. S. Cermak (Eds.), Levels of processing ... Craik & Lockhart , 1972; Craik & Tulving, 1975). Although the dependent measures differ, the conclusions drawn remain similar. Strategy usage has a

Data Mining and Information Technology: Its Impact on Intelligence Collection and Privacy Rights

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-26

sources include: Cameras - Digital cameras (still and video ) have been improving in capability while simultaneously dropping in cost at a rate...citizen is caught on camera 300 times each day.5 The power of extensive video coverage is magnified greatly by the nascent capability for voice and...software on security videos and tracking cell phone usage in the local area. However, it would only return the names and data of those who

The scope and consequences of metaphoric thinking: Using individual differences in metaphor usage to understand how metaphor functions.

PubMed

Fetterman, Adam K; Bair, Jessica L; Werth, Marc; Landkammer, Florian; Robinson, Michael D

2016-03-01

People often think, feel, and behave metaphorically according to conceptual metaphor theory. There are normative sources of support for this theory, but individual differences have received scant attention. This is surprising because people are likely to differ in the frequency with which they use metaphors and, therefore, the frequency with which they experience the costs and benefits of metaphoric thinking. To investigate these ideas, a 5-study program of research (total N = 532) was conducted. Study 1 developed and validated a Metaphor Usage Measure (MUM), finding that people were fairly consistent in their tendencies toward literal thought and language on the one hand versus metaphoric thought and language on the other. These differences were, in turn, consequential. Although metaphor usage predicted susceptibility to metaphor transfer effects (Studies 2 and 3), it was also linked to higher levels of emotional understanding (Studies 4 and 5). The findings provide support for several key premises of conceptual metaphor theory in the context of a new measure that can be used to track the consequences of metaphoric thinking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Evaluation of tracking accuracy of the CyberKnife system using a webcam and printed calibrated grid

PubMed Central

Shiomi, Hiroya; Higashinaka, Naokazu; Murashima, Yoshikazu; Miyamoto, Youichi; Yamazaki, Hideya; Mabuchi, Nobuhisa; Tsuda, Eimei; Ogawa, Kazuhiko

2016-01-01

Tracking accuracy for the CyberKnife's Synchrony system is commonly evaluated using a film‐based verification method. We have evaluated a verification system that uses a webcam and a printed calibrated grid to verify tracking accuracy over three different motion patterns. A box with an attached printed calibrated grid and four fiducial markers was attached to the motion phantom. A target marker was positioned at the grid's center. The box was set up using the other three markers. Target tracking accuracy was evaluated under three conditions: 1) stationary; 2) sinusoidal motion with different amplitudes of 5, 10, 15, and 20 mm for the same cycle of 4 s and different cycles of 2, 4, 6, and 8 s with the same amplitude of 15 mm; and 3) irregular breathing patterns in six human volunteers breathing normally. Infrared markers were placed on the volunteers’ abdomens, and their trajectories were used to simulate the target motion. All tests were performed with one‐dimensional motion in craniocaudal direction. The webcam captured the grid's motion and a laser beam was used to simulate the CyberKnife's beam. Tracking error was defined as the difference between the grid's center and the laser beam. With a stationary target, mean tracking error was measured at 0.4 mm. For sinusoidal motion, tracking error was less than 2 mm for any amplitude and breathing cycle. For the volunteers’ breathing patterns, the mean tracking error range was 0.78‐1.67 mm. Therefore, accurate lesion targeting requires individual quality assurance for each patient. PACS number(s): 87.55.D‐, 87.55.km, 87.55.Qr, 87.56.Fc PMID:27074474

Distributional patterns of living ungulates (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla and Perissodactyla) of the Neotropical region, the South American transition zone and Andean region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Absolon, Bruno Araujo; Gallo, Valéria; Avilla, Leonardo S.

2016-11-01

To recognize the distributional patterns of living ungulates in the Neotropical region, the South American transition zone, and Andean region using the panbiogeographical method of track analysis, and to attempt to correlate these patterns with geological history. The distribution of 24 species of living ungulates (in the families Camelidae, Cervidae, Tapiridae and Tayassuidae) was studied by the panbiogeographical method of track analysis. It was performed using distributional data acquired from literature and databases of scientific institutions. Individual tracks were obtained for each species by plotting locality records on maps and connecting them by minimum-spanning trees. Generalized tracks were determined from the spatial overlap between individual tracks, indicating a common history. The intersection between generalized tracks defined a biogeographic node, implying that these locations are biogeographic composites resulting from different ancestral biotas coming into spatial contact, possibly at different geologic times. The superposition of the 24 individual tracks resulted in five generalized tracks (GTs): GT1, Mesoamerican/Choco (composed of Mazama pandora, Mazama temama, Odoicoileus virginianus and Tapirus bairdii); GT2, Northern Andes (Mazama rufina, Pudu mephistophiles and Tapirus pinchaque); GT3, Central Andes (Hippocamelus antisensis, Lama guanicoe, Mazama chunyi and Vicugna vicugna); GT4, Chilean Patagonia (Hippocamelus bisulcus and Pudu puda); and GT5, Chaco/Central west Brazil (Blastocerus dichotomus, Catagonus wagneri and Ozotocerus bezoarticus). The biogeographic node was found in the Northwestern Colombia. The geological events such as tectonism and volcanism that occurred through the Neogene and mainly in the Pleistocene caused fragmentation, diversification and endemism of biota. The biogeographic node in Colombia occurred within a zone of convergence. This node emphasized the complexity of the area and it contains biotic elements with different origins, which represent a special condition for the establishment of priority conservation areas.

Application of an automatic cloud tracking technique to Meteosat water vapor and infrared observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Endlich, R. M.; Wolf, D. E.

1980-01-01

The automatic cloud tracking system was applied to METEOSAT 6.7 micrometers water vapor measurements to learn whether the system can track the motions of water vapor patterns. Data for the midlatitudes, subtropics, and tropics were selected from a sequence of METEOSAT pictures for 25 April 1978. Trackable features in the water vapor patterns were identified using a clustering technique and the features were tracked by two different methods. In flat (low contrast) water vapor fields, the automatic motion computations were not reliable, but in areas where the water vapor fields contained small scale structure (such as in the vicinity of active weather phenomena) the computations were successful. Cloud motions were computed using METEOSAT infrared observations (including tropical convective systems and midlatitude jet stream cirrus).

Tracking Dietary Patterns over 20 Years from Childhood through Adolescence into Young Adulthood: The Saskatchewan Pediatric Bone Mineral Accrual Study

PubMed Central

Kontulainen, Saija; Whiting, Susan J.; Vatanparast, Hassanali

2017-01-01

Dietary patterns established during adolescence might play a role in adulthood disease. We examined the stability of dietary patterns (DPs) from childhood through adolescence and into young adulthood (from age 8 to 34 years). Data from 130 participants (53 females) of Saskatchewan Pediatric Bone Mineral Accrual Study (aged 8–15 years, at baseline) were included. Multiple 24-h recalls were collected annually from 1991 to 1997, 2002 to 2005, and 2010 and 2011. Using principal component analysis, “Vegetarian-style”, “Western-like”, “High-fat, high-protein”, “Mixed”, and “Snack” DPs were derived at baseline. Applied DP scores for all annual measurements were calculated using factor loading of baseline DPs and energy-adjusted food group intakes. We analyzed data using generalized estimating equations. The tracking coefficient represents correlation between baseline dietary pattern scores and all other follow-up dietary pattern scores. We found a moderate tracking for the “Vegetarian-style” (β = 0.44, p < 0.001) and “High-fat, high-protein” (β = 0.39, p < 0.001) DPs in females and “Vegetarian-style” DP (β = 0.30, p < 0.001) in males. The remaining DPs showed poor-to-fair tracking in both sexes. No tracking for “Western-like” DP in females was observed. Assessing overall change in DP scores from childhood to young adulthood showed an increasing trend in adherence to “Vegetarian-style” DP and decreasing trend in adherence to “High-fat, high-protein” DP by age in both sexes (p < 0.001), while “Western-like” and “Mixed” DP scores increased only in males (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that healthy dietary habits established during childhood and adolescence moderately continue into adulthood. PMID:28885565

Shear wave arrival time estimates correlate with local speckle pattern.

PubMed

Mcaleavey, Stephen A; Osapoetra, Laurentius O; Langdon, Jonathan

2015-12-01

We present simulation and phantom studies demonstrating a strong correlation between errors in shear wave arrival time estimates and the lateral position of the local speckle pattern in targets with fully developed speckle. We hypothesize that the observed arrival time variations are largely due to the underlying speckle pattern, and call the effect speckle bias. Arrival time estimation is a key step in quantitative shear wave elastography, performed by tracking tissue motion via cross-correlation of RF ultrasound echoes or similar methods. Variations in scatterer strength and interference of echoes from scatterers within the tracking beam result in an echo that does not necessarily describe the average motion within the beam, but one favoring areas of constructive interference and strong scattering. A swept-receive image, formed by fixing the transmit beam and sweeping the receive aperture over the region of interest, is used to estimate the local speckle pattern. Metrics for the lateral position of the speckle are found to correlate strongly (r > 0.7) with the estimated shear wave arrival times both in simulations and in phantoms. Lateral weighting of the swept-receive pattern improved the correlation between arrival time estimates and speckle position. The simulations indicate that high RF echo correlation does not equate to an accurate shear wave arrival time estimate-a high correlation coefficient indicates that motion is being tracked with high precision, but the location tracked is uncertain within the tracking beam width. The presence of a strong on-axis speckle is seen to imply high RF correlation and low bias. The converse does not appear to be true-highly correlated RF echoes can still produce biased arrival time estimates. The shear wave arrival time bias is relatively stable with variations in shear wave amplitude and sign (-20 μm to 20 μm simulated) compared with the variation with different speckle realizations obtained along a given tracking vector. We show that the arrival time bias is weakly dependent on shear wave amplitude compared with the variation with axial position/ local speckle pattern. Apertures of f/3 to f/8 on transmit and f/2 and f/4 on receive were simulated. Arrival time error and correlation with speckle pattern are most strongly determined by the receive aperture.

Shear Wave Arrival Time Estimates Correlate with Local Speckle Pattern

PubMed Central

McAleavey, Stephen A.; Osapoetra, Laurentius O.; Langdon, Jonathan

2016-01-01

We present simulation and phantom studies demonstrating a strong correlation between errors in shear wave arrival time estimates and the lateral position of the local speckle pattern in targets with fully developed speckle. We hypothesize that the observed arrival time variations are largely due to the underlying speckle pattern, and call the effect speckle bias. Arrival time estimation is a key step in quantitative shear wave elastography, performed by tracking tissue motion via cross correlation of RF ultrasound echoes or similar methods. Variations in scatterer strength and interference of echoes from scatterers within the tracking beam result in an echo that does not necessarily describe the average motion within the beam, but one favoring areas of constructive interference and strong scattering. A swept-receive image, formed by fixing the transmit beam and sweeping the receive aperture over the region of interest, is used to estimate the local speckle pattern. Metrics for the lateral position of the speckle are found to correlate strongly (r>0.7) with the estimated shear wave arrival times both in simulations and in phantoms. Lateral weighting of the swept-receive pattern improved the correlation between arrival time estimates and speckle position. The simulations indicate that high RF echo correlation does not equate to an accurate shear wave arrival time estimate – a high correlation coefficient indicates that motion is being tracked with high precision, but the location tracked is uncertain within the tracking beam width. The presence of a strong on-axis speckle is seen to imply high RF correlation and low bias. The converse does not appear to be true – highly correlated RF echoes can still produce biased arrival time estimates. The shear wave arrival time bias is relatively stable with variations in shear wave amplitude and sign (−20 μm to 20 μm simulated) compared to the variation with different speckle realizations obtained along a given tracking vector. We show that the arrival time bias is weakly dependent on shear wave amplitude compared to the variation with axial position/local speckle pattern. Apertures of f/3 to f/8 on transmit and f/2 and f/4 on receive were simulated. Arrival time error and correlation with speckle pattern are most strongly determined by the receive aperture. PMID:26670847

Codon Usage Patterns of Tyrosinase Genes in Clonorchis sinensis.

PubMed

Bae, Young-An

2017-04-01

Codon usage bias (CUB) is a unique property of genomes and has contributed to the better understanding of the molecular features and the evolution processes of particular gene. In this study, genetic indices associated with CUB, including relative synonymous codon usage and effective numbers of codons, as well as the nucleotide composition, were investigated in the Clonorchis sinensis tyrosinase genes and their platyhelminth orthologs, which play an important role in the eggshell formation. The relative synonymous codon usage patterns substantially differed among tyrosinase genes examined. In a neutrality analysis, the correlation between GC 12 and GC 3 was statistically significant, and the regression line had a relatively gradual slope (0.218). NC-plot, i.e., GC 3 vs effective number of codons (ENC), showed that most of the tyrosinase genes were below the expected curve. The codon adaptation index (CAI) values of the platyhelminth tyrosinases had a narrow distribution between 0.685/0.714 and 0.797/0.837, and were negatively correlated with their ENC. Taken together, these results suggested that CUB in the tyrosinase genes seemed to be basically governed by selection pressures rather than mutational bias, although the latter factor provided an additional force in shaping CUB of the C. sinensis and Opisthorchis viverrini genes. It was also apparent that the equilibrium point between selection pressure and mutational bias is much more inclined to selection pressure in highly expressed C. sinensis genes, than in poorly expressed genes.

In Their Own Words: Interviews with Musicians Reveal the Advantages and Disadvantages of Wearing Earplugs.

PubMed

Beach, Elizabeth F; O'Brien, Ian

2017-06-01

Musicians are at risk of hearing loss from sound exposure, and earplugs form part of many musicians' hearing conservation practices. Although musicians typically report a range of difficulties when wearing earplugs, there are many who have managed to successfully incorporate earplugs into their practice of music. The study aim was to provide a detailed account of earplug usage from the perspective of the musician, including motivating factors, practical strategies, and attitudes. In-depth interviews with 23 musicians were transcribed and content analysis was performed. Responses were coded and classified into three main themes: advantages, disadvantages, and usage patterns and strategies, together with an overlapping fourth theme, youth perspectives. Several positive aspects of wearing earplugs were identified, including long-term hearing protection and reduced levels of fatigue and pain. Musicians reported that earplugs present few problems for communication, improve sound clarity in ensembles, are discreet, and are easy to handle. However, earplugs also present challenges, including an overall dullness of sound, reduced immediacy, and an impaired ability to judge balance and intonation due to the occlusion effect, all of which influence usage habits and patterns. The experiences of the younger musicians and long-term users of earplugs indicate that practice, persistence, and a flexible approach are required for successful earplug usage. In time, there may be greater acceptance of earplugs, particularly amongst a new generation of musicians, some of whom regard the earplugs as a performance enhancement tool as well as a protective device.

Miniaturized integration of a fluorescence microscope

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Kunal K.; Burns, Laurie D.; Cocker, Eric D.; Nimmerjahn, Axel; Ziv, Yaniv; Gamal, Abbas El; Schnitzer, Mark J.

2013-01-01

The light microscope is traditionally an instrument of substantial size and expense. Its miniaturized integration would enable many new applications based on mass-producible, tiny microscopes. Key prospective usages include brain imaging in behaving animals towards relating cellular dynamics to animal behavior. Here we introduce a miniature (1.9 g) integrated fluorescence microscope made from mass-producible parts, including semiconductor light source and sensor. This device enables high-speed cellular-level imaging across ∼0.5 mm2 areas in active mice. This capability allowed concurrent tracking of Ca2+ spiking in >200 Purkinje neurons across nine cerebellar microzones. During mouse locomotion, individual microzones exhibited large-scale, synchronized Ca2+ spiking. This is a mesoscopic neural dynamic missed by prior techniques for studying the brain at other length scales. Overall, the integrated microscope is a potentially transformative technology that permits distribution to many animals and enables diverse usages, such as portable diagnostics or microscope arrays for large-scale screens. PMID:21909102

Status report on the land processes aircraft science management operations working group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawless, James G.; Mann, Lisa J.

1991-01-01

Since its inception three years ago, the Land Processes Aircraft Science Management Operations Working Group (MOWG) provided recommendations on the optimal use of the Agency's aircraft in support of the Land Processes Science Program. Recommendations covered topics such as aircraft and sensor usage, development of long-range plans, Multisensor Airborne Campaigns (MAC), program balance, aircraft sensor databases, new technology and sensor development, and increased University scientist participation in the program. Impacts of these recommendations improved the efficiency of various procedures including the flight request process, tracking of flight hours, and aircraft usage. The group also created a bibliography focused on publications produced by Land Processes scientists from the use of the aircraft program, surveyed NASA funded PI's on their participation in the aircraft program, and developed a planning template for multi-sensor airborne campaigns. Benefits from these activities are summarized.

Are two spaces better than one? The effect of spacing following periods and commas during reading.

PubMed

Johnson, Rebecca L; Bui, Becky; Schmitt, Lindsay L

2018-04-24

The most recent edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) Manual states that two spaces should follow the punctuation at the end of a sentence. This is in contrast to the one-space requirement from previous editions. However, to date, there has been no empirical support for either convention. In the current study, participants performed (1) a typing task to assess spacing usage and (2) an eye-tracking experiment to assess the effect that punctuation spacing has on reading performance. Although comprehension was not affected by punctuation spacing, the eye movement record suggested that initial processing of the text was facilitated when periods were followed by two spaces, supporting the change made to the APA Manual. Individuals' typing usage also influenced these effects such that those who use two spaces following a period showed the greatest overall facilitation from reading with two spaces.

Miniaturized integration of a fluorescence microscope.

PubMed

Ghosh, Kunal K; Burns, Laurie D; Cocker, Eric D; Nimmerjahn, Axel; Ziv, Yaniv; Gamal, Abbas El; Schnitzer, Mark J

2011-09-11

The light microscope is traditionally an instrument of substantial size and expense. Its miniaturized integration would enable many new applications based on mass-producible, tiny microscopes. Key prospective usages include brain imaging in behaving animals for relating cellular dynamics to animal behavior. Here we introduce a miniature (1.9 g) integrated fluorescence microscope made from mass-producible parts, including a semiconductor light source and sensor. This device enables high-speed cellular imaging across ∼0.5 mm2 areas in active mice. This capability allowed concurrent tracking of Ca2+ spiking in >200 Purkinje neurons across nine cerebellar microzones. During mouse locomotion, individual microzones exhibited large-scale, synchronized Ca2+ spiking. This is a mesoscopic neural dynamic missed by prior techniques for studying the brain at other length scales. Overall, the integrated microscope is a potentially transformative technology that permits distribution to many animals and enables diverse usages, such as portable diagnostics or microscope arrays for large-scale screens.

Tracking and visualization of space-time activities for a micro-scale flu transmission study.

PubMed

Qi, Feng; Du, Fei

2013-02-07

Infectious diseases pose increasing threats to public health with increasing population density and more and more sophisticated social networks. While efforts continue in studying the large scale dissemination of contagious diseases, individual-based activity and behaviour study benefits not only disease transmission modelling but also the control, containment, and prevention decision making at the local scale. The potential for using tracking technologies to capture detailed space-time trajectories and model individual behaviour is increasing rapidly, as technological advances enable the manufacture of small, lightweight, highly sensitive, and affordable receivers and the routine use of location-aware devices has become widespread (e.g., smart cellular phones). The use of low-cost tracking devices in medical research has also been proved effective by more and more studies. This study describes the use of tracking devices to collect data of space-time trajectories and the spatiotemporal processing of such data to facilitate micro-scale flu transmission study. We also reports preliminary findings on activity patterns related to chances of influenza infection in a pilot study. Specifically, this study employed A-GPS tracking devices to collect data on a university campus. Spatiotemporal processing was conducted for data cleaning and segmentation. Processed data was validated with traditional activity diaries. The A-GPS data set was then used for visual explorations including density surface visualization and connection analysis to examine space-time activity patterns in relation to chances of influenza infection. When compared to diary data, the segmented tracking data demonstrated to be an effective alternative and showed greater accuracies in time as well as the details of routes taken by participants. A comparison of space-time activity patterns between participants who caught seasonal influenza and those who did not revealed interesting patterns. This study proved that tracking technology an effective technique for obtaining data for micro-scale influenza transmission research. The findings revealed micro-scale transmission hotspots on a university campus and provided insights for local control and prevention strategies.

Pharmacological, psychological, and patient education interventions for patients with neck pain: results of an international survey.

PubMed

Carlesso, Lisa C; Gross, Anita R; MacDermid, Joy C; Walton, David M; Santaguida, P Lina

2015-01-01

Examination of practice patterns compared to existing evidence identifies knowledge to practice gaps. To describe the utilization of pharmacological, patient education, primary psychological interventions and relaxation therapies in patients with neck pain by clinicians. An international cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine the use of these interventions amongst 326 clinicians treating patients with neck pain. Nineteen countries participated. Results were analyzed by usage amongst physical therapists (39%) and chiropractors (35%), as they were the predominant respondents. Patient education (95%) and relaxation therapies (59%) were the most utilized interventions. Tests of subgroup differences determined that physical therapists used patient education significantly more than chiropractors. Use of medications and primary psychological interventions were reported by most to be outside of scope of practice. The high rate of patient education is consistent with supporting evidence. However, usage of relaxation therapies is contrary to evidence suggesting no benefit for improved pain or function for chronic neck pain. This survey indicates that patient education and relaxation therapies are common treatments provided by chiropractors and physical therapists for patients with neck pain. Future research should address gaps associated with variable practice patterns and knowledge translation to reduce usage of interventions shown to be ineffective.

Diffusion of the Digital Health Self-Tracking Movement in Canada: Results of a National Survey

PubMed Central

Leaver, Chad; Bourget, Claire

2018-01-01

Background With the ever-increasing availability of mobile apps, consumer wearables, and smart medical devices, more and more individuals are self-tracking and managing their personal health data. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the diffusion of the digital self-tracking movement in Canada. It provides a comprehensive, yet detailed account of this phenomenon. It examines the profile of digital self-trackers, traditional self-trackers, and nontrackers, further investigating the primary motivations for self-tracking and reasons for nontracking; barriers to adoption of connected care technologies; users’ appreciation of their self-tracking devices, including what they perceive to be the main benefits; factors that influence people’s intention to continue using connected care technologies in the future; and the reasons for usage discontinuance. Methods We conducted an online survey with a sample of 4109 Canadian adults, one of the largest ever. To ensure a representative sample, quota method was used (gender, age), following stratification by region. The maximum margin of error is estimated at 1.6%, 19 times out of 20. Results Our findings reveal that 66.20% (2720/4109) of our respondents regularly self-track one or more aspects of their health. About one in 4 respondents (1014/4109, 24.68%) currently owns a wearable or smart medical device, and 57.20% (580/1014) use their devices on a regular basis for self-tracking purposes. Digital self-trackers are typically young or mature adults, healthy, employed, university educated, with an annual family income of over $80,000 CAD. The most popular reported device is the fitness tracker or smartwatch that can capture a range of parameters. Currently, mobile apps and digital self-tracking devices are mainly used to monitor physical activity (856/1669, 51.13%), nutrition (545/1669, 32.65%), sleep patterns (482/1669, 28.88%) and, to a much lesser extent, cardiovascular and pulmonary biomarkers (215/1669, 12.88%), medication intake (126/1669, 7.55%), and glucose level (79/1669, 4.73%). Most users of connected care technologies (481/580, 83.0%) are highly satisfied and 88.2% (511/580) intend to continue using their apps and devices in the future. A majority said smart digital devices have allowed them to maintain or improve their health condition (398/580, 68.5%) and to be better informed about their health in general (387/580, 66.6%). About 33.80% of our sample (1389/4109) is composed of people who do not monitor their health or well-being on a regular basis. Conclusions Our study shows an opportunity to advance the health of Canadians through connected care technologies. Our findings can be used to set baseline information for future research on the rise of digital health self-tracking and its impacts. Although the use of mobile apps, consumer wearables, and smart medical devices could potentially benefit the growing population of patients with chronic conditions, the question remains as to whether it will diffuse broadly beyond early adopters and across cost inequities. PMID:29720359

Diffusion of the Digital Health Self-Tracking Movement in Canada: Results of a National Survey.

PubMed

Paré, Guy; Leaver, Chad; Bourget, Claire

2018-05-02

With the ever-increasing availability of mobile apps, consumer wearables, and smart medical devices, more and more individuals are self-tracking and managing their personal health data. The aim of this study was to investigate the diffusion of the digital self-tracking movement in Canada. It provides a comprehensive, yet detailed account of this phenomenon. It examines the profile of digital self-trackers, traditional self-trackers, and nontrackers, further investigating the primary motivations for self-tracking and reasons for nontracking; barriers to adoption of connected care technologies; users' appreciation of their self-tracking devices, including what they perceive to be the main benefits; factors that influence people's intention to continue using connected care technologies in the future; and the reasons for usage discontinuance. We conducted an online survey with a sample of 4109 Canadian adults, one of the largest ever. To ensure a representative sample, quota method was used (gender, age), following stratification by region. The maximum margin of error is estimated at 1.6%, 19 times out of 20. Our findings reveal that 66.20% (2720/4109) of our respondents regularly self-track one or more aspects of their health. About one in 4 respondents (1014/4109, 24.68%) currently owns a wearable or smart medical device, and 57.20% (580/1014) use their devices on a regular basis for self-tracking purposes. Digital self-trackers are typically young or mature adults, healthy, employed, university educated, with an annual family income of over $80,000 CAD. The most popular reported device is the fitness tracker or smartwatch that can capture a range of parameters. Currently, mobile apps and digital self-tracking devices are mainly used to monitor physical activity (856/1669, 51.13%), nutrition (545/1669, 32.65%), sleep patterns (482/1669, 28.88%) and, to a much lesser extent, cardiovascular and pulmonary biomarkers (215/1669, 12.88%), medication intake (126/1669, 7.55%), and glucose level (79/1669, 4.73%). Most users of connected care technologies (481/580, 83.0%) are highly satisfied and 88.2% (511/580) intend to continue using their apps and devices in the future. A majority said smart digital devices have allowed them to maintain or improve their health condition (398/580, 68.5%) and to be better informed about their health in general (387/580, 66.6%). About 33.80% of our sample (1389/4109) is composed of people who do not monitor their health or well-being on a regular basis. Our study shows an opportunity to advance the health of Canadians through connected care technologies. Our findings can be used to set baseline information for future research on the rise of digital health self-tracking and its impacts. Although the use of mobile apps, consumer wearables, and smart medical devices could potentially benefit the growing population of patients with chronic conditions, the question remains as to whether it will diffuse broadly beyond early adopters and across cost inequities. ©Guy Paré, Chad Leaver, Claire Bourget. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 02.05.2018.

MotionFlow: Visual Abstraction and Aggregation of Sequential Patterns in Human Motion Tracking Data.

PubMed

Jang, Sujin; Elmqvist, Niklas; Ramani, Karthik

2016-01-01

Pattern analysis of human motions, which is useful in many research areas, requires understanding and comparison of different styles of motion patterns. However, working with human motion tracking data to support such analysis poses great challenges. In this paper, we propose MotionFlow, a visual analytics system that provides an effective overview of various motion patterns based on an interactive flow visualization. This visualization formulates a motion sequence as transitions between static poses, and aggregates these sequences into a tree diagram to construct a set of motion patterns. The system also allows the users to directly reflect the context of data and their perception of pose similarities in generating representative pose states. We provide local and global controls over the partition-based clustering process. To support the users in organizing unstructured motion data into pattern groups, we designed a set of interactions that enables searching for similar motion sequences from the data, detailed exploration of data subsets, and creating and modifying the group of motion patterns. To evaluate the usability of MotionFlow, we conducted a user study with six researchers with expertise in gesture-based interaction design. They used MotionFlow to explore and organize unstructured motion tracking data. Results show that the researchers were able to easily learn how to use MotionFlow, and the system effectively supported their pattern analysis activities, including leveraging their perception and domain knowledge.

Initial Experience of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Coags Regional Smartphone Application: A Novel Report of Global Distribution and Clinical Usage of an Electronic Decision Support Tool to Enhance Guideline Use.

PubMed

Gupta, Rajnish K; McEvoy, Matthew D

2016-01-01

Decision support tools have been demonstrated to improve adherence to medical guidelines; however, smartphone applications (apps) have not been studied in this regard. In a collaboration between Vanderbilt University and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA), the ASRA Coags Regional app was created to be a decision support tool for the 2010 published guideline on regional anesthesia for patients receiving anticoagulation. This is a review of the distribution and usage of this app. The app was created to be a user-friendly version of the guideline. Download statistics were collected from April 2014 to October 2015, and app usage data were collected from October 2014 to October 2015. Usage data were analyzed for number of devices, number of search sessions, medications searched, and types of procedures. There were 8381 downloads, with 83% from North America. Of users who allowed data tracking, 4504 unique devices were identified with 30,003 separate search events. The most searched-for medications were rivaroxaban (n = 4427; 11%), clopidogrel (n = 4042; 10%), and enoxaparin, prophylactic twice daily dosing (n = 3249; 8%). Neuraxial procedures (n = 22,477; 78%) were the most commonly searched-for procedures and over half (n = 22,773; 52%) the users were interested in how long to hold a medication before performing a procedure. This is the first publication of download and usage data concerning medical smartphone apps. It provides a template for future app uptake and use in clinical practice. The app platform provides a new mechanism of rapidly disseminating guidelines and facilitating distribution of frequent updates.

[Evaluation of PAE and AE for identifying generalized tracks using snakes in Hidalgo, Mexico].

PubMed

Montiel-Canales, Gustavo; Mayer-Goyenechea, Irene Goyenechea; Fernández Badillo, Leonardo; Castillo Cerón, Jesús M

2016-12-01

One of the most important concepts in Panbiogeography is the generalized track, which represents an ancestral biota fragmented by geological events that can be recovered through several methods, including Parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE) and endemicity analysis (EA). PAE has been frequently used to identify generalized tracks, while EA is primarily designed to find areas of endemicity, but has been recently proposed for identifying generalized tracks as well. In this study we evaluated these methods to find generalized tracks using the distribution of the 84 snake species of Hidalgo. PAE found one generalized track from three individual tracks (Agkistrodon taylori, Crotalus totonacus and Pliocercus elapoides), supported by 89 % of Bootstrap, and EA identified two generalized tracks, with endemicity index values of 2.71-2.96 and 2.84-3.09, respectively. Those areas were transformed to generalized tracks. The first generalized track was retrieved from three individual tracks (Micrurus bernadi, Rhadinaea marcellae and R. quinquelineata), and the second was recovered from two individual tracks (Geophis mutitorques and Thamnophis sumichrasti). These generalized tracks can be considered a unique distribution pattern, because they resembled each other and agreed in shape. When comparing both methods, we noted that both are useful for identifying generalized tracks, and although they can be used independently, we suggest their complementary use. Nevertheless, to obtain accurate results, it is useful to consider theoretical bases of both methods, along with an appropriate choice of the size of the area. Results using small-grid size in EA are ideal for searching biogeographical patterns within geopolitical limits. Furthermore, they can be used for conservation proposals at state level where endemic species become irreplaceable, and where losing them would imply the extinction of unique lineages.

Active trachoma and community use of sanitation, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Oswald, William E; Stewart, Aisha Ep; Kramer, Michael R; Endeshaw, Tekola; Zerihun, Mulat; Melak, Berhanu; Sata, Eshetu; Gessese, Demelash; Teferi, Tesfaye; Tadesse, Zerihun; Guadie, Birhan; King, Jonathan D; Emerson, Paul M; Callahan, Elizabeth K; Flanders, Dana; Moe, Christine L; Clasen, Thomas F

2017-04-01

To investigate, in Amhara, Ethiopia, the association between prevalence of active trachoma among children aged 1-9 years and community sanitation usage. Between 2011 and 2014, prevalence of trachoma and household pit latrine usage were measured in five population-based cross-sectional surveys. Data on observed indicators of latrine use were aggregated into a measure of community sanitation usage calculated as the proportion of households with a latrine in use. All household members were examined for clinical signs, i.e. trachomatous inflammation, follicular and/or intense, indicative of active trachoma. Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate prevalence odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for community, household and individual factors, and to evaluate modification by household latrine use and water access. In surveyed areas, prevalence of active trachoma among children was estimated to be 29% (95% CI: 28-30) and mean community sanitation usage was 47% (95% CI: 45-48). Despite significant modification (p < 0.0001), no pattern in stratified ORs was detected. Summarizing across strata, community sanitation usage values of 60 to < 80% and ≥ 80% were associated with lower prevalence odds of active trachoma, compared with community sanitation usage of < 20% (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.57-1.03 and OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.48-0.95, respectively). In Amhara, Ethiopia, a negative correlation was observed between community sanitation usage and prevalence of active trachoma among children, highlighting the need for continued efforts to encourage higher levels of sanitation usage and to support sustained use throughout the community, not simply at the household level.

Using geographic information systems to identify prospective marketing areas for a special library.

PubMed

McConnaughy, Rozalynd P; Wilson, Steven P

2006-05-04

The Center for Disability Resources (CDR) Library is the largest collection of its kind in the Southeastern United States, consisting of over 5,200 books, videos/DVDs, brochures, and audiotapes covering a variety of disability-related topics, from autism to transition resources. The purpose of the library is to support the information needs of families, faculty, students, staff, and other professionals in South Carolina working with individuals with disabilities. The CDR Library is funded on a yearly basis; therefore, maintaining high usage is crucial. A variety of promotional efforts have been used to attract new patrons to the library. Anyone in South Carolina can check out materials from the library, and most of the patrons use the library remotely by requesting materials, which are then mailed to them. The goal of this project was to identify areas of low geographic usage as a means of identifying locations for future library marketing efforts. Nearly four years worth of library statistics were compiled in a spreadsheet that provided information per county on the number of checkouts, the number of renewals, and the population. Five maps were created using ArcView GIS software to create visual representations of patron checkout and renewal behavior per county. Out of the 46 counties in South Carolina, eight counties never checked out materials from the library. As expected urban areas and counties near the library's physical location have high usage totals. The visual representation of the data made identification of low usage regions easier than using a standalone database with no visual-spatial component. The low usage counties will be the focus of future Center for Disability Resources Library marketing efforts. Due to the impressive visual-spatial representations created with Geographic Information Systems, which more efficiently communicate information than stand-alone database information can, librarians may benefit from the software's use as a supplemental tool for tracking library usage and planning promotional efforts.

First report of sauropod tracks from the Upper Jurassic Tianchihe Formation of Guxian County, Shanxi Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Huan; Liu, Yong-Qing; Kuang, Hong-Wei; Peng, Nan; Rodríguez-López, Juan Pedro; Xu, Shi-Chao; Wang, Suo-Zhu; Yi, Jian; Xue, Pei-Lin; Jia, Lei

2018-02-01

This paper presents the first report of sauropod tracks from the Upper Jurassic of Shanxi Province, China. Dinosaur tracks appear concentrated in five trackways, in different stratigraphic levels of the Late Jurassic Tianchihe Formation. Tracks are dominantly small and medium-size sauropod tracks and are tentatively assigned to Brontopodus based on preserved track morphology, trackway pattern and statistical analysis. The Tianchihe Formation in which the tracks appear shows a gradual change from meandering fluvial to sandy braided fluvial depositional systems developed in a seasonally arid environment. Comparisons of the evaluated speed of bipedal to quadruped trackways indicate that the slower walk more easily produces pes-dominated overprints. Trackways in the Guxian tracksite appear following different orientations, suggesting that these trackways were produced by different sauropods at different times. An unusual trackway following a curved pattern has been identified in the site and could represent a special locomotion character or a social behavior. The presence of eolian deposits in central Shanxi Province could have acted as a paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental barrier for the dispersion of the Yanliao Biota that survived in northern Hebei-western Liaoning and northestern Shanxi Province to the Ordos Basin during the Late Jurassic.

The Decline of Gaelic in Northern Scotland, 1698-1901. Discussion Papers in Geolinguistics 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Withers, Charles W. J.

This study examines the changing patterns of usage of Scottish Gaelic and English in the northern Scottish counties of Sutherland and Caithness during the period 1698-1901. The study explores the way these patterns resulted from processes found in different social situations. It is concluded that although the shift from Gaelic to English was not…

Patterns of drug use from adolescence to young adulthood: I. Periods of risk for initiation, continued use, and discontinuation.

PubMed Central

Kandel, D B; Logan, J A

1984-01-01

Patterns of initiation, continued use, and decline in drug use are described on the basis of detailed drug histories in a longitudinal cohort representative of former New York State adolescents. In this cohort, the period of major risk for initiation to cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana, is completed for the most part by age 20, and to illicit drugs other than cocaine by age 21. Those who have not experimented with any of these substances by that age are unlikely to do so thereafter. Initiation into prescribed psychoactive drugs occurs at a later age than for the licit and illicit drugs and continues through the age period covered by the survey. A potential maturational trend in marijuana use in this cohort is apparent with a decline beginning approximately at age 22.5 for most usage patterns. The periods of highest marijuana and alcohol usage decline beginning at ages 20-21 and contrast sharply with cigarettes which exhibit climbing rates of highest use through the end of the surveillance period (age 25). Overall patterns are similar for men and women, with men initiating all drugs at higher rates than women, except for prescribed psychoactives . PMID:6611092

High-speed autofocusing of a cell using diffraction pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oku, Hiromasa; Ishikawa, Masatoshi; Theodorus; Hashimoto, Koichi

2006-05-01

This paper proposes a new autofocusing method for observing cells under a transmission illumination. The focusing method uses a quick and simple focus estimation technique termed “depth from diffraction,” which is based on a diffraction pattern in a defocused image of a biological specimen. Since this method can estimate the focal position of the specimen from only a single defocused image, it can easily realize high-speed autofocusing. To demonstrate the method, it was applied to continuous focus tracking of a swimming paramecium, in combination with two-dimensional position tracking. Three-dimensional tracking of the paramecium for 70 s was successfully demonstrated.

Perks of Tracking What You're Eating

Cancer.gov

It’s important to keep track of the steps you’re taking toward nourishing your body with a healthier diet. By keeping track of what you’re eating—even for a couple of weeks— you may be able to identify patterns that are helping—or hurting—your goals for nourishing your body in a healthy way.

Use of Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies in Online Search: An Eye-Tracking Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Mingming; Ren, Jing

2016-01-01

This study used eye-tracking technology to track students' eye movements while searching information on the web. The research question guiding this study was "Do students with different search performance levels have different visual attention distributions while searching information online? If yes, what are the patterns for high and low…

Comparison of codon usage bias across Leishmania and Trypanosomatids to understand mRNA secondary structure, relative protein abundance and pathway functions.

PubMed

Subramanian, Abhishek; Sarkar, Ram Rup

2015-10-01

Understanding the variations in gene organization and its effect on the phenotype across different Leishmania species, and to study differential clinical manifestations of parasite within the host, we performed large scale analysis of codon usage patterns between Leishmania and other known Trypanosomatid species. We present the causes and consequences of codon usage bias in Leishmania genomes with respect to mutational pressure, translational selection and amino acid composition bias. We establish GC bias at wobble position that governs codon usage bias across Leishmania species, rather than amino acid composition bias. We found that, within Leishmania, homogenous codon context coding for less frequent amino acid pairs and codons avoiding formation of folding structures in mRNA are essentially chosen. We predicted putative differences in global expression between genes belonging to specific pathways across Leishmania. This explains the role of evolution in shaping the otherwise conserved genome to demonstrate species-specific function-level differences for efficient survival. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patterns of Hierarchical Structure in the Medical Lexicon

PubMed Central

Michael, Patricia A.; Cole, William G.; Stewart, James; Blois, Marsden S.

1987-01-01

Concepts in basic and clinical medical science cover a wide range of levels of description, from the subatomic level to the level of the patient as a whole. Medical language may have usage regularities consistent with this hierarchical nature of medical knowledge. Preliminary studies of word occurrence in abstracts drawn from three medical journals representing three broadly defined levels of description (chemical system, physiologic system, and patient as a whole) demonstrated a nonuniform word usage, with many words unique to one or another journal. In this present study, word occurrence was examined in an expanded pool of medical text consisting of sixteen textbooks representing ten different levels of description: atom/ion, micromolecule, macromolecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ, physiologic system, major body part (or multiple physiologic systems) and patient as a whole. Word usage was found to be nonuniform, with many words unique to specific levels. The presence of such usage regularities may provide a basis for facilitating the automatic classification and retrieval of medical text.

Benchmarking of hospital information systems: Monitoring of discharge letters and scheduling can reveal heterogeneities and time trends

PubMed Central

Dugas, Martin; Eckholt, Markus; Bunzemeier, Holger

2008-01-01

Background Monitoring of hospital information system (HIS) usage can provide insights into best practices within a hospital and help to assess time trends. In terms of effort and cost of benchmarking, figures derived automatically from the routine HIS system are preferable to manual methods like surveys, in particular for repeated analysis. Methods Due to relevance for quality management and efficient resource utilization we focused on time-to-completion of discharge letters (assessed by CT-plots) and usage of patient scheduling. We analyzed these parameters monthly during one year at a major university hospital in Germany. Results We found several distinct patterns of discharge letter documentation indicating a large heterogeneity of HIS usage between different specialties (completeness 51 – 99%, delays 0 – 90 days). Overall usage of scheduling increased during the observation period by 62%, but again showed a considerable variation between departments. Conclusion Regular monitoring of HIS key figures can contribute to a continuous HIS improvement process. PMID:18423046

The software peculiarities of pattern recognition in track detectors

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

Starkov, N.

The different kinds of nuclear track recognition algorithms are represented. Several complicated samples of use them in physical experiments are considered. The some processing methods of complicated images are described.

What Do Smokers Want in A Smartphone-Based Cessation Application?

PubMed

Oliver, Jason A; Hallyburton, Matthew B; Pacek, Lauren R; Mitchell, John T; Vilardaga, Roger; Fuemmeler, Bernard F; Joseph McClernon, F

2017-08-03

Fueled by rapid technological advances over the past decade, there is growing interest in the use of smartphones to aid in smoking cessation. Hundreds of applications have been developed for this purpose, but little is known about how these applications are accessed and used by smokers or what features smokers believe would be most useful. The present study sought to understand the prevalence of smartphone ownership and patterns of use among smokers as well as the perceived utility of various smartphone application features for smoking cessation that are currently in development or already available. Daily cigarette smokers (n = 224) reported on smartphone ownership, their patterns of smartphone usage, and perceived utility of features. Features were ranked according to perceived utility and differences in both perceived utility and general smartphone use patterns were examined as a function of demographic and smoking-related variables. Most smokers (80.4%) own a smartphone, but experience with smoking cessation applications is extremely rare (6.1%). Ownership and patterns of usage differed as a function of demographic and smoking-related variables. Overall, gain-framed features were rated as most useful, while loss-framed and interpersonal features were rated as least useful. Mobile health interventions have the potential to reach a large number of smokers but are currently underutilized. Additional effort is needed to ensure parity in treatment access. Gain-framed messages may be especially useful for engaging smokers, even if other features ultimately drive treatment effects. This study describes patterns of smartphone usage among smokers and identifies the smartphone application features smokers believe would be most useful during a quit attempt. Findings indicate which subgroups of smokers are most likely to be reached with mobile health interventions and suggests that inclusion of specific features may be helpful for engaging smokers in the smoking cessation process. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An investigation into sealant restoration usage in general dental practice in England.

PubMed

Hassall, D C; Mellor, A C

2001-10-13

A study was undertaken to investigate attitudes to sealant restorations and their usage in general dental practice in England. Seventy three dentists in three areas (Doncaster, Hereford/Worcester and Wycombe) provided retrospective details of treatment provided over a one year period for 4,250 6-12 and 13-15 year old subjects. Fifty nine of these dentists then completed a telephone questionnaire relating to their treatment patterns and attitudes to sealant restorations. The treatment data indicated that only 59 of the 4,250 children received a sealant restoration during the study period. Of the 44 dentists who claimed in the questionnaire to be using sealant restorations, only 28 had placed them in their selected patients. Positive attitudes to sealant restorations were expressed but also concerns that may be prejudicing usage.

Deep space network resource scheduling approach and application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eggemeyer, William C.; Bowling, Alan

1987-01-01

Deep Space Network (DSN) resource scheduling is the process of distributing ground-based facilities to track multiple spacecraft. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has carried out extensive research to find ways of automating this process in an effort to reduce time and manpower costs. This paper presents a resource-scheduling system entitled PLAN-IT with a description of its design philosophy. The PLAN-IT's current on-line usage and limitations in scheduling the resources of the DSN are discussed, along with potential enhancements for DSN application.

A Review of Australian and New Zealand Investigations on Aeronautical Fatigue During the Period April 2007 to March 2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

stress ratios of the order of R=-2, 7075T6 aluminium alloys possessed better fatigue properties than the 2024T3 series alloys . It was also possible...flight-by-flight damage tracking algorithms (S J Houghton, S K Campbell [RNZAF])...........................................8-67 8.5.2 CT-4E Usage ...exponential crack growth behaviour of cracks in F/A-18 7050-T7451 aluminium alloy structure, the Safe Life limits of many discrete locations could be

Does an employee assistance programme benefit employers and employees alike?

PubMed

MacAlister, E

1999-09-01

EAPs are not a psychological sticking plaster. They are a clinically and corporately balanced service which benefits the employee, via the direct services and the employer, via the feedback in the form of usage statistics derived from the continuous tracking of the account through which organizational and employment issues are identified. Well positioned EAPs offer employees confidential counselling, and information services including legal, financial and child-based issues and are able to offer employers tailored training and consultancy.

Understanding the properties of common dietary supplements: clinical implications for healthcare practitioners.

PubMed

Zelig, Rena; Rigassio Radler, Diane

2012-12-01

Dietary supplement usage in the United States continues to increase. This article explores the background of dietary supplements and their regulations, discusses trends in usage patterns highlighting the properties of 10 popular dietary supplements, addresses safety concerns and drug-nutrient interactions, and discusses the role of the healthcare professional in assessing and recommending usage of dietary supplements. The authors reviewed the literature on dietary supplementation. Government websites were used to obtain background and regulatory information. Evidence-based databases were used to summarize popular dietary supplements in terms of their common uses, mechanisms of action, and clinical implications. The related literature was reviewed to discuss important factors for the healthcare professional to consider as well as the role of the healthcare professional in integrating dietary supplement use within patient care. Healthcare professionals need to be prepared to evaluate dietary supplement usage and make appropriate recommendations for an individualized plan of care. As the popularity of dietary supplements continues to grow, healthcare professionals will need to communicate with patients about their usage; educate themselves on their potential benefits, interactions, and contraindications; evaluate the literature; make recommendations; and document appropriately in a comprehensive and integrated plan of care.

Reconstructed storm tracks reveal three centuries of changing moisture delivery to North America

PubMed Central

Wise, Erika K.; Dannenberg, Matthew P.

2017-01-01

Moisture delivery to western North America is closely linked to variability in the westerly storm tracks of midlatitude cyclones, which are, in turn, modified by larger-scale features such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation system. Instrumental and modeling data suggest that extratropical storm tracks may be intensifying and shifting poleward due to anthropogenic climate change, but it is difficult to separate recent trends from natural variability because of the large amount of decadal and longer variation in storm tracks and their limited instrumental record. We reconstruct cool-season, midlatitude Pacific storm-track position and intensity from 1693 to 1995 CE using existing tree-ring chronologies along with a network of newly developed chronologies from the U.S. Pacific Northwest, where small variations in storm-track position can have a major influence on hydroclimate patterns. Our results show high interannual-to-multidecadal variability in storm-track position and intensity over the past 303 years, with spectral signatures characteristic of tropical and northern Pacific influences. Comparison with reconstructions of precipitation and tropical sea surface temperature confirms the relationship between shifting drought patterns in the Pacific Northwest and storm-track variability through time and demonstrates the long-term influence of El Niño. These results allow us to place recent storm-track changes in the context of decadal and multidecadal fluctuations across the long-term record, showing that recent changes in storm-track intensity likely represent a warming-related increase amplified by natural decadal variability. PMID:28630900

Reconstructed storm tracks reveal three centuries of changing moisture delivery to North America.

PubMed

Wise, Erika K; Dannenberg, Matthew P

2017-06-01

Moisture delivery to western North America is closely linked to variability in the westerly storm tracks of midlatitude cyclones, which are, in turn, modified by larger-scale features such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation system. Instrumental and modeling data suggest that extratropical storm tracks may be intensifying and shifting poleward due to anthropogenic climate change, but it is difficult to separate recent trends from natural variability because of the large amount of decadal and longer variation in storm tracks and their limited instrumental record. We reconstruct cool-season, midlatitude Pacific storm-track position and intensity from 1693 to 1995 CE using existing tree-ring chronologies along with a network of newly developed chronologies from the U.S. Pacific Northwest, where small variations in storm-track position can have a major influence on hydroclimate patterns. Our results show high interannual-to-multidecadal variability in storm-track position and intensity over the past 303 years, with spectral signatures characteristic of tropical and northern Pacific influences. Comparison with reconstructions of precipitation and tropical sea surface temperature confirms the relationship between shifting drought patterns in the Pacific Northwest and storm-track variability through time and demonstrates the long-term influence of El Niño. These results allow us to place recent storm-track changes in the context of decadal and multidecadal fluctuations across the long-term record, showing that recent changes in storm-track intensity likely represent a warming-related increase amplified by natural decadal variability.

Reduced complexity of multi-track joint 2-D Viterbi detectors for bit-patterned media recording channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myint, L. M. M.; Warisarn, C.

2017-05-01

Two-dimensional (2-D) interference is one of the prominent challenges in ultra-high density recording system such as bit patterned media recording (BPMR). The multi-track joint 2-D detection technique with the help of the array-head reading can tackle this problem effectively by jointly processing the multiple readback signals from the adjacent tracks. Moreover, it can robustly alleviate the impairments due to track mis-registration (TMR) and media noise. However, the computational complexity of such detectors is normally too high and hard to implement in a reality, even for a few multiple tracks. Therefore, in this paper, we mainly focus on reducing the complexity of multi-track joint 2-D Viterbi detector without paying a large penalty in terms of the performance. We propose a simplified multi-track joint 2-D Viterbi detector with a manageable complexity level for the BPMR's multi-track multi-head (MTMH) system. In the proposed method, the complexity of detector's trellis is reduced with the help of the joint-track equalization method which employs 1-D equalizers and 2-D generalized partial response (GPR) target. Moreover, we also examine the performance of a full-fledged multi-track joint 2-D detector and the conventional 2-D detection. The results show that the simplified detector can perform close to the full-fledge detector, especially when the system faces high media noise, with the significant low complexity.

An examination of flexible spending accounts.

PubMed

Cardon, J H; Showalter, M H

2001-11-01

This paper develops a framework for analyzing flexible spending account (FSA) participation and usage. We explore patterns of FSA usage using data from a benefits firm for 1996 including an examination of types of FSA expenditures and their timing. We estimate some simple econometric models of the participation decision and also the decision of how much to put into an FSA. Several pieces of evidence suggest that much of an FSA election amount is based on foreknowledge of expenditures. We also find that participants tend to spend their election amount early, thus obtaining an interest-free loan.

An artificial retina processor for track reconstruction at the LHC crossing rate

DOE PAGES

Bedeschi, F.; Cenci, R.; Marino, P.; ...

2017-11-23

The goal of the INFN-RETINA R&D project is to develop and implement a computational methodology that allows to reconstruct events with a large number (> 100) of charged-particle tracks in pixel and silicon strip detectors at 40 MHz, thus matching the requirements for processing LHC events at the full bunch-crossing frequency. Our approach relies on a parallel pattern-recognition algorithm, dubbed artificial retina, inspired by the early stages of image processing by the brain. In order to demonstrate that a track-processing system based on this algorithm is feasible, we built a sizable prototype of a tracking processor tuned to 3 000more » patterns, based on already existing readout boards equipped with Altera Stratix III FPGAs. The detailed geometry and charged-particle activity of a large tracking detector currently in operation are used to assess its performances. Here, we report on the test results with such a prototype.« less

On the formation features, microstructure and microhardness of single laser tracks formed by laser cladding of a NiCrBSi self-fluxing alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devojno, O. G.; Feldshtein, E.; Kardapolava, M. A.; Lutsko, N. I.

2018-07-01

In the present paper, the influence of laser cladding conditions on the powder flow conditions, as well as the microstructure, phases and microhardness of an Ni-based self-fluxing alloy coating are described. The optimal granulations of a self-fluxing alloy powder and the relationship between the flow of powder of various fractions and the flow rate and pressure of the transporting gas have been determined. The laser beam speed, track pitch and the distance from the nozzle to the coated surface influence the height and width of single tracks. Regularities in the formation of microstructure under different cladding conditions are defined, as well as regularity of distribution of elements over the track depth and in the transient zone. The patterns of microhardness distribution over the track depth for different cladding conditions are found. These patterns as well as the optimal laser spot pitch allowed obtaining a uniform cladding layer.

EUV process improvement with novel litho track hardware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stokes, Harold; Harumoto, Masahiko; Tanaka, Yuji; Kaneyama, Koji; Pieczulewski, Charles; Asai, Masaya

2017-03-01

Currently, there are many developments in the field of EUV lithography that are helping to move it towards increased HVM feasibility. Targeted improvements in hardware design for advanced lithography are of interest to our group specifically for metrics such as CD uniformity, LWR, and defect density. Of course, our work is focused on EUV process steps that are specifically affected by litho track performance, and consequently, can be improved by litho track design improvement and optimization. In this study we are building on our experience to provide continual improvement for LWR, CDU, and Defects as applied to a standard EUV process by employing novel hardware solutions on our SOKUDO DUO coat develop track system. Although it is preferable to achieve such improvements post-etch process we feel, as many do, that improvements after patterning are a precursor to improvements after etching. We hereby present our work utilizing the SOKUDO DUO coat develop track system with an ASML NXE:3300 in the IMEC (Leuven, Belgium) cleanroom environment to improve aggressive dense L/S patterns.

An artificial retina processor for track reconstruction at the LHC crossing rate

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

Bedeschi, F.; Cenci, R.; Marino, P.

The goal of the INFN-RETINA R&D project is to develop and implement a computational methodology that allows to reconstruct events with a large number (> 100) of charged-particle tracks in pixel and silicon strip detectors at 40 MHz, thus matching the requirements for processing LHC events at the full bunch-crossing frequency. Our approach relies on a parallel pattern-recognition algorithm, dubbed artificial retina, inspired by the early stages of image processing by the brain. In order to demonstrate that a track-processing system based on this algorithm is feasible, we built a sizable prototype of a tracking processor tuned to 3 000more » patterns, based on already existing readout boards equipped with Altera Stratix III FPGAs. The detailed geometry and charged-particle activity of a large tracking detector currently in operation are used to assess its performances. Here, we report on the test results with such a prototype.« less

[Contraceptive practice in Mexico: two five-year periods, two different patterns (1976-1977 to 1987)].

PubMed

Llera, S

1990-01-01

This work uses data from the 1976-77 Mexican Fertility Survey, the 1982 National Demographic Survey, and the 1987 National Fertility and Health Survey to analyze fertility and contraceptive behavior among Mexican women in the 2 5-year periods from 1976-82 and 1982-87. The proportion of fertile-aged women in union using a method increased from 41.6% in 1976-77 to 58.8% in 1982 and 61.4% in 1989. The most significant gains in use of the more effective methods as in contraceptive prevalence occurred in the 1st 5-year period. The proportion of women sterilized increased from 3.73% in 1977 to 16.6% in 1982 and 21.7% in 1987, equivalent to increases over the 2 5-year periods of 345.7% and 30.7%. Female sterilization was the only method whose use increased constantly over the period. Use of the IUD was almost unchanged between 1977-82, while use of oral contraceptives and injectables both declined from 1982 to 1987 after increasing over the preceding 5 years. Contraceptive usage increased intensely in all subgroups of women studied between 1976-82, but in the 2nd period from 1982 to 1987 contraceptive usage declined significantly in some subgroups. Contraceptive prevalence among women in urban and metropolitan areas increased systematically after 1977. Rural women increased their use from 22.5% in 1977 to 48.6% in 1982. 5 years later the proportion of rural users had declined to 45.3% although it was still well above the level of 1976-77. The most significant increase in contraceptive usage among illiterate women and those with primary educations occurred from 1976 to 1982. In 1987 women with primary and higher levels of education demonstrated increases in contraceptive usage compared with 1982, but contraceptive usage among illiterate women declined from 40.8% in 1982 to 28.9% in 1987. Data from the 3 surveys demonstrate low but increasing rates of use among women 15-19 years old, who may be in the process of developing a new fertility pattern characterized by longer birth intervals. Women in the middle reproductive years had higher rates of use showing little change from 1982 to 1987 and unlikely to show great change in the future due to their already high level. Women aged 40-44 showed systematic increases in use from 1976 to 1987, but women aged 45-49 increased their use only from 32.6% in 1977 to 39.0% in 1987. The declines in age differentials in contraceptive prevalence from 1982 to 1987 demonstrate that age is losing weight as an explanatory factor. Between 1976-77 and 1982, women of all parities increased their contraceptive usage substantially. Women with 3 or fewer children continued to increase their usage through 1987, but usage among women with 4 or more children actually declined between 1982-87. The results suggest that a small proportion of rural, less educated, and high parity women may have returned to their former patterns of uncontrolled fertility. Nevertheless, fertility differentials were much smaller in 1987 than in 1976-77.

Genomic control of patterning

PubMed Central

Peter, Isabelle S.; Davidson, Eric H.

2014-01-01

The development of multicellular organisms involves the partitioning of the organism into territories of cells of specific structure and function. The information for spatial patterning processes is directly encoded in the genome. The genome determines its own usage depending on stage and position, by means of interactions that constitute gene regulatory networks (GRNs). The GRN driving endomesoderm development in sea urchin embryos illustrates different regulatory strategies by which developmental programs are initiated, orchestrated, stabilized or excluded to define the pattern of specified territories in the developing embryo. PMID:19378258

Maintaining Unity - relatives in older patients' fast-track treatment programmes. A grounded theory study.

PubMed

Berthelsen, Connie Bøttcher; Lindhardt, Tove; Frederiksen, Kirsten

2014-12-01

To generate a substantive grounded theory of relatives' pattern of behaviour in older patients' fast-track treatment programmes during total hip or knee replacement. Fast-track treatment programmes are designed to make total hip and knee replacements more efficient through recovery improvements. The support of relatives during older patients' trajectory is important. However, knowledge is needed on the relatives' pattern of behaviour to strengthen their involvement in fast-track treatment programmes. We used a Glaserian grounded theory approach based on a systematic generation of theory from data to explain the latent pattern of behaviour of relatives. Data were collected from 2010-2011 in orthopaedic wards at two Danish university hospitals and consisted of 14 non-participant observations, 14 postobservational interviews and five interviews. Seven relatives of patients over 70 years of age participated. The constant comparative method was the guiding principle for simultaneous data collection, data analysis and coding, while theoretically sampling and writing memos. Maintaining Unity emerged as the relatives' pattern of behaviour through which they resolved their main concern: preventing the patients from feeling alone. The relatives resolved their main concern through three interchangeable behavioural modes: Protecting Mode, by providing loving and respectful support; Substituting Mode, with practical and cognitive support; and an Adapting Mode, by trying to fit in with the patients' and health professionals' requirements. The substantive theory of Maintaining Unity offers knowledge of relatives' strong desire to provide compassionate and loving support for the older patients during fast-track treatment programmes. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Bridging Methodological Gaps: Instructional and Institutional Effects of Tracking in Two English Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caughlan, Samantha; Kelly, Sean

2004-01-01

Quantitative analyses using CLASS 3.0 software and qualitative discourse analyses were conducted of the instructional and institutional effects of tracking in high-and low-track American literature classes taught by the same teacher, a participant in a national study of the effects of dialogic classroom discourse patterns on student achievement.…

The Pattern of Electronic Game Use and Related Bodily Discomfort in Hong Kong Primary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lui, Donald P. Y.; Szeto, Grace P. Y.; Jones, Alice Y. M.

2011-01-01

The present study examined the usage pattern of electronic game devices among primary school children in Hong Kong. Commonly used types of games devices were grouped into three main categories: large-screen/TV-based games, small handheld game devices and active game devices. A survey was conducted among 476 students in a local primary school, with…

Online Social Networking and Addiction—A Review of the Psychological Literature

PubMed Central

Kuss, Daria J.; Griffiths, Mark D.

2011-01-01

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are virtual communities where users can create individual public profiles, interact with real-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests. They are seen as a ‘global consumer phenomenon’ with an exponential rise in usage within the last few years. Anecdotal case study evidence suggests that ‘addiction’ to social networks on the Internet may be a potential mental health problem for some users. However, the contemporary scientific literature addressing the addictive qualities of social networks on the Internet is scarce. Therefore, this literature review is intended to provide empirical and conceptual insight into the emerging phenomenon of addiction to SNSs by: (1) outlining SNS usage patterns, (2) examining motivations for SNS usage, (3) examining personalities of SNS users, (4) examining negative consequences of SNS usage, (5) exploring potential SNS addiction, and (6) exploring SNS addiction specificity and comorbidity. The findings indicate that SNSs are predominantly used for social purposes, mostly related to the maintenance of established offline networks. Moreover, extraverts appear to use social networking sites for social enhancement, whereas introverts use it for social compensation, each of which appears to be related to greater usage, as does low conscientiousness and high narcissism. Negative correlates of SNS usage include the decrease in real life social community participation and academic achievement, as well as relationship problems, each of which may be indicative of potential addiction. PMID:22016701

Hearing aid and cochlear implant use in children with hearing loss at three years of age: Predictors of use and predictors of changes in use

PubMed Central

Marnane, Vivienne; Ching, Teresa YC

2015-01-01

Objective To examine usage patterns of hearing aids and cochlear implants in children up to three years of age, how usage changes longitudinally, and factors associated with device usage. Design Parent report and Parent’s Evaluation of Aural/oral performance of Children (PEACH) data were obtained at six and twelve months after hearing-aid fitting or cochlear implant switch-on, and again at three years of age. The effect of device use on auditory functional performance was investigated using the PEACH questionnaire. Study sample Four hundred and thirteen participants from the Longitudinal Outcomes of Children with Hearing Impairment (LOCHI) study were included for analysis. Result For users of hearing aids, higher usage at three years was associated with higher maternal education, and more severe hearing loss. For users of cochlear implants, higher usage was associated with higher maternal education and the absence of additional disabilities. Higher PEACH scores was associated with higher usage scores. After allowing for the effects of demographic characteristics, device use was not a significant predictor of functional performance. Conclusions Sixty-two percent of children achieved consistent use (>75% of waking hours) within the first year of receiving a hearing aid or a cochlear implant, and 71% by three years of age. PMID:25816866

Online social networking and addiction--a review of the psychological literature.

PubMed

Kuss, Daria J; Griffiths, Mark D

2011-09-01

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are virtual communities where users can create individual public profiles, interact with real-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests. They are seen as a 'global consumer phenomenon' with an exponential rise in usage within the last few years. Anecdotal case study evidence suggests that 'addiction' to social networks on the Internet may be a potential mental health problem for some users. However, the contemporary scientific literature addressing the addictive qualities of social networks on the Internet is scarce. Therefore, this literature review is intended to provide empirical and conceptual insight into the emerging phenomenon of addiction to SNSs by: (1) outlining SNS usage patterns, (2) examining motivations for SNS usage, (3) examining personalities of SNS users, (4) examining negative consequences of SNS usage, (5) exploring potential SNS addiction, and (6) exploring SNS addiction specificity and comorbidity. The findings indicate that SNSs are predominantly used for social purposes, mostly related to the maintenance of established offline networks. Moreover, extraverts appear to use social networking sites for social enhancement, whereas introverts use it for social compensation, each of which appears to be related to greater usage, as does low conscientiousness and high narcissism. Negative correlates of SNS usage include the decrease in real life social community participation and academic achievement, as well as relationship problems, each of which may be indicative of potential addiction.

Intelligent Shuttle Management and Routing Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Toshen M.; Subashanthini, S.

2017-11-01

Nowadays, most of the big Universities and campuses have Shuttle cabs running in them to cater the transportational needs of the students and faculties. While some shuttle services ask for a meagre sum to be paid for the usage, no digital payment system is onboard these vehicles to go truly cashless. Even more troublesome is the fact that sometimes during the day, some of these cabs run with bare number of passengers, which can result in unwanted budget loss to the shuttle operator. The main purpose of this paper is to create a system with two types of applications: A web portal and an Android app, to digitize the Shuttle cab industry. This system can be used for digital cashless payment feature, tracking passengers, tracking cabs and more importantly, manage the number of shuttle cabs in every route to maximize profit. This project is built upon an ASP.NET website connected to a cloud service along with an Android app that tracks and reads the passengers ID using an attached barcode reader along with the current GPS coordinates, and sends these data to the cloud for processing using the phone’s internet connectivity.

Design of a solar tracking interactive kiosk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greene, Nathaniel R.; Brunskill, Jeffrey C.

2017-01-01

A two-axis solar tracker and its interactive kiosk were designed by an interdisciplinary team of students and faculty. The objective was to develop a publicly accessible kiosk that would facilitate the study of energy usage and production on campus. Tracking is accomplished by an open-loop algorithm, microcontroller, and ham radio rotator. Solar panel output is monitored in real time and displayed to the public with lights and digits that can be read by the casual passersby. While maximum power point tracking is the most accurate means of quantifying the output power of a photovoltaic panel, simplicity and design constraints dictated the use of short-circuit current as a proxy for power. A touchscreen display allows kiosk visitors to compare two solar panels, an automatic tracker that faces the sun, and an identical panel whose elevation and azimuth can be controlled with a virtual joystick. This project was a capstone experience for students in physics/engineering, computer science, and instructional technology. We discuss technical challenges and design choices, as well as the educational goals of the kiosk.

Analysis of prescription database extracted from standard textbooks of traditional Dai medicine.

PubMed

Zhang, Chuang; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Keawpradub, Niwat; Lin, Yanfang

2012-08-29

Traditional Dai Medicine (TDM) is one of the four major ethnomedicine of China. In 2007 a group of experts produced a set of seven Dai medical textbooks on this subject. The first two were selected as the main data source to analyse well recognized prescriptions. To quantify patterns of prescriptions, common ingredients, indications and usages of TDM. A relational database linking the prescriptions, ingredients, herb names, indications, and usages was set up. Frequency of pattern of combination and common ingredients were tabulated. A total of 200 prescriptions and 402 herbs were compiled. Prescriptions based on "wind" disorders, a detoxification theory that most commonly deals with symptoms of digestive system diseases, accounted for over one third of all prescriptions. The major methods of preparations mostly used roots and whole herbs. The information extracted from the relational database may be useful for understanding symptomatic treatments. Antidote and detoxification theory deserves further research.

Safety of topical minoxidil solution: a one-year, prospective, observational study.

PubMed

Shapiro, Jerry

2003-01-01

Topical minoxidil solution (TMS) is widely used for androgenetic alopecia (AGA), and this is the first report of a large safety trial. The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety profile of TMS by comparing hospitalization and death rates among subjects using TMS with controls. Cardiovascular safety and pregnancy outcomes were evaluated, and usage patterns were described. All subjects were followed at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Usage patterns, pregnancy status, overnight hospital stays, and cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated. Subjects rated effectiveness of TMS in the treatment of AGA. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine if TMS was associated with an increased risk of death or hospitalization. TMS is a safe and effective treatment for AGA. There were no increases in cardiovascular events and no apparent increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. This large, prospective study demonstrated the overall safety of TMS in the treatment of AGA.

Assessment of prescribing practices among urban and rural general practitioners in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Gopalakrishnan, Sekharan; Ganeshkumar, Parasuraman; Katta, Ajitha

2013-01-01

Studying drug use pattern among medical practitioners is of vital importance in the present scenario where irrational drug use and development of drug resistance is becoming rampant. To assess, the pattern of prescribing practices among the general practitioners in a defined rural and urban area of Tamil Nadu. A community based descriptive study was conducted to collect 600 prescriptions from the catchment areas of rural and urban health training centers of a medical college using prescribing indicators as per the WHO "How to investigate drug use in health facilities" tool. This prescription study revealed that multivitamins (19.5%), antibiotics (19.3%), drugs for gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) (18%), analgesic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/ (NSAID's) (15.1%), and antihistaminic (12.5%) were prescribed frequently. Among the antibiotics, amoxicillin (49.2%) was the most commonly prescribed followed by gentamicin (31.7%). Percentage of prescriptions with an antibiotic was 55% and nearly 62% of the practitioners prescribed drugs by their generic names. As a practice of poly-pharmacy, it was observed that the average number of drugs prescribed in urban and rural area was nearly 5 and 4, respectively. Nearly 80% of the urban and rural practitioners were prescribing at least one injection. Study of the quality of prescriptions revealed that there was poor legibility, high usage of abbreviations, inadequate details of the drugs, and absence of signature by practitioners in the prescriptions. This study clearly highlights the practice of poly-pharmacy, low usage of generic drugs, injudicious usage of antibiotics and injections and low usage of drugs prescribed from essential drugs list.

Current practice patterns of drain usage amongst UK and Irish surgeons performing bilateral breast reductions: Evidence down the drain.

PubMed

Sugrue, Conor M; McInerney, Niall; Joyce, Cormac W; Jones, Deidre; Hussey, Alan J; Kelly, Jack L; Kerin, Michael J; Regan, Padraic J

2015-01-01

Bilateral breast reduction (BBR) is one of the most frequently performed female breast operations. Despite no evidence supporting efficacy of drain usage in BBRs, postoperative insertion is common. Recent high quality evidence demonstrating potential harm from drain use has subsequently challenged this traditional practice. The aim of this study is to assess the current practice patterns of drains usage by Plastic & Reconstructive and Breast Surgeons in UK and Ireland performing BBRs. An 18 question survey was created evaluating various aspects of BBR practice. UK and Irish Plastic & Reconstructive and Breast Surgeons were invited to participate by an email containing a link to a web-based survey. Statistical analysis was performed with student t-test and chi-square test. Two hundred and eleven responding surgeons were analysed, including 80.1% (171/211) Plastic Surgeons and 18.9% (40/211) Breast Surgeons. Of the responding surgeons, 71.6% (151/211) routinely inserted postoperative drains, for a mean of 1.32 days. Drains were used significantly less by surgeons performing ≥20 BBRs (p = 0.02). With the majority of BBRs performed as an inpatient procedure, there was a trend towards less drain usage in surgeons performing this procedure as an outpatient; however, this was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). Even with the high level of evidence demonstrating the safety of BBR without drains, they are still routinely utilised. In an era of evidence- based medicine, surgeons performing breast reductions must adopt the results from scientific research into their clinical practice.

Fin whale tracks recorded by a seismic network on the Juan de Fuca Ridge, Northeast Pacific Ocean.

PubMed

Soule, Dax C; Wilcock, William S D

2013-03-01

Fin whale calls recorded from 2003 to 2004 by a seafloor seismic network on the Endeavour segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge were analyzed to determine tracks and calling patterns. Over 150 tracks were obtained with a total duration of ~800 h and swimming speeds from 1 to 12 km/h. The dominant inter-pulse interval (IPI) is 24 s and the IPI patterns define 4 categories: a 25 s single IPI and 24/30 s dual IPI produced by single calling whales, a 24/13 s dual IPI interpreted as two calling whales, and an irregular IPI interpreted as groups of calling whales. There are also tracks in which the IPI switches between categories. Call rates vary seasonally with all the tracks between August and April. From August to October tracks are dominated by the irregular IPI and are predominantly headed to the northwest, suggesting that a portion of the fin whale population does not migrate south in the fall. The other IPI categories occur primarily from November to March. These tracks have slower swimming speeds, tend to meander, and are predominantly to the south. The distribution of fin whales around the network is non-random with more calls near the network and to the east and north.

Simulation and performance of an artificial retina for 40 MHz track reconstruction

DOE PAGES

Abba, A.; Bedeschi, F.; Citterio, M.; ...

2015-03-05

We present the results of a detailed simulation of the artificial retina pattern-recognition algorithm, designed to reconstruct events with hundreds of charged-particle tracks in pixel and silicon detectors at LHCb with LHC crossing frequency of 40 MHz. Performances of the artificial retina algorithm are assessed using the official Monte Carlo samples of the LHCb experiment. We found performances for the retina pattern-recognition algorithm comparable with the full LHCb reconstruction algorithm.

Curiosity Leaves Its Mark

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-08-29

This image shows a close-up of track marks from the first test drive of NASA Curiosity rover. The rover arm is visible in the foreground. A close inspection of the tracks reveals a unique, repeating pattern: Morse code for JPL.

Dual Use of Image Based Tracking Techniques: Laser Eye Surgery and Low Vision Prosthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juday, Richard D.; Barton, R. Shane

1994-01-01

With a concentration on Fourier optics pattern recognition, we have developed several methods of tracking objects in dynamic imagery to automate certain space applications such as orbital rendezvous and spacecraft capture, or planetary landing. We are developing two of these techniques for Earth applications in real-time medical image processing. The first is warping of a video image, developed to evoke shift invariance to scale and rotation in correlation pattern recognition. The technology is being applied to compensation for certain field defects in low vision humans. The second is using the optical joint Fourier transform to track the translation of unmodeled scenes. Developed as an image fixation tool to assist in calculating shape from motion, it is being applied to tracking motions of the eyeball quickly enough to keep a laser photocoagulation spot fixed on the retina, thus avoiding collateral damage.

Dual use of image based tracking techniques: Laser eye surgery and low vision prosthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juday, Richard D.

1994-01-01

With a concentration on Fourier optics pattern recognition, we have developed several methods of tracking objects in dynamic imagery to automate certain space applications such as orbital rendezvous and spacecraft capture, or planetary landing. We are developing two of these techniques for Earth applications in real-time medical image processing. The first is warping of a video image, developed to evoke shift invariance to scale and rotation in correlation pattern recognition. The technology is being applied to compensation for certain field defects in low vision humans. The second is using the optical joint Fourier transform to track the translation of unmodeled scenes. Developed as an image fixation tool to assist in calculating shape from motion, it is being applied to tracking motions of the eyeball quickly enough to keep a laser photocoagulation spot fixed on the retina, thus avoiding collateral damage.

Fast human pose estimation using 3D Zernike descriptors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berjón, Daniel; Morán, Francisco

2012-03-01

Markerless video-based human pose estimation algorithms face a high-dimensional problem that is frequently broken down into several lower-dimensional ones by estimating the pose of each limb separately. However, in order to do so they need to reliably locate the torso, for which they typically rely on time coherence and tracking algorithms. Their losing track usually results in catastrophic failure of the process, requiring human intervention and thus precluding their usage in real-time applications. We propose a very fast rough pose estimation scheme based on global shape descriptors built on 3D Zernike moments. Using an articulated model that we configure in many poses, a large database of descriptor/pose pairs can be computed off-line. Thus, the only steps that must be done on-line are the extraction of the descriptors for each input volume and a search against the database to get the most likely poses. While the result of such process is not a fine pose estimation, it can be useful to help more sophisticated algorithms to regain track or make more educated guesses when creating new particles in particle-filter-based tracking schemes. We have achieved a performance of about ten fps on a single computer using a database of about one million entries.

Data Realities : Citation Equals Funding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hourclé, Joseph

2015-04-01

Solar physics has a problem with tracking the impact of solar data's use in scientific literature. Data collected by solar-observing missions is used in many other fields, but we do not have good information about who is using our data. Solar data is useful not only in solar physics, but also general astronomy, planetery, space weather, space physics and earth science.The sun is the only star that we can see in high detail; solar data is used to erase moonlight from night-time images; coronagraphs have found more comets than night-observing telescopes; space weather affects life on earth, communications, air traffic, and manned space-flight.As our missions' continued funding is justified through use of our data, missing too many of these uses could decrease our future funding or lead to cancellation. As our current methods of finding data use is through human review of the literature, we are much more likely to miss usage in fields outside of solar physics.To better deal with tracking cross-discipline data usage, a number of groups have come up with guidelines and principles for data citation.[1,2,3] We provide an update on the efforts of multiple groups working on standards to implement both data and software citation.[1] National Research Council, 2012. http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13564[2] CODATA, 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.2481/dsj.OSOM13-043[3] 2014. http://www.force11.org/datacitation

How plume-ridge interaction shapes the crustal thickness pattern of the Réunion hotspot track

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bredow, Eva; Steinberger, Bernhard; Gassmöller, Rene; Dannberg, Juliane

2017-08-01

The Réunion mantle plume has shaped a large area of the Earth's surface over the past 65 million years: from the Deccan Traps in India along the hotspot track comprising the island chains of the Laccadives, Maldives, and Chagos Bank on the Indian plate and the Mascarene Plateau on the African plate up to the currently active volcanism at La Réunion Island. This study addresses the question how the Réunion plume, especially in interaction with the Central Indian Ridge, created the complex crustal thickness pattern of the hotspot track. For this purpose, the mantle convection code ASPECT was used to design three-dimensional numerical models, which consider the specific location of the plume underneath moving plates and surrounded by large-scale mantle flow. The results show the crustal thickness pattern produced by the plume, which altogether agrees well with topographic maps. Especially two features are consistently reproduced by the models: the distinctive gap in the hotspot track between the Maldives and Chagos is created by the combination of the ridge geometry and plume-ridge interaction; and the Rodrigues Ridge, a narrow crustal structure which connects the hotspot track and the Central Indian Ridge, appears as the surface expression of a long-distance sublithospheric flow channel. This study therefore provides further insight how small-scale surface features are generated by the complex interplay between mantle and lithospheric processes.

Dietary patterns in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

PubMed Central

Jones, Louise R.; Northstone, Kate

2015-01-01

Publications from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children that used empirically derived dietary patterns were reviewed. The relationships of dietary patterns with socioeconomic background and childhood development were examined. Diet was assessed using food frequency questionnaires and food records. Three statistical methods were used: principal components analysis, cluster analysis, and reduced rank regression. Throughout childhood, children and parents have similar dietary patterns. The “health-conscious” and “traditional” patterns were associated with high intakes of fruits and/or vegetables and better nutrient profiles than the “processed” patterns. There was evidence of tracking in childhood diet, with the “health-conscious” patterns tracking most strongly, followed by the “processed” pattern. An “energy-dense, low-fiber, high-fat” dietary pattern was extracted using reduced rank regression; high scores on this pattern were associated with increasing adiposity. Maternal education was a strong determinant of pattern score or cluster membership; low educational attainment was associated with higher scores on processed, energy-dense patterns in both parents and children. The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children has provided unique insights into the value of empirically derived dietary patterns and has demonstrated that they are a useful tool in nutritional epidemiology. PMID:26395343

B cell Variable genes have evolved their codon usage to focus the targeted patterns of somatic mutation on the complementarity determining regions

PubMed Central

Saini, Jasmine; Hershberg, Uri

2015-01-01

The exceptional ability of B cells to diversify through somatic mutation and improve affinity of the repertoire towards the antigens is the cornerstone of adaptive immunity. Somatic mutation is not evenly distributed and exhibits certain micro-sequence specificities. We show here that the combination of somatic mutation targeting and the codon usage in human B cell receptor (BCR) Variable (V) genes create expected patterns of mutation and post mutation changes that are focused on their complementarity determining regions (CDR). T cell V genes are also skewed in targeting mutations but to a lesser extent and are lacking the codon usage bias observed in BCRs. This suggests that the observed skew in T cell receptors is due to their amino acid usage, which is similar to that of BCRs. The mutation targeting and the codon bias allow B cell CDRs to diversify by specifically accumulating nonconservative changes. We counted the distribution of mutations to CDR in 4 different human datasets. In all four cases we found that the number of actual mutations in the CDR correlated significantly with the V gene mutation biases to the CDR predicted by our models. Finally, it appears that the mutation bias in V genes indeed relates to their long-term survival in actual human repertoires. We observed that resting repertoires of B cells overexpressed V genes that were especially biased towards focused mutation and change in the CDR. This bias in V gene usage was somewhat relaxed at the height of the immune response to a vaccine, presumably because of the need for a wider diversity in a primary response. However, older patients did not retain this flexibility and were biased towards using only highly skewed V genes at all stages of their response. PMID:25660968

B cell variable genes have evolved their codon usage to focus the targeted patterns of somatic mutation on the complementarity determining regions.

PubMed

Saini, Jasmine; Hershberg, Uri

2015-05-01

The exceptional ability of B cells to diversify through somatic mutation and improve affinity of the repertoire toward the antigens is the cornerstone of adaptive immunity. Somatic mutation is not evenly distributed and exhibits certain micro-sequence specificities. We show here that the combination of somatic mutation targeting and the codon usage in human B cell receptor (BCR) Variable (V) genes create expected patterns of mutation and post mutation changes that are focused on their complementarity determining regions (CDR). T cell V genes are also skewed in targeting mutations but to a lesser extent and are lacking the codon usage bias observed in BCRs. This suggests that the observed skew in T cell receptors is due to their amino acid usage, which is similar to that of BCRs. The mutation targeting and the codon bias allow B cell CDRs to diversify by specifically accumulating nonconservative changes. We counted the distribution of mutations to CDR in 4 different human datasets. In all four cases we found that the number of actual mutations in the CDR correlated significantly with the V gene mutation biases to the CDR predicted by our models. Finally, it appears that the mutation bias in V genes indeed relates to their long-term survival in actual human repertoires. We observed that resting repertoires of B cells overexpressed V genes that were especially biased toward focused mutation and change in the CDR. This bias in V gene usage was somewhat relaxed at the height of the immune response to a vaccine, presumably because of the need for a wider diversity in a primary response. However, older patients did not retain this flexibility and were biased toward using only highly skewed V genes at all stages of their response. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Visual Search Relates to Visual Diagnostic Performance: A Narrative Systematic Review of Eye-Tracking Research in Radiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Gijp, A.; Ravesloot, C. J.; Jarodzka, H.; van der Schaaf, M. F.; van der Schaaf, I. C.; van Schaik, J. P.; ten Cate, Th. J.

2017-01-01

Eye tracking research has been conducted for decades to gain understanding of visual diagnosis such as in radiology. For educational purposes, it is important to identify visual search patterns that are related to high perceptual performance and to identify effective teaching strategies. This review of eye-tracking literature in the radiology…

Influences of population density on polyandry and patterns of sperm usage in the marine gastropod Rapana venosa.

PubMed

Xue, Dong-Xiu; Zhang, Tao; Liu, Jin-Xian

2016-03-21

Polyandry is a common mating strategy in animals, with potential for sexual selection to continue post-copulation through sperm competition and/or cryptic female choice. Few studies have investigated the influences of population density on polyandry and sperm usage, and paternity distribution in successive broods of marine invertebrates. The marine gastropod Rapana venosa is ideal for investigating how population density influences the frequency of polyandry and elucidating patterns of sperm usage. Two different population density (12 ind/m(3) and 36 ind/m(3)) treatments with two replications were set to observe reproductive behaviors. Five microsatellite markers were used to identify the frequency of multiple paternity and determine paternal contributions to progeny arrays in 120 egg masses. All of the mean mating frequency, mean number of sires and mean egg-laying frequency were higher at high population density treatment relative to low population density treatment, indicating population density is an important factor affecting polyandry. The last sperm donors achieved high proportions of paternity in 74.77% of egg masses, which supported the "last male sperm precedence" hypothesis. In addition, high variance in reproductive success among R. venosa males were detected, which might have an important influence on effective population size.

Influences of population density on polyandry and patterns of sperm usage in the marine gastropod Rapana venosa

PubMed Central

Xue, Dong-Xiu; Zhang, Tao; Liu, Jin-Xian

2016-01-01

Polyandry is a common mating strategy in animals, with potential for sexual selection to continue post-copulation through sperm competition and/or cryptic female choice. Few studies have investigated the influences of population density on polyandry and sperm usage, and paternity distribution in successive broods of marine invertebrates. The marine gastropod Rapana venosa is ideal for investigating how population density influences the frequency of polyandry and elucidating patterns of sperm usage. Two different population density (12 ind/m3 and 36 ind/m3) treatments with two replications were set to observe reproductive behaviors. Five microsatellite markers were used to identify the frequency of multiple paternity and determine paternal contributions to progeny arrays in 120 egg masses. All of the mean mating frequency, mean number of sires and mean egg-laying frequency were higher at high population density treatment relative to low population density treatment, indicating population density is an important factor affecting polyandry. The last sperm donors achieved high proportions of paternity in 74.77% of egg masses, which supported the “last male sperm precedence” hypothesis. In addition, high variance in reproductive success among R. venosa males were detected, which might have an important influence on effective population size. PMID:26996441

Early Experiences with Mobile Electronic Health Records Application in a Tertiary Hospital in Korea

PubMed Central

Park, Minah; Hong, Eunseok; Kim, Sunhyu; Ahn, Ryeok; Hong, Jungseok; Song, Seungyeol; Kim, Tak; Kim, Jeongkeun; Yeo, Seongwoon

2015-01-01

Objectives Recent advances in mobile technology have opened up possibilities to provide strongly integrated mobile-based services in healthcare and telemedicine. Although the number of mobile Electronic Health Record (EHR) applications is large and growing, there is a paucity of evidence demonstrating the usage patterns of these mobile applications by healthcare providers. This study aimed to illustrate the deployment process for an integrated mobile EHR application and to analyze usage patterns after provision of the mobile EHR service. Methods We developed an integrated mobile application that aimed to enhance the mobility of healthcare providers by improving access to patient- and hospital-related information during their daily medical activities. The study included mobile EHR users who accessed patient healthcare records between May 2013 and May 2014. We performed a data analysis using a web server log file analyzer from the integrated EHR system. Cluster analysis was applied to longitudinal user data based on their application usage pattern. Results The mobile EHR service named M-UMIS has been in service since May 2013. Every healthcare provider in the hospital could access the mobile EHR service and view the medical charts of their patients. The frequency of using services and network packet transmission on the M-UMIS increased gradually during the study period. The most frequently accessed service in the menu was the patient list. Conclusions A better understanding regarding the adoption of mobile EHR applications by healthcare providers in patient-centered care provides useful information to guide the design and implementation of future applications. PMID:26618036

Questionnaire survey to assess the pattern and characteristics of cell-phone usage among Indian oncologists.

PubMed

Munshi, Anusheel; Dutta, Debanarayan; Tike, Pramod; Agarwal, Jai Prakash

2016-01-01

Obtain baseline data of cell-phone usage in the medical (MO), surgical (SO) and radiation (RO) oncology community practicing in India. Indigenously prepared cell-phone usage related questionnaire was used in the present study after approval by the Institutional Ethics/Scientific Committees. The questionnaire had 41 items and was made to assess the cell-phone usage parameters, utility in clinical practice, awareness, and to compare parameters between oncology specialties. Between November 2009 and January 2010, the questionnaire was sent as an E-mail attachment to 200 oncologists in India. In all, 123 responses were received (61% responders); 84 (68.3%) were RO. The median age of responders was 35 years. Overall, 80% felt handicapped without cell-phone. The Mean cell-phone score, an index to assess overall usefulness over a score of 1-10, was 6.46 (median 7, standard deviation 1.709). There was no significant difference between RO, MO and SO in duration of usage (P = 0.235), number of cell-phones (P = 0.496), call duration per day (P = 0.490) and dependence on cell-phone (P = 0.574). Age of starting cell-phone usage was earlier in RO (P = 0.086). Professional usage was significantly more by MO and SO compared to RO (P < 0.001); however, the former were less aware of any potential cell-phone hazards compared to RO (P < 0.007). The results of the first such questionnaire based study have been presented. Most oncologists consider cell-phones a useful tool in patient care. More RO are aware of potential cell-phone hazards compared to non-RO's.

Internet and smartphone application usage in eating disorders: A descriptive study in Singapore.

PubMed

Tan, Tina; Kuek, Angeline; Goh, Shih Ee; Lee, Ee Lian; Kwok, Victor

2016-02-01

Eating disorders are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The Internet is a popular medium for individuals with eating disorders to discuss and reinforce their affliction. However, the available literature on Internet usage and eating disorders is scarce, especially in the area of social media and smartphone application ("app") usage. This study looked at the Internet and smartphone app usage patterns of participants who presented with an eating disorder in Singapore, and whether it corresponded to severity of illness. Individuals who presented to the Eating Disorders clinic at the Singapore General Hospital completed a self-reported questionnaire on Internet and app usage. They also completed the EDE-Q, EAT-26 and CIA 3.0. 55 participants completed the study. 41.8% had anorexia nervosa, 34.5% had bulimia nervosa, and 9.1% were ED-NOS. 41.8% felt that apps helped to perpetuate their illness while 32.7% felt that the apps were helpful for recovery. Overall, any smartphone application usage was associated with younger age and greater eating disorder psychopathology and psychosocial impairment. While 30.9% had encountered eating disorder-related content on Facebook, only 12.7% visited Facebook groups related to eating disorders. For YouTube, "Cooking and Food" and "Beauty and Fashion" videos were among the top 3 types of videos that participants watched. In conclusion, Internet and smartphone app usage is significant, and they are associated with greater severity of illness. It is necessary to include interventions in this aspect as part of treatment of eating disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insight into pattern of codon biasness and nucleotide base usage in serotonin receptor gene family from different mammalian species.

PubMed

Dass, J Febin Prabhu; Sudandiradoss, C

2012-07-15

5-HT (5-Hydroxy-tryptamine) or serotonin receptors are found both in central and peripheral nervous system as well as in non-neuronal tissues. In the animal and human nervous system, serotonin produces various functional effects through a variety of membrane bound receptors. In this study, we focus on 5-HT receptor family from different mammals and examined the factors that account for codon and nucleotide usage variation. A total of 110 homologous coding sequences from 11 different mammalian species were analyzed using relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU), correspondence analysis (COA) and hierarchical cluster analysis together with nucleotide base usage frequency of chemically similar amino acid codons. The mean effective number of codon (ENc) value of 37.06 for 5-HT(6) shows very high codon bias within the family and may be due to high selective translational efficiency. The COA and Spearman's rank correlation reveals that the nucleotide compositional mutation bias as the major factors influencing the codon usage in serotonin receptor genes. The hierarchical cluster analysis suggests that gene function is another dominant factor that affects the codon usage bias, while species is a minor factor. Nucleotide base usage was reported using Goldman, Engelman, Stietz (GES) scale reveals the presence of high uracil (>45%) content at functionally important hydrophobic regions. Our in silico approach will certainly help for further investigations on critical inference on evolution, structure, function and gene expression aspects of 5-HT receptors family which are potential antipsychotic drug targets. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Codon usage and expression level of human mitochondrial 13 protein coding genes across six continents.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Supriyo; Uddin, Arif; Mazumder, Tarikul Huda; Choudhury, Monisha Nath; Malakar, Arup Kumar; Paul, Prosenjit; Halder, Binata; Deka, Himangshu; Mazumder, Gulshana Akthar; Barbhuiya, Riazul Ahmed; Barbhuiya, Masuk Ahmed; Devi, Warepam Jesmi

2017-12-02

The study of codon usage coupled with phylogenetic analysis is an important tool to understand the genetic and evolutionary relationship of a gene. The 13 protein coding genes of human mitochondria are involved in electron transport chain for the generation of energy currency (ATP). However, no work has yet been reported on the codon usage of the mitochondrial protein coding genes across six continents. To understand the patterns of codon usage in mitochondrial genes across six different continents, we used bioinformatic analyses to analyze the protein coding genes. The codon usage bias was low as revealed from high ENC value. Correlation between codon usage and GC3 suggested that all the codons ending with G/C were positively correlated with GC3 but vice versa for A/T ending codons with the exception of ND4L and ND5 genes. Neutrality plot revealed that for the genes ATP6, COI, COIII, CYB, ND4 and ND4L, natural selection might have played a major role while mutation pressure might have played a dominant role in the codon usage bias of ATP8, COII, ND1, ND2, ND3, ND5 and ND6 genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that evolutionary relationships in each of 13 protein coding genes of human mitochondria were different across six continents and further suggested that geographical distance was an important factor for the origin and evolution of 13 protein coding genes of human mitochondria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.

A Herbivore Knows Its Patch: Luderick, Girella tricuspidata, Exhibit Strong Site Fidelity on Shallow Subtidal Reefs in a Temperate Marine Park

PubMed Central

Ferguson, Adrian M.; Harvey, Euan S.; Taylor, Matthew D.; Knott, Nathan A.

2013-01-01

Understanding movement patterns, habitat use and behaviour of fish is critical to determining how targeted species may respond to protection provided by “no-take” sanctuary zones within marine parks. We assessed the fine and broad scale movement patterns of an exploited herbivore, luderick (Girella tricuspidata), using acoustic telemetry to evaluate how this species may respond to protection within Jervis Bay (New South Wales, Australia). We surgically implanted fourteen fish with acoustic transmitters and actively and passively tracked individuals to determine fine and broad scale movement patterns respectively. Eight fish were actively tracked for 24 h d¯1 for 6 d (May 2011), and then intermittently over the following 30 d. Six fish were passively tracked from December 2011 to March 2012, using a fixed array of receivers deployed across rocky reefs around the perimeter of the bay. Luderick exhibited strong site fidelity on shallow subtidal reefs, tending to remain on or return consistently to the reef where they were caught and released. All eight fish actively tracked used core areas solely on their release reef, with the exception of one fish that used multiple core areas, and four of the six fish passively tracked spent between 75 to 96% of days on release reefs over the entire tracking period. Luderick did move frequently to adjacent reefs, and occasionally to more distant reefs, however consistently returned to their release reef. Luderick also exhibited predictable patterns in movement between spatially distinct daytime and night-time core use areas. Night-time core use areas were generally located in sheltered areas behind the edge of reefs. Overall, our data indicate luderick exhibit strong site fidelity on shallow subtidal reefs in Jervis Bay and suggests that this important herbivore may be likely to show a positive response to protection within the marine park. PMID:23741515

A herbivore knows its patch: luderick, Girella tricuspidata, exhibit strong site fidelity on shallow subtidal reefs in a temperate marine park.

PubMed

Ferguson, Adrian M; Harvey, Euan S; Taylor, Matthew D; Knott, Nathan A

2013-01-01

Understanding movement patterns, habitat use and behaviour of fish is critical to determining how targeted species may respond to protection provided by "no-take" sanctuary zones within marine parks. We assessed the fine and broad scale movement patterns of an exploited herbivore, luderick (Girella tricuspidata), using acoustic telemetry to evaluate how this species may respond to protection within Jervis Bay (New South Wales, Australia). We surgically implanted fourteen fish with acoustic transmitters and actively and passively tracked individuals to determine fine and broad scale movement patterns respectively. Eight fish were actively tracked for 24 h d¯(1) for 6 d (May 2011), and then intermittently over the following 30 d. Six fish were passively tracked from December 2011 to March 2012, using a fixed array of receivers deployed across rocky reefs around the perimeter of the bay. Luderick exhibited strong site fidelity on shallow subtidal reefs, tending to remain on or return consistently to the reef where they were caught and released. All eight fish actively tracked used core areas solely on their release reef, with the exception of one fish that used multiple core areas, and four of the six fish passively tracked spent between 75 to 96% of days on release reefs over the entire tracking period. Luderick did move frequently to adjacent reefs, and occasionally to more distant reefs, however consistently returned to their release reef. Luderick also exhibited predictable patterns in movement between spatially distinct daytime and night-time core use areas. Night-time core use areas were generally located in sheltered areas behind the edge of reefs. Overall, our data indicate luderick exhibit strong site fidelity on shallow subtidal reefs in Jervis Bay and suggests that this important herbivore may be likely to show a positive response to protection within the marine park.

Our words, our story: a textual analysis of articles published in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association/Journal of the Medical Library Association from 1961 to 2010.

PubMed

Funk, Mark E

2013-01-01

This lecture explores changes in the medical library profession over the last fifty years, as revealed by individual word usage in a body of literature. I downloaded articles published in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association and Journal of the Medical Library Association between 1961 and 2000 to create an electronic corpus and tracked annual frequency of individual word usage. I used frequency sparklines of words, matching one of four archetypal shapes (level, rise, fall, and rise-and-fall) to identify significant words. Most significant words fell into the categories of environment, management, technology, and research. Based on word usage changes, the following trends are revealed: Compared to 1961, today's medical librarians are more concerned with digital information, not physical packages. We prefer information to be evidence-based. We focus more on health than medicine. We are reaching out to new constituents, sometimes leaving our building to do so. Teaching has become important for us. We run our libraries more like businesses, using constantly changing technology. We are publishing more research articles. Although these words were chosen by individual authors to tell their particular stories, in the aggregate, our words reveal our story of change in our profession.

The Internet: Trends and Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Byron

1996-01-01

Examines current trends and directions in information technology and telecommunications. Discusses legislation; mergers and acquisitions; Internet service providers; fiscal control in libraries and the pooling of electronic information access through consortiums; demand for more bandwidth; technology selection; Internet usage patterns; the…

Emerging European winter precipitation pattern linked to atmospheric circulation changes over the North Atlantic region in recent decades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ummenhofer, Caroline C.; Seo, Hyodae; Kwon, Young-Oh; Parfitt, Rhys; Brands, Swen; Joyce, Terrence M.

2017-08-01

Dominant European winter precipitation patterns over the past century, along with their associated extratropical North Atlantic circulation changes, are evaluated using cluster analysis. Contrary to the four regimes traditionally identified based on daily wintertime atmospheric circulation patterns, five distinct seasonal precipitation regimes are detected here. Recurrent precipitation patterns in each regime are linked to changes in atmospheric blocking, storm track, and sea surface temperatures across the North Atlantic region. Multidecadal variability in the frequency of the precipitation patterns reveals more (fewer) winters with wet conditions in northern (southern) Europe in recent decades and an emerging distinct pattern of enhanced wintertime precipitation over the northern British Isles. This pattern has become unusually common since the 1980s and is associated with changes in moisture transport and more frequent atmospheric river events. The observed precipitation changes post-1950 coincide with changes in storm track activity over the central/eastern North Atlantic toward the northern British Isles.

Is health literacy related to health behaviors and cell phone usage patterns among the text4baby target population?

PubMed

Poorman, Elisabeth; Gazmararian, Julie; Elon, Lisa; Parker, Ruth

2014-01-01

Text4baby provides educational text messages to pregnant and postpartum women and targets underserved women. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the health behaviors and cell phone usage patterns of a text4baby target population and the associations with health literacy. Pregnant and postpartum women were recruited from two Women, Infant and Children clinics in Atlanta. Women were asked about their demographics, selected pregnancy or postpartum health behaviors, and cell phone usage patterns. Health literacy skills were measured with the English version of the Newest Vital Sign. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine health behaviors and cell usage patterns by health literacy classification, controlling for commonly accepted confounders. Four hundred sixty-eight women were recruited, and 445 completed the Newest Vital Sign. Of these, 22% had inadequate health literacy, 50% had intermediate health literacy, and 28% had adequate health literacy skills. Compared to adequate health literacy, limited literacy was independently associated with not taking a daily vitamin during pregnancy (OR 3.6, 95% CI: 1.6, 8.5) and never breastfeeding their infant (OR 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.8). The majority (69.4%) of respondents received nine or more text messages a day prior to enrollment, one in four participants (24.6%) had changed their number within the last six months, and 7.0% of study participants shared a cell phone. Controlling for potentially confounding factors, those with limited health literacy were more likely to share a cell phone than those with adequate health literacy (OR 2.57, 95% CI: 1.79, 3.69). Text4baby messages should be appropriate for low health literacy levels, especially as this population may have higher prevalence of targeted unhealthy behaviors. Text4baby and other mhealth programs targetting low health literacy populations should also be aware of the different ways that these populations use their cell phones, including: sharing cell phones, which may mean participants will not receive messages or have special privacy concerns; frequently changing cell phone numbers which could lead to higher drop-off rates; and the penetrance of text messages in a population that receives many messages daily.

Intelligent data processing of an ultrasonic sensor system for pattern recognition improvements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na, Seung You; Park, Min-Sang; Hwang, Won-Gul; Kee, Chang-Doo

1999-05-01

Though conventional time-of-flight ultrasonic sensor systems are popular due to the advantages of low cost and simplicity, the usage of the sensors is rather narrowly restricted within object detection and distance readings. There is a strong need to enlarge the amount of environmental information for mobile applications to provide intelligent autonomy. Wide sectors of such neighboring object recognition problems can be satisfactorily handled with coarse vision data such as sonar maps instead of accurate laser or optic measurements. For the usage of object pattern recognition, ultrasonic senors have inherent shortcomings of poor directionality and specularity which result in low spatial resolution and indistinctiveness of object patterns. To resolve these problems an array of increased number of sensor elements has been used for large objects. In this paper we propose a method of sensor array system with improved recognition capability using electronic circuits accompanying the sensor array and neuro-fuzzy processing of data fusion. The circuit changes transmitter output voltages of array elements in several steps. Relying upon the known sensor characteristics, a set of different return signals from neighboring senors is manipulated to provide an enhanced pattern recognition in the aspects of inclination angle, size and shift as well as distance of objects. The results show improved resolution of the measurements for smaller targets.

The Relationship of Static Tibial Tubercle-Trochlear Groove Measurement and Dynamic Patellar Tracking.

PubMed

Carlson, Victor R; Sheehan, Frances T; Shen, Aricia; Yao, Lawrence; Jackson, Jennifer N; Boden, Barry P

2017-07-01

The tibial tubercle to trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance is used for screening patients with a variety of patellofemoral joint disorders to determine who may benefit from patellar medialization using a tibial tubercle osteotomy. Clinically, the TT-TG distance is predominately based on static imaging with the knee in full extension; however, the predictive ability of this measure for dynamic patellar tracking patterns is unknown. To determine whether the static TT-TG distance can predict dynamic lateral displacement of the patella. Cohort study (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. The static TT-TG distance was measured at full extension for 70 skeletally mature subjects with (n = 32) and without (n = 38) patellofemoral pain. The dynamic patellar tracking patterns were assessed from approximately 45° to 0° of knee flexion by use of dynamic cine-phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging. For each subject, the value of dynamic lateral tracking corresponding to the exact knee angle measured in the static images for that subject was identified. Linear regression analysis determined the predictive ability of static TT-TG distance for dynamic patellar lateral displacement for each cohort. The static TT-TG distance measured with the knee in full extension cannot accurately predict dynamic lateral displacement of the patella. There was weak predictive ability among subjects with patellofemoral pain ( r 2 = 0.18, P = .02) and no predictive capability among controls. Among subjects with patellofemoral pain and static TT-TG distances 15 mm or more, 8 of 13 subjects (62%) demonstrated neutral or medial patellar tracking patterns. The static TT-TG distance cannot accurately predict dynamic lateral displacement of the patella. A large percentage of patients with patellofemoral pain and pathologically large TT-TG distances may have neutral to medial maltracking patterns.

The AMchip04 and the processing unit prototype for the FastTracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreani, A.; Annovi, A.; Beretta, M.; Bogdan, M.; Citterio, M.; Alberti, F.; Giannetti, P.; Lanza, A.; Magalotti, D.; Piendibene, M.; Shochet, M.; Stabile, A.; Tang, J.; Tompkins, L.; Volpi, G.

2012-08-01

Modern experiments search for extremely rare processes hidden in much larger background levels. As the experiment`s complexity, the accelerator backgrounds and luminosity increase we need increasingly complex and exclusive event selection. We present the first prototype of a new Processing Unit (PU), the core of the FastTracker processor (FTK). FTK is a real time tracking device for the ATLAS experiment`s trigger upgrade. The computing power of the PU is such that a few hundred of them will be able to reconstruct all the tracks with transverse momentum above 1 GeV/c in ATLAS events up to Phase II instantaneous luminosities (3 × 1034 cm-2 s-1) with an event input rate of 100 kHz and a latency below a hundred microseconds. The PU provides massive computing power to minimize the online execution time of complex tracking algorithms. The time consuming pattern recognition problem, generally referred to as the ``combinatorial challenge'', is solved by the Associative Memory (AM) technology exploiting parallelism to the maximum extent; it compares the event to all pre-calculated ``expectations'' or ``patterns'' (pattern matching) simultaneously, looking for candidate tracks called ``roads''. This approach reduces to a linear behavior the typical exponential complexity of the CPU based algorithms. Pattern recognition is completed by the time data are loaded into the AM devices. We report on the design of the first Processing Unit prototypes. The design had to address the most challenging aspects of this technology: a huge number of detector clusters (``hits'') must be distributed at high rate with very large fan-out to all patterns (10 Million patterns will be located on 128 chips placed on a single board) and a huge number of roads must be collected and sent back to the FTK post-pattern-recognition functions. A network of high speed serial links is used to solve the data distribution problem.

An overview of the energy situation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pitts, D. R.

1978-01-01

Beginning with a historical review of the domestic pattern of energy usage, the current dependence of the United States upon dwindling petroleum resources is examined. The possible limit of petroleum usage is discussed, and recent oil production trends are presented. Coupling these with projected analyses of OPEC oil productive capability in the early 1980's indicates a serious worldwide as well as American energy problem in the next decade. The need for conservation and rapid development of application of alternative energy resources is discussed including quantitative projections of significant conservation efforts as well as estimates of domestic alternative energy resource capabilities.

Quantifying Wikipedia Usage Patterns Before Stock Market Moves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moat, Helen Susannah; Curme, Chester; Avakian, Adam; Kenett, Dror Y.; Stanley, H. Eugene; Preis, Tobias

2013-05-01

Financial crises result from a catastrophic combination of actions. Vast stock market datasets offer us a window into some of the actions that have led to these crises. Here, we investigate whether data generated through Internet usage contain traces of attempts to gather information before trading decisions were taken. We present evidence in line with the intriguing suggestion that data on changes in how often financially related Wikipedia pages were viewed may have contained early signs of stock market moves. Our results suggest that online data may allow us to gain new insight into early information gathering stages of decision making.

Quantifying Wikipedia Usage Patterns Before Stock Market Moves

PubMed Central

Moat, Helen Susannah; Curme, Chester; Avakian, Adam; Kenett, Dror Y.; Stanley, H. Eugene; Preis, Tobias

2013-01-01

Financial crises result from a catastrophic combination of actions. Vast stock market datasets offer us a window into some of the actions that have led to these crises. Here, we investigate whether data generated through Internet usage contain traces of attempts to gather information before trading decisions were taken. We present evidence in line with the intriguing suggestion that data on changes in how often financially related Wikipedia pages were viewed may have contained early signs of stock market moves. Our results suggest that online data may allow us to gain new insight into early information gathering stages of decision making.

Comparative evolutionary genomics of Corynebacterium with special reference to codon and amino acid usage diversities.

PubMed

Pal, Shilpee; Sarkar, Indrani; Roy, Ayan; Mohapatra, Pradeep K Das; Mondal, Keshab C; Sen, Arnab

2018-02-01

The present study has been aimed to the comparative analysis of high GC composition containing Corynebacterium genomes and their evolutionary study by exploring codon and amino acid usage patterns. Phylogenetic study by MLSA approach, indel analysis and BLAST matrix differentiated Corynebacterium species in pathogenic and non-pathogenic clusters. Correspondence analysis on synonymous codon usage reveals that, gene length, optimal codon frequencies and tRNA abundance affect the gene expression of Corynebacterium. Most of the optimal codons as well as translationally optimal codons are C ending i.e. RNY (R-purine, N-any nucleotide base, and Y-pyrimidine) and reveal translational selection pressure on codon bias of Corynebacterium. Amino acid usage is affected by hydrophobicity, aromaticity, protein energy cost, etc. Highly expressed genes followed the cost minimization hypothesis and are less diverged at their synonymous positions of codons. Functional analysis of core genes shows significant difference in pathogenic and non-pathogenic Corynebacterium. The study reveals close relationship between non-pathogenic and opportunistic pathogenic Corynebaterium as well as between molecular evolution and survival niches of the organism.

Deformation-induced speckle-pattern evolution and feasibility of correlational speckle tracking in optical coherence elastography.

PubMed

Zaitsev, Vladimir Y; Matveyev, Alexandr L; Matveev, Lev A; Gelikonov, Grigory V; Gelikonov, Valentin M; Vitkin, Alex

2015-07-01

Feasibility of speckle tracking in optical coherence tomography (OCT) based on digital image correlation (DIC) is discussed in the context of elastography problems. Specifics of applying DIC methods to OCT, compared to processing of photographic images in mechanical engineering applications, are emphasized and main complications are pointed out. Analytical arguments are augmented by accurate numerical simulations of OCT speckle patterns. In contrast to DIC processing for displacement and strain estimation in photographic images, the accuracy of correlational speckle tracking in deformed OCT images is strongly affected by the coherent nature of speckles, for which strain-induced complications of speckle “blinking” and “boiling” are typical. The tracking accuracy is further compromised by the usually more pronounced pixelated structure of OCT scans compared with digital photographic images in classical DIC applications. Processing of complex-valued OCT data (comprising both amplitude and phase) compared to intensity-only scans mitigates these deleterious effects to some degree. Criteria of the attainable speckle tracking accuracy and its dependence on the key OCT system parameters are established.

Enhanced condensation heat transfer with wettability patterning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha Mahapatra, Pallab; Ghosh, Aritra; Ganguly, Ranjan; Megaridis, Constantine

2015-11-01

Condensation of water vapor on metal surfaces is useful for many engineering applications. A facile and scalable method is proposed for removing condensate from a vertical plate during dropwise condensation (DWC) in the presence of non-condensable gases (NCG). We use wettability-patterned superhydrophilic tracks (filmwise condensing domains) on a mirror-finish (hydrophilic) aluminum surface that promotes DWC. Tapered, horizontal ``collection'' tracks are laid to create a Laplace pressure driven flow, which collects condensate from the mirror-finish domains and sends it to vertical ``drainage tracks'' for gravity-induced shedding. An optimal design is achieved by changing the fractional area of superhydrophilic tracks with respect to the overall plate surface, and augmenting capillary-driven condensate-drainage by adjusting the track spatial layout. The design facilitates pump-less condensate drainage and enhances DWC heat transfer on the mirror-finish regions. The study highlights the relative influences of the promoting and retarding effects of dropwise and filmwise condensation zones on the overall heat transfer improvement on the substrate. The study demonstrated ~ 34% heat transfer improvement on Aluminum surface for the optimized design.

Improving maximum power point tracking of partially shaded photovoltaic system by using IPSO-BELBIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Alim El-Garhy, M. Abd; Mubarak, R. I.; El-Bably, M.

2017-08-01

Solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays in remote applications are often related to the rapid changes in the partial shading pattern. Rapid changes of the partial shading pattern make the tracking of maximum power point (MPP) of the global peak through the local ones too difficult. An essential need to make a fast and efficient algorithm to detect the peaks values which always vary as the sun irradiance changes. This paper presents two algorithms based on the improved particle swarm optimization technique one of them with PID controller (IPSO-PID), and the other one with Brain Emotional Learning Based Intelligent Controller (IPSO-BELBIC). These techniques improve the maximum power point (MPP) tracking capabilities for photovoltaic (PV) system under partial shading circumstances. The main aim of these improved algorithms is to accelerate the velocity of IPSO to reach to (MPP) and increase its efficiency. These algorithms also improve the tracking time under complex irradiance conditions. Based on these conditions, the tracking time of these presented techniques improves to 2 msec, with an efficiency of 100%.

Adaptive Resource Utilization Prediction System for Infrastructure as a Service Cloud.

PubMed

Zia Ullah, Qazi; Hassan, Shahzad; Khan, Gul Muhammad

2017-01-01

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud provides resources as a service from a pool of compute, network, and storage resources. Cloud providers can manage their resource usage by knowing future usage demand from the current and past usage patterns of resources. Resource usage prediction is of great importance for dynamic scaling of cloud resources to achieve efficiency in terms of cost and energy consumption while keeping quality of service. The purpose of this paper is to present a real-time resource usage prediction system. The system takes real-time utilization of resources and feeds utilization values into several buffers based on the type of resources and time span size. Buffers are read by R language based statistical system. These buffers' data are checked to determine whether their data follows Gaussian distribution or not. In case of following Gaussian distribution, Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) is applied; otherwise Autoregressive Neural Network (AR-NN) is applied. In ARIMA process, a model is selected based on minimum Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) values. Similarly, in AR-NN process, a network with the lowest Network Information Criterion (NIC) value is selected. We have evaluated our system with real traces of CPU utilization of an IaaS cloud of one hundred and twenty servers.

Adaptive Resource Utilization Prediction System for Infrastructure as a Service Cloud

PubMed Central

Hassan, Shahzad; Khan, Gul Muhammad

2017-01-01

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud provides resources as a service from a pool of compute, network, and storage resources. Cloud providers can manage their resource usage by knowing future usage demand from the current and past usage patterns of resources. Resource usage prediction is of great importance for dynamic scaling of cloud resources to achieve efficiency in terms of cost and energy consumption while keeping quality of service. The purpose of this paper is to present a real-time resource usage prediction system. The system takes real-time utilization of resources and feeds utilization values into several buffers based on the type of resources and time span size. Buffers are read by R language based statistical system. These buffers' data are checked to determine whether their data follows Gaussian distribution or not. In case of following Gaussian distribution, Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) is applied; otherwise Autoregressive Neural Network (AR-NN) is applied. In ARIMA process, a model is selected based on minimum Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) values. Similarly, in AR-NN process, a network with the lowest Network Information Criterion (NIC) value is selected. We have evaluated our system with real traces of CPU utilization of an IaaS cloud of one hundred and twenty servers. PMID:28811819

Tracking the NGS revolution: managing life science research on shared high-performance computing clusters.

PubMed

Dahlö, Martin; Scofield, Douglas G; Schaal, Wesley; Spjuth, Ola

2018-05-01

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has transformed the life sciences, and many research groups are newly dependent upon computer clusters to store and analyze large datasets. This creates challenges for e-infrastructures accustomed to hosting computationally mature research in other sciences. Using data gathered from our own clusters at UPPMAX computing center at Uppsala University, Sweden, where core hour usage of ∼800 NGS and ∼200 non-NGS projects is now similar, we compare and contrast the growth, administrative burden, and cluster usage of NGS projects with projects from other sciences. The number of NGS projects has grown rapidly since 2010, with growth driven by entry of new research groups. Storage used by NGS projects has grown more rapidly since 2013 and is now limited by disk capacity. NGS users submit nearly twice as many support tickets per user, and 11 more tools are installed each month for NGS projects than for non-NGS projects. We developed usage and efficiency metrics and show that computing jobs for NGS projects use more RAM than non-NGS projects, are more variable in core usage, and rarely span multiple nodes. NGS jobs use booked resources less efficiently for a variety of reasons. Active monitoring can improve this somewhat. Hosting NGS projects imposes a large administrative burden at UPPMAX due to large numbers of inexperienced users and diverse and rapidly evolving research areas. We provide a set of recommendations for e-infrastructures that host NGS research projects. We provide anonymized versions of our storage, job, and efficiency databases.

Tracking the NGS revolution: managing life science research on shared high-performance computing clusters

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Abstract Background Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has transformed the life sciences, and many research groups are newly dependent upon computer clusters to store and analyze large datasets. This creates challenges for e-infrastructures accustomed to hosting computationally mature research in other sciences. Using data gathered from our own clusters at UPPMAX computing center at Uppsala University, Sweden, where core hour usage of ∼800 NGS and ∼200 non-NGS projects is now similar, we compare and contrast the growth, administrative burden, and cluster usage of NGS projects with projects from other sciences. Results The number of NGS projects has grown rapidly since 2010, with growth driven by entry of new research groups. Storage used by NGS projects has grown more rapidly since 2013 and is now limited by disk capacity. NGS users submit nearly twice as many support tickets per user, and 11 more tools are installed each month for NGS projects than for non-NGS projects. We developed usage and efficiency metrics and show that computing jobs for NGS projects use more RAM than non-NGS projects, are more variable in core usage, and rarely span multiple nodes. NGS jobs use booked resources less efficiently for a variety of reasons. Active monitoring can improve this somewhat. Conclusions Hosting NGS projects imposes a large administrative burden at UPPMAX due to large numbers of inexperienced users and diverse and rapidly evolving research areas. We provide a set of recommendations for e-infrastructures that host NGS research projects. We provide anonymized versions of our storage, job, and efficiency databases. PMID:29659792

Unobtrusive measurement of daily computer use to detect mild cognitive impairment

PubMed Central

Kaye, Jeffrey; Mattek, Nora; Dodge, Hiroko H; Campbell, Ian; Hayes, Tamara; Austin, Daniel; Hatt, William; Wild, Katherine; Jimison, Holly; Pavel, Michael

2013-01-01

Background Mild disturbances of higher order activities of daily living are present in people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). These deficits may be difficult to detect among those still living independently. Unobtrusive continuous assessment of a complex activity such as home computer use may detect mild functional changes and identify MCI. We sought to determine whether long-term changes in remotely monitored computer use differ in persons with MCI in comparison to cognitively intact volunteers. Methods Participants enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study of unobtrusive in-home technologies to detect cognitive and motor decline in independently living seniors were assessed for computer usage (number of days with use, mean daily usage and coefficient of variation of use) measured by remotely monitoring computer session start and end times. Results Over 230,000 computer sessions from 113 computer users (mean age, 85; 38 with MCI) were acquired during a mean of 36 months. In mixed effects models there was no difference in computer usage at baseline between MCI and intact participants controlling for age, sex, education, race and computer experience. However, over time, between MCI and intact participants, there was a significant decrease in number of days with use (p=0.01), mean daily usage (~1% greater decrease/month; p=0.009) and an increase in day-to-day use variability (p=0.002). Conclusions Computer use change can be unobtrusively monitored and indicate individuals with MCI. With 79% of those 55–64 years old now online, this may be an ecologically valid and efficient approach to track subtle clinically meaningful change with aging. PMID:23688576

Associations among personal care product use patterns and exogenous hormone use in the NIEHS Sister Study.

PubMed

Taylor, Kyla W; Baird, Donna D; Herring, Amy H; Engel, Lawrence S; Nichols, Hazel B; Sandler, Dale P; Troester, Melissa A

2017-09-01

It is hypothesized that certain chemicals in personal care products may alter the risk of adverse health outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to use a data-centered approach to classify complex patterns of exposure to personal care products and to understand how these patterns vary according to use of exogenous hormone exposures, oral contraceptives (OCs) and post-menopausal hormone therapy (HT). The NIEHS Sister Study is a prospective cohort study of 50,884 US women. Limiting the sample to non-Hispanic blacks and whites (N=47,019), latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify groups of individuals with similar patterns of personal care product use based on responses to 48 survey questions. Personal care products were categorized into three product types (beauty, hair, and skincare products) and separate latent classes were constructed for each type. Adjusted prevalence differences (PD) were calculated to estimate the association between exogenous hormone use, as measured by ever/never OC or HT use, and patterns of personal care product use. LCA reduced data dimensionality by grouping of individuals with similar patterns of personal care product use into mutually exclusive latent classes (three latent classes for beauty product use, three for hair, and four for skin care. There were strong differences in personal care usage by race, particularly for haircare products. For both blacks and whites, exogenous hormone exposures were associated with higher levels of product use, especially beauty and skincare products. Relative to individual product use questions, latent class variables capture complex patterns of personal care product usage. These patterns differed by race and were associated with ever OC and HT use. Future studies should consider personal care product exposures with other exogenous exposures when modeling health risks.

Associations among personal care product use patterns and exogenous hormone use in the NIEHS Sister Study

PubMed Central

Taylor, Kyla W.; Baird, Donna D.; Herring, Amy H.; Engel, Lawrence S.; Nichols, Hazel B.; Sandler, Dale P.; Troester, Melissa A.

2017-01-01

It is hypothesized that certain chemicals in personal care products may alter the risk of adverse health outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to use a data-centered approach to classify complex patterns of exposure to personal care products and to understand how these patterns vary according to use of exogenous hormone exposures, oral contraceptives (OCs) and post-menopausal hormone therapy (HT). The NIEHS Sister Study is a prospective cohort study of 50,884 US women. Limiting the sample to non-Hispanic blacks and whites (N = 47,019), latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify groups of individuals with similar patterns of personal care product use based on responses to 48 survey questions. Personal care products were categorized into three product types (beauty, hair, and skincare products) and separate latent classes were constructed for each type. Adjusted prevalence differences (PD) were calculated to estimate the association between exogenous hormone use, as measured by ever/never OC or HT use, and patterns of personal care product use. LCA reduced data dimensionality by grouping of individuals with similar patterns of personal care product use into mutually exclusive latent classes (three latent classes for beauty product use, three for hair, and four for skin care. There were strong differences in personal care usage by race, particularly for haircare products. For both blacks and whites, exogenous hormone exposures were associated with higher levels of product use, especially beauty and skincare products. Relative to individual product use questions, latent class variables capture complex patterns of personal care product usage. These patterns differed by race and were associated with ever OC and HT use. Future studies should consider personal care product exposures with other exogenous exposures when modeling health risks. PMID:28120835

The influence of linguistic and cognitive factors on the time course of verb-based implicit causality.

PubMed

Koornneef, Arnout; Dotlačil, Jakub; van den Broek, Paul; Sanders, Ted

2016-01-01

In three eye-tracking experiments the influence of the Dutch causal connective "want" (because) and the working memory capacity of readers on the usage of verb-based implicit causality was examined. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that although a causal connective is not required to activate implicit causality information during reading, effects of implicit causality surfaced more rapidly and were more pronounced when a connective was present in the discourse than when it was absent. In addition, Experiment 3 revealed that-in contrast to previous claims-the activation of implicit causality is not a resource-consuming mental operation. Moreover, readers with higher and lower working memory capacities behaved differently in a dual-task situation. Higher span readers were more likely to use implicit causality when they had all their working memory resources at their disposal. Lower span readers showed the opposite pattern as they were more likely to use the implicit causality cue in the case of an additional working memory load. The results emphasize that both linguistic and cognitive factors mediate the impact of implicit causality on text comprehension. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of the ongoing controversies in the literature-that is, the focusing-integration debate and the debates on the source of implicit causality.

Utilization of personal digital assistants (PDAS) by pediatric and emergency medicine residents.

PubMed

Khan, Abu N G A; Frank, Joshua; Geria, Rajesh; Davidson, Steven

2007-05-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the current personal digital assistant (PDA) usage patterns of the residents and their interest in future PDA-based applications. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among the Pediatrics (Peds) and Emergency Medicine (EM) residents in an urban teaching hospital. Data points included level of training, specialty of training, experience of use of different PDA devices, use of current software applications, and interest in future applications. A total of 60/74 (81%) eligible residents participated in the study. Palm (Palm Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) was the most commonly used operating system (82%). Among the PDA users, 82% reported using the device several times a day, and 16% used them a few times a week. The most commonly used applications included the simple calculator (81%), drug references (80%), medical calculators (75%), electronic textbooks (66%), and schedule and contact information (42%). In addition, residents showed interest in using PDA applications for procedure logs, patient tracking, and prescription writing. No significant differences were noted in the frequency and expertise of using PDAs between the Peds and EM residents (p = 0.29). Our data show current trends of use of PDAs by Peds and EM residents and their interest for future applications.

76 FR 12404 - Noise Exposure Map Notice; Jackson-Evers International Airport, Jackson, MS

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-07

...-2, Runways 16L/16R Radar and Modeled Flight Tracks for Departures and Arrivals; Figure 5-3, Runways 34L/34R Radar and Modeled Flight Tracks for Departures and Arrivals; Figure 5-4, Runways 16L/16R Radar and Modeled Flight Tracks for Flight Patterns; Figure 5-5, Runways 34L/34R Radar and Modeled Flight...

Temporal stability of visual search-driven biometrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Hong-Jun; Carmichael, Tandy R.; Tourassi, Georgia

2015-03-01

Previously, we have shown the potential of using an individual's visual search pattern as a possible biometric. That study focused on viewing images displaying dot-patterns with different spatial relationships to determine which pattern can be more effective in establishing the identity of an individual. In this follow-up study we investigated the temporal stability of this biometric. We performed an experiment with 16 individuals asked to search for a predetermined feature of a random-dot pattern as we tracked their eye movements. Each participant completed four testing sessions consisting of two dot patterns repeated twice. One dot pattern displayed concentric circles shifted to the left or right side of the screen overlaid with visual noise, and participants were asked which side the circles were centered on. The second dot-pattern displayed a number of circles (between 0 and 4) scattered on the screen overlaid with visual noise, and participants were asked how many circles they could identify. Each session contained 5 untracked tutorial questions and 50 tracked test questions (200 total tracked questions per participant). To create each participant's "fingerprint", we constructed a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) from the gaze data representing the underlying visual search and cognitive process. The accuracy of the derived HMM models was evaluated using cross-validation for various time-dependent train-test conditions. Subject identification accuracy ranged from 17.6% to 41.8% for all conditions, which is significantly higher than random guessing (1/16 = 6.25%). The results suggest that visual search pattern is a promising, temporally stable personalized fingerprint of perceptual organization.

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

Yoon, Hong-Jun; Carmichael, Tandy; Tourassi, Georgia

Previously, we have shown the potential of using an individual s visual search pattern as a possible biometric. That study focused on viewing images displaying dot-patterns with different spatial relationships to determine which pattern can be more effective in establishing the identity of an individual. In this follow-up study we investigated the temporal stability of this biometric. We performed an experiment with 16 individuals asked to search for a predetermined feature of a random-dot pattern as we tracked their eye movements. Each participant completed four testing sessions consisting of two dot patterns repeated twice. One dot pattern displayed concentric circlesmore » shifted to the left or right side of the screen overlaid with visual noise, and participants were asked which side the circles were centered on. The second dot-pattern displayed a number of circles (between 0 and 4) scattered on the screen overlaid with visual noise, and participants were asked how many circles they could identify. Each session contained 5 untracked tutorial questions and 50 tracked test questions (200 total tracked questions per participant). To create each participant s "fingerprint", we constructed a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) from the gaze data representing the underlying visual search and cognitive process. The accuracy of the derived HMM models was evaluated using cross-validation for various time-dependent train-test conditions. Subject identification accuracy ranged from 17.6% to 41.8% for all conditions, which is significantly higher than random guessing (1/16 = 6.25%). The results suggest that visual search pattern is a promising, fairly stable personalized fingerprint of perceptual organization.« less

Integrating an object system into CLIPS: Language design and implementation issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Auburn, Mark

1990-01-01

This paper describes the reasons why an object system with integrated pattern-matching and object-oriented programming facilities is desirable for CLIPS and how it is possible to integrate such a system into CLIPS while maintaining the run-time performance and the low memory usage for which CLIPS is known. The requirements for an object system in CLIPS that includes object-oriented programming and integrated pattern-matching are discussed and various techniques for optimizing the object system and its integration with the pattern-matcher are presented.

Electronics systems test laboratory testing of shuttle communications systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoker, C. J.; Bromley, L. K.

1985-01-01

Shuttle communications and tracking systems space to space and space to ground compatibility and performance evaluations are conducted in the NASA Johnson Space Center Electronics Systems Test Laboratory (ESTL). This evaluation is accomplished through systems verification/certification tests using orbiter communications hardware in conjunction with other shuttle communications and tracking external elements to evaluate end to end system compatibility and to verify/certify that overall system performance meets program requirements before manned flight usage. In this role, the ESTL serves as a multielement major ground test facility. The ESTL capability and program concept are discussed. The system test philosophy for the complex communications channels is described in terms of the major phases. Results of space to space and space to ground systems tests are presented. Several examples of the ESTL's unique capabilities to locate and help resolve potential problems are discussed in detail.

Towards understanding addiction factors of mobile devices: An eye tracking study on effect of screen size.

PubMed

Wibirama, Sunu; Nugroho, Hanung A

2017-07-01

Mobile devices addiction has been an important research topic in cognitive science, mental health, and human-machine interaction. Previous works observed mobile device addiction by logging mobile devices activity. Although immersion has been linked as a significant predictor of video game addiction, investigation on addiction factors of mobile device with behavioral measurement has never been done before. In this research, we demonstrated the usage of eye tracking to observe effect of screen size on experience of immersion. We compared subjective judgment with eye movements analysis. Non-parametric analysis on immersion score shows that screen size affects experience of immersion (p<;0.05). Furthermore, our experimental results suggest that fixational eye movements may be used as an indicator for future investigation of mobile devices addiction. Our experimental results are also useful to develop a guideline as well as intervention strategy to deal with smartphone addiction.

Older Adults' Acceptance of Activity Trackers

PubMed Central

Preusse, Kimberly C.; Mitzner, Tracy L.; Fausset, Cara Bailey; Rogers, Wendy A.

2016-01-01

Objective To assess the usability and acceptance of activity tracking technologies by older adults. Method First in our multi-method approach, we conducted heuristic evaluations of two activity trackers that revealed potential usability barriers to acceptance. Next, questionnaires and interviews were administered to 16 older adults (Mage=70, SDage=3.09, rangeage= 65-75) before and after a 28-day field study to understand facilitators and additional barriers to acceptance. These measurements were supplemented with diary and usage data and assessed if and why users overcame usability issues. Results The heuristic evaluation revealed usability barriers in System Status Visibility; Error Prevention; and Consistency and Standards. The field study revealed additional barriers (e.g., accuracy, format), and acceptance-facilitators (e.g., goal-tracking, usefulness, encouragement). Discussion The acceptance of wellness management technologies, such as activity trackers, may be increased by addressing acceptance-barriers during deployment (e.g., providing tutorials on features that were challenging, communicating usefulness). PMID:26753803

Wireless inertial measurement unit with GPS (WIMU-GPS)--wearable monitoring platform for ecological assessment of lifespace and mobility in aging and disease.

PubMed

Boissy, Patrick; Brière, Simon; Hamel, Mathieu; Jog, Mandar; Speechley, Mark; Karelis, Antony; Frank, James; Vincent, Claude; Edwards, Rodrick; Duval, Christian

2011-01-01

This paper proposes an innovative ambulatory mobility and activity monitoring approach based on a wearable datalogging platform that combines inertial sensing with GPS tracking to assess the lifespace and mobility profile of individuals in their home and community environments. The components, I/O architecture, sensors and functions of the WIMU-GPS are presented. Outcome variables that can be measured with it are described and illustrated. Data on the power usage, operating autonomy of the WIMU-GPS and the GPS tracking performances and time to first fix of the unit are presented. The study of lifespace and mobility with the WIMU-GPS can potentially provide unique insights into intrapersonal and environmental factors contributing to mobility restriction. On-going studies are underway to establish the validity and reliability of the WIMU-GPS in characterizing the lifespace and mobility profile of older adults.

Tracking, aiming, and hitting the UAV with ordinary assault rifle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Racek, František; Baláž, Teodor; Krejčí, Jaroslav; Procházka, Stanislav; Macko, Martin

2017-10-01

The usage small-unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is significantly increasing nowadays. They are being used as a carrier of military spy and reconnaissance devices (taking photos, live video streaming and so on), or as a carrier of potentially dangerous cargo (intended for destruction and killing). Both ways of utilizing the UAV cause the necessity to disable it. From the military point of view, to disable the UAV means to bring it down by a weapon of an ordinary soldier that is the assault rifle. This task can be challenging for the soldier because he needs visually detect and identify the target, track the target visually and aim on the target. The final success of the soldier's mission depends not only on the said visual tasks, but also on the properties of the weapon and ammunition. The paper deals with possible methods of prediction of probability of hitting the UAV targets.

Roadway usage patterns : urban case studies - final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-01-01

The Orlando Test Network Study was one of a series of investigations conducted as part of the TravTek operational test of an advanced traveler information and traffic management system (ATIS/ATMS). The TravTek system consisted of the Orlando Traffic ...

Disruptive technologies for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority business strategy exploration.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-04-01

There are three tasks for this research : 1. Methodology to extract Road Usage Patterns from Phone Data: We combined the : most complete record of daily mobility, based on large-scale mobile phone data, with : detailed Geographic Information System (...

A spatial approach for the epidemiology of antibiotic use and resistance in community-based studies: the emergence of urban clusters of Escherichia coli quinolone resistance in Sao Paulo, Brasil

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Population antimicrobial use may influence resistance emergence. Resistance is an ecological phenomenon due to potential transmissibility. We investigated spatial and temporal patterns of ciprofloxacin (CIP) population consumption related to E. coli resistance emergence and dissemination in a major Brazilian city. A total of 4,372 urinary tract infection E. coli cases, with 723 CIP resistant, were identified in 2002 from two outpatient centres. Cases were address geocoded in a digital map. Raw CIP consumption data was transformed into usage density in DDDs by CIP selling points influence zones determination. A stochastic model coupled with a Geographical Information System was applied for relating resistance and usage density and for detecting city areas of high/low resistance risk. Results E. coli CIP resistant cluster emergence was detected and significantly related to usage density at a level of 5 to 9 CIP DDDs. There were clustered hot-spots and a significant global spatial variation in the residual resistance risk after allowing for usage density. Conclusions There were clustered hot-spots and a significant global spatial variation in the residual resistance risk after allowing for usage density. The usage density of 5-9 CIP DDDs per 1,000 inhabitants within the same influence zone was the resistance triggering level. This level led to E. coli resistance clustering, proving that individual resistance emergence and dissemination was affected by antimicrobial population consumption. PMID:21356088

Uncertainty Footprint: Visualization of Nonuniform Behavior of Iterative Algorithms Applied to 4D Cell Tracking

PubMed Central

Wan, Y.; Hansen, C.

2018-01-01

Research on microscopy data from developing biological samples usually requires tracking individual cells over time. When cells are three-dimensionally and densely packed in a time-dependent scan of volumes, tracking results can become unreliable and uncertain. Not only are cell segmentation results often inaccurate to start with, but it also lacks a simple method to evaluate the tracking outcome. Previous cell tracking methods have been validated against benchmark data from real scans or artificial data, whose ground truth results are established by manual work or simulation. However, the wide variety of real-world data makes an exhaustive validation impossible. Established cell tracking tools often fail on new data, whose issues are also difficult to diagnose with only manual examinations. Therefore, data-independent tracking evaluation methods are desired for an explosion of microscopy data with increasing scale and resolution. In this paper, we propose the uncertainty footprint, an uncertainty quantification and visualization technique that examines nonuniformity at local convergence for an iterative evaluation process on a spatial domain supported by partially overlapping bases. We demonstrate that the patterns revealed by the uncertainty footprint indicate data processing quality in two algorithms from a typical cell tracking workflow – cell identification and association. A detailed analysis of the patterns further allows us to diagnose issues and design methods for improvements. A 4D cell tracking workflow equipped with the uncertainty footprint is capable of self diagnosis and correction for a higher accuracy than previous methods whose evaluation is limited by manual examinations. PMID:29456279

SLS-PLAN-IT: A knowledge-based blackboard scheduling system for Spacelab life sciences missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kao, Cheng-Yan; Lee, Seok-Hua

1992-01-01

The primary scheduling tool in use during the Spacelab Life Science (SLS-1) planning phase was the operations research (OR) based, tabular form Experiment Scheduling System (ESS) developed by NASA Marshall. PLAN-IT is an artificial intelligence based interactive graphic timeline editor for ESS developed by JPL. The PLAN-IT software was enhanced for use in the scheduling of Spacelab experiments to support the SLS missions. The enhanced software SLS-PLAN-IT System was used to support the real-time reactive scheduling task during the SLS-1 mission. SLS-PLAN-IT is a frame-based blackboard scheduling shell which, from scheduling input, creates resource-requiring event duration objects and resource-usage duration objects. The blackboard structure is to keep track of the effects of event duration objects on the resource usage objects. Various scheduling heuristics are coded in procedural form and can be invoked any time at the user's request. The system architecture is described along with what has been learned with the SLS-PLAN-IT project.

Track-based event recognition in a realistic crowded environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Huis, Jasper R.; Bouma, Henri; Baan, Jan; Burghouts, Gertjan J.; Eendebak, Pieter T.; den Hollander, Richard J. M.; Dijk, Judith; van Rest, Jeroen H.

2014-10-01

Automatic detection of abnormal behavior in CCTV cameras is important to improve the security in crowded environments, such as shopping malls, airports and railway stations. This behavior can be characterized at different time scales, e.g., by small-scale subtle and obvious actions or by large-scale walking patterns and interactions between people. For example, pickpocketing can be recognized by the actual snatch (small scale), when he follows the victim, or when he interacts with an accomplice before and after the incident (longer time scale). This paper focusses on event recognition by detecting large-scale track-based patterns. Our event recognition method consists of several steps: pedestrian detection, object tracking, track-based feature computation and rule-based event classification. In the experiment, we focused on single track actions (walk, run, loiter, stop, turn) and track interactions (pass, meet, merge, split). The experiment includes a controlled setup, where 10 actors perform these actions. The method is also applied to all tracks that are generated in a crowded shopping mall in a selected time frame. The results show that most of the actions can be detected reliably (on average 90%) at a low false positive rate (1.1%), and that the interactions obtain lower detection rates (70% at 0.3% FP). This method may become one of the components that assists operators to find threatening behavior and enrich the selection of videos that are to be observed.

Contraception in Japan: Current trends.

PubMed

Yoshida, Honami; Sakamoto, Haruka; Leslie, Asuka; Takahashi, Osamu; Tsuboi, Satoshi; Kitamura, Kunio

2016-06-01

High proportion of Japanese uses condoms; lower proportion uses oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). We examined the longitudinal patterns for contraceptive usage in Japan and evaluated differences before and after OCP government approval. We accessed nationally representative survey data for women aged 16-49years from 1950 to 2014. Usage of condoms and OCP was 83.4% and 3.0%, respectively in 2014. OCP use before (1.21%) and after (1.97%) government approval did not differ significantly (p=.58). The prevalence of OCP usage remains low in Japan. A wide gap in use between Japan and other developed countries exists. Through a wide gap in OCP use between Japan and other countries, we revealed how choices of contraceptive methods and their benefits could be openly available for women of reproductive age, and how health care professionals disseminate appropriate knowledge about contraception for women in need. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sleeping with an Android

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Sleep quality and duration are strong indicators of an individual’s health and quality of lifebut they are difficult to track in everyday life. Mobile apps such as Sleep as Android leverage smartphone sensors to track sleep patterns and make recommendations to improve sleeping habits. PMID:28293622

Long-term engagement with a mobile self-management system for people with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Tatara, Naoe; Arsand, Eirik; Skrøvseth, Stein Olav; Hartvigsen, Gunnar

2013-03-27

In a growing number of intervention studies, mobile phones are used to support self-management of people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, it is difficult to establish knowledge about factors associated with intervention effects, due to considerable differences in research designs and outcome measures as well as a lack of detailed information about participants' engagement with the intervention tool. To contribute toward accumulating knowledge about factors associated with usage and usability of a mobile self-management application over time through a thorough analysis of multiple types of investigation on each participant's engagement. The Few Touch application is a mobile-phone-based self-management tool for patients with T2DM. Twelve patients with T2DM who have been actively involved in the system design used the Few Touch application in a real-life setting from September 2008 until October 2009. During this period, questionnaires and semistructured interviews were conducted. Recorded data were analyzed to investigate usage trends and patterns. Transcripts from interviews were thematically analyzed, and the results were further analyzed in relation to the questionnaire answers and the usage trends and patterns. The Few Touch application served as a flexible learning tool for the participants, responsive to their spontaneous needs, as well as supporting regular self-monitoring. A significantly decreasing (P<.05) usage trend was observed among 10 out of the 12 participants, though the magnitude of the decrease varied widely. Having achieved a sense of mastery over diabetes and experiences of problems were identified as reasons for declining motivation to continue using the application. Some of the problems stemmed from difficulties in integrating the use of the application into each participant's everyday life and needs, although the design concepts were developed in the process where the participants were involved. The following factors were identified as associated with usability and/or usage over time: Integration with everyday life; automation; balance between accuracy and meaningfulness of data with manual entry; intuitive and informative feedback; and rich learning materials, especially about foods. Many grounded design implications were identified through a thorough analysis of results from multiple types of investigations obtained through a year-long field trial of the Few Touch application. The study showed the importance and value of involving patient-users in a long-term trial of a tool to identify factors influencing usage and usability over time. In addition, the study confirmed the importance of detailed analyses of each participant's usage of the provided tool for better understanding of participants' engagement over time.

Spatial Distribution of Partner-Seeking Men Who Have Sex With Men Using Geosocial Networking Apps: Epidemiologic Study

PubMed Central

Algarin, Angel B; Ward, Patrick J; Christian, W Jay; Rudolph, Abby E; Holloway, Ian W

2018-01-01

Background Geosocial networking apps have made sexual partner-seeking easier for men who have sex with men, raising both challenges and opportunities for human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infection prevention and research. Most studies on men who have sex with men geosocial networking app use have been conducted in large urban areas, despite research indicating similar patterns of online- and app-based sex-seeking among men who have sex with men in rural and midsize cities. Objective The goal of our research was to examine the spatial distribution of geosocial networking app usage and characterize areas with increasing numbers of partner-seeking men who have sex with men in a midsize city in the South. Methods Data collection points (n=62) were spaced in 2-mile increments along 9 routes (112 miles) covering the county encompassing the city. At each point, staff logged into 3 different geosocial networking apps to record the number of geosocial networking app users within a 1-mile radius. Data were collected separately during weekday daytime (9:00 AM to 4:00 PM) and weekend nighttime (8:00 PM to 12:00 AM) hours. Empirical Bayesian kriging was used to create a raster estimating the number of app users throughout the county. Raster values were summarized for each of the county's 208 Census block groups and used as the outcome measure (ie, geosocial networking app usage). Negative binomial regression and Wilcoxon signed rank sum tests were used to examine Census block group variables (eg, median income, median age) associated with geosocial networking app usage and temporal differences in app usage, respectively. Results The number of geosocial networking app users within a 1-mile radius of the data collection points ranged from 0 to 36 during weekday daytime hours and 0 to 39 during weekend nighttime hours. In adjusted analyses, Census block group median income and percent Hispanic ethnicity were negatively associated with geosocial networking app usage for all 3 geosocial networking apps during weekday daytime and weekend nighttime hours. Population density and the presence of businesses were positively associated with geosocial networking app usage for all 3 geosocial networking apps during both times. Conclusions In this midsize city, geosocial networking app usage was highest in areas that were more population-dense, were lower income, and had more businesses. This research is an example of how geosocial networking apps’ geospatial capabilities can be used to better understand patterns of virtual partner-seeking among men who have sex with men. PMID:29853441

Evaluation of Simulated Clinical Breast Exam Motion Patterns Using Marker-Less Video Tracking

PubMed Central

Azari, David P.; Pugh, Carla M.; Laufer, Shlomi; Kwan, Calvin; Chen, Chia-Hsiung; Yen, Thomas Y.; Hu, Yu Hen; Radwin, Robert G.

2016-01-01

Objective This study investigates using marker-less video tracking to evaluate hands-on clinical skills during simulated clinical breast examinations (CBEs). Background There are currently no standardized and widely accepted CBE screening techniques. Methods Experienced physicians attending a national conference conducted simulated CBEs presenting different pathologies with distinct tumorous lesions. Single hand exam motion was recorded and analyzed using marker-less video tracking. Four kinematic measures were developed to describe temporal (time pressing and time searching) and spatial (area covered and distance explored) patterns. Results Mean differences between time pressing, area covered, and distance explored varied across the simulated lesions. Exams were objectively categorized as either sporadic, localized, thorough, or efficient for both temporal and spatial categories based on spatiotemporal characteristics. The majority of trials were temporally or spatially thorough (78% and 91%), exhibiting proportionally greater time pressing and time searching (temporally thorough) and greater area probed with greater distance explored (spatially thorough). More efficient exams exhibited proportionally more time pressing with less time searching (temporally efficient) and greater area probed with less distance explored (spatially efficient). Just two (5.9 %) of the trials exhibited both high temporal and spatial efficiency. Conclusions Marker-less video tracking was used to discriminate different examination techniques and measure when an exam changes from general searching to specific probing. The majority of participants exhibited more thorough than efficient patterns. Application Marker-less video kinematic tracking may be useful for quantifying clinical skills for training and assessment. PMID:26546381

Contrast, contours and the confusion effect in dazzle camouflage.

PubMed

Hogan, Benedict G; Scott-Samuel, Nicholas E; Cuthill, Innes C

2016-07-01

'Motion dazzle camouflage' is the name for the putative effects of highly conspicuous, often repetitive or complex, patterns on parameters important in prey capture, such as the perception of speed, direction and identity. Research into motion dazzle camouflage is increasing our understanding of the interactions between visual tracking, the confusion effect and defensive coloration. However, there is a paucity of research into the effects of contrast on motion dazzle camouflage: is maximal contrast a prerequisite for effectiveness? If not, this has important implications for our recognition of the phenotype and understanding of the function and mechanisms of potential motion dazzle camouflage patterns. Here we tested human participants' ability to track one moving target among many identical distractors with surface patterns designed to test the influence of these factors. In line with previous evidence, we found that targets with stripes parallel to the object direction of motion were hardest to track. However, reduction in contrast did not significantly influence this result. This finding may bring into question the utility of current definitions of motion dazzle camouflage, and means that some animal patterns, such as aposematic or mimetic stripes, may have previously unrecognized multiple functions.

Memristive neural network for on-line learning and tracking with brain-inspired spike timing dependent plasticity.

PubMed

Pedretti, G; Milo, V; Ambrogio, S; Carboni, R; Bianchi, S; Calderoni, A; Ramaswamy, N; Spinelli, A S; Ielmini, D

2017-07-13

Brain-inspired computation can revolutionize information technology by introducing machines capable of recognizing patterns (images, speech, video) and interacting with the external world in a cognitive, humanlike way. Achieving this goal requires first to gain a detailed understanding of the brain operation, and second to identify a scalable microelectronic technology capable of reproducing some of the inherent functions of the human brain, such as the high synaptic connectivity (~10 4 ) and the peculiar time-dependent synaptic plasticity. Here we demonstrate unsupervised learning and tracking in a spiking neural network with memristive synapses, where synaptic weights are updated via brain-inspired spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP). The synaptic conductance is updated by the local time-dependent superposition of pre- and post-synaptic spikes within a hybrid one-transistor/one-resistor (1T1R) memristive synapse. Only 2 synaptic states, namely the low resistance state (LRS) and the high resistance state (HRS), are sufficient to learn and recognize patterns. Unsupervised learning of a static pattern and tracking of a dynamic pattern of up to 4 × 4 pixels are demonstrated, paving the way for intelligent hardware technology with up-scaled memristive neural networks.

Multitasking: Effects of processing multiple auditory feature patterns

PubMed Central

Miller, Tova; Chen, Sufen; Lee, Wei Wei; Sussman, Elyse S.

2016-01-01

ERPs and behavioral responses were measured to assess how task-irrelevant sounds interact with task processing demands and affect the ability to monitor and track multiple sound events. Participants listened to four-tone sequential frequency patterns, and responded to frequency pattern deviants (reversals of the pattern). Irrelevant tone feature patterns (duration and intensity) and respective pattern deviants were presented together with frequency patterns and frequency pattern deviants in separate conditions. Responses to task-relevant and task-irrelevant feature pattern deviants were used to test processing demands for irrelevant sound input. Behavioral performance was significantly better when there were no distracting feature patterns. Errors primarily occurred in response to the to-be-ignored feature pattern deviants. Task-irrelevant elicitation of ERP components was consistent with the error analysis, indicating a level of processing for the irrelevant features. Task-relevant elicitation of ERP components was consistent with behavioral performance, demonstrating a “cost” of performance when there were two feature patterns presented simultaneously. These results provide evidence that the brain tracked the irrelevant duration and intensity feature patterns, affecting behavioral performance. Overall, our results demonstrate that irrelevant informational streams are processed at a cost, which may be considered a type of multitasking that is an ongoing, automatic processing of taskirrelevant sensory events. PMID:25939456

MSU Antenna Pattern Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mo, Tsan; Kleespies, Thomas J.; Green, J. Philip

2000-01-01

The Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) antenna pattern data for nine MSU Flight Models (FMs) have been successfully rescued from 22-year old 7-track and 9-track magnetic tapes and cartridges. These antenna pattern data were unpacked into user-friendly ASCII format, and are potentially useful for making antenna pattern corrections to MSU antenna temperatures in retrieving the true brightness temperatures. We also properly interpreted the contents of the data and show how to convert the measured antenna signal amplitude in volts into relative antenna power in dB with proper normalization. It is found that the data are of high quality with a 60-dB drop in the co-polarized antenna patterns from the central peak value to its side-lobe regions at scan angles beyond 30 deg. The unpacked antenna pattern data produced in this study provide a useful database for data users to correct the antenna side-lobe contribution to MSU measurements. All of the data are available to the scientific community on a single CD-ROM.

Patterns of Chemotherapy Use in a U.S.-Based Cohort of Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer.

PubMed

Abrams, Thomas A; Meyer, Gary; Meyerhardt, Jeffrey A; Wolpin, Brian M; Schrag, Deborah; Fuchs, Charles S

2017-08-01

Few population studies have examined patterns of systemic therapy administration in metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC) or the predictors associated with specific treatment choices. We assessed 4,011 consecutive MPC patients who received chemotherapy between January 2005 and December 2015 at academic, private, and community-based oncology practices subscribing to a U.S.-wide chemotherapy order entry system capturing disease, patient, provider, and treatment data. Multivariate analyses of these prospectively recorded characteristics identified significant predictors of specific therapeutic choices. Overall, 100 different regimens were used in first-line treatment of MPC. First-line gemcitabine monotherapy usage fell steadily from 72% in 2006 to 16% in 2015. This steep decline mirrored increases in first-line usage of both 5 fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX) and gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel. Younger male patients were more likely to receive FOLFIRINOX as first-line treatment, whereas patients treated at community practices and by oncologists with lower MPC patient volume were more likely to receive gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (all p  ≤ .05). Among all patients receiving first-line chemotherapy for MPC, 49% went on to receive second-line therapy and 19% received third-line therapy; administration of second- and third-line therapies increased steadily over the time course of follow-up. Younger patients and those treated by oncologists with higher MPC patient volume were more likely to receive second- and third-line therapies. This population-based study provides insight into treatment patterns of MPC in the U.S. Usage patterns varied greatly according to patient and provider characteristics. This study examined real world metastatic pancreatic cancer treatment patterns in the United States with the goals of understanding changes in chemotherapy treatment frequencies over time and determining the individual predictors that underlie the chemotherapy choices oncologists make for their patients. Our data set is unique in that it captured not only patient-level data, but also oncologist-level data. It also captured data from private and community practices as well as academic centers. To our knowledge, this is the only data set that can give this degree of insight into oncologist decision making practices. © AlphaMed Press 2017.

An Exploration of Cognitive Agility as Quantified by Attention Allocation in a Complex Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

quantified by eye-tracking data collected while subjects played a military-relevant cognitive agility computer game (Make Goal), to determine whether...subjects played a military-relevant cognitive agility computer game (Make Goal), to determine whether certain patterns are associated with effective...Group and Control Group on Eye Tracking and Game Performance .....................36 3. Comparison between High and Low Performers on Eye tracking and

Treatment preferences amongst physical therapists and chiropractors for the management of neck pain: results of an international survey.

PubMed

Carlesso, Lisa C; Macdermid, Joy C; Gross, Anita R; Walton, David M; Santaguida, P Lina

2014-03-24

Clinical practice guidelines on the management of neck pain make recommendations to help practitioners optimize patient care. By examining the practice patterns of practitioners, adherence to CPGs or lack thereof, is demonstrated. Understanding utilization of various treatments by practitioners and comparing these patterns to that of recommended guidelines is important to identify gaps for knowledge translation and improve treatment regimens. To describe the utilization of interventions in patients with neck pain by clinicians. A cross-sectional international survey was conducted from February 2012 to March 2013 to determine physical medicine, complementary and alternative medicine utilization amongst 360 clinicians treating patients with neck pain. The survey was international (19 countries) with Canada having the largest response (38%). Results were analyzed by usage amongst physical therapists (38%) and chiropractors (31%) as they were the predominant respondents. Within these professions, respondents were male (41-66%) working in private practice (69-95%). Exercise and manual therapies were consistently (98-99%) used by both professions but tests of subgroup differences determined that physical therapists used exercise, orthoses and 'other' interventions more, while chiropractors used phototherapeutics more. However, phototherapeutics (65%), Orthoses/supportive devices (57%), mechanical traction (55%) and sonic therapies (54%) were not used by the majority of respondents. Thermal applications (73%) and acupuncture (46%) were the modalities used most commonly. Analysis of differences across the subtypes of neck pain indicated that respondents utilize treatments more often for chronic neck pain and whiplash conditions, followed by radiculopathy, acute neck pain and whiplash conditions, and facet joint dysfunction by diagnostic block. The higher rates of usage of some interventions were consistent with supporting evidence (e.g. manual therapy). However, there was moderate usage of a number of interventions that have limited support or conflicting evidence (e.g. ergonomics). This survey indicates that exercise and manual therapy are core treatments provided by chiropractors and physical therapists. Future research should address gaps in evidence associated with variable practice patterns and knowledge translation to reduce usage of some interventions that have been shown to be ineffective.

Treatment preferences amongst physical therapists and chiropractors for the management of neck pain: results of an international survey

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Clinical practice guidelines on the management of neck pain make recommendations to help practitioners optimize patient care. By examining the practice patterns of practitioners, adherence to CPGs or lack thereof, is demonstrated. Understanding utilization of various treatments by practitioners and comparing these patterns to that of recommended guidelines is important to identify gaps for knowledge translation and improve treatment regimens. Aim To describe the utilization of interventions in patients with neck pain by clinicians. Methods A cross-sectional international survey was conducted from February 2012 to March 2013 to determine physical medicine, complementary and alternative medicine utilization amongst 360 clinicians treating patients with neck pain. Results The survey was international (19 countries) with Canada having the largest response (38%). Results were analyzed by usage amongst physical therapists (38%) and chiropractors (31%) as they were the predominant respondents. Within these professions, respondents were male (41-66%) working in private practice (69-95%). Exercise and manual therapies were consistently (98-99%) used by both professions but tests of subgroup differences determined that physical therapists used exercise, orthoses and ‘other’ interventions more, while chiropractors used phototherapeutics more. However, phototherapeutics (65%), Orthoses/supportive devices (57%), mechanical traction (55%) and sonic therapies (54%) were not used by the majority of respondents. Thermal applications (73%) and acupuncture (46%) were the modalities used most commonly. Analysis of differences across the subtypes of neck pain indicated that respondents utilize treatments more often for chronic neck pain and whiplash conditions, followed by radiculopathy, acute neck pain and whiplash conditions, and facet joint dysfunction by diagnostic block. The higher rates of usage of some interventions were consistent with supporting evidence (e.g. manual therapy). However, there was moderate usage of a number of interventions that have limited support or conflicting evidence (e.g. ergonomics). Conclusions This survey indicates that exercise and manual therapy are core treatments provided by chiropractors and physical therapists. Future research should address gaps in evidence associated with variable practice patterns and knowledge translation to reduce usage of some interventions that have been shown to be ineffective. PMID:24661461

Using GPS-enabled cell phones to track the travel patterns of adolescents.

PubMed

Wiehe, Sarah E; Carroll, Aaron E; Liu, Gilbert C; Haberkorn, Kelly L; Hoch, Shawn C; Wilson, Jeffery S; Fortenberry, J Dennis

2008-05-21

Few tools exist to directly measure the microsocial and physical environments of adolescents in circumstances where participatory observation is not practical or ethical. Yet measuring these environments is important as they are significantly associated with adolescent health-risk. For example, health-related behaviors such as cigarette smoking often occur in specific places where smoking may be relatively surreptitious. We assessed the feasibility of using GPS-enabled cell phones to track adolescent travel patterns and gather daily diary data. We enrolled 15 adolescent women from a clinic-based setting and asked them to carry the phones for 1 week. We found that these phones can accurately and reliably track participant locations, as well as record diary information on adolescent behaviors. Participants had variable paths extending beyond their immediate neighborhoods, and denied that GPS-tracking influenced their activity. GPS-enabled cell phones offer a feasible and, in many ways, ideal modality of monitoring the location and travel patterns of adolescents. In addition, cell phones allow space- and time-specific interaction, probing, and intervention which significantly extends both research and health promotion beyond a clinical setting. Future studies can employ GPS-enabled cell phones to better understand adolescent environments, how they are associated with health-risk behaviors, and perhaps intervene to change health behavior.

Using GPS-enabled cell phones to track the travel patterns of adolescents

PubMed Central

Wiehe, Sarah E; Carroll, Aaron E; Liu, Gilbert C; Haberkorn, Kelly L; Hoch, Shawn C; Wilson, Jeffery S; Fortenberry, J Dennis

2008-01-01

Background Few tools exist to directly measure the microsocial and physical environments of adolescents in circumstances where participatory observation is not practical or ethical. Yet measuring these environments is important as they are significantly associated with adolescent health-risk. For example, health-related behaviors such as cigarette smoking often occur in specific places where smoking may be relatively surreptitious. Results We assessed the feasibility of using GPS-enabled cell phones to track adolescent travel patterns and gather daily diary data. We enrolled 15 adolescent women from a clinic-based setting and asked them to carry the phones for 1 week. We found that these phones can accurately and reliably track participant locations, as well as record diary information on adolescent behaviors. Participants had variable paths extending beyond their immediate neighborhoods, and denied that GPS-tracking influenced their activity. Conclusion GPS-enabled cell phones offer a feasible and, in many ways, ideal modality of monitoring the location and travel patterns of adolescents. In addition, cell phones allow space- and time-specific interaction, probing, and intervention which significantly extends both research and health promotion beyond a clinical setting. Future studies can employ GPS-enabled cell phones to better understand adolescent environments, how they are associated with health-risk behaviors, and perhaps intervene to change health behavior. PMID:18495025

System and method for tracking a signal source. [employing feedback control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mogavero, L. N.; Johnson, E. G.; Evans, J. M., Jr.; Albus, J. S. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

A system for tracking moving signal sources is disclosed which is particularly adaptable for use in tracking stage performers. A miniature transmitter is attached to the person or object to be tracked and emits a detectable signal of a predetermined frequency. A plurality of detectors positioned in a preset pattern sense the signal and supply output information to a phase detector which applies signals representing the angular orientation of the transmitter to a computer. The computer provides command signals to a servo network which drives a device such as a motor driven mirror reflecting the beam of a spotlight, to track the moving transmitter.

Hough transform method for track finding in center drift chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azmi, K. A. Mohammad Kamal; Wan Abdullah, W. A. T.; Ibrahim, Zainol Abidin

2016-01-01

Hough transform is a global tracking method used which had been expected to be faster approach for tracking the circular pattern of electron moving in Center Drift Chamber (CDC), by transforming the point of hit into a circular curve. This paper present the implementation of hough transform method for the reconstruction of tracks in Center Drift Chamber (CDC) which have been generated by random number in C language programming. Result from implementation of this method shows higher peak of circle parameter value (xc,yc,rc) that indicate the similarity value of the parameter needed for circular track in CDC for charged particles in the region of CDC.

Video tracking analysis of behavioral patterns during estrus in goats

PubMed Central

ENDO, Natsumi; RAHAYU, Larasati Puji; ARAKAWA, Toshiya; TANAKA, Tomomi

2015-01-01

Here, we report a new method for measuring behavioral patterns during estrus in goats based on video tracking analysis. Data were collected from cycling goats, which were in estrus (n = 8) or not in estrus (n = 8). An observation pen (2.5 m × 2.5 m) was set up in the corner of the female paddock with one side adjacent to a male paddock. The positions and movements of goats were tracked every 0.5 sec for 10 min by using a video tracking software, and the trajectory data were used for the analysis. There were no significant differences in the durations of standing and walking or the total length of movement. However, the number of approaches to a male and the duration of staying near the male were higher in goats in estrus than in goats not in estrus. The proposed evaluation method may be suitable for detailed monitoring of behavioral changes during estrus in goats. PMID:26560676

Horizontal movements of Atlantic blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) in the Gulf of Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kraus, R.T.; Wells, R.J.D.; Rooker, J.R.

2011-01-01

We examined movements of Atlantic blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) from the Gulf of Mexico based upon 42 pop-up archival transmitting (PAT) tags. Long deployments (including one 334-day track) revealed diverse movement patterns within the Gulf of Mexico. North-south seasonal changes in blue marlin distribution showed strong correspondence with established seasonal patterns of sea surface temperature and primary production. During the summer spawning season, blue marlin utilized outer shelf and shelf edge waters in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and longer duration tracks indicated overwintering habitats in the Bay of Campeche. Egress occurred throughout the year and was difficult to determine because some tracks ended in the Straits of Florida (n = 3) while other tracks recorded movement through it or the Yucatan Channel (n = 4). Our results indicate that Atlantic blue marlin have a more restricted geographic range of habitats than previously recognized and that the Gulf of Mexico provides spatially dynamic suitable habitat that is utilized year-round through seasonal movements. ?? 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Creating context for the experiment record. User-defined metadata: investigations into metadata usage in the LabTrove ELN.

PubMed

Willoughby, Cerys; Bird, Colin L; Coles, Simon J; Frey, Jeremy G

2014-12-22

The drive toward more transparency in research, the growing willingness to make data openly available, and the reuse of data to maximize the return on research investment all increase the importance of being able to find information and make links to the underlying data. The use of metadata in Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELNs) to curate experiment data is an essential ingredient for facilitating discovery. The University of Southampton has developed a Web browser-based ELN that enables users to add their own metadata to notebook entries. A survey of these notebooks was completed to assess user behavior and patterns of metadata usage within ELNs, while user perceptions and expectations were gathered through interviews and user-testing activities within the community. The findings indicate that while some groups are comfortable with metadata and are able to design a metadata structure that works effectively, many users are making little attempts to use it, thereby endangering their ability to recover data in the future. A survey of patterns of metadata use in these notebooks, together with feedback from the user community, indicated that while a few groups are comfortable with metadata and are able to design a metadata structure that works effectively, many users adopt a "minimum required" approach to metadata. To investigate whether the patterns of metadata use in LabTrove were unusual, a series of surveys were undertaken to investigate metadata usage in a variety of platforms supporting user-defined metadata. These surveys also provided the opportunity to investigate whether interface designs in these other environments might inform strategies for encouraging metadata creation and more effective use of metadata in LabTrove.

Population trends, bend use relative to available habitat and within-river-bend habitat use of eight indicator species of Missouri and Lower Kansas River benthic fishes: 15 years after baseline assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wildhaber, Mark L.; Yang, Wen-Hsi; Arab, Ali

2016-01-01

A baseline assessment of the Missouri River fish community and species-specific habitat use patterns conducted from 1996 to 1998 provided the first comprehensive analysis of Missouri River benthic fish population trends and habitat use in the Missouri and Lower Yellowstone rivers, exclusive of reservoirs, and provided the foundation for the present Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program (PSPAP). Data used in such studies are frequently zero inflated. To address this issue, the zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) model was applied. This follow-up study is based on PSPAP data collected up to 15 years later along with new understanding of how habitat characteristics among and within bends affect habitat use of fish species targeted by PSPAP, including pallid sturgeon. This work demonstrated that a large-scale, large-river, PSPAP-type monitoring program can be an effective tool for assessing population trends and habitat usage of large-river fish species. Using multiple gears, PSPAP was effective in monitoring shovelnose and pallid sturgeons, sicklefin, shoal and sturgeon chubs, sand shiner, blue sucker and sauger. For all species, the relationship between environmental variables and relative abundance differed, somewhat, among river segments suggesting the importance of the overall conditions of Upper and Middle Missouri River and Lower Missouri and Kansas rivers on the habitat usage patterns exhibited. Shoal and sicklefin chubs exhibited many similar habitat usage patterns; blue sucker and shovelnose sturgeon also shared similar responses. For pallid sturgeon, the primary focus of PSPAP, relative abundance tended to increase in Upper and Middle Missouri River paralleling stocking efforts, whereas no evidence of an increasing relative abundance was found in the Lower Missouri River despite stocking.

Health information exchange technology on the front lines of healthcare: workflow factors and patterns of use

PubMed Central

Johnson, Kevin B; Lorenzi, Nancy M

2011-01-01

Objective The goal of this study was to develop an in-depth understanding of how a health information exchange (HIE) fits into clinical workflow at multiple clinical sites. Materials and Methods The ethnographic qualitative study was conducted over a 9-month period in six emergency departments (ED) and eight ambulatory clinics in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Data were collected using direct observation, informal interviews during observation, and formal semi-structured interviews. The authors observed for over 180 h, during which providers used the exchange 130 times. Results HIE-related workflow was modeled for each ED site and ambulatory clinic group and substantial site-to-site workflow differences were identified. Common patterns in HIE-related workflow were also identified across all sites, leading to the development of two role-based workflow models: nurse based and physician based. The workflow elements framework was applied to the two role-based patterns. An in-depth description was developed of how providers integrated HIE into existing clinical workflow, including prompts for HIE use. Discussion Workflow differed substantially among sites, but two general role-based HIE usage models were identified. Although providers used HIE to improve continuity of patient care, patient–provider trust played a significant role. Types of information retrieved related to roles, with nurses seeking to retrieve recent hospitalization data and more open-ended usage by nurse practitioners and physicians. User and role-specific customization to accommodate differences in workflow and information needs may increase the adoption and use of HIE. Conclusion Understanding end users' perspectives towards HIE technology is crucial to the long-term success of HIE. By applying qualitative methods, an in-depth understanding of HIE usage was developed. PMID:22003156

Proteome Adaptation to High Temperatures in the Ectothermic Hydrothermal Vent Pompeii Worm

PubMed Central

Jollivet, Didier; Mary, Jean; Gagnière, Nicolas; Tanguy, Arnaud; Fontanillas, Eric; Boutet, Isabelle; Hourdez, Stéphane; Segurens, Béatrice; Weissenbach, Jean; Poch, Olivier; Lecompte, Odile

2012-01-01

Taking advantage of the massive genome sequencing effort made on thermophilic prokaryotes, thermal adaptation has been extensively studied by analysing amino acid replacements and codon usage in these unicellular organisms. In most cases, adaptation to thermophily is associated with greater residue hydrophobicity and more charged residues. Both of these characteristics are positively correlated with the optimal growth temperature of prokaryotes. In contrast, little information has been collected on the molecular ‘adaptive’ strategy of thermophilic eukaryotes. The Pompeii worm A. pompejana, whose transcriptome has recently been sequenced, is currently considered as the most thermotolerant eukaryote on Earth, withstanding the greatest thermal and chemical ranges known. We investigated the amino-acid composition bias of ribosomal proteins in the Pompeii worm when compared to other lophotrochozoans and checked for putative adaptive changes during the course of evolution using codon-based Maximum likelihood analyses. We then provided a comparative analysis of codon usage and amino-acid replacements from a greater set of orthologous genes between the Pompeii worm and Paralvinella grasslei, one of its closest relatives living in a much cooler habitat. Analyses reveal that both species display the same high GC-biased codon usage and amino-acid patterns favoring both positively-charged residues and protein hydrophobicity. These patterns may be indicative of an ancestral adaptation to the deep sea and/or thermophily. In addition, the Pompeii worm displays a set of amino-acid change patterns that may explain its greater thermotolerance, with a significant increase in Tyr, Lys and Ala against Val, Met and Gly. Present results indicate that, together with a high content in charged residues, greater proportion of smaller aliphatic residues, and especially alanine, may be a different path for metazoans to face relatively ‘high’ temperatures and thus a novelty in thermophilic metazoans. PMID:22348046

Proteome adaptation to high temperatures in the ectothermic hydrothermal vent Pompeii worm.

PubMed

Jollivet, Didier; Mary, Jean; Gagnière, Nicolas; Tanguy, Arnaud; Fontanillas, Eric; Boutet, Isabelle; Hourdez, Stéphane; Segurens, Béatrice; Weissenbach, Jean; Poch, Olivier; Lecompte, Odile

2012-01-01

Taking advantage of the massive genome sequencing effort made on thermophilic prokaryotes, thermal adaptation has been extensively studied by analysing amino acid replacements and codon usage in these unicellular organisms. In most cases, adaptation to thermophily is associated with greater residue hydrophobicity and more charged residues. Both of these characteristics are positively correlated with the optimal growth temperature of prokaryotes. In contrast, little information has been collected on the molecular 'adaptive' strategy of thermophilic eukaryotes. The Pompeii worm A. pompejana, whose transcriptome has recently been sequenced, is currently considered as the most thermotolerant eukaryote on Earth, withstanding the greatest thermal and chemical ranges known. We investigated the amino-acid composition bias of ribosomal proteins in the Pompeii worm when compared to other lophotrochozoans and checked for putative adaptive changes during the course of evolution using codon-based Maximum likelihood analyses. We then provided a comparative analysis of codon usage and amino-acid replacements from a greater set of orthologous genes between the Pompeii worm and Paralvinella grasslei, one of its closest relatives living in a much cooler habitat. Analyses reveal that both species display the same high GC-biased codon usage and amino-acid patterns favoring both positively-charged residues and protein hydrophobicity. These patterns may be indicative of an ancestral adaptation to the deep sea and/or thermophily. In addition, the Pompeii worm displays a set of amino-acid change patterns that may explain its greater thermotolerance, with a significant increase in Tyr, Lys and Ala against Val, Met and Gly. Present results indicate that, together with a high content in charged residues, greater proportion of smaller aliphatic residues, and especially alanine, may be a different path for metazoans to face relatively 'high' temperatures and thus a novelty in thermophilic metazoans.

Vanishing Act: Experiments on Fission Track Annealing in Monazite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shipley, N. K.; Fayon, A. K.

2006-12-01

To determine the viability of monazite as a low temperature thermochronometer, we conducted fission track annealing experiments under isothermal conditions. These experiments evaluated the effects of uranium concentration and zoning on annealing rates. Fission track annealing rates in monazite were also compared to those in Durango apatite. Preliminary results indicate that monazite grains with higher initial track densities anneal at faster rates than those with low initial densities and that fission tracks in monazite anneal at a faster rate than those in apatite. Monazite sand grains were selected from a placer sand deposit, mounted in teflon, and polished. Grains were imaged with electron backscattering to characterize zoning patterns and variations in uranium concentration. Monazite grain mounts were etched in boiling 37% HCl for 50 minutes and fission track densities were determined using standard fission track counting techniques. Durango apatite was etched in 5N HNO3 at room temperature for 20 seconds. After the initial track densities were determined, mounts in one group were annealed at 150 ° C for 1to 6 h. The mounts in a second group were annealed at 200 ° C for 2 hour periods along with mounts of Durango apatite grains. All grains were re-polished prior to each anneal. Upon completion of the experiment, backscatter images were taken of grains from which fission track counts were obtained to verify continuance of concentric zoning. Results of these experiments indicate that annealing rates of fission tracks in monazite vary as a function of uranium concentration. Uranium concentration was constrained on the basis of zoning patterns obtained from electron backscatter images. Fission track densities in grains with initial track densities of approximately 2.4 × 106 tracks/cm2 were reduced at average rate of 16% every two hours. In contrast, track densities in grains with initial track densities of approximately 1.6 × 106 tracks/cm2 average 4.6% density reduction every two hours. In both cases, track density reduction in monazite was faster than the rate of 0.1 % every two hours obtained for apatite. This would indicate that fission track annealing occurs at a lower temperature in monazite than in apatite. Thus monazite would be useful as a low temperature chronometer for determining cooling histories in recently exhumed rocks.

Interface of the general fitting tool GENFIT2 in PandaRoot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prencipe, Elisabetta; Spataro, Stefano; Stockmanns, Tobias; PANDA Collaboration

2017-10-01

\\bar{{{P}}}ANDA is a planned experiment at FAIR (Darmstadt) with a cooled antiproton beam in a range [1.5; 15] GeV/c, allowing a wide physics program in nuclear and particle physics. It is the only experiment worldwide, which combines a solenoid field (B=2T) and a dipole field (B=2Tm) in a spectrometer with a fixed target topology, in that energy regime. The tracking system of \\bar{{{P}}}ANDA involves the presence of a high performance silicon vertex detector, a GEM detector, a straw-tubes central tracker, a forward tracking system, and a luminosity monitor. The offline tracking algorithm is developed within the PandaRoot framework, which is a part of the FairRoot project. The tool here presented is based on algorithms containing the Kalman Filter equations and a deterministic annealing filter. This general fitting tool (GENFIT2) offers to users also a Runge-Kutta track representation, and interfaces with Millepede II (useful for alignment) and RAVE (vertex finder). It is independent on the detector geometry and the magnetic field map, and written in C++ object-oriented modular code. Several fitting algorithms are available with GENFIT2, with user-adjustable parameters; therefore the tool is of friendly usage. A check on the fit convergence is done by GENFIT2 as well. The Kalman-Filter-based algorithms have a wide range of applications; among those in particle physics they can perform extrapolations of track parameters and covariance matrices. The adoptions of the PandaRoot framework to connect to Genfit2 are described, and the impact of GENFIT2 on the physics simulations of \\bar{{{P}}}ANDA are shown: significant improvement is reported for those channels where a good low momentum tracking is required (pT < 400 MeV/c).

Spectrometers for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR) Upgrade to Full Sun-Sky-Cloud-Trace Gas Spectrometry Capability for Airborne Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunagan, S. E.; Flynn, C. J.; Johnson, R. R.; Kacenelenbogen, M. S.; Knobelspiesse, K. D.; LeBlanc, S. E.; Livingston, J. M.; Redemann, J.; Russell, P. B.; Schmid, B.; Segal-Rosenhaimer, M.; Shinozuka, Y.

2014-12-01

The Spectrometers for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR) instrument has been developed at NASA Ames in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and NASA Goddard, supported substantially since 2009 by NASA's Radiation Science Program and Earth Science Technology Office. It combines grating spectrometers with fiber optic links to a tracking, scanning head to enable sun tracking, sky scanning, and zenith viewing. 4STAR builds on the long and productive heritage of the NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometers (AATS-6 and -14), which have yielded more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and extensive archived data sets in many NASA Airborne Science campaigns from 1986 to the present. The baseline 4STAR instrument has provided extensive data supporting the TCAP (Two Column Aerosol Project, July 2012 & Feb. 2013), SEAC4RS (Studies of Emissions, Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys, 2013), and ARISE (Arctic Radiation - IceBridge Sea and Ice Experiment, 2014), field campaigns.This poster presents plans and progress for an upgrade to the 4STAR instrument to achieve full science capability, including (1) direct-beam sun tracking measurements to derive aerosol optical depth spectra, (2) sky radiance measurements to retrieve aerosol absorption and type (via complex refractive index and mode-resolved size distribution), (3) cloud properties via zenith radiance, and (4) trace gas spectrometry. Technical progress in context with the governing physics is reported on several upgrades directed at improved light collection and usage, particularly as related to spectrally and radiometrically stable propagation through the collection light path. In addition, improvements to field calibration and verification, and flight operability and reliability are addressed.

Conditional Stochastic Models in Reduced Space: Towards Efficient Simulation of Tropical Cyclone Precipitation Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dodov, B.

2017-12-01

Stochastic simulation of realistic and statistically robust patterns of Tropical Cyclone (TC) induced precipitation is a challenging task. It is even more challenging in a catastrophe modeling context, where tens of thousands of typhoon seasons need to be simulated in order to provide a complete view of flood risk. Ultimately, one could run a coupled global climate model and regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model, but this approach is not feasible in the catastrophe modeling context and, most importantly, may not provide TC track patterns consistent with observations. Rather, we propose to leverage NWP output for the observed TC precipitation patterns (in terms of downscaled reanalysis 1979-2015) collected on a Lagrangian frame along the historical TC tracks and reduced to the leading spatial principal components of the data. The reduced data from all TCs is then grouped according to timing, storm evolution stage (developing, mature, dissipating, ETC transitioning) and central pressure and used to build a dictionary of stationary (within a group) and non-stationary (for transitions between groups) covariance models. Provided that the stochastic storm tracks with all the parameters describing the TC evolution are already simulated, a sequence of conditional samples from the covariance models chosen according to the TC characteristics at a given moment in time are concatenated, producing a continuous non-stationary precipitation pattern in a Lagrangian framework. The simulated precipitation for each event is finally distributed along the stochastic TC track and blended with a non-TC background precipitation using a data assimilation technique. The proposed framework provides means of efficient simulation (10000 seasons simulated in a couple of days) and robust typhoon precipitation patterns consistent with observed regional climate and visually undistinguishable from high resolution NWP output. The framework is used to simulate a catalog of 10000 typhoon seasons implemented in a flood risk model for Japan.

A novel approach of an absolute coding pattern based on Hamiltonian graph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ya'nan; Wang, Huawei; Hao, Fusheng; Liu, Liqiang

2017-02-01

In this paper, a novel approach of an optical type absolute rotary encoder coding pattern is presented. The concept is based on the principle of the absolute encoder to find out a unique sequence that ensures an unambiguous shaft position of any angular. We design a single-ring and a n-by-2 matrix absolute encoder coding pattern by using the variations of Hamiltonian graph principle. 12 encoding bits is used in the single-ring by a linear array CCD to achieve an 1080-position cycle encoding. Besides, a 2-by-2 matrix is used as an unit in the 2-track disk to achieve a 16-bits encoding pattern by using an area array CCD sensor (as a sample). Finally, a higher resolution can be gained by an electronic subdivision of the signals. Compared with the conventional gray or binary code pattern (for a 2n resolution), this new pattern has a higher resolution (2n*n) with less coding tracks, which means the new pattern can lead to a smaller encoder, which is essential in the industrial production.

Analysis of pathology department Web sites and practical recommendations.

PubMed

Nero, Christopher; Dighe, Anand S

2008-09-01

There are numerous customers for pathology departmental Web sites, including pathology department staff, clinical staff, residency applicants, job seekers, and other individuals outside the department seeking department information. Despite the increasing importance of departmental Web sites as a means of distributing information, no analysis has been done to date of the content and usage of pathology department Web sites. In this study, we analyzed pathology department Web sites to examine the elements present on each site and to evaluate the use of search technology on these sites. Further, we examined the usage patterns of our own departmental Internet and internet Web sites to better understand the users of pathology Web sites. We reviewed selected departmental pathology Web sites and analyzed their content and functionality. Our institution's departmental pathology Web sites were modified to enable detailed information to be stored regarding users and usage patterns, and that information was analyzed. We demonstrate considerable heterogeneity in departmental Web sites with many sites lacking basic content and search features. In addition, we demonstrate that increasing the traffic of a department's informational Web sites may result in reduced phone inquiries to the laboratory. We propose recommendations for pathology department Web sites to maximize promotion of a department's mission. A departmental pathology Web site is an essential communication tool for all pathology departments, and attention to the users and content of the site can have operational impact.

TOXBASE: Poisons information on the internet

PubMed Central

Bateman, D; Good, A; Laing, W; Kelly, C

2002-01-01

Objectives: To assess the uptake, usage and acceptability of TOXBASE, the National Poisons Information Service internet toxicology information service. Methods: An observational study of database usage, and a questionnaire of users were undertaken involving users of TOXBASE within the UK between August 1999, when the internet site was launched, and May 2000. The main outcome measures were numbers of registered users, usage patterns on the database, responses to user satisfaction questionnaire. Results: The number of registered users increased from 567 to 1500. There was a 68% increase in accident and emergency departments registered, a 159% increase in general practitioners, but a 324% increase in other hospital departments. Between January 2000 and the end of May there had been 60 281 accesses to the product database, the most frequent to the paracetamol entry (7291 accesses). Ecstasy was the seventh most frequent entry accessed. Altogether 165 of 330 questionnaires were returned. The majority came from accident and emergency departments, the major users of the system. Users were generally well (>95%) satisfied with ease and speed of access. A number of suggestions for improvements were put forward. Conclusions: TOXBASE has been extensively accessed since being placed on the internet (http://www.spib.axl.co.uk). The pattern of enquiries mirrors clinical presentation with poisoning. The system seems to be easily used. It is a model for future delivery of treatment guidelines at the point of patient care. PMID:11777868